2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review. [Archive] - Page 2

Fortitude

25th March 2024, 16:49

Fernando Alonso clashes with FIA over strong Australian GP punishment – F1 news round-up.
Alonso was given a drive-through penalty, converted into 20 seconds added to his race time, plus three FIA Super Licence penalty points after Russell ended up sideways in the middle of the track following a late-race battle.
24 Mar 2024 10:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The stewards found Alonso guilty of “potentially dangerous driving” as telemetry showed he had slowed before Turn 6 on the penultimate lap with Russell in pursuit, though Alonso argued that he defended in a manner that “any racing driver would do” and was disappointed by the severe penalty issued.

‘Alonso clashes with FIA’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-clashes-fia-strong-australian-gp-punishment

Why Fernando Alonso’s Australian GP penalty is simply wrong
Fernando Alonso and George Russell's incident has been a major talking point after the Australian GP
March 25, 2024 - 14:50
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Fernando Alonso was given a 20-second time penalty and three penalty points for potentially dangerous driving against George Russell at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. The incident has caused huge controversy and Alonso has continued to hit back at the stewards’ decision which demoted him from sixth to eighth.

Immediately after the penalty, Aston Martin released their usual post-race press release where Alonso reiterated he was focusing on getting as good an exit as possible. “That’s what any racing driver would do, and I didn’t feel it was dangerous,” said Alonso. “It’s disappointing to get a penalty from the stewards for what was hard but fair racing.”

He didn’t stop there though as the two-time world champion took to Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, and listed examples of previous battles where differing lines and speeds were taken to defend and attack. “A bit surprised by a penalty at the end of the race regarding how we should approach the corners or how we should drive the race cars,” explained Alonso. “At no point do we want to do anything wrong at these speeds.”

‘Penalty simply wrong’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/why-fernando-alonso-aston-martin-f1-penalty-george-russell-crash-australia-2024-simply-wrong/

Alonso indignant over penalty as stewards highlight the limits of his explanation
25th March 2024, 13:14
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Whether or not you agreed with the call (which has proved divisive here), all sides of the debate should appreciate the stewards taking the time to explain their reasoning. It’s certainly preferable to the days when, following hours of deliberation, their decisions were announced in single-sentence statements with no accompanying explanation.

The decision was likely to provoke controversy whether it came down on Alonso’s side or that of the driver who crashed in his wake on the penultimate lap, George Russell. It appears the stewards realised that and took the time to detail why they had sanctioned a driver who had seemingly done nothing more than lift his throttle, and issued a drive-through penalty rather than the more common and less severe five- or 10-second varieties.

Alonso was given a 20-second post-race penalty for decelerating suddenly in front of Russell as they approached turn six. The pair made no contact, but the stewards called Alonso’s abrupt reduction in speed an “extraordinary” piece of driving which “was at very least ‘potentially dangerous’.”

‘Limits of his explanation’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/25/fias-stewards-anticipated-alonsos-criticisms-with-their-oddly-written-ruling/

ALONSO: ‘I DIDN’T FEEL IT WAS DANGEROUS’ AS THE SPANIARD GIVES HIS VERDICT ON RUSSELL’S CRASH
Alonso was demoted to eighth after being penalised following a last-lap incident in the Australian Grand Prix
March 25, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Alonso was being chased down by Russell in the final stages of the Australian Grand Prix when the British driver lost control of his Mercedes, spiralling across the gravel into the wall and eventually ending up in the middle of the circuit.

At first, it was assumed that the Briton had simply lost control of his Silver Arrow, but after the FIA reviewed the telemetry, they discovered that Alonso had broken 100 metres earlier on the lap in an attempt to slow Russell’s progress.

As a result, the two-time world champion was handed a 20-second time penalty and given three points on his license. Speaking to Motorsport.com, Alonso said: “George caught me quickly; I knew that he was coming. Then he was in DRS range for five or six laps, so I was just doing qualifying laps to stay ahead. I wanted to maximise my exit speed from Turn 6 to defend against him. That’s what any racing driver would do, and I didn’t feel it was dangerous.”

‘Maximise my exit speed from Turn 6 to defend’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alonso-i-didnt-feel-it-was-dangerous-as-the-spaniard-gave-his-verdict-on-russells-crash/

Explained: He made no contact with Russell – so why did Alonso cop a 20-second penalty for his part in the crash?
Russell said that “from his perspective, Alonso’s manoeuvre was erratic, took him by surprise and caused him to close distance unusually fast, and with the resulting lower downforce at the apex of the corner, he lost control and crashed at the exit of the corner”.
12:36 24-Mar-24
Formula One - Official Site

The stewards went on to state that telemetry showed Alonso lifted “slightly more than 100m earlier than he ever had going into that corner during the race”, as well as braking “very slightly at a point that he did not usually brake (although the amount of brake was so slight that it was not the main reason for his car slowing)” before downshifting at a different point to usual.

He then upshifted again and accelerated to the corner before lifting again to make the corner. Alonso explained that his plan was to slow earlier but that he had got it "slightly wrong" and “had to take extra steps to get back up to speed”, but the stewards said that this manoeuvre had “created a considerable and unusual closing speed between the cars”.

The stewards concluded that they did not have “sufficient information to determine whether Alonso’s manoeuvre was intended to cause Russell problems, or whether, as he stated to the stewards, that he simply was trying to get a better exit” but that, “whatever intent”, he had driven in a way that was “potentially dangerous” given the high-speed nature of that point of the track.

‘Explained: He made no contact with Russell’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/explained-he-made-no-contact-with-russell-so-why-did-alonso-cop-a-20-second.4jGPYK1giJqk4P7624Qkqu

Were stewards right to penalise Alonso over his driving before Russell’s crash?
Posted on 24th March 2024, 10:42
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Russell was closing on Alonso as the race entered its final laps. On lap 56 he got close enough to the Aston Martin in the DRS zone approaching turn nine for Alonso to move off the racing line to defend. The next time around Russell was slightly closer again. Approaching turn six, before the next DRS zone began, Russell suddenly drew closer to Alonso, lost control of his car as he turned into the corner and crashed. Russell was uninjured.

Speaking after the race Alonso said he was trying to lap as quickly as he could to keep Russell behind while coping with a problem in his car. “I had some issues for the last 15 laps, something on the battery on the deployment,” he said. “So definitely I was struggling a little bit at the end of the race. But I cannot focus on the cars behind.”

Russell said he was surprised by how suddenly Alonso slowed in front of him. “I was half a second behind him approaching the corner and then suddenly he slowed up very dramatically and got back on the power,” he said. “I just wasn’t expecting it and it caught me by surprise.”

‘Were stewards right?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/24/were-stewards-right-to-penalise-alonso-over-his-driving-before-russells-crash/

Fans deliver Alonso penalty verdict
Fernando Alonso was penalised for his actions as George Russell crashed out of the Australian Grand Prix.
25 March 1:00PM
Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

RacingNews365 readers believe Fernando Alonso's penalty at the Australian Grand Prix was incorrect.

‘Fans deliver verdict’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-penalty-punishment-for-dangerous-driving-harsh

Fernando Alonso ‘knew what he was doing’ with George Russell battle tactics
It has been claimed that Fernando Alonso was trying to exploit a "grey area" in his late battle with George Russell.
25 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Ex-F1 driver Timo Glock has claimed Fernando Alonso knew exactly what he was doing with driving that ultimately earned him a penalty at the Australian Grand Prix. Former grand prix racer Glock believes Alonso was trying to exploit a “grey area” of the regulations in order to “gain an advantage”.

“Alonso brakes very early and allows Russell to catch up,” Glock told Sky Deutschland. “Alonso’s idea was to catch Russell off guard, slow him down, and then accelerate early to open a gap.”

“It was so extreme that Russell didn’t expect it at all. He got way too close and lost downforce. Alonso extends his elbows and uses the grey area to gain an advantage. He already knows what he’s doing with his experience.”

‘Battle tactics’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046221/1/fernando-alonso-knew-what-he-was-doing-george-russell-battle-tactics

Used to be Starter

25th March 2024, 23:44

Fortitude

26th March 2024, 06:29

Horner: Perez race impacted by tear-off lodged in RB20 floor.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says a visor tear-off lodged in the floor area of Sergio Perez’s RB20 impacted the aerodynamic performance of the Mexican’s car during the Australian GP.
25/03/2024 at 13:09
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Perez admitted to having struggled early on but reckoned that his car was no march for his direct rivals. While this was true, unbeknownst to the Mexican, his RB20 had suffered a significant loss of downforce during the race when to a tear-off likely discarded by Fernando Alonso found its way into his car’s floor.

"We went long on the first stint," Horner explained. "And his actual pace when he was coming through the field on the hard tyre as he closed in on Fernando was strong, and matching that of the leaders. And then literally as he's passed Fernando, he's picked up a tear-off underneath the floor and it's got lodged in an area that's caused significant load loss.”

"So as he's then passed Fernando, the car's not working as it should. And so then you start to see degradation on the tyre, and again at the end of the second stint, which has been unusual for our cars." Horner estimated the aero loss to have been “in excess of 20 points”. “So it's a significant amount,” he added. “It just shows how sensitive these things are."

‘Visor tear-off lodged in the floor area of Sergio Perez’s RB20 impacted the aerodynamic performance’;

https://f1i.com/news/503692-horner-perez-race-impacted-by-tear-off-lodged-in-rb20-floor.html

HORNER EXPLAINS SERGIO PEREZ’S UNDERWHELMING AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
After three races, Sergio Perez currently stands P3 in the drivers' championship behind his teammate and Charles Leclerc. But could the Mexican have gotten more out of the race his teammate didn't finish?
March 25, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

After securing two 1-2 finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the Australian Grand Prix offered quite the turn of fortunes for Red Bull. With Max Verstappen out of the race with a “brake problem”, all eyes turned to Sergio Perez to keep up the team’s winning streak.

Perez couldn’t capitalise on his teammate’s misfortune, finishing P5 behind the two Ferraris and two McLarens. Following the chequered flag, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner revealed the reason behind Perez’s halted charge in Melbourne. The team boss explained:

“When he was coming through the field on the hard tyre as he closed in on Fernando [Alonso, his speed] was strong and matching that of the leaders. Then, literally, as he’s passed Fernando, he’s picked up a tear-off underneath the floor, and it’s got lodged in an area that’s caused significant load loss.”

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner revealed the reason behind Perez’s halted charge’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/horner-explains-sergio-perezs-underwhelming-australian-grand-prix/

Red Bull identify the culprit behind Sergio Perez’s dramatic pace drop in Australia
25 Mar 2024 4:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez wasn’t able to join in the fight for the podium in Australia, due to a mid-race incident that caused a significant downforce loss. Perez started the Australian Grand Prix from sixth on the grid after picking up a three-place grid penalty, but failed to make significant progress after a mid-race incident sapped his Red Bull of downforce.

In a ground-effect era that means the cars utilise the underfloor effect to generate much of their downforce, the obstruction sapped Perez of downforce and confidence. “We went long on the first stint,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told media after the race. And his actual pace when he was coming through the field on the hard tyre as he closed in on Fernando was strong, and matching that of the leaders.”

“Then, literally as he’s passed Fernando, he’s picked up a tear-off underneath the floor, and it’s got lodged in an area that’s caused significant load loss. So as he’s then passed Fernando, the car’s not working as it should. And so then you start to see degradation on the tyre, and again at the end of the second stint, which has been unusual for our cars.”

‘Red Bull identify the culprit’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-tear-off-strip-australian-grand-prix

Red Bull 'have already made a decision' on replacing Sergio Perez with Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz proved unbeatable at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, but the Ferrari ace still needs a drive for 2025.
10:14, Mon, Mar 25, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 journalist and former team manager Peter Windsor believes that Sergio Perez’s contract with Red Bull has already been extended beyond the end of 2024, according to rumours he has heard in the paddock. If these rumours are correct, this will end Carlos Sainz’s chances of moving there when he leaves Ferrari at the end of the season.

Discussing the murmurs he heard in Melbourne, Windsor said: “I heard in the paddock area from various sources that are pretty reliable that Sergio has already renewed his contract for next year. In which case, you'd say, well, what was the rush?" If correct, this would be a huge vote of confidence for Perez, who last year was subject to constant speculation regarding whether or not he would be driving for Red Bull beyond the end of the 2023 season, let alone beyond the end of his contract in 2024.

‘Huge vote of confidence for Perez’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1881314/Red-Bull-Sergio-Perez-Carlos-Sainz-F1

Was Perez right that even a reliable Red Bull wouldn’t have beaten Ferrari?
25th March 2024, 17:04
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

After two consecutive Red Bull one-twos at the start of the season, few might have expected yesterday’s one-two for Ferrari in Australia. The SF-24s of Carlos Sainz Jnr and Charles Leclerc led the field home thanks in part to Max Verstappen’s surprise retirement – his first in two years. But the two drivers believe their car’s long-run pace was strong enough that they could have won even if Verstappen had stayed in the race.

Charles Leclerc, who was the quicker of the two Ferrari drivers until qualifying, said the team felt victory was within its reach from the start of the weekend. “It’s been a long time since we have had the genuine pace to have Red Bull – I wouldn’t say under control, because we don’t know what was the real pace of Max today – but I will say that from FP1, we knew that pole position and the race win was possible because we had very good tyre degradation, very good pace, and that is a very encouraging sign.”

Even Perez echoed that view, saying he felt it was “absolutely” the case Verstappen’s retirement did not cost him victory. However Red Bull later revealed Perez’s pace was compromised by a visor tear-off which became stuck to his car’s floor, ruining its aerodynamics. That may have given the Ferrari drivers undue optimism about their performance compared to Red Bull last weekend.

‘Ferrari SF-24 long-run pace was strong enough’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/25/was-perez-right-that-even-a-reliable-red-bull-wouldnt-have-beaten-ferrari/

Helmut Marko disagrees with Sergio Perez over Ferrari with “relatively easily” remark
Helmut Marko has rubbished Sergio Perez's claim that Ferrari would have won even if Max Verstappen didn't retire from the Australian Grand Prix.
25 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh

Helmut Marko has disputed Sergio Perez’s claim that Ferrari would have won the Australian Grand Prix even if Max Verstappen didn’t DNF. After the race, Perez, who finished a lacklustre P5, felt that Ferrari were going to win irrespective of Verstappen’s issue.

“As a team we just didn’t have the pace today,” the Mexican told Sky Sports F1. “We didn’t have the pace throughout the weekend. We were struggling already from Friday and we never got on top of the management of tyres. I think we just have to understand and make sure we are able to improve.”

Marko feels that the outcome of the Australian GP “would have been completely different” as Verstappen was able to keep up with Sainz “relatively easily.” “I spoke to Max and he said that despite the problems, he kept up with Sainz’s pace relatively easily,” Marko told Sky Germany. “With Max in the race, the outcome would have been completely different.”

“We were struggling already from Friday…”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046214/1/helmut-marko-disagrees-sergio-perez-over-ferrari-relatively-easily-remark

Fortitude

26th March 2024, 15:15

Fall of a giant: Is this the end of Toto Wolff’s Mercedes reign?
In Melbourne, he stated, “I would be lying if I said at any moment I felt positive about the situation and optimistic.”
March 25, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Wolff’s unique position as a one-third owner of the Brackley-based team complicates any potential departure. He humorously compared his situation to sports management, saying, “If you ask the manager question, it’s not like I can go to Chelsea or Liverpool or over to Ferrari. I am not a contractor or an employee who can say ‘I’ve had enough of this’. My hamster wheel keeps spinning and I cannot jump out.”

Entering 2024, Hamilton harbored hopes of challenging Red Bull, only to face disappointment once again. He observed, “Then you think ‘ok, maybe second or third’ and then it cascades even further down and you’re just going through the motions.” Hamilton candidly expressed, “It’s challenging.”

Observers, like former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos, suggest Hamilton may have lost faith in Mercedes. Doornbos noted, “Hamilton does not have off days, he has off seasons,” pointing out Hamilton’s series of setbacks from qualifying to race day and a noticeable dip in motivation.

“My hamster wheel keeps spinning and I cannot jump out”;

https://grandpx.news/fall-of-a-giant-is-this-the-end-of-toto-wolffs-mercedes-reign/

Discord between Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff over ‘cursed’ W15 highlighted
Do Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff disagree with each other about Mercedes' 2024 F1 car?
25 Mar 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff appear to be at odds over the potential of Mercedes’ 2024 F1. The apparent disconnect between Hamilton, who will move to Ferrari next year, and Mercedes team principal Wolff was noted by Sky F1’s pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz as he analysed Mercedes’ ongoing performance woes after the Australian Grand Prix.

“Toto when I spoke to him said, ‘I still think we can make it right’. But Lewis pretty much wrote off this year’s World Championship. I know you’re going to say to me, ‘Yeah, anyone not in a Red Bull is not going to win this year’s World Championship’. But there are 21 races still to go.

“Okay it is obvious Lewis is not going to win the championship and it might not be the golden goodbye to Mercedes before he goes to Ferrari but he can still score podiums and win races.” Following his shock Q2 exit in qualifying, the seven-time world champion said inconsistencies with Mercedes’ W15 car “really messes with the mind”. "I think our car is on a bit of a knife edge," Hamilton added.

‘Cursed W15 highlighted’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046227/1/discord-between-lewis-hamilton-and-toto-wolff-over-cursed-w15-highlighted

Wolff admits double DNF in Australia highlights ‘super tough’ time for Mercedes
Toto Wolff acknowledges "very brutal" weekend as he speaks about Mercedes woeful season start
March 24, 2024
Theo Gayle
FormulaNerds

Early in the Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton had to retire his car due to a power unit failure during lap 17. The practice sessions weren’t so kind to Hamilton either and after Free Practice 2, Hamilton branded that as one of his “worst sessions”. He also had to navigate drastic changes to his set-up after a handling issue saw him and Russell come off the track.

During the race, Russell managed to get within touching distance of the chequered flag, giving Mercedes fans a glimmer of hope. However, a late crash took him out of the race on the final lap. The British driver believed the crash occurred due to Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who was ahead at the time.

Wolff’s comments: Speaking on Mercedes’ display in Melbourne, Toto Wolff quickly highlighted the areas he picked up on, focusing on the W15’s distinct lack of pace. “There were times in the race where we massively lacked pace. And then there were times at the end when you compare like for like, we were doing OK. Still not where we want to be.

‘Very brutal weekend’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/wolff-admits-double-dnf-in-australia-highlights-super-tough-time-for-mercedes/

Toto Wolff to miss Mercedes' next F1 race after Lewis Hamilton and George Russell disasters
The Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff will not be in attendance at the Japanese Grand Prix in two weeks' time.
14:36 Mon, 25 Mar 2024.
BY GAVIN BERRY
Daily Record

Toto Wolff, the boss of Mercedes team, won't be at the Japanese Grand Prix in two weeks after a tough weekend for the Silver Arrows in Australia.

Wolff won't be in the garage at the Suzuka International Circuit. But this was decided before the season started and isn't because of Mercedes' rough start to the year. This is the second year in a row that Wolff won't be at the Japanese GP. He missed the races in Suzuka and Qatar in 2023 because he had knee surgery.

‘Won't be at the Japanese Grand Prix’;

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/motor-sports/toto-wolff-miss-mercedes-next-32436241

Toto Wolff reveals Mercedes W15 roadmap after being quizzed on Lewis Hamilton ‘experiments’
26 Mar 2024 6:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has admitted Mercedes “probably need to experiment every single race” to get the most out of the W15. Speaking to Fox Sports Australia, Wolff was asked if Mercedes would be likely to continue experimenting with the W15, particularly for Hamilton’s car.

He did not specify whether or not one driver would run more experimental changes than another, but did confirm that the Silver Arrows would be likely to run changes throughout race weekends to try and address the issue of their fluctuating pace throughout race weekends. “I think we are coming to a point now that we probably need to experiment every single race,” Wolff said.

Addressing the performance of the W15 more widely, Wolff said he has not lost his belief that there is a strong-performing car within the chassis Mercedes have built this year, and praised the drivers’ influence in the potential turnaround this year. “I haven’t lost that feeling that there is a good car,” he explained, “because there are sessions in throughout the weekend, and also the last two ones, where we are absolutely right up there in terms of performance, and then we lose it again.

‘Mercedes W15 roadmap’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-experiments-every-week-lewis-hamilton

Wolff issues update on 2025 F1 driver hunt
Toto Wolff is looking for a new Formula 1 driver at Mercedes following Lewis Hamilton's decision to join Ferrari next year.
26 March 6:30AM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated every candidate for a 2025 Formula 1 drive at the team “all have arguments" in their favour. Carlos Sainz, the driver Hamilton will replace at Ferrari, has also been mentioned as a contender. With no shortage of options available for the team, Wolff asserted that all viable candidates have compelling cases.

“The ones that are available, or that could be interesting for us, they all have arguments in favour of them,” Wolff told media including RacingNews365. “Be it the very young ones, be it the very mature ones in the best years. Or Carlos.”

‘Update on 2025 F1 driver hunt’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-wavering-over-2025-f1-driver-decision

Fortitude

27th March 2024, 07:42

Fred Vasseur shuts down Carlos Sainz talk as Spanish media cries foul over exit.
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur says he will “not talk” about Carlos Sainz’s future after the non-renewed Ferrari driver won the Australian Grand Prix.
25 Mar 2024 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster

Sainz, now in the hunt for a new team for next season, put all that – and his appendectomy – behind him to win the Australian Grand Prix ahead of Leclerc raising questions about whether Ferrari have made the right call. Vasseur refused to be drawn on that when speaking to DAZN, saying: “I’m not going to talk about next year. We reached an agreement with Carlos a few weeks ago to focus only on this championship and not talk about the future. There are still twenty races to do, which are twenty opportunities to win. We have to focus on that.”

The Spanish press have let Ferrari know their thoughts on that. Writing for Marca, Maro Canseco reckons Ferrari are swapping a driver worthy of a “documentary” for one who is in “clear decline”. “Sainz’s feat would deserve a complete documentary if he were British like Lewis Hamilton, with a victory days after undergoing surgery for appendicitis and with three incisions still in his abdomen, which must have bothered him on the torture rack for the body that is F1,” he said.

Soymotor’s Raymond Blancafort believes Ferrari have to be questioning their decision. “Surely, once the euphoric rush of adrenaline has passed, Frédéric Vasseur and Elkann will have their brains rumbling with a question: ‘Have we made a mistake?'” he said. “At Ferrari, they promised them very happily by announcing the signing of Lewis Hamilton with a chequebook, sacrificing Carlos Sainz. And now perhaps they are wondering if they have signed a name more than the man they needed – who they had at home, surely much cheaper, and who wanted to continue.”

‘Fred Vasseur says he will “not talk” about Carlos Sainz’s future’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-vasseur-shuts-down-carlos-sainz-talk-spanish-media-foul

Are Ferrari regretting letting Carlos Sainz go at the end of the 2024 season?
Sunday 24 March 2024 08:49, UK
Sky Sports

Sky Sports' Craig Slater discusses Carlos Sainz's future following the Ferrari driver's victory in Australia and looks at the current World Drivers' Championship standings.

‘Are Ferrari regretting letting Carlos Sainz go?’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13100954/are-ferrari-regretting-letting-carlos-sainz-go-at-the-end-of-the-2024-season

Ferrari boss stunned by Sainz: 'Nobody expected a result like this'
Carlos Sainz secured victory at the Australian Grand Prix, just two weeks after undergoing surgery for appendicitis.
24 March 2024, 3:13PM
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has applauded Carlos Sainz's never-give-up attitude after claiming a famous Australian Grand Prix victory. Sainz's third F1 win comes just a fortnight after undergoing an appendectomy during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, forcing him to miss qualifying and the race, and leading to a superb debut for 18-year-old Oliver Bearman.

"I was not expecting any less than you [the media], but overall this winter we agreed together to push until the last lap of the season," said Vasseur. "He did a fantastic job in Bahrain pushing the team, for sure, Jeddah was a tough weekend - a tough weekend for Carlos, tough weekend for the team. The recovery is mega, you have to keep in mind that two weeks ago he was in the hospital.”

"I think even Friday he was not 100 percent sure he'd be able to drive. After a couple of laps, he was on the pace, this was part of the success too. You can't give up one lap into free practice if you want to perform. For sure, it's amazing, and looking where he's coming from nobody expected a result like this."

‘Ferrari boss stunned by Sainz’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-applauds-sainzs-never-give-up-attitude

Carlos Sainz pushing Ferrari towards buyer’s remorse after Lewis Hamilton swap
24 Mar 2024 5:47 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

At the time of the announcement, Lewis Hamilton taking Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari spot in 2025 was universally accepted as a smart move. Ever since the Spaniard arrived in Maranello, there has been an assumption that he is a step behind team-mate Charles Leclerc and yet, he has once again outperformed the Monegasque. Since that announcement, Sainz has been like a driver possessed but that is not to say he has not been in good form for a while now.

But what of Ferrari? When was the last time a team willingly gave away their best performing driver? The universal love-in for Hamilton and the kissy faces Fred Vasseur has made to the seven-time World Champion over the years will have no doubt rubbed Sainz up the wrong way. The lack of a goodbye in the team’s announcement was telling of how much they value their most recent race winner.

The professionalism of Sainz meant he said all the right things but his actions in the season opener showed he meant business. Permission to overtake Leclerc was not sought and instead, Sainz took what he deemed was rightfully his. Saudi Arabia was a blip but only Verstappen can claim to have started the season brighter than Sainz. Ferrari will maintain they are happy with their decision and Hamilton may well prove to be a success but right now, Sainz is making himself impossible to ignore.

‘Carlos Sainz pushing Ferrari towards buyer’s remorse’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/carlos-sainz-ferrari-buyers-remorse-lewis-hamilton-swap

Vasseur: Nobody expected Sainz’s ‘amazing’ recovery
26/03/2024 at 18:11
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur admits that Carlos Sainz performance in Australia last weekend, fresh off an appendectomy that forced him to miss the previous race in Jeddah, was nothing short of “amazing”. Vasseur admitted to being astonished by Sainz’s tenacity and quick recovery, especially given the context of a season at the end of which the three-time Grand Prix winner will depart Ferrari.

"This winter we agreed together to push until the last lap of the season," commented Vasseur. "And he did a fantastic job. He was there in Bahrain, pushing the team also, and for sure Jeddah was a tough weekend, a tough weekend for Carlos, a tough weekend for the team.”

‘Vasseur admitted to being astonished by Sainz’s tenacity’;

https://f1i.com/news/503799-vasseur-nobody-expected-sainzs-amazing-recovery.html

Sainz thought Australian Grand Prix return was “not going to happen” after surgery
25th March 2024, 17:05
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Carlos Sainz Jnr feared he would not recover from his appendix surgery in time to compete in the Australian Grand Prix, which he won yesterday. “As soon as I got my appendix removed I went on the internet and started talking with professionals and said, ‘Okay, what helps to speed up recovery?’

“From that point onwards I started doing all the sorts of things that you can do to speed up recovery: The wounds, the scar tissue, what you can help to be faster on that, talking to other athletes, talking to other doctors in Spain, internationally. And then I put together a plan with my team. The reason why athletes recover faster is because you can dedicate 24 hours per day for seven days to recovery. And that’s exactly what I did.”

Sainz spent two hours a day in a hyperbaric chamber which is intended to accelerate healing by exposing wounds to higher concentrations of oxygen. He also used an Indiba radio frequency therapy machine, which is endorsed by his world rally champion father, to reduce his recovery time. “I was programming my time in bed, my time to go for a walk, my time to eat, the kind of food that you have to recover,” he explained. “Just everything was centred around recovery to try to be ready for Australia.”

‘Okay, what helps to speed up recovery?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/25/sainz-thought-australian-grand-prix-return-was-not-going-to-happen-after-surgery/

Behind Sainz’s victory: The job application F1 teams cannot ignore
March 25, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

“Still without a job for next year,” Sainz candidly admitted, underscoring his current predicament. Yet, his triumph in Melbourne served as a compelling testament to his prowess on the track. Robert Doornbos, a former Red Bull racer, hailed Sainz’s performance as “the best possible job application, if that’s what he needed.”

Sainz himself seemed unfazed by the swirling rumors, asserting, “For sure it does no harm, but I think everyone already knows more or less what I’m capable of. I don’t race to prove something to team principals, or prove to people my value.”

His skill was on full display when he overtook Max Verstappen before the latter’s Red Bull succumbed to a brake failure, extinguishing what could have been a riveting duel for the top spot. “A pity,” Sainz remarked, lamenting the missed opportunity for a showdown, “because I think we would have had a good fight for P1 today.”

‘The job application F1 teams cannot ignore’;

https://grandpx.news/behind-sainzs-victory-the-job-application-f1-teams-cannot-ignore/

Fortitude

27th March 2024, 14:29

Williams’ Disastrous Weekend In Australia.
This was probably Williams‘ most disastrous weekend ever. Thanks to Alexander Albon’s accident, the team found itself forced to make an important decision. This resulted in Sargeant being excluded from the race to try and maximize points as much as possible.
March 25, 2024
Siria Famulari
Last Word On Sports

Williams found itself having to face a fairly complex and unexpected weekend. In fact, during the first free practice session, Alexander Albon ended up heavily against the wall. This caused great damage to the car. The situation then worsened when Williams deemed it impossible to repair the car. This is because Williams found itself without a new spare chassis.

Alexander Albon risked seeing himself sitting on the bench, without the possibility of being able to compete. Instead, the opposite happened. Williams, in fact, after a difficult and controversial decision, decided to entrust Logan Sargeant’s FW46 to his teammate Alexander Albon. Thus leaving Sargeant on the sidelines.

This was perhaps one of the doubly painful races for Alexander Albon. On one hand, the media pressure pointed out that the driver not only made a mistake by destroying the car but also found themselves lucky enough to be able to drive anyway, leaving his teammate on foot. On the other hand, the pressure from those who believe he could bring points home after the team has bet everything on him, sacrificing his teammate Logan Sargeant.

‘Williams’ Disastrous Weekend’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/25/williams-disastrous-weekend-in-australia/

Alex Albon admits Williams atmosphere ‘not pleasant’ amid fallout of Logan Sargeant swap
23 Mar 2024 9:19 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Alex Albon acknowledged a “not pleasant” atmosphere in the Williams garage, after team-mate Logan Sargeant made way for the weekend with the one remaining chassis at the team.

“So, obviously the atmosphere and the environment that we’re in is not pleasant. We don’t want it to happen again. Obviously, we’re still waiting on that spare chassis. Hopefully the tracks that are coming up aren’t as difficult or let’s say punishing.”

‘Waiting on that spare chassis’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albon-admits-williams-atmosphere-unpleasant

Williams took the Brawn GP 'no spare chassis' gamble — and lost
March 27th 2024
Author: Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

Honda had pulled out in the wake of the global financial crisis, when car sales had dropped off a cliff. But this coincided with its F1 team finally having a world-beater in its wind tunnel after years of under-achievement. Brawn and Fry had negotiated the continuation of the team so that car could see the light of day – and in the process had given it a better engine. But it was running on little more than the promise of the future.

Over 40% of the staff had been made redundant, there was a small amount of Honda continuation money (essentially the money saved by not paying 100% of the staff redundancies) in the pot and Fry was busy pulling in race-by-race sponsors. But there was no development budget, no business class flights, no frills whatsoever. Button had agreed to a cut on the big Honda retainer he’d been on, Rubens Barrichello signed a very cheap new deal. And there would be no spare car for at least the first third of the season. Parts were in super-short supply.

Brawn’s race strategist was James Vowles, who’d been with the team since its BAR days beginning 10 years earlier. From only rarely having had a competitive car to race, to facing redundancy, he was now looking at being the strategy chief over a car so good the challenge was not to lose the race. Vowles referred back to that lack of spare chassis last weekend. Now team principal at Williams, he has overseen a revolution in the ancient working methods of the team. Doing so seriously delayed the building of the cars pre-season.

‘Brawn GP 'no spare chassis' gamble’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/williams-took-the-brawn-gp-no-spare-chassis-gamble-and-lost/?nowprocket=1#

F1 Australian Grand Prix Notebook: No Quick Fix to Williams Car Shortage
Nikita Mazepin, Formula 1 exhibition in North America, Oliver Bearman and more in this week's wrap-up.
MAR 25, 2024 1:24 PM EST
PHILLIP HORTON
AuotWeek.

Williams Will Be a Car Short in Japan, Too. Williams will again be without a spare chassis at the next round of the season in Japan. Formula 1 teams are permitted to have a third chassis available at each Grand Prix, which can be built up into an operational car if one of the two race chassis are written off in practice or qualifying. But Williams has not been able to take a third chassis to a grand prix so far in 2024.

“There’s a finite amount of resource and as we were going through an inefficient structure and making transformation at the same time, we started to cause problems,” he said. “In this particular case, the third chassis started to get delayed and delayed and delayed, and I think one of the things were transparent about is we were very late with these cars.”

“Very, very late. We pushed everything to the absolute limit. The fallout of that is we didn’t have a spare chassis. Now even then it was intended to be coming here at round three, but it got delayed and delayed again as other items got pushed back as a result.”

‘No Quick Fix to Williams Car Shortage’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a60294979/f1-australian-grand-prix-notebook/

James Vowles grilled on ‘damaging’ Logan Sargeant call in spiky Ted Kravitz interview
23 Mar 2024 3:42 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

James Vowles admits his decision to give Alex Albon Logan Sargeant’s car not only hurt the American driver, but it may not be the last time as Williams still won’t have a spare chassis available in Japan. Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz grilled Vowles in the Albert Park paddock on Saturday morning, asking if the potential damage was worth a point.

“For the benefit of maybe, maybe one point, if nothing happens to the RBs or anything like that, to hurt Logan’s confidence and his credibility, to undermine your decision to keep him for this year anyway, to maybe damage your relationship with your US owners and your US sponsors, and maybe damage your relationship with the fans as well, who many don’t think this a fair decision, is it really worth it?” quizzed the pit lane reporter.

“I wouldn’t have made this decision if it wasn’t, Ted,” Vowles replied. “We hurt an individual whose job it is to perform [at] the highest level, and anything that stops you from that puts you on the back foot, there’s no doubt about it.

‘Spiky Ted Kravitz interview’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-vowles-grilled-logan-sargeant-spiky-ted-kravitz-interview

Max Verstappen jokes he would ‘flatten’ his car and leave in Logan Sargeant’s position
23 Mar 2024 1:46 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen sympathises with the sidelined Logan Sargeant, saying he “would be on the plane home right now” if he were in the Williams driver’s position.

Red Bull’s three-time World Champion Verstappen said he would be catching his flight home early in Sargeant’s situation, joking he’d also wreck his car before it could be given to his team-mate. From the performance aspect, I understand it of course, but that does not take away from the fact that this obviously sucks for Logan,” Verstappen is quoted by AD.

“I am obviously not in that position, but I would be on the plane home right now. If that happened to me I would also completely flatten mine, nobody can drive [laughs]. But in my situation, of course, that’s really not going to happen, which I think also makes sense.”

“On the plane home right now”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-on-the-plane-home-in-logan-sargeant-situation

Fortitude

28th March 2024, 06:34

Lewis Hamilton’s ‘worst start to a season’ proves Ferrari move was ‘right decision’.
Lewis Hamilton’s underwhelming start to the 2024 Formula 1 season is proof his bombshell Ferrari signing was the “right decision”, according to former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner.
March 28th, 2024 9:23 am
Fox Sports from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

The seven-time world champion stunned the F1 community earlier this year by ending his successful 12-year tenure at Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025. Over the weekend, Ferrari secured a 1-2 finish at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne while neither of the Mercedes drivers completed the race.

Hamilton, who failed to qualify for Q3 the previous afternoon, retired on Lap 17 due to engine problems while teammate George Russell crashed out on the penultimate lap. Ferrari is currently second on the constructors’ standings after three races with 93 points, comfortably ahead of fourth-placed Mercedes with 26. Hamilton’s best result of the season to date has been his seventh-placed finish at March’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

“This is the worst start to a season I’ve ever had … it’s worse than 2009,” Hamilton said on Sunday. It’s tough on the spirit. I think for everyone in the team, when so much work has gone on throughout the winter for everybody and you come in excited, motivated and driven, and then you’re with the mindset that you’re going to be fighting for wins, and then obviously that’s not the case. It’s challenging, but I continue to be inspired by the people I work with. They continue to put in the effort and show up, and that’s the most important thing.”

‘Worst start to a season’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/lewis-hamiltons-worst-start-to-a-season-proves-ferrari-move-was-right-decision/news-story/ae4ca5a4d85cb08fc42320baabd0cddb

The stats behind Lewis Hamilton’s worst start to an F1 season
Lewis Hamilton has endured his worst start to an F1 season - but how does it compare?
27 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

It’s been a miserable start for Lewis Hamilton in his final season with Mercedes. With just eight points on the board, it’s statistically the worst start to a season in his illustrious F1 career. It continues a lacklustre run of form which stretches back to Mexico last year.

Irrespective of his own results, Mercedes simply don’t have a great car, with George Russell’s best finish being fifth in Bahrain. On the whole, it makes his decision to join Ferrari to be the correct one with the Scuderia returning to winning ways last time out in Australia.

Hamilton’s best to worst F1 seasons: Points taken from after three races. 2007-2009 have been converted to the modern day points system.

SEASON POINTS
2021 69
2015 68
2019 68
2020 63
2017 61
2007 51
2014 50
2011 47
2012 45
2018 45
2013 40
2016 39
2023 38
2008 35
2010 31
2022 28
2009 14
2024 8

‘The stats’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046270/1/stats-behind-lewis-hamiltons-worst-start-f1-season

Hamilton: Worst start ever to F1 season is ‘tough on the spirit’
08:40 Wed, 27 Mar 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Lewis Hamilton is facing once again an F1 season far removed from his usual brilliance, with a disastrous start that is proving “tough on the spirit” for himself but also for the entire Mercedes team.

“I think it’s tough on the spirit,” said the 39-year-old. “I think for everyone in the team, when so much work has gone on throughout the winter for everybody and you come in excited, motivated and driven, and then you’re with the mindset that you’re going to be fighting for wins, and then obviously that’s not the case.”

“And then you either get maybe second or third, but that’s not the case and it cascades a bit further down and you just go through the motions.

‘Tough on the spirit’;

https://f1i.com/news/503809-hamilton-worst-start-ever-to-f1-season-is-tough-on-the-spirit.html

Question marks remain over Lewis Hamilton’s W15 engine after ‘catastrophic loss’ detected
27 Mar 2024 6:46 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes technical director James Allison said Lewis Hamilton’s power unit suffered a “catastrophic” failure in Melbourne, though the trigger for it remains unknown. Asked as part of Mercedes’ Australian GP debrief whether the cause of Hamilton’s engine failure had been discovered, Allison confirmed: “We do not.”

“The power units will return to the safe hands of the guys at Brixworth, who will be able to figure out what let go. All we know is the symptoms at the time, which was a rapid loss of oil pressure followed by a shutdown of the engine to protect it because when you know you’ve got catastrophic loss like that, the best thing you can do for the future is kill it there and then. And then you have not just got like a load of molten metal.”

‘Lewis Hamilton’s W15 engine’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-lewis-hamilton-australian-gp-power-unit-fail-cause-unknown

Mercedes make Max Verstappen 'No 1 target' but have three back-ups if Red Bull block move
Mercedes are ready to make their move and poach Max Verstappen away from Red Bull.
11:01, Wed, Mar 27, 2024
By Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted that Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is his number one target to replace Lewis Hamilton at the end of the season, when the Brit leaves for Ferrari. However, the Silver Arrows do have a number of options they are considering if the defending world champion cannot be prised away.

Wolff previously claimed that he and any other team principal would do “handstands” to sign Verstappen and now insisted that the Dutchman’s move to Mercedes “needs to happen” in the future. “It’s the kind of relationship that needs to happen at a certain stage,” Wolff told Fox Sports. “But we don’t know when.”

‘Mercedes make Max Verstappen 'No 1 target' ’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1882162/Max-Verstappen-Mercedes-Red-Bull-Wolff

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reveals Carlos Sainz is on his list to replace Lewis Hamilton with the seven-time world champion joining Ferrari at the end of the season
• Carlos Sainz won the Australian Garnd Prix after fighting back from surgery
• Sainz is the only driver not called Max Verstappen to win in the last 21 races
• Inside Sainz's insane recovery from appendix surgery to the top of the podium
Published: 15:58, 26 March 2024
By Dominic Hogan
MailOnline

With Mercedes among the most prestigious names in Formula One and indeed sport in general, it is understandable that almost every driver would want to sign on with them for next season. 'Those who are available, or who could be interesting for us, all have arguments in their favor,' Wolff admitted. 'Whether they are very young, whether they are very experienced in their best years... Or Carlos (Sainz).

'It's a difficult choice. There are reasons to sign each one. I just want to take a step back and simply monitor the situation. Some of the guys mentioned can sign for other teams and that's why, right now, I'm just looking at it ,'

‘Or Carlos (Sainz)’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13241075/Mercedes-Toto-Wolff-Carlos-Sainz-Lewis-Hamilton-Ferrari.html

Revealed: Toto Wolff names four drivers on Mercedes shortlist to replace Lewis Hamilton
27 Mar 2024 6:00 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has revealed Max Verstappen is his number one pick to replace Lewis Hamilton for 2025, but has other names on his shortlist. “I think it depends also on what Max does. Then we have a young kid that is very promising and I don’t want to put more extra pressure on him, but it looks like he can be one of the great ones.”

“But we also don’t want to drown him by jumping so quickly in an F1 car at 17. So there are a few options that we play with him. Obviously, there’s Fernando [Alonso] who is very exciting, and Carlos [Sainz] is very good. So there are a few ones. I’m gonna make the play like a bride – difficult to get!”

‘FOUR drivers on Mercedes shortlist’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-2025-shortlist-max-verstappen-number-one

Toto Wolff’s “picture our rear wing” warning to Lewis Hamilton over Ferrari move
Toto Wolff's warning for Lewis Hamilton ahead of his move to Ferrari.
27 Mar 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Toto Wolff has revealed he told Lewis Hamilton to “picture our rear wing” when he makes the move to Ferrari from Mercedes for the 2025 F1 season. Reflecting on Hamilton’s decision to leave, Wolff told Fox News Australia that he warned the seven-time world champion that he’d be seeing a lot of Mercedes' rear wing in 2025.

“I think first I can’t imagine him in red,” he said. I don’t think it suits him, but I think that picture is going to be interesting. And then I told him, you’ve got to really picture our rear wing because that’s the perspective you’re going to have.”

“Picture our rear wing”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046267/1/toto-wolffs-picture-our-rear-wing-warning-lewis-hamilton-over-ferrari-move

Fortitude

28th March 2024, 15:04

Williams began fixing Albon’s wrecked car at 2am on Monday.
Team principal James Vowles said the damaged FW46 was returned to their base as quickly as possible in order to repair it in time for transportation to Suzuka.
28th March 2024, 12:02
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Williams say the efforts to repair Alexander Albon’s car for next week’s Japanese Grand Prix will not prevent them bringing minor upgrades to the race. “I’m confident we’ll be able to fix the chassis,” he said in a video published by the team. “We put measures in place to make sure the chassis was back here very early on Monday morning.

“It arrived around 2am or so and since then there was already crews inside the building working on that, stripping it down and doing repairs. We’re in a good place for having the chassis back early enough for Suzuka.” The team at the track ensured those back at the factory were ready to begin the repair work immediately, said Vowles. “A lot of the work was done back in Melbourne.

There was photographs and techniques called NDT, which is non-destructive testing, there’s various ones you can do that [which] allows us to fully understand how big the damage is and what we have to do. “That preparation was key. What it meant was already at 2am on Monday, work could start. It wasn’t then a reflection on what was happening, it was more ‘this is what we’re doing and this is how we execute it’. So in Suzuka we’ll have two cars without too many issues.”

‘Fixing Albon’s wrecked car at 2am’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/28/williams-began-fixing-albons-wrecked-car-at-2am-on-monday/

F1 Tech Show: Williams's production issues exposed
Mar 27, 2024
The Race

How does a Formula 1 team such as Williams find itself in a position where it can only field one car? That, and the question of what can be done to prevent a repeat, is the focus of this edition of The Race F1 Tech Show, as host Edd Straw and former F1 technical director Gary Anderson unpack Williams's major predicament after Alex Albon's crash in Australian Grand Prix practice forced the team to withdraw its second entry.

As well as considering how Williams goes about repairing the damaged chassis in time for the Japanese GP, Straw and Anderson also discuss whether McLaren - which took its first podium of the season in Melbourne last weekend - is being held back by DRS issues and how encouraged Ferrari should be by its start to the 2024 season.

‘Williams's production issues exposed’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/williams-production-issues-f1-tech-show-podcast/

Williams in race against time to rebuild Albon chassis
Williams faces a race against time to repair the chassis Alex Albon damaged during opening practice of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.
27 March 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The damage sustained in the crash was significant. “The gearbox was cracked in two, the engine mounts were completely bent, and the engine’s done, fundamentally,” Vowles admitted. “The chassis, on the front-right corner where the suspension goes in, is torn apart, is the best way to describe it. I can put my finger into the chassis – which you shouldn’t be able to do, just for clarity.”

“The team’s been brilliant in working with the structures and stresses department and with the [Design Office]. The team here have been able to get the car back for about Monday 2 am, so we have teams already working on it for Monday onwards in order to get it repaired. Until they see it in person, it will be very difficult, they’re doing things by photo that we’ve done here, but there’s four or five mitigation plans in place for it.”

“It’s hard until I get the chassis physically back there to give you a full acknowledgement of how difficult it would be,” he conceded when asked by Speedcafe about the timelines for the repair, and having it ready for Japan. “It should all be achievable. The car [had] to leave by Saturday to make it back on time, which gives us near enough a week, and that’s a sufficient amount of time. No one can give you 100 percent certainty,” he added.

‘Race against time to repair the chassis’;

https://speedcafe.com/williams-in-race-against-time-to-rebuild-albon-chassis/

Sargeant unlikely to be sidelined again at Suzuka
James Vowles says he's "confident" Williams will have a car at Suzuka for Logan Sargeant to race.
MARCH 28, 2024
GrandPrix.com

The decision to eject Sargeant from his car to give it to the other side of the garage following Alex Albon's practice crash in Melbourne was highly controversial.

The fact that Williams still has no spare chassis so deep into the new season, however, is arguably less forgivable - especially as a third monocoque will still not be ready in time for the Japanese GP. It has even been rumoured that Williams will not even be able to repair Albon's original chassis for Suzuka - logically sidelining Sargeant yet again.

“I'm confident we'll be able to fix the chassis”, team boss James Vowles insisted late on Wednesday, revealing that the damaged car got back to the Grove factory at 2am on Monday morning. He said it's now being stripped down and repaired - and the damage is extensive.

‘Unlikely to be sidelined again’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/sargeant-unlikely-to-be-sidelined-again-at-suzuka.html

Williams will have two cars but still no spare in Japan
Thursday, 28 Mar 2024 8:47 PM MYT
Malay Mail

LONDON, March 28 — Williams are confident they will be back up to strength with two cars at next week’s Japanese Grand Prix, after having only one in Australia last Sunday due to crash damage, but will still have no spare.

Team principal James Vowles said in a debrief posted on the www.williamsf1.com website that both drivers would be racing at Suzuka. “I’m confident we’ll be able to fix the (damaged) chassis,” he said. “We put measures in place to make sure the chassis was back here (at the factory in England) pretty early on Monday morning, I think it arrived at around 2am.”

He said prioritising Albon over Sargeant in Melbourne had been by far his hardest decision in Formula One but the correct one on performance. “The whole world has seen where we are in reality and how far behind we are and what work we have to do to move forward,” he added of the Melbourne situation.

‘Williams WILL have two cars’;

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2024/03/28/williams-will-have-two-cars-but-still-no-spare-in-japan/126067

Vowles issues update on Albon's chassis ahead of Japan
Williams has been trying to repair Alex Albon's damaged chassis ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
28 March 3:00PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

After a race to return the damaged chassis to the factory, Vowles has offered an update on the state of the repair ahead of the trip to Suzuka across the weekend of April 5-7th. "I am confident that we will be able to fix the chassis," Vowles explained during his in-house team video debrief.

"A lot of the work was done back in Melbourne. There were photographs and techniques called NDT, which is non-destructive testing, so, there are various [tests ]you can do. But it allows us to fully understand how big the damage is and what we have to do.”

"That preparation was key. What it meant was, already at 2am on Monday, work could start. It wasn’t a reflection of what was happening. It was more: 'This is what we’re doing and this is how we’ll execute it.' So, in Suzuka, we’ll have two cars without too many issues."

‘Confident that we will be able to fix the chassis’;

https://racingnews365.com/vowles-issues-update-on-albons-chassis-ahead-of-japan

Fortitude

29th March 2024, 06:03

Damning indictment of ‘laughing’ Daniel Ricciardo who ‘just doesn’t have it anymore’.
Spending too much time laughing, and not enough focusing on racing, Christijan Albers is irritated with Daniel Ricciardo who “just doesn’t have it anymore”.
28 Mar 2024 12:30 PM
Michelle Foster
Planetf1.com

Three races into this season, Ricciardo has been overshadowed by his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda... …at Ricciardo’s home race in Australia where he qualified P18 while Tsunoda made it into the top ten in eighth place. Even Ricciardo’s deleted lap from Q1 was not a match for his team-mate’s lap time.

Telling the media he “got everything out of” the car, the Honey Badger admitted it “still wasn’t good enough, let’s say compared to Yuki. “Looking at the time he’s doing in Q2, I could tell you now, I can’t get seven more tenths out of it than what I got in Q1.” Tsunoda went on to finish the Grand Prix in seventh place, matching the team’s best result from 2023, with Ricciardo P12 and a lap down.

Former F1 driver Albers has laid into Ricciardo, saying he should focus more on the racing than the off-track laughs. “What irritates me a little bit is that he keeps laughing and doing activities around driving,” he told De Telegraaf podcast. “Just focus on the racing. Only then can you start being funny again. As a driver you want to go into hiding until you have beaten the rest, and then you can show yourself again. With him it is the other way around. All those activities are just painful.”

‘Spending too much time laughing’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/laughing-daniel-ricciardo-criticism-f1-future

Is history doomed to repeat itself for Ricciardo?
For the second time in as many teams, the eight-time F1 race winner finds himself struggling to match a less experienced team-mate. With hopes of reclaiming his previously discarded seat at Red Bull, is the Australian now closer to losing his seat at RB?
28 March 6:30AM
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

How did we get to this point? The Australian was once the budding star of the Red Bull family. A driver who came in and beat reigning four-time champion Sebastian Vettel at the first time of trying, paving the way for the German to leave for Ferrari after just one season as team-mates. But if his stints at McLaren and now RB show anything, it is that sometimes you become the very thing you swore to defeat – or actually did in Ricciardo’s case.

It has not all been bad for 34-year-old after leaving Red Bull for the first time. Despite a relatively slow start to life at Renault, two podiums for the Enstone-based outfit during the Covid-19-shortened 2020 season underwrote his already-confirmed move to McLaren for 2021. Even when struggling to get to grips at McLaren, that first season with the team was punctuated by his most recent grand prix victory, in Monza, where he led team-mate Lando Norris home for an unlikely one-two.

Destined for a year on the sidelines with Red Bull in 2023, Ricciardo found himself back in a race seat following the unceremonious sacking of AlphaTauri’s De Vries. But that is where the root of Riccardo’s current issue began. Following his hand-breaking practice crash at Zandvoort – caused by trying to avoid Piastri – Lawson stepped in, impressing immediately. Whilst Ricciardo did return to the AT04 for the final five rounds, scoring points in Mexico, his substitute had left his mark.

‘Now closer to losing his seat at RB’;

https://racingnews365.com/is-history-doomed-to-repeat-itself-for-ricciardo

Ricciardo explains why 2024 struggles with RB are different to his time at McLaren
17:36 Thu, 28 Mar 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

RB driver Daniel Ricciardo has opened up about his difficult start to the 2024 season, while explaining why he is optimistic that he can turn things around and avoid the same fate as his previous stint at McLaren.

Speaking after his home race at Albert Park, and what he needs to unlock from the RB package going forward, Ricciardo said: “It’s a two-part process now. Obviously I look as much as I can into myself, into data, into onboards, how I’m driving, what’s making me do certain things.”

“Then is that self-induced or is that something coming from the car which isn’t giving me the feeling I want? Then I’m asking the engineers lots of questions, because the car is pretty much the same as last year. Obviously it’s a different car but it’s not that we’ve changed the whole philosophy – the handling and the characteristics are fairly similar.”

‘Turn things around’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/ricciardo-explains-why-2024-struggles-with-rb-are-different-to-his-time-at.392uPuFfPpAv7N0FrMz352

Fresh details emerge over Ricciardo's McLaren exit
Daniel Ricciardo endured a difficult shortlived campaign at McLaren, exiting the team in 2022 after just two seasons as part of the organisation.
27 March 2024, 7:45AM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Daniel Ricciardo's ex-Formula 1 race engineer Tom Stallard has provided fresh insight into the Australian's exit from McLaren. Ricciardo departed the Woking-based squad at the end of the 2022 campaign, bringing an end to two challenging seasons with the team.

The 34-year-old was replaced by compatriot Oscar Piastri and returned to Red Bull in a third driver role before being promoted back to the Formula 1 grid with RB. Ricciardo struggled alongside team-mate Lando Norris during his term at McLaren but worked closely with race engineer Stallard in a bid to improve his form.

‘Fresh details emerge’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-frustrating-ricciardo-puzzle-that-was-never-solved

Ricciardo: “I just need to focus on myself” amidst media unrest
Three rounds into the season and rumours are already flying about Ricciardo being replaced mid-season, much like his predecessor at RB, Nyck de Vries
March 28, 2024
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds

After some time out of Formula 1 (less than a season), Ricciardo returned to a team he drove for back in 2012 and 2013, now called Visa CashApp RB but casually known as Red Bull’s second team. The public has been quick to judge his inability to match Tsunoda in the opening rounds of the season. It didn’t take long for rumours to pop up about him being replaced mid-season. It would be easier to dispel those rumours were it not for the fact that Ricciardo only raced last season because he took the spot of Nyck de Vries, sacked mid-season for failure to perform.

But Ricciardo isn’t focused on what the media is saying, or that’s what he says at least. “I came into this weekend, really, honestly, deep down believing like we were going to have a very, very good weekend,” he told Autosport in Australia. “In terms of the noise, people tell me like in the media, they’re like, ‘Oh, so and so said’ – it’s the first I’ve heard.”

“It’s obviously no disrespect to you guys, but I know that I’m on this little kind of process or journey at the moment. And I just need to focus on myself. And I think if I let any of the noise in, it’s going to kind of distract me from the path I’m on. I haven’t let any of that negative stuff creep in.”

“I just need to focus on myself”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ricciardo-i-just-need-to-focus-on-myself-amidst-media-unrest/

Fortitude

29th March 2024, 13:00

‘This year we wake up knowing we can fight’: Haas pair hail double points finish.
Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg said the team has been reinvigorated this year after their double points finish in the Australian Grand Prix.
25th March 2024, 8:20
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Before the season began new team principal Ayao Komatsu, who replaced Guenther Steiner in January, predicted they would be “towards the back of the grid, if not last.” Three races in they have scored four points and lie seventh in the championship. He said Haas’ first double points finish since the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix was the product of a “great team effort.” However he saw room for improvement in their performance.

“After yesterday’s qualifying I said we expected to have better race pace but to be able to get double points is better than expected, so it just goes to show that you need to be there,” said Komatsu. “You need to do everything perfect to be able to pick up those last available positions. It wasn’t perfect today, there’s some things that we need to improve, but overall, I’m so happy for the team. Both drivers drove a brilliant race, and the pit stop crew, when it was critical, they delivered, they got our drivers out in front of the competition.”

‘Knowing we can fight’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/25/this-year-we-wake-up-knowing-we-can-fight-haas-pair-hail-double-points-finish/

Magnussen cautious over declaring Haas problem 'fixed'
The Dane scored his first points finish of the 2024 season in Australia with 10th place.
26 March 3:08PM
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
FormulaNerds

Kevin Magnussen is cautious over Haas' start to the Formula 1 season, believing it is too early to declare its tyre issues "fixed" but believes the hard work over the winter is starting to "pay off". "The performance this year in general has been encouraging," Magnussen told media including RacingNews365.

"We were able to get both cars in the points, and okay, we were helped by a few people crashing out, but that is part of the game too. We beat some of the cars that we're in the constructors' battle with, we started behind one [Stake] and one Williams - and finished ahead of those.”

"The virtual safety car [for Hamilton's retirement] didn't help me, but we worked as a team, and finished with two cars in the points and with decent pace. The car has a bigger window, it has not necessarily got more downforce, it's just more usable downforce and it is now good in more than just one condition.”

‘Magnussen cautious’;

https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-haas-winter-focus-delivering-cool-pay-off

Hulkenberg warns it could ‘take very little’ to derail Haas progress
29th March 2024, 08:21
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Nico Hulkenberg is happy with Haas’ early progress in the young 2024 season, but cautions against complacency, warning that it could take very little to disrupt the team’s fortunes.

“I think we’ve made very good progress in a very little amount of time, actually, in December, where the aero guys found a lot of performance and somehow straightened out the aero map problems we had last year,” commented Hulkenberg last weekend in Australia, quoted by MotorsportWeek.

“And that just means much more consistency on Sunday and therefore better tyre life and characteristics.” Despite the progress, Hulkenberg says Haas must not get carried away as ongoing challenges remain. “I think you’ve got to be careful with all these conclusions,” he cautioned.

‘Take very little’ to derail Haas progress’;

https://f1i.com/news/503901-hulkenberg-warns-it-could-take-very-little-to-derail-haas-progress.html

Hulkenberg explains the key to his points finish in Australia
07:15 Sun, 24 Mar 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Nico Hulkenberg scored points for the second race on the bounce this weekend in Melbourne – but admitted afterwards he was helped by a couple of DNFs, as well as a timely VSC.

‘Key to his points finish’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.hulkenberg-explains-the-key-to-his-points-finish-in-australia.1794389096979667763.html

Magnussen praises the ‘encouraging’ pace shown by Haas following design woes of 2023
Magnussen admitted that despite there being an improvement in performance for Haas, their season isn't "fixed"
March 27, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Haas leaving the past behind them. Haas finished bottom of the Constructors’ Championship in 2023. However, following the conclusion of the third race of the season, the US-based team sit seventh ahead of three teams, all on zero points. Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu also stated that their pre-season testing in Bahrain programme would focus on fixing their tyre management issue.

The improvement for Haas has seen a boost in their race pace, with Magnussen’s teammate Nico Hulkenberg scoring a point at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “New tyres, low fuel last year was okay, but we really struggled in the race, so the team has focused in that direction over the winter,” added the Dane.

“So it is really cool to see it pay off and we just need to continue like that and go further in that direction. I don’t think we can say the whole season is fixed, but it is encouraging so far and we want to keep going.”

‘An improvement in performance for Haas’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/magnussen-praises-the-encouraging-pace-shown-by-haas-following-design-woes-of-2023/

Haas ‘happy’ to take Oliver Bearman for 2025 F1 season on one condition
Thu 28 March 2024 19:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Haas are willing to hand Oliver Bearman a full-time F1 debut in 2025, but journalist Joe Saward says there are conditions attached. Bearman won the driver of the day award when he stood in for an unwell Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix earlier this month.

And Saward, writing on his personal website, says this could help secure the Ferrari junior a drive for next year if they meet the terms. Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu regards him as a ‘total package’ and knows both Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen are approaching the end of their contracts. Saward says that Haas are ready to put their faith in Bearman and will likely favour Hulkenberg over Magnussen as his partner.

However, they will want a ‘discount’ on their Ferrari on power unit before they agree. “In any case, Bearman is definitely in the picture as Ferrari will be keen to train up a youngster to be ready to replace Lewis Hamilton when he retires. That might not be until 2028, but that would give Bearman time to learn F1, as Charles Leclerc once did with Sauber, back in the day.”

‘Haas want engine discount in exchange for hiring Oliver Bearman’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/haas-happy-to-take-oliver-bearman-for-2025-f1-season-on-one-condition/

Steiner not surprised by Haas’ scoring start to F1 season
Thursday, 28 Mar 2024 9:08 AM MYT
Malay Mail

LONDON, March 28 — Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner said he was not surprised by the team’s stronger than expected start to the Formula One season and suggested they had deliberately talked down their prospects.

“The team and (former technical director) Simone Resta, they did a good job because the car was done last year. It was done before I left,” Steiner told a video call on Wednesday after being announced as an ambassador for May’s Miami Grand Prix. “The car was finished, it was in assembly already,” added the Italian, who was replaced by Komatsu in January.

“I actually had it right, where they ended up to be, because I knew the numbers from the wind tunnel where the team should end up. I think at the beginning they played it down to have an excuse for it to start off with, and then it was better than they expected. That is for me wrong to do.”

‘Deliberately talked down their prospects’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Guenther+Steiner#search

Guenther Steiner hits out at former team Haas over their ‘wrong’ F1 2024 approach
28 Mar 2024 8:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner has said he believes the mentality taken by Haas into the 2024 F1 season was the “wrong thing to do”. He believes that his former squad shouldn’t have moved to downplay expectations coming into 2024 and that their current form hasn’t come as a surprise to him.

“They did a good job and I always told Gene Haas [team owner] that I actually had it right on where they ended up to be, because I knew the numbers from the wind tunnel,” Steiner said. “I think, in the beginning, they played it down to have an excuse to start off with and then it was better than they expected.”

“That is, for me, wrong to do. And I think everybody was convinced it was this path, I was convinced that’s what it was. But, in my opinion, it’s not about this year, it’s about the mid-term. You can go from year to year and every year you can say: ‘Oh, we are bad’ and then you do better than you are. I’m not saying I… I say the team and Simone Resta did a good job because the car was done last year, it was done before I left,” he said. “The car was finished, it was in assembly already.”

‘Mentality taken by Haas into the 2024 F1 season was the “wrong thing to do”!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-good-job-wrong-2024-approach

Fortitude

30th March 2024, 11:15

Red Bull chief admits Yuki Tsunoda is "being noticed" by rival F1 teams for 2025 seat.
Helmut Marko has issued a glowing review of Yuki Tsunoda 's progress at Red Bull 's sister team.
11:20 Thu, 28 Mar 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Japanese star Tsunoda is in his fourth season as an F1 driver, racing again for the outfit now branded as Visa Cash App RB. The feeling was, though, that he was lucky to earn another year on the grid after failing to live up to the potential he showed in junior categories. There were flashes of his true ability last year, particularly at the start and the end of the season.

And at last weekend's Australian Grand Prix the 23-year-old performed excellently to secure seventh place. And his performances so far have left Marko, the Red Bull adviser who has a significant say in their driver line-up decisions, very impressed. "Yuki is currently riding at a very high level - and remains error-free," the Austrian wrote in his Speedweek column.

"[Former team principal] Franz Tost and I always believed in him. His speed was always beyond doubt for us. His problems were lack of control, outbursts and proneness to errors. All of that is gone this season.”

‘Glowing review of Yuki Tsunoda 's progress’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/red-bull-chief-admits-yuki-32460414

‘All that is gone’: Helmut Marko now shares the three ‘problems’ Yuki Tsunoda has fixed this season
Thu 28 March 2024 06:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Earning praise from Red Bull Racing supremo Helmut Marko is never easy, but Visa Cash App RB driver Yuki Tsunoda appears to have overcome some of the problems he had been dealing with earlier on in his Formula 1 career. The Japanese driver is entering his fourth season with the team and has started the 2024 campaign very strongly.

Helmut Marko explains Tsunoda’s improvements after Australian Grand Prix. Talking about Tsunoda, Marko said: Daniel’s speed has improved, but Yuki is riding at a very high level at the moment – and remains faultless.

“Franz Tost and I have always believed in him, his speed has always been beyond doubt for us. His problems were his lack of control, outbursts and susceptibility to mistakes. All that is gone this season. Yuki came to Europe very young and that is very, very hard for a Japanese [driver]. It’s a completely different life with us. But now things are going well and Yuki is being recognised on the driver market.”

‘All that is gone’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/helmut-marko-now-shares-the-three-problems-yuki-tsunoda-has-fixed-this-season/

Tsunoda 'proving to the people' with his performances as he reflects on strong start to 2024
15:26 Fri, 29 Mar 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

Yuki Tsunoda scored his first points of the season in Australia with a mature drive to eighth at the flag – which became seventh thanks to Fernando Alonso’s post-race penalty. He managed to keep out of trouble, pick his fights and nail his strategy to come home in the ‘best of the rest’ slot, scoring six very valuable points in what is widely expected to be one of the closest fought constructors’ battles in years for those midfield teams.

“The team did a fantastic job throughout the week, consistent from FP1, top 10 consistently and finally able to score the points. We just needed these points to have a good start to the season,” he said afterwards. “I would say very, very happy with my performance. I think particularly this week we were very consistent. Also, the qualifying last three races, pretty good as well.”

"I needed a bit of a good race, clean race to prove I could also have a good, strong race not just the qualifying and I think this was a good race – this as the race I was able to prove [that] and I just keep to what I’m doing and hopefully also I can score points in Suzuka as well.”

‘Tsunoda proving to the people';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/tsunoda-proving-to-the-people-with-his-performances-as-he-reflects-on-strong.3YrXhxsFLNr8iFVevX65ri

Red Bull want “another driver comparison” before Tsunoda verdict
March 29, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has spoken about whether Yuki Tsunoda is being considered for a promotion to the main team. The 23-year-old is outperforming teammate Daniel Ricciardo, but the Austrian team is still far from making a final decision for the future.

Tsunoda and Ricciardo under scrutiny. Whilst Helmut Marko has been very complimentary towards the youngster, he is tentative about making any conclusions: “We’re all puzzling about that. He’s [Ricciardo] generally slower than Yuki,” he told laola1.at. “Something never goes right with him. Which is surprising, because the winter test went very well for him.”

“But at the moment, Yuki is clearly the faster one.” When asked about Tsunoda’s chances at Red Bull, he continued: “You would have to have another driver as a comparison. The question is: Has Yuki become a high-flyer, or is Daniel so weak? There is still no objective answer after three races on three completely different circuits.”

‘Tsunoda and Ricciardo under scrutiny’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/29/red-bull-want-another-driver-comparison-before-tsunoda-verdict/

F1 rivals start to circle around Yuki Tsunoda with Red Bull 2025 challenge set
26 Mar 2024 4:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has said Yuki Tsunoda is “being recognised on the driver market” after a strong start to the 2024 season. Tsunoda himself has been hoping that his early-season performances are not going unnoticed at the Red Bull camp, with a potential 2025 seat alongside Max Verstappen on the cards if Sergio Perez is unable to earn a contract extension.

The stance from the team remains that the seat is for the Mexican to lose heading into next year, and Marko explained that Tsunoda must keep up his rate of improvement if he is to be considered for a promotion next year.

“Every lap he was competitive and didn’t do anything wrong, he was calm,” Marko told Motorsport.com. “As we say, one swallow does not make a summer. So, he has to improve more before he can be considered in this direction.”

‘Red Bull 2025 challenge set’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-2025-f1-driver-market-red-bull-challenge

Fortitude

31st March 2024, 06:59

A badly-backfiring F1 move is a warning to others.
When Pierre Gasly seized on the unexpected chance to move to Alpine in 2023 amid the driver-market maelstrom initiated by Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin deal, it seemed the ideal opportunity.
Mar 28, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

To find himself driving the slowest car in the field at the start of his second Alpine campaign must be intensely frustrating. I put that to him in Melbourne last weekend, and that “it’s not good for your career to be messing around at the back when you need to be kicking on”. After a few moments to consider the appropriate answer, wise given he needed to make his point without being seen to slam the team, Gasly grinned and gave his response.

“That’s a fair point,” said Gasly. “You said it yourself, I signed with Alpine after a season where they finished fourth. Last year was a bit disappointing in terms of performance, we didn’t manage to close the gap to the top three and dropped back in the order. This year is not really continuity of the work we’ve done last year, unfortunately the car isn’t well-born.”

“In the background, there’s been a lot of positive change in the way that we’ve been approaching the work, the focus on details and the mentality inside the team. I see a lot of positives, but it doesn’t translate straight away into performance. No-one wants to be in a position of driving a car that is not competitive, and ultimately that [a competitive car] is what I want. But I also believe that’s possible with the current team and that’s why we need to find the solutions and the way to make it happen.”

‘A warning to others’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/pierre-gasly-alpine-move-backfiring-2025-options/

‘We need upgrades to be able to fight’ says Gasly after P13 for Alpine in Australia
24 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Pierre Gasly was fighting with Carlos Sainz for P4 at the Australian Grand Prix last year – but this time around he was scrapping outside the points at Albert Park, and says the team’s upgrades can’t come quickly enough.

‘We need upgrades’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.we-need-upgrades-to-be-able-to-fight-says-gasly-after-p13-for-alpine-in-australia.1794391122161641759.html

Alpine: What’s Going On In The French Team?
March 25, 2024
Erika Di Guido
Last Word On Sports

When you think it can’t get worse… The new Team Principal Bruno Famin faces an uphill climb. Things aren’t looking good for the whole French team. After the flop of the Grand Prix in Bahrain, with Ocon in P17 and Gasly in P18, the weekend in Jeddah was even worse. In Saudi Arabia, Pierre Gasly couldn’t even start the race. During the formation lap, he went on the team radio to notify his team of his broken gearbox. Alpine had to retire the car, and Gasly wasn’t even able to complete lap 1 of the race.

What should be done? These are difficult moments for Alpine. With so many people leaving and the unsuccessful start of the season, a solution is necessary. Famin, after Bahrain, expressed his concerns and said that, although they expected some issues, it was a shock being last. But he added: “We are aware of the problems. We must remember that we were at the first race of a very long season, with a completely new car and with developments coming. We will work hard to improve the car”.

‘What’s Going On?’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/25/alpine-whats-going-on-in-the-french-team/

Martin Brundle sticks the boot into Ryan Reynolds' F1 team after key members suddenly quit
After another disappointing performance at the Australian Grand Prix, Alpine came under fire yet again, this time from former driver Martin Brundle.
11:25, Tue, Mar 26, 2024
By Ed Pracy
Daily and Sunday Express

Speaking about the Alpine team, Brundle said they had “another dismal weekend. They really are struggling for any kind of pace or direction, and having lost so many experienced people you really can’t help but wonder how long it will take to turn around,” he added. However, Brundle did admit there was one silver lining for the team, as Gasly was able to beat Valtteri Bottas. On Sauber, Brundle said they “risk getting a parking ticket at a pit stop because it takes so long, while they address a design issue on their wheel nut and axle.”

This is already the second time this month that Alpine has publicly been in the firing line. Only two weeks ago, Eddie Jordan labelled them the “most floundering team” in F1 and described their situation as “absolutely embarrassing”. Jordan added: “Alpine have been disgraceful in not being able to perform for their drivers, for their team, to give them that car to compete in the championship. It’s unacceptable. I wouldn’t put up with it. Shocking."

‘Sticks the boot into…’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1881762/Ryan-Reynolds-Formula-1-Alpine

Pierre Gasly: Alpine recovery could take until “end of the year”
March 28, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Gasly gives verdict on Alpine development. With the resignation of technical director Matt Harman earlier this year, there are fears about the A524’s potential for improvement. After last weekend’s Grand Prix, Gasly offered an honest assessment of the predicament at Alpine:

“I think we know, compared to last year, exactly what is worse and what is the same,” fr.motorsport.com quotes him as saying. It’s mostly about taking these steps and seeing where it places us… I think we’re not looking ahead to two or three weeks, but rather over four or six months. We’re trying to work out a package that is stronger for the end of the year.”

These comments are generally congruent with the general consensus of Alpine’s short-term prospects. After all, the A524 is not a car with one specific weakness to address. Instead, the car produced in Enstone needs improvements in all areas. From the engine produced in the Viry factory to the car’s aerodynamic load, there are problems to tackle everywhere.

“End of the year”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/03/28/pierre-gasly-alpine-recovery-could-take-until-end-of-the-year/

Fortitude

31st March 2024, 09:51

“We were going to be in the mix for points” – Ocon rues missed opportunity in Australia after tear-off wrecks his race.
“We tried with the strategy, tried to put ourselves in some stage of the race a decent position in case there is any red flag,” he said
13:11 Thu, 28 Mar 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

Alpine’s struggles this season have been well documented and, while on paper their race in Australia looked like more of the same disappointment towards the back of the field, there was actually plenty of cause for optimism – at least on Esteban Ocon’s side of the garage, despite him coming home 16th.

The Frenchman had made it out of Q1 for the first time this season on Saturday, before competing with his midfield rivals for the opening stint of the race – until a helmet tear-off got lodged in his brake duct, forcing an extra pit stop that wrecked his strategy.

It’s an issue that could have affected any driver on the grid, and in Melbourne, it just happened to be Ocon who fell foul of the small strip of plastic. “It’s an unfortunate race as I’m the only one to do the three stops today because of that issue and we were running on for possible points today,” Ocon said after the race.

‘Ocon rues missed opportunity’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/we-were-going-to-be-in-the-mix-for-points-ocon-rues-missed-opportunity-in.1W7YhcAu0N6GXlWE7DIvN2

Ocon: Visor tear-off cost likely points finish to Alpine F1 team
Esteban Ocon believes that he was in contention for a top 10 finish in the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix before a visor tear-off triggered an unplanned pitstop.
13:41 Tue, 26 Mar 2024.
Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

Ocon had made his first tyre change on lap 9 just before the tear-off became lodged in a brake duct of his Alpine A524, triggering overheating. At the time, he was in a fight with Kevin Magnussen, Alex Albon and Nico Hulkenberg, with both Haas drivers eventually finishing in the points. However, the brake temperature issue obliged Ocon to make a second stop just seven laps after his first.

It was too early to allow him to get to the flag without a third stop later in the race to refit the little-used hard tyres that he had abandoned earlier. He was classified 16th behind the Saubers of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, both of whom suffered lengthy delays in the pits.

"Before the tear-off we were fighting with Kevin, Alex and I was in front of Nico,” said Ocon when asked about his race by Motorsport.com. “So we were on for possible points, from ninth to 11th, I think that would have been where we finished today.”

‘Visor tear-off cost likely points finish’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ocon-visor-tear-off-cost-likely-points-finish-alpine-f1-team/10591926/

Crying in the Melbourne car park at 2019 grand prix was my career low – Ocon
19th March 2024, 13:07
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Esteban Ocon has described how the lowest moment of his Formula 1 career came when he wept in the car park during the Australian Grand Prix weekend five years ago. He was facing a season with a race seat having lost his place at Force India to Lance Stroll, whose father had purchased the team. Ocon had been poised to join Renault for 2019, but the deal fell through at the last minute.

Although Ocon found a role at Mercedes as their reserve driver, when he turned up for the first race of the season in Australia he learned he faced a long wait to sample their W10 chassis. “Turning up at the first race, speaking to Mercedes about when was I going to be testing the car, they said, ‘oh yeah you are going to test in three or four months’,” he told the High Performance Podcast.

“Then I came back in the car back then and I cried in the parking lot, I remember. Luckily we found the solution to come back again. I think that was the lowest [moment],” he continued, “Australia, 2019. I was super-happy for the team also on the success that they were having because I was part of that, I was contributing with the simulator work, all the development.”

‘Crying in the Melbourne car park’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/03/19/crying-in-the-melbourne-car-park-at-2019-grand-prix-was-my-career-low-ocon/

‘Keep bringing up’: ‘Nasty people’ in the F1 paddock keep bringing up one thing about Alpine this season
Thu 28 March 2024 19:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

‘Nasty people’ in the paddock keep making the same point about Alpine behind the scenes, journalist Joe Saward says. Alpine sit bottom of the constructors’ championship after three races as one of the three teams who have yet to score a point, alongside Williams and Sauber.

And Saward, writing in a blog post after the Australian Grand Prix, says this has led to mocking comments elsewhere in the F1 pit lane. The French manufacturer finished a respectable sixth in last year’s championship with 120 points and two podium finishes.

Alpine’s ‘100 race’ project mocked: Saward says that some are deriding Alpine for the ‘100-race’ vow they made during the 2021 season. Back then, the now-deposed CEO Laurent Rossi told the official F1 website the team was aiming for multiple podium finishes in 2024.

The reality, of course, is far more bleak, and as such, the future of Renault’s ownership is in doubt. “Nasty people keep bringing up the “100 race” project, first devised in 2021,” Saward wrote. “By the end of this season, the team’s total will hit 90 races, which means that the whole thing looks like a massive cock-up which Renault might wish to move on from.”

‘Alpine’s ‘100 race’ project mocked’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/nasty-people-in-the-f1-paddock-keep-bringing-up-one-thing-about-alpine-this-season/

Alpine drivers pin hopes on Suzuka upgrade
MARCH 26, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Alpine is pinning its hopes on the next race in Japan to trigger a wave of momentum that begins to pull Renault's once-great team off the back of the 2024 grid. Actually, following the disastrous pace seen in Bahrain and Jeddah, French duo Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly already looked happier in Melbourne - before niggly problems spoiled the final result.

“It's frustrating”, Ocon told the French broadcaster Canal Plus, "because I was in front of Magnussen, I was fighting with Albon, we were in the fight for the last points.”

“But there will be new features on the car in Japan”, he revealed, referring to the next grand prix at the fabled Suzuka circuit next weekend. “We will have to see how much this brings us in performance.”

‘Pin hopes on Suzuka upgrade’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/alpine-drivers-pin-hopes-on-suzuka-upgrade.html

Alpine’s breakthrough moment?: Glimpse of hope for Suzuka
March 26, 2024
Andrew Maitland
GrandPrix.com

Looking towards the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix, the Alpine team is eager to introduce critical upgrades that could potentially shift their fortunes in the 2024 Formula 1 season. Following shockingly underwhelming performances in Bahrain and Jeddah, the French pairing of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly found a glimmer of optimism in Melbourne, though minor issues ultimately marred their outcomes.

Currently, Alpine shares the unfortunate distinction with Williams and Sauber of not having scored any points in the first three races of the season. Gasly remains hopeful, however, about the potential impact of the upcoming upgrades. “I hope the new parts will bring us closer to the cars in front,” he said optimistically. “We know what to focus on, and we’re trying to do the best we can with what we have, which is what we’ve done so far.”

‘Glimpse of hope for Suzuka’;

https://grandpx.news/alpines-breakthrough-moment-glimpse-of-hope-for-suzuka/

Alpine F1 at a crossroads: Time to chart an exit strategy
27/03/2024 at 15:12
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

With poor results, shaky reliability, a bleak outlook and a concerning personnel churn, the Alpine F1 team finds itself navigating troubled waters. However, amidst these challenges, a timely opportunity awaits on its doorstep.

Let’s cut to the chase. By “timely opportunity”, we mean Alpine taking advantage of eye watering team valuations in Formula 1 to sell its whole lock, stock and barrel, and terminate its ill-fated venture at the pinnacle of motorsport while ensuring a substantial return on investment for parent company Renault.

It’s time for Alpine to open its books, save face and seek the highest bidder, as viable alternatives are as scarce as water in the desert. Stuck in the Mud Since 2016 - Ever since Renault grabbed the reins of a team in 2016 that was pretty much just the Lotus F1 name, they've been stuck in a colossal mess that seems trickier to wriggle out of than a greased pig at a county fair.

‘Stuck in the Mud Since 2016’;

https://f1i.com/magazine/503775-alpine-f1-at-a-crossroads-time-to-chart-an-exit-strategy.html

Fortitude

31st March 2024, 17:00

Stake F1’s glaring admission with crippling pit stop troubles expected to continue.
Stake F1 could be in for more pit stop woes with Xevi Pujolar admitting they need more “robust” modifications after another 30s stop for Valtteri Bottas in Australia.
26 Mar 2024 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

At the start of a season in which Stake F1 are desperately fighting to score a single point, the Hinwil team’s efforts have been blighted by lengthy pit stops. While Bottas was delayed in the pits at the season-opening race in Bahrain due to a wheel-nut issue, his team-mate Zhou Guanyu suffered the same fate in Saudi Arabia.

But despite the team making changes ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, another 31.18s stop for Bottas means it’s evident Stake F1 issues have not been resolved. “From the first race, we found some issues with pit stops, with the cross-thread,” trackside engineer Pujolar said. “It’s something that we don’t find when we do free practice, or even during the winter, we didn’t find a problem.”

‘Crippling pit stop troubles expected to continue’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/stake-f1-admission-pit-stop-troubles

‘A 30 second pit stop is not acceptable’ – Bottas fuming after another Sauber pit stop problem
24 Mar 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

For the third race in a row Kick Sauber suffered pit stop issues in Melbourne, possibly robbing Valtteri Bottas of a chance of points in the Australian Grand Prix.

‘A 30 second pit stop is not acceptable’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Sauber

What's caused Sauber's terrible F1 pitstops in 2024?
Mar 25, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

Sauber is not expected to have a definitive fix for the disastrous pitstop problems that have blighted it so far this season for another three or four races. Sauber introduced countermeasures for the Australian Grand Prix weekend that it hoped would eliminate the problem, even though this came at a time cost.

Slowest Australian GP pitstops (per DHL)
30. Zhou (Sauber) - 3.40s
31. Piastri (McLaren) - 3.51s
32. Bottas (Sauber) - 3.63s
33. Gasly (Alpine) - 5.04s
34. Ocon (Alpine) - 14.71s (tear-off in brake duct)
35. Zhou (Sauber) - 20.20s (car stalled)
36. Bottas (Sauber) - 31.18s (wheelnut issue)

Head of trackside engineering Xevi Pujolar confirmed that the parts requiring changes come from an external supplier. The modified designs of the wheelnuts and the front hubs will take time to produce given the metallurgical processes required to manufacture them, hence the wait. The team is unable to revert to parts used last year because they are not compatible with the completely revised 2024 front suspension.

‘…another three or four races…’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/sauber-pitstop-problems-fix-2024-wheelnuts/

Bottas’ future hanging by a threat after harsh critique of Sauber failures
March 25, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

In a rare and alarming development, Valtteri Bottas has publicly aired his grievances with Sauber, a team increasingly integrated into the Audi brand. His criticisms come at a time when speculation is mounting that he may not be included in the team’s future roster as it transitions to a works Audi setup by 2026.

Roger Benoit, a seasoned F1 journalist with intimate knowledge of Sauber, chose not to delve into the team’s morale. Instead, he remarked, “There is no need to report on the mood in the team,” noting, “The sad and stony faces say it all.” Among those displaying a “stony face” is the usually upbeat and fan-favorite Finn, Bottas.

Despite having a victorious background with Mercedes, he now finds himself arguably overshadowed by his teammate, Guanyu Zhou. Post-race in Melbourne, Bottas did not mince words about the team’s shortcomings, emphasizing, “We could have scored points today,” but lamented, “But if we can’t fix the pitstops, it doesn’t matter how the car is or how well you drive. And apparently it still hasn’t been fixed.”

‘Bottas’ future hanging by a threat’;

https://grandpx.news/bottas-future-hanging-by-a-threat-after-harsh-critique-of-sauber-failures/

Loose wheel nut costs Sauber points and €5,000
14:39 Sun, 24 Mar 2024.
Malay Mail

MELBOURNE, March 24 — A loose wheel nut from Valtteri Bottas’s car cost Sauber their first points of the season and a €5,000 (RM25,587) fine at the Australian Grand Prix today after it came out of the tyre gun and rolled into the active pitlane. The incident was the latest in a series of pitlane problems for the Swiss team who will become the Audi factory outfit from 2026.

It was the third race in succession that Sauber had suffered pitstop issues, with Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou losing time in Bahrain with a cross-threaded nut and Bottas in Saudi Arabia. “We had implemented mitigation measures for our pitstop issue, something that has improved the situation but, as we have seen, not completely solved the problem,” said team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi.

‘A loose wheel nut came out of the tyre gun and rolled into the active pitlane’;

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2024/03/24/loose-wheel-nut-costs-sauber-points-and-5000/125282

Fortitude

1st April 2024, 15:25

Carlos Sainz urged by Sky F1 pundit to call Mercedes ‘every day’ before ‘wasting’ prime years.
Karun Chandhok: “I’d be on the phone to Toto every single day to send him every possible metric and spreadsheet of why he is an equal to Charles Leclerc.”
01 Apr 2024 10:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Dropped by Ferrari before the first race of the championship, the Scuderia having opted to retain Charles Leclerc with Lewis Hamilton as his team-mate in his stead, the Spaniard has put in two stellar auditions for 2025. Chandhok wondering if Sainz to Audi as the next step is even something the driver wants.

“Everyone just assumes he’s going to Audi for 2026,” the former F1 driver told Sky Sports. “I just don’t see why he wants to go there, and I don’t think he wants to go there. “I think he will think about going further down the line towards the latter part of his career, but Audi are not going to win the World Championship in ’26. ’27 or probably ’28. They’re not.”

“For Sainz, by the time he goes to Audi, let’s say gets a championship contender in ’29, he’s going to be 38 years old. This is the prime of his career! He cannot afford to waste it with a new start-up team. He needs to be trying to do everything he can to get in that Mercedes seat.”

“I’d be on the phone to Toto every single day…”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/karun-chandhok-carlos-sainz-mercedes-every-day-2025-f1-seat

Ferrari told they've made a mistake with Lewis Hamilton as problem 'messing everything up'
Lewis Hamilton will replace Carlos Sainz at Ferrari next season, despite having 10 years on the Spaniard and having made a poor start to the current season with Mercedes
12:23, 1 Apr 2024
By Felix Keith Sports Reporter
The Mirror

Ferrari have made a huge mistake by ditching Carlos Sainz to sign Lewis Hamilton next season, according to former Formula 1 driver Christian Danner. "If you want Hamilton, you’ve kept the wrong one because he (Sainz) is faster, but that’s highly political," he told MotorsportMagazin.

"He (Vasseur) should have waited a little longer. It wasn’t a necessity. I wouldn’t blame Lewis for stumbling at the moment, but one thing is clear. Sainz in this kind of form, when he has Leclerc under control like this, you can say that he (Vasseur) perhaps made his decision too early.”

“Sainz is approaching it with a commitment, a joy and an aggressiveness. I really like that. It also requires a fervent attitude: 'Now it’s me and no one else'. You can see it not only in his eyes but in every corner and at the moment, Carlos Sainz is messing everything up at Ferrari. First of all, you’ve signed the wrong driver for next year. Hamilton is behind, he (Sainz) is much better."

‘Huge mistake by ditching Carlos Sainz’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/carlos-sainz-lewis-hamilton-ferrari-32486333

Jeremy Clarkson discloses big F1 fear after Carlos Sainz’s comeback win
01 Apr 2024 12:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Celebrity F1 fan Jeremy Clarkson fears modern grand prix cars are too easy to drive after Carlos Sainz recovered from appendix surgery to win in Australia. Writing in his column for The Sun, Clarkson said: “Just a few days after having his appendix out, Ferrari Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz flew to Australia, climbed into his car and won the race.”

“Naturally, many people saw this as a heroic display of stiff-upper-lip determination and spunk. I wonder, though. We keep being told that these F1 cars are road-going fighter jets. That they are a volcanic orgy of noise and G-forces. And that you need to be superhuman to control one.”

“Really? I only ask because Carlos, pictured in hospital, was plainly in some discomfort before the race but he seemed to manage for nearly two hours in the car. Which leads me to believe that walking up to a Formula 1 car is actually harder these days than driving it.”

‘Volcanic orgy of noise and G-forces’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/jeremy-clarkson-f1-cars-carlos-sainz

Barretto: He’s hot property after his brilliant Melbourne win – but where will Sainz be racing in 2025?
1st April 2024, 10:32
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

As Carlos Sainz said in Australia, “life sometimes is crazy”. This year has so far been a whirlwind for the Spaniard. It began by him losing his drive at Ferrari to Lewis Hamilton for 2025. But he put that behind him to score a superb podium in the season opener in Bahrain.

He then missed the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after being diagnosed with appendicitis, only to come back 16 days later and win the Australian Grand Prix. He remains the only driver other than Max Verstappen to win a Grand Prix since November 13, 2022 – and he is in the form of his life. Yet as it stands, he doesn’t have a job next season.

‘Where will Sainz be racing in 2025?’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/barretto-hes-hot-property-after-his-brilliant-melbourne-win-but-where-will.4V7g0ZRlMx3XA9xCMTUwIy

A seat for Carlos Sainz: his F1 2025 contract contenders
Four teams are rumoured to be interested in Sainz for a 2025 Formula 1 seat: Red Bull, Mercedes, Sauber, and Aston Martin
March 31, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Following his victory in Australia last weekend, Carlos Sainz has propelled himself to the top of the driver market for 2025. The Spaniard found himself without a seat for the 2025 season after Ferrari announced that they signed Lewis Hamilton for next year to drive alongside Charles Leclerc.

The Ferrari driver has already made a good impression across the wider F1 paddock. Mario Andretti, former F1 driver, spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport and was asked if he was surprised that Sainz took the victory in Australia rather than his teammate, Leclerc. He responded: “Not at all. I have always said that both Carlos and Charles are drivers capable of winning races and even a Championship. They are both World Championship material, we have seen it and we continue to see it.”

As reported by Racing Infinity, another former F1 driver, Hans-Joachim Stuck, said: “Frederic Vasseur will be angry that he made the decision. I never understood the switch from Sainz to Hamilton.” He continued: “I always wondered why Ferrari would dismiss a driver like Carlos Sainz. After the race you could see that he was still very badly affected by his appendectomy. So you have to rate his win even higher because he did a great job. And that was once again confirmation of the doubts about his dismissal.”

‘Red Bull’s second seat, Mercedes throw their hat in the ring, Sainz family links to Audi, Eddie Jordan thinks Aston Martin is an option’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/opinions/a-seat-for-carlos-sainz-his-f1-2025-contract-contenders/

Fortitude

1st April 2024, 17:12

Jacques Villenueve calls foul on Toto Wolff’s Max Verstappen interest with ulterior motive suggested.
Toto Wolff does not really want Max Verstappen at Mercedes, but is just trying to “annoy” Red Bull, believes 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve.
31 Mar 2024 10:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse

Wolff is very much aware that Mercedes must up their game to become an enticing alternative for Verstappen, as Villeneuve returned to his point that Wolff is just trying to get under Red Bull’s skin.

“I can’t see him at Mercedes because they lost the championship to Red Bull and Max,” Villeneuve continued. “It would definitely not be because he really wanted Max. It would be more to do with wanting to get at Red Bull.”

‘Toto Wolff’s ulterior motive suggested’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-toto-wolff-trying-annoy-red-bull-max-verstappen-interest

Wolff's Verstappen pursuit purely to 'annoy' Red Bull – Villeneuve
Ex-F1 driver Jacques Villeneuve believes Mercedes boss Toto Wolff does not actually want Max Verstappen.
30 March 7:00PM
Nick Golding

Ex-Formula 1 driver Jacques Villeneuve has shared his opinion on Mercedes' interest in Max Verstappen, with the Canadian believing Toto Wolff is just trying to "annoy" Red Bull.

Wolff has told media that he wants to sign the three-time world champion, although Villeneuve believes the Mercedes boss is saying this purely to annoy Red Bull and actually has zero interest in the Dutchman.

"I can't imagine Toto Wolff wanting Max. The only way he would entertain the idea would just be to annoy Red Bull," Villeneuve explained, as reported by The Express.

‘Toto Wolff does not actually want Max Verstappen’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolffs-verstappen-pursuit-purely-to-annoy-red-bull-villeneuve

Jacques Villeneuve raises Toto Wolff suspicions as Mercedes flirt with Max Verstappen
Jacques Villeneuve has his own thoughts on Toto Wolff calling for Max Verstappen to join Mercedes.
10:06, Sat, Mar 30, 2024
By Alex Turk
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has made it clear that he would welcome Max Verstappen as Lewis Hamilton's blockbuster replacement next season. However, former driver Jacques Villeneuve is unconvinced the Austrian would be making a move for the good of Mercedes rather than sticking the knife into Red Bull.

In the background, Mercedes have been flirting with the idea of poaching Verstappen from their rivals at the end of the season as they prepare for Hamilton's switch to Ferrari. But Villeneuve has questioned the truth of Wolff's claims that he wants the 26-year-old to join the Silver Arrows, suggesting his reasoning would stem deeper than solely desiring his driving ability.

‘Jacques Villeneuve has his own thoughts’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1883239/Max-Verstappen-Jacques-Villeneuve-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-F1-news

Villeneuve: Wolff just baiting Red Bull with Verstappen talk
11:00 Sun, 31 Mar 2024.
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Former Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes that Toto Wolff's recent comments about being interested in signing Max Verstappen are simply a case of the Mercedes boss getting under the skin of their Red Bull rivals. "I can't imagine Toto Wolff wanting Max," Villeneuve said this week, in quotes carried by the Daily Express newspaper. "The only way he would entertain the idea would just be to annoy Red Bull.”

"I can't see him at Mercedes," Villeneuve continued, explaining that the squad was still smarting at the say Verstappen won his first title in controversial circumstances in the 2021 season finale. "They lost the championship to Red Bull and Max. It would definitely not be because [Wolff] really wanted Max, it would be more to do with wanting to get at Red Bull," Villeneuve insisted.

‘Getting under the skin of their Red Bull rivals’;

https://f1i.com/news/503996-villeneuve-wolff-just-baiting-red-bull-with-verstappen-talk.html

Revealed: Toto Wolff’s unflattering Mercedes W15 nickname amid ‘lost our way’ admission
31 Mar 2024 7:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has described the Mercedes W15 as the best of a bad bunch after the disappointments of 2022/23, admitting the team have “lost our way” in F1 over recent years.

The W15’s lacklustre performance comes after technical director Allison claimed over the winter that Mercedes were aiming to be “in with a shout” of winning both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships after establishing a “pretty ambitious program” with the 2024 car.

In a frank admission, Wolff – who memorably christened the team’s 2017 chassis a “diva” after an inconsistent start to that season – has described the W15 as “the best of the bad” cars Mercedes have produced since F1’s 2022 rule changes.

‘Unflattering Mercedes W15 nickname’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-w15-nickname

Wolff: Wind-tunnel data, not ‘dogma' to blame for W15 woes
1st April 2024, 11:03
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Toto Wolff believes the current troubles impacting Mercedes’ W15 are rooted in correlation issues between the team’s wind tunnel and on-track data, dismissing suggestions of “dogmatism” within the Brackley squad.

Wolff believes the persistent issues impacting its charger point to a fundamental problem with the team's wind tunnel data, how it is collected and interpreted, rather than to a flawed design philosophy. “When I look at the positives, I think we took many potential root causes out of the equation,” Wolff explained, quoted by Autosport.

“We weren't sure about our suspension. We weren't sure about the stiffness of our gearbox carrier. We had a vibrating steering rack. All of those things have disappeared. But fundamentally, whatever we see in the tunnel doesn't correlate with what's happening on the track.”

‘Current Mercedes’ W15 troubles are rooted in correlation issues between the team’s wind tunnel and on-track data’;

https://f1i.com/news/504045-wolff-wind-tunnel-data-not-dogma-to-blame-for-w15-woes.html

Toto Wolff reveals Mercedes W15 breakthrough despite continued correlation issues
31 Mar 2024 5:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff is choosing to see the positives of Mercedes’ recent work to figure out why the performance of the W15 isn’t matching their expectations. While the Mercedes W15 is a more pleasant machine to drive than its most recent predecessors, the performance level of the car doesn’t appear to be a major step forward despite the change to a different concept of design philosophy.

But Wolff is clinging to the positives of the situation, revealing that many of the ideas behind why the car isn’t behaving have been ruled out as a result of the work being undertaken in the wind tunnel. “When I look at the positives, I think we took many potential root causes out of the equation,” Wolff said of Mercedes addressing the weaknesses of its recent ground-effect creations.

‘Wolff is clinging to the positives of the situation’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-w15-breakthrough-despite-correlation-issues

Fortitude

2nd April 2024, 07:16

‘I’m going to end you’ – Damon Hill recalls ‘bold’ Daniel Ricciardo comment as McLaren nightmare returns.
“The news had come that he was going to be driving for McLaren alongside Lando and he walked past, went up to him and said in a kind of jokey way: ‘I’m going to end you.’
01 Apr 2024 3:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Appearing on the F1 Nation podcast, Hill recalled Ricciardo interrupting Norris during a Sky F1 interview at the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to warn his future team-mate that he was going to finish his career at McLaren. Asked about Ricciardo’s current struggles, he said: “It’s reminiscent of what happened when he went to McLaren.”

“I remember – I think it was at Imola, doing some stuff with Sky – we were interviewing Lando. The news had come that he was going to be driving for McLaren alongside Lando and he walked past, went up to him and said in a kind of jokey way: ‘I’m going to end you’.”

“I remember thinking: ‘Ouch, that was a bit of a bold comment’ – and it [turned out to be] the other way around. He never felt comfortable in McLaren – he was hunting all the time for setup – and the same story is coming out now from the RB. There’s only so many times you can do that.”

‘It [turned out to be] the other way around’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-news-daniel-ricciardo-mclaren-damon-hill

Ex-champ says ‘fussy’ Ricciardo’s career could ‘evaporate’ without one key change: F1 Pit Talk
April 2nd, 2024 1:46 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

The 2024 Formula 1 season is only three rounds deep, but the Daniel Ricciardo pile-on has been immense. In the opinion of one former world champion, it’s a matter of his mindset as he grapples with his thoroughly midfield car. This weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix will be an interesting test of whether Ricciardo can put mind over matter, particularly with one fewer hour of practice after he makes way for another Red Bull junior to take over his car on Friday.

Damon Hill, the 1996 Formula 1 world champion, thinks Daniel Ricciardo is out of form because he’s become too “fussy” about his expectations of the car. Ricciardo has struggled for one-lap pace in the opening three rounds of a career-critical season. He is yet to qualify inside the top 10, and he bombed out of qualifying in 18th at his home Australian Grand Prix.

Hill said 242-race veteran Ricciardo’s troubles were founded on being too particular about his demands of the car. “Maybe he’s one of these drivers who’s matured too quickly,” Hill told F1 Nation. “You get to the point where you become fussy about how you like your car. When they’re very young they don’t ask the question. Look at Ollie Bearman [in Saudi Arabia]. They get one go. They don’t know anything else. They just drive.”

‘Become too “fussy”!’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/exchamp-says-fussy-ricciardos-career-could-evaporate-without-one-key-change-f1-pit-talk/news-story/39eadd0142c76e167da1d5bbb5dbef38

Daniel Ricciardo’s ex-team-mate reacts to struggles which ‘don’t make sense’ as pressure mounts
31 Mar 2024 7:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Nico Hulkenberg is finding Daniel Ricciardo’s struggles for performance baffling, having seen no signs of it during their time as teammates. Having worked closely alongside Ricciardo in 2019, Hulkenberg said he doesn’t really understand what’s going on with his former teammate.

“No, it doesn’t really make sense, and I don’t understand it,” Hulkenberg told the media in Australia when asked about Ricciardo’s struggles. He felt, in 2019 when he moved in, he was very competitive and on the pace. Since then, the McLaren times, which obviously were still the same generation cars the new generation cars, yeah, it’s tricky.”

Hulkenberg opted against trying to guess why Ricciardo might be struggling. “It’s tricky, especially from the outside, if you don’t have all the info and all the data, it’s tricky to judge,” he said. But yeah, I don’t know why”.

‘Struggles which don’t make sense’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-daniel-ricciardo-struggles-dont-make-sense

[B]Japanese showdown looms for F1 RB drivers
18:46 Sun, 31 Mar 2024.
byRay Leathern
The South African

Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, two F1 RB drivers in the Red Bull stable, are on a crash course for a showdown in Japan next weekend. Tsunoda has out performed the likeable Aussie at every race in 2024 so far. Not usually liberal with his praise, Red Bull’s Dr. Helmut Marko has said several times in 2024 so far that Yuki Tsunoda is doing enough to keep his place in the Red Bull ranks.

“Franz Tost and I have always believed in him,” he wrote in a Speed Week column. “His problems were always lack of control, outbursts and a tendency to make mistakes. But all of that has gone this season,” wrote the Austrian. The same sort of praise, however, is not being directed at experienced F1 race winner Ricciardo, who at 34 was given another chance to keep his career alive as one of the F1 RB drivers.

The New Zealand Herald newspaper is also reporting that Marko has told Ricciardo that his seat is only guaranteed for the next two races. These are Japan, where Tsunoda will have home-town support, and the Chinese GP in Beijing. For Miami, Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson could bounce back into the race seat after impressing when Ricciardo was injured last year. Rumours suggest the attempt to revive Ricciardo’s career was actually the brainchild of the embattled Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

‘Japanese showdown‘;

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/japanese-showdown-looms-f1-rb-drivers/

Traffic lights, tacos and moustaches – Getting to know the real Yuki Tsunoda
31 March 2024
Mike Seymour
Staff Writer
Formula One - Official Site

Formula 1 drivers are quizzed by scores of journalists at each and every Grand Prix weekend, but rarely do we glean any insight into their personalities and interests. That’s what our new series, Getting to Know, is seeking to change, with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda the first to face our unusual set of questions and reveal more about his life away from the track...

Can you describe yourself in three words? Ohh, okay, describe myself… I love food, I love activities and… Ohh, this is difficult… Sing well!
Which three F1 personalities past or present would you invite to a dinner party and why? The past… I don’t know much about drivers in the past, like history. Who was in the Rush movie? James Hunt? James Hunt!

And what about a couple from the current paddock? It’s very difficult. Who’s there? Hmm. Yeah, of course, Daniel [Ricciardo] for sure. Alex [Albon] and Lando [Norris]. I would put Pierre as well. I know it’s four, but…
If you could go on holiday with a current driver, who would it be and why? Hmm. I want to try Checo! He knows a lot of beautiful Mexican food and I want to explore… Recently I’m quite into Mexican food as well so I want him to take me to a lot of nice restaurants.

‘Traffic lights, tacos and moustaches’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/traffic-lights-tacos-and-moustaches-getting-to-know-the-real-yuki-tsunoda.2TayZg7NEdwfMLvqTp7LDa

Tsunoda 'proving to the people' with his performances as he reflects on strong start to 2024
29 March 2024
Formula One - Official Site

“The team did a fantastic job throughout the week, consistent from FP1, top 10 consistently and finally able to score the points. We just needed these points to have a good start to the season,” he said afterwards. “I would say very, very happy with my performance. I think particularly this week we were very consistent. Also, the qualifying last three races, pretty good as well.”

"I needed a bit of a good race, clean race to prove I could also have a good, strong race not just the qualifying and I think this was a good race – this as the race I was able to prove [that] and I just keep to what I’m doing and hopefully also I can score points in Suzuka as well.” Tsunoda’s home race is up next, and with Suzuka also boasting some of the high-speed corners that characterise Albert Park, RB will be confident they can replicate this kind of result.

'Proving to the people';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/tsunoda-proving-to-the-people-with-his-performances-as-he-reflects-on-strong.3YrXhxsFLNr8iFVevX65ri

‘Yuki a high-flyer or Daniel so weak?’ – Helmut Marko ‘puzzled’ by Daniel Ricciardo
30 Mar 2024 5:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is perplexed by the struggles of Daniel Ricciardo, claiming “something never fits with him”, though it has also left question marks over how good Yuki Tsunoda actually is. Asked if Tsunoda is a genuine Red Bull seat contender, Marko replied: “You’d have to have another driver as a comparison.

“The question is: Has Yuki become a high-flyer or is Daniel so weak? There is no objective answer after three races on three completely different circuits.” Ricciardo is in desperate need of a strong showing next time out at the Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka a track where he made the podium only once during his Red Bull stint back in 2017.

‘Puzzled’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-daniel-ricciardo-poor-gauge-yuki-tsunoda-ability

Fortitude

2nd April 2024, 16:14

Wolff cancels plan to skip Japanese GP amid Mercedes struggles.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff will attend this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix after altering his plans to miss the event.
Tuesday 2 April 2024 15:42, UK
Sky Sports

Wolff's change of schedule comes after a hugely disappointing start to the season for the Silver Arrows. A double DNF in Australia last time out left Mercedes fourth in the constructors' standings and 72 points behind Red Bull, with Ferrari only four points back from the leaders.

After seeing both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell retire from the race in Melbourne, Wolff said it was "fair" to question his position as team principal. "As a corner of this business, I need to be sure that my contribution is positive and creative," Wolff said in Melbourne.

‘Wolff's change of schedule’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13106626/toto-wolff-mercedes-boss-cancels-plan-to-skip-japanese-gp-amid-teams-poor-start-to-2024-f1-season

Toto Wolff books last-minute flight to Japanese GP as Mercedes problems mount
Toto Wolff has cancelled his original plan to skip this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.
15:57, Tue, Apr 2, 2024
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Wolff was initially expected to be absent in Suzuka this weekend, with the decision being taken before the start of the new F1 season. However, it has since been confirmed by Mercedes that Wolff will be in the garage as usual after cancelling his plan to stay away.

The news of Wolff's decision to attend the Japanese Grand Prix comes after a hugely disappointing start to the season for Mercedes. The eight-time Constructors' Championship winners have only earned 26 points from the first three races, leaving them adrift of Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren in the current standings.

‘Last-minute flight’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1884137/Toto-Wolff-Japanese-Grand-Prix-Mercedes

Hill sees Suzuka as ‘big test’ for Red Bull-Ferrari rivalry
02/04/2024 at 12:32
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sky F1 consultant Damon Hill believes next weekend’s Japanese GP will represent a decisively indicative test for Red Bull’s rivals and especially Ferrari. While Hill anticipates Verstappen remaining the favorite for pole position, Sunday’s scenario could be a different story.

“I think this is going to be a big test for the competition against Red Bull at Suzuka,” Hill said on the F1 Nation podcast. “I think this is really going to test the aero efficiency, tyre wear efficiency in the car as well.”

“But Ferrari are quick in a straight line, and it is a lot of straight line, a lot of high-speed stuff in Suzuka, and what I really hope is that Ferrari are able to take the race to Red Bull during the actual race itself.

‘Big test’;

https://f1i.com/news/504094-hill-sees-suzuka-as-big-test-for-red-bull-ferrari-rivalry.html

F1 Nation: Ferrari in the fight, McLaren in the mix and Ricciardo's struggles – it's our Japanese GP preview
2nd April 2024, 12:15
Formula One - Official Site

After Ferrari's 1-2 in Australia, can Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc race for the win again as F1 arrives in Japan? The F1 Nation team are here to discuss all that and more ahead of this weekend's race in Suzuka.

It was an unfamiliar sight for many watching Max Verstappen retire from the Australian Grand Prix early on as the reigning world champion suffered a brake problem. But he and Red Bull will want to bounce back with a bang just as they did in Japan last year following Sainz's trumph in Singapore.

There's also McLaren to consider out in Suzuka. The squad secured a double podium here in 2023 and Lando Norris felt he had the pace to score second in Melbourne. Do they have the pace to be in the mix in Japan? On this episode of F1 Nation 1996 World Champion Damon Hill and Spanish journalist Jesus Balseiro join Tom Clarkson to answer all the big questions.

‘Japanese GP preview’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/f1-nation-ferrari-in-the-fight-mclaren-in-the-mix-and-ricciardos-struggles.7EbjmPqEVcrnEpvzXAf7SB

F1: McLaren make shock technical change ahead of Japanese Grand Prix as David Sanchez leaves team
David Sanchez has left his role as McLaren's technical director for car concept and performance after just three months.
Tuesday 2 April 2024 14:51, UK
Nigel Chiu
Sports Journalist
Formula One - Official Site

Sanchez's departure is a major surprise as he's only been in the job for three months and it's unusual for a prominent technical figure to leave after such little time.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this team. While the role we envisioned and had agreed to was not aligned with the reality of the position I found, I leave with respect for the leadership, admiration for the dedication of my colleagues, and appreciation for the openness and honesty in which we discussed and arrived at this decision," said Sanchez.

"I wish this team continued success as it continues its journey to the front of the grid where it belongs. I look forward to my next challenge within F1."

‘McLaren make shock technical change’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12479/13106499/f1-mclaren-make-shock-technical-change-ahead-of-japanese-grand-prix-as-david-sanchez-leaves-team

Fortitude

3rd April 2024, 00:42

Mercedes provide update on Hamilton’s engine after Melbourne failure.
Mercedes have shared some insight into the investigations going on at their dedicated F1 power unit facility in Brixworth after Lewis Hamilton’s engine-related retirement from the Australian Grand Prix.
11:24 Tue, 02 Apr 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

Hamilton was forced to pull off the track after just 17 laps of racing at Albert Park, with team mate George Russell’s late accident adding insult to injury and marking Mercedes’ first double DNF since the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix.

Asked during the team’s post-race debrief video if they knew what had caused Hamilton’s failure, Mercedes Technical Director James Allison said: “We do not. The power units will return to the safe hands of the guys at Brixworth, who will be able to figure out what let go. “All we know is the symptoms at the time, which was a rapid loss of oil pressure followed by a shutdown of the engine to protect it.”

“No doubt as soon as we know then they will jump to with their characteristic energy to make sure that any risk that happens on any other engine is mitigated as best we can.” Allison stressed, however, that there are no major concerns over the team’s reliability moving forward, with “all our focus” instead on extracting more performance from the W15 and getting closer to the front of the field.

‘Extracting more performance’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/mercedes-provide-update-on-hamiltons-engine-after-melbourne-failure.41H4XkQ19CKlg2GHQQFdLZ

Sainz warns major SF-24 upgrade needed to keep up with Red Bull
01/04/2024 at 13:47
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

While Ferrari secured a surprise 1-2 in the Australian GP, race winner Carlos Sainz warns that the Scuderia will need wait until its first major upgrade for a chance to consistently challenge Red Bull. "Our car worked really well this weekend," the Spaniard said in melbourne. "But it's going to be tough to keep it up there in every track until we bring an upgrade to close that gap that we saw in Bahrain and Jeddah.”

"But around Australia, from lap one, it felt like a race-winning car. And even if Red Bull were also quick and were on pole, that [1min15.915sec pole lap time] in quali wasn't out of reach for us.”

"There will be tracks where we are strong like we saw last year. And this year it seems like our race pace is better even on those tracks that we are stronger. And together with a good development programme, I hope that we can challenge Red Bull more often."

‘Major SF-24 upgrade needed’;

https://f1i.com/news/504062-sainz-warns-major-sf-24-upgrade-needed-to-keep-up-with-red-bull.html

Formula 1: Why Max Verstappen was the big winner in Melbourne
Max Verstappen being knocked out of the Australian Grand Prix hit his Formula 1 critics with a reality that some continue to refuse to embrace.
Apr 1, 2024
By Asher Fair
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

For the first time in the last 10 races -- and just the second time in the last 21 -- the Dutch national anthem was not played during the podium celebration of a Formula 1 race, as Red Bull's Max Verstappen was not the winner of the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit last weekend.

According to all the social media race engineers and technical analysts logged into Facebook and X during race day, the race should have been a runaway victory for Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, seeing as how the strength of Red Bull is clearly the only reason Verstappen has won as many races as he has over the last three-plus seasons.

While it could have been a better result for Perez had his car not taken some damage earlier in the race -- and had he not been demoted from third to sixth on the grid due to a qualifying penalty -- he was nowhere close to competing for the win after opening up the year with back-to-back runner-up finishes behind Verstappen, and he missed out on the opportunity to lead the world championship standings for the first time in his career.

‘A reality that some continue to refuse to embrace’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/posts/formula-1-max-verstappen-big-winner-melbourne-01hss8797rex

Red Bull ‘vulnerability’ highlighted: ‘If you haven’t got Max Verstappen, what have you got?’
30 Mar 2024 12:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Ex-McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley believes Max Verstappen’s DNF at the Australian Grand Prix destroyed Red Bull’s aura of invincibility as Carlos Sainz put an end to the winning streak. “To see him disappear out of this race so early with a technical failure was really unusual,” said Priestley on the Chequered Flag podcast.

“It was an unusual weekend and what that gave was opportunity to everybody else up and down the grid. Everyone suddenly saw – even way down towards the back – people saw the opportunity of points happening, so it’s opened up. What made a great Sunday, a great race, not just because Max Verstappen was out of it, this was a great race anyway and it was close racing, but I think this shows that there is a vulnerability to Red Bull Racing that we all thought there kind of wasn’t.”

“We thought they were invincible. Well, they’re not. What it does really highlight is the fact that if you’re Red Bull, and you haven’t got Max Verstappen, what have you got? Because Sergio wasn’t there in second place, which is where they really need him to be. So this has highlighted an even bigger problem perhaps for Red Bull Racing.”

‘Marc Priestley believes DNF destroyed Red Bull’s aura of invincibility’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-vulnerability-max-verstappen-australian-gp-dnf

Concerning Red Bull prediction made for Japan after Australian GP setback
01 Apr 2024 6:45 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull endured a difficult weekend in Australia, but the Japanese Grand Prix could prove very different, according to Timo Glock. “With Dr. Helmut Marko’s smile, he knows for sure that Max will regain his old strength with the car in Japan,” Glock said in his expert column for Sky Germany ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

“It’s the dominance of the car. You could also see here [in Melbourne] in the fast corners that Red Bull is one step ahead of everyone else. They will find their old strength again in Japan.” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, speaking after the Australian Grand Prix, gave a wry smile when asked about whether Verstappen will be heading to Suzuka seeking to win in such a dominant fashion again as a swift response to the Melbourne disappointment.

“I think Max will arrive in Japan sufficiently well-charged,” he said. “Suzuki is a great track, it’s a track that we’ve always performed well, and it is Honda’s home circuit. The drivers enjoy it and love racing there. So we’re looking forward to going back.”

‘Max will regain his old strength with the car in Japan’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/timo-glock-red-bull-prediction-japanese-grand-prix

Fortitude

3rd April 2024, 16:55

Ferrari must be 'perfect' to defeat Red Bull again – Vasseur.
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur believes his side must strive for perfection in Japan to claim back-to-back victories.
3 April 24:10PM
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

The Maranello-based outfit are confident the SF24 will work in Japan, although they will require more than that to topple Red Bull again. "We head for Japan buoyed by our one-two finish in Australia," said Vasseur. "That winning feeling only serves to make us work even harder to try and experience it again as soon as possible. “

"The Suzuka track provides a particularly stern test for cars and drivers, which is why it is so popular with them. We believe we have a competitive package, but we know we need to do a perfect job to beat our rivals."

Ferrari has planned for anything to be thrown at them, including rain, which must always be taken into consideration at Suzuka. "As always in Japan, and this year in particular as it’s the first time we race at Suzuka in early Spring, the weather could play its part, but we have prepared for this possibility back in the factory and we are determined to be front runners," added Vasseur.

‘Ferrari must be perfect';

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-must-be-perfect-to-defeat-red-bull-again-vasseur

Mercedes confident in W15 reliability despite Hamilton engine issue
14:52 Tue, 02 Apr 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Mercedes is still searching for the reason behind Lewis Hamilton’s engine failure in the Australian GP, but the Brackley squad heads to Japan this week with no concerns over its car’s reliability.

Despite the setback, Mercedes is keeping its focus on improving the performance of its W15 contender, while its reliability worries are kept at a minimum.

“DNFs are thankfully a rare thing for us,” commented Allison. “We have drivers who are particularly good at keeping it on the island and our reliability overall is a strong point.

‘On the island’;

https://f1i.com/news/504099-mercedes-confident-in-w15-reliability-despite-hamilton-engine-issue.html

Why Wolff is ditching his break to attend Japan GP
April 3, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

In a surprising move, Toto Wolff has reversed his decision to miss the upcoming Japanese GP, deciding to be present amidst the challenges facing Mercedes. With the expansion of the Formula 1 schedule, Wolff had begun to opt out of several long-distance races, including those in Suzuka and Qatar, in recent years.

However, the ongoing struggles to equip George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari, with a competitive car for the third year running, have prompted Wolff to reconsider his weekend plans. Wolff has now conceded that his direct method of addressing the team’s issues, often perceived as negative, is due for an overhaul.

“An Austrian says ‘That’s pretty sh*t’,” Wolff is quoted as saying, with a follow-up that contrasts the sentiment from a British perspective, “A Brit would say ‘That’s challenging’.” He elaborated, “So I have to adapt my way of communicating so as not to put more pressure on the team. The fact that we are not competitive has nothing to do with a lack of effort.”

‘That’s pretty sh*t’ to be adapted to ‘That’s challenging’;

https://grandpx.news/why-wolff-is-ditching-his-break-to-attend-japan-gp/

Max previews GP Japan: 'Ready to fight for the win'
03 April 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

“It has been nice to have had a break with family and friends before the racing starts and always fun to be able to spend some time in Tokyo too. The last race in Melbourne was unfortunate and these things happen, however we achieved nine race wins in a row, which is an impressive feat, so we are looking to come back even stronger for this weekend.”

“The team is feeling confident for Suzuka: it is an iconic circuit and is always fun to drive. The track has a lot of high speed corners and high degradation and we need to ensure that we optimise our performance where we can, especially with rain forecasted for this weekend. I am looking forward to getting back in the car and ready to fight for the win this weekend.”

'Ready to fight for the win';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5418/

Red Bull upgrade rumours and tactical slowing: Nine Japanese GP talking points
3rd April 2024, 7:153rd April 2024, 5:41
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Formula 1 will make an earlier than usual visit to Suzuka this weekend for the Japanese Grand Prix. Red Bull suffered a rare defeat in the last round and will be seeking to reassert themselves. Will they have things all their own way again? Here are the talking points for this weekend’s race.

Red Bull rebound: For the second year in a row, Red Bull will turn up at the home race of their power unit manufacturer having suffered a rare defeat in the previous round (inflicted, again, by Carlos Sainz Jnr and Ferrari).
Tsunoda rising, Iwasa arriving: The only Japanese driver in the field heads to his home race on a high after scoring RB’s first points in Melbourne.

Mercedes the fifth team? The penalty which cost Fernando Alonso sixth place in the Australian Grand Prix… …spared the manufacturer team the humiliation of falling to fifth place in the constructors championship behind two of its customers.
Williams back to full strength? The team fully expects to have two chassis ready for this weekend, but will again have no spare. That’s a risky situation to face at Suzuka, where the speeds are high and the barriers are close.

‘Nine Japanese GP talking points’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/03/red-bull-upgrade-rumours-and-tactical-slowing-nine-japanese-gp-talking-points/

Podcast: What shock exit means for McLaren's F1 rebuild plans
Apr 3, 2024
The Race

McLaren's shock technical departure and upgrade expectations for the Japanese Grand Prix top the bill in the latest edition of The Race F1 Podcast. Josh Suttill and Glenn Freeman join Edd Straw to explain why David Sanchez has left McLaren just three months into his job there and what it means for the team's recovery plans.

We also discussion the significance of performance at Suzuka this weekend given the last Japanese Grand Prix was just six months ago, making this the best test yet of how much progress teams have really made. The case for Suzuka being F1's best track is also made, as well as why it needs to remain a mainstain on the calendar beyond its current contract, which runs to 2029.

‘McLaren's F1 rebuild plans’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-podcast-shock-mclaren-tech-exit-japanese-gp-preview/

Williams confirm both drivers will compete in Japanese GP
Williams has successfully repaired Alex Albon's chassis which was severely damaged during the Australian Grand Prix.
3 April 2:29PM
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Williams has confirmed that both Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant will compete in this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, with Albon's destroyed chassis having been successfully repaired. Ahead of this weekend, Albon has thanked the team for their heroic efforts.

“I am really looking forward to Suzuka, one of my favourite tracks, and of course the amazing Japanese fans," Albon said. “Australia was clearly not how we want to go racing as a team, and it did unfortunately highlight the journey that we’re on. “Despite this, the team trackside and back at Grove has really pulled together in an impressive way to repair the car and deliver it to the track on time, which we are all hugely thankful for."

‘Both drivers will compete’;

https://racingnews365.com/williams-delight-as-team-completes-miracle-repair

Fortitude

4th April 2024, 07:30

Rain could affect this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.
Long-range weather forecasts for the fourth-round of the season had indicated heavy rain-showers for the race, which had been shifted forwards from its traditional October slot to April.
3 April 2024, 8:00PM
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

On Friday, it will be around 21 degrees, with a chance of showers affecting Friday practice, with not much wind to blow away the weather fronts. Moving onto Saturday and qualifying, it is predicted to overcast, with a maximum temperature of 17 degrees, with a chance of showers in the evening.

For race day, with lights out set for 2pm local time, a westerly wind is forecast to be accompanied by high humidity, but little threat of rain. A westerly wind translates to a tail-wind through 130R and a cross-wind through the Esses of Sector 1.

‘Heavy rain-showers indicated for the race’;

https://racingnews365.com/rain-could-affect-this-weekends-japanese-grand-prix

What is the weather forecast for the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix?
15:11 Wed, 03 Apr 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

Formula 1 travels to Japan earlier than usual in 2024 as its traditional late-season slot is swapped for April – but how has this affected the weather forecast at Suzuka?

Given that calendar date change, cooler conditions are expected at the iconic venue over the course of the weekend, with rain – and potentially thunderstorms – also likely to become a feature as race day approaches.

‘Weather forecast’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-is-the-weather-forecast-for-the-2024-japanese-grand-prix.hiRjeKfe3bU7hcPH5GRmi

First pictures from the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix weekend
Posted on 4th April 2024, 7:08
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Pictures from the build-up to the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

‘First pictures’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/04/first-pictures-from-the-2024-japanese-grand-prix-weekend/

Another McLaren figure confirms shock exit on eve of Japanese Grand Prix
03 Apr 2024 5:37 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
Planetf1.com

Following the surprise reveal that David Sanchez had left McLaren just three months after joining, another recent recruit in the form of driver programme boss Emanuele Pirro has confirmed his departure. In an Instagram post confirming the news, Pirro wrote: “After a year of hard work and satisfaction, I will be leaving the McLaren driver development programme.”

“Together with the Formula 1 team, I was able to put in place a structure to help develop young, talented, and hard-working drivers into future McLaren champions. To the best of my ability, I carried out this task, scouting and signing young stars which I truly feel can carve their names into the history books.”

‘Shock exit’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/emanuele-pirro-announces-mclaren-exit

Max Verstappen puts rivals on notice for Japanese GP after nightmare Melbourne DNF
03 Apr 2024 7:45 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen saw his winning run come to a dramatic end in Melbourne, but that certainly has not knocked the Red Bull driver off his stride heading into the Japanese Grand Prix.

However, Verstappen is not heading into battle at Suzuka with any question marks in his mind, as he warned Ferrari and all comers that he intends to fight for a third win of the season.

“Suzuka is always a great circuit to go racing at. As a team, we have had a lot of special memories here over the years including winning last year’s Constructors’ Championship as well as winning my second Drivers’ Championship here too,” Verstappen told his personal website ahead of the Japanese GP.

‘Rivals on notice’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-japanese-gp-fight-win-warning

Fortitude

4th April 2024, 16:12

Yuki Tsunoda finally discovers his zen as Red Bull Japanese GP audition awaits.
Yuki Tsunoda heads into his home race at the Formula 1 2024 Japanese Grand Prix brimming with confidence, knowing that he is currently faster than his Visa Cash App RB team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.
April 4, 2024 - 15:01
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

The 23-year-old arrived at the Suzuka circuit with a sense of calm, aided by his stellar drive in Australia to secure seventh place – his best race finish since the Emilia Romagna GP in 2022. His six-point haul will be crucial for RB as a platform to build on for the rest of the season as it gives a realistic insight into what the team can truly achieve.

“So far it’s very consistent for us. At the last three tracks, we are consistently performing well, around P10 and feeling confident,” Tsunoda said, speaking to the press in Japan.

“We had a bit of an upgrade as well, so hopefully that works well, but these upgrades are probably more towards the other tracks, so I’m not sure it will work massively well. But we’re still feeling optimistic and points will be the main target.”

‘Discovers his zen’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-rb-yuki-tsunoda-discovers-zen-red-bull-japanese-gp-audition-awaits/

[B]Japanese Grand Prix: FIA Drivers Press Conference
04/04/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Yuki, please, can we start with you? Home race. Just how special is this one for you?
Yuki Tsunoda: Yeah, very special. I already felt... I saw a lot of fans in front of the traffic lights, in front of my garage. Yeah, it's good to come back here. Very energetic and hopefully I can have a good race in front of them... In front of the cherry blossoms as well, you know, it's very beautiful. So, yeah, so far it's been a very good condition.

And Yuki, what can the fans expect from you and RB this weekend after what was a very strong weekend in Australia for you?
YT: Yeah, so far it's very consistent for us. At the last three tracks, we are consistently performing well, around P10 and feeling confident. We had a bit of upgrades as well, so hopefully that works well, but it's probably more towards the other tracks these upgrades, so I'm not sure it will work massively well, but yeah, still feeling optimistic, and yeah, points will be the main target.

‘Very special’;

https://www.pitpass.com/77344/Japanese-Grand-Prix-FIA-Drivers-Press-Conference

Can Lewis Hamilton find harmony with his Mercedes in Japan?
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is lacking optimism ahead of the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix after a tough start to the F1 season
April 4, 2024 - 15:25
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton does not envisage any major change in performance for Mercedes at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix after another tough start to the Formula 1 season. “If the last three races are anything to go by, it’s unlikely, but we are working towards it so if it happens then that will be amazing,” Hamilton told the press ahead of the 2024 Japanese GP.

It was put to Hamilton that a double DNF is a very rare thing for Mercedes considering their recent period of dominance in the sport, but the driver claimed that perspective is needed when analysing the situation.

“I think it’s all about perspective, I think for us of course we’ve not started the season the way we wanted to and we’ve got a long way to go,” Hamilton said. “We’ve seen it after last year for example just how quick things can switch with certain teams, like Aston [Martin] or McLaren last year who started on the back foot or the other way round.”

‘Lacking optimism’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/can-lewis-hamilton-find-harmony-f1-mercedes-japan/

Fernando Alonso fires shots at FIA as F1 lawmakers leave Spaniard 'surprised'
Fernando Alonso isn't moving past the punishment he received from the FIA at the Australian Grand Prix.
11:31, Thu, Apr 4, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Fernando Alonso has reiterated his frustrations with the FIA after he was hit with a 20-second post-race penalty at the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago. The experienced Spaniard was still ‘surprised’ by the decision ahead of Sunday’s outing at Suzuka.

Speaking about the penalty ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Alonso said: “It was clear. And I think it's still clear. It was a little bit surprising, the penalty in Melbourne. There is nothing we can do, we have to accept it and move on and concentrate on here. But I think it will not change much on how we drive and how we approach racing. There is no obligation to drive 57 laps in the same way. Sometimes we get a slower pace, to save fuel, to save tyres, to save battery.”

“And sometimes we go slow into corners, or into some sectors of the track, to give the DRS to the car behind because that will be a useful tool if the second car behind is at a faster pace. All those things are completely normal. And it was, it is and it will be forever in motorsports. So we had one penalty, probably a one-off, that we will never apply ever again.”

‘Shots at FIA as F1 lawmakers’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1884804/Fernando-Alonso-FIA-penalty

Gasly says Alpine updates for Japanese Grand Prix are ‘first step in the right direction’
5th April 2024, 14:45.
Formula One - Official Site

Pierre Gasly believes that Alpine have taken the “first step in the right direction” by bringing planned updates to their car for the Japanese Grand Prix, with the team having endured a difficult start to the season.

With upgrades arriving on the A524 at Suzuka, Gasly is hopeful that this is a positive step forwards, though has reiterated that he and the team are not expecting any great leaps just yet. “It was planned already before the season started, so it’s following the development plan that we had already in place,” the Frenchman explained of the update.

“We don’t expect it to be major – we know it’s not going to bring us where we want to be but it’s a first step in the right direction, so definitely looking forward to see what it brings.” Asked if he has hopes of reaching Q2 in Saturday’s qualifying, Gasly responded: “I don’t want to give any specific targets. We know it should be a small step of performance on the car, which we obviously need from where we are today.”

‘First step in the right direction’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/gasly-says-alpine-updates-for-japanese-grand-prix-are-first-step-in-the.6uWd5YLeoI3YeAvcS1DNR7

Race guide for the Japanese Grand Prix
5th April 2024, 08:01
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Following Carlos Sainz's sensational return and Ferrari's double victory in Melbourne, this weekend sees Formula One drivers and teams head east once again to Japan with the Land of the Rising Sun set to host Round 4 of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship, the Japanese Grand Prix. F1Technical's senior writer Balázs Szabó delivers some key stats and trivia for the 38th Japanese Grand Prix.

Schumacher reigns in Japan: Michael Schumacher holds the record for most wins in the history of the Japanese Grand Prix. The German scored a total of six victories, one for Benetton and five more for Ferrari.

Real test for the aerodynamics of the car: The Suzuka circuit challenges every aspect of F1 car design and set-up, and exposes any weaknesses. Aerodynamic efficiency is crucial in the first half of lap, while the second half puts more emphasis on horsepower. The narrow ribbon of asphalt contains an unusually even distribution of corner types, from very low- to very high-speed turns.

‘Race guide’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24468

Japanese GP 2024: Schedule and F1 Start Times
Find out when the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix takes place, including the F1 session times for practice, qualifying and Sunday's race
20:41 Wed, 03 Apr 2024.
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

For F1 enthusiasts, here are the 2024 Japanese GP start times converted for viewers in the UK, USA (ET / PT), and Australia (AEDT).
Session UK (BST) USA (ET) USA (PT) Aus. (AEST)
Friday, April 5
Practice 1 02:00 21:00 (Apr 4) 18:00 (Apr 4) 12:00
Practice 2 06:00 01:00 22:00 (Apr 4) 16:00
Saturday, April 6
Practice 3 03:00 22:00 (Apr 5) 19:00 (Apr 5) 13:00
Qualifying 06:00 01:00 22:00 (Apr 5) 16:00
Sunday, April 7
Race 06:00 01:00 22:00 (Apr 6) 15:00

‘Schedule and F1 Start Times’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-japanese-gp-2024-schedule-start-times/

Fortitude

5th April 2024, 08:21

Verstappen quickest as Sargeant crashes in opening practice session.
Red Bull set the pace in the opening practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix, while Logan Sargeant suffered a big crash in his Williams.
5th April 2024, 4:53
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Max Verstappen produced the quickest time in a disrupted opening hour of running with 1’30.056. That left him just under two tenths of a second faster than team mate Sergio Perez with Carlos Sainz Jnr third for Ferrari.

But the session was marred by another crash for Williams when Sargeant ran wide and onto the grass at the Dunlop Curve, resulting in him spinning into the barriers. He damaged the front and rear of his FW46, giving his team another headache as they remain without a spare chassis following Alexander Albon’s crash in Australia two weeks ago.

‘Verstappen quickest’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/05/verstappen-quickest-as-sargeant-crashes-in-opening-practice-session/

Japanese GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
5 April 2024
Speedcafe.com

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 18 1:30.056
2 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 18 1:30.237 0.181
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 20 1:30.269 0.213
4 63 George Russell Mercedes 18 1:30.530 0.474
5 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 23 1:30.543 0.487
6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 18 1:30.558 0.502
7 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 20 1:30.599 0.543
8 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 23 1:31.165 1.109
9 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 20 1:31.230 1.174
10 4 Lando Norris McLaren 22 1:31.240 1.184

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/japanese-gp-free-practice-1-results/

Another Williams crash - All that happened in FP1 at F1's Japanese GP
Apr 5, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen topped the opening free practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka driving the upgraded RB20 in the second consecutive FP1 session interrupted by a red flag caused by a Williams driver crashing.

RED BULL SUPREMACY: As expected, Verstappen bounced back from his failure to win the Australian GP thanks to retiring with a brake problem, by hitting the top of the timesheets in the first part of the session despite Red Bull, along with Ferrari, opting to use hard tyres rather than mediums for its early FP1 work.

Perez backed him up with a lap 0.181s slower having also set his best time after the red flag as Red Bull made an encouraging start after introducing floor and sidepod inlet upgrades.

‘All that happened in FP1’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/williams-crash-f1-japanese-grand-prix-practice-one/

Japanese GP: Max Verstappen goes P1 as Williams face anxious wait after Sargeant crash
05 Apr 2024 4:37 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen set the pace in Friday’s opening practice for the Japanese GP ahead of Sergio Perez, but for Williams it was another FP1 with another crash.

Logan Sargeant brought out the red flags when he lost it at Dunlop, leaving Williams with an anxious wait for the car to be brought back to the garage to check the chassis as they still don’t have a spare.

The American caught the end of the grass, sending his Williams spinning into the barrier nose-first at Turn 7 in a hard hit before the car spun around for a secondary hit with the rear. “I’m sorry, man,” the Williams driver said to his team.

“I’m sorry, man”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/japanese-grand-prix-2024-fp1-report

Max fastest in FP1 of Japanese Grand Prix
05 April 2024
Misha van der Kroon
Verstappen.nl

Both Red Bulls are on the soft tyres when the lights go green again. Max sets two purple sectors and takes over P1 from Hamilton. Perez joins in P2 ahead of Carlos Sainz. Verstappen then returns to the pits. Iwasa’s debut in F1 is going well so far. The Japanese driver is currently fourteenth, just behind Bottas and ahead of the Alpines.

With seven minutes to go, Max takes to the track again, He has put the hard tyres back on his RB20, which indicates that he won’t aim for an improvement of his time. The other drivers also do not improve their times, and with Max on top of the timesheets, the first free practice session comes to an end.

‘Max fastest in FP1’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5421/

2024 Japanese GP FP1: Impatient Hulkenberg shown black and white flag in first practice
05 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg was clearly in a hurry to get going in FP1 at Suzuka, as he crossed the white line at the pit exit to pass a slow RB car ahead – with the stewards showing him the black and white warning flag in response.

‘Impatient Hulkenberg shown black and white flag’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-japanese-gp-fp1-impatient-hulkenberg-shown-black-and-white-flag-in-first-practice.1795464827008643874.html

Red Bull’s Japanese Grand Prix upgrades revealed amidst intense zero-pod speculation
05 Apr 2024 2:29 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

It may not be the extreme zero-pods that were predicted, but Red Bull have brought new sidepod inlets for the RB20 to the Suzuka circuit that include changes in the cooling and in the inlet of the sidepod’s scoop.

Putting a radical RB20 on the track as they moved away from last year’s design philosophy and adopted parts from the previous years’ Mercedes ground-effect aerodynamic cars, it was reported that Red Bull could go full zero-pod. Japan, cooler than the first three races on the calendar, was touted as the first race for the new design.

But while Red Bull have not gone down that path, the RB20 is sporting new sidepod inlets. Redistributing the inlet areas for the sidepod-mounted primary heat exchangers, Red Bull have, according to the FIA notes, sought “the most efficient locations in terms of pressure inlet for the area” with the intent of needing “less exit area which is beneficial downstream.”

‘Upgrades revealed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-japanese-grand-prix-upgrades-revealed-zero-pod-speculation

Fortitude

5th April 2024, 08:50

Japanese GP: Oscar Piastri breaks local hearts as he pips Yuki Tsunoda to P1.
Oscar Piastri put in a late run in what could only be called a damp squib of a practice session to break the hearts of the Japanese fans as he snatched Yuki Tsunoda’s P1.
05 Apr 2024 8:10 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

With 33 minutes left on the clock, Oscar Piastri left the pits on the full wets but radioed back to McLaren that it was not that wet. That saw others leaving the pits with Yuki Tsunoda told “no more rain expected”.

But with the conditions not optimal for the intermediate tyres and not wet enough for the full wets, only the RB team-mates of Ricciardo and Tsunoda entertained the fans as they stayed out. The Japanese driver lowered the benchmark to a 1:40.9 to sit P1 to his team-mate’s P2 before they too pitted.

A few drivers, including Oscar Piastri, opted for a late lap or three with the McLaren driver up into P1 with a 1:36.862. He took two seconds out of his time on his second flying lap to end on a 1:34. Lewis Hamilton was another late-runner, finishing second ahead of Tsunoda with just five drivers setting proper lap times. The others were only out to test the conditions or do a practice start at the end of the sessions.

‘Breaks local hearts’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/japanese-grand-prix-2024-fp2-report

Japanese GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
5 April 2024
Speedcafe.com

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 6 1:34.725
2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 5 1:35.226 0.501
3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 3 1:38.760 4.035
4 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 7 1:40.946 6.221
5 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 8 1:41.913 7.188
6 4 Lando Norris McLaren 3 1:44.977 10.252
7 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 3 1:52.579 17.854
8 24 Zhou Guanyu Sauber 6
9 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 6
10 23 Alex Albon Williams 4

‘Free Practice 2 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/japanese-gp-free-practice-2-results/

Piastri hits the front late to top rain-affected Japanese GP FP2 ahead of Hamilton
A rain-affected session yielded precious little running in FP2 for the 2024 Japanese GP
April 5, 2024 - 08:18
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Oscar Piastri topped the timesheets in FP2 at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix but it was a somewhat hollow victory as only six other drivers set times – with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc completing the podium.

Rain meant most drivers spent the hour safely in their garages, though Yuki Tsunoda held top for much of the session as RB were one of the few teams to venture out on intermediate rubber.

However, Piastri hit the track on the soft tyres to steal it away at the death with Hamilton five-tenths away. Despite running on slicks, Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz couldn’t topple the two RBs and enter the top five, only heading out on track to get a practice start.

‘Precious little running in FP2’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-oscar-piastri-hits-front-late-top-rain-affected-japanese-gp-fp2-ahead-lewis-hamilton/

Verstappen sits in the garage, Piastri quickest as rain wrecks Japanese GP FP2
The second practice session was ruined by rain, leading to six drivers failing to take to the track.
5 April 9:06AM
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Rain wrecked the second practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix as six drivers did not even take to the Suzuka circuit given the conditions. The hour was hit-and-miss with the weather. Sadly, rain had passed over the track around half an hour beforehand, resulting in the teams opting not to run until the track began to dry given the forecast for the remainder of the weekend is for fine weather.

Six drivers opted not to emerge from the garage at all in Verstappen, Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, along with Alpine's Pierre Gasly, Aston Martin duo Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, and George Russell in his Mercedes.

Surprisingly, given the circumstances, Williams allowed Alex Albon to hit the track, despite being down to one car again after Logan Sargeant's crash in FP1. Minutes before the second session started, the team announced the American would not participate due to damage sustained.

‘Six drivers did not even take to the Suzuka circuit’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-sits-in-the-garage-piastri-quickest-as-rain-wrecks-japanese-gp-fp2

Japanese GP practice two washout leaves F1 guessing
Apr 5, 2024
by Josh Suttill
The Race

McLaren's Oscar Piastri ended Friday practice day on top at Formula 1's Japanese Grand Prix as rain limited running in FP2.

Key moments:
• Mileage minimal
• Piastri fastest with late lap
• Sargeant misses FP2 after FP1 crash

Six drivers - including both Red Bulls - didn't even go out on track during FP2. Logan Sargeant was always going to sit out the session after his FP1 crash caused significant damage to his car, including cracking his gearbox. His chassis remains intact, meaning a spare-less Williams avoids a repeat of its Australian GP nightmare (for now).

‘F1 guessing’;

https://www.the-race.com/all/japanese-gp-practice-two-washout-leaves-f1-guessing/

Lewis Hamilton suffers blow at Japanese Grand Prix as F1 penalty looms after Mercedes discovery
Lewis Hamilton retired from the Australian Grand Prix after just 17 laps due to an engine problem and now Mercedes have finally decided whether that power unit can be revived
5th April 2024, 08:10
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Mercedes have confirmed Lewis Hamilton's engine that failed at the Australian Grand Prix has been scrapped. Hamilton's Melbourne race ended after just 17 laps when he was forced to pull over at the side of the track with a power unit issue. Mercedes transported the engine back to its Brixworth facility to assess what exactly had gone wrong with it.

It was hoped that they would be able to diagnose the problem and fix it so that it could be used again this year. However, it was not immediately obvious what the issue was which led to delays. And Mercedes have now discovered that they cannot salvage the engine. It means Hamilton is already on his second power unit of the season - far from ideal considering just three races have been held so far.

Should he be forced to take a fifth ICE this year, as now seems likely, it would incur an automatic grid penalty. Fortunately, Mercedes' diagnosis work has also produced some positive news for the team. Their engineers believe the problem with that engine was a bottom end failure which was caused by an issue in quality control, and that it was not caused by a problem with the design of the engine. As a result, it has been deemed unlikely that it will be a persistent issue.

Formula 1 drivers are allowed to use only four internal combustion engines over the course of the 24-race season’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-engine-mercedes-melbourne-32516374

Fortitude

6th April 2024, 05:49

Verstappen and Perez top final Japanese GP practice.
Red Bull will head into Saturday’s Japanese GP qualifying as clear favourites for pole after Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez topped the third and final practice in Suzuka.
6th April 2024, 05:08
F1i.com

The drama-free session saw Verstappen edge his teammate by 0.269s, the pair overhauling in the closing minutes of running the Mercedes’ duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

Fernando Alonso put his freshly updated Aston Martin AMR24 to good use, the Spaniard setting the fifth fastest lap ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, while Ferrari were conspicuously absent from the group of frontrunners.

Red Bull holds a clear advantage heading into qualifying while Mercedes has staked its claim as best of the rest, but Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin will be ready to pounce.

‘Red Bull clear favourites for pole’;

https://f1i.com/news/504441-verstappen-and-perez-top-final-japanese-gp-practice.html

Japanese GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
6 April 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 23 1:29.563
2 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 24 1:29.832 0.269
3 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 1:29.918 0.355
4 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 20 1:30.037 0.474
5 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 24 1:30.082 0.519
6 4 Lando Norris McLaren 13 1:30.137 0.574
7 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 26 1:30.171 0.608
8 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 18 1:30.226 0.663
9 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 20 1:30.341 0.778
10 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:30.383 0.820

‘Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/japanese-gp-free-practice-3-results/

Japanese GP: Max Verstappen hits the front despite ‘lot worse’ complaint
06 Apr 2024 4:35 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen may not have been happy with his “ride” late in FP3 but that didn’t stop the reigning World Champion from clocking the fastest time to lead a Red Bull 1-2. The Dutchman clocked a 1:29.563 to finish 0.2s ahead of Sergio Perez with George Russell up into third place.

Verstappen laid down a 1:30.265 as Kevin Magnussen went spinning into the grass at the hairpin, Perez up to second ahead of Charles Leclerc. The trio, all on medium tyres, dropped one place as Lewis Hamilton, out on the softs, went quickest with a 1:30.0.

Russell went from slowest of all to P1 with a 1:29.9. He, though, wasn’t there for long with Verstappen going three-tenths quicker. And yet he reported that he wasn’t happy with his car. “The ride of the car is suddenly a lot worse,” he told Red Bull. Perez slotted into second place.

“The ride of the car is suddenly a lot worse”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/japanese-grand-prix-2024-fp3-report

2024 Japanese GP FP3: Early spin for Magnussen in final practice at Suzuka
06 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen was off track early on in final practice at Suzuka after the Haas driver spun at the hairpin in the opening minutes of the session and had a trip to the gravel trap.

‘Early spin’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-japanese-gp-fp3-early-spin-for-magnussen-in-final-practice-at-suzuka.1795552059334722649.html

F1 LIVE: Chaotic qualifying session looms as Ricciardo out to make statement in Japan
Piastri rips fastest time in P2 in Japan | 01:05
April 6th, 2024 3:03 pm
Fox Motorsport from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

A chaotic qualifying session at Suzuka looms as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen looks to put his Melbourne woes behind him with a strong performance at the Japanese Grand Prix. Yet there’s a sense of unpredictability surrounding qualifying in Japan given the lack of track time drivers were able to log in the first two practice sessions.

The weather in Suzuka left the track too dry for wet tyres to be used, but it was also too wet for teams to send their drivers out with slicks. It means teams didn’t obtain as much data as they’d have hoped for during practice, lending itself to a potentially unpredictable qualifying session.

One man who could be swept up in the qualifying chaos is Daniel Ricciardo as the Aussie didn’t spend a second inside his car during FP1 or FP2, meaning he’ll have just FP3 before going straight into qualifying.

‘Chaotic qualifying session looms’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-live-chaotic-qualifying-session-looms-as-ricciardo-out-to-make-statement-in-japan/news-story/fd7881e5c4e8bba45ff8a540e0dfd745

2024 Japanese GP FP3: Ricciardo takes to the grass after double spin in third practice
06 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Daniel Ricciardo missed FP1 with Super Formula driver Ayumu Iwasa taking his car, and then FP2 was essentially rained off meaning FP3 was the Australian’s first real running this weekend – and it showed when he spun at the final corner.

‘Ricciardo takes to the grass’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-japanese-gp-fp3-ricciardo-takes-to-the-grass-after-double-spin-in-third-practice.1795553139395258783.html

Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes as Toto Wolff explains Japanese GP plan reversal – F1 news round-up
05 Apr 2024 10:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

While the ultimate pace was set by Max Verstappen, Hamilton felt the best he has yet in the W15 during FP1 at Suzuka, leading him to warn Mercedes regarding where they go from here, as team boss Wolff explained why he is at the venue after all.

Lewis Hamilton tells Mercedes ‘don’t mess it up’. F1 2024 has been a frustrating experience for seven-time World Champion Hamilton so far, this his final season with Mercedes, though he greatly enjoyed his time at the wheel of the W15 during FP1, that his “best session” yet with the challenger.

However, inconsistency has been a major criticism of the W15 for Hamilton, so he understandably is extremely wary of where Mercedes could look to go from here as they tackle the remainder of the race weekend.

‘Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-warns-mercedes-toto-wolff-attend-japanese-gp-plan-reversal

Fortitude

6th April 2024, 20:45

Verstappen narrowly beats Perez to maintain perfect 2024 pole record at Suzuka.
Max Verstappen secured pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, only just beating Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez at the end of qualifying.
6th April 2024, 8:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

As the final minutes ticked down, all bar Leclerc headed out for a final run. Perez was the first over the line and improved to second only two hundredths of a second behind his team mate, before Verstappen shaved four hundredths off his own best time to go even quicker with a 1’28.197.

That proved good enough to secure the world champion his fourth consecutive pole to start the 2024 season, with Perez taking a front row start alongside his team mate in second. Norris failed to improve on his final run but still took third on the grid, with Sainz the highest placed Ferrari in fourth, also having not improved with his last run.

Alonso took fifth on the grid ahead of Piastri in the second McLaren, while Hamilton out-qualified Mercedes team mate Russell for the first time in 2024 with seventh on the grid as Leclerc split the two Mercedes in eighth. Tsunoda will start his home grand prix from 10th having been the slowest of the Q3 runners.

‘Verstappen narrowly beats Perez’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/06/verstappen-narrowly-beats-perez-to-maintain-perfect-2024-pole-record-at-suzuka/

Japanese GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
6 April 2024
Speedcafe.com
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:28.866 1:28.740 1:28.197
2 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:29.303 1:28.752 1:28.263 0.066
3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:29.536 1:28.940 1:28.489 0.292
4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:29.513 1:29.099 1:28.682 0.485
5 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:29.254 1:29.082 1:28.686 0.489
6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:29.425 1:29.148 1:28.760 0.563
7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:29.661 1:28.887 1:28.766 0.569
8 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:29.338 1:29.196 1:28.786 0.589
9 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:29.799 1:29.140 1:29.008 0.811
10 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:29.775 1:29.417 1:29.413 1.216

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/japanese-gp-qualifying-results/

Verstappen on Japanese GP pole after rare intra-Red Bull fight
Apr 6, 2024
by Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen took pole position for the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix but faced close pressure from his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. Perez hadn't qualified on the front row since he took pole position for the Miami GP last May but looked to be on Verstappen's pace right from FP1 on Friday where he'd already got it into a "really nice window".

He kept Verstappen within touching distance through Q1 and Q2 but after the first runs of Q3, he was over three tenths off Verstappen and was behind McLaren's Lando Norris. Around half of that time loss stemmed from the final chicane with Perez struggling with rear instability in Suzuka's few slower corners.

Perez found some time on his final run and only ended up 0.023s short of Verstappen's initial banker. "We've been really close all weekend. When you're in that little margin, anything can make a difference. I didn't have a great exit opening up the last [corner]," Perez explained after qualifying.

‘Rare intra-Red Bull fight’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-happened-in-f1-qualifying-suzuka-japanese-grand-prix-max-verstappen/

‘We’ve got to look into it’ - Charles Leclerc confused by loss of qualifying pace
Charles Leclerc has been left perplexed by his poor performance in qualifying at the Japanese Grand Prix.
06 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Charles Leclerc says Ferrari need to “look into” the reasons for their mysterious loss of qualifying pace after a disappointing performance at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix. Leclerc ran out of sync to his rivals in Q3 and completed just a single lap due to quickly burning through his soft tyres, but struggled for pace and could only qualify eighth on the grid at Suzuka.

“I think from Q1 to Q2 it hasn’t been a strong session,” Leclerc said. “Already the first lap in Q1, I was [thinking] okay, the feeling is quite okay. Normally when it is the case, the time comes with it. Today it has been completely the opposite. So we’ve got to look into it.”

Leclerc suspects the performance drop-off is tyre-related. “It’s one of those sessions maybe you get it once in a season. It’s definitely not a good feeling,” he explained. “Everything feels okay, the balance is not way off – we can always improve, but in a bit, like every qualifying. If I rely on the feeling at the end of the lap, I’m like, okay, this is quite a good lap and this is a good lap. Then you look at the board and you are a second off.”

‘We’ve got to look into it’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046498/1/weve-got-look-it-charles-leclerc-confused-loss-qualifying-pace

Toto Wolff critical in Mercedes statement despite Lewis Hamilton joy at Japanese GP
Lewis Hamilton was smiling and gave a positive response to qualifying seventh for the Japanese Grand Prix, but boss Toto Wolff was not satisfied with that result
6th April 2024, 10:47
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Toto Wolff reminded Lewis Hamilton that qualifying on the fourth row for the Japanese Grand Prix is "not great" despite the Briton's positive outlook. "It's actually the first weekend I've not gone crazy with set-up and not tested a bunch of things, so a bit more normal. I think we got the car into a much nicer working window, so every lap has been more enjoyable to drive. The other guys are just a little bit faster. We were just over a second off the Red Bull last year and seven-tenths [this time] is better.”

"With something different we could have been another tenth faster, maybe, but other than that, that was everything. What it's given us is, I know exactly where the car is not strong enough. I can feel it in the car and I know now I'm able to tell them to push in a particular area. I'm hoping the race will be stronger and I've really enjoyed driving so far this weekend."

Be that as it may, team principal Wolff made it clear he was not pleased with the outcome of the session. In a Mercedes release after qualifying, the Austrian said: "The headline result of P7 and P9 is not great."

‘Toto Wolff critical in Mercedes statement’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/wolff-hamilton-mercedes-qualifying-japan-32525498

Red Bull are on a different level at Japan GP, says Ferrari's Sainz
Apr 6, 2024, 05:08 AM ET
• Reuters
ESPN.com

Red Bull's dominant display in Saturday's qualifying sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix proved they are in a different league, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz said as he vowed to fight for a spot on the podium in Sunday's race.

"I hope we can fight with them in the race because in the qualifying it was impossible. In the race it would be nice to have a fight for the podium. I think it should be an interesting battle for the podium," Sainz told Sky Sports.

"I think the Red Bulls are, unfortunately, in a different league around rougher tarmacs, medium, high speed -- they are just ahead on downforce."

‘Different level’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/39885718/red-bull-different-level-japan-gp-says-ferrari-sainz

Lando Norris is dreaming of a first Grand Prix win in Japan after becoming the best of the rest - but admits McLaren are still 'too far away' to challenge Red Bull in Suzuka
• The McLaren ace is still waiting for a first Grand Prix victory ahead of Sunday
• Lando Norris is making a theme of being the best driver behind Red Bull's duo
• But breaking his duck at the Suzuka GP looks an improbable outcome
11:21, 6 April 2024
By Henry Clark
MailOnline

Lando Norris is becoming used to being the best of the rest. Probably a little too much for his own liking. A fortnight ago in Melbourne, the Brit became the unfortunate holder of a dubious honour, that being the driver with the most podium finishes without a single race win to their name.

This is a track the McLaren driver has experienced success at before having claimed second place behind Verstappen at last year's race. ‘I'd say yes,’ said the 24-year-old when asked whether Sunday was his best chance to shoe-horn his way in-between the Red Bulls in recent memory. ‘It's so tricky, Sergio is doing a good job. So there's one much harder car to keep up with.’

‘But we proved last year when we were further away from them that we could keep in touch and not be miles behind. So that'll be our target. But I think realistically, we're still too far away to challenge them they are too quick for us. Yes, we are quicker in qualifying. But in the race normally they pull away a bit more. Our competition is with the guys behind and at same time, I'll do my best to push forward.’

‘Dreaming of a first Grand Prix win’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13278551/Lando-Norris-McLaren-Red-Bull-F1-Japan.html

Fortitude

7th April 2024, 08:16

Max Verstappen cruises to Japanese GP win as Lewis Hamilton expresses Mercedes anger.
Max Verstappen returned to winning ways in an action-packed Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, seeing off the threat of team-mate Sergio Perez. For Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, there was far less to celebrate at Suzuka.
07:59, Sun, Apr 7, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

While Verstappen's afternoon was relatively straightforward from that point on, there was no further participation for Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo, who collided at Turn Three to bring out the red flag.

The seven-time world champion vented his frustrations on the team radio, demanding: "Change my strategy!" and then again expressing his anger after losing time to Russell on his final stop.

Behind Verstappen, team-mate Sergio Perez secured a relatively comfortable P2 finish, while Carlos Sainz rounded off the podium ahead of his colleague Charles Leclerc, who ran an outstanding race from P9 on the one-stop strategy.

‘Max Verstappen cruises to Japanese GP win’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1885729/Max-Verstappen-Lewis-Hamilton-Japanese-GP

Japanese GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.
7 April 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff Pts
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 53 26
2 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 12.535 18
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 20.866 15
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 26.522 12
5 4 Lando Norris McLaren 29.7 10
6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 44.272 8
7 63 George Russell Mercedes 45.951 6
8 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 47.525 4
9 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 48.626 2
10 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1L 1

‘Japanese GP: Race Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/japanese-gp-race-results/

Max Verstappen WINS Japanese Grand Prix as Red Bull secure one-two finish after lengthy red flag delay following opening-lap crash as Mercedes endure another day to forget
Published: 08:01, 7 April 2024
By Dominic Hogan
MailOnline

Max Verstappen has continued his seemingly inexorable push for a fourth straight Formula One championship with victory at the Japanese Grand Prix. The Red Bull star cruised to another race win at Suzuka on Sunday morning, ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez, as the reigning constructors champions dominated the paddock once again.

While there were few surprises on the podium, with Carlos Sainz coming home in third for Ferrari, the race got off to a dramatic start. Alex Albon and Danny Ricciardo were involved in a big crash in the opening lap that saw the race delayed by a lengthy red flag.

‘Red Bull secure one-two finish’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13280657/Max-Verstappen-WINS-Japanese-Grand-Prix.html

2024 Japanese Grand Prix: Ride onboard with Ricciardo and Albon for their Lap 1 crash at Suzuka
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Jump onboard with both Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon to see their perspectives of their Turn 3 opening lap crash at Suzuka.

‘Lap 1 crash’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-japanese-grand-prix-ride-onboard-with-ricciardo-and-albon-for-their-lap-1-crash-at-suzuka.1795654157255764855.html

Japanese GP: Max Verstappen back in cruise control as Daniel Ricciardo’s nightmare continues
07 Apr 2024 8:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen shrugged off Red Bull’s race pace concerns as he cruised to the victory at the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of his team-mate Sergio Perez in Red Bull’s third 1-2 of the season. Such was Verstappen’s start he went unchallenged into Turn 1, putting metres between himself and Sergio Perez with Lando Norris holding onto third ahead of Carlos Sainz and Alonso.

In a tale of threes, Verstappen romped to the win, his third of this season, ahead of Perez in what was Red Bull’s third 1-2 of the championship. Sainz, for the third time, was on the podium in third place. Leclerc was fourth ahead of Norris and Alonso with Russell’s last lap pass on Piastri giving him seventh place. Piastri was eighth with Hamilton P9.

On a day when Ricciardo blotted his copybook, Tsunoda added to his points haul as he brought his RB01 home in tenth place to the delight of the Japanese fans.

‘Max Verstappen back in cruise control’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/japanese-grand-prix-2024-race-report

Verstappen leads Red Bull 1-2 at Japanese GP as Sainz snags podium in fascinating battle
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez secured a Red Bull 1-2 at the 2024 Japanese GP ahead of Carlos Sainz
April 7, 2024 - 08:13
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen returned to the top step of the podium in a 2024 Japanese Grand Prix that came alive in the final stages with Sergio Perez second and Carlos Sainz triumphing in the intriguing battle for third.

Having been axed by Ferrari for 2025 in favour of Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, Sainz has been on the podium every race that he’s taken part in this season and remains 50% of the grand prix winners so far in 2024.

In stark contrast to Leclerc, Mercedes haemorrhaged time as their stints on the hards progressed and they actually switched to an effective two-stop late in the day. However, that finally worked out with George Russell chasing down Oscar Piastri and Fernando Alonso who’d been locked in their own battle at the end of the race.

‘Verstappen leads Red Bull 1-2’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-verstappen-leads-red-bull-japanese-gp-carlos-sainz-snags-podium-fascinating-battle/

24-year-old’s team made a ‘huge error’ with his strategy during the Japanese Grand Prix
Sun 7 April 2024 08:15
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The Japanese Grand Prix ended up being a battle between the team strategists as well as the drivers on track. Max Verstappen’s latest victory was effortless and he may as well not have been racing given his lack of on-screen time. Covering the Grand Prix for The Race, journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm was left very unimpressed by one team’s calls at Suzuka.

McLaren strategy error costs Lando Norris in Japan. After Ferrari’s victory in Australia, it appeared that they were the closest rivals to Red Bull heading to Suzuka. However, Lando Norris showed his one-lap pace on Saturday and was only a couple of tenths behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

He held off Carlos Sainz during both race starts on Sunday but it was clear that Ferrari had more race pace. Norris was pitted onto hard tyres that briefly saw him undercut Sergio Perez but the Red Bull didn’t take too long to get past him again. Then McLaren made a strategy call that proved to be an error and gave Norris no chance of challenging for a podium. Instead, was left racing on his own for the final laps much to his disappointment.

‘Huge error’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/24-year-olds-team-made-a-huge-error-with-his-strategy-during-the-japanese-grand-prix/

Fortitude

7th April 2024, 13:18

Lewis Hamilton storms out of Japanese GP interview and slams reporter's Ferrari question.
Lewis Hamilton was furious with a reporter's question following the Japanese Grand Prix and cut short his print media session as a result, after finishing the race ninth
7th April 2024, 12:53
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton snapped at a reporter before walking out if his post-race interview after a Japanese Grand Prix to forget. He was first asked how his race had been, to which Hamilton bluntly replied: "It was okay." He took exception to the next question, from the same reporter, who asked: "Are you a little bit jealous of the Ferraris at the moment? Because they are faster?"

Hamilton retorted: "Do you have any better questions?" The reporter apologised but before anyone else could ask, the Mercedes racer walked away and his press officer simply said: "Thank you." Hamilton was, at least, a little more talkative when speaking in the TV pen.

Speaking about his Mercedes W15 machine, he told F1 TV: "The car is never what I hoped it would be. It's never what we hoped it would be. I got some damage I think in the first stint at the restart with Charles [Leclerc] and I had massive understeer, like huge, huge understeer. So that's why I decided to let George [Russell] by, because he seemed quicker and I just couldn't turn the car.”

"Do you have any better questions?";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-leaves-interview-japan-32530634

Lewis Hamilton snaps at reporter before storming out of interview following Japanese Grand Prix
Apr 7, 2024, 12:30pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

A fuming Sir Lewis Hamilton stormed out an interview following the Japanese Grand Prix after taking issue with a reporter’s question. Speaking to the various members of the media, the 39-year-old was first asked: ‘How was it for you today?’ to which he bluntly replied: ‘It was okay.’

He was the asked: ‘Are you looking forward to being with them [Ferrari]? Because they’re faster?’ Hamilton hit back with: ‘Do you have any better questions?’ before swiftly walking away.

‘Storming out of interview’;

https://metro.co.uk/2024/04/07/lewis-hamilton-storms-interview-following-japanese-grand-prix-20601752/?ito=newsnow-feed

Sulky Lewis Hamilton snaps at Japanese GP reporter over Ferrari question
Lewis Hamilton limped to ninth in the 2024 Japanese GP as he was outshone by Ferrari and Mercedes teammate George Russell
April 7, 2024 - 09:49
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton shut down a journalist after the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, challenging whether he had anything better to ask with the seven-time champion unimpressed by a line of questioning around Ferrari.

He also gave a curt ‘ok’ to the question “How was it for you today?”, but finally snapped when asked “Are you looking forward to being with them? Because they’re faster?”, hitting back: “Do you have any better questions?”.

‘Shut down a journalist’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-sulky-lewis-hamilton-snaps-2024-japanese-gp-reporter-over-ferrari/

Lewis Hamilton hits out at Mercedes strategy after ‘challenging’ Japanese Grand Prix
Apr 7, 2024, 9:50am
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Sir Lewis Hamilton was left infuriated with his Mercedes team after a dismal performance at the Japanese Grand Prix. Throughout the race, the 39-year-old questioned Mercedes’ tyre strategy and at one stage bluntly told his team to ‘change this strategy!’

Post-race, Hamilton doubled down on his opinion that the Silver Arrows had messed up again, though added that his W15 car was so slow that the right strategy probably wouldn’t have improved matters.

‘Change this strategy!’;

https://metro.co.uk/2024/04/07/lewis-hamilton-hits-mercedes-challenging-japan-grand-prix-20600832/?ito=newsnow-feed

Mercedes explain Japanese Grand Prix strategy after Lewis Hamilton’s ‘change it!’ command
07 Apr 2024 9:20 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Spoilt for choice with two sets of hard tyres, Mercedes have downplayed Lewis Hamilton’s strategy complaints as they tried for what would’ve effectively been a one-stop strategy excluding the red flag.

But overtaken by Lando Norris, Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz pretty much in formation, Hamilton wasn’t happy with the call.

Hamilton: “Change the strategy!”
Bono: “Copy Lewis. We’re just waiting for the window to clear.”

“Copy Lewis”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-explain-contentious-tyre-call-maximum-achieved-japan

How worried should Mercedes be? Our Japanese GP verdict
Apr 7, 2024
The Race

Failing to make progress on Sunday. But was that because of an ill-advised strategy or evidence of how much trouble the team is in this year? And just how worried should Mercedes be by its current predicament? Our writers give their verdict:

“There's a baseline - but a lot to prove” Scott Mitchell-Malm.
“Some positive signs” Edd Straw.
“Simply not good enough” Glenn Freeman.

“An all too familiar tale of woe” Gary Anderson.
“Hamilton won't be worried” Josh Suttill.
“Hard tyre gamble was never going to pay off” Jack Benyon.

‘Change it command!’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/how-worried-should-mercedes-be-japanese-gp-verdict/

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff agree as 'atrocious' Mercedes issue derails Japanese GP
Lewis Hamilton finished just ninth at the Japanese Grand Prix while George Russell was only two places ahead as Mercedes suffered another difficult day at Suzuka
7th April 2024, 10:01
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton lamented his "terrible" hard tyres as a Mercedes strategy gamble failed to deliver at the Japanese Grand Prix. Boss Toto Wolff felt it was those early laps which completely derailed his team's chances of scoring big points at Suzuka. He said: "The second and third stints were super quick - we would have been racing for a podium, but for an atrocious first stint. We need to find out what it was."

Hamilton finished a lowly ninth at Suzuka, while George Russell fared only slightly better to cross the line seventh. Mercedes gambled on the hard tyres when the race was stopped after a first-lap smash involving Daniel Ricciardo and Alex Albon.

Sainz began the race fourth behind Briton Lando Norris and was always in the hunt for a third-successive podium. Norris tried his best but admitted after the race that his McLaren car simply doesn't have the pace right now to go toe-to-toe with the Ferraris.

'Atrocious';

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-wolff-japanese-gp-mercedes-32529775

Fortitude

8th April 2024, 07:17

Max Verstappen cheered on by Kelly Piquet and her daughter after win at Japanese Grand Prix.
The heartwarming video of Max Verstappen’s partner Kelly Piquet and her daughter, Penelope, was shared by the official Instagram handle of F1.
Apr 07, 2024 04:52 PM IST

Hindustan Times

A heartwarming video of Max Verstappen’s partner Kelly Piquet and her daughter Penelope, was shared by the official Instagram handle of F1. In the video, Kelly can be seen asking Penelope to wave at Max, who is standing on the podium. Penelope excitedly shouts his name and flashes a big, beaming smile.

“A wholesome moment on the podium”, wrote F1 as they shared the heartening video.

‘Max Verstappen cheered’;

https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/max-verstappen-cheered-on-by-kelly-piquet-and-her-daughter-after-win-at-japanese-grand-prix-101712488375301.html

World champion Max Verstappen back with a bang at Japanese Formula One Grand Prix
08.04.24, 10:51 AM
The Telegraph, Calcutta

World champion Max Verstappen got back to winning ways on Sunday with a third straight pole-to-flag victory at the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix, leading teammate Sergio Perez across the line for a Red Bull 1-2 at Suzuka.

“You know it was a little hiccup, of course, the last race, but very happy that we are here back on top,” said Dutchman Verstappen, who finished 12.535 seconds clear of his teammate and also had the fastest lap.

Red Bull lead the constructor standings on 141 points ahead of Ferrari (120) and McLaren (69). “I think we have good momentum,” said Perez, who jumped ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the driver standings. “I think if we are strong in places like this with a lot of high speed corners ... we can be strong anywhere else.”

‘Back with a bang’;

https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/world-champion-max-verstappen-back-with-a-bang-at-japanese-formula-one-grand-prix/cid/2011890

Nobody will catch Max Verstappen this year - Mercedes boss Toto Wolff
7 Apr 2024 14:45
RTE

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff insists Max Verstappen's fourth consecutive title is already a foregone conclusion after the Red Bull driver cruised to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix.

"No one is going to catch Max this year," he said. "His driving and the car are just spectacular. You can see the way he manages the tyres and basically this season now is best of the rest.”

‘Nobody will catch Max’;

https://www.rte.ie/sport/motorsport/2024/0407/1442179-nobody-will-catch-verstappen-this-year-wolff/

‘No one is going to catch Max’: Wolff says F1 title is already Verstappen’s to lose
7 April 2024 at 0:34 pm
Giles Richards at Suzuka
Yahoo! Sport

The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, has conceded Max Verstappen is already world champion elect, declaring the Red Bull driver cannot be caught this season after a third dominant win from four races. Even achieving second place looks a big ask for Mercedes and Wolff admitted that was not an edifying position for the team that won eight consecutive constructors’ championships from 2014.

“If I was to look from a pure sporting point of view it is P1 which matters, not P2, P3 or P4, but this is the reality that we are facing at the moment,” he said. “We’re trying to do the best out of this new reality and that is to beat our competitors whilst acknowledging that somebody is just doing a better job and setting the benchmark that we eventually need to set ourselves again.”

‘Max Verstappen is already world champion elect’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/no-one-going-catch-max-113413274.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFuMQJDv5pZYz_1_xTHzk5CgHZQf Q-Zcgc8PHUTTA6YQ6v0ucs6IP92nTUi9FCsiJi9_y18bQBQO481c QXIg9TtcPWsRHwW-gIvOHb2QCDko1FFnxqIKCfCxNX-ORt2eaZtVk6nafiw7rLWnPFqKQ2jReeMnJD5ysMvZ97MStft-

Horner after one-two at Suzuka: 'Brilliant race from all the team'
07 April 2024
Coen Versteeg
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, CEO and team boss of Red Bull, expressed his satisfaction with how the race went: “It was a great team performance today; fastest lap, a one-two finish, fastest pit stop and leading first and second in the championship. So yeah, it's an amazing performance here, and one we are very proud of, particularly in Japan at the home of our engine partner, Honda.”

“Max managed to control the race beautifully. He was away from the beginning and really looked after the tyres. But Checo has had a very strong agenda here. His qualifying yesterday was good. Better than he has managed in his career. And then his racing was fantastic. He came through the field and was very strong and maintained his pace. A brilliant race across the board, from all the team. It is great to see.”

'Brilliant race from all the team';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5427/

“Totally flawless” Max Verstappen “could have gone faster” in Japanese Grand Prix
Max Verstappen delivered another "flawless" display at the Japanese Grand Prix.
07 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen has been described as “totally flawless” following his third victory of the season at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. After the race at Suzuka, Sky Sports pundits Bernie Collins and Damon Hill heaped praise on Verstappen.

Collins labelled Verstappen’s display as “totally flawless. To have a faultless weekend… we’ve seen it time and time again,” Collins said. “He put the laps in where it matters, with very little knowledge of this race.”

“Wind conditions changed during the race, temperature changed during the race. He seems to be totally flawless. To win by such a margin again? Fantastic.”

“Totally flawless”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046575/1/totally-flawless-max-verstappen-could-have-gone-faster-japanese-grand-prix

Marko heaps praise on Verstappen and issues warning to F1 rivals
Red Bull claimed a dominant 1-2 at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix with Max Verstappen claiming his third win of the F1 season
April 7, 2024 - 11:06
John Smith

At the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull‘s strategy and Max Verstappen’s skill proved unbeatable, securing a dominant victory for the Dutchman with Helmut Marko giving Verstappen the highest praise.

“We dominated from the first lap,” Marko told the press. “This was one of the best races this season. The pit stops were super fast (2.1 seconds) and the strategy perfect. Furthermore, we adjusted the wing setup before the race. We reacted, very well to the changed conditions.”

Marko added: “Nobody can beat Verstappen.” And when asked about the possibility of the Dutchman winning the next 20 races, all Marko could do was laugh. “I don’t want to think about that at all yet. But Max is in total control.”

‘Max Verstappen’s skill proved unbeatable’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/red-bull-helmut-marko-heaps-praise-max-verstappen-issues-warning-f1-rivals/

‘Everything just went really well’ Max Verstappen after Suzuka win
Max Verstappen now leads the Formula One drivers’ standings on 77 points, followed by his teammate Checo Perez on 64
07-04-2024 20:33
By Eliot Mahlase
The South African

Max Verstappen was satisfied following his dominant win in Suzuka, Japan on Sunday. “It was very nice,” Max Verstappen reflected after the race in Suzuka.

“I don’t know if it had to do with the clouds coming in, but yeah, [it was] very nice. Everything just went really well, the pit stops went well, the strategy I think worked out well, so it couldn’t have been any better.”

“It was very nice”;

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/everything-just-went-really-well-max-verstappen-after-suzuka-win/

Verstappen matches Schumacher feat – RacingNews365 Review
7 April 10:00PM
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Verstappen relieved to overcome 'hiccup' with Japan victory. Max Verstappen has insisted that the “hiccup” from the round in Australia is behind him after his victory at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The reigning world champion became the first driver since seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher to win three consecutive races at Suzuka.

‘Verstappen matches Schumacher feat’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-walks-out-and-verstappen-matches-schumacher-feat-racingnews365-review

Fortitude

8th April 2024, 15:05

Tsunoda becomes first Japanese F1 driver to score a point at home since 2012.
Yuki Tsunoda finished 10th to become the first homegrown driver to score a point at the Japanese Grand Prix since 2012.
Apr 7, 2024
By Joel Tansey
Staff writer
The Japan Times

The Kanagawa Prefecture native’s deep knowledge of the Mie Prefecture track paid off as he thrilled the home fans by working his way back through the midfield after a difficult start to earn a single point.

“It feels amazing,” the RB driver said after the race. “After a long two years of being unable to score points (in Japan) it’s a very happy feeling.”

“It feels amazing”;

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2024/04/07/more-sports/japanese-grand-prix-formula-one/

‘Relieved’ Tsunoda hails 'insane' RB pit stop as he nets a point on home soil
07 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Yuki Tsunoda was full of relief after scoring a point on home soil in Japan for the very first time. With back-to-back top-10 finishes now, the RB driver is enjoying a rich run of form.

While his race ended on a high, his start from P10 proved to be a challenge, with Tsunoda losing out off the line and falling down the order as a result. He took the restart in P12, with the team making the bold call to swap him onto some used soft tyres. He used those to good effect to climb back into the points, but that wasn’t the end of his dramas.

“[I’m] relieved,” joked Tsunoda afterwards. “I would say after I lost a couple of positions in the first start, yeah I felt a bit of disappointment for sure but at the same time I had a great start after that and I think one of the big highlights was the pit stop.”

‘Relieved’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/relieved-tsunoda-hails-insane-rb-pit-stop-as-he-nets-a-point-on-home-soil.nj9ymzkhF3TJgOMCobN8z

YUKI TSUNODA: ‘VERY SPECIAL’ DEBUT POINTS IN JAPAN FELT LIKE P1
After a hard-fought Japanese Grand Prix, where he finished P10 and brought home one point, Yuki Tsunoda currently stands P11 in the drivers' championship with 7 points scored
April 8, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

Yuki Tsunoda’s P10 finish was also the Japanese driver’s first points finish at his home Grand Prix. Previously, Tsunoda had finished in P12 (2023) and P13 (2022). Following the race, the 23-year-old was extremely happy with his performance. Discussing his emotions following his debut points finish in Japan, Tsunoda said:

“Even P10, I feel like – I mean, it’s too big a thing to say, but I feel like I scored P1. At the same time, big credit to the team. The team was able to have a very fast pit stop and [I was] able to re-join the track in front of the Aston [Martin]. Without that work, I wasn’t able to score points today.”

‘VERY SPECIAL’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-very-special-debut-points-in-japan-felt-like-p1/

Beaming Tsunoda credits pit crew for points finish after he jumped two cars in one stop
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Yuki Tsunoda pulled off s number of brilliant overtakes in front of his home fans – but credited his pit crew as being perhaps the most crucial factor in his points finish at Suzuka.

‘Beaming Tsunoda’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.beaming-tsunoda-credits-pit-crew-for-points-finish-after-he-jumped-two-cars-in-one-stop.1795660047192029724.html

Tsunoda feels ‘amazing’ after ending unwanted track record
Yuki Tsunoda crossed the line in 10th place at the Japanese Grand Prix to score his first Formula 1 points on home soil.
7 April 2024, 7:00PM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Tsunoda credited the RB pit stop crew for his result as they managed to leap Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in the pit lane when called in for his final pit stop on lap 22.

“[I’m] feeling amazing, after such a long two years that I've been unable to score points,” Tsunoda told media including RacingNews365. “It’s a very happy feeling and a big credit to the team who did a fantastic job in the pitstops to be able to rejoin the track in front of the Aston Martin.”

“Without that, I wouldn’t be able to score points. Big credit to the teams and also the Japanese fans. I feel more support every year. It's a good thing and I just have to keep matching the expectation.”

‘Amazing’;

https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-feeling-amazing-as-he-breaks-unwanted-streak

Helmut Marko heaps praise on Yuki Tsunoda: “Mistakes are a thing of the past”
Helmut Marko is impressed with Yuki Tsunoda's run of form in 2024.
08 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has heaped praise on Yuki Tsunoda after his impressive start to the 2024 F1 season. “There are four races and Yuki has brought the car into Q3 three times,” he told Sky Deutschland. “He is consistent and the mistakes are a thing of the past.”

“His lack of control on the radio is also gone. He’s really blossomed. But it’s April and we still have a lot of races left. We’ll look at the driver situation when the summer break comes. We want to watch it closely and make the right decision. That will certainly take until the summer.”

“He is consistent”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046592/1/helmut-marko-heaps-praise-yuki-tsunoda-mistakes-are-thing-past

Tsunoda credits “supermen” pit crew for point in home race
7th April 2024, 17:42
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“Good job guys, well done,” said Tsunoda on the radio as he left the pits. “Thank you.”

Tsunoda went on to score the final point available, the first time he has ever finished in the top 10 at Suzuka. He said it felt “very special. Even P10, I feel like – I mean, it’s too big a thing to say, but I feel like I scored P1,” he told the official F1 channel.

“At the same time, big credit to the team that the team was able to have a very fast pit stop and [I was] able to rejoin the track in front of the Aston. Without that work, I wasn’t able to score points today. So big credit to the team and obviously also the Japanese fans who support me all the week this week. The amount of energy I’ve got every lap from them was definitely a special feeling.”

“Japanese fans who support me all the week this week”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/07/tsunoda-credits-supermen-pit-crew-for-point-in-home-race/

Fortitude

9th April 2024, 04:26

‘We have to keep progressing’ – Perez wants to push on after third P2 of the year at Suzuka.
Sergio Perez is in very consistent form this year and took his third second place of the season in Japan on Sunday.
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘We have to keep progressing’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.we-have-to-keep-progressing-perez-wants-to-push-on-after-third-p2-of-the-year-at-suzuka.1795662926004023913.html

Perez 'paid the price' for Red Bull struggle in Japanese GP
It is a first career podium for Sergio Perez at Suzuka
7 April 2024, 9:35AM
Jake Nichol

Starting second, Perez followed home team leader Max Verstappen for a third Red Bull one-two of the season, to score his first career podium at Suzuka. Verstappen largely had Perez covered in the opening laps, but a slight mistake at the second Degner corner allowed the Dutchman to break free, with Perez bemoaning the feeling of his RB20.

"It was a good weekend for the team, and first of all, I think obviously with the restart and doing the start again, it is always quite hard to keep the focus for such a long period of time," Perez explained. "My second start was a little bit better, but just not enough to get Max, and I think we paid the price a little bit because we were a bit off-balance in that first stint, which meant we couldn't keep it alive.”

'Paid the price';

https://racingnews365.com/perez-paid-the-price-for-red-bull-struggle-in-japanese-gp

Sergio Perez’s big leap towards 2025 Red Bull contract
April 7, 2024
Andrew Maitland
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez is making significant strides as he approaches the critical period of contract negotiations with Red Bull for the 2025 season. In a recent turn of events, Perez showcased his competitive edge by narrowly missing the pole position at Suzuka, clocking in just under a tenth of a second slower, much to the dismay of Max Verstappen, his teammate, who was less impressed with his own performance.

Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s leading Formula 1 consultant, finds himself pondering the future amid Perez’s return to the front row, noting, “I have to think, because it was a long time ago.” The frenzy surrounding the 2025 driver lineup is already underway, yet Perez has demonstrated considerable improvement this year, positioning him as a strong contender for securing his place with Red Bull.

Marko shed light on Perez’s renewed approach this season, telling ORF, “Checo has started with a different attitude this year. He is no longer trying to follow his own technical path. The cars are almost identical in terms of setup, and that’s what makes the difference in the end. It looks like he can do it, but perhaps it is very motivating for him that next year’s contracts are at stake, this year much earlier than usual. Normally, we don’t talk about driver decisions at all in April. But it’s still too early for us. We will certainly wait a while before we make a decision.”

‘2025 Red Bull contract’;

https://grandpx.news/sergio-perezs-big-leap-towards-2025-red-bull-contract/

Perez hails ‘good momentum’ after P2 in Japan amid turnaround from ‘worst weekend’ at Suzuka last year
07 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez was pleased to add to his growing points tally by taking P2 in the Japanese Grand Prix, with the Mexican confident that Red Bull can be “strong anywhere else” after their solid showing at Suzuka.

After missing out on pole position to team mate Max Verstappen in Saturday’s qualifying, Perez started the race on the front row alongside the Dutchman but couldn’t quite take the fight to him.

While he felt he enjoyed a stronger launch when the event was restarted – following an early red flag due to a collision between Alex Albon and Daniel Ricciardo – Perez struggled more in the opening stint before becoming more comfortable during the second. He ultimately crossed the line in P2 to help Red Bull in securing their third one-two result of 2024.

‘Good momentum’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/perez-hails-good-momentum-after-p2-in-japan-amid-turnaround-from-worst.22aS2iLOITMEI4EAEPRcF3

HORNER ON THE FUTURE OF PEREZ AT RED BULL: ‘IT’S HIS SEAT TO LOSE’
Perez says he is feeling ‘relaxed’ about his future at Red Bull and believes the decision is only ‘a matter of time’
April 7, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Sergio Perez feels confident after the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix where he moved from P3 to P2 in the Drivers’ Standings. He took the second step of the podium alongside his teammate and victor, Max Verstappen.
Second in Suzuka �� Great drive and great moves today, @SChecoPerez ��#F1 || #JapaneseGP �� pic.twitter.com/kKHqTvv32f
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) April 7, 2024

When asked by Sky Sports about his Red Bull seat for the 2025 driver market, Perez said:
“I’m really pleased with what I’ve done in the sport so far”
He said he was “relaxed about it” but does recognise the competition for his current seat. He continued: “The driver market is moving and the next few weeks are going to be a lot of movement for sure.”

Horner is full of praise for Checo. Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner spoke to Sky Sports after the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix. He was asked about Perez’s chances of retaining his Red Bull seat. He praised Perez’s performance so far this year, remarking:
“He’s doing a great job.”
Discussing Perez’s qualifying session, Horner said: “He qualified within a tenth of a second yesterday – by far his best qualifying performance round here – and I think that you can see his confidence is growing.” Speaking about Perez’s race, Horner continued: “I thought his performance in the race, again, was very strong today.”

“He’s doing a great job”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/horner-on-the-future-of-perez-at-red-bull-its-his-seat-to-lose/

Red Bull F1 future will be sorted imminently - Perez
Sergio Perez's contract is up at the end of the 2024 season, with a clutch of drivers linked with the Red Bull seat.
8 April 2024, 7:25AM
Jake Nichol

Sergio Perez has suggested that his Formula 1 future with Red Bull could be resolved "within a month" as he continues an impressive start to the season. "I am pretty relaxed about it, it is my 14th season in F1," Perez told Sky Sports F1.

"Whatever comes next, I am really pleased with what I've done in the sport so far. I believe it will be a matter of time [before my future is decided] and obviously the driver market is moving and in the next few weeks, there will be a lot of movement for sure. I expect to know within a month what I am doing next year."

"Within a month";

https://racingnews365.com/perez-hints-at-swift-resolution-to-doubts-over-red-bull-future

Fortitude

9th April 2024, 15:27

Fred Vasseur shuts down Lewis Hamilton questions as Sainz lands latest podium.
That has led to a great deal of scrutiny over Ferrari’s pre-season acquisition of Hamilton, but team boss Vasseur was in no mood to entertain a reporter’s talk of an “alternative reality where you hadn’t already signed Lewis Hamilton for 2025.”
08 Apr 2024 8:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Just like Lewis Hamilton, it appears Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur is also growing tired of the questions surrounding that upcoming switch from Mercedes.

Before said reporter could finish their sentence, Vasseur interrupted to make sure that it could go no further. “We have the same question each weekend,” said Vasseur. “Do a copy paste of my reply of last week, next one.”

‘Fred Vasseur is also growing tired’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-vasseur-lewis-hamilton-questions

Sainz feared podium result in Japan had slipped away
10:56 Sun, 07 Apr 2024.
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

“I had a good race to be honest. I knew the podium was possible if I did a perfect race” Carlos Sainz beamed when he was interviewed in parc ferme. “Very happy, because it was quite tough out there with the degradation.”

“At times it looked a bit tricky, I didn’t understand exactly what was going on with the one stops and two stops," he said. "Then the clouds came, the degradation went a lot lower, and suddenly I thought that maybe one-stop was quicker - and we were on the two.”

"I thought it was going to be very difficult to get back into fourth or P3 [given] how tricky it was to overtake the Mercedes on the second stint, and how difficult it was to follow. But when I put the hard on at the end I was very quick, flying out there, and I could get the moves done to get the podium I was really pushing for.

‘Sainz feared podium result’;

https://f1i.com/news/504683-sainz-feared-podium-result-in-japan-had-slipped-away.html

Carlos Sainz ‘sending facts’ not ‘little messages’ to Charles Leclerc in Ferrari fight
09 Apr 2024 12:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Stamping his authority over his team-mate with a simple pass in Japan, Carlos Sainz is not just sending “little messages” to Charles Leclerc, he’s sending him “facts”. According to leading Spanish commentator, Antonio Lobato, more than just a message to Leclerc.

“Since he was a kid, his father always told him that even if he didn’t win, he always had to send little ‘messages’. “He is not sending those messages any longer. Now he is sending facts. And that’s the reward for all his work. He deserves it. Lots of teams will want to have him.”

‘Sending facts’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-sending-facts-not-little-messages-charles-leclerc-ferrari-fight

Carlos Sainz emerges as Aston Martin target for 2025
April 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

A report from Motorsport suggests that Carlos Sainz is seen as an option by some “factions” in the team. Intriguingly, it also adds that some within Aston would prefer to have Sainz leading Aston Martin alongside Lance Stroll – rather than Fernando Alonso. This report contradicts the prevalent narrative from the British outfit.

Considering their success with Alonso, replacing him – unless he voluntarily leaves – seems a somewhat impossible scenario. Still, it is worth evaluating how the situation evolves. Red Bull still has a vacant seat that could be the first domino to fall in the driver market.

Should the World Champion make a move to the Austrian team, it would open an opportunity for his compatriot. However, it must be asked how long Aston Martin is willing to compromise its output to keep Stroll on the team.

‘Aston Martin target’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/04/08/carlos-sainz-emerges-as-aston-martin-target-for-2025/

Mercedes urged to “look at” Carlos Sainz and Oliver Bearman for 2025
Johnny Herbert thinks Mercedes should look at these two drivers for 2025.
09 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh

Ex-F1 driver Johnny Herbert believes Mercedes should consider Carlos Sainz or Oliver Bearman for 2025. Herbert believes Sainz would “fit in very well” at Mercedes.

“Carlos Sainz would be one of the replacements Mercedes should look at. He is a solid, very reliable, intelligent driver who could fit in very well,” Herbert told Inclave Casino.

“Fit in very well”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046626/1/mercedes-urged-look-carlos-sainz-and-oliver-bearman-2025

Fortitude

10th April 2024, 08:08

‘Something I’m not used to’ - Charles Leclerc wants to fix recent F1 weakness.
Charles Leclerc is keen to address this unusual - by his high standards - weakness in qualifying.
07 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Throughout his career, qualifying has been a strength of Leclerc’s, with many pundits describing him as the ‘fastest driver in F1’ due to his blistering one-lap pace. However, below par performances in qualifying recently has meant he’s missed out on a potential victory in Australia and now podium in Japan.

Speaking after the race at Suzuka on Sunday, Leclerc felt he couldn’t have done much more to better his P4 result, but cited the need for a better turn of speed on Saturdays. "I don't think there was anything better to do today," he said. "But finally today, I'm very happy.”

"However, two races now in a row, I've been struggling to put the tyres in the right window. This is definitely my main focus now going into Shanghai to try and re-find the right window of the tyres, and for me to put them more consistently inside that window."

‘Something I’m not used to’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046578/1/something-im-not-used-charles-leclerc-wants-fix-recent-f1-weakness

Vasseur soothes Leclerc fear after Japan woes: 'He'll be back'.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has poured cold water over the assertion that Charles Leclerc is struggling in qualifying.
8 April 11:37AM
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Leclerc matter of factly declared that his race could not have gone better, before turning his attention to his qualifying form. "It's my qualifying pace [which is the problem]," he began. "It is not something that I've not been very used to in my career to be working on my qualifying pace, because normally it's pretty good on the Saturday.”

A difference of opinion? His team principal, however, doesn’t quite see it that way. When asked what Ferrari has to do differently to get Leclerc’s qualifying pace back on track, Vasseur dismissed the premise of the question when speaking with media, including RacingNews365. "You don't have to draw a conclusion, just based on the classification,” he quickly responded.

"I think where we missed a little bit this weekend with Charles [in qualifying] was the first lap of Q1, because he didn’t do a very good lap, and we had to put a second set [of soft tyres] because we were a little bit at risk. "Then when you go to Q3, you have only one set and you are a little bit on the backfoot because you think: ‘if I make a mistake, I will be P10.’ We didn’t take the right approach, but I am convinced that Charles is a competitor, he is a good one on the one lap and he’ll be back.”

'He'll be back';

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-soothes-leclerc-fear-after-japan-woes-hell-be-back

Vasseur Not Worried At All About Leclerc Slump
17:18 Sun, 07 Apr 2024.
GrandPrix.com

Frederic Vasseur insists he's not worried "at all" about Charles Leclerc's currently flagging form. Earlier at Suzuka, Formula 1 journalist Marijn Abbenhuijs asked the 26-year-old driver if he is worried that his currently unemployed-in-2025 teammate Carlos Sainz is shining brighter in this year's Ferrari so far.

Specifically, the Algemeen Dagblad reporter wondered if the pressure of being chosen as Lewis Hamilton's 2025 teammate over Sainz has piled on too much pressure. No, that's not the case, Leclerc insisted.

Abbenhuijs even pointed out that Leclerc lost his temper with a malfunctioning microphone during his interview, grumbling I'll stop, this makes no sense before being urged by his press officer to persevere. In short, the journalist noted, high tension is radiating from Leclerc, while Sainz coolly continues to perform better.

‘High tension is radiating from Leclerc’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/vasseur-not-worried-at-all-about-leclerc-slump.html

Leclerc blames poor qualifying for failure to make the podium at Suzuka
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Charles Leclerc finished fourth in the Japanese Grand Prix – but said afterwards he is “paying the price in the race” for difficult qualifying sessions at the last two events.

‘Leclerc blames poor qualifying’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.leclerc-blames-poor-qualifying-for-failure-to-make-the-podium-at-suzuka.1795660710746637707.html

Leclerc ‘paid the price’ for poor qualifying in Japanese GP as he vows to work on struggles
08 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc enjoyed a strong drive to P4 in the Japanese Grand Prix, but the Monegasque admitted that he was “paying the price” for his qualifying struggles in the race, having missed out on a podium position to Ferrari team mate Carlos Sainz.

Leclerc started the event from P8 on the grid after a difficult qualifying on Saturday, in which he had to use two sets of soft tyres in Q1 to avoid elimination. This resulted in him relying on just one flying lap in Q3. “I think we didn’t have a better result mostly because of the qualifying yesterday and this is where I want to focus, which is strange – in the past I never had to really focus on qualifying because that was one of our strengths.”

“It’s also good to be voted Driver of the Day. Sometimes you do great races but you are a bit on your own, nobody notices it. Today I’m happy that people noticed it, and we’ll focus on the next race to try and put everything together, and to finally have the result that we want.”

‘Voted Driver of the Day’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/leclerc-paid-the-price-for-poor-qualifying-in-japanese-gp-as-he-vows-to-work.1h2CALzqr7C4dZKDzLZhXe

Ferrari’s tyre management is better now than I’ve ever had before – Leclerc
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 9th April 2024, 0:01
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

After climbing from eighth to fourth in the Japanese Grand Prix, Leclerc says Ferrari’s tyre management hasn’t been this good at any time since he joined the team in 2019.

“Since I arrived in Ferrari, we always had the tendency of being very fast in qualifying and struggling a lot with tyre management in the race,” he told Viaplay. “It’s for now the most positive beginning of the year I’ve seen in terms of tyre management and just the car being easier.”

“It’s not like we, the drivers, are doing something very different to what we were doing in the past. It’s just a car that is in a better place and manages the tyres better. So that is a good sign and it’s encouraging for the rest of the season.”

‘Ferrari’s tyre management is better now’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/09/racefans-round-up-09-04-7/

Fortitude

10th April 2024, 18:16

Lando Norris questions McLaren pit stop call after 'fighting a losing battle'.
Lando Norris wants to discuss McLaren's Japanese Grand Prix strategy with the team.
07 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lando Norris wants to discuss McLaren’s strategy after disagreeing with the team’s decision to pit him earlier than his rivals at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix. “It was a tough race,” Norris told Sky F1. “I think compared to those guys who had better pace, compared to the Ferraris, just not enough.”

“I think everything kind of fell back in-line in terms of Red Bull, Ferrari, us, which is a shame. It doesn’t feel great when you start third and just kind of go backwards and kind of feel like you’re just fighting a bit of a losing battle against these guys because they can just do a lot more. They can go longer and extend to have a much bigger tyre delta. It’s hard to fight on a track like this, but we gave it a good shot, we did what we could have done.”

“We’ve got the maximum points apart from these top two teams, which was all we could do. Charles did a good job to go that far on one set of tyres and then I’m kind of surprised we boxed as early as we did to be honest with you. Because that just put it in line with what Ferrari did, and we covered George [Russell] which I just didn’t think we maybe needed to do.”

'Fighting a losing battle';

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046576/1/lando-norris-questions-mclaren-pit-stop-call-after-fighting-losing-battle

Lando Norris wants McLaren F1 talks after nasty Japanese Grand Prix 'surprise'
Lando Norris started the Japanese Grand Prix third on the grid but finished the race fifth, unable to hold off the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in his McLaren
14:41 Tue, 09 Apr 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lando Norris was left "fighting a losing battle" and "surprised" by McLaren's pit strategy during a difficult Japanese Grand Prix.

Speaking afterwards, Norris appeared deflated and said he wants to talk with his team about the way they had executed the race. "It was a tough race - I think compared to those guys who had better pace, compared to the Ferraris, just not enough," he said.

"Charles did a good job to go that far on one set of tyres and then I'm kind of surprised we boxed as early as we did to be honest with you, because that just put it in line with what Ferrari did, and we covered George [Russell] which I just didn't think we maybe needed to do.”

‘McLaren F1 talks’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lando-norris-mclaren-andrea-stella-32546553

Stella stands by McLaren strategy calls for Norris in Japanese GP
10:06 Tue, 09 Apr 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella defended his team’s strategy. The Italian acknowledged that Ferrari's stronger race pace ultimately hampered their plans but maintained that the two-stop strategy was the best option given the information they had at the time.

“I think we were a little out of options because when we stopped Lando at the start, we kind of knew that Ferrari were ready to go to undercut us,” Stella explained.

“So we wanted to play preventatively. We had two sets of hard, so we could stop early, and in stopping Lando early we wanted to see like, can we go for the podium? And we even tried to see can we go for it to beat Perez?”

‘Best option given the information they had at the time’;

https://f1i.com/news/504942-stella-stands-by-mclaren-strategy-calls-for-norris-in-japanese-gp.html

It's the maximum of what we could achieve, admits Norris
09/04/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

With Red Bull out of reach, Lando Norris admits that McLaren is still no match for Ferrari either. Able to hold off Sainz at both starts, Norris was struggling and pitted on Lap 11 in a bid to undercut the Spaniard, who pitted four laps later. Though the strategy paid off, Norris lost out to the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc who had bravely opted for a long opening stint on the mediums.

When Norris made his second stop (on Lap 26) it coincided with Leclerc's first, but while the Monegasque rejoined in sixth, the Briton dropped to eighth behind Russell. Though he was able to work his way back up to fourth, behind Leclerc, he was subsequently passed by the second Ferrari ten laps later.

"Tough race!" said the Briton. "We gave it a good try, but we just didn't have enough pace today, so trying to cover and stay ahead of the Ferraris was challenging. "It was as expected, to be honest with you," he subsequently added. "Which is behind Ferrari, where we've been all year.”

‘Maximum of what we could achieve’;

https://www.pitpass.com/77404/Its-the-maximum-of-what-we-could-achieve-admits-Norris

McLaren strategy flaw identified giving Lando Norris “big disadvantage” in Japan
Did McLaren make two crucial mistakes with Lando Norris' strategy in Japan?
08 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sky Sports F1 pundit Bernie Collins has identified a significant flaw with McLaren’s strategy at the Japanese Grand Prix. Analysing McLaren’s strategy at Suzuka, Collins felt while they were right to put Norris on a two-stopper, the timing of the stops was the issue.

“Lando was very honest in thinking they stopped too early,” she said. “He’s got to feel disappointed to lose to Charles who was significantly further back. [Andrea] Stella said two stops didn’t make a difference. I think that’s correct.”

“But what did make the difference was Lando stopped four laps earlier than Sainz on the first stop, then 10 laps earlier on the second stop. In a race where we’re talking about significant deg, to do 10 extra laps on the final set is a big disadvantage in terms of total race time. It would have lost significant race time.”

‘McLaren strategy flaw identified’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046610/1/mclaren-strategy-flaw-identified-giving-lando-norris-big-disadvantage-japan

Lando Norris set for McLaren talks after being left 'surprised' at Japanese Grand Prix
Lando Norris was left frustrated after finishing fifth in the Japanese Grand Prix.
09:14, Wed, Apr 10, 2024
By Express Sport Reporter
Daily and Sunday Express

Lando Norris has discussed plans to hold talks with McLaren following an unexpected pit strategy during the challenging Japanese Grand Prix. The British driver, who had high hopes of securing consecutive podiums after qualifying third on the grid for Sunday's race, was unable to fend off the advancing Ferraris.

A visibly disappointed Norris spoke afterwards about wanting to discuss the race execution with his team. "It was a tough race - I think compared to those guys who had better pace, compared to the Ferraris, just not enough.”

Norris also expressed his surprise at the team's strategy, saying: "Charles did a good job to go that far on one set of tyres and then I'm kind of surprised we boxed as early as we did to be honest with you, because that just put it in line with what Ferrari did, and we covered George [Russell] which I just didn't think we maybe needed to do.”

‘Frustrated after finishing fifth’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1886742/Lando-Norris-McLaren-Japanese-Grand-Prix

Fortitude

11th April 2024, 07:46

‘Normally we should be P9’ – Alonso praises Aston Martin for maximising ‘small factors’ to finish P6 in Japan.
Fernando Alonso was delighted with his drive to P6 in the Japanese Grand Prix, given that – with the Spaniard believing Aston Martin to currently be the “fifth fastest team” – he thinks they should typically be finishing in P9 or P10.
08 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

After lining up in P5 on the grid, Alonso looked to have good pace in the early stages of the race on the soft tyre. During his second stint on the medium compound, the two-time world champion was running in sixth and found himself being chased down by Oscar Piastri and George Russell.

Alonso allowed Piastri to stay close enough to use DRS, which enabled the McLaren driver to defend from Russell, and this ultimately helped Alonso to hold on to P6 to the chequered flag.

Reflecting on how he felt about the car’s race pace – with this not having been a strong point for the squad so far in 2024 – Alonso said: “I think we were a little bit better than the last few events, but we still need some pace compared to McLaren and Mercedes. Red Bull and Ferrari, they are in another league.”

‘Maximising ‘small factors’ to finish P6’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/normally-we-should-be-p9-alonso-praises-aston-martin-for-maximising-small.2NqZrT7vG9R1SHC6h4mvN6

Japan ‘one of my best weekends but everyone will forget it tomorrow’ – Alonso
7th April 2024, 12:08
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“I think it was one of my best races or my best weekends,” Alonso told Sky. “I think it was very complete and very strong, very solid. I think it was one of my best races or my best weekends,” Alonso told Sky. “I think it was very complete and very strong, very solid. Since free practice, to the race, maybe the best of the last year or maybe even top five of my career. But this is going to be completely anonymous.”

“I felt connected with the car. I think P5 yesterday is completely out of position and P6 today is completely out of position. We are definitely slower than Red Bull and Ferrari, they are maybe in another league at the moment. But I think McLaren and Mercedes, they are faster than us. Mercedes did experiment a little bit with a hard starting tyre today and a little bit of a bold strategy. But thanks to that, we capitalised on the position.”

“One of my best weekends”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/07/japan-one-of-my-best-weekends-but-everyone-will-forget-it-tomorrow-alonso/

Alonso happy with P6 in Japan – ‘Normally we should be P9’
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso scored another solid points finish with sixth place at Suzuka – which he was especially pleased with given he reckons the Aston Martin should be finishing in 9th or 10th given its pace.

‘Alonso happy with P6 in Japan’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.alonso-happy-with-p6-in-japan-normally-we-should-be-p9.1795662030488640315.html

Fernando Alonso jokes about F1 ban as George Russell weighs in on DRS ‘games’
Fernando Alonso has joked about getting a season-long ban after playing some DRS 'games' in Japan.
08 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso has teased Mercedes by dismissing the idea of giving team principal Toto Wolff a call about their vacant F1 seat for 2025. Alonso has suggested he will make a call on his future after the opening few races of the 2024 season and was asked by Sky if his performance in Japan made his decision any easier.

"I had a lot of fun, which is great, to keep on racing,” the two-time world champion said. “I had one of my best weekends ever, I think, driving, and I'm 44 seconds behind the leader. It doesn't feel attractive at the same time. So let's see.”

When asked if would be more fun to drive for a team further up the grid and whether he would give Wolff a call, Alonso laughed: "That's a very good question. But Mercedes are behind us, so it doesn't feel very attractive.”

"I had a lot of fun, which is great, to keep on racing,”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046577/1/fernando-alonso-teases-mercedes-behind-us-so-not-very-attractive-verdict

Aston Martin’s ‘Plan A, B and C’ strategy to keep Alonso – de la Rosa
09:49 Wed, 10 Apr 2024.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Aston Martin, under Lawrence Stroll’s ownership, values Alonso’s presence highly, alongside Lance Stroll. Pedro de la Rosa, an Aston Martin ambassador and Alonso’s trusted associate, emphasizes the team’s efforts to create a compelling environment for Alonso’s stay, stating that he is the “Plan A, B and C.”

“The most important thing is to give Fernando reasons to stay with us,” he said, asserting the team’s singular focus on retaining him without considering any alternatives. He passionately concludes that the team is content with both Alonso and Stroll, pinning their hopes on upcoming upgrades and an ambitious development strategy to ensure a competitive car, believing it to be “the most important weapon to convince Fernando.”

‘Aston Martin’s ‘Plan A, B and C’ strategy’;

https://grandpx.news/aston-martins-plan-a-b-and-c-strategy-to-keep-alonso-de-la-rosa/

For Aston Martin no plan B to Alonso
Momentum is building towards a deal to keep Fernando Alonso at Aston Martin beyond 2024.
GrandPrix.com

According to Aston Martin, the Lawrence Stroll-owned team is more than happy with Alonso - whilst Lance Stroll's seat appears set in stone. Pedro de la Rosa, Aston Martin brand ambassador and a close friend and long-time confidante of Alonso's, basically confirms that.

“The most important thing is to give Fernando reasons to stay with us”, the former F1 driver told Cadena Ser. “We desperately want him to stay with us”, de la Rosa added. "And in the team we do not contemplate a different scenario. We are working for Fernando to continue and we are working as if he is going to continue.”

“There is no plan B. Our plan A, B and C is Fernando. We are not looking around”, said the Spaniard. "The team is very happy with Fernando and Lance. We brought some small improvements to Suzuka and we have a very interesting and very ambitious development program for the next races, de la Rosa added. It is the most important weapon to convince Fernando - a car that is more and more competitive.”

“No plan B to Alonso”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/for-aston-martin-no-plan-b-to-alonso.html

Fernando Alonso teases Mercedes with ‘behind us, so not very attractive’ verdict
Fernando Alonso has dismissed the suggestion he will give Toto Wolff a call about Mercedes' vacant seat.
07 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso has teased Mercedes by dismissing the idea of giving team principal Toto Wolff a call about their vacant F1 seat for 2025.

Alonso has suggested he will make a call on his future after the opening few races of the 2024 season and was asked by Sky if his performance in Japan made his decision any easier.

"I had a lot of fun, which is great, to keep on racing,” the two-time world champion said. “But Mercedes are behind us, so it doesn't feel very attractive.”

“Behind us, so not very attractive”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046577/1/fernando-alonso-teases-mercedes-behind-us-so-not-very-attractive-verdict

Aston Martin reveal Fernando Alonso contract hopes
April 10, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Aston Martin wants to keep Fernando Alonso in the team until 2026 and beyond. Mike Krack, team principal at Aston Martin, has repeatedly mentioned that retaining Fernando Alonso is the priority for 2025 and beyond. This is hardly a surprise, considering that the Spaniard is responsible for about 75% of the team’s points since his arrival last season.

Aston works to keep Alonso for the long-term. Speaking after the Japanese GP, Mike Krack emphasised the importance of aggressive mid-season development to convince Fernando Alonso to stay. In addition, he outlined the importance of showcasing the potential to deliver a race-winning car in the new 2026 regulations:

“If we have the wind tunnel available, and with the whole thing completed – together with Honda – it’s certainly attractive,” motorsport-total quotes him as saying. “Definitely more so than two years ago. But we also know that it’s [even though] it’s nice to have all these, you have to deliver on the track. That’s the only thing you’re measured on, that’s the most important thing. We still have to do more… We won’t stop. We’ll bring more parts over the course of the season to motivate him and make him happy at Aston Martin.”

“We still have to do more… We won’t stop”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/04/10/aston-martin-reveal-fernando-alonso-contract-hopes/

Fortitude

12th April 2024, 05:32

Toto Wolff tells George Russell to "take responsibility" amid divisive F1 debate.
George Russell was involved in a terrifying crash in the Australian Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso being handed a 20-second penalty for his part in the incident
18:44 Mon, 08 Apr 2024.
By Jacob Leeks Senior Sports Reporter
The Mirror

There was no contact between Russell and Alonso, but the stewards decided to hand the latter a 20-second penalty after finding he slowed down for the corner "slightly more than 100m earlier than he ever had going into that corner during the race".

But while the Spaniard was deemed to have driven "in a manner that was at very least 'potentially dangerous'", Russell's team principal Toto Wolff believes his driver was also partially at fault.

"You can hear the drivers, they obviously understand much more on a track that I've never raced on, and they're split. I think Fernando was aggressively defending by trying to take out the momentum before the corner, and maybe he's overdone it," Wolff said. "George was just trying to [set up] an overtake there, but [he] also takes a certain part of responsibility for having lost the car there.”

‘Toto Wolff tells George Russell to "take responsibility"!’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/toto-wolff-george-russell-crash-32540319

Damon Hill insists George Russell was ‘desperate’ in Oscar Piastri clash
Mercedes’ Russell attempted to overtake McLaren’s Piastri at the final chicane of the Suzuka circuit
13:58 Sun, 07 Apr 2024.
Kieran Jackson
The Independent

Damon Hill was left unimpressed by a “desperate” attempted overtake by George Russell on Oscar Piastri during the latter stages of Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver, battling for seventh place, lunged down the inside of Piastri at the final chicane of the Suzuka circuit.

“I thought that was a little bit of an aggressive move actually,” Hill told Sky Sports F1. “Quite a risky one, required Oscar to take evasive action. So a bit desperate from George.”

‘Desperate attempted overtake’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-damon-hill-george-russell-oscar-piastri-japan-b2524705.html

Oscar Piastri’s George Russell verdict as Japan clash catches FIA attention
08 Apr 2024 6:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The stewards chose not to punish George Russell after a lunge on Oscar Piastri at the Suzuka chicane, a decision which will not get many complaints out of Piastri.

The stewards summoned both drivers but decided to take no further action, which Piastri believes was a fair outcome. “I think it’s probably a bit of a racing incident,” he said after the race. “He finished in front of me anyway, so I think it was fine.”

‘FIA attention’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-piastri-george-russell-verdict-japan-clash

Mercedes’ F1 decline: From domination to desperation?
April 10, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Hamilton’s inclination towards his confirmed future with Ferrari became apparent in Japan, where he mentioned initiating an “conversation” with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff about transitioning to the Maranello based team later in the year.

“Clearly Lewis is already focused on 2025, which shows a lack of confidence in his current team,” commented Ralf Schumacher, a former F1 driver, to Sky Deutschland. He added, “The fact that he’s already mentally in a different place clearly poses a serious problem.”

Mercedes, once the reigning force in F1, now faces a challenging period, marked by a performance downturn that began in 2022. Fernando Alonso voiced his reservations about joining Mercedes next year, citing the team’s lack of appeal. Christian Danner, another ex-F1 driver, shared his observations on Toto Wolff’s recent comments, suggesting a disconnect between Wolff’s positive remarks and the team’s actual performance at Suzuka. He critically noted, “When he said his drivers did well at Suzuka, I thought he’s seen a different race.”

‘Mercedes’ F1 decline’;

https://grandpx.news/mercedes-f1-decline-from-domination-to-desperation/

Mercedes have 'knife edge' problem as Martin Brundle lists daily failings of F1 giants
Martin Brundle has voiced his fears for Mercedes after their wretched start to 2024.
11:35, Wed, Apr 10, 2024
By Fraser Watson
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 pundit Martin Brundle has voiced his fears for Mercedes after claiming the team don’t even understand their ‘knife edge’ car. Brundle believes their lack of pace and consistency reflects a lack of understanding within Mercedes. “Their problem is, from time to time, the thing performs beautifully and they are really quite fast in phases,” he told the Sky Sports F1 Podcast.

“But, they can't seem to reproduce that session to session, let alone day to day, let alone Grand Prix to Grand Prix. This is the problem they have got - this knife edge of a car that sometimes looks like they have finally sorted it and more of the time they just can't understand it.”

‘Don’t even understand their ‘knife edge’ car’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1886825/Mercedes-Martin-Brundle-Wolff-Hamilton

George Russell reveals unseen Mercedes W15 issue as F1 2024 woes continue
10 Apr 2024 1:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Never mind his W15, George Russell’s latest issue for the 2024 F1 season is his helmet and the way the dirty air off the car ahead is “buffeting” it. At the start of a season where there have been bouncing, cornering and temperature issues for the Mercedes F1 car, apparently there have also been helmet issues for the drivers. Most notably for George Russell when following another car.

“It’s been a bit of a theme this year,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com about the issue. “But I have had no problem with helmets in practice and qualifying, and then as soon as we get to the race with all the turbulence and cars around there’s lots of buffeting and struggling a bit in this regard.”

“Buffeting”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-reveals-mercedes-w15-unseen-f1-2024-woes-continue

Russell’s shaking helmet a new headache for drivers
10:14 Thu, 11 Apr 2024.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Mercedes F1 driver George Russell has raised concerns about a new consequence of F1 aerodynamics: turbulence strong enough to cause his helmet to shake violently. The phenomenon raises concerns about driver comfort and focus, especially considering the extreme G-forces and concentration required to compete in Formula 1.

The dynamic wake is taking its toll on the spectacle out on the track as drivers struggle to follow another car closely enough to attempt an overtaking move. But Russel’s experience, which he highlighted to his team over the radio last weekend in Japan, sheds light on another, potentially safety-related issue for drivers.

‘Shaking helmet a new headache’;

https://f1i.com/news/505037-russells-shaking-helmet-a-new-headache-for-drivers.html

George Russell advantage over Lewis Hamilton emerges in Toto Wolff's Mercedes admission
Lewis Hamilton started the Japanese Grand Prix seventh with George Russell two places behind, but they finished the Suzuka race in the opposite order after one Mercedes driver let the other pass
11:01 Wed, 10 Apr 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton yielded to team-mate George Russell during the Japanese Grand Prix because he had been compromised by "testing" during the race. That was the explanation from team principal Toto Wolff when asked after the Suzuka race why the seven-time F1 champion had allowed his fellow Mercedes driver by without a fight. Hamilton started seventh but finished ninth, while Russell rose two places to cross the line in the same position as his team-mate had started.

The Austrian said: "The result is really bad - qualifying and race, same result. But it was testing at the moment. We're in a position that we're fourth in the championship and lots of room to the back and we are orientating ourselves forward and that's why we need this mileage to understand. This week it was really positive. We changed the car upside down on what we're doing to it and we had some real performance. Suzuka last year was among our worst tracks.”

"[This year] we were pretty close to the frontrunners in qualifying and then second and third stint today, the moment we decided it was a two-stop we were very competitive and the first stint was atrocious. So, in summary, good learning, really bad on the final points table."

‘George Russell advantage over Lewis Hamilton’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-russell-mercedes-h2h-wolff-32552734

Fortitude

12th April 2024, 12:44

“Retirement not an option” says Alonso as new deal keeps him in F1 until 45.
Fernando Alonso’s pursuit of the third world championship which has eluded him for almost 20 years will further extend what is already the longest Formula 1 career of all time.
12th April 2024, 11:5
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Few drivers in recent decades have raced into their forties. Alonso took the place of another multiple world champion, Sebastian Vettel, who left F1 at the age of 35. But Alonso said yesterday his mind “never went” to the possibility of retirement, and he plans to carry on racing in other series once he leaves the world championship.

“When I stop Formula 1 I will race elsewhere,” he told media including RaceFans. “Maybe Dakar or something like that. “For me, it’s very difficult to really think about a life without a steering wheel in my hands. That will never happen, or not in the short term. I had 99% confidence that I will keep racing next year, so retirement was not an option.”

“Retirement not an option”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/12/retirement-not-an-option-says-alonso-as-new-deal-keeps-him-in-f1-until-45/

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin have best 'project' for new F1 regulations in 2026
Fernando Alonso signed a contract extension to remain with Aston Martin until at least the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season; Alonso believes the team are well set for the introduction of new regulations in 2026
Friday 12 April 2024 10:19, UK
Sky Sports

Fernando Alonso says his decision to sign a contract extension with Aston Martin was motivated by his belief that the team have the best "project" for when new Formula 1 regulations are introduced in 2026.

"I think in 2026 we are going into the unknown, for sure, in terms of regulations," Alonso said. "But if I had to choose one, my feeling is, I would choose our project and our engine and our power unit. One, it's because I think they (Honda) are dominating the sport now, they have a very, very strong engine with Red Bull and RB.”

‘Aston Martin have best 'project' for new F1 regulations in 2026’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13113128/fernando-alonso-says-aston-martin-have-best-project-for-new-f1-regulations-in-2026

Alonso signs multi-year contract with Aston Martin
12 Apr 2024, 08:25
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

After months of considerable speculation around the most experienced driver in the history of Formula One, Fernando Alonso has underlined his commitment to Aston Martin Aramco by signing a new multi-year deal.

The new contract will see Alonso race for Aston Martin for at least two more season, which also means that he will stay with the team when the sport embarks on a new technical era. At the same time, the Silverstone-based outfit will make the switch from the Mercedes power unit to Honda in 2026.

"I am very grateful for the trust Lawrence, Martin and Mike have put in me and with Lance I am excited to see what else we can achieve together. This is only the beginning for this project and I am proud to be part of it. I am at my physical best and still hungry. I will give my all as we continue our journey to becoming a world championship winning team."

‘Multi-year contract’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24487

Martin Brundle shares one ‘incredible’ thing about Fernando Alonso extension
Fri 12 April 2024 08:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle has offered his reaction on X after Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso signed a contract extension with the team. Aston confirmed on Thursday evening that Alonso had penned a multi-year new deal.

Alonso was one of many drivers in the final year of his contract, but team principal Mike Krack had already confirmed that the team would try to tie him down in the early part of the season. The Spaniard scored eight podiums for the team last year and has maintained that excellent form into 2024 even though they have regressed.

Martin Brundle raves about ‘exceptional’ Fernando Alonso. Writing on X, Brundle marvelled at Alonso’s ‘incredible’ longevity. He feels it would be worthy of praise ‘in any sport’, not just Formula 1. The Sky Sports F1 pundit said: “That man has incredible motivation and staying power. And enduring talent. Exceptional, in any sport, in any era.”

‘One ‘incredible’ thing about Fernando Alonso extension’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-shares-one-incredible-thing-about-fernando-alonso-extension/

Fernando Alonso set for awkward F1 reunion as Aston Martin star holds clear-the-air talks
Fernando Alonso has agreed a new contract with Aston Martin that could see him spend a 'lifetime' working with the Silverstone-based F1 squad beyond retirement from racing
12th April 2024, 08:43
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Fernando Alonso's new Aston Martin deal will see him reunite with Honda a decade on from his "embarrassing" public criticism of their engines. The Spaniard is no stranger to Honda power units, having driven McLaren cars propelled by the Japanese manufacturer's creations for three years between 2015 and 2017.

However, it was not a happy partnership amid concerns about both the reliability and the performance of those engines. Alonso's most infamous criticism was broadcast to viewers around the globe during the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix. After being overtaken by Marcus Ericsson in a Sauber, he told his race engineer: "It feels like GP2. Embarrassing. Very embarrassing."

He repeated the "GP2 engine" barb when he was overtaken by a fresh-faced Max Verstappen in the Toro Rosso, before letting out a frustrated cry. He finished that race 11th, while team-mate Jenson Button also failed to score.

‘Awkward F1 reunion’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fernando-alonso-f1-aston-martin-32569391

Alonso: A ‘true pleasure’ to work once again with Honda
12/04/2024 at 09:25
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin’s upcoming partnership with Honda was an important part of his decision to remain with the Silverstone-based outfit. "Part of the decision to stay at Aston is because they are with Honda for 2026. It was very, very important to me," Alonso said.

"Honda is definitely a manufacturer that has so much success in Formula 1 and in the world of motorsport, it was always a company that I respected. It didn't work for us at McLaren, in the years that they came to the sport, but right after that they fixed all the problems and they are currently dominating the sport.”

"I think they will have a baseline for 2026 that is already very strong, but also they have the capacity in Sakura of building something really nice. After the experience with McLaren-Honda and IndyCar as well, we have now the opportunity to work again together. That for me is a true pleasure."

‘True pleasure’;

https://f1i.com/news/505086-alonso-a-true-pleasure-to-work-once-again-with-honda.html

ALONSO: ASTON ‘BUILDING’ FOR 2026 TITLE CHALLENGE
The Spanish veteran has just signed a new contract with the Silverstone-based outfit
April 12, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

New facilities and talented people. Alonso is also reassured by Aston Martin’s continued investment in F1, a sure sign that their ambitions are just as high as his own. He stated: “I was very clear to Aston in the first conversations that the appealing part of this project is everything that we are building.

“It was the new campus last year, it’s going to be the wind tunnel this year, it’s going to be the new regulations in 2026 and Honda coming as a partner. And I think that was for me a must, to enter new regulations with a new project, with a new wind tunnel and also with Honda as a partner, it was something for me that it was very important.”

“We have incredibly talented people in the team now in the technical side that will benefit from the new wind tunnel and the new facilities in Silverstone, so there were a lot of factors that made 2026 very appealing with Aston.”

‘Alonso: Aston ‘building’ for 2026 Title challenge’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alonso-aston-building-for-2026-title-challenge/

What does Alonso re-signing with Aston Martin mean for F1?
Fernando Alonso re-upping with Aston Martin will have widespread ramifications – for the teams he was linked with and for the free agents still without a drive for next year. So, what does it all mean?
12 April 9:35AM
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso had been one of the hottest free agents available for the 2025 F1 season. Now, with the news that he has signed a multi-year deal with Aston Martin, it is time to access what it means for everyone else. In typical Alonso fashion, the announcement was provocative and direct, confirmed in a Michael Jordan-esque press release that simply read: ‘I am here to stay.”

What is more immediately critical is the knock-on effect it has on the rest of the paddock, begging the questions: what does it mean for the teams he was linked with, and what impact does it have on other drivers?

Re-signing with Aston Martin might end up being the great market simplifier, cutting through the noise and nonsense by making the logical call. In choosing the stability of home over the seduction of the unknown, Alonso has streamlined the options for his suitors, who, in time, may come to thank him for it.

‘What does it all mean?’;

https://racingnews365.com/unpacking-what-alonso-re-signing-with-aston-martin-means-for-f1

Fortitude

12th April 2024, 16:04

Oscar Piastri warned of wingman status at McLaren if major flaw goes unaddressed.
Oscar Piastri has been warned that he risks becoming Lando Norris’s wingman at McLaren unless he is able to address his shortcomings with tyre management.
12 Apr 2024 2:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Tyre management proved to be a clear weakness for the Australian, with the most glaring example of his poor race pace coming at Suzuka 2023, where he finished 17 seconds behind Norris despite starting ahead on the grid.

Despite a couple of fourth-place finishes for Piastri in Saudi Arabia and Australia, Norris has once again led McLaren’s charge in the opening weeks of 2024, claiming the team’s best result so far with P3 in Melbourne.

With Piastri struggling to eighth in Japan last weekend, F1 commentator Harry Benjamin fears the 23-year-old could end up becoming Norris’s number two if he cannot improve quickly.

‘Warned of wingman status’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-piastri-number-two-mclaren

Piastri delivers clear response to Russell close call
Oscar Piastri endured a challenging race in Japan and was relegated to eighth place following a mistake while battling George Russell.
7 April 2024, 1:00PM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has accepted that his contact with George Russell during the Japanese Grand Prix was nothing more than a “racing incident”. Russell attempted a late race move on Piastri into the final chicane as he attempted to make up a position on fresher tyres. Speaking about the incident to media including RacingNews365, Piastri said: “I think it's probably a bit of a racing incident. He finished in front of me anyway, so I think it was fine.”

“I could tell that Fernando was trying to keep me there by the way he was using his energy,” Piastri reflected. “I think with how difficult it is to follow in these cars, it’s quite a good strategy to stop a quicker car coming through. A few tough moments with George but in the end, I made a mistake and he got past. Disappointing to let that one slip right at the end, just struggled a bit in general today.”

“I think it was fine”;

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-delivers-clear-response-to-russell-close-call

Oscar Piastri disappointed to let Russell slip through
Oscar Piastri was left disappointed by a mistake in the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix that allowed George Russell to pass him for seventh on the final lap.
7 April 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Piastri and Russell were locked in battle in the closing stages of the 53-lap affair, with the Australian seemingly having seen off the worst of the Mercedes driver’s assault.

“A few tough moments with George, but in the end I made a mistake and he got past,” Piastri lamented. “Disappointing to let that one slip right at the end, but yeah, struggled a bit in turbulent air.”

“Some strategies were a bit of a surprise,” Piastri noted. “Obviously, for Mercedes, I assumed their plan was to try the hard one-stop effectively and I think converted back to a medium. Impressive from Leclerc to pull off a one-stop. I don’t think we could have done a one-stop,” he added.

‘Disappointed’;

https://speedcafe.com/oscar-piastri-disappointed-to-let-russell-slip-through/

2024 Japanese Grand Prix: Russell snatches P7 on the final lap after wheel-to-wheel battle with Piastri
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Oscar Piastri was forced to run wide over the chicane after George Russell made a late lunge on the McLaren, but the Mercedes man managed to grab P7 from his rival on the very last lap at Suzuka.

‘Wheel-to-wheel battle’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-japanese-grand-prix-russell-snatches-p7-on-the-final-lap-after-wheel-to-wheel-battle-with-piastri.1795668934322420244.html

Piastri rues mistake during ‘tough moment’ with Russell
08/04/2024 at 10:12
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

While defending from Russell, Piastri was given a helping hand from Fernando Alonso up ahead. The Aston Martin driver cleverly exploited his battery energy to protect his position in P6 while also keeping Piastri in his DRS to help the Aussie keep the Mercedes at bay.

“I could tell Fernando was trying to keep me there by the way he was using his energy,” Piastri explained. “With how difficult it is to follow in these cars, it is a good strategy to try and stop a quicker car coming through.”

Oscar Piastri lamented a mistake on the penultimate lap of the Japanese GP that allowed Mercedes rival George Russell to slip by and snatch P7 from the McLaren charger at the checkered flag.

‘Rues mistake’;

https://f1i.com/news/504859-piastri-rues-mistake-during-tough-moment-with-russell.html

ALONSO JOKED ABOUT F1 BAN OVER PIASTRI DRS DEFENCE TACTICS
Fernando Alonso joked that he could not rule out getting disqualified for the rest of the Formula 1 season after unleashing some impressive defensive tricks in the Japanese Grand Prix.
Apr 8, 2024, 4:26 PM
Jonathan Noble
Juanjo Sáez
Motorsport.com

A fortnight on from receiving a penalty for potentially dangerous driving against George Russell during a last-lap battle in Australia, Alonso found himself needing to hold his rivals back once again at Suzuka.

Speaking to Spanish television channel DAZN after the race about his defensive games, Alonso said it was just normal racing, but cheekily suggested that after his penalty in Australia nothing could be taken for granted now. "I don't know what to say anymore after Australia, let's see if I get disqualified for the rest of the championship,” he smiled.

“It's clear that having Piastri behind, it was a way to defend myself from Russell, so I was probably taking a bit of battery off on the last straight to get Piastri within a second. Carlos did it like that in Singapore last year too, and it's a normal racing thing.”

‘Nothing could be taken for granted now’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-joked-about-f1-ban-over-piastri-drs-defence-tactics/10596385/

Fortitude

13th April 2024, 07:47

Lewis Hamilton struggles explained as Toto Wolff slammed for letting down Mercedes ace.
Lewis Hamilton has endured a challenging start to his final season as a Mercedes driver, although this isn't entirely down to his own performances.
06:30, Sat, Apr 13, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton is not at fault for his worrying start to the 2024 campaign, according to F1 analyst Mark Gallagher. Instead, he believes that Mercedes have failed the seven-time world champion by producing an unpredictable car that, combined with its two predecessors, has drained the Brit’s confidence.

Following two difficult seasons to kick off the ground effect era in 2022 and 2023, the current campaign has brought about Hamilton’s worst-ever start to a year. The 39-year-old has only finished higher than P9 on one occasion and has so far out-qualified team-mate George Russell just once.

This was acknowledged by Hamilton himself, who proclaimed it to be ‘even worse than 2009’ after he suffered a mechanical DNF at the Australian Grand Prix. Team principal Toto Wolff must now find his replacement without the promise of a predictable, consistently fast challenger to put underneath them.

‘Not at fault’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1887677/Lewis-Hamilton-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton makes fresh Ferrari declaration as Mercedes struggles continue
09 Apr 2024 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is unsure if Mercedes will allow him to start work with Ferrari before the F1 2025 season, insisting all his energy is focused on helping his current team “get back to the top.”

With his move to Ferrari confirmed so early in the year, Hamilton faces the unusual prospect of having to spend the entire 2024 season at Mercedes in the knowledge that team and driver will soon part ways.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher the morning after Hamilton’s bombshell, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted 2024 could present some “challenging situations” as the team aim to prevent Hamilton taking intimate secrets to his new employers.

“Challenging situations”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-ferrari-mercedes

Mercedes desperate amid performance catastrophe
10:32 Wed, 10 Apr 2024.
GrandPrix.com

Seven time world champion Hamilton - now regularly struggling to keep up with George Russell at Mercedes - is clearly already putting his mind into red overalls. He said in Japan that he will soon kick off an awkward conversation with Toto Wolff about when he can start his transition to Ferrari later this year.

“Clearly Lewis is already focused on 2025, which shows a lack of confidence in his current team”, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland. “The fact that he's already mentally in a different place clearly poses a serious problem.”

F1 driver Christian Danner, speaking to the Austrian broadcaster Servus TV explains: "If I have a not-so-fast car, I might do a nonsense tactic that could work if you're really lucky. So you see how desolate it is for them at the moment. It's obviously a catastrophe that we're witnessing”, said Danner. “Not just from Hamilton's point of view, where he's driving himself crazy and not getting anywhere, but also the whole team.”

‘Mercedes desperate’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/mercedes-desperate-amid-performance-catastrophe.html

EXCLUSIVE: Lewis Hamilton giving Mercedes "a hard time" as F1 team slammed over poor form
Lewis Hamilton leaves Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of this F1 season, but the idea of a triumphant exit has already long gone with the Silver Arrows struggling to perform
13th April 2024, 06:05
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Given the situation, former Formula 1 executive Mark Gallagher thinks it's only natural that Hamilton will be frustrated with the team. "Lewis is what he is and that is a highly experienced seven-time champion who exists to win," he told Mirror Sport, via Betway. "He doesn't exist to qualify in the third row or the fourth row and get a podium maybe if things go well.”

“He's there for winning and he is going to give himself a hard time if things aren't going well but he will also give the team a hard time. That's what you expect of the great drivers in a way." Hamilton's best result from the four races held so far was seventh in the Bahrain season-opener. Since then, he has finished ninth twice and failed to finish the Australian Grand Prix thanks to an engine failure.

Gallagher, who served on the board at Jordan Grand Prix and later worked for Jaguar and Red Bull Racing, thinks Hamilton's own performances have been "a little bit below par". But he insists it would be unfair to criticise the seven-time F1 champion for that given Mercedes' failure to provide him with the tools he needs to win.

“Experienced seven-time champion who exists to win”;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-car-criticism-32564416

Lewis Hamilton reacts to major F1 2025 calendar news with first Ferrari race venue confirmed
12 Apr 2024 4:30 PM
Henry Valantine

The 2025 calendar was announced with a run of five races in six weeks to start the season, but Hamilton’s first race for Ferrari will take place at Albert Park in Melbourne, the scene of many a curtain-raiser in years gone by – and the seven-time World Champion is pleased to see that be the case again next year.

“I love this track, this race,” Hamilton recently told media in Melbourne. “I think it was always the best first race of the season, so it’s exciting to hear that this is the first one next year – it just takes me back to when I first started.”

“I love this track, this race”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-f1-2025-calendar-reaction

Rumours swirl in Italy that Mercedes have chosen Lewis Hamilton replacement
Mercedes have reportedly decided which driver will replace Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 F1 season
12 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz has been chosen by Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement for the 2025 F1 season, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. The publication from Ferrari's homeland insist that Sainz will join Mercedes on a two-year deal, teaming up with George Russell.

Sainz is a safe bet for Mercedes having enjoyed a strong start to the 2024 F1 season, finishing on the podium in all three races - winning in Australia. If the report is to be believed, Sainz has been handed a two-year Mercedes deal.

Sainz’s arrival at Mercedes will have a knock-on effect for the rest of the grid, particularly their protege, Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The same report details that Red Bull are likely to retain Sergio Perez after his strong start to the year.

‘Rumours swirl’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046710/1/rumours-swirl-italy-mercedes-have-chosen-lewis-hamilton-replacement

Fortitude

13th April 2024, 17:48

Hulkenberg: Botched start in Japanese GP ruined chance of points.
Haas’ post-race analysis revealed an "anti-stall" issue during Hulkenberg's second start, which the US outfit will be investigating to prevent similar setbacks in the future.
12:58 Tue, 09 Apr 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Nico Hulkenberg concluded his Japanese GP just outside the points in P11… “I think 10th probably [was the highest I could have finished] – not more than that, definitely not more than that. [Tsunoda in 10th was] 50 seconds behind Hamilton so... I didn’t have that kind of pace!”

“[I made] one good start, one really bad start – went into anti-stall so we need to look into what happened, why it did that. But afterwards, head down, I think the pace was pretty good for midfield guys.”

“[I] had a very long stint on the first hard, and then had quite a splash and dash kind of on the second hard where I could really show some pace.” While he had little to show for his efforts at Suzuka, Hulkenberg was optimistic about the team's performance, believing it "definitely" set a promising tone for the upcoming races.

‘Hulkenberg was optimistic’;

https://f1i.com/news/504956-hulkenberg-botched-start-in-japanese-gp-ruined-chance-of-points.html

Hulkenberg hails 'half a miracle' despite points frustration
Nico Hulkenberg showed strong pace in Japan to narrowly miss out on his third consecutive race in the points.
8 April 8:00PM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

'Half a miracle' to recover: Hulkenberg recovered to 11th place at the chequered flag and just missed out on scoring his third consecutive points finish which would have marked Haas' longest streak since midway through the 2018 campaign.

The German driver admitted shock over the pace of his car amid Haas' pre-event expectations. “Honestly [I’m] a bit surprised that I managed to come back to where I did,” he said. “I think it's half a miracle, to be honest. It shows that we had good pace.”

"Obviously, I tried to go as quick as I could while managing the tyres as much as possible. It is a pity, because probably we could have fought Yuki [Tsunoda in 10th] or beaten Yuki. One point was up for grabs, but Hamilton was 50 seconds up the road, so that was out of reach."

'Half a miracle';

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg-rues-missed-opportunity-despite-half-a-miracle-in-japan

Suzuka performance ‘gives us hope for the coming races’ – Magnussen
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen was unable to score points in Japan as he finished 13th, but he was encouraged by the pace of the Haas car, which he says bodes well for the races ahead.

‘Gives us hope’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.suzuka-performance-gives-us-hope-for-the-coming-races-magnussen.1795660231396394791.html

Gene Haas ready to splash cash?: New era for smallest F1 team looms
09:12 Thu, 11 Apr 2024.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

In an optimistic turn of events for the Haas Formula 1 team, it appears that a much-needed financial boost is on the horizon, a move that many critics have been clamouring for. Ralf Schumacher, the former F1 driver, voiced concerns on Sky Deutschland, saying,

“The structure there is not geared towards the future and is not looking towards the future either. Investments are pending, but they are not being made because Gene Haas has other ideas,” he observed. “It’s currently a nice small team for newcomers like Oliver Bearman.”

Counteracting these sentiments, Ayao Komatsu: “Gene’s message to me from day one was crystal clear. He said he has the money, he is willing to invest, but we need to show him that we can use that money responsibly and efficiently. There’s a reason he’s a billionaire, right? He hates wasting money,” Komatsu elaborated. “We can improve in many areas, so I was not worried about his message. I know for sure that he will invest when we get there.”

‘Much-needed financial boost is on the horizon’;

https://grandpx.news/gene-haas-ready-to-splash-cash-new-era-for-smallest-f1-team-looms/

Why Haas F1 can continue to outperform midfield rivals
April 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Haas failed to score points at the Japanese GP, but Ayao Komatsu’s team proved the VF-24 is a well-rounded machine. A strong start off the line catapulted Nico Hulkenberg into the top 10, putting him in a strong position to deliver points in Suzuka. The VF-24’s straight-line speed, which was again on display in Japan, makes it a very difficult car to overtake. In combination with its overall pace, Hulkenberg was in contention to secure more points for Haas F1.

Arguably, Haas has been capable of scoring points at every race this season. Early contact for Hulkenberg was costly in Bahrain, whilst a poor red flag restart was the limiting factor last weekend. Despite these errors, the team’s time under the leadership of Ayao Komatsu has commenced in a very convincing way.

Considering the very clear top-five group in Formula 1, securing four points in the same number of race weekends is more than adequate. Alpine, Sauber and Williams are still without their first top-10 results in this year’s campaign.

‘Continuing to outperform midfield rivals’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/04/08/why-haas-f1-can-continue-to-outperform-midfield-rivals/

Haas boss Ayao Komatsu stunned F1 rival is ‘so mediocre’ in ‘honest’ verdict
Sat 13 April 2024 13:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Ayao Komatsu never expected Haas to start the Formula 1 season as strongly as they have but is just as shocked at how ‘mediocre’ one rival team has been so far in 2024. Ayao Komatsu is stunned at how ‘mediocre’ Alpine have been in 2024

Yet while Haas’ form has positively surprised Komatsu, their team principal also admits that he never imagined Alpine having such a ‘mediocre’ start to 2024. The Renault-owned outfit rank last in the constructors’ championship so far this season, having not yet scored a point. “The truth is that I knew our numbers and I didn’t believe that we would be able to take a huge step forward,” Komatsu has told Speedweek.
“Especially not to seventh place in the constructors’ championship. Now, let’s be honest, who among us could have imagined that Alpine would look so mediocre at the start of the season?”

‘‘SO mediocre’ in ‘honest’ verdict’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/haas-boss-ayao-komatsu-stunned-f1-rival-is-so-mediocre-in-honest-verdict/

Nico Hulkenberg urged to make ‘smart move’ as Haas look at ‘other ideas’ for F1 2025
10 Apr 2024 5:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Told by Ralf Schumacher to leave Haas who have “other ideas’ with Oliver Bearman in the running for a 2025 F1 seat, Karun Chandhok believes Sauber would be a “smart” move for Nico Hulkenberg.

Asked by Sky Deutschland if Hulkenberg should stay at Haas come 2025, the German replied: “No, certainly not. Haas is certainly a great team and everything will get better there, but the structure isn’t there and doesn’t look towards the future either.”

“Investments are pending but are not being made because Gene Haas has other ideas. It’s a nice, small team for newcomers like Oliver Bearman.”

‘Urged to make ‘smart move’’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-smart-move-haas-other-ideas-f1-2025

Guenther Steiner receives Haas blowback over accusation of misleading people
12 Apr 2024 7:27 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has said the team did not mislead people about their pace expectations, after Guenther Steiner claimed the team were “right on where they ended up to be.”

Komatsu has now responded to those claims, explaining that the numbers he read were not misrepresenting the reality of what he faced, and he could not factor in the drop-off in pace of rivals such as Alpine. “If you look at the data from the wind tunnel, it’s just a number,” Komatsu explained, as quoted by Motorsport-Magazin.

“I knew the figure and knew how much we had improved. Nevertheless, I had to assume that all the other teams had improved by at least the same amount or more. We started development late, we had to stop for two months because of the Austin upgrades and we are also the smallest team. It’s not like we have advanced methods, and I’m sure everyone else is just as smart as us on average.”

‘Guenther Steiner receives Haas blowback’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-receives-haas-blowback-over-accusation-of-misleading-people

Fortitude

14th April 2024, 11:31

Bottas pleased with Kick Sauber’s pace progress as Zhou rues ‘disappointing start of the year’ after Japan DNF.
There were mixed emotions for the Kick Sauber team at the Japanese Grand Prix, with Valtteri Bottas taking the positives from the squad’s improvement in pace while Zhou Guanyu was left disappointed after having to retire with a mechanical problem.
10 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Bottas ended up near the back of this pack and, after trying to find a way past the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, eventually crossed the line in P14. While this means that Kick Sauber are still yet to score a point in 2024, the 10-time race winner was left feeling optimistic about the car’s speed.

“Honestly it was a positive day in terms of the pace overall,” Bottas commented after the race “We did stop quite early on the second stop, and actually [at the] same time with all the others.”

“Unfortunately we ended up behind all the cars that we were racing, so then basically for the rest of the race I was stuck behind Kevin [Magnussen], who had really high top speed, so I couldn’t really find a way around him. But pace-wise I think it’s better than what the result is.”

‘Disappointing start of the year’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/bottas-pleased-with-kick-saubers-pace-progress-as-zhou-rues-disappointing.7lCT8c3LGHO72EEvyDwXr6

‘Pace was better than the result’ says Bottas after P14 finish in Japan
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Valtteri Bottas insisted there were positives for Kick Sauber at Suzuka, despite their points drought continuing.

‘Pace was better than the result’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.pace-was-better-than-the-result-says-bottas-after-p14-finish-in-japan.1795660696839387677.html

Bottas eyes escape from ruinous Stake F1 problem
Stake F1's recurring problems could be about to end.
13 April 11:23AM
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

The team was not able to react to the issue until it was first detected in testing, but after four races, Bottas feels a turn could be on offer in F1's return to Shanghai. "It is an issue that was kind of there, we didn't know before the season that it would be an issue, and it is not a quick fix," he said.

"But there is 100% a fix planned, hopefully for China, but it is still not 100%. Even before the Bahrain test, it was not a big concern, but in the test, we started to see some issues.”

Bottas was on course for a points finish in Australia, before a slow stop ruined his chances as he came home in 14th place on a strong weekend for the 10-time grand prix winner, but he defended the team. "We are in this together, and I was disappointed, the whole team was disappointed," he added. "These things shouldn't happen, but we are taking it seriously and it is a priority to get it sorted."

‘There is 100% a fix planned’;

https://racingnews365.com/bottas-eyes-escape-from-ruinous-stake-f1-problem

Bullish Bottas: ‘We can absolutely fight for points’
06 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Valtteri Bottas will start the Japanese Grand Prix from P13 on the grid, but is confident of being in the battle for a top 10 finish – assuming Kick Sauber have no more pit stop problems.

‘We can absolutely fight for points’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.bullish-bottas-we-can-absolutely-fight-for-points.1795567869809749654.html

Valtteri Bottas 2025 contract chances remain uncertain
April 12, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Valtteri Bottas is fighting to stay on the Formula 1 grid, but his options are slowly shrinking. There are only three drivers on the 2024 F1 grid with more accolades than Valtteri Bottas. The Finn has taken 10 race victories and 67 podiums in his career, with the majority coming during his five-year Mercedes stint. After a euphoric debut with Alfa Romeo Sauber in 2022, Bottas faces a series of challengers to his seat.

So far in 2024, misfortune has plagued Bottas in his campaign with Sauber. A generally uninspiring C44 machine has made points difficult to attain. Even worse, the Swiss-based team continues to struggle with pit-stop issues. Their equipment is still causing stops that put the 34-year-old out of points contention.

Limited options for Bottas. Fundamentally, the former Mercedes driver is in a race against time to keep his F1 career alive. Perhaps most frustratingly, his machinery will make it difficult to secure the landmark results necessary to convince rivals. His performances to start the 2024 campaign have been impressive – but this may not be enough in such a hotly contested market.

‘2025 contract chances remain uncertain’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/04/12/valtteri-bottas-2025-contract-chances-remain-uncertain/

Fortitude

14th April 2024, 17:38

Williams face F1 budget cap issue after £1.5m crash damage in fresh Alex Albon blow.
With outdated infrastructure and the need to get its 2024 car ready on time for the start of the season, Williams took a gamble and didn't build a spare chassis. However, that backfired at last month's Australian Grand Prix when Alex Albon crashed in practice.
12:59 Tue, 09 Apr 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

When Sargeant crashed in practice at last weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, they would have been fearing the worst. Fortunately, there was no damage done to the chassis - but Albon smashed up the other one on race day when he and Daniel Ricciardo hit the barrier on the first lap. That chassis has been sent back to Williams' UK base to again be repaired, further delaying production of the spare.

Even more concerningly for the team, the repair costs have already spiralled to a seven-figure amount that looks likely to have significant repercussions on the rest of the season. Like all F1 teams, Williams left a cushion when it made its pre-season budget cap calculations to account for crash damage. What they would not have expected is to have already racked up such a huge bill after only the first four rounds of a 24-race season.

Williams have made significant commercial strides in recent times and so have the financial power to deal with the unexpected expense. The team is working with former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon on that front - he has been brought in as a commercial adviser to the board.

‘£1.5m crash damage’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/williams-crashes-cost-albon-sargeant-32545534

Jolyon Palmer's Analysis: Williams' woes in Suzuka | Workday
09 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

F1 TV's Jolyon Palmer looks at Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon's crashes in Japan as the Williams team's troubles continued. For more analysis subscribe to F1 TV.

‘Analysis’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.jolyon-palmers-analysis-williams-woes-in-suzuka-workday.1795878565200219476.html

Three crashes in two races taking an “enormous” toll on Williams – Vowles
8th April 2024, 8:20
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The latest crash suffered by a Williams driver will delay their upgrade programme later in the season. Team principal James Vowles admitted that was an inevitable consequence of Alexander Albon’s first-lap crash with Daniel Ricciardo in yesterday’s Japanese Grand Prix. “The last two weeks have been tough,” Vowles told the official F1 channel. “I think, take any team, to have three major accidents where you pretty much take out all the equipment on the car is enormous.

“Taking that across the season, you can deal with it. Taking it across just a few races, it’s difficult and the impact of it will be what you expect. We’re making spares as quickly as possible in the background but ultimately performance will have an impact on that. We can’t bring as many updates. The updates that were on the car, unfortunately, are broken. So we’ve got to build those stocks back up and get going again.”

‘Three crashes in two races’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/08/three-crashes-in-two-races-taking-an-enormous-toll-on-williams-vowles/

The brutal cost of Williams's shocking F1 crash streak
Apr 9, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Three big crashes, two damaged chassis and no spare car adds up to a brutal cost for the Williams Formula 1 team that goes beyond a bill of more than $2million. This is well beyond the worst outcome Williams would have expected for the start of 2024 even though it knowingly took a big gamble ahead of the new season.

THE BRUTAL COST: The situation was so precarious even before Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, that Albon claims during his crash he was consciously thinking about how bad it would be for Williams while he was still heading for the wall.

Unsurprisingly the cost is enormous. The repairs, the replacement floors and wings and suspension components, at least two new gearboxes, the unexpected need to transport the chassis - it all adds up, and the three accidents are likely to cost Williams well over $2million once the full extent of Albon’s Suzuka crash is understood.

‘THE BRUTAL COST’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/williams-f1-crash-cost-chassis-albon-sargeant/

Williams on the brink: Chassis & spare parts nightmare for China
10:00 Mon, 08 Apr 2024.
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

In the lead-up to the next Formula 1 event in China, a cloud of concern looms over the Williams team, as Alex Albon voices grave apprehensions about the team’s capability to recuperate from a series of setbacks. Williams’ early journey through the 2024 season so far has been marred by a relentless series of mishaps, including delays, a critical shortage of chassis and spare parts, along with significant crash damage.

James Vowles, the team boss, acknowledged the precarious situation, admitting that the construction of a third chassis is still “A long way away.” This poses a significant challenge for the team as they also grapple with dwindling supplies of crucial spare components, including front and rear wings. Vowles elaborated on the team’s multifaceted efforts, emphasizing that the focus is not solely on the chassis but also on managing spare parts and updates to ensure continuity in their operations.

‘On the brink’;

https://grandpx.news/williams-on-the-brink-chassis-spare-parts-nightmare-for-china/

Formula 1: Why Williams find themselves in even deeper trouble
Only four races into the 2024 Formula 1 season, Williams appear to be in serious trouble already, and it could greatly hurt them later on.
Apr 9, 2024
By Siddharth Bharani-Dharan
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

What could happen later on? Williams not having the availability for the parts they need will prove to be a challenge going forward. As of right now, they are in a race against time to repair the chassis Albon used in Japan. The damage was reported to be serious after the 28-year-old’s crash with Daniel Ricciardo on the opening lap.

There is no guarantee this chassis will be repaired in time for the Chinese Grand Prix in less than two weeks. In addition, Williams have had to shift their focus to repairs rather than upgrades. Vowles had also stated that the team’s current supply of parts is nearly wiped out.

Additionally, Williams were expected to get an extra chassis for the season by the Miami Grand Prix in early May. That could be delayed due to the existing chassis repairs that must be done first. Another hardship Williams have been facing is the use of their budget for repairs and parts rather than upgrades.

‘No guarantee this chassis will be repaired in time’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/posts/formula-1-williams-deeper-trouble-01htzgcgpynp

Revealed: The cost to the budget cap of Williams’ crash damage
James Vowles details how Williams can recover from expensive damage
08 Apr 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

The total cost to the team is in excess of $2m, according to The Race. That is expenditure which must come out of Williams’ budget cap. The budget for every team is $135m in 2024. From that money, Williams and their rivals must pay for all parts on their cars, everything required to run the car, team personnel, garages and spare items.

The chassis from Albon’s car will be sent back to the HQ in the UK before being shipped to China, where the fifth round of the season will be staged in two weeks’ time. Williams only possess two chassis. The production of a spare has been delayed by the damage accrued this season. Team principal James Vowles admitted many crucial parts have been destroyed: “Hopefully, we can recycle some of those bits. But, no, they’re pretty much gone.”

‘Production of a spare has been delayed’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046606/1/revealed-cost-budget-cap-williams-crash-damage

What’s going on at Williams? Crunch time for James Vowles as pressure mounts
09 Apr 2024 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

James Vowles has talked the talk but now it is time, if you will, to chassis the chassis and spare the spare as while the team was the butt of many a meme in Japan, this is his first big test as Williams’ team boss.

Speaking even before pre-season testing, before even the first F1 car had put in a single lap in a shakedown, Vowles said Williams would be “late” to the on-track party. But it was, he implied, a well-thought-out and conscious decision. Blah, blah, “chassis technology is different”, blah, blah, “pushing everything to the limits”, and then perhaps more telling “challenged us to push ourselves beyond where we wanted to be”.

‘Pressure mounts’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/james-vowles-first-big-test-williams-f1-team-principal

Fortitude

15th April 2024, 07:37

Esteban Ocon shouts at Alpine engineer after fuming at Gasly over Japanese GP collision.
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon lost his cool with his race engineer at the Japanese GP after being told to "push now" after a collision with teammate Pierre Gasly. The coming together happened on the second restart at Suzuka after the race was red-flagged on Lap 1 as VCARB ace Daniel Ricciardo and Williams' Alex Albon ended up in the tyre barrier heading into Turn 2.
08:15, Sun, Apr 7, 2024
By Joshua Mbu
Daily and Sunday Express

Alpine's struggles continued in Japan as the team went without points again and nearly suffered a double DNF as their drivers collided. "Pierre gave me a hit at the side, let me know if it's okay," Ocon fumed. As the race progressed with the team still lacking behind its rivals, an Alpine race engineer later told Ocon: "OK Esteban we need to push now please, push now."

However, the race engineer's insistence only irritated Ocon. Alpine has been one of the worst cars on the grid in 2024 and is yet to score a point this season, and tensions are boiling over. "I am pushing what are you talking about!" Ocon snapped back.

‘Alpine's struggles’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1885727/Esteban-Ocon-Alpine-engineer-Pierre-Gasly-Japanese-GP

Esteban Ocon fumes at Pierre Gasly as Alpine F1 team-mates collide at Japanese GP
Alpine have endured a wretched start to the 2024 F1 season and moods at the Enstone team will not have been boosted by a touch between drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly at Suzuka
07:08 Sun, 07 Apr 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Esteban Ocon accused team-mate Pierre Gasly of hitting into his car in a terse radio message at the Japanese Grand Prix. The front-right tyre of Ocon's car hit into the sidepod of the other Alpine, while Gasly's rear-left returned the favour. And the contact left the former very unimpressed and clearly of the opinion that his fellow Frenchman was at fault.

"Pierre gave me a hit at the side, let me know if it's okay," he yelled over the radio. He would have been relieved when race engineer Josh Peckett informed him that, from what the team could see, there had been no damage done.

It was clear that they had both been far more fortunate than the two drivers who were already out of the race. Ricciardo and Albon's touch was very slight but enough to send them both off track and into the tyre wall at Turn 2.

‘Esteban Ocon fumes’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ocon-gasly-japanese-gp-alpine-32529334

Near disaster for Alpine as Ocon and Gasly collide
Sunday 7 April 2024 08:45, UK
Sky Sports

Alpine team-mates Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly collided with each other during the Japanese Grand Prix.

‘Near disaster’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13109887/near-disaster-for-alpine-as-ocon-and-gasly-collide

Ocon reveals he picked up damage after contact with team mate Gasly on Lap 1
07 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Esteban Ocon finished P15 in Japan and described the race as “very tricky” – not least because he damaged his car after making contact with his Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap.

“Very tricky”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.ocon-reveals-he-picked-up-damage-after-contact-with-team-mate-gasly-on-lap-1.1795660925341987621.html

Alpine crisis: Could this be the end of their current F1 lineup?
April 8, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Acknowledging the looming possibility that either or both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly might part ways with the embattled squad by year-end, Alpine has braced itself for such an outcome. The Renault-backed team, despite its official partnership, found itself lagging with the season’s slowest vehicle post-winter tests.

Upgrades, including a new front wing and much-needed weight cuts, were introduced at Suzuka, though Sunday’s race revealed negligible improvement in Ocon and Gasly’s performance.

“We were very aggressive on strategy,” Ocon disclosed to Canal Plus, “and we were in the game with the others at one point. But we weren’t fast enough to keep them behind. It was a good test to see exactly where we are,” he continued.

‘Alpine crisis’;

https://grandpx.news/alpine-crisis-could-this-be-the-end-of-their-current-f1-lineup/

Alpine prepared to lose both drivers for 2025
Alpine is "prepared" for the eventuality that Esteban Ocon or Pierre Gasly - or both - will abandon the crisis-struck team at the end of the year.
10:07 Mon, 08 Apr 2024.
GrandPrix.com

Team boss Bruno Famin says the next updates will only be added to the car in Miami, and insists that he is also trying to install “a better process and a better organisation” at the Viry and Enstone factories.

Both Ocon and Gasly, however, might clearly accept any offers to jump ship for 2025 - potentially good news for the rookie reserve driver, Jack Doohan. “I think he has been trained and he will be trained this year with quite a long testing program”, Famin said. "We are going to start soon because we need a car, we need a chassis to run that program.”

“After that, the driver market is going to be very dynamic”, he admitted. "Right now, I can say that we are happy with the drivers we have. But we are prepared for any scenario. Jack needs to test to keep growing - let's see what his future will be. But it's a bit early to answer that question.”

‘Alpine is prepared’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/alpine-prepared-to-lose-both-drivers-for-2025.html

Gasly rode out ‘very difficult' Japanese GP with damaged Alpine
08:45 Tue, 09 Apr 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

"I had an amazing first start, I managed to move up three positions,” Gasly recounted after the race.
"The second start was very good, I managed to pass Esteban and get alongside Yuki and then unfortunately, I got sandwiched – Yuki turning left, Esteban right, and [he] ultimately touched me on the left side of my floor.”

"After that, I was down something like 40 points of downforce, that it was pretty much game over – I was trying to stay out there, hoping for another red flag to make changes. It was just a racing incident, but it cost us a lot. It was a very long, very difficult afternoon."

“I got sandwiched”;

https://f1i.com/news/504934-gasly-rode-out-very-difficult-japanese-gp-with-damaged-alpine.html

ALPINE SALE RUMOURS EMERGE AMID KEY RENAULT DEMAND
Alpine’s disappointing start to the Formula 1 season has already fuelled talk that its parent company Renault could consider offers to sell the squad.
Apr 10, 2024, 12:10 PM
Motorsport.com

However, according to information gathered in recent weeks, any possible sale of the outfit would likely be on the condition that any new owner would continue to use Renault engine power for the foreseeable future.

The opening four races of the 2024 season have confirmed Alpine is in a difficult spot, with it standing last in the constructors’ championship on zero points with Sauber and Williams.

However, it appears to be the least competitive out of the three and, to make matters worse, it is not a customer outfit but a full-on works squad with car giant Renault behind it.

‘ALPINE SALE RUMOURS EMERGE’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alpine-sale-rumours-emerge-amid-key-renault-demand/10597127/

ALPINE F1 TEAM RESPONDS TO RUMOURS OF A POTENTIAL SALE
Enstone team's future has been the subject of speculation following disastrous start to 2024
April 10, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

Alpine responded to the rumours as they quickly gained traction, confirming the team is not for sale. As reported by PlanetF1, an Alpine spokesperson said:

“The rumours and stories about the team being for sale are false.
The team is categorically not for sale.”

What were the rumours? Speculation first began to emerge on Wednesday morning when motorsport.com stated a sale of Alpine was potentially on the cards. No interested parties were listed.

‘False rumours’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alpine-f1-team-responds-to-rumours-of-a-potential-sale/

Fortitude

15th April 2024, 15:10

‘Not on owner’s bestseller list’ – Williams boss James Vowles subject of surprise scathing criticism.
Williams team principal James Vowles has been told to look in the mirror after a difficult and expensive start to F1 2024 which will have left owner Dorilton Capital far from impressed.
14 Apr 2024 9:13 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

This claim is coming from a former Williams driver in Ralf Schumacher, who knows all about achieving success with the Grove-based team, as all six of his career wins came with Williams during their BMW partnership.

“I think Vowles has to look at himself a bit now,” Schumacher told Sky Germany. “I wouldn’t be surprised that he’s not necessarily on [the Williams] owner’s bestseller list.”

In the opinion of Schumacher, Sargeant is “overwhelmed” and it is time for him to consider life after Formula 1. “You have to be fair, he’s definitely gotten closer to Albon. But he just makes too many mistakes,” said Schumacher. “That’s evident in that he runs over the car.”

‘Surprise scathing criticism’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-james-vowles-criticism-ralf-schumacher

The true cost of F1 crashes: Williams’ new upgrade battle unveiled
April 15, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Williams’ ongoing challenges this season are significantly disrupting their development strategy for the 2024 car. The accumulation of crashes involving Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant has depleted the team’s inventory of spare components and necessitated urgent repairs to the chassis, as well as the urgent fabrication of an additional monocoque.

When questioned about the frequent accidents involving the drivers, team principal James Vowles stated, “It’s a strong question – one to ask the drivers.” “Probably the most important thing is the fact that in the last two races we lost a number of floors, rear wings, front wings,” revealed Vowles, as reported by France’s Auto Hebdo.

He further mentioned that the chaos has extended to damaging suspension components and gearboxes. “It’s a very long list and so difficult to keep pace with the quantity of spare parts we need while working on developments in the background,” he explained.

‘Disrupting their development strategy’;

https://grandpx.news/the-true-cost-of-f1-crashes-williams-new-upgrade-battle-unveiled/

'Williams way' required amid spare chassis struggles – Albon
Alex Albon has accepted that Williams are in a difficult position especially given they remain without a spare chassis.
15 April 2:50PM
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Alex Albon has accepted that it has become the "Williams way" to perform repair "miracles", with the team still being without a spare chassis. "Obviously, we haven't had a great start to the season," Albon conceded to select media including RacingNews365.

"With everything going as well, we've been on the backfoot. But it's always been kind of the Williams way that everyone digs deep and genuinely produces miracles to get cars built, prepared and ready on time. So unfortunately, we're going to have to rely on that for a little bit longer as well now.”

“But there is definite character building along the whole factory, across the whole factory. It's a tough, tough time, and obviously frustrating for everyone. I feel like we're in a tough place. And now it's just staying motivated and hungry and driven to bounce back."

‘Everyone digs deep and genuinely produces miracles’;

https://racingnews365.com/albon-accepts-producing-repair-miracles-the-williams-way

Williams reportedly exploring alternatives to Logan Sargeant
April 14, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Logan Sargeant is understood to be at risk of losing his Williams seat. Logan Sargeant must produce results if he is to convince Williams that he deserves a contract extension. Despite James Vowles consistently defending the American driver’s performances last season, his future at the team is not guaranteed. A combination of factors indicates that Williams is looking at other options in the market.

Williams exploring alternatives. Reports indicate that Williams is evaluating alternatives in the market ahead of 2025. This is hardly a surprise, considering the volume of high-calibre drivers available. Several options could bolster the team’s line-up in Formula 1 and Formula 2.

Putting aside the relatively unlikely possibility of Mercedes sending Kimi Antonelli to Grove for a season or two, James Vowles could turn to more experienced drivers – including former Williams driver Valtteri Bottas. The 10-time race winner could be replaced as Audi begins to stamp its authority in Sauber’s lineup. If Sauber does not retain him, the seasoned veteran will become.

‘Exploring alternatives’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/04/14/williams-reportedly-exploring-alternatives-to-logan-sargeant/

Jacques Villeneuve: Williams Racing Headed In ‘Right Direction’
Apr 15, 2024,08:00am EDT
Michael LoRé
Forbes

“They’re moving in the right direction and that’s super exciting to see because all of those years were really hard to watch,” said Villeneuve, a FIA Hall of Fame inductee. “Having won with Williams, and Williams has been such a big name in the racing industry, it was hard to see how they went down, but now to see it’s gradually going back up and in the right direction is fantastic.”

“Consistency is very important. Maybe there’s a little bit less pressure on the drivers now since the team seems to be in a more sound place,” Villeneuve said. “A lot depends on how the two drivers work together, which is something that’s very difficult to see from the outside.”

“If they have a similar driving style, then it will be much easier because they can help the engineers evolve the cars in the same direction. If you have two drivers who drive completely differently, then it will become more difficult to develop the car. They seem to get along very well. They seem to be working together very well.”

‘Gradually going back up’;

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellore/2024/04/15/jacques-villeneuve-williams-racing-headed-in-right-direction/

Fortitude

16th April 2024, 06:20

Honda say Aston Martin must sign drivers “we need to win”.
Honda wants Aston Martin to select the best possible driver combination for the 2026 season.
April 14, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation, emphasised that driver quality is the priority. Watanabe also explained there have been (and will be in the future) extensive conversations with Aston Martin about driver selection for 2026:

“We had many conversations with Aston Martin regarding our partnership starting from 2026,” he told motorsport.com. “During that time, we exchanged opinions about drivers too, and we shared an understanding between us and Aston Martin – that Alonso was definitely a top-class driver.”

“Aston Martin asked us if there would be any problems from Honda if they extended Alonso’s contract. The situation was shared at various stages. But Honda did not make any requests regarding this matter. In any case, we should naturally discuss what kind of driver line-up we need to win.”

“We need to win”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/04/14/f1-news-honda-want-aston-martin-to-create-driver-line-up-we-need-to-win/

Aston Martin can dream of bold Max Verstappen move after Honda chief’s emotional plea
Honda has underpinned Max Verstappen's success in F1, helping the Red Bull star to three Drivers' Championship titles.
06:01, Sun, Apr 14, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Aston Martin can dream of bringing Max Verstappen to their team after the 2026 technical regulation changes following emotional comments from Honda president Koji Watanabe. The Japanese engine manufacturers have contributed to the Dutchman’s F1 success to date but will soon be switching from Red Bull to the Silverstone-based outfit.

Discussing their relationship with Verstappen, Watanabe told Motorsport.com: "I don’t think that day will come within a very short period of time, but if both continue their Formula One activities in the future then we hope that we can work together again one day.

‘Bold Max Verstappen move’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1887803/Max-Verstappen-Aston-Martin-Honda

Honda opens new UK base ahead of its corporation with Aston Martin
Mar 2024, 21:00
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Honda has announced that it has established a new Formula One base in the UK as it gears up its preparation for the switch from Red Bull to Aston Martin.

Honda have now confirmed that they will establish a new UK base:"This new company has been founded to primarily perform post-race maintenance and preparation tasks on the Honda built F1 power units (PUs), whilst also operating as a logistics operation for the European region. The establishment of HRC UK will further enhance the effectiveness of Honda’s PU operations, in support of the partnership with Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team."

Following the establishment of the new company in the UK, HRC will start the recruitment of engineers, technicians and staff members for the new company from Spring 2024.

‘New UK base’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24466

Aston Martin insider shuts down notion Lance Stroll could quit F1
Suggestions that Lance Stroll could quit F1 have been rubbished by an insider from Aston Martin.
15 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Aston Martin ambassador Pedro de la Rosa insists there is no reason that Lance Stroll would quit F1. Speaking on the latest episode of the F1 Nation podcast, Damon Hill indicated that he felt Carlos Sainz could still end up at Aston Martin, despite Alonso’s recent contract renewal.

“The idea that Carlos would displace Fernando, I’m not sure if he’s got the nerve to do that,” the 1996 F1 world champion joked. “But anyway, I think that Pedro is the person to correct me on this one, but maybe Lance, if he decides to go and play tennis or something, two Spanish drivers would be a very strong team at Aston Martin.”

Hill was indeed corrected by de la Rosa, who argued: “Why should Lance not continue, Damon? I mean, there’s every reason to continue in the team with all the projects, and that’s the reason why Fernando decided to stay. So he’s had two incredible races in Jeddah and Australia where there was some parts of the race that he was faster than Fernando. He finished behind him. Well, in fact, in Australia, in front of him. So, I mean, come on.”

‘Rubbished by an insider from Aston Martin’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046908/1/aston-martin-insider-shuts-down-notion-lance-stroll-could-quit-f1

Ex-F1 driver leaps to defence of Lance Stroll as Aston Martin exit rumours swirl
13 Apr 2024 12:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Pedro de la Rosa stressed that Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll is the best Aston Martin driver line-up possible, as 1996 World Champion Damon Hill gave fresh momentum to the Carlos Sainz in, Stroll out speculation.

If they are to make that progress, further doubts have arisen over Stroll’s suitability for the task, ex-F1 driver Christian Danner and BBC F1 commentator Harry Benjamin among those sounding the alarm bells, while Hill now has advocated that an Alonso and Sainz pairing would be “very strong” for Aston Martin.

De la Rosa, who now serves as an Aston Martin ambassador, indeed chose to correct Hill, as he stressed that there is no reason why Stroll would want to quit F1, nor grounds to remove him from the team which is owned by his father Lawrence Stroll.

‘Leaps to defence of Lance Stroll’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pedro-de-la-rosa-defends-lance-stroll-aston-martin-future

Aston Martin expected to extend Lance Stroll contract
April 15, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

When considering the volume of talented drivers available, Aston Martin could make a statement ahead of 2026. Carlos Sainz and Yuki Tsunoda are among the drivers who the Silverstone-based team could sign. As a three-time race winner, Sainz has proven to be within touching distance of the exceptionally talented Charles Leclerc in recent seasons. Undoubtedly, he could improve Aston’s results and simultaneously raise the team’s profile. In a similar vein, Tsunoda’s arrival would make sense from a long-term standpoint. Not only is the 23-year-old performing at a very high level, but his presence in a Honda-powered team would certainly be a commercial boost.

Aston Martin still committed to Stroll. Despite this potent new variable, the Silverstone-based team’s commitment to Lance Stroll seems unwavering. According to a report from RACER, Mike Krack’s team have cited the Canadian’s “technical feedback” as extremely valuable. This quality – which is obviously impossible to measure from the outside – emphasises that Aston has no shortage of reasons at the ready to justify Stroll’s presence in the team.

‘Lance Stroll contract’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/04/15/f1-news-aston-martin-will-reportedly-extend-lance-stroll-contract/

‘Can Lance Stroll do that?’ – Ex-F1 driver questions Stroll’s contribution to Aston Martin
12 Apr 2024 1:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Showing “little” in the way of development, former F1 driver Christian Danner has questioned whether Lance Stroll is the right team-mate for Fernando Alonso going forward. The team made no mention of his team-mate but Stroll is expected, unless he makes the call to quit, to continue in 2025 given his father Lawrence owns the team.

Danner doesn’t believe that is the right move for the team who last season finished fifth in the Constructors’ Championship but would’ve been fourth had Stroll scored even half Alonso’s points, P3 had he matched him. “Lance Stroll is definitely not very consistently fast, although he’s decently quick every now and then,” the 73-year-old told Motorsport Magazin.

“Aston Martin has worked its way out of the midfield to be near the front. If you have a McLaren with you, if you want to attack a Norris and a Piastri, then you don’t just need one top driver, but two. The question is of course justified, can Lance Stroll do that?”

‘Can Lance Stroll do that?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/can-lance-stroll-do-that-ex-f1-driver-questions-contribution

Fortitude

16th April 2024, 13:37

F1 winner questions if Ferrari are ‘regretting’ Lewis Hamilton-Carlos Sainz decision.
Will Ferrari regret their decision to let Carlos Sainz go? That question has been posed by a former F1 race winner.
16 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Former F1 driver Mark Webber has questioned whether Ferrari may be “regretting” their decision to drop Carlos Sainz for Lewis Hamilton. “Look if you can’t get motivated because you don’t have a contract in your top pocket, you’re in strife,” eight-time grand prix winner Webber told C4.

“I think he’s a man on a mission now, he’s got the bit between his teeth, and obviously he’s driving brilliantly. Ferrari, you know, are they regretting their move?”

However, ex-F1 driver turned pundit and commentator Martin Brundle feels it is a pointless debate as he assessed Ferrari’s decision on the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast. “There’s no point Ferrari looking over their shoulder and wondering that. They made their decision, they wanted Lewis in the car, they’ve got him and they’ll make the most of it.”

‘Questions if Ferrari are regretting’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1046919/1/f1-winner-questions-if-ferrari-are-regretting-lewis-hamilton-carlos-sainz

‘I don’t see much good anymore’ – Dutch pundit’s Lewis Hamilton ‘past his prime’ verdict
15 Apr 2024 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Hamilton has recorded his worst-ever start to a Formula 1 season with just ten points in four Grands Prix, while the team is only a point ahead of Aston Martin in the fight for fourth place.

“It’s all just so bad,” Dutch racing driver Michael Bleekemolen told RacingNews365. “I think he’s past his prime. Things aren’t going well for him either. I don’t see much point in him anymore.” And it won’t get better when he joins Ferrari with Bleekemolen saying:

“Maybe he will end up in the top two or three again, that could just be possible. That won’t be easy, but it would be nice. I just don’t think it’s going to happen.” As for whether Hamilton could still win a record-breaking eighth World, he simply said: “No.”

‘Past his prime’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/i-dont-see-much-good-anymore-lewis-hamilton-past-his-prime-verdict

Alain Prost assesses Lewis Hamilton motivation in Max Verstappen Red Bull roadblock theory
16 Apr 2024 11:30 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Four-time World Champion Alain Prost believes Lewis Hamilton could re-find his motivation at Ferrari, theorising that the presence of Max Verstappen is what made a Red Bull move impossible.

Discussing Hamilton’s Ferrari move with Sports Illustrated, Prost said: “I can understand his decision because obviously when you are in a team like Mercedes, when they did not win a race for two years and they are really struggling to go back to the front, and at his age he has said, ‘Okay, why not try something different’.

“[He has had] such a long period with an English- team, Mercedes, with a way of working and then you go to an Italian team, especially with the different pressure, different way of thinking, he is under pressure from the media. I think it’s not that easy.” Hamilton will hope to achieve that elusive eighth World Championship with Ferrari which would see him set the new outright F1 record.

‘Alain Prost assesses Lewis Hamilton’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alain-prost-lewis-hamilton-motivation-max-verstappen-red-bull-block

[B]The 'huge' Ferrari improvement that has seen Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes sidelined
Carlos Sainz has beaten Hamilton in every race so far this season.
19:52 Mon, 15 Apr 2024.
BY MATTHEW COOPER SPORTS WRITER
MARK PIRIE DAILY RECORD SPORTS WRITER
Daily Record

Carlos Sainz has revealed that the secret to Ferrari's strategic improvement this year is simply because they now "have a car that is better on tyres".

Sainz made these comments after securing third place at the Japanese Grand Prix, trailing behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, while his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc came in fourth.

Lewis Hamilton, who is set to replace Sainz at Ferrari next season, finished ninth. This result means that Sainz has outperformed Hamilton in every race so far this season. Ferrari's strategy in Suzuka was widely commended, with both drivers making significant gains.

‘Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes sidelined’;

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/motor-sports/huge-ferrari-improvement-seen-lewis-32593415

Fred Vasseur explains how Lewis Hamilton’s arrival will help Charles Leclerc
Tue 16 April 2024 08:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

The struggling Charles Leclerc will benefit from the arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in 2025, according to team principal Fred Vasseur. The Scuderia announced in the winter that Hamilton would join next year.

Leclerc has found himself somewhat in the shadow of outgoing teammate Carlos Sainz this season. Even though Sainz missed the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix through illness, he’s within four points of the Monegasque in the standings.

Speaking to Radio France, Vasseur explained how racing alongside Hamilton could help him. Sainz has been responsible for Ferrari’s last three victories, with Leclerc’s victory drought stretching back to the 2022 Austrian GP.

‘Struggling Charles Leclerc’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fred-vasseur-explains-how-lewis-hamiltons-arrival-will-help-charles-leclerc/

Charles Leclerc ‘suffering’ with Carlos Sainz’s performances, ex-F1 driver claims
14 Apr 2024 1:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Vitantonio Liuzzi has said Charles Leclerc is “suffering” because of how Carlos Sainz has flown out of the traps in the 2024 season. Of the two current Ferrari drivers, it is Sainz who has received more plaudits so far this year after his victory in Australia and excellent drives in Bahrain and Suzuka.

With that, former Red Bull and Toro Rosso driver Liuzzi believes that is having a negative effect on Leclerc, who is facing an “important battle” in 2025 when Hamilton arrives at Maranello. “Ferrari has shown that it has made progress. It is not ready for the title, but it will have its say in many races,” Liuzzi said, as per Italian publication Corriere dello Sport.

“Charles Leclerc suffering’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-suffering-carlos-sainz-performances

Lewis Hamilton discusses the challenge of transitioning to Ferrari
Hamilton will spend the entire 2024 season knowing that it is his last at Mercedes before joining Ferrari
14 April 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he’s not sure how to navigate the transition from Mercedes to Ferrari as it is not a situation he has been in before. Hamilton was quizzed about the timing of initiating conversations with Ferrari about the transition period ahead of joining the team.

“I mean at some stage I will have to, I think I’ll start the conversation with Toto [Wolff]. Because I don’t know how to navigate it, I’ve never been in this position before at this point in the year,” Hamilton told the press in Japan.

He stressed that his energy is being put into improving the current car and situation at Mercedes, rather than the future with Ferrari. “I’m not quite sure yet how I’m going to navigate it but right now I want to finish on a high here so all of my energy is going into this,” Hamilton said.

‘Challenge of transitioning’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lewis-hamilton-discusses-challenge-transitioning-mercedes-ferrari/

Sainz shocker: Newspapers eye 1 or 2 year Mercedes deal
April 15, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Insider sources have informed several top Italian media outlets that Carlos Sainz is expected to join Mercedes in the 2025 racing season. This comes after persistent speculations have nearly solidified into confirmed reports, according to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere della Sera, and La Repubblica.

However, the efficacy of this strategic move for Sainz, who is currently performing well at Ferrari who are replacing him with Lewis Hamilton, remains under debate. “Mercedes is a long way off the pace,” former Red Bull racer Robert Doornbos commented on Ziggo Sport. “Even (Fernando) Alonso indicated that he didn’t want to sign there.”

Despite these concerns, La Gazzetta dello Sport seems certain that the Sainz-to-Mercedes transfer is imminent, with Sauber, under Audi’s new ownership, being the only notable alternative that was considered but subsequently passed over.

‘Sainz shocker’;

https://grandpx.news/sainz-shocker-newspapers-eye-1-or-2-year-mercedes-deal/

Fortitude

17th April 2024, 07:14

F1 2024 Chinese Grand Prix Preview – Everything You Need To Know.
Formula 1 returns to Shanghai after a 5-year hiatus for the Chinese Grand Prix. Following a dominant 1-2 in Japan, Red Bull and Max Verstappen will be hoping to continue their form in China.
14:29 Mon, 15 Apr 2024
Motorsport.com

Additionally, this weekend marks the first of the 6 sprint races held this season, limiting the teams to just one practice session before the Sprint shootout. This year also marks the first time that a Chinese driver will compete in his home race, with Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu making his hometown debut in a historic moment for fans. Steph Wentworth is joined by Alex Kalinauckas & Haydn Cobb as they preview the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix.

‘Hometown debut’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/f1-2024-chinese-grand-prix-preview-everything-you-need-to-know/649159/

How to watch the 2024 F1 Chinese Grand Prix: start time, live stream and TV schedule
April 15th 2024
Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

Chinese Grand Prix live stream and TV schedule
All times in BST

F1 sprint qualifying Session start time 8.30am Live coverage Sky Sports, Sky Go, NowTV 7.30am Highlights Channel 4 12.30pm
Friday 19th April

F1 sprint race Session start time 4am Live coverage Sky Sports, Sky Go, NowTV 3am Highlights Channel 4 12.15pm
Saturday 20th April

F1 qualifying Session start time 8am Live coverage Sky Sports, Sky Go, NowTV 7.45am Highlights Channel 4 12.15pm
Saturday 20th April

Chinese GP Session start time 8am Live coverage Sky Sports, Sky Go, NowTV 6.30am Highlights Channel 4 12.30pm
Sunday 21st April

‘How to watch’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/how-to-watch-the-2024-f1-chinese-grand-prix-start-time-live-stream-and-tv-schedule/?nowprocket=1#

China GP back after five years with contentious sprint as Zhou fulfils dream
17 April 2024 at 3:04 am
Daniel HICKS
Yahoo! Sport

Formula One returns to China for the first time in five years this week with a packed programme including a Saturday sprint race, but not everyone is happy with the Shanghai schedule.

"I think it's not great," said Red Bull's three-time world champion Verstappen about F1's choice of China as the first of the season's six sprint venues. "When you have been away from a track for quite a while you never know what you're going to experience," added Verstappen, who has never won in China.

Shanghai-born Zhou was a five-year-old spectator at the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix in 2004. "I couldn't be more excited to finally race on home soil in Shanghai," said Zhou, who drove an F2 car for Renault at the circuit in 2019 before stepping up to F1 in 2022. "To be the first Chinese driver ever to compete in Formula 1 in China means a lot to me. It fills me with immense joy, pride and responsibility.”

‘China GP back’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/china-gp-back-five-years-020453285.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJzd59Q8J-KTvOUij-WlnkpswlkvxWM9dS4MUmrGMyclrPK96ro19l9xsr74rE2BLQyR cds79PP0bFqE7XNazvExFmPLyTzBcO1bDPnTiOYBoYhUB17NBR FtHIu2FqX7CieXkRAQGi7_irvTM6P01LQOr0tFvWZFCPJA_Di4 mc59

The Shanghai surprise that awaits F1 after five year break
The Chinese Grand Prix is just around the corner, and it sure has been a while since the race has greeted our screens. In our latest podcast episode, we preview the race and discuss all the news on the build-up to the race.
16 April 5:15PM
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

For the first time since 2019, Formula 1 heads to the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend for the Chinese Grand Prix. The Chinese GP is no ordinary event, as it will host the first sprint race of 2024!

A LOT has happened in the last five years - join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Samuel Coop and Nick Golding as they discuss everything that has changed and some breaking news that occurred in the build-up to the event.

‘The Shanghai surprise’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-shanghai-surprise-that-awaits-f1-after-five-year-break

F1 Sprint explained: What's new for 2024?
16.04.2024
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

What are the major changes for 2024? The structure of F1 Sprint weekends has been revised. The Sprint Shootout to determine the grid for the Sprint will now take place following the sole Free Practice session on Friday.

Saturday will start with the Sprint – a 100km race with no mandatory tyre changes and points awarded on a sliding scale down to eighth place. Qualifying for the Grand Prix will follow the Saturday Sprint, with the Grand Prix taking place on Sunday.

‘What's new for 2024?’;

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/f1-sprint-explained-whats-new-for-2024

Verstappen: Adding Sprint race to Chinese GP weekend ‘not smart’
13:12 Mon, 15 Apr 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

No recent data on how the sport’s current ground-effect cars will behave on the demanding 5.4km track, but the circuit itself has undergone resurfacing… …a mere 60 minutes of practice time to find the perfect setup – an immense challenge considering the circumstance cited above. "Yeah, it's very smart to do that,” Verstappen ironized, speaking at Suzuka last time out.

"On the other hand, it probably spices things up a bit more, and that's maybe what they would like to see. But purely from a driving and performance perspective of the sport, I think it's not the smartest thing to do.”

"We'll see what we get there. I always loved driving there, so hopefully we can hit the ground running as well as we can, and hopefully we don't need to fine-tune too many things on the car."

‘Not smart’;

https://f1i.com/news/505261-verstappen-adding-sprint-race-to-chinese-gp-weekend-not-smart.html

Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz protest key F1 decision ahead of Chinese Grand Prix
The Chinese Grand Prix returns this weekend after a four-year absence, but some drivers are frustrated ahead of the race.
12:01, Mon, Apr 15, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The Chinese Grand Prix will return in style this weekend as F1 prepares for its first sprint race of the season. The decision to afford drivers just one hour of practice after the track’s four-year absence from the calendar has not been a popular one among drivers though, with Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz speaking out against it.

‘Some drivers are frustrated’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1888488/Max-Verstappen-Carlos-Sainz-Chinese-Grand-Prix

Martin Brundle dismisses driver concerns as Chinese GP returns F1 Sprint style
16 Apr 2024 8:30 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Not all drivers are comfortable with the Chinese GP returning in F1 Sprint form, but former driver turned pundit Martin Brundle has brushed off such worries. Championship leader Max Verstappen has called F1’s decision “not the smartest”, while Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez expects preparations to be “really hard” with the limited practice.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz also believes this is “not a good choice” and fears “Istanbul 2.0″ could be on the cards after the track resurfacing. That is in reference to F1’s return to Turkey in 2020, with the wet track more resembling an ice rink as rain fell on the fresh tarmac.

But, Brundle is not buying any of it… “They know their way around there, the simulators are pretty good and pretty realistic and they will have all been working hard on those,” said Brundle on the Sky F1 podcast. “So they will turn up pretty well prepared, the cars won’t be a million miles off on set-up, and they’ll just get on with it. It’s an extra challenge, but I don’t see it as a factor, personally.”

‘Not buying any of it!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-dismisses-driver-concerns-chinese-gp-sprint

Fortitude

17th April 2024, 13:49

Zhou shares ambitious Chinese GP target in bid to 'write history'.
Zhou Guanyu will race in his first home grand prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, where the Stake F1 driver is aiming for a strong result, despite his team’s difficult start to the season.
15 April 2:00PM
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guanyu is determined to score his team’s first points of the season at his first home race. Stake F1 has been mired by pit stop issues so far in 2024, masking any underlying race pace it might have, consigning its drivers to the lower reaches of the classifications.

Recent improvements to its woes saw the team cut its average total pit stop loss greatly at the Japanese Grand Prix. Now, Zhou is hoping to score Stake’s first points of the year.

“I couldn’t be more excited to finally race on home soil in Shanghai,” he said ahead of the event. To be the first Chinese driver ever to compete in Formula 1 in China means a lot to me – it fills me with immense joy, pride and responsibility. It isn’t just a race for me: after four years off the calendar, the championship finally returns, and with a Chinese driver on the grid, we will write history.”

'Write history';

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-shares-ambitious-target-for-chinese-gp

Getting to know Zhou Guanyu
15 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

We sit down with Kick Sauber driver, Zhou Guanyu to ask him some never-before asked questions!

‘Getting to know’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.getting-to-know-zhou-guanyu.1796115252264213308.html

Let's go to F1 driver Zhou Guanyu exhibition
19:29 UTC+8, 2024-04-13
Ding Yining
SHINE

An exclusive exhibition about China's first F1 driver Zhou Guanyu is being staged at the downtown Shanghai Jing'An Kerry Center. "From 2004 to 2024: Zhou Guanyu's Homecoming Special Exhibition" features Zhou's journey over the past 20 years, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the Chinese Grand Prix.

The façade of the Lululemon flagship store at Shanghai Jing'An Kerry Center on downtown Nanjing Road W has been re-decorated with Zhou's icon combined with the sports leisure brand's logo and giant flags with "Let's Go," his catchphrase in racing.

‘Zhou Guanyu exhibition’;

https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/2404134768/

Pedro de la Rosa can’t believe what Zhou Guanyu’s fans have done ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix
Tue 16 April 2024 18:30
David Comerford

Zhou Guanyu will get his first chance to race in front of his home fans this weekend in his fourth season of racing. F1 is heading back to the Shanghai International Circuit in China for the first time since 2019. The event hasn’t featured on the calendar in the four intervening seasons because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but it returns this year. Sauber driver Zhou has had to wait patiently.

Appearing on the F1 Nation podcast, former driver Pedro de la Rosa was left stunned by what his fans had done ahead of the race. Zhou is the first Chinese driver in F1 history, so it’s very much a landmark occasion.

Pedro de la Rosa stunned by Zhou Guanyu news ahead of Chinese GP. Zhou has his own grandstand for this weekend’s event, positioned opposite Sauber’s garage on the main straight. According to podcast host Tom Clarkson, it sold out rapidly when tickets went up for sale. As such, he will expecting quite the reception when he takes to the track for the opening practice session on Friday. De La Rosa can’t quite believe the scale of the interest.

‘Left stunned’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pedro-de-la-rosa-cant-believe-what-zhou-guanyus-fans-have-done-ahead-of-the-chinese-grand-prix/

Documentary on Chinese F1 driver to hit screens on April 19
15:32 UTC+8, 2024-04-17
Ma Yue
SHINE

A documentary featuring Chinese Formula One racer Zhou Guanyu opened in Shanghai on Tuesday, drawing over 1,000 fans to the Shanghai Poly Grand Theater.

The film "The First One" captures Zhou's racing career so far in detail. The Shanghai native grew interested in motorsports after watching the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in 2004. Zhou later traveled to the United Kingdom to study and compete in youth tournaments, eventually becoming a member of the world's top-tier motor racing competition.

The film revisits Zhou's significant races and career highlights, including his confirmation as an F1 driver and the terrifying crash in the British Grand Prix in 2022. The accident scene aired early in the documentary. "Those 10 seconds (in the car during the accident) were like the most crucial moment of my life," Zhou told Shanghai Daily. "It didn't frighten me, but in my mind, I did go through a lot of personal memories within those 10 seconds.”

"The First One";

https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/2404177193/

Milestone moment: Zhou's historic homecoming inspires special lid
11:45 Tue, 16 Apr 2024.
F1i.com

Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu will become the first Chinese driver to ever race an F1 car on home soil. The momentous occasion calls for a special celebration, and Zhou isn't holding back.

The 24-year-old has whipped up a special one-off helmet livery adorned with a sleek white base and a vibrant map of Shanghai's underground system and iconic landmarks.

‘Milestone moment’;

https://f1i.com/images/505306-milestone-moment-zhous-historic-homecoming-inspires-special-lid.html

China's first F1 driver Zhou Guanyu says 'endurance' key to success
16 Apr 2024 09:13PM
Channel NewsAsia

The 24-year-old, who made history in 2021 when he signed with Alfa Romeo as China's first Formula 1 driver, described his road to motorsport's highest level as arduous.

"As a Chinese driver, I am not in an area that belongs to me, I don't have anyone to guide me, I don't have a carmaker, I don't have any engine manufacturer," Zhou told reporters on Tuesday, after a screening of a documentary about his career.

"I am completely dependent on my own hard work as well as my team's," he said. "There is a lot that you have to endure, you have to discipline yourself internally in terms of some of your thoughts." Zhou said he envied Japanese drivers, who had a "Honda Dream Project to get them on track from childhood".

'Endurance key to success’;

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sport/china-first-f1-driver-zhou-guanyu-shanghai-grand-prix-4269391

Sauber's Zhou ready to ‘write history’ on home soil in China
15/04/2024 at 18:14
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Zhou emphasizes that his primary goal remains scoring points, a feat that has eluded him and the team so far in 2024.

“For me, though, the focus remains on performance: once I get to the track, I will treat this as any other weekend, and work hard to extract the most out of the car,” he added.

“I can’t wait to give it my all, share the passion with our entire team trackside and at home, and start a new chapter of Chinese motorsport together with the crowd. Most importantly, though, I can’t wait to have a good race and get back to scoring points.”

‘Primary goal remains scoring points’;

https://f1i.com/news/505275-saubers-zhou-ready-to-write-history-on-home-soil-in-china.html

Fortitude

18th April 2024, 05:26

Why Ferrari are confident they can challenge Red Bull.
In little over twelve months, Fred Vasseur can be credited with transforming the situation at Ferrari. After inheriting a team that was several steps behind Red Bull, the French team principal has overseen a dramatic overhaul at Maranello.
April 15, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Ferrari believes they are capable of putting Red Bull under pressure in 2024. For obvious reasons, the Scuderia’s victory courtesy of Carlos Sainz in Australia was a pivotal moment. The Spaniard led teammate Charles Leclerc to the team’s first 1-2 finish in two seasons. The third round of 2024 also confirmed Ferrari’s improved tyre management, a strength that was again confirmed as Leclerc executed a one-stop race in Suzuka.

In the last few months, Fred Vassuer has consistently emphasised the importance of putting pressure on Red Bull. For various reasons, the personnel at Maranello have reason to believe they can make the reigning Champions uneasy. Oddly enough, perhaps the most encouraging race of the season for Ferrari was in Japan. Whilst Red Bull secured a 1-2 finish with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, the race weekend in Suzuka surpassed expectations for Ferrari.

Heading into the race weekend, it was hypothesised that McLaren could challenge the Italian squad as the second-fastest team. The Japanese circuit’s high-speed characteristics are more favourable to the MCL38 than the SF-24. However, it was Ferrari that was Red Bull’s closest challenger at a circuit which – on paper – is not suited to their car.

‘Transforming the situation at Ferrari’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/04/15/why-ferrari-are-confident-they-can-challenge-red-bull/

Ferrari send clear warning to Red Bull after dominant ways return at Suzuka
11 Apr 2024 6:45AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

“For sure you have to improve the speed of the car, bring upgrades, but I think so far, we did not extract the best from the car,” Vasseur told Channel 4. “We are still doing some mistakes during the weekend and the first focus is to be able to get the best from what you have. Then, we’ll have time to improve the car.”

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has pinpointed an area of his game where he must improve – that being qualifying – after recovering to P4 from his P8 grid slot at Suzuka. Vasseur believes this need to perform better in qualifying runs across the team, as Ferrari aim to make sure that starts as of the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix.

“I think we did a very solid Sunday,” said Vasseur of Ferrari’s Japanese GP, which saw Sainz claim P3 and Leclerc P4. “We had a very good recovery, we had a good strategy, a very good tyre management. The pace was there. If we have to change something on the weekend, it’s more on Saturday. It will be the next target for China to have a much better qualy.”

‘Ferrari send clear warning’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-warn-red-bull-more-to-come-sf-24

‘It’s much more calm on the pit wall’ – Vasseur explains Ferrari strategy change with everyone moving in ‘same direction’
11 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur hailed a “very strong” performance from the outfit at the Japanese Grand Prix as he noted continued progress in terms of their tyre management and race strategy. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 post-race, Vasseur said: “It was a very good Sunday for the team. I think we had a good recovery, the quali was a bit difficult, but we had a very strong Sunday.

“[It was a] good strategy, good tyre management, and we were able to come back. If we want to do a better weekend we will have to improve the Saturday now.” Pushed on whether he’s taking any credit for that feeling of calmness on the pit wall, Vasseur replied:

“No, no, I think that the situation, you know that [in] our business, you have to put everything together. “When you start to go in the right direction, everybody is pushing, everybody is more calm, everybody is more confident, and the opposite when you start to have a negative spiral – it’s much more difficult.”

‘Calm on the pit wall’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/its-much-more-calm-on-the-pit-wall-vasseur-explains-ferrari-strategy-change.6iSR3JAm5aFZsKjiExlj7y

Vasseur identifies Ferrari ‘opportunity’ in China
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur feels the Chinese Grand Prix will provide the Italian outfit with an opportunity to test whether it is closer to Red Bull in colder conditions, amid an already strong start to the F1 season.
07:09 Thu, 11 Apr 2024.
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Frederic Vasseur has highlighted an opportunity for his team at the Chinese Grand Prix, following a strong Sunday performance at Suzuka. “I think everything went very well on Sunday,” the Ferrari team principal said to media including RacingNews365 after the race. “The strategy was a good one for both cars, the tyre management was under control, the pit stops went well.”

Last year, Ferrari suffered during races due to poor tyre management. With Suzuka being considered hard on tyres, Vasseur agreed that the result was confirmation that the team had moved in the right direction this term. “I think from the beginning of the season, we are much better on the tyre management and degredation. We were able to do the fastest lap in Jeddah. It was almost the same case today, but for one tenth [of a second]. We did a good step forward. We worked a lot in the pre-season and we improved massively on the tyre management.”

When asked if he felt the things would have been closer in colder conditions, Vasseur turned his attention to the next event. “I think in China we will have the opportunity to be tested in colder conditions,” the 55-year-old replied, refusing to get drawn in, adding: “But I don’t know. I’m not sure if we are in a better shape – you never know about engine settings, the level of fuel.”

‘Ferrari ‘opportunity’ in China’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-identifies-ferrari-opportunity-in-china

Ferrari boss issues blunt Lewis Hamilton warning despite fast start to 2024 F1 season
Ferrari have enjoyed a strong start to the 2024 F1 season, but CEO Benedetto Vigna has warned there is still work to do ahead of Hamilton's arrival
16:18 Mon, 15 Apr 2024.
BY GAVIN BERRYLIVE SPORTS EDITOR
TOM VICTORSPORT TRENDS WRITER
Daily Record

Lewis Hamilton has been issued a blunt warning by Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, despite the team's strong start to the 2024 season. Vasseur told La Repubblica. "The team only had one podium this time last year, as well as just one race win all season," reports the Mirror. "The world of competition is like a person's life accelerated to the maximum - things can change quickly, going between good and bad. Stasis does not exist, everything flows quickly," he added.

‘Blunt Lewis Hamilton warning’;

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/motor-sports/ferrari-boss-issues-blunt-lewis-32591758

Fortitude

18th April 2024, 23:01

Disheartened Lando Norris rules out any chance of an F1 race win soon.
Lando Norris has had limited chances to claim his maiden F1 win since 2019 and doesn't expect to see the top step on the podium anytime soon
18 April 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

After the 2021 Russian Grand Prix, a Formula 1 win for Lando Norris felt like an eventual inevitability, but it has all the echoes of Nico Hulkenberg’s career and the British driver doesn’t think that maiden victory will come anytime soon.

“It’s not coming anytime soon, that’s for sure,” Norris told select members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com ahead of the 2024 Chinese GP. “But I think we can get there, in the right place and at the right time, if we improve the car in the right way.”

‘Disheartened’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lando-norris-rules-out-chance-mclaren-race-win-soon/

Norris delivers damning verdict on 2024 McLaren victory chances
Lando Norris believes McLaren still have ground to make up on Ferrari and Red Bull before thinking about race wins.
18 April 4:20PM
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has conceded McLaren will not win races "anytime soon" due to the Woking-based outfit's pace deficit to Red Bull and Ferrari.

"We've been the same place all season, we've been behind Red Bull, we've been behind Ferrari and we've been a bit of a step ahead of the other two teams come the race. So I don't think there's too many frustrations.”

"But we know the issues, we know what we have to improve and if we can improve them, think Andreas' right, I think we can we can win races this year and we can be competitive with these other two teams ahead of us.”

‘Damning verdict’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-delivers-damning-verdict-on-2024-mclaren-victory-chances

Lando Norris 'annoyed and unhappy' at McLaren after lacklustre F1 season start
Lando Norris has made a solid start to the 2024 Formula 1 season, but the McLaren driver is still 40 points behind Max Verstappen in the driver standings
09:31 Wed, 17 Apr 2024.
BY KIERAN KING SPORTS WRITER
TOM SUNDERLAND SPORTS JOURNALIST
Daily Star

Lando Norris has confessed he's "annoyed and unhappy" with how things are panning out at McLaren. "I am self-critical, and I know it can look bad from the outside, absolutely," he told the Guardian.

"I watch my own interviews and I look so annoyed and unhappy. It's because my mind is whirling, I'm thinking: 'Why did I make a mistake? What happened if I did this or that? What if I had tried something else?' ”

"But I set high goals for myself, I know what I am capable of, I want to try to achieve great things and I am not going to do that by being complacent."

'Annoyed and unhappy';

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/lando-norris-mclaren-f1-unhappy-32604478

Norris on McLaren winning races: ‘Not any time soon!’
18/04/2024 at 08:37
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Lando Norris believes McLaren is still not in a position to win on merit in F1 as the team first needs to address its car’s limitations. “We know the issues, we know what we have to improve and we know if we can improve them, Andrea is right, if we can, we can win races this year. That’s an if.”

“We have to work hard in some of these certain areas that have been a big challenge for us over the last many years. If we can then I am confident we can have some good races.”

‘Not any time soon!’;

https://f1i.com/news/505394-norris-on-mclaren-winning-races-not-any-time-soon.html

Piastri downplays McLaren chances in China
Oscar Piastri has tempered expectations for McLaren ahead of the first Chinese Grand Prix, comparing it to other circuits the team has struggled at. However, he does feel the sprint provides opportunities.
18 April 9:00PM
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has moved to limit expectations for the McLaren team at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix. “I think it'll be one of the toughest circuits for us so far,” the 23-year-old told media including RacingNews365 when asked about McLaren’s prospects at the Shanghai International Circuit.

“I think, Bahrain, there's a lot of low-speed corners there as well, and we were not as competitive there as some of the more recent circuits. So, I think it'll be a tough weekend for us, to be honest,” he said, before adding: “I think there's still opportunities for us, given it’s a sprint.”

‘One of the toughest circuits for us’;

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-downplays-mclaren-chances-in-china

NORRIS: MCLAREN CAN WIN RACES IN F1 2024 IF IT GETS EVERYTHING RIGHT
Apr 18, 2024, 7:54 AM
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Lando Norris believes McLaren can win races in Formula 1 2024, albeit only with significant car improvement upgrades and “right place, right time” fortune against Red Bull and Ferrari. “I think we can [win with the] right place, right time – if we improve the car how we need too.”

‘We know the issues, we know what we have to improve and if we can improve them, I think Andrea is right – we can win races this year and we can be competitive with these other two teams ahead of us.”

“But that’s an ‘if’ and you have to work hard to improve the car in some of these certain areas, which have been a big challenge for us over the last many years, not just the last few years. But, if we can, then I’m confident we can have some good races."

‘IF IT GETS EVERYTHING RIGHT’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/norris-mclaren-can-win-races-in-f1-2024-if-it-gets-everything-right/10599912/

Fortitude

19th April 2024, 07:20

Lance Stroll tops the timesheets in sole practice session for Chinese Grand Prix.
It wasn't an entirely smooth day with a small fire breaking out at Turn 7, causing a brief red flag.
19 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lance Stroll headed the order in FP1 at the Chinese Grand Prix. Lance Stroll set the pace in the only practice session at this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix. With the sprint format making a return, teams have just 60 minutes to set up their cars ahead of the sprint shootout.

Had it not been for traffic on his final run, it would have been likely that Lando Norris topped the order. Norris was 0.4s up on Piastri’s benchmark before encountering a number of cars before the back straight.

Behind the top two was Max Verstappen, 0.3s shy of Stroll’s top time in FP1. Sergio Perez continued his strong form, within a tenth of Verstappen. The Haas duo were fifth and sixth respectively with Nico Hulkenberg leading the way.

‘Lance Stroll tops the timesheets’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047022/1/lance-stroll-tops-timesheets-sole-practice-session-chinese-grand-prix

Chinese Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results
19/04/2024 at 05:44
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

2024 Chinese Grand Prix - Free Practice 1 results
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:36.302s 21
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:36.629s + 0.327s 24
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:36.660s + 0.358s 25
4 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:36.690s + 0.388s 24
5 Nico Hülkenberg Haas 1:37.101s + 0.799s 23
6 Kevin Magnussen Haas 1:37.118s + 0.816s 23
7 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:37.213s + 0.911s 23
8 Alexander Albon Williams 1:37.229s + 0.927s 19
9 Daniel Ricciardo RB 1:37.238s + 0.936s 25
10 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 1:37.530s + 1.228s 24

‘Free Practice 1’;

https://f1i.com/news/505507-chinese-grand-prix-free-practice-1-results.html

Chinese Grand Prix 2024 – Free Practice 1 Results
The session was the only practice runs the teams had available ahead of Sprint Qualifying for the Sprint Race
19 April 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Lance Stroll led the first free practice session of the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix, outpacing McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri and Red Bull‘s Max Verstappen at the Shanghai International Circuit, which returns to the Formula 1 calendar after five years. The session was critical due to its timing ahead of the first Sprint Qualifying of the season, emphasizing the importance of adjusting quickly to the 5.451km track with varied speed corners.

During the practice, a range of strategies was employed with Pirelli’s hard, medium, and soft tyres, before a brief interruption caused by a trackside fire at Turn 7. Post-resumption, a notable incident involved Lewis Hamilton claiming he was pushed off track by Lando Norris, resulting in Hamilton receiving a black-and-white flag for crossing the pit entry line.

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-chinese-gp-practice-1-results/

CHINESE GRAND PRIX: F1 FREE PRACTICE 1 RESULTS
F1 returned to China for the first time in five years; after a long break away from the track, the drivers will be looking to reacquaint themselves ahead of race five of this 24-race calendar
April 19, 2024
Oliver Brindle

Free Practice 1 gets underway: The Alpine of Esteban Ocon was the first car out on the softs, and the session was underway; the Sauber pairing of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu followed the Frenchman. The opening laps saw Gasly jump to the top of the timesheets with a 1:40.679, but it wasn’t long before Verstappen knocked him off the top spot, becoming the first driver to enter the 1.39’s with a 1:39.497. Midway through: Hamilton was shown a black and white flag for crossing the pit lane entry line following some on-track action between the Brit and Oscar Piastri.
Lewis Hamilton locks up into the final turn and runs off into the pit lane entry ��#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/Wk79iff0gs
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 19, 2024

The halfway mark saw a Ferrari one-two at the top, with Leclerc setting a 1:38.130 with his Spanish teammate .252 behind him. However, both Prancing Horses were on the soft compound. The two Red Bulls followed in third and fourth place on the mediums, with Lando Norris’s McLaren rounding out the top five.

Final classification: The Aston Martin of Lance Stroll set the quickest time as Stroll, Piastri, Verstappen, Perez and Hulkenberg rounded out the top five. The top 10 was Stroll, Piastri, Verstappen, Perez, Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Ocon, Albon, Ricciardo, Bottas.
FP1 CLASSIFICATION
Stroll tops the only practice session of the weekend ��
Next up �� #F1Sprint qualifying #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/dvUe0oCg0s
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 19, 2024

‘F1 FREE PRACTICE 1’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/chinese-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-1-results/

F1 Chinese Grand Prix 2024 Free Practice 1 – highlights
Follow all the action on the Total Motorsport live blog as teams and drivers hit the Shanghai International Circuit for FP1 at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix
19 April 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Welcome to this Total-Motorsport.com live blog for Free Practice 1 at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix, coming to you directly from the paddock at the Shanghai International Circuit as the 2024 Formula 1 season continues. This session offers a first glimpse into the teams’ preparations and strategies, setting a crucial groundwork for the race weekend.

And we go green again
That red flag period was short after the fire was put out and we go back to on track action.

Red Flag
The grass is on fire by the apex of Turn 7!!
Bandera roja. Se está quedando la hierba en T7. ��#f1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/sYyFEAW6j9
— Albert Fabrega (@AlbertFabrega) April 19, 2024

‘Free Practice 1 – highlights’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-live-chinese-grand-prix-2024-free-practice-1/

Fortitude

19th April 2024, 09:27

Lando Norris spoils Lewis Hamilton party at Chinese GP as F1 stewards get involved.
Lewis Hamilton thought he had secured a fairytale pole for the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint but, after deliberation, Lando Norris' deleted faster time was reinstated.
19th April 2024, 09:33
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lando Norris will lead an all-British front row at the start of the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint after he pipped Lewis Hamilton to pole. Hamilton thought he had set the fastest time of the session but then Norris leapfrogged him. But it looked as though the McLaren racer was going to lose that time as the F1 stewards deleted it for exceeding track limits.

However, it wasn't long before Norris' name was back at the top again. The lap was reinstated after the stewards realised that the track limits infringement had taken place on a different lap, meaning there was nothing wrong with the time that secured pole for the short-form Shanghai Sprint.

‘Lando Norris spoils Lewis Hamilton party’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-chinese-gp-sprint-norris-32623395

Chinese GP: Sprint Qualifying Results
Full results from the Sprint Qualifying from the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit.
19 April 2024
by Mat Coch

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:36.384 1:36.047 1:57.940
2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:37.181 1:36.287 1:59.201 1.261
3 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:36.883 1:36.119 1:59.915 1.975
4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:36.456 1:35.606 2:00.028 2.088
5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:36.719 1:36.052 2:00.214 2.274
6 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:36.110 1:35.781 2:00.375 2.435
7 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:36.537 1:35.711 2:00.566 2.626
8 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:36.542 1:35.853 2:00.990 3.050
9 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 1:37.112 1:36.056 2:01.044 3.104
10 24 Zhou Guanyu Sauber 1:37.544 1:36.307 2:03.537 5.597

‘Sprint Qualifying Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/chinese-gp-sprint-qualifying-results/

Lando Norris rides rain and fire to take chaotic Chinese GP sprint pole
A fire halted SQ1 at the 2024 Chinese GP and rain covered the entire second half of the session as Lando Norris took pole
19 April 2024
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris took the latest of pole positions as carnage ensued in sprint qualifying, with a rain-soaked SQ3 coming after the first session was red-flagged due to a fire breaking out on-track.

Meanwhile the rain caught George Russell out, as Mercedes‘ underwhelming season got even worse when his first lap was poor and the ever-increasing downpour prevented him from getting a second chance to improve.

Russell was only four-hundredths away from home favourite Zhou Guanyu, who sent the grandstands into raptures by making it into SQ3 and went on to finish 10th. In the final session, Verstappen, Norris and most notably Charles Leclerc all lost control early on with the Ferrari slamming into the crash barriers but somehow able to continue.

‘Zhou Guanyu, who sent the grandstands into raptures by making it into SQ3 and went on to finish 10th’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-lando-norris-mclaren-rides-rain-fire-take-chaotic-chinese-gp-sprint-qualifying-pole/

F1 commentators left shocked by never-seen-before moment happening twice at Chinese Grand Prix
• Published: 9:14, 19 Apr 2024
• Jake Lambourne
talkSPORT

Sky Sports commentator David Croft was left just as shocked as those watching on when the red flag was brought out at the start of session. He said: "I don’t think I have ever, ever seen grass catch fire by the side of a Formula 1 track. It’s a very small grass fire at the moment."

Pressed by 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg on how believes the grass caught fire, he remarked: "I would not even like to begin to speculate on that one." He continued: “I have no idea how that would have happened.”

"Unless of course Nico, a spark from underneath the car from the titanium blocks has just caught on a bump or something and sent the sparks showering into the side of the track, and that's what ignited it."

‘F1 commentators left shocked’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1834836/chinese-grand-prix-grass-fire-practice-session/

Nico Rosberg says 108-race driver could get first F1 win at Chinese Grand Prix
Fri 19 April 2024 09:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Nico Rosberg suggests one driver could spring ‘surprise’ at Chinese Grand Prix. Speaking on Sky Sports F1 ahead of the sprint shoot-out, Rosberg said we should keep an eye on McLaren driver Lando Norris this weekend. After finishing third at the Australian Grand Prix last month, Norris holds the record for most podium finishes without a win (14).

But Rosberg was impressed with how the Briton performed in Friday’s sole practice session. Norris may have finished in 16th, a couple of seconds off the ultimate pace set by Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin, but it was a mixed-up session with teams carrying out a wide variety of run plans.

‘Could get first F1 win’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/nico-rosberg-says-108-race-driver-could-get-first-f1-win-at-chinese-grand-prix/

Fortitude

20th April 2024, 05:22

Verstappen hunts down Hamilton for straightforward Shanghai sprint race win.
The championship leader used DRS along the back straight to close up on the Mercedes driver before passing him at the hairpin, going on to win by over 13 seconds.
20th April 2024, 4:50
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Max Verstappen won the first sprint race of the 2024 season in Shanghai after chasing down and passing Lewis Hamilton to take victory. Sergio Perez claimed the final podium position in third after prevailing in a multi-car battle involving him, the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jnr and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso, who dropped out of the race after a puncture.

Hamilton led ahead of Alonso in the early laps, with the Aston Martin sitting inside a second of the leader until lap four, when Hamilton managed to escape DRS range. Verstappen caught and passed Alonso on the seventh lap, having 12 laps to make up just under two seconds to Hamilton ahead. However, Verstappen was soon on the back of the Mercedes, helped by Hamilton locking up into the hairpin on lap eight. Verstappen used DRS on the next lap to close up on the leader down the back straight before out-braking Hamilton into the hairpin to take the lead.

‘Verstappen hunts down Hamilton’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/20/verstappen-hunts-down-hamilton-for-straightforward-shanghai-sprint-race-win/

2024 Chinese Grand Prix – Sprint race results (Shanghai)
20 Apr 2024 4:37 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

2024 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint results (Shanghai)
1. 1. Max Verstappen Red Bull 19 Laps
2. 2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +13.043
3. 3. Sergio Perez Red Bull +15.258
4. 4. Charles Leclerc Ferrari +17.486
5. 5. Carlos Sainz Ferrari +20.696
6. 6. Lando Norris McLaren +22.088
7. 7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +24.713
8. 8. George Russell Mercedes +25.696
9. 9. Zhou Guanyu Sauber +31.951
10. 10. Kevin Magnussen Haas +37.398

‘Sprint race results (Shanghai)’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/2024-chinese-grand-prix-sprint-race-results-shanghai

Chinese GP: Huge Sprint win for Verstappen over Hamilton
20/04/2024 at 04:42
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com04:51

Max Verstappen pulled out a winning margin of 13s in Saturday's Sprint race in Shanghai, despite the Red Bull not getting to the front until halfway through the 19-lap event.

Lewis Hamilton claimed his best result of any race this season in second. The Mercedes took the lead at the start from pole sitter Lando Norris, who was forced wide at the first corner and ended up losing multiple positions.

Fernando Alonso looked set to take the remaining podium place but suffered a puncture when challenged by Carlos Sainz, which opened the door for Sergio Perez to take third instead by the finish.

‘Huge Sprint win’;

https://f1i.com/news/505697-chinese-gp-huge-sprint-win-for-verstappen-over-hamilton.html

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen overcomes battery issues to win Chinese GP Sprint
April 20th, 2024 2:06 pm
Fox Sports from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Red Bull champion Max Verstappen has won the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint at Shanghai International Circuit, extending his lead on the F1 standings.

Starting at fourth on the grid, the Dutch driver flew past Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton on the ninth lap to take the lead, finishing 13 seconds ahead of his competitors with Hamilton and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez joining him on the podium.

“That’s the best result I’ve had in a long time,” Hamilton said after the event.

‘Max Verstappen overcomes battery issues’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/red-bulls-max-verstappen-overcomes-battery-issues-to-win-chinese-gp-sprint/news-story/bd34da4ddd85eea79f83d5cf38301c1c

Chinese GP: Max Verstappen pounces on Lewis Hamilton mistake to win the Sprint
20 Apr 2024 4:39 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen pounced on a mistake from Lewis Hamilton to close up on the Mercedes’ rear wing before sliding through to take the lead and the win at the opening Sprint of the season in China.
Hamilton held on to second place ahead of Sergio Perez while pole-sitter Lando Norris was a disappointing P6 after a mistake of his own against Hamilton on the opening lap cost him positions.

Lewis Hamilton challenged Lando Norris for the lead, drawing alongside the pole-sitter who ran wide at Turn 2 as he tried to defend the position. That allowed Fernando Alonso through into second place ahead of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz with Norris down in seventh.

Having pulled out a 1.5 seconds advantage over Alonso seven laps into the 19-lap Sprint, Hamilton found himself chased by Verstappen who used DRS to pass the Aston Martin driver to run second. A mistake from Hamilton at the hairpin allowed Verstappen to close right up on his rear wing and with DRS he took the lead on lap nine at Turn 14. With clear air ahead of him, he put two seconds between himself and Hamilton within the space of a lap.

‘Max Verstappen pounces on Lewis Hamilton mistake’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/chinese-grand-prix-2024-sprint-race-report

Fortitude

20th April 2024, 13:19

Max Verstappen roars to Chinese GP pole as Hamilton sinks to new low.
Max Verstappen will start on pole for the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton’s wretched start of the 2024 season continued in qualifying in Shanghai.
20 April 2024
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

The Red Bull driver completed a 1-2 to secure the team's 100th pole position in China for Sunday's race. The Dutchman clinched his fifth consecutive pole and continued his perfect record in 2024 qualifying after finishing ahead of Sergio Perez, who beat Fernando Alonso at the checkered flag after a fine lap from the 42-year-old.

Lando Norris joined him on the second row in fourth ahead of Oscar Piastri in fifth, with the McLarens beating the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who were sixth and seventh respectively, while George Russell will start from eighth. It was a disastrous session for Mercedes star Hamilton, however, with the 39-year-old paying a heavy price for an error on his final run in Q1, meaning he will start from down in 18th.

Q2 was brought to a halt when Sainz caught the gravel on the final turn and spun his Ferrari into the barrier, although the Spaniard was fortunate not to sustain any substantial damage to his SF-24 other than a broken front wing.

‘Max Verstappen roars’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-max-verstappen-roars-2024-chinese-gp-pole-lewis-hamilton-sinks-new-low/

F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix?
20 Apr 2024 9:22 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

F1 starting grid: 2024 Chinese Grand Prix
1 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2 Sergio Perez, Red Bull
3 Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
4 Lando Norris, McLaren
5 Oscar Piastri, McLaren
6 Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
7 Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
8 George Russell, Mercedes
9 Nico Hulkenberg, Haas
10 Valtteri Bottas, Kick Sauber

‘F1 starting grid’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-starting-grid-2024-chinese-grand-prix

Max Verstappen dominates Chinese Grand Prix qualifying as Lewis Hamilton left red-faced
Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton were hoping to repeat their Sprint qualifying results in this session that decides the grid for the Chinese Grand Prix, though Max Verstappen wants to continue his pole streak
20th April 2024, 09:25
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Max Verstappen took a predictable pole for the Chinese Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton suffered a "seriously painful" Q1 exit. Hamilton's mistake and subsequent exit was the main story from Q1. Home hero Zhou Guanyu also made an error which meant he could settle for only 16th, much to the disappointment of the passionate Shanghai fans.

Those mistakes gave a reprieve to Perez, who also struggled and was only 15th fastest in that first part of qualifying. He survived, but Zhou, Hamilton, Kevin Magnussen, Yuki Tsunoda and Logan Sargeant were not so lucky.

The drama continued into Q2 as Carlos Sainz span and made contact with the barriers. His front wing was ripped off but otherwise no damage appeared to have been done and, as the session was red flagged so the tyre wall could be repaired, he was able to go back to the Ferrari garage for a once-over and head back out on track when qualifying resumed.

‘Max Verstappen dominates’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-chinese-gp-qualifying-grid-32630631

Christian Horner: Perez driving for Red Bull future
Sergio Perez qualified second for the 2024 Chinese GP alongside Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen after improving in the sprint race
20 April 2024
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Christian Horner praised Sergio Perez‘s recovery after a chastening 2023 Formula 1 season, as the Mexican completed a Red Bull front-row lockout on the occasion of the teams’ 100th pole position at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. “You guys have a tendency to write him off but he’s doing a great job,” Horner told Sky Sports F1.

“He’s an important part of the team, it’s about working collectively, I think he’s got a great engineering support around him, he feels comfortable. He knows he’s out of contract at the end of this season so he’s driving for his future, he responds to pressure in the best possible way, certain drivers respond to pressure and others wilt.”

“He’s come into this season with a new frame of mind, he’s relaxed and driving the car really well, not focussing on his teammate, it’s a different approach and I think in the first five races we’ve seen really strong performance from him. So he’s driving well, confidence is growing and hopefully he can convert that into another good result tomorrow.”

‘First five races we’ve seen really strong performance’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-christian-horner-sergio-perez-knows-driving-red-bull-future/

‘We’re not giving up’ – Alonso ‘proud’ of Aston Martin after taking P3 in qualifying for Chinese Grand Prix
20th April 2024, 11:41
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso was thrilled to claim P3 on the grid during qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, with the Spaniard bouncing back from a disappointing outcome to his Sprint race earlier in the day.
After being forced to retire from the Sprint following a puncture sustained during a battle with Carlos Sainz – for which Alonso was later handed a 10-second time penalty along with three penalty points – the Aston Martin driver seemed raring to go again when it came to qualifying.

“We didn’t give up, we kept pushing all through the lap and we set a good lap time. I think the car did improve since this morning, we made a few set-up changes, and let’s see tomorrow if we can translate that into points.” Teams are now allowed to make changes to their cars after the Sprint and prior to qualifying in line with new parc ferme rules. On whether this proved particularly beneficial for him, Alonso said: “I think it’s the same for everybody.”

‘We’re not giving up’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/were-not-giving-up-alonso-proud-of-aston-martin-after-taking-p3-in.6l07hZpzRcb8sczGpI8Aai

Lewis Hamilton suffers "seriously painful" Chinese GP embarrassment as Toto Wolff stews
Lewis Hamilton was second quickest in qualifying for the Sprint in Shanghai, but will start the Chinese Grand Prix itself all the way back in 18th after a wretched session
20th April 2024, 08:34
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

By the time everyone had finished their final laps of Q1, Hamilton was marooned down in 18th place. He asked race engineer Peter Bonnington if he had made it through and apologised to his Mercedes team after being told that he hadn't.

In commentary, Nico Rosberg said it would be "seriously painful" for his former team-mate. And Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was seen stewing in the team garage as he watched the footage of Hamilton's error, clearly surprised by the mistake.

‘Toto Wolff stews’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-hamilton-chinese-gp-qualifying-32630747

‘Wow’: Nico Rosberg baffled by ‘painful' performance from one driver at Chinese Grand Prix
Nico Rosberg far from impressed by one driver after ‘seriously painful’ display
Sat 20 April 2024 10:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Nico Rosberg criticised one driver after what he saw as an ‘unnecessary’ mistake in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix. As part of a new format, the session took place just hours after the sprint race. 2016 F1 world champion Rosberg feels Hamilton took too great a risk on the brakes at the end of the lap. In his eyes, it was an ‘unnecessary’ error.

“Wow,” he said. “That is painful. That is seriously painful. In 18th position. Honestly, you know that the wind is coming from the back there. He’s had a great lap until then. It was really unnecessary to push the limit there so much. As a seven-time world champion, that’s a mistake that probably should be avoidable.”

Lewis Hamilton brought crashing down to Earth after F1 sprint heroics. Hamilton has endured his worst-ever start to an F1 season but he produced a glimpse of his finest form on Friday. The 103-time race-winner qualified second for the sprint race as he held his own during a late downpour.

‘Nico Rosberg baffled by ‘painful' performance’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/nico-rosberg-far-from-impressed-by-one-driver-after-seriously-painful-display/

Fortitude

21st April 2024, 11:24

Verstappen overcomes two Safety Car restarts to win Chinese Grand Prix.
Verstappen extended his lead in the championship by securing 33 points from the Shanghai weekend, finishing 13 seconds ahead of Norris by the end of the race.
21st April 2024, 10:03
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Verstappen led from the start and held his lead through two mid-race Safety Car periods. Perez had run in second place behind his team mate for the first half of the race but dropped down to fourth when rivals took advantage of the Safety Car to fit hard tyres to run to the end of the race.

Perez managed to pass Leclerc to take back fourth place but could not hunt down Norris for second. Leclerc finish four seconds from the Red Bull driver in fourth with Sainz ten seconds behind his team mate in fifth. George Russell was sixth ahead of Fernando Alonso in seventh, who pitted late in the race after taking the Safety Car restart on soft tyres. Oscar Piastri was eighth ahead of Lewis Hamilton in ninth, with Nico Hulkenberg claiming the final point in tenth but is under investigation.

‘Verstappen overcomes two Safety Car restarts’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/21/verstappen-overcomes-two-safety-car-restarts-to-win-chinese-grand-prix/

2024 Chinese Grand Prix - Race results
21/04/2024 at 09:55
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Full race results from the Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai, round 5 of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
2024 Chinese Grand Prix - Race results
Pos Driver Team Gap Stops
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 56 laps - 1:40:52.554s 1
2 Lando Norris McLaren + 13.773s 2
3 Sergio Pérez Red Bull + 19.160s 2
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari + 23.623s 1
5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari + 33.983s 1
6 George Russell Mercedes + 38.724s 2
7 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin + 43.414s 3
8 Oscar Piastri McLaren + 56.198s 2
9 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes + 57.986s 2
10 Nico Hülkenberg Haas + 60.476s 2

‘Full race results from the Chinese Grand Prix’;

https://f1i.com/news/505964-2024-chinese-grand-prix-race-results.html

Norris splits Red Bulls in incident-filled F1 Chinese Grand Prix.
The ease with which Verstappen won the sprint race the day before despite starting fourth foreshadowed a walkover, and that proved accurate - but Red Bull was denied 1-2 as circumstances of the race dropped Sergio Perez behind McLaren's Lando Norris and he couldn't recover the place.
Apr 21, 2024
by Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Formula 1 championship leader Max Verstappen dominated a double safety car-interrupted Chinese Grand Prix in F1's first full-distance race at the venue since 2019. And despite an error for Norris that cost him a second or so at one point, Perez ultimately had no answer at all for the Briton - who celebrated his 15th podium in F1 in second place, finishing 13.7s behind Verstappen.

Perez and Leclerc completed the top four, with Leclerc's team-mate Carlos Sainz 10 seconds back in fifth. Russell was the lead Mercedes in sixth after mounting half-a-challenge against Sainz late on, while Alonso took seventh. The two-time champion had gambled on the soft tyre during the race interruption, which meant he had to pit again during the final stint of the race.

He was sixth when Bottas' car failed, cleared Sainz for fifth, but dropped out of the points once he pitted. But with the use of fresher tyres Alonso naturally made his way back through, including a sequence in which he had a huge moment catching the gravel at the final corner and very nearly replicating Sainz's crash from qualifying, only to straighten it out, keep up the momentum and overtake Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri in very quick succession after that.

‘Max Verstappen dominated’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/norris-splits-red-bulls-f1-2024-chinese-grand-prix/

Verstappen charges to victory over Norris and Perez in action-packed Chinese GP
21st April 2024, 10:03
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory in a Chinese Grand Prix full of incidents and overtakes, leading home McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez to make it four wins from five races so far this season. Verstappen led the vast majority of a strategic encounter at the Shanghai International Circuit that featured a Virtual Safety Car and two full Safety Car periods, the Dutchman keeping his cool at the front as the drama unfolded behind him.

Norris was one of three drivers, along with Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, to make just one pit stop, having benefitted from the VSC and Safety Car phases to jump Perez for second position, which he managed to hold to the finish. Leclerc and Sainz followed in fourth and fifth respectively, despite some concerns from the Monegasque in the closing stages that his tyres would not be able to make it to the end, with George Russell leading Mercedes’ charge en route to sixth.

‘Verstappen charges to victory’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/verstappen-charges-to-victory-over-norris-and-perez-in-action-packed-chinese.3Uz5CwNh5tEQt62umIGhob

Max Verstappen explains late Chinese GP concerns after worried radio call
21 Apr 2024 10:08 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen got on the radio in the closing laps of the Chinese Grand Prix, asking his team to pay close attention to his tyres. Verstappen was assured over team radio that “everything looked OK”, as the Dutch driver explained his concerns immediately after the chequered flag. “You hear always noises a little bit,” he said.

“Of course, I’ve had it in the past that I’ve retired quite close to the end and then there was a bit of debris, I think, from a car so I passed it [at] 300[kph] and, when the tyres are getting cold and old, it’s very easy to puncture them and I just wanted to double-check.” Asked to explain his dramatic moments during the Grand Prix, Verstappen’s list was short.

“I locked up in the second restart into [Turn] 6, a little bit. So that was not ideal,” he said. “Then I threw a tear-off away which I think I could hear on the intake. It was flapping around and hitting my helmet. So I don’t know where it ended up. With two laps to go, I think I drove over a little bit of debris before Turn 14. So then a little bit scary, because it’s easy to have a puncture at high speed when you drive over carbon.”

‘Max Verstappen explains… …worried radio call’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-explains-tyre-debris-concerns-chinese-grand-prix

Lando Norris breaks F1 protocol after brilliant second place finish in Chinese Grand Prix
Published: 10:41, 21 Apr 2024
Anton Stanley, Deputy Editor of talkSPORT.com
talkSPORT

Lando Norris put in a stunning performance at the Chinese Grand Priz - but then made a uncharacteristic mistake. But after taking the flag, Norris made a big error. The British star brought his car into the pit lane in parc fermé instead of leaving his car in the specified spot on the gird where all those who made the podium were meant to park.

And it was noted by eagle-eyed Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, quickly informing his team of a rules infraction, especially if Norris reversed at any point in the pit lane. "Norris was in Pit entry," said the Spaniard. Xavier Marcos Padros, his race engineer, replied: "Copy. He did a mistake. He should have gone to the grid."

‘Lando Norris breaks F1 protocol’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1837293/lando-norris-breaks-f1-protocol-chinese-grand-prix/

Mercedes explain problem which held Lewis Hamilton back at F1 Chinese Grand Prix
Mercedes detail the reason for Lewis Hamilton's P9 finish in Shanghai
21 Apr 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Mercedes have explained that an F1 Chinese Grand Prix to forget for Lewis Hamilton was due to tyre temperature. Hamilton came home in P9 in Shanghai after recovering from starting from 18th.

“Lewis struggled with rear tyre temperature all race, likely as a result of the balance of the car. He benefitted from the Safety Cars but ultimately was unfortunate not to take P8 at the end, not quite able to get into Piastri’s DRS range.”

“It’s been a weekend of contrasts. Likely the sweeping changes made after the Sprint didn’t help but we were able to race competitively against the McLarens, Ferraris, and the Aston Martin of Alonso.” Hamilton experienced a topsy-turvy weekend at the fifth round of the 2024 F1 season.

‘Problem which held Lewis Hamilton back’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047245/1/mercedes-explain-problem-which-held-lewis-hamilton-back-f1-chinese-grand-prix

Fortitude

22nd April 2024, 08:13

Another race, another victory for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at Chinese GP.
The three-time defending champion won the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday starting from pole, his fourth victory in five races this season and his 23rd in the last 27 extending through last season.
11:57 Sun, 21 Apr 2024.
Associated Press

SHANGHAI (AP) — Another Formula 1 race. Yet another victory for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Only a brake failure last month at the Australian GP in Melbourne probably kept him from sweeping all five.

Verstappen trailed for only a few laps following a pit stop. Lando Norris of McLaren was about 14 seconds behind Verstappen in second — the eighth time he has been No. 2 in his career as he still seeks his first victory. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was third.

The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc, in fourth, and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top five, holding off Mercedes driver George Russell and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin in sixth and seventh, respectively.

‘Another race, another victory’;

https://apnews.com/article/max-verstappen-china-formula-1-red-bull-bded30fd7bf638732129af650db906b2

Max Verstappen 'on another planet' to rest of F1 with Chinese GP win
12:47 Sun, 21 Apr 2024.
The National

Max Verstappen continued his relentless domination of Formula One after once again destroying the field to win the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday. Verstappen was denied a 100 per cent points-scoring weekend when Fernando Alonso picked up the bonus for the fastest lap after a late switch to fresh tyres.

“He’s [Verstappen] been on fantastic form all weekend but the team as well have been outstanding this weekend, to win the sprint, to get the front row, the pole position and the front row lockout for the race, and a one, three in the race,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said.

“Max is on another planet at the moment, his form is absolutely fantastic … he’s totally at one with the machine and he has this unbelievable feel and empathy with the car and the grip and the conditions, and the confidence in himself. He has the ability to understand the tyres, when they need to be pushed, when they need to be saved and he’s got this incredible racing brain, it’s almost unhuman what he’s capable of.”

'On another planet';

https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/f1/2024/04/21/max-verstappen-on-another-planet-to-rest-of-f1-with-chinese-gp-win/

MAX DOMINATES TO WIN HIS FIRST CHINESE GP: 'AMAZING WEEKEND'
21 April 2024
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

“It felt amazing. We were quick all weekend but the changes we made yesterday made the car even better to drive”, said Max. “It was a delight to drive, regardless of the tyres we were on. This track is tough on them, especially the front left. It did mean I had to manage it, but we were still able to gain four or five tenths every lap.”

Two safety cars in the middle of Grand Prix, did not deter Max from holding on to the lead. “The restarts were good and the car was just on rails. I could do with it what I wanted. These kinds of weekends are amazing to be a part of. It’s fantastic.”

'AMAZING WEEKEND';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5439/

Norris thrilled with ‘surprise’ Chinese GP podium as he reveals pre-race Ferrari bet
11:45 Sun, 21 Apr 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

Lando Norris expressed his delight – and surprise – at finishing on the podium during Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix, while also revealing that he had made a bet over “how far behind” McLaren would be relative to Ferrari. Norris started the race fourth, behind the two Red Bull drivers and Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, but emerged from an action-packed encounter in second position, splitting race winner Max Verstappen and third-placed Sergio Perez.

Asked to reflect on the performance, Norris said: “Surprised, so I’m very happy! I’m happy for the whole team, they deserved it… good pit stops, today just worked out. “I don’t know why, I really wasn’t expecting it to be the kind of race we had today, but I got comfortable, managed the tyres a lot, which was a much easier task than what I had [in the Sprint] yesterday. I could just push. The car felt great and I felt comfortable, so it’s a good day, good points and another podium [after finishing third in Australia]. I’m very happy.”

Norris revealed a pre-race ‘bet’ as to how far McLaren would finish behind Ferrari – only for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to cross the line 10 and 20 seconds behind him respectively. “I made a bet to how far behind the Ferrari we would finish today!” Norris smiled. “I thought 35 seconds and I was very wrong by that. I’m happy to be wrong with myself from my own bets, but it’s a good day for everyone.”

‘Lando Norris expressed his delight’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/norris-thrilled-with-surprise-chinese-gp-podium-as-he-reveals-pre-race.0p0lWs5EUn2ixYfeFiNrp

“I prefer not to comment” - Carlos Sainz reacts to Charles Leclerc’s Lap 1 defence
Tension continues to brew at Ferrari following an aggressive Lap 1 defence from Charles Leclerc at the Chinese Grand Prix.
21 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Reflecting on the events of the opening lap, Sainz felt it was “clear” that Leclerc’s defending cost both of them crucial track position. “I prefer not to comment,” Sainz told Sky Sports F1. “But it’s obviously quite clear that it cost us both two positions so it helped neither of us.

“Given what our pace was today, better than P5 was impossible. We had a poor start with the situation there in turns one and two that cost both cars two positions, from then on we were just playing catch-up. We had to box very early for the hards and then we had to one-stop from lap 18, something like this and just went forever on the hard tyre which we never going to go much more forward on.”

“At least we saved P5, which given the pace of the car this weekend and the decisions we took, the situation at the start it was the maximum we could achieve.”

“I prefer not to comment”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047257/1/i-prefer-not-comment-carlos-sainz-reacts-charles-leclercs-lap-1-defence

Toto Wolff’s troubling verdict after ‘not good enough’ result in the Chinese GP
21 Apr 2024 11:40 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Having proclaimed a month prior that the W15 was “not a bad car”, Toto Wolff has changed his tune and told Ted Kravitz after a lacklustre result in China that is “not an OK car”. Mercedes team principal Wolff admits that’s “not good enough”.

“I think considering where we put the cars altogether, the drivers and the team was not in a good position today,” he told Kravitz. “Not good enough overall. P6 I think it was, and P10 (ninth, ed), but it was lacking pace. So we’ve got to dig deep. We’ve got something coming from Miami that looks like a good step. Let’s see where that brings us.”

Asked if the W15 was ‘fundamentally, now that we have a decent number of races under our belt, an OK car’, Wolff accepted: “No, no, it’s not an OK car. I think we can see what the mistakes were on the car. I think we wanted to go a bit more aggressive to see if it is something that is so different that we need to do on the car. You can see Lewis today who took it on, that was maybe a step too far.”

‘Toto Wolff’s troubling verdict’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-troubling-verdict-not-good-enough-result-chinese-gp

Horner slaps down Wolff’s Verstappen comments: Stop ‘focusing on drivers that are unavailable’
Christian Horner has snapped back at Toto Wolff after the Austrian's latest comments on Max Verstappen, with the Mercedes team principal seemingly putting on a charm offensive to win the Dutch driver over.
21 April 1:50PM
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Verstappen has a contract until 2028 at Red Bull, but given the power struggle and recent events within the team, there has been speculation he could leave - with Wolff looking to a seat in 2025 following Lewis Hamilton's departure.

"I'm going to think carefully about what I say here," Horner said to media including RacingNews365 when he was told of Wolff's latest remarks. "Have you spoken to Max about this? Because if you speak to Max – and it’s not about pieces of paper at the end of the day, we know that he has a contract to the end of 2028 – it’s about how he feels in the team and the relationship he has in the team and the way he’s performing.”

"I don’t think Toto’s problems are his drivers; I think he’s probably got other elements that he needs to be focusing on rather than focusing on drivers that are unavailable."

‘It’s about how he feels in the team and the relationship he has in the team’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-swipes-back-at-wolff-over-latest-verstappen-comments

Fortitude

22nd April 2024, 14:55

Mark Hughes: Superb Norris stunned Ferrari - and McLaren.
The mystery was much more about Lando Norris’ superb second position, his McLaren comfortably defeating Sergio Perez’s Red Bull and both Ferraris in a straight fight. But we’ll come to that in a moment.
Apr 21, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

When the safety car then came out, bunching the field up and obliging Red Bull to pit both cars so as to make their second stops without a disastrous loss of places, Verstappen rejoined still leading but Perez had dropped back behind Leclerc. Passing the Ferrari for a second time took so much from his tyres that he was not able to pose a threat to Norris despite there being 17 laps left.

“Once you’re fighting it’s game over for the tyres,” Perez said. “You use so much of your tyre that they never come back. I paid the price but it was the only way I could get by Charles.” Had he not been so far behind Verstappen at the first stops, he’d conceivably not have exited the second stops behind Leclerc and might therefore have been able to catch and attack Norris.

But he’d been delayed in that first stint by having to get by a briefly starring Fernando Alonso, who’d sliced into second at the start, even taking a nibble at Verstappen. It took five laps for Perez to find a way by the Aston Martin as its tyres wilted. By which time Verstappen was 5.5s up the road.

‘The mystery’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-lando-norris-chinese-gp-f1-ferrari-mclaren-stunned/

McLaren were ‘simply stronger’ than Ferrari in China – Sainz
Posted on 21st April 2024, 14:34
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Carlos Sainz Jnr says Ferrari were not as strong as McLaren over the Chinese Grand Prix weekend after the team finished fourth and fifth. It was the first time a McLaren has finished ahead of both Ferraris in a grand prix in 2024 and Sainz believes it was a fair reflection of the relative performance of the two teams in Shanghai.

“I think this weekend they’ve been stronger – simple as that,” Sainz said. “I think McLaren, at this kind of circuit, they’ve shown better pace than us. And even on top of that, we qualified behind [them] and if we get in trouble in the first lap, then there’s no chance we’re going to beat them. So, we need to do better next time.”

‘Simply stronger’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/21/mclaren-were-simply-stronger-than-ferrari-in-china-sainz/

Nico Rosberg questions attitude of ‘glass half-empty’ Lando Norris
Nico Rosberg left impressed by Lando Norris' driving in China - but not his attitude.
21 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Analysing McLaren’s performance in China during Sky Sports F1’s coverage, Rosberg urged Norris to have more “positivity”. “Lando is a glass half-empty guy,” the 2016 world champion said.

“Pre-race betting that Ferrari are going to beat them? I don’t know. I don’t think that’s the best approach, in general. Positivity would be helpful. Nevertheless, he had a phenomenal drive today. He drove so well. Together with Max, the driver of the day. Consistency, there was no degradation on his car.”

“The comparison to his teammate Oscar Piastri who was really struggling with degradation. Big difference, there. So a phenomenal drive.” Teammate Oscar Piastri managed to hold off Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes to claim eighth despite picking up damage to his car.

‘Attitude of ‘glass half-empty’ Lando Norris’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047263/1/nico-rosberg-questions-attitude-glass-half-empty-lando-norris

Norris “surprised” with second after betting Ferrari would be 35s ahead
Posted on 21st April 2024, 12:29
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Lando Norris admitted that he was “surprised” to have secured a podium finish by taking second place in the Chinese Grand Prix. “I’m very happy. I’m happy for the whole team. They deserved it, good pit stops” Norris said. “Just today worked out – I don’t know why.”

“I really wasn’t expecting it to be the kind of race we had today, but got comfortable. I could manage the tyres a lot, which was a much easier task than what I had yesterday. And I could just push. The car felt great and felt comfortable. So good day, good points, and another podium – very happy.”

“I made a bet how far behind the Ferraris we would finish today,” Norris said. “I thought 35 seconds and I was very wrong by that. So I’m happy to be wrong with myself and my own bets, but a good day for everyone.”

‘Betting Ferrari would be 35s ahead’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/21/norris-surprised-with-second-after-betting-ferrari-would-be-35s-ahead/

Norris startled by podium: 'I was ready to go home early!'
21/04/2024 at 11:36
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

McLaren driver Lando Norris was the first to admit that clinching second place in Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai had exceeded all his expectations for the weekend.

"Good day, good points and another podium," he said after being voted the official F1 Driver of the Day for his performance. "I'm very happy, I'm happy for the whole team they deserve it," adding: "Today just worked out.”

"I don't know why I really wasn't expecting it to be the kind of race we had today," he admitted. "I just wasn't expecting today at all. I got everything ready to go home early and not be on the podium!”

‘Exceeded all his expectations’;

https://f1i.com/news/505989-norris-startled-by-podium-i-was-ready-to-go-home-early.html

Norris: "Nothing pointed" to McLaren's shock China F1 form
Apr 22, 2024, 11:18 AM
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Norris took pole for the sprint and while he went off at the start and struggled with tyre wear throughout the 19-lap event, the Briton did excel in Sunday's grand prix. Norris said the team is still as surprised as anyone at its China pace, with no indications the weekend would be a lot better than first thought.

"We were just quicker than we thought. The limitations, the places we expected to struggle probably a lot more, we didn't struggle as much in," Norris said. "These longer corners, like Turn 1, have always been a big weakness for us. And part of Turn 1 was probably better than we're expecting.”

“We're still learning about the car and the tarmac is quite odd, maybe that played into our hands a bit more. We're not making it up. We're giving our honest opinion on where we want to be. I think if we were to go into a weekend and we knew we were going to be strong, we'd say so.”

‘The team is still as surprised as anyone’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/norris-nothing-pointed-to-mclarens-shock-china-f1-form/10602049/

Fortitude

23rd April 2024, 08:11

Christian Horner “write Sergio Perez off” claim met with “I recommended him!”
“Far from writing him off, I seem to remember recommending him to you, at one point!”
20 Apr 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Red Bull boss Horner had teased Sky Sports’ pundits about previous criticism of Perez. The under-pressure Perez has claimed three P2 finishes in four grands prix this year, and qualified for Sunday’s F1 Chinese Grand Prix in second behind teammate Max Verstappen. “You guys have a tendency to write him off but he’s doing a great job,” Horner told the Sky Sports studio.

1996 F1 champion Hill replied to Horner: “Far from writing him off, I seem to remember recommending him to you, at one point!” Horner addressed Perez’s upturn in form: “He is an important part of the team. It’s about working collectively. He has great engineering support around him. He feels comfortable. He knows that he’s out of contract so he’s driving for his future.”

“He responds to pressure in the best possible way. Some drivers respond to pressure, and others wilt.” Horner said to Hill: “It reminds me of your 1995 and 1996 seasons. Over that winter, you certainly came back a different driver in ‘96. It is similar with Checo. He has gone away, wintered well, changed a few things in his approach, and he is driving well.”

“Doing a great job”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047178/1/christian-horner-write-sergio-perez-claim-met-i-recommended-him

How Perez seems to have secured his Red Bull future
April 21, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Sergio Perez’s prospects of continuing with Red Bull Racing are becoming increasingly strong. With his current agreement due to expire at the end of 2024, discussions around an extension are timely. This discussion coincides with Carlos Sainz, a key player on the driver market, also exploring new opportunities.

As negotiations progress, it seems the primary hurdle in finalizing a new contract for Perez is his preference for a commitment that spans beyond a single year. Despite potential complications, the team’s current synergy and performance are robust, indicating little desire to disrupt the status quo.

Dr Helmut Marko, while discussing the situation, confirmed, “Checo’s second place proves that this year is his strongest season to date. That is of course very important for the future.” However, Marko acknowledged the consideration of Sainz, stating, “Of course, you always want to have the best people in the team. But with Checo’s performance and the harmony, it’s just right.”

‘Continuing with Red Bull Racing are becoming increasingly strong’;

https://grandpx.news/how-perez-seems-have-secured-his-red-bull-future/

‘Today I wanted more’ admits Perez after P3 in Shanghai
21 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

He may have notched up another podium finish for Red Bull in China, but Sergio Perez admitted afterwards he was aiming higher than the third step on race day in Shanghai.

‘Today I wanted more’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.today-i-wanted-more-admits-perez-after-p3-in-shanghai.1796937298377386256.html

Sergio Perez's father speaks out on Red Bull star's relationship with Max Verstappen
Sergio Perez's father has commented on the relationship between the two Red Bull drivers following a strong start to the 2024 campaign.
13:57, Sun, Apr 21, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Antonio Perez, father of Red Bull star Sergio Perez, has insisted that his son’s relationship with team-mate Max Verstappen is ‘much better’ at the moment after some flickers of tension during the early stages of the 2023 campaign.

“They are two tigers in the same cage is what I have told them. And if you ask me, who would you like to see Checo team up with, I would say the best in the world. So however it is today Checo is the second best in the world in Formula One.”

Perez has also benefitted from worrying less about his Red Bull colleague’s performance. The 34-year-old made a slew of errors throughout the middle part of the 2023 season as he tried desperately to cut the deficit to Verstappen. However, in 2024 he returned with a fresh attitude.

‘Sergio Perez's father speaks out’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1890706/Sergio-Perez-Max-Verstappen-Red-Bull

Ted Kravitz renews ‘built for Max Verstappen’ debate with Sergio Perez off the pace in China
22 Apr 2024 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Spotted in conversation with Helmut Marko in China, Ted Kravitz says the Red Bull advisor may be asking Sergio Perez why he couldn’t challenge Lando Norris but that there is “no doubt” as to the reason. But while questions may be asked, potentially even by Marko who Kravitz spotted chatting to Perez after the race, about Perez’s inability to match Verstappen’s pace, the Sky reporter believes it’s a very simple answer.

“The RB20 is “built” to suit triple World Champion Verstappen’s “on the nose” driving style, Kravitz claimed. “Sergio had no pace to chase down Lando for P2,” Kravitz said in his Ted’s Notebook after the race. I don’t think he burnt his tyres out too soon, but it just sort of stayed… maybe it was a dirty air thing, maybe it was a hard tyre thing. But maybe also it was Lando driving brilliantly, which undoubtedly he was.”

“But when you consider that Max finished 13.7 seconds ahead of Lando Norris then I guess it’s a valid question that Helmut, old Helmut, has got for Checo as to why he wasn’t in the same car able to close and overtake the McLaren. Listen, there is no doubt, to answer the question as to why Max can do what he does with this car and Checo can’t, there is no doubt that the Red Bull RB20 is built around Max Verstappen. That we know.

‘Ted Kravitz renews ‘built for Max Verstappen’ debate’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kravitz-sergio-perez-deficit-max-verstappen-red-bull-built-rb20

2024 Chinese Grand Prix: Red Bull pull off impressive double stack pit stop for Verstappen and Perez
21 Apr 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Red Bull were running 1-2 in the Chinese Grand Prix when they decided to pit leader Max Verstappen and second placed Sergio Perez on the same lap, with the crew pulling off an impeccable double stack stop on Lap 14.

‘Impressive double stack pit stop’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-chinese-grand-prix-red-bull-pull-off-impressive-double-stack-pit-stop-for-verstappen-and-perez.1796929350392579249.html

Fortitude

23rd April 2024, 18:24

Ferrari rivalry: Fred Vasseur faces biggest test yet over brewing driver clash.
Having resolved Ferrari’s troubles from technical to strategy to pit stops, Fred Vasseur is facing his biggest hurdle yet as a race-winning team boss. And that’s managing two drivers…
23 Apr 2024 6:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After Vasseur broke the news to him back in January that this season would be his last as a Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz came out of the blocks firing as he stamped his authority over his team-mate Charles Leclerc. It had a seemingly magnanimous Leclerc declaring on the eve of the Chinese Grand Prix: “I think it’s as simple as he’s doing a better job… he’s just been stronger.

And show it he did, all signs of being magnanimous out of the window. Racing Sainz for position in the closing laps of the Sprint in Shanghai, the Ferrari team-mates went wheel-to-wheel, there was a moment of contact, and Leclerc came out on top.

Although he stated over the radio that he felt Sainz was “racing him harder than the others”, Leclerc kept his cool post-race as he spoke of his team-mate being a “bit over the limit” as there had been contact but, he added, “to be honest, I have crossed the line also myself in the past”.

‘Ferrari rivalry’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/ferrari-rivalry-fred-vasseur-biggest-test-yet-managing-the-drivers

Vasseur dismisses China theory why Ferrari lost to McLaren
The Ferrari boss felt the team could not use an excuse which affected the whole grid for its performance in the Chinese Grand Prix.
23 April 9:15AM
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has refused to blame the track conditions at the Chinese Grand Prix for its lack of performance in the race. Whilst Vasseur indicated that the track surface was a problem - he refused to use it as the sole excuse for Ferrari's performance. "It can't be an excuse, it was the same for everybody," Vasseur told media including RacingNews365.

"It is true that it was the first time we came to Shanghai with this generation of car, the coating or painting of the tarmac didn't help as there was huge track evolution over the weekend. But it is absolutely not an excuse as everyone is in the same situation, and some teams managed it better - it means we have to understand if we can do a better job."

But Vasseur felt the gap was so tight between the leading gaggle, on any given weekend, the team could be "hero or zero." "From the beginning of the season, there is a window where the pack is very, very tight," Vasseur replied when by RacingNews365 if he felt the team would have been ahead of McLaren if it was not a sprint weekend.

‘Vasseur dismisses China theory’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-refuses-to-use-excuse-for-ferraris-china-slump

Ferrari eyes Verstappen dominance: Can Miami upgrades save the season?
April 22, 2024
Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

F1’s focus shifts towards Ferrari’s pursuit of critical updates at upcoming races in Miami and Imola. 2024 has unfolded with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen seemingly easing towards his fourth title in a row, with the season still having a substantial distance to cover.

Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported on the growing tension within Ferrari, describing it as a “red shrimp” in China. Amid these challenges, Ferrari’s principal, Frederic Vasseur, downplayed the internal friction and the team’s recent underperformance, attributing part of the struggle to inadequate practice with certain tyres due to the sprint weekend’s structure.

Vasseur expressed confidence in his team’s efforts back at the factory, stating, “The guys in the factory are pushing like crazy for the next updates.”

‘Miami upgrades’;

https://grandpx.news/ferrari-eyes-verstappen-dominance-can-miami-upgrades-save-the-season/

LECLERC: ‘WE WERE JUST SLOW’ AS THE HARD TYRE STRIPS FERRARI OF THEIR PACE IN THE CHINESE GP
Leclerc has blamed the hard compound tyre for their mid-race drop-off at the Chinese Grand Prix
April 22, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc revealed that the hard tyre caused them to be “half a second off” while the Monegasque driver missed an opportunity to challenge McLaren at the top. As reported by Motorsport.com, Leclerc said:

“I don’t think we found it [the pace] as a team, especially on the hard tyres, which is a bit strange because the strength of this car since the beginning of the year is it’s very solid in all conditions with all tyres. Today is a bit an outlier because as soon as we put on the hards, we were half a second off. So that is very strange. We will look into it and try to understand what went wrong on that run.”

‘Leclerc has blamed the hard compound tyre’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/leclerc-we-were-just-slow-as-the-hard-tyre-strips-ferrari-of-their-pace-in-the-chinese-gp/

FERRARI "MADE TOO MANY MISTAKES" FOR F1 PODIUM FIGHT AT CHINESE GP
Ferrari "made too many mistakes" at Formula 1's Chinese Grand Prix to fight at the front, reckons team boss Fred Vasseur.
Apr 23, 2024, 5:17 PM
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Team principal Vasseur said his team "made too many mistakes" trying to optimise its package for the tricky Shanghai circuit and its unusual tarmac coating, which led to being behind the curve in qualifying.

"I think it's really a matter of putting everything together," Vasseur explained. "We didn't have a clean weekend on our side, but we made collectively too many mistakes.”

"In this group, if you don't do the perfect job you won't be in front. We have a pack with six or seven cars in one tenth in qualifying. That means that due to details you can move from hero to zero."

"Made too many mistakes";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-made-too-many-mistakes-for-podium-fight-at-f1-chinese-gp/10602384/

‘We’re way ahead’: Frederic Vasseur delighted that Ferrari are beating F1 rival this year
Tue 23 April 2024 12:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari will have been disappointed with their showing at the Chinese Grand Prix last weekend. Charles Leclerc came home fourth, and Carlos Sainz was fifth. Both drivers gained two spots during the race after qualifying down in sixth and seventh. It was the first time all season that the Scuderia had failed to get one of their cars in the top four.

Fred Vasseur identifies one big positive for Ferrari after Chinese Grand Prix. Speaking to Sky after the race, team principal Fred Vasseur called for perspective even though Ferrari under-performed in China. Leclerc and Sainz have scored five podiums between them so far, more than half of last year’s tally (nine). He also pointed out that Ferrari are ‘way ahead’ of Mercedes, having finished behind the Silver Arrows in the 2023 championship. The gulf between the two already stands at 99 points.

“If you compare where we were a year ago, we are in much better shape,” he said. “I don’t know how many podiums there were, but probably as many as in the season last year. We have won a race, we’re way ahead of Mercedes, so a much better start than a year ago. But today I’m mainly focused on what happened here and would have liked to have done a better job.”

“We’re way ahead”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/frederic-vasseur-delighted-that-ferrari-are-way-better-than-one-team-this-year/

Ferrari announce special livery featuring shades of blue for Miami Grand Prix
23rd April 2024, 15:16
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari have announced that they are set to unveil “fresh and unexpected colours” in a special livery for the upcoming Miami Grand Prix. The design change will be a one-off and will feature two historic shades of blue – Azzurro La Plata and Azzurro Dino – and will mark the 70th anniversary of Ferrari's presence in North America.

Azzurro La Plata – a lighter shade of blue that acts as the national racing colour of Argentina – echoes the colour worn by legendary driver Alberto Ascari during his most successful seasons in Formula 1 as he became Ferrari’s first world champion, winning the title in both 1952 and 1953. The Italian would usually wear a blue jersey accompanied by a matching helmet, which he considered his lucky charms.

The same colour was also seen on Ferrari drivers’ racing suits in the 1960s, including those of John Surtees, Lorenzo Bandini, Ludovico Scarfiotti and Chris Amon. Niki Lauda's racing suit during his inaugural year with Ferrari was also in this shade of blue, as were the shirts worn by the Maranello workforce. Azzurro Dino, the other colour being revived by the team ahead of Miami, is a deeper shade which was also favoured by a number of drivers in the past.

‘Ferrari announce special livery’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/ferrari-announce-special-livery-featuring-shades-of-blue-for-miami-grand.4tII6XKVCsgtv2yKyf4VHy

Fortitude

24th April 2024, 17:07

Alonso reflects on ‘crazy race’ in China after nearly crashing while Stroll gives his take on penalty for ‘weird’ incident.
It was an eventful race at the Chinese Grand Prix for the Aston Martin team, with Fernando Alonso working his way back through the field to P7 after slipping down the order from P2 on the opening lap, while Lance Stroll was hit with a penalty following an unusual incident with Daniel Ricciardo.
22 April 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

Asked for his thoughts on what had been a ‘crazy race’ for him, Alonso agreed: “Yeah, definitely, [a] crazy race. [There were] a lot of things happening for us in the race. “[I had a] great start, P2 the first couple of laps, then a few Safety Cars that probably didn’t help our strategy and made us save the tyres a little bit and last until the end. We had to make another stop, so that was not ideal. At the end [I] nearly crashed, but then fastest lap and P7, so all in all I think a good weekend.”

“We only had one [set of] hard tyres and in the middle of the hard stint the Safety Car came, so our good race tyre was gone in a way after that Safety Car,” the two-time world champion said. “We didn’t have any more options, so yeah, let’s see. Maybe next time we don’t race the Sprint we save tyres and we have more race for Sunday, like this we don’t have even a strange penalty.”

‘Alonso reflects’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/alonso-reflects-on-crazy-race-in-china-after-nearly-crashing-while-stroll.3Qpr3blqiCvryzSYcud0TM

Fernando Alonso threatens to skip Miami Sprint with ‘not worth it’ claim after penalty
22 Apr 2024 1:00 PM
Michelle Foster
Daily and Sunday Express

Slapped with three penalty points for causing a collision in the Sprint in China, Fernando Alonso has questioned whether it’s “worth” taking part in the next short race in Miami. The stewards ruled that he was responsible for causing the collision and said “per the guidelines on driving standards” the infringement required a 10-second penalty. They, however, didn’t state exactly what Alonso had done wrong.

But while the 10-second time penalty was a non-entity given he’d retired from the race, the more impactful punishment was the three penalty points put on his licence. That took his tally up to six in the space of just one month after his incident with George Russell at the Australian Grand Prix.

“These sanctions are not understood and I do not share them, especially in the case of licence points,” Fox Sport Mexico quotes him as having told DAZN. “Such an incredible penalty is once again unprecedented.” In fact, such is his ire over the penalty, he says it’s “almost worth not” taking part in the next Sprint in Miami.

‘Not worth it’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-threatens-skip-miami-sprint-not-worth-it-claim

KRACK SAYS STROLL’S PENALTY WAS ‘VERY HARSH’ AND ‘NOT SUPER CONSISTENT’
Aston Martin racked up the penalty points over the Chinese Grand Prix weekend with 13 in total across both drivers
April 22, 2024
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

In China, both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were granted penalties. Alonso received a 10-second penalty and three penalty points after Saturday’s Sprint. The reason being was that he was deemed the driver at fault for a collision with fellow Spaniard, Carlos Sainz. Whilst Alonso received a 10-second penalty, he was forced to retire from the Sprint and so the result was not changed.

After the Grand Prix, Krack was asked by media about the stewards’ decision regarding his drivers. As reported by PlanetF1, Aston Martin’s Team Principal admitted he thought the stewards were a bit harsh, specifically on Stroll’s incident with Ricciardo. Krack said: “Yes, the stewards have been tough to Fernando and Lance recently. We had it in the Sprint race, we had [it] in Melbourne.”

“You saw Fernando locking and then another car behind and I think everybody was a little bit caught out. I think at that stage we were happy that we did not lose both cars. I think it started further to the front, and I would have liked that this would’ve been looked at in a little bit more detailed way. We tried to discuss it but the verdict was very quickly that Lance was to blame and he got a 10-second penalty, in addition to the front wing damage.”

‘Aston Martin racked up the 13 penalty points’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/krack-says-strolls-penalty-was-very-harsh-and-not-super-consistent/

Fernando Alonso threatens to skip next race as Aston Martin star lays into FIA
Fernando Alonso was not pleased after his punishment at the Chinese Grand Prix.
14:57, Mon, Apr 22, 2024
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Fernando Alonso was outraged by his Chinese Grand Prix sprint race punishment. The penalty points could be damaging if Alonso encounters more difficulty later this season. The Spaniard has now amassed six in the last month as his Sainz clash followed a 'potentially dangerous driving' verdict which saw George Russell crash out in Australia.

The penalty points could be damaging if Alonso encounters more difficulty later this season. The Spaniard has now amassed six in the last month as his Sainz clash followed a 'potentially dangerous driving' verdict which saw George Russell crash out in Australia.

Picking up 12 points in a 12-month period would see the FIA dish out a rare race ban. While Alonso is up there in terms of drivers punished by F1's governing body, Perez and Logan Sargeant lead the way in the last year with eight points apiece.

‘Fernando Alonso was outraged’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1891073/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-FIA

F1 penalty system comes under fire with Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen disqualification argument
23 Apr 2024 5:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Leading Spanish Formula 1 broadcaster Antonio Lobato was left furious with what he saw as inconsistent steward verdicts in China, arguing Lance Stroll and Kevin Magnussen should have been at risk of disqualification going off the Fernando Alonso verdict. “I don’t want to be a pest with this topic, but it makes my blood boil,” he told SoyMotor.com.

“I’m looking at the penalties applied during the Chinese GP and I see that Kevin Magnussen has been given a 10-second penalty and two points on his Super Licence for a suicidal manoeuvre on Yuki Tsunoda and ruining his race after destroying his car. Lance Stroll has been given a 10-second penalty and two points, just two, on his Super Licence for crashing into Ricciardo and Piastri. And you ask yourself: ‘Did they change the stewards between Saturday and Sunday?’. How is it possible that the judgement measurement has changed!”

“Fernando Alonso in the Sprint race for fighting against Carlos Sainz, where they made contact but nothing else happened, and they gave us a good battle, he was handed a 10-second penalty and three points for his Super Licence. Are they trying to tell me that what Alonso did is more dangerous than what Magnussen or Stroll did? Does anyone really have a look into this and questions him or herself: ‘There is something wrong here’.

‘Inconsistent steward verdicts in China’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-china-penalty-lance-stroll-kevin-magnussen-dq

Fernando Alonso lifts lid on Aston Martin dynamic with ‘whole project around Lance Stroll’
24 Apr 2024 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Despite Mike Krack’s claim the Aston Martin project was built around Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso says there’s more to it with team owner Lawrence Stroll “a racer” who wants to succeed. Alonso has implied there’s more to Lawrence Stroll’s ownership of the Aston Martin team than a safe landing spot for his son’s F1 ambitions.

“He’s a great man, great boss and a great owner of the brand,” the double World Champion told Channel 4. “I think at the end Lawrence is a racer, one of us, and loves motor racing, loves cars. I think what he has done with this team is just probably unprecedented. Taking it from Racing Point, Force India, and taking everything to the highest level possible. And now we are fighting with Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull.”

“So to have leading the project someone that loves racing is very rewarding for everyone. Lance and myself, we are trying to help the team as much as we can,” he said. “I think we have two different driving styles in some conditions, we have two different feelings with the car. I think Lance is a lot more sensitive to things than what I am, which is very important for the team. I think the analysis that Lance can reach and can feed back to the team is crucial to us and to improve the car.”

‘Aston Martin dynamic’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-lawrence-stroll-dynamic-lance-stroll-project

Fortitude

25th April 2024, 09:36

Hulkenberg pleased to ‘steal’ another point for Haas as Magnussen rues costly contact with Tsunoda.
Nico Hulkenberg expressed his satisfaction after taking advantage of a drama-filled Chinese Grand Prix to give Haas another points finish and boost the team’s position in the constructors’ standings.
23 April 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Hulkenberg converted ninth on the grid into 10th during Sunday’s race, which saw Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas retire due to engine woes and both RBs fail to finish after Daniel Ricciardo got struck by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll under the Safety Car and Yuki Tsunoda got spun around by the other Haas of Kevin Magnussen.

“It’s never a walk in the park,” the German said afterwards. “But I think it was well managed, well controlled from our side, so I’m very positive and happy about that, that we got the one point which was up for grabs.”

“It shows one of the top five cars [Stroll] had a problem and obviously that’s the spot we kind of stole because of it. Otherwise, it’s not really possible to race with them. It also just shows that we need to have a perfect Saturday in quali and Sunday to be able to be where we are.”

‘Nico Hulkenberg expressed his satisfaction’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hulkenberg-pleased-to-steal-another-point-for-haas-as-magnussen-rues-costly.440bdFIkJnqFU3fOaSSsb2

208 starts but no win: Hulkenberg equals 30-year-old de Cesaris record
Posted on 22nd April 2024, 11:56
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Nico Hulkenberg has tied the record for starting the most grands prix without ever winning one. However unlike de Cesaris, Hulkenberg has never reached the podium either. He already holds the record for most grands prix without appearing on the rostrum.

A promising debut season with Williams culminated in a stunning pole position at the Brazilian Grand Prix. But by that time the cash-strapped team had already told Hulkenberg he would be replaced by Pastor Maldonado and his Venezuelan millions. After a year on the sidelines, Hulkenberg made an impressive return in 2012 with Force India (now Aston Martin) and could have won at Interlagos that year, where he led 30 laps before going out in a collision with Hamilton.

With his move to Renault in 2017 it seemed Hulkenberg finally had the chance to lead a manufacturer-basked operation to the front. But further podium chances eluded him, most painfully when he crashed out on home ground in 2019, and he was dropped at the end of the year. After a few ‘super-sub’ reappearances, Hulkenberg made a full-time return at Haas, where he has demonstrated his strong one-lap pace, but hasn’t yet had the equipment to challenge for the podium finish which is now well overdue, let alone a victory.

‘208 starts but no win’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/22/208-starts-but-no-win-hulkenberg-equals-30-year-old-de-cesaris-record/

Nico Hulkenberg ties unwanted F1 record following impressive drive in China
Nico Hulkenberg tied an unwanted F1 record at the Chinese Grand Prix.
22 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Nico Hulkenberg has moved level with Andrea de Cesaris for most races without an F1 victory following the Chinese Grand Prix. The German enjoyed another fine weekend in Shanghai, finishing tenth to give Haas their fifth point of the season.

It’s been an impressive start to the 2024 F1 season for Haas, particularly as ahead of the new campaign, new team principal Ayao Komatsu suggested that they would be right at the back given their lack of development over the winter.

Haas have scored five points in the opening five races, just two fewer than RB in the race for sixth in the F1 constructors’ championship. A big part of their strong form is down to the brilliance of Hulkenberg, who continues to deliver each weekend.

‘Nico Hulkenberg has moved level with Andrea de Cesaris’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047303/1/nico-hulkenberg-ties-unwanted-f1-record-following-impressive-drive-china

TECHNICAL F1 Unlocked/TECH WEEKLY: Haas's significant Shanghai upgrade – and what it says about Komatsu's approach as team boss
23 April 2024
Technical Contributors
Mark Hughes and Giorgio Piola
Formula One - Official Site

Haas boss Ayao Komatsu said a couple of races ago that, following promising signs in the wind tunnel, he was bringing forward the team’s upgrade. That upgrade appeared last weekend in Shanghai and it was a significant one.
This more ambitious development policy is set to be a cornerstone of Komatsu’s approach in his first year as team principal.

‘Haas's significant Shanghai upgrade’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/tech-weekly-haass-significant-shanghai-upgrade-and-what-it-says-about.7DLiJgr0gLCfbogL9th5PK

Haas F1 News: Komatsu Calls for Magnussen Penalty Explanation - 'More Tsunoda'
Published Apr 23, 2024
By Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

Haas F1 team principal Ayao Komatsu has challenged the stewards' decision to penalize Kevin Magnussen following a crash with Yuki Tsunoda during the Chinese Grand Prix last weekend. Komatsu contends that the penalty was unwarranted, suggesting that Tsunoda shares at least an equal part of the blame. Despite this, Komatsu makes it clear the penalty cannot be appealed, however, he wants an explanation from the Stewards.

Ayao Komatsu, the Haas F1 Team Principal, voiced strong objections to the stewards' ruling during a post-race interview, as quoted by Autosport. He argued that the incident was a typical racing clash and should not have resulted in a penalty. He explained: "I do not think that's justifiable. I think it's just a racing incident. He didn't run Tsunoda off the track. He dived inside of Turn 6, he hit the apex, Tsunoda was wide, he still left the room, Tsunoda came back progressively."

Komatsu added that the decision appeared heavily skewed against Magnussen, whom he believes was not solely responsible for the collision. Komatsu continued: "He doesn't go off the track, so maybe the definition 'came back' might be wrong. But it's not like Kevin is wholly to blame. For me, minimum 50/50.”

‘Komatsu contends that the penalty was unwarranted’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/haas-f1-news-komatsu-calls-magnussen-penalty-explanation-more-tsunoda-1893165?piano_t=1

Nico Hulkenberg closes in on Audi F1 move for 2025: “Only the signature is missing”
Nico Hulkenberg is close to agreeing a move from Haas to Audi for the 2025 F1 season.
24 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Nico Hulkenberg is close to signing an agreement with Audi for the 2025 F1 season. According to Sport1, Hulkenberg has agreed to join Audi - the team is currently known as Sauber - for next year.

Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl wanted to replace Bottas with Hulkenberg for this season but Haas were unwilling to let the impressive German go. Hulkenberg will return to Hinwil having spent a year at the team back in 2013. The 36-year-old will reportedly be offered a three-year contract with Audi officially entering the sport in 2026.

Hulkenberg has enjoyed another impressive season with Haas so far, scoring points in three of the first five races in 2024. With Fernando Alonso committing his future to Aston Martin, the F1 driver market dominos are falling. Audi will have to wait for Sainz though as he waits to see what Red Bull and Mercedes decide.

“Only the signature is missing”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047356/1/nico-hulkenberg-closes-audi-f1-move-2025-only-signature-missing

Hulkenberg set to sign for new F1 team
Audi will join the Formula 1 grid in 2026, but is keen to have both its drivers in place at Stake for 2025, with Nico Hulkenberg set to make the switch, RacingNews365 understands.
25 April 9:24AM
Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

In late 2023, RacingNews365 was informed that Audi was very keen on bringing Nico Hulkenberg to the team - and that a contract had been offered to the German for 2024 at the Stake team. Sources have now indicated to RacingNews365 that Hulkenberg is now set to sign for Audi, thus becoming a Stake driver in 2025 before the Ingolstadt concern arrives in '26.

Audi has been keen to secure Hulkenberg for the experience he can offer in helping to steer a team in the right direction, something several engineers from teams Hulkenberg has driven for have confirmed. Haas, the team Hulkenberg is set to leave, was keen to keep the popular German, with his feedback playing a major role in the development of the 2024 car to soothe the tyre management problems that plagued its 2023 machine.

From the first five races, Hulkenberg has three points finishes, compared to just one return in a grand prix throughout the 2023 season. The CEO of the Audi project Andreas Seidl has a clear mind as to who is his preferred driver line-up, with Carlos Sainz also hoping to be snared by the team. Both Sainz and Hulkenberg are drivers with factory experience behind them, with the two having been team-mates at Renault in 2018 before Sainz's move to Ferrari following his McLaren spell.

‘Hulkenberg set to sign’;

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg-headed-for-new-f1-team

Fortitude

25th April 2024, 18:50

Alpine fined 10,000 euros for pitstop blunder.
Pierre Gasly was given the green light to exit the pitbox before the right rear tyre had been properly fitted when a team member incorrectly clicked a button to release the car.
Apr 21, 2024, 08:41 PM
The Straits Times

Formula One stewards fined Renault-owned Alpine 10,000 euros ($10,654) on Sunday after a bungled Chinese Grand Prix pitstop left a mechanic on the ground.

The French driver was stopped before leaving the pitbox, with a mechanic falling backwards in the chaos but able to continue for the remainder of the race. Stewards said Gasly had not been at fault and the team was wholly responsible.

"Thankfully nobody was hurt, and we will investigate the reasons to avoid such incidents in future," said team boss Bruno Famin.

‘Pitstop blunder’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/alpine-fined-10000-euros-for-pitstop-blunder

Pierre Gasly explains ‘quite scary’ pit stop moment at the Chinese Grand Prix
21 Apr 2024 2:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Knocking over one of his right rear tyre mechanics in China, Pierre Gasly explained he was shown the green light to leave the pits only for it change to red. The good news is his mechanic is “fine”. Gasly’s chances of surging from 15th on the grid to score a point at the Chinese Grand Prix were hindered when he made a 19-second pit stop, a “scary” moment delaying him in the pits.

“Yeah, quite scary, actually,” Gasly told the media in Shanghai. “My green light, the light went green so I dropped the clutch, but then it went red straightaway. And then I saw him in the mirror, and saw the wheel wasn’t on. The mechanic is fine, which I was a bit scared of.”

“We’ve had a couple of instances this year where I’ve lost some time on the box, so I’m sure we’ll review exactly what’s happened and improve it for next time.” Stationary for 19 seconds, Gasly dropped to the very back of the field.

‘Quite scary’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre-gasly-explains-scary-pit-stop-moment-chinese-grand-prix

‘Quite scary’ - Pierre Gasly explains botched pit stop as Alpine mechanic hit
Pierre Gasly accidentally hit one of his Alpine mechanics during a pit stop blunder in China.
22 Apr 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Pierre Gasly has explained the “quite scary” moment he knocked over one of his Alpine mechanics during a botched pit stop at the F1 Chinese Grand Prix.

During the Frenchman’s first pit stop in Shanghai, Gasly was mistakenly given a green light to leave his box before his right-rear wheel had been properly attached to his car.

As he pulled away, one of his mechanics was sent tumbling to the ground by the tyre. Alpine confirmed after the race that the mechanic was “OK” and had avoided injury.

‘Alpine mechanic hit’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047299/1/quite-scary-pierre-gasly-explains-botched-pit-stop-alpine-mechanic-hit

Esteban Ocon’s Unique Path To F1
April 23, 2024
Nicole Powell
Last Word On Sports

Esteban Ocon had a great junior career, although, lack of funding created unique challenges for the driver. Esteban Ocon was a young talent, however, lack of funding and sponsors slowed his progress to Formula One.

After years of struggling to keep his grip in the F1 world because he didn’t bring sponsors the way his peers did, with the support of Mercedes, Ocon now has both feet standing firmly in the sport. Ocon is now an F1 race winner, following his win at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021.

‘Unique Path To F1’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/04/23/esteban-ocons-unique-path-to-f1/

Alpine warned despite 'best race' of troubled season
Upgrades were added to the Alpine in China, and whilst its problems were soothed, Esteban Ocon has issued a warning.
25 April 10:35AM
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has warned Alpine that it is "too early" to suggest it has turned a corner in its troubled 2024 campaign, despite an encouraging Chinese Grand Prix. "At the moment, we haven't scored one point this season, so it is early to say, but it is our best finish of the year with both cars," Ocon told media including RacingNews365.

"We need to be careful what we read into it, and also who was there in that race, there was many things happening and a lot of contenders were at the back, so that is the other thing we need to be careful of. But at the same time, I feel like it was a very strong weekend on the operational side and in my driving, so I'm happy with that.”

"I'm a bit disappointed at the same time not to be in the points, we ended 2.3s away which is difficult to swallow, given the job we did. It was fully maximised and this was my best race of the season, and clearly there was nothing left on the table. Not to have that reward is pretty sad, but we are going in the right direction, small steps at a time."

‘Alpine warned’;

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-issues-alpine-warning-despite-best-race-of-troubled-season

Pierre Gasly among Alpine team paying respects to Ted Toleman and Ayrton Senna
Thursday 25 April 2024 16:00, UK
Sky Sports

Sky Sports' Craig Slater is at Alpine's headquarters as they pay respects to Ted Toleman and Ayrton Senna and speaks to Pierre Gasly who reveals what it was like to take a drive in Senna's Formula One car.

‘Paying respects’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13122760/pierre-gasly-among-alpine-team-paying-respects-to-ted-toleman-and-ayrton-senna

Pierre Gasly “in negotiations” with Williams as F1 driver market hots up
Pierre Gasly could move to Williams, according to David Croft.
25 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking on the latest episode of the Sky F1 podcast, Croft gave his predictions on how the F1 driver market will play out for 2025. “I think Nico Hulkenberg is going to Sauber,” he said. “He will be there at Audi alongside Carlos Sainz. I think that’s where Sainz is heading because Mercedes will bring in Andrea Kimi Antonelli - that makes logical sense and I think Red Bull will keep hold of Sergio Perez - that makes logical sense as well.”

“Where does Zhou go? He could go to Alpine. Remember he was a Renault academy driver so he could go back into that stable again. Ocon or Gasly - or both - are going to have to leave Alpine. Gasly might find himself at Williams. I am sure he’s been in negotiations with Williams to drive alongside Alex Albon.”

“That does free up a space but they also have Jack Doohan waiting in the wings who is very much acclimatised in that team. Haas? No. I think that will be Kevin Magnussen and Ollie Bearman. Zhou is not part of that Ferrari stable so Ferrari will want to bring the young Ferrari driver in. It probably leads you to the conclusion we could do with two more teams on the grid but that’s a whole Andretti story.”

‘F1 driver market hots up’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047367/1/pierre-gasly-negotiations-williams-f1-driver-market-hots

Fortitude

26th April 2024, 10:39

Red Bull issue response as Adrian Newey departure rumours swirl.
Sources have indicated to PlanetF1.com that no preparations are being made for a Newey departure from Red Bull and that the 65-year-old has not given any form of notice that he intends to leave the squad prior to the end of his existing contract.
25 Apr 2024 5:50 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Newey last year signed a new deal that will see him remain employed by Red Bull until the conclusion of 2025 and a request for comment by Red Bull clarified the team’s position.

“Adrian is contracted until at least the end of 2025,” a Red Bull spokesperson told PlanetF1.com. “We are unaware of him joining any other team.”

‘No preparations are being made for a Newey departure from Red Bull’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-response-adrian-newey-departure-rumours

Red Bull ‘unaware’ Newey wants to join other team.
A spokesperson added they were “unaware of him joining any other team”.
FORMULA ONE
26 APRIL 2024 - 09:58
by ALAN BALDWIN
Financial Mail

The BBC and Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, who were first to report the story, said the Briton had told Red Bull he wanted to move on after allegations relating to team principal Christian Horner.

Red Bull said Formula One’s most sought after designer Adrian Newey was signed up until at least the end of next year amid reports on Thursday he was looking to leave the reigning champions. A spokesperson added they were “unaware of him joining any other team”.

“Unaware of him joining any other team”;

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/life/motoring/2024-04-26-red-bull-unaware-newey-wants-to-join-other-team/

Red Bull denies Adrian Newey quit reports
Red Bull Racing has denied reports that star designer Adrian Newey is set to quit the team.
26 April 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Reports that he was poised to walk out of Red Bull Racing appear to be wide of the mark, and the team itself has issued a denial of sorts. “Adrian is contracted until at least the end of 2025,” a spokesperson confirmed. “We are unaware of him joining any other team.”

The statement doesn't address the prospect of Newey stepping away from F1 on a sabbatical or retirement. For now, the Englishman continues to work for Red Bull Racing and is active in his role within the team. He will travel to Miami next weekend and sit on the pit wall as normal.

‘Wide of the mark,’;

https://speedcafe.com/red-bull-denies-adrian-newey-quit-reports/

Red Bull responds to Newey claims
25/04/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

All Red Bull is saying, other than repeating the fact that Newey is contracted to the team until "at least the end of 2025", is that it is "unaware of him joining any other team".

While some on social media are salivating at the prospect, claiming that his departure would mark "the beginning of the end for Red Bull", assuming he is held to his current contract, even if it means gardening leave, he would likely not make any impact on his chosen new team before 2027, a year into the new formula.

‘All Red Bull is saying’;

https://www.pitpass.com/77538/Red-Bull-responds-to-Newey-claims

Red Bull release statement in response to bombshell exit rumours that could impact Max Verstappen
Published 19:46 25 Apr 2024 GMT
SPORTbible

Red Bull Racing have released a statement after it was reported that chief designer Adrian Newey wants to leave the team. On Thursday afternoon, it was reported that Red Bull’s chief designer Newey wants to leave the team in the near future.

Responding to those reports, the Formula 1 champions have now broken their silence. As reported by GB News, the statement read: “Adrian is contracted until at least the end of 2025 and we are unaware of him joining any other team.”

The 65-year-old Brit is often regarded as F1’s greatest-ever car designers having played a huge part in Red Bull’s two dominant eras. Newey has also played a key role in Williams and McLaren’s previous success in the sport.

‘Red Bull release statement’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/red-bull-racing-max-verstappen-adrian-newey-f1-413185-20240425

Red Bull break silence on Newey departure
April 25, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Red Bull respond to the rumours: According to PlanetF1.com, Red Bull have claimed that no preparations are being made for the 65-year-old’s departure. The team stated that Newey has not given any notice of his intention to leave.

A Red Bull spokesperson told PlanetF1.com that: “Adrian is contracted until at least the end of 2025.” They added that: “We are unaware of him joining any other team.”

‘Red Bull break silence’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/red-bull-break-silence-on-newey-departure/

Fortitude

26th April 2024, 15:36

Chinese Grand Prix: More competitive race for Williams.
The 2024 Chinese GP would see the Williams Racing Team again come away with another failure to score points but this race would see a more competitive performance.
13:29 Sun, 21 Apr 2024
By Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

For Alex Albon he would finish in 12th so very close to points. For Logan Sargeant he would start the race from the pits after the team made changes to his car. His race would see him fight with other drivers in the initial stages of the race but he would drop down the order finishing in 17th.

Again both drivers would suffer from tyre degredation throughout the race which made any progress that much more difficult. For the team they feel that they are making progress which can only be a good thing.

‘More competitive race’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st205869.htm

F1 Rumor: Mercedes to Loan Kimi Antonelli to Williams Prior to Mercedes Seat
Published Apr 24, 2024 at 9:00 PM
By Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

Mercedes is reportedly planning to place their young prodigy, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, in a Formula 1 seat with Williams as an interim step before joining the Brackley-based squad. This move comes as part of a development pathway for Antonelli, who is currently too young to qualify for an FIA super licence.

According to Formula One journalist Joe Saward, the 17-year-old Italian racer might soon find himself behind the wheel at Williams Racing on an 18-month loan stint, intended to groom him for a future Mercedes seat, as opposed to potentially taking over from Lewis Hamilton in the 2025 season.

Mercedes' interest in placing Antonelli directly into Hamilton's seat by 2025 underscores the high regard in which they hold their young driver. Antonelli has already been testing extensively in F1 machinery, including two days in the 2021 Mercedes W12 in Austria, followed by additional tests planned in the 2022 W13.

‘F1 Rumor’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/f1-rumor-mercedes-loan-kimi-antonelli-williams-prior-mercedes-seat-1893978?piano_t=1

F1 driver in danger of losing job because of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff
A decision made by Toto Wolff could cost one F1 driver his spot on the grid.
05:50, Thu, Apr 25, 2024
By Amos Murphy
Daily and Sunday Express

Formula One struggler Logan Sargeant is now at risk of losing his job because of a key decision made by Mercedes chief Toto Wolff. The German constructors continue to plot plans for Lewis Hamilton’s replacement, which could mean Sargaent is booted off the grid.

Mercedes team principal Wolff is said to want up-and-coming star Andrea Kimi Antonelli to join the Mercedes constructor, but not until he’s gained F1 experience elsewhere. One of the solutions Wolff and co. are currently looking at is signing Antonelli to Williams, before making the switch to Mercedes later in his racing career.

That’s according to F1 journalist Joe Saward, who claims that should Antonelli be signed to Mercedes, he’ll be loaned to Williams as a replacement for Sargeant as per GB Blog. While no timescale has been attached to this move yet, given Antonelli doesn’t turn 18 until August - and therefore isn’t currently eligible for a super licence - it’s likely to come at the end of the 2024 season.

‘Danger of losing job because of Mercedes boss’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1892014/Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-Logan-Sargeant-Andrea-Kimi-Antonelli

Williams have now told journalist what they think about signing Kimi Antonelli in 2025
Thu 25 April 2024 11:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams Racing appear to be one of the options for Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli to join the grid in 2025. The 17-year-old is competing in his first season in Formula 2 but Toto Wolff is already preparing him for a career in F1.

Speaking on the Autosport Podcast, journalist Alex Kalinauckas shared what he had heard from Williams in the paddock about the prospect of signing the teenager. Talking about Antonelli, Alex Kalinauckas said: “Mercedes’s preference, whether this happens for 2025, or 2026, or 2027 is that its highly-rated driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is promoted into Formula 1 and ideally Mercedes wants to do that for next year. This is a team that’s happy to wait to make its decision.”

Who else could replace Logan Sargeant at Williams? If Williams decide they want a more experienced driver than Mercedes junior Antonelli for 2025 despite being open to the move, then there are a few other options on the table. However, Kalinauckas believes Williams could potentially negotiate an engine discount should they bring Antonelli on board.

‘One of the options for Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/williams-have-now-told-journalist-what-they-think-about-signing-kimi-antonelli-in-2025/

Williams: Responsibility for Sargeant penalty in China ‘falls on us’
25/04/2024 at 15:09
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Williams team boss James Vowles says the British outfit must shoulder some of the blame for the penalty suffered by logan Sargeant in last weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, insisting the onus falls on the team to provide better tools and information to prevent such incidents.

Unfortunately, replays showed that the German driver had crossed the line ahead of his rival, while Sargeant’s momentum had carried him past the Haas. This constituted an illegal overtake in the stewards’ book.

“It was a harsh penalty, when you see just matters of tenths translate into seconds, that’s difficult,” admitted Vowles in Williams’ post-race video debrief. “More so, it’s very difficult for the driver to adjudicate whether he was ahead or behind.”

‘Falls on us’;

https://f1i.com/news/506325-williams-responsibility-for-sargeant-penalty-in-china-fall-on-us.html

Opinion: Williams need to be careful about replacing Sargeant
Should Williams stick it out with Logan Sargeant until the end of the season? If they choose not to, who should replace him?
11:04 Wed, 24 Apr 2024
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds

Williams obviously doesn’t trust him to be able to score points, given the situation in Australia when Alex Albon wrecked his own car and the team let him race in Sargeant’s for the weekend. Openly saying “We don’t trust you to perform” is hardly conducive to a healthy working relationship. Unless Sargeant improves drastically and soon, they’re going to be thinking about replacing him before his contract is up at the end of the year.

If Williams Racing wants to make the harsh (albeit, maybe necessary) decision to dump Sargeant mid-season, their priority needs to be choosing a driver they can trust to keep up with Albon and not make little mistakes. Why get rid of one driver only to get another one you can’t trust to do what Sargeant currently can’t?

It’s hard to get behind the idea of a team dropping their driver mid-season when they’re struggling to perform. It’s harsh and unfair. But motorsport is often harsh and rarely fair, so it would be hard to blame Williams if they choose to replace Sargeant before the end of 2024.

‘Why get rid of one driver only to get another one you can’t trust to do what Sargeant currently can’t?’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/opinions/opinion-williams-need-to-be-careful-about-replacing-sargeant/

Williams could ask for ‘special dispensation’ to replace Logan Sargeant with ‘immense’ driver
Wed 24 April 2024 16:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Logan Sargeant’s Formula 1 career appears to be hanging by a thread. It’s only his second season in the sport, but it could be his last. Williams team principal James Vowles told the American that he had to be the ‘surprise’ of the year to retain his drive. That’s after he scored one point to Alex Albon’s 27 in his rookie year.

But the American has failed to produce any major improvement so far this term. While neither Williams driver has scored a point, Albon leads the qualifying head-to-head 4-0 and the race battle 3-1. Back in Australia, Vowles even decided to bench Sargeant after Albon caused significant damage to his own car in a practice shunt. Williams didn’t have a spare chassis, so they let the Thai driver jump in his teammate’s cockpit.

According to journalist Joe Saward, writing on his website, Williams might consider seeking ‘special dispensation’ to promote Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes junior doesn’t turn 18 until late August, which means he’s ineligible for a superlicence. Williams’ vision would be an 18-month deal for Antonelli, who would then likely graduate to Mercedes. They effectively ‘loaned’ George Russell for three years between 2019 and 2021 before he made the same step.

‘Special dispensation’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/williams-could-ask-for-special-dispensation-to-replace-logan-sargeant-with-immense-driver/

Fortitude

27th April 2024, 03:24

F1 Driver Nico Hulkenberg Signs New Contract With Kick Sauber, To Leave Haas After 2024 Season.
This will mark Nico‘s return to the team, which he previously drove for back in 2013. Sauber will then become Audi in 2026.
APR 26, 2024 AT 3:37 PM
BY JJ STAFF
Just Jared (Weblog)

“We are very pleased to welcome Nico back here in Hinwil from 2025 and to compete with him in Formula 1,” Sauber team CEO Andreas Seidl shared in a statement. “With his speed, his experience and his commitment to teamwork, he will be an important part of the transformation of our team – and of Audi’s F1 project.”

“Right from the start, there was great mutual interest in building something long-term together,” Andreas continued. “Nico is a strong personality, and his input, on a professional and personal level, will help us to make progress both in the development of the car and in building up the team.”

On his move, Nico says, “I’m returning to the team I worked with back in 2013 and have fond memories of the strong team spirit in Switzerland. The prospect of competing for Audi is something very special. When a German manufacturer enters Formula 1 with such determination, it is a unique opportunity. To represent the factory team of such a car brand with a power unit made in Germany is a great honour for me.”

‘Nico‘s return to the team’;

https://www.justjared.com/2024/04/26/f1-driver-nico-hulkenberg-signs-new-contract-with-kick-sauber-to-leave-haas-after-2024-season/

Alain Prost sends two-word message to Nico Hulkenberg on social media after Audi move confirmed
17:01 Fri, 26 Apr 2024.
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

F1 legend Alain Prost has taken to social media to offer his immediate reaction after Nico Hulkenberg sealed a move to Audi. Hulkenberg is leaving Haas upon the expiry of his contract. Prost won four world championships between 1985 and 1993 at McLaren and Williams. He worked alongside Hulkenberg as part of his advisory role at the Renault team.

Hulkenberg released a statement on Instagram following Audi’s announcement, writing: “I am thrilled and honoured to return to Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber in 2025 and to represent the global German car manufacturer and technology pioneer Audi on its way into Formula 1 in the future. It‘s a big project with high ambitions and a huge challenge, a challenge that I am very much looking forward to. The conversations with Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann were very trustful, characterised by a lot of appreciation and mutual understanding regarding the common goals.”

“At the same time I would like to express a special thank you to the entire Haas F1 Team, especially Gene and Guenther, for placing their trust in me 1.5 years ago and making a comeback in F1 possible. I will do everything I can in the remaining 19 races to be as successful as possible.” In reply, Prost wrote ‘congratulations Nico’, while Christian Klien, who took part in Hulkenberg’s rookie season with three races at HRT also had a message. “Bravo, mega,” he said.

‘Audi move confirmed’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alain-prost-sends-two-word-message-to-nico-hulkenberg-after-audi-move/

Nico Hulkenberg Haas switch to Sauber confirmed and it could impact Oliver Bearman future
Published: 14:26, 26 Apr 2024
Robert Calcutt, Sports Writer
talkSPORT

Nico Hulkenberg will leave Haas and join Sauber at the beginning of the 2025 Formula 1 season. The German, who was previously at Sauber in 2013, will then drive for Audi after they finalise their takeover to compete from 2026.

Upon the announcement of his next move, the 36-year-old said: "The prospect of competing for Audi is something very special. When a German manufacturer enters F1 with such determination, it is a unique opportunity.”

The Times report that Ferrari youngster Oliver Bearman is favourite to take the German's spot amid an impressive breakthrough year. Bearman, who is just 18, replaced Carlos Sainz for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March as the latter needed surgery for appendicitis.

‘Could impact Oliver Bearman future’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1844252/nico-hulkenberg-haas-sauber-audi-oliver-bearman-f1/

British teenager Oliver Bearman primed for F1 seat as Nico Hulkenberg leaves Haas
The 18-year-old made his F1 debut as a stand-in for Ferrari in Jeddah and this move frees up space at the most likely destination
26 April 2024 • 11:31am
Tom Cary, SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The Telegraph

British teenager Oliver Bearman, who made a sensational Formula One debut for Ferrari in Saudi Arabia last month, has been handed a boost as he looks to secure a permanent seat next season, with Haas confirming the departure of Nico Hulkenberg at the end of this year.

“Seventh in your first race in F1 having only done FP3 in a new car is impressive,” Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc noted afterwards. “Everybody has noticed how talented he is and I guess it’s just a matter of time before he’s in an F1 car.”

Bearman will get another opportunity to show what he can do when he drives for Haas in first practice at Imola next month, one of a number of scheduled free practice outings for the youngster this season.

‘Primed for F1 seat’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/04/26/nico-hulkenberg-haas-sauber-audi-oliver-bearman/

Nico Hulkenberg explains big Audi F1 move after Haas departure announced
26 Apr 2024 10:31 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Nico Hulkenberg has talked up the “very special” chance of driving for Audi, following confirmation of his move to Sauber for 2025, with the team set to be taken over by the German manufacturer the following year.

Hulkenberg will depart Haas at the end of the season in another key piece of the F1 2024 driver market puzzle falling into place, with the German returning to the Hinwil-based team for a second spell on a multi-year contract, through its transition to Audi.

Having impressed the entire paddock since his full-time return to the grid with Haas after a three-year stint largely on the sidelines, Hulkenberg has been snapped up to be one of Audi’s first representatives when they join the grid from 2026.

‘Talked up the “very special” chance of driving for Audi’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-explains-f1-2025-sauber-audi-move

Fortitude

28th April 2024, 13:04

Lewis Hamilton 'refusing to accept reality' as Brit accused of causing Mercedes problems.
Lewis Hamilton has been accused of being unwilling to accept the reality surrounding Mercedes’ W15. The British driver has once again struggled so far this season, with former F1 technical director Gary Anderson urging Hamilton to ‘learn’ from team-mate George Russell.
09:23, Sun, Apr 28, 2024
By Amos Murphy
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has suffered his worst start to an F1 season. “It has been there on occasion – two poles and one win since the end of 2021 – but has been fleeting. The Mercedes is generally inconsistent. This is all likely leading him astray and Hamilton does not seem willing to accept the reality."

He warned that Hamilton's stance could harm Mercedes further down the line, adding: “There is a knock-on effect that hampers the car’s development long-term, too. If you make odd choices on set-up then a team fails to find a baseline for performance and setup. It limits learning about the car. If that is absent then the development path, knowing what to work on in the wind tunnel and improving aerodynamic performance, will be confused too.

'Refusing to accept reality';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1893220/Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-F1

Lewis Hamilton ‘not accepting reality’ as Mercedes warned of W15 set-up experiments
28 Apr 2024 7:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton is not “willing to accept the reality” of Mercedes’ situation in F1 2024, with his setup experiments likely to have “long-term” consequences for the team’s development of the W15 car.

That is the view of former F1 technical director Gary Anderson, who has urged Hamilton to “look and learn” from team-mate George Russell in the seven-time World Champion’s bid to kickstart his season. Writing in his column for the Telegraph, he said:

“There might be something in Hamilton chasing the few times that Mercedes have found their sweet spot in the last few years. “It has been there on occasion – two poles and one win since the end of 2021 – but has been fleeting. The Mercedes is generally inconsistent. This is all likely leading him astray and Hamilton does not seem willing to accept the reality.”

‘Mercedes warned of W15 set-up experiments’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-w15-setup-experiment

Mercedes confirm W15 ‘upgrade package’ with ‘no pleasure’ admission made
26 Apr 2024 6:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Allison explained that upgrades will soon be arriving on the W15 to try and bring the team closer to those at the front of the competitive order, but also to fix what he described as the “underlying balance that is causing us difficulty.”

He revealed that the W15 struggled to get to grips on a track which is particularly tough on its front tyres in the Shanghai International Circuit, which made what was a well-driven race by both drivers tougher to digest as the result did not perhaps reflect how well they had gone on Sunday.

“It’s obviously a pleasure to talk about things when you’ve had a great race and it’s lovely to the pleasure of seeing your car do well,” Allison said in Mercedes’ post-China debrief. “It’s somewhat less pleasurable to do the same when things are not as enjoyable, when the car is not as good…”

‘Upgrades will soon be arriving on the W15’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-no-pleasure-admission-upgrade-package

Ferrari mess it up with Lewis Hamilton as worries raised for 2025 season
Lewis Hamilton will join up with Ferrari when the 2025 season gets underway, but his move to the Scuderia is starting to raise eyebrows.
09:01, Sun, Apr 28, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Ferrari were wrong to let Carlos Sainz in order to sign Lewis Hamilton, according to Express Sport readers. The legendary Brit shocked the motorsport world when his switch to the Scuderia was announced in February, but his performances since then have raised concerns about his longevity in the sport.

In a survey of 1,610 Express Sport readers, 82 per cent believed that Vasseur had made a mistake in not renewing Sainz’s contract, with only 18 per cent believing that the Frenchman was correct to cast the former Renault and McLaren star aside and sign Hamilton when he had the chance.

Sainz’s third Grand Prix victory of his career was then backed up by another podium in Japan before his streak of top-three finishes came to an end with a P5 in Shanghai last weekend. Such consistent displays have left him just seven points behind Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, despite missing a race through illness.

‘82 per cent believed that Vasseur had made a mistake in not renewing Sainz’s contract’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1892195/Lewis-Hamilton-Ferrari

Rosberg admits 'huge surprise' at Hamilton's Ferrari switch
14:25 Fri, 26 Apr 2024.
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton were team mates at Mercedes and fierce title rivals for four seasons, but the 2016 champion admits that the news that Hamilton is to switch to Ferrari in 2025 had nonetheless come as a big shock to him.

"At the moment it also seems in performance terms to be the right decision for him," Rosberg argued. "Maybe he makes an amazing move like at the time, 12 years ago, when he moved from McLaren to Mercedes.”

“McLaren were winning races, Mercedes were nowhere, and the moment he moved McLaren went backwards and Mercedes started winning races. Maybe he can [achieve] the same timing done again.”

‘Big shock’;

https://f1i.com/news/506377-rosberg-admits-huge-surprise-at-hamiltons-ferrari-switch.html

Fortitude

28th April 2024, 16:46

‘Walking out on your family’ – Adrian Newey comments resurface as Red Bull exit rumours swirl.
A clip has resurfaced of Adrian Newey admitting that leaving Red Bull “would be like walking out on your family” amid rumours that the F1 design legend is poised to quit the team.
27 Apr 2024 5:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Writing in his 2017 autobiography, Newey pointed to the adventurous and innovative culture within Red Bull – where Christian Horner stands as F1’s longest-serving team principal, having remained in situ since the team arrived on the grid in 2005 – as the motive behind his decision to stay put.

He said: “We’d gone from being the paddock joke, the upstart, the party-hard fizzy drinks company, to four-time World Champions, and we’d done it the old-fashioned way, using principles that to me were in-keeping with the true spirit of motor racing. I thought back to the beginning of the 2012 season when we couldn’t get the car right, and I remembered with pride that our shoulders hadn’t dropped. We’d got our heads down, worked through it and solved the problem.”

“I thought how we’d developed young drivers instead of buying up star names; how we’d helped put Milton Keynes on the map; how throughout it all we’ve never stopped working; how we’d always taken the road less travelled, even when it meant facing seemingly insurmountable problems or technical challenges; how we never took the simple option in search of an easy life or sat back on our laurels feeling pleased with ourselves and decided ‘that’ll do’. We’d always continued innovating.”

‘Walking out on your family’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-ferrari-red-bull-exit-rumours

‘To be honest’: Ivan Capelli says it’s ‘unlikely’ Adrian Newey joins one Red Bull rival next season
Sun 28 April 2024 14:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The future of Adrian Newey is arguably even more interesting than anything happening in the Formula 1 driver’s market. Talking about Newey’s future, Capelli said: “To be honest, from what I can know of his thoughts, he is unlikely to arrive in Italy, unless there is an economic proposal that would make anyone pale.

“Out of habit, out of conceptuality of the work and mental organisation, and out of how he is used to, I still see him as very rooted in England.” Despite Capelli thinking Newey wouldn’t join Ferrari, the Italian team are reportedly preparing to offer him a role outside of Formula 1 to tempt him to join the manufacturer.

‘To be honest’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ivan-capelli-says-its-unlikely-adrian-newey-joins-one-red-bull-rival-next-season/

Adrian Newey to Ferrari? Fresh doubt cast over historic move for F1 design guru
28 Apr 2024 2:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Capelli worked with Newey at Leyton House, where the technical guru began his F1 career before achieving success with Williams and McLaren, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. And the Italian believes it is unlikely that Newey will join Ferrari unless the team make an offer too good to turn down.

He told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “To be honest, as far as I can tell of his thinking, he is unlikely to arrive in Italy unless there is a financial proposal that would put anyone to shame. “By habit, by conceptualisation of work and mental organisation and the way he is used to it, I see him still very much rooted in England.”

‘Adrian Newey to Ferrari?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/will-adrian-newey-sign-for-ferrari-doubts

Perez defiant over F1 future as Red Bull talks continue
Sergio Perez is locked in contract talks with Red Bull - but is firm that he intends to go nowhere.
28 April 11:50AM
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Now a veteran of 262 starts, Perez is firm that he intends to stay in F1 long-term. "Absolutely, 100%, I am fully committed," Perez explained when asked by RacingNews365 of his future plans. At the end of the day, I've been in this sport for a long-time, but I am only 34, and when you see drivers carrying on, we see longer careers these days, so I am still very fresh and very motivated. I have no doubt, 100% that I will be here next year."

"I don't think that if you were to do this job, you cannot be at 95% for the sake of doing it, especially when you have a family back home," Perez added. "It is important that when you commit to Formula 1, you are fully committed until your last day, and that is the approach I take: I am fully committed to F1 like when I started. It is important to do that for my family, but I just don't know for how long I will be able to have this motivation.”

"At some point, there are some priorities out of here, and it is something at some point I will have to consider how long I want to [continue]. [With the team], it is all about the future, how we both see the future together. Obviously, if you as a team and driver have the same target in mind, it is very easy, especially after so many years. We've been together for four years, so I do expect everything will be quite easy going forward."

‘Perez defiant’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-defiant-over-f1-future-as-red-bull-talks-continue

Honda surprised by "unbelievable" Red Bull 2024 F1 car changes
Honda says it was "very surprised" by the "unbelievable" extent of Red Bull's design changes for the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Filip Cleeren
Ronald Vording
Motorsport.com

Its decision to go for an aggressive evolution for the RB20 - instead of playing it safe - paid off, with Verstappen winning four out of the first five races of the year, and team-mate Sergio Perez also finding more confidence and competitiveness in the new car.

The Milton Keynes squad's drastic redesign also involved a lot of installation changes for its Honda power unit. Speaking exclusively to Motorsport.com, Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe said the engine manufacturer was taken aback by all the changes that were made.

"For this year's Red Bull car, we were very surprised to see that they changed so much for the RB20," Watanabe said. "Last year we won 21 out of the 22 races together, but they still changed the concept. It is unbelievable! They made a lot of requests to adapt our engine to the new concept for the RB20. After we saw the RB20 in real life we were so surprised by all the changes that they made."

"Very surprised" by the "Unbelievable";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/honda-very-surprised-by-unbelievable-red-bull-2024-f1-car-changes/10603623/

Fortitude

29th April 2024, 08:37

F1 star Lando Norris gets injured partying in Amsterdam.
McLaren Formula One star Lando Norris is set to race at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix despite suffering a busted nose in an Amsterdam partying accident.
April 29th, 2024 2:47 pm
Matthew Sullivan from News.com.au
Fox Sports (Australia)

Norris is enjoying a strong start to the F1 season and made the most of a gap between races to celebrate King’s Day in the Netherlands with renowned Dutch DJ Martin Garrix.

Footage has surfaced on social media of Norris living his best life on a party boat on a canal in Amsterdam over the weekend. The 24-year-old Brit could be seen dancing along to the music among the throng of revellers dressed in orange, the national colour of the Netherlands.

‘Injured partying in Amsterdam’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-star-lando-norris-gets-injured-partying-in-amsterdam/news-story/e15e04c62660abf4b0a1c4207ae58f24

McLaren's Lando Norris suffers brutal facial injury after partying in Amsterdam with F1 superstar pictured in bandages days before Miami GP
• Lando Norris was snapped sporting a nasty gash on his nose during celebrations
• But the injury is not expected to affect his involvement in the Miami Grand Prix
• Norris has finished on the podium twice this year and is catching the eye again
Published: 00:26, 29 April 2024
By Daniel Davis
MailOnline

McLaren's Lando Norris sustained a gruesome facial injury while partying in Amsterdam ahead of next weekend's Miami Grand Prix. Norris was pictured sporting a cut on his face while on board a boat in the Dutch capital, having seemingly revelled in the King's Day celebrations.

Images quickly circulated on social media showing Norris, 24, with a bloodied bandage stretched across his face - although he appeared in good spirits. It is said that Norris had accidentally cut his nose on broken glass. His participation in the Miami spectacle is not thought to be at risk, however. Indeed, PlanetF1 have reported that Norris is 'completely fine' after the incident.

‘Suffers brutal facial injury’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13360391/McLaren-Lando-Norris-facial-injury-partying-Amsterdam-F1-Miami.html

Lando Norris' face bandaged up after suffering injury in Amsterdam party ahead of Miami GP
Lando Norris' face was bandaged up after partying in Amsterdam.
15:04, Sun, Apr 28, 2024
By Amos Murphy
Daily and Sunday Express

Lando Norris was spotted with a bandaged face following an injury he picked up in Amsterdam. The British driver was enjoying some time off in the Dutch capital when the incident occurred, with the injury coming just days before the Miami Grand Prix.

Norris was believed to be in Amsterdam to take part in Koningsdag (King’s Day) celebrations when he cut his face. It’s said the 24-year-old picked up his gash - which was caused by broken glass - while partying on a boat.

Despite the nasty-looking injury, Norris isn’t expected to miss the Miami Grand Prix, which kicks off on Friday. Norris heads into the first of three GPs in the United States on the back of a strong start to the 2024 Formula One campaign.

‘Lando Norris' face bandaged up’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1893300/Lando-Norris-injury-McLaren-F1-Miami-Grand-Prix

Lando Norris sustains facial injury ahead of Miami Grand Prix after Amsterdam party
28 Apr 2024 1:45 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

McLaren driver Lando Norris has been pictured with bandages after sustaining a facial injury ahead of next weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.

Images surfaced on social media on Saturday evening showing Norris nursing a cut to his face while partying on a boat in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, where the McLaren driver was believed to have been reveling in the Koningsdag (King’s Day) celebrations.

It is thought that Norris, 24, cut his nose on broken glass. His participation in the Miami GP, one of three United States-based races on the current F1 calendar, is unlikely to be in doubt, and PlanetF1.com understands that Norris is completely fine following his unknown escapade.

‘Lando Norris sustains facial injury’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-facial-injury-miami-grand-prix-amsterdam-party

Norris in McLaren vow as Red Bull challenge issued
Lando Norris believes he and McLaren can win a grand prix this season after a surprisingly strong performance at the Chinese Grand Prix.
24 April 5:45PM
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has asserted he and McLaren can win a grand prix this season, despite the formidable start to year Max Verstappen and Red Bull are having. The Briton went on to elaborate, voicing confidence in his and his team's ability to take a win this season, despite how tough a task it is proving to be.

“Max [Verstappen] is doing a good job, Red Bull are doing an amazing job. I can’t fault them and I can’t be too annoyed at that, but I feel like I’m getting a lot out of the car, especially on Sundays," he explained.
“So, I have to be happy with the job I am doing. And one day – I think it's coming. I think this year. I'm not overconfident in saying it, I think we can get a win this year, but it's going to be difficult. We have a lot of work to do, but we're working hard."

“We have a lot of work to do, but we're working hard";

https://racingnews365.com/norris-in-mclaren-vow-as-red-bull-challenge-issued

Fortitude

29th April 2024, 16:48

Hamilton to Ferrari move questioned by former F1 boss Ecclestone.
"Too much of a handful - an unneccessary handful." Ecclestone has claimed, he would not have signed the likes of a Hamilton during his days when he ran Brabham for 16 years during the 1970s and '80s.
29 April 12:30PM
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

It is a move that has captured the headlines since it was announced, but one now questioned from many angles by Bernie Ecclestone. Explaining, he added: "He really sort of commands a little at Mercedes. Toto has let him be like that, to keep him on board and keep him happy.

"But I never had that with the drivers. They're still good, good friends of mine, genuine friends, not for finance or whatever. Good friends. I'd rather have that sort of relationship rather than the fact I jump when somebody says jump, or defend a situation. If I wanted to do something, I'd do it if I thought it was the right thing to do."

"People thought they'd done a clever deal in taking him, but I think it's a bit of an ego thing that he (Hamilton) got latched into it all." Ecclestone added: "Fred (Vasseur, team principal) knew him from their early days, and I think John Elkann (chairman) at Ferrari, from his point of view, it was a bit of an ego thing that he's managed to capture one of the leading Formula 1 drivers - the best Formula 1 driver, in many people's opinion.

‘Bit of an ego thing’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-to-ferrari-move-questioned-by-former-f1-boss-ecclestone

F1 boss issues Hamilton warning over Ferrari ‘mentality’
Lewis Hamilton's career will receive a shake-up in 2025 as he will depart Mercedes for rival Ferrari and pair up with Charles Leclerc.
28 April 6:30AM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has stated Lewis Hamilton must adapt to the mentality at Ferrari when he arrives at the team in 2025. “Lewis needs to understand the mentality of Maranello and Italy and I'm sure that he's totally curious to understand that,” he said.

“On the other hand, when there is such an incredible personality coming into the team and in Ferrari, there will be a lot of focus on him. Charles will take that as a new fire for him to push him to be even stronger so I think all the things are positive for the team.”

“For us as Formula 1 it’s incredible news,” Domenicali told Sky F1. “It's a new opportunity, a new chapter of Lewis’ career, a new chapter also for Ferrari. These ingredients have taken us already into 2025, even if we are just at the beginning of the chapter of 2024. I think it will be an incredible story.”

“Lewis needs to understand the mentality of Maranello and Italy”;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-warned-over-understanding-ferrari-mentality

Lewis Hamilton snaps at F1 journalist with X-rated answer over Ferrari switch
Published 18:59 18 Apr 2024 GMT+1
Marcus Chan
SPORTbible

Lewis Hamilton snapped at a Formula 1 journalist with an X-rated answer after being asked about his move to Ferrari. Since the 2024 F1 season began, Hamilton has often been asked about his imminent move to Ferrari. After the Japanese Grand Prix earlier in the month, Hamilton stormed out of an interview after being asked about his future.

Speaking ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton was annoyed by another question about his new team. He said: “I don't feel like I need my decision vindicating. I know what was right for me, and that hasn't changed since the moment that I made the decision. There has not been a moment where I questioned it, and I'm not swayed by other people's comments.”

“Even today, there's people continuing to talk s**t and it will continue on for the rest of the year.” Hamilton added: “And I'll have to just do what I did the previous time. Only you can know what's right for you and it will be an exciting time for me.”

“People continuing to talk s**t”;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/?search=hamilton+ferrari&lang=en&searchheadlines=1

Lewis Hamilton offers X-rated response amid Mercedes woes and Ferrari switch
The 39-year-old Mercedes driver has scored just 10 points from the opening four rounds of the 2024 season
Thursday 18 April 2024 13:48
Philip Duncan
The Independent

Lewis Hamilton said “people continue to talk s***” about him” amid his worst start to a Formula One season.

Hamilton, who is moving to Ferrari next year, was asked if Mercedes’ early-season troubles vindicated his decision to quit the team, which carried him to six of his record-equalling seven world championships.

“I don’t feel like I need my decision vindicating,” he said. “I know what is right for me, and that hasn’t changed from the moment I made the decision.”

‘Lewis Hamilton offers X-rated response’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-ferrari-china-b2530785.html

Lewis Hamilton fumes at Ferrari question and hits out at pundits in frosty exchange
Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated by the line of questioning ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.
10:51, Thu, Apr 18, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton was left furious with questions about his move to Ferrari ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, complaining about pundits 'talking s**t' and the ongoing speculation about the decision. Hamilton's current team have endured a miserable start to the 2024 campaign, picking up just 34 points from the opening four races, while Ferrari already have one win and a further four podiums to their name.

Before Hamilton can think about his switch to Ferrari, the 39-year-old will look to resurrect his form. With just 10 points to his name after four races this has been, by his own admission, his worst-ever start to a season. Hamilton will turn 40 before he makes his Ferrari debut in Melbourne next spring, but the legendary Brit has no intention of calling time on his F1 career in the near future.

‘Lewis Hamilton fumes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1889728/Lewis-Hamilton-Ferrari

Fortitude

30th April 2024, 08:22

EL PLAN: Aston Martin’s masterplan is coming together – so can Alonso ‘finish the job’ and lead them to glory in 2026?
The double world champion, who made his debut more than two decades ago in the 2001 Australian Grand Prix, earlier this month said “I am here to stay” in F1, signing a deal to race for Aston Martin until at least the end of 2026.
27 April 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Age is but a number to the Spaniard, who reckons he’s leaner and fitter than he’s ever been before. His reactions are seemingly as sharp if not sharper than on the first day he turned a racing wheel – and he’s clearly still got the speed and racing instincts. In committing to Aston Martin – in what is the longest contract of his career, he says, as it includes a commitment to stay with the brand in a non-racing role when he eventually hangs up his helmet – he put retirement on the back-burner yet again.

“[Retirement] came to mind,” he says when we chatted on the terrace of the Aston Martin hospitality unit in China. “I know that day will happen eventually – and soon. This is probably my last contract in F1 and I wanted to make sure I was in a happy place that was ambitious enough to fight for championships hopefully in 2026. We did some great things in 2023 and I think we’re at the start of this journey. It felt natural to keep on the project – and finish the job.”

‘Finish the job (EL PLAN)’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/a-lot-of-respect-f1-drivers-praise-alonsos-endurance-as-he-extends-career.68Ft0Sok48j5pk8uuQIYOW

Alonso's 'rare' longevity inspires admiration from rivals
28/04/2024 at 08:18
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Alonso already holds the record for the most Grand Prix races started since his debut in Australia in 201. The number will hit an astonishing 400 by the time the season gets to Qatar, assuming he takes part in all the rounds until then. "I think it takes a lot of dedication," McLaren driver Lando Norris told the media in China last week when asked about Alonso's formidable endurance. "I don't think anyone thinks Fernando lacks that in any way.”

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, himself among the older tier of drivers at 34, said that Alonso's longevity in the sport was less to do with physical endurance than it was his mental stamina and drive. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Fernando," the Mexican driver said. "Not because he can drive until he’s 45 or 50. It's the level of motivation that he has in the sport after so many years.”

"Drivers can go as long as they want. There is not a physical limitation, it's more to do with motivation," he insisted. "There's so many races, Formula 1 really takes a lot out of your life. You give everything to the sport. It's something that I have huge respect for, for Fernando."

‘Alonso's 'rare' longevity’;

https://f1i.com/news/506440-alonsos-rare-longevity-inspires-admiration-from-rivals.html

Trouble for Fernando Alonso? Eddie Jordan warns F1 is ‘making a very serious mistake’
25 Apr 2024 5:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Asked if Alonso’s stay is a good thing or whether the two-time World Champion is hanging on for too long, Jordan said: “Hanging on, I think, but he’s able to drive the car as quickly as anyone else, so why shouldn’t he? I can see people for and against it. Where I’m against it is not his fault. I’m blaming the cars. I’ll never say a Formula 1 car is easy to drive, but it is easier to drive [today].”

“You don’t see the bull like, for example, Nigel Mansell, when he was just about able to get out of the car because his neck was hanging off. David, you were around in this era when fitness was such an important thing. I think at, 45 years of age, if you asked Alonso to go back into a car that is similar [to] 20-odd years ago, I think he would have retired by now and I think a young, up-and-coming person would have had a chance.”

‘Eddie Jordan warns F1 (of EL PLAN)’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-eddie-jordan-f1-criticism

[B]‘A lot of respect’ – F1 drivers praise Alonso’s endurance as he extends career with new Aston Martin deal
16:19 Mon, 29 Apr 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso’s fellow Formula 1 drivers have shared their respect and admiration for the Spaniard after he committed to a new long-term deal with Aston Martin that will take him into his mid-40s.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc shared that view, commenting: “It’s difficult to imagine myself in 15 or 18 years time still in F1. However, we can definitely see how motivated Fernando still is and how high of a level he’s still performing at the moment, and this is what matters at the end – age is a number.”

“On my side, I would love to be racing still for many years. However, I’m not so sure whether [it will be] in F1. I would like to experience other things like Le Mans; that’s definitely a place where I will see myself race one day.”

‘A lot of respect’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/a-lot-of-respect-f1-drivers-praise-alonsos-endurance-as-he-extends-career.68Ft0Sok48j5pk8uuQIYOW

'Best win so far' puts Alonso on path to first title
12:35 Wed, 24 Apr 2024.
F1i.com

On this day in 2005, Fernando Alonso took a brilliant victory in the San Marino GP over Michael Schumacher that confirmed the Spaniard as a genuine title contender. Even so, the final part of the race saw him hunted down by a charging Schumacher who was fighting back from a disappointing qualifying that had left the Ferrari starting the race from a distant 13th place on the grid and being held up for a large part of the race by Toyota's Jarno Trulli. Alonso was delighted after managing to hold on to the lead all the way to the chequered flag.

It was Alonso's fourth career win in Formula 1 and his third win that season for Renault after victories in Malaysia and Bahrain. Alonso never lost the lead of the championship standings for the rest of the season, with Raikkonen eventually moving up to second place ahead of Schumacher by the final race of the season in China.

‘On this day in 2005’;

https://f1i.com/images/403179-best-win-so-far-puts-alonso-on-path-to-first-title.html

Alonso: Stroll ‘sensitive feedback’ crucial to Aston development
27/04/2024 at 18:11
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso has highlighted the “sensitivity” of Lance Stroll’s technical feedback, a key ingredient in Aston Martin’s car development according to the Spaniard.

Furthermore, Alonso believes that Stroll brings a critical perspective to the table, describing his teammate as being "a lot more sensitive to things" regarding the car's behavior. This heightened sensitivity allows Stroll to provide detailed feedback to the engineers, which Alonso considers "crucial" to improving the car.

“I think Lance and myself, we are trying to help the team as much as we can,” commented Alonso last weekend in China. “I think we have two different driving styles in some conditions. We have two different feelings with the car. I think Lance is a lot more sensitive to things than what I am, which I think is very important for the team.

‘Sensitive feedback’;

https://f1i.com/news/506432-alonso-stroll-sensitive-feedback-crucial-to-aston-development.html

Fortitude

30th April 2024, 19:49

Red Bull’s rival make upgrade push: Five Miami Grand Prix talking points.
Formula 1 will make its first of three visits to the United States this weekend for the third Miami Grand Prix.
14:02 Mon, 29 Apr 2024.
Will Wood
RaceFans

Miami upgrades for McLaren and Mercedes: Mercedes technical director James Allison has expressed his hope that the new parts for this weekend could give them the marginal gains that will earn them additional places on the grid with an extremely close field in qualifying. At McLaren, team principal Andrea Stella said his team’s package will target an improvement in tyre degradation…

New sponsor, new look: Unlike their rivals in McLaren and Mercedes, Ferrari will run a largely unchanged car from the one they raced in Shanghai. However, the Scuderia will be sporting a very different look in Miami this weekend following the announcement of the team’s first official title sponsor since 2021.

Sargeant’s final home GP? With rumours swirling about Mercedes’ potential interest in filling Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 seat with F2 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli… …If that comes to pass, Sargeant would be out of his seat before the next round in America – the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in October.

‘Setting up for the sprint race, Advent of Andretti’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/04/29/red-bulls-rival-make-upgrade-push-five-miami-grand-prix-talking-points/

Leclerc urges Ferrari to keep up in 'game changing' F1 race
Charles Leclerc has said he does not know what to expect from the upcoming Miami Grand Prix as rivals may bring upgrades, whilst cautioning the need for Ferrari to keep up in the development race.
30 April 2024, 8:45AM
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc believes upgrades will be "super important" to how the rest of the F1 season unfolds, whilst suggesting that Ferrari's form at the Miami Grand Prix will be somewhat dependant on its rivals. Whilst the five-time race winner expects performance in the Sunshine State to be broadly similar, he did concede that it will ultimately come down to upgrades there.

", we'll be working, obviously, on trying to understand what was going on the hard [tyres], to try and fix that and hopefully don't have that again sometime in the season, the 26-year-old told media including RacingNews365, before adding: "But I don't know. It also depends on whoever is bringing upgrades there [in Miami]. We probably won't, we'll have to wait a bit longer."

The Monegasque driver went on to caution against falling behind in the F1 development race, something he believes will be key to how the season unfolds, despite him not expecting Ferrari to improve the car between China and Miami. "I think that [upgrades]is going to be the game changer for the rest of the season - the upgrades are going to be super important to see how the season will develop after that," he said.

‘Keep up in 'game changing' F1 race’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-makes-ferrari-demand-in-game-changing-f1-race

[B]Mercedes to launch ‘ambitious’ F1 sprint plan with Miami GP upgrades confirmed
29 Apr 2024 7:30 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Having gone the wrong direction with set-up in China, Mercedes will be going all guns blazing into the Miami Sprint. Having qualified and raced to second place in the Chinese GP Sprint, Lewis Hamilton found himself down in 18th place in qualifying before racing to ninth.

This was after Mercedes opted to go in a different set-up direction following the Sprint, targeting more performance, only for the move to backfire as the car’s performance took a blow. “Every weekend you go to, you learn things,” Allison said in the team’s debrief of the China weekend.

“It’s one of the truisms of F1, it is a learning race and although you have a factory full of tools, you have a load of computational power, a load of people who are thinking about it, there is no place to learn about the car better than with the car at the track doing what it’s designed to do.”

‘Mercedes to launch ‘ambitious’ F1 sprint plan’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-valuable-sprint-lesson-for-miami-grand-prix-w15-upgrades

Mekies promises Miami upgrade to keep RB 'surfing on top'
28/04/2024 at 15:37
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Visa Cash App RB team principal Laurent Mekies has promised that the squad will be rolling out new upgrades for the next Grand Prix in Miami to keep them ahead of their midfield rivals.

"We'll have an update in Miami to help us try to keep surfing on the top of that very edge," he told Motorsport.com last week. "I'm sure our competitors will bring updates as well. There is nothing guaranteed in this group," he continued, "and only if you nail the weekend will you get to that P10."

"We've never been confident that we have the quickest car of the five [teams at the back]," he acknowledged. "We got it there by half a tenth in Australia, half a tenth in Japan and we missed it by a 10th and a half in China.

'Surfing on top';

https://f1i.com/news/506475-mekies-promises-miami-upgrade-to-keep-rb-surfing-on-top.html

Red Bull fear Max Verstappen streak will end at Miami GP as concern raised
Max Verstappen and Red Bull have dominated the F1 season so far, but team adviser Helmut Marko says the defending champions are worried about the Miami Grand Prix
13:49 Wed, 24 Apr 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Helmut Marko thinks Max Verstappen may struggle to extend his streak of pole positions at the Miami Grand Prix. In his Speedweek column, the Austrian wrote: "Five GP weekends, five different race tracks, five pole positions for Max Verstappen, four victories. At this point, we can reasonably say that we have a car that is fast on any type of track.”

"We have to point out that the tyre wear in Melbourne was unusually high for Red Bull conditions. When it comes to [Sergio] Perez's car, we don't know exactly whether the damage to his car contributed to this. But the findings from the long runs also indicate that there is too much wear.”

"So that means: Fast, yes, but the road surface and route can make differences." And Marko thinks that could affect Verstappen's chances when it comes to qualifying in Miami next time out. He continued: "Racetracks where the opponents could get a little closer to us are Miami or Monaco, especially since the competition has gotten closer, especially in the qualifying trim. I can imagine that it won't be easy to be in pole position there."

‘Red Bull fear Max Verstappen streak will end’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/verstappen-miami-gp-red-bull-32661200

Why Ferrari will ditch all-red Formula One car for wild new look at Miami Grand Prix
Ferrari will celebrate a landmark anniversary of their arrival in the North American marketplace in style, sporting a different look at the Miami Grand Prix on May 5 with two tones of blue
03:38 Fri, 26 Apr 2024.
BY KASRA MORADISPORTS REPORTER
DANIEL MOXONSENIOR F1 WRITER
Daily Star

The Italian team’s cars are synonymous with the colour red thanks to the success of Michael Schumacher, Niki Lauda and other F1 legends to have raced for the Prancing Horse. But current drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will race in new-look Ferraris when they arrive in Florida for the Miami Grand Prix.

The SF-24 will sport two different shades of blue - the first being a lighter hue similar to that used on the Argentina national flag. That is in tribute to Alberto Ascari, who donned blue on his helmet and race suit when he became Ferrari's first F1 champion in the 1950s.

The eye-catching change is part of Ferrari's celebration of its historic breakthrough into the American marketplace. The Italians raced in white and blue cars for the final two races of the 1964 season to commemorate a significant moment in the brand's history, according to the Mirror.

‘Ferrari will celebrate a landmark anniversary’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/ferrari-f1-new-car-miami-32670153

Fortitude

1st May 2024, 10:01

Wolff backs Hamilton to remain ‘a pro’ amid Mercedes troubles.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has no doubts that Lewis Hamilton will continue to act like the veteran professional leader he is amid the Brackley squad’s continued troubles.
29/04/2024 at 15:52
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

"I think that Lewis is a pro and has behaved in that way until now, trying to keep his morale up and the morale of the team even if the results don’t come", the Austrian said, quoted by Motorsport.com. "I have no doubt that this is going to last. He has also been supportive with George."

“Right now, I want to finish on a high here", the Briton told the media at Suzuka. "So all my energy is going into this. Of course, there's excitement for the future. But right now, we're going through a difficult place. That's my challenge.”

"That's where all my energy is going, to try and figure out how we can get ourselves back to the top. How can I work with the guys? How can I give better debriefs, give them better direction to get back fighting at the front? I'm a competitor first and foremost, so I want to win. Just thinking about the next year isn't going to help me do that."

‘All my energy is going into this’;

https://f1i.com/news/506526-wolff-backs-hamilton-to-remain-a-pro-amid-mercedes-troubles.html

Lewis Hamilton's mood behind the scenes at Mercedes as team struggle
Lewis Hamilton is enduring a torrid final year with Mercedes.
06:50, Tue, Apr 30, 2024
By Fraser Watson
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has been praised for his professionalism by Toto Wolff despite continuing to struggle in his final season with Mercedes. Hamilton is currently languishing in ninth in the drivers’ standings, and is yet to notch a podium finish this year as the Silver Arrows continue to flounder in F1’s new era of regulations.

Hamilton is currently two places, and 14 points, behind his younger team-mate. The pair currently lie fourth in the constructors’ standings, a massive 143 points behind leaders Red Bull.

‘Mercedes as team struggle’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1893824/Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-Toto-Wolff

Mercedes F1 News: Toto Wolff Puts Trust in Lewis Hamilton - 'A Pro'
Published Apr 29, 2024 at 5:00 PM EDT
By Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

In a season marked by performance unpredictability, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has reaffirmed his confidence in Lewis Hamilton's professionalism and ability to uplift the team. Despite facing significant challenges with the current F1 regulations and his exit at the end of the year, the seven time champion's resolve remains firm.

This 2024 season has been distinctly challenging, evidenced by Hamilton's rollercoaster experiences from race to race. Despite these fluctuations, team principal Toto Wolff's recent statements shed light on the enduring faith he has in Hamilton's capability to continue to steer the team through these rough waters, even though he is set to leave the team at the end of the year for Ferrari.

The British driver has been unable to secure a top-six finish in any Grand Prix this 2024 season, a statistic that's sharply at odds with his renowned racing success. Wolff, addressing Hamilton's ongoing struggles, emphasized his professional demeanor and how critical it is for team morale during an interview with Autosport: "I think that Lewis is a pro and has behaved in that way until now, trying to keep his morale up and the morale of the team even if the results don't come.”

'A Pro';

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mercedes-f1-news-toto-wolff-puts-trust-lewis-hamilton-pro-1895341?piano_t=1

‘Have to be very careful’: Lewis Hamilton pinpoints moment where he proved Toto Wolff wrong at Mercedes
Tue 30 April 2024 18:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton on the moment where he had to be ‘very careful’ at Mercedes. Speaking to French outlet Nextgen-Auto, Hamilton reflected on one of his greatest performances at the 2018 Singapore Grand Prix. The Briton would clinch the title that year with two races to spare but Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari had threatened to interrupt his dominance. On what was a crucial weekend at Marina Bay, Mercedes appeared to be struggling. Both Ferrari and Red Bull seemed to have an edge.

But in Q3, Hamilton produced what is widely seen as an all-time great lap to beat Max Verstappen to pole position by more than three tenths. He then went on to win the race by just under nine seconds, with Vettel third. Hamilton recalls that he angered senior Mercedes figures, including the late Niki Lauda, by attending a fashion event in New York in the week leading up to the race. But he emphatically silenced their doubts.

He said: “It’s not really good preparation for a race weekend. So you have to be very careful about that. The story that people gave me was, ‘Oh, he’s not focused.’ But I wasn’t out partying late or drinking like That. I arrived in Singapore and did one of the best laps I’ve ever done. And after that, everyone was like, ‘Oh, he can do that.’ Even Niki was telling Toto: ‘You can’t let Lewis do that! That’s not what a racing driver does!’ I proved them wrong.”

‘Have to be very careful’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lewis-hamilton-pinpoints-moment-where-he-proved-toto-wolff-wrong-at-mercedes/

Toto Wolff updates on 2026 Mercedes power unit plans with ‘moonshot project’ fears revealed
29 Apr 2024 3:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes’ Toto Wolff believes the power unit being developed for the new 2026 regulations is hitting targets that should be enough to be “very competitive”. F1 introduces very different power unit regulations in 2026, with an increased focus on electrical power that will see the ratio of combustion versus electrification shift to a 50/50 balance.

This means that, at a time when Mercedes is openly courting the likes of Max Verstappen as the Dutch driver’s future with Red Bull seemingly isn’t as assured as it once was, Wolff believes his team could be a prime destination for a driver evaluating their options on the driver market.

“I think we’re in a very good position for 2026, we are ambitious with the targets we set ourselves for the power unit, for the batteries, for the fuel,” Wolff said after the Chinese Grand Prix. “If we’re able to produce a decent chassis, we’re a good value proposition – but who knows?”

‘Toto Wolff updates on 2026 Mercedes power unit plans’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-2026-power-unit-update-miami-grand-prix

Fortitude

1st May 2024, 16:22

Adrian Newey To Leave Red Bull After 19 Years.
Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal And CEO Christian Horner Hails Contribution Of “A True F1 Legend”.
1 May 2024.
RedBullRacing.com

Oracle Red Bull Racing today announces that Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey will leave the Red Bull Technology Group in the first quarter of 2025. The engineering supremo will step back from Formula One design duties to focus on final development and delivery of Red Bull’s first hypercar, the hugely anticipated RB17. He will remain involved in and committed to this exciting project until its completion.

Oracle Red Bull Racing Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey said: “Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to be a designer of fast cars. My dream was to be an engineer in Formula One, and I’ve been lucky enough to make that dream a reality. For almost two decades it has been my great honour to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning Team. However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself.”

Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner said: “All of our greatest moments from the past 20 years have come with Adrian’s hand on the technical tiller. His vision and brilliance have helped us to 13 titles in 20 seasons. His exceptional ability to conceptualise beyond F1 and bring wider inspiration to bear on the design of grand prix cars, his remarkable talent for embracing change and finding the most rewarding areas of the rules to focus on, and his relentless will to win have helped Red Bull Racing to become a greater force than I think even the late Dietrich Mateschitz might have imagined.”

‘Adrian Newey will leave the Red Bull in the first quarter of 2025’;

https://www.redbullracing.com/int-en/adrian-newey-to-leave-red-bull-in-2025

ANALYSIS: Adrian Newey's Red Bull exit is confirmed – what next for the star designer?
1 May 2024.
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Adrian Newey – the best designer Formula 1 has ever seen – is to leave the Red Bull team he has spent the last two decades with, winning 13 World Championships during that period.

Sources say discussions about Newey’s future and potentially parting ways have been happening for quite some time, even as early as last year – with Newey keen to explore a new chapter for a multitude of reasons. So, what does this super talent’s next chapter look like?

Could he join a rival team? This is by far the most likely option. Newey – who still uses a drawing board and pencil to sketch out his designs - continues to love what he does. And crucially, he is still operating at an incredibly high level. Under his technical leadership, Red Bull are dominating the sport, the RB20 far and away the class of the field so far this year.

‘What next?’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/analysis-adrian-neweys-red-bull-exit-is-confirmed-what-next-for-the-star.461uBy91tP22ooEFMTQuBd

‘Here we go’ – Italian press claim Adrian Newey meets Ferrari in London for ‘immediate’ 2026 project
01 May 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

A report from Italy has claimed Adrian Newey met Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur in London to discuss a move to the Scuderia, potentially as early as 2025.

A report from Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport under the headline ‘Newey-Ferrari, here we go’ claims Red Bull’s chief technology officer took time to meet Vasseur over a possible move to Maranello, with the Scuderia having made multiple approaches to Newey over working for them over the decades that have not come to fruition.

As for Newey himself, he explained upon the announcement of his departure that the time has come for him to try something different, hinting that his F1 career may not be over yet while acknowledging that he felt now is the right time for others within Red Bull to step up. “I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself,” he said.

‘Here we go’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-ferrari-meeting-london-report

Aston Martin conspiracy theory involving Fernando Alonso emerges in Adrian Newey pursuit
01 May 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Formula 1 journalist and press conference host Tom Clarkson shared his “conspiracy theory” regarding the timing of Fernando Alonso’s contract announcement with the team, as they reportedly pursued Adrian Newey.

“This next contract is probably going to be his last one, a bit like Alonso’s at Aston Martin,” Clarkson said of Newey on the F1 Nation podcast. “Okay, Ferrari is one option and it will be a fantastic option. But what about Aston Martin working with Alonso? You know, there’s been a lot of chat in the paddock that Lawrence Stroll has already made a mega bucks offer for him, and it would see him reunited with Dan Fallows who he worked with, of course, at Red Bull for many years.”

“It would see him stay in England, if that is still a factor for him. Do we think it’s likely? And let’s not forget the facilities now at the campus at Silverstone at Aston Martin are second to none, so he’d have everything that he needed to continue dominating the sport.”

‘Aston Martin conspiracy theory’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-fernando-alonso-conspiracy-theory-tom-clarkson

Adrian Newey set to reject Mercedes 'due to Toto Wolff' and one other major concern
Adrian Newey has left Red Bull but it is unlikely to be for Mercedes.
May 1, 2024
Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

Rumours continue to swirl over Red Bull chief technology officer Adrian Newey and his next move, after the design chief confirmed his departure from Christian Horner’s outfit on Wednesday. Mercedes were said to be interested in the 65-year-old with Ferrari and Aston Martin, but Newey is reportedly set to turn the Silver Arrows down.

That is despite recent praise by Wolff at an event in New York: “Adrian Newey is an iconic engineer in F1 with a great track record and again also there are so many people talking about what he eventually might do and whether he leaves Red Bull or not. I’m just looking at it like a fan and watching that space.”

Newey explained that he felt that it was "an opportune moment to hand that baton over" in a statement confirming his departure from Red Bull, though did not mention any future plans and whether he wants to join a rival team.

‘Reject Mercedes due to Toto Wolff';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1894440/Adrian-Newey-Red-Bull-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes

Adrian Newey's manager Eddie Jordan hints at next F1 career move with Ferrari waiting
Ferrari are favourites to sign F1 design legend Adrian Newey after Red Bull Racing confirmed their chief technical officer will leave the team in early 2025, putting rivals on alert
1st May 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Eddie Jordan hinted Adrian Newey could put his Formula 1 career on hold after his Red Bull exit. Newey has been with Red Bull since 2006 but plans to leave in early 2025. His contract runs until the end of next year and has a 12-month non-compete clause, but an earlier exit has been successfully negotiated with the F1 champions.

Former F1 team owner Jordan played a significant role on those talks, it has emerged. Newey described the Irishman as his "close friend and manager" as it emerged that Jordan has been instrumental in the events of the past few days. Speaking on his Formula For Success podcast, Jordan hinted his client may decide to take some time before committing to a new project.

"That's probably more likely to see rather diving into any other possible employment career. Things have slightly changed... He probably should and would look to the future about a change of life." Ferrari are not the only ones interested in Newey. When, or if, he decides to join another F1 team, he is likely to also have interest from Aston Martin who tried in March to tempt him to join their project with a mega-money offer extended personally by billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll.

‘Eddie Jordan hints at next F1 career move’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/adrian-newey-eddie-jordan-ferrari-32712608

Jenson Button raises Adrian Newey suspicions in blow to Lewis Hamilton
Adrian Newey will depart Red Bull in 2025 in a bitter blow to the team.
Wed, May 1, 2024
Fraser Watson
Daily and Sunday Express

Jenson Button has dismissed the argument that Adrian Newey leaving Red Bull will enhance Lewis Hamilton’s world title hopes, even if the car designer joins him at Ferrari. In a hammer blow to Horner’s team, Newey ended weeks of speculation by confirming he will end a 19-year association with his current team by departing in early 2025.

"For the sport, it's probably a good thing if we saw him somewhere else,” he told the Sky Sports F1 podcast. “It'll give another team an opportunity. The trouble is, it takes years to develop a car. It's not overnight. Also, I don't think he'd be allowed to work with another team for a few years.”

However, Button’s claims have been contradicted by Red Bull themselves. The 65-year-old has negotiated an early release from his deal, with the team releasing an official statement implying he can work elsewhere ahead of the next F1 campaign. After confirming the impending departure, they said: “Adrian Newey can start working directly with another team after his departure in early 2025. There is no gardening leave.”

‘Suspicions’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1894470/Jenson-Button-Adrian-Newey-Lewis-Hamilton-F1

Fortitude

2nd May 2024, 10:10

What next for Adrian Newey? Red Bull exit will spark bidding war for F1 2026 battleground.
Adrian Newey will become a free agent ahead of the new regulation cycle, so what are the famed designer’s main options?
02 May 2024 6:00 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

As Red Bull’s chief technology officer, Newey oversaw all the technical work carried out by the technology group based at the campus in Milton Keynes but, effective immediately, will no longer play a role on the F1 side of things. If Newey does immediately begin work with another team then, he will have several months to wield his influence over the 2026 car said team will have in development. All the teams are allowed to begin aerodynamic and CFD testing and simulation work from January 1st, 2025, meaning Newey would be joining at least a few months into that cycle – arguably too late to play a major part in 2026 development.

With Fred Vasseur having secured Lewis Hamilton to the team from 2025, and now landing a big money title sponsor in HP, Ferrari would appear to be the leading candidate to secure Newey ahead of 2026. All the ingredients are there. A no-nonsense team boss who is making things happen without being cowed by the politics that inevitably surround Ferrari, two massively exciting drivers in Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, amazing (and recently updated) facilities at Maranello, and a barren spell that stretches back to 2008 since a title victory.

Should Newey not want to leave the UK for Italy, there are quite a few British teams that would throw money at him to join. McLaren and Williams are contenders, and Newey is known to get along famously with McLaren CEO Zak Brown. Which leads us to Aston Martin. Lawrence Stroll’s investment has been significant, and the Silverstone factory is now one of the leading examples of an F1 production facility. Having Fernando Alonso secured for a new deal – both for racing and a post-racing career role – would be a major plus for Newey, who in the past has admitted he’d have liked to have worked with the Spaniard.

‘What next for Adrian Newey?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/what-next-for-adrian-newey-f1-2026-options-explored

Tremayne: ‘He’s the man who can see and bend air’ – Why Adrian Newey will be such a big loss to Red Bull
19:51 Wed, 01 May 2024.
David Tremayne
Hall of Fame F1 Journalist
Formula One - Official Site

The 1988 Japanese GP came towards the end of my first full season of F1. And while it was ultimately a showcase – yet again – for the superiority of the turbocharged McLaren MP4/4 Hondas, which were the Red Bulls of their day long before anyone had ever heard that name – they were chased initially by an outstandingly attractive Miami Blue car driven by Ivan Capelli and powered by a proprietary, normally aspirated Judd V8 engine.

As champion-to-be Ayrton Senna recovered from a poor start and leader Alain Prost struggled with an occasionally baulky gearchange, Capelli squeezed the sleekly raised nose of his March 881 ahead of the McLaren as they crossed the finish line on the 16th lap, to huge cheers from spectators and media. Eyebrows were certainly raised over the performance of the relatively low-funded team, with a 3.5-litre atmo engine developed by John Judd’s modest company in Rugby that hadn’t had anything like the budget Honda had sunk into their 1.5-litre turbo.

But what really lay beneath that stunning performance was Adrian Newey’s understanding of aerodynamics, and that season was really the first manifestation of that in the F1 arena. It wasn’t just technical knowledge, either; he had honed his practical skills on the 230mph ovals of IndyCar racing working for March between 1984 and ‘86. Small wonder that in some circles he is known as the man who can see and bend air, since he has such an uncanny ability to envision its flow characteristics almost as if he has no personal need for that greeny-yellow flow-vis paint teams sometimes use in a weekend’s first free practice sessions.

‘The man who can see and bend air’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/tremayne-hes-the-man-who-can-see-and-bend-air-why-adrian-newey-will-be-such.5bXO7B6QTnO74ChCAj8fG6

Red Bull after Newey: Falling apart, or strength in depth?
02/05/2024 at 08:11
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

It wasn't so long ago that we thought Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari at the end of the year would be the stand-out story of 2024. But Wednesday's confirmation that legendary designer Adrian Newey is bowing out at Red Bull makes that driver move almost look like small potatoes. The immediate reaction by experts and fans is that Newey's departure is little short of apocalyptic for the team that he's been such an intrinsic part of for the last 19 years, and that its reign as the dominant force in Formula 1 is effectively already over.

The view from Newey is somewhat different, as the 65-year-old talked about this being the right time to hand over responsibility for Red Bull's car design to a new generation. If anyone knows what he's talking about on this point, it's surely him. "Now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself," Newey said on Wednesday. "The final stages of development of the RB17 are upon us, so for the remainder of my time with the team my focus will lie there."

Aerodynamic chief Enrico Balbo has been the subject of particular praise from Horner, and technical director Pierre Wache's profile in charge of Red Bull's core team of design and aerodynamic engineers has also been in the ascendency according to The Race. As technical director in charge of the team's technical group, Wache reports directly to Horner and not to Newey, who hasn't been in that hands-on role for nearly a decade.

‘Red Bull after Newey’;

https://f1i.com/news/506628-red-bull-after-newey-falling-apart-or-strength-in-depth.html

‘A new chapter’: Red Bull now have ‘most logical’ successor to Adrian Newey as technical director
Thu 2 May 2024 07:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull Racing have to prepare for life without Adrian Newey very soon but a potential successor may already exist within the team. Max Verstappen is the latest driver to benefit from his genius and Adrian Newey could win his 14th Drivers’ Championship with the Dutchman. Speaking on the Autosport Podcast, journalist Haydn Cobb believes an obvious candidate stands out to step up in the 65-year-old’s place.

Could Pierre Wache step into Adrian Newey’s shoes? Talking about the future of Red Bull’s technical team, Cobb said: “It was a case of cut now if the damage is done and they look to start their new chapter with the sort of Ford-backed Red Bull Powertrains coming on in a couple of years. “Or try and repair said damage and keep [Adrian] Newey as part of the team moving forwards.”

“It seems like the first option has been taken and they’re going to look to very much start a new chapter as the team in more ways than one and probably in more ways than they would have wanted. They would of course have wanted to keep Newey going into the new era. But, as you say, Pierre Wache looks like the most logical next direct head of technical development, not that he wasn’t already working alongside Newey, but he will be getting the full responsibility of that.”

‘Pierre Wache looks like the most logical next direct head of technical development’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red-bull-now-have-most-logical-successor-to-adrian-newey-as-technical-director/

What Does Newey’s Leaving Mean for Red Bull’s Future?
May 2, 2024
By Siwar Cheimbi
PlanetF1.com

Throughout his illustrious career, Newey has left a significant imprint on every team he’s been a part of. His departure from Williams in 1996 marked the beginning of a decline for the team, which has yet to recapture its former glory.

Similarly, after Newey’s exit from McLaren in 2005, the team struggled to replicate their previous successes, with only one Driver’ Championship secured in the following years. Now, as Newey is confirmed to leave Red Bull, questions arise about the potential repercussions for the team’s future dominance in the sport.

The Collective Effort: Beyond Newey’s Genius: However, it’s essential to dispel the misconception that F1 success hinges solely on the genius of one individual. While Newey’s contributions are undeniably significant, the true backbone of Red Bull’s performance lies in its dedicated technical team of around 300 individuals. These unsung heroes work tirelessly behind the scenes, translating Newey’s vision into tangible performance on the track. The success of Red Bull is a collective effort. Newey and technical director Pierre Wache oversee resources and provide strategic direction.

‘Red Bull’s Future’;

https://worldinsport.com/what-does-adrian-newey-leaving-mean-for-red-bulls-future/

Fortitude

2nd May 2024, 15:33

2024 F1 Miami Grand Prix – Start time, how to watch, channel & more.
F1 takes in the first of three events in the United States with this weekend's Miami Grand Prix, Round 6 of the season.
2 May 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

After a trio of events in the Pacific/Asia region with Australia, Japan, and China, F1 heads to the first of three separate visits to North America. The first of those is for the Miami Grand Prix for what will be the third edition of the Miami Grand Prix from the Miami International Autodrome.

It was this event last year that kick-started Max Verstappen's domination of the championship as he crushed team-mate Sergio Perez with a strong drive following a (comparatively) poor qualifying. Ferrari's weaknesses in tyre management also came to the fore as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both struggled at different points and, confusingly for the team, on different tyres.

When is the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix. It's an early start for Australian fans wanting to catch every minute of track action, tough the more meaningful running is a little more accommodating.

‘Early start for Australian fans’;

https://speedcafe.com/2024-f1-miami-grand-prix-start-time-how-to-watch-channel-more/

Miami GP 2024: Schedule and F1 Start Times
Find out when the 2024 Miami Grand Prix takes place, including the F1 session times for practice, Spring Qualifying, the Sprint Race and Sunday's Grand Prix
2 May 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

The F1 season advances with the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. Below, find the complete schedule for the race weekend, including session times for viewers in the USA, the UK, Australia, as well as local time in Miami.

Session Day UK (BST) US (ET) US (PT) Aus. (AEST)
Practice 1 Fri, May 3 17:30 – 18:30 12:30 – 13:30 09:30 – 10:30 02:30 – 03:30*
Sprint Qualifying Fri, May 3 21:30 – 22:14 16:30 – 17:14 13:30 – 14:14 06:30 – 07:14*
Sprint Sat, May 4 17:00 – 18:00 12:00 – 13:00 09:00 – 10:00 02:00 – 03:00*
Qualifying Sat, May 4 21:00 – 22:00 16:00 – 17:00 13:00 – 14:00 06:00 – 07:00*
Race Sun, May 5 21:00 16:00 13:00 06:00*
*Next Day

‘Schedule and F1 Start Times’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-miami-gp-2024-schedule-start-times/

Risk of wet starts to sprint race and grand prix in Miami
2nd May 2024, 15:14
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Formula 1 drivers may have to contend with wet starts to Saturday’s sprint race and Sunday’s grand prix over the Miami Grand Prix weekend. The Miami International Autodrome has hosted two grands prix over the last two years but has not experienced wet session in that time. Friday is expected to have the lowest risk of rain of the weekend, meaning drivers will have the benefit of a dry hour of practice in warm temperatures of just under 30C before that evening’s sprint qualifying session.

Heading into Saturday, there is a significant risk of rain falling in the morning prior to the sprint race starting at midday. While forecasts do not expect rain during the sprint race or the following grand prix qualifying session, there is a chance that the track could still be drying from earlier rain when the lights go out. However, with temperatures again expected to be in the high 20s, any moisture should dry out relatively quickly.

The same is also the case for the grand prix on Sunday. The relatively late start time of 4pm (half an hour later than last year) could well mean that the track is dry once again after earlier expected rain passes in the early afternoon. But should the rain come later than current forecast expect, the risk that the grand prix could be affected will increase.

‘Risk of wet starts’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/02/risk-of-wet-starts-to-sprint-race-and-grand-prix-in-miami/

F1 News: FIA Makes Last Minute Change Ahead of Miami Grand Prix
May 01, 2024 at 5:00 PM EDT
By Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has adjusted the rules concerning jump starts just before the Miami Grand Prix which is set to take place this weekend on 3-5 May. In anticipation of the upcoming Miami Grand Prix, the FIA has introduced a set of revised regulations targeting the clarity and enforcement of jump starts in Formula 1 races, as reported by Autosport.

Previously, the determination of a jump start was solely reliant on sensors provided by the FIA. However, several instances have highlighted the limitations of this technology. Notably, during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, McLaren driver Lando Norris's minor movement at the start line went undetected by the sensors…

Responding to these issues, the revised Article 48.1a of the Sporting Regulations now defines a false start more clearly. According to the new rule, a false start will be called if any car moves in the time window between the illumination of the four-second light and the extinguishing of all red lights at the start. This change aims to eliminate the grey areas previously exploited due to sensor limitations.

‘Defines a false start more clearly’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/f1-news-fia-makes-last-minute-change-ahead-miami-grand-prix-1896091?piano_t=1

Logan Sargeant says being sacrificed by Williams in Australia 'doesn't even cross my mind anymore' as America's only F1 star explains why his struggling team can compete in Miami
Published: 12:06, 2 May 2024
By Jake Fenner
MailOnline

As he sat in a high-rise building in New York City overlooking the East River, Logan Sargeant was on his phone fielding text messages and calls. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people from his home area of south Florida asking him if he can try to get tickets to this weekend's Miami Grand Prix. 'Little do they know I get like, no tickets,' Sargeant says with a laugh before adding that he tries to hand out 'as many as I can'.

The Williams man described his mood going into the weekend as, 'relatively relaxed, excited to be racing at home again.' He continued: 'I think looking at it from a performance standpoint, it's been not the easiest start of the year for the team. I don't think we've really executed a clean weekend as a whole yet. So that has to be the approach going to the weekend.”

'But I think the big thing is this week is a sprint, which will make things a little bit more challenging, make it more important that myself and the engineer has got the set up right going into the weekend as you have very limited time to change anything. So yeah, fingers crossed. But we'll have to wait and see... [we] just need to find our feet quickly.' Sargeant has not found his feet yet this season. Neither has his team. Williams are one of three teams yet to score a single point this campaign.

‘Struggling team can compete in Miami’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13363299/Logan-Sargeant-says-sacrificed-Williams-Australia-doesnt-cross-mind-anymore-Americas-F1-star-explains-struggling-team-compete-Miami.html

Max previews Miami GP: 'Looking forward to the challenge'
01 May 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen scored pole position in all five Grands Prix of 2024 and has won all four Grands Prix that he finished. The three-time Formula 1 world champion has arrived in Miami, for the sprint race weekend that’s coming up.

Max says: “Miami is always one of the most physical tracks, especially with the heat and humidity, but we are looking forward to the challenge this weekend. It’s an interesting circuit with a real mix of corners and long straights, so it will be critical to extract learnings from the car where we can over the weekend. The track is good for racing, with some high-speed sections, so it makes it more interesting with this being the second sprint race in a row.”

'Looking forward to the challenge';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5447/

Fortitude

3rd May 2024, 07:06

Miami GP: Thursday's build-up in pictures.
We’re on the eve of another adrenaline-pumping weekend of action in Florida, with Formula 1's Miami GP set for its third edition of high-octane racing around the Hard Rock Cafe Stadium.
02/05/2024 at 20:15
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

‘Another adrenaline-pumping weekend of action’;

https://f1i.com/news/506669-miami-gp-thursdays-build-up-in-pictures-3.html

‘Affects your level of motivation’: Zero-point Formula 1 driver admits he ‘constantly’ feels tired and ‘down on energy’
Thu 2 May 2024 19:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Speaking to The Athletic, Sargeant admitted that, as a driver, he feels drained. The 23-year-old, who has been partly responsible for Williams accumulating more than £2m in damages this year, says it’s particularly difficult to maintain motivation after an accident. “You constantly feel tired,” he said. “You feel down on energy.”

“I think it affects your level of motivation. It’s easier if you’re winning every weekend as well, so that makes a difference. You don’t feel fatigued in the weekend because you have this constant adrenaline, and that’s another thing. The truth of it is you’re high on adrenaline for the weekend, and then you crash.”

“The science behind it is it takes at least 48 to 72 hours just for your brain to regulate back to normal levels, and it’s normal to feel this lack of motivation, energy, whatever it may be, because you’ve just come off this big crash. Also, when you just release all the nerves and the anxiety, this also plays a big part into it. So, it all makes sense. It’s all normal, but it’s just difficult to manage.”

‘Constantly feels tired and down on energy’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zero-point-formula-1-driver-admits-he-constantly-feels-tired-and-down-on-energy/

Miami GP: FIA Thursday Press Conference.
May 3 2024
By FIA
WilliamsF1 Supporters

Q: “Logan, great to have you with us. It's your home race. Just tell us how excited are you? How busy are you? Has the past week been for you?” LOGAN SARGEANT: “It's been busy. I obviously have three of these, which is nice, but this one's home. But they're always busy weekends leading up to the race. But it was nice. I got the full day off yesterday just to hang out with friends, family, get out on the boat for a little bit. So, yeah, I feel relaxed and excited to be racing at home for the first time in a while.”

Q: “Checo, can we come to you next? You started this race on pole last year. Just how much confidence do you have coming into the weekend?” Sergio PÉREZ: “I think the last few weekends have been good. I think the upgrade we introduced in Suzuka should perform better in these sort of places. It will be also quite interesting to see on a very different circuit to the ones we've been. We're still in the early stages of the season, so it will be interesting to see where we are relative to everyone else in this place. Last year, qualifying went all right, so I believe that we can be alright here.”

Q: “Lewis, can I bring you in on this Adrian Newey news? He's a free agent this time next year. How much would you like to see him join you at Ferrari in 2025?” Lewis HAMILTON: “Very much.”

‘FIA Thursday Press Conference’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st205913.htm

‘That’s your job’ – Lewis Hamilton left fuming by Mercedes strategy at Miami Grand Prix that saw him battle teammate George Russell
Published: 15:30, 2 May 2024
Joe Brophy, Senior SEO Writer

Lewis Hamilton heading to Miami after a horror start to the season in the worst car Mercedes he has had will feel like Groundhog Day. The Brit superstar is the most recognisable Formula 1 driver in America but the track in Florida has not been kind to him.

Hamilton had disappeared from the public eye following the conclusion of the 2021 season after controversial safety car calls robbed him of a record-breaking eighth world title and handed Max Verstappen his first championship.

He returned for the start of the new campaign two years ago unable to put the disappointment behind him due to the 2022 rule changes. Drastic aerodynamic regulations caused airflow issues under that year’s cars, and Mercedes' struggles left them well off the pace.

‘That’s your job’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1848167/lewis-hamilton-fuming-mercedes-strategy-miami-grand-prix/

2024 Miami Grand Prix: Weekend Warm-Up
02 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lawrence Barretto, Will Buxton, Ruth Buscombe, James Hinchcliffe, Alex Jacques and Laura Winter take a look at the latest news and forecasts ahead of the 2024 Miami Grand Prix.

‘Weekend Warm-Up’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-miami-grand-prix-weekend-warm-up.1797983006252586977.html

F1's Charles Leclerc & Carlos Sainz Show Off New Ferrari Car & Blue Race Suits Ahead of Miami Grand Prix
MAY 02, 2024 AT 6:56 PM
BY JJ STAFF
Just Jared (Weblog)

The Scuderia Ferrari teammates unveiled the Miami livery of the Ferrari SF-24 car in the pitlane ahead of this weekend’s Formula 1 Crypto.co Miami Grand Prix 2024.

“We had a bit of a say [with the livery], I like the softer blue as it’s one of my favourite colours. But I love the kit, full blue, a bit retro – it looks so cool! It’s a bit strange looking at yourself in the mirror without the red,” Charles shared about the new livery.

“Happy to be racing this historical colour for Ferrari, and I really like my helmet too. Hopefully [this track] will be a bit better, I’m a bit more optimistic for this year,” Carlos said.

‘Blue Race Suits’;

https://www.justjared.com/2024/05/02/f1s-charles-leclerc-carlos-sainz-show-off-new-ferrari-car-blue-race-suits-ahead-of-miami-grand-prix/

‘Many of those decisions are not in my hands’ – Bottas explains ‘sudden change’ of race engineer in Miami
20:34 Thu, 02 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

Valtteri Bottas has given his take on the news that he will have a new race engineer for the Miami Grand Prix weekend, with the Finn admitting that the move was a “sudden change” by Kick Sauber. Bottas had worked with Alex Chan since joining the team at the start of the 2022 season, but the 10-time Grand Prix winner will now pair up with a different race engineer as of the upcoming event in Miami.

Asked ahead of the weekend for the reason behind the switch, Bottas responded: “I think that’s more a question for the team. It was quite a sudden change. It’s a Sprint weekend so working with a fresh guy will be not easy, but [we're] obviously trying to make the most out of it.”

“He’s getting lots of support but, yeah, it’s quite a sudden change.” On whether the change had received his blessing, Bottas suggested that the move is part of the continued development at Kick Sauber as the squad prepares to become Audi’s works team in 2026.

‘Many of those decisions are not in my hands’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/valtteri-bottas-sudden-change-race-engineer-kick-sauber-miami-grand-prix.sa1jJx4io5pw2JPplxAot

Max on Adrian Newey departure: 'He's earned much respect'
02 May 2024
Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl

The news that Adrian Newey, Oracle Red Bull Racing's technical director, will depart from the team in 2025 is the talk of the town at the Miami GP. Max Verstappen is in high demand by journalists for his reaction: "We would have preferred that he didn't go, but it is what it is. If someone wants to leave you can't stop them. He's chosing this for himself and his family, and you can't fault him for that."

Max elaborates: "Adrian has of course meant so much to Red Bull Racing and contributed to all it's successes from the very beginning. Everyone in the team will always be thankful for that. He's earned a lot of respect. We remain good friends, forever. But that's part of life. We have a strong technical team, who will continue to work hard. The last couple of years have proved that. I trust them."

‘We have a strong technical team’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5449/

Fortitude

3rd May 2024, 18:58

Miami GP: Verstappen tops FP1 as Leclerc spins out.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen set the fastest time in Friday’s single practice for the Miami Grand Prix, the Red Bull charger concluding the tricky session just 0.105s ahead of the McLaren of Oscar Piastri.
03/05/2024 at 18:47
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was third but it was a mixed session for the Scuderia, with Charles Leclerc forced out of practice after just a handful of laps following a spin that left his car stranded in the middle of the track and unable to rejoin the proceedings.

Behind the top-three, Mercedes George Russell, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez rounded off the top-six contenders. With this weekend’s action around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami including a Sprint event, teams were faced with a busy and all-important single practice session.

There were plenty of upgrades up and down the pitlane, but over at McLaren, from front to back, changes were plentiful on team papaya’s MCL38. Over at Williams, the British outfit finally has a spare chassis in its crates, which it obviously hopes it will not need.

‘Verstappen tops FP1’;

https://f1i.com/news/506758-miami-grand-prix-free-practice-1-results-3.html

Miami Grand Prix 2024 – Free Practice 1 Results
Max Verstappen of Red Bull was fastest in the only practice session the teams had available ahead of Sprint Qualifying for the Sprint Race at the 2024 Miami GP
3 May 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen of Red Bull was the class of the field in an interrupted Free Practice 1 session at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix setting the fastest time just 0.105s ahead of Oscar Piastri in the McLaren. Here are the full results from FP1 at the Miami GP.
F1 Miami Grand Prix 2024 – FP1 Results
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:28.595
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.105
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari +0.116
4 George Russell Mercedes +0.189
5 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.222
6 Sergio Perez Red Bull +0.273
7 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.417
8 Yuki Tsunoda RB +0.461
9 Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.568
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.580

‘Full results from FP1’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/miami-grand-prix-2024-free-practice-1-results/

Miami Grand Prix Free Practice 1 - Results
03/05/2024 at 18:45
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome, round 6 of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship.

2024 Miami Grand Prix - Free Practice 1 results
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:28.595s 25
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:28.700s + 0.105s 24
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:28.711s + 0.116s 24
4 George Russell Mercedes 1:28.784s + 0.189s 26
5 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:28.817s + 0.222s 25
6 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:28.868s + 0.273s 23
7 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:29.012s + 0.417s 24
8 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:29.056s + 0.461s 25
9 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:29.163s + 0.568s 23
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:29.175s + 0.580s 27

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://f1i.com/news/506758-miami-grand-prix-free-practice-1-results-3.html

Charles Leclerc suffers 'Austin Powers' embarrassment at Miami GP as Sky F1 pundit giggles
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft couldn't resist poking fun at Charles Leclerc after the Ferrari driver span and got stuck on track during practice at the Miami Grand Prix
3 May 2024, 18:04
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Speaking live on air, Croft struggled to contain his laughter as he said: "You know that scene in Austin Powers when he's trying to get the car turned around in the tunnel? I think we've got one of those on our hands!" As he continued to giggle, he added: "I'm not laughing... well, I am, but I'm laughing at the Austin Powers thing, not at Charles Leclerc. This is ruining not only his first few moments, but everyone else out on track as well."

A few seconds later, as it became clear Leclerc wasn't going to be able to get his car facing the right way again, race control decided to red flag the session. Once the Ferrari was recovered, the session got going again. But the Monegasque was able to play no further part.

And, because the Sprint format is again in use this weekend, it means Leclerc will get no practice time before heading back out on track for qualifying for the Sprint race later on Friday. Fortunately for everyone else, the red flags were not flying for long and the action was able to continue. But there was only one Ferrari out on track with Carlos Sainz showing off the team's special one-off livery featuring blue alongside their famous red.

"I'm not laughing... well, I am, but I'm laughing at the Austin Powers thing…;”

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-leclerc-austin-power-miami-32731766

2024 Miami GP FP1: Leclerc spin brings out the red flags in first practice
03 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The first practice session for the Miami Grand Prix was halted after Charles Leclerc spun his Ferrari at the exit of Turn 16 just a few minutes into the session.

‘Leclerc spin brings out the red flags’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Grands+Prix/Miami+GP

Fortitude

4th May 2024, 05:38

Max Verstappen shouts "LOL" after securing Miami GP Sprint pole with "terrible" lap.
Max Verstappen was unsurprisingly quickest on track during qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix Sprint race - though the Red Bull driver was indeed shocked with that result.
03 May 2024.
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Max Verstappen was so surprised to be on pole for the Miami Grand Prix Sprint that his first reaction was to shout "LOL" over the radio. To many, seeing the Dutchman's name at the top of the timesheets would have been no surprise. But Verstappen was certainly grateful to have gone quickest overall after what he described as a "terrible" lap.

He couldn't hide his shock after Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase informed him that he had done enough to secure pole for Saturday's Sprint race in Florida. Verstappen said: "LOL. What happened to the others? This was terrible. I mean, I'll take it..." He still didn't quite understand what had happened before he took part in the post-session interview. He told Naomi Schiff: "To be honest with you, it felt really terrible.

"LOL. I'll take it...";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-verstappen-sprint-pole-miami-32733131

Miami GP: Sprint Qualifying Results
Full results from the Sprint Qualifying from the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome.
4 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:28.194 1:28.001 1:27.641
2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:28.537 1:27.977 1:27.749 0.108
3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:28.681 1:27.865 1:27.876 0.235
4 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 1:28.700 1:28.122 1:28.044 0.403
5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:28.435 1:28.262 1:28.103 0.462
6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:28.056 1:28.163 1:28.161 0.520
7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:28.807 1:28.323 1:28.375 0.734
8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:28.192 1:28.189 1:28.419 0.778
9 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:27.939 1:27.597 1:28.472 0.831
10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:29.040 1:28.330 1:28.476 0.835

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/miami-gp-sprint-qualifying-results/

Max Verstappen laughs at Red Bull's rivals at Miami Grand Prix as Dutchman shocked
Max Verstappen claimed the sprint race pole at the Miami Grand Prix on Friday but didn't celebrate when informed by his race engineer.
May 3, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The Dutchman was piecing together a strong lap but endured a messy start to sector three, experiencing a major snap while navigating the awkward chicane at Turns 14 and 15, costing him plenty of time. However, with his closest rivals also struggling, this was enough to claim the P1 spot on the grid for Saturday's sprint. Lando Norris had been the frontrunner throughout the first two sprint qualifying sessions but had a miserable opening sector on his final run.

Elaborating on his shock after the session, Verstappen noted: "It felt really terrible. Maybe that last session was just incredibly difficult to get the tyres to work. Already in SQ2, I didn't feel great. SQ3, it just felt quite similar for me. I didn't really improve on the soft. Somehow we were first. Of course, I happily take it.”

"But it didn't feel enjoyable out there to drive for whatever reason because in practice it felt really, really nice, I was very comfortable and confident, qualifying, not so much."

‘Dutchman shocked’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1895531/Max-Verstappen-Red-Bull-Miami-Grand-Prix

Verstappen takes 'terrible' Miami sprint pole as Hamilton hits wall
The Mercedes pair of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell has a sprint qualifying to forget in Miami, but Max Verstappen would return to sprint qualifying form, taking his seventh pole position in eight from the 2024 F1 season so far.
3 May 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen claimed sprint qualifying pole at the Miami Grand Prix, beating Charles Leclerc and team-mate Sergio Perez, despite a hairy moment in the Turn 14/15 chicane on his one timed run - with him calling his attempt "terrible". The Dutch driver missed out on sprint qualifying pole at the Chinese Grand Prix, but made amends in Miami, beating the Ferrari by a tenth of a second.

Daniel Ricciardo was the standout performer, putting his RB in fourth, ahead of Carlos Sainz and the McLarens and Aston Martins. It was a disappointing session for Lando Norris, who despite upgrades, could only get the better of Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg in the final sprint qualifying session. He will line up in ninth for the Saturday morning sprint.

But drama for Mercedes. Like Ricciardo, Hamilton would hit the wall, ruining his lap and leaving him only just ahead of Ocon. He would be joined by team-mate George Russell in an underwhelming SQ2 for the team. Norris and Perez would remain out front, leading the remaining 10 drivers through after Magnussen and Tsunoda were also eliminated.

‘Lewis Hamilton and George Russell has a sprint qualifying to forget’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-takes-miami-sprint-qualifying-pole-as-hamilton-hits-wall

Lewis Hamilton issues grim reality check for Mercedes after Miami GP sprint qualifying disaster
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell continued Mercedes' dismal 2024 F1 season at the Miami GP
4 May 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes are seven-tenths off the pace in 2024 after he and George Russell were dumped out of SQ2 at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix to continue to their woeful start to the campaign.

He made several errors in the tricky sector three of the Miami International Autodrome on his final SQ2 lap, but teammate George Russell also missed out behind the tenth-placed Haas of Nico Hulkenberg. “The car felt really good in FP1 and then, I mean it didn’t feel terrible, we’re just seven-tenths off,” Hamilton told F1TV. “That’s just the pace of our car I think.”

“I think the sprint race is going to be tough. I mean, we’re in P12. So don’t expect a huge amount from there to be honest. It’s not an easy circuit to overtake on or to follow. So just trying to step into the points somehow if we can. This weekend we’ve just been, no more experiments just trying to make the car work. So I feel like we extracted everything from the car. And that’s just our pace. You know, we just have to accept it for the moment that we’re seven-tenths off.”

‘Grim reality check for Mercedes’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lewis-hamilton-grim-reality-check-mercedes-2024-miami-gp-sprint-qualifying-disaster/

Mercedes summoned to stewards over Lewis Hamilton Sprint Qualifying incident at Miami GP
03 May 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes are off to see the stewards in Miami after Sprint Qualifying, due to an apparent team error on Lewis Hamilton’s side of the garage. The stewards have been kept busy in the hours following Sprint Qualifying at the Miami Grand Prix, with Mercedes summoned before them due to an alleged breach of the rules.

During SQ2, as Hamilton came into the pits for fresh tyres, Mercedes team members appeared to not have their helmets on as they worked on the W15. This has led to a summons under Article 34.13 of the F1 FIA Sporting Regulations, “a failure to wear helmets by team personnel during the pit stop at 16:55”.

Hamilton made a small error during the Sprint Qualifying session, tapping the wall on the exit of Turn 16, ultimately falling short of making it into SQ3 by less than half a tenth. “I have got nothing,” said Hamilton over the radio following his premature exit from the session, which determines the grid order for Saturday’s Sprint race. Hamilton could be seen climbing sadly from his Mercedes, shaking his head as he walked through the garage.

‘Mercedes summoned to stewards’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-summons-lewis-hamilton-fia-stewards-sprint-qualifying-miami-grand-prix

2024 Miami GP Sprint Qualifying: Jubilant Ricciardo crosses the line to take P4
03 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

It’s been a tricky start to the season for RB's Daniel Ricciardo, but the Australian was overjoyed after taking a second row grid slot for the Sprint in Miami.

‘Jubilant Ricciardo crosses the line to take P4’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-miami-gp-sprint-qualifying-jubilant-ricciardo-crosses-the-line-to-take-p4.1798072678048796061.html

Ricciardo eyeing big Miami sprint result after standout qualifying
Daniel Ricciardo is dreaming of a podium finish in the sprint at the Miami Grand Prix after qualifying fourth.
4 May 2024
Samuel Coop

The Australian twice hit the wall on the outside of the tricky chicane complex during SQ2, but was able to get through to the final section of qualifying, where he bested the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, as well as the two McLarens and two Aston Martins. He will line up alongside Sergio Perez's Red Bull.

"Certainly," he replied, when asked by Sky Sports F1 if he could dream of a podium finish in the Miami Grand Prix sprint, adding: "I can dream of everything" when the win was then suggested to him. It's just so nice starting towards the front. Even just being out of that mid-pack, [as] that [is] normally a bit of chaos.”

"So, hopefully you go with the leaders at the beginning. It's a short race so hopefully get kind of through enough of it with them in the first few laps and end up with a good bag of points."

"I can dream of everything";

https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-eyeing-big-miami-sprint-result-after-standout-qualifying

Fortitude

4th May 2024, 20:03

Miami GP: Verstappen beats Leclerc in Saturday Sprint.
Max Verstappen didn't have the best of starts to Saturday's Sprint race in Miami, but he rebuffed any ideas that Charles Leclerc might have had of taking the lead into turn 1 and from there went on to maintain a firm grip on proceedings.
04/05/2024 at 17:46
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

The race saw an early safety car after a four-wide incident sparked by a move down the inside into turn 1 by Lewis Hamilton caused the Aston Martin cars to make contact with Lando Norris coming to a halt by the trackside. Hamilton had made a move down the inside of turn 1 after a flying start in the Mercedes but escaped unscathed despite being the primary instigator.

However Alonso needed to pit for a new front wing as Stroll also headed to pit lane - to retire. Meanwhile Ocon cheekily pitted to serve his ten-second penalty under the safety car. Some fantastic driving enabled Ricciardo to narrowly secure fourth and pick up his first points of the season ahead of Sainz and Piastri. Hulkenberg crossed the line in seventh ahead of Hamilton who had managed to get the jump on Tsunoda on the final lap.

However instead of picking up a point, Hamilton was subsequently handed a drive-thru penalty for speeding in pit lane during the race. That restored Tsunoda to eighth in the final classifications as Hamilton dropped to P16.

‘He rebuffed any ideas that Charles Leclerc might have had’;

https://f1i.com/news/506964-miami-gp-verstappen-beats-leclerc-in-saturday-sprint.html

Miami Grand Prix 2024 – F1 Sprint Race Results
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen continues to reign supreme in Miami and took victory in the Sprint Race at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. Full Sprint Race results
4 May 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

F1 Miami GP 2024 – Sprint Race Results
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 19 Laps
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +3.371
3 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +5.095
4 Daniel Ricciardo RB +14.971
5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari +15.222
6 Oscar Piastri McLaren +15.750
7 Nico Hulkenberg Haas F1 Team +22.054
8 Yuki Tsunoda RB +29.347
9 Pierre Gasly Alpine +29.816
10 Logan Sargeant Williams +31.303

‘Red Bull driver Max Verstappen continues to reign supreme’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-miami-grand-prix-2024-sprint-race-results/

Verstappen collects sprint race win from pole as Norris crashes out at start
4th May 2024, 17:5
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Max Verstappen converted sprint race pole into victory in the sprint race of the Miami Grand Prix ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The championship leader extended his advantage at the top of the table with eight points for victory in the sprint race, three seconds ahead of Leclerc.

Sergio Perez completed the top three behind the Ferrari driver after overtaking Daniel Ricciardo, who had got ahead of him at the start. Carlos Sainz Jnr was fourth after being unable to pass the RB driver, with Oscar Piastri sixth for McLaren, Nico Hulkenberg in seventh for Haas.

Lewis Hamilton originally claimed the final point in eighth after passing Yuki Tsunoda on the final lap. But the Mercedes driver was hit with a post-race drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit lane during a Safety Car period. That was converted to a 20-second penalty which That dropped Hamilton to 16th place and promoted Tsunoda to the final point in eighth.

‘Verstappen collects sprint race win’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/04/verstappen-collects-sprint-race-win-from-pole-as-norris-crashes-out-at-start/

Lewis Hamilton shrugs off scrappy driving standards in Miami GP Sprint
The Mercedes driver was involved in contact with four different cars throughout the race
4 May 2024
By Brandon Sutton

Lewis Hamilton went through the wars at the Miami International Autodrome as he survived Lap 1 contact with Fernando Alonso, before facing Kevin Magnussen’s extreme defence in the 2024 Miami GP Sprint Race, but he parried it away by saying he enjoyed the racing.

“Yeah, I did,” Hamilton said after being asked if he gave it everything on the track. “I feel okay. I mean it’s obviously tough battling out there and Turn 1 wasn’t intentional to be touching with anyone. But everyone’s pushing as much as possible and I went for a gap, but then I think those guys went wide and then came back across. So that’s kind of where we connected.”

‘In contact with four different cars’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lewis-hamilton-scrappy-driving-standards-2024-miami-gp-sprint/

Zak Brown not impressed by Lewis Hamilton driving after Lando Norris DNF at Miami Grand Prix
Sat 4 May 2024 19:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

At one stage, Lando Norris looked the favourite to qualify on pole for the sprint race in Miami. But he ended up walking away without a single point. Norris was electric in SQ1 and SQ2 in his heavily-upgraded McLaren car on Friday. In fact, the lap time he set in the second segment would have been good enough for pole position.

The McLaren Racing CEO said: “It looked like Lewis got overly aggressive, couldn’t get it slowed down for the first corner and drove into a couple of cars that were already driving into themselves already.” McLaren did at least salvage something from the 19-lap race. Oscar Piastri came home in sixth, which earns him three points heading into the main race on Sunday.

‘Not impressed’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zak-brown-not-impressed-by-lewis-hamilton-driving-after-lando-norris-dnf-at-miami-grand-prix/

Max Verstappen ‘not entirely happy’ and wants Red Bull answers despite Miami GP Sprint victory
The Dutchman converted his pole into a victory in the 2024 Miami GP F1 Sprint but still wasn't entirely happy with his Red Bull car
4 May 2024
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen has admitted he is still not satisfied with the balance of his Red Bull car despite winning the F1 Sprint race at the Formula 1 2024 Miami Grand Prix on Saturday.

“I’m still not entirely happy with the balance of the car, so we need to look into that,” Verstappen told the written press in Miami, including Total-Motorsport.com. “A bit too much oversteer, I would say, so we’ll try to fine tune that before qualifying, because I had the same problem yesterday in [sprint] qualifying.”

“So it definitely highlights that what we have at the moment is probably not the best for quali and race. Nevertheless, we won the [sprint] race, which I think is the most important thing and we’ll try to just make it a bit more solid.”

‘Not entirely happy’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-max-verstappen-not-happy-wants-red-bull-answers-2024-miami-gp-sprint-victory/

Ricciardo's heroics and Hamilton's misery: Miami GP sprint takeaways
May 4, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race

Max Verstappen took his almost inevitable victory in Formula 1’s 2024 Miami sprint race but, like in sprint qualifying, he seemed not to enjoy driving his Red Bull all that much in the process.

Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari survived a pre-race pitlane collision with Esteban Ocon’s Alpine to give Verstappen’s Red Bull some genuine hassle through the opening lap. But the safety car neutralised any momentum Leclerc built up.

And after the restart the Ferrari driver was never able to get within DRS range so ended up driving the remaining 16 of the 19 laps in effective stalemate with Verstappen. Even with Verstappen complaining his Red Bull felt “terrible, zero rear grip, like quali yesterday”, there was just no opening for Leclerc.

‘RICCIARDO HANGS WITH THE BIG DOGS, NORRIS’S MESSY WEEKEND CONTINUES, HAMILTON'S FRUSTRATING RACE’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/miami-gp-sprint-race-report-f1-verstappen-ricciardo-hamilton-magnussen/

Fortitude

5th May 2024, 07:02

Max Verstappen beats Charles Leclerc in Miami to claim 7th consecutive F1 pole.
Max Verstappen will start Sunday’s F1 Miami Grand Prix on pole position after beating Charles Leclerc by 0.141s. Max Verstappen made it seven pole positions in a row as he topped qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix.
04 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Like in sprint qualifying, no one could get close enough to Verstappen’s 1m27.241s on the final runs. Verstappen and the two Ferraris failed to improve on their final laps in Q3, ensuring the order remained the same. Sergio Perez did improve on his final lap but narrowly missed out on third by 0.005s.

It means the top four were separated by just 0.219s in qualifying with Verstappen leading Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Perez. After showing outstanding pace on the mediums in sprint qualifying, Lando Norris attempted to do his first lap in Q3 on them, rather than the favoured softs.

The gamble didn’t pay off as he trailed his teammate after the first run in Q3 before getting ahead of Oscar Piastri to secure fifth. Piastri will start sixth ahead of the two Mercedes drivers of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

‘7th consecutive F1 pole’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047897/1/max-verstappen-beats-charles-leclerc-miami-claim-7th-consecutive-f1-pole

2024 Miami Grand Prix - Qualifying results
22:18 Sat, 04 May 2024.
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Full results from qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome, round 6 of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

2024 Miami Grand Prix - Qualifying results
Pos Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:27.689s 1:27.566s 1:27.241s
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:28.081s 1:27.533s 1:27.382s
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:27.937s 1:27.941s 1:27.455s
4 Sergio Pérez Red Bull 1:27.772s 1:27.839s 1:27.460s
5 Lando Norris McLaren 1:27.913s 1:27.871s 1:27.594s
6 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:28.032s 1:27.721s 1:27.675s
7 George Russell Mercedes 1:28.159s 1:28.095s 1:28.067s
8 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:28.167s 1:27.697s 1:28.107s
9 Nico Hülkenberg Haas 1:28.383s 1:28.200s 1:28.146s
10 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:28.324s 1:28.167s 1:28.192s

‘Full results’;

https://f1i.com/news/507040-2024-miami-grand-prix-qualifying-results.html

F1 - 2024 Miami Grand Prix - Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript
04.05.24
FIA (Press Release)

DRIVERS
1 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)
2 – Charles LECLERC (Ferrari)
3 – Carlos SAINZ (Ferrari)

Q: Here with your pole sitter, Max Verstappen. Max, 38th career pole, six out of six for the season in Grand Prix qualifying. Great start to this weekend. Well, not start, you've already started! You've already done very well so far. But yesterday, you were surprised in qualifying to get the pole based on how the car felt. Did it feel a little bit better today? It looks pretty hooked up?
Max VERSTAPPEN: I think we definitely improved the car a bit, but I don't know what it is, every single year that we come here, I find it extremely difficult to be very consistent with the car feeling, the tyre feeling over one lap. It's just super hard to make sure that Sector 1 feels good and sector three at the end of the lap. To make that happen together is incredibly tough. And again, today, it was really about finding that balance. I think we did OK. I mean, it's not, let's say, the most enjoyable lap out of my career just because of how slippery it is and how, like… You're not very confident on the lap. But we are on pole, and that's, of course, the most important.

Q: Charles P2, another front-row start this weekend. Same front row as we saw in the Sprint race, but the car looks on the absolute ragged edge out there. How did it feel from in the cockpit? Did you leave anything on the table?
Charles LECLERC: It felt so much on the limit. Obviously, it was very close until Q3, where when we started to push for the last one or two tenths, we started to lose the tyres in Sector 2 and 3, overheating them quite a bit. Sector 1 was actually feeling really good, but then Sector 2 and 3 we were losing too much. So today, that's where we lost a little bit of time. However, the race is long tomorrow. This morning we showed a good pace. So I hope tomorrow we can put Max under a bit more pressure.

Q: Third place team-mate Carlos Sainz walks up to the cheers of the crowd. Carlos, congrats. Inside row two. Decent step up from Sprint qualifying. How'd the car feel out there?
Carlos SAINZ: Yeah, honestly, a bit of a shame about this morning. I couldn't get past Daniel, but I know that the pace was there. I knew that with a clean quali, I could be in the top three. And yeah, we managed to do some clean laps. It's really tricky around here with the new Soft. Every lap is a bit of an adventure with the wind. You don't know what's going to happen. And keeping all this in mind, the laps were not too bad.

‘Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-miami-grand-prix-post-qualifying-press-conference-transcript

Max Verstappen calls for Red Bull to improve after 2024 Miami GP pole
The Dutchman took pole for the second time at the 2024 Miami GP, but once again he was far from happy
4 May 2024
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

“I think it’s just just been extremely difficult to put a lap in where everything just works,” Verstappen said to select members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “For some reason, it’s just extremely difficult to make the tyres work around the whole lap. Yet sometimes, you have little moments here and there and it’s just not very consistent.”

“That makes it very difficult to try and hit a perfect lap. So, every lap that you put on the board was a bit of guessing what was going to happen, which doesn’t make it very nice to drive but we think handled the situation really well. We did the best we could and the car definitely felt a little bit nicer compared to yesterday.”

‘Calls for Red Bull to improve’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-max-verstappen-red-bull-to-improve-2024-miami-gp-pole/

Christian Horner: 'Another phenomenal performance from Max'
05 May 2024
Johan Peeters
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, team principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, reflects after Saturday’s sprint race and qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix: “Overall, a fantastic showing from the Team today with the Sprint race and qualifying here in Miami. We’re always trying to extract the maximum out of our car, and everyone was struggling a bit out there today to find the right balance and set-up on the last run.”

“Max obviously found enough and was able to make it his seventh pole in a row, his sixth of the season, and it was another phenomenal performance from him. Checo put in a really, really strong performance and improved on his second run to put it on the second row, so we’re going into race day in a good position. The Sprint race today gives us a nice window into what the tyres are going to do tomorrow, but we’ll see how it plays out with set-up and conditions on race day.”

'Another phenomenal performance from Max';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5455/

Verstappen sees off Ferraris for Miami GP pole
May 4, 2024
Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Formula 1 points leader Max Verstappen took his first Miami Grand Prix pole position by seeing off a challenge from Charles Leclerc in qualifying on Saturday. Verstappen - who won the two previous Miami Grands Prix without starting either from the front row - beat Leclerc by 0.141s.

‘Verstappen sees off Ferraris’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-sees-off-ferraris-for-miami-gp-pole/

Max Verstappen ties Alain Prost's record with 6th pole-winning run to open an F1 season
Sat, May 4, 2024, 10:36 PM
JENNA FRYER
Yahoo! UK & Ireland

Max Verstappen: “I don't know what it is, every single year we come here I find it extremely difficult to be consistent with the car feeling, with the tire feeling over one lap,” Verstappen said. “I think we did OK. It's not the most enjoyable lap of my career, but we're on pole and that's the most important.”

The pole-winning run tied Verstappen with Alain Prost in opening the season with six consecutive poles. Prost did it in 1993.

“I think we did OK”;

https://sports.yahoo.com/max-verstappen-ties-alain-prosts-213604376.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIy3RYJOt1L8eyHv95mxR7VijtVu PnU2-CgkRVJYBmRC4G__03JjkFZS_4xFSadJzcmUEnSlBVkGB3AS9uv qajiBsEt-sDJRf9WZBY_WBmBso2KY3zYRLtVUF8TpXvGpJxf7CwngOotjZj jPRk03t3QKCI2jKFcRS8Rdf8S-28QX

Ferrari’s double threat to Red Bull and Ricciardo on a charge – What To Watch For in the Miami Grand Prix
May 4, 2024
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula!.com

Another sweep of the race weekend for Max Verstappen so far but he’s facing a stern challenge from Ferrari in Florida, while McLaren are also loitering with intent. So here are five things to keep an eye on when the lights go out on race day at the Miami International Autodrome…

‘Ferrari’s threat to Red Bull’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/ferraris-double-threat-to-red-bull-and-ricciardo-on-a-charge-what-to-watch.2QaoaRX8Ma45JhqpjPrbZf

Fortitude

5th May 2024, 22:37

Lando Norris wins Grand Prix for first time ever and ends Max Verstappen’s Miami run.
Lando Norris has won a Formula 1 Grand Prix for the first time ever as he beat Max Verstappen to the Miami Grand Prix.
22:41, 5 May 2024
Jackson Cole
talkSPORT.com evening editor

The British McLaren driver started the race in fifth but executed the drive of his life as he took advantage of the safety car to pit and retain his lead ahead of second-placed Verstappen.

“WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! F***!" a delighted Norris told his race engineer.
"I love you all, I love you all so much. We did it Will, we did it!
"Thanks mum, thanks dad - this one’s for my grandma."

This is the first time Verstappen hasn't been victorious at the Miami Grand Prix and just the second time the reigning champion hasn't won this season, with six in 2024 happening so far.

‘Lando Norris wins Grand Prix for first time’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1856215/lando-norris-wins-miami-grand-prix-first-time-ever-max-verstappen/

Miami Grand Prix 2024 – F1 Race Results
McLaren driver Lando Norris took his first ever Formula 1 victory at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix. Full F1 race results from Miami
5 May 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Miami GP 2024 – F1 Race Results
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Lando Norris McLaren Leader
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull +7.612
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +9.920
4 Carlos Sainz Ferrari +11.407
5 Sergio Perez Red Bull +14.650
6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +16.585
7 Yuki Tsunoda RB +26.185
8 George Russell Mercedes +34.789
9 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +37.107
10 Esteban Ocon Alpine +39.746

‘F1 Race Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-miami-grand-prix-2024-race-results/

Lando Norris claims first F1 victory at star-studded Miami Grand Prix as Max Verstappen is forced to settle for second
Published: 22:35, 5 May 2024
By Isabel Baldwin
MailOnline

British Formula One driver Lando Norris claimed his first victory in Formula One at the Miami Grand Prix. The McClaren driver remained cool and composed to hold off the favorite, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who started in pole position.

Norris' win came in front a host of A-Listers who had descended on Miami for the weekend of on-grid action, including former president Donald Trump, who paid a visit to the McClaren garage ahead of Sunday's race.

‘Lando Norris claims first F1 victory’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13385491/miami-grand-prix-lando-norris-wins-max-verstappen.html

F1 Miami Grand Prix: Lando Norris beats Max Verstappen for Formula One first.
McLaren driver wins race for first time in Formula One career.
05/05/2024, 22:38
Evening Standard

Lando Norris finished ahead of Max Verstappen to win the Miami Grand Prix.

‘Lando Norris beats Max Verstappen’;

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/formula-one/f1-miami-grand-prix-result-2024-b1155848.html

Lando Norris earns first Grand Prix win in Miami
10.43pm, 5 May 2024
The42

MCLAREN’S LANDO NORRIS won the first Formula One race of his career with a shock victory over world champion Max Verstappen in the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday. Norris, in his 110th race for McLaren, beat Verstappen by over seven seconds with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finishing third.

Verstappen, who began on pole, had won four of the opening five races of the season and leads the world championship standings. It looked like business as usual with the Dutchman leading until lap 24 when he pitted and Norris’s McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri took over the lead.

The safety car came after Kevin Magnussen clipped Logan Sargeant, sending the American Williams driver into the wall, bringing a yellow flag. Norris took full advantage of the safety car and with Verstappen struggling to catch up, he secured his maiden win. “I knew it, I knew it when I came in today,” yelled a delighted Norris on the team radio.

‘First Grand Prix win’;

https://www.the42.ie/lando-norris-wins-miami-grand-prix-6372535-May2024/

Miami Grand Prix: Lando Norris ends long wait for first F1 win after Max Verstappen ‘disaster’
05 May 2024 10:36 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The wait is over! At long last, Lando Norris can call himself a Grand Prix winner as he claimed an impressive victory in Miami.

While Max Verstappen had not enjoyed his usual level of comfort, it was the perfect Safety Car timing which opened the door for Norris to snatch the lead, as he ditched Verstappen from there to deliver on his prophecy that a 2024 victory was coming. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc would complete the podium.

It proved to be a comfortable P4 finish for Sainz, but the true story ahead was Norris, who for the first time in Formula 1, became a Grand Prix winner here in Miami! Verstappen was forced to make do with the second step on the podium, as Leclerc completed the top three.

‘The wait is over!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/miami-grand-prix-2024-race-report

Fortitude

6th May 2024, 09:35

‘This is for you grandma’: Lando Norris wins first race of F1 career at Miami GP.
“Whooooooooooo, whoooooooooooo, I love you all,” yelled an emotional Norris over the radio. “Thank you so much. We did it, Will [Joseph, Norris’ race engineer]. We did it.”
May 6, 2024 8:13 am
By Philip Duncan, Evan Bartlett
i News

In his 110th F1 appearance, the 24-year-old from Bristol became the 21st British driver in history to stand on the top step of the podium after he took advantage of a safety car before holding off Max Verstappen.

“I guess that is how it is done. Finally. Oh, I am so happy. I knew it when I came in this morning. I said today is the day, full of opportunities. I nailed it, you nailed it, thank you so much. Thanks mum, thanks dad, this one is for my grandma, thank you very much.”

He added later: “[That’s] for my grandma because she’s not been so well lately. I saw her last week and I told her that I was gonna win a race. I didn’t say when, I just said I was going to win a race… I didn’t know it would be coming this soon but I’m just very happy that I was able to do it as quickly as I did!”

“This is for you grandma”;

https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-one/lando-norris-wins-f1-miami-grandma-3042142?ITO=newsnow

Brown makes Norris declaration after Miami victory
The British driver has won his first grand prix, taking first in Miami.
6 May 12:56AM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Zak Brown believes Lando Norris will carry an "inner belief" forwards after taking his first Formula 1 win in the Miami Grand Prix. The McLaren driver emerged victorious at the 110th attempt to secure victory in Miami, becoming the 21st Briton to win a grand prix, and first home driver for the team since the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix and Jenson Button.

He defeated Max Verstappen in a straight fight after a safety car restart, with Brown believing that Norris will go from strength to strength. "Lando drove perfectly and the strategy was spot on, all the men and women at McLaren have just continued to develop this car," Brown told F1TV.

"It just keeps getting faster and faster and today, no-one had anything for him. It is great to get that first one out of the way. He didn't make any mistakes, and I just think he's going to go from strength to strength now because he is a grand prix winner, and once you've done it, there's an inner belief that just goes to the next level."

"Inner belief";

https://racingnews365.com/brown-makes-norris-declaration-after-miami-victory

Zak Brown reacts to Lando Norris Miami GP win as McLaren boss has celebration in mind
The McLaren boss is pondering whether to add to his body art after Norris' extraordinary triumph in Miami
5 May 2024
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

“[My nerves were] not so good, they’re still not good!” Brown told Sky Sports F1 after the race. “But what a drive. The car was great. I’ve got to thank everyone back at McLaren, and here. All the hard work is paying off.”

Asked whether he would be getting a tattoo to celebrate, Brown said: “Yeah, I don’t mind Miami. It’s kind of my home country, so why not?”

‘Celebration in mind’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-zak-brown-reacts-lando-norris-2024-miami-gp-win-mclaren-boss-considers-new-tattoo/

2024 Miami Grand Prix: ‘We did it!’ – Listen to Norris’s jubilant team radio messages on his victory lap in Miami
05 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lando Norris was full of praise for his team and his family after taking his first F1 victory – telling his race enigneer “this is just the beginning!”

‘We did it!’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2024-miami-grand-prix-we-did-it-listen-to-norriss-jubilant-team-radio-messages-on-his-victory-lap-in-miami.1798254321090802149.html

Kevin Magnussen and Carlos Sainz punished after incident-packed Miami Grand Prix
06 May 2024 12:07 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz has dropped down to fifth place and Kevin Magnussen has received yet more penalties after visits to the stewards following the Miami Grand Prix.

Piastri and Sainz were both summoned for their on-track contact over potentially causing a collision – with Sainz having lost a place after being given a five-second penalty, while Magnussen was called before the stewards for pitting under Safety Car conditions and not changing tyres.

Alongside that punishment, his collision with Sargeant earned him two further penalty points on his FIA Super Licence – putting him up to 10 for the season and just two away from the 12 required to trigger a one-race ban.

‘Carlos Sainz has dropped down to fifth place’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/miami-grand-prix-summons-fia-magnussen-sainz-piastri

2024 Miami Grand Prix - Race results [AMENDED].
05/05/2024 at 22:42
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Full race results from the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome, round 6 of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
2024 Miami Grand Prix - Race results
Pos Driver Team Gap Stops
1 Lando Norris McLaren 57 laps - 1:30:49.876s 1
2 Max Verstappen Red Bull + 7.612s 1
3 Charles Leclerc Ferrari + 9.920s 1
4 Sergio Pérez Red Bull + 14.650s 1
5 Carlos Sainz Ferrari + 16.407s 2
6 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes + 16.585s 1
7 Yuki Tsunoda RB + 26.185s 1
8 George Russell Mercedes + 34.789s 1
9 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin + 37.107s 1
10 Esteban Ocon Alpine + 39.746s 1

Full race results (Carlos Sainz has dropped down to fifth place)’;

https://f1i.com/news/507149-2024-miami-grand-prix-race-results.html

MAX VERSTAPPEN SECOND IN MIAMI GP, NORRIS WINS: 'WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PACE'
06 May 2024
Misha van der Kroon
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen finished second in the Miami Grand Prix. At the start, the three-time World Champion immediately took the lead from pole position and seemed to be on his way to a problem-free victory for a long time. However, a safety car following the crash of Logan Sargeant threw a spanner in the works. Lando Norris was leading the race at that moment and was able to make a 'free' pit stop thanks to the safety car, which allowed him to retain the lead.

On his newer tyres, Norris had a good restart and continued to increase the gap to Verstappen. Ultimately, Norris took his first Grand Prix victory seven seconds ahead of Verstappen. It was the first for McLaren since the Italian Grand Prix in 2021. Verstappen had to settle for second place, followed by Charles Leclerc.

Max reacts calmly about his second place: “You win and you lose, we are used to that in racing. From our side it is disappointing, but on the other hand you have to be realistic and we just didn't have the pace. Today was tricky. It didn't feel great on the mediums. We were pulling away, but not like we should be.”

‘Max reacts calmly about his second place’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5456/

HORNER AFTER SECOND PLACE IN MIAMI: 'THAT'S RACING'
06 May 2024
Julien Lemmen
Verstappen.nl

Team principal Christian Horner reflects after the race: "Firstly, congratulations to McLaren and Lando. They ran a great race and it’s a well deserved victory. Max was a little unfortunate to sustain floor damage when he hit the bollard around the 21st lap, he did well to maintain his position, but it was difficult for him to recover from there."

'THAT'S RACING';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5457/

Fortitude

6th May 2024, 17:07

5 Winners and 5 Losers from the Miami Grand Prix – Who was making hay in the Sunshine State?
Lando Norris secured the first Grand Prix victory of his career with a sensational drive in Miami – but while he and his McLaren team partied into the night, others didn’t have much to celebrate on their flights home.
6th May 2024. 16:03.
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Winner: Lando Norris: You’d struggle to find a person in the Formula 1 paddock who wasn’t happy for Lando Norris as he clinched the first Grand Prix win of his career at the 110th attempt. The 24-year-old benefitted from a Safety Car intervention – but nailed the restart and showed devastating speed across the weekend in a heavily upgraded McLaren.

Loser: Oscar Piastri: The Miami Grand Prix was shaping up to be a cracker for Oscar Piastri, who made up three places in the opening sequence of corners to run third, before putting a pass on Charles Leclerc to run a brilliant second. However, he was undone by the timing of the Safety Car, which dropped him back – and then was unlucky to pick up front wing damage from a touch with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as they squabbled over fourth

Winner: Yuki Tsunoda: Yuki Tsunoda continued his fine start to 2024 with a brilliant performance across the Miami Sprint weekend in the upgraded RB. The Japanese racer snatched a point in the Sprint, making up seven places from a starting position of 15th – and then drove an inch-perfect Grand Prix to take seventh. This equalled his and the team’s best Grand Prix result of the season (he was seventh in Australia) and moves him onto 14 points, just three short of his points tally for the whole of last season.

‘5 Winners and 5 Losers’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/5-winners-and-5-losers-from-the-miami-grand-prix-who-was-making-hay-in-the.2Uqd6dujtmXMpXz64HRhW7

Just how close did "lucky" Red Bull come to Miami GP "disaster"?
Sergio Perez almost took out Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen at the first corner of the Miami Grand Prix.
06 May 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Red Bull’s participation in the F1 Miami Grand Prix nearly ended at the first corner following a close call between teammates Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen. After making a fast start, Perez looked to dive down the inside of both Ferraris as he attempted to jump up to second, but the Mexican could not slow down his car and locked up heavily into Turn 1.

Onboard footage from Perez’s car showed he came within inches of wiping out Verstappen before running wide and dropping down to fifth. “In hindsight, if I knew there was no grip on the inside, I wouldn’t have gone there in the first place,” said Perez, who finished fifth on the road but was promoted to fourth following a post-race penalty for Carlos Sainz.

"I went there because I thought it was going to be safe. But as soon as I hit the brakes, I could see that the car wouldn’t stop. I ended up front locking and I went straight. That meant basically that I nearly took Max out, so I had to release the brake to release the front locking.” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted Perez was “lucky” not to hit his teammate after what he described as being an “optimistic” start.

‘Nearly ended at the first corner’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048012/1/just-how-close-did-lucky-red-bull-come-miami-gp-disaster

Christian Horner details 'a lot of damage' to Max Verstappen car after Miami mistake
Max Verstappen finished second in the Miami Grand Prix.
08:48, Mon, May 6, 2024
By Charlie Parker-Turner
Daily and Sunday Express

The collision with the bollard cost Verstappen a significant amount of time, and Lando Norris ultimately capitalised to win his first-ever Grand Prix. The McLaren star inherited the lead on Lap 29 after a Safety Car was deployed following Logan Sargeant’s crash. Norris then masterfully saw off the challenge of Verstappen to land the spoils by 7.6 seconds, with his post-safety car tyres also proving decisive in the final stages of the contest.

Speaking after the race, Horner heaped praise on Verstappen for managing to secure a second-place finish in Miami after his rare mistake. He said: “He hit the bollard around Lap 20 and that's actually done quite a lot of damage to the underside of the car. So we'll have to look at exactly what the effects of that was. But he had enough pace at that point, he was pulling clear of Oscar [Piastri] behind and Lando before he picked up that damage and then, obviously, thereafter we then pitted.”

"And yeah, the safety car came out at the best time for Lando, which gave him essentially a free stop. But, obviously, not great for us because then you're on tyres six or seven laps older. And with the damage, I think that actually second place was actually still a pretty decent result." Horner went on to provide details on the time that Verstappen lost as a result of the collision, both from the incident itself and because of the damage he sustained. He explained: “He lost two and a half tenths every lap in turn one. Now whether that was because of the damage, I think when you actually see the pictures of what was missing it wasn't designed like that."

‘Lot of damage to Max Verstappen car’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1895975/Christian-Horner-Max-Verstappen-Red-Bull-Miami

Sainz "could have won" F1 Miami GP by pitting one lap later
06 May 2024, 13:39
Pablo Elizalde
Motorsport.com

Sainz was running in front of Norris but had pitted a lap earlier, under race conditions, dropping to fifth by the time the accident occurred. Had Ferrari waited another lap, Sainz feels he would have emerged in the lead with a shot at winning the race.

"Frustrated, because we were ahead of him before that pitstop before the safety car," said Sainz of his race. "If we would have extended one more lap, we would've caught the safety car and we could have won the race too."

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged the poor timing of the safety car, and joked that he "forgot the crystal ball". He said: "I was not aware that Sargeant and Magnussen would crash the lap after! Of course, when you are in this situation, you are a bit unlucky – or I would say probably that Lando was a bit lucky, because he was the only one on track.”

"Forgot the crystal ball";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sainz-could-have-one-miami-gp-pitting-one-lap-later/10607736/

Albon brands Miami GP ‘one of the most challenging races I’ve had with Williams’
05 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alex Albon said he and Williams need to investigate their performance in Miami after admitting he had been “struggling all weekend” on his way to 19th place at the flag.

‘Most challenging races’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.albon-brands-miami-gp-one-of-the-most-challenging-races-ive-had-with-williams.1798254307476196700.html

Sargeant feeling 'comfortable' despite rumors of potential seat loss
05/05/2024 at 19:36
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

News of a dispensation request filed with the FIA to grant Antonelli, who is currently 17, an exemption from the minimum age requirement to compete in F1 only further fueled the speculaton.

It’s unclear who filed the request with the governing body, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff dismissed in Miami the possibility of promoting Antonelli to a race seat in F1 anytime soon, given that the Italian’s main focus is on the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

Nevertheless, when questioned about the growing reports suggesting his potential mid-season demise, Sargeant was unfazed by the stories and innuendo. “You know, I talked to James [Vowles, Williams team principal] internally. I talked to my managers. I’m comfortable,” he said in Miami, quoted by Motorsport Week. “That’s all internal talk. So I’m not, I’m not going to say anything.”

‘Feeling comfortable';

https://f1i.com/news/507142-sargeant-feeling-comfortable-despite-rumors-of-potential-seat-loss.html

‘What happened today is not good’ – Magnussen downbeat after Sargeant collision and stewards’ penalties
05 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen had what he called “not a good day” after he had a collision with Logan Sargeant, was then hit with multiple penalties and ended the race down in P18.

“Not a good day”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.what-happened-today-is-not-good-magnussen-downbeat-after-sargeant-collision-and-stewards-penalties.1798253785401776108.html

Fortitude

7th May 2024, 07:24

Lando Norris left in awkward spot as six-year promise comes to light after Miami GP win.
Lando Norris will need to celebrate his Miami Grand Prix triumph by jumping into the lake at the McLaren Technology Centre if he is to honour a promise that he made during a vlog posted to his YouTube channel back in 2018.
Mon, May 6, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The 24-year-old Brit climbed to the top of the podium at the 110th time of asking on Sunday, capitalising on a mid-race safety car to inherit the lead after running the alternate strategy. After the restart, Norris had the measure of three-time world champion Max Verstappen, stretching out a seven-second lead at the front en route to victory. After pulling into Parc Ferme, Norris sprinted towards his McLaren crew, leaping clear of the barriers and kickstarting wild celebrations.

Zak Brown was also beside himself with joy, but there is still one thing left for the Bristol-born racer to do before turning his attention towards the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in two weeks. In 2018, Norris was a test and simulator driver for the McLaren team, as well as part of their driver academy. While filming a vlog for his YouTube channel at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, he said: “I guess if I go and get my first win, I jump in,” while looking at the lake in the middle of the campus.

If anyone will hold Norris to account over his bold claims then it will be CEO Brown, who followed through on his promise to get a tattoo if Daniel Ricciardo won a race during his time at McLaren. The Aussie duly delivered at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix and his boss followed through, getting a permanent tattoo of the Monza circuit on his arm. Brown didn’t rule out getting another tattoo to commemorate the second Grand Prix victory

“First win, I jump in”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1896112/Lando-Norris-Max-Verstappen-Miami-Grand-Prix

Formula One's new British megastar Lando Norris parties into the early hours then heads to play golf at Augusta after Miami Grand Prix triumph
6 May 2024
Jonathan McEvoy
MailOnline

Lando Norris was gathering his golf clubs as well as his senses on Monday morning after the biggest afternoon of his life, en route to Augusta National. The 24-year-old always planned to start his week at the home of the Masters, but he delayed the 600-mile trip from Miami by a day – or more specifically a night – after winning his first grand prix in Florida on Sunday.

Brown, whose friends are Augusta members, is more than Norris’s boss. He has nurtured his talent from a young age – ‘since he was 2ft 2in and weighed 40K’ as world karting champion a decade ago – and it was with an air of almost paternal pride that the 52-year-old American greeted his protégé’s triumph at the Hard Rock Stadium.

Sounding a little hoarse but declaring himself in good form when he rang Mail Sport, Brown reported that the night’s celebrations had been ‘young and screaming’. He got out relatively early from the party staged at a reception room in the team hotel. Music blared while a sports channel replayed the race.

‘British megastar Lando Norris parties’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13388657/Formula-Ones-new-British-megastar-Lando-Norris-parties-early-hours-heads-play-golf-Augusta-Miami-Grand-Prix-triumph.html

Formula 1: Lando Norris not Miami's top point scorer, despite win
Max Verstappen still managed to finish the Miami Grand Prix weekend with the most points scored among Formula 1 drivers, ironically thanks to Lando Norris' teammate.
May 6, 2024
Asher Fair
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

In his 110th career Formula 1 start in his sixth season in the sport, McLaren's Lando Norris finally earned the right to stand on the top step of the podium at Miami International Autodrome on Sunday afternoon. Norris made the most of a timely safety car to keep the lead of the Miami Grand Prix, as he had not yet made his pit stop. He had inherited the lead after Red Bull's Max Verstappen made his.

Yet it was still Max Verstappen who finished Miami Grand Prix weekend with the most points scored. Verstappen finished the weekend with 26 points, compared to Norris' tally of 25. Verstappen won Saturday's 19-lap sprint race from the pole position to score eight points, while Norris was taken out in a first corner melee which saw questionable moves from both Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin's Lance Stroll.

And at the end of the day, it was Verstappen whose championship lead grew from the start of the weekend to the end of it. He now owns a 35-point lead over teammate Perez, who has been unable to win either one of the two races Verstappen hasn't won through six starts this year. Norris still sits in fifth place in the standings, but he is now just 18 points outside of the top two.

‘Max Verstappen: Most points scored’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/posts/formula-1-lando-norris-not-miami-top-point-scorer-despite-win-01hx5hcmsera

F1 NATION: What does Lando's first win mean for him and McLaren? – It’s our Miami GP review
06 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

In Miami, Tom Clarkson, F1.com Editor Greg Stuart and F1 Explains podcast presenter Christian Hewgill discuss how far McLaren can go this season after Lando Norris’ first Grand Prix victory.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Team Principal Andrea Stella join the F1 Nation team to discuss how Lando won, what it will mean for his future and the next steps in the team's development.

Also up for debate: how were McLaren behind Red Bull during the F1 Sprint, but able to pull away and win the race? Was this a missed opportunity for Ferrari? And were there signs of encouragement for Mercedes?

‘What does Lando's first win mean?’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/f1-nation-what-does-landos-first-win-mean-for-him-and-mclaren-its-our-miami.123kwktib084J9leRV8xS3

‘Getting the maximum’: Jenson Button says 191-race F1 driver is now the ‘strongest’ he’s ever seen him
Tue 7 May 2024 06:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Jenson Button had his say on how the first six race weekends of the 2024 Formula 1 season have played out. Arguably the highest-profile driver still searching for a seat is Carlos Sainz and Jenson Button was full of praise for him at the Miami Grand Prix. He’s already a race winner this season but didn’t have the strongest weekend on the paddock’s first visit to the United States this season.

Damon Hill is predicting Sainz to join Aston Martin, although that would require Lance Stroll to be dropped which seems unlikely. Sainz crossed the finish line in 4th in Sunday’s Grand Prix but was handed a five-second penalty for his collision with Oscar Piastri that saw the Australian forced to pit and miss out on the points altogether.

‘191-race F1 driver now the ‘strongest’ seen him’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jenson-button-says-191-race-f1-driver-is-now-the-strongest-hes-ever-seen-him/

F1: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNT FROM THE 2024 MIAMI GRAND PRIX
It was a thrilling race weekend in the sunshine state with wheel-to-wheel racing and an unexpected grand prix winner
May 6, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Lando can do it: Norris faced disappointment in the Miami Sprint Race following a collision with Lance Stroll – caused by Lewis Hamilton in a concertina effect – into turn one of lap one, ending his race. However, Norris’ luck changed for Sunday’s race.

Aston Martin: unlucky or lacking pace?: At the start of the season, Aston Martin rivalled McLaren for pace. However, they have since fallen behind the struggling Mercedes.
Redemption for RB: Last round in China, RB suffered a disastrous weekend – leading David Croft to coin the phrase “RB stands for really bad”. Stroll collided with the back of Daniel Ricciardo during a safety car restart, and Kevin Magnussen took out Yuki Tsunoda.

Hamilton battled Haas: Throughout the Miami Grand Prix weekend, the seven-time world champion was involved in some fierce battles. Notably, his battle with Magnussen in the sprint race and Nico Hulkenberg in the grand prix.
Magnussen attempted to beat Ocon’s penalty record: As aforementioned, Magnussen picked up multiple penalties throughout the Miami Grand Prix weekend. As reported by RacingNews365, the Dane is now on the verge of a race ban as his tally is on 10 total penalty points.

‘FIVE THINGS WE LEARNT’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/f1-five-things-we-learnt-from-the-2024-miami-grand-prix/

Winners and Losers from 2024 F1 Miami Grand Prix
Who has made the rundown of Winners and Losers from the 2024 F1 Miami Grand Prix?
6 May 6:00PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

The Miami Grand Prix has drawn criticism during its time on the Formula 1 calendar for the design of the track, the expensive ticket prices and every celebrity or influencer you could think of using the race for a flashy Instagram post.

But the third trip to Florida was perhaps the best on-track showing as the race was full of enough intrigue up as Max Verstappen did not clear off into the distance as expected from pole position and had, by his standards, a scrappy afternoon.

It ended with Lando Norris finally winning a grand prix, at the 110th time of asking to become the 21st Briton to win in F1 and bank the 309th win for a British driver. As an aside, it now means Lewis Hamilton has exactly one-third of all the wins for British drivers with his 103.

‘Winner - Lando Norris, Loser - Max Verstappen, Winner - Esteban Ocon/Alpine, Loser - Oscar Piastri, Winner - Yuki Tsunoda, Loser - Kevin Magnussen’;

https://racingnews365.com/winners-and-losers-from-2024-f1-miami-grand-prix

Fortitude

7th May 2024, 15:23

‘I’ve had enough of this’ – Lewis Hamilton on his ‘tough’ final year with Mercedes.
51 races since his last Grand Prix victory, Lewis Hamilton says he’s had “enough” of not winning and wants to help Mercedes to get back to the top step of the podium.
07 May 2024 1:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

As such Hamilton’s winless streak is up to 51, his longest-ever barren spell in a sport in which he has won 103 Grands Prix and seven World titles. He’s had “enough” of it. “It’s been tough, it’s been a really challenge,” he told CBS News. “It could’ve been worse. It’s been a really transitional period where there has been a lot of team bonding, really low moments within the group which then ultimately bring you together.”

“There’s been a lot of vulnerability within the team with all of us and it’s really been a growing experience. It’s been tough of course, we exist to win. When you’re not winning, your perspective has to shift, and it’s just then been about chasing and it’s about improvement.”

“It’s about coming together. How can we make improvements? How can we get back to where we want to be? And rallying everyone up, I actually really enjoyed that experience. But three years in now, we’re like, ‘okay, I’ve had enough of this, let’s get back to where we belong’.”

‘It’s been tough of course, we exist to win”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-enough-opens-up-tough-final-year-mercedes

Martin Brundle concerned for Lewis Hamilton after watching footage from camera on his car
Lewis Hamilton spent years at one with his Mercedes cars during the height of their success, but Martin Brundle spotted how that has changed during a session at the Miami Grand Prix
19:55 Sun, 05 May 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Martin Brundle pointed out how much Lewis Hamilton is struggling with his Mercedes car after watching footage from his onboard camera at the Miami Grand Prix. The Sky Sports pundit made the observation after watching qualifying for the Sprint race in Florida. Mercedes have upgraded their cars this weekend but that didn't help either of them to make the top 10 on the starting grid for the short-form race.

Instead, Hamilton could only go 12th fastest, one place behind team-mate George Russell. His efforts were not helped by contact with the wall during one of his flying laps in SQ2, but the behaviour of his car had caught Brundle 's eye even before that moment. Having watched Hamilton be in total command of his Mercedes cars for so many years, when they were the best on the F1 grid, former driver Brundle couldn't hide his surprise at what he had witnessed.

He said on the live broadcast: "Blimey, he made more mistakes in that little sector than he used to in a season. He was really fighting the car hard all the way through corners that are just 60 miles per hour."

‘Martin Brundle pointed out how much Lewis Hamilton is struggling’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-mercedes-car-upgrades-brundle-32741506

Terrified Martin Brundle 'nearly taken away' by Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes
Martin Brundle was caught up in a dramatic grid walk moment ahead of the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.
21:26, Sun, May 5, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Martin Brundle was left with a mighty shock on his grid walk ahead of the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday when Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes car was fired up in front of him. The legendary Sky Sports reporter was navigating a star-studded grid at the Miami International Autodrome when he came across the rear of the W15 parked in its grid slot.

Brundle started to explain some of the technical elements of the car when the Mercedes engineers decided to fire up the engine, which backfired and caught the broadcaster off guard with his hand near the W15's rear lights.

In response to the loud backfiring noise, Brundle jumped back before letting out a startled laugh. "These are the lights you see flashing and that just backfired and nearly took me away!" He then added: "Luckily it hit me on the knee and not anywhere else when that Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton backfired," before strolling forward to joke with one of the engineers.

'Nearly taken away';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1895912/Martin-Brundle-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton gives blunt response to Mercedes ‘fourth fastest’ F1 team assessment
06 May 2024 3:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

For Mercedes, Hamilton’s P6 finish and Russell’s P8 was the best they could manage. That had Russell claiming that Mercedes are “the fourth-fastest team at the moment”, as Hamilton was then asked for his response on that assessment, one which he did not want to entertain.

Asked by media after the Miami GP whether he agreed with Russell’s claim, Hamilton replied: “I don’t know. I don’t really see the point, the reason, the importance of that. You’ve seen where we qualified, you’ve seen where we are in the championships. So make your assumptions from that.”

“I had a good race today,” Hamilton confirmed, “I didn’t have the pace of the guys ahead of me, but I was just able to hold on with DRS. “But, if it wasn’t for the DRS, they probably would have…they did start to pull away towards the end. But still, to keep them in distance is a really great feeling. But also, I was on an offset tyre [strategy], but not to Checo though, so I was actually on the same tyre as him.”

‘Blunt response’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-fourth-fastest-claim-response

Hamilton thrilled with ‘tough battles’ in Miami while Russell rues ‘pretty rubbish race from start to finish’
06 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

It was a busy afternoon for Hamilton in Miami, as the seven-time world champion initially struggled for pace on the hard tyre in the opening stint before engaging in a fierce fight with the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg across several laps.

Asked after jumping out of the car if the race had been fun for him, a smiling Hamilton responded: “So much fun. I’ve really enjoyed this weekend race-wise. It’s been a lot of fun on track, [I’ve had] really great, tough, close battles. I mean, going out to Turn 11, up against the wall, wheels locked – I was like, ‘oh jeez, this could be either a big crash into this corner or I’m going by’.”

“So I love that I had that, in zero fear in that moment, so I’m super grateful for that. Then to be able to hold onto the [Red] Bulls, to a Red Bull, was really quite cool, great job by my team.”

‘Tough battles’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hamilton-thrilled-with-tough-battles-in-miami-while-russell-rues-pretty.GasxbHWB29RO1xj575d3Y

Fortitude

8th May 2024, 09:33

Marko reveals which F1 team Adrian Newey will join and it’s not Ferrari.
“I think the red clashes a bit with the dark blue. But I think anything is possible with a great colour like green.” Helmut Marko.
5 May 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

“What colour do I see Newey in the future? I think the red clashes a bit with the dark blue. But I think anything is possible with a great colour like green,” Marko said, suggesting that Aston Martin will be the design guru’s next team.

Until leaving Red Bull, Newey will work on their hypercar project – the RB17 – and is expected to be free to join another F1 team in the first quarter of 2025. It has been suggested that Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll has offered Newey a huge contract to make the move to Silverstone and head the design department.

Previously, Newey has stated that not designing a car for Fernando Alonso one of his biggest regrets in F1, and with the Spaniard recently signing a multi-year deal to stay at Aston Martin he could get the chance to do so.

“Anything is possible with a great colour like green”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/helmut-marko-which-f1-team-adrian-newey-join-not-ferrari/

Helmut Marko predicts Adrian Newey’s next F1 team… and it’s not who you think
08 May 2024 6:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull announced in the build-up to the Miami Grand Prix that Newey would leave the team next season, having already stepped back from their Formula 1 operations. The 65-year-old, whose Red Bull cars have won 13 championship titles and counting, will say goodbye to the team sometime in the first quarter of 2025. But where he goes next, even Newey doesn’t know.

The design legend has been widely linked to Ferrari, and is said to have already had one meeting with a representative of the Scuderia, while Aston Martin are willing to put a big-bucks offer on the table. According to Sky Sports’ Craig Slater, a “dozen people who know Adrian pretty well” have told him that Newey to Ferrari has “genuine potential”. He also says “30 people” have told him Aston Martin does not.

But according to Marko, someone who definitely does know Newey well, Aston Martin could be his preferred option. “What colour do I see Newey in the future?” Marko said as per total-motorsport.com. “I think the red clashes a bit with the dark blue. But I think anything is possible with a great colour like green.”

‘Helmut Marko predicts Adrian Newey’s next F1 team…’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-predicts-adrian-newey-next-f1-team

Newey "a big loss" for Red Bull, admits Marko
07/05/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Helmut Marko has admitted that losing design guru Adrian Newey is "a big loss" for Red Bull. Whilst many might regard the Austrian's comment as the understatement of the year, over the course of the Miami weekend the Milton Keyes based outfit was keen to play down the significance of last Wednesday's announcement or the potential fallout.

Newey, accompanied by his wife, was seen throughout the weekend and after addressing the assembled crew on Friday was given an enthusiastic round of applause, as Christian Horner, Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and the rest emphasised that Red Bull's success hasn't been down to one man... even though Newey has been a common factor during the Austrian team's periods of domination, much as he was at Williams and McLaren.

However, the ever outspoken Helmut Marko was willing to state the fact that dare not speak its name. "This is of course a big loss for Red Bull Racing," he told Austria's Kronen Zeitung. "He may not have been involved in the day-to-day running, he may not have paid attention to every detail, every screw," he continued, "but he was the one who controlled the complex knowledge of aerodynamics and mechanical grip of the whole car. Moreover, his great successes have made him a legend." Nonetheless, at least outwardly, Marko claims that the team will not suffer the disaster that some within the paddock are predicting.

"A big loss";

https://www.pitpass.com/77635/Newey-a-big-loss-for-Red-Bull-admits-Marko

Aston Martin to evaluate Newey job offer
MAY 6, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Earlier in Miami, Krack said when asked about rumours of Aston Martin's interest in the departing Red Bull technical guru: We are quite happy with our technical team and we continue with them. However, 65-year-old Newey was then spotted in conversation with Aston Martin's billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll in the Miami paddock.

Krack then slightly modified his response to the Newey question when asked by the Spanish broadcaster DAZN on Sunday. “I think that as Aston Martin it is important to have our own path”, he said. "With the people and the team we have.”

"We want to build our success and fight against the strongest. Obviously, if someone of this calibre is available, you have to consider them and value them. It's something that we have to evaluate in detail - what they can contribute, the drawbacks, all of that”, the German added.

‘Aston Martin to evaluate Newey job offer’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/aston-martin-to-evaluate-newey-job-offer.html

‘Everybody’s interested’ – Krack admits Aston Martin would love to sign Adrian Newey
03 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

It was announced this week that Adrian Newey will leave Red Bull next year, and Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack says his outfit would love to sign the super-successful Englishman.

‘Everybody’s interested’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.everybodys-interested-krack-admits-aston-martin-would-love-to-sign-adrian-newey.1798061542950761069.html

Lance Stroll gives five-word response when asked about Adrian Newey joining Aston Martin
Fri 3 May 2024 16:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin want to sign Adrian Newey after he leaves Red Bull. The world champions confirmed ahead of the Miami Grand Prix that Newey would depart in early 2025.

There were already reports earlier in the year, long before Newey’s exit was confirmed, that Lawrence Stroll wanted him. He apparently stepped up his pursuit around a month ago in the hope of securing Max Verstappen too.

Stroll, however, was tight-lipped on the possibility of Newey arriving, simply stating: “I guess time will tell.” Alonso was much more enthusiastic, hailing the designer as a ‘legend of the sport’. He feels it’s a ‘good sign’ that Aston have even been linked.

‘Time will tell’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lance-stroll-gives-five-word-response-when-asked-about-adrian-newey-joining-aston-martin/

‘Let’s see what he decides’ – Alonso ponders Aston Martin’s chances of signing ‘legend’ Newey
03 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso believes it is a “good sign” that Aston Martin are one of the teams that have been touted as a potential destination for Adrian Newey amid the news that the designer will leave Red Bull in the first quarter of 2025, with the Spaniard hailing him as a “legend of the sport”.

“Well he’s a legend of the sport,” the Spaniard commented on media day in Miami. “First of all I feel privileged to drive in this moment in Formula 1 and the last 20 years and sharing this sport with Adrian, obviously as a competitor, and it is a privilege.”

In terms of how much he would like to work with Newey at Aston Martin, Alonso continued: “[For him] to be linked with Aston Martin is already a good sign and good news for us, that a legend of the sport and Aston Martin are linked somehow. But we are also very happy with our technical department, and let’s see what he decides and if he keeps working or not in the paddock. The most important thing for us is to concentrate on the new regulations, especially in 2026.”

‘Let’s see what he decides’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/lets-see-what-he-decides-alonso-ponders-aston-martins-chances-of-signing.2ASRzVJGbcCvVfvbEyMvbF

Alonso: Aston Martin being linked with 'legend of the sport' Adrian Newey is 'a good sign'
02 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Speaking ahead of this weekend's Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso reacts to the possibility of Red Bull's Adrian Newey moving to the Silverstone-based team.

'A good sign';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.alonso-aston-martin-being-linked-with-legend-of-the-sport-adrian-newey-is-a-good-sign.1797971576097765042.html

Fortitude

8th May 2024, 16:07

Leclerc: Ferrari response “coming very soon” with upgrades.
Charles Leclerc explains that important upgrades will arrive to the Ferrari SF-24, which will define the Scuderia’s season.
May 6, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Leclerc eager to see Ferrari upgrades: Still, their overall performance is encouraging – especially after a tricky event in Shanghai. Charles Leclerc is aware that, despite missing out on victory in Miami, there will be an opportunity to respond on home soil:

“As I’ve said many times, I think the season will be up to upgrades. We have ours coming very soon and that will define a little bit the rest of the season for us. “So we’ve got to work hard and hopefully those upgrades will be as good as theirs and will help us to do a significant step forward.”

Increasingly, the outcomes in F1 are being defined by fine margins. Of course, there are still days when Max Verstappen and Red Bull are beyond reach. However, this is now the second time that Ferrari and McLaren gave the reigning Champions some difficulty. Upgrades from Maranello and Woking will only improve their chances for victory. The upcoming event in Imola, moreover, is a circuit that could present the Austrian team with some difficulties.

‘Outcomes in F1 are being defined by fine margins’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/06/leclerc-ferrari-response-coming-very-soon-with-upgrades/

David Croft says Charles Leclerc’s team did something the ‘worst’ he’s ever seen in Formula 1
Mon 6 May 2024 18:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Speaking on commentary for Sky Sports F1, David Croft and Martin Brundle were left bemused by one decision Ferrari made affecting Charles Leclerc’s race. Leclerc was told over the team radio when he was chasing Piastri: “Box, opposite McLaren. Box, opposite McLaren.” Croft remarked: “So, if he comes in you stay out, if he stays out you come in.”

The Ferrari pit crew can be seen then getting ready in the pit lane with hard tyres, but the camera cuts to Leclerc chasing Piastri down the main straight. Croft then added: “Charles Leclerc is definitely staying out behind Oscar Piastri.” Martin Brundle commented: “Yeah, you’re not allowed to send your team out into the pit lane unless you’re about to do a pit stop. Whether they were trying to dummy the McLaren there, I don’t know.”

Croft then explained: “Well, they were a bit late coming out as I think he’d already gone past the pit entry! That could be the worst dummy ever thrown in Formula 1!” Ted Kravitz in the pit lane backed up Croft’s point and added: “It certainly was Crofty because the mechanics didn’t even roll the tyres out with any kind of, we’re actually going to do this stop.”

‘Bemused by one decision Ferrari made affecting Charles Leclerc’s race’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/david-croft-says-charles-leclercs-team-did-something-the-worst-hes-ever-seen-in-formula-1/

Ferrari’s imminent upgrade must match “extremely quick” McLaren’s – Leclerc
7th May 2024, 12:05
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Charles Leclerc says Ferrari need to make as much progress with their forthcoming upgrade as McLaren did last weekend. “If we compare ourselves to Max this weekend, it’s been a positive weekend,” he said after Sunday’s race. “However, we cannot completely ignore Lando.”

“Lando in SQ2, I remember he did a lap where I was like, ‘okay, they are extremely quick’. Then for some reason, and as Lando said, I think they weren’t as special on Saturday for some reason. But today they were really, really strong.” Ferrari is yet to bring a significant upgrade for its SF-24. With the start of the European season next week bringing an increase in the rate of events, Leclerc said their first major package for the car will be critical to their chances over the rest of the season.

“As I’ve said many times, I think the season will be up to upgrades. We have ours coming very soon and that will define a little bit the rest of the season for us. So we’ve got to work hard and hopefully those upgrades will be as good as theirs and will help us to do a significant step forward.”

‘Ferrari need to make as much progress with their forthcoming upgrade as McLaren’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/07/ferraris-imminent-upgrade-must-match-extremely-quick-mclarens-leclerc/

Charles Leclerc Is the F1 Driver You Should Be Watching
13:06 Mon, 06 May 2024.
By Iana Murray, a freelance writer who covers entertainment and pop culture
The Cut

Nothing inspires pious brand loyalty quite like Ferrari. Evidence of that can be found in the sixth season of Netflix’s docuseries Formula 1: Drive to Survive. In one scene at the Monza Grand Prix — home of the team’s most ardent fans, the tifosi — two Ferraris dart from the starting line while a local Italian woman watching the race on TV tightly clutches a photograph of driver Charles Leclerc,

Photoshopped to resemble Jesus, to her heart, like a devout Catholic would brandish a rosary. For many fans, following F1 is akin to a religious experience, and Leclerc is their leader. He may not be No. 1 in the F1 world, but Leclerc is No. 1 in my heart for the exciting potential I know he’ll inevitably fulfill. Even if you aren’t too familiar with the history of F1 and its drivers, here is what you need to know about the other prince of Monaco.

‘Nothing inspires pious brand loyalty quite like Ferrari’;

https://www.thecut.com/article/ode-to-charles-leclerc-rooting-for-formula-1.html

Ferrari prepares for F1 Imola upgrades with Fiorano filming days
May 8, 2024, 1:11 PM
Filip CleerenFranco Nugnes
Motorsport.com

The Ferrari Formula 1 team is heading to its Fiorano track on Thursday and Friday to shake down its new aero package for Imola's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Ferrari's SF-24 will receive the first of three planned upgrade packages next week, when F1 heads to Italian soil for the first time in 2024.

It has deployed its second and last filming session on its own Fiorano test track to give its comprehensive upgrades package a first run-in and reduce the calibration work needed in Imola. While filming days are limited to 200km and conducted on special Pirelli tyres, it gives the Scuderia some useful data to compare the new upgrades to their virtual counterparts and correlate the work that has been done in the wind tunnel by the Enrico Cardile-led technical team.

The filming day will also be used to gather rights-free footage with the SF-24 driven by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz incorporating the blue HP logos in its updated livery. The American tech giant joined the team from last weekend's Miami Grand Prix as a title sponsor, adding its well-known blue logos to the engine cover and both the front and rear wings.

‘Shake down its new aero package’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-prepares-for-f1-imola-upgrades-with-fiorano-filming-days/10608352/

Biggest ‘filming day’ of the year? Ferrari SF-24 ‘2.0’ set to break cover soon
08 May 2024 9:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari’s upgraded SF-24 will be put to the test this week with the Scuderia scheduling a filming day for the chance to see if the wind tunnel data correlates into lap time.

“It will be a very important upgrade,” said Charles Leclerc. “It will determine how the rest of our season plays out. I’m looking forward to that and I hope that we can take a big step forward.”

“It’s going to be an arms race of upgrades this year, and I’m glad that we’ll soon have new parts on our car that will hopefully be as good as McLaren’s.”

‘Biggest ‘filming day’ of the year’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/biggest-filming-day-ferrari-sf-24-2-0-set-break-cover-soon

'Ferrari to conduct 'secret' test with major new F1 upgrade'
Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will be behind the wheel.
8 May 10:40AM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Ferrari is to use its permitted Formula 1 filming days to validate its raft of upgrades ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Italian media has reported. Ferrari's intention to bring a sizeable package has been known for some time, with the team keen to focus on a new sidepod design inspired by the Red Bull RB20, as technical expert Paolo Filisetti explains here….

Private in-season testing with current cars is banned, but every team is permitted two 200km filming days throughout the year, ostensibly for promotional work, although they are often used to shakedown a car for the first time ahead of pre-season testing.

Formu1a.uno has reported that on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th May, Ferrari is to head to its Fiorano test track with race-drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to validate the upgrade package planned for its home race at Imola

‘'Ferrari to conduct 'secret' test’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-to-conduct-secret-test-with-major-new-f1-upgrade

Matthew

8th May 2024, 19:58

Fortitude

9th May 2024, 07:48

Perez explains what caused dramatic Turn 1 moment where he nearly tagged Verstappen in Miami.
“As soon as I dived [to the] inside of Charles, I could see as soon as I hit the brakes there was no grip at all, like we saw yesterday with Lewis,” said Perez. “Off-line here, especially into Turn 1, there’s no grip, zero grip down there, and I did struggle quite a bit unfortunately.”
07 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

The six-time race winner failed to make much further ground throughout the rest of the race and ended the event in P5, before later being promoted to P4 after fourth-placed Sainz was handed a five-second time penalty for a collision with Oscar Piastri.

On why he had struggled to extract the same kind of pace he has displayed at recent races this season, Perez explained: “I think we were a bit off-balance. “[It’s] something we have to review [to find out] what was going on there, and then make the best possible course in that regard and learn from the race, because we certainly lacked some good pace today.”

Despite the difficulties, Perez’s result helped him to maintain second place in the drivers’ standings, with the 34-year-old currently holding 103 points. There is increasing pressure from Leclerc in third, however, who is just five points behind in third place.

‘No grip at all’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/perez-explains-what-caused-dramatic-turn-1-moment-where-he-nearly-tagged.1xPR56ATEtTn7aMhBzSzpZ

Just how close did "lucky" Red Bull come to Miami GP "disaster"?
Sergio Perez almost took out Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen at the first corner of the Miami Grand Prix.
06 May 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Onboard footage from Perez’s car showed he came within inches of wiping out Verstappen before running wide and dropping down to fifth. “In hindsight, if I knew there was no grip on the inside, I wouldn’t have gone there in the first place,” said Perez, who finished fifth on the road but was promoted to fourth following a post-race penalty for Carlos Sainz.

"I went there because I thought it was going to be safe. But as soon as I hit the brakes, I could see that the car wouldn’t stop. I ended up front locking and I went straight. That meant basically that I nearly took Max out, so I had to release the brake to release the front locking.” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner admitted Perez was “lucky” not to hit his teammate after what he described as being an “optimistic” start.

"His start was optimistic,” Horner explained. Charles didn't have a great start ahead, I think that caused Checo... he had to lift for Charles and then he had a window into the first corner. He went for it, obviously got in very deep and was lucky not to collect Max at the first turn and not to collect the Ferrari coming back onto the track. So I was pleased to see most cars survive that."

‘Just how close…’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048012/1/just-how-close-did-lucky-red-bull-come-miami-gp-disaster

Perez’s car scratched Verstappen’s diffuser in first-lap lunge
6th May 2024, 12:07
Written by Keith Collantine

Sergio Perez admitted he came close to taking out his team mate Max Verstappen with his dive down the inside of turn one at the start of the Miami Grand Prix. He said he hadn’t realised how little grip there was at that point on the track, where Lewis Hamilton ran into Fernando Alonso the day before.

Verstappen said he was “very aware” of how close his team mate came to hitting him. “I turned in and I saw him lock up. I looked after the race, there was like a scratch on my diffuser, so something must have hit. But it was very close. Could have ended in a disaster, of course, for the team as well. [We were] lucky.”

‘A scratch on my diffuser’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/06/perezs-first-lap-lunge-left-a-scratch-on-verstappens-diffuser/

Christian Horner and Max Verstappen say same thing about Sergio Perez act at Miami Grand Prix
Max Verstappen was almost taken out in the Miami Sprint Race as Sergio Perez locked up at the first corner with the Dutchman and Christian Horner grateful for the near miss
08:16 Wed, 08 May 2024.
By Samuel Meade Sports Brand Writer
The Mirror

Max Verstappen and Christian Horner both admitted they were relieved not to see a crash between the two Red Bulls in Miami.

Team principal Horner said: "His start was optimistic. Charles didn't have a great start ahead, I think that caused Checo... he had to lift for Charles and then he had a window into the first corner. He went for it, obviously got in very deep and was lucky not to collect Max at the first turn and not to collect the Ferrari coming back onto the track. So I was pleased to see most cars survive that."

Verstappen, the championship leader, was able to smile about the incident after the race. He was asked if he knew how close Perez came to hitting him and replied: "I was very aware. I turned it and saw him lock up and looked after the race, there was a scratch on my diffuser so something must've hit. It was very close, could've ended in disaster for the team as well. So yeah, lucky."

‘Grateful for the near miss’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/christian-horner-max-verstappen-say-32758858

Perez talks us through Turn 1 moment when he almost hit team mate Verstappen
06 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez said the lack of grip off line was to blame for the moment on the first lap when he almost tagged his Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen. Perez eventually finished in fifth place.

‘Perez talks us through Turn 1 moment’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.perez-talks-us-through-turn-1-moment-when-he-almost-hit-team-mate-verstappen.1798257330645539641.html

Formula 1 changes Miami Grand Prix results hours after the race
16:02 Mon, 06 May 2024
By Asher Fair
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

Carlos Sainz Jr. was demoted from fourth to fifth place after the Miami Grand Prix, promoting Sergio Perez to fourth and altering the Formula 1 standings.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. initially finished Sunday's Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in fourth place, but a post-race penalty has resulted in him being demoted to fifth in the sixth race of the 24-race 2024 Formula 1 season.

The stewards deemed after the race that Sainz was "predominantly to blame" for the contact and was issued a five-second time penalty and one penalty point on his FIA Super License. As a result, Sainz dropped to fifth place and Red Bull's Sergio Perez moved up to fourth.

‘Promoting Sergio Perez to fourth and altering the Formula 1 standings’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/posts/formula-1-changes-miami-grand-prix-results-hours-race-01hx75a73spe

Fortitude

9th May 2024, 15:24

F1 News: Mercedes monitoring Carlos Sainz for 2025.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says Carlos Sainz is a realistic option for 2025.
May 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Mercedes mention Carlos Sainz as a potential candidate. Still, the Mercedes team principal believes every option is worth exploring. Speaking of which, he mentioned Carlos Sainz as a viable option for the team: “I think we’ve talked about the possibilities,” Sky Sports quotes him as saying.

“I want to be fair to these guys and not make it look like we are playing chess with humans. Because we are not doing that. I think we want to take our time, see where Max’s thinking goes. And at the same time, monitor the other drivers. Carlos [Sainz] was very strong in Miami again and that’s why we are a little bit in observation mode at the moment.”

Sainz and Verstappen obviously represent the more established targets for Mercedes. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Kimi Antonelli is still being evaluated. The 17-year-old continues to rack up significant mileage in F1 machinery. Toto Wolff has been careful to try and minimise the hype surrounding Kimi Antonelli. However, at this stage, the F1 news space is littered with articles about the Italian.

‘Mercedes monitoring Carlos Sainz for 2025’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/08/f1-news-mercedes-monitoring-carlos-sainz-for-2025/

Mystic Carlos Sainz and his in-race prediction that came true for ‘deserving’ rival
06 May 2024 10:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Sainz and Norris had been battling for position at the Miami International Autodrome on a Sunday in which Max Verstappen led the opening stint, although wasn’t able to scamper off as he had in recent races. The Grand Prix, though, was turned on its head when the Safety Car was deployed after Kevin Magnussen took out Logan Sargeant. Sainz had just pitted, but Norris had yet to stop.

Norris was able to make a free pit stop behind the Safety Car, pitting from first and coming back out P1 to line up ahead of Verstappen for the restart. Sainz, with a choice word followed by a “this is so unlucky”, told his pitwall: “Lando is going to lead the race no? He’s going to win!”

‘Mystic Carlos Sainz and his in-race prediction’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-in-race-prediction-came-true-deserving-rival

Sainz baffled by ‘strange change of behaviour from the car from FP1 to Sprint Qualifying’
03 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Carlos Sainz was left scratching his head after his Ferrari felt very different in Sprint Qualifying, as he took P5 in the session.

‘Scratching his head’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-baffled-by-strange-change-of-behaviour-from-the-car-from-fp1-to-sprint-qualifying.1798072402309914802

‘Had to be aggressive’: Carlos Sainz penalised after costly move ruins Oscar Piastri’s race
May 6th, 2024 11:11 am
Fox Sports from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz has copped a five-second time penalty following a mid-race collision with McLaren driver Oscar Piastri during Monday morning’s Miami Grand Prix. On the 35th lap of the race, later won by McLaren’s Lando Norris, Sainz attempted to overtake Piastri and poach fourth place, with the Australian pushing him wide while jostling for position.

The Spaniard was adamant that Piastri deserved a penalty for the incident, calling for the 23-year-old to give up the position — but the stewards disagreed. “Just tell him to give me the position and he doesn’t get a penalty,” Sainz was overheard saying on the team radio.

‘Carlos Sainz penalised’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/frustrated-carlos-sainz-fumes-at-oscar-piastri-after-costly-midrace-collision/news-story/42cc6ecbcf9514e2dbd66bb68c2f3b0f

‘You’re talking too much’: Frustrated Sainz was ‘one lap from winning’ Miami GP
Carlos Sainz Jnr unsuccessfully called for Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri to receive penalties during the Miami Grand prix – but did collect one himself.
9th May 2024, 12:19
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Sainz launched away from third place superbly, immediately overtaking his second-placed team mate Charles Leclerc and tucking in behind Max Verstappen. Then Sergio Perez came flying down the inside, forcing Sainz to move wide. Leclerc retook the position through turn one and left little room for his team mate at the exit, allowing Oscar Piastri to demote Sainz another place. He was not impressed.
Sainz What the f**k was that?
Adami I saw it. Checo 0.7 behind.
Sainz It should be a penalty, he nearly took us off.
Adami Understood. We are talking.
The stewards reviewed the start and decided not to penalise Perez, who braked so late for the first corner he went off on the outside.

“I have a five-second penalty or what?” : Fearing Sainz might receive a five-second time penalty, Ferrari advised him to build up as much of a gap as he could over Perez and Lewis Hamilton behind.
Lap: 56/57 SAI: 1’31.062
Adami Hamilton lap time 31.2. He is behind Checo. He is 4.3 behind us.
Sainz So what do we need five seconds to Hamilton?
Adami Five seconds, yeah.
Sainz ‘I have a five-second penalty or what?
Adami Not yet. Just in case, just do fastest race ’til the end.

‘Unsuccessfully called for Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri to receive penalties - but did collect one himself’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/09/youre-talking-too-much-frustrated-sainz-was-one-lap-from-winning-in-miami/

Sainz hit with time penalty, drops to fifth
07:06 Mon, 06 May 2024.
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The full statement read: “The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 81 (Oscar Piastri), the driver of Car 55 (Carlos Sainz), team representatives and reviewed video evidence and determined that Car 55 was overtaking Car 81 at Turn 17 when he lost the rear slightly and collided with Car 81. The collision resulted in damage to the front wing of Car 81.”

“It was clear to us that Car 55 was to blame for the collision. In the overtake attempt, Car 55 braked late, missed the apex and in the process lost the rear, with the resulting collision. Although Car 81 was trying to turn in to counter the overtaking attempt, Car 81 gave sufficient room to Car 55. In the circumstances, we find Car 55 to be predominantly to blame for the collision.”

“In this case, we took into account, as mitigating factors, the fact that but for the slight loss of control of the rear by Car 55, the collision would likely not have happened and it would have been hard but good racing. The standard penalty for a collision is 10 seconds with 2 penalty points. In light of the mitigating circumstances, we therefore impose a 5 second time penalty with 1 penalty point.”

‘Sainz drops to fifth’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24529

Carlos Sainz’s 2025 Formula 1 team suggested after reported Audi rejection
Wed 8 May 2024 16:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Another Formula 1 race weekend has come and gone and Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz is no closer to knowing where he’s going to be driving next season. After losing his seat to Lewis Hamilton before the 2024 campaign even began, Carlos Sainz has been out to prove to the other team principals on the grid that he’s worth taking a punt on.

Speaking about the driver’s market, Hauraney said: “Sergio [Perez] was a bit of a concern I think this weekend. I mean, he was off the pace this weekend and that seat at Red Bull, that second seat is open.” His co-host Adam Wylde added: “And it’s rumoured that Carlos [Sainz] is not going to sign with Audi now.”

Hauraney replied: “That’s what I heard as well. Yes, I think he could possibly not sign there. I think for Carlos, he wants to go somewhere where he can win. I’m still going with my Mercedes call on this one, I still sticking with that. I just don’t see him going back to Red Bull.”

‘Mercedes call on this one’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/carlos-sainzs-2025-formula-1-team-suggested-after-reported-audi-rejection/

Sainz may be getting nervous about 2025 seat
MAY 8, 2024
GrandPrix.com

As for Sainz's chances at Mercedes, Toto Wolff is openly waiting to see if Max Verstappen might suddenly emerge on the market. But Wolff denied that he is grooming 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli for the 2025 seat - perhaps beginning with an immediate leap into F1 with Williams.

“Why would you apply for a dispensation for a super license if you don't want to let him race?” wonders Dutch broadcaster Olav Mol. “Why let him do a qualifying and race simulation at Imola”? he added, referring to Antonelli's recent outing in the 2022 Mercedes. “When the team bosses start denying, you know it's true”, Mol laughed.

‘Getting nervous’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/sainz-may-be-getting-nervous-about-2025-seat.html

Fortitude

10th May 2024, 08:24

Yuki Tsunoda: RB aim to fight with top five teams.
Yuki Tsunoda hopes that RB can close the gap to the top five and continue fighting for regular points.
May 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

The Miami GP was another strong event for Yuki Tsunoda. For the main Grand Prix, however, the RB driver elevated his level. He secured yet another Q3 appearance in the VCARB 01, putting himself in a strong position to fight for points. This is precisely what he did on Sunday, executing a race characterised by speed and maturity. His first stint on the medium tyres was crucial, allowing him to capitalise on the Safety Car and strengthen his chances of points. After Lewis Hamilton passed him at the restart, Tsunoda managed to create a significant gap to George Russell in the Mercedes behind.

RB and Tsunoda aim to progress further. With another P7 result secured, the 23-year-old is optimistic that VCARB can close the gap to the top five: “Every race so far, we’re always driving -at least – around P10. In most of the races, we score points, and recently, it’s not just P10,” he told F1TV post-race. Recently, it’s not even just P10 – [It’s] P8, P9, P7, P4. So I mean, the amount of progress we’re having is so fast.”

“Obviously, its not on the level yet of Mercedes yet. But, for example, today, I was able to gain pace – or even have faster pace than one of the Mercedes. So if we continue like this, maybe at some point we can catch the P5 team. Obviously, they’re still too fast. But we never know – and that’s what we aim for.”

‘RB aim to fight with top five teams’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/08/yuki-tsunoda-rb-aim-to-fight-with-top-five-teams/

Tsunoda: Miami points haul reflects RB ‘crazy progress'
12:08 Wed, 08 May 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sister Red Bull outfit RB doubled in Miami its best weekend points tally in 2024, a productive effort that reflects the team’s “crazy” progress this season insisted Yuki Tsunoda. On Saturday, Daniel Ricciardo concluded F1’s Sprint event an impressive fourth, which put 5 points in RB’s bag at the outset while Tsunoda collected a solitary point in the short-form race.

“The amount of points we got this week was a lot for us,” Tsunoda told the media in Miami. “It shows how much the people who work in the background [at the] factory, the amount that they're pushing. It’s incredible and we’re happy that we're able to score the points that we deserve.”

“We got a bit of upgrades this week and I think that helped a lot,” Tsunoda added. “I mean straight away from FP1 I felt comfortable and [on Saturday] Daniel was P4. Over a long stint, we got a P7 and were even faster than one of the Mercedes. So [we] never achieved [something] like this [at] the first races, the amount of progress we’re having is crazy.”

‘RB crazy progress';

https://f1i.com/news/507416-tsunoda-miami-points-haul-reflects-rb-crazy-progress.html

Tsunoda brands Miami ‘incredible week’ after double points haul
05 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

RB’s Yuki Tsunoda said he was “finally very happy” after coming home P7 in the Miami Grand Prix – his second points haul of the weekend after finishing eighth in the Saturday Sprint.

‘Incredible week’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/tsunoda-brands-miami-incredible-week-after-double-points-haul.1798253897588870550

Tsunoda hails 'crazy' RB progress after career best start
Yuki Tsunoda has enjoyed his strongest Formula 1 career start in 2024 as he heaps praise on the RB team for the gains it has made of late.
7 May 8:00PM
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Yuki Tsunoda has praised the RB Formula 1 team for the progress it has made of late after his run to seventh at the Miami Grand Prix. It marked the second time this year that Tsunoda breached the top seven, having also enjoyed a strong race in Australia.

With 14 championship points to his name after the opening six rounds, it marks the strongest start to a campaign for the Japanese driver during his F1 career that commenced in 2021.

Tsunoda's run to seventh during the grand prix around the Miami International Autodrome followed his solitary point from the sprint race on Saturday - a race in which team-mate Daniel Ricciardo bagged fourth.

‘Career best start’;

https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-hails-crazy-rb-progress-after-career-best-start

RB drivers both delighted as they leave Miami with points in the bag
07 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

RB have extended their lead over Haas in the battle for sixth in the constructors’ championship thanks to Yuki Tsunoda’s seventh-placed finish in Miami, which coupled with Daniel Ricciardo’s points from the Sprint have put RB into a very healthy position in the midfield fight. For Tsunoda, his continued consistent form remains a boost for the team as he scored points for a second day in a row, and for his third race in the last four.

Having also made Q3 in four out of the six race weekends so far this season, the Japanese racer has done enough to move ahead of Lance Stroll into 10th in the drivers’ standings. “Very happy, what a great job by the team,” he said afterwards. “It’s been an incredible week in which we scored in both races. We kind of expected we would have a good performance here but the most important thing is that we achieved it.

“As a team, we stuck to our plan and didn’t make any mistakes today. As for me, overall, I’m happy with my driving even though I made a mistake at the start. I reset myself and kept going, and especially in the last stint where I was just driving by myself, I was pushing and able to achieve similar lap times to the cars in front. The next race in Imola is kind of another home race for me, so I hope we’ll be able to continue our rhythm and achieve a good result in front of our home crowd.”

‘Points in the bag’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/rb-drivers-both-delighted-as-they-leave-miami-with-points-in-the-bag.47h6yZLB67dH2rvPQmf1TR

Why Tsunoda could go unrewarded for his performances
May 6, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Despite operating at a high level in 2024, Yuki Tsunoda does not have clear options to move forward in F1. In the first six rounds of the year, the 23-year-old can be credited with immense consistency and overall speed. Ordinarily, with a vacant seat at Red Bull, this would be enough to at least be in conversations for a promotion. Regrettably, this is not the case for RB’s youngster.

It was Yuki Tsunoda who delivered for RB in the main event. After climbing from P15 to P8 in the Sprint Race, he put himself into Q3 for the Grand Prix. This has become a relatively common occurrence for Tsunoda in 2024, who consistently maximises a competitive (though far from exceptional) AT04. On Sunday, he crossed the line in a brilliant P7. Solid racecraft, strong tyre management and – most importantly – pure performance secured this result. Perhaps most notably, Tsunoda created a significant gap to George Russell on his final stint.

It would take a catastrophic and, frankly, unlikely turn of events for Tsunoda’s season to be characterised as anything other than excellent. In this context, the logical next question is what prospects lie ahead. Regrettably, the path forward is not clear. Red Bull is understood to be evaluating Carlos Sainz as a serious alternative to Sergio Perez. Despite outperforming Ricciardo, the Japanese driver is not at the top of the list at Milton Keynes.

‘Credited with immense consistency and overall speed’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/06/why-yuki-tsunoda-could-go-unrewarded-for-his-performances/

Daniel Ricciardo warned: ‘That’s the battle for his future’ after Yuki Tsunoda stars
Daniel Ricciardo has been warned that the "battle for his future" is with Yuki Tsunoda after the pair had contrasting Sundays in Miami.
06 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Daniel Ricciardo has been told to “pick himself up” as he fights for his “future in the sport” against RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Teammate Tsunoda starred as he qualified in the top 10, and then finished seventh in the race, beating Mercedes’ George Russell.

Analysing his weekend, 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button felt that Ricciardo was ultimately overshadowed by Tsunoda despite his impressive sprint race performance. Tsunoda's P7 finish means he moves ahead of Lance Stroll in the drivers' championship and into 10th overall.

Button acknowledged Tsunoda's improved consistency in 2024. “He’s been a lot more consistent." he added. "He’s still fiery, he’s Yuki. He’s been a lot more consistent. That was a really impressive race, seventh ahead of a Mercedes. That shows the pace of the car but also Yuki.”

‘That’s the battle for his future’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048011/1/daniel-ricciardo-warned-thats-battle-his-future-after-yuki-tsunoda-stars

Fortitude

10th May 2024, 17:40

Russell: Mercedes now ‘fighting for P5-P8 week in, week out’.
“The lap-times and the championship don't lie, this is where we are and I think we're fighting for the P5-P8 region week in, week out.”
09/05/2024 at 09:52
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

“McLaren qualified P17 and P18 twelve months ago in Miami, and they won, so it shows what is possible when you get things right," Russell commented after last weekend’s event. “But right now, we don't have things right and need to make changes quickly.”

“We do have a few things coming in the short-term but nothing in the short-term that is going to transform us into race winners. So it is going to be painful for a few weeks. I think we have to accept that we are the fourth fastest-team. The lap-times and the championship don't lie, this is where we are and I think we're fighting for the P5-P8 region week in, week out.”

‘Painful for a few weeks’;

https://f1i.com/news/507458-russell-mercedes-now-fighting-for-p5-p8-week-in-week-out.html

‘Just have to accept’: George Russell feels McLaren showed Mercedes ‘painful’ reality at Miami GP
Wed 8 May 2024 17:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

George Russell fears Mercedes now face a ‘painful’ few weeks after McLaren showed the reality of his team’s woes at the Miami GP as Lando Norris won his first race in F1. The Woking team had one of the slowest cars on the grid when Formula 1 visited Hard Rock Stadium in 2023. Yet McLaren overcame their early problems and the cost cap to be a front-running outfit. They also continued to improve the package to now give Norris a winning car.

Mercedes took a new floor to the 2024 Miami GP but it failed to help Russell and Hamilton rival McLaren. The Silver Arrows would have likely finished the race in P7 and P9 if Sainz had not broken Piastri’s front wing when the Ferrari driver fought with the McLaren racer for P4.

Now, the two-week gap ahead of the Emilia Romagna GP at Imola will be ‘painful’ as Russell suggests for Mercedes. McLaren have shown their engine provider what is possible by fixing the flaws in their car by winning in Miami. But the Silver Arrows are still searching for the fix.

‘Mercedes ‘painful’ reality at Miami’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/george-russell-feels-mclaren-showed-mercedes-painful-reality-at-miami-gp/

George Russell sends Mercedes warning after Miami: ‘It’s going to be a painful few races’
Mercedes are set for a tough couple of races, according to George Russell.
07 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

George Russell has delivered an honest assessment over Mercedes’ form in 2024, warning that the team are on course for a “painful few weeks”. Mercedes endured another underwhelming weekend at the Miami Grand Prix as Russell finished eighth, behind the RB of Yuki Tsunoda.

Mercedes introduced a significant upgrade package in Miami, particularly around the floor area, to solve their ill-handling woes. However, the team remains cut adrift of the top three - Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren - on raw performance. Reflecting on Mercedes’ struggles, Russell conceded Mercedes are set to be fighting for P5 to P8 on-track regularly in the coming rounds.

Russell remains convinced something wasn’t right with his W15. "Something just didn't feel right, the car just had no grip, no pace and I was slower than Yuki for the whole of the last stint,” he added. "It is swings and roundabouts for us at the moment, a good day is P5 and a bad day is P8, and it was a bad day so we finished P8."

‘It’s going to be a painful few races’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048034/1/george-russell-sends-mercedes-warning-after-miami-its-going-be-painful-few-races

Russell reflects on ‘pretty rubbish race from start to finish’
George Russell explained that he lost three positions on the opening lap in Miami after Sergio Perez’s off, and his day didn’t get much better from there before he eventually finished eighth.
01:28 Mon, 06 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Pretty rubbish race from start to finish’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/russell-reflects-on-pretty-rubbish-race-from-start-to-finish.1798257372147214497#

George Russell left feeling "pretty rubbish" while Lewis Hamilton can't hide his delight
Mercedes were a long way off the battle for victory again in Miami, but Lewis Hamilton secured his best Grand Prix result of the season so far while George Russell also scored points
17:36 Mon, 06 May 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Russell didn't have much positive to say about his own result after finishing eighth. He said glumly: "It was a pretty rubbish race from start to finish, in all honesty. I had a good start but when Checo [Perez] sent it down the inside, when he rejoined everybody had to check up a bit and it cost me three positions.”

"Then I just had no pace at all there on in, so I need to check the car, check the data because something didn't feel quite right. It's definitely felt like a more difficult weekend than all of the others, but the results have all really been relatively similar.”

"We are between P5 on a good day and P8 on a bad day, and today was a bad day, we finished P8. Lewis had a good day, drove really well and finished P6. It's kind of where we are."

‘Something didn't feel quite right’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-russell-miami-mercedes-32747292

Russell warns Mercedes to be braced for 'painful' races
George Russell was downbeat after recording his worst-finish of the 2024 season in the Miami Grand Prix.
7 May 10:20AM
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers

George Russell has told Mercedes it must be prepared for a "painful few weeks" as it continues to struggle with its W15. As for his race, Russell recorded his worst finish of 2024 in eighth place, finishing behind the RB of Yuki Tsunoda.

He described the W15 as just having "no grip" with an off-feeling in the car. "Something just didn't feel right, the car just had no grip, no pace and I was slower than Yuki for the whole of the last stint. It is swings and roundabouts for us at the moment, a good day is P5 and a bad day is P8, and it was a bad day so we finished P8."

‘Be braced for 'painful' races’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-warns-mercedes-to-be-braced-for-painful-races

Fortitude

11th May 2024, 08:37

Team notes: Alonso salvages Aston Martin’s weekend with two points.
After a difficult weekend, Aston Martin left Florida with two points in their bag courtesy of Fernando Alonso's ninth-placed finish.
21:10 Mon, 06 May 2024.
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Alonso’s race was aided by a virtual safety car period. While it was a very short interruption, he found himself near the pit entry which lured him to take a “cheap” pit stop. The Spaniard then had several on-track battles, and finished in P9 to add two points to his tally.

Expanding on his issues in Miami, Alonso said: “After a difficult day yesterday, it was good to come away from this weekend with some points for the team. We got a bit lucky with the timing of the Virtual Safety Car and then the full Safety Car bunching the field up. We then took this opportunity to fit the Medium tyres. This changed our strategy a little bit and allowed us to have some good battles out there.

“I enjoyed the racing and it seems we showed a little more performance in the race than we did in Qualifying. We do have some work to do to improve our performance in the next couple of races. I am happy for Lando [Norris]. It's always special to secure your first win.”

‘Difficult weekend’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24534

Alonso reveals season-defining Aston Martin plans
May 6, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Aston Martin has important updates planned for Imola, which Alonso describes as essential for the team’s 2024 season. Fernando Alonso has outlined that critical upgrades will arrive to the AMR24 in the near future. After a few flashes of performance, the Aston Martin is now in a relatively uninspiring position. They are fifth in the Championship, almost 100 points behind McLaren and well over 100 points behind Ferrari.

Despite introducing upgrades in Japan, it is clear they have been comprehensively outdeveloped by their rivals. Moving forward, Alonso is hopeful upgrades can rectify the situation. Aston Martin losing the development war: At this stage last year, Lawrence Stroll’s team was the closest challenger to Red Bull. Podium finishers were standard practice for Fernando Alonso.

However, their highly anticipated Canada upgrades actually made the car worse – pushing it outside its operating window. This put Aston Martin into a negative spiral, spending the majority of the season trying to correct their own mistakes. Before this season, there was optimism they could recover some of their losses. This hope is generally gone, with the AMR24 far away from contending for podiums – let alone race victories.

‘Aston Martin has important updates planned for Imola’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/06/fernando-alonso-reveals-season-defining-aston-martin-plans/

‘I’ve already predicted’: Damon Hill predicts Aston Martin could replace Lance Stroll with 3-time F1 race winner
Mon 6 May 2024 12:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Amid all of the excitement at the Miami Grand Prix, the 2024 Formula 1 driver’s market is still a big source of debate. Alonso remained at Aston Martin and Damon Hill believes that he could be joined by Carlos Sainz at the British team next season. Carlos Sainz is the highest-profile driver on the grid who doesn’t have a confirmed seat for 2025. There is still a chance that Sainz could join Red Bull next year if Christian Horner and Helmut Marko decide not to extend Sergio Perez’s contract.

No decision is expected on that for some time which doesn’t suit Sainz as he can’t hang around forever. Damon Hill believes that Aston Martin might be an option for Sainz with Lance Stroll continuing to struggle. He hasn’t scored a point in the last three race weekends and is no longer in the top ten of the Drivers’ Championship.

Damon Hill was responding to a clip from Eddie Jordan on Instagram talking about the future of the Aston Martin team. Jordan explained that he thought there would be an all-Spanish line-up in Mike Krack’s team going forward with Sainz replacing Stroll. Posting on his story, Hill said: “I’ve already predicted that E.J. Along with all other permutations.” Lance Stroll hasn’t technically been signed up by Aston Martin beyond 2024, although it’s still very hard to see his rolling contract come to an end.

‘I’ve already predicted’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/damon-hill-predicts-aston-martin-could-replace-lance-stroll-with-3-time-f1-race-winner/

Alonso admits he was “not driving well the whole weekend” in Miami
6th May 2024, 0:01
Written by Keith Collantine

In the round-up: Fernando Alonso owned up to a sub-par performance after finishing ninth in the Miami Grand Prix. Alonso salvaged two points from ninth on the grid in Miami, but admitted it was not one of his best weekends.

“We were struggling this weekend,” he told the official F1 channel. “We didn’t find the set-up, we didn’t find the speed, and me personally I was not driving well the whole weekend.”

“I was just not extracting the maximum in qualifying or the sprint. Yesterday, also, I didn’t put a perfect lap together. Today was a good race, but nothing spectacular. So we need to come back stronger. We have ups and downs, definitely Miami was one of the downs. But even with that, two points, we’ll take it.”

‘Fernando Alonso owned up to a sub-par performance’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/06/racefans-round-up-06-05-7/

‘I was not driving well the whole weekend’ admits Alonso after P9 in Miami
05 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

He still managed to grab two points for Aston Martin with his ninth-place finish, but Fernando Alonso was brutally honest about his own performance and said “we need to improve for Imola”.

‘Brutally honest’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/i-was-not-driving-well-the-whole-weekend-admits-alonso-after-p9-in-miami.1798254276452921828

The bitter pill Aston Martin have to swallow
May 7, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Aston Martin was the feel-good story of the paddock last season, but the situation at Silverstone has worsened significantly. Although making conclusions from pre-season testing is never easy, the consensus in late February was that Aston Martin was the fourth or fifth-fastest team.

Six rounds later, this assessment seems accurate of the AMR24. Fernando Alonso has occasionally given the Ferrari and McLaren duo something to worry about, but Aston’s race pace is a limiting factor. Despite last year’s incredible jump over winter, the team faces a harsh reality in 2024.

Despite Dan Fallows insisting over winter that the team learned from its mistakes, it seems clear that Aston has lost crucial time. After spending almost six months trying to undo their own mistakes, they fell to fifth-fastest in 2023. This is a position they have kept, with McLaren and Ferrari showing far more encouraging development trajectories. Just last weekend in Miami, McLaren showed a significant improvement in their drag. The MCL38 was far more competitive in a straight line, eliminating one of the Woking outfit’s biggest weaknesses.

‘The bitter pill’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/07/the-bitter-pill-aston-martin-have-to-swallow/

Fortitude

11th May 2024, 17:36

Gritty Ocon delivers first point to Alpine after intense Miami GP.
Esteban Ocon’s tenacious efforts in last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix secured a crucial 10th place finish that finally put the Frenchman and Alpine on F1’s 2024 championship board.
17:18 Tue, 07 May 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The elation was evident in Ocon's post-race comments. Ocon's strategic gamble paid off later in the race. A well-timed pit stop under a Virtual Safety Car allowed him to jump ahead and claim P10 and the final point on offer, just one second ahead of Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg.

"What a race!" exclaimed the 24-year-old, acknowledging the intense effort required throughout. “110 per cent intensity the whole way through – every lap was a massive push. We can't be 100 per cent satisfied because it's just one point.”

“We need to keep doing these baby steps forward but, looking at where we were in Bahrain [17th and 18th], well done to the team for keeping on the belief, keeping the motivation going and improving the car step by step, because today finally we come out of a weekend with some reward.”

‘Ocon's strategic gamble’;

https://f1i.com/news/507394-gritty-ocon-delivers-first-point-to-alpine-after-intense-miami-gp.html

'What a race' – Ocon overjoyed to score Alpine’s first point of the season in Miami
07 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alpine have finally kickstarted their 2024 points tally after Esteban Ocon ended the Miami Grand Prix in 10th place, leaving the Frenchman thrilled that the team now have “some reward” following a tough start to the campaign.

With Ocon and team mate Pierre Gasly starting from 12th and 13th on the grid, the pair engaged in a close wheel-to-wheel battle during the opening lap of the race before Gasly eventually came out on top.

However, it was Ocon who later got ahead after benefitting from a Virtual Safety Car period to make a quick pit stop before going on to claim the final point on offer in P10, crossing the line just one second ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in P11. “What a race,” a beaming Ocon commented afterwards. “110 per cent intensity the whole way through – every lap was a massive push. We can’t be 100 per cent satisfied because it’s just one point.”

'What a race';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-a-race-ocon-overjoyed-to-score-alpines-first-point-of-the-season-in.2gbBXJTScce7QBBVteFdIV

OCON ADMITS MIAMI GP WAS ‘MASSIVE PUSH’ AS ALPINE HIT A SEASON MILESTONE
Ocon has suggested that the Miami Grand Prix was one of the first times Alpine could fight at a race in 2024
May 6, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

The result launches them off the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship table, boosting them to six points behind Haas in eighth. Ocon started the race in 13th, with Gasly one place higher in 12th. The Alpine pairing had a battle early on, with Ocon coming out on top.

The Frenchman admitted that despite the positive result, they “can’t be 100% satisfied” and must continue to make “steps” forward. Alpine’s upturn in form is due to the upgrades they bought for one car at The Chinese Grand Prix. Ocon finished 11th, just missing out on the points. The French manufacturer came to the Miami GP with two upgraded cars, doubling their chances of a car in the points.

‘MASSIVE PUSH’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ocon-admits-miami-gp-was-massive-push-as-alpine-hit-a-season-milestone/

Martin Brundle says Esteban Ocon did something he ‘never thought’ he would see during Miami Grand Prix
Mon 6 May 2024 17:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The Miami Grand Prix was full of drama with Lando Norris finally recording his first Formula 1 victory after 110 attempts. However, there were plenty of extraordinary storylines up and down the paddock in The Magic City.

As the two Alpine drivers went through the tight chicane side-by-side on the first lap, Croft said: “The two Alpines are really going for it here, [Pierre] Gasly on the inside and Esteban Ocon gets squeezed a bit by his teammate! Ocon goes down the inside, forces his teammate towards the wall, somehow Gasly stayed away from it and they are still going wheel-to-wheel down that back straight.”

Brundle: “What? I never thought I’d see two Formula 1 cars going through turns 13, 14, 15 and 16 side-by-side!” Watching a replay, Brundle added: “Look at this pair, they just don’t give up against each other, do they? I fully expected those two to be bundled into the wall together a la Australia or Baku last year.”

‘Towards the wall’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-says-esteban-ocon-did-something-he-never-thought-he-would-see-during-miami-grand-prix/

Ocon boosted by new Alpine signing David Sanchez as Gasly expects ex-Ferrari man to be ‘full of ideas’
09 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alpine drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly have expressed their excitement at working with the team’s latest high-profile signing, David Sanchez, who recently joined the operation in a newly-created role of Executive Technical Director.

Sanchez will oversee Alpine’s restructured technical department, with Ciaron Pilbeam (Technical Director – Performance), Joe Burnell (Technical Director – Engineering), and David Wheater (Technical Director – Aerodynamics) all reporting to him.

The French engineer started his F1 career at Enstone in 2005 as a junior aerodynamicist, when the team was known as Renault, before moving to Ferrari and spending some 10 years at Maranello, where he led their aerodynamics department and later worked as Head of Vehicle Concept.

‘Ex-Ferrari man to be ‘full of ideas’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/ocon-boosted-by-new-alpine-signing-david-sanchez-as-gasly-expects-ex-ferrari.K5DH9ZXSqCQf89c0TkJnh

Sacked F1 boss aims fresh dig at Ryan Reynolds' F1 team after Miami Grand Prix
Alpine claimed their first point of the 2024 campaign at the Miami Grand Prix, but they are still receiving stick from within the paddock.
10:41, Thu, May 9, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Assessing Ocon’s point on the streets of Miami on the RacingNews365 podcast, Szafnauer said: “For me, that’s not a lot. Last year, when [we had] all those seniors that have now left, I think we scored six points.

“We left Miami with six points in the bag, we went to Monaco and I think in Monaco we scored 24 [21] points. They’re struggling, I can’t see them doing what McLaren have done. Going to Monaco and scoring 24 points this year, or Imola? I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

‘That’s not a lot’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1897261/Otmar-Szafnauer-Ryan-Reynolds-Miami-Grand-Prix

Otmar Szafnauer aims fresh dig at Alpine despite Esteban Ocon’s points finish in Miami
Wed 8 May 2024 08:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Alpine have endured a largely miserable start to the 2024 Formula 1 season. And many would trace their current woes back to last summer. In July, the team sacked CEO Laurent Rossi, team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane. Predictably, the departure of three of the most senior figures sparked an exodus.

Otmar Szafnauer far from impressed with Alpine despite first points. Speaking on the Racing News 365 podcast, Szafnauer offered his verdict on an improved showing for Alpine and Ocon in Miami. He doesn’t believe it’s anything to get excited about.

He pointed out that, at the same stage last year, they were scoring a podium at the Monaco Grand Prix. And he doesn’t expect to see the team produce the kind of McLaren-esque turnaround that could see them scoring big results later in the season.

‘Far from impressed’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/otmar-szafnauer-aims-fresh-dig-at-alpine-despite-esteban-ocons-points-finish-in-miami/

Fortitude

12th May 2024, 09:14

Ill-gotten gains be damned, Kevin Magnussen is winning the game of millions for Haas.
Ill-gotten as rivals may feel those points are, they have elevated Haas to seventh place in the Constructors’ Championship and that’s millions worth fighting for, even fighting dirty.
07 May 2024 9:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

The scorecard may read one point for Kevin Magnussen but an in-depth dive shows he is responsible for half of his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg’s six. Cast your minds back to Jeddah, the Grand Prix in which Haas did what four of their rivals had not done at the time – score a point.

Magnussen played the team game for all he was worth that Sunday as he took up the role of protector to Hulkenberg and bollard to Yuki Tsunoda. Stopping the RB driver from passing, even if it meant knowingly incurring a penalty for leaving the track to stay ahead, Magnussen also slowed his pace to give Hulkenberg the chance to build up a gap.

Tsunoda decried it as “unfair”, but as Magnussen put it, it was “good teamwork”. The stewards didn’t throw the book at Magnussen for his negative tactics, although James Vowles said that’s “not how” F1 should go racing and called for a review. He was one of several voicing that concern.

‘Ill-gotten gains be damned’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/kevin-magnussen-winning-the-game-of-millions-for-haas

Hulkenberg on P11: ‘I don’t think we could have done anything different or better’
05 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Nico Hulkenberg finished just one place outside the points in the Miami Grand Prix – but said afterwards there was nothing he could have done to sneak into the top 10.

‘P11’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hulkenberg-on-p11-i-dont-think-we-could-have-done-anything-different-or-better.1798253733768714649

Haas F1 Driver Nico Hulkenberg Sets Formula 1 Record for Futility
Miami Grand Prix marked record number of starts without F1 victory.
MAY 06, 2024 10:59 AM EDT
PHILLIP HORTON
AutoWeek

The 36-year-old Hulkenberg’s Miami appearance was his 209th Formula 1 start, taking him beyond previous record holder Andrea de Cesaris, who started 208 races between 1980 and 1994. Hulkenberg finished 11th at Miami. His best finish in 2024 so far is ninth at Melbourne.

De Cesaris at least managed five podiums during his career, with veteran Hulkenberg still pursuing his maiden top-three finish in Formula 1. Hulkenberg began his F1 career in 2010.

‘Formula 1 Record for Futility’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a60700397/hulkenberg-sets-formula-1-record-futility/

Hulkenberg takes hold of unwanted F1 record
Nico Hulkenberg is one of the most experienced drivers on the grid - but with his lack of success at the front of the field, he has now claimed an unwanted record.
10 May 12:15PM
Gerd Jansen
RacingNews365

With his 209th grand prix start at the Miami Grand Prix last weekend, Nico Hulkenberg found himself taking an unwanted Formula 1 record.

Driver Grand Prix Best result
1 Nico Hulkenberg 209 4th
2 Andrea De Cesaris 208 2nd
3 Nick Heidfeld 183 2nd
4 Romain Grosjean 179 2nd
5 Kevin Magnussen 168 2nd
6 Martin Brundle 158 2nd
7 Lance Stroll 148 3rd
8 Derek Warwick 146 2nd
9 Jean-Pierre Jarier 134 3rd
10 Eddie Cheveer 132 2nd

Throughout his career, which began in 2010, Hulkenberg has not managed to reach the top step of the podium, or even a place inside the top three

‘Unwanted F1 record’;

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg-snatches-old-record-and-tops-this-unwanted-f1-list

Hulkenberg eager for more Haas upgrades to ‘edge us ahead again’ after points near-miss in Miami GP
08 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg has set his sights on another package of updates at the upcoming Imola round after narrowly missing out on a points finish in Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix.

Asked whether it feels like some momentum is building at Haas, given his string of early-season points finishes, he added: “There’s definitely some, for sure.”

“In Imola we’re going to get some more upgrades to complete that kind of package that we were building since Shanghai, so hopefully those can edge us a little bit ahead again and put us a little bit closer to the RBs, because they look really strong at the moment.”

‘More Haas upgrades’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hulkenberg-eager-for-more-haas-upgrades-to-edge-us-ahead-again-after-points.7cscNhRrnyYDpYIuUyVRFF

Hulkenberg reveals Haas upgrade plan ahead of Imola
American outfit is hard at work behind the scenes aiming to capitalise on its competitive start to 2024
May 8, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

Haas and Nico Hulkenberg have started 2024 on a high, marking a stark contrast from their performance last year. After a season with no points in 2023, the team has surged to P7 in the standings with seven points. Haas is now six points ahead of Alpine, with Williams and Sauber yet to score.

Haas is not taking its new-found midfield competitiveness for granted. With momentum building, Hulkenberg revealed the team plans to bring upgrades for the VF-24 to Imola. The upgrades, Hulkenberg says, will complete the work started on the car earlier in the season:

“In Imola, we’re going to get some more upgrades to complete that kind of package that we were building since Shanghai, so hopefully those can edge us a little bit ahead again and put us a little bit closer to the RBs, because they look really strong at the moment.”

‘Upgrade plan ahead of Imola’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/hulkenberg-reveals-haas-upgrade-plan-ahead-of-imola/

Hulkenberg reveals 'driving factor' behind Audi F1 decision
Nico Hulkenberg has penned a multi-year extension with the Audi Formula 1 team and will depart Haas at the end of the current season.
9 May 10:25AM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Nico Hulkenberg has revealed Audi F1 CEO Andreas Seidl was the “driving factor” behind his decision to join the German manufacturer's project. Seidl, who formerly held the team principal role at McLaren, was appointed to the Audi F1 CEO role earlier this year.

When asked if his German compatriot was a factor in his decision to join, Hulkenberg told media including RacingNews365: “Yeah [and] he's also the driving factor there. One of the deciders, one of the top key people in the management at Audi. So, of course, it came through him. And he's a very direct and straightforward guy with me.”

'Driving factor';

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg-reveals-driving-factor-behind-audi-f1-decision

Nico Hulkenberg set for massive salary rise as Audi’s F1 entry plans go ‘full throttle’
09 May 2024 6:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Nico Hulkenberg is reportedly in line for a massive salary boost when he arrives at Sauber for the F1 2025 season as Audi’s entry plans go “full throttle.” Audi are stepping up their plans for their highly anticipated F1 2026 entry, when the German manufacturer will officially take control of the existing Sauber team.

And in an indication of the lengths Audi are willing to go to secure their top targets, a report by German publication Bild has claimed Hulkenberg is poised to earn €5million per season from 2025. That is said to be a considerable improvement on the €2m per year he currently earns at Haas, with whom he returned to the grid in F1 2023 after a three-year absence.

‘Massive salary rise’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-salary-audi-f1

‘How long will it last’: Steiner thinks ‘risk’ was ‘greater’ if Hulkenberg joined 2 F1 teams over Sauber
Tue 7 May 2024 17:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Guenther Steiner thinks the ‘risk’ would have been ‘greater’ if departing Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg had signed with two rival Formula 1 teams over Sauber from 2025. The 36-year-old sealed a switch from Haas to Sauber for next year by signing a three-year contract with Audi. Hulkenberg sought a move to Hinwil, Switzerland on a long-term deal as Audi will take Sauber over in 2026. Audi has bought 100% of the team to have a works entry.

Steiner concedes the ‘risk’ would have been ‘greater’ if Hulkenberg joined Mercedes or Red Bull over leaving Haas for Sauber and Audi’s project. The German could have especially been left to wonder how long he would have lasted in Brackley as Hamilton’s replacement.

“I think so,” Steiner said, via Sport.de. “Then the risk would have been greater for Nico that it might not work out. You don’t know exactly what will happen. Will Max stay or not? What will happen at Mercedes? And if he gets a Mercedes contract, how long will it last?”

‘How long will it last’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/steiner-thinks-risk-was-greater-if-hulkenberg-joined-2-f1-teams-over-sauber/

Fortitude

12th May 2024, 15:27

Gasly to 'keep chipping away' after 'best result of the season so far' in Miami.
After finishing P9 in the Sprint and then qualifying P12 for the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, Alpine driver Pierre Gasly says he's "happy" with the upgrades the team have brought to Florida.
04 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'Keep chipping away';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/gasly-to-keep-chipping-away-after-best-result-of-the-season-so-far-in-miami.1798158786735574416

Pierre Gasly: Upgrades 'a step in the right direction' but Alpine 'still a bit on the back foot'
02 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Following the team's successful deployment of their upgrades on Esteban Ocon's car in China, Pierre Gasly will have the new floor and chassis on his Alpine for this weekend's Miami Grand Prix.

'A step in the right direction';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/pierre-gasly-upgrades-a-step-in-the-right-direction-but-alpine-still-a-bit-on-the-back-foot.1797963554328867435

What next for Pierre Gasly? His main F1 2025 request may concern Alpine
29 Apr 2024 12:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Out of contract with Alpine at the end of this season, Pierre Gasly has told the French team he just wants a “competitive car”, nothing more, nothing less. Swapping the Red Bull family for Alpine last season, Gasly had a solid if not spectacular season with his new team but it was one that promised better results were ahead.

On that, Alpine have yet to deliver. Overweight and sluggish in the early rounds, even the introduction of a lighter chassis in China failed to produce the points-scoring result that the team wanted. So much so that Gasly is being linked to rival teams, Williams said to be heading the list. He, though, has just one requirement as he contemplates his future.

“The most important thing for me at the moment is that I’m in a competitive car,” the 2020 Italian GP winner said as per motorsport-magazin. “And I want this competitive car with Alpine, because that’s what I signed for two years ago. I joined the team when it was in fourth place with the clear goal of getting closer to the top three. That was clearly the trigger and motivation for me.”

‘Main F1 2025 request’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/what-next-for-pierre-gasly-f1-2025-request-alpine

Pierre Gasly “in negotiations” with Williams as F1 driver market hots up
Pierre Gasly could move to Williams, according to David Croft.
25 Apr 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has suggested that Pierre Gasly has started negotiations with Williams over a possible switch for the 2025 F1 season. “Gasly might find himself at Williams. I am sure he’s been in negotiations with Williams to drive alongside Alex Albon.”

“In negotiations”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1047367/1/pierre-gasly-negotiations-williams-f1-driver-market-hots

Williams reportedly in talks with Gasly, Bottas for 2025
May 3, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Reports are increasingly emerging about early contract talks behind the scenes at Williams. The Grove-based team is understandably assessing its options in the market. With so many drivers currently free agents, the British outfit has an opportunity to improve its driver line-up. Of course, James Vowles and his personnel are still waiting to see if Logan Sargeant can progress.

Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas are mentioned as potential targets for the British outfit. Both drivers are experienced and proven in Formula 1, enjoying several podium finishes and race victories between them. For different reasons, they will be holding conversations with projects throughout the grid.

With Alex Albon establishing himself as the team’s benchmark, James Vowles has a chance to strengthen the team’s driver combination. In such a competitive midfield, Williams is logically taking steps to keep up with increasingly well-funded and ambitious rivals.

‘Williams reportedly in talks’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/03/f1-news-williams-reportedly-in-talks-with-gasly-bottas-for-2025/

Matthew

12th May 2024, 22:56

Sainz may be getting nervous about 2025 seat
MAY 8, 2024
GrandPrix.com

As for Sainz's chances at Mercedes, Toto Wolff is openly waiting to see if Max Verstappen might suddenly emerge on the market. But Wolff denied that he is grooming 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli for the 2025 seat - perhaps beginning with an immediate leap into F1 with Williams.

“Why would you apply for a dispensation for a super license if you don't want to let him race?” wonders Dutch broadcaster Olav Mol. “Why let him do a qualifying and race simulation at Imola”? he added, referring to Antonelli's recent outing in the 2022 Mercedes. “When the team bosses start denying, you know it's true”, Mol laughed.

‘Getting nervous’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/sainz-may-be-getting-nervous-about-2025-seat.html

I don't see Verstappen joining Mercedes unless Newey goes there which has also a very low probability.

Fortitude

13th May 2024, 05:33

Oscar Piastri's race ruined because of crash at Miami Grand Prix as teammate Lando Norris takes shock maiden victory.
The Aussie was in third position at the end of the first lap and looked like he might podium, but damaged his front wing and was forced to pit for a replacement.
6 May 2024
James Cooney For Daily Mail Australia
MailOnline

Norris began fifth, with pacy teammate Piastri the McLaren driver who looked most likely to upset the field, but a Safety Car at the midway point played well into the Briton's hands. Piastri finished well out of the points in 13th after a collision with Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.

‘Race ruined’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13385665/Oscar-Piastri-race-ruined-crash-Miami-Grand-Prix-teammate-Lando-Norris-takes-shock-victory-F1.html

Piastri takes away ‘a lot of positives’ from eventful Miami GP
06 May 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

While his Miami Grand Prix ended outside the points zone, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri believed that there were “definitely a lot of positives” to take away from his eventful afternoon of racing. “Definitely a lot of positives to come from today,” Piastri commented after the race. “For both of us, the car was really strong.”

“For Lando, to win the race on pace and to pull away from Max [Verstappen] after the Safety Car, I think that's a very, very encouraging sign. So very happy for him and for the whole team. I think we deserve it. Our trajectory in the last 12 months has been towards this moment.”

“Even with the car that I had, I think we were very strong as well. Excited for Imola.” Indeed, Piastri’s MCL38 was not equipped with the full upgrade package implemented on Norris’ car in Miami.

‘Positives’;

https://f1i.com/news/507301-piastri-takes-away-a-lot-of-positives-from-eventful-miami-gp.html

Piastri left with mixed emotions after race ‘unravels’ in Miami while Norris takes victory
06 May 2024
Formula1.com

Oscar Piastri endured mixed fortunes at the Miami Grand Prix, with the Australian enjoying a strong start to the race before the timing of the Safety Car and a collision with Carlos Sainz dropped him down to a final result of P13 – on the day his team mate Lando Norris took his maiden F1 win.

“I think we did a lot of things right in the first half of the race,” Piastri reflected after the event. "A bit unfortunate with the Safety Car timing obviously, and then [it] just kind of unravelled from there. Obviously a really good day for the team, they deserved to have both cars up there.”

“But yeah, a really encouraging day in terms of the pace and obviously to get a win on pace. [There was] a little bit of good fortune involved but Lando had the pace after, which I think is incredibly encouraging. So overall mixed emotions, but very, very happy for the team.”

‘Mixed emotions’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/piastri-left-with-mixed-emotions-after-race-unravels-in-miami-while-norris.2KqQj8w6gRAHRd1yX1yNvk

Zak Brown ‘sure’ of McLaren F1 replacement for Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri
8 May 2024
Kyle Archer
McLaren CEO Zak Brown is ‘sure’ his Formula 1 team already have the perfect driver in line to replace Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri if either star ever wanted to leave Woking. “Well, right now we’ve got two drivers we’re extremely happy with,” Brown noted. “I don’t think [paying a team to run O’Ward] is necessary because I think IndyCar is so competitive.”

“I don’t see any reason why he can’t continue to race in IndyCar, win us a lot of races [and] hopefully win us a championship, Indy 500 and on and on. And if the opportunity presents itself, he’s in our TPC, our test car, he’s doing free practice ones, he did the young driver test.”

“So, I feel he’s very prepared to hop into our Formula 1 car if the opportunity presents itself. I don’t think we need to put him in another team to get a lot more experience because, also, the opportunity might not ever come.”

‘F1 replacement’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zak-brown-sure-of-mclaren-f1-replacement-for-lando-norris-or-oscar-piastri/

McLaren: Piastri compromised by limited upgrades in Miami
May 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Oscar Piastri left the Miami GP empty-handed, although McLaren factors beyond his control compromised his chances. It was Lando Norris who crossed the chequered flag in Miami to claim victory in the MCL38. Teammate Oscar Piastri failed to score points on Sunday, with a series of unfortunate events ultimately costing the Australian. Aside from his skirmishes with Carlos Sainz, the 23-year-old was fundamentally held back by the MCL38 available to him in Florida.

With slightly kinder Safety Car timing, the Australian could have left the sixth round of the F1 season with much more. Despite this, Andrea Stella has outlined the impressiveness of the youngster’s efforts: “I think Oscar is even more aware of his strengths as a driver after this weekend,” motorsport-total quotes him as saying.

“We already knew how fast he is on one lap. Considering he didn’t have the full package, I have to give Oscar credit that the gap to Lando in qualifying was smaller than the difference of the package that he had. He really delivered a strong performance over a single lap under very difficult conditions.”

‘Compromised by limited upgrades’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/08/mclaren-piastri-compromised-by-limited-upgrades-in-miami/

Analysis: Piastri secures third career fastest lap in Miami
9 May 2024
By Balazs Szabo
F1Technical.net

Despite not scoring any points in Florida, McLaren's Oscar Piastri displayed eye-catching pace both in qualifying and race trim, and also set the quickest lap of the Miami Grand Prix.

“The car felt the best it’s been all year,” said Piastri. “A great day for the team, but a disappointing afternoon on my side. I feel like we did a lot of things right in the first half of the race, but a few things didn’t go our way in the second half.” The safety car that was deployed on lap 29, immediately after Piastri’s one and only pit stop, dropped him back to fourth place. At the restart, he had to fend off an aggressive Carlos Sainz.

At one point, Piastri pushed the Spaniard off the track while defending his position. On lap 39, Sainz drifted into turn 17 and ran over the McLaren front wing. As a result, the Aussie had to stop for repairs. On a set of new Mediums, he returned to the track at the back of the field where a points finish was now out of reach. Despite setting a strong pace – including the DHL Fastest Lap of 1:30.634 – he could only claw his way back to P13 before the chequered flag fell. Consequently, his fastest time did not even earn him the customary bonus point.

‘Third career fastest lap’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24540

McLaren reveals how Piastri out-performed Norris in Miami
McLaren has revealed that Lando Norris' win in the Miami Grand Prix masked an impressive performance for Oscar Piastri.
10 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Both McLaren drivers had upgrades, though Piastri only half the package fitted to his team-mate. That he managed to out-qualify Norris in the Sprint, and effectively match him in qualifying the race, caught the eye of team boss Andrea Stella. “Oscar comes out of [Miami] even more conscious of his strengths as a driver,” he said.

“We sort of knew already how fast he is on a single lap. Consider that he didn't have the full package – and let me pay proper credit to Oscar, the gap he had to Lando in qualifying is smaller than the difference of the package he had. So he was really pulling off strong performance over a single lap in very difficult conditions, like all drivers with soft tyres.”

‘Piastri out-performed Norris’;

https://speedcafe.com/mclaren-reveals-how-piastri-out-performed-norris-in-miami/

McLaren reveal hidden Oscar Piastri data that will alert Lando Norris
12 May 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Miami GP winner Lando Norris benefitted from the full McLaren MCL38 upgrade package, but it turns out that team-mate Oscar Piastri neutralised that advantage and then some over one lap.

While Norris would steal the headlines in Miami by becoming a Formula 1 race winner for the first time, it was his team-mate Piastri that shone in the first stint, the Aussie keeping the pressure on race leader Max Verstappen, who had been chasing a fifth win of the season.

‘Hidden Piastri data’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-oscar-piastri-pace-data-lando-norris-miami

McLaren boss praises ‘team player’ Piastri
Andrea Stella has praised Oscar Piastri for his willingness to put the team ahead of his own ambitions.
12 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

It's not the first time the Australian has been forced to wait for components, Norris having also been preferred for the debut of what essentially amounted to a b-spec car in Austria last year. But the 23-year-old's reaction was telling, according to Stella.

“He also comes off of [Miami] having proven once again how strong a team player he is,” he said of Piastri. “Clearly, when I told him, ‘Oscar, we are going to give the sidepods and the floor to Lando', he wasn't the happiest, you know, in the bottom of his heart.”

“But at no point, he made this decision difficult. At no point, he said like, ‘Oh, but why?' He understood the reasoning and he was immediately supportive, like all the entourage around Oscar. So, I think he comes away with a lot of positives.”

‘Stella has praised Oscar Piastri’;

https://speedcafe.com/mclaren-boss-praises-team-player-piastri/

Fortitude

13th May 2024, 15:16

Zhou Guanyu reportedly under consideration at Haas.
Zhou Guanyu and his team are working to secure a seat in F1, with reports suggesting that Haas is an option.
May 12, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

After a strong performance in Bahrain to claim P11, Zhou Guanyu has failed to take the next step and score points. Sauber still suffers from a variety of limitations, ranging from a lack of pace to slow pit stops. The largely uncompetitive nature of the C44 makes it difficult for either Zhou or Bottas to make their case in the F1 market. However, there seem to be options available to the Chinese driver.

Over the last two seasons, Zhou and teammate Valtteri Bottas have performed at a solid level. Last season, for example, their well-executed race in Qatar lifted Sauber from 10th to 9th in the standings. The year prior, the Hinwil-based team clung onto an impressive 6th in the standings.

Despite this, Sauber is now a very different team. Audi now has complete control of the team, with the German manufacturer looking to impose itself on decision-making. The arrival of Nico Hulkenberg last month was the culmination of Audi’s long-standing interest in his services. The 36-year-old has confirmed that CEO Andreas Seidl was central in this eventual agreement.

‘Under consideration at Haas’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/12/zhou-guanyu-reportedly-under-consideration-at-haas/

Zhou caught off-guard by Stake F1's Hulkenberg swoop
Zhou Guanyu has conceded he was not expecting the news that Nico Hulkenberg will be joining Stake F1, but believes the team remains an option for him and team-mate Valtteri Bottas for next season.
2 May 2024.
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Zhou admitted that news of Hulkenberg joining came as a surprise, with the Chinese driver not expecting it to come as early as it did. "The whole announcement, it's a bit more early than I expected, but it doesn't really change my approach," Zhou responded to media including RacingNews365 when Nico Hulkenberg joining Stake F1 for 2025 was brought up.

"I just try to focus on my job with the current team, to prove myself and give it everything I have, for my future. Of course, we're looking at different options, to see what was the best. We didn't really get much involvement with Nico [Hulkenberg], so I can't really say much about the other seat available for this team.”

All I can say is I think Andreas Seidl is looking at all different options, including me and Valtteri . Of course, here [Stake F1] is a place that can be possible for the future, for next year." Zhou narrowly missed out on his first points of the season at the previous race, the Chinese Grand Prix. Having qualified in the top 10 for the sprint at his home event, he crossed the line in ninth, one place outside the points-paying positions.

‘Zhou caught off-guard’;

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-caught-off-guard-by-stake-f1s-hulkenberg-swoop

[B]Zhou details what he needs to do in order to remain in F1
The Chinese driver picked up his best result of 2024 so far last time out at his home race
April 30, 2024
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds

Zhou Guanyu has revealed what things he needs to do in order to remain in the sport as he hopes to enjoy a “long career” in Formula 1. It was a weekend to remember for Zhou nearly a fortnight ago as he became the first Chinese driver to race at the Shanghai International Circuit in F1.

Zhou slightly missed out on the top eight in the Sprint Race after finishing in an impressive P9. In the Grand Prix itself, it was reliability and pace which let the team down as Bottas would retire from the race and Zhou could only muster P14.

Despite these results, Zhou had won the hearts of the Chinese people and F1 fans around the world with his performances over the three days. He is now hoping to improve over the course of the season as he looks to keep his seat for 2025. “From my side, I think we just focus on that, and hopefully it’s not going to be the only one, because I’m planning hopefully to stay here as long as I could. Everybody loves to be having a long career in Formula 1, that’s where we dream to be.”

‘Zhou details what he needs to do’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/zhou-details-what-he-needs-to-do-in-order-to-remain-in-f1/

‘One thing is clear’ – Audi make big decision on Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu – report
11 May 2024 10:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

German publication Sport Bild claims the team’s mind is already made up on their current line-up. The report writes: “It remains to be seen who will be Hülkenberg’s team-mate. One thing is clear: neither the expiring contract of Valtteri Bottas (34) nor that of Zhou Guanyu (24) will be extended.”

“In the case of both drivers, those responsible around boss [Andreas] Seidl are not convinced that they can fulfil Audi’s ambition: to establish themselves among the top teams, such as Red Bull and Mercedes, and compete for world championships.”

Both Zhou and Bottas have expressed a desire to secure their futures in the sport sooner rather than later if they can, and while Zhou is keen to lock down a multi-year contract either with Sauber or elsewhere if he can.

‘One thing is clear’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/audi-f1-zhou-guanyu-valtteri-bottas-decision-report

Bottas hopes Miami ‘an outlier’ for Kick Sauber as Zhou laments ‘real struggle’ all weekend
08 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Zhou shared similar thoughts to Bottas as he rose from 19th to 14th, expressing particular frustration at losing a chunk of time to the cars ahead while getting stuck behind Alex Albon’s Williams.

“It was actually not too bad for us [with the Safety Car], but the only thing is that we went for softs, so we had almost 30 laps on softs and they fall off,” he commented. “I think the issue was that we lacked some top speed against Alex and I couldn’t really pass him on the straights, so the whole race was really compromised.”

Asked if he also felt the event was an ‘outlier’ for the team, Zhou said: “It’s very clear this weekend both cars it’s been a real struggle. We tried to play a lot with different set-ups during Friday and Saturday but both didn’t seem to work. On the other side, I think a lot of the competitors brought upgrades for the last few races and we still have similar to what we had a few races ago. I’m sure in Imola we can make a step and it’s a question of how much.”

‘Both cars it’s been a real struggle’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/bottas-hopes-miami-an-outlier-for-kick-sauber-as-zhou-laments-real-struggle.5CJS2BgUB1EOvzkLzuo6AX

Fortitude

14th May 2024, 08:32

Ricciardo pinpoints Miami GP undoing.
Daniel Ricciardo has pinpointed where he feels his Miami Grand Prix unravelled. Ricciardo starred during Sprint Qualifying to start the short-form race fourth, finishing there on Saturday. However, he could not carry that form into qualifying proper as he set just the 17th best time.
6 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

“Coming into a race, I'm always hopeful and optimistic and excited, but I think we're quickly met with the reality that it's not the same when we're in traffic,” Ricciardo explained. “Obviously yesterday I was able to use the pace and had a clear track and just use the downforce and the grip of the car, but today, in these battles and with dirty air, we struggle.”

Ricciardo spent much of the opening stint stuck behind Kevin Magnussen's Haas as he made little impact on the race. “I think a lot of the cars the race had a lot of downforce, so trying to attack and defend was simply just not a straightforward one for us,” Ricciardo explained of his race. “It just goes back to qualifying. It's so important.”

“Obviously, yesterday, I was upset with the grip I had on that set of tyres and obviously, I still feel that way, but also, I'll always look at myself as well. I was like, yeah, I could have still done a little bit better here and there, so I'll still hold myself accountable for sessions like that. We're quick, but we're not quick enough to start at the back and chop through the field, we're just simply not, so we've got to qualify better.”

‘Miami Grand Prix unravelled’;

https://speedcafe.com/ricciardo-pinpoints-miami-gp-undoing/

Miami showed Ricciardo “back in great form” – Mekies
10th May 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

After Daniel Ricciardo drove his RB to his first points of the season in the Miami Grand Prix sprint race last weekend, RB team principal Laurent Mekies says his team’s senior driver is “back in great form”. Ricciardo qualified fourth on the grid in sprint race qualifying and finished there, securing five points for RB. Team mate Yuki Tsunoda added another seven across the sprint race and the grand prix.

“It was particularly gratifying to see Daniel back in great form, demonstrating the skills and determination we know have always been there,” Mekies said. “Unfortunately, he started on the back foot on Sunday from P20. In the second stint, he got stuck in traffic and could not move up the order and had to settle for P15.

“As for Yuki, his fourth Q3 appearance out of six races this season underlines how consistently he is performing and today, he underlined his maturity with an intelligent, yet aggressive and super quick drive from tenth on the grid to seventh at the flag.”

“Back in great form”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/10/racefans-round-up-10-05-7/

RB still in the dark over Daniel Ricciardo struggles after breakthrough Miami GP performance
10 May 2024 8:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

RB team principal Laurent Mekies said the improved performance of Daniel Ricciardo will have lifted a “huge weight” in Miami, but the team are still unsure what was “disturbing” his performances before that weekend. Mekies explained that Ricciardo’s performances have been “very difficult to explain” given the nature of his results, but the signs have been there from within that a strong result was on its way.

“I’m sure it was a huge weight [off his shoulders] because the US is nearly his second home race,” Mekies said to Motorsport.com. “He did it in style with an incredible defence to Carlos [Sainz] and the McLaren [of Oscar Piastri]. It was a fantastic moment for him. In fairness, we had seen signs of improvement before, but it was very difficult to explain it to the world.”

“Saudi was a better performance than Bahrain, Australia was better than Saudi, Japan was better than Australia and China was better than Japan. It had been coming in many, many small steps and we think there is more steps we can do in the next few races to help suit the car better to him.”

‘RB still in the dark’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-rb-miami-pace-misunderstanding

Daniel Ricciardo lands new job alongside F1 as Aussie fights for his future
Daniel Ricciardo is fighting to continue his F1 career on the track, but the popular Aussie has a new venture in his personal life.
09:09, Thu, May 9, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Daniel Ricciardo has teamed up with writers and showrunners Alec Berg and Adam Countee, serving as an executive producer for Hulu’s new comedy series, Downforce. The Aussie will bring his expertise to the new show, which is set in the world of F1.

Ricciardo’s new gig marks the continuation of the trend of F1 drivers getting involved with Hollywood. Lewis Hamilton has already been serving as an executive producer on the currently untitled film starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris.

While the concept of an F1 driver working on a major motion picture seems like a confusing match, Hamilton explained the role in an interview with GQ Magazine. “My point was: Guys, this movie needs to be so authentic,” he said.

‘Daniel Ricciardo lands new job’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1897204/Daniel-Ricciardo-F1-Downforce

Helmut Marko responds to “nonsense” Ricciardo rumours
May 10, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Red Bull addresses Ricciardo and Lawson’s rumours. Speaking after the Miami GP, Helmut Marko has utterly rejected any suggestions that Red Bull were going to replace Ricciardo in Imola:

“The rumours that Ricciardo will be replaced by Liam Lawson at Imola are nonsense,” he insists. “Liam’s manager from New Zealand was there, apparently he has certain dreams and they are made known through some media – including from New Zealand. Nothing at all is planned in Imola.”

“Nonsense”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/10/helmut-marko-responds-to-nonsense-ricciardo-and-lawson-rumours/

Helmut Marko names Red Bull 'leak' over talk Daniel Ricciardo set to be sacked
Helmut Marko has pointed the finger of blame.
15:25, Sat, May 11, 2024
By Mikael McKenzie
Daily and Sunday Express

Red Bull chief Helmut Marko believes Liam Lawson's manager has been leaking stories that Daniel Ricciardo is set to be sacked by RB at the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Ricciardo has yet to score a single point this season and his place is under threat.

"The rumors that Ricciardo will be replaced by Liam Lawson at Imola are nonsense," Marko told speedweek.com. "Liam's manager from New Zealand was there, apparently he has certain dreams and they are made known through some media - including from New Zealand. Nothing at all is planned in Imola. But of course we will look at this in the future."

‘The finger of blame’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1898055/Helmut-Marko-Red-Bull-Daniel-Ricciardo

Lawson's management behind Ricciardo rumours?
12/05/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Helmut Marko has suggested that Liam Lawson's management was behind the claim that Daniel Ricciardo would be dropped in favour of the kiwi.

Writing in Speedweek, Helmut Marko suggests that the rumour regarding Ricciardo's sacking came from Lawson's management.

‘Liam Lawson's management’;

https://www.pitpass.com/77649/Lawsons-management-behind-Ricciardo-rumours

Ricciardo provides unlikely answer on F1 career query
Daniel Ricciardo gave an unexpected answer when asked which moment in his F1 career was his proudest so far.
13 May 9:55AM
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Daniel Ricciardo has explained two career highlights he considers to be his proudest moments in F1. Opting for two moments with Red Bull - both from 2014, when he partnered and beat four-time reigning champion team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

"Two come to mind," he told Formula1.com. "I think the first win is one, because it’s something you dream of. Until you do it you’re not fully, fully convinced that you can.

"But also Melbourne, my first year with Red Bull [in 2014], nearly getting pole, qualifying on the front row and getting second there."

‘Unlikely answer on F1 career query’;

https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-provides-unlikely-answer-on-f1-career-query

Fortitude

14th May 2024, 15:56

Bottas: ‘With our strategy the timing of the Safety Car was the worst possible’.
Valtteri Bottas said he “tried something different” with his strategy in Miami – but his plan was undone by the mid-race Safety Car, leaving him down in P16 at the flag.
05 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Worst possible’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bottas-with-our-strategy-the-timing-of-the-safety-car-was-the-worst-possible.1798255954742902934

Bottas hopes Miami ‘an outlier’ for Kick Sauber as Zhou laments ‘real struggle’ all weekend
08 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Reflecting on setting off and finishing in 16th, Bottas said: “Of course, the starting position wasn’t the best, so I think it was good to try something different. Then, honestly, with that strategy, the timing of the Safety Car was the worst possible.

“It’s unfortunate… I think it was good to try but ultimately we didn’t quite have the pace today that I thought we would, so plenty of learnings to take from this weekend.”

He added: “I hope this was an outlier. In the last two events we’ve been in a better place. Again, the next race [at Imola] is a very different track, so with some new bits on the car then we’ll see again. But it is tight, you know, and small gains can make a big difference.”

‘Real struggle’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/bottas-hopes-miami-an-outlier-for-kick-sauber-as-zhou-laments-real-struggle.5CJS2BgUB1EOvzkLzuo6AX

Bottas hopes Miami performance was an “outlier” for Sauber
13th May 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Valtteri Bottas admits that he was disappointed with the performance of his team in last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix weekend. Bottas finished 14th in the sprint race and 16th in the grand prix after multiple penalties for drivers ahead. He says he is anticipating a stronger performance in this weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

“I hope [Miami] was an outlier,” he said. “In the last two events, we’ve been in a better place. The next race is at a very different track. So with some new bits on the car, then we’ll see again. But it is tight and small gains can make a big difference.”

‘Outlier for Sauber’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/13/racefans-round-up-13-05-7/

Sauber: Bottas' race engineer switch tied to Audi forward planning
16:48 Fri, 10 May 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sauber representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi has revealed that the team’s decision ahead of the Miami Grand Prix to swap Valtteri Bottas' race engineer was a move dictated by Audi's forward planning ahead of its full works entry into Formula 1 in 2026.

Bottas had worked alongside engineer Alex Chan since joining Sauber in 2022 and was informed ahead of last weekend’s race that Steven Petrick, a former performance engineer with Ferrari, would be taking Chan’s place.

The move hinted at a bigger picture, with Bottas himself suggesting it was part of a larger "reconstruction" initiative by the Swiss outfit in preparation for Audi's official arrival in 2026. The Finn seemed none too pleased with the decision, but Alunni Bravi confirmed the reason behind the change decided by Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl.

‘The Finn seemed none too pleased’;

https://f1i.com/news/507527-sauber-bottas-race-engineer-switch-tied-to-audi-forward-planning.html

Sauber-Audi defends sudden Bottas change
MAY 14, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Audi-owned Sauber has defended its decision to appoint a new race engineer for Valtteri Bottas as of the last Formula 1 race in Miami. I think that's a question for the team, he said when asked why his engineer since 2022, Alex Chan, had suddenly been assigned to a different post in Miami.

It was quite a sudden change, Bottas added, "but obviously trying to make the most of it. I think it's part of the kind of reconstruction of the team. And yeah, so I don't do those decisions.”

The Finn admits that he isn't sure what his next move in F1 will be, having also declared that Audi signing Nico Hulkenberg for 2025 and beyond was surprising and early. I don't know, said Bottas. I'm obviously speaking to multiple teams, some talks have advanced more than the others. So we'll see.”

‘New race engineer’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/sauber-audi-defends-sudden-bottas-change.html

Bottas in talks with 2 teams as Audi prioritises F1 rival
Fri 3 May 2024 12:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Sauber star Valtteri Bottas is now in active talks with two rival Formula 1 teams about a switch for 2025 as Audi is prioritising a different driver to join with Nico Hulkenberg.

Valtteri Bottas is in talks with Williams about a move to the F1 team in 2025. Williams may have an opening beside Alex Albon for Bottas to fill in 2025 as Logan Sargeant is out of contract after 2024. The Grove squad only gave Sargeant a single-year contract last December to stay for a second season after the 23-year-old’s rookie campaign last term.

Bottas would offer Williams an experienced driver they know well from his days there from 2013 and 2016. The Finn made his Formula 1 debut with them at the Australian GP in 2013 and entered 78 races with them, before replacing Nico Rosberg at Mercedes through 2021.

‘Bottas in talks’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sauber-star-valtteri-bottas-in-talks-with-2-teams-as-audi-prioritises-f1-rival/

Valtteri Bottas hit with grid penalty for the Miami Sprint
10:02 Sat, 04 May 2024.
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The full statement read: "The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 81 (Oscar Piastri), the driver of Car 77 (Valtteri Bottas), team representatives and reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry, team radio and in-car video evidence and determined that the driver of Car 77 unnecessarily impeded Car 81 during the Sprint Qualifying.

"On the straight before Turn 1, Car 77 was being driven slowly on the racing line after finishing a fast lap, while Car 81 was approaching on a fast lap. Car 81 and Car 77 needed to take evasive action to avoid a collision. The primary responsibility rests with the driver to ensure that he does not place himself in a position whereby he unnecessarily impedes another driver. Here Car 77 was driving slowly on the racing line and caused to the situation that ensued.”

"However, during the hearing both team and driver of Car 77 admitted that the team had not warned the driver of Car 77 that Car 81 was approaching on a fast lap. That was obviously an error on the team’s part and contributed significantly to the incident"

‘Grid penalty for the Miami Sprint’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24518

Fortitude

15th May 2024, 07:55

Stroll on P17 finish: ‘We were on the back foot all weekend’.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll lamented the timing of the Safety Car during the Miami Grand Prix, which he said “finished” his race, since he’d pitted earlier in a bit to undercut Yuki Tsunoda.
05 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘On the back foot’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/stroll-on-p17-finish-we-were-on-the-back-foot-all-weekend.1798253866936860821

Aston Martin slapped with fine by Miami GP stewards
The fine is due to an incident involving Lance Stroll.
3 May 7:59PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Aston Martin has been fined €400 by Miami Grand Prix stewards for Lance Stroll speeding in the pit-lane during the sole practice session. In Miami, the pit-lane speed limit is 80kph - 49.7mph, but the Canadian was clocked at 83.5kph - 51.8mph, exceeding it by 3.5kph or 2.1mph.

This was a breach of Article 49.7 of the sporting regulations, with the competitor fined €400. Stroll finished a strong fifth in the session for the team, but team-mate Fernando Alonso struggled, taking 19th of 20 runners, but slowest as Charles Leclerc only completed three laps before a spin which ended his session early and triggered red flags.

‘Slapped with fine’;

https://racingnews365.com/aston-martin-slapped-with-fine-by-miami-gp-stewards

These upgrades could make or break Aston Martin’s season
May 14, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Aston Martin has experienced mixed results in 2024, but this weekend’s Imola GP should provide more clarity on their capabilities. In the fourth round of the year in Japan, Aston Martin introduced their first set of upgrades. At face value, they seemed to yield reasonable results.

Fernando Alonso was contending with Ferrari and McLaren in qualifying, whilst the AMR24 showed improved tyre conservation during the Grand Prix. Unfortunately for the Silverstone-based team, the evidence since then has been far less optimistic. Generally speaking, the car overseen by Dan Fallows has the opposite characteristics of its predecessor. On Saturdays, the car performs at a high level, contending for the top 6 – although rarely for Pole Position.

Upgrades for Aston Martin. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will receive updates this weekend. Aston Martin will introduce the second part of the package initially introduced in Japan. Speaking bluntly, the enthusiasm and expectations surrounding the AMR24’s modifications are not especially high. The British squad’s development since the start of 2023 has been significantly worse than that of its immediate rivals — and even teams further down the field.

‘Make or break’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/14/these-upgrades-could-make-or-break-aston-martins-season/

Why Aston Martin abandoned low-drag F1 rear wing update in Miami
Aston Martin has explained that the sensitive nature of tyres at last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix prompted it to elect against running its all-new Formula 1 rear wing design.
10:25 Wed, 08 May 2024.
Jonathan Noble
Matt Somerfield
Motorsport.com

The Silverstone-based squad brought a new lower drag rear wing to Miami in the hope that a better straightline speed would help it in the fight against its rivals. However, despite running it in practice, Aston Martin went back to its more usual configuration – which inevitably made things harder for its drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll when it came to racing.

Speaking about why the team had abandoned a design that had been specifically created for the track, team principal Mike Krack explained that the choice was prompted by the lower downforce level triggering more sliding from the tyres. Krack said: “It was more a decision that you make based on tyre behaviour. If you have a lot of sliding, you really weigh up downforce against top speed.”

“This is a permanent discussion in the office about whether to go up, or to go down. The drivers have their opinions because they have to try and pass - so we made that choice. If we started again, maybe the choice would be different. But the wing choice in the end was not the decisive factor.”

‘Low-drag F1 rear wing update abandoned’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/why-miamis-tricky-tyres-prompted-aston-martin-to-abandon-low-drag-f1-rear-wing/10608275/

Lawrence Stroll offers ‘phenomenal’ Mercedes target £407k-a/w to join Aston Martin
Sat 27 April 2024 14:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll has tabled an eye-watering offer to tempt one of Toto Wolff’s targets for Mercedes to join his Formula 1 team yet it may not be enough. The Canadian billionaire is desperate to turn the Silverstone outfit he initially bought back in 2018 into a success. Stroll led a consortium to buy Force India before also bringing the Aston Martin name back to Formula 1 in 2021. He even tempted Fernando Alonso to join and stay.

Now, Stroll wants to convince another F1 legend to join Aston Martin, too. Aston Martin and Mercedes are fighting to hire Adrian Newey. That is according to Corriere della Sera, which reports that Stroll has made Adrian Newey an offer to switch Red Bull for Aston Martin. Yet even Stroll’s offer of €25m-a-year (£407k-/w) might not be enough to convince Newey to join Aston Martin.

Corriere della Sera adds that those close to Newey feel retirement, even just partial, from racing is possible to spend more time on his other interests such as sailing. Signing Newey would be huge for Aston Martin or Mercedes ahead of Formula 1 introducing new engine and technical regulations in 2026. Both teams are miles away from fighting Red Bull at the front of the field right now. Aston Martin are also still to win a race in Formula 1.

‘An eye-watering offer’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lawrence-stroll-offers-phenomenal-mercedes-target-407k-a-w-to-join-aston-martin/

Fortitude

15th May 2024, 16:16

Breaking: Albon signs new multi-year F1 contract.
Another piece of the driver market puzzle has fallen into place as Alex Albon has committed to a new multi-year contract. "I am incredibly happy to be remaining with Williams Racing and to continue working with such a talented and dedicated team of people,” Albon said.
15 May 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Alex Albon has committed his Formula 1 future to the Williams team, signing a multi-year extension with the Grove-based squad. The new deal will take Albon into the new era of technical regulations, which come into play in 2026.

“It has been a difficult start to the year but since joining Williams we have made significant progress together and I have seen the huge changes happening behind the scenes to take us back to the front of the grid.”

“This is a long-term project that I really believe in and want to play a key role in which is why I have signed a multi-year contract. The journey will take time but I am confident we are building the right team to move forward and achieve great things in the years to come.”

‘Happy’;

https://racingnews365.com/breaking-albon-signs-new-multi-year-f1-contract

Alex Albon convinced Williams “on the right path”
May 14, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Williams is in the middle of its first blip in form under James Vowles’s leadership. The former Mercedes strategist is overseeing a series of changes that he believes are necessary for long-term success. Unfortunately, as the 44-year-old has explained, this often comes at the cost of immediate performance. As Williams undergoes this process, Alex Albon remains optimistic about the future.

The British outfit is yet to score points in 2024, which is undoubtedly a difficult pill to swallow. Still, Alex Albon is still hopeful that progress is on the horizon: “I have a lot of trust in James and know that he’s making the right decisions and that it is the right path,” Motorsport-total quotes him as saying.”

“We lacked pace and were a little late with our updates. I believe the team is strong and healthy – I have a feeling there will be an improvement. It’s always nice when it happens straight away, but James is the right man for this job. There is definitely progress.”

“Right path”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/14/alex-albon-convinced-williams-on-the-right-path/

Why is a 'champion-level' F1 driver committing to a point-less team?
May 15, 2024
Scott Mitchell-Malm, Edd Straw
The Race

Why has a driver linked with Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes over the past year committed to a point-less Formula 1 team that has had an incredibly underwhelming first few months of 2024? The Williams FW46 is a better car than last year’s, yet paradoxically has yet to score a point – something the team hopes to start to change with the first of a series of upgrades at Imola this weekend.

By producing a car that is ‘better’ – as in more consistent across a wide range of tracks rather than being ‘overpowered’ on certain tracks and strong on the straights – this has made it more difficult to score. “That’s a fair assessment,” said Albon when The Race put it to him that the Williams is more of an all-rounder than the 2023 car but lacking in the peaks that make it easier to score points.

“Corner to corner, for the most part, it’s better. There are definitely areas where it’s a little more unstable than last year, but that’s just the philosophy we went down. There is performance on the table. When and if we can unlock it, I do believe we can score points regularly. We’re balancing a little bit of just lack of upgrades - we’ve been late since the shakedown and we haven’t really put out a decent update at all this year so far, so we’re falling behind.”

‘Why?’

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/alex-albon-williams-new-f1-contract-logic/

Williams F1 News: Alex Albon Confirms Future After Non-Committal Comments
May 15, 2024
Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

After recent ambiguous remarks about his future, Alex Albon has officially signed a multi-year extension with Williams Racing. Alex Albon has dispelled uncertainties surrounding his tenure at Williams Racing by signing a multi-year contract extension. Although the length of the contract has not been confirmed, it will see him into the next regulation change in 2026. Williams Racing's commitment to Albon is equally firm, with Team Principal Vowles highlighting the importance of Albon's continuity. He commented in the same press release:

"We are delighted to secure Alex's long-term future with Williams Racing. He has exceptional talent, technical input and dedication to the cause and this is a huge vote of confidence in Williams and the journey back to competitiveness that we are on. Since joining, Alex has consistently demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure, and signing him for the long-term is a big piece of the puzzle of moving us up the grid."

‘Future confirmed’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/formula1/williams-f1-news-alex-albon-confirms-future-after-non-committal-comments-1900795?piano_t=1

WATCH: ‘I believe in this journey’ – Albon discusses multi-year contract extension with Williams Team Principal James Vowles
May 15, 2024
Formula One - Official Site

With Alex Albon having put pen to paper on a multi-year extension that will see him remain at Williams into Formula 1’s new regulations era in 2026, the Thai driver sat down with Williams Team Principal James Vowles to discuss what it means for the Grove-based squad.

“Doing this is a huge vote of confidence for the team,” Vowles tells Albon. “You saw the reaction [from the team] downstairs. That’s a better reaction than when I joined actually… You were in demand, and rightly so.”

“I know we’ve really only put pen to paper not so long ago,” says Albon, “but in the process it’s been about trying to use this as a shift to everyone, to try and motivate everyone. I’m hoping the fact that I believe in this team, to everyone at the factory – that’s reason in itself to realise that we all can do this and I feel like, and I hope, I can give that reassurance in some ways to everyone to know that I believe in this journey, so you should too.”

“I believe”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/i-believe-in-this-journey-albon-discusses-multi-year-contract-extension-with.38kg1o7IhsjqxCoSORRX9

James Vowles sends message to Alex Albon after confirming Williams contract extension
15 May 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams star Alex Albon has confirmed he’s signed a new contract with the team much to the delight of team principal James Vowles. The 2024 Formula 1 driver’s market Is incredibly volatile at this stage and Alex Albon is one of the few positives from the past 18 months for Williams.

James Vowles keen to build Williams project around Alex Albon. Posting on Instagram after the announcement, Vowles said: “Our project is not one of a year, but a transformation across many seasons as we fight back up the field.

“I am pleased to announce that Alex will be by our side for that journey, signing a multi-year deal to remain with Williams. I have had the fortune of knowing Alex for many years, he showed the world what he is capable of in 2023 and I cannot wait for us to build this team together over the years to come.”

“By our side”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/james-vowles-sends-message-to-alex-albon-after-confirming-williams-contract-extension/

Alex Albon commits long-term future to Williams as Mercedes forced to look elsewhere
Alex Albon has committed his long-term future to Williams, having enjoyed a successful two years with the team since returning to the sport in 2022 as boss James Vowles looks to change their fortunes
15 May 2024
By Jacob Leeks Senior Sports Reporter
The Mirror

Alex Albon has signed a multi-year contract with Williams to commit his long-term future to the storied team. Albon is in his third season with the English team and has become their lead driver, scoring 31 points since taking on the seat. His performances had impressed many pundits, with rival teams also eyeing moves for him ahead of next season.

Williams will be relieved to tie down their top driver, as their overhaul under the watch of team principal James Vowles continues. In a statement announcing Albon's new deal, they insisted it shows there is a 'shared belief' the team can return to the top of the sport.

‘Looking elsewhere’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-alex-albon-williams-contract-32814377

Our verdict on Albon's renewed Williams F1 commitment
Alex Albon has been tied down to Williams on a long-term deal - hear what the team at RacingNews365 make of the major commitment.
15 May 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Jake Nichol - Albon didn't have any other choice. In the end, Albon didn't have anywhere else to go and re-signing with Williams was the best, and only choice, he had.

Fergal Walsh - The best of a tricky situation. Albon's position in the driver market saga cooled off greatly once James Vowles made it clear he had a deal in place already for the 2025 season.

Samuel Coop - A benefit for Williams, rather than Albon. In some ways, I’m surprised and maybe even a bit disappointed – not that it is my place to be. Alex Albon has more than proven himself since joining Williams and his talents are arguably not being fully utilised there – his form warrants a more competitive seat, and he was surely pushing for one.

‘Our verdict’;

https://racingnews365.com/our-verdict-on-albons-renewed-williams-f1-commitment

Fortitude

16th May 2024, 04:42

‘You can’t be proud’ – Guenther Steiner’s damning verdict of his former driver’s antics.
“As a driver, you can’t be proud if you ruin someone else’s race” Guenther Steiner says Kevin Magnussen “can’t be proud” of his controversial tactics in the Miami Sprint, and proposed an interesting punishment for such antics.
Michelle Foster
13 May 2024

As of this season the Formula 1 drivers now receive a 10-second penalty if they gain an advantage by going off track, up on last year’s five seconds.

However, in the wake of Magnussen’s tactics, which he also used at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to thwart Yuki Tsunoda, Steiner has proposed that repeat offenders in one race receive a drive-through penalty. That, he argues, then takes them out of the mix and releases the other driver.

“Once you get the first ten seconds, it doesn’t matter whether you get another ten seconds. That’s why a drive-through penalty is definitely noticeable,” he said. “You then have to take this penalty within a few laps and then you’re gone and can’t cause any further trouble.”

‘Can’t be proud’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-damning-verdict-kevin-magnussen-miami-antics

Kevin Magnussen antics “over the limit” as race ban looms
“When you are running off the track and taking the other car with you, it’s not particularly sporting."
10 May 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Kevin Magnussen’s tactics at the F1 Miami Grand Prix have been criticised as “over the limit”. A penalty-laden weekend in Miami saw Haas driver Magnussen hit with four penalties in the sprint race alone, for his defending against Lewis Hamilton. But his blunt honesty about the tactics used to stop Hamilton - and the Mercedes driver’s response - caught the eye.

“Over the limit”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048053/1/kevin-magnussen-antics-over-limit-race-ban-looms

Chris Harris on F1: All Hail Kevin Magnussen, the Chaos King of Miami
07 May 2024.
Chris Harris
Motorsport.com

Lando Norris may have taken home his long-awaited first victory, but K-MAG made his presence known. K-MAG isn’t the Copenhagen street corner rap artist his nick-name suggests, but a pugnacious driver for the Haas team whose evangelical need to defend positions in F1 often leads him into trouble. And so it was in Saturday’s sprint race where he became embroiled in a heated dog-fight with Lewis Hamilton for the final point.

Hamilton’s Mercedes clearly had the ECU chip from a 2018 E63 S, because it wasn’t much faster than the sedan down the back straight, allowing K-MAG to render any DRS assistance useless. And so began one of those see-saw battles predicated on two cars with vastly varied levels of performance on different parts of the track. This continued for so many laps that we all but forgot Hamilton had been incredibly fortunate not to be penalized for understeering into a couple of Astons and ultimately ending Lando’s sprint race.

The television director clearly agreed—Haas’s small band of advertisers must have been whooping for joy as Verstappen and the fast crew were ignored in favor of Magnussen doing whatever was humanly possible, short of lobbing nails out of his cockpit, to keep Lewis behind him. Sprint race naysayers should at this point have admitted it was a far better spectacle than any free practice session

‘K-MAG’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/chris-harris-on-f1-miami-gp-kevin-magnussen-chaos-king/10607915/

The sad decline of Kevin Magnussen: Can Haas do better than F1 2024’s enforcer?
10 May 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Just over a decade ago – in an F1 world before Max Verstappen, if such a thing can be believed – the esteemed driver coach Rob Wilson was asked a question. Which drivers, of the 22 full-timers on the 2014 grid, did he deem most likely to join the holy trinity of Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton in the years to come?

The names Wilson proposed, both clients of his at the time, may come as a surprise all these years on. The first? Valtteri Bottas, The second? Kevin Magnussen, who confirmed Wilson’s lofty expectations just weeks later by finishing on the podium in his first grand prix appearance for McLaren in Australia.

Where did it all go wrong? It is not difficult to hone in on that in the case of Magnussen, his development criminally stunted by the chaotic early years of his career when he was dropped by McLaren at the end of his debut season, let go by the team entirely (on his birthday, if you please) in 2015 and squeezed out of Renault after one year in 2016. By the time he finally washed up at Haas in 2017, it was already much too late for him to be the racing driver he really could have been.

‘Decline’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/kevin-magnussen-f1-2024-decline-haas

Kevin Magnussen’s three-word responses with driver in serious danger of F1 race ban
06 May 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Taking his job in protecting Nico Hulkenberg’s seventh place to the limit, and then over it, two of those penalties came when the Dane went off the track to keep Lewis Hamilton behind him. When all was said and done after the 19 laps he had 35 seconds worth of time penalties, three penalty points added to his Super Licence, and was facing a charge of unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Fulfilling the obligatory media commitments after the Grand Prix, Magnussen was asked for his view on the penalty: “I better not [say].” Told he clearly was not happy, he said: “No.” Asked if the penalty was incorrect: “Better not comment.”

He most definitely does not want to comment on Andrea Stella’s call for him to be banned for a weekend: “You’re right.” And does he feel clarification of the rules is needed? “Yeah.”

‘Responses’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-magnussen-race-ban-not-good-miami-gp-weekend

Does Magnussen deserve to be one penalty away from a race ban?
12th May 2024, 11:55
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

What makes Magnussen’s situation all the more remarkable is that he began the year with a spotless superlicence. He avoided picking up a single point throughout the whole of 2023. The trouble began at the second round of the season in Saudi Arabia, when he squeezed Alexander Albon into the wall on the approach to turn four. Following new guidelines devised over the off-season, the stewards duly handed Magnussen a ten-second time penalty for the clash as well as three penalty points – one more than most collisions incurred last season.

Magnussen also received an additional 10-second penalty in the same race for leaving the track and gaining and advantage as he desperately fought to back the pack up to benefit team mate Nico Hulkenberg ahead but received no points for that second incident. He was brought in front of the stewards again in the fifth grand prix of the year in China after colliding with Yuki Tsunoda at turn six after the Safety Car restart.

But last weekend in Miami Magnussen found himself in constant trouble. During the sprint race he dropped out of DRS range of his team mate ahead when Hulkenberg missed the chicane just before the detection zone. As a result, Magnussen became the head of a train of cars and resorted to some questionable tactics in a bid to protect Hulkenberg from the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Tsunoda, running out of track limits several times to stem the tide.

‘For and Against’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/12/does-magnussen-deserve-to-be-one-penalty-away-from-a-race-ban/

Kevin Magnussen: Hard But Fair Driving? Or Too Extreme?
May 8, 2024
Aaron Teasdale
World In Sport

Kevin Magnussen, a driver full of sheer grit and determination has proven to be a ferocious force on track. So far this season Kevin has shown to resort to the team game by supporting not only his team Haas but also his teammate; Nico Hülkenberg. To score points for the Amercian-based team. But playing the team game has also upset drivers around him due to the tactics the Danish driver resorts to. But is Magnussen’s driving style a boost that makes track action exciting? Or too extreme for the safety of the drivers on track.

‘Hard Or Extreme?’;

https://worldinsport.com/kevin-magnussen-hard-but-fair-driving-or-too-extreme/

FIA looking to bring in harsher penalties after Magnussen’s incidents in Miami
Kevin Magnussen amassed nearly a minute's worth of penalties throughout the Miami Grand Prix, sparking discussions about the need for harsher penalties
May 15, 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

‘FIA looking’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/fia-looking-to-bring-in-harsher-penalties-after-magnussens-incidents-in-miami/

Why Magnussen is not guaranteed a Haas contract extension
May 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Only a few weeks ago, Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu defended Magnussen for his incident with Tsunoda in China. Komatsu argued that his driver was excessively punished for what should have been chalked off as a racing incident. No such defence came last weekend, though, with Kevin Magnussen receiving an unprecedented number of penalties in just two days.

The Danish driver’s antics in Miami are unlikely to have helped his chances. Indeed, The Race reports that Haas never asked Magnussen to defend Hamilton so aggressively. This is consistent with team radio messages during the Sprint, which did not see Haas call upon the Dane to engage in the extreme type of defence he first displayed in Jeddah.

‘Not guaranteed a Haas contract extension’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/08/f1-news-why-magnussen-is-not-guaranteed-a-haas-contract-extension/

Fortitude

16th May 2024, 05:15

'I left home at 12 to chase my F1 dream - now I'm in danger of losing my job'.
Logan Sargeant moved from the United States to Europe aged just 12 to kickstart his path to Formula One, but after just six races in his sophomore year in the series, the 23-year-old is facing an uphill battle to retain his drive beyond the summer break.
10:00, Sun, May 12, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Sargeant took part in three F3 campaigns with three different teams, starting out with Carlin before losing out to Piastri and Theo Pourchaire in an intense title battle with Prema Racing. However, from there, instead of graduating to the F2 grid, he moved to perennial backmarkers Charouz for an underwhelming campaign.

After making some stand-in appearances in F2 with HWA Racelab at the end of 2021, he made his full F2 debut with Carlin, finishing fourth before graduating into F1 with the help of the Williams Driver Academy, replacing Nicholas Latifi. None of this would have been possible without a move to Europe at a young age though. Speaking to Motor Sport last year about the choices his family faced, he explained:

“We had to make that decision to come here. We were looking where the best competition was and it was always Europe, Europe, Europe, Europe. That’s all you heard. That’s where you had to be if you wanted to go up against the best. That was simply the only motivation towards moving over here and see where that led. I don’t think it was totally focused on F1, there are so many great series out there. But this was the peak we were going for.”

‘Left home at 12’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1897423/Logan-Sargeant-Williams-F1

Logan Sargeant: The Uncertainty of His Future
May 15, 2024
By Aaron Teasdale
World In Sport

Logan Sargeant, the young American driver, entered the 2024 Formula 1 season with high expectations. As the first American to compete full-time in F1 since Alexander Rossi in 2015, Sargeant carried the hopes of a nation eager to see its flag represented at the pinnacle of motorsport.

His journey to F1, marked by perseverance and impressive performances in junior categories, set the stage for a highly anticipated rookie season with Williams Racing. However, as the season has unfolded, Sargeant’s performance has been a blend of promise and inconsistency, leading to questions about his future in the sport.

‘The Uncertainty’;

https://worldinsport.com/logan-sargeant-the-uncertainty-of-his-future/

Logan Sargeant “just looking for that last tenth” of pace
May 13, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Sargeant is happy with his level. At least, this is how some might see the Williams driver’s campaign so far. Speaking to the media in Miami, he revealed that he is relatively satisfied with his current form:

“If I look since Australia, I feel like it’s been going relatively well, from a pace front,” motorsport.com quotes him as saying. [In] Japan, getting almost everything out of it. Of course, China was disappointing, but here [at Miami on Saturday], I feel like I did a good job. So… just looking for that last tenths.” Some might disagree with Sargeant’s generally positive assessment. After all, he crashed out on multiple occasions in Japan and has yet to match his teammate’s level.

Of course, Sargeant is still very much in the race. There is still time for the youngster to prove himself to the Grove-based team. With that said, the evidence accumulated over the last twelve months does not indicate he is faster – or has more potential – than some of the free agents on the market. This will force Sargeant to improve his level and change the narrative in the upcoming rounds.

“Llast tenth”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/13/logan-sargeant-just-looking-for-that-last-tenth-of-pace/

‘Not sure has the staying power’ – More Logan Sargeant doubts emerge with US dream fading
13 May 2024 10:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Despite having three Grands Prix on the calendar, America needs an American driver to get behind and Danica Patrick doesn’t believe Logan Sargeant is the man for the job. Former IndyCar and NASCAR driver Patrick doesn’t believe Sargeant is the driver who can inspire American fans.

“I can say that a driver that’s an American and finishing better would be a positive, it would be more storylines,” said the Sky Sports pundit. “I don’t think they have to win but much more competitive and getting points. I’m not sure that Logan really has staying power with what’s going on. I think it’ll be somebody else. Andretti getting a team could definitely help.”

“Although there are plenty of American fans that love Sergio and Lando and Max and there’s still tonnes of people that love these drivers that aren’t American. But what it would do is it would ramp up the marketing and the media exposure here in America, which would just add another layer of exposure, and of course, draw more fans in.”

‘Staying power’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-sargeant-doubts-emerge-f1-staying-power-questioned

American F1 fans fume as US Williams driver Logan Sargeant crashes out of home race after Kevin Magnussen spins him off the track
• Magnussen - a 31-year-old veteran of 10 years - collided into Sargeant on lap 28
• He was eventually given a 10-second time penalty for the wreck by race officials
• DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Published: 23:44, 5 May 2024
By Alastair Talbot
MailOnline

American Formula One fans are fuming on social media as Williams' US driver Logan Sargeant crashed out of his home race at the Miami Grand Prix after Denmark's Kevin Magnussen spun him off track.
'Being a Logan Sargeant enthusiast means suffering every single race weekend,' a user on X reacted to her favorite driver abandoning Sunday's race due to the crash.

'We really can't catch a f***king break.'
Another shared: 'Logan Sargeant has suffered more than Jesus Christ.'

Meanwhile someone else said after the wreck: 'Yeeeah that's probably that for Logan Seargeant. Never forget #F1 #MiamiGP.'
'Homerace heartbreak,' a Sargeant fan page tweeted along with heartbreak emoji.

‘American F1 fans fume’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13385437/formula-one-fans-fume-logan-sargeant-wreck-kevin-magnussen.html

Sargeant told to 'earn your place' as Antonelli threat lurks
Logan Sargeant's long-term future is in doubt at Williams, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli touted as a replacement.
11 May 2024, 8:30PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Williams boss James Vowles has told Logan Sargeant to "earn your place" in Formula 1, as speculation around Andrea Kimi Antonelli grows. But Vowles is adamant that sophomore driver Sargeant will continue but has urged him to retain his seat.

"Without doubt, this is a tough field, there is no doubt about it," Vowles told media including RacingNews365. "But as I've said all the way through, it is a meritocracy, earn your place. [Logan's] got work to do, but he's also one of the top 20 Formula 1 drivers in the world, and is on the grid. There is a reason for that. He is in the car, he will remain in the car and my job here is supporting him."

‘Meritocracy’;

https://racingnews365.com/sargeant-told-to-earn-your-place-as-antonelli-threat-lurks

Logan Sargeant gives five-word answer on Williams future amid Kimi Antonelli rumours
Thu 9 May 2024 15:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Logan Sargeant is fighting tooth and nail to stay in Formula 1. Over the Miami Grand Prix weekend, it emerged that Kimi Antonelli could replace him in the near future. There were already some indications that Williams could look to parachute Antonelli into F1 following his 18th birthday. But that wouldn’t have been until the Italian Grand Prix following the summer break.

Journalist Joe Saward subsequently raised the possibility that the Grove outfit could seek ‘special dispensation’ to field Antonelli even earlier. FIA rules don’t allow him to obtain a superlicence until he turns 18. And now James Vowles has lodged that request. Williams have denied the possibility that the Italian could be in the car for the next race in Imola, but it’s clear that they’re considering a swift change to their driver line-up.

Vowles warned Sargeant that he needed to be the ‘surprise of the season’ to keep his drive after an underwhelming rookie year. But he trails Alex Albon 5-0 in qualifying (and 27-0 overall), and 4-1 in the races. Antonelli, meanwhile, is only three races into his career in Formula 2. But he produced a ‘stunning’ performance in a recent Mercedes test at Imola to convince Vowles of his readiness.

“I just do my job the best I can”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/logan-sargeant-gives-five-word-answer-on-williams-future-amid-kimi-antonelli-rumours/

Fortitude

16th May 2024, 18:46

F1 champion Senna remembered on Imola track 30 years after his death during the San Marino GP.
At 2:17 p.m. (1217 GMT), a minute of silence was held and flowers laid down at the Tamburello curve to observe the exact time and place that the 34-year-old Senna crashed into a concrete wall at about 300 kph (185 mph).
May 01, 2024
TSN

The 30th anniversary of three-time F1 champion Ayrton Senna’s death was commemorated Wednesday with a memorial on the Imola track where he crashed during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali was joined Wednesday by hundreds of fans, politicians from Brazil and Italy, plus a representative from Austria to also recall fellow Formula One driver Roland Ratzenberger, who died a day earlier during qualifying.

Then flowers were also laid down at the Villeneuve corner only slightly further down the track where the 33-year-old Ratzenberger crashed. “They are part of sports history and history in general for what they represented,” Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.

‘F1 champion Senna remembered’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/f1-champion-ayrton-senna-remembered-on-imola-track-30-years-after-his-death-during-the-san-marino-gp-1.2113930

Ayrton Senna commemorated at Imola on 30th anniversary of death at San Marino Grand Prix
12:27 Wed, 01 May 2024.
The Irish Independent

Two fans pose near the monument dedicated to Ayrton Senna during an event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna's death at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Italy. Brazilian F1 racing driver Senna and Roland Ratzenberger of Austria both lost their lives in crashes at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

‘Ayrton Senna commemorated’;

https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/motor-sport/ayrton-senna-commemorated-at-imola-on-30th-anniversary-of-death-at-san-marino-grand-prix/a1938792937.html

Vettel to pay tribute to Senna with McLaren MP4/8 run at Imola
19:42 Wed, 01 May 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sebastian Vettel will pay a fitting tribute to the great Ayrton Senna later this month at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola when he gets behind the wheel of the late Brazilian’s race winning McLaren MP4/8.

Taking the wheel of Senna's 1993 championship-contending McLaren MP4/8 signifies a profound gesture of respect and a chance to reconnect with the legacy of a true racing legend.

“Ayrton Senna was not only a driver who I valued highly for being one of the best racing has ever seen, but also a man of great compassion,” said Vettel. “It’s been 30 years since his accident and I would like to pay tribute to Ayrton. “I will be in Imola for the Grand Prix to drive his car, the McLaren MP4/8. I hope to see you on Sunday, May 19.”

‘Fitting tribute to the great Ayrton Senna’;

https://f1i.com/news/506625-vettel-to-pay-tribute-to-senna-with-mclaren-mp4-8-run-at-imola.html

Max Verstappen Seeks To Restore Order At Imola As F1 Remembers Ayrton Senna
Max Verstappen will aim to recover and put his friend Lando Norris back in his place among the chasing pack this weekend as Formula One returns to Europe for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
• Updated: May 16, 2024 12:19 PM IST
• Agence France-Presse
NDTV.com

Max Verstappen will aim to recover and put his friend Lando Norris back in his place among the chasing pack this weekend as Formula One returns to Europe for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The three-time world champion, who leads this year's title race for Red Bull, knows however that after suffering two defeats in six season-opening races he may be vulnerable and McLaren's Norris will be armed with upgrades as he seeks to add to his popular maiden triumph in Miami.

Three decades after the blackest F1 weekend in modern times, when Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna were killed on successive days at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, the sport will also pay tributes and remember that bleak May weekend.

‘F1 Remembers Ayrton Senna’;

https://sports.ndtv.com/formula-1/max-verstappen-seeks-to-restore-order-at-imola-as-f1-remembers-ayrton-senna-5675018

Emilia Romagna GP 2024 F1 schedule and Imola start times
Find out when the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix takes place, including the F1 session times for the practice sessions, Qualifying, and Sunday's Grand Prix at Imola
16 May 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

F1 2024 Emilia Romagna GP Session Times and Dates. The F1 season advances with the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Below you can find the complete schedule for the race weekend in Imola, including session times for viewers in the USA, the UK, Australia, as well as local time in Italy.

Session Day Time (Imola) UK (BST) US (ET) US (PT) Aus. (AEST)
Practice 1 Fri 13:30 – 14:30 12:30 – 13:30 07:30 – 08:30 04:30 – 05:30 21:30 – 22:30
Practice 2 Fri 17:00 – 18:00 16:00 – 17:00 11:00 – 12:00 08:00 – 09:00 01:00 – 02:00*
Practice 3 Sat 12:30 – 13:30 11:30 – 12:30 06:30 – 07:30 03:30 – 04:30 20:30 – 21:30
Qualifying Sat 16:00 – 17:00 15:00 – 16:00 10:00 – 11:00 07:00 – 08:00 00:00 – 01:00*
Race Sun 15:00 14:00 09:00 06:00 23:00
*indicates following day

‘F1 schedule and Imola start times’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-emilia-romagna-gp-2024-schedule-imola-start-times/

Fortitude

17th May 2024, 04:22

Vettel brings F1 drivers together to remember Senna and Ratzenberger.
Formula 1 drivers and other paddock members marked the 30th anniversary of the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
16th May 2024, 20:33
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel led the event which began on the pit straight at the Imola circuit where the pair lost their lives during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix weekend. The event included running a lap of the circuit and stopping to pay tribute to the two drivers at the scenes of their crashes. Despite heavy rainfall later in the afternoon the drivers assembled at the statue of three-times world champion Senna by Tamburello corner before going on to complete their laps of the track.

The drivers who T-shirts bearing Senna’s helmet colours and the message ‘Forever Senna’, and wristbands carrying tributes to Ratzenberger, who was making his third appearance at a grand prix weekend when he crashed. “Thirty years ago, people here at this place lived through a horrible set of events,” said Vettel in a video on social media. “We had an incredibly bad accident on Friday with Rubens Barrichello that, luckily, was only mildly injured. On Saturday Roland Ratzenberger – which the wristband is for – from Austria, lost his life crashing out in qualifying. And on Sunday, we lost a true legend of our sport, Ayrton Senna.”

“Ayrton was a special man. Inside the car his achievements were, probably to this day, unparalleled. Look at the amount of pole positions and wins in that short amount of time, the cars that he wrestled around the track, the conditions he propelled and beat the opposition. Many reasons to be a Senna fan, even if he’s not your favourite driver, he was an incredible person in the car, but also outside the car. For the Brazilian people, the importance, the role that he played for the people in that generation for that time.”

‘Remember Senna and Ratzenberger’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/16/vettel-brings-f1-drivers-together-to-remember-senna-and-ratzenberger/

Formula 1 and Vettel pay tribute to Senna and Ratzenberger
18:53 Thu, 16 May 2024.
F1i.com

The Formula 1 community and its drivers came together on the grid on Thursday afternoon at Imola to pay a heartfelt tribute to the sport’s fallen heroes, Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, to mark the 30th anniversary of their passing.

The commemorative event was held at the behest of four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel and was followed by a track run of the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. The tribute run was also organized by Vettel who handed out yellow Senna-themed T-shirts to F1’s class of 2023, with each shirt emblazoned with each driver’s race number.

After the run, Vettel walked out to Tamburello to visit the bronze statue of the great Brazilian driver overlooking the track near the very spot where he met his fate on May 1, 1994. On Sunday, ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Vettel will take to the track to offer fans a few laps onboard Senna’s race winning McLaren Mp4/8.

‘The commemorative event was held at the behest of four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel’;

https://f1i.com/images/507838-formula-1-and-vettel-pay-tribute-to-senna-and-ratzenberger.html

Sebastian Vettel leads Ayrton Senna tribute with entire F1 grid at Imola.
Four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel led a track run of the Imola circuit on Thursday to commemorate the 30th anniversary deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger.
16 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sebastian Vettel led a touching tribute at Imola on Thursday with the entire F1 grid present. F1 drivers, including Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, were present with a number of F2/F3 drivers, team principals, and various media personnel.

The majority of them were pictured in Senna-themed t-shirts, 30 years on from his tragic death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. As well as the start-finish straight photo, Vettel led a run of the famous Imola track in rainy weather conditions. The personnel involved were then involved in a further moment of commemoration at Tamburello, where Senna famously crashed in 1994.

Out of the current grid, Pierre Gasly will sport a Senna-inspired helmet for this weekend’s race. This comes after the 2020 Italian Grand Prix winner had the opportunity to drive Senna’s first ever F1 car - the 1984 Toleman. Speaking in the FIA press conference, Gasly said: “I've always admired him since I was a child. Obviously, in France, I grew up hearing a lot about Alain Prost, who is the most successful French F1 driver of all time.”

‘Ayrton Senna tribute’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048518/1/sebastian-vettel-leads-ayrton-senna-tribute-entire-f1-grid-imola

Vettel leads F1 drivers' Senna tribute run
16 May 2024, 22:55
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Teaming up with the Senna Foundation, the four-time world champion has organized several activities for this weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to commemorate Ayrton Senna's legacy at Imola where the Brazilian suffered a fatal crash 30 years ago. As a first activity, Vettel invited the current drivers on the grid to a track walk today.

The pack met at the start-finish line and stopped near Senna's monument at the Tamburello corner, where he crashed, for a minute's silence. This was then followed by the track run led by Vettel. Several drivers, including Williams duo of Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant, Kick Sauber racers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and soon-to-be Ferrari racer Lewis Hamilton also joined the pack that incorporated a few hundred people.

Under the motto "Forever Senna," Vettel also had T-shirts produced in memory of the three-time world champion from Brazil. The German was also wearing an Austrian sweatband in honour of Roland Ratzenberger who sadly lost is life at the track on the same weekend in 1994.

‘Teaming up with the Senna Foundation’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24575

‘Great addition’: Eddie Jordan says Ayrton Senna was the ‘main reason’ he signed 11-win Formula 1 driver
Thu 16 May 2024 08:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Eddie Jordan and Ayrton Senna had a brilliant relationship in Formula 1 and the Brazilian icon played a role in helping him sign one of his most successful drivers. Jordan has previously shared that he offered half of his F1 team to Ayrton Senna for free such is the respect he had for the triple world champion.

Jordan has admitted that it was Ayrton Senna who convinced him he should sign Rubens Barrichello. The Brazilian joined the grid in 1993 before his 21st birthday but went on to be one of the longest-serving drivers in the sport. Ayrton Senna told Eddie Jordan to sign Rubens Barrichello. Talking about how hiring Barrichello came about, Jordan said:

“Ayrton [Senna] was the main reason I signed Rubens . He was a 19-year-old and as you well know David [Coulthard], you probably know him because he’s not far removed from your vintage of when you were around at the time. Ayrton pointed out to me and said, ‘Look, yes go, take a chance, you will really not regret it.’ No one had really heard about him at this stage and I took the chance and he was right. Rubens was a great addition to the Jordan team.”

‘Look, yes go, take a chance, you will really not regret it’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/eddie-jordan-says-ayrton-senna-was-the-main-reason-he-signed-11-win-formula-1-driver/

[B]Silverstone to mark 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna's death with special tribute
Thursday, 16 May 2024
Raúl Daffunchio Picazo
insidethegames.biz

The Silverstone F1 circuit, where the Brazilian legend won the most Grand Prix races of his illustrious career, will pay tribute to the driver who died in 1994 with a display of his cars over the weekend of 23-25 August. Senna made his Grand Prix debut 40 years ago in 1984 in the historic Toleman TG183B, in which he scored his first World Championship points. The Toleman will be one of many iconic machines on display over the Bank Holiday weekend (23-25 August).

During his illustrious career, Senna won more races at Silverstone than any other circuit, and in honour of his extraordinary achievements, the Silverstone Festival will showcase many of those illustrious winners. Gasly's laps in the Toleman were filmed by Sky F1 as part of a moving tribute to Senna's incredible legacy that will be broadcast during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on 19 May, 30 years after the tragic accident at the same Imola circuit.

The history of the small and ambitious Toleman team, with whom Senna made his F1 debut, is also significant, as it was later acquired by Benetton and then Renault, before evolving into the Alpine F1 organisation for which Gasly currently races. This summer, visitors to the Silverstone Festival will be able to enjoy displays from both ends of the spectrum. The iconic Toleman will be one of the main attractions in the unique Star Car exhibition paying tribute to the great Ayrton Senna, an event which has the blessing of the Senna family.

‘Silverstone to mark 30th anniversary’;

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1145335/silverstone-30-anniversary-ayrton-senna

Fortitude

17th May 2024, 13:40

Emilia Romagna GP: Ferrari upgrades fire Charles Leclerc to P1 as Max Verstappen struggles in FP1.
Charles Leclerc delighted Ferrari’s Tifosi as he topped the timesheets in FP1 for the Imola Grand Prix, a tenth up on Mercedes’ George Russell.
17 May 2024 1:32 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

On a day when every team except RB introduced a host of upgrades, FP1 was paused when Alex Albon’s FW46 shut down on him as he approached Acqua Minerali resulting in a five-minute red-flag stoppage.

The battle of the upgrades at Imola: On a day of upgrades, Ferrari bringing seven to the track and Aston Martin nine, aero rakes were the standard fare for most of the teams as they took to the track for the start of FP1.

Ferrari, confident in their upgrades having already trailed them at Fiorano last Friday, didn’t bother with either the aero rakes or comparison testing with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s SF-24s sporting the full array.

‘Battle of the upgrades’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/emilia-romagna-grand-prix-2024-fp1-report

Emilia Romagna GP: Free Practice 1 Results
17 May 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 29 1:16.990

2 63 George Russell Mercedes 27 1:17.094 0.104

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 25 1:17.120 0.130

4 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 22 1:17.233 0.243

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 21 1:17.240 0.250

6 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 28 1:17.388 0.398

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 27 1:17.408 0.418

8 4 Lando Norris McLaren 17 1:17.602 0.612

9 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 24 1:17.807 0.817

10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 18 1:17.867 0.877

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna-gp-free-practice-1-results/

Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 1 Results
Formula 1 returns to Europe for round seven of the championship at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
May 17, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Charles Leclerc topped the timesheet in today’s FP1 session at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix ahead of George Russell and Carlos Sainz.
Your top 3 from FP1 ��#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/xfDut3GVEn
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 17, 2024

Upgrades for Imola
Most of the F1 teams have brought upgrades to Imola, as the first European race of 2024.
Ferrari have implemented an upgrade package for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The Maranello-based outfit aims to achieve a pace uplift at their home race to compete with McLaren. The Woking-based outfit brought a successful and substantial upgrade package to Miami. Lando Norris then went on to achieve his maiden F1 win.
Haas are also bringing upgrades to Imola in the hope of extending their recent run of points-scoring finishes.
LOTS of upgrades this weekend for #ImolaGP https://t.co/TWptjYePM1
— FormulaNerds �� (@Formula_Nerds) May 17, 2024

‘F1 Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/emilia-romagna-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-1-results/

Lewis Hamilton narrowly avoids crashing out of Imola GP FP1
Friday 17 May 2024 13:44, UK
Sky Sports

‘Avoids crashing out’;

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13137782/lewis-hamilton-narrowly-avoids-crashing-out-of-imela-gp-fp1

2024 Emilia Romagna GP FP1: Hamilton avoid the barriers after spin in first practice
Lewis Hamilton was pushing hard to find some more lap time when he clipped the kerb on the inside of Acque Minerali and spun through 180 degrees ON THRE GRASSS?? Before getting going again.
17 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Hamilton avoid the barriers after spin’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-emilia-romagna-gp-fp1-hamilton-avoid-the-barriers-after-spin-in-first-practice.1799302632202667820

F1 Imola GP: Leclerc leads opening practice, Verstappen struggles
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped a red-flagged FP1 session at Formula 1’s 2024 Imola Grand Prix, where Mercedes shone and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had two wild off-track moments
May 17, 2024, 1:36 PM
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Leclerc set the session’s best time – a 1m16.990s – aboard the updated Ferrari shortly after the one-hour FP1 action was stopped by Alex Albon’s Williams shutting down after he hit a kerb hard and ran down the Imola track from Piratella to Acque Minerali, where he stopped on the inside.

Leclerc’s time was set with a second set of soft tyres and pipped Mercedes’ George Russell by 0.104s – the Briton in contention for the leading time even during the early running on harder tyres. Carlos Sainz finished third 0.130s down to back up Ferrari’s strong start to the weekend at its first home race of 2024.

Red Bull did its soft tyre running much later than the rest, heading out with just a quarter of the session remaining. Max Verstappen also had to return to the pits to get a visor tear-off removed from a rear brake duct, which meant his tyres had done more miles than would be ideal.

‘Leclerc leads opening practice’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-imola-gp-leclerc-ferrari-fastest-fp1/10611946/

Fortitude

17th May 2024, 17:14

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2024 – Free Practice 2 Results.
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari topped the timesheet in Free Practice 2 at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola setting the fastest time just 0.192s ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri.
17 May 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

The day marks a successful outing for Ferrari‘s upgrade package after Leclerc also topped FP1, with Max Verstappen struggling in his Red Bull. The Dutchman made his unhappiness known on team radio and found himself off track on multiple occasions.

Mercedes will be happy as the second half of their upgrade package initially brought in at Miami, saw Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finish fourth and fifth, respectively, in FP2 at Imola.

‘Successful outing for Ferrari‘s upgrade package’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-2024-free-practice-2-results/

Emilia Romagna GP: Free Practice 2 Results
18 May 2024
by Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 28 1:15.906

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 29 1:16.098 0.192

3 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 31 1:16.286 0.380

4 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 28 1:16.297 0.391

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 31 1:16.311 0.405

6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 29 1:16.423 0.517

7 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 22 1:16.447 0.541

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 24 1:16.552 0.646

9 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 27 1:16.826 0.920

10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 28 1:16.838 0.932

‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna-gp-free-practice-2-results/

2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: Leclerc Leads Second Practice, Tsunoda Impressive Again
May 17, 2024
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Charles Leclerc finished Free Practice Two top of the timesheets, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda. The Scuderia Ferrari led the way in Free Practice One earlier in the day, as he aims for his first victory of the season.

Oracle Red Bull Racing were once again struggling for pace, with Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez down in seventh and eighth by the end of the session. It wasn’t just a poor qualifying run for the Red Bull pair either, they lacked pace in the long runs compared to others around them too.

It was a good day for Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, as they continued to look better than what we’ve seen in recent weeks, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth and George Russell in fifth.

‘Tsunoda Impressive Again’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/05/2024-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-leclerc-leads-second-practice-tsunoda-impressive-again/

Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 2 Results
The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari looked beautiful under blue skies and sunshine for today's F1 practice sessions
May 17, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Charles Leclerc was the fastest in Free Practice 2 of the 2024 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The 26-year-old was followed by Oscar Piastri in P2 and Yuki Tsunoda in P3.
Friday clean sweep complete for LEC ✅
Here's the top 3 from FP2 ��#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/bEWIUOyptB
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 17, 2024

Lights out for FP2
Red Bull have changed Verstappen’s setup between the two free practice sessions today. This alteration follows his difficulties with the RB20 in FP1, calling the car “catastrophic”.
The lights turned green for FP2 and the Tifosi were out in full force. The sunny weather remained and the three softest Pirelli tyre compounds were used for the session.
Let's get back to it! ��#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/iGJzk3aSsm
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 17, 2024

Verstappen went off into the gravel under braking downhill with 6 minutes remaining. Undoubtedly, the Dutchman’s issues from this morning’s session persisted in FP2.
Taming the Imola track is proving VERY difficult �� pic.twitter.com/hxPCXVDdwg
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 17, 2024

‘F1 Free Practice 2 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/emilia-romagna-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-2-results/

Emilia Romagna GP: Charles Leclerc tops FP2 as Red Bull face multi-team challenge at Imola
17 May 2024 5:01 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc went quickest in FP2 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to back up his pace from first practice, with a congested multi-team fight at the top. Oscar Piastri, Yuki Tsunoda, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell rounded out the top five on Friday, with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez only seventh and eighth fastest for Red Bull.

But Tsunoda would take the P3 spot from the Mercedes duo with an excellent lap from the RB driver, clocking a 1:16.286 as he showed strong form at the Faenza-based team’s home race. With the attention as ever switching to long-run pace in the final part of the session, the mid-table placing for Norris does not look representative for the McLaren driver come Saturday.

Verstappen complained once again about how he felt about his car, before raising his hand out of his cockpit at the exit of the Villeneuve Chicane at Hamilton, believing the Mercedes driver to have not moved out of the way quickly enough, with a trip to the gravel in his long run at Rivazza topping off what appeared a difficult session for the three-time World Champion.

‘Red Bull face multi-team challenge at Imola’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/emilia-romagna-grand-prix-2024-fp2-report

F1 - 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Friday Press Conference Transcript
17.05.24, 16:30
FIA (Press Release)

TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: James ALLISON (Mercedes), Ayao KOMATSU (Haas), Enrico GUALTIERI (Ferrari), Pierre WACHE (Red Bull Racing)

Q: James welcome. Lovely to see you. Now, it's been a fairly up and down season for Mercedes so far. Are you close to achieving some kind of consistency with the W15 now?
James ALLISON: Well, I'm not sure that I've noticed too much of the up, but I think after a pretty uninspiring start, we are starting to get to grips with it a little bit. Today was a better day thus far. Let's see if we can sustain that through the important parts of the weekend.

Q: Ayao, could I come to you now? Ollie Bearman has just driven FP1 for you guys. What was his programme? How impressed were you?
Ayao KOMATSU: It was a kind of a standard FP1 programme. So you have two sets of tyres; two runs on low-ish fuel. The first run, getting to know the circuit, getting to know the car and then the second run, the softer tyres for doing a bit of a quali-type simulation. Then last run is high fuel, looking at tyre management and consistency. Again, he's done another very, very good job. You know, he's so calm. He understands what he needs to deliver each session, each run, each lap. And he's able to absorb the information so quickly, you know, either from himself from the previous lap or the engineer's feedback. So again, I can't really fault him today. Great job.

Q: Enrico, if we could come to you now. You are, of course, Technical Director of the Power Unit, but if I could just push you into a slightly wider technical remit just to start with and talk about the upgrades you're running here at Imola this weekend. We've just had FP1. Are they doing what you expected?
Enrico GUALTIERI: Yeah, as you said, I'm an engine guy, so I couldn't really comment too much on the technical upgrades. But I think that anyway, it's still early days. We decided as a team to bring the upgrades here for being a common session. So we are just at the beginning of the Friday session.

Q:. Pierre, thank you for waiting. Now, that was a slightly scrappy first practice session for Max with those two offs. What was he saying about the car?
Pierre WACHE: Yeah, I think he's clearly having some issues in Turns 11, 12 and 14. Something we are looking at. I think the guys are there at the moment, while we speak, to look at the data, to see what we can do on the set-up to help him. But I will not say it's a normal Friday for him, but it's a normal Friday as an engineer, to try to improve the car for next session.

‘Friday Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-friday-press-conference-transcript

Fortitude

18th May 2024, 05:08

Charles Leclerc pinpoints detail Ferrari must get right to keep Imola advantage over Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc hasn't won an F1 race in almost 700 days but looks in contention to break that drought at the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP
17 May 2024
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Ferrari must get their setup right amid changing conditions according to Charles Leclerc as he prepares for 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix qualifying after a supreme start to the weekend, topping both Friday practice sessions at Imola.
It’s almost 700 days since Leclerc last won a Formula 1 race and he’s record seven second-place finishes in that spell, most recently behind Sainz at the 2024 Australian GP, but it’s looking like he has a genuine shot at breaking that drought at Imola.

“We need to keep our feet on the ground because tomorrow it’s going to be big changes with the track conditions, and track position here is absolutely everything,” Leclerc told F1TV.

‘Ferrari must get right to keep Imola advantage’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-charles-leclerc-pinpoints-detail-ferrari-must-get-right-keep-imola-advantage-over-red-bull/

PRACTICE DEBRIEF: Do on-form Ferrari really have Red Bull on the back foot at Imola?
17 May 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

With all teams apart from RB bringing some type of upgrade – either performance or circuit-specific – there was plenty of learning to be done.

Ferrari’s heavily upgraded machine looked quick based on the timesheets, with Charles Leclerc topping both sessions – but are Red Bull really as uncomfortable as their car looked out on the narrow, fast, Italian track?

‘Are Red Bull really as uncomfortable?’

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/practice-debrief-do-on-form-ferrari-really-have-red-bull-on-the-back-foot-at.70308gk49WiRFEIYiJFobJ

Leclerc praises upgrade package, but warns of high expectations
21:32 Fri, 17 May 2024.
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Having topped both practice sessions in Imola, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc warned of setting the expectations too high for the remainder of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Ferrari arrived with a significant upgrade package for its first home race in 2024, bolting a host of new parts on the SF-24. The Maranello-based team, therefore, focussed on evaluating the update package on the heavily-modified SF-24 which features significant tweaks to the floor, engine cover, sidepod inlets, rear and front wing.

Reflecting back on how the day had gone, the Monegasque commented: “For now, everything went quite smoothly. The feeling with the car is quite good, the upgrades on the car are working as expected which also is a good step. "And yeah, it’s been a very smooth day so it is great, and being at home is always a special feeling for Ferrari, being here and having so much support all over the track means so much for all of us.

Despite the encouraging pace in the early part of the weekend, Leclerc warned of track conditions which are expected to change massively for Saturday. “It will be great if the weekend continues in that direction. However, tomorrow the conditions will change massively. The wind will completely turn around, which will have a big effect on all the cars, and there we have to be the best at anticipating those changes.”

‘Warns of high expectations’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24578

What the teams said – Friday practice in Imola
20:13 Fri, 17 May 2024.
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari have a big package of upgrades here and had them bolted onto both cars from word go. While both Leclerc and Sainz had their moments in the tricky, windy conditions, both were also able to string together solid laps and certainly looked good on the timing sheets at least, with Leclerc topping the FP1 session. That trend continued in FP2, with again Leclerc finishing P1 and looking pretty comfortable out there. Sainz dropped down the leader board slightly, but should still be in the mix come tomorrow.
Charles Leclerc - FP1: 1:16.990, P1; FP2: 1:15.906, P1

"It has been a positive day overall. Everything went smoothly and we ran all the tests we planned on track. We seem to be pretty competitive for now, however the conditions will change quite a bit tomorrow, especially in terms of the wind, so we will have to anticipate that. The updates seem to be working as expected, which is another positive. It was great to see so many red flags in the grandstands!"
Carlos Sainz - FP1: 1:17.120, P3; FP2: 1:16.423, P6

"A good Friday for the team. We had a strong FP1 and in FP2 we made some changes that seem to go in the right direction and I was reasonably happy with the car. I didn't put together a clean lap with the Soft but I’m confident we are in a good place. After two Sprint weekends it was good to have time to test and try different approaches on the car, especially having a new package here. There's still a bit of work to do before qualifying but I’m already looking forward to tomorrow."

‘What the teams said’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-the-teams-said-friday-practice-in-imola.6rs8OdlvMQhbU25JsOFfUL

Verstappen’s shot at pole record faces double threat from Ferrari and McLaren
17th May 2024, 22:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Red Bull were slower than Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes on the time sheets and their long run pace also failed to match that of the McLarens and Ferraris on the medium compound – Mercedes opting for the hards instead. Verstappen was visibly uncomfortable in the handling of his car throughout the day and admitted his team would have ‘improve on a few things’ if they were going to fight for pole position on Saturday.

It means that Verstappen’s impressive run of poles could be under serious threat of being broken this weekend. Stretching back to last year’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the world champion has been on pole for the last seven grand prix Sundays and could tie Ayrton Senna’s all-time record of eight consecutive poles tomorrow, as well as the record for the most pole positions at the start of a season, held by Alain Prost. Verstappen will need to find more time out of his car by the end of Saturday’s final practice session to continue this record form.

Beyond the question of who will take pole, it appears that qualifying will be a particularly stressful one for drivers. As already demonstrated in second practice, with Lewis Hamilton upsetting both Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen by getting in their way and Leclerc expressing his displeasure at Sergio Perez for the same slight, traffic is going to be a major concern for everyone throughout the three phases of the grid-setting session.

‘Verstappen’s shot at pole record faces double threat’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/17/verstappens-shot-at-pole-record-faces-double-threat-from-ferrari-and-mclaren/

Christian Horner spotted shaking head during Helmut Marko talks in Red Bull garage
Christian Horner and Helmut Marko were seen deep in conversation ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
18:54, Fri, May 17, 2024
By Tom Parsons
Daily and Sunday Express

Christian Horner was spotted shaking his head as he spoke to Helmut Marko in the Red Bull garage following two nightmare practice sessions ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The Austrian team were well off the pace in both sessions, with Max Verstappen clocking slower times than the likes of Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton and McLaren ace Oscar Piastri. Verstappen ended FP1 with the fifth fastest time after taking multiple trips into the gravel and only managed to produce the seventh quickest lap during FP2.

Red Bull switched their set-up between the sessions but couldn’t find the answer and will need to significantly improve their offering if Verstappen is to claim his fifth Grand Prix victory of the season on Sunday. Red Bull chief Horner wandered back into the garage following Verstappen’s underwhelming showing as he entered into a discussion with team advisor Marko and their stand-in race engineer Tom Hart.

And the Englishman was clearly bothered by the events of the day as his head moved from side to side. Verstappen was denied Grand Prix victory for just the second time of the season at the previous race in Miami as he finished behind race winner Lando Norris. And the Dutchman will be under pressure to get back to winning ways at Imola to prove he is still the man to beat this season.

‘Deep in conversation’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1900632/Christian-Horner-Helmut-Marko-Red-Bull

Fortitude

18th May 2024, 18:06

Emilia Romagna GP: Game on as McLaren and Ferrari challenge Red Bull for top spot in FP3.
Under sustained pressure for the first time this season, Red Bull’s troubles continued in final practice at Imola with McLaren 1-2 ahead of the Ferrari team-mates.
18 May 2024 12:36 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen was P6 while his team-mate Sergio Perez crashed and brought out the red flags. In near-perfect conditions at the Imola circuit, Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari’s Tifosi even more to smile about as the five-time Grand Prix winner, in his upgraded SF-24, went quickest at the start of FP3 with a 1:16.2.

Challenged by the flying Max Verstappen, who shrugged off his Friday woes, the Ferrari went quicker still with a 1:16.0 to sit three-tenths ahead of the Red Bull driver.

Sainz replaced his team-mate up in P1 with a 1:16.067 as Verstappen, having made a brief stop in the pits as he shrugged off his Friday troubles, left the pits in his RB20. But his second run was curtailed as Fernando Alonso rear-ended the barrier at the final corner.

‘McLaren 1-2 ahead of the Ferrari team-mates’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/emilia-romagna-grand-prix-2024-qualifying-report

Emilia Romagna GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
18 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 14 1:15.529

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:15.829 0.300

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 21 1:16.067 0.538

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 19 1:16.087 0.558

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 15 1:16.095 0.566

6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 21 1:16.366 0.837

7 23 Alex Albon Williams 13 1:16.470 0.941

8 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 18 1:16.481 0.952

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 23 1:16.543 1.014

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 14 1:16.547 1.018

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna-gp-free-practice-3-results/

2024 Emilia Romagna GP FP3: Alonso crashes to bring out red flags in final practice
18 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The final practice session for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was halted after 25 minutes when Fernando Alonso crashed his Aston Martin into the barriers after a spin at Rivazza.

‘Halted after 25 minutes’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-emilia-romagna-gp-fp3-alonso-crashes-to-bring-out-red-flags-in-final-practice.1799389635696012685

2024 Emilia Romagna GP FP3: Perez hits the wall to trigger second red flag of the hour
18 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez was pushing hard on the soft tyres in the final stages of third practice at Imola when he took too much kerb at the Variante Alta chicane and hit the barriers, triggering a second red flag.

‘Second red flag of the hour’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-emilia-romagna-gp-fp3-perez-hits-the-wall-to-trigger-second-red-flag-of-the-hour.1799390935995338076

Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 Results
Can Max Verstappen and Red Bull fix their issues experienced in FP1 and FP2 yesterday?
May 18, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Oscar Piastri leads teammate Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez crash out of the final practice session of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. FP1 and FP2 saw reigning champions Max Verstappen and Red Bull struggle. The Dutchman finished fifth in FP1 and seventh in FP2 – not being happy with the balance of his RB20.

Meanwhile, Ferrari looks to have found more pace with its upgrades brought to their home race in Imola this weekend. Alongside the Scuderia, McLaren are also looking quick from the first two practice sessions. The big question that will be asked before FP3 today will be whether Verstappen and Red Bull can iron out their issues yesterday. The team only has one hour of running before set-ups are locked for qualifying in Parc Ferme conditions.

‘F1 Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/emilia-romagna-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-3-results/

F1 2024 Emilia Romagna GP – Practice 3 Results
Ferrari had dominated FP1 and FP2 but received a major shock in FP3 as McLaren found themselves right in the mix in Imola
18 May 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso both crashed out of the final practice session just before qualifying to thrust the grid into a world of unknowns by preventing anyone from setting their final laps as Oscar Piastri topped Free Practice 3 on Saturday.

Red Bull haven’t appeared to be at the races all weekend and that form continued as Max Verstappen and Perez couldn’t find the lap time needed to beat Ferrari and McLaren, who are poised for a golden opportunity to take their second wins of the season at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola.

‘Ferrari received a major shock in FP3’

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-emilia-romagna-gp-practice-3-results/

Fortitude

18th May 2024, 18:40

“We were tow buddies” - How Nico Hulkenberg helped Max Verstappen to pole at Imola.
Nico Hulkenberg revealed that he and Max Verstappen were working together by giving each other a tow in F1 qualifying for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
18 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking to Sky Sports after qualifying, Hulkenberg said he decided to “return the favour” to Verstappen after the Dutchman helped him out in Q2. “Max and I… we’ve been helping each other out this qualy,” he said. “He helped me a few times in Q2 and I returned the favour here. So yeah, you need support from colleagues sometimes don’t you?”

Giving his side of the story, Verstappen described the situation as “two buddies” conceding he did benefit from Hulkenberg’s tow down to Turn 1. “We were tow buddies out there,” he added. “Q2 already and Q3. I gave him a two through 17 and he gave me a tow through Turn 1 and Turn 2.”

“I think I did arrive a bit too quick for my liking, because I did miss Turn 2 a little bit. So I did gain, I did lose a bit in two. Overall I think it did help me a little bit. But when struggling all weekend you have to take all these little advantages to try and stay ahead.”

“Tow buddies”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048668/1/we-were-tow-buddies-how-nico-hulkenberg-helped-max-verstappen-pole-imola

Emilia Romagna GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.
18 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:15.762 1:15.176 1:14.746

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:15.940 1:15.407 1:14.820 0.074

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:15.915 1:15.371 1:14.837 0.091

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:15.823 1:15.328 1:14.970 0.224

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:16.015 1:15.512 1:15.233 0.487

6 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:16.107 1:15.671 1:15.234 0.488

7 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:15.894 1:15.358 1:15.465 0.719

8 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:16.604 1:15.677 1:15.504 0.758

9 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 1:16.060 1:15.691 1:15.674 0.928

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:15.841 1:15.569 1:15.980 1.234

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna-gp-qualifying-results/

Verstappen matches Senna's record of eight straight pole positions at track where F1 great died
18 May 2024
Auto Racing
TSN

IMOLA, Italy (AP) — On a weekend commemorating Ayrton Senna, Max Verstappen matched the late Brazilian's record for consecutive pole positions in Formula 1 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Verstappen made it eight in a row — seven this year — when his Red Bull topped qualifying on Saturday, just ahead of the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Miami GP winner Lando Norris.

“It’s 30 years since he passed away, so it is very special, and I am very pleased to get pole, and in a way it’s a nice memory to him,” Verstappen said. “He was an incredible F1 driver, especially in qualifying. A great day for me, a great day for the team. I’m very, very happy.”

‘Verstappen matches Senna's record’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/max-verstappen-matches-senna-s-record-of-eight-straight-pole-positions-at-track-where-f1-great-died-1.2122683

F1 - 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript
18.05.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Max, pole position. Incredible performance. Tell me, please, how you could pull off a performance like this? The atmosphere was amazing, but everyone was pushing for the Ferrari driveras. But you, with a difficult Friday, you could pull off an unbelievable lap. Talk us through your lap, please?
Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, really difficult weekend so far, even this morning. So I'm incredibly happy to be on pole here. I didn't expect that, but we made some final changes before qualifying. They seemed to make it feel a bit better. I could push a bit harder. And this track is unbelievable. One a qualifying lap, you know, to be on the limit here, close to the gravel… I touched the gravel in the last corner. Yeah, I'm still pumping. The adrenaline is very, very high.

Q: And in second position, great performance from Oscar Piastri. Oscar, how was your quali? Because it seems like you were struggling a bit, and then you became a bit more performant in the first try in Q3, and then in the last try, you were up there. You are going to start in first row. How was your lap?
Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah, pretty good. A little bit of a scruffy last corner, but I think around here it's so, so difficult to do a perfect lap, so I'm really happy. I've been really comfortable with the car from the moment we put it on track yesterday, and so, so close to pole, but very happy. It's been a little while since I've been back up here, so I'm very happy with how this weekend's going so far.

Q: Lando Norris. Well done, mate. You're just a fresh winner in Formula 1. Great qualifying today. All the grandstands and the people were cheering a bit for you because you are so great in Formula 1. How was your lap? How was your quali?
Lando NORRIS: Thanks. Yeah, great. I mean, P3 is not a bad job at all, and yeah, within a tenth, both of us for P1. So, tiny, tiny margins, but I think for us as a team, we've had a very good day, a very good weekend so far. Oscar's done a great job, and so did Max, so it’s exciting. We're close, and I can't wait for tomorrow.

‘Post-Qualifying Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-post-qualifying-press-conference-transcript

Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
More Italian sunshine greeted fans at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari for today's Formula 1 Qualifying session
18 May 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Here's what Max had to say on his "hard-earned" pole position �� pic.twitter.com/LFeKAeKrnC
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) May 18, 2024

FP1: P5
FP2: P7
FP3: P6
QUALIFYING: P1
A champion's performance when it mattered ��#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/ftUsS76Fwn
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 18, 2024

‘Italian sunshine greeted fans’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/emilia-romagna-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-results/

F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2024 – Qualifying Results
Max Verstappen of Red Bull was fastest in Qualifying for the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP at Imola and will start from pole position
18 May 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen pulled a special lap out of his Red Bull to take pole position for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola and was just 0.074s ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri. Here are the full results from Qualifying at Imola.

After looking the team to beat all weekend, Ferrari fell at the final hurdle with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz only able to finish fourth and fifth, behind the Red Bull and both McLaren cars.

Piastri‘s stellar lap earned him a front-row start, edging out his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who will begin the race from third, pending a post-session stewards’ investigation for allegedly impeding Kevin Magnussen’s Haas during the session.

‘Ferrari fell at the final hurdle’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-emilia-romagna-gp-imola-2024-qualifying-results/

Fortitude

19th May 2024, 07:36

Verstappen 'lucky' after finding Imola 'tow buddy'.
Max Verstappen has been described as "a little bit lucky" in securing a 'tow buddy' to secure the three-time F1 champion a historic pole position at Imola.
19 May 2024, 7:25AM
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Would Max Verstappen have secured pole position at Imola without a tow from his 'buddy'? By the end of qualifying, Verstappen had been pushed closer than in any other session this season by a rival driver. It was in stark contrast to many where he has finished a comfortable two-or three-tenths of a second quicker. As to whether dominating qualifying or being given a stern test of his one-lap credentials was satisfying, there was only one answer.

"I would rather qualify eight-tenths ahead, but that's not possible," said Verstappen, before highlighting what Red Bull managed to achieve given the performance of his car on Friday. It is very enjoyable when you have a turnaround like we had. So I was really excited in qualifying, and really happy when I heard that we were on pole. It was great that it was that close and that we really, really had to fight for it.”

“But I still come back to the first point. I would rather qualify with a lot in front! That's how it goes, right? I guess sometimes you have weekends where everything really comes together and then the car becomes unbelievable to drive, and it doesn't matter what you do, it just feels fantastic, and you can do some really special laps, which have happened in the past. But this was also really cool."

'Tow buddy';

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-lucky-after-finding-imola-tow-buddy

Lando Norris tears apart ‘bit stupid’ Max Verstappen Imola struggle theory
18 May 2024 7:46 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris believes anyone counting Max Verstappen and Red Bull out at Imola was “a bit stupid” after the Dutchman maintained his 100 per cent pole position record. At first, the signs were not positive for Red Bull, Verstappen failing to feature in the top three through practice with “terrible” – as he put it – short and long run performance.

His fortunes made a complete U-turn for qualifying though, where Verstappen topped all three sessions to claim pole, even if McLaren were keeping him on his toes, both Oscar Piastri and Norris getting within a tenth of his pole lap.

And while Norris believes a “good race” could be on the horizon for McLaren at Imola, he bluntly said that anyone who had expected Verstappen to be down and out is “a bit stupid”.

“A bit stupid”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-bit-stupid-think-max-verstappen-struggle-imola

Ferrari drivers disagree on theories for shock Red Bull Imola GP qualifying pace leap
18 May 2024 7:03 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were split on the reasons behind Red Bull’s surprise pace jump in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix qualifying after Max Verstappen claimed pole position at Imola.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher after the session, Sainz claimed it was dangerous to look too deeply into the practice results given Red Bull‘s habit of running lower engine settings on Fridays.

Leclerc shared Sainz’s view that Ferrari are struggling in Sector 1 at Imola and admitted that Red Bull’s resurgence had taken the team by surprise. But the Monegasque offered a contrasting theory that Red Bull were running with a heavy fuel load during Friday’s running, which masked the RB20’s true pace.

‘Split on the reasons’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-theories-red-bull-imola-qualifying-pace

Mark Hughes: The three drivers crucial to Verstappen's bounceback
May 18, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

Did Sebastien Buemi secure Max Verstappen this pole? Or was it Nico Hulkenberg? For sure, Verstappen himself deserves much of the credit for delivering in a car which may not actually have been the fastest, for once. But those two friends of his definitely played their part.

This was a special pole not because of how dominant it was, but because of how dramatic a turnaround it represented after Verstappen had struggled with the car’s balance throughout the three practices. It wasn’t that the formidable-looking McLaren and Ferrari challenge had faltered either. Both those teams were significantly quicker in qualifying than at any other stage of the weekend.

It was just that Verstappen and the team had found more. But exactly what is the team’s role in situations like this? “The unsung heroes are the 60 people working back at base – and the sim driver, in this case Buemi, putting in the long hard hours,” Christian Horner tells The Race.

“The unsung heroes”;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-imola-gp-recovery-pole-buemi-hulkenberg/

Horner after pole in Imola: 'You can tell how much it meant to Max'
18 May 2024
Julien Lemmen
Verstappen.nl

After a rough start of the weekend for Oracle Red Bull Racing during free practice in Imola, Max Verstappen eventually took pole position in a thrilling qualifying session. Team principal Christian Horner reflects after qualifying:

"It was an outstanding Saturday here in Imola, especially after we struggled yesterday. The team did a really good job overnight, with Seb Buemi, Jake Dennis and everyone in Milton Keynes working into the early hours on the simulator, and we kept improving the car as we saw the results of in Q3.”

“Max had to deliver and he really pulled it out of the bag with a great performance, and you can tell how much it meant to him to be on pole today. That’s 8 poles in a row, equalling the great Ayrton Senna and doing it here in Imola making it all the more poignant. All to play for tomorrow as we head into race day in Imola."

'You can tell how much it meant to Max';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5466/

‘It all just came together’ – Verstappen thrilled to take pole after struggles in practice
18:57 Sat, 18 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen was on the back foot throughout all three practice sessions in Imola, but after hard work by him and his Red Bull crew they managed to get the car right for qualifying – and he duly delivered pole.

‘It all just came together’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/it-all-just-came-together-verstappen-thrilled-to-take-pole-after-struggles-in-practice.1799407039319780741

“…So I gave him the finger” – Verstappen, Norris and Piastri recount bizarre shared Imola F1 fan tale
The top three in Imola qualifying for the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP all remembered one mystery F1 fan
18 May 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen revealed he’d flipped off an Imola fan in qualifying for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris adding they’d also noticed the rogue spectator but for contrasting reasons. Piastri and Norris provisionally qualified second and third within a tenth of the pole-sitting Dutchman, but while the Australian’s account echoed that of Verstappen, Formula 1‘s reigning grand prix winner explained he’d received support from the mystery fan.

That prompted Piastri to jokingly ask whether Norris has signed for Ferrari, with the Scuderia certainly the home favourites even away from the unmatched frenzy of Monza. “It’s been great and actually, I had a funny story in qualifying where we were driving in the pits,” Verstappen told select members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“A lot of people were clapping, then one guy was doing some different things to me so I gave him the finger, and then the next time I came around, he was clapping. So they learn you know? It’s easy to be not nice drivers, but I can also be not nice to, luckily he was a bit higher up but it’s good after that – I guess he appreciated it.”

“…So I gave him the finger”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/so-i-gave-him-the-finger-verstappen-norris-and-piastri-recount-bizarre-shared-imola-f1-fan-tale/

F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola?
18 May 2024 4:02 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Piastri was handed a three-place penalty after the session for impeding Kevin Magnussen’s Haas in Q1, putting him down to fifth and promoting Lando Norris – the winner of the last race in Miami – to P2 ahead of the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix grid
1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2. Lando Norris, McLaren
3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
4. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
5. Oscar Piastri, McLaren
6. George Russell, Mercedes
7. Yuki Tsunoda, RB
8. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
9. Daniel Ricciardo, RB
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Haas

‘Grid order’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-starting-grid-2024-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-imola

Fortitude

19th May 2024, 15:40

Max Verstappen holds onto Emilia Romagna GP win after tense Lando Norris scrap.
The pair fought to the very end following a tense final stint, but it was the Red Bull star who came out on top.
15:30, Sun, May 19, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The feeling after qualifying was that while Verstappen’s monster lap was enough to win the pole, the threat on Sunday would come from the McLaren duo of Norris and Piastri. However, after just a handful of laps of the Emilia Romagna GP, it became clear that the championship leader was the man to beat.

Verstappen held the lead from Norris at the start before scampering off up the road. The frontrunner settled into their order with the Miami Grand Prix winner leading the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Piastri demonstrated impressive pace behind them but struggled to find a way past on track.

The race leader was fortunate to avoid a safety car when Alex Albon was pictured moving slowly on the track. The Williams driver, fresh off the announcement of a contract extension, was sent back onto the tarmac with a loose tyre, all but ending his race. The Thai-British driver even picked up a stop-go penalty for his troubles.

‘A tense final stint’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1901066/Max-Verstappen-Lando-Norris-Emilia-Romagna-Grand-Prix

Emilia Romagna GP: Race Results
20 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 63 laps

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 0.725

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 7.916

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 14.132

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 22.325

6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 35.104

7 63 George Russell Mercedes 47.154

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 54.776

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 79.556

10 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1L

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/emilia-romagna-gp-race-results/

Verstappen holds off Norris to win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
May 19, 2024 at 10:34 AM ET
Auto Racing
TSN

IMOLA, Italy (AP) — Max Verstappen held off a challenge from McLaren’s Lando Norris to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday and extend his Formula 1 championship lead.

Verstappen started on pole position and stayed ahead of Norris at the start but was put under pressure by the McLaren driver again near the end and won by less than a second. It was the defending champion's fifth win in seven Grand Prix races this year and followed Verstappen being beaten by Norris in Miami two weeks ago.

Norris' second place Sunday underlined the McLaren team's credentials to be the closest challenger to Verstappen and Red Bull this season. Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari.

‘Held off a challenge’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/max-verstappen-holds-off-lando-norris-to-win-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-1.2122997

F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2024 – Race Results
Max Verstappen of Red Bull took victory at the 2024 Emilia Romagna GP at Imola, just ahead of Lando Norris in the McLaren
19 May 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen took his Red Bull from pole position to the chequered flag and victory at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, just edging out McLaren driver Lando Norris who put up a late fight and finished within a second. Here are the full F1 results from the race at Imola.

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, though was over six seconds adrift of Norris and over seven seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren. Carlos Sainz brought his Ferrari home in fifth.

Next came the Meredes pair of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in sixth and seventh, ahead of Sergio Perez in the sister Red Bull in eighth. Lance Stroll of Aston Martin and Yuki Tsunoda of RB rounded out the Top 10 at Imola.

‘Race Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-emilia-romagna-gp-imola-2024-race-results/

Max Verstappen blasts ‘stupid’ F1 rival after almost blowing Emilia Romagna GP lead
Max Verstappen was feeling the heat during his battle with Lando Norris at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
15:44, Sun, May 19, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen was feeling tense during the closing stages of the Emilia Romagna Grand. Max Verstappen called Yuki Tsunoda 'stupid' during the closing stages of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after the VCARB driver held him up slightly at the Tosa hairpin.

Verstappen had controlled the race for large portions but began rapidly losing time to Lando Norris during the final stint. On lap 53 with the McLaren driver just 2.3 seconds back, he approached lap traffic.

The Dutchman found himself losing time behind VCARB's Tsunoda, who was running in the final point-paying position, at Tosa. He dialled into the radio to fume: "Can he let me by even more stupid?"

‘Feeling the heat’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1901072/Max-Verstappen-Yuki-Tsunoda-Emilia-Romagna-Grand-Prix

Max Verstappen claims incredible double victory as he wins Emilia Romagna Grand Prix ahead of Lando Norris despite sleep worries
15:48, 19 May 2024
Robert Calcutt, Sports Writer
talkSPORT15

His latest victory is made even more impressive considering he was partaking in another race just hours before the Grand Prix. Verstappen was driving in the virtual Nurburgring 24-hour sim racing tournament with his Team Redline. Fans noticed he was behind the wheel for the race at 9am on the morning of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with the Dutchman not one to rest.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the race, he said: "The stints were good. We're still leading as well so the race is not done yet, it's like one hour 45 [minutes] to go. So my teammates are out driving at the moment, I'm trying to follow here and there but it's a lot of fun. Whenever I can, I try to race and this all worked out, it's in Europe, I can bring my own simulator, so it helps."

When queried if he'd had enough sleep, Verstappen assured fans he was okay to race.
He said: "Yeah, enough. I'd say enough. About seven hours, of course I would prefer to sleep a little bit more, but seven hours on a race day is absolutely fine, just looking forward to racing now."
Max Verstappen is absolutely incredible. It's 9 AM RACE DAY and he wasn't sleeping, he is still sitting in his hotel room racing in virtual 24 hour race at Nurburgring.

‘Incredible double victory’;

https://talksport.com/football/1874954/max-verstappen-wins-emilia-romagna-grand-prix-double-victory-lando-norris/

Emilia Romagna GP: Lando Norris agonisingly close to second win as Max Verstappen hangs on at Imola
19 May 2024 3:35 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After 50 laps of having it all his own way, Max Verstappen’s dominance at Imola was tested by Lando Norris as the Briton closed to within DRS range but ran out of laps. Verstappen held on to claim the win by a mere 0.725s ahead of the McLaren driver with Charles Leclerc completing the podium.

‘Max Verstappen hangs on at Imola’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/emilia-romagna-grand-prix-2024-race-report

Verstappen holds off thrilling late charge from Norris to win Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
19 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

A thrilling end to the event ensued as Norris continued to cut into Verstappen’s advantage, but a snap of oversteer seemed to take further life out of the McLaren driver’s ageing tyres, allowing the Red Bull to hold onto P1 by just 0.725s as the chequered flag was waved.

Despite looking to be on Norris’s tail in the fight for P2 earlier in the event, Charles Leclerc had to settle for the final podium position of third in front of Ferrari’s home fans, while Oscar Piastri claimed P4 in a solid drive for McLaren.

‘A thrilling end’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/verstappen-holds-off-thrilling-late-charge-from-norris-to-win-emilia-romagna.2CgBWm3GodjE3QIYIMWL0x

Matthew

20th May 2024, 00:44

Verstappen holds off thrilling late charge from Norris to win Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
19 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

A thrilling end to the event ensued as Norris continued to cut into Verstappen’s advantage, but a snap of oversteer seemed to take further life out of the McLaren driver’s ageing tyres, allowing the Red Bull to hold onto P1 by just 0.725s as the chequered flag was waved.

Despite looking to be on Norris’s tail in the fight for P2 earlier in the event, Charles Leclerc had to settle for the final podium position of third in front of Ferrari’s home fans, while Oscar Piastri claimed P4 in a solid drive for McLaren.

‘A thrilling end’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/verstappen-holds-off-thrilling-late-charge-from-norris-to-win-emilia-romagna.2CgBWm3GodjE3QIYIMWL0x

That late surge by Lando was probably the only exciting thing in the entire race.

Fortitude

20th May 2024, 03:40

Max Verstappen clinched Imola, but it was too close for comfort thanks to Lando Norris.
For the first time in a long while, Max Verstappen had to dig deep for a Formula One race victory on Sunday, courtesy of Lando Norris and McLaren.
22:09 Sun, 19 May 2024.
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1
ESPN.com

Verstappen's final victory margin of 0.7 seconds over Norris at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was a world away from any of the four easy wins he had claimed this year and a sizeable chunk of his record 19 victories in 2023. "F---ing hell, mate. Had to work for that," Verstappen said over his car radio after taking the chequered flag.

He wasn't wrong. Norris, fresh off the heels of an overdue first F1 win in Miami two weeks earlier, catapulted himself into victory contention with a thrilling charge late on, which fell agonisingly short of making it two in a row. "I was just praying for one more lap," Norris said later.

The Englishman was content with second, but there was a real feeling of what might have been had Norris been given one chance to attack Verstappen down Imola's long pit straight with his Drag Reduction System (DRS) wide open, which would have been the case as he was within one second of the Red Bull driver when they crossed the line.

“Had to work for that”;

https://www.espn.com/racing/story/_/id/40132237/how-norris-forced-max-verstappen-fight-imola-victory

How Norris’ patient start to his final stint helped him chase Verstappen
19th May 2024, 22:13
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

By the time Red Bull had an inkling how much pressure Max Verstappen was going to be under at the end of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, it was too late to do anything about it. Lando Norris cut Verstappen’s lead from a peak of seven-and-a-half seconds to just seven-tenths of a second as they took the chequered flag.

The McLaren driver was consistently quicker than Verstappen at the end of the race on the hard tyre compound. His cautious start to that stint appeared to be part of the reason why. Red Bull might have expected Verstappen to face a tricky end to the race as his team mate Sergio Perez started on the hard rubber and his lap times dropped off 23 laps into his 37-lap stint.

Norris played his tyres in more gently at the start of his stint compared to his team mate Oscar Piastri, and that appeared to pay off later on. Having given away half a second per lap at times at the start of the stint, Norris gained almost a second a lap compared to Piastri in the latter laps as Verstappen’s car grew bigger ahead of him. Norris’ reduced pace even allowed Charles Leclerc to briefly gain on him.

‘Norris’ patient start to his final stint helped him’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/19/how-norris-patient-start-to-his-final-stint-helped-him-chase-verstappen/

Horner after winning in Imola: 'A great job by Max'
19 May 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, team principle and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said after the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, won by Max Verstappen: “It was a race of two halves for us today. The first half was really strong and we built a good buffer, but the second half Lando started to catch us very quickly.”

Horner continues: “Max couldn’t afford to put a millimetre wrong with track limits and the pressure of Lando behind, so a great job by Max. It’s very satisfying to win a race like that when you have been pushed so hard. Overall, it was a weekend to remember in Imola and the whole team is looking forward to going again next weekend in Monte Carlo.”

'A great job by Max';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5469/

Perez’s poor weekend an “anomaly” – Horner
20th May 2024, 0:01
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Perez “very strong” until Imola – Horner: Perez finished a lowly eighth having started 11th on the grid. He failed to make the cut for Q3 by just one hundredth of a second, and lost time in the race when he went off between the two Rivazza turns.

However Horner said Perez has turned around his form since last season and expects last weekend’s dip in performance will prove a one-off. “I think he has had a much better start to this year, bar this weekend, which has been an anomaly,” said Horner. “He’s been very, very strong. I think that his approach, he’s been more relaxed, less focussed on what Max is doing, just focusing on himself. And I think he’s responded to that.”

“Anomaly”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/20/racefans-round-up-20-05-7/

‘It is Max Verstappen’: McLaren boss downplays Imola victory chance
McLaren Team Principal praises Norris's performance while acknowledging the teams missed opportunities
May 19, 2024
Theo Gayle
FormulaNerds

Despite the 24-year-old Brit’s strong performance, Team Principal Andrea Stella is uncertain if Lando Norris could have passed Max Verstappen to win in Imola with more laps.

As reported by news outlet Autosport, Stella shared a different outlook on today’s result. In his post-race interview, the Italian engineer chose to take an analytical approach to the race, providing insight as to why he thought overtaking at the circuit as well as Verstappen’s raw talent would have made it difficult even if more laps were left in the race.

“Well, 63 laps is already many laps,’ stated the 53-year-old post-race. Many times, you say you would like one lap more. It is what it is, and also, it is Max Verstappen; I am sure he was a bit in trouble, but he managed to get the most out of what he had, so well done, Max and well done to our two drivers, second and fourth.”

‘It is Max Verstappen’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/mclaren-boss-downplays-imola-victory-chance/

Leclerc makes ‘weird’ accusation about Red Bull and McLaren
Charles Leclerc has made a claim against Red Bull and McLaren after Ferrari's defeat at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
19 May 8:03PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc has accused Red Bull and McLaren of "doing something weird" with their engines after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. But the Monegasque felt there was something "weird" going on with how Ferrari's two rivals use their energy.

"I think our race pace is very, very strong," Leclerc told Sky Sports F1. "I’m more optimistic than yesterday looking back at the qualifying because this is where I think we are lacking on a weekend like this.”

"We lost everything in the straights, and they are doing something weird with the energy, engine-wise, McLaren and Red Bull. We will look into that. Once we fix that, we’ve got a real shot of going back onto the top step of the podium."

“Weird with the energy, engine-wise, McLaren and Red Bull”;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-makes-weird-accusation-about-red-bull-and-mclaren

What Norris/Verstappen Imola fight means for F1: Our verdict
May 19, 2024
The Race

So, Max Verstappen ran out the winner at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after all. Except his run to victory wasn't anywhere near as straightforward as his previous wins have been.

“Sign that Red Bull's vulnerability has changed” Scott Mitchell-Malm: While the result on paper looks like a return to normality, the reality is that Red Bull’s under pressure. There will still be circuit-specific races where Verstappen dominates, I have no doubt, but it feels like rivals (especially McLaren) are now in a window to pounce more often.

“McLaren's got a key strength here” Gary Anderson: I think we can keep guessing if it is circuit-specific or an actual changing of the guard. Monaco will probably be different as it’s so individual but for normal circuits, I think McLaren needs to find just that little bit, a couple of tenths, and Ferrari needs just a little more, probably three tenths. But if that can happen we will have a three-team battle at the front on more occasions than not.

‘ “A concerning pattern for Ferrari” Ben Anderson, “The bigger-picture win” Josh Suttill, “A proper Red Bull celebration” Glenn Freeman’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lando-norris-max-verstappen-imola-fight-our-verdict/

Max Verstappen takes victory in Imola after close battle: 'We can be very happy'
19 May 2024
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

“I had to give everything to win this one. The whole race I was pushing. We were strong on the mediums, but we struggled to manage the hard tyres. Especially in the last ten, fifteen laps, I didn’t have any grip or tyre temperature. I went all out in the last ten laps, which was difficult without grip. I couldn’t afford to make any mistakes and I had to make the most of it whilst controlling tyres. Luckily we didn’t make a mistake and I’m really happy to win here today.”

Meanwhile, Sergio Perez is desperately trying to make his alternative strategy work by waiting until lap 38 to make his first and final stop. After coming in and exchanging his hard tyres for the medium compound, the Mexican works his way up to eighth by passing Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hulkenberg and Yuki Tsunoda. At the front, Max leads Norris by seven seconds and appears to be in control….

“I had to give everything to win this one”;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5468/

Fortitude

20th May 2024, 14:13

Horner praises ‘phenomenal’ turnaround by Red Bull at the end of ‘stressful’ Imola GP.
It was a remarkable turnaround by the team - and testament to the hard work that went on in the simulator back in Milton Keynes on Friday night.
19 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

While Horner was quick to pay tribute to both the simulator drivers and the wider team, he reserved special praise for the race winner. “When you look at the turnaround we had from Friday into Saturday to get the pole and to get the victory again today, it’s been a phenomenal performance and turnaround by the team but also Max has been incredible this weekend, and again he’s had to work very hard for the pole and the victory.”

“I think he’s had a very busy weekend because he’s also competed in the 24 hours of Nurburgring [sim race] as well as being in the car, so he’s won two races today, one in a BMW M3 and one in a Formula 1 car. Max this weekend, you heard what it meant to him, the pole position yesterday he had to dig very deep and the performance today was a masterclass.”

‘Phenomenal turnaround’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/horner-praises-phenomenal-turnaround-by-red-bull-at-the-end-of-stressful.4tFlF2na8BVpWoAgKIK80Q

How Red Bull went from ‘nowhere’ to win: Imola turnaround explained
Christian Horner has shed light on how Red Bull turned things around following a difficult Friday at Imola.
20 May 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Christian Horner says a “big dive” on Friday evening ultimately paved the way for Red Bull’s impressive turnaround at the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Red Bull experienced their most difficult Friday of the season at Imola, with both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez struggling with the balance of their RB20 cars and ending the day off the pace in both practice sessions.

Asked what was the key to Red Bull’s turnaround, Horner replied: “Sebastien Buemi. We did a lot of work on set-up on Friday into Saturday to move the balance and get the balance into a much better window. “As I say, for 60 percent of the race we were anywhere between six and eight seconds clear of the rest. It was just the second half of the stint on the hard tyre, we started to give away performance.”

Horner went on to explain: “It was a big dive and that’s why you must never underestimate the broader team in the factory, the simulator drivers. Credit where credit is due, the essence of team is being able to respond when things aren’t going well and we managed to turn it around. If you expected this result on Friday, all of the analysis would have said no way but we managed to turn it around and win the race.”

“Sebastien Buemi”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048913/1/how-red-bull-went-nowhere-win-imola-turnaround-explained

Revealed: How Sebastien Buemi helped inspire Red Bull’s strong turnaround at Imola
19 May 2024 7:26 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

When asked for what it was that helped Red Bull turn their weekend around in Imola, Horner told media including PlanetF1.com with a smile: “Sebastien Buemi. We did a lot of work on set up over Friday night into Saturday, and managed to move the balance and get the car into a much better window.” Having driven for Toro Rosso for three seasons, Buemi’s career has flourished in other series – winning the Formula E title as well as four World Endurance Championships with Toyota, taking top honours at Le Mans four times on the way.

He has remained with Red Bull as a reserve and simulator driver along the way, and was on hand back at base to help run setup changes with the team as they looked for ways forward after two troublesome Friday practice sessions. Verstappen in particular then turned his fortunes around to place his car on pole position and led comfortably for most of the race, before Lando Norris closed right back up in the final stages and finished under a second behind come the chequered flag.

‘Sebastien Buemi’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-sebastien-buemi-influence-max-verstappen-red-bull-imola-win

Red Bull was on the ropes at Imola but its F1 reign isn't over... yet
May 20th 2024
Author: Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

Max Verstappen’s Imola victory was not one of those comfortable nailed-on ones we’ve seen so often in the last few years. It was a struggle. It required a major change between Friday and Saturday. It required Verstappen to be at his tenacious best in the late stages of the race to hold off the flying McLaren of Lando Norris.

Red Bull was at its ropiest this weekend and even under those circumstances against heavily updated cars from Ferrari and McLaren, it could rely on Verstappen to overcome the shortfall. Things the Red Bull doesn’t like: a front-limited circuit (Imola, Melbourne). A circuit demanding bigger ride heights (Imola, Singapore).

That put the RB20 out of its comfort zone coming into the weekend and maybe that pre-knowledge played its part in the team arriving here with a set-up based around a big rear wing. It was paranoid about the tyre graining which can so easily trip you up here.

‘On the ropes’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/red-bull-was-on-the-ropes-in-imola-but-its-f1-reign-isnt-over-yet/?nowprocket=1#

‘Broken’ Max Verstappen left with back pain from bumpy Imola F1 track
“My back, everything is hurting..."
19 May 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen says Imola’s bumpy surface left him feeling “broken” following his victory at the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. While the battle with Norris was intense, Verstappen said the biggest issue he faced was the track itself. “I'm just broken from the bumps, to be honest,” Verstappen explained.

“My back, everything is hurting. It's not so much from the physical side of things, but just it was so bumpy out there. Already after like 20 laps, I could really feel my back. So I'm just looking forward to laying in bed. Maybe take some painkillers. And a massage, I don't know…”

Asked if he had a specific problem in the final stint, Verstappen replied: “I just couldn't really get the tyres to work. “It just felt like they were not operating in the right temperature window. And that just got worse and worse. So the last 15 laps for me was really like driving on ice. They were not responding anymore. So that's something that we have to analyse.”

‘Everything is hurting’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048836/1/broken-max-verstappen-left-back-pain-bumpy-imola-f1-track

Verstappen: ‘The last few laps I was pushing flat out… I could see Lando closing in’
18:50 Sun, 19 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen reflects on a hard-fought victory at Imola, when he finished less than a second ahead of Lando Norris.

‘Hard-fought victory’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/verstappen-the-last-few-laps-i-was-pushing-flat-out-i-could-see-lando-closing-in.1799496775311948313

Helmut Marko hints at ‘not helpful’ Lando Norris messages as ‘deciding factor’ in Imola win
20 May 2024 9:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

What he thinks could’ve played a role was Norris’ race engineer’s messages to the Briton. Having already told his race engineer Joseph that he was “pushing” when informed about Charles Leclerc’s pace, Joseph was back on the radio during the Briton’s late-race tussle with Verstappen.

“Lando, happy to push Turn 9 a little bit more,” he said. Norris replied: “I’m pushing as much as I can mate. Thank you.” Marko reckons those messages would’ve been more annoying than inspiring.

“It was an interesting radio message from his engineer. He was driving at the absolute limit and he said he should increase his speed,” he said. “I think that really annoyed him. It certainly wasn’t helpful when you were concentrating in a situation like that.”

‘More annoying than inspiring’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-not-helpful-lando-norris-messages-deciding-factor-imola

Verstappen "almost ended in the grandstands" amid Imola F1 hard tyre struggles
18:16 Sun, 19 May 2024.
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Verstappen explained that he couldn't keep the hard compound in the right operating window, which led to a lack of grip that he says nearly saw him crash at Turn 7's Tosa hairpin. "On the mediums it was very good," Verstappen said after clinching his fifth grand prix win of the season.

"But then as soon as I swapped to the hard tyres, maybe not the first five to 10 laps but after that, I was like: 'I'm not sure I can bring this to the end'. The tyres just fell out of the operating window and it was just like driving on ice, really snappy.”

"At Turn 7 I almost ended up in the grandstands, for my feeling, at some point. So, it was just very difficult, really weird lines that I had to take." In previous events, Verstappen would have simply had the advantage to cruise to the finish anyway, but in the vastly upgraded McLaren MCL38, Norris managed to reel the triple world champion back in, hounding him to the line over the last 10 laps.

‘Turn 7’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/verstappen-almost-ended-up-in-the-grandstands-amid-f1-imola-hard-tyre-struggles/10613032/

Fortitude

21st May 2024, 08:04

Vettel emotional after Senna, Ratzenberger tribute.
Sebastian Vettel was fighting back the tears after driving Ayrton Senna's 1993 McLaren around the Imola circuit as a tribute to the late Brazilian, as well as Austrian Formula One driver Roland Ratzenberger.
14:38 Sun, 19 May 2024.
ESPN.com

Four-time champion Vettel, who retired from F1 at the end of 2022, has worked in collaboration with Senna's family to honour the two drivers, leading a track run with members of the paddock on Thursday and driving a demonstration lap in the McLaren MP4/8 ahead of Sunday's race.

Both Senna and Ratzenberger died in separate accidents across two days of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola. For his last lap in the McLaren, Vettel held the Brazilian and Austrian flags out of the cockpit. Asked if he had a tear in his eye as he jumped out of the car on the Imola grid, Vettel said: "Definitely. I don't know, it's difficult to put in words -- it was one of the strongest emotions I've felt behind the wheel despite being alone on track and not even racing. Incredible.

"When I got the flags out it was so powerful. We had a very strong and emotional moment on Thursday when we ran the track and another one today. It's overwhelming and I'm happy that I had the courage to address my idea and come forward and invite the Senna family on the idea. We only got positive feedback and it seemed like the right thing to do.”

‘Fighting back the tears’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/40178013/vettel-pays-tribute-senna-ratzenberger-mclaren-imola

Vettel roars through time powered by Senna’s spirit
12:49 Sun, 19 May 2024.
F1i.com

After his group track run on Friday that paid tribute to Imola’s fallen heroes in 1994, Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, Sebastian Vettel indulged in another personal homage to the late Brazilian.

After Saturday’s qualifying, Vettel donned his helmet and overalls once again to thrill the fans with a session of hot laps onboard Senna’s race winning McLaren MP4/8, of which the German is the proud owner.

Taking to the track onboard Senna’s machine signified a profound gesture of respect by Vettel for one of his biggest idols, and a chance to connect with the heritage of a true racing legend.

‘Powered by Senna’s spirit’;

https://f1i.com/images/508324-vettel-roars-through-time-powered-by-sennas-spirit.html

Senna on-track tribute ‘one of the strongest emotions’ felt by Vettel
19:20 Mon, 20 May 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sebastian Vettel admitted that Sunday’s tribute laps to Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger at Imola left him emotionally overwhelmed inside the cockpit of the great Brazilian’s McLaren. Senna's final moments were marked by a heartbreaking detail. In the wreckage of his car, marshals found an unfurled Austrian flag – a tribute to Ratzenberger that Senna had planned to wave during the race’s cool-down lap.

It was intended as a gesture of sportsmanship and respect, a final act of camaraderie cut tragically short. "I'm happy that I had the courage to address my idea and invite the Senna family. And I only got positive feedback. The compassion he had, the courage he had to speak his mind. Pushing education, trying to fight poverty in his country. “

In many ways, he was ahead of the game as a person of that time, but also as a racing driver in particular. "And therefore it's a very important and powerful story to share, especially with young drivers coming up." Vettel admitted that he wondered before last weekend’s tribute whether waving the Austrian flag in memory of Ratzenberger was “the right thing”.

‘Had the courage to address my idea and invite the Senna family’;

https://f1i.com/news/508574-senna-on-track-tribute-one-of-the-strongest-emotions-felt-by-vettel.html

Vettel left ‘very emotional’ by demo run in Ayrton Senna’s McLaren at Imola
19 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Four time world champion Sebastian Vettel paid tribute to Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger 30 years after they were tragically killed at Imola, by driving Senna’s last McLaren around the Italian circuit.

‘Very emotional’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/vettel-left-very-emotional-by-demo-run-in-ayrton-sennas-mclaren-at-imola.1799486178840212076

Sebastian Vettel fights back tears after special Ayrton Senna tribute at Imola
Sebastian Vettel drove Ayrton Senna's McLaren MP4/8 in a special show run at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and also paid tribute to Roland Ratzenberger, 30 years on from their deaths at Imola
15:01 Sun, 19 May 2024.
By Daniel MoxonSenior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Speaking afterwards to media, including Mirror Sport , the four-time F1 champion was clearly emotional as he described how it had felt. He said: "It's difficult to put into words. It was one of the strongest emotions I've felt behind the wheel, despite being alone on track and not even racing. But it was incredible. When I got the flags out, the people... it was so powerful.”

We had two very strong and emotional moments on Thursday when we ran the track and another one today. It's overwhelming and I'm happy that I had the courage to address my idea and come forward and invite the Senna family into the idea as well. I only got positive feedback from them and it felt like the right thing to do. Ayrton is a driver who will be remembered but we need to make sure we actively do so, and that weekend also Roland lost his life.”

“Two drivers who were sort of colleagues of mine, but I never had the chance to meet them. It means so much more than just racing.” Naturally, Vettel also faced questions about his future. He retired at the end of 2022 but admitted only weeks ago that a comeback is not out of the question - but insisted on Sunday that a return to full-time driving in F1 is not something to which he is currently giving serious consideration.

“Two drivers who were sort of colleagues of mine, but I never had the chance to meet them”;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/sebastian-vettel-fights-back-tears-32844270

Fortitude

21st May 2024, 15:49

McLaren Are Closing The Gap To Red Bull.
A new season starts from Imola. Looking at the outcome of the Imola GP, we can see how the gap between Red Bull and the other teams is increasingly decreasing.
May 21, 2024
Siria Famulari
Last Word On Sports

McLaren and Ferrari are getting ever closer to the team that in recent years has been the worst nightmare of the entire grid. The time has come for the Bulls to watch their backs, because before Red Bull competed alone, and now find themselves hot on their heels with two teams who can’t wait to fight and conquer the podium.

The key element was the upgrades brought by McLaren, which have thus far indicated that they are on the right track. After last season, which didn’t start in the best way, now the Papaya team is demonstrating that it has the right qualities to be a competitive team. The race in Imola is just a taste of what we may see in the next races. After travelling alone at the speed of light, Red Bull may have to work that much harder for victory.

‘A new season starts from Imola’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/21/mclaren-are-closing-the-gap-to-red-bull/

‘There wasn’t much to pick’ between McLaren and Red Bull in Imola says Stella
May 21, 2024
Formula One - Official Site

With Lando Norris coming within a second of beating Max Verstappen in Imola, McLaren team boss Andrea Stella could be forgiven for being elated with how the season is unfolding, following on from Norris’ victory in Miami.

But while he was clearly pleased with some aspects of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Stella also sounded a note of caution – as with the gaps at the top narrowing, McLaren know they need to be pinpoint perfect across every aspect of their race weekend moving forwards, something that wasn’t quite the case in Italy.

“Execution of the weekend is always a key factor,” said Stella. “But now when margins are so close, I think the first three cars in qualifying were within one tenth or something, then clearly operations, the way you drive the race and manage the tyres can become the dominant factor. I think between a McLaren and a Red Bull today there wasn’t much to pick and other factors made a difference.”

‘Margins are so close’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/there-wasnt-much-to-pick-between-mclaren-and-red-bull-in-imola-says-stella.5Obio4Aj9QkbhUpSPo6urL

McLaren answer killer Lando Norris question on everyone’s lips after Imola GP
21 May 2024 9:15 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Did Lando Norris need just one more lap to pass Max Verstappen for the win at Imola? McLaren team principal Andrea Stella suggested Verstappen had rather judged his tyre life to perfection. Verstappen would hold Norris off to secure a fifth win of the season, but with the gap only 0.7 seconds across the line, Norris suggested he needed just one more lap to mount an attack on the Championship leader.

However, when pressed by media including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher on whether he agreed with Norris’ assessment, McLaren team boss Stella instead suggested that Verstappen mastered the use of his tyre life “budget” to make sure that he had enough to secure victory.

“I think that there were already 63 laps, which is many,” said Stella in response to Norris’ theory. “And I think Max did a good job in managing his budget over the 63 laps, and just making sure that it was enough to retain the first position.”

‘Killer Lando Norris question’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/andrea-stella-doubts-lando-norris-beats-max-verstappen-imola-one-more-lap

Oscar Piastri confirms Lando Norris belief as Max Verstappen sent blunt warning
McLaren enjoyed another impressive showing at the Emiliana Romagna Grand Prix and both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are feeling confident about the team's future
• 10:23, 21 May 2024
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror

McLaren have fired a warning to Max Verstappen and Red Bull after another impressive race weekend. When asked if he felt his recent results gave him confidence he could regularly challenge Verstappen's dominance, Norris said: "There's no reason after a couple of tracks that you'd want to deny it.”

"I don't think we're at their level yet - as we saw today, they still have areas where they are better. But there was maybe some areas where we're better now, which is a good sign. There are tracks where we can be stronger... I'm excited that we can definitely continue to fight them in more races."

And Piastri echoed Norris' comments, citing McLaren's improvements in "conditions we've struggled in" over the past few years. "Miami felt like a really strong weekend," Piastri said. "Here felt really strong. I think that was the most we could have got out of the race, so for me personally, I'm very happy - I feel like I've built a bit of good momentum in the last two weekends, which is something I've been trying to aim for a bit more.

‘Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are feeling confident’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mclaren-norris-piastri-verstappen-redbull-32856181

‘I think he’s perfect’: Damon Hill raves about ‘perfect’ McLaren man’s work behind the scenes after Imola Grand Prix
Mon 20 May 2024 19:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Hill has now suggested that McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has been revolutionary for the team since being promoted into his current role. McLaren CEO Zak Brown was quick to highlight Stella’s contribution after Norris’s maiden race win at the previous Grand Prix.

Asked if he’s a secret weapon for McLaren, Hill said (19/5 4:10pm): “I think he’s found his position in the team and listening to Zak , he was saying that he was reluctant to step up originally. “But I think he needed a bit of encouragement and I think he’s perfect.”

“You can see from the way he talks to his team and about his drivers and he’s always encouraging and also thinking optimistically and gives logical answers. There doesn’t seem to be any sort of big ego there at all, it’s just simply the method is right.”

‘I think he’s perfect’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/damon-hill-raves-about-perfect-mclaren-mans-work-behind-the-scenes-after-imola-grand-prix/

[B]F1 NATION: A new F1 rivalry? Red Bull worried by McLaren? A Leclerc victory in Monaco? – it's our Emilia-Romagna GP Review
21 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

How did Verstappen go from enjoying a comfortable lead to almost losing the win? Why did Norris find so much pace towards the end? Could Oscar Piastri have won the race had he not been given a three-place grid penalty?

Charles Leclerc finished third, but how will Ferrari be feeling after such high expectations for their upgrades? Tom, Diego and Andrea discuss all the big talking points and the latest developments in the driver market.

Plus, RB Team Principal Laurent Mekies joins the pod to discuss whether they’re now targeting Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship and the team make their predictions for Monaco.

‘A new F1 rivalry?’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/f1-nation-a-new-f1-rivalry-red-bull-worried-by-mclaren-a-leclerc-victory-in.3Bh46SPChjb9b0QutjnEqn

Lando Norris: The Junior Career That Caught McLaren’s Attention
May 21, 2024
Nicole Powell
Last Word On Sports

A look at the progression of Lando Norris’ career from karting through to Formula 2, before he made his full F1 debut in 2019. McLaren driver Lando Norris made his name for himself in a successful 2016 season, where he had a knack for winning titles. As a result, Norris joined the McLaren Junior Driver Programme in 2017.

He then became the official test driver and reserve driver for the Papaya team in 2018, participating in a couple of practice sessions that season. In 2019, he was called up to be an official driver for the F1 team. Five years later, he is a race winner for McLaren, having taken his maiden win at the 2024 Miami GP.

‘Caught McLaren’s Attention’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/21/lando-norris-the-junior-career-that-caught-mclarens-attention/

Christian Horner issues Red Bull upgrade vow as McLaren and Ferrari close in
21 May 2024 10:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner has said Red Bull will respond in the F1 2024 development race following the emergence of McLaren and Ferrari over recent weeks. Speaking to Sky F1 after the race, Horner stressed the need for Red Bull to keep extracting more performance from the RB20 as their rivals close in.

He said: “It just demonstrates that things don’t stand still in Formula 1. You’ve got to keep pushing, you’ve got to keep moving forward. We’ve won five of the seven races now, but you can see McLaren have made a step, Ferrari made a step and we’re going to need to keep that rate of development coming through.”

‘Red Bull upgrade vow’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-red-bull-upgrade-mclaren-ferrari

Fortitude

22nd May 2024, 04:10

Where frustrated Ferrari really stands after McLaren beatings.
Ferrari had the air of frustration synonymous with a missed opportunity after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as its upgraded Formula 1 car finished third-best behind Red Bull and McLaren.
May 20, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Ferrari had the air of frustration synonymous with a missed opportunity after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as its upgraded Formula 1 car finished third-best behind Red Bull and McLaren.

The much-hyped first major Ferrari upgrade of 2024 was never intended to be the ‘evo’ or ‘2.0’ car that some overexcited parties dubbed it in the build-up to Imola. But as Ferrari had started the season, on balance, as Red Bull’s nearest competitor and even won a race, there was obvious optimism that it would edge it closer to its main rival.

A second successive defeat to McLaren, then, let alone failing to beat Red Bull would be seen as a clear disappointment. But it was actually what consigned Ferrari to third, rather than the result itself, that seemed to be irritating some key figures after the race.

‘Irritating’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/where-ferrari-really-stands-now-after-mclaren-beatings/

Vasseur ‘a bit frustrated’ as he pinpoints where Ferrari lost chance of home Imola victory
20 May 2024
Formula1.com

Charles Leclerc delivered a podium finish for the expectant Tifosi in Imola, with the crowds bedecked in Ferrari colours and roaring on both the Monegasque driver and team mate Carlos Sainz from start to finish.

Monza might be Ferrari’s true home race, but Imola isn’t far from their factory in Maranello. There is always a huge outpouring of support whenever the Scuderia race on home soil and the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was no exception – but with that support comes pressure.

While a third and a fifth is not a bad result, team boss Fred Vasseur was left wondering what might have been on a day that saw McLaren appear to leapfrog Ferrari to become Red Bull’s closest challengers. “Overall, it’s a kind of mixed feeling for me, because I think we did a step forward, McLaren did probably the same as us,” he said afterwards.

‘Vasseur frustrated’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/vasseur-a-bit-frustrated-as-he-pinpoints-where-ferrari-lost-chance-of-home.70EueHRKe5Xl4fnXbIt1C7

Ferrari must speed up upgrades push as F1 grid tightens - Vasseur
Ferrari just fell short of challenging for a Formula 1 win on home soil, but team boss Fred Vasseur is smelling blood as the gap to Red Bull shrinks.
11:43 Mon, 20 May 2024.
Filip Cleeren
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Charles Leclerc took a popular podium at Imola, with Carlos Sainz in fifth, as Ferrari was beaten by McLaren as F1's closest challenger to Red Bull's Max Verstappen. With overtaking nearly impossible on similar tyre strategies, Ferrari feels it effectively lost the battle for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in qualifying, with Vasseur saying: "I think that if we do 1-2 in qualifying, we do 1-2 in the race."

Vasseur says that one-tenth gap means teams will now have to accelerate development plans even further. Bringing just the tiniest upgrade can help make the difference as the rate of development slows under the current regulations. "What is true is that we are at the point now where we will have to speed up the development," said Vasseur.

"Imagine that someone could bring an upgrade one race [earlier] when you have three teams in one tenth, you can jump from P5 to P1. It means that we'll have to speed up the time to market, it will be crucial. But we also have to pay attention that we are now chasing the last hundredths. It's not anymore a five-tenth upgrade. It means that you also have to be sure that what you are bringing is working. It will be the key factor for the next couple of events."

‘Smelling blood’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-must-speed-up-upgrades-as-f1-grid-closes-vasseur/10613244/

Leclerc praises upgrade package, but calls for further improvement
07:39 Mon, 20 May 2024.
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ferrari still needs to find more pace in its SF-24 if it really wants to challenge for race wins, says Charles Leclerc after the Imola F1 race that saw him fail to achieve more than a third place.

"Today’s race went well and we got even closer to our rivals. If we had qualified higher up, we could have presented our fans with an even better result. After changing on to the Hard tyres I had great pace and managed to make up ground on Lando (Norris) and Max (Verstappen,) but in the end the McLaren was quicker than us, although not by much.”

"Overall, there are plenty of positives to take away from this race: the upgrades worked as expected and we are more competitive. We must continue to work to close the gap, which although small, still separates us from the race winner. Obviously, we dedicate this result and our performance to the Tifosi who are the best fans in the world and they always support us come what may. I’m sure we’ll soon be able to pay them back with a win."

‘We must continue to work’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24602

Charles Leclerc unhappy with Imola podium and explains issue that cost Ferrari
The Ferrari driver finished on the podium again but he still wasn't satisfied with his third place at Imola
19 May 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Charles Leclerc admitted he wasn’t happy with finishing third at the 2024 Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, after Ferrari’s upgrades failed to produce a tangible boost to their performance.

“It’s always very special to be on the podium here in Imola. However, obviously I’m never satisfied with the P3. You always want to be on the top step of the podium,” Leclerc told the press, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“Considering everything, I think we have lost mostly what could have been yesterday in qualifying and we’ll analyse this. But today in the race, as Lando said, we were all very, very close. And it was all about who was pushing when [at different points] in the race.”

‘Unhappy with Imola podium’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-charles-leclerc-unhappy-imola-podium-ferrari-issue/

Ferrari beef up title fight potential despite Imola result
Ferrari secured a podium result at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday as team principal Frederic Vasseur looks to a potential title fight in 2024.
20 May 2024, 7:25AM
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has hinted at the prospect of a title fight this season following its podium result at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. “It’s good news for me, good news for F1, good news for the championship,” Vasseur told media including RacingNews365.

“You have three teams within seven seconds after 70 laps, it's less than one-tenth a lap. It’s almost the same from the beginning of the weekend. We start from scratch next weekend in Monaco with a different track layout, different corners.”

‘Beef up title fight potential’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-beef-up-title-fight-potential-despite-imola-result

Sainz laments Ferrari 'inconsistencies' for race he 'didn't enjoy at all'
Carlos Sainz has revealed a number of issues ruined his Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, on a quiet day for the Spaniard.
20 May 2024, 12:30PM
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Having lined up fourth on the grid, the 29-year-old brought his Ferrari home in fifth after a quiet race. Team-mate Charles Leclerc started and finished in third, to take Ferrari's first podium finish at Imola since Michael Schumacher won for the Scuderia in 2006. "Today, simply, we were lacking quite a lot of pace," Sainz explained to media including RacingNews365.

"Not very happy because I'm pretty sure after quali[fying] yesterday, we saw something in the car that might not have been working as expected. We also had some issues with deployment, so today was a bit of [a] damage limitation race for me after what we saw yesterday.”

"Honestly not happy because we've been all weekend lagging a bit and a bit behind - a couple of tenths [of a second] too slow, which is not ideal. Having said that, P5 and the race how it went - it's not like much happened."

'Inconsistencies';

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-bemoans-imola-race-hampering-ferrari-issues

Toto Wolff savaged by Ferrari chief after more Mercedes pain at Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Mercedes continue to languish behind the top teams, and now Toto Wolff has been teased by one of his closest friends and rivals.
11:16, Mon, May 20, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Fred Vasseur sarcastically suggested that Mercedes are getting closer to the front after Charles Leclerc finished ‘28 seconds’ ahead of the Silver Arrows’ highest-running driver, Lewis Hamilton, at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday. Speaking to Motorsport Italy about Ferrari’s former rivals, Vasseur said: “The Mercedes? They were 28 seconds behind Charles at the end of the race, so yes, I think they got a little closer."

These comments will come as a kick to the teeth of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who is growing ever-frustrated with his team’s inability to understand the underlying issues with their design concept. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished in P6 and P7 respectively on Sunday, but the Silver Arrows were some way off the top three squads on the day.

‘Sarcastically savaged’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1901287/Toto-Wolff-Fred-Vasseur-Emilia-Romagna-Grand-Prix

Fortitude

22nd May 2024, 15:50

Toto Wolff ‘angry’ but Mercedes W15 F1 car has architecture to catch Red Bull.
Toto Wolff admits he is “angry” at Mercedes’ current competitive state but believes the team’s 2024 F1 car now has the architectural baseline needed to catch Red Bull.
20 May 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes have introduced upgrades at the last two races in Miami and Imola in a bid to cure their struggles to strike a balance between performance in high-speed and low-speed corners, a major weakness of the inconsistent W15.

Mercedes finished over 35 seconds adrift of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who claimed his fifth win in seven races. “I think we never had such clear indications like we’ve had in the last few races where we really saw that the car was either going really fast in the high speed or in the low speed, but never both of them together,” Wolff told media including Crash.net at Imola. “That’s something that we are able now to slowly dial out.”

Wolff conceded Mercedes’ current level of performance is simply “not good enough” but stressed the eight-time constructors’ world champions are now on the right path after two seasons of “zig-zagging”. “I don’t know how often I used the stable platform, I think a stable platform is a car where you know which development direction to take,” he explained. “Where you think you can be in the best performance, and that has been the zig-zagging over those last years, and there have been these false dawns absolutely.

“Zig-zagging”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048909/1/toto-wolff-angry-mercedes-w15-f1-car-has-architecture-catch-red-bull

Toto Wolff gets brutal with Mercedes staff after being raided by Ferrari
Toto Wolff has made some frank comments about his staff roster following a string of key departures.
May 19, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff has seen key members of his team depart for Ferrari. Toto Wolff has suggested that some members of his staff ‘had to go’ amidst a series of key departures. Jerome d’Ambrosio and Loic Serra both completed moves to Ferrari ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 about the high turnover of staff in recent months, Wolff said: “We’re in a really good spot because we had eight consecutive championships and then it started to deteriorate and part of that is also human component.

“And I think how it’s shaping up now some wanted to go, some we had to go, and in the same time we’re adding fresh joiners. All of that with the leadership of James [Allison], who does so well, he’s such an inspiration for the team, that I feel we’re in an upward trajectory with the motivation, the energy and the competence.”

‘Brutal’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1901030/Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-Ferrari

Toto Wolff’s ‘some had to go’ response to Mercedes losing key personnel
19 May 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Losing Loïc Serra and Jerome d’Ambrosio to Ferrari, Toto Wolff isn’t worried about the loss of key personnel as he insists some people “had to go” as Mercedes bring in others.

Mercedes have struggled in Formula 1’s ground-effect aerodynamic era with just one since the beginning of 2022 while this season, even with a heavily-revised W15, neither Lewis Hamilton nor George Russell have stepped onto a Grand Prix podium yet.

On Friday, the team also confirmed the departure of chief aerodynamicist Gioacchino Vino, who has officially begun his six months of gardening leave. His next destination has yet to be confirmed. But despite losing three key people, Mercedes motorsport boss Wolff insists the Brackley squad are in a “good spot” as they’re also recruiting “fresh” personnel.

‘Some had to go’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-brutal-response-mercedes-losing-key-personnel

Mercedes’ “small step forward” not reflected in Imola result – Wolff
20th May 2024
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Mercedes made some progress with their W15 at Imola but it wasn’t reflected in their drivers’ finishing positions, said team principal Toto Wolff. Wolff said the changes have improved the car’s performance, but as their closest rivals McLaren and Ferrari also found gains with their cars, the effect was masked.

“It’s not possible to see it in terms of the result, but we have taken a small step forward this weekend,” said Wolff. “Our closest competitors have also done so recently, but we have closed the gap to the front a little.” Hamilton finished 35 seconds off race winner Max Verstappen at the end of 63 laps without a Safety Car appearance. In the last race completed under green flag conditions, at Suzuka, the first Mercedes home was 48 seconds behind the winner.

“We still have a lot of work to do and of course, we are all frustrated finishing P6 and P7,” Wolff continued. “There is more to come though and it is all about making incremental gains. These are what we need to keep delivering if we are to get ourselves in the fight with the three teams ahead of us.”

“Small step forward”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/20/mercedes-small-step-forward-not-reflected-in-imola-result-wolff/

Lewis Hamilton offers concerning Mercedes update as Toto Wolff set for more pain
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have endured a frustrating start to the 2024 campaign, and their pain is projected to continue.
May 21, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that the upgrades currently in the Mercedes pipeline are not enough to close the gap to Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren. The Silver Arrows are currently languishing down in P4 in the Constructors’ Championship and were in a different league to their rivals in Imola. Discussing his performance at the Emilia Romagna GP, Hamilton said:

“I think my pace in the second stint was comparable to the guys that are out towards the front. But I think we’re still lacking two or three tenths.” Bridging that gap may prove difficult, “That I cannot tell you,” he replied when asked if Mercedes could catch the top three teams. “I don’t have… that deficit, like I said George [was] five-tenths off yesterday and in the race probably three or four tenths. That’s not in the wind tunnel at the moment development-wise.”

However, according to Hamilton, these changes had little effect on his team’s performance. “Not a big difference,” he revealed after the chequered flag in Imola. “Small steps, but very very small.” In fact, the performance gain from Mercedes’ upgrades was so incremental that Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur poked fun at them. Asked by Motorsport Italy whether or not they were closer to challenging his team, he replied: “The Mercedes? They were 28 seconds behind Charles at the end of the race, so yes, I think they got a little closer."

‘Not in the wind tunnel’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1901689/Lewis-Hamilton-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes

Peter Windsor disagrees with Toto Wolff comment after Hamilton and Russell struggles
Mercedes endured another frustrating Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished sixth and seventh respectively, and Peter Windsor has had his say
20 May 2024
By Harry Brent Senior Sports Writer
The Mirror

Toto Wolff has been slammed by ex-Formula 1 team boss Peter Windsor who claims that Mercedes have made "no progress at all". Sharing his thoughts via his YouTube channel, the 72-year-old suggested that Hamilton and Russell's similar lap times to Yuki Tsunoda indicate very little progress being made at Mercedes in the past year, reports the Express.

He pointed towards other teams, commenting: "McLaren are proving their worth, Ferrari have improved a lot last year". He went on to criticise Mercedes' assertions of progress: "It's only Mercedes really who keep saying, 'Yeah we've improved a lot with small bits here and small bits there', then it's one step forward, half a step back.”

"And in case of qualifying, Toto Wolff saying we're right up there, we're only half a second away from the poll shows the sort of improvements that we're making. And yet at the same time, the two Mercedes [drivers were] split by Yuki Tsunoda in the second B team Red Bull car, which isn't progress at all."

‘Assertions of progress!!!’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mercedes-toto-wolff-f1-imola-32851044

Toto Wolff explains why George Russell’s team order request was rejected at Imola
Toto Wolff addresses why Mercedes didn't accept George Russell's request to adopt team orders at Imola.
19 May 2024
Connor McDonagh

Russell was the only driver inside the top 10 to complete the race on a two-stop strategy. As a result, Russell dropped behind Hamilton on track as Mercedes switched their drivers. When pitting, Russell inquired whether Mercedes would tell Hamilton to give P6 back at the end of the race given that the former had run ahead for the majority of it.

Explaining the situation at the end of the race, Wolff said that Russell’s second pit stop was a “safety call”. “We haven’t spoken,” Wolff said. “His lap times were getting slower and slower. Our forecast, at the time, said he wouldn’t make it to the end. “We didn’t want to lose the position to Perez. So that was the call.”

“The forecast was three or four laps short, to make it.” If Russell hadn’t made a second stop, Wolff feels that Hamilton would have beaten him anyway. “Lewis would have probably taken him, anyway,” he added. “The point is, we are racing for P6 and P7. We, at least, wanted to keep the Red Bull behind. It was a safety call.”

“Safety call”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048831/1/toto-wolff-explains-why-george-russells-team-order-request-was-rejected-imola

Fortitude

23rd May 2024, 06:06

The most open Monaco in years? Eight talking points for the 2024 Monaco GP.
With Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari all within eight seconds at the end of a race without Safety Cars last weekend, there could be many contenders for the most prestigious win on the calendar this weekend.
22nd May 2024, 7:16
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Most open Monaco in years? For the team who have produced the fastest cars in the field in recent years, Red Bull have also been the strongest around the slowest circuit on the calendar too. “Monaco is completely different,” he said after Imola. “It was incredibly close and Monaco is always very hectic. You need to really nail all of qualifying to get a lap together there, get the tyres to work as well when it matters, it’s always very tricky. Monaco is very special, I would say, in that sense.”

Leclerc’s overdue home podium. Beyond Red Bull and Ferrari, there will be special focus on Ferrari – as there so often is – this weekend. Not only because of the team’s enduring popularity, but because it is Charles Leclerc’s home grand prix.

Verstappen seeks record-breaking pole. Verstappen narrowly claimed pole position at Imola last week, heading Norris by just seven hundredths of a second (after a penalty relegated Piastri from second).

‘Perez under pressure? Aston Martin’s halted momentum. Alpine animosity? Yachting and blocking. Losing its lustre?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/22/the-most-open-monaco-in-years-eight-talking-points-for-the-2024-monaco-gp/

Why is Monaco different? 2024 Monaco GP Preview
‎May‎ ‎22‎, ‎2024‎ ‎10‎:‎28‎ ‎PM

Everything about Monaco is different. Yes, it is. It's not just the race distance or the circuit length, but even the podium ceremony. Did you know that in Monaco the trophies are handed out before the national anthem? At the other circuits, it is the other way around. Yes, keep an eye out for this one.

For the teams and drivers, the challenge of Monaco is what excites them. Qualifying is key and "track position" is everything around the streets of Monaco. In the race, it is more about not ceding track position to your rival than finishing the race in the shortest possible race time.

For the teams, Monaco is logistical challenge given the smaller confines to work within. Upgrades are the name of the game, but the "confidence" in the cockpit is what the teams will help their drivers chase in Monaco.

‘Why is Monaco different?’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/why-is-monaco-different-2024-monaco-gp-preview

2024 Monaco Grand Prix: Preview and Predictions
May 22, 2024
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

The diamond of the Formula 1 calendar returns this weekend, as the drivers head to the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. The race weekend comes at arguably the most important time of the season, Verstappen and Oracle Red Bull Racing have been pushed to the limit over the past two race weekends, and if we are to see a battle for either championship, it has to continue around Monaco.

If the last two races are used as evidence, the gap between Red Bull and both McLaren F1 Team and Scuderia Ferrari has drastically closed but on a different type of circuit, we’ll see if this trend continues.

Monaco can deliver some freak results. Think back to the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, which saw Fernando Alonso almost take pole position and the win while Esteban Ocon and BWT Alpine F1 Team claimed a podium and this weekend the battle should be really interesting with at least five different drivers battling it out at the front.

‘Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz Jr., Sergio Pérez, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, McLaren F1 Team’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/05/2024-monaco-grand-prix-preview-and-predictions/

Toto Wolff gives clear instructions to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for Monaco GP
Mercedes' status as the fourth-fastest team in Formula 1 right now was cemented last weekend in Imola as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were left unable to compete
11:17 Wed, 22 May 2024
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

The Austrian said: "The small step forward we took in Imola was encouraging. The team has worked incredibly hard to bring our recent updates to the track, and it was a clear performance gain. That being said, others have improved too

"We are still a step behind the front three teams therefore, and there is plenty of work still to do. Nevertheless, we have a clear direction and developments in the pipeline. We have a more solid platform to build on now and we are confident that, in time, we can get ourselves into the pack ahead.”

"That work continues this weekend in Monaco. It is a unique circuit and a fantastic challenge for the team and drivers. It is always hard to predict expected performance, but we will look to execute a clean weekend and maximise the car we have."

‘Clear instructions’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mercedes-monaco-hamilton-russell-wolff-32865421

McLaren Monaco GP setup and why Lando Norris thinks they will be competitive
McLaren are beginning to close the gap on Red Bull - and Lando Norris expects the team to be quicker at the next race in Monaco
22 May 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

“We have a couple of changes for Monaco, like I’m sure everyone does and you set up the car completely differently to what you would set up the car here, so I don’t think it correlates exactly the same,” Norris told the written press in Imola, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“When we just set the car up for slow speed, we’re better. But when you have to set it up for high speed, it means we don’t have [pace in] slow speed [corners]. That’s when we make the most of our strengths, which is high-medium [speed circuits] and we take the hit in slow speed.”

“We have some little things and even the upgrade we had last weekend helped us a little bit move in the right direction. But my worst corner on track today was was Turn 14 to 15, the slowest part of the circuit, and that’s where I was losing most of my time still. So we still have that as a weakness and we know that we’re working on it.”

‘Beginning to close the gap’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-mclaren-monaco-gp-setup-lando-norris-competitive/

Marko predicts Red Bull difficulties around Monaco
Red Bull is gunning for a fourth straight win around the streets of Monaco - but Helmut Marko believes it could run into challenges.
23 May 2024, 6:30AM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

With Red Bull aiming for its fourth consecutive win at Monaco this weekend, Marko has predicted a difficult event ahead for his team. "We definitely need to rise up to the challenge of McLaren," Marko stated to De Telegraaf.

“Now we go to Monaco and there, it's pretty much all about qualifying. I think that will be the most difficult race so far for us, also because of the bumps and kerbs there. I also expect a lot from Ferrari there and especially Charles Leclerc."

‘Challenges’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-predicts-red-bull-difficulties-around-monaco

Ferrari duo divided on Monaco GP chances with SF-24 ‘not optimised’ for Monte Carlo
22 May 2024 4:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Leclerc said ahead of the weekend. “The good thing is that everything we expected from those upgrades [in Imola], we had it. In terms of data, it did exactly what it was supposed to do, which is always a good thing. For some reason, we had a slightly different power strategy compared to McLaren and Red Bull in Imola qualifying, and we lost everything on the run down to Turn Two. Max, on top of that, had the slipstream. But this is something we’ll have to look into, because especially on a track like this, track position is absolutely everything.

As for Sainz, while he thinks Ferrari are a good match for the other top teams in race trim, he believes Red Bull and McLaren “have a bit more” in qualifying. At a circuit as tight as Monaco, that would hamper the Scuderia in the race – and he feels the current car is better-suited to circuits with more medium and high-speed corners compared to the narrow, twisting nature of Monte Carlo.

When asked about his prospects for Monaco specifically, he added: “[It’s] all about quali, so we’ll have a look at what we can do there. This package is not optimised for Monaco, it’s more medium-high speed tracks, so I don’t expect nothing huge. What we need to make sure on our side is that we get into the detail of what we saw [on Saturday] on my side of the garage, and have a good look at what it could have been.”

‘SF-24 ‘not optimised’ for Monte Carlo’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-drivers-opposite-views-monaco-gp-prospects

Fortitude

23rd May 2024, 16:35

Is this the year Leclerc gets to end his Monaco 'jinx'?
The 26-year-old has yet to stand on his home podium in five attempts, four with Ferrari, but he can end that 'jinx' on Sunday.
Published
May 23, 2024, 08:25 PM
The Straits Times

MONACO - Since the start of the championship in 1950, Formula One has not had a home winner of its showcase Monaco Grand Prix and Charles Leclerc has enjoyed little luck in the principality since he joined Ferrari in 2019.

"Monaco is very special for me. True that it hasn't been the most successful race for me until now," Leclerc said after finishing third in last weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola.

"However, the pace was always there and that gives me the confidence that it will be the case this year too. However, Monaco is so specific that we need to start a little bit from a blank page. Free practice is super, super important to build the pace little by little. But I'm confident we'll be strong."

‘Can end that 'jinx' on Sunday’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/is-this-the-year-leclerc-gets-to-end-his-monaco-jinx

Leclerc expects to be “in the mix” for third Monaco GP pole
23rd May 2024, 14:45
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Charles Leclerc expects he will have the chance to take his third pole position in four years at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. But the Ferrari driver, who has never finished on the podium at his home round, wants nothing less than a victory in a race where he has often suffered misfortune.

“The win is what we need to target,” said Leclerc. “We’ve seen in the last few races that Red Bull, McLaren and ourselves are pretty close in qualifying and we know how important is qualifying here. So we’ll have to put everything together and if we’re on pole, then that will give us good chances to get what we want, which is which is a win.”

“In the mix”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/23/leclerc-expects-to-be-in-the-mix-for-third-monaco-gp-pole/

Early Monaco GP predictions: The favourite, two teams in the mix and a potential dark horse
23 May 2024 4:00 PM
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com

Monaco is not just another race on the calendar; it’s a spectacle, a tradition, and perhaps the most unique challenge of the season. Despite its many quirks and challenges, this legendary street circuit has remained a staple in the Formula 1 world, drawing in massive crowds to witness the glamour and drama unfold in the heart of this stunning city.

The absolute favourite in this segment is certainly Red Bull, from whom we have seen in previous races how they use a more aggressive aero package compared to other teams. Their high efficiency in overall aerodynamics allows them to do this without excessive drag loss or maximum speed.

However, Ferrari and McLaren can mix things up. Additionally, there’s the Aston Martin team, which was very close to winning at this venue last year. All in all, we can expect a very interesting battle in Monaco.

‘The favourite, two teams in the mix and a potential dark horse’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/monaco-gp-predictions-2024-dark-horses-race-winners

Russell expects stronger weekend in Monaco as track will hide car’s weaknesses
23rd May 2024, 15:26
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“We’ve known all season that we struggle to balance high-to-low speed,” he explained. “We can either get it quite competitive in low speed and we struggle at high speed or vice-versa. So we are hoping that with relatively consistent corner speeds at this circuit, that we should be slightly more competitive.”

Mercedes have also made improvements to its W15 through the upgrades introduced last weekend and at the previous round in Miami, he added. “The car is definitely more balanced through through the lap now. “We were struggling a lot at the start to balancing the high to low speed corners, and I think it we have made progress. When you look at the gap to Red Bull, when you look at the gap to the rest of the midfield, we have moved forward.”

“But I do think it’s fair to say Ferrari and McLaren have move forward at the same rate. So we need to keep them working, bringing those upgrades to the car. The whole team are working flat-out right now to bring those upgrades as quick as possible.”

‘Stronger weekend in Monaco’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/23/russell-expects-stronger-weekend-in-monaco-as-track-will-hide-cars-weaknesses/

Piastri feels McLaren are 'definitely in with a shout' for victory in Monaco GP
23rd May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Although he says his team McLaren are "not getting ahead of ourselves", Oscar Piastri suggests they have a good chance to win this weekend's Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.

'Definitely in with a shout';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/piastri-feels-mclaren-are-definitely-in-with-a-shout-for-victory-in-monaco-gp.1799851222200353883

Bottas: 'We've got all Friday' to 'find that speed for a single lap' in Monaco GP qualifying
23rd May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Valtteri Bottas discusses what the Kick Sauber team need to do to compete in qualifying for this weekend's Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.

'We've got all Friday';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bottas-weve-got-all-friday-to-find-that-speed-for-a-single-lap-in-monaco-gp-qualifying.1799847221558903894

Record-chasing Max Verstappen seeks qualified success at Monaco Grand Prix
May 23, 2024, 07:32 PM
The Straits Times

Verstappen knows he is in a fight at every race now and that he will need to do it again on May 25 on the narrow and unforgiving barrier-lined streets of the Mediterranean principality, where qualifying has more influence than anywhere else on the Formula One calendar.

“It is so unique. Completely different,” he said. “It was incredibly close at Imola and at Monaco it is always very hectic. You need to really nail it in qualifying to get a lap together, to get the tyres to work and it is always very tricky. Monaco is so very special and a special challenge.”

“Monaco is so specific that we need to start a little bit from a blank page,” said Leclerc. “Free practice is super, super important to build the pace little by little, but I am confident we will be strong. It’s very special for me, of course, even though it hasn’t been a successful place for me.”

‘In a fight at every race now’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/record-chasing-max-verstappen-seeks-qualified-success-at-monaco-grand-prix

Fortitude

24th May 2024, 05:18

Ferrari will be “the ones to beat” in Monaco – Perez.
Despite his Red Bull team mate Max Verstappenwinning last weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris, Sergio Perez expects that Ferrari will be favourites for victory in Monaco this weekend.
24th May 2024, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

In the round-up: Sergio Perez names Ferrari the favourites for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. “I expect a very fast Ferrari,” Perez told the official F1 channel. “I think they will be the fastest. They’ll be the ones to beat.”

“I think if we are able to get a perfect Q3, we can give them a run. Also McLaren will be very strong, and you never know all the other teams. I think it’s going to be very close in between a lot of cars. There will be some surprises with few other cars because Monaco’s characteristics are very different to anything else. Given how close the margins have been I think in qualifying you can have a couple of cars up there.”

‘Ferrari will be favourites for victory in Monaco this weekend’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/24/racefans-round-up-24-05-7/

F1 - 2024 Monaco Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript
23.05.24
FIA (Press Release)
FIA.com

Q: Charles, let's start with you. Home turf, how confident are you feeling coming into the weekend? Charles LECLERC: I'm feeling good. Obviously, it's always a very special feeling, the Monaco week. I think it is for all the drivers, but for me specifically, having grown up here, it’s extra special, so I'm really looking forward to it. We've always been competitive here, so I hope it will be just the same this weekend. However, the finality of the weekend hasn't ever been the one I wanted, which we have worked on a lot. We've done our preparation in the best possible way. I hope that this weekend will be the good one.

Q: Max, coming to you now. It was a brilliant win on Sunday for you at Imola, but it wasn't a smooth weekend for you and the team. Any concerns that you're going to have similar issues this weekend? Max VERSTAPPEN: It's a completely different track. I think, looking at the track layout, it's probably not going to be our best track, just because our car normally struggles a bit over bumps and kerbs. We did work on it a bit compared to last year. I think so far, on most of the tracks that we've been to, our low-speed performance has improved a little bit. But I don't think this is going to be a very easy weekend. But I think Monaco never is very straightforward, even when you are supposed to have the best car. Monaco is a very tricky track to get everything to work, get the tyres to work, in a quali lap, for example, red flags, there's always a lot of disruption and a lot of things can go right, but also a lot of things can go wrong. So yeah, we just need to be on it.

Q: Yuki, coming to you, things are going well for you. You've scored points in four of the last five races. How do you assess your performance so far this year? Yuki TSUNODA: Yeah, feeling good for sure. The team also helped me for sure. The car performance this year, is very consistent, easy to adapt as well. So generally, initially already from FP1, we have good pace. So yeah, very happy, as a team, as well to keep being able to extract performance [like in] previous races and so far enjoying as well.

‘DRIVERS – Esteban OCON (Alpine), Yuki TSUNODA (RB), George RUSSELL (Mercedes), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Alex ALBON (Williams), Charles LECLERC (Ferrari)’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-monaco-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript

F1 2024 Monaco Grand Prix: Race preview, burning questions, Oscar Piastri chances, Charles Leclerc home hoodoo, Monte Carlo
21:02 Thu, 23 May 2024.
Fox Sports (Australia)

CAN LECLERC FINALLY BREAK HIS HOME-RACE HOODOO? There’s no such thing as curses in sport — except when you’re talking about Charles Leclerc and his home grand prix. The Monegasque’s run of bad luck at the Monaco Grand Prix is colossal.
In 2018, racing for Alfa Romeo, he suffered a brake failure late in the race and was classified 18th.
In 2019, his first year with Ferrari, he topped third practice and was on course for pole when a tactical blunder saw him knocked out in Q1. He crashed out of the race in his eagerness to recover ground.

In 2021 he took pole but suffered a gearbox failure on his way to the starting grid. The non-start was linked to damage from a Q3 crash not picked up by the team in pre-race checks.
In 2022 he scored pole again, but the usually unimpeachable power of a P1 start in Monte Carlo was undone by a comical series of strategy errors that dropped him off the podium to fourth.
Last year he qualified a competitive third but was penalised three places on the grid after the team failed to prevent him impeding Lando Norris during Q3. He started and finished sixth.

But his bad luck runs even deeper than that. Leclerc dominated the 2017 Formula 2 championship and took pole for the Monte Carlo round but was forced to retire following a botched pit stop in the feature race. Regulations meant he then started the sprint race in 17th, from which he also retired with electrical problems. And it goes beyond competitive appearances too. In 2022 he was taking part in a demonstration parade in Niki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari 312B3 when it suffered a brake failure and he crashed into the barriers at Rascasse. What does fate have in store for him this year?

‘HOME-RACE HOODOO’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2024-monaco-grand-prix-race-preview-burning-questions-oscar-piastri-chances-charles-leclerc-home-hoodoo-monte-carlo-under-threat-of-new-deal/news-story/26fc9d90751fc3c2aa81287cf6b244b8

WEEKEND WARM-UP: Can McLaren and Ferrari continue to challenge Red Bull as F1 arrives in Monaco?
22:39 Thu, 23 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

The iconic Monaco Grand Prix is the next stop on the 2024 Formula 1 calendar, but who will master the streets of Monte Carlo amid an increasingly close battle at the front?

Max Verstappen might have returned to winning ways last time out in Imola, but it was far from straightforward for the Red Bull driver, with Lando Norris coming agonisingly close to stealing victory in the latter stages of the race.

Will McLaren continue to pose a threat this weekend? And can Ferrari also get in on the action as Charles Leclerc searches for his first podium in his home event? There is also plenty to discuss in terms of off-track news, as speculation persists over the driver market. Who could be the next to confirm their destination for 2025?

‘F1 arrives in Monaco’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/weekend-warm-up-can-mclaren-and-ferrari-continue-to-challenge-red-bull-as-f1.7dwDCXVAC7Knm7oytHd5Bl

First pictures from the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix weekend
23rd May 2024, 11:39
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

‘Pictures from the build-up to the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix at Monaco where McLaren have shown off their special Ayrton Senna livery for this weekend’s race’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/23/first-pictures-from-the-2024-monaco-grand-prix-weekend/

Monaco Grand Prix: UK Schedule, where to watch Practice, Qualifying and Grand Prix for Formula One's most historic, prestigious and iconic circuit on the racing calendar
• Formula 1's returns to Europe for the eight race weekend of the 2024 season
• Monaco is the most prestigious circuit on the F1 calendar and has produced some iconic moments over the years
• Max Verstappen won the 2023 Monaco GP followed by Fernando Alonso in second and Esteban Ocon finishing third
23 May 2024
By Kim Morrissey
MailOnline

Monaco Grand Prix - Schedule
Friday, May 24
• Practice One: 12:30pm to 1:30pm
• Practice Two: 4pm to 5pm
Saturday, May 25
• Practice Three: 11:30am to 12:30pm
• Qualifying: 3pm to 4pm
Sunday, May 26
• Monaco Grand Prix: 2pm
*All times BST*

‘Monaco Grand Prix: UK Schedule’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13451429/2024-Monaco-GP-UK-Schedule-watch-Practice-Qualifying-Grand-Prix-F1.html

Fortitude

24th May 2024, 13:36

Hamilton tops red-flagged first practice ahead of Monaco GP.
No-one would improve upon Hamilton's leading time of 1:12.169. It would be McLaren-Mercedes-McLaren directly behind the seven-time champion, ahead of Leclerc and the Aston Martins.
24 May 2:31PM
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in free practice 1 for the Monaco Grand Prix after Zhou Guanyu temporarily halted the session after bringing out a red flag. The Stake F1 driver hit the outside of Sainte-Devote, removing his front wing endplate, which was subsequently picked up by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez would finish P11 and P12, just behind the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, but neither ran the fastest soft Pirelli tyres. Both RBs got themselves into the top 10, with Yuki Tsunoda leading Daniel Ricciardo in eighth and ninth, respectively.

‘Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-tops-red-flagged-first-practice-ahead-of-monaco-gp

Monaco GP: Free Practice 1 Results
24 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 34 1:12.169

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 30 1:12.198 0.029

3 63 George Russell Mercedes 34 1:12.295 0.126

4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 32 1:12.396 0.227

5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 32 1:12.397 0.228

6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 26 1:12.775 0.606

7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 25 1:12.789 0.620

8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 34 1:12.875 0.706

9 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 35 1:12.901 0.732

10 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 34 1:12.954 0.785

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/monaco-gp-free-practice-1-results/

2024 Monaco GP FP1: Verstappen, Leclerc and Piastri kiss the barriers as they find the limit in first practice
24 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri were among those pushing the limits from the get-go in Monaco this weekend, as they all skimmed the barriers in first practice.

‘Kiss the barriers’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-monaco-gp-fp1-verstappen-leclerc-and-piastri-kiss-the-barriers-as-they-find-the-limit-in-first-practice.1799937786483002719

F1 Monaco GP: Hamilton tops briefly red-flagged FP1
May 24, 2024, 1:43 PM
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Lewis Hamilton headlined the opening free practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix as the seven-time Formula 1 champion went fastest moments before a red flag.

The Briton reached the peak of the FP1 times by 0.029s over McLaren's Oscar Piastri, as the top five were all within a quarter of a second in this weekend's opening timed session at the Monaco circuit. Russell was third fastest, 0.126s shy of Hamilton's ultimate time, while Norris and Leclerc were separated by just 0.001s behind him.

Fernando Alonso was sixth, 0.6s off of the best lap of the session, accosted by Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll and RB's Yuki Tsunoda. Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz completed the top 10, as both Red Bulls fell outside of the top 10 having struggled with car balance throughout the session.

‘Hamilton tops FP1’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-monaco-gp-fp1-hamilton/10614757/

Hamilton fastest, mixed fortunes for Monaco GP favourites in FP1
Lewis Hamilton topped the opening free practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix.
May 24, 2024
by Edd Straw

THE FAVOURITES: The expectation heading into the weekend was that the battle at the front will be between McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull. McLaren was on top of that group, with Norris backing up Piastri’s second place by setting the fourth-fastest time.

ASTON MARTIN ENCOURAGEMENT: After a difficult Imola weekend, Aston Martin ended up sixth and seventh fastest courtesy of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, the duo separated by just 0.014s.

TROUBLE FOR ALPINE: Twelve months ago, Esteban Ocon bagged an unexpected podium finish for Alpine founded on qualifying a superb fourth (and starting third) but it was a slow start for the struggling French-owned squad this year.

‘Hamilton fastest’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/hamilton-mercedes-fastest-monaco-gp-fp1-mclaren-ferrari-red-bull/

Fortitude

24th May 2024, 17:33

Monaco GP: Leclerc bosses FP2 with Hamilton second.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was looking in strong form at his home circuit on Friday, topping the afternoon times with almost two tenths in hand over Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton who was best of the rest in FP2.
24/05/2024 at 17:14
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso was third quickest for Aston martin, putting him just ahead of Max verstappen who was still not happy with the handling of his Red Bull, saying it was "jumping like a kangaroo" at one point. Verstappen was one of many drivers to have contact with the barrier, with Esteban Ocon, Logan Sargeant and Lance Stroll all having moments but none serious enough to caused any stoppages during the session.

(During the FP2) Home boy Leclerc then went top with a new time of 1:14.080s in the Ferrari. His time at the top was short before Hamilton regained the advantage and the merry-go-round went for another spin with Russell and Norris joining the fray as Verstappen went 0.044s quicker. Leclerc found some clear space and improved by a quantum leap to 1:12.372s, almost nine tenths swifter than the Red Bull, and this kept the Monegasque out of reach of Hamilton's next effort.

Fortunately there were no serious incidents in the remaining time, and the session came to a quiet conclusion with Leclerc still firmly on top ahead of Hamilton and Alonso. Degradation did not appear to be an issue with Verstappen easily racking up the laps on his hard compound and Alexander Albon getting the same sort of mileage out of the mediums on the Williams but struggling with wear at the end, as was Hamilton. Both Sauber and RB had preserved their sets of the soft compound, as had Piastri. At Mercedes it was problems with the steering wheel causing headaches for Russell.

‘Leclerc bosses FP2’;

https://f1i.com/news/508843-monaco-gp-leclerc-bosses-fp2-with-hamilton-second-quickest.html

Monaco GP: Free Practice 2 Results
25 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 36 1:11.278

2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 31 1:11.466 0.188

3 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 36 1:11.753 0.475

4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 36 1:11.813 0.535

5 4 Lando Norris McLaren 34 1:11.953 0.675

6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 35 1:11.962 0.684

7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 22 1:12.062 0.784

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 30 1:12.099 0.821

9 23 Alex Albon Williams 37 1:12.257 0.979

10 63 George Russell Mercedes 29 1:12.260 0.982

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/monaco-gp-free-practice-2-results/

Pictures: F1 teams reveal their high-downforce trim for Monaco Grand Prix
24th May 2024, 16:11
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

All 10 Formula 1 teams have new, high-downforce rear wing bodywork for Monaco. But some have made further changes to their cars for this extreme track.

‘High-downforce trim’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/24/pictures-f1-teams-reveal-their-high-downforce-trim-for-monaco-grand-prix/

Monaco GP: Charles Leclerc impressively tops FP2 as Lewis Hamilton stays in the mix
24 May 2024 5:01 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc went fastest in FP2 for the Monaco Grand Prix, pipping Lewis Hamilton to top spot, as the Mercedes driver backed up his table-topping pace from FP1. Leclerc kept top spot when the majority of the field took in qualifying simulations on soft tyres, but perhaps most impressively, he was almost a second clear of the rest of the field after their opening 20-minute runs as he showed confidence throughout the session at his home circuit.

Verstappen went two tenths behind Leclerc’s benchmark on medium tyres, with the Ferrari driver going even faster to clock a 1:11.278 – a half-second buffer between himself and the Red Bull driver after their first soft-tyre runs. Adding to his team-mate’s concerns about the ride of his Red Bull, Sergio Perez complained he could not see at certain parts of the track from his car, adding his car felt “horrendous” and could not see the apex of Massenet, going uphill.

A 1:11.466 from Hamilton was the closest anyone came to toppling him in the session, with the seven-time World Champion backing up his early pace from FP1 in qualifying simulations. Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso took Verstappen’s place behind Leclerc – albeit still almost half a second behind – though the Red Bull driver aborted his second flying lap after setting the fastest first sector of anyone after making contact with the wall on the exit of Turn 7 [Mirabeau Bas].

‘Charles Leclerc impressively tops FP2’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/monaco-grand-prix-2024-fp2-report

2024 Monaco GP FP2: Verstappen shows his frustration after being held up by Tsunoda
24 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen made it quite clear how he felt about RB’s Yuki Tsunoda impeding his progress in second practice, with a wave to his Japanese colleague as he passed on track.

‘Verstappen shows his frustration’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-monaco-gp-fp2-verstappen-shows-his-frustration-after-being-held-up-by-tsunoda.1799950835117825735

Leclerc the early Monaco GP favourite after practice
May 24, 2024
by Jack Cozens
The Race

Charles Leclerc marked himself out as the Monaco Grand Prix weekend's early favourite with the fastest time in second practice. Only a late effort from Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton came close to what Leclerc produced on the qualifying simulation runs in FP2, the Ferrari driver ending the session fastest by 0.188 seconds with a best time of 1m11.278s that is already faster than last year's pole position time.

But even that gap looked deceptive, not only because Hamilton set his time considerably later on in the session but also because Leclerc had gone faster in the first sector on a subsequent effort, only to bail out of that lap when he squirmed wide at Portier, having come across an Aston Martin out of the second part of Mirabeau.

There was no repeat of the eye-catching single-lap pace Yuki Tsunoda displayed in practice at Imola one week ago, but the RB still looks in decent shape considering he was the fastest of five drivers who did no laps on softs. Tsunoda was 11th, ahead of Piastri, and appeared competitive on long-run pace, too.

‘Yuki Tsunoda the fastest of five drivers who did no laps on softs’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/leclerc-monaco-gp-second-practice-f1-ferrari/

F1 - 2024 Monaco Grand Prix - Friday Press Conference Transcript
24.05.24
FIA (Press Release)

TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: Peter BAYER (RB), Bruno FAMIN (Alpine), Alessandro ALUNNI BRAVI (Kick Sauber), Christian HORNER (Red Bull Racing)

Peter BAYER (RB) - Q: Let's talk drivers. Yuki, first of all, he's scored points in four of the last five races. Do you feel he's improved since last year? PB: I definitely believe he has made a big step forward. It's physical preparation, but it's also his mental readiness to perform and deliver. One example I mentioned the other day: I think he simply understood that every time he would be swearing on the radio, that would cost him a tenth. So he's got himself under control. He's extremely professional in the work that he's putting into the feedback with the engineers. And yes, he definitely made a big step up.

Bruno FAMIN (Alpine) - Q: You say it's going to be difficult for you this weekend, but when you consider where the car was at the start of the season, how satisfied are you with the recovery so far? BF: Where I'm satisfied is with the reaction of the team, because the car is what everybody knows at the start of the season, but we have been able to bring earlier than planned upgrades to come back to the minimum weight. And that was very good. Now we need to switch to the… And this is what we are doing, to switch to the second phase of the development of that car. You know that we have worked quite a lot in understanding why we were in such situation.

Alessandro ALUNNI BRAVI (Kick Sauber) - Q: One other topic being drivers for next year. You've confirmed Nico Hülkenberg. What are you looking for from driver number two? Does it have to be a driver with experience, given that you've already got experience with Hülkenberg? AAB: We say that we want to try to have the best pair of drivers available in the market. It's not just depending on our team. It's depending, of course, on the availabilities, depending on many factors. We have seen that the market is quite fluid and each day we see in the press, you know, new names and new combinations. So I think the target is to have the very best drivers available for us for a long-term project like the Audi F1 team project.

Christian HORNER (Red Bull Racing) - Q: Do you think you're starting the weekend on an equal footing with the likes of McLaren and Ferrari? CH: Well, it's inevitable. I mean, we're in year three of these regulations, and it's inevitable that you're going to get convergence. It's amazing that we've managed to stay ahead for so long. But as the cars converge in look and shape and therefore lap time, it's inevitable that there's going to be strong competition. So we fully expect that here in Monaco. It's a unique layout on the calendar and of course, it's all down to that one lap tomorrow afternoon.

‘Friday Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-monaco-grand-prix-friday-press-conference-transcript

Fortitude

25th May 2024, 03:58

I risked more than the others today, says Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc stated that his impressive form was down to the fact that he pushed more today than the others as he expects his rivals to come back on Saturday.
24 May 2024, 21:00
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Speaking of his day, Leclerc said: "All in all, it seems that we have a good car for this track and I felt quite confident with it today. We have to keep that rhythm in place for FP3, because I may have taken a bit more risk today than others did, which paid off in terms of lap times, but the key here is to put it all together in qualifying when everyone starts really pushing the limits.”

"We did a good job overall and have to keep focusing on ourselves. It was a great feeling to be back in the car on the streets of my home town and to feel all the support, we will give it everything to have a good one tomorrow," said the two-time Monaco Grand Prix pole-sitter.

His team-mate Carlos Sainz had a more challenging day as he struggled for pace over a single hot lap. Commenting on his day, the Spaniard added: "It was a challenging Friday for me. I struggled to find consistency in the car and played around quite a bit with the set-up. For the last stint of the day, I was happier and the long run was positive. We will focus on carrying that feeling into tomorrow's practice as we prepare for qualifying," said the Madrid-born driver.

‘Risked more’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24634

Leclerc quickest in Monaco Grand Prix second practice
MAY 24, 2024 in Motorsport
Racecars

Home favourite Charles Leclerc took top spot in the second practice session for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix, with the Ferrari driver beating Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton by almost two tenths of a second as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished almost three tenths of a second further back in third.

Leclerc was to the fore from the first part of the second hour of practice. The Monegasque driver posted a lap of 1:12.372 on Medium tyres to bypass an early Hard tyre time of 1:13.265 set by Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen.

Leclerc then began to chip away at his own benchmark, first lowering the bar to 1m12.260s and then posting a time of 1:12.125 on the same set of medium tyres. He eventually worked his C4 best down to 1:11.573, but as the half way mark in the session neared the field began to move to C5 Soft tyres for qualifying simulations.

‘Leclerc quickest’;

https://www.racecar.com/news/100129/motorsport/leclerc-quickest-in-monaco-grand-prix-second-practice

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso data: Could two legends shake up Monaco pecking order?
24 May 2024 9:24 PM
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

While Charles Leclerc topped the times on Friday in Monaco, it was the veterans Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton who proved his nearest rivals. Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were P2 and P3, respectively, in the second practice session in Monte Carlo. The Mercedes driver completed a very strong Friday, while Fernando Alonso chased away the ghosts of a nightmare weekend in Imola.

The Mercedes had its lights and shadows. On Hamilton’s side, the car looked competitive, while its behaviour was on the contrary for George Russell – who complained about braking vibration at Turn 11, the Nouvelle Chicane, at the exit of the tunnel. This required some changes to his car’s set-up.

Aston Martin was back on track as well after its headscratcher of a weekend at Imola. The team is using the old specification AMR24 front wing, but has kept the rear wing from Imola with more downforce. And so far, the feeling is good. Alonso admitted that the car is still a bit nervous at the rear end, but he is satisfied overall.

‘Two legends shake up’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/monaco-gp-data-analysis-lewis-hamilton-fernando-alonso-surprise-pole-chances

Lewis Hamilton hails Mercedes’ “best day” of F1 2024 in Monaco
Lewis Hamilton left thrilled with Mercedes' encouraging start to the Monaco Grand Prix weekend.
24 May 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Hamilton was delighted with Mercedes’ positive start to the weekend. “It’s been a good day, definitely. The best day we’ve had, on-track,” Hamilton said. “The car was a positive, I enjoyed driving it. The track is amazing. The grip is quite good. We still have some challenges with the balance but it looked strong.”

The 39-year-old Briton said his Mercedes W15 was much more enjoyable to drive around Monte Carlo than its previous two predecessors. “What was a surprise was the grip level and how the car was reacting,” Hamilton said. “Definitely a more enjoyable ride than we’ve had here previously, in the last two years particularly.”

“The second session, I don’t know if we improved. On the long runs we have to work to do overnight to make sure we can make it until the end of the race. We need to improve long run pace and graining.”

‘ “Best day” of F1 2024 in Monaco’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1049137/1/lewis-hamilton-hails-mercedes-best-day-f1-2024-monaco

Does Mercedes' upgrade match its optimism? Gary Anderson's view
May 24, 2024
by Edd Straw, Gary Anderson
The Race

Gary Anderson on Mercedes' Monaco upgrade: When Mercedes introduced its upgrade package in Miami, I wasn’t convinced for reasons explained in detail here. But Mercedes does now appear to be going in the right direction with the new front wing that ran on Friday in Monaco on George Russell’s car. What I questioned was the fact that the top flap of the Miami front wing instigates crossflow. But for Monaco, the new front wing features a much more even trailing edge.

Looking at the new Mercedes front wing, the actual overall camber through where I have placed the vertical yellow line is reduced. Introducing a ‘proper’ fourth element on the inboard end of the flaps, highlighted with a magenta arrow, means it now has a longer overall chord in that area. To have gone to the effort and expense to brew up this new front wing package, Mercedes must have had decent results from CFD and wind tunnel research.

Monaco is not the best place to run it if you are looking for improved underbody performance, so it will be Montreal before we can be sure if it does offer an overall improvement, but Mercedes will at least be able to learn a bit about it here. And we’re also expecting to see other upgrades from Mercedes in Canada in two weeks that could work with this new front wing.

‘Does Mercedes' upgrade match its optimism?’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes-monaco-f1-upgrade-gary-anderson-view/

Can Red Bull repeat Imola turnaround in Monaco? Verstappen and Perez give their verdict
Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez trailed behind Ferrari and Mercedes ahead of qualifying for the 2024 Monaco GP
24 May 2024
Adam Dickinson

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez played down their chances of challenging for the all-important pole position at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix as Red Bull were outclassed by Ferrari and Mercedes in particular in Friday practice. With overtaking so difficult on the street circuit – the last three Monaco GPs have averaged just six normal overtakes – pole position is absolutely crucial but Red Bull have less than 24 hours to solve their issues from the end of FP2 to the start of qualifying.

“I had a lot of fun driving, it was good just very difficult when the car’s not doing what you want. Around here with all the bumps it’s easy to have one extra jump and you’re already against the wall, so I think maybe in that sense today was a good lesson maybe that we can fine-tune that for tomorrow, that we know when the car jumps and bounces.” Max Verstappen

“It’s going to be tough,” Perez said. “I think our limitations are really hard to get away from at the moment so we’ll see what we’re able to come up with tonight. I don’t think it’s only one. I think we got a few items that we need to be able to improve on and then hopefully it can put us back in the fight and just be closer to the top, I think it’s looking tough at the moment.”

‘Verstappen and Perez agree: Ferrari are out of reach’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-red-bull-repeat-imola-turnaround-monaco-verstappen-perez-verdict/

FYI: FP3 and Qualifying Results, will be posted on Sunday afternoon, due to other commitments.

Fortitude

26th May 2024, 12:39

Ferrari's Leclerc remains on top in Monaco GP final practice.
Charles Leclerc topped Saturday’s final dress rehearsal in Monaco, the Ferrari charger setting once again a blistering pace ahead of this afternoon’s qualifying.
12:49 Sat, 25 May 2024.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Max Verstappen was able to inch closer to his Scuderia rival, the Dutchman ringing the neck of his Red Bull to get within 0.197s of Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton clocked in a strong third, 0.341s adrift, but the Mercedes ace appeared once again quite comfortable at the wheel of his W15 silver arrow.

The local hero’s performance thus confirmed his status as grand favourite for pole. Behind the leading Ferrari-Red Bull combo, Hamilton in third signaled his intention of getting into the fight for a spot on the front row. Piastri and Perez completed the top five, while Russell, Sainz, Norris, Tsunoda and Alonso rounded off the top-ten.

‘Ferrari's Leclerc remains on top’;

https://f1i.com/news/508997-ferraris-leclerc-remains-on-top-in-monaco-gp-final-practice.html

Monaco GP: Free Practice 3 Results
12:38 Sat, 25 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:11.369

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 26 1:11.566 0.197

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 24 1:11.710 0.341

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 24 1:11.901 0.532

5 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 23 1:11.923 0.554

6 63 George Russell Mercedes 32 1:11.968 0.599

7 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 25 1:11.979 0.610

8 4 Lando Norris McLaren 23 1:11.988 0.619

9 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 26 1:11.991 0.622

10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 24 1:12.087 0.718

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

https://speedcafe.com/monaco-gp-free-practice-3-results/

F1 stewards fume at Lando Norris for furious George Russell incident at Monaco GP
14:29 Sat, 25 May 2024.
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lando Norris has been reprimanded by the Formula 1 stewards for a "deliberate move" towards George Russell during practice at the Monaco Grand Prix. And the Briton expressed his displeasure in an X-rated radio message. "F***ing idiots," he raged. "These blokes, all of them! Not all of them... just some of them."

More than that, his on board camera appeared to show him momentarily steer to the left to move his McLaren to within inches of Russell's car. And it was that act which caught the attention of the stewards and led to the 24-year-old being investigated after the session.

Norris escaped a penalty for his actions and is still in contention for pole position in qualifying. But he was given an official reprimand by the stewards who were unimpressed by his split-second reaction to the frustration of having his lap ruined.

‘Lando Norris has been reprimanded’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lando-monaco-stewards-george-russell-32891554

F1 – Leclerc stays on top in final practice for Monaco Grand Prix
13:26 Sat, 25 May 2024.
FIA (Press Release)

Charles Leclerc continued to set the pace in the build-up to the Monaco Grand Prix with the Ferrari driver beating championship leader Max Verstappen by almost two tenths of a second in final practice, with Lewis Hamilton in third. Ferrari driver Leclerc ended Friday’s running at the top of the timesheets and in the final hour of practice he was again quickly in the mix, though he would have to wait for a while to top the timesheet.

Ten minutes into the session, Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas clipped the wall on exit at the Swimming Pool exit wall. The impact broke the front-right suspension of his car and the Finn was forced to stop at Rascasse. Unable to get back to the pit lane, his car had to be recovered and the session was red-flagged. When running resumed there was a rush to get back out on track and the bulk of the field filed out of the pit lane to gather final data.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri took over at the top with a lap of 1:12.684 but then Leclerc found more time and he claimed P1 a tenth of a second clear of the Australian. Local hero Leclerc then set about lowering that benchmark over subsequent laps, eventually working his way down to a time of 1:11.977.

‘Leclerc stays on top’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-leclerc-stays-top-final-practice-monaco-grand-prix

Lewis Hamilton caught off guard by surprise Monaco Grand Prix reality
12:58 Sat, 25 May 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

But he went on to add that long run pace was something he definitely wants to see an improvement on as the weekend progresses and said: "We still have some challenges with the balance, but it was looking strong. What was a surprise was the grip level and how the car was reacting here.

"It was definitely a more enjoyable ride than we've had in the previous two years particularly. We can't lose the [low-fuel pace], so we just need to improve in the long run pace and with the graining.

"The feeling in the second session [when he want second quickest], I don't know whether we improved or not. Definitely in the long run, we still have a lot of work to do overnight to try and make sure that we can make it to the end of the race."

‘Lewis Hamilton caught off guard’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-mercedes-monaco-gp-pace-32891061

Monaco GP data reveals Red Bull’s main weak spot as another pole contender emerges
14:39 Sat, 25 May 2024
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc is the favourite to take pole position in Monaco. The Ferrari driver has looked very comfortable all weekend on the streets of his home country and all indications are that it is up to him to take P1 and end Max Verstappen’s unbeaten qualifying streak.

Even so, Max Verstappen has already closed the gap after a worrying Friday. The Dutchman is already close to Leclerc and the gap in qualifying may be minimal. Where does Verstappen need to go next? Is it a gap that can be closed or is the SF24 far superior to the RB20 on the streets of Monaco?

‘Red Bull’s main weak spot’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/monaco-gp-data-red-bull-weakness-exposed

Fortitude

26th May 2024, 13:53

Leclerc beats Piastri to Monaco GP pole, Verstappen only sixth.
The narrative from practice of Leclerc looking untouchable and Red Bull looking shaky appeared less certain in the early parts of qualifying, which had a degree of lottery to them amid heavy traffic and with constant track evolution.
May 25, 2024
by Matt Beer
TheRace.com

Charles Leclerc claimed a third pole position for his home Formula 1 race - the Monaco Grand Prix - while Max Verstappen will only start sixth. But having not topped either Q1 or Q2, Leclerc’s Ferrari was back to its practice form in Q3 with an early 1m10.418s.

Red Bull’s qualifying session had been going badly already, with Sergio Perez’s three-tenths-of-a-second deficit to Verstappen in Q1 translating to a miserable 18th place for the 2022 Monaco winner. Perez was one of two significant Q1 exits, with Fernando Alonso’s poor run of recent form continuing with 16th in qualifying, an outcome he put partly down to traffic.

‘Third pole position for his home Formula 1 race’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/monaco-gp-qualifying-report-leclerc-piastri-verstappen/

Haas Cars Disqualified With Rear Wing Breach
MAY 25, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Haas F1 Team's drivers, Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, were disqualified from the Monaco Grand Prix qualifying due to a breach in rear wing regulations. FIA's scrutineering team found that the DRS clearance on both Haas cars exceeded the maximum allowed opening of 85mm, leading to the decision.

‘Haas Cars Disqualified’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/haas-cars-disqualified-with-rear-wing-breach.html

F1 2024 Monaco GP Starting Grid – Final Grid Positions
Hometown hero Charles Leclerc of Ferrari is first on the starting grid for the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix
26 May 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen from Haas were disqualified from Qualifying due to irregularities with their DRS systems. This setback pushed Hulkenberg and Magnussen to the back of the grid, after initially qualifying 12th and 15th. That moves the likes Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez to 14th and 16th on the grid, respectively.

2024 Monaco GP Starting Grid
Position Driver Team
1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari
4 Lando Norris McLaren
5 George Russell Mercedes
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull
7 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
8 Yuki Tsunoda RB
9 Alexander Albon Williams
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine

‘Final Grid Positions’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-monaco-gp-starting-grid/

Charles Leclerc ends Max Verstappen streak with emotional Monaco GP pole
Charles Leclerc was the hot favourite for pole at the Monaco Grand Prix with Max Verstappen and Red Bull struggling, though Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton also hoped to be in the mix
16:10 Sat, 25 May 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Charles Leclerc delighted his compatriots with a third pole position of his career at the Monaco Grand Prix. Leclerc failed to convert either of the first two into a win on home soil. But he will get the chance to do so again from the first grid slot on Sunday after a superb lap on the streets he grew up on. All teams except Ferrari had their cars waiting at the end of the pit lane for the session start, clearly concerned that traffic was going to be an issue.

And that proved a particular problem in Q1 as several drivers complained about the number of cars they were coming across on their first flying laps. It was all about Leclerc who always looked locked in throughout the session and made the most of it. Piastri piled on the pressure but had to settle for second quickest behind the Ferrari driver who put himself in a strong position to secure what will be a first win of the year if he can convert it on Sunday. Leclerc was beaming as he said after the session:

"That was nice! The feeling after qualifying is always very special here. I'm really happy about the lap and the excitement is so high. It feels really good. But I know from the past that qualifying is not everything. As much as it helps a lot for Sunday's race, we need to put everything together for Sunday. In past years we didn't manage to do so, but we are a stronger team in a stronger position and I'm sure we can achieve great things tomorrow. Of course, the win is the target."

‘Emotional Monaco GP pole’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-monaco-qualifying-result-hamilton-32891740

'Look': Christian Horner defends Sergio Perez after Lando Norris comments at Monaco GP
17:00 Sat, 25 May 2024
F1 Oversteer

Sergio Perez endured an utterly miserable afternoon in qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday. He was at the centre of a huge upset as he failed to make it out of Q1. It was a fresh dose of qualifying woe for the Mexican, who suffered a Q2 exit at the last race in Imola. He was able to recover to eighth on that occasion but his prospects of points appear slim from 18th given the nature of the Monaco circuit.

Ahead of qualifying in Monaco, Sky Sports F1’s Natalie Pinkham put those comments to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. He pointed out that Perez sits a respectable third in the championship as he leapt to his defence. “Look, Checo in the first six or so races, he’s been right there,” he said. “We’ve had one-two finishes, one-three finishes, he’s third in the world championship. I would disagree with that.”

‘Miserable afternoon’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/christian-horner-challenges-lando-norris-after-subtle-dig-at-sergio-perez/

Lewis Hamilton lost for answers after ‘frustrating’ Monaco GP qualifying
17:51 Sat, 25 May 2024.
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton expressed his “frustration” with Mercedes‘ qualifying pace and admitted he was unable to explain their lack of performance ahead of Sunday’s Formula 1 2024 Monaco Grand Prix.

“It felt great yesterday. We have been working really hard to improve this car and from the get-go it felt great,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “We obviously benefitted yesterday and this morning. We are not making any drastic changes or anything like that.”

“Once we got to qualifying, I don’t understand. I already know automatically that I’m going to lose two tenths going into qualifying. That’s definitely frustrating and something I don’t have an answer for. I’m not driving any different, the laps were great. [We’re] just lacking for some reason.”

‘Lost for answers’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-lewis-hamilton-lost-for-answers-frustrating-monaco-gp-qualifying/

Guenther Steiner sends message to Haas after Monaco Grand Prix qualifying disqualification
Sun 26 May 2024 08:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Posting on his Instagram story after the news broke, Steiner said: “Does anybody want to borrow my tape measure?”

‘Message to Haas’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/guenther-steiner-sends-message-to-haas-after-monaco-grand-prix-qualifying-disqualification/

Fortitude

26th May 2024, 18:24

Leclerc was thinking of late father in final laps before emotional home win | Formula 1.
“I have to say that I was thinking of my dad a lot more than what I thought while driving. Obviously, he’s given everything for me to be here and it was a dream of ours for me to race here and and to win. So it’s unbelievable.” Charles Leclerc.
26th May 2024, 17:23
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

The Ferrari driver became the first Monegasque driver to win his home race in the world championship era after leading the entire race from pole. Leclerc was born and raised in Monaco, along with younger brother Arthur, who races in the European Le Mans Series. Their father, Herve, was a racing driver at Formula 3 level but died in 2017 while his son was racing in Formula 2.

“It’s such a difficult race,” Leclerc said. “I think the fact that twice I’ve started on pole position and we couldn’t quite make it, makes it even better in a way. It means a lot, obviously. It’s the race that made me dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver one day. It was a difficult race emotionally, because already 15 laps to the end, you’re just hoping that nothing happens. Already the emotions were coming.

Leclerc started on the medium tyre compound but switched to hards after the opening lap red flag. He ran 77 laps on the tyres to win after managing his tyres through the rest of the race. “We had quite a lot of margin, but we knew there were 78 laps to do on the same tyres, which was very, very difficult,” he explained. “But we did great management on the tyres.”

‘Thinking of my dad’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/26/leclerc-was-thinking-of-late-father-in-final-laps-before-emotional-home-win/

Monaco GP: Race Results
27 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff Pts

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 78 25

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 7.152 18

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 7.585 15

4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 8.65 12

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 13.309 10

6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 13.853 8

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 14.908 6

8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1L 4

9 23 Alex Albon Williams 1L 2

10 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1L 1

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/monaco-gp-race-results/

Charles Leclerc’s emotional tribute to late father after breaking Monaco GP curse
26 May 2024 5:02 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc said the enormity of his Monaco Grand Prix victory achievement began to hit him with two laps to go in the race. Speaking after the chequered flag, Leclerc revealed in the cooldown room that he had started to struggle with his emotions with two laps to go in the race – to the point where he had to talk himself out of getting distracted as his misty eyes started to obstruct his view.

Expanding on his emotions at the podium interviews as he held back tears, Leclerc said he was thinking about his late father Hervé Leclerc, who passed away in 2017 during Charles’ Formula 2 campaign before making it to F1 – Hervé was just 54 years old at the time of his death.

Having earned pole position for his home race on two previous occasions, only for events outside his control taking away his chances of wins, Leclerc said the difficult days had played a part in his emotions hitting him hard as he closed in on the elusive home win.

‘Charles Leclerc’s emotional tribute’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-emotional-tribute-father-monaco-grand-prix-win

Monaco GP: Charles Leclerc breaks his Monaco curse as Sergio Perez walks away from scary crash
26 May 2024 4:28 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc obliterated his Monaco curse as the pole-sitter stayed P1 in two starts to win a game of cat-and-mouse against McLaren in a red-flagged Monaco Grand Pix. The race was red-flagged on the opening lap when Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen crashed, the Red Bull shooting nose-first into the Armco barrier with enough force to dent it while his RB20 was destroyed.

Perez thankfully climbed unaided from his stricken RB20 with the race red-flagged. It was set to be a long stop as the Armco barrier was dented. Replays of the opening lap showed Esteban Ocon lunged on Pierre Gasly into Turn 8 before the tunnel, clipped his team-mate’s wheel and went airborne. Ocon was out of the race.

Sainz was handed a lifeline by Race Control who announced the restart order would be based on the Safety Car 2 line on the opening lap: Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz, Norris, Russell, Verstappen, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Albon, Gasly, Stroll, Ricciardo, Alonso, Sargeant, Bottas and Zhou.

‘Sergio Perez walks away from scary crash’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/monaco-grand-prix-2024-race-report

Charles Leclerc ends Monaco GP curse as Verstappen frustrated after huge Perez crash
Charles Leclerc ended his wait for a Monaco Grand Prix victory with a composed performance on home soil.
16:27, Sun, May 26, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Charles Leclerc ended the Monaco Grand Prix curse on Sunday, managing the race to perfection to convert pole position into victory at his home event. Oscar Piastri finished in second, while Carlos Sainz held off Lando Norris to clinch the final spot on the podium.

There was drama from the offset on the streets of Monte Carlo. Carlos Sainz made contact with Piastri, giving him a puncture and sending him into the run-off area. Further back, Sergio Perez’s Red Bull was obliterated following contact with Kevin Magnussen at Beau Rivage, while Nico Hulkenberg was collected in the ensuing wreck.

Further up the track, the two Alpine cars came together when Esteban Ocon launched a move up the inside of Pierre Gasly at Portier. The driver of the No.31 car was sent airborne and during the red flag period, the Enstone-based outfit were unable to repair the ensuing damage.

‘Breaks his Monaco curse’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1903815/Charles-Leclerc-Max-Verstappen-Sergio-Perez-Monaco-Grand-Prix

2024 Monaco Grand Prix: Leclerc crosses the line to win his home Grand Prix for the first time
Sun, May 26, 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc takes the chequered flag to become the first Monegasque driver to win the Monaco Grand Prix since the F1 World Championship began.

‘First Monegasque driver to win the Monaco Grand Prix’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-monaco-grand-prix-leclerc-crosses-the-line-to-win-his-home-grand-prix-for-the-first-time.1800130479238508186

Watch: Sergio Perez’s Red Bull a mangled wreck after spectacular crash at Monaco Grand Prix
The Mexican came into contact with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen and was spat at high-speed into the armco barrier
26 May 2024 • 4:36pm
Tom Cary, SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT, IN MONACO
The Telegraph

Sergio Perez was fortunate to walk away from a spectacular opening-lap crash at the Monaco Grand Prix, which left his Red Bull car a mangled wreck. The Mexican, starting 18th following a disastrous qualifying session on Saturday, came into contact with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, who was just behind him on the climb up to Beau Rivage.

Perez’s RB20 was spat at high-speed into the armco barrier, with his car eventually coming to a rest some 300m down the track. The second Haas of Nico Hulkenberg was also collected in the incident. "That is a MONSTER of an accident!" ��

All three drivers were able to walk away from their cars – Perez’s was the worst damaged with only his car’s survival cell really left intact – but the race was red-flagged with marshals having to spend the next 40 minutes clearing up the debris. Stewards saw no reason to apportion blame, declaring it a racing incident. That was lucky for Magnussen, who was already on 10 penalty points and would have faced a race ban had he picked up another two.

‘Sergio Perez was fortunate to walk away’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/05/26/sergio-perez-red-bull-crash-monaco-gp-kevin-magnussen/

Fortitude

27th May 2024, 09:12

Horner's 'heart in mouth' after Perez's Monaco smash.
"It was a horrible-looking accident, and of course, your heart is in your mouth, and at that point, the immediate focus is on the safety of the driver," Horner told media including RacingNews365.
27 May 2024, 6:30AM
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has described how his "heart was in your mouth" after Sergio Perez's huge Monaco Grand Prix crash. On Lap 1, Perez was collected by Kevin Magnussen on the climb up Beau Rivage, being spat into the armco barrier, destroying the car.

Horner has now offered his thoughts on the incident, and praised the safety of the car in protecting Perez. "It was a horrible-looking accident, and of course, your heart is in your mouth, and at that point, the immediate focus is on the safety of the driver," Horner told media including RacingNews365.

"Thankfully, cars can be fixed and the structure of the halo and everything did its job. The most important thing was that Checo was able to walk away from a very nasty accident unscathed."

‘Horner's 'heart in mouth'’;

https://racingnews365.com/horners-heart-in-mouth-after-perezs-monaco-smash

Sergio Perez can't believe what happened after scary Monaco GP crash
Sergio Perez crashed out on lap one of the Monaco Grand Prix after contact from Kevin Magnussen in an incident which also forced the other Haas of Kevin Magnussen to retire
19:18 Sun, 26 May 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Sergio Perez said he was "shaken" after his hefty Monaco Grand Prix crash and expressed his surprise that the stewards chose not to investigate the incident. Race control noted the incident but it wasn't long before confirmation came that there would be no further investigation into the cause of the pile-up. And, speaking after the race, Perez could not quite believe that it had not at least been looked into.

He said: "It was a little bit shaky from me. It was quite a heavy impact. If you see my onboard at no point, you see Kevin's car not even close to me, alongside me, and you could see that the wall is just getting closer and closer and to keep it flat out. There was only one way out of it.”

"It was either contact with my car, with the barrier, there were just simply no room for both cars. And at some point he had to realise that, you know, I've been in that location and many times when you are the car behind, you just have to realise that it's time to back off, before things get closer to you.

"It was a little bit shaky from me……”;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/perez-monaco-crash-magnussen-hulkenberg-32897614

Sergio Perez wrecked in massive Monaco GP crash
Red Bull's Sergio Perez crashed heavily on lap one of the Monaco Grand Prix after making contact with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen.
May 27, 2024 — 6.48am
The Sydney Morning Herald

‘Crashed heavily on lap one’;

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/sergio-perez-wrecked-in-massive-monaco-gp-crash-20240527-p5jgte.html

Red Bull F1 Car Obliterated During Crash at Monaco GP, Perez Walks Away
The other RB driver, Sergio Perez, survives horrific crash while local boy Charles Leclerc tops podium.
PUBLISHED May 26, 2024 8:40 PM EDT
Beverly Braga
The Drive

Unlucky for Red Bull's Sergio Perez, his Sunday drive was over before reaching turn two. But lucky again, because he survived a crash that absolutely obliterated his car.

Race starts are exciting because anything can happen, and usually does. At Monaco, Perez and Haas driver Kevin Magnussen were battling for position upon exiting turn one. But given the already cramped quarters of the course, this is a race of millimeters for today's broad-shouldered F1 car. Something had to give.

Except neither Perez nor Magnussen laid off the throttle, so pop went the weasel. Hulkenberg tagged Perez's right rear, sending the two cars into the barriers at a reported speed of 160 mph. Behind them was Magnussen's teammate Nico Hulkenberg. With nowhere to go, Hulkenberg unwillingly joined the party.

‘Red Bull F1 Car Obliterated’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/red-bull-f1-car-obliterated-during-crash-at-monaco-gp-perez-walks-away

Christian Horner after Monaco GP: 'We faced many challenges'
26 May 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, team principal and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said after the Monaco Grand Prix: “I would say it was a difficult weekend and Monaco is always dictated by qualifying performance, so we faced many challenges going into today.”

“A big congratulations to Charles on his home win, but for us our car never performed at its best here and we need to understand the issues we had on the bumps and kerbs. We have a lot of data to analyse from this weekend and we’ll be looking at everything hard over the next couple of weeks before Canada.”

'We faced many challenges';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5480/

Red Bull reveals enormous cost of Perez's Monaco accident
Helmut Marko has revealed the multi-million dollar cost of Sergio Perez's Monaco Grand Prix crash.
26 May 9:30PM
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

A lengthy red flag followed for barrier repairs, with Perez tearing into Magnussen's approach as the stewards declined to investigate the issue further, as Marko claimed a multi-million price-tag was awaiting Red Bull.

"This is costing us about two to three million and with the budget cap that is of course a big handicap,” he told Sky Germany.

"It was another crash that Magnussen was involved in. Thank God it ended well, but it was a critical situation. I was surprised, though, how quickly the stewards dealt with the matter. These are decisions you can hardly influence, but it was just dangerous."

‘Multi-million dollar cost’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-reveals-enormous-cost-of-perezs-monaco-accident

‘That was a pretty sketchy moment’ – Zhou had front row seat for Lap 1 crash
18:04 Sun, 26 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Zhou Guanyu was relieved to discover Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg were uninjured after their first lap crash – which the Sauber driver saw unfold in front of him. Zhou finished the race in P16.

‘Front row seat for Lap 1 crash’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/that-was-a-pretty-sketchy-moment-zhou-had-front-row-seat-for-lap-1-crash.1800131069588960951

‘Not worth the risk’: Martin Brundle shares who he thinks was at fault for Sergio Perez crash at Monaco Grand Prix
Sun 26 May 2024 14:45
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The Monaco Grand Prix had an eventful start when Red Bull driver Sergio Perez had a huge crash and Martin Brundle has shared his thoughts on the incident. Sergio Perez had a torrid qualifying session at the Monaco Grand Prix having failed to get out of Q1, but it wasn’t as bad as the end result for Haas.

Commenting on the massive accident after the first corner, Martin Brundle shared on Sky Sports F1 his thoughts on who was at fault. Reflecting on the incident, Brundle said: “[Sergio] Perez was almost stationary on the outside, he comes to the middle of the track.”

“It was front wheel against front axle aligned with the rear axle, whoever’s fault it was, single seaters only have one person in them by definition. I believe Kevin [Magnussen] should have got out of that and given that one up. It was just not worth the risk up there, you’re fighting over pretty much last place against a Red Bull with 78 laps to go, it’s just not worth the risk up there when you’re not anyway near alongside.”

‘Martin Brundle: “I believe Kevin [Magnussen] should have got out of that and given that one up”’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-shares-who-he-thinks-was-at-fault-for-sergio-perez-crash-at-monaco-grand-prix/

Fortitude

27th May 2024, 13:59

Piastri: It needed 'something pretty special' to beat Leclerc.
"To be honest, Charles has been mega all weekend and they've been quick from the very first lap, and I think it would have taken something pretty special in quali to out do him.” Oscar Piastri.
18:41 Sun, 26 May 2024.
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Leclerc got a strong launch leaving Piastri fighting off a challenge from Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari. Contact between them left Sainz with a puncture and Piastri with light floor damage to the MCL38.

The race was red flagged after a major accident toward the back, giving Piastri a second shot at challenging Leclerc into turn 1, but once again the Ferrari was too strong and Piastri has to accept second place.

"The pace at the beginning was incredibly slow and I had one little half look before the tunnel, but I didn't have a small enough car to fit into a gap," Piastri said in parc ferme.

‘Piastri has to accept second place’;

https://f1i.com/news/509275-piastri-it-needed-something-pretty-special-to-beat-leclerc.html

Piastri ‘tried my best to try and sneak past’ Leclerc in battle for Monaco win
19:05 Sun, 26 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Oscar Piastri scored his best result of the season with second place in Monaco, and admitted he didn’t quite have enough to pass eventual winner Charles Leclerc – especially after his McLaren picked up damage in a Lap 1 tangle with Carlos Sainz.

‘Best result of the season’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/piastri-tried-my-best-to-try-and-sneak-past-leclerc-in-battle-for-monaco-win.1800133931865905979

Piastri: ‘I didn’t have an answer’ as early damage costs him late on in the Monaco GP
Piastri admitted that the slow pace at the start of the Monaco Grand Prix helped him nurse the damage to his McLaren
May 27, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri was “very happy with the podium” at the Monaco Grand Prix but suggested that early damage in the race cost him a chance at a first win in F1. Piastri got off the line well, but a brave Carlos Sainz appeared down the inside of the Australian. Both cars went into Turn 1 wheel to wheel, and contact was made, leaving the Ferrari driver with a puncture and the McLaren with a damaged floor.

However, there was a sense of relief for both drivers as a bigger crash behind between the two Haas’ and the Red Bull of Sergio Perez saw a red flag brought out. Piastri held on to second on the restart and maintained his runner-up spot to the finish due to the difficulties of overtaking around the principality.

Speaking to F1, Piastri said: “I mean, obviously very happy with the podium; it’s been a great weekend from start to finish, I feel like. It’s Nice to finally get a result on the board. I feel like the last few weeks we’ve been very, very strong, with no results to show. And today, to finish second is a great result for everybody involved, so very happy with that, I tried my best to try to sneak past – but just too difficult.”

‘I didn’t have an answer’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/piastri-i-didnt-have-an-answer-as-early-damage-costs-him-late-on-in-the-monaco-gp/

Damage from “very small” Sainz contact initially cost up to 0.5s per lap – McLaren
27th May 2024, 13:26
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

McLaren said the contact between Carlos Sainz Jnr and Oscar Piastri at the start of the race did enough damage to cost their driver half a second per lap. “The team told me how much downforce I was losing before we tried to fix it and it was a pretty big number,” he said. “I don’t know what we managed to get it down to but obviously the length of the red flag helped us out quite a lot there.”

Despite his team’s repair job, Piastri wasn’t able to maintain the pace of his closest rivals at the end of the race. “Being in Monaco, it’s probably the one track where having damage doesn’t hurt you as much,” he said. “It was a very, very small touch. But with these cars, especially with the floor being so sensitive to the downforce it generates, it can ruin your race very easily. So I was very happy we could try and fix it.”

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said the team’s repair work halved the initial performance loss Piastri suffered from the original contact. “As soon as the collision happened we observed the 20 points [of downforce] down, which here in Monaco is about half a second. But then, thanks to the red flag, we were in condition to make some repairs to the floor. The side wing of the floor was broken so we repaired it, we didn’t fix it entirely and we changed the sidepod that was broken as well. So overall the deficit was about 10 points for the entire race, which is a couple of tenths, maybe two-tenths and a half.”

‘Team’s repair work halved the initial performance loss’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/27/sainzs-very-small-contact-with-piastri-cost-up-to-half-a-second-per-lap-mclaren/

Piastri relief after damage to 'sensitive part' in Monaco
Oscar Piastri has underlined multiple factors that minimised the effect of his floor damage at Monaco.
27 May 2024, 12:20PM
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has highlighted the minimising factors that allowed him to take second-place at the Monaco Grand Prix, despite damage to a "sensitive" part. The 23-year-old took damage to his floor at the start of the race before the red flag intervention for the incident between Sergio Perez and the two Haas'. This allowed McLaren to fix his floor as best it could during the 45 minute delay to proceedings in Monte Carlo.

With tyre management a concern, the leading quartet kept the slower-than-usual pace - something that prevented Piastri from accurately accessing the damage to his car. "It was okay," he replied when asked how the performance of his McLaren was after the incident with Sainz. "I think for the first half of the race, it was impossible to tell what the penalty of that was.”

"I think towards the end, probably a combination of trying to keep the pace of the race reasonably quick, plus the floor, [I] just struggled a little bit towards the end, but overall pretty happy with it. And yeah, the last 10 laps or so, I was pretty happy we were in Monaco."

‘Piastri relief’;

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-relief-after-damage-to-sensitive-part-in-monaco

‘Oscar, we do see the impact of the damage’: Why Piastri’s third F1 podium is his most telling yet
May 27, 2024 — 1.22am
By Russell Bennett and Jon Pierik
WA Today

It was Piastri’s nerves of steel in his McLaren that emerged as one of the biggest talking points of the race. The notoriously unforgiving street circuit claimed its first victims after just the first corner on the first lap, and Piastri could so easily have joined Nico Hulkenberg, Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen on the sidelines.

While Sky Sports F1 analyst and former driver Martin Brundle was at times exasperated by the lack of overtaking in the race – at one stage saying: “The one DRS [overtaking] zone here is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard” – even he was captivated by the “go slow” strategy employed at stages by Ferrari.
It was done not only to preserve Leclerc’s tyres, but also to keep the other leaders of the field, including Piastri, Sainz, and Norris, bunched behind him, so they couldn’t afford the gamble of a secondary pitstop to change on to newer, quicker rubber.

“Oscar, we do see the impact of the damage,” the radio message, broadcast by Sky F1, said. “[But] it looks like the aero balance is sensible at least.” Following the race, a matter-of-fact Piastri was full of praise for Leclerc’s win, but admitted finishing second had left him wondering might have been had he not fallen 0.154 seconds short of Leclerc in qualifying to start in second spot.

‘Piastri’s third F1 podium’;

https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/motorsport/oscar-we-do-see-the-impact-of-the-damage-why-piastri-s-third-f1-podium-is-his-most-telling-yet-20240526-p5jgsn.html

Fortitude

28th May 2024, 06:33

Sainz content despite 'impossible' Monaco challenge.
Carlos Sainz took the podium at the Monaco Grand Prix, with his race saved by a red flag moments after he sustained a puncture.
26 May 2024, 6:40PM
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Sainz drove to third place at the chequered flag, putting major pressure on second-placed Oscar Piastri in the closing stages. “It was a tight one, obviously a very bad feeling there in lap one that very quickly turned into a very good feeling after getting reinstated in P3,” Sainz said. “From there on, the race pace was good as we expected.”

“It's just impossible to get past through the streets of Monaco. Once I was sure that Lando [Norris] behind didn’t have a gap to pit and attack me at the end, I focused on doing some fast laps. I went into the 1:14s, which was really quick at the time and I said ‘okay, maybe I have a chance I put in a bit of pressure on Oscar and maybe I can get him to do a mistake’.”

“I knew that passing him was impossible. We put him under pressure, I saw him lose the rear a couple of times but it was not enough to pass.” While Sainz was forced to settle for second place, team-mate Charles Leclerc won the race for the first time.

'Impossible Monaco challenge’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-content-despite-impossible-monaco-challenge

Red flag ‘saved my day’ says Sainz after Lap 1 puncture
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz got a puncture on the opening lap after contact with Oscar Piastri, but the red flag for another accident meant he was able to change tyres and restart the race in P3 – which is where he finished.

‘Saved my day’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/red-flag-saved-my-day-says-sainz-after-lap-1-puncture.1800133740512350056

Sainz tempted a few times by ‘all or nothing’ move on Piastri
27/05/2024 at 15:52
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz says he was “tempted a few times” to unleash an attack on Oscar Piastri during the Monaco Grand Prix, but ultimately thought the better of risking an “all or nothing” move on the McLaren driver.

"I got tempted a few times, but after lap one and obviously knowing that Monaco is a bit of all-or-nothing, you know that when you go for a move, the most likely outcome is contact between the two cars and a potential DNF for the two cars," Sainz explained.

"And I felt like that was too much to lose for both Oscar and myself, and my team. So unfortunately, Monaco is like that. I did have my opportunities and my temptations, both in the first 15 laps and in the last 10 laps, but never really a clear chance to see how we could get out of the corner untouched. So, yeah, as I knew from Friday, my race pace was going to be good.”

‘All or nothing’;

https://f1i.com/news/509472-sainz-tempted-a-few-times-by-all-or-nothing-move-on-piastri.html

Sainz forced to resist temptation out of ‘all-or-nothing’ Monaco fear
Carlos Sainz avoided making a lunge on Oscar Piastri during the Monaco Grand Prix.
27 May 2024, 2:45PM
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz has conceded that he was tempted to make an "all-or-nothing' lunge on Oscar Piastri during the Monaco Grand Prix but opted against it. Sainz's lap one puncture was caused by a "slight cut" to his front left tyre, which saw him lock-up and come to a stop at Casino just prior to the red flag.

His contact with Piastri was so small it was almost not visible, although to the 29-year-old's relief, the only damage to his SF24 was the puncture. "No, even when you see the tyre, it was such a slight cut that the tyre got from the contact that there was no issues with the car, no damage," Sainz added.

"It was just the smallest of contacts. A bit unlucky to get the puncture in a way, but then lucky to get the position back. From there on, honestly, it was a new race and we had our opportunities, but never really a clear one."

‘Avoided making a lunge’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-forced-to-resist-temptation-out-of-all-or-nothing-monaco-fear

Why McLaren believe Sainz had luck on his side three times in Monaco
26th May 2024, 19:51
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Carlos Sainz Jnr had luck on his side when the race director’s decision moved him up from 16th to third on the grid for the restart. But McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes that was one of three times Sainz benefited from good fortune on his way to the podium.

Sainz was fortunate as only one driver, Zhou Guanyu, had not completed the first sector when the red flag was shown. Had he done so, Sainz would have had to restart the race from 16th. However Zhou was caught behind the three-car crash which triggered the red flag, and had to slow down significantly as a result. “Obviously, the whole point that’s saved Carlos today was that Zhou had not crossed the sector time at the time the race was suspended. Lucky Carlos!”

However Stella believes Sainz was also fortunate not to be penalised for damaging Piastri’s car, as he was in Miami. “He was also applied a lenient approach from the stewards because the collision in corner one obviously created significant damage to Oscar’s car,” said Stella. Sainz also avoided a penalty for impeding Alexander Albon in qualifying yesterday. Had he been penalised, McLaren’s Lando Norris would have started third instead of him. “I think these are summed up with yesterday’s impeding,” said Stella.

‘Luck on his side three times’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/26/why-mclaren-believe-sainz-had-luck-on-his-side-three-times-in-monaco/

2024 Monaco Grand Prix: Listen in to the chat in the cool-down room from the Leclerc, Piastri and Sainz
16:46 Mon, 27 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Hear what Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz had to say to each other as they waited for the podium ceremony in the cool-down room after Leclerc’s first home victory in Monaco.

‘Chat in the cool-down room’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-monaco-grand-prix-listen-in-to-the-chat-in-the-cool-down-room-from-the-leclerc-piastri-and-sainz.1800137964475373548

Carlos Sainz told by 6-time F1 champions that he’s ‘not a candidate’ for 2025 seat
Mon 27 May 2024 14:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

There have been reports that the Dutchman wouldn’t be comfortable racing against someone as fast as Sainz as he wants to continue being the team’s clear number-one driver. That leaves Sainz in an awkward position and with a 50/50 choice to make relatively soon.

The report from Motorsport.com suggests that sources with ‘good knowledge of the situation’ believe that Red Bull still think Perez is the best driver to partner Verstappen going forward.

They go on to say that Yuki Tsunoda, despite his brilliant start to the year with RB, is still not being considered while Daniel Ricciardo hasn’t made the expected impact at Red Bull’s sister team.

‘Not a candidate’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/carlos-sainz-told-by-6-time-f1-champions-that-hes-not-a-candidate-for-2025-seat/

Carlos Sainz has now received ‘satisfactory’ offer from 114-win Formula 1 team
Sat 25 May 2024 11:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Williams have now made acceptable offer to Carlos Sainz: According to The Race, interest from Williams has now reached an advanced stage. There has been an offer and a counteroffer behind the scenes, culminating in a ‘satisfactory’ proposal.

The Grove outfit has clearly demonstrated that it has the resources to sign one of F1’s A-listers. Sainz has won three Grands Prix, most recently in Australia in March, and taken 21 career podiums. Of course, it now remains to be seen whether he’s willing to sign the contract. But he’s evidently ‘open to the idea’, otherwise negotiations wouldn’t have progressed this far.

Ted Kravitz expressed surprise when he heard about the negotiations in the Monaco Grand Prix paddock. But he also feels that they’re a marker of Vowles’ ambition as he simultaneously pursues Adrian Newey ahead of the designer’s Red Bull exit. Crucially, Williams will be racing with a Mercedes power unit come 2026. And Sainz is aware of rumours that they have stolen a march on their competitors with their new-look engine.

‘Satisfactory offer’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/carlos-sainz-has-now-received-satisfactory-offer-from-114-win-formula-1-team/

Fortitude

28th May 2024, 16:48

‘It’s just unfair’: ‘Frustrated’ Lando Norris fumes McLaren rival got ‘very lucky’ in Monaco GP.
“Carlos was really lucky because he was last and it was his own fault,” Norris said, via quotes by Motorsport-Total.com. “The fact that he was allowed to move up again was, of course, annoying because it meant I had to go back to fourth place. But that’s the rules.”
Tue 28 May 2024 13:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

McLaren star Lando Norris is frustrated after a rival Formula 1 driver gained an ‘unfair’ advantage during the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix after getting ‘very lucky’ last weekend. “I’m sure there have been moments in the past where I’ve benefited. If you look at it bluntly, it’s obviously frustrating and unfair because someone makes a mistake.”

“But because a certain number of cars, or whatever the rule is, don’t cross the line before the red flag comes out, he can undo his mistake and get a free pit stop. It’s just unfair.” Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen’s crash delayed Zhou Guanyu to Carlos Sainz’s relief

‘It’s just unfair’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/frustrated-lando-norris-fumes-mclaren-rival-got-very-lucky-in-monaco-gp/

Norris on McLaren progress: ‘Every race we do we gain more confidence’
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lando Norris was fourth in Monaco with team mate Oscar Piastri up in second – and Norris promised he and McLaren will “keep pushing” as they aim for more wins this yar.

‘We gain more confidence’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/norris-on-mclaren-progress-every-race-we-do-we-gain-more-confidence.1800132923027827666

Lando Norris 'ready to rival' Max Verstappen for F1 world title
19:36 Sat, 25 May 2024.
BY PHILIP DUNCAN, PA F1 CORRESPONDENT, MONTE CARLO
Somerset Live

Max Verstappen believes Lando Norris is ready to rival him for the world championship as the Red Bull driver cast doubt on his own chances at the Monaco Grand Prix. After his maiden victory in Miami, Norris chased Verstappen all the way to the chequered flag in Imola, finishing less than a second behind the Dutchman.

Norris, from Somerset, is 60 points off the title pace ahead of this weekend's race in the principality, but Verstappen said: "He (Norris) is really in the mix. He is quite a few points down but if they suddenly start winning, that can turn around quite quickly. But from our side we just have to focus on ourselves because that is the only thing in our control.”

"It has closed up which makes it very important to be at our very best, and 100 per cent. We need to be on it. Imola started off badly and we managed to turn it around but I wouldn't want to have a weekend like that again."

‘Lando Norris ready… …for F1 world title’;

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/lando-norris-ready-rival-max-9307213

Lando Norris hails McLaren’s march of progress
26 May 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris has no hang ups about being beaten by Ferrari at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix as the McLaren star heaped praise on his team for what he described as “an amazing result” in Monte Carlo.

Whilst the win slipped away, McLaren’s Senna-style livery will still leave the track with a significant 30 points’ haul to extend their gap to Mercedes and close in on Red Bull in the constructors’ championship, with Norris perhaps reflecting on how far the team has come in the last year. “The red flag simplified things and made thing less action-packed than they normally are in Monaco,” Norris told Sky Sports F1 after the 2024 Monaco GP.

“It’s a good result for us as a team, not a lot to aim for during the race. You always think of what could have done and should you have done, but it’s impossible to answer it correctly. We did what we could, I think the pace was strong from the car today…so we’ll keep pushing. A fourth and a second for us is still an amazing result.”

‘McLaren’s march of progress’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lando-norris-hails-mclaren-amazing-march-progress/

How McLaren was ready to pit Norris – but Ferrari ruined its Monaco F1 plan
The tactical battle in Monaco over the top four Formula 1 cars' gap to George Russell was won by Ferrari as it denied McLaren's attempts to use it to pit.
May 28, 2024, 1:50 PM
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

McLaren had hoped to push Ferrari into extending its lead at the front of the 78-lap race, in a bid to build a sufficient buffer between the cars in the top four and Russell to allow McLaren to make a pitstop.

Having started on hard tyres, Russell switched to the medium compound during the early red flag, which forced him into managing his tyres to make it to the end. As the top four were all equipped with the harder tyres, the chasm between the two groups began to grow quickly.

McLaren wanted this to grow to a stable 20 seconds-plus gap to get the option of bringing Lando Norris in for a free stop without losing position, which Ferrari was aware of and thus tasked race winner Charles Leclerc with slowing down the tempo of the race to quell the growing gap.

‘Ferrari ruined its Monaco F1 plan’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how-mclaren-was-ready-to-pit-norris-but-ferrari-ruined-its-monaco-f1-plan/10616861/

Lando Norris demands FIA fix F1 issue that is 'a bit silly' after Monaco Grand Prix
Lando Norris narrowly missed out on the podium spots at Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.
14:17, Tue, May 28, 2024
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Lando Norris has criticised the FIA for failing to deal with sticker problems at the Monaco Grand Prix. The McLaren star, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez were among the drivers inconvenienced by stickers coming off barriers during the race weekend.

Leclerc and Norris were both forced to pit during Saturday's first qualifying session after stickers came off the Armco barriers and latched onto their cars. Perez, meanwhile, claims to have lost two tenths by dodging a sticker during the lap which saw him suffer a surprise Q1 exit. Before Sunday's race, Norris lashed out at F1's governing body for failing to deal with the issue, despite the fact it was raised at the driver's briefing on Friday.

"I had to pit to get it off," he vented. "It just shouldn't happen in Formula One. It's a bit silly in my opinion, we said it would happen yesterday and they said they were going to fix it but obviously it wasn't fixed. It's a shame that you have to get lucky, I was lucky that I had enough time [to remove the sticker] otherwise it would have ruined my qualifying and my whole weekend.”

‘Lando Norris has criticised the FIA for failing to deal with sticker problems’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1904503/lando-norris-FIA-F1-monaco-grand-prix

Fortitude

29th May 2024, 10:59

Russell brands Monaco GP ‘one of our best weekends’ after P5 finish.
George Russell felt he had a chance of a podium “or maybe even victory” given his starting strategy in Monaco, and though that all changed with the Lap 1 red flag, he was still pleased with his race as he finished in P5.
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘One of our best weekends’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/russell-brands-monaco-gp-one-of-our-best-weekends-after-p5-finish.1800132738543398286

Russell thought he had shot at Monaco GP win before red flag
26th May 2024, 19:30
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

“When we lined up on the grid the first time and we were on the hards and the four drives ahead were on the mediums, I was like, ‘this is perfect’,” Russell told the official F1 channel after the race.

“Then when Carlos had his puncture, I genuinely thought, ‘we’ve got a shot here’ – minimum for a podium, potentially even victory – being on that different strategy. We were just going to play a bit of a team game to try and boost our chances. But as soon as that red flag came out, everything went out the window.”

“Shot at Monaco GP win”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/26/russell-thought-he-had-shot-at-monaco-gp-win-before-red-flag/

George Russell may have finally got Mercedes 'bonus' following Lewis Hamilton revelation
George Russell being a team player in Imola may have seen him rewarded instead of Lewis Hamilton by Mercedes with a thank-you present for the Monaco Grand Prix
12:36 Mon, 27 May 2024.
By Dan Burnham Senior Sports Reporter
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton has suggested his Mercedes team-mate George Russell is being prioritised for upgrades. Hamilton voiced his annoyance at not securing a better grid spot after showing promise in practice sessions.

"That's definitely frustrating and something I don't have an answer for. I'm not driving any different. The laps were great. Just lacking for some reason."

Hamilton fears he won't be able to out-qualify Russell for the remainder of the season, despite Mercedes boss Toto Wolff's insistence that they are not favouring one driver over the other.

‘Mercedes bonus';

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/george-russell-mercedes-lewis-hamilton-32901136

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell treated equally at Mercedes – Toto Wolff
Mon, 27 May 2024, 1:34 pm
philip duncan, pa f1 correspondent
Yahoo! Sport

Toto Wolff has insisted Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell is not receiving preferential treatment at Mercedes.

After Hamilton was out-qualified by Russell at the street venue, the 39-year-old, who is leaving the Silver Arrows at the end of the year to join Ferrari, said he does not envisage beating his fellow Briton over one lap for the remainder of the season. But responding to Hamilton’s cryptic comment, Mercedes team principal Wolff said: “Aren’t all drivers a bit sceptical at times?

“As a team we have always demonstrated – even in the most tense competitions between team-mates – that we are always trying to balance what is right and be transparent and fair. I can understand as a driver you want the best out of yourself and the team, and sometimes when it is going against you you can question that.”

‘Treated equally at Mercedes’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/lewis-hamilton-george-russell-treated-123426331.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACoePVahHJt8EpJBoiqI5g2xljxV Rb22Wso_4TCMEcafFuP6BiiDVD6YqKZZ7zD-Dg0ZIx-c5Aa1PYOAilLbLtLZpk2R7g0_qAo4Dj_FtjAf9qJ8LFqml2XhK RG1qapHWmvkIJRbLlbaHezXBH_b4p6N5vyKC17Ze0wIa6iUnq4 Y

Russell puzzled by "strange" Monaco GP decision
George Russell started and finished fifth in Monaco - but had dreams of a podium early on.
27 May 2024, 3:35PM
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

George Russell does not believe it was correct Carlos Sainz was able to regain his third place at the start of the Monaco Grand Prix. At Turn 1, Sainz made contact with Oscar Piastri's McLaren, with the Ferrari sustaining a front-left puncture as he peeled off at Casino Square, unable to take the corner. He got going again, but the race was red-flagged for the serious accident involving Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen.

During the delay, the FIA confirmed that for the standing restart, the Ferrari driver would be re-taking third on the grid - which is where he finished as team-mate Charles Leclerc won from Piastri. This is a decision Russell labelled as "strange". "I would say no, it's not correct," Russell explained when asked by RacingNews365 for his thoughts of Sainz regaining his position.

"I don't know what the ruling is, but that was a bit strange. Especially when Carlos had that puncture, I thought we had, at minimum, a chance to fight for the podium and maybe even more. I definitely felt like I had [Verstappen] covered and thought I was in for a good shot today when I saw everyone starting on mediums in front of me."

"Strange";

https://racingnews365.com/russell-puzzled-by-strange-monaco-gp-decision

'So then I told Lewis, I’m not just fast, I’m George Russell fast’
13:34 Sun, 26 May 2024.
F1i.com

George Russell held court during the drivers’ parade ahead of this afternoon’s Monaco GP, and by the looks of it the Mercedes charger’s audience was captivated. Perhaps he was recounting his performance in qualifying on Saturday in which he outpaced his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton for the seventh time in eight races.

“And then I looked at Lewis and I told him, ‘I’m not just fast mate, I’m George Russell fast’!” Or perhaps the Briton was giving a TED Talk: ‘How to Master the Art of Speed and Look Good Doing It".

“I’m George Russell fast”;

https://f1i.com/images/509193-so-then-i-told-lewis-im-not-just-fast-im-george-russell-fast.html

George Russell reveals Lewis Hamilton ‘coin toss’ snub after Mercedes Monaco upgrade comments
29 May 2024 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

George Russell has set the record straight on Mercedes’ upgrade drama at the Monaco Grand Prix, claiming Lewis Hamilton was “happy” to let him run an updated front wing after snubbing a coin toss.

He said: “There was one front wing this weekend and it was agreed on Tuesday that we’d do a coin toss and see who got it. Lewis said he’d tried it on the sim and was happy for me to use it this weekend, because it doesn’t go without risk.”

“If we made a mistake in qualifying and damaged it, obviously that’s one front wing that we won’t ever be able to use again and you’d have to start from the pit lane. I was happy to take that risk using it and I thought it was a belated birthday present he gave me, saying I could use it.”

‘Coin toss snub’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-lewis-hamilton-coin-toss-mercedes-monaco-upgrade

George Russell gives telling response as Lewis Hamilton relationship questioned
George Russell was quizzed about the status of his relationship with Lewis Hamilton after Mercedes were accused of favouring him over his soon-to-be departing team-mate
11:08 Tue, 28 May 2024.
By Dan Burnham Senior Sports Reporter
The Mirror

George Russell has hit back at suggestions of a fall out with Lewis Hamilton. When probed on whether his bond with Hamilton had soured, Russell was quick to shut down such talk with a succinct seven-word retort, as reported by GPblog: "No, not at all. The relationship's good," he responded.

Hamilton, meanwhile, seemed less than thrilled with how things are panning out following a lacklustre seventh-place finish in qualifying and the race, trailing two spots behind Russell in each.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff once again insisted that both Hamilton and Russell are receiving equal treatment, suggesting the former might be overthinking the situation. The team principal questioned: "Aren't all drivers a bit sceptical at times?”

‘Telling response’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/george-russell-lewis-hamilton-relationship-32906545

Fortitude

29th May 2024, 17:32

'A weekend to forget' for Verstappen and Red Bull.
Max Verstappen said he and Red Bull had experienced a "weekend to forget" after he finished sixth and Sergio Perez crashed out of Sunday’s processional Monaco Grand Prix.
Sun, 26 May 2024, 7:33 pm
AFP
Yahoo! Sport

The series leader and three-time world champion said the team had found one positive by identifying the cause of their current problems after his worst result since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix. In particular, he said their car struggled to cope with the bumpy nature of the track and a need to ride kerbs, which proved to be the strength of rivals Ferrari who won the race with local hero Charles Leclerc.

"It’s not going to be an easier weekend in Montreal either because of the kerbing and stuff," he said, looking forward to the Canadian Grand Prix where another Ferrari success could blow the championship open. "Our car is not good at that. They have resurfaced the track so that might bring some unexpected stuff -- you never know the grip levels.”

"This has been a really tricky and challenging weekend for us here. A lot of damage as well with Checo's (Perez) car and overall just a weekend to forget, but also a lot to learn from. The only positive I think that comes out of this weekend is that we understand our weaknesses and that’s what we really need to work on.”

'A weekend to forget';

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/weekend-forget-verstappen-red-bull-183323688.html

Verstappen ‘bored’ by Monaco procession that ‘wasn’t really racing’
20:12 Sun, 26 May 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Max Verstappen says he endured a boring Monaco Grand Prix, describing his afternoon as one that “wasn’t really about racing” due to the race's circumstances and tyre strategies.

“After the red flag our strategy was ruined as we had to put the medium on to the end as everyone had a free stop, and that meant that we had to save a lot,” Verstappen explained. “First I would like to try to, if there are possibilities, change a few things,” he said. “Because it’ll make the excitement even better.”

“Overall the weekend is really cool, just the Sunday is a little bit boring unfortunately, but the scenery is still great. If we can find a way to race a bit better, why not? That would be my preferred solution. Yes [to layout changes], because you cannot pass at the moment. If they ask for my opinion [on changes] I will try to see what is possible, but it also depends what roads you are going to take.”

‘Wasn’t really racing’;

https://f1i.com/news/509292-verstappen-bored-by-monaco-procession-that-wasnt-really-racing.html

Red Bull don't know cause of Monaco problem
MAY 27, 2024
GrandPrix.com

The recent performance trend in Formula 1 is revealing an exciting new truth for fans - Max Verstappen and Red Bull are no longer cruising to each world championship.

Indeed, although Red Bull has hit a snag with its 2024 car, Carlos Sainz insists it's just “common sense” that on “normal tracks” Verstappen will still win plenty of races this year. “Domination, like we were seeing, hopefully not, said the Spaniard. But favourites? Yes.”

‘Don't know cause of Monaco problem’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/red-bull-dont-know-cause-of-monaco-problem.html

Max Verstappen finds ‘only positive’ for Red Bull after ‘boring’ Monaco GP
27 May 2024 4:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

However, having said after qualifying that his RB20 resembled a “go-kart” in how it handled through the kerbs, with its suspension not proving friendly over the harsh bumps of Monaco, the three-time World Champion said the team now believe they know what went wrong for them.
If they are able to find a solution, then he believes the car “really comes alive again” – with the RB20 having been the class of the field for much of the season so far. “Of course, after the red flag, our strategy was a bit ruined,” Verstappen explained to media including PlanetF1.com after the race.

“Because then we had to put the medium to the end, because everyone had a free stop, and that meant that we have to save a lot. You know, I just tried to follow George [Russell]. We were massively off the pace, I was trying to manage the tyre.”

‘RB20 resembled a go-kart’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-only-positive-monaco-gp

‘Unexpected problems’: Max Verstappen makes worrying Red Bull prediction ahead of Canadian Grand Prix
Tue 28 May 2024 18:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen and Red Bull uncharacteristically struggled at the Monaco Grand Prix. The RB20 seemed ill-at-ease on the streets of the principality throughout the weekend.
On Friday, Martin Brundle spotted Verstappen complaining about his Red Bull more than he had for ‘a while’ in the garage. He’d reported over the team radio that the car was a ‘knife-edge’.
The Dutchman had to settle for sixth in Saturday’s qualifying session after hitting the wall on his second run. And he wasn’t able to make any progress on race day either. Verstappen says there could be similar issues with the ride in Canada. “It won’t be our best weekend either because of the curbs and bumps,” he told Sky Germany. “There are certainly some tracks where there will be some unexpected problems.”

‘Unexpected problems’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max-verstappen-makes-worrying-red-bull-prediction-ahead-of-canadian-grand-prix/

Christian Horner response to Max Verstappen's "found out" claim speaks volumes
Max Verstappen suggested Red Bull have been 'found out' after their poor showing at the Monaco Grand Prix and Christian Horner expects things to get tight in the coming weeks
11:02 Mon, 27 May 2024.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Christian Horner insists no-one at Red Bull is panicking - but conceded that they are now under the cosh from their F1 rivals. Team boss Horner admitted the weakness of Red Bull's fearsome cars has been exposed and is anticipating more pressure from other teams in the coming weeks.

He said: "I think we saw it in Singapore last year as well. I think we've had another example of that. We know it's an area of the car we need to work on. We have some lessons to take out of this weekend and some issues that we need to address with the car.”

"Ferrari, McLaren, they're quick. It was always going to happen that there was going to be convergence. I think McLaren made a big step, Ferrari's step was very subtle. So let's see over the next two or three races. We're now getting into the meat of the championship so let's see. Montreal, Barcelona, Austria, Silverstone, let's see over the next few circuits how things pan out. It's a marathon, not a sprint. We expected this to be a tough weekend for us. Qualifying was difficult which then dictates where you are in the race."

‘No-one at Red Bull is panicking’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/verstappen-rivals-horner-red-bull-32900435

Fortitude

30th May 2024, 02:16

‘Little less zen’: Lewis Hamilton left really upset by one Mercedes decision at the Monaco Grand Prix.
He was left frustrated during the Monaco Grand Prix as he came home in 7th place and was beaten by teammate George Russell once again.
Wed 29 May 2024 19:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton would have been hoping for so much more during his final Formula 1 season with Mercedes. Talking about Hamilton’s race in Monaco, Mejia said: “I asked him [Lewis Hamilton] on Saturday whether the front wing was making any difference and he said it did. So, I tend to think more that it was meant to be for George [Russell]. Maybe I’m wrong, but from what Lewis said that was the impression [I got].”

“And then in the race, we heard Lewis on the radio saying that, ‘I told you’, you could see that he was not a friend of starting on the hard tyres because if this happened, a red flag on the lap one, they were going to be forced to run a medium for the whole race basically, for 77 laps which is what George did in the end.”

“So, I think Lewis has been in a very zen mode. It’s been a joy to speak to Lewis this year because although he’s not getting any podiums or victories or pole positions, he’d been quite relaxed, looking at the bright side always. He’s been in that mood up until this weekend. To me, it’s clear that… he’s a little less zen this weekend.”

‘Little less zen’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lewis-hamilton-left-really-upset-by-one-mercedes-decision-at-the-monaco-grand-prix/

Lewis Hamilton explains “I told you guys” radio complaint in Monaco Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton clarifies his "I told you guys" complaint over team radio in Monaco.
26 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton has clarified his “I told you guys” radio complaint during the early stages of the Monaco Grand Prix. With the race under red flag conditions, this allowed their rivals to change tyres - onto the hards - meaning they could effectively go to the end of the race. Hamilton had this in mind, explaining the aforementioned radio message to select media including Crash.net in Monaco.

“Well, I think it was going to be long either way, whichever tyre you were on, but I wanted to start on the hard [sic],” he said. “I felt that something was going to happen at the beginning of the race and normally that would create an opportunity to switch over to the hards and go away to the end.”

“But I think at the end of the day everyone drove so slow that it didn’t make any difference.” Mercedes appeared to take a step forward in Monte Carlo as George Russell finished fifth, beating Max Verstappen.

“I told you guys”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1049431/1/lewis-hamilton-explains-i-told-you-guys-radio-complaint-monaco-grand-prix

Hamilton: ‘Really positive to see the team bringing upgrades every weekend’
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lewis Hamilton was tight-lipped about comments he made about his qualifying performances this year, after he came home seventh in Monaco.

‘Really positive’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hamilton-really-positive-to-see-the-team-bringing-upgrades-every-weekend.1800132535652320345

Hamilton proclaims former team resurgence 'warms my heart'
While Mercedes has struggled for on-track form of late, Lewis Hamilton's former team McLaren has improved its results across the last year.
29 May 2024, 2:30PM
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Hamilton, who raced for McLaren from 2007 to 2012, praised his former squad for its form recovery. "I think he [Norris] is doing a great job," said the Mercedes driver. "Oscar [Piastri] is also doing a really great job as well.”

“He's just been unlucky in the last couple of races. So excited to see both of them, and how they both progress, but mostly also for McLaren, to see them back up there.
“It warms my heart because I was there for such a long time and they gave me my break. So it's cool. I hope we can get closer as well, I think they [McLaren] also have just shown that you can close the gap and you can catch up if the job's done right. It's inspired us all to get on it.”

'Warms my heart';

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-proclaims-former-team-resurgence-warms-my-heart

Lewis Hamilton accused of ‘spinning’ George Russell head-to-head after Monaco upgrades
28 May 2024 10:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Falling 7-1 behind George Russell in qualifying and blaming that on his team-mate getting Mercedes’ new front wing in Monaco, Jamie Chadwick says Lewis Hamilton is “spinning” the narrative. Qualifying P7, 0.08s down on Russell who was P5, Hamilton said: “I anticipated it would be difficult to outqualify George because he has the upgraded component, but it’s just great to see that we are bringing upgrades.

“I already know automatically that I’m going to lose two-tenths going into qualifying. That’s definitely frustrating.” Going on to declare he does “not anticipate being ahead of George in qualifying particularly this year”, Hamilton was pressed on the claim with a “we’ll see” reply.” But rather than read too much into Hamilton’s comment, Williams development driver Chadwick believes Hamilton is “spinning it” to suit his narrative. “I think he knows what he’s doing,” Chadwick told Channel 4.

“He’s spinning it to make it sound like he’s maybe not got the upgrades this weekend which for me, I’m not sure about because a team like Mercedes, they generally always bring upgrades to both cars. It’s not like they need to split it between the two cars. So yeah, I think he should take his hat off to George. He’s 7-1 on someone like Lewis Hamilton, which is incredible. And I think Lewis is probably not happy about that, to be honest. And that’s where that comment has come from.”

‘Spinning the narrative’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-spinning-george-russell-head-to-head-monaco-upgrades

One does not simply buy Lewis Hamilton's advanced polo from the Monaco Grand Prix
28 May 2024
By Adam Cheung
GQMagazine

No-one does F1 fashion quite like Sir Lewis Hamilton. Literally no-one. From disco-ready boiler suits to deconstructed blazer-coats, the man has proven, time and time again that he's as good at menswear as he is at racing. But on those rare days when he's not rocking Rick Owens or Mowalola, the national treasure goes down a more understated route (or at least understated by Lewis Hamilton standards).

At the eighth stage of the Formula 1 World Championship in Monaco, Hamilton was spotted with his entourage wearing a big, oversized polo shirt. But this wasn't just an off-the-rack polo shirt. This one was bespoke by Botter, a label by designers Lisi Herrebrugh and Rushemy Botter that's all about sustainable materials, eco-friendly fabrics, and all that good, good stuff.

‘No-one does F1 fashion quite like Sir Lewis Hamilton. Literally no-one’;

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/lewis-hamilton-botter-world-polo-shirt-2024

Hamilton suggests solution to 'spice up' Monaco GP
After many fans labelled the Monaco Grand Prix 'boring', Lewis Hamilton has voiced a potential solution to improve the spectacle.
27 May 2024, 9:00AM
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers

When Hamilton was informed that fans were calling the race boring, the Mercedes driver told media including RacingNews365: “I can only imagine.”

“I mean ultimately, our tyres, they can do a whole race, too hard of [tyres] compounds here, we've got to find ways to spice it up. Maybe mandatory three stops or something to spice it up a bit more.”

‘Mandatory three stops’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-suggests-solution-to-spice-up-monaco-gp

‘That is what he said’ – Toto Wolff’s thoughts on Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari after Drive to Survive reminder
28 May 2024 8:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

When season six of Drive to Survive was released back in February, Toto Wolff was seen on screens around the world saying he couldn’t imagine Lewis Hamilton in red.

Reminded of that in a recent interview with the Independent, Wolff said: “That is what he said to me. He said he was going to stay and then he decided to go. But people change their minds and circumstances change and you have to respect that. Today’s opinion might be different tomorrow and I have no hard feelings.”

“If Ferrari is able to give Lewis a competitive car, he can win a World Championship, there is no doubt about that,” he continued. “I will always have a personal relationship with Lewis and I will look back at the great times, professionally and personally. When Lewis moves to Ferrari he becomes a competitor but I will always wish him happy days.”

“People change their minds and circumstances change”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-thoughts-lewis-hamilton-ferrari-drive-to-survive-reminder

Fortitude

30th May 2024, 18:46

Tsunoda on maiden Monaco top-ten: ‘We deserved these points’.
For the first time in his career in F1, Yuki Tsunoda cracked the top-ten barrier in Monaco, and it was a well-deserved achievement according to the RB charger.
28/05/2024 at 17:33
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

While the competitive spirit in him likely yearned to push harder, Tsunoda kept his emotions in check. He understood the bigger picture – securing points was crucial for him and the Visa Cash App RB team.

“[It’s] good that we scored points again," said he said after the race. “I think we deserved these points. It was kind of fine-tuning, a bit of balance between me and my strategy.”

“Obviously myself I wanted to push, but as a strategy we didn’t want to. [I] kind of tried to be calm as much as possible. In the end, the last couple of laps I enjoyed it and [it’s my] first points in Monaco, so definitely a happy day.”

‘We deserved these points’;

https://f1i.com/news/509539-tsunoda-on-maiden-monaco-top-ten-we-deserved-these-points.html

‘We deserved these points’ says Tsunoda after sealing first top-10 finish in Monaco
28 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Yuki Tsunoda was thrilled to score his very first points at Monaco on Sunday – a result he says shows his growing consistency as he looks to cement his future on the F1 grid.

After lining up in P8 at the start, Tsunoda managed his pace throughout the event to preserve his tyres and crossed the line in the same position. While the Japanese driver felt some frustration at not being able to push, he kept his cool and came away happy with his final result.

“It’s very important that we keep scoring points, and I think also the team allows me to bring the confidence straight away in FP1 and having a good pace already from maybe [practice] one. I think those kind of things will obviously help me to be confident and focused on what I have to do. I think just every race we are super consistent, that’s what we all want and we just keep pushing at what we’re doing.”

‘Shows his growing consistency’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/we-deserved-these-points-says-tsunoda-after-sealing-first-top-10-finish-in.5qkHwrttV0uvKf8XlKyxhy

RB set to retain current line-up for 2025
30/05/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

RB team boss, Peter Bayer admits that the Faenza-based outfit is likely to retain Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda for 2025. "We're very happy with both of our drivers," he said. "And honestly, we're not wasting time with discussing ifs and whens. We have a very strong line-up. We have a great reserve driver. We have great talent coming through F2, F3. Currently, it's all about focusing on performance," he added. "And perhaps the focus is more on Aston Martin in front of us than on driver discussions."

Asked about Tsunoda, who has had his own problems in the past but has appeared to go from strength to strength ever since Ricciardo joined the team to replace Nyck de Vries, Bayer said: "I definitely believe he has made a big step forward. It's physical preparation," he added, "but it's also his mental readiness to perform and deliver.”

“One example I mentioned the other day: I think he simply understood that every time he would be swearing on the radio, that would cost him a tenth. So he's got himself under control. He's extremely professional in the work that he's putting into the feedback with the engineers," he continued. "And yes, he definitely made a big step up."

"We're very happy with both of our drivers”;

https://www.pitpass.com/77836/RB-set-to-retain-current-line-up-for-2025

‘Has a decent chance’: Three F1 teams are now considering making a move for Yuki Tsunoda in 2025
Wed 29 May 2024 12:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Visa Cash App RB driver Yuki Tsunoda may be sitting 10th in the Drivers’ Championship this season, but he’s comfortably been one of the most impressive drivers on the grid in 2024. Heading into his fourth season with the sister Red Bull team, Yuki Tsunoda is proving why he deserves his place in Formula 1.

Yuki Tsunoda is an unlikely star in Formula 1’s driver market: Discussing the Japanese driver’s future, Benson said: “The impression from the outside is that there is absolutely nothing [Yuki] Tsunoda can do to be considered for a seat at Red Bull – the bosses simply do not rate him highly enough. “This is why Tsunoda is looking outside Red Bull for job opportunities, even though he owes his seat in F1 to Honda, their engine partner.”

“Ironically, he cannot get a seat at Aston Martin, which will be Honda’s works team from 2026, because Fernando Alonso has just signed a new contract there and Lance Stroll is the son of the owner and is not going anywhere. So, Tsunoda is looking at places such as Williams, Haas and Alpine, and it seems he has a decent chance of landing one of those seats in this summer’s driver musical chairs.”

‘Three F1 teams are now considering making a move’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/three-f1-teams-are-now-considering-making-a-move-for-yuki-tsunoda-in-2025/

Tsunoda: qualifying session was harder than expected
26 May 2024, 10:00
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Yuki Tsunoda appeared to be extremely quick during the practice session, and he managed to carry that form over into the all-important qualifying session. The Japanese made the top 10 shootout yet again, and so slowly becoming a regular feature in Q3.

“Today was much harder than expected, but we picked up the pace quite a lot and managed to improve lap by lap in every session from Q1 to Q3. Q1 was a bit of a struggle considering the pace we had in free practice, but we managed to squeeze out every millisecond from the car.”

"It was super intense, one mistake is a big compromise here. I felt a little bit of pressure, but at the same time enjoyed it, I managed to keep my mind calm and extract the performance of the car. It’s going to be tricky tomorrow, it’s hard to overtake here so the start is very decisive and the main thing is to have a clean race.”

“Squeeze out every millisecond from the car”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24647

Verstappen is P6, Tsunoda is P8 in the Monaco GP Qualifying
20:58 Sat, 25 May 2024
Honda Racing

Round 8 of the season, Monaco Grand Prix took place at Circuit de Monaco. Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing, supported by Honda as a Team Partner, was P6. Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team's Yuki Tsunoda was P8.

‘Tsunoda is P8’;

https://honda.racing/f1/post/f1-2024-rd08-qualifying

Fortitude

31st May 2024, 02:34

Alex Albon exclusive: I can fight for F1 world championship at Williams.
Albon picked the perfect time to make his maiden Q3 appearance of 2024 and the Monte Carlo resident held off Pierre Gasly to secure ninth place and fire Williams above Alpine in the constructors’ championship before the shortest of commutes home.
10:08 Thu, 30 May 2024.
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

“Today is like my 19th day in Monaco this year,” Albon said. “To stay home is actually a lovely luxury to have, it’s nice to be able to sleep in your own bed, make your own breakfast and just take it nice and slow so it’s good. “Especially between Imola and Monaco, it was already quite a short trip to Monaco itself so I’ve been here since Sunday evening and going to my normal gym, being able to train properly Monday-Wednesday has been nice.”

As effusive as Albon is about the impact of Vowles and his changes behind the scenes, there’s another more obvious carrot that Williams can offer in 2026: a Mercedes power unit. “For sure it is, I think Mercedes time and time again, when it comes to these regulation changes, they seem to be one step ahead of their rivals – not to say I don’t think other teams will do a good job.”

“But I think it’s at least a safe bet. When you look at maybe the other midfield teams who are bringing in a new PU I’m sure they’re going to put in a lot of money to hit the ground running. At the same time, I think I’m hoping that even in 2026 if we’re still in our building phase – obviously, I want to hit that year on top form, but if it’s not there quite yet we’ll still have a very strong power unit to go alongside us.”

“One step ahead of their rivals”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/alex-albon-exclusive-can-fight-for-f1-world-championship-williams/

Albon hoping Williams can ‘hit our stride’ after breaking points duck in Monaco
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alex Albon scored Williams first points of the year in Monaco, and is now hoping to carry that “positive momentum” forward into the next few races.

‘Hit our stride’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/albon-hoping-williams-can-hit-our-stride-after-breaking-points-duck-in-monaco.1800131658540548243

Albon: first points a big moral boost for Williams
27 May 2024, 02:00
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Monaco allowed the team to display a more encouraging pace as the challenging street circuit punished the additional weight slightly less. Alex Albon did not hesitate to grab the opportunity on Saturday, qualifying in the top ten which he could convert into a ninth place finish to score his and the team's first points in 2024.

"Whilst you’d rather have a slightly more exciting race to win points at, I’m still happy. P9 for the team and our first points of the season which means a lot to us. You never want to be pointless, especially for the team's morality, so hopefully this will be a nice kickstart to the season.”

"It was a bit frustrating out there as you could see how much pace Yuki had but he was managing excessively, so it was a very slow and painful race; I was struggling to stay focused. We’ve added small amounts of performance to the car so it’s good to see these upgrades working and that we’re able to stay around a similar pace to our direct competitors," added Albon.

‘Big moral boost’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24655

Monaco GP: Williams Racing kick start their season
May 27 2024
Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

The results of the 2024 Monaco GP would see the Williams Racing Team come away with two points as a result of a 9th place finish from Alex Albon. This will see them move into 8th in the Constructors Championship.

The race itself would see a Red Flag after a lap one crash involving several cars. This would see the race restarted and Alex was able to change to the hard tyre, having started on the medium, and he would use this in his drive to the finish.

Alex Albon: "Whilst you’d rather have a slightly more exciting race to win points at, I’m still happy. P9 for the team and our first points of the season which means a lot to us. You never want to be pointless, especially for the team's moral, so hopefully this will be a nice kick start to the season.

‘Kick start their season’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206018.htm

Monaco points breakthrough sparks optimism for Albon
27/05/2024 at 12:26
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Relief and cautious optimism filled the air at Williams after Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix following Alex Albon’s run to P9 which marked driver and team’s first points of the year. “I feel it was maybe a bit of a boring one,” he admitted. “I wish I had a nicer race, more fun race to say how we scored our first points, but I’ll take that!”

“P9 is great for us, it puts us on the board, puts us in a positive momentum for the next few. Last year it took us a while to get some points and then we really started to hit our stride. I don’t know why we can’t do that again – we’ve chipped away at the car, brought some small upgrades to the car and it’s paying off so, yeah, happy.”

“I’ll take that!”;

https://f1i.com/news/509441-monaco-points-breakthrough-sparks-optimism-for-albon.html

Alex Albon: Two Crucial Points for Williams
May 28, 2024
Aaron Teasdale
World In Sport

Alex Albon’s weekend started on a positive note during Qualifying. Securing a good starting position is crucial in a track where overtaking is notoriously difficult. Albon managed to navigate through the tight corners and barriers of the Monaco circuit with skill, eventually qualifying in 9th position. This placed him in a prime spot to compete for points during the race. As Monaco is known for making overtaking extremely difficult, the ambition to score points ran high amongst the Williams team.

As the race entered its final stages, Albon was in a tight battle for the lower points positions with Yuki Tsunoda for 8th place. Able to stay within the DRS but as we mentioned, overtaking in Monaco is extremely difficult. But in the end, as much as Albon pushed the Visa Cash App RB driver, he crossed the finish line in 9th place, securing two valuable points for Williams Racing.

‘Two Crucial Points’;

https://worldinsport.com/alex-albon-two-crucial-points-for-williams/

Albon mocks ‘painful’ Monaco pace: ‘I could drive my Vespa around here’
Alexander Albon has poked fun at the Monaco Grand Prix after a slow, processional race with strategy broadly taken out of the equation.
28 May 2024, 2:05PM
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

After the first lap red flag allowed runners to make their mandatory pit stop during the stoppage, the majority of the top 10 completed the remaining 76 laps on once set of tyres. That resulted in Albon being tucked up behind Yuki Tsunoda's RB for almost the entire race - with the Japanese driver dictating a very conservative pace for the pair.

"I was like 'man, I could get out and drive my Vespa around here'," the 28-year-old joked to media including RacingNews365. "That's how it is. I mean, it was so slow. It was so painful. It's actually hard to say focused when you're going that slowly, because you're just not even near anything - you're not near any limits.”

"He [Yuki Tsunoda] absolutely cleared off at the end of the race, and I was like 'you could have done this the whole time', but he decided not to do it." The Thai-British driver would felt that the approach employed by Tsunoda was more extreme than it needed to be, voicing his thoughts about a race that was needlessly slow in his view. "I think I've got everything, radiometry settings...," he replied when asked if he was now an expert on what the RB rear wing looked like. "It's annoying because he had pace. He had so much pace.”

“Drive my Vespa”;

https://racingnews365.com/albon-mocks-painful-monaco-pace-i-could-drive-my-vespa-around-here

‘Bit excessive’: Alex Albon couldn’t get over how ‘ridiculous’ 80-point driver was during Monaco Grand Prix
Wed 29 May 2024 06:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The Monaco Grand Prix is the only race that can be the most interesting and the most tedious event on the Formula 1 calendar at the same time. The race on Sunday lived up to that billing with the first lap full of chaos and bringing out the red flag and the following 77 laps filled with very little action.

Tsunoda was supposedly chasing down Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton for 7th place but by the time they took the chequered flag, it was hard to argue that he’d had a real go at doing so. Albon struggled to hide his frustration with Tsunoda after the race in Monaco as he simply couldn’t find a way past the RB driver. In the end, he dropped off the back of his car, presumably because he was sick of the sight of the V-CARB rear wing.

Alex Albon endured 78 laps of frustration on the streets of Monte Carlo: Talking about their battle, Mitchell-Malm said: “He didn’t endear himself to [Alex] Albon with the amount of pace management he was doing in the race. “Have you had a chance to hear what Albon had to say afterwards? “He thought it was a bit excessive, but not in like a particularly overly irate way because I don’t think Albon does that.”

‘Alex Albon couldn’t get over…’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-couldnt-get-over-how-ridiculous-80-point-driver-was-during-monaco-grand-prix/

Fortitude

31st May 2024, 17:31

Gasly happy for his first points, but urges his team to "review many things".
Pierre Gasly was delighted to score the first points of his 2024 F1 season, but he urged his team to review the intra-team battle that saw him and his team-mate Esteban Ocon crash on the first lap of the Monaco Grand Prix.
03:14 Mon, 27 May 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Pierre Gasly had a weekend of lows and highs in Monaco. The Frenchman was hindered by engine-related woes in the opening practice, but he bounced back from that to make his first Q3 appearance on Satuday.

“It feels good to score my first point of the season and the team deserves it, considering how much work they have put in during the last couple of weeks to improve our performance. Monaco is a place full of opportunities, especially in Qualifying, which we seized by reaching Q3 for the first time this year.”

“Had we maximised Q3, more points were probably possible. As a team we will review many things. After the red flag, the race was very uneventful and it was just about managing tyres and pace all the way to the chequered flag where, in the end, the outcome is a deserved point for the team.”

"Review many things";

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24660

2024 Monaco Grand Prix: Gasly furious after Ocon sent airborne in clash between the two Alpines
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Esteban Ocon managed to get up the inside of his Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly on the opening lap in Monaco, but the two touched and Ocon was sent briefly airborne – with Gasly left raging on the radio.

‘Gasly furious’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-monaco-grand-prix-gasly-furious-after-ocon-sent-airborne-in-clash-between-the-two-alpines.1800125719140773257

Pierre Gasly reacts to Esteban Ocon apology with Alpine star to face ‘consequences’
The Alpine pair came to blows on Lap 1 in Monaco and Ocon admitted he was at fault for the collision
26 May 2024
By Joe Krishnan
PlanetF1.com

Ocon was forced to retire while Gasly carried on, and despite sustaining some damage to his car, he managed to bring it home to score his first point of the season in P10. However, the 27-year-old was angered by Ocon’s behaviour and demanded talks to clear the air.

“I’m just disappointed with Esteban because it shouldn’t have happened, and for the team. We can’t afford to have this sort of behaviour,” Gasly told Sky Sports F1 after the race.”

“We had clear instructions before the race and this hasn’t been respected, and you should never take that much risk to take both cars out with your team-mates. I’m sure it will be discussed and we can’t afford to have a similar situation in the future.”

‘Consequences’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/pierre-gasly-esteban-ocon-apology-alpine-monaco-gp-crash/

Gasly fumes at Alpine intra-team clash in Monaco as Ocon takes to social media to apologise
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Pierre Gasly has expressed his frustration over an incident that “should not happen” after he and Alpine team mate Esteban Ocon clashed on the opening lap of the Monaco Grand Prix. It left Gasly with mixed feelings, for on the one hand he topped up Alpine’s tally with another valuable point, but was also left to rue what might have been had the collision not occurred.

“Right now, I must say I’m very pleased and very relieved for the whole team,” Gasly began. “We knew Monaco was a place where there would be an opportunity, even if we struggled with the car since the start of the year. We managed to seize the opportunity yesterday with that first Q3 and it was important to capitalise on that, and that’s what we did.”

He then commented: “Unfortunately, it wasn’t as peaceful as we had planned. I don’t want to go into too much details, but these things should not happen. It was a clear instruction from the team on what to do, what we were supposed to do, and this wasn’t respected .”

‘Gasly fumes’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/gasly-fumes-at-alpine-intra-team-clash-in-monaco-as-ocon-takes-to-social.3iCt5Vtq2kG6T1SICJBGYZ

[B]Pierre Gasly: Esteban Ocon ‘needs to make a change’ after Monaco collision
26 May 2024 8:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Pierre Gasly said he was “shocked” and “disappointed” when there was contact made between himself and Esteban Ocon on the first lap of the Monaco Grand Prix.

But when Gasly was asked if Ocon tried to get ahead in looking out for his interests, given both drivers come to the ends of their respective contracts this season, he responded to media including PlanetF1.com in Monaco: “I don’t want to answer that.”

“As a professional driver, you just know what to do and what not to do and even more with your team-mate. So he’s a good driver, a very good driver, he knows what he does. So he just needs to make a change.”

‘Needs to make a change’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre-gasly-esteban-ocon-monaco-collision-response

Journalist: Alpine could now sign 67-podium driver alongside Pierre Gasly for 2025 after Esteban Ocon crash
Fri 31 May 2024 11:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Alpine looked likely to change their driver line-up for 2025 even before the events of the Monaco Grand Prix. Now it seems a certainty. Since last summer, there has been an exodus of key personnel from the Enstone outfit. CEO Laurent Rossi and team principal Otmar Szafnauer are among those to lose their jobs.

Valtteri Bottas and Pierre Gasly could form 2025 Alpine line-up. According to formula1.com journalist Lawrence Barretto, Ocon’s impending exit ‘increases the chances’ of Gasly staying put. Helmut Marko has likened the incumbent duo to Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, but Ocon leaving could restore harmony to the garage.

Indeed, the problem may be the combination of Gasly and Ocon, rather than either of the drivers individually. Alpine might decide to stick with the former Red Bull driver and ‘mix things up’ with the second seat.

‘Change their driver line-up for 2025’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alpine-could-now-sign-67-podium-driver-alongside-pierre-gasly-for-2025-after-esteban-ocon-crash/

Fortitude

1st June 2024, 13:06

Fernando Alonso sums up ‘difficult weekend’ after P11 finish.
Fernando Alonso’s weekend started promising with impressive practice pace, but ended with him being knocked out in Q1, and finishing outside the points on race day.
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Difficult weekend’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/fernando-alonso-sums-up-difficult-weekend-after-p11-finish.1800133397684506230

Alonso: a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time
26 May 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Following a series of issues in Imola just a few days ago, Fernando Alonso endured another disaster in the qualifying session at the Monaco Grand Prix. Alonso looked to be back to his best after a disappointing time in Imola, and went into qualifying full of confidence. However, the Spaniard encountered traffic on his critical hot lap in Q1 which saw him fail to progress into the rest of the session.

“It was a case of wrong place and wrong moment today for me. This is Monaco and you need to find some luck here too! I lost quite a bit of lap time with the traffic in Q1 and there is nobody to blame as we can't expect the traffic to vanish. Heading into Qualifying, we were thinking Q3 looked possible. It will be a tough day tomorrow, but we will take any opportunities that come our way," commented Alonso.

“Wrong place at the wrong time”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24652

Why Fernando Alonso spent '50 laps’ wrongly thinking he was on course for point in Monaco
Fernando Alonso explains why he wrongly thought he was on to score the final point in Monaco.
28 May 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso has admitted he “got confused” and spent “50 laps” of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix mistakenly believing that he was on course for a points finish.

"I got confused because when we and Lance was in front of me after the pitstops, they said, 'okay, we secured 10th.' We've been doing all this for that last point,” Alonso said. Then Lance had the puncture, I said, 'Oh, now I have all the responsibility in my shoulders with very old tyres to bring this point back home.' ”

“I was driving for 50 laps thinking that I was 10th. And then when I crossed the line and they told me P11, I said, 'Oh, so, uh, all that stress for nothing.' But anyway, it kept me alive.”

'50 laps’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1049575/1/why-fernando-alonso-spent-50-laps-wrongly-thinking-he-was-course-point-monaco

[B]Alonso reveals bizarre misunderstanding over Monaco GP result
Fernando Alonso failed to bag a point-scoring finish at the Monaco Grand Prix last weekend as he crossed the finish line in P11.
28 May 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has revealed he mistakingly thought he finished in P10 at the Monaco Grand Prix last weekend. The two-time world champion crossed the line in P11 as he endured a difficult weekend - starting with a rare Q1 elimination during qualifying.

During the grand prix, Alonso spent much of the race opening a gap for team-mate Lance Stroll to pit and retain position one spot ahead of Alonso. The Spaniard believed that this was for the final position in the points, which he thought he inherited after Stroll pitted again for a puncture later in the race.

The 43-year-old voiced confusion over the restart order after the red flag period that was deployed following a crash for a trio of cars. "I don't know [why the situation occurred]. When the red flag came out, Lance was P10, I was P12,” he pointed out. And then at one point they reinstated Sainz in P3, so we were 12th and 14th, we should be 13th and 14th, but Lance was in front of Daniel [which] he was not supposed to be. So I don't know in which position I started, and I don't know in which position I was driving."

‘Bizarre misunderstanding’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-reveals-bizarre-misunderstanding-over-monaco-gp-result

Alonso concerned Aston Martin are ‘back in the midfield’ after team fail to score in Monaco
28 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

“It was a tough race, unlucky again – the whole weekend it seemed like we were in the wrong moment always," said Alonso. "It was no different in the race, started on the hard tyre to go very long and then with the red flag we had to fit the medium and go to the end on the medium, which was a little bit unexpected.”

“All in all difficult weekend, obviously you learn a lot from the difficulties so that’s what we try to do but tough one… [It’s] obviously not ideal, the current form, we seem to go back to the midfield instead of looking at the front runners.”

“But these things can change quickly, we saw with many other examples how quickly things can change, a good upgrade on the car and you can move five or six positions, so that is what we want to do on the next one and we work hard on that direction.”

‘Back in the midfield’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/alonso-concerned-aston-martin-are-back-in-the-midfield-after-team-fail-to.5wjqe4p59X8ZPmSp2kgijW

Fernando Alonso labels recent Aston Martin struggles “a big wake-up call”
Fernando Alonso reflects on two difficult weekends for Aston Martin.
29 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso has labelled the last two F1 races for Aston Martin as “a big wake-up call” after slipping back in the pecking order. Even though Aston Martin continue to bring significant upgrades to their car, they have picked up just four points in the last three races.

“These weekends have been crucial to understand our weaknesses, to understand the car, to improve,” Alonso told DAZN. “You always learn more from the difficulties than from the victories, because the problems go over the top with the euphoria.

“We are learning a lot and looking ahead to the rest of the year, 2025 and 2026. These two races have been a big wake-up call for the team and it will be very good for us.”

“A big wake-up call”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1049607/1/fernando-alonso-labels-recent-aston-martin-struggles-big-wake-call

Aston Martin no longer a top-5 F1 team says Alonso
Aston Martin has fallen outside the top five teams in Formula 1, Fernando Alonso has declared.
MAY 28, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Alonso admits that, at least in relative terms compared to last season, Aston Martin has taken a notable step backwards. “Last season here we finished second”, he said in Monaco, "then in Canada we also had strong pace. This year the sensations are different, with some doubts because we were not able to go fast.”

"We have to try to change this trend now, but it will take a few races until we introduce a significant improvement. Better and worse days are coming, and we have to stay united. But looking at the results, we are no longer in the top five group. But that is more of a question for Mike (Krack)”, Alonso concluded, referring to his team boss.

“No longer a top-5 F1 team”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/aston-martin-no-longer-a-top-5-f1-team-says-alonso.html

‘Significant update’ at Aston Martin on horizon with ‘wake-up call’ issued
29 May 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has described the Emilia Romagna and Monaco grands prix as a “big wake-up call” for Aston Martin, admitting it will require “a few races” to reverse the team’s downward F1 2024 trend.

And speaking to DAZN F1 Spain after the race in Monaco, Alonso acknowledged the last few weeks have served as a jolt for Aston Martin – but has backed the team to benefit from it over the long term.

He said: “These weekends have been crucial to understand our weaknesses, to understand the car, to improve. You always learn more from the difficulties than from the victories, because the problems go over the top with the euphoria.”

‘Learn more from the difficulties than from the victories’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-wake-up-call

We need to improve for Canada, says Alonso
27 May 2024.
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Delivering his post-race impressions, Alonso added: "We were a little bit unlucky at the beginning of the race. "At one point we thought we’d try a different strategy with Lance - a pit stop to attack Gasly, we were out of the points with nothing to lose. It didn't work but generally it was a disappointing weekend. We need to get better for Canada."

“Better for Canada”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24663

Alonso endorses long-forgotten Monaco qualifying solution.
Maybe this is an idea that should be revisited. Fernando Alonso would like to see it happen.
26 May 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

The two-time F1 champion feels F1 should adopt the system in place in F2 and F3 for the principality circuit, and run two groups to ensure a clean lap is possible. It is a suggestion that has been aired previously but never adopted. Alonso said: "That would be great. Monaco is so exciting, so thrilling that lap, so it would be nice to see everyone's lap live because we miss a lot of great moments, but it is the way it is."

"With Monaco, you can get lucky or unlucky. Last year I got lucky. I made some progress in Q1, Q2, and then in Q3 you are P2, and some of the big contenders were out in Q1 or Q2. This time it was us on the bad side of it [luck], and Checo [Sergio Perez] as well, he is P18. This is Monaco, you need to find your luck as well and we didn't do that."

‘Qualifying solution’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-endorses-long-forgotten-monaco-qualifying-solution

Fortitude

1st June 2024, 22:59

Ricciardo looking ahead to Canada after ‘not the Monaco I wanted’.
RB’s Daniel Ricciardo had a frustrating Grand Prix in Monaco, watching the back of the Aston Martins for both of the race on his way to a P12 finish.
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Not the Monaco I wanted’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ricciardo-looking-ahead-to-canada-after-not-the-monaco-i-wanted.1800131326097959188

Ricciardo frustrated by inconsistent qualifying form
Daniel Ricciardo has admitted that his qualifying inconsistency has left him frustrated as he tries to understand where he's going wrong.
30 May 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

“I definitely felt good coming into the session, coming into the day,” Ricciardo said of his Saturday performance. “Obviously two years ago here I really struggled with McLaren. I felt a lot better this time around, but look, the reality is the result isn't really that much better.”

“I don't want to just be like ‘hey, tyres, this and that'. I want to try and take a good look at myself and see what I'm missing. Then we'll look at what the car can give me to help me out, because I think the frustrating thing is I can do it, but it's obviously not happening frequently enough. That's where I'm kind of getting frustrated with myself, just trying to understand why it's not consistently, week-in, week-out being a Q3 contender.”

‘Qualifying inconsistency has left him frustrated’;

https://speedcafe.com/ricciardo-frustrated-by-inconsistent-qualifying-form/

Frustrated Ricciardo seeking answers for qualifying woes
10:39 Thu, 30 May 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Daniel Ricciardo admits that he needs to find a solution to his persistent qualifying woes and understand the root cause for his frustrating lack of consistency.

Ricciardo's struggles in the opening stretch of the 2024 season have been a talking point in the paddock, with disappointing results fueling speculation that the eight-time Grand Prix winner’s seat at RB could be at risk.

Those worries were perhaps exaggerated but there’s no denying that the Aussie’s results – especially on Saturdays – are falling short of his and his RB team’s expectations.

‘Needs to find a solution’;

https://f1i.com/news/509609-frustrated-ricciardo-seeking-answers-for-qualifying-woes.html

'I'm not happy': Daniel Ricciardo's blunt admission over gap to RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda
22:36 Fri, 31 May 2024
Damien McCartney
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

Daniel Ricciardo insists his focus is on his "week in, week out" struggles, as opposed to whether or not he'll be on the F1 grid next season.

Speculation surrounding the Aussie's future on the grid has been rampant for much of May, with some suggesting he could lose his seat to Kiwi reserve driver Liam Lawson, perhaps even before the end of the season.

His RB team's chief executive Peter Bayer has thrown his support behind Ricciardo, saying ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix he was happy with the team's lineup, and rubbished any talk of a mid-season shuffle.

'I'm not happy';

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motorsport/f1-news-2024-daniel-ricciardo-not-happy-rb-performance-comments-reaction-20240531-p5jifp.html

Ricciardo keen to address performance concerns despite RB praise
Daniel Ricciardo is avoiding getting excited about very positive comments made by RB CEO Peter Bayer.
1 June 2024
Nick Golding & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

The eight-time F1 race winner was asked by RacingNews365 after qualifying in Monaco, if he is hearing similar messages regarding his future inside the team. "I'll be honest, I haven't really given it too much [thought]," Ricciardo said. "So yes, that's great to hear. And yes, that would be awesome. But I want to be doing better consistently.”

"I think, like today, maybe we do find something that, okay, that's why I lost a bit here or there. But there will probably always be something, this is F1, and it's never perfect. So I just, I'm not happy with having these gaps. I think that's what's frustrating me a bit. Obviously, the team has been great."

‘Avoiding getting excited’;

https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-avoiding-future-excitement-despite-rb-praise

Daniel Ricciardo reveals RB message after fearing team would ‘panic’ over slow F1 2024 start
28 May 2024 6:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed how his bad experience at McLaren helped him recover from a slow start to the F1 2024 season, admitting he feared the RB team “would starting panicking” after a challenging first few races.

Asked if his previous struggles had helped him deal with his patchy form in early F1 2024, Ricciardo told Speed City Broadcasting: “Definitely. Because I’ve been through that – with hindsight and all of that, and I look back at some of the McLaren times – that’s why having some some time off last year was so important.”

“There were things I was telling myself: ‘If I get back into F1, if I get a seat again, make sure I remember these things, I learn from all this stuff and don’t fall back down some of these traps.’ That was my fear with the first few races this year. I felt good, I felt confident, I felt completely fine, I wasn’t second guessing myself.”

‘Feared the RB team “would starting panicking”’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-rb-message-f1-2024-start

F1 2024: Daniel Ricciardo fears amid fresh rumour over Red Bull decision
May 28th, 2024
Staff Writers from News.com.au
Fox Sports (Australia)

Daniel Ricciardo is not a “real alternative” to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull, according to a new report. The Australian has failed to put pressure on Perez’s seat having been largely dominated by his Visa Cash App RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda this year.

Reports emerged last week Red Bull was deep in negotiations with Perez about a contract extension — a revelation that dashed Ricciardo’s hopes of a promotion to the senior Red Bull outfit in 2025.

Now, according to German F1 site Motorsport Total, there are rumours that Tsunoda and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz were seen as more realistic options to partner Max Verstappen than Ricciardo — if Red Bull axed its Mexican driver.

‘Not a real alternative’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2024-daniel-ricciardo-fears-amid-fresh-rumour-over-red-bull-decision/news-story/843692092ad0641487fc8613831af8bf

RB set to retain current line-up for 2025
30/05/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

RB team boss, Peter Bayer admits that the Faenza-based outfit is likely to retain Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda for 2025. "We're very happy with both of our drivers," he said. "And honestly, we're not wasting time with discussing ifs and whens. We have a very strong line-up. We have a great reserve driver. We have great talent coming through F2, F3.

"Currently, it's all about focusing on performance," he added. "And perhaps the focus is more on Aston Martin in front of us than on driver discussions."

"But as I said before, currently we have two drivers in the cars. We are finding performance with the two. And we really do not discuss the 2025 situation, perhaps because we're in a luxury situation of having that strong grassroot pyramid behind us. And so the focus is really on track and on the next couple of races until definitely the summer break."

‘Set to retain current line-up’;

https://www.pitpass.com/77836/RB-set-to-retain-current-line-up-for-2025

RB detail Daniel Ricciardo ‘hidden progress’ and ‘value’ that could extend team stay
30 May 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

RB boss Laurent Mekies said Daniel Ricciardo’s input into the team has been a huge asset, even while he has struggled to get points on the board in 2024. “It’s a huge luck for this team to have a pairing [of] Yuki and Daniel,” he exclusively told PlanetF1.com.

“Daniel specifically, in the context of the projects, where the team needs to go and helping identify the gaps, it hugely helps to have somebody like Daniel that won eight races, has been at a few teams and knows where the board can be and where the board needs to go.”

‘Ricciardo’s input into the team has been a huge asset’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/rb-daniel-ricciardo-hidden-progress-value-team-extended

Fortitude

2nd June 2024, 08:26

‘It was all aboard the Alonso train’ – Bottas talks us through his frustrating Monaco GP.
Valtteri Bottas said he “tried everything we could” to make progress in Monaco, but ended up stuck behind Fernando Alonso, who was trying to make a gap for his Aston Martin team mate Lance Stroll. Bottas eventually finished 13th.
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

“Tried everything we could”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/it-was-all-aboard-the-alonso-train-bottas-talks-us-through-his-frustrating-monaco-gp.1800131927161570392

Bottas: ‘I can’t blame traffic or mistakes – we just didn’t have the pace’
Valtteri Bottas will start the Monaco Grand Prix from 19th place, with Kick Sauber locking out the back row of the grid. After the session the Finn said his team simply didn’t have the grip, leaving them with “lots of things to investigate".
25 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

“Lots of things to investigate";

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bottas-i-cant-blame-traffic-or-mistakes-we-just-didnt-have-the-pace.1800036289842399894

Exclusive: Bottas on his future, as a 40-year-old in F1 and Ferrari
Valtteri Bottas is now in his 12th season in Formula 1. However, the Finn is far from finished and is busy looking for a contract for 2025. RacingNews365 speaks exclusively with the 34-year-old Finn.
30 May 2024
Gerd Jansen & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

His contract expires at the end of this year, so the question is where we will see Bottas driving in 2025. He talks about it at length in an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. "I think everything is still open. At the moment no door is closed yet," Bottas replied when asked if a contract extension at Stake F1, which will continue as Audi's factory team in 2026, is an option for him.”

"Some teams have already fixed it, but apart from that it is still an open situation. Audi has made it clear they are not rushing things, but at the same time it means I have to look at other options. We're aware of the situation and that's what we're doing now. And that's why this gentleman is hanging around here," Bottas said with a smile on his face. With that, he is referring as a matter of course to his manager.

‘Bottas on his future’;

https://racingnews365.com/exclusive-bottas-on-his-future-as-a-40-year-old-in-f1-and-ferrari

Valtteri Bottas discusses his 2025 options and retirement plans
Competing in his 12th year in Formula One, Valtteri Bottas has secured 10 wins and 67 podiums during his time at Williams, Mercedes, and now Sauber. But what does the future hold for the 34-year-old?
May 31, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

During the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, talk surrounding the driver market started to heat up again. This time the speculation surrounded Carlos Sainz and a potential move to Williams for 2025. Sainz, who has connections with Audi through his father, was heavily believed to be joining the current Sauber team before it transforms into Audi.

The height of the ‘Sainz to Sauber/Audi’ rumours was in April. During that time, the current driver line-up of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas was said to be under threat. The team confirmed this by signing current Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg for next year. But where does this leave Zhou and Bottas?

In the build-up to the Monaco Grand Prix, Bottas discussed his prospects with RacingNews365. The Finnish driver was asked about 2025, and if he will remain with Sauber, with his contract ending this season.

‘2025 options and retirement plans’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/valtteri-bottas-discusses-his-2025-options-and-retirement-plans/

Exclusive: Bottas on new F1 era, evolution in the sport and sim racing
Valtteri Bottas is one of the drivers diligently seeking a new contract for next year. The Finn is eager to continue in Formula One, especially given the major rule change coming in 2026. RacingNews365 spoke exclusively with Bottas about those changes, among other things.
1 June 2024.
Roy Stroot & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

At Stake F1, Bottas has been unable to get anywhere near the points this season. The 34-year-old Finn himself also recognises that it has been a difficult start to the year for him and his team, but remains positive nonetheless. "It has been a difficult start, in which unfortunately we have not been able to score yet," Bottas told RacingNews365 in an exclusive interview in Monaco. "But we still have a long way to go and the differences are small.”

"I think we will see a different ranking on each track, sometimes in our favor and sometimes not. So we're not giving up yet, because we also know that we still have something in the pipeline." Though it looks more and more like Stake F1 has had to take a pass in the development battle against the competition, could Bottas' experience finally be the deciding factor in steering the team in the right direction?

According to Bottas himself, yes. "You always have influence, there is no doubt about that. But both drivers have that. But especially the more advanced simulation technologies and the wind tunnel play a bigger role in the overall performance. In the search for tuning and balance of the car, the driver has more influence. We have good people in-house who manage the mechanical side. That's going to make a difference."

‘Tuning and balance of the car, the driver has more influence’;

https://racingnews365.com/exclusive-bottas-on-new-f1-era-evolution-in-the-sport-and-sim-racing

Valtteri Bottas the favourite to make Williams move
May 31, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Valtteri Bottas is on an expiring contract with Sauber, but his next F1 chapter will likely be elsewhere. Williams emerges as a likely destination for Valtteri Bottas. In recent months, it has become increasingly clear that Williams are active in the market. All indicators suggest that Logan Sargeant is not in the team’s future plans. Unless there is a dramatic change of heart at Grove, the American driver’s days at Grove are numbered.

James Vowles and Valtteri Bottas are understood to have held talks on multiple occasions, as reported by formu1a.uno. Only a few weeks ago, the Williams team principal hinted that news on his 2025 driver lineup is not far away. This only confirms the growing consensus that Bottas is a front-runner to become Alex Albon’s next teammate. Inevitably, other drivers, including Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, have been on the Williams shortlist.

However, Bottas remains the most realistic option for the team. The Finn’s priority to secure a multi-year contract is congruent with James Vowles’ hopes for continuity in his driver pairing for 2025 and 2026. Although there is still some distance to go, the 34-year-old could return to the team he began his career with.

‘Favourite to make Williams move’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/31/valtteri-bottas-the-favourite-to-make-williams-move/

Valtteri Bottas edges closer to Williams return: Announcement before Canada?
Is Valtteri Bottas returning to Williams in 2025?
21 May 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Valtteri Bottas could be set to make a sensational return to Williams alongside Alex Albon in 2025. According to Speedcafe and Finnish publication VSabladet, Bottas has been heavily linked with a switch to Williams. Bottas’ remarkable return to Williams could be announced next month according to the aforementioned reports, as early as the Canadian Grand Prix.

The move would benefit both sides, giving Williams a dependable, quick, midfield driver. In Bottas and Albon, Williams would have one of the better driver pairings on the grid in a very competitive midfield pack. The 10-time race winner was pictured in the Williams motorhome during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend.

Addressing his visit to Williams at Imola, Bottas said: [It was] normal things, about life! “Of course, when you’re on the free market, you want to check around what’s out there. It’s a pretty normal situation being [when] you’re on the free market.”

‘Could be set to make a sensational return’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1048920/1/valtteri-bottas-edges-closer-williams-return-announcement-canada

Fortitude

2nd June 2024, 13:59

‘Thank God for Lance Stroll!’ – Christian Horner’s view on Monaco Grand Prix concerns.
Words we never thought we’d hear Christian Horner, or just about anyone outside of Aston Martin utter: “Thank God for Lance Stroll!”
28 May 2024 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After the opening lap drama at the Monte Carlo street circuit, which saw Sergio Perez eliminated after crashing with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen, the race was restarted at on lap 3 with Red Bull’s sole remaining driver, Max Verstappen, lining up P6.

Further back, though, there was one driver who pulled off an overtake, actually more than one, and that was Lance Stroll who pitted only to then suffer a puncture and fall to the very back of the field. The Aston Martin driver, bolting on a set of soft tyres, overtook Zhou Guanyu and then Logan Sargeant.

And that ladies and gentlemen was the overtaking highlights of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix summed up, two passes. “I think it’s something that we should collectively have a look at,” Horner told the media including PlanetF1.com. “Thank God for Lance Stroll, the only guy that managed to overtake in the race.”

‘Overtaking highlights of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/thank-god-for-lance-stroll-christian-horner-monaco-grand-prix-concerns

Stroll: ‘My race ended after the puncture’.
Lance Stroll was looking good for a points finish in Monaco – until a late puncture forced him to pit and dropped him down the order. He finished 14th at the flag.
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Late puncture’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/stroll-my-race-ended-after-the-puncture.1800133571302591896

2024 Monaco Grand Prix: Stroll clips the wall and picks up a puncture
27 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lance Stroll had recently pitted for a new set of hard tyres when just seven laps later he clipped the wall, picked up a puncture, and was forced to limp back to the pits for another set of rubber.

‘Puncture’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-monaco-grand-prix-stroll-clips-the-wall-and-picks-up-a-puncture.1800139599892086933

Stroll declares Aston Martin intention after future speculation
Lance Stroll has been part of the Aston Martin project since his father bought the team when known as Force India.
30 May 2024
Nick Golding & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Lance Stroll has stated that he is "committed" to remaining with Aston Martin and the project the team recently embarked on, following speculation about his future earlier in the season. With the Canadian driver's father, Lawrence Stroll, having owned the team since August 2018, it has long been assumed that Stroll's seat will always be safe on a sort of rolling contract.

Despite the speculation over his future, Stroll has insisted that he remains as committed to F1 and Aston Martin's project as ever before. "For sure, I'm committed to this whole project," stressed Stroll. "Like I said, how we've gone from a team that had 350-400 people in 2018, 2019.”

"Now we're pushing the number of 1000 people and looks very different in Silverstone now than 18 months ago. So, yes, I'm definitely committed and excited to be a part of this project."

"Committed";

https://racingnews365.com/stroll-declares-aston-martin-intention-after-future-speculation

Stroll insists on 'commitment' to Aston despite performance shortfall
14:40 Sat, 25 May 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Lance Stroll insists he remains committed to Aston Martin’s F1 project despite the speculation surrounding the Canadian’s future amid his lacklustre tenure with his father’s outfit. “It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come as a team for the last five years. We’ve grown so much as a team since we were in pink colours.”

“We have a very exciting wind tunnel that’s being built, we have an incredible facility that’s now in Silverstone that we moved into last year, so there’s a lot of pieces of this puzzle that are really coming together,” he explained.

“Along with the talented people that have been in service for many years, a lot of new talented people have joined and are joining, which makes this project very exciting. So, in my mind, you know, definitely here for the future. That’s where my head’s at.”

‘Project very exciting’;

https://f1i.com/news/509010-stroll-insists-on-commitment-to-aston-despite-performance-shortfall.html

Fortitude

3rd June 2024, 07:35

Sargeant reckons Williams should have split strategies in Monaco.
Logan Sargeant came home in P15 in Monaco after a tough race, and was left wondering what might have been had he run a different strategy to team mate Alex Albon.
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Left wondering’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sargeant-reckons-williams-should-have-split-strategies-in-monaco.1800130573397525589

‘Obviously’:Alex Albon concerned with Williams issue that ‘cost’ Logan Sargeant at Monaco GP
Thu 30 May 2024 13:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Alex Albon has admitted that he is concerned with one issue at Williams which ‘cost’ teammate Logan Sargeant heavily at the Monaco GP after finishing it two laps down.

Williams are still working to get enough parts ready to afford Sargeant their latest upgrades. But the American will likely have to wait for the Spanish GP from June 21-23 to enjoy parity on parts with Albon, who also concedes Sargeant is unlikely to get them at the Canadian GP. “Yeah, it is [a concern],” Albon added regarding Sergeant running an alternative set-up. “It’s something that we want. The good thing is we will have one ready for Barcelona.”

Sargeant ended qualifying for the 2024 Monaco GP with a 0.133s deficit to Esteban Ocon of Alpine. But a margin of only 0.001s to Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso would have still denied the Fort Lauderdale native a Q2 appearance had just one more driver lapped slower. One factor that serves to heighten Albon and Williams’ frustrations that Sargeant did not get into Q2 was that the stewards disqualified Haas pair Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg from qualifying. They both made Q2 but Haas failed to ensure their new rear wing was legal.

‘Still working to get enough parts ready’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-concerned-with-williams-issue-that-cost-logan-sargeant-at-monaco-gp/

Logan Sargeant has punchy response when asked about points failure
Williams picked up their first points of the season in Monaco as Alex Albon finished P9, but Logan Sargeant is still struggling in his second year with the team
14:37, Thu, May 30, 2024
By Matthew Abbott

Alex Albon is again benefiting from new parts before Williams teammate Logan Sargeant this season. Sargeant highlighted the struggle when speaking after the race. "It was a tricky race and looking at a rear wing was pretty much my day," he said. "It was uneventful for the most part; I was stuck underneath Fernando (Alonso) and Danny (Ricciardo) for a long time, and it just started to eat away at the tyres, and I really had nothing left. The rears completely degraded and from there I was hanging on to the tyres. Once I put the new tyre on and got some clear air, I felt good."

Sargeant continued: "Alex getting points is a boost for the team and shows a bit of what is to come. Going forward, when both cars have the same spec, we’ll both be able to fight for these opportunities more." Alex Albon also conceded that Sargeant not having access to the updated parts hurt his chances. “Obviously it cost him today,” Albon acknowledged regarding the parts. “It would have made a difference. I don’t know how far off he was from Q2, but it wouldn’t have been much. It would have been most likely in Q2 (with the new parts)."

‘Punchy response’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1905415/sargeant-logan-f1-williams-monaco-points-response

Formula 1: Possible Logan Sargeant replacement emerges, and it's not Kimi Antonelli
With the driver market for the 2025 Formula 1 season thinning out, Williams are on the hunt for Alex Albon's next teammate. A familiar name is in the running.
May 22, 2024
Maximus Polek |
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

Williams only have one seat secured for next season after Alex Albon recently signed a multi-year contract extension to remain with the team. But Logan Sargeant will likely be on his way out after a disappointing two-year run.

Many in the Formula 1 world are curious as to who will fill the American's seat for next season, with the hot rumor being that current Formula 2 driver Andrea "Kimi" Antonelli is the likely replacement. However, the Italian is only set to turn 18 years old in August, so it may be too early for him to make the massive jump to Formula 1.

During the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend at Imola Circuit, Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas was seen visiting the Williams motorhome. Bottas is said to have had a meeting with Williams team principal James Vowles, the context of which is unknown.

‘Seen visiting the Williams motorhome’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/posts/formula-1-possible-logan-sargeant-replacement-emerges-valtteri-bottas-kimi-antonelli-01hydytmxt7x

Logan Sargeant could be replaced mid-season at Williams by ‘tremendous’ ex-F1 driver
Wed 29 May 2024 16:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Logan Sargeant is fighting for his future at Williams – and not just for 2025. It’s unclear at this stage whether he’ll even be able to see out the season. James Vowles told the American in the winter that he had to be the biggest ‘surprise’ of the year if he wanted to keep his seat. This was after a rookie campaign in which he scored one point to Alex Albon’s 27.

The problem for Sargeant is that he’s still struggling to reach the level of his teammate. He hasn’t beaten him in any Grand Prix qualifying session this year, nor has he had the edge in any of the races that both have finished. As he tries to drag the team up the field, Vowles may feel hamstrung by the 23-year-old’s struggles. As such, he’s already begun looking into replacements.

Williams have enquired about fielding Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli in an FP1 session prior to his 18th birthday in late August. This would give them the chance to assess him before potentially handing him a drive in the second half of the season, at the expense of Sargeant. Mick Schumacher could also replace Logan Sargeant. But Antonelli isn’t the only contender if Williams decide to make a change midway through the campaign. According to Speedcafe, Mick Schumacher has also been ‘flagged’ as a potential replacement.

‘Fighting for his future at Williams’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/logan-sargeant-could-be-replaced-mid-season-at-williams-by-tremendous-ex-f1-driver/

Fortitude

3rd June 2024, 15:29

Zhou actively evaluating ‘different options’ for 2025.
Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu says his management team and himself are monitoring “different options” for 2025 to see which opportunity presents the best fit for his long-term goals in Formula 1.
11:30 Thu, 30 May 2024.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

“We’re monitoring all these different options,” commented Zhou last weekend in Monaco, quoted by Motorsport Week.

“Of course, here [at Sauber] remains still one of the options, but also, I’m looking at what’s the best for my future. It’s very important already to start quite early, just because of the driver market as well. I’ll leave this to Graeme obviously, but I’m doing my job here.”

“But it is clear that we’re already started talking to several different teams to understand who has the best interests and who has the future or the things that I wanted to have for the next few years. Things are not decided right now, but we’re just waiting to see what is the best on paper.”

‘Actively evaluating’;

https://f1i.com/news/509614-zhou-actively-evaluating-different-options-for-2025.html

‘That was a pretty sketchy moment’ – Zhou had front row seat for Lap 1 crash
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Zhou Guanyu was relieved to discover Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg were uninjured after their first lap crash – which the Sauber driver saw unfold in front of him. Zhou finished the race in P16.

‘Zhou had front row seat’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/that-was-a-pretty-sketchy-moment-zhou-had-front-row-seat-for-lap-1-crash.1800131069588960951

P20 Zhou: ‘The laps were clean, there was no big mistake’
25 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kick Sauber are just lacking grip in Monaco, says Zhou Guanyu after he qualified last for the Grand Prix.

‘Laps were clean’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/p20-zhou-the-laps-were-clean-there-was-no-big-mistake.1800035970989248123

Kick Sauber hoping Monaco was ‘an outlier’ as they leave race as the only team yet to score in 2024
28 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site

It proved to be a challenging weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix for Kick Sauber, with the team now the only outfit on the grid yet to score a point in 2024 as their struggles to get off the mark continue. Zhou faced a tough day, which started by having a close view of the heavy collision between Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg on the first lap of the race, an incident that all three fortunately emerged unharmed from. After making a late pit stop, the Chinese driver went on to end the race in 16th and last place.

“That was a pretty sketchy moment for these three [drivers],” Zhou commented about the Lap 1 crash. “I’m glad they are okay. From my side it was a very boring race, to be honest. I think we had a pretty good strategy until the red flag and then everybody is in the same boat, and there’s no potential to be overtaking. We tried to go to the end, and the tyre was dead for me unfortunately with 15 laps to go, so we had to commit to another stop.”

“It’s definitely one of the toughest [it’s] ever been, in terms of just lack of pace in general,” the 24-year-old added. “Monaco is all about confidence and this weekend I’ve been searching for that, and didn’t really have [much]. The race craft looks better, we still just need to work on it. We’re still lacking on pace against the guys around us, so we need to keep working on it.”

‘Zhou faced a tough day’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/kick-sauber-hoping-monaco-was-an-outlier-as-they-leave-race-as-the-only-team.2W3fNgyhFbs9BvQbKowhta

Sauber's performance now embarrassing says Benoit
Sauber's performance crisis is becoming so severe that it's "embarrassing", according to highly respected veteran journalist Roger Benoit.
MAY 26, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Benoit, earlier critical of how long it took Sauber to fix its technical issues this season leading to excruciatingly-long pitstops, wrote in his latest Blick column from Monaco: “It couldn't be more embarrassing. The red flag was waved twice in the Monaco practice sessions”, he added, "both after a Sauber crash.”

Benoit points the finger at three key players at Sauber. “Bottas and (Guanyu) Zhou, accompanied by the endless fairy tales of team representative (Alessandro) Alunni Bravi, should not even be a topic for the diligent cleaning crew in the Hinwil factory halls for 2025”, he charged.

“Nico Hulkenberg is coming back to Hinwil”, he said. "And if Carlos Sainz does not come, which would not be smart despite the lack of results, Yuki Tsunoda will be in pole position for the other seat. He is having a sensational season with Racing Bulls Honda, already scoring 15 points.”

‘Embarrassing’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/saubers-performance-now-embarrassing-says-benoit.html

‘There is a not a deadline’ – Sauber won’t be rushed on finding team mate for Hulkenberg insists Alunni Bravi
24 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kick Sauber have already announced Nico Hulkenberg will be joining them next year, but Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi says there’s no rush for them to make a call on who will occupy the second seat.

‘There is a not a deadline’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/there-is-a-not-a-deadline-sauber-wont-be-rushed-on-finding-team-mate-for-hulkenberg-insists-alunni-bravi.1799944901607000158

Fortitude

4th June 2024, 09:31

Perez likely to remain with Red Bull.
Despite a recent drop in form, it is believed that Sergio Perez is favourite to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2025.
30/05/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Perez started the season well, but over the last couple of race weekends his form has dipped, then came the nightmare of Monaco where he qualified 18th and was eliminated in the first lap clash with Kevin Magnussen. A further complication, as Red Bull looks ahead to 2026, is Verstappen's admitted concern over the Austrian team's power unit, leading to fears that the Horner-saga isn't the only aspect weighing on his mind. Clearly wanting to play it safe, as far as Perez is concerned, Christian Horner is looking to keep all his options open.

"This weekend's been pretty brutal for him," said Horner on Sunday. "Obviously we need to make sure that we have got both cars up there scoring points, because we cannot dismiss the threat of Ferrari and McLaren in both championships. Checo's first six races, he was very strong," he continued, "qualifying on the front row and finishing second and third and scoring very well. We just need to get back into that position of confidence and not to see a dip."

Asked if the recent dip in form had led to the team stalling on a decision, Horner said: "Not really. I think that it's more our timing. We'll make a decision in the fullness of time." Helmut Marko added "I think by Barcelona we should have a clear picture", according to Motorsport.com. "I would say we should have a clear idea ourselves by then." Asked if Perez is on pole position for the seat, the Austrian replied: "He is in a good position. I wouldn't say pole-position, but he is in a good position."

‘Sergio Perez is favourite’;

https://www.pitpass.com/77837/Perez-likely-to-remain-with-Red-Bull

Why Perez staying at Red Bull is not key to paying Verstappen's salary
Ralf Schumacher recently caused quite a stir with a remarkable claim about the reason why Sergio Perez is likely staying at Red Bull - but he appears to be wide of the mark.
3 June 2024.
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

It was Ralf Schumacher who recently suggested that Red Bull retaining Sergio Perez was key to the team being able to afford Max Verstappen's extraordinary salary. Multiple F1 grand prix winner Schumacher claimed that Red Bull needs the sponsorship money Perez brings with him to offset the three-time champion's reputed $55 million-per-year deal.

Speaking to Formel1, Schumacher said: "As long as Verstappen stays with Red Bull - and that's what I've heard at least once - Red Bull is struggling with a tight budget limit, and Perez brings money with him."

If Schumacher is talking about the overall budget limit in F1, in recent years teams have needed less money to survive in the sport following the arrival of the cost cap. Each team is allowed to spend a maximum of $135m, regardless of sponsorship income.

‘Remarkable claim’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-perez-staying-at-red-bull-is-not-key-to-paying-verstappens-salary

Report: Sergio Perez might only miss out on 2025 Red Bull seat for one reason
Wed 29 May 2024 17:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

An 8th-place finish and a first-lap DNF aren’t typically the results associated with earning a new contract in Formula 1. Sergio Perez knew heading into the 2024 season that he was in possession of the most enticing seat in Formula 1 and his deal was expiring at the end of the campaign. It appears as though Perez only scoring four points in the last two races has had little impact on Red Bull’s attitude towards offering him a new deal.

He’s widely expected to be Max Verstappen’s teammate next year, according to The Race and other outlets, with Carlos Sainz told that he’s no longer being considered for the role. The report from ESPN suggests that Perez is still Red Bull’s first choice to partner Max Verstappen next year despite his recent displays. However, they’ve been told by ‘multiple sources’ that only a ‘drastic drop’ in his form over the next few races could change that situation.

This suggests that even though discussions between Red Bull and Perez appear to have taken a step forward, announcing his new deal doesn’t seem to be on the horizon. Red Bull are in a position of power right now knowing that if Perez’s form does fall away, they know that plenty of other drivers would drop everything to join the team.

‘Widely expected to be Max Verstappen’s teammate’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sergio-perez-might-only-miss-out-on-2025-red-bull-seat-for-one-reason/

Perez close to new Red Bull deal but team wants better results
11:56 Wed, 29 May 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sergio Perez is reportedly close to being re-signed by Red Bull for 2025, with a deal potentially being announced ahead of next month’s Canadian Grand Prix. Perez’s underperformance has triggered an alarm bell at Red Bull which has significantly underscored Ferrari and McLaren in the recent period.

“This weekend’s been pretty brutal for him," commented team boss Christian Horner after last weekend’s bust in Monte Carlo. "Obviously we need to make sure that we’ve got both cars up there scoring points because we cannot dismiss the threat of Ferrari and McLaren in both championships."

Horner also contended that last weekend’s events would not impact Red Bull’s decision regarding Perez’s future. “I think that it’s more on our timing,” he said. “We’ll make a decision in the fullness of time.”

“This weekend’s been pretty brutal for him";

https://f1i.com/news/509550-perez-close-to-new-red-bull-deal-but-team-wants-better-results.html

Perez decision to be taken soon
A decision regarding Sergio Perez's future at Red Bull will be taken "soon".
MAY 29, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Marko told Osterreich newspaper that a decision regarding Perez will be taken “soon”, taking into consideration how Ferrari and McLaren have dramatically closed the gap. “We are now in the third year of the current regulations, and the others are copying us - some are copying better, and you see the result now at McLaren”, he said.

But Ferrari has also constantly developed. Marko admits, however, that Perez was not totally to blame for his poor Monaco GP weekend. “Our two drivers came to Monte Carlo enthusiastically, saying the car handled the kerbs really well in the simulator”, he said. “But as soon as they were in the car, they said 'undriveable!'.”

‘Decision to be taken soon’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/perez-decision-to-be-taken-soon.html

Perez lucky to escape unscathed after spectacular Monaco crash
28th May 2024
Toby Lock
Milton Keynes Citizen

Sergio Perez escaped with just a graze on his elbow after his dramatic crash on the opening lap of Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix. The Mexican crashed with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen on the run up the hill after the first corner, destroying his Red Bull Racing car and eliminating both Haas cars, with Nico Hulkenberg an innocent victim of the accident.

While the stewards did not carry out any further investigation into the crash, deeming both Perez and Magnussen equally at fault, the Red Bull man said he was frustrated with the outcome and felt the Dane should shoulder the brunt of the responsibility.

He said: “At the start I lost a position to one of the Haas cars and I was coming out of turn one, I couldn’t see Kevin in my mirrors, you can see that from my on board and then the crash happened. I think the move was unnecessary, we sustained a lot of damage and it was a very dangerous incident. I was disappointed it didn’t get investigated, it was an immense crash and my car is completely destroyed.”

‘Just a graze on his elbow, car is completely destroyed’;

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport/other-sport/perez-lucky-to-escape-unscathed-after-spectacular-monaco-crash-4644474

How Kevin Magnussen Might Have Ended Red Bull’s Dominance
May 30, 2024
Nicole Powell
Last Word On Sports

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and the Haas of Kevin Magnussen collided on the first lap of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, bringing out a very early red flag. Perez who had started the race in P16 following a shocking Q1 exit would have a long and difficult race ahead of him, but it was instead cut short.

According to reports, only the survival cell remained as a result of the RB20 bouncing between the barriers. Speaking to Motorsport-Magazin.com, Helmurt Marko said that the collision will cost Red Bull between $2.5 million and $3 million, with the damage having potentially affected the gearbox and power unit as well. Due to the cost cap, the budget for the 2024 Formula 1 season sits at $135 million, Marko said it would affect the team in terms of upgrades.

The damage costs are worth roughly 25% of Red Bull’s 2024 development budget. With such high figures, it has also been reported that if are to Red Bull suffer any further damage costs the Milton Keynes-based team may be forced to postpone or even abandon their late-season upgrades.

‘Kevin Magnussen Might Have Ended Red Bull’s Dominance’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/05/30/how-kevin-magnussen-might-have-ended-red-bulls-dominance/

Fortitude

4th June 2024, 18:56

Hulkenberg: The two-tenths shortfall that led to the 'shittiest' disaster.
Nico Hulkenberg came oh so close to avoiding being the incident victim in the carnage that unfolded between Haas team-mate Kevin Magnussen and Red Bull's Sergio Perez.
29 May 2024.
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Offering his view of the accident, speaking to media, including RacingNews365, Hulkenberg said: "I saw them racing up the hill, and then I saw a very sharp, narrow gap. I saw that Kevin stayed, and then Checo also didn't move. I think [it was] unnecessary from both really. It could have been easily avoided.”

"For me, who wasn't directly involved, it's the shittiest of all. I missed it [avoiding being hit] by probably two-tenths. If I'd have been two-tenths further up the road, he [Perez] would have missed me. But as it was, he hit me with a small margin of his car, but enough to end my race as well."

Asked whether he understood why Magnussen went for the gap, he replied: "Yeah, of course, but nobody has won the Monaco Grand Prix on lap one! "You have to take a calculated risk, a risk that makes sense, and it's always that risk-reward question you have to ask yourself. To some extent, it is definitely a racing incident, lap one, street circuit, narrow, visibility poor, with drivers not always exactly knowing where the other car is, and these things happen unfortunately."

'Shittiest disaster’;

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg-the-two-tenths-shortfall-that-led-to-the-shittiest-disaster

Hulkenberg grins at Verstappen's Monaco troubles
MAY 25, 2024
GrandPrix.com

“I'm just looking forward to laying in bed”, the triple world champion said after narrowly winning at Imola a week ago. “Maybe take some painkillers”. And after Friday in Monaco, where his car was clearly outperformed by rival cars - particularly Charles Leclerc's Ferrari - Verstappen said the bumpy ride had given him “a headache”.

“I just think that Max is being introduced to the world that the rest of us have lived in for the past year and a half”, Haas driver Hulkenberg smiled to Ekstra Bladet newspaper. “Last year he never had a stiff car. Now he has some of the same problems as the rest of us.”

‘Hulkenberg grins’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/hulkenberg-grins-at-verstappens-monaco-troubles.html

Sainz and Hulkenberg avoid penalties for impeding rivals
25th May 2024, 20:00
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans.net

In Hulkenberg’s case, the stewards took into account radio problems which disrupted the communications between the teams and their drivers. They also ruled Esteban Ocon was not significantly delayed when he caught the Haas at Massenet. “The team had attempted to warn car 27 [Hulkenberg] of the arrival of car 31 [Ocon] on a fast lap but the radio communication system was not working reliably and the driver of car 27 did not receive the messages. We heard the radio messages from the team to the driver but it appears that those messages did not go through to the car.”

“Given that the team had attempted to warn their driver appropriately of the arrival of car 31; in the light of the technical issues with the radio communications; and the fact that the driver of car 31 said that he was not materially impacted, we took no further action.” The decision to clear Hulkenberg is moot, as he has been disqualified from the qualifying results due to a technical infringement. He will start from the pit lane while Sainz retains his third place on the grid.

‘Hulkenberg avoids penalties’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/05/25/sainz-and-hulkenberg-avoid-penalties-for-impeding-rivals/

Kick Sauber offer update on who could partner new signing Hulkenberg for 2025
29 May 2024.
Formula One - Official Site

Alessandro Alunni Bravi has insisted that Kick Sauber “have the time” at their disposal to ponder “the very best options” for the second half of their 2025 line-up, after moving early to secure Nico Hulkenberg’s services. Hulkenberg will make the move from Haas to Hinwil next year, ahead of German automotive giants Audi taking over Kick Sauber’s entry for the arrival of new power unit and aerodynamic regulations in 2026.

“We have anticipated a bit the market by signing Nico Hulkenberg, who is a really strong addition to our team, and fits properly into the long-term project of Audi in F1. Now we have the time to assess the very best options available.” Alunni Bravi added that Kick Sauber’s decision also depends on what other teams choose to do, with McLaren and Ferrari the only outfits to formally confirm their full 2025 line-ups.

‘Who could partner new signing Hulkenberg’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/kick-sauber-offer-update-on-who-could-partner-new-signing-hulkenberg-for.W2rU40K1KVvmX5vWNt3oe

Hulkenberg brands Lap 1 crash with Magnussen and Perez as ‘a racing incident’
26 May 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Nico Hulkenberg, his Haas team mate Kevin Magnussen, and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez were all out of the race in Lap 1 in Monaco after a big crash that brought out the red flags.

‘A racing incident’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hulkenberg-brands-lap-1-crash-with-magnussen-and-perez-as-a-racing-incident.1800126113492363665

Fortitude

5th June 2024, 09:00

Logan Sargeant: I now have everything I need for F1 success.
Despite a difficult start to his F1 career and internal and external noise over his future at Williams, Logan Sargeant believes he's set up to achieve success in the sport.
4 June 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Even by the standards of a driver fighting for his Formula 1 future, Logan Sargeant has had some tough breaks in 2024. The constant external noise questioning if and by whom he’ll be replaced is part of the package, alongside the confirmation of Williams and James Vowles sounding out the availability of rival drivers.

But running last season’s rear wing plus an old floor at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix was perhaps less standard, not to mention missing out on an entire race thanks to his teammate’s crash in Australia. So it’s that much more impressive that Sargeant showed such a clear sense of perspective when speaking to Total-Motorsport.com ahead of that Monaco weekend:

“There’s always pressure, right? At the end of the day that’s the world we live in. But you know, it’s sporting pressure, there’s a lot more difficult things in life than driving a race car. I just feel privileged to be able to do this every weekend, I come into every weekend doing everything I can to perform and do the best I can for my team. I think about what can I do better throughout an entire weekend and my mind is occupied with trying to extract performance.”

‘Set up to achieve success’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-logan-sargeant-williams-everything-need-for-success/

Sargeant is sure he could also score points with the same spec as Albon
11:50 Mon, 03 Jun 2024.
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Williams driver Logan Sargeant is sure that he will be able to score points in 2024 as soon as he receives the same-specification of FW46 as his team-mate Alexander Albon races. "Alex getting points is a boost for the team and shows a bit of what is to come. Going forward, when both cars have the same spec, we’ll both be able to fight for these opportunities more."

His team-mate Logan Sargeant is still pointless in the 2024 season, but hopes that he can turn it around. The Miami-born regularly receives upgrades only after his team-mate which means that Williams often run two different specifications of cars. Sargeant is sure that he will be able to fight for points as soon as he receives the recent developments.

‘Sure he could also score points with the same spec’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24693

Sargeant admits fighting for Williams seat
Logan Sargeant admits he is fighting to retain his Williams race seat.
MAY 25, 2024
GrandPrix.com

The struggling American is well aware speculation about his potential successor for 2025 is intensifying - with race winners like Valtteri Bottas and even Carlos Sainz in the mix. It's a much less comfortable waiting period for 23-year-old Sargeant.

“Of course I want to stay at Williams”, he insisted in Monaco. “I believe I can reach the level I need to be at, so that's what I'm trying to do.” One of his issues, he explains, is that his car specification is often a step or two behind undisputed team leader Alex Albon's.

“I think I have a chance every weekend, but at the same time it's difficult when improvements come for him”, said Sargeant. “But ultimately the team knows the differences between the cars.” Sargeant is not seriously linked with any rival teams…

‘Car specification is often a step or two behind’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/sargeant-admits-fighting-for-williams-seat.html

‘Obviously’: Alex Albon concerned with Williams issue that ‘cost’ Logan Sargeant at Monaco GP
Thu 30 May 2024 13:00
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Alex Albon has admitted that he is concerned with one issue at Williams which ‘cost’ teammate Logan Sargeant heavily at the Monaco GP after finishing it two laps down. The Grove squad scored their first points of the season on the streets of the Principality last week. But while Albon finished the Monaco GP in P9 after qualifying inside the top 10, their joy was tempered slightly by Sargeant settling for 15th place among the 16 drivers to finish.

Williams ‘cost’ Logan Sargeant at the Monaco GP without their upgraded rear wing. Albon’s Q3 appearance at the Monaco GP was even his and Williams’ first time in the top 10 shoot-out this year. Sargeant, on the other hand, exited qualifying in Q1 having set the 17th-fastest lap. But Albon feels the 23-year-old may have made Q2 if they had equal machinery.

Alex Albon is concerned that Logan Sargeant does not have the same parts. Williams are still working to get enough parts ready to afford Sargeant their latest upgrades. But the American will likely have to wait for the Spanish GP from June 21-23 to enjoy parity on parts with Albon, who also concedes Sargeant is unlikely to get them at the Canadian GP.

‘Williams ‘cost’ Logan Sargeant at the Monaco GP without their upgraded rear wing’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-concerned-with-williams-issue-that-cost-logan-sargeant-at-monaco-gp/

Formula 1: 5 possible replacements for Logan Sargeant in 2025
Logan Sargeant will likely not be returning to Williams for the 2025 Formula 1 season. Who will take over as Alex Albon's teammate?
Jun 4, 2024
By Siddharth Bharani-Dharan
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

Who his teammate will be in 2025 remains unknown, but it is likely that the team will move on from Logan Sargeant after 2024. Here are five possible replacements for the American driver.
1. Esteban Ocon: Esteban Ocon entered the 2024 season with his Alpine contract set to expire at the end of the year, and he is indeed set to leave the team once the season ends.

2. Valtteri Bottas: With Sauber set to become Audi in 2026, it appears likely that the team will move on from Valtteri Bottas, and it appears that that will happen after 2024 as they look to shore up their roster a year early.
3. Pierre Gasly: After a number of good years with AlphaTauri, Pierre Gasly made his way to Alpine in 2023 in an effort to move his career forward.

4. Mick Schumacher: Ever since Mick Schumacher’s tenure at Haas ended in 2022, he has been a reserve driver for Mercedes.
5. Kimi Antonelli: Rumors of Kimi Antonelli entering Formula 1 next season have really picked up over the past few weeks.

‘5 possible replacements’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/posts/formula-1-5-possible-replacements-logan-sargeant-williams-2025-01hy4hwndfwy

Fortitude

5th June 2024, 16:51

Magnussen would be dealt with in my time says Villeneuve.
“In my time, Magnussen would no longer be so aggressive”, Jacques Villeneuve told Sport1. “We would have pushed him into the wall and made it clear to him - 'This is not acceptable'.”
MAY 27, 2024
GrandPrix.com

A photographer even had to seek medical treatment in hospital after being hit by debris - and Magnussen's teammate Nico Hulkenberg, also caught up in the ruckus, admitted he and Perez immediately blamed the Danish driver.

“I'm a bit angry. When we got out the car, we said to Kevin, 'Hey, what's going on?'” Hulkenberg admitted. “'That spot is too narrow and too fast to overtake at'.”

One of Villeneuve's contemporaries, Ralf Schumacher, agreed on Sky Deutschland: “Perez did not expect that, because a normal person does not see any gap there.”

‘Would be dealt with’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/magnussen-would-be-dealt-with-in-my-time-says-villeneuve.html

Jacques Villeneuve insists F1 star should be BANNED for Canadian Grand Prix
1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has voiced his disapproval of Haas driver Kevin Magnussen after the Dane's contribution to a crash two weeks ago in Monaco
• 5 Jun 2024
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Villeneuve thinks the Haas driver was lucky to escape a similar punishment for his role in that Monaco crash. "What was Magnussen thinking? He has been around for a long time," he told Best Online Poker Sites. "The driver in front, in this instance Sergio Perez, won't be looking in his mirror. You give a quick glimpse, see the guy is not next to you and even if he is getting close, you take your line.”

"When you are the guy behind, you are the one supposed to be understanding what is happening in front of you and to be able to judge what will happen. There was obviously no room and a massive crash happened. Then, when he gets out of the car, Magnussen says, 'He should have given me space.' We have always been taught that the driver behind is responsible.”

"If you want to go side by side you have to be side by side, not your front wing near the rear wheels. What is that all about? The fact is, Magnussen did not get out of the car and say, 'Oops sorry, I completely messed up.' Instead, he suggested it should have been the other way. Excuse me? What planet are we living on?”

‘Voiced his disapproval’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/kevin-magnussen-penalty-points-canada-32964836

F1 News: Kevin Magnussen Chastised For Monaco GP Crash - 'Not Formula 4'
Jun 05, 2024 at 8:00 AM EDT
By Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

Villeneuve, speaking with Best Online Poker Sites, lambasted the Haas driver for his tactical choices during the race: "If you want to go side by side you have to be side by side, not your front wing near the rear wheels. What is that all about?" Villeneuve's critique escalated as he expressed astonishment and frustration over Magnussen's refusal to acknowledge his mistake right after the incident, instead shifting the blame onto Perez.

"The fact is, Magnussen did not get out of the car and say, 'Oops sorry, I completely messed up.' Instead, he suggested it should have been the other way. Excuse me? What planet are we living on? The utter lack of comprehension on Magnussen's part befuddles me. We are in F1 here, not Formula 4 where a 15 year-old might not have that understanding yet."

Villeneuve further criticized the FIA's lack of decisive action, suggesting a possible bias in the sport's governing mechanisms. "And the fact he was not even penalised shows that the system is not neutral. If he had been penalised he would have been banned for one race. They decided not to. Why have the rule in place? "It was massive. It was dangerous. It was ridiculous. And he was 17th and 18th or something. He was not even going for the lead. Come on. First lap and you cannot even judge that. It is mad."

'Not Formula 4';

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/formula1/f1-news-kevin-magnussen-chastised-monaco-gp-crash-not-formula-4-1908407?piano_t=1

F1 champion makes race ban plea for ‘dangerous and ridiculous’ Magnussen
Kevin Magnussen was involved in a high-speed collision on the opening lap of the Monaco Grand Prix with Red Bull's Sergio Perez.
5 June 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

1997 Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has lashed out at Kevin Magnussen following his crash on the opening lap of the Monaco Grand Prix. Magnussen was involved in an incident with Sergio Perez that eliminated both drivers from the race, as well as Magnussen's Haas team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.

The Danish driver pinned the blame on Perez, while the Red Bull driver insisted that Magnussen should have backed off to avoid contact. Magnussen escaped a penalty for the incident, which likely would have resulted in a race ban with his penalty point tally resting at 10 prior to the crash (any driver that receives 12 penalty points in 12 months is automatically handed a race ban).

Villeneuve insisted that Magnussen should have conceded to Perez and questioned his post-crash response. “If you want to go side by side you have to be side by side, not your front wing near the rear wheels,” he told Best Online Poker sites. “What is that all about? The fact is, Magnussen did not get out of the car and say, ’Oops sorry, I completely messed up.‘ Instead, he suggested it should have been the other way.”

‘Questioned his post-crash response.’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-champion-makes-race-ban-plea-for-dangerous-and-ridiculous-magnussen

Kevin Magnussen’s ‘brain cells’ questioned with Haas told to bring ‘boxing gloves’
31 May 2024 4:15 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Dutch racer Tom Coronel has urged Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu to give Kevin Magnussen “a few punches on the head” after his “really stupid action” at the start of the Monaco Grand Prix. Appearing on the RN365 podcast, Coronel was stunned that the stewards took no action on Magnussen – and has called for Haas boss Komatsu to dish out his own punishment.

He said: “Magnussen is taking too much risk, that is one hundred per cent a fact. After all, it is very simple: that pendulum that follows goes up and then you are on the outside on the dirt. That action had no chance of succeeding anyway. But as a driver you do have just a bit more freedom on that first lap, at least to put your car in between something. Perez also had a terrible exit from that first corner, but Magnussen should have unloaded just as well.”

“That swing uphill is not suitable for two men driving side by side, so that action was just not thought through. I can imagine that action not being penalised, but if I were the Haas team boss, I would still put on my boxing gloves and give him a few punches on the head. Because which brain cell did he use the moment he took that action?”

‘Boxing gloves’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-magnussen-haas-boxing-gloves

‘Gone’ verdict delivered as Kevin Magnussen courts F1 race ban
04 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Kevin Magnussen may be a “great” guy off the track, but Ralf Schumacher says when the visor comes down all of that is “gone” and it will earn him a race ban before F1 2024 is over. Magnussen has now twice played defender in order to help his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg score points, but has coloured outside the lines while doing so.

His antics in Jeddah against Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon, in which the Dane went off the track in order to retain his position, were frowned on and earned Magnussen a time penalty while the stewards were a lot more harsh in their verdict in Miami given his multiple transgressions. Sticking his nose up the inside of the Red Bull at a point where one could argue that was ill-advised, the two collided and were out of the race with Nico Hulkenberg the unfortunate victim.

The stewards rules no further action, but Schumacher believes Magnussen was in the wrong. “Where would Magnussen have gone? He would have been on the outside in the next corner, so I didn’t understand the point of it,” he said. Declaring that Magnussen always wants to “run headfirst into the wall.”

“Run headfirst into the wall”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/gone-verdict-delivered-kevin-magnussen-courts-f1-race-ban

Fortitude

6th June 2024, 08:18

Perez to continue as Red Bull driver after signing new two-year contract extension.
Sergio Perez will continue as a Red Bull Racing driver through the 2026 season after the Milton Keynes team confirmed a multi-year extension to the Mexican’s contract.
04 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

He finished a career-best second behind team mate Max Verstappen in the championship last season, helping Red Bull achieve a maiden one-two result alongside the constructors’ title. Perez, now 34, said of his renewal: “I am really happy to commit my future to this great team. It is a challenge like no other racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing, both on track and off track.”

“I am delighted to be staying here to continue our journey together and contribute to this team’s great history for two more years. Being part of the team is an immense challenge, and one I love. We have a great challenge this year and I have full trust in the whole team that the future is bright here and I am excited to be part of it.”

“I want to thank everyone for all the trust they are putting in me, it is a lot and I want to pay it back with excellent results on track, and off track. I think we have a lot of work to do, we have a lot more championships to win together.”

‘Thank everyone for all the trust’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/breaking-sergio-perez-red-bull-racing-contract-driver-market.6Vmvwy3TCI1JNFsXbnecih

Sergio Perez secures two-year F1 contract extension with Red Bull
Sergio Perez will remain a Red Bull F1 driver through to the end of 2026, the team have announced.
04 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

It had been expected that Perez would seal a fresh deal, but a two-year contract extension comes as some surprise given recent uncertainty over the 34-year-old Mexican’s future at Red Bull.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “Now is an important time to confirm our line-up for 2025 and we are very pleased to continue working together with Checo. Continuity and stability are important for the team and both Checo and Max are a successful and robust partnership, securing our first ever one-two finish for the team in the Championship last year.”

“Checo has had a strong start to 2024 with second places in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan and then his podium in China. The past few races have been tough, there is convergence on the grid, but we are confident in Checo and look forward to his return to proven form and performance, that we so often see.”

‘Robust partnership’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050087/1/sergio-perez-secures-two-year-f1-contract-extension-red-bull

Sergio Perez extension may not please everyone – but he was always Red Bull’s first choice
04 Jun 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Replace the name Sergio Perez with Valtteri Bottas and the current speculation surrounding the Mexican sounds awfully like what was being said about the Finn during his Mercedes days. The role of a number two driver to a generational talent is an odd one, for while fans want a driver who can challenge, and if the car is so far ahead they become the only threat, what a team wants is stability.

Look at Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. That was the Championship pairing closest in ability since Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in 2007 or even Prost-Senna in the 1980s but it very nearly saw the Mercedes machine crumble from the inside. Toto Wolff is open in his admission that had it not been for Rosberg’s retirement after his title win in 2016 then the Austrian would have shown at least one of the drivers the door.

‘Red Bull’s first choice’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/sergio-perez-extension-red-bull-first-choice-reaction

Perez relishing Red Bull 'challenge' after fresh contract
Sergio Perez is staying at Red Bull for the next two seasons.
4 June 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

During his time at Red Bull, Perez has scored five of his six grand prix wins and scored a career-best second in the 2023 Drivers' championship - and is relishing the challenge before him. "I am really happy to commit my future to this great team, it is a challenge like no other racing for Red Bull Racing, both on track and off track," he said.

"I am delighted to be staying here to continue our journey together and contribute to this team’s great history for two more years. Being part of the team is an immense challenge, and one I love. We have a great challenge this year and I have full trust in the whole team that the future is bright here and I am excited to be part of it."

‘Red Bull challenge';

https://racingnews365.com/perez-relishing-red-bull-challenge-after-fresh-contract

Sergio Perez reveals main Red Bull ambition with new two-year deal secured
04 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez has said he hopes to pay back the “full trust” Red Bull have placed in him by giving him a new two-year deal, after signing terms keeping him with the team until 2026.

“I want to thank everyone for all the trust they are putting in me, it is a lot and I want to pay it back with excellent results on track, and off track. I think we have a lot of work to do, we have a lot more Championships to win together.”

“Pay it back”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-red-bull-target-new-deal

Horner outlines reasons behind Perez’s new Red Bull F1 deal
04 Jun 2024.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has named “continuity and stability” as the two leading reasons behind the team’s choice to extend Sergio Perez’s Formula 1 contract.

Horner explained how the desire to not unsettle the side as it combats the rising threat from rivals this season was instrumental in the decision to retain the Mexican.

“The past few races have been tough, there is convergence on the grid, but we are confident in Checo and look forward to his return to proven form and performance, that we so often see,” he continued. “Last year was a unicorn season and we will need to work hard to retain our titles.”

“Continuity and stability”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/04/horner-outlines-reasons-behind-perezs-new-red-bull-f1-deal/

Sergio Perez shrugged off savage 'Max Verstappen clause' to seal new Red Bull contract
F1 driver Sergio Perez has penned an extension with Red Bull despite a reported 'Max Verstappen clause' in his contract that emerged last season.
Jun 4, 2024
Tom Sunderland

Not even a 'Max Verstappen clause' threatening to slash his wages was enough to prevent Sergio Perez from signing a new contract at Red Bull. The Formula 1 star has hitched his wagon to the Milton Keynes mammoth until at least 2026 after plenty of speculation over his future.

That's despite the reports of a stipulation in his last deal that supposedly gave Red Bull the power to review his salary if he failed to keep up with Verstappen. Dutch daily De Telegraaf reported during the 2023 season that Perez's previous contract was worth £8million per year, but he was at risk of losing a significant chunk of that if he fell 125 or more points behind his team-mate.

'Max Verstappen clause';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1907370/sergio-perez-contract-clause-red-bull-verstappen

‘Red Bull doesn’t work for everyone’: Sergio Perez makes ‘vicious’ admission about partnering Max Verstappen at Red Bull
5 June 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Sergio Perez has signed a new contract at Red Bull. Just like in 2022, Perez has penned a two-year agreement. It’s unclear whether he’s guaranteed to stay for the 2026 season, or whether he has to meet certain performance clauses to trigger that option.

Sergio Perez says Max Verstappen is a brutal teammate. Speaking to German outlet Motorsport Magazin before he signed his new deal, Perez offered some insight into the experience of partnering Verstappen. He believes you need a certain character to survive.

He also feels he ‘would shine more’ up against a weaker opponent. Indeed, Perez was one of the most highly-rated drivers in F1 during his time at Force India/Racing Point, scoring seven podiums and winning a race in midfield machinery. But Verstappen’s robotic consistency demands perfection on the opposite side of the garage. And it can force his teammates into a ‘vicious cycle’ when it comes to setting up the car.

Perez is the third driver to partner the Dutchman at Red Bull since the departure of Daniel Ricciardo at the end of 2018. Pierre Gasly only lasted six months before he was demoted back to Toro Rosso, while Alex Albon was gone within 18.

‘Vicious admission’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sergio-perez-makes-vicious-admission-about-partnering-max-verstappen-at-red-bull/

Max Verstappen gives honest verdict on Sergio Perez's new Red Bull contract
Max Verstappen has broken his silence on Sergio Perez's new extension at Red Bull.
Jun 5, 2024
By Express Sport
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen has expressed relief that Sergio Perez's contract with Red Bull was extended as he gave his first verdict on the announcement. The decision to retain Perez was made ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix this week, confirming that Perez would remain Verstappen's teammate until 2026.

He said: "It's great news that Checo has signed with the team until 2026 and I am glad to be able to continue with the successful partnership that we have created over the past few years.”

‘Honest verdict’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1907834/Max-Verstappen-Sergio-Perez-Red-Bull-contract

Fortitude

6th June 2024, 13:47

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix.
The action in Montreal will begin with first and second practice on Friday, June 7, followed by final practice and qualifying on Saturday, June 8, and then the main event, the Canadian Grand Prix itself, on Sunday, June 9.
Jun 05, 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Vital statistics
• First Grand Prix – 1967 (Mosport)
• Track Length – 4.361km
• Lap record – 1m 13.078s, Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, 2019
• Most pole positions – Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton (6)
•
• Most wins – Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton (7)
• Trivia – Canada played host to the longest race in F1 history in 2011, with the clock stopping at four hours, four minutes and 39 seconds
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 186 metres
•
• Overtakes completed in 2023 – 46
• Safety Car probability – 67%
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 67%
• Pit stop time loss – 18.35 seconds (including 2.5s stop)

‘NEED TO KNOW’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/need-to-know-the-most-important-facts-stats-and-trivia-ahead-of-the-2024-canadian.6zNgqh4uK8wmiyK19m2zeK

Red Bull ‘on the backfoot’ as three ‘exciting’ Canadian GP dynamics identified
05 Jun 2024 4:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Former Aston Martin strategy chief turned pundit Bernie Collins believes Red Bull are “really on the backfoot”, with increased competition, weather and “a very different track” in its demands setting up a “very exciting” Canadian Grand Prix.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Collins said: “I think the big thing for Canada is it’s a very, very different circuit to Monaco with a lot of long straights. It’s going to suit slightly different cars. It’s going to be more about straight-line speed.”

“And one of the things looking ahead to Montreal at this stage is the weather looks very uncertain. So I think it’s going to be a lot of mixed up sessions. It’s going to be about learning when you can for the teams and potentially, either a wet qualifying or a wet race, will mix up the grid and lead to a very, very exciting race.”

‘On the backfoot’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/bernie-collins-red-bull-backfoot-canadian-gp-excitement

F1 storylines heading into Canadian Grand Prix
Jun 05, 2024
TSN

Do we finally have parity? Max Verstappen has won five of eight races this year and if the season ended today, he would win his fourth straight driver championship. Red Bull is also atop the team standings and have the inside track on a third straight constructor championship. So why does it feel that things are a lot more wide-open in 2024?

Driver carousel in full effect. While Verstappen appears committed to Red Bull going forward, there’s plenty of change around the rest of the grid. Unlike most other sports, driver movement tends to happen ahead of time with seats for the following season announced in the midst of the current one.

What about Stroll? Lance Stroll took a major step forward last season, finishing a career-best 10th in driver standings with 74 points. While the Canadian heads into this year’s hometown race in 11th, he hasn’t been quite as consistent in 2024.

‘Storylines’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/f1-storylines-heading-into-canadian-grand-prix-1.2129966

Getting to know the kerbs, bumps and walls of the 'really tricky' Canadian GP
5 June 11:35AM
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly shows us through the key parts of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal ahead of the 2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix.

‘Getting to know’;

https://racingnews365.com/getting-to-know-the-kerbs-bumps-and-walls-of-the-really-tricky-canadian-gp

Canadian GP set to be disrupted by wet weather
5 June 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

The first adverse weather is due to hit the city on Thursday, with the potential for thunderstorms, while extreme rain showers are expected on Friday as well. This forecast to mainly impact FP2, which starts at 17:00 local time - 22:00 in the UK and 23:00 in Europe.

There are high chances of rain on Saturday, too. Considerable cloud over is expected over Montreal with intermittent rain also predicted - this means there is a good chance qualifying will be affected.

Sunday will be initially dry, and likely sunny in the morning. However, as the day progresses the chance of rain increases significantly.

‘Wet weather’;

https://racingnews365.com/storms-expected-for-formula-1-gp-canada

What time is the Formula 1 2024 Canadian Grand Prix and how can I watch it?
05 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Formula 1 heads back over the pond to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this week, with drivers and teams getting set for the Grand Prix du Canada 2024.

The event will begin with FP1 and FP2 on Friday, June 7, followed by FP3 and qualifying on Saturday, June 8, and finally the 70-lap Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, June 9.

‘What time’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-time-is-the-formula-1-2024-canadian-grand-prix-and-how-can-i-watch-it.XNPmdQMgaH1DAR8S44K7o

Start time for the 2024 F1 Canada GP - Time schedule
From Friday, June 7th to Sunday, June 9th, the F1 weekend of Canada will take place. On Sunday, we witness the highlight of the weekend, the Canadian Grand Prix. But what is the start time of the race?
6 June 2024.
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

This is the start time of the F1 Canada GP The F1 Canadian GP weekend takes place from Friday, June 7th to Sunday, June 9th, 2024. On Saturday, the third free practice starts at 5:30 PM BST, followed by the qualifying later at 9:00 PM BST. The race begins on Sunday, June 9th at 7:00 PM BST.

Timetable Canadian GP
Session
Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 7 June 19:30 - 20:30
Free practice 2 Friday 7 June 23:00 - 00:00
Free practice 3 Saturday 8 June 18:30 - 19:30
Qualification Saturday 8 June 22:00 - 23:00
Race Sunday 9 June 20:00 - 22:00

‘Start time’;

https://racingnews365.com/start-time-for-the-2024-f1-canadian-gp-time-schedule-2

Fortitude

7th June 2024, 09:02

F1 - 2024 Canadian Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
DRIVERS – Sergio PÉREZ (Red Bull Racing), Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), Nico HÜLKENBERG (Haas), Lance STROLL (Aston Martin), Pierre GASLY (Alpine), Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren).
06.06.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Now, Lance, our local hero, can we start with you? Home Grand Prix. What makes this race different for you? Lance STROLL: I Well, it's home. I grew up here, so, you know, 20 minutes away from the track, so it's always special coming back.
Q: And you've scored points in four of the five races you've contested at this racetrack. What is the secret to a good lap? LS: It's a fun track. It's got, like, some big kerbs and technical aspects of it. Not much margin on exits with the walls being close. So I've always enjoyed the challenge here. And the weather can always be interesting. It can always be a fun factor too, which it looks like it might be this weekend, so we'll see.

Q: Checo, why don't we come to you next? Many congratulations are in order. Two more years with Red Bull. How straightforward were the negotiations? Sergio PÉREZ: I think like every negotiation, you always have a process to go through, which is not always really nice to do it in between the races where everything is flat out. So it's really nice to get this distraction for the team and for myself out of the way so that we can focus on pure performance. And I think that's the best thing for our team.
Q: Alright, Checo, and let's bring it on to this weekend. How do you view the competitiveness of Red Bull here in Montréal? SP: Well, I think it's... I hope it's not as severe as it was in Monaco with the right issues that we had there. We've done some work, some analysis, and I think it's great to have straightaway sort of a similar challenge to Monaco in many aspects. So it will be an interesting one, but I do expect us to be a little bit stronger. I don't think it will be our strongest track, but I really hope that we can be fighting up there.

Q: Lewis, let's come to you now. Back to the scene of your first Formula 1 victory and six subsequent ones as well. You've always gone well here. What is it about this place? Lewis HAMILTON: I don't know. Hi, everyone. I think it's probably just kind of a street circuit and a bit like a go-kart track, long straights. So it's a track that bodes well for late brakers and someone that's aggressive, I guess, aggressive driving style.
Q: Tell us about the car and your chances this weekend. The team is telling us that you're making a lot of progress in recent races. Are you feeling that in the cockpit? LH: Yes, the car's continuing to improve. I think everyone's obviously taken a step hopefully closer to the Red Bulls, and I think that's been really positive. But incredibly proud of everyone back at the factory, just how hard everyone's working and how resilient everyone is. Everyone's just staying very focused, head down. The morale's really great in the team, so I'm hoping that we can get closer to these guys and start actually competing at the front with these.

‘Nico HÜLKENBERG (Haas), Pierre GASLY (Alpine), Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren)’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-canadian-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript

Canadian GP 2024 F1 Schedule and Session Start Times
Find out when the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix takes place, including the F1 session start times for the practice, Qualifying, and Sunday's race
6 June 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

F1 2024 Canadian GP Session Times and Dates
The Canadian Grand Prix will see drivers compete over 70 laps of the 4.361-kilometre circuit. so make sure you know the F1 schedule for all the sessions and start times over the weekend. Taking place from Friday, June 7 to Sunday, June 9, this event promises thrilling action at the iconic Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.

Session Day Montreal (ET) UK (BST) US (PT) Aus. (AEST)

FP1 Fri 13:30 – 14:30 18:30 – 19:30 10:30 – 11:30 03:30 – 04:30*

FP2 Fri 17:00 – 18:00 22:00 – 23:00 14:00 – 15:00 07:00 – 08:00*

FP3 Sat 12:30 – 13:30 17:30 – 18:30 09:30 – 10:30 02:30 – 03:30*

Qualifying Sat 16:00 – 17:00 21:00 – 22:00 13:00 – 14:00 06:00 – 07:00*

Race Sun 14:00 19:00 11:00 04:00*

*Next day

Detailed Schedule for Canadian GP 2024
Friday, 7 June 2024 – Practice 1 and 2
• Free Practice 1: 13:30 – 14:30 (local time)
• Free Practice 2: 17:00 – 18:00 (local time)
Saturday, 8 June 2024 – Practice 3 and Qualifying
• Free Practice 3: 12:30 – 13:30 (local time)
• Qualifying: 16:00 – 17:00 (local time)
Sunday, 9 June 2024 – Monaco GP
• Race: 14:00 – 16:00 (local time)

‘Schedule and Session Start Times’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/canadian-gp-2024-f1-schedule-and-session-start-times/

Verstappen pinpoints Red Bull shift after brutal 'wake-up call'
7 June 2024.
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Having been bouncing like a "kangaroo" in the Principality, Verstappen has been encouraged by how Red Bull has reacted. "This is something that we know is not our favourite thing in the world, but it is something that we are working on to try and make better," he told media including RacingNews365.

"It takes time, this is not something that is solved from one week to the next, but we will try and optimise things. It has been a problem since day one of the new regulations - and it is not something that we have been able to fix yet.’

"Monaco gave us another wake-up call and we've had lots of good meetings at the factory and I feel like there is a bit more focus now to try and improve that. Because you can't rely on your advantage, even if the kerb-riding is bad, so it definitely needs to be fixed, but it just takes time to make big changes on the car.”

'Wake-up call';

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-pinpoints-red-bull-shift-after-brutal-wake-up-call

Lewis Hamilton lauds Mercedes turnaround and makes Canadian GP prediction
The 39-year-old has changed his tune after noticing a huge effort from his team to eradicate issues with the W15 car.
6 June 2024
By Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton has offered a more positive outlook for Mercedes ahead of the Formula 1 2024 Canadian Grand Prix this weekend, suggesting the Silver Arrows are closing the gap on Red Bull and Ferrari at the front.

“The car’s continuing to improve. I think everyone is obviously taking that step closer to the Red Bulls and I think that’s been really positive,” Hamilton told select members of the the press in Canada, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“I’m incredibly proud of everyone back to the factory, just how hard everyone’s working and how resilient everyone is. Everyone’s just staying very focused [with their] head down. The morale is really great in the team, so I’m hoping that we can get closer to these guys [Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren] and start actually competing at the front with them.”

‘Huge effort from his team to eradicate issues with the W15 car’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-progress-2024-canadian-gp-prediction/

Ferrari chief’s Red Bull and McLaren comments speak volumes ahead of Canadian GP
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has insisted he is not thinking about rivals Red Bull and McLaren as he is only focused on what his F1 team can do to improve
12:29 Thu, 06 Jun 2024.
By Chris Burns
The Mirror

Vasseur is adamant about concentrating solely on Ferrari's progress and improvements, stating that it's too early in the season to worry about the impacts of Red Bull and McLaren on the championship race. Despite recent successes, including a win at Monaco, and the ongoing buzz about a potential three-way title fight, Vasseur believes such discussions are premature with Ferrari currently trailing in the constructors' standings by just 24 points.

"It's not me – I'm not speaking about that," Vasseur said, emphasising his focus on internal team efforts rather than external competition. He further stressed his commitment to self-improvement within the team, adding: "We are fighting with McLaren and Red Bull for first. I'm only focused on myself. I don't care about the others. The target is to do a good job to improve the car, to do a good job with the drivers.”

‘Comments speak volumes’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/red-bull-mclaren-ferrari-f1-32973260

McLaren's Norris pegs Ferrari as favourites at Canadian Grand Prix
Jun 06, 2024
TSN

The McLaren driver believes Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix could be anyone’s race with the Formula One title chase recently ignited, but he’s giving the edge to the Italian outfit after Charles Leclerc’s win in Monaco two weeks ago.

"I think they're favourites,” Norris said without hesitation before acknowledging it would be a tight race. "It's impossible for me to say if it's going to be us, Ferrari or Red Bull on top," he added. "That's why it's exciting, because none of us really know." Norris thinks Ferrari could have the upper hand again this weekend partially because curb-riding is such a factor at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Leclerc, however, downplayed his team's status as the favourite. "Everybody doesn't want to be going into a weekend hearing that they are favourites,” he said. “You're never going to hear me (say) we are 100 per cent the favourite this weekend and the same for them, so you've got to throw the ball to your closest opponents.”

‘McLaren's Norris pegs Ferrari as favourites’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/mclaren-s-lando-norris-pegs-ferrari-as-favourites-at-canadian-grand-prix-1.2131291

Fortitude

7th June 2024, 19:26

2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix - Free Practice 1 results.
Lando Norris topped a delayed and red-flagged Canadian Grand Prix Free Practice 1 for McLaren.
7 June 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Heavy rain in the hour before FP1 meant cars were not able to get on track for 22 minutes after the planned start time of 1330 local, but the track quickly dried up to allow drivers to set flying laps late on whilst using the soft Pirelli tyres.

Norris pumped in a 1:24.435 effort on his attempt to jump ahead of Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in the late flurry of laps - although times were not representative and still nearly six seconds slower than the anticipated pole time.

Jack Doohan in for Esteban Ocon at Alpine only got three laps, and did not set a time owing to the conditions and a red-flag caused by Zhou Guanyu clipping a barrier at Turn 5 for Stake, triggering a brief suspension.

‘Norris pumped in a 1:24.435 effort’;

https://racingnews365.com/2024-f1-canadian-grand-prix-free-practice-1-results

Canadian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
8 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 8 1:24.435

2 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 11 1:24.763 0.328

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 11 1:25.306 0.871

4 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 11 1:25.970 1.535

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 10 1:26.502 2.067

6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 7 1:26.754 2.319

7 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 8 1:27.584 3.149

8 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 11 1:27.670 3.235

9 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 10 1:28.058 3.623

10 63 George Russell Mercedes 9 1:28.541 4.106

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/canadian-gp-free-practice-1-results/

CANADIAN GRAND PRIX: F1 FREE PRACTICE 1 RESULTS
The 2024 season has seen three different race winners across the last three Grand Prix weekends. But who will prevail in Canada?
June 7, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

The light goes green (?) for free practice 1: As the clock ticks down, race control announce that while the session will start on time, the pit lane exit will remain closed. Of course, this means that we won’t see any drivers out on track as the session gets underway. However, the marshals have taken to the track to try and sweep away as much standing water as possible. The drivers are keen to get out there, with many getting their helmets on and sitting in their cockpits.

The light actually goes green: Earlier than expected, the light goes green and the cars are allowed out on track. Hamilton is the first to brave the conditions with a set of intermediate tyres and it looks tricky out there. The seven-time world champion is joined by his former teammate Valtteri Bottas who has opted for the full wet tyre.

Dry lines and the potential for slick tyres: While the spray is still dramatic off-line, dry lines are starting to appear on the track and the lap times are coming in thick and fast. Charles Leclerc propels himself to the top of the timesheet with a 1:27.560 followed by Magnussen, Carlos Sainz, Hamilton, Yuki Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo, Russell, Gasly, Sergio Perez, and Bottas rounding out the top 10.

‘As the clock ticks down…’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/canadian-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-1-results/

Mike on... the Canadian Grand Prix
07.06.2024
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

The Canadian Grand Prix: “It seems greedy, but we really do have a run of three home races across the next five weeks, starting here in Montréal. Lance’s home race – Lawrence’s too – is important for all of us, and it’s nice feeling the huge wave of support for them and, by association, for us this weekend.”

"You feel it immediately: it’s at the airport, at the hotel check-in. Last year this was one of the races where we came closest to victory. It’s going to be a bit more difficult this year, but with weather around, there may be opportunities for points. We also can’t wait to hear the roar of Fernando’s fans in Spain, and then of course our passionate home support at the British Grand Prix.”

‘A run of three home races across the next five weeks’;

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/mike-on-the-2024-canadian-grand-prix

F1 2024 Canadian GP – Practice 1 Results
Lando Norris in the McLaren was fastest in FP1 at the 2024 Canadian GP as wet conditions ensured there was limited running in Montreal
7 June 2024
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

As the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix race weekend got underway, McLaren driver Lando Norris found himself top of the Formula 1 timesheet in Free Practice 1 after a rain-soaked session allowed for around 25 minutes of running.

There was little to no action on track after a storm swept through the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve ahead of the FP1 session, but thanks to officials clearing the surface water and the emergence of sunshine we did see the field on track towards the end of the session.

As the track dried, Norris put his McLaren 0.328s ahead of Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari, who was followed by teammate Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton was fourth fastest but over 1.5s adrift of Norris. Zhou Guanyu brought out the red flag after be collided with the barrier while the track was wet and Jack Doohan replaced Estaban Ocon for FP1, but never managed any meaningful running.

‘Lando Norris in the McLaren was fastest’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-canadian-gp-practice-1-results/

Fortitude

8th June 2024, 05:08

2024 Canadian Grand Prix: Alonso Tops Dry-to-Wet Second Practice.
Fernando Alonso topped the second practice session ahead of the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, ahead of George Russell and home favourite Lance Stroll.
June 7, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

The session started quickly with a number of drivers queuing up at the end of the pitlane, waiting for some dry running after a rain soaked Free Practice One, but most drivers were back in the box after believing the track was too wet for slick tyres. Charles Leclerc came out on intermediate tyres, being noted by race control for incorrect tyre usage. Pierre Gasly was the only driver out on track for multiple minutes, putting his BWT Alpine F1 Team challenger through it’s paces as they the track got quicker.

Home hero Stroll then went top of the timesheets, before being replaced by Alonso a few minutes later. Despite more rain falling, a number of drivers started to go quicker, including Logan Sargeant, who went fourth on the timesheets, before Alex Albon pushed him down to fifth. Verstappen pulled into the pitlane with 37 minutes to go, as he smelled smoke coming from his RB20.

Alonso ended the session on top with a 1:15.810, ahead of Russell by +0.463s and Stroll by +0.654s. Leclerc followed the top three on the medium tyres, while Ricciardo finished in the top five, rounding out a good day for the Australian and Visa Cash App RB. Magnussen finished in sixth, ahead of Hamilton in eighth. Yuki Tsunoda ended the second hour of practice in eighth, ahead of Albon and Sergio Pérez in the top ten.

‘Fernando Alonso topped the second practice session’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/06/2024-canadian-grand-prix-alonso-tops-dry-to-wet-second-practice/

Canadian GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
8 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 24 1:15.810

2 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 1:16.273 0.463

3 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 26 1:16.464 0.654

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 23 1:16.556 0.746

5 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 22 1:16.731 0.921

6 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 14 1:16.773 0.963

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 26 1:16.908 1.098

8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 21 1:16.951 1.141

9 23 Alex Albon Williams 21 1:16.977 1.167

10 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 18 1:17.041 1.231

‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;

https://speedcafe.com/canadian-gp-free-practice-2-results/

Fernando Alonso tops rainy Canadian GP practice with Verstappen and Leclerc in FP2 trouble
Aston Martin were the team to beat in FP2 at the 2024 Canadian GP
7 June 2024
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

A rain affected Friday saw Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso top the Free Practice 2 session as the Formula 1 2024 Canadian Grand Prix race weekend continued, George Russell in the Mercedes was second, though over 0.4s adrift of the Spaniard.

Lance Stroll was third fastest in the sister Aston Martin, just ahead of Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari. Daniel Ricciardo in the RB was fifth with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen in sixth place. Over a second off Alonso’s pace was Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes.

Red Bull’s poor fortune continued as Max Verstappen had to retire from the FP2 session after smoke started coming out the back of his RB20, with the issue identified as his ERS system. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez was only able to make it to 10th fastest.

‘Aston Martin were the team to beat in FP2’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-canadian-gp-practice-2-results/

2024 Canadian GP FP2: Onboard with Fernando Alonso for the fastest lap of Friday practice
7 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Ride onboard as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso posts the fastest lap of second practice in mixed conditions at the 2024 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, with a time around the circuit of 1:15.810.

‘Fastest lap of Friday practice’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-gp-fp1-fleet-of-service-vehicles-hit-the-track-to-try-to-clear-the-standing-water-in-first-practice.1801236554998295508

Max Verstappen urges Red Bull to find full F1 2024 ‘implications’ of Canadian GP ERS issue
08 Jun 2024 1:05 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen confirmed that Red Bull do believe an “electrical issue” was behind his early FP2 exit in Canada, as they now assess the “implications”. Verstappen is looking to bounce back from a tough weekend in Monaco where he was restricted to a P6 finish, though encountered further frustration on Friday at the Canadian Grand Prix as his FP2 session, literally, went up in smoke.

“Yeah, unfortunately in FP2, not many laps for me,” he told the Formula 1 website. “There was a suspected electrical issue so they told me to box and they’re investigating now. I haven’t been back in the garage yet, but I’m sure soon we’ll figure out what it is.”

“It’s not ideal. I would have liked to drive more laps. Some other people had a few more laps in the dry, a few more laps now in the wet. It’s definitely not how I would have liked to get on in FP2, but I think it’s more important to just figure out what actually happened, and what kind of implications that will have for this weekend or the rest of the year.”

“Electrical issue”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-red-bull-implications-search-canada-ers-issue

2024 Canadian GP FP1: Fleet of service vehicles hit the track to try to clear the standing water in first practice
22:15 Fri, 07 Jun 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

There was too much standing water on the circuit for F1 cars to brave it – so the officials sent out an armada of service vehicles to try to clear some of the water off the track.

‘Fleet of service vehicles’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-gp-fp1-fleet-of-service-vehicles-hit-the-track-to-try-to-clear-the-standing-water-in-first-practice.1801236554998295508

Fortitude

8th June 2024, 05:49

F1 - 2024 Canadian Grand Prix - Friday Press Conference Transcript.
TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: Mike KRACK (Aston Martin), Andrea STELLA (McLaren), Ayao KOMATSU (Haas), James VOWLES (Williams)
FIA (Press Release)

Mike, perhaps we could start with you. Can we start by talking about one of your drivers? Lance Stroll was in the press conference yesterday. He said he believes in the Aston project and that it's on his mind that he wants to continue with the team in 2025. What's he communicated to you? Is he staying next year? Mike KRACK: He has communicated the same to me. I think we are in a good exchange for this situation. We know that Aston Martin is Lance's home. He prefers to concentrate on the Montréal Grand Prix here. There's already enough going on. And I think soon we will have to communicate something.

Q: McLaren is in a good place with the win and the three second places in the last four races. Are you in good shape here? Do you think now you can be competitive at every Grand Prix we go to? When I say competitive, I mean can you challenge for wins? Andrea STELLA: We think that we could be a challenger for podiums. If we look at the current situation from a competitiveness point of view, there are a few teams that are really in a narrow band in terms of lap time, separated by a few tenths of a second. Track layout makes a difference. Drivers can make a difference. I think we saw Leclerc was in phenomenal shape in Monaco. So there are many variables. What's important is just to try and be as prepared as possible and maximise the package. And then we see what the results will be.

Q:. Do you think the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will suit the Williams car better than Monaco? James VOWLES: I think Ayao summarised it well. I think the Haas is actually quite good in these conditions, so it'll be a close fight with them. But we had a strong race, not just last year, but across the last few years. There's some characteristics that are well-suited. I think, furthermore, you've seen the weather conditions today. That's what's going to be here all across the next few days. It's going to be rain on and off in a drying condition. So that creates opportunity, one I'm actually relishing and looking forward to.

‘Friday Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-canadian-grand-prix-friday-press-conference-transcript

2024 Canadian GP FP2: Groundhog dodges Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari on track
07 Jun 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

One groundhog decided he was a little too close to the action in second practice in Montreal when he just about dodged Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari.

‘Groundhog dodge’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-gp-fp2-groundhog-dodges-carlos-sainzs-ferrari-on-track.1801243115512540558

FIA fine Ferrari over strange Charles Leclerc Canadian GP infringement
07 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc faced a trip to the stewards regarding an infringement over use of the intermediate tyres at the Canadian GP, with Ferrari hit with a €5000 fine. Changeable weather was a feature of Friday practice in Montreal, the FP2 session beginning with a greasy track which blurred the line between intermediate and dry tyres.

Leclerc had the inters fitted for his first foray onto the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve of the session, though Ferrari sent him out before the track was declared wet, which is needed to permit the use of wet tyres. The stewards therefore summoned Leclerc to speak with them after the session over a very uncommon infringement, deciding on a €5000 fine for Ferrari for the regulatory breach.

‘FIA fine Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-fia-summons-intermediates-canadian-gp

Alonso posts fastest lap, Verstappen has mechanical issues in second practice at Canadian GP
Jun 07, 2024
TSN

MONTREAL — Formula One drivers got a taste of what to expect this weekend on a practice day riddled with wild weather at the Canadian Grand Prix. Lightning, heavy rain and hail rolled through Montreal a little more than an hour before Friday’s opening session at 1:30 p.m. ET, and the precipitation continued through brief periods of sunshine the rest of the afternoon.

“Today was definitely an odd one,” seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes said. “It was literally summer this morning, then it rained hailstone. I can’t even remember the last time I saw hailstone but they were huge. Then sunny again, really hot and humid, and then raining again.”

“It was a tricky Friday for everyone," Alonso said. “But it could be like this for qualifying and the race, so it’s still very useful information. The right decision can gain you five seconds, wrong decision and you’re out of the race.”

“I can’t even remember the last time I saw hailstone but they were huge”;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/alonso-posts-fastest-lap-verstappen-has-mechanical-issues-in-second-practice-at-canadian-gp-1.2131771

F1 leader Max Verstappen hit by smoky battery problem in Canadian Grand Prix practice
June 7, 2024,
Associated Press

MONTREAL (AP) — Formula 1 points leader Max Verstappen left the track early with his Red Bull machine smoking, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso had the fastest lap Friday in the second free practice at the Canadian Grand Prix.

After Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was hit by heavy rain, lightning and hail before the first practice session, Verstappen returned to the garage four laps into the second session after a run on dry tires. Red Bull said the smoke was caused by a battery issue.

“It’s not ideal, I would have liked to drive more laps,” Verstappen said. “It’s definitely not how I would have liked to get on in FP2 but I think it’s more important to figure out what actually happened and what kind of implications that will have for this weekend and the rest of the year.”

‘Smoky battery problem’;

https://apnews.com/article/fq-canadian-grand-prix-montreal-c14758a270426565a95c1b799733a020

Verstappen admits 'not ideal' Canadian GP start after fire
June 8, 2024
Sky Sports

Max Verstappen admitted his start to the Canadian Grand Prix weekend was "not ideal" after his Red Bull car hit technical trouble on Friday in Montreal. On a disrupted opening day for the whole grid amid on-off rain at the Circuit Giles Villeneuve, Verstappen was restricted to just four laps in Practice Two due to an ERS (Energy Recovery System) problem which saw his RB20 trail smoke before returning to the pits.

Red Bull are investigating the cause of the fault ahead of Saturday's action in Montreal, when qualifying is at 9pm live on Sky Sports F1. "It's not ideal," said Verstappen, whose Red Bull team are aiming to return to the front this weekend after being outperformed by Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes last time out in Monaco.

'Not ideal;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13149411/max-verstappen-suffers-early-setback-at-canadian-gp-as-red-bull-car-fault-restricts-practice-running

Leclerc buoyed by first day in Montreal as Ferrari package feels ‘very competitive’ in wet or dry
June 8, 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc cut an upbeat figure following Friday’s pair of practice sessions for the Canadian Grand Prix, talking up Ferrari’s general level of performance across the variety of conditions seen in FP1 and FP2. With first practice starting in the wet and gradually drying out, and the reverse happening in second practice, drivers spent the day at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve swapping between slick tyres and the wet and intermediate rubber.

Asked if he learned enough from his time at the wheel, Leclerc said: “I mean, as much as we can in those conditions, of course. On the car, it’s very difficult to do anything because every time you go out you face a different feeling with the car. But all in all, I’m happy because we are very competitive in all of the conditions. We were never really on top of the timesheets just because we didn’t do the time at the right time in the session with the driest track etc., but I think every lap we were doing we were very competitive, so that is a good thing.”

‘Leclerc buoyed by first day’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/leclerc-buoyed-by-first-day-in-montreal-as-ferrari-package-feels-very.2U1jjP6xpy9In8WPznrfQt

Canadian GP: Lewis Hamilton encouraged by Mercedes practice performance in Montreal
Lewis Hamilton was encouraged by the performance of his Mercedes in challenging conditions during Friday practice at the Canadian Grand Prix
8 June 2024
Sky Sports

Lewis Hamilton says he feels Mercedes are "closer to the front" at the Canadian Grand Prix after being encouraged by his car's performance during Friday practice in Montreal. However, during Friday's two sessions in which the competitive picture was difficult to assess due to adverse weather conditions, Hamilton was encouraged by the way the W15 felt ahead of final practice and qualifying on Saturday.

"It's too early to say," the seven-time world champion said. "I feel like I'm in fighting spirits, I feel like the car is reacting to my input and I feel really confident out there. But we won't know until we get out, and Saturday is often a different day for us but I'm hoping tomorrow is a good day. But I think in either (wet or dry) conditions I felt really strong today. So, I do feel like we are closer to the front this weekend."

"Closer to the front";

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13149685/canadian-gp-lewis-hamilton-encouraged-by-mercedes-practice-performance-in-montreal

Fortitude

8th June 2024, 20:22

Canadian GP: Lewis Hamilton in surprise FP3 surge as Max Verstappen recovers to P2.
Lewis Hamilton took top spot in FP3 for the Canadian Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen second as Mercedes showed a turn of speed over one lap at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
08 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

George Russell was third, Lance Stroll fourth and Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five – but Hamilton held a 0.374s gap to Verstappen as the Mercedes driver, a seven-time winner around Montréal, showed a flash of pace, while the reigning World Champion recovered from ERS issues on Friday to put Red Bull second.

The first brush with the Wall of Champions came late in the session as the Williams of Alex Albon damaged his suspension on the way out of Turn 14, a big hit on the final kerb sending him wide and brushing the final wall. He was able to keep going, albeit slowly, and bring his car back to the pit lane.

A further chunk of flying laps came towards the end of the session, with Russell initially getting ahead of Mercedes team-mate Hamilton, before the seven-time World Champion went seven tenths quicker than anybody, on a 1:12.549. Rivals looked to close the gap to Hamilton as FP3 came to a close, but while others leapfrogged each other, it was Verstappen who came closest…

‘Surprise FP3 surge’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/canadian-grand-prix-2024-fp3-report

Canadian GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
9 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 30 1:12.549

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 31 1:12.923 0.374

3 63 George Russell Mercedes 32 1:12.957 0.408

4 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 26 1:13.026 0.477

5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 31 1:13.266 0.717

6 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 34 1:13.279 0.730

7 4 Lando Norris McLaren 31 1:13.293 0.744

8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 29 1:13.340 0.791

9 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 28 1:13.342 0.793

10 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 28 1:13.349 0.800

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

https://speedcafe.com/canadian-gp-free-practice-3-results/

Canadian Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 Results
A final opportunity for drivers and teams to optimise setups before the all-important Qualifying session...
June 8, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

Initial laps: While clouds loomed over the circuit, initial forecasts suggested that there would be dry conditions for the hour-long session ahead. Verstappen was raring to go and went out on track first on the Medium compound of tyre. On his first flying lap the Dutchman lost the rear end through the final chicane, and therefore aborted his attempt.

Practice restarts: Practice got back underway in a matter of minutes, with everyone on the Medium tyre apart from Alonso, Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda on the slower but longer-lasting Hard compound. Verstappen beat Gasly’s time by almost a second, setting a 1:15.495. The latter improved on his previous best but nevertheless dropped to P3, as Haas’ Kevin Magnussen moved up to second position with a 1:16.199.
Practice progresses, Soft tyre runs: Sainz opted for a run on the fastest Soft tyre, as did the Williams of Logan Sargeant. The latter topped the timings with a 1:14.355, while Sainz climbed from 17th all the way up to P3 on his fast lap.

Final runs: As the clock ticked into the last ten minutes of practice, the majority of cars were still in the pits. Albon hit his rear left tyre on the Wall of Champions, bending his suspension and briefly bringing out the Yellow flags. He managed to limp his Williams back into the garage. Mercedes continued to light up the boards as Hamilton set a 1:12.549 to claim P1 with a 0.7 second advantage. In fact, nobody was able to get anywhere near Hamilton’s time as the session drew to a close; Verstappen closed the deficit to 0.374 seconds despite brushing the Wall of Champions.. Would the Brackley-based outfit be a genuine challenger for pole position in Qualifying later on?

‘Optimise setups’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/canadian-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-3-results/

F1 2024 Canadian GP – Practice 3 Results
Lewis Hamiilton of Mercedes fastest in FP3 at the 2024 Canadian GP as we saw the first dry session of the weekend so far
8 June 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamiilton of Mercedes set the quickest time in Free Practice 3 at the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix in the first completely dry session of the Formula 1 weekend in Montreal. Here are the full results from FP3.

The Mercedes driver found the perfect lap which no one else on the grid could get near. Max Verstappen eased the concerns of Friday with the second fastest time, though he was 0.374s behind Hamilton.

George Russell in the second Mercedes was third, just ahead of Lance Stroll in the Aston Martin with Oscar Piastri fifth for McLaren. Ferrari, who many have tipped as the fastest car this weekend, struggled for pace with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in 10th and 12th place respectively.

‘The first dry session of the weekend so far’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-canadian-gp-practice-3-results/

The hilarious moment Lewis Hamilton is asked for ID at the Canadian Grand Prix before seven-time world champion scoots off leaving security guard bemused
No driver has won the Canadian Grand Prix more times than Lewis Hamilton
8 June 2024
By Dominic Hogan
MailOnline

Lewis Hamilton was left perplexed ahead of the Canada Grand Prix after a security guard asked him for his credentials as the seven-time champions rode his scooter around the grounds. The seven-time world champion is among the most globally recognised faces in sport, after a storied career in motor racing that has seen him win world titles with McLaren and Mercedes.

With the latter he has won six world titles, but that 11-year long partnership between Hamilton and Mercedes will come to an end at the end of the year after the Brit signed a sensational deal to join Ferrari for 2025. A video clip shows the 39-year-old riding a scooter towards the security guard, who gestures at his chest and holds his lanyard suggesting Hamilton show his own in order to pass.

Hamilton, however, in a Mercedes-branded t-shirt double takes as he passes the guard, perhaps surprised that he was asked for his credentials. The guard doesn't put up too much resistance, though, and just watches as the superstar driver just scoots on looking bemused over his shoulder. A member of what appears to be the Mercedes star's entourage gestures towards the security guard to assuage any fears and Hamilton is allowed to pass on.

‘Asked for ID’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13509179/Lewis-Hamilton-ID-Canadian-Grand-Prix.html

Max second in third free practice in Canada
08 June 2024
Misha van der Kroon
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen finished the third and final practice for the Canadian Grand Prix in second place. Many laps were driven in the first dry session of the weekend, despite the early red flag after a crash of Zhou Guanyu. Lewis Hamilton was fastest during the third training session, almost four-tenths ahead of Max. George Russell completed the top three.

In the last minutes nobody is able to improve Hamilton’s time. On his last lap, Max kisses the wall at the so-called ‘Wall of Champions’, but he does improve to P2. Russell completes the top three, more than four-tenths behind his teammate.

‘Max second in third FP’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5491/

2024 Canadian GP FP3: Albon clips the barrier at the ‘Wall of Champions’
08 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Williams’ Alex Albon was pushing hard in final practice in Montreal when he took too much speed into the chicane and clipped the famous ‘Wall of Champions’ with his right wheels.

‘Albon clips the barrier’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-gp-fp3-albon-clips-the-barrier-at-the-wall-of-champions.1801318358881069950

2024 Canadian GP FP3: Verstappen sends sparks flying as he skims the ‘Wall of Champions’
08 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen was second fastest in final practice in Montreal – and had a scare late on in the session when he skimmed the famous ‘Wall of Champions’ sending sparks flying from his right rear wheel.

‘Verstappen sends sparks flying’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-gp-fp3-verstappen-sends-sparks-flying-as-he-skims-the-wall-of-champions.1801318160874271328

Fortitude

8th June 2024, 22:07

George Russell seals Canadian GP pole despite Max Verstappen posting exactly same time.
The Mercedes star set his lap time first, giving him the upper hand.
Jun 8, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell secured pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix in unprecedented circumstances. George Russell claimed his second career pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix, pipping Max Verstappen to the top spot despite the two drivers setting the exact same time.

Mercedes and Aston Martin picked up where they left off at the end of FP3 when the green light flashed in qualifying. Both teams demonstrated plenty of pace, while Ferrari struggled to get their tyres into the right temperature window.

However, the major scalp in Q1 came at Red Bull as Sergio Perez was dumped out in Q1 for the second race weekend in succession. The Mexican was joined by Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg and Zhou Guanyu in the bottom five, just days after his two-year contract extension was announced.

‘Set his lap time first’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1908958/Canadian-Grand-Prix-qualifying-results

Canadian GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
9 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff Penalties

1 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:13.013 1:11.742 1:12.000

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:12.360 1:12.549 1:12.000 0.000

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:12.959 1:12.201 1:12.021 0.021

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:12.907 1:12.462 1:12.103 0.103

5 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 1:13.240 1:12.572 1:12.178 0.178

6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:13.117 1:12.635 1:12.228 0.228

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:12.851 1:11.979 1:12.280 0.280

8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:12.748 1:12.303 1:12.414 0.414

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:13.088 1:12.659 1:12.701 0.701

10 23 Alex Albon Williams 1:12.896 1:12.485 1:12.796 0.796

‘Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/canadian-gp-qualifying-results/

Russell takes Canadian GP Pole Position, Verstappen with identical time
08 Jun 2024, 23:06
Steven De Groote
F1 Technical

Q2 also was a dry affair with quite a lot of track improvement. Russell and Hamilton was again on form with Piastri sandwiched in between the two Mercedes halfway into the session. Max Verstappen meanwhile had trouble making a serious impression on a set of used soft tyres. After 5 laps and only 10th on the timing sheet he returned to the pits for a fresh set. He stood still in the pits for nearly two minutes before going out again.

As the session finished the "rain" finally arrived and teams were anxiously checking the skies to decide which tyres to use at the start of Q3. It all turned out to be nothing more than just a few little drops, so it was soft tyres, as usual. In fact the track had not gotten any slower with Russell lapping in 1:12.000 on his first attempt. Piastri was a bit offset but set a 1:12.103, later topped by Norris to end up at 0.021s of Russell.

Ricciardo then moved up into 4th with his second lap while Alonso took 5th mostly thanks to a purple first sector. As Hamilton had a dismal second lap and ended at just 7th place, Russell held onto pole position despite Verstappen setting an identical time.

‘Identical time’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24749

Ferrari suffer double shock exit in Canadian GP qualifying
Both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz failed to make the final part of qualifying at the 2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix.
8 June 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have both been eliminated in the second part of qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix, in a huge shock. Leclerc ended Q2 in 11th whilst Sainz was just 0.037s behind in P12, with Lance Stroll having been responsible for both drivers failing to make the cut for the final part of qualifying.

The home driver improved on his final lap to demote Leclerc from 10th to 11th, whilst Sainz's final time was not even provisionally enough for the top 10. Leclerc missed out on Q3 by just 0.032s, much to the Monaco Grand Prix winner's disbelief. Sainz immediately complained of a lack of grip, whilst Lewis Hamilton set the pace in the second part of qualifying at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

‘Double shock exit’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-suffer-double-shock-exit-in-canadian-gp-qualifying

Perez suffers shock early qualifying exit at Canadian GP
Sergio Perez has failed to progress to the second part of qualifying at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
8 June 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez failed to progress to Q2 in qualifying for the 2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix, in what was a frenetic session. Perez found himself in the bottom five as he started his final hot lap, which was provisionally only good enough for 13th.

Multiple drivers below him – including Max Verstappen – found more time in the closing seconds of Q1, which dropped Perez to 16th. The Mexican driver was visibly angry at his Q1 exit and threw his hands outside his cockpit on his cooldown lap.

‘Threw his hands outside his cockpit’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-suffers-shock-early-qualifying-exit-at-canadian-gp

2024 Canadian GP Qualifying: Perez beats the halo in frustration after Q1 exit in Montreal
8 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was left furious after he failed to progress from Q1 in Canada – the second time in a row he’s been out at the first hurdle in qualifying.

‘Left furious’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-gp-qualifying-perez-beats-the-halo-in-frustration-after-q1-exit-in-montreal.1801328043860280710

Verstappen facing Canadian GP penalty after qualifying infringement
Max Verstappen will be investigated after qualifying for the 2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix.
8 June 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen will be investigated after qualifying for the 2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix, after ignoring the race director's instructions. The Dutchman progressed safely to Q3 but will face a trip to the stewards, due to an incident in the pit lane. He failed to follow the race director's instructions when leaving the pit lane, resulting in the Red Bull driver being placed under investigation.

‘Max Verstappen will be investigated’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-faces-investigation-and-risks-penalty

Fortitude

9th June 2024, 07:02

Russell: We can beat Verstappen in Canada GP.
George Russell is confident he can hold off Max Verstappen to secure Mercedes' first victory since 2022 at Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
Jun 9, 2024, 12:10 AM
Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor
ESPN.co.uk00:23

Russell and Verstappen clocked identical lap times in Saturday's qualifying, but Russell will start ahead of the Red Bull driver by virtue of setting his time earlier in the session.

The result marks Mercedes' first pole position since last year's Hungarian Grand Prix by teammate Lewis Hamilton, and if Russell wins it would be the team's first victory since he took his maiden win in Brazil in 2022.

Asked if beating Verstappen to victory was possible on Sunday, Russell said: "Why not? Of course, let's go for it! I think the car has been feeling amazing. Since we bought some upgrades to Monaco, we've sort of really been in that fight now. So, we're going for it tomorrow."

‘Let's go for it!’;

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/40307763/russell-beat-verstappen-canada-gp

Pole-sitter Russell ready to win in Canada: ‘We have the fastest car and I’m feeling great’
Jun 9, 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

George Russell was beaming after grabbing his second career pole position and says he sees “no reason why” he can’t go on and win the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday for Mercedes.

‘Feeling great’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/pole-sitter-russell-ready-to-win-in-canada-we-have-the-fastest-car-and-im-feeling-great.1801332022737601714

Wolff explains Mercedes leap but Hamilton drop confusing
George Russell on pole a superb fillip for Mercedes but what happened to Lewis Hamilton?
9 June 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

"We are on pole position, and that was amazing," said Wolff, speaking to Sky Sports F1. "His lap was great. As we've said for a while we're going in the right direction. We've brought little bits for the last few races, some more visible than others but definitely heading to a more performant car." As to Hamilton falling away, however, Wolff added: "It seemed as if Lewis had the upper hand, both cars comfortably beating everyone.”

"Then in the end it got so tight, also for George, and for Lewis the time didn't show up. We can't comprehend at the moment why it wasn't a little more in our favour."he briefing [in the morning], and they say the car is well balanced now." One of the 'little bits' referenced by Wolff is the addition of a new front wing, and although a key piece of the puzzle, Wolff believes the sum of the whole has been the performance driver.

"In Formula 1, it's never about one bit on the car - since the double diffuser - that makes all the difference," he added. "We were running the old wing yesterday and we were very competitive, in all conditions. It's what's come on the floor, little bits on the bodywork, and obviously the front wing which is more visible."

"His lap was great”;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-explains-mercedes-leap-but-hamilton-drop-confusing

Horner after qualifying GP Canada: 'Outstanding effort after tricky day'
09 June 2024
Coen Versteeg
Verstappen.nl

After qualifying, Christian Horner, CEO and team principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, commented on the performance of his drivers. “It was disappointing for Checo to miss out by such a small margin in Q1 as he struggled with the rear grip in the car. We’ll have to look into the reasons for that so that we can give him the best chance of coming through the field tomorrow, which we know he’s capable of.”

“On a track which was rapidly evolving and where all teams were going through their tyre allocation quickly, Max just got stronger and stronger through the qualifying. To miss out on the top place whilst exactly matching the pole time was an outstanding effort after a tricky day yesterday and it’s great to be lining up on the front row alongside George, in an exciting looking grid.”

'Outstanding effort after tricky day';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5493/

Sergio Perez opens up on ‘total disaster’ after shock Canada Grand Prix exit
09 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

A very downbeat Sergio Perez lamented struggles with the rear axle on his Red Bull after suffering consecutive Q1 eliminations. Asked what the main problem was, Perez replied: “Yeah, the main thing was really to switch on the rear. The rear axle for me was quite tricky.”

“And ended up paying the price with it because basically, I just had no grip, I was sliding too much around it and that meant that basically our qualifying was a total disaster.”

“I think it was more a tyre thing than the kerb thing,” he said. “In these conditions somehow we were not able to switch on the rear axle, I couldn’t lean on it at all. I just didn’t have any confidence at the time to push it, so it was a total disaster unfortunately.”

‘Total disaster’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-total-disaster-canada-q1-exit

Max Verstappen learns Canadian GP penalty fate after F1 stewards' investigation
Max Verstappen qualified second on the road by setting the exact same time as pole-sitter George Russell, but was placed under investigation by the Formula 1 stewards
09 Jun 2024
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Max Verstappen has escaped punishment after an investigation into his actions during qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix. The Dutchman qualified second for Sunday's race despite setting the exact same time as pole-sitter George Russell. But because the Briton completed his lap first, he was the one who will line up at the very front of the grid.

But shortly after the session, Verstappen was placed under investigation. He was accused of not complying with the race director's instructions in the way that he left the pit lane during qualifying and summoned to give his side of the story.

After a hearing, the stewards decided to take no further action against the Red Bull racer. They explained how they came to that decision in an official FIA document published two-and-a-half hours after the conclusion of qualifying.

‘An official FIA document’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/max-verstappen-penalty-canadian-gp-32990855

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc at a loss to explain poor Canada GP qualifying
Jun 8, 2024
Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor
ESPN.com

MONTREAL, Canada -- Charles Leclerc was at a loss to explain Ferrari's lack of pace during qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix, saying his car simply did not have enough grip to compete for a place in the top ten. "We are just not fast enough and unfortunately that's it," Leclerc said. "I mean, in FP3 [final practice] we were nowhere on the dry, in qualifying we were nowhere on the dry as well.”

"I don't have any explanations for now. In FP3 already we felt that something was wrong, we couldn't see what was wrong. It was exactly the same in qualifying, where it definitely felt like something was wrong but nothing we could see was wrong.”

"So the grip was just extremely poor in the first sector especially and then once you slide in the first sector it's a snowball effect and you never really get the performance out of the car. So yes, difficult weekend."

‘At a loss to explain’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/40307614/ferrari-charles-leclerc-loss-explain-poor-canada-gp-qualifying

Leclerc baffled by ‘too slow’ Ferrari in Montreal qualifying
23:38 Sat, 08 Jun 2024.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Ferrari's Canadian Grand Prix weekend in Montreal took a turn for the worse on Saturday, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos both failing to reach the final top-ten shootout in qualifying. "We were just slow. Slow all day,” Charles Leclerc told F1 TV, highlighting Ferrari’s inexplicable lack of pace as the central issue.

“There was similar issues also to this morning. I had a sensor issue which was very annoying, then the management of the cars, the management of the session as well wasn’t the best, I think. So all in all, it’s been a tough session.”

“I would say that the biggest problem is the pace. We are so slow in the dry at the moment, we don’t understand. So it’s a bit strange to go from a really, really good weekend in Monaco in terms of pace and be on the back foot. So, we’ll look into it.”

"We were just slow. Slow all day”;

https://f1i.com/news/510373-leclerc-baffled-by-too-slow-ferrari-in-montreal-qualifying.html

Fortitude

9th June 2024, 12:26

Norris ‘excited’ to see what McLaren can do on race day in Canada after taking P3 in qualifying.
Lando Norris is keen to put on a “good show” in the Canadian Grand Prix after claiming P3 on the grid during an incredibly close qualifying session, having narrowly missed out on pole position by just 0.021s.
09/06/2024
Formula One - Official Site

While George Russell took pole position – and Max Verstappen slotted into second, having set an identical lap time to Russell’s – Norris was encouraged by the fine margins between the leading cars.

“I’m super happy,” the 24-year-old said of his result after qualifying. “I mean, first of all congrats to Mr Russell. He’s been quick all weekend, so congrats to him and Mercedes. I’m happy with third.”

“When it’s so close, you always think, ‘Could I have like jumped in the car for that little bit more?’ Third is a good job by us, so I’m happy and excited for tomorrow.”

‘See what McLaren can do’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/norris-excited-to-see-what-mclaren-can-do-on-race-day-in-canada-after-taking.5qChkcdn7HDZpIBHlkmXMl

Norris plans to put on 'a good show' on Sunday
09/06/2024 at 00:34
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Lando Norris missed out on pole position for tomorrow's Canadian Grand Prix by just 0.021s… "The session was tricky, it always is in Montréal, but it’s why we love it and it’s why we’re all smiling. It’s a nice feeling when you put a good lap in and end up in the top three” Lando Norris.

“The car has been great all season, especially the last three or four races, we’ve been on a good roll," Norris agreed, setting his sights on another podium - or better yet, a victory - on Sunday.”

“I'm excited to see what we can do," he said. “Two overtakes tomorrow - easy! Light work,” he joked while conceding that it would be no walk in the park when the lights went out.”

‘Put on a good show';

https://f1i.com/news/510394-norris-plans-to-put-on-a-good-show-on-sunday.html

‘I’m excited’ – P3 Norris reckons he’s in the mix for victory in Montreal
09/06/2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lando Norris will line up for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix from third on the grid and reckons he can be in the fight for the win despite question marks over the weather and the long run performance of all the teams.

‘In the mix’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/im-excited-p3-norris-reckons-hes-in-the-mix-for-victory-in-montreal.1801333863255723633

Ricciardo qualifies fifth after Villeneuve's criticism
09/06/2024
The Straits Times

MONTREAL - Daniel Ricciardo answered criticism from retired Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve by qualifying fifth for the Canadian Grand Prix on Saturday. "We're hearing the same thing for the last five years. 'We have to make the car better for him, poor him'. No. You're in F1. If you can't cut it, go home. There'll be someone else to take your place," the Canadian previously said.

Ricciardo qualified a strong fifth for RB at the Circuit named after Villeneuve's late father Gilles, but said he had become aware of the criticism only after the session and did not mention Villeneuve directly. "I just been told. I don't listen or read but there's definitely some people out there who ... yeah, whatever. I won't give them the time of day," he said.

Villeneuve made light of his criticism afterwards when asked for a follow-up. "He needed a bit of a push under pressure and it worked, it paid off," he smiled. "The car suits him this weekend and when you have a car that suits you, you drive at your best. That was one good qualifying. If he can carry on this weekend like this and do four, five, six more races like this then he'll be fine."

‘Daniel Ricciardo answered criticism’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/ricciardo-qualifies-fifth-after-villeneuves-criticism

Tsunoda reveals how RB can help him become world champion after confirming 2026 contract detail
Yuki Tsunoda reached Q3 yet again in 2024, after RB announced his contract extension at the Canadian GP
9 June 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Yuki Tsunoda revealed there’s no 2026 option in his new contract after signing an extension for another 12 months at RB, but insisted becoming acclimatised to driving under pressure is vital pressure to help him become Formula 1 world champion.

Tsunoda‘s scored 79% of RB‘s 2024 points ahead of the Canadian GP and his eighth place in Montreal qualifying meant he’s reached Q3 in three successive races, having only missed out twice all season, and afterwards he was asked whether there is any option to extend to 2026.

“No, but keep performing,” Tsunoda told select members of the press including Total-Motorsport.com. “It is tricky but I got used to it you know, maybe it’s a good team to train the pressure. In the end in F1, if you want to be world champion you need to deal with pressure and you have to be always the best. Still a lot of things I can improve on for myself so it’s ok.”

‘Train the pressure’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/tsunoda-reveals-how-rb-can-help-him-become-world-champion-after-confirming-2026-contract-detail/

Alonso: It "hurts" to lose Canada F1 pole chance in one corner
Fernando Alonso says it "hurts" to lose his two-tenth gap to pole in one corner after qualifying sixth for Formula 1's Canadian Grand Prix.
Jun 9, 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Following a number of trying race weekends where Aston Martin appeared to have slipped to sixth in the pecking order, the Silverstone-based team bounced back with a stronger qualifying performance in Montreal. Alonso qualified sixth just 0.228s shy of Mercedes' polesitter George Russell, who beat Red Bull's Max Verstappen in a dead heat in a scintillating Q3 shootout.

Alonso said his qualifying result was particularly frustrating because he shipped a two-tenth gap to Russell right at the start of the 4.3km loop. "It was a tricky qualifying for everyone with the wind and the drops of rain. You always lose a little bit of confidence and I think no one did a perfect lap," the two-time F1 world champion said.

"It was the case for me as well. I didn't put everything together in Q3, so when you see that you are only two tenths from pole position, it hurts a little bit." When asked to explain how he lost the time, he said: "All in Turn 2. It was so oversteering and I lost the car so badly that I was just thinking to abort the lap or keep going.”

“It hurts a little bit";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-it-hurts-to-lose-f1-canada-pole-chance-in-one-corner/10621401/

Alonso: P6 in qualifying ‘hopefully the first step in our recovery plan’
23:31 Sat, 08 Jun 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

After a tricky few races for the team, Aston Martin got both cars into Q3 in Canada, with Fernando Alonso leading the charge in P6.

‘Recovery plan’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/alonso-p6-in-qualifying-hopefully-the-first-step-in-our-recovery-plan.1801329767459255079

Fortitude

9th June 2024, 21:03

Max Verstappen holds nerve to win Canadian GP as Mercedes pair clash.
Max Verstappen claimed a hard-fought victory at the Formula 1 2024 Canadian Grand Prix as the rain wreaked havoc in Montreal on Sunday.
9 June 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

The Dutchman bided his time and made his strategy work to claim maximum points in Montreal. Red Bull also stretched out their lead by 25 points in both championships after a double retirement for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, compounding a miserable weekend for Ferrari.

The Red Bull star was denied pole by the virtue of setting his lap time later than George Russell but he was patient and bided his time, waiting for the track to dry up before showing his speed. Despite facing two safety car restarts, the championship leader kept his composure and claimed maximum points in Canada.

‘Bided his time and made his strategy work’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-max-verstappen-wins-2024-canadian-gp-mercedes-russell-hamilton/

Canadian GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
10 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 70

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 3.879

3 63 George Russell Mercedes 4.317

4 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 4.915

5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 10.199

6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 17.51

7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 23.625

8 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 28.672

9 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 30.021

10 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 30.313

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/canadian-gp-race-results/

Verstappen victorious in thrilling wet-to-dry F1 Canadian GP
Motorsport Week

Motorsport Week

Red Bull Max Verstappen survived changeable conditions, several restarts and a tight challenge from rivals to emerge victorious in Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix.

Lando Norris had been on course to win for a second time but a rueful Safety Car hampered his hopes and left him second, while polesitter George Russell was third. The intermittent showers had been prevalent in the build-up to the start and more rain was scheduled to arrive, but the conditions were adequate for a standing start.

‘Verstappen victorious’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/09/verstappen-victorious-in-thrilling-wet-to-dry-f1-canadian-gp/

Canadian GP: Max Verstappen triumphs in instant wet-dry classic in Montréal
09 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen took victory in an absolute thriller of a Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday, with Lando Norris and George Russell rounding out the podium in Montréal.

With multiple leaders and varying conditions throughout, it was the reigning World Champion who took track position under Safety Car conditions from Norris, who had been leading, but Verstappen held onto first place in a Canadian Grand Prix that is highly likely to be mentioned as a contender to be the race of the season.

Verstappen was able to bring his Red Bull home in first place from Norris in a thrilling victory for the reigning World Champion, with Russell and Hamilton in third and fourth – though Russell’s contact with Piastri will be investigated after the race. Whichever way you look at it, the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix will not be forgotten any time soon.

‘Wet-dry classic ‘;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/canadian-grand-prix-2024-race-report

Verstappen beats Norris to victory in thrilling wet/dry Canadian GP
09 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen and Red Bull bounced back from their Monaco struggles as they returned to winning ways in an action-packed Canadian Grand Prix, overcoming rain showers, multiple Safety Car periods, restarts and a stern challenge from behind to lead home Lando Norris. Verstappen followed pole-sitting Mercedes driver George Russell in the wet early stages of the race until a charging Norris overhauled them both in improving conditions, only for an ill-timed Safety Car – brought out when Logan Sargeant crashed – to drop the McLaren man to third.

Verstappen mastered that restart and further showers to maintain his lead, which he also protected when the track dried up and the field switched from intermediate tyres to slicks, and again following a second Safety Car period triggered by Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon colliding. While the reigning world champion ultimately surged towards the chequered flag, Norris took second via a fierce mid-race battle with Russell, and the latter made do with third after some late scrapping with team mate Lewis Hamilton and the other McLaren of Oscar Piastri.

‘World champion ultimately surged towards the chequered flag’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/verstappen-beats-norris-to-victory-in-thrilling-wet-dry-canadian-gp.6ytkbh7iDTWC3pJBwiaboI

Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins third straight Canadian F1 Grand Prix in Montreal
09 Jun 2024
CTV News Montreal

Formula One leader Max Verstappen drove to his 60th career victory Sunday at the Canadian Grand Prix. Verstappen became the third driver to three-peat at the Canadian GP, joining seven-time world champions Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

The 26-year-old Red Bull driver started second on the grid behind George Russell at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The race started with a soaking wet track on a gloomy day in Montreal. Blue skies emerged 10 minutes in but rain showers returned periodically throughout the afternoon, causing tricky conditions.

‘Third straight Canadian F1 Grand Prix win’;

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/red-bull-s-max-verstappen-wins-third-straight-canadian-f1-grand-prix-in-montreal-1.6919742

2024 Canadian Grand Prix: Norris emerges from pits in the lead but is passed immediately by Verstappen
09 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lando Norris pitted for new tyres on Lap 48 and emerged just in the lead of the race, only for Max Verstappen to pass him immediately for P1.

‘Passed immediately’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-grand-prix-norris-emerges-from-pits-in-the-lead-but-is-passed-immediately-by-verstappen.1801414341739620629

Fortitude

10th June 2024, 08:01

'Focus, George. Focus' The errors that cost Russell Canadian GP win.
The errors that cost George Russell Canadian Grand Prix win.
9 Jun 2024
Sky Sports

'Focus, George. Focus';

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/13150431/canada-gp-toto-wolff-focus-george-focus-the-errors-that-cost-george-russell-canadian-gp-win

F1 - Verstappen makes the right calls to win rain-affected Canadian GP ahead of Norris and Russell
09.06.24
FIA (Press Release)

Max Verstappen navigated rain showers and Safety cars, and made the right call on a move to slick tyres to take his third straight Canadian Grand Prix win at the end of an enthralling race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Second place went to McLaren’s Lando Norris, while George Russell took Mercedes’ first podium of the year with third.

“It was a pretty crazy race. A lot of things were happening, and we really had to be on top of our calls,” said Verstappen afterwards. “As a team, we just did really well today. We remained calm. I think we pitted at the right time. Of course, the Safety Car worked out nicely for us, but even after that, I think we were managing the gaps quite well. I love it. That was a lot of fun. Those kind of races, you need them once in a while.”

“We remained calm”;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-verstappen-makes-right-calls-win-rain-affected-canadian-gp-ahead-norris-and-russell

Verstappen comes out top in a wild and wet race in Montreal
9 Jun 2024.
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Max Verstappen took victory in a rain-hit Canadian Grand Prix but it was far from the usual calm dominance for Red Bull with half a dozen drivers looking in the running for victory at various points. George Russell led at the start from pole but was passed by McLaren's Lando Norris before the half-way point. A failed try at an overcut and bad timing with a safety car left Norris defending P2 from Russell at the finish.

It was a bleak outing for Ferrari and Williams, with both teams seeing a double DNF. Sergio Perez also had a luckless day, clipping Pierre Gasly at the start and subsequently damaging his rear wing forcing him to retire.

Ricciardo recovered from his jump start to finish eighth but his RB team mate Yuki Tsunoda had a late spin onto the grass at turn 9 dropped out of the top ten. That allowed the two Alpines of Gasly and Ocon to collect the points bounty instead. For all their early heroics, Haas pair Hulkenberg and Magnussen just missed out.

‘Wild and wet race’;

https://f1i.com/news/510475-verstappen-comes-out-top-of-a-wild-and-wet-race-in-montreal.html

F1 - 2024 Canadian Grand Prix Post-Race Press Conference Transcript
09.06.24
FIA (Press Release)

TRACK INTERVIEWS (Conducted by Martin Brundle)
Q: Max, a challenging weekend, a dramatic race, and through it all, you emerged with a great victory. That was a champion's drive. Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, it was a pretty crazy race. A lot of things were happening, and we really had to be on top of our calls. And I think as a team, we just did really well today. We remained calm. I think we pitted at the right time. Of course, the Safety Car worked out nicely for us, but even after that, I think we were managing the gaps quite well. Yeah, I love it. That was a lot of fun. Those kind of races, you need them once in a while.

Q: Lando, brilliant. What a wild, wild race that was for you. Lando NORRIS: It was. Yeah, it was chaos. It was eventful. To be honest, I felt like I drove a good race, the whole time, from start to finish. The first two stints were very strong. I had an amazing pace. But then the Safety Car had me over. Just like it helped me in Miami, it's now had me back over. So honestly, I thought it was a pretty perfect race from my side. just a bit unlucky but that's what it is. But it was good fun. These conditions, so stressful inside the car but very enjoyable at the same time.

Q: George, tenacity is a word that springs to mind. I mean, you stuck with it. You had a few adventures during that race, but you're on the podium. George RUSSELL: Yeah, it felt like a missed opportunity, to be honest. We were really quick at the beginning of the race on the Inters, and then obviously Lando came through really fast, and then we jumped back onto the slicks, made a couple of mistakes out there, just pushing the limits and paid the price for it. But nevertheless, first podium of the year, we truly had a really fast car this weekend, and to be back in the mix fighting for victory was really fun. That's what Formula 1 is about, and that's why we go racing.

‘Post-Race Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-canadian-grand-prix-post-race-press-conference-transcript

2024 Canadian Grand Prix: Norris emerges from pits in the lead but is passed immediately by Verstappen
9 Jun 2024.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lando Norris pitted for new tyres on Lap 48 and emerged just in the lead of the race, only for Max Verstappen to pass him immediately for P1.

‘Passed immediately’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-grand-prix-norris-emerges-from-pits-in-the-lead-but-is-passed-immediately-by-verstappen.1801414341739620629

Lando Norris bemoans McLaren strategy mistake at Canadian Grand Prix and insists: 'We should have won!'
9 June 2024
Ben Nagle
MailOnline

Lando Norris has bemoaned McLaren's decision to stay out on track when their rivals pitted at the Canadian Grand Prix, insisting 'we should have won the race.' Lando Norris was leading the race on lap 25 when the first safety car came out to clear away Logan Sargeant's.

While his rivals behind headed straight to the pits, Norris stayed out on track - and it turned out to be the wrong call, sending him tumbling back to third place two laps later. Reflecting on the decision, Norris told reporters: 'We should have won the race today and we didn't. It's frustrating, we had the pace. It's as simple as that, we didn't do a good enough job as a team to box when we should have done and not get stuck behind the safety car.”

'This was just making a wrong call, it's on me and it's on the team, it's something we'll discuss after. We should have won today, we're at a level now where we're not satisfied with a second, the target is to win.'

'We should have won!';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13511675/Lando-Norris-McLaren-Canadian-Grand-Prix.html

[B]‘Horrible’: Martin Brundle left questioning ‘hopeless’ Charles Leclerc call during the Canadian Grand Prix
Sun 9 June 2024 22:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle questions ‘hopeless’ Charles Leclerc strategy in Canada. Leclerc was struggling with an engine issue from the start of the race that was losing him 0.5 seconds of time every lap. He was running in 10th at one point, but a long pit stop at the end of the first safety car was needed to try and fix his engine problems. Ferrari also put Leclerc on the hard tyres in Canada which Brundle questioned given the weather forecast. He was running on his own at the back of the pack and was quickly lapped by the front runners.

Commenting on the Monegasque driver’s tyre change, David Croft said: “We ride onboard with Charles Leclerc, it is teaming with rain and he is trying to tiptoe around the first few corners.” Brundle added: “Yeah, but it’s hopeless, the slower you go, the less grip you’ve got. The less grip you’ve got, the slower you go and then you’re into a horrible snowball effect like that.” Croft replied: “This is not a good afternoon as it stands for Charles Leclerc,” while Brundle concluded: “Or Ferrari indeed.”

‘Hopeless Charles Leclerc strategy in Canada’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-left-questioning-hopeless-charles-leclerc-call-during-the-canadian-grand-prix/

Self-critical Lewis Hamilton deflated by “one of the worst races I’ve driven”
Lewis Hamilton has described the Canadian Grand Prix as "one of the worst races" he has ever driven in F1.
9 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

A despondent Lewis Hamilton says he will “go back to the drawing board” after labelling the F1 Canadian Grand Prix as “one of the worst races that I’ve driven”.

“Not really much different [to how I felt yesterday]. Over the weekend just a really poor performance from myself,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1.

“Yesterday some other things came into it, mostly myself, and then today one of the worst races that I’ve driven, lots of mistakes. But of course if I’d qualified better I would’ve been in a much better position so it is what it is. I will go back to the drawing board.”

‘Despondent’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050483/1/self-critical-lewis-hamilton-deflated-one-worst-races-ive-driven

Toto Wolff: Mercedes Canadian GP win was a long shot or a dream
Mercedes started on pole but finished third in Canada after a series of errors by George Russell
9 June 2024
Brandon Sutton

Toto Wolff admitted Mercedes could not have won the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix through George Russell, although they did dream about it for one brief moment before Max Verstappen took off into the Montreal sunset.

“A victory was maybe a long shot,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1 after the race. “Or a short dream when George was on the hard and catching up, showing strong pace.”

“Maybe for a second we thought about it, but you mustn’t be too greedy. But we need to take the positives. The car has made a real step forward, we are bringing bits, and the development direction is true.”

‘Long shot’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-toto-wolff-2024-canadian-gp-win-dream-mercedes-russell-hamilton/

Fortitude

10th June 2024, 15:16

Villeneuve vs Ricciardo war of words continues: He needs to man up!
Jacques Villeneuve criticised Daniel Ricciardo have taken part in a public slanging match throughout the 2024 Canadian GP weekend
9 June 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Former F1 champion Villeneuve harshly criticised Ricciardo, urging the Australian to retire from the sport due to his underperformance. “The thing is, you have to judge a whole season, or a few years,” Villeneuve told Sky Sports F1. “He had a very good sprint race in Miami and a very good qualifying yesterday.”

“That is not enough, he has to carry on like this. Obviously it got to him because he reacted quite aggressively in a way that is not very professional because kids are listening to what he’s saying. And it was personal attacks about being hit on the head and stuff like that. That’s really that shouldn’t happen.”

“He should be able to take the punches, when you have a bad season… Man up! He’s had a good qualifying, he might have a good race today and that would be the right direction for him to carry on. He has to carry on like this. This is not enough.”

‘Needs to man up!’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-villeneuve-ricciardo-war-of-words-continues-needs-to-man-up/

Daniel Ricciardo fires back at Jacques Villeneuve with X-rated response after viral analysis at Canadian GP
9 Jun 2024.
Ryan Smart
SPORTbible

Daniel Ricciardo was left less than happy with Jacques Villeneuve after hearing what the former F1 world champion said about him at the Canadian Grand Prix. "He was beating a Vettel that was burnt out, that was trying to invent things with the car to go and win and was making a mess of his weekends. He was beating Verstappen for half of a season, when he 18 years old and just starting. That was it. He stopped beating anyone after that. I think it's his image that has kept him in F1 more than his actual results."

After qualifying P5, Ricciardo was unsurprisingly asked about comments from certain critics - and came out firing. "I've just been told, I don't listen or read, but yeah there's some people out there who... I won't give them the time of day," he began. "Top five, I've been quick all weekend, less than two tenths from pole. So they can eat s**t.”

"I think this year hasn't really been a question of whether I've still got the speed to do it, it's just the consistency. I haven't been able to show it week in, week out. It's definitely been more of a struggle than I thought. But I know the speed's there, it's just tapping into it. I look at myself first. You always try and fine-tune the car, but I feel like it's more about getting myself in that sweet point.”

‘X-rated response’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/daniel-ricciardo-jacques-villeneuve-f1-canadian-gp-811810-20240609

Jacques Villeneuve hits back at Daniel Ricciardo: “I got under his skin”
10 Jun 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has hit back at Daniel Ricciardo as their war of words continued at the Canadian Grand Prix. In response to Villeneuve, Ricciardo said: “I heard he’s been talking s**t. But he always does. I think he’s hit his head a few too many times. So I don’t know if he plays ice hockey or something.”

Villeneuve then gave his response to Ricciardo, claiming that he got “a little bit personal” and he should consider his responses in future. “His reaction was a little bit personal and he’s a role model,” Villeneuve said. “Like all these 20, you’re at the top level, you have to be responsible in your answers, professional. “Kids are listening to you. You cannot make it personal.”

“I’m happy to have learned that I knocked myself out too often playing ice hockey. But ultimately you will get criticism, you need a thick skin and I got under his skin but it got better for his driving. But it’s not enough, he needs to do more of this.”

“I got under his skin”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050501/1/jacques-villeneuve-hits-back-daniel-ricciardo-i-got-under-his-skin

'A bit of a roasting': Christian Horner shares how Daniel Ricciardo reacted to Jacques Villeneuve ‘roasting’
8 June 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Christian Horner says Jacques Villeneuve ‘motivated’ Daniel Ricciardo. 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has been intensely critical of Ricciardo in Montreal. Speaking on the F1 Show, he questioned why the eight-time race-winner was ‘still in F1’.

However, Horner stressed that Ricciardo was under no illusions about the need to improve. Reserve driver Liam Lawson is pushing for a 2025 seat in the background. “He’s had an up-and-down start to the year,” he said. “I think you gave him a bit of a roasting yesterday. He knows he’s got to deliver. You obviously motivated him because he looked in good form this morning.”

“You obviously motivated him”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/christian-horner-shares-how-daniel-ricciardo-reacted-to-jacques-villeneuve-roasting/

Marko not critical of Villeneuve's Ricciardo attack
JUNE 10, 2024
GrandPrix.com

When asked if Villeneuve is actually right about Ricciardo, Red Bull's top F1 consultant, Dr Marko, told Le Journal de Montreal: "I didn't hear his comment. But Daniel had to beat Yuki at Racing Bulls. This year, that is not the case. It is rather the opposite thing that is happening”, the 81-year-old added.

"Yuki is an emotional driver but now he manages to limit his mistakes. He was in demand by other teams. He is young and he fits our mould. That's why we've just extended his contract for another year”, Marko added.

‘Daniel had to beat Yuki at Racing Bulls’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/marko-not-critical-of-villeneuves-ricciardo-attack.html

‘That’s the future’: Jacques Villeneuve believes Toto Wolff has made an ego-based decision for Mercedes 2025 line-up
9 June 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Villeneuve believes that Toto Wolff has made a decision based on his ‘ego’ to bring Kimi Antonelli into the team next year. The 17-year-old is testing behind the scenes for Mercedes but can’t take part in an FP1 session until August. While suggestions that he could replace Logan Sargeant before the end of the season have slowed down, it does seem as though the teenager is destined to be on the F1 grid next year.

Talking about their potential 2025 line-up, Villeneuve said: “Mercedes is not really an open door. It’s [Kimi] Antonelli’s team. That’s the future. “He’s been prepped for it. Toto will not have it any other way. There’s ego in there. He will prove to the world that he was right, that when Antonelli was 12, he knew that he was a future champion.”

‘Ego-based decision’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-believes-toto-wolff-has-made-an-ego-based-decision-for-mercedes-2025-line-up/

'One-year deal': Villeneuve predicts Mercedes will give £154k-a-week driver one-year deal before hiring Kimi Antonelli
8 June 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Jacques Villeneuve says Mercedes will re-sign Valtteri Bottas then promote Kimi Antonelli. Speaking on the F1 Show at the Canadian Grand Prix, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve suggested that Wolff would hold fire on signing Antonelli. Instead, he expects him to find a midfield seat for the Italian in 2025.

Wolff would need a stop-gap solution for next year, and Villeneuve says Valtteri Bottas will provide it. Bottas spent five years at the team between 2017 and 2020 and won 10 Grands Prix. “I guess Bottas will go to Mercedes,” he said. “They want a driver for one year. So who do they take? They take a driver that will accept a one-year deal, that already knows the team, has experience, to prepare the seat for Antonelli. Toto will have to find a team to put Antonelli somewhere for a year.”

'One-year deal';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sky-f1-pundit-says-mercedes-will-give-154k-a-week-driver-one-year-deal-before-hiring-kimi-antonelli/

Jacques Villeneuve embarrassed again as Fred Vasseur makes brutal six-word comment
Jun 9, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Fred Vasseur piled more misery on 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, telling the Canadian racer that he is ‘sometimes wrong’ after he started to explain his pre-race position on Ferrari’s competitiveness. The Scuderia endured a miserable Saturday with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz failing to make Q3.

Villeneuve, who has a reputation for his bold takes and unfiltered approach to speaking his mind, was chatting to Vasseur alongside fellow pundits Danica Patrick and Simon Lazenby. “Before the weekend, I was convinced that Ferrari…” he said, before the Ferrari team principal cut in: “Yeah, but sometimes you are wrong.”

'Jacques Villeneuve embarrassed again... OR WAS HE?'

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1909103/Jacques-Villeneuve-Fred-Vasseur-Canadian-Grand-Prix

Leclerc: Ferrari can’t ‘overreact’ despite double Canada F1 DNF
9 Jun 2024
Motorsport Week

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/09/leclerc-ferrari-cant-overreact-despite-double-canada-f1-dnf/

‘This one hurts’ – Leclerc pinpoints issue for Ferrari to look into after disastrous double Dnf in Canada
10 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/this-one-hurts-leclerc-pinpoints-issue-for-ferrari-to-look-into-after.kLRM9hbVtjINY2fPlGzkt

"This one hurts," admits Leclerc after double DNF for Ferrari
10 Jun 2024
Pitpass

https://www.pitpass.com/77932/This-one-hurts-admits-Leclerc-after-double-DNF-for-Ferrari

Fortitude

10th June 2024, 21:21

Verstappen wins 3rd straight Canadian Grand Prix for 60th F1 victory.
Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix for the third straight year on Sunday for the Red Bull star's 60th Formula 1 victory and sixth in nine races this season.
10-Jun-2024
Sports Scene
CGTN

"It's a lot of fun to drive these kinds of races now and then," Verstappen said. "You don't want it all the time because that's too stressful. But I had a lot of fun out there today."

Verstappen increased his season lead to 56 points over second-place Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. "As a team, we made the right calls today," said Verstappen, coming off a sixth-place finish in Monaco. "It's great to have three wins in a row here. I hope I can add more in the future."

"It's a lot of fun”;

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-06-10/Verstappen-wins-3rd-straight-Canadian-Grand-Prix-for-60th-F1-victory-1ujlpbnRdkc/p.html

International media reacts as Verstappen rebounds and Ferrari fails
Check out what the world is talking about following the 2024 F1 Canadian Grand Prix!
10 June 2024
Samuel Coop
17:37
RacingNews365

�� The Times - 'Lando Norris denied by pitstop error as Max Verstappen gets back on track'
In the United Kingdom, The Times focused on McLaren's decision not to pit Lando Norris when the safety car was first called after Logan Sargeant's crash.
�� La Gazzetta dello Sport - 'Ferrari, exaggerated (and worrying) ups and downs. Vasseur: "In Canada all the problems add up"'
Unsurprisingly, most attention in La Gazzetta dello Sport was paid to the mis-firing Ferrari team, which led with quotes from team principal Frederic Vasseur.

�� L'Equipe - 'Verstappen returns to victory, Ferrari with its setbacks, return to normal at the Canadian GP'
French sports outlet L'Equipe addressed two of the main talking points of the weekend - Verstappen's return to form and the complete loss of it for Ferrari.
�� De Telegraaf - 'Investigation into fans on circuit at GP Canada: 'This was an unacceptable situation'
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf turned its attention to the investigation into fans flooding onto the track before the race had finished.

�� BILD - 'Crazy toilet situation at the Canada race: Formula 1 stars have to use the same toilet as the fans'
BILD in Germany covered the somewhat unusual situation of drivers sharing toilets with members of the public.
�� Herald Sun - 'Piastri misses podium in chaotic Canadian Grand Prix'
Australian tabloid Herald Sun covered the country's two F1 stars, with an emphasis on Piastri missing out on a podium in a hectic race in Montreal.

‘International media reacts’;

https://racingnews365.com/international-media-reacts-as-verstappen-rebounds-and-ferrari-fails

Red Bull having “too many problems” in “more difficult” season – Verstappen
10th June 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Too many things are going wrong for Red Bull, says Max Verstappen despite scoring his sixth grand prix victory from the first nine rounds yesterday. Verstappen came from second on the grid to win the race but missed a significant amount of practice time on Friday due to problem with his power unit. He has also been unhappy with his RB20’s performance over kerbs and bumps in recent races.

“The last few races have been quite difficult,” he said after Sunday’s race. “But not only just difficult, too many problems as well, throughout the whole weekend. So we need to have a cleaner weekend. Even in the race now, we’re struggling a lot with the kerbing and the bumps. So we definitely have an area we can work on and definitely improve the car by quite a big margin if we get that under control.”

“I think we are all very focused. We are still doing a lot of things right. But for whatever reason, we are not in that same flow as we had last year where everything just seemed to be going really well for us at most places, no reliability issues. For whatever reason, it’s all a bit more difficult this year.”

“Too many problems”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/10/red-bull-having-too-many-problems-in-more-difficult-season-verstappen/

Max Verstappen’s ‘damage done’ verdict on Sergio Perez after Canadian GP mess
10 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Failing to score a single point in the last two races, Max Verstappen is hoping Sergio Perez can get “back up there” as he needs his team-mate to help him in the championship. Verstappen is hoping his team-mate’s troubles are a “one-off”. “I think the damage was done yesterday, of course, for Checo,” he said. “Starting in the back, it’s very hard in these conditions. Then, of course, I saw him retire with the damage.”

“So I knew that I had to score big, of course, to not let the other teams catch up a lot. But I do think at the end of the day, as long as you keep winning, so you score 25 points, even if the others finish P2, P3, you don’t really lose out too much. And then you kind of can afford sometimes these one-offs.”

“But of course, naturally, we always want the two cars to be up there. And I also have no doubt that that will change very soon again. We just need to work on our car, to be honest, to make it a bit easier to drive also, probably, to feel a bit more comfortable. And then I’m sure that we have both cars back up there like we had in the beginning of the season.”

‘Damage done’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-sergio-perez-blow-in-title-fight

"We were lucky with the safety car", says Verstappen as Perez endured another shock result
10 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The early part of yesterday's Canadian Grand Prix saw Max Verstappen fail to respond to George Russell's and then Lando Norris' pace, but a well-timed safety car helped him to take over the lead which he converted into another brilliant victory. Reigning champion Max Verstappen ran second early on as he tried to chase down pole-sitter George Russell. However, with the track drying up quickly, Lando Norris displayed dominant pace which enabled him to overtake Verstappen before going past Russell as well.

The Briton started to build up an ominous advantage, escaping from Verstappen by almost eight seconds within a few laps. However, a Safety Car neutralised Norris’ advantage, and the Briton pitted a lap later during the SC interruption than his rivals. It enabled the Dutchman to emerge in the lead after the restart. When the field pitted for slick tyres, Verstappen shortly fell behind Norris, but he had enough heat in his slick tyres to retake the lead and hold it until the finish.

"We were lucky with the safety car";

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24765

Verstappen: Red Bull ‘not in the flow’ despite Canada F1 win
10 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

The Dutchman expressed that prevailing was even more “rewarding” as he overcame close competition and treacherous conditions to return to the podium’s top step. “It’s very rewarding,” Verstappen stated. “I mean, it’s never an easy race. It’s easy to make mistakes, especially on the inters when they were almost becoming slicks.”

“It was very easy to go off because the track was drying in most places, but in some corners it was still a bit too wet to go to slicks. That made it just very, very difficult. But yeah, it’s a lot of fun to drive these kind of races now and then. You don’t want it all the time because that’s too stressful, but I had a lot of fun out there today.”

‘Not in the flow’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/10/verstappen-red-bull-not-in-the-flow-despite-canada-f1-win/

Horner after Max' win in Montreal: 'Max was incredible'
10 June 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen won the hectic Canadian Grand Prix and Christian Horner, Oracle Red Bull Racing team principal and CEO, said: “In a race like today with those variable conditions, so many things can go wrong but we made the right calls at the right times.”

“McLaren were fast on the inters at the beginning of the race, but getting the crossover onto the slick tyre was really crucial, and once we gave away track position, we had some heat in the tyres and could really push. Max was incredible today.”

Horner continues: “In those conditions you’re driving with your senses, but everything must work in unison and the team lifted itself to the adverse conditions and delivered in every area. There are so many things you can get wrong on a day like today, but happily we got them right.”

'Max was incredible’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5495/

Fortitude

11th June 2024, 09:27

Norris on the Safety Car in Canada: ‘In Miami it helped me win, today it helped me lose’.
McLaren’s Lando Norris was philosophical after missing out on a second career victory in Canada, but insisted “we had the speed to win” after coming second to Max Verstappen.
09 June 2024

‘Today it helped me lose’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/norris-on-the-safety-car-in-canada-in-miami-it-helped-me-win-today-it-helped-me-lose.1801419452515822548

Frustrated Norris says pit stop mistake cost McLaren race “we should have won”
10th June 2024
Keith Collantine

Lando Norris says he should have won the Canadian Grand Prix but missed an opportunity to pit when the Safety Car was first deployed. However Norris revealed there had been enough time for McLaren to bring him in when the Safety Car came out.

“We should have won the race today and we didn’t, so it’s frustrating,” he said. “We had the pace – probably not in the dry at the end but it turned out it didn’t really matter too much.”

“But we should have won today, simple as that. We didn’t do a good enough job as a team to box when we should have done and not get stuck behind the Safety Car.”

“We should have won”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/10/frustrated-norris-says-pit-stop-mistake-cost-mclaren-race-we-should-have-won/

McLaren reveals fine margins in race-defining Norris call
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has explained how close Lando Norris was to being pitted initially when the first safety car of the Canadian GP was called.
10 June 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has explained how close Lando Norris was to being able to retain his lead during the first safety car period at the Canadian Grand Prix. "We took a quick look. It looks like he [Lando Norris] was one and a half seconds from the pit - from the time when you actually needed to turn, or you're going straight," Stella told media including RacingNews365 when discussing how close Norris was to being able to pit ahead of Verstappen, Russell and Piastri. "In hindsight, we could have told the driver 'in case of safety car - pit', so he would have just reacted instinctively to pit."

Part of the problem for the Woking team that led to Norris missing the opportunity to pit, was that it was torn between bringing him in and making him stay out anyway. Stella underlined the dynamic weather as playing a key factor in trying to determine the best course of action, whilst pointing out how unlucky Norris was with the timing of the safety car more generally. We were monitoring the intensity of the rain," the 53-year-old said. "And this intensity in the last few minutes was kind of reducing.”

“So we didn't want to pit unnecessarily for a new set of inters [intermediate tyres] when this set of inters could have been good enough in case of a very light rain. I think it was much easier for the car behind to kinda do the opposite, for instance, as Lando. I think that's a little bit unlucky, not only with the timing of when the safety guard was deployed, with respect to Lando's position on track, but also the time of the safety car in the race, because at that time, Lando was by far the fastest car around on track."

‘Fine margins in race-defining Norris call’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-reveals-fine-margins-in-race-defining-norris-call

McLaren respond to Lando Norris missed Canada GP win frustration in Mercedes admission
10 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

While Lando Norris feels that McLaren left a win on the table in Canada, team boss Andrea Stella, who admits the safety car timing was unfortunate, also highlighted a pace deficit to Mercedes in expressing satisfaction with the result.

After passing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell for the race lead before escaping into the distance, a pivotal point for Norris in the victory battle arrived when Logan Sargeant spun out at the exit of Turn 6, triggering the safety car.

Norris stopped the lap after Russell and Verstappen, despite Norris revealing that he did have time to also dive into the pit lane upon the safety car deployment, but they opted against it. McLaren team principal Stella, speaking to media after the race, confirmed that it could have been done, admitting that Norris got unlucky with the safety car timing having returned to the race now P3.

‘McLaren respond’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-respond-lando-norris-canada-disappointment-mercedes-faster

McLaren reveals complications behind Canada F1 pit stop error
10 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

McLaren has revealed how positioning on track and the weather conditions created the error in pitting Lando Norris a lap too late in Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix.

Stella explained how Norris trundling down the back straight when the pace car was deployed created a split-second decision on the pit wall that McLaren got wrong.

‘Split-second decision’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/11/mclaren-reveals-complications-behind-canada-f1-pit-stop-error/

McLaren rues safety car after losing a potential victory in Montreal
11 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Despite finishing second and fifth at the Canadian Grand Prix, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were left frustrated to miss out on an even better result in the eventful and wild race of Montreal.

Although he had a second chance to win when he stayed out on the inters as Verstappen and Russell pitted, but he led briefly when he rejoined the track, but was unable to hold on to the lead. “That was eventful! To be honest, I felt like I drove a good race from start to finish. The conditions were so stressful inside the car but very enjoyable at the same time.

"I’m happy with second. It was good fun out there and we’ve scored good points for the team. The car’s been great all weekend, so thanks to everyone at McLaren. It’s nice to be so close and on the podium again. We’ll keep fighting to get back onto the top step," Norris concluded.

‘McLaren rues safety car’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24767

Canadian GP Proves Lando Norris Is Max Verstappen’s Main Rival In 2024
17:49 Mon, 10 Jun 2024.
Dan Cancian
Forbes

Reports of Max Verstappen’s and Red Bull’s demise were, it would appear, if not exaggerated certainly premature. The suggestion Red Bull’s stranglehold on Formula 1 could at long last be waning were strengthened on Saturday, when George Russell put his Mercedes on pole position ahead of Verstappen.

The Dutchman now leads Charles Leclerc by 56 points after the Monegasque followed victory on home soil with a dismal weekend in Canada, which ended in a double retirement for Ferrari. Lando Norris, second in Montreal, is seven points further back but consolidated his position as arguably Verstappen’s most serious rival this year and the in-form driver at this stage of the season.

McLaren have closed the gap on Red Bull. “Yes, we should have won the race today and we didn’t,” a frustrated Norris said after the race. “Frustrating, we had the pace. We should have won today, simple as that.” Norris’ frustration speaks volumes for how far McLaren have come in closing the gap to Red Bull. Excluding his win in Miami, the second place in Canada was Norris’ fourth podium of the season in nine races, compared with seven in the whole of last year.

‘Lando Norris Is Max Verstappen’s Main Rival’;

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dancancian/2024/06/10/canadian-gp-proves-lando-norris-is-max-verstappens-main-rival-in-2024/

Horner: McLaren blew Canada F1 win with "crucial" slick call
09:12 Mon, 10 Jun 2024.
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

While McLaren had lost the lead to Verstappen at the first safety car stop for Logan Sargeant's stranded Williams, Horner does not think that was the key moment that opened the door for his team's victory.

Instead, he suggests that the "crucial" decision came later in the race when drivers started moving across to the slicks and Norris elected to run longer than everyone else. With the slicks taking a while to come up to temperature, Norris's decision appeared to be inspired as his inters remained faster for a bit.

"I thought we were in a much better window as the circuit dried out," explained Horner. "We were able to hold a consistent gap and then it was all about getting the crossover at the right time, because the first sector was pretty damp. And when you drive out of the pitlane, you lose a huge amount of the temperature.”

‘ "Crucial" slick call’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/horner-mclaren-blew-canada-f1-win/10621801/

Fortitude

11th June 2024, 15:16

Russell after first podium of 2024: ‘I’m so excited now for the rest of the season’.
P3 George Russell was left with mixed emotions after his first podium of the year, on a day when perhaps more might have been possible – but he was highly encouraged by the pace shown in the Mercedes at this race.
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘I’m so excited’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/russell-after-first-podium-of-2024-im-so-excited-now-for-the-rest-of-the-season.1801419656263462547

2024 Canadian Grand Prix: Russell takes back P3 from Hamilton to seal podium finish
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

George Russell dropped back to P5 in the final laps after an aborted move on Oscar Piastri, but two laps before the flag he battled back past his Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton to seal his first podium finish of the year.

‘Russell takes back P3’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-grand-prix-russell-takes-back-p3-from-hamilton-to-seal-podium-finish.1801416806996276915

Russell: Errors in vital moments thwarted Canada F1 win shot
22:53 Sun, 09 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

George Russell rued errors at vital moments preventing both him and the Mercedes Formula 1 team from having a better chance at winning the Canadian Grand Prix. Russell utilised Mercedes’ renewed pace to take pole position and lead the opening laps, but he dropped behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen as the track dried.

“I think if you told us ahead of this weekend and P3, we may not have believed you, to be honest,” Russell, who delivered Mercedes’ first podium this season, reviewed. But as Max [Verstappen] said, it was such a tricky race out there for everybody. You put a millimetre wide and you’re off.”

“And I think for me, it was just one too many mistakes at key moments that cost us a shot of fighting with these two towards the end of the race.”

‘Errors in vital moments’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/09/russell-errors-in-vital-moments-thwarted-canada-f1-win-shot/

Russell rues mistakes in Canadian GP ‘missed opportunity’
The Mercedes driver secured Mercedes' first Grand Prix podium of the season
June 9, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

Starting from pole position after setting the fastest time during Saturday’s Qualifying session, Russell maintained the race lead in the opening stages of the 70-lap event. Pushing hard to keep Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris behind, the Briton wore away his Intermediate tyres quicker than those around him.

This allowed Norris to snatch P1 from his compatriot on lap 21, and Russell’s woes continued as he ran wide at the final chicane and handed second position to the lurking Verstappen. But Russell’s error-strewn afternoon didn’t end there. There was no denying the 26-year-old had the pace to win, as he opted to switch onto a fresh set of Medium tyres on lap 45 as the track dried out.

He repassed Norris to claim P2, only to lose the position two laps later as he yet again ran wide at the sector one chicane. One more error completed a trio of mistakes for the British driver. Attempting to pass Oscar Piastri with just a handful of laps remaining, Russell made contact with the McLaren and instead of climbing up a position, lost a place to teammate Lewis Hamilton.

‘Russell rues mistakes’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/russell-rues-mistakes-in-canadian-gp-missed-opportunity/

Russell suffers 'missed opportunity' despite breaking Mercedes duck
George Russell occupied the top-five places in the Canadian GP at some stage. Third was the upshot from a wild race.
9 June 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

"It felt like a missed opportunity to be honest," said Russell. "We were really quick at the beginning of the race on the inters, and then Lando came through really fast. We jumped onto the slicks but made a couple of mistakes out there just pushing the limits, paid the price for it, but nevertheless the first podium of the year.”

"We truly had a really fast car this weekend and to be back in the mix fighting for the victory was...we've affirmed that's what Formula 1 is all about and why we go racing." On hard tyres in the first of his dry rubber stints, Russell appeared to have a chance of reeling in Verstappen for the lead, only to make a mistake out of Turn 8 that allowed Norris to sweep by.

It was arguably one of two pivotal moments of his race personally. Asked whether he felt he could have caught and passed Verstappen for the lead, he replied: "I think so. We had the pace, Max was very strong at the point in the race but then when we put the mediums on at the end and we were really fast."

'Missed opportunity';

https://racingnews365.com/russell-suffers-missed-opportunity-despite-breaking-mercedes-duck

First podium of 2024 feels like missed opportunity for Russell
23:50 Sun, 09 Jun 2024.
The Straits Times

After taking pole position for the first time since 2022, Russell led for the first 21 laps of a wet to dry race before McLaren's Lando Norris and then Red Bull's eventual winner Max Verstappen went past. Russell regained second place from Norris on lap 27 during the first safety car period, lost it again when he pitted on lap 45 for hards and took it back on lap 49.

Norris was back in front when Russell then lost control on a damp kerb and ran wide. "Focus, George, focus," team boss Toto Wolff told him over the radio. Third became fourth, behind Oscar Piastri, and team mate Lewis Hamilton then seized his opportunity after Russell came off worse as he tried to overtake McLaren's Australian.

Russell, who had fresh medium tyres for the closing laps after pitting during the second safety car period, then passed both Piastri and Hamilton, who was on hards, to get back on the final step.

‘"Focus, George, focus," team boss Toto Wolff told him over the radio’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/first-podium-of-2024-feels-like-missed-opportunity-for-russell

Wolff admits Russell could have avoided Canada F1 mistakes
11:18 Mon, 10 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Asked whether he felt Mercedes lost an opening to earn a first win since November 2022, Wolff told Sky Sports F1: “A victory was maybe a long shot, or a short dream.”

“When George was on the Hard, catching up and was showing really strong pace, maybe for a second we thought about it, but you mustn’t be too greedy. On one side there was brilliance in the race, and then on the other side, maybe he could have avoided [the mistakes],” Wolff proclaimed.

“I think the pass [on Piastri] was never on in that corner. As a driver, what makes his overtakes good are that he takes a risk and he drives very hard. And this one was maybe a bit too ambitious, cost a position, but he regained that afterwards.”

“You mustn’t be too greedy”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/10/wolff-admits-russell-could-have-avoided-canada-f1-mistakes/

George Russell mistakes exposed as Mercedes face major concern
The Briton admitted his errors cost Mercedes a potential victory in Canada, and it's not the first time he has made mistakes under pressure
10 June 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

With Russell, a concerning pattern has started to take shape. When he is either on the cusp of a podium finish or under pressure, the Mercedes star tends to get flustered and commit errors that he doesn’t normally make. At the 2023 Singapore GP, he was fighting for the race win but crashed into the wall on the final lap, losing 15 points in the process.

Then in Las Vegas, Russell was at fault for a collision with Verstappen at Turn 11 that landed him a five-second penalty from the stewards. He hadn’t looked in his mirrors and turned in on the Red Bull driver, with both cars losing vital pieces of bodywork. As a consequence, he was demoted to P8 from fourth after the penalty was applied.

It is surprising, given his driving style offers a throwback to the likes of Jenson Button, with calm movements behind the steering wheel and an elegant handling of the car. But his behaviour changes when he is in direct combat with another car, leading to desperate and ill-timed moves. This is his sixth season in F1; it’s not like Russell is a rookie at Williams anymore. And while it’s fair to say every driver gets entangled in racing incidents when pulling off overtakes, Russell seems to come off worse.

‘A concerning pattern has started to take shape’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-george-russell-mistakes-canadian-gp-2024-major-mercedes-concern/

Fortitude

12th June 2024, 07:19

Hamilton makes remarkable confession after Canada podium loss.
Lewis Hamilton has conceded the Canadian Grand Prix was one of the “worst races I've driven” after crossing the line in fourth place.
9 June 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

“Over the weekend, it was just a really poor performance from myself,” Hamilton told Sky Sport F1. “[During qualifying] some other things came into it, but mostly [from] myself. [On Sunday], it was one of the worst races that I’ve driven. Just lots of mistakes but of course if I qualified better, I would have been in a much better position. It is what it is. I’ll go back to the drawing board.”

“On a positive note, a big thank you to everyone back at the factory for progressing this car,” he said. “It is becoming a car that we can fight with. That’s a real positive going into the next part of the season. I know we’ll have some more upgrades on the way, it’s going to be a close battle. If I get my head on right, I’ll get better results at some stage. This weekend, the car was capable of winning, that’s why it’s not such a great feeling. We’ll take the points, keep moving and keep trying.”

“Worst races I've driven”;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-makes-remarkable-confession-after-canada-podium-loss

‘I wonder’: Damon Hill reacts to Lewis Hamilton interview about ‘really poor’ Canadian Grand Prix performance
Tue 11 June 2024 07:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Damon Hill says Lewis Hamilton has set a high benchmark: 1996 world champion Damon Hill then offered his reaction to the interview on his Instagram story. Hill noted that Hamilton had set a uniquely high standard. “What level is Lewis Hamilton’s ‘not very good’ I wonder,” the former Williams driver wrote. While the 39-year-old is enduring the poorest season of his career to date, he remains the most successful driver in F1 history. In addition to his seven titles, he’s won 103 races and taken 104 pole positions.

Martin Brundle baffled by what happened to Hamilton at Canadian Grand Prix: Brundle said: “I don’t what happened to Lewis. None of his sector times shone, did they? It was as if he just didn’t find grip, didn’t have the tyres where he needed them. Because nothing stood out on that lap.” His colleague David Croft noted the ‘contrast’ in the demeanour of the two drivers in parc ferme. Russell basked in his second career pole with his mechanics as Hamilton cut a forlorn figure.

‘I wonder’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/damon-hill-reacts-to-lewis-hamilton-interview-about-really-poor-canadian-grand-prix-performance/

Lewis Hamilton: ‘Something went on’ with tyre blankets ‘every time’ in Canada GP qualifying
11 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton claimed underheated tyres hampered him in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix, pointing to the tyre blankets. “The tyres were working throughout the weekend, then we got to qualifying and every time I went out of the garage, my tyres were for some reason below on temperature,” he said.

“Every set was two or three degrees lower than it should have been, and you can’t catch it up and I couldn’t switch the tyres on after that. That’s something we have to really look at, because something went on with the blankets, I guess.”

‘Something went on’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-something-went-on-mercedes-tyre-blankets-canada-qualifying

'Something went on': Lewis Hamilton tells Mercedes to investigate one issue after Canadian GP
11 Jun 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Hamilton, however, only qualified seventh after failing to improve on new tyres at the end of Q3. That saw him drop from second to the fourth row and left Martin Brundle baffled.

Lewis Hamilton tells Mercedes to investigate tyre temperature issues: Hamilton was initially mystified as to the reason for his qualifying struggles, having topped FP3 by a healthy margin. But speaking to outlets including Formu1a.uno after Sunday’s race, he raised a potential explanation.

He said: “Well, the tyres were working throughout the weekend. Then we got to qualifying, and every time I went out of the garage, my tyres were for some reason below on temperature.”

‘Tyre temperature issues’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lewis-hamilton-tells-mercedes-theres-something-they-really-have-to-look-at-after-canadian-gp/

Wolff urges 'galactic' Hamilton to banish 'negative' thoughts
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was enthused about the team's performance in Canada, despite 'negative sentiments' from both drivers.
11 June 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

"I think when you finish third and fourth, from where we have been coming from, then it is a positive race," Wolff told media including RacingNews365. "Third and fourth is so much better than we had previously in the last few races, so that is good, but I think both drivers saw that there was more up for grabs.”

"We could have gained a position or two, and that is why there is a kind of negative sentiment, but if you would have given them third and fourth before the weekend, they probably would have taken it. I mean in FP3, Lewis put up a lap that was out of this world, and then his long run was stratospheric, galactical."

‘Banish 'negative' thoughts’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-urges-galactic-hamilton-to-banish-negative-thoughts

George Russell risks causing Toto Wolff headache due to Lewis Hamilton dilemma
George Russell finished on the podium in Montreal on Sunday, but his performance has attracted a mixed response.
Jun 11, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell departed the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with his second career pole position and Mercedes’ first podium finish of the season. On the surface, this was a strong weekend for Toto Wolff’s outfit, but a handful of costly errors from the Brit have raised concerns about his long-term viability as a team leader.

On the other side of the garage, Lewis Hamilton continues to cut a frustrated figure. The seven-time world champion has been consistently fast in the races, but his qualifying form has been nothing short of disastrous, given the lofty standards he has set for himself during his F1 career to date.

‘Toto Wolff headache’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1909439/George-Russell-Lewis-Hamilton-Toto-Wolff

‘I’ve had much worse’ – Toto Wolff’s verdict on George Russell v Lewis Hamilton battle
11 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

“We are racing,” Russell was told over the radio. “Just remember, it goes without saying, keep it clean please.” Squeezing down the inside of his Mercedes team-mate at Turn 14 on lap 68 of the 70-lap race, Russell said he knew that he could “trust” Hamilton in their battle. But while it was undoubtedly a tense moment for the Mercedes pit wall, Wolff says he’s had “worse”. Asked if it was too close, he told the media in Montreal: “No, I’ve had much worse.”

Wolff has not only had to watch on as Russell and Hamilton collided, most recently at 2023’s Japanese and Qatar Grands Prix, but he was also at the helm throughout the infamous Hamilton versus Nico Rosberg rivalry. That rivalry saw Mercedes threaten to bench the feuding team-mates because of their repeated brawls with Wolff saying he needed an “iron fist” to manage it.

“Iron fist”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-verdict-george-russell-v-lewis-hamilton-battle-canada

Toto Wolff has very clear stance on Lewis Hamilton vs George Russell fight
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell fought each other for a place on the Canadian Grand Prix podium in a battle which put a few hearts in mouths in the Mercedes garage
11 Jun 2024
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Toto Wolff didn't bat an eyelid as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell fought on track for a podium berth at the Canadian Grand Prix. The Mercedes chief said he has seen "much worse" than the battle which was fought cleanly at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Russell came out on top, getting the better of his team-mate in the final few laps to secure third place.

Russell was calm about the battle with Hamilton as he spoke to the media after the Montreal race. He made it clear that he felt he always had things under control and praised his team-mate for his part in the duel.

He said: "Always with Lewis, it's really hard and fair. When you're racing with one of the greats, you know that you can trust them. And that was really great to see at the end."

‘Didn't bat an eyelid’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-russell-mercedes-fight-wolff-33002664

Fortitude

12th June 2024, 17:02

Piastri: McLaren coming away from Canada as top scoring team ‘a solid result’.
Oscar Piastri eventually finished fifth in Montreal, and though he thought that could have been better he was reasonably satisfied with his team’s points haul.
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘A solid result’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/piastri-mclaren-coming-away-from-canada-as-top-scoring-team-a-solid-result.1801415901077993138

How Piastri put himself 'in the firing line' to aid Norris
The McLaren driver was challenging for a podium late on in Canada before falling to fifth.
11 June 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has detailed how he put himself in the "firing line" from Mercedes to aid Lando Norris's Canadian Grand Prix podium push. After the safety car for the Carlos Sainz-Alex Albon incident, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton both pitted from third and fifth for fresh tyres, as the new leading trio of Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Piastri stayed out.

Using the DRS, Russell attempted to pass Piastri on Lap 63, the two making contact at the final chicane, with Hamilton scything past on two laps later on the brakes for the same turn. Russell did so a lap later, with Piastri describing how he realised the two were "on a mission" as he took fifth behind Russell in third and Hamilton in fourth after the pole-sitter passed his seven-time champion team-mate on Lap 68 of 70.

"It was really close until I got behind the Mercedes and realised that they were on a mission - and it would have been incredibly tough to keep them behind all the way until the end," he said. "I was the first car in the firing line for them and I tried my best to stay in front, but they were clearly a lot quicker than everybody.”

'In the firing line';

https://racingnews365.com/how-piastri-put-himself-in-the-firing-line-to-aid-norris

Piastri admits Mercedes was ‘on a mission’ in Canada
Oscar Piastri has admitted that there was little he could have done to hold back Mercedes late in the Canadian Grand Prix.
10 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Piastri finished fifth in Sunday's race after losing out to both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in the latter stages of the race. Held in mixed conditions, it was a race that ebbed and flowed based largely on tyre choice and life at any given point. The sun finally broke through towards the end and left the track largely dry, which saw the two Mercedes drivers become the fastest cars on track. It made Piastri easy pickings as he slipped off the podium.

Tyre management in the changeable conditions was key throughout the race. In the opening stages, Piastri dropped off the back of the leaders before enjoying strong pace in the middle of the race. However, when conditions dried, and following his contact with Russell, he slipped back again. “Struggling a little bit for pace, but also not destroying the tyres,” Piastri explained of his opening stint approach.

“Some laps were good, some were bad, and I think once I got into a rhythm I was okay. Clearly they destroyed their tyres a bit more, so I think they probably just had a little bit more grip than us because I think both me and Lando were coming at them towards the end of the first inter. If I had pitted, I would have come out in fourth,” he added of the strategy choice under the second Safety Car, during which McLaren chose not to pit. “I don't think I would have got past George probably, so maybe it would have been fourth instead of fifth.”

‘Slipped off the podium’;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-admits-mercedes-was-on-a-mission-in-canada/

Piastri couldn’t fight ‘on a mission’ Mercedes in Canadian GP
10:16 Tue, 11 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri held his ground against Mercedes’ drivers in the closing stages of the Canadian Grand Prix, but there was little he could do to resist the attacks from the silver arrows chargers in the final laps of the race.

“It would have been, I think, incredibly tough to keep them behind all the way to the end, especially being the first car in the firing line for them,” commented Piastri after concluding his afternoon fifth. I tried my best to stay in front, but I think just on the new tyres they were clearly a lot quicker than everybody.”

“I think the fact that they were fast wasn't a massive surprise. I think that they were so fast was,” he said. “In FP3, I think with Lewis's [session topping] lap, we were scratching our heads. I think we worked out why after the session, but during the session, we were never going to get close to that.”

‘Little he could do to resist the attacks’;

https://f1i.com/news/510718-piastri-couldnt-fight-on-a-mission-mercedes-in-canadian-gp.html

Norris and Piastri confirm McLaren revival
Montreal (AFP) – Lando Norris and his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri delivered further strong evidence of the team's revival by finishing second and fifth behind the triumphant Max Verstappen in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.
22:55 Sun, 09 Jun 2024
France 24

Fifty-six years after team founder Bruce McLaren claimed their maiden win in the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix, the modern duo's result ended a decade of pointless results at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

"Podium at the Canadian Grand Prix," wrote team boss Zak Brown in a social media post. "Lando P2 and Oscar P5 delivering a haul of points! Excellent skill from the drivers out there in tricky conditions. We gave the win our best shot, but luck wasn't on our side."

Piastri said: "On a weekend where things could've gone very, very wrong, coming out with as many points as possible is a great result, but we're always chasing perfection. So it's about just a few things we could've done better, minor things, which in a race like that would've made a big difference. It was very tricky, just trying to keep the car on track!"

‘McLaren revival’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240609-norris-and-piastri-confirm-mclaren-revival

Russell Piastri verdict delivered after Canadian GP collision
Just one of those things between George Russell and Oscar Piastri.
10 June 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

George Russell and Oscar Piastri have avoided any sanction from the stewards following their collision late on in the Canadian Grand Prix. The stewards determined that: “The driver of Car 63 attempted to overtake Car 81 on the outside into Turn 13, got fully alongside, but, given the nature of the turn and the track conditions, failed to complete the manoeuvre and both cars slightly touched at the apex.

“He then aborted the overtaking attempt, left the track and rejoined safely and without gaining any lasting advantage. The stewards determine that no driver was wholly or predominantly at fault and therefore take no further action.” Russell went on to pass Hamilton and Piastri over the closing laps to claim third place. The Australian finished fifth.

‘Verdict delivered’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-piastri-verdict-delivered-after-canadian-gp-collision

Fortitude

13th June 2024, 10:52

Alonso brands Canadian GP a ‘fantastic race for the team’.
Fernando Alonso was satisfied with a job well done for Aston Martin in Montreal as he finished sixth with team mate Lance Stroll one place behind in seventh.
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Job well done’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/alonso-brands-canadian-gp-a-fantastic-race-for-the-team.1801418977231897694

Alonso brands Canadian GP ‘a fantastic race’ for Aston Martin after double points haul
11 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso praised the performance of his Aston Martin team after returning to the top-10 in the Canadian Grand Prix, with the Spaniard and team mate Lance Stroll scoring a double points finish off the back of a difficult weekend last time out in Monaco.

After consistently collecting points in the opening events of the season, Alonso’s run came to an end with a disappointing P19 result during a challenging visit to Imola. This was followed by another trying outing in Monte Carlo, where the two-time world champion exited qualifying in Q1 before ending the race in P11.

Alonso explained after the Grand Prix: “Yeah, fantastic race for the team. Obviously scoring with both cars is always the target, and sixth and seventh is a good number of points. Extremely difficult race with the conditions, [for the] majority of the race the track was just two metres wide. You cannot put a tyre outside of that dry line, so that is very, very stressful. Congratulations to everybody, because it was I think a difficult race in the cockpit.”

‘A fantastic race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/alonso-brands-canadian-gp-a-fantastic-race-for-aston-martin-after-double.2wmrzefh6wWM9t88Egw4hi

Alonso 'amazed' at F1 rivals on 'two-metre wide' track
The Aston Martin driver returned to the points with a strong sixth-place finish - for his first points since Miami.
11 June 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Such were the conditions, Alonso heaped praise on his fellow drivers for the lack of major incidents. "The race, for me was one of the most difficult races, for every one of the 20 drivers," he told media including RacingNews365 after leading a double Aston Martin points finish of sixth, with Lance Stroll seventh.

"I was amazed that nothing happened for so many laps, no incidents or anything because the conditions were extremely hard, so well done to everybody. The track was just two meters wide with the dry line, so you couldn't put a tyre outside of it. All in all, we got double points for the team, so we have to be happy."

‘Alonso heaped praise on his fellow drivers’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-amazed-at-fellow-drivers-for-canadian-gp-absence

Alonso elated with ‘fantastic race’ and Aston points haul in Canada
19:45 Tue, 11 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

“Yeah, fantastic race for the team,” Alonso enthused after his wet and wild day at the races. “Obviously scoring with both cars is always the target, and sixth and seventh is a good number of points. Extremely difficult race with the conditions, [for the] majority of the race the track was just two metres wide.”

“You cannot put a tyre outside of that dry line, so that is very, very stressful. Congratulations to everybody, because it was, I think a difficult race in the cockpit. We are happier with the car now, we understood a few things and I think we are more competitive,” he added.

“But, at the same time, we had in the calendar Montreal as one of the best tracks for us, for our package. [There is a] question mark [over] what is going to happen in Barcelona, but I know the team is working flat-out to bring new parts to the next race, and hopefully we keep this level of competitiveness.”

“One of the best tracks for us, for our package”;

https://f1i.com/news/510748-alonso-elated-with-fantastic-race-and-aston-points-haul-in-canada.html

Alonso: Small margin to Montreal pole ‘hurts a little bit’
14:55 Sun, 09 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

"It was a tricky qualifying for everyone with the wind and the drops of rain. You always lose a little bit of confidence and I think no one did a perfect lap," the two-time F1 world champion said.

"It was the case for me as well. I didn't put everything together in Q3, so when you see that you are only two tenths from pole position, it hurts a little bit." Alonso said he owed his 0.228s shortfall to pole to a mistake in Turn 2 that forced him to pull out the stops for the remainder of his final flyer.

“It was so oversteering and I lost the car so badly that I was just thinking to abort the lap or keep going,” he explained. "I kept going and I was P6, so if two tenths put you in pole position, maybe everything was already in one corner. I was just driving very aggressively after that to recover the lap."

‘Hurts a little bit’;

https://f1i.com/news/510459-alonso-small-margin-to-montreal-pole-hurts-a-little-bit.html

Alonso takes dig at Ferrari over Canada F1 qualifying slump
13:20 Sun, 09 Jun 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Fernando Alonso couldn’t resist a tongue-in-cheek dig at his former Formula 1 employer Ferrari after beating both scarlet red cars to Q3 in Saturday’s Canadian Grand Prix qualifying session.

“We’re close to good people, aren’t we? Ahead of [Sergio] Perez and the two Ferraris who suddenly came to win the World Championship after Monte Carlo,” the Spaniard quipped to Marca.

‘Alonso takes dig at Ferrari’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/09/alonso-takes-dig-at-ferrari-over-canada-f1-qualifying-slump/

Fernando Alonso makes Lance Stroll prediction after he leaves Aston Martin
09 Jun 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has predicted Lance Stroll will become the leader of Aston Martin after the Spaniard leaves the cockpit. Stroll may be in his sixth season with the Silverstone team but Alonso has undoubtedly been the senior figure since arriving from Alpine in 2023. However, the Spaniard is 17 years older than the Canadian and Alonso believes Stroll will one day lead the team.

“When you arrive in Formula 1, you feel this competitiveness in the team, in the sport, that is brutal, but you’re a little bit shy because you are twenty-something and your team-mates are normally older, they have more experience,” Alonso told the Times.

“Now I feel the opposite, I’m the oldest, I’m the one with more experience and I feel that responsibility on my shoulders, of leading the team and trying to help not only the engineers, but also Lance. I will be part of the team for many years, even when I am not driving, and Lance will lead this team in the future. I will always support him.”

‘Become the leader of Aston Martin’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lance-stroll-aston-martin-team-leader-role-predicted-fernando-alonso

Fortitude

13th June 2024, 15:47

Montreal's Stroll finishes seventh in race without error at Canadian GP.
“It was a tough track with the conditions, so I’m really satisfied to score points,” Stroll said. “Lots of points, the sixth and seventh positions are really good for the team.”
00:12 Mon, 10 Jun 2024
Auto Racing
TSN

Stroll had never finished better than ninth in six Formula One races in Montreal, on a circuit where he has always finished in the top 10 whenever he completed the race. This season, his best performance remains his sixth-place finish in Australia.

But what Stroll will remember most is the difficult conditions. Rain appeared before the start, followed by another shower midway through the race, keeping the drivers alert.

"It's probably one of the toughest races I can remember in terms of conditions," Stroll said. "It was difficult to make the right decisions to put the right tires on at the right times. But we did well today, and we stayed on track. That was really the biggest challenge today. In Montreal, small mistakes penalize you very quickly."

‘One of the toughest races’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/montreal-s-lance-stroll-finishes-seventh-in-race-without-error-at-canadian-gp-1.2132516

Stroll left ‘really happy’ after points finish on home soil
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lance Stroll finished seventh in Canada with his Aston Martin team mate Fernando Alonso one place ahead in sixth to cap a solid weekend for the Silverstone squad.

‘Really happy’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Aston+Martin/Lance+Stroll

Montreal's Lance Stroll finishes seventh in a race without error at Canadian GP
Jun 9, 2024 3:59 PM
Tommy Thurber
The Canadian Press

What Stroll will remember most is the difficult conditions. Rain appeared before the start, followed by another shower midway through the race, keeping the drivers alert.

Stroll's race was marked by on-track battles with Australian Daniel Ricciardo and Japanese Yuki Tsunoda, the two RB drivers. "The circuit suited our car, with straight-line speed and not too much downforce," Stroll said. "We capitalized on a Grand Prix where the car was good all weekend. Barcelona will be a different story."

Nevertheless, Stroll is cautious about being too optimistic ahead of the three-race schedule in as many weeks. The Spanish, Austrian and British GPs will follow in succession starting on June 23. Those circuits might be less friendly for Aston Martin.

‘What Stroll will remember most’;

https://www.timescolonist.com/national-sports/montreals-lance-stroll-finishes-seventh-in-a-race-without-error-at-canadian-gp-9053160

Lance Stroll explains why he won’t leave Aston Martin for rival F1 team
13 Jun 2024 8:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Arriving on the Formula 1 grid in 2017 after his father Lawrence reportedly paid Williams $80 million, Stroll has shown signs of pace interspersed by mediocrity, even apathy. This season the 25-year-old is once again on the back foot against his team-mate Fernando Alonso, trailing the Spaniard by 41 points to 17 in the Drivers’ standings.

Coming on the back of his huge defeat to the double World Champion in their first season together in F1 2023, it hasn’t done anything to negate the pay driver tag that hangs over Stroll’s head. “It’s part of it. It’s kind of just what my career’s been,” he told The Canadian Press. “I’ve dealt with that over the years, but I do my talking on the track.”

Stroll, though, has no interest in leaving Aston Martin, the team his father bought in 2018, just to silence his detractors. “No, not really,” he replied. “We’re on a super exciting trajectory and project as Aston Martin. I’m much more excited to be part of this journey than just going to another team to say that I could be driving somewhere else.”

‘No interest in leaving Aston Martin’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lance-stroll-explains-why-he-wont-leave-aston-martin-for-rival-f1-team

Stroll addresses where his ‘head’s at’ over 2025 plans amid driver market developments
13 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Lance Stroll has given an update on his F1 future amid further moves in the driver market, with the Canadian voicing his intention to be a part of Aston Martin’s continued growth going forwards.

Stroll first joined the squad back in 2019 – during its former guise as Racing Point – when the team was purchased by a consortium of investors led by his father, Lawrence Stroll. The outfit was then rebranded as Aston Martin in 2021 following Stroll Snr’s purchase of a significant stake in the British company.

Asked ahead of the recent Canadian Grand Prix if he intends to be racing in Formula 1 next year with Aston Martin, the 25-year-old responded: “Yeah, that's where my head's at, for sure. Seems to be a pretty popular question that I've been getting asked recently. It's super exciting, everything that's happening at Silverstone and the project with the team and how we've grown over the last few years. And we continue to grow, so it's definitely in my mind to continue being a part of that.”

‘To be a part of Aston Martin’s continued growth’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/stroll-addresses-where-his-heads-at-over-2025-plans-amid-driver-market.43zGfRh7idq6HdoHWJLicT

Stroll reveals if Aston Martin will retain him next season
Canadian gives update on future as driver market puzzle continues to fall into place
June 13, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

Stroll was questioned about Aston Martin’s dramatic drop-off in performance this season. He said a combination of degradation and mistakes were to blame for his and the team’s struggles: “It’s definitely been the tendency… It was the tendency last year. We were always fighting [in the] top five, and then again this year, I think we were quick over one lap at the beginning of the year, suffered a little bit more with [degradation], but we were still kind of top five, top seven range.”

“Now we’re kind of scrapping for a point or two on a good weekend, which is not what we want as a team. I think we definitely do understand our issues. I think we understand some of the decisions and directions that we’ve chosen to follow through with. We know some of the mistakes that we’ve made, and now it’s just a matter of sorting ourselves out and putting some new upgrades on the car going forward that address some of these issues that we know we have. But it’s not an overnight fix.”

“Realistic expectations, it’s going to be over the course of, I hope not too many races, but definitely a few races. And yeah, but there’s still a lot of racing left. There’s still, I think, 13 or 14 races left, if I’m not mistaken. So [it’s a] long season, but we have some work to do.”

‘Driver market puzzle’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/stroll-reveals-if-aston-martin-will-retain-him-next-season/

Fortitude

14th June 2024, 04:33

Ricciardo in the Spotlight: Montreal Performance and the Road Ahead.
Despite a sub-par 2024 season so far, Ricciardo had his best weekend of the year so far in Montreal, qualifying in fifth and securing his first points in a full Grand Prix by finishing eighth, while bouncing back from a 5 second penalty for a jump start that had the potential to ruin his weekend.
June 12, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Ricciardo Vs Tsunoda: One weekend out of nine has seen Ricciardo bring home points for Visa Cash App RB in a full Grand Prix format, alongside his outstanding performance in the Miami Grand Prix Sprint. His much younger teammate Yuki Tsunoda has had an outstanding season, getting points in six out of the nine rounds so far.

Consistency is Key: Ricciardo has been struggling throughout 2024, he’s admitted that but when you look at it objectively, the struggle hasn’t been as worrying as his difficulties at McLaren F1 Team.

Christian Horner still believes Ricciardo can deliver in F1, and RB team principal Laurent Mekies has been very complimentary of the eight-time race winner. RB CEO Peter Bayer has consistently mentioned Ricciardo’s influence in car development and setup, so it’s clear to see he still has the backing of the ones whose opinions matter, which didn’t always seem the case at McLaren.

‘Best weekend of the year so far’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/06/ricciardo-in-the-spotlight-montreal-performance-and-the-road-ahead/

Brundle: Ricciardo never the same after ‘flawed decision’
15:55 Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

In his post-Canadian Grand Prix column for Sky Sports, Brundle addressed the acrimonious exchange between Villeneuve and Riccardo, expressing his respect for both drivers and offering his view on the Aussie’s achievements.

“For the record, as it's become a hot topic due to my Sky Sports F1 colleague Jacques Villeneuve expressing his firm opinions, I have fundamental respect for all F1 drivers, not least for Daniel and Jacques, because I know how hard it is to drive such fearsome cars under that spotlight,” Brundle wrote. “Daniel has won eight GPs including an outstanding Monaco victory, scored 32 podiums, and has regularly shown world-class talent.”

“But those results were quite a while ago and I wish he'd not left Red Bull at the end of 2018. That was an emotional and flawed decision, he should have faced up to Max in the best car, then he'd have necessarily raised his game even further. Ricciardo never seemed to be quite the same driver again,” he added.

‘Flawed decision’;

https://f1i.com/news/510791-brundle-ricciardo-never-the-same-after-flawed-decision.html

Jacques Villeneuve Was Harsh, But Right - Daniel Ricciardo Is Toiling
21:34 Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Dan Cancian
Forbes

“Why is he still in F1?,” Villeneuve said of Ricciardo during a Sky Sports broadcast on Friday. “We’re hearing the same thing now for the last four, five years — we have to make it better for him, poor him. It’s been five years of that. Maybe you make that effort for Lewis Hamilton, who’s won multiple championships. You don’t make that effort for a driver that can’t cut it. Can’t cut it? Go home, there’s someone else who can take your place.”

After qualifying fifth on Saturday, Ricciardo’s retort was similarly direct with the Australian questioning Villeneuve’s faculties. “I think he’s hit his head a few too many times, I don’t know if he plays ice hockey or something.” An expletive-laden advice followed, before Villeneuve fired back, criticising Ricciardo, who finished eighth on Sunday, for allowing the criticism to get under his skin. “You cannot make it personal,” he said. “You need a thick skin and I got under his skin but it got better for his driving. But it’s not enough, he needs to do more of this.”

While Villeneuve was arguably too blunt in his criticism, there is no denying there his scathing verdict contained more than an element of truth. Ricciardo’s stock has been trending in the wrong direction as far as he is concerned this season, in which he has been regularly outpaced by teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Aside from a fourth-place finish in the sprint race in Miami last month, Sunday’s eighth place-finish in Montreal was the first time Ricciardo had scored points this season.

‘Harsh’;

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dancancian/2024/06/12/jacques-villeneuve-was-harsh-but-rightdaniel-ricciardo-is-toiling/

How Daniel Ricciardo changed his approach for Canada
Daniel Ricciardo adopted a different approach heading into the Canadian Grand Prix after a tough weekend in Monaco.
14 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

It proved a positive step for the Australian, who delivered his best grand prix qualifying result of the season in Montreal, followed by his best race result. Playing a part in that performance, the 34-year-old reasons, was a frank discussion with his team following the disappointment of Monaco. “We're pretty open with each other but I wanted to make sure that there was nothing that they saw that they needed to unload,” he explained.

“I just basically wanted to know like, ‘what do you guys think is going wrong? Tell me if there's something you see from me and I want to try and fix it. But I'll also tell you guys what I feel and maybe why I do feel a little bit flat, or maybe the schedule's a bit too much at the moment, or whatever'.

That resulted in him arriving in Canada, by his own admission, feeling “hungry and happy and ready to say f*** you.” Eighth in Montreal was Ricciardo's first points-scoring result since he finished seventh in the Mexico City Grand Prix, and ended an 11-race run of results outside the top 10, a streak only equalled by his first 11 races in F1 for HRT in 2011.

‘Adopted a different approach’;

https://speedcafe.com/how-daniel-ricciardo-changed-his-approach-for-canada/

Helmut Marko issues stinging six-word Daniel Ricciardo verdict after Villeneuve criticism
Daniel Ricciardo still has work to do to impress Helmut Marko despite his positive Canadian Grand Prix drive.
Jun 13, 2024
Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Helmut Marko remains ‘unimpressed’ with Daniel Ricciardo’s form despite the Australian’s positive Canadian Grand Prix performances. The RB driver secured his first points from a Grand Prix this season in Montreal. It has been a disappointing year for Ricciardo, having returned to a full-time place on the grid midway through 2023. He replaced Nyck De Vries at Red Bull’s sister team.

Ricciardo has faced criticism for his performances this season, so a positive display in Canada would have been a welcome boost for the 34-year-old. However, Marko. the veteran Red Bull technical advisor, 81, told Motorsport.com: "In general terms, RB is a junior team, so we have to see what happens." Brutally, Marko added: "The rest is not impressive yet."

‘Still has work to do to impress Helmut Marko’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1910887/Helmut-Marko-Daniel-Ricciardo-Villeneuve

Ricciardo looking to ‘keep that edge’ after strong weekend in Canada
After struggling the past couple of weekends, Ricciardo made a strong comeback and secured four crucial points, slotting himself into 12th in the standings
June 12, 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

Ricciardo gives his thoughts: Looking back on the weekend, Ricciardo says he wants to ‘keep it rolling’ and bring in more strong performances for the team: “I’ve just got to keep it rolling,” He said to Autosport.

“That little energy, probably a little bit of a chip on my shoulder I brought into the weekend, I’ve got to make sure that that stays there, and just keep that level of intensity I don’t know if it’s the need to be a bit angry or just get my testosterone up, but I think it helps me. There is certainly some hope that it is [a turning point]. Obviously, I’ve got to repeat it and back it up to prove it.”

“But I’m definitely happy with some things that I’ve acknowledged since Monaco, and it’s no coincidence that this weekend went a bit smoother. It’s just making sure that we keep tapping into it and that I’m holding myself accountable, not getting too relaxed and happy-go-lucky. Making sure I keep that edge about me.”

‘Keep it rolling’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ricciardo-looking-to-keep-that-edge-after-strong-weekend-in-canada/

RB told Ricciardo he wasn’t to blame for jump start penalty
10th June 2024, 13:41
Written by Keith Collantine

RB reassured Daniel Ricciardo he was not to blame after the stewards gave him a five-second time penalty for jumping the start of the Canadian Grand Prix.

Ricciardo said after the race he hadn’t realised his car was moving before the red lights went out. “I got a penalty for a jump start, but I was a bit confused because I knew that I didn’t jump the lights but then I remembered that during the start I felt that maybe the car was moving,” he said.

His race engineer Pierre Hamelin told him on the radio: “The penalty was nothing to do with you, Daniel. No mistake on your side. It was an issue with the car.” RB team principal Laurent Mekies later confirmed Ricciardo’s car moved before the start “due to some very slight clutch dragging.”

‘Not to blame’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/10/rb-told-ricciardo-he-wasnt-to-blame-for-jump-start-penalty/

Fortitude

14th June 2024, 20:31

Gasly on Alpine’s double points haul: ‘None of our simulations showed this was possible’.
Pierre Gasly was P9 in Canada, one place ahead of Alpine team mate Esteban Ocon to ensure the team scored with both cars – which Gasly said looked a long shot on the morning of the race.
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Long shot’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/gasly-on-alpines-double-points-haul-none-of-our-simulations-showed-this-was-possible.1801419233684295528

Pierre Gasly’s ‘great teamwork’ verdict as Esteban Ocon and Alpine clash over Canada GP orders
10 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Gasly was keen to put the spotlight on the fact that Alpine recorded a double points finish, taking their F1 2024 season tally up to five, as he praised the “great teamwork” which he saw going on throughout the race.

“First of all, I think the main news should be that we scored points with both cars and looking at all the simulation this morning, none of them looked that it would be achievable,” he told reporters after the race. So definitely a very positive day for the team.”

“The target was quite clear at the end. I was faster on the hard tyres towards the end of the race and I was right behind Daniel and as soon as Daniel overtook Esteban, the goal was for the other car to let me pass and for the last four laps to try to overtake Daniel with the DRS. It took slightly more time than we would have liked, but honestly, it’s no big deal.”

‘Put the spotlight on the fact that Alpine recorded a double points finish’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre-gasly-great-teamwork-esteban-ocon-alpine-canada-team-orders

Gasly maintains Alpine positivity in face of team order friction
Pierre Gasly is refusing to get drawn into the team order drama at Alpine, instead focusing on the positives from the Canadian GP.
11 June 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly has insisted the Canadian Grand Prix was a "positive" one for Alpine, regardless of discontent from Esteban Ocon over team orders.

"First of all, I think the main news should be that we score points with both cars," the Frenchman told media including RacingNews365 after the pair finished ninth and tenth respectively. "Looking at all the simulations this morning, none of them looked it will be achievable. So definitely a very positive day for the team.

‘Gasly maintains Alpine positivity’;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-maintains-alpine-positivity-in-face-of-team-order-friction

Esteban Ocon attacks Alpine over team radio after request rejected at Canadian GP
There was more drama between Alpine team-mates Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly at the Canadian Grand Prix.
23:05, Sun, Jun 9, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Esteban Ocon was left furious on the team radio in the aftermath of the Canadian Grand Prix after the Alpine team refused to return the favour and give Pierre Gasly team orders to let his colleague and rival through on the final lap.

Earlier in the closing stages, Ocon let Gasly through to attack the VCARB of Daniel Ricciardo. Unfortunately for Alpine, he was unable to find a way through and when the under-fire Frenchman asked for the positions to be swapped before the chequered flag, they refused.

This caused Ocon to react with fury. The 27-year-old shouted “forget it” over the radio, adding: “No comment. I am too nice, too nice. I've done what I had to do, which is the most important. But you guys didn't do what you had to do. That's it."

‘More drama’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1909174/Esteban-Ocon-Alpine-Canadian-Grand-Prix

F1 News: Alpine Defends Canadian GP Decision Which Left Esteban Ocon Fuming
Published Jun 13, 2024
By Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

Following the Canadian Grand Prix, a cloud of controversy hovered over the Alpine F1 Team, embroiled by Esteban Ocon's disappointment with a late-race team order. With emotions running high, Ocon, who was in line to finish in 9th place, was instructed to let his teammate, Pierre Gasly, overtake him just two laps before the checkered flag—a decision that did not sit well with the French driver.

Ocon's frustration was palpable after the race as he stated, as quoted by Crash.net: "I am happy for the team to be able to score with both cars, but the order should be reversed on that occasion. I got the instructions to let Pierre past with two laps to go to catch Daniel [Ricciardo] who was two and a half seconds in front and too fast for us. So the call was nonsense.”

"I've done my part of the job, which is being a team player. I've always respected the instructions I've been given. It's always been the case and I've never done anything different in my career. I've done my part of the job and not the team today, and it is very sad."

‘Alpine Defends Canadian GP Decision’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/formula1/f1-news-alpine-defends-canadian-gp-decision-which-left-esteban-ocon-fuming-1911215?piano_t=1

Fortitude

15th June 2024, 04:54

“I don’t think the team did their part” – ‘Too nice’ Esteban Ocon takes aim at Alpine in Canada.
Esteban Ocon says Alpine didn’t do “their part of the job” when the team failed to order Pierre Gasly to give him back P9 on the final lap of the Canadian Grand Prix.
10 Jun 2024 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After a bit of discussion with his race engineer, Josh Peckett, he let Gasly through at Turn 8 on the penultimate lap despite believing it was a thankless task. With Gasly unable to catch Ricciardo, Ocon believed his team-mate should’ve given the position back only to be told that “the cars are not swapping places”.

The Frenchman was frustrated, telling Peckett that he’d done his job “but you guys didn’t do what you had to do.” It’s a sentiment he echoed when he faced the media after bringing his A524 home in tenth place, one position behind Gasly.

“I think today I’ve done my part of the job,” he said. “but I don’t think the team did their part of the job. I’ve been a team player and I’ve always respected the instructions that I’ve been given, always – it’s always been the case and I showed it once more today. But the nice guy doesn’t always pay off in Formula 1 and that is bothering me a lot.”

‘Too nice’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteban-ocon-frustrated-with-alpine-didnt-do-job-latest-team-order-row

Full Ocon team radio transcript as anger boils at Alpine team order
Esteban Ocon was furious at an Alpine team order in the closing laps of the Canadian Grand Prix.
10 June 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has hit out at Alpine's team orders in the Canadian Grand Prix, after waving team-mate Pierre Gasly through. In the closing stages, Ocon was ordered to let Gasly past so that he could attack eighth-placed Daniel Ricciardo - a call he felt made "no sense" owing to there being just two laps to go and Ricciardo being 2.5s ahead of him.

However, he complied with the request, but was furious the order was not reversed on the final lap as Gasly did not pass Ricciardo, the trio finishing eighth-ninth-and 10th, as Alpine scored double points for the first time this season. Ocon, who is leaving the team at the end of the season, had put in a strong race, climbing from 18th and last on the grid to a points position - and hit out at Alpine's handling of the situation.

‘Anger boils’;

https://racingnews365.com/full-ocon-team-radio-transcript-as-anger-boils-at-alpine-team-order

Unhappy Ocon blasts Alpine team order: ‘No reason for the call’
11:55 Mon, 10 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Tensions filtered into the Alpine camp once again after Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, with a very unhappy Esteban Ocon blasting his team’s call to switch its drivers’ positions in the final laps of the race.

Ocon had outpaced teammate Pierre Gasly over the entire course of the 70-lap event. But just four laps from the checkered flag, the Frenchman succumbed to an attack by RB’s Daniel Ricciardo who seized P8 from the Alpine charger.

The Enstone squad’s pitwall then ordered Ocon to wave Gasly through to allow the latter a chance to hunt down Ricciardo. A reluctant Ocon eventually complied, although his teammate was predictably unable to overhaul the Aussie.

‘No reason for the call’;

https://f1i.com/news/510645-unhappy-ocon-blasts-alpine-team-order-no-reason-for-the-call.html

Full Esteban Ocon radio transcript uncovered after team order row in Canada
10 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Esteban Ocon issued a sarcastic “amazing” to his race engineer Josh Peckett after being informed Pierre Gasly would not give him back P9 on the final lap of the Canadian Grand Prix.

A transcript of his radio conversation with his race engineer laid bare the Frenchman’s frustration over the situation.

‘Sarcastic amazing’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteban-ocon-radio-transcript-uncovered-team-order-row-canada

Ocon blasts ‘no sense’ Alpine team order
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon ended the Canadian Grand Prix in ninth and 10th respectively - however, the latter was not impressed by a team order intervention.
10 June 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has taken issue with a team order from the Alpine squad late on at the Canadian Grand Prix. After being overtaken for eighth place in the final laps by Daniel Ricciardo, Ocon moved aside for team-mate Pierre Gasly to give him a shot at attacking the RB driver.

However, Gasly couldn't move ahead of Ricciardo and crossed the line in ninth, ahead of Ocon. Speaking to Sky F1 after the race, Ocon expressed the P9 position should have been given back to him before the chequered flag. “I'm happy for the team to be able to score with both cars. But the order should be reversed on that occasion,” he said.

“I got the instruction to let Pierre pass with two laps to go to catch Daniel who was two and a half seconds in front and too fast for us. The call made no sense. I've done my part of the job, I've always been a team player, I've always respected the instructions I've been given. It's always been the case. I've never done anything different in my career. But I've done my part of the job, but not the team today. It's very sad.”

‘No sense’;

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-blasts-no-sense-alpine-team-order

Esteban Ocon and Alpine split gets ugly as team order row emerges at Canadian GP
09 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Esteban Ocon and Alpine were involved in a team orders row in Canada, Ocon finally obliging, but 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve sensed sabotage from the Frenchman.

Analysing the team orders incident, Villeneuve saw clear tactics at play from Ocon, who he felt let Gasly by to make it look like he was being the “team player”, but made sure to do it late enough so that Gasly could not overtake Ricciardo.

He said: “That wasn’t good, because we heard him in his comments, ‘I was a team player, I let him by, the team was wrong’ and so on, but he made sure that he waited long enough that it was too late for Gasly to go and attack. But he still let him by to say, ‘I was a team player’. So there’s a lot of thought process going in there.”

‘Gets ugly’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteban-ocon-alpine-team-order-row-canadian-gp

Report: How Alpine could part ways with Esteban Ocon midway through 2024 season after Canadian GP spat
Thu 13 June 2024 08:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Esteban Ocon is leaving Alpine at the end of the season. The team confirmed after the events of the Monaco Grand Prix that they had come to the mutual decision to move on. Ocon had ignored the instructions of team boss Bruno Famin by attempting a move on teammate Pierre Gasly at Portier on the first lap. The two drivers made contact that ended Ocon’s race and left Gasly with damage.

While a rumoured one-race suspension for Ocon didn’t come to fruition, there were signs in Canada that the atmosphere in the team was tense. There was controversy in the closing stages of the race, when the two cars were running in the last two points-paying positions. Ocon was the lead car in P9 but he was nursing an energy management issue. The team then instructed him to let Gasly through so the 28-year-old could try and attack Daniel Ricciardo in the RB.

Alpine may have to come to financial agreement with Esteban Ocon. German outlet Auto Motor und Sport consider the possibility that Alpine will throw Ocon ‘out the door before the end of the season’. The team may wish to get reserve driver Jack Doohan as early as possible.

‘Financial agreement’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/how-alpine-could-part-ways-with-esteban-ocon-midway-through-2024-season-after-canadian-gp-spat/

Fortitude

15th June 2024, 13:06

‘I was bracing for the impact’ – Hulkenberg recounts heart-stopping near-miss with Tsunoda in Montreal.
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg had a nasty fright at the tail-end of a frantic Canadian Grand Prix, with the German driver coming within millimetres of running into the spun VCARB car of Yuki Tsunoda.
11 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Tsunoda was running in P9 among a gaggle of cars on Lap 66 of 70 in Montreal when he lost control of his VCARB machine and spun across the grass at Turn 8, coming to a stop just as Hulkenberg was accelerating out of Turn 9 – Hulkenberg’s Haas only just avoiding the stricken Japanese driver.

“I just don’t know,” said Hulkenberg of the incident. “I tried to react, tried to stop and tried to avoid him, but it must have been by a few millimetres – it felt very, very close so I have closed my eyes already bracing for the impact but managed somehow luckily to escape it.”

“The first 10 laps were going really well,” agreed Hulkenberg, “but then it dried out and all came undone again. But yeah, that was that. We knew about that risk – not risk, but that scenario. But a clean race, no mistakes at least.”

‘Bracing for the impact’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/i-was-bracing-for-the-impact-hulkenberg-recounts-scary-near-miss-with.63L5sx6ZbHrCBBmaI4yPxn

Hulkenberg was ‘bracing for impact’ before near-miss with Tsunoda
11:41 Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The closing laps of the Canadian Grand Prix were a heart-stopping affair for Nico Hulkenberg, with the Haas charger just narrowly avoiding a nasty head-on collision with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda. With only four laps remaining in the frantic Montreal race, Tsunoda, who had been battling for a top-ten finish, lost control of his car exiting Turn 8.

The Japanese driver spun across the runoff area and came to a precarious halt just as Hulkenberg was powering out of the right-left complex. The German reacted instinctively, swerving his Haas to avoid a high-speed collision. Replays showed the gap between the two cars was mere millimeters, leaving Hulkenberg visibly shaken after the close call.

‘Heart-stopping affair’;

https://f1i.com/news/510773-hulkenberg-was-bracing-for-impact-before-near-miss-with-tsunoda.html

‘I was bracing for the impact’ – Hulkenberg on just missing the spinning Tsunoda in final laps
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Nico Hulkenberg finished just outside the points in P11 in Canada – but was lucky to escape contact with Yuki Tsunoda when the RB driver spun late in the race.

‘Lucky to escape contact’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/i-was-bracing-for-the-impact-hulkenberg-on-just-missing-the-spinning-tsunoda-in-final-laps.1801418095587067691

Why Hulkenberg felt like ‘a sitting duck’ in F1 Canadian GP
14:38 Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Pablo Suárez
Motorsport Week

Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg has explained that his choice to opt for a higher downforce set-up in Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix left him feeling like a sitting duck”. Hulkenberg would miss out on a first point in three races in 11th, while Magnussen bemoaned a slow stop onto Intermediates costing him as he came home in 12th.

“I think obviously the first 10 laps were going really well but then it dried out and all that came undone again so yeah that was that,” Hulkenberg said. “We knew we’re not about that risk or not risk about that scenario and then no I think clean race, no mistakes at least.”

Although Hulkenberg gained places with a later switch onto the slicks, the German rued his high downforce set-up leaving him vulnerable to rivals on the back straight. “I think we got a little bit unlucky with one of the Safety Cars, I feel like we missed out,” he lamented. “In the end, it was good to wait a little bit later for the slicks because it was difficult in the first sector to keep it on track.”

‘A sitting duck’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/12/why-hulkenberg-felt-like-a-sitting-duck-in-f1-canadian-gp/

Canadian Grand Prix: Race Recap
June 9, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: “It was a pretty frustrating day unfortunately as I think we made the right choice putting both drivers on wet tires, that was good. Both Kevin and Nico did a good a very good job, made lots of positions up and we pitted at the right time for inters with Kevin, only for our pit stop issue to undo our gains, which is frustrating.”

“In terms of pace, with Kevin we wanted to go on to the slicks early, but in hindsight, it was too early, and Nico’s timing was absolutely perfect. On the last set of tires for Kevin, the pace came back, so again it’s just frustrating that with certain parts we showed we had the speed and potential, but we just didn’t put it together for the needs of our drivers.”

“Finishing just outside of the top 10, we have to regroup and go again in Barcelona, but today it wasn’t great operationally, so we need to review and make sure we improve as a race team.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/canadian-grand-prix-race-recap-3

Hulkenberg reveals rear wing issue cost him time as he drops out in Q1
08 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Nico Hulkenberg há enjoyed plenty of top 10 qualifying appearances this year but the Haas driver was out at the first hurdle in Canada, dropping out of Q1 in P19.

‘Rear wing issue’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hulkenberg-reveals-rear-wing-issue-cost-him-time-as-he-drops-out-in-q1.1801326714654934405

‘There’s talk’: Haas could receive £27m if they hire 12-point driver alongside Oliver Bearman
Thu 13 June 2024 16:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Zhou Guanyu offers Haas huge sponsorship windfall. According to Auto Motor und Sport journalist Michael Schmidt, speaking on the Formel Schmidt podcast, Alpine driver Esteban Ocon is a strong contender to replace Magnussen. Komatsu sees him as a driver who will score points more often than not in a clean race. Ocon is leaving Alpine at the end of the season and Martin Brundle expects him to make the move. He already has a close friendship with the Japanese team principal.

But Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu is also trying to muscle his way into contention. Zhou may be the victim of Hulkenberg’s arrival. One journalist has previously described the 25-year-old as a ‘pay driver’, and he would apparently bring the team up to £27m in commercial deals if he joined. But that may not be enough to save his career given that he’s only scored 12 points in 53 race starts.

Schmidt said: “Zhou also offers a lot of money. There’s talk of $30m-$35m, but Haas can’t do that. The problem is they have a rookie in Bearman. [Ocon] is a sure point-setter, and that shows up when it’s [a] clean [race].”

‘£27m’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/haas-could-receive-27m-if-they-hire-12-point-driver-alongside-oliver-bearman/

Fortitude

16th June 2024, 07:22

Magnussen laments having ‘nothing to show for it’ after passing NINE cars in opening laps.
Haas' Kevin Magnussen started the Canadian Grand Prix on full wet tyres and stormed up to P5 from 14th in the opening few laps, before eventually finishing down in 12th for no points.
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Passing NINE cars’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/magnussen-laments-having-nothing-to-show-for-it-after-passing-nine-cars-in-opening-laps.1801416682224060202

2024 Canadian Grand Prix: Magnussen picks off six cars on the opening lap
10 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen started 14th on the grid in Canada but Haas bolted on a set of full wet tyres and with the rest of the field on intermediates, the Dane was able to pick off an incredible six other cars to leave him P8 at the end of Lap 1.

‘Picks off six cars on the opening lap’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-grand-prix-magnussen-picks-off-six-cars-on-the-opening-lap.1801411599999626104

Magnussen pinpoints where Haas wasted F1 points in Canada
10:41 Fri, 14 Jun 2024
Pablo Suárez
Motorsport Week

“We had one very slow pit stop and one medium slow pit stop, and I also think we pitted for Inters off from the full Wets too early,” Magnussen expressed. “It felt like something was coming at the beginning of the race but there’s nothing to show for it.”

Magnussen lamented Haas missing out on a golden opening to land some points. “Yeah, it didn’t feel like we got the best out of it today with all the opportunity that the race offered we didn’t seem to capitalize on that so that’s disappointing but you know we’ll review it and really try to understand it,” he bemoaned.

“Right now it’s all a bit blurry but yeah there were lots of opportunities that’s for sure we didn’t get any points so gotta look into things.” Meanwhile, Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu concurred with Magnussen’s comments, admitting the side “wasn’t great operationally” during the race in Montreal. “It was a pretty frustrating day unfortunately as I think we made the right choice putting both drivers on Wet tyres, that was good,” explained Komatsu

“There’s nothing to show for it.”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/14/magnussen-pinpoints-where-haas-wasted-f1-points-in-canada/

‘That’s disappointing’: Kevin Magnussen thinks Haas made a ‘disappointing’ mistake in F1 Canadian GP
Tue 11 June 2024 19:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Kevin Magnussen feels Haas made a mistake with his full wet tyres in the Canadian GP. Going against the grid seemed to be a great decision as Magnussen and Hulkenberg carved through the field. While their rivals fought for grip using Pirelli’s intermediate tyres, the Haas duo were sailing. Magnussen even ran as high as P4 before pitting as the track began to dry.

Haas opted to switch the 31-year-old onto intermediate tyres at the end of Lap 7 but elected to leave Hulkenberg on full wets. A slow pit stop also cost Magnussen another six seconds to drop out of the points as Haas were not prepared to service his car when the Dane stopped. Yet Magnussen feels Haas were wrong to stop him and should have left both of their cars on full wets. Hulkenberg did not stop until Lap 12 and the rest of the Formula 1 field made their first stops under the safety car Logan Sargeant caused by spinning in his Williams at Turn 4. Haas also serviced Magnussen and Hulkenberg for a second time under the safety car to run in P15 and P18 respectively.

The two stops negated all of the good work Magnussen enjoyed in the early laps and left the Haas racer regretting what could have been in the Canadian GP. “I didn’t have the feeling that we got the best out of the race,” Magnussen said, via quotes by Speedweek. “We didn’t use the many opportunities that were presented to us. That’s disappointing. I think we came into the pits too early from the rain tyres. It felt like something was coming at the start of the race but, in the end, it didn’t.”

‘Disappointing mistake’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/kevin-magnussen-thinks-haas-made-a-disappointing-mistake-in-f1-canadian-gp/

Magnussen admits he could lose F1 race seat
Kevin Magnussen admits he is at risk of losing out in this year's hectic driver 'silly season'.
JUNE 12, 2024
GrandPrix.com

When asked if he could lose in F1's current game of 'musical chairs', Magnussen told Ekstra Badet newspaper: “Yes, there is a risk of that happening.” He has not been seriously linked with a move to another team.

“The (Haas) team knows me very well, said the Danish driver. "I am a known quantity to them. So I don't think I need to prove anything. The market is very open this time. We have to see how it plays out”, Magnussen added.

“I have made it clear that I would love to continue here. The team is in a good place with hope for the future. I would love to be a part of it, he said. "I don't know how long it will be before we know the outcome. Until then, I'll just keep driving. I don't really have a deadline. But I still think the market is quite open.”

'Musical chairs';

https://www.grandprix.com/news/magnussen-admits-he-could-lose-f1-race-seat.html

'That's why he never learns': Jacques Villeneuve livid after what Kevin Magnussen said at Canadian Grand Prix
Sat 8 June 2024 15:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Jacques Villeneuve says Kevin Magnussen is destined to repeat same mistakes. Inevitably, journalists asked Magnussen about the incident during his media duties ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. The former McLaren driver issued a defiant response, insisting that Perez ‘had seen’ him and hadn’t left a car’s width (RacingNews365). When those remarks were put to 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve in the Sky Sports commentary box during FP2, he launched into a stinging rebuke. He says there’s not even a debate to be had over who was to blame for the incident.

And he feels that Magnussen’s lack of introspection will cost him in the long run. In his eyes, he’s bound to get involved in further incidents if he doesn’t change his mindset. “That’s why he never learns,” Villeneuve said. “100, 1000% there’s no doubt [it was his fault]. Unless, as a driver, you spend your time thinking ‘I was wrong, what could I have done better?’, you will never learn and you will repeat over and over and over the same mistake.”

Ayao Komatsu critical of Magnussen after Monaco crash. The verdict of a pundit is one thing, but crucially, Magnussen’s boss Ayao Komatsu wasn’t impressed either. Speaking in the team principals’ press conference (F1), the Haas team principal said that he’d taken an unnecessary risk. “He expected Perez to leave more room for him but that’s not up to him in the end,” he said. “There was a point where everything was under his control where he could have made a decision to back off which he didn’t.” These comments certainly don’t bode well for Magnussen’s chances of earning a new deal.

‘Lack of introspection will cost him in the long run’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/he-never-learns-jacques-villeneuve-livid-after-what-kevin-magnussen-said-at-canadian-grand-prix/

Fortitude

16th June 2024, 13:28

Bottas on Sauber’s current plight: ‘We need bigger upgrades – and more of them’.
Kick Sauber are the only team yet to score points this year and after finishing 13th in Canada, Valtteri Bottas says the team need to improve the car if they are to break their duck any time soon.
22:36 Sun, 09 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘More bigger upgrades’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bottas-on-saubers-current-plight-we-need-bigger-upgrades-and-more-of-them.1801417802381171512

Bottas admits Kick Sauber need ‘bigger upgrades and more of them’ as points drought continues in Canada
10 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Reflecting on whether the pre-race changes had helped with the feel of the car, Bottas explained: “I think with the conditions we had today it was probably the right thing to do, to try and do something. I think it helped a bit, we had a bit more downforce.”

“But still, we made progress but mainly due to other cars making mistakes, etc. Pace-wise, we’re still not in the top-10 at the moment.” Kick Sauber remain the only squad in the field yet to score a point this season and, in order to improve their propects, Bottas thinks that bringing frequent updates is the answer.

‘Points drought’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/bottas-admits-kick-sauber-need-bigger-upgrades-and-more-of-them-as-points.6EZKbrT9oPds3VI8iba9Ws

Sauber needs more upgrades says Bottas
Sauber needs to bring "more" and "bigger" upgrades to the next Formula 1 races, according to Valtteri Bottas.
JUNE 11, 2024
GrandPrix.com

“There is no improvement in sight”, agrees veteran F1 journalist Roger Benoit, who covers Sauber's progress in detail for the Swiss newspaper Blick. “The C44 is by far the slowest car in the circus”, he added. “The many upgrades don't really help at all - or the rivals' developments are simply better.”

Indeed, during Sunday's Canadian GP, the laptimes were so slow that both Bottas and Guanyu Zhou underwent mid-race rear wing setup changes. “It was right that we tried something”, Bottas is quoted by the Finnish broadcaster MTV. "We got a little more grip.”

“But the car needs more pace. Upgrade packages are needed”, the 34-year-old added. “The team has some plans, but we need bigger upgrade packages. And more of them. That is the key now”, he said.

“C44 is by far the slowest car in the circus”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/sauber-needs-more-upgrades-says-bottas.html

Bottas says key to Sauber improvements ‘not rocket science’
19:58 Fri, 14 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sauber suffered another dismal race weekend in Canada, and yet Valtteri Bottas insists the key to improving the performance of the Swiss outfit's car “isn’t rocket science”. "We still have work to do," said Bottas. "We need to keep bringing upgrades and make the car faster. It is not rocket science, we just need more bits."

Bottas suggested that a few changes were on the docket for next week’s Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. "We have small things but a very high downforce track, a different track to here,” he said. “I think it is going to be close, as we have seen. The next step is to get back to Q2 and then we can fight a bit better."

‘Not rocket science’;

https://f1i.com/news/510897-bottas-says-key-to-sauber-improvements-not-rocket-science.html

Bottas urges Sauber to bring ‘bigger upgrades’ to catch F1 rivals
15:54 Sat, 15 Jun 2024
Pablo Suárez
Motorsport Week

Valtteri Bottas has urged the Sauber Formula 1 team to introduce “bigger upgrades” amid its pointless start to 2024 continuing at last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. Sauber once again trailed home outside the points positions in Montreal and remains the one team still awaiting to score in the Constructors’ Championship this term.

Another double Q1 elimination prompted the Hinwil-based squad to elect to start both cars from the pit lane in order to escape parc ferme and make set-up alterations. But having crossed the line 12th out of the 15 drivers who took the finish, Bottas has stressed that Sauber must bring more updates to eradicate the deficit to its rivals.

The Finn conceded the more promising result was “due to other cars making mistakes” as he insisted that pace-wise Sauber is “still not in the top 10 at the moment”. Expanding on how his race went, Bottas applauded the decision to make changes to the car to run more downforce as it helped in the changing weather conditions.

‘Bigger upgrades’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/15/bottas-urges-sauber-to-bring-bigger-upgrades-to-catch-f1-rivals/

Bottas still believes in chance to stay at Sauber
Sun, 16 Jun 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Sauber could also opt to keep hold of Zhou Guanyu, but it's thought that the team is looking for a clean slate of drivers ahead of its upgrade into becoming the Audi works team in 2026. “I feel like at the moment they want quite a lot of change in the team, probably,” Bottas told the media last week in Montreal. “Same thing with the driver line-up.

"That’s my how I read the situation," he said. "They are willing to wait for a long time, but I can’t forever. I don’t think I have the time to wait for too long, so that’s why I want to speed things up. This team is definitely still an option," he continued, pointing out that it had been his long-term plan from the very start to remain at the squad to see it into the Audi era after joining it in 2022 from Mercedes.

“This team is definitely still an option”;

https://f1i.com/news/510953-bottas-still-believes-in-chance-to-stay-at-sauber.html

Bottas reveals Sauber/Audi F1 extension still an option for 2025
09:06 Sat, 15 Jun 2024
Motorsport Week

Valtteri Bottas has revealed that extending his contract with Sauber as it builds towards Audi’s impending arrival remains an option for his Formula 1 future into 2025. Despite developments continuing to ramp up in the driver market, Bottas remains at ease over his prospects and is convinced that he will remain on the grid in 2025.

“I’m confident I’m going to get a seat,” Bottas added. “But obviously in this sport nothing is confirmed, so it’s never 100 per cent sure until you’re signed. But at least how I see the situation at the moment, I’m not worrying. But it should be an interesting week or two ahead for sure.”

“It’s something you get used to, obviously, it’s a way more comfortable feeling if you know what is happening. But at the same time, it’s kind of exciting, a kind of certain element of unknowns. There could be something new and exciting on the way. That’s kind of nice. But [I] just need to live with the situation.”

‘Bottas remains at ease’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/15/bottas-reveals-sauber-audi-f1-extension-still-an-option-for-2025/

Valtteri Bottas gives F1 future update as Jacques Villeneuve gets ‘feeling’ over next move
14 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Villeneuve told Sky F1 in Canada that he has a “feeling” Bottas might return to the team with which he spent five seasons previously, with team principal Toto Wolff preparing youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli for a future in Formula 1. “I guess Bottas will go to Mercedes,” he said. “They want a driver for one year. So who do they take? They take a driver who will take a one-year deal, knows the team, experience and prepares the seat for Antonelli. And then Toto will have to pay a team to put Antonelli somewhere for a year.”

PlanetF1.com understands no decision has yet been taken over the F1 2025 driver line-up at Mercedes, though Wolff has acknowledged teenage Formula 2 rookie Antonelli is set to play a part in the team’s future eventually. Speaking about his own future recently, Bottas is looking to secure his place in Formula 1 beyond the end of the season, with the Finn currently in the final year of his contract with Sauber.

‘Villeneuve gets ‘feeling’ over next move’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtteri-bottas-f1-future-update-jacques-villeneuve-feeling

Fortitude

17th June 2024, 03:53

Tsunoda reveals wind gust cost him on last Canada F1 Q3 run.
Yuki Tsunoda is convinced that he could have qualified higher than eighth place for Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix had a gust of wind not cost him on his final run.
09 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

The Japanese racer was well-poised to celebrate the occasion with another headline-grabbing result as he advanced through Q1 in second and was then fourth in Q2. But a moment on the exit of Turn 2 on his last lap in the top-10 shootout dented his prospects and saw him end up three spots behind RB team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

With Tsunoda winding up four-tenths down on the pole position benchmark, the RB driver rued the snap preventing him from obtaining an even stronger starting berth. “A lot on the table, I would say,” Tsunoda rued. “I got a bit of an unfortunate gust from behind at Turn Two, and I lost the car completely, so I lost a lap time there. Especially looking at Q1 and Q2, I was pretty consistent and I was in the top five.”

“And actually considering my pretty bad lap, I mean I ended up in P8, so yeah, obviously there was a mixed feeling. But at the same time, I was not really in good condition in the three practices, so it was a good turnaround anyway. And the first time for the team to end up [in the] top ten with both cars, so still positives.”

‘Wind gust’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/09/tsunoda-reveals-wind-gust-cost-him-on-last-canada-f1-q3-run/

Yuki Tsunoda and Canada GP race organisers subject of two rare FIA summons orders
09 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

The FIA have handed out two rarely-seen summonses post-race at the Canadian Grand Prix, with Yuki Tsunoda called to the stewards for allegedly arriving late for the pre-race playing of the national anthem. Tsunoda was summoned for allegedly turning up late for the national anthem being played prior to the Canadian Grand Prix.

The FIA claim this is an alleged breach of Article 19.4 b) of the sporting regulations, whereby: “All drivers must attend a thirty (30) minute drivers parade or presentation (including, but not limited to, group photos, social media activities, celebrity interaction or trackside fan engagement) commencing two (2) hours and ten (10) mins before the scheduled start of the formation lap.”

Within that clause, the rule adds: “In any case, no less than fourteen (14) minutes before the scheduled start of the formation lap all drivers must be present at the front of the grid for the playing of the national anthem.” As a result, the stewards handed the RB driver a €10,000 fine for his lateness, writing: “The Stewards reviewed video evidence and determined that the driver was indeed late for the anthem."

'No less than fourteen (14) minutes before the scheduled start';

https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-canada-gp-fia-summons

RB issued fine after strange Tsunoda infringement
RB has been forced to pay a fine after breaching the sporting regulations on the build-up to the Canadian Grand Prix.
10 June 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

“The Stewards received a report from the Media Delegate that the driver of Car 22 (Yuki Tsunoda) was late for the National Anthem,” read a statement. “The Stewards reviewed video evidence and determined that the driver was indeed late for the anthem.”

“The team stated that they failed to inform the driver about the timing adequately and therefore caused the delay, but it is also the responsibility of the driver to arrive in time. It is noted that the driver, once made aware of his mistake, took every reasonable effort to attend the National Anthem as soon as possible.”

“The Stewards acknowledge that attending the National Anthem is an important element of the pre-race procedures and a sign of respect for the host country of the event. The Stewards note that the precedents are implying a less severe penalty (reprimand), but feel that escalating the penalty to a fine is appropriate.”

‘Breaching the sporting regulations’;

https://racingnews365.com/rb-issued-fine-after-strange-tsunoda-infringement

Visa Cash RB fined for Yuki Tsunoda's pre-race infringement
10 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The Visa Cash RB team have been fined after their Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda was late for the National Anthem that preceeded yesterday's Canadian Grand Prix.

The stewards launched an investigation into the incident, reviewing video evidence, and came to the conclusion that Tsunoda was indeed late for the anthem. During the hearing, the Faenza-based outfit conceded that they failed to inform Tsunoda about the timing, but the stewards noted that the Japanese driver "took every reasonable effort" to attend the National Anthem after the delay.

‘Late for the anthem’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24763

‘It was my fault’ – Tsunoda holds his hands up after late slip drops him to the back
9 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Yuki Tsunoda was having a strong weekend until the last few laps of the Grand Prix when he lost the car and hit the wall putting him down to the back of the field. Afterwards he admitted it was his mistake.

‘Lost the car and hit the wall’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/it-was-my-fault-tsunoda-holds-his-hands-up-after-late-slip-drops-him-to-the-back.1801415175997158188

Why RB decided to keep 'simply phenomenal' Tsunoda for 2025
RB has taken up an option on Yuki Tsunoda's contract for the 2025 season, extending his stay for a fifth season.
9 June 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

A "step up" in performance was a major factor as to why RB has elected to retain the "simply phenomenal" Yuki Tsunoda for 2025, says boss Laurent Mekies. It was announced on Saturday of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend that Tsunoda would be retained for a fifth season in 2025 by the team, having had a strong start to the '24 season with 19 points from the first eight races - already besting his entire 2023 points haul.

The Japanese racer has been of interest to other teams, with Aston Martin touted as one possible destination once it joins forces with Honda for 2026, but he will remain at Faenza for next term, with Team Principal Mekies believing Tsunoda has now added maturity to his approach. "I watched Yuki’s progress in Formula 1 with interest even before I returned to Faenza and it’s been impressive, year after year," he said.

"The step up he has made this year is simply phenomenal, and he keeps surprising us all, race after race. There’s no doubting his natural speed to which he has now added a much more mature approach and this combination makes him a very quick and consistent performer, and a great team player. We continue to get a better understanding of what he needs from us and vice versa, so we are progressing together, Yuki as a driver and the team. We share the same ambitions, so there are several good reasons to continue our journey together. He still has a lot to give."

‘A "step up" in performance’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-rb-decided-to-keep-simply-phenomenal-tsunoda-for-2025

Marko reveals Tsunoda was ‘in demand’ with rival F1 teams
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has revealed that Yuki Tsunoda was “in demand” at rival Formula 1 teams prior to the news that RB has elected to retain him in 2025.
16 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

“Yuki has changed a lot since his arrival in F1. He has really improved in his development. He is an emotional driver and he manages to limit his mistakes. He was in demand by other teams. He is young and he fits our mould. That’s why we’ve just extended his contract for another year.” Helmut Marko.

“Yeah, I think that being able to clear [that] clears up my mind, and in the end VCARB is performing well and this is a team I’m scoring points a lot,” Tsunoda said. “And it would have been sad going to another team and see that VCARB ended up in a nice position.”

“But no, jokes side actually, always Red Bull and Honda were part of my career. Me and Red Bull, it’s all aligned with the current situation for myself and for the future. So, just keep focusing on what I’m doing, and I’m very happy that I’m able to support this team for this big project.”

“In demand”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/16/marko-reveals-tsunoda-was-in-demand-with-rival-f1-teams/

Red Bull might not take Yuki Tsunoda seriously yet, but RB does
Yuki Tsunoda's Formula 1 career remains in a holding pattern after being snubbed for a Red Bull promotion in 2025, but the parent team's loss might be RB's gain.
14 Jun 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Red Bull's strong man Christian Horner appears unconvinced Tsunoda can be the calm and harmonious presence alongside Max Verstappen that he wants, although team advisor Helmut Marko has kept the door open for a promotion in the future, suggesting Tsunoda clicked into gear a little too late to be considered for 2025.

"He has to continue to perform like he does now. Let's see what the future brings then," Marko told Motorsport.com. "His development is really good, although it came a little bit later than we expected, but he is now a top driver I would say."

“This is the first season in which Yuki is consistently fast and he is controlling his emotions, which was his biggest problem before. "To be fair to him, he had always flashes of speed, but this year besides the China race he is consistently fast. Of course, it is changing his profile."

‘In a holding pattern’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-might-not-take-yuki-tsunoda-seriously-yet-but-rb-does/10623253/

Fortitude

17th June 2024, 14:50

‘A bit lonely’: Zhou Guanyu admits something that had ‘never happened before’ ruined his race in Canada.
Zhou came home in 15th at the chequered flag – last of the remaining cars – and was the only driver lapped although that was partly down to another awful pit stop from the team – something that has ruined Sauber’s races all season.
Sun 16 June 2024 13:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The Canadian Grand Prix was another race to forget for Sauber as they remain rooted to the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship. Zhou was speaking to Motorsport.com after the Canadian Grand Prix and admitted that he was baffled by one aspect of the race in Montreal. Zhou Guanyu admits lack of understanding of the 2024 Sauber car.

Asked what went wrong in Canada, Zhou said: “Just struggling across the different compounds. At the halfway stage of the race, I was a bit out of the race anyway, so a bit lonely. We have something already planned back at the factory to check everything, [and] make sure we are starting a little bit more from scratch. These two weekends, I feel like something is not clicking right and this weekend, all these mistakes, they never happened before.”

“So we try to understand all of our issues and have some plans for the next race.” When asked if he was worried about the rear of his 2024 Sauber due to the crashes he suffered earlier in the weekend, Zhou added: “It is everywhere, to be honest, just four-wheel sliding. There is not a massive limitation, we are just lacking grip. It is quite simple but not an easy one to get progress.”

‘Never happened before’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zhou-guanyu-admits-something-that-had-never-happened-before-ruined-his-race-in-canada/

Zhou desperate to remain in F1 for 2025
19:03 Sat, 15 Jun 2024
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds

Zhou Guanyu has stated that he desperately wants to remain in Formula 1 next season. However, he is eager to avoid becoming a reserve driver for 2025 as he looks for a full-time seat. Zhou finds himself at a very important stage in his F1 career. He is one of several drivers currently who find themselves without a seat going into next season.

However, it is looking unlikely at the moment that both Zhou and his team-mate Valtteri Bottas will be at Stake F1 in 2025. Audi have already announced the signing of Nico Hulkenberg for next season, meaning he will drive for Stake F1 next season. The Hinwil-based team are also reportedly interested in Carlos Sainz, as he looks to keep his place in the sport as well.

Speaking to the media, including racingnews365.com, Zhou is hoping that he can do enough to stay in F1 with a full-time seat, as he admits that he doesn’t want to be a reserve driver. “I don’t want to be the reserve, I don’t want to take a year off,” Zhou said. “I don’t think [at] this kind of age of my career, I don’t really want to take a year off because Formula 1 when you take a year off, it’s difficult to come back.”

‘Looks for a full-time seat’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/zhou-desperate-to-remain-in-f1-for-2025/

Zhou desperate to avoid missing 2025 F1 seat
Zhou Guanyu is one of several drivers still without a seat for the 2025 F1 season.
15 June 2025
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Zhou Guanyu has revealed that he is eager to avoid becoming a reserve driver next season, just to remain in the F1 paddock in 2025. The Chinese driver is one of several in the championship without a deal for next year, with a move elsewhere looking set to be his only way of remaining on the grid.

Audi has already signed Haas' Nico Hulkenberg for 2025 and 2026, meaning the German will race for Stake F1 next season. Carlos Sainz also reportedly has an option to join the Hinwil-based team, should he wish to do so. It means the chances are incredibly high that both Zhou and Valtteri Bottas will need a new home for 2025, with Zhou in particular not being open to accepting a reserve position.

Despite being keen to avoid becoming a reserve driver at the age of 25, Zhou is aware that there might become a point this year where he has to consider accepting a reserve position. However, at least for now, the sport's first star from China is not thinking about a third driver position. If we have to then we have to see, we have to consider but for the moment I'm not trying to think in that way," insisted Zhou.

‘Eager to avoid becoming a reserve driver next season’;

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-desperate-to-missing-2025-f1-seat

‘A bit lonely’: Guenther Steiner expects Alpine to snub 53-race driver despite £27m sponsorship package
Sat 15 June 2024 07:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Guenther Steiner says Zhou Guanyu financial appeal is ‘overrated’. Another driver who will hope to be in the Alpine conversation is Zhou Guanyu. The team know Zhou well after he spent two years as their test driver in 2020 and 2021. Like Sauber teammate Bottas, he’s looking for a seat elsewhere for 2025. And he’ll hope a huge financial package comes to his aid.

Zhou is the first full-time Chinese driver in F1 history and he brings commercial ties from his homeland. One journalist believes he can offer around £27m in that regard. But speaking on the Red Flags podcast, former Haas boss Guenther Steiner suggested that this wouldn’t be enough to persuade Alpine. With the backing of a giant manufacturer like Renault, he believes they won’t be governed by such incentives.

“It’s a works team,” he said. “I think they will get the best driver possible. I think in the current status of F1, this is overrated, ‘who’s bringing money or not?’. Especially the big teams, with the budget cap. They know what they want. They want success.”

‘Wouldn’t be enough’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/guenther-steiner-expects-alpine-to-snub-53-race-driver-despite-27m-sponsorship-package/

Haas tipped to reject €30m+ offer from driver in danger to secure ‘sure-fire’ F1 2025 lineup
17 Jun 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Haas are set to turn down an astronomical financial offer from Zhou Guanyu’s sponsors to sign Esteban Ocon as Oliver Bearman’s team-mate for the F1 2025 season. Appearing on Auto Motor und Sport’s Formula Schmidt show, respected reporter Schmidt has claimed that Zhou is trying to tempt Haas “with a lot of money” – believed to be as much as €35million – as he tries to rescue a place on the grid for F1 2025.

“Zhou Guanyu has been linked with a lot of money. There is talk of €30-35m. But they can’t do that, because the problem with Bearman is that he’s a rookie. You have to add someone who is a sure-fire scorer. And it is evident at Sauber that [Zhou] is certainly not.”

At the recent Canadian Grand Prix, Zhou revealed he is targeting a return to Alpine as Ocon’s replacement for F1 2025, having emerged from the team’s junior academy. “I think the other [Sauber] seat [alongside Hulkenberg] is still available, so we still have an option [to stay],” Zhou told reporters in Montreal.

‘Turn down an astronomical financial offer’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-offer-driver-danger-f1-2025-lineup

Fortitude

18th June 2024, 06:38

Double disaster for Ferrari makes Montreal 'one to forget'.
There was no sugar coating just how badly the Canadian Grand Prix turned out for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both failing to finish Sunday's race at Montreal's Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
10 Jun 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

"We were hoping for a red flag to be able to do a reset and restart," Vasseur said. "There was no red flag, so we had to pit which cost us a lap and effectively that was the end of Charles’ race."

Leclerc had to tip-toe his way back to the pits for a replacement set of intermediates and was soon lapped by race leader Max Verstappen. He opted to retire from last place on lap 41 to save further wear on the power unit.

“Honestly, there’s not much more to say apart from the engine issue cost us everything,” Leclerc explained afterwards. "The bottom line today is that the engine issue is what compromised our race.”

‘Double disaster’;

https://f1i.com/news/510598-double-disaster-for-ferrari-makes-montreal-one-to-forget.html

Charles Leclerc reveals huge Ferrari power unit issue in disastrous Canadian Grand Prix
10 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Speaking to Sky F1 following the Canadian GP, Leclerc would reveal the alarming extent of the issues which he was battling with the Ferrari PU, meaning there was “nothing we could have done better” to improve their performance. “I was losing 1.2 [seconds] in the straights, which was extremely annoying,” said Leclerc.

“And then over that I had like 10 changes per lap on the different engine switch, which was such a frustrating race because you get passed by everybody in the straights. In corners you are fast and actually I think the pace was quite strong at the beginning considering the 1.2 off, but with the engine issue, there was nothing we could have done better.”

‘Huge Ferrari power unit issue’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-ferrari-pu-issue-canada-gp

‘This one hurts’ – Leclerc pinpoints issue for Ferrari to look into after disastrous double DNF in Canada
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

It was a disastrous day for Ferrari at the Canadian Grand Prix, with both cars retiring from the running just two weeks after scoring a victory and double podium in Monaco. After lining up in P11 and P12 respectively following a difficult qualifying on Saturday, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both struggled to make ground from the midfield as the race progressed.

“I think we shouldn’t overreact with the pace of the car,” the six-time race winner said. “I mean, you’ve got good weekends, you’ve got bad weekends. Yesterday we missed Q3 by three hundredths, we were definitely not feeling good with the car and we’ve got to work on that and try to understand what went wrong. Today I wouldn’t say the pace was bad – if you look at the first stint with a second-and-a-half slower engine, I think we weren’t that bad in corners and we were strong, just the engine was so big [of an] issue that we couldn’t do anything.”

“So as much as we didn’t overreact after Monaco, we shouldn’t overreact after this one. But this one hurts. It’s big points for the team, with the two cars DNF’d, that we are going to lose against our competitors, and engine-wise it’s something that we need to look at.”

‘This one hurts’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/this-one-hurts-leclerc-pinpoints-issue-for-ferrari-to-look-into-after.kLRM9hbVtjINY2fPlGzkt

Vasseur reveals what could’ve saved Leclerc’s F1 Canadian GP
10 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has revealed Ferrari hoped for a red flag period to override the engine issue on Charles Leclerc’s car in Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix.

Vasseur has confirmed that Ferrari was holding out on a stoppage emerging to allow the team to troubleshoot the issue without Leclerc losing a single place on track.

“On one side of the garage with Charles, we had, on lap two, we lost part of the power,” he told RacingNews365. “We were expecting a red flag to do a power cycle and to try to come back. But the red flag never happened. We had a red flag in Monaco but not in Montreal. At one stage, we had to pit, we lost almost one lap but it was done.”

‘What could’ve saved Leclerc’s F1 Canadian GP’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/10/vasseur-reveals-what-couldve-saved-leclercs-f1-canadian-gp/

Ferrari won't overreact to Canada F1 disaster where "everything went wrong"
Ferrari Formula 1 team boss Fred Vasseur conceded "everything went wrong" in a disastrous Canadian Grand Prix, but says his squad won't overreact to its horror weekend.
10 Jun 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Amid a "long list" of issues, Vasseur admitted "everything went wrong" for the Scuderia in Canada, with Leclerc's power unit issue that left him down 80bhp the most frustrating problem on the day. "With Charles, on lap two we lost part of the power," Vasseur explained. "It was not just the engine itself; I think it is the control of the engine that we had to stop the engine completely. We went through a cycle but it was 30 or 40 seconds.

"For Charles, when you are in the car, fighting in a group and see you are missing 10 or 15 kp/h, you have no chance to overtake, your engineer is telling you you are missing 80 horsepower, I can perfectly understand that motivation is difficult to find in this kind of situation. "If he was not frustrated in these conditions, I would be worried." Asked if it was his most difficult weekend in charge of the Maranello squad, he said: "The most difficult? I don't know but it was not the best one.”

"Sometimes you get the feeling everything is going wrong and going against you but we don't change the approach. We are working as a team with the drivers in the good and bad moments and we will keep the same approach for next weekend and continue together. I'm not at all by this kind of weekend, it is what it is."

"Everything went wrong";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/vasseur-ferrari-wont-overreact-to-f1-canada-disaster-where-everything-went-wrong/10621990/

[B]Unearthed Charles Leclerc radio lays bare Canadian GP frustrations
11 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

A wretched weekend in Canada ended with Charles Leclerc sarcastically celebrating the team’s order to retire his power-less Ferrari SF-24 on lap 40. His race though was undone by an engine issue early in the grand prix that cost him time on the straights, the driver revealing he was losing over a second per lap. Already dealing with that issue, his frustrations boiled over in his radio chatter with his new race engineer Bryan Bozzi when the call was made to swap to slicks despite more rain on the horizon.

Leclerc was caught out.
Leclerc: Shall we box again? It’s raining too much.
Engineer: It’s only, it’s going to last only one, two laps.
Leclerc: For f**k sake, it’s raining too much. I’m losing like 10 seconds a lap.
Engineer: Copy. We box for inters.

But as the engine issue continued to hamper his progress, he reported: If we are losing 1.5 seconds on the straight, then there’s no f**king point. I want to stop.
Ferrari eventually called him on lap 40 to retire the car.
Engineer: And Charles, we will retire the car. We will retire the car.
Leclerc: Yay! That is a good idea.
Engineer: Copy.

“Yay! That is a good idea”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/unearthed-charles-leclerc-radio-canadian-gp-frustrations

Report: What Frederic Vasseur has ordered Ferrari staff to do behind the scenes after double DNF in Canada
13 June 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari now in ‘race against time’ to bring upgrade to Spanish Grand Prix. According to Formu1a.uno, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has taken decisive action after their Montreal woes. He’s ordered them to bring forward an upgrade that wasn’t due to go on the car until the British Grand Prix at the start of July.

Instead, he wants the ‘most important’ new parts ready for the next race in Spain, the first leg of a triple-header. This has sparked ‘very frenetic’ scenes at their Maranello base. Ferrari’s staff face a ‘race against time’ to meet the request, with the production department in for ‘a lot of work’. The aim of the updates is to find a ‘better aerodynamic compromise’ for the SF-24. Barcelona was a weak circuit for the Italian marquee last year, with Leclerc suffering a shock Q1 exit and only managing to finish 11th. Sainz qualified 2nd alongside Verstappen but ended up slipping to P5 in the race.

Ferrari introduced their first major upgrades of the new season at Imola last month, but it wasn’t until the following race in Monaco that they made a noticeable step forward. They might not expect an immediate upturn from the next raft of developments, then, particularly if they have to be rushed through. But the earlier they get them on the car in a representative F1 session, the sooner they will be able to understand and optimise them. It’s clear that Vasseur is impatient as he bids to make the Prancing Horse the class of the field once again.

‘Race against time to bring upgrade’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-frederic-vasseur-has-ordered-ferrari-staff-to-do-behind-the-scenes-after-double-dnf-in-canada/

Fortitude

18th June 2024, 13:29

Sainz admits to ‘driver mistake’ after spin put him out of the race – and took Albon out too.
Carlos Sainz spun his Ferrari on Lap 51 in Canada and Williams’ Alex Albon was unable to avoid his rival, taking them both out of the race.
9 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Driver mistake’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-admits-to-driver-mistake-after-spin-put-him-out-of-the-race-and-took-albon-out-too.1801415553175246819

In search of lost grip
22:50 Sun, 09 Jun 2024
Ferrari - Official Site

Montreal 09 June 2024: Scuderia Ferrari HP’s performance in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix did not live up to expectations, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz failing to make the cut to Q3, qualifying in eleventh and twelfth places respectively. The biggest handicap for both SF-24s was a lack of grip.

‘Lost grip’;

https://www.ferrari.com/en-GB/formula1/articles/canadian-grand-prix-2024-qualifying-report

Sainz makes Ferrari vow after Canada woes
Carlos Sainz suffered a late DNF in the Canadian Grand Prix after contact after spinning and collecting Alex Albon's Williams.
10 June 22024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz is firm that Ferrari's Canadian Grand Prix woes are a "one-off" and that he expects the team to be back in contention in Barcelona. Ferrari arrived in Montreal with expectations high after it finished 1-3 in Monaco, but Sainz and team-mate Charles Leclerc both struggled badly across the weekend, with neither making it into Q3 and did not make much forward progress in the race.

Leclerc's race was hampered by an engine issue, but Sainz was fighting on the cusp of the points late on when he spun at Turn 6 after dipping a wheel onto the wet track, and as he spun, he collected Alex Albon's Williams. He did manage to get going again, but retired soon after to round off a miserable weekend for Ferrari.

"It was not an ideal weekend for anyone in the team, but we will try and reset and go again," Sainz told media including RacingNews365. "It is clear that we were not on the right end of the pace and were struggling as a team. In any condition, we seemed to be struggling with the balance and the pace, but it is going to be a one-off and we will be back in Barcelona where we are normally."

‘Sainz was fighting on the cusp of the points’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-makes-ferrari-vow-after-canada-woes

Jacques Villeneuve stunned by Carlos Sainz after doing something you ‘never, ever do’ in F1
Mon 10 June 2024 07:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Jacques Villeneuve was reflecting on the Canadian Grand Prix for Sky Sports F1 after watching both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz fail to finish the race. Ferrari’s weekend started badly, with neither driver able to reach Q3 in qualifying, giving them plenty of work to do during a wet race.

Jacques Villeneuve says Carlos Sainz did something you ‘never do’ in Formula 1 Heading into the closing stages of the race, Sainz was in a train of cars including both Alpine drivers and both RBs. However, the Spaniard made a mistake heading into the corner that also caught out the likes of Sergio Perez and Logan Sargeant. Albon had to take avoiding action, but Sainz still managed to crash into the back of his Williams.

Commenting on the incident, Villeneuve said: “Once it started raining, pit him [Charles Leclerc] right away. “They had to try because they had engine issues and they were not going to score points, so trying fine, but like Karun [Chandhok] said, put on the soft tyres. And then [Carlos] Sainz spins and then lets go of the breaks, something you never, ever do and he collected [Alex] Albon.”

‘Never, ever do’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-stunned-by-carlos-sainz-after-doing-something-you-never-ever-do-in-f1/

Carlos Sainz issues apology to rumoured F1 2025 team-mate after Canada collision
10 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz has apologised to Alex Albon, smoothing things over with his potential 2025 team-mate after punting the Williams driver out of the Canadian Grand Prix. “It was a driver mistake,” Sainz admitted. “I was starting to take some risks because I could see that in the dry we were a little bit more competitive and there was the chance for points if I took some risks and overtook some cars in DRS trains. But I ended up paying the price.”

Damaging the rear-right of the FW46, both drivers were out of the race. Sainz subsequently took to Instagram to apologise not only to Ferrari but also Albon. “A race to forget for the team,” he posted on social media. “The entire weekend has been on the edge for us. I tried to push in the DRS train to overtake and did a mistake on the kerb. Sorry to the team and to Albon.”

‘Apology’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-apology-rumoured-f1-2025-team-mate-canada-collision

Carlos Sainz sends message to potential 2025 teammate Alex Albon after Canadian GP crash
Tue 11 June 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Carlos Sainz apologises to Alex Albon amid Williams rumours. The crash involving Sainz and Albon wasn’t just significant because it potentially cost the latter some valuable points. The two drivers may well end up as teammates next year. F1 Oversteer understands that Grove will be his destination. In fact, James Vowles’ employees are 90% sure that the deal will happen.

Writing on his X account, Sainz acknowledged his error. He also offered an apology to Albon ahead of their potential partnership in 2025. “A race to forget for the team,” he said. “The entire weekend has been on the edge for us. I tried to push in the DRS train to overtake and did a mistake on the kerb. Sorry to the team and to Albon. We now need to understand what happened here and move on.”

Why Williams will find Sainz mistake ‘quite funny’. There are no concerns that Sainz’s blunder will hurt his chances of joining Williams. Vowles won’t pass up the chance to sign a three-time race-winner and an F1 A-lister over one mishap. Instead, journalist Edd Straw suspects that Williams will find the coincidental nature of the collision ‘quite funny’. There could still be an announcement before his home race in Spain at the end of next week.

‘Sainz acknowledged his error’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/carlos-sainz-sends-message-to-potential-2025-teammate-alex-albon-after-canadian-gp-crash/

Carlos Sainz 'could sign contract tomorrow' as Ferrari star reveals seven offers
Carlos Sainz says he could sign with a new Formula One team 'tomorrow'.
Jun 18, 2024
Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Carlos Sainz has claimed he has offers on the table from all seven teams looking for new drivers for the 2025 season. The Spaniard will leave Ferrari at the end of 2024, making way for the highly-anticipated arrival of Lewis Hamilton. Sainz, who says he could agree a contract 'tomorrow' if he wanted to, has been strongly linked with Williams in recent weeks but there are a further six teams whose driver line-up for next year is not confirmed. Mercedes, Aston Martin, VCARB, Haas, Alpine and Sauber also have places free.

It was put to Sainz that Williams are the favourites to secure his commitment for 2025. However, the 29-year-old insists that all seven teams have made offers and that he “could sign with them tomorrow”, but will instead take his time before making a decision. Sainz says that he will make a decision soon. “I won’t lie to you, all the teams that haven’t signed their drivers for next year have me on their list and have offered me a contract. I could sign with them tomorrow, but I won’t do it tomorrow,” he told El Hormiguero.

'Could sign contract tomorrow';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1912494/Carlos-Sainz-Ferrari-Williams-Mercedes-Formula-One

Fortitude

19th June 2024, 06:58

‘He knows what’s at stake’ – Horner backs Perez to find his form after ‘horrible’ weekend in Canada.
“You see this with Checo time and time again, you think he’s on the ropes and then he bounces back,” continued Horner. “He’s a tough racer, a tough character. It hurts him more than anyone else and he’ll be determined to come back and show everybody the form we know he’s capable of and the form he showed in the first four races of the year.”
13 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

“It was a horrible weekend for Checo and we’ve picked up some damage so he’ll need to come back strong in Barcelona,” Christian Horner said afterwards. “Thankfully Ferrari had a shocker today and didn’t pick up any points so that let us off the hook somewhat. But we need both cars scoring, we got away with it today, but we need Checo back to where he was at the beginning of the year from Barcelona onwards.”

“The margins are fine – he knows what’s at stake, we need him performing at the top of his game. The constructors’, we have three teams that are nipping at our heels, and you have to be firing on all cylinders.” As Horner said, with Ferrari failing to score in Canada, Red Bull actually increased their margin in the constructors’ championship to 49 points thanks to Verstappen’s win.

‘He knows what’s at stake’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/he-knows-whats-at-stake-horner-backs-perez-to-find-his-form-after-horrible.4VHgLIigT5DAinrWDozbRe

Perez does not care criticism, he solely focuses on his job
10:14 Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The Mexican finds himself currently in exactly such a tough period as he failed to make the cut into Q3 in three consecutive races in Imola, Monaco and Montreal. Despite his recent struggles, Red Bull elected to extend his contract by a further two years which will see Perez race for the Milton Keynes-based outfit until at least the end of the 2026 F1 season.

"Well, I think in Formula 1, there are always different agendas, and I really get that. It's something that has been with every driver since we got in the sport. And I think the best thing to do is just to close the visor and focus on my job, do the best for myself, for my career. And at the end of the day, when my career is finished, it's the only thing that will matter to me.”

"What people have to say or not… I mean, I appreciate that everyone has their opinion, but at the end of the day, I'm here to do the best for my career and I'm happy with what I have achieved."

‘Perez… …he solely focuses on his job’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24728

Horner expecting Perez to bounce back after ‘horrible weekend’ in Canada
16:38 Tue, 11 Jun 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

Perez looks to bounce back. Despite the recent difficulties, Perez remains confident and believes he will regain his form in the coming weeks: “Yeah, we lost some momentum obviously in the season, but I’m also very positive that there is a long season ahead and that we will get our form back.” He said to F1. “I will be working really hard in the coming weeks with the team to make sure that we are back to that form.” Perez concluded.

What happened in Canada? Despite his history of producing some incredible recovery drives, Canada was not one of them. The first incident took place on the opening lap when Perez came in contact with Pierre Gasly, though he left the scene unscathed, he struggled to move up the pecking order. On lap 53, he lost control of his RB20, damaging his rear wing. He limped back to the pits, leaving pieces of carbon fibre around the circuit before retiring for the second consecutive weekend. Adding to his woes, the stewards issued a penalty for the incident, handing the No.11 driver a three-place grid penalty for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Horner gives his thoughts. After a weekend to forget for the Mexican, team principal, Christian Horner issued his thoughts on the ‘horrible’ weekend his driver faced. “That was a horrible weekend for Checo and obviously he picked up some damage, so he’ll need to come back strong in Barcelona.” He said to Sky Sports.

‘Horrible weekend’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/horner-expecting-perez-to-bounce-back-after-horrible-weekend-in-canada/

Sergio Perez ‘not that bad’ – Support emerges amid nightmare F1 run
15 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Former Bridgestone competition chief Kees van de Grint has leapt to the defence of the struggling Sergio Perez… “It might be a bit of a dead giveaway, but it’s clear that Perez is going through a valley at the moment,” van de Grint told RacingNews365.com.

“First of all, it’s very close. In the past, you were 16th because you were two seconds or even more too slow. But now we are talking about hundredths and tenths of a second. Perez is not doing well at the moment, that’s clear, but that is also not a reflection of how he is as a driver. He can do better. You can say a lot about team boss Christian Horner, but not that he doesn’t have a view or doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

“Horner will have weighed a number of other behind-the-scenes factors besides Perez’s driving ability, such as calmness in the team and the commercial background. But he will not have made that choice if he thinks, ‘This guy can’t do anything’. This is bad luck and it gives food for thought, but Perez is not that bad.”

‘Support emerges’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-not-that-bad-kees-van-de-grint

Marko makes Hamilton comparison after Perez penalty
Dr. Helmut Marko has addressed Sergio Perez's three-place grid penalty for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix.
12 June 2024
Jan van der Burgt & Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko has revealed that the outfit "can live" with Sergio Perez's Spanish Grand Prix grid penalty after driving a heavily damaged car last weekend in the Canadian Grand Prix. Perez will take a three-place grid penalty into next weekend's race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, following an incident which saw him continue driving a car with "serious mechanical difficulties". Camera hid true damage. With McLaren, Ferrari and now Mercedes having a car capable of competing with the RB20, Perez's grid penalty could have a huge impact in Barcelona.

Perez will start no higher than fourth on the grid and that can only be achieved by claiming pole position, an unlikely feat based on his recent qualifying record. However, Marko insists Red Bull can cope with its punishment and has revealed that the Milton Keynes-based side were unable to view the full extent of Perez's damage. "We can live with that penalty imposed," Marko told OE24.

"With the camera setup we had at our disposal, we couldn't see from the pit lane how much Checo's car was really damaged. At that point, we wanted him to continue as long as possible, because this was a Grand Prix where anything was possible." Marko went on to note that Red Bull could never have known how much debris would fall of Perez's car and pointed out that Lewis Hamilton won the 2020 British Grand Prix with a completely delaminated tyre. "Others have driven around with more dangling parts," Marko added. "Lewis Hamilton once won at Silverstone on three wheels."

‘Hamilton comparison after Perez penalty’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-makes-hamilton-comparison-after-perez-penalty

‘Strange there was no penalty then’ – Marko recalls Hamilton’s 2020 British GP win after Perez penalty
13 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Helmut Marko says it’s “strange” Lewis Hamilton wasn’t penalised when he completed the final lap of the 2020 British GP on three wheels but Sergio Perez was in Canada. Hamilton suffered a puncture on the final lap of the 2020 British Grand Prix, his front left tyre shreading pieces of rubber as he completed the final lap to win the race ahead of Max Verstappen. Told to “stop” by Mercedes after crossing the line for the victory, Hamilton’s race engineer reiterated he was to stop the car as it “was dangerous.”

Marko finds it “strange” that Hamilton was not penalised then but Perez was in Canada. “Three places back for Perez on the Spanish grid because he brought his damaged car into the pits instead of putting it aside in Montreal,” Marko wrote in his Speedweek column. “I think that’s too harsh a punishment, because in a race with changeover conditions, you have to bring your car back, especially when it’s not immediately clear what the damage looks like.”

“Perez’s rear-view mirrors were dirty and he couldn’t see what the rear looked like. We, on the other hand, could see from the data that the suspension was OK. Of course we try to bring the car back and, ideally, be able to fight for points again. The race stewards then announced that parts of his car had fallen off. But hey there! I remember Lewis Hamilton once crossing the finish line on three wheels at Silverstone and winning. Strange there was no penalty then.”

“Strange there was no penalty then”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-lewis-amilton-2020-british-gp-win-sergio-perez-canada-penalty

Fortitude

19th June 2024, 14:28

Sargeant reflects on Canada: ‘Very disappointed in myself’.
After his impressive qualifying performance on Saturday, which saw him start P13 for the Canadian Grand Prix, Logan Sargeant's progress in Montreal was destroyed on race day
June 11, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

The Canadian Grand Prix appeared to hold much promise for Williams’ Logan Sargeant. A strong performance in qualifying saw him line up in P13. However, the American driver’s progress was soon destroyed in the early stages of the race. Initially, the 2023 rookie bumped the wall on lap seven but could continue with very little damage.

But, on lap 25, he suffered a race-finishing hit, bringing out the safety car. Considering the tricky conditions had lingered all weekend, it is a shame Sargeant’s weekend ended the way it did. Following the chequered flag, the Williams driver expressed his regret regarding the final result of his race. He said:

“It was tricky [conditions], obviously not the way I wanted it to go, just not good enough, too many mistakes. Two very punishing ones. For sure, very disappointed with myself after feeling like I was driving great this weekend, so move on and just look ahead.”

‘Very disappointed in myself’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sargeant-reflects-on-canada-very-disappointed-in-myself/

2024 Canadian Grand Prix: Logan Sargeant crashes out in Montreal
19:06 Mon, 10 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Williams driver Logan Sargeant spins into the barrier at Turn 4 bringing out the Safety Car on Lap 24 and ending his involvement in the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix.

‘Crashes out’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-grand-prix-logan-sargeant-crashes-out-in-montreal.1801471151407304556

‘Enough is enough’: Guenther Steiner shares when he thinks Williams will part ways with Logan Sargeant
Sun 16 June 2024 08:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The future of Logan Sargeant at Williams is going to be closely monitored after several events since the beginning of the Canadian Grand Prix race weekend that haven’t gone his way. The young American is in his second season in Formula 1 but his current record doesn’t suggest that he’s destined for a long and storied career in the sport.

Logan Sargeant’s Formula 1 career on very thin ice Asked when he thinks Williams will pull the plug on Sargeant, Steiner said: “I think at the end of the year.” Pressed on why they wouldn’t replace him with someone like Kimi Antonelli before then, he added: “I don’t know how the contract is phrased, I mean there’s a lot of stuff going on there that we don’t know.”

“First of all, you always try to work with the people you’ve got. You need to show in a team that you try your best. Obviously, at some stage, enough is enough, it’s like, ‘Why are we doing this?’ I think it will go to the end, I think if he’s got a few more [races] like this [in Canada] before the summer break, after the summer break maybe there’s somebody else in the cockpit. And I think it will go altogether with who is going to drive the car next year.”

“I think at the end of the year”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/guenther-steiner-shares-when-he-thinks-williams-will-part-ways-with-logan-sargeant/

Logan Sargeant already ‘knows’ about Williams exit after ‘stupid mistakes’, claims Montoya
18 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Although Williams have not officially told Logan Sargeant he’s out and that Carlos Sainz is in, Juan Pablo Montoya says he knows it and it is time to start looking outside of F1 for a 2025 race seat.

Former McLaren driver Montoya reckons the American knows his days are numbered. “He already knows, although they haven’t officially told him yet that he will no longer stay with the team,” the Colombian told W Radio Colombia.

“The moment they tell him: ‘Look, thank you very much for the past years, we gave you the opportunity, but it didn’t work, what a shame’, they can also tell him to relax and focus on his future. Then Logan will relax a lot more, he will no longer fight for that seat and it will be really difficult for him to stay in Formula 1.”

‘Already knows’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-sargeant-stupid-mistakes-already-knows-exit-sealed

‘Clearly stated’: What Williams staff are now saying about Logan Sargeant amid Carlos Sainz interest
Wed 19 June 2024 09:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Logan Sargeant is a man under serious pressure on the Formula 1 grid with his performance in every session being heavily scrutinised. Sargeant does appear to be on his way out of the team with Carlos Sainz potentially in line to replace him. However, staff at Williams have been pleasantly surprised by the step forward Sargeant has taken this year. It’s unlikely to be enough to save him but suggests he has made some improvements that may have gone unnoticed among his mistakes.

Logan Sargeant still has the support of Williams staff amid Kimi Antonelli rumours. The news that the FIA is willing to reduce the age required to earn a Super License under special circumstances to 17 would not have gone down well within the Sargeant camp. It’s almost certainly aimed at Kimi Antonelli who has been linked with replacing Sargeant in the coming weeks.

Williams use Mercedes’s power units and have previously loaned George Russell from Toto Wolff’s outfit to aid his development as a driver. If Williams need a stop-gap before Sainz’s potential arrival in 2025, Antonelli may be the man to end Sargeant’s current spell in F1.

‘Pleasantly surprised by the step forward Sargeant has taken this year’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-williams-staff-are-now-saying-about-logan-sargeant-amid-carlos-sainz-interest/

F1 star "already knows" his career is ending as team prepares to swing axe
There is still plenty yet to be decided this year with the F1 driver market particularly volatile, but time certainly looks to be almost up for Logan Sargeant who has struggled to perform for Williams
19 June 2024
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Williams consider Carlos Sainz to be their top target to race alongside Albon next year, though the Spaniard has other options. As for Sargeant, team principal James Vowles has called upon the American to show more in the coming months - even though his fate seems to be all but sealed.

Vowles said: "I think there's no doubt, second year of running, and you are now seeing the confidence start to build as a result of it, and there is performance there. We also haven't had the cars in the same spec for a period of time. Some of that's still due to the earlier damage that we're building up to, some of that is because we pulled forward upgrades, and there was simply not enough to put across two cars.”

"He is continuously evolving as an individual, as I hope he would be in that circumstance. Is he where I need him to be target-wise? And that's the big question of things. We need more from him, really, to be able to save his seat in that sort of circumstance."

"Already knows";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/logan-sargeant-williams-carlos-sainz-33060798

F1 star told his career is over after 'a lot of stupid mistakes'
Logan Sargeant is expected to be dropped by Williams and the American has been told to 'relax and focus on his future' as a result.
Jun 19, 2024
By Charlie Parker-Turner
Daily and Sunday Express

Logan Sargeant has been advised to brace himself for a future outside of Formula One with Williams reportedly planning to drop the underperforming American driver. Former F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya believes it's time for Sargeant to come to terms with the fact that his F1 career may be over. Montoya suggested that Sargeant should explore other options, saying: "If I were him, I would first talk to everyone to see whether there is interest from another team.

Montoya suggested that Sargeant should explore other options, saying: "If I were him, I would first talk to everyone to see whether there is interest from another team. "But I would also start looking at IndyCar, WEC and other options for next year. He's had a tough time and it's difficult. If you look at his performance in F3 and F2, he was very good. It's sad because if you ask Albon, he will say Sargeant is very fast, he does very well, but he makes a lot of stupid mistakes."

‘Eexpected to be dropped’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1912956/F1-Logan-Sargeant-Williams

Fortitude

20th June 2024, 06:32

Weight Crisis at Williams F1: Alex Albon Opens Up About The Challenge Slowing The Team Down.
As the 2024 Formula 1 season unfolds, Williams Racing continues to battle significant challenges with their car's weight, according to driver Alex Albon.
17:05 Sun, 16 Jun 2024
By Alex Harrington
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

Despite efforts to lighten the chassis, the Williams FW46 remains notably heavy, which has severely impacted its performance on the track. Albon's insights offer a candid look into the ongoing struggles faced by the Grove squad as they work through the season's early races. The Thai-British driver expressed the difficulty of addressing these challenges publicly, especially before Williams team boss James Vowles acknowledged the issue.

"It was hard because you guys were asking me what the difference was with last year's car, and I was telling you it's better, but we were running around in P19 and P20. I kind of had to bite my lip a little bit, but it was mostly down to it," Albon shared. "There are still things in our car that we need to improve, I'm not denying that, but it was always very hard to answer your questions."

"We're still overweight and by a good amount. Monaco I think is the least sensitive to weight and Canada is the fourth least sensitive to weight, so good tracks. Barcelona goes the other way, so we just need to make the most of these moments until the weight does come out of the car. There's a big push to try to get it on weight before the end of the season, but it is going to be tough."

‘Weight Crisis’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/formula1/weight-crisis-williams-f1-alex-albon-opens-about-challenge-slowing-team-down-1913393?piano_t=1

Albon forced to bottle up frustrations over heavy Williams
12:20 Mon, 17 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

A frustrated Alex Albon says he had to bite his lip and downplay the limitations of Williams’ F1 car as the team worked on a solution to the FW46’s overweight problem. Production delays plagued the team during the off-season, resulting in a car that was considerably overweight. Albon isn’t expecting fireworks at the high-downforce Circuit de Catalunya this week, but the 28-year-old is hoping for a bit more consistency.

"Barcelona will just be about trying to optimise our car,” he explained. ”It's max downforce, which is similar to Monaco, so our big rear wing works quite well. It's quite efficient," he explained. "I'm not expecting some magic switches [in the pecking order], I'm just hoping we've got a car that's a bit more consistent.”

"Barcelona has predominantly been one of the worst circuits for us. I know we say that about a lot of tracks, but it really is one of the worst ones. I'll be interested to see if we're okay in Barcelona now or maybe we're actually good."

‘Production delays plagued the team’;

https://f1i.com/news/511022-albon-forced-to-bottle-up-frustrations-over-heavy-williams.html

Albon on Sainz collision: ‘Frustrating because for sure points were available today’
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alex Albon was powerless to stop Carlos Sainz’s spinning Ferrari knocking him out of the Canadian Grand Prix, on a day when he felt points were on the table for Williams.

‘Powerless’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/albon-on-sainz-collision-frustrating-because-for-sure-points-were-available-today.1801418617668956974

2024 Canadian Grand Prix: Albon pulls off brilliant double overtake on Ricciardo and Ocon
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alex Albon completed a superb double move when he passed Daniel Ricciardo on the straight and then Esteban Ocon at the chicane to shoot up two positions to P9 in just a few seconds.

‘Brilliant double overtake’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-canadian-grand-prix-albon-pulls-off-brilliant-double-overtake-on-ricciardo-and-ocon.1801413094418565789

Albon reveals how Williams can make a ‘big step’ in F1 2025
12:03 Mon, 17 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Alex Albon has disclosed that Williams should stand to make a “big step” next season providing its 2025 Formula 1 car hits the minimum weight limit from the outset.

“There’s still a lot of performance in weight,” Albon divulged. “We’re still far away from where we want to be. We do have upgrades coming in, though, that are performance as well. I would say the carrot at the moment is more towards the weight than the aero side.”

“And it is in some ways we are kind of comparing the two and seeing financially as well it’s a bit thing because losing weight isn’t cheap as well.” The Anglo-Thai driver has stressed the importance of the British side avoiding a similar situation next season to ensure that it can focus on adding pure performance.

‘Should stand to make a “big step” next season’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/17/albon-reveals-how-williams-can-make-a-big-step-in-f1-2025/

Albon prefers Williams to sacrifice 2025 for bigger F1 2026 gains
Having signed a long-term contract extension, Alex Albon is keen for the Williams Formula 1 team to focus on 2026
16:32 Tue, 18 Jun 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

The extension was a huge coup for Williams team boss James Vowles, who aims to rebuild the Grove-based squad around its lead driver. And with Albon now secured, the Thai driver has bought into Vowles's long-term focus as Williams undergoes a drastic revamp.

That means he would be happy for Williams to sacrifice its chances next year if it can be in a stronger position for the new technical regulations in 2026, which teams can start attacking in full from January 2025. "That's partly with the longer-term contract, you're not so focused on the short term," Albon said.

"You don't want short-term success if it brings you pain later on and as a team, we need to think more about the future if we want to belong at the top. If we want to be a frontrunner, there are still things we need to do to do that and they're big changes that take time. Yes, I would much rather sacrifice 2025 for 2026."

‘Sacrifice 2025 for bigger F1 2026 gains’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/albon-prefers-williams-to-sacrifice-2025-for-bigger-f1-2026-gains/10624556/

Albon: Williams hopes for 2014 repeat with Mercedes F1 engine
09:02 Wed, 19 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Alex Albon has expressed that he hopes the Mercedes power unit under the newest Formula 1 regulations in 2026 will inspire the side to have an edge over its rivals. “I think the engines will play a big part,” Albon said. “Maybe in 2026 we will fall back from a top team like Mercedes and have a bigger delta.”

“I hope Mercedes has a strong engine and good battery efficiency. That could work in our favour in the Constructors’ comparison and make us relatively competitive with teams with other engines.” Asked how well-prepared Williams was going into the new regulations, he replied: “I think we are still in a building phase and I don’t think we will be fully there in 2026.

“Every team is putting their words and efforts into making sure that 2026 is a fresh start for everyone, but I think it will take a little bit longer. But I hope that we can let the power unit carry us a little bit, and I remember a little bit of 2014 where the gap to the front places could be bigger. But that puts us in a good position and we can still build and develop and change parts of the team. And then we can make bigger steps up to 2027.”

‘Inspire the side to have an edge over its rivals’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/19/albon-williams-hopes-for-2014-repeat-with-mercedes-f1-engine/

Fortitude

20th June 2024, 07:20

Moment of truth: why Spanish GP is crucial for F1 title race and driver market.
Will Red Bull return to form? Does Ferrari have an upgrade? Will we see a 17-year-old on track? And will are we about to see a flurry of 2025 F1 driver deals? Here's what to watch out for at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix
June 19th 2024
Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

By Sunday evening, the outlook for the rest of the Formula 1 season should be clearer. If Max Verstappen cruises to another win in the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix, then the outlook will be bleak for a competitive second half of the year.

But if one or more of McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes can maintain the challenge that they have posed in recent races, then the fight really will be on — for the championship as well as race wins.

It’s expected that the competitive order in Barcelona, which heralds the start of F1’s summer European season, will be continued on the purpose-built circuits to follow, including Silverstone, Monza and Zandvoort. Red Bull expects to put its recent struggles behind it. Will anyone else be able to keep up?

‘Moment of truth’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/moment-of-truth-why-spanish-gp-is-crucial-for-f1-title-race-and-driver-market/?nowprocket=1#

Spanish Grand Prix: F1 preview, times, predictions, stats
Jun 19, 2024
ESPN

Canada's thrilling race livened up the 2024 season, and Formula One heads to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for race 10. Spain marks the start of the triple header, and a return to Europe with Austria and the British Grand Prix to follow. Formula One first came to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 1991 when the circuit was built for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. It's also the home race for Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, and one that drivers love, having spent many years of winter testing here.

Who's going to win? A return to a purpose-built race track with high-speed corners should favour championship leaders Red Bull, making Verstappen the driver to beat in Spain. The limitations of the RB20's suspension have been exposed over kerbs and bumps at recent rounds, but the layout of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya should play to its strengths in fast corners.

The relative performance of the Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes should give a good indication of how competitive the second half of the season will be among the top teams.

‘Start of the triple header’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/40385359/everything-need-know-spanish-gp

What time is the Formula 1 2024 Spanish Grand Prix and how can I watch it?
15:25 Wed, 19 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Formula 1 heads back to Europe as the Spanish Grand Prix kicks off what is sure to be an exhilarating triple header of races.

The event in Barcelona will begin with FP1 and FP2 on Friday, June 21, followed by FP3 and qualifying on Saturday, June 22, and finally the 66-lap Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, June 23.

‘Formula 1 2024 Spanish Grand Prix’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-time-is-the-formula-1-2024-spanish-grand-prix-and-how-can-i-watch-it.22OhjKqkUFup0pIL5Xil5M

Formula One statistics for the Spanish Grand Prix
15:10 Wed, 19 Jun 2024
The Straits Times

The 14-turn Circuit de Catalunya is hosting what will be the 54th world championship Spanish GP. Lewis Hamilton has won the Spanish GP six times (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), a record he shares with Michael Schumacher. Other past winners on Sunday's grid are Fernando Alonso (2006, 2013) and Verstappen (2016, 2022, 2023).

The only drivers to win in Barcelona and not start on the front row were Schumacher (third on the grid in 1996), Alonso (from fifth in 2013) and Verstappen (fourth in 2016).

Alonso and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz are the only Spanish drivers in the race. Ferrari are the most successful team at the Circuit de Catalunya with eight wins. Since 1951, the Italian team have won 12 times in Spain.
MILESTONE: The race will be Sainz's last outing with Ferrari in front of his home crowd. Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso will be starting his 21st home grand prix.

‘Formula One statistics’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/formula-one-statistics-for-the-spanish-grand-prix

F1'S Performance Reset? - Spanish GP Race Preview 2024
14:54 Wed, 19 Jun 2024
Motorsport.com

It’s almost time for F1 to head back to Europe for the Spanish Grand Prix, at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. Not only do Bryn Lucas, Ben Hunt and Filip Cleeren preview the race, but they also discuss Kimi Antonelli and the vague super licence rule change, the upcoming F1 movie, whether McLaren can adapt their new car to Barcelona’s lower speed corners, can Mercedes show their Canadian form was more than just a flash in the pan, and whether Ferrari can overcome their 2023 tyre-wear problems.

0:00 F1's Spanish GP
0:44 Alpine's Engine Issues
5:11 Kimi Antonelli & Super Licence Rules
8:26 Bottas' & Sainz's Futures
12:12 F1's Upcoming Film Release Date
15:15 Barcelona to Test F1's Upgrades

18:39 McLaren's Spanish Hopes
20:20 Mercedes' Potential
25:17 Ferrari to Bounce Back?
28:31 Tyres and Pitstop Options
29:43 Predicting the Grid
31:30 Perez's Possibilities

‘F1'S Performance Reset?’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/f1s-performance-reset-spanish-gp-race-preview-2024/652094/

Rain a possible major threat to 2024 F1 Spanish Grand Prix
What does the weather have in store for the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix?
19 June 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

There is a chance of showers at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, with varying track conditions throughout, according to RacingNews365's weather partner WeerOnline. Looking ahead to round 10 of the season, bright sunshine with 25 degrees temperature is expected on Friday, with sunburn even possible within just 10 minutes!

Come qualifying, there is again no chance of rain, with a similar air temperature of 26 degrees expected. However, come race day, thunderstorms are currently expected, with the threat higher in the morning and early afternoon. The chance decreases through the afternoon, with a 3pm local start time, with a wet start to the race possible.

On race day, there will be winds from the south-east, which roughly corresponds to a head-wind under braking for Turn 10.

‘What does the weather have in store’;

https://racingnews365.com/rain-a-possible-major-threat-to-2024-f1-spanish-grand-prix

4 team battle for the win, really? 2024 Spanish GP Preview
‎Jun‎ ‎19‎, ‎2024‎ ‎10‎:‎44‎ ‎PM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

Does Formula 1 actually have a 4-team battle for wins hereon? OR will it be a case of different teams challenging Red Bull Racing's supremacy in 2024? Is Mercedes actually back? And can Ferrari bounce back after their debacle in Canada? Will McLaren deliver error-free weekends to continue to maximise their chances? The 2024 Spanish Grand Prix will answer a lot of questions. In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Soumil Arora and Kunal Shah start by answering why the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is the best benchmark for assessing the performance of a Formula 1 car. Yes, this is a phrase we will hear all weekend long!

Will Esteban Ocon and Alpine's toxicity continue? Will Lewis Hamilton continue to deliver cryptic messages post-Qualifying? Will Carlos Sainz continue his 100% scoring record at his home race in Spain AND can he stop Charles Leclerc from out-qualifying him for the 6th race in succession. Will Alpine actually ditch the Renault power-unit, and could life come a full circle if Alpine are powered by Red Bull Power Trains come 2026? And of course, we've got our bold predictions for the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix.

‘Will Lewis Hamilton continue to deliver cryptic messages post-Qualifying?’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/4-team-battle-for-the-win-really-2024-spanish-gp-p

What time does the 2024 F1 Spanish GP start?
The Spanish Grand Prix is back this weekend, but what time does the race start?
20 June 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

What time does the 2024 F1 Spanish GP start Sunday?
The F1 Spanish GP weekend takes place from Friday, June 21 to Sunday, June 23. On Saturday, the third free practice starts at 11:30 am BST, followed by the qualifying at 3:00 pm BST. The race begins on Sunday, June 23, at 2:00 pm BST.

The schedule is automatically adjusted to your time zone.
Timetable Spanish GP
Session Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 21 June 13:30 - 14:30
Free practice 2 Friday 21 June 17:00 - 18:00
Free practice 3 Saturday 22 June 12:30 - 13:30
Qualification Saturday 22 June 16:00 - 17:00
Race Sunday 23 June 15:00 - 17:00

‘Automatically adjusted to your time zone’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-time-does-the-2024-f1-spanish-gp-start

Fortitude

20th June 2024, 15:09

Five Spanish GP questions: Carlos Sainz’s future, Ferrari upgrades, Mercedes on the up?
19 Jun 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Will Red Bull be clear favourites again? Having overcome fierce competition to win in Canada, Red Bull are the favourites to once again take victory this weekend in Barcelona.

Can Mercedes confirm the step forward against Ferrari and McLaren? If McLaren was the big positive surprise at the Miami GP, it was Mercedes who impressed most in Canada. A positive upwards trend was on display with George Russell’s pole in Montreal and the Brackley squad had powerful race pace too.
Can Ferrari bounce back from Montreal meltdown? After a double retirement and a disappointing qualifying with both cars out of Q3, Ferrari gave the chance to turn the situation around with Carlos Sainz racing at home.

Will we learn more about Carlos Sainz’s potential move to Williams? The rumour mill has been in full flow of late and it looks increasingly likely that we may soon have an answer to the question of where Carlos Sainz’s future lies.
Can home favourite Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin recover the good sensations? After three races with a completely unknown Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard was once again at his best in Canada with a good qualifying and a good race for Aston Martin.

‘Five questions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/spanish-grand-prix-questions-carlos-sainz-future

Spanish Grand Prix - five storylines
Here AFP Sport assesses five storylines as F1 prepares for the battle of Barcelona:
20/06/2024
France 24

Max to shine in Spain again? What a difference a year makes. Max Versappen turned up in Barcelona 12 months ago with his third title already virtually wrapped up, the Red Bull invincible, the rest of the grid floundering in their wake. Twelve months on the pack has mercifully closed in…

Ferrari's Montreal blip: After Charles Leclerc's emotional first triumph in Monaco Ferrari fell back to earth with a bump in Montreal with two DNFs. Buoyant McLaren: Miami-winner Norris and Oscar Piastri have plenty to smile about. McLaren have beaten Ferrari in four of the past five races. Less than four seconds separated Norris and Verstappen on the line in Montreal, and less than a second in Emilia Romagna. That's catapulted the Briton into third, eight points adrift of Leclerc, in the title race.

'Dumb' Mercedes winging it: Pole for George Russell in Montreal, followed by third place in the race ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, a record-equalling six time winner in Catalonia, gave hope that Mercedes are back in business. Technical director James Allison put the uptick down to a new front wing. "The thing that has bedevilled us from the start of the year, we couldn't get the car good in both fast and slow corners. What has changed in the last two or three races is that we've modified the car to give crucial balance to the driver," he told F1 Nation podcast.

‘Spotlight’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240620-spanish-grand-prix-five-storylines

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix
20 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Vital statistics
• First Grand Prix – 1951 (Pedralbes)
• Track Length – 4.657km
• Lap record – 1m 16.330s, Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 2023
• Most pole positions – Michael Schumacher (7)
• Most wins – Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton (6)
• Trivia – Fernando Alonso’s most recent F1 win came at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2013
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 595 metres
• Overtakes completed in 2023 – 107
• Safety Car probability – 50%
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 25%
• Pit stop time loss – 22.3 seconds (includes 2.5s stop)

‘Facts, stats and trivia’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/need-to-know-the-most-important-facts-stats-and-trivia-ahead-of-the-2024-spanish.58buKLeSihWBm1qxQpOqRE

RB confirms major upgrade for Spanish GP
20 June 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

RB will introduce an aerodynamic upgrade for the Spanish Grand Prix, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as confirmed by technical director Jody Egginton. The team announced ahead of the weekend that it will bring updated bodywork, as well as developed floors and rear wings for both cars.

It has been a relatively strong start to the season for RB, with Yuki Tsunoda in fine form - his performances have solidified its grasp on sixth-place in the constructors' standings, having finished last season, its final as AlphaTauri, in eighth position. The team has already amassed more points just nine rounds into this year than it did throughout 2023 - 28 to 25. That is in spite of the fact the leading five teams have a stronger monopoly on the points-paying positions than last season.

RB has also closed the performance gap to that quintet - Aston Martin, in particular - and news of further upgrades can only be seen as a positive for the team. "A significant amount of work was put in by Faenza and Bicester to prepare and deliver an aerodynamic update consisting of a floor, bodywork and rear wing for both cars, to provide a measurable performance benefit," Egginton said. "As a result of having this update, the Friday sessions will be especially busy, in order to gather and process as much data as possible and get ready for Saturday onwards.”

‘Major upgrade’;

https://racingnews365.com/rb-takes-major-update-to-spain-gp

‘May as well retire’: Haas drivers told they ‘may as well retire’ before Spanish GP due to one key car issue
20 June 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Italian tyre makers, Pirelli, will be bringing three of its hardest 2024 dry tyre compounds to the race weekend, with them anticipating higher temperatures because the race will take place three weeks later than in 2023. This means thermal degradation could be an issue for teams to get on top of, with Haas singled out by former Le Mans class winner, Richard Bradley, on the On Track GP Podcast.

Haas drivers ‘may as well just retire’. Bradley anticipates the track will pose an issue for Haas given their long-standing tyre problems, which often leads to both Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen having impressive qualifying sessions then dropping out of the points in the race. “The problem with the circuit is that it’s very biased in the high speed, long right-handers, and the front left tyres because the surface is aggressive and just wears completely,” said Bradley.”

“So overtaking is impossible and you can never push the car because the front left dies, then you get graining in all conditions, and the car never feels good. I don’t want to say too much, but they [Haas] may as well just retire already because they’re not going to be scoring points.”

‘Haas... ...retire’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/haas-drivers-told-they-may-as-well-retire-before-spanish-gp-due-to-one-key-car-issue/

Mercedes wary about main F1 ‘weakness’ heading into Spanish GP
18 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says this weekend’s F1 Spanish Grand Prix will reveal how much progress the team have made in curing the W15’s main weakness. “Barcelona will provide a good test of our progress,” Mercedes team principal Wolff said. “This weekend will therefore provide another opportunity to evaluate our progress through our recent updates, and we hope to build on the positive momentum from Montreal.”

“We have continued to make incremental gains across the past few races,” Wolff added. “It was encouraging therefore to take another positive step forward in Canada. To see that translate into our strongest team result of the season so far is a reward for everyone's hard work.”

“The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a unique track, however. It has a narrow range of corner speeds and, with a newly re-laid surface, was something of an outlier compared to more traditional venues. We know our competitors will perform more strongly at upcoming races so we will need to continue to work hard to consistently get ourselves in the fight for podiums, and eventually race wins.”

‘Clear picture’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050815/1/mercedes-wary-about-main-f1-weakness-heading-spanish-gp

Mercedes say exactly what Lewis Hamilton won't want to hear ahead of Spanish GP
20 Jun 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Mercedes technical director James Allison said it is unlikely that his team will be "right at the front" at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix. He said: "The changes we have made are making this car a better car and that will be true at every circuit we go to. The characteristics of Montreal make it look a little quicker than we have a natural right to command at the coming races.”

"In Barcelona, I think it more likely that we will be competitive, but not right at the front. Because the next tracks are a little bit of a sterner test of a car. Hot asphalt, wider cornering speeds." Allison went on to add though: "However, I also know what we have got coming. I also know what we are planning to further improve the car. Our challenge is just to keep those upgrades arriving at a pace that the others cannot keep up with.”

"In doing that, just bullying our car to the front by virtue of the effort made by everybody here over the coming weeks and months to get the car so that it can have its Montreal weekend or better at any track that we face in the future."

‘Not at the front’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mercedes-spanish-gp-hamilton-car-33069546

Fortitude

21st June 2024, 01:14

F1 - 2024 Spanish Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
DRIVERS – Daniel RICCIARDO (RB), Carlos SAINZ (Ferrari), Fernando ALONSO (Aston Martin), Kevin MAGNUSSEN (Haas), Valtteri BOTTAS (Kick Sauber).
20.06.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Fernando, this is your 21st Spanish Grand Prix. Explain to us what makes Barcelona different for you? Fernando ALONSO: We had a lot of tests here in the past. Now, we do them in Bahrain, but in the past Barcelona used to be all the winter tests in this place. We have millions of laps in Barcelona, also in the junior categories. Obviously a lot of things happened here in Barcelona as well. It's one of those races that we know all very well. For us, for Carlos, for myself, a lot more support in the grandstands. Family coming, friends are coming. So yeah, a little bit extra motivation this weekend.

Q: Carlos, can we come to you now? Do you second everything Fernando's just said about racing at home? Carlos SAINZ: Yeah, definitely. I think it's always been incredible, but maybe it's true the last few years, I think since I've been with Ferrari and Fernando has been back with Aston, and having that chance of podiums, I think the last few years, the attendance and the excitement of the whole country towards Formula 1 has increased again. I don't know if it’s to the levels of 2005, 2010 when he was fighting for the championship, but to a level that is really nice to see and gives us a lot of support and a really good mood to come into the track.

Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports UK) Another question for Fernando. We're reading reports, Fernando, that Adrian Newey has visited the Aston Martin factory and had some talks with the team. Will you speak to him at all? Have you spoken to him? Do you plan to? Is there a role for you in persuading him to come to the team? And if you were, what would you say to him to sell Aston Martin to him? FA: There are many questions on that. Yeah, I read the rumours, I read the news. But it's coming from the same source and the same websites of one week ago [saying] he was in Ferrari and it was the announcement at 12 o'clock before Canada race. So yeah, rumours are rumours.

‘Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-spanish-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript

Six things we've already learned from F1's Spanish Grand Prix
Jun 20, 2024
The Race

Sainz's decision urgency has increased: Carlos Sainz saying he's close to making up his mind about his post-Ferrari future has become a common theme of F1 Thursdays in 2024. But it appeared to step up a notch at Barcelona with the admission that the dilemma has become a drain.
Perez thinks this will be a reset: Perez arrives to the 2024 edition badly needing an uptick in form after a serious dip that has coincided with Red Bull generally having a more difficult time getting its car to work well.

Sargeant has parity at last: Williams’s much-publicised struggles mean that it’s been a long time since Logan Sargeant has had the same equipment as team-mate Alex Albon. He’d originally expected to regain parity last time out in Canada, but finally has the lighter floor first run by Albon at Imola on his car.
Why Russell's making more mistakes: George Russell understandably came under plenty of scrutiny after a messy Canadian GP weekend that featured some of the highest highs and lowest lows of his Mercedes stint thus far.

Alpine's trying to turn the page: There was a clear attempt to shut all that noise down immediately as the paddock reconvened in Barcelona, with Ocon telling gathered media (including The Race) “I am not going to comment on any of that” as reporters attempted to discuss the fallout from Canada with him.
Sauber has granted Zhou's wish: At the request of Zhou, a switch of chassis and other parts. “More than the speed, it’s the confidence when pushing the car,” said Zhou when asked what’s gone wrong recently. “We did something different from Imola onwards and, from my side, I’ve really been struggling.”

‘Six’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/six-things-learned-f1-spanish-grand-prix-2024/

2024 Spanish Grand Prix: What the Teams are Saying ahead of the Weekend
June 20, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Max Verstappen — Oracle Red Bull Racing — Driver “We are back to the European races for a while now and I have been with the Team at the factory this week preparing for the Spanish Grand Prix, being the first race of a busy triple header.”
Sergio Pérez — Oracle Red Bull Racing — Driver ““Coming into Spain I know I need a successful weekend, after a disaster in Canada. Sometimes you are forced to reset a little and we have done that since the last race. I have been in Milton Keynes working with the Team to try and identify where and what we can do better to ensure I am getting the most out of this car.”

Fred Vasseur — Scuderia Ferrari — Team principal ““The Spanish Grand Prix should see us return to being competitive, with the same level of performance we have demonstrated throughout the season prior to the Canadian Grand Prix.”
Lando Norris — McLaren F1 Team — Driver “It’s great to be back in Europe after a successful Canadian GP for us. We were close to another win, but I’m happy to get another podium and important points for the team. It’s a great place to be in, fighting for wins, and it makes me really excited for the rest of the season.”

Oscar Piastri — McLaren F1 Team — Driver “Canada was another strong weekend for the team and I was pleased to continue a productive run of results from Imola and Monaco. It’s a nice feeling to be consistently fighting at the front and being in the mix for the big prizes.”
Toto Wolff — Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team — Team principal and CEO ““We have continued to make incremental gains across the past few races. It was encouraging therefore to take another positive step forward in Canada. To see that translate into our strongest team result of the season so far is a reward for everyone’s hard work.”

‘Team talk’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/06/2024-spanish-grand-prix-what-the-teams-are-saying-ahead-of-the-weekend/

Vasseur expects Ferrari to return to pre-Montreal performance level
21 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Following an utterly difficult race in Montreal, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur expects his team to regain its competitive level at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix. Ferrari endured a tough weekend in Montreal two weeks, failing to score a single point in the wet 70-lap race after having struggled for outright pace in qualifying.

WIth the field returning to Europe for the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari is keen to put its poor performance in Montreal behind it and return to fighting for victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit.

"This is Carlos’ home race and I’m sure all that extra support from the fans will be an added boost for him. It’s going to be an interesting weekend and we are counting on scoring plenty of points," concluded Vasseur.

‘Fred Vasseur expects…’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/06/2024-spanish-grand-prix-what-the-teams-are-saying-ahead-of-the-weekend/

Charles Leclerc warns Red Bull’s “beginning of the season” form will return in Spain
Charles Leclerc is adamant Red Bull will be "back" at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.
20 Jun 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Charles Leclerc expects Red Bull to return to their impressive early-season F1 form at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. Giving his view on Red Bull, Leclerc told media including Crash.net in Barcelona: “Me personally and I am not speaking on behalf of the team but my personal opinion is that we will see a stronger Red Bull and a Red Bull that we have seen at the beginning of the season back here in Barcelona.”

“Just because the track layout normally Red Bull is very fast around here. I do also believe that the last four races from Miami to the last race in Canada was a lot about kerb riding - and it’s probably not the one strengths of the Red Bull. I believe we will see them back to a true, really good level this weekend. However, we still have some new parts in the car for this weekend.”

“If that helps us to be very close here it’s a good sign for the rest because normally Barcelona is quite representative for the rest of the season. It’s going to be an interesting weekend so if we’re in the fight here it’s a good sign for the rest of the season.”

“Beginning of the season”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050852/1/charles-leclerc-warns-red-bulls-beginning-season-form-will-return-spain

Max in Barcelona: 'Aiming for a weekend without mistakes'
20 June 2024
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

Looking ahead to tenth race of the season, the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver said: “The last couple of races were trickier for us, but every track is different. In Barcelona it’s more about aero and high-speed corners. This track should suit our car, because it isn’t as bumpy and you don’t need to use the kerbstones. It’s a more straightforward track, but everyone has a lot of data because we’ve been here so often.”

After nine races, the reigning world champion leads the standings by 56 points. Compared to the previous season, the points advantage is less dominant. “The last races, the teams have been closer together and I expect the same here in qualifying. Small details can make a big difference so it’s important to have a weekend without mistakes. That’s what we always aim for. I’m looking forward to it; it’s a great circuit.”

‘Small details/big difference’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5501/

Fortitude

21st June 2024, 13:48

Norris heads Verstappen in opening Spanish GP practice.
McLaren’s Lando Norris set the fastest time during the opening practice session for Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix.
21 June 2024
Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Norris used Soft tyres to post a time of 1:14.228 to inch just 0.024s ahead of World Champion Max Verstappen, who also used the red-banded compound for his best lap. Verstappen, who claimed his maiden victory at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2016, leads the championship by 56 points.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz started his home race weekend on a strong footing by classifying in third position, three-tenths down on Norris, but with his lap time achieved on the Medium tyres. Fourth-placed George Russell also used the yellow-banded rubber for his timed lap, ahead of Soft-shod Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was seventh, while Esteban Ocon provided some encouragement for Alpine by taking eighth spot. Fernando Alonso was ninth for Aston Martin and caused the only incident of note during the session after running wide at the high-speed Turn 9.

‘Norris heads Verstappen’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/21/norris-heads-verstappen-in-opening-spanish-gp-practice/

Spanish GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
21 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 26 1:14.228

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 25 1:14.252 0.024

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 29 1:14.572 0.344

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 29 1:14.614 0.386

5 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 26 1:14.692 0.464

6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 28 1:14.867 0.639

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 27 1:14.911 0.683

8 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 29 1:15.086 0.858

9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 25 1:15.222 0.994

10 23 Alex Albon Williams 24 1:15.417 1.189

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/spanish-gp-free-practice-1-results/

Lando Norris pips Max Verstappen to top red-flagged opening Spanish GP practice
Lando Norris edges out Max Verstappen to the fastest time in first practice at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix.
21 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lando Norris set the early pace by heading Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in opening practice at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix. The McLaren driver topped the FP1 timesheet with a best lap of 1m14.228 seconds as he edged out reigning world champion Verstappen by a minuscule 0.024s.

Carlos Sainz - one of two home heroes for the Spanish crowd to cheer on - wound up third-fastest for Ferrari, 0.344s off Norris’ FP1 benchmark, though his time was set on the medium compound. Having set the pace early on in the first hour-long practice session, George Russell ended up fourth and nearly four-tenths adrift in his Mercedes.

Sergio Perez was fifth in the other Red Bull, ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton, who ran wide at Turn 10 and ended up a few tenths adrift of his Mercedes teammate Russell. Esteban Ocon, Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon completed the rest of the top-10 order for Alpine, Aston Martin and Williams respectively.

‘Lando Norris set the early pace’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050901/1/lando-norris-pips-max-verstappen-top-red-flagged-opening-spanish-gp-practice

Spanish GP: Lando Norris tops FP1 as Charles Leclerc laments ‘horrendous’ Ferrari
21 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

McLaren and Lando Norris made the perfect start to the Spanish Grand Prix by setting the pace in the opening practice session. Max Verstappen brought the fight with 0.024s splitting the pair on the soft tyres, while the old-spec Ferrari was not giving Charles Leclerc much joy.

Heading into the final 15 minutes and Leclerc found Lance Stroll in the middle of the corner, apparently “as always”, before reporting a clutch issue as he returned to the Ferrari garage. Russell meanwhile got a “good question” response after asking Mercedes why he and Lewis Hamilton were sent back out onto the track at the same time.

For Pierre Gasly it was back to the pit lane, as he branded his Alpine A524 undriveable, while Verstappen’s clutch was “anti-stalling”, though he was in the clear to drive on. Race simulations on the softs brought FP1 to a close as Norris topped the session from Verstappen by 0.024s, Sainz completing the top three.

‘Horrendous Ferrari/clutch issue’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/spanish-grand-prix-2024-fp1-report

2024 Spanish GP FP1: Debris from Alonso’s car triggers red flag in first practice
21 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The first practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix was halted with about 20 minutes left on the clock after a part from Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin flew off the car and was left on the circuit.

‘Debris’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-spanish-gp-fp1-debris-from-alonsos-car-triggers-red-flag-in-first-practice.1802472996932147181

Red Bull and Ferrari debut major F1 upgrades at Spanish GP
Jun 21, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

The Spanish Grand Prix isn't quite the development frenzy it used to be, given it's no longer Formula 1's first European race of the year. But two of F1 2024's frontrunners have still brought significant packages to Barcelona, as Mark Hughes explains...

Red Bull: Red Bull has further revised the geometry of its radiator inlets to induce a higher pressure of air being fed there, to minimise the area of aerodynamically damaging outlet louvres. This has brought with it a change to the engine cover side panels and even to the floor to match the new bodywork.

Ferrari: Ferrari has introduced a new high downforce rear wing and beam wing offering what it claims is a wider range of effectiveness in the transient state, when the car is in yaw. The sidepod undercut and the coke bottle cut-away at the rear have both been enhanced with the aim of increasing downforce at the rear of the car and the floor fences at the tunnel inlet have been suitably re-aligned to fully exploit this.

‘Aston Martin, RB, Sauber, Haas upgrades’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-ferrari-debut-major-f1-upgrades-spanish-gp/

Ferrari explain the seven upgrades ‘fast-tracked’ to F1 Spanish GP.
Ferrari senior performance engineer details updates in Barcelona
21 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Ferrari’s extensive upgrade package at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix is tailored to bringing more performance as the team looks to bounce back from its woeful weekend in Canada. In a bid to bounce back, Ferrari have got their latest upgrade - comprising seven elements including a revised floor, engine cover, diffuser and halo - ready in time to debut at the start of F1’s triple header in Spain.

Ferrari’s senior performance engineer told media including Crash.net in Barcelona that the package is “similar” to their Imola upgrade both in terms of size and expected performance gains. “When we quantify an upgrade, we’re only talking performance, that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day,” Clear said. “We could talk some interesting numbers that the aero department produce, but how much lap time it produces is always our measure.”

Asked if it represents a more incremental upgrade, compared to the visually-striking updates introduced at Imola, Clear replied: “Yes, I think so. Again, we’ve spoken in the past about how subtle some of the effects on air are, certainly at the back of the car. And this was in parallel with Imola, so this isn’t a reaction to Imola if you see what I mean, this isn’t the upgrade from Imola and then we look at what it did.”

‘Seven upgrades fast-tracked’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050895/1/ferrari-explain-seven-upgrades-fast-tracked-f1-spanish-gp

Fortitude

21st June 2024, 18:00

Spanish GP: Lewis Hamilton tops tight FP2 in Barcelona as multi-team fight emerges.
Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris both lapped within half a tenth of the Mercedes driver in second practice, as Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was two tenths further back in fourth place.
21 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

The drivers looked for as much time on track as possible in FP2, with most of the teams bringing plenty of upgrades with them to Barcelona, as is traditional, given the circuit’s status as a true all-round test of the cars.

After the green light, the mediums were the tyre of choice early on as McLaren and Mercedes showed up as early pace-setters, with George Russell’s 1:14.089 a tenth quicker than Lando Norris in the early stages.

The front-runners’ team-mates were not quite in such close proximity however, with Sergio Perez half a second down on Verstappen’s time, Russell 0.458s behind Hamilton, Oscar Piastri three tenths off Norris and Charles Leclerc a similar gap behind Sainz.

‘Lewis Hamilton tops tight FP2’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/spanish-grand-prix-2024-fp2-report

Spanish GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
22 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 27 1:13.264

2 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 29 1:13.286 0.022

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 30 1:13.319 0.055

4 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 27 1:13.443 0.179

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 28 1:13.504 0.240

6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21 1:13.597 0.333

7 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 27 1:13.622 0.358

8 63 George Russell Mercedes 27 1:13.722 0.458

9 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 29 1:13.766 0.502

10 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 29 1:13.924 0.660

‘Free Practice 2’;

https://speedcafe.com/spanish-gp-free-practice-2-results/

Spanish GP: Hamilton quickest in quiet second practice
22 June 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton was quickest in second practice for the Spanish Grand Prix, with a time of 1:13.264s putting him two hundredths of a second ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz on Friday. Having set the pace in FP1, Lando Norris was third fastest in the late afternoon sunshine ahead of Alpine's Pierre Gasly, while Max Verstappen was only fifth having complained of the Red Bull being 'loose' during the hour.

Verstappen's run looked promising but in the end he lost time in the middle sector and it was only enough for P3 behind Sainz and Norris. Hamilton then went ahead of Sainz by 0.022s. By contrast Russell's flying lap was messy and only good enough for P6, and immediately pipped by Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren who went a tenth quicker.

There was still a little more time to come with Gasly edging ahead of Verstappen for fourth. Running out of sequence after a lengthy delay in the Red Bull garage, Sergio Perez made a late run on the softs but could only improve to P13, eight tenths off Hamilton's top time. Ferrari had also been working on Leclerc's car, and he subsequently improved to sixth to go ahead of Piastri and Russell.

‘Hamilton quickest’;

https://f1i.com/news/511303-spanish-gp-hamilton-quickest-in-quiet-second-practice.html

Lewis Hamilton tops tight second Spanish GP practice ahead of Carlos Sainz
Lewis Hamilton shows off the pace of his Mercedes to end Friday practice in Barcelona fastest.
21 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton edged out Carlos Sainz to set the pace in an incredibly tight second practice at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix with a 1m13.264 seconds. It was enough to put Hamilton top of the timesheet by just 0.022s from Ferrari’s Sainz, while FP1 pacesetter Lando Norris was only 0.055s adrift as he took third in his McLaren.

Pierre Gasly was a surprise fourth for Alpine, 0.179s behind Hamilton’s FP2 benchmark. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen was fifth-fastest, 0.240s off the pace, as he complained about the handling and balance of his RB20.

‘Incredibly tight second practice’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050931/1/lewis-hamilton-tops-tight-second-spanish-gp-practice-ahead-carlos-sainz

Hamilton edges Sainz to top spot in FP2 at F1 Spanish GP
22 June 2024
Motorsport Week
Motorsport Week

Sainz propelled his Ferrari right to the top on home soil during the opening runs on the Soft tyre, with team-mate Charles Leclerc three-tenths adrift in the sister SF-24. However, Hamilton clocked a lap moments later that went 0.033s quicker than Sainz to displace the Spaniard and that transpired to end up as the fastest overall time.

Sainz remained the lead Ferrari in second as Leclerc dropped to sixth, while Lando Norris backed up his table-topping time in FP1 to be third, 0.055s behind Hamilton. Behind the McLaren came Pierre Gasly in a surprise fourth for the ever-improving Alpine squad, with team-mate Esteban Ocon also inside the top 10 in ninth position.

Max Verstappen cooled expectations going into the weekend that Red Bull will dominate in Barcelona and he ended FP2 in fifth, 0.240s down on the benchmark time. Oscar Piastri was matching McLaren team-mate Norris until the final sector and he wound up seventh, with George Russell situated 0.458s behind Hamilton in eighth.

‘Hamilton edges Sainz’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/21/hamilton-edges-sainz-to-top-spot-in-fp2-at-f1-spanish-gp/

Max Verstappen explains “loose” Red Bull radio complaints in Spanish GP practice
Max Verstappen reflects on his running on Friday at the Spanish Grand Prix.
21 Jun 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen didn’t seem too concerned about his Red Bull F1 car feeling “loose” in Friday practice for the Spanish Grand Prix, explaining that they were simply trying out various car setups. Verstappen was heard complaining over team radio on at least two occasions about his car being loose.

The first radio message, he said: “The car is loose in the exits in general, still just weird understeer mid corner, this car doesn't bite…” Soon after, he added: “Car is still loose.. I need the other wing.” It soon transpired that Red Bull were trialling different rear wing configurations until FP2. The Dutchman ended up fifth in the order, over 0.2s down on Lewis Hamilton’s top time.

Interestingly, Verstappen was quickest in the first and final sector, but lost out in the middle part of the lap. Shedding light on his “loose” complaints, Verstappen said: “We just tried a few different setups out there in FP1, FP2. Just trying to fine tune it a little bit. At least I think the day itself was a bit more normal without any issues so that’s what we were hoping for.

“Car is still loose.. I need the other wing…”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050936/1/max-verstappen-explains-loose-red-bull-radio-complaints-spanish-gp-practice

Fortitude

21st June 2024, 18:39

Mercedes call in police over ‘Hamilton sabotage’ emails as Wolff attacks ‘cowards’.
“It’s not from a member of the team,” said Wolff. “When we are getting these kind of emails, and we’re getting tons of them, it is upsetting, particularly when somebody is talking about death and all these things.”
21st June 2024, 17:10
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has denied emails claiming Lewis Hamilton is being sabotaged were sent by a member of the team. He confirmed the police have been called over a series of emails sent to journalists and others in Formula 1 alleging Mercedes is deliberately undermining his efforts and even jeopardising his safety.

“So, on this particular one, I have instructed to go in full force. We have the police inquiring. We are researching the IP address. We are researching the phone, all of that, because online abuse in that way needs to stop. People can’t hide behind their phones or their computers and abuse teams or drivers in a way like this.”

Wolff attacked the suggestion Mercedes would try to sabotage the efforts of a driver they have won six world championships with. “I don’t know what some of the conspiracy theorists and lunatics think out there. Lewis was part of the team for 12 years. We have a friendship. We trust each other. We want to win this. We want to end this on a high. We want to celebrate the relationship.”

‘Wolff attacks cowards’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/21/mercedes-call-in-police-over-hamilton-sabotage-emails-as-wolff-attacks-cowards/

Mercedes engage police over malicious Lewis Hamilton email
Toto Wolff has revealed he’s instructed his team to engage the police to track down the author of a malicious email about Lewis Hamilton.
22 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Sent from a ‘burner' address on the Monday following the Canadian Grand Prix, the email, titled “A potential death warrant for Lewis”, claimed to be from a concerned member of Mercedes. “Some of us in the team are unhappy about the systematic sabotaging of Lewis, his car, his tyre strategy, his race strategy, his mental health and the unprofessional way Toto, lover boy George and others are mistreating him,” it claimed, in part.

It goes on to brand Wolff “vindictive”, that Hamilton is being excluded, and that aside from a group of supporters within the organisation, “others are on a dangerous course that could ultimately be life threatening to Lewis, other drivers even the public. A cold tyre strategy is a death warrant.” Curiously, it appeared to use an identical email distribution list as was used for the leaked Christian Horner evidence earlier this year, though the sender's email address was different.

‘Identical email distribution list’;

https://speedcafe.com/mercedes-engage-police-over-malicious-lewis-hamilton-email/

Mercedes report Lewis Hamilton ‘sabotage’ email to police and hit out at “lunatics”
Mercedes have called the police to investigate an anonymous email accusing the team of 'sabotage' and endangering Lewis Hamilton's life.
21 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has confirmed an anonymous email accusing the team of ‘sabotaging’ Lewis Hamilton has been reported to the police. Hamilton, who will leave Mercedes to join Ferrari next year, stressed ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix that he had not seen the email, but defended teammate George Russell, who has been subjected to online hate and abuse.

“I wasn’t actually aware that George was experiencing any negativity,” Hamilton said. “George has done nothing but his best every single weekend and delivering for the team, so he can’t be faulted at all.

“Of course there are always things that can be better within a team and that comes through conversations, through communication, and that’s what we’re consistently working on. But we’re all in the same boat, we’re all working hard together and we all want to finish on a high. We owe that to our long-term relationship.”

‘Hit out at “lunatics” ’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050908/1/mercedes-report-lewis-hamilton-sabotage-email-police-and-hit-out-lunatics

Furious Toto Wolff urges ‘mad people’ to ‘see a shrink’ as police investigate worrying Lewis Hamilton email
21 Jun 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Following a mass email being sent out regarding Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff has confirmed the police are now investigating the matter. The email, which was sent from an anonymous Gmail address that referred to Wolff and George Russell in juvenile terms, was sent to the same mailing list as the anonymous email leak regarding Christian Horner back in February.

The contents of this email, which was sent by someone claiming to be working with Mercedes, referred to unhappiness within the team about “systemic sabotage” of Lewis Hamilton, as well as some more serious allegations which PlanetF1.com has opted against reproducing.

While the police begin their investigations into the origin of the email sent regarding Mercedes, Red Bull opted to carry out an internal investigation to discover the source of the anonymous email pertaining to the Christian Horner allegations – an investigation which is still ongoing.

‘Toto Wolff urges ‘mad people’ to ‘see a shrink’ as police investigate’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-furious-lewis-hamilton-email-police-investigation-begins

Mercedes spark police investigation over Lewis Hamilton 'death warrant' email
Mercedes have contacted the police following a dramatic email that circulated in the paddock ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
Jun 21, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

An email circled around the paddock ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix accusing Mercedes of sabotage. Mercedes have contacted the police after an email circulated around the Spanish Grand Prix paddock accusing the team of 'sabotaging' star driver Lewis Hamilton as a punishment for his decision to leave for Ferrari in 2025.

The seven-time world champion has been out-qualified in eight of the nine races so far this season and fuelled speculation with cryptic comments about his form in Monaco. The anonymously sent email had the subject line "A potential death warrant for Lewis" and read:

"With the exception of Bono [Hamilton’s race engineer] and those of us who love Lewis, others are on a dangerous course that could ultimately be life-threatening to Lewis, other drivers, even the public.”

‘Mercedes spark police investigation’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1913949/Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-email

Mercedes go to police over anonymous email claiming Lewis Hamilton’s car was ‘sabotaged’
The email, said to be written by a Mercedes staff member, suggested Hamilton is being mistreated
Jun 21, 2024
Philip Duncan
The Independent

Mercedes have reported an anonymous email which claimed Lewis Hamilton’s car has been “sabotaged” to the police.

The letter, said to be written by a disgruntled Mercedes staff member, was sent to Formula One’s major players – including the Silver Arrows’ team principal Toto Wolff, F1 boss Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, as well as members of the media – in the wake of the Canadian Grand Prix earlier this month.

Speaking prior to this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, Hamilton, 39, said he had not seen the e-mail which was addressed to the same recipients used to leak messages pertaining to be exchanged between Christian Horner and his complainant on the eve of the season-opening race in Bahrain.

‘Addressed to the same recipients’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-mercedes-lewis-hamilton-toto-wolff-b2566661.html

Toto Wolff rejects Lewis Hamilton sabotage claims as Mercedes report email to police
Having reported anonymous allegations to authorities, team chief hits out at ‘lunatics’ who accused him of working against British driver
21 June 2024
Tom Cary, SENIOR SPORTS CORRESPONDENT, BARCELONA
The Telegraph

The email, which had the subject line “A potential death warrant for Lewis” and which claimed to be from a member of the Mercedes team, was sent on June 10 to the same extensive F1 media list as another anonymous email sent out earlier this season following the Christian Horner allegations. It did not initially reach many of its intended recipients, including this correspondent’s, as it was picked up by Spam folders. The Telegraph has now seen it.

Wolff found support from Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, who said no team would countenance sabotaging one of their own cars. “How you could imagine that the company with 1500 people working night and day, pushing like hell to bring upgrades each races, we could kill or damage one of the cars?”

McLaren’s Lando Norris also described the allegations as “the most stupid thing ever”. “Why would they want to take points away from their own driver?” he asked. “There are going to be things that Mercedes are working on that they are not going to be telling Lewis about. But that has always been the case [if a driver is leaving] and that is not the reason behind what is happening there. George is just doing a good job and people need to give George more credit.”

“The most stupid thing ever”;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/06/21/mercedes-police-email-sabotage-lewis-hamilton-f1/

Fortitude

22nd June 2024, 06:17

Hamilton stuns after ‘upsetting’ email as Verstappen faces major Barcelona challenge: Practice Wrap.
The British driver’s performance came just hours after Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed police were investigating an email from “a lunatic” claiming his team were sabotaging the car of Hamilton who will drive for Ferrari next season.
21:55 Fri, 21 Jun 2024
AFP from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Lewis Hamilton led a finely balanced second practice for Mercedes on Friday ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull only fifth. Hamilton’s lap of 1min 13.264s lifted him atop the timesheets on a sun-blessed day in Catalonia ahead of home hero Carlos Sainz, appearing at his last Spanish Grand Prix weekend as a Ferrari driver.

A visibly angry Wolff spoke out in the strongest terms possible over the “upsetting” email which he denied had come from a member of Mercedes’ 1500 workforce and which has been sent to Formula One’s major players including the FIA. “This was not from a member of the team, this email is upsetting, somebody talking about death,” he said. “These lunatics, all those mad people out there - take a shrink.”

‘Hamilton stuns after ‘upsetting’ email’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/hamilton-stuns-after-upsetting-email-as-verstappen-faces-major-barcelona-challenge-practice-wrap/news-story/76cfe664c1ea624c6b5883a75ea43fb2

Lewis Hamilton on top in Barcelona F1 practice after dramatic day at Mercedes
Jun 22, 2024
The Straits Times

Lewis Hamilton's practice performance came just hours after Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed police were investigating an email from “a lunatic” who had claimed the team was sabotaging Hamilton's car. The June 23 race is the first of a triple header as Formula One returns to Europe where three-time world champion Verstappen was generally expected to reassert his superiority after missing out on two of the past four races.

But on the evidence of the June 21 opening two practice sessions, Verstappen - who leads the championship by 56 points - has a real fight on his hands in a refreshing turn of events for impartial F1 fans. In third came the McLaren of Lando Norris, followed by the surprisingly quick Alpine of Pierre Gasly.

Verstappen could only muster fifth ahead of Charles Leclerc in the other Ferrari, who earlier this week had acted as Olympic torch bearer on his very own streets of Monaco where he had claimed his maiden home Grand Prix in May. After all the data-crunching from opening practice drivers emerged for the late afternoon session, with Verstappen straight away reporting his Red Bull’s “weird understeer”.

‘Dramatic day at Mercedes’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/lewis-hamilton-on-top-in-barcelona-practice-after-dramatic-day-at-mercedes

Toto Wolff denies claims Mercedes team is 'sabotaging' Lewis Hamilton over Ferrari move
F1 rocked as police probe Hamilton 'sabotage' claim.
June 22, 2024
Damien McCartney
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said police are investigating the source of an email sent to journalists and rival F1 teams alleging the team is "sabotaging" Lewis Hamilton's car. It's not known if the "team" is Mercedes itself, or Hamilton's supporters, who refer themselves as Team Lewis or Team LH.

Hamilton said he had not seen the email, but also dismissed the accusations. "There are always things that can be better within a team and that comes through conversations, through communication, and that's what we're consistently working on," he said. "But we're all in the same boat, we're all working hard together and we all want to finish on a high.”

'Sabotaging';

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motorsport/f1-news-2024-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-sabotage-allegation-toto-wolff-police-comments-spanish-grand-prix-20240622-p5jnur.html

‘What we’ve been chasing’ – George Russell hails Mercedes W15 breakthrough at Spanish GP
21 Jun 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

George Russell was beaming after the Mercedes W15’s impressive practice performance at the Spanish Grand Prix, claiming “this is what we’ve been chasing for a while.” The W15’s improved pace continued in practice in Barcelona, where Russell’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton set the pace in FP2.

Hamilton went on to report that the car was “feeling really great” on Friday, with the seven-time World Champion hoping to “hold on to the Red Bulls, Ferraris and McLarens” over the remainder of the weekend.

Hamilton’s comments were echoed by Russell – classified fourth and eighth in FP1 and FP2 respectively – who claimed Mercedes have now found what they’ve been looking for, having been restricted to just a single victory since the ground-effect rules were introduced in F1 2022.

‘What we’ve been chasing’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-mercedes-w15-breakthrough-spanish-gp

Lewis Hamilton's upbeat verdict after heading Spanish GP practice
Lewis Hamilton reflects on an impressive day for Mercedes at the Spanish Grand Prix.
21 Jun 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes are “definitely in a better place” after showing great speed once again in Friday F1 practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. While Hamilton isn’t focusing on the lap times, he’s adamant the Mercedes W15 is feeling better to drive.

“P1 was so so. I went in the direction with the car, we learned a lot in that session,” he said. “P2 definitely felt quite a bit better. We made some good changes. The car felt really great today. Very hot, the track. Very tough for the tyres especially on the long run.”

“It doesn’t feel like we’re too far off. I won’t take much notice of lap times, necessarily. The car is definitely in a better place. We’ve got work to do to improve it overnight to hold onto the Red Bulls, McLarens and Ferraris.”

‘Upbeat verdict’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1050937/1/lewis-hamiltons-upbeat-verdict-after-heading-spanish-gp-practice

Spanish GP data: Red Bull weak spot discovered as F1 2024 rivals gain ground
21 Jun 2024
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

Friday Free Practice day for the Spanish GP has confirmed that we will have a very close fight for the podium this weekend, a trend we have been seeing in recent races. However, the talk of the return of Red Bull’s superior dominance has fallen apart… at least for the time being.

Max Verstappen has complained of understeer and lack of grip on the rear of his car and the data shows that despite being fast in the first and third sector, in the second sector – the slowest and most twisty – Red Bull has major problems compared to its rivals.

‘Red Bull weak spot discovered’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/spanish-gp-data-red-bull-struggling-in-sector-2-as-multiple-rivals-gain-ground

Perez: Red Bull ‘lost track’ with FP2 changes at F1 Spanish GP
18:29 Fri, 21 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sergio Perez thinks that Red Bull “lost track somewhere” with the alterations made on his side of the garage during second practice at Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix. Having been within the top five positions in the opening practice session, Perez believes that the set-up tweaks made to his RB20 in FP2 were behind his sudden drop.

“I think it started the day well, but then into FP2 we did quite a bit of changes and I think we lost track somewhere, plenty of things to analyse,” Perez said. “We’ve done a lot of changes, we’ve explored the car quite a bit, so hopefully we are able to pick the right bits going into tomorrow.”

Asked how crucial qualifeing will be on a circuit where passing has not tended to be straightforward compared to other venues, Perez replied: “Super, super crucial. With the lack of overtaking around this place, it’s going to be very important to be able to qualify well, to be able to get into a good position on Sunday.”

“Super, super crucial”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/21/perez-red-bull-lost-track-with-fp2-changes-at-f1-spanish-gp/

Ferrari upgrades: What upgrades have Ferrari brought to Spanish GP?
21:14 Fri, 21 Jun 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Ferrari upgrades: What changes have been made? Ferrari’s upgrades are comprised of seven changes to their SF-24 car, with modifications to the rear wing, engine cover, floor fences, floor body, floor edge, diffuser and the Halo.

The new rear wing has been designed to bring higher downforce, with changes to the top and lower sections of the rear wing. This includes an introduction of more loaded top and lower rear wing flap profiles, which will extend the car polar to give the team a bigger chance of finding extra speed at high-velocity circuits like Barcelona.

Their changes to the bodywork surround an increased sidepod and engine cover undercut to improve the flow quality over the floor edge and to the back of the car, giving clear aerodynamic benefits. Their changes to the bodywork surround an increased sidepod and engine cover undercut to improve the flow quality over the floor edge and to the back of the car, giving clear aerodynamic benefits.

‘Seven changes to their SF-24 car’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-ferrari-upgrades-spanish-gp-2024/

Fortitude

22nd June 2024, 12:43

F1 Spanish GP: Sainz fastest from Norris in tight final practice.
Home hero Sainz eclipsed former team-mate Norris by a small margin in Formula 1 practice at Barcelona; top four all within a tenth of a second.
Jun 22, 2024
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Carlos Sainz closed out Formula 1 free practice at the Spanish Grand Prix with the best time in FP3, ahead of Lando Norris by 0.03 seconds. Sainz managed to beat Norris' soft-tyre benchmark in the final flurry of qualifying simulations, doing what the Mercedes duo and Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc could not.

A slow start to the session ensured that Lewis Hamilton had the circuit to himself in the opening five minutes, which he used to set the soft-tyre benchmark with a 1m14.178s - almost a second shy of his FP2 headliner. He brought this down to a 1m13.865s shortly after Max Verstappen had set a 1m14.237s on mediums, but had to cede the advantage when George Russell punched in a 1m13.431s time to go fastest.

The two Mercedes were split by the Ferrari drivers; Sainz went up to second, just a tenth shy of Russell's lap, and Leclerc was a mere three-hundredths away from his team-mate after missing the bulk of FP2. Norris then elbowed his way between Russell and the Ferraris on a lap on mediums, 0.001s clear of Sainz's previous lap. McLaren's preparation ahead of FP3 was almost derailed by a fire in its motorhome, but both drivers were able to take to the circuit with minimal loss in track time.

‘Home hero Sainz’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-spanish-gp-sainz-fastest-from-norris-in-tight-final-practice-/10626008/

Spanish GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
22 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 19 1:13.013

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:13.043 0.030

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 18 1:13.050 0.037

4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 24 1:13.087 0.074

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 20 1:13.164 0.151

6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 26 1:13.359 0.346

7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 19 1:13.723 0.710

8 23 Alex Albon Williams 14 1:13.753 0.740

9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 21 1:13.786 0.773

10 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 14 1:13.907 0.894

‘Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/spanish-gp-free-practice-3-results/

Sainz pips Norris and Leclerc to top spot in FP3 in F1 Spanish GP
Jun 22, 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz ended the third practice session at Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix with the quickest time on the board as he edged McLaren’s Lando Norris.

The Spaniard posted a 1:13.013s late in proceedings on the Soft compound to log a 0.030-second margin over Norris, who split the Ferraris with Charles Leclerc third. Leclerc was the quickest driver through the first two sectors, but the Monegasque driver was unable to sustain that as a wide moment saw him come up 0.037s short.

Max Verstappen showed an improved turn of pace from Red Bull in the final practice hour as he elevated his RB20 up into fourth, within a tenth of the benchmark lap. The two Mercedes drivers came in next, with George Russell turning the tables on team-mate Lewis Hamilton as the Silver Arrows continued to be located at the front. Sergio Perez managed an improvement as he wound up seventh…

‘Sainz pips Norris’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/22/sainz-pips-norris-and-leclerc-to-top-spot-in-fp3-in-f1-spanish-gp/

Bizarre Leclerc/Norris clash headlines Spanish GP final practice
Jun 22, 2024
by Josh Suttill
The Race

FP3 highlights
• Just 0.074s cover the top four
• Sainz on top ahead of Norris
• Two separate on-track clashes

Leclerc had Norris on his left at the entry to Turns 7/8 and Leclerc then moved over and made minor contact with the McLaren driver in a move that appeared to be an act of retaliation. Both drivers continued but Leclerc - visibly furious inside the cockpit - offered a single expletive to Ferrari over the team radio.

"He just drove into me, I think I've got damage," Norris told McLaren. The incident is being investigated and both Leclerc and Norris will see the stewards after the session. Bizarrely that wasn't the only on-track clash in third practice. Lance Stroll and Lewis Hamilton will also see the stewards after the session following a run-in at Turn 5.

‘Bizarre Leclerc/Norris clash headlines’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/bizarre-leclerc-norris-clash-spanish-gp-fp3-f1/

Charles Leclerc accused of 'road rage' on Lando Norris at Spanish GP as McLaren star fumes
Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris made contact in a contentious Spanish Grand Prix session.
Jun 22, 2024
Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

Charlec Leclerc went into Lando Norris at the Spanish GP. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was accused of "road rage" on Sky Sports F1 commentary after a late collision with Lando Norris in the third practice session ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.

‘Charles Leclerc was accused of "road rage" on Sky Sports F1 commentary’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1914138/Charles-Leclerc-Lando-Norris-Spanish-GP

Lewis Hamilton berated by Lance Stroll as Mercedes star under investigation at Spanish GP
Lance Stroll was furious with Lewis Hamilton during the final practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Jun 22, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton is facing an investigation from the stewards after he made contact with Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll during FP3 at the Canadian Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion was driving slowly on the outside line at Turn Five when the Aston Martin racer crept up on the inside. As Stroll drifted to the outside line, he bumped into Hamilton, who was still in the way.

Stroll couldn't contain his frustration, fuming: "This f***ing guy! He thinks he is alone on track!" Hamilton admitted his wrongdoing, chiming in: "I didn't see him. My bad." After noting the on-track clash, the FIA opted to upgrade their involvement into an investigation, meaning both Hamilton and Stroll will take a trip to see the stewards before qualifying gets underway.

‘Lance Stroll was furious’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1914135/Lewis-Hamilton-Lance-Stroll-Spanish-Grand-Prix

Lewis Hamilton sworn at by F1 rival amid threat of Spanish GP penalty
The incident happened towards the end of the final practice session in Barcelona on Saturday, as Lewis Hamilton got in the way of the charging Aston Martin of Lance Stroll
Jun 22, 2024
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton incurred the wrath of Lance Stroll who swore at the Mercedes star during final practice in Barcelona. Both drivers have been summoned to see the Formula 1 stewards after the incident which took place in practice on Saturday. Stroll was on a flying lap in his Aston Martin when he came across the slow-moving Mercedes on track which got in his way.

Hamilton turned into the corner close to the racing line and had to jolt to the right after spotting Stroll approaching. But the damage had been done and the Canadian had to squeeze the brakes and back out of the lap. "I didn't see him, my bad," said Hamilton over the radio.

Clearly, though, Stroll needed more than that to calm down as he appeared to purposely bump the Mercedes in retaliation before taking to the radio to vent his frustration. He shouted: "This f***ing guy thinks he's alone on the track!" The incident will be investigated ahead of qualifying by the stewards who will decide what an appropriate punishment will be.

‘The charging Aston Martin of Lance Stroll’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-stroll-spanish-gp-33085573

Fortitude

22nd June 2024, 16:25

Lando Norris stuns Verstappen to seal Spanish GP pole position.
The British driver pulled off a stunning lap at the death to deny the championship leader the front grid spot.
22 June 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

McLaren driver Lando Norris secured pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix 2024 after pipping Red Bull star Max Verstappen in qualifying for Sunday’s Formula 1 race. The Dutchman had the edge over Norris going into the top-10 shootout in Q3 after topping the timings in Q2 and surpassed his time with a 1:11.403, which was good enough to see off the challenge from Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz on the first run.

But on the second, Norris went purple in the second sector and edged out Verstappen by two hundredths of a second, making it four different polesitters in the last four races and Norris claimed pole at the Spanish GP, the second of his career. Lewis Hamilton starts P3 ahead of George Russell, as the two Mercedes beat Ferrari to the second row with Leclerc fifth and Sainz sixth ahead of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon in the Alpine.

Oscar Piastri went off into the gravel and didn’t set a time, but the McLaren star will be promoted to ninth ahead of Sergio Perez, who will have a three-place grid penalty from the Canadian GP applied to his qualifying position and starts from P11.

‘Norris stuns Verstappen’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lando-norris-spanish-gp-pole-max-verstappen-f1-2024/

Spanish GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
23 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff Penalties

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:12.386 1:11.872 1:11.383

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:12.306 1:11.653 1:11.403 0.020

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:12.143 1:11.792 1:11.701 0.318

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:12.456 1:11.812 1:11.703 0.320

5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:12.257 1:12.038 1:11.731 0.348

6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:12.403 1:11.874 1:11.736 0.353

7 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:12.651 1:12.079 1:11.857 0.474

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:12.477 1:12.054 1:12.061 0.678 -3

9 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:12.691 1:12.109 1:12.125 0.742

10 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:12.460 1:12.011

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

https://speedcafe.com/spanish-gp-qualifying-results/

Norris beats Verstappen to pole in thrilling Spanish GP qualifying session
22 June 2024

Formula One - Official Site

McLaren driver Lando Norris secured the second pole position of his Formula 1 career after coming out on top in an epic battle with Red Bull rival Max Verstappen during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix. Norris, who was last on pole at the Sochi Autodrom back in 2021, had trailed Verstappen after the opening Q3 runs, but produced a stunning final lap of 1m 11.383s to outpace the Dutchman by two hundredths of a second.

Mercedes converted their encouraging practice pace into a competitive qualifying display, with Lewis Hamilton managing to turn the tables on team mate George Russell as they took P3 and P4 on the grid for Sunday’s race. Charles Leclerc and home favourite Carlos Sainz had to settle for fifth and sixth in what was another tight session around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, while Pierre Gasly starred en route to seventh for Alpine.

Sergio Perez was eighth in his Red Bull, but will drop three places on the grid with his penalty from Canada, promoting the other Alpine of Esteban Ocon and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who had a scruffy Q3 and failed to log a time.

‘Norris beats Verstappen’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/norris-beats-verstappen-to-pole-in-thrilling-spanish-gp-qualifying-session.60VtCqegJb3U1Vxg4PXfke

Spanish Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
Find out what happened in qualifying for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
June 22, 2024
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds

Q3: Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, and Alpine all had both of their drivers reach Q3. These ten drivers made their way out onto the track for their final chance to grab pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix. Perez set a 1:13.061 on used tyres before Verstappen went fastest overall with a 1:11.673. Norris’ first flying lap was one tenth off of Verstappen, putting him in second place ahead of Hamilton.

Everyone but Piastri got a flying lap in before coming back to the pits with five minutes to go. Two minutes later, everyone was back out for their final lap. Piastri, still with no time set, was the first to make a final (and first) attempt at pole. Unfortunately for the young Australian, he went into the gravel in Sector 3, which compromised his lap time.

As almost everyone improved, Sainz took second place at his home race before getting displaced by his teammate Leclerc. Verstappen improved on his provisional pole time, but Norris was matching him. The British driver set the fastest overall time in Sector 2 before going on to set a time of 1:11.383, just 0.02s faster than Verstappen. Hamilton slotted into third place with his final lap, finishing ahead of George Russell and Leclerc.

‘What happened in qualifying’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/spanish-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-results/

Norris claims second F1 pole at Spanish GP with 'best-ever lap'
Jun 22, 2024
by Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Lando Norris defeated Max Verstappen in a thrilling Formula 1 pole fight at the Spanish Grand Prix, snatching first place on Sunday's grid away at the last second by 0.020s to claim his second-ever F1 pole. Verstappen looked to have a decisive edge over his rivals after comfortably topping Q2 and then leading in the initial stages of Q3 despite not even matching his Q2 time.

But while Verstappen then found an extra two tenths on his second run, Norris found four, denying the championship-leading Dutchman for his and McLaren's first grand prix pole since 2021. After qualifying he called it the best lap of his F1 career so far. Three tenths behind them, Lewis Hamilton overturned his recent trend of qualifying defeats versus Mercedes team-mate George Russell, albeit just by 0.002s - with Russell having run in his tow all through Q3 and having objected to Hamilton's prep lap strategy on their first run.

It was ultimately a disappointing showing for the Ferraris, with Charles Leclerc - escaping a penalty for his contact with Norris in third practice - 0.005s ahead of Carlos Sainz but just short of the Mercedes duo. It meant the Ferraris locked out row three, followed by the qualifying's surprise package - Pierre Gasly's Alpine.

'Best-ever lap';

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lando-norris-spanish-gp-pole-f1-qualifying-mclaren/

Spanish Grand Prix qualifying results: Lando Norris snatches pole as Hamilton ends hoodoo
Lando Norris pipped Max Verstappen to pole position in a thrilling qualifying session at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Jun 22, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lando Norris caused a major upset in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen to pole position by less than two-hundredths of a second. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top three. Just two tenths separated the top five drivers heading into the final runs of Q1 with Charles Leclerc leading the way from Verstappen and Norris. However, when the clock ticked down to zero, it was Lewis Hamilton on top.

In Q2, things looked bleak for Hamilton and Sergio Perez after the first runs, but both frontrunners were able to secure their places in the final round of qualifying. There was no such luck for Fernando Alonso though; The home hero finished just below the cut-off line. His Aston Martin team-mate, Lance Stroll, was also eliminated, while Nico Hulkenberg was unable to improve on his final run. Both Sauber drivers rounded out the bottom five in Q2, representing a slight improvement on a miserable start to the year.

As the first runs of Q3 rolled in, Verstappen stamped his authority on the session, but Norris, Hamilton and George Russell were all within two-tenths of his time. Of that trio, it was the McLaren star who took the fight to the reigning champion, snatching pole position in style.

‘Lando Norris pipped Max Verstappen’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1914194/Spanish-Grand-Prix-qualifying-results

Fortitude

23rd June 2024, 06:44

Norris says “balls out” pole lap was his best ever “by a long way”.
“It feels great. It was an amazing lap. Honestly, it was my best lap by a long way. I pretty much put the whole lap together. I got a nice slipstream. I think probably my best corner around the lap, every single part of it put together.”
22 June 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lando Norris said the lap which earned him pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix was one of the best of his career. The McLaren driver has taken pole three times before in F1 – once for a grand prix at Sochi in 2021, and twice for sprint races. But he said an extra effort was needed to wrest the top spot away from Max Verstappen with his final run in Q3 today.

“Poles always feel good, and it’s the second one in my career – I’ve had two sprint race poles, but I don’t regard that at all as a pole position so this is the second one of my career. It’s been a while since Sochi, all the way back then.”

“Balls out”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/22/norris-says-balls-out-pole-lap-was-his-best-ever-by-a-long-way/

The data that shows where Norris won pole position
Max Verstappen was denied Spanish Grand Prix pole position by two hundredths of a second.
22 June 2024
Pepijn van der Hulst & Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Red Bull and Verstappen managed to reduce the gap in qualifying, but that was not enough for pole position. When the laps of Verstappen and Norris are compared, you see that the Red Bull driver is slightly faster in the first sector, but loses almost one and a half tenths in the second sector. In the third sector, Verstappen took back a tenth, bringing the difference to two hundredths. Marko's statements were partly correct, because the onboard images and the data show that in addition to turn four, turn six is also a crucial corner.

Norris took about six hundredths there, partly due to a poorer exit from Verstappen. That was about the same as in turn four, whilst Verstappen also had to give up some time in turn five. So it is clear that Red Bull is still losing out in the long turns, and Norris could make the difference there. Verstappen braked later and entered the corner with more speed, yet Norris' exits were much better.

Verstappen came very close to pole position, especially due to a strong final corner. So little separated the Dutchman and Norris, will we also have such a great battle in the race?
VERSTAPPEN & NORRIS LAP TIMES IN Q3
S1 S2 S3 Lap Time
NOR 21.383 28.402 21.598 1:11.383
VER 21.369 28.541 21.493 1:11.403
Difference -0.014 +0.139 -0.105 +0.20

The data

https://racingnews365.com/the-data-that-shows-where-verstappen-lost-pole-position

Mark Hughes: How Red Bull opened the door to a Norris upset
Jun 22, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

It wasn’t the four-team battle for pole that looked feasible through Spanish Grand Prix's practice sessions. Lando Norris and Max Verstappen – in that order - stepped it up when it mattered to leave Mercedes and Ferrari over three tenths behind. So what was responsible for the change in pattern?

Lando Norris: "To commit and know when to take the risks… over the weekend I’d pushed the limits but maybe not on the very high speeds where the consequences are more. But after looking at the data I was losing almost two-tenths to Max in just those two corners. They were the corners where I was least comfortable and it was just about committing and hoping I came out the other side in one piece. That’s what I needed to do on that final lap and that’s exactly what I did… It was pretty much a perfect lap and probably the best I’ve ever done.”

Comparing his first Q3 run to that balls-out final one, the telemetry shows a confidence lift down to 92% throttle at Turn 9 first time around, but a zero-lift 100% commitment in the last run. It brings him out onto the back straight 1km/h faster. Into the final turn, on the first Q3 lap he dipped to 80% throttle part-way through (up from 70% in FP3) but on the final run that lift was to 91%. Still not the 100% of Verstappen, but the McLaren wasn’t running as much downforce as the Red Bull.

‘Opened the door’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lando-norris-mclaren-spanish-gp-upset-max-verstappen-red-bull-explained/

Max Verstappen offers brutal three-word verdict as Lando Norris snatches Spanish GP pole
Max Verstappen was far from delighted with his qualifying result at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Jun 22, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen has labelled Red Bull’s steps forward at the Spanish Grand Prix as ‘not good enough’ after losing pole position to Lando Norris on Saturday. The reigning world champion won last time out in Canada, but his team’s advantage over the chasing pack has been all but wiped out over the past handful of races. Historically, Red Bull have performed well in Barcelona, but after qualifying ended on Saturday it was clear that both McLaren and Mercedes were on par with or even faster than the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

This was summed up by Sergio Perez’s struggles as he languished to a P8 finish. Thanks to his own impressive performance, Verstappen was still able to secure his place on the front row for the race on Sunday, but with passing opportunities limited and murmurs of rain looking less likely to prove true, his chances of beating Norris are less than favourable. When Verstappen was asked if missing out on pole position serves as a wake-up call, he hit back: “I think we are pretty much very awake already with what’s happening.”

“We need to push on, we need to bring parts faster, better. We had a very dominant car last year. That is completely gone, naturally, and we just need to really try and make a step ahead again.” He then analysed the improvements made heading into the race in Barcelona. “I think it’s been okay, but not good enough clearly,” he added. “On this kind of track, I was hoping of course to be ahead.”

‘Brutal three-word verdict: “Not good enough” ’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1914232/Max-Verstappen-Lando-Norris-Spanish-Grand-Prix

Winners and losers from the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying
22 Jun 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Winners
Lando Norris/McLaren: What superlatives can be used to describe Lando Norris’ pole position in Barcelona? Try all of them!
Max Verstappen: Sure, Max may have been beaten by Norris as the duo both enjoyed last-minute tows to help boost their final flying laps, but the reigning World Champion displayed his usual ability to put in the big lap when it mattered right at the end of Q3.

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes: The W15 may not have been capable of the same highs George Russell managed to achieve with it in qualifying in Canada, but third and fourth – and clear of Ferrari – was a hugely solid result.
Alpine: On a weekend in which the team has made headlines for unusual reasons due to the rumours over their long-term power unit supply deal, as well as re-hiring the controversial Flavio Briatore, Alpine continued to show the improved pace that Montreal had indicated.

Losers
Authoritative stewarding: It’s been a season of strange stewarding decisions with some harsh decisions made (particularly towards Fernando Alonso, leading to his complaints over how he felt “nationality matters” when it comes to steward’s decisions).
RB: The team has shown up in Barcelona with a significant upgrade package, including a revised engine cover and sidepod, as well as a new rear wing and floor body. But, despite these steps, the performance hasn’t been there so far this weekend.
Aston Martin: With neither Alonso nor Stroll making it into Q3, the Spaniard admitted that the difficulties facing the team are proving quite similar to last.

‘Winners and losers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/winners-and-losers-from-the-spanish-grand-prix-qualifying

F1's shocking Leclerc/Stroll let-off is a dangerous example
Jun 22, 2024
by Josh Suttill
The Race

Charles Leclerc and Lance Stroll were deeply fortunate to have taken part in Spanish Grand Prix qualifying unpenalised after their antics in final practice. Leclerc was irked by Norris getting in his way at the end of FP3 at Turn 5 and then moved towards the McLaren driver, making minor contact in what appeared to be an act of retaliation just before Turn 7. Leclerc offered a single expletive to his engineer while Norris reported damage and said "he [Leclerc] just drove into me".

You can't use your car as a weapon to make your point. Even if it's at a comparatively low speed, it's reckless and dangerous to all those involved. It's exactly why the stewards came down so hard on Sebastian Vettel with a stop-and-go penalty for deliberately tapping Hamilton's Mercedes behind the safety car at the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - surely one of the most worthwhile precedents, even if that was in a race seven years ago.

You have to at least credit Stroll for admitting his intent, as with Leclerc it was quite clear what the purpose of the "erratic" move was. Bizarrely, the stewards prefixed saying Leclerc's move was erratic but not dangerous with "irrespective of any possible intent", which seems to indicate evidence of intent won't have changed the punishment. And that's wrong. After all, it's down to the stewards to deliver justice, never the driver and it's been thoroughly the wrong way around at the Spanish GP.

‘Dangerous example’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/leclerc-stroll-reprimand-spanish-gp-practice-penalty/

Fortitude

23rd June 2024, 15:51

Verstappen outfoxes Norris to win tense Spanish GP.
Max Verstappen won an strategic Spanish Grand Prix from Lando Norris despite a late charge from the McLaren driver.
24 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Norris enjoyed a late-race pace advantage over Verstappen out front but was unable to bridge the gap after losing time in the opening stint. That came courtesy of Mercedes' George Russell, though it was Lewis Hamilton who completed the podium.

Oscar Piastri was seventh to the line in the second McLaren while Daniel Ricciardo improved from 18th on the grid to 15th at the flag. Russell withstood a late push from Leclerc to maintain fourth from the Ferrari driver, whose team-mate Sainz was sixth.

Piastri saw the flag seventh ahead of Perez, Gasly, and Ocon rounded out the top 10. A late pass on Valtteri Bottas left Ricciardo 15th after 66 laps of racing, while Yuki Tsunoda was 19th after a three-stop strategy that came with a post-race time penalty for pit lane speeding.

‘Verstappen outfoxes Norris’;

https://speedcafe.com/verstappen-outfoxes-norris-to-win-tense-spanish-gp/

Spanish GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
24 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 66

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 2.219

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 17.79

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 22.32

5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 22.709

6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 31.028

7 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 33.76

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 59.524

9 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 62.025

10 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 71.889

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/spanish-gp-race-results/

Verstappen grabs Spanish Grand Prix win, Norris again closest challenger
23 Jun 2024
Steven De Groote
F1 Technical

A perfect plan of execution and a quick rectification of falling behind Russell at the start were key to Max Verstappen's victory at the Spanish Grand Prix. Lando Norris eventually came close but finished second ahead of Lewis Hamilton who confirmed the resurgence of Mercedes.

Lando Norris had previously gone on record to do everything possible to maintain the lead from pole and convert this pole position to a victory, and the start clearly showed so. Norris went right to cover Verstappen with the latter briefly in the grass as they continued side by side on the very right of the track towards Turn 1.

Trouble came from behind though as George Russell saw his opportunity and enjoyed the slipstream of the two ahead, swerved to the outside and had the ideal line into Turn 1 to take the lead. Hamilton was stuck in fourth, followed by Leclerc and Sainz.

‘Verstappen grabs Spanish Grand Prix win’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24840

Max Verstappen holds off Norris to win Spanish GP and increase F1 lead
Jun 23, 2024
joseph wilson
Yahoo! UK & Ireland

MONTMELÓ, Spain (AP) — Max Verstappen steered his Red Bull to victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday to increase his lead in the Formula 1 drivers championship. Verstappen started from second on the grid behind pole-sitter Lando Norris. But the three-time champion whipped past the McLaren driver by the first turn and then overtook George Russell on lap three of 66 and never looked back.

Norris tried to mount a late challenge but Verstappen upped the pace to cross first. Norris was second, followed by Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes in third. Verstappen said that his moves to get past Norris and Russell so early proved crucial so he could build an advantage and keep the hard-charging Norris at bay.

“I think what made the difference in the race was the beginning,” Verstappen said. “I took the lead and had my buffer. After that we had to drive a defensive race.”

“Had my buffer”;

https://sports.yahoo.com/max-verstappen-holds-off-norris-143855817.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMMgONU4JFU5dJPAKRIQ9QCCgsil _jVJHaKBDaUjvcEz9526VWum9wHJCX-IGI099EYJBCbz4fczLDlB4M9Qv5K8TeEoDaXwo1FazfnzEobAy hN7UBw34BKhRU841IbIl2iw4WlTySaFfXSiLycscAhTEF8ovKc PH5F3ss7NnJGu

Max Verstappen beats Lando Norris in pits to win strategic Spanish GP
The Red Bull star fought off a late challenge from Norris after a strategic battle fought in the pits
23 June 2024
Joe Krishnan
F1 Technical

Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Sunday, beating Lando Norris to earn his seventh Formula 1 victory in 2024. Norris had qualified on pole with only 0.02 between himself and Verstappen, and the fine margins in pace carried forward into the race as the pair were clearly quicker than the rest of the top 10.

As an intriguing pit-stop strategy battle unfolded between McLaren and Red Bull, it was Verstappen who had enough of a gap to be comfortable as he crossed the finish line to clinch his seventh race win of the season.

Lewis Hamilton passed George Russell to secure his first podium finish in 12 races to confirm Mercedes’ best team result in 2024. They were rarely troubled by the two Ferraris behind, with Charles Leclerc fifth and Carlos Sainz sixth on another disappointing weekend for the Scuderia.

‘Win strategic Spanish GP’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max-verstappen-win-spanish-gp-f1-2024-beats-norris/

Spanish Grand Prix: F1 Race Results
Could Lando Norris and McLaren convert pole position to victory in Barcelona?
June 23, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

With ten laps to go, the gap at the front stabilised at just over five seconds. Alex Albon had a strange moment, running wide into the gravel, his team not informing him of the cause. Leclerc’s pace on the soft tyre saw him close on Russell. With just three laps to go, Leclerc moved to within 1.6 seconds of the Mercedes.

Norris took almost a full second out of Max Verstappen with only a lap and a half left. The gap shrunk to just 2.5 seconds as the top two started their final tour. Ultimately., Verstappen held off the attempt, as did Russell, seeing off Leclerc.

Max Verstappen took a hard earned victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, Norris taking P2. Hamilton and Russell finished P3 and P4. Leclerc was P5, Sainz P6, Piastri P7, Perez took P8 from Gasly, with Ocon completing the top ten.

‘Hard earned victory’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/spanish-grand-prix-f1-race-results/

Fortitude

24th June 2024, 07:09

Christian Horner after victory in Spain: 'Max drove a brilliant race today'.
Max Verstappen has won the Spanish Grand Prix. The Dutchman finished two seconds ahead of Lando Norris, who was closing in during the final stages. Teammate Sergio Pérez finished eighth.
23 June 2024
Yvonne Huijs
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, team principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, said after the race: “Max drove a brilliant race today, and strategically we got it just right. The first lap was crucial with the start being one element of it, but Max also needed to overtake the Mercedes at the right moment and then quickly get the tyres under control which is very difficult under pressure. Checo was on a three stop strategy today and he executed a tricky race with good overtakes to secure points, so should take some confidence away from the weekend.”

“It was a very exciting race with hard, fair racing and small margins. McLaren are doing a great job, Ferrari aren’t far away and Mercedes have made progress as well, but we’re just keeping our nose ahead and it’s important that we keep pushing because there are still a lot more races to go.”

“Max drove a brilliant race today”;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5509/

F1 | GP Spain, the point by gian Carlo minardi “Verstappen is a jackhammer, even without the best car”
23 June 2024
The Point by Gian Carlo Minardi
Minardi F1 - The Official Site

Even without having the best car Max Verstappen won once again. The Dutchman confirmed that he is a jackhammer by covering the many laps with the same pace, outclassing his teammate who crossed the finish line almost a minute later.

rio Perez constantly ran six tenths of a second per lap slower, like in qualifying. Despite a different strategy, the results did not change. Certainly, the worth of this Red Bull is not that of Perez, but neither is it that of Verstappen who puts a lot of his own into it.

Currently, the ladder clear with Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari the fourth force of the world championship. McLaren paid for its inexperience because, even if they are a strong team they are not yet ready to win because they make mistakes. The team made some important gifts to its direct rivals, in both the pitstops and terms of the strategy. Despite this, Norris finished just 2”2 from the Dutchman.

‘Jackhammer’;

https://www.minardi.it/en/f1-gp-spain-the-point-by-gian-carlo-minardi-verstappen-is-a-jackhammer-even-without-the-best-car/

Verstappen praises Red Bull for finding the best strategy
24 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Expanding on his seventh victory of the season, the three-time world champion noted: “We executed everything really well today and I am really pleased to win here in Barcelona. I managed to get ahead in lap two, which ultimately made my race, and the Team did a great job as we were aggressive with the strategy and made all of the right calls.”

"After we overtook and led the race we had to take quite a defensive strategy and really push to the end. We lacked a bit of pace and McLaren were better on the tyres than us today, so that is something that we need to look at and aim to improve on. I needed to try and push a bit more as Lando was pushing full out behind to try to catch me.”

‘Finding the best strategy’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24848

Spanish GP Race Analysis - Why F1'S "Fastest Car" Couldn't Beat Verstappen
22:13 Sun, 23 Jun 2024
Motorsport.com

F1 returned to Barcelona for a strangely familiar tale in 2024 -but despite having "the fastest car" in Formula 1, why couldn't Lando Norris beat Max Verstappen in Barcelona? Jake Boxall-Legge and Filip Cleeren join Bryn Lucas to chat about the fight for first, break down the chasing pack, and discuss why it's too little too late for Barcelona to remain on the F1 calendar beyond 2026.

‘F1'S "Fastest Car" Couldn't Beat Verstappen’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/spanish-gp-race-analysis-why-f1s-fastest-car-couldnt-beat-verstappen/652274/

Christian Horner explains Red Bull strategy as Max Verstappen wins Spanish GP
Christian Horner hails the crucial moments in Max Verstappen's Barcelona win
23 Jun 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Christian Horner hailed Max Verstappen as “decisive” and said “he doesn’t mess about” as he won the F1 Spanish Grand Prix. Red Bull team principal Horner told Sky Sports: “Max drove a brilliant race today. Strategically we got it just right. We went for an optimum race time and it paid off. We knew the McLaren would come back with the overlap on the tyre at the end of the race. We had just enough in hand. It was so decisive, the first lap was crucial. The pass on George was even more important.”

Horner said about the crucial moment of Verstappen’s seventh win in 10 rounds this season: “The start was one element. The move he needed to put on George, quickly. Then get the tyres under control. I can’t express how difficult that is. One on hand you’re telling the driver to cruise and look after the tyres, but he obviously went for it. He got the pass done then executed a perfect race.”

“He did it the hard way. Around the outside. Close, hard, fair racing. We were relieved to see that get done.” Damon Hill said to Horner about Verstappen: “That’s why he gets the big money…” Horner said about his star driver: “He’s so decisive. He just doesn’t mess about. He comes about to traffic and he’s so decisive. That’s one of his key qualities. If he’s there, he will go for it. And the other drivers know that.”

‘Red Bull strategy’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051092/1/christian-horner-explains-red-bull-strategy-max-verstappen-wins-spanish-gp

Verstappen continues reign in Spain as Norris pays the price | F1 Update
23 June 2024
RacingNews365

RacingNews365's Ian Parkes and Nick Golding dissect a thrilling Spanish Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen used all his talent!

‘Dissection’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-continues-reign-in-spain-as-norris-pays-the-price-f1-update

Mark Hughes: How McLaren and Red Bull really compared in Spain
Jun 23, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

“Not could have won it,” said Lando Norris after finishing the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix a couple of seconds behind Max Verstappen. “Should have won it. The car was incredible today, for sure the quickest. It was decided by a poor start.”

The Red Bull remains supreme in the high-speed corners, and over a single lap on new tyres it may even have been potentially slightly faster, but the McLaren looks the more flexible machine, the one more likely to be a contender on every type of track. “I think we struggle a bit for optimum pace,” said Verstappen, “and we are lacking good tyre deg at the end of the stints. Late in the stints Lando could push a bit harder through certain corners. In my opinion,” said Norris, “they had a quicker car yesterday. But we had a quicker car today.”

What we were watching, as we’ve done so many times before, was a competition trading off tyre usage with track position. You could afford to eat into your tyre life a little if it made an overtake feasible. But it was a tiny window, one which Verstappen had exploited when it was briefly open.

‘Watching ‘trading off’ tyre life’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-spanish-grand-prix-analysis-mclaren-versus-red-bull/

Verstappen wary 'more performance' required as McLaren threaten
Max Verstappen has recognised that Red Bull must do more to remain on top.
24 June 2024
Nick Golding & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen has insisted that Red Bull needs to "find more performance"... "From my side, I can only, of course, speak about myself," Verstappen told select media including RacingNews365. "And I think we are, of course, struggling a little bit for that outright pace, it felt like.”

"Plus, I feel like we didn't have the best tyre life today compared to Lando. It just seemed like he could push a bit more in some corners. Of course, we were a bit upset at one point with the tyres as well, because he went a bit longer in the first stint. But yeah, we still optimise everything. I mean, I can't really say that we did something wrong in the race, but we just need to try and find more performance."

‘Optimise everything’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-wary-more-performance-required-as-mclaren-threaten

Perez already looking ahead to Austria after Spain struggles
23 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez started the Spanish Grand Prix in 11th, and though he was able to make it up to P8 at the chequered flag he’s already looking forward to the next race in Austria where he’s hoping for a cleaner weekend.

‘Looking ahead’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/perez-already-looking-ahead-to-austria-after-spain-struggles.1802665536706701719

Perez details Red Bull issues after 'nightmare race'
Sergio Perez endured a difficult race on Sunday, crossing the line in eighth place and matching his lowest classified result of the campaign.
23 June 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez has stated he endured a “nightmare race” in Spain after crossing the line in eighth place. Perez started the race from 11th after a three-place grid penalty from the previous round in Canada was applied. The Mexican driver struggled to make inroads throughout the grand prix, getting stuck in traffic during the first stint before adopting a three-stop strategy.

'Nightmare race';

https://racingnews365.com/perez-details-red-bull-issues-after-nightmare-race

Fortitude

24th June 2024, 07:49

Win eludes Norris in Spain, but McLaren now F1's big threat.
"I f---ed up the start," a downbeat Norris would tell McLaren immediately after finishing little more than two seconds behind Formula One world championship leader Max Verstappen. Norris' hard work from Saturday afternoon was undone in the 579-metre (633-yard) run down to Turn 1 at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Jun 23, 2024
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1
ESPN.com

Just 24 hours after what he described as the best lap of his career, pole sitter Lando Norris saw the Spanish Grand Prix slip through his fingers in the opening moments of the race.

"Not good enough, simply because we should have won today," he said. "I think we had the quickest car, but I just lost it at the start, and then I couldn't get past George for the first stint. I think we quite easily had the best car out there today, I just didn't do a good enough job off the line, and then that one thing cost me everything.”

"From Turn 2 onwards, 10 out of 10, I don't think I could have done much more and I think as a team, we did the perfect strategy. I was very happy with what we did, but yeah, the one part of the start, the 1 percent, wasn't good enough."

‘Slip through his fingers’;

https://www.espn.com/racing/story/_/id/40415248/win-eludes-norris-spain-mclaren-now-f1-big-threat

Norris rues poor start that 'ruined everything' in Spain
17:58 Sun, 23 Jun 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Norris felt that without that setback at the start of the race he would have been able to control the race and keep a lid on Verstappen to claim what would have been his second Grand Prix race win after Miami. “I got a bad start, simple as that," he lamented in the post-race parc ferme interview. "I just lost it in the beginning. I need to look back and review”

"“ don’t know what I did wrong, or if I was just slightly out. It was only a little bit to Max that I lost; it wasn’t like he was completely alongside, it’s more that George was suddenly outside and kind of had me over.”

“It wasn’t like it was a bad start, it was two metres," he corrected himself. “It wasn’t the best start but I didn’t think it was a bad start. Max just got there. I couldn’t cover him, and that was it.

‘Poor start that ruined everything';

https://f1i.com/news/511723-norris-rues-poor-start-that-ruined-everything-in-spain.html

McLaren explain additional factor that cost Spanish GP win
McLaren and Lando Norris came close to sealing another grand prix win but had to settle for second behind Max Verstappen.
23 June 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted being stuck behind George Russell after the start of the Spanish Grand Prix likely cost it a chance to win the race. Stella admitted McLaren was not surprised to see Norris lose track position on the opening lap.

“It's the second time that the gap in qualifying is under 20 milliseconds,” Stella told media including RacingNews365. “Everything is getting extremely tight, which means the details become very important because you have no margin in which you can compensate any little imprecision.”

“The main factor is that we couldn't defend the first position. In Barcelona, this is not necessarily a surprise because you have such a long run to corner one, the cars run high downforce. So as soon as you gain a bit of slipstream, it makes you so much faster than the car ahead, which meant that Lando was not in a condition to defend this pole position.”

‘Additional factor’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-explain-additional-factor-that-cost-spanish-gp-win

Lando Norris despondent after ‘bad start’ costs him victory in Spain
Sun, 23 Jun 2024
philip duncan, pa f1 correspondent, barcelona
Yahoo! Sport

Lando Norris said he “f***** up the start” to Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix – a race the McLaren driver claimed he should “easily have won”. Norris’ late surge at the Circuit de Catalunya was not enough to stop Max Verstappen claiming a seventh win of the season and extending his championship lead to 69 points.

Norris’ race engineer, Will Jarvis, congratulated his driver for finishing second and recording the fastest lap.
“It doesn’t matter,” replied a despondent Norris over the radio. “I should have won. I f***** up the start. Car was amazing. Deserved more.”

With his crash helmet now off, Norris’ mood had not improved. “Not could have (won),” he said. “Should have won. I got a bad start. Simple as that. The car was incredible. We were the quickest today and I lost it at the beginning. There are a lot of positives to take from this weekend, and one negative ruined everything. I know that and I need to work it out for next time. The race was not good enough, simply because I should have won.”

‘Lando Norris despondent’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/lando-norris-despondent-bad-start-174703365.html

McLaren quickest, but Max Verstappen always wins! 2024 Spanish GP Review
‎Jun‎ ‎23‎, ‎2024‎ ‎8‎:‎48‎ ‎PM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

Why did Lando Norris claim that he should have won the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix? In fact, why did Norris run a different race strategy vs. Max Verstappen, and why was he not too concerned about the Mercedes drivers?

Why did George Russell's race attack wear off mid-race? And of course, how did Max Verstappen end up winning a race despite the McLaren being the quicker car yet again? Why has Ferrari lost ground for the second race in succession, and why was Carlos Sainz involved in Turn 1 incidents with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton?

Did Mercedes sabotage Russell's race (sarcasm alert!) by putting him on the hard in his final stint while Lewis Hamilton chose the soft? Why was Sergio Perez's 8th place finish lauded by Christian Horner.

‘2024 Spanish GP Review’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/mclaren-quickest-but-max-verstappen-always-wins-20

A quick Lando Norris is fantastic news for F1 fans
Jun‎ ‎23‎, ‎2024‎
David Tremayne
The Straits Times

Exciting though it undoubtedly was, when he beat Max Verstappen in the dying moments of an already gripping final qualifying session and put everyone on the edge of their seats, it seems that pole position for a grand prix is not quite the gift that one might expect it to be for Lando Norris.

The last time – the only previous time – he achieved that in a grand prix had been in Sochi back in 2021. On that occasion he lined his McLaren up ahead of Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari, George Russell’s Williams and Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes. But the outcome wasn’t so good; he led for 50 of the 53 laps before aquaplaning off on his slick tyres and finishing seventh after following everyone else into the pits for wet-weather rubber he’d resisted.

‘Fantastic news’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/a-quick-lando-norris-is-fantastic-news-for-f1-fans

Norris reveals call that prevented first-corner Spanish GP wipe-out
But for a moment of quick thinking from Lando Norris, the Spanish GP could have been very different.
24 June 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Lando Norris is in no doubt that he made the "correct decision" at the start of the Spanish Grand Prix that prevented the prospect of a first-corner wipe-out. From pole position, Norris made a clean getaway off the line, only for his McLaren to get bogged down with second-phase wheel spin that allowed Max Verstappen to reel in the Briton as they made their way down to Turn 1. From behind the duelling duo, however, and from fourth on the grid, George Russell managed to gain a slipstream from Verstappen and then Norris that allowed him to power around the outside of the sweeping opening right-hander.

Norris knows, though, it was only his quick thinking that prevented a disaster. "My initial launch, I think, was better than Max," said Norris, speaking to media, including RacingNews365. "The second phase, the drive out, was not as good. "If George wasn't there, I think I still could have kept first around Turn 1, but George had a run on both of us, so even if my start was one or two metres better, which I think was all I probably could have done, just the long run down to Turn 1, the slipstream from the Mercedes, on both Max and myself, was more than anything that I could have done.”

"I almost think George would have led no matter what, even if my start was two metres better. In some ways, that's what happens in Barcelona. George got a good start and I couldn't do anything about that. I settled in. I had to take third in Turn 2 because if I brake two metres later, I think I would have taken everyone out with me. I made the correct decision of backing out and letting George have it."

‘Prevented first-corner Spanish GP wipe-out’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-reveals-call-that-prevented-first-corner-spanish-gp-wipe-out

Fortitude

24th June 2024, 08:30

Hamilton ends F1 podium drought with third in Spain.
"This is the best weekend I’ve had all year, and for a long, long time, for like 15 races or something crazy," Hamilton told reporters.
23 Jun 2024
The Straits Times

Lewis Hamilton enjoyed a return to the Formula One podium with Mercedes on Sunday but said his best result of the season and the team's improvement did not make him regret his move to Ferrari next year.
"It’s good to be back, it’s good to have battles like today, it’s good to reassert and reaffirm." The Briton made a great overtake on Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, the Spaniard he will replace next year, and also overtook Russell.

Team boss Toto Wolff, accused earlier this month in an anonymous email of sabotaging Hamilton, said it was good to see the Briton having a great weekend. "It has been a while that he was on the receiving end and strategy had worked against him and today that was in his favour. So I'm happy that we have that podium for him."

Hamilton said he had no second thoughts about a move, announced before the start of the season, to a Ferrari with evident work to do. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were fifth and sixth after a double retirement in Canada. "My job next year will be to start with the other team, and they are doing a great job. They have had a difficult couple of races but let’s not forget they had a race win in Monaco," he added. "I don’t know what is wrong with their car and why they are in the position they are in. But it doesn’t make me second-guess (think twice about) my decision at all."

“The best weekend”;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/hamilton-ends-f1-podium-drought-with-third-in-spain

‘Back in the game’ – Toto Wolff sees Mercedes’ ‘several steps forward’ confirmed in Spain
23 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said “it feels good to be back in the game” after seeing the team’s pace “confirmed” at the Spanish Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton earned his first Grand Prix podium in 13 races in Barcelona and George Russell followed him home in fourth place, reversing the same result from last time out in Canada as Mercedes’ recent improvements have appeared to have been backed up.

“We can take a lot of positives away from today,” Wolff said after the race. “We have taken several steps forward in the previous few races and it is good to see these confirmed here in Spain. We are not quite there yet, and we have to more to do to catch those ahead. Nevertheless, we are on a positive development trajectory, and it feels good to be back in the game. It was also fantastic to pull off two of the best overtakes I’ve seen in a long time.”

“George made a mega start and braked late to take the lead. Lewis’s overtake on Sainz meanwhile was great racing and an important moment for his race. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to enjoy a Grand Prix podium with Lewis, so it was fantastic to see him up there. “We’re now looking forward to the next two races in the triple-header and building on the momentum we are establishing.”

“Back in the game”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-mercedes-steps-forward-confirmed-lewis-hamilton-podium

Hamilton secures best result of 2024 despite poor start
23 Jun 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

When the lights went out, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen tangled in the long run down to the first corner which allowed Russell to take the lead, but Hamilton wasn't able to follow him through. He was left in P4 and under heavy pressure from the two Ferrari cars of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. "Unfortunately like Lando I got a bad start.”

“Not quite sure what happened. I felt like I lost a bit of power in the second phase. It was a bit of a battle to get back to where I am now," he admitted. “After a bad start, to recover and get back into P3 is a really, really great job. I’m really happy, particularly my second and last stints were very, very strong," he continued.

"The first one, I was just recovering from such a bad start so that was a bit more tricky, but we’re getting there, we’re getting closer. Ultimately I think P3 was the maximum today," he said. "With a better start, I don't know if we could have held onto the guys ahead, but I don't think we would have been as far behind as we were."

“P3 was the maximum today”;

https://f1i.com/news/511743-hamilton-secures-best-result-of-2024-despite-poor-start.html

Hamilton: Mercedes F1 car is "at its max" right now and only likes one set-up
18:20 Sun, 23 Jun 2024
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes' "peaky" 2024 Formula 1 car is running at its "maximum" performance level without more upgrades and only responds to one set-up. "We're slowly getting closer," he added in the post-race press conference. "Last year, we were very fast here, so you have to take it with a pinch of salt, but obviously the last couple of races we've been relatively competitive.”

"So, I think we have closed the gap a little bit, but we still have a good couple of tenths to try and find. We just have to have all hands on deck and keep pushing." When asked if Mercedes was still fine-tuning the W15 package that has recently been updated with a new front wing concept and lighter floor, Hamilton replied: "No, I think that's the maximum it's got at the moment.”

Having discussed his inconsistent qualifying results to this point in 2024, Hamilton revealed that Mercedes' car apparently only responds to a single set in everything he has tried in adjustments since the start of the current rules era, as well as a weakness in tyre preparation. "Our pace is where we were, basically – third or fourth this weekend," he said.

"At its max";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hamilton-mercedes-f1-car-is-at-its-max-right-now-and-only-likes-one-set-up/10626710/

Hamilton hails ‘the best weekend I’ve had all year’ after Barcelona podium as he defends Sainz lunge
17:51 Sun, 23 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Lewis Hamilton has hailed his “best weekend” of 2024 after claiming P3 in the Spanish Grand Prix, behind winner Max Verstappen and the McLaren of Lando Norris. Hamilton had been forced to make some audacious passes en route to that P3, including on Russell and the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz – the Mercedes driver’s Turn 1 lunge on Lap 19 of 66 causing the Spaniard to complain over team radio, although the stewards were happy to let the incident pass without sanction.

Hamilton defended the move post-race, saying: “I think it was clean. Ultimately he didn’t cover the inside line, he left the door open, which I went for and a late move up alongside him. I think we were wheel to wheel, I think he was still on the track, so I left him space, as much as we could.

“They shortened the DRS, so it was not so easy to follow through the last corner, and I really had to pull this move off as early as possible… I left him a little bit of room, but it was nice and tight.”

“Best weekend”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hamilton-hails-the-best-weekend-ive-had-all-year-after-barcelona-podium-as.4P8BuS2D5w1xBEvOn6bblG

Hamilton not regretting future move to Ferrari after 1st podium of his final year with Mercedes
23 June 2024
By Associated Press
MailOnline

"Firstly, I love Mercedes. And my job this year is to work as hard as I can with the crew that I have and the people back (at) the factory to try and move in the right direction," Hamilton said. "My job will start next year with the other team, who I think are doing a great job. I can´t tell you what is wrong with that car and why they are the position they are in today. (...) But it doesn´t make me second-guess my decision at all."

Hamilton said that his goal is have the best possible final finish with Mercedes before joining Ferrari, where the 39-year-old will start a new phase of his outstanding career. "It would be nice (to win again with Mercedes)," he said. "I think, considering where we´ve come from, just having consistency and seeing if we can put the team further up in the points, I think that´s got to be the target."

“I love Mercedes”;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-13560727/Hamilton-not-regretting-future-Ferrari-1st-podium-final-year-Mercedes.html

Russell channeled Alonso's spirit with Turn 1 move in Spanish GP
23 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Speaking after Sunday’s event, Russell said that he had elaborated his plan of attack the previous night after recalling Alonso’s blistering start at the Circuit de Catalunya in 2011 when the Spaniard went from fourth to first after making minced meat of two Red Bulls and Lewis Hamilton at Turn 1.

“Yeah, I was kind of dreaming of it last night and what my plan of attack was,” he told the media. “I saw the weather forecast and the wind had shifted to a headwind in Turn 1, which I knew meant I could brake really late and deep into the corner. Yeah, when I was racing karts, I always remember watching Fernando here in 2012 [2011 actually], starting P4 and getting into the lead. So, I always knew it was possible.”

“I think just a few small things went against us today,” he said. “You know, the slow pit stop then put us on the back foot in the middle stint and under a bit of pressure. And then, you know, lost a lot of time fighting with Lando, pitting onto the hard tyre. That was pretty rubbish, but it protected the P3 and P4 as a team and that’s what we were kind of aiming for.”

‘Alonso's spirit with Turn 1 move’;

https://f1i.com/news/511768-russell-channeled-alonsos-spirit-with-turn-1-move-in-spanish-gp.html

Fortitude

25th June 2024, 07:09

Ferrari leave Barcelona frustrated despite latest upgrade package.
Team boss Fred Vasseur said that the key lesson from the Barcelona round was that the Scuderia needs to perform better in qualifying so that they do not need to take risks with the strategy.
03:47 Mon, 24 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

"We started five and six and ended five and six and the conclusion I draw from this is that we must do a better job in qualifying. We need to make a small step forward so that we don’t start behind, as this pushes you into taking risks with the strategy. Yesterday the gap to those in front was about two tenths, today it was similar and if you look at it over the race distance then that was still the same gap.”

"As for the contact between our drivers, it was very light and I don’t think it cost us anything. What cost us more is that after our stops, we came out behind some cars, it was very tight and we lost two or three seconds. With Carlos we wanted to cover Russell, which is why we had to go Medium-Hard as we pitted earlier.”

“With Charles the plan was to extend the stint to go a bit longer which is why we were able to try the Softs," concluded the Frenchman. "With such small gaps between the teams, everything can change: there are four teams in two to two and a half tenths so from track to track the pecking order can change. Next week we race in Austria where we will have another Sprint and I expect the track layout there will suit us better."

‘Frustrated’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24845

Vasseur: Ferrari must ‘stay calm’ as Spain F1 woes attributed to circuit characteristics
09:09 Mon, 24 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has urged the team to remain “calm” as he blamed its lacklustre speed in the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix on the track characteristics. “I don’t remember exactly the order of the races, but from Shanghai you have four teams in two or three-tenths,” the Frenchman said.

“And this is changing, the order is changing because over the last four weekends we had four different teams doing the pole position. And we didn’t change massively the car. It means that it’s more related to the track layout, to the compound, to the temperature that you are in the window of plus or minus one or two-tenths. And as the group is mega close, at the end it’s making the order in qualification.”

“And then on this kind of track that it’s quite difficult to overtake and you have almost the classification of the quali at the end of the race. I’m sure that if we are starting P3, P4, it’s the opposite in the classification at the end. And if we have to do a step, honestly, I think it’s much more on Saturday that we didn’t do the best than today.”

‘Urged the team to remain “calm” ’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/24/vasseur-ferrari-must-stay-calm-as-spain-f1-woes-attributed-to-circuit-characteristics/

Just thousandths in it
11:00 Mon, 24 Jun 2024
Ferrari - Official Site

Montmelò 22 June 2024
Fred Vasseur - Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari HP: “Overall, it was a decent session even if, but for a few thousandths of a second it could have been better. But that’s part of the game and we have to accept it. Looking forward to the race we have to put everything together and I’m confident it will be possible to have a solid comeback from the third row.”

“We decided to save one set of Soft tyres with both drivers for tomorrow and we’ll see if this will give us an advantage, especially on a track like this in which how you manage the tyres can make a big difference. We know it will be a very tight fight until the end of the season, with ups and downs and so our target must be to always score points. A plausible target for tomorrow? The podium.”

‘But that’s part of the game’;

https://www.ferrari.com/en-GB/formula1/articles/spanish-grand-prix-2024-qualifying-report

McLaren now has best package in F1, says Sainz
Despite Lando Norris being beaten to victory in Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix, rival Ferrari thinks McLaren is now the most impressive car.
Jun 24, 2024
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

McLaren now has the best package in Formula 1 and is not suffering fluctuations that even Red Bull is enduring, reckons Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. For Sainz, the fact that McLaren’s MCL38 does not appear to have any major weaknesses – something even Red Bull cannot boast about because of its kerb-riding problems – that puts the Woking squad at the top of his list of the best cars.

“I think honestly, the most consistent car right now is a McLaren,” explained Sainz, whose team missed out on a podium finish in Barcelona. “I think Red Bull are struggling in certain tracks. Same as us. McLaren is quick everywhere. They're quick in low-speed. They're flat in turn three and nine. They were fastest in turn five.”

“So I just don't see McLaren having any weakness right now. For me, Red Bull is still up there. But McLaren is quick everywhere, which is quite impressive.”

‘Sainz: McLaren has best package’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-now-has-best-package-in-f1-says-sainz/10626817/

Sainz: ‘There wasn’t a way to beat the Mercedes today’
23 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Carlos Sainz finished sixth in the Spanish Grand Prix, and said Ferrari simply didn’t have the pace to challenge the Mercedes pair ahead of them.

“There wasn’t a way”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-there-wasnt-a-way-to-beat-the-mercedes-today.1802665230810849464

Charles Leclerc takes aim at ‘spectacular’ Carlos Sainz for causing Ferrari damage
23 Jun 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Speaking to Sky F1, Charles Leclerc stated that Ferrari “discussed before the race that it was the part of the race where we had to both manage the tyres as much as possible. We know how much Turn 14 is important to do that, so I did.”

“But apparently Carlos wasn’t in that last corner and took that opportunity to overtake, which is a shame, because it put us on the back foot and damaged my front wing for the rest of the race.”

Though Leclerc admitted that the wing damage was minor, he also stated that “everything makes a difference” — especially considering the mere half-second gap separating fifth-place Leclerc from the Mercedes of George Russell in fourth place.

‘Takes aim’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-blames-carlos-sainz-damaged-wing-spanish-gp

Vasseur cools Leclerc’s complaint over Ferrari’s Spain F1 clash
19:24 Sun, 23 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Vasseur contended that there were multiple occasions in the race that could be highlighted as points where Leclerc lost the missing margin to fourth place. “You can find 10 examples of 10 circumstances in the race where we missed half a second or others that were after when Carlos let him go also later on,” he said.

“We missed a couple of tenths during two or three laps. Let us discuss and not to draw a conclusion after the first comment of the driver when he jumped out of the car.”

‘Vasseur cools Leclerc’s complaint’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/23/vasseur-cools-leclercs-complaint-over-ferraris-spain-f1-clash/

'Complains too much' - biggest Leclerc/Sainz dispute yet explained
Jun 23, 2024
by Josh Suttill
The Race

Charles Leclerc feels Carlos Sainz disobeyed a pre-race order at the Spanish Grand Prix, a suggestion that prompted his Ferrari Formula 1 team-mate Sainz to say "too many times he complains after the race about something".

Leclerc and Sainz maintained their fifth and sixth places at the start of the grand prix but Sainz soon set his sights on Leclerc and ended up harrying his SF-24 right around the outside of Leclerc's at Turn 1. Sainz inched ahead but was forced to take to the run-off and negotiate the mandatory rejoin bollards. That still earned him fifth place and a brief message from race control 'noting' the incident quickly turned to 'no further investigation'.

That prompted immediate ire from Leclerc over the team radio and his anger with Sainz had not cooled by the time he faced the media. 'We had a clear strategy at the beginning of the race, with the team, to both save tyres to attack later on," explained eventual fifth-place finisher Leclerc.

‘Biggest Leclerc/Sainz dispute’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/charles-leclerc-carlos-sainz-ferrari-f1-spanish-gp-biggest-disupte/

Ferrari F1 Chief Addresses Team Friction Concerns After Spanish GP Tension
Jun 23, 2024
Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

In response to the growing rumors of discord, Ferrari Team Boss Fred Vasseur swiftly addressed the media to clarify the situation. Vasseur downplayed the severity of the clash between his drivers and emphasized their strong relationship off the track. He commented, as quoted by GPBlog:

"Out of the car, they have a very good relationship and a good mutual trust. Now they are racers. For sure, you can have this kind of case. It's also because you had [little] between them and this competition all over the season. Sometimes what happened today is part of the game."

‘Friction Concerns’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/formula1/ferrari-f1-chief-addresses-team-friction-concerns-after-spanish-gp-tension-1916305?piano_t=1

Fortitude

25th June 2024, 08:00

Gasly hails ‘big step forward’ for Alpine after points in Spain.
Pierre Gasly called the Spanish Grand Prix “the best weekend so far this season” for Alpine after both cars qualified in the top 10 and brought home points as well, as he finished P9 ahead of team mate Esteban Ocon.
23 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Big step forward’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/gasly-hails-big-step-forward-for-alpine-after-points-in-spain.1802664882740244967

Ocon reflects on ‘very positive day’ despite car which was ‘abnormally difficult to drive’.
23 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Esteban Ocon was pleased and relieved to finished in the points in P10 for Alpine on a day when his car was not at all easy to race with in Barcelona.

‘Very positive day’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ocon-reflects-on-very-positive-day-despite-car-which-was-abnormally-difficult-to-drive.1802665129245787521

Flavio Briatore already spinning Alpine web with last-minute Carlos Sainz move
24 Jun 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Flavio Briatore has set tongues wagging after the Spanish Grand Prix, as he was spotted exchanging phone numbers with Carlos Sainz senior. On Sunday, Carlos Sainz senior – the Ferrari driver’s father and a legend of motorsport in his own right through his ongoing rallying exploits – was spotted in conversation with Flavio Briatore in the paddock.

The pair could be seen apparently swapping phone numbers, igniting speculation that Alpine could yet emerge with Sainz’s services for 2025 as the two sides may be in negotiation. Briatore, who has returned to F1 action with Alpine after more than a decade on the sidelines following the overturning of his lifelong ban from the sport, has been appointed as an executive advisor to Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo.

His remit will include strategic decision-making advice to de Meo, including offering his expertise on the driver market. With the leading candidates for Sainz’s signature being Williams and Sauber/Audi, the rapid improvement of the Enstone-based squad in recent races – together with Briatore’s signing as de Meo attempts to lead Alpine forward – could have made the team a very attractive prospect to Sainz as he closes in on making a decision.

‘Flavio spinning Alpine web’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/flavio-briatore-carlos-sainz-speculation-following-paddock-meeting

Flavio Briatore Drops Major Hint On Alpine 2025 Driver Line-Up
23 Jun 2024
Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

Briatore's insights in a recent interview with Gazzetta dello Sport have sparked intrigue. Though no formal contracts for 2025 have been signed, Briatore hinted at a continued association with Gasly, stating, as quoted and translated by The Mirror:

"[The driver line-up] is not the priority now. The most important thing is to make the car competitive. Otherwise no driver can make a difference. I do have a shortlist of names to evaluate, but we have Gasly in the short-term anyway."

This statement not only emphasizes the primary concern with enhancing car performance but also subtly confirms Gasly's position, at least in the near term. With the spotlight on making a more competitive vehicle, the French team's strategy appears to pivot significantly towards technical advancements before locking down their future driver lineup.

‘Drops Major Hint’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/formula1/flavio-briatore-drops-major-hint-alpine-2025-driver-line-1916261?piano_t=1

ALPINE IN LATE BID FOR SAINZ AS F1 TALKS RAMP UP
Alpine has joined the race for Carlos Sainz’s services, with talks ongoing for a 2025 Formula 1 contract
Jun 24, 2024
Jonathan Noble Oleg Karpov
Motorsport.com

Briatore has always been known to be aggressive in making moves for the top drivers, having famously lured Michael Schumacher away from the grasps of Jordan back in 1991 to sign him for the Benetton team that would help make him a world champion.

So, whereas previously Alpine had said it was happy to sit back and see what its options were for its 2025 driver line-up, it appears that Briatore wants to get on the front foot and find the best possible talent available. Alpine’s late bid comes just days after former F1 team boss Flavio Briatore was appointed to the squad as a special advisor to Renault CEO Luca de Meo.

One of the responsibilities for the flamboyant Italian is in sorting out drivers, and he was seen with de Meo in intense discussions up and down the paddock in Barcelona during a visit to the Spanish GP.

‘Flamboyant Flavio’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alpine-in-late-bid-for-sainz-as-f1-talks-ramp-up/10626845/

‘Not a disadvantage’: Alpine hiring Flavio Briatore is ‘not a disadvantage’ for 12-point driver returning to F1
23 June 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Ralf Schumacher believes Alpine hiring Flavio Briatore as their executive adviser to the team could help one driver replace Esteban Ocon and make their return to Formula 1. Ralf Schumacher thinks Alpine hiring Flavio Briatore could help Mick Schumacher. Alpine started the season on the backfoot after designing an overweight car that also lacked downforce. Drama has also engulfed the team with Alpine confirming that Ocon will leave at the lapse of his contract after colliding with Gasly and ending his Monaco GP on the first lap.

Now, Mick’s uncle, Ralf Schumacher, believes Briatore also returning to Formula 1 – 15 years on from the FIA banning him – may be an advantage in the German’s bid to join Alpine. The family and Briatore still have a ‘good’ bond from his time working with Michael Schumacher. “Flavio wants to see performance first,” Schumacher told F1-Insider. “That is crucial. But it is certainly not a disadvantage that there are still good contacts with the family.”

Briatore was the man who tempted Michael Schumacher to quit Jordan after his debut in F1 at the 1991 Belgian GP for Benetton. Together, they went on to win the drivers’ title in 1994 and 1995 and the 1995 teams’ title. Now, Briatore may help Michael’s son Mick return to F1.

‘Not a disadvantage’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alpine-hiring-flavio-briatore-is-not-a-disadvantage-for-12-point-driver-returning-to-f1/

Mick Schumacher’s F1 return plan reignites with Paul Ricard test confirmed
24 Jun 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Alpine has confirmed Mick Schumacher for a test in an older F1 car, with reserve driver Jack Doohan also set to take part in the ‘shoot-out’. With at least one seat up for grabs at Alpine following the confirmed departure of Esteban Ocon at the end of this season, the Enstone-based squad is set to evaluate two drivers in a same-day test at Paul Ricard next week.

Heading along to the French circuit are Alpine’s current reserve driver Jack Doohan, as well as Mercedes junior Mick Schumacher – the German driver having a close association with Alpine as he currently drives for the marque in its World Endurance Championship programme.

Briatore, whose remit includes advising on moves in the driver market, has hinted Pierre Gasly is likely to kept on – if he wants to – as he complimented the French driver’s driving by telling Canal+ Gasly is “doing his job well”, and the team “might put a young driver next to him” before mudding the waters by saying “or even an older one!”

‘F1 return plan reignites’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mick-schumacher-jack-doohan-f1-teest-paul-ricard-2025-seat-shootout

Schumacher to make Alpine F1 debut
Mick Schumacher will soon step behind the wheel of an Alpine Formula 1 car, taking part in a test outing at the Circuit Paul Ricard.
24 June 2024
Jan van der Burgt & Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Schumacher's F1 test: Schumacher will have the chance to jump back behind F1 machinery, taking part in a test on July 3 at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Schumacher will drive the A522 car that competed in the 2022 campaign which lifted Alpine to fourth place in the Constructors' championship.

‘Alpine F1 debut’;

https://racingnews365.com/schumacher-makes-alpine-f1-debut

No decision about scrapping engine program says Briatore
JUNE 23, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Alpine's new F1 advisor Flavio Briatore is not denying that the team's manufacturer parent Renault could totally scrap its 2026 engine project. I don't comment on these kinds of rumours”, team boss Bruno Famin told Canal Plus in Barcelona.

“I'm now looking at the whole situation now”, the 74-year-old Italian told Sonntagsblick newspaper. "I'll quickly find out where the problems are. I'm returning thanks to Luca. I wouldn't have done it with anyone who was previously at the top of the Renault group”, Briatore also told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“He is one of the geniuses we exported from Italy, a fantastic person who wants results right away. He's not getting them and so he took someone who knows how to get results. More or less that's how the whole thing started.”

“One of the geniuses”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/no-decision-about-scrapping-engine-program-says-briatore.html

Fortitude

25th June 2024, 13:16

‘We cannot lie to ourselves’ – Alonso says Spain exposed Aston Martin’s weaknesses.
Fernando Alonso finished 12th and outside the points in his home race, and the Aston Martin man said after the race the team just aren’t in a position to score points and need “a significant step forward”.
23 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Need “a significant step forward” ’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/we-cannot-lie-to-ourselves-alonso-says-spain-exposed-aston-martins-weaknesses.1802664231755962776

Stroll admits Aston Martin ‘weren’t competitive enough this weekend’
23 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lance Stroll finished 14th in the Spanish Grand Prix and said Aston Martin simply “weren’t very quick all weekend”.

‘Weren’t competitive’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/stroll-admits-aston-martin-werent-competitive-enough-this-weekend.1802664748768003250

Fernando Alonso ‘a driver and not a technician’ as questions asked over poor AMR24 upgrades
23 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso admitted Aston Martin “deserved” to come away from the Spanish Grand Prix without points this weekend, as he predicted another “painful” race in Austria next time out. “It is frustrating, but there’s nothing you can do now, so you start thinking of Austria immediately when you see the chequered flag, and what you can do differently in Austria.”

“I think it’s going to be painful as well, because it has some characteristics of Barcelona with the long corners and the high-speed section. So it’s going to be another tough weekend, also in Silverstone, arguably.”

“We cannot get too frustrated, it’s time to work harder, to talk less, to deliver more and it’s what we want to do. I’m looking forward, but we’ve been upgrading the car a lot and we didn’t deliver the results,” he said. “So now is also a matter of whatever we bring to the track, it does deliver what we expect and we start getting better and better.

‘Upgrading the car a lot’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-questions-asked-amr24-upgrades

Alonso: Aston Martin needs to "talk less, deliver more" in F1
Spaniard was left unhappy after another disappointing race for Aston Martin in Barcelona
Jun 23, 2024
Ben Hunt
Motorsport.com

Fernando Alonso has given a frank assessment of his Aston Martin team's performance in the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, and has called on the team to talk less and deliver more. Alonso finished a disappointing 12th in his home race after only qualifying in 11th and pulled no punches in his post-race verdict saying the team "did not deserve to score any point".

He said: "It is frustrating but there's nothing you can do now so you start thinking in Austria immediately when you see the chequered flag and what you can do differently. But I think it's gonna be painful as well because it has some characteristics of Barcelona, with the long corners. It's going to be another tough weekend, also in Silverstone, arguably.”

"Talk less, deliver more";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-aston-martin-needs-to-talk-less-deliver-more-in-f1/10626706/

Alonso: Time for Aston to ‘talk less and work harder’
Mon, 24 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

A visibly frustrated Fernando Alonso didn't shy away from expressing his disappointment with Aston Martin's current form after the team’s lacklustre performance in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix. Alonso finished his home race at the Circuit de Catalunya a lowly 12th after qualifying just one position ahead, a far cry from the competitive showing he aimed for.

This subdued result extends a frustrating period for the Spaniard, who has only managed points in one of the last four races. The two-time world champion offered a frank assessment of Aston Martin’s current state of affairs. Blaming the AMR24's lack of downforce for Team Silverstone’s struggles, Alonso predicted continued difficulties in the upcoming races at Austria and Silverstone.

Clearly dissatisfied with his team’s lack of progress, the 42-year-old F1 veteran said that he wants to see Aston’s upgrades translate to better results out on the track.

‘Didn't shy away from expressing his disappointment’;

https://f1i.com/news/511841-alonso-time-for-aston-to-talk-less-and-work-harder.html

Report: Key Ferrari technical director convinced to join Aston Martin after Lawrence Stroll phone call
Mon 24 June 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin is rumoured to be rivalling Ferrari for the services of legendary designer Adrian Newey, but another key member of the Scuderia’s design team is set to join the Lawrence Stroll’s outfit. Ferrari’s technical director Enrico Cardile led the effort in both the chassis and aerodynamics departments, and his success has drawn the attention of rivals Aston Martin according to a report by Formu1a.Uno.

Lawrence Stroll eyes Ferrari’s technical chief: Aston Martin has yet to score a podium in 2024 having had a successful year with Fernando Alonso, who achieved seven by the end of the year – the most of any non-Red Bull driver. Irked by their underwhelming performance and car updates, which technical director Tom McCullough has admitted have taken away performance, team owner Stroll was in contact with the senior Ferrari personnel over a move.

According to the report, Cardile has accepted a role within Aston Martin after several important phone calls with the Canadian billionaire. He will join the growing amount of backroom talent for the team, which includes veteran F1 technical chief Bob Bell. It might come as a blow to Ferrari but the team has managed to secure the services of former Mercedes engineer Loic Serra, who is poised to join the team in October along with former Toto Wolff right-hand Jerome D’Ambrosio.

‘Key Ferrari technical director’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/key-ferrari-technical-director-convinced-to-join-aston-martin-after-lawrence-stroll-phone-call/

Fernando Alonso shows true colours with four-word message after Spanish Grand Prix
Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin have endured a rough few weeks and the two-time world champion is demanding improvement.
Jun 25, 2024
By Tom Sunderland, Dan Burnham
Daily and Sunday Express

Despite a strong start to the season, Alonso and Stroll, who are ninth and 11th in the driver standings respectively, have seen their early form wane. Their car hasn't been able to keep pace with the top four constructors so far.
Alonso, with a wealth of experience and two world championships under his belt, is determined to spearhead a revival. His succinct message encapsulates the urgency of the situation: "Talk less, deliver more."

Post-race, the 42-year-old expressed his frustration, but quickly shifted focus to the upcoming challenges. "It is frustrating but there's nothing you can do now so you start thinking in Austria immediately when you see the chequered flag and what you can do differently," he said, via the Mirror.

"Talk less, deliver more";

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1914948/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-spanish-grand-prix

‘Very short with me’: Fernando Alonso’s one-word answer to sum up Aston Martin’s Spanish Grand Prix disaster
Tue 25 June 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Fernando Alonso would have hoped for so much more heading into his home Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya. Fernando Alonso gives one-word answer to Aston Martin woes at the Spanish Grand Prix. Anderson shared his interaction with Alonso after the race and said: “Yes, he was very short with me when I tried to ask him about the performance profile of the car and what it was lacking around this circuit and he just said, ‘Downforce’.

“And I said, ‘Well, have you got a balance issue too?’, and he was like, ‘No, it’s just peak load’. I felt like maybe he’s said too much though over the weekend on what Aston [Martin] is lacking and also this upgrade they’ve got coming, they just need to survive the triple header and then they’ve got this next package that’s probably not going to work going on the car.”

“And it feels like Alonso is starting to put a little public pressure on the team to actually deliver what they’re promising.” Alonso’s engineers have already shared just how incredible his work ethic is, impressing them with his dedication as soon as he arrived at the team. Rob Smedley has also shared in the past the advantage that Alonso gives you when he joins your team such is his experience in the sport.

‘Downforce’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fernando-alonsos-one-word-answer-to-sum-up-aston-martins-spanish-grand-prix-disaster/

Fortitude

26th June 2024, 05:14

‘That’s on me’ – Magnussen holds his hands up after jump start in Spain.
Kevin Magnussen was given a penalty for jumping the start of the Spanish Grand Prix before he eventually finished down in P17 on a tough day for Haas.
23 June 2024

‘That’s on me’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/thats-on-me-magnussen-holds-his-hands-up-after-jump-start-in-spain.1802663928897988770

Spanish Grand Prix: Race Recap
June 23, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: “Overall, I think in terms of performance there’s lots of positives, and I think we raced stronger than I anticipated. Of course, P11 is kind of the worst place to finish, just being outside of the points, so that’s pretty frustrating. Nico had a good start and Nico’s pace in the first stint was strong…”

Nico Hulkenberg: “All in all, it was a more positive than negative Sunday for us. We had pretty good competitive pace throughout the race, so that makes me happy. It’s encouraging for the next couple of weeks and months. I enjoyed the race, but it was missing a little bit, ultimately, we needed a better qualifying yesterday and to start further ahead to have a chance at points. We need to optimize our qualifying in the next couple of races.”

Kevin Magnussen:
“Unfortunately, I got that jump start and that’s on me of course. I had that impulse and let it go a little bit, so we got the penalty, and we had a slow stop also, so it’s just been a tough day. It’s not been a great weekend here so hopefully we can do better in Austria.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/spanish-grand-prix-race-recap-5

Haas discover outcome of £10.3m Nikita Mazepin sponsor lawsuit as legal battle ends
Haas have discovered the outcome of their lawsuit with Nikita Mazepin's primary sponsor.
Jun 23, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Haas have been told to issue a partial refund of their £10.3million (£13m) sponsorship fee from Uralkali following a lengthy legal dispute. The Russian fertilizer company signed on as a title sponsor in 2021, but their partnership was terminated early ahead of the 2022 campaign following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Haas, however, were unwilling to agree to Uralkali’s demands, and the two parties embarked on a legal battle that has only just come to an end. Following a ruling from the Swiss arbitration court, both sides of the dispute are arguing that they emerged victorious.

Uralkali issued a statement on Thursday ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, reading: “The tribunal found that Haas was in violation of the contract and obliged the team to pay compensation to Uralkali.”

‘Outcome of £10.3m Nikita Mazepin sponsor lawsuit’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1914446/Nikita-Mazepin-Haas-lawsuit

Report: Haas plan to announce ‘extraordinary’ star as their first driver for 2025 at the…
When Haas plan to announce rookie Oliver Bearman as their first F1 driver for 2025
Tue 25 June 2024 12:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Haas discovered earlier in the campaign that their efforts to retain Nico Hulkenberg were futile and he would be driving for Sauber next season. Ever since then, they’ve been linked with Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman to replace him and despite a difficult F2 campaign, he looks set to be announced as the German’s replacement. Fittingly for the British driver, it appears as though Haas will confirm Bearman’s seat for the 2025 F1 season at his home race at Silverstone next weekend. It’s a huge step forward for the teenager who showed in Jeddah that he’s ready to become the fourth Brit on the grid next year.

Haas to confirm Oliver Bearman’s seat at the British Grand Prix: Nico Hulkenberg has been their main points scorer although in recent races he’s been extremely unlucky and continues to rack up 11th-place finishes just outside the points. Losing the 36-year-old is a very tough blow for Haas and they look set to replace experience with youth. The report from RacingNews365 suggests that the ‘extraordinary’ Bearman – as described by Damon Hill on Sky Sports F1 during the coverage of the Spanish Grand Prix – will be announced as Haas’s newest driver during the British Grand Prix weekend.

‘Report: Haas plan to announce ‘extraordinary’ star’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/when-haas-plan-to-announce-rookie-oliver-bearman-as-their-first-f1-driver-for-2025/

Haas set to confirm first half of F1 2025 line-up at British Grand Prix week – report
25 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

A report from RacingNews365 claims Haas are set to announce Bearman as their first driver on the F1 2025 grid in the build-up to his home race at Silverstone next week, with the teenager set to get back behind the wheel of the VF-24 for his next scheduled FP1 session with the team.

When asked if his home race would be an ideal place for his first Formula 1 contract to be announced, Bearman told media including PlanetF1.com in Barcelona: “That’s not in my hands. Silverstone is going to be crazy for sure, there’s a lot of things happening,” he added.

“Even last year it was busy, but as well as the fact I’m doing FP1, there are a lot more things happening behind the scenes, a lot of fun appearances and stuff. It’s going to be a busy weekend but I’m so excited for my home race. I really can’t wait. It’s going to be great, it’s going to be fantastic.”

‘Haas are set to announce Bearman’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-oliver-bearman-f1-2025-seat-report

Fortitude

26th June 2024, 05:39

Bottas blames soft tyre strategy for difficult day in Barcelona.
Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas was hoping for his first points of the year in Spain this weekend but he eventually finished 16th, and the Finn reckoned his soft tyre strategy didn’t help matters.
23 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Soft tyre strategy’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bottas-blames-soft-tyre-strategy-for-difficult-day-in-barcelona.1802664410717563857

‘Strange message’ from Valtteri Bottas could end F1 career, claims Ted Kravitz
23 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Could Formula 1 team principals therefore take that as a sign that Bottas is no longer fully committed to Formula 1, Kravitz ponders. Kravitz said: “You might have mentioned it in a sort of jokey way, but with a lot of his extracurricular, extra Formula 1 stuff, doing cycling races, is Valtteri sending a strange message or is that message being misinterpreted by the piranha club of team bosses thinking…”

“ ‘Oh, well, he doesn’t seem to be very interested in Formula 1 anymore and seems to be loving life more as cycling and doing his coffee and wine and gin and other stuff’. Do you think there’s a danger of that? That’s just an open question, because I don’t know.”

“I know Valtteri fairly well and I know that he’s very, extremely committed to making the Sauber a faster race car and he loves racing and scoring points. But I wonder if there’s a perception out there that he’s just interested in other stuff now.”

‘Piranha club of team bosses’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtteri-bottas-non-f1-activities-career-risk-ted-kravitz

F1 driver market to spark back into life this week
It seems there are moves afoot but who will end up where?
25 June 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Valtteri Bottas is anticipating the latest dominoes will start to fall in F1's driver market this week. Suggested to Bottas the driver market was due to kick off this week and whether he felt he was in the mix, speaking to media, including RacingNews365, following the Spanish Grand Prix, he replied: "Yeah, I'm ready for next week.”

"I think there is one certain date, apparently, that is going to decide some things, so I'm looking forward." Asked as to the date, Bottas joked: "I can't tell you. It's classified." As to his confidence whether he will know what he will be doing, he added:

"There's a 50 per cent chance I will know - maybe, maybe not. But I think after next week things will start happening quickly." In terms of his confidence on whether he will be in F1 next season, he replied: "There's always doubt when you are not signed. I should be here, I belong here, so let's see."

‘Spark back into life’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-driver-market-to-spark-back-into-life-this-week

Valtteri Bottas teases “certain date” for F1 driver market drama to be resolved
The drama surrounding the F1 driver market could be sorted soon, according to Valtteri Bottas.
25 Jun 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Valtteri Bottas has hinted that the drama surrounding the F1 driver market will be resolved imminently. A number of seats on the 2025 F1 grid are still to be filled. The hold up is down to Carlos Sainz, who is reportedly still deciding which team to join.

Sainz has Sauber or Williams as clear options, while Alpine has emerged as a late contender. Whichever team Sainz decides to join has a knock-on effect. One of those drivers waiting for Sainz to decide is Bottas.

“Certain date”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051141/1/valtteri-bottas-teases-certain-date-f1-driver-market-drama-be-resolved

Valtteri Bottas caught snooping on heated Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz exchange
Valtteri Bottas had a front row view as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz exchanged words after the Spanish Grand Prix.
Jun 25, 2024
Tom Parsons
Daily and Sunday Express

Leclerc and Sainz aired their frustrations during interviews after the race. And footage on social media shows the aces having a heated discussion while they were waiting to be weighed.

Some drivers are seen coming in and out of shot in the footage as the Ferrari duo wave their hands around to illustrate their points.

But Kick Sauber star Bottas, who was Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate at Mercedes for five years between 2017 and 2021, can be seen standing in the same spot and staring at the Ferrari drivers.

‘Valtteri Bottas had a front row view’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1914969/Valtteri-Bottas-Ferrari-Charles-Leclerc-Carlos-Sainz

Sauber insists current struggles unrelated to Audi's F1 2026 plans
14:51 Sat, 22 Jun 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Sauber’s struggles this season are undeniable, with neither Valtteri Bottas nor Zhou Guanyu able to score a single top-ten finish in the first nine races of this year’s campaign. “I think we can say that the performances are not there, so there is nothing to hide,” Alunni Bravi said. “At the beginning of the year we had quite good performance compared to our main competitors, but we didn’t translate this into results, for all the reliability issues that have been, I would say, quite evident.”

It has been suggested that Sauber’s ongoing transformation into Audi’s 2026 works effort in F1 is having an impact on the team’s current operations, an assumption expressed in Barcelona by Bottas. “Obviously, yeah, there’s been quite a few things going on in the team in terms of for a better future,” said the Finn. “So sometimes you might take a step back to take two steps forward. So that’s part of the game, but I hope we’re in better shape. That’s all I can say.”

On the other hand, Alunni Bravi insists the team’s current performance objectives are aligned with their long-term aspirations. "I think it's a mistake to mix both things," he said. "I don't think that the preparation for the Audi works team is affecting the current two seasons, and it must not. I think that we have weaknesses that we are trying to address. Andreas has been working from last January on improving the team in this transformation process.

‘Current struggles unrelated’;

https://f1i.com/news/511473-sauber-insists-current-struggles-unrelated-to-audis-f1-2026-plans.html

Fortitude

26th June 2024, 13:26

Report: £890m F1 team’s ‘biggest update’ of the season derailed at Spanish GP by faulty DRS.
According to a report by AMuS, the main issues occurred from the DRS flap which “fluttered uncontrollably” when activated.
Mon 24 June 2024 16:00
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Visa Cash App RB went into the Spanish Grand Prix with great expectations, after bringing their largest upgrade package to date for Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda’s cars. Both drivers were set to benefit from the significant upgrade package after the team made ‘intense preparations’ for the VCARB 01 in the build-up to the Spanish Grand Prix.

RB brought six updates to their car in Barcelona including new brake cooling ducts, engine cover, sidepod inlets, floor body, rear wing, and beam wing. According to a report by AMuS, the main issues occurred from the DRS flap which “fluttered uncontrollably” when activated. The team had to revert to an old-spec rear wing for the rest of the weekend, which compromised their package. Whether the upgrade can work as intended at the next race in Austria will be key to them keeping up their momentum heading into the crucial European rounds.

Laurent Mekies rues missed opportunity. After both drivers suffered a shock Q1 elimination, it appeared as though it would be an uphill struggle for RB for the rest of the weekend. Ricciardo said he was “quite surprised” when his engineer told him the lap times relative to Williams. Team principal, Laurent Mekies, believes it would have been tricky for the team to recuperate any points due to their qualifying positions low down the grid speaking in their race review.

‘Biggest update’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/890m-f1-teams-biggest-update-of-the-season-derailed-at-spanish-gp-by-faulty-drs/

RB drivers confirm next steps after disastrous Barcelona upgrade
Team's hopes came crashing down after a poor performance in Spain
10:03 Tue, 25 Jun 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

The VCARB 01 debuted substantial upgrades in Spain. The package of a new rear wing design, overhauled underbody, and new sidepods failed to move RB closer to the top four teams. Instead, RB slipped back into the lower competitive order during the Spanish Grand Prix. A double Q1 elimination provided an omen for what was to come. Tsunoda qualified in P17, with Ricciardo just behind in P18.

The race became a question of damage limitation. Tsunoda failed to make any meaningful progress, finishing in P19. Ricciardo fared little better. The Australian only managed to climb to P15, off the leading pace all weekend. Emergency action needed? As reported by motorsport.com. Ricciardo spoke after the race of the need to stay calm and not reverse the upgrade package immediately: “I think that temptation probably only exists in maybe in 72 hours. If we’re still unsure or there’s no clear answer then maybe we say: ‘Okay. do we just for the time being go back?’

“But right now I’m not there yet to resort to that. Once we put everything on the table, if we’re still like that, then that probably becomes a question.” Ricciardo also revealed that nothing felt wrong with his car despite the lack of pace, as the search for answers begins: “It was a really, really strange weekend for us to have dropped off so much. I didn’t have a bad feeling in qualifying. In the debrief Yuki and myself both felt we did good laps, we felt like the balance wasn’t bad.”

‘Crashing down’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/rb-drivers-confirm-next-steps-after-disastrous-barcelona-upgrade/

‘No denying it’: Baffling twist in Ricciardo ‘upgrade’ as team to face music over disaster
June 24th, 2024 10:31 am
James McKern from News.com.au
Fox Sports (Australia)

Daniel Ricciardo conceded it was a “really, really strange weekend” for his team as the Australian and his teammate Yuki Tsunoda failed to fire at the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite the VISA CashApp RB team making a number of upgrades to the car, it failed to materialise into any improvements on the track.

“We came here with high hopes for the upgrades that everyone back in the factory has worked so hard to design and produce as part of our aggressive development strategy,” Mekies said. “Unfortunately, right from the start of Free Practice we were lacking pace in every session. There is no point denying this was a poor weekend for us and although the gaps were very small, there’s no excuses for the fact we just weren’t competitive.”

‘Baffling twist’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/no-denying-this-was-poor-rb-boss-brutal-call-as-ricciardo-baffled-at-worrying-drop-off/news-story/0ac7cf9054687272cc1e590e91e28dbd

RB is "missing something with the new package ", says Ricciardo
24 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Yuki Tsunoda found himself on a roll in recent races, but he endured a tough weekend at Barcelona. The Japanese driver never looked comfortable behind the wheel of his VCARB01, and secured only P17 on the grid. The race turned out to be a similarly difficult affair as he struggled for an optimal balance. In the end, he failed to make any progress and finished down in P19.

“It was a tough race, in which I struggled. The handling of the car was definitely not easy, and I did not feel as comfortable as I normally do. Something wasn’t quite right, and we'll analyse everything that happened to understand what did not work well and come back stronger in Austria.”

Visa Cash RB technical director Jody Egginton was at a loss for words when explaining the reasons for the team's lack of pace at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. “With the qualifying positions we had, we knew that it would be difficult to score points and we needed to be ready to try something different if the race provided the opportunity, but unfortunately it did not.”

"Missing something”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24842

Tsunoda highlights Ricciardo influence in 'emotional control'
Yuki Tsunoda has highlighted how significant Daniel Ricciardo has been to improving his F1 career.
25 June 2024
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Yuki Tsunoda has revealed that being team-mates with Daniel Ricciardo has had a huge influence on his "emotional control", with the Australian having been a huge factor in Tsunoda's impressive season. According to Tsunoda, Ricciardo has been a huge influence in the Faenza-based team, although he has no say in whether Ricciardo or Liam Lawson are signed for 2025.

"It's not a thing I can decide or control," Tsunoda told select media including RacingNews365. "I don't mind with any team-mate but, for sure, Daniel is giving a lot of technical feedback and everything and is, of course, an important influence for us. There is a lot of positive things that we got, and probably some of the things we were able tp benefit from is because of him. But at the same time, it's up to them really."

‘Huge factor’;

https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-highlights-ricciardo-influence-in-emotional-control

Marko hints Lawson could replace Ricciardo at RB in F1 2025
25 June 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

RB has admitted that retaining Ricciardo with Tsunoda would be its preference, but Marko has revealed that Red Bull shareholders are angling to see youth integrated. “The shareholders have made it known that it is a junior team and we have to act accordingly,” Marko told Kleine Zeitung.

“We have to put a young driver in there soon,” Marko added regarding RB’s driver line-up. “That would be Liam Lawson.” Lawson has completed several F1 outings as he deputised at five rounds last term when Ricciardo was sidelined with a broken metacarpal from a crash at Zandvoort.

‘Lawson could replace Ricciardo’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/26/marko-hints-lawson-could-replace-ricciardo-at-rb-in-f1-2025/

Daniel Ricciardo faces brutal F1 axe as Helmut Marko confirms VCARB decision
Daniel Ricciardo looks set to be ditched by VCARB in the near future.
Jun 26, 2024
Archie Griggs

Helmut Marko has admitted that his plan for Daniel Ricciardo is 'no longer valid' with Liam Lawson set to replace him at VCARB in the near future. The Aussie was initially brought back into the Red Bull fold with a view to him eventually replacing Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen's team-mate. However, it was confirmed earlier this month that Perez had signed a new two-year contract to keep him at Red Bull until the end of 2026.

Speaking ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, Marko confirmed that Lawson will be given a VCARB seat in the near future which could potentially spell the end of Ricciardo's time on the grid. "The shareholders have made it known that it is a junior team and we have to act accordingly," said Marko. "The goal was that he [Ricciardo] would be considered for Red Bull with exceptional performances.

‘Brutal F1 axe’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1915626/Daniel-Ricciardo-Helmut-Marko-VCARB-Red-Bull

Fortitude

27th June 2024, 06:45

Sargeant brands Spanish GP as ‘definitely our worst race of the year’.
Williams’ racer Logan Sargeant finished last in Spain and said after the race “it’s been a pretty terrible weekend start to finish for the team”.
23 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Worst race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sargeant-brands-spanish-gp-as-definitely-our-worst-race-of-the-year.1802664651994945518

Williams repeatedly switch floors in search for Sargeant’s missing downforce
26th June 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Williams ran three different floors on Logan Sargeant’s car during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend as it tried to identify why his FW46 wasn’t producing as much downforce as his team mate’s. Team principal James Vowles said the team had the same problem on Alexander Albon’s car earlier in the season. “It’s fair to say that both cars have been suffering with an odd situation where we can measure a small amount of downforce loss.”

He said in a video released by the team after the Spanish Grand Prix. “That’s been happening across several events, more typically on Alex’s side than on Logan’s side, Logan here across three different floors. We had what we know to be a good state floor on Friday in FP1,” he explained. “That’s where he was due to start. That reported a loss. We had the same [when] we changed to another floor for FP2 and the same again as we changed to a brand new floor, in fact, for qualifying.”

“The reason why we were changing floors is simply that the floors are geometrically in a good way so when you put a floor in the car, you’re continuously – all teams will do this – adjusting it to get into the optimum position, relative to where it should be from design. But even in that state, we were seeing an amount of reported loss and that wasn’t happening on Alex’s side.”

‘Williams ran three different floors’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/26/williams-repeatedly-switch-floors-in-search-for-sargeants-missing-downforce/

Albon: Spanish Grand Prix ‘a reality check’ for Williams
23 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alex Albon says Williams “expect better things for Austria and Silverstone” after he finished 18th in Barcelona following a tough weekend for the British team.

‘A reality check’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/albon-spanish-grand-prix-a-reality-check-for-williams.1802664119009920384

‘Don’t just say that’: Alex Albon urges Williams ‘don’t say that’ after vexing Spanish GP radio message
23 June 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Williams ace Alex Albon was left fuming at his race engineer James Urwin during the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix after receiving a vexing five-word reply on the team’s radio. Albon wrestled with his steering wheel to try and regain control of his FW46 to no avail. The off let Tsunoda slash the deficit the Japanese gem faced to his rival. But Urwin’s reply on the team’s radio enraged Albon after questioning why Williams’ car surprisedly snapped on him.

“What the hell was that?” Albon questioned over the Williams team radio. To which, Urwin replied: “All ok from our side.” But Albon took issue with Urwin’s response, adding: “No, it’s not ok. Don’t just say that within five seconds.”

‘Don’t say that’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-urges-williams-dont-say-that-after-vexing-spanish-gp-radio-message/

Albon explains mystery problem behind turn four error and angry radio message
23rd June 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Albon’s radio messages after he went off
Urwin Okay, Tsunoda three behind.
Albon What the hell was that?
Urwin Looks all okay from our side.
Albon No it’s not okay. Don’t just say that within five seconds.
Urwin So we see some front wing damage.
Albon Yeah but what was the problem with the car.
Albon I don’t care about front damage.
Urwin At the moment we just think it was locking but we’re checking.
Urwin Alex we are still looking at it.
Urwin Four laps remaining.
Albon We’re sure it’s not wind or nothing? In turn four. I don’t really understand when the car does that kind of stuff.
Urwin Yeah it does look like it was probably wind. So there was a gust, 17kph, at that point.

The Williams driver said he was taken aback by the moment as he had been driving within the car’s capabilities in the corner where he went off. “I was tyre-saving through [turn] four, so it was a bit odd,” he told the official F1 channel. “I wanted an answer because I know what the limit of the car is, and that wasn’t the limit.”

“Afterwards we realised it was a big gust of wind. But obviously in the moment we didn’t really know it so every time I went through turn four after that I was a little bit extra cautious.”

‘Big gust of wind’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/23/albon-explains-mystery-problem-behind-turn-four-error-and-angry-radio-message/

Albon rues lack of downforce for Williams troublesome Barcelona weekend
24 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Williams drivers Alexander Albon called the Barcelona weekend a "reality check" after the outfit spent most of the Spanish Grand Prix languish in the final spots. "We wanted more this weekend. On the one hand, the car has made a huge step forward compared to last year and we made the right choices throughout the race.”

"At the same time, this track is a bit of reality check. On a more traditional track, our lack of downforce and extra weight combined with high winds and track temperatures held us back. With the midfield getting stronger, it's clear we've got work to do. Looking ahead, Austria and Silverstone should suit us much more," noted Albon.

‘Lack of downforce’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24841

Alpine seeking to scupper Williams F1’s Sainz pursuit
24 Jun 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Motorsport Week sources revealed that the Spaniard was on the eve of signing for the Grove-based Williams F1 outfit during the Spanish GP weekend, but it is understood any potential deal has been delayed for the time being. However, Motorsport.com reported on Monday that Alpine has made an 11th-hour attempt to lure Sainz back to Enstone with the Spaniard last driving for the team in 2018 during its Renault days.

‘11th-hour attempt’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/24/alpine-seeking-to-scupper-williams-f1s-sainz-pursuit/

Williams prepare for Carlos Sainz rejection with surprise ‘Plan B’ driver option – report
26 Jun 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich could emerge as the “favourite” to race for Williams in F1 2025 if the team fail to land “number-one target” Carlos Sainz, it has been claimed.

While Williams remains Sainz’s most likely destination, a report by Swiss-German publication Blick has claimed Drugovich – as well as current Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas – could emerge as a serious contender to replace Logan Sargeant if a deal for Sainz cannot be completed.

‘Plan B’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-to-williams-doubt-new-option-alpine-bid-rumours

‘We hear’: James Vowles has ruled out Williams move for 43-race driver for being too slow
25 June 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Journalist Christian Nimmervoll was writing in Motorsport Total and shared one driver who isn’t in contention to replace the American. Writing about the options available to James Vowles and who he’s considering beyond Sainz, Nimmervoll said: “We hear he doesn’t want Esteban Ocon (not enough of a team player for his taste) and Mick Schumacher (too slow). “Plan B would most likely be Valtteri Bottas.”

‘Ruled out’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/james-vowles-has-ruled-out-williams-move-for-43-race-driver-for-being-too-slow/

Logan Sargeant linked with Indycar move for 2025
JUNE 24, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Logan Sargeant looks set to be the next Formula 1 driver to make the shift to America's top open wheeler series, Indycar.

‘Indycar move’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/logan-sargeant-linked-with-indycar-move-for-2025.html

F1 Rumor: Logan Sargeant Exit Announcement Expected Imminently As Driver Signs New Contract
Jun 25, 2024
Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

Speculation about Sargeant's move has been fueled further by comments from respected motor racing writer and author Jeroen Demmendaal, who noted, as quoted by GrandPrix.com: "Sargeant will most likely end up in the US-based series next year."

The switch to IndyCar would see Sargeant joining an illustrious list of former F1 drivers like Marcus Ericsson, Alexander Rossi, Romain Grosjean, and Takuma Sato, who have found new challenges and successes in the American series.

‘Logan Sargeant Exit’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/formula1/f1-rumor-logan-sargeant-exit-announcement-expected-imminently-driver-signs-new-contract-1916971?piano_t=1

Fortitude

27th June 2024, 14:56

Five Austrian GP questions: Carlos Sainz twist, McLaren v Red Bull and big track changes.
Formula 1 heads to Austria for Red Bull’s home race but will they get the better of McLaren?
27 Jun 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Will track changes stop a repeat of 2023 Austrian GP? An obvious place to start is with the track itself and some major changes at Turns 9 and 10. For those of you who don’t remember last year, there was a somewhat farcical scene post race in which an Aston Martin protest led to 1,200 incidents of alleged breaches of track limits being investigated by the stewards.

McLaren and Red Bull to fight for first? From the evidence of recent races, McLaren and Red Bull are tussling for dominance at the front of the grid.
What happened to RB? Heading into Spain, RB were on the up and with major upgrades on the car, that momentum was expected to continue in Catalunya.

Can Oscar Piastri bounce back? Lando Norris may have enjoyed a good weekend out in Spain but his team-mate Oscar Piastri found life very tough going.
Have Alpine pulled off a Carlos Sainz hijack? Ask anyone in the paddock in Spain, including the extra Netflix film crew that arrived, and they would have guessed that an announcement regarding Carlos Sainz’s future was to be made that weekend.

‘Five Austrian GP questions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/five-austrian-gp-carlos-sainz-future-new-circuit-oscar-piastri

Austrian Grand Prix: F1 preview, times, predictions, stats
Jun 26, 2024
ESPN

Who's going to win? McLaren and Lando Norris should have won in Spain and they will be the strongest bet to challenge Max Verstappen in Austria, given the car's strength in high-speed corners.

Mercedes and Ferrari will also fancy their chances at the short circuit which always throws up tight qualifying sessions and overtaking opportunities. You can't fault Red Bull for consistency, and that is exactly what McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari need, along with fewer mistakes and a cleaner race to really take the fight to Red Bull, and what a place to do it at their home circuit at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.

‘F1 preview’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/40436133/austrian-grand-prix-everything-need-know

Eight potential winners: will 2024 Austrian GP deliver the best F1 sprint race yet?
June 26th 2024
Author: Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

Will we finally see a good sprint race? Can Leclerc and Sainz recover from Spanish scramble? Will AI help reduce track limit violations? And will Ferrari and RB upgrades come true on the Red Bull Ring? Here's what to watch out for at the 2024 Austrian GP

Will a brewing civil war at Ferrari prevent a title challenge? It doesn’t take much to sour the relationship between two duelling F1 team-mates, and the friction was evident after an on-track tussle between Ferrari’s drivers in Barcelona. The pair have form: Tifosi had to look away during the final laps of the 2023 Italian Grand Prix, as a battle for second almost ended in contact, and they battled ruthlessly once again at the 2024 season opener in Bahrain and the 2024 Chinese GP sprint.

Several teams including Red Bull, Ferrari, Aston Martin and RB introduced substantial upgrades at the Spanish Grand Prix — but not all of them resulted in a desired performance boost. Ferrari had hoped that its new floor, diffuser and rear wing would help put it in contention for victory but from qualifying to the chequered flag, neither Leclerc or Sainz could make any sort of impression on the leading cars and ultimately took up fifth and sixth place.

‘Eight potential winners’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/eight-potential-race-winners-are-we-in-for-the-best-sprint-race-yet-at-the-2024-austrian-gp/?nowprocket=1#

Sainz expects more competitive Ferrari F1 car in Austria GP
Ferrari hopes the Red Bull Ring suits its Formula 1 car better after being fourth in the pecking order in Spain
Jun 26, 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Sainz admitted Ferrari was fourth-fastest in his home race, but said Barcelona's layout punished Ferrari's long corner weakness more than other circuits will do, expecting to be more competitive this weekend at the Red Bull Ring. "It was not our best weekend, but this was the track where we struggled the most last year too," Sainz said.

"So that's our hope, that it's just a track for us and that there will be other tracks where we will be a bit more competitive. It's the high-speed nature of the track and the long, combined [corners], we seem to be always struggling when it's long corners like China, here or Suzuka.”

"I remember Austria not being an issue for track characteristics, so I think we will be more competitive because of the corner types." Team boss Fred Vasseur felt that Barcelona's pecking order didn't necessarily set a trend for the remaining races before the summer break, with the tight margins between the top four teams causing bigger fluctuations than in previous years.

‘Ferrari hopes the Red Bull Ring suits its Formula 1 car’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sainz-expects-more-competitive-ferrari-f1-car-in-austria-gp/10627530/

[B]Marko fears Red Bull Austrian GP 'tough time'
Red Bull could be in for a very challenging Austrian Grand Prix, according to its advisor.
27 June 2024
Daan Daniels & Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko fears that the Milton Keynes-based team could be in for a "tough time" this weekend at the Austrian Grand Prix, due to the sprint format. It was, of course, the 2023 Austrian GP where McLaren introduced its significant upgrades package, which started its current rise to the top of F1.

Not only does Red Bull need to manage the threat of Norris in particular, it also has to deal with the sprint format that tends to cause issues for Verstappen and Sergio Perez this season. "Another challenge awaits us," continued Marko. "Max always has a chance to win, but we are running a sprint weekend there and that means we only have one session to tune the car. The last few races we have always needed all three practice sessions to get the car balanced, so if this problem persists, we could be in for a tough time.”

And last year McLaren's resurgence took shape at the Red Bull Ring. They brought their upgrade there and from then on they were fast. But Max drives practically flawless, thank God Lando can't do that yet. But he remains our biggest rival. So I hope Mercedes gets stronger and becomes the second strongest team for a while. That would definitely help us in the championship."

“We could be in for a tough time”;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-fears-red-bull-austrian-gp-tough-time

What is the weather forecast for the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix?
26 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site

FRIDAY, JUNE 28 – FP1 AND SPRINT QUALIFYING
Conditions: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower or two in the late afternoon. Hot conditions with a high of around 28°C. Light easterly wind. FP1: 25°C // SQ: 27°C
Maximum temperature expected: 28 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 15 Celsius
Chance of rain: 20%

SATURDAY, JUNE 29 – SPRINT AND QUALIFYING
Conditions: Mostly sunny and dry conditions likely all day. Hottest day of the week with up to 30°C. Light southerly wind. SPRINT: 26°C // QS: 29°C
Maximum temperature expected: 30 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 15 Celsius
Chance of rain: less than 20%

SUNDAY, JUNE 30 – RACE WEATHER
Conditions: Fair conditions in the morning. Showers possible in the afternoon and evening. Chance of rain is decreasing with the latest simulations. Remaining hot with up to 28°C. Gusty westerly wind during the day. RACE: 27°C.
Maximum temperature expected: 28 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 16 Celsius
Chance of rain: 40%

‘Weather forecast’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-is-the-weather-forecast-for-the-2024-austrian-grand-prix.617NT55kmSv4DuhUlPp4FJ

What time does the 2024 F1 Austrian GP start?
From Friday, June 28th to Sunday, June 30th, the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix will take place. This weekend features a sprint weekend format, allowing us to enjoy sprint races again. Check here for the start times of all sessions.
27 June 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

On Saturday, June 29th, the sprint race begins at 11:00 AM BST, followed by qualifying later at 3:00 PM BST. The race starts on Sunday, June 30th, at 2:00 PM BST.
Do you want to view the start times of the F1 Austrian GP for your time zone? Check out the schedule below!

The schedule is automatically adjusted to your time zone.
Timetable Austrian GP
Session
Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 28 June 12:30 - 13:30
Sprint shootout Friday 28 June 16:30 - 17:14
Sprintrace Saturday 29 June 12:00 - 13:00
Qualification Saturday 29 June 16:00 - 17:00
Race Sunday 30 June 15:00 - 17:00

‘Austrian GP start time’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-time-does-the-2024-f1-austrian-gp-start

Fortitude

28th June 2024, 06:48

2024 Austrian Grand Prix: What the Teams Have Been Saying Ahead of the Weekend.
…with quotes from the Oracle Red Bull Racing, McLaren F1 Team, RB, Alpine, MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, Williams Racing and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber drivers, as well the Ferrari and Mercedes team principals.
June 27, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Max Verstappen — Oracle Red Bull Racing: “We always feel really welcome and enjoy coming back to Austria, being a home race for Red Bull. The scenery and mountains around here are great and it is always good to see the Orange Army fans here and really feel that support from the grandstand.”
Sergio Perez — Oracle Red Bull Racing: “I had a difficult weekend in Spain but it’s one we have learnt from. I struggled with the balance of the car all weekend. We couldn’t get the set-up consistent and in a window for qualifying or to race the race we wanted, the grid place penalty also harmed us.”

Fred Vasseur — Scuderia Ferrari: “The upgrades introduced in Spain worked as expected, but clearly our competitors have not been twiddling their thumbs, and at the moment there are four teams all within less than three tenths of one another.”
Lando Norris — McLaren F1 Team: “I’m excited for the Austrian Grand Prix. It’s a really fun track to drive, and I have some great memories from over the years, so I am looking forward to getting out there. The fans are always enthusiastic and create a great atmosphere.”

Oscar Piastri — McLaren F1 Team: “I can’t wait to get to Austria and hit the ground running. I’m really looking forward to getting back in the car on Friday and working hard with the engineers to start the weekend on the front foot.”
Toto Wolff — Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team: “We knew Barcelona would be a good measure of our recent progress. The team has worked hard to improve the W15 at circuits with a wide corner speed range, like Barcelona. Those incremental gains helped us build on the momentum from Montreal.”

‘What the Teams Have Been Saying’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/06/2024-austrian-grand-prix-what-the-teams-have-been-saying-ahead-of-the-weekend/

Back to the softest compounds in Austria
27 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

After drivers used the hardest compounds of Pirelli's five-compound tyre range at last weekend's Barcelona race, the Austrian Grand Prix will see the field run the three softest tyres at this weekend's Red Bull Ring round.

When defining the tyre selection for a track, Pirelli takes a lot of factors into consideration. Regarding the Red Bull Ring, several unusual features make this a unique track on the championship calendar.

First of all, it boasts the lowest number of corners (10) and the shortest lap time, even if its 4.318 kilometre length make it the fifth shortest track. The circuit owned by Red Bull is second on the list of tracks with the biggest change in altitude, with a difference of 63.5 metres between its highest and lowest points, second only to the 102.2 metre change at Spa-Francorchamps.

‘Softest compounds in Austria’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24851

Austrian GP: Thursday's buildup in pictures
27 Jun 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Reigning world champions Red Bull are playing at home this weekend at the Red Bull Ring, for round 11 of the 2024 F1 World Championship. Here is our first batch of pictures from the venue, covering from media day in Spielberg.

‘Pictures’;

https://f1i.com/news/512086-austrian-gp-thursdays-buildup-in-pictures.html

What Marko's Lawson warning really means for Ricciardo
Jun 27, 2024
Josh Suttill, Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

'I'm the one in the car': When The Race asked him if he'd had any internal pressure to improve, Ricciardo said: "No I haven't heard anything - there hasn't been any pressure, ultimatum, nothing like that. But I've been in the sport a long time, I know if I'm getting my ass kicked every weekend, at some point someone will be like, 'Hey mate, step it up, otherwise...' But I haven't had that.”

How real is the Lawson threat? A Silverstone test in a Red Bull was critical to Horner and Red Bull deciding to axe De Vries two races before the summer break to give Ricciardo his return. So with Lawson set to complete a test in a 2022 AlphaTauri at Imola next month, is this history repeating itself? "If Liam goes and has an amazing test, 100% good for Liam. I've got no control over that nor do I wish him poorly. Not at all. Currently I'm in the race seat so I've got to do everything I can to control the things I can and if I kick ass here, if I kick ass in Silverstone then I think the narrative can change.”

No other options - but is his goal really 'void'? "I would say no," Ricciardo said when asked if he had other options. "I don't know, but not to be stubborn or arrogant about it but I'm not looking anywhere else. I've said it, I really do enjoy being back in the family. I weirdly do enjoy sometimes a little bit of pokes from Helmut, because I think it can also be a way to get me a little bit fired up and try to get the best out of me. In short, no."

'I'm the one in the car';

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/marko-lawson-ricciardo-2025-rb-f1-seat/

Williams eager to forget disastrous Barcelona weekend
28 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Formula One's Grove-based outfit Williams hopes that it can display a significantly better performance at this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix after the team struggled for pace at Barcelona a few days ago. Sporting Director Sven Smeets hopes that this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix will see Williams return to a better performance with the Red Bull Ring expected to play to the strenghts of the FW48.

"After our disappointing result in Barcelona, we are looking to return to our performance from the races before Spain. Austria will be a sprint event again, so we won't have much time to get the car in a good window before we start Sprint Qualifying on Friday evening.”

"We will be using the softer range of compounds this weekend and both drivers know this circuit very well. It’s a track that should suit our car and, with the weather forecast still giving some chances of showers, we should be in a good position to fight for points this weekend.”

‘Eager to forget disastrous weekend’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24854

Austrian Grand Prix: FIA Drivers Press Conference
27/06/2024
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Charles, good to see you. Let's talk about performance first of all. Spain was better than Canada but how much more performance do you need from your car to challenge for the win this weekend?
Charles Leclerc: “Well, I guess the gap that there was from us to pole position, which was two or three tenths in Barcelona. However, I feel like the potential is in the car. We just need to optimise our package and then we'll be back to where we want. We didn't do that in Montreal, especially with tyres and the conditions were a bit outside of our operating window. And then in Barcelona, we were just not fast enough. Again, the preparation on the simulator for this track went well. So I feel confident we'll be back in the fight.”

Logan, let's come to you next. Throw it back to Spain, first of all. It was a frustrating race for you and for Williams. But I think there was no surprises there. Is that the case?
Logan Sargeant: “Yeah. I mean, Spain's always been a tricky race for us. But I'd be lying if I said it probably wasn't one of the most painful ones we've had in the past 18 months. So, I guess some understanding to do there of what exactly went wrong on the car, what was causing the lack of performance. But even more painful for me, the bits that were brought to the car were underperforming and not delivering the expected load of downforce, so yeah, we'll try and get that fixed but that didn't help things either.”

Zhou, let's come to you now. We saw a much better qualifying performance from you in Spain. Both cars were running new parts, but you were also running an old chassis. What made the difference for you?
Zhou Guanyu: “I mean, I feel like it's the chassis. You know, we had a new one put in the car from Imola. And for me, of course, we have to understand the circumstance with the different layout on the tracks, you know, Imola, Monaco, Montreal, super bumpy. I don't think it's a strength with this year's car. But mainly on my side, I was very lost before Spain just because I wasn't able to push the car around, you know, in the weekend I had in Canada. Everything I do, every movement, I just really felt has a much bigger impact on the balance and also on the driving side. So we decided to change everything back to the old one. And it seems to be picking up the performance we should be or having the grip, the confidence that I have with this car. So, yeah, really happy to see the progress went into the right direction. And then, looking forward, of course, to these tracks, I think they could be suitable a little bit better for this year's car.”

‘FIA Drivers Press Conference’;

https://www.pitpass.com/78062/Austrian-Grand-Prix-FIA-Drivers-Press-Conference

Fortitude

28th June 2024, 12:47

FP1: Verstappen bounces back from stoppage to lead Piastri in Austrian GP practice.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen topped the timesheets during Friday’s sole practice session ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, overcoming a mid-session problem that saw him stop out on track to lead the way from McLaren rival Oscar Piastri and the two Ferraris.
28 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen topped the timesheets during Friday’s sole practice session ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, overcoming a mid-session problem that saw him stop out on track to lead the way from McLaren rival Oscar Piastri and the two Ferraris. Aiming to build on their recent improvements, Mercedes hit the ground running to set the early pace with hard-shod efforts from Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, while the medium-shod Red Bulls of Verstappen and Sergio Perez slotted behind them.

However, at the halfway mark of the session, Verstappen dramatically ground to a halt along the start/finish straight with an “engine fault”, bringing out the red flags and initially raising some questions after he moved onto his fourth power unit last time out in Spain. Then, after his car rolled back down the hill and was moved to the pit lane, Red Bull managed to hit the reset button and send Verstappen back out, meaning the reigning world champion could rack up more mileage and avoid entering Sprint Qualifying lacking data.

The final 10 minutes of the session brought a flurry of laps on soft tyres, after which Verstappen set the standard on a 1m 05.685s, a couple of tenths up on Piastri, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz following in P3 and P4 for Ferrari. Mercedes dropped down the timesheets, but Hamilton went against the majority of his rivals by sticking with hards, rather than moving to softs, while Russell hit traffic through the middle sector – leaving the pair fifth and eighth respectively.

‘FP1: Verstappen bounces back’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/fp1-verstappen-bounces-back-from-stoppage-to-lead-piastri-in-austrian-gp.71eIaC6N7AD05ikXit0ktS

Austrian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring.
28 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 27 1:05.685

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 32 1:05.961 0.276

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 30 1:06.055 0.370

4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 30 1:06.128 0.443

5 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 39 1:06.254 0.569

6 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 29 1:06.297 0.612

7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 26 1:06.384 0.699

8 63 George Russell Mercedes 31 1:06.386 0.701

9 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 29 1:06.579 0.894

10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 29 1:06.603 0.918

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/austrian-gp-free-practice-1-results/

Austrian GP: ‘Engine issue’ pauses Max Verstappen’s run but he still tops FP1
28 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen came back from a brief engine stoppage, said to be the result of a sensor issue, to top FP1 for the Austrian Grand Prix. At a time when Verstappen is facing a potential engine grid penalty, a glitch during FP1 saw him come to a stop on the main straight but, pushed back into the pits, he was back on track just a few minutes later.

20 minutes into the session it was still Russell v Hamilton v Verstappen for the top spot with Hamilton then coming through with a 1:06.254 to set the pace. And surprisingly, Race Control had yet to announce a single lost lap time because of track limits after the race organisers laid gravel down on the outside of the turns.

The final 10 minutes saw the traditional soft tyre runs, Lance Stroll up to second place, Tsunoda P4 and the Stake team-mates into the top ten. The top four teams though, had yet to make the swap. Charles Leclerc, who had been languishing in P8, went fastest but lost out to Verstappen while traffic hampered Russell and Norris went flying off the track having gone purple in the first sector.

‘Engine issue’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/austrian-grand-prix-2024-fp1-report

Verstappen recovers from glitch to lead practice
28 Jun 2024
Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Verstappen moved to the front on a time of 1:05.685s to finish the session a sizeable 0.276s clear of McLaren driver’s Oscar Piastri. Piastri’s McLaren team-mate Lando Norris had clocked the fastest first sector but scuppered his prospects with an error into Turn 4, leaving him down in 13th position.

Mercedes had sat atop the timesheets before the late flurry of times on Soft tyres, but George Russell had a scrappy Turn 1 and then encountered traffic, while Lewis Hamilton remained on the Hard tyres. Hamilton finished the session in fifth spot with Russell down in eighth.

Ferrari finished in third and fourth respectively, with Charles Leclerc in front of Carlos Sainz, while Esteban Ocon and newly re-signed Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll split the Mercedes pair. RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso rounded out the top 10.

‘Verstappen recovers from glitch’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/06/28/verstappen-recovers-from-glitch-to-lead-practice/

Verstappen tops single Austrian GP practice after early scare
28 Jun 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Max Verstappen recovered from a mid-session engine scare to top Friday’s single practice for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. The Red Bull driver edged McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by a comfortable 0.276s while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were third and fourth.

While Verstappen was the first driver to hit the track, Russell and Hamilton laid down the early markers, the Mercedes pair initiating their session on the hard tyre while the Dutchman was shod with the medium rubber. A taste of the potential chaos for today's sprint qualifying surfaced early on in FP1 when Leclerc got caught behind Nico Hulkenberg at Turn 4. Leclerc eventually found a way past, but the incident underlined the potential challenges drivers will encounter in this afternoon’s condensed qualifying session.

Verstappen, whose session appeared compromised at one moment, thus concluded FP1 at the top, the Red Bull driver edging Piastri by 0.276s. Leclerc, Sainz and Hamilton - who did not complete a qualifying sim on the soft tyre - rounded off the top five with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon concluding his session a creditable P6, ahead of Aston’s Lance Stroll, Russell, Rb’s Yuki Tsunoda and Fernando Alonso who completed the top-ten.

‘Incident underlined the potential challenges’;

https://f1i.com/news/512160-verstappen-tops-single-austrian-gp-practice-after-early-scare.html

Max Verstappen recovers from stoppage to top only Austrian GP practice
Max Verstappen recovers from FP1 setback to top the only practice session at the F1 Austrian Grand Prix.
28 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen recovered from a brief on-track stoppage to set the pace in the only practice session at the F1 Austrian Grand Prix. The reigning world champion appeared to be in trouble when his Red Bull conked out at the bottom of the hill on the run up to Turn 1, but he was able to roll his RB20 back to marshals, who pushed him back into the pitlane under a red flag.

Whatever the issue was proved to only be minor, as Red Bull were able to send him back out onto the circuit almost straight away. Verstappen went on to produce the fastest lap of the session with a 1m05.685s on soft tyres, leaving him 0.276s clear of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

The Ferrari’s of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz ended up third and fourth, nearly four tenths behind Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton spent much of FP1 at the top of the leaderboard, with the seven-time world champion only half a second adrift having set his best lap on hard tyres.

Top only Austrian GP practice’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051252/1/max-verstappen-recovers-stoppage-top-only-austrian-gp-practice

Fortitude

28th June 2024, 16:30

Austrian GP: Max Verstappen claims pole as Charles Leclerc fumbles in Sprint Qualy.
Max Verstappen dominated Sprint Qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver quickest in every session on his way to yet another pole position.
28 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen puts his RB20 on pole position: None of the top ten were in a rush to venture out in SQ3, a session in which they all have to use soft tyres but they can choose between news or used. As the clock ticked down on the session it was evident that all the drivers intended to do just one run, the big question was who would go first?

Russell was the first man out, Hamilton stuck to his team-mate’s rear wing. Mercedes telling their drivers that it could be “tight” for some drivers to a set time such was their loitering. Leclerc ran into trouble, seemingly unable to leave the pits before getting going, but with 1:18 on the clock, he was in a race to start a flying lap.

Norris posted his best time of the day to jump up into provisional pole but then came Verstappen with a 1:04.686. That put him 0.093s up on the McLaren driver. Piastri qualified third. Meanwhile Leclerc wasn’t able to complete a flying lap as he didn’t cross the line in time. He’ll line up P10.

‘Max Verstappen claims pole as Charles Leclerc fumbles’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/austrian-grand-prix-2024-sprint-shoot-out-report

Austrian GP: Sprint Shootout Results
Full results from the Sprint Shootout from the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring.
29 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Sprint Shootout from the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:05.690 1:05.186 1:04.686

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:05.786 1:05.561 1:04.779 0.093

3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:06.081 1:05.379 1:04.987 0.301

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:05.764 1:05.325 1:05.054 0.368

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:05.781 1:05.435 1:05.126 0.440

6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:06.504 1:05.539 1:05.270 0.584

7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:06.256 1:05.612 1:06.008 1.322

8 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:06.343 1:05.686 1:06.101 1.415

9 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:06.465 1:05.757 1:06.624 1.938

10 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:06.149 1:05.526

‘Full results from the Sprint Shootout’;

https://speedcafe.com/austrian-gp-sprint-shootout-results/

Austrian Grand Prix: F1 Sprint Qualifying Results
29 June 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

SQ3: The remaining ten drivers could now use the Soft tyre for the all-important final part of Sprint Qualifying: SQ3. Well over half of the eight-minute session passed without any action out of the pits, they would only have a single flying lap to try for pole position. Leclerc encountered trouble in the pitlane and came to a stop, and he subsequently ran out of time to set a flying lap.
Leclerc has pulled up in the pit lane, something's wrong ��#F1Sprint #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/ZDCi8Fkt0l
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 28, 2024

Both Mercedes were the first to make their mark, with Russell ahead of Hamilton with a 1:05.054. Lap times came in one after another, but in the end it was Verstappen who claimed his career eighth Sprint pole with a 1:04.686 lap time. Norris claimed second position just under a tenth behind while Piastri was P3.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES POLE FOR SATURDAY'S #F1SPRINT ��#F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/EDCRAjMHiv
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 28, 2024

‘F1 Sprint Qualifying Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/austrian-grand-prix-f1-sprint-qualifying-results/

Lewis Hamilton fumes at 'disastrous' Austrian GP session with damning three-word verdict
Lewis Hamilton let his frustrations come to the fore after the sprint shootout at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Fri, Jun 28, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton was frustrated with his sprint shootout performance. Lewis Hamilton was left to rue what he described as 'very bad laps' after finishing sixth in the sprint shootout at the Austrian Grand Prix on Friday.

'Very bad laps';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1916729/Lewis-Hamilton-Austrian-Grand-Prix

Max Verstappen narrowly beats Lando Norris to Austrian GP sprint pole
Max Verstappen edges Lando Norris to pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race.
28 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen narrowly beat Lando Norris to claim pole position for the F1 Austrian Grand Prix sprint race. It looked as though Norris had done enough to take pole in what turned out to be a one-lap shootout in SQ3, but Red Bull’s Verstappen produced a marginally quicker lap to pip his rival by just 0.093s. It marks championship leader Verstappen's sixth straight pole at the Red Bull Ring.

The second McLaren of Oscar Piastri was third-fastest, three-tenths slower than Verstappen. George Russell ended up fourth while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz split the Mercedes duo, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton sixth.

‘Max Verstappen edges Lando Norris’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051306/1/max-verstappen-narrowly-beats-lando-norris-austrian-gp-sprint-pole

Max Verstappen clinches Austrian GP Sprint pole on Red Bull homecoming
The Dutchman was fastest again as he clinched pole position for Saturday's F1 Sprint race at the Red Bull Ring
28 June 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

The championship leader had the edge over his rivals in FP1 and continued his form by qualifying ahead of the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Behind them was George Russell in fourth, with Carlos Sainz fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth ahead of Sergio Perez.

Disaster struck for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who lost drive as he made his way out of the pits and ran out of time to set a lap. He will start in P10 behind Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. At Red Bull’s home race, Verstappen would have been keen to flex his muscles and the Dutchman went less than tenth quicker than Russell in SQ1.

‘At Red Bull’s home race’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max-verstappen-austrian-gp-f1-sprint-pole-red-bull-lando-norris/

F1 - 2024 Austrian Grand Prix - Friday Press Conference Transcript
TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: Mike KRACK (Aston Martin), Mario ISOLA (Pirelli), Christian HORNER (Red Bull Racing), Peter BAYER (RB)
28.06.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Mike, can we start with you, please? Let's talk about the big news from yesterday. You've confirmed Lance Stroll into the new era with the team, which keeps the same driver line up at Aston Martin for the third consecutive season. Explain your thinking behind that?
Mike KRACK: “Well, I think for many weeks I said we want continuity, stability and continuity. I think it's very important for a team, especially heading into a new regulation set. And we're quite happy that we have quite a mature line-up on the track. We know who our main opponents are and they are certainly not the other green car. So that is something that we have seen over the past years. They work very well together, pushing in the same direction. So we always wanted to do it like that. And obviously at this stage and throughout the season, I think the drivers was not our main problem. So we are quite happy that we have done this now and get some more calm into this situation.”

Q:. Christian, coming to you now, can we just start by dealing with FP1? What was Max's brief issue?
Christian HORNER: “It was a sensor issue. We were fortunate that the car actually came to a stop on the pit straight close to a junction in the pit wall to be able to recover the car. And then it was a question of resetting the sensor and getting going again. So, yeah, I was fortunate because it would have been disastrous to lose that track time, particularly on a Sprint weekend.”

Q: Well, Peter, perhaps we could bring you in on this. Can we get your take on the job that Daniel has done and whether you think he deserves to see out the season in your team?
Peter BAYER: “Well, he certainly has helped us tremendously. Looking back last year when he joined the team, he brought a whole new energy and spirit into the team. And he has been extremely helpful in supporting Yuki. Yuki has just stated that very recently, actually, that he still keeps learning from Daniel. And it's part of our job, also as a mission from the shareholders, to develop drivers. And that's what we currently do. But certainly, as Christian said, this is about performance. We do luckily have a couple of options with the junior programme, but we're also not in a hurry to take a decision for next year's line-up. We've confirmed Yuki, which was very important for us. And the focus currently, honestly, as you can tell, is on the car and to go into the summer break and have a quiet discussion.”

‘Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-austrian-grand-prix-friday-press-conference-transcript

Fortitude

29th June 2024, 09:21

Horner after sprint qualifying in Austria: 'Positive day for us'.
"It was a positive day for us today and we saw three great laps put in from Max. Unfortunately, it was a disappointing run for Checo, especially after getting boxed in by Esteban, as there was no chance for him to get a representative lap. Going into SQ3 we thought he would be top five, which is a shame. However, this track is good for overtaking with a few good long straights.”
28 June 2024
Yvonne Huijs
Verstappen.nl

Horner adds: "It’s going to be very hot tomorrow so that should throw up some challenges for all the cars on the grid. Overall, it was a great showing from Max but it’s getting close; McLaren were looking strong and Mercedes were edging closer too, so we are looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings."

‘Positive day for us’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5515/

2024 Austrian GP Sprint Qualifying: Ride onboard as Max Verstappen claims Sprint Pole
28 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Ride onboard with Max Verstappen as the Red Bull driver claims Sprint Pole position with a lap of 1:04.686 in Sprint Qualifying at the 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix.

‘Ride onboard’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-austrian-gp-sprint-qualifying-ride-onboard-as-max-verstappen-claims-sprint-pole.1803122590585161815

Max Verstappen identifies key Red Bull RB20 change after Austrian GP sprint pole
28 Jun 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Speaking after the session, Verstappen – searching for his sixth victory at the Red Bull since 2018 – declared it a “good start to the weekend” with the car “pretty strong” from the off on Friday. He said: “It was positive day, to be honest. I’m happy.”

“We started off the day well, the car was already in a good window. Little niggle with the sensor, but we fixed that quickly. And then heading into qualifying, I think the car was pretty strong. I could push. Of course, there will always be areas where we can do better, so we’ll look at that tonight, but definitely a good start to the weekend.”

“Good start to the weekend”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-red-bull-rb20-austrian-gp-sprint-pole

Norris must beat Verstappen the hard way – but rivals doubt passing will be easy
28th June 2024
Will Wood
Racefans.net

The McLaren duo each had the benefit of the team’s new front wing design for Friday’s sprint qualifying session and they used it to be the closest to Verstappen. “This is a position we can try and capitalise on and see if we can go for the win,” said team principal Andrea Stella after sprint qualifying.

“At the same time, we once again can see how tight the field is at the front. There’s really not much to pick between Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes, so we need to maximise the package, the driving, the execution and see what we can do tomorrow.”

“Maximise the package”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/28/norris-must-beat-verstappen-the-hard-way-but-rivals-doubt-passing-will-be-easy/

Oscar Piastri warns Verstappen as McLaren ‘in mix’ at Austrian GP
The Australian driver is hoping to close the gap on Verstappen at the Red Bull Ring in Saturday's 24-lap F1 Sprint
28 June 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Oscar Piastri believes McLaren are well-equipped to challenge Red Bull star Max Verstappen in the Austrian Grand Prix F1 Sprint and Sunday’s race following an impressive sprint qualifying result. Piastri suggested there is room for a better lap time throughout the weekend, which can only be a positive for McLaren as they search for their second F1 Sprint victory.

“The position is quite good obviously but the last lap, a couple of corners I could have certainly tidied up. That’s nice to know where the time is,” Piastri told F1 TV. “I had a rough one last weekend but I think we are back on the pace. The new front wing was working well, so I’m excited for the rest of the weekend now.”

‘McLaren ‘in mix’ at Austrian GP’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/oscar-piastri-warns-verstappen-mclaren-austrian-gp-f1-sprint/

“I don’t know if you noticed, there was no engine” – Failure mystifies Leclerc
28th June 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans.net

Charles Leclerc was at a loss to explain the mystery power unit problem which prevented him from setting a lap time at the end of qualifying for the sprint race. The Ferrari driver will line up 10th on the grid for tomorrow’s 24-lap race.

As he drove back to the pits without having been able to set a time, Leclerc asked his team what had gone wrong and explained that his engine had cut out for no clear reason:
Leclerc What the hell happened, guys?
Bozzi We took the anti-stall.
Leclerc The anti-stall cannot stop the engine.
Leclerc The engine switched off. I don’t know if you noticed, there was no engine. Ignition went to ‘off’ so I had to re-do the whole thing.
Bozzi Copy, box. We’ll talk about it inside the garage.
Leclerc Please let me know what is it once I get out of the car by Mia [Djacic, Ferrari press officer] or whatever.
Bozzi Yeah. yeah. as soon as you come in we’ll talk about it.
Leclerc … so let me know before when I’m with Mia, thank you.
Bozzi Copy.

“I don’t know if you noticed, there was no engine”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/28/i-dont-know-if-you-noticed-there-was-no-engine-failure-mystifies-leclerc/

2024 Austrian GP Sprint Qualifying: The moment Leclerc’s Ferrari ‘switched off’ and ruined his SQ3
Fri, 28 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Charles Leclerc left the Ferrari garage for his SQ3 run only for his car to lose all power at the end of the pit lane. He got it going again but by then it was too late for him to complete a lap in the session.

‘Switched off’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-austrian-gp-sprint-qualifying-the-moment-leclercs-ferrari-switched-off-and-ruined-his-sq3.1803125498979503452

Lewis Hamilton’s scathing review of ‘disastrous’ Mercedes Sprint Qualifying
Hamilton couldn't put a lap together and will start the 2024 Austrian GP Sprint Race from sixth, behind his teammate once again.
28 June 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

“I wasn’t in the mix at all,” Hamilton told F1 TV after Sprint Qualifying. “The whole session was pretty disastrous. We’re gonna say practice was practice felt good the car generally felt good. I don’t think we had the pace obviously to be on pole but yeah, very bad.” When asked about his chances on Saturday, Hamilton added: “Who knows. I don’t think overtaking is mega here, but we’ll give it our best. Usually, it’s not such an eventful race so I think the focus will be mostly on getting better qualified tomorrow.”

Hamilton’s scruffy Sprint Qualifying mistakes: Despite 104 poles to his name, the veteran made a mistake on the very first run of the day by going wide at Turn 1 and Turn 6, narrowly edging through into SQ2 by under a tenth of a second from Daniel Ricciardo’s RB. Then on his final and only run of the final session, he made a mistake at Turn 3 to lose a few tenths in comparison to his teammate before finishing a distant six tenths behind Max Verstappen’s Sprint Pole time.

‘Scathing review’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lewis-hamilton-scathing-review-disastrous-2024-austrian-gp-sprint-qualifying-mercedes/

Fortitude

29th June 2024, 13:44

Max Verstappen surges to Austrian GP sprint win but Piastri and Norris war steals the show.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris treated fans to an excellent spectacle in the Austrian Grand Prix sprint race.
Jun 29, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen fended off early advances from both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to win the sprint race ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman enjoyed an excellent launch and began to pull away when the two McLaren drivers fought on the opening lap, but when Norris filtered through ahead of Piastri, they began to close up to the rear of Verstappen.

Norris even briefly took the lead of the race, lunging up the inside at Turn Three on lap five, but Verstappen responded with a divebomb of his own at Turn Four, snatching back the top spot.

‘Piastri and Norris war’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1916897/Max-Verstappen-Oscar-Piastri-Lando-Norris-Austrian-Grand-Prix

Austrian GP: F1 Sprint Results
Full results from the F1 Sprint at Red Bull Ring.
29 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the F1 Sprint at Red Bull Ring.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 23

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 4.616

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 5.348

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 8.354

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 9.989

6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 11.207

7 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 13.424

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 17.409

9 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 24.067

10 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 30.175

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/austrian-gp-f1-sprint-results/

2024 Austrian GP Sprint: Verstappen leads away as Piastri challenges Norris on the start
Pole-sitter Max Verstappen defended his lead at the start of the Sprint as the two McLarens of
29 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Defended his lead at the start’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-austrian-gp-sprint-verstappen-leads-away-as-piastri-challenges-norris-on-the-start.1803189981251783317

Austrian Grand Prix: F1 Sprint Race Results
June 29, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Lights out: The first race of round 11 was hosted in the Styrian mountains above Spielberg, Austria. Harry Benjamin returned to the commentary box for the third of six sprint races for the 2024 season. Alex Albon started from the pitlane for today’s Sprint Race, as the other 19 cars lined up on the grid. The start was aborted and an extra formation lap took place, knocking one lap off the total race distance. The reason was said to be photographers standing behind the barriers at Turn 1.

The cars lined up once more and it was lights out for the Austrian Sprint. Verstappen had an excellent start as Piastri got alongside his teammate, Norris. The drivers managed to get through the first set of chicanes unscathed with the top three drivers maintaining position. Carlos Sainz got ahead of both Mercedes drivers and Kevin Magnussen gained places to enter the top 10. As DRS was enabled the top eight points positions were Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Sainz, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc, and Sergio Perez.

Verstappen defended against Norris who was within DRS of the leader. By lap four, Norris had the fastest lap time. Downhill into Turn 4, Norris tried to find a way around the RB20 but could not make it stick. The drivers in P1 and P2 of the championship were putting on an entertaining battle for P1 and P2 of the Sprint. Norris managed to pass Verstappen into Turn 3 on lap five under braking. By Turn 4, Verstappen regained the lead as the two McLarens go toe to toe. Piastri then made his move stick for P2. The top six drivers were all within DRS of each other.

‘F1 Sprint Race Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/austrian-grand-prix-f1-sprint-race-results/

2024 Austrian GP Sprint: Sainz gets past Russell for P4 on Lap 1
29 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Carlos Sainz got a great start to pass George Russell for fourth place on the opening lap in Austria – while his Ferrari team mate Charles Leclerc had an even better launch to make up three places and get up to seventh before the end of Lap 1.

‘Sainz gets past Russell’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-austrian-gp-sprint-sainz-gets-past-russell-for-p4-on-lap-1.1803192441795147447

Lando Norris blasts ‘pretty stupid’ Verstappen Austrian GP Sprint move
The Briton couldn't hide his frustration after losing out in his latest battle with Max Verstappen in Austria
29 June 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris lamented his “pretty stupid” move on Max Verstappen which ultimately cost him a chance of winning the F1 Sprint at the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday

“It was a good battle. I knew there were not going be too many opportunities to try do it [overtake Verstappen] so I had to go for a bit of a move into Turn 3 and then I was just pretty stupid into Turn 4 and left the door open,” Norris told the written press at the Red Bull Ring, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“Two corners, two battles, and that was it, then Oscar managed to come past. I tried, obviously it didn’t go to plan but the pace in the car was pretty good. I think we gave it a good shot, but wasn’t quite enough today. But it’s nice to have two cars up there, nice to have two cars trying to fight against Max. And that’s what we need on Sunday.”

‘Couldn't hide his frustration’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lando-norris-blasts-pretty-stupid-austrian-gp-f1-sprint-victory/

F1 - 2024 Austrian Grand Prix Post-Sprint Press Conference Transcript
29.06.24
FIA (Press Release)

TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by Alex Wurz)

Q: “Well done. Third position. I'm pretty sure you would like to be a bit higher than this. But nevertheless, it was a sensational Sprint for us to watch. But please, talk us through the race?”
Lando NORRIS: “I mean, a good race. A good race between us, especially with Max at the beginning, it was good fun. Yeah, probably some things I definitely should have done a bit better in my battle, but I understand that, and the pace of the car was very strong, especially the end of the race and I had a good battle trying to get past Oscar, but I just didn't have enough speed with how much you lose in the middle sector with the dirty air. So it was a good race, a good load of points for us as McLaren, so a good job to the team, and, of course, Max and Oscar for the podium.”

Q: “Oscar Piastri, you are already a Sprint winner and today you finished second. Are you happy with that position?”
Oscar PIASTRI: “Yes and no, I think. I obviously finished one spot higher than I started but yeah, I just didn't quite have the pace in the in the second half of that one. I thought Max and Lando were going to pave the way for me to come through at one point but not quite. Some things to look at for this afternoon and for tomorrow's race, but we'll definitely take the points, a really good haul compared to the other teams around us.”

Q: “Max Verstappen, winner. Let's not talk about football. Sorry to beat you. Austria won against Holland. Unless you really want to talk about it? But well done for such a strong comeback. Amazing start. Maybe the perception of the race for you?”
Max VERSTAPPEN: “Yeah, it was a good first lap, I would say. But then, yeah, once the DRS opens, it's very hard to get out of it. Took a few laps, a few exciting battles as well. But I think once we cleared the DRS, then I could do a bit more of my own race, and then it looked all a bit better. But you could see they have two cars, they are pushing flat out, trying to, of course, make it difficult for me. And, yeah, we had to work for it in that race. So, yeah, a few things to think about what we could do better for tomorrow, especially, because I think tomorrow is going to be even longer races and harder on the tyres, so it's going to be quite interesting to see how that will evolve.”

‘Post-Sprint Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-austrian-grand-prix-post-sprint-press-conference-transcript

Fortitude

29th June 2024, 16:05

Austrian GP qualifying results: Verstappen seals sensational pole as Hamilton beaten again.
Max Verstappen delivered a qualifying session to remember, storming to pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix. Lando Norris was second-fastest for McLaren, while George Russell rounded out the top three after beating his team-mate once again.
Harry Smith
Jun 29, 2024
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen produced a complete qualifying performance to claim the Austrian Grand Prix pole position. Hamilton ultimately finished the session in P7 but told race engineer Pete Bonnington “I’m just slow mate” after an underwhelming final run.

When the first laps of Q3 were laid down, the order was roughly as expected with Verstappen leading Norris, but the gaps between the pair were far from regular as the reigning champion punched in a time that was over three-and-a-half tenths clear of the McLaren man.

Verstappen stretched that lead on his final run as Norris and Russell followed suit. Oscar Piastri lost a lap for track limits, dropping him to P7, while Charles Leclerc went off track in the final sector as he wrestled with his SF-24 machine.

‘Punched in a time’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1916976/Austrian-Grand-Prix-qualifying-results

Austrian GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring.
30 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:05.336 1:04.469 1:04.314

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:05.450 1:05.103 1:04.718 0.404

3 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:05.585 1:05.016 1:04.840 0.526

4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:05.263 1:05.016 1:04.851 0.537

5 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:05.541 1:05.053 1:04.903 0.589

6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:05.509 1:05.104 1:05.044 0.730

7 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:05.311 1:05.070 1:05.048 0.734

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:05.587 1:05.144 1:05.202 0.888

9 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:05.596 1:05.262 1:05.385 1.071

10 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:05.574 1:05.274 1:05.883 1.569

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

https://speedcafe.com/austrian-gp-qualifying-results/

Austrian Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
June 29, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Q3: The gravel at Turn 6 was being cleared up and delayed the start of Q3. When Q3 began, there was a slight lull before drivers emerged from their garages. Perez and Ocon were on the backfoot without new tyres for Q3. Hamilton pulled out of the Mercedes garage, taking one of the jacks with him. Luckily, it came loose from his car and no one was injured. The unsafe release was noted by race control.

Verstappen began his lap, getting a nice tow from Hulkenberg at the start. However, Norris set the fastest first sector. Verstappen was quickest in Sector 2. Piastri finished his first flying lap for P1, quickly topped by Verstappen with a 1:04.426. Norris crossed the line for P2, 0.361 seconds behind the leader. Leclerc finished his lap for P3 and Hamilton for P5. Russell then finished his lap with a P3 time.

After the opening laps, Verstappen was in P1, Norris in P2, Russell P3, Leclerc P4, Piastri P5, Hamilton P6, Sainz P7, Perez P8, Ocon P9, and Hulkenberg P10. The cars re-entered the pits readying for their final run of Qualifying.
On the final flying laps, Verstappen, Piastri, and Sainz all set a green Sector 1. Verstappen’s second sector was yellow, but the third was purple. He set a 1:04.314. Piastri followed 0.472 slower than Verstappen for P2. Sainz finished in P4. Norris pipped his teammate to second. Meanwhile, Leclerc had a snap of oversteer, ruining his chances. He went wide and off the track into the gravel and grass in a dramatic fashion, damaging his car.

‘Verstappen’s second sector was yellow, but the third was purple’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/austrian-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-results/

Max Verstappen destroys rivals in ominous Austrian GP qualifying display
The Dutchman continued his fine run of form at Red Bull's home race and will start from the front of the grid
29 June 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen produced a timely reminder of his incredible pace in the Red Bull after qualifying on pole for Sunday’s Formula 1 2024 Austrian Grand Prix to seal his second pole of the weekend. Just hours after the Dutchman fought off both McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to win the F1 Sprint, Verstappen‘s blistering pace proved to be good enough for the Austrian GP pole to match as he dominated qualifying at the Red Bull Ring – going over three tenths of a second quicker than his closest rival.

Verstappen’s Q2 time of a 1:04.469 was comfortably the quickest lap of the weekend and he went marginally quicker in Q3 on his first run to set a time of 1:04.314. Norris will start alongside him on the front row in second, with George Russell third and Carlos Sainz fourth. Lewis Hamilton is on the third row in P5, Charles Leclerc sixth and Piastri, who finished second in the sprint race, is down in seventh after having his time deleted due to a track limits violation. Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon made up the rest of the top 10.

‘Max Verstappen destroys rivals’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max-verstappen-pole-f1-austrian-gp-qualifying-2024/

Verstappen smashes opposition to secure pole position for Austrian Grand Prix
29 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Having dominated the F1 Spielberg Sprint earlier today, reigning champion Max Verstappen smashed his rivals in qualifying to take a dominant pole position for tomorrow’s Austrian Grand Prix. F1Technical’s pitlane reporter Balazs Szabo reports on the nail-biting main qualifying from the Spielberg. Max Verstappen fractionally beat the McLaren of Lando Norris yesterday, but he managed to find another gear for today’s main qualifying session.

The Dutchman set an eye-watering time of 1m04.314s to secure pole position for his team’s home race. McLaren driver Lando Norris was his closest challenger once again, but the Briton was could not get within three tenths of a second to Verstappen, but it was still enough for him to take P2 on the grid. His team-mate Oscar Piastri looked strong, but he had his best lap time deleted for track limits infringement which means that he will only start from P7 tomorrow.

‘Verstappen smashes opposition’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24885

Fortitude

30th June 2024, 06:34

Horner on Max' pole in Austria: 'An incredible performance'.
The Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 in the hands of Max Verstappen was once again supreme during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix.
29 June 2024
Julien Lemmen
Verstappen.nl

Team principal Christian Horner reflects after qualifying: "It is always great to be back in Austria for our home race and in front of a home crowd. Today in both the Sprint race and Qualifying, Max put on an incredible performance and especially on a track where the margins are so small. It is great to be on Pole here at Red Bull Ring. All to play for tomorrow."

‘An incredible performance';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5518/

Max Verstappen pole a ‘great statement’ for Red Bull, a ‘reality check’ for F1 2024 rivals
29 Jun 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen has broken his pole position drought in stunning fashion for the Austrian Grand Prix. While the rest of the field is extremely tight, Verstappen managed to secure a gap of 0.404s over second-place Lando Norris. Verstappen understandably sees this masterclass as a “great statement” about the performance of his RB20 — but his competition on the Austrian Grand Prix field see things a little differently. For them, the Dutch driver’s pace is a “reality check.”

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri perhaps said it best when he referred to Max Verstappen’s pace as a ‘reality check’ while speaking after qualifying. He admitted that he was “a little bit” shocked by the RB20 racer’s pace. “His lap in Q2 was I think a bit of a reality check for everyone, and obviously he repeated it in Q3,” Piastri said to media including PlanetF1.com. “The gap seems to be a little bit bigger in that session for whatever reason, and clearly they’re still the force to beat.”

Piastri wasn’t the only driver to comment on Verstappen’s speed. In speaking about the changes Mercedes made to his car between the sprint race and qualifying, Lewis Hamilton said his machinery felt better — but still behind. I mean, we’re down a lot in the high speed compared to Max,” he said. “It’s insane how much faster they are in high speed.”

‘Great statement’/‘Reality check’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-pole-a-great-statement-for-red-bull-a-reality-check-for-f1-2024-rivals

Max Verstappen hails “on fire” Red Bull: “It’s been a while since I’ve felt like this”.
Max Verstappen was full of praise for Red Bull after qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix.
29 Jun 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen has described Red Bull as “on fire” after a dominant performance in F1 qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. “I think the whole session went really well,” Verstappen said. “The car was in a better window. I could push a bit more, rely on the grip of the car, the balance. It was very enjoyable.”

“I was just trying to progress through Q1 without using a new set. And that worked. And then from there, we just tried to fine-tune the balance here and there a little bit. But every lap that I did was feeling good.”

“And then it's all about, of course, trying to just nail every corner. It's been a while that I've felt like this in the car and also looking at the gap. The last few races, I've always been very close in front or behind. So this was definitely very positive, I think, for the team.”

‘Trying to just nail every corner’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051461/1/max-verstappen-hails-fire-red-bull-its-been-while-ive-felt

'I didn't expect that' – Verstappen on his Austrian GP pole
Sat, 29 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Red Bull's Max Verstappen had a close fight with McLaren for the top spot but believes the changes to his RB20 will aid his race tomorrow.

'I didn't expect that';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/i-didnt-expect-that-verstappen-on-his-austrian-gp-pole.1803211147023568505

Lando Norris teases Austrian GP plan to beat Max Verstappen after ‘very clear’ error
29 Jun 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris will get a second shot at beating Max Verstappen off the line in Austria — and he’s already planning to amend his “very clear” error. It’s not often a driver get a re-do on a race start, but with Lando Norris lining up beside polesitter Max Verstappen in both the sprint race and the Austrian Grand Prix, he’ll get just that. But don’t worry; Norris has a plan.

‘Very clear error’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-teases-austrian-gp-plan-beat-max-verstappen

Ferrari offer McLaren a case study in ruining Verstappen and Red Bull’s home party
30th June 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Two years ago, Max Verstappen headed into the Austrian Grand Prix Sunday looking like he was almost certain to win. He’d taken pole position for the sprint race on Friday, won the sprint race on Saturday and was due to start from pole for the main event on Sunday. But instead, Charles Leclerc and Ferrari spoiled the party for Verstappen, his team and the many thousands of Dutch fans in attendance by executing a brilliant strategic race to beat the world champion to the chequered flag.

That weekend, Leclerc looked to be lacking the speed to beat Verstappen in a straight fight during the sprint race, only to comfortably match Verstappen’s speed over the course of the race. And in 2024, McLaren have to find a way to emulate Ferrari’s achievement if they are to avoid being beaten into second place for the fifth consecutive race.

‘A case study’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/30/ferrari-offer-mclaren-a-case-study-in-ruining-verstappen-and-red-bulls-home-party/

George Russell plans to “sit back and watch it all take place” from P3
George Russell explains how he plans to approach the start of Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix.
29 Jun 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

George Russell says he doesn’t plan on getting involved in a fight with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the start of the F1 Austrian Grand Prix. Last week in Barcelona, Russell made an incredible start from fourth and swept past both Norris and Verstappen to move into the lead by Turn 1.

But the Briton has downplayed talk of a repeat, insisting he is going to “sit back and watch it all take place” instead. “I think it’s a bit more challenging here,” Russell said. “I think these guys always get their elbows out. So maybe this time it’s, you know, sit back and watch it all take place.”

“But I think, you know, last week I lost a lot of time battling with Lando and probably focused too much on the guys ahead of me and ultimately that cost me the position to Lewis and almost to Charles as well. So, as I said, I think the race is behind us tomorrow.”

‘From P3’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051453/1/george-russell-plans-sit-back-and-watch-it-all-take-place-p3

Austrian GP predictions: Piastri’s podium chances, Mercedes to beat Ferrari and Haas in the points
30 Jun 2024
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

The 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix will bring to a close a frenetic weekend at the Red Bull Ring. With an unbeatable Max Verstappen, Lando Norris in the hunt and a tight battle between Mercedes and Ferrari, will anyone be able to stop the World Champion at the home of Red Bull?

‘Predictions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/austrian-grand-prix-2024-race-predictions

McLaren's protest against the Piastri's track limit infringement rejected
30 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Formula One's governing body, the FIA has now confirmed that it has rejected the protest that McLaren lodged against the results from the qualifying session for the Austrian Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri set the third quickest time in the qualifying session for Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix. However, he had his best lap time deleted just seconds after the end of the session as he allegedly exceeded track limits at Turn 6.

‘Rejected’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24895

Hamilton learns fate after stewards' investigation
Lewis Hamilton has escaped punishment for an unsafe release during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, but Mercedes has been handed a fine for the incident.
29 June 2024
Ian Parkes & Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton has escaped punishment for an unsafe release during the final part of qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, however, Mercedes has been handed a €5,000 fine for the incident. Heading out for his first run in Q3, Hamilton dragged out with him a hose that connects to the back of the exhaust to release gases out of the garage, and its associated trolley.

A stewards' statement read: "The Stewards heard from the team representative and reviewed video evidence. Car 44 was released from the garage in an unsafe manner dragging a jack and an exhaust extractor behind it. The Stewards acknowledge that the team immediately informed the driver to stop to prevent any further damage and/or dangerous situation."

‘Escaped punishment’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-learns-fate-after-stewards-investigation

Fortitude

30th June 2024, 15:56

George Russell snatches Austrian GP win after dramatic Verstappen Norris clash.
George Russell pulled off a shock victory at the Formula 1 2024 Austrian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’ dramatic late collision in Sunday’s race.
30 June 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Verstappen looked to be cruising towards the victory with an eight-second lead over Norris, until a slow stop pushed the Dutchman back into the McLaren driver’s clutches. The pair engaged in an epic 10-lap battle for the win, with Verstappen and Norris both suffering punctures on Lap 64 after a controversial clash, promoting Russell into the lead.

And he held off the challenge from Oscar Piastri late on to clinch his first win since Brazil 2022, as Russell celebrated his Austrian GP success at the Red Bull Ring. Norris was forced to retire with damage, while Verstappen – came out in P5 after his pit stop – was handed a 10-second penalty for causing a collision by the stewards. Piastri did his best to close the gap to Russell but was left with too much to do and settled for P2, while Carlos Sainz took home an unlikely podium for Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton suffered a number of issues with his car and penalties, but came home to take fourth on a fine weekend for Mercedes. Nico Hulkenberg fought off Sergio Perez to claim sixth behind Verstappen, with Kevin Magnussen eighth, Daniel Ricciardo ninth and Pierre Gasly 10th.

‘Shock victory’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/george-russell-austrian-gp-win-verstappen-norris-clash-f1-2024/

Austrian GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring.
1 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 63 George Russell Mercedes 71

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1.906

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 4.533

4 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 23.142

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 37.253

6 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 54.088

7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 54.672

8 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 60.355

9 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 61.169

10 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 61.766

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/austrian-gp-race-results/

Dramatic Verstappen/Norris clash hands Russell Austrian GP win
Jun 30, 2024
Jack Cozens
The Race

A dramatic collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris handed George Russell and Mercedes a first Formula 1 victory in a year and a half at the Austrian Grand Prix. Verstappen had absolutely dominated the first two thirds of the race, leading by as much as eight seconds from Norris. But an unhappy long middle stint on hard tyres he didn't especially like and then a slow final pitstop where the left rear tyre initially refused to release meant Verstappen rejoined only just ahead of Norris.

The McLaren - on new mediums versus a used set for the Red Bull - then quickly got into Verstappen's DRS range and mounted attack after attack, with the two drivers' radio comments about each other's driving getting increasingly terse. A dive with 12 laps to go got Norris ahead into the Turn 3 hairpin but he claimed the line by running wide over the run-off so quickly handed the place back.

It would turn out that that moment was Norris's fourth track limits breach of the race, which incurred a five-second time penalty, but with that yet to be awarded their battle continued. Next time they got alongside each other it was Verstappen who stayed ahead by running wide. And then the contact came on the approach to the hairpin, a rub of wheels giving both cars punctures and sending them slewing off the road before a bizarre wheel-to-wheel battle down the hill with both cars lurching around with damage.

‘Dramatic’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/dramatic-verstappen-norris-clash-russell-wins-austrian-gp-f1/

Austrian Grand Prix: F1 Race Results
Red Bull's home Grand Prix weekend has been dominated by Max Verstappen, topping every F1 session so far
June 30, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Verstappen vs. Norris: With the gap closing, Norris had DRS on Verstappen and the race was on. There are three DRS zones around the Red Bull Ring for a seven-tenths advantage. Norris attempted an overtake into Turn 3 with a late braking move, echoing his Sprint Race manoeuvre. However, he could not make it stick. Norris reported that Verstappen reacted to his move in the braking zone.

Norris was handed a black-and-white flag warning for track limit violations. On lap 59, Norris made a late move on Verstappen and got past for the lead of the race. However, the McLaren driver locked up and ran wide, leaving the track. He was still ahead but was required to let Verstappen back through to P1. Race control then noted Norris for track limits. On lap 61, Verstappen defended against another move from Norris. However, he made a double move which Norris reported on the radio. Meanwhile, Piastri was closing in on Sainz in P4 and Perez was catching Hulkenberg in P7.

Another move from Norris on lap 63 into Turn 3. Verstappen went off the track defending and kept the place. However, Norris complained that Verstappen should hand him the position. Verstappen told Red Bull mechanics that he was forced off by Norris.
A new race leader: On lap 64, there was contact between Verstappen and Norris. Norris took the lead due to Verstappen picking up a puncture from the contact. However, it soon became clear that Norris also got a puncture and was also handed a five-second penalty. This incident gave Russell the lead. On lap 66, the Virtual Safety Car came out. Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal was heard on the radio to Russell telling him that he “can win this”.

‘Toto Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal: “can win this”!’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/austrian-grand-prix-f1-race-results/

Wild crash leads to surprising F1 finish
George Russell got his second F1 win ever after a Max Verstappen-Lando Norris crash.
June 30, 2024
Andrew Bucholtz
thecomeback.com

Late in the race, Verstappen crashed into Norris. That knocked Norris out of the race, led to a 10-second penalty for himself, and paved the way for Mercedes’ George Russell to get his second career F1 win (and the first for him and for Mercedes since 2022). Here’s that crash:

Verstappen killing Lando
Twitter is a warzone
F1 Is BACK
pic.twitter.com/KgDHJNkzFw
— �� (@OfficialVizeh) June 30, 2024

That led to Russell’s win:
He won’t forget this race for a while… and nor will we! #F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/daXNiEkmAq
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 30, 2024
Thus, this was a remarkable moment for Russell. But it only came thanks to that Verstappen-Norris incident, which itself came after those two had been going back and forth all day. And there may be further developments to come from that. But it certainly worked out well for Russell and Mercedes.

‘Wild Crash’;

https://thecomeback.com/articles/wild-crash-leads-to-surprising-f1-finish.html

Austrian GP: Max Verstappen and Lando Norris tempers flare with Russell gifted the win
30 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

George Russell secured an unexpected victory for Mercedes at the Austrian Grand Prix, the Briton benefitting from the inevitable crash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. Although Verstappen seemed to be cruising to the victory, a late-race challenge from Norris saw tempers flare between the two protagonists resulting in a crash with Norris out of the race and a puncture dropping Verstappen to P5.

As tempers flared – CONTACT! The two touched as Norris again tried to pass, Verstappen left without a rear left tyre and Norris also suffering a puncture. As they limped back to the pits, Russell took the lead but was being chased by Piastri and Sainz. Verstappen returned to the race down in fifth place but was hit with a 10-second penalty for causing a collision.

Heading into the final lap, Russell kept it neat and tidy, the Briton racing to his second Formula 1 victory by two seconds ahead of Piastri with Sainz joining them on the podium. Hamilton was fourth ahead of Verstappen while Hulkenberg took sixth off Perez with Magnussen, Ricciardo and Gasly completing the points.

‘Tempers flare’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/austrian-grand-prix-2024-race-report

Fortitude

1st July 2024, 06:09

Russell swore at Wolff because ‘I almost crashed when he screamed in my ear’.
“Then suddenly I had Toto screaming in my ear, ‘you can win this’. And I almost crashed when he screamed into my ears. It was that loud.” George Russell.
21:29 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Russell’s race engineer Marcus Dudley told him Verstappen had suffered a puncture in the collision. As it emerged Norris had also incurred damage, Wolff called out: “George, you can win this. You can win this, George.”

Wolff sent his message as Russell was heading into the high-speed braking zone at turn three. Race engineers ordinarily avoid talking to their drivers at these critical points on the lap, and an alarmed Russell told his team boss: “Let me f^(#ing drive.”

However Russell said he appreciated Wolff’s eagerness for the team to score its first win since the penultimate victory of 2022. “I think it just goes to show the passion that we all share,” he said. “And it’s obviously been a tough couple of years for us. It feels great to be back on the top step.” Although it took a slice of luck for Russell to score his first win since Interlagos in 2022, Russell was happy to take it.

“Let me f^(#ing drive”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/30/russell-swore-at-wolff-because-i-almost-crashed-when-he-screamed-in-my-ear/

‘Single dumbest thing in 12 years’: Why ‘embarrassing’ radio message had Merc boss ‘forever ashamed’
July 1st, 2024 7:47 am
Fox Motorsport from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff conceded he will “be forever ashamed” after his radio message almost derailed George Russell’s race at the Austrian Grand Prix. With seven laps to go, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris collided at Turn 3 and caused both drivers to sustain a puncture.

“We can win this,” Wolff told Russell over the radio. The only issue was Wolff’s passionate radio message came when Russell was braking at the end of a long straight. Speaking after the race, Wolff recognised the error of his ways and how easily he could have distracted Russell in a crucial braking zone.

“I think I know the drivers pretty well and what they need at times to encourage or to refocus, because I spend so much time with them,” Wolff told media in Austria. “So I think I know the psychology. But this one is the single dumbest thing I’ve done in 12 years at Mercedes. I will be forever ashamed of this.”

‘Single dumbest thing in 12 years’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/single-dumbest-thing-in-12-years-why-embarrassing-radio-message-had-merc-boss-forever-ashamed/news-story/e4d7f9965dd102aa75e8ce4d1a162c4a

‘You Can Win This!’ - Wolff's radio blunder almost crashed Russell
21:00 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Austrian Grand Prix winner George Russell revealed a near-miss in the closing stages of the race, thanks to a well-meaning but poorly timed message from Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. With five laps to go and his head down, focused on maintaining his lead to the checkered flag, Wolff’s booming voice suddenly bellowed over the radio: "YOU CAN WIN THIS!"

Under heavy braking, the Briton was understandably startled and retorted with a curt, "LET HIM DRIVE!" While his heart was clearly in the right place but his finger a little too quick on the radio button, Wolff admitted he had totally messed up. He hadn’t checked where Russell was on the track before blasting him with his supportive message.

"That was one of the stupidest things I've ever done, I have to say. I didn't look where he was at all," Wolff admitted to Sky Germany. "I just saw the two of them crash into each other. It's the first time that's happened to me in twelve years. He's fully on the brakes at 320 km/h and I tell him that the two of them have collided. I have to think about it first."

“You Can Win This!’;

https://f1i.com/news/512669-you-can-win-this-wolffs-radio-blunder-almost-crashed-russell.html

Russell said Wolff's radio call almost made him crash
20:24 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
The Straits Times

Surprise Austrian Grand Prix winner George Russell said his Mercedes team boss almost made him crash after he took the lead in Sunday's race. Principal Toto Wolff, whose team had not won a race since 2022, shouted "George, you can win this" over the radio without checking where the driver was on track.

Wolff told reporters he knew all about driver psychology and his spontaneous reaction had been "the single dumbest thing I've done in 12 years at Mercedes. "I will be forever ashamed because you look at where you message the driver and you don’t do it during braking or in high-speed corners," added the Austrian. Despite that, there were no illusions about where the team stood compared to rivals.

"The team have worked so hard. We've made so many strides since the start of the season. The last three races have been incredible so, more to come," said Russell. "I think it's no secret Red Bull with Max and McLaren with Lando are still a little bit out in front, but we're always putting ourselves in that third place position the last couple of races. And obviously, if anything happens up front, we're there to pick it up."

"George, you can win this”;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/russell-said-wolffs-radio-call-almost-made-him-crash

Toto Wolff left feeling ‘forever ashamed’ after the ‘dumbest thing I’ve done’
30 Jun 2024
Oliver Harden

The contact between Norris and Verstappen drew an excitable response from Wolff, who took to team radio to tell Russell: “We can win this.” Wolff’s message came as Russell was braking at the end of a long straight, with the British driver quipping that he “almost crashed” after his team boss’s transmission.

“I could have taken him out with that message, imagine how that would have felt. I’m emotional. I enjoy us doing well and I enjoy seeing Lewis [Hamilton] and George doing well. I was just carried away with that situation and I think that’s what he said afterwards, but that was seriously embarrassing.” Toto Wolff.

“I could have taken him out”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-team-radio-message-george-russell-austrian-grand-prix

Russell Says Austrian GP Victory Makes up for Montreal Disappointment
June 30, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

George Russell feels that his second career win at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix has made up for the “missed opportunity” at the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix when he started from pole position. “It’s huge for us. I think we had such a great opportunity in Canada, I feel like that was a missed opportunity for me and now this feels like we made up for that. It’s been a year and a half of so much hard work – this year starting on the back foot. Everyone came together and turned this around. Super happy and proud of everyone.”

The former Williams Racing driver managed the race out in the lead really well though and led the remaining 7 laps to cross the line in the lead for just the second time in his Formula 1 career (his first win coming at the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix). Speaking to F1TV, Russell spoke about the progress the team has made: “To be honest I was really happy with the race, P3 was going to be a great result for us.”

“I knew Lando was pretty fired up after yesterday, I saw the battles up front and you’ve got to be there to pick up the pieces and that’s what we were and at the start of the year we were never there so the team have done an amazing job, improving the car. I’m really proud to be on the top step.”

‘Makes up for Montreal Disappointment’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/06/russell-says-austrian-gp-victory-makes-up-for-montreal-disappointment/

George Russell says ‘it feels great’ after Spielberg success
Sun, 30 Jun 2024
philip duncan, pa f1 correspondent, spielberg
Yahoo! Sport

Russell vowed to celebrate with long-term Spanish girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt in Monaco on Sunday evening. “I am flying back tonight and I have got my girlfriend waiting for me back at home and one of my good friends is there, too,” said Russell.

“After my first victory I headed straight on to a flight from Sao Paulo to Dubai for 15 hours. I want to celebrate this time because you cannot take these moments for granted. I feel I have a lot left in me and a lot more victories to come in the future but you need to enjoy it. I won’t go as hard as Lando (Norris) did (after his win in Miami). If it is 50 per cent as hard as Lando’s celebrations it will be a pretty massive night.”

‘It feels great’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/george-russell-says-feels-great-175212532.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAClPMiF_gsEElbQYAEYyFfxsdVVV 3IiinIk5Ct9DMzTCpaHgUVEAsbIeAqjGC9_e-fSm-vXiT9C9GY2Xt217-apiBfK3Kwrx5rxiqEZWDF6gOowUsbmT_5gNALmuofjF1tEvdG8 sPvLlnf-5hw2n2srA_qiAE8wUeYq4OnbfBfdY

Fortitude

1st July 2024, 11:36

Piastri: “When it’s that close, you can’t help but hurt”.
“I know it's only my fourth podium in F1 but so close to a win, it hurts a little bit,” Piastri confessed.
1 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Piastri had started the race seventh after his best lap in qualifying was deleted for track limits. Had that time been allowed, a point McLaren fought for as it protested the result of qualifying, he would have started third. Instead, he battled his way through the pack to mount a late challenge for an unlikely victory. Second equals his career best having finished second in Monaco and in last year's Qatar Grand Prix.

“I know it's only my fourth podium in F1 but so close to a win, it hurst a little bit,” Piastri confessed. “But good points, obviously. I think the second half of the race we were coming on pretty strong. Just when it's that close, you can't help but hurt a little.”

“When it’s that close”;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-when-its-that-close-you-cant-help-but-hurt/

So close to a win it hurts, says runner-up Piastri
Sun, 30 June 2024 11:59PM
Staff WritersAAP
The West Australian

Finishing second at a drama-laden Austrian Grand Prix was a bitter-sweet experience for Mclaren's Oscar Piastri. The Australian had slammed his dropping from third to seventh on the starting grid for exceeding track limits in Saturday's qualifying as "embarrassing" for Formula One. But he fought back on Sunday to achieve his fourth podium in Formula One.

That came after a collision between team-mate Lando Norris and Red Bull's triple world champion Max Verstappen forced the leading pair out of the race. It left Piastri wondering what might have been had Saturday's controversy been avoided.

"There's a lot of what ifs and maybes. Obviously, starting from yesterday I know it's only my fourth podium in F1, so close to a win, it hurts," he said. "I think second half of the race we were coming on pretty strong, I am happy with another podium, when it's that close you can't help but hurt a bit."

‘So close to a win it hurts’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsport/so-close-to-a-win-it-hurts-says-runner-up-piastri-c-15198059

Piastri left pondering the ‘what ifs’ after finishing second in Austria
18:29 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Oscar Piastri finished P2 on race day at the Red Bull Ring, but was left wondering if it could have been more.

‘What ifs’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/piastri-left-pondering-the-what-ifs-after-finishing-second-in-austria.1803301564096436200

Piastri filled with 'hurt' after missed maiden victory
Oscar Piastri started seventh but recovered to second in the 2024 F1 Austrian Grand Prix.
30 June 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has conceded finishing second in the Austrian Grand Prix "hurt" as he came agonisingly close to a maiden victory. The McLaren driver started in seventh after exceeding track limits in qualifying, but quickly made up places in the race - a move on Lewis Hamilton mid-race promoted him to fifth, where he looked set to finish.

Having struggled recently during the Spanish Grand Prix, Piastri appeared to bounce back in the Red Bull Ring. The Australian was back to his best in Spielberg and now hopes to take his positive result forwards to the British Grand Prix. "It was a place of good memories from last year, and hopefully we can be up the front again obviously," added Piastri.

‘Hurt’;

https://racingnews365.com/podium-hurts-as-maiden-victory-so-close---piastri

'I'm so close to a win': Oscar Piastri 'hurting' after finishing second in Austrian Grand Prix
July 1, 2024
Damien McCartney
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

Aussie young gun Oscar Piastri has suggested his second place in the Austrian Grand Prix was a win gone begging. Piastri was one of the main beneficiaries from a controversial clash between his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and Max Verstappen with seven laps to go. He crossed the line to seal his fourth F1 podium – his third second place finish – less than two seconds behind the race-winning Mercedes of George Russell.

Piastri started Sunday night's (AEST) race from seventh after his quickest lap in qualifying – which would have been good enough for third on the grid behind Verstappen and Norris – was deleted for exceeding track limits by the barest of margins. The usually calm and collected Piastri blew up, and labelled the call "embarrassing". Russell was promoted to third on the grid, which only further rubbed salt into the wound.

Piastri's race could've very easily ended at the first corner, when he and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc made contact. Leclerc was forced to pit for a new front wing and plummeted to the rear of the field, but Piastri miraculously survived without damage. Piastri got past Lewis Hamilton shortly before the final pitstops, and emerged from his own behind the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, who he passed on the same lap as the Norris-Verstappen collision.

‘The usually calm and collected Piastri blew up’;

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motorsport/f1-2024-austrian-grand-prix-oscar-piastri-so-close-to-a-win-comments-reaction-20240701-p5jq4u.html

‘It hurts a little bit’ – Piastri disappointed to miss out on win in Austria
17:51 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Oscar Piastri was left feeling a little “hurt” at narrowly missing out on what would have been his first F1 Grand Prix victory at the Austrian Grand Prix, having finished just 1.906s away from winner George Russell at the line. It proved to be a weekend of mixed emotions for Piastri who, after snatching P2 in Saturday’s Sprint from McLaren team mate Lando Norris, had looked on course for a top-three result in qualifying before his lap time was deleted due to track limits.

This dropped him down to a starting position of P7 but, after battling forwards during the race, the Australian then found himself in surprise contention for the win following a dramatic collision between leaders Max Verstappen and Norris which resulted in both sustaining punctures.

With Verstappen slipping backwards to fifth and Norris having to retire owing to the damage sustained to his car, this allowed the previously P3 Russell to take the lead, while Piastri overtook Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for P2 and tried to chase down the Mercedes.

‘It hurts a little bit’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/it-hurts-a-little-bit-piastri-disappointed-to-miss-out-on-win-in-austria.SOGcQGLkAeg61iV9od09L

Piastri: Track limits deletion fuelled Austria F1 podium charge
30 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Oscar Piastri has admitted the track limits saga which cost him third on the grid fuelled his surge through the field to claim second in Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix. McLaren’s status as Red Bull’s nearest challenger continued at the Red Bull Ring as Lando Norris pressured Max Verstappen into instigating a clash between the two.

Piastri could have been in the prime position to capitalise on their squabble had his fastest qualifying time not been overruled due to a track limits violation at Turn 6. Instead, George Russell’s Mercedes took the spoils as Piastri completed a late overtake on Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari to recover from seventh place at the start to second.

‘Fuelled his surge through the field’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/01/piastri-track-limits-deletion-fuelled-austria-f1-podium-charge/

‘We shouldn’t laugh’: Piastri shuts down F1 winner in hilarious green room moment
July 1st, 2024 7:48 am
Fox Motorsport with AFP from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Australian star Oscar Piastri had an all-time response to Austrian grand prix winner George Russell as they watched footage of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’ race-deciding collision. As is tradition in the post-race formalities, the drivers re-watched some of the highlights in the cool-down room. It wasn’t long before Norris and Verstappen’s collision was played on the screen in front of the trio.

“Cool fight though,” Russell said. “That was a very cool fight.” However, Piastri issued the perfect reply: “Well, you did just win the race because of it.” Piastri’s retort earned laughs from Russell and Sainz. Knowing Piastri’s earlier claim wasn’t exactly false, it prompted further nervous laughs from Russell and Sainz before the Mercedes driver declared: “We shouldn’t laugh.”

‘An all-time response’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/piastri-ruins-russell-with-cheeky-10word-response-amid-f1-rivals-very-cool-fight/news-story/cbe29192b73657c34a0f0aa1726aba85

Fortitude

1st July 2024, 12:30

Sainz: ‘We put a solid race together and we’re on the podium, so I’m happy’.
Carlos Sainz benefitted from the Verstappen/Norris clash in Austria to earn a place on the podium but says he also had to be in a position to capitalise to take P3.
18:29 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

“I’m happy”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-we-put-a-solid-race-together-and-were-on-the-podium-so-im-happy.1803302071900762927

Sainz looking on bright side with 'bonus' podium in Austria
19:19 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz insisted that he was "quite happy, quite proud" of finishing on the podium today in the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. "Quite an eventful race up front," he told the media in parc ferme after the finish. "Happy days for Formula 1 that there's a bit of action up front, and we're getting to see some nice battles.”

"We knew the Mercedes today might have a bit of an advantage on race pace, but we tried everything to keep up," he said. "It just looked like they had this half a tenth to a tenth of pace advantage. We set our targets in trying to beat the Mercedes and we managed to beat one, even if one of them got ahead," he continued. "I was behind the two of them, passed Lewis, and then it was all about trying to keep up with George.”

"Red Bull and McLaren were in a league of their own this weekend, then there was a step to George and me battling for that P3, P4," he said. "We tried everything we could but we know we've been struggling the last few races. In the end P3 is a good result I think," he decided, calling it a "bonus" for the team. "We can be quite happy, quite proud of that because this weekend hasn't been easy for us. To come away with 15 points and a P3 is a good result.”

"Quite happy, quite proud";

https://f1i.com/news/512640-sainz-looking-on-bright-side-with-bonus-podium-in-austria.html

Ferrari’s Weekend In Austria Is Bittersweet
June 30, 2024
Erika Di Guido
Last Word On Sports

Carlos Sainz finished on the podium in a twist of fate, with Charles Leclerc just outside the points zone. Ferrari had another difficult weekend in Austria. The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg should have been a track where Ferrari could show its full potential. But the struggles for the Cavallino continued. Ferrari still suffers in high-speed corners and need to improve their tyre management, especially for flying laps compared to their rivals.

The race for the two Ferrari drivers was quite different. While Sainz, starting ahead, had to chance to finish on the podium, Leclerc was more unlucky. At the start, he was closed on both sides, squeezed between Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri. The contact with the latter forced the Ferrari to pit early for a front wing and tyre change, and he fell at the back of the grid.

Since then, his race was long and filled with three more stops at the box, hoping to climb to the points zone. However, it was unsuccessful. Leclerc finished his race in P11. On the other hand, Carlos Sainz was P3 after the collision between Norris and Verstappen. His Ferrari wasn’t able to catch George Russell, the new race leader, who was on Hards. The Mercedes crossed the finish line and Russell became a two-time race winner.

‘Bittersweet’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/06/30/ferraris-weekend-in-austria-is-bittersweet/

Sainz happy with ‘bonus’ podium in Austria while Leclerc reflects on first-lap clash with Piastri and Perez
18:42 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari endured mixed fortunes in the Austrian Grand Prix, with Carlos Sainz benefiting from the drama up ahead to claim a surprise podium while Charles Leclerc faced a difficult Sunday, having been caught up in a first-lap incident that damaged his front wing.

Asked if he had felt that Ferrari had made a step relative to their performance last time out in Barcelona, Sainz answered: “I think it’s very tight with Merc. In the last two weekends they’ve been – or at least the faster Merc – has been a little bit quicker than the faster Ferrari [in] both cases, so we just need to make a step going into Silverstone if we want to fight up there.”

“And now we’re going to focus on that, see if we can put together a solid weekend in Silverstone and edge them out, and then bring upgrades to make sure that we try to get closer to McLaren and Red Bull. Earlier in the season, obviously we could have benefitted more, like George did from the fight up front. The reality is that, at this stage of the season, we are just trailing the Merc and a step behind McLaren and Red Bull. We’ve had some issues in the car the last couple of races, which we are looking forward to resolving soon.”

‘Reflects on first-lap clash’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/sainz-happy-with-bonus-podium-in-austria-while-leclerc-reflects-on-first-lap.5ZTTeOIGnAgKLnfsx6bziR

Carlos Sainz sends Williams clear message over F1 future: “I’m going to take all the time I need”
Carlos Sainz isn't going to rush into making a decision over his F1 future.
01 Jul 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz insists he’s in no rush to decide his F1 future despite some teams losing patience over how long he’s taking to make a decision. Sainz’s F1 future continues to be a hot topic with three teams - Alpine, Sauber and Williams - all reportedly interested. Speaking in the post-race FIA press conference, Sainz batted off questions that he would be pressured into a decision.

“As I said before, for sure that pressure, I’m not going to receive it on a Sunday afternoon after a podium where I’m keen to enjoy it,” he said. “As I said before, I think it’s sometimes, like George was saying, we take it for granted when we’re in one of these podiums celebrating, wearing a Ferrari suit.”

“And yeah, I’m going to be honest with and straightforward with the teams. But it’s such an important decision for me also that I’m going to take all the time that I need to take it. And if there’s teams that cannot wait or are a bit impatient, yeah, I cannot do anything about it. It’s going to be my future, my decision, and I’m going to try and be as honest as possible with everyone and give myself the time that I need.”

‘Isn't going to rush into making a decision’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051586/1/carlos-sainz-sends-williams-clear-message-over-f1-future-im-going-take-all-time-i

Alpine's Briatore says Sainz a super driver
JULY 1, 2024
GrandPrix.com

The likelihood that Carlos Sainz will sign a contract with Williams for 2025 and beyond has reportedly almost completely collapsed. Indeed, while Sainz had originally hoped for a top seat for the future - like Red Bull or Mercedes - his only other real option is a late bid by new Alpine executive advisor, Flavio Briatore.

It's believed the 3-time grand prix winner is leaning towards Briatore's offer of a mere single-year deal, leaving the door open for Sainz for a 2026 move to a true top team. When asked by DAZN on Sunday, Briatore was coy about Sainz.

“Carlos Sainz is a very good driver who will drive for Ferrari until the end of the season, the 74-year-old Italian said. That's what I know about Carlos - that he is a super driver.”

‘Leaning towards Briatore's offer of a mere single-year deal’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/alpines-briatore-says-sainz-a-super-driver.html

‘They are chasing’: Carlos Sainz has now received ‘improved’ offer from £1.1bn F1 team for 2025
Thu 27 June 2024 10:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Carlos Sainz was all set to be announced as a Williams driver at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend. Given that it was his home race, James Vowles would have seen it as perfect timing.The F1 paddock was ‘certain’ that Williams would unveil Sainz on Friday. That, in turn, would trigger Mercedes’ announcement that they had promoted Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton. But in the end, Sainz wasn’t quite ready to sign on the dotted line. The uncertainty around his future is set to drag on for another race.

Alpine pushing for Carlos Sainz after signing Pierre Gasly. The reason Sainz reportedly hesitated was that Alpine have made a renewed push to sign him. He previously spent a year at Enstone in 2018 when the team was still known as Renault. Sure enough, F1TV journalist Lawrence Barretto says that the £1.1bn French team (Forbes) have now tabled an ‘improved’ offer. The pursuit has been going on for ‘months’, but they now seem more determined than ever.

“Alpine’s next task is to nail down their second seat. They are chasing Carlos Sainz, having been in talks for months, and improved their offer recently. I understand Sainz hasn’t made a call on his future yet, with 3 offers (the others from Williams and Sauber/Audi) on the table.” Lawrence Barretto (@lawrobarretto) June 27, 2024

‘Received ‘improved’ offer’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/carlos-sainz-has-now-received-improved-offer-from-1-1bn-f1-team-for-2025/

Fortitude

2nd July 2024, 02:05

Lando Norris demands apology from ‘reckless, stupid and desperate’ Max Verstappen.
Lando Norris has demanded an apology from a “reckless, stupid and desperate” Max Verstappen following their dramatic collision in the closing stages of the Austrian Grand Prix.
30 June 2024
The Telegraph

“If he admits to being a bit stupid, running into me, and just being a bit reckless, then I will have a small amount of respect for it. I expected tough, fair, respectful on-the-edge racing, and I don’t feel like that is what I got. It seemed a little bit desperate from his side and it didn’t need to be that way. He saw me move and then moved.'

Norris was on the radio, taking aim at Verstappen’s tactics. “He cannot keep moving after I move,” said the Englishman. “It is just dangerous. We will have a big shunt.” With eight laps to run, an increasingly frustrated Norris tried for a third time. Defending his position, Verstappen ran off the road at the third corner, and he rejoined the asphalt with his lead still intact.

“He has to give the position back,” said Norris, who was now on the ragged edge, and about to be handed a five-second penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits. Verstappen hit back over the radio. “He forced me off,” said the Dutchman. “He just divebombed me again. That is not how you overtake.”

‘Demanded an apology’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/06/30/lando-norris-austrian-gp-crash-max-verstappen-sorry/

Norris says he will lose respect for Verstappen without apology
JUL 01, 2024
The Straits Times

McLaren's Lando Norris said he would lose respect for Max Verstappen if the Red Bull driver did not apologise for a collision that wrecked their Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday.

A disappointed Norris, who retired with a puncture and car damage, said it was a tough one to take and accused Verstappen of being reckless and desperate in his driving.

"It depends what he says. If he says he did nothing wrong, then I lose a lot of respect for that," he told Sky Sports television when asked if their relationship would change.

‘Lose respect’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/norris-says-he-will-lose-respect-for-verstappen-without-apology

Lando Norris makes 'dangerous driving' claim after Max Verstappen Austria GP crash
17:17 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
Philip Duncan, PA F1 Correspondent, Spielberg
Somerset Live

"He reacted to my move and you are not allowed to do that," protested Norris over the radio. Three laps later, and Norris was at it again. He launched his McLaren down the inside of Verstappen at the third bend but carried too much speed into, and the world champion swooped back ahead of the next turn. Norris was back on the intercom, taking angst at Verstappen's tactics. "He cannot keep moving after I move," said the Englishman. "It is just dangerous. We will have a big shunt."

At Turn 3, Norris moved to Verstappen's outside but they came together and banged wheels. Verstappen suffered a left-rear puncture and one of Norris' tyres was also shredded. Verstappen emerged from the pits in fifth but Norris' race was over. And the stewards took a dim view of Verstappen's driving as he was slapped with a 10-second sanction.

'Dangerous driving claim’;

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/sport/other-sport/lando-norris-makes-dangerous-driving-9379382

‘I did nothing wrong, he’s the one in the wrong’ – Norris gives his view of race-ending clash with Verstappen
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lando Norris failed to finish the Austrian Grand Prix after an on-track battle with Max Verstappen, and said after the race, “I gave a fair respectful, on the edge battle, but that’s not what I got in return.”

‘I did nothing wrong, he’s the one in the wrong’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/i-did-nothing-wrong-hes-the-one-in-the-wrong-norris-gives-his-view-of-race-ending-clash-with-verstappen.1803299810498683067

Norris could ‘lose a lot of respect’ for Verstappen if he says ‘he did nothing wrong’
The Austrian Grand Prix saw drama in the late stages during a fight for the race lead between off-track friends Max Verstappen and Lando Norris
June 30, 2024
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

‘He ruined his own race as much as he ruined mine’ Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Norris admitted that he was “disappointed” and that he felt Verstappen was at fault for the collision. He said:

“I don’t know what to say. Disappointed. Nothing more than that, honestly. It was a good race, I looked forward to just a fair battle, a strong fair battle, but I wouldn’t say that’s what it was in the end. Tough one to take. It was a mistake-free race from my side, I feel like I did a good job, but got taken out of the race, so nothing more than that.”

“I mean as a rule, you’re not allowed to move, you’re not allowed to react to the driver and that’s what he did three times out of three. Two times I managed to avoid it, not going to run into him, not lock up and run into him, and the third time he just ran into me. I’m just trying to drive my race, he was clearly a lot slower at the end.”

‘He ruined his own race as much as he ruined mine’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/norris-could-lose-a-lot-of-respect-for-verstappen-if-he-says-he-did-nothing-wrong/

‘Can’t be friends’ – Ted Kravitz sees two ‘significant developments’ in Verstappen v Norris rivalry
01 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Note the day, June 30th, as Ted Kravitz believes that was the “first day” of the end of the Max Verstappen and Lando Norris friendship. Good friends prior to Sunday’s 71-lap Austrian Grand Prix, they came to blows on lap 64 of the race as Norris tried to pass Verstappen around the outside of Turn 3. Ted Kravitz: Can two championship rivals ever be friends? No way.

But perhaps the most “significant development”, as Kravitz put it, will be the impact Sunday’s collision has on Norris and Verstappen’s friendship. Calling the clash a “significant development in the relationship” between Red Bull and McLaren, Kravitz continued in post-race Notebook: “And in the personal relationship between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

“Up until this point, they’ve been mates. They share nights out, they go to longer races on the same plane. So is this the end of a beautiful friendship between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris? Will there be no more trips to Ibiza? Will there be no more Martin Garrix concerts? Will there be no more respect?”

‘Significant developments’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kravitz-significant-developments-max-verstappen-lando-norris-rivalry

Fortitude

2nd July 2024, 02:39

Coulthard: ‘Hell will freeze over’ before Verstappen apologizes.
Anyone expecting Max Verstappen to apologise to Lando Norris for his aggressive driving in the Austrian Grand Prix, as the McLaren driver suggested he should do, must not hold their breath insists F1 commentator David Coulthard.
17:11 Mon, 01 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

However, Coulthard believes an admission of wrongdoing by the three-time world champion is a long shot. “Hell freezing over, I think is the expression,” the former F1 driver told Britain’s Channel 4 when the prospect was put to him of Verstappen apologising to Norris for their contact.

“Max is going to go ‘I was racing – it’s hard racing.’ This is the first time Lando is experiencing going wheel to wheel really on a weekend in, weekend out basis. We know how it was when it was Lewis who was going wheel to wheel with Max. Max is one of the hardest racers, to beat him you’ve got to match him.”

“There was that contact as they enter the corner, further contact once they’ve gone through the apex, both of them with punctures and damage – avoidable incidents from both, it’s cost them both finishing the race,” the Scot explained.

“Hell freezing over”;

https://f1i.com/news/512806-coulthard-hell-will-freeze-over-before-verstappen-apologizes.html

‘Hell will freeze over’ before Max Verstappen issues Lando Norris apology, claims Coulthard
01 Jul 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Former McLaren and Red Bull driver David Coulthard said Max Verstappen is unlikely to apologise to Lando Norris for their collision in Austria on Sunday. “Hell freezing over, I think is the expression,” Coulthard said on Channel 4 when the prospect was put to him of Verstappen apologising to Norris for their contact.

“This will be the thing that Lando is complaining about, just at that final part of the entry to the corner, that Max is continuing to come over to the left and he’ll claim ‘he squeezed me and you’re not allowed to do that under braking.’ Look, he’s definitely crowded Lando across the track. If there was a barrier there, then they both would have sort of ricocheted off it.”

“I completely get Max will say ‘Well, hold on a minute, he could have gone further over the kerb’, but the stewards have looked at it, they’ve got more information, they’ve given a penalty to Max. Ultimately, it doesn’t make a difference to where he finished in the race.”

‘Hell will freeze over’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-unlikely-lando-norris-apology-david-coulthard

Last-minute surge in 2024 British GP ticket sales after Lando and Max F1 battle
July 1st 2024
Author: Dominic Tobin
Motor Sport Magazine

The thrilling lead battle in Austria gave 2024 British Grand Prix ticket sales an immediate boost, with fans hoping for more drama at Silverstone this weekend and just a few hundred tickets remaining. The no-holds-barred duel between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in Austria has prompted a last-minute surge in British Grand Prix ticket sales, with only a few hundred still available for this weekend at Silverstone.

Unlike at this point last year, the race is not yet sold out, but the prospect of further fireworks on Sunday brought an influx of orders on Sunday evening. Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle spoke last month about how Verstappen’s recent dominance had made selling tickets more difficult, saying that repetitive, predictable results took the edge off the sport.

George Russell was positioned perfectly to take victory in Austria as Verstappen and Norris limped away from their collision, and Lewis Hamilton will have hope of adding to his tally of eight British Grand Prix wins. Silverstone told Motor Sport that the circuit had seen a surge of sales in the hours after the Austrian thriller and is now close to selling out.

‘Surge of sales in the hours after the Austrian thriller’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/last-minute-surge-in-2024-british-gp-ticket-sales-after-lando-and-max-f1-battle/?nowprocket=1#

‘Car is f*cked’ – Lando Norris and Max Verstappen’s unheard radio in Austrian GP clash
01 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Team radio for the final two laps clearly showed that tempers were raising with the two having previously accused the other of moving under braking, Norris saying that of Verstappen, or divebombing, as Verstappen said of Norris’ actions.
Lap 63…
Red Bull: Gap 0.6.
Norris: He has to give the position back. I was ahead at the apex.
Norris: He went off the track.
Verstappen: Off again.
Red Bull: It’s not clever is it?
Verstappen: He just divebombed, that’s now how you overtake.

Lap 64…
Verstappen: Nice. Oh my God.
Norris: The car is fucked.
McLaren: It’s just a puncture, box this lap, box this lap.
Red Bull: Box Max. Box. You’ve got a rear left puncture.

Verstappen penalty…
Red Bull: Max, a heads up. You were given a 10-second penalty for that incident with Lando, in case you are quizzed about that.
Verstappen: Of course. Yeah, sure. That’s just ridiculous. He could just send it left or right, what does he want me to do?
Verstappen stood by his criticism of the penalty when he spoke with the media including PlanetF1.com after the race. “We’ll look back at it but 10 seconds seemed a bit severe for me at that point because it didn’t feel like it was like any anything kind of aggressive going on in that move,” he said.

‘Verstappen: Of course. Yeah, sure. That’s just ridiculous’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-max-verstappes-unheard-radio-austrian-gp-clash

Horner labels Verstappen’s penalty ‘harsh’ as he gives his take on 'frustrating' collision with Norris
14:01 Mon, 01 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Christian Horner has given his view on the dramatic late-race collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in the Austrian Grand Prix, with the Red Bull boss arguing that the 10-second penalty handed to Verstappen was “harsh”.

Reflecting on the punishment handed out to Verstappen – who had earlier taken victory ahead of the McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Norris in Saturday’s Sprint – Horner expressed some frustration over the decision.

“He picked up a puncture, he got the penalty,” the Team Principal commented. “I thought the penalty was harsh but that’s racing sometimes. It’s frustrating, particularly here at this race, but that’s the way racing goes sometimes. We had an incredible win yesterday, we were controlling the race nicely but that’s Formula 1.”

“He picked up a puncture, he got the penalty”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/horner-labels-verstappens-penalty-harsh-as-he-gives-his-take-on-frustrating.5nyGpfsloBrnXrZYwlSc2f

Helmut Marko apportions blame in ‘unnecessarily fierce’ Verstappen v Norris clash
01 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

“We lost the victory due to several factors,” Marko told ServusTV. “The fact that our pit stop went wrong, which put Lando in DRS range. We expected that the hard tyres would be the better choice, but that turned out to not be the case. The temperatures were lower than expected.”

“That meant Lando had new tyres in his last stint and we were on used. That was also a factor. Max also locked up after his pit stop in Turn 4. All that together made it difficult for us.”

Speaking specifically about Verstappen’s clash with Norris, Marko apportioned blame to both drivers but also accepted that Red Bull should’ve told Verstappen to let the Briton pass him given Norris was facing a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits.

‘Apportions blame’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-blame-unnecessarily-max-verstappen-lando-norris-austria

Norris Verstappen drama 'happy days' for F1 – Sainz
Carlos Sainz finished on the podium after Max Verstappen and Lando Norris dropped out of the top three.
1 July 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz has declared Max Verstappen and Lando Norris' Austrian Grand Prix clash "happy days" for F1. The Ferrari driver was not involved in the battle for victory at the Red Bull Ring but was a direct beneficiary of the collision between the Red Bull and McLaren drivers as he was promoted from fifth to third behind race-winner George Russell and the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri.

Sainz was pleased to see a battle at the front and is hopeful Ferrari again can soon be amongst it, potentially in this weekend's British Grand Prix. "Happy days for Formula 1 that there's a bit of action up front and we're getting to see some nice battles," added Sainz.

‘Bit of action up front and we're getting to see some nice battles’;

https://racingnews365.com/austrian-gp-drama-happy-days-for-f1-sainz

Fortitude

2nd July 2024, 14:23

Hulkenberg and Magnussen hail ‘amazing team performance’ as Haas score double points finish in Austria.
After starting from P9 on the grid, Hulkenberg fought forwards before winning a battle with Sergio Perez in the latter stages to take an impressive P6 result. Reflecting on an eventful afternoon after jumping out of the car, the German admitted it had been a “hell of a race”.
16:24 Mon, 01 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen were left greatly encouraged by Haas’s performance in the Austrian Grand Prix, with the pair scoring a significant double points finish for the team in sixth and eighth respectively.

“Especially at the end, it got so intense, but I think it was intense at the front too with Max [Verstappen] and Lando [Norris]!” Hulkenberg said with a smile, referring to the dramatic collision between Verstappen and Norris on Lap 64 of 71 as they fought for the lead. “It was happening everywhere. It was touch and go, I was really pushing hard to keep Checo behind, but the last two laps my tyres were really done with it.”

‘I almost lost the car completely out of Turn 10 in a big way, went onto the gravel a bit and then had a big tank-slapper. Then he came by, but into [Turn] 3 I kind of let him edge in front so I could have DRS for the next straight, which obviously put me back in front. Then luckily it was [the] final lap because I would have not survived another lap!”

‘Amazing team performance’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hulkenberg-and-magnussen-hail-amazing-team-performance-as-haas-score-double.KZw6XUYFJcreEfkaUFOz2

‘Elbows out’: Jolyon Palmer shares why he thinks Haas will score more points than Alpine this season
Tue 2 July 2024 09:00
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Haas produced an encouraging result with Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen during the Austrian Grand Prix after both finished inside the points. Hulkenberg fought from ninth on the grid up to sixth after a brief battle with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, while Magnussen was eighth at the chequered flag.

Haas has produced several of its points-scoring finishes this year after teamwork between their drivers on track, notably during the Saudi Arabian and Miami Grands Prix weekends when Magnussen acted as a ‘rear gunner’ for Hulkenberg to prevent them from falling behind rivals. Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer thinks this approach will make a difference for the American team when speaking on the F1 TV post-Austrian GP show.

The Alpine drivers have produced their fair share of on-track spats this year, most recently at Monaco where Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly collided on the opening lap, putting a potential points finish at risk. Ocon took to social media to apologise for the incident, while team principal Bruno Famin was livid with the incident when speaking to French media after the race. Palmer believes the difference in dynamics between the two teams will be a key difference in the battle for the Constructors’ positions at the end of the season.

‘Difference in dynamics between the two teams will be a key difference’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jolyon-palmer-shares-why-he-thinks-haas-will-score-more-points-than-alpine-this-season/

Hulkenberg: Haas points haul in Austria one ‘hell of a race’
2 July 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The German driver was clearly pumped up when all was said and done and couldn’t contain his excitement, admitting it had been a “hell of a race”. “Especially at the end, it got so intense, but I think it was intense at the front too with Max [Verstappen] and Lando [Norris]!” Hulkenberg said.

“But yeah, very happy. Double points for the team and in a big way, so didn’t expect that, obviously one car out or something but still, amazing team performance today and this weekend. I think it’s confirmed now that we’re midfield on all sorts of different tracks, we are competitive, we can fight everyone. That’s really great news and I’m very happy about that.”

Hulkenberg commended Haas for their steady improvements and effective updates, feeling optimistic about the team’s trajectory. “You’ve got to be there weekend-in weekend-out, consistency in a long season is key,” commented the future Audi driver. “Also this year we’ve obviously worked much better and efficiently in terms of bringing updates. We’ve steadily improved the car, that means we can keep up with the others.”

‘Haas points haul’;

https://f1i.com/news/512821-hulkenberg-haas-points-haul-in-austria-one-hell-of-a-race.html

Austrian Grand Prix: Race Recap
June 30, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Ayao Komatsu: “I’m just so happy for everyone in the team. Sometimes we get unlucky but today our execution was amazing, Nico and Kevin drove well, and pit stops were good, everything was great. I’m speechless, I’m just so happy for everyone to get this result and for Nico to beat Perez on merit, that’s a huge statement.”

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team scored a double points finish with Nico Hulkenberg sixth, and Kevin Magnussen eighth, at the Austrian Grand Prix, Round 11 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Red Bull Ring.

Sixth and eighth marks MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s strongest result of the year and lifts the team up to seventh place in the Constructors’ Championship, on 19 points. Up front, Mercedes AMG driver George Russell claimed victory, the second of his career, ahead of McLaren Racing’s Oscar Piastri, with Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz third.

‘Strongest result of the year’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/austrian-grand-prix-race-recap-4

Magnussen ‘couldn’t be happier’ after double points haul for Haas in Austria
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen was celebrating “a good bunch of points for the team” after he finished P8 behind Haas team mate Nico Hulkenberg in sixth.

‘Couldn’t be happier’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/magnussen-couldnt-be-happier-after-double-points-haul-for-haas-in-austria.1803299955795664588

Hulkenberg ‘let Perez pass’ in unseen last-lap move – then re-passed him
30th June 2024, 20:32
Will Wood
RaceFans

Hulkenberg held on to claim the position by half a second. He wasn’t close enough to Verstappen to gain advantage of the other Red Bull driver’s 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with Lando Norris. However, Hulkenberg described his run from ninth on the grid to sixth as a “hell of a race” for him and his team.

“Especially at the end, it got so intense,” he told the official F1 channel. “But I think it was intense at the front too with Max and Lando – so it was happening everywhere! It was touch and go. I was really pushing hard to keep Checo behind, but the last two laps, my tyres were kind of really done with it. I almost lost the car completely out of turn ten in a big way, went onto the gravel a bit and then had a big tank-slapper.”

“Into [turn] three, I let him edge in front, so I could have DRS for the next straight, which obviously put me back in front. Luckily it was the final lap, because I would have not survived another lap.” It was Hulkenberg’s fifth top ten finish over the first 11 rounds of the championship and his best result for Haas since joining them in 2023.

‘Intense: So it was happening everywhere!’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/30/hulkenberg-let-perez-pass-in-unseen-last-lap-move-then-re-passed-him/

Explained: The ‘big hole’ that contributed to Sergio Perez finishing behind a Haas
30 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez explained that his Austrian Grand Prix felt like a “disaster”, after Christian Horner revealed there was a “big hole” in his sidepod that hindered his progress throughout the race. This damage left him lacking straight-line speed and unable to make in-roads, with the Red Bull driver crossing the line seventh at the chequered flag, behind the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg.

“Checo, I mean, again, it was a tricky race for him,” Horner said to media including PlanetF1.com after the race. “He had quite a significant contact on the first lap with Lando [Piastri, sic.]. He had quite a big hole in the sidepod and then the loss of straight-line speed that that gives you, it’s a bit like an air brake.”

“So that’s why he was struggling on straight-line speed. So [it was] difficult to judge Checo’s race due to the damage that he had.” When asked further about the scale of the damage and how much time he was losing in the race, Horner added: “I don’t have the exact numbers. All I know is he had lost a big hole, and it was being reported on the data that there was a significant loss because of it.”

‘Big hole’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-big-hole-red-bull-sidepod-austrian-gp

Fortitude

2nd July 2024, 15:07

Gasly pleased with another points finish after ‘intense’ race at the Red Bull Ring.
Pierre Gasly scored for the fourth race in a row after finishing P10 in Austria after what he called an “intense” Grand Prix.
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Scored for the fourth race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/gasly-pleased-with-another-points-finish-after-intense-race-at-the-red-bull-ring.1803299070209371097

Gasly says he ‘kept it clean’ during ‘intense’ battle with Ocon
16:00 Mon, 01 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix saw another chapter in the ongoing saga of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon's on-track battles in F1. Despite Alpine's established "rules of engagement," the teammates found themselves embroiled in yet another contentious fight although it was one that was relatively inconsequential for the Enstone squad.

As they reached the uphill corner, Ocon ran his teammate wide on the exit to reclaim the position, the pair just nearly avoiding a costly collision. "What was that? Why did he just push me off the track?" vented a surprised Gasly on the radio. The move also drew a big “Wow!” from Alonso who had a front seat to the commotion.

A few laps later, in a more sensible maneuver, Gasly pulled alongside Ocon again, taking the outside line at Turn 4 to gain the inside line for the next corner and secure 11th place. Gasly celebrated the successful pass with a simple "Ciao!" over the radio.

‘Another chapter in the ongoing saga’;

https://f1i.com/news/512774-gasly-says-he-kept-it-clean-during-intense-battle-with-ocon.html

Alpine's mini-revival boosted by senior F1 tech arrivals
Jul 1, 2024
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Alpine’s on-track mini-revival in Formula 1 should be further boosted by the arrival of more significant technical recruits that have now started at the team. Three senior figures began work at the team on July 1, arriving from Red Bull and Ferrari. Michael Broadhurst and Vin Dhanani return to Enstone as chief aerodynamicist and head of vehicle performance respectively.

Both join from Red Bull Racing having worked for this team in its previous guises - Broadhurst in the aerodynamics department across a seven-year stint, most recently as principal aerodynamicist in 2016 before joining McLaren, and Dhanani from 2006 to 2011 at the start of his F1 career.

Recruiting Broadhurst, formerly deputy head of aerodynamics at McLaren and principal aerodynamicist at Red Bull, targets Alpine’s aero deficiencies by adding significant experience and expertise to a key department. Likewise, Vin’s arrival from a major role as Red Bull’s vehicle performance team leader helps bolster another important area after losing head of performance Richard Frith to Williams.

‘Alpine's mini-revival’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/alpine-f1-mini-revival-senior-tech-arrivals/

‘Very excited’: Pierre Gasly shares what Alpine are doing ‘extremely well’ that he never saw at Red Bull
Mon 1 July 2024 20:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

One of the most recent Formula 1 drivers to confirm his future beyond the end of the 2024 season is Pierre Gasly. The Frenchman announced ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix that he would be staying at Alpine on the same day that Lance Stroll confirmed he would continue his association with Aston Martin.

Pierre Gasly shares what Alpine do ‘extremely well’ compared to Red Bull. Talking about his time with Red Bull, Gasly said: “I went through Toro Rosso, Red Bull, back, and then to Alpine. But not always with a strong dynamic.

“And from what I am seeing from the team and from my relationship with the team, with Luca de Meo, with Bruno [Famin], it is going extremely well, and we have clear ambitions. I really like Luca’s ambition and where he wants to bring the team over the next few years, and I trust in his management. I am very excited to be a part of the project.”

‘Very excited’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pierre-gasly-shares-what-alpine-are-doing-extremely-well-that-he-never-saw-at-red-bull/

Briatore vows Alpine will win races in 2026 amid new F1 recruits
2 July 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore has claimed the team will win races upon Formula 1’s rules reset in 2026 as it welcomes hires from several rival competitors. “In 2026 I will win races, the Alpine will be on the podium; then, how many we will be able to do, I don’t know,” Briatore told ‘La Politica nel pallone’ on Radio Rai.

“This year we have many handicaps, we are reshaping the whole team. I have had full powers from Luca de Meo. I am used to using them and I guarantee that in two seasons we will be talking about podiums”. Alpine is rumoured to be considering shutting down its engine division and reverting to being a customer team, with reports slating Briatore eyes Ferrari or Mercedes.

The seasoned Italian is also touted to be behind Alpine’s attempts to entice outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz to slot in alongside the renewed Pierre Gasly in 2025. “There is a lot of interest, we’ll see in the next few days, although right now for Alpine the driver doesn’t make a difference, we have to get the car right first,” he added. “Incredibly he [Sainz] is still free, we are all willing to have him in the team and we will do what we can.”

“I have had full powers from Luca de Meo”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/02/briatore-vows-alpine-will-win-races-in-2026-amid-new-f1-recruits/

Alpine needs a bandit like Briatore says Ecclestone
JULY 2, 2024
GrandPrix.com

“I spoke to (Renault CEO) Luca de Meo on the phone for a long time”, Ecclestone, no longer officially involved in the sport, told Blick newspaper. “He was desperate”, said the 93-year-old. "Then the word Briatore came up.”

“We quickly agreed that in such a confusing situation only a doer - a bandit among angels - could help”, Ecclestone, a well known friend and long-time business partner of Briatore's, added. "There are enough saints in there already. Flavio's great strength has always been 'Keep the discussions short, do and think big. You don't need friends in Formula 1, you just need success',” he said.

‘Bandit like Briatore’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/alpine-needs-a-bandit-like-briatore-says-ecclestone.html

Toto Wolff responds to rumours of Mercedes supplying Alpine with F1 engines
"Alpine, at the moment, is exploring all sorts of avenues."
01 Jul 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Toto Wolff has addressed speculation of Mercedes potentially supplying Alpine with F1 engines from 2026, claiming the French outfit are “exploring all sorts of avenues”. According to The Race, Alpine are considering binning off their engine project for 2026 and thus would look to become a customer team.

Speaking about the Alpine rumours in a sit down interview with Sky F1, Wolff said: “Alpine, at the moment, is exploring all sorts of avenues. Their management is clearly not happy with their performances.

“But you know how it is in Formula 1 - it swings. Three races ago, Alpine had all the reasons to explore opportunities. But look at Barcelona and [Austria] and they look much better. So maybe overall it isn’t just the engine.”

‘Exploring all sorts of avenues’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051604/1/toto-wolff-responds-rumours-mercedes-supplying-alpine-f1-engines

Fortitude

3rd July 2024, 08:09

Stroll says Aston Martin have ‘a lot of work to do’ after Austria struggles.
Lance Stroll finished 13th in the Austrian Grand Prix on what he called “a long weekend” for Aston Martin who failed to score a single point at the Red Bull Ring.
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘A lot of work to do’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/stroll-says-aston-martin-have-a-lot-of-work-to-do-after-austria-struggles.1803298061614442906

‘Cannot understand’: Lance Stroll shares what Aston Martin’s ‘greatest limitation’ is after poor Austrian GP
Mon 1 July 2024 13:00
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

It has not been the best run of races for Aston Martin with the recent double-header at Spain and Austria serving as a reality check for the team that was once in the running for wins. Aston Martin has only managed to get both cars finishing in the points three times so far this season, while Alonso has scored the bulk of their 58 points which puts them fifth in the Constructors’ Championship.

Lance Stroll offers insight into Aston Martin’s problem: Stroll believes their results should not be compared year-on-year and thinks there is an inherent limitation they are struggling to solve with the AMR24. “We have many things to work on, of course, as a team we are going through hard, complicated times, we are not where we want to be compared to where we were at this point of last season,” said Stroll.

“We have a lot of understeer in the middle of the corner, we have tried to change the configuration, but it is still our biggest limitation and something that we can’t understand or fix right now. A lot of work is being done in Silverstone to bring improvements in the next races.”

‘Greatest limitation’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lance-stroll-shares-what-aston-martins-greatest-limitation-is-after-poor-austrian-gp/

Alonso: ‘Penalty didn’t change the result because we were not fast enough’
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso picked up a 10-second time penalty from the stewards for hitting Zhou Guanyu, but he says even without that he would not have had the pace for points. He finished down in P18 after a late pit stop.

“We were not fast enough”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/alonso-penalty-didnt-change-the-result-because-we-were-not-fast-enough.1803299918103545632

2024 Austrian Grand Prix: Alonso locks up and hits Zhou in fight for P12
01 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso was handed a 10 second time penalty by the stewards after he locked his brakes and knocked Zhou Guanyu off track as the two battled it out for 12th place.

‘Alonso locks up’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-austrian-grand-prix-alonso-locks-up-and-hits-zhou-in-fight-for-p12.1803295615834097756

ANALYSIS: Alonso ends a disastrous weekend with the fastest race lap
03 Jul 2024, 01:00
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Despite Aston Martin's disastrous showing at the Austrian Grand Prix, it was its Spanish driver Fernando Alonso to post the fastest race lap in the 71-lap Spielberg round.

"If you're not fast enough, 71 laps is a very long race," said Alonso. "The balance was slightly better than in the Sprint, but not enough. We have to understand that, we are clearly not fast enough, not competitive enough."

‘Fastest race lap’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24910

Alonso coy over Aston Martin as F1 slump worsens
The Spanish driver finished outside of the points for the fourth time in five races in Austria.
3 July 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

The upgrade stream from the team has not delivered boosts in performance, with Alonso keeping his own cards close to his chest, a week after telling the team to "talk less" after another poor showing in the Spanish GP.
"It is a question for them, they have the press conference, so they will talk," Alonso told media including RacingNews365, refering to team principal Mike Krack and engineering chief Tom McCullough.

He was then asked for his perception on Aston's struggles, replying that: "I don't know, I drive the car. I have a very clear feeling, and we need to get better for the next race and about the details, there is a very clear answer. Let's try and get better for Silverstone."

‘Alonso coy’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-coy-over-aston-martin-as-f1-slump-worsens

Martin Whitmarsh to leave Aston Martin with ex-Mercedes figurehead announced as replacement
02 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ahead of 2026’s new engine regulations, Aston Martin have announced the departure of Martin Whitmarsh with the Chief Executive Officer handing over responsibilities to former Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell.

Speaking of his plan to turn Aston Martin into a “World Championship winning team”, team owner Stroll thanked Whitmarsh for his time at the helm and welcomed Cowell’s arrival. “I would like to thank Martin who has been instrumental in our growth phase as a business”, he said.

“In the last three years, he has developed the team and has helped us achieve some significant milestones, including fostering our relationship with Honda and delivering our state-of-the-art AMR Technology Campus at Silverstone. “I am delighted to welcome Andy to our team at a crucial time.”

“World Championship winning team”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-whitmarsh-leave-aston-martin-ex-mercedes-figurehead-replacement

Former Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell joins Aston Martin
02 Jul 2024, 18:36
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Andy Cowell will join the British team as Group Chief Executive Officer on the 1st of October 2024. He will report to Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll with current Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh set to hand over responsibility before the end of the year.

"I am delighted to welcome Andy to our team at a crucial time. Together with our works partnership with Honda, the commitment from our title partner Aramco and Andy's leadership we are on track to become a world championship winning team. Andy has my full backing and will have every resource available to win."

Commenting on his appointment, Cowell said: "I am thrilled to join Lawrence's exciting project and look forward to working with the talented group of people that has been assembled.”

‘Thrilled to join Lawrence's exciting project’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24909

Fortitude

3rd July 2024, 08:43

Tsunoda says ‘pace was way off’ in ‘mystery race’ for RB.
Yuki Tsunoda finished 14th in the Austrian Grand Prix and was left looking for answers as to why RB were lacking in pace at the Red Bull Ring.
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Pace was way off’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/tsunoda-says-pace-was-way-off-in-mystery-race-for-rb.1803299850794560311

Austrian GP a turning point for Daniel Ricciardo
Ninth in the Austrian Grand Prix makes Daniel Ricciardo believe he’s building a head of steam.
1 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The result was the second points-paying finish in three races and the third time in succession that he's been pleased with his performance. “I feel like that's three weeks in a row now where I've got most out of it,” he reasoned.

“Still searching for a bit more perfection but yeah, three on the bounce. At least I can I say I swiped out of the paddock three weekends in a row now on a Sunday, feeling proud. Just got to keep that up.”

‘Turning point’;

https://speedcafe.com/austrian-gp-a-turning-point-for-daniel-ricciardo/

Ricciardo will ’swipe out of the paddock with a smile’ after points in Austria
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Daniel Ricciardo sealed his second Grand Prix points finish of the year at the Red Bull Ring with P9 for RB.

‘With a smile’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ricciardo-will-swipe-out-of-the-paddock-with-a-smile-after-points-in-austria.1803301796499594047

‘He’s still got it’: Ricciardo’s timely response to RB boss with impressive points finish
July 1st, 2024 8:49 am
Fox Motorsport from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes Daniel Ricciardo’s improved performances have flown under the radar as the Australian finished an impressive ninth at the Austrian Grand Prix. It had been a week of turmoil for Ricciardo after Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko essentially declared RB needed to swap the Aussie for Liam Lawson to keep their shareholders happy.

However, Ricciardo delivered a stunning drive under immense pressure to remind Red Bull’s powerbrokers why he still deserves a seat, with his ninth-place finish securing two points for RB. The result continued Ricciardo’s improved form since Miami as he recorded his second finish inside the top ten in his last three races, having finished eighth at the Canadian Grand Prix.

‘He’s still got it’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/hes-still-got-it-ricciardos-timely-response-to-rb-boss-controversial-call-amid-impressive-result/news-story/749f3790e4620931b8a3b3319673b4c4

Redemption at the Ring
12:01 Mon, 01 Jul 2024
Visa Cashapp RB - Official Site

Two more points in the bag courtesy of a ninth place finish for Daniel Ricciardo in the Austrian Grand Prix. That’s the headline, but the real story is the progress made with the VCARB01, turning things around after the disappointment of Barcelona a week earlier.

Austria is a special race for us as we are very much part of the Red Bull family and this event is something of another home race, adding to the two we can claim in Imola and Monza. However, there wasn’t much time to soak up the atmosphere, or enjoy the flypast of historic planes from the Red Bull collection, take in the scenery or listen to the typical Austrian Oompah Bands in the paddock.

‘Redemption’;

https://www.visacashapprb.com/en/austria-2024-weekend-debrief/

Ricciardo says he and RB ‘overachieved’ with ‘hard-fought’ run to P9 in Austria
09:21 Tue, 02 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Daniel Ricciardo was left satisfied with a pair of hard-won points in the Austrian Grand Prix, after finishing the race in ninth place. Following a frustratingly point-less weekend for RB in Spain where their significant upgrade package failed to yield results, the situation didn’t look to have significantly improved in Austria, as both Ricciardo and team mate Yuki Tsunoda failed to score points in the Sprint.

But qualifying P11 for the Grand Prix set Ricciardo up for a run to ninth place on Sunday – aided by the Lap 64 crash of Ricciardo’s former Red Bull and McLaren team mates Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, which saw Norris retire – as Tsunoda could only manage P14, the same position he started in.

“Hard-fought – definitely,” was Ricciardo’s verdict on his performance. “I semi-apologised to Pierre [Hamelin, Ricciardo’s race engineer] after the race; I was like, “Sorry, I couldn’t talk much today.” I was pretty locked in – it took a lot of concentration and effort.”

‘RB ‘overachieved’ with ‘hard-fought’ run to P9’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/ricciardo-says-he-and-rb-overachieved-with-hard-fought-run-to-p9-in-austria.2vajoCBcJwxnqAXN76ACJ5

'I'm currently in the race seat': Daniel Ricciardo buoyed by uptick but focusing on retaining seat
July 2, 2024 - 5.14am
Emily Patterson
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

The West Australian crossed the line in ninth after qualifying 11th at the Red Bull Ring — marking his second top-10 finish in three races after placing eighth at last month's Canadian Grand Prix. "I feel like that's three weeks in a row now where I've got the most out of [the car]," Ricciardo told media post-race.

"I'm still searching for a bit more perfection but yeah, three on the bounce. At least I can say I swiped out of the paddock three weekends in a row now on a Sunday — feeling proud. I've just got to keep that up."

'I'm currently in the race seat';

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motorsport/f1-news-2024-daniel-ricciardo-comments-reflection-austrian-grand-prix-liam-lawson-20240702-p5jqj6.html

Lawson will be on F1 grid next year says Marko
JULY 2, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Marko has now told Bild newspaper when asked about Lawson: “We will offer him something. A cockpit for next year.” Elaborating, the Austrian explained: “It is clear that the Racing Bulls are a junior team. That has been communicated internally and everyone has understood that.”

“Daniel is in the seat and it's down to him to make the most of that”, Horner said. And Bayer added: “We do our job to develop young drivers, but the decision on the second seat will be taken quietly and we're not in a hurry.”

‘Lawson will be on F1 grid’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/lawson-will-be-on-f1-grid-next-year-says-marko.html

Formula One: Red Bull director Helmut Marko doubles down on commitment to Kiwi Liam Lawson for 2025 Racing Bulls seat
3 Jul, 2024
Alex Powell
New Zealand Herald

Liam Lawson’s place on the 2025 Formula One grid appears more secure, as Red Bull head of driver development Helmut Marko doubled down on comments regarding the young Kiwi’s future. Lawson is currently seen to be in a two-way shootout for a spot at Visa Cash App RB F1 Team, known as the Racing Bulls, the second team of Red Bull.

The 22-year-old is vying with Australian Daniel Ricciardo for a place on the 2025 grid, with the last of the four Red Bull-affiliated seats yet to be finalised for next season. Before last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull’s head of driver development, Dr Helmut Marko, told Kleine Zeitung there was pressure from above to see Lawson be awarded the second seat with the Racing Bulls and partner Yuki Tsunoda next year.

And speaking to German newspaper Bild, Marko emphasised again that Lawson is his preferred option in the Racing Bulls’ 2025 team. “We will offer him something,” he said. “A cockpit for next year. It is clear that the Racing Bulls are a junior team. That has been communicated internally and everyone has understood that.” However, the decision as to who will fill that seat is far from simple.

‘Who will fill that seat is far from simple’;

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/motorsport/formula-1/formula-one-red-bull-director-helmut-marko-doubles-down-on-commitment-to-kiwi-liam-lawson-for-2025-racing-bull-seat/467RODQU7ZEJ3BSIQAZKMFVD24/

Fortitude

3rd July 2024, 17:08

Albon: ‘I didn’t expect us to be so slow this weekend’.
Alex Albon finished 15th in the Austrian Grand Prix, on what was another point-less weekend for Williams.
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘So slow’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/albon-i-didnt-expect-us-to-be-so-slow-this-weekend.1803298611946977821

Sargeant sums up his race: ‘I took my front wing off on Lap 1 and that was it’
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Logan Sargeant finished 19th in the Austrian Grand Prix and the Williams driver said his race was an uphill battle from the very first lap.

“That was it”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sargeant-sums-up-his-race-i-took-my-front-wing-off-on-lap-1-and-that-was-it.1803297574856043909

Williams pursuing other driver options as Sainz delays decision
12:42 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz's indecisiveness over his 2025 Formula 1 future has reportedly incited Williams to consider other candidates for its available seat alongside Alex Albon for next season. Sainz has been drawn at the last hour into negotiations with Alpine, a move orchestrated by the French outfit’s recently appointed executive advisor, Flavio Briatore.

According to Motorsport.com, Briatore is working behind the scenes to secure a supply of Mercedes engines for the Enstone squad for 2026, a move consistent with Alpine’s reported desire to ditch its own in-house F1 engine development programme.

However, Sainz hesitancy has frustrated both Williams and Sauber/Audi. While the latter is willing to wait a bit longer, the Grove-based outfit has reignited talks with other drivers, with Esteban Ocon and Valtteri Bottas believed to be at the top of Williams team boss James Vowles short list.

‘Other driver options’;

https://f1i.com/news/512558-williams-pursuing-other-driver-options-as-sainz-delays-decision.html

Williams prefer Valtteri Bottas over Esteban Ocon for 2025 seat due to key reason
Wed 3 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams Racing have had one driver signed up for beyond the 2024 Formula 1 season for some time, but appear to be having some trouble completing their line-up. Alex Albon decided despite being on the shortlist of several other teams on the grid to stay at Williams beyond the end of this season.

Williams place Valtteri Bottas over Esteban Ocon on 2025 driver shortlist. Journalist Glenn Freeman was speaking about the situation on The Race’s YouTube channel. Talking about the situation at Williams next season, Freeman said: “If Williams is serious and about to move things on with or without [Carlos] Sainz, the ball might finally start rolling for the other drivers stuck in the queue.

“Williams is looking at [Valtteri] Bottas and [Esteban] Ocon with both drivers known well to [James] Vowles due to several years together at Mercedes. Bottas raced there from 2017 to 2021, while Ocon was a junior, reserve and simulator driver who’s still effectively managed by Mercedes. From what we hear, Bottas is the favourite there as Ocon’s record for scrapping too much with his teammates count against him.”

‘Key reason’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/williams-prefer-valtteri-bottas-over-esteban-ocon-for-2025-seat-due-to-key-reason/

Williams hands Colapinto FP1 outing at Silverstone
18:22 Mon, 01 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Next Friday’s FP1 session will mark Franco's debut in a Grand Prix weekend, but it won't be his first time behind the wheel of an F1 car. Last year, he participated in the Abu Dhabi young driver test with Williams.

“I have so many emotions. I am extremely delighted and it’s a very important moment in my life and my career,” commented Colapinto. “I will be the most prepared I can; I will be doing a lot of laps in the simulator and studying the details needed to drive this year’s car.”

“I’m really looking forward to experiencing the new car after driving last year’s in Abu Dhabi. To be able to drive it at a track like Silverstone is a privilege, it is one of my favourite tracks and to drive it at the team’s home race means a lot.”

‘Franco's debut’;

https://f1i.com/news/512815-williams-hands-colapinto-fp1-outing-at-silverstone.html

'It’s a historic moment' – Colapinto on his 'mega' FP1 chance at Silverstone with Williams and representing Argentina
21:54 Tue, 02 Jul 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Franco Colapinto described his chance to become the first Argentine in nearly two decades to drive a Formula 1 car in a race weekend session as a “mega opportunity”. The 21-year-old will drive for Williams in British Grand Prix first practice and has received the chance as part of his role as a Williams Driver Academy racer.

It comes off the back of a superb run of form in feeder series F2 where he has won one race and scored two second places in the last four rounds to sit fifth in the standings. Silverstone is a track where Colapinto has fond memories of having won there in F3 last year and he will be in the simulator at Williams HQ in Grove this week to finetune his preparations before taking over Logan Sargeant’s car for the first session of the weekend.

He’ll be super busy on Friday, kicking off the day with practice in F2. There’s just one hour and 45 minutes before he gets out again, this time in the Williams for FP1, before jumping out and rushing back to the F2 paddock to prepare for qualifying one hour and 35 minutes later.

'Mega FP1 chance’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/its-a-historic-moment-colapinto-on-his-mega-fp1-chance-at-silverstone-with.3pX4QW9X76vxWa6uvCafr4

Williams honors staff with special British GP Union Jack livery
3 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Williams Racing will proudly display on its FW46 at this weekend’s British Grand Prix the names of all 1,005 team members in a spectacular Union Jack livery, igniting a series of heartfelt home race celebrations.

Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant, Team Principal James Vowles, Jenson Button, and Williams Academy F2 Driver Zak O’Sullivan will all appear at the event. “Silverstone is always one of the highlights of the year and I’m delighted we are thanking our staff as the centrepiece of our home race celebrations,” commented Vowles.

“Williams is transforming from top to bottom so we can fight our way back to the front, and our people and culture will be key to that success. It takes extraordinary effort from every individual at the factory and at track to race in Formula 1, and I’m especially proud of the resilience whilst under pressure we have demonstrated so far this year.”

‘Spectacular Union Jack livery’;

https://f1i.com/news/512902-williams-honors-staff-with-special-british-gp-union-jack-livery.html

Fortitude

3rd July 2024, 17:29

Bottas: There’s no ‘short term fix’ for Kick Sauber’s problems.
Valtteri Bottas was 16th in Austria as once again Kick Sauber failed to break their 2024 points duck.
30 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Failed to break their 2024 points duck’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bottas-theres-no-short-term-fix-for-kick-saubers-problems.1803303058418802368

Bottas Admits Long Road Ahead for Struggling Sauber
July 2, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Valtteri Bottas doesn’t think Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber’s lack of pace is a short term fix as they remain the only team to not score points after the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.
He said: “There wasn’t much action where I was but we did better than in the Sprint race with the pace. We did find a little bit of something, so it was a little bit closer with the competition.”

Bottas doesn’t think there’s a short term fix to the problems Sauber have got, but did say that the tight margins in the midfield may have a part to play in their progress when they introduce new upgrades.

“I don’t think it’s a short term fix, but the thing is the gaps are so small in the middle pack. We have a director of where to go, now we just need to wait for some new parts. Now Silverstone, we’re not giving up before going there even though no upgrades but it’s a different track and we’ll do our best.”

‘Long Road Ahead’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/07/bottas-admits-long-road-ahead-for-struggling-sauber/

Bottas: ‘The pure performance is not there at this track’
29 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Valtteri Bottas qualified down in 18th for the Austrian Grand Prix, and admitted after the session that Kick Sauber just don’t have the pace this weekend at the Red Bull Ring.

‘Pure performance is not there’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bottas-the-pure-performance-is-not-there-at-this-track.1803207083555737891

Formula E has eyes on China's Zhou
July 3, 2024
The Straits Times

LONDON - Formula E would love to have Zhou Guanyu in the all-electric championship if the Chinese driver loses his seat in Formula One at the end of the season, according to chief executive Jeff Dodds. The CEO told Reuters that China was a key element of Formula E's growth strategy and having a Chinese driver was a dream scenario that could have "an explosive effect".

"Three markets we are absolutely trying to break into on a bigger scale would be North America, China and India," said Dodds. "In China alone we have over 100 million fans, which is absolutely crazy for a 10-year-old business.”

‘Formula E: Zhou Guanyu’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/formula-e-has-eyes-on-chinas-zhou

Triple-header in Europe is manageable, say Bottas and Alonso
27 Jun 2024, 15:00
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Kick Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas thinks that triple headers that take place in Europe are manageable for drivers, but they pose a bigger challenge for team members who spend long hours at the tracks. However, the Finn suggested that teams have learned how to deal with consecutive race weekends.

"I think, you know, the triple header in Europe, for me, it's still feasible. It is, of course, a really hard load for some team personnel who are doing the longest hours in the team but it's nothing new. We've had doubles and triples for some time and I think the teams are more and more prepared to do that with some circulation in terms of some of the staff etc.

“So, from a driver's side, for me it's OK, it's not a problem. But I know that it's tough for some, but manageable if you do it right. But for that you need the team support to make sure that people stay healthy and not to work silly, silly hours," concluded Bottas.

‘Manageable’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24856

Fortitude

4th July 2024, 01:04

The best circuit for the next Verstappen-Norris battle! 2024 British GP Preview.
The Lando Norris-Max Verstappen battle will continue at one of Formula 1's most-legendary and oldest circuits on the calendar, Silverstone.
14:17 Wed, 03 Jul 2024
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

Lewis Hamilton's reaction to the Norris-Verstappen incident from Austria will make headlines. But will he comment at all? A lot at stake for the title protagonists, Formula 1 and the British fans at this weekend's British Grand Prix. In this episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast…

‘Best circuit for the next Verstappen-Norris battle!’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/the-best-circuit-for-the-next-verstappen-norris-ba

Gloves off for next round of Norris v Verstappen at Silverstone
LONDON - The gloves are off for the next round of Formula One's big fight between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen at Silverstone this weekend.
JUL 03, 2024
The Straits Times

With three home drivers, all race winners, and four winning teams so far this season, the British Grand Prix looks a lot more competitive than last year. The third race in three weekends comes after McLaren's Norris and Red Bull's triple world champion Verstappen collided while battling for the lead in Austria, handing victory to a delighted George Russell.

The Mercedes driver and seven times world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton, who has won a record eight times at Silverstone, will hope to be back in the mix at a circuit where Verstappen won last year. "I think we're riding a bit of a wave at the moment," said Russell. "You always dare to dream for sure. Anything can happen."

The clash between Norris and Verstappen, hardly a surprise given how the season has been building up, was the biggest incident from 11 races so far with Silverstone marking the halfway point. While Verstappen extended his lead over Norris to 81 points, his driving and temperament have been called into question.

‘Gloves off for next round’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/gloves-off-for-next-round-of-norris-v-verstappen-at-silverstone

Time for Norris to get tough? Six British GP talking points
3rd July 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

No more Mr Nice Norris?: Heading into the Austrian Grand Prix, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen had shared the top two finishing positions in all but one of the previous six races. It would have happened again had it not been for their now notorious lap 64 collision.

Just one week later, not much time has passed for tempers to cool over a clash which was easily the biggest moment of the season so far. Maybe not in terms of the championship battle – as Verstappen’s lead grew even larger – but because of how the relationship and mutual trust and respect between two drivers whose relationship was previously warm by F1 standards may change as a result of their ill-tempered battle.

But even before that collision, Norris was taught a lesson by the world champion in the sprint race when Verstappen re-passed the McLaren driver into turn four when Norris claimed the lead at turn three. Norris is now fighting a multiple champion for race victories and must learn that using the same approach when fighting for minor points places will not cut it anymore. The gloves are off.

‘Taught a lesson’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/03/time-for-norris-to-get-tough-six-british-gp-talking-points/

Max previews British GP: 'Want to come back fighting'
02 July 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen is looking forward to the British Grand Prix. The three time Formula 1 world champion says: “It is another home race for the team, so we want to make everyone at home back in the factory proud this weekend.”

“Austria ended up not being the result that we were hoping for and there were a lot of things to take away from the race that the team and myself can really analyse and work to improve on. There were some mistakes in the race that really cost us.”

Max continues: “However, we have to look at the good moments that we had throughout the weekend, including winning the sprint and being on pole twice. We are analysing what we did right as well as what went wrong and it is the last race of a very busy triple header, so we want to come back fighting in Silverstone.”

'Want to come back fighting';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5521/

Christian Horner gives update on Norris v Verstappen saga ahead of British GP
03 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Just days after Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’ Austrian clash, Christian Horner says he understands they’ve “spoken already” and he doesn’t expect any lingering issues. According to Horner though, the two good friends, who often spend time together away from the race tracks, have already spoken to clear the air.

“I understand they’ve spoken already, I don’t think there is any issue,” the Red Bull team boss told Sky Sports News. “Certainly, from Max’s side, he’s not going to change. There’s an element, I think, of Lando learning how to race Max and they’re discovering that.”

“Inevitably, there is going to be more close racing between the two of them as the cars look so close over the forthcoming races. Max is a hard racer. He is probably one of the hardest racers on the circuit and everybody knows that if you’re going to race against Max, he’s going to give as good as he gets.”

‘They’ve “spoken already” ’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-update-lando-norris-max-verstappen-saga-ahead-british-gp

Horner makes plea to British GP crowd after Verstappen-Norris clash
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris will take to the track this weekend at the British Grand Prix just days after their clash at the Red Bull Ring.
3 July 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

With the fans at Silverstone likely set to turn out in force to support their home driver in Norris, Horner suggested Verstappen will be unmoved by any hostile reaction at the event. "I'm sure it's going to be a partisan crowd for the British drivers as it is for Max in Holland, but I think whenever we go to those tracks there is always respect for the other drivers," Horner told Sky Sports News.

"I hope Max gets a reasonable reception and I'm sure it's going to be all orange again this weekend - perhaps not Max Verstappen fans, more McLaren fans. That'll be water off a duck's back to him, he'll have his head down and he won't change. He's the racer he is and I'm sure he'll race just as hard this weekend."

Horner believes it was only a matter of time before their on-track relationship boiled over into an incident. “There's an element, I think, of Lando learning how to race Max and they're discovering that,” Horner said. “Inevitably, there is going to be more close racing between the two of them as the cars look so close over the forthcoming races.”

“It's going to be all orange again this weekend - perhaps not Max Verstappen fans, more McLaren fans”;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-makes-plea-to-british-gp-crowd-after-verstappen-norris-clash

Five British GP questions: Verstappen v Norris, Hamilton glory and new F1 driver?
03 Jul 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Formula 1 touches down in Silverstone after the drama of Spielberg but what is on our mind heading into the race?
Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris take two? The number one question on everyone’s lips heading into this weekend’s race is how will the Verstappen/Norris friendship hold up?

Can the Brits bring hometown glory? You would have to go back to Button and Hamilton at McLaren for the last time we arrived at Silverstone with more than one British driver capable of winning.
Can Aston Martin improve at their home race? Throw a stone from the Silverstone circuit and it would land pretty close to Aston Martin’s HQ.

Will another British driver be added to the 2025 grid? With Norris, Hamilton, Russell and Alex Albon who shares his nationality between Britain and Thailand, an already healthy UK contingent could grow one stronger should reports be believed.
Are the doors closing in on Carlos Sainz? It seems impossible at the moment to write one of these pieces without mentioning Carlos Sainz but that question continues to linger over the sport.

‘Five British GP questions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/five-british-gp-questions-verstappen-norris-hamilton

Fortitude

4th July 2024, 19:07

F1 - 2024 British Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
DRIVERS – Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), Sergio PÉREZ (Red Bull Racing), Esteban OCON (Alpine), George RUSSELL (Mercedes), Lando NORRIS (McLaren)
04.07.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: What chance are there of things happening this (WINNING) weekend at Silverstone? George RUSSELL: You've got to ask this guy [Lando] if there's much going to happen. But I think it's going to be a good fight again this weekend. I think Lando and Max are probably going to be the two guys out in front. They look really fast in the high-speed corners the last couple of races. And, of course, here in Silverstone, there's a lot of high-speed sections. So I expect those guys to be the favourites. But I don't think we'll be far behind.

Q: How confident are you coming into the British Grand Prix? Lando NORRIS: I mean, we're in good form. We've been, again, very close the last few races, but Mercedes have been getting closer and closer. If you look back to last weekend, Mercedes were extremely quick, if not one of the quickest cars in the race. They've taken probably a few steps forward since where they were. We're in a good position, but so are Red Bull. So, yeah, expecting a close battle between many of us.

Q: Lewis. You're going for a record ninth win here at Silverstone. Have you got the car to do that? Lewis HAMILTON: I think out of pure performance, I don't think we are currently in the same place. Naturally, as you've seen in the last couple of races, on these high-speed circuits, particularly McLaren, I think probably might be the quickest, or at least Max maybe. And I think we're not that far behind. And I think we've definitely seen some really huge strides forward. And it's really great to see that we are slowly eking closer to the front runners.

Q: Now, on paper, the fast sweeps of Silverstone should suit the RB20. How much confidence do you and the team have? Sergio PÉREZ: Yeah, I think it should be a strong, strong weekend for us. We're looking forward to this sort of high-speed content and Silverstone always throws a massive challenge, you know, with the wind. It can be particularly very challenging. So, yeah, I think it's going to be all very close as it's been the last few weekends already in different circuits. So I don't expect anything different. I think it's going to be everything super tight and close.

Q: Esteban, let's come to you. Now, talking of performance, Alpine went very well at Barcelona a few races back. That's a fast track. This is a fast track. So are you feeling confident coming to Silverstone that you can get back in the points? Esteban OCON: Yeah, I think we're improving at the moment, which is a good sign.

‘Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-british-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript

WEEKEND WARM-UP: Bearman, Verstappen and Norris dominate the chat ahead of the British GP
04.07.24
Formula One - Official Site

Ollie Bearman will be a fully-fledged F1 driver in 2025, and Max Verstappen and Lando Norris are still “great friends” despite their fraught Red Bull Ring crash – just two things we learned on Thursday at the British Grand Prix…

Bearman was announced as Haas’s first driver pick for 2025 as the paddock converged on Silverstone on Thursday morning, the 19-year-old Brit now with the opportunity to build on his points-scoring debut for Ferrari at Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

Elsewhere, the media were laser-focused on Verstappen and Norris, and whether their friendship was still intact following their controversial coming together in Austria last Sunday.

‘Dominate the chat’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/weekend-warm-up-bearman-verstappen-and-norris-dominate-the-chat-ahead-of-the.56jiGzjb7HbQX1Br16dSCZ

Max from Silverstone: 'Most important is that I am okay with Lando'
04 July 2024
Kees-Jan Koster
Verstappen.nl

After a sensational weekend in Austria, Max Verstappen spoke to the international media at Silverstone on Thursday, ahead of the British Grand Prix. The three-time Formula 1 world champion shared his thoughts before the final race of this triple header: “The comments from the media after the race in Austria, of course, don't matter to me at all. The most important thing is that I'm okay with Lando, and we are.”

“We contacted each other on Monday morning, which is quite normal because on Sunday you have the emotions right after the race. I was disappointed with the result because I had hoped for more. And Lando was, of course, also disappointed. So, we talked on Monday, and everything was cleared up fairly quickly.”

When asked what was actually discussed, Max stated: "That we generally enjoyed the race, and that the contact we had was minimal, which we regretted. But in the end, we also told each other that we shouldn't suddenly look differently at each other when racing. Look, I race hard, and I defend hard, and I think that's how it should be, and Lando did the same, and I completely agree with that."

“I am okay with Lando”;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5524/

Norris ‘happy to go racing again’ with Verstappen at Silverstone after clearing the air over Austria clash
4 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site16:

Lando Norris has shared his thoughts several days on from the collision with Max Verstappen that forced him to retire from the Austrian Grand Prix, with the McLaren driver calling the battle “good racing” as well as suggesting that he does not believe that Verstappen owes him an apology after the pair discussed the incident.

The 24-year-old commented: “We’ve gone over things a few times. I’ve learned many things. I think a lot of stuff I was anticipating and knew about. You’re fighting against different people, fighting in different ways at the top comparing to when you’re a bit further back, like we have the last year or so.”

“But at same time, Max has a very different way of racing comparing to a lot of others, and that’s some of the reasons why he’s a champion. But, all in all, I’m excited to go again this weekend.” Pushed on how Verstappen races differently, Norris spoke of enjoying their battle when he responded: “I think it’s clear, it’s not stuff I need to talk about. It’s tough, it’s on the limit. I think it’s what we love.”

‘Happy to go racing again’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/norris-happy-to-go-racing-again-with-verstappen-at-silverstone-after.2L6q1KuyWWZeMpClf30l7M

[B]Silverstone track changes announced for 2024 British GP
The 2024 British GP completes F1's triple-header and will see Mercedes and Ferrari try to join Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at the front
July 4, 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport
4 July 2024

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris will reignite their battle on a revised Silverstone at the 2024 British Grand Prix as the FIA revealed changes to the circuit that look set to more heavily penalise drivers who go off the track.

All the changes to the Silverstone track affect kerbs or runoff areas rather than the circuit itself, but are still likely to influence the race if Verstappen and Norris repeat their brawl from the Austria GP. Silverstone track changes announced at the Loop, Chapel, the final chicane, Club, Abbey and Stowe:

1. The combination kerb at Turn 3 on the right-hand side has been removed.
2. A new gravel bed has been installed at Turn 14 on the left, while the gravel bed on the left at Turn 15 has been extended by 6-8m towards the track.
3. The asphalt run-off at Turn 16 on the right-hand side has been reduced to 1.7m and filled with gravel.
4. The combination kerb at Turn 16 has been replaced with grass.
5. The asphalt strip between Turn 18 and Turn 1 on the left side has been replaced with grass.
6. A new tyre barrier with conveyor has been installed on the right side in Turn 15 and in Turn 16 in the run-off.

‘Silverstone track changes’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/silverstone-track-changes-announced-for-2024-british-gp/

Rain rain go away: British GP mixed and chilly weather forecast
British GP set to be disrupted by rain
In cooperation with WeerOnline, RacingNews365 presents the weather forecast for the 2024 F1 British Grand Prix.
3 July 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

On Friday, first practice has a chance of starting in the dry, before rain from the west hits the circuit for the remainder of the day. It means both first practice and second practice will be conducted largely completed in challenging conditions. Some patches of the rain will be significantly heavy, which could lead to minimal running should the heavy spells of rain fall during practice on Friday. Third practice on Saturday is also expected to be wet.

However, as things stand, qualifying looks set to be completed in the dry. Whilst this is a positive for the drivers, the temperature will remain chilly at only 17 degrees Celsius. A moderate wind from the west will also be blowing, potentially causing some balance-related issues. As for race day, Sunday is expected to be both dry and wet, meaning a race of mixed conditions is currently expected.

This is similar to the recent Canadian Grand Prix, where timing changing compounds was pivotal to a successful result. To highlight how low the temperature is set to be this weekend, the average for early July is 23 degrees Celsius. This weekend's peak will be six degrees cooler than this.

‘Rain rain go away’;

https://racingnews365.com/rain-rain-go-away-british-gp-mixed-and-chilly-weather-forecast

Fortitude

5th July 2024, 03:12

Race preview for the British Grand Prix.
The British Grand Prix is a home race for many teams as seven of the current ten Formula One squads are headquartered in England. For four drivers, the British Grand Prix is the home race with Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Alexander Albon all coming from England.
4 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Silverstone is the home of British motorsport and one of the most historic races on the calendar. With up to 80 percent of a lap likely to be taken at full throttle , Silverstone is a true power circuit. It’s a track that tests every aspect of performance: requiring downforce as well as a good chassis and engine, with plenty of power and torque.

Let's see what makes Silverstone such a special circuit. The world’s first ever purpose-built motor racing track was built in Brooklands in 1907, located just outside the British capital of London. This circuit played host to the first British GP in 1926, a motorsport event established by Henry Segrave and won by the French Louis Wagner. 1927 saw Brooklands hosting the second British Grand Prix which was won again by a French driver named Robert Benoist.

1950 saw the birth of the Formula One Championship with Silverstone hosting the first ever round. Alfa Romeo’s Giuseppe Farina was victorious in the first ever F1 Grand Prix. The next four years saw Ferrari dominating the venue with José Froilan Gonzales and Alberto Ascari. The Argentinian’s win in 1951 was the first ever victory for the fabled Ferrari stable.

‘Race preview’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24913

What time does the 2024 F1 British GP start?
From Friday, July 5 to Sunday, July 7, the Formula 1 British Grand Prix will take place. The iconic Silverstone circuit promises spectacle, making this race a must-watch. Check here for the start time of the Grand Prix.
4 July 2024
RacingNews365 Staff

The race at the iconic Silverstone starts on Sunday, July 7 at 3:00 PM BST.
Do you want to view the start times of the F1 British GP for your time zone? Check out the schedule below!

The schedule is automatically adjusted to your time zone.
Timetable British GP
Session
Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 5 July 13:30 - 14:30
Free practice 2 Friday 5 July 17:00 - 18:00
Free practice 3 Saturday 6 July 12:30 - 13:30
Qualification Saturday 6 July 16:00 - 17:00
Race Sunday 7 July 16:00 - 18:00

‘Formula 1 British Grand Prix’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-time-does-the-2024-f1-british-gp-start

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2024 British Grand Prix
11:40 Thu, 04 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Vital statistics
• First Grand Prix – 1950
• Track Length – 5.891km
• Lap record – 1m 27.097s, Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 2020
• Most pole positions – Lewis Hamilton (7)
• Most wins – Lewis Hamilton (8)
• Trivia – Silverstone hosted the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship round on May 13, 1950
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 239 metres
• Overtakes completed in 2023 – 50
• Safety Car probability – 89%
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 22%
• Pit stop time loss – 19.9 seconds (includs 2.5s stop)

‘Facts, stats and trivia’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/need-to-know-the-most-important-facts-stats-and-trivia-ahead-of-the-2024-british.3OknzgCmrIA3x5wzs7adIX

Verstappen's emerging F1 rivalry with Norris goes another round at the British GP
4 July 2024
By Associated Press
MailOnline

SILVERSTONE, England (AP) - Max Verstappen's emerging rivalry with Lando Norris goes another round at the British Grand Prix this week and this time Norris has home fans behind him. Sunday's Formula 1 race follows their crash at last weekend's Austrian GP, the home race of Verstappen's Red Bull team. It cost both drivers a victory chance and ended Norris' hopes of a second win after the Miami GP.

Norris cleared the air with Verstappen when the friends spoke twice this week. "I don´t think he should apologize. I thought it was good racing, at times very close to the edge, but we´ve spoken about it and we´re both happy to go racing again," Norris said on Thursday. "Some of the things I said in the (TV) pen after the race were more just because I was frustrated at the time. A lot of adrenaline, a lot of emotions."

Verstappen's main concern was protecting their friendship. "He´s a great guy. Of course he loves racing, he´s very passionate," Verstappen said. "You also have to realize he´s fighting for his second win, I´m fighting for my 62nd. Naturally, your emotions are a little bit different."

‘Another round at the British GP’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-13601857/Verstappens-emerging-F1-rivalry-Norris-goes-round-British-GP.html

Bearman Confirmed by Haas for 2025 F1 Season
July 4, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Ollie Bearman has been confirmed on the 2025 Formula 1 grid, MoneyGram Haas F1 Team have confirmed, ahead of the 2024 British Grand Prix. Rumours had been circulated for some time that Bearman was set to join Haas, who needed a replacement for the departing Nico Hulkenberg, who makes the move to Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber in 2025.

Gene Haas, Team Owner of Haas commented; “I’m pleased we’ve been able to give Oliver Bearman this opportunity to drive full-time in Formula 1 – he’s undoubtedly an exciting rookie prospect, not just based on what he showed in Saudi Arabia but also through his time developing his relationship with our team.”

“I’m personally excited to see how he grows as a driver, and we look forward to seeing him deliver for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team next season and beyond. This is an exciting time for the team. Oliver’s signing shows we continue to invest in talent – both on and off-track – as we continue to compete at the highest level.”

‘Bearman Confirmed by Haas’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/07/bearman-confirmed-by-haas-for-2025-f1-season/

Isack Hadjar to drive for Red Bull Racing in FP1 at British Grand Prix
4 July 2024
FIA Formula 2 Championship - Official Site

Red Bull Racing have confirmed that Isack Hadjar will be driving their 2024-spec RB20 in the opening Practice session of this weekend’s British Grand Prix. Hadjar is currently second in the Formula 2 Drivers’ Championship having achieved four podium finishes, which include two Feature Race victories.

The Campos Racing driver will now be jumping in the cockpit of Sergio Perez’s car for what will be his third time driving on a Formula 1 race weekend. He has previously driven for the team at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix for AlphaTauri, now RB, and for Red Bull at the season-ending weekend in Abu Dhabi.

‘Isack Hadjar to drive for Red Bull Racing’;

https://www.fiaformula2.com/Latest/rlYtMiFHgjJrFeXXOYo24/isack-hadjar-to-drive-for-red-bull-racing-in-fp1-at-british-grand-prix

View from the Paddock - F1 British Grand Prix Thursday Update
20:12 Thu, 04 Jul 2024
Motorsport.com

The British Grand Prix is here, and with it comes a wave of news! Oliver Bearman has signed to drive for Haas in 2025, but what pressure does that bring to the young driver?

And how have Lando Norris and Max Verstappen acted today after their first media sessions since their Austrian Grand Prix incident? Jon Noble and Ben Hunt are in the Silverstone paddock to discuss all these points and more.

‘View from the Paddock’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/view-from-the-paddock-f1-british-grand-prix-thursday-update/652836/

Fortitude

5th July 2024, 13:52

Lando Norris heads Lance Stroll in first British GP practice as Yuki Tsunoda beaches RB.
McLaren’s Norris posted his best time (1m27.420s) on soft tyres and ended up 0.134s clear of Stroll’s Aston Martin, who also posted his fastest lap on Pirelli’s softest compound.
5 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Oscar Piastri was third-fastest, 0.211s behind his teammate, but ran into problems late in the session when he stopped by the entrance to the pit lane with an apparent hydraulic issue. Max Verstappen was fourth, 0.309s behind Norris, though Red Bull’s reigning world champion’s lap was set on medium tyres.

Mercedes’ George Russell took fifth ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and teammate Lewis Hamilton, who briefly led the FP1 timesheet early in the session. Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon completed the rest of the top-10 order. Yuki Tsunoda caused an early red flag when he beached his RB in the gravel at Luffield, leaving him sidelined for the rest of the session.

‘Lando Norris heads Lance Stroll’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051744/1/lando-norris-heads-lance-stroll-first-british-gp-practice-yuki-tsunoda-beaches-rb

British GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
5 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 25 1:27.420

2 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 21 1:27.554 0.134

3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 18 1:27.631 0.211

4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 24 1:27.729 0.309

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 25 1:27.738 0.318

6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 26 1:27.794 0.374

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 25 1:27.858 0.438

8 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:27.903 0.483

9 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 27 1:27.925 0.505

10 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 24 1:27.974 0.554

‘Free Practice 1’;

https://speedcafe.com/british-gp-free-practice-1-results/

British GP: Lando Norris sets the pace in FP1 as McLaren adopt different strategy
05 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

In what turned out to be a mixed session for the McLaren team, who ran comparison tests between the two cars, Norris edged Lance Stroll by a tenth with Oscar Piastri P3 before his McLaren suffered a hydraulic leak and ground to a halt in the pit lane. Despite the morning’s earlier rain, Friday’s opening practice at the Silverstone circuit began on a dry track as test drivers, aero rakes, and comparison testing grabbed the headlines.

McLaren bucked the trend of their fellow frontrunners in swapping to the medium tyres, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris putting the softs on their MCL38s. Piastri went quickest before Norris overhauled him with a 1:27.4, the McLaren team-mates split by the Aston Martin of Stroll who also put on a set of softs.

Piastri wasn’t able to respond as he reported a “hydraulics” issue. He crawled back to the pit lane with his MCL38 coming to a halt in the run down to the entry. The session ended with Norris P1 with a 1:27.420, 0.134s ahead of Stroll with Piastri third. As for Verstappen, he was three-tenths down in fourth place, the best-placed medium runner.

‘Lando Norris sets the pace’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/british-grand-prix-2024-fp1-report

2024 British GP FP1: Tsunoda spin triggers red flag in first practice
5 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Just 10 minutes into the first practice session for this weekend’s British Grand Prix Yuki Tsunoda spin his RB car at Luffield corner and got stuck in the gravel trap, forcing Race Control to throw the red flags.

‘Tsunoda spin triggers red flag’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-british-gp-fp1-tsunoda-spin-triggers-red-flag-in-first-practice.1803741625822649136

Norris draws first blood in British battle as Piastri ends with failure
Lando Norris drew first blood in the fight for British GP honours this weekend.
5 July 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

The session was a fascinating one for a variety of reasons, not least for the upgrades on the cars of Red Bull and McLaren around a power-sensitive circuit. The RB20s of Verstappen and Hadjar were sporting what was described as "subtle" and "minor" tweaks to the floor. In contrast, the McLarens of Norris and Piastri ran with new rear wings specifically designed for low-downforce circuits such as Silverstone.

Russell and Hamilton skip softs. Behind Verstappen, Russell and Hamilton finished fifth and seventh quickest, and like the Red Bull driver, neither used the soft tyres. And as with the top three, the second Aston Martin of Fernando Lando sandwiched the Mercedes, albeit on the softs with a 1:27.794. Leclerc and Sainz were only eighth and ninth for Ferrari, with Alpine's Esteban Ocon completing the top 10, just over half a second down on Norris.

Alongside Hadjar, there were three other young drivers taking part. Ollie Bearman, fresh from being confirmed as a Haas driver for next year, was the quickest of the quartet - and 14th overall- with a time of 1:28.536s after stepping in for Kevin Magnussen. Alpine's Jack Doohan, with an eye on a full-time drive himself next year, was 1.315s down in 17th after stepping in for Pierre Gasly, followed by Franco Colapinto for Williams after replacing Logan Sargeant, with Hadjar 19th, 1.850s off the pace.

‘The session was a fascinating one for a variety of reasons’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-draws-first-blood-in-british-battle-as-piastri-ends-with-failure

McLaren sets misleading pace in first British GP practice
Jul 5, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race

Lando Norris set the pace for McLaren in first practice for Formula 1’s 2024 British Grand Prix, while the pace of team-mate Oscar Piastri and Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin kept Max Verstappen out of the top three. But this early competitive picture around Silverstone was skewed completely by a tyre offset. It’s not unusual for McLaren to run out of sequence with the other top F1 teams, and that’s what happened here as Norris and Piastri were the only frontrunners to use the softest (C3) Pirelli tyre in FP1.

HARD TYRE ORDER
1. Sainz 1m27.925s
2. Hamilton 1m28.043s
3. Russell 1m28.046s
4. Verstappen 1m28.370s
5. Piastri 1m28.469s
6. Alonso 1m28.558s
7. Leclerc 1m28.616s
8. Norris 1m28.770s
9. Ocon 1m28.982s
10. Ricciardo 1m29.160s
11. Albon 1m29.245s

MEDIUM TYRE ORDER
1. Verstappen 1m27.729s
2. Russell 1m27.738s
3. Hamilton 1m27.858s
4. Leclerc 1m27.903s
5. Sainz 1m28.067s
6. Stroll 1m28.426s

‘Misleading pace’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mclaren-sets-misleading-pace-british-gp-fp1/

Four F1 drivers receive summons over British GP practice incidents
Free Practice 1 at Silverstone was not without incident as four drivers are off to the stewards.
5 July 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull rookie Isaac Hadjar is among four F1 drivers to be summoned by British Grand Prix stewards after Free Practice 1. Late in the session at Silverstone, Hadjar, who was in for Sergio Perez, was slow through the fast Farm left-hander of Turn 2, and as Lando Norris approached at racing speed, Hadjar jinked to the right - causing Norris to take avoiding action.

Norris heavily-locked up as Hadjar profusely apologised for the near-miss, claiming he did not see the McLaren. He must attend the stewards at 1400 local time for alleged impeding ahead of F2 qualifying later in the hour. Lance Stroll, who finished second to Norris in the session, has also been summoned for the same offence as Hadjar, with Charles Leclerc's Ferrari the victim to the Canadian.

‘Summons’;

https://racingnews365.com/four-f1-drivers-receive-summons-over-british-gp-practice-incidents

Fortitude

5th July 2024, 17:17

British GP: McLaren lay down early marker to Red Bull as Lando Norris heads FP2 1-2.
After setting the pace in FP1, Norris’s fastest time of 1:26.549 in the second practice session was 0.331 seconds faster than McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri.
05 Jul 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, who set his quickest lap slightly later than his rivals, was third, with Verstappen down in seventh – 0.684s off the pace – after a wide moment on one of his soft-tyred attempts.

Fair conditions greeted the drivers as the green light appeared to signal the start of FP2, with the field wasting no time to get some early laps on the board. Most began the session on medium tyres, with Verstappen setting the early pace with a lap 0.326 seconds faster than Norris straight out of the box.

Elsewhere, things were not going so swimmingly for Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari driver forced to cut the track and abort a lap after a snap through Chapel, with Pierre Gasly bouncing his Alpine over the new exit kerb at Copse. “I really struggle in high speed,” Leclerc radioed after his moment. “I don’t know if you see how tricky the car is, but…” His race engineer, Bryan Bozzi, responded: “Yeah, it’s really on the edge.”

‘McLaren lay down early marker’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/british-grand-prix-2024-fp2-report

British GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
6 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 26 1:26.549

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 24 1:26.880 0.331

3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 24 1:26.983 0.434

4 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 25 1:26.990 0.441

5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 26 1:27.150 0.601

6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 25 1:27.202 0.653

7 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 21 1:27.233 0.684

8 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 30 1:27.249 0.700

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 21 1:27.274 0.725

10 63 George Russell Mercedes 25 1:27.294 0.745

‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;

https://speedcafe.com/british-gp-free-practice-2-results/

Lando Norris leads McLaren double at British GP in soggy FP2
Lando Norris led his McLaren teammate in FP2 at the 2024 British GP but the picture behind is still murky
5 July 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

McLaren continue to set the pace at the 2024 British Grand Prix as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri topped the timesheets in a jumbled FP2, though Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg‘s presence in the top five suggests there’s more to come from the other contenders.

Charles Leclerc was fifth behind the unexpected Red Bull and Haas, as rain that threatened to washout the whole session only hit Silverstone in the last 15 minutes to prevent any final qualifying simulations.

That only adds to the confusion surrounding the picture behind McLaren with Leclerc only separated from twelfth-placed Valtteri Bottas by 0.231 seconds with Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz and the Mercedes and Aston Martin pairs embedded within that pack.

‘Soggy FP2’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lando-norris-leads-mclaren-double-2024-british-gp-soggy-fp2/

Lando Norris pulls clear in second British GP practice, Max Verstappen seventh
Lando Norris kept McLaren at the top of the timesheet as he ended Friday practice at Silverstone fastest.
5 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lando Norris was again fastest for McLaren in second practice as he continued his promising start to the F1 British Grand Prix weekend. FP2 marked a rare occasion when Sergio Perez was the lead Red Bull, albeit 0.434s adrift of Norris. Just 0.007s behind the Mexican, Nico Hulkenberg popped his Haas into a surprise fourth, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took sixth, some six tenths off the pace.

Lewis Hamilton was the fastest Mercedes driver in sixth but was 0.653s adrift of Norris’ benchmark. The seven-time world champion did outpace Verstappen, who unusually struggled on his way to seventh. The Dutchman finished the session nearly seven tenths down on Norris on the same soft tyre compound and was seen running wide after a big wobble through the high-speed Chapel on one of his laps.

However, some of Verstappen’s deficit can be explained by track evolution as he set his best lap time earlier in FP2 compared to his front-running rivals. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was eighth ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and George Russell, who rounded out the top-10 for Mercedes.

‘Lando Norris pulls clear’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051800/1/lando-norris-pulls-clear-second-british-gp-practice-max-verstappen-seventh

British GP FP2: The laptimes that suggest Red Bull trails McLaren
Jul 5, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race

Lando Norris led a McLaren 1-2 in second practice for Formula 1’s 2024 British Grand Prix, giving a stronger indication that McLaren is in contention to beat Red Bull at Silverstone. Unlike in FP1, there was no tyre offset between the top teams. They all ran the medium and then the soft - and in the qualifying simulations it was McLaren on top.

SOFT TYRE RANKING
1 Norris 1m26.549s
2 Piastri 1m26.880s
3 Perez 1m26.983s
4 Hulkenberg 1m26.990s
5 Leclerc 1m27.150s
6 Hamilton 1m27.202s
7 Verstappen 1m27.233s
8 Sainz 1m27.249s
9 Stroll 1m27.274s
10 Russell 1m27.294s
11 Alonso 1m27.372s
12 Bottas 1m27.381s
13 Albon 1m27.645s
14 Gasly 1m27.732s
15 Ocon 1m27.743s
16 Tsunoda 1m27.745s
17 Sargeant 1m27.809s
18 Zhou 1m27.813s
19 Ricciardo 1m27.916s
20 Magnussen 1m28.122s

MEDIUM TYRE RANKING
1 Russell 1m27.506s
2 Sainz 1m27.756s
3 Hamilton 1m27.822s
4 Verstappen 1m27.831s
5 Norris 1m27.850s
6 Leclerc 1m28.084s
7 Perez 1m28.185s
8 Piastri 1m28.369s
9 Gasly 1m28.473s
10 Tsunoda 1m28.589s
11 Alonso 1m28.694s
12 Ocon 1m28.723s
13 Ricciardo 1m28.834s
14 Zhou 1m29.000s
15 Magnussen 1m29.095s

‘Stronger indication that McLaren is in contention to beat Red Bull’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/british-gp-fp2-laptimes-suggest-red-bull-trails-mclaren/

Fortitude

6th July 2024, 06:39

Norris or Verstappen? Mark Hughes on brewing British GP rematch.
The prospects for a continuation of Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris at the British Grand Prix look good if practice is any guide.
Jul 5, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

It’s difficult generally to make direct comparisons as the teams reacted differently to the forecast of rain before the end of the session. Red Bull concentrated on fine-honing its single-lap balance and used up two sets of softs each on the cars of Verstappen and Sergio Perez. McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari ran more conventionally, using just a single new set for each of its cars.

Perez - who missed the first session, handing his car over to the junior driver Isack Hadjar - benefitted from Red Bull’s two sets run plan and improved significantly on his second attempt to go third-fastest, a quarter of a second faster than Verstappen’s first attempt. But no one seriously believes that Verstappen is actually slower than his team-mate here.

‘Norris or Verstappen?’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/norris-verstappen-british-gp-rematch-brewing-mark-hughes/

Verstappen: Red Bull have ‘a bit of work to do’ after P7 in Friday practice
Max Verstappen was only seventh quickest in FP2 at Silverstone, and said he and his engineers had plenty of data to pore over ahead of Saturday qualifying for the British Grand Prix.
19:30 Fri, 05 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘A bit of work to do’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/verstappen-red-bull-have-a-bit-of-work-to-do-after-p7-in-friday-practice.1803756459993852727

Verstappen sees key area for improvement at British GP
Max Verstappen was seventh on the opening day of the British Grand Prix.
5 July 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Norris was almost seven tenths of a second quicker than Verstappen, who acknowledged after the session that the Milton Keynes-based team has work to do. “It was okay, I just overshot a bit," said Verstappen, when asked about his brief off-track excursion. "So I aborted my lap. On the soft tyre it didn’t go so well.”

"In FP2 the medium looked a bit better. So we still have some work to do. We also tried some things with the car. We need to analyse what we can do better for tomorrow. That will show us which way to go tomorrow. It will probably rain, so we need to take that into account.”

In terms of the fight between Red Bull and McLaren, Verstappen was quick to note that the Woking-based outfit was very strong in the British GP last season. "I expect it to be very close," Verstappen told select media including RacingNews365. "We had a very good qualifying in Austria and in general actually a positive weekend, apart from the race result. But I still think also McLaren like last year already here they were flying."

‘Key area for improvement’

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-sees-key-area-for-improvement-at-british-gp

Helmut Marko issues ‘not on the level of Lando Norris’ verdict for Red Bull at Silverstone
Helmut Marko believes Red Bull are a clear step behind McLaren's Lando Norris at the British Grand Prix.
05 Jul 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Helmut Marko has warned that Red Bull aren’t “on the level” of McLaren’s Lando Norris at this F1 weekend’s British Grand Prix. Speaking to ORF after the session, Marko revealed that Red Bull are losing nearly 0.3s in the first sector alone. “We are losing too much in the slow corners, especially in Sector 1, we are losing almost three-tenths,” Marko said.

“We looked worse in first practice and in the long runs, we were not so good either. We are still good, but not at the level of Norris. So we still have a lot to put right here. On the other hand, the weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday is not good, so it comes down to what compromise you make.”

“Will there be rain and then do you put more wing on the car? It is an interesting decision, but the move we made was definitely not the right one, because we just went backwards. Even in the third sector, we lose everything in the slow corners.”

‘Not on the level of Lando Norris’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051812/1/helmut-marko-issues-not-level-lando-norris-verdict-red-bull-silverstone

‘McLaren are in a different league’ at Silverstone admits Sainz
Carlos Sainz reckons McLaren are a step ahead of Ferrari at this weekend’s British Grand Prix.
19:30 Fri, 05 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Different league’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/mclaren-are-in-a-different-league-at-silverstone-admits-sainz.1803761638151423070

Ferrari drivers unhappy with the car after experimenting day at Silverstone
6 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ferrari racers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were left unimpressed by the performance of the SF-24 after the opening day at the British Grand Prix with both drivers complaining about the balance of their car. Since it introduced a comprehensive package of upgrades at Barcelona, Ferrari has suffered from bouncing in the high-speed corners.

Speaking of his challenging day, Leclerc added: "We got a lot of testing done today and will analyse all the data we gathered to draw some comparisons and take steps forward as a team. For now, we are not fully satisfied and will be working flat out to solve any issues quickly in order to have a good qualifying tomorrow," noted the Monegasque.

Carlos Sainz looked slightly more comfortable behind the wheel of his SF-24, but he stressed that Ferrari will need to put the best package together for the rest of the weekend. "An interesting Friday for us as the aim today was to gather useful data to give us a complete picture about our car. Objective achieved, and now we need to analyze everything in order to be ready for tomorrow. We need to make some decisions, but I think we can position ourselves in a decent spot this weekend," concluded Sainz.

‘Ferrari drivers unhappy’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24932

‘I’m just slow’ – Lewis Hamilton makes Mercedes admission after British GP practice
5 Jul 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton has admitted Mercedes have “got some work to do” at the British Grand Prix after the seven-time World Champion said he was “just slow” over team radio in FP2. Hamilton caught the attention towards the end of the second session when he commented over team radio: “The track is fine, I’m just slow.”

Hamilton, whose fastest lap in the afternoon session was 0.653 seconds slower than Norris’s, is convinced that Mercedes are “just not as fast” as the likes of McLaren at this stage of proceedings. He said: “It felt fine. It generally felt good, just not as fast as the guys ahead, like the McLarens.”

“We don’t have upgrades this weekend. We have some small tweaks to things but not necessarily upgrades. But every time we add something to the car, we are going in the right direction, but the others are bringing upgrades at the same time. We were six-and-a-half tenths off in that one. I don’t know if it’s truly, exactly six tenths but we’ve got some work to do.”

‘I’m just slow’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-british-gp-team-radio-just-slow

McLaren’s double-top in practice disguises clear threat from Red Bull and Mercedes
5th July 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

As teams held their debriefs within a rain-lashed paddock, the mood at McLaren was likely to be the best along the pit lane. Not just because of the free ice cream the team was handing out to paddock dwellers to thank the paddock for its support following the fire in their hospitality suite in Barcelona, but because Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri occupied the top two positions at the end of the day’s second hour of practice.

“A good start to the weekend,” admitted Norris as he set the pace in both sessions on the opening day of his home grand prix. “I didn’t feel that comfortable this morning, but through the sessions we made some tweaks and I got into a much nicer window – which is important around here, because it’s quite on the nose, quite sketchy and pretty high speed. But I’m happy. I think we’ve made some good progress.”

… ... … ... But, as ever, that does not tell the entire story… The telltale signs that Red Bull have much performance still in hand can be seen from Verstappen’s sole push lap on the softs. He was around 10kph slower than Norris on the approach to Abbey at the start of the lap, 4kph slower before they hit the brakes for Brooklands and another 10kph off the McLaren into Copse, which he was able to take flat as a result, unlike Norris. If Red Bull were an anime villain, they would still be one or two transformations away from their ultimate form.

‘But, as ever, that does not tell the entire story’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/05/mclarens-double-top-in-practice-disguises-clear-threat-from-red-bull-and-mercedes/

Fortitude

6th July 2024, 12:40

Russell pips Hamilton as Mercedes dominate British GP FP3.
George Russell went quickest ahead of Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes secured a 1-2 in the final free practice session in the rain at the Formula 1 2024 British Grand Prix on Saturday.
6 July 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

The typical English ‘summer’ weather arrived on Saturday with blustery winds and heavy showers in the morning, making conditions tricky for the drivers on the rain-soaked surface at Silverstone.

Russell’s time, a 1:37.325, is some way off the lap record at the Northamptonshire circuit, but it may reflect how Mercedes are best suited to the wet as they were some distance clear of Red Bull and Ferrari, with Max Verstappen strangely off the pace down in P6.

The rain would created some unwanted jeopardy for the drivers, but the session would at least give the drivers some valuable data for the most important sessions of the weekend, with British GP weather forecasts predicting another downpour later on Saturday afternoon for qualifying and Sunday’s race.

‘Russell pips Hamilton’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/george-russell-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-f1-2024-british-gp-fp3/

British GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
6 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 1:37.529

2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 27 1:37.564 0.035

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 20 1:37.714 0.185

4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 22 1:38.139 0.610

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 20 1:38.393 0.864

6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:38.454 0.925

7 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 27 1:38.654 1.125

8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 21 1:38.940 1.411

9 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 18 1:39.284 1.755

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 16 1:39.340 1.811

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

https://speedcafe.com/british-gp-free-practice-3-results/

F1 British GP: Russell fastest from Hamilton in wet FP3
Mercedes F1 driver set a 1m37.529s in a rain-affected Saturday practice session
Jul 6, 2024
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Despite a red flag and the effect of continued precipitation throughout the session, a steady level of improvement continued beyond the half-hour mark, allowing Russell to grab the fastest time - still over 10 seconds down on Friday's dry times - before the conditions worsened.

The roulette wheel started to slow as the rain started to intensify slightly; this prompted a switch to race-style runs before further increased rain was set to hit the track. Hamilton set a 1m38.065s, which was beaten by Russell's 1m37.529s; the elder Mercedes driver attempted to respond with a 1m37.564s, but he was just shy of the mark.

Lando Norris, who headlined FP1 and FP2, was third fastest and 0.185s away from Russell's benchmark, and almost half a second clear of fourth-placed Carlos Sainz.
Verstappen landed in fifth, ahead of Leclerc and Piastri, while Fernando Alonso improved late to leapfrog Sergio Perez into the top eight. Nico Hulkenberg completed the upper half of the field, 1.8s adrift of Russell's headline effort.

‘Rain-affected Saturday practice session’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-british-gp-russell-fastest-from-hamilton-in-wet-fp3/10632092/

Everything that happened in Mercedes-led British GP final practice
Jul 6, 2024
by Josh Suttill
The Race

The conditions hardly made the final timesheet representative of who will be on top in qualifying later but there was still a decent amount of running for a wet practice session. Mercedes' home drivers led the way with Russell topping the session on a 1m37.529s, 0.035s ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Lando Norris, who topped both practice sessions on Friday, completed the all-British top three ahead of Carlos Sainz's Ferrari and points leader Max Verstappen, who ensured there were four different teams in the top five. Charles Leclerc was sixth quickest for Ferrari ahead of the second McLaren of Oscar Piastri and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso.

Sergio Perez found himself ninth but his fastest effort was 1.7s off Russell's pace and he was almost a second adrift of Red Bull team-mate Verstappen. Nico Hulkenberg continued his strong weekend for Haas by rounding out the top 10 ahead of Alex Albon and Lance Stroll.

‘British GP final practice’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mercedes-1-2-2024-british-gp-final-f1-practice/

2024 F1 British Grand Prix - Free Practice 3 results
Check out the full results from final practice ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix.
6 July 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

George Russell has ended the final practice session from the Silverstone Circuit on top of the timesheet. The 60-minute outing was held in wet conditions, with Intermediate tyres used throughout.

Lewis Hamilton was second in the other Mercedes car, lapping just 0.035s down on team-mate Russell, while Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz were third and fourth respectively. Pierre Gasly was the only driver who failed to set a lap time during the session as he spun into the gravel early on to cause a red flag.

‘Free Practice 3 results’;

https://racingnews365.com/2024-f1-british-grand-prix-free-practice-3-results

British GP: George Russell heads all-British top three at a very wet Silverstone
6 Jul 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Russell won out against Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton by just 0.035 seconds as they battled over P1 on a drying track, but the rapid gains came to a abrupt stop as the rain returned, with McLaren’s Lando Norris making it an all-British top three. For Mercedes it was all smiles as Russell headed a one-two from Hamilton, while McLaren’s Lando Norris made it an all-British top three on home soil.

‘All-British top three’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/british-grand-prix-2024-fp3-report

British Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 Results
July 6, 2024
Freddie Cotton
FormulaNerds

Fans watching on in their raincoats and wellington boots were only treated to eight minutes of action before the session was stopped. Pierre Gasly brought out the red flag after spinning at Vale and beaching his Alpine in the gravel. As a result, the Frenchman’s time on track was cut short and he was forced to watch the remainder of the action from the garage. In the short time of running before the stoppage, Yuki Tsunoda was the quickest, setting a 1.47.080. His RB teammate Daniel Ricciardo was also noted for a pit lane infringement after weaving as he returned to the garage.

�� RED FLAG ��
Gasly has beached himself in the gravel heading into Vale #F1 #BritishGP pic.twitter.com/Qmbo0lCC6k
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 6, 2024

Take two: After a six-minute break, cars then returned to the track with Tsunoda leading the pack out. Both Mercedes drivers, Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Norris all topped the timesheets within the next ten minutes as the track quickly began to dry out. Despite this though, the drivers all remained on the intermediate tyre. However, many race engineers reported over radio that rain was to be expected with 15 minutes remaining of the session. This arrived five minutes earlier than expected as Ricciardo’s race engineer reported ‘level one’ rain which was due to intensify during the latter stages of the session. Because of this, nobody could get close to the times set by both Russell and Lewis Hamilton who occupied first and second place respectively.

‘F1 Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/british-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-3-results/?nowprocket=1

F1 driver slapped with 50-place grid penalty for British Grand Prix
One driver will have his work cut out at the British Grand Prix after being slapped with a monster grid penalty.
Sat, Jul 6, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Pierre Gasly has a monster grid penalty for the British Grand Prix. Pierre Gasly will start the British Grand Prix from the back of the grid after picking up five separate 10-place grid penalties, totalling a 50-spot deduction, for exceeding his seasonal allocation of several power unit components

‘Monster 50-place grid penalty’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1919746/Pierre-Gasly-Alpine-British-Grand-Prix

Fortitude

6th July 2024, 16:17

Russell beats Hamilton to pole as Mercedes seal 1-2 in British GP qualifying.
In a repeat of FP3, Russell secured his second pole position of the season by nearly two seconds of a second ahead of Hamilton, with Lando Norris making it an all-British podium in front of a huge crowd for the first time.
6 July 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen could only qualify fourth ahead of Oscar Piastri, with Nico Hulkenberg sixth, Carlos Sainz seventh, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso and Alex Albon making up the rest of the top 10.

But there was a fine line between a dry track and a slippery one, as Sergio Perez found out to his misfortune. On the soft tyre in Q1, the Mexican veered off track on the wet run-off area and spun off into the gravel, essentially ruling him out of qualifying, and he will start 19th.

Verstappen struggles in British GP qualifying: From there, it was nothing short of chaos. The rain briefly returned and caused Verstappen to run off onto the gravel at Copse Corner, but unlike Perez, he managed to carry on going. Meanwhile, Hamilton set the fastest time of the session, with Verstappen scraping through in 11th despite being some 1.7 seconds adrift of the Mercedes star.

‘It was nothing short of chaos.’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/george-russell-pole-lewis-hamilton-mecedes-f1-2024-british-gp-qualifying/

British GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
7 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:30.106 1:26.723 1:25.819

2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:29.547 1:26.770 1:25.990 0.171

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:31.596 1:26.559 1:26.030 0.211

4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:31.342 1:26.796 1:26.203 0.384

5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:30.895 1:26.733 1:26.237 0.418

6 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:31.929 1:26.847 1:26.338 0.519

7 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:30.557 1:26.843 1:26.509 0.690

8 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:31.410 1:26.938 1:26.585 0.766

9 23 Alex Albon Williams 1:31.135 1:26.933 1:26.640 0.821

10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:31.264 1:26.730 1:26.917 1.098

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

https://speedcafe.com/british-gp-qualifying-results/

Leclerc suffers shock early British GP qualifying exit
Qualifying at the British Grand Prix came to an early end for Charles Leclerc who was eliminated at the end of Q2 from Silverstone.
6 July 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc failed to progress into the final stage of qualifying at the British Grand Prix and is set to start the race from the mid-pack. The Monegasque driver's final effort was not enough to finish in the top 10, with Lance Stroll's lap time dumping him into the drop zone with the 11th quickest time.

It marks the second time this year Leclerc has failed to take part in Q2 after he was also eliminated early in Canada.Ferrari has struggled for form of late having started the season in strong fashion by scoring multiple podiums and two race wins. However, it has since been overtaken by McLaren and Mercedes in the pecking order as it continues to work on a fix to its struggles.

‘Leclerc suffers shock’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-suffers-shock-early-british-gp-qualifying-exit

GP Qualifying: Q1 scare for Verstappen who just escapes gravel trap
Max Verstappen ran very wide in Q1 to end up in the gravel trap – but he just managed to keep momentum to get back on track and ensure he made it out of the first segment of qualifying.
6 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Q1 scare for Verstappen’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-british-gp-qualifying-q1-scare-for-verstappen-who-just-escapes-gravel-trap.1803841901410832676

George Russell beats Lewis Hamilton to F1 British GP pole
George Russell leads Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton for all-British front-row in qualifying at Silverstone.
6 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

George Russell beat teammate Lewis Hamilton to pole position at the F1 British Grand Prix as Mercedes locked out the front-row of the grid in qualifying. Russell had provisional pole after the first runs of Q3 but seven-time world champion Hamilton briefly snatched P1 away from his teammate, only for Russell to reclaim it by 0.171s with his final effort right at the end of qualifying.

Lando Norris was 0.211s adrift in third for McLaren to make it a British 1-2-3, while Max Verstappen was over three-tenths off the pace and had to settle for fourth in his Red Bull. Nico Hulkenberg was a brilliant sixth for Haas, ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and Williams driver Alex Albon, who also impressed. Fernando Alonso completed the top-10 for Aston Martin.

‘All-British front-row’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051934/1/george-russell-beats-lewis-hamilton-f1-british-gp-pole

British Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
6 Jul 2024
FormulaNerds

Q3: Work continued on Verstappen’s floor area before Q3 got underway, with damage a possibility following the Dutchman’s earlier excursion through the gravel. Albon got the first fast lap on the board: a 1:27.008, which was beaten by Verstappen with a 1:26.350. But the defending Champion’s time on top was brief as both McLarens beat the Red Bull, Norris ahead of Piastri by over two tenths of a second.

Hamilton split the two McLarens before Russell beat them all to go onto provisional pole with a 1:26.024. One more chance left for the ten remaining drivers in Qualifying to go faster still. As the chequered flag was waved, a stream of cars came into view to complete their push laps. Albon improved to eighth fastest, before Stroll claimed that position instead. Verstappen could only manage fourth, while Mercedes delighted the home crowd as Russel pipped Hamilton with a historic 1-2. Norris made it all-British top three.

‘F1 Qualifying Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/british-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-results/?nowprocket=1

Russell roars to British GP pole as Hamilton and Norris make F1 history
It is a British one-two-three on the grid for the British Grand Prix!
6 July 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Q3: After the first Q3 runs, Russell pumped in a 1:26.024 to lead Norris by 0.006s, with Hamilton 0.172s behind his team-mate.

However, on the second runs, Norris could not improve on his lap and aborted, with Hamilton finding time to beat Russell by 0.034s to jump to what would have been an eighth Silverstone pole.

However, Austria winner Russell roared through to bag a second pole of the season on a 1:25.819s to create the first British one-two-three on the grid in 56 years.

‘Russell roars to British GP pole’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-roars-to-british-gp-pole-as-hamilton-and-norris-make-f1-history

Russell heads Mercedes 1-2 in British GP qualifying
Jul 6, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race

In a session that began with all cars on intermediate tyres on a drying track, Perez sat just inside the top 10 before drivers began making the switch to slicks. But Perez then went off at Copse after correcting a rear slide on the way in and (unlike Verstappen) spinning on the wetter runoff area and into the gravel, where his Red Bull became beached, causing a red flag.

As others improved over the final seven minutes, on a track that was dry enough for slicks but with fresh rain falling again, Perez dropped to 19th - ahead of only Pierre Gasly’s Alpine, which starts from the back of the grid anyway because of an engine penalty. The other Q1 fallers were Esteban Ocon in 18th, who raged against Alpine’s run plan for requiring him to do his flying lap as the rain fell, Kevin Magnussen’s Haas (17th), which reverted to former spec after picking up damage on Friday, and the Sauber of Valtteri Bottas (16th).

Bottas was among the first to set a time after the Q1 restart, but couldn’t improve on that effort as the track conditions changed and he ended up half a second adrift of making Q2 as team-mate Zhou Guanyu made the top eight in Q1. Albon, Stroll, Russell, Zhou and Hamilton are all under investigation for failing to follow the race director’s instructions in Q2.

‘Mercedes 1-2’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/george-russell-mercedes-1-2-british-gp-qualifying/

Fortitude

7th July 2024, 11:45

An All-British One-Two-Three - F1 British Grand Prix Saturday Update.
It was mixed conditions during qualifying at the 2024 British Grand Prix where we saw all three British Formula 1 drivers in the top three for the first time at Silverstone.
July 7, 2024
Motorsport.com

Ben Hunt and Alex Kalinauckas break down all the action from on and off the track today.
00:00 Qualifying Breakdown
01:46 Is it Russel's time to shine?
03:53 Hamilton's attitude for the 2024 season
06:11 McLaren's progress
07:18 Kimi Antonelli faces the media for the first time

‘Update’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/an-all-british-one-two-three-f1-british-grand-prix-saturday-update/652946/

Three cheers for Brits! Russell beats Hamilton to take Silverstone F1 pole with Norris third
July 6, 2024
Associated Press
The Washington Times

The home crowd had three reasons to cheer when George Russell narrowly beat Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for the British Grand Prix, and Lando Norris was third quickest for McLaren on Saturday.

It was all about the Brits at Silverstone, with Formula 1 leader Max Verstappen taking a rare back seat and qualifying in fourth for Red Bull.

“The crowd gives us so much energy. I don’t think Silverstone could have dreamt of (this),” a jubilant Russell said. “Three Brits in the top three, we love the support and we can’t wait for the race tomorrow.”

‘Three cheers for Brits!’;

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/jul/6/three-cheers-for-brits-russell-beats-hamilton-to-t/

‘Absolutely awesome!’ – Russell beaming after taking pole at his home race
George Russell scored his first victory of the season last week in Austria – and he followed that up by sealing pole position for Mercedes for his home Grand Prix at Silverstone.
18:12 Sat, 06 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Absolutely awesome!’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/absolutely-awesome-russell-beaming-after-taking-pole-at-his-home-race.1803846567686302524

Hamilton on Mercedes’ stunning Silverstone qualifying result: ‘1-2 is where we belong’
Mercedes secured a front row lock out for the British Grand Prix with Lewis Hamilton P2 behind team mate George Russell.
06 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘1-2 is where we belong’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hamilton-on-mercedes-stunning-silverstone-qualifying-result-1-2-is-where-we-belong.1803845998194034468

Norris is sure he can take the fight to Mercedes
7 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Despite qualifying only third for today's British Grand Prix, McLaren driver Lando Norris believes that he will be able to take the fight to the McLaren duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. “I’m happy with P3. Three Brits locking-out the top three positions at the British Grand Prix is pretty cool. Both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton did great laps and an excellent job.”

"I made a little mistake on my part at the end, but we’re still in a good starting spot. It’s going to rain again tomorrow, and I’m excited to put on a good show. It’s going to be a good race for the fans. I know we’re quick, so I can bring the fight to both the Mercedes.”

‘Take the fight to Mercedes’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24943

Marko reveals massive damage to Verstappen car
Max Verstappen endured most of qualifying for the British Grand Prix with a damaged car.
6 July 2024
Gerd Jansen & Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Given the extent of Verstappen's floor damage, Marko was elated with the Dutchman sealing a grid slot on the second row. "I am over the moon," Marko told Sky DE. "Max went off the track at Turn 9 and sustained damage that was around 100 points of downforce.”

"The mechanics did what was possible in this short time in terms of repair work. For the rest, we made some adjustments to the wings so we were able to reduce the damage to about 20 per cent for the last part of qualifying. Fourth place is sensational."

“Fourth place is sensational";

https://racingnews365.com/marko-reveals-massive-damage-to-verstappens-car

Max qualifies fourth for British GP despite damage: 'Holes in the floor'
6 July 2024
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

“After I went through the gravel in Q1, I lost 100 points of downforce”, explained Max after an eventful qualifying. “Throughout the session the team kept improving the floor, but if you look at it, it doesn’t look good. It’s full of holes, so in that sense I’m happy to be fourth.”

Regarding going wide at Copse corner, the reigning champion said: “We were one of the last to head out as we didn’t expect the rain during Q1. When I got to turn seven, I couldn’t do anything. I already had rain on my visor so I braked, but the car stepped out so I tried everything to keep the car out of the wall. It did mean the rest of qualifying was ruined.”

'Holes in the floor';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5529/

‘It hurts… I let my whole team down’ – Perez on his spin and Q1 exit
17:51 Sat, 06 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez will start the British Grand Prix from the back row of the grid after he spun off and out of qualifying in Q1 at Silverstone.

“It hurts…”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/it-hurts-i-let-my-whole-team-down-perez-on-his-spin-and-q1-exit.1803843863972807765

Perez says British GP qualifying bust not the result of pressure
7 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

“T9 was tricky, really difficult,” Perez explained. “When I downshifted, I basically lost the rear end quite badly and I went out of the track, and cold tyres and it was completely soaked of water outside of the track. So I just ended up going in the gravel, couldn't stop the car, couldn't go straight, very unfortunate incident.”

Perez denied that external pressures were to blame for his mistake in Q1 on Saturday. “No, no no no, that has nothing to do with it,” Perez insisted. “I'm fully focused on my job, I'm fully focused on getting the performance out of myself, I know where I can be.”

“Yesterday we had a very positive day, things were looking in the right direction, so yeah, head down and it's a matter of time before we turn around the situation.”

“T9 was tricky, really difficult”;

https://f1i.com/news/513400-perez-says-british-gp-qualifying-bust-not-the-result-of-pressure.html

Verstappen offers British GP hope after 'ripping his floor apart'
Max Verstappen has confirmed he will "need a new floor" for the British Grand Prix, after he "ripped" his RB20's current one apart at Silverstone.
7 July 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen feels his fourth-place qualifying finish for the British Grand Prix is a "positive surprise" after his off-track excursion in Q1 at Silverstone. The 26-year-old revealed the extent of the damage he incurred compromised the rest of his session, saying he was "happy" to reach Q3 at all, let alone qualify fourth in the grid-setting session.

"I would like to be in the mix," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365, when asked about the prospect of attacking the British trio starting ahead of him at Silverstone. "Actually, first of all, I need a new floor - that would help," he added. "That off, it was super unlucky.”

"I had to take the gravel, which ripped the floor apart. [I] missed quite a few bits on the car, even though I do think the team did a great job of trying to recover some of the bits and try to optimise the balance front to rear. That basically ruined our qualifying. I was happy to be in Q3 already with the damage that we had. At the end, to be P4 is probably a bit of a positive surprise.”

“Ripping his floor apart”;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-offers-british-gp-hope-after-ripping-his-floor-apart

Fortitude

7th July 2024, 16:58

Lewis Hamilton cries in his dads arms after emotional British Grand Prix win.
Lewis Hamilton broke down in tears as he hugged his dad after winning the British Grand Prix. in what proved a dramatic afternoon at Silverstone, the seven-time world champion fended off old rival Max Verstappen in the closing laps to take the chequered flag for the first time since December 2021.
Jul 7, 2024
Fraser Watson
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has won the British Grand Prix.

‘Lewis Hamilton cries in his dads arms’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1920060/lewis-hamilton-wins-british-gp-silverstone

British GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
8 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 52

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1.465

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 7.547

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 12.429

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 47.318

6 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 55.722

7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 56.569

8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 63.577

9 23 Alex Albon Williams 68.387

10 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 79.303

‘Full results’;

https://speedcafe.com/british-gp-race-results/

Lewis Hamilton in tears as he smashes 18-year Formula 1 record with stunning British Grand Prix triumph
8 July 2024
Jackson Cole
talkSPORT.com

Lewis Hamilton won his first Grand Prix in 945 days with a stunning triumph at the British Grand Prix. In an enthralling race at Silverstone, Hamilton started second and emerged victorious in a race where starter on pole George Russell was forced into a shock retirement. Hamilton held off rivals Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, who came second and third respectively with Norris leading in what was a thrilling first half of the race.

It's the first time Hamilton has won a Grand Prix since December 2021 and the seven-time world champion broke a few records in the process. He's the oldest driver to win a Grand Prix in the 21st century and perhaps more impressively he's broken a long-standing record by Michael Schumacher.

This triumph is Hamilton's ninth at Silverstone, which is the most at a single circuit in F1 history. He was tied with Schumacher, who first set the record in 2006 with eight wins at the French Grand Prix. A tearful Hamilton said to his team on the radio: "This means a lot guys." Hamilton then said to Mercedes engineer Peter Bonnington: "I love you Bono."

‘Stunning triumph’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1953238/lewis-hamilton-tears-breaks-f1-record-british-grand-prix/

Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix to end three-year wait for F1 victory
Jul 7, 2024
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Sir Lewis Hamilton finally ended his near-three-year winless streak on Sunday to claim a stunning victory at the British Grand Prix. The seven-time Formula One champion strategically overtook Lando Norris before holding off a late charge from Max Verstappen to win at Silverstone, his first win since Saudi Arabia in 2021.

‘Ends three-year wait for F1 victory’;

https://metro.co.uk/2024/07/07/lewis-hamilton-wins-british-grand-prix-end-three-year-wait-victory-21180438/?ito=newsnow-feed

Hamilton victorious as McLaren throws away British GP win
Lewis Hamilton has won the British Grand Prix as poor strategy saw McLaren throw away its chance.
8 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speed Cafe

Hamilton headed Max Verstappen and Lando Norris to the flag in a race hit by changeable conditions. The key moments for McLaren were an early call to leave Oscar Piastri on track, costing him 20 seconds in the process, and a call for soft tyres in the final stint for Norris.

The latter was a decision that likely cost him victory as he fell behind Hamilton as he exited the lane, and fell behind a resurgent Verstappen in the final laps. Piastri recovered to fourth while Daniel Ricciardo was 13th at the flag.

‘McLaren throws away British GP win’;

https://speedcafe.com/hamilton-victorious-as-mclaren-throws-away-british-gp-win/

‘Wow’: What Max Verstappen did during the British GP that Martin Brundle said was ‘remarkably good’
Sun 7 July 2024 16:35
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The 2024 Formula 1 season has produced blockbuster race after blockbuster race and the British Grand Prix was no exception. Mercedes started the race with a key advantage after locking out the front row thanks to brilliant performances from George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in qualifying. Martin Brundle admires Max Verstappen’s race start at the British Grand Prix: Watching back a replay of the start of the race, Brundle said: “So few revs, wow, didn’t want to get any wheelspin, unbelievably few revs to get the car off the line.

“Turning in and remarkably good front grip as well and now he’s going to slide up in the inside, and this is a big risk move there for [Max] Verstappen, it’s so easy to run into the back of the other car. And he launches around the outside of turn four, so he can straighten the car up, get good traction, good drive out of it and takes the place from Lando Norris.” Max Verstappen proves just how good he is at the British Grand Prix. After a difficult qualifying session where a damaged floor meant he could only set the fourth-fastest time in Q3, Verstappen had to bide his time during the race.

Verstappen’s race changed during the rainy spells, with Red Bull absolutely nailing his strategy and a radio message from the team suggesting that he chose exactly the right lap to pit for intermediate tyres. In the final stint, he pitted on the same lap as Hamilton, with the British driver choosing soft tyres and Verstappen going onto the hards. It was another great call and meant he could easily overtake Norris to try and catch Hamilton in the final laps.

‘Wow’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-max-verstappen-did-during-the-british-gp-that-martin-brundle-said-was-remarkably-good/

Hamilton outsmarts Verstappen and Norris to clinch record-breaking British GP win
The Briton ended his 56-race to add to his race victories with a thrilling fight against Norris at Silverstone
7 July 2024
Joe Krishnan
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton finally celebrated on the top step of the podium after a dramatic finale to the Formula 1 2024 British Grand Prix. The Mercedes star stole the lead from Lando Norris in the pits after wet weather intruded in the middle part of the race and held his nerve to clinch his 104th career race victory – some 946 days since his last win in Saudi Arabia in 2021. He finished ahead of Max Verstappen, who fought back from fifth, with Norris finishing third.

‘Record-breaking British GP win’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lewis-hamilton-british-gp-win-lando-norris-f1-2024-silverstone/

Lewis Hamilton wins the British Grand Prix to claim his first race victory since 2021 - as Mercedes driver beats Max Verstappen and Lando Norris
• Home favourite Lewis Hamilton won Sunday's British Grand Prix at Silverstone
• The 39-year-old started second on the grid behind team-mate George Russell
• But Russell retired mid-race before Hamilton won his first Grand Prix of 2024
7 July 2024
Robert Summerscales
Metro.co.uk

Lewis Hamilton is the King of Silverstone again! The most successful driver in history claimed his first win in 945 days in front of a jubilant British Grand Prix crowd. He embraced his father, Anthony, for 20 seconds. Tears flowed. Later a long hug with his mother, Carmen.

Echoes of the past poured down. It was here 16 years ago that Hamilton unfurled one of the greatest drives ever seen, in 2008, in blanket wet conditions. This time rain came and went, bringing a delicious jeopardy into the equation, as it had in qualifying when George Russell grabbed pole 24 hours earlier. He was handed a Union Flag on his warm-down lap held aloft in his fluorescent yellow right glove.

‘Home favourite Lewis Hamilton won’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13609207/Lewis-Hamilton-wins-British-Grand-Prix-race-victory-season.html

Fortitude

8th July 2024, 05:15

Lewis Hamilton considered retiring from F1 before 2024 British GP win.
Lewis Hamilton has said he considered calling time on his F1 career during the period since his last win.
July 7th 2024
7 Jul 2024
Motor Sport Magazine

Lewis Hamilton has related his emotions after taking his first F1 win in almost three years after an exhilarating 2024 British GP, saying that at some points he was so low he considered retiring. “My heart’s racing,” he said in the aftermath. “I had so many amazing times here and in the past, but when I came across that line, something released in me that I guess I’ve been holding on to for a long time.”

“It was the most emotional end to a win that I’ve ever experienced. I always wonder why I never cry – you see Rubens Barrichello crying! I was like that doesn’t happen to me hit me hard. I think after such a difficult 2021, we just tried to come back but obviously we as a team had a really difficult time. There were just so many thoughts and so many doubts in my mind along the way – to the point of at times wanting to not continue. So to drive, and to continue to get up and to try and finally succeed is honestly is the greatest feeling I can remember having.”

‘Emotions’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/hamilton-reflects-on-journey-to-win-at-times-i-didnt-want-to-continue/?nowprocket=1#

[B]Hamilton doubted he would win again in F1 prior to record ninth Silverstone success
18:37 Sun, 07 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Lewis Hamilton has conceded he harboured occasional doubts that he would triumph again in Formula 1 prior to ending his 945-day drought at the British Grand Prix. Questioned on whether he started losing faith in certain stages during his drought that he would return to the top step, Hamilton answered: “Absolutely.”

“I think, I mean it’s, the feeling is, it feels different to previous races and particularly races where you’re having race after race after race, or seasons where you’re having multiple wins. I think with the kind of the adversity I would say that we’ve gone through as a team and that I personally felt that I’ve experienced those challenges, the constant challenge like we all have to get up out of bed every day and give it our best shot…”

‘Adversity’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/07/hamilton-doubted-he-would-win-again-in-f1-prior-to-record-ninth-silverstone-success/

'Shut up' order showed Hamilton was ready to win, says engineer Bono
07/07/2024
France 24

"When I am told to shut up, I know it is 'game on' and he's going for victory," long-serving." Mercedes race engineer Peter Bonnington said after Hamilton's "fairy tale" triumph. 'Bono' and the tearful seven-time champion shared a champagne-soaked podium after their 83rd victory together, having endured 945 winless days since their last triumph at the 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.

"He does a great job when it comes down to the wire," he said. "He's the one that's going to manage the tyres and get you to the end. I wouldn't say there was zero doubt, but I knew that once he had the bit between his teeth -- as soon as I get told to 'shut up' -- then I know that the game's on."

‘Ready to win’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240707-shut-up-order-showed-hamilton-was-ready-to-win-says-engineer-bono

‘Perfect distance’: Lewis Hamilton pinpoints the ‘perfect’ moment he knew he could win the British Grand Prix
Sun 7 July 2024 19:30
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton took a stunning victory at the British Grand Prix after a late tyre call enabled him to snatch the lead from Lando Norris. Norris was leading the race after rain hit the track midway through, causing all the drivers to switch to the Intermediate tyre and then back to slicks.

Speaking in the drivers’ press conference after the race, Hamilton explained how he knew Norris staying out would be the key decision that could help him win the race. “On those tyres, when it was starting to dry up, it was about just trying to get the right timing. If Lando had stopped before us, it would have been very, very difficult to go by,” said Hamilton.

“The moment when I came out of Turn 15, and I came in [to pit] and he [Norris] stayed out, I knew that this was the moment that I was going to have the chance to undercut him. After that, I think I was able to just keep him . It was a perfect distance of a stint. If we had another five laps, I don’t know if we would have held on to it.”

‘Perfect distance’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lewis-hamilton-pinpoints-the-perfect-moment-he-knew-he-could-win-the-british-grand-prix/

[B]‘That was the most emotional ending to a race I’ve ever had’ – Hamilton
19:05 Sun, 07 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lewis Hamilton scored a record ninth victory in the British Grand Prix, some two-and-a-half years after his last win in F1 – and the result left him choking back the emotion.

‘Most emotional ending’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/that-was-the-most-emotional-ending-to-a-race-ive-ever-had-hamilton.1803938603215087790

Hamilton and Mercedes on Silverstone: ‘The greatest feeling I can remember having’
July 7, 2024
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

During the race, all three Brits were in P1 at one point or another. However, unfortunately for Russell, he was forced to retire. Norris and Hamilton were close at the end but ultimately, Norris’ tyres degraded faster and Max Verstappen was able to overtake him for P2.

Hamilton held onto the lead and crossed the finish line ahead of Verstappen by 1.465 seconds. Today’s win for Hamilton marks his 104th victory, 199th podium, his ninth win at Silverstone, and makes him the oldest F1 race winner of the 21st century.

“The greatest feeling”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/hamilton-and-mercedes-on-silverstone-the-greatest-feeling-i-can-remember-having/?nowprocket=1

Has Lewis Hamilton made the wrong decision to quit Mercedes for Ferrari?
"He’ll be thinking about his future a bit - ‘was that the right decision?’"
7 Jul 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton might find himself considering the decision to quit Mercedes after his Silverstone glory. It was his last home race with Mercedes, the team that his accomplishments are synonymous with, because he will go to Ferrari next year.

Mercedes, after 12 out of 24 rounds this year, now seem to be in a stronger state than Ferrari. Ferrari were Red Bull’s nearest competitors at the start of the season but have been outperformed by McLaren and Mercedes recently.

Noises surrounding Mercedes’ powerful 2026 engine when the new era begins are also promising for the Brackley team. But, by then, Hamilton will be challenging for more Silverstone victories in the famous red of Ferrari.

‘Considering the decision’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052076/1/has-lewis-hamilton-made-wrong-decision-quit-mercedes-ferrari

Sainz back in contention for a 2025 Mercedes F1 seat as Wolff confirms talks with the Spaniard
6 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Wolff previously suggested that Sainz is not a real contender to partner George Russell at Mercedes, but in his recent interview with Mundo Deportivo, he fuelled speculation again, claiming that the Spaniard is a safe bet given his experience and consistent performances.
“That said, with Carlos, you have a sure value, especially in a very tight championship next year, you have another driver who is going to be very competitive, who, if our car is good, could help us secure a fight for the Constructors’ Championship. With Carlos, you have a safe bet. There are certainly many arguments in favour.”

‘Safe bet’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24928

Toto Wolff admits “bruising” aspect of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes exit
"I can get my head around why he is doing that. I have peace with him"
3 Jul 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Wolff told Sky Sports’ Martin Brundle in a sit-down interview about an aspect of Hamilton’s exit which was particularly challenging. “What was bruising was that I didn’t have any time to react,” said Wolff. “I said ‘okay, how are we announcing this?’ It was clear that it was leaking from Ferrari.”

“If I put myself in his shoes? He’s in the last phase of his career, the team wasn’t doing well, everybody wants to wear a red overall with a yellow prancing horse. Probably, the financial terms were also positive.”

“Bruising”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1051643/1/toto-wolff-admits-bruising-aspect-lewis-hamiltons-mercedes-exit

Fortitude

8th July 2024, 06:04

Verstappen thought he’d finish sixth on “poor afternoon” for Red Bull.
Max Verstappen insists he is more happy to have finished in second place in the British Grand Prix than he is disappointed not to have won it.
7th July 2024
Will Wood

“The beginning was not very good,” Verstappen conceded in the post-race press conference. “I tried to keep up, but I just ran out of tyres. Everything was running hot and I just struggled for grip. So then Lando got by, then Oscar got by, it started to rain. I had no grip as well there.”

“I didn’t want to take too much risk as well because it didn’t feel good. It didn’t feel comfortable, so I was like, ‘I’ll just sit here and try to survive’. And that’s what I did. At one point, even Carlos rocked up at the party. So I was like, ‘geez, this is a really bad afternoon’.”

‘More happy to have finished in second place’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/07/verstappen-thought-hed-finish-sixth-on-poor-afternoon-for-red-bull/

Verstappen thought he’d be “fifth or sixth” in F1 British GP
Max Verstappen thought he would "finish fifth [or] sixth" in Formula 1's British Grand Prix given Red Bull's early pace deficit to Mercedes and McLaren before he recovered to second.
7 Jul 2024
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

"We just didn't have the pace today," Verstappen said in parc ferme afterwards. "I was just steadily dropping back when it mattered in the beginning, so it didn't look great. At some point I was really thinking, 'Are we gonna finish fifth, sixth?'

"But, yeah, we made the right calls – direct from the slicks to the inters and also from the inters back to the slicks – I think it was every time the right lap. Then also the end – the call from the team to be on the hard tyre instead of the soft was definitely helping me out.”

‘Recovered to second’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/verstappen-thought-hed-be-fifth-or-sixth-in-f1-british-gp/10632773/

Six laps, five drivers and three lead changes that showed the very best of F1 at the British GP
Rain at Silverstone helped to create a spell of racing which will live long in the memory
7 July 2024
The Telegraph

The British Grand Prix was one of the races of the season as those three teams vied for the lead in a captivating, tense and damp 52 laps. A sequence of six laps showed F1 at its very best with mistakes, overtakes and the lead swapping several times between three Britons – Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris.

‘Will live long in the memory’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/07/07/british-gp-hamilton-verstappen-norris-russell-piastri-laps/

Horner after P2 at Silverstone 'A great performance'
7 July 2024
Julien Lemmen
Verstappen.nl

Team principal Christian Horner reflects after the race: "It was a thrilling race, with one minute looking like we were out of the race and the next minute we were straight back in it. We got the strategy calls exactly right today, especially the point where we went on the inter, the slicks, and then the hard tyre which were definitely all of the right choices out there today.”

“If there had been a few more laps the outcome might have been different but it was still a great drive and performance. The pitwall and the drivers are working really well together, Max and Checo obviously are feeding back what is going on but the pitwall have more information and they are both communicating and able to make the right calls at the right time.”

'A great performance';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5532/

Verstappen: Red Bull rescued ‘really bad afternoon’ in F1 British GP
7 Jul 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Max Verstappen credited his Red Bull Formula 1 team for making the right decisions en route to second in the British Grand Prix on what could have been a “really bad afternoon.” “Yeah, the beginning was not very good,” Verstappen told media including Motorsport Week. “I tried to keep up but I just ran out of tyres. I mean, everything was running hot and I just struggled for grip.”

“So then Lando got by, then Oscar got by, it started to rain. I had no grip as well there, I didn’t want to take too much risk as well because I just, it didn’t feel good, it didn’t feel comfortable. And so I just, yeah, I was like, I’ll just sit here and try to survive. And yeah, that’s what I did. At one point even Carls rocked up with the party. So I was like, Jesus, really bad afternoon.”

“I’ll just sit here and try to survive”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/07/verstappen-red-bull-rescued-really-bad-afternoon-in-f1-british-gp/

Verstappen: Red Bull have work to do after ‘worrying’ trend continues at Silverstone
7 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen sealed second place in the British Grand Prix, but was left worried by his lack of pace relative to the McLarens and Mercedes’ cars in the early part of the race.

‘Work to do’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/verstappen-red-bull-have-work-to-do-after-worrying-trend-continues-at-silverstone.1803938892359865147

Verstappen finishes P2 in the British GP
Sunday, 7th July 2024
Honda Racing

Round 12 of the season, British Grand Prix took place at Silverstone Circuit. Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing, supported by Honda as a Team Partner, finished P2. Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team's Yuki Tsunoda finished P10.

‘P2’;

https://honda.racing/f1/post/f1-2024-rd12-race

Max Verstappen second in exciting British GP: 'Made the right calls'
7 July 2024
Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl

After the race, Max explained: "We just didn't have the pace today. I was slowly dropping back when it mattered in the beginning. It didn't look great. At some point, I was thinking "Are we going to finish fifth, sixth?" But we made the right calls. Going from the slicks to the inters, then from the inters back to the slicks, was every time (done on) the right lap.”

“At the end the call from the team to be on the hard tyre, instead of the soft, definitely helped me out. That's why I think we finished second today. It could have been a lot worse, but we're making the right calls, we still got onto the podium. Ofcourse I'm very happy with that."

'Made the right calls';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5531/

Verstappen surprised by British GP podium after early struggles
Sun, 07 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The reigning world champion initially struggled with Red Bull's lack of pace compared to Mercedes and McLaren. He was overtaken by both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the dry early stages of the race and found himself facing a potential fifth or sixth-place finish.

However, a series of crucial decisions throughout the race's weather fluctuations saved Verstappen's weekend. A timely pit stop for intermediate tyres during the second rain shower allowed him to jump back into podium contention.

McLaren's strategic gamble to keep Oscar Piastri out longer backfired, while Mercedes decision to double-stack Lewis Hamilton and George Russell further aided Verstappen's comeback.

‘Surprised by British GP podium’;

https://f1i.com/news/513476-verstappen-surprised-by-british-gp-podium-after-early-struggles.html

Verstappen hails ‘right calls’ from Red Bull in helping to seal P2 at Silverstone
7 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen credited his Red Bull team with making the “right calls” during the British Grand Prix, with the Dutchman going from P4 on the grid to a final result of P2 after looking increasingly fast on the hard tyre in the latter stages.

Reflecting on the wet-dry conditions that played out during the 52-lap encounter, Verstappen admitted that he had tried to avoid taking any unnecessary risks. “When it started to rain for the first time, of course I was already dropping back,” the 26-year-old said. “I was struggling for grip, so I didn’t want to take too many risks. I saw the guys ahead of me, they were really going for it.”

“I just tried to hang in there, not going off the track, and that was quite tricky. But then at one point it really started to come down and then it was quite obvious that you had to go to the inter. Then you had to make the tyre last as long as you could, then suddenly also the sun came out and the track really started to dry up quickly. Still, you feel quite comfortable on the inter, but at one point you just have to gamble to go to the slick and luckily it all worked out well.”

‘Tried to avoid taking any unnecessary risks’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/verstappen-hails-right-calls-from-red-bull-in-helping-to-seal-p2-at.2GLBJmbOM74atAfxv5nAbi

Fortitude

9th July 2024, 12:09

‘We threw it away’ - Lando Norris’ frustration shows as McLaren squander victory shot.
Lando Norris says McLaren “threw away” their shot at winning Sunday’s F1 British Grand Prix.
7 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

"We threw it away in the final stop,” Norris admitted to media including Crash.net. "So, one lap, but also I don’t think it was a lap. I think even if I boxed on the perfect lap, our decision to go on to the softs was the wrong one.”

“I think Lewis still would have won no matter what. So, two calls from our side cost us everything today. So, pretty, especially here, pretty disappointing.”

‘Frustration’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052084/1/we-threw-it-away-lando-norris-frustration-shows-mclaren-squander-victory-shot

‘Cost us everything’: Lando Norris shares which ‘two calls’ cost him victory at the British Grand Prix
7 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Lando Norris believes two key calls cost him victory at the British Grand Prix, after losing out to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in the final laps.

“So many things were going well. We threw it away in the final stop. So one lap, but also I don’t think it was a lap,” said Norris. “Even if I boxed on the perfect lap, our decision to go into the softs was the wrong one. Lewis still would have won no matter what. So two calls from our side cost us everything today.”

‘Cost us everything’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lando-norris-shares-which-two-calls-cost-him-victory-at-the-british-grand-prix/

Devastated Lando Norris reacts to ‘throwing away’ British Grand Prix: ‘I blame myself’
The McLaren driver was leading his home race but a slow pit-stop cost him late on as Lewis Hamilton won

Kieran Jackson at Silverstone

Lando Norris struggled to hide his disappointment after a late mistake cost him victory at the British Grand Prix. In a dramatic wet-dry race at Silverstone, McLaren driver Norris was leading with 14 laps to go before the final round of pit-stops as the frontrunners pitted for dry tyres.

Norris, pitting a lap later than eventual race winner Lewis Hamilton, overran his pit box, resulting in a slow 4.5-second stop. By the time he re-entered the track, Hamilton was leading by two seconds. “That crucial decision at the end made the difference,” a devastated Norris said afterwards.

‘Devastated’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/lando-norris-f1-british-grand-prix-silverstone-b2575775.html

Frustrated Lando Norris says he only has himself to blame after letting British Grand Prix victory slip through his hands as he laments 'bad decisions'
• Lando Norris was leading the British Grand Prix with 14 laps remaining
• The McLaren driver pitted too late and allowed Lewis Hamilton to win the race
• It was the latest in a series of near misses this season for the British driver
7 July 2024
Henry Clark
MailOnline

The McLaren driver looked on course for only the second win of his career after holding the lead at the British Grand Prix with just 14 laps to go. But Norris threw away victory in tame fashion after pitting later than his rivals. The stop itself was a messy one too, with Norris overshooting his pit box and all but handing victory to Lewis Hamilton.

‘I’m not making the right decisions,’ said Norris. ‘I blame myself today for not making some of the right decisions but I hate ending in this position and having excuses for not doing a good enough job. I’m fed up of saying I should have done better, I should have done this or that.’

‘British Grand Prix victory slip through his hands’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13609559/Lando-Norris-says-blame-letting-British-Grand-Prix-victory-slip-hands-laments-bad-decisions.html

Are McLaren becoming ‘new Ferrari’ after another strategy blunder?
A strategic error at Silverstone cost McLaren a grand prix victory for the second time in a month
7 July 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris‘ media appearances after the British GP were a genuinely tough watch, with reporters seemingly counselling the 24-year-old through his interviews after he missed out on yet another win due to a strategic error from McLaren.

Norris‘ biggest blunder was approaching the final quarter of the British GP, as McLaren‘s strategists boasted on team radio that they had the tyre advantage over Hamilton or Verstappen – neither of whom could switch to mediums on the final stint.

‘New Ferrari’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/mclaren-become-new-ferrari-another-strategy-blunder/

Norris critical of decisions after Silverstone victory slips away
McLaren looked set to win the British Grand Prix, until strategic gamble backfired
July 7, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

Overshooting his garage, the British driver lost precious seconds while his mechanics shifted forward. Opting for soft tyres rather than mediums, Norris rejoined behind Hamilton. He later lost second place to Verstappen and finished third.

Speaking in the media pen after the race to Sky Sports, Norris rued the decision to pit one lap later than his rivals: “Many…just the two at the end. Just what tyre to box onto and a lap too late. I think the lap too late is completely on me. That’s just driver feel and driver knowledge of when to box, and Lewis did a better job than me on that side.

‘Strategic gamble backfired’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/norris-critical-of-decisions-after-silverstone-victory-slips-away/?nowprocket=1

Lando Norris is cracking under pressure of a championship battle with Max Verstappen
McLaren and Norris have taken the fight to Red Bull and Verstappen but are letting wins slip away thanks to a lack of ruthlessness
8 July 2024
The Telegraph

For the fifth time in seven races, Lando Norris and McLaren were in contention to win a grand prix. Yet once again, through a series of mistakes and operational errors they came up short.

The mistakes on Sunday follow on from Norris’s costly wheel-to-wheel battle for the lead in Austria a week ago, where patience may have paid dividends. In the sprint race a day before, an attempt at taking the lead compromised him and he lost second place to Piastri. The Briton also had a poor start from pole at the Spanish Grand Prix from which he had to fight back to second place as Verstappen narrowly won.

‘Cracking under pressure’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/07/08/lando-norris-mclaren-max-verstappen-championship-british-gp/

Revealed: Norris team radio on costly British GP decision
Read the full radio transcripts between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri around their crucial British Grand Prix tyre calls.
8 July 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Full Norris and Piastri team radio transcript
Lando Norris (LN): We need to box, the soft is better now... any slick tyre.
Will Joseph (WJ): Okay, so we can choose a medium to cover people like Verstappen, or choose a soft to cover people like Hamilton.
LN: Hamilton. I think Hamilton, or do you think medium? I don't mind.
WJ: We're going soft. Box this lap please, box this lap.
Norris pits.
Tom Stallard (TS): Competitor cars do not have medium, currently we think medium is the best tyre, 15 laps to go.
Oscar Piastri (OP): Yes, yes, it is the best.
TS: Ok, Hamilton has pitted. Hamilton has pitted.
OP: I think box, I think box.
TS: Copy box, box.
OP: Copy

‘Norris team radio’;

https://racingnews365.com/revealed-norriss-team-radio-on-critical-british-gp-decision

Are McLaren becoming F1's 'what might have been' team?
8 Jul 2024
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1
ESPN.com

As Lewis Hamilton basked in the adulation of a record ninth British Grand Prix victory at Silverstone, McLaren's Lando Norris only had one thing running through his mind: It should have been him. It's not the first time recently Norris or McLaren has left a race weekend with that feeling. Silverstone was yet another frustrating example.

As Hamilton, a British flag draped over his shoulder and tears still welling up in his eyes, did his first interview to the ecstatic home crowd, TV cameras panned to Norris slouched over the box in parc ferme with the number three written on it. His list of 'what might have been' moments is getting longer by the race.

'What might have been';

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/40519919/mclaren-becoming-f1-team

Fortitude

9th July 2024, 13:10

Oscar Piastri urged to ‘bang the table’ when he’s ‘victimised’ by McLaren strategy.
Dutch pundit Jack Plooij says it’s time for Piastri to tell his team no more as this isn’t the first time since joining McLaren that a strategy call has gone against him.
9 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Oscar Piastri has been told to “bang his fist on the table” and tell McLaren no more after the call not to double-stack him at Silverstone cost him a possible win. “What Oscar still misses a bit – but I think I will give him a course sometime – is that he always remains so cool,” Jack Plooij told Ziggo Sport Race Café.

“It’s not just about the on-board radios, but about the debriefs. It’s time for him to bang his fist on the table. At times when he is being victimised, he must tell the team, ‘We are not going to do this anymore, friends’. We’re going to give him a course.”

‘Bang the table’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-piastri-bang-the-table-victimised-mclaren-strategy

Piastri knew McLaren’s F1 British GP call was ‘instantly’ wrong
8 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Oscar Piastri has stated he knew that McLaren’s choice to leave him out an extra lap on slicks on a damp track in Formula 1’s British Grand Prix was “instantly wrong”. “I would say joint [decision], I think to be honest, that decision in the race is probably the hardest call you’re ever going to have in motor racing,” Piastri reflected.

“You’ve got two cars, 1-2, separated by half a second with rain coming down, I don’t think it gets any harder than that, so I think clearly some things we need to review. I think double stacking would have been the better call, but hindsight’s a wonderful thing.”

‘Instantly wrong’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/08/piastri-knew-mclarens-f1-british-gp-call-was-instantly-wrong/

Oscar Piastri robbed of chance to win British Grand Prix by 'painful' McLaren strategy call
July 8, 2024
Damien McCartney
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

Oscar Piastri was robbed of any chance of a maiden victory at the British Grand Prix by a dodgy strategy call. The pair were running one-two when the rain became too heavy for dry slick tyres. Piastri was tucked up behind Norris when the latter dived into the pits for intermediate tyres on lap 27.

McLaren strategists elected against double-stacking Piastri, and sent him around on another. It proved a crucial decision - conditions deteriorated so much in that lap that by the time Piastri made it back to the pits, Norris had almost caught him back up. Having been running less than a second behind Norris when the Brit pitted, Piastri emerged from his own stop more than 21 seconds behind him.

‘Oscar Piastri robbed’;

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motorsport/f1-british-grand-prix-2024-oscar-piastri-cost-victory-chance-mclaren-strategy-call-20240708-p5jrz9.html

Piastri wants answers on race-defining strategy error
Oscar Piastri is keen to get a full picture on how McLaren came to its decision to leave him out for an extra lap in his first stint.
8 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Lando Norris had led ahead of the opening round of stops, followed by his McLaren team-mate, the pair having passed the two Mercedes and Max Verstappen as rain began to fall. The decisive moment for Piastri came on Lap 27, when the call was made to pit Norris. By remaining on track, Piastri haemorrhaged time as conditions deteriorated.

In normal conditions, the Australian would have pitted at the end of the following lap with a near 20-second delta to Norris. As it panned out, he held less than a three-second advantage when he peeled into the lane; he lost the better part of an entire pit stop in a single lap. “The last couple of corners were very, very tough,” Piastri admitted when asked how quickly he realised staying out was the wrong choice.”

“I could see on my dash that Lando was like five seconds behind me when I pitted, so I knew I was in a lot of trouble then. But yeah, I knew it was the wrong call basically instantly. Obviously frustrated at that point, but I knew that there was rain still coming,” he continued.

‘Piastri wants answers’;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-wants-answers-on-race-defining-strategy-error/

Piastri: ‘It’s a bit painful looking back at how close we were to the win’
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished fourth at Silverstone, but at one stage was in contention for his first ever Grand Prix victory.

“It’s a bit painful”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/piastri-its-a-bit-painful-looking-back-at-how-close-we-were-to-the-win.1803938095731440148

Oscar Piastri reveals moment he was ‘in a lot of trouble’ with McLaren strategy call
07 Jul 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Oscar Piastri said McLaren were faced with the “toughest decision in motorsport” but avoided criticising the choice not to double stack him and Lando Norris. With the rest of the grid pitting for inters, McLaren had the choice of whether to go for a double stack or leave P2 (Piastri) out in the hope he would not lose too much time.

But lose time he did, heading into the pits with Norris just five seconds behind, and the tactical choice sent him down to P6 and out of win contention. As for how he felt after the call, Piastri admitted frustration and said it was good he did not open the radio but was still aiming for the win.

‘In a lot of trouble’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-piastri-mclaren-strategy-british-grand-prix

‘Both our drivers could have won’ – Brown says McLaren ‘got it wrong’ after Norris and Piastri miss out at Silverstone
8 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Zak Brown believes that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri could both have potentially won the British Grand Prix, with the McLaren CEO stating that the team “got it wrong” in some of the key decisions taken during the wet/dry race. While the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton initially led from the front row, Norris and Piastri started to catch up just as the rain was beginning to fall at Silverstone, and by Lap 20 there was a McLaren one-two at the front of the field.

Asked about the process of making those tough decisions on the pit wall, Brown explained after the race: “It was tough. Hindsight’s 20/20, as they say. I think we ultimately got it wrong. I think both our drivers could have won there. They did an excellent job. When you’re leading the race, you also have to kind of take the first decision, so it’s a little bit easier to key off of what others did, when early on Lando and Oscar were right next to each other.”

“Obviously [if you] double stack them you’re going to lose about five seconds – turns out Oscar lost a lot more time because the track was deteriorating, so losing the five seconds there would have been a better call but, again, you don’t really know because you’re the lead car, so you’re going to be the first to find out the weather. And then there at the end, I think maybe mediums would have been a better strategy, as we saw on Oscar. Oscar was absolutely flying there, Max was flying on the hards, and softs were going to struggle. We had a set of mediums, so we’ll just go back and review it.”

‘20/20 Hindsight’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/both-our-drivers-could-have-won-brown-says-mclaren-got-it-wrong-after-norris.40Yd0889OAc9Savu5dlnQF

Fortitude

10th July 2024, 13:06

Carlos Sainz risks Ferrari wrath after slating team’s decision in blunt rant.
Carlos Sainz has risked the wrath of his Ferrari bosses after tearing into the doomed upgrade package they introduced in Spain before binning it two rounds later.
Tue, Jul 9, 2024
Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Discussing Ferrari's lack of improvement over the last few Grand Prix weekends, Sainz did not mince his words as he suggested that other teams could be three months ahead in terms of research and development.

"It's clearly not good enough," fumed Sainz after finishing fifth at Silverstone. "Since Imola, everyone has upgraded and they probably added a few tenths to the car while we had to revert .

"We've lost two or three months there of performance gain in the wind tunnel and performance that we could have added in these three months. I feel like today was at least a back to basics approach, back to a car that we know was okay in Imola.

‘Ferrari wrath risk’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1920744/Carlos-Sainz-Ferrari-British-Grand-Prix

[B]Sainz makes damning revelation on Ferrari’s 2024 F1 prospects
9 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Carlos Sainz has revealed Ferrari’s decision to revert to an older specification in the British Grand Prix means it is “three months” down on Formula 1 car development.

Sainz hauled his SF-24 into contention during the wet points in a mixed-conditions encounter, but he was powerless to match those ahead once it dried and took fifth.

The Spaniard has conceded that Ferrari being forced to undo its latest development work has placed it multiple months on the backfoot compared to the competition. “It is clearly not good enough,” Sainz lamented.

‘Damning revelation’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/09/sainz-makes-damning-revelation-on-ferraris-2024-f1-prospects/

Carlos Sainz’s worrying Ferrari “lost months” of F1 development admission
Ferrari have "lost months" of F1 development time compared to their rivals, Carlos Sainz has admitted.
9 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz says Ferrari have lost “two or three months” of development time compared to their F1 rivals after removing a troublesome upgrade. Ferrari fitted their SF-24 with a major new upgrade package at last month’s Spanish Grand Prix but have been battling an unforeseen bouncing problem in high-speed corners.

After an experimental Friday at Silverstone, Ferrari reverted to their old-spec floor and bodywork which was used at Imola for the rest of the British Grand Prix weekend. Sainz qualified seventh at Silverstone, while Charles Leclerc failed to reach Q3, qualifying 11th. In Sunday’s race they finished fifth and 14th respectively.

‘Removing a troublesome upgrade’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052139/1/carlos-sainzs-worrying-ferrari-lost-months-f1-development-admission

Sainz: Ferrari "lost months" of development by reverting to Imola F1 car
Carlos Sainz feels Ferrari's performance was not good enough after being forced to take its latest upgrades off its Formula 1 car again
14:51 Mon, 08 Jul 2024

Motorsport.com

Ferrari's previous upgrades in Barcelona, which included a revamped floor, exacerbated the SF-24's bouncing issues through high-speed corners as Sainz and Charles Leclerc struggled for performance and comfort in Spain and Austria. That led to experiments in Friday practice at Silverstone, with Sainz and Leclerc splitting packages to perform a back-to-back test and get on top of the issue.

In the end Ferrari decided it was better off rolling back the car to its Imola-spec, which has made the car more driveable through Silverstone's high-speed swoops like Maggots and Becketts. But by racing with the same car it did in May, that also means Ferrari has left a lot of performance on the table compared to Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren, who did successfully upgrade their machines in recent months to varying degrees.

‘Ferrari's performance was not good enough’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sainz-ferrari-lost-months-of-development-by-reverting-to-imola-f1-car/10633030/

Sainz: ‘Our rivals are a good step ahead’ after Ferrari’s mid-season developments falter
Sainz has admitted that the SF-24 "is clearly not good enough" as he reasons the Scuderia's drop off in pace
July 9, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Sainz: Ferrari ‘back-to-basics’: Sainz started the British Grand Prix in seventh. The Spaniard was able to climb up to fifth in the race with the help of the Mercedes of George Russell retiring ahead of him, but the three-time race winner still finished 47 seconds off the lead. In an interview with Motorsport.com, Sainz explained that the team hadn’t made the “right calls” regarding their developments.

However, Sainz believes that his side of the garage did the “maximum” during the race, given the pace of the car they had. “I think we did the maximum,” Sainz added. “Especially in the middle of the race when it was slicks-on-wet, I managed to catch the podium positions by six or seven seconds in those conditions that I always enjoy.”

“Honestly, all the calls were pretty much spot on, all the tyres, all the radio calls. It was just a shame we were not faster because I feel like we would have been 100% in the fight for the podium or the win. But [fifth] and a bonus point at the end with the fastest lap, so we need to be happy.”

‘Our rivals are a good step ahead’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sainz-our-rivals-are-a-good-step-ahead-after-ferraris-mid-season-developments-falter/?nowprocket=1

How Leclerc blew another wet weather tyre call while Sainz nailed it
9th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

At Silverstone last weekend the difference between the information the Ferrari drivers received was stark. Sainz was given detailed guidance on the levels of rain at different parts of the circuit, while Leclerc’s information was less frequent and detailed. This led him to another costly tyre choice error.

Charles Leclerc was left to count the cost of a hasty switch to intermediate tyres when rain began to fall at Silverstone. His team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr, meanwhile not only avoided that mistake but chose arguably the perfect lap to switch to intermediates, taking around two seconds out of eventual winner Lewis Hamilton as a result.

‘Sainz nailed it’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/09/how-leclerc-blew-another-wet-weather-tyre-call-while-sainz-nailed-it/

Sainz ‘proud of one of my most solid races of the last few years’
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Carlos Sainz was only P5 at Silverstone – but he said he and Ferrari had to execute the perfect race to get that result.

‘Most solid race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-proud-of-one-of-my-most-solid-races-of-the-last-few-years.1803938254212154767

Ferrari's 'downgrade' lays bare its big weakness
Jul 6, 2024
Edd Straw, Gary Anderson
The Race

GARY ANDERSON'S VIEW: Since the dominant victory in Monaco, Ferrari has struggled with balance issues between low and high speed. It has pursued improving low-speed performance, which when you look back to the pace in Monaco seemed unnecessary. And as a result, it has introduced more bouncing. And that was something Ferrari was generally always on the cusp of triggering even before those developments.

The Barcelona upgrade that's been taken off the car included seven items, but we can set aside the circuit-specific rear wing and the tweaked halo fairing when it comes to this problem. But more significant will have been the changes to the floor and bodywork. In Ferrari’s Barcelona submission to the FIA, this is what it listed:

COKE/ENGINE COVER
FLOOR FENCES
FLOOR BODY
FLOOR EDGE
DIFFUSER

‘Ferrari's 'downgrade'!’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-silverstone-downgrade-2024-f1-bouncing-issue-exposed/

Fred Vasseur’s Carlos Sainz quip after Lewis Hamilton’s record-breaking British GP win
09 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster

Watching on as Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix, Fred Vasseur says he’d rather that confidence boost had gone to today’s Ferrari driver than next season’s. But while Hamilton’s 2025 team boss Vasseur was happy for the seven-time World Champion to break his duck, he would rather it was Sainz who was celebrating the moment.

“First I would’ve been more happy to give the confidence to Carlos this weekend,” he told the media, including PlanetF1.com. “We will have time to discuss this, but I’m happy for him because I think he deserved it. But we’ll have time to discuss Lewis next year, it’s not the topic of today.”

‘Would’ve been more happy to give the confidence to Carlos’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-vasseur-carlos-sainz-quip-lewis-hamilton-british-gp-win

Fortitude

10th July 2024, 13:45

Hulkenberg confident Haas can fight to be fifth-fastest team after ‘very encouraging’ P6 result at Silverstone.
Nico Hulkenberg believes that Haas are now firmly in the battle to be the fifth-fastest team on the grid after another strong showing at the British Grand Prix, with the German bouncing back from a difficult start to cross the line in sixth place.
9 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

“[I’m] very happy,” a smiling Hulkenberg said afterwards. “Eight more points on the board, super valuable. But, more importantly, the performance…. the performance is there with this update, and that makes me very happy and optimistic looking into the remainder of the season.”

“I think we’re definitely in the fight now for the fifth-fastest team, which is obviously very positive, and nobody really expected [that] a couple of weeks ago. So, yeah, very encouraging and very positive.” Asked if he had felt the performance in the car as he fought back to claim the places he had earlier lost, Hulkenberg answered:

“Yeah, it was a super tricky race, with the rain at the beginning but not enough to pit for inters. But really like a thriller to judge the grip level, not knowing what you get when you turn in. Around here with high-speed corners and the grip like this, it was Russian roulette in a way. But managed to stay clean and got back what we lost at the start so, yeah, well deserved.”

‘Fifth-fastest team’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hulkenberg-confident-haas-can-fight-to-be-fifth-fastest-team-after-very.6JgP0qRxDMdQ3R2Zct0Cxz

Haas achieves best result of 2024 with heavily-upgraded car
8 Jul 2024, 23:00
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Haas finds itself on an upward trajectory after another strong result at the British Grand Prix. Nico Hulkenberg finished sixth in the second race in succession saw, strengthening the team’s position in the Constructors’ Championship. Haas turned up at Silverstone with a heavily-upgraded car, bringing a host of aerodynamic upgrades to its VF-24.

The modifications appeared to gel well with the high-speed Silverstone circuit. Following a brilliant performance in qualifying on Saturday, Nico Hulkenberg capitalised on the misfortunes for George Russell and Charles Leclerc to finish sixth in the second race in succession.

Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu labelled their results as “excellent”. “It wasn’t an easy race, there were changeable conditions and it’s easy to say you only have to put the right tires on at the right time, but it’s much more difficult to do, but we achieved that. It’s been a huge team effort so I’m really proud of them.”

‘Best result of 2024’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24970

Hulkenberg thrilled with points and performance after P6 at Silverstone
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Nico Hulkenberg brought his Haas home in sixth place at Silverstone to seal eight precious points in the constructors’ battle.

‘Hulkenberg thrilled with points’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hulkenberg-thrilled-with-points-and-performance-after-p6-at-silverstone.1803937397308512659

Hulkenberg: Points at Silverstone ‘unexpected but deserved’
10:28 Tue, 09 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

At Silverstone, Haas introduced a comprehensive new aero package for its VF-24, the centerpiece of which was a new floor design. And the changes clearly delivered a performance boost.

"The best thing is that the updates we have now are really doing something for the performance of the car. I think that's why we can really fight for fifth place in the constructors' championship,” commented Hulkenberg.

“Sometimes that's with the Astons, sometimes with the Alpines and sometimes with others," he says. "I think we're really in there now. This season we've been quite consistent, we can benefit from that."

‘Unexpected but deserved’;

https://f1i.com/news/513662-hulkenberg-points-at-silverstone-unexpected-but-deserved.html

Hulkenberg sets bold Haas target for second half of 2024 as momentum grows
Haas have jumped up the competitive order in recent races
July 9, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

The German then set an ambitious target for the rest of the year. He has set his ambitions on catching Aston Martin for fifth in the championship. Haas is currently 41 points behind the British team:

“I think we’re definitely in the fight now for the fifth-fastest team, which is obviously very positive, and nobody really expected [that] a couple of weeks ago. So, yeah, very encouraging and very positive.”

“But really like a thriller to judge the grip level, not knowing what you get when you turn in. Around here with high-speed corners and the grip like this, it was Russian roulette in a way. But managed to stay clean and got back what we lost at the start so, yeah, well deserved.”

‘Bold Haas target’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/hulkenberg-sets-bold-haas-target-for-second-half-of-2024-as-momentum-grows/?nowprocket=1

British Grand Prix: Race Recap
July 7, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Hulkenberg started from sixth position – his highest grid slot of the season – on Pirelli P Zero Yellow medium tires but a challenging first lap shuffled the German down to ninth. Hulkenberg made gains when the rain fell mid-race, pitting for Cinturato Green intermediate tires on lap 26, emerging in seventh place.

Hulkenberg gained one more spot when George Russell retired his Mercedes, before pitting again on lap 39 for Red soft tires when the circuit dried, coming out in sixth. Hulkenberg retained the position through the final stint of the race to make it successive sixth places, equaling his and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s best race result of 2024.

‘Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: “It’s an excellent day” ’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/british-grand-prix-race-recap-5

Fortitude

11th July 2024, 07:45

Albon rues missed chances, but happy to score on home soil.
Williams driver Alexander Albon had a torrid start to his home race at Silverstone, picking up a front wing damage on the opening lap, but he managed to add a point to his tally.
9 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Although Williams failed to display a good performance at Silverstone, the challenging, wet-dry conditions played into the hands of Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant. The Thai-British driver performed a great overtaking move on RB rival Yuki Tsunoda to snatch two points away in a season where the fight for the last point-scoring places is brutally closely-matched.

His team-mate Logan Sargeant failed to score any points, and is still one of three drivers who are yet to score in 2024. However, the American delivered an encouraging performance in challenging conditions.

Speaking of Williams’ showing at Silverstone, Sporting Director Sven Smeets noted: “The car worked well today in these mixed and rather cold conditions. Alex picked up some damage in the first corners of the race through contact but avoided a big collision with great skill.”

‘Managed to add a point to his tally’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24960

Albon thrilled with fightback to score points at Silverstone while Sargeant hails ‘good improvement’
15:13 Wed, 10 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alex Albon was thrilled to score points at the British Grand Prix, having bounced back from a difficult start to end the race in P9 on an overall strong weekend for the Williams team, with Logan Sargeant only just missing out on a top-10 finish.

It had been a good qualifying session for Albon on Saturday, in which the Thai driver progressed to Q3 where he secured ninth place on the grid. He slipped backwards early in proceedings on Sunday, however, following contact with the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso.

“It was good fun out there,” a smiling Albon reflected after the Grand Prix. “It was a race where we started off quite poorly – I had a decent start, but Fernando just had an even better one next to me. I don’t really remember what happened in Turn 3 but we made contact, [in] Turn 4 made more contact. [I] jumped to P12, I think it was, and then had to fight back.”

“Good fun out there”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/albon-thrilled-with-fightback-to-score-points-at-silverstone-while-sargeant.8USFwpOljfKJTNURMKFez

Albon all smiles after ‘fun’ British GP and top-ten result
17:39 Wed, 10 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Williams charger Alex Albon says he emerged from last weekend’s challenging British Grand Prix a satisfied driver after securing a ninth place finish and a couple of valuable points for his team.

“The rain was coming, so we always knew there was a chance to get back into the race and, once it fell and all the cars kind of started coming off the circuit and whatnot, you kind of lick your lips a little bit!”

“It was inters, the final stint had really good pace, good strategy on the mediums, and [I] had a lot of fun out there. The car was really good at the end there, one of the best it’s felt in a long, long time. So, yeah, it was good fun.”

‘Couple of valuable points for his team’;

https://f1i.com/news/513755-albon-all-smiles-after-fun-british-gp-and-top-ten-result.html

British GP: Williams Racing secures further points
July 8 2024
By Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

The results of the 2024 British GP would see the Williams Racing Team secure a further two points with Alex Albon finishing 9th. Both Alex and Logan Sargeant would put in great performances over the course of the race.

In Alex's case it would start from lap one when he used his skill to avoid a collision with Alonso. Both Alex and Logan would have to deal with a race that would see the weather play a part seeing rain falling early on in the race and it would be through some great skill that both Alex and Logan were able to continue on dry weather tyres prior to the decision being made to switch to intermediates.

Unfortunately Alex had received some damage to his car in his lap one incident and this would have an impact of his performance, even so he did a fantastic job to secure his result. For Logan he would sit just outside the points for the majority of his race but he would produce what was his best race weekend of the 2024 season. Overall a very good weekend for the team especially coming off two poor races.

‘Further points’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206165.htm

Albon left asking himself ‘Where did this pace come from?’ after taking P9 grid slot
6 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alex Albon was left “very happy” to seal a spot in Q3 as he took P9 on the grid for Williams at Silverstone – even if he was somewhat baffled as to where his car’s speed came from.

‘Where did this pace come from?’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/albon-left-asking-himself-where-did-this-pace-come-from-after-taking-p9-grid-slot.1803844623652481428

Fortitude

11th July 2024, 08:02

Tsunoda admits ‘rain helped me quite a lot’ after snatching final point at Silverstone.
Yuki Tsunoda started the British Grand Prix from 13th on the grid, but thanks to the mixed conditions he managed to sneak into the points for P10 at the flag.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Snatching final point’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/tsunoda-admits-rain-helped-me-quite-a-lot-after-snatching-final-point-at-silverstone.1803936708980224490

RB delighted to score a point despite lack of pace
8 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

RB driver Yuki Tsunoda revealed that mixed conditions helped him to score a point at yesterday’s British Grand Prix after the team struggled for outright pace again. “It was a good but tough race. Based on the pace we had in Free Practice we knew it would be difficult to score points in dry conditions, so I think the wet conditions helped us keep the gap to the cars in front small.”

“Normally, in previous races I haven’t appreciated the rain, but I think it helped us today. It’s one point and we take it. Now we look ahead and move forward, and I’m excited about using what we’ve learnt over the last couple of weekends for the coming races before the break.”

“With the twisty and challenging Hungaroring next on the schedule, Tsunoda hopes that his VCARB01 can display a better performance: “Hungary has a mix of high and low speed, so hopefully we can use our strengths and fight in the top ten.”

‘RB delighted to score a point’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24957

Tsunoda pinpoints RB’s weakness at Silverstone after Q2 exit
6 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Yuki Tsunoda was knocked out of qualifying in P13, but the Japanese racer is still hoping he might be able to sneak points on race day.

‘Hoping he might be able to sneak points’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/tsunoda-pinpoints-rbs-weakness-at-silverstone-after-q2-exit.1803842793370479479

Tsunoda ‘didn’t expect struggles in FP2’ – after spinning out of FP1 at Silverstone
5 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

It was a tough day for Yuki Tsunoda after he ended first practice in the gravel trap and was way down the order in 16th place in FP2 for RB.

‘Didn’t expect struggles in FP2’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/tsunoda-didnt-expect-struggles-in-fp2-after-spinning-out-of-fp1-at-silverstone.1803759976550699838

2024 British GP FP1: Tsunoda spin triggers red flag in first practice
5 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Just 10 minutes into the first practice session for this weekend’s British Grand Prix Yuki Tsunoda spin his RB car at Luffield corner and got stuck in the gravel trap, forcing Race Control to throw the red flags.

‘Got stuck in the gravel trap’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-british-gp-fp1-tsunoda-spin-triggers-red-flag-in-first-practice.1803741625822649136

Fortitude

11th July 2024, 14:18

Aston Martin’s Silverstone points haul ‘a big uplift for the team’ – Stroll.
Lance Stroll finished seventh at Silverstone, one place ahead of team mate Fernando Alonso, to end a two-race run without points for Aston Martin.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘A big uplift’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/aston-martins-silverstone-points-haul-a-big-uplift-for-the-team-stroll.1803938396864654730

Stroll was ‘shitting his pants’ during tense British GP
Lance Stroll bagged a strong seventh place for Aston Martin at the British Grand Prix - beating Fernando Alonso home for the team.
9 July 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lance Stroll has described the moment that left him "shitting my pants" during the British Grand Prix. "I was not confident, I was shitting my pants," Stroll told media including RacingNews365 when asked about how it was to negotiate the dry-wet-dry conditions. "When it starts raining at such a high-speed track like this, the mixed conditions are so tough because you've got to really keep your foot in it, believe and commit to the corners.”

"But with a bit of rain on the visor, wet patches creeping in, it is just so easy to lose the car and hit the barrier. It was definitely one of the more intense races, it was a bit like Canada earlier in the year. I wanted a little bit more but still it was a good race and so much could have gone wrong in the mixed conditions. It was just so hard to keep the car on track in the first place, so to be honest, I'm happy to pick up the points."

‘One of the more intense races’;

https://racingnews365.com/stroll-was-shitting-myself-during-tense-british-gp

Stroll overcame fears to seal P7 in ‘intense’ British GP
11:12 Wed, 10 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Lance Stroll secured a commendable P7 finish in last weekend’s British Grand Prix, but the Aston Martin charger admitted to experiencing moments of sheer terror in Silverstone’s mixed conditions.

For the fifth time this season, Stroll outqualified teammate Fernando Alonso to line up eighth on Sunday’s grid, two spots ahead of the Spaniard. The Canadian also outperformed Alonso in the race, the pair crossing the checkered flag seventh and eighth, marking the fourth time this season that Aston Martin managed to score points with both of its cars.

However, Stroll’s real challenge arose in the race itself when rain lashed the circuit midway through the event and then subsided, creating a treacherous mix of wet and dry patches that tested the drivers’ skills and nerves. "I was not confident, I was shitting my pants," a candid Stroll admitted after the race.

‘Sheer terror’;

https://f1i.com/news/513727-stroll-overcame-fears-to-seal-p7-in-intense-british-gp.html

‘We bolted a lot of new things on the car’ – Stroll explains Aston Martin’s improved pace
Lance Stroll qualified in P8 for the British Grand Prix and said after the session his improved speed was down to new parts on the car.
6 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Improved speed was down to new parts’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/we-bolted-a-lot-of-new-things-on-the-car-stroll-explains-aston-martins-improved-pace.1803844124374067602

Every Aston Martin upgrade in the last 12 months hasn’t worked right – Stroll
11th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Aston Martin scored 68 points over the first half of this year – little more than a third of what they managed over the first 12 rounds of last season. “We were there beginning of last year,” Stroll told media including RaceFans last weekend. “I don’t think we were totally there, we were not in position to win races last year, but we had a quick car and some podiums and a lot of top fives and stuff.”

The team began to slip backwards in the second half of last year and have fallen behind the top four teams into the midfield. “I think ultimately we took a bit of a wrong direction in terms of development philosophy,” said Stroll. “We went down the wrong path and we’ve slowly been realising that more and more. Now it’s a matter of changing path and then giving it time to develop and get good again by going down that different path.”

The team enjoyed a better results at Silverstone when Stroll and team mate Fernando Alonso finished seventh and eighth respectively. Stroll believes they are now beginning to understand where they went wrong. “We’ve done a lot of exploring and a lot of aero testing over the last 12 months,” he said. “Every upgrade we’ve brought, we haven’t seen the benefit that we were hoping to see over the last year. I think we’ve learned a lot and now we’re really just trying to execute, fix the problem and make the car a lot faster.”

‘Upgrades in the last 12 months’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/11/racefans-round-up-11-07-7/

Fortitude

12th July 2024, 05:23

Alonso: Double points finish at Silverstone ‘a good boost’ for Aston Martin.
Aston Martin failed to score in Spain and Austria but bounced back with a double points finish at Silverstone, with Fernando Alonso P8 one place behind Lance Stroll.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Good boost’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/alonso-double-points-finish-at-silverstone-a-good-boost-for-aston-martin.1803937051792275133

Alonso delighted with ‘boost’ for Aston Martin after double points result at Silverstone
9 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso was satisfied with Aston Martin’s double points result in their home race at the British Grand Prix, with the Spaniard confident that the outcome has given a “good boost” to the squad heading into the next races on the calendar. Both cars then qualified within the top-10 before going on to take home valuable points for the team on Sunday, with Stroll crossing the line in P7 ahead of Alonso in P8 in a race of changing weather conditions.

Asked afterwards if he was pleased to get those points on the board, Alonso responded: “Yeah, definitely. With both cars [scoring] points, I think it’s never easy – you can have a DNF, you can crash, you can make a big mistake on the tyre choice, all this kind of thing. So to execute the race more or less trouble-free is already a success.”

“I think we understood a few mistakes that maybe we made in Barcelona and Austria,” the two-time world champion explained. “We regrouped after Austria, and we wanted to do definitely better in our home Grand Prix, in front of our employees, our factory here. So [I’m] happy with seventh and eighth for the team. It’s a good boost into Hungary and Spa so, yeah, a much better weekend.”

‘Alonso delighted’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/alonso-delighted-with-boost-for-aston-martin-after-double-points-result-at.1SzhTsctLoYc3xs9EMfivt

2024 British Grand Prix: Albon clips Alonso and Sargeant in Lap 1 melee
8 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

After Nico Hulkenberg came back on track after running wide on Lap 1, the domino effect saw Alex Albon have contact with Fernando Alonso and Logan Sargeant.

‘Albon clips Alonso’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-british-grand-prix-albon-clips-alonso-and-sargeant-in-lap-1-melee.1803931870956461765

Toto Wolff confirms Mercedes interest in Fernando Alonso to replace Lewis Hamilton
Fernando Alonso was an option to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, the Silver Arrows chief has confirmed.
Jul 8, 2024
Joshua Mbu
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff confirmed Mercedes attempted to secure Fernando Alonso from 2025 following Lewis Hamilton's mid-season Ferrari announcement. Hamilton revealed earlier this year that he would be leaving the Silver Arrows after 12 seasons and seven world championships.

Team boss Wolff revealed Alonso rejected the Silver Arrows. Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Wolff said: "At that time, he had no interest in driving for us. After all, Aston Martin offered him a long-term contract.”

‘Mercedes attempted to secure Fernando Alonso’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1920064/toto-wolff-mercedes-interest-alonso-replace-hamilton

Lewis Hamilton feud stopped Fernando Alonso driving for Mercedes admits Toto Wolff
Fernando Alonso turned down Mercedes earlier this year, but there was previous interest from the Spaniard.
Jul 11, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff has admitted that the troublesome relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso during their time as McLaren team-mates prevented the Spaniard from driving from Mercedes, despite considerable interest from his side between 2014 and 2020.

Alonso - who was a two-time world champion by this point - teamed up with the rookie Hamilton during the 2007 season. With the latter immediately on the pace, arriving in F1 as a genuine title contender, there were a number of on-track clashes and petty battles between the two McLaren drivers.

Discussing the rivalry in a DAZN documentary, Alonso explained: “There were many things that broke the relationship harmony of that year. We were young, immature, I was the first, and we had many clashes.” He later elaborated: “We had a boss who did not know how to control the situation.

‘The feud’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1922008/Lewis-Hamilton-Fernando-Alonso-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes

Wolff: Alonso dismissed Mercedes interest to remain with Aston
11 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Toto Wolff has revealed that Fernando Alonso turned down an approach from Mercedes earlier this year before committing his long-term future to Aston Martin.

“Of course, at the beginning of the year we considered the option of Fernando Alonso, but at that time Fernando was not interested in driving for Mercedes,” Wolff revealed, speaking to Spain’s Mundo Deportivo. Also, he was offered a long-term contract at Aston Martin. That’s how we perceived it at the time.”

While Alonso's talent is undeniable, the Austrian suggested that his career choices may have limited his championship potential. “Even if there are drivers in history who have more titles than Fernando, Fernando would have had many more titles if he had managed his career differently,” commented Wolff.

‘Turned down an approach from Mercedes’;

https://f1i.com/news/513798-wolff-alonso-dismissed-mercedes-interest-to-remain-with-aston.html

Past drivers were “more genuine” than current field – Alonso
12th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Alonso, who is the oldest and most experienced driver on the F1 grid, believes the current crop of drivers are more reserved than those who competed against in his early years. “Definitely, there are some differences,” he told the Financial Times. “I think the older generation were a bit more genuine. Different in character, in the way they approached racing and life. They were very tough competitors.”

“Now, I would say that they are very talented — maybe more than before because of all the preparation, the academies, the simulator work, the technology, and data they have available to improve and learn quickly. They arrive in F1 more prepared.”

“But off-track or with the helmet off, maybe they are a bit the same and more shy in the way they approach things. They have people who talk for them, for management, for media, for fitness. They’re well prepared, but maybe they lost a little bit their own character.”

“They were very tough competitors”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/12/racefans-round-up-12-07-7/

Alonso voices concern with key F1 issue
Fernando Alonso has voiced criticism of Formula 1's penalty points system, and the Spaniard is of the opinion that the sport has too many rules in place.
10 July 2024
Fergal Walsh & Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Alonso added there are too many rules in place in F1 and is seeking intervention from the FIA to backtrack on an “overregulated” sport. “Now I think we never had so many rules as we have now we cannot overtake on the pit lane, we cannot go fast on the pit lane, we cannot go slow on track, we cannot do basically anything," he said.

“This is probably overregulated and drivers we see or we feel frustrated sometimes, teams as well, but we need to find a solution between all of us, we cannot leave the FIA alone on this. We need to propose something that is better than the current rule. And this is something that we need to do between all of us.”

Alonso’s sentiment is shared by three-time champion Max Verstappen. “Look at already the rulebook from 10 years or 15 years ago to now just keeps on growing,” said the Dutchman. “So that’s obviously the world that we live in.”

‘Fernando Alonso has voiced criticism’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-voices-concern-with-key-f1-issue

Alonso filmed scene for F1 movie in media pen after British Grand Prix
9 Jul 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

A filming crew for the movie, titled F1, was present in the media pen after the British Grand Prix and captured a scene involving Alonso. The Aston Martin driver said he didn’t have to rehearse beforehand.

“I didn’t practice,” said Alonso. “It was it was not too difficult so I hope it comes good on the screen.” The scene was originally due to be filmed on Friday, he indicated. “After qualifying, I was in the pit lane, so when I came here, they were not ready. So it was today.”

“I didn’t practice”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/09/racefans-round-up-09-07-7/

Fortitude

12th July 2024, 14:23

Sargeant pleased with his race despite finishing ‘one stop shy’ of points.
Logan Sargeant finished 11th at the British Grand Prix and insisted he “executed everything really well” despite just missing out on points.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

“Executed everything really well”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sargeant-pleased-with-his-race-despite-finishing-one-stop-shy-of-points.1803936524618553745

Sargeant will "fight until the end" as Williams F1 future under threat
Sargeant's Formula 1 future hangs in the balance with his Williams seat under scrutiny
Jul 11, 2024
Ewan Gale Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Logan Sargeant has insisted he will "fight to the end" as speculation over his Formula 1 seat with Williams persists. "I've had noise for I don't even know how long, from every single direction," said Sargeant. Sargeant has been hamstrung by a lack of equal parts to Albon, instead running a toned-down spec of car for much of the opening part of the year, whilst he was benched to allow the Thai-Briton to compete at the Australian Grand Prix after the former Red Bull driver crashed in practice with no spare chassis available.

"At the end of the day, I show up to these weekends and I do my absolute best every single time for everyone in the team who is working hard. I'm also here for myself, you know, I want to prove to myself that I can keep improving, keep showing that I can do it. In my head, I know the true facts and I know that I've been doing a good job this season with what I've had. And that's what matters most to me."

Team principal James Vowles had ruled out a mid-season swap earlier in the year, but the suggestion that Sargeant could make way before Abu Dhabi has returned in recent weeks. Asked if he felt that would be harsh, Sargeant replied: "I think considering it's taken so long to get two equal cars, it is hard to get a clear read on how things are going. What I know is I'm happy with the way I'm driving. And I couldn't say that last year. And I can this year."

"Fight until the end";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sargeant-fight-williams-f1-future-under-threat/10633526/

Williams still ‘continually evaluating’ mid-season driver change
11 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Unfortunately, Sargeant’s days in F1 appear numbered, with the only question being whether the 23-year-old will finish this year’s campaign or succumb to a mid-season exit.

Vowles also acknowledged that Williams itself isn't blameless. “What I’ve said before and I’ve maintained today, is that our car — and this is a responsibility on my shoulders and the team — isn’t quick enough. It’s not a driver issue we suffer from today. We’ve simply been out-developed and we have to make sure we accelerate that process.”

‘Williams itself isn't blameless’;

https://f1i.com/news/513777-williams-still-continually-evaluating-mid-season-driver-change.html

Sargeant makes plea in face of Vowles drastic change plan
Logan Sargeant's F1 future at Williams remains uncertain, especially after comments from team principal James Vowles.
10 July 2024
Jake Nichol & Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Logan Sargeant has issued a passionate defence of his season after Williams boss James Vowles hinted he could be replaced mid-season. "In my head, I know the true facts, and I know that I've been doing a good job this season with what I've had and that is what matters most to me.”

"I know I've been driving well with what I've had throughout the season. If I look since Suzuka I'm really proud of the way I've showed up and kept trying to deliver even when I don't always have the car to deliver. I'm a fighter, I'm going to fight no matter what the situation is. I'm going to fight to the end."

“I know the true facts”;

https://racingnews365.com/sargeant-makes-plea-in-face-of-vowles-drastic-change-plan

Report: ‘Several’ IndyCar teams interested in signing 235-race F1 driver for 2025
10 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Of all the drivers who don’t currently have a contract for the 2025 Formula 1 season, Logan Sargeant appears to be the most likely not to be on the grid next year. Logan Sargeant has only scored a single point in his F1 career thus far – thanks in part to two disqualifications in Austin last year – although he came so close to a top-ten finish at Silverstone on Sunday.

Williams are considering a summer break switch, bringing in Esteban Ocon for Sargeant if Alpine decide to let him go in place of rookie Jack Doohan. It would be a tough way for Sargeant’s Formula 1 career to come to an end as he’s not always had equal machinery when compared to teammate Alex Albon. Sargeant has been linked with a move to IndyCar next season and there’s now talk that he could be joined by another driver on the grid.

‘Not always had equal machinery when compared to teammate’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/several-indycar-teams-interested-in-signing-235-race-f1-driver-for-2025/

Fortitude

13th July 2024, 07:35

Magnussen reckons he pitted ‘one lap too early’ after missing out on points.
Kevin Magnussen finished 12th in the British Grand Prix, but thinks he could have done better had he stayed out an extra lap before pitting for new tyres.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘One lap too early’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/magnussen-reckons-he-pitted-one-lap-too-early-after-missing-out-on-points.1803936325354483353

Former Haas boss Steiner casts doubt on Magnussen's future
10 Jul 2024
The Straits Times

Guenther Steiner revived Kevin Magnussen's Formula One career two years ago but the former Haas team boss now feels his favourite Dane may be ripe for replacement, along with some other long-serving drivers. Magnussen, 31, has scored five points from 12 races this season compared to Haas team mate Nico Hulkenberg's 22, with the 36-year-old German finishing an impressive sixth in the most recent two.

Hulkenberg will join Sauber next season and Ferrari-powered Haas look set for an all-new lineup with British rookie Oliver Bearman already signed up and Esteban Ocon looking the frontrunner to join him. "I love Kevin...(but) what he is doing lately against Hulkenberg is not impressive to say the least," Steiner told reporters at a recent promotional event for Buffalo Trace bourbon.

‘Doubt on Magnussen's future’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/former-haas-boss-steiner-casts-doubt-on-magnussens-future

Hulkenberg says Haas should consider retaining Magnussen
JULY 9, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Kevin Magnussen should "definitely" still be in the running to remain at Haas in 2025. That is the view of the Danish driver's current teammate Nico Hulkenberg, who has signed up to switch to Sauber next year ahead of the Swiss team's 2026 transition to works Audi status. “Definitely”, he is quoted as saying by Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

“Obviously it's not my responsibility or decision, but I think Kevin has also been very consistent this year”, Hulkenberg added. "There have been some moments and sessions where really small details have made the difference between him and me. Often the outcome on TV looks massive, but in reality it's really small things.”

“I think he's doing a really good job”, Hulkenberg, 36, continued. “And I have access to much more data and can see exactly what has happened on his side. I still think he's a candidate here, but maybe also for other teams.”

‘“I think he's doing a really good job”, Hulkenberg’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/hulkenberg-says-haas-should-consider-retaining-magnussen.html

British Grand Prix: Race Recap
July 7, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Kevin Magnussen: “We pitted one lap too early I think, we were sort of in range of Albon and he stayed out another lap and opened the gap massively. The pace wasn’t that good on the soft tire really, I was graining immediately and just didn’t have a good stint.”

“It’s great for Nico to score eight points today, that’s a really good couple of weekends for the team, and it’s super important. I wish I could’ve contributed a little bit but I didn’t have it at the end.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/british-grand-prix-race-recap-5

‘We got caught out’ – Magnussen explains how he was tricked by the weather in qualifying
6 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen was knocked out of qualifying in Q1 to take 17th on the grid, but said he had the pace for a far better result.

‘We got caught out’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/we-got-caught-out-magnussen-explains-how-he-was-tricked-by-the-weather-in-qualifying.1803841612356184950

Magnussen keen to get more laps under his belt after missing FP1 at Silverstone
5 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen was last on the time sheets in second practice for the British Grand Prix having sat out the first session so Oliver Bearman could drive his car.

‘Missing FP1’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/magnussen-keen-to-get-more-laps-under-his-belt-after-missing-fp1-at-silverstone.1803758695218039442

Magnussen knew about Bearman deal for four months
JULY 5, 2024
GrandPrix.com

“I've more or less known it for four months”, the Danish driver, whose own place at the small American team remains in doubt, acknowledged at Silverstone. “Ok, it hasn't been decided for four months, but I knew it was going to happen. So no news for me”,

Magnussen smiled. “What can I say? A young guy getting to live out his dream in Formula 1.” Magnussen thinks Haas is an ideal team for the young Briton to make his full-time F1 debut for.

“When I entered Formula 1”, he said, "it was difficult to enter a top team (McLaren) that wasn't delivering. Because the expectations from the team are still huge. They actually expect you to win the championship. When you join a smaller team, it's easier. Although I can't say for sure because I didn't do it, but that's the way I think it is.”

‘Four months’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/magnussen-knew-about-bearman-deal-for-four-months.html

Fortitude

13th July 2024, 08:00

Ricciardo: ‘The truth is we weren’t competitive through all the conditions today.’
Daniel Ricciardo finishes 13th at Silverstone and said RB just didn’t have the speed to challenge for points.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Weren’t competitive through all the conditions’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ricciardo-the-truth-is-we-werent-competitive-through-all-the-conditions-today.1803935882145616169

Ricciardo: RB facing “shifting point” in F1 season
Upgrade doubts have left the RB team facing some key decisions that could dictate its chances for the rest of the F1 campaign.
11:37 Wed, 10 Jul 2024
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

With F1’s recent triple-header now over, and there being some breathing space before the final back-to-backs prior to the summer break, Ricciardo thinks that decisions made now about its next steps could be hugely significant for the rest of the campaign.

“This could be a real kind of shifting point,” said Ricciardo, when asked how important it was for RB to get an understanding of its upgrade situation. “You're at that moment where you need to make the best calls. Every moment of F1 is important, but this update and our correlation, and our understanding, can obviously dictate what we do with the next update and how well we understand it.”

“What we learn now will basically dictate where our car is in October and November, so it's a really important period for us. I'm obviously not an engineer and not an aerodynamicist,” he said. “But in these moments, I feel our duty as a driver is to just give as much as we can. Feelings, feedbacks, positives, negatives, comparisons to other cars, everything - just to give them as much understanding of why we are where we are at the moment.”

“Shifting point”;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/wed-ricciardo-rb-facing-shifting-point-moment-in-f1-season/10633407/

‘Massive excuse’: Peter Windsor unimpressed with official Daniel Ricciardo statement after Silverstone
10 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Daniel Ricciardo has been building momentum recently but he lost it during a poor British Grand Prix weekend. Ricciardo finished 13th, a long way from the points. The Australian had beaten RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda in the three preceding races. That run included a season-best P8 at the Canadian GP and another points finish (P9) in Austria.

Peter Windsor says Daniel Ricciardo made too many excuses after British Grand Prix: In RB’s official press release after the race, Ricciardo suggested that his side of the garage collectively struggled. He added that they would analyse their mistakes over the course of the weekend in a bid to improve.

It’s all too easy, he believes, for drivers to embrace a ‘massive excuse’ instead. Ricciardo’s former teammate Lando Norris has won praise for a self-critical approach. “The press release from Daniel Ricciardo – everything was ‘we didn’t have a good day’, ‘we need to do better’,” he said. “It wasn’t like ‘I didn’t have a good day’, ‘I need to do better’.

‘Peter Windsor unimpressed’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/peter-windsor-unimpressed-with-official-daniel-ricciardo-statement-after-silverstone/

Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull future update as notable Silverstone test looms
10 Jul 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com, Ricciardo said: “I mean look, I know my year, sure I’ve had a few little highs, but as a whole, it hasn’t been what was probably expected and what I want for myself. So I know when you’re not kicking arse, of course you’re going to receive a little bit of criticism. But sometimes it’s probably blown apart you know.”

“I don’t think the gap has ever been…or rarely has it been you know, half a second or something to Yuki. I think also he’s been getting a lot of praise, so I’m not getting my arse kicked by someone that’s not very fast. I think everyone acknowledges he’s got very good one-lap pace. But yeah, the team-mate battle is obviously one that’s closely watched.”

‘Silverstone test looms’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-yuki-tsunoda-comparison-red-bull-future

Ricciardo: Upcoming weeks ‘important’ period in RB’s F1 season
11 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Ricciardo has insisted that RB should not panic amid its recent struggles and has instead called on his side to take inspiration from the American squad’s inroads. Asked which teams were surprising him, Ricciardo answered: “I mean, definitely the Haas the last couple [of] weekends. Nico scored big two weekends in a row now.”

“And all of a sudden our sixth place in the Constructors, the gap isn’t there anymore. It’s three or four points. We knew that this sport can shift so quickly and you never rest. And that’s why, fairness to the team, we brought updates a couple of weeks ago. We were pushing.”

“We’ve been bringing updates every few races and they’ve actually been working really well. So obviously this one hasn’t as much as certainly we would have wanted. So it’s not due to a lack of effort. But yeah, this is now where you get tested, where the season’s looking really good and now it’s at a kind of plateau.”

‘Upcoming weeks important’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/11/ricciardo-upcoming-weeks-important-period-in-rbs-f1-season/

Fortitude

14th July 2024, 07:49

Leclerc: Ferrari current underperformance ‘worse than a nightmare’.
Charles Leclerc cast a defeated figure after Sunday’s British Grand Prix, a race marked by a strategic blunder in the Ferrari camp that left the Monegasque empty-handed.
20:01 Sun, 07 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Leclerc had started the race positively, moving up from 11th on the grid to 8th on the opening lap before battling his way past Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll to seize seventh on lap 13. On lap 19, Leclerc was called in to switch his medium tyres for a set of inters while the majority of the field opted to stay on slicks.

"[It was] clearly the wrong [strategy],” a frustrated Leclerc admitted. ‘I'll look back into it. Obviously, with the decision, with the message I got and the information I had in the car, I felt like it was the right one," Leclerc explained.

‘Worse than a nightmare’;

https://f1i.com/news/513544-leclerc-ferrari-current-underperformance-worse-than-a-nightmare.html

Charles Leclerc left furious after Ferrari star lapped by Lewis Hamilton at British GP
Charles Leclerc was downbeat after enduring a miserable race at the British Grand Prix.
Jul 7, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Charles Leclerc expressed his dismay after finishing a lap behind British Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton on Sunday. The Ferrari star was hung out to dry after a disastrous strategy call left him floundering on intermediate tyres in dry conditions. The Monegasque driver is in the midst of a miserable run of form. Leclerc's home race victory had all the signs of a launching pad for a string of successful fights at the front.

‘Charles Leclerc left furious’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1920092/Charles-Leclerc-Lewis-Hamilton-Ferrari-British-Grand-Prix

Leclerc in "worse than a nightmare" after failed British GP rain call
Ferrari's wavering F1 form was exacerbated by call to pit Charles Leclerc onto intermediates too early at Silverstone
Jul 7, 2024
Jake Boxall-Legge Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Charles Leclerc labelled his current Formula 1 hardships as "worse than a nightmare", as an early call for intermediate tyres at the British Grand Prix cost him any chance of scoring points.

"[It was] clearly the wrong [strategy]. I'll look back into it. Obviously, with the decision, with the message I got and the information I had in the car, I felt like it was the right one," Leclerc explained. "It was raining quite a lot in Turn 15. I was told that in this lap, the rain was going to be very heavy, so I stopped to try and anticipate.”

‘F1 form was exacerbated by call’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/leclerc-in-worse-than-a-nightmare-after-failed-british-gp-rain-call/10632842/

Vasseur: Leclerc contributed to ill-timed F1 British GP pit choice
8 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Vasseur has insisted the choice was “on the edge” of being the correct one and has explained how Leclerc being out of position contributed to his downfall in the race.

“We are giving them information, and we are proposing the call, the fact that at one stage they have to pit, and they have to do the last call,” Vasseur explained. “On this situation, and I discussed with Charles, for sure we can be disappointed when you see the result at the end, but first it’s clear that it was not the right call, or the right decision.”

“But I would say that it’s also motivated by the fact that at this stage we are already 15 seconds behind Carlos, or 10 seconds behind Carlos. It means that consciously or unconsciously, you know that the only way to come back and to fight for the podium, is to be a bit aggressive into the decision.”

‘Choice was “on the edge” of being the correct one’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/08/vasseur-leclerc-contributed-to-ill-timed-f1-british-gp-pit-choice/

Leclerc paid the price with Ferrari F1 experiments at Silverstone
8 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc has admitted he’s paid the price with the experiments Ferrari has been conducting at Formula 1’s British Grand Prix as he slumped to a shock Q2 exit. Ferrari opted to split parts between the drivers in the opening two practice hours in a bid to understand the bouncing issue that’s hindered its recent competitiveness.

However, Leclerc harbours no complaints over Ferrari’s decision and insists that sacrificing his own weekend will be beneficial to the team improving in the long term.

‘Ferrari F1 experiments’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/06/leclerc-paid-the-price-with-ferrari-f1-experiments-at-silverstone/

Ferrari's 'worse than a nightmare' F1 run isn't going to end soon
Jul 11, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

Charles Leclerc didn’t grasp for positives about Ferrari’s plight after finishing a dismal 11th in the British Grand Prix. “It’s been four races that have been worse than a nightmare,” he said, a verdict backed up by team-mate Carlos Sainz, who added: “It’s clearly not good enough.” And worst of all for Ferrari, there's no reason to expect an immediate turnaround in the upcoming races.

There are confounding factors, notably Leclerc’s run of four races since his Monaco victory with just one fifth place to show for it since and Ferrari’s dire Canadian GP weekend, but the primary problem is the upgrade introduced for the Spanish GP at the start of F1’s recently-completed triple-header.

'Worse than a nightmare';

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/worse-than-nightmare-ferrari-f1-run-isnt-ending-soon/

Ferrari and Charles Leclerc hold ‘long discussions’ after alarming post-Monaco slump
11 Jul 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has urged people to avoid drawing a “generic conclusion” over the form of Charles Leclerc, with his driver having endured difficult results since winning the Monaco Grand Prix.

Vasseur explained the reasons behind his struggles at Silverstone over the weekend, driving an unfamiliar car setup in difficult conditions in a Ferrari that is proving “not easy” to handle as it stands.

‘Long discussions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-long-discussion-ferrari-form-dip

Ferrari's fightback plan after 'nightmare' F1 form
9th July 2024
Adam Cooper
Motor Sport Magazine

The frustration for all concerned is that for at least the past year Ferrari upgrades have got the job done. “The last 16 months now, all the upgrades that we brought had a very, very good correlation with what we did in the wind tunnel,” said team boss Fred Vasseur.

“I think one of the assets of the team over last year was to bring some small upgrades. And each time it was paying off. This one, we had an issue, but it’s not because we had an issue once it’s the end of the world.”

“I think we had exactly the same situation last year, almost at the same stage of the season,” said Vasseur. “Silverstone, Budapest, Spa, and we stopped it in Zandvoort to do a complete scan of the situation. And we had a good recovery, because the weeks after, we were there.”

‘Ferrari's fightback plan’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/ferraris-fightback-plan-after-nightmare-f1-form/?nowprocket=1#

Fortitude

14th July 2024, 08:26

‘We just didn’t have the pace’ – Bottas hoping Sauber can bring upgrades soon.
Valtteri Bottas says Kick Sauber need to improve their car after he finished 15th and well outside the points again at Silverstone.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Sauber need to improve their car’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/we-just-didnt-have-the-pace-bottas-hoping-sauber-can-bring-upgrades-soon.1803937171770286270

Bottas hopeful Kick Sauber bring updates ‘sooner rather than later’ after finishing outside the points again at Silverstone
10 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Valtteri Bottas hopes that Kick Sauber will soon have new updates on their car after another weekend of finishing outside of the points at the British Grand Prix, with the Finn stating that this is what the squad “need” in order to challenge their rivals. While there were positives from how the team handled the mixed conditions of the race at Silverstone, both cars were unable to put themselves in the fight for a top-10 position. Bottas crossed the line in P15 – making up one place from his grid slot – and acknowledged that the opportunities such weather can bring had not gone in his favour.

“[It was] definitely not an easy day with sometimes being on the slicks in the wet – [there were] some wet sections on track,” he explained after the Grand Prix. “But I think we made actually the right calls today – we didn’t do any unnecessary pit stops. But, in any condition, we just didn’t have the pace today to challenge the cars in front. That’s what we need to keep working on and get some new parts in the car, and hopefully that’s going to be sooner rather than later.”

“[It was] definitely not an easy day”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/bottas-hopeful-kick-sauber-bring-updates-sooner-rather-than-later-after.5dTCAXKjBH3TveLTgnN8f1

Valtteri Bottas rules out Mercedes F1 return for 2025: “Filling a place for one year…”
Valtteri Bottas has addressed speculation that he could be an option for Mercedes.
10 Jul 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Bottas’ former team, Mercedes, are still unsure on which driver will partner George Russell as they wait to see what Max Verstappen will decide. Andrea Kimi Antonelli - their young protege - remains the favourite though, but there was talk whether Mercedes needed a stop-gap option for one-year, a return for Bottas could have been a possibility.

However, speaking to Mirror Sport, Bottas ruled out a return to Brackley as he prioritises a multi-year F1 deal. “Filling a place for one year, I don't think that is what I want or need at the moment,” he said. “For next year, I want something multi-year with a clear plan for the years ahead and work together for that time.”

“I think that's what I need, a good challenge and a clear plan. If I just do one year, then you're back to square one again and looking at what's next. I'm good friends with Toto so, of course, we've talked about everything.”

‘Prioritises a multi-year F1 deal’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052158/1/valtteri-bottas-rules-out-mercedes-f1-return-2025-filling-place-one-year

Bottas hints at Williams assessing 2025 F1 alternatives to Sainz
11 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

The Finn, who seems set to depart Sauber once this season concludes, has revealed that discussions regarding his F1 prospects are proceeding in the right direction.

“I feel things are starting to progress and get closer, I think, in a good way, hopefully,” he said. “But, still have nothing to announce here and nothing has been signed.”

Bottas has insisted on several occasions that he is “99 per cent” certain that he will be back on the F1 grid next season and his optimistic stance remains unchanged. “Yes, I think I’m in a good position,” he reiterated.

‘F1 prospects are proceeding in the right direction’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/11/bottas-hints-at-williams-assessing-2025-f1-alternatives-to-sainz/

Williams turn to Valtteri Bottas as Sainz option evaporates
July 12, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Valtteri Bottas could make a return to Williams next year as negotiations with the team steadily advance. Since the beginning of the season, it has been clear that retaining Bottas is not a priority at Sauber. Because of this, Bottas has spoken with several midfield outfits – although it is understood that Williams is his most likely destination. The drivers’ standings do not paint a flattering picture for Valtteri Bottas. The Finn is rock bottom in the Championship, one of three drivers yet to score a point this season.

In a very uncompetitive C44 machine, this year’s campaign has been difficult for the 10-time race winner. On the rare occasions he’s been within touching distance of points (Australia, China), operational mistakes from Sauber have proven costly. This is a recurring theme for the Swiss team, who also threw away significant points with their far more competitive 2022 challenger. Williams interest in Valtteri Bottas has grown: Despite driving in uncompetitive machinery, there is strong interest in Bottas.

The former Mercedes driver is an experienced pair of hands, more than capable of competing at a high level. Negotiations are understood to have already begun. While nothing is confirmed, it would take a dramatic turn of events for the Finn to be displaced as the British team’s leading candidate. Bottas would complete a very solid driver partnership at Williams. Someone with his experience and accomplishments would also emphasise the team’s seriousness and ambition.

‘Williams turn to Valtteri Bottas’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/07/12/williams-turn-to-valtteri-bottas-as-sainz-option-evaporates/

Ranked: Six IndyCar teams that could sign Valtteri Bottas for 2025 season
12 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Valtteri Bottas is currently in the hunt for a Formula 1 seat, but the free slots are filling up fast — meaning Bottas might have to look elsewhere for a racing seat in 2025.

Recent reports suggest a few IndyCar teams actually have Valtteri Bottas on their radar, even as the American open-wheel series faces a glut of free agents looking for seat. Anything can — and often does — happen in IndyCar.

6. A. J. Foyt Racing
5. Ed Carpenter Racing
4. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
3. Meyer Shank Racing
2. Dale Coyne Racing
1. Prema

‘IndyCar teams actually have Valtteri Bottas on their radar’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/six-indycar-teams-that-could-sign-valtteri-bottas

Fortitude

15th July 2024, 08:06

Ocon: ‘We took every single wrong decision from the beginning of the weekend’.
Esteban Ocon was scathing about Alpine’s performance across the weekend at Silverstone after he finished the race in 16th.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Scathing’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ocon-we-took-every-single-wrong-decision-from-the-beginning-of-the-weekend.1803937763080154504

Ocon: Alpine ‘took all the wrong decisions’ in British F1 qualifying
10:37 Sun, 07 Jul 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Esteban Ocon lambasted Alpine’s strategy during Saturday’s qualifying for the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, claiming Alpine “took all the wrong decisions” en route to a double Q1 elimination.

“We took all the wrong decisions, we pushed at the wrong moments, we recharged when the track was driest and it was clearly not going our way. We were offset compared to most people.”

“And then at the end, I was sure I didn’t take the checkered flag, so I had an extra lap, so I kept pushing. I was up by a long way at the time and then three corners later it cleared on the system that I didn’t cross the line, so I could have gone through.”

‘Took all the wrong decisions’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/07/ocon-alpine-took-all-the-wrong-decisions-in-british-f1-qualifying/

‘We took every single wrong decision’ – Ocon says ‘there’s nothing to learn’ from difficult Silverstone weekend for Alpine
9 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Esteban Ocon gave a damning assessment of Alpine’s weekend at the British Grand Prix, with the Frenchman stating that the squad took “every single wrong decision” en route to his final result of P16. Having lined up in 18th on the grid following a difficult qualifying, Ocon was one of the first to make the switch to intermediate tyres amid changing conditions in the early stages of the race. However, this seemed to backfire and the 27-year-old soon returned to the pits to put the slicks back on.

Ocon’s day did not improve much from there and he was left to rue what had been an all-round tough few days for the team. “There was no punt that we took,” he reflected on the tyre call. “We basically took every single wrong decision since the beginning of the weekend on anything that it can be – on the car, on the strategy, on everything.”

‘There’s nothing to learn’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/we-took-every-single-wrong-decision-ocon-says-theres-nothing-to-learn-from.7FFHcMImz0sv5OHUfKfjCy

Ocon hits out at 'insane' Alpine after Silverstone disaster
Esteban Ocon suffered a poor weekend for Alpine at the British Grand Prix - but felt the team compounded the trouble.
9 July 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers

Esteban Ocon has labelled Alpine's British Grand Prix as "insane" following what he described as a catalogue of errors. "There was nothing brave about that race, everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong," Ocon told media including RacingNews365.

"We took every wrong decision from before the race, to on the grid, to during the race, every call or [decision] were the wrong ones, so there is not that much more to say. If we go into details, basically, there were some drops of rain, it started to get tricky in Turns 1 and 2, and I thought: 'if the next lap it stays like this, it is going to be wet.'”

"So I asked the team if it was going to rain more and they said: 'yes, it will rain more', so I said: 'okay, we box if it rains more' and the team said okay. I exited [the pits] and it was bright sunshine, so I don't know what to do anymore. It has not gone our way at all, it is unbelievable, I have never seen something like this in my career. It has been insane."

'Insane Alpine’;

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-hits-out-at-insane-alpine-after-silverstone-disaster

Ocon Slams Alpine’s “Insane” British Grand Prix Weekend
It was another weekend to forget for the French outlet
July 10, 2024
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

Esteban Ocon criticised Alpine’s performance at the British Grand Prix, pointing to a series of errors and poor decisions that marred their weekend. Ocon and drivers like Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc switched to intermediate tyres early on lap 20, which proved a mistake as the track wasn’t wet enough.

While Perez and Leclerc stuck with the intermediates, Ocon quickly switched back to slicks. He then had to pit again for intermediates when the rain eventually came, making three pit stops between laps 20 and 26.

What happened to Ocon? Reflecting on the race, Ocon explained, according to RacingNews365, “Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. Every decision we made, from before the race to the grid and during the race, was the wrong one.”

‘Three pit stops between laps 20 and 26’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ocon-slams-alpines-insane-british-grand-prix-weekend/?nowprocket=1

Ocon calls out Alpine for ‘taking every single wrong decision’
09:31 Wed, 10 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Esteban Ocon pulled no punches in his assessment of Alpine's performance at the British Grand Prix, insisting the team “took every single wrong decision” on all fronts from the beginning to the end of the weekend.

The poor result marked a significant drop in performance for Alpine after recent strong finishes. When asked why things went wrong, Ocon, who is leaving the team at the end of the season, remained critical “Not much to comment on that,” he said.

“I can’t give you an answer but, yeah, when the track was suited for slicks we were on the inters, when the track was suited for inters we were on the slicks. When the track was suited for low downforce, we were on the high, and many more unfortunately. Not much to take away unfortunately.”

‘Pulled no punches’;

https://f1i.com/news/513720-ocon-calls-out-alpine-for-taking-every-single-wrong-decision.html

Ocon: Haas ‘an example to every team’ amid 2025 F1 rumours
10 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Esteban Ocon thinks that Haas’ recent improvement should serve as “an example to every team” amid rumours linking him with a Formula 1 move to the side in 2025. Ocon, who is in his last season with Alpine, has praised the step the American squad has taken in recent races as speculation continues that he will partner Bearman.

“They’ve been improving a lot, which is for sure an example for every other team, how they are doing it at the moment,” Ocon said when asked about Haas’ showing.

‘Ocon: Haas ‘an example to every team’’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/10/ocon-haas-an-example-to-every-team-amid-2025-f1-rumours/