View Full Version : 2022 - A Look Ahead
Fortitude
14th April 2022, 08:48
Haas believe they know where early-season pace has gone.
Mick Schumacher says Haas "have an idea why" their car was down on performance during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Mick Schumacher says Haas "have an idea why" their car was down on performance during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
The American outfit are confident in their race pace at high-speed circuits, and will have more time to make progress through the field in race conditions thanks to the event being a Sprint weekend.
"I'm sure that we'll be, hopefully, back in the position where we were supposed to be," Schumacher continued. "There were a lot of things that we learned, a lot of positives, and things we need to improve."
‘Having An Idea’;
https://racingnews365.com/haas-believe-they-know-where-early-season-pace-has-gone
British journalist gives verdict on Ferrari ‘threatening’ Haas, turning down their engine
For the first time in 2022, Haas failed to score points at last weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
by Rob Kershaw
13 April 202213 April 2022
Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz has dismissed any conspiracy theories suggesting that Ferrari attempted to put a halt to Haas’ momentum at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
Having spent the entirety of 2021 developing for the all-new technical regulations this season, Haas have cemented themselves in the early going in 2022 as contenders for the top four in the Constructors’ Championship.
Kevin Magnussen returned to the team to replace the sacked Nikita Mazepin, and he managed points finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to declare that he has not lost any pace in his year away from the pinnacle of motorsport, and that the American outfit are ready to consistently compete for points again.
‘Turning Engine Power Down Dismissed’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/british-journalist-gives-verdict-on-ferrari-threatening-haas-turning-down-their-engine/
Kravitz rubbishes Ferrari v Haas paddock rumour
Date published: April 11 2022 - Henry Valantine
Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz has quickly shut down a rumour in the paddock that Ferrari may have been “threatening” Haas to turn down their customer engine, with their strong performances in Bahrain and Jeddah raising eyebrows.
“From scoring points in the first couple of races with Kevin Magnussen to finishing P13 and P14 in Australia is very, very odd. There have been some suggestions among the rumour-mongers that maybe Ferrari are thinking Haas are doing a little bit too well and threatening them. Of course, that’s rubbish. Ferrari are never going to threaten Haas to turn down their own engine.”
“But that’s the rumour out there and you know I like to keep you across all these rumours in F1. I think the truth is, really, that they arrived here with the wrong set-up and never got it back. When you essentially write off Friday because you don’t have the right set-up, it’s very difficult to get it back.”
‘Rubbish Rumours’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kravitz-quashes-ferrari-haas-rumours/
Magnussen highlights reason behind Haas' recent struggles
10 April 17:15
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Kevin Magnussen believes that Haas' change in fortunes at the Australian Grand Prix was down to the track not suiting their car, and thus remains hopeful that the team can bounce back.
"[It was] good fun, [and a] nice track," the Danish driver said after the Grand Prix. "[I'm disappointed] not to get points today. We made a small gamble, I would say, with the Hard tyre, because we felt like we were faster than our opposition, which we were.”
"But, again, [the] Safety Car came and ruined completely the strategy. We know that's the gamble, but it's happened two times now [having happened at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix], so it's a bummer. We'll take them next time!"
‘Small Gamble’;
https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-highlights-reason-behind-haas-recent-struggles
K-Mag ‘on eggs’, but Haas trouble ‘an outlier’
Date published: April 11 2022 - Jon Wilde
Kevin Magnussen said he was “on eggs” at the Australian Grand Prix – but it had nothing to do with his diet. After having to miss his Friday morning media commitments due to feeling nauseous, it would have been understandable if the Dane was watching what he ate in Melbourne.
Haas were generally a little bit off the form they had produced in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where Magnussen enjoyed race results of fifth and ninth respectively to collect 12 points after a blank 2021 campaign for the team.
Adopting the reverse strategy to the majority of the field at Albert Park, with hard tyres from 16th on the grid, the 29-year-old duelled with his team-mate Mick Schumacher and both started and finished one place behind the German, 13th and 14th.
‘Haas Woes’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-magnussen-eggs-haas-outlier/
Fortitude
14th April 2022, 14:38
Williams point “just as sweet” as Red Bull podiums – Albon.
Alex Albon feels his points finish for Williams in the Australian Grand Prix was “just as sweet” as the podiums he scored for Red Bull during his time at the sharp end of F1.
Will Gray
Tuesday 12 April 2022 13:35
Albon revealed: “To be honest, I was guided by them [the team]. I was surprised we were never boxing under the VCSs or the safety cars. I thought ‘Okay, well they know something I don’t'.
“I thought that one of the Haas’ boxed in front of me and that’s the point when I thought ‘Okay, it’s going to be a tricky race now’ because that DRS was saving me from being overtaken by the pack behind.”
“But once we got clear air we just went and we were on much older tyres than the guys around us, keeping pace more or less with the McLarens and at the very end pulling away from the Alpines.”
‘They Know Something I Don’t’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79988/williams-point-just-as-sweet-as-red-bull-podiums-albon/
PALMER: How Albon pulled off a blinding strategy call to take Williams' first point of the season
13 April 2022
Special contributor
Jolyon Palmer
Williams must have been concerned that there would be a void at the team following George Russell’s move to Mercedes this year...
Starting from plumb last, after his car was disqualified for having too little fuel in it at the end of qualifying, it looked like it would be another tough afternoon. It ended up being a fairytale for the team with a perfectly executed strategy jumping them into the top 10 and earning a coveted first point.
Williams kept Albon out and it worked perfectly. After the event both Haas and Alpine will have looked at Williams’ strategy and rued a missed chance.
‘Blinding Strategy’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.palmer-how-albon-pulled-off-a-blinding-strategy-call-to-take-williams-first.4XIMhqWLpO5Kbsk9Jx702X.html
Albon feeling like a 'team leader' at Williams
Phillip van Osten
13/04/2022 at 15:18
Williams recruit Alex Albon says he's feeling like a genuine "team leader" at the British squad for which he scored its first championship point of the 2022 season last weekend in Melbourne.
But Albon had to work hard to earn his and his outfit's solitary point, as there was little to separate Williams' FW43 from the machines of fellow midfield rivals Alfa Romeo and Haas in the first half of the 58-lap event.
Albon said that he actually enjoyed his battle around Albert Park with his Alfa and Haas adversaries "It was nice to mix it [with them] and when I was in that group of cars, I guess part of me was mostly looking in my rearview mirrors. But then, very quickly, I was losing them and I was pulling away from them," he said. "And I was like: 'Oh, okay, here we go. We're gapping them!'. It was really good."
‘Pulling Away From Alfa and Haas’;
https://f1i.com/news/438357-albon-feeling-like-a-team-leader-at-williams.html
Albon’s 10-place rise ‘is what racing is all about’
Date published: April 11 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Williams team boss Jost Capito says Alex Albon’s rise to claim a point in Australia after starting from P20 was what racing is all about.
“I would say this is racing and this is what racing is all about,” said Capito in a Williams social media video. “Coming from P20, last car on the grid and getting a point.”
“Alex did an outstanding job – the race pace was extraordinary. The strategy, I would say, was a bit risky – but no risk, no fun – and at the end, it worked out perfectly.”
‘No Risk, No Fun’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-praise-alex-albon-australia-p10/
Alex Albon Needed a Series of Qualifying Laps to Secure Unexpected First Point in 2022
13 Apr 2022, 09:14 UTC ·
by Sergiu Tudose
Williams’ Alex Albon came to Albert Park while nursing a three-place grid penalty following a contact with Lance Stroll at Jeddah. Ultimately, the Anglo-Thai driver started the race from the back of the grid and managed a monster 57-lap stint on his original hard tires.
“It just got better and better and by the end of it, it felt like qualifying laps for the last 25 laps of the race,” said Albon in an interview with Motorsport. “Obviously it’s completely unexpected, but it really highlights all the work that’s been done at the factory and here at the track.”
“That’s what determination and motivation – that's where it gets you. It’s been an amazing day and I’m glad I could get this result for the team.”
’25 Qualifying Laps’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/alex-albon-needed-a-series-of-qualifying-laps-to-secure-unexpected-first-point-in-2022-186288.html
The full story of Albon’s against-all-odds Melbourne point
Apr 11 2022
By Edd Straw
PART 1 (Lap 1-3) Albon made little progress early on, with wheelspin at the start preventing him from attacking the cars in front then a cautious approach in bringing the tyres in to ensure longevity. He chased the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll, with the only position gained thanks to Carlos Sainz understeering off the track at Turn 9 and then spinning into the Turn 10 gravel.
PART 2 (Lap 7-23) Albon remained in 18th place at the restart at the start of lap seven and settled into chasing team-mate Nicholas Latifi, who slipped back from the cars ahead.
PART 3 (Lap 28-39) Albon reported during the safety car period that he struggled with the front end when behind another car. He also said he was struggling with over-rotation in the medium and high-speed corners, describing it as “the pendulum effect”. He also reported “a bit” of graining but said it was nothing to worry about, indicating he wasn’t having the same troubles Latifi was.
‘PART 4 (Lap 40-52), PART 5 – ENDGAME (Lap 53-58)’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-full-story-of-albons-against-all-odds-melbourne-point/
How Albon's pace in Australia surprised a rival team boss
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer says he was surprised at the pace of Alex Albon in Melbourne, with the Williams driver finishing 10th after running all but one lap of the race on the Hard compound tyre.
Speaking after the race, Szafnauer noted that he hadn't expected Albon to be able to lap so consistently on one set of tyres for such a long period of time.
"I wasn't surprised that they scored a point; I was surprised at their pace on a 57 lap-old Hard tyre, so there's things to learn from it," Szafnauer told media including RacingNews365.com.
‘Alex Albon Pace Surpriser!’;
https://racingnews365.com/how-albons-pace-in-australia-surprised-rival-boss
Points finishes ‘unimaginable’ for Williams after Saturday DSQ – Albon
A stupendous opening stint for Alex Albon helped him score a point at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
by Rob Kershaw
10 April 202210 April 2022
His pace was nothing short of magnificent on old hard rubber, and he was told by Paul di Resta that he almost wiped out one or two people in the pit lane during his visit to the pits.
“Oh did I? Oh okay, we’ll ignore that,” he replied with a chuckle.
“It was good, it was a hard one. We fought hard and it was like qualifying for 30 laps for us,” he told Sky Sports. “I don’t know what it is about that tyre, but that Hard tyre suits us every time we put it on, and of course P10 seems unimaginable to us.
‘Stupendous’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/points-finishes-unimaginable-for-williams-after-saturday-dsq-albon/
Tenth an “unimaginable” result for Albon after strategist predicted 19th
2022 Australian Grand Prix
Posted on
10th April 2022, 12:4411th April 2022, 7:48 | Written by Will Wood
“I know for a fact we went into the race, the strategist tells you, ‘OK, this is our best performance, this is what we have to do to get the best outcome’ and it was 19th and 20th and it wasn’t pretty. It didn’t look great behind P18, either. And to come out P10 – it’s completely unimaginable. It’s a very special moment.”
‘From a Predicted 19th, to an Unimaginable 10th’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/10/tenth-an-unimaginable-result-for-albon-after-strategist-predicted-19th/
Fortitude
18th April 2022, 14:19
Ferrari extends Rory Byrne's F1 contract.
Former F1 driver Marc Surer also sees the hand of great Ferrari
designer Rory Byrne, whose consultancy contract has just been
extended.
Marc Surer: "The extension of the contract sounds like a huge thank
you," Surer told Auto Bild. "Byrne seems to have done a super job in
his role. The Ferrari this year has similar characteristics to the
Schumacher Ferraris - fast everywhere and in all conditions, great
traction and always getting the best from the tyres. "That is clearly
Byrne's signature," he added.
F1 legend Gerhard Berger thinks Byrne's influence may have helped
Ferrari to minimise the downsides of the ground effect 'porpoising'
that has caught out many other teams.
"In his own way, Byrne is just as much a genius as Newey," he said.
"Even in the 80s we had big problems with the so-called bouncing, the
extreme hopping of the cars on the straight.”
‘Rory Byrne Genius Rewarded’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/ferrari/news/ferrari-extends-rory-byrnes-f1-contract_483263.html?newsnow
Leclerc warns against adding ‘extra pressure ahead of Imola
Date published: April 14 2022 - Michelle Foster
Heading into the first of Ferrari’s two home races leading the
championship, Charles Leclerc says Ferrari must not “overdo it” nor
put undue pressure on their shoulders.
But, having won two of this year’s opening three races, Ferrari’s
tifosi are expecting more from Leclerc, they want a win on home soil
such as the one he managed in 2019 at Monza.
“Italy will be incredible, but we need to approach the race weekend,
just like we approached the first three weekends. I think it’s
extremely important not to put on ourselves extra pressure and not try
to overdo things. Because we are working, I think, as a team
extremely well since the beginning of the season and yeah, we just
need to keep doing our job, just like we did in the first three
weekends.”
‘Imola Pressure’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-warns-extra-pressure-imola/
Di Montezemolo hails ‘united, determined’ Ferrari
Date published: April 13 2022 - Jon Wilde
Luca di Montezemolo has congratulated Ferrari on their brilliant start
to the season – and singled out Mattia Binotto and Charles Leclerc for
praise. “Leclerc has been able to prove he is a driver of the highest
level. The season is long, the rivals won’t sleep, but we couldn’t
have started better than this. Onwards like this.”
Di Montezemolo was the president of Ferrari from 1991-2014, so he
knows all about success having overseen the golden era at the start of
this century when the team won six consecutive Constructors’ titles
and five successive Drivers’ crowns through Michael Schumacher.
The 74-year-old naturally hopes the team managed by Binotto will
continue as they have started and go on to land their first
championship since 2008 when Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen’s
combined efforts left them 21 points ahead of McLaren.
‘Ferrari Hailed’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-luca-di-montezemolo-praise/
Binotto reveals why Ferrari won’t bring any upgrades to Imola
Ferrari were anticipated to introduce an upgrade at Imola that would
help them save weight.
by Rob Kershaw
14 April 202214 April 2022
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has said that his team will not
be bringing anything major to the fourth round of the season in Imola
due to the lack of practice time the teams will have.
An hour-long practice session will be followed by Friday qualifying as
Formula 1 embarks on the first of three sprint events next weekend, so
the teams will be extremely restricted in their ability to trial new
parts.
Ferrari were anticipated to introduce an upgrade that would help them
save weight and, while one or two aspects of the car may be different,
Binotto has stressed that Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will need
to prioritise qualifying preparation over testing new parts.
‘Qualifying Preparation Prioritised’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/binotto-reveals-why-ferrari-wont-bring-any-upgrades-to-imola/
Elkann: Delighted Ferrari competing at the highest level
Reuters
13 April, 2022
Ferrari Chairman John Elkann is delighted the Scuderia are competing
at the highest level in the 2022 Formula 1 season, the team heading
both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships so far.
“We said two years ago that we had to work hard to get back to being
competitive and the 2022 championship has got off to a truly thrilling
start,” Elkann said at Ferrari’s annual shareholders’ meeting.
“Like all our tifosi (fans) around the world, I am delighted we are
competing at the highest level,” said Elkann. “That said, we know the
season has just begun and in Formula 1 you are always surrounded by
fierce competitors. We must work tirelessly as a team to optimize
every aspect of our performance. That is the spirit and approach I
look forward to seeing at Imola and as the season progresses.”
‘Working Tirelessly’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/04/13/elkann-delighted-ferrari-competing-at-the-highest-level/
Ferrari chairman buoyed by early success, but 'season has just begun'
Phillip van Osten
14/04/2022 at 17:09
Ferrari chairman John Elkann says the Scuderia's early success in 2022
is a validation of the team's hard work, but the executive warned
there's a long road ahead for the Italian outfit this season.
After years of underperformance, Ferrari took advantage of the
introduction of F1's new technical rules to regroup in Maranello and
to rekindle its strengths to design and develop a winning package for
2022.
Leclerc's success and lead in the championship will ensure the
Monegasque receives overwhelming support in next week's Emilia Romagna
Grand Prix, a home race of sorts for the Scuderia. "Oh yeah, I can
imagine it," said Leclerc after his win last weekend in Australia.
"But I don't want to think about it too much because it's still very
early in the season.”
‘Season Has Just Begun’;
https://f1i.com/news/438409-ferrari-chairman-buoyed-by-early-success-but-season-has-just-begun.html
Ferrari boss warns Leclerc and Sainz could suffer reliability-induced
DNFs like Verstappen
Mattia Binotto maintains that Ferrari must keep a keen eye on
reliability if they are to sustain a title challenge this year.
by Rob Kershaw
13 April 202213 April 2022
Following three reliability-induced retirements for Red Bull in the
early going of the season, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has
emphasised the importance of having a reliable car.
Binotto is therefore acutely aware of the significance of sustaining
performance while also enduring that both cars consistently make it to
the end of races. “Reliability is part of the performance I think to
finish first, first you need to finish,” he said, quoted by GPFans.
“The reliability is a key element of the performance itself and I
think that as a team, we put a priority on it. We know it may be that
it will happen to ourselves as well, not to finish races, and that is
part of the job, of the game, but it is something we are keeping a
very high priority on,” he explained.”
‘Reliability part of the Game’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-boss-warns-leclerc-and-sainz-could-suffer-reliability-induced-dnfs-like-verstappen/
Fortitude
18th April 2022, 14:22
Red Bull playing catch-up ‘from encouraging position’ – Horner.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes the squad has “a very good
direction” for development of its RB18 and says its current position
is encouraging.
15th April 2022, 06:44
by Phillip Horton
Despite its in-race failures in Bahrain and Australia it had the
second-fastest package, behind Ferrari, albeit sizeably so at the most
recent of those events. “I think they started this project a lot
earlier than we did,” said Horner on Ferrari.
“So to a degree, we’re playing catch up. But the fact that we’re
playing catch up from the second fastest position is encouraging.
We’re starting to understand some of the issues that we have.”
“I think it’s all part of the development and evolution of these cars.
As we learn more about the tyres and how the car’s performing, that
gives you a development direction. Over the first few races we’ve got
some very good direction for the development vein for the rest of the
season.”
‘Very Good Direction For Development And Catch Up’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/04/15/red-bull-playing-catch-up-from-encouraging-position-horner/
Horner reveals how happy Red Bull are with Perez's early-season performance.
16th April 2022, 13:40
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Christian Horner has offered an update on how satisfied Red Bull are
with Sergio Perez's performances so far in 2022. Red Bull team boss
Christian Horner has heaped praise on Sergio Perez, with the Mexican
driver appearing to have found another gear for his second season at
the team.
While fortune hasn't been on his side so far, such as when an
unfortunately-timed Safety Car spoiled his chances of victory in Saudi
Arabia after dominating from pole position, his slightly better
reliability than the sister car means that Perez leads Verstappen in
the Drivers' Championship.
"It's always gonna be easier for Checo [Perez] coming into his second
season," Horner told media, including RacingNews365.com. "He knows
the team, he knows the infrastructure. We've also had a reset in terms
of regulations, so the car has been a complete reset. I think he's
driven very well so far. I think that the gap between him and Max has
converged.”
‘We've been delighted with his performance so far.’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-reveals-how-happy-red-bull-are-with-perezs-early-season-performance
‘Very complex’ issue led to Max’s Australian fuel leak
Date published: April 14 2022 - Michelle Foster
Helmut Marko says Red Bull have discovered the cause of Max
Verstappen’s latest retirement but refused to go into details. For
the second time this season the Red Bull driver suffered a fuel
pressure problem, his RB18 slowing before stopping on the side of the
track.
Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, has now revealed that it was a
fuel leak that led to the driver’s DNF. “We were able to clarify the
cause of the fuel leak in Max’s car,” he told Speedweek.
The Austrian, though, would not go into details as to what led to the
leak. “The matter is very complex,” he said, adding that “the problem
is absolutely different from that of Bahrain.”
‘Very Complex Fuel Leak’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/complex-cause-max-verstappen-australia-dnf/
The set-up mistake that helped Ferrari dominate Red Bull in Australia
14 April 14:30
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Charles Leclerc crossed the line 20 seconds ahead of his nearest rival
as he claimed victory at the Australian Grand Prix, marking his second
win of the 2022 F1 season. Christian Horner has set out one potential
reason as to why Red Bull were lacking pace against Ferrari during the
Australian Grand Prix weekend.
"I think what we saw on Friday [meant] that we thought the race was
going to be rear-limited, as we'd seen quite a lot of graining on rear
tyres," Horner explained, speaking to select members of the media,
including RacingNews365.com.
"I think a combination of perhaps the surface rubbering in, and
particularly the temperature, it then was almost an inverse problem.
And having tried to counter the issues that we expected, we ended up
with a car that was very front-limited. That was why, I believe, we
were out of the balance window with our car, so that's why we had a
lot of graining, particularly on the Medium tyre. On the Hard tyre it
was actually not too bad."
‘Red Bull Set-up Mistakes’;
https://racingnews365.com/the-set-up-miscalulation-that-helped-ferrari-dominate-red-bull-in-australia
Red Bull's Marko critical of Verstappen, praises Perez after Australian GP
Ben Issatt
14 April 2022
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko had some rare criticism of his star
driver Max Verstappen following the Australian Grand Prix. “He goes
over the limit, he wants too much,” Marko said via formula1news.co.uk.
“That didn’t work out here in the last sector.”
“We thought that with the World Championship title there would be some
calmness from him, but he probably needs another title so that he
doesn’t go into qualifying with so much pressure.”
In contrast, the Red Bull chief was happy with Verstappen's teammate
Sergio Perez, who finished second after Max's retirement. “Checo
drove a great race, he was on par with Max,” Marko was quoted by
SpeedWeek.
‘Verstappen Critical, Perez Praise’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/15357-red-bull-s-marko-critical-of-verstappen-praises-perez-after-australian-gp
‘Upgrades are coming’: Marko fires warning at Ferrari, says RB18 is
‘way too heavy’
Max Verstappen suffered a second reliability-induced retirement in
three races at last weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
by Rob Kershaw
14 April 202214 April 2022
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has revealed that his team’s car is
an astonishing 10 kilograms heavier than Ferrari’s 2022 challenger.
“Our car is way too heavy,” he told de Telegraaf. “The RB18 finished
late, as we were in the title race right through to the end last year.
Updates are coming for the upcoming race at Imola and the Grand Prix’s
after. Hopefully we can get closer to Ferrari then.”
“We are currently more than ten kilos heavier than Ferrari. In terms
of lap time you are already talking about a loss of three tenths,” he
affirmed.
‘10Kg overweight, a Loss of 3/10ths’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/upgrades-are-coming-marko-fires-warning-at-ferrari-says-rb18-is-way-too-heavy/
Fortitude
18th April 2022, 14:24
DC doubts Mercedes can take ‘massive step forward’.
David Coulthard is sceptical whether Mercedes can make the strides
they need with the W13 to challenge Ferrari and Red Bull this season.
Date published: April 14 2022 - Jon Wilde
Coulthard does not see Mercedes making the big leap required to
transform their fortunes between now and the end of the campaign in
November – especially as they will not be the only team figuring out
how to make improvements.
“I think what’s happened is there has been a number of changes to the
rules and regulations, fuel has also changed, it seems like the
Mercedes package hasn’t actually responded to that as well as Ferrari,
Honda, Renault, and of course Ferrari are right out front,” said the
Scot on Channel 4. “But I think this will be a long, hard season for
them.”
“I totally accept they’ve got a different group of people there that
can help develop that car but nobody else stands still, that’s the
problem they have. So they have to take not baby steps, they need to
take a massive step forward, and in my experience that never happens
during a season.”
‘Long Hard Season for the Mercedes Package’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/david-coulthard-mercedes-doubts/
‘Sulking’ Hamilton may be ‘thinking of switching teams’
Date published: April 17 2022 - Jon Wilde
Mika Hakkinen has remarkably suggested that a “sulking” Lewis Hamilton
may now be thinking about a move away from Mercedes.
“It’s a tough spot for Lewis, it’s obvious,” said the two-time former
World Champion. “The last race in Australia was a tough spot for
Lewis – really tough. They got a good result – not the result they
hoped for but still good points for the team.”
“But I’m sure Lewis is still annoyed by the situation. It’s hard to be
beaten by George. I’m afraid this will be a really difficult season
for Lewis. It’s already difficult for Mercedes but especially for
Lewis.”
‘Switching Teams’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-mika-hakkinen-sulking/
Wolff: Solving bouncing issue won’t completely fix Mercedes’ pace
16th April 2022.
by Fergal Walsh
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff says solving the team’s porpoising
issues won’t completely eradicate its pace deficit to the front of the
Formula 1 grid.
“When you look at the overlay in sector one [in Australia] we are very
competitive, sector two we are competitive and then in sector three,
through Turns 9, 10 and 12 we are losing all our margin. It’s almost
like a second through a couple of corners. So is curing the bouncing
going to miraculously unlock a second within the car? No, for sure
not.”
“But there are many other little improvements we can make on weight
and other things we can optimise and we just need to chip away the
small gains while understanding the car. “I’m optimistic that
eventually we will get there, whether it is two races or five, we need
to stay humble.”
‘Mercedes Staying Humble’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/04/16/wolff-solving-bouncing-issue-wont-completely-fix-mercedes-pace/
The 'enormous' work Mercedes are doing ahead of Imola
16 April 11:10
Author Tom Leach
Mercedes will undergo an "enormous" amount of work ahead of the
Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix as they look to keep pace with Ferrari and
Red Bull.
"I think often people see the race team on TV and think that's the
entire team. It's not. We are fortunate to have a base in Brackley,
and in Brixworth, with hundreds of people working every hour they
possibly can to make this racing car fast, competitive and a
championship winner," Mercedes' Chief Strategist, James Vowles,
explained.
"The work that goes on between races is enormous. There is a
turnaround of components, there are upgrades, there is an
understanding of problems that we have and how do we move the
performance forward both on the PU side and also on the chassis side."
‘Working Every Hour’;
https://racingnews365.com/the-enormous-work-mercedes-are-doing-ahead-of-imola
Wolff reveals why Mercedes are keeping faith with the W13
16 April 16:10
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Toto Wolff has revealed some of his thoughts on the current state of
competitiveness of Mercedes' W13, after a troubled start to life for
the car.
"I've been in this situation before in life, and you just need to be
humble about it," he told media, including RacingNews365.com, during
the Australian Grand Prix weekend. "When I said last year with the
new regulations, how things were set up, that we could have a
different pecking order – this is exactly what's happened. “
"The midfield is very, very compressed and we're just not quick
enough, full stop. There are so many areas where we know we can
improve, and others where we don't comprehend the car yet.”
‘Different Pecking Order’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-reveals-why-mercedes-are-keeping-the-faith-with-the-w13
Hamilton calls for instant Mercedes improvements.
Ian Parkes & Sam Hall
Friday 15 April 2022 07:00
Lewis Hamilton has called on Mercedes to make improvements "now, not
in two or three races" after a difficult start to the F1 season.
Hamilton, who travelled to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday night after the race
to speak with fuel supplier Petronas, explained: "I'll be just making
sure we leave no stone unturned, making sure the hunger is really
there and we're maximising absolutely every moment.
"So I'll have a lot of Zooms, chasing the people who are in the wind
tunnel, the aero guys, just looking at absolutely every single area.
There's performance to be gained in areas that we know and we need it
now, not in two or three races, as we all know as a team.”
"I've just got to keep that encouragement, keep that energy high.
I'll also be on the simulator prepping for the next race."
‘Leaving No Stone Unturned’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80258/hamilton-calls-for-instant-mercedes-improvements/
Hamilton issues Russell report card as he laughs off Villeneuve theory
16 April 17:50
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Lewis Hamilton says George Russell has settled in well as Valtteri
Bottas' replacement at Mercedes during his impressive first three
races with the team.
Speaking ahead of the Australian GP, 1997 World Champion Jacques
Villeneuve suggested that Russell was "coping better" with the
struggling Mercedes W13, with Hamilton having previously driven only
"perfect" cars.
"I find it amusing, some of the things that come out of his mouth,"
said Hamilton, in response. I remember my first go-kart was
fifth-hand. I've driven lots of different cars and found myself
relatively adaptable, so I should be good."
Hamilton Laughs Off Villeneuve Theory’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-issues-russell-report-card-as-he-laughs-off-villeneuve-theory
Fortitude
18th April 2022, 14:26
Szafnauer pledges to give Alonso 'the car he needs'.
Alpine F1's new team principal Otmar Szafnauer says that the rapid
pace shown by Fernando Alonso in Melbourne was 'real' even though the
former world champion went on to finish the race in last place.
Andrew Lewin
17/04/2022 at 16:04
"It's real, it can't be unreal," he said when asked whether the pace
shown by Alonso last week was a genuine reflection of the car's
current level of overall performance.
"Our car is strong in some areas," said Szafnauer, after the car
matched the speed of Ferrari and Red Bull rivals in sector 2 at Albert
Park. "It's not weak in anything, but it's less strong in others."
Asked if the speed shown in Melbourne would carry over to other
circuits in 2022, Szafnauer replied: "It has characteristics that
other circuits have too, so we will be quick in other places.
‘Strong Car Real’;
https://f1i.com/news/438549-szafnauer-pledges-to-give-alonso-the-car-he-needs.html
Szafnauer: ‘We will give Fernando the car he needs’
Date published: April 16 2022 - Henry Valantine
Otmar Szafnauer says he is confident Alpine can give Fernando Alonso
the machinery required to compete towards the sharp end of the field
this season.
“Because he is 40 years old? I hope so,” Szafnauer responded when
asked by AS if the team can produce a fast car quickly enough for
Alonso to get the most out of it. I remember when I was 40 and I
didn’t get tired. Now I’m 57 and I do get tired. This year, what we
have to do with Fernando, and also with Esteban [Ocon], is to improve
the car more than the others.”
“If we do that, what we learn this year we can apply it next year. At
the end of the year we will be able to see how our learning has been,
compared to the rest.”
‘Machinery Required Will Be Provided’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-fernando-alonso-competitive-car/
Alpine's plan to carry mighty Alonso pace into Imola.
17/04/2022, 07:00
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer says the pace shown by Fernando Alonso in
Australia was "real" and will be replicated elsewhere, in a warning to
his team's midfield rivals. Imola will also mark the beginning of
F1's development race, with upgrades tipped by some to be more
important than ever this season, given the dramatic change in
regulations.
Alpine will be looking to keep pace with their rivals by bringing
modifications of their own. "I wouldn't be surprised if everyone
brings upgrades to Imola," continued Szafnauer.
"It seems, in my 25 years of doing this, for whatever reason, the
first European races [are] where everyone finds upgrades. It used to
be Barcelona, now it's Imola. It's our fourth race as well, so around
the fourth or fifth race everyone brings upgrades. So, we too will be
bringing upgrades."
‘Upgrades For Imola’;
https://racingnews365.com/alpines-plan-to-carry-mighty-alonso-pace-into-imola
ALPINE: “NICE UPGRADE” TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN IMOLA
16th April 2022, 12:13
Dalila Zanardo
Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer announced to Motorsport.com that
the French team is preparing news for the Emila-Romagna Grand Prix:
“We’re going to bring some upgrades to Imola, that’s for sure.”
However, Szafnauer’s predictions might be tweaked by the sprint race
format coming up in Imola. As a matter of fact, both Ferrari and Red
Bull already announced they will not bring any upgrades in Italy due
to the lack of practice time, while Mercedes also agreed with the lack
of updates as Brackley wants to continue understanding and analyzing
its car for the moment.
‘Upgrades For Sure’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/f1latestnews/alpine-nice-upgrade-to-make-a-difference-in-imola/?nowprocket=1
“It’s a good sign that we’re not satisfied” – Alpine’s Laurent Rossi
By Nick Golding
April 14, 2022
The BWT Alpine F1 Team where left with mixed-emotions following the
recent Australian Grand Prix, with Esteban Ocon finishing inside the
points in seventh but with Fernando Alonso ending up towards the back,
despite electric pace at the Albert Park Circuit.
It left Alpine CEO, Laurent Rossi, disappointed with the team’s
weekend after only managing a seventh and seventeenth place finish
with both drivers.
“We are generally disappointed with today’s result, however, it’s a
good sign that we’re not satisfied as it underlines how far we have
progressed as a team. We know that we had the speed, and the
potential, for a much better result with both cars today but the race
weekend just didn’t quite unfold in our direction. The track proved
very difficult for overtaking, especially in comparison to the
previous two races, and we knew that Saturday’s qualifying result
would play a huge part in the outcome of Sunday’s race.”
‘Good Signs’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/its-a-good-sign-that-were-not-satisfied-alpines-laurent-rossi/
Fortitude
19th April 2022, 08:24
Seidl confident McLaren have made another big step forward.
"I think we have a package which is able to fight for top 10 positions at every race," said Seidl, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast.
17 April 09:30
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Anna Francis
Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth and sixth in Australia, their best results of the season so far, as McLaren grow in confidence.
Just as he did during his debut season at McLaren, Ricciardo has found himself playing catch-up to Norris during the early rounds.
The young Briton has managed to build an eight-point advantage over his experienced Australian teammate.
‘McLaren Big Steps’;
https://racingnews365.com/seidl-confident-mclaren-have-made-another-big-step-forward
McLaren must 'execute clear plan' - Seidl
Ewan Gale
Saturday 16 April 2022 17:15
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has insisted the team now has a "clear plan to execute" after overcoming a difficult start to the season with a double points finish in Australia.
Brake issues plagued McLaren in pre-season testing and the rushed compromise to ensure the car would be reliable enough to reach the end meant the performance of the MCL36 was not where the team expected.
Sndrea Seidl: "It was obviously important that after realising we were lacking performance that we did, as quickly as possible, analysis, study, to work out how we can improve performance as quickly as possible. I am very happy saying we have a clear plan in place now of what we need to do with the car in terms of making steps in terms of performance.”
‘Clear Plan Executed’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80250/mclaren-must-execute-clear-plan-seidl/
Norris shakes off "empty" feeling
Ewan Gale
Sunday 17 April 2022 16:00
Lando Norris has revealed his relief at shaking off his "empty" feeling of missing out on points after ending a tough start to the new F1 season.
“The atmosphere obviously was great," said Norris. "I guess as a driver you always enjoy it a little bit more when you’re closer to the front. You’re fighting for the points, you feel like you’re bringing something back to the team.
“When you don’t have any points, it feels like you’re just empty and you’ve missed out. When you do get points, it’s a lot more rewarding for myself and for the team.”
‘Shaking Off Empty Feeling’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80255/norris-shakes-off-empty-feeling/
Ricciardo wants two wins this season ‘or more’
Date published: April 15 2022 - Jon Wilde
Daniel Ricciardo is keen to double his 2021 victory tally for McLaren this season – at the very least. The Australian endured a tough first year with the Woking-based team, being outperformed for most of the campaign by Lando Norris.
But there was one particularly big exception in that scenario, when Ricciardo revelled in the team’s highlight of the season as he led home a one-two finish ahead of Norris to take Italian Grand Prix victory.
“Hopefully it will be two victories this year. Or more,” said Ricciardo, quoted by Sport Bild. “But I’ll take it as it comes. I’ve already set goals in my head. But above all, I don’t want to go through another difficult season like 2021. “Despite the success at Monza, it wasn’t an easy year. Looking at the results, I have to say there is still room for improvement in qualifying. That didn’t go well.”
‘’Two Wins Or More’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-wants-two-wins/
Ricciardo didn’t want to ‘force’ friendship with Norris
Daniel Ricciardo has opened up on his relationship with Lando Norris after its skewed portrayal by Netflix.
16 April 2022
by Rob Kershaw
McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo has revealed that he did not want to “force” a friendship with Lando Norris after the anticipation of their relationship as team-mates.
Having enjoyed frequent jokes with each other in 2020 and famously, in the British Grand Prix press conference in 2021, Norris and Ricciardo were confirmed as McLaren’s driver line-up for the 2021 season, sparking jubilation among fans.
The Australian endured a difficult season though and, perhaps conversely to what many were expecting, he was out-qualified 15-7 by the 22-year-old, finding himself out-raced by the same score.
’15-7 Qualification Result’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ricciardo-didnt-want-to-force-friendship-with-norris/
Fortitude
20th April 2022, 08:53
Valtteri Bottas: “I am happy with the calls that were made and how we raced”.
Valtteri Bottas may have seen his run of Q3 appearances end on Saturday at Albert Park, but the Finn responded from that disappointment by taking eighth place for his second top ten finish of 2022.
By Paul Hensby
April 15, 2022
The Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN driver admitted to enjoying his race in the first Australian Grand Prix since 2019, and he felt the C42-Ferrari was a much better car on the long runs than it had been in Qualifying where he was eliminated in Q2, which ended his run of one hundred and three appearances in the top ten shootout.
He believed the choice to run a thinner wing hindered him in Qualifying, but it all came together on race day, and he was able to move up through the field from twelfth on the grid.
“I really enjoyed the race today, it was a good performance with close racing and battles from beginning to end,” said Bottas.
‘Happy with the Calls’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/valtteri-bottas-i-am-happy-with-the-calls-that-were-made-and-how-we-raced/
Bottas ‘couldn’t have same role’ at Mercedes as he does at Alfa
Date published: April 18 2022 - Michelle Foster
Valtteri Bottas says he feels like he is more than just a driver with the Alfa Romeo team, the Finn finally in a position of “proper authority”. After five years racing for Mercedes, Bottas joined Alfa Romeo ahead of this year’s championship.
The 32-year-old has not only found himself in a very different environment, but also in a different position as he is firmly entrenched as Alfa Romeo’s lead driver.
No longer carrying the tag of “wingman” as he was once called by Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff, his new team boss Fred Vasseur has made it clear that Bottas is the team leader, the one in the position to drive the team forward.
‘Team Leader’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtteri-bottas-couldnt-same-role-mercedes-alfa-romeo/
‘If I ask for something, it happens’ – Bottas’s new authority
Apr 17 2022
By Scott Mitchell
Valtteri Bottas is experiencing something for the first time in Formula 1. After nine seasons, almost 200 races and 10 grand prix victories, he is finally top dog.
Just a few races in, Bottas has already noticed a big difference. “I really feel a big part of the team,” Bottas tells The Race. “And it’s been really nice to have proper authority on things. If I ask for something it happens, and everyone really listens. And I’ve been able to motivate some people.”
“It’s just a really motivated and good feeling in the team now, everyone is really trying hard. That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do but of course, the results, like at first race, scoring those points, you could see how uplifting it was for people, and that helps.”
‘Motivated and Good Team Feeling’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/if-i-ask-for-something-it-happens-bottass-new-authority/
Alfa Romeo praises 'calm, motivational' Bottas
Andrew Lewin
18/04/2022 at 07:42
Alfa Romeo sporting director Beat Zehnder has praised Valtteri Bottas for the way that the Finn has handled his move to the team after five seasons at Mercedes. Zehnder said that the 32-year-old deserved praise for the way he'd come in and led from the front.
“He is always motivating,” he told Sky Sports. “We’ve had other drivers who would have freaked out, but Valtteri says: ‘Guys, I have faith in you, we’ll get this done’. He is calm in himself, and that also helps us a lot."
“He came to us with an enormous amount of experience from Mercedes, and that helps us enormously. So far he is doing a great job," he continued. "In the way he gives the development direction, the right way to improve the car and improve the team in every detail."
Valtteri Bottas calm, motivational, with development direction’;
https://f1i.com/news/438551-alfa-romeo-praises-calm-motivational-bottas.html
Bottas impresses Alfa: ‘Others would have freaked out’
Date published: April 17 2022 - Henry Valantine
Alfa Romeo sporting director Beat Zehnder has praised Valtteri Bottas for how he has acclimatised with the team, staying calm in situations where others would have “freaked out”.
Team principal Fred Vasseur has also offered similar praise of his new driver, saying that despite Lewis Hamilton being the dominant force at Mercedes his pace has been strong throughout – he just had the misfortune of partnering the seven-time former World Champion at the peak of his powers.
Vasseur admitted the team’s improved form has galvanised his staff in their quest to stay in the chasing pack behind Red Bull and Ferrari, and they are continuing to search for every small improvement they can – with Bottas himself wanting to battle with his former team as a result.
‘Alfa Romeo Staff Galvanised’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtteri-bottas-alfa-romeo-calmness/
Alfa Romeo to kick off tyre testing at Imola
Date published: April 15 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Alfa Romeo will be on duty after the Emila Romagna Grand Prix as Pirelli begin testing work for their 2023 compounds.
According to Motorsport.com’s Italian arm, Alfa Romeo, using their 2022 challenger, the C42, shall remain at Imola after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to carry out the first two testing days of Pirelli’s schedule on Tuesday April 26 and Wednesday April 27.
The report states that these are the first two days of what is expected to be 25 allocated to Pirelli by the FIA, but there is a catch with that plan. With a record 23-race season still planned for 2022, Motorsport.com report that Pirelli are having a difficult time trying to find where they will fit in 25 days of tyre testing with the teams.
‘Alfa Romeo tyre testing’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-romeo-imola-pirelli-tyre-test/
Alfa Romeo’s Frédéric Vasseur: “The team did a good job in difficult circumstances”
By Paul Hensby
April 15, 2022
Frédéric Vasseur, the Team Principal of Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, says the fact they got both cars into the top eleven in last Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix proves the Hinwil-based outfit after heading in the right direction with their C42-Ferrari in 2022.
Valtteri Bottas scored four points at Albert Park after taking eighth place, while Zhou Guanyu only just missed out on the top ten, ending the day in eleventh after seeing Alexander Albon use an unusual pit strategy to claim the final point on offer.
It means Alfa Romeo have already equalled their points tally from 2021 in just three races, and Vasseur feels there is a lot more still to come heading into the first European round, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, later this month.
‘Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN equal 2021 Points Tally in three races’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/alfa-romeos-frederic-vasseur-the-team-did-a-good-job-in-difficult-circumstances/
Imola tipped to start 'interesting' new chapter in F1 battle.
16 April 10:20
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Alfa Romeo Trackside Engineer Xevi Pujolar has tipped the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix to start an "interesting" new chapter in the 2022 F1 season. And with Imola laying claim to the first Sprint event of 2022, Alfa Romeo see the upcoming race weekend as a golden chance to score big points.
"The Sprint quali format, if anything, will be good for us. We'll have to see all the updates and everything that people will bring to Imola, but we hope to have both cars fighting for the points," Pujolar continued.
"Obviously, you can see that, for Zhou, this type of format is even better as well, because it's giving him a chance. I think he's a very good racer, so in the Sprint he can gain some further positions."
‘New Chapter’;
https://racingnews365.com/imola-tipped-to-start-interesting-new-chapter-in-f1-battle
Fortitude
20th April 2022, 16:43
Gasly hopeful Imola upgrades will propel AlphaTauri up F1’s pecking order.
AlphaTauri have perhaps slightly fallen back this season, and the lack of reliability in the back of the car from the Honda-manufactured Red Bull engine has not been helping matters.
16 April 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Pierre Gasly scored a ninth-placed finish in both Jeddah and Melbourne, but his performances might have yielded a little more had he been more fortunate.
AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly is hoping that the new upgrades his team are planning to implement in the coming races will have the desired effect, and stresses the importance of maintaining good development throughout this season.
And in an ever-fluctuating midfield battle in which the teams are within extremely close proximity regarding performance, Gasly recognises that the AlphaTauri is not as slow as one might have perceived in the opening few races. “We should have a couple of new parts on the car,” he told RacingNews365.com.
‘Up the Pecking Order for AlphaTauri’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/gasly-hopeful-imola-upgrades-will-propel-alphatauri-up-f1s-pecking-order/
The major AlphaTauri upgrade Gasly’s ‘big time’ excited for.
AlphaTauri will run its first major update of 2022 in this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, a development Pierre Gasly has big hopes for.
Apr 19 2022
By Scott Mitchell
Red Bull’s sister team finds itself in the heart of the midfield battle after a middling start to the season fighting for the lower points positions.
Without a late MGU-K failure in the season opener in Bahrain, Gasly would have finished in the points in all three races – although a best grid position of ninth and best result of eighth indicates AlphaTauri does not have the peak performance it enjoyed in 2021.
Gasly says “it’s not like we’re dead slow” but admits AlphaTauri is lacking something compared to the top midfield teams.
‘Exciting Upgrade’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-major-alphatauri-upgrade-gaslys-big-time-excited-for/
Red Bull can ‘count on’ engine problems being solved
Date published: April 18 2022 - Henry Valantine
Helmut Marko has said Red Bull can assume their engine problems will have been fixed by the time they head to Imola, if Honda are to be believed.
Red Bull now race under the Red Bull Powertrains moniker, but previous engine supplier Honda are still involved in the assembly and maintenance of their power units as the team transition to becoming a manufacturer in their own right.
But the team have suffered three retirements in the first three races with reliability issues, with Max Verstappen having dropped out from second place on two occasions, while Sergio Perez made it a double DNF for the team at the season opener in Bahrain.
‘Solving Red Bull Powertrains’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-hopeful-engine-problems-solved/
AlphaTauri’s Jody Egginton: “We have a lot of work to do ahead of the next race”
By Paul Hensby
April 15, 2022
Jody Egginton said the Australian Grand Prix was far from straight-forward for Scuderia AlphaTauri, with the team able to score only two points thanks to Pierre Gasly’s ninth place at Albert Park.
“Today’s race was not straight forward with, similar to the last race, Pierre losing track position with the safety car, meaning he had a lot to do to recover into a points-scoring position,” said Egginton. “These battles took a lot out of his front left tyre and, unfortunately, a small mistake meant we lost a position to Bottas in the closing laps, finishing P9.”
“Yuki has had a tough day struggling for pace on both compounds, so we need to understand the factors behind this as he was reasonably happy with his car during the Friday and Saturday sessions. We have a lot of work to do ahead of the next race, but at the same time we are looking forward to the challenge.”
‘Work to Do’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/alphatauris-jody-egginton-we-have-a-lot-of-work-to-do-ahead-of-the-next-race/
AlphaTauri ‘don’t need to find much’ to fight rivals
Date published: April 20 2022 - Sam Cooper
Pierre Gasly has said AlphaTauri “don’t need to find much” before they are ready to fight their rivals after a tough start to the season. Three races down and Gasly and his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda have a combined 10 points having suffered from similar reliability issues as sister team Red Bull.
“We know we still have work to do, we must bring more performance to the package and that’s the plan for Imola this week,” Gasly said.
“Then, looking at the other teams [in Australia], we saw that McLaren and Alpine were very quick so that with the three top teams out in front, we found ourselves 11th in Qualifying. It’s very close in the midfield, but we don’t need to find much performance to be able to improve.”
‘Very Close Midfield’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre-gasly-fight-rivals-imola/
Fortitude
21st April 2022, 07:42
Haas’ Guenther Steiner: “What I take to Imola is that the car is still performing”.
“I think it is a good thing for the championship to have these sprint races and I really look forward to it.”
By Paul Hensby
April 19, 2022
Imola hosts the fourth round of the 2022 Formula 1 season, and after Kevin Magnussen scored points in both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, neither the Dane nor team-mate Mick Schumacher were able to break into the top ten in Australia.
Steiner admits it will be more a challenging weekend at Imola with the sprint Qualifying format having its first outing of the season, particularly as there is only one hour of free practice time before they go Qualifying on Friday afternoon.
But despite this, he feels the team are up for the challenge, and he is hopeful of a points-filled weekend for the Haas team in Italy. “For sure it will be challenging because we’ve only got one free practice session to find a good set-up,” he said. “With the difficulties of these cars and the inexperience we have got with it, it won’t be easy but it’s the same for everybody and who is better prepared will have a better car so we will be trying our best like everybody else.”
‘Haas Car is still Performing’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/haas-guenther-steiner-what-i-take-to-imola-is-that-the-car-is-still-performing/
Haas F1 boss hits back at accusations the team are ‘copying’ Ferrari
20 Apr 2022 6:26 pm
Callum McAvoy
German publication Auto Motor und Sport have reported that three Formula 1 teams have called on the sport’s governing body, the FIA, to look into the legality of the Haas VF-22, with the accusers claiming that it shares too many similarities with Ferrari’s F1-75 car.
Haas boss Guenther Steiner says his team have done nothing wrong after it was reported that several rivals want the American team investigated for ‘copying’ Ferrari’s car.
‘Haas took a huge leap forward from last place. It’s an interesting step,’ said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. ‘It’s a learning curve for us because as an organization of 2,000 people that has been successful in the past, we’re now struggling with teams that are much smaller. They must have done a great job.’
‘Haas have done nothing wrong’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/04/20/haas-f1-boss-hits-back-at-accusations-the-team-are-copying-ferrari-16505183/?ito=newsnow-feed
Teams ask FIA for white Ferrari clarity
APRIL 19, 2022
Gunther Steiner has dismissed claims that Haas' 2022 car is effectively a 'white Ferrari'. The small American team, despite the pre-season controversy about the Mazepins and ousted title sponsor Mazepin, has leapt up the grid with its all-new car for the new regulations.
"That came as a bit of a surprise," Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer admits to Auto Motor und Sport. "I didn't expect the balance of power to change with such a big rule change because it favours the teams with more know-how and better infrastructure.
"But I'm sure the FIA will investigate and come to the right conclusions about how similar these two cars are."
‘White Ferrari Clarity’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/teams-ask-fia-for-white-ferrari-clarity.html
Steiner outlines Haas ambitions for Imola weekend
19 April 13:40
Author Thomas Maher
Guenther Steiner is hopeful Haas will be in a position to return to the form they showed in the first two races of the year when Formula 1 heads to Imola this weekend. "It's a very competitive championship this year and you need to be perfect to get points," he commented. "What I take to Imola is that the car is still performing, and we will perform as we go on. I hope we get to Imola having fewer unfortunate instances."
With Haas seemingly going in the wrong direction with their set-up for Australia, Steiner admitted there's an extra layer of challenge awaiting in Imola. This is due to F1 using the Sprint qualifying format for the first time this season, with the cars being put into parc ferme conditions from the start of Friday qualifying.
"For sure, it will be challenging, because we've only got one free practice session to find a good set-up," Steiner stated. "With the difficulties of these cars and the inexperience we have got with it, it won't be easy, but it's the same for everybody, and who is better prepared will have a better car, so we will be trying our best like everybody else.”
‘Haas Ambitions At Imola’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-outlines-haas-ambitions-for-imola-weekend
Haas refuses to hand back $13m Uralkali funds
APRIL 19, 2022
Haas' reported refusal to return $13 million in sponsorship to ousted title sponsor Uralkali has been slammed by Russian F1 commentator Alexey Popov. "I understand that they were under pressure and it was impossible not to break the contract with Nikita," the Match TV broadcaster admitted.
"But after they cooperated for a year, they survived last year with Uralkali's money and built a good car this year. "So it was possible for them to behave differently than this," Popov added. In fact, Popov says he is in "total shock" about the latest reports about Haas. "Remember how the Mazepins begged for a new chassis and paid more than the sponsorship contract to build it," he said.
"I've heard stories that Haas employees left because their salaries were too low and Dmitry Mazepin paid them personally to stay. "And now, it's not just 'we took the money and we won't give it back', but also 'you need for pay us extra even through your driver is no longer in the car'," Popov added.
‘Total Shock’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/haas-refuses-to-hand-back-13m-uralkali-funds.html
Fortitude
21st April 2022, 14:16
Aston Martin’s porpoising “does not allow us to exploit the progress the guys have made”.
They are the only team yet to score a point in 2022. Like several of their rivals, Aston Martin has been troubled by their car bouncing at speed as it loses and regains downforce, which undermines their drivers’ confidence in its’ handling.
2022 Australian Grand Prix
Posted on
19th April 2022, 12:54 | Written by Keith Collantine
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack admits there is a sense of frustration at the team on how their progress is being constrained by the problems they have experienced with ‘porpoising’.
“This is the thing that does not allow us to move forward,” Krack admitted. “We make progress but to exploit it we go through to this barrier of porpoising which does not allow us to exploit the progress that the guys have made. So it’s quite frustrating, also, that you know you have progress down the line but you cannot exploit it on track,” he added.
‘Aston Martin Zero Points’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/19/aston-martins-porpoising-does-not-allow-us-to-exploit-the-progress-the-guys-have-made/
Video: How Aston Martin's mechanics dealt with a nightmare weekend
18 April 12:50
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Aston Martin drivers Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll gave their mechanics plenty of work to do in Australia during an incident-packed event.
Aston Martin endured a disastrous Australian Grand Prix, with incidents, accidents and penalties featuring from start to finish.
While all of this drama unfolded, the team were busy capturing behind-the-scenes action from both sides of the garage, placing a particular emphasis on the duties of Lance Stroll's No. 1 Mechanic, Scott Taggart.
‘Nightmare Weekend’;
https://racingnews365.com/video-how-aston-martins-mechanics-dealt-with-a-nightmare-weekend
Marko on Aston Martin: ‘It’s no use just poaching people’
Date published: April 20 2022 - Mark Scott
Dr Helmut Marko has suggested Aston Martin’s current struggles are a result of the team still trying to find its spirit and cohesiveness as a unit.
Throughout the gradual transition from Racing Point to Aston Martin, there has been a strong recruitment drive as team owner Lawrence Stroll tries to launch the team into the upper echelons of the Formula 1 grid and compete for World Championships.
“My long-distance observation [on Aston Martin] is that it’s still a team sport,” Marko said in an interview with F1-Insider. “You need team spirit and cohesion. That’s why we were able to keep our key people on board for a very long time, despite many attempts to poach them. Even though some attempts by Aston Martin to poach us were successful.”
‘Team Cohesion’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-aston-martin-troubles/
Aston needs Sebastian Vettel, four-time world champion, to stand up
OPINIONS
April 20th 2022
Author
Chris Medland
Aston Martin is currently rooted to the back of the F1 grid. Now, more than ever, it needs Sebastian Vettel to guide (and drive) it to strong results but there's no sign the four-time champion can play that role, says Chris Medland
After he stopped in FP1 with a power unit issue, Vettel got fined for entering the track on a scooter without permission (although if he had known how much more his cult hero status was going to be cemented then he might well have been OK with the punishment) and then missed the second practice session as the power unit change took too long to complete.
I’m told the ever-gracious Vettel did approach each and every one of his mechanics to apologise for the additional work he had given them before qualifying, but despite their Herculean efforts to repair the car in time to get out on track after a red flag – ironically caused by Lance Stroll in the sister car that had also required rebuilding – Vettel was clearly on a hiding to nothing after his earlier issues and he ended up second slowest of those to set a time.
‘Stand Up’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/opinions/aston-needs-sebastian-vettel-four-time-world-champion-to-stand-up#
Aston Martin job 'would have been easy to run away from'
Ian Parkes
Wednesday 20 April 2022 09:30
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has revealed it would have been easy for him to have shunned his new role upon learning the gravity of the organisation's situation.
"I had a lot of questions when I was approached for this position. When I got the answers to these questions I knew this was going to be a big challenge. But it would have been easy to have run away from it, so I never expected it was going to be easy, and I have to say the first three races have really not been easy.”
"At the end of the day, Formula 1 is Formula 1. It's hard. You have to have a quick car, you have to make no mistakes, you have to have good drivers. The whole thing is not together at the moment, so we have to really work hard to get there. There's no magic at the end of the day."
‘No magic, to run away from’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80618/aston-martin-job-would-have-been-easy-to-run-away-from/
Fortitude
22nd April 2022, 07:10
Williams Racing FW44 possibilities for improvement?
The team has come away with several issues to address from the weight of the car through to the issue affecting quite a few teams that of the porpoising of the car which affects the level of ground effect that the car generates on certain parts of the track.
April 18 2022
By Andrew Hooper
In a recent interview with Motorsport-Total.com team driver Alex Albon spoke of the main areas of weakness of the FW44. He said: "Our weakness at the moment is above all the slow. The top teams seem to be in a much better position than everyone else. And that's what we have to focus on, because so far we have had to fight in slow places, especially on the brakes."
Alex added: "Purely from the GPS data, we are on average, I would say. Our car is also quite efficient in terms of air resistance. We are fast on the straights, which also helps."
At the recent Saudi Arabian GP Alex commented on the FW44: “It is tricky. When it is in the window, it’s fine, it’s actually a good car to drive. We’ve had moments of that so far, even at the end of the race we were pretty quick, it’s just trying to get it more consistent and predictable really.”
‘FW44 Improvement Possibilities’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st203179.htm
“I’m looking forward to the slightly different approach to the weekend” – Alex Albon
By Nick Golding
April 20, 2022
Alex Albon goes into this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, on the back of an amazing Grand Prix in Australia where the Thai-driver scored his, and the Williams F1 Team’s first points of the season.
Albon is looking forward to experiencing the different weekend format, and is determined to make the most of any opportunities it presents.
“It’s my first time competing in the Sprint event format, so I’m looking forward to the slightly different approach to the weekend and both the challenges and opportunities it will bring. Historically the team have gone quite well at Imola, so we’ll get our heads down and see what we can do. We had a great race out in Melbourne and the team did an incredible job with the strategy, so hopefully we can use that momentum to keep pushing this weekend.”
‘Different Approach’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/im-looking-forward-to-the-slightly-different-approach-to-the-weekend-alex-albon/
How Albon plans to build on Williams' first point of the season at Imola
19 April 11:10
Author Thomas Maher
Alex Albon has joked he'd like Williams to solely use the Hard compound tyres to go racing, revealing that he can feel the potential of the car when running the more durable tyres.
Having completed 57 of the 58 laps in Melbourne on one set of tyres, Albon explained that it felt bizarre behind the wheel. "It's weird because the car was just getting better and better!" he laughed. "Honestly, I don't know what it is, but we are really good on that tyre. It happened in Jeddah, it happened a little bit in Bahrain.”
Alex Albon has said Williams have plenty of work to do to understand how best to unlock the potential of the FW44, after scoring their first point of the 2022 season last time out in Australia.
‘Hard Tyres for Williams F1’;
https://racingnews365.com/how-albon-plans-to-build-on-williams-first-point-of-the-season-at-imola
Albon looking forward to 'challenges' of his first-ever Sprint event
21/04/2022, 10:20
Author Anna Francis
Whilst most of the 2022 F1 grid are familiar with the Sprint format, there are a small number for whom it will be a new experience. Alex Albon is amongst those taking part for the first time.
He is now hoping that the momentum can be carried through to Imola. "Historically the team have gone quite well at Imola, so we'll get our heads down and see what we can do," Albon commented.
"We had a great race out in Melbourne and the team did an incredible job with the strategy, so hopefully we can use that momentum to keep pushing this weekend."
‘Using the Momentum’;
https://racingnews365.com/albon-looking-forward-to-challenges-of-his-first-ever-sprint-event
Emilia Romagna GP: Williams Racing Grand Prix Preview
By Williams Racing
April 20 2022
Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance: “We have enjoyed our recent trips to this great circuit for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, and we are looking forward to another good weekend this year, especially off the back of an encouraging result in Melbourne. The unusual two-day format here in 2020 gives us some understanding of how the Sprint event will work this weekend; getting the setup right in a single free practice session before going straight into Qualifying is not easy, but it is a great challenge and opportunity.”
Nicholas Latifi: “I'm super excited to hit the track in Imola. It's the first Sprint Event of the year so I'm looking forward to that format and the opportunities it offers”
Alex Albon: “It's my first time competing in the Sprint event format, so I'm looking forward to the slightly different approach to the weekend and both the challenges and opportunities it will bring.”
‘Getting the Set Up Right’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st203187.htm
Fortitude
22nd April 2022, 07:44
Can Ferrari delight the Tifosi at Imola, or will Verstappen stop the rot?
The dominant nature of Leclerc's Australia win means the Tifosi will expect nothing less this weekend. If there's one thing Ferrari have been exemplary at in recent years, it's their ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
21/04/2022, 17:50
This weekend's race also hosts the first Sprint event of the season, even if Imola does seem like an unusual choice to hold the format. While the revised layout of the pit straight has opened up some overtaking opportunities, the circuit's narrow nature means it's never witnessed a deluge of passes.
Leclerc's points lead could grow to a record-breaking number after four Grands Prix, should he win both the Sprint and the main race. But, equally, his entire lead could also be wiped out this weekend. The Sprint now awards eight points to the winner, meaning that, in theory, George Russell could draw level should he take victory in everything with Leclerc failing to score.
‘Tifosi Delight at Imola’;
https://racingnews365.com/can-ferrari-delight-the-tifosi-at-imola-or-will-verstappen-stop-the-rot
Can Anyone Spoil Ferrari's Party? - Emilia Romagna GP Weekend Preview
April 21, 2022
By: Flip Jacobsen
Three races in, and it is hard to avoid the Ferrari hype for 2022. The F1-75 has been the class of the field so far, dominating at Bahrain and Australia while rounding out the podium for Max Verstappen’s win at Jeddah.
The question then is: can anyone stop the Scuderia train this weekend? The Sprint on Saturday could certainly throw a spanner in the works, but if their current form holds, we might see the first true post-race scenes of bedlam since the pandemic started.
And, crucially, the Imola layout should reward a car that can accelerate well and has better performance in slow corners. In 2022, that is certainly not the RB18 that Verstappen and Sergio Pérez drive, but Leclerc and Sainz’s F1-75. Obviously, the weather could play spoil-sport, and anything untoward that happens to either Scuderia driver in the Sprint will also impact the pre-race prognostics.
‘F1-75, the Tifosi Favourite’;
https://missedapexpodcast.com/article-list/2022/4/20/imola-preview
Ferrari's raucous homecoming as Red Bull overcome failures - What to expect at the Emilia Romagna GP.
Ewan Gale
Thursday 21 April 2022 14:10
For the first time since 2019, Ferrari arrives at an Italian race track with a strong chance of a favourable result. The Scuderia is the team to beat in F1's new era having gone through a bleak two years where podiums were celebrated with surprise.
Leclerc has been only just shy of perfect so far this year and with Ferrari entering the race weekend as the favourite, the party at the side of the track with a jubilant Tifosi will be a site to behold.
Imola is the spiritual home of Ferrari and bears the name of the team's founder and his son, Enzo and Dino. A win for Leclerc or Carlos Sainz would be symbolic of the change in fortunes for the team.
‘Symbolic Win, Change in Fortunes’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80732/ferrari-s-raucous-homecoming-as-red-bull-overcome-failures-what-to-expect-at-the-emilia-romagna-gp/
Finding watch thieves ‘won’t be as smooth as what I’ve read’ – Leclerc
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on 21st April 2022, 17:03
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Charles Leclerc expects it will be difficult for police to locate the thieves who robbed him of a watch in Italy three days ago. His watch was taken after the Ferrari driver was asked for a photograph in Viareggio on Monday. “I won’t go too much into details, it hasn’t been a great experience,” he told media in Imola today. “I cannot say much more than that.”
The local police are looking into the matter but Leclerc is not optimistic the perpetrators will be found. “Obviously everything is going on with the police and they are trying to find them. It hasn’t been as smooth as what I’ve read. But overall I am fine, fully focussed for the weekend. It won’t hurt me for this weekend.”
‘Leclerc focused’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/21/finding-watch-thieves-wont-be-as-smooth-as-what-ive-read-leclerc/
Sainz was “laughing at home” at reports his Ferrari future was in doubt
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
21st April 2022, 15:01
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
After confirming a new two-year deal to drive for Ferrari today, Carlos Sainz Jnr said he was amused by reports published elsewhere earlier this week which suggested his future at the team was in doubt.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto said in late March the team was “extremely close” to finalising a new contract with Sainz, who joined them in 2020. Nonetheless some publications claimed two days ago Sainz and the team were at odds over a new deal.
“You can imagine how much I was laughing at home when people started writing these things because I had everything pretty much done and we were just waiting for Imola to announce,” said Sainz at the circuit today. “Funny times like always in Formula 1 with the gossip and all that.”
‘Laughing at Funny F1 Gossip’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/21/sainz-was-laughing-at-home-at-reports-claiming-his-ferrari-future-was-in-doubt/
How to watch the 2022 Emilia Romagna GP: start time, TV schedule and live streams
April 21st 2022
Author: Dominic Tobin
It’s Ferrari’s home race, 55 miles down the road from its Maranello factory, and it’s a certainty that the tifosi will be euphoric as the Scuderia targets a third win in four races to cement its position as this year’s leading team.
But Ferrari’s long-term fans will know that nothing can be taken for granted, and especially not this weekend. Each of its main rivals are likely to bring major upgrades to the race: Red Bull will be looking to edge ahead of the red cars, while McLaren and Mercedes aim to close the sizeable gap to the front of the grid.
With unpredictable performance and the prospect of more contenders joining the battle for victory, it’s a fitting weekend for more on-track competition in the first sprint race of the year.
‘Tifosi Home Grand Prix’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/how-to-watch-the-2022-emilia-romagna-gp-start-time-tv-schedule-and-live-streams#
Fortitude
22nd April 2022, 13:04
(FP1) First Practice Results – 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Imola, Emilia-Romagna
by Emer Hedderman
22nd April 2022
Results (Classification):
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -1:29.402
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.877
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1.465
4. Kevin Magnussen Haas +3.037
5. Mick Schumacher Haas +3.586
6. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +3.610
7. Fernando Alonso Alpine +3.758
8. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +3.963
9. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +4.209
10. George Russell Mercedes +4.860
11. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +5.213
12. Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri +5.702
13. Esteban Ocon Alpine +6.018
14. Lando Norris McLaren +6.100
15. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +6.223
16. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +6.631
17. Alex Albon Williams Racing +7.059
18. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +7.062
19. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +8.048
20. Nicholas Latifi Williams Racing +10.296
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2022-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-78775
P1: Ferrari in a league of their own at a wet Imola
Date published: April 22 2022 - Michelle Foster
Never mind a day for the ducks, it was a day for the tifosi as their beloved Ferrari took to the Imola circuit for the opening practice session leading both championships, and – at least in dry weather – the favourites to take the win come Sunday.
Leclerc bounced back from his spin to go faster and then faster still, and Sainz hit back with a 1:30.803. Leclerc’s attempt to retake P1 saw him cutting the grass at the Variante Alta. Verstappen improved to third place but was still 1.8s down on Sainz, make that 2.7s down on Leclerc who laid down a 1:29.402 to leapfrog Sainz for P1. Verstappen upped his pace but stayed P3 with Norris briefly bringing out the reds as he put his McLaren into the gravel at Acque Minerali.
Topping FP1 ahead of Verstappen, Ferrari will go into Friday evening’s qualifying hoping for rain as will Haas with Magnussen P4 ahead of Mick Schumacher.
Perez, Fernando Alonso, Vettel, Yuki Tsunoda and George Russell completed the top ten with Hamilton down in 17th place.
‘League of their own’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/2022-emilia-romagna-gp-fp1-report/
Everything that happened in wet first Imola F1 practice
22/04/2022, 13:47
By Jack Cozens
Key moments
– Leclerc fastest despite multiple spins
– Verstappen best non-Ferrari but 1.4s down in third
– Brief red flag as Norris spins at Acque Minerali
– Bottas crashes at same corner after chequered flag
The season’s clear top two teams so far, Red Bull and Ferrari, largely dominated the hour-long session, with Sergio Perez’s 1m35.476s on full wet tyres standing as the benchmark time until the final 20 minutes.
Leclerc beat this team on his first flying lap by 0.094s, as he and Sainz traded fastest times from that point – despite another half-spin on the kink between the first corner and Tamburello for Leclerc. He ended up 0.877s up on his team-mate with a best time of 1m29.402s, with Max Verstappen third for Red Bull but more than 1.4s off the benchmark time.
Haas pair Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher were fourth and fifth, both more than three seconds behind Leclerc, ahead of Perez and the lead Alpine of Fernando Alonso.
‘Tough time for Mercedes’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/everything-that-happened-in-wet-first-imola-f1-practice/
Leclerc leads one-two for flying Ferraris in wet first practice at Imola
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix first practice
Posted on
22nd April 2022, 13:48
Written by Will Wood
The leading Ferrari was almost a second and a half faster than Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, with the two Haas cars of Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher three seconds off Leclerc’s pace in fourth and fifth.
In fourth and fifth, a further 1.5s slower than Verstappen, were the two Haas cars of Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher, with Perez sixth in the second Red Bull.
As the session concluded, Valtteri Bottas spun his Alfa Romeo at Acque Minerale, skidding into the gravel trap and making the slightest of contact with the outer tyre barrier. While Bottas attempted to reverse out of the gravel much as Norris had successfully managed earlier, he was not able to do so and was forced to abandon the car.
‘Tifosi Delight’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/22/leclerc-leads-one-two-for-flying-ferraris-in-wet-first-practice-at-imola/
2022 Emilia Romagna GP FP1: Verstappen held up by Latifi in practice
22 Apr 2022
Red Bull's Max Verstappen shows his frustration as Nicholas Latifi holds up his progress during Friday's practice session ahead of the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
‘Hold Up’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-emilia-romagna-gp-fp1-verstappen-held-up-by-latifi-in-practice.1730812259409558732.html
What time is qualifying for the Emilia Romagna GP?
22/04/2022, 13:50
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Formula 1's Sprint format has returned for this weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with qualifying taking place on Friday afternoon.
Date Event Time (BST) Time (Local)
Friday 22 April Qualifying 16:00-17:00 17:00-18:00
Saturday 23 April Practice 2 11:30-12:30 12:30-13:30
Saturday 23 April Sprint 15:30-16:30 16:30-17:30
Sunday 24 April Race 14:00 15:00
https://racingnews365.com/what-time-is-qualifying-for-the-emilia-romagna-gp
Fortitude
22nd April 2022, 18:02
“Hectic, long qualifying” leaves Verstappen pleased, Leclerc frustrated.
Verstappen headed qualifying for the first time this year in a session made complicated by occasional rain and a series of incidents involving other drivers.
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
22nd April 2022, 18:19
Written by Keith Collantine
“It was tricky out there with the rain, and dry,” said Verstappen. “It was very slippery to also get the tyre temps to work. It was hectic, long qualifying.”
“We’re very happy to be here, it’s an amazing track. It also really punishes you if you make a mistake you can go in the wall. That’s what we like to make it really hard and difficult.
“I’m very pleased with pole position. I know of course tomorrow and Sunday will be a bit different in terms of weather conditions but at least it is a good start to the weekend.”
‘Max Pleased With Pole’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/22/hectic-long-qualifying-leaves-verstappen-pleased-leclerc-frustrated/
Qualifying Results – 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Imola, Emilia-Romagna
by Emer Hedderman
22nd April 2022
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1:27.999
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.779
3. Lando Norris McLaren +1.132
4. Kevin Magnussen Haas +1.165
5. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1.203
6. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +1.743
7. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.809
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +2.440
9. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +3.063
10. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari NC
‘Q2, Q1 and Qualifying Report’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2022-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-78786
Imola GP: Verstappen claims Sprint pole in disrupted qualifying
22 April 2022
Ben Issatt
Max Verstappen claimed pole position for the Sprint after a crazy qualifying at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
In changeable conditions, the session at Imola set a new record for most red flags with five, three of which came during Q3.
The reigning champion though set his best time at just the right moment to secure P1 on the grid for Saturday's 21-lap dash.
‘Crazy Qualifying’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/15416-imola-gp-verstappen-claims-sprint-pole-in-disrupted-qualifying
Verstappen takes pole ahead of Imola GP Sprint Race
01:30, 23-Apr-2022
CGTN
Red Bull's Max Verstappen secured pole position on Friday ahead of Saturday's F1 Sprint Race of the Imola GP. The Dutch driver clocked a best time of 1:27.999 under wet conditions ahead of Ferrari's Charles Lecrec, who set a time of +0.779.
McLaren's Lando Norris will start in third place after clocking the third-best time in qualifying.
Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with the pole position, noting that it was a good way to bounce back after his DNF in the Australian GP.
‘Bounce Back’;
https://newsaf.cgtn.com/news/2022-04-23/Verstappen-takes-pole-ahead-of-Imola-GP-Sprint-Race-19rW2jt3Mg8/index.html
2022 Emilia Romagna GP Qualifying: Max Verstappen seals pole for Saturday Sprint
22 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen reacts after securing pole for Saturday's Sprint in an incident-filled qualifying session on Friday for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
‘Max Reacts’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-emilia-romagna-gp-qualifying-max-verstappen-seals-pole-for-saturday-sprint.1730828327696894914.html
Fortitude
22nd April 2022, 18:19
Hamilton quizzed on tense Imola exchange with Wolff.
The 37-year-old Briton climbed out of the car and stopped to talk to team principal Wolff as he walked past him. The cameras caught a seemingly tense exchange between the duo, with the Austrian talking earnestly to the driver.
Date published: April 22 2022 - Jon Wilde
Lewis Hamilton refused to reveal what had been said when asked about a heated-looking conversation with Toto Wolff at Imola.
Asked about the incident in his post-qualifying interview, Hamilton said: “That’s all internal stuff, so I won’t share that. But we’ll just keep working. It is what it is, it’s kind of….(shrugs). We’ll just keep working hard. Each weekend’s a rescue.”
“You come here with optimism and everyone’s working really hard at the factory and then things don’t come together, it’s disappointing.
‘All Internal Stuff’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-toto-wolff-tense-exchange/
Imola GP: Hamilton refuses to divulge what was said in heated discussion with Wolff
Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both eliminated in the second phase of qualifying ahead of the sprint race in Imola.
by Rob Kershaw
22 April 202222 April 2022
It was the first time since the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix that neither Mercedes has been able to reach the third and final qualifying session.
It was a sobering day for the team that had been hoping for progress after some auspicious aerodynamic upgrades, and the seven-time world champion was visibly downcast as he faced the media while the other drivers were contesting Q3.
After he had clambered out of the car, Hamilton was seen exchanging some words with team principal Toto Wolff, but he did not wish to divulge exactly what was said.
‘Had Some Words’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/imola-gp-hamilton-refuses-to-divulge-what-was-said-in-heated-discussion-with-wolff/
Mercedes' misery continues as they fail to make it to Q3 for the first time in TEN YEARS with Lewis Hamilton starting from 13th for Saturday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix sprint race - with fierce rival Max Verstappen on pole.
Mercedes failed to make it to Q3 for the first time since the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix
By Philip Duncan, Press Association Sport
Published: 17:27, 22 April 2022
The newly-damp track meant Hamilton could not improve on his sole lap, leaving him with a woeful grid slot for Saturday's 21-lap dash around Imola - the finishing order of which determines the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix.
Hamilton is already 43 points behind Charles Leclerc in the championship standings and looks set to lose, perhaps irreparable ground this weekend, with points also awarded to the top eight for Saturday's Sprint.
These are unchartered waters and troublesome times for the Silver Arrows, winners of the past eight constructors' championships.
‘Unchartered Waters’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10743987/Mercedes-endure-poor-day-fail-make-Q3-time-10-years.html
Hamilton says Mercedes “underperformed as a team” after qualifying 13th
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
22nd April 2022, 17:31 | Written by Keith Collantine
Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes “underperformed as a team” after neither of the team’s cars made it into the top 10.
The seven-times champion will start tomorrow’s sprint race from 13th on the grid. He and team mate George Russell were both eliminated during Q2.
“It wasn’t a great session,” said Hamilton after qualifying. “Naturally it’s disappointing.
‘W13 Qualifies 13th’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/22/hamilton-says-mercedes-underperformed-as-a-team-after-qualifying-13th/
Fortitude
23rd April 2022, 08:16
Leclerc left frustrated after missing out on Imola pole by 0.8s.
Charles Leclerc finished second in qualifying by 0.779s to Max Verstappen, and Ferrari’s championship leader was left ruing a lost chance at pole position on an incident-packed Friday evening at Imola.
22 April 2022
Formula 1.
“Yes, I’m not happy,” he said. “Obviously I think we had the pace – we were very strong all session. Q1, Q2 was all about trying to put a lap together to go to Q3 and then push a bit more, but it was a very tricky session overall, and then in… Q3 it was all about putting everything together.
“This is why it is frustrating for me, because when it [counted], in Q3, I made the wrong choice, but it’s life: we will learn from it, and at the end P2 is not a disaster. Everything to play for tomorrow and after, and tomorrow and we will give everything,” said the Monegasque.
‘Tifosi Frustration’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.leclerc-left-frustrated-after-missing-out-on-imola-pole-by-0-8s.5Vc8svAHajPFsqSWqGK975.html
Frustrated Leclerc admits 'wrong choice' in Imola qualifying
Andrew Lewin
22/04/2022 at 20:17
"Qualifying didn’t end exactly as I wanted it to," he acknowledged. "But starting the race from P2 isn’t too bad. It was very tricky, especially on the slicks," he told the media in parc fermne after the end of a rain-hit qualifying. "There were quite a lot of wet patches.”
This is why it’s even more frustrating for me, because when it counted in Q3 I did the wrong choice," he admitted. "But it’s life. It’s a shame, but everything is still possible. We’ve been competitive in all sessions so far and have the potential to fight for the win tomorrow.”
"At the end, P2 is not a disaster. [There is still] everything to play for tomorrow - and after tomorrow - and we’ll give everything.
‘Ferrari wil give everything’;
https://f1i.com/news/439004-frustrated-leclerc-admits-wrong-choice-in-imola-qualifying.html
Leclerc Secures Front Row Start at Imola but Sainz Crash Mars Ferrari’s Day
By Paul Hensby
April 22, 2022
Leclerc aborted one lap in Q3 and was set to go again when red flags flew again, meaning he was unable to take the battle to Verstappen for pole. However, he feels he does have the pace in the F1-75 to fight for the Sprint race win on Saturday.
“Qualifying didn’t end exactly as I wanted it to, but starting the race from P2 isn’t too bad,” said Leclerc. “It was a tricky one. Q1 and Q2 were all about making it through to Q3 – and then pushing hard.
Whereas Leclerc was relatively happy with his grid spot, the same could not be said for team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. after the Spaniard crashed towards the end of Q2. “This is a very tough one to take and there is little to say other than sorry to the entire team and every fan out there,” said Sainz. “I wasn’t even pushing that hard, as we had more than enough pace to make it into Q3 comfortably.”
‘Ferrari Ups and Downs’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/leclerc-secures-front-row-start-at-imola-but-sainz-crash-mars-ferraris-day/
Sainz stunned by crash 'not on the limit'
Ewan Gale
Friday 22 April 2022 19:10
Asked what happened to cause the incident, Sainz replied: "It is difficult for me to tell you because honestly, I did a mistake that I wasn't even expecting at all.
"It was a lap where I wasn't even pushing that hard, I just knew that I needed to put a banker in to react to the rain that was coming, but it was not a lap that was properly on the limit at all. It was a lap that was okay, just to put a banker in, without being near the limit and unfortunately I lost the car.”
"For some reason, I had no warning I was going to lose it and it just went. Tricky conditions for sure but not ideal."
‘Unexpected Mistake’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80857/sainz-stunned-by-crash-not-on-the-limit/
Mystified Sainz had ‘no warning’ before Q2 crash
Date published: April 22 2022 - Henry Valantine
Carlos Sainz said his spin out of qualifying at Imola was something he was “not expecting at all” given how he was driving at the time.
The Ferrari driver went off track after losing the rear of his car heading into the final left-hander at Imola, Rivazza 2, as he wound up for a flying lap – explaining he “wasn’t pushing” into the corner but he spun and skidded into the barrier nevertheless during Q2.
The 27-year-old spoke of his annoyance at being eliminated early. “It’s frustrating. The target was to put a banker lap in knowing the rain would come,” Sainz told reporters afterwards.”
‘Mystified Banker Lap Disaster’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-imola-q2-crash/
Fortitude
23rd April 2022, 08:33
‘You can win from P4!’ says Magnussen, as he secures Haas’s best ever qualifying at Imola.
An emotional rollercoaster for Haas in Q3 of qualifying at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix saw Kevin Magnussen cause a red flag but then produce an impressive recovery to stay in the fight and secure the team’s best-ever qualifying result of fourth.
22 April 2022
Formula 1.
“I ran out of talent!” Magnussen laughed. “I did [think qualifying was over]. I touched the white line and then it was gone, and I thought I was going to hit the wall. I then went into the gravel and slowed down quite a lot so I realised – I saw the anti-stall, pulled the clutch while I was still backwards, and then went onto the throttle just enough to get onto that escape road. Yeah, lucky!”
“I’m super-pleased,” he added. “It's another unbelievable result for us. The car was just great, so fast and a joy to drive – so proud of the team.”
Haas have started fifth on seven occasions, but fourth is a new record for the team, and Magnussen is hopeful he can hold onto a strong starting position for the Grand Prix on Sunday as he predicts overtaking will be tough in the Sprint.
‘Haas Talent’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.you-can-win-from-p4-says-magnussen-as-he-secures-haass-best-ever-qualifying.4vCj1ef4uIMkjui5TaVv7G.html
Haas’ Guenther Steiner: “After Australia we really needed this, and we bounced back”
By Paul Hensby
April 22, 2022
Guenther Steiner says Friday at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari was just the pick-me-up that the Haas F1 Team needed on the back of their underwhelming Australian Grand Prix, with Kevin Magnussen securing the team’s best ever Qualifying result.
Team-mate Mick Schumacher was unable to make it into Q3, the German still waiting for his first top ten appearance of his Formula 1 career after a mistake on what turned out to be his one and only attempt in Q2 left him only twelfth.
“A very good day today,” said Steiner. “They were very challenging weather conditions and I know that is the same for everyone but after Australia we really needed this, and we bounced back.”
‘Haas Bounce Back’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/haas-guenther-steiner-after-australia-we-really-needed-this-and-we-bounced-back/
Kevin Magnussen: “The car was just phenomenal, and I can’t believe we’re fourth”
By Paul Hensby
April 22, 2022
When the session resumed, Magnussen was able to put his VF-22 onto the second row of the grid, the best Qualifying performance ever for Haas, and he feels it puts him in a good position for the rest of the weekend as he looks to score points for a third time in four events.
“First of all, what a result,” said Magnussen. “It’s great, it feels amazing, I can’t really believe it – it’s that close to top-three.”
“P4 is the best qualifying for Haas ever, so I’m really proud of that and the team. I went off, lost the car and went all the way through the gravel. I managed to just keep it going and do a bit of a four-point turn and get back on track.”
‘Car Just Phenomenal’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/kevin-magnussen-the-car-was-just-phenomenal-and-i-cant-believe-were-p4/
K-Mag ‘thought it was over’ before stunning P4
Date published: April 22 2022 - Jon Wilde
Kevin Magnussen admitted he thought his Imola qualifying was all over – before going on to claim Haas’ best ever grid position.
Haas, so much improved this year under the new F1 regulations, had shown further promise when both of their cars finished a wet FP1 session for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in the top five.
And although Mick Schumacher was unable to unleash that potential in qualifying, booking P12 on the grid for the sprint, Magnussen delivered again in superb style.
‘’Thought it was over’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-magnussen-imola-qualy-reaction/
Proud Magnussen hails 'unbelievable result' in Imola Q3
22/04/2022 at 19:32
Phillip van Osten
Kevin Magnussen qualified a sensational P4 for Saturday's Sprint event at Imola, the Dane hailing the "unbelievable result", the best ever for Haas in a F1 qualifying session.
Magnussen successfully navigated his way to Q3 in a session disrupted by a collection of red flags, including one triggered early on in the segment by the Haas charger himself after a spin at Acque Minerale.
Magnussen's car was spared any damage and the Dane managed to reverse himself out of the gravel trap and make his way back to the pits.
‘Unbelievable Result’;
https://f1i.com/news/438937-proud-magnussen-hails-unbelievable-result-in-imola-q3.html
Fortitude
23rd April 2022, 09:13
Mercedes pace makes you "want to strangle yourself" – Wolff.
Toto Wolff: "Obviously, it is painful whilst you are in the moment. Certainly, when I see our car pounding around five seconds off the pace you want to strangle yourself.”
Saturday 23 April 2022 09:00
Ewan Gale
On adapting to the format, Wolff explained: "Considering our situation, where we are with the car, that [the lack of practice] makes it worse. There is nothing you can really try, you can't bring any upgrades because it is too short.”
"We have taken some weight out, we don't know if taking the weight out actually increases the porpoising so it is literally exploring on the job. Not at all how we have done Formula 1 before but it is our own doing."
"As a matter of fact, I enjoy the challenge and I enjoy being bad because over the long run in these regulations we will be good."
‘Mixed Messaging, “enjoy the challenge”, “want to strangle yourself”!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80845/mercedes-pace-makes-you-want-to-strangle-yourself-wolff/
Imola GP: Lewis Hamilton & Toto Wolff caught having heated discussion
By Daniel Hepburn
Published: 23 Apr 2022, 09:26
Hamilton just managed to scrape out of Q1 by four thousandths of a second and then was affected by the weather in Q2. His Mercedes teammate George Russell was also unable to snatch a top 10 spot after finishing in 11th. The red flag and the treacherous conditions meant he failed to improve on his Q2 lap.
Wolff and Hamilton have been spotted in a frank discussion after the Mercedes star failed to make it out of Q2 on Friday.
It was difficult to make out what was being said and the footage was not clear enough to make sense of the conversation, but the perception was that it was a testy exchange.
‘Heated Discussions about the W13’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87998960-87998960
Shovlin: Mercedes 'very much in the midfield' on one-lap pace
23/04/2022 at 08:17
Michael Delaney
Mercedes is among F1's midfield contenders based on its one-lap pace, says the team's trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin.
Both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton failed to make the final stage of qualifying on Friday afternoon at Imola, a first for the Mercedes squad since Japan 2012.
"We’ve struggled with tyre warm up with this car to be honest, we’ve not got to the bottom of it," said Shovlin. "Today was a painful example of that, where we couldn’t get the runs in that were long enough to build temperature to get the cars into the right window.”
"We’ve seen it at all the races – at Bahrain it doesn’t really cost you. At all the other tracks it’s actually been a difficulty in qualifying."
‘Tyre Warm Up Struggles’;
https://f1i.com/news/439010-shovlin-mercedes-very-much-in-the-midfield-on-one-lap-pace.html
Mark Hughes: Why Mercedes fell so low in Imola qualifying
22 April 2022, 20:13
By Mark Hughes
Downforce was the answer in even bigger letters than usual around a cool and damp Imola qualifying. So Red Bull and Ferrari’s advantage over Mercedes was amplified. Add in some circumstantial unfortunate timings and there was no Mercedes in Q3 for the first time in almost a decade in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix qualifying.
“We still need to understand why we can’t match some of the mid-grid teams even,” added Shovlin of Mercedes’ tyre warm-up plight.
“We know Red Bull and Ferrari have got more downforce right now but we should be able to perform in the same position that we’re racing, which is realistically the third-quickest team.”
‘So Low! Down Force And Position!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-why-mercedes-fell-so-low-in-imola-qualifying/
Rosberg astonished by Mercedes' "unbelievable" struggles
Saturday 23 April 2022 07:00
Ewan Gale
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Rosberg said: "It is unbelievable to see how Mercedes is struggling. "It just doesn't seem to work at all, that car. You see the jumping with George Russell, that seriously gives you back and headaches just watching that. It is unbelievable.”
"You get to the end of the straight and you need to slam the brakes in that condition. You have no confidence at all to attack the car when it is bouncing like that. Really fighting with that incredibly. “
"They can't get to seem to understand what to do to sort it out aerodynamically. Incredible to see them back there."
‘Astonishing, Unbelievable, Incredible’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80855/rosberg-astonished-by-mercedes-unbelievable-struggles/
Fortitude
23rd April 2022, 14:09
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Free practice 2 – Results.
Full results from Free Practice 2 for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, round 4 of the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship
23/04/2022 at 12:45
Michael Delaney
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 George Russell Mercedes 1:19.457s 32
2 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:19.538s + 0.081s 33
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:19.740s + 0.283s 35
4 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:19.992s + 0.535s 34
5 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1:20.174s + 0.717s 29
6 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:20.258s + 0.801s 31
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:20.371s + 0.914s 36
8 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:20.381s + 0.924s 35
9 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1:20.439s + 0.982s 37
10 Guanyu Zhou Alfa Romeo 1:20.498s + 1.041s 32
11 Alexander Albon Williams 1:20.591s + 1.134s 34
12 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:20.740s + 1.283s 30
13 Mick Schumacher Haas 1:20.977s + 1.520s 29
14 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:21.149s + 1.692s 38
15 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1:21.155s + 1.698s 38
16 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:21.179s + 1.722s 30
17 Nicholas Latifi Williams 1:21.263s + 1.806s 31
18 Lando Norris McLaren 1:23.821s + 4.364s 6
‘FP2’;
https://f1i.com/news/439039-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-free-practice-2-results.html
FP2 Highlights: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
23 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
All the action from Saturday's FP2 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, as Mercedes' George Russell takes the fastest time during the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend.
‘FP2 Action’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.fp2-highlights-emilia-romagna-grand-prix.1730902784185678907.html
F1 - 2022 FIA Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Saturday Press Conference Transcript
23.04.22
PART ONE
TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: Franz TOST (AlphaTauri), Mario ISOLA (Pirelli), Mattia BINOTTO (Ferrari)
‘Conference Transcription’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2022-fia-formula-1-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-saturday-press-conference-transcript
Emilia Romagna GP: FIA Team Principals Press Conference
NEWS STORY
23/04/2022
Today's team principals press conference with Franz Tost, Mario Isola, Mattia Binotto, Guenther Steiner, Jost Capito and Mike Krack.
‘Conference Call’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72317/Emilia-Romagna-GP-FIA-Team-Principals-Press-Conference
F1 teams peel off paint in bid to reduce weight
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
23rd April 2022, 13:47 | Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Formula 1 teams are increasingly leaving large parts of their cars unpainted as they strive to reduce weight and improve performance.
While there has been a trend towards teams cutting back on the painted areas of their cars in recent years, this has increased noticeably since the start of the 2022 season. One of the most striking examples can be seen on Williams’ car, which appeared at this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix with far fewer painted panels than it ran with in pre-season testing.
Aston Martin began the year with a painted rear wing… …but soon switched to a blank one
‘Paint Peeling Off’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/23/f1-teams-peel-off-paint-in-bid-to-reduce-weight/
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix sprint grid with penalties applied
Ian Parkes
Saturday 23 April 2022 14:30 - Updated: 14:44
The return of F1's sprint race has thrown up a mouthwatering front row following a qualifying session on Friday that was hit by five red flags.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen survived the session and the wet weather to take pole position ahead of championship pacesetter Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari.
Behind the leading duo, Lando Norris starts third in his McLaren, alongside Kevin Magnussen for Haas, the Dane securing his team's best grid slot and equalling his best performance. Norris' team-mate Daniel Ricciardo lines up sixth but on the backfoot after missing all of second practice with an issue the team has yet to fully explain.
‘Mouthwatering Race Ahead’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80934/emilia-romagna-grand-prix-sprint-grid-with-penalties-applied/
Fortitude
23rd April 2022, 15:29
Max Verstappen WINS the Sprint race and will start on pole for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after overtaking title rival Charles Leclerc on the penultimate lap... while Lewis Hamilton fails to improve on 14th.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the sprint race in Imola with a dramatic penultimate-lap pass – while Lewis Hamilton suffered another ignominious day by finishing a lowly 14th.
By Jonathan Mcevoy For The Mail On Sunday
Published: 14:30, 23 April 2022
Hamilton is 51 points adrift of the Monegasque, a horror story after just three-and-a-half rounds of the season. Hamilton, he started 13th and then lost two places in the opening lap, to Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin. Although he made one place back, repassing Stroll, it was an awful day on an awful weekend for the seven-time world conqueror.
Defending champion Verstappen made his decisive move on the 20th of 21 laps, a clean overtaking manoeuvre on more durable tyres than Leclerc coming off the main straight.
Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez finished third. Carlos Sainz drove from 10th to finish fourth and become Leclerc ‘s nearest championship purser. In other words, Ferrari are first and second in the standings.
‘Decisive Moves’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/live/article-10743885/Emilia-Romagna-Grand-Prix-Sprint-2022-Live-Result.html
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix sprint race championship points
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
23rd April 2022, 16:08 | Written by Keith Collantine
Charles Leclerc leads the drivers championship standings ahead of team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr after the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix Sprint Race.
F1 Championship Standings’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/23/2022-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-sprint-race-championship-points/
2022 Emilia Romagna GP Sprint: Leclerc snatches lead at Imola start
23 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc snatches the lead from polesitter Max Verstappen during a dramatic start to Saturday's Sprint at Imola, with points on offer and the result determining the grid for Sunday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
‘Charles Leclerc Snatches the Lead’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-emilia-romagna-gp-sprint-leclerc-snatches-lead-at-imola-start.1730910447787126269.html
2022 Emilia Romagna GP Sprint: Zhou Guanyu crashes out after contact with Gasly
23 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu comes off second best after contact with AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly, bringing out a safety car in the opening laps of Saturday's Sprint at Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
‘Contact & Crashes’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-emilia-romagna-gp-sprint-zhou-guanyu-crashes-out-after-contact-with-gasly.1730911120708779355.html
2022 Emilia Romagna GP Sprint: Magnussen and Ricciardo tangle at Imola start
23 Apr 2022
Formula 1.
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen and McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo survive contact during the opening laps of Saturday's Sprint at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
‘Surviving the Tangling’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-emilia-romagna-gp-sprint-magnussen-and-ricciardo-tangle-at-imola-start.1730911131870858241.html
Fortitude
23rd April 2022, 16:09
Lewis Hamilton gives up on F1 title as Mercedes' misery continues in dire Imola sprint.
Lewis Hamilton: "We're obviously not fighting for this championship but we're fighting to understand the car and progress through the year."
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
16:46, Sat, Apr 23, 2022
Lewis Hamilton believes his chances of securing an eighth F1 crown has gone as Mercedes problems worsened at Imola. The Briton claimed the team as ‘obviously not fighting for the championship’ as they failed to reach the top 10 during Saturday's sprint race.
He said: “Ultimately, we haven't got it right this year but everyone is working as hard as they can to correct it. This is the situation that we are faced with but everyone has their heads down and everyone is working as hard as they can.”
‘Championship Gone’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1600127/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-f1-news-latest-emilia-romagna-imola-gp
Rosberg: Wolff/Hamilton tense exchange sign of 'stress' at Mercedes.
Nico Rosberg weighed in on the clearly tense exchange that took place in Q2 on Friday at Imola between Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton.
23/04/2022 at 15:11
Phillip van Osten
Commentating the scene inside the Mercedes garage for Sky F1, Rosberg speculated on the content of the brief but animated conversation. "It’s very difficult to know what was said," Rosberg commented. "If I had to speculate now, it looked to me like Toto was annoyed about something that Lewis had done, which might be understandable.”
"Lewis could’ve been frustrated on the external Mercedes garage radio, that they didn’t follow his thoughts on what they should’ve done with strategy, complaining about the car or something.”
"Lewis also got out of the car before Q2 over. There might be still a one per cent chance that the track is still in a good shape towards the end of qualifying, maybe Toto was angry about that."
‘Signs Of Stress’;
https://f1i.com/news/439062-rosberg-wolff-hamilton-tense-exchange-sign-of-stress-at-mercedes.html
Nico Rosberg spots cracks forming in Mercedes at Imola
April 23, 2022
by Hugh Farrell
Is Mercedes’ lack of progress damaging team relations? Toto Wolff has never been one to hide his emotions but his apparent frustration at Imola ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix showed just how annoyed the Mercedes team are getting.
Nico Rosberg tried to figure out what could have been the specific cause of Wolff’s frustrations but there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of possibilities. “If I had to speculate, it seems to me that Toto was annoyed about something that Lewis had done,” said Rosberg on Sky Sports F1.
“It might be very understandable that Lewis could be frustrated on the internal Mercedes garage radio or something, complaining that he didn’t follow his thoughts on what they could have done on strategy or complaining about the car.
‘Mercedes Cracking’;
https://punditarena.com/other-sports/hugh-farrell/nico-rosberg-mercedes-imola/
‘Hell is breaking loose’ after verbal confrontation between Hamilton and Wolff
Sir Lewis Hamilton was seen engaging in a slightly tense conversation with Toto Wolff after he was eliminated from Q2 on Friday.
by Rob Kershaw
23 April 202223 April 2022
It started raining during the red flag period initiated by Sainz’s accident, meaning that Mercedes had no chance of escaping Q2, so they called it a day as Hamilton hopped out of his Mercedes.
Having been complaining of a lack of grip on the radio, the 37-year-old encountered Wolff on his way out of the garage, and there appeared to be a fairly heated discussion between the pair.
“Toto not happy with Lewis???” tweeted one user, sharing a video of the brief exchange. “For Toto to be shouting at Lewis. Hell is breaking loose right now,” said another, fearing a capitulation at Mercedes as a result of their problems this year.
‘Verbal Confrontation’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/hell-is-breaking-loose-after-verbal-confrontation-between-hamilton-and-wolff/
Wolff admits he and Hamilton ‘vented’ at each other
Date published: April 23 2022 - Frank Parker
Wolff has insisted there was no argument at all, rather a shared anger about the team’s current situation. It has been something of a fall from grace for the reigning World Champions, who find themselves languishing in the midfield having been unable to challenge for wins.
The Mercedes boss admitted to Sky F1 the pair were “venting” at each other. “There was no disagreement at all,” said Wolff. “It doesn’t go any closer like the two of us are. We were just so angry about the session overall, him and I, and he vented at me, I vented at him but it was absolutely about the same thing.”
“It’s just a degree of frustration that we are not able to generate the grip on the first lap and yesterday was all about first lap. Then it red-flagged and we weren’t able to make it into Q3 and it’s so frustrating.”
‘Venting Frustration’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-lewis-hamilton-venting/
Fortitude
24th April 2022, 05:56
‘Unrealistic’ to think Mercedes can fight for 2022 F1 title – Wolff.
“It would be a pretty unrealistic to claim we have a slot among the frontrunners fighting for the championship.” Toto Wolff.
23rd April 2022, 15:20
by Fergal Walsh
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has all but ruled Mercedes out of contention for the 2022 Formula 1 Championship following Saturday’s F1 Sprint in Imola.
Speaking after Saturday’s action from Imola, Wolff said: “We are four races in and today marks the low of the first four races. It is obvious that we are not anywhere near the fight at the front.”
“I think what we saw today is that we haven’t got a car with enough performance differential to some of the midfield cars to overtake them,” Wolff said.
‘Performance Differential Lacking’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/04/23/unrealistic-to-think-mercedes-can-fight-for-2022-f1-title-wolff/
Wolff and Hamilton unite on Mercedes' "unrealistic" title hopes
Saturday 23 April 2022 18:45
Sam Hall
Toto Wolff has bluntly agreed with Lewis Hamilton's damning assessment of Mercedes' fading prospects for the season by claiming thoughts of championship success to be "unrealistic".
Explaining the mood within the garage, Wolff added: “Nobody in the team is anywhere near enjoying the ride at the moment.
"This team, we have done it in the past and we just need to dig ourselves out of that hole.”
‘Unjoyable Ride’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80978/wolff-and-hamilton-unite-on-mercedes-unrealistic-title-hopes/
Wolff - Imola "a complete write-off" for Mercedes
Sunday 24 April 2022 04:00
Sam Hall
Toto Wolff has labelled the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend "a complete write-off" for Mercedes after the team's lacklustre season hit a new low.
“You can say that we are trying to learn but we weren’t great with tyre warm-up and that is why there is not a lot that we can really…there is no miracle that you can expect at the race start. “
“And because the overtaking is so difficult…we can make up positions, we showed it on Saturday, but not quickly enough and therefore beyond the fact that we are learning, it is another humbling experience.”
‘Humbling Experiences’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/80988/wolff-imola-a-complete-write-off-for-mercedes/
Wolff issues worrying assessment as Mercedes' struggles get worse
23rd April 2022, 19:10
Author Mike Seymour
Co-author Dieter Rencken
With Mercedes' weekend - and season - only getting worse, Wolff did not hold back when speaking to the media. "I think points scoring needs to be the minimum, but this is not where we set our expectations, and therefore this weekend is a complete write-off," Wolff told members of the press, including RacingNews365.com.
"You can say, 'Well, we're trying to learn', but we weren't great at tyre warm-up, that's why there's not a lot that can be [done]. "There's no miracle that you can expect at the race start, because overtaking is so difficult. We can make up positions, we've shown it today, but not quickly enough.”
Wolff agrees with Hamilton over title chances. Hamilton conceded after the Sprint that he and Mercedes are likely out of the fight for this year's world titles, despite there being 19 more race weekends. Wolff, having himself put Mercedes' championship chances at around 20 per cent heading to Imola, agreed with his driver's comments.
‘Championship Write Off’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-issues-worrying-assessment-as-mercedes-struggles-get-worse
What Mercedes can salvage from ‘complete write-off’ Imola weekend
23/04/2022, 20:18
By Edd Straw
“Points scoring needs to be the minimum, but this is not where we set our expectations and therefore this weekend is a complete write-off,” said Wolff.
Wolff believes that the Mercedes W13 is broadly as competitive as it was during the opening three race weekends, when it had the third-fastest car in race conditions.
But the qualifying struggles and being stuck in traffic without a performance advantage big enough to make relatively quick and easy passes on midfield rivals means it is difficult to show it.
‘W13 Salvage Operation’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-mercedes-can-salvage-from-complete-write-off-imola-weekend/
Fortitude
24th April 2022, 15:52
Verstappen leads Red Bull 1-2 as Ferrari suffer nightmare home race.
Sergio Perez finished second in the other Red Bull, taking the team's first 1-2 finish since the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix.
24/042022, 15:36
It was a terrible start to the race for Ferrari. With Red Bull assuming the top two positions, Carlos Sainz's race came to an end after just a few metres, as he and McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo made contact going through the Tamburello chicane on the opening lap.
Leclerc and Ferrari then attempted an aggressive strategy to pit at the end of Lap 49 to take on a fresh set of Softs, forcing Perez and Verstappen to respond to do the same, as Red Bull hauled their drivers in on Lap 50 and 51 respectively.
However, he made an error at the Variante Alta as he lost control of the car after going too aggressively over the kerbs. As a result, Leclerc flew off into the barriers as he desperately tried to avoid hitting anything too hard.
‘Tifosi Nightmare’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-leads-red-bull-1-2-on-ferraris-home-soil
Perez overjoyed to secure Red Bull 1-2: It wasn't easy!
24/04/2022, 16:10
Author Thomas Maher
Red Bull's Sergio Perez was thrilled to help give his team their first 1-2 finish in six years, as the Mexican driver came home second to teammate Max Verstappen at Imola.
"Yeah, it was a really intense fight since pretty much halfway through the race," Perez said after the chequered flag. It was all under control, but then [Ferrari] started chasing us with the stop, and then it was a fight trying to warm up the tyres.”
"I think the most important thing today was not making mistakes because, with these conditions, it was so tricky out there. To get a 1-2 in these conditions, I think it's a great result for the team."
‘Overjoyed 1-2’;
https://racingnews365.com/perez-overjoyed-to-secure-red-bull-1-2-it-wasnt-easy
Verstappen and Red Bull embarrass Ferrari at Imola
By Associated Press
Published: 16:12, 24 April 2022
IMOLA, Italy (AP) - Formula One champion Max Verstappen dominated Sunday in a Red Bull rout of Ferrari at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. "Lovely Sunday," Verstappen radioed his Red Bull team. The Dutchman also won the sprint qualifying race on Saturday and earned maximum points on the weekend.
Verstappen won from the pole, logged the fastest lap and picked up his second win of the season while leading teammate Sergio Pérez to the first one-two Red Bull finish since Malaysia in 2016.
It was a disastrous race for Ferrari, racing on its home soil and hoping to celebrate a return to F1 dominance. Charles LeClerc came into Sunday as the championship leader with two wins in the first three races and Carlos Sainz Jr. celebrated a two-year contract extension this weekend in Italy. But LeClerc couldn't get the jump on Verstappen at the start and never contended. Sainz spun off course on the opening lap to ruin his race, and LeClerc's bid to salvage the day for Ferrari ended when he spun racing Perez for second.
‘Lovely Sunday’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10748569/Verstappen-Red-Bull-embarrass-Ferrari-Imola.html
F1 – Verstappen wins in Imola ahead of Pérez as Leclerc spins to sixth place
24.04.22
FIA
Starting from pole position, Verstappen delivered a flawless performance to claim the second grand chelem of his career with pole position, fastest lap and race victory after leading every lap of the factory. In addition, the world champion claimed victory in Saturday’s Sprint to ensure he left Imola with a maximum weekend haul of 34 points.
And after 63 laps Verstappen crossed the line to take his 22nd career win and a maximum points haul of 34 points. Pérez took the flag 15 seconds later to seal Red Bull’s first one-two finish since the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix and Norris took his sixth podium finish with third place.
Championship leader Charles Leclerc finished in sixth place following a late-race spin and Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz the race in a first-lap collision. Lando Norris took the final podium position for McLaren.
‘Flawless Performance’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-verstappen-wins-imola-ahead-perez-leclerc-spins-sixth-place
Leclerc frustrated with himself after costly mistake: I was too greedy
24/04/2022, 16:30
Author Thomas Maher
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has explained the late-race error that cost him a podium place at Imola, and could have resulted in a retirement. "It wasn't great," Leclerc mournfully told Viaplay after crossing the line.
"I've had a season where I haven't done many mistakes until now, but today was one big one. The championship leader explained he'd been pushing hard to try keeping pressure up on Perez.”
"Realistically, we didn't have the pace of the Red Bull; they were too quick today for us in all the conditions," he said. "I tried to put a bit more speed in Turn 14 and 15 to be closer to Checo [Perez] to try and overtake him into Turn 2, because I saw that this was one of the only opportunities of the race, and I pushed too much."
‘Too Greedy’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-frustrated-with-himself-after-costly-mistake-i-was-too-greedy
Norris praises McLaren turnaround after shock podium
Sunday 24 April 2022 16:35
Ewan Gale
Lando Norris has praised the turnaround of McLaren after taking his first podium of the season at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Speaking on team radio on his cool-down lap, Norris said: "We just got another podium, who would have thought? Awesome work everyone, nice to see how much we have turned it around. Proud of you all well done." Asked if it was a surprise to be on the podium, Norris replied: "Yeah of course.”
"An amazing race, an amazing weekend to be honest. To beat Ferrari is much better than we were expecting always so I am happy. The team deserve it. From where we were in race one to now a podium, they all deserve it so top job to the team."
‘Awesome McLaren Podium’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/81044/norris-praises-mclaren-turnaround-after-shock-podium/
Fortitude
24th April 2022, 16:15
Nico Rosberg feels Toto Wolff is hiding the 'truth' with Lewis Hamilton apology at Imola.
"Here, Toto was playing the mental game which is very smart on his behalf again, taking the blame themselves and really trying to support Lewis mentally," Rosberg said on Sky Sports. "Lifting him up and saying that it wasn't Lewis' doing, it's on us.”
By STUART BALLARD
16:43, Sun, Apr 24, 2022
Wolff jumped on team radio to apologise to Hamilton after the race, but Rosberg believes Russell's performance in finishing fourth paints a much bigger picture for Mercedes.
"It's very smart because it's not quite the truth and let's not forget that Russell is in P4 with that same car. So Lewis definitely had a big role to play in that poor result this weekend."
Russell is already 19 points ahead of Hamilton in the championship with the new Mercedes driver enjoying an impressive start. The 24-year-old has been consistent in each of the opening four races, finishing fourth, fifth, third and fourth so far. He's managed to beat Hamilton in three consecutive races with the 37-year-old conceding after the race that his chances of winning the championship are already over.
‘Taking the blame, to support Lewis Hamilton’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1600433/Nico-Rosberg-Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-Imola-Emilia-Romagna-GP-F1-news
Lewis Hamilton 'very angry' as Nico Rosberg details rising tensions in Mercedes garage
By STUART BALLARD
13:28, Sun, Apr 24, 2022
Lewis Hamilton will be "very angry" at starting another race behind George Russell, according to Nico Rosberg. The F1 2022 season has not gone to plan for Mercedes so far with the W13 nowhere near close to challenging Red Bull and Ferrari.
Rosberg knows better than most how Hamilton deals with pressure having been the only man at Mercedes to beat the Brit in a full season. And the 2016 F1 champion knows Hamilton will be "very angry" at the current situation with Russell starting ahead of him for Sunday's race.
"Let's not forget, Lewis hates ending up behind his team-mate," he said on Sky Sports. "Even if you're 11th and 13th. He really, really, passionately hates coming in behind his team-mate. It makes him very angry and that also happened in qualifying and the race this weekend so far.”
‘Very Angry’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1600361/Lewis-Hamilton-Nico-Rosberg-George-Russell-Mercedes-Toto-Wolff
Hamilton insists title hopes are over after 'weekend to forget'
24/04/2022, 16:50
AuthorMike Seymour
Lewis Hamilton says there's now "no question" that he's out of the running for the world title this season, following a tough weekend at Imola.
The predicament prompted Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to apologise to Hamilton over the radio on the lap back to the pits. "Sorry for what you have needed to drive today. I know this is undriveable and not what we deserve to score as a result," said Wolff. "We'll move from there, but this was a terrible race. We will come out of this." Hamilton responded: "Yeah, no worries, Toto. Let's keep working hard."
Asked again about his hopes of fighting for the title, Hamilton issued a clear response. "I mean, I'm out of the championship, there's no question about that," he added. "I'll still keep working as hard as I can and try and somehow put it back together."
‘Title Hopes Over’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-insists-title-hopes-are-over-after-weekend-to-forget
Hamilton apologises after finishing nine places behind Russell
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
24th April 2022, 16:56
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
“It’s been difficult, but I don’t really know what to say,” Hamilton commented in response to a questioned from RaceFans after the race. “It’s definitely not easy and we all feel it as a team.”
“At least George got some points today for the team, so my apologies to everyone I wasn’t able to do the same.”
Russell jumped up to sixth place at the start while Hamilton found himself in a queue of other cars which he couldn’t pass. “I didn’t really find it frustrating, I just wasn’t moving forwards” he said. “I don’t really know [why], I just wasn’t fast enough to overtake. I was just a bit of a sitting duck today,” he added.
‘Sitting Duck’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/24/hamilton-apologises-after-finishing-nine-places-behind-russell/
Fortitude
25th April 2022, 06:11
Binotto reacts to disastrous race for Ferrari on home soil.
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has urged his team to "keep smiling" after they endured a painful race on home soil at Imola.
24/04/2022, 18:00
Author Mike Seymour
"Obviously, we are a bit unhappy for the results of today," Binotto told Sky Sports F1 as he digested proceedings. "I think we need to keep [our] heads up. It's part of racing; some races may go wrong and it has been [that way] today. "But I think we've still got a competitive package, [so] I think we need to keep the smile on and look forward to the next races."
Binotto then explained why Ferrari opted to pit for the Soft tyre stint that proved to be Leclerc's undoing. "It was was not necessary for tyres and we didn't do that for the fastest lap ," Binotto made clear.”
"We simply did that because we thought it was the best option for us, to try to have some opportunity.”
‘Keep Smiling’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-reacts-to-disastrous-race-for-ferrari-on-home-soil
[B]Our verdict on Leclerc and Ferrari’s Imola disaster
24/04/2022, 17:00
The Race
Ferrari came to its first home grand prix of the 2022 Formula 1 season looking serenely in control, and then had its worst weekend of the campaign so far at Imola.
SILLY ERROR, BUT LECLERC HAD TO STAY AGGRESSIVE
GLENN FREEMAN
FERRARI STRATEGY CREATED UNNECESSARY JEOPARDY
SCOTT MITCHELL
LECLERC HASN’T CUT THE ERRORS – BUT HE MIGHT NOW
EDD STRAW
VERSTAPPEN AND RED BULL JUST DID A MUCH BETTER JOB
MARK HUGHES
FERRARI MUST LEARN FROM THIS AND NOT WASTE ITS START
GARY ANDERSON
NEEDLESSLY JUMPY
MATT BEER
‘The Verdicts’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/our-verdict-on-leclerc-and-ferraris-imola-disaster/
'I gave it my all but went over the limit': Charles Leclerc apologises to Ferrari fans after his costly late spin helped championship rival Max Verstappen to win at Imola and saw him finish sixth - but he vows 'we'll come back stronger'
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:31, 24 April 2022
• Championship leader Charles Leclerc pushed his Ferrari to the limit at Imola
• However, in front of his home fans, he over-extended and spun off the track
• His costly error saw him finish sixth, with Max Verstappen clinching the win
• Leclerc apologised to his team's fans but vowed they will 'come back stronger'
'I gave it my all,' said the Monegasque, 'but went over the limit at the end. Sorry to the team and to all the tifosi who support us. We'll come back stronger.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10749075/Charles-Leclerc-apologises-Ferrari-fans-spinning-Imola-finishing-sixth.html
Video: How Leclerc’s first error reignites F1 2022 title fight
25/04/2022
The Race
Charles Leclerc’s first major mistake of the 2022 season helped reignite the Formula 1 title battle in a dramatic end to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Just as Ferrari looked like it was taking control of the season and all the pressure was on Red Bull, Max Verstappen has taken 19 points out of Leclerc’s championship lead in one weekend.
Our video delves into the circumstances of Leclerc’s messy Imola weekend and Verstappen and Red Bull’s flawless one, what the title rivals and their teams are saying about it.
F1 2022 Title Fight Re-ignition’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/video-how-leclercs-first-error-reignites-f1-2022-title-fight/
Podcast: What Imola F1 defeat means for Ferrari and Leclerc
Apr 25 2022
The Race
Ferrari wasn’t just clearly outperformed by Red Bull for the first time in the 2022 Formula 1 season at Imola, it also lost a load more points thanks to Charles Leclerc’s error.
Edd Straw, Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell look at what Ferrari’s troubled weekend and Red Bull and Max Verstappen’s flawless one means for the title fight in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix episode of The Race F1 Podcast.
They examine all the factors that led to Ferrari’s strong run being interrupted and the significance of Leclerc’s mistake.
‘Ferrari Outperformed With Mistakes’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-what-imola-f1-defeat-means-for-ferrari-and-leclerc/
Fortitude
25th April 2022, 10:21
Emilia Romagna GP: Lando Norris hails McLaren's teamwork after P3 finish in Imola.
"In Lando, I think we're seeing a future world champion in his drives," Rosberg said on Sky Sports F1.
Last Updated: 24/04/22 6:48pm
By Emma Thurston
Brown, who labelled Norris' performance in Imola as a "mega drive", continues to be extremely happy with the 22-year-old's work and progression. "He's doing a great job; he's very consistent, very fast and doesn't make mistakes," McLaren's CEO said. "Hopefully, we can give him a car to win a race sometime so because he's certainly ready for it."
Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion, is another who has been taken by Norris' development since his arrival in Formula 1. "In Lando, I think we're seeing a future world champion in his drives," Rosberg said on Sky Sports F1.
"Phenomenal stuff, there are no mistakes. It's really impressive and a great job by McLaren to secure his services for so many years. McLaren in the first race they were 15th, how an earth have they turned it around so much? I think Toto [Wolff] needs to give Zak Brown a call for some tips there. It's really impressive."
‘Lando Norris, Future World Champion’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12597826/emilia-romagna-gp-lando-norris-hails-mclarens-teamwork-after-p3-finish-in-imola
Norris: McLaren’s hard work deserved ‘amazing weekend’.
Lando Norris revelled in his podium finish at Imola, adding that his McLaren team “deserve” their success after a tricky start to the year.
Date published: April 24 2022 - Henry Valantine
Having been rooted towards the back end of the midfield at the season opener in Bahrain, McLaren have steadily got themselves back towards those around them – and Norris rewarded the team by taking a surprise podium finish in tricky conditions on Sunday.
Having seen the work behind the scenes at McLaren, the 22-year-old added he was happy to see how well the team had performed – although he admitted the small upgrades they had brought to Imola were not enough for him to believe they would make the jump in performance they eventually managed.
‘Behind The Scenes Hard Work’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-amazing-imola-podium/
Norris ‘didn’t expect podium all season after Bahrain’
25/04/2022
by Phillip Horton
Lando Norris says neither he nor McLaren could have envisaged claiming a podium finish so soon after its awful start to the 2022 Formula 1 season.
“Surprised I guess to be here, but feels amazing,” said Norris. “So, from where we were, what, three weeks ago, four weeks ago, a month, in Bahrain to be on a podium, I genuinely didn’t think we would be on the podium all year after Bahrain. So it’s quite a shock.”
“It’s hard to ever imagine yourself on the podium and a great result would have been P5. But a few good things throughout this race, you know, an amazing start to be ahead of the Ferraris, to stay out of the chaos which happened behind, just I guess a lonely but a great race.”
‘Lonely Great Race’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/04/25/norris-didnt-expect-podium-all-season-after-bahrain/
Norris on P3: nice to see the hard work paying off
Imola, Emilia Romagna
24th April 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Norris had qualified P3 on Friday but lost out to Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz in the Sprint and started the Grand Prix in P5. With neither Ferrari getting off the grid too well, and a good start for the McLaren driver, he was back into P3 before they had reached the first corner.
“An amazing start to be ahead of the Ferraris,” Norris said, “to stay out of the chaos which happened behind, just I guess a lonely but a great race. Just managing the gap to George, looking after the tyres for the whole stint.
“Everything just went well all weekend to be honest, not just the race today, but qualifying P3 already was a pretty good achievement for us. So, great weekend. Nice to see the improvements we’ve been bringing and to reward everyone with a podium is even better.”
‘Great Weekend’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/norris-on-p3-nice-to-see-the-hard-work-paying-off-78850
McLaren “deserve” surprise podium after “amazing weekend” – Norris
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
24th April 2022, 16:55
Written by Will Wood
“[It was] an amazing race, an amazing weekend to be honest,” said Norris. “To beat one Red Bull [in qualifying] and one Ferrari is much better than we were expecting, so I’m happy.”
“The team deserve it from where we were in race one to now scoring a podium. They all deserve it, so top job to the team.” McLaren had suffered a challenging start to the season, discovering a problem with their MCL36 in pre-season testing that led to the team struggling towards the back of the field during the opening race in Bahrain
Asked where the improvement in form had come from, Norris credited the team for the turnaround in performance. “The boring answer is just hard work,” Norris said. “A lot of time and effort everyone’s putting in back in the factory and everyone here.
‘Just Hard Work’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/24/mclaren-deserve-surprise-podium-after-amazing-weekend-norris/
Fortitude
26th April 2022, 14:48
Mercedes’ George Russell Struggling with Back and Chest Pains Because of Porpoising
26 Apr 2022, 12:46 UTC ·
by Sergiu Tudose
Aside from compromising the car from a competitive standpoint, porpoising, it seems, is also hurting Mercedes-AMG F1 driver George Russell physically, reports Motorsport.
“When the car is in the right window and the tires are in the right window, the car – except for the bouncing – feels really good to drive,” stated the British driver while describing what it’s like to drive the W13. “But the bouncing, it really takes your breath away. It’s the most extreme I’ve ever felt it. I really hope we find a solution and I hope every team struggling with the bouncing finds a solution, because it’s not sustainable for the drivers to continue.”
He then went on to add: “This is the first weekend I’ve truly been struggling with my back, and almost like chest pains from the severity of the bouncing. It’s just what we have to do to go and do the fastest laps.”
‘Back and Chest Pains’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/mercedes-george-russell-struggling-with-back-and-chest-pains-because-of-porpoising-187339.html
Why Lewis Hamilton is struggling with his 'unacceptable' Mercedes but George Russell is not.
For all of Hamilton’s recent success, he has rarely required the skills Russell developed at Williams and never recently. Imola was a weekend to forget for Hamilton, who wrote off his championship chances already – but Russell showed what the car can do
By Luke Slater 25 April 2022 • 2:12pm
The performance gaps have not been enormous in every race, but the situation that Hamilton is in now is almost alien. The points gap being as large as it is and being beaten by his team-mate in three consecutive races has not happened since Nico Rosberg was his team-mate in 2016.
Before his promotion to Mercedes, Russell spent three seasons at a struggling Williams team. In 2021 he managed to catch headlines with some impressive qualifying performances – especially in the wet at Spa and in Sochi – which earned him the nickname Mr Saturday, for being able to wring every last hundredth of a second out of sub-standard machinery over one lap. This year he has translated those skills across the whole weekend.
In 2019 and 2020, though, the Williams was the worst car in the field. Although it would have surely been frustrating to be at the back, he says the experience was useful in developing skills that he would not have been able to do going straight into a front-running team.
‘’Imola 2022, a weekend to forget’;
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2022/04/25/lewis-hamilton-cannot-drive-unacceptable-mercedes-george-russell/
Transcript: “I need more power” – Hamilton and Russell’s contrasting fortunes at Imola
2022 Emilia-Romagna GP team radio transcript
Posted on 26th April 2022, 13:37
Written by Keith Collantine
Their conversations with their race engineers throughout the afternoon reveal how their races unfolded, and also their contrasting styles on the radio. Russell had an almost continuous back-and-forth with his race engineer, Riccardo Musconi.
In contrast Hamilton’s exchanges with Pete Bonnington were much briefer. This reflects the difference between Hamilton in his 10th season as a Mercedes driver and Russell only in his fourth race for the team. The newcomer often prompted Musconi to confirm whether he was managing his car the way the team wanted him to.
‘Team Radio Conversations’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/26/transcript-i-need-more-power-hamilton-and-russells-contrasting-fortunes-at-imola/
Our verdict on Russell outracing Hamilton in F1 2022 so far
26/04/2022, 11:02
The Race
Four grands prix into Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s time as Mercedes Formula 1 team-mates, and Russell has finished ahead in 75% of the races and leads his seven-time world champion team-mate by 21 points and three places in the standings.
Hamilton’s consequently getting a hard time from the faction of his critics who’ve always argued that he would struggle when he didn’t have the ‘best’ car – and an equally firm response from those who think that theory is simply wrong and the current results don’t show the real picture. Here’s where our writers stand on the Russell vs Hamilton situation:
‘The Verdicts’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/our-verdict-on-russell-outracing-hamilton-in-f1-2022-so-far/
JONATHAN MCEVOY: Pitiful Lewis Hamilton is on the road to nowhere and running out of options... he has struggled to recover from last season's title battle with Max Verstappen and is being eclipsed by George Russell
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:31, 25 April 2022
We have showered many words on Lewis Hamilton over his brilliant 16 seasons in Formula One. Brave, daring, quick, relentless, magnanimous, sore, impetuous, crusading and unprecedented. But until now we have never resorted to 'pitiful'.
Having finished 13th, a lap behind winner Max Verstappen and a minute adrift of Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who was fourth in the same hard-bouncing, sub-standard car, Hamilton spoke quietly and solemnly as he conducted post-race interviews that carried the desperate air of an inquest.
My mind thinks back to a comment one high-placed Mercedes insider shared with me a few days after a mixture of Verstappen's brilliance and highly controversial race direction deprived the Brit of an eighth world title in Abu Dhabi. 'I don't know if Lewis will ever get over it,' said the observer, who was working on a potential legal challenge that was never launched. Or as Red Bull's motorsport adviser Helmut Marko said, with undisguised relish: 'Maybe he is thinking he should have stopped last year.'
‘Road To Nowhere’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10752249/JONATHAN-MCEVOY-Lewis-Hamilton-running-options-pitiful-performance-Italy.html
Rosberg praised for calling out ‘Mercedes PR’ tactic after Hamilton’s miserable Imola GP
Sir Lewis Hamilton ended the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in P13, while George Russell managed an impressive P4.
by Rob Kershaw
25 April 202225 April 2022
Nico Rosberg has received praise on social media for providing his honest opinion on Toto Wolff’s radio message to Sir Lewis Hamilton at the end of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Wolff apologised to Hamilton after the race, sympathising with the fact that the 37-year-old was faced with an “undriveable” Mercedes last weekend, and Rosberg saw this as a tactic to try and lift Hamilton’s spirits.
“Toto was playing the mental game which was very smart on his behalf,” the 2016 Formula 1 champion said. “[Mercedes were] taking the blame themselves, really trying to support Lewis mentally, lifting him up and saying ‘hey Lewis, none of your doing, it’s really on us,’ so that’s very smart because it’s not quite the truth.
‘Nico Rosberg Insight Praised’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/rosberg-praised-for-calling-out-mercedes-pr-tactic-after-hamiltons-miserable-imola-gp/
Hamilton may quit Mercedes mid-season - Villeneuve
26/04/2022, 08:31
By GMM F1
While his fans suffer with him amid a rare personal slump, not everyone is unhappy that Lewis Hamilton is struggling in 2022. "To be honest, I liked it when Max lapped him," world champion Max Verstappen's father Jos admitted after Imola.
But it wasn't just a one-off for the seven time world champion - he is struggling even more than his new teammate George Russell with the woeful 2022 Mercedes. "He has to wonder why Russell is so much faster than him," former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland
As he didn't quit, though, pundits are now wondering if the 37-year-old will be able to cope with a full season of pain in the badly-'porpoising' silver car. "It's a question that will be raised," 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve told the Dutch publication Formule 1. We've been surprised in the past," Villeneuve concluded. "It has happened before that champions sometimes say they've just had enough."
‘Enough To Quit’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/mercedes/news/hamilton-may-quit-mercedes-mid-season-villeneuve_484270.html?newsnow
Lewis Hamilton 'doesn't want George Russell in front ever again' after Imola horrorshow
LEWIS HAMILTON came 13th in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday.
By WILL LANCASTER
06:30, Tue, Apr 26, 2022
Lewis Hamilton will be motivated by finishing behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday, according to Nico Rosberg - with the seven-time Drivers' Championship winner wanting to 'keep the fire on' by never finishing second to the youngster again this season.
“And with George performing so well, that could be the biggest motivator for Lewis to keep going and keep going because he does not want to see George in front of him ever again. I think that will keep the fire on.”
Hamilton currently sits seventh in the Drivers' Championship, already 58 points behind Charles Leclerc in first. It is a far cry from previous seasons, where the Brit has been in the top two every year since 2013. And with rumours that he was set to retire in the off-season, this could well be Hamilton's last in Formula One before retirement.
'Doesn't want George Russell in front ever again';
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1600939/Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell-Mercedes-Formula-One-latest-news
Fortitude
27th April 2022, 06:57
Bottas calls Russell battle ‘really good fun’ as he claims P5 in Emilia Romagna.
Valtteri Bottas managed a season-best P5 finish in Sunday’s Grand Prix after taking yet more points with P7 in the Sprint – with the Finn leaving Imola praising the pace of his Alfa Romeo.
25 April 2022
Formula 1.
“Yes, it was a good race,” said Bottas, who also got caught up in the Lap 1 crash between Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo (see below). “I mean, even with a bit of contact in Turn 2 – luckily there was not damage. The pit stop for sure compromised the race a bit. After that we had really good pace, I could push flat-out all through the race. I was catching the Mercedes pretty well, and unfortunately didn’t quite have the pace towards the end to overtake them – but good points.”
Asked if he’d enjoyed having the pace to battle with his former Mercedes team, meanwhile, Bottas replied: “Yes – really enjoying it. It’s really good fun. The upgrades we had this weekend definitely made the car even stronger, so it’s a good feeling.”
‘P7 in the Sprint, P5 in Emilia Romagna’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.bottas-calls-russell-battle-really-good-fun-as-he-claims-p5-in-emilia.2IEUKsvnh3SIwxGB4S8B1f.html
“It’s nice to see the upgrades we brought to the track worked” – Valtteri Bottas
By Nick Golding
April 26, 2022
Valtteri Bottas signing for Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, continues to look like the best driver transfer for this season, after the Finnish driver crossed the line in an impressive fifth-place at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Considering his race could’ve ended within the first twenty-seconds, fifth was a stellar job by Bottas who was pleased to see the upgrades the team brought to the weekend working well.
“It was a fun race for me today! It’s always good to get points, we had a strong race in a car that felt really good. I am happy with how everything went, even though we lost a bit of time in the pit-stop, but we bring home ten points today so we’ll take it. I had a bit of a scare at the beginning of the race, when I couldn’t avoid Ricciardo when he tangled with Sainz, but luckily we didn’t have any damage.”
‘Upgrades Working’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/its-nice-to-see-the-upgrades-we-brought-to-the-track-worked-valtteri-bottas/
Bottas explains how he used Russell and Mercedes as motivation
25 April 07:45
Author Mike Seymour
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Valtteri Bottas secured a third points finish in four races as his and Alfa Romeo's encouraging start to the 2022 season continued at Imola.
Valtteri Bottas has revealed how George Russell and Mercedes served as his motivation to keep pushing throughout the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Alfa Romeo driver Bottas finished on the tail of Russell - who replaced him at the Silver Arrows for 2022 - in Sunday's wet-dry race at Imola, having recovered from a delayed pit-stop earlier in the afternoon.
‘Motivation’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-explains-how-he-used-russell-and-mercedes-as-motivation
“There are so many positives we can take away” – Alfa Romeo’s Frédéric Vasseur
April 26, 2022
By Nick Golding
The Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN took home an impressive twelve points from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, all courtesy of Valtteri Bottas who performed brilliantly in both the Sprint race on Saturday and the main race on Sunday, at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit.
Alfa Romeo Team Principal, Frédéric Vasseur, was very happy with the team’s overall performance but was especially pleased to see the upgrades they brought to the weekend working well.
“It has been a strong weekend from the team and to bring home 12 points between yesterday and today is a deserved reward. We delivered upgrades that worked well, a brilliant job by the team at home, and the crew were incredible both on Friday and Saturday night, with two rebuild jobs they undertook with strong spirit.”
‘So Many Positives’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/there-are-so-many-positives-we-can-take-away-alfa-romeos-frederic-vasseur/
Two moments cost Bottas an Imola F1 podium shot
26th Feb 2022, 14:15
By Edd Straw
Valtteri Bottas’s fifth place in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was Alfa Romeo’s best result in two-and-a-half years. But it’s possible the team could have ended its near decade-long absence from the podium, had two key moments in the race not gone against it.
Given Bottas lost the place to Russell on the first lap only as a result of hitting the back of Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren after it collided with Carlos Sainz Ferrari, then lost around nine seconds to a problem in the pitstop, it’s reasonable to ask whether he really could have beaten Norris.
Despite the strong result, Bottas’s misfortune started during qualifying. Having reached Q3 easily, he suffered an exhaust problem that not only forced him to pull over but also led to the team rebuilding the car around the spare chassis. That was a big task given the spare wasn’t ‘dressed’ with suspension components in advance and it led to Bottas missing FP2.
‘A P3 Podium Possibility’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/two-moments-cost-bottas-an-imola-f1-podium-shot/
Bottas surprised by how much Hamilton and Mercedes are struggling
26th April 2022, 17:50
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
After finishing narrowly behind Mercedes' George Russell and well ahead of Lewis Hamilton at Imola, Valtteri Bottas expressed his surprise at his former team's struggles so far in 2022.
Bottas now sits just four points behind former Mercedes teammate Hamilton in the 2022 Drivers' Championship standings, and said he was at a loss to explain the Silver Arrows' poor start to the season.
"I don't know the reasons why they're struggling. I don't know the technical details," Bottas commented. I didn't see what happened in the race. I would imagine [Hamilton] was stuck behind other cars, and if there's a DRS train, it's not easy [to pass].”
‘Loss To Explain’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-surprised-by-how-much-hamilton-and-mercedes-are-struggling
2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Sunday
April 24th, 2022
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN delivered a strong performance as the team capped off a successful weekend with a fine fifth place by Valtteri Bottas. Team-mate, Zhou Guanyu, fought well to recover from a pitlane start after yesterday’s retirement, and finished in 15th place.
The ten points added to our tally, in conjunction with the two from yesterday’s Sprint, lift the team to a total of 25 and fifth place in the constructors’ championship.
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal: “It has been a strong weekend from the team and to bring home 12 points between yesterday and today is a deserved reward. We delivered upgrades that worked well, a brilliant job by the team at home, and the crew were incredible both on Friday and Saturday night, with two rebuild jobs they undertook with strong spirit. Our race today was positive: Valtteri had really good pace and was able to fight for P4 until the final lap; Zhou always had a difficult job on his hands after yesterday’s crash, but did well to recover from a pitlane start to finish 15th with some good overtakes on the way. There are so many positives we can take away from this weekend, not just in terms of the result but also in the way we went about our business, and we can definitely aspire to do even better in the next few races.”
https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsport/f1-news/2022-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-sunday/
Fortitude
28th April 2022, 07:23
Tsunoda 'just trusted' AlphaTauri pace to score impressive P7.
Yuki Tsunoda delivered a solid drive for AlphaTauri in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the Japanese charger steering clear of trouble and "just trusting" his car's pace to finish an impressive P7.
25/04/2022 at 14:37
Michael Delaney
Tsunoda qualified a lowly 16th for Saturday's sprint event, but a productive effort in the 21-lap dash ensured a start on Sunday from 12th on the grid.
The 21-year-old held his own during a frantic opening lap but took advantage of several retirements in the first half of the field to settle into ninth place from where he managed most of his race.
But in the final stages of the 62-lap event, Tsunoda upped the pace and overhauled both Haas' Kevin Magnussen and Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel to claim sixth.
‘Yuki Tsunoda Impressive P7’;
https://f1i.com/news/439509-tsunoda-just-trusted-alphatauri-pace-to-score-impressive-p7.html
Yuki Tsunoda satisfied to reward 'home' support with P7 at Imola.
24 Apr 2022
Formula 1
Yuki Tsunoda believes his P7 in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is an appropriate 'thank you' for all the hard work of the AlphaTauri team, based just down the road from Imola.
‘Home Support’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.yuki-tsunoda-satisfied-to-reward-home-support-with-p7-at-imola.1731002953542494765.html
Yuki Tsunoda praises AlphaTauri team as sterling drive earns him points in Imola.
AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda credited the hard work of his team as they celebrated a 7th place finish at their home race at Imola on Sunday afternoon.
Published: 25 Apr 2022, 11:32
By George Dagless
The Japanese driver may well have been concerned about how his weekend was going to unfold after a tough qualifying session on Friday, which saw him and team-mate Pierre Gasly eliminated at the end of Q1.
However, that only served to drive Tsunoda on over the course of the weekend, with him working his way up to 12th at the end of Sprint on Saturday, and then into the points with a 7th place finish in the Grand Prix on Sunday.
“I’m super happy we were able to score points, especially at [the team’s] home track with a lot of people watching from the factory,” Tsunoda said to Give Me Sport’s George Dagless among the media after the chequered flag at Imola. “The amount of work they’ve done last year and this year has been so huge so to score points I’m super happy for this one.”
‘SUPER Happy For The AlphaTauri Team’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87999559-yuki-tsunoda-praises-alphatauri-team-as-sterling-drive-earns-him-points-in-imola
Yuki Tsunoda is repaying Red Bull's faith in F1 2022 - Alex Brundle
F1
Connor McDonagh
28 Apr 2022, 05:31
Tsunoda starred in tricky conditions at Imola as he out-qualified and out-raced highly-rated teammate Pierre Gasly en route to finishing seventh. His race included late overtakes on Kevin Magnussen and Sebastian Vettel as his points haul helped AlphaTauri move ahead of Haas in the constructors’ championship.
Speaking in the latest episode of Crash.net’s F1 podcast, Brundle was impressed by Tsunoda’s rate of improvement since last year. “He’s worked on it, hasn’t he? He’s still full beans in the cockpit,” Brundle said. “The radio message when he made the pass late in the race: ‘Let’s go!’ - it’s something I absolutely love about him and I want to see him succeed.
“I find myself watching him really wanting to see him succeed because he’s a human in the car, you can tell that as opposed to some other drivers that just come across and it’s no detriment to the character, in fact, it’s probably beneficial in the circumstances that they come across as a machine. Yuki definitely doesn’t, it’s something I really like about him. The incidents are fading out aren’t they and they are believing in him and the performances are coming back in.”
‘Still Full Of Beans In The Cockpit’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1001653/1/tsunoda-repaying-red-bulls-faith-f1-2022-brundle
AlphaTauri Need to “Fine Tune” Imola Upgrades For Consistent Points – AlphaTauri’s Franz Tost
By Joe McCormick
April 27, 2022
Franz Tost, Team Principal of Scuderia AlphaTauri believes the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix saw good progress for the team, with the upgrades that were added to the car. Tost believes that with only a few more minor changes, both Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly will start scoring points consistently.
Speaking on the successes and failures of the weekend, Tost firstly congratulated AlphaTauri’s sister team on their one-two result on Sunday. “It was a very exciting race today. I would like to congratulate Oracle Red Bull Racing for their well-deserved one-two. Max and Checo controlled the pace for the entire race, they did a really fantastic job.”
“As for us, we also had a successful race. Yuki started in 12th position and after the first lap was already up to 10th. He drove a really strong race, overtaking many cars, to finish in seventh place. Yuki has been competitive immediately, from Friday onwards, so I think he now has a good basis for the upcoming races.”
‘AlphaTauri Fine Tuning’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/alphatauri-need-to-fine-tune-imola-upgrades-for-consistent-points-alphatauris-franz-tost/
Tsunoda P7 rewarded AlphaTauri’s ‘insane’ work
Date published: April 26 2022 - Jon Wilde
The Japanese driver was one of the outstanding performers in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as he worked his way up five places from his grid position to add some valuable points to both his and the team’s tally.
Although at one point he was at the front of a DRS train, being challenged by Lance Stroll, Tsunoda found extra pace and passed both Kevin Magnussen’s Haas and then Sebastian Vettel in the other Aston Martin – the first of those moves eliciting a cry of “let’s go” from the 21-year-old over the team radio.
It was a rare weekend when Tsunoda outperformed his more experienced team-mate, Pierre Gasly – and he now has four more points than the Frenchman in this year’s championship.
‘Insane Work At AlphaTauri Rewarded’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-alphatauri-insane-work/
Tsunoda promises more to come after mighty Imola result
25 April 12:15
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Yuki Tsunoda has climbed above teammate Pierre Gasly in the World Championship standings after an impressive, overtake-packed Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
"To be honest, I didn't expect [this result]. I mean, I didn't try to expect it, because this kind of difficult condition is really hard to predict," he said, speaking to select members of the media, including RacingNews365.com.
"I was just focusing to stay on the track first and just trusting my car's pace, [and] I'm super happy to be able to score points, especially at a home track."
‘Just Focused To Stay On The Track’;
https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-promises-more-to-come-after-mighty-imola-result
Boss wants Alpha Tauri to find 'solution'
26/04/2022, 08:51
By GMM F1
Franz Tost admits Alpha Tauri needs to up its game. The second Red Bull-owned team is just seventh overall in the constructors' standings, but boss Tost says the problem isn't the drivers. "(Pierre) Gasly is on the way to becoming one of the best drivers," the Austrian told Sport1.
"If we give him a suitable car, he can win races. Unfortunately, our car is currently not able to do this. Our engineers have to find a solution." Tost is also happy with Yuki Tsunoda's start to his second year on the grid, with the Japanese actually a few points ahead of Gasly so far.
"He is in his second year and we are very happy with him," he said. "I always say that it takes a driver three years in Formula 1 to fully settle in. There's still a lot of potential that Tsunoda can exploit."
‘Alpha Tauri needs to up its game’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/toro-rosso/news/boss-wants-alpha-tauri-to-find-solution_484271.html?newsnow
Tsunoda ‘didn’t expect’ AlphaTauri pace during Imola GP
25th April 2022, 15:47
by Fergal Walsh
Yuki Tsunoda admits he wasn’t expecting to have such a competitive AlphaTauri car underneath him at the Emilia Grand Prix on Sunday. “The car was really good. We didn’t expect it to be that good, especially compared to Australia,” he said.
“We made really good progress through the weekend and I’m happy with what I did today. That was my main goal, that I try to achieve points in front of the people who came from the factory.”
“Also the people watching at the factory, the amount of work they’ve done since the beginning of the season. I’m happy that I said thank you with the driving, and [hopefully] we keep it like this.”
‘Main goal to achieve points, in front of and for the AlphaTauri employees’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/04/25/tsunoda-didnt-expect-alphatauri-pace-during-imola-gp/
Fortitude
29th April 2022, 09:48
Why Vettel’s eighth place at Imola was “like a victory”.
Sebastian Vettel described his eighth place in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as “like a victory” given how uncompetitive Aston Martin’s AMR22 Formula 1 car is.
Apr 25 2022
By Edd Straw
While it marks an upturn in fortunes for Aston Martin, it was primarily the consequence of a well-executed weekend for Vettel in a car that is still massively limited by its porpoising problem.
He capitalised on the conditions to reach Q3, then ran in the points throughout the grand prix after climbing from 13th to eighth in the early stages – assisted by the collision between Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz and the damage sustained by Fernando Alonso’s Alpine.
“For us, it’s like a victory,” said Vettel. “To be honest, we are not the fastest at the minute. I think we are pretty much at the other side of the field, but we did really well. The weekend helped us with the conditions, but we managed to capitalise. We did great job on calling for the dries, and everybody else then I think copied what we did.”
‘Aston Martin Victory’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-vettels-eighth-place-at-imola-was-like-a-victory/
‘Vettel will make the car himself’: Fans react to ‘Inspector Seb’ after Imola qualifying
Sebastian Vettel was seen having a peak at the ground effect aerodynamics on a number of cars after the sprint race in Imola.
by Rob Kershaw
24 April 2022
Sebastian Vettel was seen getting up to his usual antics in the aftermath of the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix sprint race, much to the amusement of fans on social media.
The German started the race ninth after becoming the first Aston Martin driver this season to make it into Q3, but fell back during the 21-lap sprint as his tyres degraded, leaving him P13.
Vettel has earned himself a multitude of nicknames throughout his career – both “Fireman Seb” and “Scooter Seb” made an appearance in Australia – and footage of Parc Ferme in Imola on Saturday showcased the return of “Inspector Seb”.
‘Is it Fireman Seb? Is it Scooter Seb? NO, it is Inspector Seb!’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/vettel-will-make-the-car-himself-fans-react-to-inspector-seb-after-imola-qualifying/
I didn’t appreciate how hard teams work at the back of the grid – Vettel
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on
25th April 2022, 13:29 | Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
“It’s like a victory,” he said. “We are not the fastest at the minute, I think we are pretty much at the other side of the field. But today we did really well.”
He ran seventh ahead of Charles Leclerc towards the end of the race but couldn’t keep the Ferrari behind. “Obviously I had no chance to hold Charles off in the end, he is like four seconds faster, three seconds faster,” said Vettel. “But if you tell us that we are fighting a Ferrari with four laps to go before the race, I would have taken it.”
The four-times world champion said he enjoyed the race despite not being in the hunt for higher places. “It’s still eighth position, so it’s not as enjoyable as winning. But to be honest I’ve driven a lot of races where I finished on the podium and I’ve done worse races, so I am very happy.”
‘Fighting a Ferrari’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/25/i-didnt-appreciate-how-hard-teams-work-at-the-back-of-the-grid-vettel/
Aston Martin motivation like 'making a dog jump without a cookie' - Vettel
Ewan Gale
Tuesday 26 April 2022 11:15
Sebastian Vettel has likened motivating Aston Martin to continue its hard work without scoring points was like trying to "make your dog jump without a cookie".
The German, who has labelled the result at Imola as "very important", added: "It is harsh, you work your arse off and when you have a good package, it is easy to score good results and then it is about perfection to deliver the perfect result. But the work that goes in at the back of the field, to be honest for many years I did not appreciate as much because I wasn't there.”
"It is the same work that goes in from all the people in the team and it is even harder because you don't get any reward after the race. Try to make your dog jump without a cookie to please him afterwards, it is hard. Good for them, I am happy for the team and good to get both cars in the points as well."
‘Very Important Result’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/81212/aston-martin-motivation-like-making-a-dog-jump-without-a-cookie-vettel/
Aston Martin’s Mike Krack praised Vettel, Stroll for “faultless” performance in Imola
By Ashley Cline
April 28, 2022
The Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team earned their first points of the season at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with a double-points finish. Sebastian Vettel took eighth, and Lance Stroll rounded out the points positions with a tenth-place result.
Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack, recounted the “faultless” drives of the Aston Martin pilots, who were able to maximise the opportunities the unique conditions offered them. Vettel’s amazing start and early switch to slicks allowed him to secure the impressive result, while Stroll’s opening lap brought him from fifteenth up to the edge of the points.
“Both Sebastian and Lance drove faultlessly in today’s tricky wet-to-dry race. In wet conditions, Sebastian vaulted into ninth on lap one, then comfortably raced inside the top 10 for the whole race. As the track dried, he was one of the very first drivers to roll the dice and switch from Intermediates to the Medium tyre. The team and he judged that stop perfectly and Sebastian then ran smoothly in P7 until the closing laps, when he dropped to eighth.”
‘Faultless Performance’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/aston-martins-mike-krack-praised-vettel-stroll-for-faultless-performance-in-imola/
Imola a ‘flash in the pan’ for Aston Martin
Date published: April 26 2022 - Michelle Foster
lf Schumacher has warned Aston Martin that their Imola double points-haul was likely a “flash in the pain” and he doesn’t expect them to be “that good” in Miami.
“I assume that Imola was a flash in the pan,” the former driver wrote in his latest Sky Germany column. “We’re going to Miami in two weeks. I don’t expect the Aston Martin to be that good. But it’s a new track, the temperatures will be higher. All teams have their problems. I’m curious how it will be.”
But while the German is not expecting much from Aston Martin, he was still impressed with their performance at Imola. “Sebastian Vettel did a much better job,” he said. “In Imola it became clear once again that he is simply a good rain driver. “What is striking is the Aston Martin is better in the rain than in the dry. I don’t think Vettel would have finished in the top ten in the dry. You saw that in the sprint. Things didn’t go as well then as later in the race. In the end, however, there is a strong eighth place.”
‘Flash In The Pan’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/imola-flash-in-the-pan-aston-martin/
Aston Martin keen to retain Vettel
NEWS STORY
26/04/2022
Aston Martin boss, Mike Krack admits that he is keen to retain Sebastian Vettel when the German's contract expires this season. Over the last few seasons however there has been much speculation over the German's desire to continue racing, but a number of performances, such as that on Sunday, suggest a Fernando Alonso-like Indian Summer for the Aston Martin driver.
However, ever the purist, like Alonso, for Vettel much depends on the machinery at his disposal and whether it will allow him to actually race. "It's a no brainer, my contract ends at the end of the season," said the four-time champ. "Obviously it's not the year that everyone in the team hoped for, at least the start of the season, but I think it would be bad to write it off already.”
"There's so many things we are currently struggling with when it comes to performance with our car, extracting the performance. I think others have the same or similar problems. So there's lots of things that we can still understand and learn, and the next weeks and months will be very, very important to set the direction for this year but also for learning and knowing what to do in the next three, four years.”
‘Fernando Alonso-like Indian Summer for the Aston Martin driver’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72359/Aston-Martin-keen-to-retain-Vettel
Aston Martin boss wants car updates at every grand prix
by Phillip Horton
Aston Martin needs to strive to bring updates to its AMR22 at every race in order to further unlock the potential of the car, according to team boss Mike Krack.
Krack explained that Aston Martin “wants to bring updates every race, [we] want to have continuous development and bring updates all the time – sometimes they are a bit bigger, sometimes a bit smaller, but it is important to keep the development alive.
“We have three main points that we are working on. One is aero, the most important one. Second one is car weight, very important as well. And the third one is how we can provide better feedback [from the car] to our drivers, that goes into the suspension, into the steering, these kinds of things, the set-up of the car.”
‘Updates At Every Grand Prix’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/04/29/aston-martin-boss-wants-car-updates-at-every-grand-prix/
Fortitude
30th April 2022, 05:59
Haas’ Günther Steiner: “We were just not fast enough for the others”
“We would have wished to have got a little bit more today but after four races, and three with points, we took something home and I think there is more to come.”
By Ashley Cline
April 28, 2022
Haas F1 Team Principal, Günther Steiner, said the team’s result in Imola left something to be desired, as he hoped for a stronger finish to the sprint weekend. Kevin Magnussen took ninth-place, earning three-points total with his eighth-place sprint finish, while Mick Schumacher was unable to convert his tenth-place grid position to a finish in the points due to a first-lap incident with Fernando Alonso.
Ultimately, Steiner felt that Haas’ competitors outpaced them at Imola, which made it difficult for Schumacher to recover and for Magnussen to move forward in the field.
Steiner said that the team needs to keep developing as the season progresses. With Haas currently occupying eighth-place in the Constructors’ standings, he wants to see the team improve and put themselves on the sharp end of the tight midfield pack.
‘Haas Not Fast Enough’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/haas-gunther-steiner-we-were-just-not-fast-enough-for-the-others/
Glock: Mick ‘trying too much’, driving with a ‘crowbar’
Date published: April 28 2022 - Henry Valantine
Timo Glock believes Mick Schumacher is overdoing his driving somewhat at the moment, as he attempts to get on terms with Kevin Magnussen at Haas.
The former Toyota driver said in his punditry capacity on Sky Sport in Germany that Schumacher needs to work out when to just tone his efforts down slightly, believing that he has over-driven and mistakes have followed as a result.
“Of course, he also tries a bit too much with the crowbar one or two times, overdoes it one or two times,” he said. Glock did add that Schumacher has been “a bit unlucky” in the season so far, but “he has to see that he evaluates everything accordingly for himself well and takes the next step”, if he’s going to take the fight to his team-mate.
‘Crowbar Driving’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/timo-glock-mick-schumacher-crowbar/
Steiner says Haas in no rush to 'put the magic on'
28/04/2022 at 16:10
Andrew Lewin
Haas F1 Team boss Guenther Steiner says that the US-based squad isn't planning on making any big upgrades to the VF-22 at this stage of the season. The team suffered a wretched time in 2021, finishing the season at the bottom of the constructors championship after failing to score a single point.
He was in the top ten again in Jeddah and picked up more points in both the sprint and main race at Emilia Romagna, leaving Steiner confident that Haas has got it right this year without the need to rush in any upgrades.
“I’m not in any hurry to put the magic on the car and all that stuff," he told the media including Motorsportweek.com this week. “I want to see what we need to do, first of all we need to see where we are," he explained. "I want to make sure that when we put something on the car, you can see a difference.”
‘Put That Magic On’;
https://f1i.com/news/439688-steiner-says-haas-in-no-rush-to-put-the-magic-on.html
Kevin Magnussen: “Getting away with points in both the sprint and the main race, that’s a decent weekend”
April 28, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Haas F1 Team’s, Kevin Magnussen, added more points to the tally after a successful weekend at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. He earned himself a point in Saturday’s sprint, finishing eighth, and then two more with a ninth-place finish in the race.
“We scored points again – both yesterday and today – so that’s a good weekend. When we qualified P4, hopes were very high at the beginning, but we’ve got to be realistic as well and getting away with points in both the sprint and the main race, that’s a decent weekend.”
“At the beginning of the race, I was on intermediates and got up to P5 and the pace was pretty good. Then the track dried up and we were a bit late to come in for slicks, so we got undercut by a couple of people. We came out and fought for points – got two today, three points over the weekend – so it was pretty decent.”
‘Decent Weekend’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/kevin-magnussen-getting-away-with-points-in-both-the-sprint-and-the-main-race-thats-a-decent-weekend/
Ralf Schumacher criticises nephew Mick and urges him to 'do better'
27 April 09:30
Author Michael Butterworth
After a promising start, Mick Schumacher's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend turned sour as he spun twice and finished a lowly 17th in Sunday's race, prompting criticism from his uncle Ralf.
"He did a good job in dry conditions, and the result in the Sprint was great, but there were too many mistakes in the race," Ralf wrote in his column for Sky Sport Germany.
"Starting in rainy conditions is difficult. Even Daniel Ricciardo slid wide (on Lap 1, taking out Carlos Sainz). It can happen to anyone. "But the second mistake was just too much. It has to be said that this shouldn't happen."
‘Too Many Mistakes’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-ralf-schumacher-was-critical-of-nephew-micks-imola-gp
F1 driver Mick Schumacher welcomed Kevin Magnussen to Haas with a vulgar phrase and it set the tone for their strong relationship
2022-04-28T16:29:10Z
Cork Gaines
It has been a rollercoaster season for the American Haas team in Formula One, but one bright note has been the return of Kevin Magnussen.
While there may have been some initial concerns about how well Magnussen would get along with his new teammate, Mick Schumacher, those worries quickly went out the window with three words.
"Suck my balls!"
https://www.insider.com/f1-haas-drivers-mick-schumacher-kevin-magnussen-dirty-humor-2022-4
Schumacher waiting for 'avalanche moment' to end annoyance
Friday 29 April 2022 17:00
Sam Hall
Mick Schumacher is waiting for the "good moment" that starts an "avalanche" of results after leaving Imola one of just two drivers yet to register a point this season. Williams' Nicholas Latifi is the only other driver who has failed to finish in the top 10 alongside Schumacher, whose career-best finish with Haas was 11th in Bahrain.
Asked if his lack of points so far was a 'matter of luck', Schumacher replied: "I guess so. I had this kind of championship in the past where the first races didn’t go to plan and then once I had a good weekend things just started rolling like an avalanche so I'm just waiting for that good moment."
Although Schumacher is yet to score a point, Haas team-mate Kevin Magnussen has finished in the top 10 in three out of the four races to date to collect 15.
‘Waiting For An Avalanche’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/81414/schumacher-waiting-for-avalanche-moment-to-end-annoyance/
Kevin Magnussen asked his wife for permission to return to Formula 1 after he had already accepted the job
2022-04-28T17:44:41Z
Cork Gaines
Taking risks is in the nature of race car drivers, but Kevin Magnussen may have taken it a step further when he agreed to rejoin Haas before the season.
During a recent interview with Tom Kollmar and Michel Milewski for the German magazine Sport Bild, Magnussen was asked what the call was like when team principal Guenther Steiner called and asked him to come back to Formula One. Magnussen might have handled the situation backward.
"He quickly got to the point and asked me, 'Do you want to go back to Formula 1, and are you ready for it?'" Magnussen told Sport Bild. "I didn't think for a second. I immediately agreed. After that, I called my wife and asked her for her permission."
‘Wife Gave Permission’;
https://www.insider.com/kevin-magnussen-wife-f1-haas-guenther-steiner-2022-4
Fortitude
1st May 2022, 05:41
Alex Albon revelling time at Williams after P11 finish at Imola.
Williams driver Alex Albon said he was pleased with the approach the team took to the Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday, as they finished just outside of the top ten.
Published: 25 Apr 2022, 12:09
By George Dagless
“I was really happy with it. We maximised what we could do…” Albon said to the gathered press at Imola, including Give Me Sport. “We don’t have the fastest car but we make the most of our opportunities and it’s a shame we missed out on the points by one position but it shows you we’re taking opportunities and doing things differently and we almost made it work again.”
Albon was also asked how confident he was feeling after another strong display following on from his point in Australia:
“It feels very good, I feel really comfortable in the car and confident with it and I feel like I can push it straight away. I’m still understanding the car and the best way to drive it but for now it’s a great place to start and hopefully once we get some upgrades we can make that next step into the midfield.”
‘Revelling Time’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87999532-alex-albon-revelling-time-at-williams-after-p11-finish-imola
“It’s a shame that we missed out on points by one place” – Alex Albon
By Nick Golding
April 29, 2022
Alex Albon came within touching distance of back-to-back points finishes, after finishing eleventh at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Team-mate Nicholas Latifi finished sixteenth at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
Albon put in a defensive masterclass at Imola, after holding Pierre Gasly and Lewis Hamilton behind virtually the entire race. The Thai driver, who started eighteenth, drove superbly last Sunday and maximised every opportunity that arose.
Albon had actually crossed the line in twelfth but was elevated to eleventh, following Esteban Ocon’s five-second time penalty.
‘Touching Distance’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/its-a-shame-that-we-missed-out-on-points-by-one-place-alex-albon/
“It’s a shame we couldn’t get a few more places” – Williams’ Dave Robson
By Nick Golding
April 29, 2022
Having started in eighteenth, Albon drove brilliantly all race at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit in what were challenging conditions. All drivers began the race on Intermediate tyres, due to a sudden downpour before the race took place. During the race though the track did dry up, with Albon timing the switch perfectly. This saw the Thai driver leap up the order and into twelfth-place.
Williams’ Head of Vehicle Performance, Dave Robson, believes the team took their opportunities well. Robson also praised Latifi for his stint on the medium tyres.
“Today’s mixed conditions made for some difficult decisions, but we took our opportunities well and can be pleased with the result. Alex drove really well, spending his entire stint on the Medium tyres both in the dirty air from Ocon and with Gasly constantly applying pressure behind. It’s a shame we couldn’t get a few more places when we first switched to the Medium tyre as the car was working really well at that point.”
Taking the Opportunities’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/its-a-shame-we-couldnt-get-a-few-more-places-williams-dave-robson/
Albon thought his Imola drive matched Melbourne
Date published: April 27 2022 - Sam Cooper
Williams‘ Alex Albon says he believes his drive at Imola was as good as his heroics in the Australian Grand Prix. Albon has impressed since returning to the Formula 1 grid this season. It took him only three races to earn his first point of the campaign and he has so far handled the transition from a top team like Red Bull to one challenging lower down the field in the form of Williams.
“Honestly, I was really happy with it – it felt like it was just as good as Melbourne for me,” said Albon, as reported by motorsport.com. “We maximised what we could do. We overtook some cars on track with pace and then they were quicker than us, and we held off.”
‘Maximised what we could do’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albon-imola-melbourne/
Albon 'almost made it work' at Emilia Romagna GP
26/04/2022 at 15:53
Phillip van Osten
Alex Albon continues to make the most of the opportunities that come his way, with the Williams driver nearly scoring at Imola his second top-ten finish in succession. Albon failed to set a time in qualifying due to a brake failure which left the Williams charger P18 on Sunday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix grid.
"We maximised what we could do," explained the 26-year-old. "We overtook some cars on-track, with pace, and then they were quicker than us, and we held off. We obviously had a low downforce configuration for this weekend: not fun for the others, but for us, it kept us in front.”
"We don't have the fastest car out there, but we're making the most of our opportunities, and I feel like it's a shame we missed out on points by one position. But it just shows you that we're taking opportunities and we're doing things different, and we almost made it work again [after the Australian Grand Prix]."
‘Almost made it work’;
https://f1i.com/news/439571-albon-almost-made-it-work-at-emilia-romagna-gp.html
Albon says ‘an extra few tenths’ will see Williams scoring regularly in 2022
26 April 2022
Formula 1
Despite missing out on points at Imola, Alex Albon left the Italian track with a smile as he reflected on the pace and potential of his Williams FW44, in which he finished 11th on Sunday.
A brake fire (below) put Albon at the back for the Sprint, in which he finished 18th. On Sunday he recovered, taking four places early on. The Thai driver then pitted earlier than most, on Lap 17, the undercut helping him lead a train of cars from P12 backwards and gain an extra place when Esteban Ocon was handed a five-second penalty.
“It feels good. I feel like the race went just as well as Melbourne to some extent,” he said, referencing the last race in Australia, where he scored Williams' first point of the year. “We didn’t have the tyre advantage or the pace advantage that we did over there, but we still made the most of our opportunities and we got the undercut, we overtook a couple of cars on track, and I felt like... if we'd had DRS available a bit earlier, we could have made a few more steps forward.”
‘An Extra Few Tenths’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.albon-says-an-extra-few-tenths-will-see-williams-scoring-regularly-in-2022.CFiy4pZqW7X2NsaeBmpl7.html
LONG READ: Alex Albon's long road back to F1 – and why he believes Williams have what it takes to improve
23 April 2022
Special contributor
Justin Hynes
It’s a new era of F1 for one driver more than any other – Alex Albon. After a year out the Thai driver is back on the grid with Williams, and is once again displaying the tenacious commitment and aggression that first launched him into the big league…
Alex Albon’s career has always been defined by the gritty comeback. Throughout his junior career the Thai racer struggled to stitch together consistent programmes that would allow him to progress. Even in his best year in F2 with DAMS in 2018, survival in the series in the early part of the season depended entirely on results.
But when he completed that comeback from the brink to finish third in the standings behind George Russell and Lando Norris, Albon was the only one of the top three not to be locked into a 2019 F1 drive. He signed for Nissan in Formula E, but at the 11th hour, once again jumped back into the limelight when he secured a seat in F1 with Toro Rosso.
‘Gritty Comeback Alex Albon’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.long-read-alex-albons-long-road-back-to-f1-and-why-he-believes-williams-have.2MczHnFmf85MzuQLikb0VJ.html
Fortitude
2nd May 2022, 09:47
Alpine damage was ‘like something out of a movie’.
Pulling into the pits, hoping for his car to be repaired, Alonso was told the damage is “quite bad mate, quite bad” and the car was retired.
Date published: April 26 2022 - Michelle Foster
Fernando Alonso was “unlucky” at Imola as a mere “caress” from Mick Schumacher caused major damage to his Alpine’s sidepod.
“Again we were quite unlucky,” Mundo Deportivo quotes him as having told DAZN F1 in the immediate aftermath of his retirement. “I think, because for factors that were not in our hands… that Mick spun and touched us or caressed us, because it was also not a strong blow, it destroyed our entire car.”
“These are things that look like something out of a movie. They are all happening to us at this start of the season, so we have to think about the next one.”
‘Something Out Of A Movie’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-damage-was-like-something-out-of-a-movie/
‘Just a small kiss from Mick completely destroyed our car’ – Alonso
2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Posted on 24th April 2022, 16:13
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Fernando Alonso was left to rue more misfortune after retiring early from the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix with damage. A large hole appeared in his right-hand sidepod following contact with Mick Schumacher on the first lap. Alonso was surprised at the extent of the damage, relative to the contact.
“I didn’t feel much, obviously it was a very, very small touch with Mick,” he said. “I only saw on the replay and obviously that was enough to destroy my car. “I think there are a lot of unlucky moments so far for me in the championship, out of my hands or my control, and this is another example,” he said.
“I prefer to finish the season better than start it good and then finish it bad,” he added. “So if you want to choose one way, it’s the other way around and finish on a better performance. But at the same time obviously when you see the races on TV, and I’ve been seeing too many at the moment in the first four, to have only two points in the championship, while I should have maybe 25 or 30, that’s painful.”
‘Just A Small Kiss’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/24/just-a-small-kiss-from-mick-completely-destroyed-our-car-alonso/
Alonso rues missed points: I could have scored 30 and I only have two!
26 April 07:50
Author Tom Leach
Fernando Alonso believes he could have scored as many as 30 points during the opening four races of the 2022 season – but instead, he only counts two. The two-time World Champion will feel he has already been dealt a year's worth of misfortune in just a handful of race weekends.
Looking back on the weekend, Alonso said: "It was another unfortunate race for us this season. We made a decent start and moved up to eighth but there was a lot of damage on the right side of my floor, and on the sidepod, so we had no choice but to retire.”
"It's unlucky as a small brush with Mick, which wasn't intentional, destroyed our car and race. After Australia, I feel that I could have scored 20 or 30 points in the championship, and I have only two. It's unlucky! It's a long season and there are plenty of points still to score."
‘Only Two Points’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-rues-missed-points-i-could-have-scored-30-and-i-only-have-two
Alpine enjoy ‘important’ track time in Pirelli test
Date published: April 27 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Alpine had the chance to gather 124 more laps of data early in this new era of Formula 1 through a tyre test at Imola. Formula 1’s tyre manufacturer Pirelli have 25 days of testing available to them during the 2022 season when they will work with the teams to test their prototype tyres for the 2023 campaign.
At Imola, following the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon was in action for Alpine, driving the A522 on Tuesday for Pirelli tyre testing duties. Over the day, the Frenchman pumped in 124 laps, which he explained at this stage represents precious extra track time to understand these new cars.
With only four races gone in the 2022 season, teams and drivers are still at the very early stages of understanding and optimising the new ground-effect challengers. “So job done today, we just finished the Pirelli tyre test for us at Imola,” said Ocon in a video on Alpine’s Twitter channel.
‘Important Track Time’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteban-ocon-alpine-pirelli-test-imola/
Alpine’s performance makes 2022 a ‘success’ already
Date published: April 29 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Alpine are optimising the working relationship between their chassis and engine bases, and already are happy with the progress. Alpine’s chassis team is based at Enstone, though their Renault power units come from Viry in France.
Speaking to Motorsport.com, Alpine’s engine chief Bruno Famin said: “My priorities are to make Viry even better, and everyone did a great job for 2022, as well as for next season. “Having the best power unit, but also a better car, working closer and closer with Enstone.”
“The big step is what you see on the grid, because we don’t know the figures of the others, only our own, we see that the car is going in the right direction. What matters to me is the performance of the car, maybe we could have had better data on the dyno, but with a slower result.”
‘EL PLAN: Working Relationship Optimisation’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-performance-makes-2022-success/
Szafnauer says Alpine must focus on improving race pace
28/04/2022 at 09:51
Andrew Lewin
Alpine F1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer says they the squad needs to improve its race performance over the course of the next few races to match the strong single lap speed it has been achieving in practice and qualifying.
“The good news is the car is quick,” Szafnauer told Motorsport.com in Imola. “One lap pace looks good, we just have to work a little bit on a race pace. Fernando frustratingly was quick enough to be fifth and scored nothing again. Mick spun and hit him and that was it, the end of his race," he noted “Once he damaged the side pod it flew off.”
"We had no choice but to pit him. A big hole in the side pod and a lot of damage to the floor, but nothing else, thankfully. The bad news is we had Esteban on the back foot because of a gearbox issue and then him starting in 19th," he continued. "I think it was kind of good that he ended up 11th."
‘Improving Race Pace’;
https://f1i.com/news/439677-szafnauer-says-alpine-must-focus-on-improving-race-pace.html
“We must make sure this does not happen again” – Alpine’s Laurent Rossi
April 28, 2022
By Nick Golding
The Alpine F1 Team suffered a highly-disappointing Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as the team saw their points run come to an end after Esteban Ocon finished fourteenth and Fernando Alonso retired.
Alpine CEO, Laurent Rossi, was extremely disappointed with the result, Rossi went as far as saying “We must make sure this does not happen again. Plain and simple, this weekend was a disappointing one for the team and it’s the first race of the season where we leave without scoring points. We must make sure this does not happen again this year as we have much stronger potential than that. As a team there are many areas we must improve, and we must also eradicate errors quickly if we are to achieve our ambitious goals.”
“While we feel frustrated by today’s result, we will count on it as additional motivation to not have this feeling again during the year. I’m confident in the team to keep working hard and we absolutely must bounce back next time in Miami.”
‘Additional Motivation For A Bounce Back’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/04/we-must-make-sure-this-does-not-happen-again-alpines-laurent-rossi/
De Meo denies Alpine treading water in F1
APRIL 29, 2022
Alpine is in the building phase that led to the kind of success enjoyed in Formula 1 recently by the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes. Some think the Renault-owned works team is basically treading water in F1 with a project that always seems to be somewhere around the upper midfield.
Is it too early for the Enstone based team to make a prediction about its 2022 season? "To draw conclusions? Yes, although some observations are legitimate," said de Meo. "First of all, there is no doubt that the new engine works. The chassis and aerodynamics, the technicians swear to me, are based on evolving concepts.”
"It means that we have perhaps greater margins for improvement than teams that have chosen more extreme approaches," he added. "We have brought in or moved around important figures such as Harman, Szafnauer, Famin, Pat Fry. I figured it would take a year to put the house in order.”
‘Greater Margins For Improvement’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/de-meo-denies-alpine-treading-water-in-f1.html
Fortitude
3rd May 2022, 05:18
A brand new circuit, Ferrari's fightback and more – 5 storylines we’re excited for ahead of the 2022 Miami Grand Prix.
So now it’s Ferrari who will want to recover from a tough weekend, and get back to the sort of form that saw Leclerc dominate in Melbourne.
02 May 2022
Special contributor
Chris Medland
I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but we’ve got a new race on the calendar this year, and the trip to Florida is up next. Ahead of what promises to be a spectacular weekend, we take a look at some of the topics we think will be making the headlines at the Miami Grand Prix.
1. Miami gets set to make its bow
2. A new circuit to tame
3. Ferrari now looking to respond
4. Mercedes bringing more upgrades?
5. An epic fight for points
‘Ferrari Fightback’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.a-brand-new-circuit-ferraris-fightback-and-more-5-storylines-were-excited.28V0goBdFiNgwrkVMiT97w.html
Video: Go behind the scenes as hope turns to pain for Ferrari at Imola
01 May 11:10
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Ferrari have released a video offering a behind-the-scenes look at their experiences during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, a weekend that began with such promise but ended in pain for the Tifosi.
The event started with celebration and promise as the team, leading the World Championship standings, announced a new deal for Carlos Sainz.
But Sainz crashed in both qualifying and the race and, with Charles Leclerc having hit the wall on Sunday, it was Red Bull who left Italy feeling positive.
‘Tifosi Video’;
https://racingnews365.com/video-go-behind-the-scenes-as-hope-turns-to-pain-for-ferrari-at-imola
Ferrari will deploy extra power in Miami GP, Binotto confirms aero upgrade
Ferrari are said to have been keeping more power in their back pocket throughout the first four races of the 2022 season.
by Rob Kershaw
30 April 202230 April 2022
It was reported after Leclerc and Sainz took a one-two at the Bahrain Grand Prix that the Maranello squad had more power at their disposal if they wanted to use it, but they have spent the first four races assessing their performance and discerning how best to counter Red Bull’s development.
On top of that, Ferrari are introducing an evolved rear wing that aims to compete with Red Bull, having been nearly 4kph adrift of the Milton Keynes-based team on the straights at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Team principal Mattia Binotto is aware of the prowess of the Red Bull chassis coupled with its powerful Honda-manufactured engine, so would like to match them in that department on the tracks where more straight-line speed is very important.
‘Ferrari Aero Upgrades’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-will-deploy-extra-power-in-miami-gp-binotto-confirms-aero-upgrade/
Ferrari chairman: Winning the title would be like 'going to Mars'
01 May 16:10
Author Tom Leach
John Elkann, chairman of Ferrari, has explained how the team moved from midfield fighters to early-season pace setters in 2022. Speaking to F1TV following Ferrari's fine start to 2022, Elkann admitted that taking the step from winning races to clinching the title remains a big challenge.
"We said we'd be competitive, which we are," he explained. "From being competitive to winning, it's like going to the moon or going to Mars. [It's] extremely difficult.”
"We well know that championships are won or lost at the last race, or the last lap, and these are with variables we control and many that we don't, which is why Formula 1 is such an exciting sport. And we are, as Ferrari, so excited about this challenge."
‘Going to Mars’;
https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-chairman-winning-the-title-would-be-like-going-to-mars
Why Ferrari still won’t have its ‘main’ car update in Miami
03/05/2022, 09:23
By Scott Mitchell
Ferrari will not introduce its “main” Formula 1 car upgrade until after the next race in Miami. Although it made some minor changes to the car during testing, including to the floor, Ferrari did not introduce new parts once the season began beyond a lower-downforce rear wing for the demands of the Jeddah Corniche circuit in Saudi Arabia.
Ferrari chose not to reveal its update at Imola because of the schedule for the weekend, with just one free practice session ahead of Friday’s qualifying session because it was the first sprint event of the season.
A new floor will not come at the next race in Miami either, because Ferrari is instead planning a new, circuit-specific downforce configuration there. There could be further tweaks to help improve the porpoising that is costing Ferrari some performance too.
‘Ferrari “main” Formula 1 car upgrade’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-ferrari-still-wont-have-its-main-car-update-in-miami/
Ferrari chairman attributes turnaround to cutting out guilt from the Scuderia
Charles Leclerc has won two of the opening four rounds of the 2022 Formula 1 season for Ferrari.
2 May 20222 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Ferrari chairman John Elkann has detailed the changes to the mentality of everyone at the team that has led to their tremendous start to the 2022 season.
Part of the reason for the turn in fortunes was a paradigm shift at the team they saw their mindset change from self-sympathy to galvanisation and a burning desire to win as a team.
“We changed also our culture, from one of guilt to one of accountability, from one of individuals to one of a team,” Elkann explained. “[We] created a cohesive environment but, more importantly, high ambition with high humility.”
‘Changes to High Ambition, High Humility’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-chairman-attributes-turnaround-to-cutting-out-guilt-from-the-scuderia/
Ferrari bouncing compliance bewilders Binotto
Sunday 1 May 2022 13:00
Ian Parkes
Asked if he could explain why Ferrari still had pace whilst bouncing, Binotto replied: "I don’t know how that’s possible. I don't know why the others are not as quick as we are on porpoising.
"But it's true that we are still suffering from it, since the very start of the winter testing. We put some actions on the car to try to mitigate it but it's not yet been addressed and solved.
"It's always a compromise between trying to solve it and give up some performance, while maybe in the meantime, you expect to have some porpoising and get the best out of your car. "
‘Compromises’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/81433/ferrari-bouncing-compliance-bewilders-binotto/
Berger: Psychology behind Ferrari’s driver comments
Date published: April 30 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Ex-Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger believes team boss Mattia Binotto talks of having the best driver line-up to boost motivation.
Binotto had previously claimed that in Leclerc and Sainz, Ferrari house the best driver line-up in Formula 1, repeating that viewpoint after Sainz’s contract extension had been announced. Berger feels such statements are made for psychological reasons to keep the good vibes circulating.
“These are statements that are common in this situation, no matter what you think,” said Berger, quoted by Speedweek.com. “It raises the motivation of the drivers. And since the second one (Sainz) has also been signed up for longer you have to underline that, of course.”
‘Mattia Binotto Psychology’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/gerhard-berger-ferrari-driver-psychology/
Fortitude
3rd May 2022, 19:27
'Difficult' for Ferrari to match Red Bull development but Leclerc remains confident.
Charles Leclerc: “To keep up with Red Bull in terms of development will be difficult, but the same team that did this car will work on the development for this year’s car, so I am confident.”
30 April 2022
Ben Issatt
“I know underneath me I have a car that is capable of winning," Leclerc said. “So the mindset is a little bit different this year. There is no reason for us to be on the back foot because we’ve done a great job, or the guys at Maranello have done a great job, building up this car for this year.”
“There are some developments coming and I’m confident it will go in the right direction. I wouldn’t focus too much on the others. I think we need to focus on ourselves.”
Ferrari's rate of development has been their problem though in recent championship bids in 2017 and 2018, but Leclerc is sure lessons have been learnt. "Since the last two years, I've really seen a jump in the way we've analysed every weekend, in the way we have identified also our weaknesses and how quick we were to react to try and get better in the places where we were struggling," he said.
‘Matching Red Bull Development Difficult’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/15481-difficult-for-ferrari-to-match-red-bull-development-but-leclerc-remains-confident
Red Bull set for major off-track investment to secure further success
Michael Butterworth
Co-author Jesse Janse
With McLaren and Aston Martin currently in the process of constructing new wind tunnels, Red Bull seem set to join the party – even though such facilities may be outlawed by the end of the decade.
It is understood that a new wind tunnel would be situated on-site at Red Bull's headquarters in Milton Keynes, in contrast to the team's current wind tunnel facility, which is located in Bedford, a 30-minute drive away.
"We are in the phase where the plan still has to be approved," Red Bull special advisor Helmut Marko was quoted as saying by Auto Motor und Sport. Should Red Bull press ahead with plans, they would echo the actions of Aston Martin and McLaren, both of whom are investing in wind tunnels and other associated infrastructure – including, in Aston Martin's case, a new factory.
‘Red Bull Major Off-Track Investment’;
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-set-for-major-off-track-investment-to-secure-further-success
Perez tips Red Bull to ‘dominate next few years’
Date published: May 1 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Sergio Perez made the bold prediction that his Red Bull team will “dominate” Formula 1 in the coming seasons. The scores are even so far, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Verstappen both have two victories apiece, but Perez believes that Red Bull are in position do embark on a fresh dominant run from here.
In an interview with Chacho López, Perez said: “We still have a lot of problems to solve, but the main thing is that we are competitive and Red Bull is set to dominate the next few years with these new regulations.” Poor reliability certainly hampered the Austrian outfit in the opening rounds, Verstappen twice retiring while running P2 in Bahrain and Australia, while Perez was also forced to retire in Bahrain.
So, without that misfortune, Perez says Red Bull would comfortably have been the leading force at this stage of the season. As it stands, Verstappen trails Leclerc by 27 points, while Red Bull are 11 points behind Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship.
‘Red Bull Domination’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-predicts-red-bull-domination/
Red Bull Ferrari "playing poker" with "leapfrog" developments - Hill
Tuesday 3 May 2022 16:14
Sam Hall
At Imola, Red Bull seized the upper hand after bolting on a number of upgrades, but with Ferrari set to bring a package of its own to Miami this weekend, the picture could change yet again.
“They’re sitting down and thinking about it more and it’s a bit like playing poker," Hill told the F1 Nation Podcast.
"You need to know which card to lay down and when. Do they play their ace now or do they wait a couple of races until they’re absolutely sure that what they’re going to play is the winning hand?"
‘Red Bull & Ferrari ‘Leapfrog’ Poker’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/81692/red-bull-ferrari-playing-poker-with-leapfrog-developments-hill/
Perez insists Red Bull aren’t forcing him to ‘be behind’ Verstappen
Sergio Perez has re-emphasised his desire to become world champion at Red Bull.
by Rob Kershaw
2 May 20222 May 2022
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez has reiterated that he is not at Red Bull to solely serve as backup to Max Verstappen, and he intends to compete for world titles at the team.
Perez is adamant that his role at Red Bull is not one of servitude to the 24-year-old, and his aim is to win the championship with the Austrian side. “Red Bull gives me the opportunity to fight for the championship, nowhere does it say that I have to be behind Max,” he told Fox.
“If he’s won, it’s because he’s been stronger on track. I feel that I have the opportunity to be World Champion with Red Bull.” The 32-year-old indicated that there would be little point to his presence in the pinnacle of motorsport were he not fully intent of becoming a world champion, which he is.
‘If he’s won, it’s because he’s been stronger on track’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/perez-insists-red-bull-arent-forcing-him-to-be-behind-verstappen/
Perez: Being second driver would be ‘disrespectful’
Date published: April 30 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Sergio Perez says he would not be in Formula 1 if he was the defined second driver at Red Bull – as it would disrespect his career.
Perez endured many of the struggles of Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly before him, often adrift of Verstappen’s performance level, but the major regulation changes for 2022 have coincided with a much more competitive Perez.
Nonetheless, Perez is, from outside Red Bull, widely regarded as the second driver, there to support Verstappen and Red Bull’s push for the Constructors’ title. But Perez says he is not in any such defined role and would never accept it.
‘Sergio Perez is not the second driver’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-not-red-bull-second-driver/
Rosberg praises key Verstappen trait that has blown title fight 'wide open'
30 April 17:00
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Mike Seymour
Max Verstappen added to his F1 accolades at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix by completed his second career Grand Slam, and Nico Rosberg has praised the Red Bull driver for keeping the World Championship fight alive.
Verstappen made history at Imola as he completed his second Grand Slam, joining an elite list of F1 greats to have done the same. This means that he not only took pole position and the race victory, but also led every lap and claimed the fastest lap of the Grand Prix. It came on a weekend that saw Red Bull take risks by implementing upgrades, despite the limited time to trial them ahead of qualifying.
"It looks like Red Bull have really made progress with their reliability and sorted the issues. And then, really, it's again about Max Verstappen," said Rosberg, speaking to Sky Sports F1. "The whole weekend, [he was] just nailing it whenever it counted. He was just in a league of his own; an unbelievable job by him, and really putting the marker down and saying: 'Hey, I'm not out of this championship yet. I'm back right in there.'"
‘Title Fight Wide Open’;
https://racingnews365.com/rosberg-praises-key-verstappen-trait-that-has-blown-title-fight-wide-open
Jos Verstappen admits he 'enjoyed' watching son Max lap Hamilton
26 April 10:20
Author Thomas Maher
With Verstappen lapping Hamilton on Lap 43 of 63, something that seemed unthinkable just a few months ago at the height of their titanic 2021 title battle, Jos admitted he got a kick out of the moment.
"Honestly, I did enjoy seeing Max lap Hamilton, after everything that happened last year," Verstappen senior wrote on the Verstappen.com website.
"Hamilton really had a tough time, whereas his teammate, George Russell, seemed to be more balanced. "It's not often you have the opportunity to lap a Mercedes."
‘Lapping a Mercedes’;
https://racingnews365.com/jos-verstappen-admits-he-enjoyed-watching-son-max-lap-hamilton
Fortitude
4th May 2022, 07:13
Nico Rosberg suggests Lewis Hamilton should blame himself before his Mercedes for his 13th-place finish in the Emilia Romagna GP after team-mate George Russell came fourth.
Rosberg believes the apology Mercedes chief Toto Wolff gave Hamilton for the car needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, adding that team-mate George Russell's fourth-place finish in the race is proof.
By Jack Bezants for MailOnline
Published: 10:43, 26 April 2022
Lewis Hamilton should blame himself before his Mercedes car for his 13th place finish in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the weekend, claims old team-mate Nico Rosberg.
Wolff was recorded saying to Hamilton, who was lapped by rival and winner Max Versappen late on in the race: 'Sorry for what you have needed to drive today. I know this is undriveable and not what we deserve to score as a result. 'We’ll move from there, but this was a terrible race. We will come out of this.'”
But Rosberg was unconvinced, telling Sky Sports F1: 'Toto was playing the mental game, which is very smart on his behalf. 'Mercedes are taking the blame themselves, really trying to support Lewis mentally, lifting him up and saying, "hey, Lewis, it’s not your doing, it’s really on us". That’s very smart because it’s not quite the truth.”
‘Pinch Of Salt’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10754435/Rosberg-suggests-Hamilton-blame-car-13th-place-finish.html
Hamilton answers whether the W13 is the worst F1 car he's ever driven
26 April 15:20
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
After finishing a lowly 13th in Sunday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and having already conceded defeat in the 2022 title race, Lewis Hamilton is at an uncharacteristically low ebb in his illustrious career.
But while the Silver Arrows' W13 is proving a tricky beast to tame, Hamilton says the McLaren MP4-24 he drove in 2009 began that season in even worse shape.
"There are people that watch and say that I've never had a bad car," Hamilton said after finishing 14th in the Imola Sprint event on Saturday. "And I can assure you I have. The 2009 car was very, very far off, and was the worst car that I've had."
‘Low ebb’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-answers-whether-the-w13-is-the-worst-f1-car-hes-ever-driven
Did Mercedes give Hamilton a slower car than Russell at Imola?
George Russell ended the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in P4, nine positions clear of team-mate Sir Lewis Hamilton.
by Rob Kershaw
25 April 202225 April 2022
Chief strategist James Vowles conceded that it was “painful” to add weight to an already excessive heavy car, but they need the crucial information if they are to improve their wavering form in 2022.
Vowles revealed that there are various components that weigh different amounts between the cars, and praised Hamilton’s pace despite having the heavier and, therefore presumably, slightly slower car. “In terms of how it worked between the two cars, there are thousands of components that make up the racing car for George and for Lewis,” he explained.
“And those components don’t weigh exactly the same amount, there is variability of a few grams here and there and the actual car weight as mentioned on the FIA scales between the two cars in the race was within a few grams of each other, so Lewis did a fantastic job by carrying these extra sensors.”
‘Slower Car for Lewis Hamilton’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/did-mercedes-give-hamilton-a-slower-car-than-russell-at-imola/
SEVERE: Lewis Hamilton backed to ‘come back incredibly strong’ by Mercedes teammate George Russell despite Formula 1 car that gives ‘back and chest pains’
Connor Andrews
25th April 2022, 4:46 pm
George Russell has backed his teammate Lewis Hamilton to ‘come back so strong’ despite the pair suffering with a Mercedes car that is giving them ‘chest pains’.
It was put to Russell that he was able to get more out of the Mercedes than his more experienced teammate, claims which he candidly dismissed. “I think it’s just how things fall out sometimes in a race weekend,” he said.
“I made a very strong start. I don’t know what happened with him [Hamilton] at the start, but we are equally struggling, and when the car is so far out of bed, and it’s not in the right window, it doesn’t really feel like a proper racing car to drive.
‘Come Back Incredibly Strong’;
https://talksport.com/sport/motorsport/1094487/
Wolff explains his ‘undriveable’ car apology to Hamilton
24th April 2022, 19:02
By Josh Suttill & Scott Mitchell & Edd Straw
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has explained why he apologised to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for his “undriveable” car as he started and finished the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in 14th place.
“I don’t really know, I just wasn’t fast enough to overtake him,” a bemused Hamilton said when asked why he spent over 40 laps behind Gasly. It brought to an end a truly miserable weekend for Hamilton as he failed to finish inside the top 10 in either qualifying or the race for the first time since the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix.
Wolff said he needs “to protect” Hamilton as it’s the car performance deficit causing this low, not Hamilton’s driving. “This guy is the best driver in the world, and he is not having a machine and equipment underneath him to be able to execute and to take that,” Wolff said. “In a way, it is even irrelevant whether you come eighth, 12th, 15th, it doesn’t matter, it’s all bad.”
‘Undriveable Miserable Weekend’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/wolff-explains-his-undriveable-car-apology-to-hamilton/
Russell Mercedes strife eased by Williams experience
Tuesday 3 May 2022 17:30
Sam Hall
George Russell believes a tough three years at Williams has helped him to cope with Mercedes' wretched start to the season. Russell joined the F1 grid with Williams in 2019 but it was not until last year that the Briton scored his first F1 points for the team at the 48th attempt.
Russell believes this harsh entry into the sport has equipped him with the necessary tools to cope with Mercedes' slide down the order. “It has just been difficult. It’s a really difficult position for us as a team and perhaps with my struggles at Williams driving very difficult cars, maybe that has helped in some small regard," Russell explained.
Russell "getting the most" out of Mercedes After four races, Russell is the only driver to have an unblemished record of top-five finishes. Conscious that this street has been aided by the reliability issues and errors of others, Russell added: "I think in terms of results, we’re definitely getting the most out of it and things have definitely fallen our way in these first four races.
‘Unblemished Record of Top 5 Finishes’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/81496/russell-mercedes-strife-eased-by-williams-experience/
George Russell 'will soon get on Lewis Hamilton's nerves', claims ex-F1 star Gerhard Berger after the new British star at Mercedes makes strong start to the season at the expense of his seven-time world champion team-mate
By Dan Ripley for MailOnline
Published: 08:56, 2 May 2022
Former F1 star Gerhard Berger believes George Russell will soon 'get on the nerves' of team-mate Lewis Hamilton if he maintains his narrow early season advantage.
Berger, who won 10 grands prix in a career spanning from 1984 to 1997, believes that while the relationship between the pair has been good so far it won't take long for Russell to become an irritant to Hamilton should the early season form continue.
'He will soon get on Lewis' nerves,' the former McLaren and Ferrari star was quoted by Speedweek.com. 'Russell was one of the outstanding drivers at Imola. Like Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.'
‘Getting On The Nerves!’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10774397/F1-George-Russell-soon-Lewis-Hamiltons-nerves-claims-Gerhard-Berger.html
‘His career could be over’: Hamilton retirement warning issued after he wasted his ‘last chance’
Valtteri Bottas sits just four points behind Sir Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers' Championship after four rounds of 2022.
30 April 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Former Ferrari and McLaren driver Gerhard Berger indicates that Hamilton may consider walking away from the pinnacle of motorsport if Mercedes are unable to find solutions to their troubles, especially after the manner in which his eighth title was cruelly snatched from his grasp by Max Verstappen last year.
“The title that slipped through his fingers against Verstappen last year was perhaps his last chance to be the sole record world champion,” Berger said.
“If it doesn’t work out this year and possibly next year, then his career could be over. After so many races, so much dominance and so many successes, I can imagine that in this situation the desire is lost.” The Austrian added that the incrementally impressive performances of Russell “will soon get on Lewis’ nerves.”
‘Lost Desire’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/his-career-could-be-over-hamilton-retirement-warning-issued-after-he-wasted-his-last-chance/
Fortitude
5th May 2022, 08:03
Miami GP: 5 big questions that need answers this weekend.
Will the circuit entertain? Will McLaren take more strides? How will Charles Leclerc respond? Will Fernando Alonso’s luck change? Will Max Verstappen keep up his streak?
Published: 5 May 2022, 08:11
By George Dagless
The Miami Grand Prix makes its long-awaited debut this weekend as Formula 1 heads Stateside for the first of two races in the US this season.
The sport has been looking to crack America for some time and appears to have done so now, with three races in the country set to be on the schedule from 2023.
With that said, then, it’s going to be fascinating watching the first-ever Miami Grand Prix and, for all the glitz and glamour in the build-up, the hope has to be that the racing action is what grabs the headlines in the end on Sunday.
‘Five Big Questions’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88003690-miami-gp-5-big-questions-that-need-answers-this-weekend
Max Verstappen Hopes To Ignore Hype And Win First Miami Grand Prix
World champion Max Verstappen will seek to ignore all the hype and razzmatazz this weekend to win the Miami Grand Prix.
• Updated: May 05, 2022 11:27 AM IST
• Agence France-Presse
World champion Max Verstappen will seek to ignore all the hype and razzmatazz this weekend when he bids to trim Charles Leclerc's lead with a third win of the season at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix.
“I think this weekend is going to be pretty crazy," said Verstappen. "I'm looking forward to the racing -- I've driven the track on the simulator and we've practiced and prepared as much as we can without visiting in real life.”
"I love racing in Austin, so it's fun that we get to go to another state exciting to see F1 getting so much bigger in the US."
‘Ignore the Hype’;
https://sports.ndtv.com/formula-1/max-verstappen-hopes-to-ignore-hype-and-win-first-miami-grand-prix-2947392
Norris Hoping to Maintain Imola Momentum into Miami Grand Prix Weekend
May 4, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Lando Norris says he is coming to the inaugural Miami Grand Prix this weekend on a high after his first podium finish of the season last time out in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Norris believes the Miami track will be a fun challenge, and he is eager to carry the momentum from his podium at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari into this weekend.
“I’m hyped for this weekend,” said Norris. “New circuits are always something I look forward to, and when you add in the excitement around a US race, particularly in Miami, it’s going to be so cool. “It’s looking fast with some great features and with the added element of being a street track, it’s going to be a fun challenge.”
‘Carry the Momentum’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/norris-hoping-to-maintain-imola-momentum-into-miami-grand-prix-weekend/
Alfa heads to Miami with 'growing sense of confidence'
04/05/2022 at 16:52
Phillip van Osten
Valtteri Bottas says Alfa Romeo's confidence has ramped up on the back of his results, and especially after the Finn's strong P5 finish last time out at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
"We arrive in Miami knowing we can have another good weekend," said Bottas in the Hinwil squad's Miami Grand Prix preview. We scored points in every race we finished so far and we want to continue this strong moment.”
"There is a growing sense of confidence in the team, we know we can do well on every track and it’s in our hands to go out there and deliver the goods."
‘Growing Sense of Confidence’;
https://f1i.com/news/440035-alfa-heads-to-miami-with-growing-sense-of-confidence.html
Sebastian Vettel on Miami Challenge: “I’m excited to hit the track for the first time”
By Paul Hensby
May 4, 2022
Sebastian Vettel says there are plenty of unknowns heading into this weekend’s first-ever Miami Grand Prix, and he is excited to hit the track for the first time on Friday.
Vettel has experienced the Miami International Autodrome solely on Aston Martin’s simulator, but he admits there is no substitute for learning the track behind the wheel of a racing car.
“It’s great to see another street circuit join the calendar, and the Miami track looks really interesting,” said Vettel. “From what we’ve experienced in the simulator, there are a few challenging corners.”
“Turns 13-16 have a surprising amount of elevation-change to catch drivers out and there are long sections where overtaking should be possible with DRS. You can only learn so much pre-event – I’m excited to hit the track for the first time.”
‘Miami Challenge Excitement’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/sebastian-vettel-on-miami-challenge-im-excited-to-hit-the-track-for-the-first-time/
Lewis Hamilton Seen Leaving Club With Two Girls Days Before F1 Miami GP
MAY 4, 2022.
BY JORGE ALONSO
It appears that Lewis Hamilton is living it up before the F1 Miami GP. The Mercedes driver, who has been struggling this season, made a quick stop in New York on Tuesday to get loose before his big race.
According to The Sun, Hamilton was seen leaving a NY hotspot with two girls just days before his big race.
Hamilton has cut a frustrated figure on recent race weekends, but he was able to let his hair down before Miami with a fancy night out in The City That Never Sleeps. The Woking racer was snapped leaving the exclusive Cipriani with two stunning mystery ladies.
‘Getting Loose Before His Big Race’;
https://brobible.com/sports/article/lewis-hamilton-two-girls-club-f1-miami/
Jenson Button backs Lewis Hamilton revival ahead of 'mad' Miami Grand Prix
22:22, 4 MAY 2022
BY Josh Challies
Former British Formula One star Jenson Button is not writing off Lewis Hamilton this season and is expecting fireworks this weekend in the maiden Miami Grand Prix
Ex-Formula One champion Jenson Button is not writing off his ex-teammate Lewis Hamilton this season, insisting that his compatriot has 'not lost it' despite his Mercedes woes.
“He’s had a couple of bad races, we all have it in our career. At the moment he’s finding it tough, and people are saying he’s not doing as good a job as his teammate. He’s not lost it since last season when he was winning races. He’s a seven-time world champion — almost eight — he will keep fighting as long as he wants to," he told the New York Post.
‘Expecting Fireworks’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/jenson-button-lewis-hamilton-miami-26875936
Wolff says Mercedes have ‘found several directions for improving the car' ahead of Miami Grand Prix
04 May 2022
Formula 1.
Toto Wolff is hopeful that his Mercedes team will start turning around their slow start to the season at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, with the Silver Arrows’ Team Principal believing the eight-time world champions have found solutions to their various issues that they’ll look to implement at this weekend’s US event.
“Since we returned from Italy, we’ve learned as much from the weekend as we can and, in parallel, our learning has continued in the wind tunnel and simulations,” said Wolff. “We have found several directions for improving the car, and we will be conducting experiments in Miami to correlate those simulations, and hopefully confirm the development path for the coming races.”
“Both drivers have been working in the simulator ahead of Miami and the factories have been busy producing updates for the next races,” he added. “We’re set for a fantastic event, and we can’t wait to see how it all plays out.”
‘Working on the Simulator’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.wolff-says-mercedes-have-found-several-directions-for-improving-the-car.O6hGGaTyV5lDL0BcXpRq6.html
Fortitude
5th May 2022, 13:46
The upgrades Ferrari are set to unleash in their fight against Red Bull.
Ferrari's first extensive upgrade package for the F1-75 may be planned for the Spanish Grand Prix, but the team are making some early moves in Miami – despite it being a new track.
Today, 12:00
Author Paolo Filisetti
Co-author RacingNews365 Staff
Red Bull surged forward with a raft of updates last time out in Imola, but Ferrari are poised to strike back at this weekend's Miami Grand Prix, as RacingNews365.com technical analyst Paolo Filisetti explains.
As team boss Mattia Binotto outlined in Imola, a new rear wing - with a different main profile - will be introduced this weekend as a replacement for the versions used so far this season.
But this is not set to be the biggest change as, during the Pirelli tyre tests that followed the Emilia Romagna weekend, Carlos Sainz briefly drove with a new floor.
‘F1-75 Extensive Upgrade Package’;
Montoya: Ferrari will win if it’s dry, Max will win in the wet
5 May, 2022
Paul Velasco
Miami Grand Prix ambassador Juan Pablo Montoya would put money on Max Verstappen winning the first Formula 1 race in the Florida city. Speaking ahead of the Miami weekend, Montoya told VegasInsider: “If I was a betting person, I would probably put my money on Max.”
“I think Charles, with the crash… unless the team went to him and said: just keep pushing, don’t worry about it; if they said that to him, he could still win the race. But my money would be on Max this week. Especially with the Miami weather.”
Montoya, a Miami resident since 2006 who well knows the climate in the city, pointed out: “The weather could be a massive twist for the race. Might miss the track. Might get part of the track wet. That’s going to be quite interesting. They will have spotters and radars and everything to let the teams know where the rain is coming from, but it’s very hard to predict.”
‘Money on Max’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/05/montoya-ferrari-will-win-if-its-dry-verstappen-will-win-in-the-wet-miami-gp-prediction/
Hill weighs in on best car debate: Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes?
Asked about whether he would take the Red Bull or Ferrari at this point of the year, the 1996 World Champion said it is too close to call at this early stage of proceedings.
04/05/2022, 17:00
Author Thomas Maher
"Well, the upgrade thing is a very interesting one, because they've also got these constraints now that are going to apply to the teams that have had the most points from the previous season and so forth," Hill said on the F1 Nation podcast, referring to the aerodynamic testing restrictions sliding scale that affects how much wind tunnel and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) time each team is permitted.”
Referring to Red Bull Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey's recent comments about the effects of the budget cap on the rate at which updates are introduced, Hill argued that it has added a fascinating new dynamic to the title fight.
"[Adrian] was saying that they have to be very careful about when they bring these upgrades and which ones they apply, because they can't just throw stuff at it anymore," Hill explained. "So they're sitting down and thinking about it, and it's a bit like playing poker. They need to know which card to lay down when.”
‘Upgrade Poker’;
https://racingnews365.com/hill-weighs-in-on-best-car-debate-red-bull-ferrari-or-mercedes
Binotto outlines how Ferrari approach to upgrades has changed for 2022
04/05/2022, 12:00
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has detailed the approach to updates that the Scuderia will take throughout the 2022 F1 season. "We are only at race four," he told media, including RacingNews365.com, after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend.
"If I look at the past seasons as well, I don't think that at race four there were many developments brought to cars. If I look at our competitors, [some] already brought some developments – some of them in testing, some of them [at Imola], and some, maybe small, developments from race one to race four, so I don't think that, so far, it has changed much compared to the past."
"I think that, as teams, because we've got a budget cap in place, we are simply trying to make sure that, by the time we are bringing a package, it's a proper one. And maybe, to do that, we simply take a few more races."
‘Bringing Proper Packages’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-outlines-how-ferrari-approach-to-upgrades-has-changed-for-2022
Disillusionment with Renault almost drove Newey to join Ferrari
Date published: May 4 2022 - Michelle Foster
Such was Renault’s deficit to the Mercedes engine at the start of the V6 era that it had Adrian Newey considering dropping Red Bull in favour of Ferrari. Winning World Championships with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull it has been widely reported that Ferrari wanted to bring Newey over to Maranello.
The Scuderia’s third approach for the design guru was made back in 2014 when Red Bull lost the World titles to Mercedes. Newey has previously spoken about the Italian outfit’s “ridiculously large” financial offer, one that more than doubled his Red Bull salary. It was an offer he gave serious consideration to, not because of Red Bull, rather it was Renault and their under-performing V6 engine that had him considering jumping ship.
He told The Race: “Back then I was pretty disillusioned with the whole thing to be honest in as much as… obviously I nearly joined Ferrari but didn’t, which was kind of [part of it]… but more than anything, although I felt happy at Red Bull and didn’t really want to move teams, the only thing that had pushed me towards even thinking about moving teams was that we were stuck with an uncompetitive engine.”
‘Newey nearly at Ferrari’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/disillusionment-renault-adrian-newey-ferrari/
Leclerc to get significant power boost in Miami due to new-spec Ferrari engine
Charles Leclerc will be given a new power unit at this weekend's Miami Grand Prix after Carlos Sainz received one in Imola.
5 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
After Carlos Sainz was given a power boost ahead of the sprint weekend in Imola, Leclerc will now be the recipient of an improved power unit that will feature improved acceleration and a new MGU-K, the system that takes energy from the rear axle and converts it into power.
The evolution is set to help Ferrari keep up with the magnificent Honda-manufactured Red Bull engine on the straights, and the Milton Keynes-based side are even more slippery in a straight line than they were at the beginning of the year after introducing an upgrade package that lost them a suspected 5kg in weight.
The engine Sainz used in the early part of the 2022 season is still in working condition, which is crucial for the Maranello side, who can use it during free practice in Florida and avoid putting extra strain on the second-generation power unit.
‘A New MGU-K’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/leclerc-to-get-significant-power-boost-in-miami-due-to-new-spec-ferrari-engine/
Jenson Button praises 'beautiful' Ferrari and issues Mercedes prediction
Published: 4 May 2022, 14:16
By George Dagless
Jenson Button has said that Mercedes are going to find it difficult to reel in Ferrari and Red Bull this season, with the reigning Constructors’ champions currently off of the leading pace.
“Ferrari have nothing to lose, they put everything into 2022,” the 2009 world champion told The Gentleman’s Journal. “And when you watch the car, on the straights, it looks horrific because of the porpoising, but actually through the corner it looks beautiful to drive… Ferrari has just been plain sailing, good on ‘em, they’ve done a great job. And I don’t think I see it changing anytime soon… Ferrari still has more time in the wind tunnel than Mercedes, as does Red Bull. So it’s going to be tricky for Mercedes to come back.
“Two great drivers are better than one in terms of setting up a car and also the feedback that the team needs to improve the car. So everything’s good at the moment. Atmosphere always changes when you’re fighting for wins. That’s normally when you go from being best buddies to fierce competitors.”
‘Comeback Tricky’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88003055-jenson-button-praises-beautiful-ferrari-and-issues-mercedes-prediction
Hill explains area where Leclerc could learn from Perez
04/052022, 10:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Damon Hill believes that Charles Leclerc needs to be cautious of making "rash moves", and has suggested Sergio Perez as an example of the approach to take when driving for a top team.
"We've seen with Charles of course, Imola was an opportunity to consolidate," Hill told the F1 Nation podcast. "And he went for a move which was just a little bit too ambitious, and he called it greedy. I was watching sitting down. Literally, I almost grabbed my wife's leg as as he turned in, [when] they showed it from the onboard.
"You look at Sergio. Sergio's a safe pair of hands. He's quick, and he's a safe pair of hands. He hardly ever does anything crazy. He's really good." Perez, meanwhile, sits in third, only five points behind Verstappen.
‘Sergio Perez Third in Championship’;
https://racingnews365.com/hill-explains-area-where-leclerc-could-learn-from-perez
Fortitude
6th May 2022, 06:29
Hamilton warned he could become Mercedes’ number two driver as Russell applies pressure.
Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has warned that Sir Lewis Hamilton could soon find himself playing second fiddle to George Russell at Mercedes.
28 April 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Hamilton has been comprehensively out-performed in two of the opening four rounds of the 2022 season by new team-mate Russell, and the 24-year-old’s superb display in Imola saw him finish P4, while his compatriot languished down in 13th.
The fact that the British drivers were having to lift off to mitigate “porpoising” did little to help, and it is clear that the Silver Arrows have an erratic car that is troublesome to get into an operating window under the new technical regulations.
This does not change the fundamental fact that Russell has generally been the quicker driver this season, and Schumacher reveals Hamilton will be wondering why he has that deficit. “He has to ask himself why George Russell is so much faster than him. A 13th place is of course not Hamilton’s ambition,” he wrote in his Sky Sports column.
‘Lewis Hamilton No 2 Driver’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/hamilton-warned-he-could-become-mercedes-number-two-driver-as-russell-applies-pressure/
'Champions have sometimes just had enough': Former F1 star Jacques Villeneuve questions whether Lewis Hamilton will see out the rest of the season after Mercedes' struggles left him adrift of the title fight.
He also claimed that Hamilton may prove to be an issue for his team this year.
By Daniel Davis For Mailonline
Published: 17:31, 27 April 2022
In recent weeks, and at the start of the season, fans have voiced concern Hamilton would retire - and Villeneuve has said similar shock moves have happened before. 'Will Hamilton still be there in two, three years?' he wrote in his column for Formule1.nl. 'Will he even reach the end of this season?
“You can't see into someone's head. You can be down and depressed or you can be unable to deal with no longer winning. Then maybe it's time to decide life is better without racing. We've been surprised in the past - it's happened that champions have sometimes just had enough.”
He has also claimed 'megastar' Hamilton may prove to be a problem for Mercedes, with team-mate George Russell catching the eye instead near the front of the grid. “At Mercedes, they now in any event need to learn how to lose,' he added. 'For years, they drove everyone into the ground. If someone got closer, they just opened the throttle. This year, they don't have that advantage anymore.”
‘Just had Enough’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10760033/Jacques-Villeneuve-questions-Lewis-Hamilton-rest-season.html
Schumacher: Hamilton has to accept that Russell is driving better
28 April 15:20
Author Thomas Maher
Ralf Schumacher believes that Lewis Hamilton will have to do some soul-searching after the first four races of the season, with George Russell holding the upper hand. While Hamilton managed only a 13th-place finish at Imola, Russell came home in fourth, and Schumacher expects Hamilton to have been left thinking what the issue might be.
"We have to talk about Lewis Hamilton," Schumacher wrote in his column for Sky Sport Germany. "He has to wonder why George Russell is so much faster than him. A 13th place is, of course, not what Hamilton is aiming for."
"If things continue like this over the next few weeks, things will also get exciting in the team." He suggested: "There may be changes in the ranking."
‘Soul-Searching’;
https://racingnews365.com/schumacher-hamilton-has-to-accept-that-russell-is-driving-better
Lewis Hamilton must admit George Russell is 'the better driver right now' following his poor start to the new F1 season, claims Ralf Schumacher... with the ex-Williams star insisting he 'has to ask himself' why his Mercedes team-mate is 'so much faster'
By Oliver Salt For Mailonline
Published: 11:09, 27 April 2022
Lewis Hamilton has to hold his hands up and admit that Mercedes team-mate George Russell is a better driver than him right now, says Ralf Schumacher.
'I'm far from saying Hamilton has missed the boat on ending his career,' he added. 'Lewis is still one of the best drivers in the field, that is clear.”
'However, the new concepts require drivers to change a bit. Hamilton is not so used to it. Russell, on the other hand, is a young driver. They obviously cope better with it.'
‘Not Coping to Changes’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10758623/F1-Lewis-Hamilton-told-admit-George-Russell-better-driver-right-Ralf-Schumacher.html
Hamilton ‘passionately hates’ losing to team-mate
Date published: May 3 2022
- Sam Cooper
Nico Rosberg has said Lewis Hamilton “passionately hates” losing to team-mates and predicted 2022 may be the first season the Mercedes driver does not win a race. It is a rare time in the career of Lewis Hamilton and one in which he is not only lacking the pace of Red Bull and Ferrari but also appears to be lacking the pace of his team-mate.
While there is plenty of time left in the season for Hamilton to overtake Russell, a former team-mate of Hamilton’s has said he “passionately hates” trailing the man on the opposite side of the garage from him. “It’s definitely a very tough situation for Lewis,” Nico Rosberg told Sky Sports. “He’s won a race in every season of his career and it looks like maybe this will be the year when he can’t win anymore.”
“You can see how the tension is rising and that’s natural. Lewis will obviously start to show those emotions a little bit. Nevertheless, with the experience he has I think he will eventually manage to keep those under control. Let’s not forget also Lewis hates ending up behind his team-mate.”
‘Tension is Rising’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-hates-losing-team-mate/
Russell cannot be a ‘walkover’ for Hamilton in on-track battles
Date published: May 2 2022 - Jon Wilde
Nico Rosberg thinks George Russell needs to stand up to Lewis Hamilton on track when the Mercedes duo inevitably find themselves battling each other. However, Rosberg, who partnered Hamilton for four feisty campaigns that culminated with his sole Drivers’ title success before retiring in 2016, believes it is only a matter of time before the British duo are fighting for supremacy on track.
And when that happens, it will be the moment, says the German, for Russell to show he will not be pushed around. “Especially against someone as great as Lewis it’s important for George to not show he’s just a walkover, to get the elbows out in a measured way right from the get-go and show Lewis ‘you need to respect me as well’,” Rosberg told Sky F1.
“That’s a very important sign for George to get going right at the beginning in this relationship because it sets a precedent and it’s such a fine line how far you push that. It will be good to see how George manages that in the next couple of races, especially against Lewis once they start going wheel-to-wheel at some point.”
‘Cannot be a Walkover’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-rosberg-george-russell-walkover/
Rosberg gives take on ‘angry’ Hamilton keeping his emotions under control
5 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
2016 Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg reckons Sir Lewis Hamilton’s deficit to George Russell will be riling the 37-year-old up, but believes his former team-mate can pull it together.
“Nevertheless, with the experience he has I think he will eventually manage to keep those under control,” he added. The fact that the former McLaren driver is being beaten by newcomer Russell, to Rosberg’s mind, will be making him “very angry.” “Let’s not forget also Lewis hates ending up behind his team-mate,” explained the German.
Team boss Toto Wolff has recently disregarded claims that there is tension between his driver pairing, affirming that their positive relationship has been one of the “few highlights” of an otherwise dejecting season so far.
‘Few Highlights!’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/rosberg-gives-take-on-angry-hamilton-keeping-his-emotions-under-control/
George Russell 'will soon get on Lewis Hamilton's nerves', claims ex-F1 star Gerhard Berger after the new British star at Mercedes makes strong start to the season at the expense of his seven-time world champion team-mate
Published: 08:56, 2 May 2022
By Dan Ripley for MailOnline
• George Russell has enjoyed an impressive start to his Mercedes career in 2022
• The Brit stands fourth in the world championship despite Mercedes' woes
• Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, is 19 points down on his new team-mate this term
• Pair enjoy a good relationship but Gerhard Berger believes it may not continue
Berger, who won 10 grands prix in a career spanning from 1984 to 1997, believes that while the relationship between the pair has been good so far it won't take long for Russell to become an irritant to Hamilton should the early season form continue.
'He will soon get on Lewis' nerves,' the former McLaren and Ferrari star was quoted by Speedweek.com. 'Russell was one of the outstanding drivers at Imola. Like Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.'
‘Getting on Lewis Hamilton’s Nerves’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10774397/F1-George-Russell-soon-Lewis-Hamiltons-nerves-claims-Gerhard-Berger.html
Fortitude
6th May 2022, 20:45
Leclerc leads the way as Russell impresses: 2022 Miami GP FP1 round-up.
Leclerc, Russell and Verstappen lead the way.
May 6th 2022
F1 Author James Elson
One of the most anticipated grand prix weekends in years got underway in sweltering conditions, as drivers finally set some laps in anger at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen constantly traded fastest laps in an intense session, whilst the Mercedes appeared to be closer to the ultimate pace than has been seen so far this season.
The former would end the session fastest, but it would be George Russell who would be second, with Verstappen eventually coming in third.
‘George Russell Close Behind’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/leclerc-leads-the-way-as-russell-impresses-2022-miami-gp-fp1-round-up#
(FP1) First Practice Results – 2022 Miami Grand Prix.
6th May 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -1:31.098
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.071
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.179
4. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.203
5. Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri +0.400
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.430
7. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.756
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.858
9. Kevin Magnussen Haas +1.461
10. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +1.494
‘Complete results from FP1’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2022-miami-grand-prix-78926
Leclerc fastest as Bottas crashes in opening Miami practice
2022 Miami Grand Prix first practice
Posted on 6th May 2022, 20:48
Written by Will Wood
Championship leader Charles Leclerc was fastest for the first ever practice session in Miami as Valtteri Bottas crashed at the marina corner. The Ferrari driver was less than a tenth of a second faster than George Russell’s Mercedes, with the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez third and fourth.
Slight cloud cover over the circuit could not prevent temperatures from breaching 33C as the green light at the end of the pit lane signalled the start of the very first official session to be held at the Miami International Autodrome. Unsurprisingly, all 20 drivers wasted no time in taking to the track and getting acclimatised with the 5.4km circuit, with many drivers quickly learning where the limits of grip were over the 19-turn.
Leclerc’s spin did not slow him down, and he eventually set the early benchmark of a 1’32.949, before Russell went second quickest by setting a lap one-thousandths of a second slower than the Ferrari.
‘No time wasted taking to the track’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/06/leclerc-fastest-as-bottas-crashes-in-opening-miami-practice/
2022 Miami GP FP1: Sainz punctures tyre in huge spin
06 May 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari’s Carlos punctures a tyre on his Ferrari after taking a big spin at the Miami International Autodrome during first practice at the 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.
‘Big Spin’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-miami-gp-fp1-sainz-punctures-tyre-in-huge-spin.1732109060100018346.html
“Encouraging start” for Mercedes as Russell goes second-quickest in updated car
2022 Miami Grand Prix
Posted on
6th May 2022, 21:28
Written by Keith Collantine
Mercedes ran revised front and rear wings in first practice for the Miami Grand Prix, where George Russell set the second-quickest time.
The new endplate gives “more downforce for the same drag”, Shovlin told Sky, “and the rear wing’s a more efficient wing than the one we’ve been running. So you’ve seen at previous, low-drag tracks we’ve trimmed our wing away. This one’s designed for this downforce.
‘More Downforce’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/06/encouraging-start-for-mercedes-as-russell-goes-second-quickest-in-updated-car/
Fortitude
7th May 2022, 06:34
Russell puts Mercedes on top in second Miami GP practice.
George Russell set the fastest time during second practice for Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix as Mercedes showed front-running pace for the first time in the 2022 season.
6th May 2022, 23:31
by Phillip Horton
Mercedes has struggled through the early phase of 2022 with its recalcitrant W13 but brought a smattering of updates for the inaugural event in Miami as it seeks to remedy its issues.
During a hot and humid second session in Miami on Friday afternoon Russell set a time of 1:29.938s to finish 0.106s up on championship leader Charles Leclerc.
Lewis Hamilton reinforced Mercedes’ pace by finishing fourth, 0.241s behind his team-mate, with Sergio Perez third for Red Bull.
‘FP2 George Russell Fastest’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/05/06/russell-puts-mercedes-on-top-in-second-miami-gp-practice/
2022 Miami Grand Prix Free Practice 2 - Results
06/05/2022 at 23:36
Andrew Lewin
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 George Russell Mercedes 1:29.938s 17
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:30.044s + 0.106s 20
3 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:30.150s + 0.212s 18
4 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:30.179s + 0.241s 17
5 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1:30.372s + 0.434s 19
6 Lando Norris McLaren 1:30.535s + 0.597s 19
7 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1:30.547s + 0.609s 19
8 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 1:30.860s + 0.922s 23
9 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:30.861s + 0.923s 19
10 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:30.921s + 0.983s 18
‘Full results from Free Practice 2 for the Miami Grand Prix’;
https://f1i.com/news/440338-2022-miami-grand-prix-free-practice-2-results.html
Russell suspects improved pace of upgraded Mercedes is largely down to track
2022 Miami Grand Prix
Posted on 7th May 2022, 1:10 |
Written by Keith Collantine
George Russell believes the track and conditions in Miami are responsible for Mercedes’ competitive start to the weekend. He set the second-quickest time in the opening practice session, lapping seven-hundredths of a second off Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. Russell went one better in the second session, heading the times.
Mercedes has brought a package of upgrades to its car this weekend. While the team believe that has made some improvements, Russell suspects the combination of slow corners and high temperatures at the Miami circuit also suits them.
“We always knew ahead of this weekend that the conditions should suit us better,” he said. “We’ve been struggling a lot with tyre warm-up, even in Bahrain when the track was really rough. But this is the first real hot race of the season. So for sure, that’s played a big factor. The car is working well but it’s only Friday, I’m not getting too carried away.”
‘Not getting carried away’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/07/russell-suspects-improved-pace-of-upgraded-mercedes-is-largely-down-to-track/
Fernando Alonso: Alpine 'seem fast' in Miami GP practice
06 May 2022
Fernando Alonso thinks that Alpine "seem fast" at the Miami International Autodrome, as the Spaniard looks forward to a "very demanding race" in Sunday's 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.
‘Seem Fast’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.fernando-alonso-alpine-seem-fast-in-miami-gp-practice.1732122641561472952.html
Verstappen laments 'extremely painful' start to Miami GP weekend as Red Bull endure rocky Friday
06 May 2022
Max Verstappen was left reeling after what his Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner called a “horrible” opening day of the Miami Grand Prix, in which the reigning champion suffered two issues over both Friday practice sessions.
“He's just had a horrible day,” said Horner of Verstappen. “He had an issue this morning, so as a precaution we changed the gearbox and one of the coolers, and then he's driven out of the pit lane and had a hydraulic issue which has unfortunately caused some damage to the rear brakes.”
Verstappen, third in FP1, added: “Yes, just not a good day, and of course these days [it is] extremely painful, especially on a track like this where you want to be out there and learn the track and get up to speed. So, I basically did four or five laps today – fast laps – so that’s not what you want.”
‘Extremely Painful’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.verstappen-laments-extremely-painful-start-to-miami-gp-weekend-as-red-bull.2dQHLH42uAT5s45MV4l2rI.html
Sergio Pérez: 'Messy' practice means drivers 'going blind' into Miami GP
06 May 2022
Red Bull's Sergio Pérez says that a "very messy" Friday practice at the Miami International Autodrome means that drivers are "going blind" into Sunday's 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.
‘Very Messy Practice’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.sergio-perez-messy-practice-means-drivers-going-blind-into-miami-gp.1732119664281872937.html
F1 drivers concerned “terrible” grip will make passing difficult at Miami
2022 Miami Grand Prix
Posted on 7th May 2022, 0:27
Written by Keith Collantine
Formula 1 drivers have expressed concerns that poor grip off-line at Miami International Autodrome will make overtaking difficult in Sunday’s race. The 5.4km circuit set around the grounds of Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Miami Dolphins NFL team, features fast, sweeping turns, two long straights followed by hairpins and a tight and narrow technical sequence in the second sector.
“It’s really disappointing that there is no grip off-line,” said Sergio Perez after the first two practice sessions at the new track on Friday. “It’s a shame because I think the racing will be bad due to that. As soon as you try to go off-line, there is no grip. It’s damp, probably it’s wet on that side. It feels very gravelly off-line. So yeah, racing will be hard.”
Lando Norris echoed Perez’s comments, saying the lack of grip at some points on the track explained why several drivers spun or crashed during practice. “It’s extremely tricky,” said the McLaren driver. “It’s very bumpy in some areas, which was maybe not quite what we were expecting. I think everyone was expecting it to be very smooth and beautiful but it’s not.
‘Terrible Grip’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/07/f1-drivers-concerned-terrible-grip-will-make-passing-difficult-at-miami/
5 things we learned from Friday practice at the Miami Grand Prix
07 May 2022
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Lawrence Barretto
Mileage is so important for teams when they head to a new circuit, but that was at a premium for the frontrunners on Friday practice for the Miami Grand Prix, as they endured mixed fortunes. Here are five things we learned in Miami Gardens…
1. Potentially exciting times for Mercedes
2. Mechanical gremlins hurt Red Bull again
3. Mixed fortunes for Ferrari
4. McLaren with more to come
5. Alfa Romeo and Alpine look strong
‘Lessons Learnt’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.5-things-we-learned-from-friday-practice-at-the-miami-grand-prix.5DHXwgt5XR2eq3tcHCaG2C.html
Lewis Hamilton Is OK With Not Racing at the Miami GP Because of His Jewelry, Piercings
7 May 2022, 03:37 UTC ·
by Elena Gorgan
For many, creative expression of self through fashion and accessories is worth going to war for. Lewis Hamilton is among them, and he is more than OK with the idea of sitting out the 2022 Miami GP this weekend, over a planned jewelry ban.
On Friday, Hamilton showed up at the press conference decked in jewelry. Literally. He wore three watches, a couple of bracelets, eight rings, two earrings, and at least four necklaces, knowing full well he’d be asked about the jewelry ban. His answer boiled down to this: jewelry is part of who he is and should not interfere with his work, so he’s willing to sit out the Miami GP if he’s asked to remove it.
“It's platinum that I have, so it's not magnetic. It's never been a safety issue in the past,” he explained of one of his piercings. “So yeah, if they stop me then so be it. We've got a spare driver. So we're well prepped for the weekend. There's lots to do in the city anyway so it will be good either way.”
‘Lots to do in Miami’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/lewis-hamilton-is-ok-with-not-racing-at-the-miami-gp-because-of-his-jewelry-piercings-188249.html
Fortitude
7th May 2022, 12:08
'It reminds me of being in a B&Q car park:' Lewis Hamilton criticises new Miami GP F1 track and its tight chicane as Sergio Perez also shares 'extreme disappointment' over the circuit, fearing a lack of racing will take place.
Lewis Hamilton has been left underwhelmed by the new track for the Miami GP.
Published: 10:33, 7 May 2022
By Dan Ripley for MailOnline
“The track's quite nice to drive except for the chicane,' said Hamilton. 'It's so tight. 'It reminds me of being in a B&Q car park when I was six years old/seven years old, in a go kart, going in between cars. It's a corner where maybe in future they can remove that one and it will improve the track.”
“It's kind of crazy when you think that people in this day and age should be able to make a flat road relatively easy.' 'There were frigging big, big, big bumps and so many places where the track like joins up with somewhere else. So I don't know if they will be able to grind that at night and improve it.”
‘B&Q Race Track’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10792191/F1-Lewis-Hamilton-criticises-new-Miami-Grand-Prix-track-comparing-B-Q-car-park.html
Is the Miami F1 GP track like 'the B&Q car park?'
7 May 2022
F1 Connor McDonagh
Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has likened part of the all-new Miami grand prix circuit to “the B&Q car park” after drivers got their first taste of it during Friday practice. Giving his opinion on America’s new F1 circuit, Hamilton described it as “bumpy” and admitted he wasn’t a fan of the tight complex of corners between Turns 12 and 15.
Sergio Perez believes racing other cars will be difficult due to there being a lack of grip off the racing line. “It's really disappointing that there's no grip off-line, racing will be bad because of that,” Perez explained. “As soon as you go off-line, there is no grip, it's done. it's wet on that side sometimes off line, feels very gravely off line, racing will be hard.”
Lando Norris shared similar concerns to Perez, pointing towards how bumpy the track surface in which the teams weren’t expecting going into this weekend. “It's extremely tricky,” Norris added. “It's very bumpy in some places, which we were not expecting. I think everyone was expecting it to very smooth and beautiful. But it's not.”
‘Bumpy B&Q Track’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1002199/1/miami-f1-gp-track-bq-car-park
Miami Grand Prix: F1 debut torn apart as ‘shallow’ race on ‘characterless concrete’
THE MIAMI GRAND PRIX has been torn apart ahead of its F1 debut as a "shallow" race on "characterless concrete".
08:48, Sat, May 7, 2022
By CHARLIE SMITH
The 5.41km lap with 19 turns is set at a venue that has previously hosted Super Bowls and Baseball World Series. However, the “temporary circuit” has been criticised for lacking the history and authenticity of other venues, not least because of its fake marina.
F1 writer James Elson blasted the sport’s newest track in a piece for Motor Sport earlier this week. He wrote: “Why, in a country blessed with a multitude of ‘classic’ race tracks, is F1 not racing on one of the permanent circuits, but on a strip of vast characterless concrete?”
Mr Elson wrote: “F1, as usual, isn’t doing much to help its image by staying away from areas and venues which are known for racing.” He added that it is “instead plumping for a more glamorous and perhaps shallow alternative because – well, simply because it can”.
‘Temporary Concrete Circuit’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1606749/miami-grand-prix-f1-debut-spt
FUNNY MEMES FLOOD TWITTER AS F1 FANS MOCK FAKE MIAMI MARINA
7th May 2022, 12:07
Ellissa Bain
The Grand Prix is taking place in Miami this weekend and fans are in hysterics over the design. Memes are flooding Twitter as F1 fans laugh about the fake Miami marina. Here are some of the funniest ones…
Me after paying $2,000 for a standing ticket:
She tried to dive into the fake water:
WHAT THE HECK THEY SAID IT WAS FAKE WATER HELP I’M SINKING!
the miami race winner trying to jump into the fake marina:
Miami going all out for this weekend's F1 race. Bringing in Jesus to walk on water
‘Mocking Water’;
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/05/07/f1-fake-marina-miami/
‘It’s pretty much game over’: Norris and Perez raise concerns over Miami GP circuit
Formula 1 is visiting Miami for the first time this weekend, but the track is evidently not to everyone's liking.
7 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Lando Norris and Sergio Perez have both been critical of the track surface at the Miami Grand Prix, indicating that the lack of grip away from the racing line will make wheel-to-wheel action difficult.
“It’s extremely tricky,” he (Lando Norris) said. “It’s very bumpy in some areas which is maybe not quite what we were expecting and I think [not] what a lot of people were expecting.”
“I think everyone was expecting it to be very smooth and beautiful but it’s not. The surface is very tricky as well.”
‘Extremely Tricky’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/its-pretty-much-game-over-norris-and-perez-raise-concerns-over-miami-gp-circuit/
Max Verstappen doesn't hold back as he lays into Red Bull for 'painful' Miami GP practice
MAX VERSTAPPEN endured more Red Bull performance issues on Friday.
11:44, Sat, May 7, 2022
By SAM SMITH
The 24-year-old would have wanted a smoother practice session on the new Miami circuit. However, he bemoaned learning “zero things” about how his vehicle will perform come Sunday evening’s race.
"Just not a good day. Of course, these days are extremely painful, especially on a track like this where you want to be out there and learn the track and get up to speed. I basically did four, five fast laps today... that's not what you want,” Verstappen told Sky Sports.
They were hydraulics issues. As soon as I went out of the pits, I couldn't really steer, like I was locked, and also the brakes were on fire... so a lot of problems.”
‘Zero Hydraulics, Zero Steering & Brake Fires’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1606804/Max-Verstappen-Red-Bull-Miami-Grand-Prix-F1-news
Ferrari-powered cars introduce new PU parts in Miami
07 May 2022, 12:14
By Balazs Szabo
With the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship reaching its fifth round, the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, teams started to introduce fresh power units elements with mainly the Ferrari-powered cars opting for new parts. F1Technical's Balázs Szabó assesses the changes for the hotly anticipated event around Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.
Since last year, the power units consists of seven parts: internal combustion engine, turbocharger, motor generator unit – heat, motor generator unit – kinetic, energy store, control electronics with the exhaust system having been added to this list last year.
For the Miami Grand Prix, six drivers have opted to use a fresh internal combustion engine including Charles Leclerc, Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, Mick Schumacher and Pierre Gasly. For the Frenchman, it is already the third ICE which puts him into a difficult position for the rest of the year with only three engines allowed during the 23-race season.
‘Ferrari PU Assessment’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/23719
Fortitude
7th May 2022, 18:17
Sergio Perez set the fastest lap of FP3 at the Miami Grand Prix during a good session for Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel - but not for Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc finished second, 0.2 seconds behind, while Max Verstappen, who was at one stage lucky to avoid contact with the barrier, was 0.3 seconds slower.
7th May 2022, 19:03
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Red Bull were back on top in FP3 at the Miami International Autodrome with Sergio Perez lapping quickest.
In the final practice session ahead of qualifying for the inaugural Miami GP, it was the Mexican driver who set the fastest lap with a 1:30.304.
But Mercedes' struggles appear to have returned, despite promising FP1 and FP2 sessions. Lewis Hamilton finished 15th with George Russell 17th.
‘Sergio Perez Fastest’;
https://racingnews365.com/f1-2022-miami-grand-prix-free-practice-3-results
(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2022 Miami Grand Prix
Miami, Florida
7th May 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1-30.304
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.194
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.345
4. Fernando Alonso Alpine +0.732
5. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +0.745
6. Mick Schumacher Haas +0.746
7. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.868
8. Kevin Magnussen Haas +0.923
9. Alex Albon Williams Racing +1.197
10. Lando Norris McLaren +1.290
‘Complete results from the final practice hour’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2022-miami-grand-prix-78937
Miami FP3: Perez goes fastest, Verstappen spins
Jad Mallak
7 May, 2022
FP3 for the 2022 Miami Grand Prix saw Sergio Perez go top of the timing screens, as Max Verstappen spun off on his final attempt of a hot lap.
Behind Perez, Charles Leclerc took second, with 2021 Formula 1 Champion Verstappen in third, as Red Bull and Ferrari restored the pecking order after Mercedes’ disturbance on Friday.
The final practice session for the 2022 Miami Grand Prix came after a Friday that left us with several unanswered questions, that added to the intrigue of being at a brand new circuit.
‘Unanswered Questions’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/07/miami-fp3-perez-goes-fastest-verstappen-spins/
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from final practice for the Miami Grand Prix
07 May 2022
Becky Hart
Formula 1.
‘P3: As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-miami-2022.2r2BcCKBrAiHoSAVANujYe.html
THE RACE LIVE HUB
Live Miami Grand Prix qualifying day updates
7th May 2022
The Race
‘P3: As it happened’;
https://the-race.com/live-miami-grand-prix-qualifying-day-updates/#7
Fortitude
8th May 2022, 08:13
F1 – Leclerc on pole for first Miami Grand Prix as Ferrari lock out front row.
Formula 1 points leader Charles Leclerc took his third pole position of the season as Carlos Sainz claimed second place to hand Ferrari a front-row lockout in qualifying for the inaugural Miami Grand Prix. Defending world champion Max Verstappen will line up in third place on the grid alongside Red Bull team-mate Sergio Pérez.
07.05.22
FIA
In the opening runs of Q3, Verstappen took provisional pole with a lap of 1:29.991. That put him just over six hundredths of a second ahead of Leclerc with Sainz third. Pérez slotted into fourth place.
But in the final runs it was Leclerc who found the most pace and the Ferrari driver took his third pole position of the season with a lap of 1:28.796. Sainz looked like he might challenge for his maiden pole as he went quicker than his team-mate in the opening two sectors. The Spanish driver took too much out of his tyres though and when he crossed the line he found himself in P2 just under two hundredths of a second off P1. Verstappen made a mistake in Turn 6 that compromised his final attempt. He backed out of the lap and had to settle for third place on the grid.
Behind them Bottas slotted into fourth place, but Checo was finding more time and the Mexican’s final lap of 1:29.036 put him next to Max on row two ahead of the Finn. Hamilton meanwhile took sixth for Mercedes ahead of Gasly, Norris, Tsunoda and Stroll.
‘Ferrari Lock Out’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-leclerc-pole-first-miami-grand-prix-ferrari-lock-out-front-row
HEAD-TO-HEAD: How Leclerc beat Ferrari team mate Sainz in qualifying for the 2022 Miami GP
08 May 2022
Formula 1.
Watch to see how Charles Leclerc and his Ferrari team mate Carlos Sainz compared in qualifying at the 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.
‘Ferrari Qualifying Comparison’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.head-to-head-how-leclerc-beat-ferrari-team-mate-sainz-in-qualifying-for-the-2022-miami-gp.1732220344318404601.html
Miami GP: Post Qualifying press conference
08/05/2022
NEWS STORY
Today's post-qualifying press conference with Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen. Grid Interbiews - Conducted by Danica Patrick
Charles, you've had an amazing weekend so far, how does it feel coming off of Imola where you had a little mistake but this weekend you're commanding it and the fans are loving it?
Charles Leclerc: "The fans are crazy. It's incredible to be here in the US and to see how much the sport has grown over the past few years and to see so many people in the grandstand. It definitely motivates us. And there are also a lot of Ferrari fans. So it's amazing. The last weekend hasn't been great for me, I did a mistake in the race. But today went well. So we're starting on pole and we need to finish the job tomorrow."
Max came up a little bit short. But on the other hand, you've also had a little bit of a rough weekend. You didn't have very many laps in P2, do you think that attributed to not being able to get the pole today?
Max Verstappen: "Yeah, I mean, overall I'm of course pretty pleased with qualifying. I literally did four or five laps yesterday. So the whole day today we were still trying to learn to track trying to find a decent balance in the car. And actually to be that competitive in qualifying I was a bit surprised. Because it's not an easy track to learn. And yeah, I think overall… Of course, you want to be on pole, but from where we come from I think we did a really good job. But yeah, we have to start making the weekends, you know, less difficult because like this, you know, it's always going to be tricky. But we have a good chance for tomorrow. We have good top speed. I think the car is handling quite well. So I'm looking forward to that."
‘Fans are crazy’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72434/Miami-GP-Post-Qualifying-press-conference
Leclerc expecting 'tight challenge' from Verstappen
07/05/2022 at 22:33
Andrew Lewin
It was welcome retribution for Leclerc, who made an error in the final rounds of the last race at Imola that cost him a podium position in the Emilia Romagna GP and cut his lead over Verstappen in the drivers standings down to 27 points.
"The last weekend hasn't been great for me," he told the media in parc ferme after the end of qualifying. "I did a mistake in the race. But today went well, so we're starting on pole and we need to finish the job tomorrow."
While he might have come out on top today, Leclerc is keenly aware that Red Bull represent a potent threat for the race. "They are extremely quick in the straight lines," he commented. "We are quick in the corners [so] it will be a tight challenge tomorrow. Hopefully we'll come back on top."
‘Tight Challenge’;
https://f1i.com/news/440605-leclerc-expecting-tight-challenge-from-verstappen.html
Miami GP: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc Grabs Pole, Praises "Crazy" Fans
• Updated: May 08, 2022 10:14 AM IST
• Agence France-Presse
Charles Leclerc praised the enthusiasm of Ferrari's many American fans, but warned of a tense battle ahead after leading the Italian team to a front-row lockout at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix.
World championship leader Charles Leclerc praised the enthusiasm of Ferrari's many American fans Saturday, but warned of a tense battle ahead after leading the Italian team to a front-row lockout at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix. The 24-year-old Monegasque claimed pole position ahead of his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz after world champion Max Verstappen made a rare error and slipped to third on the grid for Red Bull at a packed Miami International Autodrome.
"The fans are crazy," said a beaming Leclerc. "But it's incredible to be here in the United States and to see how much the sport has grown over the last few years. The last race weekend wasn't great for me. I made a mistake in that race. But today it went well. We are starting on pole and we need to finish the job tomorrow.”
‘Ferrari’s enthusiastic American fans’;
https://sports.ndtv.com/formula-1/miami-grand-prix-ferraris-charles-leclerc-grabs-pole-praises-crazy-fans-2955978
Pérez 'couldn't get into the rhythm' he needed in Miami GP qualifying
07 May 2022
Red Bull's Sergio Pérez felt his "terrible" first run in Q3 created further problems that saw him finish off the front row in qualifying for the 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, but feels confident he can still have a "strong weekend" in the end.
‘Rhythm disrupted’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.perez-couldnt-get-into-the-rhythm-he-needed-in-miami-gp-qualifying.1732205614909451549.html
‘I really wanted to deliver’ – Bottas proud to claim season-best grid slot in Miami after Friday shunt
07 May 2022
Formula 1.
Valtteri Bottas was beaming with pride on Saturday evening in Miami, after the Alfa Romeo racer recovered from a crash on Friday to qualify in P5 for tomorrow’s Miami Grand Prix. And while the Finn was happy to qualify ahead of the Mercedes of former team mate Lewis Hamilton, he was particularly grateful to repay what he called “a proper team effort” to get his car back on track.
“It is satisfying [to qualify ahead of Mercedes] I think today, especially after the day I had yesterday,” said Bottas. By my mistake we lost a lot of running; it was extra work for the team, and it was a really nice recovery by a proper team effort.”
“Once the car was there, once we found the set-up for the quali then it was up to me to get up to rhythm and deliver. I really wanted to deliver for the team because of my mistake yesterday and that makes me even more happy.”
‘Proper Team Effort’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.i-really-wanted-to-deliver-bottas-proud-to-claim-season-best-grid-slot-in.5TRB3fiOsR0pPfuHxJtiWI.html
Hamilton: A much better qualifying, I’ll take it
8 May, 2022
Jad Mallak
Lewis Hamilton was sixth in qualifying for the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, which he believes was a much better session after his struggles in previous races. Mercedes brought updates to their W13 for the Miami Grand Prix, and things were off to an encouraging start as George Russell was second fastest, then fastest in FP1 and FP2 respectively.
The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion reflected on his qualifying session in the team’s post session report, and said: “Today was a much, much better qualifying session than I’ve had the last three races so I am grateful for that – I’ll take it.
“We just keep on chipping away and keep working on it,” he added. “So much amazing work has gone on in the background and everyone is working so hard. Unfortunately, I don’t think we are moving forwards at the rate that we would like to, the gap is similar to the beginning of the year,” the 37-year old lamented.
‘Keep Chipping Away’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/08/hamilton-a-much-better-qualifying-ill-take-it/
Lando Norris: Mistake 'cost me two positions' in Miami GP qualifying
07 May 2022
Lando Norris is "annoyed" that a mistake on his final flying lap in qualifying for the 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix "cost me two positions," as the McLaren driver prepares to start Sunday's race at the Miami International Autodrome from P8.
‘Final Flying Lap Mistake’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.lando-norris-mistake-cost-me-two-positions-in-miami-gp-qualifying.1732204847117057075.html
Fortitude
8th May 2022, 08:53
Hamilton says he hasn’t backed down in row with FIA over jewellery.
“I got an exemption here,” Hamilton explained after today’s qualifying session. He made it clear he does not intend this to be a temporary arrangement, adding: “I’ll get [an] exemption for the rest of the year.”
2022 Miami Grand Prix
Posted on 8th May 2022, 1:27
Written by Keith Collantine and RJ O'Connell
The seven-times world champion confirmed he has been given an exemption to wear certain items of jewellery this weekend. This follows FIA Formula 1 race director Niels Wittich’s decision to require teams to affirm their drivers will abide by rules forbidding them from wearing jewellery during races.
Before practice began at the circuit on Friday the FIA initially stated Mercedes had not given the required confirmation regarding Hamilton in their pre-race scrutineering declaration. Shortly before the session began the FIA announced the required paperwork had been completed.
“Wedding rings are allowed,” he added. Hamilton also pointed out he began wearing jewellery many years earlier and the FIA had not previously stopped him. This whole safety thing, when they told me about the jewellery they were saying ‘well, safety is everything’. I said ‘well, what’s happened the last 16 years?' I’ve had jewellery over 16 years so was safety not an issue back then?” he added, laughing.
‘Won’t Back Down’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/08/hamilton-says-he-hasnt-backed-down-in-row-with-fia-over-jewellery/
Defiant Lewis Hamilton threatens to quit Miami Grand Prix in row over nose piercing
Published sunday 08 May 2022 - 05:28
Carl Bennett SENIOR DIGITAL PRODUCER
Lewis Hamilton has told Formula One’s rulers that he will not remove his nose piercing for the rest of the season.
The seven-time world champion appeared to adhere to the FIA’s jewellery cockpit clampdown by taking out his earrings for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix – hours after wearing a plethora of jewellery during a pre-race press conference. He even suggested he could withdraw from the grand prix in protest.
Hamilton was talked out of that specific threat following a discussion with FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem and a meeting with the FIA’s president of the medical commission, Dr Sean Petherbridge, on Friday. The 37-year-old said he would remove his earrings and was handed a two-race medical exemption for his nose stud which cannot be easily taken out.
‘Medical Exemption’;
https://www.gbnews.uk/news/defiant-lewis-hamilton-threatens-to-quit-miami-grand-prix-in-row-over-nose-piercing/288909
Hamilton: I’ve had jewellery for 16 years, safety not an issue back then?
8 May, 2022
Jad Mallak
Asked after qualifying on Saturday whether he was satisfied with the resolution of the conflict, Hamilton said he was not and that he had no intention of removing the piercing. “I got an exemption here, I’ll get an exemption for the rest of the year. Wedding rings are allowed,” said the British driver.
Hamilton had appeared at Friday’s drivers press conference wearing rings on all his finger, heavy neck chains and three watches in an obvious show of defiance. Asked how he would approach the Monaco race, on May 29th, Hamilton said: “I’ll wear four watches next time.”
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen has also questioned the jewellery crackdown saying he is not happy at the idea of having to remove his wedding ring. “I understand what they are they saying, but it is a wedding ring around your finger,” said the Dane. Aston Martin’s four-time world champion driver, German Sebastian Vettel, had mocked the FIA’s dress rules on under garments by wearing his underpants over his race suit in Friday’s practice.
‘Wearing Underpants Over Race Suit and Wearing Four Watches Next Time!’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/08/hamilton-ive-had-jewellery-for-16-years-safety-not-an-issue-back-then/
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel branded 'childish' for actions over Miami GP weekend
08:00, Sun, May 8, 2022
By CHARLIE GORDON
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, who hold 11 F1 world titles between them, have been branded 'childish' by Ralf Schumacher for their actions over the Miami Grand Prix race weekend. The pair made sure their points were heard regarding rule changes on jewellery and underwear.
Schumacher, who amassed six Grand Prix wins during a decade-long F1 career, has hit out at the duo over how they have handled the divisive issue.
"They should be committed to safety," he told Sky Germany. "Especially after Romain Grosjean's accident, the drivers should know better. The FIA is absolutely right - the young guys in Formula 4 and 3 should see that the F1 drivers stick to the rules. When the most experienced people like Vettel and Hamilton mock the FIA, I think it's childish."
‘Branded ‘childish’ ‘;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1606893/lewis-hamilton-sebastian-vettel-miami-grand-prix-f1-news
Hamilton to risk £215,000 fine in defiance of FIA
Sunday 8 May 2022 04:00
Ian Parkes
Backtracking themselves, the FIA has now agreed to allow wedding rings to be worn. Other jewellery, however, must be removed. Should a driver refuse, he will initially be fined £42,000 [$52,000]. Repeat offences will then rise up to £215,000 [$250,000].
"This whole safety thing, man," said Hamilton after qualifying sixth for Sunday's race at the Miami International Autodrome. "When they [the FIA] told me about the jewellery, they said safety is everything. And I said, 'Well, what's happened over the last 16 years? I've had jewellery for the last 16 years, so was safety not an issue back then?"
Hamilton has been given a two-race exemption - Miami and the Spanish GP - to comply with the rules before the FIA will then act at the following race in Monaco. Asked whether he was satisfied with the resolution regarding the wearing of jewellery, Hamilton replied: "No." As to taking the nose ring out permanently, he again said "no", to which he was asked 'You're not going to do it?'. He again said "no".
‘No, No’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82052/hamilton-to-risk-215-000-fine-in-defiance-of-fia/
Lewis Hamilton determined to continue defying F1 ban on wearing piercings
Sun 8 May 2022 01.19 BST
Last modified on Sun 8 May 2022 01.32 BST
Giles Richards at the Hard Rock Stadium Circuit
On Friday, Hamilton stated he would not remove his piercings, warning he was willing to miss the race over the issue. He ultimately came to a compromise with the FIA, taking out his ear piercings and was told his nose stud, which could not be removed, would be given a medical exemption for two races until the Monaco Grand Prix.
After taking sixth place on the grid for Sunday’s race, Hamilton was unequivocal in his determination. “No”, he said when asked if he was going to remove his nose piercing. “I got an exemption here, I will get an exemption for the rest of them.”
Hamilton maintained the FIA is making a fuss over unimportant issues and their stance still made no sense . “When they told me about the jewellery, they were saying safety is everything,” he said. “Well, what’s happened the last 16 years? I’ve had jewellery on for 16 years, so was safety not an issue back then?”
’16 Years Not An Issue’;
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/may/08/lewis-hamilton-determined-to-continue-defying-f1-ban-on-wearing-piercings
The jewellery stays, insists Hamilton
08/05/2022
NEWS STORY
Speaking in the wake of qualifying, having put his Mercedes W13 sixth on the grid, a defiant Hamilton said that post-Monaco the jewellery will remain in place.
Asked if he was happy with the two-race exemption, the Briton admitted that he was not, adding that he had no intention of removing the offending nose stud.
If nothing else, the Miami weekend has witnessed a ramping up of the 'battle of wills' between the FIA and drivers - and in particular Lewis Hamilton - over jewellery.
‘Battle of Wills’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72436/The-jewellery-stays-insists-Hamilton
Fortitude
8th May 2022, 12:53
‘Not F1 standard’ – drivers rip into Miami track surface.
“A joke”, “not Formula 1 standard” and like it’s “wet” off-line – drivers have slammed the surface of Miami’s new stadium track ahead of the inaugural grand prix.
8th May 2022, 09:12
By Scott Mitchell
The grand prix has been a huge priority for F1 and has been heralded throughout the paddock as a major event and a potential game-changer in terms of interest and spectacle.
However, there could be some problems with the race itself, chiefly because drivers say the track – which has had to be resurfaced twice already this week in different places – offers very little grip.
Fernando Alonso said the drivers had made the FIA aware that “the tarmac is not F1 standard”. “There’s nothing we can do. This weekend we need to put on the show, but this has to change for next year. It’s very difficult to race like this.”
‘Tarmac Not F1 Standard’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/not-f1-standard-drivers-rip-into-miami-track-surface/
Cleaning machine caused damage to Miami track surface
2022 Miami Grand Prix
Posted on 8th May 2022, 11:03
Written by Keith Collantine
A machine which was being used to clean the Miami International Autodrome track damaged its surface in two places.
The track was patched at turns seven and 17 before F1’s practice sessions began at the track on Friday. Further repair work was performed at the turn 17 hairpin ahead of final practice yesterday.
“Unfortunately, ironically, the cleaning machine that was used to clean the track spilled a load of hydraulic fluid onto the surface and that damaged the bitumen,” Formula 1 motorsport director Ross Brawn told the official F1 channel. “It only happened in two areas so it’s a very specific problem that I think we’re on top of.”
‘Cleaning Machine Damage’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/08/cleaning-machine-caused-damage-to-miami-track-surface/
Miami track surface branded a joke
08/05/2022
NEWS STORY
An iconic skyline, a rhythm that's going to get you, Art Deco architecture and beautiful people... Miami has it all. However, according to Sergio Perez and his driver colleagues, the surface of its new race track is a joke.
From the outset, the drivers have complained about the fact that going even slightly offline leads to a lack of grip that is likely to make overtaking nigh impossible.
"You literally have to just stay on that one line," admits Daniel Ricciardo. "Otherwise, you're not really on the track anymore. So instead of kind of making it a kind of a good challenge, it just makes it a little bit, in a way, like one-dimensional, because you only have kind of option of that one line where a little bit of rubber is building up. So I don't want to lie and say I like the surface.
‘Just stay on that one line’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72437/Miami-track-surface-branded-a-joke
Poor grip drivers complained about at Miami track due to loose stones – Pirelli
2022 Miami Grand Prix
Posted on
7th May 2022, 13:27
Written by Keith Collantine and RJ O'Connell
Daniel Ricciardo said he suspected the problem was caused by small stones being thrown up by the cars as the new track surface wore away. “It seems like just the stones are getting loose and kind of get washed just off the line. So if you miss a little bit the apex, then you’re sliding off and it’s difficult.”
F1’s tyre supplier Pirelli backed up Ricciardo’s explanation, saying this was why two patches of the circuit were repaired before Friday’s running began. “With this new asphalt they are taking off some small stones from the asphalt,” its head of motor sport Mario Isola explained. “That is something that happened also yesterday after the Safety Car was running and the hot laps.”
“With this new asphalt they are taking off some small stones from the asphalt,” its head of motor sport Mario Isola explained. “That is something that happened also yesterday after the Safety Car was running and the hot laps. “So they put some patches of new asphalt. But still some stones are coming off because we found the stones on the tyres.”
‘Track Surface Wore Away’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/07/poor-grip-drivers-complained-about-at-miami-track-due-to-loose-stones-pirelli/
Not every driver happy with Miami track
08/05/2022, 08:44
By GMM F1
A big buzz is surrounding Formula 1's first glitzy weekend on the streets of Miami - but not every driver is offering unlimited praise. World champion Max Verstappen, for instance, called one slow and narrow section of the layout "Mickey Mouse" - and Lewis Hamilton also had a negative soundbite. "It reminds me of being in a B and Q (hardware store) carpark when I was six or seven years old, in a go kart, going in between cars," said the seven time world champion.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz is also disappointed, saying everything except the racing line "feels like driving on a wet road. Late braking manoeuvres are likely to be difficult," said the Spaniard. "It will be best to have completed the move before the braking point." Red Bull's Sergio Perez added: "I'm extremely disappointed that there is no grip off-line. It feels like gravel off-line. It's a shame because I think the racing will be bad due to that," said the Mexican.
Esteban Ocon was furious that a minor practice spin resulted in a 51G impact with concrete - which is a load he says "no driver should have to endure. Carlos also went off there and when he complained to the race director about the danger there, nothing happened at all. It's unacceptable," said the Frenchman. "Carlos hurt his neck and I bruised my knees and all of it should be preventable." Lance Stroll called the section of circuit "ridiculous - a joke".
‘Mickey Mouse, B&Q, Wet Road, Gravel, Ridiculous, Joke Track’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/ferrari/miami-grand-prix/news/not-every-driver-happy-with-miami-track_485327.html
Ruthless Lewis Hamilton slams Miami GP track and compares it to a "B&Q car park"
18:29, 7 MAY 2022
BY Kasra Moradi
“There were frigging big, big, big bumps and so many places where the track like joins up with somewhere else. So I don't know if they will be able to grind that at night and improve it.”
He added: “It's kind of crazy when you think that people in this day and age should be able to make a flat road relatively easy.”
“Frigging big, big, big bumps!’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/lewis-hamilton-miami-gp-bq-26901873
Fortitude
8th May 2022, 16:34
Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon blast FIA for ignoring safety concerns at the Miami Grand Prix.
Sainz spun his Ferrari into the barriers at Turn 14 during Friday practice, and even though it was a slow-speed crash, the lack of run-off area combined with the hard concrete barriers left the Spaniard in a lot of pain. He took his concerns to the sport’s governing body soon after but claims that they didn’t want to know.
Sunday 8 May 2022 4:32 pm
Callum McAvoy
‘I’m sorry to be critical, but I told the FIA yesterday that my crash at second gear shouldn’t feel that hard,’ Sainz told Sky Sports after qualifying on Saturday. But today, my neck was a bit in pain, and I told them: “Let’s put Techpro there because it’s a very hard concrete wall”.
‘Esteban crashed and I’m pretty sure he felt it too. It’s one of those things I will never understand. I did bring it up already, no change.’ During Saturday practice, Ocon had a near identical crash at the same corner which left his Alpine with a cracked chassis, and as a result the Frenchman missed qualifying.
Several other drivers have expressed their support for Sainz and Ocon, including Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Pierre Gasly and Lance Stroll, with the Aston Martin man labelling the FIA’s inactivity on the matter as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘a joke.’ But a spokesman for the FIA said officials had inspected the area of impact and decided no changes were necessary from a safety perspective.
‘FIA’s inactivity declared as ‘ridiculous’ and ‘a joke.’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/08/carlos-sainz-and-esteban-ocon-slam-fia-over-safety-at-miami-grand-prix-16607000/?ito=newsnow-feed
[B]Why the Miami Grand Prix could be a strategic nightmare
08/05/2022, 16:10
Author Thomas Maher
The inaugural Miami Grand Prix will be a particularly tough nut to crack for the F1 teams' respective pit strategists. According to Pirelli, the strategy choices of the teams are quite hard to predict.
On paper, a two-stopper is the most likely candidate, with the most flexible option being to start on the Medium before running the Hard for the middle stint. This would allow a chance for a final run on the Medium, or even the Soft might make an appearance, depending on the timing of the stop.
However, Pirelli also believe a one-stop is possible, albeit very marginal. The problem for the teams is that Friday's practice sessions were interrupted by red flag stoppages, which curtailed representative long runs, meaning tyre choices are something of a shot in the dark.
‘Strategic Nightmares’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-the-miami-grand-prix-could-be-a-strategy-nightmare
[B]Miami GP: F1's newest circuit gets mixed reviews from drivers as some call for surface change
Published: 8 May 2022, 17:00
By George Dagless
The inaugural Miami Grand Prix is held later this evening as F1 races in the US for the first time this season and many are intrigued just to see what racing action is thrown up. Fernando Alonso: “It’s still very difficult to go off-line. There is like gravel out of line. So it’s going to be difficult.”
Lando Norris: “It’s a joke. Carlos [Sainz] brought it up yesterday and I think there’s some things that we understand and we know better than maybe what they can see, because we know where a few more risks are and where the car’s on the limit and things like that so. Considering it got brought up and it’s a safety thing and something that we gave advice on and nothing was done then I think it was the same as what Lance [Stroll] said.”
Sergio Perez: “Most importantly the circuit surface is a joke. The racing is going to be difficult. You’re going to have drivers making mistakes because we’ve been put in this situation.”
‘Mixed Reviews’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88005142-miami-gp-f1s-newest-circuit-gets-mixed-reviews-from-drivers-as-some-call-for-surface-change
F1 team principals dismiss fears of processional Miami Grand Prix
2022 Miami Grand Prix
Posted on 8th May 2022, 15:55
Written by Keith Collantine and RJ O'Connell
Formula 1 team principals played down concerns raised by their drivers that overtaking will be very difficult in the Miami Grand Prix. Several drivers have warned the lack of grip off-line will make it very difficult to commit to overtaking moves. Cars have been lifting small stones from the new surface which are coming to a rest off the racing line.
Guenther Steiner, said his drivers had also warned overtaking would be difficult. But he also expects the track will be in better condition in time for the grand prix. “Let’s see if that line where you have got the grip widens up today and see if it can be done better,” he said. “It is a new track, it was completely green, nothing run on it.
“Normally these tracks develop and let’s hope that happens. Otherwise it will be challenging to overtake because you need to be on the good line. Otherwise, you’re off-line and off the track it looks like, but I think it will be getting better as more running is done.”
‘Processional fears dismissed’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/08/f1-team-principals-dismiss-fears-of-processional-miami-grand-prix/
Drivers fear processional Miami GP due to ‘joke’ surface
Date published: May 8 2022 - Michelle Foster
Daniel Ricciardo said: “You literally have to just stay on that one line otherwise, you’re not really on the track anymore. So instead of kind of making it a kind of a good challenge, it just makes it a little bit, in a way, like one-dimensional, because you only have kind of option of that one line where a little bit of rubber is building up. So I don’t want to lie and say I like the surface.”
“This isn’t a nice surface to drive on. It’s not that it’s just like, ‘oh, it’s challenging’, it’s just you literally have to just stay on that one line otherwise you’re not really on the track anymore.” Fernando Alonso agrees, saying: “It’s still very difficult to go offline.”
“There’s like rubble out of line, so it’s going to be difficult. We said yesterday that the track, the tarmac, is not F1 standards.” Lando Norris said the surface is just “not good enough” for Formula 1. “On the racing line it’s not bad grip, is reasonable-ish,” he said. “I think it’s just very hot, which makes it feel even worse. The fact is just offline it’s really, really terrible.”
‘ ‘Joke’ Surface Challenging’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/processional-miami-gp-joke-track-surface/
Miami GP accused of "winging it" with "terrible" track surface.
Sunday 8 May 2022 14:30
Ewan Gale
Lando Norris has accused Miami International Autodrome's developers of "winging it" with the track surface that has drawn negative feedback from drivers. On the prospect of a poor show in front of an expectant crowd, Norris added: "It is not our fault but it is a shame.”
"But when there is so much expectation, you want good racing and want us to provide good racing and entertainment and everything, then there is a surface that they are trying and kind of winging it in a way to see what it will be like, is not good enough because we can't do what they require, we can't put on a good show and we can't race."
‘It’s a shame’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82075/miami-gp-accused-of-winging-it-with-terrible-track-surface/
Fortitude
9th May 2022, 05:59
Max points for Verstappen again: 2022 Miami GP as it happened.
Max Verstappen passed Charles Leclerc to win the first Miami Grand Prix and close the gap in this year's F1 championship.
May 8th 2022
F1 Author Dominic Tobin
Max Verstappen resisted intense pressure from Charles Leclerc in the closing laps to win the first Miami Grand Prix, as he once again took maximum points from the race weekend.
The championship gap between the Dutchman and Leclerc is now 19 points, after a race in which he passed the Ferrari, stayed ahead through a safety car period and set the fastest lap as Leclerc followed closely.
Despite concerns over safety and the track surface, there was plenty of overtaking and a single safety car during the 57-lap race, in which Carlos Sainz held on for the third podium place despite the best efforts of a fresher-tyred Sergio Perez.
‘Max Points’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/max-points-for-verstappen-again-2022-miami-gp-as-it-happened#
Miami victor Max: Early pass on Leclerc ‘made the race’
Date published: May 9 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Max Verstappen said his early overtake on Charles Leclerc allowed him to take control and win the inaugural Miami Grand Prix. Ferrari had the advantage going into the race, Leclerc starting on pole with team-mate Carlos Sainz alongside him on the second row.
Verstappen made the pass on Sainz though at the start, and when told that Leclerc was starting to struggle with his front-right tyre, Verstappen began to reel in the lead Ferrari.
He would not need to wait long for the overtake, passing Leclerc down the inside at Turn 1 on Lap 9, a move which he said was the crucial foundation for that victory, making him the first-ever winner of the Miami Grand Prix.
‘Made the Race’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-charles-leclerc-pass-crucial-miami/
Sergio Pérez: Engine issue cost Red Bull 'another one-two' in Miami GP
08 May 2022
Formula 1.
Sergio Pérez thinks that his engine issues during the 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix meant Red Bull "lost another one-two today," as the Mexican was forced to settle for P4 at the Miami International Autodrome.
‘Engine Issue, Forced to settle for P4’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.sergio-perez-engine-issue-cost-red-bull-another-one-two-in-miami-gp.1732297144733141131.html
Max Verstappen given police escort after Miami Grand Prix heroics
MAX VERSTAPPEN was given a police escort after winning the Miami Grand Prix.
By MIKAEL MCKENZIE
00:05, Mon, May 9, 2022
Max Verstappen was bizarrely given a police escort after winning the Miami Grand Prix. Two police officers on motorcycles turned on their flashing lights to take the Dutchman, who was being driven in an open-top car, to the podium at the Hard Rock Stadium.
The route took Verstappen from his parked Red Bull, through a tunnel, where Christian Horner and wife Geri were walking, to the podium. Martin Brundle was not entirely comfortable with the scenes as he watched Verstappen being chaperoned. He said: "This just makes me feel nervous those blue lights."
And commentator David Croft said: "Wherever you go there are people walking to the podium holding things up. And at the front of that are Christian and Geri Horner and Helmut Marko." Brundle added: "It almost seems you need a map just to get to the stadium."
‘Bizarre Police Escort’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1607265/Max-Verstappen-police-escort-Miami-Grand-Prix-F1-news
Carlos Sainz: Podium finish in Miami Grand Prix 'exactly what I needed'
08 May 2022
Formula 1.
Carlos Sainz says that his P3 finish in the 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix was "exactly what I needed" following a challenging period for the Ferrari driver.
‘Just what was needed’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.carlos-sainz-podium-finish-in-miami-grand-prix-exactly-what-i-needed.1732298391936777271.html
Russell admits he ‘got lucky’ as Safety Car helps him sustain run of top-five finishes
2022 Miami Grand Prix
Posted on
9th May 2022, 1:10
Written by Will Wood and RJ O'Connell
George Russell says he “got a bit lucky” after a convenient Safety Car helped him to finish fifth in the Miami Grand Prix after starting 12th. A very long opening stint on the hard tyres saw Russell gradually make his way through the field when rivals ahead pitted until he was in fifth position, the highest-running driver yet to make a stop.
When Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris collided, bringing out the Virtual Safety Car, Russell was on the back straight approaching the pit lane, allowing him to immediately pit for fresh mediums and rejoin in seventh behind team mate Lewis Hamilton. After the Safety Car was deployed and the race eventually restarted, Russell would later pass both Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas to finish fifth.
“I think it was a little bit fortunate,” Russell admits. “You sound like a bit of a genius when things like that happen. But that’s the case when you’re on an offset strategy. “We had P7 covered. There was no point to pit, we may as well have just stayed out there and hope that something like that would happen and we got a bit lucky today.” Having started on the hard tyres, Russell lost three places on the opening lap to those around him on mediums. “Those opening laps were really tough,” he explained. “I got completely swallowed up on lap one and I just knew I needed to stay out of trouble.”
‘P5: Got Lucky’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/09/russell-admits-he-got-lucky-as-safety-car-helps-him-sustain-run-of-top-five-finishes/
Albon’s red hair superstition pays off with P9 in Miami
Date published: May 9 2022 - Sam Cooper
Alex Albon’s red hair superstition has paid off after he scored points for the second time this season at the Miami GP. The Williams driver arrived at the Miami circuit sporting a new red hairstyle and later explained that the peculiar choice of colour had become a superstition for him.
At the Australian Grand Prix, Albon scored his first point of the season and he did so with a patch of red in his hair. The origin of the fashion choice was a charity trip to Thailand – the country which he shares nationality with along with the UK – and the children he was visiting decided to give him a new look.
By the time of the next race at Imola, the red had grown out and having ended outside of the points, Albon decided the red was the reason. Having secured another two points in Miami, Albon joked it was all to do with the hair. “No upgrades are ever needed, you just need to dye your hair!” he told Sky Sports F1.
‘Upgrades Not Needed, Dye the hair!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albon-red-hair-miami-grand-prix/
Several penalties change the result of the Miami GP
09/05/2022, 00:30
Author RacingNews365 Staff
A handful of drivers have been hit with penalties following the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, changing the overall race classification.
Alpine's Fernando Alonso is one of the drivers to lose out, having been hit with a five-second time penalty, and a penalty point on his Super Licence, after the stewards deemed that he left the track at Turn 14 and gained an advantage.
His penalty drops him back to 11th, in the process moving Williams driver Alex Albon up to ninth, with Aston Martin's Lance Stroll the other beneficiary to take home the final point. Daniel Ricciardo was in line to benefit from Alonso's punishment, having finished 11th, but he too picked up a five-second time penalty, and a penalty point on his Licence.
‘Penalty Points’;
https://racingnews365.com/several-penalties-change-the-result-of-the-miami-gp
Fortitude
9th May 2022, 06:29
‘That’s your job’: Hamilton’s salty rebuke exposes Merc chaos as ‘breaking point’ nears.
Lewis Hamilton has launched a scathing attack on Mercedes after yet another strategy blunder allowed teammate George Russell to pass him at the Miami Grand Prix.
May 9th, 2022 10:43 am
Jacob Polychronis from Fox Sports
Russell recovered from 12th on the grid to finish fifth, one spot ahead of Hamilton who was left to rue yet another tactical blunder behind the safety car.
Hamilton didn’t pit under a late safety car, while Russell took the gamble and rejoined the track just behind his teammate, who was effectively a sitting duck on old tyres.
Unsurprisingly, Hamilton and Russell had a different view of how the race went when asked afterwards.
‘Breaking Point Nears’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2022-miami-grand-prix-lewis-hamilton-takes-mercedes-swipe-after-safety-car-george-russell-porpoising/news-story/0f544f6625a8705d8119431b3d0b877e
'That's your job' - Frustrated Hamilton queries team strategy
Issued on: 09/05/2022 - 01:26
France24.
Miami Gardens (United States) (AFP) – A frustrated Lewis Hamilton questioned his Mercedes team’s strategy on Sunday after he finished sixth behind team-mate George Russell at the Miami Grand Prix.
After the fifth race of the year, Hamilton is sixth in the drivers' standings on 36 points, with fellow Briton fourth on 59.
The seven-time world champion said he was surprised to be asked if he wanted to pit for fresh tyres during a Safety Car period after 41 laps of the inaugural 67-lap race at the Miami International Autodrome, won by Max Verstappen.
"I really don’t know, in that scenario I have no clue where everyone is," he explained when asked about the incident. “When the team say 'it's your choice' -- I don't have the information to make the decision. That’s what your job is! Make the decision for me. You’ve got all the details right there in front of you. I don't.”
‘Frustrated Lewis Hamilton’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220508-that-s-your-job-frustrated-hamilton-queries-team-strategy
Hamilton: Mercedes should make strategy calls, not me
Date published: May 9 2022 - Jon Wilde
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he could not understand why Mercedes were asking him to make a strategy call at a decisive stage of the Miami Grand Prix. The seven-time former World Champion eventually finished the race sixth after being passed by his team-mate George Russell, who ended up one place ahead and now has 23 more points than Hamilton this season.
In the end, a contrary strategy for Russell worked well as, from a disappointing 12th on the grid, he ran a long first stint on hard tyres before switching to mediums, whereas Hamilton, like most of the field, went the opposite way after starting sixth.
It meant the Mercedes duo were together on the road in sixth and seventh, Hamilton just ahead, during a Safety Car period following a collision between Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris – and it gave the 37-year-old the option to make a cheap pit-stop to shed his hard tyres for a set of mediums or even softs to tackle the last 10 laps.
‘Strategy Calls’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-strategy-calls/
Hamilton "between a rock and a hard place" in Miami - Wolff
Monday 9 May 2022 04:00
Sam Hall
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has conceded Lewis Hamilton was "between a rock and a hard place" with his decision not to pit during a late safety car period in the Miami Grand Prix.
Mercedes team-mate George Russell took advantage and stopped for fresh tyres after running up until that point on the hard tyre on which he had started, and after informing his team he wished to remain on track and gamble on a safety car.
In contrast, Hamilton faced a lose-lose situation where both stopping and remaining on the track would cost him track position. "I think he was between a rock and a hard place because the safety car clearly came out in a situation that wasn't favourable for him and was favourable for George in the back," said Wolff.
‘Rock and Hard Place’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82143/hamilton-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place-in-miami-wolff/
Lewis Hamilton: 'I was giving it everything' in Miami GP
08 May 2022
Formula 1.
A philosophical Lewis Hamilton is content that the team "got the points" after the Mercedes driver finished P6 in the inaugural Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome.
‘Giving it everything’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.lewis-hamilton-i-was-giving-it-everything-today.1732298148634573760.html
Lewis Hamilton still underwhelmed at rate of Mercedes progress
May 8, 2022
by Hugh Farrell
Lewis Hamilton believes that Mercedes’ team are coming on leaps and bounds with their car, but considering how far behind they were, he doesn’t think they’re getting there quickly enough.
“That’s a much better qualifying session I’ve had from the last three races,” said Hamilton after the Miami GP qualifiers.
“I’ll take that and we’ll keep on chipping away. So much amazing work has gone on in the background, everyone’s working so hard.”
‘Better Qualifying Session’;
https://punditarena.com/other-sports/hugh-farrell/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-progress/
Fortitude
9th May 2022, 15:09
How much should Miami F1 defeat worry Ferrari? Our verdict.
Max Verstappen has now taken 27 points out of Formula 1 title rival Charles Leclerc’s championship lead in the last two grands prix.
8th May 2022,23:56
The Race.
So while Ferrari’s Miami defeat was ultimately only a narrow one, it would still have hurt – particularly because Verstappen came through from behind an all-Ferrari front row to win, and having had a very messy practice build-up. How worried should Ferrari be? Here are our writers’ thoughts:
GLENN FREEMAN: RED BULL’S STRAIGHTLINE SPEED IS WINNING IT
EDD STRAW: VERSTAPPEN IS BECOMING A VERY MARGINAL FAVOURITE
GARY ANDERSON: RED BULL’S APPROACH HAS BIG RACE DAY BENEFITS
SCOTT MITCHELL: FERRARI’S DEVELOPMENT PACE IS KEY NOW
JOSH SUTTILL: WINNING AMID SUCH MESS BODES WELL FOR VERSTAPPEN
‘The Verdict’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-much-should-miami-f1-defeat-worry-ferrari-our-verdict/
Leclerc disappointed that Ferrari lacked pace to fight Verstappen in Miami
08 May 2022
Formula 1.
Charles Leclerc said Red Bull’s superior tyre management during the Miami Grand Prix meant they were too quick for Ferrari as the Monegasque surrendered victory to title rival Max Verstappen.
“Yes, I’m disappointed,” said Leclerc after the race. “We are very strong in terms of tyre warm up so at the beginning of every run we are strong. But after four, five laps they [Red Bull] seem to stabilise the tyres in a better window and there they are just quicker than us and it’s very difficult for us to do anything.”
“But it’s like this and we need to work on that. It’s pretty clear what’s going on and hopefully we’ll get better at it as quick as possible. It is going to be a long championship,” said Leclerc. “It seems that they had the upper hand for two weekends now in race pace especially, and we need to take back the advantage as soon as possible.”
‘Long Championship’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.leclerc-disappointed-ferrari-lacked-pace-to-fight-verstappen-in-miami.5VA8ll76FRQjSesyozxJY.html
F1 recap: What we learned at Miami GP 2022, from Ferrari money worries to Max Verstappen’s reliability
Max Verstappen looks like the man to beat when Red Bull can give him a car that gets to the finish while Ferrari say they will have to be disciplined over spending on upgrades
May 9, 2022 11:38 am
By Kevin Garside
Chief Sports Correspondent
Max Verstappen took victory in the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, a race held in sweltering conditions that only really came alive courtesy of a late safety car. But what did we learn from F1’s first trip to Florida?
The mind games have started Unlike Red Bull, Ferrari’s first big upgrade of the season is scheduled for Barcelona. So far, the team in red have stuck largely with the car that started the season, and team principal Mattia Binotto expressed surprise at Red Bull’s ability to upgrade by the race under new financial constraints.
“If there is a concern it is how much they are developing considering the budget cap,” Binotto said. “But as well as a concern it is maybe a hope because at some stage they will need to stop, otherwise I will not understand how they will do that. We do not have the money to develop every race.”
‘Ferrari money worries’;
https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-one/f1-recap-miami-gp-2022-what-learned-ferrari-money-worries-max-verstappen-reliability-1618726?ITO=newsnow
Leclerc: Upgrades important, we need to keep pushing
9 May, 2022
Jad Mallak
Charles Leclerc had to settle for second place at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, but stressed that Ferrari should start updating their F1-75, claiming upgraded will be important.
“It was a very difficult race physically,” Leclerc said after the race. “We struggled quite a bit on the medium tyres in the first stint and got overtaken. It made our race a bit more difficult from that moment onwards. On the hard we were very competitive and towards the end I thought I could get Max at one point but today they had the advantage in terms of pace.”
“We need to keep pushing,” the 24-year-old insisted. “Upgrades will be important and I hope now we can do a step up from the next race on wards. It has been an exciting beginning to the season and that’s what we like to see.”
‘Keep Pushing’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/09/leclerc-upgrades-will-be-important-we-need-to-keep-pushing/
Sainz feels Ferrari 'got what we deserved' with Miami result
9th May 2022, 08:30
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Mike Seymour
Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari got the result they deserved at the Miami Grand Prix, on a weekend that Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrated victory at the Hard Rock Stadium.
"It wasn't easy at all," admitted Sainz after the race. "It's been a tough race with the tyres, with the heat. The car was moving and sliding a lot, but in the end, we got what we deserved.”
"It was a decent P3, we can build up from here. I want more, but it was not bad."
‘Building from here’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-feels-ferrari-got-what-we-deserved-in-miami
Ferrari defend decision not to pit Leclerc and Sainz under Safety Car
Charles Leclerc finished second behind Max Verstappen at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix.
9 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Ferrari have affirmed that it was not worth pitting onto a fresh set of tyres during the late Safety Car at the Miami Grand Prix. Max Verstappen was comfortably leading Charles Leclerc heading into the closing stages of the race when the Safety Car was deployed following a crash between Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris, allowing the Monegasque to put pressure on the reigning champion.
However, he had done so on old Hards, leaving question marks as to why Ferrari opted to keep their two drivers out on track. Team Principal Mattia Binotto thought it best to stay out on track.
“We believe that, in terms of format, our used tyres would have been stronger to a new one,” he said. “So we decided simply to stay out because we believe that was the best chance for us to have a good warm up and try to attack in those first laps, which is what happened.”
‘Not Worth Pitting’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-defend-decision-not-to-pit-leclerc-and-sainz-under-safety-car/
Ferrari defends virtual safety car pit strategy
NEWS STORY
09/05/2022
At the precise moment the virtual safety car was deployed in the wake of Lando Norris' clash with Pierre Gasly, race leader Max Verstappen had just passed the pit lane entrance. However, the Ferraris behind hadn't. Speaking after the race, Christian Horner admitted that Ferrari's decision not to pit one or both of its drivers and switch them to softs for the final stint probably cost the Maranello outfit the race.
"We got lucky," he told Sky Sports. "Max had crossed the pit line while it was a VSC. Then your worst nightmare... it went full Safety Car and that gives Leclerc and Sainz a free stop.”
“Thankfully they missed it with both of their cars," her continued, "so we were effectively still on the same strategy, or they would have had a significant advantage. We were let off the hook by Ferrari just through timing," he admitted. "They could have put a soft on and they had a free stop.”
‘Free Stop Lost’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72454/Ferrari-defends-virtual-safety-car-pit-strategy
F1 news: Charles Leclerc disappointed Red Bull’s tyre management gave Max Verstappen edge in Miami Grand Prix
May 9, 2022 8:46 am
By Katherine Lucas
“We are very strong in terms of tyre warm up so at the beginning of every run we are strong,” Leclerc said. “But after four, five laps they [Red Bull] seem to stabilise the tyres in a better window and there they are just quicker than us and it’s very difficult for us to do anything.
“But it’s like this and we need to work on that. It’s pretty clear what’s going on and hopefully we’ll get better at it as quick as possible.”
Ferrari’s problems were small fry compared to those of Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton left furious when his race engineer asked him to make a vital call on whether to take new tyres while behind the safety car.
‘Tyre Management Disappointment’;
https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-one/f1-news-charles-leclerc-red-bulls-tyre-management-miami-grand-prix-1618494?ITO=newsnow
Ferrari hopes Red Bull blowing upgrade budget
MAY 9, 2022
Grand Prix.
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto hopes Red Bull's latest progress is a result of the energy drink owned team pushing hard with car development early in 2022.
"In the last two races Red Bull have been faster by a couple of tenths," he told Sky Italia.
"We have to develop and work now, but we hope Red Bull has spent a lot already. Let's hope they have less money than us.
‘Ferrari Hoping’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/ferrari-hopes-red-bull-blowing-upgrade-budget.html
Fortitude
10th May 2022, 06:17
Bottas was watching Russell and Hamilton battle before costly mistake.
Valtteri Bottas says that he was watching the battle between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton unfold in his mirrors just before he made a costly mistake in the latter stages of the Miami Grand Prix.
10th May 2022, 13:45
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
With Russell getting closer, Bottas was busy keeping an eye on what was going on behind in his mirrors. "As he was overtaking Lewis, I was kind of following them in the mirrors, because they were getting pretty close," he explained.
"[I was checking in case] I need to close the door or something, and I just brake a fraction too late. "I missed the apex in the last corner, just a tiny bit, and then I got to the dirty tarmac, and it felt awkward because I was going so slowly. [The car was] understeering, and I just couldn't turn the car, and I hit the wall.
"Luckily, I didn't break anything, [and] didn't have a puncture."
‘Watching the battle unfold in the mirrors’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-was-watching-russell-and-hamilton-battle-before-costly-mistake
Valtteri Bottas: P5 in Miami GP 'would have been possible' without Safety Car
08 May 2022
Valtteri Bottas says that "without the Safety Car P5 would have been possible," as the Finn reflects on Alfa Romeo's positive pace and his P7 finish in the 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome.
‘P5 Possible’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.valtteri-bottas-p5-in-miami-gp-would-have-been-possible-without-safety-car.1732297348369821070.html
Bottas distracted by Mercedes duel: 'I braked a fraction too late'
09/05/2022 at 08:27
Phillip van Osten
With ten laps to go, as he monitored his lead over the battling Mercedes duo, the Finn overshot his braking at Turn 17, put a wheel outside the racing line and understeered off course. "I was kind of following them in the mirrors as they were getting pretty close, [whether] I needed to close the door or something.”
"I braked a fraction too late, mixed the apex in the corner a tiny bit, then I got to the dirty tarmac and felt awkward as I was going so slowly, understeering, hit the wall, luckily didn’t break anything or get a puncture."
By the time Bottas had collected himself, his Mercedes rivals had left him in the dust in seventh position. The Alfa charger lamented the small mistake that potentially deprived him of a second consecutive top-five finish, but also felt encouraged by his car's pace. "I think today, without the Safety Car, P5 should have been possible. So, we're strong.”
‘Distraction, braked too late’;
https://f1i.com/news/440866-bottas-distracted-by-mercedes-duel-i-braked-a-fraction-too-late.html
Miami ‘payback’ is Bottas and Alfa’s best yet
May 8 2022
By Matt Beer
The novelty of seeing Valtteri Bottas’s Alfa Romeo lining up ahead of his former employer Mercedes on 2022 Formula 1 grids isn’t quite wearing off yet.
And his Miami Grand Prix qualifying effort was the most impressive so far – not because he’s in front of erstwhile team-mate Lewis Hamilton on row three, but because of the odds against which his fifth place was achieved.
Bottas was the first to find out how much the Miami street track can bite when he spun into the wall on his 14th lap of Friday practice and had to miss the rest of the day’s running at the tricky new track as a result. Damage to the exhaust and consequently the Ferrari engine’s turbocharger meant Alfa Romeo quickly knew it would have too much to do in the two hours between Friday sessions.
‘Impressive Valtteri Bottas’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/miami-payback-is-bottas-and-alfas-best-yet/
Bottas’s new boss thinks his Mercedes reputation was deceptive
May 6 2022
By Scott Mitchell
Valtteri Bottas’s reputation “suffered” in the shadow of Lewis Hamilton and he is underrated as a Formula 1 driver, reckons Alfa Romeo team boss Frederic Vasseur.
Asked by The Race if he thinks Bottas is underrated, Vasseur said: “I think so. I think that he suffered a little bit about this. “The fact is if you have a look on the gap between Valtteri and Lewis in qualifying it was less than 0.2%.”
Switching to Alfa Romeo to lead its recovery in F1’s midfield has made Bottas a focal point for the first time. His typically strong qualifying form has been supported by good race performances as well, while off-track he has been praised for the effort he has made to help rookie team-mate Zhou Guanyu and motivate the team.
‘Mercedes Reputation Deceptive’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/bottass-new-boss-thinks-his-mercedes-reputation-was-deceptive/
2022 Miami Grand Prix - Sunday
May 9th, 2022
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN brought home another strong points finish in the inaugural Miami Grand Prix as Valtteri Bottas finished in seventh place. Unfortunately, Zhou Guanyu’s race came to a premature end with a technical issue when he was making good progress towards the points.
The six points gained cement the team’s fifth place in the constructors’ championship as we climb to 31 points from the first five races of the season.
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal: “It shows how much progress we have made this year that we’re actually a bit disappointed with P7 – which is a really good result in itself. We were really strong out there today and we ran most of the race comfortably in P5, just behind the two Red Bulls and Ferraris: the timing of the Safety Car really affected us, nullifying Valtteri’s advantage over the two Mercedeses. Still, bringing home six points is a positive result and another gain for our championship standings, but we know we can improve even more.
‘Alfa Romeo F1 Team UPBEAT’;
https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsport/f1-news/2022-miami-grand-prix-sunday/
Fortitude
10th May 2022, 13:01
'I was too aggressive' admits Alonso after taking two penalties – as Ocon calls Miami ‘the hardest race’ of his life.
Ocon managed to score points in P8 and, after starting 18th due to a crash in FP3 that saw him miss qualifying.
10 May 2022
Formula 1.
Fernando Alonso’s scoreless streak has now stretched to four races after he accrued two penalties in the Miami Grand Prix, the Spaniard admitting that he was at fault for a clash with Pierre Gasly – while Esteban Ocon was left pleased with a comeback from P18 to P8.
Esteban Ocon: “Extremely pleased – I think it was more than a mountain to climb today,” he said. “You know, from strategy calls to tyre management to all the radio chat we had, it was perfectly executed today. And yes, big shoutout to the guys for building my car overnight; there was a lot of work behind the scenes and today we made it. So we can be proud.”
“Pace of the car felt good. Especially at the end of the hard on the first stint we were catching most of the cars and the first of the other cars with the old tyres. So that was really satisfying at the time,” he explained. Alpine head to Spain – Alonso’s home race – with 26 points as they sit sixth in the championship behind Alfa Romeo and McLaren.
‘Good Pace’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.i-was-too-aggressive-admits-alonso-after-taking-two-penalties-as-ocon-calls.7E03WXkWYVQobdCTa1ryrF.html
Esteban Ocon 'extremely pleased' to score points in 'perfectly executed' race.
08 May 2022
Esteban Ocon is "extremely pleased" to have scored points with a P8 finish in the 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, and praised his Alpine team for a "perfectly executed" race strategy at the Miami International Autodrome.
‘Perfectly Executed Race’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.esteban-ocon-extremely-pleased-to-score-points-in-perfectly-executed-race.1732296585014791738.html
Ocon’s physical condition was “50%” in race after 51G practice crash
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 9th May 2022, 0:5
Written by Hazel Southwell
Ocon was unable to qualify for the Miami Grand Prix after heavily damaging his car during a final practice crash into the concrete barrier at turn 14. He recovered to eighth in the race, which he described as being “a victory for us. I do think there was clearly a mountain to climb for all of us. But I think from the strategy to the radio calls, the tyre management, everything was perfect today.”
He admitted he felt in poor shape after his crash, which registered an impact of 51G. “To end up in the points being 50% physically as well for me feels like a win.”
‘Feels Like a Win’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/09/racefans-round-up-09-05-5/
Ocon didn't enjoy racing at '50 per cent physically' in Miami
10/05/2022 at 09:34
Phillip van Osten
Alpine's crews were unable to build up a new chassis in time for qualifying but Ocon was authorized to start Sunday's race from the back row of the grid.
"It is a different challenge, for sure," he said after his grueling drive. "It can go wrong, it can go right. Today it went right, but it's not very enjoyable to race being 50 per cent physically. It's as hard as Singapore here in terms of humidity and heat."
Ocon was first and foremost grateful to his Alpine crews for tirelessly working to supply him with an impeccable car after his FP3 crash. "What a race! A big thank you to the team for all the hard work overnight putting back together what was a pretty broken car after that big shunt in practice on Saturday," he said. "They are the real stars this weekend.”
‘Tirelessly Working Rebuild’;
https://f1i.com/news/440993-ocon-didnt-enjoy-racing-at-50-per-cent-physically-in-miami.html
Ocon tried to defy team orders in Miami Grand Prix
Date published: May 10 2022 - Michelle Foster
Told by Alpine to “slow down” to build a gap to help his penalised team-mate, Esteban Ocon told the team that he “can’t do it” as he didn’t want to risk losing positions himself. The Spaniard, though, was facing a five-second penalty for his dive-bomb on Pierre Gasly and therefore needed his team-mate to hold up the Williams to get him that five-second of breathing room.
Ocon initially defied the team, saying it was “not possible”.
Engineer: We need a margin of seconds for Fernando, who has a penalty, slow down the cars behind, please. Do it now, please do it now.
Ocon: I can’t do it!
Engineer: Esteban, stop the cars.
Ocon: They’re going to overtake me if I do that! I can’t let myself down, guys, it’s not possible, I say it.
Whether he did eventually help or Alonso found a burst of speed, the Spaniard crossed the line 5.237s ahead of Albon meaning he only lost one position, P8, to his own team-mate.
‘Defying Team Orders’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteban-ocon-tried-defy-team-orders-miami/
Fortitude
11th May 2022, 07:27
Albon’s red hair superstition pays off with P9 in Miami.
“No upgrades are ever needed, you just need to dye your hair!” he told Sky Sports F1.
Date published: May 8 2022 - Sam Cooper
Alex Albon’s red hair superstition has paid off after he scored points for the second time this season at the Miami GP. The Williams driver arrived at the Miami circuit sporting a new red hairstyle and later explained that the peculiar choice of colour had become a superstition for him.
Albon went on to reveal a pact between himself and the team that could end with the whole garage having red hair. “Before the weekend started, we did say that if I score points this weekend, the whole team are going to dye their hair red,” he said.
“I just went to the engineering room and they’re all starting to backtrack their comments. They’re all like ‘oh no it was a podium’ and I’m like ‘no it wasn’t!'”
‘Red Hair Upgrades’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albon-red-hair-miami-grand-prix/
“Leaving Miami with more points is really special” – Alex Albon
By Nick Golding
May 10, 2022
Albon was very happy with his second points finish of the season after finding “the pace that I knew we had”.
“Today we found the pace that I knew we had all weekend. We had a tough Qualifying yesterday which meant we were slightly out of position with a well-performing car, so overtaking was possible and we made good progress.”
“We had a little bit of fortune with some of the cars ahead of us getting caught up in incidents, but the important thing is that we were in a position to make the most of those opportunities when they came. The team did a great job today, especially with the strategy, and so leaving Miami with more points is really special.”
‘Points Really Special’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/leaving-miami-with-more-points-is-really-special-alex-albon/
Strategy, not luck, earned Williams’ points finishes – Albon
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 11th May 2022, 0:01
Written by Keith Collantine
In the round-up: Alex Albon says Williams’ opportunities to score points are down to the team’s strategy and not to luck.
After scoring a ninth-place finish in the Miami Grand Prix, thanks partly to Fernando Alonso’s penalty, Albon said his points-scoring finishes. “I don’t even call it luck” that was producing Williams’ good results.
“I think we were, again, optimistic on strategy and stayed out when everyone else pitted,” Albon explained. “We took our chances like we always keep doing and that’s just putting us in situations where we’re looking at points.”
‘Williams Strategy’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/11/racefans-round-up-11-05-5/
Lucky red hair ‘here to stay’ jokes Albon after snaring P9 in Miami Grand Prix
10 May 2022
Formula 1.
Alex Albon wound up with an eye-catching mop of red hair after visiting an orphanage in Thailand ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. Scoring his first point of the season for Williams in Melbourne, he decided to stick with the change of look – and after narrowly missing out with P11 in Imola, it brought him luck once again in Miami, as he came home a brilliant ninth.
“To be honest, qualifying was just the anomaly. Obviously, we understood the car all weekend, we just didn’t understand the car in qualifying, so we will look back at that and figure out what went wrong,” he said.
But whatever the cause of his lowly qualifying slot, Albon more than atoned on race day. After working his way up the order from P18, he was running P12 when Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher collided, promoting him into the points come the chequered flag.
‘Snaring P9’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.lucky-red-hair-here-to-stay-jokes-albon-after-snaring-p9-in-miami-grand-prix.3gpMOTWyFygNBttqqwyZd9.html
Albon won't let Williams crews backtrack on points bet
10/05/2022 at 08:18
Phillip van Osten
Alex Albon scored in Miami his second top-ten finish of the season, an impressive result that involved a pledge by his Williams crews that he has every intention of seeing them uphold. Ahead of last month's Australian Grand Prix, Albon dyed his hair red in solidarity with a group of children from an orphanage he had visited in Thailand who were supporters of Liverpool football club and who had painted their hair red.
After finishing just outside the points at Imola, Albon added more red dye for Miami while his crews committed to also painting their hair red if he succeeded in scoring a top-ten finish in Florida.
"We did say that if I scored points this weekend the whole team were going to dye their hair red. I just went to the engineering room and they’re all starting to backtrack their comments like: Ah no, it was a podium’."
‘No Backtracking’;
https://f1i.com/news/440986-albon-wont-let-williams-crews-backtrack-on-points-bet.html
The dye is cast for Albon at Williams
NEWS STORY
10/05/2022
While others continue to struggle, Alex Albon has discovered the perfect way to improve his competitiveness... without the need for costly upgrades that break the budget.
"We got it dyed before Melbourne and we finished tenth and then as the dye faded away, we finished 11th In Imola. So it started to affect the performance," he added. "So, we re-dyed it, hoping for more points."
However, racing in the intense Miami heat was not without its problems. "My balaclava is like soaking red, it's bright red," he revealed. "All the dye has leaked. It looks like I've been beheaded...
P9: The Dye is Cast’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72462/The-dye-is-cast-for-Albon-at-Williams
Williams’s Miami GP ‘anomaly’ wasn’t its lucky points haul
18 hours ago
By Edd Straw
“If you look at the whole weekend, I’d say this is much less surprising than Melbourne,” said Albon. “We were in the top 10 for two out of three practice sessions and we were genuinely there – it wasn’t low fuel or anything like that.”
“So to get P10 [on the road] is what I felt we should have been all weekend. “Of course, we lucked into a few collisions with the cars in front but we were right behind them and catching as well. It was a strong weekend for us.”
“The anomaly is qualifying and we need to understand where to get the performance back because we got it in Bahrain [reaching Q2] and we just lost our footing a little bit. We had the brake issue in Imola, fuel issue in Melbourne and here we just couldn’t switch the tyres on. So it’s looking very positive.”
‘Strong Weekend’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/williamss-miami-gp-anomaly-wasnt-its-lucky-points-haul/
Fortitude
12th May 2022, 05:29
Driver debrief by Aramco: Miami Grand Prix.
Lance Stroll finished 10th at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix to score one point for Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team.
09.05.2022
Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team.
Lance fought from the pitlane to gain nine positions en route to his top-10 finish while a late collision forced team-mate Sebastian Vettel to retire.
After securing 10th on the grid in Saturday's qualifying session, a pre-race fuel temperature issue forced Lance to start the Grand Prix from the pitlane.
By starting on the Hard tyre, the Canadian took advantage of the most durable compound to run long into the race and rise to a high of 10th position in the pit phase.
‘Top 10 finisher Lance Stroll’;
https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/on-track/driver-debrief-by-aramco-miami-grand-prix
Stroll promoted to 10th after Alonso receives second five-second time penalty
2022 Miami Grand Prix
Posted on 8th May 2022, 22:43
Written by Keith Collantine
After the race Alonso was given a second five-second time penalty. The stewards ruled he “left the track at turn 14 and gained a lasting advantage.” He was given a total of three points for the two incidents.
The additional penalty dropped Alonso from ninth place to 11th. Lance Stroll, who originally finished 12th, was therefore promoted to the final points position, Daniel Ricciardo also having been penalised.
‘P10: Lance Stroll’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/08/stroll-promoted-10th-after-alonso-receives-second-five-second-time-penalty/
Lance Stroll frustrated with result after 'reasonable pace' in Miami
08 May 2022
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll found the inaugural Miami Grand Prix "frustrating" after the Canadian was forced to start in the pit lane at the Miami International Autodrome and suffered contact on the race restart.
‘Frustration’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.lance-stroll-frustrated-with-result-after-reasonable-pace-in-miami.1732295068733054324.html
Vettel branded ‘Superman Seb’ amid Hamilton’s row with FIA
Sebastian Vettel and Sir Lewis Hamilton have both spoken out against Niels Wittich's clampdown on jewellery in Formula 1.
10 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Sebastian Vettel has earned himself a new nickname from Formula 1 fans after his defiance of the reinforcement of the fireproof regulation.
Race Director Niels Wittich has put his foot down on the safety issue this weekend in Miami, emphasising that the drivers must wear the appropriate clothing while in the cockpit. “Drivers and co-drivers participating in the championship listed below [Formula 1] must wear overalls as well as gloves, long underwear, a balaclava, socks and shoes homologated to the FIIA 8856-2018 standard,” he said in his notes, before telling the drivers of the detrimental impact wearing metallic artefacts in the car can have.
In protest of the clampdown, Vettel donned a pair of underpants over the top of his overalls ahead of Friday practice in Florida, prompting Motorsport.com to compare him to superman.
‘Is it a bird, is it a plane? NO, it is ‘Superman Seb’. ‘
https://formula1news.co.uk/vettel-branded-superman-seb-amid-hamiltons-row-with-fia/
VETTEL ON CRASH WITH SCHUMACHER: “WE LOST A GOOD OPPORTUNITY”
10th May 2022, 07:42
Dalila Zanardo
The crash between the two Germans, which happened while they were fighting for P9, was less than ideal, as admitted by Sebastian Vettel post-race and as reported by Formula 1: “I didn’t expect it, let’s put it that way. Obviously, a shame that we made contact and both of us out of the race, out of the points. That’s a shame.”
Vettel agreed with the stewards in considering the contact an unfortunate racing incident, while being sympathetic to Schumacher: “I’m disappointed for Mick and myself obviously that the two of us lost a good opportunity to score points today. I don’t know, I did not expect him, I need to have a look again. When I saw him, it was obviously too late, so we made contact.”
‘Opportunity Lost’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/vettel-on-crash-with-schumacher-we-lost-a-good-opportunity/?nowprocket=1
Fortitude
12th May 2022, 12:39
Tsunoda says lack of pace was ‘so frustrating’ as he drops out of points in Miami.
AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda couldn’t add a second consecutive points finish to his tally after a tough Miami Grand Prix, in which he started ninth but finished a disappointing 12th.
12 May 2022
Formula 1.
“From Lap 1, just no grip at all,” said Tsunoda after the race. “I just really struggled to just keep up the pace and I got overtaken quite a lot. After that, even in free air, struggled to increase my own pace, just no pace at all today.
“It’s the complete opposite to last time [at Imola], so frustrating – so it is what it is, we have to keep moving forward.”
The team’s Technical Director Jody Egginton added that Tsunoda’s soft-tyred stint was his strongest, and the team need to analyse why the 22-year-old – his birthday landing on the Wednesday after the Grand Prix – couldn’t find his feet on mediums or hards.
‘Frustrating’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tsunoda-says-lack-of-pace-was-so-frustrating-as-he-drops-out-of-points-in.7xzH69v2poxGdtKJE1V75g.html
Yuki Tsunoda: We had no grip and 'no pace today'
08 May 2022
AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda "struggled to keep up the pace" from the beginning to the end of the 2022 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.
‘No Grip, No Pace’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.yuki-tsunoda-we-had-no-grip-and-no-pace-today.1732294887036873826.html
Gasly: Alonso collision led to Norris accident
Date published: May 9 2022
Michelle Foster
Pierre Gasly says contact with Fernando Alonso, which damaged his AT03, was the catalyst for his accident with Lando Norris a lap later. Both Gasly and Norris retired from the Miami Grand Prix after crashing on lap 41 of the 57-lap race.
What led to that crash, though, started one lap earlier. Gasly had been hit by the Alpine of Alonso as the Spaniard tried to dive up the inside of Turn 1, causing contact.
Although his car didn’t feel right, the Frenchman tried to stay out to see if it was just a momentary thing but, heading back to the pits on the next lap having conceded that it was game over, he moved over to allow cars through. Back on track to take the corner, he was clipped by Norris with the McLaren crashing into the wall.
‘Game Over’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre-gasly-alonso-collision-lando-norris-accident/
Alonso offers apology for 'destroying' Gasly's Miami GP
Tuesday 10 May 2022 16:00
Ewan Gale
The two-time F1 world champion was aiming to make up for lost time at his pit stop when making a move on Gasly, a manoeuvre described by the Frenchman as a 'divebomb'.
The resultant damage led to Gasly slowing and clashing with Lando Norris' McLaren, with both drivers retiring and triggering a late safety car period. "It was my mistake, I broke too late," conceded Alonso.
"We were ready to give back the position but he was in the pits at that time so I have to pay those five seconds and then the safety car was right and perfect for the hard [tyre] starters once again. So we lost a couple of places there."
‘Divebomb Apology’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82217/alonso-offers-apology-for-destroying-gasly-s-miami-gp/
Gasly: Norris came and clipped my front left tyre
10 May, 2022
Jad Mallak
Pierre Gasly offered his view of what went down between him and Lando Norris at the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, blaming the Briton for clipping his front left tyre.
“I was trying to turn right to give room, and then Norris came and clipped my front left tyre,” he claimed. Gasly revealed that Norris apologized for the incident: “We spoke, he came to apologise, but unfortunately it’s not going to give us back the points.
“It’s a big shame,” he went on. “I’m extremely disappointed because it was a great afternoon. We had a brilliant start, passing Lewis [Hamilton] into Turn 1, running in P7 after that.”
‘Not going to give us back the points’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/10/gasly-norris-came-and-clipped-my-front-left-tyre/
Fortitude
13th May 2022, 13:39
Ricciardo compares Miami asphalt to driving on his Australian farm.
Lewis Hamilton compared some sections of the Miami International Autodrome to a B&Q car park, but Daniel Ricciardo says it reminded him of his outback farm, due to the lack of grip.
10 May 07:50
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Ricciardo admitted that F1 stars may come across as "spoiled" when complaining that the sport's newest venue proved difficult to drive on, but did concede to having struggled to fight due to the nature of the surface.
When asked if the surface was acceptable for F1, Ricciardo told select members of the media, including RacingNews365.com: "I want to say no, but, obviously, that could just be us being too spoiled.
"But let's say, for what we have been used to - let's just put it like that - it's certainly a little more outback spec.
‘Outback Spec Australian Farm Track’;
https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-compares-miami-asphalt-to-driving-on-his-australian-farm
Miami GP track "turning into crap" during race - Norris
Wednesday 11 May 2022 09:25
Ewan Gale
Lando Norris has revealed the Miami Grand Prix track surface was "turning into crap" throughout the inaugural running of the Florida event.
Asked about whether the racing spectacle was better than expected given the track conditions, Norris replied: "It was tricky. "Honestly, I think it is a good race track. It is just the track surface is not what it needs to be. It is not at the level it needs to be for Formula 1.
"We come here, everyone expects a great race and we just can't do it because of the surface we are racing on. You see every time someone goes a little bit wide, you lose two seconds. I think also the track is tearing up and literally turning into crap so we have to start using all these kerbs because if you stay on it, it is just like oil or something. “
‘Turning into crap’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82289/miami-gp-track-turning-into-crap-during-race-norris/
Why McLaren left Ricciardo ‘dehydrated’ in Miami
Date published: May 13 2022 - Jon Wilde
Daniel Ricciardo has revealed he was left thirsty during an energy-sapping Miami Grand Prix in order for McLaren to save weight. A drinks bottle is a staple requirement in every race but especially one as taxing as Miami – and Ricciardo, who finished 13th, says his fluid had not been at full capacity as McLaren tried to limit the weight of his car.
Asked if the conditions had been comparable to races such as Singapore and Malaysia, Ricciardo told Motorsport.com: “Yeah, it’s got that heat factor to it. It’s tough as well because everyone’s obviously fighting for that last bit of weight.
“So we don’t have the luxury of putting three litres in the drink system. So we have a little bit, and it’s never enough fluid. So naturally you’re gonna get dehydrated. And yeah, this heat was pretty real.
‘Saving Weight’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-dehydrated-miami/
Daniel Ricciardo's wild hotel night: F1 star says he didn't just trash his room - 'I trashed the whole floor' - as teammate Lando Norris reveals how he got chucked out of the Hilton pool.
By Stirling Taylor For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 01:57, 13 May 2022
The Aussie McLaren star shared antics of his hotel nights with teammate Lance Norris in a panel discussion at the Hilton x McLaren party before last weekend's Miami Grand Prix.
'We got kicked out of the pool. We were being naughty in the pool and everyone, not just me, got kicked out ... we went up to the rooms and had a nice party,' Norris said. 'I apologise if there were any disturbed people ... it was good fun.'
Ricciardo thanked Hilton for their loyalty to McLaren, with the hotel chain putting the team's drivers up since 2005.
‘Wild build up to Miami Grand Prix’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10811591/Daniel-Ricciardos-wild-night-F1-star-says-trashed-floor-hotel.html
No satisfaction in McLaren being quickest Mercedes-powered team at Imola – Seidl
2022 F1 season
Posted on 28th April 2022, 13:31
Written by Keith Collantine
“I don’t take any pleasure by being, for a single weekend, in front of Mercedes,” he said. “Our aim when we wake up in the morning is to win races.
“We know we are not in a position to do that at the moment because we are not there yet in our journey of getting everything in place that we need in order to fight regularly for race wins. But that’s what we are focussed on.”
McLaren’s priority, says Seidl, remains building up its resources to become regular contenders for victory again.
‘Close the gap’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/04/28/no-satisfaction-in-mclaren-being-quickest-mercedes-powered-team-at-imola-seidl/
Why the Miami GP was a 'reality check' for McLaren
11 May 16:00
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
After the high of Lando Norris' podium last time out at Imola, McLaren endured a much tougher weekend at the Miami Grand Prix. Team boss Andreas Seidl has explained the reasons behind their change in fortunes.
Norris retired following a collision with Pierre Gasly on Lap 41 of 57, and Ricciardo ended the day in 13th, meaning that the team came away with no points.
Seidl believes that McLaren's stronger outings at Melbourne and Imola may have been track and temperature-specific, and also thinks that the team's performance at the Miami International Autodrome brought them back down to earth somewhat. "We didn't have the performance that we had at the previous two race weekends," Seidl told media, including RacingNews365.com.
‘Reality Check’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-the-miami-gp-was-a-reality-check-for-mclaren
FIA will "learn from mistakes" after Miami driver safety rebuke.
Lando Norris hopes the FIA will 'learn from its mistakes' after failing to act upon F1 safety concerns at the Miami Grand Prix.
Thursday 12 May 2022 11:44
Ewan Gale
After his crash on Friday, Ferrari driver Sainz called for the addition of a Tecpro barrier to limit the impact of crashes. The FIA dismissed concerns but when Ocon crashed his Alpine at a relatively low speed, the 51g registered impact drew further concern from the grid. The A522 required a chassis change, whilst Sainz experienced neck pain throughout the weekend.
Asked whether the discussion would continue between drivers and the FIA, McLaren driver Norris said: "I don't know. I think we will discuss it as drivers with the FIA in Barcelona. I guess we learn from mistakes, I hope they learn from what happened.”
"As drivers, we understand things differently to someone who isn't driving the car and I think it is just important that when we give advice, it is taken on board and there are actions done, especially when I think there is a much bigger consequence of not having the Tecpro there than having a Tecpro there for instance, and something simple.”
‘FIA Dismissed Concerns and Tecpro’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82292/fia-will-learn-from-mistakes-after-miami-driver-safety-rebuke/
McLaren 'pragmatic' after scoreless Miami
Friday 13 May 2022 10:40
Sam Hall
Andreas Seidl has reflected "pragmatically" on McLaren's second scoreless weekend of the season after Lando Norris came together with Pierre Gasly in Miami.
"I see it quite pragmatically. It doesn't matter who is guilty. The result is zero points, and it's a racing incident," explained team principal Seidl after the stewards' deemed no investigation into the incident was necessary.
"Unfortunately, we simply didn't maximise everything, and we had the incident with Lando, which is why we scored zero points and is obviously disappointing."
‘Scoreless Pragmatism’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82437/mclaren-pragmatic-after-scoreless-miami/
Fortitude
14th May 2022, 04:44
Schumacher “gutted” following Vettel collision in Miami.
It came to a crashing end for Schumacher though, after the German went for an audacious move on his “mentor”. The move saw Schumacher collide with Vettel, resulting in the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team driver retiring immediately. Schumacher went on to finish fifteenth, after pitting for a nose change.
May 13, 2022
By Nick Golding
Mick Schumacher’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix came to a disappointing end, the German was involved in a late incident with Sebastian Vettel which saw the young German’s hopes of scoring his first Formula 1 points diminish.
“The car was really good so I’m gutted that we didn’t get to stay in position – I think it was our best race so far this year. We’re all racers, we’re all trying, and it was always going to be tough to keep new tyres behind us and it was very unfortunate to end the race in that way. We were on the road to getting points, but we’ll have to wait some more.”
‘Gutted’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/schumacher-gutted-following-vettel-collision-in-miami/
Haas F1 Team Suffers Late Disaster in Miami.
The Haas F1 team made gains from its eighth-row lockout in qualifying as both Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen crept into points contention late in the Formula 1 Miami GP Sunday.
May 9, 2022
BY PHILLIP HORTON
Schumacher took a late restart from ninth while Magnussen was 13th and on fresh tires. But Schumacher’s race unravelled after he clashed with Sebastian Vettel while Magnussen had two separate incidents following the restart with Vettel’s Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll.
The outcome was that Schumacher came home 15th while Magnussen pulled into retire on the last lap but was formally classified 16th.
Guenther Steiner lamented the late drama as Haas’ wait for a point on home soil continues. “Clearly not the day we wanted – especially this being one of our home events,” he said.
‘Miami Disaster’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a39938034/haas-f1-team-suffers-late-disaster-in-miami/
Mick Schumacher 'very gutted' not to score first F1 points in Miami.
08 May 2022
Mick Schumacher is "very gutted" not to have scored his first Formula 1 points in the 2022 Miami Grand Prix, after a late clash with Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel saw the Haas driver tumble down to P15 at the Miami International Autodrome.
‘Very Gutted’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.mick-schumacher-very-gutted-not-to-score-first-f1-points-in-miami.1732296184287832055.html
Krack points finger for crash at ‘over-zealous’ Schumacher
Date published: May 13 2022
Michelle Foster
Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack has put the blame for Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher’s Miami crash firmly on the shoulders of the Haas driver. Racing for points at the Miami International Autodrome, Vettel overtook his young mentee only for Schumacher to fight back almost immediately.
The Haas driver tried to retake the position up the inside of Vettel, but instead made contact. Vettel retired as a result while Schumacher lost out on his first F1 World Championship points as he had to pit for a new nose cone, finishing last of the classified runners.
Krack believes the 24-year-old has only himself to blame. “He [Vettel] was in ninth place, which would have meant valuable championship points,” the German told Auto Bild. “Unfortunately, Seb then dropped out through no fault of his own when he met the over-zealous Schumacher.”
‘Finger pointed at Schumacher’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mike-krack-blame-mick-schumacher-miami/
Magnussen disappointed to leave 'the hardest race I've ever done' without points
12 May 2022
Formula 1.
Haas finished their first home race of the season without points, Magnussen failing to see the flag having collided with Lance Stroll late on, and Mick Schumacher being classified 15th after crashing into Sebastian Vettel in the races final stages. Magnussen said the blistering heat added another challenge to his Sunday.
“It was the hardest race I’ve ever done, it was unbelievably hot,” he said. “I had to do that last stint with damage to the front wing but even with that damage we got ourselves into a position to fight for P10.”
“We were catching Alonso and he had a time penalty, but it is what it is – we tried everything we could and didn’t get points, onto the next one.”
‘Pointless Hardest Race’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.magnussen-disappointed-to-leave-the-hardest-race-ive-ever-done-without.5e2e5WW2Y58zkTJiByEfKQ.html
Steiner says Haas eager to see Schumacher ‘come up to the level’ of Magnussen and score his first F1 points
07 May 2022
Formula 1.
There’s a widening gulf in the drivers’ standings between Haas racers Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher – with Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner saying ahead of the Miami Grand Prix that he was keen to see his young German charge score his first F1 points and get up to the level of F1 returnee Magnussen.
Speaking in Miami, Steiner was asked about Schumacher’s currently point-less situation, and whether he felt Schumacher had nonetheless made a “big step” in performance over the winter.
“I wouldn't say a big step over the winter. I think when he got in this year, he had a reference,” replied Steiner. “There was a reason why we took Kevin back, because otherwise we would feel stupid as well, 'why did you take him back?' We know what he can do, and obviously Kevin is a good driver. And for Mick now, he has got a reference and he just needs to come up to that level, but he knows that, and he's got a good opportunity to do that.”
‘Wouldn’t say a Big Step’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.steiner-says-haas-eager-to-see-schumacher-come-up-to-the-level-of-magnussen.42W0qUlVpIzl7X7lEJurM5.html
‘Mick and Steiner don’t fit like K-Mag and the boss do’
Date published: May 12 2022 - Michelle Foster
Following Guenther Steiner’s criticism of Haas’ Miami Grand Prix double DNF, Ralf Schumacher says Mick Schumacher and the boss “don’t fit together in character”. This season marks Schumacher’s second on the Formula 1 grid with Haas, but still the German remains point-less.
With Magnussen also failing to score, the Dane involved in an incident with Lance Stroll, Steiner – a man not known for holding back – was not impressed. We are leaving with nothing,” said the Haas team boss. “Well, not with nothing, we are leaving with broken parts.”
Ralf told F1 Insider: “Mick and Steiner don’t fit together in character. An outwardly tough guy like Kevin Magnussen suits Steiner better.” Ralf, though, concedes the Miami result must have been “extremely annoying because it cost points”.
‘Leaving with broken parts’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mick-schumacher-guenther-steiner-fit/
Haas left to rue late drama as Schumacher’s wait goes on
10th May 2022, 23:24
by Phillip Horton
Haas was left to lament separate incidents during the closing stages of Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix as it saw its hopes of points fall by the wayside.
The result kept Haas eighth in the Constructors’ Championship, remaining a point behind AlphaTauri, which also failed to score. “Clearly not the day we wanted – especially being one of our home events,” said Haas team boss Guenther Steiner.
“The pace in the car was there and it was demonstrated by both drivers, but once again we got unlucky with some events on track.”
‘Pointless wait goes on’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/05/10/haas-left-to-rue-late-drama-as-schumachers-wait-goes-on/
Fortitude
15th May 2022, 04:45
Mercedes ‘flying in the fog’ as W13 continues to mystify them.
“We have been [struggling] straight from the beginning, flying in the fog a little bit,” said Wolff, quoted by GPFans.
10 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
The consensus is that the Silver Arrows’ almost complete lack of sidepods have caused detrimental exposure to the floor, which might explain why they are suffering from so much “pospoising,” but Wolff has been adamant that he would rather understand why their current setup is not working rather than blindly switch to another concept.
But gaining a comprehension of the temperamental machine is evidently easier said than done. “And it is clear that there is potential in the car and she is fast but we just don’t understand how to unlock the potential.
“It is a car that is probably super-difficult to drive on the edge, dipping in and out of the performance window, more out than in, and dissecting the data with a scalpel is just a painful process because it takes a long time.”
‘W13 Foggy’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/mercedes-flying-in-the-fog-as-w13-continues-to-mystify-them/
Wolff: Saturday experiments produced 'bouncing kangaroo' W13
08/05/2022 at 11:21
Phillip van Osten
The Austrian warned that improving Mercedes' Silver Arrow would require a trial-and-error process. While Friday's performance – with George Russell topping the timesheets in FP2 – appeared to show progress, Saturday's trial was clearly an error according to Wolff.
In qualifying, Russell failed to make the top-ten shootout, the Briton complaining that his car was a totally "different beast" compared to Friday despite running a similar set-up.
But Hamilton clocked in P6, and claimed that he had enjoyed his best qualifying in the last three races while admitting that no real step forward had been achieved.
‘W13 Kangaroo Bouncing’;
https://f1i.com/news/440664-wolff-saturday-experiments-produced-bouncing-kangaroo-w13.html
Russell confused after W13 feels ‘a totally different beast’
07/05/2022, 23:26
by Phillip Horton
George Russell says he and Mercedes are struggling to understand his slump during Saturday’s action at Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix.
Russell set the pace on Friday at the Miami International Autodrome but lacked performance throughout Saturday’s sessions.
Explaining the impact the bouncing has on the car’s potential Russell said: “It’s just like the rear of the car is hopping around and you don’t have any support or stability of the rear.
‘W13 Different Beast’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/05/07/russell-confused-after-w13-feels-a-totally-different-beast/
Toto Wolff confident in W13 potential despite continuing issues
Published: 10 May 2022, 19:23
By George Dagless
Toto Wolff has said that the Mercedes W13 car still has potential to be competitive, even if the team are still struggling to really get on top of it.
There’s cause for optimism for Mercedes fans as both drivers and Wolff, as well as other senior team members, have said that they feel as though the car has huge potential in terms of it being competitive – they just need to find a way of unlocking it at the moment.
Speaking recently, Wolff again said he felt that the car is sound in design, and if they can unlock the potential it has they will make great strides: “It is a car that is probably super-difficult to drive on the edge, dipping in and out of the performance window, more out than in, and dissecting the data with a scalpel is just a painful process because it takes a long time.”
‘W13 Sound Design, W13 Competitive Potential, W13 Huge Potential’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88006101-toto-wolff-confident-in-w13-potential-despite-continuing-issues
Toto Wolff discusses idea of Mercedes reverting to previous W13 version
Published: 10 May 2022, 12:05
By George Dagless
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has said that he will not rule out the team going back to an old spec of their car if that is the right thing to do.
After Miami it was put to Wolff that if the Mercedes looked slower in Spain now than it did then, would he and the team consider going back towards that older spec, and this is what he had to say: “Well I wouldn’t discount anything, but we need to give all our people benefit of the doubt,” Wolff was quoted by Autosport.
“They have produced great race cars in the past and we believe that this is the route to go. Barcelona is definitely going to be a point in time where we are able to correlate with what we saw in February and gather more data.”
‘W13 Data Gathering’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88006048-toto-wolff-discusses-idea-of-mercedes-reverting-to-previous-w13-version
WOLFF ON THE STRUGGLING W13: “WE JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW TO UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL”
Five races into the season, the Mercedes team has yet to see improvements to the car.
09/05/2022, 19:07
Morgan Holiday
Despite being five races into the season without any noticeable improvements, Wolff maintains that the basic design of the car isn’t flawed. “There is potential in the car and she is fast,” he insisted. “But we just don’t understand how to unlock the potential.”
For now, Wolff and the team are confident that they can make the necessary improvements to the current car. But, they know that if they can’t sort their problems out soon, they’ll have to reevaluate the entire design.
Wolff has cited the timeline for making major changes to the car. He said “I would be asking for an answer after Barcelona and then we have to look ourselves in the mirror and ask: ‘Did we get it wrong or not?”
‘W13 Misunderstood’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/wolff-on-the-struggling-w13-we-just-dont-understand-how-to-unlock-the-potential/?nowprocket=1
Mercedes hints at reverting back to old-spec W13 after Barcelona
• 10/05/2022, 10:54
• Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Mercedes has given its first hint it could decide to revert back to its old-spec Formula 1 car if it remains unable to cure its porpoising issues.
Wolff concedes its previous car concept is “much slower on paper” than the ‘zero-pod’ design, but is determined to fix the current W13’s sensitivity to porpoising. While Wolff stressed Mercedes is committed to making the ‘zero-pod’ concept work, he said a decision on which route it takes for the rest of the year must be made.
“I think we are still committed to the current concept – and you need to be,” Wolff said. “If you don’t believe, and you give the other one a 50 per cent chance, then you’ve got to switch now. We are faithful to the current concept. We are not looking at the lady next door to see if we like it more or not. It’s still good.”
‘W13 Zero-Pod Commitment!’;
https://readmotorsport.com/2022/05/10/mercedes-hints-at-reverting-back-to-old-spec-w13-after-barcelona/
Fortitude
16th May 2022, 07:41
Leclerc and Binotto comment on Ferrari’s upcoming aero upgrades.
“In the next races it will be at least our turn to try to develop as much as we can the car by introducing upgrades,” said Binotto.
15 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto estimates that Red Bull gained two tenths of a second per lap as a result of the upgrades they introduced at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Ferrari gave new engines to Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the last two but, asides from skids on the back of the car to help with stability and limit “porpoising,” have not added anything major to the car since the beginning of the year.
They intend to do so in the Spanish Grand Prix in just over a week, with adaptations expected to be made to the sidepods and wings.
‘Ferrari Upgrades’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/leclerc-and-binotto-comment-on-ferraris-upcoming-aero-upgrades/
Ferrari boss concedes Red Bull have pace advantage, warns ‘it’s our turn’ to bring upgrades
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto believes that Red Bull have “a couple of tenths” over the Scuderia at present, but he aims to pull it back as the development battle continues.
15 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Red Bull implemented changes to their RB18 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was described as a “risk” by adviser Dr Helmut Marko due to the lack of preparatory time that weekend, but the reported 5kg weight loss and two-tenth improvement helped Max Verstappen to victory, before he overcame Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to win again in Miami.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto: “In terms of performance assessments, and how much they [Red Bull] developed compared to us, is that a concern? I would say not,” he said, quoted by Autosport.
“I don’t think that the difference is huge. It is a matter of maximum a couple of tenths and we should not forget that [in Miami] we locked the front row. In qualifying we had a better performance compared to the Red Bull, so overall, in a weekend, I don’t think there is much difference between the Red Bull and the Ferrari.”
‘Ferrari’s turn for Upgrades’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-boss-concedes-red-bull-have-pace-advantage-warns-its-our-turn-to-bring-upgrades/
Binotto hoping budget cap curbs Red Bull's progress
15/05/2022
NEWS STORY
Ferrari boss, Mattia Binotto is hoping that the limitations of the budget cap will compromise Red Bull's upgrade programme as the championship battle develops.
Believing that a package of upgrades will be more effective than incremental changes Binotto is doubtful whether Red Bull can maintain the development programme which has allowed it close the gap.
"I always said that you should have wait five races at least to assess the proper competitiveness within the cars," said the Italian. "Now five races has gone, we are leading both championships which is great, so we should not be too disappointed.”
‘Ferrari believe upgrade packages to be MORE effective’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72478/Binotto-hoping-budget-cap-curbs-Red-Bulls-progress
Ferrari ramp up Red Bull mind games by aiming budget cap accusation at F1 rivals
21:19, 14 May 2022
By Neil Moxley
Ferrari have kicked off the mind-games with rivals Red Bull as the Formula One season hots up. The Scuderia have fired the first shots in what is shaping up to be a new rivalry as long-time leaders Mercedes struggle to get with the pace. Whispers from the pit-lane suggest that Red Bull has already splashed more of its budget on car upgrades than their Italian rivals.
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto caused a stir with his comments. He said: “I hope at some point Red Bull can no longer develop, because there’s a budget cap for a reason. If they can, then I don’t understand (why).”
Binotto hinted that Red Bull has already spent a lot more of the $140m budget cap than his team. However, insiders in Max Verstappen’s camp believe this is little more than hot air. They have pointed to re-structuring within the team - fewer of the team travel to the track and more work is carried out in the Milton Keynes factory.
‘Ferrari mind games’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ferrari-red-bull-mattia-binotto-26966982
Marko uses Sainz to hit back at Ferrari’s budget cap talk
Date published: May 14 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
Red Bull’s Helmut Marko dismissed talk from Ferrari about his team’s budget usage, adding that Carlos Sainz’s crashes must be taking a toll.
However, put to him by Motorsport-Total.com that there were reports of Red Bull already using up 75% of its development budget, Marko dismissed that as “nonsense”. “I don’t think we are in a significantly different position than Ferrari in this respect,” he added.
The Spaniard has suffered several big shunts in the early stages of the 2022 season, the most recent occurring in Miami as he crashed out of the second practice session on Friday. So, Marko says these repair jobs will be impacting Ferrari’s available budget. “Especially as I wonder what effect it has on them that Carlos Sainz has already crashed the car several times,” Marko continued. “That can’t be cheap!”
‘Crashing Ferrari’s isn’t cheap’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-carlos-sainz-crashes-costing-ferrari/
Marko ponders Ferrari’s development budget after Sainz crashes
14th May 2022, 17:17
by Fergal Walsh
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto questioned Red Bull’s current development speed, and believes that its ongoing pace of manufacturing and fitting new upgrades can’t be sustained. However, Marko doesn’t think that Red Bull has spent significantly more of its budget than Ferrari across the opening portion of the season.
“I don’t think so,” Marko told Motorsport-Total.com. “It’s true that the increased logistics costs are a problem. But it’s not just us, it’s Ferrari and all the other teams.”
“We plan our updates in such a way that we always lose weight with each update, because unfortunately we still haven’t reached the minimum weight. And we won’t quite reach it with the next update either.”
‘Ferrari Crashing Costs Questioned’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/05/14/marko-ponders-ferraris-development-budget-after-sainz-crashes/
Charles Leclerc crashes Niki Lauda's iconic 1974 £1m Ferrari into wall at Monaco
As he approached the La Rascasse corner the Monacan lost control, following a break failure in the 48-year-old vehicle.
19:05, 15 May 2022
By Joshua Lees Sports Trends Writer
Following his crash in Lauda’s historic car the Monacan took to Twitter, writing: “When you thought you already had all the bad luck of the world in Monaco and you lose the brakes into rascasse with one of the most iconic historical Ferrari Formula 1 car."
The famous car was used by Lauda in 1974, and helped him secure victory in the Spanish Grand Prix and the Austrian Grand Prix on the way to a fourth-placed finish in the standings that year. This is not the first time the vehicle has been crashed, after Jean Alesi did just that at the same event as Leclerc’s nightmare last year.
‘Niki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari F1 car brake failure’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/charles-leclerc-niki-lauder-crash-26971165
Fortitude
17th May 2022, 06:09
Red Bull admit they won’t make weight with major Spanish GP upgrade.
Red Bull adviser Dr Helmut Marko has confirmed that the upgrade his team are bringing to the Spanish Grand Prix will not quite enable them to reach their “minimum weight.”
15 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
The Milton Keynes side are said to have lost up to 5kg with the changes they made ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix a few weeks ago, and it has helped Max Verstappen to two wins on the trot in Imola and Miami.
The Austrian outfit looked quicker than Ferrari in both of those races, and that is despite still not managing to get their weight down to the 798kg limit set by the FIA. While they are starting to get there, Dr Marko confirms that they will need to wait until after the Spanish Grand Prix before they do.
“We plan our updates in such a way that we always lose weight with each update, because unfortunately we still haven’t reached the minimum weight and we won’t quite reach it with the next update either,” he told Motorsport-Total.com.
‘Waiting to get to the minimum weight, 798Kg’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/red-bull-admit-they-wont-make-weight-with-major-spanish-gp-upgrade/
Newey doesn’t agree that ‘things are looking pretty good’ for Verstappen and Red Bull
Red Bull Racing claimed their second win in a row after Max Verstappen stormed to victory at the inaugural Miami Grand Prix.
14 May 2022
by Nick Golding
Verstappen performed brilliantly on Sunday at the Miami International Autodrome, following a somewhat disappointing qualifying. The Dutchman missed out on the majority of Friday practice, after suffering yet more reliability issues. A mistake on his final Q3 lap saw the reigning champion qualify in third, behind both Ferraris.
With Red Bull appearing to have the fastest car this season, Newey was asked on the F1 Nation podcast if “things are looking pretty good” for the team. “It’s so close, you really can’t say that,” he said.
“We’ve only got to look back at last season, [and] the few races where we had some pretty good, dominant wins – Austria, Mexico – and then the next race it swings around. You really can’t be relaxed at this point, that’s for sure.”
‘So close, can’t be relaxed’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/newey-doesnt-agree-that-things-are-looking-pretty-good-for-verstappen-and-red-bull/
Horner: Very hard to bring continuous development
16 May, 2022
Jad Mallak
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner revealed that continuous car development during the 2022 Formula 1 season is very hard due to the cost cap and current inflation. The Briton was reviewing his team’s campaign so far in 2022 after Miami, while looking ahead to the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
Horner was quoted by F1’s official website saying: “You saw in Imola how quickly things can move around and I think we’ve got some interesting races coming up. The car’s running well. We’ve got some developments coming hopefully later in the summer that will help as well. We need to save a little bit of weight.”
“You can always improve everywhere,” he added. “We need to improve the slow [corner] stuff, we need to lose a couple of kilos off the car; tyre deg is then the result of weight so it’s all those little incremental gains that you’re always chasing.”
‘Continual Incremental Development’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/16/horner-very-hard-to-bring-continuous-development/
Verstappen rates Perez's performances amid Red Bull renewal talk
14 May 16:10
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Max Verstappen has given his backing to teammate Sergio Perez, who is in the process of negotiating an extension to his Red Bull contract. After the Miami Grand Prix, Perez revealed that he and Red Bull have commenced talks over a new contract for the 2023 season.
When asked about Perez's performances this season, Verstappen believed Red Bull were happy with his teammate's efforts, noting that Perez appeared more comfortable in the car since the regulation changes at the start of the campaign.
"It seems like he's a lot happier in the car, so that's really good for the team," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365.com. "Of course, I think it helps to have a year with the team, and I think the new rule changes also helped, because everyone had to start from zero."
‘Sergio Perez Performances Rated’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-rates-perezs-performances-amid-red-bull-renewal-talk
Verstappen urges Red Bull to resolve 'hit and miss' reliability.
Max Verstappen has called on Red Bull to continue to focus on the reliability issues that have hampered their 2022 championship campaign.
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Despite Verstappen's victories in Saudi Arabia, Imola and Miami, retirements in Bahrain and Australia have resulted in a 19-point deficit in the Drivers' Championship to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. The race-winning weekend at the Miami International Autodrome also suffered an early setback with hydraulics issues in Friday practice, which threatened to reduce his chances of victory.
Verstappen's Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, also suffered a sensor issue partway through the race en route to fourth place, hampering his efforts to take the final podium position. "We're still having a few issues that we have to solve," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365.com.
"We are quick but, as you could see, my Friday was terrible, which is not great if you want to have a good weekend. Also Checo [Perez] had a few issues in the race, so we have to be on top of that. Clearly there is a lot of potential and we just need to make sure it's reliable."
‘Lot of potential, need to solve reliability’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-urges-red-bull-to-resolve-hit-and-miss-reliability
Horner reveals "brutal" factor in F1 upgrade race
Friday 13 May 2022 07:00
Ewan Gale
Whilst the new regulations have seen radical changes for every team on the grid, Red Bull has had another headache to contend with. The Milton Keynes-based outfit was known for its extreme rake angle during the previous generation of F1 with the front of the car pointed into the track surface and the rear wing sat up in the air.
Yet ground-effect aerodynamics dictates low-running, low-rake designs, adding to Red Bull's understanding period. "Obviously it is very different this year with the set-up," explained Horner.
"We are running... there is no rake in the car essentially. We have developed a car that has good straight-line speed and we have seen that at pretty much every race this year."
‘Car with no rake’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82421/horner-reveals-brutal-factor-in-f1-upgrade-race/
Christian Horner predicts Verstappen v Leclerc could go down to the wire
Published: 16 May 2022, 12:47
By George Dagless
Red Bull’s Christian Horner has said that the fight between his team and Ferrari and their drivers could go down to the wire, similarly to 2021. “Look, there is a long, long way to go and it is so tight with Ferrari. There has been some great racing,” said Horner.
“You can see there is a great respect between Charles and Max, they are enjoying racing each other, you can see that. I was rather hoping we weren’t set for another competitive year like last year but it looks like this one could well go all the way as well.”
It’s proving a very exciting battle between the two drivers at the moment and another battle between them is very possible this weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix.
‘Going down to the wire’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88008552-christian-horner-predicts-verstappen-v-leclerc-could-go-down-to-the-wire
Fortitude
17th May 2022, 19:02
Why Barcelona will be a reference point for teams in F1's development race.
The Spanish Grand Prix weekend will offer F1 teams a valuable reference point as to how far they have been able to develop their cars during the opening five races of the season, says Williams driver Nicholas Latifi.
16 May 16:10
Author Tom Leach
F1 returns to Europe after a busy weekend in Miami, with an interesting reference point approaching in the upgrade battle. After a weekend of rest following the Miami race, F1 will head back to Barcelona this weekend for the first time since pre-season testing. It was this behind-closed-doors test that allowed teams to run their newborn cars in anger.
But since then, developments have been bolted on in the quest for either more performance or fixes for gremlins, with the return visit giving teams a chance to see how far - or not - they have come.
So far, Red Bull appear to have made the most progress, closing in on Ferrari and securing back-to-back race wins in Imola and Miami. However, the Spanish GP could bring big upgrades throughout the field.
‘Big Upgrades and Development Reference Point’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-barcelona-will-be-a-reference-point-for-teams-in-f1-development-race
Ferrari aiming to reduce drag with Spanish GP upgrades
Both Ferrari and Red Bull are bringing upgrades to the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix as the championship battle intensifies.
16 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
A new diffuser is among the changes that Ferrari are making to their F1-75 at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix as they look to improve the straight-line speed of their 2022 challenger.
Ferrari plan to amalgamate different parts that they have been testing in recent rounds of the championship, including the new “skids” they brought to the Miami Grand Prix.
The floor they used at the controversial tyre test in Imola was the same one that they had already used in pre-season testing in Barcelona, but changes have now been made after they managed to cross reference its performance, and the floor in Spain should now be the optimum version of it.
Ferrari Diffuser Upgrade’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-aiming-to-reduce-drag-with-spanish-gp-upgrades/
Mercedes admit they could bring radical upgrade for Spanish GP
The new technical regulations have wreaked havoc with Mercedes in 2022.
10 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
They unveiled a new design of the W13 at the second pre-season test in Bahrain which saw the sidepods all but removed from the car, leaving the underbody exposed as the resulting extrusion only seemed to aggravate the bouncing.
New winglets in Imola did little to improve their fortunes, but a revised front and rear wing as well as much a much thinner wing beam appeared to make somewhat of a difference, but their pace was still a long way away from Red Bull and Ferrari.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said that anything is possible as the Silver Arrows ponder the changes they might make in a bid to improve the performance of the car.
‘Mercedes Radical Upgrade’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/mercedes-admit-they-could-bring-radical-upgrade-for-spanish-gp/
Red Bull to develop even bigger aero upgrade package after Spanish GP
Red Bull's upgrade at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix has helped Max Verstappen to two consecutive victories.
17 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Red Bull are reported not to have exceeded 18 percent of their development budget in 2022 amid reports that they had almost exhausted it.
They are so happy with their current situation within the spending cap, in fact, that they have already begun work on an upgrade for the British Grand Prix in Silverstone which is set to feature “major aero changes.”
Assessing the areas of improvement are part of the reason that Ferrari have waited until the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend to unleash their first batch of major upgrades, which include a new diffuser and a revised floor. Red Bull were slightly less circumspect in their approach, and they opted to bring their first evolution of the RB18 to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
‘Red Bull Bigger Upgrade After Spanish Grand Prix’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/red-bull-to-develop-even-bigger-aero-upgrade-package-after-spanish-gp/
McLaren outline aims for Spanish GP after Miami struggles
17/05/2022, 14:30
Author Anna Francis
Like many teams, McLaren will be bringing updates to their car in Barcelona, and Norris is optimistic about the impact this could have.
"The team are working flat out to bring upgrades to the car as we speak, so hopefully that will give us the boost we need as we head into this double-header. Let's keep at it!" the Briton added.
Team boss Andreas Seidl: "We are bringing some upgrades to the car for the weekend. I know it's been an extremely busy week or so for many of the teams making changes ahead of Barcelona, so it's going to continue to be a tight fight for points.”
McLaren Updates and Upgrades for a boost’;
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-outline-aims-for-spanish-gp-after-miami-struggles
Norris: McLaren working flat out to bring upgrades
16 May, 2022
Editor
McLaren are working flat-out to get upgrades to their car for this weekend’s 2022 Spanish Grand Prix, so says their driver Lando Norris who suffered a DNF in Miami last time out. Zak Brown’s team may fancy a shot at dysfunctional Mercedes, who are currently ahead of them on points. But it is early days.
In the McLaren preview of the Grand Prix weekend in Spain, Norris revealed: “The team are working flat out to bring upgrades to the car as we speak, so hopefully that will give us the boost we need as we head into this doubleheader. Let’s keep at it!”
Team principal Andreas Seidl confirmed: “We performed well at this track in pre-season testing so it will be interesting to see how our car will perform with the upgrades we’ve made since then. Hopefully we can have some good battles and get both cars back into the fight for good points,” concluded Seidl.
‘Flat Out McLaren Upgrades’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/16/norris-mclaren-working-flat-out-to-bring-upgrades-to-the-car-spanish-gp-preview/
Alfa want ‘easier’ Barcelona weekend with new upgrades
Date published: May 16 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
Alfa Romeo will roll out the upgrades for the Spanish Grand Prix, which they hope will be a trouble-free race weekend.
The ideal scenario is a clean, productive run through the practice sessions, gathering as much data as possible, but such an experience has been hard to come by over at Alfa Romeo, with Valtteri Bottas losing out on a big chunk of practice time in Imola and Miami.
So, team boss Frederic Vasseur is now very much hoping for a change of fortunes come Barcelona. “I would love to have a more easy weekend, something very calm with good sessions,” he told Motorsport.com.
‘Alfa Romeo Hope Upgrades, Trouble Free and Easy’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-romeo-spanish-gp-upgrades/
Alpine to bring new F1 rear wing to Spanish GP
May 17, 2022, 4:06 PM
By: Jonathan Noble
Co-author: Matt Somerfield
Alpine is to bring a new rear wing to Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix as part of its upgrade push to help Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon.
With a lot of squads bringing developments for Spain, Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has revealed that the most notable upgrade for its A522 will be at the back of the car.
“We’ve got a new rear wing coming for Spain,” he said. “It should be more efficient than the last time we ran there and it should be a little bit more performant, so we will have that for both cars.”
‘Alpine New Wing Upgrade’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alpine-new-rear-wing-spanish-gp/10305712/
Fortitude
18th May 2022, 06:40
Spanish Grand Prix 2022: Will F1 upgrade race mix up order?
With the teams racing at the venue that also held the first pre-season test, this poses the perfect comparison between start of season specifications against their upgraded packages.
Tuesday 17 May 2022 06:00
GPFans Staff
F1 returns to Europe for round six of the world championship at the Spanish Grand Prix with major updates expected from the majority of the grid.
‘Upgrade Order Mix Up’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82650/spanish-grand-prix-2022-will-f1-upgrade-race-mix-up-order/
Why Barcelona will be a reference point for teams in F1's development race.
16 May 16:10
Author Tom Leach
F1 returns to Europe after a busy weekend in Miami, with an interesting reference point approaching in the upgrade battle.
After a weekend of rest following the Miami race, F1 will head back to Barcelona this weekend for the first time since pre-season testing. It was this behind-closed-doors test that allowed teams to run their newborn cars in anger.
But since then, developments have been bolted on in the quest for either more performance or fixes for gremlins, with the return visit giving teams a chance to see how far - or not - they have come.
‘Reference Point’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-barcelona-will-be-a-reference-point-for-teams-in-f1-development-race
Haas still holding fire on upgrades for VF-22
16/05/2022 at 16:44
Phillip van Osten
Haas won't be introducing any updates for its VF-22 at this week's Spanish Grand Prix as the team holds off on its development programme "a little bit longer". "Normally Spain is the obvious place to bring upgrades and I think quite a few teams are planning them," said Steiner in Haas' Spanish Grand prix preview.
"We have decided to wait a little bit longer with upgrades as I still think we have performance in the car without them which we have to get on the track, so sometimes we achieve it, sometimes we don’t.
"We have a good upgrades package in about four or five races coming, so I’m confident about that and what the other ones are bringing, as of right now I don’t know, but I will know a lot more next Monday."
‘VF-22 Still Holding Fire On Upgrades’;
https://f1i.com/news/441339-haas-still-holding-fire-on-upgrades-for-vf-22.html
Szafnauer sets out Alpine’s programme of upgrades
Date published: May 16 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer spoke of a “constant flow of evolutions” for the A522, starting from the Spanish Grand Prix.
“There are parts for Spain, which is the sixth race,” Szafnauer told AS. “There will be parts two races later (Baku), and at the tenth race (Silverstone). It will be a constant flow of evolutions.”
“I expect the Alpine to be strong in Barcelona,” Szafnauer predicted. “It’s a circuit that suits us and a lot of people say that if you are strong in Barcelona, you will be strong in most places.”
‘Constant Flow Of Evolutionary Upgrades’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-upgrade-programme-revealed/
Will Mercedes give up on their W13? Spanish GP F1 talking points.
18 May 2022
F1 Connor McDonagh
The F1 Spanish Grand Prix could be the last chance for Mercedes to salvage the W13. After the Miami Grand Prix, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff refused to discount giving up on their current car concept but wanted to see how Barcelona plays out before making any drastic decisions.
“We are still committed to the current concept and we need to be, because if we don’t believe and we give the other one a 50 per cent chance, then you better switch now,” Wolff said.
“We’re faithful to the current concept. We’re not looking at the lady next door and if we like it more or not, because it’s still good. As a matter of fact, we need to understand - before you make a decision to switch to another concept – where did this one go wrong? And what is the goodness of the concept and what is the badness of the concept?”
‘W13 Concept’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1002870/1/will-mercedes-give-their-w13-spanish-gp-f1-talking-points
TECH TUESDAY: Charting Red Bull's 2022 upgrades before Ferrari aim to hit back in Spain
17 May 2022
Technical contributors
Mark Hughes and Giorgio Piola
Mark Hughes looks at Red Bull's race-by-race updates – with illustrations from Giorgio Piola – ahead of a crucial Spanish Grand Prix weekend.
But, ahead of what Ferrari hope will be upgrades which will neutralise those recent Red Bull gains, here we can summarise the changes which have made the RB18 such a formidable package, one in which Max Verstappen has won all three races in which he has finished.
‘Red Bull Updates Review’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tech-tuesday-charting-red-bulls-2022-upgrades-before-ferrari-aim-to-hit-back.2LLyA3rNfOVHStTHvJ2UHF.html
McLaren confirm updated MCL36 for Spanish GP
Date published: May 16 2022
Editor
McLaren’s MCL36 will be updated with new parts for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, the team’s first major changes of the season.
“We are bringing some upgrades to the car for the weekend,” McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl said in his official race preview. “I know it’s been an extremely busy week or so for many of the teams making changes ahead of Barcelona, so it’s going to continue to be a tight fight for points.”
“Having tested here back in February, we have more of an idea on what to expect under the new regulations than we do at other race weekends. It will be good to see where we can make improvements and put the upgrades we’re bringing to the test.”
‘Testing Upgrades’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-confirm-updated-mcl36-for-spanish-gp/
De Vries to get Williams FP1 run in Spain
17th May 2022
by Emer Hedderman
For the current Formula 1 season all teams must allow rookies, who have at most two Grand Prix starts to their names, to drive in at least two FP1 sessions over the course of the year. De Vries’ take over of Alexander Albon’s FW44 this Friday will see Williams as the first team to tick off one of those mandatory rookie slots.
The Dutchman, who became Formula E’s inaugural World Champion last season, has been the test and reserve driver for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team since 2020 but has only made appearances for them at the end of season Young Driver Tests.
‘Mandatory Rookie Slot’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/de-vries-to-get-williams-fp1-run-in-spain-79083
Fortitude
18th May 2022, 07:22
‘Maybe he should’ve stopped’: Hamilton is ‘mired in mediocrity’ and could ‘finally snap’.
Lewis Hamilton arrived at the Miami Grand Prix wearing three watches, a bracelet, a ring on every hand, and two necklaces.
May 13th, 2022 11:18 am
HOMEMOTORSPORTFORMULA-ONE
Jacob Polychronis from Fox Sports
Former driver Ralf Schumacher slammed the 37-year-old’s antics as “childish”. It can be hard to find sympathy for the most successful driver — and one of the best paid — in the history of F1.
The display might have been partly in jest, but it was largely in defiance, offering a telling glimpse into the mindset of Hamilton. The Briton is a picture of tranquillity when the going is good, but is no stranger to a tantrum when it gets tough.
Hamilton was said to be on the verge of retirement in the off-season given the sour taste the controversial Abu Dhabi decider of 2021 left. Since December’s shambles, it has been one gut punch after another for Hamilton, whose brooding has become a staple of F1 weekends. The most significant blow has been Mercedes’ shocking relegation from near-untouchable world rulers to the fringes of title battle, now dominated by Red Bull and Ferrari.
‘Three watches, a bracelet, a ring on every hand, and two necklaces’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2022-miami-grand-prix-spanish-gp-news-preview-lewis-hamilton-under-mercedes-pressure-george-russell-retirement-contract/news-story/6542db0e1d7fdebe8f8edbbf8171f3fd
Hamilton told ‘you just don’t drive’ as jewellery row with the FIA risks boiling over
The 2022 Formula 1 season has seen the introduction of two race directors, namely Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas.
17 May 2022
by Nick Golding
Sir Lewis Hamilton has one race remaining before being awarded a fine and a potential race ban, should he continue to race whilst wearing jewellery.
The British driver has received support from both fellow drivers and his team, however, McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl is less sympathetic on the matter.
“For me, it’s just a topic that gets a bit too much hyped up in the entire paddock– from drivers, but also from the media side,” said the McLaren boss, “If you don’t like to take off your jewellery, or if you don’t want to put the fireproof underwear on, you just don’t drive – it’s quite straightforward and simple.
‘One Race Remaining’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/hamilton-told-you-just-dont-drive-as-jewellery-row-with-the-fia-risks-boiling-over/
Hamilton furious at Masi return as Wolff reminded he doesn’t ‘run’ Formula 1
Mohammed ben Sulayem has not ruled out Michael Masi's return to Formula 1 as race director.
16 May 2022
by James Clifford
Typically, Formula One Management (FOM) the FIA and the teams themselves are involved in the bulk of the decision-making in the sport – and ben Sulayem reportedly wants to remind Wolff that he is not at the helm.
“He doesn’t want anything himself, financially or in any other way. He maybe feels that Toto has got a little ahead of himself. It’s not up to Toto to run Formula 1.”
With Wittich having presided over the opening four rounds of the season, Freitas is set to take the reigns at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.
‘Toto Wolf not at the helm’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/hamilton-furious-at-masi-return-as-wolff-reminded-he-doesnt-run-formula-1/
'Astonished' Lewis Hamilton made 'urgent phone calls' after FIA's Michael Masi comments
LEWIS HAMILTON was denied a world championship by Michael Masi's decision making in Abu Dhabi last year.
06:23, Tue, May 17, 2022
By SAM SMITH
An interview given by Ben Sulayem has apparently stunned Hamilton into making ‘urgent phone calls’. The Mercedes ace felt robbed of a world title last year after Masi made a contentious decision towards the culmination of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The departure of Masi came after pressure from senior figures at Mercedes. However, Ben Sulayem told the Daily Mail last week: “Michael is there and we might use him. We are open to everything.”
Masi’s sacking was seen as a victory for Mercedes, with team principal Toto Wolff publicly backing the dismissal. Masi was replaced by Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, who have alternated in the role for the first five races of the 2022 season.
‘Urgent Phone Calls’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1610881/Lewis-Hamilton-FIA-Michael-Masi-Mercedes-Toto-Wolff-F1-news
Ex-McLaren mechanic reveals engineers 'fought not to work on Lewis Hamilton's car'
LEWIS HAMILTON may have been underestimated by McLaren before his debut season in
05:07, Wed, May 18, 2022
F1. By CHARLIE GORDON
Former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley claims that the team fought to avoid Lewis Hamilton during his rookie season in favour of working with Fernando Alonso. The Brit defied expectations by going close to the world title in his first year as an F1 driver, despite having teamed up with a reigning double world champion.
The mechanics and engineers fought among themselves to work in Fernando's garage," Priestley told the Pitlane Life Lessons podcast. "People didn't want to work on Hamilton's car, because they didn't expect so much from him."
‘Lewis Hamilton Underestimated’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1611670/lewis-hamilton-mclaren-mercedes-fernando-alonso-f1-news
Lewis Hamilton using Red Bull’s harsh words as ‘fuel’ to bounce back
Sir Lewis Hamilton has scored points in four of the first five races in 2022, but his best finish of P3 came back in March.
14 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Sir Lewis Hamilton has revealed that racing in the midfield having become accustomed to winning is “still racing,” just not as he knows it.
Red Bull adviser Dr Helmut Marko joked that Hamilton “should have stopped” last year after his onerous weekend in Bologna, while 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve said the Briton is “not coping at all” with the changes caused by the ground effect aerodynamics.
Hamilton labelled such remarks “disrespectful,” but confirmed that they will only drive him forward. “That’s a part of life, naturally I’ve seen some of the things [from] people I’ve grown up admiring and even people in the sport that have come out with certain comments, some disrespectful, some just not particularly respectful of my name.”
‘Bounce Back Fuel’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-using-red-bulls-harsh-words-as-fuel-to-bounce-back/
Lewis Hamilton insists he is 'fuelled' by criticism and that he will 'come back stronger' following poor start to the Formula One season and retirement jibes from Red Bull chief Helmut Marko
Lewis Hamilton is already 58 point off the lead of the world championship
Published: 09:43, 7 May 2022
By Dan Ripley for MailOnline
Lewis Hamilton has vowed to prove his doubters wrong following one of his poorest starts to a Formula One season. 'People always love you when you're up, and love to kick you when you're down - and that's a part of life,' he stated.
“I've seen some things that people I've grown up admiring as a kid and even in my sport, that have come out with certain comments. Some disrespectful. I take that as fuel, I put that into the pot and I turn it into a positive and I'm going to come back stronger. We are going to come back stronger as a team.”
“Four, five, six, seven, ten bad races are not going to stop me doing what I love doing. They're not going to stop me in my tracks. I've been racing 29 years and have had way more difficult times than this and always bounced back. So it's not how you fall, it's how you get up. For those people it just highlights that nothing is going to stop me in my tracks.”
‘Criticism fuels, ‘Come Back Stronger’!’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10792107/F1-Lewis-Hamilton-insists-fuelled-criticism-come-stronger.html
Fortitude
19th May 2022, 06:45
LECLERC HAS LEAD, VERSTAPPEN MOMENTUM BEFORE SPANISH GP.
The defending Formula One champion has chipped away at Leclerc’s advantage by stringing together consecutive victories, reducing the difference to 19 points ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix.
18/05/2022, 10:38
By JOSEPH WILSON
The sixth event of the season promises to be yet another episode of the Red Bull vs. Ferrari rivalry that has completely eclipsed Lewis Hamilton’s struggling Mercedes.
“It’s not a surprise that we may have a package in Barcelona, which will be important for us,” Binotto said. “I hope the package we are introducing is working as expected and in that case, it can be a good boost in order to try and catch up the current gap we’ve got to the Red Bull.”
When Verstappen's car has not failed him, he has managed to get the better of Leclerc, a rival of his since the days they drove go-karts as youngsters.
‘Chipping Away Momentum’;
https://racing.ap.org/article/leclerc-has-lead-verstappen-momentum-spanish-gp
Ferrari motivated by extraordinary omen as F1 records to set to be broken - Spanish GP stats and facts
Ferrari are the most successful constructor here with eight victories and are seeking their first win on Spanish soil in nine years.
Wednesday 18 May 2022 17:30
GPFans Staff & Sundaram Ramaswami
If Sainz can claim the top step on Sunday, apart from it being his maiden race win in the sport, he’ll also become the fourth driver to win their home race in the hybrid era after Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Max Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc has an unenviable record on home soil, but for Carlos Sainz, it’s quite the opposite. The latter has a 100% points-scoring rate in Spain.
Sainz has had to suffer a few retirements this year but his last 4 race finishes have all produced podiums. Ferrari have taken pole position at this circuit on 7 occasions, the last of which came in 2008. Each time they’ve done that, they've won the Constructors' title that year.
‘Ferrari Omens’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/82743/ferrari-motivated-by-extraordinary-omen-as-f1-records-to-set-to-be-broken-spanish-gp-stats-and-facts/
Sainz determined to win in front of home crowd at Spanish GP.
19/05/2022, 07:00
Author Anna Francis
It has been a difficult start to the 2022 season for Carlos Sainz, but the Spaniard is being spurred on by the possibility of success in front of the local fans at the Spanish Grand Prix.
"The goal, as in every other race weekend, is to extract the maximum out of our car and try to win the Grand Prix," he explained.
"The fact that it's my home race makes it even more special because of all the fans and the support we get there, but in terms of goals, we need to always push and fight for the best result possible."
‘Goal to Extract the Maximum’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-determined-to-win-in-front-of-home-crowd-at-spanish-gp
Verstappen explains why Spanish GP will be a special weekend for him
18/05/2022, 17:00
Author Tom Leach
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was the scene of Verstappen's first-ever Formula 1 victory on his maiden weekend for Red Bull. The then-18-year-old had only recently been promoted from sister team Toro Rosso when he saw Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton crash out of the race ahead of him.
"I have a lot of good memories at the track, from my first win in Formula 1 back in 2016 when I was 18. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going from the last few races with a clean start from Friday onwards."
"Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is a track that we all know very well as a team, due to the amount of testing we have done there over the years so, unlike Miami, we have a substantial amount of data to use ahead of the race.”
‘Know the track so well’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-explains-why-spanish-gp-will-be-a-special-weekend-for-him
Verstappen: I’ve had some time to rest
18 May, 2022
Paul Velasco
After his sensational victory at the sweltering Miami Grand Prix, Max Verstappen looked like he needed a long rest and that’s what he got ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix where he starts as favourite.
Previewing the weekend in Barcelona the Red Bull driver said: “We had an incredible week in Miami, I’ve had some time to rest with my family since and now I’m looking forward to driving in Barcelona again.”
In contrast, Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez has a best finish of fourth in Spain, when he did so in 2017 but will fancy his chances of changing that record and, if the stars align for him, a victory is not out of the question, particularly if Max hits trouble in the sister car.
‘R & R’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/18/verstappen-ive-had-some-time-to-rest-before-2022-spanish-grand-prix-preview/
F1 LIVE - Perez sets sights on Spanish GP gift for newborn son
Wednesday 18 May 2022 16:45
GPFans Staff
Perez's new addition ahead of Barcelona
Sergio Perez has an extra incentive to secure a positive result at the Spanish Grand Prix having announced the birth of his newest child.
The Mexican previewed the weekend by saying: "Since Miami, I have had a new baby, Emilio, so it would be amazing to welcome him to the world with a great result." Congratulations Checo!
‘Perez Sets his sights on a positive result’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/67917/f1-live-perez-sets-sights-on-spanish-gp-gift-for-newborn-son/
Mercedes targets 'another step forward' in Spain but Hamilton questions progress
18 May 2022
Ben Issatt
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is hoping for "another step forward" at the Spanish Grand Prix after learning the lessons from Miami. Wolff is hopeful the push to solve the W13's problems will continue in Barcelona. “With the third quickest car underneath us, we extracted the maximum points possible in Miami,” the Austrian reflected in his Spanish GP preview.
While Wolff thinks Mercedes is on the path to progress, star driver Lewis Hamilton is less optimistic. “Unfortunately not," he said on if Miami had been a "positive step" for the team.
“We’re the same speed as we were in the first race and we just haven’t improved in these five races. But I’m hopeful at some stage we will. We just have to keep trying and keep working hard.”
‘After five races, speed is the same as the first race’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/15580-mercedes-targets-another-step-forward-in-spain-but-hamilton-questions-progress
Will Mercedes give up on their W13? Spanish GP F1 talking points
18 May 2022
F1 Connor McDonagh
Last chance saloon for the W13. The F1 Spanish Grand Prix could be the last chance for Mercedes to salvage the W13. Mercedes debuted their W13 back in the Barcelona test in February, wowing the F1 paddock with their innovative no sidepod concept.
Mercedes hope to use the data they’ve gathered this season to see whether they’ve actually improved since February when pre-season took place. It’s a crucial weekend for Mercedes as they continue to look to find answers about whether their season can be saved. It’s a big weekend for Mercedes.
Another uncompetitive showing from the eight-time champions could spell the end of the W13’s current car concept and thus making this year a potential right-off in terms of competing with Ferrari or Red Bull. On the other hand, Mercedes could find the answers they need, with the introduction of some new upgrades, to get their season back on track.
‘W13 Last Chance Saloon’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1002870/1/will-mercedes-give-their-w13-spanish-gp-f1-talking-points
Fortitude
20th May 2022, 08:18
Mercedes offer first glimpse of vital W13 car upgrades for Spanish GP after private test.
Mercedes have provided a first glimpse of the car upgrades they hope will get their season back on track at this weekend's Spanish GP.
Last Updated: 19/05/22, 7:05pm
By Matt Morlidge in Barcelona
F1's world champions for the past eight seasons have fallen well behind frontrunners Ferrari and Red Bull at the start of 2022's new era and the Spanish GP is crucial as Mercedes both bring much-needed updates, and compare them against the car they debuted at pre-season testing.
The W13 car was rolled into the garage on Thursday in Barcelona and - while there will be much more clarity around the new parts during Sky Sports F1's exclusively live Spanish GP coverage, starting Friday - there are already clues that the Silver Arrows have a few tricks up their sleeve.
There also appears to be subtle changes to the floor, an area of weakness for the porpoising Mercedes so far this year, with the edge of the floor tweaked on the W13. The changes follow a filming day for Mercedes at Paul Ricard on Wednesday, where Sky Sports understands Mercedes shook down the car they intend to run this weekend.
‘W13 Upgrades Glimpsed’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12472/12616642/mercedes-offer-first-glimpse-of-vital-w13-car-upgrades-for-spanish-gp-after-secret-test
Ferrari to bounce back this weekend? 2022 Spanish Grand Prix: what to watch for
F1 May 19th 2022, 10:47.
Author Edward Hardy
F1-75 is easier on the harder tyre compounds, will this come in handy for the Spanish Grand Prix? With its many turns, mostly mid-to-low speed, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is well known to be hard on the tyres.
The Spanish GP in recent years has been a two-stop race, so efficient tyre use is crucial for this weekend. Pirelli will be supplying teams with the C1 compound as hard tyre, C2 for the mediums and C3 for the softs – the hardest compounds for each tyre. This should come in handy for Ferrari – as pointed out by Mark Hughes, the F1-75 fires up the front rubber more readily than the Red Bull.
With the Ferrari getting its tyres up to a more efficient temperature quicker than the RB18, the two-stop strategy could favour the F1-75. Considering this, the signs point to a successful weekend for the Scuderia but we’ll just have to wait and see.
‘F1-75 Scuderia Favourite?’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/ferrari-to-bounce-back-this-weekend-2022-spanish-grand-prix-what-to-watch-for#
Spanish Grand Prix Picks and Predictions: Ferrari Fights Back in Blossoming Title Race
Publishing date: May 19, 2022
Author of the article: Alistair Corp
The European portion of the F1 calendar and a new phase of the season will get underway in Barcelona this weekend, with Spanish Grand Prix odds favourite Max Verstappen looking to continue to make up ground in the title race.
Adding a layer to race weekend at the Circuit de Catalunya is the importance this race has to the calendar. As the location of preseason testing, a track that has been in on the calendar for years, and one that’s fairly varied in its characteristics, it’s where teams will begin to bring in major upgrades to that season’s car.
This season has been defined by the blossoming title fights contested between Red Bull and Ferrari — and their drivers Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. Red Bull and Verstappen have the lead in wins, 3-2, while Ferrari and Leclerc have the lead in points, fastest laps, and pole positions. The fight appears to be one that will swing back and forth depending on the circuit and in saying that, Spain should see Leclerc extend his championship lead after Verstappen made major grounds in the previous two races.
‘Picks and Predictions’;
https://calgaryherald.com/sports/sports-betting/spanish-grand-prix-picks-and-predictions-ferrari-fights-back-in-blossoming-title-race
Max Verstappen: “Hopefully we can keep the momentum going” in Spain
May 19, 2022, 19:08
By Paul Hensby
Max Verstappen will look to continue his remarkable 2022 run of winning every time he finishes in this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
The Oracle Red Bull Racing driver has won three of the opening five races – as well as the sprint race at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – but retired in the other two races in Bahrain and Australia. He currently sits second in the Drivers’ Championship behind Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
After an ‘incredible’ week racing in Miami last time out, Verstappen is heading to Barcelona, the scene of his maiden Formula 1 victory back in 2016, with a lot of confidence, and he hopes the momentum Red Bull has had in recent races can continue.
‘Keep the momentum going’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/max-verstappen-hopefully-we-can-keep-the-momentum-going-in-spain/
Verstappen: It’s all going to be about car development
20 May, 2022
Editor
Max Verstappen said ahead of the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix that the race towards this year’s Formula 1 Title will be all about car development. Verstappen however is not concerned about his team’s development and said: “There’s plenty left in the tank!
“There’s always things we can do better, and I think at the moment the main one for us is reliability, so we’ll just try to get on top of that first. “I think we just have a team working really well on-track, but also back at the factory, it’s very efficient, and I think that, of course, with the cost cap is very important.”
“But I think we’re definitely one of the best on the grid with that,” the reigning World Champion added. “I expect us to do well here, but of course, you have to wait and see what the other teams are going to bring. We’ll see. I’m pretty relaxed. It’s a long season and I know that it’s all going to be about development in the car anyway. So, step by step, every race,” he explained.
‘Title will be all about car development’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/20/verstappen-its-all-going-to-be-about-car-development/
Major Aston Martin F1 car upgrade revealed before Spanish GP
Thu, 19 May 2022, 18:33
The Race
By Scott Mitchell
Aston Martin’s significantly revised Formula 1 car has broken cover ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix with major visible changes. The AMR22 has a completely different sidepod design and a new floor as part of a package designed to solve its porpoising problem and help it step out of the lower reaches of F1’s midfield.
Team principal Mike Krack had previously hinted upgrades designed to improve its situation would be ready in time for this weekend’s race and that has been confirmed by images on Thursday at Barcelona showing a dramatically different AMR22 in the pitlane.
The most striking change is the elimination of the aggressive ‘twin-floor’ style sidepod, replaced with a more conventional sidepod undercut at the front and a wide, flat top surface that angles down all the way towards the rear tyres. As a consequence of the new design, the cooling louvres have been repositioned from the top of the sidepod to the back of the monocoque and onto the engine cover.
‘AMR22 Upgrade’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/major-aston-martin-f1-car-upgrade-revealed-before-spanish-gp/
Haas drivers face seven-race wait for team’s ‘quite big’ upgrade package
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Posted on 19th May 2022, 14:22
Haas is planning to bring a significant upgrade for the French Grand Prix, team principal Guenther Steiner has confirmed. Several of the teams’ rivals are expected to run upgrades at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. But the Haas drivers will have to wait another seven races for the team’s first significant change to its car.
“You will see when we bring the upgrade it’s everywhere,” said Steiner. “We will make a nice package. I wouldn’t say ‘everywhere’, that’s exaggerated, but quite a big one. It’s not just a turning vane or something like this, it’s quite a few changes.”
“It’s not only the upgrades, it’s also you understand the car better,” he explained. “You make improvements. Especially this year it’s difficult to say with the bouncing because if you have bouncing you are really slow. Then if you sort that one out you go really fast.”
‘Seven Race Upgrade Wait’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/19/haas-drivers-face-seven-race-wait-for-teams-quite-big-upgrade-package/
Fortitude
20th May 2022, 15:37
Leclerc leads Ferrari 1-2 in 1st practice for Spanish GP.
Leclerc posted a session-leading lap of 1 minute, 19.828 seconds. Defending world champion Max Verstappen had the third best time at 0.336 seconds off Leclerc´s pace in his Red Bull.
Published: 14:28, 20 May 2022
By Associated Press
MONTMELÓ, Spain (AP) - Formula One leader Charles Leclerc and Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz set the fastest times in the first practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday. Ferrari is hoping that upgrades it has brought to Spain can help it match the race speed that Red Bull has enjoyed in the last two races, when Verstappen beat Leclerc.
Mercedes´ George Russell was fourth, followed by Alpine´s Fernando Alonso in fifth and Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes in sixth.
Teams often roll out major upgrades at the Spanish GP with a handful of races already in the bag and this well-known circuit, where teams also test in winter, is perfect for gauging progress.
‘Ferrari 1-2’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-10837499/Leclerc-leads-Ferrari-1-2-1st-practice-Spanish-GP.html
Stewards hand down verdict on Alonso/Hamilton incident
20/05/2022, 16:10
Author Mike Seymour
Fernando Alonso has escaped with a reprimand after being investigated for impeding Lewis Hamilton during first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. Alonso was found guily of blocking Hamilton at Turn 12 in Friday's first session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, landing him his first reprimand of the season.
"The stewards reviewed video evidence and determined that the driver of car 14 was driving slowly on the racing line between Turn 12 and Turn 13 and unnecessarily impeded car 44, requiring car 44 to take avoiding action," read the stewards' explanation.
"Consistent with the drivers' request for the stewards to enforce impeding during P1 and P2 this season, the stewards issue a reprimand (driving)."
‘Alonso/Hamilton incident’;
https://racingnews365.com/stewards-hand-down-verdict-over-alonso-hamilton-incident
Mercedes drivers receive new power units for Spanish GP
20/05/2022 at 16:04
Phillip van Osten
Mercedes has allocated new power units to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
The Brackley squad's engine swap includes for each driver a new Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), a new Turbocharger, Motor Generator Unit-Heat (MGU-H) and Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (MGU-K).
Mercedes has also fitted a new Exhaust System to both its cars. As the changes are the first undertaken by the team this season, no penalties apply.
‘New Mercedes Power’;
https://f1i.com/news/441631-mercedes-drivers-receive-new-power-units-for-spanish-gp.html
Spanish Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results
20/05/2022 at 14:15
Michael Delaney
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:19.828s 27
2 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:19.907s + 0.079s 27
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:20.164s + 0.336s 28
4 George Russell Mercedes 1:20.590s + 0.762s 28
5 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1:20.768s + 0.940s 24
6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:20.811s + 0.983s 27
7 Lando Norris McLaren 1:21.279s + 1.451s 24
8 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1:21.422s + 1.594s 23
9 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 1:21.737s + 1.909s 23
10 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:21.814s + 1.986s 28
Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona, round 6 of the 20221 Formula 1 World Championship;
https://f1i.com/news/441589-spanish-grand-prix-free-practice-1-results-3.html
Fortitude
20th May 2022, 16:24
Leclerc leads Mercedes drivers in second Barcelona practice.
Charles Leclerc was quickest in the second practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
2022 Spanish Grand Prix second practice
Posted on 20th May 2022, 17:20
Written by Will Wood
Just as he had been in the opening session in the afternoon, Leclerc was fastest of all on the soft tyres to cap off a promising start to the Barcelona weekend for Ferrari. Carlos Sainz Jnr was fourth, with Max Verstappen fifth quickest in the Red Bull.
Position Number Driver Team Model Time Gap Laps
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari F1-75 1’19.670 29
2 63 George Russell Mercedes W13 1’19.787 0.117 27
3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes W13 1’19.874 0.204 25
4 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Ferrari F1-75 1’19.990 0.320 31
5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull RB18 1’20.006 0.336 27
6 14 Fernando Alonso Alpine-Renault A522 1’20.203 0.533 25
7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull RB18 1’20.632 0.962 30
8 5 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR22 1’20.703 1.033 31
9 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine-Renault A522 1’20.745 1.075 27
10 47 Mick Schumacher Haas-Ferrari VF-22 1’20.757 1.087 25
‘Ferrari 1-4, Mercedes 2-3’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/20/leclerc-leads-mercedes-drivers-in-second-barcelona-practice/
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2022 Spanish Grand Prix.
Barcelona, Spain
20th May 2022, 17:02.
by Emer Hedderman
https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Spanish+GP
Spanish Grand Prix 2022 - Practice 2
Live Commentary
https://live.planetf1.com/liverace
LIVE UPDATES: F1 Spanish Grand Prix - Friday Practice
Follow Friday practice for F1's Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with Crash.net's live blog;
https://www.crash.net/f1/live/1002834/live-updates-f1-spanish-grand-prix-friday-practice
AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix
20 May 2022
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-spain-2022.60ixchuho0SO7cdvI1MhGS.html
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from second practice for the Spanish Grand Prix
20 May 2022
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-spain-2022.2Irp7rGRFRhpFrYp5QCRVV.html
Wolff hoping for ‘mini milestone’ at 2022 Spanish Grand Prix
20 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff heads to the Spanish Grand Prix full of hope that his team can overturn their deficit to Red Bull and Ferrari.
The Silver Arrows have struggled under the new technical regulations this season, and have managed a best finish of third through Sir Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain, and George Russell in Australia.
These results, however, have been a result of reliability failures for Red Bull and mistakes from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, and they have generally been way off the pace of the leading two teams.
‘Mini Milestone’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/wolff-hoping-for-mini-milestone-at-2022-spanish-grand-prix/
Fortitude
21st May 2022, 02:30
Delighted Hamilton says Mercedes upgrade has brought rivals within range.
Lewis Hamilton is hopeful Mercedes can get within range of Ferrari and Red Bull after their new aerodynamic package gave promising results in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix.
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Written by Keith Collantine
Posted on 20th May 2022, 17:52
Mercedes have been as much as a second per lap slower than Ferrari and Red Bull over the opening races of the season. However, they ended Friday practice at the Circuit de Catalunya second and third on the times sheets.
Hamilton said the first day of running with the updated car had been “positive” for the team. “I’m super-happy with the progress so a big, big thank you to everyone back at the factory for not giving up and for continuing to push. We’re not the quickest yet but I think we’re on our way.”
George Russell set the second-quickest time of all, a tenth of a second off pace-setter Charles Leclerc. Hamilton lapped within a tenth of a second of his team mate.
‘W13 Positive’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/20/delighted-hamilton-says-mercedes-upgrade-has-brought-rivals-within-range/
Everything that happened in second Spanish GP F1 practice
20th May 2022, 17:07
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race
Ferrari’s Formula 1 championship leader Charles Leclerc completed a clean sweep of Spanish Grand Prix Friday practice sessions, as Mercedes produced another strong FP2 showing.
Key moments:
– Leclerc quickest but chewing through tyres
– Mercedes duo in top three
– Alonso stars in sixth for Alpine
– Short sessions for Bottas and Norris
‘Spanish GP F1 practice Review’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/everything-that-happened-in-second-spanish-gp-f1-practice/
Why Ferrari’s pace may flatter to deceive, and teams face a tricky tyre decision
2022 Spanish Grand Prix Friday practice analysis
Posted on 21st May 2022, 0:27 |
Written by Will Wood
The 2022 edition of this race promises to be the most volatile race weekend in Barcelona for some time due to a myriad of factors that revealed themselves after the first day of running on Friday.
Despite being slower than both Ferraris in both Friday sessions, Verstappen seemed happy with his day’s work and how the Red Bull appeared to perform over the 55 laps he completed around the Barcelona circuit over the course of the day. Especially given that he had the fastest average lap time on the long runs at the end of second practice out of the Red Bulls, Ferraris and Mercedes.
Red Bull’s optimism explains why Leclerc seemed more cautious than might have been expected, given that he was the fastest in both sessions. “Our qualifying runs don’t look bad, but we have some work to do, in particular on our race pace and on tyre management,” Leclerc explained after Friday’s running.
‘Tyre Management’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/20/why-ferraris-pace-may-flatter-to-deceive-and-teams-face-a-tricky-tyre-decision/
5 things we learned from Friday practice at the Spanish Grand Prix
20 May 2022
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Lawrence Barretto
Chants of ‘Fernando’ and ‘Carlos’ rang out at a bustling Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday, as an impressive crowd – keen for success from one of their own in Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz – watched the teams gather data on their 2022 machines, many of which were heavily updated, ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. Here are five things we learned from the two 60-minute practice sessions…
Mercedes appear to have turned a corner
Red Bull leading the way in race trim
Ferrari hold the edge on low fuel
Alpine and McLaren fighting for best of the rest
New Aston Martin shows potential
‘Five Observations’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.5-things-we-learned-from-friday-practice-at-the-spanish-grand-prix.2FbFpvZ3HtI5dAfEVk9Cyk.html
Spanish GP: Leclerc quickest, Mercedes in the mix in Practice 2
20 May 2022, 17:25
Ben Issatt
The Ferrari driver made a two-tenth improvement on his best time in the first session as he posted a 1m19.670s on soft tyres.
Right behind, the two Mercedes' once again showed signs of their potential with George Russell second and Lewis Hamilton third.
Carlos Sainz was fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of Max Verstappen as the top five was separated by just a third of a second.
‘In the Mix’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/15589-spanish-gp-leclerc-quickest-mercedes-in-the-mix-in-practice-2
Red Bull plan internal investigation over whether information leaked to Aston Martin
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 20th May 2022, 18:52
Written by Keith Collantine
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is planning an internal investigation to discover whether Aston Martin received information on the design of their RB18.
Aston Martin turned up at the sixth round of the championship with an upgraded car bearing several striking similarities to the Red Bull. Horner suggested Aston Martin had copied the RB18, but the FIA confirmed the team had shown they had designed the new parts.
“They’ve followed a timeline and they’re accepting of what Aston Martin have presented here,” Horner told Sky. “Of course if any evidence of foul play came to light, it becomes a different issue.”
‘Internal Investigation’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/20/red-bull-plan-internal-investigation-over-whether-information-leaked-to-aston-martin/
Fortitude
21st May 2022, 19:54
Leclerc recovers from a spin to take Spanish GP pole for Ferrari
Formula 1 championship leader Charles recovered from a spin on his first run of Q3 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to post blistering final flying lap of 1:18.750 to claim pole position.
MAY 21, 2022 in Motorsport
2022 FIA Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix – Qualifying
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:18.750 -
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:19.073 0.323
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:19.166 0.416
4 George Russell Mercedes 1:19.393 0.643
5 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:19.420 0.670
6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:19.512 0.762
7 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1:19.608 0.858
8 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1:19.682 0.932
9 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren/Mercedes 1:20.297 1.547
10 Mick Schumacher Haas/Ferrari 1:20.368 1.618
‘Qualifying Review’;
https://www.racecar.com/news/95693/motorsport/leclerc-recovers-from-a-spin-to-take-spanish-gp-pole-for-ferrari
F1 – Leclerc on pole for Spanish Grand Prix as Verstappen hits trouble
21.05.22
FIA
Formula 1 championship leader Charles recovered from a spin on his first run of Q3 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to post blistering final flying lap of 1:18.750 to claim pole position for the 2022 FIA Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen who suffered a power loss at the start of his final lap. Carlos Sainz will start his home grand prix from third place on the grid alongside Mercedes’ George Russell.
‘Blistering Final Lap’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-leclerc-pole-spanish-grand-prix-verstappen-hits-trouble
Leclerc: Ferrari still needs to get on top of tyres to win Spanish GP
May 21, 2022, 4:34 PM
By: Jonathan Noble
Charles Leclerc thinks his pole position for Formula 1's Spanish Grand Prix will count for little if his Ferrari team does not get on top of its recent tyre degradation struggles.
"I am in a strong position to start the race, but we've been struggling with tyres in the last few races compared to Red Bull," he explained.
"Max is just behind and if we don't manage those tyres well we will lose that. So we need to get on top of it and do a good job tomorrow with tyre management."
‘Ferrari tyre degradation weakness’;
Verstappen optimistic after DRS failure hinders Spanish GP qualifying
Max Verstappen was beaten to pole in Spain by Charles Leclerc after a DRS issue late on.
21 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Verstappen cannot say whether pole was on the cards had he been able to complete his second Q3 lap, but he certainly would have loved to be able to complete it having missed out on a final run for the second race running.
“I mean it’s always difficult to tell but yeah I couldn’t do my final run,” he explained. “Either the DRS didn’t open or I just lost power so it’s bit of a shame but I think to be on the front row for us here looking at the whole weekend so far, it was a good achievement.”
The reigning champion is aware that his car is better on its tyres than the Ferrari is, but he also maintains that the Circuit de Catalunya is a very difficult track to pass at – 22 of the 32 races in Barcelona have been won from pole.
‘Max Optimism’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/verstappen-optimistic-after-drs-failure-hinders-spanish-gp-qualifying/
Lewis Hamilton “gutted” to lose out to George Russell in F1 Spanish GP qualy
21 May 2022
Lewis Larkam
Lewis Hamilton says he is a “little gutted” to have lost out to Mercedes teammate George Russell during qualifying at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion finished sixth in qualifying at Barcelona, just over a tenth of a second and two places behind Russell, who secured Mercedes’ best Saturday result so far this season.
“We don’t have bouncing in a straight line which is a huge improvement for us and the car has generally been nicer this weekend. We do have some bouncing through high speed corners like Turn 3 and Turn 9, so we need to keep working on that and see if we can improve it and gain a bit more downforce elsewhere.”
Lewis Hamilton: “I am a little gutted because I wanted to be further ahead. You’ve seen George is further ahead than me. But I will keep pushing.”
‘Gutted, will keep pushing’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1003250/1/hamilton-gutted-lose-out-russell-spanish-gp-qualifying
F1 fans taunt Lewis Hamilton with George Russell banner at Spanish Grand Prix
19:06, Sat, May 21, 2022
By CHARLIE GORDON
After five races, Hamilton is already 23 points behind Russell, who was expected to do little more than cling onto his partner's coat tails during his debut season with the Silver Arrows. Aside from an unlikely podium in the season's curtain-raiser, Hamilton has endured a frustrating few weeks.
At Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, one group of spectators unveiled a huge banner which read: "HAMILTON! RUSSELL IS FASTER THAN YOU." Indeed, that has broadly turned out to be the case since the start of the new season, and Saturday's session in Spain proved much the same.
When Sunday's Grand Prix gets underway, Hamilton will attempt to avoid being beaten by his much younger team-mate for a fifth successive race. Indeed, Russell is the only driver in the entire field to have finished in the top five on every occasion this year.
‘Frustrating weeks’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1613993/lewis-hamilton-f1-news-george-russell-spanish-grand-prix
Fortitude
22nd May 2022, 06:39
Routine race or “chaos” in Catalunya? Leclerc faces stiff competition in Spain.
There are several factors which indicate Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix could be one of the more eventful for many years.
2022 Spanish Grand Prix pre-race analysis
Posted on 21st May 2022, 22:53
Written by Will Wood
The Spanish Grand Prix has a reputation for producing some of the most consistently insipid, unremarkable races of any circuit on the Formula 1 calendar. A combination of long, sustained corners and an awkward chicane leading onto the main straight proved a major hindrance to racing in Formula 1’s heavily aero-sensitive cars affected by dirty air. With drivers so familiar with the course through countless laps in testing, the event has become known as the ‘Noah’s Ark’ race, where the ranking roughly reflects the field’s performance order from the fastest cars at the front to the slowest car occupying the back row.
Abnormally high temperatures across the weekend – even by southern Spain’s standards – mean tyres are going to be punished around the already abrasive and demanding circuit. Drivers are fully aware of the challenge that is awaiting them tomorrow. “I think it’s going to be a chaotic race tomorrow,” Mercedes’ George Russell predicted after qualifying. “There’s going to be a number of stops, I believe, for everybody.”
“Well, [the start] can be important but, on the other hand, also not really,” Verstappen said. “For example, last year I took the lead in the start, I still didn’t win the race. “You need, overall, just good pace during the race. You need good tyre management around here. It’s really hard on tyres with the high-speed cornering. So of course, if there is an opportunity you go for it. If it’s not, you don’t. You just settle and try to wait for the opportunity and hope that of course the package you have tomorrow in the race is competitive enough to fight for the win.”
‘Routine or chaos’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/21/routine-race-or-chaos-in-catalunya-leclerc-faces-stiff-competition-in-spain/
The battle into Turn 1, and Mercedes back in the mix – What To Watch For in the Spanish GP
21 May 2022
Special contributor
Chris Medland
From the top two in the championship on the front row to the potential for different strategies; and from a clearer picture of Mercedes’ progress to Fernando Alonso with it all to do, we pick out some of the key areas to keep an eye on in Sunday’s Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya…
1. Title rivals into Turn 1
2. The strategy battle between Ferrari and Red Bull
3. Mercedes’ pace
4. Alonso with a mountain to climb
5. Feeling the heat
‘What to watch for’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.the-battle-into-turn-1-and-mercedes-back-in-the-mix-what-to-watch-for-in-the.57u6Os4NI9LP87DWYUZepF.html
Spanish GP: Post Qualifying press conference
21/05/2022
NEWS STORY
Today's post-qualifying press conference with Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz.
Grid Interviews - Conducted by Naomi Schiff
Charles, congratulations. Fantastic atmosphere we have here in Barcelona, and you're on pole position here for the first time. How do you feel?
Charles Leclerc: I feel good. It was a very, very difficult session. I mean, especially in Q3 because I did a mistake in the first run of Q3 and then obviously, I only had one lap. But it went extremely well. I had a bit of moments on my lap, but at the end, I made it stick and very, very happy with pole position. It was a it was a very good lap, and the car was amazing, too. So yeah, very happy.
Max, congratulations. It's not the result you would have wanted. We heard that you struggled with some power issues. Did that cost you the pole position today?
Max Verstappen: I mean, it's always difficult to tell. But I couldn't do my final run. Either the DRS didn't open or I just lost power. So it's a bit of a shame but I think, overall, you know, to be on the front row for us here, looking at the whole weekend so far, I think was a good achievement. But of course, I would have liked to go for that final run.
Carlos, the crowd making a lot of noise for you here. Congratulations, third today, in front of your home crowd. How do you feel?
Carlos Sainz: Yeah, it's been a tough weekend so far. The conditions haven't been the easiest with the heat. with a wind. But today we managed to put a decent lap that allows us to fight from there tomorrow. I think the key will be the start, the tyre management, see if we can get a good start and go from there. But it's a decent position to start.
‘Post Qualifying press conference’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72553/Spanish-GP-Post-Qualifying-press-conference
Russell says Mercedes ‘could have been third’ on grid with updated car
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 21st May 2022, 18:49
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
George Russell says that Mercedes secured their “best result we’ve had as a team” after securing fourth on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix. Russell hailed the team’s best performance of the year, but claimed it was achieved despite not optimising their soft tyre temperatures throughout the lap.
“I think obviously it’s all based on results and that was the best result we’ve had as a team all season,” Russell said. “I think it offers optimism because, to be honest, I think we didn’t have the tyres in the right window whatsoever. It was always quickest in sector one and we were always struggling in sector three and we just couldn’t find that right balance to be honest.”
Starting from the second row on the grid, Russell believes Mercedes are likely to be even stronger on Sunday compared to Saturday.
‘Optimization’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/21/russell-says-mercedes-could-have-been-third-on-grid-with-updated-car/
Mercedes: Until it’s mathematically over, it’s not over
22 May, 2022
Reuters
Mercedes are bullish after their improvement at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix weekend, and insist their Title defense is not over yet, not until it’s mathematically over. Mercedes have not given up on defending their Formula 1 Constructors’ Title despite a difficult start to the season, the team’s technical director Mike Elliott said on Saturday.
The team, who have won the last eight World Championships, are third overall after five races and 63 points adrift of leaders Ferrari, with Red Bull second and 57 points ahead of Mercedes. “Of course. We wouldn’t be here otherwise,” Elliott said when asked at the Spanish Grand Prix whether Mercedes believed they could still win the 2022 championship.
“Until it’s mathematically over, it’s not over. We’re not a huge distance behind. If we can get the car to a position where we’re competitive and hopefully out in front then there’s every chance.”
‘Mathematically not over’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/22/mercedes-until-its-mathematically-over-its-not-over/
Mercedes gained “a chunk of downforce” from Spanish GP update
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 21st May 2022, 13:16
Written by Keith Collantine
The team brought a package of changes largely focused on the car’s floor this weekend. The W13 appeared to porpoise much less than before in Friday practice, where Lewis Hamilton and George Russell posted competitive lap times.
The team brought a package of changes largely focused on the car’s floor this weekend. The W13 appeared to porpoise much less than before in Friday practice, where Lewis Hamilton and George Russell posted competitive lap times. The pair praised the improvements made by their team after the session. “I’m glad they’re confident,” said the team’s technical director Mike Elliott.
Elliott said the team is still evaluating which is the better concept for their car. “It’s still a little bit too early to say. “I think we’ve changed the car so much for this weekend we need to work out how we get the best out of it. We need to work out what more lap time there is in that and then do the assessment as to whether we think overall this is a better direction to develop in.”
‘Gaining a chunk of downforce’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/21/mercedes-gained-a-chunk-of-downforce-from-spanish-gp-update/
Fortitude
22nd May 2022, 15:20
Spanish Grand Prix: Verstappen wins despite error, pain for Leclerc.
In the end, it is an emphatic Red Bull one-two at the Barcelona venue where a precocious young Max won his first Grand Prix in 2016, in 2022 history repeats itself for an equally important victory his second in Spain.
22 May, 2022
Paul Velasco
Despite an off-track excursion, Max Verstappen won a drama-packed 2022 Spanish Grand Prix that will go down as one of the most entertaining seen in Barcelona in a long time, while his title rival Charles Leclerc did not finish the race.
The 19 points lead Leclerc before Spain, has vanished as the reigning F1 World Champion now leads the drivers’ standings after round six on 110 points by six points. Red Bull overcame Ferrari in the F1 constructors’ championship and now lead by 26 points. What a race! Where to start?
Hamilton simply gobbled Sainz’s Ferrari with the end in sight to take P4. Until, with a couple of laps to go they got marginal on fuel, giving the local hero fourth. Whatever the case, Mercedes are by far the most improved package seen in Barcelona this weekend. The amount of race pace they found since Miami has been impressive, the W13 is now drivable, finally.
‘Emphatic Red Bull one-two’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/22/spanish-grand-prix-verstappen-wins-despite-error-pain-for-leclerc/
Race Results – 2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Barcelona, Spain
22nd May 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 66 laps
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +13.072
3. George Russell Mercedes +32.927
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +45.208
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +54.534
6. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +59.976
7. Esteban Ocon Alpine +75.397
8. Lando Norris McLaren +83.235
9. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1 lap
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1 lap
The complete results from the 2022 F1 World Championship race around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2022-spanish-grand-prix-79106
“We can’t afford this to happen too many times” says Leclerc after retiring from lead
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 15:58
Written by Keith Collantine
The Ferrari driver led the race from pole position until a suspected power unit problem put him out shortly before half-distance.
“I don’t know anything more than what happened, basically,” Leclerc told Sky while the race continued. “I had no indication before and it just broke and then lost the power completely. It’s a shame.”
Despite the retirement, which cost him the lead of the championship to eventual winner Max Verstappen, Leclerc said Ferrari can be satisfied by the performance of their car. “In those moments I believe that there’s nothing else I can do apart from looking at the positives,” he said. “And there are plenty this weekend.
‘Can’t afford more repeats of failure’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/we-cant-afford-this-to-happen-too-many-times-says-leclerc-after-retiring-from-lead/
Charles Leclerc: 'Disappointed' with DNF but 'plenty of positives' from Spanish GP
22 May 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc laments the power unit issue that saw the Monegasque driver retire from the race lead at the Spanish Grand Prix, admitting that it "hurts" to lose so many points to their rivals.
‘Plenty of positives’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.charles-leclerc-disappointed-with-dnf-but-plenty-of-positives-from-spanish-gp.1733536514913976255.html
What happened to Charles Leclerc? How race leader’s Ferrari ‘lost power’ to limp out of Spanish Grand Prix
Leclerc was in P1 when his power suddenly failed and he was forced to pull out
May 22, 2022 3:13 pm
By Katherine Lucas
Charles Leclerc was forced to retire while leading the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix as a power failure derailed the Ferrari driver’s hopes of extending his lead at the top of the championship.
Leclerc had finished no lower than second in all but one race this season but he had to be consoled by team principal Mattia Binotto after becoming the first to withdraw in Catalonia. “No, no!” Leclerc said. “What’s happened? I’ve got no power!”
The 24-year-old was not the only driver to be plagued by problems in the baking Barcelona heat, Max Verstappen left furious at issues with his Drag Reduction System as it repeatedly opened and closed.
‘Losing power, limping out’;
https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-one/charles-leclerc-what-happened-race-leader-ferrari-lost-power-2022-spanish-grand-prix-1644119?ITO=newsnow
Hamilton asks to retire after Spanish GP lap-one Magnussen 'ramping' incident
Sunday 22 May 2022 14:18
Sam Hall
Lewis Hamilton asked to retire after being involved in a lap-one incident at the Spanish Grand Prix that relegated both drivers to the back of the pack.
After both Hamilton and Magnussen were forced to pit, the Mercedes driver informed his team: "I would save this engine guys if I was you. Sorry" Not ready to give up on the race, engineer Peter Bonnington replied: Lewis, we still feel we can achieve points here today. P8 maybe better."
The incident was quickly looked at by the stewards for causing a collision although they felt no investigation was necessary despite Magnussen's comments as the Haas driver said: "Lewis knew what he was doing. He ramped me."
‘lap-one Magnussen 'ramping' incident’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83089/hamilton-asks-to-retire-after-spanish-gp-lap-one-magnussen-ramping-incident/
Fortitude
22nd May 2022, 17:22
Hamilton suggested retiring because he thought points finish was “impossible”.
Lewis Hamilton suggested his Mercedes team retire him from the Spanish Grand Prix because he thought he had no chance of finishing in the points after suffering a puncture on the first lap.
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 17:36
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
“Obviously I was hoping for a smoother race without the issue at the beginning,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans. “I was 30 seconds, at one stage, behind last.
“I was 30 seconds behind so I’m like, if I’m going to use the whole engine to drive around in last or out of the top 15 and at some point we might have to take a penalty or something like that,” he explained. “I don’t know if reliability is an issue, we’ve already seen today at the end there was something. But I was like, we might as well just save the engine so we live to fight another day.”
“But I’m glad we didn’t and it just shows that you never stop and never give up and that’s what I did.”
‘Impossible points, possible’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/hamilton-suggested-retiring-because-he-thoughts-points-finish-was-impossible/
Hamilton “looked like he had a world championship-winning car” in Spain
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 17:56
Written by Hazel Southwell
After his experience in Jeddah, where he started 15th and only finished 10th, Hamilton feared he would be unable to score points again in Spain, and suggested it might be better to save the engine. Wolff said his climb into the points was a morale-boosting result.
Team Principal Toto Wolff: “The dynamic between the driver and team is something that is so important that it’s clear,” he said. “Having an accident at the early stage of the race and you’re saying to yourself, ‘not again’ and you’re not featuring because I think he was 38 seconds or so behind the last cars after his stop and that’s basically game over.
“That looked like a world championship-winning race car that he was driving, that would have not been possible in the previous races. That reminded me of last year and the years before when our car is really on the top of its game. And the driver.”
‘World Championship winning W13’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/hamilton-looked-like-he-had-a-world-championship-winning-car-in-spain/
Norris showed “great fighting spirit” to take eighth despite tonsillitis – Seidl
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 17:46
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl praised Lando Norris’s “fighting spirit” after he finished eighth in the Spanish Grand Prix while suffering the effects of tonsillitis.
Norris had been dealing with the physical effects of the illness all weekend, Seidl revealed after the race. The McLaren driver felt so ill prior to the start of the race he missed the podium ceremony while being attended to.
Despite feeling so unwell, Norris drove a strong race to finish eighth and claim four points at the chequered flag. Seidl praised his driver’s efforts to claim a points finish despite his illness and the intense heat.
‘Great Fighting Spirit’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/norris-showed-great-fighting-spirit-to-take-eighth-despite-tonsillitis-seidl/
Perez ruffled by 'unfair' Red Bull team order in Spanish GP
22/05/2022 at 17:09
Phillip van Osten
A frustrated Sergio Perez will seek clarity from Red Bull on why the team ordered him to stand down while in the lead in the closing stages of the Spanish GP and not fight teammate Max Verstappen.
The Mexican driver was leading the race with 18 laps to go when the Red Bull pitwall told him not to defend his leading position against Verstappen.
"I'm happy for the team, but we need to speak later," Perez told his crew on the cool-down lap. "I think it was close," he said after the race, adopting a diplomatic stance. "But at the end it is a great team result. I'm happy for that."
Adopting a diplomatic stance’;
https://f1i.com/news/442133-perez-ruffled-by-unfair-red-bull-team-order-in-spanish-gp.html
Stroll hopes Aston Martin ‘missed something’ after radical upgrades seem ineffective
Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll will start the Spanish Grand Prix down in P16 and P18 respectively after a disappointing qualifying.
by Rob Kershaw
22 May 202222 May 2022
Lance Stroll hopes his Aston Martin team can get to the bottom of why their upgrades proved so ineffective during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
Stroll and team-mate Sebastian Vettel have managed just six points between them heading into the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, and they introduced a B-spec car in a bid to improve their fortunes.
When the car appeared in the pit lane on Thursday though, it was immediately noticed that their sidepods looked incredibly similar to those of Red Bull, and team principal Christian Horner warned that the Silverstone team have committed a “criminal offence” if it transpires that they took intellectual property from his side.
‘Missed something in the upgrades’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/stroll-hopes-aston-martin-missed-something-after-radical-upgrades-seem-ineffective/
Carlos Sainz reveals damage after Spanish GP spin
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc both endured a miserable day at the Spanish Grand Prix as Red Bull claimed a one-two.
22 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Carlos Sainz has confirmed that a “gust of wind” caused him to lose the rear of his Ferrari going into Turn Four in Spain, and the trip through the gravel cause significant damage to his car.
Eventually, the 27-year-old was able to recover and beat Sir Lewis Hamilton to fourth, but his eventful day coupled with a reliability failure for team-mate Charles Leclerc made for a difficult day for Ferrari.
“[It was a] long, tough race for us,” Sainz told Sky Sports. “After the gust of wind and the spin I tried to recover but the car was not the same after that. I picked up quite a lot of damage and I was sliding all around trying to get back into the podium, but in the end [I finished] fourth.”
‘Gust of wind’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/carlos-sainz-reveals-damage-after-spanish-gp-spin/
Yuki Tsunoda: Hard day but 'happy with what we've done' at Spanish GP
22 May 2022
Formula 1.
AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda expresses happiness but tiredness after a "really tough race" at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
‘Hard day, but happy’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.yuki-tsunoda-hard-day-but-happy-with-what-weve-done-at-spanish-gp.1733538871401979176.html
Fortitude
23rd May 2022, 06:07
Formula One: Ferrari rush failed engine back to Italy as distraught Charles Leclerc tries to stay positive.
Leclerc was trying to keep a brave face as he looked for an instant fix with his home race in Monte Carlo looming this weekend.
10:02, May 23 2022
Stuff sports reporters
Ferrari are rushing Charles Leclerc’s failed power unit back to Italy for investigations after the distraught driver was forced out of the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
It remains to be seen if the engine will be able to be kept in Leclerc’s pool for the season. Only three engines are permitted for the season, and losing an engine at this early stage of the championship could trigger engine grid penalties for Leclerc as the year progresses.
Binotto said there as still plenty to play out this season and tried to play down any concerns as Verstappen scored his third win in a row and Red Bull Racing began to look ominous after their own early struggles when Ferrari’s strong start included Leclerc winning two of the first three races. “I think that the season is still very, very long, and it’s only six races,” Binotto said.
‘Ferrari rush failed engine back to Italy’;
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/motorsport/128726172/formula-one-ferrari-rush-failed-engine-back-to-italy-as-distraught-charles-leclerc-tries-to-stay-positive
Ferrari begin investigation into Leclerc engine failure
Date published: May 22 2022
Editor
Ferrari will send Charles Leclerc’s failed power unit back to Maranello for extensive investigations after the Monegasque retired from the Spanish Grand Prix. Asked whether there’s been any indication as to what the problem was, Binotto said it’s unclear at this point.
“No, not yet,” he told Sky Sports F1. “Obviously, there’s been a sudden power unit issue. Certainly a serious reliability issue, but the power unit will be [sent] back to Maranello, [it] will travel during the night and, tomorrow morning, we’ll disassemble it.”
But Binotto denied that there’s any concerns creeping in at the Scuderia. “I think that the season is still very, very long and it’s only six races,” he explained.
‘Ferrari PU night travel, disassembled Monday morning’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-begin-investigation-into-leclerc-engine-failure/
Ferrari: No explanation yet for Leclerc's 'sudden issue'
22/05/2022 at 19:16
Michael Delaney
Leclerc reckoned that the update gains delivered to the Scuderia's F1-75 in Barcelona, including improvements in the car's tyre wear, would have allowed him to hold his own at the front of the field against Red Bull's duo of Verstappen and Perez.
On lap 27 of 66, Leclerc suffered a sudden loss of power that surprised the Monegasque as much as it did his team, as telemetry data had indicated no warning of a developing problem. "It was a sudden issue," said Scuderia boss Mattia Binotto. "I think we learned it first from Charles, first going on to the radio, and then from the engineers looking at the data. So it was really sudden.
"With the laps I had done, honestly, everything was going really, really well," said Leclerc. "I think it would have been difficult for them to catch back because obviously there was already quite a bit of a gap, and we had a very good degradation also on the soft tyre. "We could do quite a few more laps compared to them. So yeah, overall, I think we had the race under control."
‘Sudden Issue, Really Sudden’;
https://f1i.com/news/442269-ferrari-no-explanation-yet-for-leclercs-sudden-issue.html
Ferrari rescued its weekend then lost anyway
The Race 23/05/2022, 06:39
Mark Hughes:
It was another Max Verstappen Red Bull victory – but not a dominant one like the last two. The Spanish Grand Prix was a win inherited from Charles Leclerc’s power unit failure when the Ferrari was leading by over 12s.
Prior to either the Ferrari power unit failure or the Verstappen spin, it was looking an extremely closely-matched contest between the red car and the blue and it would be difficult to call how it might have played out in the extreme tyre-melting heat of a Spanish heatwave.
Verstappen leads this year’s championship for the first time, Ferrari can at least take solace that it was well on the way to victory before the engine died. But perhaps the most significant news is that Mercedes looks on the way back – and is sure there’s lot more to come.
‘Ferrari rescue, then lost’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-ferrari-rescued-its-weekend-then-lost-anyway/
Podcast: Ferrari agony, Red Bull angst and Mercedes progress
May 23 2022, 06:49
The Race
Max Verstappen and Red Bull lead the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time after winning the Spanish Grand Prix.
Edd Straw, Scott Mitchell and Mark Hughes debate every aspect of the Spanish GP and answer questions from The Race Members’ Club in The Race F1 Podcast.
Carlos Sainz’s continued troubles, whether Sergio Perez was justified in his apparent irritation over Red Bull team orders and Mercedes’ progress and a big change in tone from Lewis Hamilton are among the topics tackled.
‘Agony, Angst, Progress’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-ferrari-agony-red-bull-angst-and-mercedes-progress/
Ferrari frazzled in Barcelona heat, as Verstappen takes F1 title lead: 2022 Spanish GP report
F1
May 22nd 2022
Author Chris Medland
Charles Leclerc’s stunning pole position lap had left him with the early advantage, and his decision to save a set of new soft tyres for the start of the race proved a smart one. Only Lewis Hamilton in fifth started on mediums, with the rest of the field committing to at least two stops by starting on softs.
With Leclerc opening up a 14-second lead only to suddenly lose power out of Turn 9 and be forced into retirement, watching what had seemed a certain victory slip through his fingers. “Everything was going really, really well, so I think it would have been difficult for them to catch back up because there was already quite a bit of a gap and we had very good degradation,”
Leclerc said. “On the soft tyre we could do quite a few more laps compared to them. So overall I think we had this race under control.” Suddenly the race was there for Red Bull’s taking if it could clear Russell, who was proving a worthy adversary.
‘Ferrari Frazzled’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/ferrari-frazzled-in-barcelona-heat-as-verstappen-takes-f1-title-lead-2022-spanish-gp-report#
Sainz reveals what held him back in Spanish GP recovery drive
23/05/2022, 19:40
Author Luke Murphy
Carlos Sainz was left frustrated by a fourth-place finish at his home event in Spain, despite recovering from errors at the start of the race. The Ferrari driver's podium chances were dealt a blow after a poor start and a spin at Turn 4 in the opening stages sent him out of the points positions.
Despite the off, Sainz was able to recover to fourth place and pick up valuable points on a disappointing day for Ferrari. Speaking after the race, Sainz explained that car damage sustained in the spin hampered his recovery.
"It was a long, tough race for us," Sainz told Sky Sports F1. "After the gust of wind and the spin, I tried to recover, but the car was not the same after that. I picked up quite a lot of damage, and I was sliding all around trying to get back onto the podium.”
‘Gust of wind, spin, recover to fourth’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-reveals-what-held-him-back-in-spanish-gp-recovery-drive
Sainz admits risk of ‘favouritism’ at Ferrari as Leclerc looks to become number 1 driver
Carlos Sainz is fifth in the Drivers' Championship after the first five rounds of the season, with team-mate Charles Leclerc leading the way.
22 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Carlos Sainz has conceded that his adaptation to the F1-75 under the new technical regulations has been a difficult one, but maintained that there is no lead driver at Ferrari. Sainz has been out-qualified and out-raced by Charles Leclerc in all five races so far in 2022, and his campaign has not been helped by major mistakes in Australia, Imola and Miami.
There has been plenty of speculation, however, that the Scuderia will eventually begin to prioritise the 24-year-old given that he now leads his team-mate by 51 points having won two races.
“In the past I have adapted well to all the cars, but this one is costing me a lot. It is more difficult than expected,” he told La Marca, quoted by grandprix.com. “It’s just part of a driver’s career – some cars that go very well for you and others that are more difficult. It’s not much, not much at all, but that little bit hurts because it’s what doesn’t allow me to get pole positions and victories so far.”
‘No lead driver at Ferrari’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/sainz-admits-risk-of-favouritism-at-ferrari-as-leclerc-looks-to-become-number-1-driver/
Fortitude
23rd May 2022, 15:41
Perez team orders anger understandable says Marko.
"It's totally understandable that he doesn't say right away 'I'll wave my teammates past'. That way, he wouldn't be a real racing driver," Marko said.
MAY 23, 2022
Red Bull top official Dr Helmut Marko said the team orders were only made because both Verstappen and Perez were on "two different strategies". "It was clear that Checo couldn't have finished with his set of tyres," he told ORF. "And with that it was very clear that Max was the faster one.
"But I can understand that he was upset - he saw victory in front of his eyes. Sergio didn't understand that at the time but it was the best and safest option for us to get that one-two," Marko added.
Some believe Marko immediately consoled Perez by informing the 32-year-old that the 2023 contract he is lobbying for will indeed be offered.
‘Anger understandable’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/perez-team-orders-anger-understandable-says-marko.html
Perez: Red Bull said they would reverse first position swap with Verstappen
2022 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd May 2022, 19:0223rd May 2022, 10:45
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Sergio Perez says Red Bull told him he would get his place back after letting Max Verstappen overtake him early in the Spanish Grand Prix. It proved to be the first of two occasions on which Perez was instructed to let Verstappen overtake him.
“On the first stint when I let Max by I was told that I was going to get it back and we knew we were on different strategies,” Perez said after the race. After Perez made several attempts to pass Russell, his race engineer Hugh Bird told him: “Okay Checo let Max have a shot. Let him through before four.” Perez asked for “one more lap” but was told: “Let’s give him a shot now. We’ll pay it back later.”
Verstappen was unable to pass Russell at first due to an intermittent problem with his DRS. Red Bull therefore moved him onto a three-stop strategy while Perez, who was later able to pass Russell, pitted twice. That put Perez back in front of Verstappen, who closed rapidly after his third pit stop. Perez was again told to give up the lead of the race to Verstappen, who went on to win.
‘We’ll pay back later’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/22/perez-red-bull-said-they-would-reverse-first-position-swap-with-verstappen/
Perez reveals broken Red Bull promise
Monday 23 May 2022 06:00
Ewan Gale
After Verstappen had switched to a three-stop strategy and Perez had taken the lead after Charles Leclerc's Ferrari retired, the two-time race winner was ordered not to put up a fight against his team-mate, an order he described as "very unfair".
Speaking post-race, Perez said: "I think what was clear was that the three-stop was a better race, race time, and the various strategies, so I think if I went in that direction, I would have won the race. "And it worked out for Max. I think that was something we discussed. It was good because we didn't know at the time which strategy was going to be the best one."
But revealing he was told the places would be reversed at the first swap, Perez added: "I only felt that in the first stint, when I gave the position to Max, that I was told that I was going to get it back.
‘Red Bull broken promise’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83160/perez-reveals-broken-red-bull-promise/
Diplomatic but disgruntled Perez sent Red Bull a warning
23/05/2022, 13:57
By Matt Beer
Was this going to be the moment Sergio Perez stopped being a dutiful Red Bull number two? The tone of voice in his post-race “I’m happy for the team. But we need to speak later” radio message, and even the slight but weighty pause before the ‘but’, hinted that the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix would be where Perez joined the long list of Formula 1 ‘wingmen’ who felt too much had been asked of them.
But the lingering niggle that had prompted Perez’s “that’s really unfair, but OK” reply when asked to let Verstappen through for the second time in the race was still present every time he repeated variations of “we just have to discuss a few things internally”. And that’s something we haven’t seen from Perez before.
“To me what’s most interesting is not really whether Perez had a case or not – because drivers always think that they’ve got the wrong end of these situations with team orders and strategies – but it’s interesting that he’s actually sort of pushed back on it,” said Scott Mitchell on The Race F1 Podcast.
‘A warning’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/diplomatic-but-disgruntled-perez-sent-red-bull-a-warning/
Horner reveals post-race chat with Perez over team orders drama
23/05/2022, 07:00
Author Mike Seymour
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Horner revealed a post-race conversation that gave the Mexican some extra insight. "I spoke with him when he got out of the car," began Horner, speaking to media, including RacingNews365.com.
"The problem for any driver is that they don't have a clear overview of the strategy or a race plot in front of them. "It's always going to be emotive to give up a lead, but he played very much the team game.”
"I think he understood clearly it wasn't a like-for-like fight, because the pace delta between the strategies was so great."
‘Post-race chat’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-reveals-post-race-chat-with-perez-over-team-orders-drama
Perez elaborates on ‘frustration’ after moving aside for Max
Date published: May 23 2022 - Editor
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez has said he wants to have internal discussions with his team for clarity, after moving aside for Max Verstappen early in the race.
The Mexican said he plans to sit down to have a chat with his team as a result.
“It’s a bit frustrating from my side at the moment but, at the end of the day, it’s a great team result,” he said, on a weekend where he wasn’t given the same weight-saving updates as Verstappen.
‘Weight-saving updates unavailable for Sergio Perez’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-frustration-spain-team-orders/
Kravitz tells Perez: That’s the real world of the No.2 driver
Date published: May 23 2022 - Michelle Foster
Unhappy at being told to move over for Max Verstappen, Ted Kravitz says Sergio Perez is probably the “last person on God’s green earth” who doesn’t know he’s Red Bull’s number two driver. That Perez doesn’t realise he is Red Bull’s number two was a surprise for Sky Sports F1 reporter Kravitz.
He said in his post-race notebook: “Perez, they wouldn’t let him pass Max Verstappen to try and get George Russell, and Perez proved that he was able to get George Russell by in fact getting George Russell when Max Verstappen had his spin, so Perez was right on that one. “And then Perez not happy in the end about being treated essentially as a number two driver, but it’s the real world isn’t it Checo?”
“And while it may say something Checo in your contract, then I think everyone else knows and [it] was clearly demonstrated today that there is only one number one in that Red Bull garage, and it’s not the one with one one [11] on his car, it’s the one with one on its car.”
‘The real world according to Ted’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kravitz-sergio-perez-no2-spain/
Red Bull need to ‘get on top of’ Max’s ‘road rage’
Date published: May 23 2022 - Michelle Foster
A mistake at Turn 4 as a gust of wind caught him out meant he dropped behind George Russell, but recovering to P2 was not an easy task as his DRS, which cost him a shot at pole position on Saturday, was only working intermittently.
Verstappen was furious, raging over the radio: “We can’t even make the f***ing DRS work, unbelievable!”
With the DRS working and then not working for a few laps, Red Bull also pointed out to their reigning World Champion that he was also opening and then closing it himself.
He told them that’s what happens when he has to press it “50 times” to try get it to work.
‘F***ing DRS, press it “50 times”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-max-verstappen-road-rage/
Fortitude
24th May 2022, 04:41
Lewis Hamilton comments show Mercedes are not dead yet.
They couldn’t, could they? Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff’s comments after the Spanish Grand Prix show Mercedes are not dead yet, at least not according to them.
May 23, 2022
by Rudi Kinsella
Mercedes had a wild race on Sunday, with George Russell placing in third place, while Hamilton managed to finish in fifth. Hamilton was in last place after an unfortunate incident just seconds into the race, but he ended up finishing fifth thanks to an excellent effort throughout the race.
Lewis Hamilton on Mercedes’ F1 chances. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “We’ve made a lot of improvements with the car. “The race pace is much, much better… the car is much nicer in the race. This is a great sign we’re going in the right direction. Without [my start], I would have been fighting the Red Bulls. That gives me great hope that at some stage we’ll be fighting for the win.”
Meanwhile, Mercedes team boss Wolff went a step further and said that he has reasons to believe Mercedes can win it all. “Can we fight for a world championship? You bet we can,” added Wolff. “We have reasons to believe we can get there.”
‘Not Dead Yet’;
https://punditarena.com/other-sports/rudi-kinsella/mercedes-f1-lewis-hamilton/
This is why Hamilton was 30kph faster than Leclerc in Barcelona
Sir Lewis Hamilton topped the speed trap in both qualifying and the race at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend.
23 May 2022
by James Clifford
Sir Lewis Hamilton was significantly clear of the pace of Charles Leclerc during the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, but why was that? Partly, it is to do with setup. There is less disparity between the four engine manufacturers – Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda and Renault – this season due to the new technical regulations that were intended to close the pack up and create an environment in which more teams could succeed.
It puts a lot more emphasis on the design of the chassis, which is something that Red Bull designer Adrian Newey tends to thrive on, and making the car quick in the corners and indeed in a straight line now becomes more about having a good design than it was previously.
This season, Mercedes have looked very good in slow corners and long straights, meaning that they have good acceleration and traction out of corners as well as a good car in a straight line.
‘Qualifying and Race Speed Trap, Mercedes Top’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/this-is-why-hamilton-was-30kph-faster-than-leclerc-in-barcelona/
Hill warns title rivals that Mercedes are back in business
Date published: May 23 2022
Sam Cooper
Damon Hill has warned Red Bull and Ferrari that Mercedes are back in the title fight after an encouraging performance in the Spanish Grand Prix. After a tumultuous start to the season, Mercedes seemed to have turned their season around with a podium for George Russell and a tremendous drive from Lewis Hamilton that saw him rise from the near the back of the grid to P5 following an opening-lap collision with Kevin Magnussen.
The message coming from 1996 World Champion Hill who warned the two teams up front that Mercedes were not to be counted out. “It’s the Hamilton emotional rollercoaster isn’t it,” he said of the seven-time World Champion’s drive. It’s just amazing how he just thinks ‘oh no it’s no good’. But that was a stunning performance and it was a champion’s drive right through from nowhere. They gave him the equipment to do it as well. I thought it was stunning.”
George Russell: “I think we have probably halved the gap to those front runners, compared to the rest of the season. And I think we know there’s probably more performance to find. It’s been a season of problem solving as opposed to trying to find more performance and bring more performance to the car. And I think we’ve now finally solved our issue. And we can now focus on bringing more performance. So yeah, we’re six races behind but there’s no reason why we can’t claw this back.”
‘Back In Business’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/damon-hill-mercedes-warning-red-bull-ferrari/
Wolff excited about the future for Hamilton and Mercedes
Sunday, May 22, 2022
MERCEDES boss Toto Wolff believes Lewis Hamilton’s new car could fire him into world championship contention. Hamilton delivered his best performance of the season at Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix after fighting back from an opening-lap collision with Kevin Magnussen to finish fifth.
With 416 points still on the table and Mercedes suddenly back in the groove, Wolff is hopeful Hamilton can get back into the title hunt. “That looked like a world championship-winning race car that Lewis was driving,” said Wolff.
“His race pace was stunning and [without the first-lap incident] he would have challenged for the win. It reminded me of last year and the years before, when a car and driver are really on the top of their game. The race was so important for his morale and our morale, too.”
‘416 points still on the table’;
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/s/wolff-excited-about-future-hamilton-and-mercedes
Mercedes are 'back in the game', concedes Christian Horner.
Horner insisted Max Verstappen is far from unbeatable with Ferrari just as quick as Red Bull and Mercedes closing fast
23 May 2022 • 2:35pm
By Tom Cary, SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says Mercedes are “back in the game” as far as this year’s championship is concerned, predicting it will now be a three-way battle for the title.
“I think Mercedes have certainly made a step forward,” Horner said. “We still beat them by however many seconds it was today [Russell finished 32 seconds behind Verstappen]. And both of our cars managed to pass the lead Mercedes today. But for sure, I think I’ve said all season it’s only a matter of time that they join that battle. They’ve made a big step towards that by the looks of things.”
Team principal Toto Wolff claimed on Sunday that he had “low expectations” for the famously low-speed street circuit, given Mercedes’s struggles in Barcelona’s similar slow speed sector 3. But Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has now revealed the team have further upgrades “in the pipeline” which could help them in the Principality.
‘Monaco: Further Upgrades’;
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2022/05/23/mercedes-back-game-admits-christian-horner/
‘Bono is a good babysitter’: Hamilton ridiculed after asking Mercedes to give up
Sir Lewis Hamilton has faced backlash on social media following the Spanish Grand Prix after asking to retire from the race.
23 May 2022
by Nick Golding
The Mercedes driver was ridiculed on social media by viewers for asking to retire from the race. “Bono is a good babysitter,” one Twitter user posted, referring to Bonnington calming Hamilton down and informing him that not all was lost.
Fans were left surprised that Hamilton asked to retire, despite being well-known for saying “I don’t give up”.
“But why, he keeps saying… I don’t give up. He wanted to retire the car at lap 1 in P19,” another commented. “That’s something I didn’t expect from him about retiring his car, not from a champion, and certainly not from 7-time champion, the car was still fine, it was just a puncture, or else he wouldn’t have finished 5th for sure,” a third posted.
‘Social Media Backlash’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/bono-is-a-good-babysitter-hamilton-ridiculed-after-asking-mercedes-to-give-up/
Lewis Hamilton silenced critics with stunning recovery drive to fifth from 19th, only the wind can stop Max Verstappen and Ferrari's season is in danger of unravelling after Charles Leclerc DNF...
Catalunya also saw Mercedes hit back, with Lewis Hamilton starring again.
Published: 20:00, 23 May 2022
By Dan Ripley for MailOnline
Lewis Hamilton can still produce the unthinkable. Luck has not been with Lewis Hamilton this season and it certainly wasn't with him again at the Spanish Grand Prix. Qualifying sixth, the Brit made a decent enough start at Catalunya, before he was tagged on the opening lap by Kevin Magnussen's Haas.
While the seven-time champion managed to initially maintain his position on the track, the collision led to him picking up a left front puncture, forcing him to tour most of the lap slowly before pitting. The lost time saw him not just drop to 19th, only ahead of Magnussen who had taken to the gravel after their collision, but well off the tail of the pack as he put on a new set of tyres.
Having then complained to the team that it was pointless carrying on, his team insisted for him to continue as there was still a chance of minor points for eighth. But what followed was one of arguably the Brit's best drives.
‘The Unthinkable’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10844965/Lewis-Hamilton-silenced-critics-stunning-recovery-drive.html
Fortitude
25th May 2022, 09:11
F1 wants Monaco Grand Prix to modernise or face the axe over its narrow track and cramped pits.
F1 believes the Monaco Grand Prix must accept change or face losing its place on the calendar.
May 24, 2022 6:08 pm
By Kevin Garside
Chief Sports Correspondent
With the iconic grand prix’s contract coming to an end, F1 owners Liberty Media want Monaco to make overtaking easier, renovate its pit complex and overhaul broadcasting and sponsor arrangements
At the height of Michael Schumacher’s record-breaking career, a point that coincided with the great expansion of F1 across new territories, the sport’s modern architect Bernie Ecclestone maintained three elements were sacred, Schumi himself, the team for which he raced, Ferrari, and Monaco.
That was at the turn of the century. This is the era of fake marinas in Miami, of manufactured controversy on Netflix. Las Vegas promises to bend convention further out of shape. Max Verstappen is arguably the new Schumi, Ferrari remain central, but Monaco, with its anachronistic circuit where none can overtake, complete with claustrophobic pits and paddock, is no longer untouchable in the eyes of F1’s American owners Liberty Media.
‘Monaco Sacred with Bernie Ecclestone’;
https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-one/f1-monaco-grand-prix-warned-modernise-axed-cramped-track-pit-lanes-1647733?ITO=newsnow
Monaco Grand Prix: Should F1's traditional jewel be replaced?
Wednesday 25 May 2022 06:00
Ewan Gale
F1 returns to Monaco for the traditional jewel in the crown of the calendar after weeks of speculation regarding the future of the event.
The sport's advances into America with Miami's blockbuster debut providing an insight into a new direction of interest, as well as a statement race in Las Vegas next year have led to questions as to whether Monaco deserves its place on the schedule.
‘Questions!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83296/monaco-grand-prix-should-f1-s-traditional-jewel-be-replaced/
F1 bosses and Monaco in talks as iconic Grand Prix at real risk of being axed
THE MONACO GRAND PRIX has been a staple on the F1 calendar since 1954.
06:41, Wed, May 25, 2022
By STUART BALLARD
ACM president Michel Boeri offered a "guarantee" last month that Monaco will continue to hold its place on the F1 calendar moving forward. But F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali has already warned that historic circuits aren't assured of keeping their race weekend.
Negotiations are ongoing with no final outcome decided for Monaco's place on next year's calendar. While fans often complain about the lack of overtaking opportunities there, drivers still see the Monaco Grand Prix as a flagship race.
Only Monza has held more Grands Prix than Monaco and not having F1's blue riband event would undoubtedly cause mixed reaction. But it appears as though the Monaco Grand Prix is at real risk of being axed from the calendar.
‘Monaco GP Blue Riband Event’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1615269/F1-news-Monaco-Grand-Prix-contract-Stefano-Domenicali-Formula-One
Monaco GP: Mick Schumacher calls for 'historic' race to remain on F1 calendar
Published: 24 May 2022, 17:59
By George Dagless
Mick Schumacher has said that it would be a shame to lose the ‘historic’ Monaco Grand Prix from the Formula 1 calendar, with him comparing it to the status of the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This weekend the F1 paddock heads to Monte-Carlo for one of the most iconic events in all of sport; the Monaco Grand Prix. It’s arguably the most recognisable race of the year given the unique, glamorous setting but, perhaps for the first time in its history, it is facing question marks over its future on the F1 calendar.
Ultimately, though, it remains one of the best examinations of a driver and their skills behind the wheel as one mistake spells catastrophe, and that surely still has a place at the pinnacle of motorsport.
‘Best Examination of Driver Skill’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88012436-monaco-gp-mick-schumacher-calls-for-historic-race-to-remain-on-f1-calendar
Are Mercedes back in the fight? Five talking points for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 25th May 2022 22:27
Written by Will Wood
Are Mercedes truly back in the fight? When Russell joined seven-time world champion Hamilton at Mercedes, few would have predicted that Russell would finish ahead of Hamilton in five consecutive races from their first six starts together. But with an impressive drive to third last weekend, that is exactly what Russell has achieved – albeit with some fortunate Safety Car interventions along the way.
Russell’s battle against the Red Bulls and ability to out-qualify and out-race the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz Jnr may have been promising enough for Mercedes’ heavily upgraded W13 in Barcelona, but Hamilton’s race pace during his recovery from 19th at the end of the opening lap will have done wonders for morale back in Brackley. Only a late water leak stopped Hamilton from crossing the line one place behind his team mate in fourth.
While Mercedes’ gains may not be enough to immediately propel them back into contention for race victories just yet, they may mark an important first step towards them playing a much larger part in the action at the front of the field. If Russell and Hamilton can be in the mix with Ferrari and Red Bull this weekend, then Mercedes may have truly turned a corner with their new upgrade package.
‘Five talking points’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/25/are-mercedes-back-in-the-fight-five-talking-points-for-the-2022-monaco-grand-prix/
Fortitude
25th May 2022, 17:55
CHARLES LECLERC MUST OVERCOME HIS MONACO GP CURSE TO REIGNITE ANY F1 TITLE BID.
CHARLES LECLERC MONACO CURSE. Charles Leclerc needs to reset his Formula 1 title ambitions – and could do with a strong result at his home Monaco Grand Prix this weekend – unfortunately for him, he has something of a curse there…
25/052022, 13:48
Jake Nichol
For the Ferrari team leader, his home race has proven to be something of a nightmare in his F1 career. Just how many things have gone wrong for Charles Leclerc in Monaco to warrant it being known as a curse?
While every driver dreams of winning their home grand prix and the Monaco GP, Leclerc is in the unique situation of Monaco being his home race.
He was born in Monte Carlo – but while others dream of winning it – he simply dreams of finishing – or sometimes even starting it. In three races in the Principality he has two DNFs and one DNS.
‘The Curse of Monaco’;
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/05/25/charles-leclerc-monaco-curse-f1/
Hamilton set for FIA showdown over jewellery: 2022 Monaco GP – what to watch for.
Formula 1 heads to Monaco with a Hamilton-FIA row, intense title battle and questions about the race's future lingering in the air.
May 25th 2022
Author Edward Hardy
This weekend Formula 1 returns to one of its most famous theatres, the Monaco Grand Prix, with a title fight increasing in intensity with every race.
However, it’s matters away from the track which could dominate the headlines early on, with Lewis Hamilton set for Round 2 of his argument with the FIA over body piercings. The row first reared its head in Miami and, as detailed below, the two-race exemption for Hamilton ends when F1 reaches the principality.
When Autosport asked if he was actually planning to remove his nose piercings in time for Monaco, Hamilton replied: “No. I got an exemption here, I’ll get an exemption the rest of the year – wedding rings are allowed.” Expect this to be a story that rumbles on once F1 reaches the principality.
‘Exemption the rest of the year’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/hamilton-set-for-fia-showdown-over-jewellery-2022-monaco-gp-what-to-watch-for#
Why Verstappen expects chaotic weekend in Monaco.
25/05/2022, 17:00
Author Tom Leach
Verstappen ready for 'pretty crazy' race. Verstappen knows that qualifying will be "critical" in Monaco, having only claimed one pole position so far in 2022. Leclerc, meanwhile, has started at the front four times in six races.
"Monaco is always a hectic but special weekend. Qualifying is critical, the track is very old school and narrow, your heart rate goes so high, it’s insane," he said.
"We have to constantly be on the edge, it’s a pretty crazy track with Formula One cars. My Monaco race history was not so good but I finally won there last year and there was a massive relief once I crossed the line, I was very happy to win that race."
‘Chaotic Monaco GP Expected’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-expects-chaotic-weekend-in-monaco
Monaco “really puts the drivers to the test” – McLaren’s Andreas Seidl
By Nick Golding
May 25, 2022
McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl, is very much looking forward to Monaco, where he’s interested to see how the new cars will get along with the bumpy venue.
“I’m looking forward to this weekend! Monaco is such a historic race and one the drivers and the team love so it’s shaping up to be a good weekend. Our upgrades worked as expected in Spain and the team at track and back at the factory continue to work incredibly hard to optimise the car. It will be interesting to see how the new regulation cars run on the tight streets.
“The circuit really puts the drivers to the test with very little margin of error so the likelihood of safety cars is a lot higher, meaning there are lots of different strategy options we can look at for qualifying and the race. Let’s get out there and give everything we’ve got!”
‘Monaco GP Driver Test’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/monaco-really-puts-the-drivers-to-the-test-mclarens-andreas-seidl/
Parc Ferme: From exciting “Bore”celona to Monaco dreaming
Sean Stevens
25 May, 2022
This weekend’s venue. A few weeks ago, the blasphemer – Zak Brown suggested that F1 didn’t need the Monaco Grand Prix! A quick inquisition by knowledgeable parties in FOM revealed that he was probably suffering from a mild cognitive impairment and was not fully aware of what he was saying.
The only competition is qualifying. Once that’s settled, you’re left with a procession of the most expensive race cars in the world. Parading around the streets of the tiny principality for a couple of hours to no effect.
The only contest to be had is between the billionaire yachts in the harbour seeing who can down the most bottles of Dom Pérignon before the end of the ‘race’.
‘Billionaire Yachts Competition’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/25/parc-ferme-from-exciting-borecelona-to-f1-monaco-dreaming/
Circuit de Monaco “a track with so much history” – Nicholas Latifi
By Nick Golding
May 25, 2022
Latifi is excited for his second visit to Monaco in Formula 1, a venue which “has such a special feeling”. “It’s always exciting to go back to Monaco. It’s a track with so much history and has such a special feeling, more so than any other street circuit we race at. It’ll be my second-year racing there in a Formula One car, and I’m expecting it to be more of a challenge in these new regulation cars. I’m looking forward to that challenge though, so hopefully we’ll have a good weekend.”
Albon is upbeat though ahead of this weekend at Monaco, which is almost a home event for him. The Williams Racing driver lives just three-minutes away from the paddock, making the “special” race even more worthwhile for him.
“Monaco is one of the biggest races of the year. It’s a really cool circuit and I live about a three-minute walk from the paddock, so it’s an easy morning commute for me. The track itself is a proper street-circuit with a great atmosphere which means it’s always special. We’ll be pushing hard and hoping to finish off the double-header well.”
‘Circuit de Monaco Special Feeling’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/circuit-de-monaco-a-track-with-so-much-history-nicholas-latifi/
“Monaco is obviously a classic” – Haas’ Guenther Steiner
By Nick Golding
May 25, 2022
This weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix, an event Steiner refers to as a “classic”
“Monaco is obviously a classic, and it has been there forever. It’s one where we enjoy going to as well but there are a lot of events that are going in different directions. I always say, different directions are better because then fans can look forward to different specialties. Monaco is one of those specialties in the calendar.”
‘Classical Monaco’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/monaco-is-obviously-a-classic-haas-guenther-steiner/
“Every driver has special memories of Monaco” – Sebastian Vettel
By Nick Golding
May 25, 2022
Vettel is expecting a physical affair, where endurance will play a key part.
“Every driver has special memories of Monaco and wants to create more, and we all know that some of the most famous moments in Formula One history happened here. I think this will be a physical Grand Prix where drivers will hustle the cars that bit more than they have in the past, so there will be an element of endurance too.”
‘Monaco GP Hustle’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/every-driver-has-special-memories-of-monaco-sebastian-vettel/
Fortitude
26th May 2022, 05:58
The data that hints of an Alfa Romeo F1 surprise in Monaco.
Alfa Romeo’s progress in Formula 1 this year has made it a Q3 regular – and occasional thorn in the side of Mercedes.
May 24, 2022, 12:03 PM
By: Jonathan Noble
Co-author: Oleg Karpov
As Valtteri Bottas remarked after some of the high-speed sections of Barcelona exposed the Alfa Romeo against its rivals: "I think, next week is quite suitable for our car.
"It's mainly slow speed corners, and our car is really good in slow speed corners."
The data from Barcelona certainly seems to back up Bottas's claims of its strengths being in the lower speed sections.
‘Alfa Romeo F1 surprise’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alfa-romeo-f1-bottas-monaco/10309811/
Bottas hopes to secure ‘special’ Monaco result for Alfa Romeo.
Valtteri Bottas says he aims to walk away from the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend with a “special” result for Alfa Romeo.
26/05/2022, 18:44
by Fergal Walsh
Previewing the weekend ahead, Bottas says that Formula 1 could be in for “something spectacular” if drivers are able to race closer together with the new-for-2022 cars.
“I am looking forward to this weekend’s race,” Bottas said. “Monaco is always an interesting weekend, it’s a home weekend for a lot of the drivers and it definitely has a feeling that you don’t get from any other round in the calendar.”
“I am confident approaching the weekend,” he said. “We have been fighting with the top guys for two races in a row and I don’t see any reason why we won’t be able to do it again this time around. Of course, most of the weekend hinges on having a clean Friday and a good Saturday: if we’re high up on the grid, we can potentially bring home a special result.”
‘Special Result Confidence’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/05/25/bottas-hopes-to-secure-special-monaco-result/
“We proved that the pace is there” – Esteban Ocon
May 24, 2022
By Nick Golding
Esteban Ocon recovered well from a disappointing Qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix, to finish seventh-place at a scorching hot Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Team-mate Fernando Alonso drove an incredible race to make up eleven places.
Ocon proved that Alpine do have a good race car, the Frenchman made an excellent start to the race and made up a number of places early on. The A522 appeared an almost completely different car on Sunday, following the team’s disappointment on Saturday.
‘Alpine F1 pace’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/we-proved-that-the-pace-is-there-esteban-ocon/
Ocon urges Alpine F1 team to "bring more stuff" to improve car
Esteban Ocon says his Alpine Formula 1 team is going in the right direction with its latest upgrade package, but cautioned that it still has to “bring more stuff”.
May 25, 2022, 7:01 PM
By: Adam Cooper
Ocon was pleased with the progress that the team made over the course of the weekend with the upgrades.
“But we definitely need to bring more stuff, because P7 is good, but we're not where we want to be. And we need to push harder to catch on the Alfas which are in front of us, and the other ones.”
Regarding the value of the data gathered in the race he added: “We completed everything, basically. And there was a difference between the strategies as well, because Fernando had new tyres in the end. So we can also compare that. It's all good stuff."
‘Bring more ‘stuff’, it is all good ‘stuff’ ’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ocon-urges-alpine-f1-team-to-bring-more-stuff-to-improve-car/10310262/
Yuki Tsunoda eyeing stronger Monaco performance despite point in Spain last time out
Published: 25 May 2022, 21:08
By George Dagless
AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda has said that he is eyeing a stronger performance in Monaco this weekend than at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Japanese driver is having a positive season so far, with him bringing an extra level of consistency to his performances and making less mistakes than he did during his rookie campaign last year.
That’s perhaps to be expected, though, and he is showing that he can now bring more control to his driving as well as the phenomenal pace it was clear he always had.
‘Stronger Monaco Performance’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88013100-yuki-tsunoda-eyeing-stronger-monaco-performance-despite-point-in-spain-last-time-out
Juan Pablo Montoya suggests Mercedes are 'four races' behind Red Bull and Ferrari
Published: 25 May 2022, 20:56
By George Dagless
Juan Pablo Montoya has suggested that Mercedes are about four races behind Red Bull and Ferrari in the development stakes.
The W13 has been a problem child this season for the Mercedes team, with them struggling to really extract the full potential they feel the car has thanks to porpoising.
A positive sign for Merc, then, and Montoya believes it’s now about layering up the updates and building on the foundation, with them probably about, in his mind, four races behind Red Bull and Ferrari in the developmental stakes at the moment.
‘Now ‘3’ Races Behind’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88013098-juan-pablo-montoya-suggests-mercedes-are-four-races-behind-red-bull-and-ferrari
Juan Pablo Montoya: Ferrari are quicker than Red Bull right now
Published: 25 May 2022, 21:03
By George Dagless
Juan Pablo Montoya is of the belief that Ferrari have a quicker car than Red Bull at the moment and that is putting pressure on Max Verstappen. Verstappen took victory at the Spanish Grand Prix last time out but perhaps only did so because Charles Leclerc had to retire with a power unit issue.
Indeed, the Monegasque was looking untouchable in Barcelona with him topping every practice session, taking pole in qualifying, and then booting it off down the road in his Ferrari to leave the rest to fight it out for second place in the Grand Prix.
Montoya believes the Dutchman is feeling pressure in the title fight, then, as he aims to get as many points as possible in the face of what the Colombian believes is a quicker car that Ferrari possess compared to the Red Bull right now: “I think that a lot of pressure comes from the fact that the Ferrari has a quicker car at the moment. You know, they should’ve won the race. Leclerc should have won the race by a mile,” he said to Vegas Insider.
‘Ferrari Quicker, Verstappen Pressure’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88013099-juan-pablo-montoya-ferrari-are-quicker-than-red-bull-right-now
Ricciardo under pressure after McLaren CEO says he hasn't met expectations.
Daniel Ricciardo says he will do all he can for a successful Monaco Grand Prix
26/05/2022
ABC Online04:10
By Michael Doyle
Daniel Ricciardo has said he is hoping to "make a mark" at Monaco this year after a horror start to the Formula 1 season. The Australian has just 11 points from six races, finishing only once in the top-10 of a race — round three in Melbourne. He also scored points in the sprint qualifying race at Imola but then failed to score any in the grand prix.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown told the UK's Sky Sports F1 this week they were wanting more from their driver. "Daniel is just not comfortable yet with the car, we're trying everything we can. Again [Spain] was a disappointing weekend," Brown said.
Ricciardo struggled at Monaco last year, being lapped by Norris who went on to finish third. But he does have a past race win around the famed streets of Monte Carlo and a further three podium finishes. He is hoping that his experience around Monaco will reignite his stint with the team.
‘Do All He Can’;
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-26/daniel-ricciardo-preparing-for-monaco-grand-prix/101100058
Fortitude
26th May 2022, 16:12
Lewis Hamilton may cause 'chaos' by not racing at Monaco Grand Prix over jewellery ban.
LEWIS HAMILTON and the FIA are set to come to blows this weekend over jewellery as the Mercedes star's two-race exemption ends.
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
14:46, Thu, May 26, 2022
Lewis Hamilton could cause ‘chaos’ at the Monaco Grand Prix by threatening to not race over the FIA's jewellery ban, warns former Channel 4 commentator Ben Edwards. He claims the seven-time champion could cause a ‘huge shock’ and refuse to race on Sunday if he is forced to remove his necklaces, rings and earrings.
“The FIA, if they’re declaring something hard they can’t be seen, really, to suddenly back off. It's an interesting thing they’ve decided to do but they’ve decided to do it. If they now back off it rather puts them in a tricky position. I'm a bit intrigued by the whole situation as to how it will work out and how they will manage to come to a compromise.”
“If not it could cause chaos if Lewis suddenly says ‘well I'm not racing’, that would be a huge shock to the whole world of Formula 1. I'm intrigued to know whether they can come to some sort of compromise on this. It’s such an odd thing to have such a hardball moment about.”
‘Monaco Chaos’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1616458/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-jewellery-ban-monaco-grand-prix
FIA set to face big Lewis Hamilton question ahead of Monaco Grand Prix
LEWIS HAMILTON faces Judgement Day in Monaco this weekend.
By ALEX TURK
07:00, Thu, May 26, 2022
The FIA's resolve is set to be tested this weekend as the 2022 F1 calendar lands in Monaco. Lewis Hamilton had been given until the Monaco Grand Prix to abide by the governing body's tightened jewellery ban whilst in the cockpit, but they will face a defining question if he doesn't.
A retreat would be all the more surprising given Ben Sulayem's comments in a recent interview. He insisted fines would apply if regulations weren't followed. He added: "It's like if someone speeds on the roads — you can't stop them doing it, but they get fined, even if it was accidental."
All eyes will be on Hamilton's decisions and the FIA's actions on what should be a decisive weekend in this long-running saga. There is unsurprisingly mass intrigue as to how far the governing body will go on the matter with the issue still unresolved despite talks taking place with drivers over how to move forward.
‘Big Question’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1616106/F1-news-FIA-Lewis-Hamilton-Monaco-Grand-Prix-jewellery-ban
FIA set to face big Lewis Hamilton question ahead of Monaco Grand Prix
LEWIS HAMILTON faces Judgement Day in Monaco this weekend.
By ALEX TURK
07:00, Thu, May 26, 2022
The FIA's resolve is set to be tested this weekend as the 2022 F1 calendar lands in Monaco. Lewis Hamilton had been given until the Monaco Grand Prix to abide by the governing body's tightened jewellery ban whilst in the cockpit, but they will face a defining question if he doesn't.
Earlier this season, the FIA's new president Mohammed ben Sulayem announced they were clamping down on regulations about jewellery and underwear in F1. But Hamilton, along with other drivers, has fought the stance with public showcases of defiance.
‘Defiance to the FIA’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1616106/F1-news-FIA-Lewis-Hamilton-Monaco-Grand-Prix-jewellery-ban
Wolff lowers Monaco expectations with ‘elephant’ car
Date published: May 26 2022 - Henry Valantine
Toto Wolff’s expectations of Mercedes in the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend are the lowest they’ve been all season, but hopes to use it as a learning experience at least.
Although Mercedes appeared to claw back a chunk of their deficit to Red Bull and Ferrari at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, Wolff is not expecting miracles for the team in Monte Carlo.
“I wouldn’t say so because we were particularly off the pace in the slow corners in the last sector due to overheating that might be different in Monaco,” Wolff said in Spain, as per GPFans.
‘Elephant Car Miracles’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-monaco-elephant/
[B]Max Verstappen backed for Monaco win by Juan Pablo Montoya
Juan Pablo Montoya is backing Max Verstappen to keep his run of wins going and take victory at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend.
Published: 26 May 2022, 15:40
By George Dagless
Speaking to Vegas Insider, the 2003 winner of the Monaco Grand Prix had this to say: “My money is on Max.
“If I were to say who’s going to be better there, I would guess that probably Max would be better than Charles. Especially in the race. “Maybe on a one lap Ferrari could put a lap together, but on the race, my money would be on Max to win it.”
“You know, it would be nice for Charles and for the F1 championship to get closer with a Ferrari win. But you got to say that Red Bull is more complete as a team. They execute better, they do a better job with everything.”
‘JPM: Money On ‘;Max
https://www.givemesport.com/88013641-max-verstappen-backed-for-monaco-win-by-juan-pablo-montoya
Monte Carlo or bust: Crazy bets and odds for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Thursday 26 May 2022 13:57
OddsCritic
Predictably, it is very tight out front for the win, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc edging favouritism at 11/10 while reigning champion Max Verstappen is only second best at 6/4 despite his run of three straight wins.
The ‘Request A Bet’ craze sweeping the UK;
500/1 Hamilton to win, Alonso podium & Vettel points finish
13/2 Leclerc fastest qualifier but NOT complete the race
9/4 Verstappen podium, and George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to all finish in the points
‘Crazy Odds or Bust’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83405/monte-carlo-or-bust-crazy-bets-and-odds-for-the-2022-monaco-grand-prix/
Fortitude
27th May 2022, 02:40
FIA postpones contentious F1 rule on jewellery.
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the enforcement of the jewellery ban will be delayed until the 30 June.
27/05/2022, 20:51
Author Andrew Wright
Co-author Dieter Rencken
While the Monaco Grand Prix is often considered the jewel in Formula 1’s crown, continuing talks over the banning of jewellery worn by F1 drivers is threatening to take away some of the race’s glitz.
However, RacingNews365.com has learned that dialogue between the drivers and the president of the FIA medical commission, Dr Sean Petherbridge, will continue this weekend.
Thus the matter is subject to ongoing discussions between the FIA’s medical and safety commissions, the drivers individually and via the Grand Prix Drivers Association, and the race directors in an earnest attempt to reach an equitable solution.
‘FIA Postponement’;
https://racingnews365.com/fia-postpones-contentious-f1-rule-on-jewellery
Formula One without Monaco is not Formula One, says Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has told Formula One bosses that the Monaco Grand Prix must stay on the calendar.
26/05/2022 | 18:00 PM
By Philip Duncan, PA F1 Correspondent, Monte Carlo
Organisers of the sport’s grandest race are locked in discussions with F1’s American owners Liberty Media over a contract extension – Sunday’s 78-lap race around the principality is set to be the last unless a new deal is rubber-stamped.
Despite being considered the most glamorous event in F1, the two-mile course has remain largely unchanged from the first grand prix staged in 1929, and some have claimed it is no longer fit for purpose in its current guise. But Leclerc, 24, born and raised in Monaco, said: “Losing the race would be a bad move for both parties.
“Formula One has historic tracks like Silverstone, Monza and Monaco, too, and Monaco should stay on the calendar. There is no track that comes close to the adrenalin we get here, and for me it is part of F1’s history.”
‘Historic Tracks’;
https://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/formula-one-without-monaco-is-not-formula-one-says-charles-leclerc-1311550.html
‘F1 WITHOUT MONACO IS NOT F1’ - CHARLES LECLERC SAYS DROPPING MONACO GRAND PRIX WOULD BE ‘BAD MOVE’
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has labelled the potential removal of the Monaco Grand Prix a ‘bad move’ as F1 bosses weigh up options to grow the sport. Belgium is another historic F1 venue that is under threat. "I have never known Monaco without F1 apart from Covid reasons in 2020, and F1 without Monaco for me is not F1,” Leclerc said.
PUBLISHED 26/05/2022 AT 23:01 GMT+1
BY BEN SOUTHBY
Charles Leclerc: "F1 has some historic tracks like Silverstone and Monza - and Monaco, too, and they should stay on the calendar.”
"The races are so close. The danger, you can still feel it because you really have the sensation of speed and in terms of qualifying it is probably the most exciting of the year.”
"I agree in the races there are maybe some things we could change here and there to help overtaking. But in terms of challenge for the drivers it is one of the toughest challenges of the year."
‘Monaco, Sensation of Speed’;
https://www.eurosport.co.uk/formula-1/f1-without-monaco-is-not-f1-charles-leclerc-says-dropping-monaco-grand-prix-would-be-bad-move_sto8949616/story.shtml
Charles Leclerc: Monaco Grand Prix has to stay on Formula One calendar
Monegasque driver insists under-threat race is 'part of F1’s history'
May 26, 2022
Press Association
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has told Formula One bosses that the Monaco Grand Prix must stay on the calendar. Despite the uncertainty, it is expected that Liberty, and the race organisers, are close to striking a new agreement with a formal announcement likely to follow in the coming months.
F1’s motorsport boss Ross Brawn has explored ways at adapting the tight and twisty track, but alterations would require the full support of Automobile Club de Monaco.
Leclerc, who has won two races this season and trails championship leader Max Verstappen by six points, added: “F1 needs to go to the best tracks, but I really think Monaco is one of them, and in terms of qualifying there is no place I enjoy as much as I do here.
‘Monaco Grand Prix has to stay’;
https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/f1/2022/05/26/charles-leclerc-monaco-grand-prix-has-to-stay-on-formula-one-calendar/
Ecclestone questions F1's new American style
MAY 8, 2022
Formula 1 is being run in an "American style" that Bernie Ecclestone would never have dreamed of overseeing.
"They're producing Formula 1: American Style," the 91-year-old told Bloomberg.
"It may well be that it's good, because so many stupid things come out of America and everyone's happy, but it wasn't the way I ran things."
‘Formula 1 American Style’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/ecclestone-questions-f1s-new-american-style.html
‘I don’t think about it’ – Leclerc shrugs off so-called Monaco curse as he predicts weekend of ‘surprises’ at home
26 May 2022
Formula 1.
In five attempts in both Formula 2 and Formula 1, Monegasque Charles Leclerc has never seen the chequered flag at his home race. But Leclerc shrugged off that unfortunate record ahead of the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix – while predicting some “surprises” over the weekend.
Leclerc’s bad luck even extended to him failing to start the Monaco Grand Prix last year, having secured pole position the day before for Ferrari.
But asked if his finish-less record was playing on his mind ahead of the 2022 encounter, Leclerc – who currently sits second in the drivers’ standings, six points adrift of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – said: “I don't think about it.
‘Leclerc, Le Curse de Monaco’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.i-dont-think-about-it-leclerc-shrugs-off-so-called-monaco-curse-as-he.6RAORjw88wwezhZef2RvUC.html
Fortitude
27th May 2022, 13:55
Monaco GP: Charles Leclerc tops FP1 ahead of Sergio Perez.
Charles Leclerc went fastest for Ferrari in FP1 at Monaco, with him looking to have a memorable weekend at his home race for the right reasons this year.
Published: 27 May 2022, 14:21
By George Dagless
The Monegasque driver is yet to finish a home race that he has competed in and that rather highlights just what rotten luck he has had in the Principality. He’s certainly started on the right foot this weekend at least, then, with him going fastest in FP1 around the streets of Monte-Carlo, with the drivers looking to get to grips with the circuit in their new-era cars, which are the biggest the track has seen.
Behind Leclerc, Sergio Perez took second place as he looks for another strong result whilst Carlos Sainz was third fastest, with him complaining about a ‘bad ride’ in the other Ferrari.
Indeed, the stiff nature of these cars has certainly caused a few bumpy rides along the way and, on this undulating street circuit it’s easy to see just how much the cars are bouncing about.
‘Started on the right foot’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88014061-monaco-gp-charles-leclerc-tops-fp1-ahead-of-sergio-perez
Everything that happened in first Monaco GP F1 practice.
27/05/2022, 14:23
The Race.
Charles Leclerc was fastest on home ground as the Monaco Grand Prix weekend began.
KEY MOMENTS
– Leclerc leads Perez, Sainz and Verstappen
– Both Red Bulls and Leclerc have minor offs
– Schumacher problem causes red flag
– Lots of bouncing woe at Mercedes
‘FP1: Key Moments’;
https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Monaco+GP
Leclerc, Perez and Sainz covered by less than a tenth as Monaco practice begins
2022 MONACO GRAND PRIX FIRST PRACTICE
Posted on 27th May 2022, 14:24
Written by Will Wood
Charles Leclerc set the fastest time during first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, with Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz Jnr in close company.
Leclerc’s best time of a 1’14.531 set the benchmark for the first hour of running around the famous street circuit. Carlos Sainz Jnr was just 0.07s off his team mate’s benchmark time in third, with championship leader Max Verstappen fourth fastest, just under two tenths slower than his rival Leclerc.
Clear, crystal blue skies and temperatures of just over 30C greeted drivers as they ventured out onto the Monte Carlo streets for the first time over the weekend. The field took to the track on a mixture of the hard and medium compound tyres as they looked to re-familiarise themselves with the circuit.
‘Less than a tenth of a second’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/27/leclerc-perez-and-sainz-covered-by-less-than-a-tenth-as-monaco-practice-begins/
2022 F1 Monaco Grand Prix – Free Practice 1 results
27/05/2022, 14:01
thor RacingNews365 Staff
Charles Leclerc set the pace during the opening practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend.
Leclerc's best time of 1:14.531 around the Circuit de Monaco put him three hundreths of a second clear of Sergio Perez, with Carlos Sainz third and Max Verstappen fourth respectively.
FP1 Results;
https://racingnews365.com/2022-f1-monaco-grand-prix
F1 2022 results: Monaco GP – First Practice session
Date published: May 27 2022 - Editor
Here are the complete results from the first practice session at the Circuit de Monaco, where Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has set the pace. Charles Leclerc has delighted the home fans in Monte Carlo, with the Monegasque driver setting the fastest time of the opening hour of practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.
Leclerc won out with the fastest time during a hot and sunny first practice session, having set a 1:14.531 on the Medium tyre – enough to keep him just 0.039 seconds clear of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
Results: First Practice (FP1) – 2022 Monaco GP
1. Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:14:531
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull +0.039
3. Carlos Sainz Ferrari +0.070
4. Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.181
5. Lando Norris McLaren +0.525
6. Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri +0.552
7. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +0.626
8. George Russell Mercedes +0.680
9. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +0.856
10. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.968
‘FP1 Results’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2022-results-monaco-gp-first-practice-session/
F1 bosses slammed for 'not having the balls' to defy drivers' wishes
BERNIE ECCLESTONE HAS REACTED TO THE FUTURE OF THE MONACO GRAND PRIX WHICH DOESN'T HAVE A CONTRACT FOR NEXT SEASON.
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
13:48, Fri, May 27, 2022
Bernie Ecclestone has warned F1 bosses have not got the ‘balls’ to drop F1’s historic Monaco Grand Prix from the calendar. The 91-year-old former F1 supremo claimed then race was still the sport's ‘crown jewel’ despite other races in iconic locations being added to the calendar.
Ecclestone appeared to take a swipe at one of F1’s newest locations, Miami, which hosted its first Grand Prix earlier this month. He claimed the track was not right for F1 and added the track had tried to mimic Monaco with its fake marina installed ahead of the race.
The race also featured a ‘Beach Club’ area for guests which did not include any real sand. He added: “Look at Miami. That wasn't a Formula One race. "It could have been a local club race, couldn't it. They had those boats in the car park, trying to make it look like Monaco."
‘Boats in the car park, mimic Monaco with its fake marina’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1616968/bernie-ecclestone-monaco-grand-prix-f1-news-latest
Fortitude
27th May 2022, 18:35
Monaco GP: Charles Leclerc fastest in FP2 ahead of Carlos Sainz.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc topped FP2 at the Monaco Grand Prix, with him ahead of Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez.
Published: 27 May 2022, 17:22
By George Dagless
Behind Leclerc, as mentioned, Carlos Sainz was just 4 hundredths of a second off of the pace in what was a positive session for Ferrari, whilst Sergio Perez was again in the top three as he traded second in FP1 for third in FP2 around the streets of Monte-Carlo ahead of team-mate Max Verstappen. Behind the usual suspects for the top four, Lando Norris recorded the fifth-fastest time in his McLaren as he continues to look strong.
Still recovering from tonsillitis, the young Briton is in fine form at the moment and getting the very best out of his MCL36 which, compared to Daniel Ricciardo – already under pressure after Zak Brown’s comments he’s not met expectations in the week – could not be more different as the Aussie slid into the wall at the swimming pool section.
In P6, George Russell in the Mercedes with him once again looking more at home than Lewis Hamilton in the car – though the W13 appears to be showing some of its old issues after a fine run in Spain – whilst Pierre Gasly was 7th fastest to make it two top tens in practice in Monaco, ahead of Fernando Alonso in the Alpine.
‘FP2 Charles Leclerc’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88014075-monaco-gp-charles-leclerc-fastest-in-fp2-ahead-of-carlos-sainz
HIGHLIGHTS: Watch as Ferrari lead the way in FP2 for the Monaco Grand Prix
27 May 2022
Formula 1.
Charles Leclerc made it two from two on Friday, as the Ferrari driver topped the timesheets of the second practice session at the Monaco Grand Prix ahead of team mate Carlos Sainz.
As temperatures cooled, Leclerc set the fastest time of the day with a time of 1m 12.656s on the soft tyre, with Sainz a further 0.044s behind his team mate. Sergio Perez was lead Red Bull as he finished in P3, with team mate Max Verstappen P4.
For the second session in a row, Lando Norris was in P5, with George Russell finishing sixth ahead of Pierre Gasly. Lewis Hamilton set the 12th-fastest time of the session, while after being confined to the pit lane in the first practice session, Valtteri Bottas finished 13th.
‘Ferrari lead the way in FP2’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.highlights-watch-as-ferrari-lead-the-way-in-fp2-for-the-monaco-grand-prix.4w5m0JZ2QiPBNQImzTndoe.html
F1 2022 results: Monaco GP – Second Practice session
Date published: May 27 2022 - Editor
The Monegasque driver sent his home crowd away happy as he put in a 1:12.656 on the soft tyre compound to pip Carlos Sainz by just 0.044 seconds.
This was enough to keep Ferrari convincingly ahead of Red Bull, with Sergio Perez leading their charge in third place almost four tenths of a second down on Leclerc, while Max Verstappen was a further half tenth behind.
Results: Second Practice (FP2) – 2022 Monaco GP
1. Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:12.656
2. Carlos Sainz Ferrari +0.044
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull +0.379
4. Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.447
5. Lando Norris McLaren +0.638
6. George Russell Mercedes +0.750
7. Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri +0.980
8. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1.256
9. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +1.403
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1.478
‘Monegasque driver sent his home crowd away happy’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2022-results-monaco-gp-second-practice-session/
Verstappen expects Ferrari’s one-lap performance will put them ahead in Monaco
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 27th May 2022, 12:52
Written by Keith Collantine
Max Verstappen expects Ferrari to have the upper hand at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix because of their superior one-lap pace. Ferrari have taken pole position for four of the six races so far this year. Charles Leclerc led last weekend’s race in Spain from pole but retired from the lead with a power unit problem.
“But we just take it race-by-race. Monaco in general, it’s a bit tricky to really judge proper performances but again it’s very important to maximise the points.” Overtaking is extremely difficult in Monaco, so Verstappen believes Ferrari’s superior performance over a single lap puts them in a strong position.
“You need the one-lap performance and so far it’s been a bit more tricky for us this year over one lap,” he said. “I think also looking at where Ferrari was strong and should be good here at low-speed kerb riding and stuff.
‘Ferrari Upper Hand’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/27/verstappen-expects-ferraris-one-lap-performance-will-put-them-ahead-in-monaco/
Hamilton 'fighting the car' around Monaco as Mercedes pair target overnight improvements
27 May 2022
Formula 1.
It’s going to be a long night for the Silver Arrows after Lewis Hamilton and George Russell faced their respective struggles in Friday practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, with Hamilton in particular stressing that he found the 2022-spec cars a handful around these tight streets.
After a much-improved showing in Spain, Mercedes’ fortunes contrasted on Friday in Monaco with Lewis Hamilton finishing P10 then P12 in the respective practice sessions – Russell going P8 then P6. Hamilton then explained exactly why he struggled after finishing out of the top 10 in FP2.
“Firstly, it's the bumpiest the track [has] ever been. It's probably the bumpiest track I've ever driven, so that makes it one, difficult – but two, just generally our car bounces a lot. It's different bouncing to what we've experienced in the past; it's in the low-speed also, but it's not aero[-related].
‘Fighting the bumpiest track’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hamilton-fighting-the-car-around-monaco-as-mercedes-pair-target-overnight.5bb29Hwysnis6jR9iA0XPv.html
After disappearing from Williams’ car, Senna’s logo is now on the McLaren
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 27th May 2022, 10:13
Written by Keith Collantine
Following Senna’s death, Williams added his logo to the nose of their cars in 1995. They continued the practice until the end of last season, saying they wanted to “look now to the future and not showing the drivers the ‘S’ every time they get in the car and being reminded of what happened.”
McLaren has announced they will carry his logo from this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. Senna won the race a record six times, all bar one of which was with McLaren. Brown said the Senna logo will be a permanent addition to the team’s cars.
“Having won the Grand Prix six times, more than any other driver, Ayrton proved that his skill and ability behind the wheel of an F1 car could rarely be matched. This addition to our F1 race cars will be permanent, and has been added with the support of the Senna family. It will serve as a constant reminder of Ayrton Senna’s sensational talent for us as a team, and for all our fans around the world.”
‘Ayrton Senna’s Legacy’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/27/after-disappearing-from-williams-car-sennas-logo-is-now-on-the-mclaren/
Dropping Monaco would be a mistake for F1, says Ecclestone
Friday, 27 May 2022 9:11 PM MYT
“Whether it’s the worst race or the best race or whatever, it’s the crown jewels,” he said. Ecclestone, who for decades drew up the calendar and introduced new races to the sport, said he regularly heard promoters explain how they were going to do things better than Monaco.
“Look at Miami. That wasn’t a Formula One race,” added the 91-year-old. “It could have been a local club race, couldn’t it. They had those boats in the car park, trying to make it look like Monaco.” The venue for this month’s inaugural race, around the grounds of the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium, featured a “Beach Club” without a beach and a “Marina” without water.”
There were real yachts, but sitting on concrete blocks above a special vinyl surface designed to look like gently rolling waves for the television cameras. The real Monaco features cars racing around the tight metal-fenced street circuit against a backdrop of superyachts moored in the harbour. — Reuters
“Beach Club” without a beach and a “Marina” without water VERSUS The Monaco GP’;
https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2022/05/27/dropping-monaco-would-be-a-mistake-for-f1-says-ecclestone/9245
Fortitude
28th May 2022, 05:38
Perez says Red Bull are ‘surprised’ at the gap to Ferrari in Monaco
27 May 2022
Formula 1.
Sergio Perez was quicker than his world champion team mate Max Verstappen in second practice in Monaco – but the Mexican said Red Bull were not expecting such a big gap to pace-setters Ferrari.
‘Surprised at gap to Ferrari’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.perez-says-red-bull-are-surprised-at-the-gap-to-ferrari-in-monaco.1733999717374708620.html
Leclerc tops Perez in opening Monaco Grand Prix practice
Issued on: 27/05/2022 - 16:10
Monte Carlo (Principality of Monaco) (AFP) – Charles Leclerc topped the times for Ferrari at his home Monaco Grand Prix in Friday's opening free practice, finishing a closely-contested session narrowly ahead of Red Bull's Sergio Perez.
‘Leclerc tops Perez’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220527-leclerc-tops-perez-in-opening-monaco-grand-prix-practice
Red Bull chief Christian Horner denies Sergio Perez is number two driver to Max Verstappen
Sergio Perez was ordered to relinquish his lead in the Barcelona Grand Prix to teammate Max Verstappen but Red Bull boss Christian Horner has denied Perez is viewed as the number two driver
10:29, 26 MAY 2022
BY Josh Challies
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has denied that Sergio Perez has number two driver status at the team after the controversial team order for him to let Max Verstappen pass him in Barcelona.
The Mexican driver was leading the Grand Prix but was told on team radio to let teammate Verstappen past, a decision he stated was 'very unfair', which saw the defending champion win his third race in a row.
Perez played a vital role in Verstappen's title success last year but will have harboured title aspirations of his own in 2022, with Red Bull assembling a dominant machine on the grid and leading both championships. With the team orders, and the fact Perez has just two race wins to Verstappen's 24, the general consensus is that Perez is cemented as the team's second-choice driver - but that's something Horner has denied.
‘Number 2 denied’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/christian-horner-perez-red-bull-27069162
Perez now satisfied after Red Bull internal talks
Date published: May 27 2022
Editor
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez has revealed how his “internal talks” with Red Bull turned out after the Spanish Grand Prix. Sergio Perez has said he’s satisfied with how his talks with Red Bull turned out, after calling for “internal talks” after team orders went against him during the race in Barcelona.
“We spoke after the race. At the end of the day, it was clear that the three-stop was the way to go. We both agreed, and we moved on,” he said. “It’s a great atmosphere at Red Bull, and we have a great momentum . So, at the end of the day, it was a great team result.”
The Mexican went on to reveal that there’s no arrangement in place that forces him to play second fiddle to Verstappen. “They made it clear that I have the full support of the team to see me winning.”
‘Internal Talks Satisfaction’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-satisfied-by-red-bull-talks/
[B]Perez: Red Bull agreed they could have done a “better job” with Spanish GP team orders
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 27th May 2022, 14:45
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
Sergio Perez insists Red Bull are not restricting his ability to race Max Verstappen despite their use of team orders in the Spanish Grand Prix. Red Bull told Perez to allow his team mate to overtake him twice during the Spanish Grand Prix, including while he was in the lead of the race.
Perez said there had not been any discussions between him and Red Bull about playing a supporting role to Verstappen this year before agreeing to extend his contract with the team for 2022. “No, not really coming into the season,” Perez said in response to a questions from RaceFans.
The team discussed their handling of the race with Perez afterwards and acknowledged there was room for improvement, Perez said. “Obviously when you’re in the car, you have certain information,” he said. “The team has a wider picture.
‘Could have done a better job’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/27/perez-red-bull-agreed-they-could-have-done-a-better-job-with-spanish-gp-team-orders/
Sergio Perez sends clear message to Christian Horner as Red Bull star ignores critics
SERGIO PEREZ is currently third in the F1 Drivers' Championship standings.
05:10, Sat, May 28, 2022
By TOM PARSONS
Sergio Perez has ignored his critics and sent a clear message to Red Bull chief Christian Horner that he wants to battle for the F1 title. Perez is currently third in the Drivers’ Championship standings after finishing second at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend.
Perez had looked to be on his way to a Grand Prix victory for just the third time in his career last weekend as he led the race in the latter stages. But Red Bull chiefs told the Mexican to relinquish his lead and allow his team-mate Max Verstappen to pass.
‘Sergio Perez sends clear message’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1617087/Sergio-Perez-Christian-Horner-Red-Bull-F1-Max-Verstappen-Lewis-Hamilton
Fortitude
28th May 2022, 06:35
New bouncing problem “like 100 bumps in just one straight” for Hamilton.
“It’s different to when we were having bouncing, hitting – it is bouncing but it’s a different kind of feel. It’s like 100 bumps in just one straight. I don’t know how it is for the others, whether or not they’re experiencing the same as us.”
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on
27th May 2022, 18:07 | Written by Keith Collantine
Lewis Hamilton says his Mercedes have encountered
Hamilton says they have encountered a different kind of bouncing around the unusually slow Monaco track. “It’s different bouncing to what we’ve experienced in the past,” said Hamilton. “It’s a lower speed also but it’s not aero, I think it’s just the bumps on the track are making it worse.”
“But otherwise it’s not really having to learn the track different it’s just fighting the car. To put a lap together is, wow, holy crap, it’s a lot different. I don’t remember experiencing it like that before.” He said the track felt like “the bumpiest rollercoaster ride at the moment.”
“I think the locking I was having through the car is on the ground, on the deck. So we’re going to have to figure out how to get around that with the set-up. And then down the straights there’s some bigger hits. I remember back in the day, my first years here, just a light, nimble car, going around was so much better,” he said. “But now we have these super-heavy cars, they’re heavier than ever before, braking zones are different. It’s crazy that in 2022 the tracks aren’t as smoother when they’ve been resurfaced. Technology is still against us.”
‘1 Straight, 100 Bumps’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/27/new-bouncing-problem-like-100-bumps-in-just-one-straight-for-hamilton/
Lewis Hamilton expecting ‘lottery’ at wet Monaco Grand Prix
Rain is forecast for the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.
27 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
“The approach to a race always changes when it rains,” Hamilton said, quoted by france24.com.
“It’s more of a lottery, but there is also a lot more opportunity. The potential for failure is even greater – so it makes it even more nerve-wracking.”
“The percentage chance of overtaking is minuscule. The percentage chances of crashing are massive — so qualifying position is everything.”
‘Monaco GP Lottery’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-expecting-lottery-at-wet-monaco-grand-prix/
Hamilton 'fighting the car' around Monaco as Mercedes pair target overnight improvements
27 May 2022
It’s going to be a long night for the Silver Arrows after Lewis Hamilton and George Russell faced their respective struggles in Friday practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, with Hamilton in particular stressing that he found the 2022-spec cars a handful around these tight streets.
After a much-improved showing in Spain, Mercedes’ fortunes contrasted on Friday in Monaco with Lewis Hamilton finishing P10 then P12 in the respective practice sessions – Russell going P8 then P6. Hamilton then explained exactly why he struggled after finishing out of the top 10 in FP2.
“As I said, putting the lap together is difficult, but I think we made some improvements going into that session [FP2]. And it doesn't even feel like, when you actually do try and put a lap together, the grip doesn't feel terrible. It's just your eyeballs are coming out of the sockets. So, we've got some work to do overnight to try and fix that. As anticipated, I didn't think we would be as quick as the Ferraris and the Red Bulls. Our battle is to try and stay ahead of the McLarens I think.”
‘Eyeballs coming out of Sockets’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.hamilton-fighting-the-car-around-monaco-as-mercedes-pair-target-overnight.5bb29Hwysnis6jR9iA0XPv.html
‘We’ll be ready for tomorrow’ – Ricciardo downplays FP2 crash as Norris admits surprise at being ahead of Mercedes on Friday
27 May 2022
Formula 1.
McLaren enjoyed an impressive first day of running at the Monaco Grand Prix, despite driver Daniel Ricciardo’s second session being cut short after he crashed into the barrier at the Swimming Pool complex. But the Aussie driver didn't appear to be overly worried by the situation, as he suggested that an extreme set-up was the main cause behind the accident.
2018 Monaco Grand Prix winner Ricciardo – who’s only scored 11points to team mate Lando Norris’s 39 so far this year – had made a positive start to the weekend by setting the seventh fastest time of the first practice session. But on his first flying run in the second session of the day, Ricciardo lost the back end of the car and ended up in the barrier.
Explaining the crash, Ricciardo said: “Obviously it happens quickly, but it kind of slowed down as well. Like, I knew everything that was happening, and I tried to save it but already kind of into Turn 13, I already started losing it.
‘McLaren’s Impressive First Day’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.well-be-ready-for-tomorrow-ricciardo-downplays-fp2-crash-as-norris-admits.5vKsSPnRVIwSOSznv6mHxy.html
Ricciardo: FP2 crash caused by pushing set-up 'a little too far'
27/05/2022 at 20:05
Michael Delaney
Daniel Ricciardo admits the crash that put an early end to his second practice in Monaco was caused by him going a bit too extreme with the set-up of his MCL36.
"We pushed a little too far probably in a couple areas with the set-up. We had a good morning and obviously you try a few things for FP2 to try and maximise a bit more performance but let's say we overstepped it and you don't know until you try it.
"Obviously, it was my first lap so I couldn't really get much of a read on it obviously, it happened straight away. I tried my best to save it, but I couldn't. Obviously, we missed all of the session, but I'm okay. We'll be ready to go tomorrow."
‘Read for tomorrow’;
https://f1i.com/news/442775-ricciardo-fp2-crash-caused-by-pushing-set-up-a-little-too-far.html
‘Comparing Ricciardo and Sainz to Lewis Hamilton is a crime’
Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz are under pressure after a tough start to 2022 for both of them.
by James Clifford
27 May 202227 May 2022
A fan on social media has criticised Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz, saying that it is a “crime” to compare either of them to Sir Lewis Hamilton.
Sainz impressively finished ahead of Leclerc in the Drivers’ Championship last season, while Ricciardo is an eight-time race winner – one of which arrived in Italy last year. But to compare them to seven-time champion Sir Lewis Hamilton, in one fan’s eyes, is ridiculous.
“Comparing Ricciardo and Sainz to Lewis Hamilton is a crime anyway, they are not on Lewis’ level,” they tweeted. “, McLaren has clearly been showing they want Daniel gone, Ferrari aren’t a team to keep giving multiple chances as well, not beyond 3 years. “To compare them to Lewis really isn’t the same, Mercedes still need Lewis, it’s literally not the same.”
‘Criminal Comparison’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/comparing-ricciardo-and-sainz-to-lewis-hamilton/
[B]Latifi reacts to ‘being sacked by Williams’ ahead of Spanish GP
Nicholas Latifi has not had the easiest start to the 2022 Formula 1 season.
27 May 2022
by James Clifford
The Canadian acknowledges that Formula 1 is a fast-changing sport in which rumours are plenty, but he found the suggestions about him particularly amusing.
“When I saw that I just kind of laughed a little bit because obviously, it was not the case at all, I’m still here,” he explained. “I mean there are always rumours circulating around. I think that’s the nature of the sport.
“But yeah, I mean, I was definitely a bit surprised to see it from I’d say a well-known reporter, without any real foundation behind it. So yeah, I just kind of laughed a bit at it really.”
‘Laughing at rumours’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/latifi-reacts-to-being-sacked-by-williams-ahead-of-spanish-gp/
Fortitude
28th May 2022, 15:41
Monaco GP: Charles Leclerc seals pole at home Grand Prix.
Red flags flew to pave the way for Leclerc to take P1, as he bids to end the curse he’s had at his home track of never finishing.
Published: 28 May 2022, 16:18
By George Dagless
Charles Leclerc will start his home Grand Prix from pole position after producing a stellar performance in the Ferrari around the streets of Monaco.
The Scuderia driver has looked very strong indeed this weekend, as he did in Spain last time out, and he’s topped all but one of the sessions.
He’ll know, though, that it’s not over until the chequered flag, especially given the fact he’s had rotten luck in Monaco in the past and with the retirement in Spain still fresh in his mind.
‘Charles Leclerc Pole’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88014430-monaco-gp-charles-leclerc-seals-pole-at-home-grand-prix
Qualifying Results – 2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Monte Carlo, Monaco
by Emer Hedderman
28th May 2022
by Emer Hedderman
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -1:11.376
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.225
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.253
4. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.290
5. Lando Norris McLaren +0.473
6. George Russell Mercedes +0.736
7. Fernando Alonso Alpine +0.871
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +1.184
9. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +1.356
10. Esteban Ocon Alpine +1.671
‘Complete results from qualifying’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2022-monaco-grand-prix-79134
F1 qualifying results: Starting grid for Monaco Grand Prix 2022 as Leclerc claims pole after Perez crash
Full standings after Saturday’s qualifying and what you need to know ahead of Sunday as the F1 title race hots up in Monte Carlo
Charles Leclerc claimed pole for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix after a dramatic qualifying session was called off early after a crash from Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
With overtaking virtually impossible around Monte Carlo’s twisty streets, qualifying here is the most crucial of the season and it is local boy Leclerc who takes a big advantage into Sunday’s race.
The Monagasque’s Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz will be alongside him on the front row of the grid, with Perez in third and Max Verstappen down in fourth.
‘F1 qualifying results’;
https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-one/f1-qualifying-results-monaco-grand-prix-2022-starting-grid-charles-leclerc-pole-sergio-perez-crash-1656834?ITO=newsnow
Flying Charles Leclerc grabs pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix in a Ferrari one-two, but it's misery for Mercedes again with George Russell only sixth and Lewis Hamilton way down in eighth
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Published: 14:00, 28 May 2022
Charles Leclerc was the home-town hero of Monaco when he took pole position for the world’s most fabled race.
Born and raised in the principality, the Ferrari man made no mistake on his super-charged journey to the front spot.
With 13 of the last 20 winners having come from the lofty position in which the 24-year-old will start Sunday’s race, he may finally break his Monte Carlo hoodoo.
‘Flying Charles Leclerc’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/live/article-10857835/Monaco-Grand-Prix-qualifying-2022-Live-Result.html
Leclerc heads all-Ferrari front row in Monaco after Perez-Sainz crash blocks track
2022 Monaco Grand Prix qualifying
Posted on 28th May 2022, 16:25
Written by Will Wood
The Ferrari drivers will start ahead of the Red Bulls of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen after Perez crashed at Portier on his final flying lap, resulting in a crash with Sainz that left the track blocked and effectively ended the session. Lando Norris will start fifth for McLaren, ahead of George Russell and Fernando Alonso, who also crashed at Mirabeau in the closing minutes.
Perez spun at Portier and was collected by Sainz who rounded the corner directly behind him. The accident left the track completely blocked approaching the tunnel and the session was unsurprisingly stopped with a red flag. In a separate incident, Alonso crashed his Alpine into Mirabeau, leaving his car nose-first into the barriers.
The accident left the track completely blocked approaching the tunnel and the session was unsurprisingly stopped with a red flag. In a separate incident, Alonso crashed his Alpine into Mirabeau, leaving his car nose-first into the barriers.
‘All-Ferrari front row’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/28/leclerc-heads-all-ferrari-front-row-in-monaco-after-perez-sainz-crash-blocks-track/
Fortitude
29th May 2022, 06:14
Charles Leclerc: “I am very pleased with our overall performance so far this weekend”.
For the second consecutive year, Charles Leclerc secured pole position for his home Grand Prix in Monaco, but unlike last year, he managed to stay out of the barriers to do so!
May 28, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Leclerc felt like he was driving at the limit during the session, particularly on his pole position lap, even if the F1-75 had a lot of oversteer to contend with. However, the pole position was secured despite a late red flag, and he will go into Sunday’s race hopeful of rebounding from his Spanish Grand Prix retirement from last weekend.
“I am very pleased with our overall performance so far this weekend,” said Leclerc. “I felt confident in the car and started pushing a bit more in Q3. The first lap was good.
“I think that the second was one of the best laps I have ever done in qualifying. It was so much fun to drive and I was really on the limit. I had a lot of oversteer, so the rear was quite loose. Still, I knew that the lap was coming together nicely and that felt particularly good.
‘Overall Performance Pleasing’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/charles-leclerc-i-am-very-pleased-with-our-overall-performance-so-far-this-weekend/
Is rain the biggest threat to Leclerc’s hope of breaking his home race curse?
2022 Monaco Grand Prix pre-race analysis
Posted on 28th May 2022, 22:33
Written by Will Wood
Charles Leclerc is not a superstitious man, but it would be easy to forgive the Ferrari driver for questioning whether he is truly cursed with bad luck given his awful racing record around his Monaco home.
He has never finished a race around Monte Carlo in his single-seater career. He even failed to start the Monaco Grand Prix from pole position last season. Monaco’s most successful homegrown F1 talent aims to break that run of misfortune in the best possible manner by becoming the first Monegasque driver to win his home grand prix on Sunday.
But after years of disappointment, does he not expect that he will inevitably be struck by bad luck once again? “No, no… I’m not superstitious at all,” Leclerc said. “We’ve had a smooth weekend until now and we’re starting in the best place possible for tomorrow’s race. So hopefully, we have a clean race tomorrow and we finally have a good result at home.”
‘’Superstitious Race Curse’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/28/is-rain-the-biggest-threat-to-leclercs-hope-of-breaking-his-home-race-curse/
Leclerc was set to improve pole time in “on the limit” final lap before red flag
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 28th May 2022, 16:51
Written by Keith Collantine
Charles Leclerc says he was on course to improve his pole-winning lap time in qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix before the crashes behind him brought the session to an end. Leclerc said he was “really, really on the limit” on his final lap. He set the quickest time of any driver through the first sector, then had to abandon his lap when the red flags flew due to the crash behind him.
Leclerc was unable to start from his pole position last year due to a technical problem on his car. His Ferrari had to be repaired after he crashed at the Swimming Pool at the end of Q3. He said taking pole position again for his home race was “very special.”
“I’m so incredibly happy. It’s been a very smooth weekend so far. I knew the pace was in the car, I just had to do the job and it went perfectly. That last lap before the red flag was really, really good – but anyway, it didn’t change anything.”
‘Smooth Weekend, so far’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/28/leclerc-was-set-to-improve-pole-time-in-on-the-limit-final-lap-before-red-flag/
STRATEGY GUIDE: What are the possible race strategies for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix?
What’s the quickest strategy? It’s probably not going to surprise you that it’s a one-stop strategy, because overtaking is extremely tough in the dry in Monaco. That means teams want to prioritise track position and make as few stops as possible, with the timing the most important part.
28 May 2022
Special contributor
Chris Medland
How about a different option for the top ten? In a similar strategy to the quickest one, a one-stop race starting on the medium tyre is also a possibility. This would see a first stint that is closer to the 35-lap mark before also switching to hards to run to the finish.
What are the options for the bottom half of the field? There is a riskier strategic option that could be employed by one of the cars out of position at the back of the field, with Pierre Gasly one who might be considering starting on the hards.
Wait, but what’s the weather doing? This is when it gets really interesting, because the weather forecast is an exciting one. Hot, dry weather has allowed the drivers to go for flat-out qualifying laps right on the limit, but that could all change for the race.
‘Possible race strategies’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.strategy-guide-what-are-the-possible-race-strategies-for-the-2022-monaco.5mqY812SIG0kd3pqCAFcxn.html
'I have been having bad luck all year': Lewis Hamilton admits he needs rain to fuel his hopes of moving up the grid at the Monaco Grand Prix... but fears he will be 'driving around in eighth' if the weather stays dry on race day
Published: 19:24, 28 May 2022
By Philip Duncan, Pa F1 Correspondent
“I am not doing any dancing but I do want it to rain so I am not just driving around in the dry in eighth,' said Hamilton. 'You cannot overtake so I am hoping that the weather plays up and maybe we can do a different strategy.”
“we were not very good in the low-speed corners at the last race so I anticipated it would be difficult, but it is worse than we anticipated because it is super-bouncy. 'It would be nice to have some luck for once. I have been having bad luck all year so it is bound to stop at some stage.”
‘Bad Luck, Super Bouncy, Rain Dance Needed’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10863979/Lewis-Hamilton-admits-needs-rain-fuel-hopes-moving-grid-Monaco-Grand-Prix.html
Alonso “not proud of qualifying today” after crash
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 28th May 2022, 20:48
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Fernando Alonso apologised to Alpine for his crash in qualifying, acknowledging it will cost them money towards the budget cap. He slid into a barrier at Mirabeau at the very moment his race engineer Karel Loos was warning him Sergio Perez had also crashed at Portier ahead. “I braked late, I locked the tyres and unfortunately I didn’t make the corner,” Alonso explained afterwards.
“Obviously I have to apologise to the team because, apart from the positions that you could make, every mistake this year costs money for the cost cap,” he said. “So I’m not very proud of the qualifying today, but nevertheless, hopefully tomorrow I can do a better job.”
“But I think it’s going to rain and I think we can control if it rains. You can be on the podium or you can finish on the first lap against the wall because you are aquaplaning in one place and that’s it. So I think it’s a very random race, very chaotic. So we have to get ready for that.”
‘EL PLAN: Don’t Crash’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/28/alonso-not-proud-of-qualifying-today-after-crash/
Perez explains Monaco GP qualifying crash down to cold tyres
Red Bull Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez puts his qualifying-ending Monaco Grand Prix crash down to his final set of tyres being too cold.
May 28, 2022, 6:01 PM
By: Alex Kalinauckas
On his last qualifying lap, as Perez ran behind Leclerc on the track, he lost the rear of his RB18 as he rounded the Portier right-hander and crashed backwards into the barrier. As Perez sat stranded in the wreckage, Sainz hit the Mexican’s right-front wheel before the session was suspended by red flags and Leclerc’s pole from the initial laps in Q3 was sealed.
Perez said the incident was “just a shame” because “I think we had more pace than that, but we just couldn’t challenge”. He added: “I think the strategy with the tyres [was wrong] – especially that final set, it wasn’t up to temperature and it was just too peaky. I nearly lost it already into Turn 1 and in hindsight I think we didn’t get it right today.”
“[At Portier], I was quite close to my time [from earlier in Q3] trying to make it up. Turn 8 [Portier] has been a difficult one for me throughout the qualifying session. So, I was trying to anticipate and get quite early on throttle, but as soon as I touched the throttle, I could feel like the rear tyre was not gripping in and I was playing with it a bit – until I lost it.”
‘Tyres Too Cold’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/perez-explains-monaco-gp-qualifying-crash-down-to-cold-tyres/10312674/
Fortitude
29th May 2022, 17:31
Perez record Monaco victory "a dream come true".
Sergio Perez has hailed his maiden Monaco Grand Prix victory "a dream come true" after becoming the most successful Mexican F1 driver of all time.
Sunday 29 May 2022 17:24
Sam Hall
"It's a dream come true. As a driver, you dream of winning here," explained Perez. "After your home race I think there is no other more special weekend to win.”
"To do it and the way we did it, we made it a bit harder for ourselves at the end. But it was tough with the graining I had not to make any mistakes and to bring it home but keeping Carlos behind wasn't easy."
Perez added: "I am very happy. I was running today Pedro Rodríguez's helmet and I am sure up there he is super-proud of what we have achieved together in the sport. It is a massive day for myself and my country."
‘Massive Win, Dream Come True, Most Successful Mexican F1 Driver of ALL TIME’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83674/perez-record-monaco-victory-a-dream-come-true/
‘Lots of champagne today!’ Sergio Perez wins Monaco Grand Prix
29/05/2022, 17:23
SKY Sports.
Red Bull's Sergio Perez wins a delayed and rain-affected Monaco Grand Prix ahead of Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen.
‘Champagne, lots of!’;
https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Drivers/Sergio+Perez
DRIVER OF THE DAY: Perfect Perez wins the fan vote in Monaco
29 May 2022
Formula 1.
He'd been the quicker Red Bull all weekend, and Sergio Perez pushed home that advantage in a thrilling, wet-dry Monaco Grand Prix, beating not only team mate Max Verstappen but also both Ferraris, holding off a charging Carlos Sainz in the closing stages. You rightly loved his performance – here’s how the voting broke down…
Sergio Perez - 27.6%
Pierre Gasly - 10.5%
Carlos Sainz - 9.9%
Charles Leclerc - 8.8%
Fernando Alonso - 7.4%
‘27.6%’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.driver-of-the-day-perfect-perez-wins-the-fan-vote-in-monaco.22Og9TmBHn3R78fo1hNtPc.html
Sergio Perez Wins F1 Monaco GP as Ferrari Blows Tire Strategy
May 29, 2022 12:49 PM
By Nico DeMattia
Tire management was pivotal during the 2022 Monaco GP, potentially costing Charles Leclerc a win. The race then came down to time, rather than laps, due to all the delays, and choice of tire again became the story of the race. Perez needed to hold off Sainz and hope his softer compound tires would hold up until time ran out.
In the final minutes, Perez's front tires began to show signs of graining and he was struggling braking into corners because of it. Sainz was right on his tail, as he was able to brake later on his harder tire, but Perez was able to make his car wide enough to keep the Ferrari driver behind him.
In the end, the final four positions remained, with Sergio Perez winning his third grand prix and his first ever win in Monaco. Carlos Sainz finished in second place and Verstappen took third. Unfortunately for Charles Leclerc, he didn't even get a podium finish at his home GP, where he not only qualified in pole position but had what seemed like an easy win in hand toward the beginning of the race.
‘Tyre Management’;
https://www.thedrive.com/news/sergio-perez-wins-f1-monaco-gp-as-ferrari-blows-tire-strategy
Horner: Perez in 2022 title fight ‘as much as Verstappen is’
29/05/2022, 18:17
by Fergal Walsh
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says Sergio Perez is in the 2022 championship hunt as much as team-mate Max Verstappen is.
“He’s in this championship just as much as Max is,” Horner said. “The difference between the two of them is 15 points. It’s nothing. It’s a long way to go in this championship and we can see that Ferrari has a very fast car. They had a better car than us on this race track this weekend.”
“I think through great teamwork, great work from the drivers, pit wall, the double stop – we managed to beat them here. That’s not going to be easy at the coming races. As a team we’ve always got to optimise our performance and at the back end of the championship, that’s where it’s going to get really exciting.”
‘Team Work’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/05/29/horner-perez-in-2022-title-fight-as-much-as-verstappen-is/
Sergio Pérez clinches a famous win at the Monaco Grand Prix
May 29, 2022
By Sudha Sundararaj
Sergio Pérez scripted a famous win at the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix with a fine drive in mixed conditions. The Mexican driver who is a master of tyre management got through the graining phase of his medium compound tyres and kept Carlos Sainz at bay to take a well-deserved win.
The medium compound tyres started to grain and gave the Ferrari drivers an advantage. With less than ten minutes to go, the top four drivers were all within DRS-range. Only 64 of 77 laps were completed as the two-hour time limit was reached.
Pérez kept Sainz at bay to take a famous win. Verstappen finished in third position ahead of Leclerc to extend his lead in the drivers’ championship to nine points.
‘Famous Win’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/05/sergio-perez-clinches-a-famous-win-at-the-monaco-grand-prix/
Perez explains how he achieved 'dream come true' Monaco win
29/05/2022, 17:20
Author Anna Francis
Sergio Perez claimed the third victory of his F1 career at the Monaco Grand Prix, as he held onto the lead ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. Sergio Perez admits that winning the Monaco Grand Prix was a "dream come true" as he claimed the third victory of his Formula 1 career.
"It's a dream comes true," Perez told Sky Sports F1 after the race. "As a driver, you dream of winning here. After your home race, there is no other weekend more special to win."
Perez admits that it wasn't all smooth sailing on his way to the chequered flag, though. "The way we did it, we just made it a bit harder for ourselves there at the end," he stated. "But, with the [tyre] graining I had, to not make any mistake, to bring it home... Keeping Carlos behind wasn't easy."
‘’Wasn’t all smooth sailing’;
https://racingnews365.com/perez-explains-how-he-achieved-dream-come-true-monaco-win
Horner reveals thinking behind risky Red Bull strategy call
29/05/2022, 18:15
Author Tom Leach
Christian Horner has explained why Red Bull opted to put Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen on Medium tyres during the final part of the Monaco Grand Prix.
"We didn't want to be exposed at the restart, so we believed the Medium would be enough," Horner explained, speaking to Sky Sports F1. "I think that lock-up by Checo put him under a little bit of pressure, but he managed it beautifully and a great result, I'm so proud of him."
"He's been on fire all weekend and, strategically, I don't think we had the quickest car today, but we got it right we the double pit-stop and it was all about teamwork," added Horner. "It was all about getting the in lap and out lap [right]. Checo nailed his out lap and Max very nearly got him [Sainz] as well. It was a phenomenal team result."
‘Sergio Perez on fire all weekend’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-reveals-thinking-behind-risky-red-bull-strategy-call
Fortitude
30th May 2022, 06:18
How Sergio Perez Defied Rain and Ferrari to Win the F1 Monaco Grand Prix.
Red Bull driver vaults himself into Formula 1 title contention with win in rain-delayed race.
May 29, 2022
BY PHILLIP HORTON
With his third career victory Perez laid down his cards as an outsider in the fight. Perez was fortunate that Ferrari floundered under pressure but it was he who put them into that predicament with a couple of rapid laps on the intermediate tires. Perez had been the stronger Red Bull driver throughout the course of the weekend and didn’t err when under pressure in the closing stages from his pursuing rivals. It means he is now just six points behind Leclerc and only 15 down on Verstappen.
“It was quite obvious at the time that the track was ready for slicks, especially with the wets already overheated, but it wasn’t clear for me if we could keep going and do like Carlos did, going straight into the slick”
He said. “I think it was just a great combination, you know, the team was telling me what to do, how to get the maximum out of today's result. And we managed to make it work. It sounds easy. But in these conditions, pushing but not making mistakes, and not putting a foot wrong is never easy to achieve in Monaco.”
‘Perez Solidifies Case as Title Contender’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a40135564/how-sergio-perez-defied-rain-and-ferrari-to-win-f1-monaco-grand-prix/
Perez: Hard for me to think straight after the race
30 May, 2022
Jad Mallak
Sergio Perez revealed he was overwhelmed after taking victory at the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, claiming he wasn’t able to think straight after the race. It wasn’t a straight forward race to win for the Mexican, despite having the edge over his teammate Max Verstappen in Monaco, but he did not put a foot wrong throughout the race, and a decent strategy from Red Bull combined with a blunder by Ferrari meant he could take the win.
Perez said in the team’s post race report: “It was really hard for me to think straight after the race, I was full of adrenaline and so much energy going through the race. Once I heard my national anthem on the podium here it hit me, it is a dream come true for any driver in the world to tick that box in Monaco and I can just be extremely happy,” he added. “We were quick all weekend, we kept our heads down and knew today with the right strategy we could make things happen.”
Perez dedicated his win to his ill mother saying: “This win was for my mum and all my family, she was very sick last week so I had very good motivation going into this race to get her a victory. It’s been an incredible day, I am super happy for the whole Team and I hope my country are proud too. You don’t win Monaco many times in your life so the first one is very special,” the Mexican concluded.
‘Hard for me to think straight’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/05/30/perez-hard-for-me-to-think-straight-after-the-race/
Perez explains how he made victory ‘harder’ for himself
Date published: May 29 2022
Editor
A jubilant Sergio Perez admitted he and Red Bull made their Monaco Grand Prix more difficult than it had needed to be, despite claiming victory. Having won the illustrious race, one of motorsport’s most prized accolades, Perez beamed as he spoke to the media afterwards.
“It’s a dream come true,” he said.
It had not all been plain sailing for Perez, despite taking the lead through the intermediate-to-dry tyre changes. When the race resumed green flag conditions after the mid-race stoppage, Perez locked up into Mirabeau and put a minor flat spot on his left front medium Pirelli – ensuring he was struggling for grip by the chequered flag.
“With the graining I had, to not make any mistake and bring it home, keeping Carlos behind, wasn’t easy,” Perez said, explaining he could feel the lack of grip as the laps ticked away. I think I should have managed them a little bit better,” he admitted. “In hindsight, I could have managed them a bit better.”
‘Dream Come True’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-made-monaco-harder/
Sergio Perez almost lost lead of Monaco Grand Prix after slamming on brakes to avoid bird.
Mexican driver Sergio Perez claimed his first win of the 2022 Formula One campaign as he took the chequered flag to win the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon
22:51, 29 MAY 2022
BY Ciaran Wiseman
Sergio Perez almost lost the lead at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday after he slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a bird. Eagle-eyed fans spotted that Perez almost surrendered his lead during the race when a bird flew across the track in front of his car, forcing him to brake sharply.
With three of his rivals close behind him after turning a corner, Perez's sharp break is clearly visible as he narrowly avoided colliding with the bird during the race in Monte Carlo.
Luckily for Perez, though, his quick thinking to avoid hitting the bird did not cost him his lead in the race as he went on to take the chequered flag and claim the third race win of his F1 career.
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/f1-sergio-perez-monaco-gp-27097534
Sergio Perez issues perfect response to Martin Brundle after his Christian Horner backing
SERGIO PEREZ bounced back from missing out in Barcelona by winning Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.
05:30, Mon, May 30, 2022
By FRASER WATSON
Sergio Perez delivered the ideal response to Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle as the Red Bull driver notched his first F1 Grand Prix win of the season in Monaco. The 32-year-old was leading in Barcelona in the closing stages, only to be ordered by his team to let Verstappen through, with the pair having been on different strategies.
He initially vented his fury over team radio, saying "it wasn't fair" with Christian Horner later moving to deny any suggestions of a rift. However, commentator Brundle backed Red Bull's call, given the Dutchman is considered most likely to deliver the team a title: "While it doesn't play out well for the team or either driver, if I was on the Red Bull pit wall I'd have done the same and taken the flak," he said.
However, Sunday's result keeps Perez in the hunt himself, with the gap between him in third - and his teammate at the top - down to 15 points. Leclerc lies between the pair, six points ahead of Perez. Red Bull's lead over Ferrari in the constructors' race now stands at 36 points.
‘Win the Monaco GP, the Perfect Response’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1617841/Sergio-Perez-Red-Bull-Monaco-Grand-Prix-Martin-Brundle-Christian-Horner-F1-news
Monaco F1 Champ Sergio Perez Reveals Surprising Playlist He Listens to Before Every Big Race.
Perez, whose win at Monaco was the first time he’s triumphed on the tricky course, says he resorts to a very specific type of music to get pumped up before a race
29th May 2022, 21:17
By Tim Chan
Perez, whose win at Monaco was the first time he’s triumphed on the notoriously tricky course, says he resorts to a very specific type of music to get pumped up before a race. “My playlists are full of Latin and romantic music,” he told Rolling Stone, during a recent promo tour for his new partnership with Patrón Tequila. “I have to admit that it is not what average people listen to, to get pumped up, but it’s what I listen to to get in my zone, calm and focused.”
Among his favorite artists: “I would say Luis Miguel, Alejandro Fernandez, [the Colombian band] Morat, Carlos Rivera and Diego Torres,” he shares. “Mostly Spanish-speaking songs that connect me to my roots.”
Perez says he’s also a huge music fan, sharing a memory about meeting one of his favorite artists a few years ago. “It was very cool to meet Enrique Iglesias some years ago in very funny circumstances,” Checo recalls. “As a worldwide music star, he plays very often at F1 Grand Prix events and one of the years, I think it was back in 2016 in Baku, I contacted his management team and invited him over to my garage to watch the race from there. And surprisingly for me,” Perez continues, “he replied that he had never been invited to an F1 garage before. So he came on race day, I showed him my car, and since then, we’ve become good friends.”
‘Sergio Perez Music Playlist’;
https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/lifestyle/sergio-perez-monaco-winner-f1-music-playlist-1353110/
Fortitude
30th May 2022, 06:21
'FREAKING DISASTER' - CHARLES LECLERC ANGRY WITH FERRARI CALL THAT COST THEM RACE WIN AT MONACO GRAND PRIX.
19 Sun, 29 May
ESPN.com21:
Charles Leclerc gives his thoughts after Ferrari had a difficult day at the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix.
‘Freaking Disaster’;
https://www.eurosport.co.uk/formula-1/freaking-disaster-charles-leclerc-angry-with-ferrari-call-that-cost-them-race-win-at-monaco-grand-pr_vid1688954/video.shtml
‘The win was clearly in our hands’ – Leclerc devastated after ‘disaster’ that cost him home victory in Monaco
29 May 2022
Formula 1
Charles Leclerc branded his Monaco Grand Prix "a disaster" and says he needs "explanations" from his Ferrari team about the pit stop strategy that saw him drop from the lead to P4.
‘Disaster Devastation’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.the-win-was-clearly-in-our-hands-leclerc-devastated-after-disaster-that-cost-him-home-victory-in-monaco.1734178999153552657.html
Charles Leclerc slams Ferrari mistakes at Monaco GP: 'We cannot do that... it hurts a lot'
Last Updated: 29/05/22 6:53pm
By Matt Morlidge in Monaco
"We can't afford to do that"; Charles Leclerc questioned the strategic decisions of his Ferrari team after a costly mistake saw him drop from first to fourth in the Monaco GP; Max Verstappen took advantage of the tyre change error to go ahead of his Championship rival and finish in third
Leclerc was furious on team radio, shouting: "****! ****! Why? Why? What are you doing?!" And after missing out on even a podium in Monaco, he said after the race: "The season is long, but we cannot do that." Speaking to Sky Sports F1 afterwards, Leclerc said he was not "let down" but criticised his team for the "wrong" calls.
"Sometimes mistakes can happen but there has been too many mistakes today overall," stressed Leclerc. "Obviously in those conditions, you rely a little bit on what the team can see because you don't see what the others are doing with intermediates, with dry tyres.”
"****! ****! Why? Why?”;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12623789/charles-leclerc-slams-ferrari-mistakes-at-monaco-gp-we-cannot-do-that-it-hurts-a-lot
Ferrari detail litany of Monaco mistakes that robbed Leclerc of victory
Monday 30 May 2022 07:00
Sam Hall
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has detailed the litany of mistakes that cost Charles Leclerc a home victory in Monaco.
Reflecting on how his team threw away a win, Binotto said: "First, we need to admit that if you are leading the race and you finish in fourth position, we may have done something wrong. "So, we certainly made mistakes in our judgements and we made mistakes in our calls.
"The first was underestimating the pace of the intermediate [tyre] and the gap we had to the other cars in terms of track position. It's something we need to look at. "We've had our briefing with the drivers, we went through it, we had discussions, tried to understand, but believe me, it was quite a complicated one. It was not an obvious one but certainly we made a mistake.
‘Litany Of Mistakes’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83729/ferrari-detail-litany-of-monaco-mistakes-that-robbed-leclerc-of-victory/
Charles Leclerc blames Ferrari for mistakes – AND RIGHTLY SO!
Charles Leclerc reluctantly criticised his Ferrari team after their bungled strategy cost him a likely victory in his home Monaco Grand Prix.
29-05-2022 23:30
By AFP
A crestfallen Charles Leclerc reluctantly criticised his Ferrari team on Sunday after their bungled strategy and confused communications cost him a likely victory in his home Monaco Grand Prix.
Asked, by Sky Sports, if he felt let down Ferrari, he was careful with his words. “Let down not is not the word,” he said. “Sometimes mistakes can happen, but there have been too many mistakes today.”
Sainz was also disappointed and claimed he might have won if he had not been released from his pit stop behind a slow lapped car. “That cost me a win,” said the Spaniard. “We made the right call, pitted for the hard tyre, but an out-lap is never easy. I won’t complain too much. In this sport, it costs you.” Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said he understood Charles Leclerc’s disappointment. “Overall, it’s a disappointing result and a difficult race,” he said.
‘Reluctant criticism of the Ferrari team’;
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/charles-leclerc-blames-ferrari-for-mistakes-monaco-grand-prix-and-rightly-so-result-f1-formula-one/
Charles Leclerc hits out at Ferrari and demands talks after Monaco GP
CHARLES LECLERC looked on course to win his home race but strategy errors saw the Ferrari star finish fourth at the Monaco Grand Prix.
17:47, Sun, May 29, 2022
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
Charles Leclerc has hit out at Ferrari for making too many mistakes as their race fell apart at the Monaco Grand Prix and cannot wait to discuss the costly errors in the debrief. Leclerc was quick off the start and managed to pull away from his team-mate Carlos Sainz.
“There has been a lot of mistakes and we cannot afford to do that. It’s hard as it’s been the other years here so I'm getting used to getting back home disappointed.”
“I love my team and I’m sure we will come back stronger, it hurts a lot. I think the first one was a very clear decision and a very wrong one and from that moment onwards the mess started.”
‘Come Back Stronger’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1617824/charles-leclerc-ferrari-monaco-grand-prix-news-latest
Leclerc: Ferrari strategy mistakes “hurt a lot”
Monte Carlo, Monaco
29th May 2022
by Emer Hedderman
The Monegasque has had incredibly bad luck at his home event, failing to finish in any of the F1 or F2 races that he competed in around the streets of the Principality, but was hopeful on Saturday afternoon that “ we have a clean race tomorrow and we finally have a good result at home.”
“It was a freaking disaster today,” Leclerc said. “The win was clearly in our hands: we had the performance, we had everything. I just don’t really understand the call that I had and I need explanations for now.”
Aside from having yet another disappointment at home, the Ferrari driver knows that to put a championship challenge together, you have to maximise your points every weekend and throwing away the lead with silly strategy is not the way to do it.
‘Ferrari Strategy Hurt a Lot’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/leclerc-ferrari-strategy-mistakes-hurt-a-lot-79174
Fortitude
30th May 2022, 19:16
George Russell brands P5 finish ‘not too bad’ after struggling on medium tyres in Monaco GP.
29 May 2022
Formula 1.
George Russell brought his Mercedes home in a best-of-the-rest P5 in the Monaco Grand Prix – a result he branded "not too bad" after his struggles on the medium tyre towards the end of the race.
‘P5 Finish’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.george-russell-brands-p5-finish-not-too-bad-after-struggling-on-medium-tyres-in-monaco-gp.1734177877233865516.html
Russell takes away 'a lot of positives' from Monaco P5
30/05/2022 at 14:06
Phillip van Osten
George Russell upheld in Monaco his unblemished track record of consecutive top-five finishes with Mercedes this season, and the Briton is taking away "a lot of positive" from his race.
"There were definitely a lot of positives from that race," said Russell at the end of the day.
"I think on the hard tyre before the second red flag, we were the quickest car on track and that was a pretty fun stint. Obviously a bit close with Lando on the pit exit there…”
‘A Lot of Positives’;
https://f1i.com/news/443390-russell-takes-away-a-lot-of-positives-from-monaco-p5.html
‘Not good enough for the TV producer’: Russell reveals unseen battle with Norris
George Russell finished 5th at the Monaco GP after a late battle with British compatriot Lando Norris.
30 May 202230 May 2022
by Nick Golding
George Russell was yet again the top Mercedes driver, finishing in 5th place at the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix. Russell, who started 6th, made the jump on Lando Norris to 5th during the pit-stops.
“I think on the hard tyres before the second red flag we were the quickest car on track and that was a really fun stint, and obviously it was a bit close with Lando at the pit exit.”
“He came out in front of me at the pit exit, I was behind and then he went to the left and I sort of went on the wet stuff. But it felt pretty dicey from within the car for Monaco in damp conditions, but obviously not good enough for the TV producer.”
‘No TV of Unseen Battle’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/not-good-enough-for-the-tv-producer-russell-reveals-unseen-battle-with-norris/
Mercedes couldn't expect Monaco miracles - Wolff
Saturday 28 May 2022 18:10
Sam Hall
The Silver Arrows struggled throughout practice with aggressive bouncing due to the stiffness of the W13's set-up, with neither Russell nor Lewis Hamilton finding confidence whilst behind the wheel.
Mercedes appeared to have gotten on top of its porpoising struggles in Barcelona and asked if Monaco was the worst venue that could have immediately followed, Wolff conceded: "Pretty much, yes.”
"The car is too stiff and too low and it is just the same gap like it was in qualifying in Barcelona," Wolff added.
‘Monaco Miracles Unattainable’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83606/wolff-concedes-russell-p6-better-than-expected/
Nico Rosberg explains Lewis Hamilton position after chat with Mercedes insiders
LEWIS HAMILTON has endured a tough start to the 2022 Formula One season.
08:21, Sat, May 28, 2022
By SAM SMITH
Nico Rosberg has been assured that Lewis Hamilton is ‘extremely motivated’ and expects to see a better version of the Mercedes ace for the remainder of the season.
The German told Sky Sports: "He's in good form this year. He has had bad luck compared to George [Russell]. I have also spoken to people within Mercedes who say he is extremely motivated.
"It was interesting to hear. Now that the car seems to be getting better, we will see a good Hamilton for the rest of the season."
‘Motivated Lewis Hamilton’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1617295/Nico-Rosberg-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-insiders-Monaco-GP-F1-news
Fortitude
31st May 2022, 06:00
Norris: Wet Monaco GP 'scariest thing I've done in my life'.
"I'm still happy with sixth. It's still some good points and the fastest lap, so even if I finished P5 I only would have gotten one more point, which is something but it's not the end of the world." Lando Norris.
30/05/2022 at 10:51
Michael Delaney
Lando Norris described last weekend's tumultuous Monaco Grand Prix held in wet-to-dry conditions as a nerve-wracking and scary experience despite his excellent run in the points.
"I can't describe how tough driving a Formula 1 car is in wet conditions around this circuit," he told Sky F1. "It's one of the most nerve-wracking, scary things I've ever done in my life. It's so tough.
"You want to push because you know that other people can make mistakes but, when you think like that, that's when you start to make mistakes yourself."
‘Scariest, Most-Nerve Wracking’;
https://f1i.com/news/443321-norris-wet-monaco-gp-scariest-thing-ive-done-in-my-life.html
Norris: Wet Monaco ‘one of the scariest things I’ve done’
30/05/2022, 12:25
by Fergal Walsh
Norris, who started the race from fifth on the grid, crossed the line in sixth place. The McLaren driver was overtaken by George Russell during the pit stop phase of the race. Norris asserted he wasn’t overly disappointed to lose the position, but was pleased to have “survived” the race.
“In these conditions, it’s always so difficult to get the stop lap perfect to go onto the slicks, and things like that,” Norris said. “It was a little bit unlucky, it’s days like today, you can make the perfect decision at slightly the wrong time. It’s a little bit off and you can lose.”
‘Pleased to have survived’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/05/30/norris-wet-monaco-one-of-the-scariest-things-ive-done/
Norris says wet Monaco GP is 'one of the scariest things' he's ever done
30/05/2022, 07:50
Author Tom Leach
Norris' aim on race day was to finish as best of the rest behind the Red Bulls and Ferraris. But despite losing that title to George Russell during the pit stop phase, Norris was happy with his afternoon's work.
"It was still a good race from start to finish. We were managing the tyres. There are some things we maybe can improve on and do better for next time because I don't feel like it was a flawless race from our side with strategy and things like that," he continued.
‘Happy With Afternoon’s Work’;
https://racingnews365.com/norris-says-wet-monaco-gp-is-one-of-the-scariest-thing-hes-ever-done
Monaco GP: Lando Norris pleased as he seals P6 in Monte-Carlo
Published: 29 May 2022, 21:30
By George Dagless
Lando Norris has reflected on a ‘good day’ at the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday as he sealed P6, the fastest lap, and therefore nine points around the streets of Monte-Carlo.
Norris had driven well all weekend and looked as though he was in with a shout of taking the ‘best of the rest’ tag behind both Red Bulls and Ferraris. “We lost out to the Mercedes in the first pit-stops which was a close call, but you win some, you lose some, and in this case today we just lost out.”
“I think the team did a really good job, I had a competitive car and it was an enjoyable race; it’s impossible to describe what it’s like to drive an F1 car around Monaco in the rain – it’s very tough.”
‘Win Some, Lose Some’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88014918-monaco-gp-lando-norris-pleased-as-he-seals-p6-in-monte-carlo
McLaren boss issues blunt assessment of Daniel Ricciardo's performances.
Daniel Ricciardo has struggled to perform with McLaren in 2022 with just 11 points secured and he's been vastly outperformed by teammate Lando Norris since he joined the team
11:00, 25 MAY 2022
BY Josh Challies
McLaren chief Zak Brown has bluntly declared that Daniel Ricciardo has not 'met expectations' at the team since joining in 2021, where he's been vastly outperformed by teammate Lando Norris.
Ricciardo was a lucrative recruit for McLaren, following his years at Red Bull and a short stint at Renault, but Brown has admitted that Norris is established as the team's number-one driver and Ricciardo has fallen short of what was expected.
"Short of Monza and a few races, it's generally not kind of met his or our expectations, as far as what we were expecting. And I think all you can do is keep working hard as a team, keep communications going, keep pushing and hope that whatever is not kind of clicking at the moment clicks shortly."
‘Not Met Expectations’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/daniel-ricciardo-mclaren-zak-brown-27059296
Fortitude
31st May 2022, 13:46
‘Not my problem’ – Fernando Alonso reacts to ‘angry’ Lewis Hamilton after Monaco Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso has hit back at claims he deliberately held up Sir Lewis Hamilton during Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix.
30 May 2022 12:43 pm
Callum McAvoy
During the race, Hamilton repeatedly moaned that Alonso was driving too slowly, and it was believed that the lead Alpine was doing so to help his teammate Esteban Ocon catch-up and pass Hamilton.
Ocon had earlier been given a five-second penalty for hitting Hamilton and needed to get clear of cars behind in order to finish in the points.
But after the race, Alonso rebuffed these claims, saying that Hamilton’s issues were: ‘Not my problem.’
‘Hamilton repeatedly moaned about slow Alonso’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/30/f1-fernando-alonso-reacts-to-lewis-hamilton-after-monaco-grand-prix-16735397/?ito=newsnow-feed
Wolff slams ‘Formula 2’ tactics from Alonso
Date published: May 30 2022
Michelle Foster
Toto Wolff wasn’t impressed with Fernando Alonso’s “Formula 2” pace at the Monaco GP. Despite sitting on the Alpine’s gearbox for several laps, Hamilton was not able to find a way past and slowly fell away from what could have been a fight for sixth, if not even fifth place. Wolff was not happy.
“Five seconds is like a Formula 2 car,” the Mercedes motorsport boss said as per GPFans. “This is such a spectacle here, a fantastic venue and it is always amazing to be here. But we need to maybe look in a way at the layout where we can basically close the loop for going five seconds slower and cars still can’t overtake.”
He feels Alonso’s pace, combined with his earlier battle with Esteban Ocon for which the Alpine driver was handed a five-second penalty, cost Hamilton a better finish than the P8 he achieved on the day. “Absolutely,” he said.
‘Formula 2 Tactics Slammed’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-slams-formula-2-tactics-fernando-alonso/
Cheeky Alonso says 'extremely easy' to keep Hamilton behind
29/05/2022 at 20:12
Phillip van Osten
Fernando Alonso held off a frustrated Lewis Hamilton 'extremely easily' in Sunday's Monaco GP during a prolonged third stint during which the Alpine driver was forced to manage his tyres.
But Alonso's tyre preservation strategy on the medium and his relatively slow pace were a source of frustration for Hamilton for the entire duration of the second part of the race.
The Mercedes driver radioed in to inquire why Alonso was "so slow", but the Alpine charger shrugged off his rival's frustrations. "Not my problem," said Alonso, adding that keeping the seven-time world champion behind has been "extremely easy".
‘So Slow, Extremely Easy’;
https://f1i.com/news/443183-alonso-says-extremely-easy-to-keep-hamilton-behind.html
Wolff condemns Alonso "Formula 2" Hamilton hold up
Sunday 29 May 2022 19:45
Sam Hall
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has criticised the lacklustre "Formula 2" pace of Fernando Alonso that cost Lewis Hamilton in Monaco.
Asked if Hamilton had the potential to have raced alongside team-mate George Russell and Norris in the fight for fifth were it not for Alonso's defensive tactics, Wolff said: “Absolutely.”
Alonso lapped up to five seconds off his ultimate pace following a mid-race red flag. The delay dropped the 'Alonso train' 45 seconds behind race winner Sergio Perez, with McLaren's Lando Norris able to pit from sixth for fresh tyres without dropping a position to claim the fastest lap point.
"Formula 2" Alonso condemnation’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83694/wolff-condemns-alonso-formula-2-hamilton-hold-up/
Alonso jokes that holding off Hamilton was 'extremely easy'
29 May 20:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Co-author Dieter Rencken
As Hamilton watched the front-runners – including teammate George Russell – open up more than half a minute lead up ahead, a frustrated-sounding Hamilton could be heard asking his team why Alonso's pace was so slow.
However, Alonso wasn't feeling too sympathetic when asked about slowing down Hamilton. "Not my problem," the Alpine driver joked.
When further quizzed on whether it was difficult to keep Hamilton behind him, Alonso quipped: "Very easy, extremely easy!"
‘Hamilton held Extremely Easy’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-jokes-that-holding-off-hamilton-was-extremely-easy
Formula 1: Toto Wolff accuses Fernando Alonso of Formula 2 driving in Monaco Grand Prix
30 May 2022, 11:18
Sarah Rendell
The Mercedes chief believes that Lewis Hamilton could have finished higher if it weren’t for Alonso
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has accused Alpine driver Fernando Alonso of “Formula 2” driving as he held up Lewis Hamilton at the Monaco Grand Prix.
The British star was thwarted twice by Alpine on Sunday, first after making contact with Esteban Ocon and then due to Alonso’s slower Car.
‘Formula 1, Formula 2’;
https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/fernando-alonso-monaco-grand-prix-toto-wolff-b2090388.html
Unapologetic Alonso’s canny Monaco GP tactics explained.
30 May 2022, 15:08
By Josh Suttill
Alonso has also been driving through arm pain that is a legacy of his Q3 crash in Melbourne. “Bones, ligaments, tendons, everything is a mess at the moment,” he explained after the race.
Alonso went for mediums but unlike fellow medium runners such as race leader Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton behind him, he decided to deliberately slow his pace to preserve his Pirelli rubber. Alonso’s management of his tyres led to lap times over three – some laps as much as four – seconds slower than Perez’s.
The two-time champion’s likely concern was not so much that his mediums would not last until the end of the race, but that pushing too hard in the early phase of the stint could lead to overheating tyres – something that almost cost Perez at the front.
‘Tyre Management Tactics’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/unapologetic-alonsos-canny-monaco-gp-tactics-explained/
Fortitude
1st June 2022, 06:24
Bottas admits Alfa Romeo 'risks' paid off after points in Monaco.
After starting from 12th on the grid, Valtteri Bottas was pleased to have worked his way up to a points-scoring position at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Author Anna Francis
Valtteri Bottas has credited the "risks" taken by his Alfa Romeo team in enabling him to come away from the Monaco Grand Prix with more points. Bottas is relieved that he managed to avoid making any errors during the mixed conditions of the Monaco Grand Prix.
"It's been a pretty long race, but we can be happy we made our opportunities count as a team," the driver said afterwards. It was really easy to make mistakes out there and I am glad we didn’t: gaining positions in Monaco is never easy, so to end up in the points from P12 on the grid means it wasn’t a bad day."
"We made the right strategic calls, which was a challenge as it was not easy to choose which tyres to pick at any time," he added. "We took some calculated risks and they paid off."
‘Risks Paid Off’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-admits-alfa-romeo-risks-paid-off-after-points-in-monaco
Bottas ‘glad we made all the right calls today’ after making up places to seal points finish in Monaco
29 May 2022
Formula 1.
Valtteri Bottas started the Monaco Grand Prix in P12, but eventually came home in the points in ninth and was pleased with his day’s work. “It’s a good day in Monaco if you can make up a few places,” he said.
‘Making the right calls’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.bottas-glad-we-made-all-the-right-calls-today-after-making-up-places-to-seal-points-finish-in-monaco.1734179345968992522.html
‘A bit of a strange one’: Bottas reveals how MGU-K issue led to speeding fine
Valtteri Bottas suffered yet more issues during practice for the Monaco Grand Prix on Friday.
29 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
A problem during FP1 in Miami limited his running, and the problem caried over the FP2, where he was again confined to the garage. “I mean, it’s unlucky. And another completely different issue, the MGU-K.
Alfa Romeo were fined 1,000 euros after the former Mercedes driver was caught going at more than 16kph over the limit in the pit lane after his FP1 out lap, but Bottas divulged that, due to the MGU-K issue, he physically could not get the speed down.
“I got a speeding fine because the MGU-K was still on,” he affirmed. “I was on the limiter, but I couldn’t go slower. A bit of a strange one!”
‘MGU-K issue led to speeding fine’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/a-bit-of-a-strange-one-bottas-reveals-how-mgu-k-issue-led-to-speeding-fine/
Zhou needed 'new pants' after scary moment behind Tsunoda
31/05/2022 at 17:26
Michael Delaney
Zhou started his maiden Monaco Grand Prix from last on the grid, but a spirited opening drive pushed the Chinese driver as high as P13. However, pitstops had dropped him to 16th when the race was red flagged due to Mick Schumacher's crash.
Alfa Romeo rookie Guanyu Zhou admits his massive save behind Yuki Tsunoda on the run down to Monaco's chicane left him scared and in need of a clean pair of underpants! The race was red flagged due to Mick Schumacher's crash. When the race resumed, Zhou found himself battling Tsunoda for position and frantically snapping at the AlphaTauri driver's heels.
As the pair ran nose to tail through the tunnel, Zhou attempted to move left to as they barreled down towards the Nouvelle Chicane to execute an overtake on the inside of Tsunoda, but the Alfa went into a massive slide that its driver was fortunate to catch. "I need new pants after that one!" a startled Zhou told his team over the radio.
‘New Pants!’;
https://f1i.com/news/443470-zhou-needed-new-pants-after-scary-moment-behind-tsunoda.html
2022 Monaco Grand Prix – Sunday
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal: “The conditions out there were treacherous and to bring home two cars is the primary objective, and we achieved it.
May 29th, 2022
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN brought home two points from a chaotic, rain-affected Monaco Grand Prix. Both Valtteri Bottas, ninth at the chequered flag, and Zhou Guanyu, 16th, managed to gain places from their starting positions, continuing the team’s scoring streak on a challenging weekend for Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN.
Valtteri Bottas (car number 77): “It’s been a pretty long race, but we can be happy we made our opportunities count as a team. It was really easy to make mistakes out there and I am glad we didn’t: gaining positions in Monaco is never easy, so to end up in the points from P12 on the grid means it wasn’t a bad day.”
Zhou Guanyu (car number 24): “It was a challenging Sunday, but I think we achieved the maximum we could get. Part of the race was just about surviving, defending hard in the wet – especially when we had to keep going on the wet tyres on a drying track to make our strategy work.”
‘Primary Objective Achieved, Bringing Two Cars Home’;
https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsport/f1-news/2022-monaco-grand-prix-sunday/
Fortitude
1st June 2022, 06:54
Sergio Perez: Red Bull driver signs contract extension with Formula One team to 2024.
"For us, holding onto his pace, race craft and experience was a no-brainer and we are delighted that Checo will continue to race for the team until 2024," said team boss Christian Horner in a statement.
Last Updated: 31/05/22 4:37pm
The Mexican driver, who won the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, has now committed to the team until the end of the 2024 season. Perez, 32, is currently third in the drivers' world championship standings after finishing fourth last year.
"For me, this has been an incredible week, winning the Monaco Grand Prix is a dream for any driver and then to follow that with announcing I will continue with the team until 2024 just makes me extremely happy," Perez said in a statement.
"I am so proud to be a member of this team and I feel completely at home here now. We are working very well together and my relationship with Max (Verstappen), on and off the track, is definitely helping drive us forward even more.”
‘Proud to be a member of this team’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12624771/sergio-perez-red-bull-driver-signs-contract-extension-with-formula-one-team-to-2024
Perez Proves Verstappen Isn’t Red Bull’s Only Star With Monaco Win
MAY 31, 2022
BY DOUG GREENBERG
After 220 starts and 12 seasons in Formula One, Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez is breaking out — and being rewarded for it.
On Sunday, “Checo” won the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix — his third career win and first of the season — to move into third place in the driver standings. Red Bull responded Tuesday by giving the 32-year-old a contract extension through 2024.
While 24-year old teammate Max Verstappen continues to lead in points and make most of the headlines this season, Perez is sneaking up behind him — and RBR will continue to benefit from the competition.
‘Breaking Out’;
https://frontofficesports.com/perez-proves-verstappen-isnt-red-bulls-only-star-with-monaco-win/
New Red Bull contract brings a pay rise for Perez.
31/05/2022, 18:30
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Sergio Perez has received a salary increase from Red Bull as part of his contract renewal, with Max Verstappen's teammate set to earn $10 million a year, RacingNews365.com understands.
Two days after winning the Monaco Grand Prix, Perez's contract extension with the Austrian racing stable was announced, and RacingNews365.com understands that the Mexican will earn $10 million – equivalent to nearly £8 million – per year.
Negotiations between Perez and Red Bull started earlier in this Formula 1 season, around the time of the Bahrain Grand Prix in March. The Mexican was all but guaranteed an extension before the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, but the final touches were made in Monte Carlo. Perez hinted at a contract extension before the podium ceremony in Monaco, with cameras capturing the moment when he told Team Principal Christian Horner he had signed up "too early".
‘Monte Carlo Pay Rise’;
https://racingnews365.com/new-red-bull-contract-brings-a-pay-rise-for-perez
How the Sergio Perez Contract Extension at Red Bull Affects F1 Driver Market
May 31, 2022
BY PHILLIP HORTON
All good seats now taken, as Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari Formula 1 driver lineups locked in through end of 2023 season. Red Bull Racing has locked in its driver lineup for the 2023 and 2024 Formula 1 seasons.
The outfit has handed Sergio Perez a two-year contract extension on Tuesday to continue racing alongside reigning World Champion Max Verstappen. Perez had been expected to stay at Red Bull and his extension was announced less than 48 hours after he claimed victory at the Monaco Grand Prix.
It is that role as a team player that has impressed Red Bull, with Verstappen last year describing Perez as a “very rare” commodity and “an amazing human being.” Perez is essentially an ideal foil for Verstappen: sufficiently fast, amiable, and a team player, while being extremely marketable in his home country. Put simply, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
‘Red Bull Driver Lock Out’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a40156598/sergio-perez-extension-red-bull-affects-f1-market/
ANALYSIS: Why Red Bull and Sergio Perez extended their marriage until the end of 2024
31 May 2022
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Lawrence Barretto
Sergio Perez has achieved what few before him have managed – a Red Bull contract that lasts longer than one year - after he signed a two-season deal to keep him at the team until at least the end of 2024. F1 Correspondent Lawrence Barretto delves into the details…
When Perez arrived for our one-to-one interview last Thursday on the top deck of Red Bull’s impressive ‘floatahome’ in the Monaco harbour, he was in great spirits. He fist-bumped every member of the crew and then settled back into the comfy sofa and shot the breeze while the camera operators framed up the shots.
His demeanour could not have been more different to 12 months ago. Whereas then you could see the tension and pressure in his face and the way he spoke, as he tried to get to grips with a very difficult generation of Red Bull race car that his predecessors Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Daniil Kvyat struggled with and only his team mate Max Verstappen seemed able to tame – now he was relaxation personified.
‘Sergio Perez Relaxed and Chilled’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.analysis-why-red-bull-and-sergio-perez-extended-their-marriage-until-the-end.4qaSjHCbvKAAK2EWIQtYrk.html
Fortitude
1st June 2022, 07:51
Mick Schumacher tipped to get 'Sir Alex Ferguson hairdryer treatment' from Haas boss.
Martin Brundle believes Mick Schumacher is set to get the hairdryer treatment from Haas boss Gunther Steiner after his crash at the Monaco Grand Prix.
17:30, Tue, May 31, 2022
By JACK MCEACHEN
Schumacher’s car was split in two in Monaco and suffered major damage for the second time this season, which will not impress the Haas team principal.
Brundle, in his column for Sky Sports, said: “It was a day to forget for Schumacher who alarmingly tore his car in two pieces for yet more damage repair bills for the Haas team, and I can imagine he's getting the full 'hairdryer' treatment from team boss Gunther Steiner in the style of an angry Ken Tyrrell or Alex Ferguson.”
Schumacher picked up an unwanted nickname as the ‘Crash Kid’ following his incident, which he walked away from unharmed, as the 23-year-old lost control of his car at the fast turn 12 and he crashed into the barriers. Former Formula One driver Christian Danner has warned Schumacher that he runs the risk of losing the faith of team boss Steiner if he continues to damage his car.
‘Crash Kid or Demolition Man’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1618853/Mick-Schumacher-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-hairdryer-treatment-Haas-boss
Steiner critical of Schumacher after second major shunt of F1 season.
30th May 2022, 11:33
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Haas Formula 1 boss Gunther Steiner says the team needs to see “how we move forward from here” after Mick Schumacher’s second major crash this season.
The impact proved pretty severe as the rear of the VF-22 was torn off from the main chassis, but Schumacher was in contact with the team via team radio just moments after the crash before extracting himself from the cockpit.
It marked the German’s second major shunt this year after his crash during qualifying in Jeddah, which ruled him out of competing in the race the day after, and left Haas with a $1 million repair bill.
‘Mick Schumacher’s Second Major Crash, Another $1 Million Repair Bill’;
https://readmotorsport.com/2022/05/30/steiner-critical-of-schumacher-after-second-major-shunt-of-f1-season/
Steiner’s stinging remarks after latest Schumacher crash
Both Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen retired from the Monaco Grand Prix.
31 May 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner appeared in no mood to put his arm round Mick Schumacher’s shoulder after another disappointing day for the German.
The crash means that the young German has gone 28 races without a point, colouring Steiner irritated by another repair bill.
“With Mick we obviously saw what happened,” he said in Haas’ race review. “It’s not very satisfactory having a big crash again. We need to see how we move forward from here.”
‘Another Repair Bill’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/steiners-stinging-remarks-after-latest-schumacher-crash/
‘We need to see how we move forward from here’ – Steiner unhappy over Schumacher’s Monaco crash
29 May 2022
Formula 1.
It was a relief for race fans to see Mick Schumacher walk away unharmed from a big Lap 27 crash at the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix. But although the German driver labelled the accident “very annoying”, Team Principal Guenther Steiner was more critical about his driver’s second major shunt of the season...
With team mate Kevin Magnussen retiring just prior to Schumacher’s incident with a power unit issue, Team Principal Guenther Steiner was spotted storming through the paddock, as Haas’s 100% finishing record in Monaco came dramatically undone.
But with Schumacher having also suffered a major crash in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – which forced him to miss the race – Steiner issued a curt warning to his sophomore driver after the Grand Prix.
‘Team Principal Guenther Steiner storming through the paddock’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.we-need-to-see-how-we-move-forward-from-here-steiner-unhappy-over.67vViAUFH6FIbE0zMcjzFf.html
‘Not satisfactory’: Schumacher prodigy on notice after he splits car in two.
May 30th, 2022 8:15 am
Fox Sports
F1 prodigy Mick Schumacher has been put on notice by Haas team boss Gunther Steiner after a second massive crash this season at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Haas suffered a double retirement in Monte Carlo after Schumacher lost control on Lap 27 and destroyed his Haas, moments after teammate Kevin Magnussen retired with a power unit issue. The impact saw the back-end of his car detach from the chassis, although Schumacher escaped unscathed.
It felt super weird,” Schumacher said of the moment. “From what I saw on the video, it just seemed like we were like 10 centimetres further out. And that kind of triggered maybe a wet patch or whatever with the front wheel, which then translated into a rear wheel slide.”
Nonetheless, Steiner wasn’t in a forgiving mood after the race having already raised concerns about Schumacher’s form.
‘Not Satisfactory, On Notice’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2022-monaco-grand-prix-news-mick-schumacher-crashes-at-swimming-pool-chicane-video-gunther-steiner-adds-haas-pressure/news-story/e84e1f6958850051885d141e7863479c
Guenther Steiner Looking for Ways to Move Past Mick's Crash in Monaco
30 May 2022, 14:46 UTC
by Sebastian Toma
If you watched this weekend's Formula 1 race in Monaco, you already know that Mick Schumacher crashed his Haas F1 car. It would be the second crash this season for Mick, but who's counting? Well, Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team principal, is one of the people who are counting.
According to reports, fixing the #47 Haas F1 car after Mick's crash in Jeddah, the cost of the repairs was close to one million dollars. Even if someone generously decided to donate that kind of money just to see the car fixed tomorrow, the team would still have to make sure it fits its expenses within its budget cap or otherwise might face penalties.
When speaking with Formula 1, Guenther Steiner stated that the team saw what happened, and it is "not satisfactory having a big crash again." That does not sound like great news for Mick, but Guenther might just be unhappy in the heat of the moment, as any team principal would be when speaking about a car crashed by their team.
‘$2 Million and Counting’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/guenther-steiner-looking-for-ways-to-move-past-mick-s-crash-in-monaco-189921.html
Fortitude
1st June 2022, 22:14
Vettel delighted not to leave Monaco 'empty handed' after P10 finish, as Stroll takes positives from 'tricky race'
01 June 2022
Formula 1.
Sebastian Vettel took the final points position at the Monaco Grand Prix, after the Aston Martin driver benefitted from Esteban Ocon’s late penalty to finish in P10. And Vettel, who was in high spirits after the race, praised the effort of his team after recovering from his early issues.
Vettel started the race in P9 and the four-time world champion, who had lost a place to Ocon after going off at Sainte Devote on Lap 6, was running in 11th before being moved up a place after Ocon’s five-second penalty for causing a collision with Lewis Hamilton. And Vettel admitted that while he was happy with 10th, he had hoped for a better outcome.
“Basically, we don’t go back empty handed, so I guess it was a decent recovery," said the German. "We had some issues at the beginning of the race, I had an excursion on the first corner, really struggling on the extreme wets and after that we tried to do what we can and happy to score a point in the end, but I was hoping that we can maybe extract a bit more.
‘P10 & Not Empty Handed’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.vettel-delighted-not-to-leave-monaco-empty-handed-after-p10-finish-as-stroll.5HS0kLCXGa4fFHYRBy5S6D.html
Sebastian Vettel: “All these steps are taking us in a good direction for the races to come”
June 1, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Sebastian Vettel said scoring a point in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix was a ‘good effort’, with the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team driver feeling it was a pretty straightforward race despite the difficult conditions.
“Today was a race in which anything could happen, but actually it was quite a clean and straightforward race for me,” commented Vettel. “We managed to pick up a point, which was a good effort because it is always difficult to make progress at Monaco, especially with only one dry line.”
“Given the way the race developed, I do not think we could have finished any higher. It was a real struggle on the Wet tyres in the early laps so that is why we went to the Intermediate as soon as we could. We learned more about the car, too, optimising the set-up with the new parts we introduced recently. All these steps are taking us in a good direction for the races to come.”
‘Good Direction’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/sebastian-vettel-all-these-steps-are-taking-us-in-a-good-direction-for-the-races-to-come/
Vettel was hoping to 'extract a bit more' from Monaco race
01/06/2022 at 14:06
Phillip van Osten
Sebastian Vettel was happy not to leave Monaco empty handed after claiming a championship point in the Principality, but the Aston Martin driver was hoping that the race's imponderables would help him deliver a better result.
"Basically, we don’t go back empty handed, so I guess it was a decent recovery," said the German.
"We had some issues at the beginning of the race, I had an excursion on the first corner, really struggling on the extreme wets and after that we tried to do what we can and happy to score a point in the end, but I was hoping that we can maybe extract a bit more."
‘Happy to Score a Point’;
https://f1i.com/news/443519-vettel-was-hoping-to-extract-a-bit-more-from-monaco-race.html
Monaco Race ‘Much More Complex’ than it looked for Aston Martin – Mike Krack
June 1, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Mike Krack says Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team’s Monaco Grand Prix was far more complex than what it appeared on paper, but he was happy Sebastian Vettel was able to leave the principality with a point.
Both Aston Martin drivers made the switch to intermediates before moving onto the dry weather tyres, and Krack praised both drivers for their performances, with Vettel earning the team a point thanks to finishing within five seconds of Esteban Ocon, who had been penalised for contact with Lewis Hamilton earlier in the race.
“On paper you could describe our performance in the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix as follows: Sebastian lost one place from his P9 qualifying position to finish tenth in the race, and Lance gained four places from his P18 qualifying position to finish fourteenth in the race,” said Krack.
‘Complex Monaco’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/monaco-race-much-more-complex-than-it-looked-for-aston-martin-mike-krack/
Vettel was ‘hoping for more’ after P10 finish in Monaco
29 May 2022
Formula 1.
Sebastian Vettel called his Monaco Grand Prix “a decent recovery” drive, after some early race problems put him on the back foot before he eventually finished tenth. "At least we don’t go back empty handed," he said.
‘Hoping For More’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.vettel-was-hoping-for-more-after-p10-finish-in-monaco.1734179774254655486.html
Fortitude
2nd June 2022, 06:59
‘Gasly won the Monaco Grand Prix for Red Bull’.
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes that Pierre Gasly’s early switch to Intermediates helped Red Bull make their bold strategy calls.
Date published: May 31 2022
Editor
Red Bull’s aggressive call to bring Sergio Perez in from third place to switch to the Intermediate tyre may have been made off the back of watching Pierre Gasly’s progress on the same tyre in the early stages, according to Jolyon Palmer.
The former F1 driver turned broadcaster believes the French driver’s switch to Intermediates on Lap 2 of the Monaco Grand Prix played a crucial role in the eventual outcome of the race – Gasly was one of three drivers to pit to change to the green-marked tyres, although both Nicholas Latifi and Lance Stroll were forced to stop due to requiring repairs after crashing their cars.
Falling to 18th, Gasly quickly caught Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu and, on Lap 12, squeezed past the Alfa Romeo on the run to Mirabeau. Just two laps later, Gasly caught Daniel Ricciardo and passed the McLaren out of Tabac. Given the near-impossibility of overtaking at Monaco, these moves proved the Intermediates were the tyres to be on, with Red Bull the first of the top teams to pull the trigger on a switch when they called Perez in on Lap 16.
‘Crucial Role, in Bold Strategy Calls’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre-gasly-won-monaco-grand-prix-for-red-bull/
‘We took some risks, we had nothing to lose’ – Gasly pleased after making up six places in Monaco
29 May 2022
Formula 1.
Pierre Gasly said he "had to come up with some creativity" because of his lowly P17 grid slot in Monaco – and ended up finishing just one place outside the points.
‘Nothing to Lose’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.we-took-some-risks-we-had-nothing-to-lose-gasly-pleased-after-making-up-six-places-in-monaco.1734180041672039721.html
“I called for Inters on lap one as we had nothing to lose” – Pierre Gasly
June 1, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Pierre Gasly made up six places from his grid slot in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix, with his immediate switch to the intermediate Pirelli paying early dividends.
Nevertheless, Gasly was happy with the result in Monaco, although he admits he could and should have been in the points after showing strong pace all through the practice sessions, only to be caught out in Qualifying.
“We started seventeenth and finished eleventh, so considering Monaco and the track layout, I think we can be happy with this today,” said Gasly. “When I saw the rain on the grid I had a massive smile on my face, as I knew it was our opportunity to try something different and to hopefully move forward.”
‘Inters Lap 1 Call’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/i-called-for-inters-on-lap-one-as-we-had-nothing-to-lose-pierre-gasly/
Gasly feels he 'deserved a point' after immense Monaco overtakes.
But were it not for two AlphaTauri pit-stop mistakes, Gasly says he could have turned 17th into a top 10 finish.
31 May 11:10
Pierre Gasly told his team to "be prepared" after starting 17th at a wet-dry Monaco Grand Prix following a disappointing qualifying day.
"I boxed straight away because I didn’t want to stay on the same strategy as the others," he explained, fresh from the cockpit.”
"We took some risks, we gambled and I'm pleased with our mentality, especially starting from where we were. I had a lot of fun, trying to find different lines, trying to find some space in Monaco between these walls.”
‘Be Prepared’;
https://racingnews365.com/gasly-feels-he-deserved-a-point-after-immense-monaco-overtakes
‘Tidier Saturday’ Needed for AlphaTauri’s Points Chances Despite Gasly’s Fightback – Egginton
June 1, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Jody Egginton says the biggest lesson Scuderia AlphaTauri can take away from the Monaco Grand Prix weekend was to have a ‘tidier’ Saturday after seeing Pierre Gasly’s obvious pace go to waste after the Frenchman was caught out in Qualifying.
Gasly missed out on setting a final lap time in Qualifying at the Circuit de Monaco after being caught out by people ahead backing up the pack, with the Frenchman mere metres away from starting his lap when the chequered flag fell. This meant he started down in seventeenth when he had shown top seven pace all through practice.
Egginton says the team needed a better Saturday if they were to have a chance of points in Monaco, and the pace that the recovering Gasly showed during the race despite the difficult conditions showed the Frenchman should have been a contender within the top ten on Sunday.
‘Tidier Saturday’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/tidier-saturday-needed-for-alphatauris-points-chances-despite-gaslys-fightback-egginton/
Gasly channeled his inner 'artist' to pull off Monaco overtakes
31/05/2022 at 16:48
Michael Delaney
Pierre Gasly says he had to channel his inner "artist" and get "creative" to pull off a series of impressive overtakes during the opening stages of the Monaco Grand Prix.
On a circuit where overtaking opportunities are scarce, let alone on a wet track, Gasly's race appeared compromised from the get-go. But the AlphaTauri charger was still determined to pull out the stops. "I told the team, 'We're P17, so just be prepared because I have nothing to lose from there," Gasly told the media in Monaco.
"We took some risks, we gambled and I'm pleased with our mentality, especially starting from where we were. I had a lot of fun, trying to find different lines, trying to find some space in Monaco between these walls.”
‘Channeling Inner Artist, Creative Overtakes’;
https://f1i.com/news/443462-gasly-channeled-his-inner-artist-to-pull-off-monaco-overtakes.html
GASLY: F1 DRIVERS “ARE KIND OF ARTISTS”
31/05/2022, 19:38
Lena Ferle
On lap 14, he was battling with Daniel Ricciardo for P12. In the Nouvelle Chicane, Gasly had to back off once more before completing the manoeuvre in the entry to the swimming pool. This place is somewhat unusual for the rare overtaking actions in Monaco.
But Gasly explained his idea behind the move after the race: “It was pretty tight, but I was so much faster than these guys, I just needed to calm myself.”
“I’d caught them so quickly, and then after you are like, OK, I want to pass, but it’s like if the guy is defending well, suddenly you’ve got no space on the right, no space on the left. Then you have to be creative. That’s what I tried to do. At the end of the day, F1 drivers, we are kind of artists, we need to find always new ideas.”
‘Have To Be Creative, Finding New Ideas’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/gasly-f1-drivers-are-kind-of-artists/?nowprocket=1
Fortitude
2nd June 2022, 17:29
Albon rues 'weekend to forget' after Monaco struggles.
Amidst the chaos, Albon struggled to make ground and eventually retired due to a mechanical issue on Lap 48.
01/06/2022, 09:30
Author Anna Francis
Having previously scored points on two occasions in the 2022 season, Alex Albon did not have such luck at the Monaco Grand Prix. "It was a tricky day out there and a bit of a scruffy performance from my side, too," the British-Thai driver said.
"The conditions meant that getting the brakes in the right window was really challenging, especially with all the variation that a drying track brings and the red flags. The car felt good whenever we had clean air though and I did feel competitive at points, so there are some positives to take away from today.”
“Unfortunately, towards the end of the race I had an issue with the car which meant I had to retire," he added. "I think it’s probably a weekend to forget for us, but that's how it goes sometimes."
‘Forget the Weekend’;
https://racingnews365.com/albon-rues-weekend-to-forget-after-monaco-struggles
Williams’ Dave Robson: “We learnt quite a lot about the FW44 this weekend”
June 2, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Dave Robson felt Williams Racing played the strategy game well during Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix, but circumstances went against them that prevented them being in the fight for points.
“It was a long race today with the delayed start and then a red flag interruption,” said Robson, the Head of Vehicle Performance at Williams. “With Alex we opted to play the long game on the Full Wet tyres and run it until the track was ready for slicks.”
“We timed the transition pretty well and he found some good pace on Prime until he went straight on at T1 and then punctured the tyre. His pace on the Option after the red flag was again strong, but as he was now out of position, he couldn’t make any places. We retired the car when Alex reported some unexpected bouncing on the straights.”
‘FW44 Learning’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/williams-dave-robson-we-learnt-quite-a-lot-about-the-fw44-this-weekend/
“We managed to bring it home, which isn’t easy in these conditions” – Nicholas Latifi
June 2, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Nicholas Latifi admitted that Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix was ‘very challenging’, with the Canadian finishing down in fifteenth after an early collision with the wall at the Grand Hotel Hairpin.
Ultimately though, the Canadian struggled throughout the race at the Circuit de Monaco, and he ended up in a battle with Alfa Romeo F1 Team’s Zhou Guanyu and Scuderia AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda in the final stint.
“Wet conditions are always tricky and even more so on a street track like Monaco!” said Latifi. “It was a very challenging race and after pitting early on, we were detached from the back of the pack but we did have good pace on the intermediate tyre to catch the field back up.”
‘Bringing It Home’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/we-managed-to-bring-it-home-which-isnt-easy-in-these-conditions-nicholas-latifi/
Albon focused on Baku after ‘weekend to forget’ for Williams driver in Monaco
01 June 2022
Formula 1.
Alex Albon could not repeat his Australia and Miami heroics in Monaco as the Williams driver endured a “scruffy” race and a “weekend to forget” that ended in retirement…
“It was a tricky day out there and a bit of a scruffy performance from my side, too,” he said. “The conditions meant that getting the brakes in the right window was really challenging, especially with all the variation that a drying track brings and the red flags.”
“The car felt good whenever we had clean air though, and I did feel competitive at points, so there are some positives to take away. Unfortunately, towards the end of the race I had an issue with the car which meant I had to retire. I think it’s probably a weekend to forget for us, but that’s how it goes sometimes. We’ll focus on the next one.”
‘Focus On The Next One’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.albon-focused-on-baku-after-weekend-to-forget-for-williams-driver-in-monaco.1G0Kiu8caslJm1nm6WEgZx.html
Latifi reveals if ‘strange’ Monaco crash was due to driver error as his F1 career looks under threat
Nicholas Latifi collided with the barrier on the formation lap of the Monaco Grand Prix.
2 June 2022
by James Clifford
Nicholas Latifi has divulged that he had an issue with the throttle on the formation lap ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, and that was the reason he ended up in the wall.
In wet, slippery conditions, the Safety Car took the drivers round two laps of iconic streets of Monaco before bringing them back into the pits due to an excess of standing water on the track but, during those laps, Latifi ended up in the wall at the Fairmont hairpin.
The Canadian was able to reverse out of the predicament but was forced to come into the pits for a change of front wing, and he now reveals that the car began accelerating on its own as he was trying to get the Williams turned in to the corner.
‘Throttle Issue’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/latifi-reveals-if-strange-monaco-crash-was-due-to-driver-error-as-his-f1-career-looks-under-threat/
Albon didn’t let Leclerc lap him because ‘it was quicker for both of us if I stayed ahead’
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 30th May 2022, 10:0530th May 2022, 12:15
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Alexander Albon has explained why he infuriated Charles Leclerc by refusing to let the Ferrari driver lap him at a crucial moment during the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Williams driver emerged from the pits in front of Leclerc on lap 18. Albon had switched to slick tyres while the former race leader had put intermediate rubber on two laps earlier. Leclerc caught Albon at Massenet, but despite a series of blue flags around the rest of the lap, Albon refused to let him by. The Ferrari driver became increasingly frustrated, exclaiming “Come on! What the fuck?” on his radio as he followed the Williams.
As the next lap began Albon’s race engineer began telling him to Leclerc past. But the Williams skidded off the track at Sainte Devote anyway, which allowed Leclerc by. Albon defended his refusal to make way, saying his slick tyres meant he would have quickly been able to re-pass Leclerc had he let the Ferrari through.
‘Critical Stage’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/05/30/albon-didnt-let-leclerc-lap-him-because-it-was-quicker-for-both-of-us-if-i-stayed-ahead/
Fortitude
3rd June 2022, 08:00
Lewis Hamilton is no longer the Mercedes boss - George Russell has taken his position': Former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan believes the seven-time world champion's new team-mate has taken advantage of the Brit's slump in form.
The seven-time world champion is already 75 points down in the title fight. But the Mercedes star is also 34 points behind new team-mate George Russell.
Published: 09:04, 2 June 2022
By Dan Ripley for MailOnline
Former Formula One team boss Eddie Jordan believes Lewis Hamilton has already been usurped by George Russell as top dog at Mercedes. When asked if Russell has deserved his switch from Williams to Mercedes, Jordan stated that the Brit had gone beyond expectations.
“Absolutely, I think it's the big surprise for everyone in the world, in the context of those who thought that Lewis Hamilton is the best,' the boss of the former Jordan team told Channel 4. But (Hamilton) is no longer the boss, not even in that team (Mercedes) because Russell has taken his position. And I think it will be very interesting and I want to see how Lewis is going to overcome that.”
Hamilton's hopes of an eighth title are fading fast this season, with the Brit already 75 points behind series leader and world champion Verstappen who finished third in Monaco.
‘Hopes Fading’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10877867/F1-Lewis-Hamilton-no-longer-Mercedes-boss-George-Russell-taken-claims-Eddie-Jordan.html
Wolff can 'only smile' at claims Russell is the new lead man at Mercedes.
Toto Wolff admits he can "only smile" at claims that George Russell is establishing himself as the new lead driver at Mercedes. But when it comes to the punditry about the pecking order within Mercedes, Wolff has little interest.
26 May 2022
Ben Issatt
“I hardly follow it, but when I pick up one or two remarks, I can only smile about them," he said via Austria's oe24.at. "George is doing a good job, but that’s exactly what we expected of him, that’s why he’s with Mercedes.”
"We knew that he was very good [from his junior days], then obviously the Williams school added its part, so we were never in any doubt that he would be very good. He's integrated very well, it's almost like he's been here forever. You can see that it's materialising on the track.”
"He's very rational. Whether he's fastest in P2, or whether he's eleventh, it’s just about applying the science and trying to make the car faster. I like his approach very much."
‘Wolff Smiling’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/15647-wolff-can-only-smile-at-claims-russell-is-the-new-lead-man-at-mercedes
Lewis Hamilton has perfect opportunity to prove Eddie Jordan wrong in next three races
LEWIS HAMILTON has struggled for form in the early stages of the 2022 F1 season.
21:00, Thu, Jun 2, 2022
By TOM PARSONS
Lewis Hamilton has been told by Eddie Jordan that he’s “no longer top dog” at Mercedes following the emergence of George Russell this year. Hamilton has struggled for form during the early stages on the F1 season and has been outshone by his new team-mate. But Hamilton has the perfect opportunity to prove Jordan wrong in the next three races.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has only been hosted on four occasions. But the Stevenage-born ace won the 2018 edition, before finishing second the following year. After the race in Azerbaijan, drivers will head to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Canada for the ninth Grand Prix of the season. Hamilton has been imperious in Canada in the past and has won the race a staggering seven times.
At the start of next month, Hamilton will be back on home soil for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The 37-year-old has tasted glory at his home track on no fewer than eight occasions. So he certainly knows a thing or two about what it takes to succeed at the track.
‘Lewis Hamilton’s Perfect Opportunity’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1620040/Lewis-Hamilton-prove-Eddie-Jordan-wrong-F1-George-Russell-Azerbaijan-GP-Max-Verstappen
Wolff defends Hamilton as Russell pulls further ahead
31 May 15:50
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Toto Wolff says he has no worries about Lewis Hamilton's form, as the seven-time World Champion was eclipsed by George Russell in Monaco in what is becoming a pattern as the 2022 season continues. But Wolff pointed out that it's more bad luck that is hitting Hamilton and affecting his results, rather than a lack of speed compared to Russell.
"No, I think when you look at the bad spells that Lewis had [in] the race today - stuck again, contact with Esteban [Ocon], stuck behind Fernando [Alonso], the red flag in qualifying and you know what has happened in races before," Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.com, when asked if Russell's apparent superiority is becoming the norm.
‘Bad Luck’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-defends-hamilton-as-russell-pulls-further-ahead
Hamilton on team dynamic with Russell: ‘I wouldn’t say I’m the leader’
Sir Lewis Hamilton doesn't believe he is the leader of the Mercedes F1 Team after his difficult start to 2022.
1 June 2022
by Nick Golding
George Russell has started life at Mercedes swimmingly, the former Williams driver has finished ahead of Hamilton at all but one race this season.
Hamilton was quizzed as to whether he is still the leader at the team, his response revealed all. “Well, firstly, I wouldn’t say I’m the leader,” Hamilton said. “George and I work equally hard together, I would say, to help drive the team and row just as hard as everyone else in the team.”
“But through adversity and challenging times you always learn more about yourself, how you deal with things, how you reflect on things, how you are able to turn negatives into positives. “I wouldn’t say I’ve learned particularly much more, so I will say past experiences have helped during this phase. And I would say to just reassuring the strength I know I have mentally.”
‘Always Learn More About Yourself’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/hamilton-on-team-dynamic-with-russell-i-wouldnt-say-im-the-leader/
Charles Leclerc abruptly shuts down Lewis Hamilton with comment on Mercedes
CHARLES LECLERC is not worried about Lewis Hamilton or Mercedes in spite of the German team's newly-found pace.
07:58, Thu, May 26, 2022
By ARCHIE GRIGGS
Charles Leclerc has insisted that he is not worried about the prospect of Lewis Hamilton or George Russell being able to challenge for the Drivers' Championship title over the course of this season.
"I think it will be more between Red Bull and Ferrari," Leclerc told La Gazette de Monaco. "At the moment Mercedes are still a bit behind even though they have made progress, but a team like this can never really be left out of the debate."
‘Mercedes No Worries’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1615962/Charles-Leclerc-abruptly-shuts-down-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-F1-news
Fortitude
3rd June 2022, 13:04
Haas ‘would probably like’ a different driver next season.
F1 journalist Joe Saward claims Haas “would probably like a different driver next year” but that Ferrari could have the final say.
Date published: June 2 2022 - Michelle Foster
Given that Guenther Steiner estimated that Schumacher’s Jeddah crash cost the team $1m, the similar debris field in Monaco is likely to carry roughly the same price tag and the team boss isn’t happy.
According to Saward’s latest blog, Schumacher’s big crashes are “wearing thin for Haas and there is talk that it would probably like a different driver next year, although Ferrari does have a say in the matter.”
“The rumour in Monaco,” says Saward, “is that Mick’s people are now looking at other options for the future and that Aston Martin might be a good choice for him because he’s German, younger and less hairy than Sebastian Vettel, and he is not too fast for Lance.”
‘Big Crashes Are Wearing Thin For Haas’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/joe-saward-mick-schumacher-haas-future-rumours/
Four F1 drivers at risk of being axed including Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Schumacher
DANIEL RICCIARDO and Mick Schumacher could face being axed from their teams
06:12, Fri, Jun 3, 2022
By ANDREW MCLEAN
Ricciardo has struggled to impress since signing for McLaren in 2021. While he is still contracted to the team for next season, McLaren CEO Zak Brown has brought his time at the team under question. With Pierre Gasly likely to be an option on the market this year McLaren may look to turn their attention elsewhere. This could see Ricciardo axed from McLaren and leaving him struggling to continue within the sport. It would be a sad way for the eight-time grand prix winner to leave F1.
Another driver who could be set to depart their team is Mick Schumacher. The German driver has failed to score a single point since starting in the sport last season. If he does not improve quickly the Schumacher name could be set to leave the sport again.
Nicolas Latifi again finds his position at Williams under threat. The Canadian has never really looked at home in the sport despite currently spending his third year at Williams. Rookie Zhou Guanyu is the final driver that faces being axed come the end of the season. Despite enjoying a good start to his career by winning a point in the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Chinese star has flopped since, failing to score in any of the following races.
‘Four Axes’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1619424/Four-F1-drivers-risk-of-being-axed-including-Daniel-Ricciardo-and-Mick-Schumacher
Aston Martin will sign Schumacher because ‘he’s not too fast for Lance Stroll’
Mick Schumacher has not had the easiest start to the 2022 season.
3 June 2022
by James Clifford
Schumacher has cost Haas over $2 million in damage since his arrival at the team last year, with the latest major accident arriving at last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
The crash meant that he has gone 29 races without scoring a single point in the pinnacle of motorsport, and pressure is starting to ramp up on the 23-year-old, including from his team principal – Guenther Steiner.
Stipulated in Haas’ contract with Ferrari is that they must run a junior driver in their team in return for engine supply, so they would need to find a replacement that would suit.
‘Mick $chumacher: 2 Million Dollar Demolition Man’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/aston-martin-might-sign-schumacher-because-hes-not-too-fast-for-lance-stroll/
Highly doubtful that Ricciardo is ever coming back
Date published: June 2 2022
Oliver Harden
If this is indeed the beginning of the end, this is a driver unlikely to go down with dignity. The walls are closing in on him and it would be a crying shame if it wasn’t so utterly avoidable, for almost all of Ricciardo’s current ills can be traced back to the day he committed career suicide by leaving Red Bull in 2018, ensuring his demise would be long, slow and acutely painful.
Red Bull were becoming Max Verstappen’s team by the summer of 2018, no doubt, but there was still very much a place for Daniel to act as the Jenson to Max’s Lewis – cramping his style, stunting his growth and slowing the process with natural charm and a winning smile. Vacating one of the few cars capable of winning grands prix for a Renault he regularly lapped may have made him richer beyond his wildest dreams.
But it killed overnight any possibility of him ever realising his true potential and ruined the perception of a career-driven and ambitious driver who often spoke of an itching agitation – a self-perceived race against time – to become World Champion. It was around that period, as he traded Red Bull blue for Renault yellow at the beginning of 2019, that he changed his management – and, some might say, his priorities – and a monster was created.
‘Doubtful Of A Comeback’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/can-daniel-ricciardo-come-back/
Jordan: Ricciardo is being mentally destroyed by Norris
3rd June 2022, 13:07
by Fergal Walsh
Daniel Ricciardo is being mentally destroyed by Lando Norris at McLaren, believes ex-Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan.
Jordan says that Norris’ performances are taking a toll on Ricciardo, and has questioned if he’ll be able to return to a competitive level. “Ricciardo is letting the races go by and you rarely get a chance to get this back,” Jordan told Channel 4. “I’m not sure where else he can go.”
“Lando is destroying him mentally, physically and on the track and when you have that kind of scenario inside a team, it affects you. So you need to react immediately.”
‘Mental Destruction’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/06/03/jordan-ricciardo-is-being-mentally-destroyed-by-norris/
Jacques Villeneuve suggests Daniel Ricciardo is nearing McLaren exit
Published: 3 Jun 2022, 07:00
By George Dagless
Villeneuve seems to think it could nearly be over for Ricciardo with the Woking-based team: “Ricciardo’s time at McLaren is over,” he said to Formule 1. “Zak Brown is already saying that there are clauses in the contract and that means that a decision has basically been made.”
“It’s a way to put the pressure on the driver and prepare the media. “Ultimately, he is a dearly paid driver who costs the team a lot of money. He doesn’t bring in any points and he doesn’t have the speed the team needs to develop the car. So he just costs them money.”
“It would be cheaper to continue paying Ricciardo’s salary, let him sit on the couch at home and put another driver in the car. It’s the harsh reality, but that’s Formula 1.”
‘Pay Ricciardo to Sit On A Couch’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88015675-jacques-villeneuve-suggests-daniel-ricciardo-is-nearing-mclaren-exit
Jones can’t see Ricciardo continuing ‘much longer’ with McLaren
1980 F1 World Champion Alan Jones reckons Daniel Ricciardo’s time at McLaren is drawing to a close, unless he improves rapidly.
Date published: June 3 2022
Editor
Jones has become the latest voice to add to the speculation surrounding Ricciardo’s future, with the Australian World Champion saying “contracts don’t mean much” when it comes to teams wanting to drop underperforming drivers.
Ricciardo is a hugely popular driver, thanks to his witty good humour and beaming smile – a toothy grin that has appeared more rarely during 2022. Jones believes that his ‘nice guy’ reputation may actually be holding him back.
“He is a great little race driver and he is a hell of a nice guy,” he said. “But, of course, we all know nice guys don’t get anywhere, particularly in Formula 1. The bigger d*ck you are, the better off you are – there are a few out there at the moment that have proved that.”
‘’Contracts Don’t Mean Much’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alan-jones-daniel-ricciardo-mclaren-future/
Fortitude
4th June 2022, 01:38
Alonso calls on FIA to learn from 'very serious' Schumacher crash.
Alonso has pointed to the weight of F1's 2022 cars as a potential reason as to why Schumacher's car split so easily.
04/06/2022, 09:30
Alonso: Weight is to blame for cars splitting. The Spaniard described the incident as "very serious", despite Schumacher walking away unscathed, and called on the FIA and Formula 1 to learn from the crash to prevent any drivers from being put at risk in the future.
"Luckily, he was alright but I hope Formula 1 and the FIA will draw the right conclusions," said the two-time World Champion. It seems to me that the car didn't split into two because something was wrong with it. The problem isn't the cars themselves, but their weight.”
"They are very heavy, currently more than 800 kilograms, so the inertia when they hit the wall is much higher than before. Perhaps this experience will teach us something."
‘Calls for FIA to Learn’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-calls-on-fia-to-learn-from-very-serious-schumacher-crash
Schumacher’s chassis-splitting crash shows effects of rising car weight – Alonso
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on
1st June 2022, 7:1631st May 2022, 23:48
Written by Hazel Southwell and Claire Cottingham
Formula 1 drivers expect the sport to learn from Mick Schumacher’s heavy Monaco Grand Prix crash which split the rear from his Haas car. Schumacher was taken to the circuit medical centre following the 22G impact but was uninjured. “I was glad that he’s fine because that was a scary one,” said Esteban Ocon.
The way that the Haas car had split in two “reminds you how big the energies that we have,” said Alexander Albon. Valtteri Bottas agreed “it’s always weird when you see a car in two halves. It’s not how it’s supposed to look but the main thing is he’s okay.”
The wreckage left by Schumacher’s crash also surprised Pierre Gasly. “It was bad,” he said. “I was worried because when I saw the gearbox completely out, it was quite, quite shocking.”
‘Car In Two Halves Shocking!’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/01/scary-schumacher-crash-wreckage-shows-consequences-of-rising-car-weight-alonso/
Alonso: F1 weight a factor in split chassis Schumacher crash
02/06/2022 at 14:09
Phillip van Osten
Fernando Alonso believes the rising weight of F1's new-generation cars was a factor in Mick Schumacher's Haas chassis splitting in half on impact in Monaco. The implementation of F1's new regulations has seen the minimum of an F1 car, without fuel, increase to 798 kg, or a 46 kg hike since last season.
Alonso believes the rise means that cars are encountering a lot more inertia when they hit a barrier or retaining wall as was the case for Schumacher earlier this year in Saudi Arabia.
"I remember also seeing the Jeddah accident and then again the car split in two," said Alonso. "The gearbox was not in the chassis and again [in Monaco].
’46 Kg Minimum Weight Increase, Creates More Inertia’;
https://f1i.com/news/443568-alonso-f1-weight-a-factor-in-split-chassis-schumacher-crash.html
Formula 1 Cars Breaking Apart on Impact Is Weighty Issue to Alonso
Jun 2, 2022
BY GLOBAL MOTORSPORT MEDIA
Mick Schumacher's Haas F1 car is the latest to break apart after heavy contact.
The full impact of the ever heavier Formula 1 cars is the focal point of the discussion following Mick Schumacher's frightening crash at the F1 Monaco Grand Prix.
That is the view of Fernando Alonso, who since making his Formula 1 debut way back in 2001 has seen the overall weight of F1 cars increase from 600 kg (1,322 pounds) to today's almost 800 kg (1,760 pounds).
‘Cars Breaking Apart’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a40181475/formula-1-cars-breaking-apart-on-impact-is-weighty-issue-to-alonso/
Alonso demands F1 learn from Schumacher car-splitter smash
Thursday 2 June 2022 10:35
Sam Hall
Fernando Alonso has urged F1 to learn from Mick Schumacher's car-splitting crash at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Asked about the German's latest incident, Alonso reflected: “[It was] massive again. "I remember also seeing the Jeddah accident and again, the car split in two. I saw the gearbox was not in the chassis. “
"I don’t think it is a car issue, it is just how hard you hit. With these cars, they are very heavy, more than 800 kilos, so the inertia you go into a wall is a lot higher than in the past. As I said, we will learn something from this as well.”
‘F1 Needs To Learn’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83857/schumacher-monaco-grand-prix-crash/
Gary Anderson: Why Schumacher’s F1 car split apart in Monaco
Jun 1 2022
By Gary Anderson
Mick Schumacher’s accident at the Swimming Pool was the most spectacular moment of the Monaco Grand Prix, with the gearbox separating from the rest of his Formula 1 car. I wouldn’t have liked to have been where Mick was sitting, but the longer any accident lasts and the more spectacular it is with bits and pieces flying off all over the place, the better it usually is for the driver.
What made the accident so dramatic was the fact the rear end of the car broke away from the engine. The question is, why? Think back to Romain Grosjean’s accident in the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, when the engine and gearbox were torn off the car – taking most of the rear bulkhead with it and exposing the fuel tank.
After that, the FIA asked the teams to study carefully how the car might break up in a high-impact accident. Part of this was to find a way to ensure that the gearbox came off the engine before the complete unit broke away from the chassis, reducing the risk of a repeat of the Grosjean fire.
‘Car Splitting Reasons Explained’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-why-schumachers-f1-car-split-apart-in-monaco/
Fortitude
5th June 2022, 09:24
Red Bull face Verstappen backlash for prioritising Perez.
Jos Verstappen has criticised Red Bull after the team 'threw away points' for son Max at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Wednesday 1 June 2022 04:00
Sam Hall
Red Bull secured a one-three finish at the end of the rain-affected race, with Sergio Perez leading home his championship-leading team-mate to close the gap at the top of the standings between the two to 15 points.
But Verstappen Sr believes Ferrari's errors did more to help the reigning champion score a podium than the Red Bull strategists. "Red Bull achieved a good result, but at the same time exerted little influence to help Max to the front," he said in his column on the official Verstappen website.
"That he finished third, he owes to Ferrari's mistake at that second stop of Charles Leclerc. The championship leader, Max, was not helped in that sense by the chosen strategy. It turned completely in Checo's favour.”
‘Backlash’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83874/red-bull-verstappen-perez-backlash/
Jos Verstappen critical of Red Bull's Monaco strategy.
Christian Horner could be in for a 'Verstappen-slappen' as world champion's father, Jos criticises Red Bull for failing his son with its strategy in Monaco.
01/06/2022
NEWS STORY
In all honesty, Max never looked entirely comfortable at any stage over the Monaco weekend, while teammate, Sergio Perez did. Then, come qualifying, the Mexican out-paced his teammate to line-up third on the grid. "As a father I was disappointed with the race," he writes on the official Verstappen website. "Max's third place was very disappointing.
"We all saw that it was a difficult weekend for him," he continues. "It starts with the car, which simply doesn't have the characteristics for his driving style yet. Max has far too little grip at the front axle. And especially in Monaco, with all those short corners, you need a car that turns very quickly. That was just hard.
"Red Bull achieved a good result," he admits, "but at the same time exerted little influence to help Max to the front. That he finished third, he owes to Ferrari's mistake at that second stop of Charles.
‘Monaco Strategy Critical’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72679/Jos-Verstappen-critical-of-Red-Bulls-Monaco-strategy
Jos Verstappen: Red Bull should have prioritised Max, not Perez in Monaco
02 June 2022
Ben Issatt
Jos Verstappen says it is "disappointing" Red Bull chose to prioritise Sergio Perez over Max during the Monaco Grand Prix. The Mexican had been the quicker driver in the team all weekend in Monte Carlo and qualified ahead despite crashing at the end of Q3 in qualifying.
After heavy rain just before the race start, Perez and Red Bull then perfectly timed moves first to intermediate tyres and then to slicks allowing Checo to jump the Ferraris into the lead and ultimately go on to win.
But while Perez was the lead driver on track when those calls were made, Verstappen Sr. argues it should have been in the team's interest to optimise Max's result instead of his teammate.
‘Max Priority’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/15693-jos-verstappen-red-bull-should-have-prioritised-max-not-perez-in-monaco
Jos Verstappen fears Red Bull have built a car that does not suit Max
02 June 17:00
Author Thomas Maher
Max Verstappen's third place in Monaco may have allowed him to pull further clear of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the Drivers' Championship, but the reigning World Champion spent the weekend firmly in the shadow of his teammate Sergio Perez.
With the Mexican driver having a slight edge through Friday practice and on into qualifying, it was Perez who capitalised on Ferrari's fluffed pit strategy to come out in the lead and win the race.
The pace advantage that Verstappen appeared to have over Perez throughout 2021 has all but vanished during the first seven races of 2022, and Jos Verstappen believes that his son is contending with a car that doesn't quite suit his style so much.
‘RB18 Doesn't Line Up With The Max Preferred Driving Characteristics’;
https://racingnews365.com/jos-verstappen-fears-red-bull-have-built-a-car-that-does-not-suit-max
WOULD YOU BUILD AN F1 CAR THAT DOESN’T SUIT YOUR STAR?
Jos Verstappen has now stated that the Red Bull doesn't suit his son's driving...
03 June 2022, 12:02
Grace Robinson
One of the really interesting takeaways from the column (In a column for the Verstappen website) was that Jos believes the Red Bull car doesn’t suit Max’s driving style.
This was an unusual comment for Jos to make as it is a known rumour that Red Bull try and tailor their cars to Max Verstappen’s preferences. It’s known that Verstappen likes a ‘twitchy’ car that is constantly on the limit.
Jos went on to say that “Max has far too little grip at the front axle”. Surely this lack of grip would effect both cars (unless the set ups are drastically different). Jos’s focus on Max is understandable due to their relationship, however, the focus on his son alludes to the fact that Sergio Perez might not be suffering with the same driving issues.
‘Max Car Building’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/would-you-build-an-f1-car-that-doesnt-suit-your-star/?nowprocket=1
‘Max should try to apply Sergio’s driving style’ after being outperformed by Perez
Sergio Perez won the Monaco Grand Prix last weekend ahead of Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen.
5 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher does not believe that Sergio Perez has the consistency to compete with Max Verstappen for the championship, but affirms that there are still things the Dutchman can learn from his team-mate.
The 32-year-old’s victory leaves him 15 points behind Verstappen in third in the Drivers’ Championship and, while Schumacher does not rule out the possibility of a three-way title fight, he is not sure Perez can sustain a title challenge against the reigning champion. “He [Perez] has come close to Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in the drivers’ standings as a result,” he said.
“There could be a three-man fight. I just don’t think Sergio has the consistency of Verstappen. In Monaco he was the better driver. Max should see this as an opportunity to learn things from his teammate.”
‘Max Learning’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/max-should-try-to-apply-sergios-driving-style-after-being-outperformed-by-perez/
Fortitude
6th June 2022, 05:42
‘It’s worrying us’: Binotto admits concern about reliability of Ferrari power unit.
“What can I tell you? Not much! We did the analysis. We failed and damaged both the turbo and the MGU-H, so they will not be repaired,” stated Binotto.
5 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
It took six races for Ferrari to suffer their first reliability failure of the season when Charles Leclerc retired from the Spanish Grand Prix.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto: “Obviously, we found the root cause; we fix it for Monaco, for the next races, and that’s all the detail I will tell you.”
“Reliability is always a concern,” he said in Monaco. “And when something is happening, it’s never great so it’s worrying us. We are looking at what happened [in Spain]. And sometimes you’ve got straight explanations. It can be caused by external accidents. It can be caused by exceptional, let me say, circumstances, so other ones may be a true worry and concern.”
‘Ferrari PU Reliability Concern’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/its-worrying-us-binotto-admits-concern-about-reliability-of-ferrari-power-unit/
Leclerc trying to heal home hurt after Monaco misery
Sunday 5 June 2022 11:30
Ewan Gale
Charles Leclerc has insisted Ferrari will come back stronger from the "hurt" of failures at his home F1 race in Monaco.
"We will analyse all of this. It is disappointing and it hurts, especially at home, but it is the way it is and now I will work together with the team, we will all work together to try and understand.”
"We had everything to win. The pace was very strong in the first stint, I was managing [the race] and it was going extremely strong in the wet but then, unfortunately, everything went against us. It hurts at home but it is life and we will come back stronger."
‘Ferrari Healing’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84022/leclerc-trying-to-heal-home-hurt-after-monaco-misery/
Sainz radio fury with Latifi revealed
Saturday 4 June 2022 16:00
Ewan Gale
Carlos Sainz has revealed his frustration at seeing his Monaco Grand Prix ruined by Williams driver Nicholas Latifi. "You can understand the frustration and the feeling that I went through there because I knew my race was all about that out-lap," explained Sainz.
"As soon as I exited the pits, I was wheel-spinning on the wet patch and he [Latifi] just managed to sneak ahead of me when, personally, knowing I was the leader of the race at that time, he could have perfectly stayed behind me instead of overtaking.
"From there onwards, I had to follow him through turn three, turn four, turn five, turn six, turn seven, turn eight. At the exit of turn eight, he got out of the way in the tunnel. But at that time, I had already lost the warm-up of the tyre and the time to make the difference on the slicks.”
‘Radio Fury’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84017/sainz-radio-fury-latifi-monaco-grand-prix/
Ferrari explain two timing errors which cost Leclerc Monaco win
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 4th June 2022, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
In the round-up: Ferrari’s head of race strategy, Inaki Rueda, says the team misjudged Charles Leclerc’s gap to his rivals twice during the Monaco Grand Prix. Ferrari’s sporting director and head of race strategy, Inaki Rueda, explained on a video released by the team they had made “two mistakes” with Leclerc’s strategy in the race, which saw him fall from first to fourth.
To begin with they attempted to cover Sergio Perez’s switch to intermediate tyres. At the point Leclerc came into the pits, Ferrari’s strategy software showed his likely advantage over Perez had diminished to just one second. Rueda said they hadn’t expected Perez to gain nine seconds on their driver in a single lap.
The team’s second mistake “was a gap mistake again” Rueda continued. “We wanted to pit both cars onto dry tyres. On lap 21, we thought the track was good for dry tyres. At the same time we were bringing Carlos in to try and keep the lead of the race, we thought, ‘let’s bring Charles to try and undercut Perez so we can finish P1 and P2’.
‘Two Timing Errors’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/04/racefans-round-up-04-06-5/
Ferrari strategist breaks down Monaco errors
Date published: June 3 2022
Sam Cooper
Ferrari’s head of race strategy said two gap mistakes were to blame for Charles Leclerc sinking from P1 to P4 in his home Monaco Grand Prix. The Monégasque’s home curse continued last week when he finished for the first time at the circuit, but in fourth having earned pole in qualifying.
While no one can blame Leclerc himself for the non-podium finish, plenty of fingers have been pointed at Ferrari who cost the 24-year-old the chance to win his home race. Ferrari’s head of race strategy Inaki Rueda has now explained that they came undone when Sergio Perez lapped quicker than they had expected.
“With Charles, we made two mistakes. The first one was to cover Perez,” Rueda said, as reported by racer.com. “While with Carlos [Sainz] we realised very late in his lap that we could not cover Perez, with Charles we had a big gap and we thought we could cover Perez.
‘Ferrari Strategy Mistakes’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-strategist-breaks-down-monaco-errors/
‘We should really congratulate Mattia’: Ex-Ferrari driver defends Binotto after Monaco blunder
Ferrari threw away a victory in Monaco with a series of strategic errors, allowing Sergio Perez to take the win.
3 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger has asked fans and pundits not to be too hard on Ferrari’s strategists after a tricky afternoon in Monaco last weekend.
Leclerc said after the race that his team are currently making “too many mistakes,” but Berger sees the Brightside, affirming that, given where Ferrari have been for the last two years, it is a massive positive that they are now fighting for wins in the first place.
“Ferrari is being criticised too much for the tactical mistakes last Sunday,” he said. “We should really congratulate Mattia Binotto for the strong car he has managed to put on the track, because we hadn’t expected that just a few months ago.”
‘Mattia Binotto Defence’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/we-should-really-congratulate-mattia-ex-ferrari-driver-defends-binotto-after-monaco-blunder/
Binotto outlines area where Ferrari made 'right choice' in Monaco
Despite Ferrari losing out on a possible victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, Mattia Binotto believes that the team made a correct strategic decision for the latter stages of the race.
05/06/2022, 10:20
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Binotto praises Ferrari for "right choice" One area in which Binotto feels that Ferrari got things right was in deciding to stay on the same set of Hard tyres after the second red flag of the race, which was brought out following Mick Schumacher's crash on Lap 24.
This was in opposition to what Red Bull decided to do, with their drivers, Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, running the Medium compound instead.
When asked about the thinking behind this call for Ferrari, Binotto told media, including RacingNews365.com: "I think the main reason [was] because I think we were right, in that respect, that the Medium would have had graining.
‘Ferrari’s Right Choice’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-outlines-area-where-ferrari-made-right-choice-in-monaco
Fortitude
6th June 2022, 06:14
Lewis Hamilton's public statement on Mercedes deadline may be final straw for Toto Wolff.
LEWIS HAMILTON wants to see Mercedes back near the front challenging Red Bull and Ferrari very soon.
06:50, Mon, Jun 6, 2022
By STUART BALLARD
Mercedes raised eyebrows in pre-season testing when they unveiled their eye-catching new design on the W13. Reports at the time indicated that the sidepod-less design was producing impressive results in the simulator. That has failed to translate on the track so far.
“I hope by the time we get to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone we will have the car as we want it – to be able to fight with Ferrari and Red Bull,” said Hamilton. “It would be nice if we can give them a run for their money at our home race.
“I know that work is going on tirelessly in the factory to make progress with the car. And I have no doubt we will get it right sooner or later.”
‘Final Straw’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1621097/Lewis-Hamilton-F1-news-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-Formula-One-W13-British-Grand-Prix
Lewis Hamilton makes demand to Mercedes engineers after Monaco Grand Prix
LEWIS HAMILTON has made demands of his Mercedes' engineers following a disappointing Monaco Grand Prix
15:01, Wed, Jun 1, 2022
By ANDREW MCLEAN
Lewis Hamilton has ordered his Mercedes engineers to continue to work on this season's car rather than turn their attention to next season. Mercedes have suffered a terrible season so far, floundering in third position in the Constructors’ Championship.
Hamilton was quick to refute this suggestion. "I think we have to find out what’s wrong with this car before we can make another one," the seven-time world champion said. "If we started to build another car we could easily make a mistake.”
"I think it's about fully understanding this one, which is something we haven't achieved yet, so that we have an idea of which path to go down. However, there are a lot of things I wouldn’t want from this car in next year’s car."
‘Mercedes’ Engineers Have Orders’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1619367/Lewis-Hamilton-makes-demand-to-Mercedes-engineers-after-Monaco-Grand-Prix
HAS LEWIS HAMILTON LOST HIS SHINE OR IS HE JUST “UNLUCKY”?
2nd June 2022, 12:06
Catherine Micallef
Lewis Hamilton did not lose his spotlight at Mercedes, but it surely does not positively reflect on him.
The 37-year-old achieved only one podium this season, in the Bahrain season-opener. He keeps getting himself out early of qualifying sessions and sometimes finishes races outside the points area. He even asked his Bono whether there are any points allocated to those who finish in tenth in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, his new teammate George Russell has finished in the top five in each race so far this season. He is also the only driver on the grid to do so. He is battling it out against the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari, who are favourites to win the championship. In a low-performing Mercedes, how is a driver who spent three years struggling in a Williams, getting the best out of it?
The Mercedes Team Principal said, “I think when you look at the bad spells that Lewis had – I mean look at the race today (Monaco GP), stuck again, contact with Esteban [Ocon], stuck behind Fernando [Alonso]. The red flag yesterday in qualifying and then you know what happens in races before. I think the pendulum will swing so that these unlucky situations will stop with Lewis.”
‘The Pendulum Will Swing’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/lewis-hamilton-unlucky-toto-wolff-mercedes/?nowprocket=1
Hamilton warned that Wolff has ‘insurance policy’ if he decides to ditch Mercedes
Nyck de Vries is the reigning Formula E champion with the Mercedes EQ team, and practiced for Williams in Barcelona this year.
5 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Racing driver Tom Coronel believes that Toto Wolff will have an ideal replacement in reserve driver Nyck de Vries should Sir Lewis Hamilton leave Formula 1 in the coming years.
“If Lewis Hamilton stops, Nyck de Vries will get the seat. Do you know why? As I’ve been saying for a year, Nyck is Toto Wolff’s insurance policy,” he told the RacingNews365.nl podcast.
“If Lewis Hamilton stops, Nyck de Vries will get the seat. Do you know why? As I’ve been saying for a year, Nyck is Toto Wolff’s insurance policy,” he told the RacingNews365.nl podcast.
‘Mercedes’ Insurance Policy’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/hamilton-warned-that-wolff-has-insurance-policy-if-he-decides-to-ditch-mercedes/
Fortitude
7th June 2022, 07:19
McLaren not ‘fully comfortable’ as fourth fastest team.
There is nothing comfortable about their position in the standings, or as leader of the midfield, says Andreas Seidl.
Date published: June 6 2022
Michelle Foster
Andreas Seidl has denied that McLaren are comfortably the fourth fastest team on the grid as they have only out-scored Alfa Romeo in two of the last four races.
Seven races into this season and McLaren are holding down fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship with their double points-haul in Australia boosting them up the order.
That, though, was McLaren’s only two-car haul of the season to date.
“I wouldn’t say fully comfortable,” he told The Race. “We are up against strong competition with strong drivers and strong cars and therefore the pecking order can still change depending on different tracks, different conditions, tyre selection. Our target is clear; we want to fight for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. We have everything in the team together with Lando and Daniel to do that.”
‘Fighting For Fourth’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-not-comfortable-fourth-fastest-team/
Norris explains why McLaren have 'work to do' after Monaco
04 June 14:30
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Despite claiming a P6 finish, Lando Norris was left feeling that more could have been possible for McLaren at the Monaco Grand Prix. Following a tough weekend in Spain – during which he had been suffering from tonsilitis – Norris was still recovering as proceedings got underway in Monte Carlo.
Despite this, the McLaren driver managed to qualify in P5 on the grid, taking the 'best of the rest' slot behind the two Ferrari and Red Bull cars. He then went on to finish the Grand Prix in sixth, and ended the race less than a second behind fifth-placed George Russell.
"There's things we'll talk about, about the strategy," Norris told media, including RacingNews365.com, after the race. "I don't think we did a perfect job, and of course, there's always things to work on and improve on.”
‘McLarens’ Improvement ‘;List
https://racingnews365.com/norris-explains-why-mclaren-have-work-to-do-after-monaco
How McLaren solved the mystery of its ‘oddball’ F1 car problem
06/06/2022, 12:00
By Edd Straw
The first part of McLaren’s 2022 Formula 1 season was derailed by an unusual problem that initially appeared in Bahrain testing in March and was not fully resolved until the team’s Spanish Grand Prix upgrade package two months later.
The front brake overheating problems it suffered were the result of a “strange phenomenon” that prevented adequate cooling airflow reaching the discs, according to technical director James Key. McLaren introduced the definitive fix as part of its Barcelona package, with the carbonfibre brake cover replacing the rapidly-produced titanium shroud that had seen it through the early races.
Gary Anderson explains the changes, which are pictured below, in full here. They worked well, and led to a marked reduction in front brake temperatures. Key described it as an “oddball” problem that took time to replicate in order to understand how it should be fixed.
‘McLaren Fixes Brake Overheating’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-mclaren-solved-the-mystery-of-its-oddball-f1-car-problem/
Daniel Ricciardo Never Arrived At Mclaren
Published Jun 6, 2022 4:00 AM
Inside Line F1 Podcast
Let alone Mclaren, will Daniel Ricciardo have a future in Formula 1? The awesome Australian is currently experiencing a low almost no one expected after his star signing at Mclaren from 2021.
As Soumil points out, history has shown that such drastic career lows have often seen great talents bow out of Formula 1 - Damon Hill-Jordan, Juan Pablo Montoya-Mclaren and Jacques Villeneuve-BMW to name a few. Can Daniel Ricciardo recover?
In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, @f1statsguru aka Sundaram joins Soumil & Kunal to highlight stats-facts from Ricciardo's journey at Mclaren. As you will hear, it's as though Ricciardo never really arrived at Mclaren in 2021.
‘Ricciardo Never Arrived’;
https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/daniel-ricciardo-never-arrived-at-mclaren
EXCLUSIVE - Daniel Ricciardo hits back: ‘I’ve not forgotten how to drive’
F1 Lewis Larkam
6 Jun 2022
Since joining McLaren at the start of last season, Daniel Ricciardo’s reputation for being one of the best drivers on the F1 grid - and a potential world champion - has nosedived.
Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren CEO Zak Brown even admitted that “mechanisms” exist which would allow the team to terminate the underperforming Ricciardo’s contract earlier than its end-of-2023 conclusion.
Speaking to Crash.net in an exclusive interview at the recent Spanish Grand Prix, Ricciardo opened up on his struggles and why he is determined to prove his doubters wrong. “It kind of ebbs and flows where sometimes I’ll get down on myself,” Ricciardo says. “But then other times, I’m fired up and motivated to prove a lot of people wrong and prove myself right.”
‘Driving Not Forgotten’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1004689/1/daniel-ricciardo-exclusive-i-ve-not-forgotten-how-drive
McLaren unable to fire Ricciardo despite woeful form
It's been reported that only Daniel Ricciardo has a clause to end his contract with the McLaren F1 Team amid ongoing tensions.
6 June 2022
by Nick Golding
Daniel Ricciardo has had a disastrous start to the 2022 season, with tension between himself and the McLaren F1 Team growing. Rumours have already began to circulate that McLaren CEO Zak Brown has become disillusioned with the Australian, and is looking to IndyCar for his replacement.
However, it has been reported by Scott Mitchell from The Race that only Ricciardo can end their contract. “It’s Ricciardo with the option of triggering a break clause,” Mitchell reported.
“So whether Ricciardo’s 2023 contract is upheld seems to be down to him. “It seems to be his choice to make, at least. And it’s worth noting he has so far had nothing bad to say about how McLaren has treated him, or the effort it is putting in to help him turn things around.
‘Ricciardos’ Contract’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/mclaren-unable-to-fire-ricciardo-despite-woeful-form/
Fortitude
8th June 2022, 08:37
Alonso set to clinch historic F1 record in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will also mark 21 years, three months and eight days since Alonso’s F1 debut, will outrun the current record held by Schumacher at 21 years and three months.
08/06/2022 at 08:12
Michael Delaney
Fernando Alonso is set to break a long-standing historic F1 record at next weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, one that is still owned to this day by Michael Schumacher.
In Baku, Alonso will take part in his 342nd Grand Prix, which will put the Alpine driver just eight races short of Kimi Raikkonen's record of 350 starts in F1, a milestone that should be surpassed by the Asturian by the end of this season.
In 2010, the German answered Mercedes' call and came out of retirement to resume his career which lasted another three seasons, taking his tally of Grand Prix starts up to 307. Alonso also took a break from F1, leaving McLaren at the end of 2018 and returning to the fray with Alpine in 2021.
‘Historic F1 record’;
https://f1i.com/news/443873-alonso-set-to-clinch-historic-f1-record-in-azerbaijan.html
Brundle suspects there's 'still needle' between Alonso and Hamilton
06 June 13:40
Author Anna Francis
Despite many years having passed since their tumultous season as McLaren teammates in 2007, Martin Brundle wonders whether the Monaco Grand Prix highlighted lingering tensions between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
"Fernando Alonso went into a steady, but necessary for him, tyre preservation mode, with the rest of the field queued up behind him, starting with a very frustrated Lewis Hamilton," Brundle wrote in his column for Sky Sports.
"'That's not my problem' said Fernando, and you can't help but sense there's still needle between them after their McLaren season as teammates back in 2007. Fernando then bizarrely took off for a while and did the third fastest lap of the race to retain seventh place."
‘Still Needle’;
https://racingnews365.com/brundle-suspects-theres-still-needle-between-alonso-and-hamilton
Alonso still carrying hand injury from Melbourne qualifying crash
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 5th June 2022, 0:014th June 2022, 22:31
Written by Will Wood
Alonso carrying hand injuries since Melbourne Fernando Alonso says he has been driving with an injured hand since crashing in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix in April.
Alonso crashed in the final sector of the Albert Park circuit on his first flying lap in Q3 when his Alpine suffered hydraulic failure, denying him any engine braking and seeing him crash into the tyre wall. The double world champion says he has been coping with hand injuries from the accident ever since.
“Bones, ligaments, tendons – everything is a mess at the moment,” Alonso said. “I need two or three months. There is no surgery, nothing you can do – just rest. Unfortunately, every two weeks I have to drive. So I try to rest at home, but it will take a few months.”
‘Carrying Hand Injury’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/05/racefans-round-up-05-06-5/
Alpine’s Laurent Rossi: “We’ve had to dig deep all weekend to make improvements”
June 1, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Rossi, the CEO at Alpine, believes the progress made with the set-up of the car between Friday’s running and Saturday was promising to see, not only for the weekend just gone but also for weekends still to come.
“Today’s Monaco Grand Prix was very eventful and it’s always good when you come out of those races with strong points in the bag,” said Rossi. “As a team, we were expecting it to be a challenging weekend at a circuit with so many slow-speed corners, which does not tend to suit our car.”
“We’ve had to dig deep all weekend to make improvements between Friday and Saturday, which not only helped us this weekend, but also bodes well for the future where we can take forward this knowledge in adapting our car to all types of tracks.”
‘Dug Deep All Weekend’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/alpines-laurent-rossi-weve-had-to-dig-deep-all-weekend-to-make-improvements/
Exclusive: Alpine CEO Rossi reveals objectives for 2022
8th June 2022, 11:50
Author Dieter Rencken
Co-author Jesse Janse
After finishing fifth in last season's Constructors' Championship, Alpine currently sit sixth in the 2022 standings. But after reshuffling the team's technical department, CEO Laurent Rossi tells RacingNews365.com that fourth place should be achievable for Alpine in 2022.
"The glass is half-full," Rossi said in an exclusive interview with RacingNews365.com. "Fourth would be good, third is a bonus. It's better than last year, showing good improvement on performance and competitiveness.”
"Let's be honest. At the moment, the Red Bulls and the Ferraris are in a league of their own. I hate that expression, but it would still be best of the rest to be third or fourth, so fifth or sixth could be something we could fight for.”
‘Third Is a Bonus’;
https://racingnews365.com/exclusive-alpine-ceo-rossi-reveals-objectives-for-2022
Fortitude
8th June 2022, 19:41
‘More to come’ from Bottas now he’s ‘in a happy place’.
Valtteri Bottas says there is “more to come” from him and Alfa Romeo this season – and feels he is in a “happy place” at his new team.
Date published: June 4 2022
Henry Valantine
The former Mercedes man has got off to a flying start at Alfa, scoring 40 points in the opening rounds compared to only one point for his rookie team-mate Zhou Guanyu in the same period.
The Finn feels he has been able to make the most of his ability in his role as team leader, adding that the work ethic and motivation within the Hinwil-based team has been “inspiring” to him. “I think it’s been a good start to the season, like the qualifying and race performances,” Bottas told reporters in Monaco.
“I’ve been in a happy place, in a way I can really try and be the best version of myself and drive the way I want to drive. But the atmosphere in the team is so motivating, the people, how much they are now trying, and it’s really inspiring for me as well. And maybe that pushes you to [do] even more but yeah, it’s been a good start to the season.”
‘More to Come’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtteri-bottas-confident-happy-place/
Bottas airs Alfa Romeo expectations on street return
Sunday 5 June 2022 14:30
Sam Hall
Valtteri Bottas is hopeful the "normal" Azerbaijan corners will help Alfa Romeo bounce back from a difficult weekend at the recent Monaco Grand Prix.
"I thought [Monaco would suit us] but it didn't so now it is important for us to understand why," explained Bottas. "I feel like there is something mechanically that didn't quite fit with these corners.”
"For Baku, I think they are a little bit more like normal types of corners - 90-degree corners and not much camber and off-camber, except in the old town. So I hope it is better."
‘Baku Bounce Back’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/83986/bottas-alfa-romeo-baku-expectations/
Valtteri Bottas urges Alfa Romeo to end reliability strife
Wednesday 8 June 2022 13:55
Sam Hall
“Baku is a place with both good and bad memories for me, so I definitely hope to add some more of the pleasant kind this weekend," said Bottas. "It’s crucial we can have a trouble-free weekend.”
"We have been having some good results despite some Friday issues so far, and if we were to fix these, we could really see the full potential of our package. We know we can fight towards the front when we do it and it has to be the aim here as well."
Even with his Friday problems, Bottas is eighth in the drivers' standings and trails his former Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton by just 10 points.
‘Package Potential Possibilities’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84343/valtteri-bottas-alfa-romeo-end-reliability-strife-azerbaijan-grand-prix/
Bottas says trouble-free Friday will unleash Alfa potential
08/06/2022 at 13:07
Phillip van Osten
Valtteri Bottas says an opening day of running in Baku next weekend void of issues would likely allow Alfa Romeo to exploit the full potential of its C42 contender.
Although Alfa's race weekends have rarely been clean, team boss Fred Vasseur gave a positive assessment of the Swiss outfit's season year-to-date.
"We have done really well so far and we can be satisfied with the results we achieved, but we know we will need to keep working hard in every round to get the most out of each weekend," said Vasseur.
‘Unleash Alfa Romeo’;
https://f1i.com/news/443895-bottas-says-trouble-free-friday-will-unleash-alfa-potential.html
Romeo team members share expectations for F-1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix (PHOTO)
Society Materials 8 June 2022 17:55
Nargiz Sadikhova
The team's CEO Frederic Vasseur noted that Alfa Romeo team is going to Baku to continue the team's progress this season. “So far we have performed very well and can be pleased with the results we have achieved, but we know that we will need to continue to work hard every round to get the most out of every weekend.”
Racer Valtteri Bottas noted that he hopes to add some more pleasant moments this weekend to good memories of Baku track. "This is a track that can lead to chaotic races so we have to be ready to make the most of every opportunity. It will be a lot of fun on Sunday [June 12]."
Driver Zhou Guanyu said that he was looking forward to this weekend. "Baku is a nice track with lots of opportunities and I'm aiming for a good weekend where we can really show what we can do as a team."
‘Alfa Romeo Expectations’;
https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/society/3606582.html
Alfa Romeo boss tells rivals to 'switch off wind tunnels' amid budget cap complaints
02 June 12:50
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Alfa Romeo Team Principal Fred Vasseur is unsympathetic over calls from some of his rivals to increase the budget cap. The financial regulation – introduced with the aim of levelling the competition in F1 – currently stands at $140 million.
"The difference is that we [Alfa Romeo] are not speaking about budget caps, we are speaking about budgets," Vasseur told media, including RacingNews365.com.
"It means that I won't be able to overspend what I have. I can understand their situation, but if we have some increase on energy or freight [costs], the best solution is to switch off the wind tunnel to stop bringing updates every single weekend.”
‘Switch Off the Wind Tunnels’;
https://racingnews365.com/alfa-romeo-boss-tells-rivals-to-switch-off-wind-tunnels-amid-budget-cap-complaints
Alfa Romeo talk up Baku upset chances as Bottas sets target
08 June 11:10
Author Tom Leach
Alfa Romeo-Sauber are expecting their C42 car to suit Azerbaijan's Baku City Circuit as the team continues their fight for fourth in the Constructors Standings. The team's performances on street circuits this season have been mixed but Vasseur believes that the long straights of Baku represent a chance to score big points.
"I do expect our car to suit this track but, then again, our C42 has been performing well in all kinds of circuits so far," said Vasseur, looking ahead to the weekend.
"The objectives remain similar to previous rounds – progress as much as possible with both cars in qualifying and aim to have both in the points come Sunday."
‘Talking Up, Upset Chances’;
https://racingnews365.com/alfa-romeo-talk-up-baku-upset-chances-as-bottas-sets-target
Fortitude
9th June 2022, 06:26
Ralf hits out at ‘typical Steiner’ comments on Mick.
Despite having blamed his nephew Mick for his Monaco crash, Ralf Schumacher has now lashed out at Haas team principal Guenther Steiner over his reaction to the incident.
Date published: June 7 2022
Jon Wilde
It is not the first time Schumacher has hit back at Steiner having done so last year in similar circumstances, when he said if he had been in Mick’s shoes he would have “grabbed” the Italian because “no driver wants to read in public how his team boss criticises him”.
And now it has happened again, with Ralf responding on Sky Germany. “Such statements are typical of Güenther Steiner again,” said the brother of Michael Schumacher. “They leave too much to interpretation.”
“It’s superfluous. The team have also made many mistakes. “Now two things have to come together. On the one hand, Mick has to be careful not to make any driving mistakes. But Haas also have to move on because [Kevin] Magnussen is also starting to struggle now.”
‘Typical Steiner, Superfluous Interpretation’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ralf-schumacher-typical-guenther-steiner/
Will Haas axe Mick Schumacher?
Mick Schumacher has endured a horrible start to the 2022 Formula 1 season with Haas.
7 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
He received criticism from team principal Guenther Steiner after the race, and former Formula 1 driver Christian Danner warned that his compatriot has to get it together.
“He can keep up in terms of speed, but things can’t go on like this with the incidents,” he said. “He’s causing millions in damage, and a team like Haas can spend that money more wisely.”
“He needs to find the solution for himself – no advice would help him but he has to finish a race without incident. Gunther will be reading the riot act.”
‘Causing Millions in Damage’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/could-haas-axe-schumacher-after-2022/
Haas’ Steiner asks for no car damage in Baku.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says that with a return to Canada coming straight after Baku, car damage would prove an added difficulty.
Date published: June 8 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
Speaking of the challenges of going from Baku to Canada on back-to-back weekends, Steiner said in Haas’ Azerbaijan GP preview: “The challenges are that you go from one continent to another, it’s a long trip and the team is working very hard to get it all done.”
“It’s just down to having a good team around and working hard, but it’s a challenge as they only have a few days to get set up again and get going again for the next race. If you have any damage on the car it gets more difficult, so we are hoping to not have any damage in Baku.”
Focusing on the here and now, Steiner heads into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix optimistic his team can score a strong result. “The circuit is split into two elements – very fast and very twisty,” he said. “I think with our car, we made good progress in Spain with the set-up of the car and it’s doing well in all circumstances at the moment.”
‘No Car Damage’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-no-car-damage-azerbaijan-gp/
Inside Line: Crash Kid Schumacher must beat K-Mag or face the axe
6 June, 2022
Paul Velasco
In Formula 1 there is nowhere to hide. A driver can busk it for a year or two but soon you have a feeling if a kid has it or not, right now more and more questions are being asked of Mick Schumacher; nicknamed the Crash Kid by his Formula 1 peers.
Top of the list of questions: Is Mick the real deal? For sure he is not a sliver of what his father was. I will stand up and say that without a shadow of a doubt, and I am not alone. It’s tough going on record with Schumacher junior’s glaring shortcomings and has not been common in the media who have cut him more slack than most drivers get for woeful performances.
Schumacher is being shown up by F1 comeback veteran Kevin Magnussen – a strong journeyman and midpack driver – who has yet to find his A-Game since his surprise recall. As mentioned, I’m not alone in these observations and assertions as some heavy hitters in the German media are starting to see the light (or not see it in Mick’s case) and are making some painful observations.
‘Crash Kid Schumacher’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/06/inisde-line-crash-kid-mick-schumacher-the-real-deal-for-formula-1/
Mick Schumacher not outstanding like father
JUNE 8, 2022
GrandPrix.com
According to German racing legend Walter Rohrl, the jury is in - and Mick Schumacher is not as talented as his legendary father Michael.
"It looks like he doesn't have the outstanding talent that his father had," Rohrl told Bild am Sonntag. "He (Michael) was at the front right from the start."
"This is bitter for Mick Schumacher," two-time world rally champion Rohrl said, "because Kevin Magnussen, who returned to Formula 1 after a year's break, has him well under control. That puts additional pressure on him, brings tension to the team and certainly doesn't make it any easier."
‘Additional Pressure’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/mick-schumacher-not-outstanding-like-father.html
Mick could become a victim of ‘brutal and cold’ F1.
Mick Schumacher currently has a “bitter” taste to withstand at Haas, and could end up by the wayside in Formula 1 if he does not improve, warns two-time World Rally champion Walter Röhrl.
Date published: June 6 2022 - Henry Valantine
Röhrl, four times a Monte Carlo Rally winner during his career, believes Magnussen’s return to the sport has highlighted the level Schumacher needs to raise himself to if he is to continue in Formula 1 beyond the end of the year.
“That is currently bitter for Mick Schumacher, because Kevin Magnussen, who has returned to Formula 1 after a one-year break, has him well in hand,” Röhrl told German newspaper Bild am Sonntag, per Motorsport-Magazin.
“And while the team will want to trust their driver, that support will not go on forever. He simply has far too many accidents at the moment, all of which cost a lot, a lot of money,” Röhrl said. “If nothing comes, they won’t keep going indefinitely. Formula 1 is brutal and cold.”
‘IF Nothing Comes, Haas Won’t Keep Going Indefinitely’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mick-schumacher-cold-brutal-f1-exit/
K-Mag has shed the ‘fear’ of losing his F1 place.
Guenther Steiner has noticed a difference in the new, “much more confident” Kevin Magnussen who has shed the fear of losing his F1 seat.
Date published: June 4 2022
Jon Wilde
In 2020, the year when he left Haas at the end of the campaign, Magnussen scored only one point. He already has 15 in the bank this time around. The Dane has returned on something of a free hit, having spent a year in endurance racing in the United States and not even knowing he would be back in F1 until a few days before pre-season testing.
“I don’t think he was immature before, but he has grown,” said Steiner, the Haas team principal, of Magnussen during an interview with Motorsport.com. “He’s 29, still young and when he came back to the team at the beginning of this season we found him much more confident.”
“I think in his previous experience with us he lived with the fear of losing his place in Formula 1 but after actually coming out of that, that sort of fear is no longer there.”
‘K-Mag Confidence’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-magnussen-shed-f1-place-fear/
Kevin Magnussen Sees Progress at Haas Since His Previous Stint with the Team.
7 Jun 2022, 07:51 UTC ·
by Sergiu Tudose
Kevin Magnussen returned to Haas F1 Team this year after ending his first stint with the U.S. outfit back in 2020. Since his departure, Haas set up a new development hub at Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello, borrowing personnel from the Scuderia in order to form a department led by technical director Simone Resta.
During a recent interview, Magnussen was quoted by Motorsport as saying that changes within the American outfit have been noticeable, resulting in a clear improvement of the car’s development rate.
“Yeah, that’s been a nice change in the team,” he said while referring to the Haas hub in Maranello. “The year I’ve been away, they’ve moved. It’s a bigger group now in Maranello, I think that helps communication between the different departments, just being able to go and talk to each other.”
‘Noticeable Car Developments’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/kevin-magnussen-sees-progress-at-haas-since-his-previous-stint-with-the-team-190530.html
Fortitude
10th June 2022, 04:38
“Taming the streets of Baku is not easy” – Williams’ Dave Robson.
This weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix is one that usually offers plenty of unpredictability, resulting in some big points for some unexpecting drivers.
June 9, 2022
By Nick Golding
Williams Racing will be hoping for the traditional Baku City Circuit chaos, so that they can get themselves back into the points places.
Williams’ Head of Vehicle Performance Dave Robson, previewed what he’s expecting from the eighth round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
“The streets of Baku are a quite different challenge to those in Monaco and although there are some very tight and slow corners here, there are also long straights and fast corners to contend with. There is a temptation to significantly lower the downforce and drag level for this circuit but how far it is correct to do so will depend on a range of risk-reward trades, which the drivers will have to consider during the practice sessions.”
‘Unpredictability’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/taming-the-streets-of-baku-is-not-easy-williams-dave-robson/
Azerbaijan GP: Latest F1 technical developments from pitlane
Jun 9, 2022, 6:43 PM
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Join us as we delve into the new and interesting technical features on display up and down the pitlane as teams prepare for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, courtesy of Giorgio Piola and Sutton Images.
‘Plenty of Technical Observations of Car Components’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/azerbaijan-gp-baku-f1-tech-photos/10319154/
Tech Draft: Baku, an event to savor
9 June, 2022
Mark Kay
This weekend’s 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the deceivingly important Baku City Circuit might just be an event to look forward to and savor, if history has anything to say about it.
Make no mistake about it, minimizing drag is critical to performance in Baku, and all teams will have sent their cars to the fly-away round in a low drag configuration. In reality the circuit has no high speed corners worthy of mention, and the track surface has very low abrasion properties, and as a consequence there really isn’t any need to carry lots of wing at all.
Nonetheless, the track surface is also very low grip, and therefore because most corners are either of a ‘stop and start’ nature, meaning that corner exit is generally low speed leading on to high(er) speed long straights, or low speed light throttle sequences, mechanical grip is also critical to power delivery and overall performance.
‘An Event to Look Forward To’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/09/tech-draft-baku-an-event-to-savor/
“We need to be maximising every opportunity” – Mercedes’ Toto Wolff
June 9, 2022
By Nick Golding
Toto Wolff is hoping the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team can claw themselves back into the title fight this weekend, at the usually highly unpredictable Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
It was a mixed Monaco Grand Prix for Mercedes, with George Russell finishing fifth and Lewis Hamilton in eighth. The seven-time World Champion had superior pace to those ahead of him, but was unable to get past Fernando Alonso.
Mercedes should be stronger this weekend, with Wolff hoping that the team can keep themselves in the title hunt. “We head to Baku refreshed after a hectic Monaco weekend full of red flags, delays and changeable weather. We scored solid points, but more was possible over the weekend, and we need to be maximising every opportunity we can to stay in the fight.”
‘Refreshed and Stronger’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/we-need-to-be-maximising-every-opportunity-mercedes-toto-wolff/
McLaren eyeing Azerbaijan success as Lando Norris admits 'anything can happen' in Baku
15:48, 9 Jun 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
•
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has proven itself to be one of the most unpredictable on the F1 calendar, with almost every race since its inception in 2016 producing shocking and controversial moments
Lando Norris believes "anything can happen" at this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix as McLaren chase some much needed points in their midfield battle.
The papaya team currently leads the race to be 'best of the rest' below the big three, but both Alfa Romeo and Alpine are hot on their heels. In terms of the drivers, Norris sits comfortably in seventh but Daniel Ricciardo has struggled for form and managed just eight points so far.
‘McLaren Chasing More Points’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/azerbaijan-gp-mclaren-norris-ricciardo-27191019
Mick Schumacher warned of 'serious conversations' if crashes continue
Thursday 9 June 2022 17:05
Sam Hall
Asked if another crash in Baku would necessitate serious talks with the 23-year-old, Steiner conceded: “I would say so. Because also we would have a serious conversation because at some stage we will run out of parts and we cannot keep up making them. Again, as much money as you throw at it, you just physically cannot keep doing it. So we need to make sure that here, nothing happens.”
While Schumacher's engine survived his Monaco crash, Steiner confirmed the chassis has been sent to be checked and repaired but described the gearbox and 'a lot of other parts' as 'not okay'.
As for the season's repair bill, Steiner explained: “We have passed that. We passed that allowance in Jeddah. We are in front of the allowance. I would love to be in front of the amount of points we have scored but we are in front on crashes.”
‘Haas Repair Bill Passed That Allowance!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84437/f1-mick-schumacher-haas-warned-serious-conversations-if-crashes-continue/
Under-fire Ricciardo aiming to capitalise on ‘unpredictability’ of Azerbaijan GP
Daniel Ricciardo needs a result in Baku this weekend as he aims to recover from his recent poor form.
by Rob Kershaw
9 June 2022
With Baku always tossing up some shocks and surprises, Ricciardo will be fully aware that the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend will be a great opportunity to finish a race in the top 10 for the first time in five grand prix.
“I’m a big fan of the Baku Circuit, it has some exciting features and it’s always a fun battle heading into Turn 1, where you often end up with three cars running side by side,” he said in the McLaren team preview.
“There’s always an element of unpredictability at street circuits so I’m ready to take advantage of any opportunities that come my way. Whilst Monaco wasn’t quite what I wanted it to be, I’m feeling confident that we can keep pushing ahead and make the most of this weekend. Well done Baku!”
‘Unpredictability’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/under-fire-ricciardo-aiming-to-capitalise-on-unpredictability-of-azerbaijan-gp/
Perez: I’m in the best team at the best moment of my F1 career
8 June, 2022
Paul Velasco
Monaco Grand Prix winner Sergio Perez has put behind him his post-race-party shenanigans, declaring he is at the best stage in his Formula 1 career.
Previewing this weekend’s 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Perez said: “I was very happy to extend my stay with the team until at least 2024, that tells you the great work we have done together and how happy we are with each other.”
“Having my future decided allows me to stay one hundred percent focused on the main goal of winning races and world titles. It’s amazing how hard work always pays, two years ago I was without a seat in F1 and today I’m in the best team.”
‘Best Team, Best Moment’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/08/perez-im-in-the-best-moment-of-my-f1-career-with-the-best-team/
Fortitude
10th June 2022, 13:29
Baku FP1: Perez retains momentum, signals intent.
Sergio Perez retained his momentum from his victory in Monaco a fortnight ago, and went fastest in FP1 for the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
10 June, 2022
Jad Mallak
The Mexican was off to a flying start in Baku as he went fastest of all at the end of FP1 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the scene of his first victory with Red Bull back in 2021.
Charles Leclerc was second fastest for Ferrari, while Max Verstappen took third, noting that Perez survived a close moment with the barriers while on his fastest lap.
Charles Leclerc was second fastest for Ferrari, while Max Verstappen took third, noting that Perez survived a close moment with the barriers while on his fastest lap.
‘Retaining Momentum’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/10/baku-fp1-perez-retains-momentum-signals-intent/
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results
10/06/2022 at 13:15
Michael Delaney
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:45.476s 21
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:45.603s + 0.127s 21
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:45.810s + 0.334s 25
4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:46.012s + 0.536s 22
5 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1:46.571s + 1.095s 22
6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:46.667s + 1.191s 21
7 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:46.696s + 1.220s 25
8 George Russell Mercedes 1:46.705s + 1.229s 24
9 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1:46.830s + 1.354s 25
10 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:46.917s + 1.441s 21
‘Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, round 8 of the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship;’
https://f1i.com/news/444060-azerbaijan-grand-prix-free-practice-1-results-2.html
Red Bull believe they can “tune out” Verstappen’s latest DRS problem
2022 F1 Season
Posted on 10th June 2022, 13:49
Written by Keith Collantine
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is confident the team will be able to solve the latest DRS problem Max Verstappen suffered in the first practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“Obviously we’ve seen it, we’ve got the data on it, we’ve got the comparison to Sergio’s wing so I think there’s some modifications that we need to do just to make sure we eradicate that for this afternoon,” Horner told Sky.
“Weight is always a critical factor and you’re chasing that, obviously, all over the car,” he said. “There was a difference between the cars so we just need to look at the set-up of it and the rigidity of it and hopefully we can get on top of it for this afternoon.”
‘DRS Tune Out’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/10/red-bull-believe-they-can-tune-out-verstappens-latest-drs-problem/
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez take new power unit elements for Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Friday 10 June 2022 12:31
Ian Parkes
Red Bull team-mates Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have taken new power unit elements for their RB18s for this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
In particular, Verstappen has been handed a new internal combustion engine, MGU-H, MGU-K and turbocharger, while Perez has a new ICE and MGU-K.
For both drivers, it is only the second of each of the components to be used of the three allowed per season before penalties are applied.
‘Red Bull PU News’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84496/max-verstappen-and-sergio-perez-take-new-power-unit-elements-for-azerbaijan-grand-prix/
2022 Azerbaijan GP FP1: Sainz complains about porpoising on Baku main straight
10 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Carlos Sainz complains about porpoising as the Ferrari man drives down the main straight of the Baku City Circuit during first practice at the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
‘Main Straight Porpoising’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-azerbaijan-gp-fp1-sainz-complains-about-porpoising-on-baku-main-straight.1735248546894827062.html
Mercedes’ Barcelona upgrade “not working everywhere” – Hamilton
2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
Posted on 10th June 2022, 12:25
Lewis Hamilton predicts the Baku City Circuit will ‘not be great’ for the Mercedes W13, but expects the team’s performance to be better than Monaco. Heading into another street circuit this weekend in Azerbaijan, Hamilton believes Mercedes should enjoy better performance in Baku compared to Monaco.
“Lots of work’s gone on,” said Hamilton. “I’m hoping that it’s not as bumpy as Monaco, but we will find out when we get out there today. And like everyone has been saying, it’s lower downforce. Should be better – I hope so.”
“We’re obviously stronger on smoother circuits – Barcelona was a lot better for us, for example,” he explained. “There’s more open circuits that aren’t as bumpy. This is a bumpier circuit, so not necessarily great for the characteristics within our car, but it might be smoother and might be okay.”
‘Smoother Circuits Stronger’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/10/mercedes-barcelona-upgrade-not-working-everywhere-hamilton/
Lewis Hamilton admits Mercedes still suffering porpoising 'havoc' ahead of Azerbaijan GP
• 12:59, 10 Jun 2022
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
While some teams on the grid have figured out how to reduce the bouncing their cars experience at high speeds this season, Mercedes are still yet to find a solution
It was a problem which had been pre-empted by Hamilton at the Friday morning press conference, when he said he expected the bouncy street circuit in Baku to work against them. The seven-time world champion is hoping a permanent solution might be found by the time the British Grand Prix comes around.
Team-mate George Russell echoed his pessimism over their prospects in Baku this weekend, as minor improvements made in the last two weeks will not "transform" their chances.
‘Mercedes Porpoising Havoc’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-porpoising-baku-27198593
2022 Azerbaijan GP FP1: Schumacher hit by leak in first practice
10 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Mick Schumacher’s first practice at the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is disrupted by an apparent water leak on his Haas at the Baku City Circuit.
‘Micks’ Car Still Intact’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-azerbaijan-gp-fp1-schumacher-hit-by-leak-in-first-practice.1735247036024790397.html
Fortitude
10th June 2022, 18:54
Leclerc gives Red Bull food for thought but suffers late engine issues.
Friday 10 June 2022 16:03
Ian Parkes
Leclerc set a time of one minute 43.224s to finish a quarter-of-a-second up on Perez, with Verstappen 0.356s adrift, with the oscillations of the DRS on his RB18 no longer prevalent that had been a concern in FP1.
On the medium-compound tyres, Verstappen finished 0.030s behind Leclerc, with Perez 0.125s down, and that after the Monégasque had also been given a helping hand courtesy of a tow at one stage.
Once on the softs, Leclerc managed to find a six-tenths-of-a-second improvement, and with no tow on this occasion, albeit over the closing minutes complained several timess about issues with his power unit which the team are to investigate.
‘Charles Leclerc Suffers Late Engine Issues’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84529/leclerc-gives-red-bull-food-for-thought-but-suffers-late-engine-issues/
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Baku, Azerbaijan
10th June 2022, 16:10
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -1:43.224
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.248
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.356
4. Fernando Alonso Alpine +0.918
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +1.050
6. Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri +1.091
7. George Russell Mercedes +1.324
8. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1.343
9. Esteban Ocon Alpine +1.385
10. Lando Norris McLaren +1.547
‘Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from FP2 ahead of this weekend’s 2022 F1 World Championship race from Baku’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2022-azerbaijan-grand-prix-79216
Charles Leclerc: Ferrari's 'race pace was very strong' in Azerbaijan GP practice
10 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Charles Leclerc thinks that his "race pace was very strong" during Friday's practice sessions for the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as the Ferrari driver aims for a positive weekend at the Baku City Circuit.
‘Ferraris’ Race Pace Strong’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.charles-leclerc-ferraris-race-pace-was-very-strong-in-azerbaijan-gp-practice.1735268080283454400.html
Lewis Hamilton suffers "sore" back as Mercedes fail with experiment
Friday 10 June 2022 17:08
Ian Parkes
Mercedes had suggested at the Spanish Grand Prix it was on top of the negative effects of this season's ground-effect cars but around the Baku City Circuit, the old failings returned.
Asked as to the worst point about another wretched day in the W13, Hamilton simply said the "bouncing" before stretching his back in discomfort. As to whether the 37-year-old was okay, he replied: "I'll get by, a bit sore. We're hitting some serious speeds at the end here and it's bouncing a lot"
In terms of the changes made during the interval, Hamilton revealed: "Yep, we tried something experimental on my car and it didn't feel that great, to be honest. But at least we tried it, we've got data on it, and hopefully for tomorrow we will probably revert back to what we changed."
‘Old W13 Failings Returned’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84537/lewis-hamilton-sore-back-azerbaijan-grand-prix-mercedes/
Mercedes’ porpoising problems “the same as in the last race” – Hamilton
2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Posted on 10th June 2022, 17:38
Written by Keith Collantine
“We tried something experimental on my car and it didn’t feel that great to be honest,” Hamilton explained. “But at least we tried it and got data on it and now we’ll go through it and hopefully for tomorrow we’ll probably revert back to what we changed.”
“I just can’t really tell you where 1.6 seconds or 1.3 seconds, whatever, is,” he added. “That’s a long way away. A lot of it’s on straights.” Russell admitted the team “weren’t as competitive as we would have liked” after a “tricky day” of running. The team has often found it difficult to gets its tyres into the optimum operating window on the first lap this year.
Russell believes even if Mercedes are able to get the most out of their tyres “we’re definitely not going to fully close that gap. They’re just too far ahead,” he said. “So that’s really 50% of our issue. The rest is just the lack of performance we have at the moment.”
‘W13 Porpoising Same As Last Race’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/10/mercedes-porpoising-problems-the-same-as-in-the-last-race-hamilton/
Porpoising caused huge water leak on Schumacher’s car during practice
2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Posted on 10th June 2022, 19:01
Written by Keith Collantine
Mick Schumacher says the huge water leak which forced him to stop during the first practice session was triggered by his car ‘porpoising’ at high speed.
The combination of long straights and a bumpy surface at the Baku City Circuit have caused some teams to experience more severe porpoising than usual. The problem seemed particularly acute for the Haas drivers.
Schumacher reported a problem with his car after experiencing a heavy jolt when he hit a bump while being passed by Yuki Tsunoda early in the session. He was told to stop by his team and pulled over with fluid gushing from the side of his VF-22.
‘Heavy Jolt from a Bump, Caused Huge Water Leak’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/10/porpoising-caused-huge-water-leak-on-schumachers-car-during-practice/
Why Daniel Ricciardo 'couldn't drive straight' in Azerbaijan Grand Prix practice
Friday 10 June 2022 18:00
Ewan Gale
Daniel Ricciardo feels F1 drivers were made to look like they could not drive straight due to strong gusts of wind in practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The start-finish straight at the Baku City Circuit was subjected to extreme crosswinds during the first session of the weekend, with numerous cars seen darting to the right without the driver's input when emerging into the gaps between buildings.
The effect was especially strong when DRS was enabled, with Max Verstappen's Red Bull appearing near uncontrollable at one stage. "It was less tricky this evening but FP1 it was really windy," explained Ricciardo. "The gusts and everything... it looked like we couldn't drive straight.”
‘Wind Gusts and Extreme Crosswinds’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84538/daniel-ricciardo-mclaren-azerbaijan-grand-prix-practice/
Fernando Alonso: Alpine must 'maximise' their car's potential in Azerbaijan GP qualifying
10 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Fernando Alonso says that Alpine's car is "better on Saturday than Sunday," meaning the team must "maximise" their potential in qualifying for the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit.
‘EL PLAN: Car Potential Maximisation’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.fernando-alonso-alpine-must-maximise-their-cars-potential-in-azerbaijan-gp-qualifying.1735266717948366770.html
Perez & Leclerc quickest in Friday practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
JUNE 10, 2022 in Motorsport
Sergio Pérez went quickest in the opening practice session for this weekend’s FIA Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull Racing team-mate Max Verstappen.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the timesheet in the second practice session for this weekend’s FIA Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Red Bull Racing Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen finished second and third at the Baku City Circuit.
‘Analysis & Both FP1 and FP2 Timesheets;
https://www.racecar.com/news/95814/motorsport/perez-leclerc-quickest-in-friday-practice-for-the-azerbaijan-grand-prix
Fortitude
11th June 2022, 08:47
Charles Leclerc forgetfulness behind bizarre Ferrari power unit issue.
"It was just me that forgot that I had changed something which made me lose power but yeah, nothing weird." Charles Leclerc.
Friday 10 June 2022 20:30
Sam Hall
Charles Leclerc has revealed a forgetful mistake inside his Ferrari cockpit lay behind his power unit troubles in second practice at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Ferrari has suffered a number of PU problems recently, with the most damaging in the Spanish Grand Prix when Leclerc was forced to retire from the lead. Late in FP2 in Baku, the timesheet-topping Monégasque driver reported a loss of power over the team radio before making an alteration to the engine mode.
Asked if he was aware of what the problem had been, Leclerc conceded: "Actually, there were no power unit problems.
‘Bizarre Forgetfulness’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84553/charles-leclerc-ferrari-azerbaijan-grand-prix-power-unit-issue/
Fernando Alonso takes fourth, fifth in Friday practice sessions: “We’ll work overnight to ensure we keep this sort of pace tomorrow”
June 11, 2022
By Ashley Cline
BWT Alpine F1 Team’s Fernando Alonso was led only by the likes of Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari by the end of Friday running at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, earning fifth and fourth in Free Practice One and Free Practice Two, respectively. He had also set the fastest sector three time in the second session, further highlighting his pace and A522’s speed on the Baku City Circuit’s lengthy back straight.
After a “normal” Friday programme, Alonso said that there are a few elements of the set-up that need to be perfected to ensure that the performance found during practice will continue into qualifying.
“It is always tricky here in Baku with the windy and fast circuit conditions. But I think we had a normal Friday today and we were able to test some of our new items. We still need to optimise a few things on the setup of the car ahead of Qualifying tomorrow.”
‘EL PLAN: Work Overnight’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/fernando-alonso-takes-fourth-fifth-in-friday-practice-sessions-well-work-overnight-to-ensure-we-keep-this-sort-of-pace-tomorrow/
Sergio Perez trying to prove he has a genuine title chance, Charles Leclerc hoping for better luck to get his championship charge back on track and Mercedes running out of opportunities... seven things to look out for at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Published: 20:00, 10 June 2022
By Kieran Lynch For Mailonline
Is Sergio Perez's title challenge legit? Not many seem to have benefitted more from the new regulations than Monaco GP winner Perez. Can Charles Leclerc get his title challenge back on track? The Monegasque driver has not had much luck in the last two rounds, in which he has only picked up 13 points when it looked like it could have been 50.
Chances running out for Mercedes. There is still hope within the Mercedes camp that they can mount a title challenge but time is running out and they mustn't be too far away from already focusing on next year's challenger. Daniel Ricciardo needs to find form quickly. Speculation surrounding the future of McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo is mounting after every race. Can Fernando Alonso cause a surprise? The normal contenders were up at the top end during Friday's two practice sessions, except for one man, Fernando Alonso.
Fears over porpoising. The Ferrari pair of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were also seen to be aggressively bouncing during practice for the Azerbaijan GP, and they, alongside Mercedes, could be particularly impacted by porpoising this weekend. Azerbaijan normally means chaos. Every year there is a squabble, collision, retirement or malfunction that sets the F1 agenda for the days that follow the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
‘Azerbaijan F1 Agenda’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10904717/F1-Perez-Leclerc-bid-prove-title-credentials-Azerbaijan-Mercedes-running-time.html
Extreme Baku track is proving a tougher challenge than usual for many drivers
2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Friday practice analysis
Posted on 10th June 2022, 22:21
Written by Will Wood
After its first five years as a host of the Formula 1 world championship, the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan has forged a reputation as a unique street circuit where chaotic races throw up unexpected results. “I mean, Baku’s hard enough normally,” said Lando Norris after ending his day as the tenth fastest driver. “But with the cars we have it’s worse over the bumps, it’s worse under braking, which makes it tricky. “Also the wind today – gusts of 35-40kph at times – it’s nasty when you’re inside the car. So it’s tough.”
Sebastian Vettel also found the conditions a challenge. “It was incredibly windy during FP1, which meant it was very easy to lock a wheel under braking or run up an escape road,” said the Aston Martin driver. “I had a couple of lock-ups, but otherwise it was a pretty smooth day.” Esteban Ocon said little could prepare him for the impact of the bumps that got so bad at points in practice he felt as if he was “going to lose my helmet at the end of the straight” and far beyond the physical challenge drivers anticipate.
Mercedes have famously suffered from persistent porpoising problems more than most teams in 2022 and so it was no surprise when the first thing Lewis Hamilton had to say about his Friday when climbing out of his car was about his car’s bumpy ride. “The hardest thing about today was the bouncing, we’re hitting serious speeds at the end of the straight and bottoming out,” he said.
‘Baku Track Challenge’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/10/extreme-baku-track-is-proving-a-tougher-challenge-than-usual-for-many-drivers/
Guanyu Zhou enjoyed 'every push lap I did' in Azerbaijan GP practice
10 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Guanyu Zhou "enjoyed every push lap I did" during Friday's practice sessions for the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as the Alfa Romeo driver looks ahead to Saturday's qualifying session at the Baku City Circuit.
‘Enjoyable Push Laps’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.guanyu-zhou-enjoyed-every-push-lap-i-did-in-azerbaijan-gp-practice.1735271487261023601.html
Azerbaijan GP: FIA Drivers Press Conference
10/06/2022
NEWS STORY
Zhou, we'll start with you. Welcome. You've raced here before in Formula 2. Podium, of course, last year, how different do you expect this track to be in a Formula 1 car? Zhou Guanyu: Yeah, I think it will be different, but there won't be any surprises compared to some other tracks I race, for example, in Bahrain, as tracks, Jeddah, for example. Of course, the speed will be massive difference.
Kevin, we'll come to you next. You haven't raced here for several years. What have you missed about Baku? Kevin Magnussen: I think it's an interesting race always. It's usually quite eventful, with lots of Safety Car chances. In the past, there's been loads of stuff happening. It feels like one of those races where you can hope for some special result.
Lando, coming to you. You've scored points in both of your previous visits to Baku. So do you come here full of confidence? Lando Norris: I would say so. Just off how we've been doing lately, this year. Barcelona was a decent race, could have been a little bit better and Monaco was a strong weekend for us. So, I'm hoping so. We always hope for...
‘Baku: Different Track, Interesting Race, Full of Confidence’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72734/Azerbaijan-GP-FIA-Drivers-Press-Conference
Fortitude
11th June 2022, 17:24
'I'm excited for the race', says polesitter Leclerc after 2022 Azerbaijan GP qualifying.
Charles Leclerc topped a closely-fought qualifying session in Baku to claim pole position ahead of both Red Bulls for the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
June 11th 2022
Author Dominic Tobin
Charles Leclerc will start on pole position for tomorrow’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, posting a lap almost 0.3sec faster than anybody else after a close qualifying session. The Ferrari driver said that he didn’t expect to be able to beat the Red Bulls after they topped the first two qualifying sessions, but that his final lap came together to decisively claim pole.
He will have a Red Bull alongside him and one behind after Carlos Sainz was forced to pull out of his final flying lap to avoid hitting a barrier.
“It feels good,” said Leclerc. “This one I probably did not expect because I thought Red Bull was stronger but in the last lap everything came together. I’m really excited for tomorrow”.
‘Baku Excitement’
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/im-excited-for-the-race-says-polesitter-leclerc-after-2022-azerbaijan-gp-qualifying#
2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Qualifying results.
11/06/2022 at 16:27
Andrew Lewin
Pos Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:42.865s 1:42.046s 1:41.359s
2 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:42.733s 1:41.955s 1:41.641s
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:42.722s 1:42.227s 1:41.706s
4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:42.957s 1:42.088s 1:41.814s
5 George Russell Mercedes 1:43.754s 1:43.281s 1:42.712s
6 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1:43.268s 1:43.129s 1:42.845s
7 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:43.939s 1:43.182s 1:42.924s
8 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:43.595s 1:43.376s 1:43.056s
9 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1:43.279s 1:43.268s 1:43.091s
10 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1:44.083s 1:43.360s 1:43.173s
‘Full results from qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, round 8 of the 2022 Formula 1 season’;
https://f1i.com/news/444284-2022-azerbaijan-grand-prix-qualifying-results.html
Red Bull detail issue that cost Sergio Perez shot at Azerbaijan GP pole.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed a refuelling issue cost Sergio Perez a shot at pole position for Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Saturday 11 June 2022 17:20
Ian Parkes
Explaining what unfolded, speaking on Sky Sports F1, Horner said: "There was a small issue with the refuelling that just delayed him, unfortunately. It was just a numbers error.
"It was a shame for Checo because he didn't get the benefit of a tow but then he did have a perfect out lap, and you could see his performance was pretty mighty. With a tow, it would have been close but I still don't think we would have quite had the pace to have nailed Charles.”
"But a great performance from both the guys, with Checo carrying that performance from Monaco at a track he has always excelled at here, and without the benefit of any tow. A good lap from him."
‘Refuelling Issue Cost Perez’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84617/red-bull-detail-issue-that-cost-sergio-perez-shot-at-azerbaijan-gp-pole/
Max Verstappen rues "tiny mistakes" in Azerbaijan GP qualifying struggle
Saturday 11 June 2022 16:55
Sam Hall
Max Verstappen has conceded that a number of "tiny mistakes" cost him a front-row spot for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Saturday 11 June 2022 16:55
Sam Hall
The F1 title leader and reigning champion qualified third at the Baku City Circuit after falling 0.347secs behind rival Charles Leclerc's one-minute 41.359s benchmark.
Verstappen is separated from the Ferrari driver by team-mate Sergio Perez after the Monaco Grand Prix winner registered a last-gasp effort to claim the front-row berth. "The start of the lap was good, then it went away from me a little with tiny mistakes," reflected Verstappen.
"So, not ideal but I was just struggling a bit to find front-to-rear balance over one lap. Not what I want but still, as a team, being second and third we have a good opportunity for tomorrow."
‘Opportunities in Baku for Red Bull’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84611/verstappen-mistakes-azerbaijan-grand-prix-qualifying-struggle/
Mercedes 'all over the place' at Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Toto Wolff details problems.
TOTO WOLFF has explained the problems that Mercedes are facing in Baku.
16:00, Sat, Jun 11, 2022
By JACK MCEACHEN
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has explained the issues that Mercedes have been facing at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as he claimed their car is “all over the place” ahead of qualifying. Lewis Hamilton finished P8 in qualifying, but could yet be bumped down the order as he faces an investigation for driving unnecessarily slowly.
Both Hamilton and team-mate George Russell have suffered heavy proposing in Baku, as Wolff highlighted the issues that Mercedes have been facing. "The car is just all over the place with porpoising and bouncing, you name it", the Austrian told Sky Sports F1.
"It is never one thing... add to this we are maybe not the most efficient in terms of drag, we are losing more than a second to Ferrari in straight-line speed, all of that makes us just not competitive.
‘All Over the Place’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1624040/Mercedes-Azerbaijan-Grand-Prix-Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell
Hamilton reacts as stewards investigate qualifying incident
11 June 17:25
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Hamilton gives his view on qualifying incident "I don't really have a concern," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1.
"Firstly, I was offline, and you have to be within a delta time. I was within my delta time, so I wasn't below that out-lap pace. "So, within that delta time, I should be able to drive the speed I want, and I was offline, so I wasn't holding anyone up, but I was trying to get a tow, because we're so slow in a straight line.”
"And the guys behind didn't want to go by, so then I just went off and did my lap." Hamilton – who qualified in P7 – is not the only driver set to face the stewards. Haas duo Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher also found themselves under investigation for a pit exit incident.
‘Race Stewards Investigations’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-reacts-as-stewards-investigate-qualifying-incident
Fortitude
12th June 2022, 07:17
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff 'hopes' for Ferraris and Red Bulls to crash at Azerbaijan GP.
Toto Wolff has confessed Mercedes have to hope the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz crash with the Red Bull pair of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen if they are to claim a first race win of the season in Azerbaijan
Sat, Jun 11, 2022, 18:45
By CHARLIE MALAM
MERCEDES are low on hope for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday. "If you look at it through rose-tinted glasses you can say hopefully four of them crash out in Turn One and then you can win the race.” Toto Wolff.
Toto: “On pure pace, it's realistic to finish fifth and sixth. Absolutely strategy can play a big role. We can recover good positions if you're on the right strategy. We can gamble because when you're the hunter it's a different situation."
Hamilton said despite Mercedes' struggles that there is "lots to look forward to" ahead of "a tricky and chaotic race" in which there is "lots that can happen".
‘Lots to look forward to, in the W13’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1624092/Mercedes-Toto-Wolff-Ferrari-Red-Bull-crash-Azerbaijan-Grand-Prix-Baku-F1-news
Wolff jokes: If the four in front crash Mercedes can win!
11/06/2022, 18:25
Toto Wolff has given his take on what Mercedes can achieve in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and joked that they could win if the four cars ahead crash out at Turn 1.
"I think the position was to expect third quickest on the road," Wolff told Sky Sports F1. "Gasly, he [has] had some really good races and that was probably one of these. So in terms of position [I expected it], but the gap is big.
"It's a long lap time, and we are lacking pretty much everywhere. I wish I don't need to look at these kinds of overlays in the future anymore."
‘W13 Overlays Depressing’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-jokes-if-the-four-in-front-crash-mercedes-can-win
Toto Wolff reveals Lewis Hamilton George Russell difference behind "dangerous" porpoising
Saturday 11 June 2022 18:10
Sam Hall
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that "experimental parts" cost Lewis Hamilton pace and created "dangerous" levels of porpoising in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Hamilton was out-qualified by Russell for the third consecutive race, with the two Britons lining up fifth and seventh on the Baku City Circuit.
Such was the startling lack of pace from the seven-time F1 champion's W13 he even required a tow from Russell to escape Q2.
‘W13 Experimental Parts, Created Dangerous Porpoising Levels’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84630/toto-wolff-lewis-hamilton-george-russell-difference-dangerous-porpoising/
Mercedes ‘experiments going wrong’ for Hamilton versus Russell.
17:57 Sat, 11 Jun
The Race
By Valentin Khorounzhiy and Mark Hughes
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has attributed Lewis Hamilton’s run of qualifying defeats to team-mate George Russell to “experiments going wrong” on Hamilton’s side of the garage. But speaking to the media after Saturday’s Baku action, Wolff clarified that the pair were running slightly different specifications of the W13 in qualifying.
“Lewis has been trying some quite experimental parts of the car, and there was a different floor solution on his car that didn’t work,” he explained. “The car was porpoising more and bottoming out to a degree that it became dangerous, and couldn’t extract the performance, so yes, it was a different spec.”
Asked about Russell beating Hamilton in each of the three past qualifying sessions, he said: “I think it’s too early to try to identify a pattern – I’m very close to it and I see one session one is faster, than the next session the other one is faster. “And because the car is on a knife’s edge, if you put the foot wrong, in terms of experiments on the car – which need to be done for us to actually learn how to perform well with the car – there’s two-three tenths immediately between that.
‘W13 Knife Edge’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes-experiments-going-wrong-for-hamilton-versus-russell/
Mercedes: The gap is too big.
11 June, 2022
Paul Velasco
Mercedes have all but thrown in the towel ahead of Sunday’s 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with team boss Toto Wolff and superstar driver lamenting the lack of pace in the W13 after a dismal qualifying for the reigning Formula 1 World Champions.
After Barcelona some dared run the headlines that Mercedes were back, we were optimistic they had found a solution for their awkward 2022 car. Monaco an anomaly was to be ignored, but in Baku with the power straights and the unforgiving twisty bits, Hamilton and Russell simply did not have the ammo.
That ‘progress’ was an apparition. The Silver Arrows were more like Silver Toothpicks around the ancient city. Furthermore, Hamilton’s poor form relative to teammate George Russell continued, on Saturday the younger driver was again a couple of tenths up on the seven-time F1 World Champion; the pair were fifth and seventh on the timing screens.
‘W13, is No Ammo!’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/11/mercedes-the-gap-is-too-big-to-ferrari-and-red-bull-after-baku-f1-qualifying/
Wolff: 'No emotions' involved as Mercedes fight to recover
10 June 12:10
Author Thomas Maher
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says he finds it "boring" to watch his team be unable to get involved in the 2022 championship fight.
Toto Wolff has said Mercedes mustn't believe that they are out of the woods with their troublesome W13, just because the car performed strongly in Barcelona.
It was the first properly competitive showing from Mercedes since the season began, with the recalcitrant W13 unable to challenge Red Bull or Ferrari at the other six races of the season.
‘Wolff Watching the Recalcitrant W13, is Boring’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-no-emotions-involved-as-mercedes-fight-to-recover
Wolff jokes Mercedes can win ‘if the top four all crash out!’
Date published: June 11 2022
Editor
Toto Wolff has jokingly pointed out Mercedes could still win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix if the “top four drivers crash out”. With such a huge gulf between the ‘best of the rest’ and the leading Ferraris and Red Bulls, Wolff joked it would take pretty unusual circumstances for a Mercedes victory in Baku on Sunday.
“I think the most we expected today was to be third quickest on the road, but [Pierre] Gasly put in a really strong lap to get between us,” Wolff said after the session as he spoke to Sky F1’s Karun Chandhok as the broadcaster analysed Mercedes’ performance.
“For tomorrow, if you look at it through rose-tinted glasses you can see hopefully the four of them ahead come together in Turn 1 and then we can win the race!” he joked.
‘Wolffs’ Rose-Tinted Glasses: Four Cars Come Together at Turn1!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-azerbaijan-chances/
Schumacher still on Mercedes radar says Wolff
JUNE 11, 2022
GrandPrix.com
Toto Wolff has leapt to the defence of Mick Schumacher, suggesting the struggling young German could even have a future at Mercedes. "Why not?" the Mercedes boss said at Baku.
Rather than warn Mick that further crashes are unacceptable, Wolff says he would "just let him go - with the possibility that he will be in the wall again. "But he has to learn that," Wolff insisted. "You have to trust him."
Despite all the noise about Schumacher's future, the Mercedes boss thinks the 23-year-old can still "go a long way" in F1. "With or without the Schumacher name, Mick has the kind of strengths that mean he will always be on our radar," said Wolff.
‘Wolffs’ Rose-Tinted Glasses: Let Mick $chumacher, the Two Million Dollar Demolition Man, in the future, drive Mercedes F1 cars into walls, to learn!’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/schumacher-still-on-mercedes-radar-says-wolff.html
Fortitude
12th June 2022, 12:44
Ferrari suffer disastrous Azerbaijan Grand Prix with double DNF.
Ferrari suffered a disastrous Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both retired by lap 20 of the 51-lap race.
Sunday 12 June 2022 12:50
Ian Parkes
Sainz was the first to exit on lap nine, pulling off track into the run-off area at turn four with a hydraulic failure while running in fourth position.
Eleven laps later, whilst leading the race at the Baku City Circuit on strategy ahead of Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, Leclerc was heading down the main straight when his power unit blew on his F1-75.
It means for the second time in three races Leclerc has retired while leading after a turbo failure brought a premature end to his Spanish Grand Prix in May.
‘Double DNF’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84670/ferrari-suffer-disastrous-azerbaijan-grand-prix-with-double-dnf/
“It hurts” says Leclerc after second retirement from the lead in three races
2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Posted on 12th June 2022, 13:19
Written by Keith Collantine
Charles Leclerc admitted it “hurts” to retire from a race while leading for the second time in three rounds. The Ferrari driver pulled into the pits with smoke billowing from the rear of his car on the 20th lap of the race. Ferrari confirmed he had suffered a power unit failure while leading, as he also had in the Spanish Grand Prix three weeks ago.
“It hurts,” Leclerc told Sky. “We really need to look into that for it to not happen again. I [can’t] really find the right words to describe. Obviously it’s very, very disappointing. We really need to look into it.”
“We’ve been fast and we didn’t have particularly big problems in the first part of the season,” he said. “Now it seems that we have a bit more compared to the beginning of the season. But we didn’t change massive things, if anything we made the thing better. So it’s difficult to understand for now but we will have to analyse. Obviously I don’t have the full picture of what happened today, just personally again it hurts.”
‘It Hurts’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/12/it-hurts-says-leclerc-after-second-retirement-from-the-lead-in-three-races/
Leclerc’s exit caps Ferrari’s dreadful day in Baku
Date published: June 12 2022
Jon Wilde
Ferrari’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix turned from bad to absolutely dreadful as Charles Leclerc joined his team-mate Carlos Sainz in retirement.
Sainz was the first driver to exit in Baku as he headed down an escape road on lap nine while running fourth, quickly announcing over the team radio that “something failed” and he was unable to rejoin the track.
Subsequently diagnosed as a hydraulic problem, the Spaniard was joined on the sidelines 11 laps later as Leclerc’s power unit was billowing smoke along the straight and he coasted into the pits. “Problem, problem, engine” were the Monegasque’s initial words as his World Championship hopes suffered another devastating blow.
‘Problem, Problem, Engine’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-azerbaijan-retirement/
Ferrari suffer Azerbaijan GP horror-show as Charles Leclerc joins team-mate Carlos Sainz in failing to finish the race after his engine failed... leaving way clear for Red Bull do dominate Baku race. Ferrari suffered a horror-show at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday
Published: 13:00, 12 June 2022
By Abdi Rashid For Mailonline
Leclerc came into Sunday's race in high spirits after claiming his sixth pole position in eight races this year. However, the 24-year-old was forced into retirement after 20 laps due to an engine failure as plumes of smoke started to come out of his Ferrari.
Shortly after retiring, Leclerc said: 'It's hard to find the words, it hurts! I lost power. I don't know what happened. I did not talk to anyone yet [to know more]. I'll try my best to win the next one.
'The motivation will stay the same, no problem in that, but yeah it hurts.” Team-mate Sainz misfortunes this year continued as he was forced to pull out after just nine laps due to a brake by wire failure.
‘Ferrari Horror Show’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10908737/Ferrari-suffer-Azerbaijan-GP-Charles-Leclerc-joins-Carlos-Sainz-failing-finish-race.html
Charles Leclerc: Engine blowout in Azerbaijan GP 'more than frustrating'
12 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc says that his engine blowout and retirement from the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is "more than frustrating."
‘Frustration, more than frustrating’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.charles-leclerc-engine-blowout-in-azerbaijan-gp-more-than-frustrating.1735430330761717747.html
F1 2022 results: Azerbaijan Grand Prix (Baku)
Date published: June 12 2022
Editor
Red Bull have clinched an easy 1-2 on the streets of Baku, with Max Verstappen coming home as race winner ahead of Sergio Perez.
The duo came through to win with ease after Ferrari suffered two separate mechanical failures with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Red Bull scored maximum 26 points, courtesy of Perez also finishing with the fastest lap.
Results: 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 51 Laps
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing
3. George Russell Mercedes
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
5. Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri
6. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin
7. Fernando Alonso Alpine
8. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren
9. Lando Norris McLaren
10. Esteban Ocon Alpine
‘Red Bull Maximum Points’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2022-results-azerbaijan-grand-prix-baku/
Fortitude
12th June 2022, 21:13
“We asked them to race each other cleanly” – Red Bull’s Christian Horner.
"That’s what they did. They’re doing a great job for the Team and we’re very proud of what the whole team has achieved today.” Christian Horner.
June 12, 2022
By Nick Golding
Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal, Christian Horner, was “very proud” of his side at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix where Max Verstappen claimed victory with Sergio Pérez in second.
Horner was very pleased with the performance, but was disappointed that the fans didn’t get to see a red versus blue battle. “It’s a fantastic result for us today on a track that never fails to deliver the unexpected. I think it’s a shame that the fans didn’t get to see how the strategy would have played out today.”
“Ferrari stopped very early under that virtual safety car, and with us going onto the hard tyre that much later, I think that would have given us the advantage towards the end of the race. But we managed to capitalise on the events within the race with both drivers driving fantastically.”
‘Red Bull Very Proud’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/we-asked-them-to-race-each-other-cleanly-red-bulls-christian-horner/
Christian Horner accuses Mercedes of 'bitching' over porpoising health concerns
Sunday 12 June 2022 16:25
Ewan Gale
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has accused rivals of pushing for drivers to "bitch" about issues related to porpoising.
Asked what he would do as team principal if his drivers were driving a car with such violent porpoising, he replied: "Tell them to bitch as much as they could over the radio and make as big an issue out of it as they possibly could. It is part of the game.” On whether that is what he believes rivals are doing, Horner insisted: "Of course it is.”
“But I think that is more for the technical guys because there are certain cars that have some issues and certain cars with very few issues. It would seem unfair to penalise the ones who have done a decent job versus the ones who have perhaps missed the target slightly."
‘Bitching is part of the game’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84717/red-bull-christian-horner-accuses-rivals-of-bitching-over-porpoising-health-concerns/
F1 takeaways: Red Bull continue to capitalize as Ferrari's unreliability persists
June 12, 2022, 2:16 PM
Jonathan Brazeau
Ferrari's pain was once again Red Bull's gain. As Ferrari sustained a disastrous double DNF day, the Red Bull pair of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez sprinted away for a 1-2 finish through the streets of Baku at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Mercedes driver George Russell rounded out the podium in third.
Leclerc has been sparkling on Saturdays this season qualifying on pole six times including the past four races. If only his Sundays were similar. Despite those four consecutive poles, Leclerc has been unable to convert any of them into victories — although more often than not through no fault of his own.
This time Leclerc's engine blew up with plumes of smoke emerging from the rear of his vehicle on Lap 20. It's the second time in three races Leclerc had to bow out while comfortably in the lead after engine failure three weeks ago in Spain ruined what was looking like a sure win. Leclerc's demeanour after the race was telling; he didn't appear frustrated but rather defeated as he was practically at a loss for words.
‘Demeanour and Word Loss’;
https://www.sportsnet.ca/auto-racing/article/f1-takeaways-red-bull-continue-to-capitalize-as-ferraris-unreliability-persists/
Horner: Perez ‘unusually’ grained the rear tyres in Baku
Date published: June 12 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
Although Sergio Perez said his performance dropped off in Baku when his rear tyres got cold, Christian Horner felt his driver had grained them. Perez took the lead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc into Turn 1, but when the Virtual Safety Car was deployed following Carlos Sainz’s stoppage Ferrari pitted Charles Leclerc, while Red Bull stayed out.
That, to Perez’s mind, was a mistake. “To me, it’s first of all the communication wasn’t tidy today with the team,” Perez told Sky Sports F1 when asked why his pace dropped off during the race.
Later told not to fight his team-mate Max Verstappen, the Dutchman took the lead from Perez, going on to claim victory while Perez finished P2, just short of 21 seconds adrift. “We should have ‘boxed’ on the Virtual Safety Car and our race would have looked very different,” Perez stressed.
‘Perez’s Unusual Grained Tyres’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-sergio-perez-graining/
“We had incredible pace in the car” – Max Verstappen
June 12, 2022
By Nick Golding
Max Verstappen extended his championship lead to twenty-one points, after an imperious performance saw Verstappen claim victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Dutchman quickly made his way past Charles Leclerc early on, before hunting down his team-mate prior to the first round of pit-stops. The Dutchman’s RB18 was in a league of its own, as the reigning World Champion cemented his place as the championship favourite.
Verstappen did fall behind Leclerc after his first stop, due to the Scuderia Ferrari driver pitting under a Virtual Safety Car. However, neither Oracle Red Bull Racing driver had to find a way past Leclerc, as the Monegasque driver suffered yet another power unit failure and retired from the race.
‘Incredible Pace’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/we-had-incredible-pace-in-the-car-max-verstappen/
Verstappen Rides Luck To Red Bull One-Two In Baku As Ferrari Implode
12/06/2022, 17:56
Hamad I Mohammed
Max Verstappen rode his luck to an unchallenged first Baku win on Sunday, opening up a commanding championship lead after Ferrari’s challenge imploded at the Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix.
The Dutchman eased across the line 20.8 seconds clear of Sergio Perez who, ordered not to fight Verstappen, completed a one-two for Red Bull.
The win was Verstappen’s fifth from eight races this year and made him the sixth different Baku winner from six races. He extended his overall championship lead to 21 points over Perez, winner in Monaco two weeks ago, who has moved up to second.
‘Riding Luck, One-Two’;
https://iafrica.com/verstappen-rides-luck-to-red-bull-one-two-in-baku-as-ferrari-implode/
Fortitude
13th June 2022, 06:36
Lewis Hamilton "worried every time" he will drive his Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton has declared himself "worried" every time he now steps into the cockpit of his Mercedes.
Monday 13 June 2022 04:00
Ian Parkes
The seven-time champion has conceded to undergoing extreme cryotherapy treatment in an attempt to get himself fit ahead of the race in Baku, as well as acupuncture and physio. But his concerns with the over-aggressive porpoising of his W13 means there is trepidation about driving again.
Asked whether he was worried for Canada, Hamilton replied: "I'm worried every time I'm going to get back in the car. "Of course, I always want to get into the car. I just don't want to have that bouncing again. I'll do anything to avoid having that."
Hamilton, though, has suggested Mercedes may have to adopt a different philosophy with its car given its new renowned 'zero-sidepod' idea that may lie at the heart of its woes. "All the drivers are discussing it in the drivers' briefing, and ultimately none of us want to continue having the bouncing for the next four years with these regulations," said Hamilton. "I'm sure the teams will be working at it.”
‘Woeful Zero-Sidepod W13 Bouncing Worries’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84750/lewis-hamilton-back-pain-worried-driving-mercedes/
Wolff: Hamilton ‘definitely’ a doubt for Canadian GP.
Such is the back pain Lewis Hamilton is suffering, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says his driver may miss the next race in Canada.
Date published: June 12 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
The subject of porpoising and its impact on the health of drivers became a major talking point at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. This bouncing phenomenon is something that has followed Mercedes around the calendar so far, this after Formula 1’s move to ground-effect aerodynamics for 2022. But across large parts of the grid, its severity in Azerbaijan was a huge cause for concern.
Asked by Sky Sports F1 if he was relying on adrenalin to finish the race, Hamilton replied: “Yeah, that’s the only thing, just like biting down on my teeth through pain and just adrenalin. I can’t express the pain you experience, particularly on the straight here. And at the end, you are just praying for it to end.”
Hamilton was seen struggling to climb out of the cockpit post-race and with the first Canadian Grand Prix since 2019 coming next weekend, Wolff is not so sure Hamilton will be able to compete. Asked if Hamilton’s participation in the Canadian Grand Prix was in doubt, Wolff told reporters: “Yeah, definitely. I haven’t seen him and I haven’t spoken to him afterwards, but you can see this is not muscular anymore – it goes properly deep into the spine and there are some consequences.”
‘Back Pain, Deep in the Spine’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-could-miss-canadian-gp/
F1 rule stopped Lewis Hamilton being helped out of Mercedes despite obvious back agony.
Lewis Hamilton was left in severe pain after racing around the bumpy street circuit in Baku, but a specific F1 rule meant he could have no help in clambering out of his Mercedes
17:35, 12 Jun 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
Lewis Hamilton risked incurring the wrath of Formula 1 stewards if he accepted help getting out of his Mercedes at the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – despite the agony he was in.
After practice on Friday he complained that he felt "sore", before later revealing that he had needed physiotherapy and acupuncture as his back was in "a real mess". The race was the worst part, though, as 51 continuous laps had the Briton complaining that the pain was "killing" him.
After stopping his car in Parc Ferme, Sky Sports cameras captured live the struggle he had getting out of his Mercedes . When he eventually clambered out of the cockpit, he sat on the side of the car's halo and held his back, making little attempt to mask his discomfort.
‘F1 Agony Rule’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-mercedes-back-fia-rule-27213024
‘You’re just praying for it to end’ – Lewis Hamilton suffers back pain after Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Sunday 12 Jun 2022 5:57 pm
Callum McAvoy
Lewis Hamilton has described the physical agony he suffered during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Mercedes’ ‘porpoising’ problems continue. Hamilton was voted Driver of the Day after finishing fourth in Sunday’s race that was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after both Ferraris retired through mechanical issues.
“I can’t express the pain that you experience particularly on the straight here and at the end you’re just praying for it to end. But we’re in such a good position still, third and fourth is a great result for the team. They did a really good job with the strategy and once we fix this bouncing we’ll be right there in the race.”
‘We’re losing at least a second because of the bouncing for sure. I’ll be at the factory tomorrow; we’ve got to have some good discussions and keep pushing.’
‘Praying for it to end’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/06/12/f1-lewis-hamilton-suffers-back-pain-after-azerbaijan-grand-prix-16814154/?ito=newsnow-feed
'Lewis Hamilton is just built different' - Mercedes driver praised as he struggles through back pain
Sunday 12 June 2022 14:30
Ronan Murphy
Lewis Hamilton was in major pain at the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with many F1 fans left worried about his health. Hamilton visibly struggled to get out of his Mercedes at the end of the 51-lap race after earlier radioing his team to tell them that his back was "killing" him.
Race fans were shocked by footage of Hamilton after the race, with the driver barely able to get out of his car due to the back pain caused by extreme porpoising on the street circuit in Baku.
Many praised Hamilton's perseverance, which saw him named 'Driver of the Day' but other F1 fans believe the seven-time champion should have not been put into a position where his back could be damaged so badly.
‘W13 Bouncing, “Killing Him”.’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84689/hamilton-mercedes-azerbaijan-grand-prix-back-pain/
Wolff admits reserve drivers could be on standby amid Hamilton back pain.
Toto Wolff has some concerns about how the bouncing that is affecting Mercedes' cars is impacting Lewis Hamilton in particular, with the seven-time World Champion reporting back pain during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.
13/06/2022, 07:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Wolff acknowledges that the impact of the bouncing has been "really bad" for Hamilton, and believes that a solution for the problem needs to be found. "We've just got to find a solution," Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.com.
"At that stage I think he's maybe the worst affected from all drivers, but pretty much everyone – as far as I understood from the drivers – said that something needs to happen, but I couldn't give you an explanation for what that is."
"He's the one that is probably the worst affected, but generally it also affects George [Russell] and many others. So the solution could be to have someone on reserve, which we anyway have at every race, to make sure that our cars run."
‘Reserve Driver Available Every Race’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-admits-reserve-drivers-could-be-on-standby-amid-hamilton-back-pain
6 drivers who could replace Lewis Hamilton with Brit ace a doubt for Canadian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton could miss next weekend's Canadian Grand Prix due to the back pain caused by porpoising during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, according to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff
19:15, 12 JUN 2022
BY Nick MurphySports Reporter
Mercedes have six possible replacements for Lewis Hamilton if the British ace misses next week's Canadian Grand Prix, as has been suggested by team principal Toto Wolff. Wolff hinted after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix that Hamilton, 37, could skip F1's return to Montreal as he continues to battle with back problems caused by the Mercedes' extreme porpoising.
David, son of former Williams and Toyota star Ralf, is currently competing in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series, where admittedly he's not having the best of seasons.
But crucially, he is driving for Mercedes. That means there's a small chance - about the size of one of F1's marbles - that he could get the nod to replace Hamilton in Canada. Fingers crossed.
‘Small, Size of an F1 Marble, Chance’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/hamilton-canada-gp-replacements-f1-27213230
Fortitude
13th June 2022, 16:53
Binotto: Not surprised, certainly concerned, somehow disappointed.
“I cannot blame the team, because I know what has been the effort they have put in order to address the performance from the past. I know it’s a long journey.” Mattia Binotto.
13 June, 2022
Jad Mallak
Ferrari entered the 2022 Formula 1 season with a decent piece of kit with the F1-75, that has proved to be the fastest car on the grid, especially in the hands of Charles Leclerc, evident by his six pole positions so far this season.
“I would rather prefer to have good performance and try to fix reliability rather than vice versa,” a defiant Binotto added. His last statement somehow makes sense, as with the power unit design being frozen until 2025, only reliability-related upgrades are allowed.
Ferrari don’t seem to know what exactly happened with their drivers, as when asked if they have pinpointed what went wrong, Binotto revealed: “Honestly not, we still need to analyse and understand. Looking at the two cars, they had different problems. Carlos mentioned where it was coming from. We’ll look at the hydraulic system and hopefully we’ll identify it. Charles had a different issue, certainly engine related.”
‘Mattia Binotto; Analyse and Understand’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/13/binotto-not-surprised-certainly-concerned-somehow-disappointed/
Azerbaijan GP: Charles Leclerc 'hurt' after Ferrari engine failure as Mattia Binotto urges patience
Last Updated: 12/06/22 5:38pm
By Megan Wellens
Charles Leclerc was disconsolate after retiring from the Azerbaijan GP; Max Verstappen won to extend his world championship lead; Carlos Sainz also retired on a dismal day for Ferrari
Charles Leclerc has pleaded with Ferrari to solve their engine woes after revealing the "hurt" caused by his latest retirement at Sunday's Azerbaijan GP.
"It hurts. We really need to look into that for it not to happen again. I can't really find the right words to describe this," said Leclerc, who dropped below Perez to third in the world championship standings.
‘Disconsolate Charles Leclerc, Patient Mattia Binotto’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12632416/azerbaijan-gp-charles-leclerc-hurt-after-ferrari-engine-failure-as-mattia-binotto-urges-patience
Ferrari felt 'very strong' ahead of Leclerc DNF – Binotto
13/06/2022 at 09:48
Phillip van Osten
Mattio Binotto believed that proper tyre management of the low-degrading hard compound could have perhaps allowed Leclerc to keep the Dutchman at bay. "Indeed it was still a very long race, we needed to manage the tyres to the end," he said.
"The tyre degradation on the hard what we saw was very little. So if we could have made the hard survive, it would have been the right call, but obviously, we do not have the answer to that.”
"We will get the numbers and I'm pretty sure everybody will have a look at it to have a forecast of how the race would have finished. But we felt very strong, certainly in the lead with a strong tyre. And Charles was very happy with the car behaviour."
‘Tyre Degradation’;
https://f1i.com/news/444661-ferrari-felt-very-strong-ahead-of-leclerc-dnf-binotto.html
No clear answer for Ferrari
13/06/2022
NEWS STORY
Suffering its first double DNF of the season, Mattia Binotto admits concern at the reliability that threatens his team's championship hopes. "Is that something we had in the past? I don't think so, but maybe yes, and we do look as well at what happened to our customer teams.”
"But I don't think only with the telemetry data we can have a clear answer to the problem. The components will be shipped back to Maranello and as usual, disassembled to try to understand and to fix them as soon as possible. Is it something which is down to quality, reliability, whatever else, usage? I don't know yet," he admitted. "But I think it's no doubt that when you've got so many reliability problems, there is a concern.”
"In terms of performance, the redesign of the full power unit, we made a fantastic job," he insisted. "But that means as well that overall, in terms of product, there is still very little experience and certainly I think in terms of reliability, still there is progress which is required."
‘Reliability Problems a Concern’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72777/No-clear-answer-for-Ferrari
Ferrari target 'quick fixes' after woeful Azerbaijan reliability
Monday 13 June 2022 14:09
Sam Hall
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is hopeful the Scuderia can discover some 'quick fixes' following its horror show in Azerbaijan.
A hydraulic problem for Carlos Sainz and a power unit failure for Charles Leclerc forced Ferrari into its first double retirement from a lack of reliability since 2009.
There were additional problems for Ferrari-supplied Haas and Alfa Romeo as Kevin Magnussen and Zhou Guanyu also suffered with suspected PU problems.
‘Ferrari’s Additional Problems’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84718/ferrari-target-quick-fix-woeful-azerbaijan-grand-prix-reliability/
Ferrari throwing away F1 title as Mercedes issues reach critical mass - What we learned at the Azerbaijan GP
Monday 13 June 2022 12:15
Ewan Gale
Ferrari reliability will prove costly in championship battle. Oh Ferrari, what happened again? More heartbreak for Leclerc who was forced into retirement from the lead for the second time in three races after suffering from gremlins at the Spanish Grand Prix two races ago.
Mercedes porpoising hits critical level. Lewis Hamilton was barely able to climb from the cockpit of his W13, holding his back as he straddled the halo. The seven-time champion was in clear discomfort when talking to the media post-race, grimacing his way through questioning, still holding his back.
F1's latest political battle takes centre stage. Russell's complaints about porpoising led to a debate in the drivers' briefing in Baku over whether tweaks could be made to the technical regulations going forward. Horner suggested that teams were urging their drivers to "bitch" about the issues, implying that those struggling to get to grips with the problem were seeking an easy way out.
‘Title throwing, Porpoising Critical’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84758/ferrari-throwing-away-f1-title-mercedes-issues-critical-azerbaijan-grand-prix-what-we-learned/
Fortitude
14th June 2022, 06:37
FIA warned against leaving F1 drivers 'with a walking stick at 30'.
Pierre Gasly has warned that F1 drivers could end up with a walking stick by the time they are 30 if the FIA backs them into a corner over health and performance.
Monday 13 June 2022 09:30
Ewan Gale
Throughout the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, cars bounced viciously down the longest flat-out section on the 22-race calendar, with numerous drivers complaining of back issues, most notably Lewis Hamilton.
Gasly, whose AlphaTauri was another car badly affected, said: "I need to find someone to give me a massage. Really, I am extremely tight. Every morning, my cervicals [first seven bones in the spine] and my upper body, I have never been as tight driving an F1 car and it has never been brutal as this track from the first race I have done in F1.”
"Obviously, it is car set-up related. We knew coming here we went quite aggressive but it was pretty intense." Gasly added: "It is not healthy, that is for sure. I have had physio before and after every session, just because my discs are suffering. With literally no suspension, it is going through your spine.”
‘Physio Before & After’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84719/fia-warned-f1-drivers-walking-stick/
Gasly fears F1 drivers 'will end up with canes' due to porpoising
13/06/2022 at 17:08
Phillip van Osten
AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly is urging the FIA to save drivers "from ending up with a cane" due to the potential physical effects of F1 cars' porpoising. "The team is asking me, 'OK, we can compromise the set-up?' and I'm compromising my health for the performance. And I'll always do it, because I'm a driver and I always go for the fastest car I can.”
"But I don't think FIA should put us in a corner where you got to deal between health and performance," he said. "That's the tricky part of it, and clearly not sustainable. So that's what we discussed at the drivers' briefing and kind of alerted them on this problem, and try to ask them to find solutions to save us from ending up with a cane at 30 years old."
"Also sometimes the car is moving on its own, just because the steering is shaking," Gasly said. "At such speed, it's not easy. I don't think they can fix something until the end of the year. But hopefully for next year."
‘Shaking Steering, Moves Car on its Own’;
https://f1i.com/news/444728-gasly-fears-f1-drivers-will-end-up-with-canes-due-to-porpoising.html
Gasly says focus on minimising mistakes paid off after “perfect weekend”
2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Posted on 13th June 2022, 10:52
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Pierre Gasly says he insisted his AlphaTauri team focus on avoiding mistakes before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he scored his best result of the season so far. Ahead of the Baku race, Gasly told his team they had to cut out the errors. “Coming into this weekend I really insisted, from all of us, to focus on minimising the mistakes and just execute the best weekend we could with the package we had,” he said. “And that’s what we did: P6 in quali, P5 in the race.”
Gasly ran fourth at one stage but was unable to keep Lewis Hamilton behind after the Mercedes driver used a late Virtual Safety Car period to fit a fresh set of hard tyres. Gasly did not have another set left for the race.
Gasly’s race engineer Pierre Hamelin advised him not to get drawn into a prolonged battle with Hamilton. “I think we knew that the target at the start of the race would be we’ll see what happens with Lewis but, if they were faster than us, not to waste too much time or kill our tyres too much,” Gasly explained.
‘Minimising Mistakes, Cutting Out Errors, P5 Result’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/13/gasly-says-focus-on-minimising-mistakes-paid-off-after-perfect-weekend/
AlphaTauri’s Guillaume Dezoteux: “We’ve got mixed emotions here in Baku today”
June 12, 2022
By Jordi Wood
Guillaume Dezoteux, AlphaTauri’s Head of Vehicle Performance explained the team’s “mixed emotions” following the weekend.
“We are all extremely happy to achieve a great, and well-deserved, fifth place with Pierre. However, we are very disappointed for Yuki, who lost a possible sixth position due to mechanical damage around the rear wing DRS mechanism and flap. The race was intense and following a strong first stint on the medium tyre, we decided to use the opportunity of the first Virtual Safety Car period to pit both cars and switch to hard tyres“.
“For Yuki, the mechanical damage meant we were forced to stop and repair the issue, losing many positions,” Dezoteux explained. “We apologise to him, he did a fantastic job this weekend and deserved this result. Anyway, this weekend boosts our morale. We have been able to close the gap to sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship and the target is to confirm this good form in Canada next week”
‘Mixed Emotions’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/alphatauris-guillaume-dezoteux-weve-got-mixed-emotions-here-in-baku-today/
Pierre Gasly: 'Top five is a really incredible result' in Baku
12 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
A highly satisfied Pierre Gasly of AlphaTauri reflects on his P5 finish in the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, after the Frenchman endured an "endless" final stint in Baku.
‘Incredible Result’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.pierre-gasly-top-five-is-a-really-incredible-result-in-baku.1735435261262617926.html
“I tried to defend against Lewis the best I could” – Pierre Gasly
June 12, 2022
By Jordi Wood
Scuderia AlphaTauri‘s French driver Pierre Gasly, fought Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team‘s oldest statesman Lewis Hamilton for fourth-place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Unfortunately, Hamilton was much too fast for the Frenchman.
Gasly’s team decided not to change tyres when a late Virtual Safety Car, the second of the race, was implemented. Hamilton on the other hand, did pit for fresh tyres making Gasly an easy target. Despite just missing out on fourth, Gasly was extremely pleased with fifth-place and enjoyed his battle with Hamilton.
“It’s been pretty incredible for us today. Finishing in the top five is really good, especially considering how the start of our year has played out. We’ve not had that much luck so far, so it was important to get a clean weekend, which is what we’ve achieved here in Baku.”
‘Tried to Defend P4’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/i-tried-to-defend-against-lewis-the-best-i-could-pierre-gasly/
Gasly reflects on battle with Hamilton after 'perfect' weekend
12 June 17:35
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
After taking fifth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly believes he stood no chance of holding back Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the race. Speaking after the race, Gasly argued that fighting with Mercedes was a testament to how well-executed their race weekend was.
"It's been pretty much the perfect weekend from our side and it came right on time," Gasly told media, including RacingNews365.com. "After the start of the year where we've been quite unlucky and had a lot of incidents and mistakes.
"Coming into this weekend [we] really needed to focus on minimising the mistakes and just execute the best weekend we could with the package we had. That's what we did; P6 in qualifying, P5 in the race.
‘Fighting Mercedes, a Testament to a well-executed race’;
https://racingnews365.com/gasly-reflects-on-battle-with-hamilton-after-perfect-weekend
Fortitude
14th June 2022, 12:24
Wolff claims only one driver doesn’t agree porpoising is a ‘problem’ as Hamilton could miss Canadian GP.
Toto Wolff has revealed that Fernando Alonso is the only driver who does not see the “porpoising” phenomenon as an issue.
13 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
The "porpoising" seemed especially problematic for Mercedes in Baku last weekend. There is concern among some of the drivers that the constant heavy impacts between the floor and the track surface are soon going to start causing some serious health issues.
Wolff indicated that Alonso is the only one who does not feel as though this will be the case. “All drivers got together and agreed that it’s a problem – apart from one: Alonso,” he told Sky Sports Netherlands.
‘Fernando Alonso: Porpoising? No Issue, No Problem’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/wolff-claims-only-one-driver-doesnt-agree-porpoising-is-a-problem-as-hamilton-could-miss-canadian-gp/
Hill praises 'clever' Alonso: He was definitely up to his old tricks!
Damon Hill has praised Fernando Alonso for his "clever" approach to racing after the Spaniard's performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
14/06/2022, 12:50
Hill has admiration for "trickster" Alonso. Hill feels that Alonso balances out his "tricks" with still delivering performance-wise, given that the two-time World Champion finished P7 in Baku.
"Alex Albon called him an incredibly smart guy, because he was up to games in qualifying," Hill commented. "He was definitely up to his old tricks, but we kind of have a sneaky admiration for the trickster, the guy who somehow can play everything to his own advantage, and he does it with a little cheeky smile as well.”
"And he performs; it's not like he's being a nuisance and not delivering. He's delivering, and he delivers for Alpine. I'd rather have him in [the team] than outside and doing the same to you."
‘EL PLAN: Tricky Trickster Alonso’;
https://racingnews365.com/hill-praises-clever-alonso-he-was-definitely-up-to-his-old-tricks
Fernando Alonso delivers verdict on FIA president after "rough" start
Tuesday 14 June 2022 09:30
Ewan Gale
Fernando Alonso has declared full trust in the FIA under Mohammed Ben Sulayem's presidency despite a "rough" start to his tenure. The sport is now under the watchful eyes of two alternating race directors, but the current campaign has already been filled with drivers complaining of inconsistencies in decision-making.
Other controversies include a clampdown on jewellery and underwear, as well as the Monaco race director's briefing notes contradicting the International Sporting Code with regard to pit-exit regulations. Asked to assess the FIA's handling of the sport this year, two-time champion Alonso insisted: "I have full trust in the FIA president.
"At the moment, things are maybe a little rough and we have seen a few things where they have not been as consistent as we would wish for or as we ask for. "There is room to improve, yes, but I have full trust in the FIA president and he will fix the things that need to be fixed."
‘Full Trust in FIA’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/84500/fernando-alonso-verdict-fia-president-rough-start/
Webber: Alonso’s qualifying antics ‘a bit of meddling’
Date published: June 13 2022 -
Henry Valantine
Fernando Alonso was not popular with Alex Albon in Baku qualifying, and Mark Webber felt Alonso had “got away with it” somewhat after his lock-up at Turn 15 went uninvestigated.
Former Red Bull driver Webber added that provoking such a reaction from someone as placid as Albon was unusual, and Alonso may have been indulging in some “meddling” in qualifying.
“I’m not sure what [Alonso] was inventing there, what sort of scenario he was trying to concoct for himself, but ultimately he got away with it,” Webber said on Channel 4.
‘Meddling Claims’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mark-webber-fernando-alonso-meddling/
Alonso continues points run with performance in Baku: “Our power-unit is looking strong and competitive”
June 13, 2022
By Ashley Cline
BWT Alpine F1 Team’s Fernando Alonso matched his best race result of the season with a second consecutive seventh place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, utilizing the A522’s straight-line speed to move up the grid and benefitting from retirements ahead.
“The race was difficult to execute today but we did well, and I am happy with seventh. We obviously benefited from a few retirements, but these things happen, and we were there to capitalise on them and really maximise our strengths.”
Ultimately, Alonso was happy with the performance of the team’s power unit and the car’s abilities on the vast straight of the third sector of Baku City Circuit. He will be looking for more points at the Canadian Grand Prix, which he predicts will provide a similarly competitive midfield fight.
‘EL PLAN: Looking Forward to Canadian GP’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/alonso-continues-points-run-with-performance-in-baku-our-power-unit-is-looking-strong-and-competitive/
Alonso left with 'good taste' after third straight points score provides momentum heading to Canada
13 June 2022
Formula 1.
Things have turned around for Alpine’s Fernando Alonso. After four successive non-scores earlier this season, he’s managed to take three consecutive top-10 finishes, most recently on Sunday with P7 in Azerbaijan.
“Yes, happy with P7. Obviously we benefitted from the retirements in front of us, the Ferraris and Tsunoda. But yes, these things happen here in Baku and we take these six points, which give us a good taste after seventh in Monaco, seventh here again. So let’s keep it going.” Fernando Alonso.
‘Good Taste in Baku’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alonso-left-with-good-taste-after-third-straight-points-score-provides.6Fdr6FgiLZBQktwrBed01M.html
Fortitude
15th June 2022, 13:28
Horner praises Vettel as he makes tongue in cheek comment about ‘Green Red Bull’.
“He’s doing a great job, he’s got a good car and it’s good to see him up there. It’s good to see the old boy’s still got it,” he told Sky Sports, smiling as he made the “good car” comment.
14 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Sebastian Vettel finished sixth in Baku as Red Bull claimed a one-two finish following Ferrari's reliability woes.
The reason for this irony is that Red Bull have accused Aston Martin of stealing data from the four-time champions to inform the design of their sidepods they introduced in Spain.
The FIA found no wrongdoing having gone through the work the British side have done to design the new chassis, and they confirmed a paper trail that dates back to last year, so it would seem that no copying took place.
‘Green Red Bull’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/horner-praises-vettel-as-he-makes-tongue-in-cheek-comment-about-green-red-bull/
“Our car showed encouraging pace” – Aston Martin’s Mike Krack
June 14, 2022
By Nick Golding
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix would’ve filled the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team with confidence, after Sebastian Vettel performed brilliantly to finish in sixth-place at the Baku City Circuit.
It could’ve and should’ve been even better for Vettel, who had the pace for fifth but lost a heap of time early on in the race. The German had to perform an impressive U-turn at Turn Three mid-race, after out-braking himself on the outside of Esteban Ocon down into the corner. The French driver was on old tyres, whilst Vettel was trying to make the most of his fresh rubber.
Team Principal Mike Krack, discussed what a “solid weekend” it was for the British team, whilst sharing his disappointment for Stroll. “Sebastian capped a solid weekend with a good drive to sixth place in Baku today, thereby scoring eight valuable points in the constructors’ world championship.”
‘Could’ve Should’ve Aston Martin’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/our-car-showed-encouraging-pace-aston-martins-mike-krack/
Sebastian Vettel: “We have been pushing the limits of this car”
June 14, 2022
By Jordi Wood
With the two Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team cars fighting for their respective position on track, Sebastian Vettel got up to sixth position and Lance Stroll got up to sixteenth at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, before the latter was forced into retirement late on.
Vettel is aware that he could’ve finished fifth, but recognises that sixth is a “really great” result. “Sixth position is really great – I think we can all be pleased with that result. We have been pushing the limits of this car, and it is starting to pay off for us now. Today, we were faster than Alfa Romeo and matched Alpine and Alpha Tauri, and that changes the game for us a little bit.”
‘Game Changing Aston Martin’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/sebastian-vettel-we-have-been-pushing-the-limits-of-this-car/
VETTEL’S SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND DESPITE MOMENT OF SHOCK
13/06/2022, 19:41
Lena Ferle
Aston Martin fans were subjected to a brief moment of shock when Vettel had to take the emergency exit at turn three during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. But his quick reaction secured him a top 10 finish – by now, the German can laugh about the incident.
Vettel’s fighting spirit got the better of him, and within moments he turned his car 180 degrees. In the process, he scraped past the barrier by a few millimetres, but he managed to get back on the road just behind Yuki Tsunoda.
He was still in the top 10 at that point – his spin cost him just under 7 seconds. Vettel then recovered back to 6th place, where he finished the race.
‘Barrier Scraping 180 Degrees Turn’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/vettels-successful-weekend-despite-moment-of-shock/?nowprocket=1
Sebastian Vettel throws off F1 presenter with Canadian GP 'win' claim
16:47, 13 JUN 2022
BY Mark Whiley
It’s three years since Sebastian Vettel was controversially denied an F1 victory in Canada because of a penalty dished out by the stewards. Then of Ferrari, the four-time world champion was coming under intense pressure from Lewis Hamilton when he slid off the track and went over the grass. The German managed to stay in front of the Mercedes by squeezing his rival out of room on the outside.
However, to his and Ferrari’s dismay, he was hit with five-second penalty for returning to the circuit unsafely and forcing another car off the track. The incident gifted Hamilton victory, leaving Vettel so incensed he moved the number one board away from the Mercedes and in front of his own car in the pits ahead of the podium ceremony.
Asked if he was feeling confident about Montreal, following his strongest weekend of the season so far, the smiling 34-year-old replied: “I won there last time round.” Confused presenter Lee McKenzie replied: “Last time round?” before Vettel clarified: “You know, where I got the penalty.” McKenzie, realising the reference, said: “When you moved the board? Still a bit of anarchy there.”
“I won there last time round!!!!!!’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/vettel-penalty-hamilton-canada-2019-27222315
Fortitude
15th June 2022, 22:35
Haas ‘so far behind’ with new parts production.
Haas have faced costly repair bills this season as a result of crashes involving Mick Schumacher in Saudi Arabia, Miami and Monaco.
Date published: June 14 2022
Jon Wilde
Guenther Steiner says Haas are struggling to have new parts available for the VF-22 – as they did not expect so many would need to be produced.
“At the moment, the problem is actually getting the parts made because we are so far behind with production now because we didn’t envisage making this many parts,” Haas team principal Steiner told Channel 4.
“The production is just the bottleneck at the moment. So we are trying to catch up, just staying alive.”
‘Haas Bottleneck Spares Production’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-behind-new-parts-production/
Guenther Steiner: Haas are 'very lean on spare parts' at Azerbaijan GP
11 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Guenther Steiner admits his team are "very lean on spare parts" because they "cannot manufacture enough at the moment," as the Haas Team Principal describes how this issue affects his outfit at this weekend's 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
‘Spare Part Leanness’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.guenther-steiner-haas-are-very-lean-on-spare-parts-at-azerbaijan-gp.1735338300058585429.html
“Our car is good enough to get into the points” – Haas’ Guenther Steiner
June 15, 2022
By Joe McCormick
Guenther Steiner remains optimistic about Haas F1 Team‘s chances at scoring points in future races, despite a power unit failure putting Kevin Magnussen out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Steiner has praised both of Haas’ drivers, as the American outfit looks ahead to the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.
“It’s not what we wanted today but the good thing that we take away is that we were in a good position when we had some PU issues, but we still have to find out what it is. As I always say, our car is good enough to get into the points, we just need to make it happen.”
‘Haas Optimism’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/our-car-is-good-enough-to-get-into-the-points-haas-guenther-steiner/
Steiner accuses media of ‘dividing’ Haas against Mick
Date published: June 13 2022
Michelle Foster
Guenther Steiner has blamed the media for “dividing” the Haas camp, adamant he is “trying to keep the pressure off” Mick Schumacher rather than increase it.
After Schumacher had suffered his second $1m crash of this season in Monaco, Steiner said the words “not very satisfactory” and that Haas would have to “see how we move forward from here“. The Italian added to Motorsport.com it is “just not possible to continue like this – he’s also crashing into a wall at some stage. It’s also not healthy.”
“Obviously he wants to score points and if you crash into the wall, you don’t score points.”
All of these comments were taken as warnings for Schumacher, who is out of contract at the end of this season.
‘Second $1 Crash Division!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-mick-schumacher-media/
Haas critics trying to divide us says Steiner.
Gunther Steiner has hit back at suggestions that he is dividing the Haas team by attacking struggling German driver Mick Schumacher.
JUNE 13, 2022
GrandPrix.com
Schumacher, 23, ended his Baku race weekend admitting he was "annoyed" about qualifying dead last and not making much progress in the grand prix. "I'm annoyed," he told Sky Deutschland. "Simply because the whole situation is a bit stupid. The car is simply better than last place."
"This division of the team from the outside is not good for Mick," he insisted. "But we are speaking together properly and positively. We want Mick to be successful," Steiner said. "It's up to us how we do it. We don't need advice.”
"I need Mick, Mick needs us. There's a lot of pressure from outside with every word turned around and twisted. But if we don't work together, we can't get there." Steiner said there is no doubt that Schumacher is good enough for Formula 1 "but we need success. We have to see that we get points".
‘Mick Schumacher, Formula 1 Grade Material’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/haas-critics-trying-to-divide-us-says-steiner.html
Fortitude
16th June 2022, 08:14
Brundle sides with Horner over Mercedes' calls for FIA intervention.
"The teams that have got it sorted are clearly saying that's Mercedes' problem and it's not Formula 1's problem," Brundle told Sky Sports.
14 June 16:10
"The emphasis is on the team to sort it out" With some teams more impacted than others by problems with bouncing, Brundle thinks that it is down to those affected to find their own solutions.
"If it was something that was affecting everybody, then yes, [the regulations should change] on the grounds of safety, but you can see that some cars are absolutely fine, and others are struggling," the former F1 driver commented.
"Therefore, I think the emphasis is on the team to sort it out as opposed to changing the regulations. It's something that they're struggling with, it's not something that our drivers are complaining about. I think it would be unfair if there was a change just because they've missed the target."
‘Those Affected, Find Solutions’;
https://racingnews365.com/brundle-sides-with-horner-over-mercedes-calls-for-fia-intervention
Brundle: Porpoising issue is Mercedes' problem to solve.
"The teams that have got it sorted are clearly saying that's Mercedes' problem and it's not Formula 1's problem," Brundle told Sky Sports News.
14/06/2022 at 16:43..
Phillip van Osten
Martin Brundle agreed with Red Bull chief Christian Horner that it is up to those F1 teams with cars suffering from porpoising - and in particular Mercedes - to solve the problem rather than call for a rule change.
"There's no doubt about it, it looks particularly uncomfortable. Of course, [Mercedes] can fix it by raising the car but then they lose a huge amount of performance. "So, they need to get the car low, stiff on the suspension and stiff on the side wall of the new tyres as well, and they've had to sacrifice comfort for performance.”
"What's surprising, really, is that Mercedes just can't seem to get a handle on what looks like, actually, quite an excellent car, if they could just unlock it. Generally, we had porpoising back in the 80s," said the former F1 driver. "When you have these ground effect cars, it's always been in issue.
‘Mercedes’ Porpoising Problem, theirs to Solve’;
https://f1i.com/news/444770-brundle-porpoising-issue-is-mercedes-problem-to-solve.html
FIA's stance on Mercedes complaints as Christian Horner claims Red Bull rivals 'bitching'
MERCEDES have struggled with violent bouncing on long straights over the course of the season to date.
09:32, Tue, Jun 14, 2022
By ARCHIE GRIGGS
The FIA are reportedly considering whether to launch an investigation into the bouncing experienced by Mercedes and a number of other teams at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix despite Christian Horner's assertion that Red Bull's rivals are simply 'bitching' about the issue.
It is claimed that the governing body intends to address the issue by sounding out drivers and technical directors for talks in order to establish the right way to move forward. However, it remains to be seen whether any strong conclusions will be drawn by the FIA, with a number of teams having accused Mercedes of pushing an agenda with their criticism of the bouncing.
Toto Wolff has been vocal in speaking out against the problem over the last few weeks, while Hamilton and George Russell have also raised questions over the long-term health effects that could arise as a direct result of the issue. Red Bull team principal Horner was quick to play down the situation in Baku, though, by insisting that it should be the responsibility of teams to fix their own problems rather than pleading with the FIA to change the rules.
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1625095/FIA-stance-Mercedes-complaints-Christian-Horner-Red-Bull-F1-news
Christian Horner dismisses Toto Wolff’s porpoising claims as ‘part of the game’
11:46 Tue, 14 Jun
Jack Rathborn The Independent
Toto Wolff has urged the FIA to change the rules after Lewis Hamilton’s pain throughout the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Christian Horner has dismissed Toto Wolff’s claims for the FIA to adjust Formula 1 rules over porpoising following Lewis Hamilton’s struggles.
The Mercedes superstar revealed his back was “killing” him during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to repeated bouncing from the porpoising effect.
‘Toto Wolff Claims for the FIA to adjust FIA Rules Dismissed’;
https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/christian-horner-toto-wolff-red-bull-mercedes-b2100539.html
Horner claims Mercedes are telling Hamilton to ‘b*itch about porpoising’ to slow Red Bull down.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner insists that drivers are being told to complain on the radio about their ongoing bouncing problems.
13 June 2022
by Nick Golding
Red Bull are seemingly the only team to have completely solved the porpoising puzzle, with the RB18 producing some of the highest top speeds yet remaining smooth for the drivers. The same certainly can’t be said for the Mercedes F1 Team, who porpoise more than any other team on the grid whilst also being slow down the straights.
The Brit thinks drivers are trying to make it as “big of an issue” as possible, labelling it as “part of the game. I would tell them to bitch as much as they could over the radio and make as big of an issue out of it as they possibly could,” slammed Horner to the media. “It’s part of the game.”
Horner reckons the drivers are being told by the teams to make the complaints, in order to get a response from the FIA. “Of course it is,” he responded when being asked if the team are instructing the drivers to moan. “You can see it’s uncomfortable. There are remedies to that, but it is to the detriment of the car performance. So what the easiest thing to do is to complain from a safety point of view.”
‘Porpoising Bitching Big Issue!’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/horner-claims-mercedes-are-telling-hamilton-to-bitch-about-porpoising-to-slow-red-bull-down/
Horner hits out over porpoising complaints.
Christian Horner has hit out at the increasing number of complaints over porpoising, insisting that teams have a simple choice between performance and 'driver comfort'.
14/06/2022
NEWS STORY
"The easiest thing is to raise the car," said Horner, "every team has the choice to do that. You have a choice where to run your car, and you should never run a car that's unsafe," he added. "I think that's more for the technical guys because certain cars have issues and there are some teams that have very few issues."
"It would seem unfair to penalise the ones that have done a decent job, versus the ones that have perhaps missed the targets," insisted Horner, who is of the opinion that there is an agenda behind the increase in complaints. If it was a genuine safety concern across the whole grid then it's something that should be looked at," he agreed. "But if it's only affecting isolated people or teams, then that's something that team should potentially deal with."
His view is shared by Lando Norris, who agrees that the teams suffering most have a choice. "I'm loving it at the minute, I'm not complaining," he tells F1TV. "We have some porpoising and some bouncing, but it's what you have to deal with. It's the trade-off of trying to gain performance.”
‘Porpoising Performance Choices’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72782/Horner-hits-out-over-porpoising-complaints
Brundle sides with Horner over Mercedes porpoising.
Martin Brundle agrees with Christian Horner that resolving the porpoising of F1 cars is a matter for individual teams rather than the FIA. Porpoising, or bouncing, has been a feature of the first season with the sport’s new regulations, going all the way back to unofficial testing in Barcelona but now seemingly more prevalent than ever.
Date published: June 14 2022
Jon Wilde
“I think the team (Mercedes) are playing this quite hard in that they want some changes made, the drivers want some changes made, because the Mercedes is particularly bad,” Brundle told Sky Sports News. “The teams that have got it sorted out are clearly saying that’s Mercedes’ problem, it’s not Formula 1’s problem.”
“Of course, the team can fix it by raising the car but then they lose a huge amount of performance. They have had to sacrifice comfort for performance and what’s surprising really is Mercedes can’t seem to get a handle on what actually looks like quite an excellent car if they could just unlock it.”
“I think Christian is saying more or less exactly the same as what I’m saying, it’s a problem for the teams to sort out. It needs managing, but to ask the other teams to change the regulations to help Mercedes is a bit like asking a turkey to vote for Christmas.”
‘Individual Team Porpoising Problem To Solve’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-mercedes-porpoising/
Fortitude
16th June 2022, 16:53
“I’m not really sure what to expect in Montreal” – Haas’ Guenther Steiner.
“With the raft race, these days I just don’t think there is the time anymore to do these types of things.” Guenther Steiner.
June 16, 2022
By Nick Golding
“It’s unfortunate but we have to go with the times, the team cannot just make the time up to create a raft – at the moment it’s not doable but maybe one day it returns.”
Porpoising as been the main topic in the paddock this season, with the issue becoming worse than ever before at the recent race in Baku. Steiner is expecting it to be bad again this weekend, at a track where the surface is known for being bumpy.
“Porpoising is so different from race track to race track. In Barcelona, it seemed that everyone had found a solution for it but then we go back to Baku and we haven’t got one, so I’m not really sure what to expect in Montreal. I think it’s part of the package of the car and I’m sure that there are enough intelligent engineers in Formula 1 that sooner or later, hopefully sooner, we get in control of porpoising.”
‘No Raft Race’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/im-not-really-sure-what-to-expect-in-montreal-haas-guenther-steiner/
Mercedes confirms Hamilton will race in Montreal despite back pain
12:15 Wed, 15 Jun
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week
James Vowles confirmed that Hamilton would be back in the car for Canada. “I am pleased to report that Lewis is here this morning, I spent a few hours with him and he is okay, he will be back in the car in Montreal,” he said.
“He is an elite athlete that will push the bounds of endurance of himself and the car and that’s what Formula 1 drivers do, that’s what makes them exceptional. On this occasion, though we pushed the package and our drivers too far, we are putting them into significant discomfort and we simply can’t do that again.”
“Our drivers are not the only ones suffering, you will see in the media a number of comments from a number of drivers who are equally in discomfort and pain. And we have a responsibility now to make sure that this doesn’t carry on.”
‘Sore Back, for Canada!’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/06/15/mercedes-confirms-hamilton-will-race-in-montreal-despite-back-pain/
‘Houston, we have a problem’: Ferrari power unit ‘under accusation’ as Scuderia slammed for reliability woes
Italian publications are not impressed with Ferrari's recent reliability issues.
16 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Italian publications have gone in on Ferrari after the double reliability failure that saw Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz walk away from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with no points. Italian media has a tendency to go crazy when Ferrari are winning, so it stands to reason that they have also always been a little harsh when things are not going their way.
‘Ferrari, why are you so fragile?’ read a headline from La Gazzetta dello Sport, who went on to suggest that the Scuderia have abandoned reliability to focus entirely on performance this season. ‘Ferrari disaster, now everything changes: What will happen?’ said Corriere dello Sport, before describing Ferrari’s 2022 car as “excellent but still unripe.”
La Repubblica says that the F1-75’s power unit is “under accusation” as Ferrari cancel ERS upgrades to focus on the reliability of their power unit that has now seen eight failures in the last three race weekends. ‘Red Bull-Honda double, Ferrari debacle,’ says Il Messaggero, adding that Leclerc, who has been on pole six times this year and converted only two, “continues to work his magic on Saturdays,” while being let down in the race.
‘Italian Tifosi Media: Ferrari Fragile!, Ferrari Disaster!, F1-75 PU Under Accusation!, Ferrari Debacle!’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/houston-we-have-a-problem-ferrari-power-unit-under-accusation-as-scuderia-slammed-for-reliability-woes/
Ralf claims Ferrari are paying for ‘slacking off’
Date published: June 16 2022
Jon Wilde
Ralf Schumacher believes that after their drivers made mistakes earlier this season, it is now Ferrari as a team who are “slacking off”. Ferrari could probably scarcely have imagined how well the first three races of 2022 would go for them, as Charles Leclerc won in Bahrain and Australia with both he and the Scuderia opening big leads in the World Championships as Red Bull suffered reliability woes.
“The Ferrari was a really strong car at the beginning,” said the German former F1 driver in the ‘Sport & Talk from Hangar 7’ programme on ServusTV, quoted by Speedweek. “They went out for a lap and were fast straight away. But then the drivers made a lot of mistakes and now the team is slacking off too.”
“The stupid thing is, once it rolls, everything comes at you. Ferrari finally have a package for wins again and now something like this comes. Now they just have to stick together. That’s where [team principal] Mattia Binotto is very good – he seems calm on the outside.”
‘Ferrari Slacking’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ralf-schumacher-ferrari-slacking/
Van Der Garde criticises Ferrari: They keep screwing up
Date published: June 15 2022
Editor
Former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde believes Ferrari are throwing away the 2022 season, having had a strong start to the year. Dutch racing driver Giedo van der Garde has criticised Ferrari after the Scuderia’s disastrous Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw them fall to 80 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
With two engine failures in the past three races for Leclerc while leading, van der Garde has said the Scuderia simply aren’t getting the job done. “At Ferrari, they just screw up,” he told Motorsport TV, pointing to how Carlos Sainz is struggling to adjust to life at the front of F1.
“He somehow doesn’t manage it. I also think he is putting too much pressure on himself by wanting to beat Leclerc. [Charles] is in a nice flow, especially on Saturday,” van der Garde said, referring to the Monegasque driver’s four consecutive pole positions – none of which have ended in a race victory. It is then difficult for Sainz to come close. I think there is too much pressure on him.”
‘Ferrari criticism on throwing away the 2022 Season’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/giedo-van-der-garde-ferrari-screwing-up/
Christian Horner warns Red Bull against complacency in Ferrari fight
Published: 16 Jun 2022, 12:57
By George Dagless
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has warned his team that they cannot let up with the championship showing how quickly things can change this year. Speaking between Baku and Canada, then, Horner has said whilst he’s pleased Red Bull have capitalised on Ferrari’s misfortune, his team must be careful against complacency as things can quickly change momentum-wise:
“I think pace-wise, Ferrari have been quick and certainly on Saturdays they have dominated, but we have capitalised on their misfortune. It is a great shame in many respects that the race didn’t quite pan out because I do think we had a good race car today and I think we would have beaten Charles strategically on the route we had picked as well.
“The important thing on their misfortune is that we capitalised on that and we banked the points. Obviously, the championships look healthy at the moment but we can see how quickly that can change.”
‘Red Bull Keep Pushing Against Complacency’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88022387-christian-horner-warns-red-bull-against-complacency-in-ferrari-fight
Fortitude
17th June 2022, 09:59
FIA take hard stance on porpoising: Fix or be disqualified.
The FIA will take immediate measures against porpoising, coming into play for the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, with those who fail to comply risking disqualification from the event.
17/06/2022, 21:23
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Drivers could be disqualified from the Canadian Grand Prix should their teams fail to comply with the FIA's new plan to tackle porpoising in Formula 1 under a new Technical Directive, as divulged to RacingNews365.com by a source.
The FIA has announced that it will enact long-term measures to "reduce or eliminate" porpoising. But for now, the governing body will demand that teams ensure their cars are safe and running without any extreme bouncing.
Those bouncing problems can cause drivers to become distracted and unable to concentrate at high speed, which the FIA say is reason enough to view porpoising as a serious safety concern.
‘FIA: Fix or be disqualified’;
https://racingnews365.com/fia-take-hard-stance-on-porpoising-fix-or-be-disqualified
FIA issues new technical directive to reduce ‘porpoising’ on safety grounds
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on
16th June 2022, 17:30
Written by Keith Collantine
FIA statement: FIA takes steps to reduce porpoising in the interests of safety
Following the eighth round of this year’s FIA Formula One World Championship, during which the phenomenon of aerodynamic oscillations (“porpoising”) of the new generation of Formula 1 cars, and the effect of this during and after the race on the physical condition of the drivers was once again visible, the FIA, as the governing body of the sport, has decided that, in the interests of the safety, it is necessary to intervene to require that the teams make the necessary adjustments to reduce or to eliminate this phenomenon.
A technical directive has been issued to give guidance to the teams about the measures the FIA intends to take to tackle the problem. These include:
1. Closer scrutiny of the planks and skids, both in terms of their design and the observed wear
2. The definition of a metric, based on the car’s vertical acceleration, that will give a quantitative limit for acceptable level of vertical oscillations. The exact mathematical formula for this metric is still being analysed by the FIA, and the Formula 1 teams have been invited to contribute to this process.
In addition to these short-term measures, the FIA will convene a technical meeting with the teams in order to define measures that will reduce the propensity of cars to exhibit such phenomena in the medium term.
The FIA has decided to intervene following consultation with its doctors in the interests of safety of the drivers. In a sport where the competitors are routinely driving at speeds in excess of 300km/h, it is considered that all of a driver’s concentration needs to be focused on that task and that excessive fatigue or pain experienced by a driver could have significant consequences should it result in a loss of concentration. In addition, the FIA has concerns in relation to the immediate physical impact on the health of the drivers, a number of whom have reported back pain following recent events.
‘FIA Technical Directive’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/16/fia-issues-new-technical-directive-to-reduce-porpoising-on-safety-grounds/
FIA’s porpoising response could ‘completely change the pecking order’ in F1
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says the FIA’s attempt to reduce porpoising in Formula 1 cars could drastically change the competitive order in the championship. The FIA should restrict the severity of bouncing which is permitted, Steiner believes, rather than forcing teams to change their designs.
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 16th June 2022, 21:26
Written by Keith Collantine and Will Wood
“I think the measurement of this is to find a way where, if it is dangerous, without changing the regulations, to find a limit of something and saying if you are above this threshold [you get a penalty]. I don’t know what penalty you could give, I have no idea yet, I didn’t look into it as well and it’s pretty fresh all these things.”
Mercedes have found it especially difficult to control the porpoising on their car and their drivers have been particularly vocal about the discomfort they have experienced. However Steiner does not believe the team has successfully lobbied the FIA to introduce a rules change they have already prepared for.
“You know how malicious we are, we always think there’s something behind it. And then the next one could say, ‘oh, they’ve got already a solution for a solution’, if the FIA comes up with a change and then Mercedes has developed something in that direction already, and then they come out of the gate already running. But I think that is going a little bit too far.”
‘FIA Response, Pecking Order Changes’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/16/fias-porpoising-response-could-completely-change-the-pecking-order-in-f1/
Gasly praises FIA for quick response to drivers’ health concerns over porpoising
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 17th June 2022, 8:08
Written by Will Wood
Pierre Gasly is pleased the FIA has acted “quickly” to address drivers’ concerns about porpoising and bottoming in 2022 F1 cars. Yesterday, ahead of the first day of practice for the Canadian Grand Prix, the FIA announced they had issued a technical directive outlining how they will conduct tests to understand the effect porpoising is having and set a limit on how severely a car may bounce before it is deemed unacceptable.
Gasly is pleased the governing body is making efforts to protect drivers. “I’m happy they’re taking it seriously, that they’re trying to take some measures as fast as possible,” Gasly said. “At the end of the day, we are the ones in the car having to deal with all these impacts and pains and stiffness that it creates in our back. I’m just happy they understood the message and reacted quickly with some actions.”
Following last week’s race Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said some teams’ warnings over porpoising were aimed at pushing the FIA to introduce rules which would help them cut their performance deficit. However, Gasly insists all 20 drivers agree action must be taken to reduce porpoising and bottoming out across the field.
‘FIA Technical Directive’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/17/gasly-praises-fias-quick-response-to-drivers-health-concerns-over-porpoising/
Porpoise-driven: F1 tackles bouncing problem ahead of Canadian GP
Meanwhile, several drivers' jobs are on the line if they don't move up the pack.
The FIA announced a technical directive that will force teams to raise their cars higher off the ground in an effort to combat the bouncing.
Jun 16th 2022 at 5:41PM
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The FIA said it decided to intervene "following consultation with its doctors in the interests of safety of the drivers. In a sport where the competitors are routinely driving at speeds in excess of 300km/h (186 mph), it is considered that all of a driver’s concentration needs to be focused on that task and that excessive fatigue or pain experienced by a driver could have significant consequences should it result in a loss of concentration.
“In addition, the FIA has concerns in relation to the immediate physical impact on the health of the drivers, a number of whom have reported back pain following recent events.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has wondered if Mercedes isn't overplaying the porpoising to cover for its inferior 2022 car. And others have noted that Mercedes itself could ease the physical toll on Hamilton and Russell through setup changes — alterations counter to the competitive edge the team is seeking with its current configurations.
‘Bouncing & Porpoising Combatted’;
https://www.autoblog.com/2022/06/16/f1-canadian-grand-prix-porpoising-lewis-hamilton/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAL7B3ZtmgdAowtAJpBJ7-qRuCfU_ZEUkcNwNPOIRcT2lRj1YxcuhoJKi8RjFiqNUnAWH1yw mptjk6TIzp2DWGTrFFHf4QirX-gRzZc9sB_vzSE05ml8giITEFxYCjpvNYQSD9ze-OPnrY9V6oPh6UkJhL4Lq1YWHOgCW0p8FVUxJ
Fortitude
18th June 2022, 05:23
Fans react to bizarre F1 visitor - 'It isn't the Canadian GP if you don't have a groundhog crossing the circuit'.
The event returned to Montréal for the first time since 2019, with familiar friend Gary the Groundhog - so named by Sky Sports F1's crew - making his return too.
Friday 17 June 2022 20:50 - Updated: 20:50
Ronan Murphy
It was 'Groundhog Day' at the Canadian Grand Prix as one of the critters ran onto the track during first practice at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The animal was lucky to escape being driven over by Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz as he ran into oncoming traffic and narrowly made it to safety at the other side.
'Groundhog' trended on Twitter as Formula 1 fans reacted to the bizarre scenes, with one quick-fingered social media user even setting up a "Garry the GroundHog" account to reply to the official F1 channel.
‘Garry The Groundhog’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85092/canadian-gp-groundhog-crossing-circuit/
‘Very lucky not to be squashed’: Groundhog Day at Canadian GP after star’s close call
June 18th, 2022 11:18 am
AFP from Fox Sports
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz had to take evasive action at the Canadian Grand Prix on Saturday (AEST) when a groundhog ran out onto the circuit. Sainz was travelling at high speed during opening practice for Monday’s race when the animal appeared between turns two and three.
“Whether you want to call it a marmot, a groundhog or a beaver, a cute little brown furry animal was very lucky not to be squashed by a Ferrari during FP1,” said the Sky Sports F1 Twitter feed.
Esteban Ocon had slowed down to avoid a collision but Sainz, just behind the Frenchman, only spotted the groundhog at the last second.
‘Gary Ground Hog Day’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/very-lucky-not-to-be-squashed-sainz-almost-runs-over-groundhog-at-canadian-gp/news-story/6b8ed898b2b549d186038268b2c5e1c7
Verstappen ends Friday fastest ahead of Ferrari pair in Canada
2022 Canadian Grand Prix second practice
Posted on 17th June 2022, 23:13
Written by Will Wood
Max Verstappen ended Friday fastest of all after the second practice session for the Canadian Grand Prix. After topping the times sheets in the earlier session, Verstappen improved on his own best time to set the overall quickest lap of a 1’14.127, just under a tenth of a second faster than Charles Leclerc.
Carlos Sainz Jnr was third-fastest, ahead of a quintet of different cars: Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso’s Alpine, Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri, George Russell’s Mercedes and Lando Norris in the first of the two McLarens.
Position Number Driver Team Model Time Gap Laps
1 1 Max Verstappen
Red Bull RB18 1’14.127 33
2 16 Charles Leclerc
Ferrari F1-75 1’14.208 0.081 32
3 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr
Ferrari F1-75 1’14.352 0.225 32
4 5 Sebastian Vettel
Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR22 1’14.442 0.315 35
5 14 Fernando Alonso
Alpine-Renault A522 1’14.543 0.416 24
6 10 Pierre Gasly
AlphaTauri-Red Bull AT03 1’14.879 0.752 34
7 63 George Russell
Mercedes W13 1’14.971 0.844 31
8 4 Lando Norris
McLaren-Mercedes MCL36 1’14.987 0.860 30
9 3 Daniel Ricciardo
McLaren-Mercedes MCL36 1’15.033 0.906 31
‘2022 Canadian Grand Prix second practice result’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/17/verstappen-ends-friday-fastest-ahead-of-ferrari-pair-in-canada/
Tensions mount between Verstappen, Hamilton ahead of Canadian GP
Publishing date: Jun 17, 2022
Author of the article: Scott Stinson
The bouncing was so bad last weekend in Azerbaijan that Lewis Hamilton could barely get out of his car after the race and his teammate George Russell called the 90-minute drive “excruciating” You can see the need for a fix there. Or, maybe not.
New regulations for the 2022 season forced total car redesigns, to varying degrees of success. “It would seem unfair to penalize the ones that have done a decent job, versus the ones that have perhaps missed the target slightly,” Horner said.
Max Verstappen, the defending champion who is leading the standings this season, was more blunt: “If you can’t design the car properly for that, then that’s your fault.” Such appeals were ignored, and the new regulations put a limit on the degree to which “vertical oscillations” are allowed.
‘Blunt who is at fault for porpoising’;
https://canoe.com/sports/auto-racing/tensions-mount-between-verstappen-hamilton-ahead-of-canadian-gp/wcm/e6f9d3cd-8b30-43c5-bad8-13c148f27f03
HAMILTON: MERCEDES TO BE STUCK WITH UNCOMPETITIVE F1 CAR FOR REST OF 2022
18/06/2022, 01:46
Jake Nichol
Lewis Hamilton has suggested Mercedes will be stuck with its uncompetitive 2022 F1 design for the rest of the season as he struggles in Canadian Grand Prix practice – labelling the W13 the worst car he’s had.
“Nothing we do to this car generally seems to work, so we were trying different set-ups,” he said.
“Me and George went with different set-ups in P2 to see if one way works and one way doesn’t, so I’ll wait to hear how it was for him, but for me it was a disaster. It is like the car is getting worse and more and more unhappy the more we do to it.”
‘W13 Groundhog Day’;
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/06/18/lewis-hamilton-2022-mercedes-f1/
I’ve never a driven a car this bad here says Hamilton after practice “disaster”
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 18th June 2022, 0:13
Written by Hazel Southwell
Hamilton said he had “a monumental fight the whole time to keep it out of the wall” during practice. “When it bounces, when the car leaves the ground a lot, then when it lands, it grips up and it goes in different directions. And so you’re just trying to catch a car that hops, grips, hops, grips. It’s tough.”
Hamilton said that today’s running was “pretty much like every Friday for us”, running different parts on his car and his team mate George Russell’s. “We’re trying lots of different things, experimental floor on my side, which didn’t work. Nothing we do with this car generally seems to work.
“So we’re trying different set-ups, me and George went with much different set-ups in this P2 just to see if one way works and one way doesn’t,” Hamilton explained. He said he would wait to hear what Russell thought of his car’s performance but described his own session “a disaster.”
‘Groundhog Day: Hops, Grips, Hops, Grips. It’s Tough’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/18/ive-never-a-driven-a-car-this-bad-here-says-hamilton-after-practice-disaster/
'It was the best decision to make' says Leclerc, as Ferrari confirm Montreal grid penalty for Monegasque
18 June 2022
Formula 1.
If Charles Leclerc is to take his first victory since the Australian Grand Prix, he will have to make his way through the field in Montreal, as he has been forced to take a 10-place grid penalty after it was announced that he will be taking a new control electronics on his Ferrari F1-75.
Coming into the weekend, Ferrari admitted that the power unit used by Leclerc in Baku was “beyond repair”, and despite speculation, it was unclear whether the Monegasque racer would be forced to take a grid penalty. However, after FP2 – where Leclerc finished second to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – Ferrari announced that he had been forced to take a new control electronics, which Leclerc believed was for the best.
“Well, obviously I'm starting a little bit more in the back,” said Leclerc of the penalty. “But I think it was the best decision to make so let’s see how it goes. The overtaking was a little bit more difficult than I expected today but yeah, I mean the pace is there so hopefully we can come back to where we want to be.”
‘Charles Leclerc: Correct Decision’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.it-was-the-best-decision-to-make-says-leclerc-as-ferrari-confirm-montreal.1eH3vuP4npdFTXvxtoHn5J.html
Fortitude
18th June 2022, 22:20
F1 2022 results: Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying session.
Max Verstappen will start on pole in Montreal for the first time in his career after he went quickest in a wet qualifying session.
Date published: June 18 2022 - Sam Cooper
Canadian Grand Prix qualifying results:
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:21.299
2 Fernando Alonso Alpine 0.645s
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 0.797s
4 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1.592s
5 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1.661s
6 Mick Schumacher Haas 2.057s
7 Esteban Ocon Alpine 2.230s
8 George Russell Mercedes 2.258s
9 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 2.450s
10 Guanyu Zhou Alfa Romeo Racing 2.731s
‘Report and Results’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2022-results-canadian-grand-prix-qualifying-session/
Alonso plans to attack Verstappen at start from surprise second on grid
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 18th June 2022, 22:46
Written by Keith Collantine
Fernando Alonso vowed to take the fight to pole winner Max Verstappen in tomorrow’s Canadian Grand Prix after qualifying alongside him on the front row of the grid.
The Alpine driver pinched second on the grid off Carlos Sainz Jnr by a tenth of a second with his final lap in a damp qualifying session as the track dried. “It feels great,” said the two-times world champion after achieving his best starting position for 10 years.
“It was an unbelievable weekend so far for us. We were competitive in free practice, which normally we are on Friday, but then on Saturday we seem to lose a little bit of pace.”
‘EL PLAN: Alonso Attack’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/18/alonso-plans-to-attack-verstappen-at-start-from-surprise-second-on-grid/
‘I let them down’ – Sergio Perez crashes out of Canadian Grand Prix qualifying with Max Verstappen ‘super happy’ to secure pole in rain-soaked conditions
Phil Spencer
18th June 2022, 10:35 pm
Speaking after crashing out of qualifying, Perez told Sky Sports: “I made a mistake from my side, so I’m very sorry to my team. I let them down today, unfortunately.
“I’m already thinking to tomorrow and hopefully I’m able to recover and get into some points. I wasn’t struggling with the brakes.”
I think they were on the cold side, I had a lock-up into turn 10 before and yeah, that probably meant that I was a little bit out of shape going into turn three. As soon as I touched the brake it was probably a bit too much.”
‘Perez: I let them down’;
https://talksport.com/sport/motorsport/1132714/
‘I hope we can make it through the field’ – Leclerc braced for back row start in Canadian Grand Prix.
18 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has taken new engine components in Montreal so will start the Grand Prix from the back of the grid, and is hoping he'll be able to fight his way back up the order.
‘Ferrari Fight Ahead’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.i-hope-we-can-make-it-through-the-field-leclerc-braced-for-back-row-start-in-canadian-grand-prix.1736005951559674302.html
Max Verstappen denies "straightforward" Canadian GP despite title rival struggles
Saturday 18 June 2022 22:42
Sam Hall
Max Verstappen still does not expect a "straightforward" Canadian Grand Prix from pole position despite his championship rivals starting down the order. The F1 points leader will start from the front in Montreal but is joined by Fernando Alonso on the front row with title rivals Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc 13th and 19th respectively.
Asked if Sunday's race would now be a straightforward affair, Verstappen said: "I still expect it not to be a straightforward race.
"But I think today, with the tricky conditions, we stayed calm, we didn't make mistakes and we had the right calls in Q3. So of course, I'm super happy with that, to get pole position here and also to be back here in Montreal."
‘Super Happy, But Not Straight Forward Race, Ahead’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85214/max-verstappen-canadian-grand-prix-2022-pole-position-qualifying-results/
Fortitude
19th June 2022, 10:23
LECLERC: IF WE PLAY IT SMART, WE CAN COME BACK TO P4.
Charles Leclerc will start the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix 19th, being hit by a grid penalty for taking a new power unit, but he believes P4 is still on the cards if Ferrari play it smart.
19 June, 2022
Jad Mallak
Charles Leclerc is still suffering the repercussions of his DNF in Baku last week, as after suffering from a power unit failure, an irreparable one, Ferrari has to bolt a new power unit to his F1-75, which mean he will start from the back of the grid in Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Speaking the media on his race prospects, Leclerc said: “It makes it a bit harder for us but it’s inevitable, so there is disappointment, but on the other hand I knew it was coming so I kind of expected it. I don’t know if there will be any more penalties other than that, but overall, I think it’s the best we could have done. It’s not a good situation to be in, but I guess we took the right decision.”
“I mean, to put it all on one race, I prefer that instead of having multiple races with like 10 grid places penalty,” the Monegasque insisted. We’ll try to make the best out of it tomorrow and then hopefully we can have no reliability issues anymore and focus on ourselves and catch back the Red Bulls in front of the championship. I don’t know whether it will work out or not,” was 24-year-old responded to a question about his race expectations.
‘Ferrari P4, if Smart’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/19/leclerc-if-we-play-it-smart-we-can-come-back-to-p4/
Revised starting grid for the 2022 F1 Canadian Grand Prix after multiple penalties
19/06/2022, 10:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Here is the provisional starting grid for the 2022 F1 Canadian Grand Prix, which will be held on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday.
The starting grid below is provisional until confirmed by F1's governing body, the FIA.
Pos Driver Team
1. Verstappen Red Bull
2. Alonso Alpine
3. Sainz Ferrari
4. Hamilton Mercedes
5. Magnussen Haas
6. Schumacher Haas
7. Ocon Alpine
8. Russell Mercedes
9. Ricciardo McLaren
10. Zhou Alfa Romeo
11. Bottas Alfa Romeo
12. Albon Williams
13. Perez Red Bull
14. Norris McLaren
15. Gasly AlphaTauri
16. Vettel Aston Martin
17. Stroll Aston Martin
18. Latifi Williams
19. Leclerc Ferrari
20. Tsunoda AlphaTauri
https://racingnews365.com/starting-grid-for-the-2022-f1-canadian-grand-prix
Rain man Verstappen takes pole position for Canadian Grand Prix
Sunday, 19 Jun 2022 7:36 AM MYT
MONTREAL, June 19 — World champion and series leader Max Verstappen drove expertly in difficult wet conditions in his Red Bull yesterday to secure pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix.
In an intriguing and entertaining qualifying session, the 24-year-old Dutchman clocked a best lap in one minute and 21.299 seconds, beating nearest rival two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Alpine by seven-tenths of a second.
Verstappen will start his 150th race from the prime start place after claiming his 15th pole in pursuit of a 26th career victory. His pole ends a run of four in a row by title rival Charles Leclerc who starts today's race from the back of the grid after taking a new power unit on his Ferrari.
‘Rain Man Verstappen’;
https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2022/06/19/rain-man-verstappen-takes-pole-position-for-canadian-grand-prix/13046
Alonso says experience was key to taking front-row start for Canadian Grand Prix
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 19th June 2022, 10:08
Written by Keith Collantine
Fernando Alonso says his front-row start for the Canadian Grand Prix shows the value of his experience. The Alpine driver claimed second on the grid, his highest starting position for 10 years, in a rain-affected qualifying session. He said the team’s car felt competitive immediately.
“The car was good straight away,” he said. “We didn’t make huge set-up changes, we didn’t experiment too much. The car felt good from the first laps in FP1 so that was a help to build the confidence.” With conditions changing rapidly between sessions, Alonso said his experience of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve paid off.
“It’s a circuit that I think you need some rhythm. You use a lot of kerb riding here and it’s quite bumpy. There are a few things that are there for many, many years. I guess for half of the grid it’s either the first time they come here or the second time because after the pandemic there was not many races hosted here in Canada.”
‘EL PLAN: Experience Key’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/19/alonso-says-experience-was-key-to-taking-front-row-start-for-canadian-grand-prix/
“Awesome” season-best fourth on grid reminds Hamilton of his F1 debut
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 19th June 2022, 8:10
Written by Keith Collantine and Will Wood
Lewis Hamilton says his fourth place on the grid for the Canadian Grand Prix reminded him of his first qualifying session in a Formula 1 car, where he also took fourth.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am,” said Hamilton, whose previous best this season was fifth on the grid in Bahrain and Australia. He celebrated the result with his physiotherapist Angela Cullen, who aided Hamilton’s recovery following his excruciating race in Azerbaijan. “Me and Ange had the biggest hug at the back of the garage because we’ve both been working so hard,” he said after qualifying.
“Obviously this past week was a real challenge and I’m so grateful to have her with me every day to just work through the pain and just get my body right,” said Hamilton. “Then to come here with the car, still we’re struggling on pure pace in the dry, we’re still a long way off. But to get top five in qualifying in those conditions is awesome.”
‘Lewis Hamilton: Awesome P4’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/19/awesome-season-best-fourth-on-grid-reminds-hamilton-of-his-f1-debut/
Haas achieves best-ever team qualifying result in Montreal
19/06/2022 at 00:48
Andrew Lewin
Haas F1 achieved its best-ever combined team result in a Formula 1 qualifying session in the seven-season history of the squad, successfully locking out the third row of the grid for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
“A very good day for the team today," beamed Haas principal Guenther Steiner. "It’s our best combined qualifying position. Both drivers did a good job, as did the whole team in very challenging and changeable conditions.”
"A big thank you to the crew who worked during the night," he revealed. "We broke curfew last night because we had to fix an issue on Kevin’s car, but that all worked out well. Everyone kept calm and we got the best out if it, everything worked smoothly," he said. "Now we really look forward to tomorrow and hopefully bringing some points home.”
‘Haas, Bring those points home’;
https://f1i.com/news/445326-haas-achieves-best-ever-team-qualifying-result-in-montreal.html
‘I love these conditions’ says Magnussen, after Haas lock out third row in Montreal
18 June 2022
Formula 1.
Haas are targeting their first points since Imola at the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix, after a fine qualifying performance from the North American team on (nearly) home soil saw Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher take P5 and P6 on the grid in the wet.
Schumacher finished the first runs of Q3 in a strong P4, but would ultimately fall to sixth as Lewis Hamilton and team mate Magnussen improved in the final stages of the damp qualifying, the Dane taking fifth – Haas with two cars in the top six for the first time since the 2018 German Grand Prix.
And with Magnussen having impressed in the cold, damp qualifying at Imola, the Dane conceded that the Haas VF22 appeared to enjoy frigid conditions, saying: “It was good run. I love these conditions, and this year our car seems to love it too. We had these similar conditions, or at least intermediate conditions, in Imola and we got P4 [in qualifying] and now this time we got P5, so it’s a lot of fun. We’ve just got to try and take advantage of that tomorrow. It certainly helped our chances of scoring points I think, so yeah, it’s a good day.”
‘Good Day At Haas’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.i-love-these-conditions-says-magnussen-after-haas-lock-out-third-row-in.3HR58tr9RE8yfUHOVQD1Qy.html
Qualifying crash was “a mistake from my side”, admits Perez
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 18th June 2022, 23:52
Written by Hazel Southwell
Sergio Perez apologised to his Red Bull team after crashing during the second stage of qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix. “It was a mistake from my side,” he said. “So I’m very sorry for my team. I let them down today, unfortunately.
“I’ve got to be thinking already for tomorrow and hopefully I’m able to recover and get into into strong points.” Perez denied there was any problem with his car which contributed to his error. “I wasn’t struggling with the brakes. I think they were on the cold side.”
“I had a lock-up into turn 10 the lap before, I flat-spotted [the tyres] and that probably meant that I was a bit out of shape. Then going to turn three I became just a passenger as soon as I touched the brake and it was a bit too much.”
‘Sergio Perez: Mistake from My Side’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/18/qualifying-crash-was-a-mistake-from-my-side-admits-perez/
Fortitude
19th June 2022, 20:32
Verstappen resists pressure from Sainz to win thrilling Canadian GP.
Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in third following a strong drive, with Mercedes teammate George Russell fourth and Charles Leclerc working his way up to fifth after starting the race from the back of the field.
Today, 20:40
Author Anna Francis
Verstappen wins the battle. The tense battle between Verstappen and Sainz was the main story of the final laps of the event, as Verstappen continued to look calm in front of his Ferrari rival.
This went right down to the wire, but Verstappen kept his cool and claimed P1 for a sixth time in 2022, further extending his lead at the top of the World Championship standings.
‘Max Resisting Pressure’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-resists-pressure-from-sainz-to-win-thrilling-canadian-gp
Race Results – 2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Montreal, Canada
19/06/2022, 20:22
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -70 laps
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.993
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +7.006
4. George Russell Mercedes +12.313
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +15.168
6. Esteban Ocon Alpine +23.890
7. Fernando Alonso Alpine +24.945
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +25.247
9. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +26.952
10. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +38.222
‘Canadian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2022 F1 World Championship race on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2022-canadian-grand-prix-79330
Sainz buoyed by 'quicker' Ferrari despite frustrating P2 result
19/06/2022, 21:25
Author Luke Murphy
Speaking after the race, Sainz said that he wasn't able to make up any more ground on Verstappen after "giving everything" to try and win. "I was pushing flat out. I wasn't leaving any inch to the walls or under braking. I was pushing everything with the battery," Sainz told Sky Sports F1.
"I tried everything to pass Max, but today, we just didn't have enough pace delta to get him close enough in the hairpin to then get him a bit out of line into the chicane.”
"Honestly, we tried everything and we were very, very close to winning today, so I will take the positives and keep trying in the next one."
‘Taking the Positives’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-buoyed-by-quicker-ferrari-despite-frustrating-p2-result
'A weekend to forget' – Pérez reveals gearbox issue to blame for his early exit from the Canadian Grand Prix
19 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Sergio Pérez described the Canadian Grand Prix as a "weekend to forget" after he hit the barriers in qualifying, before a gearbox issue ended his race after just nine laps.
‘Gearbox Problem’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.a-weekend-to-forget-perez-reveals-gearbox-issue-to-blame-for-his-early-exit-from-the-canadian-grand-prix.1736090175867284766.html
Canada retirement “very costly in championship fight” Perez
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 19th June 2022, 21:14
Written by Hazel Southwell and Will Wood
Sergio Perez says his retirement in the Canadian Grand Prix “hurts a lot” as it has cost him in the championship fight. “A zero when you’re fighting for the championship is very costly,” said Perez. “But it’s still a very long championship and today hurts a lot so I want to forget about today.”
Having crashed in Q2 and started 13th, Perez said he was making good progress when his car broke down. “We were coming through, saving the tyres and the brakes especially. So we had plenty of potential for my race to come back.”
He does not believe the Q2 crash was related to the failure he experienced today. “That’s not what we think at the moment,” he said. However the failure marks the fourth retirement for a Red Bull this year.
‘Retirement Costly’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/19/canada-retirement-very-costly-in-championship-fight-perez/
Ecstatic Hamilton says Mercedes are “getting closer” to rivals after Montreal podium
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 19th June 2022, 21:21
Written by Hazel Southwell
Lewis Hamilton said he was “honestly ecstatic” to take his second podium finish of 2022 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
“It’s quite overwhelming to get this third place, it’s been such a battle this year with the car and as a team,” said Hamilton.
“But we continue to stay vigilant and focussed and never giving up and that’s something I’m so proud of and inspired by my crew. So thank you everyone who’s here and back at the factory.”
‘W13 Getting Closer’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/19/ecstatic-hamilton-says-mercedes-are-getting-closer-to-rivals-after-montreal-podium/
Leclerc: Canadian GP a ‘super frustrating race’ despite coming from the back row to P5
19 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Charles Leclerc was forced to start from the back row of the grid in Montreal after taking new power unit parts, and although he fought his way up to fifth, he was not happy with his day's work.
‘Super Frustrating Race’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.leclerc-canadian-gp-a-super-frustrating-race-despite-coming-from-the-back-row-to-p5.1736094418377451685.html
Fortitude
20th June 2022, 07:02
Title fight is turning into a Red Bull rout as Verstappen resists Sainz for another win.
Max Verstappen took another useful step towards winning a second world championship by resisting lap after lap of pressure from Carlos Sainz Jnr to win the Canadian Grand Prix. On a day when his two closest championship rivals started outside the top 10, Verstappen did everything he needed to maximise his advantage.
2022 Canadian Grand Prix review
Posted on 20th June 2022, 7:00 |
Written by Keith Collantine
Before the race, anticipation was high as to what irrepressible veteran Fernando Alonso might do from his first front row start in a decade. Championship leader and pole-winner Verstappen would surely not risk going wheel-to-wheel with the Alpine driver. But within moments of the start, that prospect fizzled out. Alonso’s reactions were fractionally slower down the pole winner’s and Verstappen never looked in danger of losing his lead.
race which had promised so much for Alonso ended on a sour note. Having argued unsuccessfully with his team to be allowed back in front of Ocon, Alonso resorted to some extreme defensive moves in an effort to keep Valtteri Bottas behind which earned the censure of the stewards. A five-second time penalty dropped him from seventh place to ninth, promoting Bottas and team mate Zhou.
While Sainz’s wait for a first win continues, Verstappen’s pursuit of a second championship looks more credible with every passing race. Having delivered his team’s sixth victory in a row, a championship which began as a Ferrari resurgence is in danger of morphing into a Red Bull rout.
‘Red Bull Rout’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/20/title-fight-is-turning-into-a-red-bull-rout-as-verstappen-resists-sainz-for-another-win/
Stu Cowan: Experience fuels Verstappen's win on 'old school' track
The driver who once had a reputation for being young and reckless takes his first checkered flag on Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
Publishing date: Jun 19, 2022
Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette
Verstappen was only 20 at the time and was earning a reputation as a young and reckless driver in Formula One after being involved in crashes or other incidents in each of the first six races that season.
When asked what he would have to do differently that year at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Verstappen said: “Not hit a wall. It’s as simple as that. And I don’t need to change my approach for that. It’s just a little bit more finesse, I guess. But you know, sometimes s–t happens.”
Verstappen didn’t hit any walls in that year’s race, finishing third behind Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas. The next year, Verstappen finished fifth at the Canadian GP, with Lewis Hamilton taking the checkered flag. Last year, Verstappen won his first F1 world championship and on Sunday he won his first Canadian GP, finishing 0.993 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and 7.006 seconds ahead of Hamilton in his Mercedes.
‘Max Experience’;
https://calgaryherald.com/sports/auto-racing/stu-cowan-experience-fuels-verstappens-win-on-old-school-track
Max Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix in thrilling finish
June 19, 2022 8:16pm
By Emily Selleck
MONTREAL — Red Bull’s Max Verstappen narrowly claimed his sixth victory of the Formula 1 season after withstanding pressure from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in the closing stages of the Canadian Grand Prix.
The reigning world champ, 24, crossed the checkered flag less than one second ahead of the Spaniard, 27, extending his championship lead to 175 points.
“I knew I couldn’t make a mistake, but it was good racing,” Verstappen said of battling Sainz, his former teammate. “It was more difficult than I expected.”
‘Max Pressure’;
https://nypost.com/2022/06/19/max-verstappen-wins-canadian-grand-prix-in-thrilling-finish/
‘It was a masterclass’ – Horner on ‘super cool’ Verstappen’s Canadian GP victory
19 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was impressed not only with Max Verstappen's speed and race management, but also at how he soaked up the pressure from Carlos Sainz during the final laps in Montreal.
‘Max Masterclass’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.it-was-a-masterclass-horner-on-super-cool-verstappens-canadian-gp-victory.1736104604538449290.html
Sainz: I gave it my all to pass the Red Bull
20 June, 2022
Jad Mallak
Carlos Sainz came as close as ever to winning his first ever Formula 1 race in Canada on Sunday, but could not get through Max Verstappen’s Red Bull despite giving it his all.
Sainz was the only Ferrari driver fighting at the front for the Reds in the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix, as Charles Leclerc was starting from 19th down the grid having taken a new power unit after the last one went out in smoke in Baku a week earlier.
Sainz drove a strong race, while Ferrari’s strategy was helped by late Safety Car caused by Yuki Tsunoda’s crash, as it set up the Spaniard for a final sprint to the flag chasing Verstappen down on fresh rubber over 20 laps or so. But the Sainz could not make a move stick on the Dutchman who soaked up the pressure and held on for the win.
‘Gave it my all’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/20/sainz-i-gave-it-my-all-to-pass-the-red-bull/
Leclerc frustrated by “DRS trains” and slow pit stop in climb from back row to fifth
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 20th June 2022, 7:45
Written by Hazel Southwell and Will Wood
He started the race on the back row of the grid after collecting a series of penalties for power unit parts changes. He finished in fifth, having predicted fourth was the best he could expect heading into the race.
Having spent many laps stuck behind other drivers, a slow tyre change cost him an opportunity to run in clear air. “Unfortunately with the pit stop this put us a bit in a bad situation because we had cleared the DRS train and we got another DRS train after the slow pit stop,” he explained.
“I had to push on the tyres and that cost me a little bit at the end. But overall it was just a race where I had to be patient. “At the beginning I was stuck behind a DRS train. In the middle part of the race I was stuck behind Esteban [Ocon], who had much newer tyres and was very good out of turn 10 so that was enough for him to keep me behind. Then when I had free air I think the pace was really good but it’s like this,” Leclerc concluded.
‘Ferrari Frustration’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/20/leclerc-frustrated-by-drs-trains-and-slow-pit-stop-in-climb-from-back-row-to-fifth/
McLaren boss APOLOGISES to Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris for shocking mistake that cost drivers any chance of finishing in the points - as under-fire Aussie beats his teammate again
Andreas Seidl has apologised to his drivers after McLaren had a shocking race
Published: 03:29, 20 June 2022
By Kristy Williams For Daily Mail Australia
Unfortunately both the car and the team let the two drivers down during the race, with Seidl telling the team's website it was a 'tough weekend'. 'We didn't give Lando or Daniel the package they deserved today, so we have to offer them an apology,' Seidl said.
'We also have to use this as an opportunity to learn, and come back stronger in two weeks for our home race at Silverstone.' The worst part of the race for McLaren was a double-stack pit stop during the Virtual Safety Car period that completely backfired on both drivers.
Ricciardo came in first and lost a couple of seconds when the pit crew couldn't get the front right tyre off quickly enough. That meant Norris was delayed by almost eight seconds, destroying any chance of the Englishman winning points.
‘McLaren Woes’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10933009/McLaren-F1-boss-APOLOGISES-Daniel-Ricciardo-Lando-Norris-poor-Canadian-GP-results.html
Magnussen says damage which triggered black-and-orange flag “was nothing”
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 20th June 2022, 0:01
Written by Hazel Southwell
Following minor contact with Lewis Hamilton in the opening laps of the Canadian Grand Prix, Magnussen was shown the black-and-orange flag, instructing him to pit to repair front wing damage. Having run in fifth place initially, he failed to return to the points-paying positions after the early pit stop.
“We were forced to pit with the damage we had but it was nothing,” Magnussen said after the race. “The car was perfect to drive, there was no effect on the car. This is normal, you’ve got to be able to finish the race with some scratches on your car.”
A Virtual Safety Car period soon after he pitted cemented his position at the back of the field. “We could’ve got back in, but we were forced to pit and then there was a Virtual Safety Car and then everyone else pitted,” he said. “It’s frustrating – it’s now four races or something where we haven’t scored points, so we want to get into the points again.”
‘Damage Was Nothing’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/20/racefans-round-up-20-06-5/
Fortitude
21st June 2022, 05:23
Toto Wolff 'absolutely apoplectic' in team principal meeting over new FIA rules.
Toto Wolff was “absolutely apoplectic” in a team principal meeting ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, claims Sky Sports F1 host Simon Lazenby.
20:46 Sat, 18 Jun
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
It is understood the Mercedes boss spoke to other team principal on the bouncing and porpoising issues affecting drivers on the grid. However, it is believed the talks did not go well as planned with a lot of division remaining in the paddock over any rules changes.
Lazenby said: “We understand he was absolutely apoplectic in that meeting a little bit earlier. Worried for the safety of his drivers." His comments were backed up by Martin Brundle who said that he had heard the team principal meeting this morning was “feisty”.
The former driver claimed Wolff had got “quite upset” with other team bosses during the heated exchange, something the Mercedes team boss agreed with.
‘Toto Wolff: ‘Absolutely Apoplectic’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1627671/toto-wolff-mercedes-team-principal-meeting-canadian-grand-prix-f1-news
Wolff slams ‘pitiful’ rivals as FIA intervention issue escalates
Jun 19 2022
By Scott Mitchell
Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has accused “pitiful” rivals of being “disingenuous” and playing “political games” while the FIA tries to help address the worst traits of the 2022 cars. The situation appears to have reached boiling point in Montreal, where Wolff is said to have made his dissatisfaction very clear in a meeting of F1’s team bosses.
He said after qualifying in Canada: “This is a sport where you’re trying to keep a competitive advantage or gain it, but this situation has clearly gone too far. “All drivers, at least one in every team, have said that they were in pain after Baku, that they had difficulty in keeping the car on track, or blurred vision.
“And team principals trying to manipulate what is being said in order to keep the competitive advantage, and trying to play political games when the FIA tries to come up with a quick solution to at least put the cars in a better position, is disingenuous. That’s what I said.”
‘Wolff Slams Rival’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/wolff-slams-pitiful-rivals-as-fia-intervention-issue-escalates/
Christian Horner tells Toto Wolff to 'sort your own house out' as tempers boil in meeting
TENSIONS are said to have spilled over at a meeting between the Formula One team principals ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.
08:43, Sun, Jun 19, 2022
By TOM SUNDERLAND
Red Bull boss Christian Horner reportedly told Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff to 'put his own house in order' after the pair clashed at a meeting between Formula One team principals on Saturday. A summit was called as the Silver Arrows continue to struggle with this season's new regulations, though other teams are less inclined to implement further changes.
In response to this, Horner allegedly told Wolff to 'put his own house in order'. Ferrari's softer-spoken principal, Mattia Binotto, is understood to have waded in and disagreed with Wolff that there was a need for more regulation reform. The Italian reportedly went so far as to suggest Wolff only wanted alterations as Mercedes had not succeeded with this year's re-design of the cars.
"It was a row on a different scale from any of the press conference spats we have seen before," said one source with knowledge of the meeting, as quoted by the Mail on Sunday.
‘Row On A Different Scale’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1627742/Christian-Horner-Toto-Wolff-tempers-boil-Red-Bull-Mercedes-Canadian-Grand-Prix-F1-meeting
Wolff: Team principals trying to manipulate what is said, just pitiful
19 June, 2022
Jad Mallak
Toto Wolff slammed manipulative team principals that brief their drivers what to say regarding Formula 1‘s ongoing “porpoising” row as pitiful.
The Mercedes team boss was speaking to the media after qualifying in Montreal on Saturday, with the main topic being the FIA’s recent drive to reduce the bouncing of the 2022 F1 cars which, like everything in F1, has created controversy and debate.
Wolff himself, and Mercedes have been accused of raising this storm around “porpoising”, because their W13 is the worst car of the 2022 lot to suffer from it, and the eight-time Constructors’ Champions are unable to sort it out, hence their push to change the regulations. When this was pointed out to him, Wolff responded: “So of course, people will question whether my position is sincere or not. That’s why I’m saying it’s not only our problem.”
‘’Toto Wolff: Manipulative Team Principals’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/19/wolff-team-principals-trying-to-manipulate-what-is-said-just-pitiful/
Livid Toto Wolff accuses Christian Horner and F1 bosses of 'ganging up' in angry row
MERCEDES principal Toto Wolff has endured a poor season so far in Formula One.
10:50, Sun, Jun 19, 2022
By WILL LANCASTER
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has accused his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner and other Formula One bosses of 'ganging up on him' at a team principals meeting in Montreal on Saturday, per reports.
Team principals met up on the Saturday morning to discuss the season so far - something that caused friction between Wolff and Horner amongst others.
Porpoising, regulation changes and the current campaign so far were on the agenda, although things turned sour against Wolff as he became agitated, according to the Daily Mail. And the argument got so heated that witnesses claimed that the Austrian 'lost his s**t' at his fellow principals.
‘Lost His S**t’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1627776/Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-accuses-Christian-Horner-ganging-up-Canada-Grand-Prix
Christian Horner claims Toto Wolff rivalry is an F1 feud like no other
Sunday 19 June 2022 18:00
Graham Shaw
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claims his 2021 rivalry with Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff was like nothing he has seen in F1. Horner versus Wolff became a major subplot to the Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton title battle which raged up until the final lap of a thrilling season and beyond.
Mercedes this year has so far failed to challenge at the front, leaving Ferrari to become the main rival to Red Bull for championship glory. Horner claims the Red Bull versus Ferrari rivalry, and his relationship with Scuderia team principal Mattia Binotto, is very different.
"It has been contained to being on track, which is healthy," added Horner. "It’s the way it should be. Last year it bubbled over into a lot of off-track politicking, and other things in the background. It’s a lot less personal now.”
‘’F1 Feud Like No Other’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85236/christian-horner-toto-wolff-f1-feud/
Christian Horner: 'Element of theatre' in Toto Wolff's F1 safety concerns
20th June 2022, 12:25
ESPN.com
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has accused his opposite number at Mercedes, Toto Wolff, of overplaying concerns about the ride of the current generation of Formula One cars.
Horner, whose Red Bull cars have won the last six races and are among the least affected by the bouncing, has long argued that the bouncing is not a matter for the FIA to address but for the teams to sort out independently.
Asked if Wolff was perhaps playing up to Netflix cameras present in the meeting to record footage for the next season of the docuseries "Drive to Survive," Horner added: "I think there was an element of theatre going on in that meeting, so maybe with Lewis's new movie coming along he's getting in role for it."
‘Wolff, The Movie’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/34120638/christian-horner-element-theatre-toto-wolff-f1-safety-concerns
Toto Wolff says Mercedes' porpoising problems solved but demands action on "phenomenon"
18:34, 20 JUN 2022
BY Mark Whiley
Mercedes were brimming with positivity following the Canadian Grand Prix which saw Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finish third and fourth respectively and show strong pace. Mercedes have confidently declared they have solved porpoising problems following their strong showing at the F1 Canadian Grand Prix.
"I think in a way we have dissected what we define as porpoising or bouncing, and it is that the porpoising, which is the aerodynamic movement of the car, I think that's solved and we got on top of this around Barcelona," he explained.
"It is more that the ride of the cars is really what causes the comments of the drivers. The cars are simply all too stiff. The kerb ride is bad, the bump ride is bad and I would say that now, with dissecting this problem, you can tackle it better."
‘Toto Wolff: Porpoising Solved’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/toto-wolff-hamilton-mercedes-f1-27284830
Fortitude
22nd June 2022, 02:38
Ocon proud of ‘awesome’ race in Canada as he scores ‘big points’ with P6.
Esteban Ocon said he had "maximised the potential" he had in the Canadian Grand Prix after coming home in sixth – equalling his best result of the year.
19 Jun 2022.
‘Maximising Potential’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.ocon-proud-of-awesome-race-in-canada-as-he-scores-big-points-with-p6.1736098968266258986.html
Fernando Alonso claims he's '100 times faster' than teammate Esteban Ocon in Canadian GP
After a qualifying session to remember, Alpine's Fernando Alonso endured a race to forget as he suffered an engine problem, was kept behind his teammate and then hit with a five-second penalty
16:40, 20 JUN 2022
BY Mark Whiley
The Canadian Grand Prix started with such promise but ended in extreme frustration for Fernando Alonso. He clearly didn't have the pace of Sainz and Hamilton and eventually dropped down the field, but still looked capable of a strong points finish. However, the decision not to stop under the two early virtual safety cars appeared to be the wrong call and he found himself in seventh place behind teammate Estaban Ocon in the closing stages.
Alonso was also managing an engine problem, which affected his speed in a straight line and led to him being told to hold position in seventh spot. That clearly irked Alonso, who complained about the call to his engineer over the radio. "Even with a straight line issue, I'm 100 times faster."
If that wasn't annoying enough for the veteran, he was then hit with a five-second penalty after being found guilty of excessive weaving as he tried to hold off the Alfa Romero of Valtteri Bottas. With the field bunched up due to a full safety car, it cost Alonso two places, consigning him to a ninth-place finish and just two points.
‘EL PLAN: 100 times faster’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/alonso-ocon-alpine-canada-f1-27283840
Alpine disagree with Alonso’s penalty for weaving on the final lap
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 20th June 2022, 13:18
Written by Keith Collantine and Will Wood
Alpine team management defended Fernando Alonso after he was penalised for weaving on the final lap of the Canadian Grand Prix. Alonso was penalised, as Lance Stroll was in Australia, for the defensive moves he performed while trying to keep Valtteri Bottas behind. Bottas drew close to the Alpine on the final lap as Alonso had a snap of oversteer at the exit of turn nine.
The stewards ruled Alonso violated the International Sporting Code regulation which states “more than one change of direction to defend a position is not permitted.” They called Alonso’s driving a “clear breach” of the rules, but Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer disagreed. “Was it deserved? No,” he commented after the race.
It is the second time this year Alonso has lost points due to a post-race penalty. His five-second time penalty yesterday dropped him from seventh to ninth; in Miami the same cost him a points finish. On that occasion Alpine complained they had not been able to make representations to the stewards about their driver’s penalty.
‘Alonso Penalty Debate’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/20/alpine-disagree-with-alonsos-penalty-for-weaving-on-the-final-lap/
Alpine boss Szafnauer keeps it real in Mercedes fight
Tuesday 21 June 2022 13:55
Sam Hall
Otmar Szafnauer claims Alpine must remain "realistic" of its position after Fernando Alonso lost out in his battle with Lewis Hamilton at the Canadian Grand Prix. Reflecting on the weekend, team principal Szafnauer said: "[It was] good points. Without the safety car it could have been a little better but you can't control that.”
"The pace of the car in the wet was good; the pace of the car in the dry, we thought we would be not as fast as the Ferraris and the Red Bulls, but about as fast as the Mercedes. "As it turned out, the Mercedes got us because of some circumstance.”
"But in the championship overall, we're not going to beat them, we're not going to finish third. We have to be realistic. So in fighting for fourth, I'm really happy that we've scored a lot of points."
‘Alpine being realistic’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85439/alpine-szafnauer-realistic-mercedes-fight/
‘It’s against the regulation’: Alpine boss warns Mercedes upgrade could be ‘protested’
The FIA began a clampdown on "porpoising" and bouncing at last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer was not convinced by the FIA’s initial decision to allow Mercedes to run an extra stay on their car during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
20 June 2022
by James Clifford
One of the caveats of the directive was that, since it was passed at such short notice, the teams could install an extra stay on the floor to keep the car stable. According to a report by Auto Motor und Sport, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull were all wondering how and why Mercedes happened to have another one ready.
However, the fact that some teams were able to gain an advantage due to the directive was something Szafnauer had one or two queries about. “As far as the process goes, it’s a technical directive – and technical directives, as we all know, are not regulations,” he commented.
“So it could very well be that we shouldn’t be running this in qualifying in the race. If teams have brought those stays, I would imagine they could be perhaps looked at after and protested. So it’s against the regulation as it stands today. We definitely don’t have one. And unfortunately, if you do have an extra stay, you can run the car lower and stiffer, and gain some advantage.”
‘Mercedes Upgrade Could Be Protested’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/its-against-the-regulation-alpine-boss-warns-mercedes-upgrade-could-be-protested/
Fortitude
23rd June 2022, 04:47
Bottas full of praise for rookie team mate Zhou after double points finish for Alfa Romeo.
Valtteri Bottas was pleased with his points finish Canada – a result made all the sweeter as his Alfa Romeo team mate Guanyu Zhou was also in the top 10.
19 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
‘Alfa Romeo Double Points’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.bottas-full-of-praise-for-rookie-team-mate-zhou-after-double-points-finish-for-alfa-romeo.1736101367107139464.html
Alfa Romeo’s Frédéric Vasseur: “I can’t fault either of the drivers for their races”
June 22, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Frédéric Vasseur says he cannot fault the performance of either Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu during Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, with the team scoring a seventh and eighth place finish at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Vasseur, the Team Principal at Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, says the team can be happy with the performance they showed throughout the weekend in Canada, and to score points with both drivers was a good result heading into the British Grand Prix next month. “We achieved a really good result as a team and we can be really pleased with our performance,” said Vasseur.
“Both Valtteri and Zhou executed their races well and were able to bring home their cars in the points, which is a nice reward after a few tough weekends. It shows the spirit of this team, we didn’t let our heads drop and we came back fighting here in Canada.”
‘Alfa Romeo Performance Happy’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/alfa-romeos-frederic-vasseur-i-cant-fault-either-of-the-drivers-for-their-races/
'Alfa Romeo can fight for race wins,' says Valtteri Bottas
June 21st 2022 - LAST UPDATED: JUNE 22ND 2022
Author Motor Sport
Valtteri Bottas has set a target to win races with Alfa Romeo believing the team can build on its 2022 F1 season. Valtteri Bottas believes that he can win races with Alfa Romeo if his team can build on its strong “base performance” in seasons to come.
The Finn, who left Mercedes with a career tally of ten grand prix victories, says that finishing on the podium is a realistic goal thanks to Formula 1’s budget cap, which prevents smaller teams being vastly outspent by larger rivals. Speaking on Motor Sport’s My big break podcast, Bottas says that with “a lot of hard work”, Alfa can be fighting with the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull at the top of F1.
Having signed a multi-year deal with the team, Bottas can see himself spearheading the charge for grand prix wins. “We’re not at the peak,” said Bottas. “I can see that and the people know it, that we still have so many things that we can do better.”
‘Build On Strong Performance’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/alfa-romeo-can-fight-for-race-wins-says-valtteri-bottas#
Valtteri Bottas: “The timing of the Safety Car was ideal, I was like ‘happy days!’”
June 22, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Valtteri Bottas was lucky with the timing of the safety car during Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, with the Finn securing seventh place as a result. Yuki Tsunoda’s crash at turn two as he exited the pits on cold tyres brought out the safety car, with the timing falling in line with the Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN driver’s solitary pit stop to switch from the Hard to Medium Pirelli tyre.
“We can be pleased with today’s race, especially with the pace we have shown throughout the afternoon,” said Bottas. “It’s always good to get double points, particularly after a couple of difficult races, but the most important thing was to see that we could fight the cars around us and that we are back at the level we had at the start of the season.”
‘Ideal Safety Car Timing’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/valtteri-bottas-the-timing-of-the-safety-car-was-ideal-i-was-like-happy-days/
'I think everyone will be proud of me back home' – Guanyu Zhou on his best F1 result so far
19 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Rookie driver Guanyu Zhou was classified P8 in the Canadian Grand Prix – his best result yet since joining the F1 grid – and he joined Will Buxton on the F1 Live Post Race Show to explain what it felt like from inside the cockpit...
‘Proud Back Home’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.i-think-everyone-will-be-proud-of-me-back-home-guanyu-zhou-on-his-best-f1-result-so-far.1736104214087547953.html
Zhou happy to give points to 'proud' Chinese F1 fans
21/06/2022 at 10:03
Phillip van Osten
Alfa Romeo's Guanyu Zhou helped deliver to the Swiss outfit in Canada its second double-points finish of the season, an achievement that he hopes his fans in China are proud of.
It was Zhou's second run in the points after Bahrain, and a reward that went a long way towards dissipating the frustrations accumulated by the Chinese driver in the past month. "Yeah, happy to see the chequered flag first of all as there’s been frustration going on before this weekend," Zhou told F1 TV.
"This weekend, a new track, we arrived here with no clue what it’s going to be but I’m just so happy with the performance as a team. Yesterday [Saturday] was good, today we’ve finally got both cars in the points after Bahrain, so we showed good momentum for the coming races."
‘Happy to see Chequered Flag’;
https://f1i.com/news/445700-zhou-happy-to-give-points-to-proud-chinese-f1-fans.html
Bottas Almost Quit F1 in 2018 After Failing to Challenge Hamilton
Updated June 22, 2022 3:43 PM
By Madeline Coleman Sports Illustrated
Valtteri Bottas revealed that he not only almost walked away from Mercedes but Formula One entirely following the 2018 season. Two years into his time with Mercedes, the Finnish driver had struggled to challenge teammate Lewis Hamilton, sometimes landing into more of a support-type role while the Brit battled Sebastian Vettel during the German’s time at Ferrari.
Bottas tallied 21 podiums that included three wins and six poles in those first two years while Hamilton scored 30 podiums (20 wins) and 22 pole positions. “At the end of 2018 I almost stopped. It was so close,” Bottas told Motorsport Magazine’s My Big Break podcast. “Just because of the fact I couldn’t understand and take in the fact I couldn’t beat Lewis in those two years.”
“I put so much pressure on myself. Towards the end of ’18, especially when I started to have the support role, I really couldn’t take it, I really struggled. It was not fun.” He said that he found himself in a “dark place” after the season and was ready to walk away, saying he “was done.”
‘Bottas Almost Quit’;
https://www.fresnobee.com/sports/article262783573.html#storylink=mainstage_card
Fortitude
23rd June 2022, 14:16
Stroll praises ‘great work’ by Aston Martin after finishing 10th in home Grand Prix, as Vettel reflects on frustrating race.
Lance Stroll said he was “super-happy” after the Canadian Grand Prix, with the Aston Martin driver taking the final points paying position in 10th at his home race – while his frustrated team mate Sebastian Vettel rued his misfortune in the race after finishing 12th.
21 June 2022
Formula 1.
Stroll started the race 17th and did 47 laps on the hard tyre in the first stint, as he made his way all the way up to P8, where he defended from the fast-charging Alfa Romeo of Zhou Guanyu.
After pitting for the medium tyre, Stroll was able to pass the McLaren of Daniel Ricciardo on Lap 63 for P10, to seal his points finish since Miami. And the delighted Canadian praised the work done by his team, after a "challenging" start to the season.
"We had a great strategy for this race, and I am super-pleased to have been able to score a point,” said Stroll. “We did a great job deciding to go long on the first set of tyres to make a one-stop race work, managing to keep a string of cars behind me. The overtake on Daniel [Ricciardo] was a nice bonus – we were on fresher tyres, so it was a pretty easy move.”
‘P10 Stroll, Great Work’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.stroll-praises-great-work-by-aston-martin-after-finishing-10th-in-home-grand.3LS3E8FFHEJPXNyy8GShBJ.html
Stroll credits 'good strategy' for points finish in his home Grand Prix
19 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Lance Stroll said his Aston Martin wasn't "very quick" in Montreal, and said his first points finish in four races was thanks to a good strategy from the team.
‘Good Strategy for P10’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.stroll-credits-good-strategy-for-points-finish-in-his-home-grand-prix.1736095614916016680.html
Superfan Henry meets Lance Stroll at his home race
19.06.2022
Aston Martin
Everyone dreams of meeting their hero, and for young superfan Henry, he got the chance to have a personal video call with his Canadian idol Lance ahead of the 2021 Monaco GP.
This year, with the return to Montreal for the first time since 2019, Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team organised a special visit for Henry to come to the track ahead of the Canadian GP.
Henry was taken behind the scenes to the team's paddock, given some AMF1 merch, and, most excitingly, had a chat with our very own Lance Stroll.
‘Super Fan Henry’;
https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/superfan-henry-meets-lance-stroll-at-his-home-race
Stroll ‘not yet really that confident’ with Aston’s AMR22
22/06/2022, 11:21
by Phillip Horton
Lance Stroll says he is striving to get into a “more comfortable place” with Aston Martin’s AMR22 after revealing a lack of confidence with the car. Stroll has endured a subdued season so far, often trailing team-mate Sebastian Vettel, and has been towards the lower end of Formula 1’s midfield.
“We’re always learning but I think just on my side I want to get into a better and more comfortable place with the car,” said Stroll. “I still feel that I’m not really that confident in the car, and [not] feeling very precise and just predictable in the car.”
“Yeah, I think I’ve still got to get working to get back to the place I felt I was at last year and the year before where it was just more predictable and more comfortable. Right now it’s still a little bit difficult for me and I’ve got to keep working with my engineers and try and sort that out.”
‘’Working with my Engineers’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/06/22/stroll-not-yet-really-that-confident-with-astons-amr22/
INSIDER: How does an F1 mechanic's job vary during a race weekend?
23.06.2022
Aston Martin.
It's not just the race cars in the garages that need to be well-maintained, but plenty of spare parts that are kept ready to be used throughout a race weekend. Lewis O'Brien, Floating Trackside Mechanic, explains more.
The unpredictability of a race weekend means that things can change at a moment's notice, both on and off the track. Keeping any spare parts maintained and making sure they're all on standby in case they need replacing ensures that the team is ready to make any changes or upgrades as efficiently as possible.
‘Aston Martin Upgrades On Standby’;
https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/insider-how-does-an-f1-mechanics-job-vary
Fortitude
24th June 2022, 06:25
Lando Norris laments Montreal "weekend from hell".
Lando Norris has described McLaren's Montreal misery as "a weekend from hell" as their rollercoaster 2022 season took a fresh turn.
Tuesday 21 June 2022 10:35
Graham Shaw
Writing in his column in the Telegraph, Norris conceded: "Montreal was, truth be told, a bit of a weekend from hell for us at McLaren. "But there is no reason to believe we cannot turn things around and be a lot more competitive at our home race at Silverstone next week.”
"After all, we went from 15th at the first race of this season at Bahrain, where we were miles off the pace, to fifth in Australia two races later, and then a podium finish at Imola. It felt a bit like everything that could have gone wrong in Montreal did go wrong. In qualifying, we had an issue with the power unit which ruled me out of Q2.”
"That was a blow because those changeable conditions were just what we would have wanted, offering opportunities to make up places. Given the lack of overtaking in the race the following day, every place on the grid was invaluable."
‘Weekend from Hell’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85431/lando-norris-mclaren-weekend-from-hell-canadian-grand-prix/
What went wrong in McLaren’s double-stack Canadian GP stop
Jun 20 2022
By Edd Straw
McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andreas Seidl has blamed a “communication issue” for the disastrous double-stack pitstop that cost both Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris time in the Canadian Grand Prix.
Ricciardo ran ninth between the two Alfa Romeos, with Norris 13th, when Mick Schumacher parked his Haas at Turn 3 on lap 20 after suffering a power unit problem. The virtual safety car was deployed while the McLaren pair were on the back straight, making it a logical decision to call both in. Ricciardo’s stop was around four seconds longer than it should have been, which was thanks to a slow front-right wheel change.
“It was a late call and therefore that’s why it was a little scrappy,” said Ricciardo of his pitstop. “It was only when I was pulling off, I went to look in my mirror [to see] if there was another car and I saw Lando, so we did double stack. I guess probably not a well-polished race.”
‘Late Call, Scrappy Pit Stop’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-went-wrong-in-mclarens-double-stack-canadian-gp-stop/
McLaren’s tough Canadian GP showed “the car’s not good enough” – Norris
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 20th June 2022, 12:16
Written by Keith Collantine and Hazel Southwell
Lando Norris said the Canadian Grand Prix was a wake-up call for McLaren that their car is not competitive enough. Neither McLaren driver scored after encountering a series of problems during the weekend. Norris was compromised by a power unit fault in qualifying and both drivers were delayed by a slow pit stop when McLaren attempted to service both cars consecutively during a Virtual Safety Car period.
McLaren’s form has been patchy this season. Norris reached the podium at Imola but hasn’t finished in the top five since. He said their lack of performance in Canada showed “the car’s not good enough. At times it’s strong,” he continued, “I was a little bit more optimistic after Friday that we could achieve more today.”
“But when I was stuck behind the Williams they’re so fast, probably the quickest in the straights, and we’re probably the slowest in straights and then it’s literally impossible to overtake so we can’t do anything.”
‘Car Not Good Enough’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/20/tough-canadian-grand-prix-showed-the-cars-not-good-enough-norris/
McLaren has to "up game" after disastrous Montreal F1 weekend
McLaren Formula 1 boss Andreas Seidl admits that the team has to up its game after a communications error cost Lando Norris time in the pits in the Canadian Grand Prix.
Motorsport.com 16:50 Tue, 21 Jun
By: Adam Cooper
Seidl also conceded that the team has to find more performance as midfield rivals continue to improve their cars. Norris started only 14th after a power unit sensor issue struck him in qualifying, obliging the team to go back to an older unit for the race, at a cost of some straightline performance.
On the plus side, Seidl believes that the power unit taken out of Norris's car before the race can be returned to the pool. "What happened yesterday on Lando's PU was an issue with a sensor which was then causing a loss of power and a misfire, that's why we had to abort Q2.”
"We did an analysis afterwards and in the garage we took the decision to switch on the power unit back to the other one which is in the pool, in the morning. We expect that the PU from [Saturday] can be repaired, and therefore at the moment there's no sign that we couldn't finish season with three power units."
‘Performance Analysis’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-has-to-up-its-game-after-disastrous-montreal-f1-weekend/10326124/
Seidl: McLaren clearly needs to 'up its game'
22/06/2022 at 12:47
Michael Delaney
McLaren F1 boss Andreas Seidl says his team's results of late, and especially last weekend in Canada, clearly indicate that the papaya squad needs to "up its game'. Seidl owned up to his team's downbeat performance, and even felt compelled to apologize to his drivers for not supplying to them the package they deserved.
"Obviously a disappointing day for us, a highly disappointing weekend for various reasons," acknowledged the German, quoted by Motorsport.com. "Reliability issues, an operational issue today in the race, but also in terms of pace, and where we want to be.”
"On the operation side during the pitstop today, we had a communications issue that was in the end snowballing into this issue that we have seen. We need to analyse and come back stronger. Obviously, I don't want to go too much into detail, because it's something we have to review internally, as a team what went wrong there," he said. "Like I said before, in the end it was down to a communications issue within the team and that was causing the delays then."
‘McLaren Needs To Up Its Game’;
https://f1i.com/news/445761-seidl-mclaren-clearly-needs-to-up-its-game.html
Seidl: McLaren has to improve ‘in all areas’ after ‘disastrous’ Canadian GP
22 June 2022, 15:56
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
McLaren must up its game “in all areas” if it wants to remain in contention for fourth place in the constructors’ championship, insists Formula 1 team principal Andreas Seidl.
The Woking-based team came away from last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix having had neither car finish inside the points paying positions, while its nearest rivals secured top-10 finishes.
Lando Norris was struck with an engine issue in qualifying that left him only 14th on the grid, forcing him to revert to an older-spec power unit for the race. Norris’ chances to make progress in the grand prix were dashed when McLaren pitted both its drivers together under the virtual safety car, only to not have his tyres ready.
‘Improvements Needed, After Disaster’;
https://readmotorsport.com/2022/06/22/seidl-mclaren-has-to-improve-in-all-areas-after-disastrous-canadian-gp/
No more major upgrades for McLaren this season
Jun 22 2022
The Race.
McLaren has suggested any further upgrades to its 2022 Formula 1 car will only be “small, little changes” as it focuses on unlocking performance from its existing package. The MCL36 has been an erratic performer in F1’s midfield so far this year, ranging from the third-fastest car at its peak (Australia) to the eighth-fastest (Bahrain).
McLaren has failed to score points in three races but also has a podium finish from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, further highlighting the inconsistent nature of its season. However, the solution to addressing that inconsistency will not lie in “major upgrades” to the car, according to team principal Andreas Seidl.
“The main thing at the moment is still to try to unlock more performance from the package that we have,” he said. “And then we need to see which further small little changes to the car will come throughout the course of the season.”
‘Unlock Performance From The Existing Package’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/no-more-major-upgrades-for-mclaren-this-season/
Fortitude
24th June 2022, 17:51
Gasly “very disappointed” as brake trouble spoils Canadian GP weekend.
After claiming his best result of the season so far with fifth place in Azerbaijan, Gasly suffered an elimination in Q1 in Canada, and took the chequered flag in 14th place.
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 21st June 2022, 0:01
Written by Keith Collantine
Gasly suffers litany of woe. He said afterwards he was “very disappointed” with the problems which materialised during qualifying. “We had this brake issue so the front brakes glazed and we were basically braking on three tyres and it put us out of position.
“Then after when we started from the back we know it’s always harder but we just struggled massively for pace. Massive understeer, poor traction, struggled with the brake temps and everything. So just a very, very difficult day for us.”
Tsunoda ‘pushed too much’ Yuki Tsunoda was in no mood to elaborate when he spoke to RaceFans following his exit from Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix: “I was pushing too much at the pit exit and that’s it.”
Canadian Disappointment’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/21/racefans-round-up-21-06-5/
Pierre Gasly mystified by AlphaTauri Canada struggles
Tuesday 21 June 2022 15:00
Sam Hall
Pierre Gasly was left baffled by AlphaTauri's lack of pace at the Canadian Grand Prix after finishing 14th. AlphaTauri scored points at each of the first four races of the season but in the five most recent outings, the team has failed to feature in the top 10 on three occasions.
Gasly made a shock exit Q1 in wet conditions in Canada after registering the second-fastest time in the equally sodden final practice session. Although the Frenchman climbed two positions from 16th to 14th on Sunday, this can be attributed to the retirements of drivers that started ahead of him, an outcome that left the 26-year-old scratching his head.
"I don't know if it's track-specific or whether it's a certain set-up direction on some tracks that we need to have people look into," explained Gasly. “But clearly, at the moment, I don't know why, but in Canada, we were just not competitive."
‘Mystifying Canadian Struggles’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85459/pierre-gasly-alphatauri-canadian-grand-prix/
'I just pushed too much on the pit exit' explains Tsunoda after his Lap 49 crash
19 Jun 2022
Formula 1.
Yuki Tsunoda said his crash in the Canadian Grand Prix was simply down to him pushing too hard when he came out of the pit lane after his stop.
‘Pushing Too Hard’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.i-just-pushed-too-much-on-the-pit-exit-explains-tsunoda-after-his-lap-49-crash.1736092797560084888.html
Tsunoda apologises to AlphaTauri: I screwed up
21 June 12:50
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
It is thought that the Japanese driver struck a bump while pushing "too hard" to return to the track ahead of his rivals, a bump spotted and commented on by others during practice.
"I screwed up," he said to the media, including RacingNews365.com, as he criticised his mistake. “I’ve already been to apologise to all the team. I just pushed too much on pit exit and, unfortunately, I went into the wall."
Tsunoda added: "The pace was good today, and we’d made a strong recovery up until that point, even if it was hard to overtake, so I’m disappointed with that ending.”
‘Striking a Bump’;
https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-apologises-to-alphatauri-i-screwed-up
Gasly describes midfield battle as ‘death’
Date published: June 24 2022
Sam Cooper
Pierre Gasly has described the midfield battle this year as “death” following his disappointing start to the campaign. Since he rejoined Red Bull’s sister team, Gasly has been improving year on year. Earning a 10th place finish in the World Drivers’ Championship in 2020 and improving that by one place last season.
“The season has not started as we expected, we are having more difficulties with the car than we had planned at the beginning,” Gasly said at a Hawkers sunglasses event. “It is a completely different car than last year’s and it has given us a lot of unforeseen events, as well as bad luck in several races.
“We have lost several points due to team mistakes and it’s a shame. We are trying to improve all together and I hope we will soon get the results we deserve.” AlphaTauri are lagging behind in the midfield battle and are closer to the bottom of the table than they are to fourth. Gasly described this year’s fight for the ‘best-of-the-rest’ title as “death.”
‘Midfield Battling’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre-gasly-describes-midfield-battle-death/
‘Proud’ Gasly’s 2023 AlphaTauri F1 drive now official
24th June 2022, 10:24
By Scott Mitchell
“He is definitely in the group of the best and most competitive drivers in F1 and has proven his abilities during all the time he has spent with us,” said Tost.
“Pierre can undoubtedly play a major part in our having a successful season next year and it will be down to us to provide him with a competitive car, so that he can continue to deliver excellent results.”
However, unsurprisingly, the announcement only covers the 2023 season. It is likely Gasly will explore options to leave the Red Bull family for 2024 and beyond.
‘Pierre Gasly Options’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/proud-gaslys-2023-alphatauri-f1-drive-now-official/
Liked by Pedro Gaseoso – The Updated Pierre Gasly Meme Everyone in Formula 1 Loves
20 Jun 2022, 14:55 UTC ·
by Monica Coman
Pierre Gasly has been a meme in the Formula One community for years because of how much time he spends liking posts on social media. But after a Spanish newspaper translated his name to Pedro Gaseoso, we have the "Liked by Pierre Gasly" 2.0.
If you haven’t been up to date with the “Liked by Pierre Gasly” meme, here’s the place to find out what this is all about. It all started in 2016 when a Twitter user who went by PetaPan17 tweeted that Gasly liked one of his tweets, therefore he was now a fan.
Now, we have an update to the meme and a suggested new name for the French racing driver. A Spanish newspaper translated his name to Pedro Gaseoso in a breakdown about the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as shared by a user called @roccoleclerc. Other names received variations as well, including “Luis” Hamilton, "Carlos" Leclerc, and “Jorge” Russell. The names of the teams were not exempt from the weird translation either, with AlphaTauri becoming "Alfa" and Alpine getting the name “Alpino.”
‘Pierre Gasly Fan Club’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/liked-by-pedro-gaseoso-the-updated-pierre-gasly-meme-everyone-in-formula-1-loves-191671.html
Fortitude
25th June 2022, 06:55
Formula 1 community slams Air Canada after pregnant Williams employee removed from flight.
A pregnant member of the Williams team was one of those removed from the flight.
25 June 2022
by James Clifford
The Formula 1 community has expressed its frustration at Air Canada after a number of people, including a pregnant Williams team member, were removed from a flight from Montreal to London.
After the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, a plane carrying multiple members of the paddock was held on the ground by armed forces who, with little to no explanation, decided to eject people from the plane.
F1 publication Motorsport Week reported that one of their employees had also been removed, and that no support or help was given to them when they disembarked and headed back to the gate.
‘Armed Forces in Canada’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/formula-1-community-slams-air-canada-after-pregnant-williams-employee-removed-from-flight/
F1 employees, other passengers thrown off Air Canada flight for no reason?
Publishing date: Jun 24, 2022
Author of the article: Denette Wilford
Jordan Conlan, 28, part of the Williams team, and 24 other passengers were tossed from a flight headed to London from Montreal, following the Canadian Grand Prix, the Daily Mail reported. He said everyone on board was quiet, “behaving properly” and all appeared to be wearing masks. After an hour of sitting on the runway, an airport security staffer entered the plane and began walking up and down the aisles. “Then all of a sudden, a long line of five or seven police officers came on the flight,” Conlan told the Mail.
One by one, passengers were ordered off the plane including three of Conlan’s teammates — one with a broken leg, a pregnant woman, and their colleague. The latter two “were both crying and very upset. They just could not understand it.” When it was Conlan’s turn to be ejected, he asked why but said he wasn’t given a reason.
Four members of the Aston Martin F1 team were also booted along with someone from the Red Bull team who was not allowed to get his bag — which had his passport, wallet and phone — from the overhead compartment.
Two Canadians sitting next to Conlan were also forced to leave. The Mail also reported on a British couple was removed from the flight after their four-week “dream holiday” in Canada. They were all taken to the baggage area, though the plane ended up leaving with their bags still on board. They were told by an Air Canada employee that they may have been either been drunk or not obeying mask-wearing rules, although all of them insisted they had done nothing wrong. They weren’t booked on new flights by Air Canada due to their “behaviour,” the staffer added.
‘Long line of five or seven police officers’;
https://canoe.com/news/weird/f1-employees-other-passengers-thrown-off-air-canada-flight-for-no-reason/wcm/63bbab00-4a28-464e-9ef8-f9ae6dc6bff0
Thrown off 'for no reason' by armed police: F1 team ordered off Air Canada flight
Jun 24, 2022
Jordan Conlan, 28, and his workmates including a pregnant woman were ejected just before the Heathrow-bound plane left Montreal after last weekend's Grand Prix in the city. MailOnline revealed yesterday how at least 25 passengers were thrown off without being given any proper explanation.
They were later told in the terminal that they may have been either been drunk or not obeying mask-wearing rules, although all of them insisted they had done nothing wrong. Air Canada has admitted it is investigating 'allegations' that some of the passengers were thrown off the plane in error as it sat on the tarmac before taking off.
‘Thrown off 'for no reason' by armed police’;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8UP71qG9CE
Air Canada throws off more than 20 passengers from flight without explanation
24/06/2022, 10:48
Laurene Rey-Millet
Some 25 other passengers were ejected from an Air Canada flight on Tuesday 21 June, with no explanation given as to what they had done wrong.
Passenger Jess McFadyen was onboard flight AC866 to London Heathrow from Montreal when she filmed the moment, calling it “absolutely disgraceful”.
Air Canada confirmed that 25 passengers were “deplaned” from the flight.
A statement from the airline said: “‘We are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident involving a group of 25 customers who were removed from our flight from Montreal to London Monday night, due to disruptive behaviour.”
‘Absolutely Disgraceful’;
https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/220624-airplane-vid-va9150f30
EXCLUSIVE: Second British passenger reveals he and five F1 colleagues were ordered off Air Canada flight by armed police 'along with 25 others' after being wrongly accused of 'being drunk or flouting mask rules'
EXCLUSIVE: Jordan Conlan, 28, from Williams Formula 1 team ordered off an Air Canada flight
He and five others from the team were ejected just before the plane left Montreal
They ejected by armed police with no explanation from Heathrow-bound flight
Published: 15:16, 23 June 2022
By Andrew Young For Mailonline
Jordan who works for a company installing garage walling for the Williams team said he believed around 30 passengers were ordered off the plane on Monday night. In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, he said: ‘Everyone on the plane was behaving properly and it was very quiet.
‘People were as quiet as anything and going to sleep as they waited to get underway. There was no rowdy behaviour and everyone seemed to be wearing masks.
‘We had been sitting on the runway for an hour when a member of security staff from the airport who was in a stab vest began walking up and down the plane.
‘Ordered off Air Canada flight by armed police’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10945959/Second-British-passenger-reveals-five-F1-colleagues-ordered-flight-armed-police.html
F1 Team Members Removed From Montreal Flight Bound For London With Little Explanation
Posted on June 23, 2022
BY Sebastien Bell |
Members of the Formula 1 community were frustrated and angry after dozens of passengers were removed from an Air Canada flight leaving Montreal on Monday night, a day after the Canadian Grand Prix. The plane was headed for London with several team members and journalists aboard.
As many as 23 people were removed from the flight, Jess McFadyen, the Director of Digital Strategy for the Motorsport Network who was among the people on the flight, said on Twitter. She claimed that people were taken off the plane “totally at random.”
A spokesperson for the Montreal Trudeau International Airport told confirmed to the Toronto Star that airport patrol responded to “a situation” aboard the plane and that several passengers were removed “at the request of the flight captain and crew.”
‘Little Explanation for Removal’;
https://www.carscoops.com/2022/06/f1-team-members-removed-from-montreal-flight-bound-for-london-with-little-explanation/
Fortitude
25th June 2022, 14:24
Canadian GP: Tricky race for Williams Racing.
In what was described by Alex Albon as a tricky race the Williams Racing Team would see their drivers Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi finish in 13th and 16th positions.
June 20 2022
By Williams Racing
Nicholas Latifi: "The overall experience of the weekend has been pretty special. It’s great to finally have my first home race and the support I felt from my family, friends and all the fans in the grandstands was amazing.”
Alex Albon: "Going into this weekend, we knew this track was going to be difficult and despite our good qualifying, in the first 3-4 laps I could tell it was going to be a struggle.”
Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance: "It was always going to be difficult to hang on to what we learnt yesterday, and we didn’t have the pace to hold off the quicker cars that started behind us.
‘Tricky Canadian Racing’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st203467.htm
Albon hopeful Williams’ upgrade package aids balance issues.
Alex Albon is hopeful that Williams’ impending upgrade package will assist the squad in unearthing better balances from its FW44.
by Phillip Horton
“Everyone’s been upgrading and we haven’t had a major upgrade in a while now,” said Albon, who reckoned his result was the maximum possible. Williams is poised to introduce a major upgrade package at the British Grand Prix and Albon is optimistic that it can help alleviate some of the FW44’s issues.
“Balance-wise we have weaknesses in the car, which aren’t so clear to be able to fix with what we’ve got right now,” said Albon. “With updates most things are predominantly down to the through corner characteristics of the car, hopefully that’ll put it in a better window.”
“It does make things tricky, depending on the circuits, here [in Montreal] you have high-speed chicanes and very tight corners. It’s hard for us to find a good compromise through the lap, so it escalates.”
‘Hope for Williams’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/06/23/albon-hopeful-williams-upgrade-package-aids-balance-issues/
Latifi: Pace is ‘just not there’ in any form for Williams
Date published: June 24 2022
Editor
Williams’ Nicholas Latifi has bemoaned the performance level of the FW44, revealing there are “no answers” to their lack of pace.
Having finally had an opportunity to take part in his home race in his third season in Formula 1, Latifi was left a disgruntled 16th at the chequered flag after struggling for any sort of pace all weekend.
The Canadian racer finished 15 seconds behind team-mate Alex Albon, despite a late-race Safety Car bunching the pack back together in the closing stages of the race.
‘Pace?’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/nicholas-latifi-pace-not-there-for-williams/
Latifi enjoys 'special' home crowd and little else on the way to P16 in maiden Canadian Grand Prix
22 June 2022
Formula 1.
Nicholas Latifi gave a frank assessment of his performance in his first-ever home Grand Prix after the Canadian finished 16th at Montreal – despite the crowd spurring him on.
“In terms of the actual on-track stuff, there was nothing really enjoyable about the race. We were just lacking a lot of pace. We have to try and understand why, because at the moment there’s no answers.
“Low fuel, high fuel, the pace is just not there, so we have two weeks now to try and do a bit of analysis because it’s not just this race, it’s even from the previous ones. There’s something not quite right there. We’ll see what we can find.”
‘Pace Lacking, Pace Not There’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.latifi-enjoys-special-home-crowd-and-little-else-on-the-way-to-p16-in-maiden.3qGAH2dGA9pH8wdNYyO04U.html
Capito remains coy on Renault engine speculation
Date published: June 25 2022 - Mark Scott
Williams boss Jost Capito would not be drawn on speculation linking the team with a deal to be powered by Renault engines in future. The Renault engine only powers one team, Alpine, on the current Formula 1 grid having lost Red Bull and AlphaTauri as customer teams at the end of the 2018 campaign.
Senior figures at Alpine have stated their openness to adding a customer team to their ranks again, with one of the main benefits being a significant increase in available data with more cars clocking up the miles to provide more valuable insights into power unit performance and reliability.
Williams could be the team to move away from the Mercedes pool, but Capito has said there is still a long way to go before the team’s current agreement with the Silver Arrows expires.
‘Williams Engine deal’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/jost-capito-coy-williams-renault-engine-speculation/
Fortitude
26th June 2022, 07:54
Michael Schumacher would tell Guenther Steiner 'where to go' claims Bernie Ecclestone.
He said: “If Michael was here, he would tell Gunther where to go. That would help a lot."
Fri, 24 Jun 2022, 14:04
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
Mick Schumacher has cost the team millions of pounds in damage after accidents at the Saudi Arabian and Monaco Grands Prix.
The incidents prompted Steiner to hit back at the young German, claiming after Monaco it was “not very satisfactory” to have another big crash again. He also gave no assurances over his future, hinting Schumacher could be ditched at the end of the season.
Steiner simply said: “We need to see how we move forward from here." The Haas team principal has since added “no team would be happy” about the two accidents and stressed “things hadn’t gone to plan”.
‘Where To Go’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1630608/michael-schumacher-mick-guenther-steiner-bernie-ecclestone-f1-news-latest
Steiner won’t be ‘scapegoat’ for Schumacher’s struggles
Date published: June 17 2022
Henry Valantine
Guenther Steiner has said he’s not going to take blame for Mick Schumacher’s problems so far this season, insisting that the team has not placed “unnecessary pressure” on him as he looks to improve, while emphasising that “everyone is expected to perform” at this level.
“I’m not going to be the scapegoat for the fact that things haven’t gone as planned for Mick this year,” Steiner explained to Sky Deutschland. “The fact that he has no points is a fact. The two accidents too. No team would be happy about that. But it’s complete nonsense that we put Mick at a disadvantage or under unnecessary pressure.”
“The team doesn’t ruin any chances on purpose. Nothing better can happen to us than Mick scoring points. I have no problem with Mick. But he has to understand that Formula 1 is a competitive sport in which everyone is expected to perform. If I put my arm around one of my drivers, he won’t be half a second faster.”
‘Won’t Be Scapegoat’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-scapegoat-mick-schumacher-struggles/
Schumacher's father would stop criticism says Ecclestone
JUNE 24, 2022
GrandPrix.com
The 91-year-old former F1 supremo admitted, however, that the performance of F1 legend Michael Schumacher's son is currently "difficult to assess". "We don't know how good or bad the car is," Ecclestone told the German broadcaster NTV. "It makes a big difference whether the car suits his driving style or not."
Indeed, 23-year-old German Schumacher has struggled not just to keep up with experienced Haas teammate Kevin Magnussen this year, but has been widely criticised for his spate of high speed crashes. "If Michael was here, he would tell Gunther where to go," he said. "That would help a lot."
As things stand, though, Ecclestone admits that the situation for Schumacher's F1 career is serious. "If he upsets the team and they kick him out, the question then becomes whether another team is ready to take him on. So he's suffering a bit and hoping someone will give him a chance," he said.
‘Giving Him A Chance’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/schumachers-father-would-stop-criticism-says-ecclestone.html
Steiner: Schumacher must improve while still staying safe
16/06/2022 at 08:54
Andrew Lewin
Haas F1 Team boss Guenther Steiner says that Mick Schumacher needs to find a better balance between playing it safe while still maximising his performance over race weekends. Schumacher has had two big accidents this season in Saudi Arabia and at Monaco, with two cars effectively written off which has strained the small team's budget to the limit.
Steiner says that the young German needs to find a better compromise between keeping the car safe while also being competitive in future. “It is for sure a tricky situation at the moment for him and for the team as well,” Steiner told the media in Baku, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
“This is a performance sport, and what do you need in a performance sport? Performance," he said. “But I think he did the right thing [playing it safe in Baku] because if he would have wrecked again, that wouldn't be good, you know?" he acknowledged.
‘Stay Safe and Improve’;
https://f1i.com/news/444837-steiner-schumacher-must-improve-while-still-staying-safe.html
Haas ‘so far behind’ with new parts production
Date published: June 14 2022
Jon Wilde
Guenther Steiner says Haas are struggling to have new parts available for the VF-22 – as they did not expect so many would need to be produced. Haas have faced costly repair bills this season as a result of crashes involving Mick Schumacher in Saudi Arabia, Miami and Monaco.
“At the moment, the problem is actually getting the parts made because we are so far behind with production now because we didn’t envisage making this many parts,” Haas team principal Steiner told Channel 4. “The production is just the bottleneck at the moment. So we are trying to catch up, just staying alive.”
Asked if that increases the pressure on Schumacher, who has yet to score a point in 30 Formula 1 starts, Steiner said: “Absolutely. Last year was a year when we said we had no expectations, this transition, don’t put any pressure on. “Then you have the second year and you think ‘oh, I did well in the first one’, then Kevin comes in out of F1 retirement and he immediately gets points in the first race. For sure, especially Mick being so young, at some stage you doubt yourself a little bit.
‘New Parts: So Far Behind’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-behind-new-parts-production/
Haas to delay upgrade
17/06/2022
NEWS STORY
Guenther Steiner has revealed that the upgrade originally planned for the forthcoming French Grand Prix will now be introduced a week later in Hungary.
However, speaking to the media as the Canadian Grand Prix weekend got underway, Steiner admitted that due a desire to check on "something in the windtunnel" the upgrade will be held over.
"Maybe it will be Hungary," he said. "We took a step back because we wanted to check something else in the windtunnel, but now we are full steam on in production for Hungary. "That is the aim," he added. "We try to better it, but I don't know where we get to.
‘Haas Upgrade Delay’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72808/Haas-to-delay-upgrade
PALMER: How Haas left Canada without points despite Magnussen and Schumacher's qualifying heroics
22 June 2022
Special contributor: Jolyon Palmer
The start and first lap of the Grand Prix is the most exhilarating time for the drivers. Qualifying sets you in your grid slot and we all know what a huge outcome it can have on your race weekend, but the work can be undone in an instant as the lights go out. Alternatively, you can cement a good position, or even make progress from a disappointing Saturday immediately.
It’s the time when all the cars are together and you have the most jeopardy in the race, both in terms of incidents, but also in terms of just getting a poor start and being shuffled out by a number of rivals, changing the whole outlook of your race, which has been meticulously planned in the morning team briefings.
In Montreal, Haas had their joint best-ever qualifying, but somehow managed to end up with no points at all, for the fifth race in a row. Part of this was due to bad luck for Mick Schumacher, who retired early on with a mechanical failure, but I believe it was also in part down to Kevin Magnussen fighting too hard with Lewis Hamilton at the start, in a move that I’d say was off kilter in the risk vs. reward balance. For the second time in four races Magnussen has been running alongside Hamilton, having had a superb qualifying, but both times they have ended in tears for the Dane.
‘Risk Vs. Reward’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.palmer-how-haas-left-canada-without-points-despite-magnussen-and-schumachers.3JNbyDdbyLAOUstI6qubec.html
Haas set Mick Schumacher contract timeframe
Saturday 18 June 2022 11:30
Ewan Gale
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has set the timeframe for discussions with Mick Schumacher over his future with the team. Asked as to when talks would begin with the 23-year-old on plans for next year, Steiner said: "We won't be getting into anything before the summer break."
Schumacher is still without a point in his F1 career and Magnussen's early-season haul has further highlighted the improvement the German needs to cement his position on the grid. "It isn't easy for him at the moment," explained Steiner. "After the crashes in Jeddah and Monte-Carlo, it is the best he can do in these two races to not do any more damage because that would knock his confidence even more.
"But he is aware of that and he tries to manage. On tracks where you've more space to find your limit, hopefully, he can come back. But the most important thing for him is to keep his nose clean, just to calm himself down and calm down everyone around him as well."
‘Steiner: Important for Schumacher to keep nose clean’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85048/haas-mick-schumacher-contract-timeframe/
Fortitude
26th June 2022, 17:41
Sebastian Vettel viciously booed by Canadian Grand Prix crowd during drivers' parade.
Sebastian Vettel was widely booed by the packed crowd at the Canadian Grand Prix during the drivers' parade.
19 Jun 2022, 17:49
SEBASTIAN VETTEL got a less than warm welcome by the thousands of fans at the Canadian Grand Prix. The Aston Martin driver has used his platform a global sports star to raise awareness on several climate change issues around the world.
This week has seen Vettel take aim at Canada's controversial use of oil sands and the operation in place in Alberta. It appears as though some of those in attendance for Sunday's race didn't take too kindly to Vettel's strong words though and booed the driver as he made his way around the track in the hours before the Grand Prix.
Vettel didn't mince his words in Friday's press conference, when he called out "Canada’s climate crime. I find this – fascinating might be the wrong word – but there’s a lot going on. We live in a time and age where we are so much aware of a lot of things," he said. “I think what happens in Alberta is a crime because you chop down a lot of trees and you basically destroy the place just to extract oil and the manner of doing it with the tar sands mining, oil sands mining is horrible for nature.”
‘Less Than Warm Welcome: Widely Booed’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1627945/Sebastian-Vettel-Canadian-Grand-Prix-booing-crowd-F1-fans-climate-change-oil-sands
Sebastian Vettel makes environmental destruction plea after Canadian "crimes"
Friday 17 June 2022 19:10
Sam Hall
Sebastian Vettel has accused the Canadian government of committing "a crime" with its environmentally destructive oil mining in Alberta's tar sands. The Aston Martin driver, who has backed a number of causes in recent years, did not hold back when offering a damning verdict of Canada's mining of the third-largest oil reserve on the planet.
"I think what happens in Alberta is a crime because you chop down a lot of trees and you basically destroy the place just to extract oil," explained Vettel.
"And the manner of doing it with the tar sands. Mining oil is horrible for nature and obviously, Canada's greenhouse emissions have gone up since they started doing it.”
Environmental Destruction Plea’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85067/sebastian-vettel-environmental-destruction-canadian-crimes/
Ted Kravitz points out Sebastian Vettel protest contradiction at Canadian Grand Prix
17:29, 19 JUN 2022
BY Mark Whiley
Sebastian Vettel is wearing a special helmet at the Canadian Grand Prix in protest against the country's oil sands mining, but has been labelled a hypocrite in some quarters. Sebastian Vettel is continuing his activism by sporting a special helmet at this weekend’s F1 Canadian Grand Prix.
The four-time world champion has been vocal about a number of issues in recent years, including gay rights and climate change. For the Montreal race, the German is wearing a helmet which reads ‘STOP MINING TAR SANDS’ and ‘CANADA’S CLIMATE CRISIS’.
It refers to Canada’s oil sands mining. Extracting oil from the heavy sands is said to be three to five times more energy-intensive than pumping it from wells and can have an adverse environmental impact. However, Vettel’s message has been labelled hypocritical in some quarters as his helmet also carries the logo of Saudi oil company Aramco, one of his Aston Martin team’s main sponsors.
‘Contradiction’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/sebastian-vettel-helmet-protest-kravitz-27274987
Vettel removed controversial ‘climate crime’ helmet for Canadian Grand Prix
2022 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 20th June 2022, 8:20
Written by Keith Collantine and Will Wood
Sebastian Vettel did not wear his helmet drawing attention to “Canada’s climate crime” during yesterday’s Canadian Grand Prix. However his Aston Martin team insisted they did not require him to stop wearing the helmet, which he sported on Friday and Saturday at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Vettel’s helmet and accompanying T-shirt bearing the slogans “Stop mining tar sands” and “Canada’s climate crime” made him a focus of attention after a local political accused him of “hypocrisy”. Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack denied the team had told him to stop wearing the design.
“No, no,” he said when asked. “I mean, he wanted to create awareness with the T-shirt and the helmet. And then at one point, he decided the awareness is created, let’s say, and that was it, and took it off. And he cannot wear the same T-shirt every day!”
‘Create Awareness!’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/20/vettel-removed-controversial-climate-crime-helmet-for-canadian-grand-prix/
Sebastian Vettel hits back at Canadian politician's personal attack
Saturday 25 June 2022 07:00
Ewan Gale
Sebastian Vettel has hit back at Canadian politician Sonya Savage for levelling a personal attack at him over his environmental stance.
But the Aston Martin F1 driver has agreed with the Alberta energy minister's claim that he is a "hypocrite". Vettel has been outspoken in his push for environmental awareness as well as his ongoing campaign against societal rights abuse.
The German has highlighted a different issue at each grand prix, typically with a slogan written on a t-shirt. The race in Canada last weekend was no different as Vettel picked out oil mining on Alberta's tar sands.
‘Sebastian Vettel’s Environmental Awareness Campaign’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85635/vettel-hits-back-canadian-politician-personal-attack/
Vettel reveals why he’s become an activist as he’s matured
Date published: June 26 2022
Editor
Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel has become known for highlighting important social and environmental concerns as one of the F1’s elder statesmen.
Vettel, who turns 35 years old in July, is now one of Formula 1’s eldest drivers, with the four-time World Champion not afraid to use his stature within the sport to highlight issues he feels command more public knowledge and pressure.
At last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, for instance, Vettel chose to highlight Canada’s mining of tar sands and wore a helmet early in the weekend to display imagery of the ecological damage being caused by such mining. It led to a backlash from several prominent Canadian politicians, who labelled Vettel a ‘hypocrite’ for his stance, given his profession and team sponsorship from Saudi oil company Aramco.
‘Matured Activist’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebastian-vettel-on-maturity-activism/
EDITORIAL: Sebastian Vettel needs to quit racing — right now
Publishing date: Jun 20, 2022
Author of the article: Postmedia News
If Sebastian Vettel really thinks Alberta’s oil and gas sector is a “climate crime” then so is his day job as an F1 racer. He needs to stop being a hypocrite and quit racing. Right now.
Vettel smugly arrived at the Montreal Grand Prix wearing a t-shirt that read “Stop Mining Tar Sands” and “Canada’s Climate Crime”.
The shirt had a picture of a pipeline. The helmet he wore to race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve over the weekend bore a similar message. We’re getting more than a little tired of wealthy celebrities flying in to denounce our oil and gas sector. They’re hypocrites, the whole darn lot of them.”
“But Vettel takes things to a whole new level. The guy burns up way more emissions than a regular person. In fact, it’s literally all he does. Formula One is a very gas-guzzling activity and Vittel drives cars in a circle all day. “I have seen a lot of hypocrisy over the years, but this one takes the cake,” Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage tweeted in response to Vettel.
‘Smugly Takes The Cake’;
https://edmontonsun.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-sebastian-vettel-needs-to-quit-racing-right-now
Fortitude
27th June 2022, 05:05
Bernie Ecclestone agrees with Ferrari's concerns over 'dangerous' FIA move.
Bernie Ecclestone: “She (Shalia-Ann Rao) told them about the new directive, obviously!”
09:19, Sun, Jun 26, 2022
By LIAM LLEWELLYN
BERNIE Ecclestone commented on a new FIA appointment that has previous links with Mercedes. Bernie Ecclestone shared the same point of view with Ferrari regarding a new FIA appointment. Shalia-Ann Rao has been made the new interim head of Formula One at the FIA, and she is a former advisor to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. She served as the FIA's legal director from mid-2016 to the end of 2018 before joining the Silver Arrows.
The decision was made following the departure of Peter Bayer, who served as the FIA's F1 executive director since last year and secretary general for sport since 2017. An explanation for the Australian's departure has yet to be explained and nothing points to Rao’s appointment relating to the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year.
Therefore, Ecclestone was unhappy with the announcement, fearing there may be a conflict of interest. “It's bloody dangerous,” he said. “Toto started all this nonsense about the cars needing to change. She told them about the new directive, obviously. She worked with Toto for two or three years.
‘Bernie Ecclestone: “She (Shalia-Ann Rao) told them about the new directive, obviously!” ’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1631183/F1-news-Bernie-Ecclestone-Ferrari-Mattia-Binotto-FIA
Ferrari boss hints at foul play after Mercedes develop new part.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto was left confused as to the speed of Mercedes’ turnaround of an additional floor stay ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.
23 June 2022
by James Clifford
The FIA introduced a technical directive to counter "porpoising" and bouncing in Canada. Because the TD was introduced at short notice, the governing body allowed for an extra floor stay to be installed to keep the car stable, and Mercedes would show up for practice with an extra one on the car.
This would have meant a small team of mechanics flying all the way back to the UK to get them, before bringing them back, which would have taken too long, so Mercedes have kept some workers back, before bringing them out with the new parts when the TD was passed.
Binotto is not entirely convinced by this, but settles on Toto Wolff’s word that they flew some mechanics out later with the additional stays. “Toto says they did it overnight. Ferrari would not be capable of doing this,” he said. “I’m surprised that a team is so strong to manage it overnight. I can only trust what he says.”
‘Foul Play Hinted’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-boss-hints-at-foul-play-after-mercedes-developed-new-part/
Marko: TD ‘backfired’ on Mercedes, must solve their own issues
Date published: June 26 2022
Sam Cooper
Helmut Marko suggested Mercedes had inside information about an FIA technical directive but claims “it came back like a boomerang.” While the data was just being collected in Montreal and the rules would not be enforced until Silverstone, the lateness of the announcement meant all but one team did not have time to change their cars in line with the new regulation.
That one team was Mercedes, who raised suspicion when they appeared with a different floor during one of the practice sessions before swapping it back out. Red Bull’s Marko has suggested the team must have received inside information in order to get the replacement ready in time. “I was very surprised when I saw their floor with that second support,” Marko told the Dutch edition of Motorsport.com.
“When the technical directive came out, it was clear that there would not be enough time to supply such a part.” Marko was reportedly then asked if he believed Mercedes have inside information and he replied: “Otherwise you can’t explain what happened.” The 79-year-old also suggested that although Mercedes had been the team that had campaigned the hardest for new rules to be introduced, they may find it does not work in their favour. “It could come back like a boomerang,” he is quoted as saying.
‘Mercedes Backfiring!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/marko-td-backfired-on-mercedes-must-solve-their-own-issues/
‘It’s against the regulation’: Alpine boss warns Mercedes upgrade could be ‘protested’
The FIA began a clampdown on "porpoising" and bouncing at last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.
20 June 2022
by James Clifford
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer was not convinced by the FIA’s initial decision to allow Mercedes to run an extra stay on their car during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. A new metric was brought in last weekend to determine how much oscillating movement the cars are producing over several health concerns were raised regarding “porpoising” and bouncing.
One of the caveats of the directive was that, since it was passed at such short notice, the teams could install an extra stay on the floor to keep the car stable. According to a report by Auto Motor und Sport, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull were all wondering how and why Mercedes happened to have another one ready.
The Silver Arrows confirmed that they had left some people behind in Brackley, and they then flew out later than the rest of the team with the stays in tow. However, the fact that some teams were able to gain an advantage due to the directive was something Szafnauer had one or two queries about.
‘Wondering How Mercedes, JUST HAPPENED, to have one ready!’
https://formula1news.co.uk/its-against-the-regulation-alpine-boss-warns-mercedes-upgrade-could-be-protested/
Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren concerned about Mercedes cheating after new upgrade unveiled
The FIA have taken measures to try and mitigate the effects of "porpoising" and bouncing.
18 June 2022
by James Clifford
Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren are all said to be bemused as to how Mercedes happened to have an extra floor stay ready, despite the new directive only being announced on Thursday. Mercedes then had an extra one ready to install on the cars of Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on Friday and, according to Michael Schmidt of Auto Motor und Sport, three teams find that rather odd.
“Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren are not only upset that the FIA is changing the rules in the middle of the season and allowing for a second underbody support, they also openly question how Mercedes had such a stay and attachments to the chassis and floor on hand in just one day,” he (Michael Schmidt of Auto Motor und Sport) said.
A Mercedes spokesperson said that the team had left some people behind at Brackley ready for a late call-out with the extra parts. “We had people who flew late to Montreal and took the material with them. Because of our problems with the ground, we were prepared for anything in terms of the stays,” they clarified.
‘Bemused how Mercedes had stay and attachments ‘on hand’ in a day!’
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-red-bull-and-mclaren-concerned-about-mercedes-cheating-after-new-upgrade-unveiled/
Marko makes joke about Hamilton’s back pain as he criticises the FIA
Sir Lewis Hamilton suffered back pain during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, before ending on the podium in Canada.
23 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Hamilton had trouble getting out of his car after finished fourth in Baku, but hopped out much more easily after ending third in Canada last weekend, so Dr Marko could not resist a jab in the ribs. “Hamilton got out of the car quickly today. When he’s on the podium, it’s a lot easier,” he joked.
Dr Marko is unhappy that his team face the possibility of being pegged back to help Mercedes, whom he believes have an easy job to do to fix the bouncing – they just do not want to do it. “I don’t think the FIA’s decisions are right,” he told Sky Germany.
“One team, Mercedes, have the biggest problems and then you react in the middle of the season. There is a simple solution: you just have to raise the car. Then you no longer have this bouncing, but you lose speed. The fact that they are now reacting in this way and trying to impose such powers on the FIA, which practically determine the set-ups of the cars, is a quick fix that has certainly not been thought through.”
‘Imposing Powers On The FIA’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/marko-makes-joke-about-hamiltons-back-pain-as-he-criticises-the-fia/
Fortitude
28th June 2022, 05:11
Torquing Point: Silverstone preview and a look at F1 22.
After a week off, Formula 1 is back this weekend as the teams head to Silverstone for the historic British Grand Prix.
Date published: June 27 2022
Editor
Torquing Point previews the upcoming British Grand Prix as well as the race-packed month of July as we head towards the summer break.
Four drivers on the grid will take part in their hometown race but it is all eyes on Max Verstappen who will be looking to both build on his Championship lead but also avoid a lap-one exit unlike he did last year.
Henry Valantine is joined by Sam Cooper to preview the race as well as take a look at a bumper July that sees four races in five weekends as we gear up for the summer break.
‘Silverstone’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/torquing-point-silverstone-preview-and-a-look-at-f1-22/
Red Bull suggest improving Mercedes will be a 'factor' at British GP
27 June 2022
Ben Issatt
Mercedes can be a "factor" at this weekend's British Grand Prix, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has suggested. Something that more than caught Horner's eye.
“Mercedes’ pace in the race was, you know, they were competitive," he said in Montreal. "Smooth circuit [at Silverstone], they could be a factor. We know the Ferrari’s good in the high-speed stuff, we saw that in Barcelona, so you’d think it would swing perhaps back towards Ferrari’s domain.”
“We knew Azerbaijan and this race [Canada] were tracks that might favour us and we’ve nailed those two results, which I’m really delighted with. It’s always a thrill to race at Silverstone,” Horner added.
‘Always a thrill at Silverstone’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/15826-red-bull-suggest-improving-mercedes-will-be-a-factor-at-british-gp
An all-British Mercedes line-up and Leclerc on the attack – 5 storylines we’re excited about ahead of the 2022 British GP
27 June 2022
Special contributor Chris Medland
From a Montreal venue that hasn’t been on the calendar since 2019 to one that was a regular host of races throughout the pandemic, here are some of the topics we’re looking forward to as the paddock heads to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.
1. Leclerc on the attack
2. The promise of a stronger Mercedes
3. Teams getting technical with the FIA
4. McLaren vs Alpine
5. A special track and crowd
‘Silverstone Excitement’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.an-all-british-mercedes-line-up-and-leclerc-on-the-attack-5-storylines-were.3qcTHTho08KPAXIYmdX7G0.html
Horner predicts Silverstone will be 'a strong race' for Ferrari, as he plans to 'put right what happened last year'
27 June 2022
Formula 1.
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner believes that on “pure form,” title rivals Ferrari will have the advantage at next weekend’s British Grand Prix, but says his team are “fired up” to win at Silverstone, after losing out on victory last year.
Red Bull currently sit at the top of the constructors’ championship – having won seven out of the opening nine races of the season – and now lead second-placed Ferrari by 76 points.
However, despite Red Bull’s lead, Horner is anything but complacent, believing that Ferrari’s form and the possibility of upgrades make them the favourites at Silverstone, as he also warned of the recent improved performance of long-time rivals Mercedes.
‘Fired Up, To Put Right’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.horner-predicts-silverstone-will-be-a-strong-race-for-ferrari-as-he-plans-to.5i1mqlChdF1QPDplzljVzc.html
Mercedes say they 'definitely want to win' Silverstone – but Wolff warns that team must 'really grind away'
27 June 2022
Formula 1.
Mercedes enter Silverstone with a sterling record at their home circuit – but this year, they’re not the class of the field. Team Principal Toto Wolff and Technical Director Mike Elliott offer their early verdicts on how the Silver Arrows could fare in the 2022 British Grand Prix.
While George Russell has maintained his streak of top-five finishes and Lewis Hamilton managed to score a podium in Canada, Mercedes are far from the heights that helped them clinch a record eight consecutive constructors’ titles from 2014-2021. But they’re still aiming high this weekend.
“One thing you can be sure of is we will push as hard as we can,” said technical boss Elliott. “We will be bringing new bits to Silverstone, we will be trying to push the car forward, trying to get some pace from the car we've got, or from the package we've got, as well as the new bits we are going to add to it.”
‘Grind Away’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.mercedes-say-they-definitely-want-to-win-home-race-but-wolff-warns-that-team.01vXYACmv83Fx6TubATFx1.html
BRITISH GRAND PRIX 01 - 03 july SILVERSTONE - Silverstone
BRITISH GP: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
AlphaTauri.com
Silverstone hosted the very first race in the history of Formula 1. It took place on 13 May 1950, to kick off the inaugural season of the Formula 1 World Championship. British Grand Prix might be its official title, but to the vast majority it’s just Silverstone, signaling a weekend when on really gets a sense of what it is to be passionate about motor sport.
The race has been held an impressive 70 times, but not always on this former disused airfield. Silverstone has staged 53 British GPs, while 12 were held at Brands Hatch and 5 at Aintree. The British Grand Prix is one of the races still known as the “Grandes Epreuves,” one of the old European races that holds its own, despite fierce competition from richer venues outside the Old Continent.
BRITISH GP: THE HOME STAGE FOR MANY TEAMS. It is the longest running event on the F1 calendar, an honour it shares with our home race, the Italian Grand Prix. Silverstone is always one of the highlights of the season as it’s home to the majority of race teams. Even we are at home here, given our wind tunnel is just down the road in Bicester.
‘Silverstone; Grandes Epreuve’;
https://scuderia.alphatauri.com/en/gp-f1/british-grand-prix/
Fortitude
29th June 2022, 06:33
Why Ferrari are confident of a strong British Grand Prix.
After a strong race day in Montreal last weekend, Ferrari are confident that both drivers will be competitive in this weekend's British Grand Prix.
29/06/2022, 15:10
Author Robyn Schmidt
Leclerc started at the back of the grid in Canada, yet he fought back to finish the race in fifth place after a very strong drive up through the field. Therefore, there is really no doubt that the upcoming British Grand Prix should see him back at the front of the field and fighting for the victory he couldn’t secure in Montreal.
With a nice fresh engine in the back of his Ferrari, he is expected to be extremely competitive and hunting for a third win against rivals at Red Bull Racing.
“Yeah, with a clean package, and Charles's last words were ‘we need to arrive in Silverstone and smash it’. And you know he's going to be right back,” (Jock) Clear told F1 Nation.
‘Silverstone: Smash It’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-ferrari-are-confident-of-a-strong-british-grand-prix
Sainz: Car tweaks allowing me to 'push without fear'
29/06/2022, 09:30
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Carlos Sainz believes he is closer to "pushing without fear" after his turbulent start to the F1 2022 season. Carlos Sainz believes progress is being made in his bid to increase his competitiveness in the F1 2022 season.
The Ferrari driver has had a frustrating start to the season; despite Ferrari's competitive car he has fallen below the performance levels of teammate Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Sainz believes a change of tactic to focus on his own preparation and getting comfortable with the car contributed to an improved race pace versus their Red Bull rivals. "As I said a few races ago I want to take it a bit more race by race, and not thinking too much about the championship or anything like that," Sainz told media, including RacingNews365.com.
‘Push Without Fear, Race By Race’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-car-tweaks-allowing-me-to-push-without-fear
Domenicali: Too early to say the championship is finished
28 June, 2022
Jad Mallak
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali insists the 49-point lead Max Verstappen has over Charles Leclerc can still change claiming its too early to say the Championship is finished.
F1 CEO, Domenicali insists that Title fight is far from over, and told the Evening Standard: “If you remember after three races of the season, the comment from Max Verstappen was that the game was over and Ferrari was leading by 40 points or so.”
“Now, it’s the other way around, because Max is leading the championship by 49 points,” he added. “I would say we need to be prudent,” the Italian warned. “The championship is very long and is going to have lots of ups and downs.”
‘Championship Not Over Yet’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/28/domenicali-too-early-to-say-the-championship-is-finished/
Rosberg: Ferrari has nothing to lose anymore – must 'go for it'
27/06/2022 at 17:24
Phillip van Osten
The F1 season has yet to reach its halfway point, but Nico Rosberg says Ferrari is already in a position where it has "nothing to lose" versus championship leader Red Bull.
Ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Rosberg believes Ferrari has no other choice but to pull out the stops and go on the attack. "It’s kind of nothing to lose anymore," the 2016 F1 world champion told Sky Sport’s Any Driven Monday. "So just go for it and then see what can be maximised.
"Of course, they need to get on top of their reliability issues but the pressure is kind of off a little bit now. I mean, they were huge favourites after the first couple of races but now they’re so far behind. So you have nothing to lose. Go for it. Big push and let’s see what they can do."
‘Nothing To Lose’;
https://f1i.com/news/446037-rosberg-ferrari-has-nothing-to-lose-anymore-must-go-for-it.html
Charles Leclerc given firm instructions from Ferrari boss as Max Verstappen pulls ahead
15:15, Tue, Jun 28, 2022
By ANDREW GAMBLE
FERRARI boss Mattia Binotto hopes Charles Leclerc can close the gap on Max Verstappen in the 2022 Formula 1 world championship.
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has ordered Charles Leclerc to ‘attack and recover points’ as he bids to fight back in the title race against leader Max Verstappen. The Dutchman has been in dominant form recently, winning five of the six races since his DNF in Australia.
errari have endured a dismal run of form after flying out the gates to start the 2022 season, as Leclerc has been forced to retire twice due to reliability issues. The Monegasque driver was then the victim of poor strategy decisions by the Scuderia, leaving him to drop from first place to fourth in his home race.
‘Firm Instructions: Attack’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1632291/Charles-Leclerc-instructions-Ferrari-boss-Max-Verstappen-F1-title-news
Charles Leclerc must go on attack to revive title bid - Binotto
Tuesday 28 June 2022 11:50
Ewan Gale
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has claimed it is important for Charles Leclerc to "attack and recover points" after losing significant ground on title rival Max Verstappen. "It [PU change] was something we decided very soon after Baku. It was something he'd been aware of for many days so he had time to digest and be prepared for the race weekend," explained Binotto.
"He was focusing his weekend knowing he would have to start from the back of the grid for the race. "So even his Friday and Saturday programmes were focused on the high-fuel runs so he was prepared for the race itself.”
"Now he has fresh power units for the next races. We've four races to the summer break and they will be important for him to attack and recover some points if he can."
‘Fresh PUs, Attack! Attack! Attack!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/85141/charles-leclerc-attack-verstappen-mattia-binotto-title-race/
Gary Anderson: Ferrari and Mercedes’ similar new wing ideas
23 hours ago
By Gary Anderson
It has taken a while for the Formula 1 teams to get on top of the new-for-2022 rear wings and start to introduce their full new ‘family’ of assemblies for the different circuit requirements. This process is still ongoing as teams build a better understanding of the trade-offs and compromises involved, but the recent Canadian Grand Prix weekend produced some interesting case studies.
In Montreal, Ferrari tested – and on Charles Leclerc’s car raced – a new specification of rear wing, while Mercedes split its approach with Lewis Hamilton on the latest low-downforce version and George Russell on an earlier, higher-downforce, version. By contrast, Mercedes seems to have changed the philosophy of the overall rear wing package.
It’s the endplates circled [SEE ARTICLE] in red on both illustrations that interest me. It’s strange to see two teams as far apart as Ferrari and Mercedes in terms of car concept turning up with a similar solution in this area.
‘Trade-offs and Compromises’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-ferrari-and-mercedes-similar-new-wing-ideas/
Wolff says Red Bull and Ferrari’s reliability issues are ‘funny’
Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have both finished every race so far in 2022.
28 June 2022
by James Clifford
Because Mercedes have not suffered with reliability issues yet in 2022, that does not mean that they can blindly trust it will remain that way. It is for that reason that Wolff advises caution when it comes to finishing races.
“It’s funny that both teams keep having their cars stop but you can’t be complacent about that because it can swing in the other direction very quickly,” he said.
“We’re happy about our reliability,” added Wolff. “Last year, when we look at how we went with the engine, we had the other problems. That’s why I don’t want to get too excited too soon. Reliability is certainly important, as important as the performance, but I don’t think will be the only factor.”
‘Toto Wolff: Can’t Be Complacent’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/wolff-says-red-bull-and-ferraris-reliability-issues-are-funny/
Fortitude
30th June 2022, 04:39
Rain threatens to deliver dramatic weekend at British Grand Prix.
Friday showers at Silverstone. According to our weather provider, WeerOnline, Friday will be a showery day at Silverstone with rain across Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire.
29/06/2022, 15:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Rain to have a say on Saturday. The weather forecast for Saturday remains uncertain. There is rain expected north and east of the circuit while forecasts south of the venue show that it will remain dry. Showers are likely with a storm possible just as the cars take to the track for qualifying.
Will the skies clear in time for race day? The answer looks set to be no - but that does not mean we will see rain during the British Grand Prix.
Sunday is expected to be a cloudy day with moderate wind and rain is possible, but for now, is unlikely. The temperatures are expected to climb no higher than 20 degrees Celsius.
‘Dramatic Weekend of Weather!’;
https://racingnews365.com/rain-threatens-to-deliver-dramatic-weekend-at-british-grand-prix
Lewis Hamilton faces Silverstone ban with Mercedes star set for FIA collision course again
LEWIS HAMILTON could be prevented from racing at this weekend's British Grand Prix.
22:41, Wed, Jun 29, 2022
By ARCHIE GRIGGS
Lewis Hamilton faces being prevented from racing at this weekend's British Grand Prix over the FIA's hardline stance on drivers wearing jewellery when behind the wheel. The 37-year-old is known for regularly sporting a nose stud and earrings during races and has taken exception to the FIA's decision to enforce their firm view on the matter over the course of this season.
The Mercedes driver was initially given a two-race medical exemption which covered him until the Monaco Grand Prix, at which point an extension was agreed by the relevant parties. If Hamilton decides against removing his nose stud when he takes to the cockpit for FP1 at Silverstone on Friday, the worst-case scenario could see him banned from racing until he is able to take his jewellery out.
A number of alternative options will be available to the stewards, though, including reprimands or fines. It remains to be seen whether Hamilton will be able to comply with the FIA's demands or if he will face the unfortunate prospect of being prevented from racing at his home Grand Prix when the on-track action gets underway on Friday.
‘FIA Collison Course’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1633161/Lewis-Hamilton-Silverstone-Mercedes-FIA-British-Grand-Prix-F1-news
Lewis Hamilton could be BANNED from this weekend's British Grand Prix as the row over his nose stud reaches boiling point... with neither the seven-time champion or new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem backing down over jewellery row
Lewis Hamilton could be barred from the British Grand Prix over jewellery row
Hamilton refuses to back down despite the jewellery ban from the FIA
Published: 22:30, 29 June 2022
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Lewis Hamilton faces possible expulsion from the British Grand Prix as the row over wearing jewellery in the cockpit reaches boiling point. In the most extreme circumstances, Hamilton could be barred from competing at his home race for taking to the track in jewellery - a move that would test the ire of 140,000 fans due at Silverstone on Sunday.
The grace period regarding wearing jewellery expires today, yet Hamilton retains his contentious nose stud. The FIA are not backing down, either. At least for now.
President Mohammed Ben Sulayem is keen to stick to his insistence that the previously unenforced jewellery rule is an important safety issue. If Ben Sulayem is not talked into a compromise position, Hamilton could either be fined or, in extremis, prevented from racing.
‘Testing the ire of 140,000 Silverstone fans’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10966451/Lewis-Hamilton-expelled-British-Grand-Prix-row-wearing-jewellery.html
British Grand Prix: Payback for Verstappen a year on?
30 June, 2022
Reuters
Last year, Silverstone marked a low point on Max Verstappen’s road to the 2021 Formula 1 title but the Red Bull driver is riding higher than ever ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix where he will return seeking payback. A year ago, Verstappen was 33 points clear of Mercedes’ seven times F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton after winning the sport’s first Saturday Sprint race for pole position at Silverstone.
The pair then collided at speed on Sunday’s opening lap, with Hamilton going on to win for a record eighth time at home while a bruised Verstappen went to hospital with his lead slashed to eight points. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner accused Hamilton of putting his driver’s life at risk while Verstappen slammed the Briton’s podium celebrations as unsporting and disrespectful.
“We went from winning the sprint race on the Saturday and having a very healthy lead in the world championship to having a driver in hospital on Sunday evening and 26 points immediately wiped out,” Horner recalled. “It will be great to race in front of probably the biggest ever crowd that Silverstone has had, and hopefully we can be competitive there and try and get some form of redemption for last year.”
‘Max Payback, Max Redemption’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/06/30/british-grand-prix-verstappen-seeks-payback-a-year-on-f1-preview-silverstone/
Alpine braced for ‘big week’ as they bring major upgrade package to 2022 British GP.
Alpine sit fifth in the Constructors' Championship after nine rounds of the 2022 season.
28 June 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon is very pleased with the progress his team are making on the developmental side of things. Ocon has been in the points in seven of the opening nine rounds of the season, but neither he nor team-mate Fernando Alonso have been on the podium just yet.
“So yeah, big hopes, it’s going to be a big week, starting from Tuesday for us, so a lot of work going ahead. “And yeah, hopefully we can perform well, because the car is where it should be.” The 25-year-old divulged that a lot of the progress happening right now is taking place earlier than anticipated.
“And, it’s delivering it’s going in the right direction. And I think since the beginning of the year, we have improved more than a lot of other teams. So yeah, we can be satisfied, and it’s going in the right direction.”
‘Alpine ‘Big Week’ Upgrades’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/alpine-braced-for-big-weeks-as-they-bring-major-upgrade-package-to-2022-british-gp/
“The British Grand Prix... let’s go!" - Daniel Ricciardo is fired up for Silverstone
Published: 29 Jun 2022, 13:41
By George Dagless
McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo says he’s looking forward to driving in McLaren’s home race at Silverstone this weekend. The British Grand Prix is always an exciting moment on the British sporting calendar and up at the front Ferrari, and potentially Mercedes, are bidding to halt Red Bull’s progress up at the top.
Ricciardo is eager to get going, too, with him explaining why Silverstone also holds a special place in his heart despite hailing from the other side of the world: “The British Grand Prix… let’s go! It’s a home race for the team and that means we’ll definitely feel the support in the grandstands. There was a sea of papaya last year, so I’m excited to head there again this year. It’s the race where I made my F1 debut, so it holds a special place in my heart anyway, but it’s also a great circuit to race on too, so I can’t wait to get out on track.
“Silverstone offers some good overtaking opportunities, so it will be fun to see what we can do in these new regulation cars. I’m excited to get on track and hopefully get back up the pointy end for our home crowd – we have awesome fans so we will do everything we can to deliver for them.”
‘Let’s go!, Let’s go!, Let’s go!, ‘Let’s go!’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88027594-the-british-grand-prix-lets-go-daniel-ricciardo-is-fired-up-for-silverstone
Lewis Hamilton told to ‘stay at home’ ahead of British GP
AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost is not inclined to show a lot of sympathy for drivers who are complaining about the “porpoising” and bouncing issues due to the new technical regulations.
29 June 2022
by James Clifford
“When this new regulation was created, it was clear from the very beginning onwards that these cars will not be easy to drive,” he (Franz Tost) said. “Why? Because this floor, with a Venturi principle, makes it necessary that the cars are set up quite stiff; that the cars are quite close to the surface, and that the front and rear ride-height is quite low.”
“At least, you will gain a lot of performance if the car’s setup as low as possible, and as hard as possible. In addition to this, you have the 18-inch tyres, therefore it is clear that there is less damping coming from the tyres, and that the cars are not any more so comfortable to drive as it was in the past. Now, the drivers complain about it.”
“On one hand, I can understand – it’s not so easy for them. On the other hand, this is a Formula 1 car. I remember back when the wing cars were out there, there was a driver coming to me on Sunday evening and said ‘tomorrow I have to go to the dentist because I lose my fillings because the cars are so hard to drive.’ It’s nothing new.”
‘Losing Dental Fillings’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-told-to-stay-at-home-ahead-of-british-gp/
Fortitude
1st July 2022, 05:52
Vettel to demonstrate his ex-Mansell 1992 Williams at Silverstone using sustainable fuel
Sebastian Vettel will demonstrate Nigel Mansell’s 1992 Formula 1 world championship-winning Williams FW14B ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday.
2022 British Grand Prix
Posted on 30th June 2022, 16:31
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
Vettel, who races for Aston Martin in this year’s Formula 1 championship, personally owns the car having purchased the model emblazoned with the famous ‘red five’ some years ago. Vettel says that the demonstration run was his idea and will be the first time he has driven the iconic machine that claimed 14 pole positions, nine grand prix victories and 12 podium appearances en route to the British driver’s sole world championship title 30 years ago.
“It was my idea. It’s my car,” said Vettel. “I bought the car some years ago – I think four years ago.” Vettel said the 1992 model with Mansell’s famous red number five holds special sentimental value to him from his earliest memories of watching Formula 1 as a child. “The ‘red five’ is the car from ’92 with the red five on it and means a bit more than just the car from 30 years ago,” he said.
“Obviously I’ve got the number five on my car. I won my first championship with the red five – even if it was a little bit smaller on our car back then – but still it was number five. I was wearing number five throughout karting quite a lot and I’m having number five now, so there’s a link there. I think the early nineties is the memories that I have from Formula 1, the first sort of memories – that car, the years after. So it was my idea, my initiative and I thought exactly 30 years after it won the championship in 1992, but it also won the British Grand Prix 30 years ago, it’s a great, great idea.”
‘Red Five’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/30/vettel-to-demonstrate-his-ex-mansell-1992-williams-at-silverstone-using-sustainable-fuel/
‘I’m expecting to have fun’ says Vettel, as he prepares for carbon neutral-fuelled Silverstone run in Mansell’s 1992 Williams
30 June 2022
Formula 1.
Fans at this weekend’s British Grand Prix are in for an extra treat this Sunday as Sebastian Vettel will be hitting the circuit in Nigel Mansell’s Williams FW14B for a demonstration run around Silverstone – 30 years after Mansell took a famous victory at the track.
In Mansell’s hands, the active-ride car was dominant in the 1992 season and the moustachioed Englishman won nine Grands Prix across the year on his way to the World Championship – including the British Grand Prix, where he qualified on pole a staggering 1.919s ahead of his team mate Ricardo Patrese.
A keen F1 history buff, Vettel bought the famous ‘red five’ car – so named for Mansell’s race number emblazoned in red on the nose cone – two years ago and decided a demo run at Silverstone would be the ideal way to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of Mansell’s crowd pleasing triumph.
‘Having Fun, Fun and More Fun’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.im-expecting-to-have-fun-says-vettel-as-he-prepares-for-carbon-neutral.506aSfZUj632YOZTaiOpnv.html
Williams’ new Red Bull-esque sidepod design is a “much-needed upgrade” – Albon
2022 British Grand Prix
Posted on 30th June 2022, 20:44
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
The team has brought an upgrade package for Albon’s car only to this weekend’s British Grand Prix. He said the new car is closer to Red Bull’s in design. “As you’ve seen, everyone’s been going towards a certain concept,” said Albon. “Everyone started a bit different and it’s either the kind of the Ferrari concept or the Red Bull concept that seems to be adopted and our one looks more like the Red Bull car. But I wouldn’t call it a like-for-like.”
Williams are languishing at the bottom of the standings after the first nine races. Albon said “a lot of work” has gone into the upgrade. “This is a big update. There isn’t many things on the car have the same part as two weeks ago. So it’s pretty big.” However he dismissed rumours the team expects to gain as much as a second per lap from the revised aerodynamics.
“It’s hard to say what we’ll do,” he said. “I think a second is very… if we took that, we would be very, very happy. But until we drive the car we won’t really know.” He said it may take more than one race for the team to unlock the performance from their revised car.
‘FW44: Unlock the Performance’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/06/30/williams-new-red-bull-esque-sidepod-design-is-a-much-needed-upgrade-albon/
Mercedes mystery lingers in title race as defining moment arrives: British GP burning Qs
July 1st, 2022 10:57 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
A crucial month of racing begins this weekend with the British Grand Prix. Crucial because four races in five weekends makes July a particularly lucrative month for championship aspirants. Crucial because momentum counts for much in motorsport, and carrying some into the mid-season break could set up the second half of the season for success.
Crucial because the return to traditional racing circuits will be a relief to many after the better part of two months racing on temporary streets. And most of all, crucial because everyone wants to win at Silverstone.
The British Grand Prix is in an exclusive club of heritage races that can trace their roots all the way back to the beginning of the world championship. The track itself is iconic, challenging and good for racing, and the routinely packed-house crowds are among the best in the sport.
‘Silverstone, Silverstone, Silverstone’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/can-ferraris-fightback-finally-fire-or-can-mercedes-crash-the-party-british-gp-burning-questions/news-story/dbe0fc13f695ca36cd06af78e75f9fcf
Alpine couldn’t have fitted upgrades anywhere but Silverstone
Date published: June 30 2022
Michelle Foster
Said to be bringing a significant upgrade to the British GP, Otmar Szafnauer says it is only possible because Alpine’s factory is close enough to Silverstone to rush through spare parts if needed. Following on from their Baku updates of revised sidepods and front and rear wings to their beam wing in Montreal, Alpine will again be introducing new parts at this weekend’s British Grand Prix.
According to Auto Motor und Sport’s Tobi Grüner, the Alpine package will include a ‘new floor to Silverstone’ that ‘according to wind tunnel and CFD data should provide a decent step’.
A step that team boss Szafnauer says would not be possible were it not for location of the team’s factory in Enstone. A mere 30 miles from the Silverstone circuit, should the team need extra parts to replace damaged pieces, they can easily be driven to the circuit.
Szafnauer told Sky Sports: “If this upgrade wasn’t to be taken to Silverstone from Enstone, we probably wouldn’t have we wouldn’t have done it So are our spares are going to be driven up there on Saturday morning – hopefully we won’t need them. Had it been any further than we probably wouldn’t have upgraded the car.”
‘EL PLAN: Silverstone Location Advantage’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-upgrades-nowhere-but-silverstone/
Silverstone chasing ‘festival feel’ for new long-term deal
Date published: June 30 2022
Editor
Silverstone intends on making the British Grand Prix have a festival vibe, as it chases a new long-term deal with Formula 1. Silverstone’s current deal with F1 comes to an end after the 2024 race, but the venue for the first-ever Formula 1 Grand Prix is hopeful of securing a new long-term deal going forward.
“It is becoming a different sport. There’s a whole new load of people coming into it. The challenge I set our team here at Silverstone is how do we keep pace with that? How do we do that in our own distinct style? “How do we do that in our own way without being becoming some homogenised American-based product, but we keep the unique identity of the British Grand Prix?
“The answer is we make it more of a British summer festival. You’re going to see a big upscale in the quality of the music acts over the next few years.” The goal is to create a mini-music festival, to try keeping fans on site and entertained. This will also have the effect of reducing fan travel – a key aspect of F1’s current plans to become net-carbon zero by the year 2030.
‘Silverstone Festival’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/silverstone-chasing-festival-feel-long-term-deal/
Fortitude
1st July 2022, 06:12
F1's ultimate playboys and their sauciest sex stories - including bonking 5,000 women.
Formula One's biggest playboys and their sauciest sex stories, from infamously bedding 5,000 women to 'partying' wearing only Ugg boots
20:31, 30 JUN 2022
BY James Moore
Down the years motor racing has had more than its fair share of playboys and lotharios, famous for revving up the romance. Britain’s James Hunt had the motto: “Sex, breakfast of champions” sewn into his racing overalls. It was fitting as the dashing blonde driver boasted of bedding 5,000 women. He once slept with 35 air stewardesses at the Tokyo Hilton ahead of the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix, where he would go on to scoop the world title.
Described as ‘the greatest driver never to win the World Championship’, Sir Stirling Moss won 16 Grand Prixes and notched up plenty of romantic conquests along the way. In a home filled with James Bond style gadgets he had a cabinet where he stored black notebooks to keep track of what he called his “crumpet”.
He was nicknamed ‘El Chueco’, meaning the ‘bandy legged one’, but Argentine racing legend Juan Manuel Fangio had no problem running off with a string of lovers. Winning five F1 titles in the 1950s, the short, balding speed merchant was an unlikely sex symbol who, it’s rumoured, even dated famous first lady Eva Peron. His body was exhumed in 2015 in a paternity case involving two men with different mothers claiming to be his son. DNA tests showed they both were!
‘F1 Playboys’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/f1-ultimate-playboys-sex-stories-27369959
It's Coming Home - 2022 British GP Preview
Published Jul 1, 2022 3:00 AM
Inside Line F1.
After the legendary Steve Slater narrated some of the finest British GP memories a few days ago, our show regulars are back with the 2022 British GP Preview.
But this episode has a special guest, too. Daniel Ricciardo's physio Michael Italiano joins us to explain how drivers have coped with porpoising & what it takes to be race fit through a demanding and compact Formula 1 calendar of 22-odd races.
The Inside Line F1 Podcast is brought to you by Eight Sleep, the most-trusted name in high-performance sleep. Would you like to sleep on a bed-mattress designed by Formula 1 engineers to enhance your sleep quality? Here's an exclusive offer for our listeners.
‘It’s Coming Home’;
https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/its-coming-home-2022-british-gp-preview
Alex Albon: Silverstone“a special circuit made better by all the fans who come out to show their support”
June 30, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Alex Albon is excited to return to the British Grand Prix, a race weekend that is particularly special to both him and Williams Racing as their home event. Silverstone Circuit is a track that holds many memories for the Thai-British driver, and is also a favourite from a driving stand-point.
“Silverstone is a home race for the team and half for me too! It’s a special circuit made better by all the fans who come out to show their support. Silverstone is also where I first got my karting licence at 8 years old, so it’s really where it all began for me. It has to be one of the most enjoyable circuits for a driver and I think it’ll be pretty fun in these cars.”
Team-mate Nicholas Latifi looks forward to the atmosphere of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, from the passionate fans to the exciting driving experience Silverstone creates. “I’m very excited to be heading to Silverstone. It’s the team’s home race so it’s going to be a special weekend in that regard. Silverstone is an incredible circuit, especially with the huge turnout from the fans and the atmosphere they create.”
‘Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone Atmosphere’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/06/alex-albon-silverstonea-special-circuit-made-better-by-all-the-fans-who-come-out-to-show-their-support/
British GP: Thursday's build-up in pictures
30/06/2022 at 20:00
Michael Delaney
As the 2022 F1 World Championship nears its midway point, teams are back at Silverstone, Britain's very own temple of speed.
Check out our pictures from Thursday's build-up to the what will be a home race for most teams this weekend.
‘Home Race, for Most Teams’;
https://f1i.com/news/446199-british-gp-thursdays-build-up-in-pictures-4.html
What is the weather forecast for the 2022 British Grand Prix?
30 June 2022
Formula 1.
Formula 1 heads to Silverstone for the 10th round of racing at the 2022 British Grand Prix, but can we expect rain or will the sun be shining for the drivers this weekend?
Red Bull are on a run of six straight victories, with Max Verstappen winning five of those to lead the drivers’ championship by 46 points over team mate Sergio Perez.
The outlook at this stage suggests that there is a slight chance of rain on Friday and Saturday for the practice sessions and qualifying – but it should be sunny for the race.
‘British GP Weather Forecast’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.what-is-the-weather-forecast-for-the-2022-british-grand-prix.4DwRdZwmCdTM82vrpemvOs.html
Leclerc ‘still believes’ 2022 title possible – but says next four races will be crucial as he looks to end win-less run
30 June 2022
Formula 1.
Engine penalties, strategy missteps and retirements have all conspired to mean that Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc now hasn’t taken victory since the Australian Grand Prix back in April. But the former championship leader said ahead of the British Grand Prix weekend that he still believed a title tilt was possible in 2022.
While Leclerc headed the standings by 34 points following his Melbourne win – his second victory in the opening three Grands Prix of the year – a stunning fightback from Red Bull has seen them win every race since, Verstappen taking five of those, while power unit issues in Spain and Azerbaijan took Leclerc out of race-leading positions.
But asked ahead of the British Grand Prix whether he still believed he could win the title with Ferrari in 2022, Leclerc replied: “Obviously we’re not in the best situation with the last few races. We are always pushing to the limit, at the end, that’s what we need to do if we want to win this championship. “So on that, I’m pretty sure that the team will push 100%, I will push 100% and everybody is extremely motivated to have... cleaner races and get the rhythm and get back the points that we’ve lost in the last three races.
‘100% Ferrari, will push 100%, to the Limit 100%’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.leclerc-still-believes-2022-title-possible-but-says-next-four-races-will-be.4c8Pu4aE64X6OHuzOrJA1Y.html
Fortitude
1st July 2022, 15:51
Bottas leads Hamilton and Sainz in a wet first practice at the British Grand Prix.
Valtteri Bottas led the first free practice session of the 2022 British Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit.
July 1, 2022
By Sudha Sundararaj
Lewis Hamilton finished in second position, 0.532 seconds slower than the Finn. Carlos Sainz finished in third position at the end of the session.
The first free practice session of the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone Circuit started with air temperatures at 16 degrees C and track temperatures at 26 degrees C. The track was wet and the drivers went out on the intermediate tyres.
The Pirelli tyre choice at this race is the white-striped hard compound tyres (C1), yellow-striped medium compound tyres (C2), and red-striped soft compound tyres (C3), the hardest range of compounds in the Pirelli tyre range.
‘Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/bottas-leads-hamilton-and-sainz-in-a-wet-first-practice-at-the-british-grand-prix/
(FP1) First Practice Results – 2022 British Grand Prix
Silverstone, UK
1st July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo – 1:42.249
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.532
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.718
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +1.552
5. Mick Schumacher Haas +1.646
6. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +3.922
7. Kevin Magnussen Haas +5.912
8. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +8.994
9. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +9.124
10. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +16.919
‘British Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from FP1 ahead of this weekend’s 2022 F1 World Championship race around Silverstone’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2022-british-grand-prix-79356
Bottas goes fastest in the rain: British GP practice round-up
Valtteri Bottas went quickest in Free Practice 1 at the British GP, with Lewis Hamilton second in a wet session
July 1st 2022
Author James Elson
Valtteri Bottas headed a stop-start Free Practice 1 which saw intermittent rain delay running and only half the field set a time.
The Alfa Romeo driver posted a fastest lap of 1min 42.49sec as all cars used intermediate tyres for most of the hour, before a few cars tried the soft compound on a drying track at the death.
Lewis Hamilton, looking to put a week of controversy behind him, was one of these as he went second-fastest, 0.5sec off Bottas, while an earlier time by Carlos Sainz was good enough for third.
‘FP1: Intermittent Rain Delay Running’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/bottas-goes-fastest-in-the-rain-british-gp-practice-round-up#
Bottas quickest in wet British GP opening practice
JULY 1, 2022
Motorsport
Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas set the quickest lap of a damp opening practice session for this weekend’s 2022 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
Rain began to fall ahead of the session and as such there was a muted start to the session as teams kept their drivers in the garages as they waited for conditions to improve.
In the end it was local favourites Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate George Russell who were the first to take to the track, followed soon after by the Ferraris of Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
‘FP1: Damp Opening Practice Session’;
https://www.racecar.com/news/95937/motorsport/bottas-quickest-in-wet-british-gp-opening-practice
HIGHLIGHTS: Watch how the rainy opening practice session unfolded at Silverstone
01 July 2022
Formula 1
Wet conditions made for limited running in FP1 for the 2022 British Grand Prix, drivers doing their best to turn laps before Lance Stroll spun with seconds remaining.
Valtteri Bottas equipped himself with inters to set the fastest time in FP1 for Alfa Romeo – with ex-team mate Lewis Hamilton finishing second, half a second off, having opted for soft tyres on his Mercedes.
Rain made for tough going, teams choosing to save their sets of inters and limit their lap counts, Hamilton setting the most with 10 and Bottas clocking eight laps of Silverstone.
‘Opening Practice Session’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.highlights-watch-how-the-rainy-opening-practice-session-unfolded-at.6FapQKJI2dFz49FDmmTEWh.html
Fortitude
1st July 2022, 16:38
FP2: Sainz leads British duo of Hamilton and Norris in second practice at Silverstone
01 July 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz clocked the quickest time in second practice for the British Grand Prix, ahead of home hero Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes at Silverstone.
The track had fully dried after the rain-affected opening practice, with Sainz fitting fresh soft tyres on his low-fuel run to clock a 1m 28.942s, 0.163s clear of Hamilton in front of an impressive crowd that is set to hit 400,000 over the course of the weekend.
McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was running the returning pedal camera, was third, a fraction further back, as championship leader Max Verstappen, voicing his unhappiness with the car throughout, took fourth.
‘Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Fastest’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.fp2-sainz-leads-british-duo-of-hamilton-and-norris-in-second-practice-at.4uSxVdD5lS6dPIyamHypFB.html
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2022 British Grand Prix
Silverstone, UK
1st July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -1:28.942
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.163
3. Lando Norris McLaren +0.176
4. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.207
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.462
6. Fernando Alonso Alpine +0.753
7. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.811
8. George Russell Mercedes +0.857
9. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +0.960
10. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.000
‘British Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from FP2 ahead of this weekend’s 2022 F1 World Championship race around Silverstone’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2022-british-grand-prix-79367
Sainz tops a dry second practice ahead of Hamilton and Norris at the British Grand Prix
July 1, 2022
By Sudha Sundararaj
Carlos Sainz topped the second practice session at the 2022 British Grand Prix. After the restricted running in the first practice session, this was a dry session.
Lewis Hamilton finished second with a good lap which was only 0.163 seconds slower than the fastest lap. Lando Norris with a good lap early in the session finished in third position.
The second free practice session at the Silverstone Circuit started with air temperatures at 18 degrees C and track temperatures at 29 degrees C. The track was dry and the drivers were on the track immediately after the curtailed running in the first session.
‘Sainz on Top’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/sainz-tops-a-dry-second-practice-ahead-of-hamilton-and-norris-at-the-british-grand-prix/
Hamilton puts Mercedes in British GP contention with Sainz fastest despite off
Friday 1 July 2022 17:01
Ewan Gale
Lewis Hamilton gave Mercedes fans hope of a competitive British Grand Prix weekend as Carlos Sainz dubiously took second practice honours.
The Ferrari driver lapped the Silverstone circuit in a time of one minute, 28.942secs almost two-tenths faster than Hamilton's Mercedes after Charles Leclerc headed a Ferrari one-two after the initial medium-tyre runs. But Sainz's time would likely be deleted if set during qualifying, with the Spaniard running well wide at Copse.
Hamilton had raised fears of further woes across the weekend for the Silver Arrows with a radio message complaining of bouncing after just nine laps of the session, but the W13 looked much more settled during his qualifying simulation run.
‘F1-75 Off, W13 Bouncing’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/86159/hamilton-puts-mercedes-in-british-gp-contention-with-sainz-fastest-despite-off/
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from second practice for the British Grand Prix
01 July 2022
Formula 1.
That is the end of the first day of running here at Silverstone, as Sainz sets the fastest time of the day to top the leaderboard in FP2. Hamilton comes home in second place - his highest practice finish of the season - while Norris finishes in third.
‘FP2: As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-great-britain-2022.2enawSMlnZKOjzgcBzST8Y.html
2022 British GP FP2: McLaren’s rear jack fails during Norris practice pit stop
01 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
McLaren’s rear jack fails during a practice pit stop for their driver Lando Norris during FP2 at the 2022 Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
‘Jack Fails’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-british-gp-fp2-mclarens-rear-jack-fails-during-norris-practice-pit-stop.1737167608732355524.html
Fortitude
2nd July 2022, 05:27
5 things we learned from Friday practice at the British Grand Prix.
The British fans were out in force on Friday at Silverstone, with 106,000 braving the rain and enjoying the following sunshine at the home of motorsport. So after two practice sessions – of which only one was dry – who’s looking hot, and who has work to do overnight?
01 July 2022
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Lawrence Barretto
1. Ferrari at home on Silverstone’s sweeping turns. There's just something about this place that has brought out the very best of Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari driver having finished third, third and second in the last three runnings of this event – but it was his team mate Carlos Sainz who shone the brightest on Friday.
2. A long night ahead for Red Bull after tricky day. Red Bull were the favourites heading into Silverstone, not just because they have won the last six races on the bounce but rather because they have a car that boasts a straight-line speed advantage over their immediate rivals.
3. Upgraded Mercedes seems like a step forward. The good news for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell is that the W13 wasn’t bouncing on the straights. The bad news was that it was bouncing quite a bit through the sweeping turns.
‘4. McLaren look handy on home soil & 5. Alpine could be dark horses’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.5-things-we-learned-from-friday-practice-at-the-british-grand-prix.1snOR5FGaQCGozOILvc0z9.html
F1 2022 results: British GP – Second Practice session.
Carlos Sainz built on his encouraging return to form two weeks ago by clocking the quickest time in FP2 for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Date published: July 1 2022
Jon Wilde
When the flying laps began, it was immediately the Red Bulls and Ferraris that assumed their customary 2022 places at the top of the timesheet, although Verstappen was reporting an unusual noise in his RB18 as he was outpaced by Leclerc to the tune of more than six tenths of a second on their opening efforts. The team appeared unconcerned, however, and the World Champion was told to stay on track.
Just before the halfway mark of the hour, Lando Norris gave the home fans something to cheer by leaping to the top of the standings by more than a third of a second in his McLaren, on soft tyres, but was swiftly eclipsed by Sainz even though he had appeared to exceed track limits by running wide at Copse.
Runner-up in Montreal, the Ferrari man outpaced his team-mate Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, the duo who have won eight of the first nine races this term between them. There was also good news for Lewis Hamilton, who took second place in the upgraded Mercedes as he aims to set a new record for the most victories at a single grand prix.
‘Lando Norris Cheered by Home fans’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2022-results-british-gp-second-practice-session/
“The weather is likely to continue in this unsettled vein” – McLaren’s Andrea Stella
July 1, 2022
By Nick Golding
It was a good start to the British Grand Prix for the McLaren F1 Team, who ended the opening day of their home weekend with Lando Norris in third and Daniel Ricciardo in ninth. Both drivers sat out the morning session, with the typical British weather providing plenty of rain during Free Practice One.
Following the opening day, McLaren’s Executive Director, Andrea Stella, evaluated the team’s start to the British Grand Prix where they have plenty of positives to take into Qualifying.
“The mixed weather conditions today at Silverstone presented us with an opportunity to study the car on both a wet and a dry track, which was useful because the weather is likely to continue in this unsettled vein across the remainder of the weekend. It was also quite windy today, which makes the car a little unpredictable and tricky to drive – especially in the high-speed corners.”
‘Unsettled Weather Continues’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/the-weather-is-likely-to-continue-in-this-unsettled-vein-mclarens-andrea-stella/
Hamilton: Mercedes “not miles off” Red Bull and Ferrari after W13 upgrades
2022 British Grand Prix
Posted on 1st July 2022, 19:57
Written by Will Wood
Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes are “not miles off” rivals Red Bull and Ferrari at the end of the opening day of practice for the British Grand Prix. Hamilton ended Friday second quickest, just 0.16 seconds slower than the fastest time set by Carlos Sainz Jnr in the Ferrari.
Mercedes have introduced another raft of upgraded parts to their W13 for this weekend, including revised front suspension, sidepod inlets, the rear wing and the floor. Speaking after practice, Hamilton said he was encouraged by the performance of Mercedes relative to their rivals.
“It has been a good day,” Hamilton said. “P2, [I’m] feeling pretty good. I think it’s bouncing still quite a bit, not necessarily in a straight line, but through the corners it’s pretty harsh. Not physically harsh, but just like in the car, on the tyres and everything. So we’ve still got work to do, but it feels like a small step forwards – just got to keep working.”
‘Not Miles Off’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/01/hamilton-mercedes-not-miles-off-red-bull-and-ferrari-after-w13-upgrades/
Daniel Ricciardo celebrates his 33rd birthday like a proud Aussie with a crafted SHOEY cake ahead of British Grand Prix
Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo celebrated his 33rd birthday on Friday
McLaren presented him with a 'shoey' cake ahead of the British Grand Prix
Published: 01:22, 2 July 2022
By Andrew Prentice For Daily Mail Australia
Daniel Ricciardo has celebrated his 33rd birthday in style, with a shoey cake presented to the F1 star ahead of the British Grand Prix this weekend. McLaren uploaded two images on Twitter, showing the larrikin Aussie loving the cheeky gesture from his team. Ricciardo popularised the victory celebration where he pours champagne or beer into his sweaty boot and then takes a deep swig.
The cake from team officials also featured a honey badger - the animal that is also Ricciardo's nickname - poking its head out. Attention now turns to trackside at Silverstone, where the Perth born driver is gunning for a podium finish. He also acknowledged McLaren are collectively working tirelessly to ensure they will be competitive against the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari.
'I know the team has been trying to dial the car in more, looking to get better,' Ricciardo said. 'For us and my engineering team, it was sim work, trying different set-ups and trying to nail this car.”
‘Sweaty Boot Champagne’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10974885/Daniel-Ricciardo-celebrates-33rd-birthday-typical-AUSSIE-fashion-ahead-British-Grand-Prix.html
In profile: Adrienne Watson, Motorsport UK Steward at the British Grand Prix
Friday 01 July 2022
Motorsport UK
Adrienne Watson, a Motorsport UK Official, is taking on the role of the Motorsport UK-appointed Steward at the 2022 FORMULA 1 LENOVO BRITISH GRAND PRIX .
The British Grand Prix features high-profile drivers competing in W Series, women dedicating their time as volunteers and women delivering at the top end of the sport in engineering and strategic roles.
Watson is one of the many women in motorsport in and around the paddock this weekend and Friday 1 July marks Women in Motorsport Day, as Motorsport UK, W Series and Silverstone recognise and showcase the success of women in all areas of motorsport.
‘Women in Motorsport Day’;
https://www.motorsportuk.org/in-profile-adrienne-watson-motorsport-uk-steward-at-the-british-grand-prix/
Fortitude
3rd July 2022, 07:52
Verstappen puts down a marker ahead of British GP qualifying.
Max Verstappen set the pace during final practice for the British Grand Prix, leading a Red Bull 1-2 from teammate Sergio Perez.
02/07/2022, 13:01
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Max Verstappen put Red Bull at the top of the timesheets in Saturday's third and final free practice session ahead of the British Grand Prix. Verstappen initially worked his way down to a time of 1:28.386, before returning to the track and pumping in a 1:27.901 – putting a clear margin between himself and the rest of the field.
This benchmark was more than a second quicker than Carlos Sainz's pace-setting Friday effort, with the dry track surface gradually gripping up. However, spots of rain were seen in the closing stages of FP3, with wet weather a significant threat for qualifying.
Sergio Perez slotted behind Verstappen in the other Red Bull, albeit four-tenths adrift, as Charles Leclerc led Ferrari's charge in third.
‘Max Marker Down’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-puts-down-a-marker-ahead-of-british-gp-qualifying
(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2022 British Grand Prix
Silverstone, UK
2nd July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:27.901
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.410
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.447
4. George Russell Mercedes +0.525
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.587
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -0.788
7. Lando Norris McLaren +1.201
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +1.284
9. Mick Schumacher Haas +1.609
10. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1.619
‘British Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from FP3 ahead of qualifying for this weekend’s 2022 F1 World Championship race around Silverstone’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2022-british-grand-prix-79407
British GP: Red Bull to the fore in FP3 as Verstappen goes quickest from Perez
Published: 2 Jul 2022, 13:15
By George Dagless
Red Bull took a one-two in the final practice session for the British Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen going fastest ahead of Sergio Perez. Friday had proven a little difficult for the Bulls with the wet FP1 limiting running and FP2 seeing their fastest time, via Verstappen, only put them fourth.
Indeed, Christian Horner revealed on Saturday morning that Perez in the other RB18 had been struggling with one or two issues, which were fixed overnight, and Helmut Marko had said that they were finding it tough to find the right balance with the car.
Those issues, though, appear to be a thing of the past already with both drivers looking far more settled in the car in the first hour of running today.
‘Red Bull FP3 to the Fore’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88029097-british-gp-red-bull-to-the-fore-in-fp3-as-verstappen-goes-quickest-from-perez
F1 British GP: Max Verstappen well clear of Sergio Perez in final practice
2 Jul 2022
Lewis Larkam
F1 world champion Max Verstappen set a new benchmark time to beat as he pulled clear of the field in final practice at the British Grand Prix. Verstappen led Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez by a comfortable 0.410s as he became the first and only driver to dip into the 1m27s, posting a 1m27.901s to head into qualifying at as the man to beat.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ended up 0.447s down on his main title rival, ahead of the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in fourth and fifth.
Hamilton had got within two tenths of Verstappen before the Dutchman found significant gains as he unleashed rapid pace from his Red Bull.
‘Max Clearance’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1007021/1/verstappen-04s-clear-perez-f1-british-gp-final-practice
F1- Verstappen quickest in final practice ahead of qualifying for British Grand Prix.
02.07.22
FIA
Max Verstappen topped the timesheet in the final practice session for the 2022 FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix, beating team-mate Sergio Pérez by four tenths of a second as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took third place.
Pérez then appeared and the Mexican was quickly into the battle for top spot as he split the Ferrari driver and took P2 with a lap of 1:29.629. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton then rose up the order to push Sainz down to fourth. Pérez then improved to steal P1 from Leclerc but his stay in P1 was brief. Leclerc circled again and retook P1 with a lap of 1:29.021.
With 20 minutes on the clock, Verstappen made his first appearance and the world champion immediately vaulted to the top of the timesheet setting a 1m28.541. He continued to improve, first to a 1m28.498s before lowering the benchmark by a further 0.15.
‘Max Timesheet Topping’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-verstappen-quickest-final-practice-ahead-qualifying-british-grand-prix
British GP: Verstappen & Red Bull up the ante in Practice 3
02 July 2022
Inside Racing
Max Verstappen set an impressive pace as Red Bull finished one-two in final practice at the British Grand Prix.
The reigning champion sent a clear message to his rivals by finishing four-tenths clear of teammate Sergio Perez, with Charles Leclerc fractionally slower in third.
Early on, the session saw Mercedes and Ferrari chip away at their initial best times before Verstappen immediately went half a second faster on his first flying lap.
‘Max Impressive’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/15867-british-gp-verstappen-red-bull-up-the-ante-in-practice-3
Charles Leclerc 'pushed too much' in Q3 but hopes for decent second row start in British GP
02 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc admits to errors in the final qualifying session for the 2022 Formula 1 British Grand Prix, but feels his P3 grid slot will give him opportunities at Silverstone on Sunday.
‘Pushed Too Much’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.charles-leclerc-pushed-too-much-in-q3-but-hopes-for-decent-second-row-start-in-british-gp.1737258091598006612.html
Fortitude
3rd July 2022, 07:55
Carlos Sainz shines in Silverstone deluge to take British F1 GP pole.
Silverstone presented the ecstasy of a never-to-be-forgotten moment for Carlos Sainz as he claimed his first pole.
Ferrari driver earns first pole position of career at Silverstone. Verstappen second, Leclerc third, Pérez fourth, Hamilton fifth
Sat 2 Jul 2022 16.26 BST
Last modified on Sat 2 Jul 2022 22.20 BST
Giles Richards at Silverstone
So often the setting for high drama, Silverstone presented the ecstasy of a never-to-be-forgotten moment for Carlos Sainz as he claimed his first pole. Yet alongside it was agony for Lewis Hamilton, who admitted he was gutted at not being able to deliver more for a fervent home crowd at the British Grand Prix. Those fans with a suitably theatrical flourish treated Max Verstappen, who was second, to a round of booing as he emerged from his car.
For Sainz, claiming the first pole of his Formula One career after 151 meetings with a superb lap at Silverstone in extremely tricky conditions was a moment to savour. “Obviously it’s very special, especially to do it in Silverstone in the wet,” he said. “My confidence is high, I can hold on to the lead and do my own race. I have led a few races in F1 and it felt great, the target is to do it again.”
His Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc was third and Sergio Pérez fourth for Red Bull but Mercedes’ hoped-for resurgence remains to quite manifest itself, with their car certainly improved but still six-tenths back from pole. Lewis Hamilton was fifth and his teammate George Russell eighth.
‘Ecstasy of a never-to-be-forgotten moment for Carlos Sainz as he claimed his first pole
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jul/02/carlos-sainz-shines-in-silverstone-deluge-to-take-british-f1-gp-pole
Sainz snatches pole in thrilling session: 2022 British GP qualifying report.
It was a dark horse who will start first tomorrow, as Carlos Sainz went fastest at the death with a 1min 40.983sec, the first of his career.
July 2nd 2022
Author James Elson
An exciting qualifying session at a wet Silverstone saw Carlos Sainz emerge the pole-sitter for the 2022 British Grand Prix. As his team-mate Charles Leclerc spun and Verstappen went off track on their final efforts, the Spaniard kept his cool to set the fastest time on his 150th grand prix weekend
The Mercedes of Hamilton and Russell looked competitive, but ended up fifth and eighth respectively. Lando Norris managed to take sixth for McLaren whilst Nicholas Latifi equalled his best-ever starting position coming in 10th.
Teams scrambled for intermediate tyres as the heavens opened on Silverstone minutes before qualifying started, and it was the Williams and Haas teams who got to the end of the pitlane first to get a lap in. Cars immediately jockeyed for position on the out-lap, but the Alpines were stranded in the garage as their team raced to get their cars ready.
‘Dark Horse Carlos Sainz’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/sainz-snatches-pole-in-thrilling-session-2022-british-gp-qualifying-report#
British Grand Prix Free Practice 3 - Results
02/07/2022 at 13:15
Michael Delaney
2022 British Grand Prix - Free Practice 3 results
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:27.901s 18
2 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:28.311s + 0.410s 21
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:28.348s + 0.447s 21
4 George Russell Mercedes 1:28.426s + 0.525s 21
5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:28.488s + 0.587s 24
6 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:28.689s + 0.788s 21
7 Lando Norris McLaren 1:29.102s + 1.201s 20
8 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:29.185s + 1.284s 20
9 Mick Schumacher Haas 1:29.510s + 1.609s 21
10 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1:29.520s + 1.619s 20
‘Full results from Free Practice 3 for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, round 10 of the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship’;
https://f1i.com/news/446574-british-grand-prix-free-practice-3-results.html
Sainz pips Verstappen to take maiden pole in wet British Grand Prix qualifying
02 July 2022
Formula 1.
A masterful lap in a wet British Grand Prix qualifying saw Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz claim his maiden pole position in Formula 1, as he beat the Red Bull of Max Verstappen, who’d led much of the session.
Rain had begun falling on Silverstone just minutes before qualifying began, with Verstappen comfortably heading both Q1 and Q2. Verstappen was then leading Q3 in the final moments when Sainz unleashed his final lap to stop the clocks at 1m 40.983 and take P1 with an effort he described in disbelief as “terrible”. On the weekend of his 150th Grand Prix start, though, terrible did very nicely indeed.
Sainz was 0.072s ahead of Verstappen, with Leclerc P3, 0.315s off his team mate – both Leclerc and Verstappen having suffered Q3 spins while on promising laps.
‘Carlos Sainz Maiden Pole’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.sainz-pips-verstappen-to-take-maiden-pole-in-wet-british-grand-prix.3irWb2JbDUZVX3yJxpTYEN.html
Ferrari engineer’s brilliant reaction to Sainz taking pole for 2022 British GP
Carlos Sainz's final lap put him on pole ahead of Max Verstappen for the British Grand Prix.
2 July 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Sainz put together a stunning lap to topple Verstappen’s time and claim his maiden pole position in Formula 1 as the reigning champion and Leclerc both failed to improve.
“P1 baby, let’s enjoy,” said Sainz’s engineer over the radio. “Oh ***, I didn’t expect that one,” said a thrilled Spaniard, adding “I felt terrible out there, how did I do p1?!”
“No, you kept it together like a smooth operator!” was the reply. When he got out of the car, the 27-year-old revealed that he did not actually think his lap was that good when he crossed the line.
‘You Kept It Together Baby’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-engineers-brilliant-reaction-to-sainz-taking-pole-for-2022-british-gp/
Carlos Sainz 'feeling at home with the car' after securing maiden pole for British GP
02 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
‘Ferrari's Carlos Sainz bagged his first pole position in Formula 1 after a sensational wet-weather lap in qualifying for the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.carlos-sainz-feeling-at-home-with-the-car-after-securing-maiden-pole-for-british-gp.1737257853528244023.html
British GP: Carlos Sainz thought maiden pole lap was 'nothing special' but targets Ferrari win at Silverstone
Last Updated: 03/07/22 7:14am
Carlos Sainz has revealed he initially thought the lap that secured his maiden F1 pole was "nothing special", but is confident his Ferrari has the pace to win Sunday's British GP.
The Spaniard, driving in the 150th GP of his career, triumphed in a thrilling wet qualifying session as he edged out world championship leader Max Verstappen to seal top spot, with his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in third.
After struggling in Saturday's final practice session and scraping his way through Q2 with a last-gasp effort as the track got wetter, Sainz found his form at the perfect moment in the closing stages of Q3.
‘Targeting Ferrari Silverstone Win’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12644566/british-gp-carlos-sainz-thought-maiden-pole-lap-was-nothing-special-but-targets-ferrari-win-at-silverstone
Carlos Sainz admits his 'surprise' at his first ever pole position because he wrote his winning British Grand Prix lap off as 'nothing special' - with Ferrari driver just looking to get one 'on the board' in testing conditions
Carlos Sainz said he was 'surprised' at taking pole in the British Grand Prix
Sainz won his first ever pole, beating Max Verstappen in qualifying at Silverstone
The Ferrari man said his lap wasn't 'special' but he feels he can now win the race
Published: 17:19, 2 July 2022
By Faaez Samadi For Mailonline
Carlos Sainz has revealed his surprise at taking his first ever pole at the British Grand Prix after saying he felt his lap was 'nothing special'. A chaotic qualifying run saw the Ferrari man bag the special honour of leading the field on a rain-drenched Silverstone, beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.072sec to start from the front.
However, speaking after qualifying Sainz said he thought his winning lap being the best of the day was surprising as he wasn't hugely impressed with it himself.
'It was a good lap, but I was struggling a lot with the standing water on the intermediate, there was a lot more standing water, even on the racing line, and it was very easy to get snaps and lose the lap,' Sainz said.
‘First Ever Pole Surprise’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10976123/F1-Carlos-Sainz-admits-surprise-taking-pole-position-British-Grand-Prix.html
Fortitude
3rd July 2022, 16:53
Carlos Sainz secures his first EVER F1 win in chaotic British Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton secures a podium after Max Verstappen's car issues - with race overshadowed by Zhou Guanyu's horror flip.
Carlos Sainz won a pulsating British Grand Prix – after a horrifying 160mph smash caused a long delay to the race.
Published: 13:58, 3 July 2022
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Ferrari made an absolute mess of their drivers’ title campaign, however, sacrificing their No 1 Charles Leclerc by not bringing him for fresh tyres during a late safety car phase. That allowed Sainz to claim his first ever win.
Lewis Hamilton, who led the race for eight laps, finished third, with Sergio Perez second. Leclerc was fourth. Max Verstappen, who sustained a puncture and body work damage, finished seventh.
But all this unfolded after Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo’s 23-year-old Chinese driver in his 10th Formula One race, was sent careering upside down across the track and the gravel, hit the tyre wall and was sent up into the catch fence until he lay in his car sideways between the two barriers.
‘First EVER F1 Win’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/live/article-10972941/British-Grand-Prix-2022-Live-Result.html
F1 2022 British Grand Prix - Full Race results from Round 10
3 Jul 2022
Connor McDonagh
2022 F1 British Grand Prix - Race Results
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari 52 Laps
2 Sergio PerezMEX Oracle Bull Racing + 3.779s
3 Lewis HamiltonGBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team + 6.225s
4 Charles LeclercMON Scuderia Ferrari + 8.546s
5 Fernando AlonsoESP BWT Alpine F1 Team + 9.571s
6 Lando NorrisGBR McLaren F1 Team + 11.943s
7 Max VerstappenNED Oracle Red Bull Racing + 18.777s
8 Mick Schumacher GER Haas F1 Team + 18.995s
9 Sebastian VettelGER Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team + 22.356s
10 Kevin MagnussenDEN Haas F1 Team + 24.590s
‘Full race results from the British Grand Prix, Round 10 of the 2022 F1 world championship’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/results/1007278/1/f1-2022-british-grand-prix-full-race-results-round-10
Sainz beats Leclerc and Hamilton to unforgettable British GP win
03 July 2022, 17:25
Author Tom Leach
Carlos Sainz has won his maiden Grand Prix after a dramatic and unforgettable race at Silverstone Circuit. The Spaniard, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton all looked at one stage to be heading for victory as the trio fought it out, both on track and in the pit lane.
But Sainz, who at one stage was told to save fuel, benefitted from a late-race Safety Car to hold on to snatch victory. The win ended his 150-race wait to stand on the top step while Sergio Perez and Hamilton joined him on the podium.
Max Verstappen was only able to finish seventh due to car troubles while Mick Schumacher scored his first career points, behind the wheel of his Haas, in eighth.
‘Carlos Sainz’s Unforgettable British Grand Prix Win’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-beats-leclerc-and-hamilton-to-unforgettable-british-gp-win
Sainz wins extraordinary and controversial British Grand Prix
03/07/2022, 17:39
By Josh Suttill
Carlos Sainz earned his maiden Formula 1 victory in a sensational British Grand Prix as championship leader Max Verstappen struggled with a wounded Red Bull to seventh place and Charles Leclerc finished only fourth amid curious Ferrari tactics.
The critical moment of the race proved to be a late safety car period prompted by Esteban Ocon’s stricken Alpine, when Sainz and Lewis Hamilton in second and third place decided to make a stop for softs while race leader Leclerc stayed out on his hard tyres.
Leclerc had been waved through on Sainz earlier in the race but not before a lengthy team order debacle in which an increasingly frustrated Leclerc couldn’t find a way through on Sainz and that allowed Hamilton to enter the lead fight.
‘Extraordinary and Controversial’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/sainz-wins-extraordinary-and-controversial-british-grand-prix/
Verstappen misery as Sainz wins British GP thriller, Hamilton on podium
Sunday 3 July 2022 17:23
Ewan Gale
Carlos Sainz clinched his maiden F1 victory at a memorable British Grand Prix that showcased the good and the ugly of the sport. The Ferrari driver overtook team-mate Charles Leclerc after a late safety car period to finish ahead of Sergio Perez, who fought back from early front wing damage to wind-up second.
Lewis Hamilton finished third for the second race in a row after a thrilling late-race battle between five cars for the final podium position. But championship leader Max Verstappen endured a miserable afternoon after picking up early aerodynamic damage, finishing only seventh.
The race began under a grey cloud, however, after a red flag on lap one following a scary multi-car incident at the first corner. Zhou was flipped after contact with George Russell's Mercedes and sent upside-down into the Abbey run-off area before digging into the gravel and launching into the catch-fence.
‘British Grand Prix Thriller’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/86334/verstappen-misery-as-sainz-wins-british-gp-thriller-hamilton-on-podium/
Sainz converts pole into maiden Grand Prix victory at Silverstone after scintillating race
03 July 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz has claimed his first Formula 1 victory after a breath-taking contest at the British Grand Prix, the Spaniard finishing ahead of the Red Bull of Sergio Perez and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton.
Key to Sainz’s victory was a late Safety Car caused by Esteban Ocon retiring his Alpine – Sainz then attacking team mate Charles Leclerc on fresh tyres at the restart to claim P1 and check out for his first win on his 150th Grand Prix start.
The action was frenetic in the final laps, however, with Perez – who’d dropped to P16 after a pit stop, having had contact at the early race restart following a red-flag stoppage – coming out on top in a thrilling fight with Hamilton and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to take an unlikely P2.
‘Scintillating Silverstone Race’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.sainz-converts-pole-into-maiden-grand-prix-victory-at-silverstone-after.46XBmmWmBvK1Ahi6rtAzQh.html
truefan72
3rd July 2022, 17:07
Turns out several teams (Ferrari, RBR, etc cough...) were/are running "clever" (I'd say illegal) Flex floors. which gave them a significant advantage so far
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-flexi-floor-exploit-revelations-a-shocker-says-mercedes/10332159/
hmm
Fortitude
3rd July 2022, 19:54
F1's Zhou GuanyuTerrifying Crash At British Grand Prix... 'Halo Saved Me'.
Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu was involved in a massive accident during the first lap of the British Grand Prix on Sunday -- flipping his car and skidding before tumbling over the tire barrier -- but miraculously, he escaped without serious injury.
7/3/2022 12:14 PM PT
TMZ.com
23-year-old Zhou -- F1's first Chinese driver -- was removed from his car and stretchered off the scene ... and received an immediate medical evaluation. Zhou tweeted a positive update on his status shortly after ... thanking the car's halo protective barrier for saving his life.
The crash happened moments into the race ... when Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly tried to squeeze between Zhou and Mercedes' George Russell ... making contact with Russel, who then bumped into Zhou.
Russell spun out as a result of the incident ... and as soon as a red flag was declared, he jumped out of his car and ran over to Zhou to see if he could help.
‘Zhou Guanyu: I’m ok, all clear. Halo saved me today. Thanks everyone for your kind messages!’;
https://www.tmz.com/2022/07/03/f1-zhou-guanyu-terrifying-crash-at-british-gp-miraculously-okay/
Esteban Ocon: Guanyu Zhou's safety 'best news to come out of today'
03 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Alpine's Esteban Ocon, who was forced to retire from the 2022 Formula 1 British Grand Prix with a fuel pump issue, says that the safety of Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou following his Lap 1 crash is the "the best news to come out of today."
'Best news to come out of today';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.esteban-ocon-guanyu-zhous-safety-best-news-to-come-out-of-today.1737352467324980799.html
Zhou Guanyu crash: George Russell abandoned his car to run and help Alfa Romeo driver
Published: 3 Jul 2022, 17:05
By Angus Sinclair
George Russell got out from his car to rush to the aid of Guanyu Zhou after a collision resulted in a severe crash for the Chinese driver. Zhou has escaped potentially serious injury after violently spinning upside down into a fence at the very first turn of the 2022 British Grand Prix, with the red flag pausing the race after just 21 seconds.
With Zhou skidding across the run off and slamming into the fence, Russell’s compassion for his fellow driver was clear as his first thought was to rush to his aid and remove him from the debris.
Zhou was extracted from the ruined car after a few minutes, and his team, Alfa Romeo, swiftly confirmed the driver’s status: “Following a crash at the start of the British Grand Prix, Zhou Guanyu is conscious and now at the circuit’s medical centre to undergo evaluation.” Meanwhile, Russell sees a fine streak of successive top-five finishes snapped as he retires from a race for the first time since joining constructor champions Mercedes.
‘Russell’s compassion for his fellow driver was clear’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88028153-zhou-guanyu-crash-george-russell-abandoned-his-car-to-run-and-help-alfa-romeo-driver
Russell: F1 has to learn from ‘horrible’ position of Zhou’s Alfa
3rd July 2022
By Matt Beer
George Russell says Formula 1 needs to learn what it can from the “horrible” position between the barriers and debris fence that Guanyu Zhou ended up in following the horrific British Grand Prix start crash. Zhou’s Alfa Romeo was pitched upside down by contact with Russell’s Mercedes and the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly before the first corner at Silverstone.
It shot over the run-off on its rollhoop, hit the tyre barrier and flew over it and into the fencing, before dropping back down into a narrow gap between the fence and back of the tyre barrier, where it was then stuck. Rescue crews took some time to extricate Zhou, who was unhurt, from the car. Russell immediately ran from his damaged Mercedes to check on Zhou at the scene.
“Firstly I’m glad to see Zhou’s OK,” said Russell, a director of F1’s Grand Prix Drivers Association. “An incredibly scary incident, not just for him but for everyone in the crowd as well, it’s never nice to see.” Describing what he saw at the accident scene, Russell continued: “It was horrible, in that position he was stuck there, nothing he could have done.”
‘The Need to Learn from Scary Incident’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/russell-f1-has-to-learn-from-horrible-position-of-zhous-alfa/
Formula One driver GuanYu Zhou 'loves chips and gravy and Sheffield'
Friday 1 July 2022, 8:28pm
He is the first Chinese driver ever to race in Formula One, but Alfa Romeo Orlen star GuanYu Zho credits his time in Sheffield with helping him reach the pinnacle of motorsport. The 23-year-old swapped Shanghai for the steel city as a 12-year-old - moving over with his racing mentor, unable to speak English, in late 2012. He travelled to South Yorkshire to race for Handsworth-based Strawberry Racing and spent three years honing his racecraft before being picked up by Ferrari's Formula One young driver academy.
During his time with Strawberry he won British and European titles and a decade on is fulfilling his dream as a driver in the Alfa Romeo F1 Orlen team alongside Valtteri Bottas. “It (Sheffield) just really helped me move forward, that’s where I improved most my English because I couldn’t say a word," he said. “I learned a lot about racing, driving, competition but more about the lifestyle. It made me more mature because coming here young at school, in a completely new environment and racing, was tough."
When asked what he loved most about his time in South Yorkshire, he said: “I really like chips with gravy, I think that's a Sheffield thing, no? When I came back to the city a few years ago that was the first thing I tried to find... In Sheffield it's much more relaxed and the concentration means you can focus on either your job or your dream." This week he was reunited with his former team via an online chat ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Strawberry Racing's office manager Sue Ellis facilitated his move from Shanghai in 2012. She said: "I can’t say enough about him. We all love him to bits.
‘Love Him to Bits’;
https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2022-07-01/formula-one-driver-guanyu-zhou-loves-chips-and-gravy-and-sheffield
Fortitude
4th July 2022, 06:50
Williams provide positive Albon update following hospital checks.
Williams have confirmed that Alexander Albon has been released from hospital following his Lap 1 crash at the British Grand Prix.
03/07/2022, 21:00
Author Tom Leach
Speaking following his release from the hospital, Albon said: "I'm very glad that everyone else involved in the first lap incident is okay. Thank you to all the medical staff at the track and at Coventry hospital.
"It's a shame our race ended before it began today but we are already fully focussed on Austria. Bring on the next one."
Zhou Guanyu was also hurt following his own first-lap crash and was taken away from the scene in an ambulance. He has also since been given the all-clear.
‘Alexander Albon Positive Update’;
https://racingnews365.com/williams-provide-positive-albon-update-following-hopsital-checks
Albon released from hospital after Lap 1 crash at Silverstone
03 July 2022
Formula 1.
Williams have confirmed that Alex Albon has been released from hospital following precautionary checks, after the Thai driver was caught up in a Lap 1 crash at the start of the British Grand Prix. There was carnage at the race start at Silverstone, as Zhou Guanyu, George Russell and Pierre Gasly came together, causing Zhou to barrel roll out of the race – while further behind, Albon was caught up in an incident involving Yuki Tsunoda, Sebastian Vettel and Esteban Ocon.
Zhou and Russell were both seen in the medical centre before being declared fit. But Albon was transferred by helicopter to Coventry Hospital for “precautionary checks” – but was later discharged on Sunday evening.
“All ok, the pets are ok,” wrote Albon on Twitter – referring to his custom ‘Albon Pets’ helmet for the race. “But more importantly I’m glad @ZhouGuanyu24 is ok! Thank you to the medical staff and for all the messages. Eyes already on Austria.”
‘ALL OK, Austria Next’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.albon-released-from-hospital-after-lap-1-crash-at-silverstone.2moO9PSxTkWEB87P6HTXE4.html
Albon given all-clear, discharged from hospital
20:36 Sun, 03 Jul 2022.
by Phillip Horton
Albon was pitched into a heavy impact with the pit wall at Silverstone after being hit from behind by Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel, as the field checked up following contact between Zhou Guanyu and George Russell.
Albon then speared across the track and swiped into Esteban Ocon and Yuki Tsunoda.
Alexander Albon has been given the all-clear and discharged from hospital after his crash at the start of Formula 1’s British Grand Prix.
‘Albon Given All-Clear’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/03/albon-given-all-clear-discharged-from-hospital/
F1 duo Zhou & Albon escape major injuries after British Grand Prix crashes
21:18 Sun, 03 Jul 2022
Charles Crook
F1 drivers Zhou Guanyu and Alex Albon have escaped without major injuries after each were involved in a huge crash at the start of the British Grand Prix. The two drivers were involved in a big crash before the cars had even reached the first corner of the 52-lap-race at Silverstone, leading to a near hour-long stoppage of the race.
The first crash involved Zhou, who was hit by the Mercedes of George Russell after he had been tapped on the rear by the faster starting Alpha Tauri of Pierre Gasly. Zhou’s Alfa Romeo car was flipped upside down by the contact, scraping the ground and flying upside down into the tyre barrier before going over the tyres, striking a catchment fence and getting stuck between the two obstacles between the track and stands.
Zhou was conscious and escaped fractures, but he had to be extracted by the stewards and medical team before being taken out of his car on a stretcher. After further checks by on-site medical staff at Silverstone, the Chinese driver was cleared to return to the paddock and was seen with his team after the race finished.
‘Escaping Major Injuries’;
https://citiblog.co.uk/2022/07/03/f1-duo-zhou-and-albon-escape-major-injuries-after-big-british-grand-prix-crashes/
Alfa Romeo said they were expecting crash for Zhou ahead of British GP
3 July 2022
by James Clifford
Both Albon and Zhou took quite the whack as their cars came to a stop, but Zhou clambered out of his car and walked into the ambulance to be taken to the hospital. He was checked out and is all okay, while Albon was taken to the medical centre for some further precautionary checks.
The fact that they both walked away was testament to the safety advancements over the decades in the pinnacle of motorsport. The non-finish was the fourth of the year for the 23-year-old, whose Sauber team manager Beat Zehnder said ahead of the weekend that a crash was inevitable at some stage.
“Normally with rookies, you always have to reckon with one or two crashes but Zhou makes practically no mistakes,” he conceded. “Experience tells us that there has to be a crash at some point, but that’s also part of the learning process.”
‘Walked away, testament to the safety advancements’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/alfa-romeo-said-they-were-expecting-crash-for-zhou-ahead-of-british-gp/
Fortitude
4th July 2022, 07:23
MATTIA BINOTTO WAGS HIS FINGER AT CHARLES LECLERC AT THE BRITISH GP.
Sky showed Binotto and Leclerc talking, with the Ferrari Team Principle pointing his finger at Leclerc.
18:43 Sun, 03 Jul 2022.
Catherine Micallef
The British Grand Prix proved to be another dramatic race with Mattia Binotto looking to have a firm word with Charles Leclerc at the end. The Monagesque was leading the race when Esteban Ocon’s Alpine lost power at the finish line and forced a safety car. Both Ferraris were running on hard compound tyres but only Carlos Sainz was brought in to change for softs.
Carlos Sainz eventually overtook his teammate and Leclerc found himself in a certain difficulty while being hunted down by the Mercedes and Red Bull. This left Charles Leclerc unhappy and somewhat angry at his team.
Once the race finished and everyone was cooling down and congratulating Sainz for the win, Binotto and Leclerc seemed to be having a word. Sky Sports commentator David Croft explained the scene, “That’s Binotto saying, “Whatever you do, do not criticise the team.” Sky showed Binotto and Leclerc talking, with the Ferrari Team Principle pointing his finger at Leclerc. Co-commentator Martin Brundle added, “That was definitely a finger-wagging, wasn’t it.”
‘Finger-Wagging: ‘Whatever you do, do not criticise the team.’ ’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/mattia-binotto-wags-finger-charles-leclerc-ferrari-silverstone/?nowprocket=1
Double stacking fears behind call not to pit Leclerc, says Binotto.
“Why did we decide to stop Carlos? Because Charles got track position – he was leading, so he would have remained the leader of the race,” said Binotto.
2022 British Grand Prix
Posted on 3rd July 2022, 19:25
Written by Will Wood
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says fears of losing time double stacking in the pits led them to tell Charles Leclerc to stay out under Safety Car in the British Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz Jnr won the race at Silverstone after Charles Leclerc was told to stay out under a late Safety Car while leading, which left him vulnerable to his team mate who pitted for fresh soft tyres. Sainz overtook his team mate when the race restarted and went on to win, while Leclerc dropped to fourth by the chequered flag.
Leclerc and Binotto were seen having an intense conversation about the call in parc ferme after the race. Binotto explained Ferrari were unhappy that Alpine did not tell Esteban Ocon to stop his car earlier on the circuit before he pulled off at Copse corner, prompting the Safety Car. “It’s obviously disappointing for Charles, the Safety Car at the end with Ocon stopping in the middle of the track – I think he could have stopped somewhere else, because there was time to stop somewhere else,” said Binotto.
‘Double Stacking Fears’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/03/double-stacking-fears-behind-call-not-to-pit-leclerc-says-binotto/
Leclerc explains what happened in post-race chat with Binotto
19:13 Sun, 03 Jul 2022.
Author Robyn Schmidt
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Charles Leclerc was left unhappy at the end of the British Grand Prix as he fell back to fourth place after a late Safety Car, but team boss Mattia Binotto attempted to cheer him up. After the race ended, Leclerc was seen talking to team boss Mattia Binotto ahead of a race debrief where he is hoping to see the full picture as to why he went from first to fourth.
"He wanted to cheer me up," Leclerc explained when he was questioned by Sky Sports F1 about what had happened between them. "We will have to look at the global picture. On my side, I only have my picture for my race, and obviously in the car sometimes you don't have the full picture.
"From my side, I felt like I lost a bit too much time in the first stint, and especially in the first part of the second stint. But this is only my view and it might change once I see the full picture."
‘Mattia Binotto attempted to cheer up Charles Leclerc’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-explains-what-binotto-said-to-him-in-post-race-chat
Button casts doubt on Leclerc’s answer over Binotto chat
Date published: July 3 2022
Sam Cooper
Charles Leclerc said a finger-wagging meeting between he and team boss Mattia Binotto was all good-natured – but Jenson Button was not so sure.
After the race, Leclerc looked as if he had received a telling-off from Ferrari team boss Binotto but later played down the incident, claiming Binotto was trying to “cheer me up and that’s it. I had the old hard tyres and obviously everybody around was on softs, so I was struggling massively,” he told reporters.
Speaking on Sky Sports F1 after hearing Leclerc’s interview, Button doubted how truthful his answer was, joking that “I always cheer my friends up with a good finger wag. It’s a tough race for him,” Button said. “He broke his wing on the first lap of the race in turn four with Checo, but he had good pace still.”
‘Jenson Button: “I always cheer my friends up with a good finger wag”.’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/jenson-button-casts-doubt-on-charles-leclerc-answer/
Defiant Ferrari’s firm defence for how it handled British GP
20:21 Sun, 03 Jul 2022.
By Matt Beer
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto mounted a stern defence of his squad’s strategy in the wake of a British Grand Prix in which Ferrari’s title hope Charles Leclerc went from a likely win to fourth place while team-mate Carlos Sainz won.
When asked what he would say in Ferrari’s defence to anyone who suggested it had thrown away a chance to get Leclerc much closer to Verstappen in the championship, Binotto had a blunt immediate response.
“What would they have done then?” he replied. “I think the decision we took was the right one and the proper one at each single time. “Should we have stopped Charles at the safety car is maybe the only one we could be questioning, I think.”
‘Ferrari’s Stern Defence and Blunt Immediate Response’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/defiant-ferraris-firm-defence-for-how-it-handled-british-gp/
Fortitude
4th July 2022, 13:29
Sainz hopes British GP is a breakthrough after 'special' first F1 win.
Carlos Sainz hopes his first Formula 1 win at the British Grand Prix can be a breakthrough moment.
04 July 2022
Carlos Sainz hopes his first Formula 1 win at the British Grand Prix can be a breakthrough moment. The Spaniard capitalised on Ferrari only pitting him for soft tyres during a Safety Car period and would overtake teammate Charles Leclerc to take the victory.
Beforehand, however, it had been a somewhat underwhelming race for Sainz, as his error had handed Max Verstappen the lead early on before the Dutchman ran into trouble. Then it had been Leclerc who was the faster of the two red cars until the Safety Car intervened.
"It was not easy," Sainz admitted post-race. "I struggled quite a bit with the balance, especially on the Medium tyres. Max was forcing us to push a lot through the high-speed corners. Throughout I kept believing and I tried to stay in the race, and then the Safety Car gave me the opportunity to get back on it.
‘Breakthrough Moment’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/15885-sainz-hopes-british-gp-is-a-breakthrough-after-special-first-f1-win
Sainz defends decision to overrule Ferrari order.
Carlos Sainz says Ferrari "perfectly" executed its team strategy in the British Grand Prix despite his rejection at one crucial point of the race of a specific instruction from the Scuderia pitwall.
04/07/2022 at 12:37
Phillip van Osten
Sainz scored his maiden F1 win at Silverstone after a flawless drive that concluded with a frantic four-way battle between himself, Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc.
As proceedings were neutralized, Ferrari feared it would lose out - like in Monaco - if it double-stacked its drivers. It therefore opted to bring in only Sainz for a fresh set of softs while Leclerc, running on a slower set of hards, remained in the lead.
As the safety car prepared to pull off, Ferrari advised Sainz to fall back and leave ten car lengths between himself and Leclerc up ahead. But the Spaniard swiftly dismissed the instruction, insisting that dropping back would make him vulnerable to third-placed man Lewis Hamilton who was also running at that point on a set of fresh soft tyres.
‘Carlos Sainz dismissed the instruction’;
https://f1i.com/news/447041-sainz-defends-decision-to-overrule-ferrari-order.html
‘Leave it with me’ – Why Sainz overruled Ferrari’s instructions
22:33 Sun, 03 Jul 2022.
By Josh Suttill
Carlos Sainz believes the Ferrari Formula 1 team executed the British Grand Prix “perfectly” and defended his decision to overrule his employer at the final safety car restart.
There was a lengthy team orders debate at Ferrari throughout the Silverstone race as Leclerc pressured his team to instruct Sainz to let him through, with Ferrari denying his request and instead, giving Sainz target lap times.
An early pitstop for Sainz who was struggling with his tyres briefly remedied the initial dilemma, but the same problem arose later when Leclerc made his pitstop and came out behind Sainz.
‘Leave It With Me’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/leave-it-with-me-why-sainz-overruled-ferraris-instructions/
Mark Hughes: Sainz showed the weapon he has against Leclerc
04/07/2022, 06:31
By Mark Hughes
Carlos Sainz’s first grand prix victory was only put in place by a safety car 14 laps from the end. Without that, he’d have finished the race in fuel-saving mode trying to defend his second place from an attacking Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes that was every bit as quick as the Ferrari once it had got its tyres up to temperature.
Charles Leclerc, leading, was probably set to win the British Grand Prix – though he may have faced a challenge from Hamilton if the latter had dealt quickly with Sainz.
But Esteban Ocon’s broken-down Alpine adjacent to the old pits put paid to that. Ferrari – running 1-2 and with Leclerc just rounding Stowe as the safety car was declared – had the trickiest decision to make in this moment.
‘Carlos Sainz showed the weapon’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-sainz-showed-the-weapon-he-has-against-leclerc/
Defiant Ferrari doubles down on Silverstone strategy calls
07/04/2022, 13:52
by Fergal Walsh
Ferrari was on course for a 1-2 finish at the British Grand Prix, before a late Safety Car enabled Carlos Sainz to swoop ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc on fresh tyres for the win.
Leclerc was shuffled off the podium, leaving Ferrari with the jubilation of a grand prix win but also the sourness of missing out on an even better team result, with Leclerc’s own title aspirations taking another blow.
There were several moments in which Ferrari’s decision-making was understandably queried by observers. Although it did so marginally, Ferrari gained on Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship – but on a weekend where things didn’t quite go right for the standings leaders, Ferrari will be disappointed it failed to maximise its result.
‘Doubling Down and Failing to Maximise’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/04/defiant-ferrari-doubles-down-on-silverstone-strategy-calls/
‘Selfish’ Sainz shut down questionable strategic call by Ferrari to leave Leclerc a sitting duck
Carlos Sainz won the British Grand Prix for Ferrari as team-mate Charles Leclerc finished fourth.
4 July 2022
by James Clifford
Bizarrely, the Maranello-based team chose not to bring Leclerc into the pits as they pitted Sainz, so the Spaniard was on much fresher tyres for the final few laps. In a bid to try and protect the 24-year-old, Ferrari asked Sainz to fall 10 car lengths back from his team-mate, something that he was not entirely pleased about.
“But guys, I’m under pressure from Hamilton, please. Don’t ask these things. Please, please, stop inventing, stop inventing. I’m under pressure also,” he replied.
As it was, Sainz passed Leclerc on the restart and went on to win as Leclerc engaged in a wonderful battle with Hamilton and Perez, with the Mexican going on to take second before the seven-time champion beat Leclerc to third.
‘Leaving Leclerc a Sitting Duck’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/selfish-sainz-shut-down-questionable-strategic-call-by-ferrari-to-leave-leclerc-a-sitting-duck/
Fortitude
4th July 2022, 20:47
Horner Praises ‘Phenomenal Performance’ and Recovery Drive from Pérez at Silverstone.
Christian Horner says the way Sergio Pérez drove during Sunday’s British Grand Prix was ‘phenomenal’, with the Mexican climbing from the back of the pack to finish second after being forced to pit early with a broken front wing.
July 4, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Pérez was hit on the opening lap after the restart by Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, an incident that broke the front wing and necessitated an early pit stop for repairs. He fell to the back of the pack but fought back superbly to get himself into the points, and then benefitted from Esteban Ocon’s on-track stoppage and the subsequent safety car to pit for fresh tyres.
The Mexican was then able to fight passed both Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc to claim second place and score a good number of points on a day where it looked like it was not going to be possible. “It was a phenomenal performance today from Checo after the damage he sustained to the front wing end-plate on the first lap, we had to change the nose and his drive back through the field was just sensational,” said Horner, the Team Principal at Oracle Red Bull Racing.
“He benefitted from the safety car which enabled us to put on a fresh set of tyres, but his pace and race-craft was just exceptional.”
‘Exceptional Race-Craft’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/horner-praises-phenomenal-performance-and-recovery-drive-from-perez-at-silverstone/
Perez thrilled with ‘great comeback’ from last to P2
Date published: July 3 2022
Henry Valantine
Sergio Perez spoke of his pride at making his way back through the field, recovering from first-lap damage to take second place at the British Grand Prix.
After suffering wing damage on the first lap, Perez ‘pitted’ and dropped to the back of the field in the process, but slowly picked off cars in front to make his way back into the top six – before the Safety Car came out after Esteban Ocon had suffered a fuel pump failure.
This bunched the field back up again and with Perez running fourth, he stopped for soft tyres and managed to battle past Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to take an unlikely second place in a thrilling British Grand Prix at Silverstone. “Yeah, it was a great comeback,” Perez said after the race. “We didn’t give up and we kept pushing, then the opportunity came at the end and we just stood for it.”
‘Back of the field to P2’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-british-gp-comeback/
Perez: A good day for us after such a messy weekend
3 July, 2022
Jad Mallak
Sergio Perez hailed his Sunday at the 2022 British Grand Prix, as a great day after what he dubbed a messy weekend where he physically struggled.
The Mexican was off the pace in qualifying, with fourth being the best his could achieve, and the start of the race was not ideal as he clashed with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on the race restart after Zhou Guanyu’s horrible crash, losing a from wing endplate, and pitting for a new wing which sent him to the back of the grid.
However, after keeping a low profile for most of the race, the Perez came into the spotlight as a Safety Car was declared following Esteban Ocon’s stoppage on track. Red Bull pitted Perez for fresh Soft tyres, and he did great use of them in a final cracking multi car tussle, finishing second behind race winner Carlos Sainz.
‘Great Day’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/03/perez-a-good-day-for-us-after-such-a-messy-weekend/
Sergio Pérez: “It was a race where it was important not to give up”
July 4, 2022
By Paul Hensby
“It is a good day for us and the Team after such a messy weekend for us,” said Pérez. “Physically I wasn’t one hundred percent this week and after lap one I was last, so to come away with second place is a great result.”
“I was so unlucky on the first lap making contact with Charles, I broke my front wing and had to drop to the back. So we had to fight for it and it feels good to have a result like this. I am also very happy for Carlos and to share his first win with him is a nice moment for him and his family.”
“I enjoyed the racing today a lot, we were fighting hard and fair and it felt like my karting days. Everyone was pushing really hard and going wheel to wheel, my heartrate was pretty high on those last laps. It was a race where it was important not to give up.”
‘Don’t Give Up’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/sergio-perez-it-was-a-race-where-it-was-important-not-to-give-up/
Perez enjoys ‘epic’ final laps at Silverstone after recovering from last to P2
03 July 2022
Formula 1.
Sergio Perez said the “epic” final laps of the British Grand Prix reminded him of his junior formula career, after the Mexican worked his way up to P2 following a great scrap with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton – having been last at one point.
“It was getting difficult towards the end of the stint, keeping that pace, trying to open a bit of a window to... Fernando [Alonso] and Lando [Norris], trying to get the window on them and then when the Safety Car came out, it meant we were in P4 so it was a good chance. Then it was an epic final laps. Those laps really reminded me of the junior series, where we're all racing and having a lot of fun.”
“Those final laps were a great fight with Lewis – it has been so long since we had a good fight so it was great to have him back and also with Charles, he was very aggressive but fair and I'm sure the fans enjoyed it.”
‘Epic Final Laps’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-enjoys-epic-final-laps-at-silverstone-after-recovering-from-last-to-p2.1DzVVgW7DBbAxx80y43Plg.html
DRIVER OF THE DAY: Fighting drive from Perez gets your vote from Silverstone
03 July 2022
Formula 1.
On a tough afternoon for his Red Bull team, Sergio Perez defied the odds to fight back from the rear of the pack to finish a superb second at Silverstone. It came after the Mexican was forced to pit with damage after contact with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. You were rightly impressed with his recovery - here’s how the voting broke down…
Sergio Perez - 20.7%
Lewis Hamilton - 20%
Carlos Sainz - 11.1%
Charles Leclerc - 9%
Mick Schumacher - 7.1%
‘Sergio Perez defying the odds’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.driver-of-the-day-fighting-drive-from-perez-gets-your-vote-from-silverstone.60m5CCr6kW2IS2eODjYEUW.html
Fortitude
5th July 2022, 05:53
Wolff: ‘Without the Safety Car, Hamilton would have won’.
Toto Wolff believes that without a late Safety Car, Lewis Hamilton would have gone on to win his first race of the season at the British Grand Prix.
Date published: July 3 2022
Sam Cooper
As the Ferrari boys argued over the team radio for track position, Hamilton closed the gap between himself and the front-runners until he was right behind the duo. Ferrari opted to pit Carlos Sainz and soon did similar with Charles Leclerc which meant Hamilton led the race, much to the delight of the home crowd.
Despite being on older tyres, Hamilton had looked as if he was making them last and when he finally pitted, he was then undone by a Safety Car deployment caused by Esteban Ocon. As the front-runners pitted for soft tyres, Hamilton found he did not quite have the pace to beat eventual winner Sainz as well as Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
Speaking afterwards, Mercedes team boss Wolff argued had it not been for that Safety Car, Hamilton was on for the race win in what would have been a ninth victory at the Silverstone circuit.
‘Toto Wolff: Without the Safety Car, Hamilton would have won’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-safety-car-cost-lewis-hamilton-win/
Hamilton victory chances wrecked by safety car - Wolff
Sunday 3 July 2022 19:58
Sam Hall
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is confident that Lewis Hamilton would have won the British Grand Prix had it not been for a late safety car intervention.
"The car has had some performance today and we were in there to win the race and that is very encouraging," Wolff told Sky Sports F1. "I think without the safety car he would have probably won the race and then at the end, Perez was just there and Sainz just went.”
"The most encouraging thing, like I said before, is that we had a car that was able to race. We were that close from winning it and it would have been so fantastic for him.”
‘Toto Wolff: Victory chances wrecked by safety car’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/86367/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-toto-wolff-british-grand-prix-victory-wrecked-safety-car/
Wolff believes Safety Car robbed Hamilton of British GP victory
03 July 19:30
Author Tom Leach
Toto Wolff believes Lewis Hamilton would have won a ninth British Grand Prix crown were it not for the late-race Safety Car that allowed Carlos Sainz to pit for new tyres. Hamilton fought from fifth on the grid to cause the Ferrari cars big problems as the race headed for a dramatic climax, thanks to some clever team strategy.
The seven-time World Champion was in third and closing in on race-leader Carlos Sainz on fresher Hard tyres when a problem for Esteban Ocon brought out the Safety Car. That allowed Sainz to pit for new tyres and protect his advantage at the front.
"The car had the performance today and we were in the fight to win the race, which is very encouraging," said Wolff, speaking to Sky Sports F1. “We had almost no bouncing and the pace was good on the Medium tyres. Without the Safety Car, he would have probably won the race."
‘Victory Robbed by Safety Car’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-believes-safety-car-robbed-hamilton-of-british-gp-victory
Wolff says Mercedes are facing 'extra terrestrial' mystery
03 July 11:05
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Wolff: We can't find the correlation for the bouncing. Wolff explained that even something as simple as a new set of tyres seemed to trigger the car's bouncing problems. "It's still a mystery, although we have more data points that will allow us in the future to dissect it, but at the moment, it's still not where we wanted to be.
"[Russell] had no bouncing on the first set of tyres, but 20 minutes later on the second set of tyres he had bouncing." Wolff quipped that the problem could be down to an additional phenomenon outside of their control.
"I don't know, we haven't looked [at] the change of gravity or things like this that might affect us... some extra-terrestrial influence?" he joked. "We can't correlate it. It changes so much between one session to the other, one tyre set to the other. There is no indication about set-up, like; wind, ambient, general track conditions, none of that."
‘Toto Wolff: “Some extra-terrestrial influence?" ’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-says-mercedes-are-facing-extra-terrestrial-mystery
Mercedes 'beginning to flirt' with W13 - Wolff
Tuesday 5 July 2022
Sam Hall
Toto Wolff feels Mercedes is 'starting to flirt' with the W13 after battling for a race win for the first time this season.
Asked as to whether a love affair was now beginning with the W13, speaking to Sky Sports F1, Wolff replied: “Well, it’s not a love affair yet. We have just started, for the first time, to flirt a bit with the car.”
“We just want to win races on our own. That would be great, to be there and fight with them, that would be a target so we have a car we can develop for next year also.”
‘Toto Wolff: Flirting, but Not Love Affair’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/86417/toto-wolff-mercedes-w13-flirt/
FIA clampdown on floor stiffness “a surprise to say the least” for Wolff
2022 British Grand Prix
Posted on 3rd July 2022, 11:34
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says he was surprised to learn the FIA plans to toughen up the policing of floor stiffness from the French Grand Prix. After issuing a technical directive on the subject of cars porpoising at the previous race, the FIA put out a revised version ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix.
Wolff said the directive had clarified an area of the regulations relating to the cars’ bibs and floors, which will come into force in two races’ time. “I believe that some teams have been stretching that maybe too much and that’s going to change before Paul Ricard,” he said.
The FIA’s clarification came as a surprise, said Wolff, who believes the regulations regarding floors had been unambiguous.
‘FIA Surprises’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/03/fia-clampdown-on-floor-stiffness-a-surprise-to-say-the-least-for-wolff/
Fortitude
6th July 2022, 05:42
Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer pleased with “strong haul” of points after eventful race in Silverstone.
It was a bittersweet weekend for BWT Alpine F1 Team at the British Grand Prix, as Fernando Alonso earned a season-best finish of fifth place, while Esteban Ocon had to retire due to a mid-race fuel pump issue.
July 4, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer was happy to see all the drivers involved in the first-lap incident make it out okay, considering the magnitude of the crash that ensued– adding that this outcome was made possible due to Formula 1’s safety standards. “First of all, it’s good news that the drivers involved in the incident at the beginning of the race are OK. It’s testament to the extraordinary safety standards and implementation in Formula 1 that everyone was OK after a quite frightening incident.”
Szafnauer was pleased with Alonso’s result after the “brilliant” race, which saw him implement a successful strategy and allowed him to engage in a dynamic battle with the frontrunners for the final podium places.
“From there, this afternoon, we’ve witnessed a quite brilliant Grand Prix, which, for Formula 1, is a great advert for the exceptional entertainment of this sport. We’re very pleased with Fernando’s fifth place. He drove a well measured race and credit to the team for the pit-stop under the Safety Car, which allowed him to importantly jump Lando [Norris] and fight at the front towards the end.”
‘EL PLAN: Strong Points Haul’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/alpines-otmar-szafnauer-pleased-with-strong-haul-of-points-after-eventful-race-in-silverstone/
Hill: ‘You can’t keep Alpine and McLaren apart, it’s like a pub brawl’
Date published: July 5 2022
Sam Cooper
Damon Hill has said McLaren and Alpine’s fight is “like a pub brawl” and that the two teams just can not be kept apart. Being two of the older teams in the sport, McLaren and Alpine (formerly known as Renault) have had plenty of battles down the years.
Both are multiple Constructor Championship winners with McLaren having won eight and Renault two in 2005 and 2006. The two teams were seen battling it out once again at Silverstone when Lando Norris fought with Fernando Alonso for a spot on the podium.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Hill said the final moments of the race were “thrilling” and described how Alonso played his part in that. “Absolutely brilliant wasn’t it?” the 1996 World Champion said. “After the Safety Car, my mind was set on who was going to win this race from the front and you kind of took your eye off the ball, because there was Sergio [Perez] as well lurking and then Fernando Alonso lurking as well.
‘Alpine, McLaren Pub Brawl’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/damon-hill-you-cant-keep-alpine-and-mclaren-apart-its-like-a-pub-brawl/
Alonso admits he was eyeing podium finish as leaders battled in front of him around Silverstone
04 July 2022
Formula 1.
Fernando Alonso reckons his run to fifth place in the British Grand Prix was Alpine’s best race of the year – but says he was even eyeing a podium as the cars in front of him engaged in some dramatic wheel-to-wheel racing in the final laps.
The veteran Spaniard qualified seventh and had a great start to get up to P5 on the opening lap, before the red flag came out for Zhou Guanyu’s crash, putting him back to P7 for the restart.
But thereafter he had a textbook Alonso race, climbing to fifth when he was able to pit under the Safety Car and jump Lando Norris ahead of him. But with Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez fighting it out with some hard racing just ahead of him on the track in the closing laps, Alonso was ready to pounce if any of them made an error.
‘EL PLAN: Eying Podium Finish’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alonso-admits-he-was-eyeing-podium-finish-as-leaders-battled-around.43ih8MxLSHuNGr9DRfvjr9.html
Fernando Alonso: “I felt more competitive than in any other races so far this season”
July 4, 2022
By Ashley Cline
BWT Alpine F1 Team’s Fernando Alonso earned a season-best result at the eventful British Grand Prix with a fifth place finish, after taking part in an exhilarating battle for the podium positions. Alonso was happy with the performance of the A522, and felt he was at his most competitive so far this season– a momentum he hopes to ride for the races to come.
“Looking back at the weekend as a whole, I think the car was very good and I felt more competitive than in any other races so far this season. We executed our race very well and showed consistent pace. I’m expecting us to keep this up and hopefully maintain our competitiveness again over the next few races.”
“I must say congratulations to Carlos [Sainz] on his first win and, also, I’m glad Zhou is OK after his incident at the start. It shows how far safety has come in modern Formula 1 racing.”
‘EL PLAN: A522 Very Good and Competitive’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/fernando-alonso-i-felt-more-competitive-than-in-any-other-races-so-far-this-season/
Fernando Alonso makes joke about Charles Leclerc penalty after Ferrari nightmare
Alpine driver Fernando Alonso ended the British Grand Prix in P5 after a thrilling race in Silverstone.
5 July 2022
by James Clifford
Fernando Alonso quipped after the British Grand Prix that Charles Leclerc should get 15 seconds’ worth of penalties for weaving at Silverstone.
“So, definitely our package is working well and this P5 feels good, even though I have to say that I expect it’s P4, because Charles was moving three or four times in front of Hamilton on the back straight. I moved once in Canada and I had five seconds penalty so I think by moving three times it will be 15 seconds penalty for Charles unfortunately!”
Alonso ended the race sixth having made a great start initially to move up to fifth, but he was forced to do it all again after the red flag caused by the massive crash at the start. He jumped Lando Norris at the end of the pitstop phase as he finished ahead of the Briton, bringing the gap between McLaren and Alpine down to six points in the battle for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.
‘Fernando Alonso quipped: “Moving three times it will be 15 seconds penalty”.’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-alonso-makes-joke-about-charles-leclerc-penalty-after-ferrari-nightmare/
Alonso expected penalty for Leclerc and promotion to fourth place
2022 British Grand Prix
Posted on 4th July 2022, 11:03
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Fernando Alonso expected to be promoted to fourth place in the classification for the British Grand Prix because he thought Charles Leclerc would be given a penalty. Leclerc was involved in a dramatic three-way scrap with Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez in the closing stages of the British Grand Prix. Alonso, who was given a five-second time penalty for weaving in the previous race at Montreal, claimed Leclerc broke the same rule he was penalised for two weeks ago.
“P5 is mega,” he told media including RaceFans after the race, “even though I have to say that I guess it’s going to be P4 because I saw Charles moving three changes of direction on the back straight defending from Lewis. I did once in Canada and I had five seconds [penalty] on the last lap. So I guess three movements are not allowed.”
The stewards also noted a possible infringement involving Sergio Perez, who finished ahead of Alonso. The Alpine driver expected he would end up “for sure fourth, maybe third. After the race, there is always action. I guess today I am not in the stewards, so I will have fun from the outside I hope.”
‘EL PLAN: P4 or maybe P3!’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/04/alonso-expected-penalty-for-leclerc-and-promotion-to-fourth-place/
Fernando Alonso Smashed Insane F1 Record At British GP, Wants to Get Closer to the Moon
5 Jul 2022, 07:39 UTC ·
by Monica Coman
Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, who is currently driving for Alpine, bagged a very important record at the British Grand Prix: longest distance driven in Formula One!
After the completion of the British Grand Prix, Alonso drove 92,643 km (57,566 mi), which is another big record in his illustrious career. The official F1 social media account shared a post to congratulate Fernando Alonso for the record, with a picture displaying the calculation of the distance the racing driver covered on an F1 track, with several other quirky measurements, which also included “Quarter of the Way to the Moon” and “2.3 times around the Earth.”
Alonso re-tweeted the post, adding: “Let’s make it (at least) half way to the moon,” which means he would like to add 100,000 km (62,137 mi) on the track.
‘EL PLAN: The Moon’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/fernando-alonso-smashed-insane-f1-record-at-british-gp-wants-to-get-closer-to-the-moon-192786.html
Fortitude
6th July 2022, 05:57
Alpine’s computers haven’t pinpointed why Alonso was so fast in Canada.
Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer has said the team’s computers are yet to figure out how Fernando Alonso was so fast during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
Date published: June 25 2022
Editor
Indeed, so quick had Alonso been, that Alpine were left confused by the situation. Having placed his Alpine in second place on the grid, seemingly way above the car’s potential, Szafnauer said the data had to be examined closely.
“It’s a very good question,” Szafnauer told AS.com, when asked about where Alonso had plucked the lap time from. “With all the computers we have, and there are many, we are still trying to understand the differences.”
“Part of the reason is that he was great in the rain, but he had already been quick on Friday. It wasn’t just Saturday. Another part is the circumstances, the track is drying up and there are many variables.”
‘EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso Defies Computers, Computer Programmers and Programming!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-computers-not-pinpointed-fernando-alonso-canada-speed/
Alpine will decide on Alonso’s 2023 F1 seat after the summer break.
A decision on Fernando Alonso’s future with Alpine could come after the triple-header later this year.
Published: 05 Jul 2022
Joe Holding
Alpine will likely make a call on Fernando Alonso’s future with the team after the triple-header of F1 races at Spa, Zandvoort and Monza later this summer, says team principal Otmar Szafnauer.
A couple of months ago it had been reported that Alpine would choose between the two-time world champion and the highly-rated reserve driver Oscar Piastri around the time of the British Grand Prix. However, Szafnauer now says that the timeframe for making that decision is still a little while away.
“If I said we’d make the Alonso decision around this time, I misspoke,” Szafnauer told TG prior to qualifying at Silverstone. “What I meant to say was we’re going to start thinking about that decision about this time, and usually those decisions are made after the [summer] break.”
‘EL PLAN: Alonso’s 2023 F1 seat’;
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/formula-one/alpine-will-decide-alonsos-2023-f1-seat-after-summer-break
British GP: Alpine felt more competitive than ever - Fernando Alonso
Published: 4 Jul 2022, 10:11
By George Dagless
Fernando Alonso said that he felt that the Alpine car was as competitive as it has ever been during the British Grand Prix on Sunday. The Spaniard had a fine race with him starting P7 and ending up with good points, with a double points finish potentially on for the team before Esteban Ocon’s retirement.
Even so, Alonso can be happy with a really strong result and speaking to the gathered press at Silverstone after the race, he felt as though the car was about as competitive as it has been all season, whilst also saying he’s hopeful for more strong results in the weeks ahead:
“We were P5 and I was hoping two cars might touch each other and we’d be on the podium but in the end they raced really hard with a lot of respect and it was fun to watch from behind.”
‘EL PLAN: Strong Results Ahead Predicted’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88029542-british-gp-alpine-felt-more-competitive-than-ever-fernando-alonso
Alonso hints career is far from over after setting remarkable F1 record
05/07/2022, 14:30
Author Robyn Schmidt
After reaching a unique F1 milestone over the weekend, Fernando Alonso has hinted that his career at the pinnacle of motorsport is far from over.
By reaching Lap 45 of the British Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso set a new record in Formula 1 and has now driven further than any driver in the sport's history. The record was previously held by Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen, who completed a total of 92,636km during his two stints in F1 between 2001 and 2021.
Posts on Twitter claim this new milestone means Alonso has raced a total of 2,195 marathons, 2.3 times around the earth, 54.2 million Alonsos laid out head to foot, and a quarter of the way to the moon. Alonso's response was simple: "Let’s make it (at least) halfway to the moon," indicating that he plans on sticking around for quite some time yet.
‘EL PLAN: 54.2 million Alonsos laid out head to foot, indicating F1 Career Continues!’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-hints-career-is-far-from-over-after-setting-remarkable-f1-record
Fortitude
6th July 2022, 16:48
'It should have been P5’ says Norris after losing out to Alonso during final pit stops at Silverstone.
Lando Norris was pleased to finish with a decent points haul in his home race at Silverstone – but was left frustrated as he felt his strategy had cost him an even better result.
04 July 2022
Formula 1.
The McLaren man qualified sixth for the British Grand Prix – and finished the race in the same position, but said he could have had fifth, but for the timing of his last pit stop.
Norris was ahead of Fernando Alonso when he made his last stop on Lap 34, but just five laps later the Safety Car was deployed to allow marshals to clear Esteban Ocon’s stranded car, and Alonso was able to dive into the pits for a quicker stop that brought him out in front of Norris.
“I’m happy because P6 is a good result for us, but it should have been P5 today,” Norris said after the race. “The second start to the race was very strong and the pace was good – I held Fernando behind and then we just made the wrong call with the pit stop, with the strategy, and lost the position.”
‘P6, instead of P5’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.it-should-have-been-p5-says-norris-after-losing-out-to-alonso-during-final.3nZyEU1XP91aQBgzQhWKqp.html
Lando Norris felt P5 was possible at British Grand Prix
Published: 4 Jul 2022, 10:41
By George Dagless
McLaren driver Lando Norris revealed after the race that he felt as though a fifth place finish was possible at Silverstone. The British driver was obviously looking to secure a good result in front of a home crowd and started the race from sixth place.
That is where he would finish though, too, with the Alpine of Fernando Alonso able to get past him over the course of the race to take fifth, whilst the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez were obviously too fast to catch.
Norris, felt, though, that P5 was possible with him saying to the press post race: “It was a long one, the first stint was tough and we just made the wrong call with the pit-stop. P5 was where we should have been.”
‘P5 Was Possible’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88029477-lando-norris-felt-p5-was-possible-at-british-grand-prix
Positives for ‘More Competitive’ McLaren to Take Away from Silverstone – Andreas Seidl
July 4, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Andreas Seidl says the McLaren F1 Team can take a lot of positives away from Sunday’s British Grand Prix, with Lando Norris returning to the points with a strong drive to sixth place at Silverstone.
Seidl says the MCL36 appeared to have more pace at Silverstone than in the previous two rounds in Azerbaijan and Canada, at least on Norris’ side of the garage, with the Briton scoring sixth place, although he acknowledges that it could and should have been fifth but for a delay in pitting him behind the safety car that allowed Fernando Alonso to jump ahead.
With the positives from Silverstone, Seidl says McLaren can go to the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring aiming high, particularly with Norris having been on the podium there in the past. “So, some positive signs and, as always, a lot to learn before we get going again five days from now in Austria, on a circuit where we’ve had tremendous results in recent years,” he said.
‘McLaren More Competitive Positives’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/positives-for-more-competitive-mclaren-to-take-away-from-silverstone-andreas-seidl/
Norris calls for change after horror crash: Something needs to be done
04 July 13:40
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
A frightening collision (happened) in the Formula 2 Feature Race between Roy Nissany and Dennis Hauger. Hauger was forced off track by Nissany at Vale and flew over the sausage kerbs, prompting his car to land on top of Nissany's.
Some drivers have previously voiced concerns about the usage of sausage kerbs. Following the incidents at Silverstone, Norris was asked whether they should be banned, to which he told media, including RacingNews365.com: "Yep.”
"I think we've mentioned it several times. Every now and then, you maybe have a year where you get away with it and nothing happens, and everyone's like, 'Oh, it's okay'. But you have freak accidents. What you saw in the last corner in F2, it can happen, even when you least expect it.”
‘Ban Sausage Kerbs’;
https://racingnews365.com/norris-calls-for-change-after-horror-crash-something-needs-to-be-done
Norris: Social media abusers ‘wasting their lives’
06/07/2022, 12:01
by Fergal Walsh
Lando Norris has hit out at those who use social media to spread hate messages, insisting that they are wasting their lives in doing so. On the build-up to the British Grand Prix last week, Norris gave an interview to The Sun, in which he highlighted the abuse that he and his girlfriend have received online.
“I’ve grown up on these platforms, and Instagram, Twitter, Twitch, whatever,” said the McLaren driver. So, it’s just something I love being kind of part of, and I’m very involved in – but of course, me and I’m sure, pretty much every other driver gets a lot of hate and abuse and things like that.”
“And I guess from a mental state of it, it’s never an easy thing to continue to go through. There’s just no need for it, whatsoever. The point of it literally just coming from a person who’s sitting behind their phone, or a computer, whatever it is, I just find it odd that someone’s wasting their life doing something like this, you know?”
‘Wasting Their Life’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/06/norris-social-media-abusers-wasting-their-lives/
Norris: Critics of long-term McLaren deal 'are clueless'
06/07/2022 at 15:53
Michael Delaney
In February, Norris extended his allegiance to McLaren until the end of 2019. However, given the young charger's highly rated profile, many were surprised that Norris committed to such a long-term contract.
"They're clueless!" the Briton told Sky Sports F1. "I don't know why... everyone thinks they know, he definitely could have gone here, he could have done that," he added. "But most of the time they know absolutely nothing, all these people coming up with these conclusions."
Norris admitted the skepticism has "come from people that I have a lot of respect for and of course I respect their opinions. But at the same time, I have a good team around me so we know where I want to be and when, what the team can offer me going into the future. I still believe it's the best place for me because it's where I've grown up, I know what we have coming."
‘Clueless Critics Know Absolutely Nothing’;
https://f1i.com/news/447194-norris-critics-of-long-term-mclaren-deal-are-clueless.html
Fortitude
6th July 2022, 20:14
Daniel Ricciardo completely ‘off the radar’ in McLaren ‘pub brawl’.
Daniel Ricciardo is at a loss for answers as the Formula One season quickly slips away from him following another poor result.
July 6th, 2022 10:46 am
Matthew Sullivan from News.com.au
The Australian finished 13th in the British Grand Prix on Monday morning (AEST) – as only 14 cars finished the race. Ricciardo endured another frustrating day as his McLaren teammate Lando Norris finished sixth behind breakthrough race winner Carlos Sainz.
After starting in 14th position on the grid, the Aussie did well to avoid the carnage created by Zhou Guanyu’s terrifying crash on the first lap. He worked his way up to ninth at one point but – as has been the case often this season – was then plagued by issues outside of his control.
A DRS failure and an extra pit stop cruelled his chances of finishing in the points – something he’s managed to do just twice in 10 races this season. Ricciardo said his race was “a pretty sad one” and said he struggled with grip on his tyres throughout the entire Grand Prix.
‘A Pretty Sad One’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/daniel-ricciardo-completely-off-the-radar-in-mclaren-pub-brawl/news-story/3b8ba8b09045a521b746905a94a4a816
Ricciardo confused by 'zero pace' McLaren at Silverstone
05/07/2022 at 10:43
Michael Delaney
"Zero pace," a frustrated Ricciardo told the media at the end of the day. "A little bit like Barcelona where I didn’t seem to operate at the same level of grip as the cars around me. "I could just feel it through the tyres as well, trying to carry speed.”
"Obviously a little bit confused by that at the moment. It’s clear what I felt, but the reasons why I’m obviously not sure. It was just a bit odd, so we have a bit of investigating to do." Ricciardo also revealed admitted that a DRS failure that materialized on lap 31 also weighed on his efforts.
"Something honestly felt a bit off. I remember turning or braking into Turn 6, and the car was all over the place," he explained. "I thought I had a puncture, so when I went to look at the rear tyre, I saw the DRS was open.”
‘DRS Failure’;
https://f1i.com/news/447120-ricciardo-confused-by-zero-pace-mclaren-at-silverstone.html
McLaren perplexed by Ricciardo's lack of Silverstone pace
05/07/2022
NEWS STORY
"We need to understand," says McLaren's Andreas Seidl, as lack of pace and DRS issue left Daniel Ricciardo struggling at the back of the field on Sunday.
So anonymous was Ricciardo's British Grand Prix, that there must have been times fans were wondering if he'd parked up and begun work on the script for his forthcoming TV series for Hula.
"We need to understand why, during the race, we just didn't have any pace for a chance to actually do anything," said Seidl.
‘Perplexion Pace!’;
https://www.pitpass.com/73001/McLaren-perplexed-by-Ricciardos-lack-of-Silverstone-pace
Ricciardo mystified by ‘odd’ lack of Silverstone pace
Date published: July 4 2022
Jon Wilde
A downbeat Daniel Ricciardo thought it was a “bit odd” that he had “zero pace” during the British Grand Prix. Two days after his 33rd birthday, the Australian found himself in the ignominious position of being among two drivers, the other one Yuki Tsunoda, allowed to unlap themselves during the Safety Car period just after the three-quarter mark at Silverstone.
The McLaren driver caught up with the pack but could not improve his position, crossing the line 13th whereas his team-mate, Lando Norris, had an outside sniff of a podium finish amid a fierce battle for the positions behind winner Carlos Sainz before eventually having to settle for sixth.
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl kept things diplomatic regarding Ricciardo’s performance, saying: “Daniel’s weekend didn’t go to plan, which will need careful analysis over the next few days. “He wasn’t in a position to deliver competitive lap times yesterday and today.” In the Drivers’ World Championship, Ricciardo now finds himself in 14th position with 15 points, 43 fewer than Norris who sits seventh.
‘Mystified Pace’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-odd-silverstone-pace/
'It was a bit of a lonely afternoon' – Ricciardo rues lack of pace at Silverstone after P13 finish
05 July 2022
Formula 1.
Daniel Ricciardo finished the British Grand Prix 13th and explained some of the issues that affected him during the race – explaining his hopes of finding a solution ahead of the Austrian GP.
Ricciardo qualified 14th for the race and made it as high as P10. After the late Safety Car brought by Esteban Ocon's stoppage, Ricciardo pitted for softs but failed to make an impression on the Canadian duo of Lance Stroll and Nicholas Latifi ahead.
“So, hopefully we find some answers because obviously it’s a quick turnaround until Austria. Then we had an issue with DRS, which meant I couldn’t use it after lap 31 which was also a bit of a shame. Obviously, it’s tough to overtake with that as well – but simply we weren’t really quick enough anyway today. It was a bit of a lonely afternoon.”
‘Lonely Pace’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.it-was-a-bit-of-a-lonely-afternoon-ricciardo-rues-lack-of-pace-at.4FrbX0nOlRjEB3ZqqAwjK9.html
Ricciardo: We’ve got some work to do before this weekend
6 July, 2022
Editor
Daniel Ricciardo revealed he and McLaren have some work to do ahead of Formula 1‘s weekend in Austria , after a disappointing British Grand Prix.
After starting to show some glimpses of hope that he may be on his way to recovery from his performance slump, Daniel Ricciardo was nowhere to be seen at Silverstone, qualifying 14th, and racing to 13th, compared to a sixth and sixth for Lando Norris respectively.
Ricciardo will again be hoping to have a batter weekend in Austria, but is wary of the challenge ahead. He said in his team preview of the race: “The Austrian Grand Prix is always a fun one. “It’s a great track in a beautiful location and it’s always an exciting race,” he went on. “The past few Sprint races have proven anything is possible so I’m ready to pounce on any opportunities that come my way, as well as creating a few of my own.”
‘Work to Do’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/06/ricciardo-weve-got-some-work-to-do-before-this-weekend/
Fortitude
6th July 2022, 20:58
FERRARI CIVIL WAR? STAFF REFUSED TO ATTEND SAINZ’S PODIUM CEREMONY.
A group of Scuderia Ferrari staff initially refused to celebrate Carlos Sainz’s first-ever career win at Silverstone as fears of a rift between the engineers in Scuderia’s garage grow.
6th July 2022, 13:20
Jay Winter
Multiple debatable decisions from Ferrari’s pit wall saw Leclerc’s race lead slip through his fingers. After prohibiting their Monagasquen driver from overtaking Sainz early on in the race, Ferrari engineers twice failed to bring Leclerc into the pits under a safety car, leaving him as a sitting duck for the pack behind him on fresh soft tires.
Former Ferrari press officer Alberto Antonini now believes there may be alarming signs in the Scuderia garage. According to a source that Antonini trusts, the former employee believes an unpleasant scene unfolded after Sainz’s victory. “I have been told – and I trust the source – of an unedifying episode that occurred in the immediate aftermath of the Silverstone race at the winners’ pit,” wrote Antonini on formulapassion.it.
Since the drama in Silverstone, Leclerc was captured in Monaco on Tuesday night, having dinner with Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto. Whilst Ferrari were able to finish the race with a driver on the podium, their tactics were severely criticised by Tifosi. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’s claims of Ferrari “dropping the ball” appear to carry some weight as Ferrari failed to capitalise on Max Verstappen finishing seventh in Britain.
‘FERRARI CIVIL WAR?’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/f1latestnews/ferrari-civil-war-staff-refused-to-attend-sainzs-podium-ceremony/?nowprocket=1
Some Ferrari staff refused to attend Silverstone podium – report.
A portion of the Ferrari staff initially refused to attend the Silverstone podium following Carlos Sainz’s victory on Sunday, according to a former Scuderia team member.
Date published: July 6 2022
Sam Cooper
Now a report has emerged that a section of the Ferrari garage initially refused to attend the podium ceremony and the following photo shoot. According to former Ferrari press officer Alberto Antonini, a source told him that the staff initially did not want to celebrate the race win.
“I have been told – and I trust the source – an ugly episode that occurred in the immediate aftermath of the Silverstone race,” Antonini wrote on formulapassion.it. “Part of the Ferrari staff allegedly refused, at least initially, to attend the podium ceremony and photo op. If true, as I fear, this is not a good sign.”
“A little healthy rivalry inside the garage is fine, it is fine for each mechanic and each technician to cheer for ‘his’ driver, but the common interest must be to aim to win.”
‘Ferrari Staff Refused to Attend Silverstone Podium’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-staff-refused-to-attend-silverstone-podium-report/
Ferrari chaos as staff 'refuse to attend podium ceremony' in Charles Leclerc anger
CARLOS SAINZ won his first F1 race at the British Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc slipped to fourth.
09:25, Wed, Jul 6, 2022
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
Ferrari staff refused to celebrate Carlos Sainz’s win at the British Grand Prix as fears rise the Scuderia is imploding. Former Ferrari press officer Alberto Antonini said a source had told him some members of the team did want to celebrate with the Spaniard at the podium.
He claimed "this is not a good sign” for the team as the common interest should still be for one of their drivers to win. Antonini told formulapassion.it: “I have been told – and I trust the source – an ugly episode that occurred in the immediate aftermath of the Silverstone race.”
Leclerc appeared to criticise the team over his radio in the moments after the chequered flag, adding: “The amount of race time we have lost in this race is…oh my God. The only good thing about today is Carlos won but frickin’ hell, guys! Anyway, enjoy the victory.”
‘Ferrari Frickin’ Hell’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1636188/ferrari-charles-leclerc-carlos-sainz-mattia-binotto-f1-news-latest
Carlos Sainz victory at Silverstone led to Ferrari camp split, claims ex-employee
The Spanish driver had to bite back at a directive to protect his teammate’s lead in the closing stages of the race
07/06/2022, 11:34
Karl Matchett
Each driver has their team behind the scenes and the suggestion is that Leclerc’s were so unhappy at the way the race finale panned out that they baulked at having to partake in the overall team celebrations after the chequered flag.
The potential Ferrari division may also have arisen due to an initial call over the radio that Sainz should help to protect Leclerc’s lead, with Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez - both of whom went on to claim podium spots - looking to overtake.
“I have been told – and I trust the source – an ugly episode that occurred in the immediate aftermath of the Silverstone race,” wrote Alberto Antonini, noted as Ferrari’s former press officer, in a column for formulapassion.it.
‘Ferrari Camp Split’;
https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/carlos-sainz-ferrari-silverstone-british-gp-b2116896.html
Claims of Ferrari mutiny surface as team members 'refuse' to celebrate Carlos Sainz win.
Charles Leclerc was left unhappy with Ferrari's strategy during the British Grand Prix and was left out on hard tyres following the late safety car as teammate Carlos Sainz took victory
09:43, 6 JUL 2022
BY Mark Whiley
In the view of many, the wrong red car won after Charles Leclerc was handicapped by the team’s decision not to change his hard tyres following the late-race safety car. Sainz, Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton all pitted for fresh rubber and ended up filling the podium positions as a frustrated Leclerc came home fourth.
“Part of the Ferrari staff allegedly refused, at least initially, to attend the podium ceremony and photo op. If true, as I fear, this is not a good sign. A little healthy rivalry inside the garage is fine, it is fine for each mechanic and each technician to cheer for ‘his’ driver, but the common interest must be to aim to win.”
Following his complaints over the radio, Leclerc was given a stern talking to after the race by team boss Mattia Binotto after the race and the Monegasque was diplomatic in his post-race interviews.
‘Mutiny on the Ferrari’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/ferrari-leclerc-sainz-f1-binotto-27408887
Ferrari warned ‘the Leclerc situation is exploding’.
La Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy has criticised Ferrari after Charles Leclerc had another win cruelly taken from his grasp at the British Grand Prix.
5 July 2022
by James Clifford
Leclerc had already been adversely by a strategy call in Monaco, where he lost the win having started on pole, and the Italian publication attacked team principal Mattia Binotto, who appeared to tell Leclerc to keep his cool after the completion of the race. “Leclerc is punished by the people at the pit wall,” they wrote.
“How can you ask Leclerc to stay calm? He could win for the first time since Australia, but just like in Monaco Ferrari went wrong with their tactics, so Ferrari are missing out on points and barely benefiting from Max Verstappen’s problems. It is totally unclear whether Ferrari is focusing on one driver or still betting on two horses.”
“Leclerc might not want Ferrari’s decision-making to be a headline, but there is no way that it cannot be after what happened at Silverstone, where they made a series of calls that caused more than one observer to remark that it looked like they were actively trying to lose Leclerc the race and the championship,” they stated.
‘Ferrari Exploding’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-warned-the-leclerc-situation-is-exploding/
Ferrari’s Worst Enemy Is Itself
2:34 PM EDT on Jul 5, 2022
Kathryn Xu
Ferrari chose to only pit Sainz for new soft tires as Mercedes also pit Hamilton, dooming Leclerc on older, harder tires and likely dooming Sainz, too, if he’d listened to Ferrari’s instructions to put 10 car lengths between him and Leclerc when the safety car came back in. But Sainz, with Hamilton and Pérez breathing down his neck, ignored the suggestion, which is valid for self-preservation alone and—once the safety car withdrew after lap 41—successfully overtook Leclerc, probably singing happy songs to himself as he all but waltzed to his first ever race win.
What we got was arguably better—perhaps not for discourse, though Ferrari strategy drama will always last a decent media cycle, but for watching. I mean, the racing! Hamilton’s first stint on the medium tires! The four-way battle after the safety car! Ferrari trying to screw themselves the entire way to the finish line and only managing halfway with Sainz’s first race win!
Sainz wasn’t the fastest car on track for most of the race and suffered a plethora of miseries during: failing to meet his target times, dealing with Ferrari’s sloppy communication, obeying team orders to let his teammate pass. It took Carlos Sainz Jr. 150 races to get his first win, a number only surpassed by Pérez’s 190. Fortune is a fickle mistress, and Sainz got both ends. Funny how those things happen—41 laps, 150 races, and then you get all you could ask for, all at once.
‘Ferrari Enemy No1, is Ferrari!’;
https://defector.com/ferraris-worst-enemy-is-itself/
Fortitude
7th July 2022, 07:53
Haas’ Guenther Steiner: “I’m very happy for the whole team to have scored double-points”.
Guenther Steiner was delighted for the whole Haas F1 Team as they scored their first two-car points finish since the 2019 German Grand Prix in Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
July 5, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Despite having started well outside the top ten after falling short in Saturday’s Qualifying session at Silverstone, both Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen drove strongly to bring home points, with the former finally breaking into the top ten after several near misses.
Steiner, the Team Principal at Haas, says it was not luck that brough them points at Silverstone as they were able to show they had a fast car all race long, and should they be able to qualify higher then scoring points would become a more regular occurrence.
“I’m very happy for the whole team to have scored double-points today,” said Steiner. “We deserved it – it wasn’t by luck – starting from P17 and P19 and ending eighth and tenth, we couldn’t have wished for more.”
‘Very Happy Haas Team’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/haas-guenther-steiner-im-very-happy-for-the-whole-team-to-have-scored-double-points/
Mick Schumacher's touching radio message about dad Michael after first ever F1 points
MICK SCHUMACHER finished in the points for the first time in his career at Silverstone.
15:55, Tue, Jul 5, 2022
By CHARLIE GORDON
Mick was able to pay tribute to his father with a heartfelt radio message after picking up an impressive P8 finish at Silverstone. "I said it, hell, it's been brilliant," he stated. "They've been brilliant guys, unbelievably brilliant. Prove them wrong and believe in yourself, that's what I told dad."
His team and the wider F1 community were also overjoyed to see the youngster put his first points on the board, with his barren run ending after 31 Grand Prix. "You've done it, you've done it, awesome! Well done, absolutely brilliant. Slow mode now please slow mode," he was congratuled over the team radio. "Great job, great run, Mick."
Team principal Guenther Steiner then jumped in and said: "Mick, fantastic job, thanks for your driving, it finally happened, impressive driving, thank you." Schumacher's four-point haul capped off a solid day for Haas with Kevin Magnussen also finishing in the points, two back in P10.
‘Prove them wrong and believe in yourself, that's what I told Dad’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1635880/mick-schumacher-british-grand-prix-haas-michael-schumacher-f1-news
Schumacher relief at finally silencing F1 media.
Monday 4 July 2022 14:30
Ian Parkes
Mick Schumacher expressed relief at finally being able to get a monkey off his back in scoring his first points in F1 which has also silenced the sport's media.
With Haas developing a strong car for F1's new aerodynamic era, and after team-mate Kevin Magnussen scored points in three of the first four races, the pressure on Schumacher grew as he continued to miss out on a top-10 finish.
"It’s great to be able to score points in a double-points finish, something we’ve been aiming for, for a while now," said Schumacher. "It’s obviously very helpful in the constructors’, but for me, it’s great to just get those questions from the media away and focus on what’s really important and that’s the racing and the driving itself.”
‘Mick Schumacher Relief’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/86430/mick-schumacher-points-british-grand-prix/
Vettel screamed ‘go Mick’ in car during British GP climax.
A few seconds behind his compatriot on track, Sebastian Vettel has revealed he was a cheerleader for Mick Schumacher at the end of the British Grand Prix.
Date published: July 5 2022
Jon Wilde
With a ringside seat for that tussle as he was just behind in ninth, Vettel found himself joining many of the spectators in the crowd who were urging on Schumacher – the British fans having cast Verstappen in something of a pantomime villain role due to his rivalry with home hero Lewis Hamilton.
“I was very happy for him,” said Vettel, quoted by ESPN, of Schumacher, whose father he had idolised himself when growing up. “I saw what happened and I saw he was closing the gap and I was actually screaming inside the car like ‘go Mick, go Mick!’”
The German duo are often seen together in the paddock and they conducted interviews in close proximity after the British Grand Prix. “I think it’s been a long time since he deserves the result and it’s great to get it,” said the four-time former World Champion, speaking on his own 35th birthday.
‘Go Mick’, ‘Go Mick’, ‘Go Mick’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebastian-vettel-mick-schumacher-go-british-gp/
K-Mag never doubted Mick’s points-scoring potential
Date published: July 4 2022
Jon Wilde
Kevin Magnussen has insisted he always had faith in Mick Schumacher scoring his first F1 points – simply because his Haas team-mate has “got it”. What the Dane is referring to is Schumacher’s talent, which should never really have been in doubt having won both the Formula 3 and 2 Championships a couple of years apart in 2018 and 2020 respectively.
“For the team, it will be great,” Magnussen told Formula 1. “They know the car has been good and everyone has been a little down about the last couple of races, but there have also been some things that just didn’t go our way and that’s how things go sometimes.
“But for Mick it will be a confidence boost, I’m sure. He’s had a bit of a tough start to the year. I’ve certainly been able to see, from the data I compare with, that he’s got it. I told everyone it would be fine, that he would get there, and today he showed it.”
‘Never Doubted’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-magnussen-mick-schumacher-points/
Mick Schumacher: “It’s great for the team, a double-finish in the points”
July 4, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Mick Schumacher can finally celebrate his first points in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, after the German impressed to finish eighth in Sunday’s British Grand Prix, despite having started down in nineteenth.
The Haas F1 Team driver, who has come close before to the top ten only to fall short, pitted for fresh tyres under the late race safety car for Esteban Ocon’s on-track stoppage, and he was able to convert his pace into eighth place. Schumacher was also able to put a lot of pressure onto World Champion Max Verstappen across the final laps, although he was unable to find a way passed the ailing Oracle Red Bull Racing driver.
“We’re really happy,” said Schumacher. “Coming back from P19, I said we have the speed to go forwards and we definitely showed it today. It’s great for the team, a double-finish in the points, so that’s obviously very helpful in the constructors. For me, I’m happy now to focus on what’s really important and that’s the racing and the driving.”
‘Double Points Great for the Team’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/mick-schumacher-its-great-for-the-team-a-double-finish-in-the-points/
Montoya on Mick’s challenge against ‘wash-out’ K-Mag
Date published: July 5 2022
Michelle Foster
Sebastian Vettel, Schumacher’s mentor, urged the media to back off after his Monaco crash, saying they are putting undue pressure on the youngster. Former F1 driver Montoya disagrees especially as Schumacher is losing his “wash-out” team-mate Kevin Magnussen.
“Does he need more time?” he said to vegasinsider.com. “Yes, he needs more time! The media needs to lay off? It’s difficult because, so when Magnussen comes in being out of a car for a year and straight to the first race and beats him, how do you expect the media to back off?”
“You can’t. It’s Mick, you know, it’s the son of seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher. You know, he won every younger series, won F3, won F2, you know what I mean. And then you got this guy Magnussen that is supposed to be a wash-out and he’s beating him every week.”
‘Mick’s challenge against ‘wash-out’ K-Mag’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/juan-pablo-montoya-mick-schumacher-washout-magnussen/
Fortitude
7th July 2022, 18:45
Vettel talks nonsense in F1 paddock says Stuck.
"He still drives well," said Stuck, "but otherwise he just talks nonsense.
JULY 6, 2022
GrandPrix.com
Sebastian Vettel should stay in Formula 1 but stop talking "nonsense" in the paddock when not driving the car. That is the forthright view of Hans-Joachim Stuck, as the quadruple world champion is still yet to commit to Aston Martin for a further contractual term beyond 2022.
"He can drive a car and he belongs in Formula 1, there's no discussion about that," said 71-year-old fellow German Stuck, a former Formula 1 driver. "And when he's in the car, he can't talk either."
Indeed, 35-year-old Vettel is coming under increasing fire for his outspokenness and activism on social, cultural and environmental issues. I don't know what he's doing because he's an intelligent young man, a good racing driver, but I don't understand why he keeps up with these themes."
‘Vettel Nonsense!’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/vettel-talks-nonsense-in-f1-paddock-says-stuck.html
Sebastian Vettel clueless why Aston Martin are so slow despite British GP upgradesQualifying for the British Grand Prix was a disaster for Vettel and Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll, as they could only set the 18th and 20th fastest times in a rain-soaked session
• 14:12, 3 Jul 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
Aston Martin have struggled for performance all season, which has been frustrating for the German. As a four-time world champion and winner of 53 races in Formula 1, Vettel is not used to being so uncompetitive on a Grand Prix weekend.
Despite bringing a new car upgrade for this race, Aston Martin suffered from a lack of pace as the rain pounded the Silverstone track during qualifying. "We just didn't seem to be quick enough," said Vettel. "We lost a lot of time. And I guess everywhere around the lap, I mean, balance-wise, I had a lot understeer in the car, and was waiting for the car to rotate.”
"But I don't think that's the main issue. For some reason, we weren't able to generate the grip that we should have had, I guess. And then you don't rotate the car, and then your outlook on traction isn't great. So everything sort of happens delayed. And one thing adds to another, so not great."
‘Lot of Understeer’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/british-gp-aston-martin-vettel-27386889
Vettel in state of confusion over Aston Martin pace
Date published: July 4 2022
Michelle Foster
Baffled as to why he was out of qualifying in Q1 only to race his way into the points at Silverstone, Sebastian Vettel admits Aston Martin’s performance is a “bit confusing”.
Qualifying down in 18th place in the wet at the British Grand Prix, Vettel acknowledged his AMR22 “just didn’t seem to be quick enough”. He and the team were mystified as to why, with Lance Stroll also out in Q1, the Canadian slowest of all in 20th place.
Fast forward a day and Vettel and Stroll were both fighting for the points in Sunday’s 52-lap grand prix, Vettel finishing ninth while his team-mate fell 1.5s short in 11th place.
‘Confusion’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebastian-vettel-pace-confusion/
INSIDER: United by passion at the British GP
06.07.2022
Aston Martin
Throughout the British Grand Prix, we brought you with us on our journey and celebrated what we all have in common – a passion for F1.
Now, we're taking you behind the scenes in our latest episode of INSIDER to give you an even closer look at our Silverstone weekend.
Join us as we welcomed fans to our Silverstone HQ to get up close and personal with the AMR22 show car, take on a pitstop challenge and meet AMF1 reserve driver Nico Hülkenberg.
‘Aston Martin United’;
https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/insider-united-by-passion-at-the-british-gp
Aston Martin comment on Vettel’s future as Saudi sponsor opposed to his activism
Sebastian Vettel is yet to sign a new deal with Aston Martin, with Aramco unhappy with the four-time World Champion.
4 July 2022
by Nick Golding
Four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel did brilliantly to salvage a points finish at the British Grand Prix, despite having started in 18th place.
The German was initially involved in a collision with Alex Albon on the opening lap, due to the Williams Racing driver slowing down to avoid Guanyu Zhou’s horrific crash. Vettel went up the gearbox of Albon, sending him into the wall at Turn 1.
In the German’s defence, he had no where to go; thankfully, the German’s AMR22 could be repaired during the red-flag interval. Vettel’s 9th place finish saw him score vital points for the Constructors’ Championship, especially with both Haas F1 Team drivers finishing in the points.
‘Aramco Oppose Vettel’s Activism’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/aston-martin-comment-on-vettels-future-as-saudi-sponsor-opposed-to-his-activism/
Fortitude
8th July 2022, 05:32
Williams ‘able to repair’ Albon’s upgraded FW44 for Austria.
Alex Albon will have a second shot at scoring points in Williams’ revised FW44, the team revealing the new parts have all been repaired or replaced in time for Austria.
Date published: July 7 2022
Michelle Foster
Debuting Williams’ upgraded car at the British Grand Prix, Albon’s hopes of coming from the back of the grid to score points were undone on the very first lap. As a multi-car crash played out involving Zhou Guanyu, George Russell and Pierre Gasly, those behind hit the brakes with Sebastian Vettel tagging Albon.
The angle of the impact sent him 90° into the concrete wall along the pit straight, Albon airlifted to hospital for precautionary checks. But while the driver was okay, released later that same night, the car took a heavy whack with Williams uncertain as to whether they’d have the time to fix it before heading to Austria for part two of the back-to-back.
They have managed to do so, Williams’ head of vehicle engineering Dave Robson confirming Albon will be behind the wheel of the revised car at the Red Bull Ring. “Having damaged Alex’s car at the race start last weekend, coming straight into a sprint event is logistically difficult,” Robson said. “However, we have been able to repair or replace much of Alex’s car such that we can continue to understand the updates during FP1 on Friday.”
‘Alex Albons’ Car Repaired’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-repair-alex-albon-fw44-austria/
Williams’ Dave Robson: Latifi “raced hard until the end and put up a strong fight against faster cars”
July 5, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi finished twelfth place at the British Grand Prix, while Alex Albon retired after an intense multi-car crash on the first lap. Robson praised Latifi’s efforts to bring home points after his season-best qualifying result of tenth place, but said that the car lacked the pace to secure a top ten– due in part to the damage done to the floor mid-race.
“However, Nicholas backed-up his strong drive yesterday with a very good race today. He showed good pace and took advantage of opportunities that came his way, including the late safety car.”
“Unfortunately, he didn’t quite have the pace at the end to challenge for the final points position, but he raced hard until the end and put up a strong fight against faster cars. When he ran wide at T9, he did some damage to the floor, which harmed his pace in the crucial period after his first pit stop.”
‘Nicholas Latifi Raced Hard’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/williams-dave-robson-latifi-raced-hard-until-the-end-and-put-up-a-strong-fight-against-faster-cars/
Nicholas Latifi: “It felt really nice to be properly racing in the pack”
July 5, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi finished the British Grand Prix in twelfth place, missing out on the chance to convert his tenth place grid position to a points finish on race day. He enjoyed being able to compete in the midfield on race day rather than filling a backmarker position, and said that he was surprised by his ability to keep up with the pack at the start of the race.
“From lap one we were always fighting an uphill battle. At the beginning I was surprised at how much I could stay with the cars ahead but in reality, there was a little DRS train that was keeping me there because the cars behind were much quicker. It felt really nice to be properly racing in the pack.”
“Unfortunately, we didn’t have the basic pace in the end alongside managing the car towards the end of the race. The car’s lacking downforce compared to the others with us missing pace in the high-speed corners, which wasn’t helped by some floor damage today. We put up a good fight, but it wasn’t meant to be today. Frustrating in the end but overall a positive weekend.”
‘Racing in the Pack’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/nicholas-latifi-it-felt-really-nice-to-be-properly-racing-in-the-pack/
Williams confirm new-spec car repaired for Austria
07/07/2022 at 09:51
Phillip van Osten
Both Alex Albon and Williams' new-spec FW44 are fit and well for this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix following the Anglo-Thai's big crash at the start of last Sunday's British Grand Prix.
Wet sessions at Silverstone, zero race distance on Sunday and only one practice session in Austria will leave Williams well short on mileage and data for its updated car ahead of Friday's sprint qualifying, but Albon is determined to make the most of the allocated time.
"It’s obviously disappointing we didn’t get to properly test the new upgrade last week, however looking forward to Austria, I know the team has been working hard to make the repairs, so we’ll be ready to test it further and gather more data," commented Albon.
‘Williams Ready for Austria’;
https://f1i.com/news/447222-williams-confirm-new-spec-car-repaired-for-austria.html
Albon not yet feeling 100% after Silverstone crash that left him in hospital
07/07/2022, 14:55
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Revealing what he remembers of the crash, Albon said: "Not much to be honest. It all happened very quickly. "Obviously, I was hitting the wall and then at that point it was kind of like a pinball reaction and I was just going wherever the cars were hitting me.”
"I was a little bit sore on Monday and then each day so far it's just been getting better and better, so I'm sure by tomorrow we'll be back to 100% [for Friday]," he told media, including RacingNews365.com. "It's a little bit sore and all that kind of thing but yeah, I'm all okay."
‘100% for Friday’;
https://racingnews365.com/albon-not-yet-feeling-100-after-silverstone-crash-that-left-him-in-hospital
Fortitude
8th July 2022, 06:17
‘I DIDN’T REALISE I WAS BETWEEN THE BARRIERS’ – ZHOU RECOUNTS HORROR F1 CRASH.
Alfa Romeo rookie Guanyu Zhou says he “didn’t realise” that his horrific crash at turn one in Silverstone left him stuck between the barriers.
07 July 2022, 17:17
Jay Winter
The 23-year-old managed to escape the brutal incident unscathed thanks to his halo, and his quick thinking. “Obviously when the flip happened, the first thing I was trying to do was trying to release my hand off the steering wheel,” he explained.
“Because you never know, you can break your wrist very easily with a crash like that. The next thing I tried to do, while I was just rolling on the ground, I knew I’ll be facing a massive impact coming up, because the car wasn’t stopping. And then I tried to lock myself in a position that is the safest possible, just waiting for that last impact.”
“It’s not like I was just holding the hand backwards, but keeping it reasonably in tension, so it doesn’t get flying around when you have that last impact. Basically, I was just waiting for the last stop hit. And once I was basically stopped, I didn’t know where I was, because I was upside down.”
‘Last Impact’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/f1latestnews/i-didnt-realise-i-was-between-the-barriers-zhou-recounts-horror-f1-crash/?nowprocket=1
Zhou: I knew if the fire starts, it would be difficult to get out.
Zhou Guanyu revealed that he feared a fire would ignite in his Alfa Romeo after his life-threatening crash at the 2022 British Grand Prix, last weekend. He repeated that the halo head protection system, a titanium ring around the cockpit, had saved his life.
7 July, 2022
Reuters
“(I’m) happy to have back-to-back races because if you had a summer break after (such a crash) that would be terrible, because you would be thinking about it and repeating the crash in your mind again and again,” he said. “Good to be back as soon as I could.”
Zhou issued a picture on Twitter of him with FIA medical staff at the Red Bull Ring: “Finished the final medical check, all good to go,” he said. Reliving the crash, Zhou said his instinct after the car took off and flipped upside down at speed along the asphalt in a shower of sparks was to remove his hands from the steering wheel.
“Once I was basically stopped, I didn’t know where I was, because I was upside down. There was (something) leaking. I wasn’t sure if it was from my body or is this from the car? So I just tried to switch (off) the engine… I knew if the fire starts, it would be difficult to get out.”
‘Feared Fire & Ignition of the Alfa Romeo’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/07/zhou-i-knew-if-the-fire-starts-it-would-be-difficult-to-get-out/
Zhou Guanyu opens up on horrifying British GP crash: 'I don't know how I survived'
Last Updated: 08/07/22 6:12am
By Matt Morlidge
Zhou Guanyu speaks to the media at the Austrian GP, where he will be back in the car just five days after his scary Silverstone crash. Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu has detailed his horrifying upside-down crash at the British GP, admitting he had no idea where he had landed, feared his car was going to catch fire, and feels lucky to be alive
"I was thinking I was next to the barriers," he stated. "I don't know how I survived. But looking back, obviously the halo saved me there." Zhou also spoke about feeling a "liquid" and fearing it was blood. He now believes it was down to numbness.
"It did not hurt but it was very cold on my left-hand side so I didn't know if it was blood or if I had no feeling on my left-hand side," he said. "I was more worried about if the engine caught on fire because in that position you're really stuck."
‘Zhou Guanyu: 'I don't know how I survived'.’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12647669/zhou-guanyu-opens-up-on-horrifying-british-gp-crash-i-dont-know-how-i-survived
‘I didn’t know where I was’ says Zhou, as he relives scary Silverstone start crash ahead of Austrian GP
07 July 2022
Formula 1.
Zhou Guanyu has spoken about the high-speed crash he walked away from at the start of last weekend’s British Grand Prix, the Alfa Romeo driver recounting in vivid detail how it felt flying across the gravel at Turn 1.
The Chinese driver also revealed that, despite the violence of the impact – with Zhou examined in the Silverstone medical centre before being given the all-clear – the first thing he thought of was returning to the wheel of his Alfa Romeo to compete in this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix and Sprint.
“Honestly, Sunday night I was texting my engineers asking ‘is my seat okay?’… as obviously the engine takes a bit of time but for the drivers, the seats are very important, very comfortable, and so far so I don’t want to change something.
‘Checking Seat Damage’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.i-didnt-know-where-i-was-says-zhou-as-he-relives-scary-silverstone-start.6f06byee6DZJZKu0UkmL2f.html
Formula One: Guanyu Zhou ‘good to go’
The rookie driver's car was involved in an accident in the British Grand Prix
Published 08.07.22, 02:42 AM
Reuters | Spielberg
Chinese Formula One rookie Guanyu Zhou was looking forward to a quick return to racing in Austria this weekend after a huge crash last Sunday in which he feared his car would catch fire with him trapped inside.
“(I’m) happy to have back-to-back races because if you had a summer break after (such a crash) that would be terrible, because you would be thinking about it and repeating the crash in your mind again and again,” he said. “Good to be back as soon as I could.”
‘Good to Go’;
https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/guanyu-zhou-good-to-go/cid/1873664
Austrian GP: Zhou Guanyu itching to get back racing after Silverstone smash
• Published: 7 Jul 2022, 13:03
• By George Dagless
Formula 1 drivers are a rare breed and Zhou Guanyu is set to underline that this weekend by getting straight back into his Alfa Romeo after the British Grand Prix.
It was a horrible accident, but Zhou got away pretty much unscathed and has passed all the medical checks in the time since to clear him to race this weekend in Austria.
Indeed, he’s been looking forward to doing that ever since leaving the track last weekend, too, with him eager to put it all behind him: “The moment I left Silverstone last Sunday, I was already looking forward to getting back into the car.”
‘Get Back Racing’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88031225-austria-gp-zhou-guanyu-itching-to-get-back-racing-after-silverstone-smash
Zhou: Alfa Romeo roll hoop impact exceeded FIA requirements
Jul 7, 2022, 2:53 PM
Motorsport.com
Zhou Guanyu says that the impact that caused the roll hoop of his Alfa Romeo Formula 1 car to fail at Silverstone was greater than that specified in the FIA’s safety tests.
The C42’s roll hoop was lost early in the Chinese driver’s spectacular accident seconds after the start of the British GP when his car was flipped over after contact with the Mercedes of George Russell.
However, he was protected by the Halo, which remained intact as he skated along the track and into the gravel trap before bouncing over the barriers and coming to a halt.
‘Roll Hoop impact exceeded FIA requirements’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/zhou-alfa-romeo-roll-hoop-impact-exceeded-fia-requirements/10334311/
Natural instinct drove Russell to check on Zhou after F1 crash
July 7, 20224:22 PM GMT+1
Reuters
July 7 (Reuters) - Briton George Russell said natural instinct drove him to jump out of his Mercedes to check on Chinese racer Guanyu Zhou after a crash on the opening lap of last week's British Grand Prix left the Formula One rookie trapped upside down in his Alfa Romeo.
Sunday's race was not the first time that Russell, who urged Formula One to learn lessons from the crash, had rushed to the aid of a fellow competitor. IndyCar racer Callum Ilott, in a tweet on Sunday, recalled the time Russell had lifted his go-kart off him after the Briton ended up upside down.
Russell said he himself had received help from a fellow competitor when he rolled his go-kart in 2008.
‘Natural Instinct’;
https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/natural-instinct-drove-russell-check-zhou-after-f1-crash-2022-07-07/?rpc=401&
Russell: It was just sort of a natural reaction
7 July, 2022
Reuters
Briton George Russell said natural instinct drove him to jump out of his Mercedes to check on Chinese racer Zhou Guanyu after a crash on the opening lap of last week’s British Grand Prix left the Formula 1 rookie trapped upside down in his Alfa Romeo.
The race was immediately halted and Russell jumped out to check on Zhou. “It was just a horrifying accident and I saw it was a red flag,” Russell told reporters on Thursday at the Austrian Grand Prix. I thought my car was broken so for me it was just sort of a natural reaction,” added the 24-year-old, who is a director of the drivers’ union GPDA.
Russell said he himself had received help from a fellow competitor when he rolled his go-kart in 2008. “To be honest this hasn’t gone through my thought process whatsoever during any of these incidents, I’m just actually thinking about it now. I rolled in 2008 and I was trapped under the kart and I was actually burning my arm because the exhaust was stuck on top of me and this other driver stopped to lift the kart off me,” he revealed.
‘Natural Reaction’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/07/russell-it-was-just-sort-of-a-natural-reaction/
Fortitude
8th July 2022, 13:01
Austria FP1: Advantage Verstappen, Leclerc chasing.
Max Verstappen hit the ground running in Spielberg, and went fastest at the end of FP1 for the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
8 July, 2022
Jad Mallak
Verstappen could have gone faster towards the end of the session had he not been hampered by traffic several times, but in the end his lap time of 1:06.302 was good enough to claim top spot.
Charles Leclerc was second for Ferrari, 0.255s off the top, as George Russell was third fastest for the Silver Arrows, 0.400 slower than Verstappen.
Sergio Perez did not seem comfortable with his RB18 during the session, and was only good for fourth, 0.537s down on his teammate.
‘Max Advantage’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/08/austria-fp1-advantage-verstappen-leclerc-chasing/
F1 2022 Austrian Grand Prix - Free Practice Results (1)
8 Jul 2022
Connor McDonagh
2022 F1 Austrian Grand Prix - FREE PRACTICE RESULTS (1)
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m06.302s
2 Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari 1m06.447s
3 George Russell GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team 1m06.702s
4 Sergio Perez MEX Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m06.839s
5 Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team 1m06.909s
6 Kevin Magnussen DEN Haas F1 Team 1m06.965s
7 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari 1m07.039s
8 Fernando Alonso ESP BWT Alpine F1 Team 1m07.100s
9 Mick Schumacher GER Haas F1 Team 1m07.246s
10 Yuki Tsunoda JPN Scuderia AlphaTauri 1m07.296s
‘Results from the first practice session at the F1 Austrian Grand Prix, Round 11 of the 2022 Formula 1 world championship’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/results/1007485/1/f1-2022-austrian-grand-prix-free-practice-results-1
Lando Norris' car catches fire during Austrian Grand Prix practice
LANDO NORRIS has struggled this season with the McLaren star only securing one podium so far this season.
13:03, Fri, Jul 8, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Lando Norris has been forced out of practice just hours before qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix as his car caught fire. Norris came to a rest just before turn six, complaining his car was on fire over team radio.
The McLaren driver said his car was in limp mode during the opening part of the session, suggesting there was an error. Usually, his engineers would be keen for Norris to get the car back to the garage but the Briton made it clear wanted to stop urgently after claiming his seat was “smoking”.
He explained: “I'm on fire, I need to stop. Race engineer Will Joseph added: “If you’re on fire and need to stop do it." Norris responded: “It's smoking from underneath my seat mate so I'd rather get out alright."
‘Smoking Seat’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1637490/lando-norris-fire-crash-mclaren-austrian-grand-prix
Everything that happened in first Austrian GP F1 practice
8th July 2022, 13:48
By Jack Cozens
Max Verstappen headed 2022 Formula 1 title rival Charles Leclerc in the sole practice session before Austrian Grand Prix qualifying at the Red Bull Ring.
Key moments:
> Verstappen leads FP1 throughout
> Two red flags in only pre-qualifying practice session
> Norris causes first by stopping on track
> McLaren team-mate Ricciardo experiments with and without Gurney flap
‘Everything FP1’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/everything-that-happened-in-first-austrian-gp-f1-practice/
FIA’s new porpoising restrictions delayed by a month
2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 8th July 2022, 13:238th July 2022, 13:37
Written by Keith Collantine
The FIA has agreed to delay the introduction of new limits on Formula 1 cars ‘porpoising’ until the Belgian Grand Prix.
Following a meeting of the F1 Commission today the sport’s governing body confirmed it will postpone the enforcement of its new metric governing the allowed vertical movement by cars. It was originally due to be imposed from the French Grand Prix, but has now been pushed back to the Belgian round following the summer break.
Some teams had raised concerns over the FIA’s plans to limit porpoising. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described it as a “dangerous avenue” to pursue as the directive raised the possibility of the FIA instructing teams to alter their set-ups. Williams CEO Jost Capito described the proposed restriction as “much too complicated.”
‘FIA Porpoising Delay’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/08/fias-new-porpoising-restrictions-delayed-by-a-month/
Deal struck on budget cap break for F1 teams due to soaring inflation
2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 8th July 2022, 13:52
Written by Keith Collantine
A deal has been agreed to relax Formula 1’s budget cap due to soaring inflation levels, though not all teams were in favour of the move.
The budget cap was introduced last year and set at a level of $145 million (£120.9m), with several exceptions including the salaries of top team staff and drivers. It fell to $140m this year as planned, however a sharp rise in inflation since the beginning of the season left several teams concerned they would be unable to avoid exceeding the spending limit.
“The proposal recognises the unexpected increase of costs incurred by teams in 2022 thereby permitting indexation at a limited rate of 3.1% (which takes into account the original 3% inflation threshold already set out in the regulations) and permitting compounding of this rate as from 2023. This will preserve the long-term integrity of the Financial Regulations.”
‘Soaring Inflation. Budget Cap Break’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/08/deal-struck-on-budget-cap-break-for-f1-teams-due-to-soaring-inflation/
Fortitude
8th July 2022, 17:10
Verstappen tops Austrian GP F1 qualifying as both Mercedes crash.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen narrowly saw off the two Ferraris in Friday qualifying of Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix sprint weekend.
8th July 2022, 17:42
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
Verstappen beat Leclerc by just 0.029s, after a Q3 session that was twice interrupted by crashes for Mercedes drivers.
The Monegasque trailed Verstappen’s time by two tenths after the first two sectors, but jumped out ahead by a tenth – with Carlos Sainz briefly backing up a provisional Ferrari 1-2, only for Verstappen to respond with a 1m04.984s.
Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez was a distant fourth, and there was considerable controversy over his participation in Q3 as he was placed under investigation for potentially cutting Turn 8.
‘Max P1 Response’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-tops-austrian-gp-f1-qualifying-as-both-mercedes-crash/
2022 Austrian Grand Prix - Qualifying results
08/07/2022 at 17:24
Andrew Lewin
Pos Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:05.852s 1:05.374s 1:04.984s
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:05.419s 1:05.287s 1:05.013s
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:05.660s 1:05.576s 1:05.066s
4 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:06.143s 1:05.805s 1:05.404s
5 George Russell Mercedes 1:06.235s 1:05.697s 1:05.431s
6 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:06.468s 1:05.993s 1:05.726s
7 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:06.366s 1:05.894s 1:05.879s
8 Mick Schumacher Haas 1:06.405s 1:06.151s 1:06.011s
9 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1:06.016s 1:06.082s 1:06.103s
10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:06.079s 1:05.475s 1:13.151s
‘Full results from qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg, round 11 of the 2022 Formula 1 season’;
https://f1i.com/news/447396-2022-austrian-grand-prix-qualifying-results.html
Austrian GP: Max Verstappen goes fastest from Charles Leclerc in incredibly tight qualifying
Published: 8 Jul 2022, 17:38
By George Dagless
Max Verstappen will start the Austrian Sprint tomorrow afternoon from P1 after recording the fastest time in a very tight Friday night qualifying shootout, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz within a tenth of a second of the Dutchman.
Verstappen has a superb record around the Red Bull Ring and he is looking good to maintain that, after delivering in front of the packed, orange-clad stands in Spielberg. Indeed, it’s Red Bull’s home race but it could easily be Max’s, such is the amount of Dutch support in the grandstands, with him delivering to their delight in front of the Ferraris.
Certainly, the finest of margins decided pole in Austria with Leclerc taking provisional pole ahead of Sainz, before Verstappen became the only man in Q3 to dip into the 1:04.000 mark, with a fine lap just before the chequered flag.
‘Finest of Margins’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88031956-austrian-gp-max-verstappen-goes-fastest-from-charles-leclerc-in-incredibly-tight-qualifying
Verstappen confident for Austria races after taking pole in “very tight qualifying”
2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 8th July 2022, 17:53
Written by Will Wood
Max Verstappen is confident that Red Bull have a car capable of winning in this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix after taking pole position for Saturday’s opening sprint race.
The championship leader beat Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to pole position for Saturday’s sprint race by just under three-hundredths of a second in an eventual qualifying session at the Red Bull Ring which saw Q3 interrupted twice due to crashes for both Mercedes drivers.
Despite the delays, Verstappen managed to improve on his personal best time in the final sector, having been slower than his previous effort across the opening two sectors to beat both Ferraris of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr by less than a tenth of a second.
‘Max Confidence’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/08/verstappen-confident-for-austria-races-after-taking-pole-in-very-tight-qualifying/
2022 Austrian GP Qualifying: Russell becomes second Mercedes to hit the wall in Q3
08 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Qualifying had only just been restarted following Lewis Hamilton’s crash when fellow Mercedes driver George Russell also hit the tyre barrier after losing the car at the final corner, triggering the red flags again.
‘Mercedes Crashes Concern’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-austrian-gp-qualifying-russell-becomes-second-mercedes-to-hit-the-wall-in-q3.1737803154175429343.html
Toto Wolff's fiery response after Dutch fans cheer Lewis Hamilton crash at Austrian GP
LEWIS HAMILTON crashed out in the final minutes of qualifying at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.
17:57, Fri, Jul 8, 2022
By Archie Griggs
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff insisted that some fans need to be educated after a number of supporters were heard cheering when Lewis Hamilton crashed out in qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday.
"We just need to speak more to the fans cheering when a car is in the wall or booing a driver who gives an interview," the Mercedes team principal told Sky Sports F1.
"It's not what we would do with our competitors and enemies even though you would think there is some animosity out there. Nobody should actually do it, we need to work collectively with F1 and you guys to educate people."
‘Fiery Response’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1637671/Toto-Wolff-fiery-response-Lewis-Hamilton-crash-Austrian-GP-F1-news
Daniel Ricciardo's miserable season continues after McLaren driver is DUMPED out of Q1 ahead of the sprint at the Austrian Grand Prix
• Daniel Ricciardo's misery continued after he was dumped out of Q1 in Austria
• The Australian is under pressure having endured a poor season with McLaren
• Ricciardo failed to advance to Q2 and will start in P16 for tomorrow's sprint
Published: 16:51, 8 July 2022
By Ollie Lewis For Daily Mail Australia
Things went from bad to worse for Daniel Ricciardo as the McLaren driver was dumped out of qualifying at the first opportunity in Austria.
With all 20 drivers jostling for a good position for Saturday's sprint race, Ricciardo was unable to finish 15th or above to advance to Q2 and was forced to settle with P16.
Meanwhile, Ricciardo's teammate Lando Norris made it to the next qualifying session after clocking in the eighth-fastest time, but was swiftly booted from Q2 and finished in P15.
‘Miserable Season Continues!’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-10995715/Daniel-Ricciardos-miserable-season-continues-McLaren-driver-DUMPED-Q1.html
Fortitude
9th July 2022, 12:28
Sainz heads Ferrari 1-2 in final Austrian GP practice.
Carlos Sainz fronted a Ferrari 1-2 during Saturday practice for Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix.
8th July 2022, 12:33
by Phillip Horton
As per previous Sprint weekends the best lap was off the ultimate pace, with teams focusing on longer runs, due to having no reason to chase one-lap potential. Sainz’s best time, a 1:08.610s, was almost four seconds off Max Verstappen’s pole lap.
Charles Leclerc classified second, within a tenth of his Ferrari team-mate, while Verstappen finished third. Alpine wound up fourth and fifth, with Fernando Alonso ahead of Esteban Ocon, while Sergio Perez was sixth for Red Bull.
Mercedes was able to return both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton to the circuit during the session after their respective qualifying accidents. Team boss Toto Wolff quipped earlier on Saturday that Mercedes’ garage looked as if a Lego car had been dropped such was the damage and range of components littering the floor.
‘Sainz heads Ferrari 1-2’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/09/sainz-heads-ferrari-1-2-in-final-austrian-gp-practice/
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2022 Austrian Grand Prix
9th July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -1:08.610
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.050
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.168
4. Fernando Alonso Alpine +0.222
5. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.238
6. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.569
7. George Russell Mercedes +0.630
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.641
9. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.740
10. Lando Norris McLaren +0.909
‘Austrian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from FP2 ahead of the Sprint for the 2022 F1 World Championship race at the Red Bull Ring’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2022-austrian-grand-prix-79469
Hamilton loses most of Austrian GP FP2, Sainz quickest
9th July 2022, 12:42
By Jack Cozens
Carlos Sainz topped a second Austrian Grand Prix practice session that Lewis Hamilton missed the majority of following his crash in the final part of qualifying on Friday.
Key moments:
> Mercedes repairs cost Hamilton three quarters of FP2
> Ferraris 1-2 from Verstappen
> Alpines, fourth and fifth, chose to sit out first 25 minutes
‘The Race Analysis’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/hamilton-loses-most-of-austrian-gp-fp2-sainz-quickest/
Lewis Hamilton forced to replace 'destroyed' Mercedes car part after Austrian GP crash
LEWIS HAMILTON will line up ninth for this afternoon's sprint race after a crash in qualifying.
11:45, Sat, Jul 9, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Lewis Hamilton will need new parts ahead of today’s sprint race after suffering a heavy crash during Austrian Grand Prix qualifying. Hamilton will need a new chassis after his Mercedes side impact structure was damaged in the collision during Q3.
Andreas Haupt, a reporter for Auto Motor Und Sport, revealed the extent of Hamilton’s damage this morning. Posting on Twitter, he said: “Hamilton needs a new chassis for Austrian GP. The side-impact crash structure was destroyed yesterday after hitting tire barriers in Turn seven.”
The seven-time champion lost control of his car at turn seven after a gust of wind forced him off track. In his attempt to correct the slide, Hamilton was pushed onto the gravel trap which pulled him towards the barriers.
‘Destroyed Mercedes Car Part Replacement’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1637893/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-damage-austrian-grand-prix-crash
Revised starting grid for the 2022 F1 Austrian GP Sprint after late penalty
09/07/2022, 11:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Max Verstappen will lead the field away for the second F1 Sprint race of the season in Austria on Saturday.
Red Bull driver Verstappen edged out the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz during qualifying at the Red Bull Ring to seal top spot.
Sergio Perez had been due to start fourth in the other Red Bull, but drops back to 13th after losing his Q3 times and best Q2 effort over track limits.
STARTING GRID: 2022 F1 AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX SPRINT
Position Driver Team
1. Verstappen Red Bull
2. Leclerc Ferrari
3. Sainz Ferrari
4. Russell Mercedes
5. Ocon Alpine
6. Magnussen Haas
7. Schumacher Haas
8. Alonso Alpine
9. Hamilton Mercedes
10. Gasly AlphaTauri
‘The starting grid below is provisional until confirmed by F1's governing body, the FIA’;
https://racingnews365.com/revised-starting-grid-for-the-2022-f1-austrian-gp-sprint-after-late-penalty
Austrian GP: Christian Horner bemoans 'very harsh' qualifying penalty for Sergio Perez
Published: 9 Jul 2022, 09:15
By George Dagless
Christian Horner has labelled the penalty Sergio Perez received in qualifying as ‘very harsh’ with the Red Bull man dropping from P4 to P13 for today’s Sprint.
The Mexican is looking to make inroads into Max Verstappen’s lead in the world championship, and took some points back last time out at the British Grand Prix with him finishing second to Max’s seventh.
However, there’s every chance that that gain could be reversed totally this weekend, with extra points on offer thanks to the return of the Sprint format, and due to the fact that Verstappen is sitting in P1 for lights out this afternoon.
‘P13 Very Harsh’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88032038-austrian-gp-christian-horner-bemoans-very-harsh-qualifying-penalty-for-sergio-perez
Haas F1 drivers surprised undeveloped car is still Q3-worthy
5 hours ago
By Scott Mitchell
Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher are surprised that their undeveloped Formula 1 car is still capable of qualifying in the top 10. Magnussen and Schumacher qualified seventh and eighth at the Austrian Grand Prix and will each start the sprint race at the Red Bull Ring one place higher following a penalty for Sergio Perez.
After the pair produced another top 10 result in qualifying in Austria, Magnussen admitted it was better than expected at round 10 of the season. “It’s a good car this year and it’s looked strong ever since the beginning really,” he said.
Asked by The Race if he shared that feeling, Schumacher said: “Yeah, I think we were all a bit surprised, but happily surprised. I’m quite optimistic that even with the update that we will get we’ll do another step forwards.”
‘Haas Car Looking Strong’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/haas-f1-drivers-surprised-undeveloped-car-is-still-q3-worthy/
Impact on Zhou’s roll hoop was double the force of FIA crash tests – Vasseur
2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 9th July 2022, 11:52
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
The roll hoop on Zhou Guanyu’s car suffered an impact over twice the magnitude of the maximum load in FIA safety tests during his Silverstone crash, Frederic Vasseur revealed. The Alfa Romeo driver suffered a violent accident at the start of the British Grand Prix last weekend after being flipped over following contact between Pierre Gasly and George Russell.
The roll hoop on Zhou’s car broke in the impact, sending Zhou skidding along the asphalt with only his halo protecting his helmet from contact with the ground. Alfa Romeo team principal Vasseur says that the team’s initial investigations have shown the force exerted on the roll hoop was over twice the maximum they are subjected to during FIA’s safety tests.
“It’s still under investigation,” explained Vasseur. “We showed the information about the crash with the FIA, we are already into the process of this. The first concept is that the crash was something like two times more than the load of the crash test. I don’t know if you had a look at the Tarmac, but we dug a groove into the tarmac, something like four or five centimetres deep. At some stage, it doesn’t matter the level of the crash test – you can always find something a bit bigger.”
‘Double Force Impact!’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/09/impact-on-zhous-roll-hoop-was-double-the-force-of-fia-crash-tests-vasseur/
Fortitude
9th July 2022, 16:53
Austrian GP: Verstappen controls the Sprint, Perez recovers to P5.
Max Verstappen was largely untroubled as he claimed a lights-to-flag victory in the Austrian Grand Prix Sprint.
09 July 2022
The Red Bull driver repelled Charles Leclerc on the run to Turn 1 and eased away, leaving the two Ferraris to battle for second. Despite a few wheel-to-wheel moments, it was Leclerc that stayed ahead as Carlos Sainz had to settle for third.
As Verstappen pulled away in the lead, the two Ferraris went to war as Leclerc rebuffed Sainz strongly in the fight for second. Sebastian Vettel was spun into the gravel by Alex Albon at Turn 6, the Williams driver already had a five-second penalty for pushing Lando Norris wide at Turn 3.
Perez continued his charge, passing the Haas' and Esteban Ocon to run fifth. Hamilton tried to follow the Red Bull through but became stuck behind the gearbox of Mick Schumacher in ninth.
‘Max Control, Carlos Perez P5 Recovery’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/15958-austrian-gp-verstappen-controls-the-sprint-perez-recovers-to-p5
Sprint Results – 2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Spielberg, Austria
9th July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 23 laps
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +1.675
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +5.644
4. George Russell Mercedes +13.429
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +18.302
6. Esteban Ocon Alpine +31.032
7. Kevin Magnussen Haas +34.539
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +35.447
9. Mick Schumacher Haas +37.163
10. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +37.163
‘Austrian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s Sprint to set the grid for tomorrow’s 2022 F1 World Championship race at the Red Bull Ring’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-results-2022-austrian-grand-prix-79477
HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action from the Sprint in Austria, as Verstappen beats duelling Ferraris
09 July 2022
Formula 1.
Max Verstappen led from start to finish at Saturday afternoon's Sprint in Austria, sealing his second Sprint victory of the season, and a P1 start for tomorrow’s Grand Prix.
Verstappen fought off the challenges from both Ferrari drivers at the beginning of the Sprint before taking off and crossing the line nearly two seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc in second. After battling with his team mate earlier in the Sprint, Carlos Sainz was made to settle for third place, ahead of the Mercedes of George Russell in fourth.
Sergio Perez battled his way from 13th to fifth, ahead of Esteban Ocon in sixth. Kevin Magnussen finished in seventh, in front of the recovering Lewis Hamilton, who took the final point in the Sprint, after a long battle with Mick Schumacher in Haas – who finished ninth.
‘Sprint Highlights’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.highlights-watch-the-action-from-the-sprint-in-austria-as-verstappen-beats.3vgPH4kic3DaPw4InmZGNr.html
Leclerc: “We can’t afford to do tomorrow what we did today”
2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 9th July 2022, 17:27
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Charles Leclerc says the fight between him and his team mate in the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race compromised his attempts to fight for the lead. The two Ferrari drivers exchanged positions twice on the opening lap, Leclerc regaining second place behind Max Verstappen. Sainz then attacked Leclerc further into the race, and the pair dropped further behind the Red Bull driver.
Leclerc suggested the reason Sainz was able to attack him in the early laps was because he was managing his tyres more in order to be able to catch Verstappen later in the race. “I think it was pretty close between us three, to be honest, in terms of pace,” he said in the FIA press conference after the sprint race. “I was probably the one managing the most at the beginning and the one pushing the most at the end. So I just tried something different but it didn’t work out.”
“Tomorrow’s going to be a long race and tyre management will be quite a bit more important compared to today,” he said. “So probably tomorrow we cannot afford to do what we did today, no.” It will be up to team principal Mattia Binotto to determine how hard they can fight each other, he added. “For the rules of engagement, obviously we are not the one to decide,” he said. “It will be more Mattia.”
‘Cannot afford to do what we did today, no!’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/09/leclerc-we-cant-afford-to-do-tomorrow-what-we-did-today/
Alonso's F1 car in "full blackout" on Austrian GP sprint grid
Fernando Alonso says his Alpine Formula 1 car suffered a "full blackout" on the grid for the Austrian Grand Prix's sprint, which he failed to start.
Jul 9, 2022, 4:33 PM
By: Filip Cleeren
Co-author: Luke Smith
As the grid was vacated before the start, Alonso's car was left on the grid on its jacks with the tyre blankets still attached, as the team was frantically trying to solve a technical issue on the car. But as the grid was led around for another formation lap due to Zhou Guanyu's engine shut-off, buying Alpine more time, Alonso didn't manage to start from the pitlane because his car failed to fire up.
A frustrated Alonso explained his car went into a full shutdown on the grid, the underlying reason for which is yet to be diagnosed. "Five minutes before the start we had full blackout in the car and we could not switch on the car," Alonso said when asked about the issue by Motorsport.com.
"We tried to fire up with an external battery, but it didn't work either, so there is something bigger going on there and let's try to fix it for tomorrow.”
‘El PLAN: Tomorrow’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonsos-f1-car-in-full-blackout-on-austrian-gp-sprint-grid/10335660/
Schumacher puzzled by how Haas handled Austrian GP sprint
09/07/2022, 17:24
By Scott Mitchell and Valentin Khorounzhiy
A somewhat flustered Schumacher described the battle with Hamilton as “fun” but one that “shouldn’t have happened in the first place. I think that in some ways it probably wasn’t quite necessary, because I think I had more pace to be in front,” he reiterated.
“So, something to have a look at it, maybe for my understanding, why we didn’t switch the positions. Because I felt like I probably could’ve attacked Esteban [Ocon] ahead [for sixth place].”
“It’s quite incredible to be fighting with Mercedes and a Red Bull. Again, I think there was more in it. Schumacher believes a swap with Magnussen would’ve been “doable without losing any time”, and says he requested to swap “a few times” but was turned down.
‘Mick Puzzled’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/schumacher-puzzled-by-how-haas-handled-austrian-gp-sprint/
Wolff: ‘Draggy’ W13 cost Hamilton in fight with Haas
Date published: July 9 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff offered a downbeat summary of the Austrian Grand Prix sprint as Lewis Hamilton struggled to pass the two Haas cars. Hamilton lined up P9 for the second sprint of the 2022 season, a crash during Q3 on Friday having ended the Briton’s session early when he had been looking like a contender to challenge for the top positions.
Put to Wolff by Sky Sports F1 that Mick had shown real fighting spirit, comparable to that of his father, ex-Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher, Wolff replied: “It’s a fight for position and they have an advantage because we are so draggy. And maybe also a bit of performance here, so overall, yeah, you need to do that.”
George Russell was able to claim P4 on the grid in the other Mercedes, staying out of the reach of Sergio Perez who came storming through the pack in the Red Bull. Nonetheless, Wolff could not take too much satisfaction, saying the pace Mercedes had been hoping for never materalised.
‘Draggy W13 Pace’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-draggy-w13-austria-sprint/
Vettel summoned to stewards over his ‘behaviour at a drivers’ meeting’
2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 9th July 2022, 16:54
Written by Keith Collantine
The stewards of the Austrian Grand Prix have summoned Sebastian Vettel to a hearing related to a drivers’ meeting which took place yesterday. A statement issued by the FIA said Vettel had been called to answer questions over an “alleged breach of Article 12.2.1 f) of the International Sporting Code and Article 20.1 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations – Behaviour at the Drivers’ Meeting at 19:30.”
Two drivers’ meetings are held during sprint race weekends. The incident in which the alleged infringement involving Vettel took place occured after yesterday’s qualifying session.
The article of the International Sporting Code which Vettel is alleged to have violation forbids “any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motor sport and on the values defended by the FIA.”
‘Moral injury or Loss to the FIA’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/09/vettel-summoned-to-stewards-over-his-behaviour-at-a-drivers-meeting/
Fortitude
10th July 2022, 05:51
'Good race and recovery' puts Perez back to P5 for Sunday.
A solid performance for the Red Bull driver in the sprint saw him recover almost all of that lost ground, allowing his driving to do the talking for him as he battled his way confidently back up to P5 at the chequered flag.
09/07/2022 at 19:07
Andrew Lewin
At the end of yesterday's [Saturday] qualifying session, Sergio Perez believed he'd done enough to secure a spot on the second row of the grid for the sprint race at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. But a post-session visit to the stewards office saw him stripped of his final times for exceeding track limits at the end of Q2, dropping him from fourth to P13 on the grid instead.
“It was a good race and recovery," he confirmed after the end of today's 23-lap sprint. "We got the most we could out of the sprint and I feel it is a strong result from us.
"I had a good start and kept out of trouble. It was tricky with Lewis and a lot of people going side by side into turn three," he continued. "Once I got past everybody, George Russell was a bit far for me to catch up with. I wish I had got back up to P4, but I can fight from fifth.”
‘Fight From P5’;
https://f1i.com/news/447735-good-race-and-recovery-puts-perez-back-to-p5-for-sunday.html
Sergio Perez aiming for 'at least the podium' on Sunday
Sat. 09 July 2022, 16:44
SKY
‘Sergio Perez sets out his ambitions for the Austrian Grand Prix’;
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12648875/sergio-perez-i-really-hope-im-on-the-podium-tomorrow
Pérez targeting podium in Austrian Grand Prix after fighting his way up to P5 in the Sprint
09 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Sergio Pérez lost his P4 grid slot on Friday night and was dropped down to P13 for track limits infringements, but fought his way up to fifth in the Sprint – and is now eyeing a podium in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
‘Targeting a Podium Finish’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.perez-targeting-podium-in-austrian-grand-prix-after-fighting-his-way-up-to-p5-in-the-sprint.1737891402988055656.html
Perez frustrated to have ‘paid the price for FIA not policing track limits better’
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 10th July 2022, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
In the round-up: Sergio Perez says he “paid the price” for the FIA failing to delete his illegal lap time after he breached track limits in Friday’s qualifying. In brief: Perez frustrated to have ‘paid the price for FIA not policing track limits better’.
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez says his Austrian Grand Prix weekend been compromised by the FIA stewards failing to delete his illegal lap time from the end of Q2 during qualifying. Perez exceeded track limits at turn eight during his final and quickest lap in Q2 during Friday’s qualifying session. He was originally advanced into Q3 and competed in the session, before the stewards retroactively deleted his best Q2 time and all times set in Q3, dropping him from fourth on the sprint race grid to 13th.
After he climbed back up to claim fifth on the grid during the sprint race, Perez said he feels his penalty was made more severe due to the unnecessary running he completed in Q3. “I think I definitely did something wrong, but also I think I paid the price from the FIA not being able to police it better,” Perez said. “I got a harsher penalty than I should because I wasted all my tyres in Q3, risking it all. But anyway, it’s all in the past. We’re seeing a bit of inconsistency throughout, so hopefully we’re able to get back some rhythm and work together with the FIA.”
‘It’s all in the past now!’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/10/racefans-round-up-10-07-5/
Horner brands Perez’s grid drop as ‘very harsh’
Date published: July 9 2022
Michelle Foster
Sergio Perez’s penalty for exceeding track limits in Q2 at the Red Bull Ring was “very harsh”, that’s the opinion of Christian Horner. Perez qualified fourth for Saturday’s sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix weekend only to be informed that he was under investigation for a track limits violation in Q3.
The stewards ruled that the “video was clear and there is no doubt of the breach, which the team admitted”. But because it had taken place in Q2, the driver making it through to the final segment, they faced an unexpected situation of what punishment to hand out.
“We feel the penalty for Checo was very harsh and should have been dealt with before Q3 to enable us to improve subsequent performance,” the Red Bull team boss said as per GPFans. “He will do his best from P13 and try and put us in a better position for Sunday’s race.” Perez’s penalty does set a precedent now for future infringements which aren’t noted at the time.
‘Very Harsh Precedent Set’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-sergio-perez-grid-drop-very-harsh/
Fortitude
10th July 2022, 06:41
Civil war set to erupt between Ferrari drivers in Austria.
Decisions that do Ferrari no favours and are a disservice to all those at Maranello who with sweat, blood and tears build those two cars for two spoilt brats to put their own egos and ambitions ahead of all those behind the greatest team in our sport.
9 July, 2022
Paul Velasco
Talk about no communication. Mattia needs to put out the fire tonight because it does not take a Nostradamus to work out that all hell could break loose between the pair at Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday and/or France and/or Hungary. Whenever. But it will happen sooner or later unless Binotto cracks the whip and gets his drivers in order. ASAP. Or else Tifosi should brace themselves for civil war and bye-bye 2022 F1 titles, 2023, 2024 and so on. until one of the Charlies goes.
In closing final words to Mattia Binotto: “By maximising the points for the team, we are also doing the same for the drivers’ chances by taking points away from their opponents. The fastest car on the track is the one that gets priority.” So why did Sainz attack?
“If one of the drivers has better chances later in the championship, then we will certainly try to give him full priority, but at the moment that is not the situation.” Seriously? Leclerc was 24 points ahead of Sainz before the Silverstone fiasco. And is still 12 points ahead of Sainz, in a season that will now be decided by the finest of margins it is clear who to push for the title tilt.
‘Civil War: Pulling No Punches!’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/09/civil-war-set-to-erupt-between-ferrari-drivers-sainz-and-leclerc-at-austrian-gp/
Leclerc makes Ferrari demand after Sainz sprint fight.
Saturday 9 July 2022 18:35
Ewan Gale
Charles Leclerc has called on Ferrari to work together to defeat Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix after an intra-team battle let the Red Bull driver off the hook in the sprint.
Carlos Sainz was racy at the start and attacked Verstappen into turn three but after running wide, team-mate Leclerc overtook the latest grand prix winner into turn four. Reigning F1 champion Verstappen was afforded breathing room up front as Leclerc and Sainz continued to battle in the opening phase of the 23-lap event.
On whether the Ferraris could work together to take the fight to Verstappen in the grand prix proper, Leclerc replied: "I hope so." Taking team strategy aside, the no holds barred battle between Sainz and Leclerc made for fantastic viewing.
‘Ferrari Working Together!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/86827/charles-leclerc-ferrari-demand-austrian-grand-prix-sprint/
Martin Brundle rips into Ferrari for failing Charles Leclerc in Max Verstappen title fight.
Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle has accused Ferrari of derailing Charles Leclerc’s title bid after a string of errors.
10:37, Fri, Jul 8, 2022
By Andrew Gamble
CHARLES LECLERC has lost ground on Max Verstappen in the Formula 1 world title battle due to a number of questionable decisions by Ferrari. The Monegasque star was not called in to pit to change his tyres when the Safety Car was deployed late in the race as each of his rivals were given fresh new tyres. While the decision meant Leclerc held the lead as racing resumed, he was a sitting duck on old, hard tyres compared to the fresh, soft tyres of his colleagues.
As a result, Sainz passed his teammate with ease to secure his maiden F1 Grand Prix victory. Leclerc appeared to be clearly frustrated as he exited his car and returned to the Italians’ garage, and Brundle believes Ferrari must do more to help Leclerc in his title tilt against Verstappen. “Well they've got the pace, particularly Charles Leclerc who is flying along,” Brundle said. “Carlos Sainz is more tenacious in the race I would say.”
“How Leclerc went so fast at Silverstone with a broken wing I'll never know. But he's been on pole six times and they keep losing races through strategy, through unreliability. Why they didn't pit him for fresh tyres in Silverstone... they had plenty of thinking time to do that. They made a mistake again. They're going to have to really get their act together if they want to beat Red Bull this season.”
‘Ferrari Ripped!’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1637366/Martin-Brundle-Ferrari-Charles-Leclerc-Max-Verstappen-title
Formula 1: Motorsport icon counts Ferrari boss Binotto
JUL 5, 2022
Bytaketonews
Formula 1 racing team Ferrari is in the pillory after another strategy chaos. After the British Grand Prix, team boss Mattia Binotto has to defend himself against harsh criticism. Team boss Mattia Binotto only brought in Carlos Sainz, who was in the lead. The fact that Ferrari did not also call Leclerc into the pits for a double stop even amazed the competition from Red Bull. Team boss Christian Horner spoke of a “strange decision”.
Binotto is now receiving criticism from former Formula 1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck. “I wonder how long Mattia Binotto will survive at Ferrari. After all, he is the boss of the race and has to be responsible for these decisions,” said the German motorsport icon at “Eurosport“. The Scuderia had already made a tactical mistake at the Monaco Grand Prix when they gambled away at Leclerc’s pit stops.
According to Stuck, who knows Formula 1 very well from his active time from 1974 to 1979, Ferrari “always had phases” in the past in which “wrong decisions” were made. “But this year it’s been tough.” While Sainz was able to win a race in the premier class for the first time, his teammate was served. “Charles Leclerc really has to throw up. He’s really a poor pig. But that’s Ferrari,” said Hans-Joachim Stuck.
‘That’s Ferrari!’;
https://taketonews.com/formula-1-motorsport-icon-counts-ferrari-boss-binotto/
Brundle: Leclerc has ‘had enough’ of Ferrari misfortune.
Date published: July 9 2022
Jon Wilde
Martin Brundle thinks Charles Leclerc is struggling to cope with the misfortune he has endured at Ferrari over the past five races. The problems have clearly been getting to the 24-year-old, as evidenced by some tetchy team radio messages and a conversation after the British Grand Prix with team principal Mattia Binotto, who was seen wagging his finger at the Monegasque.
The duo have subsequently cleared the air when Binotto travelled to Leclerc’s home Principality in the build-up to the Austrian Grand Prix. However, Brundle, speaking on Sky F1, believes there are palpable signs of Leclerc’s increasing frustration as so many chances to add to the four career F1 victories he has achieved go begging.
Speaking in response to footage of Binotto wagging his finger at Leclerc, Brundle said: “We all live life, we are all human beings and that’s not a Formula 1 story is it? We all know what the finger-wagging means. Charles could be here today, I think, comfortably leading the World Championship actually. They (Ferrari) have messed up on strategy, they have messed up on reliability, he’s been on pole position six times, he’s so unbelievably fast.”
‘Ferrari Mess Up’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-charles-leclerc-luck/
Ferrari broken by experts: “Leclerc really is a poor pig”
World Stories11:00 am
Stuck accounts for Binotto: Despite Carlos Sainz’s first victory in a Formula 1 game, Ferrari has been sharply criticized. Despite the best options, Charles Leclerc finished fourth. Former race car driver Hans Joachim Stuck wonders about “Eurosport“,” Mattia Binotto will live for how long in Ferrari. After all, he is the race boss and he must be responsible for these decisions. “And:” Charles Leclerc really has to give up. He really is a poor young man. But that ‘s a Ferrari.”
Short, compact, clear Danner sees several Ferrari wrong decisions: RTL Specialist Christian Danner makes a similar statement. The fact that Leclerc was not allowed to pass Sainz was a serious mistake. Leclerc is “the fastest and best driver” and “the only world champion candidate Ferrari has,” he insists in “sports1”.
“Ferrari broken by expert!’;
https://sasatimes.com/ferrari-broken-by-experts-leclerc-really-is-a-poor-pig/
Charles Leclerc explains 'Ferrari engineer revolt' and Mattia Binotto dressing down
CHARLES LECLERC has thrown away Ferrari's early season advantage as tensions rise at the Italian marquee.
06:31, Fri, Jul 8, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Sky Sports host Ted Kravitz asked what the reality was inside the team after fans spotted Binotto’s finger-wagging last weekend. He also asked why Leclerc's mechanics reportedly did not want to celebrate with Carlos Sainz after the Spaniard’s win last week.
However, Leclerc appeared to squash rumours of an interior split at Ferrari, suggesting the stories were untrue. The Monegasque explained: “It is a shame to see all of this type of things because it is definitely not what is happening inside the team.
“Of course were we disappointed after last weekend? I think we were. We were one-two, we finished one-four, so some part of the team were disappointed. But this was definitely not the reason or whatsoever for everybody not being on the picture. I think half of the team that stayed on the picture missed the plane to go back home, it was quite tricky. We wanted to do a first picture but Carlos was not here so we had to delay everything, But, there’s no hard feelings whatsoever.”
‘Nothing to See Here’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1637041/charles-leclerc-ferrari-engineer-mattia-binotto-f1-news
Fortitude
10th July 2022, 07:00
Binotto denies reports of a divided Ferrari garage.
Mattia Binotto has played down claims the Ferrari garage was divided following Carlos Sainz’s win at Silverstone.
Date published: July 9 2022
Sam Cooper
In what should have been a day of celebration, a report emerged from a former Ferrari insider that all was not well inside the paddock. The insider claimed Charles Leclerc’s side of the garage had refused to attend the podium ceremony and missed the following photoshoot after being angry with the way the team had handled him during the race.
In response to the report, Binotto said he was “surprised” and that it was something he had personally checked on to see how true the statements were. “That was not true,” Binotto told Autosport.
“When I heard or I read it, [I was] surprised. What I did was to check because, you never know, maybe there is something I missed. But I checked and that was not the case at all. [I’m] surprised and again disappointed to read that sometimes there are things written which do not correctly say what was happening.”
‘Ferrari Division Denied’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia-binotto-denies-reports-of-a-divided-ferrari-garage/
BINOTTO: “NOT THE SITUATION FOR TEAM ORDERS NOW”
14:53 Sat, 09 Jul 2022.
Dalila Zanardo
Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto answered critics regarding Maranello’s choice during the British Grand Prix not to favour Charles Leclerc and admitted the team wouldn’t use team orders in the near future, as its drivers are “free to fight”.
Polemics surround once again Mattia Binotto’s management and especially the choice not to explicitly prioritise Charles Leclerc, who is obviously already considered the leading driver at least by the fans. The Italian team principal expressed in the FIA Press Conference the will to think race by race:
“At first what we are trying to do every single race is to maximise the team points. There are two championships, and by maximizing the team points, I am pretty sure we are maximizing the drivers’ opportunities by taking points from the opponents.”
‘Ferrari Polemics’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/binotto-not-the-situation-for-team-orders-now/?nowprocket=1
Mattia Binotto: Ferrari will prioritise leading driver
11:28 Sat, 09 Jul
Sky Sports
Ferrari’s team principal Mattia Binotto says if Charles Leclerc continues to prove himself as the leading driver, they will prioritise him over Carlos Sainz.
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12648676/mattia-binotto-its-obvious-for-ferrari-to-prioritise-leclerc
Leclerc and Binotto laugh off fake Italian media reports
Saturday 9 July 2022 13:15
Ewan Gale
The Italian media were scathing in their reviews of the Scuderia's British Grand Prix strategy after Carlos Sainz's maiden win, with more focus placed on Leclerc's freefall from first to fourth in the closing stages after being left on ageing hard tyres. Reports suggested a rift between the two sides of the garage, with Binotto flying in to meet Leclerc at his home in Monaco.
But a dismissive Binotto explained: "I meet the drivers after each race and have a discussion to review the race situation. "Charles was in Monaco and in the back-to-back [races], it was the best opportunity for me to meet him, simply to go there.”
"We had dinner, we were laughing together reading the newspapers because we knew that [what was being written] was completely wrong. He was very happy to meet and discuss, move forward and be constructive on some of the scenarios and the best chance for us to be strong in the following races."
‘Laughing at Italian Media’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/86797/charles-leclerc-mattia-binotto-fake-italian-media/
Leclerc wanted to ‘disconnect’ from F1 after recent poor run
19:58 Thu, 07 Jul 2022.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Charles Leclerc says he felt the need to “disconnect” from Formula 1 after a chat with Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto earlier this week, but denies there is a divide within the team.
Leclerc has seen his title aspirations take a big hit in recent races through a combination of poor reliability and strategy errors, falling to a 43-point deficit in the drivers’ standings after being 41 points ahead before Imola.
Asked what Binotto had said in his exchange in the pits at Silverstone, and later in Monaco, Leclerc said: “Well, obviously there’s been quite a lot of talks about the two events in the last few days. He was first quite angry with me after Silverstone, because he saw me extremely down, which obviously he understood. But he just wanted to make sure that I was okay, and that I realised that I had done also an amazing job considering the situation I found myself in after the safety car.”
‘Monaco ‘cheer-up’ Chat’;
https://readmotorsport.com/2022/07/07/leclerc-wanted-to-disconnect-from-f1-after-recent-poor-run/
Fortitude
10th July 2022, 16:06
Leclerc wins the 2022 Austrian GP but hopes of a 1-2 go up in flames — as it happened.
Ferrari told Leclerc that his throttle was sticking and that he needed to lift off earlier, as Verstappen slowly closed the gap to 3sec by lap 69. But there would be no late drama for Leclerc, who crossed the line to win.
July 10th 2022
Author: Dominic Tobin
Charles Leclerc won his first grand prix in eight races at the Red Bull Ring, as Ferrari out-raced its title rivals on home turf. But for the second race in a row, Ferrari was left rueing a missed opportunity after Carlos Sainz’s car was engulfed in flames, costing him what seemed a surefire second place at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc was rarely more than a second behind the Dutchman before making his move on lap 10 and pulling away from Verstappen. The Red Bull pitted soon afterwards. Ferrari left it another 12 laps before pitting, giving both of its cars a significant tyre advantage through the middle stage of the race, and they breezed past Verstappen after dropping behind during their first stops.
When the cars stopped for a second time, the race looked set for a repeat; Verstappen changing tyres well before Leclerc and Sainz who fell behind but again quickly caught him as the grand prix came to a close. Leclerc took the lead and Sainz looked set to make it a 1-2 until he suddenly slowed and smoke poured out of the back of his car. Flames then emerged from the rear vents and then engulfed the back of the car.
‘Ferrari Flaming’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/leclerc-wins-the-2022-austrian-gp-but-hopes-of-a-1-2-go-up-in-flames-as-it-happened#
Race Results – 2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Spielberg, Austria
10th July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -71 laps
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1.532
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +41.217
4. George Russell Mercedes +58.972
5. Esteban Ocon Alpine +68.436
6. Mick Schumacher Haas +1 lap
7. Lando Norris McLaren +1 lap
8. Kevin Magnussen Haas +1 lap
9. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +1 lap
10. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1 lap
‘Austrian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2022 F1 World Championship race from the Red Bull Ring’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2022-austrian-grand-prix-79500
Leclerc fights car woes to take well earned Austrian GP win
10 Jul 2022, 16:34
By Steven De Groote
Charles Leclerc showed superior pace throughout the entire Austrian Grand Prix and near the end had to fight car issues, but the Monegasque did win the Austrian Grand Prix. Championship leader Verstappen finished a close second as Hamilton completed the podium.
With 5 laps to go, Leclerc's throttle pedal didn't reduce beyond 20% while the gap to Verstappen further reduced. To make things worse, the continuously open throttle also created trouble for downshifting. The Monegasque was clearly worried, and admitted afterwards as well, but it turned out to be a very well-earned victory for Leclerc.
Verstappen finished second at 1.5s, ahead of Hamilton and Russell. Mick Schumacher added another big haul of points to his tally while Fernando Alonso secured 10th and the final point in the penultimate lap by passing Valtteri Bottas.
‘Charles Leclerc Superior Pace’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/23775
"Scared" Leclerc's throttle was stuck open up to 30% in Austrian GP
A "scared" Charles Leclerc said his throttle was stuck to up to 30% as he battled to safeguard a "very tricky" victory in Formula 1's Austrian Grand Prix.
Jul 10, 2022, 4:03 PM
By: Filip Cleeren
Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz seemed to clearly have the upper hand on Red Bull's Max Verstappen on race pace. On offset strategies, Leclerc passed polesitter Verstappen three times on his way to a first win in nine races.
"And the end it was incredibly difficult. I had this problem with the throttle, and it would get stuck at 20 or 30% throttle in the low speed. It was very tricky but we managed to make it stick until the end. And I'm so, so happy."
When asked if the alarm bells started ringing after seeing Sainz' car go up in smoke, Leclerc admitted Ferrari's reliability record was on his mind.
‘Scared Charles Leclerc, So Happy’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/scared-leclercs-throttle-was-stuck-open-up-to-30-in-austrian-gp/10336286/
Verstappen: Too much tyre degradation wrecked Austrian GP victory hopes Motorsport.com16:10
Verstappen: Too much tyre degradation wrecked Austrian GP victory hopes
Max Verstappen says he suffered too much tyre degradation to be able to fight Charles Leclerc for victory in Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix.
Jul 10, 2022, 4:02 PM
By: Jonathan Noble
Welcoming the fact that he managed to salvage second on a day when Ferrari had a pace advantage, Verstappen said tyres played a critical role in the outcome.
“It was a tricky day,” said Verstappen. “Immediately it seemed like we were struggling quite a bit with the tyres, and basically that continued on every single compound. Too much degradation to really attack Charles especially. But nevertheless still second place is a good result for us on a difficult day.”
Verstappen eventually finished ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who recovered from starting eighth on the grid to finish third.
‘Tyre Degradation Wrecked Austrian GP Victory Hopes’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/verstappen-too-much-tyre-degradation-wrecked-austrian-gp-victory-hopes/10336292/
Hamilton taken aback by podium after 'rough weekend'
10th July 2022, 16:15
Author Luke Murphy
After taking third at the Austrian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to Mercedes' efforts to rebuild his car following his qualifying crash. Lewis Hamilton has thanked his Mercedes mechanics after they rebuilt his car ahead of a podium finish in Austria.
Starting eighth - having only gained one place from his qualifying slot in the Sprint event - Hamilton fought his way to fourth. A fiery car failure for Ferrari's Carlos Sainz then promoted Hamilton onto the final podium position, his third in three races. Speaking after the race, the Briton conceded that he didn't anticipate being on the Austrian Grand Prix rostrum, especially after a difficult qualifying and Sprint.
"I definitely wasn't expecting that," Hamilton commented. "Of course, yesterday was a bit of a difficult day. It's been a bit of a rough weekend, but I'm really grateful. As a team, we got a third and fourth. That's great points, and we move forward from here."
‘Mercedes Car Rebuilt to P3 Finish!’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-taken-aback-by-podium-after-rough-weekend
Austrian GP: Carlos Sainz struggles to get out of burning Ferrari
Published: 10 Jul 2022, 15:40
By James Evans
Carlos Sainz was forced to retire from the Austrian Grand Prix due to an engine failure, but that was just the start of his troubles as his car quickly burst into flames, with the Spaniard struggling to escape.
Marshals were a tad slow to get to the scene, but thankfully, Sainz was able to just get himself out of the car safely. Thankfully, he was uninjured and he gave a quick thumbs up to the fans watching in the crowd as his race came to a dramatic stop.
‘Burning Ferrari Escape Struggles!’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88032409-austrian-gp-carlos-sainz-struggles-to-get-out-of-burning-ferrari
SIDE-BY-SIDE: Austria Turn 4 clashes between Hamilton and Albon in 2020 and Russell and Pérez in 2022
10 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
In 2020 Alex Albon was spun off the Red Bull Ring at Turn 4 after clashing with Lewis Hamilton, and in this year's race the same thing happened to Red Bull's Sergio Pérez after making contact with George Russell.
‘2020 and 2022 Comparison’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.side-by-side-austria-turn-4-clashes-between-hamilton-and-albon-in-2020-and-russell-and-perez-in-2022.1737977905095248000.html
Horner: ‘Don’t think Mercedes like us on outside of Turn 4’
Date published: July 10 2022
Sam Cooper
Christian Horner joked that Mercedes do not like Red Bulls overtaking at Turn 4 after Sergio Perez and George Russell collided in the Austrian Grand Prix. The incident bore a striking resemblance to two years ago when at the same corner, Lewis Hamilton touched Alex Albon and sent him spinning at a time when he looked to be on for the first podium of his career.
‘Turn 4 Hoodoo’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-dont-think-mercedes-like-us-on-outside-of-turn-4/
Perez surprised Russell “couldn’t control” his car better in collision
2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 10th July 2022, 16:36
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
George Russell and Pierre Gasly have each been given two penalty points on their superlicences for collisions at turn four during the Austrian Grand Prix. In both incidents the driver on the inside was penalised after a clash which sent the driver on the outside into the gravel trap.
‘Superlicence Penalties’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/10/perez-surprised-russell-couldnt-control-his-car-better-in-collision/
Fortitude
11th July 2022, 04:46
FIA delete staggering 43 lap times at Austrian Grand Prix.
The FIA deleted a staggering 43 lap times during the Austrian Grand Prix as all but four drivers were found guilty of exceeding track limits.
Date published: July 10 2022 - Sam Cooper
16 of the drivers competing at the Red Bull Ring were in violation of FIA Sporting Regulation Article 33.3 which states the driver must stay in the track at all times.
Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris, Sebastian Vettel and Zhou Guanyu, were the biggest guilty offenders, leaving the track on four occasions, while Valtteri Bottas, George Russell, Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon were the only drivers not to have a lap deleted.
Gasly, Norris, Vettel and Zhou all received a five-second time penalty as well as one penalty point.
‘43 Laps Deleted’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-delete-staggering-43-lap-times-at-austrian-grand-prix/
Hamilton, Verstappen and Leclerc handed suspended fines for Austrian GP parc fermé breach
Sunday 10 July 2022 18:19
Ian Parkes
Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc have been handed suspended fines of €10,000 [£8,500; $10,200] for a breach of parc fermé instructions after the Austrian Grand Prix.
The summons letter stated the trio had allegedly breached Article 12.2.1.i) of the International Sporting Code, which reads: "Failure to follow the instructions of the relevant officials for the safe and orderly conduct of the event."
The breach related to the post-race procedure notes issued beforehand that state: "Driver physios must wait outside the cool down room behind the podium until the podium ceremony has concluded."
‘Suspended Fines’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/86968/hamilton-verstappen-leclerc-suspended-fine-austrian-grand-prix-parc-ferme-breach/
All three Austrian GP podium finishers handed suspended fines
18:42 Sun, 10 Jul 2022.
The Race
By Jack Cozens
Austrian Grand Prix podium finishers Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have all been handed suspended €10,000 fines for a breach of parc ferme instructions relating to physios interacting with their drivers.
Representatives from their respective Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes teams were summoned by the Austrian GP stewards after each driver was attended to by their respective physios while in parc ferme and before they had been weighed.
The FIA said it received a report from the media delegate, “which was subsequently confirmed by video evidence”, stating that the physios had “entered parc ferme without permission and in violation of the procedure that was published prior to the race ‘for the orderly conduct of the event'”.
‘€10,000 Fines for Breaching Parc Ferme Instructions’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/all-three-austrian-gp-podium-finishers-handed-suspended-fines/
Binotto stopped watching Austrian GP amid Leclerc's problems
Yesterday, 17:20
Author Luke Murphy
Mattia Binotto says he could not watch the end of the Austrian Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc battled technical problems. In the closing laps of the race, Leclerc's car developed a throttle-related issue which, at the very least, disrupted his consistency.
Leclerc took the win by less than two seconds ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, after the Dutchman edged closer as the race drew to a close. When asked by Sky Sports F1 about the Ferrari's issue, Team Principal Binotto conceded that he had to take his eyes off the action.
"Honestly, I don't know," Binotto said of the drama, which followed Carlos Sainz's engine failure. "I heard about it, we looked at the data, but we need to wait for the car to come back and see if it was a mechanical problem or not. I stopped watching the race at that point."
‘Mattia Binotto Stopped Watching Drama!’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-stopped-watching-austrian-gp-amid-leclercs-problems
Nervous Binotto ‘stopped watching’ Austrian Grand Prix
Date published: July 10 2022
Sam Cooper
Mattia Binotto said he could not even bear to watch the race as it looked like a car problem may once again cost Ferrari. Moments after Carlos Sainz’s power unit had exploded, sending him out of the race, it looked as if the team’s misery may be further compounded as race leader Charles Leclerc complained that his throttle pedal was not working properly.
With Max Verstappen cutting the gap, there was a real worry within the garage that another issue with the car was going to cost Ferrari. Such was the tension, team boss Binotto admitted he could not even bear to watch as the dramatic final laps unfolded and said he was not even looking at the timing screens.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” he replied when asked on Sky Sports F1 what was wrong with the throttle pedal. “I heard about it. We looked at the data but we need to wait for the car. Try to work what was it, was it mechanical? Myself? I stopped watching the race at that time. I was not [even looking at the timing screens]. [I was] looking around.”
‘Nervous Binotto ‘stopped watching’!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia-binotto-stopped-watching-austrian-gp/
Verstappen: P2 in Austrian Grand Prix ‘better than I expected at one point’
10 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Max Verstappen has a formidable record around the Red Bull Ring but had to settle for second place this time – though he said he didn’t even expect to do that well, until Carlos Sainz retired with a blown engine.
‘Max P2’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.verstappen-p2-in-austrian-grand-prix-better-than-i-expected-at-one-point.1737982730191055014.html
‘It’s the story of my season’ – Sainz frustrated as ‘easy 1-2’ goes up in flames at the Red Bull Ring
10 July 2022
Formula 1.
Carlos Sainz made a dramatic exit from the Austrian Grand Prix, pulling off at Turn 4 with flames licking out the side of his F1-75 – with the Silverstone winner angry after seeing an “easy one-two” go up in smoke.
Sainz appeared to lack the pace of his race-winning team mate Charles Leclerc on Sunday at the Red Bull Ring, but was nonetheless lining up what looked set to be a comfortable pass on Max Verstappen’s Red Bull for P2 on Lap 56 of 71 when smoke was seen coming from the back of his Ferrari.
Sainz was forced to park up at the exit of Turn 4, the awkward gradient then making it hard for the Spaniard to jump clear of the car – as he explained after returning to the paddock. “Yes, it was a very tricky situation because I wanted to jump out, but the car was rolling backwards and I didn’t want the car to roll back forever and I knew I was catching a bit of fire and I was waiting for the marshals to come. They never came until quite late, so it was a bit of a moment, but nothing happened.”
‘Carlos Sainz: It’s the story of my season’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.its-the-story-of-my-season-sainz-frustrated-as-easy-1-2-goes-up-in-flames-at.qwmETqAzkWJjysBOhNltm.html
Fortitude
12th July 2022, 05:29
Binotto: Leclerc drove like a lion, Sainz fantastic.
Whatever Mattia Binotto told Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz after their 2022 Austrian Grand Prix Sprint Race shenanigans worked! The pair might’ve finished one-two at Red Bull Ring on Sunday had fate not intervened.
11 July, 2022
Paul Velasco
The Ferrari drivers needed a talking too as they bickered on track, during Saturday’s Sprint Race, to allow Max Verstappen to canter away into the lead and win the curtain-raiser as he did on Saturday. Much of the same would have happened had the Men in Red did not work as proper teammates. A talking to was required urgently.
Hence, sensibly Leclerc was allowed to use his pace to chase pole man and early leader Verstappen while Sainz stalked. The pressure paid off as Sainz closed in on Verstappen to snatch second place, with Leclerc up ahead. One-two, slam dunk until the PU on the #55 Ferrari decided not to play along with the fairytale. Nevertheless, in terms of championship, its the first time in a while Leclerc has taken points off Verstappen and that in itself is important.
On a bittersweet day for his team, Binotto summed up after the race on Sky F1: “It is two wins in a row and it is was important to come back after a few races where we showed potential but did not get the victory. It is tinged with disappointment because it could have been even better with Carlos. The drivers did really well, they managed the tyres and kept the pressure on Max Verstappen.”
‘Drove Like a Lion’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/11/binotto-leclerc-drove-like-a-lion-sainz-fantastic-austrian-gp-report-ferrari/
Ferrari’s Mattia Binotto optimistic after second consecutive win: “There are a lot of positives we can take home from today’s race”
July 11, 2022
By Ashley Cline
The Austrian Grand Prix put a spotlight on Scuderia Ferrari’s on-track strengths as well as their weaknesses, as Charles Leclerc took home the victory at the Red Bull Ring while Carlos Sainz saw a podium finish slip away due to a reliability issue.
Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto said that the team did a great job throughout the race, from the “quick” pit stops to an aggressive strategy that gave the team the upper hand against Max Verstappen.
“There are a lot of positives we can take home from today’s race. We have secured our second consecutive Grand Prix win, which confirms that we are doing a good job with a car that is proving to be competitive at every track.”
‘Mattia Binotto: Lot of Positives’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/ferraris-mattia-binotto-optimistic-after-second-consecutive-win-there-are-a-lot-of-positives-we-can-take-home-from-todays-race/
Ferrari reveal high-pressure secret to Leclerc victory
Sunday 10 July 2022 20:35
Will Gray
Mattia Binotto has revealed Ferrari chose a high-pressure strategy to overcome pole-sitter Max Verstappen and force the Red Bull driver out of the reckoning for the win in Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz started from second and third on the grid respectively after Verstappen had taken a controlled victory in Saturday’s grid-deciding sprint.
The trio held station at the start but Ferrari pushed hard and Leclerc took the lead when championship leader Verstappen had to pit early with worn tyres on lap 12, putting him on the back foot for the rest of the race.
‘High-Pressure Ferrari Secret’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/86948/binotto-secret-leclerc-austrian-grand-prix-victory/
Binotto stopped watching Austrian GP amid Leclerc drama
11/07/2022 at 11:38
Phillip van Osten
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto says he turned away from the TV screens on the Scuderia pitwall in the final laps of the Austrian Grand Prix as throttle issues jeopardized Charles Leclerc's win. The Monegasque was managing his lead over Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the race when a stuck throttle pedal put Ferrari's crews on high alert.
Leclerc reported that the "the throttle pedal feels a bit strange" when the race resumed after a late virtual safety car period. But as he reeled off the laps with Verstappen just a handful of second behind, the problem appeared to worsen, with Ferrari's telemetry indicating a partially opened throttle in the corners, which ignited Leclerc's worries.
But on the Ferrari pitwall, the drama in the final laps, which occurred after Carlos Sainz's spectacular demise due to an engien issue, was just too much for Binotto. "I have to admit I was very nervous," said the Scuderia chief.
‘Nervous? Very Nervous!’;
https://f1i.com/news/448025-binotto-stopped-watching-austrian-gp-amid-leclerc-drama.html
International media react: Is Ferrari's title challenge back on?
11th July 2022, 18:40.
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Various international media outlets have given their take on the Austrian Grand Prix, with much focus on Ferrari's prospects going forward after Charles Leclerc finally got the better of Max Verstappen and Red Bull. After a series of unlucky races, Leclerc's first win since Australia drew much praise from across the globe.
Leclerc's late struggles with a sticking throttle were referenced by L'Equipe. "Charles Leclerc finally regained victory after a Grand Prix marked by his overtakes on Max Verstappen," wrote the French newspaper. "A perfectly mastered race for the Ferrari driver who experienced a great scare in the closing laps."
And with Ferrari having scored back-to-back wins, there was a sense of optimism in Italy's Gazzetta Dello Sport. "The 38 points behind Max Verstappen are an easily scalable mountain for Ferrari – more powerful, stable, faster and gentler on its tyres than Max Verstappen's Red Bull," wrote the Gazzetta. "Two victories, first at Silverstone, then in Austria, are worth more than the 12 points recovered by Charles Leclerc to the championship leader."
‘Ferrari's Title Challenge’;
https://racingnews365.com/international-media-react-is-ferraris-title-challenge-back-on
Charles Leclerc: “Every win is special, but this one feels just amazing”
July 11, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, coming out on top after an intense battle with Max Verstappen throughout the race.
His first race win since Australia, he was able to overcome an issue with the car’s throttle pedal and withstand pressure from behind in the race’s final laps to ultimately cross the line first. With Austria marking the halfway point of the season, Leclerc is second in the drivers’ standings, 38 points behind the current leader, Verstappen.
“Every win is special, but this one feels just amazing. The last 15 laps were on the limit with the issue we had, but we brought it home. Today, we had a really strong pace and some great battles. I worked hard last night to find where I could still improve and it made the difference today. I’m very happy!”
‘Special Amazing Win’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/charles-leclerc-every-win-is-special-but-this-one-feels-just-amazing/
Reliability ‘a concern' says Leclerc after Sainz DNF, as he reveals how homework helped him defeat Verstappen in Austria
11 July 2022
Formula 1.
Asked whether Sainz’s retirement took the shine off his win, Leclerc replied: “Of course, it does. Obviously as a team, it is a concern with the reliability, and today shows even more that it is a concern. And we really need to look into that to make sure that it does not happen again during the season.”
Meanwhile, Leclerc went on reveal how some Saturday evening homework, following his defeat by Verstappen in the Sprint, helped him secure victory on Sunday – with Leclerc not suffering from heavy degradation issues on his tyres, as his rival did. “I worked quite a bit on my driving yesterday night and I knew where to improve, especially on that medium stint to have the pace but also the good management,” said Leclerc.
“And I think we’ve shown that perfectly today, which was great. That’s where we did the big difference in the race. Then on the hard, we were quick but there was no degradation, so everybody was quite a bit closer. So yeah, I’m very happy that the hard work of yesterday night paid off today.”
‘Hard Homework Paid Off’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.reliability-a-concern-says-leclerc-after-sainz-dnf-as-he-reveals-how.78NkuiwmXoXJgRjZfrngsx.html
Fortitude
13th July 2022, 07:29
Verstappen admits he underestimated Ferrari in Austria.
Max Verstappen always expected Ferrari to offer stern competition during the Austrian Grand Prix – but not quite to the level they produced.
Date published: July 11 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Max Verstappen had comfortably taken sprint qualifying victory at the Red Bull Ring, which meant he was favourite to reach the chequered flag first once more in the grand prix. His quest started well as he kept the lead at the start, but his early advantage was soon whittled away as the Ferrari F1-75 was established as superior to the Red Bull RB18 on the day.
Verstappen was powerless to stop eventual winner Charles Leclerc and was increasingly coming under pressure from Carlos Sainz, a latest Ferrari power unit failure then relieving Verstappen of that pressure.
By virtue of his P2 finish, Verstappen’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship remains a healthy one, the Dutchman 38 points ahead of Leclerc. However, Leclerc is seemingly now right back in the conversation given the pace he displayed in the Ferrari, with even Verstappen a little taken aback.
‘Max Surprise’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-surprised-max-verstappen-austria/
Max Verstappen admits Ferrari shock as Red Bull reveal if they’re ‘worried’
Charles Leclerc stunned the Red Bull fans by claiming victory at the Austrian Grand Prix.
12 July 2022
by Nick Golding
Charles Leclerc not only shocked Red Bull Racing, but also the 105,000 fans in attendance at the Austrian Grand Prix, after taking an emphatic victory at the Red Bull Ring.
Leclerc overtook Max Verstappen a staggering three times on his way to his first victory since Australia, as he reminded the reigning World Champion that he’s still in the fight for the 2022 crown.
Ferrari have shown race-winning pace for a number of rounds now; however, have failed to put all the pieces together for Leclerc. At long last they finally managed it, something which Leclerc was delighted with.
‘Max Shock at Red Bull Ring’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verstappen-admits-ferrari-shock-as-red-bull-reveal-if-theyre-worried/
Horner says Red Bull must understand Austria tyre deg issues despite ‘healthy’ championship lead over Ferrari
12 July 2022
Formula 1.
After failing to win in Austria for the first time in three tries, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner was left dissatisfied by the way in which Max Verstappen’s race played out, insisting his team must understand the tyre degradation issues that the Dutch driver suffered in the race – as he also shared his disappointment at Sergio Perez’s retirement.
Max Verstappen started the race from P1 but complained of heavy tyre degradation for much of the race and struggled to match the pace of Charles Leclerc in particular, who overtook the Red Bull driver three times on track. And after Verstappen came home in second behind Leclerc, Horner admitted that Red Bull would be hard at work trying to understand what cost the Dutch driver performance on Sunday.
“Very important points today and Ferrari – congratulations to them today,” said Horner on Sunday evening . “They had a quicker car for the majority of the race and Max was coming back at the end there. But our tyre deg was higher from halfway through the first stint and it was hard to combat that.”
‘Tyre Degradation Issue’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.horner-says-red-bull-must-understand-austria-tyre-deg-issues-despite-healthy.2ojptce7nmCKnfIlHZv2vU.html
Max Verstappen praised by Martin Brundle for his "fair and professional" driving in 2022
Verstappen was widely criticised for some aggressive moves in his title battle with Lewis Hamilton last season, but this year Brundle believes the Dutchman has been much more fair
16:21, 12 Jul 2022
Updated16:22, 12 Jul 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
Max Verstappen has been "very fair and professional" in his on-track battles while defending his Formula 1 title this season, according to Martin Brundle.
Former racer and long-time pundit Brundle believes the Dutchman has matured and has driven much more cleanly so far this year, with Charles Leclerc now his main title rival. "Max once again was very fair and professional in his driving and defence," he wrote in his Sky Sports F1 column recapping the Austrian Grand Prix.
"Generally he is this year, albeit very much pushing the limits in his defence against Mick Schumacher the week before at Silverstone. I remember commenting in Jeddah last year Michael Schumacher's, and to an extent Ayrton Senna's amazing legacies are partly diminished by some dirty driving, and that Max would do well to avoid that career reputation."
‘Avoiding Dirty Driving Legacies!’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/verstappen-driving-brundle-hamilton-leclerc-27463406
Red Bull’s Christian Horner: “We’re still ahead but we know how quickly things can change”
July 12, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Horner says he is pleased his team only dropped five points to Ferrari across the British and Austrian Grand Prix weekends, but it is important they keep pushing to fight back against their rivals quickly.
“We scored some really important points today but it just wasn’t meant to be for us,” said Horner, the Team Principal at Red Bull. “Congratulations to Ferrari, although they were unlucky with Carlos, they had the faster car for the majority of the race which gave them more strategic options but Max’s tyre deg was higher from halfway through the first stint and it was hard to combat that.”
“Over the two races this weekend, we’ve only given away five points to Ferrari but obviously we’re really disappointed for Checo today. There was so much damage to his car from George that there was no chance for him to score any points and we had to retire him and save the mileage. We’ll do everything we can to bounce back in France, we’re still ahead but we know how quickly things can change and we need to keep pushing.”
‘Red Bull Keep Pushing’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/red-bulls-christian-horner-were-still-ahead-but-we-know-how-quickly-things-can-change/
Ferrari boss provides concerning Charles Leclerc update in Max Verstappen boost
CARLOS SAINZ's Ferrari burst into flames in the closing stages of Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix.
14:46, Tue, Jul 12, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Charles Leclerc has been handed a blow in his championship challenge with Max Verstappen after boss Mattia Binotto admitted the team were still not on top of power unit issues. The Ferrari team principal claimed Sainz’s failure at the Austrian Grand Prix was “very likely” to be a known power-unit failure that plagued Leclerc in Azerbaijan.
Binotto warned the problem “has not been solved” and failed to set a deadline for when the work could be completed. He said: "It's certainly a concern, but the people back at Maranello are working very hard to fix them, which is not solved yet.
"Obviously if you look at what happened to Carlos, the problem has not been solved yet. But we have new elements and I know how strong they are working, how good they are, and I can count on them and that issue will be addressed very soon, or as soon as possible."
‘Ferrari PU Plague!’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1639327/ferrari-charles-leclerc-mattia-binotto-max-verstappen-news
Max Verstappen: “In difficult moments you need to score points and we did that today”
July 12, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Max Verstappen was forced to settle for second place in Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix, with the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver struggling with tyre degradation throughout the race.
Despite winning the Sprint race on Saturday and starting on pole position on Sunday, Verstappen was unable to match the kind of pace the Scuderia Ferrari drivers had, and he was passed by eventual winner Charles Leclerc on three occasions at the Red Bull Ring.
The Dutchman was still happy to walk away with the points for second place, and he says it is important to maximise the potential of the car in every race even if they are not fighting for the win.
‘Max Potential in difficult moments’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/max-verstappen-in-difficult-moments-you-need-to-score-points-and-we-did-that-today/
Fortitude
13th July 2022, 19:54
Wolff: Mercedes only ‘halved the gap’ to Red Bull, Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton may have finished on the podium but Toto Wolff believes there is still work to do as Mercedes have only “halved the gap” to Ferrari and Red Bull.
Date published: July 10 2022 - Sam Cooper
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, team boss Wolff acknowledged this and said they were currently “in the middle of nowhere. It’s just we’re missing a few things here and there,” he said. “I think we’ve halved the gap over the last few months. We understand better, but that’s still third for us.”
“We are somewhere right in the middle of nowhere but I would say if I tried to pick the positives in the race pace today, if we would have, which we didn’t, start right in the top six probably we could have held on to Max [Verstappen] and not be too far away.”
It would have been a stressful weekend for the 50-year-old who saw both of his cars damaged on the Saturday. The team were left running around for parts and Wolff described the rear wing fitted to George Russell’s car as a “barn door.”
‘Barn Door Parts!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-only-halved-the-gap-to-red-bull-ferrari/
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell 'can get heated' but Mercedes vow duo have same 'enemy'
TOTO WOLFF has spoken out on Lewis Hamilton and George Russell's relationship behind the scenes at Mercedes.
05:45, Tue, Jul 12, 2022
By Charlie Malam
Toto Wolff has revealed Mercedes' driver pairing of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell "can get heated" behind the scenes but says the pair are working brilliantly together. The two Britons have been battling an underperforming car this season and Wolff says the pair both see the W13 as their common enemy.
Before Bottas, Hamilton was involved in a toxic intra-team rivalry with Nico Rosberg who denied him the 2016 title and then retired. There were fears outside of the team that the pace of Russell could also cause another fractious relationship.
And after the Austrian Grand Prix, Wolff admitted the pair have their heated moments off track but are proving a great pairing. He said on Sky Sports F1: "They're very good. I think they understand that enemy No 1 is a car that's not performing like it should. We need to get there but their personalities, their characters, their mindset is very special.”
‘Enemy No. W13’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1638871/Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell-heated-Mercedes-Toto-Wolff-enemy-F1-news
Wolff: Missing 2 or 3 tenths but there’s light at end of the tunnel
11 July, 2022
Paul Velasco
Toto Wolff hailed his Mercedes team for digging deep during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix allowing Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to reward the massive effort with third and fourth place but also knows they are lacking the pace to mount a serious challenge, for now.
Reviewing the race in his homeland, team boss Wolff reported: “We always seem to be in two minds at the end of the races right now. We must accept P3 and P4 today. And when you think we had two cars in pieces on Friday afternoon, that’s a strong result.”
Wolff knows there is still a way to go: “We are missing the two or three tenths to be able to race at the front. We have glimpses of light at the end of the tunnel with the car – then it disappears again, and we need to get on top of that.
‘Digging Deep’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/11/wolff-missing-2-or-3-tenths-but-theres-light-at-end-of-the-tunnel-austrian-gp-report/
F1 fans think Toto Wolff has already made up his mind on Lewis Hamilton replacement
TOTO WOLFF could have a stellar replacement for Lewis Hamilton in his sights.
06:40, Tue, Jul 12, 2022
By Alex Turk
Some F1 fans are convinced that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is eyeing Ferrari poster boy Charles Leclerc as Lewis Hamilton's replacement. Wolff lauded Leclerc after his Austrian Grand Prix triumph on Sunday, sparking speculation over his future.
After the Austrian GP, Wolff heaped Leclerc with praise and teased that Mercedes, along with other teams on the grid, would like to call the Monegasque star their own. He said: "Charles was great today, but he always is. It doesn't cost me to say it, even if technically we're rivals - but I think every team would like a driver like Charles!"
One tweet read: "I've always said Leclerc to Mercedes is a possibility. He's top class and would fit nicely at Merc. Not too sure what the future holds for Leclerc and his Ferrari partnership, but it's feasible that at some point in the future, they may wish to promote Schumacher. Who knows?"
‘Charles Leclerc for W14?’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1638973/F1-news-Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes
Wolff makes fresh Mercedes assessment after four podiums in a row
12/07/2022, 18:40
Author Michael Butterworth
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff says his team have halved the deficit to Ferrari and Red Bull since the start of the season.
Having won eight consecutive Constructors' Championships between 2014 and 2021, the Silver Arrows have slipped back this year, with the W13 showing a worrying propensity to porpoise in the season's early rounds.
But, with Mercedes scoring their fourth consecutive podium at the Austrian Grand Prix, Wolff noted the extent to which his team have closed the gap on the front-running Ferrari and Red Bull outfits over recent races. "We're missing a few tenths here and there," Wolff told Sky Sports F1 after the Grand Prix.
‘W13 Assessment Missing a Few Tenths’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-makes-fresh-mercedes-assessment-after-four-podiums-in-a-row
WOLFF REVEALS DOUBLE QUALIFYING CRASH WILL IMPACT REST OF 2022
Aftermath of both Silver Arrows crashing will have consequences for the team
19:38 Sat, 09 Jul 2022.
James Phillips
Both Mercedes drivers crashed in qualifying for Austria. Team Principal Toto Wolff has confirmed the repairs to the W13 are costly in more ways than one. Such was the damage, Mercedes were working into Practice 3 on Saturday to rebuild both W13s.
The scale of the repairs has meant an unexpected and unwelcome secondary effect. F1 recently announced a 3% increase in the cost cap to cover the worldwide rise in inflation. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff speaking on Saturday confirmed that Mercedes have spent a third of the additional funds awarded by the rise on the overnight repairs to the W13.
Wolff confirmed that Mercedes is still operating above the cost cap. Praising his mechanics, Wolff admitted the mechanics needed to “work round the clock” to repair both cars.
‘W13 Rebuilding Costs’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/wolff-reveals-double-qualifying-crash-will-impact-rest-of-2022/?nowprocket=1
Martin Brundle left 'staggered' by extent of damage to Lewis Hamilton's car in Austria
LEWIS HAMILTON's crash in Austria left significant damage.
16:00, Sat, Jul 9, 2022
By Jack McEachen
Martin Brundle was left “staggered” after he saw the damage that Lewis Hamilton’s car suffered after his crash during qualifying at the Austrian GP. Both he and Mercedes team-mate George Russell had a frustrating Q3 that ended in crashes, as Hamilton hit the barriers at Turn 7.
"I think Mercedes got really unlucky with the amount of damage they got actually," Brundle told Sky Sports F1. "Two gearboxes, and Lewis had to have a chassis change. I'm staggered by that. There's usually a secondary issue to crashes like that. They have to get thrown back together, and sometimes there are then secondary issues."
‘Staggered W13 Damage’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1638003/Martin-Brundle-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-Austria-Grand-Prix-George-Russell-crash
Fortitude
14th July 2022, 05:45
‘We could have had P6’ says Norris, as track limits time penalty costs him in Austrian Grand Prix.
With Norris and Ricciardo starting the Austrian Grand Prix P10 and P11, the McLaren pair were helped by retirements for Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz, allowing them to finish P7 and P9.
11 July 2022
Formula 1.
While seventh and ninth was a respectable result – albeit that P7 marked Norris’ worst ever result at the Red Bull Ring – it could have been even better had Norris not been handed a five-second time penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits. That prevented the Englishman from hunting down Mick Schumacher in the Haas for sixth – leaving Norris to reflect on the missed opportunity after the race, having finished 2.907s adrift of the German driver.
“I did two of them [exceeding track limits] very early on, so I was on my final warning for quite a long time. It’s a tough track to stay within the lines first of all, especially when you’re fighting the car a bit more, when you’re pushing to try and get the guys ahead – I have to push to that limit.
“I went over it a few too many times which cost us. We could have had P6 ahead of Schumacher I reckon, or at least had a fight with him I’d say, but [Haas] were quick, they did a good job.”
‘P6 Possible’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.we-could-have-had-p6-says-norris-as-track-limits-time-penalty-costs-him-in.3TGrwjvGntPUK8oQzruVKq.html
Norris explains his frustration with track limits penalty after racing to P7 at the Red Bull Ring.
10 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Lando Norris was handed a five second penalty by the stewards for repeatedly going over track limits during the Austrian Grand Prix, but the McLaren driver explained it’s not always easy to control the car in the middle of a high speed corner.
‘Frustrating Track Limits’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.norris-explains-his-frustration-with-track-limits-penalty-after-racing-to-p7-at-the-red-bull-ring.1737981575827468898.html
‘We put up a solid race’ – Ricciardo satisfied with P9 in Austria after McLaren’s struggles at the Red Bull Ring
10 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
It wasn’t a vintage weekend for McLaren but the end result for Daniel Ricciardo was a points finish for ninth – which he said was “nothing to spray champagne over but a bit of damage limitation on a circuit that proved tricky for us.”
‘P9 Solid Performance’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.we-put-up-a-solid-race-ricciardo-satisfied-with-p9-in-austria-after-mclarens-struggles-at-the-red-bull-ring.1737979778139385252.html
‘Pleased but not happy’ – McLaren’s recovery is full of caveats
Jul 11 2022
By Scott Mitchell
McLaren Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo was pleased to rescue a points finish from a difficult Austrian Grand Prix weekend but said he “wouldn’t go as far as happy”. Ninth place at the Red Bull Ring marked only Ricciardo’s fourth points return of a difficult 2022 season. “On a weekend when we weren’t strong – really ever – I think we did well to walk away with the double-points finish,” Ricciardo said.
So, the double points finish for McLaren could easily have been reduced to a ninth or 10th place for Norris alone. “I think a little bit of luck on our side with Sainz and Perez out, but with the pace, we deserved to be where we were,” Norris said. “Alonso was fast, the Alpines were very fast, to finish seventh and ninth was good points.”
“It’s damage limitation from what’s been a very difficult weekend – especially from my side, maybe not so much from the other side. With how compromised we were with set-up all weekend, and how far out we were with some things, we know there was a decent amount more potential in the car this weekend.” Norris was referring to the power unit issues that limited his mileage in FP1 and forced McLaren to make educated guesses on key parameters ahead of qualifying, after which the set-up was mostly locked in.
‘Pleased but not happy’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/pleased-but-not-happy-mclarens-recovery-is-full-of-caveats/
McLaren 'considering' Sebastian Vettel as one of three Daniel Ricciardo replacements
DANIEL RICCIARDO has struggled to fulfil expectations since switching from Renault to McLaren.
15:34, Tue, Jul 12, 2022
By Stuart Ballard
McLaren are reportedly 'considering' their options regarding Daniel Ricciardo's future if the Australian driver decides to quit F1 after this season. There were high hopes for McLaren when they stole Ricciardo away from Renault last year as Carlos Sainz's replacement. But, other than a first F1 win at the Italian Grand Prix since May 2018, Ricciardo struggled for consistency. He ended the season finishing inside the top-10 just twice in the final seven races of the campaign.
Lando Norris regularly finished ahead in both qualifying and Sunday's races with the Brit only falling outside the top-10 once in all the races he finished. By his own admission, Ricciardo entered the 2022 campaign hoping for better results but McLaren have taken a backwards step this year.
Vettel is one of three drivers McLaren are taking a closer look at to replace Ricciardo. The report states Vettel, who is out of contract with Aston Martin at the end of the season, has been 'mentioned in connection' with the team. Alex Albon is also named as a 'possibility' given his impressive return to F1 with Williams this year after losing his seat at Red Bull last season. IndyCar driver Colton Herta will also test drive for McLaren this week, Andreas Seidl has confirmed.
‘Three Replacements Considered, Vettel, Albon and Herta’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1639364/F1-news-McLaren-Daniel-Ricciardo-replacement-Sebastian-Vettel
I’m not walking away’: Ricciardo takes matters into his own hands as McLaren rumours swirl
July 14th, 2022 8:22 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Daniel Ricciardo says he remains committed to seeing out his McLaren contract through to the end of next year in the face of speculation over his future in Formula 1. Ricciardo is in the second year of a three-season deal with Woking but has struggled to reach the high benchmarks of set in his years with Red Bull Racing and Renault.
He’s also been unable to consistently match the performances of teammate Lando Norris through their tenure together, and this season he trails the Briton 64-17 in the standings after 11 rounds.
Taking to social media, Ricciardo made clear that he wouldn’t be vacating his seat anytime soon. “There have been a lot of rumours around my future in Formula 1, but I want you to hear it from me,” he wrote. “I am committed to McLaren until the end of next year and am not walking away from the sport.”
‘Dan Defiant’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/dan-defiant-i-still-want-this-more-than-ever/news-story/9676126df2573aeca2943fdd82292f63
Fortitude
14th July 2022, 17:50
Ocon: 'Perfect' 100th F1 race in Austria 'feels like a win'.
Esteban Ocon says P5 "felt like a win" after a "perfect weekend" to celebrate his 100th Formula 1 race in Austria.
12 July 2022
Ben Issatt
After Alpine teammate Fernando Alonso failed to start the Sprint, the Frenchman led the midfield for the remainder of the weekend at the Red Bull Ring. Unfortunately, Esteban Ocon wasn't able to keep the two Mercedes' at bay, but he was still thrilled to maximise a milestone moment in his F1 career.
"It was a perfect weekend in terms of performance and how we've optimised the result," he said post-race. It's not a win, but it feels like a win because there was nothing better that we could have done from qualifying to the Sprint to now.”
"There was some hope that I could have kept George [Russell] behind, but after the Virtual Safety Car restart he was just too fast, so there was no possibility to keep him under control and behind. 13 points and we obviously are tied with McLaren now in the Constructors' Championship."
‘100th F1 race in Austria 'feels like a win';
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/15984-ocon-perfect-100th-f1-race-in-austria-feels-like-a-win
Why a points finisher was left feeling like a winner in Austria
11 July 16:10
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Co-author Aaron Deckers
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon finished as the 'best of the rest' behind Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes at the Austrian Grand Prix. Ocon also praised Alpine's development efforts, noting a significant step forward with the package the team introduced at the British Grand Prix.
"It's very positive," Ocon declared, as he assessed the upgrades Alpine have being bringing to their cars in recent races. I'm very happy to see that the one that we brought to Silverstone made quite a difference – we can really see it now. I hope the next ones are going to be as big.”
"We still have work to do to be able to perform against the Mercedes, because they are still too fast, so if the team can bring more of this stuff, we will take it!”
‘Points Finish felt like a win’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-a-points-finisher-was-left-feeling-like-a-winner-in-austria
Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer: Austria proves “the team is continuing its momentum forwards” after recent upgrades
July 13, 2022
By Ashley Cline
BWT Alpine F1 Team’s Esteban Ocon achieved his best finish of the season, taking fifth place at the Austrian Grand Prix, as team-mate Fernando Alonso finished tenth after starting at the back due to the issues he had on the starting grid of the sprint race.
Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer congratulated Ocon for his impressive result which coincided with his hundredth Grand Prix. He also said that the result proves that the team’s recent upgrades are having a positive effect.
“Firstly, congratulations to Esteban for marking his 100th Formula 1 Grand Prix start by scoring ten points in fifth place. He thoroughly deserved that after driving so well today and executing a very good two-stop strategy. By scoring so highly, combined with yesterday’s effort in the Sprint, it means the team is continuing its momentum forwards after delivering some good upgrades at recent events.”
‘EL PLAN: Alpine Momentum’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/alpines-otmar-szafnauer-austria-proves-the-team-is-continuing-its-momentum-forwards-after-recent-upgrades/
‘It was one of my best races this season’ – Alonso laments late double stop that cost Alpine ‘fifth and sixth' in Austria
12 July 2022
Formula 1.
“A point is better than nothing, even more so knowing that we started from the last row today,” said Alonso. “I think it was one of my best races this season, apart from Silverstone last weekend. We were fighting for a sixth or seventh position, but I felt strange vibrations on the tyres that we had just [fitted] after our second stop under the Virtual Safety Car period.
“As [the VSC was still in force], we decided to stop again to put on a new set of tyres. Unfortunately, we lost a few positions with this extra stop, and we had to fight until the last laps. At the finish, we managed to finish in 10th position. So, instead of fifth and sixth today, we are fifth and 10th, so it hurts a little bit now.”
Alpine had showed tremendous pace throughout the weekend but were again hampered by reliability issues when Alonso – starting in P8 for the Sprint – failed to take the start due to an electronics issue. And Alonso believes Alpine could be happy with their performance in Austria, but not the end result.
‘A point is better than nothing’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.it-was-one-of-my-best-races-this-season-alonso-laments-late-double-stop-that.6Vlmy7FnDBS9ugrkf0rDzI.html
Alpine cleared over loose wheel for Alonso, keeps point
by Phillip Horton
09:58 Mon, 11 Jul 2022.
Fernando Alonso has escaped sanction following Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix after being investigated for an unsafe release. Alonso came into the pits during the Virtual Safety Car period but came in a lap later after complaining of vibrations from the left-front.
It emerged that the wheel had worked its way loose, prompting Alonso to pit once more, eventually coming home at the foot of the top 10. Stewards investigated the situation and deemed that “there is nothing in the video [evidence] to indicate that the pit stop was anything other than a normal pit stop.”
Nothing was wrong with the A522 until just before Turn 3, where the left-front wheel “slightly disengages from the car by a very small amount.”
‘Alpine Cleared’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/11/alpine-cleared-over-loose-wheel-for-alonso-keeps-point/
Finger wag returned in Austria, this time it was Alonso
Date published: July 11 2022
Michelle Foster
For the second week running Formula 1 saw the finger wag in play, this time it was Fernando Alonso chastising Yuki Tsunoda. Last time out at the British Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was subjected to the finger wag as his Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto tried to bring him into line following a disappointing race for the championship hopeful.
Both later downplayed the moment with former F1 driver turned pundit Jenson Button pointing out that one does not finger wag a friend to “cheer them up”. Alonso’s wag to Tsunoda was definitely not in line with friendship, more chastisement.
Racing for position in Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix, the Spaniard tried to pass Tsunoda along the straight between Turns 3 and 4. The AlphaTauri driver pushed his Alpine rival towards the edge of the track, Alonso putting a wheel on the grass at 300 km/h. Despite the hairy moment, the Spaniard didn’t lift and seconds later overtook Tsunoda, giving him the good ol’ finger wag in the process.
‘Friendly Finger Wagging!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/finger-wag-austrian-gp-fernando-alonso/
Austria driver meeting began with Alonso ‘monologue’
Date published: July 14 2022
Jon Wilde
A lengthy drivers’ meeting that ended with Sebastian Vettel being fined was dragged out by a Fernando Alonso “monologue”, according to a report. After the Austrian Grand Prix sprint, it emerged Vettel had received a summons from the stewards having “failed to live up to standard” in the expectation of F1 drivers serving as role models.
The reason, it had turned out, was that the four-time former World Champion had walked out of the drivers’ meeting without permission and was duly fined 25,000 euros – suspended until the end of the season subject to any further breach of that article in the rules. Mick Schumacher subsequently said a discussion, understood to be about track limits, had been “going round in circles” while broadcaster Ted Kravitz, on Sky F1, suggested there had been a 20-minute argument about driving standards.
Reporter Michael Schmidt, of Auto Motor und Sport, says Alonso was taking centre stage as he defended his actions in Canada, where he had earned a penalty for weaving on the straight while trying to fend off Valtteri Bottas. Schmidt also made a joke that Vettel may even trigger his suspended fine to be imposed with another walkout in France, should Alonso choose to bring up the incident in Austria where Carlos Sainz got away with overtaking George Russell off the circuit.
‘Monologue Walk Out’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-austria-monologue/
Fortitude
15th July 2022, 06:58
“Everything went as perfect as it can be” – Haas’ Guenther Steiner.
The Haas F1 Team enjoyed their best weekend since the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix, after Mick Schumacher finished sixth and Kevin Magnussen finished eighth at the Red Bull Ring.
By Nick Golding
July 12, 2022
The Austrian Grand Prix saw Schumacher secure his best finish in Formula 1 to-date, as well as this, the German driver was awarded ‘Driver of the Day’ by the fans. Magnussen also drove strongly; however, had to nurse an engine problem the entire race, something which caused the American team and the Danish driver some concern.
Considering the lack of upgrades Haas have introduced so far this season, it was an incredible result for the team to be so competitive. As a result of Schumacher’s and Magnussen’s finishing position, the team jumped to seventh in the Constructors’ Championship.
Team Principal Guenther Steiner labelled the weekend as “perfect”, with the Haas boss being incredibly happy to see his side move up in the standings. “A fantastic result for the team today with a double-points finish and back in P7 in the championship. There was one little issue with Kevin’s engine, but everything went as perfect as it can be. Thanks to the whole team for a big effort.”
‘Haas F1 Team Perfection’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/everything-went-as-perfect-as-it-can-be-haas-guenther-steiner/
Mick Schumacher credits Guenther Steiner pressure for recent points haul
Published: 10 Jul 2022, 18:56
By George Dagless
Mick Schumacher has said the pressure from Guenther Steiner has helped him earn points with him coming home in sixth in Austria. The German finally ended his wait for world championship points last weekend at the British Grand Prix with him finishing in eighth place just behind Max Verstappen.
He went even better in the race in Austria this weekend, meanwhile, as he crossed the line in sixth and it might be fair to say he’s currently driving the best he ever has in Formula 1.
“As athletes you’re always after that pressure because that’s what’s going to light that candle under the bum to make you go quick! And it did in some ways. In Silverstone coming into the points was just what I needed to really set off fireworks in my case.” Certainly, Mick seems to have embraced what Steiner had to say about some of the big crashes he had had earlier in the campaign and he is now delivering.
‘Candle Under the Bum!’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88032420-mick-schumacher-credits-guenther-steiner-pressure-for-recent-points-haul
Haas: Recent results validates decision not to rush updates
13:12 Thu, 14 Jul 2022.
by Phillip Horton
Haas boss Guenther Steiner believes the squad’s recent pace justifies its decision not to rush to bring upgrades to its 2022 car. “I would say a lot of people are surprised – we knew that there was more to come and then therefore said why should we rush to do something,” said Steiner.
“Even the drivers are saying ‘I’d never have believed this car can still qualify sixth and seventh when all the others bring packages’. I told them ‘yeah, they bring packages but you guys don’t know what packages they bring so how can you judge those packages?’ ”
“We know exactly what we are doing and can just try and do our best, and we need to believe in ourselves, and we did. I think we have proven that the car is still strong and there will be a package coming and hopefully it gets even stronger.”
‘Judging Packages’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/14/haas-recent-results-validates-decision-not-to-rush-updates/
Steiner jokes: Imagine where Haas will be with upgrades!
Date published: July 13 2022
Editor
“Can you imagine if we had upgrades where we are?” he laughed, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast. “I always say upgrades are overrated, in my opinion, and we will bring some in Hungary – hopefully they will work as they should work.
“I don’t always follow what the others are doing, you need to go your own way, and we decided in Barcelona not to bring anything just to bring them because it wasn’t good enough. We developed more and hopefully, when we bring them in Hungary, they will work.”
Having found pace and form with a very raceable car in 2022, a huge step forward from their disastrous 2020 and 2021 seasons, Steiner said there is a chance his team could fight for points at every race for the rest of the year. “It’s very good, very good for the team,” he beamed.
‘Steiner’s Upgrades: They Will Work’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-jokes-haas-upgrades/
Steiner explains what eases his concerns about Ferrari engine issues
14th July 2022, 17:50
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Guenther Steiner admits that seeing Carlos Sainz's Ferrari engine fail at the Austrian Grand Prix was a concern for Haas, but believes that the power unit's speed is still a strong advantage. When asked on the F1 Nation podcast if he had felt any concerns when Sainz's power unit failed, Steiner quipped: "No, no concerns at all... I'm joking!"
"Obviously when you see [what happened to Sainz, it's not good], and we had a few issues this year," Steiner continued. But I always say, [on the one hand] the engine is very good, it's very powerful. On the other hand, [there have been] issues. I don't like them, obviously, but then [compare it to] an engine like we had last year.”
"At least when you start the race, you know you can fight. Obviously, if you have an issue, then it's very disappointing, but the engine is very powerful. I'm sure Ferrari [will] work hard to get the reliability into it."
"No, no concerns at all... I'm joking!";
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-explains-what-eases-his-concerns-about-ferrari-engine-issues
STEINER: “WE ARE NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT CONTRACTS”
Will Mick Schumacher remain in Formula 1 in 2023?
09:35 Thu, 14 Jul 2022.
Lena Ferle
For Günther Steiner, the boss of Haas, there have been many reasons to be joyful in recent weeks: his drivers Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher collected 19 points in Great Britain and Austria. For Magnussen, the Silly Season in Formula 1 is uneventful this year. When he came back to the sport as a replacement for Mazepin, he directly signed a multiple-year contract.
Team Principal of the Haas F1 Team, Günther Steiner, explains what matters now. “Performance is everything in this sport. Sometimes you make the points even if you just lucked into points. We are not just going there and saying, ‘You made the points, great, and now he’s got a contract.’ That would be too simplistic and not good for anybody,” Steiner said.
“We need to see how he fights, how he makes the points and what performance he brings. It’s a performance sport and you need to bring the performance. At the moment we are not even thinking about contracts. As a team, we have always done it after the summer break.”
‘Performance Is Everything’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/steiner-we-are-not-even-thinking-about-contracts/?nowprocket=1
Mick Schumacher's attitude questioned by Haas boss after getting 'upset' in Austria
MICK SCHUMACHER hit back at Haas after Saturday's sprint race as he felt he was faster than team-mate Kevin Magnussen.
08:41, Tue, Jul 12, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Guenther Steiner has questioned Mick Schumacher’s attitude after the young German snapped back at the team at the Austrian Grand Prix. Schumacher was annoyed after Saturday’s sprint race as he was left to fight Lewis Hamilton while team-mate Magnussen pulled away.
‘Snapping Attitude’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1639067/mick-schumacher-haas-guenther-steiner-austrian-grand-prix
Guenther Steiner addresses tensions between Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen
Mick Schumacher achieved his best-ever F1 result at the Austrian Grand Prix.
13 July 2022
by Nick Golding
“I think sometimes a little anger helps to unlock the beast,” Schumacher told Sky Sports F1 after the race.
“I think we have been very consistent with what we have as a package and I don’t think we necessarily have made a huge step forward but I think this track maybe suits our car, suits our set up and maybe also suits our driving style in some ways so it will be interesting to see how Paul Ricard goes but I’m pretty sure, hopefully we will stay strong.”
‘Unlock the Beast’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/guenther-steiner-addresses-tensions-between-mick-schumacher-and-kevin-magnussen/
Fortitude
15th July 2022, 14:13
AlphaTauri “desperately” need upgrades after “disaster” weekend, urges Gasly.
“The whole weekend was a disaster, apart from qualifying, concluded Gasly, who qualified 10th for Saturdays sprint race, but fell to the back of the pack at the start after tangling with Lewis Hamilton.
2022 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on
14th July 2022, 7:17
Written by Hazel Southwell and Claire Cottingham
Pierre Gasly despaired at AlphaTauri’s lack of pace in Austria, saying the team needs to upgrade its car. “We were nowhere in terms of pace,” he said. “I tried to do everything I could inside the car, but at the moment there’s just nothing to do. So I think we desperately need these upgrades on the car to be able to get any decent result.”
Gasly had a series of setbacks during Sunday’s grand prix. He received a penalty for multiple track limit violations, which he said made little difference to his result. “It’s the same rule for everyone. I didn’t respect it, so I got penalised – my fault. I saw quite a lot of guys getting black-and-white flags. I think it was better in the past without these track limits. Anyway, you can’t go wider with a double kerb, but at the end of the day whatever rule they set, we’ve got to respect it.”
He said AlphaTauri’s chance of better results hinges on upgrades which are due to arrive at his home race next week. The team had “no pace” last weekend. “I mean nowhere.” he explained. “You look at Yuki, you look at myself, even the strategy we lost a position when we boxed, but at the end of the day we just have no pace. You can do whatever you want, any strategy you want, with the speed we have at the moment. [We] just can’t keep going like this.”
“Nowhere in terms of pace”, “No pace”, “I mean nowhere.”;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/14/alphatauri-desperately-need-upgrades-after-disaster-weekend-urges-gasly/
AlphaTauri set for major internal review after Austrian GP nightmare
13 July 17:00
Author Michael Butterworth
Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda ended the Spielberg race down in 15th and 16th places respectively, and with AlphaTauri now having not scored points in the last three Grands Prix, there were long faces in the team after Sunday's struggles.
"It's been really tough, that was a long race," lamented Tsunoda. "I had no pace at all this weekend and really struggled with the car sliding all over the place.”
"We need to go away and look at what the issue may be, as we've not seen anything in the data that explains why this weekend has been so difficult. I gave it my everything and there wasn't much more I could've done, but this has been the hardest race weekend we've had so far this year."
‘Sliding All Over the Place’;
https://racingnews365.com/alphatauri-set-for-major-internal-review-after-austrian-gp-nightmare
Gasly voices upgrades desperation after AlphaTauri "disaster"
Tuesday 12 July 2022 10:30
Ewan Gale
Pierre Gasly is desperate for AlphaTauri to introduce its next raft of upgrades after a "disaster" of a weekend at the Austrian GP. The Frenchman was never in the running for points despite narrowly missing out on Q3 in Friday's qualifying session, one he should have competed in as Sergio Perez should not have been involved given a track-limits violation not spotted until too late.
Contact with Lewis Hamilton at turn one of Saturday's sprint put an end to his hopes of a healthy starting position for the grand prix. Starting 15th, Gasly failed to make any progress and ended a lap down on eventual winner Charles Leclerc.
“The whole weekend was a disaster apart from qualifying," conceded Gasly. "We were nowhere in terms of pace. I tried to do everything I could inside the car but at the moment there is just nothing to do.”
‘Upgrade Desperation’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87043/pierre-gasly-alphatauri-upgrades/
Tost reveals why he gave Tsunoda a rap on the knuckles
14/07/2022 at 10:39
Phillip van Osten
AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost says he gave "problem child" Yuki Tsunoda a serious rap on the knuckles after his run-in with teammate Pierre Gasly at Silverstone.
The pair were running seventh and eighth in the early stages of the British Grand Prix when Tsunoda went down the inside of Gasly at the tight right-hander at Village, where a contact sent both drivers spinning off the track.
"It was a nightmare for the team," Tost told the media in Austria. "Immediately after the race I called Yuki into my office and told him that this is absolutely a no-go and that he has to be more disciplined and patient.”
‘Knuckle Rap’;
https://f1i.com/news/448207-tost-reveals-why-he-gave-tsunoda-a-rap-on-the-knuckles.html
Tsunoda reacts to AlphaTauri hiring psychologist to work with him
09 July 07:50
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Aaron Deckers
Yuki Tsunoda has welcomed AlphaTauri hiring a psychologist to support him, but acknowledges that it may take some time before there are results.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko recently revealed that the team had made the decision due to the youngster's behaviour over team radio, including during the British Grand Prix where the Japanese driver came together with teammate Pierre Gasly.
"Thank God Max is calm, our problem child is Tsunoda," Marko was quoted as saying by German publication Motorsport-total. "We have organised a kind of psychologist to work with him, because he continued to complain through the corners, and that affects performance."
‘Psychological Development!’;
https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-reacts-to-alphatauri-hiring-psychologist-to-work-with-him
Honda Considering Returning to Formula 1 in 2026, Could Tweak Red Bull Branding Until Then
12 Jul 2022, 08:44 UTC ·
by Sergiu Tudose
Remember when Honda quit Formula 1? Of course you do, it nearly was “just yesterday” that the Japanese carmaker decided to focus its resources on battery electric road cars, instead of Grand Prix racing.
However, they did agree to keep helping Red Bull and AlphaTauri with regards to the manufacturing, assembly and support for its re-badged Formula 1 engines - using an HRC logo, which stands for Honda Racing Corporation.
Now, following Red Bull’s 2021 title win, together with F1’s push for sustainable fuels from 2026, speculation surrounding Honda’s return to F1 has recently surfaced, reports Motorsport. The HRC exec went on to add that his company is also eying more exposure within Red Bull and AlphaTauri, where instead of it just saying 'HRC' on the cars, we would once again see 'Honda' branding.
‘Just Yesterday Honda Quit, Just Tomorrow Honda Return’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/honda-considering-returning-to-formula-1-in-2026-could-tweak-red-bull-branding-until-then-193334.html
Fortitude
16th July 2022, 05:17
Aston Martin boss reveals main weakness of their 2022 car.
Team boss Krack spoke about Aston Martin’s lack of performance during a press conference at the Austrian Grand Prix, saying recent tracks haven’t played to their strengths.
Date published: July 14 2022
Editor
“Obviously, we all know we had not a very good start [to the season],” Mike Krack told reporters. “I think the last races before Silverstone, we had tracks that were suiting the characteristic of the car. But now, the last two tracks, they have really shown again, a bit better picture of where we are standing. And we simply are not performing enough. We’ve seen it in Silverstone. We have seen it yesterday. And we need to find our way out of there. We need to work ourselves out.”
Over the first 11 races of the season, Krack explained that a particular characteristic of the AMR22 has been uncovered – namely, the car doesn’t like high-speed corners. He revealed that the driver’s main complaints are “always about grip and balance”. “So obviously, when you push it really hard – which I always think when you have a car that is not quick enough, you over push or you try to over push – so you have balance problems, but also we have had sessions where to go faster, you need more grip,” he said.
“So, we struggled in high-speed, in all high-speed areas. In Canada, there were less of them, in Baku, there were less of them. [The] car is quite okay, I think, in the low-speed. And yeah, it’s mainly low-speed corners. But as soon as it goes high-speed, we are lacking.”
‘Aston Martin Main Weakness’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-main-weakness-2022-car/
Gallery: Our 2022 Austrian GP weekend.
The Austrian landscape provided a great backdrop for Formula One's second Sprint weekend of the season, in what proved to be a difficult weekend for Sebastian and Lance.
11.07.2022
Aston Martin F1
‘Austrian landscape’;
https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/gallery/gallery-our-2022-austrian-gp-weekend
Stroll: Aston Martin ‘just lacking pace’ in Austria.
10 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Lance Stroll said he enjoyed “some good battles” in the Austrian Grand Prix, but ultimately didn’t have the pace to fight for points as he came in 13th.
‘Aston Martin: ‘just lacking pace’!’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.stroll-aston-martin-just-lacking-pace-in-austria.1737981162544826499.html
Vettel calls Austria an ‘unlucky weekend’ after pair of trips into the gravel following collisions
12 July 2022
Formula 1.
In an Austrian Grand Prix weekend in which Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin was sent into the gravel twice, before he came home P17 in Sunday’s race – the last of the remaining drivers – the only word the four-time champion could use to describe his experience at the Red Bull Ring was “unlucky”.
Vettel began the race down in 18th, and was one of the few drivers to start the race on the hard tyre. And despite being hit by debris at the start of the race, the German driver was able to continue and made steady progress, climbing as high as ninth in the first stint.
However, on Lap 38, battling for 13th with Pierre Gasly at Turn 4, the Frenchman clipped Vettel into the gravel, sending the Aston Martin driver plummeting down the order. And after a “disappointing” weekend, Vettel was simply looking to move on from Austria and ahead to France.
‘Unlucky Weekend’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.vettel-calls-austria-an-unlucky-weekend-after-pair-of-trips-into-the-gravel.70Bb4qL4fGkKtOfAI93ZY4.html
Sebastian Vettel rages after spin | 'What's wrong with these people?!'
15:14 Sun, 10 Jul 2022.
Sky Sports
Sebastian Vettel expressed his frustration over team radio after contact with Pierre Gasly caused him to spin off the track.
‘Frustration Rage’;
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/f1/12649388/whats-wrong-with-these-people-sebastian-vettel-spins-out
Aston Martin boss Krack ‘confident’ that Vettel will stay beyond 2022 to reap rewards of hard work
14 July 2022
Formula 1.
Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack has expressed his hope that Sebastian Vettel stays with the team beyond the end of this season, as he called the two years the four-time champion will have spent with the squad an “investment”.
Vettel joined Aston Martin in 2021, and has scored 58 of their 95 points so far. However, the German’s contract is set to expire at the end of 2022. Team boss Krack previously said it would be “foolish” for the team not to try and retain Vettel’s services, and in Austria he evaluated talks between the squad and their veteran driver.
He added that, despite Aston Martin occupying ninth in the standings, both drivers have been dealing with the situation positively and pragmatically. “I think both drivers, we really have to say hats off, how they cope with it, how constructive they still are with us. There is no bad word, nothing at all. We try to do this together, try to get out together, they give us very good feedback.”
‘Good Feedback’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.aston-martin-boss-krack-confident-that-vettel-will-stay-beyond-2022-to-reap.6fEb0qA7MFHVkHHW2X3Myc.html
Fortitude
16th July 2022, 05:20
Vettel left drivers’ meeting after ’20-minute argument’.
Speaking during his Notebook show, Sky Sports F1 pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz said that Vettel had grown frustrated with an argument that had lasted 20 minutes before he decided to get up and leave.
Date published: July 11 2022
Sam Cooper
“They kept going around… apparently, there was a big argument between all the drivers – they were talking about driving standards and it went on for 20 minutes,” Kravitz explained.
“Sebastian was sitting there and thinking, look we are going around and around in circles, we haven’t got onto the actual drivers’ briefing yet, if you’re not going to talk about it, I am just going to walk out.”
“He went to the race director in the end and made good which is why he got a suspended fine and not anything else.”
‘Round and Round!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebastian-vettel-drivers-meeting-exit/
FIA should apologise for "deplorable" attack on "hero" Vettel.
Friday 15 July 2022 08:20
GPFans Staff
Vettel was accused of failing to be a good role model for his behaviour, a quote that went against the grain as the Aston Martin driver has in recent times tackled a host of serious societal and environmental issues away from the circuit. Vettel was ultimately handed a suspended fine of €25,000 after offering an apology for his walk out.
Ewan Gale - F1 Writer. "I really hope someone comes out and says something about this, to suggest Sebastian Vettel wasn't being a role model, I mean come on. "There are two drivers on that grid - Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton - for everything they do, for the sport and away from the sport, to come out with that statement when they gave the suspended fine and say he wasn't being a good role model, sorry, that is tone deaf - absolutely tone deaf and deplorable.”
Ian Parkes - Editor-in-Chief "I asked Seb twice in the media pen post-race on Sunday 'What are your thoughts?' and he said 'ask the FIA'. You could tell he was not happy. It was a very unusual stewards' statement that came out. They don't go to that level of a personal attack. They are normally very straightforward, matter of fact, this happened, that happened, this is our decision and why we made our decision.”
'Hero Vettel: “Ask the FIA” ';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87189/fia-apologise-deplorable-attack-hero-sebastian-vettel/
Mick Schumacher and Daniel Ricciardo defend Sebastian Vettel after FIA clash
Sebastian Vettel was given a suspended 25,000 euro fine after leaving the drivers' briefing early in Austria.
12 July 2022
by James Clifford
Mick Schumacher and Daniel Ricciardo have sympathised with Sebastian Vettel leaving the FIA drivers’ briefing without being excused in Austria. The inconsistency of the stewarding this year was brought up by Fernando Alonso after Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc escape punishment in Silverstone for indiscretions he had already been penalised for in previous races.
George Russell indicated after the briefing that the FIA might be advised to “stick to one race director” after the arrival of Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich this year, which appears to have further convoluted the situation in race control. It also seems that the hierarchy has lost control of the drivers, because Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz reported on Sunday that there had been some arguments among the racers about driving standards so far in 2022.
This was taking place instead of the planned meeting, so Vettel decided he had heard enough, and walked out to attend to his other commitments. Schumacher agreed that the conversation was not really going anywhere, and suggested that his German compatriot was not the only one who wanted to leave. “I just felt like we were going in circles with some of the things that were discussed,” he said, quoted by Autosport.
‘Not the only one who wanted to leave’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/mick-schumacher-and-daniel-ricciardo-defend-sebastian-vettel-after-fia-clash/
Sebastian Vettel punished by the FIA for suggesting Masi approach was better
Sebastian Vettel reportedly walked out of the drivers' meeting on Friday in Austria.
10 July 2022
by James Clifford
On every Friday of a race weekend, the drivers are mandated to arrive at the briefing room to be told of any important information for the remainder of the weekend, and discuss anything that might have popped up throughout practice.
The Race reported that there is a feeling among the drivers that the alternation between Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich is “not working effectively,” so they are “discontent” at the current situation.
Vettel is said to have strongly imparted his opinion onto Wittich, who has since held a “constructive conversation” with the four-time world champion, before walking out of the meeting without being excused.
‘Walk Out’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/sebastian-vettel-punished-by-the-fia-for-suggesting-masi-approach-was-better/
Vettel ‘not a saint’ amid FIA briefing saga
Grandpx.news07:06 Sun, 10 Jul
ANDREW MAITLAND
Despite insisting he tries to “set a good example” in Formula 1, Sebastian Vettel has been penalised for storming out of a meeting in Austria. The quadruple world champion, who is increasingly involved in social, cultural and environmental activism, had a EUR 25,000 fine suspended for the rest of 2022.
According to stewards, the 35-year-old stormed out of the drivers’ briefing. “Drivers at this level are role models for every driver around the world and in the opinion of the stewards, Vettel failed to live up to that standard in this case,” a statement read.
Earlier, he hit back at those who believe he should stop moralising and telling people what to do and stick to racing his Aston Martin. “I’m not a saint, I can’t tell anyone how to behave,” the German told Sport1.
‘Vettel: The Saint (Work In Progress)!’;
https://grandpx.news/vettel-not-a-saint-amid-fia-briefing-saga/
Tech Draft: Black faced Vettel a wakeup call F1 needs
14 July, 2022
Mark Kay
This Tech Draft reflects on some aspects of the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix, but mainly a sustainability-related issue sparked by the scene of Sebastian Vettel covered in brake carbon dust. The image of Sebastian Vettel covered in carbon dust alongside an FOM sign promoting the hybrid engine as the world’s most efficient was a juxtaposition Stefano Domenicali and his team should look long and hard at.
Carbon/carbon braking systems have unparalleled performance, are light, they operate at much higher temperatures and cool well, are almost immune to thermal shock, they are very rigid at high temperature and so the pads don’t wedge and knock, and critically they wear in a linear manner which means the rate at which the pad wears in comparison to the rotor is completely predictable.
Nevertheless, carbon/carbon braking systems are very dirty, as we know from those images of Vettel after Sunday’s race, the by-products of their use isn’t just black burnt carbon dust, which is a known carcinogen, but there are other nasties in the composite matrix that become toxic and carcinogenic when they burn, such as the binding resins.
‘Black burnt carbon dust, is a known carcinogen’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/14/tech-draft-black-faced-vettel-a-wakeup-call-f1-needs/
Sebastian Vettel "feels like there is a target on my car" after being taken out by rivals.
21:01, 14 Jul 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
The German has endured a tough season so far with strugglers Aston Martin, and his fortunes did not improve at the Austrian Grand Prix where he was clipped by two different rivals. Sebastian Vettel was left to rue his bad luck after being sent spinning in two separate collisions during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.
The German travelled to the Red Bull Ring hoping to build on the two points he managed at Silverstone a week earlier. But all that was in store for the Aston Martin racer was a return to the more familiar misery that he has endured for much of this season.
Qualifying was a disaster as he set the slowest time of all, but Saturday's Sprint started promisingly as the four-time world champion moved up to 14th on the opening lap. It will have given his team hope of a better starting place for the main event the following day.
‘The Saint (Work In Progress): More familiar misery’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/sebastian-vettel-crash-albon-gasly-27486085
Fortitude
17th July 2022, 07:02
“It’s disappointing to leave without a point” – Alfa Romeo’s Frédéric Vasseur.
Frédéric Vasseur admitted the Austrian Grand Prix was a difficult weekend for the Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN as they failed to register a points finish with either Valtteri Bottas or Zhou Guanyu.
July 14, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Vasseur, the Team Principal at Alfa Romeo, said the team knew it would always be difficult to score points on Sunday, but the fact they came as close as they did under difficult circumstances gives them hope heading into the next double header later this month, which starts with the French Grand Prix at the Circuit Paul Ricard.
“It’s been a difficult weekend for us, and to nearly come away with a point despite all that happened shows the attitude of this team,” said Vasseur. “With Valtteri starting from the Pit Lane and Zhou in P13, we knew we had a tough job ahead of us if we wanted to come away with a good result, and we very nearly did.”
“It was a hectic race, with lots of battling and action – a great advertisement for our sport: for the team, we had nearly delivered a great comeback, but the tyre advantage Alonso had on the final lap was too much for Valtteri to overcome, and Zhou’s penalty really put an end to his hopes of points. It’s disappointing to leave without a point, but we will regroup and aim to start scoring again in France.”
‘Lots of battling and action’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/its-disappointing-to-leave-without-a-point-alfa-romeos-frederic-vasseur/
‘We did everything right’ – Bottas sanguine about just missing out on points after pit lane start in Austria
10 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Valtteri Bottas started the Austrian Grand Prix from the pit lane and ultimately ended up P11, just one place out of the points – but the Finn said there wasn’t any more he or the team could have done on the day.
‘We did everything right’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.we-did-everything-right-bottas-sanguine-about-just-missing-out-on-points-after-pit-lane-start-in-austria.1737980929773647017.html
Bottas laments 'lack of pace' in Austria after losing P10 on final lap to Alonso
12 July 2022
Formula 1.
It was a difficult weekend in Austria for Alfa Romeo, culminating in Valtteri Bottas finishing in 11th, after narrowly losing out on a top-10 finish on the last lap, while Zhou Guanyu came home in P14. And speaking after the race, Bottas admitted that, while his team did everything they could to get points, they were ultimately just lacking pace.
“I was hoping for points today, that was the target, and it’s a bit disappointing to be finishing just outside the top 10,” said Bottas. “In the last lap, Fernando was closing the gap pretty fast with a new set of tyres, and ultimately got me.”
"Besides that, I think it was a good race, also strategy-wise, and we did everything we could give where we started: we just lacked a bit of pace, especially through the corners.”
‘Lack of Pace’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.bottas-laments-lack-of-pace-in-austria-after-losing-p10-on-final-lap-to.3nM0qPfmExTMF8FTJrO3oY.html
Zhou: 'Risky' first stint on hard tyres in Austria a mistake.
13/07/2022 at 17:26
Phillip van Osten
Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu admitted after last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix that starting his race on the hard tyre was not only a risky choice but also one that was misguided. Given a chance to do it all over again, Zhou would have opted for the medium compound tyre.
"It wasn't the best weekend, but in the race I think the problem was just the hard tyres, we just couldn't switch them on," said the F1 rookie. "For me, it was all degradation, and not getting any reward from it.”
"If I was to go back, I would go back to the medium tyres, because the mediums we had on for 20 or 30 laps, [and] I felt we found the pace again we had yesterday [in Saturday's sprint race]. So it just shows maybe our set-up wasn't the best for the hard for today. So that compromised the race.”
‘Hard Tyres a Mistake’;
https://f1i.com/news/448184-zhou-risky-first-stint-on-hard-tyres-a-mistake-in-austria.html
Bottas worried Alfa Romeo could get left behind improving midfield rivals
12 July 11:10
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Aaron Deckers
Valtteri Bottas believes Alfa Romeo need more performance gains after losing ground in the Constructors' Championship to Alpine and McLaren. Valtteri Bottas has voiced his concern about Alfa Romeo's pace after losing ground to Alpine and McLaren at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Finn came close to completing a strong recovery drive after starting the race from the pit lane. Having taken power unit penalties earlier in the weekend, Alfa Romeo elected to start Bottas from the pit lane in order to make set-up changes for the race.
These efforts almost came to fruition, with Bottas running in 10th on the final lap of the Grand Prix. However, the final points-paying position was lost on the final lap to Fernando Alonso, much to Bottas' frustration.
‘Alfa Romeo could get left behind’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-worried-alfa-romeo-could-get-left-behind-improving-midfield-rivals
Valtteri Bottas: Alfa Romeo engine misfiring affected Sprint performance.
09 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas hopes the technical issues that dogged his performance in the F1 Sprint at the Red Bull Ring won't be replicated in Sunday's 2022 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix.
‘Engine Misfiring’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.valtteri-bottas-alfa-romeo-engine-misfiring-affected-sprint-performance.1737890985265687079.html
Zhou reveals he had to do a full restart procedure on his Alfa Romeo after his engine died on the Sprint formation lap.
09 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Zhou Guanyu was seen crawling to a stand still on the Sprint formation lap, and revealed his engine had switched itself off, forcing him to do a full restart procedure to get the car running again.
‘Full Restart Procedure Necessary’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.zhou-reveals-he-had-to-do-a-full-restart-procedure-on-his-alfa-romeo-after-his-engine-died-on-the-sprint-formation-lap.1737890584323853261.html
Alfa Romeo: Where It Came From, Where It’s Going
The 112-year-old company has done it all, plans to keep doing it.
Jul 15, 2022
BY MARK VAUGHN
Historically speaking Alfa has really done it all: five world championships between 1925 and 1977, four Le Mans victories, 17 European Touring Car titles, and 10 Targa Florio and 11 Mille Miglia wins. When Enzo Ferrari wanted to try his hand at racing, before there was a Ferrari race team, he drove for and later managed the Alfa Romeo team, which included no less a talent than Tazio Nuvolari.
Alfa Romeo was founded in Milan in 1910 as “Anonima Lombardo Fabbrica Automobili,” and even you would rather just say Alfa. The “Romeo” was added after a savior of the same name ran the company for a while. One year after its founding, Alfa went racing, first in the Targa Florio, then the Mille Miglia and, of course, in Grand Prix. It won everywhere.
‘Alfa Romeo Tradition’;
https://www.autoweek.com/news/industry-news/a40620416/alfa-romeo-where-it-came-from-where-its-going/
Fortitude
17th July 2022, 07:04
Alfa Romeo share remarkable details over Zhou's British GP crash.
Following Zhou Guanyu's dramatic British Grand Prix crash, Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur says the Chinese driver was remarkably non-plussed upon his immediate return to the garage.
14 July 12:50
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Aaron Deckers
Alfa Romeo Team Principal Fred Vasseur says Zhou Guanyu's first thought when he returned to the pits after his dramatic British Grand Prix crash was whether the team would have enough spare parts for the following race in Austria.
Having been tagged by George Russell just after the start at Silverstone, Zhou's car flipped upside down and skidded at high speed off the track, with the force of the impact seeing the Alfa Romeo vault the outer barrier and come to rest wedged sideways against the inner catch fencing.
Though there was much concern for Zhou's condition, the Chinese driver was released after precautionary checks at the circuit's Medical Centre, and later posted on social media to confirm he was unhurt. So unscathed was Zhou after the crash that Vasseur said the F1 rookie's immediate concern was for the stock of parts in the Alfa garage, rather than his own wellbeing.
‘Zhou Guanyu non-plussed upon his immediate return to the garage’;
https://racingnews365.com/alfa-romeo-share-remarkable-details-over-zhous-british-gp-crash
Zhou proving the ‘perfect choice’ for Alfa Romeo
Date published: July 13 2022
Jon Wilde
Fred Vasseur has hailed Zhou Guanyu as the “perfect choice” for the second seat in a much improved Alfa Romeo team this year. The Swiss-based squad have reached the halfway mark of this season with 51 points already collected – in the previous two campaigns combined, they scored a total of only 21.
Zhou has contributed only five of the 51, but there is a huge gulf in experience between he and his team-mate Valtteri Bottas who won five consecutive Constructors’ titles with Mercedes and won 10 races. Bottas, released by Mercedes after the 2021 season, was a no-brainer for Alfa Romeo to hire, but taking on Zhou was a tougher choice given he was an F1 rookie – and when the team also have a bright F2 prospect coming up through their ranks in Theo Pourchaire.
The Frenchman could have been thrown in at the deep end this year at the tender age of 18, but instead Alfa Romeo opted for Zhou, who is just over four years his senior, at least partly due to the sponsorship revenue he brings from China.
‘Perfect Choice’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/zhou-guanyu-alfa-romeo-perfect-choice/
Alfa Romeo still investigating Zhou rollhoop collapse
14/07/2022 at 18:11
Michael Delaney
Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur says the Swiss outfit is still investigating the collapse of the rollhoop of Zhou Guanyu's C42 during the Chinese driver's terrifying crash at Silverstone earlier this month. The element failed on its first impact with the tarmac when Zhou's car overturned following a start-line contact with the Mercedes of George Russell.
Fortunately, the Alfa's Halo cockpit safety device protected Zhou during his harrowing ride that saw the car skid upside down to the first corner before it somersaulted over the top of the tyre barrier and came to rest against catch fencing. Alfa Romeo said at the time that it would conduct along with the FIA an investigation into the rollhoop's failure.
"It's still under investigation, and we'll share all the information about the crash with the FIA," Vasseur said last weekend in Austria. "The first [issue] is that the crash was something like two times more than the load of the crash test. I don't know if you had the look on the tarmac, but we dug a groove into the tarmac something like four or five centimetres deep.”
‘Rollhoop collapsed, Alfa's Halo cockpit safety device protected Zhou during his harrowing ride’;
https://f1i.com/news/448235-alfa-romeo-still-investigating-zhou-roll-hoop-collapse.html
What FIA intends to change after Zhou’s F1 rollhoop failure.
Jul 15 2022
By Edd Straw
The FIA will introduce “more stringent measures” in Formula 1’s rollhoop regulations for 2023 following Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu’s accident at the start of the British Grand Prix. This follows Thursday’s meeting of the technical advisory committee, which drew on the analysis of the Silverstone accident and resolved to take action to improve the rollhoop rules.
The nature of the more stringent measures has yet to be decided on, although the FIA is working on the modifications to the technical regulations. A statement released by the FIA on the TAC meeting said it “discussed the serious incident involving Zhou Guanyu at Silverstone.
“The teams confirmed their availability to introduce more stringent measures on the rollhoops for 2023, and the FIA undertook to complete the relevant analyses, and to communicate to the teams new requirements for the safety of the rollhoop.” Although details of the investigation into Zhou’s accident have not been released, it’s clear that what’s called the ‘primary roll structure’ suffered a failure during the crash. F1 cars are required to have two roll structures, with the halo – that Zhou credited for saving his life – the secondary one.
‘The FIA will introduce “more stringent measures” in Formula 1’s rollhoop regulations for 2023’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-fia-intends-to-change-after-zhous-f1-rollhoop-failure/
FIA to impose 'more stringent' rollhoop measures for 2023.
15/07/2022 at 10:43
Phillip van Osten
The FIA will introduce for 2023 "more stringent measures" for rollhoops in Formula 1 following the recent crash suffered by Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu at the British Grand Prix. The rollhoop on Zhou's Alfa C42 collapsed on impact when the car overturned following a start-line contact with the Mercedes of George Russell at Silverstone.
F1 teams typically use a double concept rollhoop design that integrates with a car's chassis. However, Alfa Romeo relies on a single-spike design on its C42, an option authorized by the FIA but which may be outlawed in the future if the governing body mandates the double rollhoop structure.
The FIA's approach to improving rollhoop strength could target more stringent load tests as well as structural design changes. The changes will take into account the findings from Alfa Romeo's investigation into Zhou's crash which the Swiss outfit is in the process of completing and sharing with the FIA.
‘More Stringent Rollhoop Measures’;
https://f1i.com/news/448253-fia-to-impose-more-stringent-rollhoop-measures-for-2023.html
More stringent rollhoop tests planned following Zhou's British GP crash
15/07/2022
NEWS STORY
While it was the Halo that rightly got the praise following the first lap crash which saw the Chinese driver's Alfa Romeo flipped over and skid along the track over the gravel trap that followed and finally barrel-rolling over the barriers into the catch fencing, it was the failure of the car's rollhoop that caused serious concern. Alfa Romeo is alone in being the only team to run a 'spike' (triangular) rollhoop design, the Swiss team doing this for aerodynamic reasons, and it remains to be seen whether, following the investigation into the failure, such designs are banned.
"The principal structure must pass a static load test details of which may be found in Article 13.3.1," state the 2022 regulations. "Furthermore, each team must supply detailed calculations, which clearly show that it is capable of withstanding the same load when the longitudinal component is applied in a forward direction." The crash test for the rollhoop applies "a load equivalent to 60kN laterally, 70kN longitudinally in a rearward direction and 105kN vertically", allowing only 25mm deformation along the loaded axis, with "any structural failure limited to 100mm below the top of the roll structure when measured vertically".
"The last time I was involved in a project that ran a roll hoop like that, I think it was 2011," said AlphaTauri technical director, Jody Egginton in Austria, his team, like the majority opting for a double concept. "I remember the reasons for it, and they were specific. "Obviously, we are all subjected to and pass the same test, that's a requirement," he added. "But I guess these are the topics which are going to be raised in the TAC (Technical Advisory Committee), to see how we go forward and what the FIA view is."
‘Technical Advisory Committee and FIA Decisions’;
https://www.pitpass.com/73113/More-stringent-rollhoop-tests-planned-following-Zhous-British-GP-crash
Fortitude
18th July 2022, 06:04
Williams’ Dave Robson: Austria was a “good result for the entire team who worked very hard to get us back into this position”.
Williams Racing Head of Vehicle Performance Dave Robson was pleased to see a great race and recovery for Alex Albon after losing positions in Saturday’s sprint, though Nicholas Latifi had to retire as a result of floor damage.
July 15, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Robson said that Albon’s battle for the final points position with Valtteri Bottas was a close one, and that he was disappointed that he ultimately missed out on a top ten finish.
“Today was a good recovery after the result yesterday. Alex drove well and the strategy worked well. Having got into the top 10 with only 10 laps to go, it was disappointing to miss out on a point.”
“However, we had been battling with Bottas since the first pitstop and it was a tight race that could’ve gone either way. At least we got a full race completed with the updated car, which gives some data to go through before we run again in France.”
‘Great Race Recovery’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/williams-dave-robson-austria-was-a-good-result-for-the-entire-team-who-worked-very-hard-to-get-us-back-into-this-position/
Concept change means Williams FW44 is a ‘new car’
Date published: July 17 2022
Jon Wilde
Williams have revealed they are treating their heavily-revised FW44, driven by Alex Albon at the last two races, as essentially a “new car”. Albon was given the major upgrades for the British Grand Prix, but any hope of them bringing an immediate reward were scuppered before he had even reached the first corner as he was punted into the wall and out of the race by Sebastian Vettel.
The British-Thai driver then finished 12th in Austria, while his team-mate Nicholas Latifi retired with floor damage and the Canadian hopes the big updates will be on his car for the French Grand Prix. It was no surprise Williams have tried a different approach because they are last in the Constructors’ standings, with only the three points collected by Albon so far, and their revamped design has headed more in the Red Bull direction regarding its sidepods – although there is no suggestion of copying.
Even Albon himself said: “Everyone started a bit different and it’s either the Ferrari concept or the Red Bull concept that seems to be adopted. “Ours looks more like the Red Bull car, but I wouldn’t call it like-for-like. It’s the direction we’ve headed into.”
‘Williams FW44 is a ‘new car’!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-fw44-new-car-concept-change/
Alex Albon: “The whole race we were more or less matching the McLarens”
July 15, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Williams Racing’s Alex Albon was on the verge of points at the Austrian Grand Prix, ending up taking twelfth place after starting in fifteenth. In his battle to fight for the final points position, Albon said that he was too hard on his tyres– leading him to losing crucial positions.
“It was a fun race. We took risks, we were bold and I had to push a little bit too hard on the tyres to keep up with Valtteri as he was a little bit quicker than us, so I knew what I was doing wasn’t kind to the tyres but I was trying to stay close to him.”
Overall, Albon was happy with the race in spite of missing out on points, as he said the car advanced in Austria and was performing about on par with the likes of McLaren F1 Team.
‘Matching the McLarens’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/alex-albon-the-whole-race-we-were-more-or-less-matching-the-mclarens/
Albon: Improved Williams downforce a ‘good platform’
Date published: July 14 2022
Michelle Foster
The Austrian GP weekend was a better one as the driver came through the weekend unscathed, 12th in qualifying before losing positions in the sprint race and then recovering to P12 in the grand prix. “We’ve got more downforce, that’s clear,” Albon told Motorsport.com of the new parts.
“It is a little bit trickier to use in some places, especially at this circuit it was very tricky, with the wind changing. I don’t know how the others felt it, but it was a very tricky race to drive. But the way I see it is we’ve got the downforce, that’s the important bit, then it’s trying to get the balance into it.”
“So we’ve got the rest of the season to do that. And we’ve got a good platform to start on, as I said, you just see it, it’s not the most intricate car in that sense. And we can build on that. It’s a good base. You see the top teams are most probably confident in their base car, and then they’re just fine-tuning it, week on week on week,” he said. “We’ve done quite a big change to the car, a different philosophy, which takes much more time to understand. It’s a little bit more of a reset.”
‘Improved Williams downforce a ‘good platform’ ’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albon-improved-williams-downforce/
Albon: Williams ‘definitely made a step forwards’ with new upgrade package in Austria
10 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Williams brought a new upgrade package to the last race at Silverstone for Alex Albon, but he was unable to really assess it after he crashed on Lap 1. But in Austria he ran the whole race and was encouraged by the team’s improved pace.
‘Upgrade Package, Step Forward’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.albon-williams-definitely-made-a-step-forwards-with-new-upgrade-package-in-austria.1737978912628989257.html
Albon encouraged after new Williams updates deliver in Austria
12 July 16:10
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Aaron Deckers
In his first full race at the wheel of his updated Williams FW44, Alex Albon issued a positive report following the Austrian Grand Prix. Alex Albon has hailed his Austrian Grand Prix weekend as encouraging, after completing his first full race distance with a new upgrade package on his Williams FW44.
In Austria, Albon finished 12th of 17th classified finishers, and was just six seconds behind 10th-placed Fernando Alonso by the chequered flag, prompting the British-Thai driver to issue a positive report on the day's action. "We were running P10 at one point, which I was really happy about," Albon told media, including RacingNews365.com.
"With the Medium tyres, we took a step up in performance, and I was happy. It’s our first full race with the new aero package. We'll learn a lot from today, we'll look at the data and conclude where we're struggling, where we're weak. We're clearly still missing a little bit, but we're still getting to grips with the car."
‘Williams Update Encouragement’;
https://racingnews365.com/albon-encouraged-after-new-updates-deliver-in-austria
Williams Racing moving in the right direction
July 17 2022
By Andrew Hooper
Williams Racing had started the 2022 Formula One season with some positive results but as other teams made gains the team would see itself stuck at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship with just three points. So after much anticipation the Williams Team would finally produce a major upgrade package for their problematic FW44 first appearing at the British Grand Prix. The only limitation was the fact that the team was only able to produce one upgraded car for Alex Albon.
But after some excellent work by the team mechanics the upgraded car would return for the Austrian Grand Prix where Alex Albon would have a far better opportunity to assess the new car given the far improved weather conditions. Again it would only be the car of Alex Albon that would run the upgraded components with Nicholas Latifi being forced to run the older design.
But regardless the team had learnt a lot over the weekend and hopefully that will give them a good basis on which to tackle the next race in France, where Nicholas will be seen in the upgraded car. For Williams they are very much playing catch-up with their competitors who have been able to move forward with their development programs early in the season while Williams has had to wait until mid season.
‘The Right Direction’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st203556.htm
Fortitude
19th July 2022, 10:29
Red Bull engine chief expects advantage over Ferrari at French GP.
Red Bull engine consultant Masashi Yamamoto is expecting Red Bull to have an advantage over Ferrari at the French Grand Prix.
19th July 2022, 17:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
With four races taking place in July, the first two have been won by the Scuderia; Carlos Sainz took his debut F1 victory at Silverstone, while Charles Leclerc seized the win in Austria one week later. Max Verstappen did prove victorious at the Sprint over the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, though, and remains at the top of the World Championship standings on 208 points, giving him a 38-point lead over Leclerc.
Ahead of the upcoming Grands Prix in France and Hungary before F1 embarks on its summer break, Yamamoto has urged Red Bull to ensure that they do not make any mistakes at the Circuit Paul Ricard.
The French Grand Prix marks the beginning of the second half of the 2022 F1 season, and Yamamoto – former Managing Director of Honda and now an engine consultant at Red Bull – feels that it is an important weekend. He also believes that his team will perform well at the track. "I think France is more in Red Bull's favour, so we can't drop it," Yamamoto told Japanese website as-web. "It's a crucial point."
‘France is more in Red Bull's favour, so we can't drop it’;
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-engine-chief-expects-advantage-over-ferrari-at-french-gp
Mercedes’ best chance yet of a win in F1 2022? French GP talking points
18 Jul 2022
Lewis Larkam
Although Mercedes were unable to replicate that level of performance in Austria, the team were still closer to Ferrari and Red Bull than they expected at a circuit that has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for the Silver Arrows in recent years, with Hamilton picking up his third consecutive podium finish.
Mercedes are expected to be stronger again in France thanks to the characteristics at Paul Ricard, which features high-speed corners and a smooth track surface, two factors that bring out the best in the W13.
Despite suffering a narrow defeat to Max Verstappen at last year’s French Grand Prix, Mercedes boast a strong record at Paul Ricard, with Hamilton winning two of the three races to be held in the South of France since the race’s revival in 2018.
‘Mercedes’ best chance yet’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1008023/1/could-france-be-mercedes-best-chance-yet-win-f1-2022
Lando Norris: “It’s important we continue to build on our results this season as the midfield gets tighter”
July 18, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Coming off of a double-points finish at the Red Bull Ring, Lando Norris said that the team’s performance kept them in the running for fourth in the constructors’ championship, currently tied with BWT Alpine F1 Team ahead of the French Grand Prix.
“With the summer break fast approaching, it’s important we continue to build on our results this season as the midfield gets tighter. Finishing P7 and P9 in Austria was positive after a difficult start to the weekend and it’s great to remain in this battle for fourth in the constructor standings.”
With tight margins between the midfield teams, Norris said that the return to a typical race weekend with three practice sessions will give the team the time necessary to best prepare for race day at a track where they have found success previously, having finished fifth and sixth at last year’s French Grand Prix.”
‘Important Results Building’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/lando-norris-its-important-we-continue-to-build-on-our-results-this-season-as-the-midfield-gets-tighter/
F1 warned of potential French GP crisis
Sunday 17 July 2022 14:30
Ewan Gale
F1 has been warned over a potential track-limits crisis at the upcoming French Grand Prix. The topic took centre stage amongst the drivers at the Austrian Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen leading the criticism of the FIA's policing at the event as "a joke".
Over 40 incidents of drivers leaving the track were acknowledged by the sport's governing body, with numerous drivers handed penalties for excessively abusing the boundaries at the Red Bull Ring. But Red Bull team principal Christian Horner fears the problem will only be worse when F1 returns to Paul Ricard next weekend.
“The problem is the nature of the circuit [Red Bull Ring], it invites the drivers to use the track limits and of course, there were many, many drivers that were infringing that over the weekend [in Austria[," explained Horner. “My concern isn’t so much here. I think [Paul] Ricard will be a bigger issue.”
‘Potential track-limits crisis’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87249/french-grand-prix-track-limits-crisis/
F1 NATION: Gerhard Berger joins the gang as we look ahead to an intriguing French Grand Prix
19 July 2022
Formula 1.
As we get into the second half of the 2022 Formula 1 calendar, the sport is heading to the French Grand Prix – with this week’s episode of our F1 Nation episode looking ahead to this weekend's action at Paul Ricard.
This week, Tom Clarkson is joined by Damon Hill, who is fresh (or maybe not) from taking on one of the Tour de France’s toughest climbs. They discuss whether Ferrari’s newfound momentum will continue in France, as the Scuderia look to make it three wins on the bounce – or whether Paul Ricard’s long front-tyre-punishing corners will hand the advantage to Red Bull. They also consider whether Mercedes could make it a three-team fight at the top.
They also look back on the first 11 races of the season and discuss which driver has raised his game after “staring into the abyss”. TC and Damon are also joined by special guest and former Ferrari race-winner Gerhard Berger, who weighs in on the Max Verstappen vs Charles Leclerc debate, as the trio choose their star performers of the season so far.
‘’Intriguing French GP Review’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.f1-nation-gerhard-berger-joins-the-gang-as-we-look-ahead-to-an-intriguing.2u7s60kHZUF1llCoCT0kOi.html
Wolff suggests 'miraculous' underhand tactics at play in F1
Tuesday 19 July 2022 04:00
Ian Parkes
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has suggested his F1 rivals have been breaking the rules this season with regard to the legality of the floors of their cars.
From the Belgian Grand Prix onwards, a new technical directive comes into force that clamps down on the use of a so-called flexi-floor via the use of the skid block.
It is understood a number of teams have been able to run their cars closer to a track surface via the use of a moveable floor, in particular, areas within the skid block that ensure a car's plank suffers less wear than is permissible.
‘Toto Wolff: 'Miraculous' F1underhand tactics’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87488/wolff-skid-block-cheating/
Toto Wolff claims F1 rules are ‘clearly’ being broken by other teams
15:54 Mon, 18 Jul 2022.
Kieran Jackson Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent
Mercedes boss Wolff believes some teams are breaching the current regulations regarding so-called ‘flexi-floors’
Toto Wolff claims some F1 teams are clearly breaching the current regulations surrounding ‘flexi-floors’ in light of a new technical directive from the FIA.
World motorsport’s governing body issued a new directive in the last month to clamp down on what Wolff believes is a grey area in the rules, with the directive coming into force at the Belgian Grand Prix after the…
‘Toto Wolff Claims F1 Rules Breach’;
https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/mercedes-toto-wolff-f1-rules-broken-b2125737.html
Toto Wolff claims F1 "has less entertainment" because Red Bull and Ferrari are too strong
• 10:20, 18 Jul 2022
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
Mercedes chief Wolff was discussing why Sprint races are not enjoyed by some fans, and took the chance to complain about the performance gap to Red Bull and Ferrari
The performance gap enjoyed by Red Bull and Ferrari over Mercedes and the rest of the grid is making Formula 1 "less entertaining", said Toto Wolff.
"If you have Verstappen disappearing in a distance, the two Ferraris being the only entertainment during the race and then we are in the middle of nowhere in no man's land. Then the others are further behind, and then you have DRS trains. That never can make a good sprint race."
‘You have Verstappen disappearing… … then we are in the middle of nowhere in no man's land’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/wolff-red-bull-ferrari-mercedes-27507148
Fortitude
19th July 2022, 22:28
Guenther Steiner on upgrades: ‘I really want to show it’s not publicity’.
The Haas F1 Team continue to be the surprise package of the season, with the side coming into the French Grand Prix on the back of finishing sixth and eighth at the Austrian Grand Prix, despite still being yet to introduce a single upgrade.
19 July 2022
by Nick Golding
Haas are set to introduce their first upgrade of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The VF22 appears to be one of the most consistent cars on the grid this season, with the American side sitting seventh in the Constructors’ Championship, even though everyone around them has introduced plenty of upgrades.
Haas were initially set to introduce their first batch at the Spanish Grand Prix, but decided against it late-on. Instead, Kevin Magnussen’s and Mick Schumacher’s only upgrades for the year are set to come at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which takes place after the French GP.
‘VF22 Consistent Car, without Upgrades’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/guenther-steiner-on-upgrades-i-really-want-to-show-its-not-publicity/
Steiner targeting P6 in 2022 constructors’ standings after improved run of form for Haas
19 July 2022
Formula 1.
The Austrian Grand Prix marked the first time Haas have scored points with both cars in consecutive races in nearly four years. And the result has left Team Principal Guenther Steiner dreaming of a P6 finish in the constructors’ standings this year.
Double points for Haas at Silverstone after a five-race drought – as Mick Schumacher netted his first ever top-10 finish in F1 – were repeated at the following round at the Red Bull Ring, as Schumacher claimed P6 to Kevin Magnussen’s P8.
That’s the first time since the 2018 Brazilian and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix that Haas have taken consecutive double points – and having seen his team jump from P9 to P7 in the constructors’ standings, Steiner is hopeful of going one spot higher before the end of the year.
‘P6 Target’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.steiner-targeting-p6-in-2022-constructors-standings-after-improved-run-of.6tvqRuCgJzTYZTBZ2fZp0b.html
Steiner puts a target on Alfa Romeo’s back
Date published: July 19 2022
Jon Wilde
Guenther Steiner has put a target on Alfa Romeo’s back, in hoping Haas can climb even loftier heights after their recent return to form. After a lean spell of five races in which they failed to score a point, Haas are back on song and reproducing their early-season promise.
The British and Austrian Grands Prix both resulted in double points finishes as Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher finished in the top 10 at each venue, the latter finally getting off the mark after 31 failed F1 attempts to do so.
Those points were not chicken feed either because they finished sixth and eighth in Austria, and thus the American team are now seventh in the Constructors’ Championship with AlphaTauri, Aston Martin and Williams behind them.
‘No Chicken Feed Points at Haas’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-constructors-p6/
Haas not getting 'overenthusiastic' over recent run of points
19/07/2022 at 09:23
Phillip van Osten
Guenther Steiner says Haas isn't getting carried away with its consecutive double-points finishes in Britain and in Austria, insisting the string of good results won't easily continue.
"I’m very happy about it but I’m very happy about it for the team because I’ve told them that they need to believe in themselves because we’ve done it before and we will do it again, and we have so it’s a very good result," said the Haas team boss ahead of this week's French Grand Prix.”
"I think we have to be careful about getting too overenthusiastic for the next races, so we’re not thinking that this will keep continuing easily – this is very hard work from a lot of people. We will do the best we can and hopefully we can get some more points and have quite a relaxed summer break."
‘Happy to do the best Haas can’;
https://f1i.com/news/448451-haas-not-getting-overenthusiastic-over-recent-run-of-points.html
Steiner: We have to be careful about getting overenthusiastic.
19 July, 2022
Jad Mallak
Guenther Steiner warned Haas should not get overenthusiastic ahead of the 2022 French Grand Prix after both their cars scored points in two races in a row. Previewing the French Grand Prix at the Circuit Paul Ricard this weekend, Haas team boss Guenther Steiner is wary of getting too excited after two points-scoring races in a row, and tried to manage the expectations.
“I’m very happy about it but I’m very happy about it for the team because I’ve told them that they need to believe in themselves because we’ve done it before and we will do it again, and we have so it’s a very good result,” Steiner said of the previous two races.”
“I think we have to be careful about getting too overenthusiastic for the next races, so we’re not thinking that this will keep continuing easily – this is very hard work from a lot of people,” he added. “We will do the best we can and hopefully we can get some more points and have quite a relaxed summer break.”
‘Haas Overenthusiasm Warning’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/19/steiner-we-have-to-be-careful-about-getting-overenthusiastic/
“Motivation is very high within the team” – Haas’ Guenther Steiner
July 19, 2022
By Nick Golding
The Haas F1 Team go into this weekend’s French Grand Prix on the back of their most successful weekend in years, after finishing sixth and eighth at the recent Austrian Grand Prix.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s race at Circuit Paul Ricard, Steiner explained that “motivation is very high” at Haas. The Haas boss is targeting more points this weekend, with the VF22 appearing to be strong at every circuit.
“For sure, motivation is very high within the team after two weekends like we had in Silverstone and Austria. Our car is pretty good everywhere, I think our weakest point is high-speed tracks like those in Jeddah and Baku and coming up in Spa and Monza. I’m very confident that if we execute well, we can have points again. I don’t know how many but the reliability in the last two races was good and hopefully it will stay good for the next events before the summer.”
‘Haas Motivation High’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/motivation-is-very-high-within-the-team-haas-guenther-steiner/
‘Normally it’s Toto fighting everybody’: Guenther Steiner disagrees with Wolff after key FIA decision
The budget cap has been hiked after a number of protestations from the big teams on the Formula 1 grid.
18 July 2022
by James Clifford
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is pleased to see the back of the budget cap saga after it was raised by 3.1 percent. The budget was initially set at $140 million for the season for every team, and has to be spread out between damage repairs, car development, freight travel and more – drivers’ salaries are not included.
In the end, it was agreed that there would be a raise to the budget, and Steiner revealed that, having wanted the opposite to what the teams had been pushing for, a middle ground was found. “Pleased there was an outcome, I think the meeting took a while but in the end we found a compromise, which is always good,” he said.
“So the compromise was that we are all not really happy about it, but we move on and that is the most important for Formula 1 in general. “Obviously the big teams wanted more, the small teams wanted nothing and the compromise was in the middle. But I think it shows, again, in the end we work together.” The Italian quipped that it was strange seeing Mercedes boss Toto Wolff on the same side as the people he usually shares a frosty relationship with.
‘Guenther Steiner: ‘Normally it’s Toto fighting everybody’!’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/normally-its-toto-fighting-everybody-guenther-steiner-disagrees-with-wolff-after-key-fia-decision/
Fortitude
20th July 2022, 09:44
Berger: Ferrari not ready for title fight, but Leclerc is.
Former Grand Prix racer Gerhard Berger believes Ferrari lack some of Red Bull’s strengths in order to fight for the championship. Berger believes Ferrari aren’t quite ready to win championships, but star driver Charles Leclerc is.
Date published: July 19 2022
Editor
Appearing on the F1 Nation podcast to preview the French Grand Prix alongside hosts Tom Clarkson and Damon Hill, Berger spoke about the current championship fight and said Red Bull and Max Verstappen are currently the standard setters.
“As a Ferrari fan, if you had the possibility to say ‘Ferrari are going to be second next year with such a car’, everybody would say ‘great’.”
“But, now, they are trying to fight a championship but didn’t fight for a championship for years. So they are not ready yet to fight in the championship like Red Bull, who fought until the last race last year [and know] very small detail and what it means for the championship.”
‘Gerhard Berger:P Ferrari lacking, Leclerc ready’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/gerhard-berger-ferrari-not-ready-title/
Ferrari boss insists they will not impose team orders on Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr.
Tuesday 19 Jul 2022 6:10 pm
Callum McAvoy
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has insisted that the team will not favour either Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz Jr. at this stage of the season. While Ferrari have the edge on Red Bull in terms of pure pace, a number of strategy errors and reliability issues have left the Scuderia trailing their title rivals in both championships at the halfway point of the season.
After 11 races, Leclerc is second, 38 points behind Max Verstappen, and Sainz Jr. is fourth and whopping 75 points of the leader, leaving Ferrari 56 points off Red Bull in the constructors’ table. Sainz Jr. for his part has had terrible luck in 2022, failing to finish four races, with three of those retirements caused by mechanical-related issues.
Mattia Binotto: ‘Obviously, there [are] two championships, the Constructors’ and the Drivers’. By maximising the team points, I’m pretty sure we are as well maximising the drivers’ opportunity by taking points [from] the opponents.’ With two more races left before the summer break, namely France and Hungary, a lot could still change in the championship, but if Verstappen extends his lead, then surely Ferrari will reconsider their strategy.
‘Ferrari No Team Orders’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/19/f1-no-team-orders-with-ferrrari-pair-charles-leclerc-and-carlos-sainz-17031282/?ito=newsnow-feed
Mattia Binotto pinpoints key upgrade which gave Ferrari a major boost.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took his first win since round three of the year at the Austrian Grand Prix last time out.
19 July 2022
by James Clifford
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has described the pace difference between Red Bull and his team as “negligible” after upgrades to the rear wing for the Scuderia. After watching his drivers show such superiority over their rivals in race pace in Austria, Binotto sees no daylight between the cars.
“I think in terms of pure speed [the cars are] very similar and quali is proving it, I don’t think there is much difference between the two cars,” he said. “We started pushing, putting pressure on Max at the restart and forcing him to have more pace and more pace was more degrading the tyres.”
“So, I think what we saw in the sprint has been more obvious because we put more pressure on.” However, the Italian still reckons, as was the case at the beginning of the year, that Red Bull’s chassis coupled with exquisite Honda power is keeping Red Bull in front in a straight line.
‘Ferrari Major Boost’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/mattia-binotto-pinpoints-key-upgrade-which-gave-ferrari-a-major-boost/
How Ferrari has slashed Red Bull’s F1 top speed advantage
Ferrari might not have been adopting Red Bull’s policy of throwing update after update at its 2022 Formula 1 car, but it has still been making important progress.
Jul 19, 2022, 8:58 AM
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
In fact, a recent concerted effort to address and close down a clear deficit it had to its main championship rival has paid off dividends, and could be significant for the title battle. Since the start of the year, GPS data of the Red Bull RB18 and the Ferrari F1-75 showed they achieved their lap times in different ways.
The Ferrari was better in slow and medium corners, while the Red Bull stretched its legs on the straights with a significant top speed advantage. And, as team boss Mattia Binotto readily admitted, the extent of Ferrari’s deficit – especially when the DRS was open – was something that could not be ignored.
“We had a disadvantage compared to the Red Bull no doubt, in terms of straight-line speed especially in the DRS zone,” he said. “So in terms of the power of their DRS compared to ours, we worked a lot on it.” That work culminated in the arrival of a new rear wing at the Canadian Grand Prix, but the team would only have enough parts available on this occasion for one of its drivers.
‘GPS data analysis of the Red Bull RB18 and the Ferrari F1-75’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how-ferrari-slashed-red-bull-top-speed-advantage/10340065/
Ferrari’s lower-key upgrade approach is pegging Red Bull back
Jul 19 2022
By Rosario Giuliana
Ferrari heads into this weekend’s French Grand Prix buoyed by an Austria race that was the first in some time where it appeared to actually have a quicker Formula 1 car than Red Bull, with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz having significantly better race pace than Max Verstappen.
The development paths taken by Ferrari and Red Bull remain very different, in some ways even opposite. But Ferrari has largely stuck with its concept and has only brought in some small changes to reduce drag with updates.
In addition to the rear wing introduced in Canada and later used in both Silverstone and Austria, Ferrari has tried to reduce drag by slightly increasing the undercut in the underside of the sidepods in a package introduced at Silverstone.
‘Ferrari’s lower-key upgrade approach”;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferraris-lower-key-upgrade-approach-is-pegging-red-bull-back/
Ferrari tipped to beat Red Bull in Hungary because of this key advantage
Red Bull and Ferrari have won all of the opening 11 rounds of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
19 July 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Red Bull’s engine consultant, Masashi Yamamoto, believes that Ferrari will have the upper hand in Hungary just before the summer break, but anticipates a strong performance from Red Bull in France this weekend.
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have, between them, won seven races this season, and six of those were consecutive after the Scuderia had no answer to the upgrade introduced at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
However, Carlos Sainz won the British Grand Prix after a horrible day for the Austrian side, and indeed his team-mate Charles Leclerc due to a strategic error, before the Monegasque sealed the win at Red Bull’s home race in Austria last time out.
‘Key Advantage Ferrari’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-tipped-to-beat-red-bull-in-hungary-because-of-key-advantage/
Red Bull: Ferrari 'absolutely' in F1 title fight despite engine issues
19 July 2022
Ben Issatt
Red Bull insists Ferrari "absolutely" remain in this year's Formula 1 title battle despite recent engine problems. The Scuderia has had three retirements due to power unit failures already in 2022, costing Charles Leclerc very likely wins in Spain and Baku and also costing Carlos Sainz second place in Austria. But asked if Red Bull took any comfort in Ferrari's unreliability, team boss Christian Horner was clear. “Not really. We are not too focused on them,” he said via Motorsport.com.
Ferrari's problems have allowed Red Bull and Max Verstappen to open up 56 and 38-point leads in the Constructors' and Drivers' Championship respectively. But Horner maintained Ferrari is still a genuine threat on the road to Abu Dhabi. “Absolutely,” he said. “We are just at the halfway point of the championship and things swing around quite a lot.
“There is still an awfully long way to go. I would say Austria was sort of damage limitation as we managed to get pole, the sprint victory and then second place [in the race]. I think Max only lost five points to Charles in the Drivers’ Championship and obviously damage was relatively contained in the Constructors’.”
‘Ferrari still in Title Fight’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.php/formula-1/16032-red-bull-ferrari-absolutely-in-f1-title-fight-despite-engine-issues
Fortitude
20th July 2022, 22:27
Max Verstappen reveals why he has a better relationship with Sergio Perez than Daniel Ricciardo.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen believes his relationship with Sergio Perez is the best he has had with a team-mate since his arrival into Formula 1.
19 July 2022
by James Clifford
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen believes his relationship with Sergio Perez is the best he has had with a team-mate since his arrival into Formula 1. Verstappen arrived at Red Bull in 2016 to partner Daniel Ricciardo having spent the 2015 season and the opening four rounds of 2016 at Toro Rosso alongside Carlos Sainz.
The Dutchman struck up a fantastic relationship with Ricciardo, and the pair gave fans some of the funniest and most entertaining off-track moments in recent memory. Since then, the reigning champion has partnered Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon – both of whom had short stints at the team – before Perez arrived ahead of the 2021 season.
It might be a bold claim to say that his friendship with the 32-year-old is better than what he had with Ricciardo, but Verstappen explained that the fact that he is older and more mature makes it easier for him to hold and enjoy a good relationship with other drivers. “I started of course very young in Formula 1 and I had, I think, also a very good relationship with Daniel,” he said.
‘Max friendship’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verstappen-reveals-why-he-has-a-better-relationship-with-sergio-perez-than-daniel-ricciardo/
Ferrari warned Red Bull have ‘unbeatable package’ as Charles Leclerc criticised for mistakes
2022 has been Ferrari's most successful season since 2018.
20 July 2022
by James Clifford
The combination of Verstappen and the Austrian side, who have won 19 of the last 34 races, is proving an almost unassailable benchmark at the moment. “Combined with the strategy of Red Bull, who are extremely good, the good pitstops, I think it’s nearly an unbeatable package,” stated Berger.
“In saying this, maybe the Ferrari has, in certain circumstances, a little bit of advantage and Leclerc is using it very well. He’s a super quick driver, super good.”
“[Anything] can happen and maybe the car is so good, they could win the championship already this year but, if they really have to fight, Red Bull has an advantage from last year’s fighting for the championship.”
‘Unbeatable Red Bull Package’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-warned-red-bull-have-unbeatable-package-as-charles-leclerc-criticised-for-mistakes/
Horner downplays potential Red Bull Honda headache
Wednesday 20 July 2022 08:15
Ewan Gale
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has insisted there have been no discussions with Honda over a potential return to F1 for the Japanese manufacturer.
"We opened the Red Bull Powertrain building so the staff moved into the building, which is a facility that should hopefully enable us to produce really competitive engines starting from 2026.
"We have an engineering partnership with agreement with Honda for the supply of the current engines under the current agreement to the end of the 2025 set of regulations and of course, there's discussions of Porsche and Audi looking at entering the sport, which I think again is really exciting for Formula 1 to have brands like that wanting to come in.”
‘No Headache’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87543/christian-horner-downplays-red-bull-honda-headache/
Red Bull won’t focus on ‘false game’ of qualifying pace
Date published: July 20 2022 - Michelle Foster
Despite losing the qualifying battle against Ferrari, Red Bull will not focus future updates on one-lap pace as it could lead to a “bit of a false game”, says Paul Monaghan. Ferrari have had the better pace during this season’s qualifying sessions, the Scuderia seven-four up on Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc is leading the way with six pole positions, Max Verstappen has three and their team-mates each have one.
But while that stat is not in Red Bull’s favour, and also means there is more to be done in the grands prix, the Milton Keynes squad have no intention of deliberately trying to create a faster car over one lap. Instead, their goal is to make the RB18 an overall faster car.
‘Red Bull Goal, Faster Car’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-false-game-qualifying-pace/
How much is Red Bull’s F1 weight disadvantage costing it?
Jul 19 2022
By Edd Straw
Red Bull has had a strong 2022 Formula 1 season, but it hasn’t been perfect – with Max Verstappen admitting the team has been “not amazing in qualifying”. Ferrari has been the better performer in qualifying sessions, taking seven pole positions out of 11, with Red Bull having the rest. Verstappen has taken three of these, Sergio Perez the other.
But Red Bull has the better record on race days, winning seven times (and taking both sprints), meaning Verstappen leads the drivers’ championship by 38 points over Charles Leclerc. “We are still a little bit, I would say, not amazing in qualifying,” said Verstappen.
“But that hasn’t only to do with just the car, we are still a bit heavy. When all the fuel comes out, that is just a limitation we have. So we need to lose weight with the car, which we’re working on.”
‘Working on Red Bull Weight Solution’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-much-is-red-bulls-f1-weight-disadvantage-costing-it/
Verstappen highlights the key to success at the French GP
Today, 15:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Max Verstappen will be hoping to make it back-to-back French Grand Prix wins during this weekend's event at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Max Verstappen reckons tyre degradation and the anticipated hot temperatures will be decisive factors at the upcoming French Grand Prix.
Amid a European heatwave, air temperatures are expected to reach 34 degrees Celcius on all three days of track action at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Pirelli also marked 'tyre stress' as four out of five in their race preview, with the Hard C2, Medium C3 and Soft C4 compounds being selected.
With these considerations in mind, Verstappen will be looking to claim back-to-back wins in France and extend his 38-point lead over Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. He won last season's event after adopting an aggressive two-stop strategy to overhaul Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton with two laps remaining.
‘Key to French Grand Prix Success’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-highlights-the-key-to-success-at-the-french-gp
Perez looking to bounce back in France, as he insists he is 'still in contention' for the championship
20 July 2022
Formula 1.
Despite his 57-point deficit to championship leader and team mate Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez is still gunning for overall glory in 2022. But, the Mexican driver admits he and his team can ill-afford any more DNFs, as he looks to hit back in France.
Perez had at one stage been 15 points behind Verstappen, after winning the Monaco Grand Prix. But since then he has suffered from two retirements in four races – including a DNF last time out in Austria. Looking ahead to the French GP, Perez said he's searching for a redeeming result.
"After a tough weekend in Austria, it’s great to be back racing and have a chance to put things right," said Perez. “We have had two DNFs in the past three races and we can’t afford that in the championships so I’m aiming to change that this weekend in France. I’m still in contention for the drivers’ championship, so personally it is also important not to lose any more points.”
‘Sergio Perez Bounce Back Plan in France’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-looking-to-bounce-back-in-france-as-he-insists-he-is-still-in.5mniGJggPJzehRt7IOYhyJ.html
Fortitude
21st July 2022, 08:19
Mercedes’ Toto Wolff: Aim for France “to make further inroads on the gap to the front” and strive for podium.
Looking back at the season as a whole, Wolff pointed out the considerable improvement in results between the beginning of the season and recent Grands Prix.
July 20, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Ahead of the French Grand Prix, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Principal Toto Wolff said that the last few races have been evidence of the “mammoth effort of the team” to put them back into consistent podium contention.
“Third and fourth in Austria was a satisfying result for the whole team, particularly given the position we were in on Friday evening. The team worked miracles to have two complete race cars ready for the Sprint and Grand Prix. 27 points on Sunday were a good reward for that effort.”
“We scored three podiums in the first seven races, and we have now achieved four in the last four. I’m pleased with the momentum we are building, and it reflects the mammoth effort of the team. Our understanding of the W13 is growing with every lap and it’s encouraging to see that reflected in our development and results.” Wolff said that development will continue as the team vies for a return to the top step, with more changes coming in France as they work toward closing the gap at Circuit Paul Ricard.
‘Mercedes Mammoth Effort’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/mercedes-toto-wolff-aim-for-france-to-make-further-inroads-on-the-gap-to-the-front-and-strive-for-podium/
Lewis Hamilton to be replaced by Nyck de Vries for FP1 as 'insurance' plan takes shape
NYCK DE VRIES has been tipped as Toto Wolff's 'insurance policy' should Lewis Hamilton walk away from F1.
06:16, Thu, Jul 21, 2022
By Stuart Ballard
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed that Nyck de Vries will be given his chance to impress this weekend at the French Grand Prix by replacing Lewis Hamilton in the first practice session. De Vries was initially signed to McLaren's young driver programme back in 2010 before joining Mercedes as a reserve driver last year.
The 2019 F2 champion was tipped for a seat in F1 the following year, but ended up joining the Formula E Championship for Mercedes. He went on to win the Formula E Championship in just his second year and is now looking to make a name for himself in F1.
The 27-year-old made his F1 practice debut earlier this year when he replaced Alex Albon for FP1 at the Spanish Grand Prix. After De Vries' outing in Barcelona, the Dutchman was described as Wolff's "insurance policy" should Hamilton quit F1.
‘Toto Wolff's 'insurance policy'!’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1643203/Lewis-Hamilton-Nyck-de-Vries-Mercedes-French-Grand-Prix-FP1-Toto-Wolff-F1-news
Wolff promises no let up in development as Mercedes' charge continues
20/07/2022, 12:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Toto Wolff has made clear that Mercedes will "keep chasing those final few tenths" by bringing more updates to their 2022 car as the season develops.
"The team worked miracles to have two complete race cars ready for the Sprint and Grand Prix. 27 points on Sunday were a good reward for that effort. "We scored three podiums in the first seven races, and we have now achieved four in the last four.
"I'm pleased with the momentum we are building, and it reflects the mammoth effort of the team. Our understanding of the W13 is growing with every lap and it's encouraging to see that reflected in our development and results."
‘Toto Wolff: No Let Up Promise’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-promises-no-let-up-in-mercedes-development-as-charge-continues
Mercedes confirm French GP upgrades
Wednesday 20 July 2022 16:03
Ewan Gale
Toto Wolff has confirmed Mercedes will add more developments to the W13 at the French Grand Prix. There is no let up in Mercedes' quest to get back to winning ways, with further improvements to be made for the race at Paul Ricard this weekend.
Team principal Wolff explained: "While we were quicker in Austria, we still weren't quick enough to challenge at the front. "We need to keep chasing those final few tenths and bringing new developments to the cars, including this weekend in France."
"Paul Ricard is a very different track and challenge," added Wolff. "It has smooth tarmac and a wide range of corner types, along with long straights. The aim will be to make further inroads on the gap to the front and hopefully be back on the podium."
‘More W13 Developments’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87587/mercedes-confirm-french-grand-prix-upgrades/
"I want to say we did it the right way." Inside the mind of Toto Wolff
He’s one of Formula 1's great thinkers, a hugely successful entrepreneur, and a charismatic leader, but who is Toto Wolff? The team principal of Mercedes-AMG Petronas sits down with Ben Winstanley to share his journey
Published: Wednesday 20th July 2022
by Ben Winstanley
Sometimes I feel like a football coach: there's a point where there's nothing more you can do and you have to leave it to the players on the pitch to get the job done
"I think that my 20-year background in finance has helped me to not only develop myself but also shape the team into the commercial operation that it is today. But I'm still learning. I'm 49 plus one, and I wonder where that trajectory takes me in the future."
It's a humbling and somewhat fearsome thought to consider the Wolff who's steered Mercedes to such heights may have room for growth, but it's indicative of a team that is not prepared to rest on their laurels – far from the perceived complacency some of Mercedes' detractors like to direct towards their rival.
‘I want to say we did it the right way’;
https://squaremile.com/sport/formula-1/toto-wolff-mercedes-team-principal/
Toto Wolff unbothered by Mattia Binotto’s concern about FIA hiring ex-Mercedes advisor
Mohammed ben Sulayem has been forced to weather a few storms since his tenure as FIA president began in December.
by James Clifford
20 July 202220 July 2022
Shaila-Ann Rao, former special adviser to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, raised eyebrows when she was signed by the FIA as secretary general, leading to questions as to whether she could perform her tasks impartially. Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto conceded that he was ‘concerned’ by that development following the departure of Peter Bayer.
As for Rao, Wolff feels that she will do a splendid job in her new role. “I think my opinion about Shaila-Ann in terms of integrity and transparency, she is a lawyer, this is what she stands for and I think it is important.”
“We have had too many controversies in the past where things were not out in the open that should have been and she is a guarantee for that,” he added.
‘Toto Wolff unbothered by Mattia Binotto’s concern’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-unbothered-by-mattia-binottos-concern-about-fia-hiring-ex-mercedes-advisor/
Toto Wolff finally speaks out on Mattia Binotto issue with FIA hiring ex-Mercedes advisor
TOTO WOLFF has spoken out on Mattia Binotto's concerns around F1 with the FIA's appointment of an ex-Mercedes advisor.
18:12, Wed, Jul 20, 2022
By Liam Llewellyn
Toto Wolff remained unmoved by Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto’s concerns about the FIA hiring a former Mercedes advisor. Shaila-Ann Rao, who once worked with the Austrian, has now been recruited by the FIA as their secretary general and many within the F1 world have questioned her ability to perform tasks fairly and impartially given her history with the Silver Arrows.
The Mercedes team principal is unphased by the mixed reaction to her appointment and believes his former employee will do a stellar job in her new role. “I think the FIA is getting there and we must not also forget that Mohammed needs to put his team in place and find his grip,” said Wolff.
“I think my opinion about Shaila-Ann in terms of integrity and transparency, she is a lawyer, this is what she stands for and I think it is important.We have had too many controversies in the past where things were not out in the open that should have been and she is a guarantee for that,” he added.
‘Toto Wolff remained unmoved by Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto’s concerns’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1643473/Toto-Wolff-speaks-out-Mattia-Binotto-issue-FIA-hiring-ex-Mercedes-advisor-f1-news
Fortitude
21st July 2022, 16:15
Alonso confident for French GP: I'm physically driving better than ever!
Alpine have also managed to draw even with McLaren as they battle for fourth in the Constructors' standings, and Alonso is looking forward to one of the team's home races at the upcoming French Grand Prix.
21/07/2022, 14:30
Author Anna Francis
With the Circuit Paul Ricard returning to the Formula 1 calendar in 2018 – Alonso's final season before he took a two-year hiatus from the sport – the two-time World Champion admits that he does not have that much experience of the track.
In the races that he has competed in there, Alonso has noticed that perfecting the car's set-up is particularly important. "It's a fun track and whilst I've raced at various French race circuits, I’ve only competed here twice before in Formula 1," he explained.
"It's a challenging circuit to get the car set-up right, with quite a few high-speed sections followed by various low- and medium-speed corners. We seemed quite competitive at various circuits this year, so hopefully we can keep this up at Paul Ricard."
‘EL PLAN: Fun Track Set-Up Importance’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-confident-for-french-gp-im-physically-driving-better-than-ever
Hamilton: Alonso my toughest F1 opponent on ‘pure pace’
16:13 Thu, 21 Jul 2022
by Fergal Walsh
Lewis Hamilton says the most resilient opponent that he has faced during his career on “pure pace” is former McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso. This weekend, Hamilton will enter his 300th grand prix event, becoming just the sixth driver in F1 history to reach the milestone.
When asked in France who the toughest opponent he faced during his career was, he replied: “I think it’s difficult to say who has necessarily been my strongest competitor, because every time you’re with someone you’re in a different place of your life.
“I remember the task of being alongside Fernando when I was 22, you know, I was so young mentally and of course – OK in terms of skill – but it’s a lot of pressure to go up against a great like him. So I would say out of pure pace, I think I would say it’s Fernando, and ability. We had some good battles, I wish we could have more. Hopefully he will continue to race, and hopefully we will have more in the future.”
‘Fernando Hamilton: Alonso my toughest F1 opponent’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/21/hamilton-alonso-my-toughest-f1-opponent-on-pure-pace/
Alonso glad to have avoided Kimi/Schumacher-style comeback
Date published: July 21 2022
Henry Valantine
Fernando Alonso said he is pleased at how he has been able to keep his speed up after returning to Formula 1, after alluding to his opinion that fellow World Champions Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen were “not the same as before” they left the sport for the first time.
Alonso said in an interview with The Race: “I know the first row [of the grid] is not the end of the world and I have been in that position a few times already, but it meant a lot because when you decide to come back, you need to put away a few things in life – family, friends again – and have full dedication for the job you do, travelling, the physical aspect, the mental aspect, everything and the pressure that you feel in your shoulders.”
“Because you are Fernando Alonso, and everyone will look at you if you are doing well.
“And I know that there were a couple of examples in the past that people were coming back, Kimi or Michael, that they were maybe… we all had the feeling that they were not the same as before. And I didn’t want that in my comeback.”
‘EL PLAN: Avoid Kimi/Schumacher-Style Comeback!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-avoid-raikkonen-schumacher-comeback/
‘What’s he adding to Formula 1?’ – Fernando Alonso interview
21/07/2022, 10:44
By Scott Mitchell
Fernando Alonso has started from the front row in Formula 1 38 times. The most recent occasion was a greater achievement than most and contrary to how he played it down at the time, it meant a lot to the two-time world champion.
Qualifying second in Canada was Alonso’s best grid position of his F1 comeback. It was also his first front row start in 10 years. The mostly wasted second half of Alonso’s F1 career is well-documented but even in that context, a decade’s wait just to start on the front row again seems like an age.
Alonso’s break from F1 in 2019 and 2020 had mixed results. He became a two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner and a World Endurance champion, failed to qualify for the 2019 Indianapolis 500 then finished a muted 21st a year later, and expanded his racing remit so widely he even made his Dakar Rally debut. But as he’s hinted at, Alonso’s results in the first year back in F1 should have already gone a long way to convincing doubters about the level he’d perform at.
‘EL PLAN: Front Row’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/whats-he-adding-to-formula-1-fernando-alonso-interview/
Fernando Alonso: P4 in constructors' championship 'a nice target' for Alpine
21 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Fernando Alonso thinks that Alpine are "quite fast" heading into the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard, with the Spaniard hoping the French team can impress at their home race as they target P4 in the constructors' championship.
‘EL PLAN: P4’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.fernando-alonso-p4-in-constructors-championship-a-nice-target-for-alpine.1738976559174179227.html
Fernando Alonso Wants Alpine to Hurry up and Focus All Resources on Next Year’s Car
21 Jul 2022, 09:07 UTC
by Sergiu Tudose
Alpine F1 Team is looking quite good at the moment. Some would argue they are the fourth-fastest team on the grid and time will tell whether McLaren will be able to do anything about that. However, Fernando Alonso believes his team’s long-term ambitions should outweigh this year’s results.
According to the Spaniard, it would be a mistake for Alpine to throw too much money at the current A522 race car, reports Motorsport, and used Mercedes as an example of what can happen when it comes to development.
“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy for us,” he said. “They [Mercedes] have a huge organization and we knew that they will come back sooner or later. For us, it’s more a medium/long-term program when we try to improve as much as they did. So, I think, for us, it’s a matter of starting next year’s car soon enough that we don’t compromise the next project.”
‘EL PLAN: Hurry up and Focus All Resources on Next Year’s Alpine Car’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/fernando-alonso-wants-alpine-to-hurry-up-and-focus-all-resources-on-next-years-car-194088.html
Fernando Alonso aiming for championship run in 2023, admits his future at Alpine is uncertain
Fernando Alonso is currently without a contract for 2023, and the Spaniard is expected to make a decision after the summer.
21 July 2022
by Nick Golding
With the A522 getting faster at each round, Alonso is keen for the team to continue developing the 2022 car ahead of the team’s home race. Alpine have previously explained that they are aiming to upgrade this year’s car until the season’s budget is completely spent, with the French-outfit wanting to secure fourth in the Constructors’.
However, Alonso thinks the time is right to start preparing next season’s car, whilst also continuing to upgrade the current model. With Alonso not believing a victory is possible this season, he wants the team to start working on 2023 now.
“Maybe it can be if other drivers are unlucky, but on our own? Difficult,” Alonso told NOS when asked if a podium finish is possible this season. “We are not fighting for wins and I don’t think it will get better any time soon. Fifth-placed finishes, like at Silverstone, that feels like winning to us. We are aiming for 2023. Then we need to have a better car.
‘EL PLAN: 2023 Contract’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-alonso-aiming-for-championship-run-in-2023-admits-his-future-at-alpine-is-uncertain/
Fortitude
21st July 2022, 19:43
F1 title momentum turns again; can McLaren hold on? Burning Questions.
Trends are also what McLaren is fighting at rival Alpine’s home track. The French team has been chipping away confidently at Woking’s place on the title table, and it now has the chance to take fourth outright in front of its home crowd in what would be a real blow to the British team in a difficult season.
July 21st, 2022 11:01 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
McLaren has been losing points to Alpine in the battle for fourth in the constructors standings since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when Fernando Alonso stubbornly held up both drivers in a typical elbow-defence to take the flag first among them. The gap had been 19 points before that. Ahead of the French Grand Prix the two teams are level, and Alpine is the squad on the move.
But being in the mix is McLaren’s problem. While Lando Norris is consistently getting the most out of the car, often that’s only enough to scrape into the points. Ricciardo’s low races have cost the team, but the car’s inconsistency has been what’s really hampered the points tally.
Ocon leads Alonso by 23 points in the standings, and though the Spaniard somewhat laughably suggested after Austria that he’d lost as many as 70 points through misfortune this season, the real number is probably in the still significant 40-point ballpark, accounting even for the points that Daniel Ricciardo should’ve scored at the races his McLaren was in the mix.
‘McLaren Losing Points and Momentum’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/mercedes-in-the-hunt-mclarens-slackening-grip-on-the-midfield-french-gp-burning-questions/news-story/ff8455cdc586c07b7870f6183681abb2
McLaren’s two key weaknesses and the challenge of fixing them
Jul 20 2022
By Scott Mitchell
Two key weaknesses with McLaren’s 2022 Formula 1 car are contributing to its fluctuating form this season and the team needs time to bring the improvements technical director James Key says are “abundantly clear”.
McLaren F1 technical director Key told The Race that rather than struggling to put the car in a good performance window, there have been specific situations where two weaknesses are being exposed. “When we’ve shown strong performance, it’s been real,” Key said. “It hasn’t been a freak event. But equally we have weak performances as well.”
“It’s more a case of having circuits which play to our strengths, but it’s not always anticipated. Monaco was far stronger than we thought. And I thought Barcelona would be quicker than Monaco was. I expected to be a lot better in Canada than we were. It’s definitely a bit of a rollercoaster but the good things, the high points scoring we’ve had in Australia and Imola and Monaco and so on, it’s not a fluke, it’s the performance of the car shining through on those tracks.”
‘McLaren’s Challenge Fixing Weaknesses’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/mclarens-two-key-weaknesses-and-the-challenge-of-fixing-them/
Who Ricciardo was targeting with statement on his F1 future.
Daniel Ricciardo says the statement he released last week stressing he is “committed to McLaren until the end of next year and not walking away from” Formula 1 was partly motivated by wanting to reassure staff at the factory that he will still be there in 2023.
21/07/2022, 19:33
By Edd Straw
The Race
Team boss Zak Brown said in May that “mechanisms” existed in the contract that could allow it to end early, but The Race understands that Ricciardo is in control of these. Therefore, if McLaren were to replace Ricciardo it would need to be by agreement and, presumably, a significant pay-off.
Ricciardo said he issued the statement on social media last week so that people could hear “from the horse’s mouth” that he has no intention of walking away. As well as the wider world, he said this was aimed at McLaren colleagues based at the factory who he doesn’t see on a regular basis.
“There was a lot of noise, the rumours, people questioning and coming up with their own answers, and it was just kind of building,” said Ricciardo when asked why he released the statement.
‘Daniel Ricciardo: Motivated by wanting to reassure staff’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/who-ricciardo-was-targeting-with-statement-on-his-f1-future/
Lando Norris hoping that small McLaren upgrade 'can work well'
21 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Lando Norris is hoping that a small McLaren upgrade for this weekend's 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard "can work well."
‘Small McLaren Upgrade’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.lando-norris-hoping-that-small-mclaren-upgrade-can-work-well.1738981205320092552.html
‘Research and bravery’ as McLaren contemplate changes for 2023
Date published: July 21 2022
Michelle Foster
McLaren technical director James Key has spoken of research and the bravery to follow through when it comes to improving their F1 car ahead of next year’s championship.
2022 has been a mixed season for McLaren with the car carrying notable weaknesses such as a sensitivity to track temperature and drag levels.
But as Key put it to The Race: “When we’ve shown strong performance, it’s been real. It hasn’t been a freak event. But equally we have weak performances as well.” The team intends on addressing those weaknesses with next year’s MCL37.
‘MCL37 Next Year For Improvement’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-contemplate-2023-changes/
McLaren boss Zak Brown discusses replacing Daniel Ricciardo with IndyCar ace Colton Herta.
13:48, 21 Jul 2022
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Australian's future with McLaren is in doubt amid his struggle to find consistent form, with IndyCar driver Herta considered a potential replacement after a successful test. McLaren chief Zak Brown has discussed the prospect of signing IndyCar star Colton Herta amid speculation over the future of Daniel Ricciardo.
The American was given the chance to drive the team's 2021 Formula 1 car in a test at Portimao last week. Herta said afterwards that it was "a lot of fun" and "really special", before adding that he felt he was fast enough to achieve his F1 dream.
And reports suggested that McLaren were also pleased with what they saw. As a result, speculation suggests Herta will be near the front of the queue if the team decides to replace Ricciardo.
‘Zak Brown discusses Colton Herta at McLaren’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ricciardo-herta-mclaren-replaced-brown-27541392
‘There’s unfinished business’ – Why Daniel Ricciardo looks like a man on a mission ahead of the French Grand Prix
21 July 2022
Senior Editor Greg Stuart
Daniel Ricciardo loves his mixed martial arts. And walking into the paddock at the Circuit Paul Ricard on Thursday, the Australian had the look of a man stepping into the Octagon – a steely resolve behind that ever-present smile.
Every Formula 1 driver creates a certain amount of noise in both the media and the darker recesses of the internet. But the noise surrounding Ricciardo – and his future at McLaren – has been building up to a cacophony of ‘UFC walkout song’ proportions in recent weeks.
“I’m basically not backing down from any challenges,” he concludes. “Obviously we’ve faced a few over the 18 months and all of that sort of stuff. But simply this” – and here you can detect a shimmer of emotion ripple through Ricciardo – “I would love to swear if I could – but this stuff means a lot to me.”
‘Daniel Ricciardo Not Backing Down’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.theres-unfinished-business-why-daniel-ricciardo-looks-like-a-man-on-a.6l7a2iUvd8AYqlS6l1kmfv.html
Fortitude
22nd July 2022, 04:55
Aston Martin boss comments on Sebastian Vettel’s activism, insists they don’t have a ‘Plan B’.
It’s rumoured that the German driver will make his decision on whether to retire or not during the summer break, which takes place after next weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
21 July 2022
by Nick Golding
Sebastian Vettel is without a contract at Aston Martin beyond the end of 2022. Krack is insistent, though, that they aren’t “talking” about potential replacements for Vettel, with the team wanting the German to stay in 2023.
“We’re not talking about potential successors,” he insisted. “Neither with him nor with others. “We want Sebastian to stay with us.”
The Aston Martin boss has explained that the team have a “very good relationship” with the 53-time race winner, and that the German knows how much the team wants him to stay next season.
‘No Plan B’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/aston-martin-boss-comments-on-sebastian-vettels-activism-insists-they-dont-have-a-plan-b/
Sebastian Vettel hopes Aston Martin upgrades 'will help us solve the puzzle'
21 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Sebastian Vettel hopes that Aston Martin's upgrades for the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix will help the team "solve the puzzle" as they try to improve their car's performance.
‘Solving the Puzzle’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.sebastian-vettel-hopes-aston-martin-upgrades-will-help-us-solve-the-puzzle.1738976161399999431.html
VETTEL CONFIDENT IN ASTON MARTIN COMEBACK WITH INCOMING UPGRADES
Aston Martin have endured a tough 2022 campaign.
19:39 Thu, 21 Jul 2022.
Jay Winter
Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel believes his team will bounce back from their poor start to the 2022 season in the following races after revealing that “another set of parts” will upgrade the AMR22.
Der Plan: Vettel opened up on the tough start to the year and how it didn’t go as planned. “Well, [there are] new regulations this year in 2022 and for everybody, it was an opportunity to sort of get to the front,” he said.
“I think we’ve worked really hard. As it turned out, we were not quite where we wanted to be to start with. But I think so far the team has done incredibly well to try and turn things around as much as possible. We’ll have another set of parts coming in the next races and I think we are headed in the right direction.”
‘DER PLAN: BOUNCE BACK BELIEF’;
https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Drivers/Sebastian+Vettel
Vettel has 'clear intention to keep going', shuts down rumors
21/07/2022 at 19:03
Phillip van Osten
Sebastian Vettel confirmed ahead of this weekend's French Grand Prix his "clear intention" of remaining in F1 next season with Aston Martin. There's recently been speculation around Vettel's F1 future, with the gossip pointing to an exit from the sport at the end of the year on the back of a disappointing season.
But Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack said in Austria that team and driver were holding positive talks that he hoped would come to fruition after F1's summer break. Vettel echoed Krack's comments.
"I'm racing this weekend, and the next one," he told the media in France on Thursday. "Obviously I've said that at some point, we will start to talk. I'm talking to the team. I think there's a clear intention to keep going, and we'll see soon where we stand."
‘Der Plan: Keep Going’;
https://f1i.com/news/448653-vettel-has-clear-intention-to-keep-going-shuts-down-rumors.html
Vettel shrugs off retirement talk at French Grand Prix
Issued on: 21/07/2022 - 18:52Modified: 21/07/2022 - 18:50
France 24.
Le Castellet (France) (AFP) – Sebastian Vettel on Thursday dismissed speculation about his future and declared he hopes to continue racing in Formula One and is talking to Aston Martin about staying.
He said the flat and relatively featureless Le Castellet circuit, built on a hot dry plateau of brushland 20 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean east of Marseille, was "what it is… not the most exciting track in the world. "But it is still quite challenging and technically demanding."
"I am racing this weekend and the next one," he responded, when questioned about his plans. "Obviously, I've said that at some point, we will start to talk. I'm talking to the team. I think there's a clear intention to keep going and we'll see soon where we stand."
‘Der Plan: Shrug off retirement talk’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220721-vettel-shrugs-off-retirement-talk-at-french-grand-prix
Sebastian Vettel: the F1 'hypocrite' who won't be silenced
Date 20.07.2022
Author Thomas Klein
'Save the bees' That Formula 1 isn't the most environmentally friendly of sports comes as no surprise. But perhaps the fact that one of its most prominent drivers has become an environmental activist is.
At the last race, the Austrian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel sported a helmet with a special yellow, orange and black design and the slogan: "Save the bees." The 35-year-old is involved in a project that works to protect the species. A few weeks earlier, he drew attention to the way oil is extracted from the Athabasca tar sands in western Canada.
'Then I'm just a hypocrite': However, despite his high-minded words of protest, Vettel remains part of a racing series that has stated its intention to become climate neutral by 2030, but still generates thousands of tons of carbon dioxide. This point wasn't lost on Alberta's environment minister, Sonya Savage. "I have seen a lot of hypocrisy over the years, but this one takes the cake," Savage tweeted in response to Vettel's criticism. "A race car driver sponsored by Aston Martin, with financing from Saudi Aramco, complaining about the oil sands."
‘Save the Bees’;
https://www.dw.com/en/sebastian-vettel-hypocrite-who-wont-be-silenced/a-62527694
Fortitude
22nd July 2022, 06:06
Steiner sets ambitious target for Haas after recent points finishes.
Haas head to the Circuit Paul Ricard off the back of consecutive double-points finishes, including a season-best haul of 14 points at the Austrian Grand Prix.
21/07/2022, 09:30
Author Luke Murphy
Guenther Steiner is hopeful that Haas' recent points-scoring streak will help propel them towards better results in the second half of the season. However, looking ahead to the French GP, Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner warned the outfit against assuming points will be easier to come by.
"I'm very happy about it [the previous results] but I'm very happy about it for the team because I've told them that they need to believe in themselves because we've done it before and we will do it again, and we have, so it's a very good result," said Steiner.
"I think we have to be careful about getting too overenthusiastic for the next races, so we're not thinking that this will keep continuing easily – this is very hard work from a lot of people. We will do the best we can and hopefully we can get some more points and have quite a relaxed summer break."
‘Guenther Steiner: Better Results Hopeful’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-sets-ambitious-target-for-haas-after-recent-points-finishes
Haas updates will be for lap time, not ‘publicity’
Date published: July 20 2022
Michelle Foster
Reiterating that Haas will be “careful” updating their VF-22, Guenther Steiner sees no reason to throw bits on the car for “publicity”. Haas are the only team yet to upgrade their 2022 challenger, the team racing the same car that was on track for the final day of pre-season testing in March. But you would not have thought so given their recent results.
Back-to-back double points hauls at the Austrian and British Grands Prix have seen the team climb to seventh in the Constructors’ Championship with 34 points, seven ahead of AlphaTauri. Haas, though, will not be holding off on the updates for much longer.
The first batch – which some reports claim will also be the only round of updates – will be introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix. “That’s the aim,” Steiner told GPFans. “Hopefully we will get what we expect from them. I’m always careful with upgrades whatever we do, so I won’t say how much we will go faster. But if we go faster that will help, and hopefully we can fight even harder.”
‘VF-22: Careful Updating’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-updates-targeting-lap-time/
2022 rules mean upgrades no longer so powerful
07:21 Thu, 21 Jul
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news
Formula 1’s new regulations are succeeding in helping the smaller teams to fight their most powerful rivals. That is the view of Gunther Steiner, boss of the small American outfit Haas.
Team driver Kevin Magnussen agrees: “For a while, that gave us more progress than any new part. But now the land gains are getting smaller. That’s why an update is now coming at Haas, and Steiner thinks it will be worth “more than two tenths. We wouldn’t have put in the effort for less than that,” he said.
Therefore, while championing the budget cap, Steiner also praises the new ground-effect technical regulations that came into force this season. “I think it is a bit harder than it was in the old days, because the upgrades people brought have not been as big as they were years ago,” he said. “It’s much more difficult to find performance with these technical regulations than it was before. So we have also to say these technical regulations are pretty good.”
‘Gunther Steiner: Regulations Helping Smaller Teams’;
https://grandpx.news/2022-rules-mean-upgrades-no-longer-so-powerful/
Haas: Schumacher gains came amid 'unrest from outsiders'
21/07/2022 at 08:32
Michael Delaney
Haas team boss Guenther Steiner says Mick Schumacher's timely upswing in form came at a time when "unrest" incited by outsiders threatened the young German. Schumacher's early season track record, marked by mistakes and two big crashes, put a black cloud over the 23-year-old's F1 prospects.
It was a timely turnaround for the Ferrari protégé, and one that was executed as team and driver remained calm in the face of Schumacher's difficulties. But also against a backdrop of "unrest" stirred by outsiders according to Steiner.
"That was the aim, to bring that calm in," Steiner told Motorsport.com. "The nice thing is that the calm has come exactly where outsiders have tried to bring in unrest. I wouldn't say that's a satisfaction, but we worked towards the goal of Mick being successful and going fast. We have achieved that. I'm pleased about that."
‘Haas Calm Successful’;
https://f1i.com/news/448540-haas-schumacher-gains-came-amid-unrest-from-outsiders.html
Magnussen to keep Haas seat in 2023 – Steiner
JULY 20, 2022
ANDREW MAITLAND
There is better news for Magnussen, however, confirming: “Yes, Kevin has a multi-year contract. “We are making progress and have shown what we can do and logically we need the best possible drivers in our cars in order to finish in the points to get to the top,” Steiner added.
Formula 1 is in France this weekend, but insiders are not expecting Paul Ricard to be on next year’s calendar. “We would love to keep all the races,” Steiner told the German broadcaster ntv, “but that can’t happen.”
It is reported that FIA officials are in Kyalami this week to approve the former grand prix circuit for a new event in South Africa. “We have to make sure that things continue commercially and bring the sport to countries where it hasn’t been for a long time,” Steiner said.
‘Kevin has a multi-year contract’;
https://grandpx.news/magnussen-to-keep-haas-seat-in-2023-steiner/
Guenther Steiner provides update on Mick Schumacher’s future as contract decision is ‘imminent’
21 July 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Mick Schumacher is out of contract at Haas at the end of this season. Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has reassured that it will not be long before we learn about the future of Mick Schumacher.
“Mick is very lucky to have a teammate like Kevin, he’s in a much better spot than last year,” said Steiner in the Red Bulletin ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. Schumacher’s recent form has been tremendous, out-performing his team-mate in Silverstone and Spielberg and scoring points in the process, ending his barren spell of 31 race entries without a point.
“Let’s wait for the two weeks and then a decision will be made,” he added. Magnussen was signed onto a multi-year contract at Haas when he re-signed, and his five points finishes this season have fully justified his return. Steiner confirmed that the Roskilde-born driver will be sticking around.
‘Mick Schumacher’s contract decision ‘imminent’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/guenther-steiner-provides-update-on-mick-schumachers-future-as-contract-decision-is-imminent/
Fortitude
22nd July 2022, 13:38
Leclerc heads Verstappen in opening French GP session.
Leclerc set a time of 1:33.930s to finish 0.091s up on title rival Max Verstappen in hot and sunny conditions on Friday afternoon.
15th July 2022.
by Phillip Horton
Carlos Sainz was third for Ferrari, three-tenths down, as he prepares to take a grid drop for Sunday’s race. George Russell was fourth-fastest for Mercedes but faced a deficit of almost a second to pacesetter Leclerc.
Pierre Gasly was an encouraging fifth for AlphaTauri as the team’s heavily upgraded AT03 made its on-track debut.
Sergio Perez had a scruffy session, spinning through Turn 3, before having to pit after a visor tear-off lodged in the right-rear of the car. Perez recovered to wind up sixth overall, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in the updated MCL36, while Williams’ Alexander Albon was a surprising eighth.
‘Charles Leclerc Fastest’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/22/leclerc-heads-verstappen-in-opening-french-gp-session/
F1 2022 French Grand Prix - Free Practice Results (1)
22 Jul 2022
Connor McDonagh
2022 F1 French Grand Prix - FREE PRACTICE RESULTS (1)
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari 1m33.930s
2 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m34.021s
3 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari 1m34.268s
4 George Russell GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team 1m34.881s
5 Pierre Gasly FRA Scuderia AlphaTauri 1m34.979s
6 Sergio Perez MEX Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m35.174s
7 Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team 1m35.232s
8 Alexander Albon THA Williams Racing 1m35.414s
9 Nyck de Vries NED Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team 1m35.426s
10 Daniel Ricciardo AUS McLaren F1 Team 1m35.660s
Results from the first practice session at the F1 French Grand Prix, Round 12 of the 2022 Formula 1 world championship;
https://www.crash.net/f1/results/1008197/1/f1-2022-french-grand-prix-free-practice-results-1
Leclerc edges out Verstappen as French GP weekend begins
22 July 14:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Baking hot temperatures greeted the drivers for the opening 60-minute session at the Circuit Paul Ricard, with tyre degradation expected to play a crucial role throughout the weekend.
It was the Soft compound that Ferrari driver Leclerc used to post the benchmark FP1 time of 1:33.930, putting him 0.091s clear of Red Bull rival Verstappen.
However, reigning World Champion Verstappen seemingly lost a chunk of time during his best lap, having run wildly wide at Turn 11 after going purple through the first two sectors.
‘Leclerc edges out Verstappen’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-edges-out-verstappen-as-french-gp-weekend-begins
Sainz set to take 10-place grid penalty at French GP
15/07/2022, 14:11
TSN.ca Staff
Carlos Sainz will be facing a tough road victory at the French Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver is set to take a 10-place grid penalty on Sunday after he exceeded his allocation of control electronics, Formula One announced Friday.
BREAKING: Ferrari's Carlos Sainz is set to take a grid penalty
He'll currently take a 10-place grid drop after he exceeded his allocation of control electronics#FrenchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/aafjRgy04u
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 22, 2022
Sainz was third fastest in the opening practice ahead of the race on Friday, behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who led the session, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
‘10-place grid penalty’;
https://www.tsn.ca/carlos-sainz-ferrari-french-grand-prix-1.1828143
2022 French GP FP1: Pérez flat spots his tyres in big Turn 4 spin
22 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Sergio Pérez spins at Turn 4 of Circuit Paul Ricard during first practice at the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix, which flat spots the tyres on his Red Bull.
‘Sergio Pérez flat spots his tyres’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-french-gp-fp1-perez-flat-spots-his-tyres-in-big-turn-4-spin.1739057319144925358.html
What happened in first French Grand Prix F1 practice
15/07/2022, 14:22
By Josh Suttill
Charles Leclerc edged his Formula 1 title rival Max Verstappen by 0.091s to top the opening practice session at the French Grand Prix. Key moments
• Leclerc 0.091s faster than Verstappen
• Sainz third but has grid penalty
• Scrappy session leaves Perez sixth
• De Vries and Kubica have second FP1 outings of the year
As customary in 2022, the Ferraris and Red Bulls traded places at the top of the order with Austrian GP winner Leclerc going quickest with just under 15 minutes of the one hour session remaining.
‘As It Happened!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-happened-in-first-french-grand-prix-f1-practice/
Leclerc narrowly leads Verstappen as practice begins at Paul Ricard
2022 French Grand Prix first practice
Posted on 22nd July 2022, 14:23
Written by Will Wood
The skies over Le Castellet were as blue as the abrasive runoff strips on the perimeter of the Paul Ricard circuit as drivers headed out for the first time in the weekend. Air temperatures were only just under 30C, while the track was a toasty 56C.
Red Bull set the early pace in the session, with Verstappen’s 1’34.991 fastest of all, half a second quicker than team mate Sergio Perez. While looking to improve on his best personal time, Perez lost control of his car at the apex of turn three, looping his car around and over the blue run off strips outside of turn four. Fortunately for Perez, he managed to continue back into the pits.
Charles Leclerc set the early pace around a hot Paul Ricard circuit in the opening practice session for the French Grand Prix weekend. The Ferrari driver’s best time of a 1’33.930 was just under a tenth faster than championship leader Max Verstappen, with Carlos Sainz Jnr third fastest.
‘FP1: The track was a toasty 56C’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/22/leclerc-narrowly-leads-verstappen-as-practice-begins-at-paul-ricard/
Fortitude
22nd July 2022, 17:53
Penalised Sainz quickest in second French GP session.
Sainz, who faces a 10-place grid drop due to fresh engine components that could still rise, set a time of 1:32.527s to finish 0.101s ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc.
22/07/2022, 17:07
by Phillip Horton
Carlos Sainz led the way during second practice for Formula 1’s French Grand Prix as Ferrari finished comfortably clear at Circuit Paul Ricard. Both Ferrari drivers carried out two push runs on the Soft compound and found significant gains on that second effort in a session that was relatively free of incidents or action.
World Champion Max Verstappen was third-best, 0.550s down on Sainz, having complained of understeer on his Soft tyre run. Verstappen had been fastest following the runs on Medium tyres during the opening stages of the session, eclipsing Leclerc by just 0.010s.
Mercedes has indicated that Paul Ricard could suit its layout but the W13s were firmly third-best on Friday afternoon. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton claimed fourth and fifth respectively but the younger Briton was 0.764s behind Sainz, with the seven-time champion almost a second down.
‘Carlos Sainz FP2 P1’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/22/penalised-sainz-quickest-in-second-french-gp-session/
2022 French Grand Prix Free Practice 2 - Results
22/07/2022 at 17:06
Andrew Lewin
2022 French Grand Prix - Free Practice 2 results
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:32.527s 22
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:32.628s + 0.101s 22
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:33.077s + 0.550s 17
4 George Russell Mercedes 1:33.291s + 0.764s 20
5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:33.517s + 0.990s 23
6 Lando Norris McLaren 1:33.607s + 1.080s 21
7 Pierre Gasly AlphaTauri 1:33.906s + 1.379s 24
8 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:33.928s + 1.401s 24
9 Daniel Ricciardo McLaren 1:33.984s + 1.457s 23
10 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:34.060s + 1.533s 16
Full results from Free Practice 2 for the French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard, round 12 of the 2022 Formula 1 season;
https://f1i.com/news/448708-2022-french-grand-prix-free-practice-2-results.html
Carlos Sainz’s grid penalty gives Charles Leclerc a tougher task at French Grand Prix
i News22/07/2022, 18:26
By Michael Hincks
Another showdown between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen is in the offing at the French Grand Prix if Friday’s practice sessions are anything to go by. Ferrari face an uphill battle come the GP given Sainz will start Sunday’s race 11th at best as he serves a 10-place grid penalty for taking new engine parts.
That demotion opens the door for Red Bull at a time when Leclerc is looking to get his championship bid back on track. Unless Sainz can quickly weave his way back through the pack, Leclerc may be left fighting both Red Bulls on Sunday as he looks to close the 38-point championship lead Verstappen currently holds.
However, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton will also hope to be in the mix at a circuit that has served Mercedes well in recent years.
‘Charles Leclerc a tougher task’;
https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-one/how-to-watch-french-grand-prix-2022-uk-start-time-race-schedule-tv-channel-live-stream-1757728?ITO=newsnow
‘Everywhere’ deficit blunts Mercedes’ hopes of breakout French GP
Jul 22 2022, 18:36
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell admit the W13 was further off its main rivals than anticipated in French Grand Prix Friday practice, suggesting a hoped-for breakout weekend for the team at Paul Ricard may be out of reach.
The smooth and relatively high-speed layout of the Le Castellet-based venue is supposed to play to the strengths of the 2022 Mercedes, while high ambient temperatures should in theory aid in mitigating its weakness in tyre preparation.
But neither of those factors were particularly obvious on the timing screens on Friday, with Mercedes ending the day 0.764s off the pace in Russell’s hands and with Hamilton another two tenths down.
‘NO Breakout Weekend’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/everywhere-deficit-blunts-mercedes-hopes-of-breakout-french-gp/
Hamilton says Mercedes are “further back than we were in the last race”
2022 French Grand Prix
Posted on 22nd July 2022, 17:5122nd July 2022, 18:00
Written by Keith Collantine
“Today we’re in fourth and fifth so that’s kind of the region that we’ll be fighting for,” said Hamilton after today’s practice sessions. I don’t mean that we can’t be on the podium, I think we can still be up there. We’re just still not as quick as those front guys – we’re a little bit further back than we were in the last race.”
But Hamilton said the team “have a lot of work to do, a lot of ground to cover still” after being out-paced by Ferrari and Red Bull again on Friday. “The car’s not spectacular here, we don’t know why, but hopefully overnight we can make a bit of a step” he said. The team is lacking pace “everywhere” around the track, said Hamilton. “It’s just every corner. I’m going to have to dig deep into the data, but it just feels like we’re lacking downforce today. But otherwise it’s okay, I can only have empathy for the guys even further back.”
‘Dig Deep into the Data’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/22/hamilton-says-mercedes-are-further-back-than-we-were-in-the-last-race/
Russell believes Mercedes in with "outside shot" of French GP win
Friday 22 July 2022 18:30
Ian Parkes
George Russell believes Mercedes only has "an outside shot" of victory in Sunday's French Grand Prix after lacking pace compared to initial hopes.
Asked whether he had an outside shot of victory or whether hopes were higher than that, Russell replied: "Outside shot is probably the way to put it.”
"We're probably a little bit further off the pace today than we would have hoped. Work to do tonight and back at the factories but never say never."
‘Outside Shot, Never Say Never’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87753/french-grand-prix-mercedes-outside-shot-victory/
Verstappen says Friday French GP practice sessions were ‘very difficult’ as Perez reveals issue that cost him in FP2
22 July 2022
Formula 1.
Red Bull trailed Ferrari in the brace of opening practice sessions in France and that led Max Verstappen to explain why he found Friday so challenging, while Sergio Perez encountered his own difficulties in a compromised FP2 session.
“I think FP2 was a little bit more difficult for us,” said championship leader Verstappen. “We just didn’t really get the balance like we hoped for, but also we are trying a few things with the car. So we’ll have a look at it all for tomorrow and of course try to be closer than what we were today. “In the long runs it’s a bit better but again, the tyres are running really hot and it’s very difficult to judge really where you are. But we know of course that we still have a little bit of work to do.”
Team mate Perez was sixth in FP1, 1.2s off the pace, and 10th in FP2 – 1.5s adrift – as he faced a challenging start to the weekend. The Mexican revealed that an issue with his car meant he couldn’t get a representative soft-tyred run. “We were basically having some delays, nothing really going on, a bit of an issue with one of the anti-roll bars but nothing major," he said. "It’s been a very short stint on that soft tyre but it’s what it is and hopefully tomorrow we are able to put it all together and be in the fight.”
‘Red Bull Challenging Compromises’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.verstappen-says-friday-french-gp-practice-sessions-were-very-difficult-as.GLYzdQSOF4FYi1rf13BA7.html
What went on in Ferrari-dominated second French GP practice
Jul 22 2022, 17:15
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, who is set to serve a grid penalty in the French Grand Prix, set the pace in the second Friday practice session. Key moments:
> Ferrari half a second clear
> Verstappen third, Perez only 10th
> Big spin for Schumacher
As one of the very few drivers to run the soft compound rather than the medium on his opening run in FP2, Sainz established a lead of over eight tenths early on – with his former team-mate Max Verstappen and his current team-mate Charles Leclerc behind him, 0.010s apart on the yellow-walled tyres.
The biggest incident in the session befell Magnussen’s team-mate Mick Schumacher, the German caught out in a high-speed spin through the ‘double right’ Le Beausset and appeared quite fortunate to not end up in the barriers.
‘Ferrari Domination’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-went-on-in-ferrari-dominated-second-french-gp-practice/
2022 French GP FP2: Magnussen hits the kerbs ‘really, really hard’ at Circuit Paul Ricard
22 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Haas' Kevin Magnussen hits the kerbs at Circuit Paul Ricard "really, really hard" during second practice for the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix.
‘Kerb Bashing!’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-french-gp-fp2-magnussen-hits-the-kerbs-really-really-hard-at-circuit-paul-ricard.1739071277857913799.html
HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action from the second practice session at Circuit Paul Ricard as Sainz leads Ferrari 1-2
22 July 2022
Formula 1.
‘Action Highlights’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.highlights-watch-the-action-from-the-second-practice-session-at-circuit-paul.1FoErrFonXPGAqSTq4v3Xh.html
Fortitude
23rd July 2022, 05:16
Max Verstappen seeks return to winning ways against fast but frail Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton aims to upset the title contenders and Mick Schumacher looks to make it three points finishes in a row... SEVEN things to look out for at the French Grand Prix.
• Max Verstappen holds a 38-point lead over Charles Leclerc in the title fight
• Leclerc won last time out in Austria and is hoping to build momentum in France
• Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes could look to upset the pair this weekend
• Mick Schumacher is looking to make it three consecutive point finishes
Published: 20:00, 22 July 2022
By Kieran Lynch For Mailonline
Sportsmail breaks down seven things to look out for at the French Grand Prix...
VERSTAPPEN SEEKS RETURN TO WINNING WAYS
FERRARI ON FORM BUT LOOK FRAIL
MERCEDES' BEST TRACK YET THIS SEASON?
SCHUMACHER GOES FOR THREE IN A ROW
TRACK LIMIT TROUBLES
ISSUES WITH STEWARDS
ALPINE HOPE FOR BIG RESULT ON HOME SOIL
‘SEVEN topics at the French Grand Prix’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11032209/Max-Verstappen-seeks-return-winning-ways-SEVEN-things-look-French-GP.html
Danger looms for Ferrari despite headline pace; Mercedes upgrades underwhelm: F1 talking points
July 23rd, 2022 6:00 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Ferrari dominated practice at the French Grand Prix, but the true competitive picture isn’t so rosy for Maranello as the raw time sheet suggests. The margin the two Scuderia drivers wielded over Max Verstappen in third was more than half a second, a shockingly large number considering the tightness of the championship fight to date.
There was some exaggeration in the margin on RBR’s side of the equation, with the team still working to find the right set-up for what is a relatively well rounded technical challenge as a circuit.
“We just didn’t really get the balance like we hoped for, but also we are trying a few things with the car,” Verstappen said on Friday night. “So we’ll have a look at it all for tomorrow and of course try to be closer than what we were today.”
‘Ferrari Dangers Looming’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/danger-looms-for-ferrari-despite-headline-pace-mercedes-upgrades-underwhelm-f1-talking-points/news-story/b0a919ec612c1bb803b88fc2d5827960
5 things we learned from Friday practice at the French Grand Prix
22 July 2022
F1 Correspondent & Presenter Lawrence Barretto
As Circuit Paul Ricard basked in the glorious sunshine and sweltering temperatures, F1 teams got down to business trying to understand how their cars and tyres would cope in such conditions across the French Grand Prix weekend. After two 60-minute practice sessions, it seems no team is emerging as a clear frontrunner, which sets things up nicely…
1. Ferrari look mighty in qualifying trim
2. Red Bull have the edge on race pace
3. Mercedes closer to the main fight
4. McLaren upgrade appears to be a good step
5. Alpine and AlphaTauri offer midfield threat
‘FIVE Lessons’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.5-things-we-learned-from-friday-practice-at-the-french-grand-prix.3jR4sqrSFlAqL0hzSrsgna.html
2022 F1 French Grand Prix preview: Teams to face extreme heat
20:05 Fri, 22 Jul 2022.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran - Editor
Motor Authority
Round 12 of the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship takes us this weekend to Circuit Paul Ricard near Marseille, France, the current home of the French Grand Prix. The first sector the fastest and providing the best overtaking opportunities, especially under braking into Turns 1 and 3. The second section is all about the power unit, featuring the Mistral straight which is broken up by a chicane to reduce the entry speed into Signes, one of the fastest corners on the calendar.
Aerodynamics take on a greater importance in the third and final sector, with a variety of medium speed corners between Turns 11 and 15. There are two DRS zones: one on the main straight, the other on the first part of the Mistral straight. Going off the track is definitely to be avoided: the distinct red, white, and blue tricolour markings contain a high-friction material designed to slow cars down quickly, with high risk to flat spot the tires. Pirelli has nominated its White hard as the C2, Yellow medium as the C3, and Red soft as the C4.
The race weekend is expected to be the hottest of the season so far, with temperatures heading for 104 degrees, which will make life difficult for the drivers and teams. It could also lead to some thermal degradation of the tires, which teams will need to take notice of.
‘104 Degrees F Weekend’;
https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1136589_2022-f1-french-grand-prix-preview
Red Bull hoping for overnight gains after tricky French GP practice
23 July 2022
Ben Issatt
Both Red Bull drivers are hoping for overnight gains after an underwhelming Friday at the French Grand Prix. "I think FP2 was a little bit more difficult for us," Verstappen admitted afterwards. "We just didn't really get the balance as we hoped for.”
"We were trying a few things with the cars. So we'll have a look at it all for tomorrow and try to be closer to where we were today.” Across the garage, Sergio Perez endured a miserable Friday as a spin compromised his FP1 session and then he was only P10 in FP2, with the least laps of any driver.
“Obviously I’m not very comfortable at the moment with the car," he said. "It’s been a very short stint on that soft tyre, but it’s what it is and hopefully tomorrow we are able to put it all together and be in the fight. There’s some good work and understanding to be done over tonight, and we will try to pick up the best pieces for tomorrow’s qualifying and race.”
‘Red Bull Overnight Gains Evaluation’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16066-red-bull-hoping-for-overnight-gains-after-tricky-french-gp-practice
Sainz fears French GP recovery will be 'trickier than expected' after grid penalties
23 July 2022
Ben Issatt
The Spaniard was the fastest man in Friday Practice at Paul Ricard but already has a 10-place grid penalty for a new Control Electronics power unit component.
A full engine change is also anticipated on Saturday, which will drop Sainz to the back of the grid for the start on Sunday.
“Well, it was definitely a positive Friday,” Sainz told the media. “I didn’t do many laps on the short run on the low fuel, but I realised that I was super competitive.”
‘Fast Confidence’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16067-sainz-fears-french-gp-recovery-will-be-trickier-than-expected-after-grid-penalties
Gasly targets top six, even pole after positive French GP practice
23 July 2022
Ben Issatt.
The Rouen native finished P5 and P7 respectively in both practice sessions at Paul Ricard as a significant AlphaTauri upgrade showed early promise.
And whether it was the heat or optimism driving his thoughts, Gasly was perhaps over-ambitious with his goals for Saturday.
“Hopefully we can fight for pole position, we’ll see about that,” said the 26-year-old. “I mean, if we can fight with these two guys on my right [Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton], I’ll be happy. That’s the target."
‘Targeting Top Six, Even Pole’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16069-gasly-targets-top-six-even-pole-after-positive-french-gp-practice
Fortitude
23rd July 2022, 22:08
French GP: Verstappen jumps clear of Ferrari in Practice 3.
After the Scuderia led both sessions on Friday, the pendulum swung towards the reigning world champion who was quickest on both the medium and soft tyres, posting a best time 1m32.272s on the latter compound.
23 July 2022
Ben Issatt
Max Verstappen set the benchmark for Ferrari to chase in final practice at the French Grand Prix.
A reason for Ferrari's loss of single-lap pace could be a focus on tyre management in the race. This as the Italian team opted to save two new sets of mediums for Sunday compared to Red Bull with two new sets of hards.
At Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton was fourth running a high downforce setup on his W13, albeit just a tenth quicker than George Russell in P6 using a lower downforce rear wing for better top speed. Sergio Perez's difficult weekend continues, finishing a second off Verstappen's pace in fifth in the second Red Bull.
‘Max Jumping Clear’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16083-french-gp-verstappen-jumps-clear-of-ferrari-in-practice-3
(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2022 French Grand Prix
Le Castellet, France
23rd July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:32.272
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.354
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.637
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.983
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.021
6. George Russell Mercedes +1.104
7. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1.233
8. Alexander Albon Williams Racing +1.286
9. Lando Norris McLaren +1.397
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1.479
French Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice ahead of the 2022 F1 World Championship race from Paul Ricard;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2022-french-grand-prix-79594
FP3 Highlights: 2022 French Grand Prix
23 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Watch highlights from final practice at Circuit Paul Ricard ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix.
‘FP3 Highlight’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.fp3-highlights-2022-french-grand-prix.1739149074301260047.html
Everything that happened in final French GP practice
23/07/2022, 13:13
By Josh Suttill
The Race
Max Verstappen returned Red Bull to the top of the timesheets at the French Grand Prix leading the Ferrari duo in the final practice session ahead of qualifying. Key moments:
> Verstappen back on top
> Leclerc six tenths off in P3
> Mercedes still a second off
Verstappen led much of the session on the medium tyres and when he bolted on the soft tyres he was able to displace Sainz at the top of the order, topping a session for the first time this weekend after a Ferrari-dominated Friday.
Verstappen’s 1m32.272s is the fastest time of the weekend so far and was 0.354s quicker than Sainz, who – along with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen – will start the French GP from the back of the grid with engine penalties.
‘FP3; Key Moments’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/everything-that-happened-in-final-french-gp-practice/
Pirelli's Mario Isola predicts 'medium and hard' tyre strategy in French GP
23 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Pirelli's motorsport manager Mario Isola predicts that the teams will use a "medium and hard" tyre strategy in Sunday's 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard.
‘Tyre Strategy Predictions’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.pirellis-mario-isola-predicts-medium-and-hard-tyre-strategy-in-french-gp.1739140518178040240.html
Fortitude
23rd July 2022, 22:11
Ferrari teamwork sees Leclerc to pole ahead of Verstappen.
A tow from Carlos Sainz helped see Charles Leclerc to pole in France ahead of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
23rd July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Q3: The Mexican was the first to set a time then, a 1:31.640, though with a tow from Sainz, who ducked into the pits instead of completing his lap, Leclerc went to the top with a 1:31.209 a benchmark which just held out from Verstappen by 0.008 when the reigning champion set his lap a few seconds later.
As the cars headed out for the final runs Sainz was once again ahead of Leclerc ready to give his teammate another slipstream advantage. Perez was first on track while Norris would be the last to take the chequered flag. Magnussen remained in the garage for the whole of Q3.
The tow saw Leclerc improve to a 1:30.872 and while Verstappen did better his previous time, he couldn’t compare to the combined Ferrari effort, 0.304 seconds slower, and so will start P2 just ahead of Perez.
‘Ferrari Towing’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/ferrari-teamwork-sees-leclerc-to-pole-ahead-of-verstappen-79603
Qualifying Results – 2022 French Grand Prix
Le Castellet, France
23rd July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -1:30.872
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.304
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.463
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.893
5. Lando Norris McLaren +1.160
6. George Russell Mercedes +1.259
7. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1.680
8. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1.908
9. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari NC
10. Kevin Magnussen Haas NC
French Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for this weekend’s 2022 F1 World Championship race at the Circuit Paul Ricard;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2022-french-grand-prix-79597
HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action from a dramatic qualifying session at the French Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc received a helping hand from his team mate Carlos Sainz on his way to setting a sensational final lap to seal pole position for the 2022 French Grand Prix.
23 July 2022
Sergio Perez rounded out the top three, finishing 0.463s behind Leclerc, and the Mexican will be joined by Lewis Hamilton on the second row, with the Mercedes driver qualifying in P4.
Lando Norris produced a brilliant final lap to qualify in fifth and splits the Mercedes, with George Russell in sixth. Fernando Alonso, in the Alpine, qualified in seventh, at his team’s home race, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda in eighth. With Sainz and Kevin Magnussen set to start at the back of the grid, Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon will start in P9 and P10, respectively.
‘Dramatic Qualifying Session’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.highlights-watch-the-action-from-a-dramatic-qualifying-session-at-the-french.gtKGhLJlrjkzcqPBvgrW3.html
Verstappen: We were lacking a bit but we have a decent race car
23 July, 2022
Paul Velasco
While lamenting a lack of pace in his Red Bull during French Grand Prix qualifying, Formula 1 World Champion and championship leader Max Verstappen will start from second on the grid and is confident he has a solid race car at his disposal.
Verstappen probably lost pole today at the Austrian Grand Prix last week! Last Sunday, Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari went up in smoke, meaning a new PU and bits for the Spaniard and a grid penalty that sees him starting no matter what he did in qualifying at Paul Ricard on Saturday.
This gave Ferrari a real wingman during qualy today in France to provide a useful tow for Charles Leclerc to scorch to the top of the timing screens; Verstappen and Red Bull had no answer, but they will be thinking: points are scored on Sunday. Verstappen said as much when he summed up his afternoon: “Overall, we were lacking a bit in qualifying, just general grip. It was a bit trickier than I would have hoped but overall we still have a decent race car.”
‘Solid Red Bull Car’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/23/verstappen-red-bull-lacking-a-bit-in-qualifying-but-we-have-a-decent-race-car/
Perez pleased to take P3 grid spot after ‘worst weekend’ as Verstappen assesses ‘tricky’ French qualifying
23 July 2022
Formula 1.
Perez might have been P3 and a tenth and a half off his team mate – but the Mexican was happy with his performance, having confessed to have been “nowhere” at points on what he termed his “worst weekend” in F1 up until qualifying.
“It’s been a good recovery,” said Perez. “I’ve been nowhere the whole weekend to be honest. I’ve been struggling a lot; I think probably it’s been my worst weekend up to qualifying and finally we managed to recover well in quali.
“I managed to improve a few tenths on my final lap. I think the whole weekend has been very difficult for me; I’ve been struggling a lot with the balance throughout the weekend so I was certainly making good progress through qualifying. I think my Q3 lap, there was a bit in it still, but not much more, so pretty pleased to be P3. Hopefully our race pace will be stronger for tomorrow and we can be in the fight for the victory.”
‘Nowhere to P3’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-pleased-to-take-p3-grid-spot-after-worst-weekend-as-verstappen.2caELo6OOqlry9c7w767MW.html
Hamilton: ‘I hoped we’d be three-tenths off them and it’s a second’
2022 French Grand Prix
Posted on 23rd July 2022, 17:1623rd July 2022, 18:51
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Lewis Hamilton admitted Mercedes are much further away from the pace of their main rivals than he expected at the French Grand Prix.
“I came here this weekend hoping that we’re going to be within three-tenths off them and we’re a second [off],” he said in response to a question from RaceFans after qualifying today.
Mercedes thought the combination of quick corners, a smooth track surface and high temperatures at Paul Ricard would play into their hands. Hamilton admitted he was hoping this weekend would be a springboard to a more competitive showing at the Hungaroring next week.
“With the three-tenths, then I was hoping that the next race we can close that couple of tenths and we’d be in the fight in Budapest. But if it’s anything like this, then we it’s going to be a while. But it’s possible.”
‘W13 a second, not 3/10th off them’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/23/hamilton-i-hoped-wed-be-three-tenths-off-them-and-its-a-second/
'A very good day' for Lando Norris with P5 French GP qualifying performance
23 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Mclaren's Lando Norris is "expecting a good race" at the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard where he will start in P5.
‘Very Good Day’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.a-very-good-day-for-lando-norris-with-p5-french-gp-qualifying-performance.1739158776546528801.html
Fortitude
24th July 2022, 06:24
Sainz can’t help Leclerc on race day but have Ferrari given him a tyre advantage?
Before Ferrari had arrived in France for this weekend’s race at Paul Ricard, the team had a clear plan for how they were going to beat Red Bull and Max Verstappen in qualifying on Saturday.
2022 French Grand Prix pre-race analysis
Posted on 24th July 2022, 0:1024th July 2022, 0:12
Written by Will Wood
With Carlos Sainz Jnr taking a fourth power unit, condemning him to the back of the grid for Sunday whatever happened, the strategy was simple: Get Sainz into Q3, then have him give Charles Leclerc a slipstream on both his flying laps to boost him ahead of Red Bull. After executing the tactic with all the precision of a Patrouille de France aerobatic manoeuvre, Ferrari’s reward was pole position for Leclerc. Just as planned.
But if Leclerc is going to prevail on Sunday, Ferrari may need be even more sharp with their strategy. Especially this final French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard could be the most challenging for teams since the venue returned to the calendar back in 2018.
Having been fastest on Friday and then again at the end of Saturday, one might assume Leclerc would be feeling confident heading into the race knowing how much stronger than Verstappen he had been in the last grand prix. However, with two Red Bulls directly behind him on the grid and no team mate nearby, Leclerc knows he’s got his work cut out.
‘Ferrari’s Clear Plan’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/24/sainz-cant-help-leclerc-again-on-race-day-but-have-ferrari-given-him-a-tyre-advantage/
Sainz confident solo Leclerc can still beat Red Bulls in French GP
24/07/2022, 02:35
The Age
Carlos Sainz backed Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc to win the French Grand Prix from pole position despite having both Red Bull drivers right behind him on the starting grid.
The Spaniard, who played a big part in helping Leclerc to pole by giving him a slipstream “tow” down the straight, can be of no help during the race as he starts from the back due to engine penalties.
“He will have to fight on his own tomorrow against [championship leader] Max [Verstappen] but I believe he can do it,” Sainz told Sky Sports television. I think this car in every race we go to is very quick. It’s all about nailing the start and nailing the strategy, which I’m sure the team will do well.”
‘Solo Leclerc Can Win’;
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/motorsport/sainz-confident-solo-leclerc-can-still-beat-red-bulls-in-french-gp-20220724-p5b42i.html
STRATEGY GUIDE: What are the possible race strategies for the 2022 French Grand Prix?
23 July 2022
Special contributor Chris Medland
The final double-header before the mid-season break kicks off with what is expected to be a hot race at Paul Ricard, so let’s take a look at the different strategic options available to the teams in France…
What’s the quickest strategy?
How about a different option for the top 10?
What are the options for the bottom half of the field?
Wait, but what’s the weather doing?
‘Strategy Review’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.strategy-guide-what-are-the-possible-race-strategies-for-the-2022-french.66um1ZV3y3lg9L8tpNGglH.html
Verstappen: Red Bull's top-speed advantage will help in French GP Ferrari battle
Max Verstappen has explained how Red Bull’s strong top speed may help it beat Ferrari in Formula 1’s French Grand Prix, as pole-winner Charles Leclerc will lose Ferrari’s corner-speed advantage.
Jul 23, 2022, 6:31 PM
By: Alex Kalinauckas
Verstappen topped FP3 but wound up qualifying behind his title rival, who was boosted by Ferrari deploying tow tactics considering Carlos Sainz's upcoming engine-change penalty. Red Bull has been running a lower-drag wing arrangement at Paul Ricard, which resulted in Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez heading every top speed measuring point in qualifying as it is allied to the team's rebadged Honda engine's potent power output.
At the Paul Ricard speed trap just before the Mistral chicane, Perez had a 3.8mph advantage over Leclerc in qualifying when all engine modes are at their optimum and fuel is at its lowest, while Verstappen was quicker by 3.7mph. The low-drag approach means it is harder for drivers to build the critical tyre temperature required to nail the technical opening sector at the French track, but it will come into its own in the race for Red Bull as the higher-downforce-running Ferrari will not be able to use DRS to shed drag unless its cars are running close behind others.
When asked if he expects Red Bull's wing choice to help in Sunday's race by Motorsport.com, Verstappen replied: "I hope so. We seem again very quick on the straight, which is a nice bonus. But I think overall we need to look a bit into our high-speed performance. Overall, whatever wing we've put on the car we've always been struggling a bit in the high-speed compared to Ferrari.
‘Red Bull’s strong top speed advantage’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/verstappen-red-bulls-top-speed-advantage-will-help-in-french-gp-ferrari-battle/10342385/
Mercedes’ lack of performance at Paul Ricard “a slap in the face” – Wolff
2022 French Grand Prix
Posted on 23rd July 2022, 19:3723rd July 2022, 19:41
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff didn’t think it was possible they would end qualifying for the French Grand Prix so far behind Ferrari and Red Bull. The team arrived at the Paul Ricard expecting its smooth surface and quick corners would suit them. But despite also bringing upgrades to their W13 the team has lagged off the pace since the weekend began.
“If you would have told me that we are ending up [there] I would have said that’s not possible,” Wolff admitted afterwards. “So that’s a bit of a slap in the face. We were slowly but surely working our way back to the front-runners and there were good signs in Silverstone,” Wolff told media including RaceFans today.”
“Then we went to Austria, a track where we are normally not competitive at all and we could clearly see the signs why we were not competitive but we were close. It’s a one-minute circuit and we were three tenths off so that was acceptable. Then we brought quite a nice update package to Paul Ricard, the track is smooth, off we go, let’s hunt them down. And boom, no performance. Like, no performance and we can’t figure it out, what went wrong.”
‘No Performance! Can’t Figure It Out! What Went Wrong? Slap In the Face!’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/23/mercedes-lack-of-performance-at-paul-ricard-a-slap-in-the-face-wolff/
Wolff protecting Hamilton from "complete nonsense" criticism
Sunday 24 July 2022 04:00
Sam Hall
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed a need to "protect" Lewis Hamilton of late due to the seven-time F1 champion facing "complete nonsense" criticism. Hamilton struggled to get to grips with the latest generation of F1 machinery earlier this season as the Mercedes W13 was subject to the porpoising phenomenon.
Reflecting on the criticism directed at Hamilton, Wolff has explained to Square Mile how he has acted as a shield. I need to protect him because people have started to hit out at him, which is not right," said Wolff. "It's complete nonsense: he's the greatest driver of all time. The car is just sub-par.”
After losing out to Max Verstappen, Wolff now believes it is his responsibility to provide Hamilton with the machinery to again battle at the front. "I think Hamilton should have had an eighth world title last year, everybody knows that," added Wolff. "But now we need to make a car that puts him in the position of going for that eighth title and that is fundamentally my responsibility. But that's good. I'm in control of that situation."
‘Toto Wolff: "Complete Nonsense" Criticism Protection’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87709/toto-wolff-lewis-hamilton-criticism/
Leclerc and Verstappen ‘in their own league’; Mercedes ‘just not good enough’ despite hype: quali talking points
July 24th, 2022 7:41 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Charles Leclerc has secured his seventh pole position of the season at the French Grand Prix, tying title rival Max Verstappen on 16 career pole positions. It’s an impressive statistic for the Monegasque, who continues to demonstrate he’s ready to take on this championship battle if he can get a contending car beneath him.
A less happy statistic he’d do well not to dwell on is that of his six prior poles, he’s converted only two of them to victory. Max Verstappen has turned three of them into victories of his own. It’s the sixth time Leclerc and Verstappen will start on the front row together this season, and the Dutchman will fancy his chances at extending his intercept victories to four.
But how this race will be won is anyone’s guess. Not only is strategy unclear in the warm climes of southern France, but Ferrari and Red Bull Racing have diverged significantly in set-up and approach. The winning team will have to have throw everything at this race to emerge victorious, and Ferrari certainly demonstrated its willingness to do so in qualifying.
‘Victorious team will have to have throw everything at this race’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/leclerc-and-verstappen-in-their-own-league-mercedes-just-not-good-enough-despite-hype-quali-talking-points/news-story/bd1be89a49d1f4da2d835e9e17407c52
Fortitude
24th July 2022, 16:12
Charles Leclerc: 'Mistakes like this' mean 'I deserve not to win the championship'.
Charles Leclerc says "if I keep doing mistakes like this then I deserve not to win the championship," as the Ferrari driver expresses his frustration with crashing out from the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard.
24 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
‘Mistakes…’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.charles-leclerc-mistakes-like-this-mean-i-deserve-not-to-win-the-championship.1739244827595198638.html
'That Leclerc scream will haunt me in my sleep' - Fans react to another Ferrari DNF
Sunday 24 July 2022 15:13
Ronan Murphy
The scream was heard around the world. The sound of Charles Leclerc's fading world championship hopes as he crashed out of the French Grand Prix will live in the memory of Ferrari fans forever.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
The scream of anguish from Leclerc! ����
All of us are Charles Leclerc with that scream. #F1
leclerc’s scream�� i literally JUMPED
That NOOOO scream from leclerc WILL haunt Ferrari fans
‘Haunting Ferrari Cry!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87902/that-leclerc-scream-will-haunt-me-in-my-sleep-fans-react-to-another-ferrari-dnf/
Leclerc: I don’t deserve to win F1 title with these mistakes
24/07/2022, 16:14
Motorsport Week
by Fergal Walsh
Charles Leclerc acknowledges that he doesn’t deserve to win the 2022 Formula 1 Drivers’ title if he continues to make on-track mistakes. When asked after his retirement what went wrong, Leclerc answered: “I lost the rear. That’s it. I don’t know [if something was wrong], technically we need to check. I don’t think there is, I think it’s just a mistake. I tried to take too much [speed] around the outside where it was probably dirty.”
Leclerc entered the race weekend with a 38 point deficit to Verstappen, who is hunting back-to-back World Championship success. However, that gap has now grown to 63 points after the Dutchman took another race victory at the Le Castellet.
“It’s my fault and if I keep doing mistakes like this then I deserve to not win the championship,” he said. “The level is high this year, I’m performing at a high level but if I’m doing those mistakes then it’s pointless to be at a high level.”
‘’Don’t Deserve to Win…’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/24/leclerc-i-dont-deserve-to-win-f1-title-with-these-mistakes/
'I hope he's okay' - Verstappen worried for Leclerc after crash ends Ferrari driver's hopes
UPDATED 24/07/2022 AT 16:15 GMT+1
BY ALEXANDER NETHERTON
Max Verstappen showed sympathy for Charles Leclerc after his rival crashed out at the French Grand Prix on Sunday. Speaking to Sky Sports, Verstappen explained why he was initially driving a little conservatively.
"We had really good pace from the start,” he began. “I was putting pressure on Charles. Following around here, with this heat, the tyres are overheating a lot so I could never really go for a move - only once. We just tried to stay calm, stay close... we pitted a bit earlier and from there onwards you never know how the race is going to go. The car was quick today.”
"Of course, unlucky for Charles and I hope he's okay. From there onwards, I just did my race and looked after the tyres.”
‘Max: 'I HOPE HE'S OKAY' ‘;
https://www.eurosport.co.uk/formula-1/french-grand-prix/2022/i-hope-he-s-okay-red-bull-s-max-verstappen-worried-for-charles-leclerc-after-crash-ends-ferrari-driv_sto9058399/story.shtml
Ferrari strategy branded "comical" after Carlos Sainz call and Charles Leclerc crash.
Charles Leclerc's crash and Carlos Sainz's bizarre end to the French Grand Prix made for another frustrating afternoon for Ferrari, who faced serious questions from fans on social media
16:39, 24 JUL 2022
BY Nick Murphy
Sports Reporter
Ferrari fans have had enough of the team's bizarre strategy decisions after a hugely disappointing French Grand Prix. The Prancing Horse had looked set for a considerable haul of points going into the afternoon after Charles Leclerc qualified on pole at Paul Ricard. But the Monegasque driver suffered a huge blow to his title ambitions when he crashed out of the race on lap 18.
Although Leclerc admitted that it was his mistake that led to the crash - not that of his team - it summed up Ferrari's problems where reliability is concerned this season. And while the Scuderia were not to blame for Leclerc's miserable afternoon, they had questions to answer regarding Carlos Sainz.
Sainz started the race from 19th but worked his way up to 3rd and within five seconds of Lewis Hamilton in second with the aid of a safety car following his team-mate's crash. But all that good work was undone when Ferrari chose to bring him in to change his tyres and serve a five-second time penalty with six laps remaining - a decision they informed Sainz about while he was attempting to overtake Sergio Perez.
‘Comical Strategy’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/f1-leclerc-sainz-ferrari-strategy-27563526
Nico Rosberg calls for Ferrari boss to make 'serious' personnel changes after French GP
NICO ROSBERG believes changes need to be made at Ferrari.
16:23, Sun, Jul 24, 2022
By Jack McEachen
Nico Rosberg has called for "serious changes" to be made at Ferrari after Charles Leclerc once again suffered a DNF while leading a race. The Ferrari driver screamed in anger down his team radio after going into the barriers at Turn 11, before Max Verstappen went on to win the French Grand Prix.
"I really think it’s premature of him to take the blame," Rosberg told Sky Sports F1 after Leclerc admitted he was at fault for the crash. "He needs to go back now, because it’s really very unusual for that to happen in the way it did, because you’re not even pushing to the maximum there, you’re saving tyres.”
"For the rear to go like that, one thing could be at that point, that’s exactly the point when the wind comes from the rear, and if you get an unlucky gust or something, that can suddenly take 20 per cent of your downforce away right in that moment.”
‘Serious Ferrari Changes Needed’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1645202/Nico-Rosberg-Ferrari-Charles-Leclerc-French-GP-crash-Mattia-Binotto
'I'm losing too many points' says Leclerc as he takes blame for 'unacceptable' mistake that cost him lead in France
24 July 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc cut a demoralised figure after his French Grand Prix spin, which saw him crash out of the lead at Circuit Paul Ricard on Sunday. Leclerc had taken pole position and led until his Lap 18 crash at Turn 11, a snap of oversteer sending him hurtling into the barriers. Though he emerged unhurt, he screamed out in frustration over the radio. And after the race he admitted it was his own error that had cost him.
“I think it’s just a mistake. Tried to take too much around the outside, put a wheel probably somewhere dirty, but it’s my fault and if I keep doing mistakes like this then I deserve not to win the championship,” he said.
“I’m losing too many points, I think seven in Imola, 25 here because honestly we were the strongest car on track today,” he added to Sky Sports F1. “So yes, if we lose the championship by 32 points at the end of the season, I will know from where they are coming from. And it’s unacceptable, I just need to get on top of those things.”
‘Too Many Points Lost’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.im-losing-too-many-points-says-leclerc-as-he-takes-blame-for-unacceptable.2Iy1dUFYG6jkNvHhEQTCAD.html
Fortitude
24th July 2022, 16:44
Max Verstappen wins French GP to extend his F1 world title lead by 63 points from Charles Leclerc after he crashed out of race on Lap 18 - as Lewis Hamilton finishes second and George Russell third.
• Max Verstappen took his 27th race win with victory at the French Grand Prix.
• Having started in second Verstappen produced a flawless race to take the win.
• Lewis Hamilton took an impressive second place in his 300th career race start.
• Charles Leclerc crashed out when leading the race for the third time this year.
• Leclerc later took responsibility for the incident that cost him the race in turn 11.
• Carlos Sainz was in third place when he was told to pit to serve his time penalty.
Published: 13:00, 24 July 2022
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Max Verstappen won the French Grand Prix after his championship rival Charles Leclerc inexplicably crashed out while leading. The accident on lap 18 of 53 turned the outcome on a scorching afternoon at Circuit Paul Ricard in the south of France. Verstappen assumed the lead and duly blasted to his seventh win of the 12-race-old season, with Mercedes second and third through Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
‘Max Win, Max 63 Point Lead’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/live/article-11039777/French-Grand-Prix-F1-2022-Live-Resullt.html
Race Results – 2022 French Grand Prix
Le Castellet, France
24th July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 53 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +10.587
3. George Russell Mercedes +16.495
4. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +17.310
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +28.872
6. Fernando Alonso Alpine +42.879
7. Lando Norris McLaren +52.026
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +56.959
9. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +60.372
10. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +62.549
French Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2022 F1 World Championship race around Circuit Paul Ricard;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2022-french-grand-prix-79607
Verstappen wins as Leclerc crashes out from the lead
Le Castellet, France
24th July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
French Grand Prix – Max Verstappen had a very easy win after Charles Leclerc crashed put of the lead less than twenty laps into the race.
It was a good start for Leclerc, who held his lead from Verstappen, while Hamilton got the better of Sergio Perez to snatch the final podium spot from the Red Bull driver. There was an opening lap incident between Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon which ended with the AlphaTauri driver spinning and falling to the back of the grid after being hit by the Frenchman. Ocon was handed a 5 second time penalty for the collision.
With three laps to go Sainz had made it to P5 but was over 20 seconds behind Russell so, despite putting in the fastest laps of the day, there wouldn’t be enough laps for the Ferrari to close up before the race ended. The Virtual Safety Car came out for a couple of minutes when Zhou pulled his Alfa Romeo off track and parked by a barrier and as it ended, Russell caught Perez off guard to slip past and take P3 for what would be Mercedes’ first double podium of the year.
‘Max Easy Win’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen-wins-as-leclerc-crashes-out-from-the-lead-79608
Drinks failure caused Hamilton to lose “around 3kg” in hot French Grand Prix
2022 French Grand Prix
Posted on 24th July 2022, 16:24
Written by Hazel Southwell
Lewis Hamilton‘s drinks bottle system failed during a French Grand Prix that was among one of the hottest races of the season. “It was a tough race because my drinks bottle didn’t work,” Hamilton explained. “What a great result, considering we’ve been so far off these guys all weekend.”
“Reliability is one thing that my team’s been amazing at so huge congratulations to the teams back at the two factories, the team here who without them we couldn’t get this podium and George did an amazing job today as well.”
Hamilton, who looked visibly exhausted and briefly laid down on the floor of the cooldown room before the podium celebrations, said that he had likely lost significant levels of fluid due to the heat inside the car. “I didn’t see my weight just now, but I would imagine probably around three kilos [lost],” he estimated. “So, yeah, it’s enough. I’m looking forward to downing the rest of this drink.”
‘3Kg Weight Loss!’
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/24/drinks-failure-caused-hamilton-to-lose-around-3kg-in-hot-french-grand-prix/
Sergio Pérez 'got screwed with the Virtual Safety Car' in French GP
24 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Sergio Pérez reflects on a "tough battle" with Mercedes' George Russell in the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix, but thinks that he "got screwed with the Virtual Safety Car' and when he expected it to end in the closing stages at Circuit Paul Ricard.
‘Tough Battle’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.sergio-perez-got-screwed-with-the-virtual-safety-car-in-french-gp.1739248985669740533.html
"Totally wrong" F1 VSC message interfered in French GP result - Perez
Red Bull's Sergio Perez says he lost third place in the Formula 1 French Grand Prix due to a "totally wrong" message regarding the ending of the virtual safety car.
Jul 24, 2022, 5:13 PM
By: Lewis Duncan
Co-author: Oleg Karpov
In the latter stages of Sunday's Paul Ricard race, Perez was embroiled in a battle with Mercedes' George Russell over the final podium place. A late virtual safety car was called when Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu broke down at Turn 6 with four laps remaining. On lap 51 of 53, the VSC was ended, but Perez was caught out by an incorrect message from the FIA, telling him racing would resume earlier than it did, which allowed Russell to take the final podium spot away from the Red Bull driver.
In the regulations over virtual safety car periods, the green flag must be shown 10-15 seconds after the initial end message is given, but in this instance, it took close to a minute. "It was very unfortunate what happened with the virtual safety car," Perez said after finishing fourth on Sunday. "I got the message it was going to end out of Turn 9, so I went for it and then it didn't end. Then I got the message saying it was going to end through Turn 12. And I was just too close to it.”
"It seems like George had different information and he was able to prepare better for it [the restart]. "I mean it's a shame the virtual safety car interfered with the result, to be honest. It shouldn't be the case, but today it was the case. It [the message of VSC ending] was totally wrong, there was something going on because it said it was going to end out of Turn 9 and it only ended out of Turn 12."
‘Perez: “Totally wrong" F1 VSC message interfered in French GP result’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/totally-wrong-vsc-message-interfered-in-french-gp-result-perez/10342897/
Furious Charles Leclerc reveals if jammed throttle was responsible for French GP crash
Charles Leclerc crashed out of the French Grand Prix while leading.
24 July 2022
by James Clifford
Charles Leclerc will have to delve deeper into the data to figure out if an issue with his Ferrari might have put him out of the French Grand Prix, but he pins the blame firmly on himself for his crash.
‘Dig Deeper’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/furious-charles-leclerc-reveals-if-jammed-throttle-was-responsible-for-french-gp-crash/
Fortitude
24th July 2022, 23:55
Ferrari boss makes 'good performance' claim despite disastrous French Grand Prix.
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto defended his team’s performance at the French Grand Prix, despite a woeful day for the Italian squad.
18:47, 24 JUL 2022
BY Mark Whiley
Ferrari endured a dismal day at the French Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc crashing out of the lead and Carlos Sainz having to settle for fifth after a late pit-stop. Charles Leclerc took pole position and weathered early pressure from Max Verstappen, only to crash out on lap 17, effectively handing the Red Bull driver a comfortable victory.
Surprisingly, Binotto insisted the team could still draw some positives from the weekend. “Yeah, it didn’t go to plan but I think we had a good performance,” he told Sky Sports F1. “[With] Tyre management, tyre degradation, we had the edge on Red Bull. After 15 laps, Charles was gaining a couple of tenths [per lap] on Max, who had to stop very early.”
On Leclerc’s crash, he said: “A little mistake. I said to Charles, ‘we make our lives a bit difficult but we will enjoy it [success] more in the future. It was a genuine driver error.” Binotto also insisted Ferrari were right to call Sainz in for his late stop. “We don’t feel it was the right choice, we are pretty sure it was the right choice,” he said. “He was short on life with wear and tyres so it would have been a risk to go to the end.”
‘Mattia Binotto: Good Ferrari Performance’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/ferrari-strategy-binotto-french-gp-27564649
Ferrari accused of 'not watching' the race and 'terrible judgement' during French GP.
Ferrari's decision to call Carlos Sainz in for a late pit-stop may have cost the Spaniard a podium finish as the team endured a disastrous French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard.
17:58, 24 JUL 2022
BY Mark Whiley
Ferrari’s strategy decisions have been called into question several time this season and former world champion Nico Rosberg says they have bungled too often now. On the decision to bring Sainz in during his battle with Perez, Rosberg told Sky Sports F1: “I was shaking my head, [thinking] ‘what on earth are they doing there?’
“First of all, he was in the middle of a huge battle out on track and his whole team wasn’t watching that anymore, they had their heads down doing calculations about pit-stop times. They were talking to him in the middle of wheel-to-wheel action. Guys, what on earth are you? Carlos was P3 and he would have been able to comfortably stay there. The tyres would have been fine until the end and he would have even had the chance to get Lewis for P2.”
“They bring him in with no chance to go beyond P5 which is where he ended up. What on earth is going on there? Honestly, I think it’s time they made some serious changes.” Rosberg added: “Terrible judgement there, terrible, I cannot explain it. Mattia really needs to get on top of it and make serious changes.”
‘Terrible Judgement’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/ferrari-strategy-blunder-french-gp-27564291
[B]Ferrari defend “proper and right” decision to pit Sainz after he passed Perez
2022 French Grand Prix
Posted on 24th July 2022, 20:54
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is sure the team made the correct decision to pit Carlos Sainz Jnr in the closing stages of the French Grand Prix, even though he had just moved into third place.
Sainz had risen from 19th on the grid to pass Sergio Perez for third place by the 41st lap of 53. He had a five-second time penalty to serve after he was unsafely released in front of Alexander Albon’s Williams during his pit stop.
That, and concern over the life of his medium compound tyres, led Ferrari to bring him in for a second pit stop, Binotto explained. Radio messages between Sainz and Ferrari indicated some indecision over whether or not to pit. Sainz later said “I don’t understand why we boxed, we would have pulled away”. However Binotto was certain the team made the right call. “The choice we made was the proper and the right one,” he told RaceFans and other media after the race.
‘Carlos Sainz Jnr: I don’t understand why we boxed’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/24/ferrari-defend-proper-and-right-decision-to-pit-sainz-after-he-passed-perez/
Binotto responds to Ferrari strategy critics
Sunday 24 July 2022 19:00
Will Gray
“It didn’t go to plan, but we had a good performance," reflected Binotto. "After 15 laps, Charles was going well and he was gaining three tenths per lap on Max who had to stop very early, and we would have certainly extended the stint. “
“So, a little mistake, it happens, just as we have reliability issues. What I said to Charles is we make our life a bit more difficult but it was a genuine driver error. Now we need to turn the page, look to Hungary. We can do a 1-2 there, why not? So we simply focus on the next result.”
‘Ferrari Strategy Critics Response’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87928/french-grand-prix-mattia-binotto-ferrari-strategy/
No link between Leclerc’s crash and Austrian GP throttle problem – Ferrari
2022 French Grand Prix
Posted on 24th July 2022, 17:30
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Charles Leclerc’s crash while he was leading the French Grand Prix was not caused by a repeat of the throttle problem he experienced during the previous race, says team principal Mattia Binotto.
The Ferrari driver crashed out at the high-speed Beausset corner on the 18th lap of the race. The driver said “I cannot go off throttle” in a radio message broadcast on the world feed.
This prompted speculation Leclerc had encountered a similar problem to the sticking throttle he had in the closing stages of the previous race in Austria. In the cool-down room after the race, Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache told the Mercedes drivers Leclerc had crashed out due to a throttle problem. However Leclerc said he crashed out due to a driving error and did not experience a problem with his throttle.
‘No Throttle Problem’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/24/no-link-between-leclercs-crash-and-austrian-gp-throttle-problem-ferrari/
Binotto reveals what he said to Leclerc after costly crash
Charles Leclerc's French Grand Prix ended in disaster when he crashed out of the lead. Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has given his take on what happened.
25/07/2022, 17:15
Author RacingNews365 Staff
What Binotto said to Leclerc after crash. "I think what I said to Charles [was that] we make our life a bit more difficult, but I think it will [get] even better. We will enjoy more in the future."
Up until that point, Binotto feels that the performance had generally been good. "I think we had a good performance, [with] tyre management," Binotto told Sky Sports F1 after the race.
"[With] tyre degradation, again, I think we had a bit of [an] edge on Red Bull too because, after 15 laps, Charles was doing well and he was gaining a couple of tenths, three tenths per lap on Max [Verstappen]. [Verstappen] had to stop very early, and we would have extended certainly the stint."
‘Mattia Binotto: We will enjoy more in the future’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-reveals-what-he-said-to-leclerc-after-costly-crash
Fortitude
25th July 2022, 00:25
FIA launches defence after Perez VSC criticism.
F1’s governing body has defended itself against criticism that confusion over its virtual safety car messaging system cost Sergio Perez a podium finish in the French Grand Prix.
Sunday 24 July 2022 19:40
Will Gray
F1’s governing body has defended itself against criticism that confusion over its virtual safety car messaging system cost Sergio Perez a podium finish in the French Grand Prix. Perez claimed he lost third place to George Russell when a hold-station VSC period was ended late in the race, stating he had prepared for a re-start that never came and was on the back foot when racing eventually resumed.
An original message had stated the VSC period would be ending at turns five-six but that failed to materialise and it was not cleared until much later in the lap at turn 13-14. Perez had prepared for the former and was left a sitting duck as Mercedes' Russell, whom the Red Bull driver claimed had better knowledge of the proceedings, accelerated at the right moment and made the pass.
The FIA later sent out a clarification stating: “A second VSC-ending message was sent due to a hardware issue, which led to an automated switch-to-backup-systems that worked exactly as they should in that scenario. “The same information is supplied to all teams concurrently. The VSC ending countdown time to the green light being displayed on the trackside panels is always random.”
‘FIA: The green light being displayed on the trackside panels is always random’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87947/fia-defendce-sergio-perez-vsc-criticism/
Perez details why he was 'caught out' in scrap with Russell
25/07/2022, 21:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Perez admits that the timing of the Virtual Safety Car period ending was what caught him out. "It was a difficult afternoon," Perez told Sky Sports F1.
"First of all, we should have another podium. I don't know what was going on with the Virtual Safety Car. I just got caught up with it, because it was ending already from the exit of [Turn] 8, and it ended up at the end of [Turn] 15.
"So there was something going on there and I got caught up with it." The Mexican has identified this as enabling Russell to catch him and overtake.
‘Caught Out On VSC Timing’;
https://racingnews365.com/perez-explains-why-he-was-caught-out-in-scrap-with-russell
Marko sends heavy criticism Perez's way: He was sleeping!
25/07/2022, 19:30
Author Michael Butterworth
Sergio Perez was lying third in the closing stages of the French Grand Prix, only to see himself overtaken by George Russell as a Virtual Safety Car period was ending. This prompted Helmut Marko to accuse the Mexican of not being alert enough at the restart.
Helmut Marko has criticised Sergio Perez for allowing George Russell to pass him in Sunday's French Grand Prix as a Virtual Safety Car period came to an end. As the VSC drew to a close, Russell appeared to hang back from the rear of Perez, before then getting on the throttle earlier than the Mexican and passing him on the twisting straight ahead of Turn 14.
Though Perez came back at Russell, the Briton held on to third place until the flag, prompting Marko to issue his displeasure at Perez's losing the position. "It is very unfortunate that Checo was asleep at the restart," Marko told ServusTV. A certain third place was lost there."
‘Helmut Marko: Asleep At The Restart’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-sends-heavy-criticism-perezs-way-he-was-sleeping
Red Bull chief accuses Sergio Perez of "sleeping" in damning French Grand Prix comments
23:08, 24 JUL 2022
BY Liam Llewellyn
Sports Trends Writer
Helmut Marko expressed his disappointment in Red Bull's Sergio Perez who lost out on a podium place to Mercedes star George Russell at today's French Grand Prix
Red Bull chief Helmut Marko blasted Sergio Perez for his performance during the French GP. The Mexican seemed off the pace throughout the weekend as teammate Max Verstappen cruised to victory after Charles Leclerc crashed out.
‘Sleeping Accusation!’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/f1-sergio-perez-red-bull-27565859
Russell reveals how he caught Perez napping during VSC
Date published: July 24 2022
Sam Cooper
Speaking following his P3 finish, Russell said he knew he had “one opportunity” to pull off the overtake when the VSC was ending. “I had to sort of preempt it [slowing before accelerating quickly] and it can go both ways,” Russell told Sky Sports F1. “I knew I had one opportunity when the VSC was ending and if you can time it right and you carry the momentum, you can just carry that through after the VSC.
“I think he may have been a little bit too quick and had to brake. So he’s braking, I’m accelerating and that gave me an opportunity.”
Perez also spoke to Sky Sports F1 and said it was not so much a case of him being caught napping, but rather he was unsure just exactly when the VSC would end.
‘Caught Perez Napping’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-sergio-perez-vsc-france/
Perez left feeling 'screwed' by Virtual Safety Car ending as Russell revels in 'satisfying' overtake at French GP
24 July 2022
Formula 1.
George Russell and Sergio Perez put on quite the show in the late stages of the Sunday's race at Circuit Paul Ricard, as they became embroiled in an intense battle for the final spot on the podium. But after the race, both drivers gave opposing views of their Turn 8 incident, as Russell revealed his delight at another podium finish.
The flashpoint between Perez and Russell erupted on Lap 41 when Russell dived down the inside of the Red Bull at Turn 8, forcing Perez wide in the hunt for P3. The fourth-place finisher driver defended his actions and said anything else would have "ruined" both drivers' races.
"Yes, it was a good battle, apart from Turn 8,” said Perez. “If I do the corner, we will just have ruined our races, but other than that, it was a good tough battle, good race from George in that regard." Perez was less happy with the timing of the Lap 50 Virtual Safety Car brought on by Zhou Guanyu's DNF, after which Russell passed him for the final podium place (main video).
‘Sergio Perez left feeling 'screwed' by Virtual Safety Car ending’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-left-feeling-screwed-by-virtual-safety-car-ending-as-russell-revels-in.1wTcZyAQpsVNyW2wRf6PMw.html
Fortitude
25th July 2022, 04:41
‘What on earth are they doing?’: Shocking radio calls expose double Ferrari disaster.
Ferrari suffered a nightmare in France – and their catastrophe was summed up in two shocking radio conversations.
July 25th, 2022 10:28 am
Zac Rayson from Fox Sports
Charles Leclerc suffered what might be the fatal blow to his world title ambitions when he crashed out while comfortably leading the race. After realising he was unable to reverse out of the barriers, the enormity of the disaster hit home for the Monegasque driver, who delivered a gut-wrenching scream into his radio: “No!” The raw emotion in his voice stunned F1 fans and pundits. Sky Sports commentator Paul di Resta said: “That scream kind of noise is going to haunt a lot of people for a long time, especially at this point of the championship race.”
Sainz had been handed a five-second time penalty due to an unsafe release from his first pit stop, and his medium tyres were becoming increasingly worn. The Spaniard attempted to overtake Sergio Perez of Red Bull to move into third place, but initially failed to make the move. He asked to pit for fresh tyres, but was initially told to keep racing. Then, while in the middle of a brutally tricky overtake on Perez, his race engineers suddenly spoke up again: “Box Carlos, box. Pit confirm.”
“Not now! Not now! Not now” was Sainz’s frustrated reply. Ferrari’s bizarre decision to talk to their driver in the middle of a high-intensity on-track battle was blasted by commentators. Former world champion Nico Rosberg told Sky Sports: “I was shaking my head. What on earth are they doing there?”
‘Double Ferrari Disaster Radio Calls’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-news-2022-ferrari-disaster-at-french-grand-prix-news-results-charles-leclerc-crash-carlos-sainz-pit-stop-video-highlights/news-story/26c569035558c6fe060907684246ee91
Rosberg tells Leclerc not to take blame: 'I still can’t believe it would be a driver mistake'
UK17:30 Sun, 24 Jul 2022.
UPDATED 24/07/2022 AT 18:43 GMT+1
BY ALEXANDER NETHERTON
Former Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg warned Charles Leclerc that he was too hasty in taking the blame for his crash at the French Grand Prix on Sunday. Rosberg observed that the kind of spin before he hit the barriers suggested that a technical problem might have actually been to blame for the problem.
Nico Rosberg does not believe Charles Leclerc should so quickly take the blame for his French Grand Prix clash. Former world champion Rosberg believes that there could be a technical issue at the heart of the problem. Given the team’s fire with Carlos Sainz’s car, it would be far from the first time that reliability issues have plagued Ferrari this season.
"I really think it’s premature of him to take the blame. He needs to go back now because it’s really very unusual for that to happen in the way it did because you’re not even pushing to the maximum there, you’re saving tyres,” he began.
‘Nico Rosberg: 'I still can’t believe it would be a driver mistake’;
https://www.eurosport.co.uk/formula-1/french-grand-prix/2022/nico-rosberg-tells-charles-leclerc-not-to-take-blame-i-still-cant-believe-it-would-be-a-driver-mista_sto9058460/story.shtml
It felt like NASCAR! Alex Albon reflects on near-miss with Carlos Sainz in French GP pitlane
Published: 24 Jul 2022, 18:51
By George Dagless
Alex Albon joked that the chaotic pitlane scenes sparked by the Safety Car called following Charles Leclerc’s crash at the French GP reminded him of NASCAR. Leclerc was pushing hard to maintain the lead after seeing Max Verstappen pit before him but he overcooked it and slid into the barriers at turn 11 here at Paul Ricard.
Indeed, the car needed to be removed and that prompted a Safety Car, leaving most of the field to dive into the pitlane for fresh tyres, heightening the chance of near misses between cars as they entered and exited their pitboxes. Speaking after the race, Albon said that the tight nature of the pitlane here at Paul Ricard made that situation more likely, and also joked that it felt like NASCAR with such little room for manoeuvre.
Asked by Give Me Sport to recall the incident, he said: “I felt it was a bit marginal. It was just one of those things, weirdly for such a long pitlane it’s actually a very tight pitlane and it makes sense now why [the limit] is 60kmh, at the time it was chaos. It felt like NASCAR!”
‘NASCAR with Carlos Sainz near-miss in French GP pitlane’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88038349-it-felt-like-nascar-alex-albon-reflects-on-near-miss-with-carlos-sainz-in-french-gp-pitlane
Ferrari Is Choking On Its Own Incompetence
12:14 PM EDT on Jul 24, 2022
Luis Paez-Pumar
With all due respect—the bare minimum, really—to Max Verstappen, Ferrari has been Ferrari’s toughest opponent this season. Kathryn reported as much from Silverstone earlier this month, and it remains as true as it was then after the French Grand Prix on Sunday. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Charles Leclerc was in a great position to win a race, only to end his day picking up a Did Not Finish. Or hey, here’s another one from the archives: Ferrari absolutely mangles a pitting strategy, and likely loses a position in the process. These are re-runs, and they are getting exhausting.
This is still Ferrari, so there was in fact a mechanical issue in the run-up to the retirement: after Leclerc smashed into the wall, he could have potentially reversed out and back onto the track to try to nab some points. Even one point would have been helpful, after all. Just as happened in Austria two weekends ago, though, Leclerc appeared to have a throttle pedal issue that did not allow him to reverse out of the wall, ending his race for good and prompting what will likely be the lasting sound of Ferrari’s season: a stream of heavy breaths leading into a primal rage roar of “No!” that thundered throughout the south of France.
The radio call came through while Sainz was going wheel-to-wheel on Perez, and his exasperated complaints about the strategy call only increased after the team had him pit the following lap, ending his chances at finishing anything higher than fifth. It was a strange call, or it would have been for any other team. For Ferrari, it simply feels like par for the course right now.
‘This is Ferrari!’;
https://defector.com/ferrari-is-choking-on-its-own-incompetence/
Is Leclerc too error-prone to beat Verstappen? Our verdict
17:59 Sun, 24 Jul
The Race
Charles Leclerc’s French Grand Prix crash turned a steep climb into a mountain in terms of his 2022 Formula 1 title aspirations, allowing Max Verstappen to pull a mammoth 63 points clear following the first race after the season’s halfway point.
Operational and reliability shortcomings have cost him dearly this season, but even without those, is he simply not as refined a package as reigning F1 champion Verstappen, despite possessing a similar level of peak speed? Our writers give their takes.
In this car, yes
Scott Mitchell
Too early to say given Ferrari’s state
Ben Anderson
On course for a shared-blame defeat
Gary Anderson
An error intrinsic to Leclerc’s particular skills
Mark Hughes
He’s not the one out of his depth
Sam Smith
‘Verdicts’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/is-leclerc-too-error-prone-to-beat-verstappen-our-verdict/
Fortitude
25th July 2022, 16:56
Record-breaker Alonso says he played French GP 'like a chess game' on way to P6.
Sunday’s French Grand Prix was a memorable one for Fernando Alonso: not only did he finish sixth at his Alpine team's home Grand Prix, but the Spaniard also broke the record for the most laps completed in Formula 1 history.
25 July 2022
Formula 1.
Alonso started the race in seventh but made one of his traditional fast getaways when the lights went out, jumping Lando Norris and George Russell to climb to fifth. And while he couldn’t keep Russell behind for long, the Spaniard was able to come home sixth and comfortably clear of Norris, which he felt was the best he could have hoped for.
“I’m very happy!” said Alonso. “I think the start was mega, from seventh to fifth – some risky moves there, then good tyre management. I think P6 was the maximum today. The tyres were acting better than we expected, so we did have to manage but not as much as we thought. I am pleased with our race today. It was well-executed from our side, and we managed the pace and tyres well.
“We had to work through a lot of things in terms of the car balance this weekend, but we ended up finishing just behind the top-five positions, so a very solid race in the end and more points on the board for us. It shows that when we have a clean weekend like this one, then we can finish in the top-six positions,” he added. “Hopefully we can keep up this level of consistency throughout the second half of the season and continue our momentum.”
‘Fernando Alonso: French GP 'chess game' to P6’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.record-breaker-alonso-says-he-played-french-gp-like-a-chess-game-on-way-to.3JaXvG578lIwVT52D3eusb.html
Alonso calls top six finish a 'good surprise' for Alpine
25/07/2022, 09:15
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
With concerns that Alpine's long run pace might be lacking, Fernando Alonso was pleasantly surprised to comfortably finish in the top six at Paul Ricard. Fernando Alonso says his Alpine's pace in Sunday's French Grand Prix was a "good surprise", as he had a solid run to sixth at the flag.
Despite reservations over Alpine's long run pace before the race, points for Alonso and teammate Esteban Ocon at Paul Ricard saw the French squad move into fourth in the Constructors' Championship, ahead of McLaren, and the Spaniard said he was pleased with his afternoon's work.
"It was a well-executed race from our side," Alonso told media including RacingNews365.com. "We were very concerned at the beginning of the weekend that our pace was not great, but we ended up just behind the top three teams, like our normal position so far this year.”
‘Alpine Surprises Good’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-calls-top-six-finish-a-good-surprise-for-alpine
Alonso: Strong start 'crucial' to beating McLarens in French GP
25/07/2022 at 09:41
Phillip van Osten
"The start was crucial probably to get in front of Lando," said the Spaniard. "I think they have very similar pace, but to be in front of them in the first couple of laps was enough to control the race and to control the pace.”
"We were not in a stress at any point, so it was good. Well executed race." As Alonso's race engineer kept him informed of the gap between himself and the McLaren pair of Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, the Spaniard mischievously encouraged his rivals to up the pace, suggesting it would ruin their tyres.
"I wish I could challenge the Mercedes in front of us or Checo, but that was not our league," he said. "So from that moment it was just to control them [the McLarens], and if they get closer to us probably they will damage the tyres."
‘Fernando Alonso: Strong start 'crucial' ’;
https://f1i.com/news/449325-alonso-strong-start-crucial-to-beating-mclarens-in-french-gp.html
Esteban Ocon: French GP was 'a good race' for Alpine
24 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Esteban Ocon, who finished P10 at Circuit Paul Ricard, says that the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix was "a good race" for Alpine as the team overtook midfield rivals McLaren in the constructors' standings with a strong points haul.
‘Good Race for Alpine’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.esteban-ocon-french-gp-was-a-good-race-for-alpine.1739250740116773278.html
Norris not falling for Alonso’s ‘mind games’ after pace claim
Date published: July 23 2022
Sam Cooper
Lando Norris was refusing to be sucked in by Fernando Alonso’s “mind games” and said he “doesn’t believe a word he says.” There may be 18 years of age difference between the two drivers but Norris has been around Alonso enough to know that the Spaniard is not afraid to pull some tricks in the media.
The Alpine driver arrived in the media pen before Norris following qualifying of the French Grand Prix and said he would have to see if the team had sacrificed race pace in order for an improved performance on the Saturday.
Norris, who will start two places ahead of Alonso in P5, was not buying it and remarked that the two-time World Champion was playing “mind games. Oh that’s Fernando,” he told F1.com. “He’s playing mind games with you. He knew I was coming here [the media pen] after. I don’t believe a word he says.”
‘EL PLAN: Alonso’s ‘mind games’ ’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-fernando-alonso-mind-games/
Alpine boss expects Alonso and Piastri to be on 2023 F1 grid
23/07/2022 at 14:54
Michael Delaney
Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi is confident that incumbent Fernando Alonso and reserve driver Oscar Piastri will both be racing in F1 next year, although not in the same team.
Esteban Ocon is committed to the Enstone squad until the end of 2024, but Alonso's contract with Alpine runs out at the end of this year.
However, both team and driver have expressed a desire to extend their collaboration, but a status quo would inevitably leave the highly-rated Piastri as the off man out in 2023.
‘On 2023 F1 Grid’;
https://f1i.com/news/448936-alpine-boss-expects-alonso-and-piastri-to-be-on-2023-f1-grid.html
Fortitude
26th July 2022, 05:30
McLaren qualifying speed papering over cracks – Norris.
Lando Norris has suggested McLaren's qualifying pace has hidden a lot of the MCL36's deficiencies this season after falling back during the French Grand Prix.
Monday 25 July 2022 12:40
Ewan Gale
The British driver qualified a magnificent fifth to split Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at the Paul Ricard Circuit. Put to Norris that his suggestion of improved qualifying pace would help at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix where overtaking is difficult, he replied: "Yeah, it's true, for certain tracks.
Addressing his start, Norris said: "I had a bit of wheelspin but I don't think it changed our race in any way. Fernando would still have passed me. "I think we achieved everything we could have done, frustrating because after qualifying our hopes were pushed up a little bit.
"I think it was more because we did a very, very good lap and to be in the middle of the two Mercedes, they showed they can almost race for a win. It shows there are differences between people's pace in quali and races and for whatever reason, we maybe show a bit more pace in quali - the new tyres and low fuel hides a lot of our issues and problems. As soon as we get into high fuel, old tyres, all those issues are exposed, and we're just quite slow."
‘Papering Over Cracks’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87993/french-grand-prix-mclaren-lando-norris/
Lando Norris laments “tough day” at the French Grand Prix: “We weren’t as quick as we needed to be”
July 25, 2022
By Ashley Cline
McLaren F1 Team’s Lando Norris struggled with a lack of pace and high tyre degradation at the French Grand Prix, and was ultimately unable to build from his fifth place starting position and ultimately finished in seventh. With the team finding themselves in a performance deficit to their nearest competitors recently, Norris “expected” to have trouble battling for the sharp end of the points.
“Tough day but I think it was what we expected. It was a long race and we struggled a little bit with the degradation of the tyre but also just with the pure pace. We weren’t as quick as we needed to be, so yeah, just tough but I won’t say disappointed. It’s sort of what we were expecting, so not a surprise.”
Norris said that the team will look to make the most of the upgrades they brought to France at the next race weekend in Hungary, as they are motivated to improve upon their current standing as summer break nears. “We’ll keep pushing, keep trying to improve, and we’ll go again next weekend. Thanks again to all the team here and at the factory for their efforts.”
‘Lando Norris: “Tough Day” at the French Grand Prix’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/lando-norris-laments-tough-day-at-the-french-grand-prix-we-werent-as-quick-as-we-needed-to-be/
Norris takes a 'lot of positives' from France despite Alpine edging ahead of McLaren in the championship
25 July 2022
Formula 1.
Lando Norris had put in what he called a “very, very good lap” in qualifying to seal P5 on the grid and split the two Mercedes cars. But the youngster had indicated he would struggle to stay there in the race and so it proved, as he lost out to both George Russell and Fernando Alonso to come home a still solid seventh.
In France, McLaren were running a raft of new upgrades, which helped Norris to extract the absolute maximum from his MCL36 on Saturday over one lap. But he wasn’t able to replicate that feeling during the race, although he was still pleased with the progress the team had made.
“I think there’s still a lot of positives – it’s helped the car, it’s moved it in the right direction,” he said. “Some of those improvements in balance that I seemed to have for yesterday, I lost today and went away from me, and I just didn’t have the same confidence in the car. Good work by the team; we’d have been a lot slower if we didn’t have [the upgrades].”
‘Lando Norris: 'Lot of Positives' ’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.norris-takes-a-lot-of-positives-from-france-despite-alpine-edging-ahead-of.1bqSOL95hAbiQpvSdiT14z.html
Norris praises McLaren for keeping 'much quicker' Alpine behind until now
25 July 12:15
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Co-author Aaron Deckers
McLaren fell behind Alpine in the race for fourth position in the Constructors' standings after both teams logged double points finishes at the French Grand Prix. As the 2022 season develops, Norris noted the importance of bringing upgrades if McLaren are to stay in the fight for P4.
"We'll look into all the updates and see what we did," Norris told media, including RacingNews365.com. "I think a lot of them were positive. I think we would have been even slower [in the race] and in an even worse position [in qualifying] if we didn't have the updates, so I think it's a lot of positives and we move forward.
"Alpine have been much quicker than us all season, they've just made a lot more mistakes, and we've done a very good job with a lot of things to be ahead. Now, being behind them is more realistic, and where we deserve to be with the car."
‘McLaren being behind Alpine is "more realistic" ‘;
https://racingnews365.com/norris-praises-mclaren-for-keeping-much-quicker-alpine-behind-until-now
Aussie F1 star Daniel Ricciardo gets his Italian wrong and calls teammate Lando Norris a VERY rude name four times while interviewer desperately tries to correct him
• Ricciardo called Norris a 'sh**head' in a hilarious post-race interview
• He mixed up his Italian words, with interviewer explaining his mistake
• Aussie finished ninth with Norris seventh in a solid French GP for McLaren
• Ricciardo also cracked up a commentator up with his description of a sandwich
By KRISTY WILLIAMS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
PUBLISHED: 05:32, 25 July 2022
Daniel Ricciardo did nothing to hose down speculation there's tension between him and Lando Norris when he hilariously called his McLaren teammate a 'sh**head' by accident when he got his Italian wrong following the French Grand Prix.
‘Interviewer desperately tries to correct Daniel Ricciardo’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11045045/Australian-F1-McLaren-driver-Daniel-Ricciardo-gets-Italian-wrong-swears-Lando-Norris.html
Ricciardo cusses Norris four times in Italian in amusing interview blunder
Monday 25 July 2022 10:25 - Updated: 10:26
Ronan Murphy
Daniel Ricciardo made a hilarious - but offensive - blunder on Italian television after McLaren secured a double-points finish at the French Grand Prix. Ricciardo, whose father is Sicilian, was being interviewed in Italian following his ninth-place finish at the Circuit Paul Ricard when he called Lando Norris a 'stronzo.'
Ricciardo said "Lando, il stronzo" before the Italian TV host interjected to tell him that the term was a bad word in Italian. Stronzo roughly translates to 's***head' or 'a**hole' and is considered a swear word in Italian.
Ricciardo repeated the word on three further occasions. When the reporter pointed out his mistake, the Australian driver replied in English "Is it not a good word? Okay, scusa."
‘Interview Blunder’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87986/french-grand-prix-daniel-ricciardo-lando-norris-italian-tv-interview-blunder/
Ricciardo mistakingly labels team-mate Norris an ‘a**hole’
Date published: July 25 2022
Sam Cooper
Daniel Ricciardo may not be quite as fluent in Italian as he thinks he is after calling his own team-mate Lando Norris an “a**hole”. With both drivers being among the most fun-loving off track, this season alone we have been treated to incidents like Ricciardo smacking Norris in the face with a space hopper at Silverstone. However, Norris may not appreciate being called an “a**hole” four times live on national TV.
Speaking to the Italian media following the race at Paul Ricard, Ricciardo noticed his team-mate behind him waiting for his turn to speak. With a smile, Ricciardo told the reporter Norris was a “stronzo, The reporter then acted rather shocked and said “no, no”.
Ricciardo looked a little taken aback and then said “un stronzo, no?” before saying it again another two times. Perhaps realising his mistake, Ricciardo switched back to his native English and asked “is it not a good word?” before the reporter told him no, it very much is not. It turns out the 33-year-old had labelled his team-mate an “a**hole” and when he asked if it was really bad, the reporter said it was “more bad than good”.
‘Italian Reporter: More bad than good!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-lando-norris-asshole/
Fortitude
26th July 2022, 08:35
Villeneuve: Ferrari and Leclerc best example how not to win a championship.
Jacques Villeneuve slammed Ferrari and Charles Leclerc after the 2022 French Grand Prix, claiming what they are doing is the best example how not to win the Formula 1 Championship.
Jad Mallak
26 July, 2022
“The race was good, but could have been so much better,” Villeneuve said of the missed fight in his formule1.nl column. “With the tremendous heat levels, we had all the ingredients for a great fight. “Leclerc and Verstappen had the same pace, but Leclerc went and made another mistake that he should not have made. He admits it himself, this kind of thing means he doesn’t deserve the championship.
“I don’t get it either, in Austria he withstood the pressure just fine,” a bewildered Villeneuve wrote. “That is the big difference with Verstappen, this does not happen to him. And if he is beaten by Leclerc, he often finishes second, so the huge gap is not going to shrink quickly. “And so we have a championship with two more or less equal cars, but where one has a big lead. This is the best example of how not to win a championship,” the Canadian claimed.
Ferrari didn’t manage Carlos Sainz’s race properly. “Sainz was unhappy yesterday,” Villeneuve said. “First things went wrong during his pit stop, then there was the penalty he got after that, which I think they should have redeemed afterwards. Sainz made a really brilliant move on Pérez and still seemed to have the speed to pull away,” the 1997 F1 Champion pointed out. “They then acted hesitantly at the pit wall at Ferrari and that costs Sainz points.”
‘How not to win a Championship’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/26/villeneuve-ferrari-and-leclerc-best-example-how-not-to-win-a-championship/
JV: Leclerc setting ‘best example’ of how not to win title
Date published: July 26 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
1997 champ Jacques Villeneuve says Charles Leclerc is setting the prime example of how a title challenge fades away. Villeneuve pointed out that Verstappen does not make these kinds of mistakes like Leclerc, who also spun at Imola earlier in the season as he harried Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull.
“The race was good, but could have been so much better,” Villeneuve wrote in his Formule1.nl column. “With the enormous heat, we had all the ingredients for a great fight. Leclerc and Verstappen were on the same pace, only Leclerc makes another mistake he shouldn’t make. He admits it himself, he doesn’t deserve the Championship this way. I don’t get it either, in Austria he withstood the pressure perfectly.”
‘Title challenge fades away’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-charles-leclerc-france-error/
Charles Leclerc consoled by stewards after French Grand Prix crash in new footage.
18:23, 25 JUL 2022
BY Andrew Gamble Sports Trends Writer
Charles Leclerc's faltering title bid hit another roadblock at the French Grand Prix after the Ferrari star crashed out of the race, allowing rival Max Verstappen to cruise to victory. Ferrari star Charles Leclerc had to be consoled by race stewards after he made a crucial error to crash out of the lead of the French Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old extended his lead to more than a second to prevent Verstappen from being able to use the DRS overtaking ability, ensuring his lead was fairly comfortable. It meant the Red Bull was forced to come in first, pitting on lap 16. Leclerc stayed out and the question arose whether he would retain his lead once he came into the pits, but he perhaps should have come in earlier. Less than two laps later, the Ferrari spun out at the demanding corner after the long Mistral straight and the Signes curve, which should be taken at full speed.
Leclerc spun across the run-off area before slamming his Ferrari’s nose into the barriers. He tried to reverse out but couldn't, and let out a frustrated scream: “No!” The Ferrari man exited his car as stewards arrived on the scene, and the attendants actually helped console Leclerc as the gravity of his error seemingly began to dawn on him. While crouched on the floor, a steward had his arm around Leclerc’s shoulders in an attempt to cheer him up.
‘Charles Leclerc consoled by stewards after French Grand Prix crash’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/charles-leclerc-crash-stewards-french-27573943
RED MIST: 2022 – The year Ferrari won the title for Max
25 July, 2022
Michele Lupini
The 2022 French Grand Prix was brilliant for the Tifosi, with Charles Leclerc vigorously defending from the relentless Max Verstappen. Until lap 18, that is.
Just 24 hours earlier, Carlos Sainz had towed Charles Leclerc to an epic tactical pole position. And then for the initial seventeen race laps, Leclerc gradually wore Max Verstappen down to submission.
Ferrari forced Red Bull into an earlier stop and Leclerc looked content to keep on pumping away on those mediums. Hold that thought: Mediums. Then it all fell apart. Kudos to Charles on taking (another) one for the team.
“I think it’s just a mistake,” Leclerc admitted. “I tried to take too much around the outside, put a wheel probably somewhere dirty. But it’s my fault and if I keep doing mistakes like this then I deserve not to win the championship,” the Ferrari ace admitted. Not that his rivals lying around in the cool room concurred. But let’s leave that one there.
‘Ferrari won the title for Max’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/25/red-mist-2022-the-year-ferrari-won-the-title-for-max/
What France Taught Us About The Demise Of Charles Leclerc's Title Bid
Jul 25, 2022 4:51 PM
Eoin Harrington
Sunday's French Grand Prix saw a change in form from the Monégasque driver. Leading the race, with the potential to take back-to-back wins and cut another chunk from Verstappen's lead in the championship, Leclerc would spectacularly spin and crash out of the race, leaving his hopes of a maiden title in tatters.
The result from Paul Ricard - which saw Verstappen win and extend his lead by a further 25 points - leaves question marks surrounding Leclerc's mentality in the title battle. Long term, however, it could be a positive learning experience for the 24-year-old.
It seems harsh to say, but any hope of the 2022 title is now surely gone for the Monaco native. It would take a miracle unlike any we have seen in F1 history - Leclerc would, in effect, have to win nearly every race between now and the end of the season, presuming Verstappen keeps up his ludicrous consistency of finishing in the top two of races.
‘Long Term Positive Learning Experience’;
https://www.balls.ie/motorsport/charles-leclerc-title-challenge-518297
Has “lunacy” cost Ferrari F1 title? - GPFans Stewards' Room Podcast
Monday 25 July 2022 16:20 - Updated: 16:45
Sam Hall
Max Verstappen secured yet another victory at the French Grand Prix but Ferrari blunders again stole the headlines.
GPFans editor-in-chief Ian Parkes, deputy editor Sam Hall and F1 correspondent Ewan Gale join Oliver Wilson for this week's roundtable.
Ferrari's strategy was perfect in qualifying but a race-ending driver error from Charles Leclerc and slow decision-making from the pit wall for Sainz saw the Scuderia lose significant ground on Red Bull.
‘Ferrari “lunacy” Stole The Headlines!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88011/french-grand-prix-ferrari-lunacy-f1-title-gpfans-stewards-room-podcast/
Ferrari Is Sabotaging Its First Real Shot at the F1 Title in Years.
Red Bull’s running away with the championship and Ferrari still can’t get it together.
Jul 25, 2022 11:14 AM
By Hazel Southwell
All of us are human. We all make mistakes. Sometimes it's comforting to remember that, which is why watching the 2022 Formula 1 season is actually a valid form of therapy. I've done a lot of things that have been against my own best interests, thrown away opportunities, had fits of pique that saw me turn down things I should've gone for, and missed calls I should've taken. But at least I wasn't spending $140 million to do that in public at Grand Prix circuits like Ferrari has this year.
To win an F1 world championship you need to build a really good car, have really good drivers, and then use both of those to score more points than your rivals. Two out of three ain't bad a lot of the time, but that's definitely not good enough in F1. If Ferrari can't find a way to stop making mistakes, then Verstappen and Red Bull will run away with the titles.
‘Ferrari Is Sabotaging F1 Title!’;
https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/ferrari-is-sabotaging-its-first-real-shot-at-the-f1-title-in-years
Fortitude
26th July 2022, 19:04
‘Ferrari wrote the manual on shooting themselves in the foot’.
If Niki Lauda was alive today he would be on about Ferrari being “too Italian” as once again they shot “themselves in the foot” at the French GP, says Jonathan McEvoy.
Date published: July 25 2022 - Michelle Foster
It is, according to F1 journalist McEvoy, a manual “written” by Ferrari. “Ferrari really are unfathomable,” he wrote in the Daily Mail. “Despite groaning riches and unsurpassed heritage, they regularly shoot themselves in the foot. “This season alone they have pulled off the unholy trinity: unreliability, strategy botches and driver boobs. That manual was written in Maranello.”
“Why? A singular theory was advanced by one of their former champions, the late Niki Lauda, when I asked why Michael Schumacher’s glory-soaked era had not been backed up with more success. “‘They are too Italian,’ he said. Alluding to Schumacher, technical chief Ross Brawn and the predominantly native workforce, Lauda added: ‘Then, you had the Teutonic influence: clear, unbending. The English acted as the bridge. Italy is all about romance and spaghetti.”
McEvoy believes Ferrari are missing the influence of former tech boss James Allison, the Englishman now with Mercedes. “One Englishman whom the Scuderia really miss is James Allison,” he continued. “Mention of his name, and the fact he was allowed to leave a few years back, causes former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo to shake his head in despair.”
‘Manual was written in Maranello’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-wrote-manual-shooting-the-foot/
Ferrari’s defence of ‘defeatist’ Sainz strategy doesn’t hold up
Jul 25 2022
By Ben Anderson
Ferrari and Carlos Sainz were emphatically defensive about their strategy in Formula 1’s French Grand Prix, with Sainz adamant that Ferrari is “not a disaster” in this regard despite various recent fumbles.
Ferrari F1 boss Mattia Binotto was forced onto the defensive after the team turned a possible 1-2 result at the British GP into a 1-4, and he was at it again after the Paul Ricard F1 race, where Sainz gave up a possible podium finish by making an extra pitstop late in the race that condemned him to fifth.
“As far as the choice we made, it was the proper and the right one,” said Binotto, who insisted his driver lacked sufficient information from inside the cockpit to decide for himself – though it’s interesting that Sainz did not automatically comply with the call to pit, suggesting he had conflicting feelings at the time. Binotto added that he had “no doubt” the call had been correct.
‘Ferrari’s defence doesn’t hold up’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferraris-defence-of-defeatist-sainz-strategy-doesnt-hold-up/
Ferrari's wine waiter on the pitwall – French GP Goin' up, Goin' Down.
Unforced errors, confused strategy and weird floating heads were all on the menu in Provence
July 25th 2022
Author James Elson
What could well be Formula 1’s last ever race at Paul Ricard or even in France had all the absurdity of a Camus novel to see it off. Under a burning, blinding sun Charles Leclerc binned it from the lead, Ferrari had an existential crisis on the pitwall, Nico Rosberg’s head floated round like something from an absinthe-induced night terror and the FIA’s VSC system went completely cuckoo as George Russell and Sergio Perez engaged in a game of ‘who can drive slowest’.
It was dramatic, maddening, amusing and sad all at once – Going up, Going Down at the 2022 French GP. Leclerc once more threw away a crucial advantage when he held all the cards, this time in a place it hurts more than most, the French GP.
Pole runs in Baku 2019 and Monaco 2021 were surrendered to shunts, he spun off out of third in Imola this year and now probably his worst mistake in Paul Ricard, crashing out of the lead when seemingly having the grand epreuve in his pocket. That scream of “Nooo” was harrowing, and will live long in the motor sport memory – pretty much Leclerc’s and Ferrari’s season summed up in one utterance.
Unforced errors, confused strategy and weird floating heads on the menu’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/ferraris-wine-waiter-on-the-pitwall-french-gp-goin-up-goin-down#
Italian media point Leclerc to 'flawless' Verstappen: He learns from his errors
25/07/2022, 16:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Co-author Aaron Deckers
Italian media have reacted in numbers over the contrasting fortunes experienced by F1 title rivals Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen at the French Grand Prix. After the race, Italian publications rushed to offer their assessment of Leclerc's mistake, Verstappen's subsequent cruise to victory and what the two outcomes mean for this year's championship battle.
Leclerc's French GP victory chances "go up in smoke" "Leclerc was dominating, Ferrari were strong and Red Bull were in trouble," wrote La Gazzetta dello Sport. "He ended up in the tyre barriers and saw a fourth win this season go up in smoke. C'est la vie. Verstappen took full advantage and gained another 25 points in the battle for the title."
Leclerc's crash compared to Vettel's Hockenheim disaster. Meanwhile, the Corriere dello Sport compared Leclerc's crash to Sebastian Vettel's painful race-ending mistake on home soil at the 2018 German Grand Prix. A "defining moment" in the race for the 2022 F1 title? Over at La Repubblica, there were suggestions that Sunday's Grand Prix could be a turning point in the title race. "Verstappen again showed how mature he is and uses his full talent," they wrote, giving him nine out of 10 for his performance.
‘Italian Media Assessments’;
https://racingnews365.com/italian-media-point-leclerc-to-flawless-verstappen-he-learns-from-his-errors
Hill questions 'all at sea' Ferrari after French GP strategy calls
26/07/2022, 15:20
Author Michael Butterworth
After the French Grand Prix bore witness to yet another questionable Ferrari strategy call, Damon Hill believes the Scuderia need to look at how to improve efficiency of communication on the pit wall.
Former F1 World Champion Damon Hill has questioned the effectiveness of Ferrari's strategy calls, after the team chose to pit Carlos Sainz late in the race, just as he was attempting to overtake Sergio Perez.
Sainz overruled Ferrari's initial call and passed Perez, but pitted two laps later and dropped from third to ninth, and although he recovered to finish fifth, some suggested that Ferrari should have left him out on worn tyres to try to defend his third place. Sainz also overruled Ferrari's call to pit him at Monaco, in a race where the Scuderia's indecision over strategy saw Charles Leclerc drop from first to fourth.
And at Silverstone, Ferrari's decision to pit Sainz over Leclerc under Safety Car conditions again saw the Monegasque lose the race lead and finish fourth. Speaking after the French Grand Prix, Hill suggested that Ferrari's history of decision-making at crucial moments left a little to be desired.
‘Strategy Calls Questioned’;
https://racingnews365.com/hill-questions-all-at-sea-ferrari-after-french-gp-strategy-calls
Doubts cast over Ferrari being able to get on top of their 'big problem'
26/07/2022, 13:40
Author Michael Butterworth
With Ferrari and their customer teams having suffered several costly mechanical retirements so far in 2022, Nico Rosberg doubts whether the Scuderia have a quick fix to their reliability issues. Former F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg has cast doubt over whether Ferrari have got on top of the reliability concerns that have plagued them so far in the 2022 season.
Ferrari customer teams Haas and Alfa Romeo have also been struck with reliability issues related to their power units, prompting Rosberg to question whether Ferrari could iron out these problems in a hurry. "I'm sure they've learned from what happened in Austria," Rosberg told Sky F1.
“But with an engine, it's often not so easy to bring a quick fix, and I've heard that within Ferrari, it's not easy to bring in this quick fix, so they're trying to manage the situation carefully, but there are some headaches remaining there.”
‘Big Problem Doubts’;
https://racingnews365.com/doubts-cast-over-ferrari-being-able-to-get-on-top-of-their-big-problem
Fortitude
27th July 2022, 05:20
Is Ferrari’s upgraded floor the indirect cause of Charles Leclerc’s latest DNF? F1 TECH...
Analysing the Ferrari onboards in the first part of the race, we can safely say the behaviour of the F1-75 didn't help Leclerc avoid a tragic end to the French GP.
26 Jul 2022
Alessio Ciancola
Statistically speaking, Ferrari have the best car on the grid with the F1-75 able to be competitive on every track so far this season in 2022, particularly on mid to high downforce ones. Throughout the season, Ferrari’s engineers back at Maranello understood the weak points of the F1-75 and thus introduced upgrades in the subsequent races after Bahrain.
Reflecting on the crash itself, it’s possible to see that in the first part of the corner, Leclerc managed to take it with a very pointed front end but through the corner, the lazy rear didn’t follow it and thus there was a huge oversteer moment for him that he wasn’t able to control, crashing into the barriers as a result. Of course, it is really difficult to say what are the real reasons for the crash, even if it’s quite clear that it was just caused by a human mistake, admitted by Leclerc himself afterwards.
Analysing the Ferrari onboards in the first part of the race, we can safely say the behaviour of the F1-75 didn't help Leclerc avoid a tragic end to the French GP. While the link might not be direct, could it be possible to say that Leclerc’s crash may have been indirectly caused by Ferrari’s new upgrades?
‘Ferrari’s Upgraded Floor Analysis’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1008545/1/ferrari-s-upgraded-floor-indirect-cause-leclerc-s-latest-dnf
Broadcast delay behind "nonsensical" radio call to Sainz, reveals Ferrari.
Told to stay out, the Spaniard battled with the Red Bull throughout the final section of the lap, then, just as he gained the advantage over the Red Bull and pulled ahead, came that infuriating voice telling him to "box, box".
26/07/2022
NEWS STORY
Ferrari strategy director, Inaki Rueda reveals that the infuriating radio call to Carlos Sainz to pit at the exact moment he was battling with Sergio Perez was not what it appeared.
Hands up, all of you who screamed at their TVs as Ferrari effectively ordered Sainz to "box, box" at the precise moment he was finally passing Sergio Perez as they battled for third on Sunday.
Previously, the Spaniard had been arguing with his team over the rights and wrongs of making a second stop, a 5s time penalty imposed for the unsafe release at his first merely adding to the conundrum.
‘Ferrari: Broadcast Delay’;
https://www.pitpass.com/73215/Broadcast-delay-behind-nonsensical-radio-call-to-Sainz-reveals-Ferrari
Ferrari’s Mattia Binotto: “There is no point on dwelling on Charles’ mistake”
July 26, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Mattia Binotto is already putting the disappointment of the French Grand Prix behind him as his Scuderia Ferrari team turn their attention to the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend.
harles Leclerc crashed out of the lead at the Circuit Paul Ricard on Sunday, and Binotto, the Team Principal at Ferrari, says there is little point in dwelling over the Monegasque driver’s mistake. “There is no point on dwelling on Charles’ mistake,” said Binotto. “These things can happen, even to great drivers like him and together, we have already put it behind us.”
“Although this result was far from the one we wanted, there are still some positives to take away from this race,” said Binotto. “First of all, the F1-75 was very competitive, even on this difficult Paul Ricard track.”
‘Mattia Binotto: No point on dwelling on Charles’ mistake’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/ferraris-mattia-binotto-there-is-no-point-on-dwelling-on-charles-mistake/
Charles Leclerc stat hints F1 title is already Max Verstappen's after French GP heartbreak
CHARLES LECLERC has a mountain to climb in the F1 Drivers' Championship this season.
05:35, Wed, Jul 27, 2022
By Michael Gowler
If that wasn't painful enough for the Ferrari man, he's seen five drivers record more points than him over the past six races - with Verstappen having extended his advantage over Leclerc by 57 points in that time. The Red Bull racer has registered 123 points since Monaco, while a rejuvenated Lewis Hamilton has amassed the second-highest points tally over the same period with 81.
Leclerc's Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz has scored 79 points over the past six races - one more than Red Bull's Sergio Perez. Mercedes' George Russell has recorded 69, which is three more than Leclerc has earned over the same time. "I've been saying I think I'm performing at my highest level in my career but if I keep doing those mistakes then it's pointless to perform at a very high level. I'm losing too many points - seven in Imola, 25 here - because honestly we probably were the strongest car on track today.”
"So, if we lose the championship by 32 points, at the end of the season I will know where they are coming from. It's unacceptable, I just need to get on top of those things."
‘Charles Leclerc stat: 32 points!’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1646395/Charles-Leclerc-Max-Verstappen-Ferrari-Red-Bull-F1-news-French-Grand-Prix
Ferrari boss backs Charles Leclerc to recover from France crash and claims team can win every race left in 2022
Tuesday 26 Jul 2022 1:11 pm
Callum McAvoy
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has backed Charles Leclerc to come back even stronger at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix following his crash at the last race in in France. Binotto also made a huge claim that his team could definitely win all 10 remaining races of the season, despite their numerous struggles so far in 2022.
After 12 races, the Scuderia trail Red Bull by 82 points, while Max Verstappen has a very impressive 63 point lead over Leclerc, but Binotto is convinced Ferrari and Leclerc can overcome their issues and dominate the rest of the season.
‘At the end of the season we will see where we are, but I think with our good package, there is no reason why we cannot win 10 races from now to the end,’ Binotto said as per De Telegraaf.
‘Mattia Binotto: Win 10 races from now to the end’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/26/f1-ferrari-boss-backs-charles-leclerc-to-recover-from-french-gp-crash-17070575/?ito=newsnow-feed
Binotto details Ferrari's plan of attack after French GP blow
25 July 2022, 17:30
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Mattia Binotto has called for "focus" at Ferrari and a "race-by-race" approach as they bid to claw back lost ground to Red Bull. Binotto dreams of winning every remaining race.
Put to him that neither Leclerc nor Ferrari can afford any more issues in their quest to beat Verstappen and Red Bull to title glory, Binotto explained how his team will fight back. "No, we cannot, [just] as they cannot afford mistakes – I think that's the risk for everyone," Binotto told Sky Sports F1, after Carlos Sainz salvaged fifth for the team by fighting back from an engine penalty.
"[We will take it] step-by-step, race-by-race and stay focused. We will try to challenge them, try to win all the races from now to the end, which is the only thing we can do. Then let's see what will happen [at the end of the season]."
‘Mattia Binotto: Ferrari's plan of attack’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-details-ferraris-plan-of-attack-after-french-gp-blow
Fortitude
27th July 2022, 16:40
Ferrari Looking to Dominate Hungarian Grand Prix, Wants to Secure 1-2 Result.
Despite Charles Leclerc crashing out and Carlos Sainz finishing just P5 in France, Ferrari are looking to take the Hungaroring by storm, with team principal Mattia Binotto wanting his drivers to secure a one-two finish.
27 Jul 2022, 07:58 UTC ·
by Sergiu Tudose
In France, the Scuderia really underperformed, despite looking strong in terms of pace. After the race, the Italian outfit came away with just 11 points to Red Bull’s 37 and Mercedes’ 33, but according to Binotto, his team would like to wash away this poor result with a dominant one.
If you would have asked me before this race what was the gap to Red Bull or Max, I couldn’t answer to you because I’m not looking. What we are focused on is trying to go at each single race and get the maximum results from it. And it didn’t happen here in Paul Ricard,” said Binotto following the race.
“There is always something to improve and learn, and that’s our approach. It’s step by step; we are progressing and becoming better. Once again today we have proved to our drivers we have a fast car and a competitive one. I think we are simply looking to Hungary, we need to turn the page and look to Hungary and do a one-two there, so we simply focus on the next result.”
‘1 – 2 Target;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/ferrari-looking-to-dominate-hungarian-grand-prix-wants-to-secure-1-2-result-194572.html
Leclerc needs luck to go against Verstappen again – Six Hungarian GP talking points
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Posted on 27th July 2022, 8:10
Written by Will Wood
With Charles Leclerc throwing away an opportunity to take more points out of Max Verstappen’s championship advantage in Paul Ricard last weekend, there is only one more chance for him to claim back some momentum before the summer break. Here are the talking points for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Can Leclerc strike back before the summer break?
Magnussen finally gets the upgrades
Stuck in a rut?
Ocon one year on
Rules of racing
Coming attractions
‘Talking Points’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/27/leclerc-needs-luck-to-go-against-verstappen-again-six-hungarian-gp-talking-points/
Max Verstappen claims Red Bull need to find ‘quite a bit of performance’, fires Hungary GP warning
The Hungarian Grand Prix is the last race before the summer break.
26 July 2022
by James Clifford
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen anticipates that the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend will be a difficult one for his team, so places an emphasis on collecting solid points even when Ferrari are stronger.
“Of course, it’s a great lead but a lot of things can happen and I just want to stay focused; we need a lot more good results, a lot more one-lap pace,” Verstappen told Formula1.com.
“The next race is Budapest, and I think that will be a bit more of a struggle for us, where I think Ferrari is going to be really, really quick. “It’s all about scoring points every single race, even when it’s not your race.”
‘Max Points Scoring’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verstappen-claims-red-bull-need-to-find-quite-a-bit-of-performance-fires-hungary-gp-warning/
Verstappen expects 'really, really quick' Ferrari to keep pushing Red Bull
26/07/2022, 17:00
Author Michael Butterworth
Max Verstappen says he is expecting a tough fight to beat Ferrari at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. Verstappen won the French Grand Prix as title rival Charles Leclerc spun out of the lead, and the Dutchman now sits a commanding 63 points clear of the Ferrari driver in the Championship standings.
But Verstappen is expecting Ferrari to be very strong at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with the slow corners of the Hungaroring circuit likely to suit the handling characteristics and the one-lap pace of the F1-75.
Speaking after the French Grand Prix, Verstappen acknowledged his commanding position at the top of the Drivers' Championship, but cautioned that there was still much to do to consolidate his points lead. "It's a great lead, but a lot of things can happen," Verstappen told media including RacingNews365.com. "I just want to stay focused. We need a lot more good results.”
‘Great lead, stay focussed’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-expects-really-really-quick-ferrari-to-keep-pushing-red-bull
Magnussen will be only Haas driver to use team’s major upgrade in Hungary
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Posted on 26th July 2022, 10:48|
Written by Keith Collantine
Haas will only have one example of the major new upgrade for its VF-22 available for use at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. The team has chosen to give the single upgrade kit to Kevin Magnussen, who is their leading points scorer over the season so far. “In the end, we couldn’t get two car kits to the race track, so with Kevin being in front in the championship we gave him the package to try,” team principal Guenther Steiner explained.
The upgrade was originally scheduled to arrive at the previous race. However Haas’s development programme was held up as it had to produce extra replacement parts following the two major crashes suffered by Mick Schumacher in Jeddah and Monaco. “Unfortunately we had a few delays in the development stage, so we postponed it from the French Grand Prix to Hungary,” said Steiner. “Also, with the spares situation we had at the beginning of the season, up to race seven or eight, we fell a bit behind in production and therefore we don’t have enough parts for two cars.
“We struggle with spare parts for one car so hopefully we can get it done and bring it to Hungary. Everybody has worked really hard – the team and our suppliers – to make this happen so I’m still very happy that we bring it on one car to Hungary,” he added. “We want to get some data before the summer break so we have something to work from when we get back, and if all goes well we’ll have it on both cars.”
‘Only enough spares parts for one car’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/26/magnussen-will-be-only-haas-driver-to-use-teams-major-upgrade-in-hungary/
Budapest weather: Could rain play a role in the Hungarian GP?
27/07/2022, 15:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Mixed weather conditions are predicted across the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend at the Hungaroring, with rain in the air on Saturday. Formula 1 moves on to Hungary for the final round before the summer break, with a mixed weather forecast potentially adding to the spectacle.
After a baking hot event at Paul Ricard, warm temperatures are also expected at the Hungaroring – but this time rain could enter the mix. While the start to the weekend is set to be dry, rain is a threat for Saturday's final practice and qualifying sessions.
‘Rain could enter the mix’;
https://racingnews365.com/budapest-weather-could-rain-play-a-role-in-the-hungarian-gp
Hungarian Grand Prix: 5 dramatic moments from the F1 archive
27 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Check out five of the most hair-raising moments from Formula 1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
‘5 Hair-raising Moments;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.hungarian-grand-prix-5-dramatic-moments-from-the-f1-archive.1739495591918898735.html
Fortitude
28th July 2022, 07:36
“We need to keep unlocking more performance” – Mercedes’ Toto Wolff.
Wolff, the Team Principal at Mercedes, says the gap to the two teams ahead of them remains too much, particularly over a single lap, and they are working extra hard to close that gap still further across the remainder of the season.
July 27, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Toto Wolff says that whilst it was encouraging that the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team scored a double podium in last weekend’s French Grand Prix, the team are not yet where they want to be when it comes to competing against Oracle Red Bull Racing or Scuderia Ferrari.
“It was encouraging to score such a big haul of points in France and maximise the situation on Sunday but we know there is much work still to do,” said Wolff. “The gap to the leaders on a single lap persists and we struggle more at the start of stints.”
“We need to keep unlocking more performance, and by maintaining the culture, mindset and spirit that has spurred on all the hard work at the factories, I’m confident we will. Our reliability was good once again, and both Lewis and George were on strong form, to deliver a double podium.”
‘Unlocking More Performance’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/we-need-to-keep-unlocking-more-performance-mercedes-toto-wolff/
Toto Wolff hits out at ‘bored’ Christian Horner after warning about ‘illegal’ practice.
The regulations for next season have caused division in the paddock.
27 July 2022
by James Clifford
Horner’s retort related to Wolff’s alleged intentions to work through the summer to improve the W13. There is a 14-day shutdown during the summer break during which nobody from the team is allowed to work on the car, so the 48-year-old cautioned the German side against that.
“I heard that Toto is said to have said that they are working through the summer break to improve the car, that would of course be illegal,” stated Horner.
’14-day Shutdown’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-hits-out-at-bored-christian-horner-after-warning-about-illegal-practice/
Toto Wolff's ex-Mercedes advisor releases statement after Ferrari suspicions about FIA job
SHAILA-ANN RAO has taken a new role within the FIA after three years at Mercedes.
06:33, Thu, Jul 28, 2022
By Sam Smith
Shaila-Ann Rao has released a statement after several Formula One teams expressed concerns about the former Mercedes advisor’s new high-profile role within the FIA. Rao was recently appointed as general secretary to autosport and has denied that there will be any preferential treatment towards her former employers.
She has been forced to deny that there is a conflict of interest in her taking the new job. Rao points out there several members of FIA staff have worked for teams in the past - including at Ferrari.
"Before I worked for Mercedes, I was director of legal affairs at the FIA. That's how the world of F1 works, you go from one team to another. It's full of ex-employees, even Stefano Domenicali worked at Ferrari. I'm not worried about certain rumours, I'll move on and keep doing what I've always done - work,” she told radio station Corriere della Sera.
‘SHAILA-ANN RAO Statement’
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1646666/Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-releases-statement-Ferrari-FIA-F1-news
Wolff reveals 'biggest asset' for Mercedes in push for victory
28/07/2022, 07:00
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff says the team's culture is its biggest asset as the Silver Arrows seek to get back to winning ways. "I think the biggest asset is the culture that we have in the team," Wolff told media including RacingNews365.com.
"For me, it's the immune system of the team. It keeps us working with the right mindset and spirit when it's difficult. The drivers are part of our culture and our mindset, and they very rarely make mistakes, they squeeze the utmost out of the car.”
"They're clever, we've seen that [at the French Grand Prix], and just never let go. And then reliability has been a highlight so far. I think reliability is strong, and we are delivering solid work, it's just that we need to understand how to unlock more performance in qualifying and the initial stages of the race."
‘Wolff: It's the immune system of the team’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-reveals-biggest-asset-for-mercedes-in-push-for-victory
Mercedes still has 'a lot of laptime' to catch up - Wolff
26/07/2022 at 18:06
Phillip van Osten
Toto Wolff is under no illusions that Mercedes is still significantly lagging Red Bull and Ferrari in terms of pure performance despite the German outfit achieving its season best result in France.
"I think Budapest is really going to be good for us, because Paul Ricard – a flat surface, not bumpy and fast corners – was not so good for us, so we have to have some sort of opposite thinking now that the track that shouldn’t suit us and isn’t great, maybe we can be good!”
"But joking aside I have no idea. You come here with expectations of fighting at the front, you don’t, so I don’t know what to expect in Budapest."
‘Laptime Catch Up’;
https://f1i.com/news/449434-mercedes-still-has-a-lot-of-laptime-to-catch-up-wolff.html
Wolff says Mercedes still 'need to work out how to win' despite 'encouraging' double podium finish in France
27 July 2022
Formula 1.
Toto Wolff was encouraged by his team’s best result of the season in the French Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both scored podium finishes.
While Wolff admitted the result – the first double podium of the season for Mercedes – was a positive sign, he was unconvinced as to whether it was a fair reflection on the performance of their car.
“I think second and third is great, they are two steps on the podium and the most points [we could get],” said Wolff. “It’s encouraging we could score this result on Sunday but it’s still very difficult for us to pin down where [we would end up] if everyone finishes.”
‘Working Out How To Win’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.wolff-says-mercedes-still-need-to-work-out-how-to-win-despite-encouraging.qabhQZaJ2ZmiEF8pMzoI2.html
Wolff explains why he shut down furious Russell over the radio
26 July 12:00
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Toto Wolff has explained why he elected to intervene and make a rare radio communication to George Russell during the French GP. Team Principal Toto Wolff to make a rare communication to the driver, telling Russell that no penalty was forthcoming and that he should attempt another overtake.
"I found that he was a little bit stuck in this loop of being upset about the situation, and as a driver you are [alone] in your little cockpit," Wolff explained to media, including RacingNews365.com after the race.
"I felt that he had the pace; he just needed to drop the upsetness and concentrate on wherever he could beat him on track. In the end he was just clever; there was confusion with the Virtual Safety Car, he just did it."
‘Furious Russell Shutdown’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-explains-why-he-shut-down-furious-russell-over-the-radio
Fortitude
28th July 2022, 15:38
Christian Horner warns Toto Wolff against ‘illegal’ summer work.
In the latest episode of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner’s ongoing feud with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, the Briton has warned the 50-year-old that working through the summer is not permitted.
by James Clifford
27 July 202227 July 2022
“I hear Toto said they are going to work throughout the summer break to improve the car, which would, of course, be illegal,” he said. “They were certainly talking up their chances coming into the weekend. I think in the end Max was reasonably comfortable. But you can see they are chipping away at it, they are getting closer and closer.”
“If you had told me going into Christmas last year that with the biggest regulation change in 40 years, with the effort that we put into last year’s championship, that we would be sitting here with eight Grand Prix victories, two sprint race victories and leading both championships by 63 and 82 points respectively, that would have been beyond my wildest expectations,” he explained.
“I think that it really is a testament to the determination, dedication and hard work that has gone on behind the scenes within the factory.” 126 points separate Red Bull and Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship after 12 rounds.
‘On-going Feud’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/christian-horner-warns-toto-wolff-against-illegal-summer-work/
Christian Horner brands Toto Wolff intentions 'illegal' as F1 bosses turn hostile again
CHRISTIAN HORNER has reignited his war of words with Toto Wolff.
08:08, Wed, Jul 27, 2022
By Sam Smith
Christian Horner has warned Toto Wolff that it would be ‘illegal’ for Mercedes to continue updating the W13 during Formula One’s summer break. In the latest war of words between the two team principals, Red Bull chief Horner has warned his rival of summer law-breaking.
Horner warned: "I heard that Toto is said to have said that they are working through the summer break to improve the car. That would of course be illegal."
It comes after Wolff accused Horner of being ‘bored’ after Red Bull contested new F1 regulations designed to limit the porpoising of the cars. Red Bull have not suffered from the problem quite so frequently, and it is partly why Max Verstappen is so far ahead of his rivals in the world drivers’ championship.
‘Illegal Toto Wolff Intentions’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1646472/Christian-Horner-Toto-Wolff-Red-Bull-Mercedes-Max-Verstappen-Lewis-Hamilton-F1-news
Horner: ‘too late in the day’ to change 2023 F1 rules to help a certain team
11:18 Sat, 23 Jul 2022.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says it is “too late in the day” to be making changes to Formula 1’s 2023 floor rules to help a “certain team”. In an attempt to combat the porpoising issues that teams have suffered with under the 2022 regulations, the FIA announced last week a raft of measures planned for next year.
These tweaks are significant enough to have an impact on car designs that has left more than half of the grid unhappy with the proposed changes. The FIA has insisted it would press on with its actions as it feels they are a “significant safety matter”, but Horner has suggested Mercedes is behind the push for a change as they have struggled with porpoising this season.
Discussing the matter further, Horner hoped the FIA’s intervention wouldn’t go too far, acknowledging Mercedes has seemed to have got on top of the excessive bouncing in recent races. “Just run the car higher: it’s easy. We haven’t had a problem all year. There’s only one team that’s had a big problem,” Horner added.
‘Too Late in the Day’;
https://readmotorsport.com/2022/07/23/horner-too-late-in-the-day-to-change-2023-f1-rules-to-help-a-certain-team/
Horner’s case against ‘easy card’ FIA’s using for 2023 changes
Jul 26 2022
By Edd Straw
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the safety justification being used by the FIA to force through Formula 1 floor regulation changes for 2023 is “a very easy card to stand behind”.
Horner disputes whether the porpoising and bottoming-out problems that these changes are designed to eliminate are a safety concern that should be tackled through technical regulation changes. This is on the basis that they are particular to certain cars and therefore it is the responsibility of the teams concerned to address them.
The FIA can force through changes on safety grounds without the usual voting procedure being used. Changes at this notice for 2023 would otherwise require a ‘super-majority’ of 28 out of 30 votes in the F1 Commission to be given the green light, effectively meaning a minimum of eight of the teams would need to support them.
‘Easy Card’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/horners-case-against-easy-card-fias-using-for-2023-changes/
Guenther Steiner backs Christian Horner argument in Toto Wolff fight
GUENTHER STEINER is among several team principals arguing against rules changes for 2023.
14:13, Sat, Jul 23, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Guenther Steiner has backed Christian Horner’s debate in his fight over new 2023 rules changes with Toto Wolff. The Haas boss said the American team were one of the six squads which did not want new floor rules to battle porpoising issues.
Horner has also hit back at mid-season rules changes while Wolff has openly pushed for updated regulations on safety grounds. Steiner said Haas wanted to keep the rules as the team had already started working on the new 2023 car.
Haas are among a gaggle of teams who have benefitted from the new regulations, with the team scoring more points this season than the last three years combined. Steiner told Sky Sports F1: “We are with the six teams which don't want the change. We are pretty happy where we are. “Either we want to keep it or we want to find a compromise. We started [already] with the 2023 cars and if you change the rules now we find it's a little bit late to do that.”
‘Guenther Steiner backs Christian Horner’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1644864/guenther-steiner-christian-horner-toto-wolff-fight-rules-changes
Red Bull slate rival F1 team over regulation lobbying
Saturday 23 July 2022 08:10
Ian Parkes & Sam Hall
The FIA announced it would introduce new design rules for next year to effectively quash any remaining porpoising issues, all in the name of safety. The plans include raising the floor edges of the cars by 25mm, which would result in major changes being required for the 2023 designs.
This has sparked uproar in the paddock, with at least five teams understood to be pushing back against the proposal. GPFans understands the teams are Red Bull, AlphaTauri, Ferrari, Haas and Alfa Romeo.
In opposition, Wolff and Mercedes have been the most outspoken in demanding the FIA make changes. Horner has suggested if the "one team" concerned has a problem it has two options available. “Just run the car higher," added Horner. "It’s easy. We haven’t had a problem all year. There is only one team that has had a big problem. “
‘
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87758/red-bull-mercedes-fia-row-lobbying/
‘Mercedes Regulation Lobbying’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87758/red-bull-mercedes-fia-row-lobbying/
Christian Horner hits out at Mercedes again in fresh rant over F1 rule changes
CHRISTIAN HORNER has taken another shot at Mercedes.
07:04, Thu, Jul 28, 2022
By Mikael McKenzie
Mercedes have really struggled with porpoising and Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are yet to win a race. Hamilton has complained of back pain because his car constantly bounces when the track is not smooth.
Mercedes could raise their floor further off the ground to solve the issue, but that had a seriously detrimental effect on speed. Toto Wolff is pushing for another solution; a change in the rules, which Horner is not having.
Christian Horner: “Changing rules because a couple of teams haven’t managed to hit targets is never the right thing to do,” he told Eurosport. “If you want to have convergence in F1, the best thing to do is to leave it alone. Then all the teams will converge. What you would see next year, if the rules were left completely alone, I’d be surprised if you saw any bouncing because we've got some of the brightest engineers in the technical world solving these problems.”
‘Couple of teams haven’t managed to hit targets’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1646883/Christian-Horner-Mercedes-F1-news-Max-Verstappen
Fortitude
28th July 2022, 16:22
Vettel stuns F1 by announcing retirement after 2022 season.
Vettel’s immediate bosses at Aston Martin paid tribute to his contribution and made it clear they wanted him to keep racing.
28/07/2022
By Scott Mitchell
Sebastian Vettel will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the season. The four-time world champion joined Aston Martin in 2021 on a two-year deal after being ousted at Ferrari.
Team principal Mike Krack said that if the team achieved its potential then Vettel’s “groundwork” will have been a crucial component and “one of the architects of that future success will be Sebastian”.
Stroll said: “I want to thank Sebastian from the bottom of my heart for the great work that he has done for Aston Martin over the past year and a half. “We made it clear to him that we wanted him to continue with us next year, but in the end he has done what he feels is right for himself and his family, and of course we respect that.”
‘Vettel stuns F1’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/vettel-stuns-f1-by-announcing-retirement-after-2022-season/
F1 world reacts as Vettel announces his retirement
28/07/2022, 13:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Sebastian Vettel made headlines around the world on Thursday as the German announced his upcoming retirement from F1 after 15 years in the sport.
Shortly after the news broke, the F1 community took to social media to pay tribute to the four-time World Champion and 53-time Grand Prix winner.
‘Check out some of the reactions’;
https://racingnews365.com/f1-world-reacts-as-vettel-announces-his-f1-retirement
Vettel reveals when he decided to retire from F1
Date published: July 28 2022
Jon Wilde
Sebastian Vettel has revealed that calling time on his Formula 1 career was anything but a snap decision. That may not appear to have been the case considering Aston Martin had been trying right up until this week to convince him to stay with the team for a third season.
Asked in an interview with Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz on the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend when he had made up his mind to retire, Vettel replied: “When? The last years, is the truth. I think it’s not one question you ask yourself and then you find an answer and that’s it. I know, and I understood I think very early, that it’s a sort of life-changing decision.”
“How life-changing is very difficult to grasp because I’m turning around the next corner and don’t know what’s waiting, but that’s true probably for any athlete no matter your sport – whether you choose to or whether you’re pushed into a position due to injury or external factors. [It’s] something we all face at some point. To me, it feels like the right point at this stage.”
‘Decision Time’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebastian-vettel-retirement-decision/
Sebastian Vettel wooed wife at high school and now share £115m fortune together
15:57, 28 JUL 2022
BY Nick Murphy
Sports Reporter
Sebastian Vettel will go sailing off into the Formula 1 sunset with his gorgeous wife and an eye-watering £115million nest-egg - not to mention those four F1 drivers' titles. Not a lot is known about the beautiful blonde F1 WAG, although The Sun claimed in 2019 that she is a former industrial design student who doesn't yearn for the limelight like some of the other wives and girlfriends of the pitlane.
Just like her motor racing hubby, Hanna isn't big on social media. While Vettel only joined Instagram just before his retirement, Hanna hasn't posted on the social media site since 2013. The pair met while at school and have been sweethearts ever since, finally tying the knot in 2019. They have three children together, with Vettel citing his wish to spend more time with his kids as a reason behind his decision to leave F1.
"The decision to retire has been a difficult one for me to take, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about it; at the end of the year I want to take some more time to reflect on what I will focus on next; it is very clear to me that, being a father, I want to spend more time with my family," he said in his goodbye message on Aston Martin's website.
‘Spend more time with my family’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/vettel-net-worth-f1-wife-27601965
The five teams of number five: Vettel’s F1 career history in pictures
F1 history
Posted on 28th July 2022, 13:3728th July 2022, 13:44 |
Written by Keith Collantine and Will Wood
BMW-Sauber – 2006-07 It all began 15 years ago with a one-off debut in the United States Grand Prix. BMW gave Vettel his first opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car after he dominated their German junior championship in 2003, winning an incredible 18 races out of 20.
Toro Rosso – 2007-08 Red Bull also had a hand in Vettel’s progress through the junior ranks and four races after his debut with BMW Sauber they placed him at junior team Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) in place of Scott Speed.
Red Bull – 2009-14 Three races into his career as a Red Bull driver, Vettel scored his second victory in another soaking wet race, in Shanghai. The rapid Brawns won most of the races in the first half of the season, however, and Jenson Button beat him to the title.
Ferrari – 2015-20 Having achieved so much in his time at Red Bull, Vettel was keen for a new challenge. What greater challenge could there be than emulating his great mentor Michael Schumacher’s feat of turning around an underperforming Ferrari team and bring them back into championship contention once again?
Aston Martin – 2021-22 After months of speculation, Racing Point announced that Vettel would join the team when they transitioned into Aston Martin for the 2021 season.
‘Five teams of number five’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/28/the-five-teams-of-number-five-vettels-f1-career-history-in-pictures/
Earnest, ruthless, ‘protected’, undermined: Who Vettel is to F1
28/07/2022
By Mark Hughes
So it’s happened: Sebastian Vettel has decided to call it a day. Four consecutive world championships and 53 grands prix victories over 15 seasons is one hell of a tally and puts him statistically among F1’s elite of history.
When in 2013 he beat Mansell’s record of most poles in a season he was thrilled to receive a message of congratulations from his boyhood hero. As a boy he’d pestered his parents to take him to Madame Tussaud’s waxworks display in London just because he knew there was a model of Mansell in there and he wanted his picture taken next to it, he told us. Did he think there should now be a waxworks model of Vettel in there, he was asked. “No, I don’t think so,” he grinned. “You already have one German in there and he’s not very popular.”
Beneath the friendly and open persona though was a fierce competitor. And an unusually intelligent one. The talent was directed by this intense focus but driving that was a great well of emotion. He threw absolutely every bit of himself into competing and that could boil over when he felt he’d been dealt an injustice. That image of him moving the number 1 bollard from in front of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in parc ferme Canada 2019 and putting it to where Vettel’s first-across-the-line Ferrari should have stood was very much him.
‘No 1 Bollard belongs to Sebastian Vettel’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/earnest-ruthless-protected-undermined-who-vettel-is-to-f1/
'A true F1 legend' - Formula 1 reacts to Vettel retirement news
Thursday 28 July 2022 13:50 - Updated: 13:50
Ronan Murphy
Legends of Formula 1, team-mates and rivals have paid tribute to Sebastian Vettel after the four-time world champion announced his retirement. The Aston Martin driver will leave the grid at the end of the 2022 season and is set to reach 300 races at Abu Dhabi before driving off into the sunset.
World champions Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were among those who wrote tributes on social media, with protege Mick Schumacher also penning a heartfelt message as Vettel calls time on his 15-year career in Formula 1.
‘Sebastian Vettel remembered’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88186/f1-legend-formula-1-reacts-vettel-retirement-news/
Fortitude
29th July 2022, 05:29
Bottas seeking Alfa turnaround after tough French GP.
Valtteri Bottas is eager to get back on track with Alfa Romeo in Hungary after a tough French Grand Prix weekend that he concluded once again out of the points.
27/07/2022 at 14:09
Phillip van Osten
Alfa is in the midst of a performance slump that started at Silverstone and extended to Paul Ricard where neither Bottas nor teammate Zhou Guanyu were top ten contenders on race day. From P11 on the grid, Bottas suffered a poor start that dropped him down the order to 16th on the opening lap. Slow launches due to excessive wheelspin have been a chronic issue at Alfa Romeo, and it led the Swiss outfit to update the transmission of its C42 with new componentry supplied by Ferrari.
But Bottas felt that the problem at Paul Ricard was not clutch-related. "It felt like it's not a clutch issue, just wheelspin at the start, so [we] need to investigate why," said the Finn. Thereafter followed a long, drawn out afternoon during which Alfa's initial race strategy plans were disrupted by the timing of a safety car. "It was a really long race and it felt like a lot of sweat with nothing to show for it!" he said. "Of course, you can learn something from every race, so that must be what we take away from this weekend.
Looking ahead to next weekend's round of racing at the Hungaroring, Bottas hopes a few changes on Alfa's C42 will help him turn around his and his team's fortunes. Alfa Romeo currently sits sixth in the Constructors' standings, but 38 points behind McLaren. "Having back-to-back races offers us the chance to bounce back right away from the tough weekend we had in France, where nothing seemed to be working in our favour," he said.
‘Seeking Alfa Romeo turnaround in Hungary’;
https://f1i.com/news/449468-bottas-seeking-alfa-turnaround-after-tough-french-gp.html
Valtteri Bottas: First half of F1 season a 'solid base to build from'
28 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Speaking ahead of the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring, Valtteri Bottas says that the first half of the Formula 1 season has been "really, really positive" and that it gives Alfa Romeo "a solid base to build from."
‘Solid Positive Base to Build’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.valtteri-bottas-first-half-of-f1-season-a-solid-base-to-build-from.1739612102416231698.html
Valtteri Bottas: “Back-to-back races offers us the chance to bounce back”
July 28, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Valtteri Bottas is looking to get back into the points this weekend in Hungary after three consecutive races where he has failed to score a top ten finish. The Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN driver had an underwhelming French Grand Prix last weekend as he finished only fourteenth, whilst he also failed to break into the top ten in either the British or Austrian Grand Prix.
“Having back-to-back races offers us the chance to bounce back right away from the tough weekend we had in France, where nothing seemed to be working in our favour,” said Bottas. “I enjoyed racing at the Hungaroring in the past, having also been on the podium here twice before, and I am looking forward to being back in action on track.
“The fans are always passionate and welcoming here, and it would be nice to put up a good show for them before the summer break. The team has been working really hard these past days to find a solution to our struggles last weekend, and together with some updates we can hopefully put up a good fight for points in the midfield.”
‘Bounce Back on Back-to-Back Race’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/valtteri-bottas-back-to-back-races-offers-us-the-chance-to-bounce-back/
Bottas calls for Alfa Romeo investigation into Paul Ricard issues
28/07/2022, 10:20
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Valtteri Bottas says an investigation is needed into the troubles his Alfa Romeo had at the start of the French Grand Prix. Starting 11th on the grid, Bottas had severe wheelspin at the start and had dropped to 17th by Lap 2.
From then on, a points finish looked unlikely, and the timing of the Safety Car forced him onto a two-stop strategy, meaning the best the Finn could do was 14th by the chequered flag. Bottas and teammate Zhou Guanyu had struggled with clutch and anti-stall issues at the start of Grands Prix earlier in the season, but Bottas said his problem at Paul Ricard was not clutch-related.
"It felt like it's not a clutch issue, just wheelspin at the start, so [we] need to investigate why," Bottas told media including RacingNews365.com.
‘Investigations!’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-calls-for-alfa-romeo-investigation-into-paul-ricard-issues
Bottas hopes France was ‘one-off dip’ for Alfa Romeo
Date published: July 28 2022
Sam Cooper
Valtteri Bottas hopes Alfa Romeo’s disappointing run-out at Paul Ricard was a “one-off dip” as the team brings upgrades for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Alfa Romeo ended point-less for the third consecutive race in France with Bottas finishing P14 while his team-mate Zhou Guanyu was forced to retire due to a technical issue.
Having shown pace at the start of the season, the team have found themselves slipping further and further down the grid as those around them brought upgrades to the car, something Alfa have not. However Bottas has revealed some are on their way for this weekend having pinpointed the lack of upgrades as the cause of their recent downfall.
He said he hoped the performance last weekend was just a “one-off dip. I really hope [the] French Grand Prix was just a one-off dip in the performance,” he told reporters during the press conference ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. In qualifying and in the race, [we] didn’t have the base that we were hoping and expecting.”
‘One-Off Dip!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtteri-bottas-france-one-off-dip-alfa-romeo/
Zhou says he 'was struggling all that way through' French Grand Prix before being hit by technical issue
27 July 2022
Formula 1.
Zhou Guanyu was left reflecting on an afternoon to forget in France after another technical problem saw him bow out of the race at Paul Ricard prematurely, while Valtteri Bottas also struggled with ongoing issues.
Zhou started the race in 16th, but a poor getaway dropped him down the field, and matters weren't helped by a collision with Haas's Mick Schumacher for which he received a five-second penalty. Running at the back of the field, he ended up bowing out on Lap 47 at the side of the track, though Zhou was classified in 16th.
“Obviously, I had a technical issue – [we are] still investigating,” said Zhou after the race. “It was actually coming 15 laps to the end; I had to some switch changes to make sure I wasn’t losing so much power. So, we have to investigate, obviously I just came back from the race car. Apart from that, the race just never went our way, I was struggling all that way through, so not a day to remember. But having another back-to-back race means a whole new weekend of opportunities to get competitive again and put ourselves back where we belong.”
‘’Technical Issue Struggles’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.zhou-says-he-was-struggling-all-that-way-through-french-grand-prix-before.5vUweAZtjDua4x9mFuT8G7.html
Fortitude
29th July 2022, 13:32
Sainz leads Verstappen as Hungarian GP weekend begins.
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz set the pace ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and teammate Charles Leclerc as F1 track action began at the Hungaroring on Friday.
29/07/2022, 14:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Carlos Sainz topped the timesheets during Friday's opening free practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, as Ferrari started the weekend ahead of Red Bull. Sainz worked his way down to a time of 1:18.750 on the Soft compound tyre across the one hour of running, with drivers tackling the Hungaroring in hot conditions.
Sainz's effort put him 0.130s clear of French GP winner Max Verstappen, with teammate Charles Leclerc another tenth-and-a-half back in third position. Behind the lead Ferrari and Red Bull machines, Lando Norris was 'best of the rest' in a McLaren that has been tipped to suit the tight and twisty track layout.
Mercedes pair George Russell and Lewis Hamilton took fifth and seventh respectively, sandwiching the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez (who hit traffic on a late flyer). There was a slight scare for Russell in the closing stages of the session, with his engineer telling him to slow down amid overheating concerns.
‘Carlos Sainz set the pace’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-leads-verstappen-as-hungarian-gp-weekend-begins
F1 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix - Free Practice Results (1)
29 Jul 2022
Connor McDonagh
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari 1m18.750s
2 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m18.880s
3 Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari 1m19.030s
4 George Russell GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team 1m19.299s
4 Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team 1m19.606s
6 Sergio Perez MEX Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m19.622s
7 Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team 1m19.710s
8 Daniel Ricciardo AUS McLaren F1 Team 1m19.841s
9 Esteban Ocon FRA BWT Alpine F1 Team 1m20.348s
10 Fernando Alonso ESP BWT Alpine F1 Team 1m20.377s
‘Results from the first practice session at the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix, Round 13 of the 2022 Formula 1 world championship’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/results/1008715/1/f1-2022-hungarian-grand-prix-free-practice-results-1
AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix
29 July 2022
Formula 1.
Becky Hart.
Hello and welcome to Hungary...
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-hungary-2022.2Z22udDlK7nPvtGvW24I7L.html
What happened in first Hungarian Grand Prix F1 practice
29/07/2022, 14:12
The Race
There was little to choose between the Ferraris and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in opening Hungarian Grand Prix practice, with Carlos Sainz ultimately on top.
Key moments
– Sainz fastest by 0.130s from Verstappen
– Encouraging session for McLaren
– Upgraded Haas and Aston Martin hit track
‘FP1: What Happened’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-happened-in-first-hungarian-grand-prix-f1-practice/
Sainz ahead of Verstappen in first practice for 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
July 29th 2022
Author Edward Hardy
Carlos Sainz set the pace in the first practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, where less than a second separated the top seven drivers. His 1min 18.750sec lap was good enough to top the timesheet, 0.130sec ahead of Max Verstappen, who split the Ferrari drivers in what looks like a strong Red Bull package.
The top three were separated by 0.289sec, followed by Lando Norris who was fourth in the McLaren, 0.549 sec off his former team-mate. George Russell was close behind, ahead of Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton in seventh, 0.960sec behind Sainz.
Daniel Ricciardo was then less than a tenth off Hamilton, while Esteban Ocon led Fernando Alonso to round up the top 10. Most driers opted for the medium or hard tyre early in the session, but yet Ferrari and Red Bull went for the softs straight away.
‘FP1: Round Up’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/2022-hungarian-grand-prix-practice-round-up#
FIA release statement as Mercedes move closer to penalty over parc ferme rules breach
MERCEDES has been issued a warning from the FIA but will not face a penalty at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
13:26, Fri, Jul 29, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s Mercedes team broke parc ferme rules ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. The FIA issued a statement ahead of FP1 warning members of the team were inside the circuit when they were not allowed. Mercedes have now used up three of their eight parc ferme exemptions for the season. This allowance means the Silver Arrows will not face a penalty for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
The FIA statement reads: “Wednesday night team personnel of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, who are associated with the operation of the car, were within the confines of the circuit during the 13-hour period which commenced at 20:00 on 27 August, 42 hours before the scheduled start time of P1 and ends 29 hours before the scheduled start time of P1 at 09:00 on 28 July.
“This was the third of the eight individual exceptions permitted for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team during the 2022 Formula One Championship season and therefore no action should be taken.”
‘Mercedes Parc Ferme Rules Breach’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1647806/fia-mercedes-lewis-hamilton-george-russell-penalty
Fortitude
29th July 2022, 18:34
F1 Hungarian GP: Charles Leclerc leads Lando Norris in second practice
Charles Leclerc laid down the marker in second practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix to keep Ferrari at the top of the F1 timesheet and end Friday fastest.
29 Jul 2022
Lewis Larkam
Leclerc was third-quickest in FP1 behind Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz and title rival Max Verstappen but leapt to the top of the FP2 leaderboard with an 1m18.445s during the soft tyre runs.
The Monegasque ended up only 0.217s clear of Lando Norris, who briefly went quickest for McLaren before seeing his time usurped by Leclerc.
FP1 pacesetter Sainz slipped to third in second practice, 0.231s down on his Ferrari teammate’s benchmark, while Verstappen, who leads the championship by 63 points from Leclerc, ended up fourth and 0.283s adrift.
‘Laid Down the Marker’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1008768/1/leclerc-leads-norris-second-hungarian-gp-practice
(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Budapest, Hungary
29th July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -1:18.445
2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.217
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.231
4. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.283
5. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +0.427
6. Fernando Alonso Alpine +0.604
7. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +0.808
8. George Russell Mercedes +0.910
9. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.952
10. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.966
‘Hungarian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the second practice ahead of the 2022 F1 World Championship race from the Hungaroring’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2022-hungarian-grand-prix-79621
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from second practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix
29 July 2022
Becky Hart
Formula 1.
‘FP2: Live Coverage Updates as they happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-hungary-2022.OE1rrrMtTvUo83Tss3o4Y.html
HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action from an intriguing second practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix
29 July 2022
Formula 1.
Charles Leclerc made it a Ferrari double on Friday afternoon, with the Monegasque racer topping the timesheets of the second practice session at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
On the soft tyres for the qualifying simulations, Leclerc set a time of 1m 18.445s to lead Lando Norris, in second, by 0.217s. Carlos Sainz, in the other Ferrari, was down in third, ahead of Max Verstappen in the Red Bull – with the top four covered by just 0.283s.
It was a good day for McLaren, with Daniel Ricciardo in fifth, ahead of Fernando Alonso, in the Alpine, followed by the Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel in seventh.
‘FP2: Highlights’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.highlights-watch-the-action-from-an-intriguing-second-practice-session-at.3FE8uUSmHFGKDJRdD6eEwp.html
Charles Leclerc's miserable reaction in Ferrari meeting comes to light before Hungarian GP
CHARLES LECLERC is 63 points behind Max Verstappen in the world championship heading to the Hungarian Grand Prix.
16:51, Fri, Jul 29, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Charles Leclerc’s reaction in a Ferrari debrief meeting has been revealed ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto admitted the mood in the team's debrief was “not great” after Leclerc’s crash in France.
He also revealed Leclerc went straight home after his shunt but stressed he has “turned a page” ahead of this week’s race. Binotto said: “The debrief was certainly difficult, the mood was not great. Charles went home soon after and stayed home really, tried to relax and focus on Hungary
"He is back, I think he really wants to do well. He has already turned the page with regard to Paul Ricard. He is fast at the moment, he is in great shape and he can win." Leclerc was leading the French Grand Prix before he crashed out of the lead. The Monegasque dipped a wheel on the white line at turn 11 which was enough to spin him around and hit the barrier. The shunt allowed title rival Max Verstappen to extend his championship advantage to 63 points.
‘Mattia Binotto: He (CHARLES LECLERC) is in great shape and he can win’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1647935/charles-leclerc-ferrari-hungarian-grand-prix
McLaren duo rule out joining Hungary GP pole fight
Date published: July 29 2022
Sam Cooper
Despite finishing P2 and P5 in FP2, both McLaren drivers think their chances of being in a pole fight is unrealistic. Lando Norris produced an excellent lap in the speedy McLaren as only Charles Leclerc was able to beat him for pace while Daniel Ricciardo finished in P5, one spot short of Max Verstappen.
Despite the pace shown by the MCL36 at the Hungaroring both Norris and Ricciardo were pessimistic about their chances of being involved in the pole fight during Saturday’s qualifying session. Norris said that it was always McLaren’s plan to run the car quicker than the rest of the field and he said he expected the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes to step it up a notch.
“Things are feeling good,” Norris told Sky Sports F1. “The car’s in a good place, seems to be suiting this track or characteristic a little bit more. “But we’re always a little bit quicker in FP2 than what we end up being normally. We turn up a little bit more than what others do just to get our first reading ahead of qualifying, which is what we’ve got today. But we know everyone else, especially Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes normally step it up a lot for tomorrow.
‘McLaren Playing it Low Key’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-rule-out-hungary-gp-pole-fight/
What upgrades have F1 teams brought to the Hungarian GP?
29/07/2022, 17:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Haas are running a heavily-updated car at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, having brought much-anticipated new parts to the track. Limited updates elsewhere, nothing for Ferrari. Beyond Haas, the rest of the F1 field have opted to bring only limited updates to the Hungaroring, or make no changes at all.
Mercedes have made some performance-based tweaks to their Halo (adding a slat to the fairing), rear wing and beam wing, with Red Bull also using a new beam wing.
McLaren are running a modified front corner (circuit-specific cooling) and an updated diffuser, while Alpine have upgraded their beam wing and Alfa Romeo their floor body. AlphaTauri and Aston Martin have made adjustments to their rear wings (both circuit-specific for drag) – the AMR22's new rear wing tip catching the eye.
‘F1 Team Upgrades’;
https://racingnews365.com/what-upgrades-have-f1-teams-brought-to-the-hungarian-gp
Fortitude
30th July 2022, 06:51
'I'll believe until the very end': Charles Leclerc vows to keep his Formula One world championship dream alive despite sitting 63 points behind Max Verstappen going into the Hungarian Grand Prix.
You couldn’t see if Charles Leclerc was crossing his fingers behind his back as he said he thought he could still win the Formula One world championship this season.
Published: 22:31, 29 July 2022
By Jonathan Mcevoy At The Hungaroring For The Daily Mail
‘I will believe in it until the very end,’ he said. ‘If we win all the races and Max (Verstappen) finishes second we will do it. I am relying on myself doing that. It is a very optimistic goal, but I don’t want to look into it any more negatively than that.’
Mathematically he is right, given there are 10 races, including Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, remaining: the Monegasque lies 63 points behind Verstappen and 268 are available in all. In a morale-booster, Leclerc set the fastest time in practice on Friday.
• Ferrari's Charles Leclerc believes he can still win Formula One championship
• He crashed out while leading the race last time out at the French Grand Prix
• The Monegasque currently sits 63 points behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen
• Leclerc set the fastest time during the second Hungarian Grand Prix practice
‘Believe Until the End’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11062903/Ill-believe-end-Charles-Leclerc-keeps-Formula-One-world-championship-dream-alive.html
Leclerc confident Ferrari on the right road in Hungary
29/07/2022 at 20:01
Andrew Lewin
Focused on rebuilding his confidence after the mistake that saw him crash out of the lead of last week's French GP, Leclerc said he was certain that the team had found the right path to put them ahead of their rivals in Budapest.
“It’s been a very productive day," he told the media in the paddock after the end of second practice. "[We] changed quite a lot of things on the car on my side.”
“FP1 was quite tricky, FP2 we took the right road, so I'm confident that we did the right work for Sunday," he said. "Though track evolution is always quite high here, it was lower than we expected today."
‘Rebuilding Confidence’;
https://f1i.com/news/449817-leclerc-confident-ferrari-on-the-right-road-in-hungary.html
5 things we learned from Friday practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix
29 July 2022
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Lawrence Barretto
The Hungaroring looked resplendent on Friday afternoon as teams worked through packed programmes across two scorching one-hour practice sessions ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. It was important to gather as much data as possible, given that it’s expected to rain all day on Saturday before the sun returns on Sunday. So, who made the most of it – and who was left wanting more?
1. Ferrari’s favourite tag appears justified
2. Red Bull second best and giving chase
3. Mercedes slower than expected on difficult day
4. McLaren punching at the top of the midfield
5. Jury out on huge Haas upgrade – but Aston Martin’s new package shines
‘Five Observations’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.5-things-we-learned-from-friday-practice-at-the-hungarian-grand-prix.56ulfAMwRh5V0skrnP0SnG.html
McLaren ‘hit the ground running’ in big F1 shock before Ricciardo drops reality check
July 30th, 2022 6:25 am
AFP and staff writers from News.com.au
The Aussie was pleasantly surprised by his and Norris’ strong performances but isn’t getting ahead of himself about what the impressive practice times will mean come qualifying. “I don’t know about the others, but I think we were actually competitive this morning as well,” Ricciardo said.
“Being competitive in both sessions hopefully says something, hopefully says we are competitive. I don’t think we’re competitive to fight for a pole, sorry to the fans. I’m not being pessimistic, just realistic.”
“But I think if there is something, they will probably find a little bit more on Saturday come crunch time. I think it was a good day, we certainly hit the ground running. We’ll look into what happens tonight with the car and do a few bits and pieces for sure.”
‘Reality Check’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/daniel-ricciardo-springs-major-f1-surprise-at-hungarian-grand-prix/news-story/8476f406897d4e2031e893ef4b893941
Forecast offers hope to Verstappen as Red Bull “can’t compete” with Ferrari in the dry
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix Friday practice analysis
Posted on 30th July 2022, 0:41
Written by Will Wood
For the first half of the 2022 season, the biggest question heading into each weekend could be boiled down to just four words: Red Bull or Ferrari? Red Bull’s streak of six successive victories was no doubt impressive, but it did flatter the team’s true pace relative to Ferrari across those rounds. Ferrari have cost themselves a chance of victory more than once by being out-raced on the track.
However, after the first day of practice concluded in Hungary, there is little question who holds the advantage around the Hungaroring – and it is not the current runaway championship leaders. Red Bull and Max Verstappen have been behind Ferrari on Friday many times before only to take the chequered flag come race day. But Ferrari’s advantage in Hungary has their rivals genuinely concerned this time.
With Ferrari’s clear advantage for this weekend, the one factor out of their control that could risk scuppering their chances of heading into the break with a victory is the weather. It is not merely likely to be wet at least at some point during third practice and into qualifying, the volume of rain forecast in what is expected to be thundery conditions could even disrupt the schedule. If it isn’t possible for qualifying to go ahead on time, there’s a small possibility qualifying could even be pushed to Sunday morning, or lap times taken from second practice to form a grid if needed.
‘Weather Forecast Risks Scuppering Ferrari’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/30/forecast-offers-hope-to-verstappen-as-red-bull-cant-compete-with-ferrari-in-the-dry/
Mercedes woe returns as damage disrupts Hamilton - GPFans F1 Recap
Friday 29 July 2022 18:05
Ewan Gale
Lewis Hamilton revealed damage to his W13 prevented him from completing his long-run programme in Hungarian Grand Prix practice as Mercedes' "crazy swings" flummoxed the seven-time F1 champion in Budapest. "The car is a bit of a struggle," conceded Hamilton. "It is crazy how much it swings so much from track to track.”
"Just trying to figure out how to get the car working at the moment, it is a little bit loose and not doing what we want it to do, so a difficult day. Nothing has changed on the car since last week and I am the same driver as I was last week but it is just, for some reason at this track, it is not working as well. But once we got it right, the gap is about the same as last week."
But Hamilton was unable to complete his race simulation. Explaining why, he said: "I didn't get to run at the end because I sustained some damage on my floor so lost a lot of downforce and after that it was pretty tricky for the long-run pace. "It is going to be a tough weekend but we will give it everything and see what we have got."
‘W13 Floor Damage’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88297/hungarian-grand-prix-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-damage/
Copycats? Haas Unleashes 'White Ferrari' for F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Weekend
'If you copy, you copy the best, and right now it is Ferrari and Red Bull.'
Jul 29, 2022
BY GLOBAL MOTORSPORT MEDIA
Haas Formula 1 team principal Gunther Steiner has defended Haas amid claims the updated car revealed in Hungary might aptly be described as a "white Ferrari."
Steiner openly admits that Haas was inspired by Ferrari's aerodynamic concept. "I would say quite a lot, yes. Is there something wrong with that?" he told European media outlet Ekstra Bladet newspaper.
When asked if he expects to be accused of copying, Steiner said simply, "I expect to be fast. If someone says we copied, I would say 'Why would we copy a Williams?' Not to be disrespectful, but it's a completely different concept and they're slower than us. So if you copy, you copy the best, and right now it is Ferrari and Red Bull. We have the same engine as Ferrari, the same gearbox and we have the same suspension. They win races, so why copy others? One plus one still equals two."
‘White Ferrari: 1 + 1 = 2’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a40757809/copycats-haas-unleashes-white-ferrari-for-f1-hungarian-grand-prix-weekend/
Fortitude
30th July 2022, 12:25
Latifi beats Leclerc in final Hungarian GP F1 practice.
Nicholas Latifi beat Friday dominator Charles Leclerc by six tenths to top a rain-affected final Formula 1 practice session ahead of qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
30/07/2022, 13:15
By Josh Suttill
Key moments
• Latifi six tenths clear
• Leclerc second and Albon third
• Vettel crashes late on
• Mercedes struggles for tyre warm-up
Heavy rain in the morning threatened to curtail FP3 but the rain reduced before the session started, meaning drivers took to the track just moments after the scheduled start time. Championship chaser Leclerc was the first driver out on track and his early 1m43.364s on the wet tyres stood at the top of the timesheets for the majority of the session.
That was before FP3 was halted when retiring four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel nosed his Aston Martin into the barriers at Turn 10 with less than 10 minutes left on the clock.
‘FP3: Key Moments’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/latifi-beats-leclerc-in-final-hungarian-gp-f1-practice/
(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Budapest, Hungary
30th July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Nicholas Latifi Williams Racing -1:41.480
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.661
3. Alexander Albon Williams Racing +0.901
4. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1.725
5. George Russell Mercedes +1.954
6. Fernando Alonso Alpine +2.090
7. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +2.109
8. Lando Norris McLaren +2.263
9. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +2.698
10. Kevin Magnussen Haas +3.175
Hungarian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice ahead of the 2022 F1 World Championship race from the Hungaroring;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2022-hungarian-grand-prix-79666
Latifi shock pacesetter in wet final Hungarian GP practice
by Phillip Horton
Nicholas Latifi pulled a surprise as he set the quickest time during a rain-hit final practice session ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Latifi moved to the front with a time of 1:41.480s, leaving him 0.661s clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who had earlier escaped undamaged following a full 360 spin through Turn 3.
The Williams driver is the only full-time racer on the grid yet to score a point in 2022. Latifi’s shock lap was backed up by Williams team-mate Alexander Albon in third, nine-tenths down on the Canadian.
‘Nicholas Latifi Shock pacesetter’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/30/latifi-shock-pacesetter-in-wet-final-hungarian-gp-practice/
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from final practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix
30 July 2022
Becky Hart
Formula 1.
‘FP3: As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-hungary-2022.hKGsmFEVFCMzJMOB7Af38.html
F1 2022 results: Hungarian GP – Third practice session
Date published: July 30 2022
Jon Wilde
Nicholas Latifi remarkably snatched top spot right at the end of a wet FP3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix, interrupted by an accident for soon-to-retire Sebastian Vettel.
The Williams driver took advantage of a drying track to clock a lap 0.661sec faster than Charles Leclerc, whose reaction over the team radio indicated he was as surprised as everyone else!
Wet weather and even thunderstorms had been forecast all week for Saturday at the Hungaroring and a deluge duly materialised minutes before FP3 was scheduled to begin.
‘Wet weather and even thunderstorms’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-2022-results-hungarian-gp-third-practice-session/
2022 Hungarian GP FP3: Fernando Alonso's big save in wet final practice
30 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Alpine's Fernando Alonso manages a dramatic save during a rain-affected final practice session at the 2022 F1 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring.
‘EL PLAN: Dramatic Save’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-hungarian-gp-fp3-fernando-alonsos-big-save-in-wet-final-practice.1739778633870810402.html
2022 Hungarian GP FP3: Gasly slides wide in wet at Turn 4
30 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly runs wide at Turn 4 as rain impacts the early stages of FP3 on Saturday at the 2022 F1 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring.
‘Wide Slide’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2022-hungarian-gp-fp3-gasly-slides-wide-in-wet-at-turn-4.1739777283270208047.html
Fortitude
30th July 2022, 15:27
Russell stuns to claim maiden pole at Hungarian GP.
George Russell claimed a shock maiden pole position during a thrilling denouement to Formula 1 qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
30/07/2022, 16:13
by Phillip Horton
Mercedes lacked pace in dry conditions on Friday but Russell emerged as a contender in Q3 after splitting the Ferrari drivers after the opening runs.
But Russell demoted the Ferrari drivers with a final push lap of 1:17.377s, snatching top spot by just 0.043s, to claim his first career pole.
Sainz wound up second, with Leclerc third, though Russell’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton was down in seventh after a suspected DRS issue. Red Bull had a disastrous session with issues for both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
‘Stuning Maiden Pole’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/30/russell-stuns-to-claim-maiden-pole-at-hungarian-gp/
Qualifying Results – 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Budapest, Hungary
30th July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
1. George Russell Mercedes -1:17.377
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.044
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.190
4. Lando Norris McLaren +0.392
5. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.641
6. Fernando Alonso Alpine +0.701
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.765
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.780
9. Daniel Ricciardo McLaren +1.002
10. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1.446
Hungarian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for this weekend’s 2022 F1 World Championship race around the Hungaroring;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2022-hungarian-grand-prix-79676
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix
30 July 2022
Becky Hart
Formula 1.
‘Qualifying: As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-hungary-2022.pNJxBSbIRpQ93Js6TIp0h.html
Russell snatches pole as Red Bull collapses – 2022 Hungarian GP
July 30th 2022
Author James Elson
George Russell stunned the F1 field by taking a superb pole at the death in 2022 Hungarian GP qualifying. George Russell scored a shock debut pole for the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix as he stole a show which many thought would be lead by Ferrari and Red Bull.
Carlos Sainz had dominated Q3, but saw the Mercedes driver steal the top stop by 0.15sec at the death. Charles Leclerc was just behind his Ferrari team-mate, as Lando Norris impressed to claim fourth.
Red Bull had a torrid session – Sergio Perez was knocked out in Q2, whilst a power unit issue meant Verstappen will only start one place ahead of the Mexican in tenth.
‘Mercedes driver steal the top stop by 0.15sec’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/russell-snatches-pole-as-red-bull-collapses-2022-hungarian-gp#
Mercedes take their first pole position of 2022 as Russell sets the pace in Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying
30 July 2022
Formula 1.
George Russell took his maiden F1 pole position at the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix to keep the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc at bay, while Max Verstappen will start a provisional 10th having suffered a loss of power in Q3.
In Q3, Verstappen was left in despair by a loss of power, and with the Ferraris in provisional pole he could only watch his hopes of pole fade away. Russell however caused a huge shock to the Scuderia with a lap of 1m 17.377s that kept Carlos Sainz at bay by 0.044s, and Charles Leclerc third by almost two-tenths.
‘Huge shock to the Scuderia’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.mercedes-take-their-first-pole-position-of-2022-as-russell-sets-the-pace-in.6Vqx91758duUbTENjFUaU0.html
Russell grabs first F1 pole from Ferraris as car trouble leaves Verstappen tenth
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying
Posted on 30th July 2022, 16:2030th July 2022, 16:22
Written by Will Wood
George Russell secured his maiden career pole position in Formula 1 to deny a Ferrari one-two at the Hungaroring, while Max Verstappen fell to tenth on the grid.
Carlos Sainz Jnr had been on provisional pole position and had improved on his final lap at the chequered flag ahead of team mate Charles Leclerc, but Russell’s final effort was good enough to beat both Ferraris and take pole position by just four hundredths of a second, with Lando Norris taking fourth place on the grid.
A mistake on Verstappen’s first flying lap left him under pressure, but a loss of power on his final run left him unable to improve, leaving him stranded in tenth place.
‘Maiden Pole’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/30/russell-grabs-first-f1-pole-from-ferraris-as-car-trouble-leaves-verstappen-tenth/
F1 qualifying results: Starting grid for Hungarian Grand Prix 2022 as George Russell takes first career pole.
July 30, 2022 4:20 pm(Updated 4:21 pm)
By Joe Short
Russell described his flying lap as “mega” as the Mercedes driver came from nowhere to beat the Ferraris to pole position
George Russell prevented a Ferrari front row lock-out at the Hungarian Grand Prix with a remarkable flying lap at the end of qualifying to secure a first pole of his career.
The Brit stormed to pole with a fresh set of tyres to outpace both Ferraris. Carlos Sainz looked on course to claim on his second ever career pole before Russell popped up, while Drivers’ Championship hopeful Charles Leclerc had to make do with third.
‘The Brit stormed to pole’;
https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-one/f1-qualifying-results-hungarian-grand-prix-2022-russell-verstappen-hamilton-perez-leclerc-sainz-1770652?ITO=newsnow
Max Verstappen launches furious radio rant at Red Bull team after Hungary GP disaster
MAX VERSTAPPEN could only manage tenth in qualifying after suffering mechanical failures.
16:19, Sat, Jul 30, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
He demanded his team “fixed” the issues with his car in an angry tirade despite his commanding positon in the championship. He said: “No for F***. Try to fix this issue.” Verstappen locked up on his first flying lap in Q3 which only put him seventh fastest.
However, the Dutchman then complained of a lack of power moments before starting his final qualifying lap. It means he was unable to go faster and dropped down to tenth as everyone else improved.
Red Bull suffered a double blow with Sergio Perez getting knocked out during the second part of qualifying. The Mexican had a confusing session with one of his flying laps deleted and then reinstated. However, it appeared Perez didn’t have the pace to challenge towards the front at any stage this afternoon.
‘’Furious Radio Rant Launched’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1648283/max-verstappen-red-bull-team-radio-hungarian-grand-prix
Fortitude
30th July 2022, 19:03
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff makes two jokes in response to George Russell's Hungary GP pole.
Toto Wolff jokingly asked his Mercedes colleagues to make a record of everything they did in the build-up to George Russell's stunning pole lap at the end of Q3 ahead of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
16:49, Sat, Jul 30, 2022
By Archie Griggs
TOTO WOLFF was in a jovial mood after George Russell secured his maiden pole position at the Hungaroring on Saturday.
Russell left it until the dying seconds to pip Carlos Sainz with an incredible final run to get the Silver Arrows back on the front row of the grid for the very first time this season.
"First of all, I am glad that I am invited again here, you only take the winners so you opportunistic guys," said Wolff with a smile. "We just said we need to write down everything we did this morning, including the food and drinks we drank in order to replicate, so we will take it. We knew we wanted to play it easy until the summer break."
‘Replicate everything, including the food and drinks we drank’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1648295/Mercedes-Toto-Wolff-makes-two-jokes-George-Russell-Hungary-Grand-Prix-F1-news
Russell “should be able to win from that position” after taking first pole, says Hamilton
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Posted on 30th July 2022, 17:33
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Lewis Hamilton believes George Russell can take Mercedes’ first win of 2022 after claiming a surprise pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Russell pipped the Ferrari drivers by just 44 thousandths of a second to take the first pole of his Formula 1 career. Hamilton offered his “huge congratulations to George” after the session. “It’s an amazing feeling to get your first pole position,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans.
“It’s huge for us also as a team, we don’t know where our pace all of a sudden just came from,” he said. “It came from nowhere. That’s a huge positive.”
‘Surprise pole position, came from nowhere’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/30/russell-should-be-able-to-win-from-that-position-after-taking-first-pole-says-hamilton/
George Russell savours 'dream' Hungarian Grand Prix pole position for Mercedes and vows to win Sunday's race
Last Updated: 30/07/22 5:51pm
F1 SKY
George Russell secured his first ever pole position with Lewis Hamilton starting down in seventh; Watch the Hungarian GP live on Sky Sports F1 from 12.30pm on Sunday with lights out at 2pm
"This is what racing's about. This is why I wake up every single day," he told reporters. "I want to be world champion because feelings like this are something you can't really dream of. I don't think the feeling of this pole and the feeling of that Spa lap… I don't think I'll ever have qualifyings that will ever come close to these two feelings."
The result was particularly surprising as Mercedes had displayed no form earlier in the weekend, as Russell finished fifth and eighth in Friday's practice sessions before struggling for grip during Saturday's rain-soaked final practice.
‘Savouring the dream’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12662038/george-russell-savours-dream-hungarian-grand-prix-pole-position-for-mercedes-and-vows-to-win-sundays-race
Russell’s big chance, Red Bull’s recovery, and risk of rain – What To Watch For in the Hungarian GP
30 July 2022
Special contributor
Chris Medland
From a new name on pole position to a big chance for Ferrari, and from the Red Bulls far back to a threat of wet weather, we’ve picked out some of the key areas to keep an eye on when the lights go out at the Hungaroring...
1. Russell chasing his first win
2. Ferrari with a big chance
3. Red Bulls out of position
4. Norris in the mix
5. Plenty of weather watching
‘Hungarian GP Watch’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.russells-big-chance-red-bulls-recovery-and-risk-of-rain-what-to-watch-for-in.puGxCFGEdi0hr19NwsoM8.html
Wolff ‘wouldn’t discount F1 title’ if Russell wins Hungarian GP
30/07/2022
by Fergal Walsh
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff admits that he wouldn’t rule Mercedes out of championship contention if George Russell wins Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Russell prevailed in qualifying from Budapest on Saturday, taking the maiden pole position of his career and Mercedes’ first of the 2022 campaign.
Mercedes has struggled for pace throughout much of the year compared to front-runners Red Bull and Ferrari, as it started the sport’s new era under fresh technical regulations on the back foot. However, minor improvements throughout the season has seen it take steps forward, with Saturday’s qualifying outing being the team’s best showing to date.
Although it has a sizeable gap to Max Verstappen and Red Bull in both championships, Wolff hasn’t ruled out a potential late-season challenge from Mercedes.
‘Wouldn’t Discount F1 Title’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/30/wolff-wouldnt-discount-f1-title-if-russell-wins-hungarian-gp/
Russell’s Hungary pole thanks to “unconventional” approach by Mercedes
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Posted on 30th July 2022, 19:13
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
The problems Mercedes have had extracting performance from their car have prompted them to try “unconventional” approaches which paid off with George Russell’s pole position in Hungary. Team principal Toto Wolff described how the team has been forced to depart from its ordinary development techniques in order to master its W13.
“This season we have done unconventional things,” he said. “I remember having a chat with a very clever lady in aerodynamics and she said ‘if you would have told me last year that we are putting a floor on the car that we haven’t drawn in the wind tunnel, I would have said we are never going to do this’. And we did and everybody was proud of the results.”
“[It’s] the same thing every weekend and more so yesterday and today, we’ve tried things,” said Wolff. “This is a data-based sport. But if you can’t rely on the data because they don’t correlate from the virtual world, from the tunnel, from CFD, from the simulations with what’s happening in real-time on the track, you’ve just got to try things and find correlations. Basically reverse-engineer correlation and this is what we’ve done today and had some positive results.”
‘Unconventional W13, requires the unconventional’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/30/russells-hungary-pole-thanks-to-unconventional-approach-by-mercedes/
Winners and losers from Hungarian GP qualifying
Date published: July 30 2022
Finley Crebolder
It was a Saturday full of shocks in Budapest, with George Russell surprising for the right reasons and Red Bull for the wrong ones in Hungarian GP qualifying… Here’s who we think were the big winners and losers from the day:
Winners
George Russell
Ferrari
Lando Norris
Losers
Red Bull
AlphaTauri
Sebastian Vettel
‘Saturday full of shocks in Budapest’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/hungarian-gp-2022-qualifying-winners-losers/
Fortitude
31st July 2022, 07:11
Leclerc rues Ferrari struggles despite Red Bull woe.
Charles Leclerc was left to bemoan another poor day for Ferrari despite the woe experienced by F1 title rival Max Verstappen.
Saturday 30 July 2022 20:45
Ewan Gale
A further source of frustration for Leclerc was his inability to capitalise on a difficult day for Red Bull as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez start 10th and 11th respectively, with the former hit by power unit issues.
Asked if he could be happy given his rivals' struggles, Leclerc replied: "Mostly we are focusing on ourselves, so today has not been a great day. "I have been struggling massively with our tyres and had a lot of inconsistency to put our tyres in the right window with those conditions and I struggled to put a lap together.”
"We will look into it. I am pretty sure we have got the pace in the car to come back to the front tomorrow so we will focus on that and hopefully we will have a better Sunday. The pace is there so we just need to understand what went on with the tyres."
‘Ferrari struggles’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88385/hungarian-grand-prix-qualifying-charles-leclerc-ferrari-woe/
Leclerc experienced ‘weird’ change in Hungary Q3
Date published: July 30 2022
Henry Valantine
Charles Leclerc said his Ferrari felt “completely off” while gunning for pole in Q3 in Hungary on Saturday, experiencing a “weird” feeling with his tyres. Leclerc could not match team-mate Carlos Sainz in the final part of qualifying, coming in a tenth behind the Spaniard in what looked to be shaping up as an all-Ferrari front row.
But while Leclerc remains confident about the performance of his F1-75, he said talks will need to be had to understand the issue he faced in qualifying. “I think it’s good,” he said of his race pace. “We need to focus on ourselves, do a good start tomorrow and then I believe the performance will be good.”
“Today on my side in Q3 for some reason there was something very weird with the tyres and we need to analyse that because it was just feeling completely off compared to before. So, we’ll try and look at it and understand what went wrong, but for the race pace, I’m confident.”
‘Weird change in Hungary Q3’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-weird-feeling-hungary/
Leclerc 'struggled massively' with tyres in qualifying
30/07/2022 at 18:02
Andrew Lewin
“Today has not been a great day,” said Leclerc, who is still rebuilding his confidence after crashing out while leading the French Grand Prix a week ago.
"I struggled to put a lap together." he admitted. “I’ve been struggling massively with the tyres and just had a lot of inconsistency to put the tyres in the right window with those conditions."
“The pace is there,” he insisted. “We just need to understand what went on with the tyres today and I’m pretty sure we can come back tomorrow. We will look into it," he said. "But I’m pretty sure I’ve got the pace in the car to come back a bit more tomorrow, so we will focus on that and hopefully we will have a better Sunday."
'Struggled Massively with Tyres’;
https://f1i.com/news/449965-leclerc-struggled-massively-with-tyres-in-qualifying.html
Charles Leclerc: 'Something felt off' during Q3 in Hungary
30 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc explains how be stuggled with "extremely inconsistent" grip on his way to a P3 finish in Saturday qualifying at the 2022 F1 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring.
‘Something Felt Off’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.charles-leclerc-something-felt-off-during-q3-in-hungary.1739793739170127978.html
Carlos Sainz Jr.: “I feel I could have done a better lap on the final attempt”
July 30, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Carlos Sainz has explained where he missed out on pole position to George Russell in the final moments of qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Sainz had initially looked to be on course to secure P1 on the grid, with teammate Charles Leclerc unable to match his time.
"[I'm] feeling better and better every race and every qualifying session," Sainz said after qualifying. "Today, I felt like I had the pace to do a pole position. It went away from us there in the last sector with a few snaps through the lap.”
Despite losing out on pole, Sainz feels Ferrari have a strong chance of a big result on Sunday at the Hungaroring, with the pace of his F1-75 appearing fast throughout the weekend, and this coupled with the fact the two Oracle Red Bull Racing drivers will start tenth and eleventh.
‘Could have done a better Final Lap’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/07/carlos-sainz-jr-i-feel-i-could-have-done-a-better-lap-on-the-final-attempt/
Sainz explains where he missed out on pole to Russell
30/07/2022, 17:00
Author Anna Francis
Carlos Sainz looked to be on course to secure pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix, but missed out to George Russell. The Ferrari driver still hopes to be able to pose a challenge from P2 on the grid.
Carlos Sainz has explained where he missed out on pole position to George Russell in the final moments of qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Sainz had initially looked to be on course to secure P1 on the grid, with teammate Charles Leclerc unable to match his time.
However, it was Russell who caused a surprise by taking his debut pole in Formula 1, pushing Sainz down to P2. Despite this, Sainz admits that he has been feeling more comfortable with the Ferrari throughout the weekend at the Hungaroring.
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-explains-where-he-missed-out-on-pole-to-russell
Sainz: We’ll definitely go for it in the race
30 July, 2022
Jad Mallak
Carlos Sainz missed out on his second pole in Formula 1 by the slightest of margins, but vows to be on the attack on Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
“I’m not very happy with the final result as I feel I could have done a better lap on the final attempt,” Sainz admitted in Ferrari’s media brief.”
“However, I prefer to focus on the positives: we are in a good position for tomorrow, I’ve been comfortable in the car all weekend and we keep making steps in the right direction. I’m confident we can carry the good pace of Friday into the race, so we’ll definitely go for it.”
‘Going For It’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07/30/sainz-well-definitely-go-for-it-in-the-race/
Fortitude
31st July 2022, 07:55
Red Bull provide update on Verstappen's qualifying issues.
Helmut Marko has given further reaction from the Red Bull camp after Max Verstappen's engine problems in qualifying at the Hungaroring.
30/07/2022, 18:40
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Helmut Marko has expressed his frustration at Max Verstappen encountering technical trouble at one of the "worst circuits" on the F1 calendar for overtaking. Verstappen could only manage 10th during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix after an engine problem left him without a representative lap time in Q3.
"We were very optimistic after Q2," Marko told Austrian broadcaster ORF, with Verstappen showing solid pace up to Q3. But on the first run Verstappen [locked up] on his out-lap and his front tyres were damaged, and on his second attempt he struggled with an engine problem."
Marko is confident that Verstappen's engine will be in working order for the race, but rued the timing of the issue. "This is perhaps the worst circuit where this can happen, apart from Monaco or Singapore," he summed up.
‘Engine Problems in Qualifying’;
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-provide-update-on-verstappens-qualifying-issues
Engine parts change for Verstappen in Hungary
JULY 31, 2022, 07:07
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news
Red Bull may need to change parts on Max Verstappen’s power unit ahead of the Hungarian GP on Sunday. “It was a mechanical problem,” said Dr Helmut Marko, after Verstappen qualified just tenth at the circuit near Budapest on Saturday.
“In his second run he didn’t have the full engine power at his disposal,” he explained. “We think we know what it is. The exchange of this part is possible without penalty. But a result like this here or in Singapore or Monte Carlo is exactly where you don’t want it.”
Marko said of Verstappen’s prospects: “I think a podium is unrealistic.”
‘Engine Parts Change’;
https://grandpx.news/engine-parts-change-for-verstappen-in-hungary/
Horner predicts Verstappen's qualifying position without power issue
30/07/2022, 21:00
Author Luke Murphy
Christian Horner has given his verdict on where Max Verstappen could have qualified in Hungary had he not experienced a power loss issue in qualifying. Christian Horner believes that without Q3 technical issues Max Verstappen would have had a chance of a front row grid position at the Hungaroring. The Red Bull driver was unable to set a final flying lap in Q3 after encountering a power loss problem. Following an error on his earlier Q3 effort, the late technical issue meant Verstappen finished the qualifying hour in P10.
"It was very frustrating to lose Checo in Q2; he got a bit of traffic into Turn 2," Horner told Sky Sports F1. "Max felt a lot more comfortable with the balance of the car today and I think we were in with a shot of pole, but a lock-up on the first run into Turn 2 immediately put us on the backfoot.”
"We still felt confident that we could have a crack at it but unfortunately he had a power unit-related issue on his out-lap. We were obviously trying to reset sensors and so on to try and cure it and clear it but unfortunately, it wasn't to be, so no representative time for Max in Q3."
‘Christian Horner: Frustration and Technical Issues’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-predicts-verstappens-qualifying-position-without-power-issue
Perez ‘couldn’t recover’ lost ground after K-Mag blockage
Date published: July 30 2022
Henry Valantine
Sergio Perez has said being slowed down by coming up behind Kevin Magnussen in Q2 left him with too much ground to make up towards the end of his lap. The Red Bull driver had already been under pressure in the session after his first attempt was struck off for supposedly breaching track limits at Turn 5. This lap was later reinstated by the stewards however, in the first decision reversal of its kind this season, but Perez’s time was still around eight tenths behind the leaders.
He had one lap to make his way through to Q3 at that point, but he could not improve and lost out, eventually qualifying P11 for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Perez owes this to having to take evasive action behind the Haas of Kevin Magnussen heading down to Turn 2, having to take a compromising line which hampered his potential for the rest of the lap.
Perez told Sky F1 after qualifying: “It was very unfortunate because I lost a few tenths, I missed out on Q3 by a few hundredths and then going into Turn 2 I lost a lot with Kevin, a few tenths. “I just had to go very deep on the corner, and I couldn’t recover afterwards.” When asked if he would take matters up with the stewards, he added: “It will not change anything for me. Hopefully we are able to come back strong tomorrow.”
Couldn’t Recover Lost Ground’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-not-recover-hungary-q2-pace/
Perez ‘too far away’ from Verstappen – Marko
JULY 31, 2022, 07:07
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news
He already has a new two-year deal through 2024, but Sergio Perez has not escaped a back-to-back rebuke by Red Bull’s top official Dr Helmut Marko. “He is too far away from Max at the moment,” the 79-year-old said in Hungary.
That rebuke was just a week after Mexican Perez was also chided by Marko for the manner in which he got back up to speed at the restart at Paul Ricard. “It’s very unfortunate that Checo was asleep,” Marko told Servus TV. “A certain third place was lost there. Maybe he was drinking too much tequila last night.”
Perez, meanwhile, did not even make Q3 in the sister car. “It was a difficult situation in all the practice sessions too, so we have to sit down together,” Marko told Sky Deutschland. “The summer break hasn’t started yet, but Perez already seems to be on holiday. We need to talk to him and he should continue to use Max’s setup.”
‘Dr Helmut Marko, I presume!’;
https://grandpx.news/perez-too-far-away-from-verstappen-marko/
Horner explains Red Bull’s bad day at the office
Date published: July 30 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
Red Bull principal Christian Horner reeled off the issues that made qualifying day in Hungary one to forget for his team. But nonetheless, Horner prefers that these issues came on Saturday as they now look to “give it everything” in the race in a bid to undo the damage.
Heading into the weekend, Red Bull had talked up rivals Ferrari, expecting to face a stern test if they were to challenge the Scuderia. However, lining up P10 and P11 in Hungary was certainly not what Red Bull had in mind.
Sergio Perez would drop out in Q2, Horner explaining that traffic had hampered the Mexican racer, while Max Verstappen then encountered a loss of power in Q3 which leaves him P10 on the grid.
‘Bad Day at the Office’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-red-bull-bad-day-hungary/
Fortitude
31st July 2022, 15:12
Verstappen wins Hungarian Grand Prix from 10th on the grid.
Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen won the Hungarian Grand Prix for Red Bull from 10th on the starting grid on Sunday as Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc suffered another strategy nightmare.
31/07/2022, 15:51
The Age
Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton finished second for Mercedes with teammate George Russell, who started on pole position for the first time, taking third place in a repeat of the previous race in France.
‘P1 from P10’;
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/motorsport/verstappen-wins-hungarian-grand-prix-20220801-p5b63p.html
Race Results – 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Budapest, Hungary
31st July 2022
by Emer Hedderman
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -70 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +7.834
3. George Russell Mercedes +12.337
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +14.579
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +15.688
6. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +16.047
7. Lando Norris McLaren +78.300
8. Fernando Alonso Alpine +1 lap
9. Esteban Ocon Alpine +1 lap
10. Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin +1 lap
Hungarian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2022 F1 World Championship race around the Hungaroring;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2022-hungarian-grand-prix-79738
RACE: FORMULA 1 ARAMCO MAGYAR NAGYDÍJ 2022
Becky Hart
Formula 1.
OVERVIEW:
Round 13 of the 2022 season comes from the Hungaroring, Hungary
It's the final race before the traditional summer break
George Russell starts on pole for Mercedes
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are second and third
Max Verstappen starts 10th after suffering power issues in qualifying
‘Hungarian Grand Prix, as it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live-lite.html#lap-by-lap
Verstappen charges to victory in action-packed Hungarian GP
31/07/2022, 15:44
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Max Verstappen beat Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix, with title rival Charles Leclerc back in sixth position.
Max Verstappen extended his lead in the 2022 F1 standings with victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, after Charles Leclerc's chances were undone by a mid-race strategy call.
Verstappen started the race back in 10th position after technical issues in qualifying but he expertly worked his way through the field to put himself in contention for the win. An undercut at his second pit-stop helped Verstappen get ahead of both pole-sitter George Russell and Leclerc, with a subsequent spin only briefly halting his charge.
‘Charging to Victory’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-charges-to-victory-in-action-packed-hungarian-gp
Verstappen wins Hungarian GP as Leclerc suffers further
by Fergal Walsh
31/07/2022, 15:55
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week
Max Verstappen has taken his eighth grand prix win of the 2022 Formula 1 season, as the Red Bull driver prevailed at the Hungaroring. Verstappen started the race from 10th on the grid after enduring Power Unit issues during qualifying on Saturday.
The reigning World Champion progressed through the lower end of the top 10 runners in the opening laps, before he was able to overtake the Mercedes drivers through the pit stop phases of the race. Verstappen soon found himself running behind race-leader Charles Leclerc, who moved ahead of pole-sitter George Russell earlier in the grand prix.
The Red Bull driver managed to move in front of Leclerc, but soon dropped behind again after he spun at the penultimate corner. However, it didn’t undo Verstappen’s race, as he soon recomposed himself and progressed ahead of Leclerc once more.
‘Verstappen wins, Leclerc suffers further’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/07/31/verstappen-wins-hungarian-gp-as-leclerc-suffers-further/
Max Verstappen wins from 10th as Ferrari wobbles again: Hungarian GP as it happened
July 31st 2022
Author Dominic Tobin
Max Verstappen won the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix after starting tenth on the grid to take a huge 80-point championship lead heading into the summer break. The Red Bull driver was followed home by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who claimed a double podium for Mercedes after Russell started on pole.
But yet again, there were more questions over Ferrari’s strategy for Charles Leclerc who was leading at one point, but finished sixth. He dropped out of contention when Ferrari fitted him with hard tyres — which other drivers were struggling with — and he dropped down the running order, as his rivals avoided the troublesome compound.
It was an unpredictable race as Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull all looked capable of winning at some stage, and the threat of rain also loomed overhead. But Max Verstappen’s pace made the difference, despite one error in the race where he spun. Lando Norris finished seventh, followed by both Alpines, whose race was also hampered by using the hard tyres. The final point went to Sebastian Vettel on the weekend he announced his retirement.
‘Max win from P10, Ferrari Wobbles’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/verstappen-wins-from-10th-as-ferrari-wobbles-again-hungarian-gp-as-it-happened
Verstappen fights through field to win Hungarian GP from tenth
31 Jul 2022, 16:50
By Steven De Groote
Strategy played an essential part in today's race but Max Verstappen and Red Bull mastered it all perfectly to come through the field and win the Hungarian Grand Prix after disappointment in qualifying. Hamilton and Russell secured the second consecutive double podium for Mercedes.
On lap 38 Verstappen became the first to pit, changing to new mediums. Leclerc and Russell reacted to do the same the next lap as Verstappen had immediately set two purple sectors. The quick out-lap of Verstappen saw Russell rejoin behind Verstappen. Leclerc though was put on hard tyres and soon found out the trouble with that compound. Verstappen got let past by Perez quickly and Leclerc was a sitting duck with cold tyres and nobody ahead of him with DRS.
One lap later Verstappen spun in the penultimate corner and saw Leclerc breeze past yet again. Perez then hesitated to pass his teammate who was getting back up to speed, enabling Russell to get past Perez for 5th place. Verstappen quickly rejoined Leclerc to fight for third place and got past the Ferrari in lap 44. Hamilton pitted on lap 50 to switch to softs, gifting the lead to Verstappen as Russell passed Leclerc on the main straight to take second place. The pace was such that Leclerc was pitted again on lap 54 to complete the remaining 16 laps on soft. Leclerc therefore dropped to 6th place, 7s behind the medium-shod Perez.
‘Max Verstappen and Red Bull mastered the Strategy’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/23799
Fortitude
31st July 2022, 17:01
Ferrari branded ‘Screwderia’ as strategy blunder hands Max Verstappen Hungarian GP win.
“Congrats to Max on the second title. Ferrari are a clown show,” tweeted one fan while another added: “It’s Screwderia Ferrari.”
16:13, 31 JUL 2022
BY Mark Whiley
Max Verstappen took advantage of yet another Ferrari strategy blunder to rise from 10th on the grid to win the Hungarian Grand Prix. Ferrari threw away another probable victory with a poor strategy call which allowed Max Verstappen to take victory in Budapest and extend his already huge championship lead
Charles Leclerc looked on course for victory at the Hungaroring after overtaking teammate Carlos Sainz in the pits and the Mercedes of pole-sitter George Russell on track. However, Ferrari opted to use the preferred medium tyres in the first two stints, meaning he had to use another compound for his third stint. Despite seeing other drivers struggle on the hard tyre, it was still the rubber Ferrari opted to fit – and the result was disastrous.
In cold conditions, Leclerc couldn’t get the tyres up to temperature, allowing Verstappen to overtake him. Leclerc was gifted the lead back soon after when Verstappen had a minor spin but the Dutchman recovered and passed his rival again. At one stage, Leclerc yelled at his time over the radio for their tyre decision while Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle described the white-marked rubber as “concrete tyres”.
‘Screwderia Ferrari’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/ferrari-strategy-leclerc-hungarian-gp-27621585
‘It was a disaster’ – Leclerc ‘very disappointed’ with P6 finish in Budapest as he singles out what cost him victory chance.
Leclerc blamed a decision to switch to the hard tyres for seeing him plummet down the order and come home P6 at the flag.
31 July 2022
Formula 1.
Charles Leclerc was sitting pretty midway through the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver looking well-placed to take a key victory heading into the summer break.
But a second stop, and a switch to the hard tyre, appeared to undo all of Leclerc’s hard work, as he struggled to warm up the white-walled rubber, the Monegasque damning the tyres as “s***” before falling behind eventual winner Max Verstappen and down the order – a late switch to softs seeing him emerge in the P6 position he’d eventually finish in, as Sainz also lost out to the Mercedes pair to finish fourth.
“I’m very, very disappointed obviously,” said Leclerc, who started on the mediums along with Sainz, as Russell took softs. “The pace was really good on the medium tyres, the second stint also [on mediums] everything was under control and then we decided to stop on the hards. I don’t exactly know what are the reasons behind this decision yet, but we’ll speak with the team for me to understand, but clearly it wasn’t the right decision. And I made it clear that I felt good on the medium, so I don’t exactly know what happened.”
‘Disaster’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.it-was-a-disaster-leclerc-very-disappointed-with-p6-finish-in-budapest-as-he.5J2AsVj4jvkvGhh94C488r.html
Charles Leclerc puzzled by Ferrari strategy - 'I lost the race on the hards'
31/07/2022, 16:32
Sky Sports
Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari's decision to put him on the hard tyres was a disaster.
‘Disaster’;
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12662985/charles-leclerc-the-strategy-was-a-disaster
Leclerc baffled by Ferrari hard tyre choice: 'It lost us the race!'
31/07/2022 at 17:21
Phillip van Osten
Charles Leclerc says he was puzzled by Ferrari's decision to put him on the hard tyre for his third stint in the Hungarian GP, a move that he reckoned lost him a win.
But the team's decision to bolt on a set of hards – a compound that had not proven effective on the Alpine's of Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso earlier in the race – left many, including Leclerc, scratching their heads.
The Ferrari charger's pace painfully subsided, his position in the pecking order falling all the way to P5 which encouraged Ferrari to bring in Leclerc for a set of softs, which put the final nail in the Mongasque's coffin.
‘Coffin’s Final Nail’;
https://f1i.com/news/450126-leclerc-baffled-by-ferrari-hard-tyre-choice-it-lost-us-the-race.html
Charles Leclerc calls Ferrari strategy 'a disaster' after dropping from first to sixth at Hungarian Grand Prix
Leclerc said "everything was under control" on medium tyres, but a poor Ferrari strategy call saw him drop through the field; Johnny Herbert described the latest failure as "embarrassing"; Carlos Sainz also reflected on a bad day after two slow pit stops
Last Updated: 31/07/22 5:29pm
SKY
Charles Leclerc described Ferrari's decision to put him on hard tyres at the Hungarian Grand Prix as "a disaster" as he surrendered the lead of the race and eventually finished sixth.
"Everything was under control and for some reason, I don't know why, we went on the hards.”
"I said on the radio I was comfortable on the medium and I wanted to go as long as possible on those tyres because the feeling was good. I don't know why we took a different decision.”
‘Everything was under control and… …Disaster!’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/12662820/charles-leclerc-calls-ferrari-strategy-a-disaster-after-dropping-from-first-to-sixth-at-hungarian-grand-prix
Binotto: Ferrari 'didn't have pace' to win in Hungary, regardless of strategy error
Published: 31 Jul 2022, 17:57
By George Dagless
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has said that the car was not quick enough to win, regardless of the team’s botched strategy involving Charles Leclerc.
“Today the car was not performing the way we were expecting it to, and that was the issue more than the strategy. Carlos’ strategy was the same as Hamilton’s and it didn’t work either,” Binotto said to Sky Italy.
“The performance of the car did not give us the freedom to do what we wanted and we were forced on the defensive. The pace was different from what we saw on Friday, we were not fast enough in the race today in these conditions. Something did not work on the car.”
‘Performance Lacking’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88041570-binotto-ferrari-didnt-have-pace-to-win-in-hungary-regardless-of-strategy-error
Wolff: Ferrari lost the race in free practice
Date published: July 31 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Ferrari hamstrung themselves by not keeping a new set of medium tyres available for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Asked by Sky Sports F1 if Mercedes had been left scratching their heads when Ferrari put Leclerc onto the hard tyres, Wolff replied: “I think they had no option. They had only hard and soft left and for the soft it was too early. So only the hard.”
“I think the mistake happened Friday, or Saturday, not to carry over a new medium.”
‘Ferrari Hamstrung’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-ferrari-hungary-tyres/
Fortitude
31st July 2022, 18:56
Leclerc 'made it clear' he opposed Ferrari strategy.
"I made it clear that the medium [tyre] I wanted to keep it as long as possible, but we pitted very early for the hard, which we need to understand why," Leclerc said after the race.
31/07/2022, 18:32
ESPN.com
Nate Saunders F1 Associate Editor
The strategy Ferrari chose was not on any of the four projected fastest strategies Formula One tyre supplier Pirelli mapped out ahead of the race.
Ferrari must get better in every area after the team blundered its way through the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Ferrari's track record of poor strategy calls continued on Sunday as Leclerc went from leading the race to finishing 16 seconds behind Max Verstappen, who looks likely to wrap this year's championship up with a handful of races to spare.
‘Ferrari Strategy, different to the four Pirelli projected fastest strategies!’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/34323531/charles-leclerc-says-ferrari-need-get-better-whole
'Always something going wrong': Leclerc demands Ferrari answers
Issued on: 31/07/2022 - 19:42
France 24
Budapest (AFP) – Charles Leclerc said he pleaded with Ferrari to stay out on medium compound tyres while leading Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix before a pit-stop for hard tyres wrecked his victory hopes and claimed "there's always something going wrong."
"I said on the radio I was very comfortable with the mediums and that I wanted to go as long as possible with those tyres because the feeling was good, but I don't know why we took a different decision."
"It feels like there is always something going wrong -- reliability, mistakes, whatever. We need to be better at putting a weekend together. Now, we will try to use the few days we have to reset, but also try to analyse and understand where we need to be better and what we can do to be better because it is extremely important."
‘Always something going wrong -- reliability, mistakes, whatever’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220731-always-something-going-wrong-leclerc-demands-ferrari-answers
Charles Leclerc all but concedes F1 title - 'The last part of the race was a disaster for me'
31/07/2022, 18:57
CHARLES LECLERC ALL but conceded the world championship to Max Verstappen after he admitted it is going to be “very difficult” to stop his rival following another Ferrari blunder at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Such was Leclerc’s dramatic loss of pace, Verstappen raced past his beleaguered rival with ease at the second corner five laps later. An extra pit stop saw him cross the line a desperate sixth.
“A race like this is frustrating and we need to get better as a whole,” said the 24-year-old, who crashed from the lead of last weekend’s French Grand Prix. It always feels like there is something going on, whether it is reliability or mistakes, so we need to get better at putting a weekend together.”
‘All but concedes F1 title’;
https://www.the42.ie/f1-championship-title-5830292-Jul2022/
Leclerc: Ferrari ‘needs to get better’ at executing F1 weekends
31/07/2022, 17:33
The Race
By Edd Straw and Josh Suttill
When Verstappen opted for mediums that would get him to the end of the race, Ferrari called Leclerc in on the very next lap for a set of hard tyres. This proved to be a crucial error as, like the other cars such as the Alpines and the Haas that had fitted hard tyres, Leclerc couldn’t fire temperature into them, and his pace plummeted.
Leclerc said he felt “all over the place” on the hards and he was passed twice for the net race lead by Verstappen after the Red Bull driver spun shortly after completing his first overtake.
“I said I wanted to stay on the mediums as long as possible, so yeah we need to understand why we went on the hards because I made it clear that I wanted to keep the medium as long as possible so need to understand why,” Leclerc said after the race.
‘Crucial Error’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/leclerc-ferrari-needs-to-get-better-at-executing-f1-weekends/
Ferrari defend Leclerc error that will 'take days to analyse'
Sunday 31 July 2022 18:30
Ewan Gale
Mattia Binotto has conceded it may take days to analyse Ferrari's latest strategy blunder as F1's championships slipped further towards Red Bull and Max Verstappen at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc had made his way to the front with a move on George Russell's Mercedes but an early switch to hard tyres to cover an undercut attempt by Red Bull and Max Verstappen left the Monégasque a sitting duck.
The mistake was later underlined by a switch to softs, with the three-stopping Leclerc eventually finishing sixth. "What happened will take at least a few hours, or a few days, to analyse," Binotto told Sky Sports F1.
‘Days to Analyze… …Hard Tyre Strategy!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88490/hungarian-grand-prix-ferrari-charles-leclerc-error/
Mattia Binotto defends tyre strategy, claims car 'didn't behave well'
31/07/2022, 16:42
Sky Sports
Mattia Binotto was quick to defend Ferrari's strategy at the Hungarian GP and appeared unhappy with the car;
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/f1/12663000/mattia-binotto-defends-tyre-strategy-need-to-analyse-what-happened
Ferrari: Lack of car performance forced defensive strategy in Hungarian GP
31/07/2022, 17:30
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport
Ferrari Formula 1 boss Mattia Binotto says the team’s lack of performance during the Hungarian Grand Prix didn’t give it the “freedom” on strategy it wanted.
“I think we were all expecting a different result today,” Binotto told Sky Italia. “Today the car was not performing the way we were expecting it to, and that was the issue more than the strategy. Carlos’ strategy was the same as Hamilton’s and it didn’t work either.”
“The performance of the car did not give us the freedom to do what we wanted and we were forced on the defensive,” Binotto said. “The pace was different from what we saw on Friday, we were not fast enough in the race today in these conditions. Something did not work on the car.”
‘All expecting a different result today’;
https://readmotorsport.com/2022/07/31/ferrari-lack-of-car-performance-forced-defensive-strategy-in-hungarian-gp/
Binotto blames Ferrari woes on pace, not strategy
Date published: July 31 2022
Henry Valantine
Leclerc dubbed his doomed stint a “disaster”, but the Ferrari team boss felt it was the first race this season in which the Scuderia had not quite been on the pace. “Certainly we didn’t have today the performance we were expecting as in whatever the tyres we were using, soft, medium or hard,” Binotto told Sky F1.
“I think at the end, the performance of our car was not as expected and the car is not performing well. Whatever, because of maybe the weather conditions, it was a lot cooler today compared to Friday, so it is difficult somehow to try to have the right speed, the right pace and keep up the position on track.”
“So today the car was not behaving well. I think that’s the point that the first time this season, [in] 13 or 12 races, the first time it’s not working as we are hoping for. We’ll try to understand the reason of [it]. I think it was working but not as well as we were hoping or expecting for, so I think if I look at Friday at least, [and the] pace we’ve got, we had an edge, we had an advantage on the competitors, which was not the case today.”
‘Mattia Binotto: Today the car was not behaving well’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia-binotto-ferrari-slow-hungarian-gp/
Fortitude
1st August 2022, 05:31
F1 trio caught on camera mocking rival says it all about fresh Ferrari shambles.
Ferrari’s constant strategy blunders this F1 season has their rivals amused after Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell shared a laugh at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
August 1st, 2022 11:45 am
Staff writers from Fox Sports
Leclerc was once again cruelled by a poor strategy decision from Ferrari, who pulled in their lead driver for hard tyres when he was comfortable on mediums. Leclerc’s preference was to stay out longer and complete a shorter final stint on the soft tyre, but was instead left to battle with the hards that struggled for grip.
In the end, he finished a distance sixth, his teammate Carlos Sainz was fourth, while Verstappen vaulted from 10th on the grid to claim the win. The podium was rounded out by Mercedes pair Hamilton and Russell.
In the podium green room, the trio were shocked to learn Ferrari put Leclerc on the hard tyre — a decision they clearly found amusing. Hamilton could be heard on the broadcast asking in surprise: “Ferrari were on the hards?” Both Russell and Verstappen snickered, and simply replied: “Yeah.”
“Ferrari were on the hards?” “Yeah.”;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-trio-caught-on-camera-mocking-rival-says-it-all-about-fresh-ferrari-shambles/news-story/8091f0cf9656733f51d8e26caf877eee
Time for Ferrari to ask hard questions of Binotto after yet another strategic blunder
01/08/2022, 05:16
David Tremayne
The Straits Times
When something just keeps going wrong so many times, it's natural to regard it as faulty no matter how much faith and affection one might have invested in it.
So why does Ferrari team principal and managing director Mattia Binotto, the man tasked with winning the most famous motor racing team in the history the 2022 World Championship, keep getting things so desperately wrong?
‘Just keeps going wrong’;
https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/time-for-ferrari-to-ask-hard-questions-of-binotto-after-yet-another-strategic-blunder
F1 2022: ‘Crazy’ — Verstappen stunner rocks Ferrari after ANOTHER ‘incredible’ F1 ‘disaster’. Max spins but still wins in Hungary.
August 1st, 2022 6:54 am
AFP with staff writers from Afp
F1 world champion Max Verstappen fully exploited another Ferrari flop to pull 80 points clear of Charles Leclerc in this year’s title race with an emphatic Red Bull triumph at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Just a week after his crushing win at the French Grand Prix, where Leclerc crashed out of the lead, the 24-year-old Dutchman scored his first win at the Hungaroring on Sunday, his eighth this year, and the 28th of his career.
Starting from 10th on the grid, after engine problems in qualifying required a new power unit, he sliced through the field to finish 7.8 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who had started from his maiden pole position. That was despite a 360 degree spin on lap 40 from which he managed to recover from. “When we woke up this morning who would have thought we would win this race?” said the Dutchman.
‘ANOTHER ‘incredible’ Ferrari F1 ‘disaster’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2022-hungarian-grand-prix-results-standings-max-verstappen-wins-daniel-ricciardo-position-ferrari-highlights-points/news-story/e6ff110e31616de06f3e666a03938405
Leclerc suggests "clear" wish ignored by Ferrari
Sunday 31 July 2022 17:15
Ewan Gale
Charles Leclerc has revealed he pleaded with Ferrari to remain on the medium tyre before the strategy error that cost him the Hungarian Grand Prix.
"I said I wanted to stay on the medium as long as possible and so yeah, we need to understand why we went to the hard," explained Leclerc.
"I made it clear I wanted to keep the medium as long as possible but we pitted very early for the hard, which we need to understand why.”
‘Pleaded with Ferrari, before the strategy error’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88488/hungarian-grand-prix-charles-leclerc-ferrari/
What the teams said – Race day in Hungary
31 July 2022
Special contributor
Becky Hart
Formula 1.
Mattia Binotto, Team Principal Ferrari: "Today’s result is unsatisfactory. In general, we did not perform well, with the car unable to reproduce Friday’s pace and in terms of how we managed the strategy and pit stops. Analysing every aspect of this race is our top priority over the coming days, in order to prepare as well as possible for the remaining Grands Prix."
Christian Horner, Team Principal: “It was a fantastic race today. Everyone put in a top performance. Max was exceptional, even adding a little spin to his race as if coming back from 10th wasn’t hard enough. Equally, Checo had a brilliant race and I believe if it hadn’t been for the VSC he would have podiumed. Strategy played a big part in our victory. We were due to start on the hard tyre but switched things up as a result of the ambient conditions.”
Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: "George had a great qualifying session with pole and drove a solid race. He was in the fight utilising the tyres but ran out of them in the second stint. Lewis’ fight today was unbelievable, Budapest continues to be a success story for him. He came out of nowhere and was quicker than everyone else. I think we lost the race with him yesterday with the DRS failing.”
‘Feedback from the F1 teams’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.what-the-teams-said-race-day-in-hungary-2022.5cZAMQG3pjn2N4Xng9J3hu.html
Max Verstappen takes grip on title race with victory in Hungary as Ferrari implode
August 01 2022 02:30 AM
Luke Slater
In a season when Ferrari’s and Charles Leclerc’s challenges for the title have consistently faltered, it should come as no surprise that their final act before the summer break would be to leave the Hungaroring with an even greater championship deficit.
Leclerc finishing a lowly sixth makes any chance of a Ferrari title turnaround almost impossible. Ferrari leave Hungary scratching their heads and licking their wounds, and the manner and frequency of their implosions must surely hurt, especially after they blew another opportunity to claw themselves back into contention.
With Leclerc starting third behind team-mate Carlos Sainz and Mercedes’ surprise pole-sitter George Russell, Ferrari looked like a decent bet to win and eat into Red Bull’s advantage. That was still the case with Leclerc leading at halfway. At the chequered flag, Ferrari did not even have a car on the podium, with their race falling apart through more strategy errors. The decision to put Leclerc on hard-compound tyres at his second pit stop seemed baffling and compromised his race.
‘No Ferrari Podium’;
https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/motor-sport/max-verstappen-takes-grip-on-title-race-with-victory-in-hungary-as-ferrari-implode-41881011.html
"It was a disaster for me," says Leclerc
31/07/2022
NEWS STORY
As he falls 80 points behind title rival Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc rues Ferrari's strategic error. While fans of a certain vintage have grown used to seeing the prancing horse shooting itself in the hoof, drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are slowly begin to see it for themselves.
If ever one needed an example of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, today's Hungarian Grand Prix was a perfect example. At a time rivals, Kevin Magnussen and Fernando Alonso were seeking to get off their hard tyres as soon as possible, Ferrari opted to put Leclerc, who was leading the race, on to the white-banded rubber.
Struggling on the hards, as other had done so before him, Leclerc suffered the indignity of being overtaken by Verstappen twice, the second time after the Dutchman had spun. In the final stages of the race, now under attack from Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc was forced to make a third stop, thereby dropping him to sixth. While Ferrari does its best to keep a lid on things, to wash its dirty linen behind closed doors, it was hard for the Monegasque to hide his frustration at race end.
‘Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory’;
https://www.pitpass.com/73288/It-was-a-disaster-for-me-says-Leclerc
Fortitude
1st August 2022, 07:34
Podcast: Why Ferrari’s defence of its tactics doesn’t hold up.
The Ferrari Formula 1 team tried its best to explain how it got the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix so wrong, but did any of its arguments hold up?
01/08/2022, 07:08
The Race
Exactly how Ferrari went from such a strong position at the Hungaroring to not even getting a podium is analysed in forthright depth.
Every other team’s performance – including Red Bull’s brilliance and Mercedes’ latest important step – is discussed too, and as ever we also answer questions from The Race Members’ Club.
It’s fair to say Mark Hughes, Scott Mitchell and Edd Straw aren’t convinced, as they make clear in the latest episode of The Race F1 Podcast.
‘Ferrari’s defence of its tactics doesn’t hold up’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-why-ferraris-defence-of-its-tactics-doesnt-hold-up/
Max and Lewis laugh at Ferrari Strategy | Cooldown room | 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Jul 31, 2022
Lindsay Fennell
I have no idea how ferrari could be this incompetent unintentionally. It's really impressive how good they are at making the absolutely worst possible strategy decisions.
Alex Fu
"They were on hards?", this has now become the joke in the paddock. It is embarrassing. Binotto and the entire Ferrari strategy unit will have to go!! Enough is enough!!
TARKAS! TARKAS!
Happened with Mansell, with Prost, with Alesi, with Massa, with Alonso, with Vettel and Raikonnen, and now with Leclerc and Sainz. The Todt-Brawn-Schumacher era really was the exception and not the rule of the circus that is Ferrari.
memmener
What exactly was Ferrari's strategy switching to the hard? Were they expecting the front runners to go with a 3 stop strategy so they tried going with a 2 stop with the hard compound on the 2nd stop? Or they thought everyone was going with a 2 stop, and they thought the hard compound would perform better towards the end of the race?
philaw123
Ferrari strategy is the gift that keeps on giving.
Marcus Sarmiento
Ferrari going to fall to 3rd in constructors.
Samuel Kamoche
May Ferrari continue that way... so inspirational
greg izzo
As an Italian I think I am allowed to say this, but I feel Ferrari needs a little non-Italian brains in their team. A Ross Brawn for example.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUvLdhO6hPo
RACE HIGHLIGHTS: Hungarian Grand Prix 2022! ����
Jul 31, 2022
Patrick Hodgen
I just spent an hour and a half of my life watching channel 4’s coverage for the first time in a few years and this is so much more worth it even though it’s a fraction of the length
Mansoor Hussain
Lec on hard is a Titanic Italian job & Strategic master class, should be on the payroll of Redbull
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ferrari+hungary+2022
Charles Leclerc Team Radio After P6 in Hungarian Grand Prix
Jul 31, 2022
Smith Js
Charles: I am in the lead
Ferrari strategist: Hold my beer
Quiet_Ocelot
Ferrari Drivers : We can make big Points this Weekend!
Ferrari strategist : I feel a great disturbance in the Force!
Juliusz Kopczewski
Leclerc: Why did we go on the hard tire?
Ferrari: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Cleber Alves
Even the mechanics were shaking their heads in disapproval.
mgi 12321
I feel embarrassed to call myself a Ferrari fan. All the strategists need to be fired and the pit stop mechanics need a huge dressing down after today.
Nayan Mandala
How Kimi won the championship with Ferrari is unbelievable. He must have not spoken to anyone on the team and they prob just listened to Kimi cause they where scared. Charles might as well do his own strategies on the fly at this point he would probably have better chances than plan ABCDEFG or what ever the f### Ferrari comes up with.
Corvonix plays
I find incredible how they don't answer Charles right away, that shows how embarassed they were
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r0fE3ar3os
Carlos Sainz “We clearly struggled as a team......"| Post Race Interview | 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Jul 31, 2022
Fahhad
Leclerc was damn fast man.
Ferrari, reward? Hard tires
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7laGS9ILaE
Mattia Binotto comments about Ferrari Team strategy ���� in race F1 Hungary 2022
Jul 31, 2022
Bigali Begimovich
Yeah, very sorry for the team. He looks panic & nervous.(
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8PcBqhBjy0
Christian Horner “ No hard tyres for us…” | 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix | Post race interview
Jul 31, 2022
Russ Serpico
Glad to see Chris gives due credit to Sergio.
TheMrBennito
It was Max who made the call on the hard tyres, warming up on softs. Max is the boss, RB team superbly tuned to their top driverys input.
MadIIMike
RB: Takes off Hard Tyres last second because they figure they'd suck. Alpine (and some others): Struggles with hard tyres mid race. Charles' race engineer near the end of the race: HOLD MY BEER.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An1NhMliBWk
Fortitude
1st August 2022, 15:47
The first cautious start of Verstappen’s F1 career?
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says Max Verstappen’s start to the Hungarian Grand Prix was “the first time I’ve seen him being cautious” in the early seconds of a Formula 1 race.
01/08/2022, 07:39
The Race
By Edd Straw
Verstappen won the race at the Hungaroring despite starting only 10th on the grid, which is the lowest starting position he has won from in his grand prix career.
While you might usually expect a driver winning from the fifth row to be more attacking at the start, Verstappen’s approach to the first lap was conservative.
“I think it’s right up there,” said Horner when asked where this victory stands among Verstappen’s 28 F1 wins. “The start, you saw him, it’s the first time I’ve seen him being cautious. He got himself a little bit pinched in the middle of the pack there, but thereafter his pace, the way he managed the issues that he had was phenomenal.”
‘Max Cautious Start’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-first-cautious-start-of-verstappens-f1-career/
Conclusions from the Hungarian Grand Prix
Date published: August 1 2022 - Oliver Harden
Max Verstappen continued his march towards a second successive Formula 1 title with his eighth victory of the 2022 season at the Hungarian Grand Prix as Ferrari suffered another disastrous day. Ever get the feeling you’ve seen this all before? Here are our conclusions from Budapest… Verstappen is laughing all the way to a second title. And to think this was supposed to be one of Red Bull’s weaker races of the season…
Another day, another Ferrari disaster If it’s not reliability, it’s strategy; if it’s not strategy, it’s driver error. If there is a way to lose a grand prix in 2022, rest assured Ferrari will find it. Two cars on the podium again, but are Mercedes really here to stay? With two cars on the podium on consecutive weekends and a first pole position of 2022 in the bag, Mercedes have ended the first half of their most difficult season in a decade on a high.
Finally hints of tension at Alpine? But leopards, to continue the big cat theme, tend not to change their spots and one day short of a full year since Alonso helped Ocon to victory in Hungary, the team-mates turned on each other. Such is the way in the animal kingdom that is an F1 starting grid… Norris continues to shine for McLaren As the weeks have passed, Lando Norris’ podium finish at Imola in April has almost come to symbolise the end of his F1 adolescence.
‘Hungarian Grand Prix Conclusions’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/conclusions-2022-hungarian-grand-prix/
How did Alpine let its star driver slip through its fingers?
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Posted on 1st August 2022, 11:381st August 2022, 13:52
Written by Keith Collantine
After yesterday’s Hungarian Grand Prix Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer gave every indication the team’s star driver Fernando Alonso was going to sign a new contract to remain with them. Asked by RaceFans whether he was confident Alonso would stay at the team which lured him back to F1 last year, Szafnauer said: “Of course.” Did he expect a straightforward contract negotiation? “Very straightforward.” Were there any big sticking points in Alonso’s new contract left to resolve? “No, not really. We’ve gone through all that. It’s just a matter of time. Just details. Little stuff.”
Yet, less than 16 hours after Szafnauer spoke those words, Aston Martin issued a press release declaring the two-times world champion had signed a “multi-year” deal to join their team from 2023.
It wasn’t only Szafnauer who gave strong outwards signs that, despite Sebastian Vettel’s impending retirement opening up a seat at Aston Martin, Alonso intended to stay put. The man himself said as much after Vettel made his announcement on Thursday. “I would like to stay here,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans. “But there are two parties and I will not put a gun in the head of anyone.”
‘EL PLAN: Alpine to Aston Martin’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/08/01/how-did-alpine-let-its-star-driver-slip-through-its-fingers/
F1 Hungarian GP 2022 race report: 5 things we learnt at the Hungaroring
Published: Today 12:28
Curtis Moldrich
The Hungarian GP always seems to deliver a classic race – despite how tricky it is to pass at the Hungaroring – and this year was no different. A damp qualifying session produced a relatively mixed grid, with George Russell’s Mercedes beating both Ferraris to pole. Sunday was equally chaotic, with the ongoing threat of rain and some very interesting strategy calls resulting in a race that was finely balanced on tyre management and robust overtakes.
So what were the key takeaways for the 2022 Hungarian GP, keep reading to find out. 1. Ferrari fumble. If Verstappen wins this year’s championship, it’ll surely be seen as the one gifted to him by Maranello. 2. Mercedes makes a step. If Ferrari are failing in every area but pace, it’s fair to say Mercedes are doing the exact opposite.
3. Alpine loses Alonso. But the biggest news? Just a day later, Alonso announced a move to Aston Martin. 4. Red Bull cleans up. Logistically Red Bull is the team to beat. 5. Life without Flexi-floors. First time we’ll see the effects of a new technical directive banning flexible floors.
‘5 things we learnt at the Hungaroring’;
https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/features/opinion/curtis-moldrich/hungary-race-report/
6 Winners and 5 Losers from the Hungarian Grand Prix – Who finished the first half of the season on a high?
01 August 2022
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Lawrence Barretto
Max Verstappen made it eight wins in 2022 with a brilliant fight back at the Hungaroring to head into the summer break buzzing. The same can’t be said for some of his rivals, though. We’ve picked out six winners and five losers from the Hungarian Grand Prix…
‘6 Winners and 5 Losers’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.6-winners-and-5-losers-from-the-hungarian-grand-prix-who-finished-the-first.4NsQcStW8WfsaFcAoSeGm1.html
Paddock Diary: 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Posted on
1st August 2022, 16:051st August 2022, 16:05 | Written by Claire Cottingham
THURSDAY: The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend began with the bombshell news of Sebastian Vettel’s retirement and ended with a clue to his replacement.
SUNDAY; The day ended at Alpine with team principal Otmar Szafnauer. I and several other journalists quizzed him on Fernando Alonso’s future, which the driver had indicated would be sorted before the season resumes at Spa. I asked if he was confident Alonso would be staying at Alpine in 2023. He paused for three seconds, then answered: “Of course.”
A rainbow formed in the sky as the F1 teams began packing up for the break. By now Vettel’s impending retirement had been replaced as the main paddock talking point by Ferrari’s latest debacle. That had allowed Verstappen to take an 80-point lead into the next race at Spa, some four weeks away. As it turned out, we didn’t have to wait anything like as long as that to discover Alonso’s future.
‘Paddock Diary’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/08/01/paddock-diary-2022-hungarian-grand-prix/
Fortitude
2nd August 2022, 03:02
Verstappen took crucial strategic decision just before start of Hungarian GP.
In the final moments before the Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen – who went on to win the race – made what turned out to be a very important decision for the Red Bull team.
02/08/2022, 17:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Max Verstappen has revealed that he made a last-minute decision to start on the Soft tyre for the Hungarian Grand Prix after originally planning to use the Hard, a compound that proved challenging for the likes of Ferrari.
The Dutchman went from the Soft to two stints on the Medium compound in the race, and was able to work his way from P10 on the grid to claim victory ahead of the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
"We were planning to start on the Hard tyre, but then I went to the grid on the Soft tyres, and I was already struggling for grip," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365.com. "So I was like, 'No way we're going to start on the Hards'. So, it's also credit to the team, because we of course planned the strategy around that, with the Hard tyre, and then we were like, 'Okay, we're switching it to a Soft'. "We had a lot of confidence in just changing it around, then that's what we did."
‘Max Crucial Strategic Decision’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-took-crucial-strategic-decision-just-before-start-of-hungarian-gp
Verstappen credits 'reactive' Red Bull strategy for 'crazy' Hungarian GP win
01 August 2022
Ben Issatt
Max Verstappen credited Red Bull's "reactive" approach to strategy for his victory in a "crazy" Hungarian Grand Prix. “It was a crazy race and of course very happy that we won it," he said in parc ferme. "I was battling a lot of guys so it was a lot of fun out there."
With the Hungaroring historically a difficult circuit to overtake from, Verstappen admitted victory wasn't on his mind before the start. “I was of course hoping that I could get close to a podium, but [it was] very tricky conditions out there," he said.
“I think we had a really good strategy. We were really reactive and always pitting at the right time. I think we had some good out laps, and then at the end, even with a 360, we won the race.”
‘Max: Even with a 360, we won the race’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16140-verstappen-credits-reactive-red-bull-strategy-for-crazy-hungarian-gp-win
How Verstappen was 12km from disaster — what you missed at the 2022 Hungarian GP
F1
August 1st 2022
Author Edward Hardy
In hindsight, it is a good job Verstappen had a disappointing Saturday because that’s what allowed him to win 24 hours later. During Q3, an engine-related problem struck which meant the world champion had to back out of his final flying lap, consigning him to P10.
Verstappen was fitted with a new engine for Sunday and had the problem not happened in qualifying, Christian Horner confirmed he wouldn’t have been able to race at all. “We changed the power unit because there’s a component that broke in Max’s car yesterday,” Red Bull’s team boss explained.
“Thankfully, sitting here now with 20-20 hindsight, we’re grateful that it did break yesterday because [with] another 12 kilometres it would have broken on the way to the grid. “So we elected to change the whole power unit rather than try a repair in the field. And as a precaution, we also changed Checo’s. Had the problem not struck on Saturday, we could be sat talking about Mercedes’ first one-two of the season.”
‘20-20 hindsight’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/how-verstappen-was-12km-from-disaster-what-you-missed-at-the-2022-hungarian-gp#
Is the F1 title Verstappen's already? - GPFans Stewards' Room Podcast
Monday 1 August 2022 16:30
GPFans Staff
Max Verstappen completed a stunning recovery drive from 10th to win the Hungarian Grand Prix but his path was eased by yet more errors from Ferrari. GPFans editor-in-chief Ian Parkes, deputy editor Sam Hall and F1 correspondent Ewan Gale join Oliver Wilson for this week's roundtable.
Ferrari was again its own worst enemy in Hungary as the team put Charles Leclerc on the dreadful hard tyres for the closing 30 laps of the race, dropping him from first to sixth. With the gap to Verstappen now 80 points, is the battle over?
The GPFans team also react to Monday's breaking news that Fernando Alonso will move from Alpine to Aston Martin for next season.
‘Is the F1 title Verstappen's already?’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88585/is-the-f1-title-fight-over-gpfans-stewards-room-podcast/
Verstappen survives spin to win 2022 F1 Hungarian Grand Prix
13:10 Mon, 01 Aug 2022
Motor Authority
Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen managed to overcome the odds on Sunday to take home victory in the 2022 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix. He finished ahead of the two Mercedes-Benz AMG drivers, with Lewis Hamilton crossing the finish line 7.8 seconds behind to claim second and George Russell crossing 12.3 seconds after Verstappen to claim third.
Both Verstappen and Perez slowly moved up the order, with Verstappen up to fourth by the end of lap 21 and Russell still in the lead at this point, ahead of Leclerc now in second and Sainz in third. Leclerc's attempts to overtake Russell caused both drivers to slow, allowing Verstappen to close the gap with the lead pack. Leclerc finally took the lead on lap 31 and would hold it comfortably until lap 39 when he switched to hard tires, a move that didn't suit the conditions. Leclerc was now third and Verstappen fourth. Ahead were Sainz and Hamilton who both needed to make another stop.
With Leclerc struggling for grip with the new tires, Verstappen put in a fastest lap to catch and was soon on Leclerc's tail. He powered past the Ferrari on lap 42 but then suffered a spin that allowed Leclerc to jump back in front. Fortunately he didn't end up in wall, and with some defensive help from Perez, Verstappen was soon able to catch up to Leclerc and pass him to move into third, with Sainz and Hamilton still head.
‘Verstappen survives spin to win’;
https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1136681_2022-f1-hungarian-grand-prix-results
Jos Verstappen praises Max: He overtook them easily, like he always does
02/08/2022, 14:30
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Jos Verstappen has heaped praise on the Red Bull team for their strategy calls during the Hungarian Grand Prix, along with hailing the racing efforts of his race-winning son Max. Jos Verstappen was full of praise for his son and the Red Bull team following Max Verstappen's ninth victory of the season in Hungary.
Max's father – former Formula 1 driver Jos – commented that he didn't need to give any advice ahead of Max's against-the-odds victory from the fifth row of the grid. "He did a fantastic job," enthused Jos to Viaplay. "I don't need to tell him anything, the good thing is that he understands himself."
‘Max Overtook them Easily’;
https://racingnews365.com/jos-verstappen-praises-max-he-overtook-them-easily-like-he-always-does
Horner defends Perez following Marko criticism
02/08/2022
by Fergal Walsh
Christian Horner has defended Sergio Perez after the Mexican driver came under fire from Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko. “I made a joke to Helmut the other day, I said ‘I think Checo’s gone on holiday already’, and he went and told all you guys!” Horner laughed to Sky F1.
Horner commended Perez’s race in Hungary, after the former Racing Point driver crossed the line in fifth place. However, Horner is confident that Perez would’ve been challenging for a spot on the podium if not for the late Virtual Safety Car intervention following an on-track stoppage for Valtteri Bottas.
“Look at Checo’s race in the second half today,” Horner said. “Without that VSC, he would’ve been challenging for the podium in the closing stages of both George [Russell] and Carlos [Sainz]. He was coming very, very quickly.”
‘Very, Very Quickly’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/08/01/horner-defends-perez-following-marko-criticism/
Fortitude
2nd August 2022, 07:13
Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin: Ted Kravitz reacts to bombshell F1 move as Alpine lose world champion.
Why is Alonso, at the age of 41, leaving a team for one that is five places and 79 points worse off in the championship? What's in it for Aston Martin? And what are the ramifications for Alpine?
Last Updated: 02/08/22 6:15am
Ted Kravitz
Ted Kravitz: "I don't think there's any shame in saying that this was a surprise to everybody! "Obviously Fernando is out of contract and has been looking around the big teams.”
"He admitted when I spoke to him before the Spanish Grand Prix that he would be happy to go to any big team and be a number two to Charles Leclerc or Max Verstappen, so his mind was clearly not with staying at Alpine. Or at best, staying at Alpine would be a second choice to joining a big team.”
Ted: "For Alonso, if his mind is not to stay at Alpine, and with other avenues closed, he might be looking at what Aston Martin are building up. They've got a lot of people in from Red Bull, Dan Fallows, for example, has arrived as technical director and has started coming to races, and Alonso will know about him and others. He will also know there is money there and he thought this was the best option. But what does this say about Alpine?”
‘Fernando Alonso bombshell F1 move’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12028/12663547/fernando-alonso-to-aston-martin-ted-kravitz-reacts-to-bombshell-f1-move-as-alpine-lose-world-champion
Five Talking Points As F1 Takes A Break: From Ferrari's Problems To Mercedes' Recovery
Ferrari's team boss Mattia Binotto faced increasing pressure on Monday after Sunday's flop as the side started the Hungarian Grand Prix second and third but finished fourth and sixth.
• Updated: August 02, 2022 11:19 AM IST
• Agence France-Presse
Alonso move triggers 'silly season'. Fernando Alonso's swift move to take Sebastian Vettel's seat has triggered 'silly season' speculation forecasting more action in the driver market for 2023.
The first vacancy to fill will be at Alpine. Reserve driver Oscar Piastri, winner of the 2020 Formula Three and 2021 Formula Two titles, is an obvious candidate. The Australian, managed by former Red Bull driver and compatriot Mark Webber, is regarded as a major talent.
Another vacant seat could be at Williams, where Nicholas Latifi will be out of contract this year. Williams may be interested in Piastri, if he misses the Alpine seat, or Mercedes reserve Nyck de Vries.
‘Alonso move triggers 'silly season'.’;
https://sports.ndtv.com/formula-1/five-talking-points-as-f1-takes-a-break-from-ferraris-problems-to-mercedes-recovery-3216064
Felipe Massa points out "problem" Aston Martin face with ex-F1 team-mate Fernando Alonso
The surprising news broke on Monday that Fernando Alonso will leave Alpine at the end of the season to replace Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin, and his ex-Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa has given his verdict
21:22, 1 Aug 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
Aston Martin have been warned that their new driver Fernando Alonso could "split the team in the middle" if the Spaniard becomes unhappy with how things are going.
Asked by Sky Sports' Any Driven Monday what the team will get from their newest recruit, Massa replied: "For me he is an amazing driver. He is talented, very intelligent in his driving and he understands how to be quick in qualifying – he is one of the quickest drivers.”
"But he is also very consistent in the race. He understands how to manage the tyres in the right way and to speak with the team. The problem he has is that he splits the team in the middle a little bit. I never had any problem working or talking with him, but he always managed to put everything on his side and split the team a little bit in the middle.”
"If he has a competitive car he definitely can help the team, but if he doesn't then he can be a problem by splitting the team in the middle. He could even decide to fight with the team. But as a driver, definitely one of the best in the history of Formula 1." He may have to be careful, though, considering at Aston Martin he will be in a position he has not experienced before. Team-mate Lance Stroll is the son of the team's billionaire owner, and so will have to watch what he does.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-massa-27633144
Podcast: Will Alonso’s final F1 switch gamble pay off?
16:28 Mon, 01 Aug 2022.
The Race
Fernando Alonso wasted no time in signing a deal to succeed Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin in 2023, a move that shocked the Formula 1 deal with its swiftness.
Scott Mitchell joins Edd Straw to explain how it happened and why, and whether or not it was the right decision for team and driver.
Alonso’s contract impasse with Alpine, which meant the door was still open for such a move, is also explained along with whether the team has any realistic alternatives to Oscar Piastri given it has yet to announce its replacement.
‘Fernando Alonso Switch’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-will-alonsos-final-f1-switch-gamble-pay-off/
Four knock-on consequences of Alonso’s surprise Aston F1 move
13:35 Mon, 01 Aug 2022
The Race
By Scott Mitchell
News of Fernando Alonso’s shock move to Aston Martin in 2023 is a grenade launched into the plans of various Formula 1 teams. On the surface, it looks to have resolved some potential complications, chiefly what Alpine was going to do with Oscar Piastri. Its reserve driver is the red-hot favourite to succeed Alonso next year.
Aston Martin obviously had one. Alpine technically had one. Williams has one or two (depending on whether the belief it has an option on Alex Albon is correct). Haas has one. McLaren might have one too, subject to whether Daniel Ricciardo stands by his public declaration he will continue for 2023.
PIASTRI THE FAVOURITE – BUT NOT ANNOUNCED
RICCIARDO’S OPTIONS DWINDLE
WILLIAMS’ LOSES ITS IDEAL 2023 LINE-UP
‘Alonso’s shock grenade launched move’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/four-knock-on-consequences-of-alonsos-surprise-aston-f1-move/
ANALYSIS: Why Alonso accepted Aston Martin’s advances and signed a shock deal – and why it could be a perfect match
01 August 2022
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Lawrence Barretto
The timing of Aston Martin’s announcement that scooped the prized signing of Fernando Alonso was something of a shock – but the move itself makes a lot of sense, as F1 Correspondent Lawrence Barretto explains. When Sebastian Vettel revealed on Thursday ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix that he would be leaving Formula 1 at the end of the season, he sent the driver market silly season into overdrive.
His decision caught Aston Martin a little off guard. Sure, they knew there was a strong chance he would leave, but they had told the four-time world champion they wanted him to stay on for a third year and had thrown everything at convincing him to do so. When he told owner Lawrence Stroll last Wednesday night that he was off, the billionaire accepted Vettel’s decision and is believed to have got straight on the phone to Alonso, whom he has known for many years.
‘Perfect Match’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.analysis-why-alonso-accepted-aston-martins-advances-and-signed-a-shock-deal.2hSAZ2QtgVtuEJa4chM7c4.html
Alpine salutes Alonso, says proud of collaboration
01/08/2022 at 12:12
Phillip van Osten
"We wish Fernando the best for his future in Formula 1," Alpine said in a message posted on social media.”
"Fernando has always been, and always will be, part of the Renault and Alpine family and we’re proud and privileged to have shared so many on-track moments together.”
"We look forward to finishing the remainder of the 2022 season with Fernando in blue, and we’ll keep pushing to the maximum until the final lap in November.
‘Alpine salutes Alonso’;
https://f1i.com/news/450335-alpine-salutes-alonso-says-proud-of-collaboration.html
Fortitude
2nd August 2022, 16:19
Mattia Binotto ‘in danger’ of getting fired by Ferrari in coming weeks.
Former Formula 1 driver, Ralf Schumacher, has indicated that Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto’s job is not safe after the team’s latest failures at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
1 August 2022
by James Clifford
Ferrari will go into the summer break with their tails between their legs following a horrible error on strategy in Hungary. Verstappen strolled to victory, and Ferrari were left wondering how they had let another victory slip from their grasp.
Such is the situation in the championship – after throwing away a handful of wins in 2022 – that Schumacher believes someone will have to go. “I see two people’s jobs in danger, Daniel [Ricciardo, who finished down in 15th] and also Mattia,” he told Sky Germany.
“When you get the gift of being able to go for the world championship with Ferrari and throw it away so carelessly, it should become difficult for you. So I see him in danger during the summer break, there are too many little things that are going wrong and too many technical problems.”
‘In danger’ of getting fired’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/mattia-binotto-in-danger-of-getting-fired-by-ferrari-in-coming-weeks/
Ferrari crew ‘not free or confident to make decisions’.
Former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley says a culture change is needed at Ferrari, based on what his ex-Scuderia friends told him.
Date published: August 2 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
During BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, it was suggested that the summer break which Formula 1 now enters is the perfect opportunity for Ferrari, offering a chance to reset. Priestley though says this will do Ferrari no good. Instead, they have deep-rooted flaws in the team which must be put right. Focusing on the strategy side, Priestley says he has spoken to friends who formerly worked at Ferrari, all of which told him that there is no freedom or confidence when it comes to making strategical decisions. The culture then must change in Priestley’s opinion, and some heads need to roll.
“I’m going to be honest, I don’t think the break is going to do them any good over the course of this particular season,” he said. “So for me, the summer break, that’s not what Ferrari need here. They need a total reset, heads are going to have to roll here and there’s no mistaking about that. I don’t know who’s going to take the fall, Mattia Binotto [team principal] clearly at the top of the tree, he’s going to have the biggest questions to answer, but this feels like a cultural problem that’s deep within Ferrari.”
“I’ve got a lot of friends who’ve worked there in the past, they all say the same thing. People can’t make decisions, they’re not free to make decisions, they don’t have the confidence to make decisions when it matters. And ultimately, that’s exactly what you have to be able to do. When you’re a Formula 1 team it’s all about making decisions on the fly. Red Bull got it right, Ferrari got it horribly wrong.”
‘Heads are going to have to roll here and there’s no mistaking about that’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-not-free-confident-making-decisions/
Ferrari will not make F1 staff changes over summer
02/08/2022, 10:48 AM BST
Nate SaundersF1 Associate Editor
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto says there is no need for changes within the Formula One team despite its catalogue of blunders in the first half of this season. Binotto thinks Ferrari just needs to understand why it made mistakes in Budapest rather than make wholescale changes to its race-day operation.
"It's not a matter of bad luck, and there is nothing to change as well," Binotto said after the race on Sunday. "It's always a matter of continuous learning and building, building experience, building skills.”
"Certainly there is something that you need to look at [from the race] and understand why. But if I look again at the balance of the first half of the season, there is no reason why we should change.”
‘Not making F1 staff changes’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/34332557/ferrari-not-make-f1-staff-changes-summer
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto says there is ‘nothing to change’ at Scuderia this summer despite strategy calls
Charles Leclerc plummeted down the order at the Hungarian Grand Prix after some questionable strategy calls from the Ferrari pit wall.
02/08/2022, 12:07
Kieran Jackson
Formula 1 Correspondent
Mattia Binotto insists there is no need to change anything at Ferrari this summer despite Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix again being overshadowed by some questionable strategy calls on the Scuderia pit wall.
Ferrari’s Championship hopeful Charles Leclerc qualified in third place and led halfway through the race, but finished down in sixth after switching bizarrely to the hard compound tyre.
Verstappen Claims F1 Championship Lead ‘Bigger Than It Should Be’;
https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/ferrari-mattia-binotto-strategy-hungarian-grand-prix-b2136360.html
Ferrari strategy chief given vote of confidence by Mattia Binotto despite latest shocker
Some fans and pundits have called for Ferrari to make changes in their strategy department as they keep making costly mistakes, but team chief Binotto appears to be holding firm
07:34, 2 Aug 2022
By Daniel MoxonF1 Writer
Mattia Binotto insists his strategy team is "great" and dismissed the idea of bringing in fresh faces in the wake of Ferrari's latest blunder. Asked if he would consider bringing in new people to help his struggling strategy department, the Italian dismissed the idea and instead threw his support behind director Inaki Rueda. He added: "Sometimes we make mistakes, and the others are making mistakes, so not only Inaki but the entire team is great and I'm fully supporting them."
Just a few minutes before that interview, Leclerc spoke to the media and said he didn't understand why his team made him switch to the hard compound. "I said on the radio I was very comfortable with the medium and that I wanted to go as long as possible with those tyres because the feeling was good," said the Monegasque. "I don't know why we took a different decision."
Meanwhile, the Italian media's reports on Monday morning were scathing. Quotidiano Nazionale said Leclerc "deserves more" than what he is getting from the team, while Corriere dello Sport's headline described race winner Max Verstappen's performance as a "masterpiece".
‘Not only Inaki but the entire team is great and I'm fully supporting them’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mattia-binotto-inaki-rueda-hungary-27633814
Ferrari could sack team boss Mattia Binotto over summer after Hungarian GP disaster
Mattia Binotto and his Ferrari strategists are under intense pressure after a series of tactical blunders left them needing a miracle to catch Red Bull and Max Verstappen
16:14, 2 Aug 2022
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
Ferrari may show up for the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of the summer break without team principal Mattia Binotto. That is according to Ralf Schumacher, who believes the Italian could be axed over the team's string of strategy screw-ups. The latest came at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Charles Leclerc had his race ruined by the call to put him on hard tyres that would just not warm up.
All those errors, plus the team's ongoing reliability problems with their power units, have led to speculation that changes in personnel could be made. And former F1 racer Schumacher believes even team principal Binotto might not be immune to the axe.
Despite Leclerc publicly questioning his team's methods and the Italian press' scathing analysis of the situation, Binotto is holding firm. He insisted after the race in Hungary that "most of the time we are right", and gave his backing to chief strategist Inaki Rueda.
‘Ferrari may show up for the Belgian Grand Prix without Mattia Binotto’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ferrari-mattia-binotto-sack-schumacher-27640167
Ralph Schumacher questions if Mattia Binotto’s job at Ferrari is “in danger”
2 Aug 2022
F1 Desk
Mattia Binotto could lose his job as Ferrari team principal over the F1 summer break, speculated Ralph Schumacher.
Ralph Schumacher, the brother of Ferrari legend Michael, told Sky Germany about Binotto: “I already see him in danger during the summer break.
“There are too many little things that went wrong and too many technical problems.
“If you get a gift like this, being able to drive for the World Championship and then you endangered it and throw it away, that’s already bitter.
Ralph Schumacher questions if Mattia Binotto’s job is “in danger” Crash.Net14:44
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1009315/1/ralph-schumacher-questions-if-mattia-binotto-s-job-danger
Fortitude
2nd August 2022, 20:23
Alpine/Piastri row makes possible McLaren/Ricciardo split clear.
Oscar Piastri and his management team would not go to war with Alpine and spurn a guaranteed F1 2023 race seat were they not pursuing another one AND extremely confident they will get it.
02/08/2022, 20:39
The Race, By Scott Mitchell.
As Alpine and Oscar Piastri provide us with a front row seat to a colossal Formula 1 contractual row, there’s another party being unwillingly dragged out alongside it. The implication of an extraordinary and brutally public dispute is simple: if Piastri’s camp gets its way, he will replace Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren.
That leads to another safe assumption, which is that Piastri’s management must have – or think it has – something very firm in place with McLaren. Piastri has clearly been advised it is OK to publicly denounce his current employer. To do so without a safety net would be extremely negligent.
But what about McLaren? Assuming that Piastri’s faith is not wildly misplaced, there are two scenarios here. Either Ricciardo has indicated to McLaren he is, in fact, planning to walk away from F1 or is willing to use his option to end his contract early and those talks have begun…. Or McLaren has gone behind Ricciardo’s back and lined up Piastri as his successor with the intention of doing what it takes to ‘convince’ (read: pay) Ricciardo to walk away.
‘Front row seat to a colossal Formula 1 contractual row’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/alpine-piastri-row-makes-possible-mclaren-ricciardo-split-clear/
The F1 Drama Continues, Piastri Says He Won't Drive for Alpine in 2023
2 Aug 2022, 19:23 UTC ·
by Florin Amariei
The 2022 Formula 1 (F1) season remains very intriguing. Oscar Piastri was announced everywhere as Fernando Alonso’s replacement, but the young racing driver took it to social media to deny everything the Alpine F1 Team said. Here’s what’s going on.
But the young racing driver published a message on social media in which he said that Alpine F1 lied about his involvement with the French team. Piastri points out that the press release was sent out without his agreement and confirmed for everyone that there’s no contract signed between him and Alpine.
“I will not be driving for Alpine next year,” concluded Piastri. Now Alpine is in a tough spot. They have to clear this out, or they might have to start recruiting another F1 driver for the 2023 season that will match well with Esteban Ocon. Until then, fans have something to talk about.
‘Tough spot for Alpine’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-f1-drama-continues-piastri-says-he-won-t-drive-for-alpine-in-2023-195063.html
Piastri makes shock announcement he will not debut in F1 with Alpine next year
2023 F1 season
Posted on 2nd August 2022, 19:172nd August 2022, 19:52
Written by Keith Collantine
Oscar Piastri has issued a statement denying he will make his Formula 1 debut for Alpine next year, hours after the team claimed he would.
Piastri, the reigning Formula 2 champion, seemed a logical choice of replacement for Alonso. However he has now issued a statement insisting he will not race for the team next year.
“I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year,” he posted on social media. “This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”
‘Shock Announcement’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/08/02/piastri-makes-shock-announcement-he-will-not-debut-in-f1-with-alpine-next-year/
Our verdict on Alpine’s extraordinary Piastri mess
02/08/2022, 20:18
The Race
A tumultuous start to the summer break for Alpine continued on Tuesday evening when, barely an hour after it had named Oscar Piastri as one of its drivers for the 2023 Formula 1 season, its current reserve driver emphatically rejected that announcement.
So what does this sorry mess say about Alpine’s handling of events and the damage to its public image that has been done? Our writers have their say.
An embarrassing situation for Alpine
Edd Straw
Piastri better have had good guidance on his actions
Scott Mitchell
A major, major cock up
Gary Anderson
Anything IndyCar can do, F1 can too
Glenn Freeman
Parallels on two wheels too, not just four
Valentin Khorounzhiy
A lot of mess for two drivers to potentially be worse off in 2023
Matt Beer
‘The Race Verdict’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/our-verdict-on-alpines-extraordinary-piastri-mess/
How did Alpine end up in such a mess with its drivers?
In the space of a few days, the 2023 driver market has been turned upside down.
02/08/2022, 21:04
ESPN.com
Laurence EdmondsonF1 Editor
At 5.12 p.m. BST, Alpine issues a press release saying Piastri will be promoted to race driver alongside Esteban Ocon in 2023. The statement says the decision has been made "in line with the commitments made by the team to the young Australian" but there is no quote from Piastri himself and no confirmation of the news via his social media accounts.
At 7 p.m. BST, Piastri breaks his silence with a tweet that makes clear he has no intention to driver for Alpine next year. "I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year," he wrote. "This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year."
In the space of 48 hours, Alpine has lost Fernando Alonso beyond the end of this year and appears to have lost its promising junior driver Oscar Piastri. It is likely that Alpine and Piastri will now enter a legal dispute over the contract, which may also explain why Alpine issued its statement without consulting Piastri, so as to trigger a clause in his contract.
‘Alpine Trigger a Contract Clause’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/34336212/how-did-alpine-end-such-mess-drivers
The future of top F1 prospect Oscar Piastri descends into chaos as he refutes Alpine's announcement that he will drive for them in 2023
2022-08-02T19:56:14Z
Cork Gaines
• F1 team Alpine announced that Oscar Piastri would replace the outgoing Fernando Alonso in 2023.
• Piastri refuted this claim, saying he is not under contract and would not race for Alpine next season.
• The Australian has been linked to other teams and now his future is up in the air.
The 21-year-old Australian has been linked to both McLaren, as a potential replacement for Daniel Ricciardo, and Williams, where he would replace Nicholas Latifi. Several outlets have reported that Piastri and his agent, former F1 driver Mark Webber, have been working on a deal with McLaren. However, according to Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer, Piastri is still under contract with his team.
"I'm not privy to whatever pre-arrangements he has with McLaren, if any at all," Szafnauer told Motorsport.com. "But I hear the same rumors that you do in the pit lane. But what I do know is that he does have contractual obligations to us. And we do to him. And we've been honoring those obligations all year. And those obligations last through '23 and possibly in '24, if some options are taken up."
‘Descent into Chaos’;
https://www.insider.com/f1-2023-oscar-piastri-alpine-driver-mclaren-2022-8
Fortitude
3rd August 2022, 07:20
Alpine issue defiant response to Oscar Piastri's bombshell social media statement.
"We believe we are legally correct in our statement but don't have anything further to say", a spokesperson told F1 correspondent Andrew Benson.
2 Aug 2022, 21:29
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
Piastri rocked the F1 world by publicly denying that he has signed a contract to replace Fernando Alonso at Alpine in 2023, not long after the team announced their reserve driver's new role.
The tone of Piastri's statement suggests that he too believes he is in the right. The whole fiasco comes after it was reported that his mentor and manager Mark Webber has been in negotiations to secure a seat with their midfield rivals McLaren.
Earlier in the day, Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer had claimed that Piastri is contracted to the team and therefore would not be able to leave for a rival. "I'm not privy to whatever pre-arrangements he has with McLaren, if any at all," he told Autosport.
‘We believe we are legally correct’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/alpine-respond-oscar-piastri-tweet-27642887
Alpine: We are legally correct in our statement.
Alpine have said they are legally correct in their announcement of Oscar Piastri as their driver for the 2023 Formula 1 season, as the story continues to develop.
3 August, 2022
Reuters
Alpine believe they are legally correct. Alpine, as part of a major manufacturer, are unlikely to have taken the step of announcing a driver without feeling confident, however. “We believe we are legally correct in our statement,” the team said, without further comment.
Piastri heading to McLaren? Media reports suggested the Australian, managed by former F1 racer Mark Webber, had signed a pre-contract with McLaren – a team that officially does not have a vacancy but might be creating one. Alpine principal Otmar Szafnauer was asked about that in a Zoom call with reporters on Tuesday.
“We do have a legal contract with him (Piastri) into the future for ’23. And if an option is taken up, for ’24,” he said. “I don’t know what he’s done with McLaren… I’m not privy to that,” Szafnauer added.
‘Legally Correct’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/08/03/alpine-we-are-legally-correct-in-our-statement/
Aussie rising star Oscar Piastri insists he's NOT driving for Alpine next year in bombshell statement - as speculation mounts that his manager Mark Webber is trying to get him to replace Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren
• On Tuesday, Alpine announced Piastri would replace Fernando Alonso in 2023
• Piastri responded with a blunt statement insisting he won't drive for the team
• Rumours are rife that manager Mark Webber is getting Piastri a seat at McLaren
Published: 23:47, 2 August 2022
By Pa Sport Staff and Shayne Bugden For Daily Mail Australia
Oscar Piastri has insisted he will not be driving for Formula 1 team Alpine next season hours after his appointment as Fernando Alonso's replacement had been announced. In the Alpine announcement, team principal Otmar Szafnauer had praised Piastri as a 'rare talent' who is 'more than capable' of making the move into Formula 1. Szafnauer said: 'Oscar is a bright and rare talent. We are proud to have nurtured and supported him through the difficult pathways of the junior formulae.”
'I'm not privy to whatever prearrangements he (Webber) has with McLaren, if any at all,' Szafnauer told Autosport when he was asked about the speculation. 'But I hear the same rumours that you do in the pitlane. But what I do know is that he does have contractual obligations to us. And we do to him. And we've been honouring those obligations all year.”
'And those obligations, last through '23, and possibly in '24, if some options are taken up. 'So therefore we do have a legal contract with him into the future for '23. And if an option is taken up, for '24. So I don't know what he's done with McLaren. Like I said, I'm not privy to that. Oscar and his camp are considering their options, whatever that means.'
‘Considering Options!’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-11074523/Oscar-Piastri-drops-F1-bombshell-Aussie-wont-drive-Alpine-amid-rumours-McLaren-switch.html
Why Australia’s Renault racer Oscar Piastri is the hottest prospect in Formula One.
Alpine, McLaren, Williams and AlphaTauri are all potentially ready to take the 21-year-old into Formula One racing in 2023. A tug of love has developed over Oscar Piastri as the highly-rated young Australian prepares to make his Formula One race debut in 2023.
03 August 2022, 11:48
Paul Gover
Renault thought it had him locked in for next year with its Alpine team – even announcing its plans this week — but Piastri has responded that he has not signed any firm contract. Piastri and his manager – fellow Australian and retired Formula One race winner Mark Webber – are now believed to be in talks with McLaren, where fellow Aussie Daniel Ricciardo's future looks extremely shaky.
Piastri's graduation comes after an incredible run of success in junior single-seater racing, which saw him take three major championship wins — including the FIA Formula Three and Formula Two categories that race on some Formula One weekends — in consecutive years. He became a member of the Renault (Alpine) Academy for junior drivers at the start of 2020, where he first drove a Grand Prix car.
After missing out on a spot on the F1 grid for 2022, Piastri joined the Alpine squad this year as a reserve driver, with a program that includes regular Formula One testing time and work in the high-tech F1 simulator at Alpine's headquarters in the UK. Piastri has earned plenty of praise for his test and development work at Alpine, but it is his raw speed and commitment in races that has attracted the attention of other teams.
‘Tug of Love’;
https://www.drive.com.au/news/oscar-piastri-alpine-mclaren-update/
Fernando Alonso in poorly-timed post as Oscar Piastri causes chaos with Alpine statement
OSCAR PIASTRI has denied he will replace Fernando Alonso at Alpine despite the team announcing that he would.
07:30, Wed, Aug 3, 2022
By Joshua Lees
Amid Oscar Piastri’s sensational claim that he would not be driving for Alpine next year, despite a statement from the team saying he would be doing so, the man he has replaced Fernando Alonso was seen uploading a poorly-timed post on his Instagram. Piastri was initially confirmed as one of Alpine's drivers for 2023 on Tuesday afternoon.
Alonso was criticised for a poorly-timed post on social media, after he uploaded a smiling selfie with his thumbs up on his Instagram story amid the saga surrounding his employers. The Spaniard’s switch to Aston Martin came after four-time Sebastian Vettel announced he would be retiring at the end of the current season.
‘EL PLAN: Uploaded a Smiling Selfie’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1649711/Fernando-Alonso-Oscar-Piastri-Alpine-f1-news
‘Aston Martin pushed Vettel to decide after speaking with Alonso’
Date published: August 2 2022
Michelle Foster
Sebastian Vettel’s retirement announcement came after Aston Martin ‘requested’ he make a decision before the summer break as the team had already been in talks with Fernando Alonso for a ‘few weeks’. That’s according to a report from Auto Motor und Sport.
Vettel announced last Thursday that this season would be his last in Formula 1, the decision surprising many in the paddock. It was thought that it also surprised Aston Martin as team boss Mike Krack said they did not have a “Plan B” in mind should Vettel opt not to continue.
But, according to AMuS’s Tobias Gruner, it was with that Plan B in mind that Aston Martin urged Vettel to make a quick decision. According to the respected F1 journalist, the “negotiations between the team and the driver [Alonso] have apparently been taking place in the past few weeks”.
‘EL PLAN: Plan B’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-sebastian-vettel-decide-fernando-alonso/
Piastri stars as F1 ‘silly season’ explodes
AUGUST 3, 2022
ANDREW MAITLAND
Otmar Szafnauer admits Fernando Alonso’s decision to turn down a one-year deal and instead sign what is believed to be a $25 million per season multi-year contract with Aston Martin caught Renault-owned Alpine by surprise. “There were rumours in the paddock and I heard them,” the Alpine boss is quoted by L’Equipe. “But I learned of the signing through the press release.”
Szafnauer admits he also saw Alonso with Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll in Hungary last weekend, although he says the 41-year-old denied signing a deal. I couldn’t speak with Fernando on Monday as he is on a boat in the Greek islands,” Szafnauer added.
The best option for Alpine now may be a McLaren ‘swap’ with Ricciardo, but a source pointed out: “There’s so much chaos that Piastri may end up having nowhere to go.” When asked about Alpine’s embarrassing limbo, Szafnauer said: “We are not ready to think about what will happen after Piastri. What happened with Fernando is still too fresh.”
‘F1 ‘silly season’ explodes!’;
https://grandpx.news/piastri-stars-as-f1-silly-season-explodes/
Fortitude
3rd August 2022, 09:16
Lando Norris: “Seventh was the best we could have done for the points” at Hungarian Grand Prix.
After a stellar qualifying result of fourth place, McLaren F1 Team’s Lando Norris ended up taking seventh place at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
August 3, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Though he would have wanted to finish higher up the grid, Norris admitted that his McLaren didn’t have the performance to stay ahead of the likes of Red Bull Racing and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.
“P7, happy with that. After yesterday, of course we’d all wished for a bit more, but we just didn’t have the pace today with the quicker cars behind. We just did an extremely good job yesterday. I’m happy with it, it’s the maximum we could do today with the cars ahead.”
Norris said that seventh place was likely the best possible result for the team this weekend, behind only the leading teams and ahead of their main competition, BWT Alpine F1 Team. The result sees McLaren sit just four points behind Alpine in the battle for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. “Tough in places but seventh was the best we could have done for the points today, and we were ahead of our rivals.”
‘Seventh was the best we could have done for the points’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/08/lando-norris-seventh-was-the-best-we-could-have-done-for-the-points-at-hungarian-grand-prix/
Norris outlines what McLaren need to work on after 'expecting more' in Hungary
03/08/2022, 07:50
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Lando Norris started the Hungarian Grand Prix from P4 on the grid, but finished the race in seventh, leaving him slightly disappointed with his result. Lando Norris admits that he had been "expecting more" from the Hungarian Grand Prix after dropping from P4 to P7. The McLaren driver had put in a strong qualifying performance to achieve fourth on the grid, and initially was able to fend off the challenge from Lewis Hamilton behind.
While Norris was pleased with his performance in relation to who he was racing, he was left feeling slightly disappointed by his end result. "We did [have a good performance] against the people we are racing, really," Norris said after the race.
"If you think of P4 as a grid position then you expect a little bit more on Sunday, and to end up 62 seconds behind just the next car ahead of me, it's a big challenge to do anything more from that, so therefore our race was against Alpine and the cars behind me."
‘Expect a little bit more’;
https://racingnews365.com/norris-outlines-what-mclaren-need-to-work-on-after-expecting-more-in-hungary
Norris finds positives in chastening McLaren gap
Tuesday 2 August 2022 13:45
Ewan Gale
Lando Norris has conceded that finishing '62 seconds off Charles Leclerc' was the best McLaren could achieve despite qualifying fourth at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The result, however, was still enough to beat both Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon in the race against Alpine for fourth in the constructors' championship.
But it exposed the mountain McLaren has to climb in order to cement itself at the top of F1's pecking order. Insisting the wind was as detrimental as the coolness to McLaren's pace, Norris explained: "That car, you have to drive it one way, which I like.
"But especially when the wind is involved, you drive it the same way and it has the same limitations so I think that is why we struggled with the same characteristic, same things, destroying the front-left tyre and everything. It is just how the car is. The quicker cars, you can play around a bit more, use different lines, [more] resistant to the wind and therefore it is better."
‘Finding positives’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88591/lando-norris-mclaren-hungarian-grand-prix/
McLaren’s Andreas Seidl: Understanding of recent upgrade “put us into position to be the fourth fastest team” at Hungaroring
August 3, 2022
By Ashley Cline
McLaren F1 Team Principal Andreas Seidl said that Lando Norris maximized his position to take seventh at the Hungarian Grand Prix, finishing behind only the top three teams. He was pleased to see their recent upgrade placed them ahead of their main rival in the standings, BWT Alpine F1 Team, when it comes to pace at the Hungaroring.
“With all six cars from the top three teams finishing the race, P7 was the best we could achieve today – and we did it. The upgrade we introduced at Paul Ricard – and improved our understanding of here – put us into position to be the fourth fastest team, which is a great achievement.”
Seidl said that despite running essentially the same tyre strategy on both cars, Daniel Ricciardo ended up struggling after his second stop on the hard tyres, a compound that ended up being difficult for other teams on the grid as well. Ultimately, Ricciardo’s race ended out of the points in fifteenth after starting ninth.
‘Understanding Recent Upgrade’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/08/mclarens-andreas-seidl-understanding-of-recent-upgrade-put-us-into-position-to-be-the-fourth-fastest-team-at-hungaroring/
Is McLaren looking to axe Ricciardo after Piastri talks?
Tuesday 2 August 2022 16:49
Sam Hall
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has poured cold water on a possible move for reserve driver Oscar Piastri to replace Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren.
It is reported the driver and his race-winning agent, Mark Webber, agreed a pre-contract deal with McLaren to prevent this from happening, something that raises yet more questions over Ricciardo's future despite a contract for 2023.
‘Rumours’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88642/mclaren-daniel-ricciardo-oscar-piastri/
Damage spotted on Landi Nozza Norris’ car at Hungarian GP
McLaren Lando Norris took P4 in qualifying for 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix.
1 August 2022
by James Clifford
Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz spotted an error in an official FIA document during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. When referring to Lando Norris in a document this weekend, the governing body made a typo, calling him “Landi” instead of Lando.
When speaking about Norris’ fantastic performance in qualifying that will see him start the race fourth, Kravitz called him Landi, and explained the hilarious mistake that the FIA had made.
“If you’re wondering why I’m calling him Landi Norris now, the FIA did a document where they misspelt Lando Norris and called him Landi,” he said on his Notebook show.
‘Ted Kravitz spotted an error’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/damage-spotted-on-landi-nozza-norris-car-at-hungarian-gp/
Daniel Ricciardo pulls off brilliant double Alpine overtake
Sun, 31 Jul 2022, 15:00
Sky Sports
https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12662880/daniel-ricciardo-pulls-off-brilliant-double-alpine-overtake
The four options facing Ricciardo as rising Aussie star sends shockwaves through F1
August 3rd, 2022 10:28 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Piastri’s social media protestation that he “will not be driving for Alpine next year” can only be a sign that Webber is confident he’s got the job done. But Piastri can claim a set of orange overalls only if F1’s other Aussie isn’t already in them. And so this latest — but not final — chapter of silly season shenanigans begs the question: what’s in store for Daniel Ricciardo?
OPTION 1: STATUS QUO The first alternative is what’s officially the case at the moment.
OPTION 2: RETURN TO ALPINE But with McLaren apparently clear in its intention to switch Ricciardo out for a younger alternative, the eight-time race winner may admit the writing is on the wall and seek employment elsewhere.
OPTION 3: TAKE A PUNT ON A SMALLER TEAM If returning to Alpine were too bitter a pill to swallow but Ricciardo definitely wanted to continue racing in Formula 1, there are several teams with openings for 2023.
OPTION 4: RETIRE The last option will be the most crushing to contemplate for fans of the forever likeable Aussie, but Ricciardo may decide to call time on his F1 career after 232 starts and at least eight wins and 32 podiums.
‘Four Options Facing Ricciardo’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/check-call-or-fold-the-options-facing-ricciardo-in-silly-seasons-silliest-twist/news-story/8eee0bd8fd0b916abcf87aa536000f03
Fortitude
3rd August 2022, 21:41
Ex-F1 champion asks Ferrari chief strategist if he was even ‘watching the race’.
Villeneuve questioned if strategist Inaki Rueda was even “watching the race” after he called Leclerc in for Hards, instead of leaving him out on Mediums to stick with the plan.
3 August 2022
by James Clifford
If Ferrari do not sort themselves out over the summer break, the former Williams driver fears that this title race could be an avalanche. “Nothing has been decided yet, there are still plenty of races to go, but if the trend continues, if Verstappen continues to drive at this level and Red Bull also continues to develop, it will be very difficult to stop them,” explained Villeneuve.
Verstappen won the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday from 10th on the grid after more strategical blunders from Ferrari cost Charles Leclerc the win. However, that takes nothing away from the reigning champion’s impressive recovery which, in Villeneuve’s eyes, is further proof that the Red Bull driver is simply out of this world.
“Max is a machine, he’s simply not normal!” he stated. “He wasn’t even tired yesterday, I don’t think he even needs to go on holiday! He is driving so incredibly strongly this year, and the team is not making any mistakes.
‘Watching the race’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ex-f1-champion-asks-ferrari-chief-strategist-if-he-was-even-watching-the-race/
Jacques Villeneuve lays into Ferrari: Are they not watching the race or what?
Wednesday 3rd August 2022 10:00 AM
Michelle Foster
Jacques Villeneuve is mystified as to how so many of F1’s strategists, said to be “top level”, could get it so horribly wrong at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Ferrari can count themselves on that list.
The Scuderia made headlines after the Hungaroring race, not because of a shining moment of glory as it should have been for Charles Leclerc but because of how badly wrong they got his strategy.
The team went for a medium-medium-hard tyre strategy for the Monégasque driver only to realise the hards were not working. However, you sense if they had been properly watching the race, they would have seen everyone else who tried the hard tyres struggled for pace.
‘Ferrari Mystified!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-ferrari-strategists-hungary-gp/
Hakkinen: Red Bull will finish 1-2 in standings if Ferrari doesn’t respond soon
03/08/2022, 10:09
by Fergal Walsh
Two-time Formula 1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen has backed the Red Bull drivers to finish first and second in the Drivers’ standings this year if Ferrari don’t improve its form soon.
Writing in his column for Unibet, Hakkinen has warned Ferrari that it could lose out to both Red Bull drivers soon if it doesn’t better its performances.
“Of course Max Verstappen has the quickest, most consistent car, but the big picture on Sunday is that Russell, Leclerc, Sainz and Hamilton led at some point, and the way the cars can follow each other thanks to the ’22 regulations is very positive,” he said. “There was so much happening and, when you consider Max even had a spin, I think 3 or 4 drivers could have won this race.”
‘1 2 Red Bull’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/08/03/hakkinen-red-bull-will-finish-1-2-in-standings-if-ferrari-doesnt-respond-soon/
Binotto admits to frustration under his calm persona
Tuesday 2nd August 2022 5:00 PM
Michelle Foster
The Scuderia’s reliability and poor decision making has cost the driver 108 points in total while Leclerc’s own mistakes saw him drop a further 32.
Such was Leclerc’s exasperation after the Hungarian GP, a race he should have won but instead finished P6, that he told the media it feels “like there is always something going wrong” at Ferrari. He’s not the only one annoyed with the situation.
“I’m frustrated no doubt,” team boss Binotto insisted to Channel 4 after the Hungarian race, “even if I’m maybe not showing it too much, but I’m certainly frustrated. Because I know what is the potential of the car, what it has been so far, even if today it’s the first time in the first half of the season that the car was not so great.”
‘Frustration’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia-binotto-ferrari-frustration-under-calm-persona/
SHOULD CHARLES LECLERC BE LEADING THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
We do the maths on a season of missed opportunities for Leclerc and Ferrari
03/08/2022
James Mackenzie
Once all those numbers are totted up, they would have left Verstappen on 289 points and Leclerc on 297. Of course, a championship is never going to go entirely your way, but it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth knowing how thrilling a title fight we could be experiencing without Ferrari’s operational and reliability issues.
Even with Leclerc’s two errors factored in he would only be 25 or so points back. As much as Binotto refuses to take responsibility for his team’s mistakes, repeatedly claiming they were never expecting to win the race and/or title, it is perfectly clear that it is Ferrari who have yet again thrown away a great shot at the championship.
‘Maths of Missed Opportunities’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/features/should-charles-leclerc-be-leading-the-championship/?nowprocket=1
Why Ferrari launched failed tyre gamble in Hungary
Tuesday 2 August 2022 18:30
Sam Hall
Explaining why, Binotto said: "When we fitted the hard, our simulation was that it would have been a difficult couple of laps of warm-up.”
"They would have been slower than the medium for 10, 11 laps but then they would have come back and would have been faster by the end of the stint and it was a 30-lap stint.”
“We fitted the hard tyres at the time because, with a 30-lap stint, we were trying to protect position on Max. It would have been too long for the soft and our choice and analysis [was that] yes, it would have been difficult at the start of the stint but we could have come back by the end."
‘Failed tyre gamble’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88571/hungarian-grand-prix-ferrari-tyre/
Italian media claim Max Verstappen has ‘secured his second title’
Max Verstappen won the Hungarian Grand Prix after Ferrari threw away a win for Charles Leclerc.
2 August 2022
by James Clifford
Verstappen had started the race down in 10th after engine troubles in qualifying, so his victory was labelled a “masterpiece” by Corriere dello Sport. Conversely, Quotidiano Nazionale affirmed that Leclerc “deserves more” from his team right now having been comfortably leading in Budapest.
Writer for the publication, Fluvio Solms, gave a stinging review of Ferrari’s handling of a race that they seemingly had in the bag, and suggested that Verstappen has all but wrapped up the title. “The wave of enthusiasm on which the entire Ferrari team was surfing, dreaming of an irresistible end of the season, has been completely shattered,” he wrote.
“It should never have happened at the Hungaroring, but it did. Right there, on the friendly circuit that requires a key quality of Ferrari – aerodynamic downforce. The Dutchman secured his second title with nine races to go.”
‘Surfing Dream Shattered’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/italian-media-claim-max-verstappen-has-secured-his-second-title/
Fortitude
4th August 2022, 06:27
Mike Krack: “Taking home one world championship point is little reward for a job well done”.
“Both drivers were relentless, our race pace was strong and our strategy allowed us to pick off the cars ahead of us.” Principal Mike Krack
August 3, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Krack said that the single point the team earned isn’t quite representative of the great job they did, praising the drivers’ “relentless” performance at the Hungaroring and the competitiveness of their race package.
Heading into summer break, Krack said that he was proud of the team’s efforts throughout the beginning of the season and looks forward to returning to Belgium refreshed and ready to compete.
“We will take those positives into the summer break and come back stronger for the second half of the season. For now, I want to wish our whole team a well-deserved break over the summer. Everyone has worked tirelessly and I am extremely proud of our entire organisation. We will come back with fresh focus and look forward to the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of August.”
‘Relentless Drivers’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/08/mike-krack-taking-home-one-world-championship-point-is-little-reward-for-a-job-well-done/
Sebastian Vettel: “Saturday performance needs to be a focus for the second half of the year”
August 3, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Vettel said that ninth place was in his sights near the end of the race after switching places with team-mate Lance Stroll, but ultimately wasn’t able to catch Esteban Ocon for the position with the Virtual Safety Car hindering his prospects. He ended up just over a tenth behind Ocon, narrowly missing an additional point.
“We had to fight hard for a point today and we came close to a second point when I was chasing down Esteban [Ocon] in the final laps. The team switched cars because I had a better opportunity to catch Esteban, but obviously the Virtual Safety Car hurt us and we ran out of time. I was very close on the final lap, but I needed just one more corner to make a move.”
Vettel enjoyed the race overall, having had good pace at the Hungaroring. He did, however, struggle with his second set of tyres, which were used mediums. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Vettel said that improving the team’s qualifying needs to be a priority after summer break.
‘Performance Focus’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/08/sebastian-vettel-saturday-performance-needs-to-be-a-focus-for-the-second-half-of-the-year/
Vettel reveals Aston Martin weakness
Wednesday 3 August 2022 09:20
Sam Hall
Aston Martin sits ninth in the constructors' standings with 20 points, with only Williams below it in the constructors' standings. Results have marginally improved of late, with Aston Martin scoring better than Alfa Romeo, AlphaTauri and Williams over the last four races.
Despite this improvement, Vettel has identified an area where he feels his team can make further gains. "Our weakness is the Saturday, qualifying, because in the race I believe we can stay in the mix once we qualify a little bit higher up," said Vettel
"I was actually quite relieved on Friday. I had a good Friday. Saturday didn’t really go my way so I wasn’t happy in the night [he qualified 18th] but Sunday felt a lot better and I was able to get back in the race. The plan that we had worked [out] I’m pleased with that, but as I said, I generally tend to look forward.”
‘Aston Martin Weakness’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88617/sebastian-vettel-aston-martin-weakness/
Feel the passion inside the Aston Martin F1 garage with 'Il Pitstop'
03.08.2022
Aston Martin F1
Multi-sensory experience from Peroni Nastro Azzuro 0.0% immerses fans in the sights, sounds and smells of F1.
The Formula One summer break sees a pause in the action on track but, off it, together with Peroni Nastro Azzuro 0.0%, we're continuing to bring the thrill of the sport to you as 'Il Pitstop' travels across Europe to give fans the chance to experience the passion inside the AMF1 garage.
‘Aston Martin Passion’;
https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/feel-the-passion-inside-the-aston-martin-f1-garage-with-il-pitstop
Vettel sets Aston Martin target for rest of season
04/08/2022, 12:50
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Having scored the final point in Hungary after rising from 18th on the grid, Sebastian Vettel says Aston Martin need to find more pace on Saturday in order to keep improving in 2022. Sebastian Vettel says Aston Martin need to improve on their qualifying performance in order to rise up the table in the second half of 2022.
‘Aston Martin target’;
https://racingnews365.com/vettel-sets-aston-martin-target-for-rest-of-season
Brundle: Vettel’s burned the candle hard
3 August, 2022
Jad Mallak
Martin Brundle believes Sebastian Vettel has burned the candle hard, as the German decided to retire from Formula 1 at the young age of 35. Vettel announced ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix that he will not be racing in F1 any further after the end of the 2022 season, making the finale in Abu Dhabi, the Aston Martin driver’s final race, his 300th in top flight.
“It seems no time at all since he was a BMW Friday test driver and then on the grid for Toro Rosso looking like a fresh-faced uni student enjoying life some 15 years ago,” Brundle said of Vettel in his Sky Sports F1 column.
“He has won four world championships and 53 races, third on the all-time F1 list, and he remains the youngest-ever world champion. He may only be 35 but he’s burned the candle hard,” the Sky Sports pundit mused.
‘Candles Burning’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/08/03/brundle-vettels-burned-the-candle-hard/
Sebastian Vettel's F1 history – all his highs and lows
AUGUST 2ND 2022
AUTHOR
Tony Dodgins
Sebastian Vettel's 16-year F1 career has had some incredible ups and downs – Tony Dodgins charts the progression of a grand prix legend. When a youthful-looking Vettel debuted at Indianapolis in 2007, substituting for Robert Kubica at BMW after the Pole’s huge shunt at the previous race in Canada, you knew you were watching an emerging talent. But not a four-time world champion just six seasons down the road!
Of his 53 Grand Prix victories – putting him third in the all-time list behind only Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, and two up on that other four-time champion, Alain Prost – you can make a case for his first, at Monza in 2008 with the Ferrari-engined Toro Rosso, being the very best. It was certainly the most shocking. Qualifying was held in the rain and Vettel took a stunning pole. Nobody thought that he could possibly convert it into the first ever victory by a Red Bull-backed car, but that is precisely what happened. Toro Rosso’s technical director that day was ex-Ferrari / McLaren man Giorgio Ascanelli, who had worked with Ayrton Senna. Ascanelli, who had been around the block and was not a man prone to hyperbole, reckoned it was a drive of which Ayrton would have been proud.
In Hungary last weekend, team principal Christian Horner recalled the early days with Vettel. “The thing that stood out about Seb was that from the very beginning you could see that he was a very focused young man and his work ethic was totally Germanic. He worked late but he also had a great sense of humour. He fitted so well into a British team and embraced the culture immediately. “He endeared himself across all areas of the business, whether it was turning up with chocolates for secretaries or learning the lingo in the garage. His command of cockney slang became legendary. His ability to just relate to people and get the best out of them was great. And he was formidable in the cars that we produced in that period of time.”
‘Sebastian Vettel's F1 history’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/sebastian-vettels-f1-history-all-his-highs-and-lows
Fortitude
4th August 2022, 20:28
“We had mixed fortunes as a team” – AlphaTauri’s Jody Egginton Post Hungarian GP.
Jody Egginton, Technical Director at Scuderia AlphaTauri believes that, despite not getting into the points, the race pace shown in Pierre Gasly‘s race was promising, following his pitlane start on Sunday.
August 4, 2022
By Joe McCormick
AlphaTauri brought upgrades to their car in France, but Tsunoda claims that they are not ‘paying off’. Egginton did, however, explain that the Hungarian Grand Prix taught the team more about the update, which will also come with a lot of data.
“Looking at the bigger picture, although we have not achieved the target of getting back to scoring points again here in Hungary, the race pace shown today is positive and with a better starting position we could have potentially delivered points with Pierre, which is a good sign.”
“Equally as important though is the amount we have learned about the upgrade here which, when combined with the next updates, will hopefully move us forward another step. We now have a week back at base focused on analysis from this event and preparations for the next Grand Prix before everyone heads off for a well-earned break, ahead of the second half of the season, which we are all looking forward to.”
‘Mixed Fortunes’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/08/we-had-mixed-fortunes-as-a-team-alphatauris-jody-egginton-post-hungarian-gp/
“I must say I’m happy with today” – Gasly After Impressive Hungarian Grand Prix Performance
August 4, 2022
By Joe McCormick
Having started the Hungarian Grand Prix from the pitlane, Pierre Gasly did a good job to recover to twelfth place in what was a chaotic race on strategy. In a year where Scuderia AlphaTauri have been struggling, recovering to a position near the points is certainly a good result.
“I must say I’m happy with today. Starting from the pitlane is never easy and we managed to recover to twelfth position. There were some changes made to the set-up of the car for the pitlane start, which showed a bit more pace and allowed us to make some good moves,” the Frenchman explained.
“The most important thing is that we use the upcoming three weeks to extract more from our package and finish inside the points consistently. I know the team and what we are capable of achieving, and with these new cars being difficult, we need time to understand how to get the best out of it,” the number ten driver concluded.
‘Impressive Hungarian Grand Prix Performance’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/08/i-must-say-im-happy-with-today-gasly-after-impressive-hungarian-grand-prix-performance/
Gasly had 'quite open' track limits discussion with F1 race directors
04/08/2022 at 15:07
Phillip van Osten
Pierre Gasly says he had a lengthy discussion in Hungary with F1's race directors over the thorny issue of track limits after a "very arguable" call by the stewards in qualifying deprived him of his fastest lap in Q1.
Track limits were once again at the center of many discussions among the drivers in Hungary where Gasly's teammate Yuki Tsunoda and Mick Schumacher were sanctioned for a track limit infraction while a penalty handed to Red Bull's Sergio Perez was rescinded by the stewards upon further examination.
Gasly failed to make the Q2 cut on Saturday as a result of a disputed transgression that took place at the Hungaroring's Turn 5, a decision that left the Frenchman a lowly P19 in the pecking order and very angry.
‘Track Limits Discussion’;
https://f1i.com/news/450534-gasly-had-quite-open-track-limits-discussion-with-f1-race-directors.html
Honda to Keep Open F1 Connection Through 2025
Aug 2, 2022
BY PHILLIP HORTON
Red Bull asked Honda Racing Corporation to extend the current power unit agreement, and HRC was happy to oblige.
Honda will retain a loose connection to Formula 1 through the end of 2025 after extending its technical support program with Red Bull.
Honda announced in October 2020 that it would officially leave Formula 1 after 2021, but eventually reached an agreement that Red Bull and sister team AlphaTauri could continue to use its power units.
‘Honda Keep Going’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a40784444/how-honda-keeps-open-f1-connection-through-2025-with-red-bull/
Marko praises Honda as agreement with Red Bull is extended
02 August 12:25
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Following the news that Red Bull and Honda have extended their technical support programme until the end of 2025, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner have given their reaction.
Red Bull advisor Marko has expressed his thanks to Honda for their continued support, and voiced his hopes that they can clinch both championships in 2022. "We thank Honda for their positive response to working together," Marko said.
"We are excited to continue our partnership in F1 until the end of 2025 with the PU supplied by Honda. We have had a successful relationship so far, winning the Drivers' championship in 2021 and currently leading the Drivers' and Teams' classifications, with the aim of securing both 2022 titles."
‘Honda Agreement Praised’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-praises-honda-as-agreement-with-red-bull-is-extended
‘It’s just politics’: Toto Wolff fires back at AlphaTauri team principal
1 August 2022
by Nick Golding
A number of teams are against new regulations being considered by the FIA for 2023 to eliminate porpoising. It is reported that six teams are against the rule changes for next year.
AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost believes the proposed regulation changes have “nothing to do with safety”. “The last discussions and proposals for the changing of the floor has, in my opinion, nothing to do with safety,” Tost said in Hungary.
“It’s just politics,” he insisted. The main vocal behind the rules being changed is Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who has watched his drivers, George Russell and Sir Lewis Hamilton, fall victim to substantial porpoising for the vast majority of the season so far.
‘Nothing to do with safety’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/its-just-politics-toto-wolff-fires-back-at-alphatauri-team-principal/
Fortitude
5th August 2022, 06:01
Steiner responds to 'white Ferrari' claims after Haas reveal updates.
"Our car has got the same engine as Ferrari, with the same gearbox. They've got the same suspension. Why would we be copying anything else? "And they're winning races, so it's one and one is still two."
05/08/2022, 10:40
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
After opting against any significant changes over the first half of the season, the team have applied a new floor, bodywork and suspension to the VF-22, among other items.
Haas ran a heavily-updated car at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which has drawn comparisons to the Ferrari. Team boss Guenther Steiner has given his response.
Steiner responds to 'white Ferrari' claims. When asked whether he expected to be accused of copying, Steiner told media, including RacingNews365.com: "I expect to be fast.”
‘1 + 1 = 2: I expect to be fast’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-responds-to-white-ferrari-claims-after-haas-reveal-updates
Steiner felt K-Mag black-and-orange flag was FIA ‘mistake’
Monday 1st August 2022 2:00 PM
Michelle Foster
Guenther Steiner says it was a “mistake” for the FIA to show Kevin Magnussen the black-and-orange flag in Hungary as his front wing was “clearly safe”.
Lining up P13 for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Magnussen made a great start and was already in a points-paying position at the end of the first lap. However, he was also running with a broken front wing endplate that was listing to the side.
While Haas initially kept the driver out, the FIA deemed the broken front wing to be a danger and showed him the black-and-orange flag which meant he had to pit for repairs. Steiner says that was a mistake.
‘Guenther Steiner: FIA ‘mistake’!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-magnussen-black-and-orange-flag-mistake-hungary/
Inside Haas decision to axe Nikita Mazepin as Guenther Steiner reveals new details.
Nikita Mazepin was axed swiftly by Haas in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the end of February, as the team also cut times with their main sponsor owned by the racer's oligarch father.
14:54, 31 Jul 2022
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
Reflecting on the team's actions a few months on, team principal Steiner revealed that the decision had been a simple one despite a lack of time to weigh up their options. "I was having breakfast with Gene when we both learned [of the invasion], so we knew what we needed to do and I knew that I had his backing," he told the Telegraph.
"The decision we had to make was defined by itself. We needed to make a change. We couldn't go on with this, what had happened with the invasion." Those comments are in sync with what he said back in March, when he said the situation has been untenable.
Axing Uralkali was a big decision for a Haas team which operates with a comparatively tiny budget, as it meant losing their main sponsor. But despite losing that important revenue stream, Steiner insists he never had any worries for the financial future of his team.
‘Axing Uralkali and Nikita Mazepin’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/haas-mazepin-sacked-guenther-steiner-27622052
Guenther Steiner predicts Mick Schumacher will ‘become his own brand’
Thursday 4th August 2022 11:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
Haas principal Guenther Steiner believes his driver Mick Schumacher is on the way to creating his own brand. Mick was arguably the most closely followed junior racer of all time on his path towards Formula 1, understandable considering he is the son of seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher.
The scrutiny only increased once he joined the Formula 1 grid in 2021 with Haas, while remaining a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. The pressure ramped up as the early rounds of 2022 passed without yielding a first Formula 1 point, despite Haas’ VF-22 proving to be a marked improvement on the VF-21.
But with back-to-back points scores, a P8 at Silverstone followed by a career-best P6 in Austria, Mick has now gone a long way to silencing the critics. Steiner though explains that Mick does not want to rely on his surname, but instead is building his own brand, something which he says the German racer is already “on his way” to doing.
‘The Mick Schumacher Brand’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mick-schumacher-will-become-own-brand/
Mick Schumacher fears raised as 2023 seat under threat amid "difficult" Haas relationship
Schumacher had a good month in July as he finally broke his F1 points duck and held his own in battles with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, but his Haas future is still not yet secure
17:12, 4 Aug 2022
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
Mick Schumacher fears raised as 2023 seat under threat amid "difficult" Haas relationship Mirror.co.uk17:20 Thu, 04 Aug
Given Schumacher is currently set to become a free agent at the end of the year, the retiring Sebastian Vettel sparked speculation when he suggested his fellow German could take his place at Aston Martin. But those rumours were quickly shut down when Fernando Alonso was chosen to fill that seat just a few days later. Of the situation, pundit Felix Gorner told RTL : "Sebastian's good words to Lawrence Stroll didn't help. That means there is only Haas for [Schumacher] next season. It's now important for him to negotiate well in the next few weeks to secure his seat."
But according to German newspaper Bild , Schumacher might even have trouble keeping hold of his own seat. "Initial talks" have taken place with Haas, but the report claims: "The relationship between the two parties is difficult. Guenther Steiner has been publicly critical of Mick in the past."
It goes on to say the young German may even be losing the support of Mattia Binotto, which would be disastrous for his dreams of following in his father's footsteps by one day racing for Ferrari. Schumacher's uncle Ralf, himself a former F1 driver, has been critical of both his nephew and the team in the past. Just last week he said the 23-year-old "should have delivered better results", and previously slammed Haas and Steiner for their own public criticism.
‘Mick Schumacher future is still not yet secure’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mick-schumacher-contract-haas-2023-27660761
“Guenther has a unique style…” Schumacher on points, pressure and his team principal
2022 F1 season
Posted on 4th August 2022, 14:284th August 2022, 14:43
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
Despite his apparent popularity, Schumacher remains one of the most enigmatic drivers on the grid. Perhaps understandably, given his family history, the second-year driver has always kept his cards close to his chest with the media. So when RaceFans had the opportunity to sit down with Schumacher and select media prior to the summer break, it was a rare chance to try and learn more about the Haas driver, who not long ago finally secured his first points in Formula 1.
Hhow would he assess his 2022 so far? “If I exclude [Britain and Austria], I think it has been a tough season so far,” admits Schumacher. “But, on the other hand, we had those two races which kind of turned it around. So I think that we’re quite confident that we have that pace. Also maybe we did before, but we were just a bit unlucky to show it at the time.”
How is it to have a team principal as eccentric as Steiner, who is not afraid to let the world know he needs more points and fewer shunts from Schumacher? “Obviously everybody is their own human and is their own person,” Schumacher says. “Guenther has a very unique style of doing things.” And is Steiner as straight-talking behind the scenes? “Yeah, I would say so,” Schumacher says. “I think he’s probably one of the people that has very little filter on and speaks their minds. But, at the end, it’s that thing of pressure – maybe sometimes I perform better under pressure than if I don’t have the pressure.”
‘Very little filter on and speaks their minds’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/08/04/guenther-has-a-unique-style-schumacher-on-points-pressure-and-his-team-principal/
Fortitude
5th August 2022, 15:15
Alfa Romeo confirm ‘fuel system issue’ halted Bottas.
On Lap 68 of 70 at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Bottas brought his Alfa Romeo C42 to a stop, triggering the Virtual Safety Car.
Jamie Woodhouse
Sunday 31st July 2022 8:35 PM
“A day that promised much at its beginning left us disappointed in the end,” said Vasseur in an Alfa Romeo statement. “The start put us on the back foot, losing five places with both cars and setting up a tough afternoon to recover some points. Valtteri was able to break into the top ten and was there until the closing stages, but in the end a fuel system issue meant he had to retire with a couple of laps to go.”
Alfa Romeo had hoped to execute a one-stop strategy with Bottas, but as several other drivers found out, the hard tyre simply was not a good race tyre at the Hungaroring. “We committed to one-stop with the medium and hard [tyre],” Bottas told reporters.
“And towards the end of the race I felt it didn’t work as planned, but we tried, and it was tricky to back out, but I think ultimately the hard tyre didn’t work quite as well as I thought it should.”
‘Disappointment at the end’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtteri-bottas-fuel-system-issue-hungary/
“We deserved a little more” Says Zhou After Disappointing Hungarian GP for Alfa Romeo
August 4, 2022
By Joe McCormick
The Hungarian Grand Prix was certainly one to forget for Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, with Guanyu Zhou finishing thirteenth, and Valtteri Bottas retiring a handful of laps before the end of the race.
After the race, Zhou explained that a bad start and an attempted one-stop strategy didn’t work out for the Italian/Swiss team, which they also attempted with Bottas.
“Conditions today weren’t a threat per se, they were a bit mixed, especially a little more slippery on the last few laps, but overall okay,” said the Chinese driver. “I think our plan today didn’t really pay off, we struggled on lap one and on the first few laps losing ground to other cars, and as going for one stop didn’t work out, we had to do an extra one which put me on the back of the field. It was quite frustrating, as it compromised my chances.”
‘Deserved More’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2022/08/we-deserved-a-little-more-says-zhou-after-disappointing-hungarian-gp-for-alfa-romeo/
Frustrated Bottas calls for resolution to Alfa Romeo's reliability issues
04/08/2022, 07:55
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Valtteri Bottas believes that Alfa Romeo should place a "high focus" on their reliability issues after his third retirement of the season in Hungary. Valtteri Bottas believes that there should be a "high focus" on Alfa Romeo's reliability issues, following his Hungarian Grand Prix retirement.
The Finn suffered his third race retirement of the season at the Hungaroring after encountering fuel system issues. Combined, Bottas and teammate Guanyu Zhou have failed to finish seven Grands Prix this season, owing to a variety of problems.
Speaking after the race, Bottas called on Alfa Romeo to get on top of their reliability issues before it costs them big points opportunities. "We had some pace this weekend, a bit more than the previous weekend, so that's getting there, but we need to finish the race," Bottas told media, including RacingNews365.com. "It's not consistent enough and we know it.”
‘High focus on their reliability issues’;
https://racingnews365.com/frustrated-bottas-calls-for-resolution-to-alfa-romeos-reliability-issues
Valtteri Bottas Shows Girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell a Day in the Life of a F1 Driver
4 Aug 2022, 12:08 UTC ·
by Monica Coman
Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas has just surprised his girlfriend, Australian cyclist Tiffany Cromwell, with a glimpse of his life as a Formula One driver, allowing her to try out a race car as a fun day out.
When they arrived, Tiffany embarked on a high-level intensive car driving course, with none other than Bottas as her instructor. He captioned the video “need for speed.” On her Instagram Stories, Tiffany wrote that she’s “finally getting a small taste of Valterri Bottas’ work.” Tiffany was in full racing gear, and we couldn’t help but notice the fact that she sported Bottas’ number and initials, of course.
Her “graduation” test was a real racing car, a model that former Finnish World Champion Nico Rosberg raced when he was at Williams. She seemed to handle the speed pretty well, and even got a Williams FW29 driving diploma at the end of her “training.”
‘Valtteri’s date with Tiffany’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/valtteri-bottas-shows-girlfriend-tiffany-cromwell-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-f1-driver-195214.html
Alfa Romeo reveal Bottas retirement cause
Thursday 4 August 2022 15:08
Sam Hall
Alfa Romeo head of trackside engineering Xevi Pujolar has confirmed the team had no warning before Valtteri Bottas' car suffered a race-ending failure in Hungary.
Asked as to the cause of the retirement, Pujolar said: “We had a technical issue in the fuel system that we are investigating, so it is not ideal.
"There was no warning. Everything was okay until that lap. The first we saw was as the guys reported it on the data, Valtteri reported straight away that he was losing power and that was it. We just had to stop straight away.”
‘Technical Fuel System Issue’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88667/hungarian-grand-prix-valtteri-bottas-retirement/
FIA set to finalise stricter F1 roll hoop tests for 2023
The FIA is set to finalise plans for stricter roll hoop tests for 2023 Formula 1 cars in a meeting with team technical directors on Wednesday.
Aug 3, 2022, 9:33 AM
By: Adam Cooper
The governing body has promised to impose stricter tests as a direct result of Zhou Guanyu’s accident at the British GP, which saw the Chinese driver's Alfa Romeo roll hoop fail after contact with the track with a force that exceeded anything that had previously been foreseen. Alfa Romeo has been working closely with the FIA ever since, while other teams have also been consulted and asked for feedback on potential changes to the wording of the regulations.
The subject will be discussed at a specially convened meeting of the FIA technical advisory committee led by head of single-seater matters Nikolas Tombazis. One possible outcome could be a move away from the "spike" hoop design that hitherto the rules allowed. Alfa Romeo is the only team using it in 2022.
Speaking at the recent French GP Alfa Romeo technical director Jan Monchaux confirmed the Swiss outfit has been co-operating closely with the FIA. “The analysis is still ongoing, we're working since the first day with the FIA to try to reconstruct the accident and assess as best as we can,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com about progress. Because it's not an easy task, the force involved. As yet the internal investigations are not completely finished, so I won't disclose anything. And if someone will disclose something, it's going to be the FIA.”
‘Alfa Romeo working closely with the FIA’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-set-to-finalise-stricter-f1-roll-hoops-tests/10348028/
Fortitude
5th August 2022, 15:59
Revealed: Piastri to replace Ricciardo at McLaren in 2023.
RacingNews365.com has learnt that the Australian will be racing for McLaren in 2023.
05/08/2022, 08:16
Author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365.com understands that Piastri has a contract with Alpine for 2022, but not for 2023. His 2022 deal is said to contain an option on Piastri's services for 2023, but that option was not exercised within the required 30 days of signing that contract.
What now for Ricciardo? The FIA's contract recognition board ruled that there was no valid contract between Alpine and Piastri before 2023, leaving McLaren free to agree a deal with the Australian. Piastri's deal with McLaren was said to have been finalised on the evening of July 30, before Fernando Alonso's move to Aston Martin was confirmed on August 1.
Under Formula 1's regulations, Alpine cannot challenge the board's decision, as F1 teams have previously unanimously decided that it is the highest body that can rule on contractual matters. Piastri's move leaves Ricciardo's F1 future up in the air. The Australian's best bet may be replacing Alonso at Alpine, for whom he drove in 2019 and 2020 in its previous guise of Renault.
‘Piastri to replace Ricciardo’;
https://racingnews365.com/revealed-piastri-to-replace-ricciardo-at-mclaren-in-2023
Opinion: How Alpine lost Piastri
05/08/2022, 09:45
Author Dieter Rencken
After learning that Oscar Piastri is set to replace Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren in 2023, RacingNews365.com Editorial Director Dieter Rencken explains how Alpine lost two drivers in 24 hours.
Before analysing how Alpine found itself in this state, allow me to stress that the information learned by RacingNews365.com concerning Piastri's move to McLaren was derived not from a single source, but three different parties - on two continents, in three countries – all with knowledge of the information. Crucially, all provided essentially the same details.
However, we have omitted items such as timelines for fear that these could jeopardise certain insiders in England and Australia. All I will say in this regard is: there is considerable dissent in the team's ranks, with some choice language peppering the details. Saliently, all pointed to a two- plus one-year deal.
‘RacingNews365.com Sources: Three different parties - on two continents, in three countries’;
https://racingnews365.com/opinion-how-alpine-lost-piastri
Alpine boss open to re-signing Daniel Ricciardo amid Oscar Piastri dispute
Thursday 4 Aug 2022 7:03 pm
Callum McAvoy
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has hinted that the team could re-sign Daniel Ricciardo for 2023, amid the drama surrounding Oscar Piastri.
It has been a tumultuous week for the French Formula 1 team after their star driver Fernando Alonso revealed on Monday that he would joining Aston Martin next season, a move that completely blindsided Szafnauer.
Then on Tuesday, Alpine announced reserve driver Piastri would be taking Alonso’s seat for 2023, but just an hour later the Australian posted a statement claiming that this was not true, and he would not be racing for the team, prompting much confusion within the F1 community.
‘Alpine open to re-signing Daniel Ricciardo’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/04/alpine-boss-could-re-sign-daniel-ricciardo-amid-oscar-piastri-dispute-17130026/?ito=newsnow-feed
Who could fill Alonso-Piastri void at Alpine?
Friday 5 August 2022 12:50
Ewan Gale
So if Piastri isn't in the Alpine, who else could be? The obvious candidates; Daniel Ricciardo The man that holds the key to the whole saga is Daniel Ricciardo. In likelihood, if Piastri is on the grid next season then it will be at McLaren and leaving his compatriot without a drive. Pierre Gasly It would make sense from a commercial point of view for a French manufacturer to employ another French driver alongside Esteban Ocon.
The outsiders Nico Hulkenberg Out of a full-time race seat since 2019 but has impressed each time he has filled in for Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll or Sebastian Vettel in the past three seasons, Nico Hulkenberg is an outside bet for the seat. Zhou Guanyu Formerly part of the Alpine junior programme, Zhou Guanyu cut ties when moving across to Alfa Romeo this season.
Mick Schumacher Mick Schumacher's recent form has seen him linked to any seat that has come up - and if you ask Marcus Ericcson, the German could even end up at AlphaTauri! Théo Pourchaire From the Sauber Academy, F2 driver Théo Pourchaire is making a comeback against championship leader Felipe Drugovich. Antonio Giovinazzi A driver from way outside the box would be Antonio Giovinazzi, who has struggled to adapt to life in Formula E.
‘Who Could Fill Alpine Void?’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88818/alpine-fernando-alonso-oscar-piastri-replacement/
Insight: Dissecting the Alpine mess, and what could happen next
17:39 Thu, 04 Aug 2022.
by Phillip Horton
McLaren is also not entirely new territory for Piastri. While he is officially Alpine’s reserve, and they have first dibs, Piastri has also had a reserve arrangement with McLaren in 2022. That led to a seat fitting while he was placed on standby on a couple of occasions, in Bahrain (when Ricciardo ultimately recovered from Covid-19) and in Monaco (after Norris’ bout of tonsilitis during the preceding race and build-up). Seidl, meanwhile, was team boss at Porsche’s LMP1 team when Webber raced for the marque.
What happens next? Ricciardo may feel his time at McLaren is cooked, opening the path for Piastri, and potentially reuniting with a team he competed in 2019/20. Another outcome is that a financial settlement is reached between the respective parties, if Alpine does indeed have a valid contractual claim on Piastri, while accepting it cannot force itself on a driver who wishes out.
‘Dissecting the Alpine mess’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/08/04/insight-dissecting-the-alpine-mess-and-what-could-happen-next/
Fortitude
6th August 2022, 05:22
Alesi to Ferrari fans: ‘Criticising the team will do no good’.
Ferrari has come under scrutiny by a number of fans in the last several weeks, amid a series of questionable strategy calls at the team.
Fri, 05 Aug 2022, 11:17
by Fergal Walsh
Speaking to Corriere della Sera, Alesi, who spent five seasons racing for Ferrari, says fans shouldn’t add pressure to Ferrari amid a difficult period. “It’s a season that feels like a roller coaster, and this increases emotions and reactions,” Alesi said.
“Dreaming of a victory transforms a defeat into a sports drama with a passion that reminds me of football cheering. I also suffer thinking about Hungary. There have been mistakes even before the strategy. But going against Ferrari is not good for any fan, it does not bring any good to the team.”
“I say this understanding every outburst because passion is made up of strong feelings. We could analyse the race to try to understand the how and why but now it is not needed. Rather, it serves, on my part, an invitation to hold on, to make a bank, not to destroy. Because negativity does not bring anything good, ever.”
‘Adding Pressure To Ferrari’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/08/05/alesi-to-ferrari-fans-criticising-the-team-will-do-no-good/
Jean Alesi calls on Tifosi to back Ferrari: Negativity doesn’t bring any good
Friday 5th August 2022 10:03 AM
Michelle Foster
Jean Alesi has called for an end to the criticism of Ferrari, the former F1 driver saying it does “not bring any good to the team”. Ferrari’s faithful, the Tifosi, have been left disappointed in their team in recent weeks as they have watched a double title challenge fade and history repeat itself too often.
Leclerc went into the summer break with just three wins on the board – one could say five fewer than he should have had – and trailing Verstappen by 80 points. Ferrari are 97 adrift of Red Bull in the race for the Constructors’ title.
Between poor reliability and strategy blunders, Ferrari have robbed the driver of 108 points while Leclerc is responsible for losing 32 through crashes. Ferrari’s last mistake came at the Hungarian Grand Prix where the team put Leclerc on the wrong tyres, the hards that nobody could get to work, and he fell from P1 to P6. But rather than criticise Ferrari, Alesi has called on the Tifosi to show them love.
‘Tifosi Love’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/jean-alesi-love-ferrari/
Charles Leclerc lost the win in Budapest due to a poor strategy call from Ferrari.
5 August 2022
by James Clifford
Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has told Charles Leclerc to “be patient” with the team after he was left frustrated by another strategy error in Hungary. The Monegasque had already been let down by the Scuderia in Monaco and Silverstone when bizarre calls on the pit wall saw him finish fourth having been leading in both races.
After the race, Leclerc was bemused as to why his team decided not to stick with the original plan of pitting for Softs towards the end of the race from the Mediums, as they did with his team-mate, who finished fourth behind third-placed Russell and Sir Lewis Hamilton, who took second.
“For some reason, I don’t know why, we went on the Hards,” he told Sky Sports after the race. “I said on the radio I was very comfortable with the medium and that I wanted to go as long as possible with those tyres because the feeling was good – I don’t know why we took a different decision.” Massa reminded Leclerc that he too had thrown away the win in France when he crashed from the lead, so told him to stay calm and avoid criticising his team in public.
‘Warned against ‘starting a fight’!’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/charles-leclerc-warned-against-starting-a-fight-with-mattia-binotto-and-ferrari/
‘This is my way of reacting’: Charles Leclerc opens up on costly mistakes
Ferrari racer Charles Leclerc sits 80 points behind Max Verstappen going into the summer break.
5 August 2022
by Nick Golding
After spinning out of the French GP he was heard screaming down the team radio, after being furious with his own mistake. Whilst most drivers fail to admit their own errors at first, Leclerc is the complete opposite. At times when he’s been at fault this season, he’s immediately apologised to the team, usually followed by him screaming and shouting at himself.
It’s been refreshing to hear a driver be so brutally honest, especially when there is so much at stake. Leclerc believes there is no point “hiding” his emotions, after revealing that he is always “honest”. “Every individual will react in a different way,” Leclerc continued. “This is my way of reacting to it. And I’ve always felt the benefit of being honest with yourself and just grow from it.”
“I really don’t see the point of hiding it. And sometimes it is so obvious to everybody that the mistake comes from driver, I just don’t understand the drivers that are trying to have excuses with the wind or whatsoever. I mean, sometimes it can happen. One out of 200 crashes, you’ll get something very strange happen. But I just don’t like to lose time with finding excuses, because that’s exactly when you start to lose time, and you just don’t go forward.”
‘My Way of Reacting’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/this-is-my-way-of-reacting-charles-leclerc-opens-up-on-costly-mistakes/
Ferrari doing everything wrong in 2022 says Marko
AUGUST 5, 2022
GrandPrix.com
Ferrari is doing "pretty much everything wrong" in the battle for the world championship, according to Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko. Even though the Maranello-made car has arguably been quicker than Red Bull's overall so far this year, Charles Leclerc is a whopping 80 points behind reigning champion Max Verstappen.
When asked how that is possible, Marko told Osterreich newspaper: "By doing pretty much everything wrong. "In Budapest, for example, for the first time they didn't get the tyres in the right temperature window and also chose the wrong pit strategy."
Mercedes' Toto Wolff, however, defended Ferrari's Hungarian GP call by pointing out that Leclerc used all of his new medium tyres in practice. "Then I don't understand why they didn't use a used medium tyre, which would have been better than the hard. Instead we celebrate Toto and Mercedes as the big winners with places 2 and 3," Marko insisted.
‘Pretty Much Everything Wrong’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/ferrari-doing-everything-wrong-in-2022-says-marko.html
Hakkinen: Not first time Ferrari’s mid-race decisions questioned
5 August, 2022
Jad Mallak
Mika Hakkinen reflected on the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix and Ferrari’s strategy decisions claiming this hasn’t been the first time their mid-race decisions have been under question.
In his Unibet column, Hakkinen said: “Charles, Carlos and the Ferrari team management will hopefully use the summer break to discuss how they can take the fight to Red Bull more aggressively, and also defend against an improved Mercedes. “On Sunday we saw Charles using two sets of medium tyres, then the team move him onto a set of hard tyres which really were the wrong tyre to be on.”
“It was hard to understand that decision, and Charles knew it was the wrong way to go,” the Finn pointed out. “When the team finally put him onto a set of soft tyres on lap 54 the race was lost and he was not able to recover any positions. This is not the first time we have questioned Ferrari’s mid-race decision making, and it’s an area they will need to work on,” he warned.
‘Ferrari’s Mid-Race Decisions Questioned’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/08/05/hakkinen-not-first-time-ferraris-mid-race-decisions-questioned/
Leclerc needs this F1 break more than any of his peers
Fri, 05 Aug 2022, 06:48
The Race
By Scott Mitchell
Of all the Formula 1 drivers taking a well-earned break over August, Charles Leclerc probably needs his time off more than most. Leclerc’s growing frustration as Ferrari’s title challenge has capitulated has been obvious.
He handled his first major setback, the engine problem in Spain in May, with diplomacy and faultless leadership. Leclerc made sure his first action was to return to the garage, console his team, and then face the media with a smile and plenty of restraint.
Leclerc said and did all the right things – something that has quite clearly become harder to do in the races that followed. The botched calls in Monaco, another engine failure in Azerbaijan, the choice of tyres under the safety car in Britain and then for the final stint in Hungary – they’ve all chipped away at Leclerc’s patience.
‘Needing This F1 Break’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/leclerc-needs-this-f1-break-more-than-any-of-his-peers/
Fortitude
6th August 2022, 18:39
Jost Capito: Williams has failed to meet expectations for 2022.
Williams boss Jost Capito has admitted the team has failed to meet expectations for the 2022 Formula 1 season with it sitting bottom of the championship.
AUGUST 2ND 2022, 13:53
AUTHOR Edward Hardy
Motor Sport Magazine
Speaking in an exclusive interview for Motor Sport, the team principal said, “We are not where we wanted to be, and we didn’t achieve the objectives we set for the car.” After 13 races, Williams has only scored three points despite optimism for 2022 with the new era of F1 technical regulations.
The team hoped to build on its eighth-place finish in the 2021 championship, which featured a podium and was the first time in four years that it finished off the bottom of the standings. Grove’s expectations for this season was to be fighting towards the top of the midfield.
It has in fact digressed, and in order to get to where Williams wants to be, it has become apparent it needs a revamped management structure. “If we would have achieved our expectations, when we do that simulation, we would be in the upper midfield. And so it seems the objectives were right. We just didn’t have the processes yet in place to achieve these objectives, but we believe we know why we didn’t achieve them.”
‘Exclusive Interview for Motor Sport’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/jost-capito-williams-has-failed-to-meet-expectations-for-2022
Williams want Albon to be ‘harder with the engineers’
Monday 1st August 2022 10:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
Capito feels that Albon can take another step if he takes that “fighter” attitude which he shows on the track, and also uses it with his engineers. “He’s a real fighter once he closes the sights,” said Capito, quoted by Motorsport.com.
“But we think he could be more combative outside the car as well. He could be a bit harder on the engineers, for example. I think it would also create a better bond with them.
“But all in all, we are impressed. His year as a reserve gave him a good understanding of how the dynamics between a driver and a team work. He has seen a team working with the drivers from the sidelines and I think that helps him a lot.”
‘Harder Want To Be Harder’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-alex-albon-harder-engineers/
'Good learnings' for Williams and Albon after 'tricky weekend' at Hungary
31 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Following his P17 finish at the Hungaroring, Alex Albon feels "understanding of the strengths and weaknesses" of the 2022 Williams is increasing as F1 heads into the summer break after the Hungarian Grand Prix.
‘Good Learnings’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.good-learnings-for-williams-and-albon-after-tricky-weekend-at-hungary.1739882661230333875.html
Hungarian GP: Compromised race for Williams Racing
August 1 2022
By Williams Racing
The 2022 Hungarian GP would see the Williams Racing Team come away with a race that was compromised even before the end of the first lap. Both Williams drivers would suffer damage on the opening lap that would see Alex Albon forced to pit with front wing damage while team-mate Nicholas Latifi would suffer from a poorly balanced car after his front wing was also damaged. Alex and Nicholas would go on to finish well down the order in 17th and 18th, not the result for the team to see out their season prior to the summer break.
Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance: "Unfortunately, the rain was never enough to affect the race and with both cars suffering damage on the 1st lap, we were forced into a difficult race.” Nicholas Latifi: "Unfortunately, our race was compromised at the start through some front wing damage. It wasn't great as the damage set us back with much more tyre degradation than we were hoping for.”
Alex Albon: "The race was okay. We were a bit out of sequence with the early damage and there was a lot of tyre degradation and a lot of pitstops, which didn’t make it easy. It’s been a tricky weekend for us, but it has been a good learning weekend, continuing to understand the strengths and the weaknesses of the new package.”
‘Compromised race for Williams Racing’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st203622.htm
Williams confirms multi-year agreement with Albon
03 Aug 2022, 18:00
By Balazs Szabo
Williams Racing has confirmed a new multi-year agreement with Alexander Albon, extending their partnership that started at the start of the current season.
Commenting on the contract extension, Albon said: "It’s really exciting to be staying with Williams Racing for 2023 and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve as a team in the remainder of this season and next year. "The team is pushing hard to progress, and I am really motivated to continue this journey and further develop our learnings together."
Williams Team Principal Jost Capito added: "Alex is a tremendous driver and valued member of Williams Racing, so we’re thrilled to be able to confirm we will be working with him on a long-term basis. Alex brings a great blend of skill and insightful learnings that will help bring the team greater success in the future. "He’s a fierce competitor, has proved a popular and loyal team member and we are delighted that he will provide a stable base for us to continue to develop in this new F1 car era.
‘Williams Confirms Multi-Year Agreement’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/23805
Does Albon deserve more than a Williams F1 future? Our verdict
Aug 3 2022
The Race
Even so, the announcement prompts many questions: Is committing to Williams longer-term the right move for Albon? Did he deserve something higher up the grid? Is Williams heading there anyway? The Race’s writers attempt to answer those below.
Edd Straw: Albon’s earned the right to be a team leader. The Alex Albon racing for Williams this year is very different to the one who struggled at Red Bull. He’s seized his opportunity to be team leader and is a far more confident, assured and formidable competitor. Scott Mitchell: Right to show loyalty now. Williams has given Albon the chance to re-establish himself in F1. He is taking it but there is more to do. So a show of loyalty towards the team that picked up him up from the sidelines is only fair.
Gary Anderson: Both parties benefit from committing early. Formula 1 is going through a very strange period of driver market activity and I suspect Alex Albon wanted to make sure he wasn’t the one left with no seat when the music eventually stops. Matt Beer: Midfield hero, not top team target. There’s not a compelling case for Albon to be on a top team’s shopping list these days, but he can have a long future as a midfield hero and that may well involve more podiums one day.
‘Verdict’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/does-albon-deserve-more-than-a-williams-f1-future-our-verdict/
Albon a 'valuable surprise' to Williams
Saturday 6 August 2022 14:30
Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale
Williams CEO and team principal Jost Capito has revealed how Alex Albon has provided a 'valuable surprise' to the team. Albon signed with Williams to make his F1 comeback having been dropped from Red Bull's race seat at the end of 2020.
"He did very well beside Max [Verstappen] - you know how good Max is - he did very well, and the team is around Max, isn't it? It's very difficult for every second driver in Red Bull.”
"We expected quite a lot of him. We believed if he gets to us, the team where he's loved, where he has a major role, then he can even excel and can even get better. I think that is exactly what happened."
‘Valuable Surprise To Williams’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88832/alex-albon-williams/
Alex Albon: F1’s new rules could allow Williams to catch up very quickly
Saturday 6th August 2022 3:00 PM
Thomas Maher
Williams’ Alex Albon believes the regulation changes introduced for 2022 mean teams are never doomed to remain at the back.
Albon reckons the nature of F1’s new rules means a struggling team can always claw their way back upwards.
The regulations introduced for 2022 have seen a move to ground-effect machines, aimed at improving the show and allowing for closer racing. Aside from this, the sporting rules have been tweaked, as well as financial regulations imposed in the form of a budget cap.
‘Williams Could Catch Up Very Quickly’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albon-f1-rules-help-williams/
Fortitude
6th August 2022, 20:02
McLaren to drop their only Formula 1 winner since 2012.
McLaren have reportedly told Ricciardo that they plan to replace him with Oscar Piastri in 2023.
06/08/2022, 11:34
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)
by Asher Fair
McLaren plan to cut ties with Daniel Ricciardo, despite the fact that he is under contract with the team through the end of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” And that’s exactly what is happening at the McLaren Formula 1 team.
We finally know the truth, and it’s what many have speculated all along: McLaren have no plans to continue with Daniel Ricciardo as a part of their driver lineup for the 2023 season.
‘Daniel Ricciardo Out Of McLaren’;
https://beyondtheflag.com/2022/08/06/mclaren-drop-lone-formula-1-winner-2012/
Daniel Ricciardo told by McLaren he will be replaced for F1 2023 - what teams may fight for him?
5 Aug 2022
F1 Desk
Daniel Ricciardo has been informed by McLaren that they intend to end his contract early and replace him with Oscar Piastri next season, according to reports.
Ricciardo’s future has been a hot topic in an underwhelming campaign and, despite telling Crash.Net “I have not forgotten how to drive” several months ago, he is set to be ushered out of McLaren.
His current contract expires at the end of the 2023 season but Zak Brown, the McLaren CEO previously revealed that clauses existed to end it early. That option will be taken at the end of this season and Ricciardo has been informed, ESPN report.
‘ESPN Report Early Exit Option Exercised’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1009484/1/mclaren-tell-ricciardo-he-will-be-replaced-what-teams-may-fight-him
All-Aussie F1 bombshell: Daniel Ricciardo ‘told he’ll be replaced’ by Oscar Piastri at McLaren
August 6th, 2022 8:35 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
McLaren has reportedly told Daniel Ricciardo he will be replaced by compatriot Oscar Piastri next season.
Multiple outlets including Autosport are reporting Piastri has signed a deal with the Woking outfit for 2023, initially as a reserve driver, but then in the race seat to partner with Lando Norris once Ricciardo’s exit is arranged.
Ricciardo is contracted for next year after signing a three-year deal to prompt his exit from Renault (now Alpine) in 2020.
‘All-Aussie F1 bombshell’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-news-2022-daniel-ricciardo-sacked-oscar-piastri-mclaren-alpine-mark-webber-contracts-driver-market-silly-season/news-story/045f79724debde820ed18803295c19ac
F1 world reacts to McLaren sacking Daniel Ricciardo: ‘Done dirty’
REPORTS: Ricciardo shown door at McLaren | 00:38
August 6th, 2022 8:43 am
Staff Writers from News.com.au
The 33-year-old’s career has been on some what of a downward spiral since his days of outdriving Sebastian Vettel and regularly challenging Max Verstappen at Red Bull. But no one wants to see it end this way. ESPN’s Nate Saunders reported four teams have sounded Ricciardo out recently to “see where his head is at” and slammed McLaren for its treatment of the Aussie.
“It reflects very poorly on Brown and McLaren how they have treated Ricciardo over the past six months,” Saunders wrote. “Ricciardo, the only McLaren driver to have won an F1 race since 2012, has been the first to admit his performances have not been up to the standards he set at Red Bull and Renault but it feels as though he has been made as a scapegoat to deflect away from deeper problems at the team.”
He wasn’t alone in hailing the Aussie’s class during a turbulent season. “Amid all the rumpus and pressure you have to commend Ricciardo on his grace and professionalism over these last few months,” tweeted Tom Gaymor. “Says everything about him as a man, he is a class act and I hope he keeps smiling and doing it his way.”
‘Done Dirty’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-news-2022-daniel-ricciardo-sacked-oscar-piastri-mclaren-alpine-mark-webber-contracts-driver-market-silly-season/news-story/045f79724debde820ed18803295c19ac
Daniel Ricciardo's message to McLaren before learning of plans to sack him
DANIEL RICCIARDO had a defiant message for his McLaren team before learning they were planning to replace him
15:39, Sat, Aug 6, 2022
By LIAM LLEWELLYN
Daniel Ricciardo had issued a positive message to McLaren and his fans before reports surfaced the team would replace him for next season. The Australian's seat is set to be occupied by Oscar Piastri, the current reserve driver for Alpine.
“To be honest, switching off normally gives me like a natural reset,” said Ricciardo after the Hungarian GP, quoted by Motorsport.com. “To a point where I imagine in, say, 10 days, two weeks into the break, I would have kind of got the holiday out of my system and then I’ll build that hunger back again.”
‘Positive Message Before ‘Replacement’ News Struck’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1651522/Daniel-Ricciardo-message-to-McLaren-before-plans-to-sack-him-f1-news
Daniel Ricciardo to join Williams or Alpine as he faces McLaren sack
Daniel Ricciardo currently has a contract at McLaren until the end of next season.
6 August 2022
by James Clifford
The 33-year-old departed the Enstone-based team for McLaren at the end of 2020, and announced his departure from the then-Renault team after just one season with them. This was said to have irritated Renault CEO, Luca de Meo, but team principal Otmar Szafnauer, who joined the French side at the start of this season, indicated that he would not have a problem putting Ricciardo alongside Esteban Ocon next year.
“I mean, if you look at Fernando, for example, he comes and goes, and I think that happens to other drivers too,” he said before Piastri dropped his bombshell. “And I don’t think that’s an issue at all, I think what we need to focus on is, like I say, the plans that we have for the next eight or nine races.”
“We’ve got to make sure that we complement that plan with the best driver that we can, and there are some options out there for us. And we [need to] put the best driver in next to Esteban, so that we can move forward towards what we’ve been planning.” Another possibility is that Ricciardo moves to the team that Piastri was initially expected to be loaned out to – Williams.
‘Choices’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/daniel-ricciardo-to-join-williams-or-alpine-as-he-faces-mclaren-sack/
Fortitude
7th August 2022, 05:17
F1 promise "exciting" 2023 calendar with latest update.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has claimed the sport is focused on producing "an exciting calendar" for the 2023 season.
Saturday 6 August 2022 16:01
Sam Hall
The majority of races that will feature on next year's schedule are already known with long-standing contracts in place for most venues, while Las Vegas and Qatar are set to join the roster. But the future remains uncertain for some venues with Monaco, Spa Francorchamps and Paul Ricard [France] all out of contract at the end of the current campaign.
Speaking on a call with Wall Street investors, Domenicali said: "As I have stated before, we will come back to this in early October due to the process of needing clearance from the World Motorsport Council.”
"Of course, there are discussions to make sure that the calendar is robust. It is following also the fact that we would like to keep the right flow in terms of efficiency around the world when you consider the need for a calendar to be spread around the world from March to November.”
‘Exciting 2023 calendar’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88868/f1-2023-calendar/
[B]Toto Wolff puts faith in F1 chief Stefano Domenicali over qualifying changes
MERCEDES chief Toto Wolff admitted the sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix had "less entertainment".
17:57, Sun, Jul 17, 2022
By Matthew Cooper
F1 are planning to increase the number of sprint qualifying races to six next season and Mercedes chief Toto Wolff is confident that F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali will choose the right locations to stage the extra races.
The most recent sprint race took place at the Austrian Grand Prix, but was not as exciting as previous events as the top four drivers retained their positions. And Wolff admitted the sprint had "less entertainment" and believes F1 need to ensure they choose the best venues for future events.
"I think if I have trust in one person to choose the right sprint races, it's Stefano," Wolff said. "And Stefano will have seen [the Austria sprint race] and will take it into consideration.”
‘6 Sprint Races in 2022’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1641881/Toto-Wolff-Stefano-Domenicali-Mercedes-qualifying-changes-F1-news
Insurance billionaire mulling over Formula 1 team bid
Saturday 6th August 2022 11:59 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
Williams were the team to most recently undergo a complete change of ownership, American investment firm Dorilton Capital purchasing the outfit from the Williams family in 2020.
Reuters report Dorilton Capital make investments for Lo, chief executive of insurance broker RE Lee International, with Lee confirming he has had “some sort of exposure” to Williams since Dorilton purchased the team.
And Lo is taking a look across the grid for teams he could invest in, adding he is not the only one in Asia to be doing this. In fact, Lo could envisage an Asian consortium soon swooping to invest in a Formula 1 team.
‘Formula 1 team bids’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/insurance-mogul-considering-formula-1/
Toto Wolff predicts five Formula 1 teams capable of winning from 2024
Saturday 6th August 2022 6:00 AM
Jon Wilde
Toto Wolff believes five teams will be in the hunt for F1 race wins by 2024 as the budget cap does its job and levels the playing field.
“It is too early to judge,” Wolff told Gazzetta dello Sport. “I believe the spending cap will compact the group. “Within two years we will have five teams capable of winning races and after another three, as many fighting for the World Championship.”
Wolff also commented on the news that a partnership between Red Bull and Porsche will reportedly be imminently announced. Porsche are set to enter Formula 1 as an engine supplier in 2026, with their arrival likely to be confirmed when the power-unit regulations for that year are finalised in the near future.
‘Five Formula 1 teams capable of winning from 2024’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-five-f1-teams-win-2024/
Tech Draft: Time for Formula 1 broadcasters to refocus on the sport
5 August, 2022
Mark Kay
As the wind blows the tumbleweed across the empty car parks of the ghost town Formula 1 factories emptied by the enforced annual leave of absence, it is a good opportunity to navel gaze and reflect on the season that has been to date, the good and the bad.
Regrettably for readers, what the break means is an arduous three weeks ahead for them void of interesting and exciting news that has been replaced with the typical and boringly generic mid-season reviews and rankings, the stuff that is usually so mind-blowing that it forces you to fall asleep.
I’m going to get the things that have peeved me so far this year off my chest in a series of whinges and gripes starting with my biggest issue so far in 2022, the broadcast feed available to me is appalling. When I watch an F1 broadcast I have two options, either to turn the audio off, or I am forced to endure what I find is the brain numbing tripe that is the Sky commentary. F1 has a big problem because the only feed available to me, the one that I am unwillingly forced to endure has an agenda of morals and politics that goes far beyond that which I find is necessary to provide a broadcast of an F1 weekend.
‘Time for Formula 1 broadcasters to refocus on the sport’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/08/05/tech-draft-time-for-formula-1-broadcasters-to-refocus-on-the-sport/
TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR ANDRETTI’S FORMULA 1 BID
The American team's plan to join the grid in 2024 may be falling through
17:04 Thu, 04 Aug 2022.
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds
Andretti Autosport has been in talks to field a Formula 1 team by 2024, but they may be running out of time.
2024 deadlines. Andretti’s initial plan was to buy the majority of Sauber and claim ownership of the Alfa Romeo F1 team. These plans were meant to be finalised during the United States Grand Prix in 2021, but the deal fell through at the last minute.
From there, Michael Andretti, owner of the team, put in an application to join the Formula 1 grid in 2024. Despite the benefits of having the Andretti name back in Formula 1, they have received a lot of pushback from the current teams on the grid. Most of the backlash is due to teams having to split the prize money between yet another team, making the amount they would all receive smaller.
‘Running Out Of Time’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/time-is-running-out-for-andrettis-formula-1-bid/?nowprocket=1
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