2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Perez: ‘It was a total disaster… a nightmare of a race’.
Sergio Perez started on the back row at Silverstone and finished in 17th place. Afterwards he revealed he’s glad there’s no race next weekend as he seeks to regroup.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Seeks to regroup’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/perez-it-was-a-total-disaster-a-nightmare-of-a-race.1803937877627627920


Perez makes 'no luck' judgment as Red Bull 'gamble' fails
Sergio Perez endured his third point-less result in the last six races in the British Grand Prix.
7 July 2024
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez has conceded that he had "no luck" at all in the British Grand Prix, as Red Bull's early intermediate tyre "gamble" failed. During an early shower, Red Bull opted to pit Perez as the rain started to fall, a call Ferrari also made with Charles Leclerc on lap 20. However, this spell of rain was not heavy enough to wet the circuit, causing the intermediates to degrade in rapid fashion.

It resulted in Perez's intermediates being destroyed when the rain suddenly intensified several laps later, which resulted in the Mexican driver being lapped by the leaders, including, team-mate Max Verstappen. Similarly to Leclerc, gambling early on the intermediates completely ruined Perez's race, resulting in a miserable P17 finish.

"For seven laps, completely [destroyed] the intermediate and then when the rain came, there was no tyre left," Perez told select media including RacingNews365. "It was just a mess overall. Then we boxed again, we were in the middle of the leaders. Very difficult to make any progress and just not an easy afternoon."

‘Similarly to Leclerc, gambling early on the intermediates completely ruined Perez's race’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-makes-no-luck-judgement-as-red-bull-gamble-fails


Perez expects to gain “a couple of tenths” from new floor Verstappen had at Silverstone
9th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Sergio Perez, who has faced criticism over his performance in recent races, expects a performance boost at the next round when he receives the same floor upgrade his team mate had at Silverstone. Max Verstappen ran the only example of Red Bull’s new floor for its RB20 at Silverstone. However team principal Christian Horner said the revised part was only a “minimal upgrade” for the car.

Perez failed to score for the third time in five races last weekend after being eliminated in the first round of qualifying when he spun into a gravel trap at Copse. Afterwards Perez said he expects to be in a stronger position at the next round. “I’m just trying to find the solutions, really,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans. “I think we’re making good progress.”

“A couple of tenths”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/09/perez-expects-to-gain-a-couple-of-tenths-from-new-floor-verstappen-had-at-silverstone/


Christian Horner clarifies his Sergio Perez head shake seen around the world
9 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner has downplayed his shake of the head when Sergio Perez beached his RB20 in qualifying, saying that wasn’t so much about the Mexican driver as his frustration that Red Bull “aren’t performing”. Perez brought out the red flags in Q1 for the British Grand Prix when he lost control of his car at Copse in greasy conditions and spun into the gravel.

Caught on camera shaking his head after Perez beached his car on Saturday, Horner says that wasn’t so much about Perez as Red Bull’s struggles to perform “collectively” in qualifying. “Of course, it is frustration when both of your cars aren’t performing you know collectively,” he told the media at Silverstone, including PlanetF1.com.

“It was frustrating to lose Checo in Q1. He missed P1 because of Isack Hadjar driving, he had a decent P2. We felt that he should have been around the top six and then to lose the car in Q1 was very frustrating. That’s where we’re at.”

‘Christian Horner has downplayed his shake of the head’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-sergio-perez-head-shake-seen-british-gp


Perez hints revised Red Bull floor will help overcome F1 woes
9 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sergio Perez has vowed that receiving Red Bull’s new floor design at the next race can be the breakthrough moment that helps overturn his ongoing Formula 1 slump. Perez endured a tumultuous weekend at Silverstone as a spin into the gravel at Copse and a premature move to Intermediates cost him a chance at recording points.

“I’m just trying to find the solutions, really,” Perez said post-race. “I think we’re making good progress. We are just about to unlock a couple of tenths from our side and our life will be very different, back to where we were in the start of the year.”

Max Verstappen used the sole iteration that Red Bull introduced and boss Christian Horner, who described it as “minimal”, confirmed that a second was not available. “There was only one floor available on one side of the garage this weekend,” he revealed.

‘New floor design at the next race can be the breakthrough moment’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/09/perez-hints-revised-red-bull-floor-will-help-overcome-f1-woes/


Martin Brundle shares how Sergio Perez ‘weirdly’ helped Max Verstappen at Silverstone
10 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

It was another mixed weekend for Red Bull Racing at Silverstone as once again only one of their drivers managed to score points. Max Verstappen needed to put in an impressive performance to return to the podium after his controversial end to the previous race in Austria.

Brundle has now suggested that despite Perez’s awful run at Silverstone, he ‘weirdly’ gave Verstappen an advantage over his rivals at the front of the grid. Not only was he giving his teammate valuable data when it came to the intermediate tyres, but was also out of the way when the timing of each driver’s pit stop was crucial as the conditions of the track changed rapidly.

“So, that gave them the freedom to really pick and choose their pit stop moments with Max [Verstappen] because they didn’t have to consider double stacking like McLaren and Mercedes-Benz did in terms of bringing both cars in at the same time.” The experience of both the driver and his team made all the difference with Oscar Piastri told he has lessons to learn after coming in a lap too late and ruining his chances of a first Formula 1 victory as a result.

‘Giving his teammate valuable data when it came to the intermediate tyres’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-shares-how-sergio-perez-weirdly-helped-max-verstappen-at-silverstone/

[Fortitude]

Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu competes during F1 British GP.
Kick Sauber's Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu competes during the Formula 1 British Grand Prix race at the Silverstone Circuit, Britain, July 7, 2024.
08:16 Mon, 08 Jul 2024
People's Daily

‘Zhou Guanyu competes during the Formula 1 British Grand Prix’;

http://en.people.cn/n3/2024/0708/c90000-20191111.html


Horror crash at British Grand Prix silenced Silverstone but Zhou Guanyu still loves it
10:15, 7 Jul 2024
Anton Stanley,
talkSPORT.com

Zhou Guanyu doesn't know how he survived the the 2022 British Grand Prix - but despite it all he still loves Silverstone. The Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber driver failed to make it out of turn one when a horrific high-speed multi-car crash swept up his vehicle.

Zhou's car flipped over and skidded on the halo before it reached the gravel, causing it to roll repeatedly and thunder into the fencing and drop behind the barriers. “I’m so grateful with the safety improvements. What really saved me was the halo,” Zhou told talkSPORT two years on.

Without it, the incident would have been an unthinkable amount worse. And yet, despite the traumatic incident Zhou has nothing but love for the track he returns to this weekend.

‘Horror crash at British Grand Prix silenced Silverstone’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1951030/f1-horror-crash-british-grand-prix-silverstone-zhou-guanyu-george-russell/


Exclusive: Zhou Guanyu opens up on Sauber F1 journey
15 Jul 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu made history by becoming China’s first Formula 1 driver upon debuting at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix. Now in his third season, Zhou has a fight on his hands to retain his place in F1 amid his toughest campaign to date thanks to an uncompetitive Sauber machine.

“My ultimate dream was to be in F1,” said Zhou. “The second dream was to race at home and finally to complete that I’ve just been really grateful. Racing at a home race means everything to me because it’s the race that made me have this F1 dream that I wanted to chase for and I was there for the first Grand Prix. 20 years later you’re there as a driver and I don’t think there’s any better story than that. So from my side, I’m just really honoured to be representing a whole country.”

“You see the crowd, it had never been like that in Shanghai or any other places you know it’s the warm welcome, the reception, the cheer I received the whole weekend it’s just incredible I’ve never felt something like that.”

‘Zhou Guanyu opens up’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/15/exclusive-zhou-guanyus-sauber-f1-journey/


Zhou Guanyu running out of options for 2025
July 15, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

An underwhelming season for Sauber and Zhou Guanyu: The first race of the season was a promising one for Zhou. He finished in 11th place, the unofficial ‘best of the rest’ behind the top 5 teams. In a race without retirements from the top five teams, the Chinese driver showed good pace. Sauber also seemed competitive enough to compete at the front of the midfield.

Unfortunately for Zhou, the situation changed quickly. Not only did persistent pit-stop issues emerge for the team, but the C44 lost pace compared to its rivals.
After a solid enough weekend in China and Japan, Sauber slowly lost ground to Haas, VCARB and even Alpine.

On the radar at Haas and Alpine, but not a leading contender. The 25-year-old has been linked to a few teams in recent months. Haas and Alpine are two outfits that are understood to have the Sauber driver on their radar. With that said, Zhou is not at the top of either team’s shortlist. At Alpine, Carlos Sainz and Jack Doohan are seen as front-runners to drive alongside Pierre Gasly.

‘Zhou Guanyu running out of options’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/07/15/zhou-guanyu-running-out-of-options-for-2025/


‘All I can say’: Zhou Guanyu admits ‘very good relationship’ with F1 team he could sign for in 2025
15 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Zhou Guanyu is one of a handful of Formula 1 drivers who are in danger of losing their place on the grid next season. Sauber have already signed Nico Hulkenberg making it less likely that Zhou Guanyu or teammate Valtteri Bottas retain their seats for 2025. Unsurprisingly, that means that both drivers are exploring their options with time running out to secure their Formula 1 future. Bottas appears to be the favourite to sign for Williams with Logan Sargeant’s chances of staying on the grid dwindling. Sauber have ended talks with two drivers for 2025 which might give Zhou a glimmer of hope that he could earn a fourth season with the team before they become Audi in 2026.

Zhou Guanyu admits ‘very good relationship’ with Alpine amid 2025 race seat hunt. Asked about his future, Zhou said: “We’re talking to all different teams that have a seat available. “All I can say is that, between myself and Alpine, we kept a very good relationship throughout the whole thing and they helped me develop before I jumped into Formula 1, through the academy and by doing F1 testing – I did my first FP1 with them. They gave me a lot of opportunities.”

Zhou was part of Ferrari’s driver academy in karting before signing for Renault in 2018 ahead of his move into F2. He was Renault’s test driver in 2020 and made his practice debut the following year in Austria. However, his performances over three seasons in Formula 2 earned him his move to Sauber – previously Alfa Romeo – in 2022 and while he’s not stood out during the past two and a half seasons, he’s not had the car underneath him to prove just how quick he is.

‘Zhou Guanyu in danger of losing their place on the grid’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zhou-guanyu-admits-very-good-relationship-with-f1-team-he-could-sign-for-in-2025/


Valtteri Bottas relationship 'even better' as Zhou Guanyu discusses battle to save F1 seat
EXCLUSIVE: Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas are both searching for F1 lifelines as silly season drags on.
Jul 7, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Zhou Guanyu believes that his relationship with Stake F1 Team colleague Valtteri Bottas is ‘even better’ than before, despite both drivers needing to fight for one remaining seat at the Hinwil-based outfit.

The Stake duo formed a close relationship during Zhou’s rookie season in 2022 with 10-time Grand Prix winner Bottas taking up the role of mentor. Since then, the pair have remained close allies with on-track squabbles non-existent. This is far from the case in several other teams on the grid. 2024, however, will be their final year as team-mates.

Speaking to Express Sport about the current state of his relationship with Bottas, Zhou said: “No actually. If anything I think we are still working in an even better way, just because the relationship doesn’t change due to where you are fighting for your future or if you’re departing into different places or teams.”

‘Remained close allies with on-track squabbles non-existent’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1919617/Valtteri-Bottas-Zhou-Guanyu-Stake


Report: Chinese carmaker ‘driving factor’ in Zhou Guanyu’s future with £1bn F1 team
14 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

The future of some drivers on the Formula 1 grid is still undecided and one of those is Chinese star Zhou Guanyu. Although he has yet to pick up any points following a troubled start to the season for Sauber, Zhou enjoyed a lot of attention at his home race in Shanghai earlier in the season.

Chinese carmaker could seal Zhou Guanyu’s move to Alpine: Alpine’s parent company, Renault, recently announced a joint venture agreement with Chinese carmaker Geely to design, produce and develop combustion power trains, hybrid systems, batteries and engines. Zhou has previously been linked to Alpine having come through their young driver academy when he raced in Formula 2.

‘Chinese carmaker could seal Zhou Guanyu’s move’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/chinese-carmaker-driving-factor-in-zhou-guanyus-future-with-1bn-f1-team/

[Fortitude]

2024 British Grand Prix: Heartbreak for pole-sitter Russell as he’s forced to retire from the race.
Pole-sitter George Russell started the day dreaming of victory at his home race but it was heartbreak for the Mercedes man who was forced to retire his car on Lap 34 with a mechanical problem.
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Heartbreak’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-british-grand-prix-heartbreak-for-pole-sitter-russell-as-hes-forced-to-retire-from-the-race.1803934803717650975


“Really Disappointing”: Russell Reflects on Crushing Silverstone DNF
July 8, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

George Russell suffered a heartbreaking DNF at his home race, after leading in the opening stages from pole position at Silverstone.

Speaking to F1TV, Russell said: “It’s really disappointing, everything was under control in the beginning in the dry, then very challenging conditions in the damp, I started to lose some power and next thing I had to retire the car, so pretty disappointing.”

“For sure we’ll take the positives, the cars fast and we’ll have more opportunities but to retire from any race is disappointing let alone your home race, especially when we had a shot at least a podium today.”

“Really Disappointing”;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/07/really-disappointing-russell-reflects-on-crushing-silverstone-dnf/


Russell talks us through heartbreaking DNF at his home race
7 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘George Russell started the British Grand Prix from pole-position and led the race in the early stages, before he was forced to retire his car on Lap 34’;

‘Talks us through’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/russell-talks-us-through-heartbreaking-dnf-at-his-home-race.1803934295384870227


George Russell fumes as Mercedes forced to retire car after starting British GP on pole
George Russell's bad luck at Silverstone continued as the Mercedes star retired from Sunday's race.
16:06, Sun, Jul 7, 2024
Joshua Mbu
Daily and Sunday Express

The 26-year-old found himself outside the top three before his retirement in Lap 34, and he let his frustrations be known, repeatedly swearing. "Probably about 10 laps before I had to retire I saw temperature alarms coming on my steering wheel and yes some sort of water cooling failure, so yeah, I really don't know what to say," Russell said on his DNF.

"I mean the car was feeling so good I knew it was gonna be a long race, struggled a bit around the damp patches. Lewis doing a great job at that moment so fingers crossed he can he can bring it home for us as a team. It's been an amazing weekend regardless of what happens here on in, very difficult out there with the rain coming and going but such a rollercoaster week."

“10 laps before I had to retire I saw temperature alarms”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1920049/breaking-george-russell-retire-car-british-gp


Russell reveals moment he realised British GP 'was gone'
George Russell retired from the British Grand Prix mid-race having started on pole position.
7 July 2024
Nick Golding & Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

George Russell has revealed that he realised his British Grand Prix was soon to conclude 10 laps prior to his retirement due to a water system failure. The Briton led the opening stages from pole position but was overtaken by team-mate Lewis Hamilton when rain started to fall on lap 18.

Russell slowed significantly when the first shower hit Silverstone, as he was the first driver to reach the wet parts of the circuit. In the end, losing the lead to Hamilton was irrelevant, as Russell was called into the pits by Mercedes to retire from the race on lap 34 due to the system failure.

"Yeah, it's always difficult when you're first out there," Russell told select media including RacingNews365. "I knew it was going to be a long race and I sort of wanted to be patient. We were still in the fight, but 10 laps before the failure I knew I had a problem because I was losing power, and then had a water failure. No water to the engine."

“Moment he realised British GP 'was gone'”

https://racingnews365.com/russell-reveals-moment-he-realised-race-was-gone


How George Russell knew it was game over long before British GP retirement
7 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

It’s currently unclear if Mercedes were able to retire Russell’s W15 before the water system failure caused significant damage to the power unit. According to Russell, both race pace and strategy were impressive until that system failure. Regarding his pole-position start, he said, “It’s always difficult when you’re the first out there. “I knew it was going to be a long race and sort of wanted to be patient.”

Later, touching on the moment when rain began to fall hard enough that both Mercedes drivers left the track momentarily while battling for the lead, he said: “It was difficult, but I wasn’t flustered.” Again, he reiterated that his patience resulted from the fact that “I knew that the race was going to be long.”

Later, Russell and Hamilton engaged in a double-stack pit stop, where both racers swapped to intermediate tires. Russell was in the rear of that stack; when he re-emerged from the pits, Max Verstappen had split the two Mercedes drivers. “As soon as I went back out, I was losing power,” Russell admitted. “I knew from that point the race was gone.”

“As soon as I went back out, I was losing power”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-british-grand-prix-retirement-explanation


Russell gutted by British GP DNF, but Mercedes ‘clearly back’
9 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

George Russell suffered a bitter blow when Mercedes retired his car from the British Grand Prix due to a water leak, but the Briton still rejoiced in the fact that his team is back in the running for race wins in F1.

“I’m absolutely gutted,” Russell admitted, quoted by Motorsport Week. “About 10 laps before I had to retire, I could see temperature alarms on my steering wheel. We had a water system issue we were battling and unfortunately, it won out.”

“I mean it’s incredible,” Russell said. “We had the car in normal driving circumstances to be 1-2. “We’re clearly back and I think we’ll be fighting for race wins more often now. Within myself and the car I’m feeling good but obviously this is a real blow, retiring from any race let alone your home Grand Prix when you had the car to win but we’ll have another go.”

‘Russell gutted by British GP DNF’;

https://f1i.com/news/513656-russell-gutted-by-british-gp-dnf-but-mercedes-clearly-back.html


George Russell makes big Mercedes declaration after W15 development boost
11 Jul 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Despite the major setback of his DNF at Silverstone, George Russell can take solace in his belief that Mercedes “are clearly back”. The “false dawns” as Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has previously put it appear to be over for the team, with the W15 development programme paying off in a major way.

Russell was running P4 and harrying Red Bull’s Drivers’ Championship leader Max Verstappen at the point of his retirement, with Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin suggesting there “would have been a shot at” the win for Russell, depending on his ability to pass Verstappen.

‘W15 development boost’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-mercedes-clearly-back


Mercedes hopes that George Russell can avoid penalty after technical problem at Silverstone
14 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Mercedes Chief Trackside Engineer Andrew Shovlin has revealed that the Brackley-based team fears an engine penalty for George Russell following his recent technical woes at last weekend's Silverstone round. “I mean unfortunately we knew that we had an issue relatively early in the race, so we were tracking this from the first stint," Sholvin started his assessment.

"We didn't know that it was going to be terminal, but it's all linked to a leak that was in the water system that was causing the pressure to start to drift, and ultimately when we stopped the car, it was to protect the power unit.”

"So we knew that we were never going to finish the race. What you don't want to do is finish the race and destroy the power unit, then you'll be looking at a penalty possibly later in the year. So it was preventative, but there was no way that we were going to get to the chequered flag.”

“We had an issue relatively early in the race”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24984

[Fortitude]

Gasly reveals why he wasn’t able to start the race at Silverstone.
Pierre Gasly was seen pulling off the track and into the pit lane at the end of the formation lap – and explained afterwards that his Alpine had a gearbox problem.
7 July 2024
Formula1.com

‘Pulling off the track and into the pit lane’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/gasly-reveals-why-he-wasnt-able-to-start-the-race-at-silverstone.1803934435576335700


Revealed: The simple change to prompt Pierre Gasly performance surge
13 Jul 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly revealed he found “a lot more consistency” from his car by swapping to team-mate Esteban Ocon’s differential settings behind the wheel. Gasly acknowledged that the feeling within his A524 is still “not ideal everywhere”, but that moving to Ocon’s differential map after the Miami Grand Prix helped him feel much more balanced within the car.

Alpine brought a new floor in May that brought them closer to the minimum weight limit required by the FIA, while new executive technical director David Sanchez confirmed the team are looking to bring a “fair amount” of upgrades for the remainder of the season. In the meantime, however, Gasly explained there has been improvement on his side with this one change.

“I think there’s definitely been a step,” Gasly told media including PlanetF1.com at Silverstone. “We realised at the start of the year, until Miami, we found out that there was a couple of things which weren’t right on my differential, and I kind of used the other side’s map and then the car felt a lot more together.”

‘Simple change to prompt Pierre Gasly performance surge’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-change-pierre-gasly-improvement-recent-races


Gasly solved mystery handling problem by using Ocon’s settings
12th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The Alpine driver said his A524 has handled better since he began using the same differential map settings as Esteban Ocon at the sixth round of the championship. Gasly said the team hadn’t been able to understand some of the problems he reported with his car earlier in the year.

“There were a couple of things that didn’t really make sense with the car balance I was getting,” he said. “So just asked to try the other side’s map and then we straight away found more performance.

“It’s one of these things where it was sort of like a coding problem, which unfortunately couldn’t be spotted. It was more like a software type of issue. Bus cost us sort of performance early on and now we’ve found a lot more consistency and at least we’re aligned on both sides here.”

‘Try the other side’s map’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/12/gasly-solved-mystery-handling-problem-by-using-ocons-settings/


Revealed: How Pierre Gasly received the biggest grid penalty in almost a decade
7 Jul 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Gasly arrived at Silverstone with his fifth Internal Combustion Engine, Turbo Charger, MGU-H, MGU-K and third Control Electronics all of which exceeded his season’s allocation. As a result, he was given 10 spots for every offending element, handing him a total of 50 and ensuring he would start last before a wheel had even spun.

But Gasly is not the first one in F1 history to have received an enormous penalty. Back in 2015, McLaren were handed a combined total of 105 places for the Belgian Grand Prix due to both Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso receiving new engines. Both drivers had a number of changes to their misfiring Honda engines with Button given 50 places and Alonso 55. The drivers would end the race in 13th and 14th respectively.

‘Biggest grid penalty in almost a decade’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/revealed-how-pierre-gasly-received-the-biggest-grid-penalty-in-almost-a-decade


Gasly names preferred driver to partner him at Alpine in F1 2025
6 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly has named outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz as the name he would most like to see come in alongside him at Alpine from the 2025 Formula 1 season. Gasly, who penned a multi-term extension with Alpine, admits Sainz’s status as a three-time race winner makes him the standout candidate to replace Esteban Ocon.

Asked at Silverstone whether he was having an input on who will be his team-mate next season, Gasly responded: “Not really, it’s not up to me. I can obviously see until I’m discussing with Bruno [Famin] and with the whole management on trying to tell them what’s my personal opinion.”

“I think it’s quite clear, Carlos is the most experienced and most valuable guy out there. I would love to have him next to me next year, I think he’ll bring definitely a lot to the team and we’ll be a great pairing. But we’ve got also some very good options – we’ve got Jack, we’ve got Mick who’s been in F1, and we just have different great options.”

‘Standout candidate’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/06/gasly-names-preferred-driver-to-partner-him-at-alpine-in-f1-2025/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen reveals vision problems from 2021 Silverstone crash with Hamilton.
Championship runaway leader Max Verstappen has revealed that he has been struggling with vision problems after his horrific crash with Lewis Hamilton at the British Grand Prix in 2021.
14 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Speaking to Red Bulletin, the reigning champion said: "Since my crash at Silverstone, I had been struggling with vision problems, especially on hilly tracks or circuits with a lot of advertising signs on the side of the track. Looking back at his victory in the 2021 Austin race which is in his personal list of best wins, he says: "In this race, I fought not only against Lewis, but also against blurred vision.”

“It was like driving at 300 km/h in a speedboat. I've never told you this before, but for a few laps it was so bad that I seriously considered pulling the car over. The only thing that helped was concentrating on my breathing while Lewis was panting down my neck. This was an important win that I desperately needed in the battle for the championship," said Verstappen.

‘Vision problems from 2021 Silverstone crash’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24994


Max Verstappen Reveals Battle With Blurred Vision During 2021 F1 Title Run
15 Jul 2024
Ed Spencer
autoevolution

"Since my Silverstone crash, I've been struggling with vision problems, especially on bumpy tracks or those with many advertising boards along the track," said Verstappen exclusively to Red Bull's in-house magazine, Red Bulletin, when discussing his top 10 F1 wins.” (In 2021) When the F1 circus arrived in Austin, Texas, for the first leg of its American tour, the gap between Hamilton and Verstappen was down to six points.

Adding to his task was a bout of illness he picked up before the weekend. With 56 laps ahead at a scorching hot Circuit of the Americas, the race was set to be a punishing affair for both. "In this race, I wasn't just battling against Lewis, but also against blurry images," added Verstappen. "It was like driving a speedboat at 300 km/h!”

"I've never told you this before, but for a few laps, it was so bad that I seriously considered turning the car off. The only thing that helped was concentrating on my breathing while Lewis was breathing down my neck." The breathing exercises paid off as he held off the Brit to take a crucial victory, his first in the United States with Red Bull also picking up a double podium finish, through teammate Sergio Perez who came home third despite having no fluids during the race.

‘Blurred Vision’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/max-verstappen-reveals-battle-with-blurred-vision-during-2021-f1-title-run-237005.html


Verstappen reveals ‘vision problems’ since 2021 Silverstone crash
12 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Max Verstappen has revealed a lasting impact of the high-speed crash he endured during the 2021 British Grand Prix, admitting to suffering “vision problems” since the accident. While seemingly unscathed at the time, Verstappen has revealed lingering vision issues, particularly on bumpy tracks or circuits with numerous trackside advertisements.

“Since my Silverstone crash, I’ve been struggling with vision problems, especially on bumpy tracks or those with many advertising boards along the track,” he told Red Bull’s website. Verstappen's revelation adds a new dimension to his 2021 championship win. The hidden battle he faced behind the wheel highlights his mental and physical fortitude throughout the season.

‘Lingering vision issues’;

https://f1i.com/news/513820-verstappen-reveals-vision-problems-since-2021-silverstone-crash.html


'I never told anyone': Max Verstappen names one race where he nearly ‘stopped the car’ amid vision problems
12 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen has revealed that he had to deal with eyesight issues after his crash at the 2021 British Grand Prix. The problems arose in the midst of a title battle with Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton and Verstappen made contact at Copse on the first lap of the race as the Mercedes driver tried to execute a bold overtake. The Red Bull star slid into the barriers at high speed.

The stewards handed Hamilton a 10-second penalty for the incident, but he was still able to win the race. Verstappen, meanwhile, had to go to hospital for checks. He was fit to race in the Hungarian GP a couple of weeks later, but suffered lasting complications from the impact. Verstappen still went on to win the first of his three titles to date.

It was a truly classic campaign that saw the two drivers enter the final race in Abu Dhabi level on points. After a last-lap overtake on his rival following a safety car period, Verstappen snatched the championship.

'I never told anyone';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max-verstappen-names-one-race-where-he-nearly-stopped-the-car-amid-vision-problems/


Verstappen reveals “vision problems” since 2021 Silverstone crash with Hamilton
11th July 2024
Keith Collantine
F1 Technical

The collision occured as Verstappen and Hamilton fought over the lead on the first lap of the race. The stewards ruled Hamilton was “predominantly at fault” for the clash and gave him a 10-second time penalty, despite which he was able to win the race.

Red Bull lobbied the FIA to impose a further penalty on Hamilton, submitting a ‘Right of Review’ request after using test driver Alexander Albon to simulate the Mercedes’ line through Copse, while Sergio Perez did the same in their simulator. The request was rejected and Mercedes responding by accusing “the senior management of Red Bull Racing” of trying to “tarnish the good name and sporting integrity of Lewis Hamilton.”

Max Verstappen has revealed his vision was affected by the heavy crash he suffered after colliding with Lewis Hamilton during the 2021 British Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver spun sideways into a tyre barrier at Copse corner with a force of around 51G. He was able to climb from his cockpit and was taken to hospital for checks. Three years on from the impact, Verstappen admitted he has found it difficult to see in some racing situations.

‘Verstappen reveals “vision problems” since 2021 Silverstone crash’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/11/verstappen-reveals-vision-problems-since-2021-silverstone-crash-with-hamilton/

[Fortitude]

F1 NATION: Mercedes to win again? Another chance for McLaren? More to come from Red Bull? It’s our Hungarian GP preview.
After a brief pause following a busy triple header – which featured two wins for a resurgent Mercedes – Formula 1 returns to action this weekend for the Hungarian Grand Prix, and there are lots of topics up for discussion heading into the event.
15 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

On this week's episode of F1 Nation, host Tom Clarkson and 1996 world champion Damon Hill are joined by Mercedes Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin off the back of the squad winning back-to-back races for the first time since 2021. Will they make it three in a row in Budapest, or can Red Bull, McLaren or Ferrari take another win in this unpredictable season?

‘Hungarian GP preview’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/f1-nation-mercedes-to-win-again-another-chance-for-mclaren-more-to-come-from.8cNt0Mv29JHuyNU8edpiY


PREVIEW: 2024 FIA Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix
July 15, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

The 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix promises to be an exciting weekend, with the competition at the front as tight as ever. Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team come into the weekend fresh from two consecutive race wins, while Lando Norris will be hoping to right the wrongs of the Silverstone week. You can also never write off three-time world champion and current championship leader, Max Verstappen.

The midfield is incredibly close too, there’s a battle between Visa Cash App RB and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team that will continue this weekend, while Williams Racing will be hoping for more points after Alex Albon drove an excellent race to finish ninth at the 2024 British Grand Prix.

‘PREVIEW’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/07/preview-2024-fia-formula-1-hungarian-grand-prix/


What changes the Hungaroring have made to honour Ayrton Senna at the Hungarian Grand Prix
15 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

The Hungaroring has gone through a couple of changes since Formula 1 last visited the track 12 months ago. The circuit located just outside of Budapest has a contract to host F1 races until 2027 and recently outlined plans to update its facilities as part of its agreement that could see it extend its contract until 2032.

Organisers plan to improve the size of the garages and width of the paddock, alongside building a new main entrance, race control tower, and a 10,000-seater grandstand. The track has the second longest continuous and unbroken streak of any venue on the F1 calendar after Monza…

Ayrton Senna tribute at Hungaroring ahead of Hungarian GP: In addition to the renovations, the track has also made a tribute to Ayrton Senna as part of its track renovations. According to local journalist Sandor Meszaros, the track has coloured its kerbs in yellow and green to honour the Brazilian. It appears each of the kerbs around the circuit will adopt the colour scheme, which is a change from the usual red, white and green colours used to signify the Hungarian flag.

‘Tribute to Ayrton Senna as part of its track renovations’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-changes-the-hungaroring-have-made-to-honour-ayrton-senna-at-the-hungarian-grand-prix/


2024 F1 Hungarian Grand Prix – Start time, how to watch, channel & more
Back to back wins for Mercedes have thrust it back into contention as a four-way battle for the championship emerges ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
16 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Red Bull Racing continues to lead the way, with Max Verstappen extending his championship lead in Silverstone. However, it's a critical weekend for the squad as Sergio Perez continues to struggle – the coming two events arguably the most important of his career to date.

McLaren heads to Hungary licking its wounds after arguably spurning two chances at victory last time out. Strategy errors proved costly on a weekend the team looked to have the most competitive package, mistakes it can't afford to make as it eyes the constructors' championship.

Hot conditions are expected with Budapest in the midst of a heat wave, which will certainly play a factor. The Mercedes is thought to like the cooler conditions, though the real differentiator will be who can get the tyres working, and then keep them alive in the extreme temperatures.

‘Four-way battle for the championship emerges’;

https://speedcafe.com/2024-f1-hungarian-grand-prix-start-time-how-to-watch-channel-more/


F1 drivers braced for “extremely hot” Hungarian GP after heatwave
17th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Parts of Hungary have experienced heatwave conditions in recent days and conditions are expected to remain hot as F1 teams arrive at the circuit for this weekend’s race. Temperatures of up to 35C are expected on race day which would be the hottest seen so far this year and at any round since 2022.

“It looks like conditions will be extremely hot,” said Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, “so the full race distance will be a really tough one for all the drivers from a physical point of view.”

“Extremely hot”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/17/racefans-round-up-17-07-7/


F1 drivers set for Hungarian GP obstacle with severe weather warning
The latest round of the F1 season takes place at the Hungaroring - it may well present a physical and mental challenge to the drivers during Sunday's grand prix.
17 July 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RaceFans

The 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix will be an incredibly hot affair for the paddock, with scorching temperatures set to be present the entire weekend. Round 13 of the ongoing F1 season sees the paddock descend on the Hungaroring, which has hosted a race annually since 1986. The track, despite being short and narrow in places, has thrown up some exciting races in the past. While drivers will have to focus on the job at hand in bringing home a successful result, their task will be made harder by the sweltering temperatures throughout the weekend.

During Friday practice and Saturday qualifying, it will be warm and tropical, with highs of 34°C and 32°C expected respectively. On Sunday, however, the weekend temperature will peak - in the afternoon, it will rise to 35°C and a possibility exists that it will even seep into 36°C for the race. With the temperature in the cockpit rising well above the air temperature during the race, fitness levels will be put to the test across the grid. There is also a chance of heavy thunderstorms later in the evening, however it is uncertain whether these potential storms will hit the circuit.

‘Severe weather warning’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-drivers-set-for-hungarian-gp-obstacle-with-severe-weather-warning


Formula One statistics for the Hungarian Grand Prix
Jul 17, 2024
The Straits Times

Formula One statistics for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix at Budapest's Hungaroring, round 13 of the 24 race world championship.
Lap distance: 4.381km. Total distance: 306.630km (70 laps)
2023 pole position: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes one minute 16.609 seconds

2023 race winner: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull
Race lap record: Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:16.627 (2020)
Start time: 1300 GMT (1500 local time)

‘Formula One statistics’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/formula-one-statistics-for-the-hungarian-grand-prix


Hungarian GP: F1 preview, times, predictions, stats
Jul 17, 2024
• ESPN
ESPN.com

Formula One has reached round 13 -- the Hungarian Grand Prix, and what began out as another dominant Red Bull campaign at the start of the season has delivered some thrilling races since Miami, with surprise winners and the battle intensifying.

So far, the season has had six different winners and has seen a resurgence from Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton back to winning ways at the British Grand Prix. Meanwhile Ferrari, who were the challengers to Max Verstappen and Red Bull at the start, have found themselves with only one podium since Charles Leclerc's Monaco Grand Prix win in May.

Who's going to win? The Hungaroring represents a return to slow and medium-speed corners, which may help Ferrari recover to a more competitive position. But on a circuit where Verstappen dominated last year, it's hard to look past Red Bull being the favourite for victory.

‘F1 preview, times, predictions, stats’;

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/40580977/hungarian-grand-prix-preview-s-predictions-stats

[Fortitude]

More fragile trophies and 'another' 9th Hamilton win? Hungarian GP preview.
Senna’s life, and his Hungaroring victories will be marked by repainted kerbs on the S bends of Turns 8-10, in the green and yellow colours of the Brazilian flag.
July 18th 2024
Dominic Tobin
Motor Sport Magazine

Lewis Hamilton will be looking for his second successive F1 win at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, but Ferrari could spring a comeback. Here's what to watch out for at the Hungaroring, including fragile trophies, porcelain-effect helmets and scorching temperatures.

With six different grand prix winners this season, what are the chances of adding a seventh this weekend? Not bad, you’d have to say, given Hungary’s record of unexpected F1 results over almost 40 years.

‘Hungarian GP preview’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/more-fragile-trophies-and-another-9th-hamilton-win-hungarian-gp-preview/?nowprocket=1#


What time does the 2024 F1 Hungarian GP start?
From Friday, July 19th, to Sunday, July 21st, the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix will be held. Check here what time the race begins.
18 July 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

The Hungarian GP weekend will take place from Friday, July 19th, to Sunday, July 21st, 2024. It is relatively difficult to overtake on the narrow Hungaroring, making qualifying and the right race strategy crucial. Last year, Max Verstappen won the Hungarian GP with a significant lead of over thirty seconds. However, after the thrilling races with various race winners recently, this year will certainly not be an easy race for the Dutch driver.

The race in Hungary starts on Sunday, July 21st, at 2:00 PM BST. The schedule is automatically adjusted to your time zone. Timetable Hungarian GP:

Session
Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 19 July 13:30 - 14:30
Free practice 2 Friday 19 July 17:00 - 18:00
Free practice 3 Saturday 20 July 12:30 - 13:30
Qualification Saturday 20 July 16:00 - 17:00
Race Sunday 21 July 15:00 - 17:00

‘The schedule’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-time-does-the-2024-f1-hungarian-gp-start


Mercedes set summer target after securing ‘headline results’
Mercedes has a chance to win three consecutive races for the first time since 2021 this weekend.
17 July 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Mercedes has never been in such a strong position in the current regulations, although more is required, in Wolff's opinion, for the team to challenge at every race. "We head into the upcoming double header with momentum," said Wolff. "We have continued to make progress with the W15 in recent races.”

"That has led to headline results in Austria and Silverstone. However, we know we don't yet have a car that can challenge for victories every weekend. The team is working hard to bring more steps of performance that we hope will enable us to do that. Those efforts will continue over the next two races and right up until shutdown."

“Head into the upcoming double header with momentum”;

https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-set-summer-target-after-securing-headline-results


Horner predicts Hungarian GP challenge for Red Bull
Red Bull are looking to win its first race since the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend in Hungary.
17 July 2024
Nick Golding & Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Christian Horner is expecting the "usual people" to be quick in this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, which looks set to held in sweltering conditions. Extreme heat awaits the drivers this weekend in the Hungaroring, adding an extra element to what is already set to be an enthralling weekend. Red Bull has seen its advantage cut by McLaren and Mercedes at recent events, with the latter winning the last two races.

Based on recent performances in Hungary, both McLaren and Mercedes are expected to challenge Red Bull for victory. Max Verstappen is no longer the clear favourite heading into races, whilst the heat could also play an important role. "It's going to be interesting to see how we perform there, it could be hot," Horner told media including RacingNews365. "I think it'll be the usual people that are quick at the moment. It's going to be an interesting venue. I'm sure it'll be very, very close once again."

‘Challenge for Red Bull’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-predicts-hungarian-gp-challenge-for-red-bull


McLaren's Hungarian GP plans disrupted after freak event
McLaren has been forced to adapt its Hungarian GP plans after a freak weather event.
18 July 2024
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

McLaren's multi-story hub, which was damaged by an electrical fire during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend and out of action for repairs in Austria, was damaged again, with the team forced to close it for the coming weekend. "On Wednesday afternoon, during set-up for the Hungarian Grand Prix, the team was hit with an unexpected weather event which has impacted the McLaren Team Hub," read a team statement.

"The team are currently working to fix the damage and therefore unfortunately our Team Hub will not be open to any guests or media for the duration of the Hungarian GP." In Spain and Austria when the facility was out of action, McLaren boss Zak Brown used the FIA's hospitality as his base with the drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri using other McLaren facilities as their driver bases.

‘Freak weather event’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclarens-hungarian-gp-plans-disrupted-after-freak-event


‘Senna kerbs’ and more bad luck at McLaren: First Hungarian GP pictures
18th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The Hungaroring has also become the latest circuit to mark 30 years since the death of Ayrton Senna. The kerbs at turns six and seven have also been painted green and yellow as a tribute, which was also done at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve earlier this year. Senna finished in the top two places at the Hungaroring every year he raced there apart from his final visit in 1993, and won the race three times.

While much of Hungary has experienced several days of consistently hot conditions recently, a downpour hit the paddock during the set-up and caused some damage to McLaren’s motorhome. Its Team Hub had only recently been repaired after a fire broke out at the Spanish Grand Prix and they will not be able to receive guests there this weekend due to the damage.

‘Hungarian GP pictures’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/18/senna-kerbs-and-more-bad-luck-for-mclaren-first-hungarian-gp-pictures/


Kevin Magnussen informed of Haas F1 axing over the phone | "Exploring" other options
Kevin Magnussen addresses his axing from Haas ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
18 Jul 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking to media in Hungary, where Crash.net are present in the paddock, Magnussen explained how he found out the news and his immediate reaction to losing his drive at Haas. “By telephone,” he replied when asked how he was informed of the news.

“Well, I think, you know, I've been with this team since the very beginning of Haas' time at F1, and I feel very much a part of the family,” Magnussen said. “It's going to be strange to leave the team at the end of the year, but everything comes to an end, and, you know, it's still quite early in the season.”

“Haas have gone ahead and wants to secure the drivers for next year early enough, and, you know, there's still seats available, so that's understandable and fine by me.” Magnussen conceded he would have liked to stay at Haas to see the “fruits” of the recent momentum.

“By telephone”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052276/1/kevin-magnussen-informed-haas-f1-axing-over-phone-exploring-other-options


What is the weather forecast for the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix?
17 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Formula 1 heads to the Hungaroring this weekend to kick off one more double header before the summer break – but what does the weather have in store for the Hungarian Grand Prix?

As it stands, there is a small chance of showers in phases across the weekend, but otherwise the forecast is predominantly predicting a boiling hot three days of action around the classic venue.

‘Boiling hot three days of action’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-is-the-weather-forecast-for-the-2024-hungarian-grand-prix.r2ZIpT6OGfE9zFQeC7T9I


What tyres will the teams and drivers have for the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix?
17 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Drivers will get two sets of the hard tyre (marked white), three sets of the medium tyre (marked yellow), and eight sets of the soft tyre (marked red), as well as the green intermediate tyre and the blue full wets, should they be required.

‘What tyres?’

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-tyres-will-the-teams-and-drivers-have-for-the-2024-hungarian-grand-prix.6zgvwbJiWKVLFACHPftc1j

[Fortitude]

F1 - 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
DRIVERS – Nico HÜLKENBERG (Haas), Pierre GASLY (Alpine), Alex ALBON (Williams), Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren), Fernando ALONSO (Aston Martin)
18.07.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Nico, great to see you. And you are enjoying a great run at the moment. Two consecutive P6s. Just how confident are you in this car and what you can do with it going forward?
Nico HÜLKENBERG: Yeah, it's definitely been good. It's been very positive. Austria was very good. Then we brought the update to Silverstone, which added more performance and was a good step forward. I think so far this season, obviously we're at the halfway point after Silverstone, that we're definitely one of the positive surprises this season, recovering a lot of performance from last year. So it's been good. It's very enjoyable, obviously, racing for points.

Q: (Chiel Van Koldenhoven – Viaplay) Fernando, I just saw a picture on social media from Lando's car park sign. There was something written on it. It was ‘2-1, Viva España’. Was that you?
Fernando ALONSO: Not me. No, not me. There is another Spanish driver, so yeah. Not me, for sure.

Q: (Ben Hunt – Autosport) Question to Oscar. Your motorhome has now got no roof on. I wonder, how much does this affect your preparation? Anyway, this time around, are you using your driver room or are you forced to go somewhere else? Just wondered how it affects you.
OP: I mean, the last time our motorhome, well it caught fire last time, I think Lando put it on pole, so maybe it's, I don't know, maybe it's good! Obviously not, but it doesn't change much. We've unfortunately got the experience of having to rearrange things a little bit. So we'll be fine for the weekend. Yeah, I don't know if this motorhome we've got is now a bad omen and just, I don't know if it's a sign that we need a new one or what, but no, we'll be fine.

‘Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-hungarian-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript


View From The Paddock - F1 News - Hungarian Grand Prix Thursday
20:22 Thu, 18 Jul 2024
Motorsport.com

The Hungarian Grand Prix is here, and in the sweltering heat, Jon Noble and Alex Kalinauckas sat down to discuss all the latest news from Thursday's press day, including that Magnussen will be leaving Haas at the end of 2024, McLaren's potential brake drum trick, the 2nd Red Bull seat love triangle and more.

‘View From The Paddock’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/view-from-the-paddock-f1-news-hungarian-grand-prix-thursday/653231/


Lewis Hamilton sends warning to Max Verstappen and Lando Norris at Hungarian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton is looking to repeat his historic feat at Silverstone at the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend.
Jul 18, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

"It's game on," Hamilton declared to the media in Hungary. "We're fighting for wins and we're chasing, and we're going to try and win as many races as George mentioned, or compete for as many wins as possible.”

"It might turn out this weekend that the Red Bull still is light years ahead, or the McLaren is still this weekend. Who knows. But I think what we've shown over the last few races is that with determination, with real focus and persistently chasing for perfection and improvement, you can make a difference.”

"It's game on";

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1925077/Lewis-Hamilton-Max-Verstappen-Lando-Norris-Hungarian-Grand-Prix


Why Mercedes is feeling 'nervous' ahead of Hungarian GP
Trackside engineering chief Andrew Shovlin has explained why the nerves are at Mercedes heading to Hungary.
18 July 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Mercedes is feeling "nervous" about maintaining its Silverstone form heading into the Hungarian Grand Prix, says Andrew Shovlin. "We certainly don't think that because we won the last one, let's go and win the next one," Shovlin told the F1 Nation podcast. "It almost makes you a bit more nervous as maintaining that performance we had at Silverstone is going to be very difficult.”

"The big test for Hungary is whether or not we have got on top of our long run performance in hot conditions, because in Barcelona and Austria, we couldn't match Lando or Max on the long runs, both those cars were well ahead of us. Hopefully now we've made a bit of progress, but if I look at the size of the gap in those two races, I'd be surprised if we can pull that in significantly.”

"But we surprised ourselves with the first stint at Silverstone, we didn't think in the dry bit of the race, we'd be able to break away. We thought it would be like Barcelona where George got into the lead and then he's got two of them on his gearbox. But the track throws up different demands, we can simulate those problems, we what type of issues it will throw up and we'll put our effort into the preparation side and making sure that we start with the best set-up we can."

‘Why the nerves are at Mercedes heading to Hungary’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-mercedes-are-feeling-nervous-ahead-of-hungarian-gp


Sainz hopes for a better weekend as Ferrari bring floor upgrades to Hungary
18 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz is hoping for a better weekend at the Hungaroring as his team bring further floor upgrades ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

‘Ferrari bring floor upgrades’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-hopes-for-a-better-weekend-as-ferrari-bring-floor-upgrades-to-hungary.1804925630947412635


Lando Norris digs out McLaren as ultimate pressure placed on team before Hungarian GP
Lando Norris is looking to return to winning ways at the Hungaroring this weekend.
Jul 18, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lando Norris has described the criticism levelled at McLaren's recent strategy calls as 'not unfair', putting pressure on the Woking-based team to improve at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Asked by Sky Sports F1 whether the criticism being levelled at his team is unjust, he replied: "No, not at all. It just depends on how you take it. I don't think it's unfair because you're always going to have it. That's life.”

"People are going to criticise you, people are going to support you. People are going to make mistakes. We're not the only team... there have been times when Red Bull should have won and didn't, and Mercedes should have won and didn't."

“That's life”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1925050/Lando-Norris-McLaren-Hungarian-Grand-Prix


Max Verstappen casts pivotal F1 2024 prediction as Red Bull unleash biggest RB20 upgrade yet
18 Jul 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen has admitted it will be difficult to call how the rest of the F1 2024 season will unfold if the latest Red Bull RB20 upgrade does not deliver as expected at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Speaking to reporters in Budapest on Thursday, Verstappen explained that the update should “give a good boost” to Red Bull after a tricky series of races.

Asked how close the competition will be to Red Bull in Hungary, Verstappen replied: “I think you should turn it around: how close can we be to the competition? “I think in the last few races we have not been the quickest car, so I don’t expect that to suddenly now be any different. Of course we are bringing upgrades, so hopefully that will give a good boost.”

“At the moment, I just want to try and see how that will work this weekend. We brought stuff [earlier in the season] but they were not particularly big, I would say. This one is a bit bigger than what we have brought already. So I think, for everyone, this is an important weekend.”

‘Red Bull unleash biggest RB20 upgrade yet’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-rb20-biggest-upgrade-max-verstappen-prediction


Bottas hopes Sauber upgrades will bring them to a 'better place'
18 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Valtteri Bottas is hopeful that upgrades to his Kick Sauber will take the team to a better place at the Hungaroring, after a tricky British Grand Prix where he lacked the race pace to challenge for points.

‘Sauber upgrades’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bottas-hopes-sauber-upgrades-will-bring-them-to-a-better-place.1804915503544565914

[Fortitude]

Carlos Sainz heads Max Verstappen in hot opening Hungarian GP practice.
During the soft tyre runs, Sainz produced a lap that was 0.276s faster than reigning world champion Verstappen, and 0.298s clear of Leclerc, who made it a Ferrari 1-3.
19 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz led the way from Max Verstappen and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in opening practice at the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Red Bull have brought a substantial upgrade package to their RB20 car for this weekend’s race at the Hungaroring, while Ferrari have introduced an updated floor in a bit to combat recent bouncing problems. George Russell was the fastest Mercedes driver in fourth, some four-tenths adrift of Sainz’s benchmark, while Zhou Guanyu was an eye-catching fifth in his upgraded Sauber.

Lando Norris took sixth ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll, driving an extensively upgraded Aston Martin. Lewis Hamilton, fresh from claiming his first win in 945 days at the British Grand Prix last time out, rounded out the top 10.

‘Ferrari 1-3’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052329/1/carlos-sainz-heads-max-verstappen-hot-opening-hungarian-gp-practice


Hungarian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.
19 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 25 1:18.713

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 19 1:18.989 0.276

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 28 1:19.011 0.298

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 26 1:19.137 0.424

5 24 Zhou Guanyu Sauber 23 1:19.180 0.467

6 4 Lando Norris McLaren 24 1:19.211 0.498

7 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 25 1:19.249 0.536

8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 24 1:19.260 0.547

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 24 1:19.265 0.552

10 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 27 1:19.287 0.574

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

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


Hungarian Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 1 Results
Who will set the pace after a flurry of upgrades being brought to the Hungaroring?
July 19, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Williams driver Alex Albon went quickest on his soft tyre run. The Thai driver set a 1:19.794 – 0.037 seconds quicker than Verstappen at the top. However, Russell smashed that lap time, setting a 1:19.137 on the soft compound. Hamilton went a tenth-and-a-half slower than his teammate on his soft tyre run.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc bettered Russell’s time, setting a 1:19.011 on the soft compound tyre. Ferrari will be hoping their modified floor will help them compete for pole position and the race win this weekend. Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu set a time good enough for third – 0.169 seconds off Leclerc’s time. Are Sauber’s upgrades meaningful?

Sainz then smashed his teammate’s lap time, being the first driver to go into the 1:18’s. The Spaniard set a 1:18.713 on the soft compound. Verstappen was not quick enough to beat Sainz’s time, going just under three tneths slower than the Spaniard. Sainz ended the session quickest – head of Verstappen and his teammate Leclerc.

‘F1 Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/hungarian-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-1-results/?nowprocket=1


Where Ferrari really stands after topping first Hungarian GP practice
Jul 19, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race

Ferrari has started Formula 1’s 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix on the front foot, with Carlos Sainz setting the pace in first practice. After an abysmal recent run stretching back to June’s Canadian GP, Ferrari has brought a modified floor to Budapest with the aim of alleviating bouncing problems at high speed and low ride heights.

The lower-speed nature of the Hungaroring, compared to Silverstone and Barcelona - where bouncing has been most problematic and forced Ferrari into reverting on aerodynamic upgrades - will no doubt be helping.

Sainz’s 1m18.713s best lap of the session, set on the soft C5 compound Pirelli, seemed to achieve the right balance between speed-sapping understeer at the start of the lap utilised to protect the rear tyres from overheating too much through the looping final sector.

‘Where Ferrari really stands’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/hungarian-grand-prix-f1-practice-2024-sainz-ferrari-fastest/


Hungarian Grand Prix: Ferrari on top but Max Verstappen pace catches the eye
19 Jul 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari topped the opening hour of practice in Hungary via Carlos Sainz, but the threat of Max Verstappen looms large. The switch to soft tyres saw Sainz unlock session-topping pace from his Ferrari, but while his 1:18.713 bettered P2 finisher Verstappen by almost three-tenths, Verstappen crucially was running used softs and looked very impressive doing so.

Focus soon returned to the front as Verstappen delivered his next push lap, good enough for P2 and within three tenths of Sainz on used softs. Russell, looking to respond, was getting all hot and bothered with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon who got in the way. He claimed the 2021 Hungarian GP winner was “defending” against him.

Into the final 10 minutes and Verstappen was soon finding time on his used tyres in Sector 1, but could not keep the green sectors coming to improve. Sainz would top FP1 from Verstappen and Leclerc, but it remains to be seen what Verstappen can unleash on a shiny new set of softs.

‘Max Verstappen looms large’;

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


Hungarian GP: Sainz puts Ferrari on top in opening practice
19/07/2024 at 13:47
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz offered Ferrari an encouraging start to its Hungarian Grand Prix weekend by setting the pace in Friday’s opening practice at the Hungaroring. The Spaniard enjoyed a reasonable 0.276s margin over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen while Charles Leclerc confirmed the Scuderia’s early from by setting the third fastest lap, 0.296s adrift from his teammate.

Norris’ switch to the soft compound yielded a time just 0.074s shy of Russell. But in an encouraging sign for Ferrari, Leclerc sprung to the top with a 1m19.011. And Sainz followed suit, also on the softs, with an effort that put the Spaniard below the 1m18s barrier.

‘Ferrari on top in opening practice’;

https://f1i.com/news/514184-hungarian-gp-sainz-puts-ferrari-on-top-in-opening-practice.html


Verstappen fires warning shot as Ferrari rekindle hope
There were upgrades aplenty on show at the Hungaroring, with Red Bull sporting a major package, and Ferrari a crucial tweak.
19 July 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Verstappen only uses softs: Opting for an early run on softs, compared to the majority of his rivals on mediums, Verstappen unsurprisingly set the early pace with a lap of 1:20.715s. After a cool down, the three-time F1 champion shaved off nine-tenths of a second to post 1:19.831s. Verstappen was on course to go even quicker on his third push lap after posting purple times in the first and second sectors, only to lose time in the final sector to fall short of his leading run

Behind the Dutch driver over the early exchanges was Mercedes' George Russell, 0.252s adrift, followed by the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. It was not until halfway through the session that Verstappen was usurped as the soft tyres came to the fore, initially by Williams' Alex Albon with a 1:19.794s before Russell blitzed that by over six-tenths of a second, followed by Hamilton, 0.150s adrift.

Norris soon split the Mercedes pair, almost exactly, finishing 0.074s behind Russell, before Ferrari showed their hand for this session as Leclerc, and then Sainz, went quickest, the latter the first to dip below 79 seconds with a lap of 1:18.713s. When Verstappen resumed his soft-tyre running after a lull, and with track conditions more ideal compared to his earlier laps, the 26-year-old netted his second spot behind Sainz. As mentioned, the good news for Red Bull was that his time was on a used set. Additionally, Verstappen only used soft tyres throughout the 60-minute session.

‘Verstappen fires warning shot’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-fires-warning-shot-as-ferrari-rekindle-hope


Four F1 teams bring crucial upgrades for Hungarian GP
Jul 19, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

Several Formula 1 teams have brought what they hope will be very significant upgrades to the Hungarian Grand Prix, including changes that could be season-changing for some squads if they solve the problems they’re designed to.

‘What’s new’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/four-f1-teams-bring-crucial-upgrades-for-hungarian-gp/

[Fortitude]

Norris fastest from Verstappen in Hungarian GP second practice as Leclerc crashes.
Lando Norris was fastest from Max Verstappen in FP2 for the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, as Ferrari‘s Charles Leclerc crashed out at high speed at the Hungaroring.
19 July 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Once FP2 resumed, Norris went a quarter of a second quicker than Verstappen, with the pair set to resume their battle from recent events. Carlos Sainz, who topped first practice, was in third at 0.397s adrift, with Sergio Perez in fourth and George Russell in fifth at half a second down. Kevin Magnussen finished sixth as Haas underlined their strong pace this year and British GP winner Lewis Hamilton ended up in seventh.

Leclerc spin could prove costly: Ferrari were first and third in the opening practice session at the Hungarian GP, with their modified floor appearing to work around the twisty Budapest circuit. Leclerc has scored just 12 points since his victory at the Monaco GP in May but he wasn’t able to complete a qualifying simulation on the soft tyres due to his crash.

It looks like McLaren and Red Bull have an edge over Mercedes, who are looking for a hat-trick of wins this season. Oscar Piastri finished down in 13th after he damaged his floor and lost track time as McLaren repaired his car. The other major incident of the session saw Sauber‘s Zhou Guanyu nearly collect Perez after he also spun at the same corner as Leclerc.

‘McLaren and Red Bull have an edge over Mercedes’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lando-norris-max-verstappen-hungarian-gp-second-practice-charles-leclerc-crashes/


Hungarian GP: Free Practice 2 Results.
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.
20 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 23 1:17.788

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 19 1:18.031 0.243

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 21 1:18.185 0.397

4 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 22 1:18.255 0.467

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 19 1:18.294 0.506

6 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 23 1:18.315 0.527

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 19 1:18.363 0.575

8 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 18 1:18.371 0.583

9 23 Alex Albon Williams 21 1:18.514 0.726

10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 21 1:18.519 0.731

‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;

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


Leclerc crashes, Norris leads Verstappen in Hungarian GP FP2
Jul 19, 2024
by Samarth Kanal
The Race

The weekend started encouragingly for Ferrari as Carlos Sainz topped first practice but his team-mate Leclerc - who was third in FP1 - spun and hit the barriers 16 minutes into FP2. Leclerc took too much kerb at the Turn 4 left-hand kind and spun, causing the front-left of his Ferrari to hit the barriers and bring out the red flags.

The resulting 16-minute stoppage cost teams considerable time, although the crash and its resulting damage was of particular concern to Ferrari, which has brought an underbody upgrade to the Hungaroring for both of its drivers.

After the stoppage, the field equipped soft tyres and it was Norris who went fastest with a time of 1m17.788s thanks to a fastest first sector of all that was two tenths faster than Max Verstappen’s first sector. The championship leader finished second - having himself set the fastest middle sector - but he was 0.243 seconds off Norris.

‘Leclerc crashes, Norris leads Verstappen’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/hungarian-gp-fp2-leclerc-ferrari-crash-norris-leads-verstappen-f1/


Lando Norris tops second Hungarian GP practice as Charles Leclerc crashes
Lando Norris set the pace ahead of Max Verstappen in second practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
19 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lando Norris led the way in second practice at the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix in a session that was truncated by a crash for Charles Leclerc. McLaren’s Norris was 0.243s clear of reigning world champion Max Verstappen in Red Bull’s significantly upgraded RB20, while Carlos Sainz was third for Ferrari, 0.397s off the pace.

Sergio Perez improved to fourth in the afternoon, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, outgoing Haas driver Kevin Magnussen, and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, winner of the British Grand Prix two weeks ago. Daniel Ricciardo popped his RB into eighth, with Alex Albon and Fernando Alonso completing the rest of the top-10 for Williams and Aston Martin respectively.

‘Lando Norris set the pace’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052359/1/lando-norris-tops-second-hungarian-gp-practice-charles-leclerc-crashes


F1 Hungarian GP: Norris fastest in red-flagged FP2 over Verstappen, Sainz
19 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport.com

Lando Norris clocked the fastest time in the second practice session at this weekend’s Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix, while Charles Leclerc caused a red flag stop. Norris propelled his McLaren to the top at the Hungaroring as he set a 1:17.788s on the Softs to emerge quickest, two-tenths quicker than Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

However, it wasn’t plain sailing down at McLaren as Oscar Piastri’s MCL38 needed minor work to repair floor damage, with the Australian having had a disrupted FP1. Leclerc is striving to recover from a torrid recent run this weekend, but his participation in proceedings was cut short as he careered his Ferrari into the wall at Turn 4.

Behind Verstappen came the pacesetter from FP1 as Carlos Sainz wound up third fastest in the one remaining Ferrari car, with Perez a positive fourth in his Red Bull. George Russell completed the top five places, 0.506s down on Norris’ benchmark, with Kevin Magnussen a shock sixth in the Haas to sandwich the Mercedes drivers.

‘Norris fastest in red-flagged FP2’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/19/norris-tops-fp2-at-f1-hungarian-gp-as-leclerc-causes-red-flag/


F1 Hungarian GP: Norris fastest in red-flagged FP2 over Verstappen, Sainz
McLaren's Lando Norris set a 1m17.788s lap in interrupted FP2 in Hungary to sit clear of F1 title leader Max Verstappen
Jul 19, 2024
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Sergio Perez had moved to the top of the order with a 1m18.568s amid the early runs on mediums, which remained the fastest lap throughout the session's opening 15 minutes. At this stage, the session was interrupted by Charles Leclerc's crash on the exit of Turn 4; the Ferrari driver took too much kerb coming out of the uphill left-hander, pitching his car into a heavy spin into the opposite wall.

Once the green flag was shown once more, the usual soft tyre runs began to take place; George Russell posted a 1m18.294s to dispatch Perez's earlier benchmark, kicking off the post-pause shuffle in the order. Norris then put half a second on his countryman, moving to the top with a 1m17.788s to set a considerable benchmark for the other drivers to aim for.

FP1 headliner Carlos Sainz closed Norris' advantage over second after setting a 1m18.185s, which cut the gap to under 0.4s, while Max Verstappen improved further with a 1m18.031s. However, Norris' lap in the 1m17s could not be eclipsed prior to the longer runs. Perez had set a follow-up time good enough for fourth behind Sainz and Verstappen, albeit only 0.3s quicker than his medium tyre lap - a much smaller improvement compared to the tyre deltas for everyone else.

‘Norris' lap in the 1m17s could not be eclipsed’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-hungarian-gp-norris-fastest-in-red-flagged-fp2-over-verstappen-sainz/10636255/


2024 Hungarian GP FP2: Heavy impact for Leclerc triggers red flag in second practice
Jul 19, 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Charles Leclerc was third quickest in FP1 on Friday morning but his day ended when he spun his Ferrari at Turn 4 and thumped into the barriers. He walked away from the incident but missed out on most of the session.

‘Heavy impact’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-hungarian-gp-fp2-heavy-impact-for-leclerc-triggers-red-flag-in-second-practice.1805023244511510681

[Fortitude]

Flying McLaren and reinvigorated Red Bull spell bad news for Mercedes.
Although direct comparisons are tricky, given the different compounds, there are signs that Red Bull and McLaren will again be locked in a close battle for supremacy this weekend.
19th July 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Red Bull have only been able to bring one full raft of upgrades to the Hungaroring this weekend, with, unsurprisingly, Verstappen getting the full benefit of them. But despite missing out on having the optimum Red Bull package, in theory, Sergio Perez was far happier at the end of Friday than he so often has been in recent months, saying that this was “the most comfortable I have felt with the car at this stage of the weekend in a while.”

Norris was quickest over a single lap, but even his long run on the hard tyres looked promising, matching or being even faster than Verstappen’s runs on the mediums, which were slightly slower but more consistent. Unfortunately for Ferrari fans, Charles Leclerc missed out on any opportunity to get a long run in after crashing out of the session early. However, even Sainz’s high-fuel runs would have done little to help his team feel like they are any closer to fighting for more wins this weekend.

Instead, it looks as though the fight for pole position could be between the world champions and McLaren – with Perez potentially a genuine factor at the front once again. But Norris and Piastri will have a difficult prospect to keep the Red Bulls off the top spot, as suggested by how Verstappen and Perez were quickest through sectors two and three, respectively, on their fastest laps of Friday while Norris ahead only through the opening sector.

‘Bad news for Mercedes’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/19/flying-mclaren-and-reinvigorated-red-bull-spell-bad-news-for-mercedes/


McLaren vs Red Bull to resume? Five data clues from Hungarian GP practice
19 Jul 2024
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

After a hot afternoon of practice in Hungary, the teams are already analysing telemetry data and long runs to prepare race strategies and analyse qualifying paces. Red Bull and McLaren look to be the strongest for the Hungarian GP, although Mercedes and Ferrari could join the battle at any time.

It’s already a classic of this season, but Friday’s data gives us another duel between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The Red Bull team has brought an update package that has paid off and both Verstappen and Sergio Perez have been very comfortable. The Mexican, in fact, had his best Friday since the Chinese GP.

The FP1 and FP2 sessions at the Hungaroring have left us with some interesting data to analyse and several names to watch out for in qualifying and the race on Sunday. Although we don’t know a lot of data such as the fuel load of each car, the engine map selected, etc. the data from Friday at the Hungarian GP gives us a bigger picture of how the weekend might unfold.

‘Five data clues’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/hungarian-gp-2024-practice-data-clues


Norris preparing for ‘mentally draining’ Hungarian GP after topping FP2
19 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lando Norris was quickest in second practice, but it expecting a very tough Grand Prix in the Hungary heat on Sunday.

‘Mentally draining’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/norris-preparing-for-mentally-draining-hungarian-gp-after-topping-fp2.1805027864731289383


Charles Leclerc reveals extent of Ferrari damage after Hungarian GP practice crash
19 Jul 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc admitted he thought the damage to his Ferrari would be “much bigger” than it was, after crashing out of FP2 in Hungary on Friday. Leclerc hit the inside wall on the exit of the high-speed Turn 4 at the Hungaroring after catching the kerb and being sent into a spin, the weight of the impact setting off the sensor that required the Medical Car to be deployed – though he reported immediately that he was okay.

“Well, when I lost it I thought the damage would be much bigger,” Leclerc said after the session. “The damage is not that big, but obviously it’s enough for us to not continue the session and that’s never what you want. What happened is that I ran a bit wide on the kerb, I got a snap in the middle of Turn 4, got a bit wide on the kerb and then lost the car on the kerb.”

“The car was pretty good. The feeling is getting a little bit better, we had more of a consistent day compared to the last three or four weekends. So that’s positive. Unfortunately, with the mistake, the mileage was cut short, but hopefully we’ll recover that in FP3 tomorrow.”

‘Extent of Ferrari damage’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-ferrari-damage-hungarian-gp-practice-crash


HIGHLIGHTS: Enjoy the Hungaroring FP2 action as Norris goes quickest for McLaren while Leclerc crashes out
19 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Lando Norris continued his strong recent run of form in Free Practice 2 for the Hungarian Grand Prix, topping the session by over two-tenths from championship leader Max Verstappen. Norris topped the times with a lap of 1m 17.788s around a toasty-hot Hungaroring track, leaving him 0.243s to the good over Verstappen in the upgraded Red Bull RB20.

Charles Leclerc fans will have been sad to see their driver not featuring at the front of the field, after the Ferrari driver crashed around 15 minutes into FP2, swiping his SF-24 down the wall at Turn 5 and bringing out the red flags, with Leclerc playing no further part in the session. Enjoy the action from FP2 at the Hungarian Grand Prix in the video above.

‘Hungaroring FP2 action’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/highlights-enjoy-the-hungaroring-fp2-action-as-norris-goes-quickest-for.2lmXjtHwiDEqEzlp9lhv5n


Full scale of Red Bull's huge Hungarian GP upgrade revealed
Red Bull have brought one of the largest upgrade packages to the Hungarian Grand Prix in the F1 field.
19 July 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

The full details of Red Bull's huge Hungarian Grand Prix upgrade have been revealed, with it being one of the largest packages in the field. The most-striking and visual detail is to the engine cover and cooling with the 'shoulder' air inlets ditched and the long cooling channels ditched for a more conventional design.

Red Bull states this is to achieve "better cooling efficiency for a high ambient temperature and relatively slow circuit." In other words, it could be deemed as a 'high downforce package', with the halo, rear corner and front wing and front suspension also taking in new parts to improve the airflow and add more performance-enhancing load.

In contrast, rivals Mercedes only has a small upgrade to the rear of the car to improve rear downforce, whilst Ferrari has brought a small reworked upgrade to the floor underbody to try and eliminate the bouncing it has been suffering since its Spanish GP upgrade. McLaren has not brought any upgrades to Budapest.

‘One of the largest upgrade packages’;

https://racingnews365.com/full-scale-of-red-bulls-huge-hungarian-gp-upgrade-revealed


Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes ‘not on form’ in Hungary as hot weather struggles continue
A tricky day for Mercedes as their hot weather struggles continued at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
19 Jul 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Reflecting on the day at the Hungaroring. Hamilton said: “Today’s not been a good day really. The weather’s been good. It’s been nice to be here. We’ve not been on form today. The car hasn’t felt good setup wise. I think we have an idea why. We’ll just work overnight. Not the best prep so far.”

“Little tweaks but the car was pretty much the same . “He added. “There’s a particular thing that we had left that was changed for this weekend that we need to go back on. It’s all relatively close otherwise. We couldn’t do the laps of the other guys today but the long run pace was decent at the end.”

‘Not on form’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052364/1/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-not-form-hungary-hot-weather-struggles-continue


[B]Lewis Hamilton says ‘very hot’ weather to blame with Mercedes struggling in Hungary practice
Published Jul 19, 2024
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell bemoaned the very hot weather after a difficult start to their Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. ‘It’s definitely very hot. Beautiful in Budapest as always!’ Hamilton told Sky Sports afterward with temperatures reaching upwards of 34°C at the circuit. Today’s not been a good day, really. The weather has been good and it’s been nice to be here but we’ve not really been on form today. Felt just as bad as it does normally when it’s hot.’

‘The car hasn’t felt good set-up-wise but we think we have an idea why and we’ll just work overnight. It’s not the best prep so far. There’s a particular thing that we’ve changed this weekend which we probably need to go back on.’ Lewis Hamilton.

George Russell: ‘We need to understand because in the hot conditions of Austria and Barcelona we were off the pace of those two drivers. In the cooler conditions of Silverstone we were ahead of those two. That’s something we need to work on.’

‘Very hot weather to blame’;

https://metro.co.uk/2024/07/19/lewis-hamilton-blames-very-hot-weather-mercedes-struggle-hungary-21262612/?ito=newsnow-feed

[Fortitude]

Norris leads McLaren 1-2 in Hungarian GP final practice.
McLaren continued its strong form in Saturday’s final practice at the Hungaroring, with Lando Norris edging teammate Oscar Piastri to claim the status of favourite ahead of this afternoon’s qualifying.
20/07/2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was third, 0.281s adrift from Norris and just ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell. Carlos Sainz was Ferrari’s fastest representative in fifth position while a strong display by RB’s Daniel Ricciardo saw the Aussie complete the top six.

Verstappen’s performance in third hinted at another qualifying showdown with Norris, while Russell and Sainz completed the top five. An encouraging effort by Ricciardo saw the Aussie classified P6, just ahead of a panaché of mid-field runners formed bvy Williams’ Alex Albon, Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and Yuki Tsunoda.

Hamilton rounded up the top-ten while Leclerc headed the second half of the field which included both Aston Martins that struggled for speed, a pair of Saubers and both Alpines with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon lining up a worrying P18 and P20.

‘McLaren 1-2’;

https://f1i.com/news/514346-norris-leads-mclaren-1-2-in-hungarian-gp-final-practice.html


Hungarian GP: Free Practice 3 Results
20 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 16 1:16.098

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 16 1:16.142 0.044

3 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 26 1:16.379 0.281

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 14 1:16.564 0.466

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 15 1:16.639 0.541

6 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 14 1:16.652 0.554

7 23 Alex Albon Williams 15 1:16.661 0.563

8 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 14 1:16.696 0.598

9 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 15 1:16.744 0.646

10 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 13 1:16.786 0.688

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

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


Everything you need to know from final Hungarian GP practice
Jul 20, 2024
by Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Lando Norris led a McLaren 1-2 in the third practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix, as the MCL60 thrived in cooler conditions. Reigning champion Max Verstappen looked potent as Red Bull conducted its early running on the hard tyre - while the rest of the field favoured mediums - but his run did not match the McLarens late on.

Norris's best lap, a 1m16.098s, was achieved despite a small slide in the final corner, with team-mate Oscar Piastri clawing back a tenth in the final sector to end up 0.044s behind overall. Verstappen, for his part, was a quarter of a second down. The rest of the competitors do not appear to be in the mix for pole.

Mercedes briefly led with George Russell, but its late-session attempts on fresh softs came up well short of what McLaren had managed to do. Russell in fourth ended up two tenths up on Hamilton, but this was enough for a difference of four positions. Hamilton also had a major spin after getting his wheels on the dirty part of the surface off-line at Turn 9, but avoided making contact with anything.

‘Final Hungarian GP practice’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-2024-hungarian-gp-final-practice-everything-you-need-to-know/


2024 Hungarian Grand Prix – Free Practice 3 F1 results
20 Jul 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

The third and final practice session at the Hungaroring resulted in a dominant display from one of F1’s leading teams… Lando Norris led a McLaren 1-2 in third practice for the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen proving the closest challenger for the Woking-based team.

With cooler air and track temperatures without direct sunshine beating down on the Hungaroring, the first half-hour of track time in the third and final practice session ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix ticked away without incident as the drivers pounded around the tight and twisty circuit. It was advantage Mercedes at the mid-point of the session as the two Mercedes drivers topped the times, before the qualifying simulations began with around 20 minutes to go.

Lando Norris took over at the front ahead of George Russell as the McLaren popped in an eye-opening 1:16.098 to go almost half a second clear of everyone, with Oscar Piastri making it a McLaren 1-2 as the Australian went just 0.044 seconds slower than his teammate.

‘Free Practice 3 F1 results’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-results-2024-hungarian-grand-prix-free-practice-3-timesheet


Lando Norris pips Oscar Piastri as McLaren make statement in final Hungarian GP practice
Lando Norris leads McLaren 1-2 in final practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
20 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

McLaren's impressive performance so far this weekend at the Hungaroring suggests they are the team to beat heading into qualifying. It remains to be seen whether Red Bull have more pace in hand but Verstappen ruined his final lap when he locked up and ran wide at Turn 1.

George Russell was fourth for Mercedes, ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo, who placed a strong sixth for RB, just over half a second adrift. Alex Albon put his Williams seventh ahead of Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg, the second RB of Yuki Tsunoda, and Lewis Hamilton, who surprisingly struggled for pace at one of his favourite tracks and could only end up 10th.

Hamilton, who has claimed a record nine pole positions and eight victories in Hungary, was well off teammate Russell and also had a spin in the middle sector during his final soft tyre run.

‘McLaren make statement’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052398/1/lando-norris-pips-oscar-piastri-mclaren-make-statement-final-hungarian-gp


Max third in last free practice in Hungary
20 July 2024
Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen has finished third in the last free practice before the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix. With a fastest time of 1:16.379, the reigning world champion finished the session with an almost three-tenths gap to Lando Norris, who came first. Max drove a different program to the other drivers at the start of training, driving a long stint on the hard tyres.

With just 15 minutes on the clock, the times are coming faster and sharper. Norris sets a 1:16.0, claiming the fastest time once again. Teammate Oscar Piastri improves and takes second place, 44-thousandths behind number one. Max, with just twelve minutes time left on the clock, switches to softs. In his first lap he goes third, three-tenths behind P1.

With just five minutes on the clock, a yellow flag is waved; Lewis Hamilton spun in his Mercedes, but is soon underway once more. In the last minute, Max makes one more attempt at a fast lap, but gets blocked into turn 3, meaning he closes the session in third, behind Norris and Piastri.

‘Max third’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5540/

[Fortitude]

Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying results as Lando Norris heaps misery on Max Verstappen.
Lando Norris stormed to pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, beating team-mate Oscar Piastri with Max Verstappen rounding off the top three.
Jul 20, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

McLaren stamped their authority on Q3 and with just over two minutes left on the clock, Norris was leading his colleague in a one-two for the Woking-based team. However, a major shunt for Yuki Tsunoda brought out the red flag, stopped the ticker and offered Verstappen a chance to launch another challenge for pole position. However, the Dutchman did not try a final run.

However, as the first sector times rolled in, the timing screen was peppered with yellow rectangles with only Daniel Ricciardo able to improve his time. Both McLaren drivers peeled into the pit lane to confirm a front-row lockout for the Hungarian GP.

‘Lando Norris heaps misery on Max Verstappen’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1925836/Hungarian-Grand-Prix-qualifying-results


Hungarian GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.
21 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:17.755 1:15.540 1:15.227

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:17.504 1:15.785 1:15.249 0.022

3 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:17.087 1:15.770 1:15.273 0.046

4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:17.244 1:15.885 1:15.696 0.469

5 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:17.087 1:16.307 1:15.854 0.627

6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:17.437 1:15.891 1:15.905 0.678

7 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:17.624 1:16.117 1:16.043 0.816

8 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:17.405 1:16.075 1:16.244 1.017

9 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 1:17.050 1:16.202 1:16.447 1.220

10 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:17.436 1:16.121 1:16.477 1.250

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

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


Norris heads McLaren front row lockout at F1 Hungarian GP
Jul 20, 2024
Motorsport Week
Motorsport Week

Lando Norris pipped team-mate Oscar Piastri to pole position as McLaren delivered on expectations to seize a front row lockout at Formula 1’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Norris came out on top during a session which included two red flag stoppages and intermittent rain throughout as McLaren overcame Red Bull and Max Verstappen.

There had been persistent rain in the build-up to the session and the FIA declared the track wet, but the high track temperature meant that slicks were still the choice. Despite McLaren being the pacesetting team across practice as Norris headed his team-mate, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and then Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton edged them.

‘Front row lockout’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/20/norris-heads-mclaren-front-row-lockout-at-f1-hungarian-gp/


Hungarian GP: Lando Norris bags pole in qualy, disaster for Sergio Perez and George Russell
20 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris put in a blistering 1:15.227 to snatch pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix in a McLaren 1-2 with Max Verstappen not going out for a late run after Yuki Tsunoda’s red flag. On a weekend in which McLaren continue to show incredible pace with the MCL38 sticking to the track, Norris will line up P1 ahead of Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen.

Meanwhile, Sergio Perez and George Russell were the big casualties to fall early in qualifying as the Red Bull driver’s woeful form continued with a Turn 8 crash while Russell didn’t have enough fuel in his W15 for a second flying lap as the track conditions improved.

‘Lando Norris put in a blistering 1:15.227’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/hungarian-grand-prix-2024-qualifying-report


George Russell shows true colours during Hungarian GP qualifying after Mercedes 'disaster'
George Russell endured a frustrating qualifying session at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday.
Jul 20, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

With rain in the air around the Hungaroring, there was a mad dash to set strong lap times at the start of Q1, but Russell found himself immediately on the back foot, ending the first run in P14, just above the cut-off points. On the following run, Russell experienced a major loss of grip on the approach to Turn Eight, forcing him off the track and ending his lap. This left him in a precarious position when Sergio Perez brought out the red flag with seven minutes on the clock.

On his final run, Russell needed to improve to keep himself in the hunt, but the 26-year-old was unable to complete his run as Mercedes had miscalculated the fuel needed for a flying lap and cooldown lap. “Why are we not putting enough fuel in the car to complete the session, guys?” Russell probed on the radio. However, after his elimination, he confessed: "Sorry about this session guys. It’s on me.”

‘Frustrating qualifying session’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1925817/George-Russell-Mercedes-Hungarian-Grand-Prix


‘How bizarre’: Martin Brundle shares ‘bizarre’ thing he ‘didn’t see coming’ at Hungarian Grand Prix
20 July 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle found George Russell’s Hungarian GP Q1 exit ‘bizarre’: But Russell was not in the fight for pole for the Hungarian GP as the Mercedes driver bowed out of qualifying in Q1. The 26-year-old failed to improve his provisional lap time by enough with his final attempt after a brief rain shower dampened the Hungaroring during the stage.

Russell sat 14th in the timesheet during the red flag interruption caused by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez crashing. He was also 1.341 seconds slower than the lap time his Mercedes teammate Hamilton set for P1. But Russell could only improve to 10th after finding 0.460s on his time. Yet further drivers improving their lap times saw Russell plummet down the order and finish Q1 in P17.

Brundle could not hide his surprise at seeing the Briton bow out so soon as other drivers overcame the conditions. Russell was also one of the first drivers to do a second run. “Wow, [I] didn’t see that one coming,” Brundle said on Sky Sports F1 (20/7, 15:30). “What happened to George’s lap? He didn’t find time, others found bucketloads of grip out there. There were 1 minute 17s out on the race track. How bizarre.”

‘Didn’t see coming’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-shares-bizarre-thing-he-didnt-see-coming-at-hungarian-grand-prix/


Under-pressure Sergio Perez crashes out of Hungarian GP qualifying
Sergio Perez crashes out of qualifying at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
20 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Reacting to the accident, Martin Brundle said on Sky Sports: "Was he taking crazy speed into the corner? Was he off line? Did he make a mistake? No. He turned in on the right line and there just wasn't any grip when he got there. "He'd come off the kerb in Turn Seven so maybe he got a little bit more damp on his right-rear tyre, he was quite high up, and it's turned in and he's just the way it's running at the moment.”

"Russell caught it, Perez didn't. Just like what happened at Silverstone when Verstappen caught it at Copse and Sergio didn't. It's crucial times for him and Red Bull. What do they do about this? How long can they just keep going 'he'll get his mojo back'. I feel very sorry for him on this one."

‘Martin Brundle: “I feel very sorry for him on this one" ’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052417/1/under-pressure-sergio-perez-crashes-out-hungarian-gp-qualifying

[Fortitude]

Piastri, Norris combine for 12-year first at Hungarian Grand Prix.
“We want to keep it one-two and we will fight it amongst ourselves to see who gets one.” Oscar Piastri
July 21, 2024
The Sydney Morning Herald

Oscar Piastri, Australia’s McLaren driver, has promised to let personal ambition take second place to team priorities after a remarkable front-row lockout for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Piastri lines up alongside English-born teammate Lando Norris, who is on pole, after the British team dominated Saturday’s qualifying session.

“Of course when I miss out by two 100ths you think of all the little things you can do a bit better, but it’s an amazing result for the team,” Piastri said, before adding that the main goal was to keep both the papaya-coloured cars at the front come the race’s finish.

“Of course I want to get into the lead, but we have both cars on the front row and we are trying to win this championship as a team, and we will be smart,” the Australian said.

‘At the front come the race’s finish’;

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/piastri-norris-combine-for-12-year-first-at-hungarian-grand-prix-20240721-p5jv9s.html


F1 - 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix - Post-Qualifying Press Conference transcript
20.07.24
FIA (Press Release)

TRACK INTERVIEWS (Conducted by Alice Powell)
Q: Lando, congratulations, another pole position to add to the list. it was so close out there. Real fine margins. So you must be over the moon.
Lando NORRIS: I am, yes. Very, very, very happy. Not an easy qualifying. Different conditions, like you said, but always ending up on top is the best part of it. Also happy, especially, for the team, a one-two is even better to see. So congrats to the team.

Q: Oscar, a big congratulations. A big cheer when you walked over here. A big crowd of Papaya fans here. There's a lot of support for you and Lando this weekend.
Oscar PIASTRI: Yeah, it's cool to be here, especially when you get a result like this. I think the first one-two in qualifying for McLaren for a very long time, so very happy. Of course, when I miss out by two hundredths, you think of all the little things you can do a bit better, but an amazing result for the team. We had a bit of a tricky day on my side yesterday, so it was nice to bounce back this morning, and then obviously this afternoon in quali, it wasn't easy. A lot of decisions on the fly, and to end up with both cars on the front row is an amazing result.

Q: Max, well done. A bit of frustration there though at the end of that run, a bit of frustration over the line?
MV: Yeah, I mean, I tried. The whole weekend I think we have been a little bit behind, and I think that was also the case in qualifying. I tried to make it as close as possible, but unfortunately, yeah, just not enough. A bit difficult to pinpoint why that is. Yeah, I would have liked a bit more grip, but it's not there at the moment. But P3 is still very close. I just hope that for tomorrow, of course, the car is good in the race, and at least that we can follow them and see what we can do there.

‘Post-Qualifying Press Conference transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-hungarian-grand-prix-post-qualifying-press-conference-transcript


McLaren's Front Row Lockout - F1 News - Hungarian Grand Prix Saturday
20 Jul 2024
Motorsport.com

Another impressive performance sees Lando Norris take his 2nd pole position of the season and will start the race on pole position, followed by teammate Oscar Piastri.

But outside of the McLaren garage, other teams didn't have such a good qualifying session: between Verstappen's frustration, Perez's costly mistake, Russell's disappointment and Tsunoda's red flag incident, there's certainly enough to discuss.

Ben Hunt and Alex Kalinauckas sat down in the Hungaroring's paddock to discuss all these points and more, looking ahead to the Hungarian Grand Prix's main race to see whether McLaren really can top the tables three days in a row.


‘McLaren's Front Row Lockout’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/mclarens-front-row-lockout-f1-news-hungarian-grand-prix-saturday/653363/


Russell: Mercedes need ‘proper sit down’ amid ‘disaster’ Q1 exit at F1 Hungarian GP
20 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

The ex-Williams racer has conceded that he should’ve produced a better time earlier on but questioned the decision not to ensure he would be on the track at the end. “It was on me at the beginning. I didn’t think it was going to rain again so I just thought, ‘the track will get quicker’,” Russell admitted.

“I took it easy on lap one and suddenly it started raining and that was the most important lap. But it didn’t matter, the end was the quickest and we had no fuel in the car to finish the session. No idea how that happened, and a total disaster.”

‘Mercedes need proper sit down’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/20/russell-mercedes-need-proper-sit-down-amid-disaster-q1-exit-at-f1-hungarian-gp/


Russell failure 'a total underperformance' by Mercedes - Wolff
Toto Wolff has pulled no punches here as to what happened to George Russell just a fortnight after he took pole at Silverstone.
20 July 2024
Ian Parkes
Motorsport Week

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has delivered a damning indictment of his team following George Russell's failure to escape the first part of qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Russell declared himself "angry" after a qualifying performance that was "a total disaster. In a wet-dry-wet session, Russell found himself without enough fuel to complete a final lap after Sergio Perez crashed, causing a red flag as a light rain shower cleared.

Wolff pulled no punches with his own assessment, stating: "That was a very disappointing qualifying session for us. It was a total underperformance from all of us. Losing a car in Q1 is clearly not acceptable. George struggled to get in a solid lap earlier in the session and we didn't execute the final run at all. That stemmed from a lack of solid communication between ourselves and the driver. We need to ensure we learn from this so that it doesn't happen again."

‘Losing a car in Q1 is clearly not acceptable’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-failure-a-total-underperformance-by-mercedes-wolff


Sergio Perez delivers ‘no need to do that lap’ verdict after Hungarian GP Q1 crash
20 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Speaking to media after qualifying, Sergio Perez reiterated multiple times that “in hindsight, we didn’t need [the] lap” that ended with his RB20 in the wall. Asked about what happened to cause him to lose control, Perez said, “I lost it. I think I clipped the curve, and at that point it was raining harder in Turn 8. So when I exited the curve, it was quite late in the corner, and it just sent me off completely into the wall.”

The changing conditions caused by that rain cause Perez to misjudge the corner. “[It] was so hard to judge the conditions, it was raining harder but at the end you were not losing grip,” he explained. “I was improving my lap… We didn’t need to do the lap, but you always know a lot afterwards.”

He noted that the track had seemed to remain consistent for several laps, but that rain “was just changing the track constantly. “You will arrive in a corner and all of a sudden it’s a little bit damper. The lap before, I was on a good lap, but then I arrived into Turn 12 and it was quite a lot damper.” Making the crash all the most frustrating for Perez was the fact that he felt “yesterday was probably the best Friday of the season.”

‘No need to do that lap’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-delivers-no-need-to-do-that-lap-verdict-after-hungarian-gp-q1-crash


Yuki Tsunoda ‘more worried about the car than my body’ as huge Hungarian GP crash explained
20 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock

Speaking to F1TV’s Lawrence Barretto in the press pen after qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Yuki Tsunoda stated that he had felt extremely comfortable in his VCARB — all up until the moment he ended up in the wall.

“To be honest, I felt great in the turn — I didn’t expect that! I just ran wide to be honest,” the VCARB racer said. “Probably because I was on the limit. Ot’s obviously Q3, and half of the tire went on the grass — but to be honest with those kind of things, normally it happens.”

“But probably because it was wet, it kind of exaggerated it, and I went wide. To be honest, until that corner — I mean, even Turn 5, the lap was great so it’s very shame.” Despite the heavy hit, Tsunoda still joked with Barretto, “To be honest, I’m more worried about the car rather than my body!”

‘Felt extremely comfortable in his VCARB — all up until the moment he ended up in the wall’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-more-worried-about-the-car-than-my-body-as-huge-hungarian-gp-crash-explained

[Fortitude]

Oscar Piastri gets first-ever win at Hungarian GP as Verstappen and Hamilton crash.
Oscar Piastri claimed his first-ever Grand Prix victory at the Hungaroring, leading home a McLaren one-two after Lando Norris obeyed team orders. Max Verstappen threw away a place on the podium after a kamikaze lunge on Lewis Hamilton.
Jul 21, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Norris’ pre-race preparations were interrupted by a throttle problem ahead of the green lights, and after some stellar work by the McLaren crew, the Brit faced a new threat after the formation lap. Piastri enjoyed a lightning-fast launch, seizing the inside on the run down to Turn One. The Aussie escaped lap one with the lead, but the drama unfolded behind him. Verstappen made it three wide on the outside of Norris and ran out of room in the process, taking to the run-off area. When he merged back onto the tarmac, he was in second place.

When the pack settled down, Piastri stretched his lead to over three seconds, and when Lewis Hamilton triggered the undercut on lap 16, both McLaren cars were able to respond and hold their positions. Verstappen, however, was not so lucky and after extending his opening stint to create a bigger tyre offset, the Dutchman emerged from the pit exit seven seconds behind Hamilton, who was running a net P3 after demonstrating mighty pace during the opening exchanges.

On lap 31, Piastri’s lead had stretched to over 4.3 seconds, but after an off-track excursion at Turn 11 on lap 34, Norris trimmed that down to under 1.5 seconds over the course of five tours around the Hungaroring. All the while, Hamilton and Verstappen scrapped tooth and nail in the battle for P3. As the final round of pit stops played out, Norris was brought in to cover off the threat of Hamilton, but when Piastri emerged from his stop two laps later, the long-time race leader was staring at the rear of his colleague, who ran three seconds up the road.

‘Oscar Piastri claimed his first-ever Grand Prix victory’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1926073/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-Max-Verstappen-Hungarian-Grand-Prix


Hungarian GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.
22 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix at Hungaroring.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 70

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 2.1

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 14.8

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 19.6

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 21.3

6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 23

7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 39.7

8 63 George Russell Mercedes 42.3

9 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 77.2

10 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 77.9

‘Full results from the Formula 1’;

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


Aussie Piastri claims first F1 win in dramatic Hungarian Grand Prix
July 21, 2024
Jorge Branco
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

Australia's Oscar Piastri has won his first Formula 1 race in a surprisingly acrimonious McLaren one-two at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The 23-year-old overtook his teammate Lando Norris at the start before the papayas dominated an eventful race that included a collision between world champions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton while fighting it out for third.

But despite the British team's incredible work on the track, it was a laps-long radio battle between Norris and team management that threatened to steal the show.

‘Surprisingly acrimonious McLaren one-two’;

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motorsport/f1-news-hungarian-grand-prix-australian-oscar-piastri-claims-first-f1-win-in-dramatic-hungarian-grand-prix-20240721-p5jve1.html


Hungarian Grand Prix: F1 Race Results
Weather forecasts predict sunny and warm conditions for round 13 of the Formula 1 Championship in Hungary
July 21, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

At the start of lap 63, Verstappen came in hot down the inside of Hamilton and passed the Mercedes driver. However, into Turn 1 he locked up across the path of Hamilton, hit his front tyre, gained air, and went off the track. The Dutchman re-joined but lost a place to Leclerc.

Meanwhile, Norris was arguing with his Race Engineer over the radio due to Piastri’s failure to catch Norris. The team felt that Piastri should be in the lead due to their strategy decisions. Verstappen was then claiming that Hamilton moved under braking, which his Race Engineer quickly shut down and said they were not going to argue on the radio as it was “childish”. Perhaps a comment on Norris and McLaren?

McLaren informed Norris that the way to win a championship was not alone, but was as a team. Piastri feared that the decision was being left too late. At the start of lap 68, Norris finally slowed and allowed Piastri past. He told his Race Engineer not to say anything. However, he kept with DRS range. Will he be allowed to fight back in a fair race now that he has conceded the place?

‘F1 Race Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/hungarian-grand-prix-f1-race-results/?nowprocket=1


Piastri beats Norris as F1 team orders overshadow McLaren 1-2 in Hungary
22 July 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Lando Norris abided with a team order in the closing stages to let team-mate Oscar Piastri repass him as McLaren claimed a 1-2 in Formula 1’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Norris was reminded again to make the swap and he slowed his pace going onto the start-finish straight on Lap 68 to give the lead back to Piastri heading into Turn 1.

Piastri came through and managed the race to the end to take the chequered flag to achieve his maiden F1 grand prix win, becoming the seventh victor in this season. Hamilton came back a distant third in his Mercedes but logged another podium, with Leclerc taking fourth over the wounded Verstappen and Ferrari team-mate Sainz.

‘F1 team orders overshadow McLaren 1-2’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/21/piastri-beats-norris-as-team-orders-overshadow-mclaren-1-2-in-f1-hungarian-gp/


Oscar Piastri wins Hungarian GP over furious Lando Norris
Oscar Piastri has become the fifth Australian to win a world championship grand prix.
22 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

A near-perfect start paved the way for Piastri to claim victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix over team-mate Lando Norris. The Aussie seized the inside line at the first corner before strategy calls saw him run second to Norris for a time. However, team orders were employed, Piastri reclaiming the top spot that had been taken from him earlier in the race – much to Norris' disdain.

After 45 laps, Norris did pit. He was two seconds back from Piastri out front, feeding back out into fourth. Piastri was reassured by the team, which informed him that the move was to cover off Hamilton and that the situation would be “managed” if necessary later. The Australian pitted after 47 laps to have a set of medium tyres bolted on, rejoining behind Norris, who'd been told to hand the lead back to his team-mate through: “We'd like to re-establish the order at your convenience”.

Race leader Norris was instructed to let Piastri through, though he argued the team should have pitted his team-mate first. Second in the championship, victory for Norris was worth an additional seven points in his quest against Verstappen. The Dutchman had risen to fourth, passing Leclerc into Turn 1 on Lap 57. At McLaren, the situation was becoming heated as Norris refused to cede the place to Piastri. His advantage had extended to more than six seconds with five laps remaining. The team took to pleading with Norris to slow down and let his team-mate through, which he eventually did. Out of the final corner, he slowed as he started Lap 68 to allow Piastri back through.

‘The team took to pleading with Norris to slow down’;

https://speedcafe.com/oscar-piastri-wins-hungarian-gp-over-furious-lando-norris/

[Fortitude]

Piastri 'still hasn't called' his mum after F1 maiden win.
Oscar Piastri's mum Nicole revealed the young Aussie still hadn't called her several hours after claiming his maiden F1 grand prix victory.
July 22, 2024
The Sydney Morning Herald

'Still hasn't called';

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/piastri-still-hasnt-called-his-mum-after-f1-maiden-win-20240722-p5jvg5.html


In full: the fiery McLaren row before Piastri's GP win
22 July 2024
Staff Writers
The West Australian

Here are the Norris exchanges in full.
Piastri race engineer Tom Stallard: "OK, Oscar, once you get to Lando, we will swap positions, but we want to avoid Lando having to give up a lot of race time."
McLaren race engineer Will Joseph to Norris: "We need you to save more tyres please. And let Oscar through."


Joseph: "OK, Lando, we still think you are using the tyres too much. In Turn 4, Turn 11 and the rears at exits Turn 6, Turn 9. Oscar is 3.5 (seconds behind). I know you will do the right thing."
"OK, Lando, 10 laps to go and we think both cars are using their tyres too much. Just remember every single Sunday morning meeting we have."
Norris: "Yeah, well tell him to catch up then please."

Joseph: "Lando, he can't catch up. You have proved your point and it really doesn't matter."
Norris: "He is on much quicker tyres and no pressure. I would have tried the undercut anyway."
Joseph: "Mate we did the pit stops in this sequence for the good of the team."
Norris: "And I am fighting for a world championship, am I not?"
Joseph: "I am trying to protect you, mate. I promise, I am trying to protect you."

Joseph: "Ok, Lando there are five laps to go and the way to win a world championship is not by yourself. It is with the team and you are going to need Oscar and you are going to need the team."
Joseph: "If there is a safety car, this is going to make it very awkward. Please do it now."
(Norris moves aside to let Piastri take the lead)
Norris: "You don't need to say anything."

‘Fiery McLaren row’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/golf/in-full-the-fiery-mclaren-row-before-piastris-gp-win-c-15430192


‘I am so proud of you and I love you’: Mum’s words of joy for Oscar the great
July 22, 2024
Jon Pierik
The Sydney Morning Herald

An excited but tired Nicole Piastri watched from her bayside home when Piastri crossed the line in Budapest, and soon shared a text message with her son. She told this masthead of her pride in Oscar, though she hadn’t been able to talk to him yet.

“I just said: ‘I am so proud of you and I love you’,” Nicole said when asked of her immediate chat with Oscar, who said he would call his mum when he returned to his home base in Monaco. “It’s definitely his dream. It’s definitely only one [win], but he has achieved one of his dreams, so it’s a big one,” Nicole said.

Piastri left his family, including three sisters, at the tender age of 14 to head to Europe and pursue his F1 dream. That began with a year of karting, before progressing through the ranks, including Formula 3 and Formula 2 world titles. There was a much-publicised contract dispute with Alpine in 2022, a favourable ruling by the FIA’s contract recognition board allowing him to join McLaren, where he eventually took the seat of fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo.

“It’s definitely his dream”;

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/i-am-so-proud-of-you-and-i-love-you-mum-s-words-of-joy-for-oscar-the-great-20240722-p5jvgf.html


The emotional roller coaster Nicole Piastri went through watching son Oscar’s first F1 race win
July 22, 2024
3AW

Nicole Piastri says she shed a tear watching her son’s maiden Formula 1 win from afar. “There were some highs and lows (throughout the race),” she said on 3AW.

“We were in disbelief at the start when he (took the lead)…in the end we were hoping it would all fall his way.”

‘Disbelief at the start when he (took the lead)’;

https://www.3aw.com.au/the-emotional-roller-coaster-nicole-piastri-went-through-watching-son-oscar-win-maiden-f1-race/


Oscar's no slouch: Piastri joins elite Aussie club with breakthrough F1 win but Norris fumes over 'team orders'
21 Jul 2024
The Roar

Oscar Piastri has raced to his maiden Formula One victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix, becoming only the fifth Australian driver to reach motor racing’s pinnacle – but only after a day of extraordinary internal team strife at McLaren.

The 23-year-old Melbourne ace’s triumph was only finalised on Sunday when a furious Lando Norris finally agreed to follow team orders and do the honourable thing by giving up a certain victory to his young Australian teammate.

Eventually, despite having resisted team engineers’ pleas for nearly all of the last 20 laps of the race, Norris complied reluctantly after a series of increasingly fervent messages suggesting he would be seriously risking team harmony if he took the chequered flag first.

‘Piastri joins elite Aussie club’;

https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/07/22/oscars-no-slouch-piastri-joins-elite-aussie-club-with-breakthrough-f1-win-but-norris-fumes-over-team-orders/


Piastri joins the Aussie Formula One roll of honour
22 July 2024
Ian ChadbandAAP
The West Australian

AUSTRALIAN WINNERS OF FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX
Jack Brabham (1955-1970) 14 wins
Alan Jones (1975-81, 1983, 1985-86) 12 wins
Mark Webber 2002-2013 - 9 wins
Daniel Ricciardo - 2011-2024 - 8 wins
Oscar Piastri - 2023-2024 - 1 win
PODIUM FINISHERS
Webber 42, Ricciardo 32, Brabham 31, Jones 24, Piastri 5, Tim Schenken (1970-1974) 1

‘Aussie Formula One roll of honour’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsport/piastri-joins-the-aussie-formula-one-roll-of-honour-c-15430463


Norris “didn’t deserve” Hungarian GP win
Lando Norris was reluctant to follow team orders because “you’ve got to be selfish."
22 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speed Cafe

“Things are always going to go through your mind because, you know… You've got to be selfish in this sport at times. You've got to think of yourself,” Norris said. “That's priority number one, is think of yourself. I'm also a team player, so my mind was going pretty crazy at the time.”

“I know what we've done in the past between Oscar and myself. He's helped me plenty of times… I think this is a different situation. This is not someone helping one another. I was put into a position, and we were undoing that position change.”

“I know a lot of people are going to say, like, the gap between me and Max is pretty big, 60, 70, 80 points or something,” Norris explained. “You know, if Red Bull and Max make the mistakes like they did today and continue to do that, and as a team we continue to improve and have weekends like we've had this weekend, we can turn it around.”

“You’ve got to be selfish";

https://speedcafe.com/norris-didnt-deserve-hungarian-gp-win/


‘Complicated’: Piastri responds to team order drama after maiden F1 win as Norris talks revealed
July 22nd, 2024
AFP from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Oscar Piastri said he realised a childhood dream on Sunday after claiming his maiden Formula One victory in a whirlpool of mixed emotions and vexed team orders as McLaren claimed an emphatic one-two at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

“A very special day for me,” said Piastri. “This is the day I’ve dreamed of as a kid, to be standing on the top step of an F1 podium. A bit complicated at the end, but I put myself in the right position at the start.”

‘Complicated’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2024-oscar-piastri-responds-to-team-order-drama-after-winning-hungary-grand-prix-lando-norris-what-happened-video/news-story/03edeed3bdcf4e96be8d9e5b3475062d

[Fortitude]

Hamilton 'grateful' for Hungarian GP podium after ‘hair-raising’ end.
Lewis Hamilton earned himself his third podium of the season - his 200th in F1 - in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix, but the Mercedes driver admitted to enduring a tough race marked by a “hair-raising” moment with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
21 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

"Ultimately, we didn't have the pace of the McLarens, or did we have the pace of the Red Bulls," Hamilton said after the race. But we were just able to hold on at the beginning of the race. It was very tough to hold on and make those tyres last.”

"And obviously the close battle we had at the end was a bit hair-raising. But that's motor racing. I'm really happy and grateful for the points. Big thank you for the team." In parc fermé, Hamilton was asked by his former Mercedes team mate if his battle with Verstappen which unfolded over two stages had been “nerve-racking”.

"It's not nerve-racking,” he responded. "I think it when you see the pace at which they closed the gap in certain corners, you just laugh to yourself because it's not something that I can do.”

'Grateful';

https://f1i.com/news/514567-hamilton-grateful-for-hungarian-gp-podium-after-hair-raising-end.html


Why FIA took no action in Hamilton vs Verstappen clash
The FIA has concluded that neither Max Verstappen nor Lewis Hamilton were predominantly to blame for their late collision in F1’s Hungarian GP
21 Jul 2024
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have avoided a penalty for their late race collision in Formula 1’s Hungarian Grand Prix after the FIA concluded that no driver was predominantly to blame. However, the stewards did conclude that Hamilton could have “done more” to avoid the coming together.

“I got a lot of shit thrown at me in Austria with people saying moving under braking, blah blah blah,” said Verstappen. “I am positioning my car on the initial movement and then I keep it straight. Today, under braking, he just kept turning to the right and that is why I also locked up, because I was going for the move.”

The stewards did not agree with Verstappen’s criticisms about Hamilton’s driving and, after studying video, timing and telemetry data, concluded that the seven-time champion had driven within the boundaries of the rules. However, they did note that Hamilton could have perhaps done more to avoid the collision once it became clear that Verstappen was alongside him.

‘Took no action’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-hamilton-could-have-done-more-to-avoid-verstappen-clash-but-no-action-taken/10637399/


Hamilton thrilled with podium in Hungary after ‘very tough’ race as he reflects on ‘hair-raising’ battle with Verstappen
21 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Lewis Hamilton was delighted to continue Mercedes’ good run of results by taking the final podium position at the Hungarian Grand Prix, having faced a battle to make his tyres last – as well as engaging in a close scrap with Max Verstappen – en route to finishing in third.

After lining up in P5 on the grid, Hamilton had a good start and initially looked to have clinched third from Lando Norris, who had been edged out from pole. While the McLaren soon retook the place, Hamilton remained in fourth and later on snatched third again – this time from Verstappen – thanks to undercutting the Red Bull.

“Big thanks to this amazing crowd this weekend and a huge congratulations to McLaren on the one-two – that's my old original family, so really happy to see all the boys, the whole team back up front,” Hamilton commented after stepping out of the car. “For us today, the team has done a great job to continue on with pushing this car. Ultimately we didn't have the pace of the McLarens or of the Red Bulls, but we just were able to hold on at the beginning of the race.”

‘Thrilled with podium’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hamilton-thrilled-with-podium-in-hungary-after-very-tough-race-as-he.72OG4ktm8YpXiz3TOlFQGP


Wolff: Mercedes will benefit from cooler conditions at next race
July 22, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Toto Wolff looks forward to Mercedes form in Belgium. Team principal Toto Wolff was pleased with the result and expects more favourable conditions in Belgium:

“Claiming a podium finish, our fifth race in a row doing so, feels good. The McLarens were very strong today and out of reach for us in these hot conditions. “Congratulations to them and Oscar. They deserved today’s victory. We were able to maximise the result with Lewis, though, and that is encouraging.”

“Yesterday’s setback with George meant he had to fight through the field. In the end, it was a good recovery from where he started… We now head to Spa where the conditions will likely be cooler, and hopefully that will suit us a little more.”

“Mercedes will benefit from cooler conditions”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/07/22/wolff-mercedes-will-benefit-from-cooler-conditions-at-next-race/


Russell was 'hoping for P7' after fighting his was into the points in the Hungarian Grand Prix
21 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Mercedes' George Russell was hoping for more despite strong pace and P8 finish in 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix.

'Hoping for P7';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/russell-was-hoping-for-p7-after-fighting-his-was-into-the-points-in-the-hungarian-grand-prix.1805205763856914835


F1 2024 Hungarian GP – Fastest Lap
George Russell rescued an extra point at the Hungaroring after a tough battle through the pack.
21 July 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

George Russell set the fastest lap of the 2024 Hungarian GP with a 1:20.305 on a weekend when he salvaged a handful of points after a devastating qualifying result at the Hungaroring in Europe. Russell was relegated to 17th on the grid when a misjudgement of weather conditions saw him fail to put in a lap before more rain, whilst he was also insufficiently fuelled for consecutive runs to understand the evolving track conditions.

It ruled out his chances of a podium just two weekends on from his first win of the season and left him very frustrated as he called for an internal review of Mercedes decision making and procedure. But for the Grand Prix on Sunday, July 21, he did as much as he realistically could to limit the damage by finishing eighth with the fastest lap for a haul of five points, finishing three seconds behind Sergio Perez at the flag.

He set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 53 as he tried to chase down the Red Bull of Perez, although he fell narrowly short in the end. The result saw him drop to eighth in the F1 standings behind Lewis Hamilton, who finished third, whilst Perez extended his gap to Russell by one point.

‘Fastest Lap’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2024-hungarian-gp-fastest-lap/


‘I would bring’: Martin Brundle shares which driver he would partner George Russell with at Mercedes in 2025
22 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Amid all of the excitement on the track at the Hungarian Grand Prix, it was also another race weekend for teams and drivers to secure their futures beyond 2024

Martin Brundle tells Mercedes to replace Lewis Hamilton with Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Asked who he would put in the second Mercedes next season by Nico Rosberg, Brundle said: “As I’ve got George Russell who can lead the team, I would bring Antonelli along and just put up with the mistakes he’ll make at the beginning.”

At Silverstone at the previous round of the Formula 2 season, Antonelli won the Sprint Race in treacherous conditions and finally stood on the top step of the podium for PREMA at that level. While he was taken out before his Feature Race began, he took his performances up another notch in Hungary.

‘Andrea Kimi Antonelli’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-shares-which-driver-he-would-partner-george-russell-with-at-mercedes-in-2025/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari performance ‘not where we want it to be’ says Leclerc after P4 in Hungary.
Charles Leclerc was "relatively happy"… …but was left concerned Ferrari are slipping further back from the current pace setters.
22/07/2024
Formula One - Official Site

“I’m relatively happy,” the Ferrari driver said after the race. “I mean, I’m never happy with a P4 but if you do a step back, considering the tough few races I’ve had in the last few weekends… We came here saying we need to maximise the team points, we need to maximise the car, and I think we did that today, so on that I’m happy.”

“On the other hand, I’m not happy because the performance is not where we want it to be. McLaren is quite a far bit ahead now, Red Bull was a bit closer than what we thought today. But I think we had a pretty good race pace, we were just a bit stuck because it’s a track where you cannot really overtake.”

‘Not where we want it to be’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/ferrari-performance-not-where-we-want-it-to-be-says-leclerc-after-p4-in.3T8iD2wmZiwU5tuSEqK7BV


Leclerc explains how Ferrari ‘paid the price’ in F1 Hungarian GP
22/07/2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc has admitted that Ferrari “paid the price” with its lacklustre one-lap pace as he missed out on a podium position at Formula 1’s Hungarian Grand Prix. “Yeah, it was better than expected,” Leclerc said. “I felt like the pace was quite strong, a track like Budapest is very difficult to actually overtake, but we were in a good place.”

“The first stint was strong, the second stint was also very strong. Then we had to make a choice for the last stint in order to, whether we boxed with Lewis and we took the place to Max, or whether we stayed out with Max. We decided to come in, which I think wasn’t a bad choice.”

“But that made our last stint very tricky because I was on used Medium and very used Medium when Max came back, so it was a tricky race, but the pace was there, so that was good. But that’s not enough to satisfy me. I mean, looking at the overall picture, we are still lacking a lot of pace in qualifying compared to our main competitors, and on tracks like this we will pay the price.”

‘Paid the price’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/22/leclerc-explains-how-ferrari-paid-the-price-in-f1-hungarian-gp/


Leclerc: Ferrari ‘paid the price’ in Hungarian GP for lack of pace
22/07/2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Charles Leclerc deemed himself “relatively happy” with his fourth-place finish in the Hungarian Grand Prix but reckoned a better result could have been possible if Ferrari had better qualifying pace. The Monegasque claimed in Budapest his best result since his home win in Monaco back in May thanks to a solid drive coupled with a drama-free race.

Leclerc reckoned that Ferrari’s SF-24 had an edge over Mercedes’ contender at the Hungaroring, but admitted hitting an unsettling swirl of turbulence when running in the wake of Hamilton’s W15 “I felt like we had a bit of an edge, because on a track where dirty air is so important, I mean, it’s so detrimental for the car behind,” he said. “I felt like I could follow quite nicely, so I think we had a strong car.”

“I think Spa will be a real test for the issues we’ve had in the last few races,” he said, referring to the SF-24’s high-speed bouncing troubles that prompted Ferrari to introduce a revised floor in Hungary. It feels like a small step forward here. However, it’s not a track that put in evidence the weaknesses of our car, so let’s wait for Spa and see how much of a step forward we’ve done.”

‘Ferrari’s SF-24 had an edge over Mercedes’ contender’;

https://f1i.com/news/514725-leclerc-ferrari-paid-the-price-in-hungarian-gp-for-lack-of-pace.html


Leclerc braced for further Ferrari pain 'after paying the price'
Charles Leclerc is expecting further pain at the Belgian GP after a mixed Hungary race for Ferrari.
22 July 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

"It was good, but that is not enough to satisfy me," Leclerc told media including RacingNews365. "Looking at the overall picture, we are still lacking a lot of qualifying pace compared to our main competitors, and so on tracks like this, we will pay the price.”

"So I think we had a strong car, but don't think we could have done much more considering our starting position. The qualifying pace, especially with Carlos who did a very good lap, I think is the gap, and on a track like this, we were four-tenths behind and I don't think there was much more in the car.”

"Spa is going to be a real test for us because it is probably the track where I expect our issues to be most visible. We will see if we have the confirmation that there is a lot of work to do before we get our issues fixed and whether the upgrades of this weekend helped us to make a step forward."

‘Braced for further Ferrari pain’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-braced-for-further-ferrari-pain-after-paying-the-price


Vasseur: Ferrari has cut 45 seconds to F1 leaders in 12 months
22 July 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

However, Vasseur is not concerned about Ferrari’s regression as he pointed out that the team’s leading car was much closer to the ultimate pace than 12 months ago. “At the end, we had q strong pace on Sunday,” Vasseur said. “Last year we finished 65 seconds behind Red Bull and this weekend we are 20 seconds behind the leader.”

“And in front of the Red Bull, I think, in the last 12 months we did a decent job. Now it’s not enough, but it’s clear that McLaren was faster than us. And they were faster than us by two or three-tenths all the weekend.”

“But looking after where we are coming back and the last two or three events, we did a good recovery. And now let’s be focused on the next one. We need to do a step in performance, but we are on the right way.”

“We did a good recovery”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/22/vasseur-ferrari-has-cut-45-seconds-to-f1-leaders-in-12-months/


Sainz reckons bad start cost him chance of P3 in Hungary
21 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Carlos Sainz had a poor getaway off the line in Budapest and eventually finished in sixth place for Ferrari.

‘Cost him chance of P3’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-reckons-bad-start-cost-him-chance-of-p3-in-hungary.1805205908797385115


Sainz has taken ‘patient pill’ in wait over F1 drive decision
Carlos Sainz is still yet to put pen to paper over an F1 drive for the 2025 season.
22 July 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Sainz has been linked to various F1 projects over the last handful of months, including Audi and Williams - but has declared he is remaining “patient” in order to ensure he makes the right decision.

“The teams have been very patient and I thank them for that,” he told media including RacingNews365. “But I’ve also had to be patient, it’s not like I’m the only one here, the only one deciding that. I also had to take my patient pill with other things and I’ve had to be patient.”

Sainz has questioned why the market has been in swing much earlier than usual this year. “At the same time, I thank everyone that is having to hang in there while I take the decision,” he added. “What I don’t fully understand is why the market is happening so early this year? Why everyone is so much in a rush? I remember it used to be in the summer break, September, July, it used to be when all of those situations started to happen.”

‘Patient pill’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-has-taken-patient-pill-in-wait-over-f1-drive-decision

[Fortitude]

‘We’ll have discussions behind closed doors’ – Horner defends Verstappen after heated radio outbursts in Hungary.
…but what of their driver’s reaction, and his increasingly heated radio exchanges with his engineer?
22 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

“Look, Max was frustrated, which you can understand. He has a very direct line of communication with his engineer so, yeah, it’s something that they’ll discuss between the two of them,” Horner said.

"They’ve been together for eight years and yes there are things we could have done better in the race today that we’ll talk about as a team. I think everybody sees we need to find more performance, and everybody is working hard to do that and we’ll have whatever discussions behind closed doors."

Horner was also asked whether Verstappen's pre-race preparations were up to scratch, but insisted “he knows exactly what is required of him in a Grand Prix and we trust his judgement on that”.

“…behind closed doors’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/well-have-discussions-behind-closed-doors-horner-defends-verstappen-after.4ao9lL0VU7aKYPJGShNGbD


What Max Verstappen’s race engineer was spotted saying on the pit wall after Hungarian GP radio spat
22 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

It was a frustrating Hungarian Grand Prix for Max Verstappen after he dropped to fifth due to a combination of poor strategy from his team and incidents on track. Verstappen could be heard over team radio furiously arguing with Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase after the team elected to make him stay out longer than everyone else before both pit stops.

What Max Verstappen engineer’s was spotted saying on the Red Bull pit-wall. After the race during the cool-down lap, Lambiase informed Verstappen that he was summoned to the medical delegate after his airborne crash with Hamilton. This led to another sarcastic exchange between the two, although Lambiase did not respond after Verstappen’s remark.

He was later seen climbing off the pit-wall and saying a phrase to himself according to Cerasoli. “Someone told me they saw Gianpiero Lambiase, his engineer, leaving the pit wall and saying to himself ‘Che giornata’ which is Italian for ‘What a day!’ We knew from yesterday Verstappen was very frustrated.”

‘Che giornata’/‘What a day!’

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-max-verstappens-race-engineer-was-spotted-saying-on-the-pit-wall-after-hungarian-gp-radio-spat/


Biting criticism and tense race expose Verstappen, Red Bull cracks
Jul 21, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Max Verstappen’s escalating radio exchanges and biting post-race criticism at the Hungarian Grand Prix expose the cracks emerging between himself and Red Bull as a seemingly straightforward 2024 Formula 1 title charge becomes unusually strained.

Verstappen’s message that his critics “can all f**k off” seemed inevitable in the wake of an increasingly tense, and dramatic, race for the world champion but his team also ended up in the firing line for the second time in three races.

Red Bull caught more than a few strays from Verstappen after his contentious Austrian Grand Prix battle with Lando Norris a few weeks ago, and he let rip again in Hungary on Sunday after a race in which his typically blunt back-and-forth with his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase seemed to reach new heights.

‘Escalating radio exchanges and biting post-race criticism’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/biting-criticism-and-tense-race-expose-verstappen-red-bull-cracks/


Every team radio message furious Max Verstappen sent Red Bull during frustrating Hungarian GP
22 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen was irate over team radio during the Hungarian Grand Prix when a mix of strategic decisions and incidents caused him to drop out of the podium places. While the pair are normally known for their sarcastic and witty remarks, the Dutchman’s full temper was on display during the exchanges with Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

Lap Verstappen Lambiase
3 “I got forced off. I was ahead at the apex, and he opened the wheel and got forced off.” “Understood, Max.”
4 Max, the incident is under investigation. I think our recommendation is you let this go, we can talk about it later. So if you let Lando past down to Turn 1.”
“Why couldn’t they not just say what they think and then we decide?”
“OK, so you can just drive people off the track then? Then, you can tell the FIA that’s how we’re gonna race from now onwards – just driving people off the road.”

Lap Verstappen Lambiase
65 “He moved under braking.”
“I’m not going to get into a radio fight with the other teams, Max. We’ll let the stewards do their thing. It’s childish on the radio, childish.”
70 “I understand the medical delegate needs to have a look at you, examine you, under parc ferme conditions when you get out.”
“If they could send the medical delegate up to the stewards, maybe they can have a look if they are all okay.”

‘Verstappen/Lambiase team radio’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/every-team-radio-message-furious-max-verstappen-sent-red-bull-during-frustrating-hungarian-gp/


Paddock footage shows Lewis Hamilton moment with Max Verstappen after Hungary collision
22 Jul 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Cameras caught Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen shaking hands after the two World Champions collided during the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.

… when the two drivers came across each other in the media pen, Hamilton tapped Verstappen on the shoulder, the two shook hands and Verstappen was heard saying to Hamilton “we’ll speak after”, in a moment of respect between the 2021 title rivals.

‘Shaking hands’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-hungarian-gp-handshake-crash


‘Quite incredible’: Anthony Davidson explains why Sergio Perez will ‘bounce back’ from Hungary crash
21 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Anthony Davidson explains why Sergio Perez can bounce back from Hungary crash. Davidson believes that he will be able to bounce back in the Hungarian GP and puts it down to a specific character trait. “Too many mistakes in too short a time. It’s a simple mistake this one because he’s on the kerb and they are painted surfaces, like any racing driver should know, and it holds the water,” said Davidson.

“It’s just one of those situations where you’re in the spotlight because of negativity and yet another mistake. It’s just piling on top of you. I do think he’s the type of character to bounce back from this, you hear it in his mindset. He’s quite incredible like that. For all we know he’ll jump in the car, come from 16th and score points. That’s the type of style he has, whereas if it was me I’d be eating myself all night just stressing about it.”

‘The type of character to bounce back from this, you hear it in his mindset’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/anthony-davidson-explains-why-sergio-perez-will-bounce-back-from-hungary-crash/


Perez defiant after overcoming Hungarian GP 'nightmare'
The Red Bull driver recovered to seventh place after crashing out in qualifying in the Hungarian Grand Prix.
22 July 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez has described how he overcame a "nightmare" start in the Hungarian Grand Prix to rescue a seventh-place finish. "We had no grip [at the start] and I was behind George, he overtook me and I nearly went off into Turn 2," he told media including RacingNews365. "It was just a nightmare, and luckily people then started getting out of the way and we caught up, but the first stint was really tricky.”

"In the second and third stint, we had some good pace, we managed to pass George and undercut him, and I think seventh was the maximum we could have done. I have to take the positives, we had a very strong Friday, we had a very strong race in terms of pace, so that is positive and I am sure that the rest will take care of itself. It is a matter of time, the most important thing is that the pace is there, and I really hope that for Belgium, I can be fighting back for the podium."

Perez is blocking out the noise and focusing on his performance. "It was positive in regards to the pace, it was just very negative with my mistake [in qualifying], so it is head down as the season is long, but the most important thing is that the pace is there," he said. "[The critics] won't go [away], the noise has been completely shut down from my side, and I am focusing on maximising my own performance to work with the team. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters to me, my boys and the people working with me is giving my very best to them because that is what they deserve.”

‘Perez defiant’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-defiant-after-overcoming-hungarian-gp-nightmare


Perez got “maximum” result despite lingering car problems after crash
22nd July 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

After crashing out in Q1 on Saturday, Perez climbed nine places to finish seventh. He doubts he could have finished any higher under the circumstances. “Today was the maximum we could have done,” he said. “So that’s a positive sign.”

“The pace was strong today. We got overtaken by George [Russell] but we managed to beat him with the strategy, with the pace. From that point on I think it was a maximum we could have done.”

“Maximum”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/22/racefans-round-up-22-07-7/

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda 'very happy' after P9 finish in Hungary.
Yuki Tsunoda credits his team for rebuilding his car overnight, after a large crash in qualifying, to finish P9 in the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix.
21 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'Very happy';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/tsunoda-very-happy-after-p9-finish-in-hungary.1805206185602620215


‘I didn’t expect that!’ – Tsunoda reflects on dramatic Q3 crash in Budapest qualifying
20 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

The red flags flew for a second time in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix after a dramatic moment for RB’s Yuki Tsunoda – who wound up airborne after pushing too hard on the exit of Turn 5 at the Hungaroring. Tsunoda’s stable mate Sergio Perez had already crashed his Red Bull a few corners further up the road in the opening segment of qualifying, bringing out the first set of red flags.

“To be honest, I felt great in the turn – I didn’t expect that!” said Tsunoda. “I just ran wide to be honest… Probably because I was on the limit, it’s obviously Q3, and half of the tyre went on the grass – but to be honest with those kind of things, it normally happens. But probably because it was wet, it kind of exaggerated it and I went wide. To be honest, until that corner – I mean, even Turn 5, the lap was great so it’s [a shame].”

‘Tsunoda reflects on dramatic Q3 crash’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/i-didnt-expect-that-tsunoda-reflects-on-dramatic-q3-crash-in-budapest.UQdVsexkQtiYWcFUkU7UZ


FIA replaces Turn 5 grass strip with gravel after Tsunoda crash
13:33 Sun, 21 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Following Yuki Tsunoda's dramatic crash in Saturday’s Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying, the FIA has taken swift action to prevent similar incidents occurring at the Hungaroring's Turn 5.

RB CEO Peter Bayer elaborated on the issue, speaking to Motorsport.com. “It was mentioned in the drivers' briefing,” Bayer said. “The ground sank a little and there is a wave [created by the bump] that has the effect like a sausage kerb. He found it.”

"Following Yuki Tsunoda’s incident in qualifying, the FIA has reviewed all available data as is customary with any on-track incident,” read a statement from the governing body. "After consulting with the circuit, overnight changes were made, and the last four metres of the grass strip behind the exit kerb at Turn 5 have been replaced with gravel.”

‘FIA replaces Turn 5 grass strip with gravel’;

https://f1i.com/news/514518-fia-replaces-turn-5-grass-strip-with-gravel-after-tsunoda-crash.html


'Made it so difficult': Daniel Ricciardo shares why Hungarian GP was ‘one of the worst’ F1 races of his career
22 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Daniel Ricciardo says Hungarian GP strategy was ‘one of the worst’ of his Formula 1 career. Asked about how the race panned out, Ricciardo said: “That was one of the worst ones [strategy decisions] I’ve had in 250-something races, that was a long old frustrating race where I just had a lot of anger.

“You don’t want to pull in the pits … you get the call, and you know this isn’t the thing to do. You get the call late and there’s no time to question it, because then if you miss a lap it’s even worse. But as soon as I pulled in, the cars on soft [tyres] had [already] pulled in, we’re on a medium [tyre] so let’s go, let’s use the pace we’ve got – and then we come out in traffic and it’s just a DRS train and, for what? We’re all then on the same tyre.”

“I felt like we’d taken ourselves out of the race so early, and then we’re expected to fight a car that’s coming one second a lap quicker on newer tyres. What do you want me to do? We just made it so difficult for ourselves when we had pace and we could have just stayed out, clear air, stay calm and do what we’d done all weekend. We did a race today, but we didn’t do a race if you know what I mean. We were just driving around.”

‘One of the worst’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-shares-why-hungarian-gp-was-one-of-the-worst-f1-races-of-his-career/


Daniel Ricciardo radio message draws attention after miserable Hungarian Grand Prix
22 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

“I’m really trying to bite my tongue, but. You must know how I feel about the first stop,” Ricciardo said as he pulled into parc fermé. “OK, understood,” his race engineer Pierre Hamelin replied. “If you feel the same, please…” “We need to review everything,” was the final call from the VCARB team.

Understandably, Ricciardo had a lot to say about the call after the race. “Why they pitted me when they did at the beginning was, we followed the soft [tire-shod] cars in,” Ricciardo told assembled media. They’ve just come in, we have a clear track, and we decided to pit behind them and put ourselves in a DRS train, on the same tire — we’re all on a hard.”

“That was… I’ve had a lot of races, and I’ve had a lot of frustrating ones, but that’s up there. We had the pace, and we basically gave Yuki the race that we had in front of us, and we both could have done that. And we didn’t.”

“I’m really trying to bite my tongue”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel-ricciardo-radio-message-draws-attention-after-miserable-hungarian-grand-prix


Furious Daniel Ricciardo rips RB team over dodgy strategy call in Hungarian Grand Prix
July 21, 2024
Damien McCartney
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

Starting ninth with RB teammate Tsunoda in 10th, the pair were both jumped by the fast-starting Alex Albon and Kevin Magnussen on the soft tyres. Tsunoda did not pit when Ricciardo did. He stayed out and completed his first pitstop on lap 29 – a lap after Ricciardo completed his second stop. Ricciardo said he knew the call to pit was the wrong one straight away, but explained it came far too late – as he rounded the corner immediately before the pit entry – for him to argue the point.

"It's a late call, box, box, box, and you pit," he said. "Honestly, as soon as I'm pulling in the pits I'm questioning it, but you can't (do anything about it). You get called in ... and you have to react. We talk about strategies and that, but two cars jumped us at the start with a soft tyre. That's fine, let them go. They pit and we follow them to then just be on their strategy.”

"We would have had clear air and a chance to, I think from what I understand, do Yuki's race (and stay out). Honestly, I was expecting more. On the in-lap I was waiting for 'Sorry, we f---ed up', and I didn't get it. That made me even more angry." Ricciardo was running 11th in the closing stages, but was demoted to 12th by the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll on fresher tyres, which only frustrated the Aussie more.

“I'm pulling in the pits I'm questioning it”;

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motorsport/f1-news-2024-hungarian-grand-prix-daniel-ricciardo-unleashes-poor-strategy-call-comments-reaction-highlights-20240722-p5jvfr.html


Ricciardo on F1 future: “Planning ahead in this sport is not the right thing to do”
Daniel Ricciardo is taking it race by race as he heads into one of the most important events of his career.
23 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

“Definitely take it as it comes,” he said of his current approach to his future. “You just can't afford to look too far ahead. Planning ahead in this sport is not the right thing to do, so it's race by race. That's the approach.”

“Obviously just trying to be present and making sure I'm fully in the moment and giving everything I can on that given day. That's definitely the approach I'm taking. It's also how you're perceived in this sport,” he added.

“You're as good as your last race. You can have five bad races and the you have this amazing result, and everyone's like ‘Well, we knew that they could do it'.”

‘Taking it race by race’;

https://speedcafe.com/ricciardo-on-f1-future-planning-ahead-in-this-sport-is-not-the-right-thing-to-do/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin ups the ante, offers Newey £100 million deal!
Aston Martin F1 has reportedly tabled a staggering £100 million offer for Adrian Newey’s highly coveted services, a hefty sum, spread over four years, that dwarfs what Ferrari has proposed.
23rd July 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Until recently, Ferrari appeared to hold the upper hand against its rivals, with Newey allegedly open to fulfilling a super consultant role with the Italian outfit that would not require a permanent presence at Maranello.

However, according to a recent report from Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Newey’s financial demands and a request to bring 20 Red Bull engineers with him, have led to Ferrari taking a step back from the talks.

Cue Aston Martin and executive chairman Lawrence Stroll who, after giving Newey an introductory royal tour last month of his team’s state-of-the-art new headquarters and factory at Silverstone, has apparently upped the ante.

‘£100 million deal!’;

https://f1i.com/news/514789-aston-martin-ups-the-ante-offers-newey-100-million-deal.html


Adrian Newey ‘€100 million’ offer on table as new ‘favourite’ for signature emerges – report
23 Jul 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

A report from Germany has claimed that Aston Martin have tabled a significant offer to Adrian Newey to sign for the team from next season, worth up to €100million. German publication F1-Insider has reported that Aston Martin are the current ‘favourites’ to land Newey’s signature, claiming team owner Lawrence Stroll is willing to pay the sport’s most successful designer up to €100m (£84m) over four years to potentially usurp what Ferrari are offering the current Red Bull chief technology officer.

Newey, who recently drove Niki Lauda’s title-winning Ferrari 312 up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, is having his next move overseen by his friend and manager, former team owner Eddie Jordan, who quipped in an interview with F1-Insider:

“My name is Newey, Adrian Newey!” – Though the report stresses that quote should be taken as humour and not interpreted as an indication of Newey’s potential next move, with that line being a play on the famous catchphrase from the James Bond films in which ‘007’ drives Aston Martins.

“My name is Newey, Adrian Newey!”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-reported-100m-offer-aston-martin


More team order drama emerges after Lance Stroll denies Fernando Alonso points
22 Jul 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

In a radio exchange missed by the TV broadcast, Stroll’s race engineer Andrew Vizard requested several times that Stroll allow Alonso through into P10 before the chequered flag. “Now. You need to switch back before the line, Fernando is four seconds behind you, there’s no pressure behind,” came the first request. That was met by silence.

“Lance, I suggest you drop back, let Fernando pass. He’s four seconds back,” Vizard urged again. Still, Stroll had no reply to offer. “Okay, that’s the flag. That is the flag.” With that final message from Vizard, Stroll’s window to let Alonso through had gone and he claimed the final point on offer in Hungary.

‘More team order dram’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lance-stroll-denies-fernando-alonso-points-hungary-team-orders


“I would have passed Fernando”: Stroll ignored team’s order to let Alonso by
22nd July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

An overlooked team orders row in the Hungarian Grand Prix played out very different to the one which decided the outcome of the race. Alonso’s race engineer Chris Cronin gave him warning of the team’s plan. “Fernando we’ve got one more lap to close up on Tsunoda,” he said with eight laps to go. “But if not we might give… we’re going to give Lance a chance.”

“We will swap back,” Cronin added after they changed places. “If he doesn’t get him, we will swap back.” Stroll was given similar messages at the same time “Fernando will give you DRS, we’ll go past him into turn one and then we need to get Tsunoda,” his race engineer Andrew Vizard told him.

“Everything to get Tsunoda now, otherwise we will swap back at the end of the race,” he added. However from the outset Stroll indicated his dissatisfaction with the instruction. “I would have passed Fernando, but okay,” he replied.

‘Stroll ignored team’s order’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/22/i-would-have-passed-fernando-stroll-ignored-teams-order-to-let-alonso-by/


Stroll defied Aston team order to claim final point in Hungary
22/07/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Stroll had secured the tenth-place finish and the final championship point for himself, leaving Alonso empty-handed. Oddly, neither driver commented on the team order snub after the race, perhaps to keep any discord out of the public eye.


Alonso, however, expressed his frustration with the overall strategy. “I think the strategy was not the right one today,” he said. “Obviously, now after the race, easy to say.” Alonso pointed to the early pit stop on lap 7 and the long stint on medium and hard tyres as the root cause of his shortfall in the race.

“I think we stopped on Lap 7 and then from that point, 63 laps with one medium, one hard, was a little bit optimistic,” he explained. “So, not a great pace and the strategy didn’t help.”

‘Keeping any discord out of the public eye’;

https://f1i.com/news/514782-stroll-defied-aston-team-order-to-claim-final-point-in-hungary.html


Furious Fernando Alonso throws his jacket on the ground at the Hungarian Grand Prix - as Aston Martin driver insists an 'unwritten rule' was broken in qualifying
21 July 2024
Adrian Bishop
MailOnline

Footage has emerged of an infuriated Fernando Alonso throwing his jacket to the ground during a heated discussion with race officials at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Alonso was in the process of completing a flying lap during the closing stages of Q3 when a horror crash involving Yuki Tsunoda saw the red flags brought out.

The controversial decision caused several drivers, including the 42-year-old, to be unable to complete their final lap ahead of Sunday's race. Following the incident Alonso expressed his disdain for the decision, and a clip shared on social media showed the Spaniard remonstrating with an official after the fact. Speaking following the incident Alonso vented his frustration with officials, insisting the FIA made 'gross mistakes' during qualifying.

'The truth is that the FIA sometimes gets it right and sometimes they make gross mistakes,' Alonso told DAZN. 'Today they had made one. It's surprising to me because when there's an accident there, they usually wait until the cars have finished their laps. That's an unwritten rule, at least. I had improved by one and a half tenths by the last corner when the red flag came out.'

‘Throws his jacket on the ground’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13656499/Furious-Fernando-Alonso-throws-jacket-ground-Hungarian-Grand-Prix-Aston-Martin-driver-insists-unwritten-rule-broken-qualifying.html

[Fortitude]

‘Poor start and bad first lap’ put Hulkenberg ‘on the back foot’.
Nico Hulkenberg was unable to score points in Hungary, finishing in P13 for Haas.
21 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘On the back foot’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/poor-start-and-bad-first-lap-put-hulkenberg-on-the-back-foot.1805202968115266959


Magnussen 'rolled the dice' with strategy in P15 finish at the Hungaroring
21 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen says he "rolled the dice" with strategy, but accepts Haas "didn't have the pace" to fight for points after P15 finish in the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix.

'Rolled the dice';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/magnussen-rolled-the-dice-with-strategy-in-p15-finish-at-the-hungaroring.1805204268391440079


Hungarian Grand Prix: Race Recap
July 21, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Nico Hulkenberg 13th, and Kevin Magnussen 15th, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Round 13 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Hungaroring.

Nico Hulkenberg: “It was a poor start and a pretty bad first lap that caught us out and put us on the back foot, and when you don’t have track position – which it’s all about around here – it’s very difficult. When you’re running behind in dirty air, you have to try something and push your luck, and an early stop was the answer to that.”

Kevin Magnussen: “We rolled the dice a little bit with the soft tire start, which a couple of others did, and I gained a lot of positions on the first lap. I got overcut by a few cars and ultimately, we didn’t have the pace today to fight for points. I feel we could’ve done better in qualifying, but looking at the pace today I don’t think we were in the running for points anyway.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/hungarian-grand-prix-race-recap-6


Hungarian GP sparks team radio anger, Magnussen out at Haas and more
A McLaren 1-2 in Hungary leads to an intra-team battle over team radio. Haas dominates the headlines this week with news on Kevin Magnussen's future and developments in their feud with a former sponsor.
July 21, 2024
Wesley Branton
Racing Clothesline No Dirty Laundry, Just Motorsport News!

With Oliver Bearman joining the team in 2025, many have speculated who will race alongside the rookie in the other Haas seat. We now know who won’t be. Haas has announced that they will not renew Kevin Magnussen’s contract, which expires at the end of the season. With the 2025 grid quickly taking shape, it’s unclear what opportunities, if any, are available for the Dane in Formula One. Magnussen replaced Esteban Gutierrez on the team in 2017, having previously competed in single-season stints with McLaren and Renault.

The dispute between Haas and their former sponsor Uralkali continues, with the Russian company now claiming the American team has missed a payment deadline. The dispute revolves around the termination of Uralkali’s sponsorship deal for 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier that year. Although a Swiss arbitration court ruled that Haas hadn’t breached the contract, they did agree that the team should refund most of the $13 million that had been paid as part of the sponsorship deal.

Additionally, the team must give Uralkali a 2021 car, as part of the original sponsorship agreement. A statement from Uralkali claims that Haas has been ignoring communications from the company and that they have missed the court-issued deadline for payment of the owed funds and car.

‘No Dirty Laundry, Just Motorsport News!’;

https://racingclothesline.com/formula-1/2024/07/21/weekly-f1-recap-hungarian-gp-sparks-team-radio-anger-magnussen-out-at-haas-and-more/


Matt Bishop: 'Magnussen should say goodbye to F1 and enjoy victory elsewhere'
July 23rd 2024
Matt Bishop
Motor Sport Magazine

I know Kevin very well, having first met him in 2010 when, as a cocky 17-year-old, he was enrolled in the McLaren Driver Development Programme when I was the team’s communications director. So it was that I was not surprised by his Haas team’s press statement on Thursday, announcing that he would not be a part of its 2025 driver line-up.

Even so, I was sad to read it, and I was touched by his plucky reaction when inevitably he was quizzed about it by the F1 media in the Hungaroring paddock: “Would I have liked to continue here [at Haas]? I think, you know, had I continued, it would have been cool to see, you know, the fruits of the momentum that’s been built here recently.”

“That would’ve been interesting, but I think there’s also other interesting projects out there, and there’s still seats available in F1. So, right now, I think the best thing is just to focus on doing good races and being in contention for the seats available, and things will fall into place eventually.”

‘Enjoy victory elsewhere';

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/magnussen-should-wave-goodbye-to-f1-and-enjoy-victory-elsewhere/?nowprocket=1#


Magnussen hopes to remain in F1 – all remaining seats ‘interesting’
Thu, 18 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Kevin Magnussen admits it would have been ‘cool’ to continue with Haas in 2025 given the team’s improvements, but the Dane hopes he’ll be in contention for one of several remaining seats in F1.

Regardless of what his F1 future may hold, Magnussen has no intention of hanging up his helmet anytime soon. Well, I don’t see myself putting an end to racing, you know, anytime soon,” he said “So, I think, you know, I’m in Formula 1.”

“Of course, Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, but I’ve always been of the opinion that racing outside of Formula 1 is also awesome. So, I think while you have a chance to be here, you need to do that. I’ve had a few chances, actually, but you don’t get a chance every day to race in Formula 1. So, you know, it’s natural that everyone tries to stay here.”

‘No intention of hanging up his helmet’;

https://f1i.com/news/514112-magnussen-hopes-to-remain-in-f1-all-remaining-seats-interesting.html


Why Gene Haas has delayed announcing Esteban Ocon as the team’s second driver for 2025
21 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

There are a handful of seats left to be confirmed for the 2025 Formula 1 season but one announcement appears to be close. Haas are one of the surprise packages on the grid this year after finishing bottom of the Constructors’ Championship last campaign.

Gene Haas is currently delaying an announcement on Esteban Ocon’s future for one key reason. It could have something to do with Haas being the smallest team on the grid and the budget constraints that puts on them in negotiations.

Gene Haas delaying announcement of Esteban Ocon as 2025 F1 driver. The report from AMuS suggests that Ocon is a ‘sure successor’ to Magnussen at Haas but that his signature is still missing from the final contract. That’s because Gene Haas is attempting to try and reduce Ocon’s salary by delaying reaching a final agreement. However, they go on to say that it’s unlikely that this tactic is going to ‘achieve its goal’.

‘Budget constraints’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why-gene-haas-has-delayed-announcing-esteban-ocon-as-the-teams-second-driver-for-2025/


Belgian Grand Prix: Race Preview
July 23, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

The final event ahead of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship’s summer recess takes MoneyGram Haas F1 Team to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, venue for the Belgian Grand Prix, Round 14 of the 2024 season.

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: “I’m looking forward to going back to Spa, it’s a pretty challenging circuit both in terms of car and driver. The circuit requires a pretty efficient car due to the long straights in sectors one and three and balancing that with the flowing sequence in sector two will be the challenge.”

“Spa always provides interesting racing with plenty of overtaking opportunities and the famous weather in Spa-Francorchamps can always add to the excitement. I’m looking forward to finishing the final race before the shutdown on a high!”

‘Race Preview’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/belgian-grand-prix-race-preview

[Fortitude]

Albon explains feisty radio message during Hungarian GP.
Alex Albon was heard berating his Williams race engineer over the radio, and explained afterwards why he was so frustrated.
21 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Feisty radio’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/albon-explains-feisty-radio-message-during-hungarian-gp.1805203842844821584


‘That start haunts me’ says Sargeant after run to P17 in Hungary
21 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Logan Sargeant started 14th in Budapest but slipped to 17th at the flag and said he was left with an “uphill battle” after a poor start.

‘That start haunts me’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/that-start-haunts-me-says-sargeant-after-run-to-p17-in-hungary.1805203172524812461


Hungarian GP: Disappointing race for Williams Racing
July 22 2024
Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

Sven Smeets Sporting Director: "With the cover of clouds disappearing slowly before the race start and the high track temperatures appearing again, we knew it was going to be crucial to find free air and stop at the right moments.”

Logan Sargeant: "Today was okay. I was disappointed with my start and, around here, it’s an uphill battle from there. From a pace perspective, it was a good day and overall, apart from my start, I’m happy with my weekend. The car felt better here than last year, which is a positive, but it was a difficult race.”

Alex Albon: "We need to understand what happened today. I think we missed it a little with the strategy; if we didn’t come out behind Fernando on the first stop, we would’ve been fine but as he was playing the team game and helping to back us up to help Lance, it impacted our race.”

‘Disappointing race’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206204.htm


James Vowles gives his verdict on Logan Sargeant’s Hungarian GP ahead of mid-season seat swap decision
22 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

For the 11th time in 13 race weekends, Williams Racing came away from a Grand Prix event without a point. Alex Albon’s 9th-place finishes in Monaco and Silverstone have provided all four points for Williams in 2024.

James Vowles gives verdict on Logan Sargeant’s display at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Speaking ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, via RacingNews365, Vowles said:

“What we’ve said to Logan is it’s a meritocracy. You have to make sure you earn your place in the sport continuously. That’s been the same message that has been for 18 months really for him. And we are open-minded to things.”

‘His verdict’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/james-vowles-gives-his-verdict-on-logan-sargeants-hungarian-gp-ahead-of-mid-season-seat-swap-decision/


The deflated Sargeant defiance amid more mid-season Williams F1 seat threat
Amid speculation over his future, Sargeant struck a conflicting figure as Hungarian GP weekend began. But there was a strong message in his words to the media
Jul 19, 2024
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Considering his current form and whether the final two races before the summer break were important to securing his position in Hungary, Sargeant replied: "It is what it is. I feel like I've been driving well throughout the year. I'm biding my time to really get the opportunity. I think I've been driving well and I'm happy with what I've been doing. So I'll just try and keep that up."

Then the group interview in the Williams motorhome took a turn. Sargeant's demeanour didn't change, but his message certainly did. There was a revelatory, no-holds-barred bite in the meaning, even though that wasn't matched in his tone. "No, not really," was his answer on whether Williams had provided any feedback on his improved result at Silverstone, where Albon had finished ninth.

"Was this different to last year?", Motorsport.com asked wondering if a change of tact had occurred given the obvious advantages of instilling confidence in last year's rookie. No, [in] Formula 1, you're expected to perform at a certain level," Sargeant replied. "You don't get a pat on the back every time you do a good job from within the team. No, nothing. Nothing majorly different."

‘Strong message in his words to the media’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/the-deflated-sargeant-defiance-amid-more-mid-season-williams-f1-seat-threat/10636054/

[Fortitude]

‘At the moment we need a miracle to happen to get into the top 10’ – Bottas.
Valtteri Bottas finished the Hungarian Grand Prix down in 16th place, as Kick Sauber’s wait for their first point of the season continues.
21 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘We need a miracle to happen’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/at-the-moment-we-need-a-miracle-to-happen-to-get-into-the-top-10-bottas.1805202702941900407


Ex-Ferrari F1 chief to run Audi's team
23 Jul 2024
Joel Feder
Motor Authority

Audi has ended the guessing game of who might be in charge of its upcoming Formula 1 program. On Tuesday, Audi announced it recruited Mattia Binotto to its F1 project. Binotto will be both the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) within the leadership team of the new Sauber Motorsport AG team that will race as Audi.

Binotto resigned as team principal at Ferrari's F1 team in 2022. Binotto had been with the Italian automaker for 28 years, originally starting in 1995 as a powertrain engineer. The executive ultimately became the head of the Italian automaker's F1 team and motorsports department in 2019. The Binotto announcement also came with an Audi F1 management restructure that will see both Oliver Hoffman and Andreas Seidl leave the project entirely.

Gernot Döllner, who was named the CEO of Audi in 2023 and serves as chairman of the board, will now serve as chairman of the board for Sauber Motorsport AG. Audi has already signed its first driver. In April, Audi announced Nico Hülkenberg will drive for the Audi F1 team when it enters the grid in 2026.

‘Audi has ended the guessing game’;

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1143886_ex-ferrari-f1-chief-to-run-audi-s-team


Mattia Binotto takes over a leadership position for Audi in Formula 1
13:24 Tue, 23 Jul 2024
Audi - Official Site

Preparations for entering the highest class of motorsports are going full speed ahead at Audi. As part of the complete takeover of all shares in Sauber Holding AG and the associated realignment of the control structure, the management of the future Audi factory team is now being renewed. On August 1, the former F1 team head Mattia Binotto is joining the Audi F1 project and will take on its leadership in Hinwil.

“I am delighted that we have been able to recruit Mattia Binotto for our ambitious Formula 1 project,“ says Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG. “With his extensive experience of more than 25 years in Formula 1, he will undoubtedly be able to make a decisive contribution for Audi.”

Following his university degree in mechanical engineering at EPFL in Switzerland, the Italian immediately joined the F1 test team of Ferrari in 1995. He subsequently had various positions, from chief engineer to manager of the engine department and technical director. In 2019 he was additionally appointed as team head of Scuderia Ferrari.

‘Mattia Binotto takes over’;

https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/mattia-binotto-takes-over-a-leadership-position-for-audi-in-formula-1-16116


Mattia Binotto makes F1 return with Audi
13:45 Tue, 23 Jul 2024
Last Word On Sports

Audi announce Binotto appointment: Binotto’s time at Ferrari is considered a very difficult period for the team, especially during the height of Ferrari’s battle against Red Bull in 2022. However, the 54-year-old’s leadership at Maranello represents only a small portion of his F1 career.

Binotto can be credited with an integral role in Ferrari’s dominant era in the early 2000s, helping to mastermind the power units that powered the Scuderia. Two decades later, he is entrusted with a key leadership position at Audi. Previously, Binotto has been linked with a potential Alpine move.

However, the French outfit’s likely switch to Mercedes engines would make them a customer team for 2026. Taking this path almost certainly reduced their appeal. No such process is taking place at Audi, however, with the Hinwil-based team looking to Binotto’s expertise in this critical period. He will officially take on his new role on August 1st.


‘F1 return with Audi’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/07/23/mattia-binotto-makes-f1-return-with-audi/


ANALYSIS: Why Audi have turned to former Ferrari man Binotto to lead their F1 charge
16:16 Tue, 23 Jul 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Just four months after expanding their commitment to Formula 1 by completing a full takeover of Swiss operation Sauber, Audi have moved to make sweeping changes to the senior leadership team ahead of their arrival in the sport in 2026. In comes Mattia Binotto, who has been out of F1 since leaving Ferrari at the end of 2022, and out goes CEO Andreas Seidl and Chairman of the Board of Directors Oliver Hoffmann.

It’s a remarkable turn of events given Seidl only joined the project at the start of 2023 after a long chase from the German manufacturer that resulted in him parting ways with McLaren. However, after 18 months in the job – and only four months after he was officially given the Audi F1 Team CEO title – Audi have decided he isn’t the right person to lead the project.

Seidl has tried to stay out of the limelight since taking the job, instead preferring to work behind the scenes at the factory to create a plan to build up and restructure the operation while letting Alessandro Alunni Bravi be the face of the team at race weekends. However, it is believed Audi did not feel that Seidl was doing a good enough job, quickly enough and thus decided to part ways.

‘ANALYSIS’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/analysis-why-audi-have-turned-to-former-ferrari-man-binotto-to-lead-their-f1.18JmFCS3pHjoNHW2j0rrQM


Valtteri Bottas admits to uncertainty about F1 future
July 21, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Valtteri Bottas is generally seen as someone with the necessary experience and accomplishments to stay in F1 next season. The Finn is understood to be on the radar of several teams heading into the summer break. Despite this, Bottas admits there is some nervousness about his future.

The waiting game continues. Unfortunately for Bottas, negotiations seem to have stagnated – as he told the media in Hungary: “Maybe waiting for Carlos [to sign a contract], but maybe not. I mean, it’s at some point, I don’t think everyone is going to probably wait for him. But I’m still waiting for something… If I’m honest, I was hoping that things would be sorted before this weekend.”

“But we still have to wait for a bit. I don’t have a clear answer. Obviously, I’m getting to the point that, hopefully [something is confirmed], sooner than later. As everyone knows, if things drag on to the August break or after the August break, it can start to become quite nerve-racking.”

‘The waiting game continues’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/07/21/valtteri-bottas-admits-to-uncertainty-about-f1-future/

[Fortitude]

Gasly calls for Alpine ‘to do a lot better’ following consecutive DNFs.
The British GP saw Gasly suffer from a gearbox malfunction whilst his race in Hungary was cut short due to a hydraulics issue.
July 23, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly called out his team after his retirement from the British and Hungarian Grand Prix. The Frenchman claimed the French manufacturer need “to be more focused”. Gasly has admitted that there have been “too many issues” for Alpine following his two race retirements

Gasly started the Hungarian Grand Prix at the back with his teammate in front of him in 19th. However, Alpine decided to start him from the pitlane, which played into his hands as he got ahead of Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas in the opening phase. Shortly after this positive start, Gasly’s race came to an abrupt end, with the Frenchman claiming there were “too many problems” within the team. As reported by F1, Gasly said:

“It’s too many issues, too many problems,” said Gasly. “It’s a massive shame because we started from the pit lane, we [were] actually in front of Fernando [Alonso] at that stage of the race, our strategy worked perfectly with what others decided to do. I think we put ourselves in contention for one or two points, and… today it’s hydraulics, yesterday was the strategy, last week I didn’t race at Silverstone because of the gearbox.”

“More focus needed”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/gasly-calls-for-alpine-to-do-a-lot-better-following-consecutive-dnfs/?nowprocket=1


Ocon deflated after 'disappointing weekend' in Hungary
21 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alpine's Esteban Ocon reacts to a "disappointing weekend" at the Hungaroring for the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix, as he finished down in P18.

‘Deflated’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ocon-deflated-after-dissapointing-weekend-in-hungary.1805201431750105490


‘We don’t give ourselves chances’ – Frustrated Gasly admits Alpine suffering ‘too many issues’ after Hungary DNF
22 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Pierre Gasly has called on Alpine to “stop allowing missed opportunities” after recording his second non-finish in a row, having been forced to retire from the Hungarian Grand Prix owing to a suspected hydraulics issue.

It was a tough weekend for the Enstone-based squad, with Gasly and team mate Esteban Ocon qualifying on the back row after a strategic error from the team resulted in them not putting a final lap in during Q1. Gasly then started the race from the pit lane due to set-up and power unit element changes being made to his A524 ahead of the Grand Prix.

“It’s too many issues, too many problems,” said Gasly. “It’s a massive shame because we started from the pit lane, we [were] actually in front of Fernando [Alonso] at that stage of the race, our strategy worked perfectly with what others decided to do. I think we put ourselves in contention for one or two points, and… today it’s hydraulics, yesterday was the strategy, last week I didn’t race at Silverstone because of the gearbox.”

‘Don’t give ourselves chances’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/we-dont-give-ourselves-chances-frustrated-gasly-admits-alpine-suffering-too.6W7GoVJ9MFlNT9ioDAez2e


‘It’s a massive shame’ – Gasly downbeat after DNF in Budapest
21 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Pierre Gasly cut a disconsolate figure after he was forced to retire his Alpine from the Hungarian Grand Prix with a hydraulics issue on Lap 33.

‘Downbeat’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/its-a-massive-shame-gasly-downbeat-after-dnf-in-budapest.1805202048911525259


Report: Alpine close to ditching Renault engine as deal to use £3bn F1 team’s power units ‘within reach’
22 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

The future of Alpine’s F1 engine partnership has been thrown in the air amid reports that it could be set to ditch Renault power units in favour of another manufacturer on the grid. Alpine is a division of Renault and has been a works entity since the team based in Enstone was taken over by the French carmaker in 2016.

Alpine could pair up with Mercedes in engine partnership. According to the report, despite holding talks with Red Bull Powertrains an agreement between £3 billion team (via Forbes) Mercedes and Alpine is “within reach” and could be announced imminently. The report states that it was one of the first jobs pulled off by Flavio Briatore, who rejoined the Enstone outfit after being fired in 2009 in the wake of the Crash-gate scandal.

Team Enstone has previously raced with Mercedes engines. The team last raced with Mercedes power units in 2015 when it was known as ‘Lotus F1’ and owned majority by financial advisory and investment firm Genii Capital. If Alpine does opt to switch to Mercedes, it would be the most logical option considering their winning pedigree while any power unit produced between Red Bull and Ford has yet to hit the track.

‘Renault power units ditched?' ;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alpine-close-to-ditching-renault-engine-as-deal-to-use-3bn-f1-teams-power-units-within-reach/


Alpine-Mercedes tie-up set to include suspension/gearbox and could start in 2025
Alpine and Mercedes could kickstart their partnership before the new rules come into play in 2026
Tue, 23 Jul 2024
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Neither Mercedes nor Alpine have commented on the matter, but recently Mercedes boss Toto Wolff made clear that he was open to a customer engine deal. "That’s a complicated situation because we like the thought of replacing Aston Martin with another team, because of the sheer learning you're doing," Wolff said ahead of the British Grand Prix.

"I think we're set up as an organisation that the more power units, the better it is in terms of accelerating some of the developments or the reliability. It didn't go beyond the point of exchanging opinions or having exploratory discussions.”

"Alpine [need to] take a decision, do they want to continue with their Formula 1 engine programme or not? And only when they have taken that strategic decision, we would dive into our agreements. But we're open-minded, and that's what we have told them."

“Replacing Aston Martin with another team”;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alpine-mercedes-tie-up-set-to-include-suspension-gearbox-and-could-start-in-2025/10637833/


‘I saw’: Flavio Briatore spotted chatting to rival F1 team principal amid Alpine power unit talk
23 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The Hungarian Grand Prix simply couldn’t have gone any worse for the Alpine F1 team. Esteban Ocon was well off the pace at the previous race in Silverstone but at least he took the start with Pierre Gasly forced to retire the car after the formation lap.

Speaking on the Pit Pass Podcast, journalist Julianne Cerasoli was talking about what new special advisor Flavio Briatore was doing behind the scenes in Hungary. Alongside team principal Bruno Famin, the pair were spotted talking to Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

Alpine are considering abandoning their Renault power units from 2026 and becoming a customer team. Red Bull will be building their own engines by then making the prospect of the two teams working together very intriguing.

‘I saw’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/flavio-briatore-spotted-chatting-to-rival-f1-team-principal-amid-alpine-power-unit-talk/


Renault launches study on future of Viry engine facility amid F1 project review
Renault personnel have been informed of a potential change of direction for its F1 engine factory
23 Jul 2024
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Renault has launched an evaluation study to decide on the future focus for its Viry-Chatillon engine facility, amid a growing likelihood that it will end its Formula 1 power unit project. There is believed to be a clear desire to push senior engineers and other staff at the French facility on to areas of new technology that will futureproof the Renault organisation.

This could include development of hydrogen power alongside further battery technology work. The changes will ensure that those staff currently working on the F1 project will still have a future at the company even if it no longer produces engines for grand prix racing.

‘Evaluation study’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/renault-launches-study-on-future-of-viry-engine-facility-amid-f1-project-review/10637920/


Renault launch F1 project investigation with Mercedes at heart of new vision
24 Jul 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Renault have reportedly launched a study into the possible future of its Viry-Chatillon engine base, as the possibility of moving to Mercedes customer power in Formula 1 appears to be gathering pace.

While no deal has yet been signed, it is reported that the outline for a deal in principle is believed to be in place, which could not only also see Alpine use the Mercedes gearbox and suspension, as is the case with current engine customers Aston Martin, but potentially see the partnership start as soon as the 2025 season, should a deal be finalised early enough.

As for the future of the current engine facility in Viry-Chatillon, Renault senior management have reportedly informed Alpine about a potential change of direction if its F1 involvement were to change course – though no final decision has yet been taken, but it is believed the facility would remain crucial to the company and its sporting and automotive endeavours in future.

‘New vision’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/renault-launch-f1-project-investigation-with-mercedes-at-heart-of-new-vision

[Fortitude]

Five Belgian GP questions: Red Bull on the rocks? Will the real Alpine team please stand up?
The established order of F1 has certainly had a shake up of late with McLaren now the fastest car but can Red Bull bounce back in Belgium?
24 Jul 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Regardless of how it came to be, McLaren’s one-two in Budapest was their biggest statement of intent yet. 2021 was the last time they scored the same result but while Daniel Ricciardo’s Monza heroics were impressive, it came with the big asterisk that Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton crashed out of the race together.

But in Budapest there was no fortune, no safety car, no title-contender crash. The race was won on pure pace and it is clear McLaren have the quickest car on the grid right now. With that in mind, there is every expectation that they arrive at the final race before the summer break as the favourites.

‘Can McLaren stay on top? Will Red Bull recover? How will the teams adapt to a new track surface? What kind of shape will teams go into the summer break in? Which Alpine will turn up?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/five-belgian-gp-questions-red-bull-recovery-alpine-fluctuating-form


F1 race preview: will new Spa surface mean fastest Belgian GP ever?
July 24th 2024
Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

For the first time in three consecutive seasons, Red Bull‘s performance is looking less than supreme. After a dominant 1-2 finish at the Hungaroring, McLaren is now the team to beat. Victory at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix for the Woking outfit would be even more significant, showing that the race for the championship is well and truly on.

It’s the third year in a row that Verstappen has incurred a grid penalty at Spa, but repeating his dominant wins from 2022, when he started 14th on the grid, and 2023, when he lined up sixth at the start, won’t be straightforward given the form of McLaren and Mercedes, who have claimed victory in the past three races.

With over 100m in elevation changes and a mix of high- and medium-speed corners, the historic Belgian GP venue offers a different challenge to the relatively slow turns of the Budapest track. The track has been resurfaced for 2024, increasing the levels of overall grip and likely resulting in lap times up to 3sec quicker.

‘Fastest Belgian GP ever?’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/race-preview-will-new-spa-surface-mean-fastest-belgian-gp-ever/?nowprocket=1#


Formula One statistics for the Belgian Grand Prix
Jul 24, 2024
The Straits Times

Formula One statistics for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, round 14 of the 24-race championship and last before the August break:
Lap distance: 7.004km. Total distance: 308.052km (44 laps)
2023 pole position: Charles Leclerc (Monaco), Ferrari, one minute 46.988 seconds*

2023 race winner: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull Race lap record: 1:46.286, Valtteri Bottas (Finland, Mercedes 2018)
Start time: 1300GMT (1500 local)
*Verstappen qualified fastest but dropped five places due to a gearbox change.

This year's will be the 69th Belgian Grand Prix and 57th at Spa. Eleven of the last 22 have been won from pole position. Spa is the longest lap in F1 and one of the fastest, with an average speed of around 230kph. Cars can hit 315kph at Blanchimont. Four current drivers have won at Spa: Lewis Hamilton (2010, 2015, 2017, 2020), Daniel Ricciardo (2014), Leclerc (2019), Verstappen (2021, 2022, 2023). Michael Schumacher won a record six times at Spa, including from 16th on the grid in a wet 1995 race.

‘Belgian Grand Prix statistics’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/formula-one-statistics-for-the-belgian-grand-prix


Max Verstappen 'will serve huge 10-place grid penalty at the Belgian GP' in boost to Lando Norris' world title hopes... while Dutchman is told must stop 'staying up gaming until 3am before races'
• The Red Bull star has been reportedly been warned by the team over his gaming
• Max Verstappen stayed up late playing online the night before the Hungary GP
• Verstappen is also set to be handed a 10-place grid penalty at the Belgian GP
24 July 2024
Ryan Walker
MailOnline

Max Verstappen will be handed a 10-place grid penalty at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix after Red Bull decided to take the punishment ahead of fitting a new internal combustion engine, according to reports. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old has also been told he can't stay up playing on his video game simulator into the early hours the night before a race, as was the case in Budapest. Verstappen was up until 3am on Sunday morning playing Sim racing, a popular racing simulation game and endured a nightmare afternoon at the Hungaroring.

Helmut Marko, Red Bull's senior adviser, revealed that discussions have been held with the star telling him he can no longer take part in late-night gaming sessions. 'Max Verstappen was rather thin-skinned this weekend, and of course it didn't take long for criticism to arise — no wonder, since he spends half the night playing sim racing,' he said in his column for Speedweek.

'I have to say that in Imola he didn't go to bed until three in the morning after a sim-racing session — and then won the grand prix. Max has a different sleep pattern, and he had his seven hours of sleep. His late-night sim appearance on the Hungary weekend only came about because a driver in his team had dropped out. Nevertheless we agreed that he would no longer run simulations so late in the future.'

‘Must stop staying up gaming until 3am before races';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13669269/Max-Verstappen-red-bull-gaming-grid-penalty.html


Max previews Belgian GP: 'Deliver the best result possible'
24 July 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

After an eventful race at the Hungaroring, Max Verstappen is now looking forward to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. The Dutch Oracle Red Bull Racing driver says: “Spa has always been my favourite track, with its fast corners and lots of opportunities for overtaking. The fans are also great and we receive a lot of support there.”

“Hungary was a tricky race and a weekend to forget and move forward from”, Max adds. “We have been working as a team to optimise our performance and get the best out of the car that we possibly can. Of course, the weather makes things a bit more unpredictable, but we will see what the race brings.”

“The team have been working very hard and, being the last race before the summer break, we are looking forward to having a well-deserved rest and want to come back stronger. For this weekend, we will try and deliver the best result possible.”
For those wanting to join the Orange Army in the Ardennes, there are still a few tickets available for the Max Verstappen Grandstand at Pouhon at https://www.verstappen.com/tickets/belgian-gp

‘Join the Orange Army in the Ardennes’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5545/


Belgian GP weekend set to be unsettled by wet weather
Spa-Francorchamps hosts the latest round of the F1 world championship this weekend - and it very well could be a wet one!
24 July 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

According to our friends at Weeronline.nl, Friday practice could be impacted by wet weather. Showers from the west will move over the circuit with regular precipitation expected. Temperatures could rise to 20°C when it is not raining, and sit a few degrees lower when the rain is present.

Moving into qualifying day, Saturday may also see long-lasting rainfall, although the exact period of how long it will fall for is uncertain. Sunshine will not be present for much of the day, with a maximum of 18°C expected and very little wind.

Conditions will change somewhat when for the final day of the race weekend, with Sunday hosting the main event. The Belgian Grand Prix is forecast to be held in drier conditions following the persistent rain throughout the remainder of the weekend. While local showers are still a possibility, the chance of a saturated race track during the race is small with temperatures of 20 or 21°C expected.

‘Unsettled by wet weather’;

https://racingnews365.com/belgian-gp-weekend-set-to-be-unsettled-by-wet-weather


Start time for the 2024 F1 Belgian GP - Time schedule
From Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28, the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix will take place. Check here for all the start times at Spa-Francorchamps.
25 July 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

The 2024 F1 Belgian GP starts on Sunday, July 28st, at 2:00 PM BST, the start time we are accustomed to from the European schedule. About an hour and a half later, we will know who has won. Who will take the victory this year?

The schedule of the Belgian GP is automatically adjusted to your time zone.
Timetable Belgian GP
Session
Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 26 July 13:30 - 14:30
Free practice 2 Friday 26 July 17:00 - 18:00
Free practice 3 Saturday 27 July 12:30 - 13:30
Qualification Saturday 27 July 16:00 - 17:00
Race Sunday 28 July 15:00 - 17:00

‘Schedule of the Belgian GP’;

https://racingnews365.com/start-time-for-the-2024-f1-belgian-gp-time-schedule


What time is the Belgian Grand Prix? F1 race and qualifying schedule
Jul 23, 2024
The Race

‘Spa-Francorchamps, home of the Belgian Grand Prix, is a firm favourite among Formula 1 drivers and fans’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-time-is-the-belgian-grand-prix-f1-race-and-qualifying-schedule/

[Fortitude]

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix.
Current form: The pecking order has seen some intriguing changes play out as the season has progressed, and McLaren's continued ascent looked to be confirmed last time out in Hungary.
Jul 25, 2024
Formula One - Official Site

For the final race weekend before the summmer break, Formula 1 heads to Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix. Going into the event, Need to Know is your all-in-one guide with stats, trivia, insight and much more. You can also see how fans have voted using our F1 Play predictor game.

FAN VIEW: Max Verstappen might have won the last three Belgian Grands Prix, but – having not claimed a victory during the past few rounds of the 2024 season – he is not favourite to win a fourth in a row, according to F1 Play gamers.

Only around 14% believe the Red Bull driver will take top spot on Sunday, with the favoured choice being McLaren's Lando Norris, with just shy of a quarter of early entrants backing the Brit. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton is second favourite (21%), then Charles Leclerc (20%) and Oscar Piastri (19%).

‘Important facts, stats and trivia’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/need-to-know-the-most-important-facts-stats-trivia-2024-belgian-grand-prix.3L6NrxuPIbd4A15c1MyaVV


Belgium Grand Prix: F1 Rollercoaster in the Ardennes Forrest
Jul 25, 2024
Aaron Teasdale
World In Sport

Round 14 of the Formula 1 calendar becomes the final race of July before the summer break. This time we travel southwest, through Austria, into Germany, into the iconic municipality of Stavelot, Belgium. From there the journey ventures north to the village of Francorchamps. Where Formula 1 arrives to host the star-studded Belgium Grand Prix at the Circuit De Spa Francochamps. The emergence of the Circuit De Spa Francorchamps dates back to 1920. Jules de Their owner of the Liège newspaper, La Meuse had the ambition to revive the La Meuse Cup.

The ambition led to the combination of three roads connecting the towns of Spa-Francorchamps, Malmedy, and Stavelot. A foundation that would begin building the ever-growing emergence of the circuit located in the Ardennes forest. The Belgian Grand Prix, a cornerstone of the Formula 1 World Championship since its inaugural season in 1950. And has a rich history marked by dramatic changes and technological advancements.

Even before Formula 1 made its presence in the Ardennes forest. Its primary venue, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, has undergone significant transformations over the decades. Adapting to the evolving demands of the sport while retaining its character as one of the most challenging and revered circuits in racing.

‘F1 Rollercoaster’;

https://worldinsport.com/belgium-grand-prix-f1-rollercoaster-in-the-ardennes-forrest/?nowprocket=1


Late-night gamer Max Verstappen eyes redemption at Belgian Grand Prix
Jul 25, 2024
The Straits Times

A week after ranting on the team radio in Budapest, Max Verstappen heads to the Belgian Grand Prix having been warned to take “nothing for granted” and advised by Red Bull to give up late-night simulation racing. The Formula One championship leader and three-time world champion departed Hungary in a petulant mood after finishing fifth, swearing on radio and in post-race interviews, having gone to bed at 3am before the race.

It was his and Red Bull’s third consecutive race without a win and he will need to deliver a more composed performance on his preferred circuit on July 28 to avoid extending his winless run to four for the first time since 2020. Another defeat and his commanding supremacy of the past – he won 19 of 22 races last season – will be forgotten. “Hungary was a tricky race and a weekend to forget and move forward from,” said the Dutchman, who has seven wins from 13 grands prix in 2024.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has warned that the threat from McLaren, after their one-two finish, and both Mercedes and Ferrari, could wreck their season if they cannot respond this weekend. “In the drivers’ championship, Max has a good lead – but that can diminish very quickly, so nothing can be taken for granted,” he said. The team’s influential adviser Helmut Marko added: “We agreed that Max would no longer run simulations so late in the future.”

‘Late-night gamer Max Verstappen eyes redemption’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/late-night-gamer-max-verstappen-eyes-redemption-at-belgian-grand-prix


Mercedes downplay Belgian GP chances despite 'encouraging' path
Mercedes is targeting a sixth consecutive podium in this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.
25 July 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Toto Wolff has conceded that Mercedes do not have a car capable of fighting for victory on a regular basis ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. The Mercedes boss is pleased with the team's trajectory as it enters an important weekend in Spa-Francorchamps. "We head into the final race before the summer break on a run of five consecutive podium finishes," said Wolff.

"We are therefore looking to continue that momentum and finish the first half of the season strongly. The pack at the front is close and we will have to be at our best to do so though. "Whilst we are lacking a little bit of pace compared to some of our competitors, we continue to bring performance to the car. We are on a positive trajectory and that is encouraging.

"It is not yet enough to fight for victories consistently each and every weekend, but has enabled us to be in contention for the top-three more regularly. Spa is a very different challenge to Budapest. With cooler temperatures and a much more high-speed layout, it will be interesting to see how the W15 performs compared to our rivals."

‘Targeting a sixth consecutive podium’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-downplays-mercedes-belgian-gp-chances-despite-encouraging-path


Alpine F1 set for restructure with new team principal
Alpine look set to appoint another new team principal, with Bruno Famin expected to leave the role shortly.
25 July 2024
Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Since Flavio Briatore was appointed as advisor to Luca de Meo, Renault's CEO, it is clear that a different wind is blowing at Alpine. Briatore clearly wants to change things at the French team and he wants to do so by making rigorous decisions. For example, at Alpine, Briatore is about to say goodbye to the Renault engine and replace it with a Mercedes power unit by 2026.

In addition to the likely change in engine supplier, the team is now also about to replace Famin. Alpine is holding talks with several candidates. It is expected that Alpine will announce who will be Famin's successor as early as the short term. Once again, Briatore is showing that Alpine wants to do things differently.

Under the leadership of the flamboyant Italian, they want to move on quickly. Other notable decisions in the coming weeks and months are also not out of the question.

‘Restructure’;

https://racingnews365.com/alpine-f1-set-for-restructure-with-new-team-principal


F1's summer break: why racing shuts down for a month mid-season
July 24th 2024
Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

When and what is the F1 summer break? F1’s official summer break in 2024 starts the day after the Belgian Grand Prix on Monday July 29 and lasts until Friday August 23 — which marks the start of the Dutch GP race weekend. This gives teams and drivers four weeks to take a break from the almost constant on-track action and refresh before tackling the remaining 11 races of the season.

During the four-week summer break, there is also a ‘summer shutdown’ — an FIA mandated period in which F1 teams cannot work on car design, develop or produce parts or even plan or hold official meetings for 14 consecutive days. The usage of the wind tunnel is also banned under F1’s sporting regulations, as is the machining of any parts. Should any team participate in any of these activities, they can be penalised at the discretion of the FIA, racing’s governing body.

It’s up to each team when the 14-day period starts and ends, but the majority choose to have it somewhere in the middle two-weeks — allowing its employees to debrief and develop after the Belgian GP before coming back a week before the Dutch GP to complete their regular race build-up. Each team must notify the FIA on the start and end dates of their summer shutdowns.

‘F1's summer break’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/f1s-summer-break-why-racing-shuts-down-for-a-month-mid-season/?nowprocket=1#

[Fortitude]

F1 - 2024 Belgian Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
DRIVERS – Lance STROLL (Aston Martin), Kevin MAGNUSSEN (Haas), Carlos SAINZ (Ferrari), Daniel RICCIARDO (RB), Valtteri BOTTAS (Kick Sauber).
25.07.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Valtteri, can we start with you, please? And the news that Andreas Seidel has been replaced by Mattia Bonotto in the team. What's your reaction, first of all? Valtteri BOTTAS: Yeah, quite sudden news. I believe everything happened pretty quickly, but obviously those high-level decisions, we as drivers and many of the team members don't know really what's going on behind the scenes. But yeah, quite unexpected, but obviously welcoming Mattia to the team. And at the same time, I want to thank Mr Seidl and Mr Hoffman for their contribution to the team.

Q: In Hungary, it looked like the team had got its Barcelona upgrades working. Was that circuit specific or do you feel you'd actually made a step forward with setup and genuine car performance? Daniel RICCIARDO: I mean, the circuit helped us, because I think we were pretty strong already from Friday. And we hit the ground running, and we didn't really have to chase it. It just came, and that was that. So some circuits certainly help. But it's still so unpredictable. Did we know we would be really strong in Budapest? Not necessarily, but yeah, I think we've a bit more time now, we've understood everything and we, yeah, you just, I guess it helps getting to the weekend with a better understanding of the package and then knowing, okay, we pretty much know the window of what this car likes, the set-up.

Q: Carlos, let's come to you now. The last time you and Kevin were in a press conference together, Kevin said you were the cork in the bottle. of the driver market. And I did want to start by asking for your thoughts on the news that Mattia Binotto is going to Sauber Audi. You've worked with him before at Ferrari. Does that complicate your decision further? Carlos SAINZ: So predictable, Thomas. I think, first of all, I'm not up to date with everything that is going on at every team but of course I think the arrival of Mattia to any team is positive, mainly because he has the experience of what it takes to build a team that is a top team nowadays, like it is at Ferrari. And he has that experience from Ferrari that he can bring into Audi. And I'm sure it's a great asset for them. And that's why they hired him. And yeah, of course, I wish him all the best there.

‘Lance STROLL (Aston Martin), Kevin MAGNUSSEN (Haas)’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-belgian-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript


‘Genuine chance’: Piastri says McLaren can beat Red Bull to teams title after historic result
July 26th, 2024 8:53 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Oscar Piastri says McLaren is a “genuine chance” of beating Red Bull Racing to the constructors championship after leading a dominant one-two finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

McLaren has recovered strongly from its slow start to the season. After having had a driver stand on the podium just once in the first four rounds of the year — Lando Norris in Australia after Max Verstappen retired — it’s had at least one car feature in the top three at every grand prix since.

The culmination of that sharp upwards trajectory was a comprehensive performance in Hungary, where it locked out the front row for the first time in almost 12 years and recorded just its second one-two finish of the last decade.

‘Genuine chance’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/genuine-chance-piastri-says-mclaren-can-beat-red-bull-to-teams-title-after-historic-result/news-story/18e739aafac90beb5d712e9fe246570f


Norris was 'silly' to delay Piastri pass at Hungarian Grand Prix
Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) (AFP) – Lando Norris said on Thursday he was "silly" for not moving over earlier to allow McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri to pass him during last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix and added it "was a stupid thing to do."
25/07/2024
France 24

Speaking to reporters before this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, the 24-year-old Briton added he felt remorseful that his behaviour had overshadowed Piastri's maiden victory and the team's merited one-two finish. "I was a bit silly and didn't think of letting him go earlier," Norris said.

He added he was 'not too proud' of his protracted team orders conversation with his race engineer Will Joseph that resulted in the team finally giving Norris an instruction to 'do it now' after several earlier prompts to do so 'at your convenience'.

"Could it have been handled slightly differently from both a team side and from a personal side? Yes, absolutely," admitted Norris, whose recent form has seen him emerge as the main challenger to defending champion Max Verstappen for the drivers' title.

‘Norris was 'silly' to delay Piastri pass’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240725-norris-was-silly-to-delay-piastri-pass-at-hungarian-grand-prix


Max ahead of Spa: 'We learn and move on'
25 July 2024
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

The Hungaroring saw an updated RB20 line up on the grid. “Reflecting back, I think we could’ve done things different, also in terms of set-up. We’re still looking into some stuff, so hopefully we learn more. Maybe we’ve not made the most of the upgrade. Hopefully we have a smoother weekend here in Belgium”, explained the Dutchman who also noted that not all parts of the update will feature in Spa. “Some parts are circuit specific.”

An added challenge awaits the Dutchman as he will likely incur a ten place grid penalty due to having to add another power unit to the champion’s parts pool. “Of course, I knew at some point it had to happen”, said Max, referring to an engine failure at the Canadian Grand Prix.

“Of course we’ll see on Sunday if Spa is a good track to take the penalty hit. Some tracks are better than others. You don’t want to serve a penalty on a street track, so it’ll most likely be here.”

'We learn and move on';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5547/


Sergio Perez '100% sure' Belgian Grand Prix won’t be final F1 race for Red Bull
Sergio Perez is sure this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix won't be his final outing for Red Bull in F1.
25 Jul 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sergio Perez is adamant his F1 future with Red Bull is secure amid speculation this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix could be his final outing for the team. Speaking in Belgium on Thursday, where Crash.net are in the paddock, Perez was asked if he is “100% sure” that this weekend’s race won’t be his last one for Red Bull. He replied: “Yes correct.”

Perez was then pressed on why he’s so sure about being with the team beyond this weekend given the amount of speculation about his future. “I know what’s in my contract. I know the team trusts in me. I know where the main focus which is on delivering on track,” he explained. Perez shrugged off suggestions that he was frustrated by the comments Marko makes in the media, conceding that’s just how Red Bull operates.

“It’s how this team operates,” he concluded. “How it is. I am fine with it. I focus on the team. I focus within the team to get the maximum out of the team, out of the car. The rest, like I say, it’s pure speculation. I am not worried about it. I know where I stand. That’s not my concern. My only concern I have is to get my season back on track. The rest I am pretty chilled about.”

'100% sure';

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052640/1/sergio-perez-100-sure-belgian-grand-prix-wont-be-final-f1-race-red-bull


Leclerc: We 'paid the price' for inconclusive upgrades
18:52 Thu, 25 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Charles Leclerc admits Ferrari "paid the price" for their inconclusive upgrades ahead of the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix.

'Paid the price';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/leclerc-we-paid-the-price-for-inconclusive-upgrades.1805572372647897916


Charles Leclerc warns Ferrari won’t be the “favourites anywhere” in F1 2024
“So no, I don’t think that on paper we are favourites anywhere.”
24 Jul 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Charles Leclerc has offered a dim view on Ferrari’s chances of adding to their last F1 victory in Monaco during the remainder of the year. Leclerc is doubtful Ferrari will be the team to beat at any of the forthcoming rounds.

“Not really. I mean, now if we stay like this with our car, I don’t think so,” he said in Hungary, where Crash.net were present in the paddock. “Monaco is a very, very specific track, which we were very strong, but that doesn’t mean that we’ll be fast anywhere else during the season. So no, I don’t think that on paper we are favourites anywhere.” Leclerc believes progress is being made with the floor area but expects the issue to continue to plague them at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

“The understanding [with the floor] is there, it’s going in the right direction for sure,” Leclerc added. “The thing with the kind of issue we are facing is that it’s either on or off, and it’s very difficult to see the improvement. Maybe you have it for less time, and what I’m speaking of is mostly the bouncing, but it’s not like you improve the intensity of it, so whenever you have it, you have it.”

‘Dim view on Ferrari’s chances’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052613/1/charles-leclerc-warns-ferrari-wont-be-favourites-anywhere-f1-2024

[Fortitude]

Verstappen half a second clear in Belgian GP FP1.
He got his weekend underway in the strongest possible fashion as he topped the timesheets with a lap of 1:43.372s to finish 0.531s clear of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
26 July 2024
Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Williams’ Alex Albon was an eye-catching third-best, ahead of Mercedes pair George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who complained of a poor rear end and bouncing from the W15 respectively. Charles Leclerc was the lead Ferrari driver in sixth position, nine-tenths behind Verstappen, ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

Verstappen’s nearest challenger in the championship, Lando Norris, was eighth-fastest, as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll rounded out the top 10. Pierre Gasly fronted Alpine’s charge in the newly liveried A524 as team-mate Esteban Ocon was sidelined by a suspected water leak.

Fernando Alonso was 12th for Aston Martin while Daniel Ricciardo finished as the lead RB driver in 13th spot, via an early spin exiting the La Source hairpin. Valtteri Bottas was 14th for Sauber, ahead of Williams’ Logan Sargeant and RB’s Yuki Tsunoda, who has taken a fresh power unit and will start from the rear of the grid.

‘Half a second clear’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/26/verstappen-half-a-second-clear-in-belgian-gp-fp1/


Belgian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
26 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 23 1:43.372

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 23 1:43.903 0.531

3 23 Alex Albon Williams 20 1:44.099 0.727

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 22 1:44.225 0.853

5 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 20 1:44.279 0.907

6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 24 1:44.306 0.934

7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 21 1:44.329 0.957

8 4 Lando Norris McLaren 23 1:44.415 1.043

9 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 23 1:44.574 1.202

10 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 20 1:44.699 1.327

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

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


Verstappen blows away his F1 rivals but grid penalty confirmed
A crushing warning from Max Verstappen for the rest of this weekend. Will he be able to repeat his 2022 feat on Sunday?
26 July 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen delivered an imperious performance in first practice for the Belgian Grand Prix to leave his F1 rivals trailing. Fresh from the controversy of his radio ranting during the Hungarian GP and a late-race collision with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton that led to a fifth-place finish, after the opening 60 minutes of running at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Verstappen was head-and-shoulders clear of the field.

In an RB20 reverting to the bodywork package seen in the British GP, Verstappen finished 0.531s ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri, the Australian fresh from scoring his maiden F1 victory at the Hungaroring. Verstappen posted a time of 1:43.372s on Pirelli's soft tyres, however, he will go into Sunday's race carrying a 10-place penalty as it was confirmed during FP1 that a new internal combustion engine has been introduced into the pool, the first beyond the permitted four allocated for the season.

‘Blows away his F1 rivals’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-blows-away-his-f1-rivals-but-grid-penalty-confirmed


FP1: Verstappen kicks off his Belgian Grand Prix weekend in dominant fashion
26 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Championship runaway leader Max Verstappen set the benchmark in the opening practice for the Belgian Grand Prix with Williams racer Alexander Albon also impressing with the thrid-quickest lap. F1Technical's Balazs Szabo reports on the Free Practice 1. Following a difficult Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen returned to action in full force as he dominated the opening practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Dutch driver initially set the pace on Pirelli's hard tyres before he switching on to the softs to set the benchmark of the sixty-minute session with a 1m43.372s. His closest rival was McLaren's Oscar Piastri, but even he was over half a second down. Williams racer Alexander Albon took a surprising third in FP1, suggesting that his FW46 might benefit from its aero efficiency at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

‘Kicks off in dominant fashion’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25107


The laps that suggest an ominous Belgian GP warning will come true
Jul 26, 2024
Ben Anderson
The Race

Spa is probably the peak circuit for reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen and Red Bull in this ground effect era, so Fernando Alonso was cautioning against over-excitement that the tide has definitively turned against Red Bull amid the recent rise of McLaren and Mercedes.

“This track will be interesting because it has been dominated by Red Bull in the past, quite easily,” Alonso said on Thursday. “So if Red Bull does 1-2 here maybe we have a different opinion of all these different winners - maybe there is not as much competition as we think.”

The early signs are ominous. Verstappen was fastest in FP1 by more than half a second from Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, as Red Bull reverted Verstappen’s RB20 to its pre-Hungary engine cover and cooling configuration.

‘Ominous Belgian GP warning’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/penalised-max-verstappen-ominous-start-belgian-gp-practice-one/


Radio silence as Verstappen goes fastest in practice
26 July 2024
Staff Writers AAP
The West Australian

Max Verstappen has bounced back from his radio row to finish quickest in first practice at the Belgian Grand Prix. Verstappen's conduct is in the spotlight at Formula One's concluding round before the summer break following a string of X-rated outbursts at last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

But the Dutch driver, who insisted on Thursday he has no plans to adapt his radio approach, hit the top of the time charts on Friday, with a half-second advantage over McLaren's Oscar Piastri. Alex Albon finished an impressive third for Williams ahead of Mercedes pair George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Lando Norris was eighth.

‘Radio silence’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsport/radio-silence-as-verstappen-goes-fastest-in-practice-c-15490806


McLaren wary of making 'big mistake' with Verstappen penalty
Max Verstappen will take a grid penalty at the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend after being fitted with his fifth internal combustion engine of the season.
26 July 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has outlined it would be a “big mistake” to think Max Verstappen can't win the Belgian Grand Prix despite his grid penalty. Speaking to Sky F1, Brown sees Verstappen as a threat for victory despite his low-starting position.

“It is a tricky track of how much downforce do you want versus straight-line speed, Max in the second sector there was pretty, pretty awesome,” Brown said. “You've got to assume he's on for pole, which means P11 [on the starting grid]. You can pass around here, I think he went from 20th to ninth in two or three laps not long ago.”

“It would be a big mistake to think he can't go from P11 to P1, but we've got to take advantage of every opportunity we can.”

‘Wary of making big mistake';

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-wary-of-making-big-mistake-with-verstappen-penalty

[Fortitude]

McLaren depose Max Verstappen in Belgian GP FP2 led by Lando Norris.
McLaren and Max Verstappen lead the way in Belgian FP2 but how much does it matter ahead of rainy qualifying?
26 July 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

McLaren repeated their Hungarian heroics in the second free practice session at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, as Lando Norris topped FP2 for papaya team as Max Verstappen faded from setting the pace in earlier in the day. A largely uneventful session didn’t feature the promised rainfall, and McLaren took full advantage with Norris leading the pack by two-tenths and every non-papaya driver except Verstappen by over half a second at Spa.

Verstappen was two-thousandths behind Oscar Piastri having led the Australian by 0.531 seconds in an FP1 session that appears increasingly to have featured a McLaren team keeping their cards close to their chest. Unusually for practice, only six teams featured in the Belgian GP FP2 top 10 with Ferrari locking out the top five, but well off the pace of McLaren or Verstappen and lead Mercedes of George Russell over a second behind Norris in sixth.

‘McLaren repeated their Hungarian heroics’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lando-norris-mclaren-depose-max-verstappen-2024-belgian-gp-fp2/


Belgian GP: Free Practice 2 Results
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
27 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 19 1:42.260

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 22 1:42.475 0.215

3 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 25 1:42.477 0.217

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 22 1:42.837 0.577

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 24 1:43.098 0.838

6 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 1:43.290 1.030

7 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 22 1:43.401 1.141

8 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 21 1:43.485 1.225

9 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 23 1:43.504 1.244

10 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 24 1:43.519 1.259

‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;

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


McLarens spoil Verstappen's dominant start to Belgian GP weekend
Jul 26, 2024
by Jack Cozens
The Race

If Max Verstappen's standout time in first practice at the Belgian Grand Prix warned of a return to his Formula 1 dominance, McLaren's drivers did their best to dispel thoughts of such a comfortable run for Red Bull with a 1-2 in FP2.

And while the headline times were only half of the story, the long runs were also encouraging for McLaren compared to a Verstappen-Red Bull combination that has won this race from compromised grid positions in each of the past two years.

Long-run simulations

Piastri: 1m48.798s; 1m48.873s; 1m49.345s; 1m48.868s; 1m49.245s (medium)

Verstappen: 1m48.316s; 1m48.801s; 1m48.796s; 1m48.924s; 1m49.356s (medium)

Sainz: 1m48.962s; 1m49.690s; 1m49.012s; 1m49.987s; 1m49.523s (medium)

Perez: 1m49.025s; 1m49.028s; 1m49.146s; 1m50.040s; 1m49.750s (medium)

Leclerc: 1m49.525s; 1m50.319s; 1m49.748s; 1m49.858s; 1m50.633s (soft)

Russell: 1m50.395s; 1m50.235s; 1m50.626s; 1m50.096s; 1m49.906s (medium)

Hamilton: 1m49.143s; 1m49.394s; 1m49.684s; 1m49.845s; 1m50.035s (soft)

Ocon: 1m49.100s; 1m49.329s; 1m49.576s; 1m50.027s; 1m50.384s (medium)

Norris: 1m47.971s; 1m48.834s; 1m50.365s; 1m49.991s; 1m49.316s (soft)

‘The long runs’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mclaren-lando-norris-max-verstappen-dominant-start-belgian-gp-friday/


FP2: Norris tops the second practice times ahead of Piastri and Verstappen in Belgium
Jul 26, 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Lando Norris showed impressive pace to top the times in second practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, 0.2s quicker than McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri with championship leader Max Verstappen third. As forecasted rain failed to strike, with the teams making the most of a dry Spa-Francorchamps track to crack on with preparations for qualifying and the race.

Verstappen, who has a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race after fitting a fifth internal combustion engine, continued his superb pace from FP1 with the leading time on the mediums in the early running. But when attention turned to qualifying simulations on the soft Pirelli tyres, it was the McLarens that came to the fore.

‘Impressive pace’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/fp2-norris-tops-the-second-practice-times-ahead-of-piastri-and-verstappen-in.2bl3nMFbU6lOUckO8wBBSX


Lando Norris heads McLaren 1-2 in second Belgian GP practice
Lando Norris topped second practice ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
26 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lando Norris led McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in second practice at the F1 Belgian Grand Prix. His quickest time on the soft tyres was a 1m42.260s and was 0.215s faster than Hungarian Grand Prix winner Piastri, while Max Verstappen was just a further 0.002s adrift.

The Red Bull driver dominated opening practice at Spa-Francorchamps but will drop 10 places for Sunday’s grand prix after taking a new engine which has exceeded his allocated number of power units for the season.

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were fifth and sixth, with the Ferrari drivers well off the pace of the benchmark time set by Norris. George Russell was sixth but a full second adrift in his Mercedes.

‘McLaren 1-2’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052711/1/lando-norris-heads-mclaren-1-2-second-belgian-gp-practice


Belgian GP: Norris and Piastri in charge of Spa second practice
26/07/2024 at 17:11
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were best in show in second practice for the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday afternoon at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Max Verstappen was third quickest for Red Bull but faces a Sunday grid drop for taking a new engine, opening a window of opportunity for Ferrari duO Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to step up after finsihing P4 and P5 today.

It was a mixed session for Mercedes' George Russell and Lewis Hamilton and also for Sergio Perez in ninth, but Esteban Ocon was back in the fray and seventh fastest after missing FP1 due to a water leak on the Alpine.

‘Norris and Piastri in charge’;

https://f1i.com/news/515076-belgian-gp-norris-and-piastri-in-charge-of-spa-second-practice.html


F1 – Norris and Piastri give McLaren one-two in second practice for Belgian Grand Prix
26.07.24
FIA (Press Release)

Lando Norris beat team-mate Oscar Piastri by two tenths of a second to give McLaren a 1-2 in second practice for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third place, just 0.002 behind the second McLaren. At the start of the second hour of practice, Verstappen quickly moved to the top of the timesheet, using the C3 Medium tyres to work his way to an early benchmark of 1:43.339. Norris, meanwhile, was in second place, on Soft tyres and two tenths off Verstappen on Softs tyres.

As the first quarter of the session elapsed the field headed back to the pits to prepare for qualifying simulations, which were kicked off by Carlos Sainz. The Ferrari driver duly took top spot from Verstappen with a time of 1:43.098, before Piastri moved well ahead of the Spaniard with a lap of 1:42.475. Verstappen then emerged on the C4 Soft rubber but despite again looking quick, the championship leader couldn’t dislodge Piastri from P1 and the Red Bull driver slotted into second, just 0.002s behind the Australian.

‘McLaren one-two in second practice’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-norris-and-piastri-give-mclaren-one-two-second-practice-belgian-grand-prix

[Fortitude]

Norris ‘not feeling super comfortable’ despite leading McLaren one-two in Belgian GP practice.
Lando Norris has admitted that he was far from comfortable aboard his McLaren during the first day of practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, despite the Briton topping the timesheets over team mate Oscar Piastri.
18:56 Fri, 26 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Norris built on a P8 finish in the opening FP1 session to lead the way during FP2, clocking a best time of 1m 42.260s around the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit and winding up 0.215s clear of Piastri, and a further 0.002s up on Red Bull rival Max Verstappen.

Asked to reflect on his first day of running when he hopped out of the car, Norris initially commented: “Good. Still tough, still close. Red Bull are very quick at the minute. It’s tricky… I’ve just not felt very comfortable today with the car. I hope I just wake up tomorrow and feel a bit more comfortable with it!”

“But we’ll try and improve a few things and see again. I know it looked good on the timesheets, but I’ve not felt super comfortable in just going out and doing it, so hopefully I can just get in a bit more of a rhythm and feel a bit better out there.”

‘Not feeling super comfortable’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/norris-not-feeling-super-comfortable-despite-leading-mclaren-1-2-in-belgian.7e3zRSV7zvG9laK9NbwBFS


Belgian GP race simulations: McLaren inter-team fight expected, Mercedes praying for a miracle
McLaren look set for another dominant weekend at the 2024 Belgian GP
26 July 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri could be set for another F1 showdown at the 2024 Belgian GP as race simulations show them comfortably faster than Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, with serious concerns for Mercedes. It was a clean Friday through Free Practice 1 and 2 on July 26, leaving the drivers with the perfect chance to run through their programs and it’s in the long-run simulations where the McLaren look impervious to their rivals.

Medium Long Runs
Oscar Piastri average: 1:49.200 (eight laps). Fastest: 1:47.798.
Max Verstappen average: 1:49.533 (eight laps). Fastest: 1:48.316.
Carlos Sainz average: 1:49.829 (nine laps). Fastest: 1:48.962.
Sergio Perez average: 1:50.247 (12 laps). Fastest: 1:49.025.
George Russell average: 1:50.667 (11 laps). Fastest: 1:49.726.
Soft Long Runs
Lando Norris average: 1:49.295 (five laps). Fastest: 1:47.971.
Charles Leclerc average: 1:50.795 (eight laps). Fastest: 1:49.525.
Lewis Hamilton average: 1:50.797 (nine laps). Fastest: 1:49.143.

Big concerns for Mercedes in Belgian GP simulations: As you might have sussed from the lap times above, Mercedes do not look particularly quick in 2024 Belgian GP race simulations in a bitterly disappointing start to the weekend where they’ve introduced new upgrades including revised floor edges, a diffuser and circuit-specific front-wings. However, based on the fastest laps of each driver, they do not seem to be playing with the same toys at their disposal. Mercedes also saved the hard tyres and didn’t touch them at all, so could they be preparing solely for the long run?

‘Belgian GP race simulations’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/belgian-gp-race-simulations-mclaren-inter-team-fight-expected-mercedes-praying-for-a-miracle/


Mercedes drivers unhappy with the W15's performance at Spa
27 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Following a series of strong results in recent rounds, Mercedes appear to have lack pace to the field-leading McLaren and Red Bull at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Russell commented: "It is always nice to be here at Spa-Francorchamps and getting to drive a car in anger around this incredible circuit. The resurfaced tarmac has also made it extra fast this year. We’ve got some work to do overnight to find some lap time.

"The McLarens and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen looked to be a step ahead of us today. We need to dig through the data and put in the work in the simulator at Brackley to hopefully unearth some gains and get closer to them. I’m sure we can do that. Tomorrow will definitely be a very different day if we are able to do so. The forecast is also for rain tomorrow so that will add another factor into the mix. We have often had good Fridays and the others have caught up come Saturday, so hopefully it will be us doing that this weekend."

His team-mate Lewis Hamilton looked strong on Pirelli's medium tyres, but he was unable to extract everything from the soft rubber during his qualifying simulation. "Today wasn’t our best day as the car wasn’t feeling particularly strong. FP1 wasn’t great and we worked on some changes for FP2. That initially improved the balance and it felt good, but once we put the Soft tyre on we struggled more. It was definitely an improvement overall, but others took a step forward to too. We’ve got some time to find overnight, and we will be aiming to do so.”

‘Unhappy with the W15's performance’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25114


Lewis Hamilton casts alarming ‘completely different’ Mercedes W15 verdict after ‘pretty bad day’
26 Jul 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

And Hamilton told the Formula 1 website after FP2 that it was a “pretty bad day”, revealing a “completely different” feeling with the W15 compared to recent successful outings. “It was a pretty bad day,” Hamilton admitted. “I don’t really know what to say. Obviously it has been feeling great in the past couple of races. That just felt completely different today.”

“So we worked on it. The first session was, not great. But then in the second session we made some changes and it started off great, and then, when I got to the soft tyre I just couldn’t improve and there was a bunch of balance issues we had throughout the lap. But it was better in this session. But, everyone else went even better. So to be 1.2 seconds behind is not great.”

‘Alarming ‘completely different’ Mercedes W15 verdict’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-w15-completely-different-spa


Belgian GP data reveals promising numbers for McLaren and Max Verstappen’s comeback
26 Jul 2024
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

Friday’s Free Practice sessions at the Formula 1 2024 Belgian Grand Prix has left us with several clues and many doubts ahead of Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race at Spa-Francorchamps. McLaren has struck the first blow, but Red Bull hasn’t been left behind. With a 10-place grid penalty, Max Verstappen will have to qualify well to make a comeback on Sunday — but the possibility of a win isn’t out of the question.

McLaren are the favourites for the race if dry conditions hold. The papaya team has so far been very solid on both single-lap pace and long-run race pace. Verstappen’s aforementioned penalty should give his rival outfit a great chance of another 1-2 on Sunday. And although we don’t know the fuel load and engine map used by each driver, we can see certain trends in the laps of Verstappen and Norris.

The Red Bull driver was quickest in the high and medium speed corners, while Norris dominated in the low speed corners. The second sector, where top speed and engine is less important, is McLaren’s territory. If we analyse the performance of the drivers in two key Spa corners such as Pouhon (Turn 10) and Blanchimont (Turn 17), we can again see this trend where Red Bull outperforms McLaren in the fast corners.

‘Promising numbers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/belgian-gp-2024-data-mclaren-speed-verstappen-comeback


Verstappen ‘open-minded’ on F1 Belgian GP despite grid drop
27 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Max Verstappen is remaining “open-minded” regarding his chances in Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix, despite conceding his grid drop has complicated his prospects. Verstappen will incur a 10-place grid drop, meaning that the highest he can start the 44-lap encounter will be 11th should he manage to seize pole position.

“I knew of course that it is coming,” Verstappen addressed prior to the weekend’s action commencing. “It’s not a surprise to me.” Verstappen has accepted grid penalties at Spa in the previous two seasons, but surged through from 14th in 2022 to win and then replicated that from sixth last term.

“We’ll find out on Sunday how good that is going to be, right?” Verstappen quipped. “Some tracks naturally are a bit better than others. Of course on a street circuit, you wouldn’t want to have an engine penalty.” Asked whether he considered eighth place the maximum in the race, he stated: “I hope a little bit more, but let’s see. I don’t know, it’s difficult to predict at the moment.”

“Open-minded”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/27/verstappen-open-minded-on-f1-belgian-gp-despite-grid-drop/

[Fortitude]

What happened in final Belgian GP F1 practice.
A wet final Formula 1 practice of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend was headed by reigning champion Max Verstappen, with Lance Stroll's crash the main event of the 60-minute session.
Jul 27, 2024
by Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

With the track already wet to begin practice and rain picking up in the early minutes, Stroll was caught out coming through Eau Rouge, trying to correct a massive snap and heading into the run-off at speed.

His Aston Martin spun there and eventually met the outside barrier with its left front, snapping the suspension but seemingly leaving the rest of the AMR24 unscathed as Stroll parked it at the start of the Kemmel straight.

That crash, coming just past the 11-minute mark, brought out the red flag.

‘Wet final Formula 1 practice’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/belgian-gp-final-practice-verstappen-stroll-crash/


Belgian GP: Free Practice 3 Results
27 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 4 2:01.565

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 4 2:02.998 1.433

3 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 5 2:03.175 1.610

4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 4 2:03.372 1.807

5 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 7 2:05.250 3.685

6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 4 2:06.033 4.468

7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 4 2:06.037 4.472

8 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 7 2:06.492 4.927

9 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 3 2:06.751 5.186

10 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 3 2:07.103 5.538

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

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


2024 Belgian GP FP3: Red flag at Spa after Stroll spins and hits the wall at Raidillon
27 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

With rain falling at Spa in final practice, Lance Stroll spun at the top of the hill of the Raidillon corner after Eau Rouge and hit the wall on the left hand side, damaging the his Aston Martin to trigger a red flag.

‘Spins and hits the wall at Raidillon’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-belgian-gp-fp3-red-flag-at-spa-after-stroll-spins-and-hits-the-wall-at-raidillon.1805730235309590613


Heavy rain concern in Belgian GP weather update
The drivers are set for a wet Free Practice 3 and qualifying ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.
27 July 2024
Nick Golding & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Free Practice 3 and qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix are set to be conducted in very wet conditions, with rain having started to fall ahead of the final practice session. A challenging day awaits the drivers with rain clouds having suddenly formed over Spa-Francorchamps in the closing stages of a Porsche support race.

The F3 sprint race was conducted in a mix of dry and damp conditions, before rain suddenly fell in the closing laps for the Porsches. According to the FIA, there is a 100% chance of moderate rain showers for FP3, with this forecast having worsened in the last hour. Earlier this morning, only a 60% chance of light rain was forecast.

There is a concerning 80% chance of very heavy showers ahead of and during qualifying, which could result in a mixed-up grid and potential delays to the session.

‘Heavy rain concern’;

https://racingnews365.com/heavy-rain-concern-in-belgian-gp-weather-update


Verstappen heads washed out final practice at F1 Belgian GP
27 July 2024
Motorsport Week

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen harboured more than a one-second gap over his nearest rival during a washed-out third practice session at Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix. A substantial deluge prior to the session soaked the track and meant that Intermediates were in use across the entire field as the drivers ventured out onto the circuit.

Despite enduring a wide moment at Turn 8 as he navigated a treacherous track, Verstappen headed the initial times with a 2:01.565s, 1,433s faster than Oscar Piastri. The showers had increased and over 10 minutes in proceedings were brought to a sudden halt as Lance Stroll lost control going up Eau Rouge and span into the wall.

‘More than a one-second gap’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/27/verstappen-heads-washed-out-final-practice-at-f1-belgian-gp/

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen fastest but Charles Leclerc takes Belgian GP pole on penalties in sodden qualifying.
Max Verstappen misses out on Belgian GP pole for the third successive year despite beating Charles Leclerc in qualifying.
27 July 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Charles Leclerc profited from Max Verstappen‘s engine penalty to secure pole position in 2024 Belgian Gand Prix qualifying, as a soaking qualifying failed to provide a major shake-up of the grid.

Verstappen was in a class of his own in the country of his birth, more than half a second ahead of Leclerc and the rest of his rivals, but will start eleventh between Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly with an engine change costing him pole position in Spa for the third year running.

On those two previous occasions he’s advanced through the field to take victory, and he believes a three-peat is possible despite admitting Red Bull ‘haven’t been making it easy on ourselves’ in recent grand prix.

‘Max Verstappen fastest’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max-verstappen-fastest-charles-leclerc-belgian-gp-pole-wet-qualifying/


Belgian GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
28 July 2024
Mat Coch
PlanetF1.com

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:54.938 1:53.837 1:53.159

2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:55.349 1:54.193 1:53.754 0.595

3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:55.139 1:54.470 1:53.765 0.606

4 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:55.692 1:54.037 1:53.835 0.676

5 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:55.582 1:54.358 1:53.981 0.822

6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:54.835 1:54.136 1:54.027 0.868

7 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:55.353 1:54.095 1:54.184 1.025

8 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:55.169 1:54.112 1:54.477 1.318

9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:55.489 1:54.258 1:54.765 1.606

10 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 1:55.417 1:54.460 1:54.810 1.651

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

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


F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix?
27 Jul 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen dominated Belgian Grand Prix qualifying, but it is Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on pole at Spa.

2024 Belgian Grand Prix grid
1. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
2. Sergio Perez, Red Bull
3. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
4. Lando Norris, McLaren
5. Oscar Piastri, McLaren
6. George Russell, Mercedes
7. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
8. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
9. Esteban Ocon, Alpine
10. Alex Albon, Williams

‘F1 starting grid’

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-starting-grid-2024-belgian-grand-prix


Verstappen dominates damp Spa qualifying, Leclerc on pole
2024 Belgian GP qualifying report
27th July 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans.net

Max Verstappen set the quickest time in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix but Charles Leclerc will start from pole position. For the second year in a row at Spa, Verstappen set the fastest time in Q3 but will drop positions on the grid because of a penalty. Instead, Leclerc will take pole with Sergio Perez starting alongside him on the front row in second place, just as they did in 2023.

‘Verstappen dominates’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/27/verstappen-dominates-damp-spa-qualifying-leclerc-on-pole/


Verstappen eyeing 'luck' to overcome Belgian GP threat
Max Verstappen will start the Belgian Grand Prix from 11th on the starting grid after taking a penalty at the race.
27 July 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

As he seeks to take his first race win since the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen hinted he is expecting a challenging race starting in the midfield. “We are not making it easy on ourselves, and especially, of course, in the battle that we're in,” Verstappen.

“I know that today was a great day, but it's in the wet. We need to be quick in the dry tomorrow. It's going to be a tough battle. We'll try to do the best we can. Hopefully, we can battle with the Ferraris and Mercedes' ahead. If we have a bit of luck, maybe we can challenge the McLarens.”

‘11th on the starting grid’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-eyeing-luck-to-overcome-belgian-gp-threat


Charles Leclerc starts from pole at Belgian GP as Max Verstappen quickest in qualifying
Jul 27, 2024
Laurence Edmondson
ESPN.co.uk

Leclerc said after qualifying: "Exactly the same [result as last year] -- it's good, I definitely did not expect that this weekend with the tricky conditions. We could do something about our expectations, so it's a good day for the team and we need to focus on tomorrow and see what we can happen when the rain is gone.

"Without this rain, probably P5 was the position we were fighting for with Mercedes especially but obviously with the rain it helped us a little bit. I'm not going to complain, I'm really happy with my lap in Q3 and it's good to be back on the front part of the grid." Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez will start from second on the grid, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in third and the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in fourth and fifth.

Perez said afterwards: "I think P2 is probably the best position we can wish for in Spa, it was the same with Charles last year, so I will try again tomorrow to do the same and it's a long race ahead of us -- it looks like it's going to be dry. Every weekend is a new opportunity to do better and tomorrow is a new opportunity is a new day to go for that win."

“A good day for the team and we need to focus on tomorrow”;

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/report?id=600041146


Belgian GP: Max Verstappen quickest but Charles Leclerc takes pole, hope for Perez
27 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen reasserted his authority over the chasing pack as the Red Bull driver set the fastest time in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Pix by 0.595s. He, however, won’t start on pole position due to an engine penalty with Charles Leclerc elevated to P1 ahead of Sergio Perez. A lucky escape for Sergio Perez in Q2: Hamilton put in a late charge to go second behind Verstappen, Russell third. As for Perez, he snuck through in 10th place by 0.003s. Out went Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas and Stroll.

With more rain forecast for Q3: Hamilton laid down the opening marker, a 1:54.0, with Piastri second ahead of Russell and Norris. But their times were blitzed by Red Bull as Perez, on used tyres, went P1 before Verstappen went even faster – a 1:53.159! Putting in a second run, Leclerc overhauled Perez to go second but was still 0.595 down on Verstappen who did not improve his time. Perez, down in the middle sector, pitted instead of completing his flying lap.

‘Max Verstappen reasserted his authority’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/belgian-grand-prix-2024-qualifying-report


Max Verstappen singles out Red Bull mechanics after breaking Belgian Grand Prix curfew
Red Bull breached Belgian Grand Prix curfew rules before Max Verstappen took to the track.
Jul 27, 2024
Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen thanked his Red Bull mechanics for going the extra mile after they breached the Belgian Grand Prix's curfew on Friday evening, before the Dutchman went fastest during qualifying the following day.

"Well done everyone and thank you to the mechanics for working so late, last lap, great job, thank you very much," Verstappen said over his team radio after breezing through qualifying, though he had pole position taken away from him due to a 10-place grid penalty.

‘Max Verstappen thanked his Red Bull mechanics’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1928839/Max-Verstappen-Red-Bull-Belgian-GP-curfew

[Fortitude]

Leclerc vs Perez, and Verstappen’s charge from P11 – What To Watch For in the Belgian Grand Prix.
From four different teams in the top four places to Max Verstappen fighting back through the field from a grid penalty; and from plenty of overtaking opportunities to a weather forecast…
27 Jul 2024
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

From four different teams in the top four places to Max Verstappen fighting back through the field from a grid penalty; and from plenty of overtaking opportunities to a weather forecast you can never be certain of, here are five key aspects to monitor during Sunday’s race at Spa-Francorchamps…

1. Leclerc vs Perez off the front row: Given recent form and the way qualifying was panning out for a spell, to have a front row of Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez was somewhat of a surprise. Leclerc will start from pole for the first time since Monaco, while Perez was last in the top two in China.

‘What To Watch For’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/leclerc-vs-perez-and-verstappens-charge-from-p11-what-to-watch-for-in-the.aWTdIwK7CyQebJc8TUJym


Leclerc taken aback by pole position as he expected Ferrari to fight for third row
28 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Leclerc commented: “It’s good. I mean I definitely did not expect that this weekend. Obviously with the tricky conditions we could do something above our expectations – it’s a good day for the team. Now we need to focus on tomorrow and see what will happen whenever the rain is gone.”

He continued: “I think without this rain probably P5 was the position we were fighting for with the Mercedes especially. Obviously with the rain it helped us a little bit, but I’m not going to complain. I’m really happy… I’m very happy with the lap in Q3 and it’s good to be back on the front part of the grid, but now we’ve got to finalise that tomorrow.”

”It’s not the easiest first place to keep on the first lap here, but honestly I will see,” he said. “Every start is different and once I’ll be in the car tomorrow through Eau Rouge I’ll decide what’s the best thing I can do, but obviously I’ll try to keep that first place.”

‘Taken aback’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25132


Leclerc ‘definitely did not expect’ Spa qualifying result after going second quickest and inheriting P1
27 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc was in high spirits after qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, with the Ferrari driver pulling a lap out of the bag to initially claim second on the grid – which becomes pole position due to Max Verstappen’s engine penalty. “I’m really happy… I’m very happy with the lap in Q3 and it’s good to be back on the front part of the grid, but now we’ve got to finalise that tomorrow.”

Leclerc’s first challenge on Sunday will be trying to keep hold of P1 on the opening lap, with Spa offering cars behind an opportunity to slipstream on the run to Eau Rouge and pull off an overtake along the Kemmel Straight.

‘Definitely did not expect’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/leclerc-definitely-did-not-expect-spa-qualifying-result-after-going-second.20TFONMR7irOVglYcjUH9F


Charles: “Continue with the work we started in Hungary”
27 Jul 2024
Ferrari - Official Site

Charles Leclerc firmly believes that Scuderia Ferrari HP is back on track after a few races that didn’t live up to expectations. “I think the race in Budapest confirmed that we are back on the right road. We know there’s still a lot of work to do but we have a clear idea what is needed. As soon as we get some updates I believe we will be able to fight for the win, but for the moment we have to focus on ourselves and maximise the potential of the package we have now.”

‘Back on track’;

https://www.ferrari.com/en-GB/formula1/articles/belgian-grand-prix-2024-media-leclerc


HEAD-TO-HEAD: See where Leclerc had the edge over Perez in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix
27 Jul 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Watch to see how Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Sergio Perez compared in qualifying at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. Leclerc will inherit pole after a penalty for Max Verstappen, while Perez was third quickest but will start second.

‘HEAD-TO-HEAD’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/head-to-head-see-where-leclerc-had-the-edge-over-perez-in-qualifying-for-the-belgian-grand-prix.1805755060130273693


Sergio Perez drops potential major clue on Red Bull future with rare front-row start secured
27 Jul 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Asked by media including PlanetF1.com how satisfied he is with that qualifying performance, considering all the noise regarding his Red Bull future, Perez replied: “From my point of view, it doesn’t change anything. “I’ve always said it’s not where we are now, it’s how you ride the waves and where we finish in Abu Dhabi.”

“I mean, there are a lot of drivers that haven’t been able to maximize their performance lately, but obviously, there’s continuity on my side, it has been quite a bit higher. It doesn’t change anything from my point of view. I think tomorrow is a new day, a new opportunity. It will have been the same if I was knocked out in Q2, you know, tomorrow’s a new opportunity to do better and it’s the way I see it. It’s tomorrow what really counts.”

“And if I don’t have a good race tomorrow, I will try to have a good one in Zandvoort. But it’s how it is, this is a sport and sometimes it goes your way, sometimes you have to fight and nothing goes in your direction. But I think it’s just the nature of this. And it’s still a long way to go in the season. So yeah, just head down. And I think like I’ve said before, the team, myself, are focusing on what we’ve got to do. At the end of the day, it’s getting the most points we possibly can. And the rest, couldn’t care less to be honest.”

‘Tomorrow is a new day, a new opportunity’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-expects-race-red-bull-zandvoort


Piastri expects Perez to fight hard “for his own sake”
Oscar Piastri expects Sergio Perez to defend hard following his best qualifying result since China.
28 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

“Obviously we're in a fight with Red Bull in the constructors', and Max is leading the world championship in the drivers' standings,” Piastri observed. “So of course I expect Checo [Perez] to put up a fight, I think even for his own sake. It's not been the easiest run for him and I think of course, more than anyone, he probably wants a really good result for himself. So I think he'll fight hard for it, but I don't think any harder than he would if it was another situation.”

Lewis Hamilton will join Norris on the second row, with the Brit confident McLaren has the pace to clear the trio of cars he starts behind. “I wouldn't say a concern,” Norris said of the potential for Perez to prove a roadblock. For our race against Max, we have to get past all of them.”

“I know Checo potentially will have a bit more of a defensive mindset than the others, but Charles is still fighting off pole and for a win, so he's going to be fighting hard for it – he's not just going to let things go easily. Same with Hamilton. He's always going to be aggressive and defensive when he needs to be.”

‘Sergio Perez to fight hard’;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-expects-perez-to-fight-hard-for-his-own-sake/


Perez impresses in qualifying, but knows race day is what counts
27 Jul 2024
The Straits Times

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium - Red Bull's Sergio Perez put in an impressive drive in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday, where he will start on the front row, but he knows it is all about what happens on race day that is important for a driver who needs to score points.

"From my point of view, it doesn't change anything. You know, I've always said it's not where we are now, it's how you ride the waves and where we finish in Abu Dhabi," Perez said. "I think tomorrow is a new day, a new opportunity. It would have been the same if I was knocked out in Q2. Tomorrow is a new opportunity to do better. And the way I see it, it's tomorrow that really counts."

With three-time world champion and current leader Verstappen starting 11th on the grid, Red Bull will be looking to Perez to make a good start on Sunday, and perhaps claim his first win of the season. We'll see, you know, it's a very long race ahead of us. I think tomorrow degradation will be quite tricky, and graining with this new tarmac," Perez said. "I think there are a lot of unknowns still, but I've got a good feeling for tomorrow, so we'll see."

‘Race day is what counts’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/perez-impresses-in-qualifying-but-knows-race-day-is-what-counts

[Fortitude]

George Russell beats Lewis Hamilton to win Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.
Charles Leclerc started on pole but eventually finished fourth behind Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri in second and third respectively.
28 July 2024
• Mercedes star George Russell won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa on Sunday
• Russell's one-stop strategy worked a treat as he won from sixth on the grid
• Lewis Hamilton had to settle for second place behind his Mercedes team-mate
Henry Clark
MailOnline

Fortune favours the bold and for George Russell, the bravest of calls delivered the very sweetest of rewards. With 12 laps to go, the question came from Mercedes to Russell. Having stopped on lap 10, would Russell risk it all by switching to a one-stop strategy, just as all his rivals dived back into the pits for a second time? The answer came loud and clear. Russell chose to stick, rather than twist.

His team-mate, Lewis Hamilton, looked set to be the beneficiary of that call. On fresher tyres, he looked to be holding all of the aces. But as the laps counted down, Russell stood firm all the way to the chequered flag to cap a brilliant drive having started sixth.

‘One-stop strategy worked brilliantly’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13681239/George-Russell-wins-Belgian-Grand-Prix-Spa-holding-challenge-Mercedes-team-mate-Lewis-Hamilton.html


Belgian GP: Race Results
29 July 2024
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 63 George Russell Mercedes 44

2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 0.526

3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1.173

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 8.549

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 9.226

6 4 Lando Norris McLaren 9.85

7 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 19.795

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 43.195

9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 49.963

10 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 52.552

‘Full results’;

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


Russell storms to stunning Belgian GP victory in Mercedes one-two
George Russell banked a second victory of the season in the Belgian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri completed the podium.
28 July 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

One-stopping George Russell resisted a late charge from Mercedes F1 team-mate Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages to win the Belgian Grand Prix for his second victory of the season. In a 44-lap race that featured high-levels of tyre degradation, Russell opted for the contra-strategy of a single pit-stop compared to the two-stops of the rest of the leading gaggle.

Hamilton, who had taken the lead from Charles Leclerc on lap 3 after dispatching Sergio Perez on the opening lap, was able to catch Russell, but the younger Briton held firm to earn a second grand prix victory of the year and third overall. Hamilton completed the first Mercedes one-two since Sao Paulo 2022 ahead of Oscar Piastri in the McLaren who passed pole-sitter Leclerc late on for the final podium spot.

Max Verstappen could only take fifth from 11th on the grid for Red Bull, being engaged in a battle with title rival Lando Norris for the majority of the race, with Sergio Perez seventh ahead of Carlos Sainz, who started off-strategy on the hard tyres. The points positions were rounded out by Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon

‘Mercedes one-two’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-storms-to-stunning-belgian-gp-victory-in-mercedes-one-two


Russell resists charging Hamilton to win enthralling Belgian Grand Prix
28th July 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Mercedes secured their third victory in four rounds as well as their first one-two of the season after Hamilton caught his one-stopping team mate in the closing laps but could not get by. Hamilton finished second, while Oscar Piastri claimed the final podium position in third. Max Verstappen rose from 11th on the grid to finish fifth.

At the start of the race, Leclerc converted pole position into the lead into La Source, but Lewis Hamilton managed to get by Sergio Perez to take second place. Lando Norris ran wide at the exit of La Source and lost multiple places. Hamilton stuck with Leclerc in the opening laps and managed to get a run on the Ferrari along the Kemmel Straight at the start of lap three, driving around his future team mate to take the lead into Les Combes. The Mercedes escaped to over two seconds ahead of Leclerc out front, while Perez dropped further away from Leclerc in third.

Verstappen was the first of the top cars to pit at the end of lap ten, switching from mediums to hards. Leader Hamilton pitted on the next lap, rejoining ahead of Perez and Oscar Piastri, who had also stopped. Leclerc rejoined behind Hamilton to retain his net second place, while Piastri used DRS along the Kemmel Straight to pass Perez for what was ultimately third. Carlos Sainz Jnr and Norris were the last of the leaders to pit, with Norris eventually boxing for hard tyres at the end of lap 15.

‘Russell resists charging Hamilton’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/28/russell-resists-charging-hamilton-to-win-enthralling-belgian-grand-prix/


George Russell holds off Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes 1-2 in emphatic Belgian GP victory
Mercedes executed their strategy to perfection to bring home maximum points for the team at Spa.
Jul 28, 2024
Joe Krishnan
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes celebrated an emphatic 1-2 at the Belgian Grand Prix after George Russell held off Lewis Hamilton to secure his second victory of the season ahead of. The Silver Arrows executed their pit stop strategy to perfection to allow Hamilton to protect his lead, but Russell on 34-lap-old tyres held off a charging Hamilton to clinch the win ahead of Oscar Piastri in third. Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc could only finish down in fourth.

The same top three from last year lined up on the grid again for 2024, with championship leader Max Verstappen starting down in 11th due to his 10-place grid penalty fitting a new engine. The Dutchman finished fifth ahead of Lando Norris in sixth. Hamilton got off the line quicker than Perez and held his nerve despite the Red Bull star's attempts to move over to cover him off. The seven-time world champion defended fiercely against the Mexican up to Radillon to keep P2, while Norris behind him dropped three places after dipping his McLaren into the gravel.

Hamilton managed to stay within DRS range of Leclerc and with a good exit out of Eau Rouge and Radillon, the Mercedes star had the pace to get the move done way before the end of the Kemmel Straight on Lap 3. Verstappen was P8 by the end of Lap 2 after getting past Albon, Alonso and Ocon. But his progress was halted as the Dutchman found Norris in his way once again.

‘Mercedes 1-2 in emphatic Belgian GP victory’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1929054/George-Russell-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-Belgian-GP

[Fortitude]

George Russell disqualified after winning Belgian Grand Prix.
George Russell has been disqualified from Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix in a shock turn of events after his sensational victory - with Lewis Hamilton therefore claiming the win.
Sun, 28 July 2024
Kieran Jackson
Yahoo.com

n an initial post-race check, Russell’s Mercedes car was found to be 1.5 kg under the weight permitted in the regulations following the obligatory drainage of fuel. The matter was referred to the FIA stewards, who confirmed that Russell has been disqualified from the race classification.

Russell’s disqualification means team-mate Hamilton, who finished second, claims his 105th F1 win. Hamilton’s car was found to be over the permitted weight. Oscar Piastri therefore finishes second, with Charles Leclerc in third.

The FIA said in a statement: “During the hearing the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.”

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/george-russell-set-disqualified-winning-162026751.html


UPDATED: Belgian GP Race Result
Updated race results for the Belgian Grand Prix following the exclusion of George Russell.
29 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Updated race results for the Belgian Grand Prix following the exclusion of George Russell.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 44 laps

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 0.647

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 8.023

4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 8.700

5 4 Lando Norris McLaren 9.324

6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 19.269

7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 42.669

8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 49.437

9 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 52.026

10 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 54.400

‘Belgian GP Race Result’;

https://speedcafe.com/updated-belgian-gp-race-result/


Mercedes release statement following Russell's Spa disqualification
The team has issued a statement following George Russell's disqualification from the Belgian Grand Prix.
28 July 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Mercedes Wolff statement in full

"We have to take our disqualification on the chin. We have clearly made a mistake and need to ensure we learn from it. We will go away, evaluate what happened and understand what went wrong. To lose a 1-2 is frustrating and we can only apologise to George who drove such a strong race.”

"Lewis is of course promoted to P1; he was the fastest guy on the two-stop and is a deserving winner. Despite the disqualification, there are many positives we can take from this weekend. We had a car that was the benchmark in today's race across two different strategies. Only a few months ago, that would have been inconceivable.”

"We head into the summer break having won three of the past four races. We will look to come back after the shutdown rejuvenated and with the aim ofmaintaining our positive trajectory."

‘Statement following George Russell's disqualification’;

https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-release-statement-following-russells-spa-disqualification


Toto Wolff responds as George Russell disqualified from Belgian Grand Prix
28 Jul 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

With no mitigating circumstances to present, Mercedes admitted an error had been made by the team, and Russell’s disqualification thus moves Lewis Hamilton up to first place for his second win in three race weekends. “Look, you know, we have to take it on the chin if the stewards decide against us,” he (Toto Wolff) said just before the disqualification news broke.

“It is what it is, a mistake has happened or could have happened and a 1-2 would have been a great result going into the summer break, it couldn’t go any better. The positives, the very positive, that we can take from this race is that we had two cars that were the benchmark in this race with two different strategies. Who would have said that a few months ago? And that is that is really good to see.”

“I think it’s the one-stop that you expect lots of rubber, maybe more, but there’s no excuse. If the stewards team deems it to be a breach of regulations, then it is what it is. We have to learn from that and, as a team, you know there are more positives to take. Obviously, for George, that’s a massive blow – a driver and all his childhood dreams to win these races and then it’s being probably taken away, but he’s gonna win many more.”

‘Toto Wolff responds’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-george-russell-disqualification-belgian-grand-prix


George Russell breaks silence on Belgian GP disqualification handing win to Lewis Hamilton
George Russell's Belgian Grand Prix win was snatched away from him two hours after crossing the finish line.
Jul 28, 2024
Charlie Gordon


Breaking his silence on being disqualified, Russell wrote on X: "Heartbreaking.

"We came in 1.5kg underweight and have been disqualified from the race. We left it all on the track today and I take pride in crossing the line first. There will be more to come."

"Heartbreaking”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1929108/george-russell-belgian-gp-lewis-hamilton

[Fortitude]

How George Russell (Almost) Stole The Belgian Grand Prix.
Soon after the race ended, technical delegate Jo Bauer referred Russell's car to the stewards for being underweight by 1.5 kilograms—a violation of the technical rules which would be a slam-dunk disqualification. There was a wait as Mercedes plead their case, and the car was re-weighed, but in the end, there's only so much pleading can do.
20:30 Sun, 28 Jul 2024
Kathryn Xu
Defector

When Lewis Hamilton talked down the Mercedes car on Saturday, it wasn't sandbagging. "I think [the Red Bull] is the fastest here this weekend, or at least tied with McLaren," Hamilton said. Considering Mercedes's disaster of a Friday and the end qualifying result—a Red Bull, a Ferrari, another Red Bull, Hamilton's Mercedes, and then two McLarens—it was a simple statement of fact.

Hamilton didn't race like it. He started P3 on the grid after Max Verstappen took a 10-place grid penalty for his engine, and rocketed off the line. It took a couple of corners for the overtake on Sergio Pérez to stick; a couple of laps for Hamilton to catch up to Leclerc, pass, and pull out of DRS range. Despite running back a Sebastian Vettel radio classic about how "something is moving down around my legs," it became Hamilton's race to lose as soon as he was in the clear air. All of the allegedly faster cars were trapped in DRS trains a few places back. The championship leaders were squabbling down at seventh. Mercedes made the perfect reactive pit stop calls every single time to avoid losing track position, which as the DRS trains and general lack of overtaking proved, were critical. Hamilton pit to cover off Verstappen, and then pit to cover off Leclerc. After he came out in front in the second pit stop, it was sealed. All he had to do was make it to the end. And then he lost to ... who? George Russell? His teammate George Russell?

Russell was written off for virtually the entire race. He started P6 on the grid, behind Hamilton—who he had been regularly beating in single-lap qualifying pace—and the two McLarens, and gained a place after an unfortunately typical poor start from Lando Norris. But for most of the race, he was in no man's land, also known as the DRS train. He made his first pit stop on lap 10, along with Max Verstappen. As the other drivers pit ahead of him, he crawled up the places, from outside of the points up to P4. After Piastri made the final pit stop on lap 31, Russell found himself in P1, a little over seven seconds ahead of his teammate, Hamilton, with 13 long laps to go.

‘(Almost) Stole The Belgian Grand Prix’;

https://defector.com/how-george-russell-almost-stole-the-belgian-grand-prix


How Mercedes' 'inexcusable' DQ cost Russell F1 win in Spa
28 Jul 2024
Laurence Edmondson
ESPN.com

In a sport where every last detail is accounted for, double checked and checked once more, it's rare for a car to be found underweight after the chequered flag. It's not unusual for teams to design a car to be as light as possible, but ballast is used to ensure it tips the scales at (or over) 798kg come what may after a race.

Mercedes will spend the coming days fully investigating the reason for the oversight, but initially it seemed linked to the remarkable one-stop strategy Russell used to take the victory. When Russell suggested the idea of a one-stop over the team radio, Mercedes' strategy modelling said both the planned two-stop strategy and the eventual one-stop would leave the car fifth at the finish.

By making a single set of hard compound tyres last 34 laps, Russell's Mercedes vaulted from fifth place to the lead as his rivals made a second pit stop. The strategy was a gamble, not least because most teams believed a two-stop would be the fastest way to the flag ahead of the race.

‘Inexcusable';

https://www.espn.com/racing/f1/story/_/id/40666877/how-mercedes-inexcusable-dq-cost-george-russell-f1-win-spa


Mercedes to launch investigation into Russell disqualification
Trackside engineering chief Andrew Shovlin has committed to an investigation after the Spa shocker.
29 July 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Mercedes has committed to launching an investigation into the root causes of George Russell's disqualification from the Belgian Grand Prix. Mercedes believe that the one-stop strategy, increase tyre wear, lack of a safety car to save fuel and the absence of a traditional in-lap to pick-up rubber combined to put Russell 1.5kg under the 798kg minimum weight limit, but trackside engineering chief Andrew Shovlin has promised an investigation.

"It's really tough for George to have been disqualified from the win after such an impressive drive," Shovlin explained. "He did a brilliant job to hang onto the tyres and defend to the finish. We don't yet understand why the car was underweight following the race but will investigate thoroughly to find the explanation.”

"We expect that the loss of rubber from the one-stop was a contributing factor, and we'll work to understand how it happened. We won't be making any excuses though. It is clearly not good enough and we need to make sure it doesn't happen again."

‘Investigation’;

https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-to-launch-investigation-into-russell-disqualification


Mark Hughes: What made Russell a doomed outlier in Belgian GP
Jul 28, 2024
by Mark Hughes
The Race

F1's Belgian Grand Prix wasn’t ever going to be a one-stop race. But George Russell, who was probably set to finish around fifth in the normal two-stop running of his race had a feeling. It came to him after the second pitstops of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri had left him in an out-of-sequence lead.

“It was weird,” he reported. “Suddenly the tyres and the car felt so good. I got into this groove. Once I was in the lead, no backmarkers or other cars in front, it kind of felt like you were driving in the simulator. I was watching the gap to Lewis and the rate he was catching me and I just thought there’s no reason why we can’t stay out and try to make it work.”

‘Had a feeling’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/george-russell-doomed-outlier-belgian-gp-mark-hughes/


Expert explains reason that 'could have contributed' to George Russell's Belgian Grand Prix disqualification
28 Jul 2024
Jack Kenmare
SPORTbible

Russell’s one-stop strategy could have led to his disqualification, according to Sky Sports’ Craig Slater, who engaged in conversation with Mercedes after the race. “The reasons? I’ve had some guidance from within the Mercedes team about why they were underweight. It was to do Russell’s single-stop strategy," Slater said.

“The teams know exactly how much weight they will shed when tyres wear down. Russell would have been expected to make two stops today. It was his own idea, in conjunction with his pit wall, that later switched it to a single stop.”

“It was the extra tyre wear that they’ve lost, perhaps several hundred grams per tyre, with the fact that they didn’t make a second stop and put on a fresh set, which has brought them in underweight. Combined with, the team think, changing the car set-up pretty radically between Friday (when they abandoned some of the upgraded parts and reverted to earlier parts for qualifying and the race).”

‘Expert explains reason’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/george-russell-belgian-grand-prix-disqualification-mercedes-374242-20240728


Disqualified George Russell joins very exclusive club after deleted Belgian GP win
Only a handful of Formula 1 drivers have ever been disqualified from a race after winning it. And the lucky omen is every single one of those drivers had either already won a World Championship or would go on to do so in a later year.
28 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

The story of the 1976 British Grand Prix is a wild one. A massive first-corner crash involving James Hunt brought out the red flag. Hunt took a shortcut back to the pits and, in effect, failed to complete a full lap. Because he hadn’t been on the track at the time the race was red flagged, officials initially determined that he wouldn’t be allowed to take the restart — but an incensed British crowd effectively forced the stewards into letting him start again. After two months of deliberations, Hunt was disqualified, and his win was handed to title rival Niki Lauda.

While Piquet’s Brabham teammate Riccardo Patrese had to retire from the race due to heat exhaustion, Piquet managed to muscle his car across the line in first position. He passed out on the podium celebrating his win — and then he was disqualified. See, both Piquet and Keke Rosberg were found to be underweight due to a “ballast water tank.” That tank’s alleged purpose was to cool the brakes, but teams often refilled the empty tank after the race to meet minimum weight and therefore pass post-race scrutineering.

Alain Prost: 1985 San Marino Grand Prix: Reason for DSQ: Car under minimum weight limit
Ayrton Senna: 1989 Japanese Grand Prix: Reason for DSQ: Rejoining the track illegally via push start from marshals
Michael Schumacher: 1994 Belgian Grand Prix: Reason for DSQ: Illegal skid block wear

‘Very exclusive club’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/f1-drivers-disqualified-after-race-win

[Fortitude]

‘Really am gutted’: Lewis Hamilton sends message to George Russell after being disqualified from the Belgian GP.
Upon discovering that he had won the race, Hamilton sent Russell a message and said: “Great drive today @georgerussell63, really am gutted for you and the team losing the win and also our 1-2 which the team deserved. Let’s keep pushing, work towards another 1-2 in the second half.”
29 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Elation turned to frustration very quickly in the Mercedes garage after the final Formula 1 race before the summer break. George Russell nailed a one-stop strategy that nobody thought was possible at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Team principal Toto Wolff will be frustrated that the team have thrown away 18 points at Spa, but encouraged with the direction Mercedes have gone in since the Canadian Grand Prix.

“Work towards another 1-2 in the second half”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lewis-hamilton-sends-message-to-george-russell-after-being-disqualified-from-the-belgian-gp/


Hamilton left with 'mixed feelings' over Belgian GP win as Russell reacts to ‘heartbreaking’ disqualification
29 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have both reacted after Mercedes' jubilant 1-2 in Belgium soon turned to despair, when initial winner George Russell was disqualified from the race for a technical breach. Toto Wolff had initially said he wished there could be two winners after the race, such was Hamilton’s pace throughout a gripping Grand Prix, but it was only a highly unexpected strategy call from Russell to try and make a one-stop work that initially denied Hamilton – and while he was pleased to add another win to his tally, the circumstances preceding it rather took the gloss off.

As for Russell, most in the paddock agreed this had been his best F1 victory to date, earned completely on merit after being the only front runner brave enough to try and make the one-stop strategy work. But it wasn’t to be, with his car coming in underweight when the post-race checks were carried out.

“It is heartbreaking to be disqualified from today’s race,” Russell said. “It had been an unbelievable Grand Prix for us to make the one-stop strategy work. In what turned out to be my final stint, the tyres just kept getting better and better. I was nursing them in the early stages and, as we went further, I became more and more convinced we could get to the end on them. It was a risk worth taking and it looked like it had paid off.”

'Mixed feelings';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hamilton-left-with-mixed-feelings-over-belgian-gp-win-as-russell-reacts-to.NpZUXQ6q3I75xxBx0ZKN0


Hamilton left with ‘mixed feelings’ after inheriting Spa win
29/07/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Champagne was sprayed effusively on the podium by Russell and Hamilton, who flanked Mercedes’ lead strategist Joey McMillan as the group rejoiced in the team’s resounding 1-2 finish, unsuspecting of what would follow.

The mood soured a while later when Russell’s disqualification was confirmed after his Mercedes car was found to be 1.5kg under Formula 1’s 798kg minimum weight, a technical breach that handed the win to Hamilton.

In the post-race press conference, before Russell’s disqualification was announced, Hamilton said that he was surprised to find himself racing at the front. “On Friday it was pretty disastrous for both of us and we were really struggling with balance,” he said.

‘Mixed feelings’;

https://f1i.com/news/515551-hamilton-left-with-mixed-feelings-after-inheriting-spa-win.html


"I don't want to win a race through a disqualification", says Hamilton
29 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Although Mercedes started off the season as the fourth quickest team behind Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari, it has slowly crawled its way back to the sharp end of the field, having won three of the last four races. Hamilton labelled his car as "incredibly competitive" after his string of impressive race performances.

"I feel for George, and you don’t want to win a race through a disqualification, but we have been back in the fight for victories in the past few races.”

"It is incredibly competitive now, so we will need to work hard to battle for wins more consistently. Nevertheless, we can go into the summer break with momentum and positivity," commented the seven-time world champion.

‘Feel for George’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25151


Lewis Hamilton's Post-Race Interview After Belgian GP
29 Jul 2024
Thomas Henigan
Give Me Sport

Lewis Hamilton did not seem too pleased with his team’s strategy right after the Belgian Grand Prix on the 28th of July. The Brit initially finished second in the race, but has since been awarded first place after his teammate George Russell was disqualified when his car was found to be underweight. The seven-time champion now being awarded victory in Belgium won’t take away from the fact that right after the race he was unhappy with Mercedes’ strategy for him.

In an interview after the race where the seven-time world champion had, at the time, finished in second place, the British driver appeared to be quite critical of those advising him during the contest. “You have to put faith in the people you work with. I put my faith in my strategists, I should be able to lean on them fully.” He also said that he felt that his tyres were fine, but Mercedes still pulled him in for a second tyre change.

Russell, on the other hand, was only pulled in once throughout the race for a tyre change. To that, Hamilton added: “Did I know that I was at risk of getting one-stopped by my teammate? They didn’t tell me that.” These strong words from Hamilton perhaps imply that he feels the different strategies used on him and his teammate Russell favoured the latter of the two drivers, with Russell being the one who came out victorious initially.

‘Post-Race Interview’;

https://www.givemesport.com/lewis-hamiltons-post-race-interview-after-belgian-gp/


Mercedes engineer accused of sending 'unnecessary' message to Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton was noticeably frustrated by Mercedes' strategy during the Belgian Grand Prix that saw him clinch P2 before George Russell's disqualification.
Jul 29, 2024
Fasika Zelealem
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton being told to give enough space when racing George Russell in the Belgian Grand Prix was an "unnecessary" message to give the seven-time champion, according to ex-F1 chief Peter Windsor. The Brit initially finished second in Sunday's race with his Mercedes team-mate claiming his second win of the season.

"I thought it was quite interesting [with] two or three laps to go, and they [Mercedes] said 'just give each other a lot of space' to Lewis, I think they should have been giving that message to George actually," Windsor said on his YouTube channel.

"They gave it to Lewis and I wonder if that changed things a little bit, that's unnecessary to say that to Lewis Hamilton I think because he's not the sort of driver that ever really does anything incredibly stupid, particularly with a team-mate. At that stage of the race, I don't think Lewis had to be told that and maybe that affected his aggression a little".

'Unnecessary’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1929189/mercedes-engineer-message-Lewis-Hamilton


‘Take it on the chin’: Mercedes have no excuses for George Russell heartbreak
Sun, 28 Jul 2024
giles richards
Yahoo! Sport

The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, admitted his team had no excuse for the error that cost George Russell the win at the Belgian Grand Prix, which the Austrian described as a “massive blow” for his driver.

“There is no excuse,” said Wolff. “We have to take it on the chin. We have clearly made a mistake and need to ensure we learn from it. For George that is a massive blow as a driver, all those childhood dreams of winning these races and then it’s been taken away.”

‘No excuses’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/chin-mercedes-no-excuses-george-190306712.html


Pirelli expert shares three ‘factors’ that contributed to George Russell’s disqualification at Spa
29 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Pirelli director of motorsport, Mario Isola, has offered three potential factors that might have led to Russell’s car being under the limit in a press release. Looking at the factors after the race, Isola has offered a theory as to why Russell might have been under the weight limit.

“For a preliminary explanation, at least in terms of tyre behaviour, there are some factors that stand out. First of all, the track temperature was around 10 degrees higher than during FP2 and that probably contributed to very limited graining on the hard, which on the other hand was very significant on the mediums on a long stint,” said Isola.

“Furthermore, we can assume that the teams worked hard on defining car set-up to find the best compromise between a wet qualifying and a dry race and to try and protect the front axle, which was most prone to graining. A third element to consider is that many drivers made a point of looking after their tyres very carefully, especially in the quickest corners.”

‘Three factors’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pirelli-expert-shares-three-factors-that-contributed-to-george-russells-disqualification-at-spa/

[Fortitude]

Piastri smiling after ‘exciting race’ that ‘went down to the wire’.
Oscar Piastri finished third at Spa but was then promoted to P2 after winner George Russell was disqualified when his Mercedes was found to be underweight.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Piastri smiling’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/piastri-smiling-after-exciting-race-that-went-down-to-the-wire.1805843201661069483


Piastri backs up win with second place at Spa
Australia’s Oscar Piastri has come second at the 2024 Belgian Formula One Grand Prix after his maiden win last weekend in Hungary to rise to fourth in the world championship points.
29 July 2024
Damion Smy
Drive

The Melburnian McLaren driver actually crossed the finish line in third place, having been catching the two Mercedes of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton with only 1.173 seconds between all three cars – the closest finish without a Safety Car intervention since 2016. Piastri was promoted to second in the results, however, when Russell was disqualified for having an underweight car in post-race inspections, a decision the Mercedes team may appeal.

Having outpaced his team-mate Lando Norris in two of the three practice sessions at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Piastri qualified a disappointing sixth behind Norris, but started fifth as Max Verstappen – who’d qualified fastest – was demoted ten positions for taking a new engine, relegating the Dutch world champion to 11th.

The Melburnian jumped Norris off the start and challenged Hamilton and Sergio Perez, passing Perez before settling into third behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who was passed for the lead by Hamilton. Piastri showed race-winning pace, but an error in his final pit-stop – where he locked up his front brakes to overshoot his pit bay – cost him around 2.0 seconds of track time.

‘Piastri backs up win’;

https://www.drive.com.au/news/piastri-backs-up-win-second-place-at-spa/


Second in Belgium, Piastri confident as F1 takes break
29 July 2024
Staff WritersAAP
The West Australian

Oscar Piastri is heading into Formula One's summer break confident his McLaren team are making inroads after another podium finish. The 23-year-old Australian was promoted to second after finishing third behind Mercedes pair George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Russell was disqualified hours after the race for having an underweight car, with Hamilton handed the win - a record-extending 105th of his career. Piastri gave his reaction to his post-race promotion on social media: "Well that was unexpected but we'll take it," he posted on X. Piastri said he felt hopeful of catching Russell and Hamilton as he progressed after starting from fifth on the grid in Sunday's race before finishing 1.173s behind.

"Honestly yes, I thought I could (get them)," said Piastri. "Clean air was such a big difference today - once I got a little bit of clean air in the middle stint I picked up a lot of pace." Asked what he was lacking to prevent a win, Piastri said: "I think just not quite enough speed, it took me a couple of laps to get past Charles and I really overheated the tyres doing that."

‘Piastri confident’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsport/second-in-belgium-piastri-confident-as-f1-takes-break-c-15513566


Piastri rues starting position costing him Belgium F1 win shot
29 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Oscar Piastri is convinced that starting further down the order relative to McLaren’s true pace denied him a better chance at winning the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix.

“I’ve been pretty happy on the whole,” Piastri expressed. “I think it was a really well-executed race. I think the one-stop was a possibility and I think probably there’s a lot of people out there kicking themselves, they didn’t consider it more.”

“But no, I think we executed a great race. Had a quick car and ultimately just didn’t put it in the right position in qualifying yesterday. So I think given where we started, very happy. But yeah, ultimately I think there was a bit more potential this weekend.”

‘Piastri rues starting position’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/29/piastri-rues-starting-position-costing-him-belgium-f1-win-shot/


Stella: Piastri pitstop mishap cost chance of Spa victory
29 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
Motorsport.com

Piastri crossed the checkered flag just 0.647s behind Russell, a gap that puts into context his pitstop error according to Stella. "Like Oscar said immediately in the in-lap on the radio, 'apologies for the pitstop', because I think he realises that that could have been a bit costly," said Stella.

"Potentially, he would have just queued behind Hamilton, but he could have also been in condition to attack. So I think this 1.5-2s loss at the pitstop ultimately proved to be relatively costly. Even because then you would have been behind Leclerc earlier with fresher tyres, which means you could have finalised the overtaking more easily. So a bit of a cascade.”

"We do have to work with drivers in terms of like...even in the hot moments, just don't overcook it at the pitstop position because it can be very costly. I think he had something similar in Silverstone as well."

'Apologies for the pitstop';

https://f1i.com/news/515613-stella-piastri-pitstop-mishap-cost-chance-of-spa-victory.html


Stella: Piastri Belgian GP pitstop error "costly" in F1 victory charge
29 Jul 2024
Ewan Gale Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com
A mistake at the last pitstop cost Piastri time which could have seen him mount a challenge for another Formula 1 victory

Having finished on the tail of the seven-time champion, who was runner-up on the road to team-mate George Russell before the latter was disqualified for an underweight Mercedes, Stella believes the pitstop error proved pivotal.

When put to him that this was one of his best races since joining the grid, Piastri alluded to his overshoot, by joking: "I'm not sure my front jack man agrees, but no, I think it was a really strong race. To try and get past Charles was not easy and I think if I didn't manage to do it on that lap, I probably would have been stuck there for a long time.”

"So that was a pretty pivotal moment of the race. I think just the pace was very strong. I felt very, very good this weekend. Even on Friday, the pace looked really strong. Just kicking myself a little bit that I didn't get qualifying right. But it was a very strong weekend and probably one of my better races."

‘Pitstop error’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/stella-piastri-belgian-gp-pitstop-error-costly-in-f1-victory-charge/10640207/


Spa podium further proof of Piastri progress
Second place in the Belgian Grand Prix demonstrates the progress Oscar Piastri has made in F1.
30 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The 23-year-old won his first grand prix in Hungary after commanding the race, and proved the lead McLaren driver in Belgium too. Prior to that, he was on par with team-mate Lando Norris at the British Grand Prix before a poor strategy call from the team cost him dearly, but even then he was rapid in the final laps.

“The last few weeks have been very strong from my side,” Piastri observed. “Honestly, the whole season's been pretty good. A couple of weekends in the middle of the year were a bit tricky; Japan and China mainly were pretty tough and obviously Barcelona.”

“I feel like all the other races have been quite strong, just we've had a lot of things that haven't been going our way in some ways, whether it's interesting track limit penalties or crashes or mistakes, there's always kind of been just things.”

‘Further proof’;

https://speedcafe.com/spa-podium-further-proof-of-piastri-progress/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc reckons Ferrari finish the first half of the season with the ‘fourth fastest car’.
Charles Leclerc started the Belgian Grand Prix on pole, but ended up P4 at the flag, in the last race before the F1 summer break.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Fourth fastest car’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/leclerc-reckons-ferrari-finish-the-first-half-of-the-season-with-the-fourth-fastest-car.1805837278915717531


‘Wishing you the best’: Ferrari star Charles Leclerc sends message to Carlos Sainz after confirming Williams move
Tue 30 July 2024 08:00
Updated Tue 30 July 2024 08:43
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

After months of waiting, Carlos Sainz finally decided his next destination on the Formula 1 grid for 2025. Carlos Sainz knew before this season even started that he would be leaving Ferrari after four years with the Italian giants. Sainz eventually chose Williams and will be joining Alex Albon at the beginning of next year as Logan Sargeant’s replacement.

Charles Leclerc sends message to Carlos Sainz after he confirms he’s joining Williams. Posting on social media when the news broke, Leclerc said: “Wishing you the best for your new adventure next year Chili. Still got half a season together to have some more special moments as teammates.”

Sainz replied to his teammate and said: “10 more races together, let’s make the most of them!” New teammate Albon also sent Sainz a message on Instagram and said: “Welcome to the team,”, while Sainz also joked about the fact that both drivers have missed races due to surgery, calling them the “Appendix-less team.”

‘Wishing you the best’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ferrari-star-charles-leclerc-sends-message-to-carlos-sainz-after-confirming-williams-move/


Leclerc delivers blunt Ferrari assessment despite Spa podium
Charles Leclerc stepped up to third place following George Russell's disqualification from the Belgian Grand Prix.
29 July 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

The Monegasque is 100 points behind championship-leader Max Verstappen heading into the summer break as Leclerc delivered a blunt assessment of Ferrari's race. "It is very simple, what happened is that we're just not fast enough," Leclerc told media including RacingNews365 before the news of Russell's disqualification came through.

"I felt like we were the fourth-fastest car behind McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes, and on a normal race track, it is very difficult to keep them behind. We did a good job to keep Max and Lando behind, but fourth was the best we could hope for.”

"If it was Red Bull in front, then I think it would have been a positive weekend, but it was a Mercedes who we thought we were on a par with - and they had an edge on us. So I don't consider this result very positive. I thought fourth was the best possible result today, but what makes me not so happy is that we have two Mercedes and one McLaren in front, so it is worse than expected."

‘Blunt Ferrari assessment despite Spa podium’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-offers-negative-ferrari-assessment-despite-inheriting-spa-podium


‘Question marks’: Bernie Collins left questioning ‘two things’ Ferrari did to Carlos Sainz during Belgian GP
29 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari was left disappointed after Charles Leclerc failed to convert his pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix into a race win. Leclerc was passed by Lewis Hamilton in the opening stages of the race, then later on George Russell ran a one-stop strategy and leapfrogged him in the pits, before a fast Oscar Piastri overtook him for the final podium spot in the closing stages of the race.

Bernie Collins thinks Ferrari will ‘question’ two things after Belgian GP. “What Ferrari is going to question going forward is, Carlos Sainz was our race leader at one point because he hadn’t stopped near the end. He started on the hard tyre, he extended that stint and that was good information for Charles Leclerc to say the hard tyre is good. But at that point, Sainz was calling on the radio to say ‘Are you sure we are not on a one-stop?’ He could have extended that hard tyre even further,” said Collins.

“There would have been two things come out of that: Could he have made the one-stop work and where would he have finished? Probably just behind Russell but a lot closer in the fight. They pitted Sainz just before Hamilton and Leclerc got to the back of them. Then if they extended, they could have closed the gap to Hamilton and Leclerc slightly and the slow pit stop might not have made a big difference. So a few question marks for them in terms of how it panned out.”

‘Question marks’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/bernie-collins-left-questioning-two-things-ferrari-did-to-carlos-sainz-during-belgian-gp/


Leclerc frustrated by surprise Mercedes speed as Ferrari lacks “raw pace”
JULY 29, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

He acknowledged that he expected that McLaren and Red Bull would be more competitive than Ferrari, but not Mercedes. “If it was a Red Bull in front then I think it would have been a positive weekend,” he said. “But now it was a Mercedes, which we thought we were on a par with, and they had the edge on us. I don’t consider this result a very positive one.”

He added: “I think fourth was what I thought would be the best result possible today, with two McLarens in front, and one Red Bull. But again, that’s what makes me not so happy about today, is that we have two Mercedes and one McLaren in front, and the Mercedes, we thought that we were on a par with them. So yeah, worse than expected.” Like others Leclerc expected McLaren to be the team to beat in Sunday’s race.

“I personally thought that McLaren had huge advantage of pace for this weekend, which I saw a little bit less today,” he said. “They were still the fastest, probably with Red Bull and Mercedes today, but I thought McLaren had the edge. It’s good to see that everybody’s so close, but unfortunately, we are still the fourth fastest team, and the top three keeps changing, but we are consistently behind them, on a par with Mercedes. We just need more pace.”

‘Ferrari lacks “Raw pace” ’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/07/29/leclerc-frustrated-by-surprise-mercedes-speed-as-ferrari-lacks-raw-pace/


Leclerc explains Ferrari’s choice to avoid F1 Belgian GP one-stop
JULY 29, 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc has explained how track position and no Hard tyre practice data led to Ferrari’s choice to not gamble on a one-stop in Formula 1’s Belgian Grand Prix. Leclerc believes that it would have represented too much risk in his position at the time to abandon the conventional strategic choice to pursue an even greater result.

“It’s very difficult to know at that point, because when you have so many cars, we were in a position where we were second on track,” Leclerc, who inherited third, said. “Which when you are getting undercut by one car, two cars, three cars, four cars, it starts to be quite tricky and you take a lot of risks.”

“So it was just better to align ourselves to the other strategy. We didn’t know even what was the Hard like, because we hadn’t run it before the race. So all of this, I don’t think it’s fair to say that we did a mistake at that point, and I understood the point of view of the team.”

‘Ferrari’s choice to not gamble’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/30/leclerc-explains-ferraris-choice-to-avoid-f1-belgian-gp-one-stop/


Ferrari ‘pushing like hell’ to solve season-threatening issue after summer break
The Scuderia have fallen away from the top-three teams in performance after its new floor update was applied in Barcelona
July 30, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur emphasises his team is “pushing like hell” to find a permanent solution to its high-speed bouncing issue. The Maranello team was on an upwards trajectory, leading to Charles Leclerc winning his home race in Monaco. However, since the Monegasque’s maiden home victory, the team’s form has gone downhill ever since.

The issue started at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Scuderia brought a new floor to Barcelona. The new floor led to bouncing problems at high-speed corners. The issue was that much of a concern, the team opted to revert back to its old-spec at the British Grand Prix. However, the team opted to try and modify the new floor after the race in Silverstone.

Ferrari were hoping to ‘save their season’ with the modifications made to the new floor at the Hungarian Grand Prix. However, the Hungaroring wasn’t a great test as there isn’t many high-speed corners. Vasseur says the team is “pushing like hell” to find a solution after Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix – where the issue came back on lighter fuel loads.

‘To find a permanent solution to its high-speed bouncing issue’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ferrari-pushing-like-hell-to-solve-season-threatening-issue-after-summer-break/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Verstappen 'happy' with Belgian Grand Prix after pipping Norris.
"All in all, it was quite a positive day for me, considering we started 11th," said Verstappen. "We finished in front of Lando who is my main rival for the championship.”
28 Jul 2024
Yahoo! Sport

Three-time world champion and series leader Max Verstappen made light of failing to win for a fourth consecutive race and declared himself "happy" at finishing fourth for Red Bull in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

"I think we did everything right with the strategy today and I had a good clean start. I was in the DRS (drag resistance system) train and it was difficult to pass, but I think strategy-wise we did everything we could to the limit. It was tough to make it with two mediums and a hard tyre but we did a good job and maximised our result. It wasn't realistic to start 11th and then fly to the front so I am overall happy with our performance," he added.

The next race on the calendar is the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25, after Formula One's mid-season interval. We are looking forward to the summer break and having a bit of time to relax," he added. "But at the same time, we're committed to being faster and better and trying to find solutions as we go into the rest of the season. We had a great start to the season, but our last few races have been a bit more difficult," he added.

“In front of Lando”;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/verstappen-happy-belgian-grand-prix-181445169.html


Report: What Max Verstappen did that could have helped Sergio Perez keep his Red Bull seat
30 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull Racing entered the summer break after the Belgian Grand Prix knowing all eyes were on the future of their driver line-up. Max Verstappen doesn’t appear to be going anywhere despite interest from Mercedes and his long-term deal isn’t under any threat. However, Sergio Perez was in a much more precarious position after the race at Spa.

Max Verstappen may have played a part in saving Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat. Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and other senior Red Bull personnel were tasked with deciding whether Perez was the best driver to help them secure both titles this season. Their lead in the Constructors’ Championship is slowly slipping away with McLaren and Mercedes now regularly outperforming them during race weekends.

The report from AMuS suggests that Perez ‘may have been helped’ by the fact that Verstappen publicly supported him after the race in Belgium. Speaking after the race, via GPBlog, Verstappen said: “I think our main concern is the car. That’s what we should focus on mainly. I think if you look at Checo’s weekend, it was very positive. Of course, in the race, it just shows that we have difficulties with the tyres. I think still, the tyre life. That should be our main priority.”

“I think if you look at Checo’s weekend, it was very positive”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-max-verstappen-did-that-could-have-helped-sergio-perez-keep-his-red-bull-seat/


‘We have work to do’ – Verstappen acknowledges dominant days are 'behind' Red Bull despite 'positive' Belgian GP
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen has conceded Red Bull's days of dominance are "behind" them as he was unable to challenge for Belgian Grand Prix victory after starting P11 due to his grid penalty.

Instead, the Red Bull man came home fifth but crucially finished ahead of championship rival Lando Norris – with those two both inheriting a further place post-race following George Russell’s disqualification. That meant Verstappen’s championship lead actually increased, with the Dutchman now 80 points ahead of Norris as F1 enters its traditional mid-season break.

But while Verstappen was pleased with some parts of his day, he sounded slightly more melancholic as he rued days gone by, when recovering from lowly grid slots was an easier prospect. “The race itself was not too bad, it was just very difficult to pass,” Verstappen said afterwards.

“Work to do”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/we-have-work-to-do-verstappen-acknowledges-dominant-days-are-behind-red-bull.FimZjRjaHaHgD8BcpYSLu


Verstappen: Race pace win-worthy at Spa with higher start
28/07/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Despite the strong performance, Verstappen admitted that traffic and tyre management had weighed on his progress. “We were just not faster than the cars around us, and then you just get stuck in that DRS train,” he said. “As a team, we maximised the performance today. Naturally, if you start P1 with the pace that we had, I think you're fighting for the win, regardless.”

“But starting P11, I knew that it was always going to be a damage-limitation race. “Of course, looking at the championship it was still a positive day – I extended my lead, where it could have also easily been calculating losses. So, from that side of course, it's a positive day.”

Verstappen suggested that a different tyre allocation could have yielded a better result, with Red Bull opting for two sets of mediums and one set of hards compared to the rival strategies. “I think today an [extra] hard tyre would have helped,” he said.

“Damage-limitation race”;

https://f1i.com/news/515404-verstappen-race-pace-win-worthy-at-spa-with-higher-start.html


Horner after Belgian Grand Prix: 'Tough race today'
28 July 2024
Coen Versteeg
Verstappen.nl

Oracle Red Bull Racing had a mixed Belgian Grand Prix. Max Verstappen drove from an 11th starting spot to P5 and teammate Sergio Perez finished eighth. After the race, George Russell was disqualified, causing both to move up to fourth and seventh in the final standings.

"It was a tough race today. We finished 7 seconds behind the leader and over all we struggled. There were some positives though, Max has extended his lead over Lando and Checo brought home fastest lap. But it was a really tight race today. We didn’t have a big offset of pace today over the others. We have a lot to reflect on as we go into the summer break.”

“We continue to lead in both the Constructors and Drivers Championships but convergence within the field means the gap is ever closing. We will regroup on Monday, as we always do before a break and look at how we can come back fighting for the second half of the season."

'Tough race today';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5554/


Successful damage limitation for Verstappen in Belgium
29 Jul 2024
Toby Lock

The Dutchman took a grid penalty but managed to extend his championship lead. Max Verstappen salvaged a fourth place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday after taking a grid penalty at Spa-Francorchamps.

The world championship leader extended his lead over Lando Norris heading into the summer shut-down to 78 points after finishing ahead of the McLaren man, with the pair promoted one position each post race after George Russell’s disqualification.

With varying strategies, Verstappen would emerge in the battle on the road for fourth place, allowed past by team-mate Sergio Perez to attack Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc while fending off Norris’ fast-catching McLaren. Unable to pass the Ferrari though, Verstappen finished fifth on the road, but an unweight winner Russell would be disqualified, promoting the Red Bull man.

‘Unable to pass the Ferrari’;

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport/other-sport/successful-damage-limitation-for-verstappen-in-belgium-4720078


Verstappen: Red Bull F1 had pace to win in Spa without grid drop
29 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Verstappen denied that he could have executed the one-stop race that Russell managed, but he admitted that Red Bull was compromised without two new Hard sets. “I think also naturally, we were on two Mediums and a Hard. I think today a Hard tyre would have helped,” he acknowledged.

“Of course, George won the race on a one-stop. But I don’t think we had the tyre wear or tyre life to do that anyway. So, yeah, also there are a few things to analyse.”

“But as a team today, we did a good job. We definitely did the right thing with the strategy to try and be a bit aggressive initially. To try and get ahead of a few and made my race a little bit better. But then too many cars where we got stuck with.”

“Hard tyre would have helped”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/29/verstappen-red-bull-f1-had-pace-to-win-in-spa-without-grid-drop/


F1 team boss drops Max Verstappen to Mercedes hint after Carlos Sainz decision
Max Verstappen is being targeted by Mercedes as the ideal replacement for Lewis Hamilton at the end of the 2024 F1 season.
Jul 31, 2024
Charlie Malam
Daily and Sunday Express

Speaking at the Belgian Grand Prix where he went on to finish P4, Verstappen explained: "For sure, I said this already with the team, we are working and focusing also on next year to try and be competitive again. "I've got a long contract with the team, I'm very happy where I'm at and, like I said before, we are focusing already on next year with things that we can implement on the car. I guess that should say enough of where I'm driving next year."

Williams team principal James Vowles has suggested Max Verstappen is still a target for his old team Mercedes despite the Dutchman publicly committing himself to Red Bull. And Vowles has now said: "Mercedes have more info than I do. It's more than likely that they are very confident in the direction they will be travelling in. Whether that will be Max or Kimi, I'm unsure - but they're not fools."

‘Targeted by Mercedes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1930122/Max-Verstappen-to-Mercedes-Carlos-Sainz

[Fortitude]

Norris: Running wide at Turn 1 ‘ruined my chances’.
Lando Norris ran wide at the very first corner of the race in Belgium and eventually came home in P6 for McLaren.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘ruined my chances’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/norris-running-wide-at-turn-1-ruined-my-chances.1805835554708614810


Report: Martin Brundle noticed that 21-podium F1 star was unhappy ‘all weekend’ at Belgian GP
30 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle says Lando Norris was out-of-sorts at Belgian GP. Speaking before the race, Verstappen was adamant that Lando Norris could still win the title. But if he was to overturn what was a 76-point gap heading into the race, this seemed like a must-win. McLaren prioritised their race-day set-up, which limited Norris and Piastri to fourth and fifth on the grid. But the Briton lost ground at turn one when he ran wide and dipped a wheel in the gravel.

That put him on the back foot for the remainder of the race, and he was only able to salvage fifth. He somehow managed to lose ground to Verstappen despite the latter’s demotion. Writing in his column for Sky Sports F1, former driver Martin Brundle shared his observations on Norris. He noticed that the 24-year-old was ‘unhappy’ throughout the weekend.

Brundle suspects that this may have stemmed from the events of the Hungarian GP a week prior. Norris had to move aside and give his teammate a victory McLaren felt he had earned. “Lando Norris appeared a little unhappy about something all weekend despite solid performances, and I wondered if the events of Budapest the weekend before were still playing on his mind,” Brundle wrote.

‘Lando Norris was out-of-sorts’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-noticed-that-21-podium-f1-star-was-unhappy-all-weekend-at-belgian-gp/


Norris left frustrated by run of “stupid stuff and mistakes”
JULY 29, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Lando Norris says he’s looking forward to a reset in the Formula 1 summer break after “stupid stuff and mistakes” have hurt his title bid in recent races. The McLaren driver started fourth in Belgium but ran wide at the exit of the first corner, and thus he was only seventh at the end of the lap.

“I misjudged it, honestly,” he said when asked by this writer about his start. “I just didn’t want to get taken out in Turn One, so I’ve left the gap and just misjudged the exit a little bit. I lost four or five positions. Just impossible to overtake, the overtaking sucked today, and I think there were very few overtakes actually done on track, most of it was just in the pit stops.”

“There were some overtakes, but only when you had like a 10-lap tyre advantage. So otherwise a bit of a tough race with the overtaking. And I felt like we were quick, The car was quick. Just don’t feel like we maximised what we could have done.”

‘Frustrated’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/07/29/norris-left-frustrated-by-run-of-stupid-stuff-and-mistakes/


Norris says he hasn’t earned number one status – and he’s right
31st July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

It’s no wonder McLaren have locked down Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for the long-term. They have served the team extremely well over the last year and a half while their car has gone from Q1 exits to race wins. Now the question is whether they can make the transition from race winners to champions.

The ever-improving Piastri has increasingly given Norris headaches. He was breathing down his team mate’s neck as the rain fell at Silverstone, then made the tactical error which may have cost him victory. Next time out at the Hungaroring the team had to intervene to tell Norris to give Piastri his lead back – which became his breakthrough triumph.

McLaren had to deal with this kind of thing last year as well. Piastri made way for his team mate more than once, then in Qatar the pair were ordered to hold position while the rookie driver was ahead, a decision Norris queried. “We ask drivers to challenge us,” said team principal Andrea Stella afterwards. They certainly got their wish in Hungary, where Norris’ race engineer Will Joseph spent 20 laps cajoling him into giving up victory.

‘Number one status’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/31/norris-says-he-hasnt-earned-number-one-status-and-hes-right/


Is Lando Norris Wasting Too Many Opportunities?
July 31, 2024
Erika Di Guido
Last Word On Sports

Too many mistakes, too many chances lost. After the win in Florida, McLaren was always close to Red Bull. Both in Qualifying and during the races, Norris was always close to Max Verstappen. He quickly became one of the favourites for wins. Yet, despite having the chances, he didn’t turn those opportunities into a trophy.

Self-critical: After the Belgian Grand Prix, Lando talked with the media about his last few races: “I lost many points during the last three or four races because of stupid mistakes, bad starts and things like today in the first corners. I don’t know why it happened. It’s not even hard. While trying to stay out of troubles, to be sure to have a gap, I pushed myself out of the track.” – Lando Norris to Sky Sport.

He also said that the rhythm was good and that the team was doing an incredible job. He took responsibility for his results and his mistakes. The hope is to continue the positive streak of good races for McLaren after the break: “I should have been more aggressive. In the last two or three races I didn’t start in the way I should have and I’ve lost many points. I hope to come back stronger [after the summer break].” – Lando Norris to Sky Sport.

‘Wasting Too Many Opportunities’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/07/31/is-lando-norris-wasting-too-many-opportunities/


Should McLaren back Norris or Piastri? Our F1 writers have their say
Following the Hungarian Grand Prix team order controversy as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris fought over a race win, McLaren needs to decide whether to back one of its drivers in the Formula 1 title battle, and which one. Here is what our writers would do.
30 Jul 2024
Motorsport.com staff writers
Motorsport.com

Norris should follow Piastri's example and be easier on himself - Jake Boxall-Legge

McLaren must follow through on its brave equal driver culture - Filip Cleeren

Norris already knows where Piastri is operating differently – Alex Kalinauckas

McLaren's near-impossible task: keeping both drivers happy - Ben Hunt

‘Team order controversy’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/should-mclaren-back-piastri-or-norris-our-writers-have-their-say/10640334/


McLaren to work with Norris to resolve opening lap struggles
30 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren’s Lando Norris is facing a growing issue with his race starts, as his opening lap in last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix demonstrated, prompting the team to work with the Briton to address the problem. “First of all, these kinds of situations, they’re always very, very marginal,” Stella said after last Sunday’s race in Spa, quoted by Motorsport Week.

“I think Lando got a little distracted from what was happening on the inside and ran out of track. It’s marginal things, it just requires little adjustments here and there. Certainly, we work with Lando like we work with Oscar to try and see all the opportunities in which we can improve individually, but also collaborate better to either be more prepared or to use better of our abilities and talents.”

“So, I think it doesn’t necessarily change our attitude, but definitely gives us some elements to analyse as to how some of these missed opportunities manifest themselves. For Lando, for instance, it looks like there’s statistically some opportunities that tend to happen in the early stages of the race.”

“It’s marginal things”;

https://f1i.com/news/515639-mclaren-to-work-with-norris-to-resolve-opening-lap-struggles.html

[Fortitude]

Sainz: 'We didn't maximise anything' despite 'good pace' in Belgium.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was left dissapointed, admitting "we didn't maximise anything" in P7 finish at Spa-Francorchamps.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Didn't maximise’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-we-didnt-maximise-anything-despite-good-pace-in-belgium.1805838962006044037


Sainz frustrated as Ferrari strategy “risks” at Spa don’t pay off
JULY 29, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Carlos Sainz said that Ferrari didn’t get his strategy right in the Belgian GP and that the timing of his first pit stop was not ideal for either a one or two-stop option. Sainz was the only driver at the front of the field to start on the hard tyres, and he rose from seventh on the grid to the lead as others pitted.

“I feel like we took some risks at the start, starting on the hard,” he said. “We even won a position [from Norris]. So I was very optimistic and positive about this strategy. We managed to extend it quite a bit to lap 20, with hindsight, not long enough, because probably one-stop seemed like a good possibility today. And yeah, probably the main thing is that we didn’t do a one, but we also didn’t do an optimal two, because we boxed too late for the two, or too early for the one.”

“It’s easy to say now in hindsight, but I felt like the race was promising a lot more. After 20 laps, I was like, we might have a shot at the podium. And then suddenly I finished P7 nine seconds behind the P6, so clearly, there’s something that we will have to look at. At the same time I think our direct competitors today were quicker, so I don’t think it would have changed much.”

‘Sainz frustrated’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/07/29/sainz-frustrated-as-ferrari-strategy-risks-at-spa-dont-pay-off/


Breaking: Williams confirm signing of Sainz in a multi-year deal
Carlos Sainz lost his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton for 2025 but James Vowles has been keen to sign the Spaniard
July 29, 2024
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

Carlos Sainz is currently a driver of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 team. However, with the announcement of Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes and joining Ferrari for 2025, Sainz was left without a seat. But today, the future of the Spaniard’s Formula 1 career has been confirmed.

Williams F1 team have announced the signing of Sainz in a multi-year deal that will extend beyond 2025. The British team resigned Alex Albon earlier this season and now with the signing of Sainz, their driver line-up is complete. In their statement, Williams stated that Sainz will be joining them for the 2025 season on a two-year agreement. But the Spanish driver has the option to extend. Whilst at Williams, Sainz will still race under number 55.

With the confirmation of Sainz, Vowles expressed what this means for Williams. The Team Principal said: “Carlos joining Williams is a strong statement of intent from both parties. Carlos has demonstrated time and again that he is one of the most talented drivers on the grid, with race-winning pedigree, and this underlines the upwards trajectory we are on.”

‘Williams confirm signing of Sainz’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/breaking-williams-confirm-signing-of-sainz-in-a-multi-year-deal/?nowprocket=1


Carlos Sainz confirms new team after being forced out of Ferrari by Lewis Hamilton
Carlos Sainz has put an end to speculation and picked his new team for the 2025 season.
Jul 29, 2024
Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

“I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards," said Sainz. "It is no secret that this year’s driver market has been exceptionally complex for various reasons and that it has taken me some time to announce my decision. However, I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport.”

“The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity. I am convinced that this team has all the right ingredients to make history again and, starting on January 1, I will give my absolute best to drive Williams forward alongside every single member of the team.”

‘Pen to paper’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1929493/Carlos-Sainz-new-team-Williams-2025


Carlos Sainz explains key reasons behind HUGE multi-year Williams deal
29 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

The writing has been on the wall for some time, but today, it’s confirmed: Carlos Sainz Jr. will join Williams for the 2025 and 2026 Formula 1 seasons — with an option to continue beyond that point. But why? Why opt for a Williams as opposed to, say, an Audi or an Alpine? Well, Sainz addresses that, too, and it has a lot to do with the robust legacy of the team and his belief in its potential for the future.

“I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport,” Sainz elaborated.

“The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity. I am convinced that this team has all the right ingredients to make history again and starting on January 1 I will give my absolute best to drive Williams forward alongside every single member of the team.”

‘Key reasons’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-explains-key-reasons-behind-huge-multi-year-williams-deal


EXCLUSIVE: Late nights, secret meetings and colossal contracts – James Vowles on how he signed Sainz
29 July 2024
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

It’s been a heck of a chase – but after eight months or so, Williams Team Principal James Vowles finally got the driver he really wanted when he signed Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz alongside Alex Albon on a multi-year deal. As Vowles sat in his office each week and mapped out the various driver market iterations and where Williams might sit within them (“it’s just a massive game of chess!”), there was one driver who kept coming out on top of his list – Carlos Sainz. He was, in Vowles’s mind, the best driver for the job.

Williams are in the midst of a rebuild, spearheaded by ex-Mercedes man Vowles who is bidding to turn a team that has fallen on harder times and lingers in the bottom half of the pack back into the behemoth that once crushed their rivals to dominate the championship. Having re-signed one exciting talent in Alex Albon, Vowles identified Sainz very early on as a potential candidate for the project. Having never really interacted with the Sainzes, he lined up a first meeting at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“The first time I spent time with his family was in Abu Dhabi,” Vowles tells me exclusively, just moments after the announcement. “We had to run them around the back so they could come upstairs and come to my office to chat [without being seen]. That was the first time I chatted to all of them, and it was the first time I got to know them.

‘Late nights, secret meetings and colossal contracts’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/exclusive-late-nights-secret-meetings-and-colossal-contracts-james-vowles-on.2KTdZFiYOsMCIRT6GdRlLA


Damon Hill gives his verdict on Carlos Sainz joining Williams in 2025
30 July 2024
Ben Evans

Damon Hill reacts to Carlos Sainz signing for Williams. Commenting on Sainz’s move to Williams, Hill said on social media: “Williams will have a very potent driver combo for 2025.” It’s hard to disagree with the 1996 F1 World Champion with Albon and Sainz the envy of the current midfield teams.

‘Very potent driver combo’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/damon-hill-gives-his-verdict-on-carlos-sainz-joining-williams-in-2025/


Vowles surprised Red Bull and Mercedes did not chase Sainz
Jul 31, 2024
The Straits Times

Williams boss James Vowles said he was surprised top Formula One teams Red Bull and Mercedes had not signed Carlos Sainz before he sealed a deal that started with a discussion in Abu Dhabi last November. "I rate him as one of the top four drivers if not, at times, the number two driver on the grid. Why wouldn’t you want that in your stable," Vowles told reporters on a video call on Tuesday.

"Look at every team he has been in. They have improved significantly. And I get why, after spending the last nine months talking to him at least weekly if not daily. What I’ve realised with him is that he is a performance machine. He absolutely will do everything it takes within his power to not transform just himself, but the team around him as well at the same time."

Vowles said it had been a rollercoaster journey, with secret meetings in hotel rooms around the world. "From the beginning I gave him, warts and all, here's what's going to happen," he said. "We are going to go backwards, here's why, here's what we are investing in, here's what's coming, here's why I'm excited by this project. And it's your choice."

“One of the top four drivers if not, at times, the number two driver on the grid”;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/vowles-surprised-red-bull-and-mercedes-did-not-chase-sainz

[Fortitude]

Perez explains what went wrong in ‘really bad race’ in Belgium.
Sergio Perez started the Belgian Grand Prix on the front row but slipped to P8 at the flag.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘What went wrong’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/perez-explains-what-went-wrong-in-really-bad-race-in-belgium.1805836465189288473


Bigger culprit than Sergio Perez found by Ralf Schumacher for Red Bull’s troubles
29 Jul 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Amidst speculative reports Adrian Newey was not happy with Red Bull’s development path, Ralf Schumacher has declared his “successor” Pierre Waché as not been “able to close” the gap.

“It started at the beginning of the season,” former F1 driver turned Sky pundit Schumacher said of Red Bull’s form. “One of the most important men left the team and I believe that the successor has not been able to close this gap yet.”

“He has to prove it when you look at the car. A few things have changed, the car is harder to drive. Both drivers are finding it harder, including Max Verstappen. “Red Bull have to come up with something. The wings are not that big at the moment.”

‘Red Bull’s troubles’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ralf-schumacher-tells-adrian-newey-successor-to-close-gap


‘Knife edge’: Red Bull chief confirms Sergio Perez ‘theory’ about why he’s ‘struggling a lot more’ this season
31 July 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull engineers confirm Sergio Perez ‘theory’: Verstappen is known for having a very specific driving style that favours a car that is more ‘pointy’ on corner entry compared to others. It is one of the strengths of the RB20 and indeed Red Bull’s cars in the last few seasons. Like every other car on the grid, the RB20 has an operating window whereby the drivers are comfortable to push to extract the maximum lap time.

According to Vording, there is a theory as to why Perez is struggling much more compared to Verstappen. “I talked about this theory with some people within Red Bull, and they basically support it. Even technical director Pierre Wache, he said this is pretty much correct. But the theory is that if the car is pretty comfortable to drive, then it’s relatively easy for Checo to be within an acceptable distance of Max,” said Vording.

“When the car gets more tricky, Max is the one who can deal with it, especially in the stable rear end of the car. Checo is struggling a lot more. You have to drive it on the knife edge, then crashes occur more often.”

‘Sergio Perez ‘theory’ confirmed’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red-bull-chief-confirms-sergio-perez-theory-about-why-hes-struggling-a-lot-more-this-season/


Perez refuses to 'waste energy' on speculation as Red Bull D-Day looms
The Red Bull driver finished in seventh place at the Belgian Grand Prix from a front-row start.
29 July 2024
Pepijn van der Hulst & Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Reflecting, Perez remained defiant as speculation swirls on his future. "I've said it before, I had a good qualifying and it doesn't change anything," Perez told media including RacingNews365, before shutting down further questions around his future.

"We have too much going on in the team, and a lot of things that we have to focus on, and we cannot waste any energy with all this speculation, so this is the last time I will speak about the future [in this media session]. The break comes at a good time for the team and for myself, and there is plenty of stuff that we need to go through."

‘Perez refuses to waste energy';

https://racingnews365.com/d-day-for-perez-red-bull-holds-crucial-deliberations-on-future


Perez will remain Verstappen’s team mate, Horner tells Red Bull staff
29th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has moved to end speculation over Sergio Perez’s future by telling the team’s staff he will continue to drive for them after the summer break. Horner gave the strongest indication yet Perez will remain in place until the end of the season when speaking to staff at Red Bull’s base today.

“Checo remains a Red Bull Racing driver despite recent speculation and we look forward to seeing him perform at tracks he has previously excelled at after the summer break,” Horner told the team, a spokesperson confirmed to RaceFans.

Perez dismissed suggestions his place at the team was in danger after yesterday’s race. “I’ve said everything I have to regarding my future,” he told Viaplay. “I think now the main focus of the team is on getting ourselves sorted and I have nothing further to add. I’ve said everything I have to.” Verstappen gave his backing to Perez following yesterday’s race. The pair have been team mates since 2021.

‘Perez will remain Verstappen’s team mate’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/29/perez-will-stay-at-red-bull-for-the-rest-of-the-year-horner-tells-team-staff/


Huge twist in Sergio Perez saga as Liberty Media involvement rumours arise
31 Jul 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Formula 1 owners Liberty Media reportedly asked Red Bull to ‘reconsider’ swapping Sergio Perez out of the team, having come under pressure for his drive. The Mexico City Grand Prix has yet to take place this season, the event taking place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez from 25-27 October, where Perez enjoys an enormous home support.

And a report from German publication F1-Insider has claimed that, alongside words from Helmut Marko suggesting a potential shuffling of the cards within the Red Bull teams for 2025, Liberty Media also looked to keep the status quo for now, given the huge implications for the Mexican’s home race later this season.

The report said: ‘What was leaked behind the scenes: Formula 1 rights holder Liberty Media asked Red Bull to reconsider Perez’s dismissal. Without the popular hero Perez, they feared an extreme drop in revenue at the Mexican GP on 27 October.’

‘Rumours’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-red-bull-liberty-media-involvement-rumour


How £69bn tycoon Carlos Slim helped Sergio Perez keep Red Bull seat
31 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Sergio Perez relied on some outside assistance to keep hold of his Red Bull seat beyond the summer break. Inadvertently or otherwise, teammate Max Verstappen lent him a helping hand. Cutting ties with Perez would also cost them a significant sum. In addition to paying off the 34-year-old, they would lose an array of associated sponsorship deals.

The former Sauber driver is one of the most prominent athletes in Latin America. Liberty Media urged Red Bull to keep Perez to avoid a significant drop in revenue at the Mexico City Grand Prix later this year. A six-time GP winner, Perez is the most successful driver in his country’s history. He’s competed in 271 races, which puts him in the all-time top 10.

Carlos Slim influenced Red Bull decision to keep Sergio Perez. According to Bild, Carlos Slim also lent Perez a helping hand. The Mexican tycoon is one of the richest people on the planet. Red Bull bosses including Christian Horner and Helmut Marko met on Monday to discuss their driver line-up. But Slim also ‘exerted his influence’ from afar. The 84-year-old offered financial backing to Perez at the start of his F1 career. And ‘there are voices saying’ he was involved in the decision to retain him.

‘Carlos Slim £69bn tycoon’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/how-69bn-tycoon-carlos-slim-helped-sergio-perez-keep-red-bull-seat/


Perez gets reprieve: Red Bull opts for stability over change
29 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Sergio Perez will head into F1’s summer break with a sigh of relief. After weeks of speculation surrounding his future at Red Bull, the team has decided to retain the Mexican driver for the remainder of the 2024 season.

While details of the discussion remain under wraps, sources indicate that Horner addressed the team at their Milton Keynes headquarters, assuring them that Perez would be back in the car when the season resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix on August 23.

‘Stability over change’;

https://f1i.com/news/515617-perez-gets-reprieve-red-bull-opts-for-stability-over-change.html


Report: What Liberty Media told Red Bull before making decision on Sergio Perez’s F1 future
31 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

What Liberty Media said to Red Bull before making Sergio Perez decision. A report from F1 Insider has now shared more details about how Red Bull came to their decision. One intriguing point is that they believe Liberty Media – who owns the Formula One Group responsible for the promotion of the sport – sent a message to Red Bull before Monday’s meeting. It highlights the importance of Sergio Perez to the grid as both a driver and a marketing tool.

It’s believed that Liberty Media asked Red Bull to reconsider dismissing Perez despite his poor results over recent months. They ‘feared a huge drop’ in commercial revenue at the Mexico City Grand Prix where Perez is understandably the poster boy of the event.

While it’s very unlikely that played any part in Red Bull’s final decision, it’s interesting that Liberty Media are taking such an interest in the make up of the grid. They may not have been too pleased to learn on Monday that their only American driver – Sargeant – has lost his place in the paddock for 2025.

‘Report’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-liberty-media-told-red-bull-before-making-decision-on-sergio-perezs-f1-future/

[Fortitude]

Alonso 'happy with the result' despite lack of race pace in Belgium.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was left "happy with the result" after finished ninth in Spa-Francorchamps – and admitted the top four teams are out of reach at the moment for the Silverstone squad.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'Happy with the result';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/alonso-happy-with-the-result-despite-lack-of-race-pace-in-belgium.1805840926024517005


Alonso uses “a little bit of luck” to make unplanned one-stop work for Aston
JULY 29, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin’s call to stop him only once in the Belgian GP was not planned – and it needed “a little bit of luck” to work. Alonso was one of only five drivers to stop only once, along with original race winner George Russell, Yuki Tsunoda, Kevin Magnussen and his own team mate Lance Stroll.

Alonso used the unexpected strategy to finish ninth on the road, which became eighth when Russell was disqualified for a weight infringement. “We had the plans, as always, Plan B, Plan C, whatever,” said Alonso. “So we covered the one-stop and the three-stops. We were P12, and we were just waiting for a safety car, maybe to play in our hands.”

“And then 11 laps in the end, we started considering, ‘Okay, safety car is not coming, but maybe we go to the end?’ So it was just being very flexible, and lap-by-lap, judging the conditions, and at the end, it was the right call. But let’s say it was not planned just to go for one-stop.”

“A little bit of luck”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/07/29/alonso-uses-a-little-bit-of-luck-to-make-unplanned-one-stop-work-for-aston/


Alonso hails points in Belgium as ‘a bit of a win’ as Aston Martin aim to ‘come back stronger’ in second half of the season
31 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso was left satisfied with his P9 result – which later became P8 following George Russell’s post-race disqualification – in the Belgian Grand Prix, with the Spaniard crediting the team’s strategy call as helping to make it happen.

After starting from eighth place on the grid, Alonso extended his first stint on the medium tyre before pitting for the hard compound in his only pit stop of the race. This worked out well for the two-time world champion and he was pleased to claim points, despite the squad still being some way back from the leading four teams.

‘A bit of a win’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/alonso-hails-points-in-belgium-as-a-bit-of-a-win-as-aston-martin-aim-to-come.1wFVdxcdOSzsnouwjecR61


Alonso praises Aston Martin's pace in Belgium
30 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Alonso was pleased for taking some points in the last round before the summer break, but he has urges his team to find improvement for the second half of the season. "I am pleased with eighth position today and four points after a hard-fought race. We had a few different strategies planned for today.”

“We extended the first stint on the Mediums and then on the Hard tyres we managed the pace quite well and had decent tyre degradation. We thought there might be a chance of a Safety Car and when there wasn't we thought why not extend and remain on a one-stop strategy.”

“This decision paid off and we managed to score some points. I am looking forward to a short break now and some time to recharge. We will continue fighting and we have some more work to do to improve for the second half of the season."

‘Pleased for taking some points’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25159


Disappointed Alonso sees ‘a lot of work’ ahead for Aston
31 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso has candidly admitted to being "a little bit disappointed" with Aston Martin's performance in the first half of the 2024 Formula 1 season. A stark contrast to the team's frontrunning status in the first part of 2023, Aston Martin has found itself on the back foot this year, well behind its former direct rivals.

"A little bit disappointed," the 43-year-old F1 veteran replied when asked to take stock of the first half of his 2024 campaign. We cannot hide the fact that we are fighting today with Williams, AlphaTauri [RB] and Alpine, and last year, we were looking to the top four teams.”

“Now they are out of reach, and we are just defending from the guys behind. Even at the beginning of the year. In qualifying especially, we were always top five, top six, in the mix," Alonso added. "So definitely a lot of work to do for us in [the] summer break and the second part of the year. We will not give up, but we need to work."

‘A lot of work ahead’;

https://f1i.com/news/515685-disappointed-alonso-sees-a-lot-of-work-ahead-for-aston.html


Untelevised Max Verstappen ‘wave’ moment with Fernando Alonso unearthed
31 Jul 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Untelevised footage has emerged of Max Verstappen waving at Fernando Alonso as he completed a pass on the Aston Martin driver during the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa. Onboard footage from Verstappen’s car has revealed the moment he gave a cheeky wave to two-time title winner Alonso in the early stages of his recovery at Spa.

Having been informed by his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, that he would have the use of DRS on Alonso on the exit of La Source, Verstappen followed Alonso’s slipstream through the legendary Eau Rouge corner before drawing his car alongside the Aston Martin man on the Kemmel straight.

As he completed the pass on Alonso’s right, Verstappen turns his head slightly to the left and waves at his fellow World Champion before continuing with the next stage of his recovery drive. The gesture was interpreted by some as a taunt but Verstappen and Alonso are actually known to have a respectful relationship, with the latter often praising the Red Bull man’s achievements over recent years.

‘Max Verstappen waving at Fernando Alonso’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/untelevised-max-verstappen-wave-fernando-alonso-unearthed


‘It is undeniable’: Fernando Alonso is ‘a little disappointed’ with what he has seen at Aston Martin
1 August 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Fernando Alonso has conceded that he is ‘a little disappointed’ with what the two-time Formula 1 world drivers’ champion has seen at his Aston Martin team so far in 2024. The 43-year-old enjoyed a fantastic first season in Silverstone in 2023 after Alonso switched Alpine for Aston Martin. He burst out of the gates to get six podium finishes in the first eight rounds. Alonso also added a third P2 and a fifth P3 finish to his tally in the remaining rounds.

If 2023 was a ‘dream’, Fernando Alonso will want to wake up in 2024. Sealing three P2 and five P3 finishes in his first year in Silverstone saw Alonso describe 2023 as a ‘dream season’ with Aston Martin. But their momentum started to slip as the campaign progressed as Aston Martin failed to keep up with their rival teams in the development race.

Those struggles carried over the winter break, too, with Alonso’s average finishing position through the first 14 Grand Prix this year just 9.7. Stroll has also secured an average finish of 11.1 through the 13 races he has finished. Alonso has seen the chequered flag in each race.

‘A little disappointed’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fernando-alonso-is-a-little-disappointed-with-what-he-has-seen-at-aston-martin/


Dejected Alonso sees it slipping away: 'Things changed a little bit'
1 Aug 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Seven different drivers have already won at least one Grand Prix in 2024. One man is missing from the list of names: Fernando Alonso. Where it seemed last season that the Spaniard finally had a real chance of breaking Max Verstappen's dominance to take that coveted victory number 33, Aston Martin now lags behind Red Bull Racing, Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren in terms of development. It could have been so nice for Alonso, but where Verstappen was so close at first, the Dutchman is now so far away.

Alonso shrugged: "That is the way it is," the Spaniard, who is now 43, told the likes of GPblog. "I think last year we were the best of the rest but Red Bull was, I mean, unbeatable. They never had a bad pit stop, they never had a crash, they never had a bad qualifying, they never had any problem. And then we just were third or second all the time."

"All the pictures of my podiums last year, I have Checo and Max with me or first second or first and third, and I was in the middle. Things changed a little bit and we were not there to take the opportunity. We said many times last year, we need to keep up. We need to be always hunting them, and when they have any crack, we are there to take the opportunity. When they started to have any kind of problem, we were not there anymore. So it's a bit up to us that we were not able to keep up with that pace," Alonso said.

‘Slipping away’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293141/alonso-could-not-attack-verstappen-and-red-bull-now-out-of-sight.html

[Fortitude]

Ocon pleased with points, but reckons he ‘should have been at least 8th or 9th’.
Esteban ocon finished P10 for Alpine in Belgium, but says the result could have been even better with a tweaked strategy.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Could have been even better’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ocon-pleased-with-points-but-reckons-he-should-have-been-at-least-8th-or-9th.1805836491388014892


Ocon praises Alpine's tyre management after scoring points in Belgium
30 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ocon commented: “I’m pleased to have scored a point for the team this afternoon after some hard fights on track. We had good pace throughout, enough straight-line speed to overtake down the Kemmel Straight and in the end, it was enough for the top ten.

"There are positives, of course, like our general race pace and tyre management. I do think we could have finished maybe a position higher up had we executed things slightly differently, but that is up for us to review and improve.”

"We made a good decision in focusing on race preparation and setting up the car suitably for that. I am staying in Spa for a few days for the Pirelli tyre test before the summer break."

‘Alpine's tyre management’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25163


Ocon underlines 'no brainer' factors in Haas switch
Esteban Ocon has said the decision to join Haas next season was "very straightforward" and a "no brainer" given its recent uptick in performance.
30 July 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has explained that his decision to switch to Haas for the 2025 F1 season was a "no brainer" given its upturn in performance this year. The American outfit's new team principal, Ayao Komatsu, worked with Ocon in the past, as his race engineer during the one-time grand prix winner's first F1 test with Lotus in 2014.

"Well, it does confirm what Ayao [Komatsu] is putting in place, basically," Ocon told media including RacingNews365 when asked how crucial Komatsu and Haas' recent improvements were to his signing. "When you say something, but then you have the facts on track [to back it up], it's just very clear and very straightforward.”

"So, to me, it was a no brainer to take that decision. I'm very happy with my choice and very happy with how we are going to move forward. I'm very happy with my choice - I'm not going to speak about names or which teams," he replied. "There was many discussions with many different teams, you know, since '23 [2023]. But now it's official, and I can say one name and that will now remain."

'No brainer';

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-underlines-no-brainer-factors-in-haas-switch


Haas defends decision to sign controversial Ocon
Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu has defended his decision to sign the talented but controversial Esteban Ocon for 2025.
JULY 31, 2024
GrandPrix.com

I think Esteban has proven what he can do, Komatsu said at Spa-Francorchamps last weekend. "He's scored a lot of points and won a race. He's achieved a lot already. Again, his battle with Fernando Alonso was pretty impressive. And he's only 27 - he's still got a lot to offer. I think he's got an incredible determination and work ethic.”

Many in the paddock see the Frenchman as a driver with a poor reputation for playing the team game. “It had to be taken into account”, Komatsu admitted. “So I can't say I didn't notice.”

“So personally I am not worried”, he insisted. "If I was worried, I would not have chosen this pairing. Because it is my responsibility to make sure that the two drivers are working in the best interests of our team. I have no doubt that Esteban and Ollie will do that.”

‘Defended his decision to sign the talented but controversial Esteban Ocon’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/haas-defends-decision-to-sign-controversial-ocon.html


Ocon can't wait to partner up with this future British world champion
31 July 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Talking to GPblog among others, Ocon explained that he met Bearman back at the Hungaroring, where the young Briton drove a Haas car during the first free practice session. "I spoke to him actually in Budapest, that's probably the first time that we met. Ollie is a very young, exciting prospect in Formula 1, many people are saying that he is going to be a future world champion and I can't wait to be teaming up with him," the one-time Grand Prix winner praised Bearman.

"As I said he is going to be bringing also fresh blood into the team, new ideas, I am also going to try and add to the team and I am sure our collaboration is going to be great to lead this team forward and hopefully going where we want to go," Ocon explained how the partnership can be successful.

Ocon himself also believes Bearman does not necessarily need advice from him, and added that it will possibly go the other way around instead. "I don't think Ollie needs my help on anything. He probably has more experience with the team than I will have next year. He's been driving a lot in FP1s, in testing as well. I'm probably going to have to ask him a lot more things than I will have to give him tips. There's not going to be any of that, I think. We're just going to be very open about the whole situation, trying to get the team to the right technical way very early on. That's going to start for sure quite quickly," the Frenchman explained.

‘Can't wait to partner up’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/291944/bearman-future-teammate-ocon-excited-haas-can-t-wait-to-work-with-him.html


'It was time to change': Bruno Famin shares the moment he knew it was ‘time to change’ Esteban Ocon at Alpine
1 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Bruno Famin says Monaco GP was tipping point for Esteban Ocon at Alpine. There have been occasional flashpoints in the Alpine partnership, most notably the collision at the 2023 Australian GP that took both cars out of the race. In Monaco this year, Ocon hit Gasly with a risky lunge at Portier on the first lap.

Ocon couldn’t continue after his A524 was dramatically launched, while Gasly needed significant repairs. A red-flag period allowed the mechanics to mend Gasly’s car and he eventually scored points, but Alpine were still furious. Bruno Famin warned Ocon there would be consequences, with talk of a remarkable one-race suspension.

“It was the visible part of the iceberg in Monaco but it was the evidence that it was time to change for both parties,” Famin said. “We need [a good] dynamic in the team. We need to change instability. You cannot be so stable like that and you need to bring new ways, new ideas. A new driver would bring new things and having a different environment will enable him [Ocon] to improve certain things. I’m 100% sure it will be good for everybody.”

‘The moment he knew it was time to change’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/bruno-famin-shares-the-moment-he-knew-it-was-time-to-change-esteban-ocon-at-alpine/


Alpine ‘didn’t want Esteban Ocon around’ as alarming F1 2025 replacement claim made
02 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

In the aftermath of Ocon’s Alpine exit confirmation, Sky F1 lead commentator David Croft suggested there was an “air of tension” between driver and team, that extending to Ocon and team-mate Pierre Gasly, with then team boss Bruno Famin left enraged after the duo collided in Monaco.

And Steiner believes that Alpine ultimately decided enough is enough with their Ocon alliance. “I think it turned into such a headache that they said, ‘it’s better a painful end than never-ending pain’,” said Steiner on The Red Flags Podcast.

“‘We’ll deal with the consequences of him leaving, but we don’t want him around’. I think it ended up like this. It’s just too much. And when you’re in a team and you have got always the same problem that you cannot fix it after years, it’s like, ‘we need to do something different here’, otherwise you just kick the can down the road. It will come back.”

‘Didn’t want Esteban Ocon around’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-alpine-didnt-want-esteban-ocon-around-no-equal-replacement


Ocon divulges talks with Haas over F1 move began in mid-2023
1 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Esteban Ocon has disclosed that conversations regarding a move to the Haas Formula 1 began back in mid-2023 as he decided to leave Alpine once his deal expired.

“There’s been obviously a lot of conversation going around the paddock. That is quite clear,” Ocon acknowledged. “This conversation started quite a long time ago. Already mid-season of 23. That’s really when things started.”

“But Ayao really convinced me with his words. He’s a person that has a lot of experience in Formula 1. I’ve been working on my first steps into Formula 1 as well. When I was testing for the first time 10 years ago. I even know him from a lot longer than that.”

‘Ocon divulges talks’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/01/ocon-divulges-talks-with-haas-over-f1-move-began-in-mid-2023/

[Fortitude]

Ricciardo inherits point after surprising RB strategy.
Daniel Ricciardo inherited a point in the Belgian Grand Prix after starting the race 13th.
29 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The Australian was 11th at the end of 44 laps around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit having run inside the points paying positions in the closing laps. He was passed by Esteban Ocon on Lap 39 as the Alpine driver nabbed 10th, but was promoted back into the top 10 following George Russell's post-race penalty.

Ricciardo started the grand prix on the soft compound tyres, the only car on the red-walled rubber and one of only three not on the mediums. “I was very surprised to be the only one,” he admitted. “It obviously stopped us from maybe attempting a one stop, but I was able to stay with the guys on medium in the first stint.”

“For the two stop, it probably didn't change too much in the end. I felt like every time we pitted, I think we were able to undercut a car and get a bit of track position, and hold it. We started 13th, we got a couple positions up, so I think we did have a good race.”

‘Ricciardo inherits point’;

https://speedcafe.com/ricciardo-inherits-point-after-surprising-rb-strategy/


Ricciardo feels "content and fulfilled" after Spa F1 race
30 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ricciardo later was promoted to P10 following the disqualification for race-winner George Russell, meaning he did leave Belgium with a point after all. “Today was very similar to yesterday; I’m quite pleased as I feel like we had a really strong two-stop race, but unfortunately so did some others and I think they had a bit more pace than us, so it wasn’t good enough to get rewarded.”

"Esteban (Ocon) was generally a bit quicker and also had fresher tyres, so I’m disappointed with our final result, as we tried our best to keep the tenth place in the last few laps.”

"It was a positive weekend and I’m leaving Spa content and fulfilled, which pleases me entering the summer break. Looking ahead after the break, I’m excited to get back to Zandvoort and we’ll keep the momentum going from the last few races.”

"Content and fulfilled";

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25166


Ricciardo lucks into P10 point at Spa but after ‘good race’
30 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Taking a bold strategic approach, Ricciardo was the sole driver to start the race on the soft compound tyre, but it was a gamble that ultimately paid off. “It obviously stopped us from maybe attempting a one stop, but I was able to stay with the guys on medium in the first stint,” explained Ricciardo.

“For the two stop, it probably didn't change too much in the end. I felt like every time we pitted, I think we were able to undercut a car and get a bit of track position and hold it. We started 13th, we got a couple positions up, so I think we did have a good race.”

“I enjoy the crazy, fun chaos of the Red Bull family and the way they go about their business. It's all I've ever known – chaos in this team feels comfortable, where chaos in another team was quite unsettling. I just feel like I've been here before and I'm okay with it.”

‘Taking a bold strategic approach’;

https://f1i.com/news/515624-ricciardo-handed-a-point-at-spa-after-good-race.html


Daniel Ricciardo safe at RB for 2024
Daniel Ricciardo will not be ousted from RB with reports his role with the squad is safe for the remainder of the season.
30 July 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Red Bull will take an unchanged driver line-up into the second half of the year with no changes at either Red Bull Racing or RB. Yesterday, it was revealed Sergio Perez will remain alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing. It's now reported that Ricciardo will also remain in place at RB until at least the end of the season.

Following a mixed opening to the year, Ricciardo has found form of late, delivering 10th in the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend. “I think he's done alright,” Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner said on Sunday of Ricciardo's performance. I haven't looked at the race plot, I only saw the end result that he was 11th.”

‘Safe at RB for 2024’;

https://speedcafe.com/daniel-ricciardo-to-remain-at-rb-for-2024/


Ricciardo stays put, survives mid-season Red Bull shakeup
30 Jul 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

After a tumultuous first half of the season and doubts about his F1 future, Daniel Ricciardo will return to the fray at the end of August and remain with Visa Cash App RB through the remainder of the 2024 F1 season.

With signs of improvement, the team sees no immediate need for change. Red Bull has consistently emphasized their commitment to Ricciardo's success, acknowledging his early-season struggles but pledging to help him adapt to the car.

‘Return to the fray at the end of August’;

https://f1i.com/news/515655-ricciardo-stays-put-survives-mid-season-red-bull-shakeup.html


Ricciardo 'just' completes his 2024 contract at Visa Cash App RB
30 July 2024
Corwin Kunst
GPblog.com

Daniel Ricciardo will drive for Visa Cash App RB until the end of the season, the Faenza-based team confirmed to GPblog. The Australian scored half as many points as Yuki Tsunoda in the first 14 Grands Prix of the season, but they see no reason to put Liam Lawson in the car now.

Only in three races (excluding a fourth place finish at the Miami Sprint Race) did Ricciardo score points in the first half of the season. Entering the summer break, the driver from Perth has 11 points behind his name. Teammate Tsundoa finished in the top-ten in seven races (and a P8 in the Miami sprint race).

Liam Lawson might have secretly hoped for a chance to drive the VCARB-01 at Zandvoort. However, the Red Bull junior who creditably filled in for Ricciardo at five GPs last year will have to be patient. Possibly, an opportunity at Visa Cash App RB does await him at the start of 2025.

‘Ricciardo 'just' completes his 2024 contract’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/292952/ricciardo-also-drives-after-summer-break-at-visa-cash-app-rb.html


Ricciardo pinpoints RB’s biggest weakness with 2024 F1 car
1 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Daniel Ricciardo has pinpointed high-speed cornering as the main weakness upon which RB can improve with its 2024 Formula 1 car going into the remaining rounds. Ricciardo’s uptick in results continued at Spa-Francorchamps as he headed RB’s charge to cross the line in 11th and inherit a point once George Russell was excluded.

The Australian, who started down in 13th, managed to claw through the pack as RB elected to trigger an undercut on the cars ahead at the respective pit stop phases. However, Fernando Alonso’s reversion to a one-stop and Esteban Ocon’s late overtake down the Kemmel Straight demoted Ricciardo to outside the top 10 on the road.

‘RB’s biggest weakness’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/01/ricciardo-pinpoints-rbs-biggest-weakness-with-2024-f1-car/

[Fortitude]

Stroll calls on Aston Martin to ‘find more pace in the car’ after P12 finish at Spa.
Lance Stroll ran a one-stop strategy for the Belgian Grand Prix, but wasn’t able to make it into the points.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘One-stop strategy’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/stroll-calls-on-aston-martin-to-find-more-pace-in-the-car-after-p12-finish-at-spa.1805835433682079594


UNDERCUT | Mike Krack: "We're on the right path"
11:26 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

"If I'm honest with myself, and I think we should all be honest with ourselves: we expected more. We knew we had a bit of a gap to the cars in front, and how difficult it is to close that gap. We haven't managed it yet, and until we do, we cannot be happy."

Team Principal Mike Krack refrained from sugar-coating his thoughts as he opened up about the team's first half of the 2024 F1 season, but would you expect anything less in the latest instalment of UNDERCUT, our raw, unfiltered, interview series that asks the questions you really want the answers to?

In the first part of the 2023 F1 season, Mike was cautious. Silverware was rolling in, the team was enjoying front-row starts and contesting victories, however "it's very nice – but it isn’t an accurate picture" was a constant message. Mid-season, when the usual suspects figured out their early-season wobbles, silverware became harder to come by. There were still occasional, stunning, successes, but fifth-quickest team was where we levelled-off… and where we are now.

"We're on the right path";

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/undercut-mike-krack-were-on-the-right-path


Adrian Newey to Aston Martin? Team boss teases ‘big-name’ signing as rumours swirl
02 Aug 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

With speculation that he’s set to sign for Aston Martin, the prospect of an Adrian Newey arrival has been addressed by team boss Mike Krack. Addressing the possibility in a summer shutdown column for the Aston Martin website, team boss Mike Krack was asked directly whether any further “big-name signings” can be expected, with Newey name-dropped.

“We’re still in a period of growth – but I think we have to be open-minded and dynamic, in terms of personnel as well as car development,” Krack said, with Newey put to him as a free agent. This isn’t a sport that rewards consolidation.”

“Obviously, that has to be constructed around a stable core. You need to have routines and you need to have trust and establishing that trust can take a long time – but you should never sit back and say ‘We are fine’. There’s always a need to be looking at what you can do better, what you can change. Doesn’t necessarily mean you make that change – but you have to keep asking the question.”

‘Rumours swirl’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-adrian-newey-rumours-addressed-mike-krack-summer-shutdown


The seven-step guide to keeping an F1 race team fit and healthy
17:21 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

14 Grands Prix down, 10 to go. As the 2024 Formula One season takes a brief pause for the summer break, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Doctor, Rahul Chotai, reveals what it takes to keep our mechanics and the rest of our travelling race team in top condition throughout F1's longest-ever season.

"My work will never have a direct impact on the car, but it will help the team perform to the best of their ability." More than 100 Aston Martin Aramco team members travel to each Grand Prix, and Team Doctor Rahul Chotai is the person charged with keeping them in peak physical and mental condition.

From illness and injury prevention to training our race team to ensure they're at their sharpest 'Doc', as he is affectionately known, oversees it all. An A&E doctor by trade, with a Masters degree in Sports Medicine, Rahul began work with team during the global pandemic in 2020, getting the call-up as Formula One returned to action in Austria that year.

‘Seven-step guide’;

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/feature/the-seven-step-guide-to-keeping-an-f1-race-team-fit-and-healthy


Fernando Alonso warns Aston Martin ‘cannot hide’ after alarming F1 2024 pace drop
3 Aug 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has admitted to feeling disappointed with how he’s now looking over his shoulder at Aston Martin’s pursuers rather than chasing the lead pack in F1 2024.

“We cannot hide the fact that we are fighting today with Williams, AlphaTauri [sic], and Alpine while, last year, we were looking maybe to the top four teams. Now they are out of reach and we are just defending from the guys behind.”

“Even at the beginning of the year – in qualifying, especially – we were always top five, top six in the mix. So there’s definitely a lot of work to do for us in summer break and the second part of the year. We will not give up, but we need to work.”

‘Cannot hide’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-cannot-hide-2024-f1-pace-drop

[Fortitude]

‘Disappointed’ Albon says Williams have been ‘on the back foot from the very beginning’ of 2024.
Alex Albon finished 13th at Spa, and reflected on the team’s first half of the year ahead of the summer break.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Disappointed’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/disappointed-albon-says-williams-have-been-on-the-back-foot-from-the-very-beginning-of-2024.1805840963727085173


Belgian GP: Another difficult race for Williams Racing
July 29 2024
By Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

In what was another difficult race for the Williams Racing Team the 2024 Belgian GP would see Alex Albon finish in 13th and Logan Sargeant 18th. But both drivers would move up one place to be listed as finishing in 12th and 17th after another drivers disqualification. Both Alex and Logan would start the race on the medium and would suffer as they continued to use the medium tyre for their second stint changing to the hard for the run to the finish.

Overall as has been the case this season the fundamental problem is the lack of pace from the FW46. Such was the case in Belgium where both Alex and Logan simply did not have the pace to compete against quicker rivals.
Alex Albon: "I had a good start today but ultimately; we just didn’t have the pace. I think we executed the race as well as we could but at the end of the day, you need pace to get points and we just didn’t have it.”

Sven Smeets Sporting Director: "It was a difficult and disappointing afternoon. We started the race well with Alex gaining two places in the start and a good first stint on the Medium following Fernando. We decided to cover off some of the early stoppers and fitted the Medium again. Unfortunately, we struggled a bit in that second stint…”

‘Another difficult race’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206232.htm


Albon shocked by lack of upgrades so far in 2024
30 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Albon noted: "I had a good start today but ultimately; we just didn’t have the pace. I think we executed the race as well as we could but at the end of the day, you need pace to get points and we just didn’t have it.”

"It would’ve been better if we had two sets of Hard tyres for the race but unfortunately, we didn’t, so I’m not sure if that would’ve changed things.”

"We haven’t had any upgrades all year, so I think we’re just falling behind the pack too much, which makes things difficult. We’ve got some coming after the summer break, so hopefully, we can return more competitive."

‘Lack of upgrades’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25170


Williams ‘paying the price all season for lack of upgrades’ – Albon
31st July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Albon described his season so far as “disappointing”, saying Williams’ lack of upgrades explains why they are only ninth in the championship. “We’ve been on the back foot from the very beginning,” he told the official F1 channel. “We were late with our car and we’ve been paying the price the whole season so far. That’s about it.”

“We haven’t had many, if any, upgrades this season so far, so we’ve been on the back foot. Hopefully we’re pushing hard at the factory. Everyone’s working really hard. Of course, there’s a bit of a break right now, but time will tell. If we can get our first proper upgrade on the car at the beginning when we come back I think we can fight for points a bit more regularly.”

‘Paying the price all season’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/31/racefans-round-up-31-07-7/


What Alex Albon said to Carlos Sainz after Williams move was confirmed
30 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Alex Albon welcomes Carlos Sainz to Williams. After Williams announced the arrival of Sainz on Monday, he joked to Albon that Vowles had formed an ‘appendix-less team’. Both drivers have missed races after undergoing appendectomies.

Sainz, of course, was sidelined for this year’s Saudi Arabian GP, with Oliver Bearman stepping in at Ferrari. And Williams had to turn to Nyck de Vries when Albon was ruled out of the 2022 Italian GP.
Welcome to the team @Carlossainz55 !��
— Alex Albon (@alex_albon) July 29, 2024

James Vowles addresses ‘Mercedes clause’ in Carlos Sainz contract: Some have speculated that Sainz’s stint at Williams could be brief. They suspect there’s a ‘Red Bull and Mercedes clause’ in his deal that allows him to move if they make him an offer. Williams and Mercedes share a particularly close relationship. They previously ‘loaned’ George Russell for three years, while Vowles worked at Brackley as head of strategy. But the team principal has denied that Sainz’s deal includes such an exit clause…

“Welcome to the team”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-alex-albon-said-to-carlos-sainz-after-williams-move-was-confirmed/


‘Be realistic’: Alex Albon issues ‘realistic’ Williams warning Carlos Sainz will not want to hear
31 July 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Alex Albon has now issued a warning about Williams that Carlos Sainz will not want to hear after agreeing to his multi-year contract to join the Formula 1 team from Ferrari. Albon admitting that Williams are unlikely to become front-runners when Formula 1 enters the new regulations in 2026 will be among the last things that Sainz wanted to hear having signed his multi-year contract. It is hardly a huge vote of confidence in the project he joins.

Alex Albon admits Williams must ‘be realistic’ with F1’s 2026 regulation changes. Albon also renewed his contract with Williams in May to stay in Grove through, at least, the 2027 F1 season. The 28-year-old is committed to helping Williams return to the front of the grid and shaping how they deal with Formula 1’s huge set of regulation changes come 2026.

F1 will introduce new chassis and engine regulations in its biggest shake-up since 2014 and the start of the V6 turbo-hybrid power unit era. Engines will become a 50/50 split between combustion and electrical power, while running sustainable fuels and removing the MGU-H.

‘Be realistic’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-issues-realistic-williams-warning-carlos-sainz-will-not-want-to-hear/


'Albon will continue': Why Alex Albon will ‘continue to lead’ Williams despite Carlos Sainz signing
1 August 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Why Alex Albon will be the team leader at Williams. Sainz has enjoyed parity while having Charles Leclerc as his teammate at Ferrari, largely because of how close the pair are on performance. Collins believes there will be a key factor that determines why Albon is still going to be the team leader at the Grove-based outfit in the early stages of their partnership.

“Initially, Albon will continue to lead, whether that’s on paper, he’s the leader or not. He will continue to lead because he’s already settled in that environment, he knows what’s going on around him, he knows how the procedures work, the meetings, the feedback, all these other things. So, and I think given what we’ve seen of James, I don’t think there necessarily will be a number one driver.”

“It’ll be whoever’s scoring the most points will get the most opportunity, whoever’s on track will get the most opportunity. That’s maybe the way to have it going forward. And hopefully, both of them will push each other forward.”

‘Continue to lead’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why-alex-albon-will-continue-to-lead-williams-despite-carlos-sainz-signing/


Albon pins hopes on upgrades for second half of season with Williams ‘digging deep’ to improve
01 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alex Albon is hopeful that Williams will be in position to unleash their first “proper upgrade” of 2024 shortly after the season resumes, explaining that the team have been on the “back foot” with their package so far.

Williams have scored just four points across the 14 races held to this point, which compares to the 21 amassed by the same stage last season – a return that leaves them ninth out of 10 teams in the constructors’ standings.

“We’re digging deep, I think we’ve got some good things in the future. At the same time, we’ve got some areas we need to work on. We’ll use this break to look and really focus on the development not just for this year but especially for next year.”

‘Albon pins hopes on upgrades’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/albon-pins-hopes-on-upgrades-for-second-half-of-season-with-williams-digging.WGwiQIm421GMaiG9fYxR7


Albon banking on ‘first proper upgrade’ to improve Williams form
09:27 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alex Albon admits Williams has been on the back foot this season with its current package, but says a turnaround could be on the horizon when the team introduces its first proper upgrade in the back half of 2024.

The Grove-based outfit has struggled to match last year’s points tally, currently sitting ninth in the constructors’ championship with just four points.

Despite his best efforts, Albon has been unable to consistently challenge for a top-ten finish, having only put a pair of P7 results on the board – in Monaco and at Silverstone – across 14 races, a situation he attributes to a lack of car performance.

‘First proper upgrade’;

https://f1i.com/news/515792-albon-banking-on-first-proper-upgrade-to-improve-williams-form.html

[Fortitude]

‘Very not happy’ Gasly reveals engine issue hampered his race.
Pierre Gasly finished 14th at Spa and explained after the race he’d been managing an engine issue and a steering problem on his Alpine.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Very not happy’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/very-not-happy-gasly-reveals-engine-issue-hampered-his-race.1805837934708786267


Gasly “lost seven tenths down the straights every lap” with another car problem
29th July 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Gasly, who retired from the two races before the Belgian Grand Prix with technical problems, said he was “very not happy” after suffering more trouble with his car during yesterday’s race. “We have engine problem the whole afternoon,” said Gasly, who finished 13th. “I’m losing seven tenths down the straights every lap [with an] engine temperature issue.”

That was only the beginning of Gasly’s problems, he explained. “The steering isn’t straight the whole race. We missed the right strategy. We just do too many mistakes. The last three weekends have been absolutely frustrating. We just are not on top of what we should be, basically. I know the guys can do a lot better than that.”

‘Another car problem’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/29/racefans-round-up-29-07-7/


Gasly unhappy with ‘too many mistakes’ in Belgium as he urges Alpine to regroup after ‘frustrating’ run of weekends
30 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Pierre Gasly was left unhappy after finishing the Belgian Grand Prix in 13th place amid a number of issues with his car and strategy, marking the latest in a run of challenging weekends for the Frenchman.

“Very not happy, very not happy,” said Gasly. “We had an engine problem the whole afternoon, losing seven tenths down the straights every lap, engine temperature issue, steering isn’t straight the whole race, we missed the right strategy... We just do too many mistakes.”

“The last three weekends have been absolutely frustrating. We are not on top of what we should be, basically, and I know the guys can do a lot better than that. It’s been a tough start of the year, then we scored roughly 10 points as a team.”

‘Too many mistakes’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/gasly-unhappy-with-too-many-mistakes-in-belgium-as-he-urges-alpine-to.2xVzHuETPOfgSXe6OLSs0v


Gasly hits out at Alpine following three ‘frustrating’ weekends
Pierre Gasly's disastrous run of results continued in Spa where the Frenchman finished P13 after suffering a DNF and DNS at the two previous Grand Prix weekends
July 31, 2024
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

With a lack of running and knowledge of the new tarmac, many drivers up and down the grid suffered during last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. One driver, however, who would have been hoping for a better race day was Pierre Gasly. The Frenchman suffered a DNF in Hungary and didn’t even start at Silverstone. His bad luck only continued in Spa.

The many changing parts at Alpine: While Gasly, who recently signed a contract extension, is a sure thing, there have been many moving parts at the French team. Matt Harman (Technical Director), Dirk de Beer (Head of Aerodynamics), Otmar Szafnauer (Team Principal), Alan Permane (Sporting Director), Pat Fry (CTO), and Laurent Rossi (Alpine CEO) have all left their positions in the last year. All these individuals held key roles in the team, many of whom had also been with Alpine for many years.

Additionally, Esteban Ocon will move to Haas next season. Valtteri Bottas, Mick Schumacher, and Jack Doohan appear to be the front runners to replace him. Notably, Alpine’s reserve driver Doohan has had an intense testing schedule this season after stepping away from Formula 2. The Aussie was out on track as recently as yesterday. When will the dust finally settle at Alpine? And can they get back to winning ways?

‘Three ‘frustrating’ weekends’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/gasly-hits-out-at-alpine-following-three-frustrating-weekends/?nowprocket=1


Gasly blasts Alpine after F1 Belgian GP: ‘I want us to do better’
10:51 Thu, 01 Aug 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly blasted his team after a disappointing Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix that was littered with technical trouble, saying “I want us to do better.” The Frenchman has endured a tough run of form at late, dominated by technical issues.

At Silverstone, Gasly failed to make the start with gearbox problems, in Hungary, he failed to finish and last Sunday at Spa-Francorchamps he was plagued by engine trouble and more throughout the 44-lap Belgian GP.

Gasly was less than impressed with the tools given to him as he found himself crossing the line in 14th place, which was bumped up to 13th thanks to George Russell’s disqualification.

‘I want us to do better’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/01/gasly-blasts-alpine-after-f1-belgian-gp-i-want-us-to-do-better/


Pierre Gasly critical of Alpine: “Not good enough”
August 2, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Speaking after a frustrating Belgian GP, Pierre Gasly was candid about the need for improvement: “These are things we must review, as I know we can do a lot better as a team.”

“In recent weeks we have not been good enough and we must do better when we return to racing after the summer break. It’s been a tough first part of the season for us.”

“But I’m pleased with some of the things we are bringing to the car. We must keep finding further improvements to the car and come back hungrier to do better.”

“Not good enough”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/02/pierre-gasly-critical-of-alpine-not-good-enough/



Gasly addresses Famin’s impending departure as Alpine F1 boss
28 Jul 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly addressed the news that Bruno Famin is set to step down as Alpine Formula 1 Team Principal at the end of August, praising the team boss for his clear communication throughout their working relationship.

“Yeah, I mean, to me it’s been always, you know very clear, honest and transparent in our way of working together,” Gasly said of Famin in response to the news.

“It was appreciated for the time that we’ve had together. So I just want to thank him. Obviously he’s still going to remain in the Alpine family through a different role and I wish him the best with this new project.”

“I just want to thank him”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/28/gasly-addresses-famins-impending-departure-as-alpine-f1-boss/


Gasly pays tribute to ‘honest and transparent’ Famin
10:51 Thu, 01 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly paid tribute to outgoing Alpine team principal Bruno Famin, acknowledging the Frenchman's contribution to the Enstone outfit during a period of significant turmoil and upheaval.

“Well, first of all, I want to thank Bruno,” the Alpine charger said last weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, following the announcement of Famin relinquishing his rome of team principal.

“It’s been a really good relationship with him for the time that I’ve spent in the team with him. He’s very honest, very transparent. He’s still going to remain in the Alpine family, through a different role obviously, I just want to thank him for his work and wish him all the best for the future.”

‘Honest and transparent’;

https://f1i.com/news/515710-gasly-pays-tribute-to-honest-and-transparent-famin.html


[B]‘Had a good time’: Pierre Gasly thinks Alpine F1 team have just lost a ‘really good’ person
2 August 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Pierre Gasly feels Alpine have just lost a ‘really good’ person after the Formula 1 team decided to make a key change during the summer break after a poor start this season.

Famin spent just one year in charge of Alpine after replacing Otmar Szafnauer ahead of the 2023 Dutch GP. Now, he will return to the Frenchman’s role as the vice president of Alpine Motorsports. But Gasly thinks the Alpine F1 team have lost a ‘really good’ person in Famin.

‘Lost a ‘really good’ person’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pierre-gasly-thinks-alpine-f1-team-have-just-lost-a-really-good-person/

[Fortitude]

Magnussen sums up ‘worst race we’ve had in a while’ at Spa.
Kevin Magnussen was 15th at the flag in Belgium and said afterwards Haas “just weren’t fast enough”.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Worst race we’ve had in a while’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/magnussen-sums-up-worst-race-weve-had-in-a-while-at-spa.1805836531438297276


Belgian Grand Prix: Race Recap
July 28, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Kevin Magnussen 15th, and Nico Hulkenberg 19th, at the Belgian Grand Prix, Round 14 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Magnussen prolonged his first stint until lap 18 before coming in for a set of hard tires and battled in the midfield while nursing his set of tires as one of the only drivers to manage a one-stop strategy, eventually classifying in 15th position.

Kevin Magnussen: “I think we had a decent race, we just didn’t have the pace to fight further up today. We took what we could and did a one-stop, which was fine. I can’t say we did anything wrong, we just weren’t fast enough. We thought this track was going to be good for us, but we’ve been surprised many times, and this is the worst race we’ve had in a while. I’m looking forward to the summer break – everyone is – and then looking forward to some races where we’ll score some more points.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/belgian-grand-prix-race-recap-6


Magnussen admits qualifying tactics didn’t work out after double Q1 exit for Haas
Kevin Magnussen qualified down in P17 for the Belgian Grand Prix.
27 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Qualifying tactics didn’t work’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/magnussen-admits-qualifying-tactics-didnt-work-out-after-double-q1-exit-for-haas.1805744063786092320


Belgian Grand Prix: Qualifying Recap
July 27, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen qualified 16th and 17th respectively for the Belgian Grand Prix, Round 14 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Wet weather impacted Saturday’s track activities at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. A rain-affected final practice was effectively a washout – with Hulkenberg able to bank just a handful of laps in his VF-24 on Pirelli Cinturato Green intermediate tires, and Magnussen only emerging to take the practice start.

Kevin Magnussen: “I don’t think we were too far from the optimum we could do. I went out for two timed laps in the second run and the track was getting so much better that it would’ve been better to do one timed lap with new tires with the track being the best. We didn’t look as competitive in these conditions compared to the dry conditions yesterday. Our plan was for a wet session but there was almost a dry line at the end, so that didn’t work for our plan, but the performance wasn’t there.”

‘Qualifying Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/belgian-grand-prix-qualifying-recap-5


Magnussen reflects on ‘worst race we’ve had in a while’ in Belgium as Hulkenberg urges Haas to ‘forget this weekend’
1 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

It was a tough day for Haas at the Belgian Grand Prix, with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg both finishing the event well outside of the points in what Magnussen described as “the worst race we’ve had in a while”.

Reflecting on his afternoon at Spa-Francorchamps, Magnussen admitted that the team had simply lacked pace rather than making any errors. “I think we had a decent race,” the 31-year-old said. “We just didn’t have the pace to fight further up today, so [we] just took what we could and did a one-stop which was fine. Can’t really say we did anything wrong, we just weren’t fast enough.”

In terms of whether preparing for a dry set-up after qualifying may have contributed to the issues, Magnussen responded: “I don’t think it was that, we just kind of did the best we could for the car in broad terms. We didn’t focus specifically on the race. Actually what we thought would be best for quali was probably also going to be best for the race, so we didn’t really have any compromise – we were just not fast enough.”

‘Worst race we’ve had in a while’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/magnussen-reflects-on-worst-race-weve-had-in-a-while-in-belgium-as.367QdSN0eSJHCF2Lku0NaT


Magnussen laments ‘worst race’ of 2024 as woes continue
Disappointment continued for the American-based outfit in Belgium, with the team unable to capture points
August 1, 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

Haas entered the Belgian Grand Prix on the back of some positive performances.

Magnussen expresses his disappointment: The race looked hopeful with Magnussen running in the points, despite this glimmer of hope, the Dane dropped back down and finished the race in 15th – which was later updated to 14th after George Russell’s disqualification.

Magnussen reflected on his race to the media, stating that nothing went wrong, the team just lacked pace: “This track, we thought it was going to be good for us, but we’ve been surprised many times and this is the worst race we’ve had in a while so, yeah, looking forward to the summer break. I think everyone is, and then coming back to more races where we’ll score some more points.”

‘Woes continue’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/magnussen-laments-worst-race-of-2024-as-woes-continue/?nowprocket=1


Magnussen: 2024 the ‘first time’ Haas’ F1 upgrades have worked
12:08 Sun, 04 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

“I think coming into this year we thought we were going to be the last team on the grid and we haven’t been, so I think it’s been a positive surprise,” Magnussen said.

“There’s always, when you look back at this stuff, things you could have done better but I think everyone can say that, so I feel like we’ve had a good first half of the season.”

“The second half I think with the couple of upgrades we’ve had this year, they’ve actually worked. And it’s the first time in Haas’ history that we brought upgrades to the car that made it faster. So that’s a real step forward there already. So hopefully we can keep that going. We’re on a good trend, I think. So hopefully we can just keep that going.”

‘F1 upgrades have worked’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/04/magnussen-2024-the-first-time-haas-f1-upgrades-have-worked/


Magnussen open to taking on potential Haas F1 advisor role
10:31 Sat, 20 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Magnussen admitted that it was bittersweet to be leaving amid Haas’ upturn in competitiveness this term as it prepares to go into next season with an all-new line-up. “Well, I think, you know, I’ve been with this team since the very beginning of Haas’ time at F1, and I feel very much a part of the family.”

“It’s going to be strange to leave the team at the end of the year, but everything comes to an end, and, you know, it’s still quite early in the season. Haas have gone ahead and wants to secure the drivers for next year early enough, and there’s still seats available, so that’s understandable and fine by me.”

Haas boss Ayao Komatsu stated in the press release that he would be interested in initiating discussions with Magnussen about another role within the team’s setup. Magnussen has disclosed that he would consider such a proposal on the basis that he comes up short in his endeavour to salvage an F1 drive elsewhere on the grid. Asked about Komatsu’s comment, Magnussen replied: “Well, if I’m racing elsewhere in Formula 1 in another team, it doesn’t work. But I think it’s nice of him to say that.”

‘Potential Haas F1 advisor role’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/20/magnussen-open-to-taking-on-potential-haas-f1-advisor-role/

[Fortitude]

Sauber strategy gamble ‘didn’t quite pay off’ – Bottas.
Kick Sauber’s wait for a first point of 2024 continues after Valtteri Bottas finished 16th in the Belgian Grand Prix.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Sauber strategy gamble’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sauber-strategy-gamble-didnt-quite-pay-off-bottas.1805838143450968871


Bottas feels Sauber ‘getting closer’ to first points of 2024
2 Aug 2024
Michael Delaney
Formula One - Official Site

Valtteri Bottas believes Sauber is “getting closer” to scoring their first top-ten finish of the 2024 season after a performance last weekend at Spa that he describes as one of the team’s best yet.

"Yeah, I think we tried,” he said last Sunday. “The positive thing is it felt like we were in a bit better position again with the race pace against the competition, but still not enough for a top-10. We tried something different with the strategy in the end, but it didn’t quite pay off. Like I said, a bit better than in the previous events."

When asked what it will take to break Sauber’s points duck, Bottas replied: "I think we are getting closer. Today, pace-wise, was one of the best or better races we’ve had in terms of pace. We just need to keep bringing upgrades, that’s what we need to do, otherwise keep progressing in every area."

‘Getting closer’;

https://f1i.com/news/515892-bottas-feels-sauber-getting-closer-to-first-points-of-2024.html


Bottas feels Sauber are ‘getting closer’ to first points of 2024 while Zhou says Spa DNF ‘sums up our season’
2 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Valtteri Bottas is optimistic that the second half of the season will bring a long-awaited first points finish for Kick Sauber after one of his and the team’s “better races” at the Belgian Grand Prix. Sauber head into the summer break as the only squad yet to record a top-10 finish in 2024, with Zhou Guanyu coming closest to doing so via 11th position at the Bahrain season opener.

“We tried something different with the strategy in the end , but it didn’t quite pay off. Like I said, a bit better than in the previous events.” Pushed on what it’s going to take to get off the mark in the second half of the season, Bottas added: “I think we are getting closer. Today, pace-wise, was one of the best or better races we’ve had in terms of pace.”

“Yeah, nothing more to add honestly,” he commented after returning to the pits. “Losing the power, then losing the brakes, losing the race unfortunately. It summed up a little bit the last few race weekends for me, so we need to fix the issue going forward, otherwise it’s of course a disappointing day.”

‘Getting closer’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/bottas-feels-sauber-are-getting-closer-to-first-points-of-2024-while-zhou.Mfe3G4nk6PB9Z4V9SGl76


[B]Bottas: Sauber hasn’t been ‘super stable’ with Audi F1 upheaval
4 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Bottas, whose contract with the side expires once this season concludes, has admitted that the Swiss-Italian will require time to stamp his own mark on proceedings.

“It’s a bit of a reset again,” Bottas acknowledged. “It’s not a secret that when there’s a new leadership, it will always take a bit of time, first of all. Mattia needs to know what are the weaknesses, what are the strengths, what are the priorities for short- and long-term improvements, and that’s going to take a bit of time.”\
“Again, it’s the third time now in three years, within three years, that we’ve had change at the top, so not a new situation, and the team shouldn’t be too affected at this point. I think it’s more the stuff for the future, and obviously time will show what will happen.”

‘Reset again’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/04/bottas-sauber-hasnt-been-super-stable-with-audi-f1-upheaval/


Bottas retains an upper hand over Zhou – but will either keep their seat?
2nd August 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Bottas’ one-lap pace has been consistently better than his team mate’s. Although the gap narrowed slightly last year Zhou has usually ended up behind this year. Zhou’s race performances were markedly stronger last year, and in this respect he is continuing to perform fairly well against his more experienced team mate. However both drivers face the same problem that the Sauber has seldom if ever been a points contender.

The team is working hard to fix this and over the previous two races Bottas has had the benefit of the latest components. Once the pair converge on specifications we may finally see the two vivid green cars in the hunt for points. Whether Zhou can make the step from there to deliver the kind of results he needs remains to be seen. But on the strength of his performances so far this year he appears to have plateaued slightly below the level a team would want.

That’s a troubling situation for him, as Sauber has already inked a deal with Nico Hulkenberg for next year. That means its current drivers are vying for the single remaining seat, and so far Zhou looks like the one most likely to miss out.

‘Will either keep their seat?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/02/bottas-retains-an-upper-hand-over-zhou-but-will-either-keep-their-seat/


Valtteri Bottas is running out of options to stay in F1
August 1, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Valtteri Bottas finds his back against the wall as he works to stay in F1. “I’m confident I’m going to get a seat.” These were the words of Valtteri Bottas earlier in the year, as driver market speculation reached its height. In the months since then, the dominos have slowly started to fall – and they do not bode well for Bottas. Whilst still in contention for a contract, the Finn’s options are increasingly limited.

Options running out for Bottas. Recent developments in the driver market have not been especially encouraging for Bottas. Haas and Williams have both finalised their driver line-ups for 2025. With a return to a front-running team off the table, the 34-year-old’s pool of realistic destinations is shrinking.

The doors for next year are quickly closing, so regardless of how attractive the room is inside, Bottas must find a way. Luckily for Bottas, Sauber have failed to sign their ideal targets. Carlos Sainz, their well-established priority, decided against joining them – instead opting for Williams. Esteban Ocon, who is also understood to have been a target for Audi, chose to sign for Haas. In this context, the drivers available to the Hinwil-based team are limited – and they may struggle to find a free agent of a higher calibre than Bottas.

‘Running out of options’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/01/valtteri-bottas-is-running-out-of-options-to-stay-in-f1/


Valtteri Bottas' F1 career may be over as Mattia Binotto considers rogue move
Valtteri Bottas could find his Formula One career in doubt.
Aug 3, 2024
Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Mattia Binotto is reportedly considering replacing Sauber star Valtteri Bottas with motorsport rookie Gabriel Bortoleto next year. Bortoleto has impressed with his performances during his first year of Formula Two and may be about to step into Formula One. Sauber are looking to make changes to their driver line-up for 2025. Nico Hulkenberg has already been announced as one of their racers for next season.

According to Italian publication Formu1a.Uno, the 19-year-old McLaren academy driver Bortoleto is being considered as a replacement for Bottas. The Brazilian teenager is currently second in the F2 drivers’ leaderboard, having enjoyed a successful debut campaign. Next year could see several rookies race in F1. Bortoleti could join Oliver Bearman on the grid, with the British 19-year-old announced as a signing by Haas after impressing on debut for Ferrari earlier this year.

Kimi Antonelli could yet be announced as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes. The Italian, 17, is one of few options for Toto Wolff, aside from a blockbuster move for Max Verstappen. The rookies entering F1 represent a changing of the guard on the grid, with Hamilton’s former Mercedes sidekick Bottas’s place looking increasingly precarious. The Finn had previously been confident of holding his seat.

‘F1 career may be over’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1931699/valtteri-bottas-f1-sauber-mattia-binotto


Valtteri Bottas and Tiffany Cromwell 'escape' during summer break
4 August 2024
GPblog.com

Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas is making the most of the break by heading back to Finland on holiday, accompanied by his girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell. Usually, during time away from the track, we see Bottas and Cromwell, a professional biker in both road racing and mountain biking, involved in many cycling events, including one of their own they came up with in Finlands a couple of months ago. However, both the Finn and the Australian have ditched their bikes and are relaxing during their time off.

It's been a tough season for the ten-time Grand Prix winner and the Stake F1 team, struggling to make any progress and finding themselves at the back of the grid. Sauber still sits on zero points in the constructors' championship, the only team to do so. However, Bottas' surroundings in the beautiful mountains as he 'escapes to the North' will mean he is rested and ready to earn points in the second half of the season.

‘Making the most of the break’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293536/valtteri-bottas-and-tiffany-cromwell-enjoy-their-holiday-in-finland.html

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda: ‘Considering I started from Zandvoort I think ending up P17 isn’t bad!’
RB’s Yuki Tsunoda had a whopping 60-place grid penalty after taking a host of new power unit parts for the Belgian Grand Prix.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Started from Zandvoort’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/tsunoda-considering-i-started-from-zandvoort-i-think-ending-up-p17-isnt-bad.1805835466289677495


F1 star speaks out after being hit with 60-place grid penalty for Belgian Grand Prix
One star at the Belgian Grand Prix has reacted to a very heavy sanction.
Jul 27, 2024
Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express

F1 rules state that those who go over the limit of power unit elements in a single season are hit with a 10-place grid penalty. But due to Tsunoda making such an overhaul, he has been forced to drop a whopping 60 places to the back of the grid.

“Oh, Jesus!” Tsunoda exclaimed when speaking to F1 TV after FP2 when he was informed of his punishment, though the driver likely would have expected such a crackdown.

‘F1 star speaks out’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1928757/F1-Belgian-Grand-Prix-Yuki-Tsunoda-penalty


Yuki Tsunoda shares what Red Bull director Helmut Marko told him about F1 future
26 July 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda feared for F1 future after Helmut Marko discussion. Speaking to media outlets including Planet F1 ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Tsunoda relayed what he’d heard behind the scenes. Executive director Helmut Marko told him in Austria that there was a particularly ‘important’ stretch of races ahead.

Speaking to media outlets including Planet F1 ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Tsunoda relayed what he’d heard behind the scenes. Executive director Helmut Marko told him in Austria that there was a particularly ‘important’ stretch of races ahead. “He told me in Austria that the next three races would be important for the future, but Austria wasn’t good,” he said. “So I was thinking: ‘OK, maybe he’s talking about my future regarding my Formula 1 seat rather than the Red Bull seat!’”

“So I was not really thinking or asking deeply about that. And it’s typical of Helmut that if I didn’t perform well for two races, or one race, immediately he comes to you and puts on pressure. So it was kind of a usual day for me. But after that, it was quite clear what I did at Silverstone in Hungary. Other than that. I haven’t had any conversations.”

‘Heard behind the scenes’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-shares-what-red-bull-director-helmut-marko-told-him-about-f1-future/


Tsunoda makes striking revelation after four years in F1
Yuki Tsunoda is the "happiest" he has ever been with his performance level during his F1 career.
5 August 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Yuki Tsunoda says he is the "happiest" he has been with his level of performance since he started his F1 career in 2021. "Definitely the happiest so far out of the last four years with my performance," the Japanese driver contended when reviewing his campaign to date. Obviously a lot of things I could have done better, but it's not bad."

"Montreal, for sure, when I was running in the points, I had a mistake and I lost points," he confirmed when asked what parts of the season could have gone better. "So, that was a bit unnecessary. Bahrain, as well. Just things I can fix by myself," he added.

"Silverstone was a race that we were not really expecting points, especially when we faced dry conditions," he explained. "For sure, the bit of rain, mixed conditions, helped a little bit, but we were able to achieve points with difficult conditions and a difficult situation. For myself, if I look back at the first two years [of my F1 career], I don't think I can achieve points, so those things for sure, I feel able to improve myself and be on the right path."

"Happiest";

https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-makes-striking-performance-revelation-after-four-years-in-f1


RB: Ricciardo helping to develop ‘rough diamond’ Tsunoda in F1
15:50 Mon, 05 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

RB CEO Peter Bauer believes Daniel Ricciardo’s vast experience in Formula 1 has been an asset that has helped to develop “rough diamond” team-mate Yuki Tsunoda. “I think Helmut is logically arguing from his position,” Bayer told Motorsport Total. “He is responsible for the junior team, which is 100 per cent under his responsibility and he logically always has a very important say in terms of driver technology. He has the authority, the knowledge, everything – and he focuses incredibly on the junior topic.”

Bayer has concurred with Tsunoda’s previous assessment that observing Ricciardo up close has helped the Japanese native to transcend into a more polished driver. “I see a bit of a broader spectrum in the overall responsibility for the team, this famous big picture theme somewhere: Yes, we have to develop young drivers,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you can also define that as Yuki is not quite finished yet.”

“He has learned a lot from Daniel when it comes to technical feedback, development, exchange. He has also learned a lot from Daniel when it comes to emotional control and management, how to structure and plan his weekend. In other words, he is learning. We are actually still in the process of perfecting this rough diamond Yuki, with the help of Daniel. Daniel has definitely justified his place in the team.”

‘Rough diamond Tsunoda’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/05/rb-ricciardo-helping-to-develop-rough-diamond-tsunoda-in-f1/

[Fortitude]

Sargeant admits P18 in Belgium ‘certainly wasn’t great’.
Logan Sargeant came home in 18th for Williams at the last race before the F1 summer break.
28 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘P18 (became 17th)’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sargeant-admits-p18-in-belgium-certainly-wasnt-great.1805835491401001122


Sargeant not safe from mid-season dismissal - Williams
Logan Sargeant's Williams fate for 2025 has been sealed, but that does not mean he will necessarily survive the rest of the current F1 season.
30 July 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Williams team principal James Vowles has not ruled out replacing Logan Sargeant this season, emphasising the need for him to "earn" his place in the team. Despite facing calls to replace him, Vowles stuck by him for another season. However, results have not sufficiently improved, and with a racer of Sainz's calibre available, Williams had to act. Although, that does not mean Sargeant is safe from being jettisoned out of the team during the second half of the current season.

"What I've said before is this: 'earn your place'," Vowles told media including RacingNews365. "And [at] Silverstone [and] Budapest, he earned his place. [At Spa-Francorchamps] I need him to do more... but I'm not going to make a decision from one race to the next. What I don't want to sit here and say is 'Logan absolutely has a place nailed forever in the situation', earn it - as I have to earn my job, as Alex has to earn his job at the same time."

‘Not safe’;

https://racingnews365.com/sargeant-not-safe-from-mid-season-dismissal-williams


Williams boss hits out at Logan Sargeant ‘odd stories’ as F1 2024 status addressed
03 Aug 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

“First and foremost, there are odd stories that appear,” Vowles said of current rumors circulating around Sargeant. “Logan and I speak — I’m not going to say daily, but on a race weekend, definitely daily, and outside of that several times a week.”

“My job is to do the absolute best that I can for him because ultimately, if we’re scoring points, we need both drivers on song for doing so.” This refutation came after several outlets published quotes from former F1 driver Marcus Ericsson that Sargeant and Vowles “don’t even talk with each other anymore” and that “they barely greet each other.”

Vowles continued in the roundtable, “Second to that, I have a responsibility towards him. He is still going to be a professional racing driver in the future, and he’s still part of Williams in that regard, and we have an investment into him. We started it here, it will continue.”

‘Williams boss hits out’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-boss-hits-out-at-logan-sargeant-odd-stories-as-f1-2024-status-addressed


Sargeant has ‘made progress’ despite decision to replace him – Vowles
4th August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Williams announced on Monday that Carlos Sainz Jnr will replace Sargeant in their line-up next year. However Vowles said their outgoing driver has raised his game in recent rounds. “Logan is a part of the Williams Academy, he’s one of the 20 best drivers in the world on the Formula 1 grid, and over the last few races, I hope you can see the progress that he has been making with the team,” he said in a video released by the team.

“We have a responsibility towards him. He is still a professional racing driver. He’s earned his place in motorsport and we’ll do what it takes for him in order to be a professional racing driver in his future career.”

‘Made progress’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/04/racefans-round-up-04-08-7/


‘Brutal honestly’: Williams boss James Vowles shares ‘blunt truth’ about whether Logan Sargeant will see out this season
5 August 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

James Vowles delivers update on Logan Sargeant’s immediate Williams future. Asked whether Sargeant will see out the rest of the season, Vowles said: “As I’ve said time and time again, I’ve done everything possible and I will continue to do so to give him the platform where he can do so.

“In other words, I want him to see out the season. I want him. He’s a Williams Academy driver. He will remain a Williams Academy driver. We’ve invested in him. And I don’t just mean two years of Formula One. I mean also in his F2 career and otherwise. As long as he earns it, he has a seat and he has to earn it and I would say that the blunt truth behind it, which I provided him as well, is Silverstone and Budapest, good job. He really did move forward.”

“You can see he’s seconds off Alex and Alex is faster than people think. But in Spa, we weren’t there and we have to understand why together, what’s different and will it apply to future races. That’s the blunt truth behind it and many will take objection at this level of what I call brutal honesty on things. But I much rather that he is given every opportunity but knows where he has to improve rather than a decision gets made from one day to the next without any influence from the side.”

‘Brutal honestly’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/williams-boss-james-vowles-shares-blunt-truth-about-whether-logan-sargeant-will-see-out-this-season/


2024 F1 mid-season driver rankings #20: Logan Sargeant
5th August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

When Logan Sargeant was handed a second chance to race for Williams in 2024, some considered even that as being too generous of the Grove team. The rookie had undoubtedly struggled over his rookie campaign, but with the vocal support of team principal James Vowles encouraging the young American driver to “shock the world” in 2024, Sargeant was given a blank slate with which to stake his claim that he belonged in Formula 1.

After spinning out of the wet race in Montreal, it was hard not to feel as though Sargeant’s days in Formula 1 were numbered. Especially with rumours flaring in the paddock about Andrea Kimi Antonelli potentially being brought in as a replacement for the Williams driver. But after Canada, Sargeant’s run to the summer break was a clear improvement, with him avoiding any major errors and putting in the kinds of performances that his team would have expected from him in year two.

Sadly, it’s too late for Sargeant to save his future at Williams and it may be that he’s lost out on the opportunity to convince any team to take another chance on him in the future. But with ten more rounds left of the season, he at least has plenty of chances to make sure he leaves the series with his head held high.

‘James Vowles encouraging the young American driver to “shock the world” in 2024’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/05/2024-f1-mid-season-driver-rankings-20-logan-sargeant/


‘Blunt truth’ from Williams leaves Logan Sargeant facing sudden F1 2024 exit
06 Aug 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

James Vowles may “want” Logan Sargeant to see out the Formula 1 season with Williams but he stopped short of guaranteeing the American will be in the car come Abu Dhabi. Last Monday, Sargeant officially learned his Formula 1 fate when Williams announced Carlos Sainz would replace him as Alex Albon’s 2025 team-mate.

Although Sargeant has not been whitewashed in qualifying by Albon, he has yet to score even a single point at tracks he now knows as a Formula 1 driver. But while that has surely meant the end of his F1 career after December’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Vowles would not guarantee Sargeant would even see Abu Dhabi.

Using “brutal honesty”, the Williams team principal says the American still has to earn his seat in the final 10 races even if he does “want” to continue with him. Asked point blank if Sargeant is ‘ going to see out the season with Williams’, Vowles told the F1 Nation podcast: “As I’ve said time and time again, I’ve done everything possible and I will continue to do so to give him the platform where he can do so.

‘Blunt truth’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/blunt-james-vowles-wont-logan-sargeant-abu-dhabi-guarantee


Logan Sargeant offers F1 future update as Williams door slams shut
05 Aug 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Logan Sargeant’s time at Williams is coming to an end as the team commits to Carlos Sainz for 2025. That now leaves all of Sargeant’s future hanging by a thread. When asked if he intended to use the summer break to settle on a path for his future, Sargeant chose not to offer a definitive answer: “I have no idea.”

“Conversations will be had,” he said, referring to future negotiations completed by his manager. “Whether that means we have anything or not is a very different question,” he admitted. “For sure, I’ll try and get a bit of direction — but whether that amounts to anything, I’m not sure.” …the American driver was also clear about needing a break from the strain.

“In the end, I think it’s important for me to take a bit of time off as well,” he said. “It’s hard enough to go the whole year without really stopping, so I think it is important to get a certain amount of time away from it completely. So I’ll put a bit more weight on [my manager’s] shoulders to figure it out — but no, I’m sure conversations will be had. Just what, I don’t know yet.”

‘F1 future update’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-sargeant-offers-f1-future-update-as-williams-door-slams-shut

[Fortitude]

Hulkenberg urges Haas to ‘regroup and refresh’ over summer break.
Nico Hulkenberg was left ruing a difficult weekend at Spa-Francorchamps as Haas endured a torrid time in the Belgian Grand Prix.
10:08 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

“Very difficult,” Hulkenberg said of Sunday at Spa which he concluded a lowly 18th at the tail end of the field. “Just no pace, no harmony, no rhythm. I don’t know, I just didn’t get off on the right foot with the car this weekend and we didn’t manage to find a sweet spot with all the different sessions.”

“We need to look into a little bit why, but to some extent I think just forget this weekend, regroup, refresh over the summer break and go again. Yeah, I think especially on my side. Kevin looked a bit better and obviously he pulled off a one-stop which was not bad and decent. But still overall we need to look into our low-downforce performance.”

“Just no pace, no harmony, no rhythm”;

https://f1i.com/news/515797-hulkenberg-urges-haas-to-regroup-and-refresh-over-summer-break.html


Hulkenberg has the beating of his team mate again, albeit with Magnussen’s help
3rd August 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The fireworks some predicted when Nico Hulkenberg joined Kevin Magnussen at Haas never materialised. Instead Hulkenberg, has rebuilt his standing in F1, after being cast aside by Renault five years ago, reliably bagging points for Haas and making them genuine contenders for sixth in the constructors’ championship – maybe even better. His reward was a contract offer from incoming manufacturer team Audi, which to Haas’ disappointment, he accepted.

Hulkenberg has retained the upper hand on one-lap pace which was apparent throughout last year. As Haas solved the tyre degradation problems which plagued them last season, Hulkenberg has usually been best-placed to capitalise, occasionally with Magnussen’s help. But if anything the gap between the two has grown this year, and unless Magnussen addresses that over the remaining races, it’s hard to see him getting a chance to continue in F1 somewhere else.

‘Rebuilt his standing in F1’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/03/hulkenberg-has-the-beating-of-his-team-mate-again-albeit-with-magnussens-help/


Hulkenberg explains new Haas 'formula' with 'bittersweet' feelings revealed
Nico Hulkenberg scored 22 points for Haas across the 14 completed rounds this F1 season.
6 August 2024
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Nico Hulkenberg believes Haas' new "formula" has been key to the team's success so far this season, which has seen the outfit settle in seventh in the constructors' championship. Haas saw considerable change during the off-season ahead of the current campaign, with notable changes having been made to its technical department and its set-up.

The German driver outlined the changes made ahead of the season, leading to the success being enjoyed. "I think we are just a healthy, efficient, working organisation," Hulkenberg told RacingNews365 and select others. "Obviously, at the end of last year, there were some changes. But what was done, some people left the team, and especially in the technical department, there was some restructuring.”

“Obviously, the team principal changed on top of that early this season. We've streamlined everything, and let the people that we have - and we have good people - take responsibility, let them work and deliver. I think that formula has worked quite well so far this year and the performance and the consistency kind of supports that."

“We have good people - take responsibility, let them work and deliver”;

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg-explains-new-haas-formula-with-bittersweet-feelings-revealed


‘Experience matters’: Otmar Szafnauer explains why Nico Hulkenberg is the perfect F1 driver for 2025.
31 July 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Otmar Szafnauer explains why Nico Hulkenberg is the perfect driver for 2025 Talking about what he would look for in a driver for next season, Szafnauer said: “I would like for that transition year to have one experienced driver, that’s for sure.”

“And I always like to have one driver that could get a lap out of it. Like I said, Hulkenberg. And that kind of tells you, if you know and you’re confident that the driver can get a lap out of it, it tells you where the car is.”

“If you’re always doubting it and saying, yeah, he’s a great racing driver, but he always leaves something on the table and qualifying, then you’re always doubting whether your car is good enough or the car is good and the driver isn’t. So [that’s] what I would look for. But definitely, in a rule-change situation, experience matters much more.”

‘Experience matters’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/otmar-szafnauer-explains-why-nico-hulkenberg-is-the-perfect-f1-driver-for-2025/


Does Nico Hulkenberg already regret signing with Audi F1 after recent ‘turmoil’ rumours?
04 Aug 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Nico Hulkenberg insists he has no doubts about his decision to sign with Audi F1 as the team revealed the latest puzzle piece with Jonathan Wheatley joining from Red Bull. Audi, who have taken over the Sauber team before the official rebranding in 2026, have made headlines for a lot of the wrong reasons of late.

Following reports of tension amongst the higher-ups at the team, Audi axed both Andrea Stella and Oliver Hoffmann as part of a “realignment of the control structure” before installing former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto as the chief operational officer and chief technical officer. A week later the team named departing Red Bull sporting director Wheatley as their new team principal, a role he’ll take up in July next year.

In the midst of that upheaval, the team lost the opportunity to sign Carlos Sainz with the Spaniard instead joining Williams in a multi-year deal. Pundits have questioned why he chose Williams over the might of a manufacturer such as Audi with claims it was a “vote of no confidence”, while Sky’s Craig Slater believes it hints at “turmoil” within the Hinwil-based team. Asked if he (Nico Hulkenberg) had been too quick to sign with Audi, a decision he made in April already, he told Sky F1: “I don’t think so, to be honest.”

‘Upheaval’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-audi-f1-no-regrets-signing


Hulkenberg praises 'hands-on' Audi approach after key changes
Nico Hulkenberg will join the Stake F1 team next year ahead of its transition to Audi in 2026.
2 August 2024
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Hulkenberg, who will race for Audi when it joins the grid in 2026, has praised the “hands-on” approach from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. “I think it shows that the CEO of Audi and that everyone is looking, they’re aware, they are involved,” he said.

“The fact that they take action means that they’re very much involved and invested in it, and hands-on. And that’s, I think, good and positive news.” Hulkenberg has denied he was kept in the know regarding happenings at the project, asserting his commitment to Haas until the end of the season.

“No, no, I can't be, it would be wrong and a conflict of interest,” he said. “I'm fully invested in this season still with Haas and fully committed. So I'm not in a loop.”

‘The “hands-on” approach praised’;

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg-praises-hands-on-audi-approach-after-key-changes


Mattia Binotto could now make ‘surprise’ move to bring Fernando Alonso’s protege to Audi
2 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Gabriel Bortoleto emerges as candidate to partner Nico Hulkenberg at Audi. Audi recently sacked Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffman and brought in former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto to head up their F1 project. Binotto has, in turn, recruited Jonathan Wheatley from Red Bull to run the team day-to-day.

Next on the agenda for the Italian is surely the team’s driver line-up as the market enters its final stages. And, according to Formu1a.uno, he’s made a ‘surprising’ addition to the list of candidates. Gabriel Bortoleto is now ‘a possible teammate’ for Hulkenberg after impressing in Formula 2. Bortoleto is second in the championship heading into the shutdown, 36 points behind Isack Hadjar.

The 2023 F3 champion is part of the McLaren driver academy, but Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both appear to be locked in long-term. Zak Brown may listen to offers on that basis. Audi are ready to put a rookie in the car for 2025 – they could acclimatise in a relatively low-pressure situation before the stakes are raised in 2026. But that doesn’t mean that the incumbent Valtteri Bottas, a driver who’s even more experienced than Hulkenberg, is out of the running.

‘Gabriel Bortoleto is now ‘a possible teammate’ for Hulkenberg’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mattia-binotto-could-now-make-surprise-move-to-bring-fernando-alonsos-protege-to-audi/

[Fortitude]

2024 F1 mid-season driver rankings #17: Zhou Guanyu.
Compared to many of the rookies that had entered Formula 1 in the years before he joined the world championship in 2022, Zhou Guanyu has stood out for being one of the more disciplined young drivers of his generation.
6th August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Driving the slowest car on the grid – and the only one to have failed to score a point after the first 14 rounds – is always going to limit opportunities to impress. But it’s telling that while Zhou has been slowest of all in Q1 six of the 14 grand prix qualifying sessions held so far this season, team mate Valtteri Bottas has qualified lower than 17th only once. Aside from an unfortunate incident last year at Hungary, where he triggered a chain reaction at the start that took out multiple rivals, the Sauber driver has generally been one of the cleanest on the grid.

Unlike those lower down than him on this list, Zhou hasn’t had as many truly poor weekends. His Jeddah weekend was by no means good, crashing heavily at turn eight in final practice which effectively put him out of qualifying, before he finished last after taking a gamble on strategy. In Monaco, he was half a second slower than Bottas in qualifying, then allowed himself to get mugged by Logan Sargeant for one of the few overtaking moves of the race.

Zhou has been able to put together decent weekends too. Perhaps his best came at the opening round of the season in Bahrain where he rose up from 17th on the grid to only just miss out on a point in 11th place. He also flew under the radar in Miami, where he finished 11th in the sprint race and gained five positions in the grand prix to finish 14th, two places ahead of his team mate. His Spanish Grand Prix drive was also underappreciated, finishing two places higher than he started in a race without any Safety Cars in what is likely the slowest car in the field.

‘Stood out for being one of the more disciplined young drivers of his generation’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/06/2024-f1-mid-season-driver-rankings-17-zhou-guanyu/


How this driver had to teach himself a completely new driving style before 2024
16:36 Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

No doubt Guanyu Zhou had imagined his third season in Formula 1 differently. After two years of learning, '24 needed to be harvested, especially as his contract with Stake F1 (Sauber) expires after the season. But the Kick Sauber C44 proved a total failure, by far the slowest car the field. No points could Zhou pick up with it so far. Indeed, the Chinese has had to adjust his driving style to go as fast as possible with the car at all.

So these were not easy months for Zhou, he tells GPblog. Instructive, certainly. Asked about the better and worse parts of his own season as a driver, he says: "For me, starting with the bad parts is that it's quite clear with the new concept of the car, for my driving style there is quite a lot to be adjusted, to be changing, just because I'm quite like, let’s say aggressive, and I need to change a little bit my approach to be smoother. The car has been super sensitive. So it's kind of a bit tricky and I'm trying to change a bit my driving style basically."

And that takes time, in Zhou's experience. ""So it's not an easy season at the moment. But things (in changing my driving style, ed.) are starting to come along a bit more likely now and the good thing I think this year is quite clear. I can understand exactly what I need to do [to be successful], or where's my strong preference on the direction we want to take. There's a question about how we can we take that or at least the understanding of everything you see."

‘Completely new driving style’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/292913/zhou-learned-new-driving-style-for-sauber-2024.html


Zhou Guanyu Sees Positive Signs in Sauber Upgrades
July 25, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Despite Valtteri Bottas being the only drive at Sauber to receive the upgrades, Zhou is pleased with the progress that the team have made after they introduced a new set of updates at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix. Heading into the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix Sauber are set to introduce more upgrades and despite not receiving them, Zhou is hoping it’ll be another step in the right direction.

Speaking to F1TV, Zhou said: “It was only Valtteri’s car [that had the upgrades] so I’ve had the same car from Silverstone. He’s making another further upgrade this weekend, and we need to see if that makes another step because clearly it was a step in the right direction as we can see some gain throughout the entire weekend with everything in place.”

‘Positive Signs in Sauber Upgrades’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2024/07/zhou-guanyu-sees-positive-signs-in-sauber-upgrades/


Audi F1 hopeful eyeing negotiation 'reset' after Binotto arrival
Audi's F1 operation will have a new figure leading the team after the summer break, presenting an opportunity for Zhou Guanyu to secure a seat for next year.
30 July 2024
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

With Binotto now the key figure leading the Audi F1 project, Zhou admitted it presents an opportunity to refresh negotiations over an F1 seat for next year. “I think with what they want to have, in terms of their goal and for the future, for next year and also for when the Audi factory team arrives, it’s definitely going to be a little bit different,” Zhou told media including RacingNews365 of the changes at the team.

“I don't have anything, [no] news, because Mattia is not really joining the team until next week. For me, it's definitely a reset for the management group of people, try to talk differently and to understand exactly what values you can bring and what they want to you to have. Things definitely will be changing around a bit more than what was planned before but for myself, I don't think it changed a lot the overall story or the future.”

Zhou asserted he will need to introduce himself to the Italian when he starts work at the team later this week. “I know him from a few years ago already when he was at Ferrari,” he said. “So he’s not someone I've never spoken to. It's not somebody very new that I need to introduce myself a lot. I think he already knows myself and also we know him as well.”

‘Zhou admitted it presents an opportunity to refresh negotiations over an F1 seat’;

https://racingnews365.com/audi-f1-hopeful-eyeing-negotiation-reset-after-binotto-arrival


Bottas retains an upper hand over Zhou – but will either keep their seat?
2nd August 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Zhou Guanyu gave a somewhat better account of himself in his second season in Formula 1 alongside Valtteri Bottas last year. However that modest progress has not continued this year and, at a team which will replace at least one of its drivers next year, it’s hard to make a case for them to continue with Zhou. Zhou’s race performances were markedly stronger last year, and in this respect he is continuing to perform fairly well against his more experienced team mate. However both drivers face the same problem that the Sauber has seldom if ever been a points contender.

The team is working hard to fix this and over the previous two races Bottas has had the benefit of the latest components. Once the pair converge on specifications we may finally see the two vivid green cars in the hunt for points. Whether Zhou can make the step from there to deliver the kind of results he needs remains to be seen. But on the strength of his performances so far this year he appears to have plateaued slightly below the level a team would want.

That’s a troubling situation for him, as Sauber has already inked a deal with Nico Hulkenberg for next year. That means its current drivers are vying for the single remaining seat, and so far Zhou looks like the one most likely to miss out.

‘Will either keep their seat?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/02/bottas-retains-an-upper-hand-over-zhou-but-will-either-keep-their-seat/

[Fortitude]

'Toto Wolff should just pay George Russell the victory bonus'.
George Russell had his heart broken on Sunday. The British driver thought he had secured his third Grand Prix victory; in fact, he had already lifted the trophy and tasted the champagne on the podium.
1 August 2024.
Matt Gretton
Editor-in-Chief

Former driver David Coulthard saw Russell do everything right in Belgium. “I really feel for George [Russell] because that was arguably his greatest win in his short-winning career, and it slips away from him. So there's all sorts of ramifications, isn't there? If you take a managerial role, drivers typically have a win bonus in their contract," Coulthard said on his Formula For Success Podcast. "It's the team that have underperformed and that the car is under the weight limit. So where do you sit in all that? Would you give a driver his just use if the car was qualified or is it only if the actual result stands?" wondered Coulthard.

Eddie Jordan, a former team boss himself, knows his way around a contract in Formula 1. “There is no real right way and there's no real wrong way on this one. And it comes down to compassion and it comes down to the relationship with the driver and the team and just generally. I know Toto. Toto is not a poor man. And he's very astute and very careful. He sees in George a world champion going forward," Jordan highlighted.

“Why not pay him the money? If there's a genuine mistake, which it looks as if it is, that's what he said in his press release. Pay him the money. George is not going to miss his next meal over whether he gets it or not. But the reality is you're Mercedes, you're a top team and you've been surprised how great this driver is. Pay him,” Jordan advises.

‘Just pay George Russell the victory bonus';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293148/wolff-told-to-pay-russell-his-win-bonus-from-belgium.html


George Russell contract puts Mercedes in tight spot as Toto Wolff told 'you must pay him'
George Russell was stripped of his victory at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday after his Mercedes car was found to be underweight, but the Brit could yet receive his win bonus
1 Aug 2024
Harry Brent
Senior Sports Writer
The Mirror

Toto Wolff has been told to give George Russell a win bonus despite his disqualification from the Belgian Grand Prix. Amidst the swirling debate that's followed, some argue that the 26-year-old racer should nonetheless be handed a win bonus, if indeed his contract stipulates it in the event of a GP victory. Speaking on his Formula For Success podcast, ex-F1 driver David Coulthard insisted Russell deserved the payment. “Would you give a driver [a win bonus] if the car was disqualified or is it only if the actual result stands?"

Former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan, who co-hosts the podcast with Coulthard, said he also sympathised with Russell's predicament. "There is no real right way and there's no real wrong way on this one. And it comes down to compassion and it comes down to the relationship with the driver and the team and just generally," he said. While it isn't know if Russell has a win bonus in his Mercedes contract, Jordan believes that if such a clause exists, team principal Wolff would honour it. "I know Toto. Toto is not a poor man. And he's very astute and very careful. He sees in George a world champion going forward," Jordan continued.

'You must pay him';

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/george-russell-mercedes-toto-wolff-33377106


Mercedes reveal early findings that led to George Russell’s disqualification
Mercedes explain some of the factors behind George Russell's DSQ in Belgium.
31 Jul 2024
Lewis Larkam
F1 Technical

Mercedes have now established some of the causes that played a factor in Russell’s DSQ, including higher-than-expected plank wear. “It was obviously very disappointing and unfortunate, particularly after he had driven such a strong race to win from so far back,” Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said in the team’s latest post-race debrief video.

“We are trying to understand exactly what happened. A lot of that involves us getting the weights of all the different components. The car can lose quite a lot of weight during the race. You get tyre wear, plank wear, brake wear, oil consumption. The driver themselves can lose a lot, and in this particular race George lost quite a bit of weight.”

‘Early findings;’

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1052922/1/mercedes-reveal-early-findings-led-george-russells-disqualification


How Russell ‘snowball' discovery led to disqualification
George Russell pointed out a "snowball effect" in the development path of the Mercedes W15, and it ended up being the catalyst for his disqualification from the Belgian Grand Prix.
6 August 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

George Russell observed a performance upgrade "snowball effect" on the Mercedes W15...

"We brought a reasonable size upgrade to Montreal, but nowhere near the size that it translated to in terms of lap time," the two-time grand prix winner explained. "The way the car is handling now, we [himself and Lewis Hamilton] both have much more confidence in the car, we can push it closer to its limit.”

"Now the tyres are feeling better when we drive in the race, we can manage the tyres easy on it. It just has a bit of a snowball effect in terms of its performance. So this small upgrade has turned into something quite large in terms of lap time because we can exploit the car more. And that's the biggest thing, having that confidence beneath us."

‘Snowball discovery’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-russell-snowball-discovery-led-to-disqualification


Mercedes reveal the reason for Russell's shock disqualification
1 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin revealed that Mercedes suspects that plank and tyre wear, plus weight loss by George Russell himself, may have contributed to his car being under the weight limit.

“The cars started the race the same weight,” added Shovlin. “Lewis and George were both weighed after qualifying. The cars were within 500 grammes. “George's was the only one that had the problem, and it's because things like the tyre wear was much higher. It looks like we lost more material on the plank.”

"We'll collect all that data, though, and look at how we can refine our processes, because clearly we don't want that to happen in the future," concluded the Briton.

‘Russell's shock disqualification’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25187


ANALYSIS: Russell shocks rivals with one-stop strategy before his disqualification
31 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Before he was disqualified, Mercedes driver George Russell was hailed for committing himself to an aggressive and ambitious on-stop strategy at last Sunday's Spa F1 round. F1Technical's senior writer Balazs Szabo delivers his tyre analysis from the Belgian Grand Prix. Post-race scrutineering revealed that the number 63 car was underweight as per the technical regulations and therefore George Russell was disqualified, the win going to his team-mate Hamilton, with Piastri now second and Charles Leclerc moving up to the third step of the podium.

Pirelli's Motorsport Director Mario Isola noted: “First of all, let me say this was a really exciting race. It’s been quite a while since Formula 1 has put on such a show. It’s unusual to see a race where the outcome is so uncertain, with the top three within just over a second of one another and the first six finishers, all of whom could legitimately claim to have aimed for the win or at least the podium, all finishing within under 10 seconds. It’s a shame the race result had to be changed but, as even Mercedes agreed, the rule regarding weight is very clear.”

‘ANALYSIS’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25184


Wolff reveals "the key" to Mercedes victory after 'uncompetitive Friday'
31 July 2024
Matt Gretton
Editor-in-Chief
GPblog.com

How did Mercedes find improvements from Friday? "I must admit that the overnight work that was done from Friday to Saturday, and also here on the track set engineering side, was the key. So we changed a lot from Friday. But it wasn't a mechanical, normal alignment of what we thought the car would do. So we remedied that," Wolff said. In the Mercedes debrief, Shovlin opened up on at "key" change.

"One of the issues with Spa is it is a fast circuit, and it needs a lot of commitment from the driver. We managed to introduce a bit of bouncing to the car, so in the high-speed corners, that is not great for their confidence. There were a couple of other balance issues where they had a lack of entry stability," Shovlin said.

"When you are wanting to brake late and carry speed into a corner, that does not help. At a normal track, that might have cost us a little bit of time. On a big circuit like Spa with some pretty big corners, that was becoming a large number. The car was not in the right place, but it is one of those very specific things about Spa where if the drivers have not got the car doing what they want, it can cost them a lot of performance. It was exactly the right thing for us to just revert to that known specification," Shovlin concluded.

"The key";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293060/wolff-explains-mercedes-performance-change-in-belgium.html

[Fortitude]

Report: Newey to Aston Martin reportedly a done deal!
We’ve been here before, but according to Italian media, outgoing Red Bull designer Adrian Newey has committed his F1 future to Aston Martin, with a deal set to be announced after F1’s summer break.
6 Aug 2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

According to Autosprint, Newey, the mastermind behind a collection of iconic and winning F1 cars from Williams, McLaren and especially Red Bull, has agreed to a four-year deal with Aston Martin F1 worth an estimated $100 million. Newey’s lavish prospective agreement was first reported in the Italian media last month by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Only time will tell if Autosprint’s latest report will prove credible, but it’s a known fact that Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll has clearly been pulling out the stops to lure Newey to Team Silverstone.

It has also been established that the Canadian billionaire treated Newey earlier this summer to a private tour of Aston’s shiny new state-of-the-art facilities at Silverstone Park, highlighting his team’s commitment and ambitions.

‘We’ve been here before’;

https://f1i.com/news/516010-report-newey-to-aston-martin-reportedly-a-done-deal.html


Reports Adrian Newey has rejected Ferrari offer
Reports out of Italy claim Adrian Newey has decided against joining Ferrari.
7 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The Italian publication claims the new deal will be announced in September owing to obligations in Newey's existing Red Bull Racing contract. It claims a four-year deal worth $100 million has been agreed. Aston Martin has been one of the front runners for Newey's services since he hit the market with rumours of his arrival gathering steam for some time.

A relationship with the brand already exists, given he penned the Aston Martin Valkyrie, which the British marque will campaign in the World Endurance Championship from 2025. He will not be available to start work for his new employer until early 2025.

That would give him little opportunity to have significant impact into Aston Martin's season next year, though he would be in place in time to play a crucial role in developing its 2026 car. New regulations for 2026, including the use of moveable wings, offer a strong opportunity for teams to make significant performance jumps.

‘Ferrari offer rejected’;

https://speedcafe.com/reports-adrian-newey-has-rejected-ferrari-offer/


Huge Adrian Newey boost for Aston Martin as rival team officially ends interest
7 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

We now know one team where Adrian Newey will not end up should he return to Formula 1 after his Red Bull departure. And that team is McLaren, with CEO Zak Brown confirming they will not be striking a deal to bring Newey back to Woking…

And the reason for McLaren snubbing Newey, despite him having a CV “second to none”, is because Brown “couldn’t be happier” with the personnel which McLaren has in place now as they chase their first Constructors’ title since that 1998 triumph.

‘Huge Adrian Newey boost’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/huge-adrian-newey-boost-for-aston-martin-mclaren-end-interest


Aston Martin secures Newey F1 deal, target Verstappen – report
6 Aug 2024
Motorsport Week

Autosprint has stated Aston Martin should announce Newey’s impending switch next month due to “contractual constraints” between the design legend and Red Bull. The Silverstone-based squad is aiming to turn into a title contender in the coming seasons with billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll instigating a mass recruitment drive.

Ex-Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell has been named Group Chief Executive Officer, while Enrico Cardile has exited Ferrari to become the side’s Technical Director. Autosprint has also posted that Newey, who is reported to be in line to earn 100 million dollars in four years, could help with Stroll’s desire to land Verstappen in 2026.

Verstappen retains a contract with Red Bull through 2028 and he has pledged his commitment to the team on several occasions amid speculation over his prospects. However, the Dutchman’s father, Jos, has continued to be at odds with Red Bull boss Christian Horner since an internal probe was launched into the latter’s behaviour.

‘Target Verstappen – report’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/06/aston-martin-secures-newey-f1-deal-target-verstappen-report/


Blockbuster Adrian Newey move ‘agreed’ as Ferrari lose ‘important’ staff member
6 Aug 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Helmut Marko reacts to big Ferrari blow. Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko believes Ferrari have “lost an important man” in the shape of outgoing technical boss Enrico Cardile. Cardile announced recently that he will join Aston Martin, where it remains to be seen if he will be joined by Newey. Marko fears Ferrari will be hit hard by the loss of Cardile.

‘Ferrari lose ‘important’ staff member’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-news-adrian-newey-next-move-agreed-ferrari-staff

[Fortitude]

Red Bull: 2024 F1 car "didn't deliver what we expected".
Red Bull admits it was expecting its 2024 Formula 1 car to be better in high-speed corners
Aug 5, 2024,
Filip Cleeren Ronald Vording
Motorsport.com

When asked if the RB20 was as good as hoped, he replied: "I would say not really. We improved compared to last year, without doubt, but we didn’t deliver what we expected in some areas.

"Especially in the high-speed corners we expected a little bit more than what we have. Without thinking about the competitiveness of the car, so just based on our own references, we expected a little bit more with our tools.”

‘Expecting its 2024 Formula 1 car to be better’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-2024-f1-car-didnt-deliver-what-we-expected/10642142/


Red Bull admits it ‘expected something more’ with 2024 F1 car
3 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

The Frenchman also highlighted kerb riding as a core weakness embedded in the RB20, which was accentuated when it tackled Monaco earlier this term. “I don’t know if we have a strong point yet!” he quipped. “I think we have improved a lot in medium-speed and slow corners compared to last year.”

“We are now – relatively speaking compared to the competition – slightly weaker in fast corners than last year. Last year we were very good in that respect. Finally, we are still clearly weak over the kerbs, but that was also the case last year. With that, we have not made the expected step.”

‘Expected something more’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/03/red-bull-admits-it-expected-something-more-with-2024-f1-car/


Red Bull reveal car issues hindering 2024 campaign
Reigning champions enter summer break in a win drought
August 5, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

The reigning champions started 2024 in imperious form, with three one-two finishes in the opening three races. An unstoppable Max Verstappen cruised to victory comfortably ahead of teammate Sergio Perez in what looked like a one-horse race. However, the first indication that a dominant year was not on the cards came in Australia. Verstappen suffered a dramatic brake fire and retired in the early stages of the race.

Although Verstappen won the next two rounds, indications the field was beginning to catch Red Bull were becoming apparent, with Perez’s form dramatically dropping. Going into the summer break, Verstappen has yet to take victory in four consecutive races, his longest spell without a win since 2021. The reigning champion’s radio messages have become increasingly frantic and animated in recent races, as he battles handling struggles with the RB20.

‘Win drought’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/red-bull-reveal-car-issues-hindering-2024-campaign/?nowprocket=1


Red Bull “working flat out” to improve RB20, says Horner
AUGUST 3, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner pointed out that Max Verstappen was still comfortably fastest in qualifying at Spa, and could have won the race without his PU grid penalty. “The whole team is still working flat out on this car,” said Horner. “Because with stable regs, whatever we learn now is relevant to next year anyway.

“And if you reflect on the on the first part of the year now, we’re over half distance, we’ve won seven Grands Prix. We’ve won two or three sprint races. We’re leading both championships. But over recent weeks that constructors’ [lead] has diminished somewhat, and that’s where our focus is. I think we know what we need to, where we need to focus and improve. And that’s what everybody’s doing.”

“Working flat out”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/08/03/red-bull-working-flat-out-to-improve-rb20-says-horner/


Red Bull’s ‘too much’ RB20 admission as 2024 concept change decision explained
5 Aug 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Waché has explained why the RB20 concept change was embarked upon, and why the car doesn’t appear as strong as RB19. Speaking in an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com, Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché opened up on the general feeling on the RB20 within the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

“I think we pushed the boundary a little bit high and, in some areas, maybe too much, and that has created some characteristics that are not designed for the driver,” he said. “The success is coming, not by yourself, it is also coming by the relative performance to the others. Last year, we were fortunate that the others didn’t do as good a job as they have done this year, I think that is also an aspect we have to take into account.”

‘Pushed the boundary a little bit high’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-pierre-wache-rb20-better-car-than-rb19-concept-change-explained


Horner more positive than Verstappen: 'We have a good car'
21 July 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing 's updates are not good enough, judges Max Verstappen. Christian Horner is keeping more to himself, both about the performance of the updates and that of Sergio Perez, who crashed for the second time in a row in Q1.

'We have a good car';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/290486/horner-sees-chances-verstappen-gp-hungary.html


Verstappen discusses Red Bull option to go back to 'old' RB20
4 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

The summer break has come at just the right time for Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing. The Dutchman thinks it is high time for his team to analyse where the performance of late has come from and what it will take to have the fastest Formula 1 car on the grid again. Speaking to the Dutch press during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen answered the question of whether he is a bit done with it after the first half of the season. "Not done with it, but I think it's good for us to analyse everything for a while," the Red Bull driver told, among others, GPblog.

Did his team go down the wrong path after the F1 race in Shanghai? " Of course, I don't want to say that now, but we are going to look at everything and analyse what it all mattered, what it did to the car," the three-time world champion continued.
Could it be an option to go back to the pre-Miami Grand Prix basics and take a different direction in developing the car from there? "No, not at the moment," Verstappen replied firmly.

‘Go back to 'old' RB20’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293413/verstappen-says-whether-red-bull-can-go-back-to-previous-rb20.html


Perez explains his problem with the RB20: 'Something we introduced...'
4 Aug 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

"It's definitely been pickier and harder," Perez told GPblog and others about the RB20. "At the moment, we feel like there has there has been something that we have introduced in a few of the weekends that whether it's with an upgrade or with setup or with the tyres, these cars are so sensitive, that has made this window a lot smaller," the Mexican continued to explain what proves to be challenging for him at the moment.

He continued: "But like I said there will be teams that will be in a similar situation to us. There are teams that have been in this situation, but Red Bull is obviously a lot more noticeable. But it's OK. I think the focus is over there. I've tried that [change] in the sim. It felt positive. It helped my feeling with the car. So I really hope that it translates well to the track and we'll see," Perez added. The Mexican could finish qualifying in third position at the Belgian Grand Prix, but then fell down to finish the race only in P7.

'Something we introduced...';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293480/perez-understeer-red-bull-car-issues-rb20.html


How the Belgian Grand Prix definitely proved Red Bull’s RB20 is no longer the best car
28 Jul 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

The writing has been on the wall for several weeks, but the Belgian Grand Prix definitively proved something that’s been on every Formula 1 fan’s mind: Red Bull’s RB20 is no longer the best car in the field.

Spa-Francorchamps is a favorite track of Max Verstappen, at least when it comes to scheduling engine changes and taking grid penalties. For the past several years, that hasn’t prevented the Dutch driver from taking a dominant win — but in 2024, things have changed.

‘The writing has been on the wall’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/how-the-belgian-grand-prix-definitely-proved-red-bulls-rb20-is-no-longer-the-best-car

[Fortitude]

Why McLaren thinks it has gone only ‘50% of the journey’ with its F1 car.
McLaren boss Andrea Stella has admitted the team must develop its car to be more competitive on low-drag tracks in order to be the complete package in Formula 1.
4 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Asked to assess McLaren’s progress on low-downforce tracks compared to last season, Stella said: “I think we have gone 50% of the journey. I’m more confident that at high downforce we have the car in a good place, like the car does what we want in terms especially of aerodynamic behaviour.”

“But we haven’t yet done a lot of development at lower drag level. So to me it’s not a surprise that here in Belgium we were not as competitive as Hungary, and it’s not a surprise that for the same or a little bit better top speed.”

“Still we were losing quite a bit in the second sector. It means that if we want to gain speed, we’ll give up quite a lot of grip. But I hope that in the future, possibly next year in Belgium, we have completed this quest to have the most efficient car even when top speed is important.”

‘50% of the journey’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/04/why-mclaren-thinks-it-has-gone-only-50-of-the-journey-with-its-f1-car/


McLaren pour 'water on the fire' of 'best car' theory
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has rejected suggestions his team currently has the best car in F1.
31 July 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has attempted to pour "water on the fire" of assertions that McLaren currently has the best car in F1. However, McLaren has been competitive on a more consistent basis, and displayed better one-lap pace, over the past nine rounds. It has become considered the team to beat, usurping Red Bull - a claim Stella rejects.

"I'm not surprised, but I keep receiving observations that McLaren is the best car," the 53-year-old told media including RacingNews365 when asked about the pace shown by Mercedes and Ferrari during the Belgian Grand Prix. "I always keep putting some water on the fire and say 'There are four cars that are pretty much at the same level. There's a bit of variability, which is a function of the track, a function even of the conditions to some extent."

'Water on the fire';

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-pour-water-on-the-fire-of-best-car-theory


'Buzz of winning disturbs our mindset', admits McLaren F1 boss
August 7th 2024
Author: Motor Sport
Motor Sport Magazine

Despite a slow start to the 2024 campaign, McLaren has now hit a title-contending stride. But as legendary commentator Murray Walker once stated: “Catching is one thing, passing is quite another”. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella is seemingly well aware of the phrase, as in this month’s magazine the Italian warns that just because his side have managed to catch up to the performance level of Ferrari and now Red Bull, it does not mean it will now lead the pack for the rest of the season.

“Over the last 12 months we have been able to deliver performance trackside at a faster rate than our competitors,” he says. “That means we’ve been able to catch up with the best teams on the grid. But there is no guarantee or technical reason that means you will continue with this gradient.”

“First of all, because you get started on the back foot you might have had more opportunities [to improve],” he explained. “There was nothing wrong with the car, but it was underdeveloped so we accelerated development in many areas of the car and this has led us to close up with a faster, steeper gradient. You are not necessarily going to continue this momentum in the future in a way that guarantees you will overtake them.”

“Catching is one thing, passing is quite another”;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/buzz-of-winning-disturbs-our-mindset-admits-mclaren-f1-boss/?nowprocket=1#


McLaren’s big lesson: ‘Never prepare the flight plan as you fly'
04/08/2024 at 12:53
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren will head into its summer break with a big lesson to ponder, according to team boss Andrea Stella, one derived from its controversial management of team orders in last month’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Speaking in Spa last weekend, Stella acknowledged that McLaren had been caught out by the scenario that played in Hungary. But the clear oversight left the team with a valuable lesson as the McLaren boss explained. One point that we definitely take on board is that we should have prepared the situation better, before the race, so that you never find yourself preparing the flight plan as you fly," Stella said.

"That's a golden rule in any kind of challenging situation, and this is a responsibility of the team - it's my responsibility. We entered the race having planned many, many things, but this one actually was left undiscussed, so this is definitely something we take on board as a team."

‘Never prepare the flight plan as you fly';

https://f1i.com/news/515909-mclarens-big-lesson-never-prepare-the-flight-plan-as-you-fly.html


McLaren rules out Adrian Newey as Zak Brown opens up on Andrea Stella's contribution to the team's rejuvenated form
9 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Speaking in an interview with BBS Sport, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown addressed speculation that Newey could return to the Woking-based squad and made it clear that such a reunion was not in the works.

"We're not going to sign Adrian. I'm very happy with the team. Adrian is a great friend, huge talent, resume [CV] second to none. But with what we have in place here, I couldn't be happier. We can get the job done. I'm happy with the race team we have and we're going to try to win the world championship with the team sitting here today."

‘Team's rejuvenated form’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25237


Brown surprised by McLaren’s breakout success in F1
07/08/2024 at 17:49
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren’s unexpected rise to prominence this season has caught the world of Formula 1 by surprise, including Zak Brown himself who never imagined the Woking-based outfit gunning for glory at this stage of the team’s development.

“If I were to sit here and say I’m not surprised, that would be disingenuous,” Brown explained, talking to BBC Sport. “I felt like we’d continue to close the gap. Did I think we would be here at the summer break, one race away from getting the lead - that race would have to be the first and second and fastest lap, and do I think it’s going to happen like that? No.”

“But if we keep the same trajectory we’ve been on the last six, seven races, we’ll be where we need to be by the end of the year. “I thought we might get where we are now by 2025. I didn’t think we would be where we are now in 2024, but I’m not complaining.”

‘Surprised’;

https://f1i.com/news/516055-brown-surprised-by-mclarens-breakout-success-in-f1.html


Brown admits surprise at McLaren’s 2024 season
McLaren's CEO has spoken up about McLaren's unexpected title challenge
August 8, 2024
Alejandra Guajardo Lozano
FormulaNerds

McLaren’s biggest competition this year is the reigning champions, Red Bull Racing. Consistency from both drivers is a crucial factor behind McLaren’s form. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez has been struggling to get good results but has promised to improve after the summer break. Brown reflected on this:

“It’s going to be tough. I think it’s going to come down to the last race. There’s not much between the cars.”

“It’s gonna come down to how does Sergio Perez perform? If he can perform as he’s capable of performing, it’s going to be a hard fight. If he continues to perform as he has this year, we have a pretty good chance. ”

‘Down to the last race’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/brown-admits-surprise-at-mclarens-2024-season/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

TECH WEEKLY: How the Mercedes W15 was transformed from a 'bouncing handful' into a Belgian Grand Prix winner.
On the Friday of the Belgian Grand Prix even Mercedes would not have thought a 1-2 (before George Russell’s exclusion) was a likely outcome.
30 July 2024
Mark Hughes Giorgio Piola
Formula One - Official Site

The Mercedes W15, with its newly updated floor and diffuser, was proving to be a bouncing handful and definitely looked only the fourth-fastest car. On Sunday it was at least equal-fastest with McLaren.

‘Would not have thought a 1-2 was a likely outcome’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/tech-weekly-how-the-mercedes-w15-was-transformed-from-a-bouncing-handful.5oSnJdl8rYB34TfqiSSuY7


Mercedes ahead of schedule with W15 exceeding F1 2024 performance targets
3 Aug 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Andrew Shovlin has revealed the Mercedes W15 has exceeded expectations in F1 2024 after the team had targeted winning races only towards the end of the season. And he revealed the team had only hoped to challenge for victories and pole positions at the end of the season, with Mercedes now back to “really enjoying the racing” following their recent upturn in performance.

He said: “The main thing is the progress. Where we were in the early races in Bahrain and in Jeddah, it was difficult to look at the car and understand what it was you had to do to make it quick.”

“We could see it had certain strengths, but it also had plenty of weaknesses. The team has responded brilliantly to that challenge. We know where we want to get to in terms of performance level.”

‘Progress’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w15-schedule-f1-2024-performance-targets


Tech Analysis | How a step back on the updates allowed the W15 to win in Spa
1 August 2024
Francesco Bianchi
GPblog.com

This article looks at why the decision was a positive turning point for the Brackley team’s weekend. After achieving 2 victories in the last three races, Mercedes arrived in Spa with a new upgrade package. This included some major changes to the floor and diffuser and some minor changes (track-specific) to the front wing and the halo.

It was possible to appreciate a floor edge that had a design very similar to the one adopted by Red Bull. The previous version, in fact, was characterised by a raised profile under which five vortex generators were housed. In the new version, however, the vortex generators have become four and two small "fins" have been added (one above the other) at the beginning of the floor edge and are connected directly to the floor by a metal support, with a very similar design to the one adopted on the RB20.

‘Step back on the updates allowed the W15 to win’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293040/tech-analysis-how-a-step-back-on-the-updates-allowed-the-w15-to-win-in-sp.html


Mercedes reveal the major W15 turning point with two key upgrades identified
6 Aug 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes’ Andrew Shovlin has revealed how the “not very good” baseline of the W15 has been transformed over the first half of this season. “We didn’t really bring developments to the early races of the year, so we started to pull forward developments with a new floor in Miami,” he said when asked about what had started to click for Mercedes to bring about the transformation.

“We then pulled forward a front wing that was due later in the season to [where] we had one on George’s car in Monaco. I think, by that point, you could see that we had a car that was definitely one that you could work with and improve around that time of Monaco, and then, what we have seen since then, is a pretty impressive delivery of updates to every single track.”

Now with a firmer grasp on how to rectify some of the issues that have plagued the W15, Shovlin said this has a knock-on effect in terms of making the path forward even clearer. As you solve problems with the handling of the car, the challenge actually becomes simple and you get more clarity about what you want to do next,” he said.

‘Impressive delivery of updates’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-andrew-shovlin-w15-turning-point-problems


Russell explains why Mercedes took Spa upgrade off W15
Mercedes' floor upgrade was taken off both cars ahead of qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix.
28 July 2024
Jake Nichol Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

George Russell has detailed exactly why Mercedes opted to remove the floor upgrades it brought to the Belgian Grand Prix ahead of qualifying. "We've struggled here for the last three years, and the fluctuation of all the teams from circuit to circuit is pretty substantial," he told media including RacingNews365. "It was important for us to revert back to something we know to see if it is a challenge for Spa for us, which I am pretty confident it is, as opposed to an upgrade problem.”

"The upgrades were nothing substantial, it is just part of the development of the course of the year, and it gives us time to review the data and go from there, but I am pretty confident the upgrades are working as expected. It's been three years in a row that we've been very quick at Silverstone and struggled at Spa.”

"On paper, you'd say they're not exactly the same type of circuit, but have high and low speed corners, and we need to try and understand [why we struggle at Spa]. There seems to be something inherent in the cars at certain circuits, like Red Bull always fly here, and this is always probably their strongest circuit of the season along with Austria. For us, Silverstone and Barcelona are the sort of circuits we tend to go very well at, so we need to understand that."

‘Mercedes' floor upgrade was taken off’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-explains-why-mercedes-took-spa-upgrade-off-w15


The hidden W15 changes that have helped push major F1 breakthrough
9 Aug 2024
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com

The F1 2024 season has been a wild ride for Mercedes. They began the year as the fourth fastest team, but by the last race in Belgium, they had emerged as the fastest. At the beginning of this season, the W15 was the fourth fastest car, often lagging behind Ferrari, McLaren, and especially Red Bull. Their best result before the Monaco GP in May was P5 at the season opener in Bahrain.

The biggest visible upgrade for the W15 came in Monaco, where only George Russell tested the new front wing. The ‘legality wire’ on the last element was replaced with a more traditional approach. The new front wing had a completely different shape, with the second element being notably longer. This change allowed the W15 to generate more downforce, especially in various corners, resulting in better and more consistent track performance.

Another key but less noticed improvement was the continuous changes to the car’s floor during the season, with the most significant one at Imola. These changes were hidden from public view, but they significantly improved the W15’s performance. However, solving these tasks led engineers to better understand the ground effect concept and create a reliable and consistent floor.

‘Wild ride’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/hidden-w15-changes-that-helped-push-major-f1-breakthrough


Mercedes still confident in upgraded W15 floor despite Spa ditch
02/08/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Mercedes says it will reintroduce at the Dutch Grand Prix its W15’s upgraded floor, despite abandoning the element after Friday’s running at Spa-Francorchamps. “I think we made a drastic change in order to recover some of the performance, but we believe it wasn't the floor,” Wolff explained at Spa last weekend, quoted by Motorsport.com.

“It will be quite interesting when we put everything on the car in Zandvoort and correlate, and see what it does. Then we can be sure whether it's the mechanical bit that we thought, or if there are a few interactions aerodynamically and mechanically that didn't work.”

“I think we need to remain both feet on the ground,” he explained. “The swings of performance, you see a trend definitely that's positive on our side. With some other teams, you see a negative trend. But I don't think we should really pre-empt how the second half of the season is going to go. I think it's a tough fight, and there are four teams that are giving it everything.”

‘Mercedes still confident’;

https://f1i.com/news/515823-mercedes-still-confident-in-upgraded-w15-floor-despite-spa-ditch.html


Mercedes reveals 2025 F1 car will be ‘close cousin’ of the W15
7 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Mercedes has revealed that the team’s 2025 Formula 1 car will be a “close cousin” of the current W15 amid the impending sizeable regulation change coming in 2026. And while he has admitted that the W15’s successor will be a “close cousin” to the current car, Shovlin has divulged that some crucial areas are still to be determined.

“We haven’t made decisions yet on does the chassis stay the same? Does the gearbox stay the same?” he highlighted. “The reality is you probably can’t change everything. We’re at a stage now where we’re trying to evaluate those to look for the best return for your spend in the cost cap.”

“However, I think, aerodynamically, our car and most people’s cars will be an evolution of what we have today – there’ll be significant changes on there but you won’t want to change the architecture of the car and take a big hit in the wind tunnel that you then have to recover – I don’t think many people will be doing that.”

‘Close cousin’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/07/mercedes-reveals-2025-f1-car-will-be-close-cousin-of-the-w15/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc offers honest assessment of where Ferrari stand midway through 2024 as he urges team to bring upgrades ‘as soon as possible’.
Charles Leclerc has called on Ferrari to bring more upgrades “as soon as possible” after the summer break, with the Monegasque believing that Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes all have stronger cars at this stage of the season.
6 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Speaking post-race, Charles Leclerc gave a frank assessment of where Ferrari stand after 14 of 24 scheduled rounds and discussed what’s needed for the races to come if they are to fight for the big prizes once more and improve on their current championship position of P3.

“I feel like we are the fourth-fastest car at the moment,” he stated. “I mean, the first part of the year for us was, for the first half, pretty positive; the second half struggling a bit more, trying to fix the issues. We are just going to try and recharge our batteries during the break, come back, try and analyse, and hopefully bring new parts as soon as possible on the car to be challenging for wins again.”

‘Honest assessment’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/leclerc-offers-honest-assessment-of-where-ferrari-stand-midway-through-2024.29JPhZHPxhtgz78xGy2jBI


Fred Vasseur: Next races will be “much better” for Ferrari
August 6, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Vasseur: Next races should be strong for SF-24. Speaking after the Belgian GP, Fred Vasseur gave reasons to be optimistic. “To fix the bouncing is a step in performance,” the Ferrari team principal explained.

“For sure, we are pushing like hell to bring something and we will do it as soon as possible. We have also I think a good sequence of tracks for us with Monza, Baku, Singapore… I think these are good tracks for the characteristics of the car.”

“I think that the most important [thing] is to score points… to not lose points on McLaren and Red Bull, and we did it [in Belgium]. It will be the same target in Zandvoort because I’m convinced that the next three or four races after these two will be much better for us.”

“Pushing like hell”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/06/fred-vasseur-next-races-will-be-much-better-for-ferrari/


Leclerc outlines 'big motivation' for Ferrari comeback
Charles Leclerc's Belgian Grand Prix podium ended a five-race streak without a rostrum.
4 August 2024
Nick Golding Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc has outlined that Ferrari has a "big motivation" to rediscover its early season form and return to winning ways. Leclerc is pleased to see F1 being so exciting but would rather Ferrari be winning on a regular basis.

"It's nice for F1 on one side," Leclerc told select media including RacingNews365. "The biggest part of me wishes there was total domination by Ferrari and it will be a very boring season in that sense. But it's not, and we've still got a lot of work to do.”

"Obviously with the last few races, we are not in the momentum of fighting for wins at the moment. So we've just got to focus on ourselves. But it's true that it's good and interesting for F1 to have different winners, to have different teams developing their cars in a really good way. This makes it very interesting."

'Big motivation';

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-outlines-big-motivation-for-ferrari-comeback


Where do the additional cameras sit on the Ferrari SF-24?
27 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ferrari is also one of the teams that carried an extra camera on its cars on the opening day at the Belgian Grand Prix as the FIA carried out additional tests to check the flexibility of front wings.

It emerged ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix that Formula One's governing body, the FIA would check the flexibility of front wings, using extra video footage. These additional dynamic tests kicked off at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps with further tests expected to take place after the summer break.

According to Motorsport.com, FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis set a technical directive that is referred to as TD034G to all teams. “The FIA has decided, starting from Belgium onward for an indefinite period of time, to measure the overall front wing deformation on track. The FOM forward-facing cameras are unfortunately not capable of capturing the complete front wing as a large outboard part is not covered by the angle.”

‘Additional cameras’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25124


Vasseur shares ‘limit’ concern as Ferrari chase performance
Ferrari began the current season in strong fashion but slipped back in the pecking order as the campaign ran deeper.
10 August 2024
Fergal Walsh Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has outlined F1 teams are “at the limit” when it comes to finding extra performance. However, Vasseur understands that minor gains can have major benefits due to how close the competition is at the front of the field.

“In one hand, we are convinced and it’s obvious that for one-tenth or one-tenth and a half, you change completely the physiognomy of the weekend,” Vasseur told media including RacingNews365.

“We are all pushing to bring parts and you know that the correlation between what we are doing at the factory and the track for the bouncing is not an easy one. It was not easy for Mercedes, it was not easy for us, it was not easy for other teams from the beginning of the season.”

“At the limit”;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-shares-limit-concern-as-ferrari-chase-performance


Ferrari won't hire many new engineers says Fred Vasseur as he opens up on the changes to Scuderia's technical department
7 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur insists that he is proud of the work the Scuderia has done in recent months, also stressing that he does not intend to make many changes to the Italian outfit's technical department. The Frenchman insisted several times that the Italian team has everything it needs to win the world championship again. During an interview with Sky Sport, Vasseur said that he is “very proud of the work done in the last 12 months.”

“If we compare the first 12 races of 2024 with those of 2023, we have 2-0 in terms of victories, 9-1 in terms of podiums, and we have 60% more points than a year ago.” Although Vasseur indicated that Ferrari will announce changes to its technical department, he was keen to stress the importance of the collective group of engineering minds.

“I have full confidence in this group and I was a bit disturbed to read in the press that we could hire 20 people. This sends a very negative message to those working in the company. One can imagine someone in a position within the team reading in the papers that they might be replaced tomorrow: it’s not great motivation. Certainly, it’s not the team’s goal.”

“60% more points than a year ago”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25139


Binotto did an excellent job at Ferrari, says Vasseur
1 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur, who succeeded Mattia Binotto at the Italian outfit at the end of 2022, insists that the Swiss-Italian has done an “excellent job” in Maranello.

When asked about the Binotto's return to the paddock, the Frenchman chose to remain discreet: “Do I want to comment? Absolutely not. I focus on my team, my guys, and I completely understand that building a Formula 1 team is challenging.”

“I think it’s difficult everywhere. Mattia did an excellent job at Ferrari in the past. He was successful and made the team a winner. I wish them all the best, but it’s not up to me to comment on Mattia’s potential at Audi.”

‘Excellent job at Ferrari’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25121

[Fortitude]

Revealed: The curious case of Aston Martin and their complex AMR24 upgrade plan.
The 2024 season so far has been a real rollercoaster, with unexpected ups and downs for teams compared to last season. For Aston Martin, it is a season that has provided more questions than answers.
05 Aug 2024
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com

Aston Martin had an underwhelming start to the season (25 points for the team in the first three races). In an attempt to fix things, their engineers brought their first major (probably the biggest this season) upgrade in Japan. Besides visible changes in the sidepod geometry, the most significant part of this package was the changes under the car and at the edges of the floor.

Will Aston Martin find a solution? It is clear that the engineers do not have a clear picture of what is actually happening with the car, and every new update brings only more questions. On several occasions, the drivers have pointed out that the AMR24 is very difficult to drive because its behaviour is simply unpredictable.

Consequently, it is almost impossible to consistently be on the edge, resulting in poorer performance. The problem they face is very complex, and although a lot of time has passed since the introduction of the new regulations, some teams are still trying to fully understand the concept. Too many technical factors must perfectly align for the floor to work efficiently.

‘Complex AMR24 upgrade plan’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/revealed-curious-case-aston-martin-complex-amr24-upgrade-plan


‘We can see where we need to improve’ – Aston Martin praise Alonso and Stroll amid recent car performance struggles
15 July 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Aston Martin Performance Director Tom McCullough has praised Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll for their “very professional” attitude as the team continue to work on improvements – both in the short and long-term – following mixed fortunes so far in the 2024 season.

After a memorably strong start to the campaign in 2023, the squad have not quite been able to recapture that form this time around, with their best result so far being a P5 for Alonso in Saudi Arabia. “The drivers want to be up the front of the grid – we know that – so bringing updates to the car that don’t quite give the relative performance that you’re wanting, the drivers aren’t going to be as happy,” McCullough explained.

“The drivers love to see their name at the top and score the points. They’re very professional, working very hard in the debriefs. The good thing for us is the two of them are saying exactly the same thing about the car – the data’s saying the same thing, we can see where we need to improve. It’s just heads down now and trying to bring those parts to the car as quickly as possible.”

“Very professional”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/we-can-see-where-we-need-to-improve-aston-martin-praise-alonso-and-stroll.31WwhExUbZ1fShUZodjV6R


How Aston Martin has applied some corrective surgery to its 2024 F1 car
A major upgrade from Aston Martin aims to cure recent troubles
20 Jul 2024
Matt Somerfield Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

Aston Martin arrived at Formula 1's Hungarian Grand Prix with a substantial update that it hopes(d) will cure some handling quirks that have hurt its form recently. A previous upgrade that made its debut at Imola delivered more downforce, but also made the car nervous on the edge, which was not ideal for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

The revisions that appeared at the Hungaroring are, according to its technical director Dan Fallows, aimed at delivering "a better balance, a more consistent car." That is probably why there are no big surprises nor new innovations to be found on the AMR24, with the team taking more of a corrective surgery approach this time around and trying to find more balance from the solutions it already had.

It's also a front-to-back package, with each of the components being altered as a means to complement the other. This starts with the front wing, which the team changed more extensively last time out at Silverstone and features a more loaded upper element for the challenges posed by the Hungaroring. Most of the work that has been undertaken by the team centres around changes to the floor and its ancillary components, with the floor fences, edge wing and diffuser all subject to subtle adjustments.

‘Corrective surgery’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how-aston-martin-has-applied-some-corrective-surgery-to-its-2024-f1-car/10636462/


'We know': Mike Krack responds to claims Aston Martin ‘lost’ with latest F1 car updates
4 August 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

It has been a season of mixed fortunes for Aston Martin so far, having failed to achieve the heights they did last year after being one of the closest teams to Red Bull. Fernando Alonso achieved six podiums and came close to winning races with the outfit, whereas now they have not come close to any and struggled to even break into the top five.

Mike Krack believes Aston Martin is not ‘lost’ with car upgrades. Aston Martin brought a raft of upgrades to their car at the Hungarian Grand Prix which included a new front wing, halo, floor body and edges, diffuser and rear beam wing. Krack believes the upgrades provided the team with the performance they were looking for, and countered recent reports suggesting that it was “lost” while bringing more parts to their car.

“The updates that we fitted in Hungary are working. It’s not just a case of this making the car faster for the rest of this season, it’s also having the knowledge that we understand our platform and know how to develop it,” said Krack. “A journalist who, perhaps, hadn’t been looking at the context, asked me if we were still lost. I replied that lost implies you don’t know where you are, don’t know what to do. We know the updates are working, so we we’re not lost. Had the updates not worked, then, we’d have been lost, because that would imply we didn’t understand our car very well.”

‘Aston Martin is not ‘lost’ with car upgrades’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mike-krack-responds-to-claims-aston-martin-lost-with-latest-f1-car-updates/


Aston Martin defiant: AMR24 is on “good development path”
July 23, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Upgrades to the AMR24 fall short. Aston Martin introduced a significant upgrade package in Budapest last weekend. However, unlike when other teams introduce new components, news of upgrades from Aston rarely generate excitement. Simply put, the team’s consistent failure to make meaningful improvements with upgrades has created a pessimistic attitude towards their updates. This sceptical approach was validated by the AMR24’s poor performance, with Alonso and Stroll fighting with midfield teams like VCARB – rather than top teams.

Aston Martin’s pace still significantly dips from qualifying to race day, which is a fundamental issue. That said, the picture painted by senior personnel at the Silverstone-based outfit is very different. Engineering director Tom McCullough gave his breakdown on Aston’s latest package. “It’s a relative game, everyone is developing. This [the upgrades] is quite a large amount of parts for us in the car,” es.motorsport.com quotes him as saying.

“But we have more to come as well, and we are only halfway through the year. So we have to keep developing. We’re in that tight battle at the moment. We want to close the gap to the four teams in front. And that can only be achieved by bringing more parts than them and elements that make a bigger difference in lap time. So that’s the goal. We’re on a good development path now, but it’s relative to everyone else.”

‘Aston Martin defiant’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/07/23/aston-martin-defiant-amr24-is-on-good-development-path/


Aston Martin faces ‘challenge’ to split resources between 2025 and ’26 F1 car
10 Aug 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows has admitted his team and its competitors face a challenge balancing efforts on 2025 and ’26 Formula 1 car development. To balance that against making sure next year’s machines are as good as can be, Fallow was asked if an extra push was being made this year on development to start 2025 on the right note.

“Yeah, I think we’ll see that,” Fallows told media including Motorsport Week. “But I’m sure lots of teams will do the same thing, but we’re absolutely focused on trying to make sure we can get AMR25 into the best shape as possible early on. It’s going to be a challenge for everybody but trying to split your resources, particularly next year when we can do work on both is going to be a big challenge. How much effort you put into the ’25 car, how much you divert resource to that.”

“The last thing you want to do with engineers is to give them two problems at the same time because they start forgetting which car they’re working on and things like that. It’s important for us to make sure that they have that clarity of purpose so they know exactly what they’re working on. But we have to be very adaptable in terms of moving resource around.”

‘Balancing efforts on 2025 and ’26 Formula 1 car development’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/10/aston-martin-faces-challenge-to-split-resources-between-2025-and-26-f1-car/

[Fortitude]

Mekies: RB reversed F1 updates that made its 2024 car slower.
RB boss Laurent Mekies has disclosed the team has now reversed “most” oi the Formula 1 upgrades it introduced in Barcelona which ended up making its car slower.
13 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

“The big picture is that we had to reverse most of the Barcelona upgrade. Not all of it, but most of it, and unavoidably it cost us performance,” Mekies told Autosport. “We were hoping to add performance compared to where we were in Canada and Monaco, and instead of that we have to backtrack.”

“We certainly understand why we didn’t go faster with it. There is some question over why it actually made us slower, because we think that’s what it did. The beauty of these cars is that they are extremely complex. It’s all down to the very last details and second order of things, stuff that we weren’t looking at a few years ago.”

“I would say we have a fairly clear idea of what we want for the next package. Are we 100% sure? No, absolutely not. It’s a work in progress. It will take us some time.”

‘RB reversed F1 updates’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/13/mekies-rb-reversed-f1-updates-that-made-its-2024-car-slower/


Ricciardo: RB F1 updates haven't cured high-speed weakness
Ricciardo feels struggles at through high-speed corners remains a focus point for improvement
Aug 5, 2024
Ewan Gale Ben Hunt
Motorsport.com

Daniel Ricciardo has conceded RB still has to work on finding a solution to its car's weaknesses despite adding upgrades at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. The Australian has rediscovered his form as of late, picking up three points finishes in the last six races after initially struggling to match team-mate Yuki Tsunoda.

Speaking before Russell's disqualification was announced, Ricciardo admitted that "I didn't really know my position during the race" but believed he would be on for a shot at points until Alpine's Esteban Ocon caught and overtook him late on. "I really thought we would have ended up in the points," he said.

‘Updates haven't cured high-speed weakness’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ricciardo-rb-updates-havent-cured-high-speed-weakness/10641403/


Ricciardo pinpoints RB’s biggest weakness with 2024 F1 car
1 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Daniel Ricciardo has pinpointed high-speed cornering as the main weakness upon which RB can improve with its 2024 Formula 1 car going into the remaining rounds. “I know there’s some kind of quick cars not too far ahead. So I really thought we would have ended up in the points.”

“So when I had Ocon behind me, I think that’s when I knew I was 10th and I was like, oh, I really thought I was maybe ninth because I knew that holding him off was going to be tricky. I think he was strong all weekend and also he just came out on a fresher tyre. So obviously, you try and say, all right, let’s fight.”

“But I knew it was going to be tricky. I tried to stay with him, but yeah, it was a shame. But look, I’ll put it this way: I think we had a really good race. I just think some other drivers also had a really good race and that’s that.”

‘RB’s biggest weakness’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/01/ricciardo-pinpoints-rbs-biggest-weakness-with-2024-f1-car/


2024 F1 mid-season driver rankings #13: Yuki Tsunoda
8th August 202
Will Wood
RaceFans

Yuki Tsunoda is in uncharted waters that no Red Bull-affiliated driver has ever been in over the almost 20 years that the brand has been a major player in Formula 1. Although he headed into the summer break with an underwhelming showing in Spa, at least RB excused him by suggesting he had been nursing a problem in the race. But having ten more points than his team mate after the first 14 rounds reflected that he has been doing the better job.

No driver has ever gotten a fourth consecutive season in Red Bull’s second team to begin their F1 career until Tsunoda this season. And after his team activated the 2025-season option on his contract, Tsunoda will remain at the team now known as RB again into next year.

The only way Tsunoda would have convinced Red Bull to keep him as a race driver in their ecosystem is if he had demonstrated he had improved as a driver over the last 18 months. And so far, in his first full season racing alongside a much more experienced, multiple grand prix winner in Daniel Ricciardo, Tsunoda has more than held his own.

‘Uncharted waters’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/08/2024-f1-mid-season-driver-rankings-13-yuki-tsunoda/


Tsunoda on relationship with Marko: 'That's why I moved to Italy'
7 Aug 2024
Tygo Bekkema
GPblog.com

After the race weekend in Hungary, there was much talk about Max Verstappen's sim race. The Dutchman was gaming on the simulator until 3 a.m. on the day of the race. Among others, Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko spoke out about it. That Marko is emphatically concerned with what his drivers do off the track was also confirmed by VCARB driver Yuki Tsunoda.

Before the weekend in Belgium, the Japanese driver was asked about to what extent Marko is interested in Tsunoda's activities outside race weekends. The 24-year-old driver made no bones about it in his answer. "Yeah, he's [Marko] obviously, he's quite interested in all sorts of stuff, that's why I moved to Italy," Tsunoda says.

Nevertheless, the current number 12 in the world championship does not fail to speak up for Verstappen with regard to sim racing. "Well, if that's true, driving sim racing until midnight or whatever, late night, before the race, it's probably the same for all of us. I mean, yeah, he's still performing well, so it doesn't matter," he said.

'That's why I moved to Italy';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293852/tsunoda-on-relationship-with-helmut-marko.html


Will Ricciardo still be in F1 in 2025?
Be it either RB or Red Bull, will Daniel Ricciardo still be racing in F1 next season? Let us know in the latest RacingNews365 poll.
8 August 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Daniel Ricciardo finds himself in a precarious position with Yuki Tsunoda already confirmed for next season and Liam Lawson waiting in the wings. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has said a decision on the latter driver will be announced in September, so it will not be long before the racing world and Ricciardo has more clarity on his future.

‘Precarious position’;

https://racingnews365.com/will-ricciardo-still-be-in-f1-in-2025

[Fortitude]

Haas boss shares the 'absolutely fundamental' keys to its recent success.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has explained the driving forces behind Haas' renaissance this season, as the American squad continues to rise up the F1 pecking order.
11 August 2024
Samuel Coop Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Speaking exclusively to RacingNews365, Komatsu explained the changes at Haas that have laid the groundwork for its success this term. "Working as a team," the 48-year-old responds when asked what he feels has gone well during his short tenure at the helm of the American outfit. The atmosphere is very positive, and it was positive even before we got any results. Approaching pre-season testing in Bahrain, I felt like people started working together."

To Komatsu, at the heart of the problem was a lack of open, honest conversations and transparency, things he agreed needed changing when he took on the team principal role. "I've always said, if objectives are not clear, people aren't sure why we're doing certain things, why there are certain priorities," he explains. "So, start from clear objectives, what do we want to achieve? And a strategy, how are we going to achieve those objectives? Once those two things are communicated clearly, then everybody knows these are the things we want to achieve, let's say, during winter testing, first part of the season, second phase of the season, etc., etc., then there is a strategy.”

'Keys to its recent success';

https://racingnews365.com/haas-boss-shares-the-absolutely-fundamental-keys-to-its-recent-success


Exclusive: Why Haas is investing now with unprecedented recruiting spree
Improved F1 results compared to 2023 have led to Haas team owner deploying additional resources
09:34 Sun, 11 Aug 2024
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Ayao Komatsu says Haas is currently enacting a recruitment drive “never seen before” in its Formula 1 history, after convincing owner Gene Haas and his key lieutenant to make fresh investment. This was after Haas had finished last in the 2023 constructors’ championship and its owner did not want to provide more capital until the team had shown it could improve with what it already had – an approach that frustrated Steiner.

Komatsu, however, always insisted that Haas should be able to do exactly this, and with its VF-24 challenger, the team has gone on to already score 56% more than its points haul in 2023, with 10 races left in the current campaign. As a result, the ex-Lotus chief engineer approached his bosses about starting a new recruitment drive – something that Motorsport.com understands had previously been rejected – after the 2024 Australian GP, where Haas had scored its first double points finish since the 2022 Austrian GP.

‘Unprecedented recruiting spree’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/why-haas-is-investing-now-with-unprecedented-recruiting-spree/10643337/


Haas reveal changes that sparked 2024 resurgence
August 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
RacingNews365

When Komatsu was first announced as Haas team principal, there were doubts about how far he could impact performance. It was widely believed that a fundamental change in spending was necessary for Haas to improve its results. However, the Japanese engineer was adamant that procedural changes could have a bit impact.

Komatsu has outlined some of the changes that have been introduced: “I think when everyone knows how they’re contributing, that promotes teamwork as well. Also making clear there’s no blame culture. So when certain things are not working – we’ve got to get to the bottom of it. But there’s no witch-hunting. We’ve got to get to the bottom of it. Because if we don’t, we’re not going to solve it.”

“But just making it clear that it’s not about saying – ‘you’ve done this wrong’. So again, having that clear message and then making that safe space for everyone. So they can openly admit that [there is a mistake], and we can move forward. That’s the key. It’s easier said than done. But I think we just have to continually do this process. To make sure it becomes the culture of this team.”

‘2024 resurgence’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/08/haas-reveal-changes-that-sparked-2024-resurgence/


‘It's the first time in Haas's history’ – Out-going Magnussen reveals crucial factor behind team’s success in 2024
06 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Kevin Magnussen has admitted that Haas’s form in the 2024 season has come as something of a surprise, with the team currently sitting in seventh place of the constructors’ standings despite expecting to be at the rear of the pack. There have been mixed fortunes for the American outfit in recent years, having scored no points at all during a challenging 2021 campaign before progressing to finish eighth in 2022.

“I think, coming into this year, we thought we were going to be the last team on the grid and we haven't been, so I think it's been a positive surprise,” Magnussen explained during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. There's always, when you look back at this stuff, things you could have done better, but I think everyone can say that, so I feel like we've had a good first half of the season.”

One factor that Magnussen believes has been particularly positive is the performance of the updates that Haas have brought to their car so far. “The second half I think, with the couple of upgrades we've had this year, they've actually worked, and it's the first time in Haas's history that we brought upgrades to the car that made it faster!” the 31-year-old said.

‘Crucial factor’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/its-the-first-time-in-haass-history-out-going-magnussen-reveals-crucial.5uDS9n0sBTe5ccs3vMe3Pa


Komatsu happier with Haas culture change than beating 2023 points tally
3rd August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Despite Haas scoring over double the points in the first half of the 2024 season than they did throughout last year, team principal Ayao Komatsu says he’s more pleased by the culture change he has enacted at the team. “It’s not just the number of points, because obviously the points and the sporting results, you have to rely on the other people’s performance,”

Komatsu explained in a video uploaded to the team’s YouTube channel. “So I always focus on what we can control, which is just us as Haas F1 team – how are we going to improve the team? How are we going to improve our performance? How will we improve the way we go about racing?”

“So yes, 27 points is great – it’s more than we ever had last year – but more than that, I think the very encouraging thing is how we are working together as a team. Honestly, we’ve started to work like a team now. Which wasn’t the case up until the end of last year. So for me, that’s the biggest positive and for sure that’s the good sign that we are going in the right direction.”

“We’ve started to work like a team”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/03/racefans-round-up-03-08-7/


Hulkenberg urges Haas to ‘regroup and refresh’ over summer break
2 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Nico Hulkenberg was left ruing a difficult weekend at Spa-Francorchamps as Haas endured a torrid time in the Belgian Grand Prix. “Very difficult,” Hulkenberg said of Sunday at Spa which he concluded a lowly 18th at the tail end of the field. “Just no pace, no harmony, no rhythm.”

“I don’t know, I just didn’t get off on the right foot with the car this weekend and we didn’t manage to find a sweet spot with all the different sessions. We need to look into a little bit why, but to some extent I think just forget this weekend, regroup, refresh over the summer break and go again. Yeah, I think especially on my side. Kevin looked a bit better and obviously he pulled off a one-stop which was not bad and decent. But still overall we need to look into our low-downforce performance.”

Like his teammate, Magnussen felt that Haas was in need of a reset during F1’s upcoming summer break. “This track, we thought it was going to be good for us, but we’ve been surprised many times and this is the worst race we’ve had in a while so, yeah, looking forward to the summer break. I think everyone is, and then coming back to more races where we’ll score some more points.”

‘Regroup and refresh’;

https://f1i.com/news/515797-hulkenberg-urges-haas-to-regroup-and-refresh-over-summer-break.html


Bearman admits he feels like an 'intruder' at Haas as he 'steals' car
20 Jul 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com

Oliver Bearman will make his full-time Formula 1 debut with Haas next year. The young British star participated in FP1 yesterday with the American outfit but has admitted that he sometimes feels like an 'intruder' at the team. This is due to the fact that he takes some of the weekend's running away from Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.

Bearman's running is essential as it prepares him for his rookie season. The Brit already proved he can perform in F1 earlier this year as he finished seventh at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. On that occasion, the 19-year-old replaced Carlos Sainz after the Spaniard suffered from appendicitis. "It's not my car yet, it's still their car, and I'm stealing it a little bit on some weekends. So I'm sure they'll be happy that I won't run in practices and they can keep focusing on their weekend because for sure it doesn't help either of them, whoever's car I jump in," Bearman said.

'Intruder';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/290243/oliver-bearman-admits-he-feels-like-an-intruder-at-haas.html

[Fortitude]

Sanchez: Alpine has ‘fair amount’ in the pipeline for 2024 F1 car.
Alpine has managed to make gradual inroads since that low point to embark upon a four-race points streak between the Monaco and Canadian Grands Prix.
13 Jul 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Alpine’s Executive Technical Director David Sanchez has revealed the side is working in the background towards introducing a “fair amount” to its 2024 Formula 1 car. “The car is largely similar to earlier this season. We took out a large amount of weight, now we have the weight limit,” Sanchez told F1.com.

“The progress I would say, since Imola onwards, we’re getting to know more of the car, how to get more out of it, and that’s been the trend. Now in the meantime, we’re working at the factory on how to make it better, bring more parts and moving further forwards.”

Asked whether Alpine had the pieces in place to make strides up the pecking order, Sanchez answered: “I would think so. It was something which for me was a big curiosity when I turned up at Enstone. The site has grown a lot since the last time I was there. I would say all the ingredients are definitely in place, now it’s about us at the factory making the most of everything and focusing on the car.”

“We’re working at the factory”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/07/13/sanchez-alpine-has-fair-amount-in-the-pipeline-for-2024-f1-car/


Next Alpine F1 upgrade package will be basis of 2025 car, says Sanchez
JULY 26, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Alpine Formula 1 executive technical director David Sanchez says an update package due after the summer break will form the basis of the team’s 2025 machine. The Spa package includes a low-drag rear wing, but it wasn’t used in initial running in FP1.

“So from what you see today, all the changes are full season upgrades I would say, non-track specific,” said Sanchez. “It’s only a new rear wing, which is not on the car for now, which is track specific. The rest, which is a front wing evolution, bodywork, rear brake duct, is for everywhere.”

“So the wing which we may try, depending on conditions, is the one which we may race here, in Monza, and in Vegas.” Asked if the Spa updates had been brought forward he said: “I wouldn’t say it’s been fast-tracked. But for sure, it’s been pushed very hard through the system.”

‘Basis of 2025 car’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/07/26/next-alpine-f1-upgrade-package-will-be-basis-of-2025-car-says-sanchez/


TECHNICAL: How has Alpine changed its car at Spa?
4 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

While some of the teams' upgrade packages introduced at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix were 'only' circuit-specific, Alpine's developments went beyond simple Spa-specific solutions. For last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, the team brought an extensive set of upgrades.

Part of the upgrades package was a revised front wing geometry which allowed the low-downforce setting to be more aero-efficient than with the previous design. "Compared to previous specification, the new front wing features different profiles to give the ability to cover the full balance range required for lower downforce races," the team noted.

As part of ongoing development and not specific to flowing, high-speed Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Alpine introduced a new engine cover which has enabled a more efficient internal cooling route. The team explained that "as part of our normal development cycle, this new engine cover is designed to improve our overall cooling efficiency by reviewing the channelling of the internal airflow."

‘Extensive set of upgrades’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25140


Alpine: Next F1 upgrades will shape 2025 development direction
7 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Alpine Executive Technical Director David Sanchez has revealed the team’s next upgrades will be tailored towards the direction it will take with its 2025 Formula 1 car. Sanchez, who was appointed earlier this season to head Alpine’s revamped technical structure, explained that the intention is to have those parts remain on the A524.

Asked whether the developments had been accelerated, Sanchez replied: “I wouldn’t say it’s been rushed. But for sure, it’s been pushed very hard through the system. I think the number one issue is for everyone to find more downforce and try to eliminate some of the anomalies that we might see with the current car,” he added.

“So this package is mainly intended for more downforce. So this is a first step in the pipeline. We have another one that will be bigger and that will be the basis for next year. So we will do more on this year’s car. We’ve been working on this one [for Spa] since day one. The other one is an extension, using a little bit more time to go further.”

‘2025 development direction’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/07/alpine-next-f1-upgrades-will-shape-2025-development-direction/


Gasly admits Alpine made the ‘right choice’ to overhaul the 2023 design
Gasly has stated that Alpine are not in "Formula 1 to be satisfied with sixth"
August 12, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly has praised the French team for operating at a ‘better level’ in 2024 despite sitting eighth in the Constructors’ Championship. As reported by Motorsport.com, Gasly said: “I think it’s performance-related. Last year the team felt that it got to the end of the development with their car concept.”

“As we missed our targets, they’re like, ‘do we want to go for another year where we know we’ll probably be stuck to where we are?’ And they said, we want more than that, so, we’ll try something else.” However, Gasly still feels the team is heading in the right direction and claims 2025 will see “something good coming out of it.”

“Unfortunately, it didn’t pay out with the directions that you know they took with the car concept we have this year, but nonetheless, I still think the way the team’s operating is at a better level than when I arrived,“ Gasly said. “So, it’s a matter of bringing that performance onto the car, which is obviously not easy, but I know we’ve got good directions already for next season, which will put us in a better place and with the sort and processes and the people and what they’ve built and kept working, I can feel that there’ll be something good coming out of it.”

‘Right choice’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/gasly-admits-alpine-made-the-right-choice-to-overhaul-the-2023-design/?nowprocket=1


Mekies: Alpine dropping engine programme ‘bad news’ for F1
5 Aug 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

RB boss Laurent Mekies expressed his displeasure with Alpine’s plans to withdraw as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer, stating that it’s “bad news” for the series. “I think it’s always a bad news when you lose an OEM,” he said.

“And of course, from what Bruno is saying, the OEM will stay as a team, but obviously, one of the big targets of these new regulations in 2026 was to attract more OEMs.”

This means in 2026 there will only be five OEMs as opposed to the original six (Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, Audi and Red Bull) and Mekies believes this to be a negative development for the sport.

‘Bad news for F1’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/05/mekies-alpine-dropping-engine-programme-bad-news-for-f1/


Why Alpine should be the most popular team in F1
With Renault set to withdraw from F1 as a power unit manufacturer, rivals should be beating down the door at Enstone.
4 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

With new power unit regulations coming into force, there are significant benefits involved in simply having more engines on the grid. The simplest is a greater rate of data gathering, information that can be used to improve the power unit. With running in F1 so heavily restricted, a simple way to increase is via customer relationships.

Between its factory team, and two confirmed customers, Mercedes will have power units in six cars; three times the number of Honda and Audi, and two cars more than Ferrari and RBPT/Ford. It's a point not lost on those on charge at Brackley (where the Mercedes F1 team is based), and presumably Brixworth (where HPP is located) – nor its customers who also stand to gain.

‘Beating down the door at Enstone’;

https://speedcafe.com/why-alpine-should-be-the-most-popular-team-in-f1/


Angry Alpine F1 engine staff could strike?
AUGUST 5, 2024
GrandPrix.com

We did not see this coming, union representative Karine Dubreucq, who works at Viry, told L'Equipe. "This is a stab in the back - pure betrayal.

We have developed engines here that were good enough to become world champions many times, and now that's not possible anymore? she added. They didn't even wait for the test bench.

‘Stab in the back - pure betrayal’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/angry-alpine-f1-engine-staff-could-strike.html

[Fortitude]

Williams prepping tri-route upgrade to boost 2024 campaign.
Williams is gearing up for a significant update package as it looks to turn its fortunes around in the second half of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
09/08/2024
Phillip van Osten
Motorsport Week

In contrast to the outfit’s 2023 design, which excelled on specific track types, the FW46 has lacked performance across all circuits. To address this, Williams is focusing on three key areas: aerodynamics, suspension, and weight reduction, a significant weakness that has impacted the team’s results in the first part of the year.

"We have updates coming up this summer break - I hope in Zandvoort and I hope again in Baku or the race after Baku which is Singapore," Vowles said in Spa. "What I can tell you is there are substantive numbers that should add up to us being back in a position of fighting for points.”

"It's achieved through a number of things. It's aerodynamic updates, you're going to see a suspension update, and you're going to see weight coming off the car. So it's fundamentally three core routes wherever we're doing this.”

‘Tri-route upgrade’;

https://f1i.com/news/516132-williams-prepping-tri-route-upgrade-to-boost-2024-campaign.html


F1 News: Williams switched focus to 2025 car months ago
August 8, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Early focus on next year’s car. F1 is often an exercise in balance and compromise, with teams working on a combination of short and long-term goals. With the budget cap, teams are under additional pressure to prioritise and decide how their resources will be allocated. For James Vowles, however, it is clear the factory in Grove must divert its energy to the future.

Despite still working on a few updates for the remainder of this year, the focus at Williams is now unequivocally on next year and beyond: “We’re also investing in 25, so our car in the wind tunnel is not the 2024 car,” motorsport.com quotes him as saying. It’s been the 2025 one for quite a few months. The reason why we’re doing this is not because I believe in 2025.”

“But I want to get the 2026 car in the tunnel as soon as possible, but still have a sensible 2025 season. Everything we’re doing is basically forward borrowing against getting everything as quickly as possible into 2026. With the additional resources, we now have team members focused on ’24, ’25 ’26, and a little bit of ’27 as well at the same time.”

‘Switched focus to 2025 car’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/08/f1-news-williams-switched-focus-to-2025-car-months-ago/


Williams want to be ahead of the curve: 'Working on the 2026 and 2027 car'
5 August 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

The current Williams car is not where James Vowles also wants it to be, it is something the British team principal has acknowledged. "I think there was more we could have achieved if the car was on the weight limit. We're still overweight today, but there are updates coming. We have updates coming after the summer break. I hope in Zandvoort, and then I hope again in Baku or the race after Baku, something that brought up, which I think is Singapore. In our worlds now, in the world of Formula 1, they're big steps," he explained to GPblog among others, although he also underlined these are just plans at the moment.

"What I can tell you is there's substantive numbers that should add up to us being back in a position of fighting for points and it's achieved for a number of things. It's aerodynamic updates, you're going to see a suspension update, and you're going to see weight coming off the car. So it's fundamentally three core roots whereby we're doing this we're also investing in '25," Vowles added.

"Our car is not a '24 car in the wind tunnel, it's been '25 for quite a few months and that won't surprise you." He continued: "I want to get the '26 car in the tunnel as soon as possible, but have a sense of the '25 season. That fundamentally what we are doing, everything we are doing is basically forward borrowing against getting everything as quickly as possible into '26. Within our team, we've separated the team out now with the additional resource. We have team members focused on '24, '25, '26 and a little bit on '27 as well at the same time. And that's a change for Williams," Vowles declared.

'24, '25, '26 and a little bit on '27’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293648/vowles-plans-williams-ahead-of-the-curve-development.html


'A little strange': Claire Williams shares why she finds Drive to Survive appearances ‘tough’
9 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

In a hugely significant moment for the sport, the Williams family left Formula 1 following the 2020 Italian Grand Prix. While the iconic team still bears their name, Dorilton Capital are now in charge. Claire Williams saw this as a necessary sacrifice to secure the team’s future. She was in charge on a day-to-day basis, even though she was technically deputy team principal under her father Frank.

They lost ground in the next couple of years but remained in the top five until a dismal 2018 season. Following the departure of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa, they scored just nine points across two campaigns. With James Vowles now in charge, Williams remain a long way from their ultimate objectives. But the overall health of the operation looks far greater.

‘Necessary sacrifice’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/claire-williams-shares-why-she-finds-drive-to-survive-appearances-tough/


Formula 1 2024 Summer Break Report: Williams
12 Aug 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Vowles summed it up well at Spa-Francorchamps when he told select media including Motorsport Week that “I think we’re in a situation where there’s no doubt about it we’ve underperformed in this first part of the season.

“We’re in a situation where I think we’ve gone well with the chassis technology and what we’re doing here. You can’t unlearn what you’ve done. You can’t change what you’ve done. The car’s a lot lighter than it has been.”

“But we have to recognise as well that the competition is fierce this year and that with just a few points to our name, that’s not a good reflection of where we would like to be. As strange as this sounds, I’m not worried about it. I’m not worried about it because I’ve said from the beginning, I said last year as well, everything we are doing is investing in ‘26 and beyond.”

‘Summer Break Report’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/12/formula-1-2024-summer-break-report-williams/


Williams using McLaren’s progress as an ‘aspiration’ in F1 revival
5 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

But while McLaren spent its wilderness period in amongst the midfield, the Grove-based squad has tended to be positioned towards the rear during recent campaigns. Nevertheless, Vowles, who has hired close to 250 people at Williams since last term, has acknowledged McLaren’s unprecedented revival has shown what is possible.

“I think my view of the world is this. Our journey is different to McLaren in many regards, but has similarities to what you’re pointing out,” he told Motorsport Week. “McLaren was about five to eight years for turning it around and I’ve said it here many, many times. What we have is probably a bigger problem than McLaren in many regards.”

“But you already have a complete template for what a team took to get itself back into winning ways. So in that regard, yes. And with British, with heritage, all those regards, absolutely yes. But it’s a different set of problems to what we have there. I have the joy of having Pat [Fry, Chief Technical Officer], who’s been at both, who can absolutely share what’s there.”

‘Hired close to 250 people at Williams’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/05/williams-using-mclarens-progress-as-an-aspiration-in-f1-revival/


James Vowles spills the beans on Williams factory discussion with F1 approach challenged
11 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Williams team principal James Vowles remains committed to an F1 2026 focus being the right way, with this long-term thinking even questioned at the Williams base. Vowles revealed that even back at Williams’ Grove base, he was recently questioned on whether sacrificing present performance is really the right way to go about it. His stance was not moved.

“It’s simply because I’m investing in 2026. I’ve got to do the transformation. To do a transformation means that I’m asking individuals to compromise. That’s okay. I’m completely comfortable with it.”

“Even in the factory the other week, there was a question over ‘are we really happy spending this amount of time working on the future, to have to compromise now?’ And I’ll say the same to you, I am 100 per cent sure it is right, because I don’t want to be 7th, 8th or 9th.”

‘Sacrificing present performance’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-vowles-williams-factory-f1-2026-focus-approach-challenged

[Fortitude]

Audi: Binotto and Wheatley combination “a decisive step” for F1 project.
Audi CEO Gernot Dollner says that the addition future team principal Jonathan Wheatley to the company’s Formula 1 outfit alongside recently announced COO and CTO Mattia Binotto is “a decisive step” ahead of the marque’s entry in 2026.
AUGUST 1, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

The German manufacturer has now clarified how the twin leadership roles will be split, with both men reporting to Gollner, who is chairman of Sauber Motorsport AG. Audi says that Binotto “takes over the operative management of Sauber Motorsport AG at the site in Hinwil and the technical development of the future racing cars.

“In this role he is the overall technical interface between the development teams in Hinwil and Audi Formula Racing GmbH at the Audi site in Neuburg an der Donau, which is responsible for development of the power unit.”

“With the appointment of Jonathan and Mattia we have taken a decisive step towards our entry into F1. I am convinced that with the two of them, we have been able to combine an extremely high level of competence for Audi. Their experience and their ability will help us to get a foothold quickly in the tough competitive world of F1.”

“Decisive step”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/08/01/audi-binotto-and-wheatley-combination-a-decisive-step-for-f1-project/


HALF TERM REPORT: Kick Sauber – As the wait for points continues, can changes at the top help the team to move forwards?
12 August 2024
Staff Writer: Anna Francis
Formula One - Official Site

The first half of 2024 did not go the way that Kick Sauber would have hoped, with the squad still holding the unfortunate statistic of being the only team yet to score a point. Can small signs of progress on the track – and leadership changes made off it ahead of Audi’s takeover – translate into more performance going forwards? Here’s their half term report…

‘HALF TERM REPORT’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/half-term-report-kick-sauber-as-the-wait-for-points-continues-can-changes-at.1AAIrjbyULHHDQ0iWLxvHW


Is Binotto to Audi a good choice? 'It won't be easy for him'
12 August 2024
Corwin Kunst
GPblog.com

"I believe Mattia is a good choice. I worked with him for a long time at Ferrari and before that we were friends, so I know him quite well. He understands the business language and knows how to set up the right structure and create the right processes. I don't want to say it's easy for him, because nothing is easy in Formula 1. But at least he knows how to go about it," Steiner explains his position at SRF.

Yet there was also criticism of Mattia Binotto, who eventually left after a long tenure at Ferrari. During his time as team boss of the Italian team, things also went wrong, including the strategy and the lack of further development of the cars. Steiner does not really care about that and also points to the fact that Binotto was always the technical man first, and only later moved on to the role of team boss.

"We all make mistakes and when he was given the position of team boss, he had to learn the first few years the painful way. And you learn from mistakes you don't repeat. He needs to focus on what comes in 2026. He needs to build a structure so that Audi in 2026 is not in the same situation as Sauber is in now."

‘Binotto to Audi’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/294438/guenther-steiner-believes-binotto-is-good-choice-of-audi.html


Binotto will speed up the improvement of Audi's F1 project, claims Bravi
10 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Kick Sauber Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi insists that the vast experience of former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto will speed up the build-up process of Audi's F1 project. As part of the management shake-up, Audi announced ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix that Andreas Seidl will leave its F1 project. Departing from McLaren, the German started in his role for Audi in January last year.

"In order to reach this goal, there has been also a new leadership team that has been put in place with Mattia Binotto, that has been appointed as a CTO and COO, reporting directly to the Audi AG CEO, Gernot Döllner. So I think that this is a very important, again, proof of the commitment of Audi into the F1 project. Mattia has a proven track record.”

“He has a vast experience, more than 25 years in Formula 1, having led important project, first as an engine a leader of the engine department at Ferrari, then of course overviewing the technical department until his appointment as a team principal in 2019. So I think that is an important decision that give again the sign of the Audi commitment and that should help the team to bring our team up to the F1 speed in terms of decision process, in terms of leadership, and I think it is an important and good move for all our team.”

‘Speed up the improvement’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25112


Bottas did not immediately expect Binotto's arrival: 'Went pretty fast'
10 August 2024
Corwin Kunst
GPblog.com

Indeed, Bottas speaks to GPblog and others of "sudden" news coverage. "Quite sudden news. I believe everything happened pretty quickly, but obviously those high-level decisions, we as drivers and many of the team members don't know really what's going on behind the scenes. But yeah, quite unexpected, but obviously welcoming Mattia to the team. And at the same time, I want to thank Mr Seidl and Mr Hoffman for their contribution to the team.."

Now that Binotto has taken the helm, operational matters are undoubtedly going to change. "It's a bit of a reset again," Bottas acknowledges. " It's not a secret that when there's a new leadership, it will always take a bit of time, first of all. Mattia needs to know what are the weaknesses, what are the strengths, what are the priorities for short- and long-term improvements, and that's going to take a bit of time."

‘Reset again’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/294193/bottas-on-other-plans-audi-and-binotto-arrival.html


Audi explains how Binotto and Wheatley will act together at its F1 team
3 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley will together head the new management team at Sauber Motorsport AG, Audi has now confirmed as the German manufacturer explaines its new management structure. The Ingolstadt-headquartered manufacturer claims that "they will jointly take responsibility for the success of the racing team. There is a clear division of duties, and responsibilities have been individually defined."

As COO and CTO, Mattia Binotto takes over the operative management of Sauber Motorsport AG at the site in Hinwil and the technical development of the future racing cars. In this role he is the overall technical interface between the development teams in Hinwil and Audi Formula Racing GmbH at the Audi site in Neuburg an der Donau, which is responsible for development of the power unit.

By July 2025 at the latest – Jonathan Wheatley will complete Audi’s new management team for Formula 1 in the role of Team Principal and management spokesperson. He will focus above all on the racing performance of the future F1 factory team, on operational management of all race events, and on representing Audi at Team-Principal level in matters relating to Formula 1.

New management team’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25196


Audi questioned for signing Binotto: 'He has more to prove'
3 August 2024
Sophia Crothall
GPblog.com

Audi have made a string of decisions in recent weeks, as they prepare to enter the Formula 1 grid in 2026. Most recently, the team announced the signing of Jonathan Wheatley as the team principal. Before that though, they confirmed the appointment of Mattia Binotto. Former racing driver Johnny Herbert has criticised the German team for this decision.

Has Audi made the right choice signing Binotto? Herbert has therefore questioned this decision: “I was pretty surprised that Andreas [Seidl] had been pushed aside with regard to the speed and development of Audi ahead of 2026. His reputation was high. But there has obviously been a shift in emphasis at Audi," he said on the website Topoffshoresportsbrooks.com.

Binotto held the role of team principal at Ferrari between 2019 and 2022. During this time, Ferrari lost out on Constructors titles to both Mercedes and Red Bull. For this reason, Herbert has wondered why he was appointed at Audi: “Binotto did not quite achieve enough at Ferrari so he has more to prove than Andreas did. I am not sure it is the right thing," he concluded.

‘Surprised’

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293312/herbert-criticises-audi-for-binotto-signing.html

[Fortitude]

Red Bull chief praises unique Verstappen: 'Nobody drives like him'.
Pierre Waché, technical director at Red Bull Racing, says that this unique characteristic of Verstappen also makes for unique - and very welcome - feedback.
12 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Max Verstappen's overcapacity in a Formula 1 car is a hotly debated topic. Thus, the Dutchman regularly notices things during racing, for example on the big screens along the track. Verstappen previously received high praise from Waché. The technical director compared the three-time world champion to sports legends such as Roger Federer and Michael Jordan, pointing out that the Red Bull driver can do things 'that no one else can'.

Waché stressed that because of his unique driving style, Verstappen can also provide the team with unique feedback. "It gives him the capacity first to free some brain capacity to drive at the same time and analyse what he needs and what he wants," Red Bull's technical chief explained to Crash.net.

"His feedback is very interesting, because he operates the car at the limit, how nobody else is using it," the 49-year-old Frenchman added. That is not to say, by the way, that only Verstappen's feedback is important, he stresses. "The feedback from both drivers is very important to how we develop and how we improve."

‘Max Verstappen's overcapacity’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/294561/red-bull-chief-praises-verstappen-for-unique-feedback.html


What Red Bull discovered about the RB20’s issues this season during private Max Verstappen test
12 August 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

For the third season in succession, Red Bull Racing enter the summer break in the lead of both championships. Max Verstappen is on course to win his fourth straight Drivers’ Championship unless he suffers from a real disaster, however, the team standings are looking slightly more precarious.

A report from the Italian outlet Formu1a.uno has shared more information about the lengths Red Bull are going to as they try to fix these problems. Verstappen has demanded perfection from Red Bull and has been working behind the scenes to try and help the team make significant steps forward. That’s included taking part in a behind-closed-doors test at Imola driving the RB18 – Red Bull’s 2022 car – and comparing the results to this year’s vehicle.

Red Bull have potentially identified three reasons why their upgrades aren’t working this season with Verstappen having to drive at his limit to try and win races. It’s left Sergio Perez in a precarious position as he simply can’t extract the same amount of pace out of the RB20 as his teammate. The report from Formu1a.uno talks about a private test Verstappen took part in at Imola in the RB18.

‘Private Max Verstappen test’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-red-bull-discovered-about-the-rb20s-issues-this-season-during-private-max-verstappen-test/


Red Bull: Refining RB20 to suit Perez will mean quicker car overall
13 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The team's focus is now on developing the car in a way that suits both Perez and Verstappen, which they believe will lead to a faster car overall according to technical director Pierre Waché.

“What we want is the quickest car, but in a way that can be used by the drivers, that is the main aim,” explained the Frenchman. “If we make the car quicker in a way that Checo can use it, that means that both drivers will be able to extract the maximum out of it.”

“Even if both drivers have different needs or preferences, the requirements for the car are still very similar,” he added. “Fundamentally it’s the same. For sure there can be differences in driving styles, but we will not use the development of the car for that. We will use the set-up of the car.”

‘Refining RB20 to suit Perez’;

https://f1i.com/news/516309-red-bull-refining-rb20-for-perez-will-mean-quicker-car-overall.html


Red Bull reveals correlation issues with their RB20 while Horner puts the blame on the outdated wind tunnel
13 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Expanding on the team's current struggles, technical director Pierre Waché echoed Horner's words, explaining that some performance issues are linked to the team's old wind tunnel.

“Some aspects related to the fact that we are not achieving the performance we had assumed are related to the correlation,” Wache noted. “We are using a rather old wind tunnel and as a result of our last placements in the championship we have fewer hours available than our opponents.”

Wache insisted that the team was not taken aback by the improved form of its rivals, claiming that the stable regulation was always going to lead to a convergence in performance across the field. “For the third year in a row, the regulation has remained identical and therefore the margins for improvement are reduced. We expected the growth of rivals since 2023, but now it has materialized.”

‘Blame on the outdated wind tunnel’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25225


Patient Verstappen stresses ‘loyalty’ as Red Bull prepares for 2026
13 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Max Verstappen has once again underscored the importance of "loyalty" to Red Bull when discussing his Formula 1 future, particularly with the significant rule changes looming in 2026.

“I would have to say that in some places the cars might be a little bit slower in terms of lap times, but I would also have to say that when new rules come in it’s always difficult to predict whether the impact will be positive or negative,” he told Formula.hu.

“Personally, I prefer to take a middle position and say let’s wait and see what happens. I was the same way with the current rules, watching: is this going to be good, is this going to be bad? Fortunately for me, it worked out very well as the team became competitive, but with the new rules you really never know.”

‘Importance of "loyalty" to Red Bull’;

https://f1i.com/news/516290-patient-verstappen-stresses-loyalty-as-red-bull-prepares-for-2026.html


Verstappen sick of judgement: 'I just care a lot'
13 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Max Verstappen has always expressed his feelings over the radio, but recently the Dutchman has been heard getting frustrated more often than usual. Verstappen points out that frustration is simply part of top-level sport, but that in Formula 1 - unlike other sports - everything is broadcast publicly, meaning drivers are cirticised for what they say.

Even after the Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen was again confronted with his own radio messages towards race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. "Of course, things get broadcasted as well, right? I mean, if everything will be broadcasted in other sports, you might hear a lot of stuff," he stressed in conversation with F1TV.

The world championship leader continued: "I just care a lot. I want to always get the best out of myself, get the best out of the team. And yes, of course, that brings frustrations. I mean, I think it's normal to be frustrated when things are not going how you would like it to be. And, then after the race, you analyse everything and you move on."

‘I just care a lot';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/294553/verstappen-on-board-radio-frustrations-in-f1.html


Horner with emotional story about Mateschitz: 'He's still heard that'
6 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing are currently working hard to develop their first engine, a collaboration between Red Bull Powertrains and Ford. Christian Horner reveals an emotional detail about the new line of Formula 1 power units being produced in Milton Keynes. It has everything to do with Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who passed away in 2022.

Red Bull are facing a big change. Honda are leaving as their engine partner and will team up with Aston Martin from 2026 onwards. Red Bull Powertrains will produce their own powerplant for the first time in its 20-year history, joining forces with US manufacturer Ford.

At the Red Bull Campus in Milton Keynes, Horner talks about the first internal combustion engine Red Bull Powertrains ever made. "The fire-up of this V6 was in August 2022. Dietrich Mateschitz was able to hear this first ever Red Bull engine just before he passed away. After his death, we decided to label all our engines as DM, so Dietrich will always be at the heart of Red Bull cars," the 50-year-old Briton told Autosport.com and others.”

‘DM engines: Dietrich Mateschitz will always be at the heart of Red Bull cars’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293774/horner-emotional-about-mateschitz-f1-engine-red-bull-ford.html

[Fortitude]

McLaren is heading towards an inevitable F1 fallout.
McLaren has a blockbuster F1 driver line-up in its stable - but the Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri partnership could be heading towards disaster.
14 August 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have both become grand prix winners this season as they pursue the Woking-based squad’s first title since 2008. But as they spearhead McLaren’s journey back to winning ways, there is the ever-present danger of the situation boiling over.

McLaren is currently riding a strong wave of form and is enjoying the journey it is on as it fashions itself into a contender. But soon that journey of recovery must end and it will declare itself a consistent front-runner against the veteran winning set-ups of Red Bull and Mercedes.

When it does, can Norris and Piastri be trusted to race with their heads rather than their hearts? Both drivers are locked in place at McLaren for the next handful of years and the team can pat itself on the back for managing to form such a formidable line-up. However, successfully navigating any intra-team rivalry that now seems likely to appear would be an even greater achievement.

‘Boiling over’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-is-heading-towards-an-inevitable-f1-fallout


Why Norris's toughest F1 rival isn't Verstappen
Aug 14, 2024
Edd Straw
The Race

Piastri’s victory at the Hungaroring and stronger race than Norris’s in the Belgian Grand Prix prior to the break means talk of the Australian being on top has been prevalent. It’s premature to argue this constitutes a decisive swing in his favour, but it’s illustrative of a pair of drivers grappling to cement themselves as the focal point.

The advantage of experience will gradually fade. You can therefore look to Piastri’s peaks as an effective measure and there have been times where his edge over Norris has been hidden, for example by the grid penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen at Imola or the timing of the safety car in Miami having run second.

Secondly, there's the question of whether there’s a trend in Piastri's favour. You could argue there’s a gentle one, although it's inconclusive. He outperformed Norris in Hungary, outraced him at Spa and at times was the faster McLaren driver in the damp conditions at Silverstone before the team's decision not to double-stack at the first round of pitstops cost him a shot at victory.

‘Norris's toughest F1 rival’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lando-norris-oscar-piastri-f1-toughest-rival-mclaren/


Piastri highlights ‘exceptional’ support behind F1 success
Oscar Piastri has described McLaren’s senior leadership as “exceptional” while offering insight into the key players in his F1 success.
13 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Team principal Andrea Stella has been credited with much of that turnaround. The Italian took over from Andreas Seidl in December 2022 and quickly restructured the technical team; the same staff who developed last year's season-starting MCL60 transformed it into a podium contender. In truth, the foundation for the current success pre-dates Stella's promotion though he has done wonders for its confidence during his time in charge.

Throughout those increasingly tense closing stages of the Hungarian GP, at no point did Stella interject with either driver. Instead, he empowered race engineers Will Joseph (Norris) and Tom Stallard (Piastri) to manage the situation with their drivers and deliver the best result for the broader team. “Andrea has been a pivotal part in McLaren's success, and my success in F1,” Piastri noted

“Firstly, I think his background in the sport helps a lot in terms of experience, in terms of race-winning experience, championship-winning experience. He knows what it's like, which helps, but I think more so than that, just the natural leadership that he has is remarkable. It's been very nice working with him as a team principal.”

“Exceptional”;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-highlights-exceptional-support-behind-f1-success/


Oscar Piastri reveals broken rib injury - which he won Hungarian GP with
Oscar Piastri was nursing a broken rib before the F1 summer shutdown, he has revealed.
12 Aug 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Oscar Piastri has revealed he was struggling with a fractured rib towards the end of the first half of the 2024 F1 season.

First part of the season done.
First GP victory.
First broken bone.
Rib’s enjoying the break �� pic.twitter.com/xee5myxNTP
— Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) August 11, 2024

Given the timing of the X-ray, it suggests the 23-year-old Australian was still in some discomfort when he claimed his maiden F1 victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which took place two weeks later. Piastri has enjoyed a strong start to the 2024 season and currently sits fourth in the drivers’ championship heading into the second half of the campaign.

‘Rib’s enjoying the break’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1053349/1/oscar-piastri-reveals-broken-rib-injury-which-he-won-hungarian-gp


Piastri delivers McLaren 'momentum' boost
Oscar Piastri has secured four podiums in the 14 completed F1 rounds this season.
12 August 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri believes he is gaining "momentum" and has overcome areas he struggled with last season, highlighting his improvement in F1. The McLaren driver sits fourth in the drivers' championship and became a race winner in Hungary, where he overtook Lando Norris into the first corner in a pivotal move.

"I think definitely the last few races have been very strong from my side," Piastri told media including RacingNews365. "I think the whole season's been pretty good. A couple of weekends in the middle of the year were a bit tricky. Japan and China mainly were pretty tough and obviously Barcelona, but I feel like all the other races have been quite strong.”

"Just we've had a lot of things that haven't been going our way in some ways. Whether it's interesting track limit penalties or crashes or mistakes, there's always been just things and I feel like the last few races I have been able to tidy it up."

'Momentum';

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-delivers-mclaren-momentum-boost


Why McLaren Rushed Stella's Contract Extension
AUGUST 14, 2024
GrandPrix.com

McLaren has announced that Team Principal Andrea Stella has also signed a multi-year extension of his contract, the team making sure the Italian, who has had a huge impact in the performance of the squad, is not going to go anywhere any time soon.

“With multi-year extensions already agreed with Lando, Oscar, and now Andrea, we can confidently continue on our quest to become World Champions.” As we’ve pointed out on a number of occasions, things have changed a lot in the way teams are run in the last decade or so.

‘Rushed Stella's Contract Extension’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/why-mclaren-rushed-stellas-contract-extension.html


McLaren set to ‘cash in’ on development gains in back half of 2024
13/08/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes his team is ready to “cash in” on the development work accrued during the first half of the 2024 Formula 1 season. However, Stella remains cautious about how this will influence the rest of the season.

“In terms of the ATR, I’m not sure,” commented the Italian. “Effectively Red Bull have taken trackside more developments so far, in terms of physical parts delivered when you look at the submission, than what we have done.”

“But definitely, I can talk for McLaren, we seem to now be in condition to cash in some of this development that we have accrued, and I would expect that for the second part of the season we will have at multiple times some new parts.”

‘Cash in’;

https://f1i.com/news/516295-mclaren-set-to-cash-in-on-development-gains-in-back-half-of-2024.html

[Fortitude]

Leclerc says SF24 ‘bouncing’ masking car's genuine progress.
While the array of tweaks delivered undeniable aerodynamic improvements, it also significantly amplified what was up to then only a mild bouncing issue suffered by Ferrari’s drivers, mainly in high-speed corners.
13/08/2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

"From Spain onwards, I think this was more the turning point where we brought something on the car, which the numbers, as I've always said, were there," Leclerc told Motorsport.com. However, the Monegasque went on to detail the downside to the changes.

"It induced quite a lot of bouncing that we've been struggling with. And on my side, specifically, I went very aggressive in the last four races with set-up, especially, trying to find solutions for that. I've always been [aiming] to go for the last hundredths, and I think this is the approach that pays off whenever things are as they should be.”

"Whenever you have a car, that is bouncing, by example, you cannot go too close to the limit because the car is doing more unpredictable things, and you've got to keep more margin.

‘Bouncing’;

https://f1i.com/news/516282-leclerc-says-sf24-bouncing-masking-cars-genuine-progress.html


Leclerc: Frustrating issue has hidden Ferrari’s true progress
The Scuderia have struggled to compete for race victories since Leclerc's home race win in Monaco
August 13, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Hidden potential in SF-24: Leclerc says that the bouncing issues has hidden the true performance of the SF-24. The Monegasque firmly believes progress has been made on the aerodynamic side of the car. The Ferrari driver spoke to Motorsport.com to explain:

“From Spain onwards, I think this was more the turning point where we brought something on the car, which the numbers, as I’ve always said, were there.”

Bouncing has caused unpredictability: Both Leclerc and Sainz feel they can’t push the SF-24 to the maximum due to the bouncing. The unpredicatability has caused more room for error, as seen with Leclerc during practice around the Hungaroring.

‘Scuderia have struggled’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/leclerc-frustrating-issue-has-hidden-ferraris-true-progress/?nowprocket=1


Charles Leclerc told he’s been dealing with a ‘serious handicap’ at Ferrari this season
11 August 2024
Ben Evans
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has been left frustrated this season despite sitting 3rd in the Drivers’ Championship. Leclerc’s has had some bad luck, suffering from a technical issue in Canada before being hit going into the opening corner in Austria. Writing in his column for Formule1.nl, former F1 driver Tim Coronel has been assessing Leclerc’s season.

Coronel also believes that Leclerc’s lack of a race engineer he can rely on is proving to be a ‘serious handicap’. It’s been said that Leclerc’s relationship with new engineer Bryan Bozzi isn’t working after he replaced Xavi Marcos earlier in the campaign. Ferrari will want to deal with the problem sooner rather than later but getting the car right and fully understanding their upgrade packages is arguably even more important.

Reflecting on Leclerc’s season so far, Coronel said: “He won the Monaco GP, his home race, but mainly because you can’t overtake anywhere there. But that’s where it will end. The car isn’t working, but there’s more going on at Ferrari. He lacks an engineer he can rely on, which is a serious handicap. With Leclerc, you can just see that he doesn’t have the tools to get it all done. It’s actually quite simple: in Formula 1 too, the chain breaks at the weakest link. He himself is certainly not the weakest link and he’s upset about the situation which is logical.”

‘Serious handicap’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/charles-leclerc-told-hes-been-dealing-with-a-serious-handicap-at-ferrari-this-season/


Ferrari "pushing like hell" to cure bouncing after summer break
30 Jul 2024
Michael Delaney
Motorsport.com

The Italian outfit introduced a significant upgrade last June at the Spanish Grand Prix, a package that included among other adjustments changes to the SF24’s floor body and floor edge.

Charles Leclerc: "Whenever you have a car, that is bouncing, by example, you cannot go too close to the limit because the car is doing more unpredictable things, and you've got to keep more margin. Which is something that I know I'm a bit... yes, it's not my approach, and so always, I'm going to pay a little bit more of the price whenever these things happen.”

"However, I don't think that this was the main issue in the last few races. It was more about putting the car in very extreme places in order to get something out of it and to understand and that was the main reason of the lack of performance of the last few races.”

‘Cure bouncing after summer break’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-pushing-like-hell-to-cure-bouncing-after-summer-break/10640434/


Revealed: The data that could have Lewis Hamilton regretting his Ferrari move
6 Aug 2024
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

The F1 world exploded on February 1 with the announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. A move that the British driver had already flirted with on several occasions without hiding his desire to race for the Italian team, but always finally renewing his contracts with Mercedes – until now.

With a worrying start to the year for Mercedes and Hamilton critical of the car and the team, it seemed that his decision had been an extremely wise one. As if Lewis was able to predict the future. But all that has changed since this season’s Canadian GP where Mercedes has finally found the right development path after always being a step behind with these regulations due to erratic behaviour from their last cars.

By now, Hamilton should be having some doubts about his decision and perhaps even regretting leaving his “family” to explore a new challenge with Ferrari. But, more worryingly for Lewis, Ferrari has stagnated since Monaco. After introducing the Imola upgrade package that was expected to be decisive in the Italian team’s Championship winning hopes, Ferrari has scored just two podium finishes, and with external events playing in their favour, not on their own merits.

‘Regretting his Ferrari move…’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/lewis-hamilton-ferrari-regret-f1-data-analysis


'Don't need': Peter Windsor explains why Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is a ‘crazy decision’
12 August 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Peter Windsor brands Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari move ‘crazy’: Ferrari is on the verge of potentially mounting a title challenge now that the field has converged for the first time in the current regulation set.

Many of the teams are set to switch their main focus to their 2026 cars, although there is still room for the Scuderia to improve their chances with their current car for 2025. But instead of Hamilton, Windsor believes the team should have employed another high-profile individual in F1 who was also on the market this year.

“Lewis to Ferrari, for me, is a crazy decision because they have a good team anyway,” said Windsor. “They don’t need Lewis Hamilton to take them to the next level, they have everything there. What they needed was Adrian Newey but they haven’t got that.”

‘Crazy decision’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/peter-windsor-explains-why-lewis-hamiltons-move-to-ferrari-is-a-crazy-decision/


Report: The key Ferrari figure who personally vetoed the signing of Adrian Newey
7 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari won’t be signing Adrian Newey following his resignation from Red Bull. The much-anticipated combination of a legendary designer and an iconic team hasn’t materialised. Before this year, Newey had already come close to joining Ferrari three times. It seemed as if their fourth approach would finally be successful.

They wouldn’t have to worry about prising him away from Red Bull this time, because he was free to join another team in early 2025. Team principal Fred Vasseur held talks with Newey after he resigned, and negotiations reached an advanced stage. Why Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur rejected Adrian Newey. Autosprint claim that Ferrari initially planned to sign Newey at all costs. But that proved to be solely a figure of speech.

The 65-year-old wanted a say in the team’s recruitment, assignment of roles and technical partnerships. When he learned of these demands, Vasseur ‘got in the way’ of the move. The ‘economic aspect’ was never an issue, which suggests that Ferrari could have paid a similar salary to Aston. The bigger problems were ‘political’. ‘Vasseur said no’ to the signing, and while Enzo Ferrari’s son Piero was personally involved in the negotiations, the team principal’s word held sway. He still has to fill a hole in his technical department following the departure of Enrico Cardile, who’s also joined Aston Martin.

‘A figure of speech’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/the-key-ferrari-figure-who-personally-vetoed-the-signing-of-adrian-newey/

[Fortitude]

Wolff predicts ‘new era’ for Mercedes once F1 ‘icon’ Hamilton leaves.
“A new era will start for Mercedes. I don’t know yet, who will be the next era’s important drivers, and I also can’t tell, whether we will as successful as we hope to be.”
11 Aug 2024
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Mercedes’ CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff has said that he is hopeful of further success for his team once star driver Lewis Hamilton departs for Ferrari. Wolff also alluded to the post-Hamilton era being a fresh start for the team…

‘New era’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/11/wolff-predicts-new-era-for-mercedes-once-f1-icon-hamilton-leaves/


Russell: Mercedes now ‘building up’ towards 2025 title bid
14/08/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Russell remains optimistic about the team’s prospects, and insists the second half of Mercedes’ 2024 campaign will be all about building momentum for a title push next year. “Yeah, absolutely,” he told the media in Belgium last time out.

“I think for all of us, it’s been a difficult couple of years getting the car into a place where we can consistently fight for victories. But, you know, I’m so motivated, so excited for the second half of the season, which is ultimately building up towards 2025. And when you look at the competition now, you know, there’s no reason why we can’t fight.”

‘Building up’;

https://f1i.com/news/516314-russell-mercedes-now-building-up-towards-2025-title-bid.html


Russell ‘motivated’ to target F1 title push with Mercedes in 2025
9 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

George Russell has expressed that Mercedes’ recent turnaround has provided him with added “motivation” to target a maiden title push in the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Russell, who is poised to become team leader as Hamilton moves to Ferrari, has admitted the remaining rounds will be pivotal to setting up a possible title tilt in 2025.

“There’s so much, I think there’s so much motivation from all the other teams to get back to the front, from McLaren, from Ferrari, from ourselves. So for sure, it’s not going to be easy. And, you know, hopefully we see a good fight on our hands into next year.”

‘F1 title push’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/09/russell-motivated-to-target-f1-title-push-with-mercedes-in-2025/


Russell "absolutely" sure Mercedes can win titles in 2025
15 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Asked about Mercedes' prospects for the next season, Russell suggested that the current championship is about putting the building blocks in place to go for a consistent title run in 2025. "Absolutely. I think for all of us, It's been a difficult couple of years getting the car into a place where we can consistently fight for victories.”

“But, you know, I'm so motivated, so excited for the second half of the season, which is ultimately building up towards 2025. And when you look at the competition now, you know, there's no reason why we can't fight. And if the season started in Montreal, the championship standings would be looking very, very different.”

"So, you know, it's going to be great. There's so much, I think there's so much motivation from all the other teams to get back to the front, from McLaren, from Ferrari, from ourselves. So for sure, it's not going to be easy. And, you know, hopefully we see a good fight on our hands into next year," concluded Russell.

‘Mercedes can win titles’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25178


2025 a good season for Antonelli's F1 debut says Wolff
JULY 29, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Toto Wolff is now freely admitting that Kimi Antonelli is his "first option" to replace the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton from 2025. Wolff told RTBF at Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday: “But you never know. We have a youngster who is arriving and who is very strong.”

“Other drivers would sign a one or two-year contract, but that's not enough for us”, Wolff insisted. "So I'm happy to take a risk with Antonelli, because it's a calculated risk. If you look at the progress of (Oscar) Piastri, it took him a year and a half to compete for victory at the level of Lando Norris.”

“We want to try to do the same with Kimi. In 2025, with the changes in 2026, we'll be in transition anyway”, the Austrian added. "So it's a good season to bring him into our team.”

‘2025 a good season’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/2025-a-good-season-for-antonellis-f1-debut-says-wolff.html


Wolff had to change approach: 'Team in danger of complete collapse'
14 August 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

In 2022, the German team were no longer contenders, and only won a single race at Interlagos that season. Their car also struggled a lot with bouncing, especially over the course of that season. He added that, as a result, it was a difficult year. "Then came 2022 and the 'incredible emotions', when I was thinking 'we can't be so far behind, we will soon get back on our feet'. Then came the realisation that it wasn't going to happen quickly."

The Austrian CEO and team principal of Mercedes also explained how he himself had to change as a person, because of his new approach. "The whole team was in danger of collapsing under pressure. I changed that. I became more pragmatic, analysed things more deeply and gave people a chance instead of being too brutal and direct. I also understood that impatience does not make the car faster."

'Team in danger of complete collapse';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/294622/how-did-mercedes-struggle-effect-toto-wolff-i-had-to-change-that.html


'Signs kept coming': Toto Wolff pinpoints moment that made ‘picture clearer’ for Mercedes after 2023 winless season
12 August 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Toto Wolff identifies moment that made ‘picture clear’ for Mercedes: Mercedes has struggled mainly with the correlation between the wind tunnel and the track, which has affected the confidence of both Hamilton and Russell behind the wheel. However, Wolff believes there was a eureka moment for the team that finally put them on the right path and enabled them to unlock the potential of the W15.

“Our aim over the winter had been to solve the underlying issues that hampered the W14. We managed that but found new problems,” said Wolff. “This also made the picture clearer. We had ticked many boxes of things we thought had caused our issues. There was not a lot left over, therefore. As we progressed, we realised what we were doing wrong.”

“When we got to Europe, those signs kept coming. We saw a real correlation between the virtual world, the tunnel, the simulator and the track. It was a sense of relief but also motivating. We knew what performance we had to bring to the track. The factory worked incredibly hard to bring this as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

'Signs kept coming… … eureka moment';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/toto-wolff-pinpoints-moment-that-made-picture-clearer-for-mercedes-after-2023-winless-season/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin faces ‘challenge’ to split resources between 2025 and ’26 F1 car.
Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows has admitted his team and its competitors face a challenge balancing efforts on 2025 and ’26 Formula 1 car development.
10/08/24
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

To balance that against making sure next year’s machines are as good as can be, Fallow was asked if an extra push was being made this year on development to start 2025 on the right note. “Yeah, I think we’ll see that,” Fallows told media including Motorsport Week.

“But I’m sure lots of teams will do the same thing, but we’re absolutely focused on trying to make sure we can get AMR25 into the best shape as possible early on. It’s going to be a challenge for everybody but trying to split your resources, particularly next year when we can do work on both is going to be a big challenge.”

“How much effort you put into the ’25 car, how much you divert resource to that. The last thing you want to do with engineers is to give them two problems at the same time because they start forgetting which car they’re working on and things like that.”

‘Challenge’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/10/aston-martin-faces-challenge-to-split-resources-between-2025-and-26-f1-car/


'We know': Mike Krack responds to claims Aston Martin ‘lost’ with latest F1 car updates
4/8/24
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Mike Krack believes Aston Martin is not ‘lost’ with car upgrades. Aston Martin brought a raft of upgrades to their car at the Hungarian Grand Prix which included a new front wing, halo, floor body and edges, diffuser and rear beam wing. Krack believes the upgrades provided the team with the performance they were looking for, and countered recent reports suggesting that it was “lost” while bringing more parts to their car.

“The updates that we fitted in Hungary are working. It’s not just a case of this making the car faster for the rest of this season, it’s also having the knowledge that we understand our platform and know how to develop it,” said Krack.

“A journalist who, perhaps, hadn’t been looking at the context, asked me if we were still lost. I replied that lost implies you don’t know where you are, don’t know what to do. We know the updates are working, so we we’re not lost. Had the updates not worked, then, we’d have been lost, because that would imply we didn’t understand our car very well.”

‘Not ‘lost’ with upgrades’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mike-krack-responds-to-claims-aston-martin-lost-with-latest-f1-car-updates/


How Aston Martin has applied some corrective surgery to its 2024 F1 car
A major upgrade from Aston Martin aims to cure recent troubles
20 Jul 2024
Matt Somerfield Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

Aston Martin arrived at Formula 1's Hungarian Grand Prix with a substantial update that it hopes will cure some handling quirks that have hurt its form recently. A previous upgrade that made its debut at Imola delivered more downforce, but also made the car nervous on the edge, which was not ideal for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

New to Aston Martin, but similar to solutions we have seen elsewhere, such as on the Ferrari SF-24, is a new horseshoe-style outcropping vane on the side of the AMR24's halo, which is being used to help redirect some of the errant airflow in that region.

‘Corrective surgery’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how-aston-martin-has-applied-some-corrective-surgery-to-its-2024-f1-car/10636462/


‘Not able to do it’: Fernando Alonso provides worrying claim about Aston Martin’s chances after the F1 summer break
15/8/24
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

It’s safe to say that Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll would have expected more from Aston Martin at this stage of the 2024 Formula 1 season. In an interview with Marca, Alonso has shared his fears that the same issues may be reoccurring this year. Lawrence Stroll has plans to invest huge sums of money into Aston Martin to try and help them break into the top four of the championship.

Fernando Alonso has low expectations for Aston Martin’s 2024 campaign. Aston Martin still sit 5th in the Constructors’ Championship although the gap to the top four teams is much larger than last year. They’re currently being threatened by the likes of RB and Haas during races although they still have double the number of points of their nearest rivals.

Speaking about the progress Aston Martin could make this year, Alonso admitted: “We are not going to give up, but we need to work. I’m a driver. I would love to design the car, but I’m not able to do it.” Alonso was then asked if further major updates were coming this season and added: “I don’t think so, I don’t think there’s a lot planned, it’s more up to us to understand the weak points of the car, the parts where we need to improve. “Mind you, I think all that work will be done by 2025, I don’t expect any big leaps in 2024.”

‘Worrying claim’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fernando-alonso-provides-worrying-claim-about-aston-martins-chances-after-the-f1-summer-break/


‘Spoiled’ Formula 1 driver told he needs to have more fun if he’s going to ‘really shine’
15 August 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll’s 2024 Formula 1 campaign has gone slightly under the radar. The Canadian driver has more than 150 Grand Prix under his belt and aside from a pole position in 2020 and a handful of podiums, hasn’t ever set the sport alight. As part of his review of every driver during the summer break, former F1 driver Tim Coronel was writing for Fomule1.nl about the 25-year-old. Coronel was complimentary about Stroll but admitted that he wants to see him have more fun on the track and in the paddock.

Lance Stroll told he could ‘really shine’ this season if he has more fun. Reflecting on Stroll’s start to the season, Coronel said: “He shows at times that he is there. Because of his father, he drives at Aston Martin, we all know that, but I’ll never forget his pole in the rain in Turkey 2020. “So, you can do something then! That can’t be a lucky shot, because you leave a lot of top drivers behind you at that moment. And don’t forget, he has been F3 champion before.”

“I am convinced that if he knows how to hit that sweet spot in himself, he could still go on to really shine. But that is up to him. I think the guy really likes racing, but not all the fuss around it. As a professional racing driver, you have more pluses than minuses, but if you can’t swallow those minuses, I don’t think you should get those pluses. With him, I do have that spoilt rich boy feeling. While once again he is really good and certainly not a pancake.”

‘Really shine’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/spoiled-formula-1-driver-told-he-needs-to-have-more-fun-if-hes-going-to-really-shine/


Is this luring Newey to Aston Martin? 'More important than the financials'
14 August 2024
Matt Gretton
Editor-in-Chief
GPblog.com

The next career move for Adrian Newey remains a mystery. Retirement has been questioned, but the general consensus among key people in F1 is that he'll want to move to another Formula 1 team. The designer announced his departure from Red Bull Racing in May, and speculation has been rife since. Ted Kravitz wonders whether Aston Martin's current Technical Director is helping lure him in.

What will attract Newey to an F1 team? "The financial recompenses is important in terms of your value to a team. I think it's more important for the people he is working with, the environment he is working under and where he is working. Maybe a move to Italy is too much of a stretch at his age," Kravitz said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast. Kravitz went on to highlight Lawrence Stroll's investment over recent years. The team has opened a brand new factory at its Silverstone base and will get its own wind tunnel. The pundit suggests these factors will lure in Newey as well as working with a former friend from Red Bull.

"He already has Dan Fallows who he worked with successfully at Red Bull Racing. I would imagine he spoke to Fallows about the place, what's it like. I asked Fallows about this in Hungary, asking if he would be happy to bring him back. He said 'Adrian is a relentless, unstoppable F1 competitor. I would be amazed if he didn't join another team. I would welcome working with him again at Aston Martin'," Kravitz added.

‘Luring Newey to Aston Martin’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/294648/newey-to-aston-martin-could-be-helped-with-dan-fallows-link.html


Ted Kravitz delivers fresh Adrian Newey to Aston Martin update amid ‘$100million’ deal claim
14 Aug 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After a spate of big announcements as F1 wound down for the summer break, the biggest is yet to come with Ted Kravitz revealing Adrian Newey to Aston Martin could be announced as soon as the end of the summer holiday. Kravitz says Aston Martin’s technical director and former Red Bull man Dan Fallows told him he’d “certainly welcome working” with Newey if that happens.

“I think it’s more the environment that Newey… obviously the financial recompenses is important in terms of your value to a team, and if you win World Championships then you’re going to add that value back to the team,” Kravitz said. “And, yeah, I think it’s a judgment call, isn’t it for Newey where he wants to feel happy ending up at and the current leader, if we’re to believe the rumours, is Aston Martin, but it could be any of those teams.”

‘Adrian Newey to Aston Martin…’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-aston-martin-update-100-million-deal-claim

[Fortitude]

Mekies reveals creative 'freedom' in RB project.
RB team principal Laurent Mekies says the "beauty" of the project at the Faenza squad is the "freedom" it enjoys and has duly taken.
16 August 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

RB's rebrand at the start of the current season marked a new dawn for the former AlphaTauri/Toro Rosso operation. Part of signalling the end of that chapter in its history, and being reborn as its own operation, with its own agency was the hiring of Mekies as team principal and Peter Bayer as CEO.

"The beauty of this project is that we have a large level of freedom, so we decided to take that freedom," the Frenchman explains. "We are doing a lot. We get a few things right, we get a lot of things wrong. We are changing a lot, we have to keep challenging ourselves. We are trying to take it [the RB project] to the right place, we are trying to do it fast.”

"Sometimes we fall, sometimes we get it wrong, but, for sure, it's a fast-responding, simple and lean environment, which is also what creates the extraordinary spirit we have in the team right now. We need to make sure we don't lose the focus about the mid-term, even though there will always be the pressure of immediate results.”

‘Creative freedom';

https://racingnews365.com/mekies-reveals-creative-freedom-in-rb-project


Laurent Mekies expects tough battle in the midfield until Abu Dhabi
30 Jul 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

“From day one, our aim has been to race as credible competitors at the top of the mid-field and this summer break is a logical time to look at where we stand. We enjoyed a very strong first half of the season in which we built up our performance race after race, scoring points at 10 out of 14 races. Ferrari's former racing director insists that his outfit will fight to maintain the sixth position it currently occupies in the teams' standings.

"We are fighting hard for that P6 in the Constructors’, against very strong competitors, and it’s going to be a tough battle all the way to Abu Dhabi. Our groups in Faenza and in Bicester are getting stronger every day, and we look forward to the next battles. We now have a few days’ work either side of the summer break, before tackling the last 10 races in several time zones, all of them back-to-backs or triple-headers.”

“We actually won’t have a standalone race now until Miami at the start of May next year! Proof that Formula 1 is enjoying huge worldwide popularity, and we are happy to be part of it. It is certainly a tough schedule, particularly for the mechanics, so the pause is well deserved after everyone has worked so hard to get our new Visa Cash App RB reality off to a really positive start.”

‘Tough battle in the midfield’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25167


Mekies recalls 'painful' reminder in search for 'massive' RB improvement
RB currently sit sixth in the F1 standings after 14 rounds but is facing a tall task to catch those further ahead in the pecking order.
12 August 2024
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Speaking exclusively to RacingNews365, Mekies detailed fundamental advancements to the car must be made before it is ready to make further steps. “Let me put it this way - what can be improved? There is no hiding the fact that what's underneath still needs to be massively improved.”

“So well done to the guys for the spirits, for the energy, for the collaborations for nailing the race weekends, for making baby steps with the car in the right direction to give us the points. Do we have enough ground underneath [us] to go and fight where we are currently fighting or better? Probably not. So we need to build that. The last few races were a good reminder.”

“Everybody is going to come back. Haas is not really fast, Sauber is not very fast. Williams will come no doubt because they are probably on a similar journey to ours. They are probably in their second year, we are in the first year but it’s a similar type of journey. So therefore what needs to be massively improved is that and we need to make sure that we keep the focus on that midterm [goal] as much as you have the pressure of the races.”

‘Fundamental advancements to the car’;

https://racingnews365.com/mekies-recalls-painful-reminder-in-search-for-massive-rb-improvement


[B]RB doing 'best possible job' to boost Ricciardo form
Daniel Ricciardo was out-performed by Yuki Tsunoda in the majority of the 14 completed rounds this season.
10 August 2024
Nick Golding & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Ricciardo is under pressure to improve his performances in the remaining 10 races of the season, with reserve driver Liam Lawson eager for a promotion. Lawson has been waiting patiently for a full-time seat and was excellent as Ricciardo's replacement for several races in 2023, following the experienced driver's crash in Zandvoort which broke his hand.

The reserve driver is often spotted in the RB garage and on the pit wall with Mekies, who is continuing to include the New Zealander in the loop as much as possible. "We are very conscious he is a super talented young driver," noted Mekies. "He has demonstrated it quite a few times in his career, notably last year when he had to jump in the car last-second to replace Daniel.”

"So we all want to give Liam a chance because we have seen that potential there and you don't want to leave it out there, we are trying to involve him in as much team activity as we can." The young star is very much a driver Mekies does not want to lose, and has stressed he is a definite option for next season. "Of course, we are all looking to find solutions to how to put him in the car,” Mekies added. “He is going to be part of the equations on what we do next.”

‘Under pressure’;

https://racingnews365.com/rb-doing-best-possible-job-to-boost-ricciardo-form


Ricciardo pinpoints RB’s biggest weakness with 2024 F1 car
1 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Daniel Ricciardo has pinpointed high-speed cornering as the main weakness upon which RB can improve with its 2024 Formula 1 car going into the remaining rounds. RB has taken a step backwards relative to the competition since introducing a sizeable upgrade package in Spain that didn’t produce the results the team anticipated.

But while the Faenza-based camp was in more competitive shape last weekend, Ricciardo is adamant that the side’s VCARB 01 car is still losing out in the high speed. “I still feel like our strengths are in a little bit more the lower speed stuff and our weaknesses are a bit more in the real quick stuff,” he explained.

“So yeah, probably same characteristics. Just now load and yeah, load is our friend. So maybe I put on some weight over the break and that’ll help!”

‘RB can improve’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/01/ricciardo-pinpoints-rbs-biggest-weakness-with-2024-f1-car/

[Fortitude]

Haas boss hits out at previous era ‘excuse’ mentality in ‘never working properly’ verdict.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu saw “excuses” handicapping the team before his time in the role, meaning it “never” functioned properly.
16 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Ayao Komatsu said that Gene Haas had become “frustrated” over the years due to an “excuse” being put forward for poor performance on multiple occasions. “The reason [Gene] got frustrated over the years, for some there is an excuse like COVID [in 2020], but last year, there was no excuse,” Komatsu told RacingNews365.

“There was always some excuse like: ‘Okay, this year we are not developing because we are just preparing for next year. For 2023, there is no excuse and then what happened in 2023 is because we didn’t fundamentally address the issues of 2019.”

“That is people being in denial, pointing the finger at certain things.” And that, Komatsu explains, meant: “We were never working properly as a team, that was totally clear.”

‘Previous era ‘excuse’ mentality’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-boss-previous-era-excuses-team-never-working-properly


Komatsu: Haas used to make “excuses” for poor development
August 16, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Ayao Komatsu implements big changes at Haas. When Komatsu was appointed in January, he was adamant there was more potential for Haas to unlock. He argued that inefficiency and poor coordination were the team’s main limitations. The 48-year-old made clear that increased funding would not provide instant solutions.

This assessment, whilst unpopular at the time, has proven extremely accurate in the months since. Not only did Haas address their excessive tyre degradation in testing (after Komatsu implemented an aggressive run plan focusing on race simulations), but the team’s mid-season updates have unlocked significant performance.

Prior to this season, Haas were a team who habitually fell behind in the development race. Considering that big teams like Ferrari and Aston Martin have struggled, Komatsu’s personnel deserve huge credit for making steady progress.

‘Big changes at Haas’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/16/komatsu-haas-used-to-make-excuses-for-poor-development/


‘It wasn’t the case last year’ – Komatsu on ‘the key’ reason he feels Haas are thriving under his leadership
16 Aug 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Since Ayao Komatsu’s promotion, Haas have progressed significantly compared to last season, taking two remarkable P6 finishes with Nico Hulkenberg in Austria and Britain and achieving 27 points so far.

Their effective upgrade packages have been crucial in enabling them to keep pace with their opponents, but Komatsu has also identified the importance of teamwork in helping Haas to improve.

“27 points is great – it’s more than double what we ever had last year,” Komatsu said. “But more than that, I think it’s very encouraging seeing how we are working together as a team. That wasn’t the case up until the end of last year, so for me that’s the biggest positive and for sure, that’s a good sign that we are going in the right direction.”

‘The key’;

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


Haas boss reveals extent of past dysfunction at team
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu spoke exclusively to RacingNews365!
15 August 2024
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Ayao Komatsu has revealed the scale of what he labelled as "excuses" for poor performances from the Haas F1 team. Komatsu replaced Guenther Steiner ahead of the 2024 season, with owner Gene Haas growing frustrated at a lack of results delivered under Steiner's stewardship.

In the four seasons between 2020-2023, Haas finished last in the constructors' twice and endured tricky relationships with drivers such as Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, who was ultimately replaced by fellow German Nico Hulkenberg for '23 to partner Kevin Magnussen.

Haas struggled with tyre wear throughout the 2023 season, and was unable to get on top of the issue, with a big upgrade package at the United States GP also failing to deliver the expected boost. Under Steiner, Komatsu was trackside engineering director, and whilst he felt there were some mitigating circumstances at times, the Japanese felt too many excuses had been made.

‘Past dysfunction’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-boss-reveals-extent-of-past-dysfunction-at-team


Magnussen refuses to be drawn on 'bad luck' theory
Kevin Magnussen has explained the reasons behind his difficult F1 campaign, but does not believe it can be reduced down to "bad luck", arguing it is "not useful" to think of it that way.
16 August 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Earlier in the year, Magnussen said that is has been his worst start to a season he has experienced. However, when asked what specifically has not been clicking during the current campaign.

"We've made just too many mistakes," he told select media including RacingNews365. "I think there's been a lot more potential. When you run into traffic so often in qualifying and it keeps repeating itself, mentally it just gets tiring.”

"Many of those times, I can honestly say, if I could turn back time and done it again, of course, you would have done different, but at the time, you would have gone out and said it's bad luck. It's like, you can't say that. This is my opinion, you can't. That's not useful, to say: 'Oh, I was unlucky', because there's always something you could have done better."

‘Refuses to be drawn’;

https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-refuses-to-be-drawn-on-bad-luck-theory


Magnussen addresses next chapter as F1 options shrink
Kevin Magnussen feels that knowing next year will be different is "exciting" following the news he will not race for Haas in 2025.
14 August 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Kevin Magnussen has admitted the prospect of being in a "new situation" next year is "exciting" to him, as he gets ready to embark on his final 10 grand prix with Haas. With only realistic seats still available at Alpine and Stake, neither of which he is seriously considered to be in the running for, the one-time podium finisher's F1 options are looking thin.

However, despite wishing for more clarity on what his immediate future has in store, Magnussen does feel a level of excitement in knowing that next year will offer something new. "I'm getting to a point where it would be nice to know, that certainty is always nice," he told select media including RacingNews365 when discussing his next career move.

"But at the same time, there's also something kind of exciting about knowing that next year will be different. I'm going to be in a new situation, there's something exciting about that. It completely depends on what that other opportunity would be," he explains when asked if he would choose F1 over the chance to win in other series. "F1 is the big pinnacle of motorsport, and everyone tends to hang on as long as they can. I would like to try and race, but I'm only 31 years old - it's not like I'm stressing."

‘Final 10 grand prix with Haas’;

https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-excited-to-take-on-something-different

[Fortitude]

Alpine: F1’s financial rules prompting switch to customer team strategy.
Outgoing Alpine Team Principal Bruno Famin has said that Formula 1’s financial rules have driven the French marque from ditching its engine production in favour of becoming a customer team.
3 Aug 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Speaking on F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast, Famin explained that the financial incentive of becoming a customer team instead of an OEM is the main driver behind the change. “It’s a fact that the business model, to call it like that, is a bit weird,” he said.

“We know with the Concorde Agreement, the system of the prize fund, which is benefiting the teams only, and in the other hand the FIA has financial regulations and the sporting regulations which makes it mandatory for the PU manufacturer to sell, at a capped price, power units to teams who would like to have it.”

“When you see the [research and development] costs in developing a PU compared to buying a PU, there is a huge difference,” he said. “That huge difference is not compensated by any prize fund because all the prize fund goes to the team. Then we are not talking about performance, we are talking about a huge difference in money.”

‘Financial incentive of becoming a customer team’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/03/alpine-f1s-financial-rules-prompting-switch-to-customer-team-strategy/


Historic Formula 1 team shutting down engine facility
After a historic run as an engine manufacturer in Formula 1, Renault will be shutting down their engine facility in the near future.
Aug 16, 2024
Siddharth Bharani-Dharan
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

Renault have been manufacturing engines in Formula 1 since 1977, but their run will end at the end of the 2025 season, as Alpine plan to switch to Mercedes engines for the 2026 season and beyond.

A portion of Renault’s staff are still in a panic, despite the guarantee of new jobs, and some seem to be taking time off to assess their current status. The approach is understandable, considering the fact that the company’s long-standing presence in Formula 1 is suddenly set to come to a halt.

‘Shutting down engine facility’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/posts/historic-formula-1-team-renault-alpine-shutting-down-engine-facility-01j59txmd4fw


Outgoing Alpine boss namechecks two huge potential partners as F1 customer status beckons
16 Aug 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

When asked if this was the first step towards selling the team, Bruno Famin firmly denied this was the case. “There is a bit of potential in developing the integration, but it’s quite theoretical at the end of the story, because now all the PU manufacturers are working very closely, very early in the project with the teams, and all the integration are incredibly optimised,” he said.

“And if we take a Ferrari or Mercedes engine, I’m quite convinced that all the integration, all the packaging will be already very, very good. Then to answer the question [of selling], no, the Formula 1 project remains a key project for the Alpine brand. It’s thanks to Formula 1 that we want to develop the brand awareness globally.”

‘Ferrari or Mercedes’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-potential-f1-engine-partners-customer-status


Briatore: Alpine driver line-up ‘makes no difference’ for 2025
16 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore says the French outfit is not putting much emphasis on its driver line-up for 2025, insisting its priorities reside with strengthening the team’s foundation.

“It’s a new challenge, it’s a new motivation – I’m very happy to come back,” commented the 74-year-old. “Now you know we have a new team principal [Oliver Oakes]. Basically, it’s Luca and myself, and Oliver as the team principal. And we’re working like that.”

Briatore revealed that he is on a two-year mission to turn around Alpine’s fortunes. Alpine – I promise you - give me two years. In two years’ time we see the podium,” he added. “In 2027, we have a podium”.

‘Alpine driver line-up’;

https://f1i.com/news/516417-briatore-alpine-driver-line-up-makes-no-difference-for-2025.html


Alpine’s driver choice “makes no difference” for 2025 – Briatore
16th August 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“At the moment you need to put the team together, from the commercial side, the technical side, the management side,” he told Formula For Success. “The driver makes no difference now. The difference will be in [2026, ’27, ’28], this should be the difference for the driver.”

“If you have a good car, you need a good driver,” he added. “If the car is not performing… our point in this moment, make sure we put all the energy in the technical side and make sure the car of Alpine is looking better and better and improving for next year. In 2026, I believe, we see the new Alpine.”

‘Put all the energy in the technical side’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/16/racefans-round-up-16-08-7/


HALF TERM REPORT: Alpine – Another topsy-turvy year, but are the building blocks to stability finally in place?
14 August 2024
Duty Editor: Alasdair Hooper
Formula One - Official Site

Where do you begin to summarize Alpine’s 2024? After so many managerial changes last year, stability was supposed to be the first port of call for the Enstone outfit this season. What has transpired has been anything but, with more departures – including another Team Principal change – as well as disappointing on-track performances.

In our Alpine team preview ahead of the season we identified stability had to be their one key goal for 2024, following the exits of CEO Laurent Rossi, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer, Sporting Director Alan Permane and Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry last year.

However, the high-profile departures have continued. Technical leads Matt Harman and Dirk de Beer left following the disappointing Bahrain opener, while championship-winning engineer Bob Bell – who had been in an advisory role with Alpine – joined Aston Martin in March.

‘Building blocks to stability…’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/half-term-report-alpine-another-topsy-turvy-year-but-are-the-building-blocks.7FsZqrXqx7HhMTzPlQ5B4R


Alpine plans "quite big" upgrade forming basis of 2025 car
Alpine is working on a further step for its A524 Formula 1 car to help lift it further up the grid
14 Aug 2024
Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

David Sanchez said that after he had joined, the team had deliberately worked on a parallel programme to introduce two stages of upgrades. “We've been working on this one since day one,” he said. “The other one is an extension, using a bit more time to go further.” Asked when the upgrade was coming, Sanchez said: “A few races after the break.”

“The number one problem is for everyone finding more downforce and trying to design out some anomalies which we may see with the current car,” he said. “This [latest update] package is intended primarily for more downforce, but also a little bit more top speed.”

“From an infrastructure point of view, the team was already well advanced with its plans,” he said. “But we looked together about whether we needed to prioritize a few items more than others. I think where we are now, the plan we have, if I look at '26 and beyond, we should be in a good position. Now it's more to get everything in the right direction with this car, the next one, and build more confidence in the team.”

‘Further step for its A524 Formula 1 car’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alpine-plans-quite-big-upgrade-forming-basis-of-2025-car/10644097/

[Fortitude]

'Williams have become worse with James Vowles: he is over-estimated'.
Marc Surer: "Why should they suddenly get so much better now? They have become worse this year, you must not forget that!"
Sophia Crothall
13 August 2024
GPblog.com

In 2023, Williams finished seventh in the Constructors, three places higher than 2022. This season, the team sit ninth in the Constructors, with just four points. Former racing driver Marc Surer blames Vowles for this due to the changes he has made to the car for the new season:

"I have often said that James Vowles is simply over-estimated. Jost Capito built a car with his people. James Vowles came to Williams, took the car, and they drove fully into the points. All the praises went to James Vowles, not the one who built the car. Now, the car is too heavy and too slow."

Williams have not won a drivers or constructors championship since 1997, when Jacques Villeneuve won. The team have also failed to win a race since 2012. With Vowles signing Sainz, who has race winning experience with Ferrari, he hopes to bring the team back to a higher level. However, Surer is not convinced this can happen right away: "I would doubt next year will be any better with Williams. Points yes, but getting involved in the front? I don't think so," he concluded.

“You must not forget that!";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/294506/surer-criticises-vowles-over-williams-performance.html


James Vowles blasted as ‘overrated’ team boss after ‘clear’ Williams ‘deterioration’
14 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Former F1 driver Marc Surer credited the 2023 improvement from Williams to former team boss Jost Capito, claiming James Vowles is “overrated” and has overseen a “deterioration” of the team. Reflecting on Sainz’s decision to join Williams, Surer told Formel1.de: “Why should they suddenly get so much better now? They have got worse this year, you mustn’t forget that!

“I’ve often said that James Vowles is simply overrated. Jost Capito built a car with his people. James Vowles came to Williams, took the car and they finished in the points. It looked really good, and all the praise [went] to James Vowles – but not to the man who built the car. Jost Capito was gone. And now that he is building his own car this year, the car is too heavy and too slow, and the updates are too slow. I think they have clearly deteriorated at Williams.”

Surer did offer some hope for Williams in this gloomy analysis, claiming “maybe they’ll learn from that now and things will be a bit better next year”, however, with the focus on the 2026 car, he believes scoring more points will be the reality for Williams, not a surge closer to the front of the grid.

“Clearly deteriorated at Williams”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/marc-surer-james-vowles-overrated-williams-deterioration


'Weird': Peter Windsor highlights Carlos Sainz’s ‘mistake’ with Williams contract
8 August 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Peter Windsor outlines why Carlos Sainz made a mistake with Williams. Even if the contract does contain this clause, Windsor believes Sainz made a critical mistake when stipulating the terms in his multi-year deal with the Grove outfit from 2025.

“Carlos has signed this weird contract where the minute there is availability at Red Bull or Mercedes, he can walk away from the Williams contract. That also brings with it a slightly weird relationship between the driver and team in terms of confidentiality and information, working closely together,” said Windsor.

“Personally, I think Carlos has made a mistake. If he has not included Ferrari in that, I think he’s made a big mistake because if it doesn’t go brilliantly for Lewis or Charles has an issue with Lewis, Ferrari will have a seat as early as 2027.”

‘Mistake with Williams’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/peter-windsor-highlights-carlos-sainzs-mistake-with-williams-contract/


Sainz being left without a top drive in F1 2025 is ‘tragic’ – Marko
9 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has admitted that Carlos Sainz not receiving a seat with a top Formula 1 side in 2025 is “tragic” amid his impending move to Williams. “It is understandable that Carlos Sainz decided to go to Williams, because what would the alternatives be?” Marko wrote in his Speedweek column.

“Audi will certainly not be one of them next year, if you look at their successes. And at Alpine, we don’t know whether they will get the Mercedes engine in 2025 or not until 2026. I would say that was the best solution for him in his situation.”

The Austrian is optimistic that the Grove-based squad will be in line to make strides down the line once all-new technical regulations are introduced in 2026. “It is of course tragic that he is having his best season at Ferrari and is not getting a seat in a top team,” he continued. “But things should be moving forward at Williams, he has a strong engine there too.”

‘Tragic’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/09/sainz-being-left-without-a-top-drive-in-f1-2025-is-tragic-marko/


Marko: Sainz being left without top seat in F1 is ‘tragic’
9 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sainz settled on Williams after turning down offers from Alpine and Audi-Sauber. Marko reckons the three-time Grand Prix winner made the right decision in choosing the Grove squad, given his limited options. Intriguingly, Marko has suggested that Sainz's contract with Williams might contain an escape clause that would allow him to leave for a top team should the opportunity arise.

However, Williams team principal James Vowles has dismissed these claims as speculation, insisting that Sainz is fully committed to the team. “There are precisely 10 people in the world that know what the interior in the contract holds,” Vowles told the media, quoted by RacingNews365. “The Carlos camp knows, and I know what’s inside it. Anything you have read on the internet is speculation and that is it.”

‘Escape clause!’;

https://f1i.com/news/516117-marko-sainz-being-left-without-top-seat-in-f1-is-tragic.html


Sainz presents Williams with "daunting" new challenge - Robson
Carlos Sainz's signing will add much-needed drive to Williams in 2025, says senior engineer Dave Robson
Aug 17, 2024
Jake Boxall-Legge Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Robson feels that the addition of Sainz is reminiscent of his earlier years at Williams, in which the team had both Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas battling for points and podia on a regular basis. Noting that he expects Sainz to be exacting in his demands of the team, Robson said: "I think there's a couple of things that are going to be a little bit daunting for us as an engineering team.”

"There's no doubt that it is great news for us and a real signal of intent and will definitely make things better. I don't really know [Sainz] as an individual, but I do know he has a reputation for really driving everybody very hard to get everything out of the car.”

"So he's going to be demanding, I'm sure, which we need, but at the same time I know from my early time at Williams, when we had Felipe and Valtteri, or before that at McLaren, when you've got two drivers who are pushing each other and fighting for the serious points-paying positions, then it becomes much more difficult.”

‘Add much-needed drive’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sat-sainz-presents-williams-with-daunting-new-challenge-robson/10644912/

[Fortitude]

Bottas drops potential hint regarding Sauber 2025 F1 renewal.
Previous Audi F1 CEO was believed to be against renewing the Finn’s deal in favour of a failed bid to lure Carlos Sainz into the Sauber transformation to Audi in 2026.
15 Aug 2024
Motorsport Week

A post on Bottas X account (formerly Twitter), may just have dropped a hint that the Finn is staying in Switzerland after all. Teasing a brand partnership piece of content with Hyland, Bottas posted an image of an Audi R8 sportscar with the #77 emblazoned on the side.

A mere coincidence, or a sign that a multi-year extension with Sauber is on the horizon for Bottas to usher in the Audi project alongside Nico Hulkenberg in 2026?

Valtteri Bottas
@ValtteriBottas
Fun day in California More to come eventually about our secret mission with
@Hyland
#VB77
@stakef1team_ks

‘Sign that a multi-year extension’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/15/bottas-drops-potential-hint-regarding-sauber-2025-f1-renewal/


Bottas opens up on Sauber’s ‘not great’ 2024 F1 points drought
16 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Valtteri Bottas has asserted that Sauber is “motivated” to end its pointless run in the 2024 Formula 1 season, despite conceding that the team’s situation is “not great”.

Bottas, whose current contract expires once this season ends, has reiterated that Sauber’s impending evolution into Audi in 2026 has proven a hindrance to its results.

“I miss that sort of feeling I had with this team in the beginning, of course, because the sport is always more fun when you’re having better results,” Bottas said. “So, of course, you’ll miss the times when you have a good car, compared to the others.”

‘2024 F1 points drought’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/16/bottas-opens-up-on-saubers-not-great-2024-f1-points-drought/


Villeneuve: 'Luggage of cash’, not results, keeping Zhou in F1
16 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

As far as Villeneuve is concerned, Zhou, who does not hold a contract for 2025, does not merit a spot on the Formula 1 grid based on his current performances.

“Guanyu Zhou has a big luggage of cash in his sponsors that he needs to put somewhere, whether that’s as an F1 driver or a reserve driver,” Villeneuve told Instant Casino. “Based on the results, Zhou doesn’t deserve a seat in F1.”

However, Villeneuve believes that financial contributions should not outweigh performance. “If a team can get all that sponsorship money that Zhou brings with him, even as a reserve drive, then it’s a great result for them.”

'Luggage of cash’;

https://f1i.com/news/516431-villeneuve-luggage-of-cash-not-results-keeping-zhou-in-f1.html


Zhou lashes out at 'stupid, disrespectful' criticism
17 Aug 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Zhou faces an uncertain future once his current contract expires at the end of the current season, although he hopes to remain at Hinwil and views Villeneuve's criticism as unhelpful, misinformed and plain wrong. "There's a lot of stupid rumours from media," Zhou told RacingNews365 in an exclusive interview this week. "I heard some rumours in the past, and it's the first time I'm speaking to someone [about it].”

"People say [things] like, 'I don't know how much money I'm bringing' [or that I'm] speaking to one of the teams. Not here [at Sauber] - I'm not gonna mention which team, they just announced the driver departure. What I mean is that I barely spoke to them in that period, but [rumours] just come up with the amount of sponsor money I could bring to the table.”

“I wish I had that, maybe I can invest together in Sauber and make a benefit of it! I want to say it clear," he continued. "It's just a lot of rumours on that side, which is quite funny to see that, but in another way it's a bit disrespectful saying that."

‘Villeneuve's criticism as unhelpful’;

https://f1i.com/news/516496-zhou-lashes-out-at-stupid-disrespectful-criticism.html


Hulkenberg: Audi CEO call "shows respect" and commitment to F1
Hulkenberg will move to Sauber next year ahead of Audi's F1 entry in 2026
Ewan Gale
Aug 18, 2024
Motorsport.com

Nico Hulkenberg believes receiving a call from Audi CEO Gernot Doellner about management changes ahead of his move next season "shows respect"… Hulkenberg was contacted by Doellner himself, and asked how important that was to him to be informed of the changes, he said: "I don't know about important, but I think it's certainly nice. It shows respect and shows how serious he and the brand are about it and that they're not taking this lightly, that they paying attention. They do see what's happening, what's going on and that was good. Very good."

For Hulkenberg, the call to front a German manufacturer's bid in F1 marks a stunning career turnaround. He was dropped by Renault at the end of the 2020 season and would spend three years on the sidelines as reserve driver for Silverstone-based Racing Point, then Aston Martin.

It is clear that Hulkenberg has faced challenges throughout his F1 career and the Audi project will be no different. "It is a big challenge, no question about that," he said. "Going to what will be Audi, what will be a German manufacturer, German driver, a lot of attention, a lot of expectation - it's not going to be an easy one.”

‘Respect and commitment’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hulkenberg-audi-ceo-call-shows-respect-and-commitment-to-f1/10645000/


'Could help him a lot': ‘Important people’ are backing 129-point Formula 2 driver for 2025 Audi seat
16 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Nico Hulkenberg agreed to join in April, but at 36, he’s likely to be in the final years of his career. He arrives as a proven midfield performer rather than a long-term centrepiece. With Mattia Binotto now heading up the F1 project following the surprise dismissal of Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffman, Audi are assessing their options. Valtteri Bottas could keep his seat, a development few expected earlier in the year.

Gabriel Bortoleto in strong position to land 2025 Audi drive. Another driver linked with the vacancy is Gabriel Bortoleto. Binotto is interested in Bortoleto, whose tally of 129 points leaves him second in the F2 championship before the season resumes. The Brazilian is currently part of the McLaren driver academy. But with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the way, he has virtually no chance of securing a seat with the Woking outfit barring an unforeseen exit.

Why Audi are unlikely to hire Sebastian Vettel for 2025. Another shock name in the Audi conversation is Sebastian Vettel. There have been murmurings all year that the four-time title winner may be considering an F1 comeback after retiring in 2022. Vettel was linked with the Mercedes seat, but a team like Audi was always a more realistic destination. With the dependable Hulkenberg on board and little to fight for in 2025, they’re in a better position to take a gamble.

‘Audi are assessing their options’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/important-people-are-backing-129-point-formula-2-driver-for-2025-audi-seat/

[Fortitude]

Report: Adrian Newey has ‘gone into hiding’ amid latest Aston Martin claims.
Adrian Newey avoids public eye after reported agreement with Aston Martin.
16 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

There is considerable excitement in the press about the prospect of Newey working with Fernando Alonso. Stroll plans to invest £783m to make Aston Martin a title-winning team, and he’s already brought in ex-Mercedes engine mastermind Andy Cowell ahead of the transition to Honda power. Newey approved the signing of Enrico Cardile, the Ferrari technical director, and together they will form a mighty team in the aerodynamic department. Aston could soon be a force in F1 as a result of these hires.

But Newey himself has ‘little interest’ in all of the current chatter, according to F1-Insider. That’s why he’s ‘gone into hiding’ with his wife Amanda. Alongside manager Eddie Jordan, they’ve been deliberating the best course of action. Newey is only attending select races with Red Bull this year as his involvement in their F1 operation wanes.

With the 65-year-old intent on doubling his Red Bull earnings, Stroll was happy to pay up, and Aston Martin offered Newey a whopping £21m per season. That’s more than 15 Formula 1 driver salaries. In addition, Marc Priestley claims Newey would expect to bring up to 20 employees with him to his new team. Ferrari weren’t prepared to restructure their entire operation around him, and may hand the keys to their new technical director instead.

‘Gone into hiding’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/adrian-newey-has-gone-into-hiding-amid-latest-aston-martin-claims/


“Independent” info leaked about Adrian Newey which points to his next F1 team
"A bit of information which suggested there is something in the pipeline"
15 Aug 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Ex-F1 champ Hill said on the F1 Nation podcast about Aston Martin: “When you think about where certain people who design cars might go, that might be one of the places that could be on the list…”

Hill intriguingly added: “I have got no intel. Other than, someone who is nothing to do with friends of the Neweys, is completely independent of anything, came to me with a bit of information which suggested there is something in the pipeline, on that front.”

Robert Doornbos, a former Red Bull test and reserve driver who worked with Newey in 2006, has claimed that the genius car designer will go to Aston Martin. “Newey was Aston Martin's top priority, and the deal is now finalised,” Doornbos boldly insisted. “Set to earn $100 million over three years, twice his Red Bull salary, Newey will have major input in technical decisions.”

‘Something in the pipeline’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1053395/1/independent-info-leaked-about-adrian-newey-which-points-his-next-f1-team


Peter Windsor shares what he believes was a ‘massive influence’ on Adrian Newey’s future
19 August 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Peter Windsor identifies Lawrence Stroll’s ‘intelligent’ decision. Among the most recent signings by Aston Martin, one of those is former Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell. Cowell was credited for heading the engine programme that saw Mercedes produce one of the most successful hybrid engines in motorsport, having achieved title success in F1 from 2014 through to 2021 as a Constructor.

Windsor believes the formation of a Newey and Cowell dream team has been a key driving factor behind the 65-year-old’s decision to move to Aston Martin. “Lawrence Stroll has done a very intelligent thing by hiring Andy Cowell. That has probably had a massive influence on Adrian’s [Newey] decision as well, because that’s everybody’s worst nightmare,” said Windsor. “Andy Cowell is behind the success of the Mercedes powertrain and it’s impossible to buy that experience and talent. It’s the dream combination.”

‘Intelligent decision’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/peter-windsor-shares-what-he-believes-was-a-massive-influence-on-adrian-neweys-future/


Eddie Jordan provides ‘truthful’ Adrian Newey update amid Ferrari and Aston Martin rumours
17 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Amid reports that Adrian Newey is heading to Aston Martin after his Red Bull exit, his manager Eddie Jordan “truthfully” does not know the next step which Newey will take for F1 2025. “Adrian is a super, super talented person, not many more intellectual brains anywhere in the world and certainly in Formula 1. The guy is iconic.”

“And it’ll be his choice. He will decide, I presume, ‘Do I take some time out because I’ve been doing this every year since I was in university?’ I knew him first when he was in Leyton House and that was in the mid-’80s and that’s how we knew him.”

“I offered him a job and he took it, but his wife then gave me the cheque back. Hadn’t been signed, by the way! But truthfully, I have no idea and I just want to wish him well. Because wherever he goes it would be a massive boost for that team. That’s one thing I will say.”

“Truthfully”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/eddie-jordan-truthful-adrian-newey-update-ferrari-aston-martin-rumours


Red Bull chief Waché in awe of Newey: "I will never be like him"
15 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Red Bull chief Waché understands Newey. Waché says he learned a lot from Newey and therefore respects his colleague immensely. "He was more than an inspiration. He is a legend. He deserves all the credit for working hard, for living for his work and for always wanting to win," the 49-year-old Frenchman told Auto, Motor und Sport.

"What I learned from him is that despite all those titles and victories, he remained technically unbiased. At his age, being open to everything is a remarkable quality, because as you get older, you often become blind to certain things. That's how I feel sometimes," Waché continued.

However dedicated he is to his work for the Austrian Formula 1 team, Waché never sees himself reaching Newey's level. "I will never achieve what he did. I will never become like him because I could never develop the total passion as he has," concludes Red Bull's technical director.

‘In awe of Newey’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/294700/red-bull-chief-wache-understands-choice-newey.html


Max Verstappen potentially set for sensational Red Bull F1 exit
Verstappen could follow Adrian Newey’s footsteps by heading to Aston Martin
15 August 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen is negotiating his F1 future with Aston Martin as he’s poised for a dramatic Red Bull exit by following in Adrian Newey’s footsteps, according to reports from Italy.

“Lawrence Stroll has no intention of stopping at Newey,” reports Autosprint of Verstappen and a Red Bull exit. “[He] is now aiming for Max Verstappen, with whom negotiations are already underway aimed at 2026.

“If the world champion were to be convinced… he would find Newey again in Aston Martin, perhaps Fallows and above all Honda. “At that point the operation would closely resemble the takeover of the entire top management of the world champions Benetton, carried out in 1995 by Jean Todt, who brought everyone to Ferrari.”

“Lawrence Stroll has no intention of stopping at Newey”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max-verstappen-set-for-sensational-red-bull-f1-exit/


Red Bull reveal 'main difference' after Newey departure
Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché has delivered an update on how the team is operating since Adrian Newey's departure was confirmed.
17 August 2024
Gerd Jansen & Nick Golding
RacingNews365

He is undoudebtly a significant figure in the Red Bull camp, although his imminent departure has changed little, according to Waché. "Adrian's feedback and advice were of course hugely beneficial to us," Waché told Motorsport.com's Dutch site.

"As in any business and as in life, you have to look ahead, but I don't want to take anything away from what he has done for the team, nor from what he has meant for me personally. He has a huge amount of experience, is very smart and very successful. But we are where we are. Our day-to-day operations haven't really changed, except that nobody is looking over our shoulder anymore and saying, 'Have you thought about this or thought about that?' But fundamentally, it doesn't change anything about what we do."

As significant as Newey's departure is, Red Bull as a company has not changed and neither has the way the team works, as a method was already in place for life without the designer. "The organisation in itself has not changed because we were already organised in a way that we could work without his input," continued Waché. "That has happened in the past too, that he was less present at some times than at other times. The main difference is that his input is no longer there now, but the organisation in itself has not changed. We just have to do without his input."

'Main difference';

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-reveal-main-difference-after-newey-departure

[Fortitude]

Sargeant talks other F1 opportunities and ‘tricky’ 2024 season.
Logan Sargeant admits he has “no idea” what his future holds, but that talks with F1 teams will take place amid a tough season.
August 6, 2024
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds

As reported by PlanetF1, at the Belgian Grand Prix Sargeant told media that “conversations will be had” with other Formula 1 teams during the break. “Whether that means we have anything or not is a very different question,” he commented. “For sure, I’ll try and get a bit of direction — but whether that amounts to anything, I’m not sure.” He also added that whether or not he stays on the grid or not, a break is in order.

Sargeant is one of three drivers who haven’t scored any points so far in 2024, the American joining the Kick Sauber teammates at the bottom of the Driver Standings. But it’s important to note situations like the Australian Grand Prix earlier this year, where Albon crashed out of Free Practice and was given Sargeant’s car to compete in the race. There have also been times where Albon’s car has had upgrades that Sargeant’s haven’t, putting him on the back foot on multiple race weekends.

“I think the bit that’s been tough this year is just how many races we haven’t had the same opportunity,” Sargeant said, talking about his season. “That’s not always nice, to show up on a race weekend and know you’re on the back foot — especially when you’re against 19 of the other best drivers in the world.”

“Conversations will be had”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sargeant-talks-other-f1-opportunities-and-tricky-2024-season/?nowprocket=1


Williams boss hits out at Logan Sargeant ‘odd stories’ as F1 2024 status addressed
3 Aug 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

James Vowles, team principal of Williams, hit out against the ”odd stories” circulating in the press about the future of driver Logan Sargeant — but stopped short of confirming he’ll stick it out with the team for the rest of 2024.

In a media roundtable ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Vowles reiterated that Sargeant must “earn his place” on the team — but that the American driver has shown growth and progress.

Williams team principal sat down with several media members, including PlanetF1.com, for a roundtable interview prior to the Belgian Grand Prix. Understandably, one of the hottest topics on the table was the future of Logan Sargeant — particularly, if he’ll see out the rest of the season.

‘Williams boss hits out’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/williams-boss-hits-out-at-logan-sargeant-odd-stories-as-f1-2024-status-addressed


Vowles' "blunt truth" to Sargeant on if he will continue to race in 2024
6 August 2024
Editor: Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

During the Australian Grand Prix, Albon's car was damaged beyond repair for the rest of the Grand Prix weekend, and the American was forced to give up his car and let the Thai-British driver use it for qualifying and the race, almost sealing Sargeant's fate at Williams.

"I would say the blunt truth behind it, which I provided him is that he really did move forward at Silverstone and Budapest. But in Spa, we weren't there, and we have to understand together why. That's the blunt truth behind it. Many will take objection at this level of what I call brutal honesty on things. But I much rather that he is given every opportunity but knows where he has to improve rather than a decision gets made from one day to the next without any influence from his side," concluded Vowles.

"Blunt truth";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/293741/james-vowles-gives-no-definative-answer-to-logan-sargeant-on-his-f1-future.html


Logan Sargeant offers F1 future update as Williams door slams shut
5 Aug 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Speaking to assembled media before the Belgian Grand Prix, including PlanetF1.com, Logan Sargeant offered a brief glimpse of his future — but there wasn’t much to share. Sargeant chose to keep his mind on the near future. “But for the moment, it’s just, you know, carry on as we’re doing,” he said.

“I think one of the bits that’s tricky is because we still have these very small differences, I come to these weekends, and ultimately, the truth is that I have to draw a tenth [or] over a tenth quicker to be a thousandth quicker. So there’s still these little differences which make my life a little but more tricky.”

The stress of racing has weighed heavily on Sargeant’s shoulders, but he clarified that he wouldn’t feel “relieved” to be stepping back from Formula 1. “I think the bit that’s been tough this year is just how many races we haven’t had the same opportunity,” he said.

‘F1 future update’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-sargeant-offers-f1-future-update-as-williams-door-slams-shut


Logan Sargeant linked to IndyCar drive with Prema
July 31, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Logan Sargeant is expected to race in IndyCar after leaving Williams F1. The 2024 season has been filled with speculation for Logan Sargeant. The American driver’s Williams future was always in doubt heading into this year, and this uncertainty only heightened after James Vowles decided to withdraw him from the Australian GP.

Looking ahead to next year, a switch to IndyCar is seen as the logical next step for the American. Most of the 23-year-old’s career in Formula 1 has seen questions posed about his future. Even before his contract renewal in 2023, the common narrative was that Sargeant was on borrowed time.

Return to Prema on the cards. Although there are still two unconfirmed F1 seats for next year, Sargeant is not expected to secure either. IndyCar is the category he is best positioned to join, with the 23-year-old seen as a desirable target by several teams in the series. It is understood that Prema are most enthusiastic about signing Sargeant, with negotiations having started several weeks ago.

‘Linked to IndyCar drive’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/07/31/logan-sargeant-linked-to-indycar-drive-with-prema/


US F1 drivers ranked: Logan Sargeant 18th and Phil Hill beaten to No.1 spot
2 Aug 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

18. Logan Sargeant: Logan Sargeant currently sits 18th on our list of American F1 drivers; despite scoring a point in 2023, he was still classified as the 21st-place finisher in a 20-driver championship, and his performance with his Williams hasn’t been promising enough during his sophomore season to allow him to retain his seat.

‘18th on our list of American F1 drivers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/us-f1-driver-rankings-worst-to-best

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen set for Lando Norris showdown as F1 rivals crank up the heat.
For the first time since 2021, F1 fans have a title fight to look forward to as summer break comes to a close. McLaren trail Red Bull by just 42 points ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix and they have momentum on their side.
Aug 18, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

“I think we can; we’re certainly going to try [to win both titles],” the McLaren Racing CEO told Sirius XM. “Obviously, the constructors’ is more within reach because of how many points are available at a weekend and the fact that they have only one car always performing at the front at the same time.

“But I think Sergio is capable of turning it on it at any time.” McLaren aren’t giving up on the Drivers’ Championship title either. Lando Norris is squaring up to a 78-point deficit heading into the final 10 races of the year. 2024 has been a breakthrough year for the Brit, but an inability to turn podiums into a steady stream of wins has cost him in his battle against the formidable Max Verstappen.

‘Showdown’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1936975/Max-Verstappen-Lando-Norris-F1


Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko sends warning over car ahead of F1 restart as he admits he's concerned issues 'will not be resolved in time' for the Dutch Grand Prix
19 August 2024
Matthew Mcevoy
MailOnline

Red Bull's head of driver development and key advisor, Helmut Marko, has said he fears issues around the RB20 will not be ironed out ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, this weekend. According to The Mirror, Marko claims problems with the car's balance and speed have still not been addressed fully by the constructor's technical and mechanical teams.

He said Red Bull 'no longer have balance in the car', and that 'problems are likely to continue' ahead of Formula One's summer restart at Max Verstappen's home Grand Prix in Zandvoort. 'During the summer break, nothing happens for two weeks, which means that no work can be done on the car,' Marko wrote in an editorial for Speedweek.

'We have to solve our problems and find out where the problem lies, because we no longer have the balance in the car if you compare the current situation with the first three races. But it is difficult to estimate how quickly that will happen. I don't think that the big solution will come in Zandvoort.’

‘Car's balance and speed’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13758375/Red-Bull-advisor-Helmut-Marko-sends-warning-car-ahead-F1-restart-admits-hes-concerned-issues-not-resolved-time-Dutch-Grand-Prix.html


Perez changes race engineer with Red Bull for the Dutch Grand Prix
19 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

GPblog can confirm that Perez will get another race engineer at Zandvoort. Bird is going on paternity leave and will be temporarily absent for that reason. Bird will still be present during the Dutch GP to supervise, but after that, he will not attend any Formula 1 races for the time being.

Performance engineer Richard Wood will take over Bird's duties for the time being and will, therefore, be heard on Perez's team radio from the F1 race at Circuit Zandvoort. Richard Cooke, performance engineer of the team's simulator, will in turn take over Wood's role. The new division of roles will apply for at least the next three races, up to and including the Singapore GP.

‘Perez changes race engineer’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295204/perez-gets-new-race-engineer-from-red-bull-at-dutch-grand-prix.html


Red Bull expecting tough Dutch GP after recent RB20 struggles
19 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Verstappen, who has excelled at the track in recent years, will need to deliver a strong performance on Saturday afternoon to maximize his chances of victory on Sunday. “One thing is clear: qualifying at Zandvoort will be decisive, because overtaking is hardly possible there,” Marko added.

“And Max could well succeed in a good qualifying, because he has been good there recently. We were the fastest in Austria and also in Spa. In Hungary, only a few hundredths were missing – so we are already complaining at a high level.”

Marko acknowledged that finding a solution to the car's problems is crucial, but he doesn't expect a quick fix for the Dutch Grand Prix. “It’s difficult to estimate how quickly this will happen. I don't think the big solution will come in Zandvoort. We do intensive brainstorming and also have various ideas. But I can't say yet what we will implement and how.”

‘Tough Dutch GP’;

https://f1i.com/news/516571-red-bull-expecting-tough-dutch-gp-after-recent-rb20-struggles.html


Wild Dutch GP weather forecast as rain threatens F1 return
In cooperation with WeerOnline, RacingNews365 presents the weather forecast for the 2024 F1 Dutch Grand Prix.
19 August 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Whether it is dry or wet, Friday will be the hottest day of the weekend with temperatures reaching 22 degrees Celsius. On Saturday, there is a significantly greater risk of rain than on Friday, with the strong wind from the southwest also set to remain present.

The exact timing of the rain is currently difficult to forecast, although the chance of a wet qualifying is high. Strong gusts of 60 km/h are expected whilst the temperature will struggle to reach 20 degrees Celsius.

Rain on Sunday is not expected, with the sun expected to be shining brightly for the race but still no warmer than around 20 degrees Celsius. However, due to the wind and the location of the circuit, it is impossible to completely rule out rain.

‘Wild Dutch GP weather forecast’;

https://racingnews365.com/wild-dutch-gp-weather-forecast-as-rain-threatens-f1-return


Thousands of tickets still available for Dutch Grand Prix, says F1 organizer
19August 2024
NL Times

There are still a few thousand tickets for sale for the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort this weekend, said a spokesperson for the organization behind the Formula 1 event. "In general, we are sold out," he explained, but there are still tickets being returned to the organization from various parties.

This includes resellers in the Netherlands and abroad who get the right to sell blocks of tickets themselves based on prior agreements. A recent lawsuit was filed against the Dutch Grand Prix by one of those reselling firms, Platinum Group.

The company expected to sell 35,000 tickets but was disappointed by the lack of sales. About 8,000 tickets from this company were returned to the organization behind the Dutch Grand Prix. A large part of these tickets have now been sold, said the spokesperson. "The interest remains undiminished."

‘Still a few thousand tickets for sale’;

https://nltimes.nl/2024/08/19/thousands-tickets-still-available-dutch-grand-prix-says-f1-organizer

[Fortitude]

Ferrari prepare crucial upgrades for Dutch GP.
Ferrari are set to bring an important upgrade package to Zandvoort, designed to correct previous missteps with the SF-24.
August 19, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

As reported by it.motorsport.com, Ferrari are ready to debut a new floor. Maranello’s technical department has made modifications to address the rear instability that has plagued the SF-24 in recent months. Changes to airflow at the rear suspension and diffuser should make a difference this weekend.

The aim is to give Leclerc and Sainz a more predictable baseline, unlocking more performance and – simultaneously – driver confidence. A critical juncture for Fred Vasseur’s team. These upgrades are critical for several reasons. In the short-term, the updates will determine if Ferrari can re-assert themselves in the battle against Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren.

The Italian squad must reverse the trajectory that has seen them become the fourth-fastest team. Arguably more pressingly, Ferrari’s next changes will impact their success in 2025. Like most teams, the Scuderia are formulating their package for next season.

‘Crucial upgrades’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/19/ferrari-prepare-crucial-upgrades-for-dutch-gp/


Vasseur reveals Ferrari target ahead of Dutch GP
Frederic Vasseur has stated his expectations for Ferrari at the Dutch Grand Prix, as F1 returns at Zandvoort from its summer break.
19 August 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers

The 56-year-old also revealed Ferrari's target at the last grand prix prior to the summer shutdown will remain unchanged when F1 returns, at the Dutch Grand Prix - something it only partly achieved. "To fix the bouncing is a step in performance," Vasseur told media including RacingNews365 when asked about Ferrari's planned upgrades to combat bouncing and if there would be any performance benefit.

"We are pushing like hell to bring something and we'll do it as soon as possible. We have also a good segment of tracks for us with Monza, Baku and Singapore - good tracks for the characteristics of the car.”

"The most important is to score points and it was the target coming to Spa-Francorchamps to not lose points on McLaren and Red Bull, and it will be the same target in Zandvoort, because I'm convinced the next three or four races after these two [Hungary and Belgium] will be much better for us."

‘Ferrari target’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-reveals-ferrari-target-ahead-of-dutch-gp


Ferrari reserve to get rare F1 outing in Dutch GP practice
It will be the first time the Ferrari reserve driver has taken part in a grand prix weekend since the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix.
20 August 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365.com

Ferrari reserve Robert Shwartzman will get his first F1 outing in a year in practice for the Dutch Grand Prix. The Russian-born driver who now races under an Israeli licence will drive for the Stake F1 team at Zandvoort, 12 months on from his last outing at the same track for the main Ferrari squad.

He will replace Valtteri Bottas. Shwartzman, once tipped as a potential F1 driver, now races with AF Corse in the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship - and is the 2019 Formula 3 champion.

It will be the fifth time Shwartzman will have taken part in an FP1 session, having done so for Ferrari at the 2022 United States and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. He repeated that at the 2023 Dutch and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, deputising for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the mandatory FP1 rookie driver sessions.

‘Rare F1 outing’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-reserve-to-get-rare-f1-outing-in-dutch-gp-practice


IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix
19 August 2024
Special Contributor: Chris Medland
Formula One - Official Site

Don’t worry everyone, the wait is over and Formula 1 is back this weekend with the return of racing after the August shutdown. There have been a number of developments since the last race in Belgium, so here are a few talking points that are likely to be covered as the paddock reconvenes at Zandvoort.

A party atmosphere at Zandvoort. What a race to return with as well, as Zandvoort always ensures F1 returns in eye-catching fashion after four weeks without a Grand Prix. Passionate and energetic fans, plenty of entertainment and atmosphere, and a fun track layout all add up to a spectacular weekend, with the weather also adding to the drama last year.

Despite a huge challenge for the teams to handle, heavy rain at the start of the 2023 race could not bring an end to Max Verstappen’s dominance of his home event, as he won from pole position at Zandvoort for the third straight year.

‘Party atmosphere at Zandvoort’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/its-race-week-5-storylines-were-excited-about-ahead-of-the-2024-dutch-grand.1LwNWjXUB5LhXNWwIExJaV


Max looks ahead to Dutch GP: 'Hopefully fighting for the win'
20 August 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

After a well-deserved summer break, Max Verstappen is looking ahead to the Dutch Grand Prix, coming weekend at Circuit Zandvoort. The Dutchman says: “It was good to spend some time relaxing with family and friends over the summer break and we are feeling refreshed and ready for the second half of the season.”

Max adds: “It is great to start it back at my home race. It is always a fantastic atmosphere, and the fans are incredible, so it is a special one for me. It is a great circuit, with its short straights and narrow track and hopefully we can come back even stronger for this race. We are looking forward to the week ahead and hopefully we can be fighting for the win.”

‘Fighting for the win’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5560/


Sergio Perez sends defiant social media message after surviving Red Bull vote of confidence
15 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Sergio Perez will continue to fight for his Formula 1 future when the season resumes at the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of next week. Liberty Media intervened to help Perez, pointing out that there would be a huge drop in revenue at the Mexico City Grand Prix in October if he lost his place on the grid. Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim also played a role in the 34-year-old staying put.

The team feel as if Perez isn’t solely to blame for his recent struggles. They want to make changes to his car in the hope of extracting an improvement. Sergio Perez expects to see out the season with Red Bull. Writing on his X account, Perez issued a defiant message. He sounded like a man who fully expects to be driving for Red Bull come the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

“Already miss being out on track,” he wrote in a post that was accompanied by footage of his fastest lap from Spa. “We’ll go all out for the second half of the season.”
Already miss being on track.
We’ll go all out for the second half of the season ��

Ya se extraña estar en la pista.
Vamos con todo para la segunda parte de la temporada �� pic.twitter.com/SimEWRzuYR
— Sergio Pérez (@SChecoPerez) August 13, 2024
View Tweet

‘Fully expects to be driving for Red Bull come the season finale in Abu Dhabi’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sergio-perez-sends-defiant-social-media-message-after-surviving-red-bull-vote-of-confidence/

[Fortitude]

Wolff not relaxing after recent success: 'Can close the gap on the leaders'.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff is therefore looking forward to the second half of the season and the Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
20 August 2024
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com

Looking ahead to the Dutch Grand Prix, Wolff agreed with the progress his team has made. "We are ready to race again at Zandvoort this weekend. Before the summer break, we built momentum with an improved car and stronger results. We want to continue that progress in the last 10 races of the season."

The Austrian does realise that the team is not quite where it wants to be yet. "We know we still have a lot to make up for. We are not yet able to compete for victory at every Grand Prix. However, we have made good steps in improving the W15's weaknesses and we will continue to work hard to get more. If we succeed, we will close the gap to the leaders in both championships,'' Wolff said.

The Mercedes team boss is looking forward to the race in the Netherlands, partly because of the fans. ''Zandvoort is a challenging circuit. With its sloping corners, high-speed sections and narrow layout, it has an old-fashioned feel. The passionate Dutch fans always create a great atmosphere. It is a good place to get back to work and we are excited about the challenges ahead for the rest of the season."

"We are ready to race again”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295343/toto-wolff-previewing-dutch-grand-prix-at-zandvoort-for-mercedes.html


Dutch Grand Prix weather forecast suggests F1 drivers race a ‘turbulent mess’ this weekend
20 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Wind and rain could cause Dutch GP chaos for Max Verstappen and F1 rivals. According to RacingNews365 NL, there will be rain on all three days at Zandvoort. It will be heaviest on Saturday, with five millimetres expected. It will also be of a moderate intensity on Friday (4mm) before lighter rain on Sunday (2mm). It remains to be seen what impact this has on the F1 running.

The wind could also be an important factor. The gust intensity will reach five on the Beaufort scale on all three days, which is the equivalent of nine to 11 metres per second. That may not sound significant, but it’s worth remembering that the Zandvoort circuit is stationed on the North Sea coastline. No wonder, then, that podcast host Joris Mosterdijk foresees ‘a turbulent mess’.

‘Turbulent mess’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dutch-grand-prix-could-be-a-mess-for-max-verstappen-and-f1-rivals-as-weather-forecast-emerges/


F1 Today | Information about Dutch Grand Prix weekend starts to leak
20 August 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Hype is building quickly for the Dutch Grand Prix weekend in Zandvoort, and little snippets of information have started to emerge.

The Mercedes team showed a strong upward trend in results at the end of the first half of the season. Lewis Hamilton won in England and Belgium and George Russell won in Austria. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff is therefore looking forward to the second half of the season and the Grand Prix at Zandvoort. He has eyes on the top of the World Championship.

The F1 teams' factories were closed for 14 consecutive days during the summer break, so there was little opportunity to work on new parts. Nevertheless, some teams probably have found improvement points and solutions during the short period that they were allowed to work on their cars. The Visa Cash App RB team will also introduce some updates for the Dutch Grand Prix, the team announced.

‘Information starts to leak’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295330/dutch-grand-prix-weekend-information-starts-to-leak.html


Report: The FIA rule change that could hurt McLaren and Mercedes at the Dutch Grand Prix
20 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

FIA asymmetric braking rule could impact McLaren and Mercedes at Zandvoort. The FIA have made a potentially significant change to the regulations during the summer break. Under article 11.1.2, ‘any system or mechanism that can structurally or intentionally produce asymmetric braking for any axle is prohibited’.

According to Motorsport.com Netherlands, Mercedes and McLaren have been ‘linked to such cleverness’. There has been chatter about such systems featuring on their cars. The Dutch GP will demonstrate which teams, if any, are impacted by the clampdown. Each team is obliged to shut down their factory for two weeks during the break, but they can use the rest to work on their cars. At the last race in Belgium, the FIA used cameras to examine certain teams’ front wings. There’s no indication yet of any fresh moves to counter flexible bodywork.

‘FIA asymmetric braking rule’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/the-fia-rule-change-that-could-hurt-mclaren-and-mercedes-at-the-dutch-grand-prix/


Coulthard sends Verstappen warning ahead of Dutch GP
13-time grand prix winner David Coulthard spoke exclusively to RacingNews365.
20 August 2024
Jake Nichol & Joris Mosterdijk

Ex-Red Bull driver Coulthard believing the upgrade race will be key. "I don't because I think such is the pace of development that it will be whoever comes with the latest upgrade that really suits that track," Coulthard exclusively told RacingNews365 when asked if Verstappen should be considered favourite for the Dutch Grand Prix.

"It is a track where you need absolute commitment from the driver, where like Monaco, can bring you right into play. There's one thing that we know which is Max is always full attack, but his competitors are tough, you've got seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton back winning grands prix. McLaren has two young chargers, George Russell so the sport is incredibly competitive right now.”

“Max is always full attack”;

https://racingnews365.com/coulthard-sends-verstappen-warning-ahead-of-dutch-gp


F1 Supercomputer predicts shock title winner with Max Verstappen set for Dutch Grand Prix misery
Aug 20, 2024
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Red Bull will lose the Formula One constructors’ title this season with Max Verstappen set for Dutch Grand Prix misery, a Supercomputer has predicted. Final F1 championship Supercomputer prediction:

Drivers:
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 450 points
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 344
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 328
4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 312
5. George Russell (Mercedes) – 277
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 245
7. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – 242
8. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) – 201
9. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 64
10. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) – 43

Constructors:
1. McLaren – 672 points
2. Red Bull – 651
3. Mercedes – 589
4. Ferrari – 487
5. Aston Martin – 99
6. Haas – 78
7. RB – 46
8. Alpine – 32
9. Williams – 4
10. Sauber – 0

‘F1 Supercomputer predictions’;

https://metro.co.uk/2024/08/20/f1-supercomputer-predicts-shock-title-winner-max-verstappen-dutch-gp-misery-21454672/?ito=newsnow-feed

[Fortitude]

Stella calls for McLaren 'resilience' in Red Bull title fight.
Stella is excited for F1's return and recognises that McLaren has a genuine shot at the title.
21 August 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has called on the Woking-based outfit to be "resilient", ahead of Formula 1's return this weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix. "With two weeks of shutdown over, we now return to racing with renewed energy," said Stella. "The Dutch fans always create a great atmosphere, which we can't wait to experience once again.”

"Zandvoort is a short, technical circuit, which poses a very different challenge to Spa or Monza. This weekend marks the start of a very busy period, with four races in five weeks. To ensure we maximise the opportunities ahead of us, we must be resilient, focused and work together closely as a team to extract maximum performance.”

'Resilience';

https://racingnews365.com/stella-calls-for-mclaren-resilience-in-red-bull-title-fight


'Crucial race' awaits Ferrari in Zandvoort deciding their 2024 fate
21 August 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Since their victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, Ferrari have struggled to compete for race wins in Formula One, while every rival of the Scuderia have won at least one Grand Prix in that time period. According to Sky Sports' lead commentator David Croft, very important weekends await the team of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

"Now there's an upgrade package in Zandvoort, there's a new floor as part of that upgrade package. They have got to get rid of the bouncing, and if they don't, then the season is gone," Croft declared in Sky Sports F1 Podcast. "They can't run the car on the set up that they need to extract the maximum pace. Then Charles and Carlos are going to have a very sore head going home after the Italian GP."

Following the last weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, Ferrari's team principal explained that now, a better set of tracks on the schedule await his team. "So I think Zandvoort is a critical weekend for Ferrari: So if those upgrades work, brilliant, they are back in the ballpark, and we'll see what happens from there on in," Croft added.

‘Need to extract the maximum pace’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295426/crucial-race-awaits-ferrari-in-zandvoort-deciding-their-2024-fate.html


Verstappen wants fourth win in a row at Dutch Grand Prix
21 August 2024
Sports Editor: Toby Lock
Milton Keynes Citizen

World championship leader Max Verstappen hopes he can make it four wins out of four at his home race when F1 returns this weekend. The Red Bull Racing man has won the Dutch Grand Prix every year since it’s return to the calendar in 2021.

“Zandvoort is always a fantastic atmosphere, and the fans are incredible, so it is a special one for me,” he said ahead of the weekend. “It is a great circuit, with its short straights and narrow track and hopefully we can come back even stronger for this race. We are looking forward to the week ahead and hopefully we can be fighting for the win.”

Team-mate Sergio Perez is looking for a much-improved second-half of the season, after enduring a torrid time thus far in 2024. He said: “I am looking forward to getting back in the car this weekend. The summer break was very important for everyone in the team and the whole sport, with so many races now everyone needs the rest and reset time more than ever.”

‘Wants fourth win in a row’;

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport/other-sport/verstappen-wants-fourth-win-in-a-row-at-dutch-grand-prix-4750863


Dutch Grand Prix: F1 preview, times, predictions, stats
Aug 21, 2024
ESPN

What happened last year? Verstappen equalled Sebastian Vettel's record of nine consecutive F1 wins with his third at Zandvoort. Despite heavy downpours and a red flag caused by a crash in Turn One, Verstappen still finished 3.7 seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso in second to bolster Red Bull's dominant season.

Who's going to win? It's hard to look past Verstappen with the support of the Oranje army at his home race and his record of mopping up the last three races here. If he wins again he can storm ahead in the championship, but given the upturn in form by McLaren and Mercedes, it could be a tight battle on the seafront.

Friday
Free practice one: 11:30-12:30 BST
Free practice two: 3-4 p.m. BST
Saturday
Free practice three: 10:30-11:30 a.m. BST
Qualifying: 2-3 p.m. BST
Sunday
Race starts: 2 p.m. BST

‘Dutch Grand Prix’;

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/40879813/dutch-grand-prix-f1-preview-predictions-stats-zandvoort


F1 2024 Dutch Grand Prix Preview - Is F1 Heading To Africa?
Aug 21, 2024
Motorsport.com

Stuart Codling and Ronald Vording join Bryn Lucas to discuss all the news that dropped during the Summer Break and preview the race itself. This includes the US Department of Justice opening an anti-trust investigation against Liberty Media after their refusal to let Andretti enter the sport, and the consideration of Rwanda joining the calendar in the future, potentially at the Dutch AND Belgian GP's expense.

‘Discussion’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/f1-2024-dutch-grand-prix-preview-is-f1-heading-to-africa/654110/


Why Zandvoort is a great example for the rest of the F1 tracks?
Aug 21, 2024
Corwin Kunst
GPblog.com

Last season, 98% of visitors chose sustainable transportation (bicycle, train or on foot) to the circuit and the DutchGP organisers expect to match or even exceed this percentage in 2024. More than 40,000 fans are expected to travel to Zandvoort by bike.

Moreover, the DutchGP has switched to a permanent green power grid, which has now also been extended to the F1 Hospitality Paddock. This has significantly reduced fuel consumption from 120,000 litres (2021) to 40,000 litres (2023). Combined with the switch to HVO100 ('Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil', a clean substitute for diesel), this has reduced the climate footprint by 94.5% in 2023 compared to the first year of the event.

Furthermore, together with Handicap.nl, the Grand Prix of the Netherlands offers special care facilities for people with disabilities. A custom-built 'hotel' at the venue offers accessible showers, toilets and medical areas. There is also an area along the straight accessible to disabled fans. Together with the Ambulance Wish Foundation, terminally ill patients will also be welcomed to fulfil their wish to attend an F1 event on Thursday with a special walk in the pit lane.

‘Great example’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295441/zandvoort-gp-leads-the-way-on-various-components.html


Dutch GP Weather: Latest forecast for 2024 F1 race at Zandvoort
21 August 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

The Circuit Zandvoort is within sight of the North Sea, meaning the prevailing easterly wind can be very strong, particularly affecting turn one and the elevated first sector.

However, the rollercoaster nature of the track nestled in the dunes means much of the 2.6-mile lap is shielded from bluster compared to somewhere flatter like Silverstone, even though that’s 100 kilometres away from the nearest beach rather than 100 metres.

Zandvoort has only been back on F1 calendar since 2021 but has already shown how quickly conditions can change and turn a grand prix on its head. And we certainly look set for meaningful wet running in the 2024 Dutch GP with rain forecast on two days and winds also on the cards.

‘Latest forecast’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/dutch-gp-2024-weather-latest-forecast-f1-race-zandvoort/


What time is the Formula 1 2024 Dutch Grand Prix and how can I watch it?
21 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

After a few weeks of downtime for the summer break, the F1 drivers and teams are all set to go racing again as the second half of the season kicks off with the Dutch Grand Prix.

The event will begin with FP1 and FP2 on Friday, August 23, followed by third practice and qualifying on Saturday, August 24, and then the 72-lap Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, August 25.

‘Global Race Start Time Map’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/what-time-is-the-formula-1-2024-dutch-grand-prix-and-how-can-i-watch-it.6puUEmsdeeEhfKhj6DwWYI

[Fortitude]

Five things to watch as F1 returns for Dutch Grand Prix.
After a month off for the summer break, Formula One is back as fans, drivers, and teams descend on the seaside resort of Zandvoort for Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix.
22/08/2024
France 24

With 10 races to go, the championship is finely poised with Max Verstappen looking nervously over his shoulder at the chasing pack and competitors lining up to dethrone his Red Bull team from the constructors' crown.
Back to the Max? The biggest question is whether home favourite Verstappen can re-establish his dominance in front of his adoring Orange Army of fans.

McLaren resurgence: The main pretender to that crowd, 24-year-old British driver Norris, is enjoying a breakthrough year in a car that is much more competitive this season.
Sergio Perez: "I know what we can extract from the car in the coming weeks and we will do our best to maximise the second half of 2024," said Perez before the race.

'Musical seats': Since seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton announced a surprise switch to Ferrari for next season, speculation over his Mercedes spot has been at fever pitch.
Orange by the sea: Regardless of Verstappen's race fortunes, expect the traditional "sea of orange" from his fanatical Dutch fans at the Zandvoort track, a stone's throw from the beach.

‘Five things to watch’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240822-five-things-to-watch-as-f1-returns-for-dutch-grand-prix


Dutch Grand Prix preview: what to look out for as F1 gears up for return
A number of on and off track stories will continue at Zandvoort
August 21, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

Verstappen to attempt to bury demons: In a shock by modern F1 standards, Max Verstappen is without a victory in four consecutive races. The RB20 is no longer the all-dominant car that started in 2024; the field has rapidly closed up. Mercedes and McLaren are now regular challengers to Red Bull, with McLaren arguably now having the faster car.

Tension at McLaren: Can Lando Norris rediscover his form? The question of whether McLaren can overhaul Red Bull will only be answered if McLaren can control its developing driver situation. The pace Oscar Piastri has threatened to unleash all season has arrived with a bang, with a stunning win in Hungary.

Can Mercedes make it three in a row? If Mercedes is in the mix for the win at the Dutch Grand Prix, it will be irreversible proof that the Silver Arrows are once again regular race winners. Lewis Hamilton’s experience helped the seven-time world champion to a popular win in front of his adoring fans at Silverstone. But the pace of the W15 in Spa proved the team is getting on top of the issues that have dogged it since ground-effect cars were introduced.

‘New Alpine Team Principal will want a quiet weekend’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/features/dutch-grand-prix-preview-what-to-look-out-for-as-f1-gears-up-for-return/?nowprocket=1


Typical Dutch weather to plague Dutch GP at Zandvoort
RacingNews365 takes a look at the weather forecast for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
21 August 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

High winds will move in from the North Sea, with rain in the morning with severe gusts of wind in open areas of up to 80kph - some 49.7mph, with the temperature around 21 degrees.

For Saturday's qualifying action, there is a chance of occasional rain but the wind will weaken, still blowing from the west - which is a cross-wind along the pit-straight from the left-to-right as the drivers look from the cockpit.

Temperatures will be around 20 degrees, with some chances of sunny weather breaking through, which will also move into Sunday's race day. There is a chance of a shower on Sunday morning, but current predictions are for a dry race, albeit on the cool side at about 19 degrees.

‘Typical Dutch weather’;

https://racingnews365.com/typical-dutch-weather-to-plague-dutch-gp-at-zandvoort


Ferrari pinpoints 'vital' Dutch GP difference-maker
Frederic Vasseur has highlighted one key area he feels Ferrari must excel at in the Dutch Grand Prix.
22 August 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Looking ahead to F1's return from the summer break at Zandvoort, Vasseur has pinpointed qualifying as the key to unlocking the rest of Ferrari's weekend. "Just before the summer break, the team as a whole performed well in the Belgian Grand Prix, securing pole position and a podium finish with Charles, which was a real confidence booster," he said.

"Now we go racing once again at Zandvoort, a completely different track to Spa, being short, narrow and twisty. "Therefore, ensuring we do everything right, down to the last little detail, will be vital and qualifying will be especially important as overtaking is very difficult."

‘Dutch GP difference-maker’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-pinpoints-vital-dutch-gp-difference-maker


Why one F1 team will be donning a new name for the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix as Formula 1 returns after summer break
21 August 2024
Kim Morrissey
MailOnline

Gambling firm Stake bought the naming rights to the Switzerland-based Sauber Team ahead of this season, after their partnership deal with Alfa Romeo came to an end. However they will not be permitted to use their logos on the Zandvoort track and here is why.

What name will Stake F1 team use instead for the Dutch Grand Prix? Since Stake won't be able to use their name for this upcoming Grand Prix, they will operate under their alternative name Kick Sauber for the Dutch race.

This weekend won't be the only time this year we will witness Stake changing to Kick Sauber as Qatar also have a ban on gambling advertisements.

‘F1 team will be donning a new name’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13765601/Why-one-F1-team-donning-new-2024-Dutch-Grand-Prix-Formula-1-returns-summer-break.html


Why the Dutch GP is key to saving Williams’ F1 season
Williams will introduce upgrades at the Dutch Grand Prix, with the intention of further developments at Baku or Singapore.
21 August 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

The Dutch Grand Prix will be a pivotal weekend in Williams' F1 season, as it has now confirmed it will bring a sizeable upgrade to the round succeeding the summer break. A winter change in philosophy has allowed Williams to start incrementally stripping off weight from the chassis, which would not have been possible under the previous concept.

Vowles has mentioned on multiple occasions in the past that the team is happy with its aerodynamic approach and performance, and that the key to being more competitive lies in how much it can reduce the weight of the car. The team currently only has four points through the opening 14 rounds of 2024, so any significant upgrade package could transform its fortunes with the team sitting ninth in the constructors' standings.

Albon went on to also address the upgrades, adding: "Additionally, we’ll be bringing upgrades to the car this weekend, so I’m looking forward to testing these out and seeing how the FW46 performs."

‘Pivotal weekend’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-the-dutch-gp-is-key-to-saving-williams-f1-season

[Fortitude]

Vasseur stresses qualifying crucial for Ferrari's Dutch GP hopes.
"Now we go racing once again at Zandvoort, a completely different track to Spa, being short, narrow and twisty,” he added.
22/08/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

As Ferrari returns from F1’s summer hiatus and gears up for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Scuderia boss Fred Vasseur has emphasized the vital importance of qualifying in determining his team’s success at Zandvoort.

"Therefore, ensuring we do everything right, down to the last little detail, will be vital and qualifying will be especially important as overtaking is very difficult."

Vasseur’s comments underline the pressure on Ferrari to deliver a flawless performance in Saturday afternoon’s hot lap exercise, where even the smallest mistake could cost valuable grid positions.

‘Qualifying crucial’;

https://f1i.com/news/516704-vasseur-stresses-qualifying-crucial-for-ferraris-dutch-gp-hopes.html


Ferrari pinpoints 'vital' Dutch GP difference-maker
Frederic Vasseur has highlighted one key area he feels Ferrari must excel at in the Dutch Grand Prix.
22 August 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Looking ahead to F1's return from the summer break at Zandvoort, Vasseur has pinpointed qualifying as the key to unlocking the rest of Ferrari's weekend. "Just before the summer break, the team as a whole performed well in the Belgian Grand Prix, securing pole position and a podium finish with Charles, which was a real confidence booster," he said.

"Now we go racing once again at Zandvoort, a completely different track to Spa, being short, narrow and twisty. Therefore, ensuring we do everything right, down to the last little detail, will be vital and qualifying will be especially important as overtaking is very difficult. As always, we will focus on getting every last drop of performance out of our package," he said.

"That starts with identifying the best set-up as quickly as possible, as well as counting on those on the pit wall and the drivers making the right decisions at the key moments in qualifying and the race. Knowing how competitive the field is this season and given the nature of the track, it’s logical to expect the weekend to be fought out to the nearest hundredths of a second."

‘One key area’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-pinpoints-vital-dutch-gp-difference-maker


Tech Preview: Why McLaren have chance to capitalise on Red Bull in Dutch GP
22 August 2024
Francesco Bianchi
GPblog.com

Which car will be the quickest around Zandvoort? Having made all these premises and looking at the last few weekends of racing, it will be extremely hard to make predictions, but McLaren will be the car to beat this weekend. The MCL38 has been the most versatile and complete car from Miami onwards: it should suit this high downforce track, thanks to its ability to generate a lot of downforce from the bodywork and the Venturi channels. Its capacity to look after the tyres over the race distance will also greatly impact Sunday's race. Moreover, the lack of long straights where efficiency is needed will favour the Woking’s team car's ability to be very quick around tight and twisty layouts (as shown in Budapest).

Moving onto Red Bull, a lot will depend on the basic set-up the Milton Keynes engineers will come up with on Friday FP1. If the set-up proves to be quite good, they can work from that and challenge the two McLaren cars, at least with Verstappen. However, the weekend will be difficult if they struggle to develop a good set-up during Friday’s practice sessions.

The new engine cover and sidepod introduced in Hungary should make another appearance this weekend. They have been designed specifically for high-downforce circuits. These components should help increase the amount of downforce generated by the rear end of the car and should also favour heat dissipation, even though lower temperatures will reduce the magnitude of that problem.

‘Chance to capitalise’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295578/preview-of-the-three-main-issues-that-teams-face-in-zandvoort.html


Red Bull admitting a misstep with the updates? 'Downdates' for Zandvoort
22 August 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

With much fanfare, Red Bull Racing introduced a host of updates in Hungary recently, but it soon became clear that they did not bring what was expected (or hoped for?). In the run-up to the Dutch Grand Prix, which will be held at a circuit similar to the Hungaroring, it seems that previous updates have already disappeared. At least, that is what Helmut Marko, Red Bull Racing's external advisor, is hinting at.

With Hungary's upgrades, Red Bull hoped to close the emerging gap to McLaren again, but there appeared to be none of that. The McLarens were significantly faster than the Red Bulls, and managed to grab a neat one-two near Budapest. After that race, Max Verstappen was critical of the continued development of his RB20, among other things. The Dutchman then openly expressed doubts about the introduced updates.

For the Dutch Grand Prix, the reigning constructors' world champions did not bring any significant updates. Indeed, speaking to Kleine Zeiting, Marko even talks about 'downdates'. By this, he seems to imply that some of the earlier updates have already disappeared. Still, the Austrian says of the upcoming Grand Prix at the Zandvoort circuit: "But I am optimistic. We have fallen a lot short recently. Especially qualifying will be important at Zandvoort. Together with McLaren, we are definitely among the favourites," Marko said.

‘Misstep with the updates’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295643/marko-confesses-downgrates-for-red-bull-at-sandvoort.html


NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix
22 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Vital statistics
• First Grand Prix – 1952
• Track Length – 4.259km
• Lap record – 1m 11.097s, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 2021
• Most pole positions – Rene Arnoux/Max Verstappen (3)
• Most wins – Jim Clark (4)
• Trivia – Zandvoort’s final corner – named after Dutch motorsport legend Arie Luyendyk – features an 18-degree banking, almost double the numbers seen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 199 metres
• Overtakes completed in 2023 – 47
• Safety Car probability – 67%*
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 67%*
• Pit stop time loss – 21.52 seconds
*From the last two races in the Netherlands

‘Vital statistics’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/need-to-know-the-most-important-facts-stats-trivia-2024-dutch-grand-prix.46jwdtosESI4DESaTcyo5w


These records could be broken at the Dutch GP
22 August 2024
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com

After the summer break, the first Grand Prix of the second half of the season is scheduled this weekend. The Dutch Grand Prix will be held for the fourth time in a row in Zandvoort after a 36-year break. Read here which records could be broken during this race. Should Max Verstappen win the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday for the fourth time in a row, it will put him on a par with Jim Clark. Both will then have won this race four times. This is the most of any other driver.

Furthermore, the Dutch Grand Prix is among the few races Lewis Hamilton has never won. Besides Zandvoort, the Briton has yet to win at Miami and Las Vegas from the current F1 calendar. Hamilton will therefore do everything possible to secure victory on Sunday. If Hamilton manages to secure victory on Sunday, he will also pass Verstappen again in victory percentage. If the Briton wins, he will have won 30.54% of the races in his career. For Verstappen, this percentage will then be 30.50%.

‘Records’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295594/which-records-can-be-broken-in-zandvoort-dutch-grand-prix.html


What time is the Dutch Grand Prix? F1 race and qualifying schedule
Aug 22, 2024
The Race

Dutch GP schedule (local time)
Friday August 23
Practice 1: 12.30pm
Practice 2: 4pm
Saturday August 24
Practice 3: 11.30am
Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday August 25
Dutch Grand Prix: 3pm

Dutch GP schedule (UK time)
Friday August 23
Practice 1: 11.30am
Practice 2: 3pm
Saturday August 24
Practice 3: 10.30am
Qualifying: 2pm
Sunday August 25
Dutch Grand Prix: 2pm

‘What time’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-time-is-the-dutch-grand-prix-f1-race-and-qualifying-schedule/

[Fortitude]

F1 - 2024 Dutch Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
PART ONE – Esteban OCON (Alpine), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Zhou GUANYU (Kick Sauber)
22.08.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Can we start with the hometown hero? Max, how was the break? Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, it was very good. Spent a good time with friends and family. It was a lot of fun, honestly. I think it passed way too fast. If I could, I would have added another week, but that's how it goes. But it was good to refresh a bit, not really think about Formula 1, and just have a good time with funny people.

Q: And what a place to kickstart the season again. Your home Grand Prix at Zandvoort, clearly it's a busy one for you. How difficult is it to treat it like any other race? Max VERSTAPPEN: To be honest, it's OK. I mean, just coming after the break as well, I always know, of course, that it's maybe a little bit more busy for me. But at the other hand, you just focus on performance. And yeah, just happy to be here. Also looking forward to the weekend itself. It looks like there's a bit of rain around as well, typically. But that's OK. I'm just excited to get started again.

Q: Esteban, let's come to you next. First up, how was the break? Esteban OCON: Yeah, very good. Similar to Max, I think. Spent some good time with family and friends. Had a good week off and then went straight back to training. And yeah, it went very quick, I would say, because we also tested after the race in Spa, so the whole week was a little bit more of a working week, more than a race week. But yeah, all recharged, ready to go, ready to go back racing. And yeah, can't wait to put some laps in the car.
Q: Zhou, coming to you, first up, the break. How was it? Zhou GUANYU: Yeah, it was good. I mean, same as the others. I had a good time. I went back home because obviously I love spending time at home and that's what we miss during the season. So just had some great time with family and friends and had a fun, let's say, two weeks back in Shanghai.

‘Press Conference’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-dutch-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript


Unbeaten Max Verstappen cautious ahead of home grand prix, warns of ‘very close’ race at Zandvoort
22.08.24
Malay Mail

With 10 races left, Verstappen enjoys a 78-point advantage over his closest rival, Lando Norris, but is looking nervously over his shoulder as his rivals make up ground. “Lately you see there are a lot of cars actually winning races and drivers, of course. So, it’s just very unknown. I mean, it’s very close,” he said. “So for sure, I’m not coming into this weekend saying that, ‘yeah, we’re going to win the race’. I just want to have a clean weekend, understand the car a bit more, learn from it,” he said.

Closest rival Norris gave an honest assessment of his chances of narrowing the gap with Verstappen. “Of course it’s still in reach, but it’s a lot of points and it’s against Max,” he quipped. “I know it’s a lot and it’s going to be a very difficult challenge, but with how we’re performing, with how I know I can go out and perform when things click and things go well, then I still want to believe it’s possible.”

‘Unbeaten Max Verstappen cautious’;

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2024/08/23/unbeaten-max-verstappen-cautious-ahead-of-home-grand-prix-warns-of-very-close-race-at-zandvoort/147928


Race preview: Dutch Grand Prix
23 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The first ever F1 Dutch Grand Prix took place in 1952 and was won by Ferrari’s Alberto Ascari, who went on to take a second win the following year. Before the big return in 2021, the last Dutch Grand Prix was won by an Austrian with McLaren’s Niki Lauda crossing the finish line first in his McLaren-TAG.

The most successful driver is Jim Clark who won the Dutch Grand Prix four times, followed by Jackie Stewart, Max Verstappen and Lauda, who won three races apiece. The other repeat winners are Ascari, Jack Brabham, James Hunt and Alain Prost with all of them having two triumphs in the Netherlands to their names.

Ferrari is the most successful constructor at the Dutch Grand Prix with eight victories. The Scuderia won twice with Alberto Ascari at the wheel with Wolfgang von Trips, Jacky Ickx, Didier Pironi and René Arnoux also having clinched a win with the Maranello-based outfit.

‘Race preview’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25300


Orange is the new black at the Dutch GP as F1 returns
Max Verstappen is set to have a big fight with McLaren and Mercedes as F1 returns at Zandvoort
22 August 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

McLaren bringing upgrades to help title bid. McLaren are only 42 points behind Red Bull in the F1 constructors’ championship but have momentum on their side as both Norris and Oscar Piastri are capable of scoring big points.

Norris should be closer than the 78 points he’s behind Verstappen but there’s still a chance he can give us a serious title race. However, he must start winning and soon, starting at the Dutch GP. McLaren are bringing upgrades to Zandvoort, so if they can replicate their Hungary form where they were dominant and scored a 1-2, then it will definitely be game on.

‘Orange is the new black’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-orange-new-black-dutch-gp-as-f1-returns/


Dutch Grand Prix: A Storied Past and An Exciting Future
Aug 22, 2024
Aaron Teasdale
World In Sport

Memorable Races at the Dutch Grand Prix. If you are feeling historical, date your mind back to the 1952 at the inaugural Dutch Grand Prix where Italian and Ferrari driver Alberto Ascari dominated the 90 lap race to take claim the top step of the podium and creating a Ferrari 1-2-3 finish.

Track Layout. The Zandvoort circuit is one of the shortest timed laps for drivers navigate in just 4.259 kilometres, consisting of 14 turns. Four to the left and 10 to the right. And with 306 kilometres of tackling Zandvoort’s Formula 1 rollercoaster, the drivers will race around this clockwise circuit for 72 short laps.

‘Dutch Grand Prix’;

https://worldinsport.com/dutch-grand-prix-a-storied-past-and-an-exciting-future/?nowprocket=1


Dutch GP faces uncertain F1 future: FOM wants to reduce number of European races
Rumours in the F1 paddock suggest Zandvoort will be removed from the 2026 calendar
22 August 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Financial challenges and importance of entertainment. Dimitri Bonthuis, the sustainability director for the Dutch GP, highlighted the financial challenges Zandvoort faces compared to other events, particularly those in the Middle East. “We’re an event that doesn’t receive any subsidies,” Bonthuis said. “We’re always financially behind countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain, we’ll never win a fight in that regard.”

“That’s why we have to keep up this pace and set a good example in terms of sustainability and entertainment.” To remain competitive and attractive to Liberty Media, Zandvoort is more focussed on providing unique entertainment value. The event has already made a name for itself with features like the banked corners, offering spectators something different from what they see throughout the season, as well as a carnival like atmosphere.

As Zandvoort contemplates its future, the organisers are determined to remain relevant by focusing on sustainability and unique fan experiences. While the future beyond 2025 is uncertain, their commitment to innovation and entertainment could be key to securing their place on the Formula 1 calendar.

‘Uncertain F1 future’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/dutch-gp-uncertain-f1-future-fom-reduce-european-races/


F1 Dutch Grand Prix 2024 - News From The Paddock
22 Aug 2024.
Motorsport.com

After the Dutch media day sessions, Ben Hunt and Mark Mann-Bryans discuss the potentially dangerous weather, Hamilton's future without his race engineer Peter "Bono" Bonnington, the McLaren drivers' chances and more.

‘News From The Paddock’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/f1-dutch-grand-prix-2024-news-from-the-paddock/654125/


Warning in Zandvoort: Yellow warning during Dutch GP opening day
22 Aug 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

The first day of the Grand Prix weekend at Zandvoort threatens to be considerably affected by the weather. Heavy wind gusts are expected when the drivers should take to the track for the free practice sessions. In any case, KNMI [Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute] has issued a yellow warning for the coastal area. That means there is a chance of dangerous weather.

Meanwhile, KNMI announced: "In the Wadden area and the north of North Holland, there will be heavy wind gusts during the day on Friday. Traffic and outdoor activities may be affected. Heavy wind gusts of up to 80 to 85 km/hour may occur. The wind will blow from the southwest."

‘Yellow warning’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295780/yellow-warning-zandvoort-due-to-strong-wind-gusts.html

[Fortitude]

Dutch GP: Norris edges Verstappen in tricky wet-to-dry FP1.
Norris edged Verstappen by 0.201s while Lewis Hamilton was third for Mercedes, 0.684s adrift.
23/08/2024
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

McLaren’s Lando Norris topped a mixed first practice at the Dutch GP, with the session closing out dry after most of the running had taken place in damp conditions. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fourth just ahead of George Russell, with Williams’ Alex Albon making it five different teams among the top six.

Extending northern Europe’s very wet summer, conditions were treacherous from the outset of Friday’s opening practice, with the track’s slippery surface compounded by raging winds swirling around Zandvoort’s dunes. Finally, Charles Leclerc got the ball rolling with a 1m26.111, with Nico Hulkenberg and George Russell following the Monegasque in setting an early time.

Meanwhile, Verstappen was seen being strapped into his RB20 on the large screen which generated a collective gasp of contentment from the Dutchman’s ‘orange army’. As grip improved, changes were fast and furious at the top of the field, with Piastri making it a McLaren 1-2 with five minutes to go. But as the rotations up front continued, Norris settled the score with a 1m12.322s that edged Verstappen by 0.201s, while Hamilton was third.

‘Norris edges Verstappen’;

https://f1i.com/news/516801-dutch-gp-norris-edges-verstappen-in-tricky-wet-to-dry-fp1.html


Dutch GP: Free Practice 1 Results
23 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 16 1:12.322

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 12 1:12.523 0.201

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 12 1:13.006 0.684

4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 14 1:13.074 0.752

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 17 1:13.142 0.820

6 23 Alex Albon Williams 13 1:13.159 0.837

7 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 13 1:13.230 0.908

8 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 17 1:13.563 1.241

9 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 14 1:13.597 1.275

10 24 Zhou Guanyu Sauber 14 1:13.965 1.643

‘Full results’;

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


FP1 Dutch GP Full Results | Game on between Norris and Verstappen
23 August 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

F1 returned after the summer break with an exciting FP1 session in changeable conditions. It was Lando Norris who mastered the conditions the best, as finished in P1 ahead of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Drivers needed to use wet, intermediate and slick tyres at the first practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix. Both on intermediates and slicks, Lando Norris showed good pace and eventually finished in first place. After also spinning on intermediates, Verstappen finished second this first session. The Ferraris set their fastest times on mediums instead of softs, with Sainz finishing in fourth position.

‘Game on’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/295949/fp1-dutch-gp-full-results-game-on-between-norris-and-verstappen.html


Max Verstappen under pressure to deliver at Dutch Grand Prix as F1 season resumes
Red Bull driver has not won since Barcelona in June as McLaren and Mercedes begin to find consistency
Fri Aug 23 2024
Giles Richards at Circuit Zandvoort
The Irish Times

After the opening rounds of the 2024 Formula One season there was an almost leaden reception to the fare on track. Max Verstappen was laying waste to the opposition having dominated for the past two years. That the sport now returns from its summer break reinvigorated and presenting a potentially fearsome competition in the remaining 10 races is as welcome as it was unexpected.

His needs have not been met with quite the success that might have been expected. The upgrades Red Bull brought to Hungary, looking to improve pace on high-downforce tracks where they struggle, proved unimpressive. Eking more out of their advantage is proving difficult.

However, Verstappen remains favourite to take the title and has a 78-point lead over his nearest rival Norris, but he will be made to fight for every win. Norris should be closer and admitted the minor errors that have cost him potential wins since Miami as have the team, given what has been a quick car after major upgrades there.

‘Under pressure to deliver’;

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/2024/08/23/max-verstappen-under-pressure-to-deliver-at-dutch-grand-prix-as-f1-season-resumes/


Williams slapped with fine after latest Sargeant error
Logan Sargeant has incurred Williams a fine after falling foul of the reduced pit lane speed limit at Zandvoort.
23 August 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Williams has been handed a €100 fine after Logan Sargeant exceeded the pit lane speed limit during FP1 for the Dutch Grand Prix. The speed limit at Zandvoort is only 60 km/h, down from the usual 80 km/h due to the size of the pit lane.

The American driver was found half a kilometre above the limit and thus his team were duly fined. It constitutes a breach of Article 34.7 of the F1 sporting regulations, as the FIA confirmed: "Car 2 exceeded the pit lane speed limit which is set at 60 km/h for this event by 0.5 km/h."

‘Slapped with fine’;

https://racingnews365.com/williams-slapped-with-fine-after-latest-sargeant-error


Bailiffs visit Haas as sponsor dispute spills into Dutch GP paddock
The dispute between the Haas F1 team and former title sponsor Uralkali spilled over into the F1 paddock at the Dutch Grand Prix on Thursday.
23 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Dutch authorities visited the Haas garage on Thursday night following a ruling in Holland in Uralkali's favour. Haas parted ways with Uralkali, a Russian fertiliser producer, ahead of the 2022 F1 season as Russia invaded Ukraine.

While that decision was deemed fair within the contract, an arbitration ruling made in June outlined that the team must repay some of the sponsorship money it received. It's reported that the sum owed is around $13.4 million (USD $9 million) on an annual agreement that was worth $19.3 million (USD $13 million).

Uralkali argued Haas missed a payment deadline laid out by the arbitration and, as a result, had bailiffs visit Zandvoort on Thursday with a view to seizing the Haas team's assets, including its cars.

‘Bailiffs visit Haas’;

https://speedcafe.com/bailiffs-visit-haas-as-sponsor-dispute-spills-into-dutch-gp-paddock/


F1 team may miss Italian Grand Prix as cars and equipment 'could be seized'
There may only be 18 cars on track at the Italian Grand Prix due to a bizarre situation in the paddock.
Aug 23, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Uralkali - Haas' former title sponsor - has reportedly asked the Dutch court to seize the team's F1 cars and spare parts at the Dutch Grand Prix, which would prevent them from racing in Monza next weekend. The Russian potash fertiliser company became the title sponsor of the North Carolina-based squad in 2021, and played a significant role in bringing Nikita Mazepin into the team.

However, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Haas terminated their partnership with the company. Uralkali, who had already paid a large chunk of their sponsorship fee up front, took issue with this. Uralkali are requesting that there be a full seizure of the team's assets after the Dutch Grand Prix comes to a close. This would prevent the team from racing in Monza the following weekend.

‘May miss Italian Grand Prix’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1939662/Haas-Italian-Grand-Prix


Bailiffs visit F1 team at Dutch Grand Prix as former sponsor asks court to seize assets
Police were spotted in the Dutch Grand Prix paddock as well as bailiffs as one Formula 1 team faces a legal challenge over unpaid cash to an angry former sponsor
• 23 Aug 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
Speedcafe

While Haas were allowed to terminate the sponsorship deal, it was found that some of the £9.9m paid to the team by Uralkali for that season had to be returned. But the firm has claimed that the team missed the July repayment deadline.

And they have escalated the matter to the Dutch courts this week, ahead of the Zandvoort race. Uralkali has asked for the team's assets to be seized and were on the right side of a provisional ruling. Bailiffs and police personnel were spotted in the paddock on Thursday, with the former called in to evaluate the assets present.

The team has been told that, should it fail to make the owed payment, then it will not be allowed to remove its assets from the Netherlands. While that means the team will be able to compete at Zandvoort this weekend, it means their participation at Monza next weekend is under threat if Uralkali do not receive the payment they are owed. In a statement, the team said sanctions against Russian companies levied because of the invasion have complicated the process.

‘Bailiffs visit F1 team’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/haas-bailiffs-uralkali-dutch-gp-33526960

[Fortitude]

Russell takes top spot in Dutch GP FP2 as Mercedes and McLaren set the pace.
George Russell finished FP2 at the Dutch Grand Prix as the driver to beat, getting the better of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just 0.061s as Mercedes picked up where they left off before the summer break.
23 August 2024
Adriano Boin
Total Motorsport

The Mercedes star set his time half way through the session in what was a dry hour on the track. Rain fell on the Zandvoort track earlier in the day, and with FP3 set to be wet and qualifying likely to be held in mixed conditions, teams and drivers were keen to make the most of the session.

Russell topped the charts with a 1:10.702, with Piastri just behind him and teammate Lewis Hamilton in third, just 0.111s slower. Mercedes’ race pace makes them a real threat for Sunday’s race, especially when you factor in that the team have won three of the last four GPs.

Lando Norris, who finished FP1 with the top time, had to settle for fourth, though McLaren showed they will once again be in the mix, especially as their upgrades look good. Max Verstappen finished with the fifth fastest time, the Dutchman looking to make it four in a row at his home race. If Friday’s action is anything to go by, it won’t be straightforward for the Red Bull ace.

‘Russell takes top spot’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/russell-takes-top-spot-in-dutch-gp-fp2-as-mercedes-and-mclaren-set-the-pace/


Dutch GP: Free Practice 2 Results
24 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 63 George Russell Mercedes 28 1:10.702

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 32 1:10.763 0.061

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 28 1:10.813 0.111

4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 32 1:10.961 0.259

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 32 1:10.986 0.284

6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 28 1:11.357 0.655

7 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 30 1:11.374 0.672

8 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 31 1:11.430 0.728

9 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 29 1:11.443 0.741

10 23 Alex Albon Williams 32 1:11.550 0.848

‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;

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


2024 Dutch GP FP2: Russell's close call in the pits
George Russell felt something strange when his Mercedes left the pit box, luckily everything was fine for the British driver and his crew.
24 August 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Russell's close call’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-dutch-gp-fp2-russells-close-call-in-the-pits.1808189838007931710


Dutch Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 2 Results
August 23, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

George Russell finishes top ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton in FP2 at the Dutch Grand Prix. Soft tyre runs. Verstappen went to the top of the timesheet, setting a 1:10.986. However, Norris quickly displaced the Red Bull driver – narrowly beating the Dutchman by 0.025 seconds.

Norris’ teammate Piastri then went quickest by just shy of two-tenths, setting a 1:10.763, making it a McLaren 1-2. Meanwhile, it was the end of the session for Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz – the Spaniard had a gearbox issue. Mercedes then turned up to the top end of the field. Russell went quickest, setting a 1:10.702. The Briton’s teammate, Hamilton slotted inbetween the two McLaren drivers in third.

After the flurry of lap times from the soft tyre runs, all drivers switched to race runs. Russell ended the session at the top ahead of Piastri and Hamilton. Norris ended in fourth with Verstappen ending fifth-quickest.

‘F1 Free Practice 2 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/dutch-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-2-results/?nowprocket=1


Russell heads FP2 at F1 Dutch GP as Hulkenberg crashes
August 23, 2024
Motorsport Week

George Russell edged a tight contest to head the timesheets as Mercedes and McLaren stole a march in the second practice session at Formula 1’s Dutch Grand Prix. The rain that disrupted proceedings during the opening practice hour had subsided as the bright sunshine that had been expected made an appearance at Zandvoort.

However, the wind remained intense and several top names were caught out at Turn 1 as both Russell and then also Sergio Perez experienced trips through the gravel. But their excursions were mild in comparison to what Nico Hulkenberg encountered as the rear wheels on his Haas locked up under braking and he spun into the wall.

The Briton ended up 0.061 seconds faster than Oscar Piastri, who sandwiched the Mercedes drivers as Lewis Hamilton wound up third, 0.111s behind his team-mate. Lando Norris, who headed the opening hour, was fourth in the second McLaren, while home hero Max Verstappen rounded out the top five runners in the lead Red Bull.

‘Tight contest to head the timesheets’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/23/russell-heads-fp2-at-f1-dutch-gp-as-hulkenberg-crashes/


FP2 Dutch GP Full Results | Russell claims top spot with Piastri on tail
August 23, 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com

After changeable conditions in FP1, FP2 provided us with an hour of non-stop dry running topped by George Russell who finished ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton. See the full results from FP2 here:

It was 100% dry running in FP2 after a rain-affected FP1 halted the majority of meaningful laps. Strong winds were present throughout the session and some drivers struggled getting to grips with the gusts. Nico Hulkenberg crashed early on, bringing out a red flag.

Sergio Perez and George Russell also went off at turn one after locking up, but the latter managed to top the timesheets with an impressive 1.10.702 in the second practice session in Zandvoort. Elsewhere, Carlos Sainz pulled into the pits after half an hour of running with a gearbox issue.

‘Russell claims top spot with Piastri on tail’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296025/full-results-from-fp2-for-the-dutch-grand-prix.html


Dutch GP: George Russell puts Mercedes P1 as Max Verstappen misses top three
23 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen slipped to P5 in a very competitive second hour of practice at the Dutch Grand Prix, topped by George Russell. The qualifying simulations with the soft tyres saw Russell win out, his 1:10.702 putting him P1, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri just 0.06s behind. Russell’s Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton completed the top three with Verstappen down in P5, though it was a top five covered by less than three-tenths.

Russell would suffer a “little bit strange” lock-up into the Turn 9 gravel, while Sergio Perez found the trap at Turn 1, both escaping and getting back on their way. Verstappen had a rear snap out of Turn 7 but managed to avoid the gravel, as he called to return to the pits. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also did well to keep it out the gravel as he locked-up at Turn 1, the conditions clearly very tricky in that opening quarter of the session.

Nico Hulkenberg was another driver who suffered from handling issues in FP1, those returning in FP2 as he spun at the entry Turn 1, skidded through the gravel and found the wall. Thankfully completely unhurt, he exclaimed over team radio: “I don’t know what happened there” as the red flags briefly came out to neutralise the session.

‘Max Verstappen misses top three’;

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


Dutch GP: Russell pips Piastri to top honours in windy FP2
23/08/2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Everyone was quick to get to work, as this is likely to be the only fully dry track time before Sunday's race with tomorrow's weather looking somewhat troubled. Having been slowest in FP1, Alpine's Pierre Gasly was on hard tyres at the head of the queue to depart pit lane when the lights went green; with the exception of Alex Albon in the Williams, everyone else was straight on to the mediums.

The rush of traffic meant there was some immediate jockeying for position between George Russell, Logan Sargeant and Valtteri Bottas, the Sauber driver having sat out first practice in favour of Ferrari reserve Robert Shwartzman. Oscar Piastri was quick to return to pit lane, complaining about an issue with his visor, but that was soon taken car of by the McLaren pit crew..

Local hero Max Verstappen delighted his fans by moving clear of Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez with a time of 1:12.131s. Perez subsequently left his braking too late and ran off at Tarzan but he was far from alone to have problems. Having run off into the gravel exiting turn 8 on his first push lap, Russell was soon up to third with morning pace setter Lando Norris posting a time sufficient for P4, but quicker times were already coming in from Albon, RB's Yuki Tsunoda, and Piastri.

‘Local hero Max Verstappen delighted his fans’;

https://f1i.com/news/516831-dutch-gp-russell-pips-piastri-to-top-honours-in-windy-fp2.html

[Fortitude]

Haas assets unable to leave the Netherlands without payment to former sponsor.
The assets of the Haas F1 team, including the cars, motorhome and racing equipment, are unable to leave the Netherlands unless the team pays its former sponsor Uralkali.
23 Aug 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Haas is at the centre of legal trouble with former F1 sponsor Uralkali, who is demanding money to be paid back after the contract between the pair was terminated in 2022. In a further twist, OSK Advocaten, who is representing Uralkali, has outlined that Haas can't leave the Netherlands without paying the owed money.

"In addition to the payment, they must also inform us where all the stuff is - if they do not comply, they are committing a criminal offense," lawyer Jurjen de Korte of OSK told RacingNews365. “They had time to comply, but they were playing hide-and-seek. The ball is in their court, they have to find a solution.”

‘Legal trouble’;

https://racingnews365.com/breaking-haas-assets-unable-to-leave-zandvoort-without-payment-to-former-sponsor


F1 - 2024 Dutch Grand Prix - Friday Press Conference Transcript
23.08.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Ayao, coming to you now. First up, can we deal with some news that broke this morning? What's the situation with Uralkali and the arbitration ruling?
Ayao KOMATSU: So obviously arbitration ruling was made and then we accepted it. We're not disputing it whatsoever. And then it's a complicated process to transfer the funds across. And then we're working on it and it's been taking longer than I would like. But yeah, we are fully focused on making it across as soon as possible.

‘Arbitration’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-dutch-grand-prix-friday-press-conference-transcript


Former sponsor asks court to seize Haas assets
August 23, 2024
North Carolina

The Russian chemical company Uralkali filed suit in a Dutch court to seize assets from the Formula 1 team Haas over a failed payment required after a partnership between the two entities was ended. Uralkali was the Haas title sponsor in 2022, when the American F1 team elected to cancel the sponsorship deal following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Russian company, which is also a fertilizer producer, had paid $13 million for the sponsorship.

During an arbitration hearing in June, a Swiss court determined Haas was within its rights to end the partnership, but the team had to refund as much as $9 million of the sponsorship funding it received. According to Uralkali, there are no sanctions preventing the refund of sponsorship funds intended for use by Haas before the partnership was dissolved.

"We are delighted to hear that, following (the) visit from Dutch authorities, Haas is finally paying attention to the arbitral ruling," Uralkali said in its own statement. "Uralkali wants nothing more than to receive what it was awarded during a fair judicial process and hopes that Haas will move quickly to rectify the situation so that all sides can move on."

‘Seize Haas assets’;

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/nascar-auto-racing/article291371720.html#storylink=mainstage_card


Max Verstappen’s worrying ‘too slow’ Red Bull RB20 verdict with ‘no clear answer’ at Dutch GP
23 Aug 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen has admitted that the Red Bull RB20 was “just too slow” in practice at the Dutch Grand Prix, with “no clear answer” how to fix it at Zandvoort. Verstappen, who ended the afternoon session 0.284 seconds slower than the pace-setting Mercedes of George Russell, conceded that Red Bull are “a bit too slow” across the long and short runs at his home race.

“In FP1, I didn’t really get a lot of running in, but I guess in FP2 you could see a little bit more where you are. A bit too slow on the short run, a bit too slow on the long run. So a bit of work to do. At the moment, there’s no clear answer of how to improve that specifically, but we’ll look into things. Just a bit too slow. Simple as that.”

‘Too slow’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-red-bull-rb20-dutch-gp-practice-too-slow-no-answer


Horner defends Perez and turns confrontational question to journalist
23 August 2024
Estéban den Toom
GPblog.com

Christian Horner hit back hard at critics on Friday of the Dutch Grand Prix. After the two practice sessions at Zandvoort, the team principal was asked about Sergio Perez, but he defended his driver.

"Who would you put in?", Horner responded to a question about his driver on Sky Sports. "We know that the beginning of the year he was scoring, he went for podiums in five races and if we can get him back into… I think he's just had a lack of confidence and has ended up in a bit of a spiral. I think he's had a bit of a reset, hopefully over the summer break."

About Perez's chances at the Zandvoort track however, Horner remained less optimistic. "Zandvoort hasn't been his best circuit. So of the four races coming up before the next mini break, I would say this is his most, most challenging one."

‘Horner defends Perez’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296049/horner-defends-perez-after-first-two-practice-sessions-zandvoort.html


Lando Norris has “no idea” if huge McLaren F1 upgrade is working at Dutch Grand Prix
"So optimistic, but I have no idea if it’s working or not or how it’s performing at the minute..."
23 Aug 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking to F1TV after the session, Lando Norris feels McLaren don't have the quickest car out there. “Probably not, Mercedes are quite quick - it’s close,” he said. “I don’t think there is a quickest, it just depends on different factors. We’ve been in good form since Miami, but we’ve not really brought any updates since Miami, this weekend’s our first time trying to make a bit more progress with the car.”

“So optimistic, but I have no idea if it’s working or not or how it’s performing at the minute, but today was a reasonable day and we’re there or thereabouts. So a little bit more to find overnight hopefully and we can challenge the Mercedes."

“No idea”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1053848/1/lando-norris-has-no-idea-if-huge-mclaren-f1-upgrade-working-dutch-grand-prix


Ferrari not surprised by lack of speed at Zandvoort
24 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Having struggled for pace on the opening day at the Dutch Grand Prix, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has revealed that he was not surprised by the lack of speed on the narrow, old-school Zandvoort circuit. "It was tough, as expected I would say. We don’t quite match the pace of our competitors in front, but I think it’s better than what it looks like on the timesheets today. We have work to do in order to be in a place where we can fight for the win.”

"I will do everything to extract the maximum in qualifying, but the gaps we are looking at for the moment are too big to do anything special. If we can get to within 2 to 3 tenths, then maybe we can fight for a good spot in qualifying, otherwise I predict a difficult weekend for us," concluded the Monegasque.

‘Extract the maximum’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25319


Can Mercedes win Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix? 'The car felt alive'
23 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Mercedes took a good first step into the Dutch Grand Prix weekend. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton closed out the second free practice session in first and third on the leaderboard respectively. The German Formula 1 team believes it can compete with McLaren and Red Bull Racing, but at the same time, the drivers realise that the pecking order may still change over the weekend.

George Russell: "The car was performing really well. We've got the upgrades on which seem to be working as expected and it looks like quite a close battle with the McLarens and Max [Verstappen], but it could all be different tomorrow." Russell said.

Will Lewis Hamilton be battling for the race victory? "There's still more time to find out for sure. I didn't get the most out of my lap on the Soft compound tyre so that's encouraging for qualifying. We will go through the data on the long runs this evening and see if we can make further improvements overnight." The 105-time Grand Prix winner concluded.

'Car felt alive';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296094/mercedes-drivers-on-dutch-gp-chances-after-zandvoort-practice.html


Dutch Grand Prix director "incredibly proud" about start of F1 weekend in Zandvoort
23 August 2024
NL Times

Dutch Grand Prix director Jan Lammers has said that the start of the F1 weekend in Zandvoort has gone well thus far. "We have started, and it looks great again despite the weather, which did make today unpredictable. But I am incredibly proud," he told local broadcaster NH Nieuws. This could be one of the penultimate edition of the Dutch Grand Prix, at least for the time being, as the contract with Formula 1 expires after next year. The sporting director admits that it is currently up in the air whether Formula 1 will return to Zandvoort after next year.

"It's about the permits, but you also have to make a cost-benefit analysis. Organizing such a weekend costs tens of millions; it has to be profitable. We don't know yet what F1 will look like in 2026. What will Max Verstappen do? We really have to be completely full for three days. Otherwise, we will suffer losses. The moment we say we are ready, we have to wait and see whether it will also be put on the calendar."

"Incredibly proud";

https://nltimes.nl/2024/08/23/dutch-grand-prix-director-incredibly-proud-start-f1-weekend-zandvoort

[Fortitude]

Logan Sargeant’s Williams catches fire in final Dutch GP practice after scary crash.
Logan Sargeant’s Williams F1 car was engulfed in flames after a heavy shunt in the opening part of final practice at the Dutch Grand Prix.
24 Aug 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Final practice has been a difficult session for a number of drivers due to the tricky conditions.
�� RED FLAG ��

Logan Sargeant suffers a heavy crash but he's out of the car #F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/zsGoU1pRz9
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 24, 2024

Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg hit the wall at Turn 11 - damaging his front wing entirely. It's been a tough season overall for Sargeant, who will be replaced by Carlos Sainz for 2025. It means his F1 career is effectively over.

‘Williams catches fire’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1053864/1/logan-sargeants-williams-catches-fire-final-dutch-gp-practice-after-scary-crash


Dutch GP: Free Practice 3 Results
24 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 5 1:20.311

2 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 9 1:20.450 0.139

3 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 7 1:21.155 0.844

4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 6 1:21.387 1.076

5 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 6 1:21.461 1.150

6 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 4 1:21.643 1.332

7 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 10 1:21.850 1.539

8 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 7 1:21.941 1.630

9 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 5 1:22.354 2.043

10 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 6 1:22.589 2.278

‘Full results’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Grands+Prix/Dutch+GP


Official: Sargeant misses Dutch GP qualifying after heavy crash
The American racer crashed heavily in the third and final practice session at Zandvoort, destroying the car.
24 August 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

In wet conditions at Zandvoort, Sargeant clipped the grass at Turn 4 which spat him across the track and into the armco barrier, destroying the car, with a fire breaking out at the rear of the wrecked machine.

He was able to climb out unaided, but the incident disrupted the 60-minute session with almost 40 minutes of it being red-flagged owing to barrier repairs. Only three minutes of running was possible with Pierre Gasly emerging fastest.

Given the extent of damage, and despite Williams' best efforts, it was unable to repair Sargeant's car, which means he must apply to the stewards for permission to race. As he completed a lap-time within 107% of the pace, this will be granted for the American driver, who could yet start from the pit-lane given the need for a replacement chassis.

‘Sargeant misses Dutch GP qualifying’;

https://racingnews365.com/official-sargeant-misses-dutch-gp-qualifying-after-heavy-crash


DUTCH GRAND PRIX: F1 FREE PRACTICE 3 RESULTS
Formula 1 returns from summer break for round 15 of the championship and is joined in Zandvoort by F1 Academy
August 24, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Lights out for FP3: A soggy start to the session saw all the drivers opting for the wet tyre compound. The lights went green for Free Practice 3 but the drivers were slow to head out on track.
Yellow and Red Flags: Hulkenberg triggered a brief yellow flag, losing part of his front wing at Turn 12 and returning to the pits. The German driver was plagued with brake issues yesterday, causing him to crash in FP1. The issues repeated in this session, locking up his tyres and sending him into the barriers.
"Something weird is going on there!" ��
Nico finds the barriers for a second day running �� pic.twitter.com/gEcbGHe8MM
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) August 24, 2024

With 45 minutes remaining, a Sector 1 Yellow Flag quickly turned into a Red Flag due to Logan Sargeant’s Williams. His FW46 was on fire in the middle of the track.
RED FLAG ��
Logan Sargeant has walked away after a scary accident �� pic.twitter.com/UQvC3LObxf
Sargeant went onto the grass at the exit of Turn 3, losing the car and hitting the barrier at speed. Luckily, Sargeant extricated himself from the burning car, confirming on the radio to Williams that he was okay.

Session restart: Free Practice 3 was due to restart with only five minutes left on the clock. The barriers required significant repairs, taking 40 minutes of practice time. However, just as the restart time arrived, race control delayed it by a further three minutes. With only two minutes to go, every car was queueing at the pit lane exit ready to go out on track.

‘FW46 was on fire’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/dutch-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-3-results/?nowprocket=1


Massive Sargeant crash wipes out most of final Dutch GP practice
Aug 24, 2024
Edd Straw
The Race

Williams has sufficient spares available to run Sargeant in the upgraded spec after repairs, but Vowles said the team will have to take a view on whether it wants to risk further new parts. “There’s a limited amount [of the parts],” Vowles told Sky, “so if something happens now to the other car you need to make sure in parc ferme you have enough spares. That’s more what I want to evaluate now - when under parc ferme condition can we service both cars?”

NEW JEOPARDY FOR SARGEANT? The crash is the latest blow in a trying season for 23-year-old Sargeant, who won’t continue as a race driver with Williams next year following the signing of Carlos Sainz. He needs to make the most of the remaining races in an attempt either to keep a foothold of some form in F1 or earn a ride in another category next year, but such an elementary error is not helping his cause.

There also remain persistent rumours about the possibility of Williams replacing him before the end of the season given the need to maximise its points in the constructors’ championship and this hardly helps his case.

‘Massive Sargeant crash’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/logan-sargeant-crash-dutch-grand-prix-f1-practice/


‘Worst time’ for a crash says Vowles after Sargeant hit in FP3
24/08/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The timing of the crash could not have been worse for Williams, which introduced its first major upgrade of the season this weekend on both of its cars. The new parts were expected to boost the team's performance, but the crash has left Williams grappling with a shortage of spare components.

Williams team principal James Vowles expressed his frustration over the situation, emphasizing the limited availability of the new parts. “There’s hundreds of hours spent on the update, it looks like it’s working, but there’s few of them in the world,” he told Sky F1. “Really, the worst time is when you’ve just introduced it with small amounts of bits and put it into the wall at the circuit.”

Vowles feared a chassis change would be necessary to keep Sargeant in the running for the remainder of the weekend, although his participation in the afternoon’s qualifying session appeared seriously compromised. Sargeant’s mishap also comes at a particularly challenging time for the 23-year-old, who will not be remaining with Williams next year as the team has confirmed he will be replaced by Carlos Sainz Jnr.

‘Worst time’;

https://f1i.com/news/516983-worst-time-for-a-crash-says-vowles-after-sargeant-hit-in-fp3.html


Pierre Gasly tops Dutch GP FP3 after Logan Sargeant causes lengthy red flag delay
Pierre Gasly set the pace in final F1 practice at the Dutch Grand Prix after most of the session was red flagged following Logan Sargeant's crash.
24 Aug 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Pierre Gasly set the fastest time in final F1 practice for the Dutch Grand Prix following a 40-minute delay to the session following Logan Sargeant’s crash. The majority of the session was under red flag conditions after Sargeant crashed heavily on the exit of Turn 4.

The session ultimately restarted with two minutes on the clock. It was Gasly who got a clean lap in, storming to the top with a 1m20.311s, a tenth ahead of Haas’ Kevin Magnussen. Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas completed the top three in an unrepresentative final practice.

Lando Norris was fourth overall ahead of Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon. Oscar Piastri, Lance Stroll and Nico Hulkenberg were next up in the order. Hulkenberg had another tough session, locking up at Turn 11 and destroying his front wing in the process.

‘Lengthy red flag delay’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1053872/1/pierre-gasly-tops-dutch-gp-fp3-after-logan-sargeant-causes-lengthy-red-flag-delay

[Fortitude]

Dutch Grand Prix qualifying results: Lando Norris dominates as Hamilton suffers nightmare.
Lando Norris clinched pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix after pipping Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to the top spot at a windy Zandvoort Circuit. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, could only manage a P12 grid slot.
Aug 24, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The likes of Sergio Perez, George Russell and Carlos Sainz all climbed to the top with the aid of track evolution on their final runs. It was also a familiar tale at the bottom. Both Sauber drivers were eliminated along with Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon, while Logan Sargeant didn’t set a time after his heavy shunt during FP3.

There were bigger scalps in Q2. Russell had the pace to challenge the two McLaren drivers on his first run, but his team-mate struggled significantly. Hamilton couldn’t improve enough on his final attempt, crossing the line in P11 before being relegated to P12.

He was joined in the elimination zone by another big hitter as Sainz was bumped out of the top 10 by team-mate Charles Leclerc. Also in the bottom five were the Haas duo of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, while Yuki Tsunoda also couldn’t improve.

‘Lando Norris clinched pole position’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1940057/Dutch-Grand-Prix-qualifying-results


Dutch GP: Qualifying Results
25 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:11.377 1:10.496 1:09.673

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:11.393 1:10.811 1:10.029 0.356

3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:11.541 1:10.505 1:10.172 0.499

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:11.049 1:10.552 1:10.244 0.571

5 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:11.006 1:10.678 1:10.416 0.743

6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:11.370 1:10.689 1:10.582 0.909

7 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:11.493 1:10.845 1:10.633 0.960

8 23 Alex Albon Williams 1:11.503 1:10.768 1:10.653 0.980

9 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:11.518 1:10.661 1:10.857 1.184

10 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:11.718 1:10.815 1:10.977 1.304

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

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


F1 LIVE - Dutch GP QUALI - (HEAVY RAIN) - Commentary + Live Timing
25 August 2024
F1 Gamer

This is a Formula One (F1) live stream which has full live commentary and live timing data alongside a track map. It is the first F1 (Formula 1) Grand Prix this season in Zandvoort, Netherlands held at the Zandvoort Race Circuit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbvFR1SgSeI


Lando Norris storms to Dutch GP pole by 0.3s, Lewis Hamilton only 12th
Lando Norris will start Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix on pole position, storming to top spot by over 0.3s.
24 Aug 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lando Norris clinched pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix with a blistering lap, beating F1 title rival Max Verstappen by 0.3s. After two of the three practice sessions were hit with rain, the competitive order heading into qualifying was unclear. It was McLaren who immediately appeared to be the team to beat throughout qualifying.

Come Q3, Norris proved to be untouchable as he was the only driver to dip into the 1m09s. His eventual margin was 0.356s over Verstappen. Verstappen did make a mistake on his final lap into the Turn 11-12 chicane - but it was enough to secure second for his home race. Oscar Piastri will start the race from third, 0.499s down on Norris’ pole time. George Russell will start fourth ahead of Sergio Perez, who was an encouraging fifth.

‘Pole position’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1053900/1/lando-norris-storms-dutch-gp-pole-03s-lewis-hamilton-only-12th


Impressive Norris SMASHES Verstappen's lap time for pole in Zandvoort
24 Aug 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Lando Norris has qualified on pole position for the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and was over three-tenths faster than the Dutchman. The Red Bull driver will start from second-place, inside a McLaren sandwich with Oscar Piastri in third.

Verstappen has lost his 100% record of topping the meaningful sessions at Zandvoort. Since the Dutch Grand Prix returned in 2021, the Dutchman has qualified on pole position and took the race victory every single year until 2024. He made ground in his final lap in qualifying, but Norris smashed it. The Brit beat Verstappen by more than three-tenths. George Russell got the final place on the second row, with Perez starting from fifth.

‘Impressive Norris’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296280/norris-gets-pole-position-in-the-dutch-grand-prix.html


Lando Norris beats Max Verstappen to Dutch GP pole as Lewis Hamilton flops in qualifying
George Russell went quickest in the only dry practice session at Zandvoort with Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris also going quicker than home hero Max Verstappen
• 24 Aug 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer

Lando Norris beat home hero Max Verstappen to pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix - but Lewis Hamilton was the one left with the most wounds to lick.

The seven-time Formula 1 champion was considered a contender for pole after showing the pace of his Mercedes in Friday practice. But his best effort in Q2 was only the 12th quickest time on the board and so he never got the chance to fight for a spot on the front row.

And he faces an investigation, accused of impeding Sergio Perez in Q1, which could drop him three places further down if found guilty. But the day was Norris' after he put it all together in the final part of the session to secured the best grid slot for Sunday's Grand Prix.

‘Going quicker than home hero’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-dutch-gp-starting-grid-33531813


Hamilton left dejected in Zandvoort ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix
24 Aug 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Lewis Hamilton failed to reach Q3 for the second year running at the Dutch Grand Prix. While his teammate George Russell was quick enough to get a place in the second row, Hamilton had to watch the session from the garage. The Brit was downbeat about his chances in the Dutch Grand Prix.

"Not ideal. It was a difficult session," Hamilton told GPblog and others in Zandvoort. The Brit will start from 12th if the stewards don't penalise him for an incident with Sergio Perez. The Brit is under investigation following potential impeding in the opening part of qualifying. Hamilton stressed he did all he could to get out of the way of the Mexican.

Hamilton then went on to explain why he struggled in qualifying. The third free practice session was curtailed due to a horror crash for Logan Sargeant. "I think we made changes overnight and then couldn't see it in FP3, but that's the same for everybody. We changed the car quite a bit. I made more changes than Russell," Hamilton added.

‘Left dejected’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296331/hamilton-downbeat-after-failing-to-reach-q3.html

[Fortitude]

Norris must reverse his run of poor starts from first place to see off Verstappen.
Norris has never kept his lead from pole position. He started at the sharp end five times in F1 and lost the lead every time.
25th August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Lando Norris insists that he is not concerned by his conversion rate as he looks ahead to the grand prix. “I know my stats are not the best for that,” the pole winner said. “And more often than not, I’ve kind of gone backwards rather than holding positions.”

“But that’s just what I’ve done so far. And I’ve worked hard and working hard to try and change that. I’m not going to go out tomorrow to try and suddenly prove people wrong or something. I’m just going to crack on and do what I got to do.”

The England men’s soccer team is notorious for losing penalty shootouts at major tournaments. But the Three Lions actually have a success rate of 36.36%. That’s infinitely better than Lando Norris’ conversion rate when it comes to keeping the lead from pole position.

“Do what I got to do”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/25/norris-must-reverse-his-run-of-poor-starts-from-first-place-to-see-off-verstappen/


Brown inadvertently reminds Norris of mishaps ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix
24 August 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

For the first time since Formula One returned to the Netherlands in 2021, Max Verstappen has been outqualified at a Dutch Grand Prix. Lando Norris will start Sunday's Grand Prix from P1 on the grid, while Oscar Piastri also finished in third position on Saturday afternoon. CEO Zak Brown gave his verdict about his team's qualifying to Sky Sports.

The American CEO was satisfied with his drivers result at the Dutch circuit. "That was a monster lap by Lando. Not expecting a margin like that. I thought we had a chance at pole position but everything was kind of within the same tenth," he praised Lando Norris, who managed to finish ahead of Verstappen by more than three tenths.

"Our race pace was strong on both compounds. It's difficult to pass around here so we just need a good, clean start," Brown continued explaining what he expects from the Grand Prix on Sunday, inadvertently talking about Norris' recent issues on Lap 1. "Good strategy and make sure we execute well. We have the pace and the drivers to win the race," he declared confidently.

“Monster lap by Lando”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296465/brown-inadvertently-reminds-norris-of-mishaps-ahead-of-sunday-s-grand-prix.html


Horner after Max's P2 in qualifying Zandvoort: 'Main focus is on the race'
24 August 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, team principal and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing: “Our main focus is on tomorrow and let’s see if that pays off. Max has put himself in a great position in tricky conditions. I think it is going to be an interesting race, strategy will play a pivotal role, and the weather could play a part too, as it has all weekend.”

“Lando is on the clean side of the grid, there’s a reason why it is the preferred position here but let’s see, we need to get a good start, it is not that long a run into turn one so hopefully we get away well.”

'Main focus is on the race';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5567/


Adjusted starting grid for 2024 F1 Dutch Grand Prix after multiple penalties
24 August 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Position Driver Team
1st Lando Norris McLaren
2nd Max Verstappen Red Bull
3rd Oscar Piastri McLaren
4th George Russell Mercedes
5th Sergio Perez Red Bull
6th Charles Leclerc Ferrari
7th Fernando Alonso Aston Martin
8th Lance Stroll Aston Martin
9th Pierre Gasly Alpine
10th Carlos Sainz Ferrari
11th Yuki Tsunoda RB
12th Nico Hulkenberg Haas
13th Kevin Magnussen Haas
14th Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
15th Daniel Ricciardo RB
16th Esteban Ocon Alpine
17th Valtteri Bottas Stake
18th Zhou Guanyu Stake
19th Logan Sargeant Williams
20th Alex Albon Williams

‘Adjusted starting grid’;

https://racingnews365.com/adjusted-starting-grid-for-2024-f1-dutch-grand-prix-after-multiple-penalties


Piastri has green light to attack Norris in Dutch GP
Oscar Piastri has confirmed he is free to attack team-mate and pole-sitter Lando Norris during the Dutch Grand Prix.
25 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Piastri will line up third for Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix, directly behind team-mate Norris who set the fastest time in qualifying. Norris delivered a hammer blow time in the dying moments of the session to secure top spot, the McLaren pair split by Max Verstappen.

Piastri insists there are no team orders at play and he will be free to attack his team-mate throughout the race. “The rules [of engagement] are very, very clear and haven't changed,” Piastri explained. “We're free to race each other to try and win.”

“Of course, we're in a constructors' championship fight and we know that there's a lot at stake for the team, but we've shown time and time again that we can race each other well, race each other cleanly. We're free to try and both win the race and that's not changed.”

‘Green light’;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-has-green-light-to-attack-team-mate-norris-in-dutch-gp/


Leclerc and Sainz struggling: 'We're quite a bit off the pace'
24 Aug 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

It's been a sobering weekend for Ferrari, which has disappeared into the midfield runners while their main rivals battle it out for pole position and the front rows for this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix. "We knew it would be a tough one today and we maximised our qualifying with P6," Charles Leclerc said “The lap was good but we are nine-tenths off. Unfortunately on such a short track it’s a lot, it’s too much.”

"We are quite a bit off the pace of our competitors," Charles Leclerc told the media in the paddock at Zandvoort. "The target for me tomorrow will be to keep our position and bring as many points home as possible. I think P6 is the best we can do on a weekend like this. We don’t have enough race pace to do anything better, but if there is the opportunity to do so I will try and take it.”

‘Sobering weekend for Ferrari’;

https://f1i.com/news/517040-leclerc-and-sainz-struggling-were-quite-a-bit-off-the-pace.html


F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Reflects on “Frustrating” Dutch GP Qualifying After Multiple Incidents
August 24, 2024
By Jake Faigus Athlon Sports

Lewis Hamilton faced a challenging qualifying session at the Dutch Grand Prix, finishing in twelfth place. The seven-time world champion expressed his frustration over several incidents that hindered his performance on the track. "It was a pretty shocking session. These things happen and it's done now but it doesn't feel good. It all went badly from the moment with Perez happened. I did my best to get out of the way, I was far to the left as possible, but timing was bad. "It was a domino effect, it went from bad to worse."

Despite making adjustments to his car overnight, Hamilton struggled with balance issues, switching from understeer to a car that felt overly responsive. Hamilton also said to the rest of the media, as quoted by Motorsport Week: "[It was] not ideal. We made changes overnight and we couldn't see [what impact that had] in P3, but it's the same for everybody. We changed the car quite a lot and it was a nightmare today. The car was massively snappy today. Yesterday was a lot of understeer and then we tried to dial that out and went more the other way."

“Frustrating”;

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/article291430795.html#storylink=mainstage_card

[Fortitude]

Norris fights back against Verstappen to end home hero’s run of Dutch GP wins.
McLaren driver Lando Norris charged to a statement victory during the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, overhauling Max Verstappen after his Red Bull rival moved ahead at the start – and denying the Dutchman what would have been a fourth-straight home triumph.
26 Aug 2024
Formula One - Official Site

AS IT HAPPENED: After two days of mixed weather, drivers were greeted by dry and bright conditions in the build-up to Sunday’s race at the historic Zandvoort Circuit, with tyre supplier Pirelli forecasting that a one-stop strategy would be the best approach to the 72-lap encounter. Aiming to make it four wins on the bounce at his home track, Verstappen edged clear of Norris over the opening handful of laps, the reigning world champion crucially building a lead of more than a second to ensure he was out of danger when it came to the DRS window.

While that battling occurred, there was an unusual radio exchange between the McLaren pit wall and second-placed Norris, with the driver being asked: “Who do you think we are racing? Just Max?” He dryly replied: “I think we are racing everyone, especially the car ahead”. As the laps ticked by, Norris stepped up the pace and managed to get within DRS range of Verstappen, his engineer adding of the situation: “Probably Plan A. Plan B might be a way to beat Max.” In response, Norris shared his preference for “Plan A”.

“The car doesn’t want to turn,” was the message from Verstappen as his first stint developed, with Norris taking half a second out of the leader on Lap 16 to pile on the pressure. Just two tours later, the McLaren man was in the lead via a DRS-assisted pass down the start/finish straight. Then came more radio chatter between Norris and the pit wall. “We think Plan A,” the Briton was told by his engineer as he moved into clean air and then did his best to break the DRS window back to Verstappen. “He [Verstappen] might try the undercut, but that’s cool.”

“Plan A”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/norris-fights-back-against-verstappen-to-end-home-heros-run-of-dutch-gp-wins.3IPKJnhPnBEjWGAfrGeZQo


Dutch GP: Race Results
26 Aug 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 72

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 22.896

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25.439

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 27.337

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 32.137

6 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 39.542

7 63 George Russell Mercedes 44.617

8 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 47.728

9 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1L

10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1L

‘Full results’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Grands+Prix/Dutch+GP


Marko left stunned by Dutch Grand Prix outcome: 'A lot to think about'
26 Aug 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

A year after the most dominant season in Formula 1 history, Red Bull Racing saw the tables turned completely, with Max Verstappen finishing 20 seconds behind rival Lando Norris. Helmut Marko is outraged by the result and sees McLaren getting closer to Red Bull in the World Championship.

Verstappen, who had to settle for second place, could not help but conclude that Red Bull was simply not fast enough to keep up with McLaren. This was despite a strong start from the Dutchman, who thus did all he could to still have a chance of victory at Zandvoort.

Marko endorsed Verstappen's words and was clear in his message after the Dutch Grand Prix. "We couldn't keep pace at all. We suffered a lot of tyre wear. A 1:13.8 on the last lap without DRS says a lot. There is a lot to work on and think about. The big problem was tyre wear," Marko summarised in a conversation with Sky Deutschland.

‘Stunned’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296719/marko-agrees-with-verstappen-s-words-on-red-bull-speed.html


Our verdict on Norris trouncing Verstappen in the Dutch GP
Aug 25, 2024
The Race

The biggest winning margin of the 2024 Formula 1 season has to count as Lando Norris and McLaren trouncing Max Verstappen and Red Bull at the Dutch Grand Prix. Was McLaren's dominance an outlier or the start of a new trend? What does it mean for the title fights? And how worried should Red Bull be?

McLaren can't count on this being the norm: Scott Mitchell-Malm.
Red Bull looked in real trouble: Ben Anderson.
Just what McLaren needed - now it must string together wins: Edd Straw.

One key area for McLaren to work on: Gary Anderson.
One title is lost, another is slipping: Josh Suttill.

‘Norris trouncing Verstappen’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/norris-verstappen-dutch-gp-f1-trouncing-our-verdict/


Dutch Grand Prix: F1 Race Results
Aug 25, 2024
James Fiorucci
FormulaNerds

Lights out: The top ten runners all opted to start the 72-lap event on the Medium compound of tyre. As the five lights went out, it was Verstappen who eased past Norris before the first turn. A poor start from Norris who lit up his rear tyres off the line, although he managed to keep Russell behind and retain second. Both McLarens suffered subpar getaways, as Piastri relinquished the final podium spot to the Mercedes of Russell.

Norris made his move on lap 17, as he briefly drew alongside Verstappen along the main straight. Verstappen managed to hold onto the lead, but complained of poor tyre grip. Only a lap later, Norris went down the inside at Tarzanbocht and reclaimed the top spot from the Dutchman.
LAP 18/72
Norris applies even more pressure and Verstappen has to yield
Lando dives down the inside around Turn 1 and now leads!! #F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/nontaRfqWv
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 25, 2024

In the end it was a dominant race, a dominant weekend in fact for Norris, who completely outclassed Verstappen on home turf to win the Dutch Grand Prix. The McLaren star even managed to secure on extra point with the fastest lap on the final lap. Verstappen ultimately saw the chequered flag over twenty seconds down, while Leclerc held on for an impressive podium finish.
LANDO NORRIS WINS THE DUTCH GRAND PRIX!!! ��
An absolutely dominant drive from the @McLarenF1 driver ��#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/ssdC7BxnC9
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 25, 2024
Final race classification
RACE CLASSIFICATION (LAP 72/72)
Look at that winning margin! ��
Norris also scooped an extra point for the fastest lap! ⏱️#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/XR9790lhk8
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 25, 2024

‘Dominant weekend’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/dutch-grand-prix-f1-race-results/?nowprocket=1


Brown teases Red Bull after Dutch GP win: 'We have more fun stuff coming'
Aug 25, 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

McLaren have cut the gap in the Constructors World Championship to 30 points after Lando Norris won the Dutch Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri also finished ahead of Sergio Perez to score 12 points for the British team. According to Zak Brown, McLaren is keen to remain grounded, but Andrea Stella wants his team to believe they can topple Red Bull.

McLaren added more bits to the car and it seems to have worked. Norris was able to close down Verstappen, and then open up a 20 second advantage over the Dutchman. Despite the good news, Brown asks his team to remain grounded. "The update worked but we need to keep our feet on the ground with how competitive Formula 1 in. We can't assume that will be a repeat every weekend but I hope we do it a few more times. We're getting closer. We've got a long way to go. It's very exciting. We have a fast car," Brown told Sky Sports.

Team principal Stella knows the Woking-based team can fight for the title. "Let's see if it's enough to be the best car at every venue with the upgrades. We keep going. There is not much we can do other than maximising every single event and adding performance to the car. I think we are in a strong trend. We should believe in it. We are determined and give our best. But we are fighting Red Bull who have been dominant," he said.

'More fun stuff coming';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296690/mclaren-tease-red-bull-with-more-upgrades-after-dutch-gp.html


Lando Norris aims cheeky radio message at Max Verstappen after crushing Dutch GP win
25 Aug 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

In celebrating victory on Verstappen’s home turf, Norris was told by race engineer Will Joseph: “Well done, well done – mega drive.” Norris then responded, using the famous phrase as used by the Dutch driver after his own race wins: “Simply lovely, huh? Thank you, well done, boys. Incredible job, the car was unbelievable, thank you so much. Let’s keep pushing.”

“Simply lovely, huh?”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-max-verstappen-radio-message-dutch-gp


Haas settles payment with Uralkali, but cars blocked in Zandvoort
25 Aug 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Haas, however, managed to stave off a seizure by making the outstanding payment on Friday evening, according to team owner Gene Haas. "Everything is now sorted," the F1 team owner declared on Sunday at Zandvoort.

However, a significant technicality remained on Sunday after the race. The funds, reportedly sent via the Middle East to navigate sanctions against Russia, hadn't cleared into the designated account by the weekend's close.

This means that although Haas can race in the upcoming Italian Grand Prix, their equipment is currently grounded in the Netherlands until the full payment reflects in Uralkali's account.

‘Cars blocked in Zandvoort’;

https://f1i.com/news/517237-haas-settles-financial-dispute-with-uralkali-avoids-seizure-of-assets.html

[Fortitude]

Christian Horner: McLaren in a different league | ‘Nothing secure’ in title race.
Max Verstappen snatched the lead from Lando Norris at the start but the McLaren driver fought back to claim what was ultimately a dominant second career win at Zandvoort.
25 Aug 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

“Congrats to McLaren and Lando. Their car was in a different league today,” he told Sky Sports. “We did everything we could. Max converted P2 into a lead, but you could see that their pace was just in a different league. Plenty of work to do.”

“I think we have learned a lot of lessons this weekend, which have been really valuable. And a solid drive from Checo. It’s time to digest what has happened here. Damage limitation with P2 and try to bounce back in Monza.”

“The pace they had today… nothing is secure,” Horner admitted. “We still have a comfortable lead in the drivers’. But in the constructors', again another chunk of points has come off today. We are going to have to respond and I am confident we have the strength in depth to do that.”

“Plenty of work to do”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1053970/1/christian-horner-mclaren-different-league-nothing-secure-title-race


Horner after P2 in Dutch GP: 'Have to respond'
25 August 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, team principal and CEO of Oracle Red Bull Racing: “We need to understand where the deficit is to McLaren and how we can improve performance on our car, we have some idea and will work hard to do that. We are going to have to respond and I am confident we have the strength and depth to do that.”

“Max has a 70-point lead in the drivers’ championship but we have to keep scoring as a team and on the days we can’t win you have to finish second. So, we have plenty of work to do but we have learnt a lot of lessons this weekend that can be very valuable, we have tried some things on the car that we have good data from to assess. We need to make sure we use that; it is time to digest what happened here and try to bounce back in Monza.”

'Have to respond';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5569/


Horner sees Zandvoort as a positive weekend: 'Gained a lot of information'
25 August 2024
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com

While Helmut Marko and Jos Verstappen have been outspoken about how things are at Red Bull Racing at the moment, team boss Christian Horner continues to see the positive side of the situation. He said after the race that the team collected a lot of data at Zandvoort.

Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner saw mostly the positive aspects of the race in the Netherlands during a media moment with GPblog and others. '"We've run the cars in different specifications and I think that that has actually given us quite a lot of valuable info. I think that the driver's feedback has been very positive into that as well in terms of what they're feeling from the different setups. So I think that it hopefully now gives a real direction for the engineering group," the Briton said.

The team boss also revealed that the set-up Perez's Red Bull currently has is not working well for the Mexican. "I think it was clear that Checo's race performance or race package was not the better of the two. So we've got all obviously 72 laps of data and a lot of across two different compounds of tyres now to compare that info," Horner said.

'Gained a lot of information';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296851/christian-horner-on-red-bull-s-race-at-zandvoort.html


Set-up “gamble” cost Verstappen in Dutch GP – Horner
25th August 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Christian Horner believes a difference in set-up between Red Bull’s two cars compromised Max Verstappen’s performance in the Dutch Grand Prix. Verstappen finished 16 seconds ahead of team mate Sergio Perez but 22 seconds behind race winner Lando Norris. Horner said the team were hopeful of contending for victory after Verstappen took the lead at the start, but said the higher downforce level on their lead car ultimately compromised him.

“Having got the lead, you suddenly start to think okay, and he managed to break the DRS, but then it was very clear that suddenly Lando, from lap five, six onwards, started to come back quite hard,” Horner told Viaplay. “And we just didn’t have the pace today.”

“I think with hindsight, the gamble that we made with more downforce perhaps wasn’t the best route. Looking at Checo’s pace, it looked like it was easier to him in the second half of the race. But congratulations to Lando and McLaren, they were very quick today. We’ve got work to do to get more pace.”

‘Set-up “gamble” cost Verstappen’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/25/set-up-gamble-cost-verstappen-in-dutch-gp-horner/


Horner praises Perez in Zandvoort: 'Did a good job'
25 August 2024
Tygo Bekkema
GPblog.com

Sergio Perez qualified fifth for the Dutch Grand Prix, a performance that pleases Christian Horner. The Red Bull team boss is happy that the Mexican driver was showing some improvement again and he hopes Perez can secure a good result and earn much-needed points during the race.

Although the final result in qualifying was good for Perez, his session did not start completely flawlessly. During Q1, he got caught in traffic and thus had to use an extra set of tyres to advance to Q2. "It's a good job by Checo today. So I think matching his best performance around here previously and all the way through. He was a little bit unlucky in the first session. He got a bit of traffic. He was a bit unlucky with Hamilton. So he effectively had to use up another set of tyres to be safe. But I thought he did a good job today."

For some time now, Perez has been working with a new race engineer. While Horner does not think that will make a decisive difference, he is happy with the team performance, "Look, an engineer will never make that kind of difference. But I think Checo, obviously, the set-up, it's always a team effort. And I think that it's been a good team performance with Checo today. Max is on the front row. Points are obviously tomorrow," Horner concluded after qualifying.

'Did a good job';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296606/horner-happy-with-perez-after-qualifying.html


What Christian Horner said about Sergio Perez and Red Bull’s different specifications
25 Aug 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

With Perez having reverted back to a previous specification floor, and resulting setup, on his car, Horner revealed that, based on feedback, it appeared Perez had been the happier Red Bull driver with the feeling of his car. “We’ve run the cars in different specifications, and I think that that has actually given us quite a lot of valuable info,” he said.

“I think that the driver’s feedback has been very positive into that as well, in terms of what they’re feeling from the different setups. So I think it, hopefully, now gives a real direction for the engineering group. I think it was clear that Checo’s race package got the better of the two. But we’ve got all 72 laps of data, across two different compounds of tyres now, to compare that info.”

Reflecting on his own race afterward, Perez said he suspected that, without one or two corners of the Zandvoort circuit in which he was losing most time, he and Verstappen could have been much stronger. “Not happy, we didn’t have the pace today,” he said. “We are still really hard on tyres, and our medium-speed performance was very weak, I think, taking Turns 9/10 of the circuit. I think, without it, we would look a lot more competitive. I think we were suffering a lot with the conditions, with the tailwind, and probably McLaren and Ferrari were not suffering that much.”

‘Red Bull’s different specifications’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-sergio-perez-solid-job-different-red-bull-specifications


Horner highlights 'lucky' element in McLaren F1 title fight
Red Bull is facing increasing pressure in the fight for the F1 title this year with McLaren closing the gap at the head of the field.
26 August 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has stated his team is “lucky” McLaren wasn't a consistent front-runner in the early stage of the current F1 season. The opening rounds of the season saw Red Bull comfortably lead the field and build a margin to the teams behind. Horner highlighted the early season deficit has proved crucial for Red Bull to keep a hold of its championship-leading position.

“We're lucky that they underperformed in the early part of the year,” Horner told media including RacingNews365. “We've got a 70-point buffer [in the drivers' standings], but that can diminish pretty quickly. It's remarkable that that's only Lando's second win in that car. He's driving well, he's finding confidence. The pressure is on us to respond. We're used to being in championship fights over the years and we'll dig deep. We're going to fight with everything we've got over the remaining nine races.”

Horner asserted Red Bull is not resting on its laurels as it scrambles to keep a hold of the championship lead. “I think that McLaren made a step a little while ago, and their car here, particularly with Lando, was very impressive,” Horner added. “We need to address our deficit. The McLaren has been the benchmark car over the last few races and we're very acutely aware that we need to respond to that. Everybody in Milton Keynes is working incredibly hard to address that.”

‘Red Bull is not resting on its laurels’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-highlights-lucky-element-in-mclaren-f1-title-fight

[Fortitude]

Fred Vasseur: Ferrari are fighting for the Championship.
Fred Vasseur believes Ferrari are in title contention
August 26, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Charles Leclerc surprised the field (himself included) by taking 3rd place last Sunday. Ferrari anticipated a far more difficult race in Zandvoort, with the SF-24 outperforming initial projections. However, the team’s next upgrade package in Monza will determine if they can win races moving forward.

This result is a welcome boost for Ferrari after months of losing ground to their rivals. Yesterday’s podium finish also supports Fred Vasseur’s relentless optimism. The 56-year-old believes the team’s recent dip in form is only a blip and expects a return to their race-winning pace in the near future.

According to Vasseur, there is no reason why Ferrari cannot fight for the Championship: “Red Bull dominated at the beginning,” he told Corriere Della Sera. “Then we did well, then McLaren and finally Mercedes. It will be a rollercoaster until the end. I think we are already fighting [for the World Championship] this year. We won [races], so the potential is there despite some mistakes. And in any case, the development of the 2025 Ferrari is proceeding well,” he added.

‘Fighting [for the World Championship] this year’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/26/fred-vasseur-ferrari-are-fighting-for-the-championship/


Zandvoort is the worst track for Ferrari, insists Vasseur
25 Aug 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur: "We were expecting a tough weekend here in Zandvoort. Last year it was one of our worst races, mainly because of the configuration of the track and we have not brought any upgrades this weekend. In the end, we have secured a respectable position on the grid with Charles and we will have our chance to fight for good points tomorrow, although a podium finish will be difficult unless something happens in front.”

“But it’s important to score as many points as possible, because we have seen so far this season that teams can go up and down and when you have a difficult weekend like we are having here, we must still try to get the best result we can. There will be tracks that suit us better in the remaining races and we will also make progress with the car soon.”

"With Carlos, it’s been a bit more difficult, as he went into quali having been unable to do any laps on the Soft tyre yesterday and when the gaps are so small, this is the result and he missed out on Q3 by less than a tenth. I expect Carlos to get back on the pace quite early in the race tomorrow. Tonight we will have a good look at what we can do to help him in terms of strategy and tyres."

‘Expecting a tough weekend’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25335


Vasseur: Ferrari “on the right track” without Adrian Newey
August 25, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Fred Vasseur downplays the need for Ferrari to pursue Adrian Newey. Qualifying for the Dutch GP was a reality check for Ferrari. The SF-24 was barely the fourth-fastest car, with even Aston Martin showing more pace over one lap. Concerns are beginning to grow as Ferrari lose ground to McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes. Despite this, Fred Vasseur insists the team is on the right track – dismissing the importance of going after Adrian Newey’s signature.

Vasseur: “The group comes first” Overall, familiar worries are beginning to follow Fred Vasseur’s team. With plans for 2025 already being formulated, there is a risk Ferrari’s current woes could impact next year’s project. In this context, Ferrari are navigating a relatively difficult spell. In the eyes of many, Adrian Newey’s availability is an opportunity to galvanise Maranello ahead of the 2026 regulations.

However, this is not the priority for Fred Vasseur. He told Corriere Della Serra where his focus lies: “I’ve always said that the group comes first. This applies to engineers, drivers and anyone. It’s not the sum of talents that generates performance but a right combination of factors. PSG has always taken the best, yet has never won the Champions League. We, on the other hand, are on the right track.”

‘Dismissing the importance’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/25/vasseur-ferrari-on-the-right-track-without-adrian-newey/


Sainz: Pace a 'bit of a surprise' in strong P5 finish in Zandvoort
25 Aug 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Carlos Sainz was pleasantly surprised after finishing P5 in the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix, assessing his pace was a 'bit of a surprise' and hopes for more in Italy next week.

‘Pleasantly surprised’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-pace-a-bit-of-a-surprise-in-strong-p5-finish-in-zandvoort.1808375170743610325


Leclerc 'extremely happy' with unexpected podium in Zandvoort
25/08/2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Charles Leclerc hadn't gone into Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix with great expectations, after a distinctly lacklustre time in practice and qualifying at Zandvoort. The dryer, brighter conditions for the race itself seemed to give the SF-24 a new lease of life, and it looked distinctly lively from the moment that the lights went out and Leclerc picked up a spot from Red Bull's Sergio Perez.

"I knew that the first lap was an opportunity for us to gain one or two positions," Leclerc said. “I went for pass, it all worked well, but I didn’t know that later on we would also have the pace to keep him behind." Leclerc spent the first part of the race behind George Russell in the Mercedes before pitting at the end of lap 24. Russell responded immediately, but still managed to come out behind Leclerc.

Leclerc was not able to keep Russell in his rear view mirror, he also picked up another position when Oscar Piastri subsequently pitted from the lead and dropped back in behind him, but now on fresher, faster tyres. "It's not often that I would say I am happy with a P3, but today, I am extremely happy with the job the team has done on such a difficult weekend," Charles Leclerc beamed in post-race media interviews.

'Extremely happy';

https://f1i.com/news/517334-leclerc-delighted-by-unexpected-podium-in-zandvoort.html


More cause for concern for Red Bull and McLaren? 'We have updates in Italy'
25 August 2024
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com

Ferrari's speed at Zandvoort came as a surprise to the team. Beforehand they thought they were heading for sixth place, but in the end Charles Leclerc finished third on the podium. Ferrari want to continue this positive momentum, and will be hope to do next weekend when they introduce upgrades.

Ferrari coming up with upgrades. Leclerc indicated that it is super important for the team to produce solid results in this second half of the season. After his victory in Monaco, the Ferrari driver has scored very few points. "I think three or four races ago we were experimenting quite a lot to try and understand the fundamental issues of our car for the development, medium-term," Leclerc said.

The Monegasque also revealed that Ferrari will come up with upgrades next weekend. "We've got an upgrade coming very soon. Now I can say actually because Fred said it, so it will be in Monza. I hope it will help us close the gap. But until the upgrades, I always said that the priority for us was just to do a damage limitation."

'We have updates in Italy';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296813/charles-leclerc-on-upgrades-monza-2024.html


Ferrari surprise forces George Russell to admit his Mercedes concerns before Italian GP
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton both struggled in the Dutch Grand Prix as Ferrari moved ahead of Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship
• 26 Aug 2024
Chris Burns


After a less-than-impressive performance at the Dutch Grand Prix, George Russell says that Mercedes must "look into" the reasons why they fell behind Ferrari in the race. It was a day of head-scratching for Mercedes with Russell only managing to take seventh place and Lewis Hamilton following closely at eighth.


A baffled Russell shared his thoughts after the race, admitting he "doesn't understand" what went wrong for his usually formidable team. He called the race "odd" and was particularly taken aback by how Charles Leclerc managed to overtake him.

‘Ferrari surprise’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/george-russell-mercedes-ferrari-leclerc-33538285

[Fortitude]

Was Mercedes' new floor to blame for F1 Dutch GP woes?
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has admitted the team’s poor performance in the F1 Dutch Grand Prix may be down to their new floor. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says the team need to analyse what went wrong at Zandvoort.
26 Aug 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

"I think these cars are sometimes a surprise-box. We've had six podiums in a row and that doesn't look like the car three weeks ago that was first and second, at least first on merit,” Toto Wolff told media including Crash.net at Zandvoort.

"You can't really end up with a result like this without any major factor playing in it. It’s something we need to analyse in the next few days until Monza. Was it because we put something on the car that didn't help? Did we engineer something into the car that wasn't good?”

"Then how do you justify these swings of performance? Sometimes we looked really good this weekend and then obviously today, in terms of degradation, that was not very impressive.”

‘Surprise-box’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1053986/1/was-mercedes-new-floor-blame-f1-dutch-gp-woes


Wolff: Mercedes’ F1 Dutch GP woes could be down to latest floor
26 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has pondered whether the team’s dismal race in Formula 1’s Dutch Grand Prix was down to its new floor on the car not working as desired. Wolff reckons the drastic downturn in Mercedes’ pace since its revival in Canada indicates there was a greater factor involved than track characteristics or conditions.

Mercedes elected to use the revised floor at Zandvoort that it abandoned running in Belgium, but rain disrupting practice meant that the team obtained minimal data. “I think it was two factors,” he explained. “We back-to-back the update kit on Friday, which was very, at the end, left us with not a lot of data.”

‘Mercedes’ F1 Dutch GP woes’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/26/wolff-mercedes-f1-dutch-gp-woes-could-be-down-to-latest-floor/


Mercedes: New floor may have impacted Dutch GP performance
26/08/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Mercedes endured a disappointing weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix, with team boss Toto Wolff questioning whether its car’s new floor element may have been behind the Brackely squad’s lackluster performance. Mercedes entered the weekend at Zandvoort with high hopes, following its run of three wins in the last four races before Formula 1’s summer break.

However, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton’s subdued performance in qualifying was followed by more struggles on race day, especially for the former who launched his race from fourth on the grid only to finish a lowly seventh, one spot ahead of Hamilton.

Toto Wolff: “Like I said before, was it the set-up, was it the track, what is it that we got wrong? Was it the floor that we put on the car? Was it all of this together? So hopefully we can sort it out until Monza and become competitive. But the swing in performance between P1, P2 and P7, P8, there’s a biggie in there. It’s not something that was a simple set-up decision in my opinion.”

“There’s a biggie in there”;

https://f1i.com/news/517372-mercedes-new-floor-may-have-impacted-dutch-gp-performance.html


Toto Wolff raises concerns for Lewis Hamilton ahead of final nine Mercedes races
Lewis Hamilton headed into the summer break with plenty of momentum, but the tables have turned again.
Aug 26, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff has warned that the issues experienced by Mercedes at the Dutch Grand Prix were not just caused by a ‘simple set-up issue’, hinting at a deeper problem that could affect Lewis Hamilton and George Russell during the final nine races of the campaign.

Unfortunately for Hamilton, there may not be a quick fix before the end of his time at Mercedes. “I don’t want to jump to conclusions too quickly, because we’re going to look at it in the coming days, and hopefully try to find clues in the data,” Wolff said, assessing the team’s struggles. Wolff’s lack of certainty will be concerning for Hamilton, who is hoping to add to his tally of two wins for the season before he departs for Ferrari.

His Dutch GP weekend was a disaster, although the seven-time world champion took some comfort from his Sunday display. "I was much happier today," he told Sky Sports F1. "I was moving forwards, progressing, moving in the right direction, just too far back, unfortunately. If I qualified where George was then I think I would have finished at least there, if not further ahead.”

‘Dutch GP weekend was a disaster’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1940465/Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes


Wolff left impressed by McLaren's performance: 'Annihilated the competiton'
26 August 2024
Cas van de Kleut
GPblog.com

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff spoke to GPblog and others about McLaren's impressive performance after the Dutch Grand Prix. Wolff therefore thinks the battle for the constructors' championship is not yet over: "McLaren has proven in the past that since Austria last year they brought upgrades to the car that landed spot on. And that was just very impressive to see today.”

“I mean, he's [McLaren and Dutch Grand Prix winner Lando Norris] basically annihilated all of the competition with that fast lap at the end with a 42-lap old hard. 20 seconds in the gap. So, I think this championship, the Constructor Championship is wide open in my opinion and that's good for Formula 1." Wolff explained

Wolff also hopes Mercedes can still play a role in the championship battle: "We were able in the last few races and I think if we would have had a car that was about normal where would we have ended up? I don't think we would have beaten Norris, but maybe we would have had a little bit more exciting position." He concluded.

'Annihilated the competiton';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/296913/wolff-impressed-with-mclaren-and-warns-verstappen-and-red-bull.html


F1 constructors’ title now wide open, says Mercedes boss Toto Wolff
26 Aug 2024
The Straits Times

ZANDVOORT – McLaren and Dutch Grand Prix winner Lando Norris have blown the Formula One constructors’ championship wide open with Red Bull in danger of being overhauled, according to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. Norris took the chequered flag 22.8 seconds clear of Red Bull’s home hero Max Verstappen at a windy Zandvoort on Aug 25, finishing with a fastest lap flourish to secure an additional point.

“He (Norris) has basically annihilated all of the competition with that fastest lap at the end, with a 42-lap-old hard tyre and a 20-second gap,” Wolff told reporters after the race. “So I think this constructors’ championship is wide open in my opinion and that’s good for Formula One.”

Crucially, McLaren have outscored once-dominant Red Bull in eight of the last nine races while Mercedes, fourth overall, have done so in four of the last five. While Mercedes are 158 points off the top, they have won three races this season – the same as McLaren and one more than third-placed Ferrari who are 34 points behind Norris’ team and have their home Italian Grand Prix next up this weekend.

‘Blown the Formula One constructors’ championship wide open’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/f1-constructors-title-now-wide-open-says-wolff


Wolff delivers Red Bull title warning after Norris 'annihilation'
Toto Wolff believes the F1 title fight is "wide open" this season.
26 August 2024
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes the constructors' championship is now "wide open" after Lando Norris "annihilated" the entire field in the Dutch Grand Prix. Whilst Wolff is optimistic there will be a fight for the constructors' crown, he still thinks Verstappen as the advantage in the drivers' title.

Norris finds himself 70 points behind Verstappen with nine races remaining, a deficit which will require a staggering run of results to claw back. However, what intrigues Wolff is the role Mercedes can play in the title fight when it is performing strongly, unlike in Zandvoort where George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished seventh and eighth.

"In the drivers' championship, I think, Max to a certain degree has it under control still," said Wolff. "But it will be exciting to see whether there is a change of powers, and how much can we participate in that. Because we were able [to fight] in the last few races, and I think if we would have had a car that was about normal [in Zandvoort], where would we have ended up? "I don't think we would have beat Norris, but maybe we would have had a little bit more exciting position."

‘Wolff delivers Red Bull title warning’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-delivers-red-bull-title-warning-after-norris-annihilation

[Fortitude]

Haas to compete at Italian GP as F1 sponsorship feud ends.
Uralkali threatened to hold their F1 assets over unreturned sponsorship money in the millions.
26 August 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Gene Haas complied with the order but ran into barriers trying to work around United States’ and United Kingdom’s sanctions against Russia which caused an unexpected delay and led to the seizure of the team’s equipment at the end of the 72-lap race in Zandvoort.

It left their appearance at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza from August 30-September 1 in doubt but Uralkali have now confirmed they have received the payment and released the assets, including their cars, from their possession.

‘Sponsorship feud ends’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/haas-compete-2024-italian-gp-f1-sponsorship-feud-ends/


Haas cars and equipment on their way to Monza
26/08/2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Haas has received clearance to transport its cars and equipment to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix after reaching a settlement with former sponsor Uralkali.

“Uralkali confirms that we have received in full the payment owed by Haas (including interest and fees) following the ruling of the Swiss court of arbitration,” the company said in a statement issued on Monday.

“We have also collected the race car owed to us under the terms of the sponsorship agreement. As such, Uralkali has notified Dutch authorities that they may release Haas' assets from arrest as an interim measure, and Haas is free to take them out of the Netherlands.”

‘Clearance to transport its cars and equipment’;

https://f1i.com/news/517425-haas-cars-and-equipment-on-their-way-to-monza.html


Haas cleared for Monza travel after Uralkali dispute resolved
26 Aug 2024
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Haas’ payment dispute with former sponsor Uralkali has been resolved after the company confirmed receipt of funds, freeing the team to travel from Zandvoort to Monza. Dutch bailiffs and police arrived at Zandvoort on Thursday to inform Haas of Uralkali’s legal bid, and whilst the team were allowed to participate in the race, it was agreed that the its assets were not allowed to leave the Netherlands until the payment was received.

This came after Uralkali claimed the team had missed a deadline in July to make payment of a part-refund of a fee for sponsorship, an agreement the team cancelled on the eve of the 2022 Formula 1 season amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Whilst Swiss arbitration courts ruled that Haas were within its right to withdraw the sponsorship, it also ordered Haas to pay back what is believed to be around two-thirds of the $13 million fee.

‘Haas cleared for Monza’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/26/haas-cleared-for-monza-travel-after-uralkali-dispute-resolved/


Haas dodge Italian Grand Prix nightmare as team cleared to travel to Monza after scare
Haas have avoided a situation that could have seen them miss the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.
Aug 26, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

After a Swiss arbitration court hearing went against Haas, the North Carolina-based team were instructed to refund a large chunk of the up-front payment made by Uralkali for Haas' title sponsorship rights in 2022.

This payment had not been made ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, triggering Uralkali to send in bailiffs on Thursday to take stock. A payment was then sent, but due to banking delays over the bank holiday weekend, it was not received by the end of play on Sunday.

However, on Monday, Uralkali released a statement confirming that full payment had been received, freeing up Haas to depart the Zandvoort paddock and travel to Monza in time for the Italian GP.

‘Haas dodge Italian Grand Prix nightmare’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1940552/Haas-Italian-Grand-Prix-Uralkali


Italian Grand Prix: Race Preview
August 27, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: “The biggest challenge for us in Monza will be the changes to the track; the resurfacing, changes to curbs and cambers of the track. How the car will be able to ride the curbs in terms of car set-up, I think will be a different requirement this year. Our biggest challenge will be as well as it being a low downforce circuit, so normally when you go to Monza you run low downforce, it’s a heavy braking circuit as well so drivers really struggle with braking stability.”

“Normally that’s what you have to get on top of straight away, but this year both team and driver will have the challenge of adapting our set-up for the new circuit requirements. Coming from Zandvoort which is a maximum high-downforce circuit, it’s a very different challenge. It’s a circuit where you can overtake, so the importance of qualifying versus the race is also very different to Zandvoort as well. It will be a huge challenge but the same for everyone, and one we’re looking forward to.”

‘Race Preview’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/italian-grand-prix-race-preview

[Fortitude]

Williams have sacked Logan Sargeant with immediate effect and replaced him with Franco Colapinto ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
It comes after the American driver crashed heavily in practice at Zandvoort to plunge his future into serious doubt.
Aug 27, 2024
Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Logan Sargeant sacked with immediate effect as Williams name replacement for F1 star. Logan Sargeant will no longer race for Williams after being sacked by the team. The news of Sargeant's dismissal was announced on Tuesday, with Williams confirming that Colapinto will step in for the final nine races of the campaign. He will become the first Argentine driver to race in F1 for 23 years when he takes to the track at Monza this weekend.

‘Logan Sargeant sacked’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1941087/Logan-Sargeant-sacked-Williams-Franco-Colapinto


FP3 Highlights | 2024 Dutch Grand Prix
Aug 24, 2024
FORMULA 1

A harrowing crash for Logan Sargeant combined with more wet and windy conditions meant limited running in the final practice session at Zandvoort, with Pierre Gasly setting the fastest lap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bics55t1vyA


‘Completely lost it’: Scary F1 scenes as driver escapes fiery crash in double Williams blow
August 25th, 2024
Ben Waterworth and AFP from Fox Sports

American F1 driver Logan Sargeant has emerged unscathed, but his Williams FW46 was left in a sorry state due to a fiery crash that sparked red flags in Free Practice 3 for the Dutch Grand Prix. The fiery crash and driving rain marred the final practice, with many top contenders getting little track time before qualifying later in the day.

Sargeant, 15 minutes into the session, nearly totally destroyed his Williams in a high-speed crash after briefly driving over grass on Zandvoort’s Turn 3 in slippery conditions. Sargeant skidded on wet grass coming round a corner, spun violently, and careered side-on into the fence, the rear of his car quickly bursting into flames.

“He’s completely lost it … That is a big, big crash,” F1 commentator David Croft said. Fellow commentator Anthony Davidson added: “He’s just eager to get his foot down on the exit of Turn 3 … That’s what it takes, you put your wheel on the grass and you lose an awful lot of grip. That’s a hard hit into the Armco barriers.” Sargeant declared “I’m OK” over team radio, but had to promptly exit the cockpit as the rear of his car had caught fire. He later visited the medical centre, but was cleared of injury.

‘Completely lost it’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2024-dutch-grand-prix-logan-sargeant-crash-in-free-practice-3-video-oscar-piastri-avoids-chaos/news-story/7f54ff345ec0ec691a583b55f76d3ebf


Williams axe F1's only American driver in mid-season
28 August 2024
Staff WritersReuters
The West Australian

Williams Racing has replaced driver Logan Sargeant with Franco Colapinto for the remainder of the Formula 1 season. Sargeant, 23, was the only American driver on the F1 circuit. He has failed to win a point this year with zero top-10 finishes and crashed in practice ahead of last weekend's Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

It had already been confirmed that Sargeant would have his place taken by outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz for next season, but his removal has been brought forward. "To replace a driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe this gives Williams the best chance to compete for points over the remainder of the season," team principal James Vowles said.

"This is undoubtedly incredibly tough on Logan, who has given his all throughout his time with Williams, and we want to thank him for all his hard work and positive attitude. Logan remains a talented driver and we will support him to continue his racing career for the future," Vowles said. "I know that Franco has great speed and huge potential, and we look forward to seeing what he can do in Formula 1."

‘Williams axe F1's only American driver’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsport/williams-axe-f1s-only-american-driver-in-mid-season-c-15853657


What you should know about Williams F1 rookie Colapinto
Aug 27, 2024
by Valentin Khorounzhiy

The Williams team's homegrown solution to its loss of confidence in Logan Sargeant, Franco Colapinto will become the first Argentinian driver to race in Formula 1 in over two decades when he lines up on the grid for the Italian Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old Buenos Aires native has worked his way to the top of the pecking order in Williams's junior ranks and will now get a prime opportunity to stake a longer-term case for an F1 seat - even if the seat he's getting for the rest of 2024 already has a 2025 occupant in grand prix winner Carlos Sainz.

Colapinto's career: A top karting driver in Argentina and moderately successful on the international scene, Colapinto first dipped his toes in the pool of the FIA's junior formulae ladder in 2018 - taking a win on his first weekend of car racing in Spanish F4 at Spain's Navarra circuit. He tackled the championship full-time the following year and won it handily…

‘What you should know…’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/who-is-franco-colapinto-williams-f1-2024-debut/


Williams send message to Logan Sargeant after brutally axing F1 driver
Logan Sargeant has been sacked by Williams with immediate effect.
Aug 27, 2024
Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Williams have vowed to keep supporting Logan Sargeant's racing career despite brutally sacking him ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix. It was confirmed on Tuesday that Sargeant had been relieved of his duties after failing to pick up a single championship point in 2024. They said: "We’d like to thank Logan for everything he has done the past two seasons. He will remain a member of the Williams family and we will be supporting him to continue his racing career."

Williams team principal James Vowles: "We have just brought a large upgrade to the car and need to maximise every points-scoring opportunity in a remarkably tight midfield battle. We also believe in investing in our young drivers in the Williams Racing Driver Academy. Franco is getting a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate what he is capable of across the final nine rounds of the season.”

‘Brutally axing F1 driver’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1941124/Williams-Logan-Sargeant-F1-news


‘I could care less’: Logan Sargeant’s ominous final interview answer before losing his Williams seat to Franco Colapinto
28 August 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

After Williams confirmed the Colapinto/Sargeant swap on Tuesday, journalist Adam Cooper relayed the latter’s final interview answer. Speaking in his post-race media session on Sunday, he was asked about the rumours around his future. It emerged on Saturday that Vowles was talking to rival F1 team bosses about loaning their reserve drivers. But Sargeant didn’t seem particularly concerned about the kind of stories that followed him throughout the season. “I hear them every weekend, so it’s nothing new,” he said. “I could care less.”

Adam Cooper
@adamcooperF1
'@LoganSargeant's answer to the last question in his final F1 media session on Sunday night, regarding any concerns about the ongoing rumours about his future: "No, I hear them every weekend, so it's nothing new. I could care less..."
It turned out that Sargeant had little reason to be nonchalant, and his comments aged poorly. He becomes the latest driver to lose an F1 seat midway through a season, following on from AlphaTauri’s Nyck de Vries in 2023.

Speaking over the team radio just after the race, Vowles had praised Sargeant for helping Albon out. He kept Yuki Tsunoda and Kevin Magnussen behind so they couldn’t threaten his teammate. “Good defending Logan against those two cars behind,” he said. “Thank you for playing the team game there.”

‘Little reason to be nonchalant’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/logan-sargeants-ominous-final-interview-answer-before-losing-his-williams-seat-to-franco-colapinto/

[Fortitude]

Logan Sargeant breaks silence on Williams sack with personal statement.
“After today’s news, I wanted to say that I am super thankful to Williams Racing for giving me my first opportunity in Formula 1.” Logan Sargeant.
28 Aug 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

“Hi everyone,
“After today’s news, I wanted to say that I am super thankful to Williams Racing for giving me my first opportunity in Formula 1. I am so grateful for the support I received from everyone at the team from the moment I first joined the Academy back in 2021.”

“Going on to drive an F1 car for the first time in Abu Dhabi was the experience of a lifetime, while becoming the first American points scorer for 30 years in Austin last season was a really special moment.”

“I am proud to have represented such a historic team over the last two seasons. For now, I will be taking time to assess my options, before making an announcement on my future in due course. Thank you. Logan.”

‘Logan Sargeant breaks silence’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-sargeant-breaks-silence-on-williams-sack-with-personal-statement


Alex Albon sends heartfelt message to Logan Sargeant after ‘brutal’ sacking
American driver Sargeant has been replaced by Williams for the last nine races of the 2024 F1 season
28 Aug 2024
Callum Rice-Coates
The Independent

Alex Albon has offered his sympathies to former Williams team-mate Logan Sargeant after it was confirmed he would be replaced for the remainder of the F1 season by Franco Colapinto.

“I know firsthand how brutal this sport can be & it’s tough to see Logan leave the team mid-season,” Albon wrote on Twitter/X. You gave it your all brother and it’s been a pleasure being teammates with you. I know whatever you do next, you’ll be awesome.”

‘Heartfelt message’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f1-alex-albon-logan-sargeant-williams-b2603075.html


One camera shot showed Williams were ‘fed up’ with Logan Sargeant before they hired Franco Colapinto
Wed 28 August 2024 11:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Williams’ mechanics looked ‘done’ with Logan Sargeant after Dutch Grand Prix crash. Speaking on ESPN’s Unlapped podcast, journalist Nate Saunders recalled one particular camera shot that spelt trouble for Sargeant. The 23-year-old ran wide on the exit of turn three on Saturday morning and spun into the barriers, with his car subsequently catching fire.

One replay of the accident showed multiple Williams mechanics with their heads in their hands. Saunders suspected that they were ‘done’ with Sargeant, and conversations with team members afterwards confined that.

He said: “That crash of Sargeant’s, with so many upgrades on the car… the first shot of that after he crashed was all of the mechanics who had just been working so hard to improve that team’s fortunes. You knew that they were just fed up and they were done with it. I spoke to people at the team who said similar.”

‘One camera shot’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/one-camera-shot-showed-williams-were-fed-up-with-logan-sargeant-before-they-hired-franco-colapinto/


The main catalyst in Logan Sargeant sack decision…and it wasn’t his Dutch GP crash
28 Aug 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes the writing was on the wall for Logan Sargeant the moment Williams announced Carlos Sainz for F1 2025. “I can’t say I’m massively surprised to be honest,” the Sky F1 pundit said of Sargeant’s axing. “Unfortunately for Logan, this story has been building as the season went on.”

“As soon as Williams announced Carlos Sainz for next year there wasn’t really a future for Logan at the team. They’ve given him 18 months to deliver the results, and unfortunately, he hasn’t.”

“I think really there’s a lot of focus on the accident he had in Holland over the weekend, but I think this is building up for some time, and maybe that was just the straw that broke the camel’s back for the team.”

‘Main catalyst’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-sargeant-f1-sack-catalyst-dutch-gp-crash


The most damning part of Williams's ruthless F1 sacking
Aug 28, 2024
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Logan Sargeant being dropped by Williams is not a surprise in the grand scheme of things. The timing of it, and the identity of his replacement, was unexpected – and reflects a damning final judgement by the team.

Williams boss James Vowles was clearly appalled by the size of the crash, how careless it was to drift onto the grass like that, and the consequences in terms of a seven-figure repair bill and a huge rebuild job in-weekend and production of new parts at the factory.

That indicates things were changed substantially by what happened at Zandvoort, beyond simply ‘Sargeant had a crash’. It was another crash, one that must have layered onto a rising issue of team morale, among other things. Rebuilding cars trackside and pumping out parts at base is an occupational hazard in F1 but Sargeant’s given Williams more work than most drivers and the immediate destruction of a major upgrade package at Zandvoort was particularly galling. The financial and human cost of that is significant.

‘Williams's ruthless F1 sacking’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/most-damning-part-williams-ruthless-sacking-logan-sargeant/


Revealed: Williams began Colapinto talks before Sargeant crash
August 28, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Williams were already evaluating alternatives. As mentioned previously on LWOS, the first whispers of a mid-season swap at Williams emerged well before last weekend. It was actually several months ago that rumours spread about Sargeant being replaced before the end of 2024.

Of course, this scenario was never considered as likely. However, it is worth noting that James Vowles hinted at a possible mid-season driver change some time ago. Speaking to Fox Sports Argentina, one of Franco Colapinto’s representatives (Maria Catarineu) revealed that Williams first entered discussions with the Argentine on Friday night.

This means that Sargeant’s future was already at risk before his crash on Saturday morning: “Well, we knew it could be possible on Friday night,” Catarineu explained. When asked if Sargeant’s FP3 incident triggered discussions, she emphasised that “Williams contacted us on Friday night,” the day before the incident.

‘Already evaluating alternatives’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/28/revealed-williams-began-colapinto-talks-before-sargeant-crash/


Does Williams' call to drop Sargeant for Colapinto make sense?
How Logan Sargeant's position at the Williams Formula 1 team slowly but surely became untenable, and what to make of his inexperienced replacement
Aug 28, 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Following months of giving Logan Sargeant the benefit of the doubt, a costly crash in Zandvoort has finally prompted Williams to replace him with youngster Franco Colapinto. How justified is Williams' call and is the young Argentine the right replacement?

Logan Sargeant had run Oscar Piastri close when they were team-mates in F3, so there was a more than capable driver in there somewhere. But that hasn't happened often enough, and while Sargeant was dealt a tough hand at the start of the season by being a specification behind compared to Albon for a number of races, Zandvoort's crash shows why that may have been prudent for a team that was running low on spare parts.

Is rookie Colapinto the right replacement instead of Schumacher or Lawson? That need to have a fast, steady part of hands alongside Albon that can fight for points immediately makes Franco Colapinto a puzzling replacement at first glance. It has ditched a 23-year-old for a 21-year-old rookie with a grand total of one free practice session under his belt at the British Grand Prix, which followed a rookie test run in Abu Dhabi.

‘Puzzling replacement’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/does-williams-call-to-drop-sargeant-for-colapinto-make-sense/10648563/

[Fortitude]

Five big Italian GP questions: Ferrari’s home chances, Williams’ Colapinto conundrum and more.
The eternal question when it comes to the Italian Grand Prix: How will Ferrari perform in front of their adoring home support?
28 Aug 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Well, if team principal Fred Vasseur is anything to go by from before the summer break, he was hopeful that Monza would be one of the circuits where the Scuderia would be able to mount one of their stronger challenges in the remainder of the F1 2024 season.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso even said the SF-24 “should be the car to beat” at the Temple of Speed this weekend, with its strengths seemingly suiting the long straights and sweeping corners that Monza provides.

The beauty of the F1 2024 season so far has been its unpredictability, and given track changes at Monza this year, Carlos Sainz predicts another weekend along the same lines. “It’s been resurfaced, Monza, so we will find a very different Monza to the last few years,” he told media including PlanetF1.com at Zandvoort.

‘Ferrari’s home chances’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/italian-grand-prix-2024-preview-mclaren-williams-ferrari


IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2024 Italian Grand Prix
28 Aug 2024
Special Contributor: Chris Medland
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari’s upgrades and home hopes: How can we start anywhere else but with a Ferrari section when discussing the Italian Grand Prix at Monza? But there’s more to look forward to this weekend than just passionate support…

Before the summer break, Team Principal Fred Vasseur had said the Dutch Grand Prix would be a case of damage limitation, before a run of races that would suit their car more. So Charles Leclerc’s excellent performance to secure a podium at Zandvoort was a positive surprise.

Ferrari wanted to make sure they didn’t lose too much ground to Red Bull in the constructors’ championship and limited that loss to just a solitary point. And now they look to increase the pressure.

‘5 storylines’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/its-race-week-5-storylines-were-excited-about-ahead-of-the-2024-italian.6NOfk5LGcqvNtRGHPN2bP7


Williams make pitlane mistake in Monza with Colapinto's name
28 Aug 2024
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com

This weekend at the Italian Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto will make his first appearance for the Williams team. His name is already hanging over the team's pit box, only there has been a mistake. On Tuesday, it was announced by Williams that Logan Sargeant will have to leave the team with immediate effect.

His replacement was announced simultaneously. F2 rookie Franco Colapinto will take over the wheel for the remaining races of this season. Next season, Carlos Sainz will race in that Williams seat.

Colapinto will thus have his first F1 seat this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix. With this comes the fact that his name hangs above the pit box. Now, only a clumsy mistake has been made. For his name is misspelled. It reads 'Franco Colopinto' instead of 'Franco Colapinto'.

‘Pitlane mistake: 'Franco Colopinto'!’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/297357/pitlane-mistake-with-colapinto-name-in-italy.html


Sainz ‘hopeful’ Ferrari F1 Monza upgrades eradicate bouncing
28 Aug 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz is “hopeful” that the new upgrade package coming in time for the team’s home Grand Prix at Monza will eradicate its bouncing issues. With a new raft of upgrades, including a new floor coming in time for the Italian GP this weekend, Sainz is hoping the team has found a solution.

“I hope once we unlock or discover what is the actual thing that is generating this porpoising, which I feel like we’re a step behind in understanding that,” the Spaniard said at Zandvoort following the Dutch GP.

“Hopefully with this new floor or new upgrades that we’ll bring soon, these problems go away and we can just focus on adding downforce to the car.” Sainz rued that the team had to adjust its ride height at Zandvoort to mitigate its bouncing issues, which in the ground effect era of F1, means sacrificing raw pace.

‘Eradicate porpoising’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/28/sainz-hopeful-ferrari-f1-monza-upgrades-eradicate-bouncing/


Monza resurfacing 'could have big impact on Italian GP'
28 Aug 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

New asphalt put down at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza could have a major effect on this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, according to tyre providers Pirelli in their pre-race analysis. "As is usually the case with newly laid asphalt, the surface is smoother than its predecessor and darker in colour," Pirelli pronounced. The darker surface also will pick up more heat from the sun and could reach highs of over 50C.

In theory the new surface should offer more grip, which will impact the temperature generated in the tyres and contribute to increased tyre degradation, which teams will have to account for with their race strategies.

Ideally teams will want to run a one-stop race because the time needed for a pit stop at Monza is one of the longest of the year, especially relative to the speeds the cars reach on track. However that might not be possible this year.

‘Increased tyre degradation’;

https://f1i.com/news/517531-monza-resurfacing-could-have-big-impact-on-italian-gp.html


Verstappen and Norris in agreement over Italian GP 'unknown'
The two F1 title protagonists will go head-to-head once again this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix.
29 August 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris are in agreement that the Italian Grand Prix will be an unknown in terms of how each team will perform.

At low downforce, high-speed tracks like Monza, both the MCL38 and RB20 have appeared strong, with Norris, who is looking to prevent a third straight Verstappen Monza win, keeping his cards close to his chest. "I have no idea. You ask us questions like we're meant to know. I've got no idea," Norris told media including RacingNews365 when asked if McLaren's Zandvoort pace would translate to Monza. "Anyone could be on top. Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, us. Ferrari were quite quick [in the Dutch GP], we probably didn't expect them to be as good as they were.”

Verstappen, who was also asked for his thoughts as to how the Italian GP would play out, pointed to a key problem with the RB20. "We just need to figure out our balance issues. I think that will already help a lot also with [tyre] deg," he said. "Of course, in Monza, a lot is new. You know, Tarmac, kerbs, even the layout in Turn 1, 2. So also we need to understand that a bit more. But we know we have quite a bit of work to do."

‘Italian GP 'unknown'!’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-and-norris-in-agreement-over-italian-gp-unknown


Why the Italian Grand Prix is particularly tough for F1 cars
28 August 2024
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com

This weekend, the Italian Grand Prix is on the programme. Besides the long history the track in Monza has, it is also a unique track. Brembo's technical team explain what is special about the fast track. Brembo is an Italian manufacturer specialising in high-performance braking systems. The company supplies the braking systems of several Formula 1 teams. The manufacturer rates the 5,973-metre track at Monza as one of the circuits that demands the most from the brakes.

Besides being tough on the brakes, the circuit is also tough on the drivers. On a scale of 1 to 5, the Monza circuit gets a five in terms of difficulty from Brembo. In the three chicanes, brake pedal pressure exceeds 140 kilograms. Delays in corners create at least 4.5 g. There are six braking points with a total braking time of just under eight seconds per lap

‘Circuit is also tough on the drivers’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/297226/brembo-analysis-on-2024-italian-grand-prix.html

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris and Sergio Perez disagree on F1 title fights as Red Bull driver makes big claim.
Lando Norris announced he will refuse to answer any more questions about his and McLaren‘s chance in either the drivers’ or constructors’ f1 title fights against Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
29 Aug 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris announced he will refuse to answer any more questions… “I don’t know. It’s not something you can just question now, and I think I answered it in every single interview I did last week,” Norris told members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com at Monza. “So I’m not going to answer every single interview from now on.”

Sergio Perez believes Red Bull have found the problem that’s seen their lead over McLaren cut from a high of 115 points to just 30 ahead of the 2024 Italian Grand Prix where Norris arrives as favourite.

“There are many races to go still, so definitely the momentum is with them,” Perez said. “But we’re not sitting back. We as a team are working really hard to find the solutions, and I think there has been a really good step taken to understand the issue.”

‘Lando Norris announced he will refuse to answer’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lando-norris-sergio-perez-disagree-f1-title-fights-red-bull-big-claim/


Perez hopeful about future: 'Now we understand what is wrong'
29 Aug 2024
Tygo Bekkema
GPblog.com

According to Perez, Red Bull finally know where the problems with the car are coming from. But despite this, the six-time Grand Prix winner also stresses that it will not be easy for Red Bull to hold off the McLarens. "Well, I think the biggest thing for us is that we understand now the issues with the car. We understand them. It's just a question of how quickly and what solutions we have to fix them. But we exactly know where we are with the car. We know what is the issue. And, yeah, hopefully in the coming weekends, even already for this one, we are able to make a lot of progress."

Perez expects an exciting battle, but he is confident of a good outcome. "Definitely the momentum is with them. But we're not sitting back. We, as a team, are working really hard to find the solutions. I think it has been a really good step taken to understand the issue. It has taken us probably a little bit too long. But we know our problems. It will just be a matter of maximising from now until the end of the year and see where we end up. But I have got every hope that we can bring some performance to the car in the coming races."

‘How quickly and what solutions we have to fix them’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/297533/perez-foresees-good-end-to-season-for-red-bull-racing.html


Ferrari eyes Monza glory as Verstappen's dominance falters
29 Aug 2024
Malay Mail

Is Ferrari the team to beat? Ferrari have had a driver on pole position at each of the last two Monza GPs only to lose out both times to Verstappen on home soil. Charles Leclerc, whose second place behind Verstappen two years ago was particularly bitter as the Dutchman started the race seventh on the grid, won a brilliant battle with Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri for third at Zandvoort.

That finish, and Carlos Sainz battling back to fifth, gave some heart to downbeat Ferrari ahead of their home GP, where they will have similarly fanatical support to what Verstappen received in the Netherlands.

‘Ferrari eyes Monza glory’;

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2024/08/29/ferrari-eyes-monza-glory-as-verstappens-dominance-falters/148538


Drama in Monza already: F1 Safety car in the barrier after high-speed crash
29 Aug 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

The Formula 1 world is anticipating a dramatic weekend in Monza. The Italian Grand Prix is set to see McLaren and Red Bull go head-to-head again, while Mercedes and home favourites Ferrari also try to challenge for the victory. But there's already drama a day before the on-track action starts. The safety car has crashed.

During the high-speed track test, the safety car crashed at Parabolica. This is perhaps the most iconic corner at the Monza circuit and is the final corner before the start/finish straight. It is always a challenging part of the circuit for the Formula 1 drivers, but Bernd Mayländer had trouble with it on Thursday. The safety car appears to have spun off the track at high speed and run across the gravel. It hit the wall, and part of its bonnet went underneath the barrier.

It seems impossible to open the left side door. But there is good news: everyone got out of the car, and all involved are OK. GPblog has since learned the following information about the incident. "There was an on-track incident with the FIA Safety Car today at Monza. Aston Martin is investigating the cause but can confirm both driver and passenger are fine. There is an additional Safety Car at the circuit and it will not impact the weekend's event."

‘Part of its bonnet went underneath the barrier’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/297501/safety-car-crashes-in-monza-ahead-of-italian-grand-prix.html


Fresh concern for Hamilton and Russell as Mercedes don't understand update
29 Aug 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

There is now fresh concern for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell as Mercedes admit they don't fully understand the latest upgrade applied. "You can take some straightforward measurements and say that the downforce it was supposed to deliver looked like it was there. So at one level, you could take comfort that it worked as expected. But a lot of the pace of the cars in this year, particularly, is down to how well they handle”

“So it's not just a question of ‘does your aero package deliver you downforce’, but is it delivering you the balanced car that you need through the corners? Is it delivering you the balanced car you need from high speed to low speed? And we definitely know that we didn't have a well-balanced car this weekend. That's where most of our pace went,"

‘Fresh concern’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/297452/hamilton-and-russell-problem-as-mercedes-don-t-understand-floor-update.html


Renault F1 staff on strike over Alpine engine decision with Italian GP protest planned
29 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

An Italian Grand Prix protest and strike at the Renault Viry engine base has been announced in response to the F1 power unit withdrawal threat. Viry staff intend to take a stand, with Alpine Racing France employees preparing to protest on Friday, August 30 in a two-part action.

100 employees will attend the opening day of the Italian Grand Prix race weekend, where they will be split into two groups in grandstands N4 and N24, displaying a banner calling for the Renault engine to remain in Formula 1, with personnel to wear a white shirt sporting the Alpine logo and a ‘#ViryOnTrack’ message.

These staff will wear a black armband, as will personnel in the Alpine garage where possible, though it has been assured that it won’t affect the on-track running of the Alpine team. Meanwhile, most staff back at Viry will go on strike as a show of support for this movement.

‘Wear a black armband’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/renault-f1-italian-gp-protest-plans-alpine-pu


Alpine employees to protest at Italian GP - report
Alpine employees based at Renault's Viry-Châtillon will go on strike or head down to Monza to protest the decision to end its F1 power unit operation at the Italian Grand Prix.
29 Aug 2024
RacingNews365

Around 100 staff will head to Monza, where they will be split into two groups and sent out with banners to contest the project that plans to transition Alpine into a power unit customer in F1. This is according to French publication L'Equipe, which has obtained a press release from the employees.

"Each group will display a banner with a clear and non-aggressive message, pleading the cause of maintaining a French engine in F1, all will be wearing a white T-shirt with the Alpine logo, the message #ViryOnTrack and a black armband," the statement says.

It adds: "No action will prevent track operations from taking place." That will come as some relief to the team and organisers of the Italian Grand Prix, but it shows the level of dissatisfaction with the decision by Renault.

‘Message #ViryOnTrack and a black armband’;

https://racingnews365.com/renault-employees-announce-protest-and-strike


Alpine F1 staff strike during Italian GP in protest over plans to axe engine project
Renault plan to ditch their F1 engine operations which are based at Alpine's facility in Viry-Chatillon, France, which has angered staff to the point they have now taken industrial action
29 Aug 2024
Daniel Moxon
The Mirror

Last week, Viry staff warned that Renault's plans to abandon their engine projects, including the new power units in development for 2026 when new F1 technical rules come into force, were a "betrayal" and asked De Meo to change course. We do not understand what justifies killing this elite entity that is the Viry-Chatillon site and betraying its legend and its DNA by grafting a Mercedes heart into our F1 Alpine [car].

"The announcement of the end of the development and production of French power units for Formula 1 is incomprehensible. We cannot accept that Alpine and the Renault Group damage their images, which is why we ask Mr. De Meo and his board of directors to renounce this decision."

"Betrayal";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/alpine-f1-staff-strike-during-33560268

[Fortitude]

F1 - 2024 Italian Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
PART ONE – Sergio PÉREZ (Red Bull Racing), Alex ALBON (Williams), Lando NORRIS (McLaren)
PART TWO – Nico HÜLKENBERG (Haas), Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), Charles LECLERC (Ferrari)
29 Aug 2024
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Lando, two wins. How were the celebrations on Sunday night? Was it as raucous as Miami? Lando NORRIS: Quite the opposite. No, I just went back home and had dinner and went to bed. So not very exciting at all. But it was, yeah, it's just a good feeling. And that's the most important thing.

Q: Checo, can we come to you now and get your thoughts on this battle between Red Bull and McLaren? Sergio PÉREZ: Well, I think what they've shown in Zandvoort was really, really strong. I think it's been the strongest performance we've seen from McLaren in a while. At the same time, I think we have every hope to believe that Zandvoort is probably a really bad track for us in regards to the wind, that we suffer more than others. We'll see. We come to a very different track and we expect them to be still the benchmark. Hopefully we can get closer and be in the mix in the race.

Q: Alex, welcome to you now. Zandvoort looked like a missed opportunity for you and Williams. How was the pace of the car in the race? Alex ALBON: I don't think we really were able to show anything. We were stuck behind cars in the first stint. We tried to box early and then got covered off by other cars. So then we were stuck again in the second stint and that was kind of our race. As you said, a missed opportunity. I felt like we could have scored points last week. Yeah, obviously something to review. We need to understand the processes that went on to be disqualified. Obviously it was very unintentional and the car was still good on Sunday with all the changes. So yeah, it's a bit frustrating to miss out.

‘Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-italian-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript


What time is the Italian Grand Prix? F1 race and qualifying schedule
Aug 29, 2024
The Race

ITALIAN GP SCHEDULE (LOCAL TIME)
Friday August 30
Practice 1: 1.30pm

Practice 2: 5pm
Saturday August 31
Practice 3: 12.30pm

Qualifying: 4pm
Sunday September 1
Italian Grand Prix: 3pm
ITALIAN GP SCHEDULE (UK TIME)
Friday August 30
Practice 1: 12.30pm 

Practice 2: 4pm
Saturday August 31
Practice 3: 11.30am
Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday September 1
Italian Grand Prix: 2pm

‘Race and qualifying schedule’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-time-is-the-italian-grand-prix-f1-race-and-qualifying-schedule/


Verstappen confirms latest Red Bull experiment
Red Bull will again try to crack its ongoing issues with its problematic RB20.
29 August 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

In the wake of Verstappen finishing a third-of-a-second off the pace of McLaren's Lando Norris in qualifying, and 22.9s adrift at the end of the race - the largest margin of victory this year - Red Bull will again address its concerns around low-downforce Monza.

"The problem in Zandvoort, with the wind and the rain, it was very difficult to get a bit of a read [on the two different packages]," said Verstappen, speaking to media, including RacingNews365.

"It's a very different weekend now, and besides the stuff we want to try on the car, the track is quite different. We also need to keep track of that to make the right calls. We're trying a lot of stuff to try and improve the balance of the car."

‘Problematic RB20’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-confirms-latest-red-bull-experiment


Leclerc addresses Monza victory chances after Alonso prediction
Charles Leclerc and Ferrari enter the Italian Grand Prix looking to take a third consecutive podium - can it make the trip to the top step?
29 August 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Having shown strong race form at the last two events, Leclerc asserted he is not letting it impact his forecast of the weekend ahead. “I don't let the last two races change our expectations,” Leclerc told media including RacingNews365. “We are in a difficult moment for the team, we are struggling a bit with pace at the moment.”

“I think we understood quite a few things since Zandvoort, especially on what happened on Saturday when our performance was quite far from ideal. But on the Sunday, it was a good race. In Spa, it was good as well. Here it should be a bit more in the direction of Spa, so hopefully we will be a bit more in the fight for the podium. However, for the win, I don't think we quite have that yet.”

‘Difficult moment for the team’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-addresses-monza-victory-chances-after-alonso-prediction


Ferrari bring radical upgrade to Italian GP
Ferrari is packing big for the Italian Grand Prix. The Scuderia has brought a major update, that might be dubbed a 'Monza special'
29 August 2024
Jake Nichol & Pepijn van der Hulst
RacingNews365

RacingNews365 understands that the upgrades Ferrari will be introducing in Monza can be considered exceptional, including a rear wing designed especially for the high speeds found at the track. This is an extraordinary decision for the team, given upgrade packages are designed to work over a variety of tracks and with the budget cap preventing teams from creating too many parts.

There are also limitations on wind tunnel and CFD testing time. There are suggestions that the rear wing could only be used at Monza, with the floor and rear beam wing also receiving upgrades to aid Leclerc and Sainz's push in front of the Tifosi, with the hope being that the team can improve its fortunes and close the gap to the cars ahead.

'Monza special';

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-bring-radical-upgrade-to-italian-gp


Does Russell fear being pushed out for Verstappen? 'Entertaining to read'
29 August 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Mercedes are yet to fill their second seat up after Lewis Hamilton announced that he will leave the German team for Ferrari at the beginning of the 2025 season. Andrea Kimi Antonelli will drive in a free practice session, while the team have announced ahead of the Dutch GP that they will not sign Max Verstappen for the 2025. George Russell talked about his current situation and his contract with his team in Monza.

Russell himself is yet to know who will be his teammate in the upcoming season at Mercedes. The Briton's contract with the team runs until the end of the 2025 season. Following that Mercedes confirmed to GPblog that Verstappen will not join the team in 2025, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is rumoured to be Toto Wolff's choice for the upcoming season, although that has not been announced for now. Meanwhile, the Italian youngster will take part in FP1 at his home Grand Prix.

"It’s something we've not spoken about at all, to be honest. I've been with this team for so, so long. I'm managed by Mercedes. We've always said we will be continuing together for the indefinite future," the two-time Grand Prix winner began answering GPblog's question about his future at the team in Italy.

‘Toto Wolff's choice’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/297569/russell-contract-future-teammate-at-mercedes.html


Franco Colapinto explains F1 call-up after Williams pull him out of F2 sim
Logan Sargeant’s replacement opens up on shock F1 promotion
29 Aug 2024
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net

Speaking for the first time on his shock promotion, Colapinto told the media at Monza that he was as late as Monday in the simulator preparing for the F2 round when he got the call from Williams. “For you to imagine, Monday I was in the Formula 2 sim preparing for the race here in Monza with my team, so you can imagine how late it was,” he said.

“I don’t know when they were thinking about but it’s an opportunity that I feel ready for and waiting for for so so long. As a young kid I was always dreaming of this coming through and happening, so today to be here speaking to all of you, it’s a pleasure and I am extremely grateful we have got this opportunity.”

“It came very late, of course, but although I am ready I was not expecting it, to be honest. I cannot explain how happy I am to be here with Williams, they have been very supportive and the opportunity they have given me is insane.” Colapinto, who took part in FP1 at Silverstone for Williams, says there wasn’t any prior discussions about this opportunity and wasn’t something on his mind this year.

‘F1 call-up’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054068/1/franco-colapinto-explains-f1-call-after-williams-pull-him-out-f2-sim

[Fortitude]

Italian Grand Prix FP1 results: Verstappen sets the early pace ahead of Leclerc and Norris.
With just five minutes to go, the Dutchman jumped up the standings to finish two-tenths clear of the heavily updated Ferrari of Leclerc in front of the Tifosi, with Norris right behind Leclerc in P3.
30 August 2024
Editor: Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Max Verstappen topped the timing sheets in the first free practice session of the Italian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris at Monza.

Behind the top three was Carlos Sainz in the other Ferrari, and Valtteri Bottas rounded out the top five with a fantastic session, sitting in P1 for the majority of FP1. Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso were the other drivers to make it into the top ten.

‘With just five minutes to go’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/297771/italian-grand-prix-fp1-results-verstappen-sets-the-early-pace-ahead-of-leclerc-and-norris.html


Italian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
30 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 17 1:21.676

2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 22 1:21.904 0.228

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 25 1:21.917 0.241

4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 23 1:22.126 0.450

5 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 21 1:22.127 0.451

6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 22 1:22.199 0.523

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 23 1:22.214 0.538

8 23 Alex Albon Williams 23 1:22.220 0.544

9 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 20 1:22.311 0.635

10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 18 1:22.315 0.639

‘Full results’;

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


Charles Leclerc sends Milan into a frenzy ahead of the Italian Grand Prix
30 August 2024
GQ

Crowds and crowds of exuberant young fans – each wearing or holding their own bit of Ferrari red – are desperate to catch a glimpse of the 26-year-old Monégasque idol, hopeful of having a cap, a T-shirt or even a body part signed. If the atmosphere doesn’t already translate the level of love in the air for Leclerc and Ferrari, the handwritten signs will.

One reads “Ferrari is our first and only love” with the numbers 16 and 55 (Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz’s car numbers) encircled by hearts. Another says “After all this time? Forza Ferrari, SEMPRE [heart emoji].” My favourite: “HOT girls support Charles Leclerc” with a red chilli in place of the “T”.

“Ferrari is our first and only love”;

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/charles-leclerc-ferrari-interview-2024


New confidence for Ferrari heading into home race at Italian GP
Aug 30, 2024
TSN

New track, new colors and renewed confidence for Ferrari as the Formula One team heads into its home race at Monza. Ferrari did better than expected at last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc earning a second straight podium finish and teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. surging from 10th on the grid to place fifth.

Although it was a well-timed morale boost for a team which started 2024 fighting for wins but had dropped out of contention, Leclerc was quick to temper expectations. “I don’t let the last two races change our expectations,” he said. “We are in a difficult moment for the team. We are struggling a little bit with pace at the moment.”

‘New confidence for Ferrari’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/new-track-new-colors-new-confidence-for-ferrari-heading-into-home-race-at-italian-gp-1.2167428


Toto Wolff's five-word message to Kimi Antonelli after 45G crash on Italian GP debut
After his first Formula 1 session was hyped up, teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli crashed on just his second flying lap around Monza as he pushed to impress in George Russell's car. Toto Wolff grimaces as he watched Andrea Kimi Antonelli crash at Monza.
• 30 Aug 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz describing what was going on and making a significant comparison. He said: "I've been working in this pit lane for 23 years and I've seldom seen attention like Kimi Antonelli is getting at the front of this garage.

"It was three deep with photographers at the front of the garage. I haven't seen attention on a driver like this since the Michael Schumacher days - I promise you, it's that much. Bearing in mind you've got Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, the stars of Ferrari, you've got Lewis Hamilton in the next garage for heaven's sake!

Antonelli lost control and span into a barrier. Immediately, he jumped onto the radio to apologies for the team, prompting a response from team principal Wolff. The Austrian's voice was very calm as he simply replied: "All good, Kimi, all good." TV cameras showed Wolff grimacing at images of the crash on the monitor in front of him, which was registered at 45G.

"All good, Kimi, all good";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/kimi-antonelli-crash-monza-wolff-33568723


Italian Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 1 Results
What happened as the first F1 session of the weekend went ahead?
August 30, 2024
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

The first F1 laps of the Italian Grand Prix weekend. Verstappen showed the Red Bull’s continuous problems in the first laps, having to take the emergency exit out of turn one twice. Both Ferraris also seemed to be struggling.

The mistake came after Kimi Antonelli had set the first good lap times. The young driver attempted to make the turn into Parabolica but experienced a sudden snap mid-corner, causing him to lose control. The car’s rear slid out, sending him through the gravel trap and into the barriers, where he knocked off the front wing in the process.

After the red flag. With a little more than 30 minutes left on the clock, the cars got out to the track again. Verstappen took the top spot with a time of 1m 23.088s, while Sainz moved into second place. The Dutch driver is feeling the heat this weekend, as he hasn’t secured a Grand Prix victory since the race in Spain in June.

‘What happened’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/italian-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-1-results/?nowprocket=1


Alpine F1 engineers protest in Monza: 'It's not easy'
August 30, 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

While it was announced at the Belgian GP that Alpine will stop running with a Renault engine, many workers learned that moment what will happen regarding their work at the Viry factory. Ahead of the Italian GP, driver Pierre Gasly reacted to the recent protest from the French factory.

"Well, the way I look at it is I have absolutely no power or control over that situation. It's a team and top management topic, so from this point of view I'm focusing on my race and the best thing I can do to every employee of the team is perform the best way I can on the track, to give them the rewards of all the hard work that every single employee is doing. That's my role in the team and that's what I'll focus on," the team's driver, Gasly reacted to GPblog among others in Monza.

The Frenchman hopes however that the situation can be resolved soon. "I understand all parties. It's not as easy as we can talk about it. Nothing of my control, and as I said, at the end of the day, hopefully everyone will come out of it with a good option," the driver who won his one Grand Prix in Monza concluded. Gasly has a contract signed with the team, and will team up with Jack Doohan next season at Alpine.

‘Alpine F1 engineers protest’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/297746/alpine-f1-engineers-protest-in-monza-pierre-gasly-italian-gp.html

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton edges Lando Norris by finest of margins in Italian GP FP2 after Magnussen shunt causes red flag.
Lewis Hamilton led the way by a few thousandths of a second ahead of Lando Norris in FP2 at the 2024 Italian GP.
30 August 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton was just 0.003 seconds ahead of Lando Norris in a tight FP2 at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix while Kevin Magnussen caused a second significant stoppage of the day. Parabolica issues continued after FP1 with plenty of drivers including Verstappen running wide, but it was at the Lesmos that Magnussen produced the session’s only red flag in Monza.

He pushed too hard entering turn seven and Magnussen kicked up a massive dust cloud as he completed a full spin over the gravel before hitting the tyre barrier with the left side of his Haas, able to walk away from the incident. Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc underlined Ferrari and McLaren‘s competitiveness in the top five, while FP1 leader Max Verstappen was down in 14th just ahead of Sergio Perez.

‘Lewis Hamilton led the way’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lewis-hamilton-edges-lando-norris-italian-gp-fp2-magnussen-red-flag/


Italian GP: Free Practice 2 Results
31 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 23 1:20.738

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 22 1:20.741 0.003

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 26 1:20.841 0.103

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 22 1:20.858 0.120

5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:20.892 0.154

6 63 George Russell Mercedes 18 1:21.086 0.348

7 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 24 1:21.140 0.402

8 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 22 1:21.300 0.562

9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 22 1:21.316 0.578

10 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 25 1:21.363 0.625

‘Full results’;

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


Red Bull have “identified the issues” but tipped to be behind McLaren at Italian GP
"I would imagine they will be a little bit behind McLaren but not much."
30 Aug 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft believes Red Bull will remain behind McLaren despite progress being made by the reigning world champions at the Italian Grand Prix. The timesheets didn’t look too good for Red Bull though in second practice, with Max Verstappen failing to set a quick lap on the softs.

“I still think whilst they’ve understood the problems they’ve been suffering from they’re still fine-tuning it to try and find performance now they’ve identified the issues,” Croft said. “I would imagine they will be a little bit behind McLaren but not much. Whether they’re ahead of Ferrari, I am still not quite sure.”

“Identified the issues”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054209/1/red-bull-have-identified-issues-tipped-be-behind-mclaren-italian-gp


Laptimes suggest Mercedes and Ferrari could be an Italian GP threat
Aug 30, 2024
Ben Anderson
The Race

Barely more than a tenth and a half covered the top five fastest Formula 1 cars in second practice for the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, but no Red Bull featured in that picture thanks to the odd circumstances of FP2 at Monza.

Max Verstappen aborted his first attempt at a qualifying simulation on the soft C5 compound Pirellis at Monza and was prevented from trying again by Kevin Magnussen’s heavy crash at the second Lesmo. That shunt curtailed running in the middle part of the session and forced most of the field to use the remaining 15 minutes for race runs.

Delays in the garage for George Russell and Sergio Perez at the start of the session - Russell while repairs were finished following Kimi Antonelli’s FP1 crash and Perez while Red Bull completed a precautionary gearbox change - meant those two were missing from the early medium tyre runs and also out of sync with their qualifying simulations.

‘Italian GP threat’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/laptimes-suggest-mercedes-and-ferrari-could-be-an-italian-gp-threat/


Italian Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 2 Results
August 30, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

The green flag was waving again with a third of the session to go. Russell was raring to get out to get as much track time as possible. The Briton wnet round the outside of Perez at Curva Grande. The Mercedes driver opted to do some high fuel runs on the medium tyre.

Russell went for a soft tyre run late on in the session, setting a time good enough for sixth and three-and-a-half tenths off Hamilton. Hamilton ended the session quickest by 0.003 seconds from Norris and a further tenth ahead of Sainz. The top five finished all separated by only a tenth-and-a-half.

FP2 has been a tricky session for Red Bull. Verstappen ended the session in 13th, struggling with snaps of oversteer and lock-ups. Perez ended the session a position behind the Dutchman in 14th.

‘Green flag was waving again’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/italian-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-2-results/?nowprocket=1


Piastri pleased with pace and potential in Monza
Solid early pace left Oscar Piastri optimistic heading towards qualifying and Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.
31 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Oscar Piastri was left in positive mood following the opening day of running at the Italian Grand Prix. “I would say pretty good,” he said of his Friday. “Some things to tidy up definitely, but I think the pace and potential is definitely there, so leaving pretty happy.”

“The tyres have been an interesting point today for everybody, so it will be interesting to see what that's like throughout the rest of the weekend. Monza's a little bit different now with some of the changes they've made with the kerbs and the resurfacing and stuff, so taking a little bit to get used to that, but pretty solid Friday.”

‘Piastri pleased’;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-pleased-with-pace-and-potential-in-monza/


Toto Wolff lifts lid on Kimi Antonelli chat after nightmare Italian Grand Prix crash
Toto Wolff has offered an insight into his conversation with a devastated Kimi Antonelli after FP1 in Monza.
Aug 30, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff has revealed that he told Kimi Antonelli the same message before the session and after his FP1 crash, downplaying the impact of the 18-year-old’s shunt at the Parabolica corner. Offering a peek behind the curtain at his chat with Antonelli, Wolff said: “He apologised first of all, and I think this is what you need to do when you bring a car back that looks a little bit like a Lego box [that has] fallen on the floor.”

“But [he] also said that he felt so much confidence in the car, the car was good and I guess he was just bitten. Everybody suffered from loss of temperature, especially rear temperature out of Ascari with these kinds of speed, and that’s why the rear went, the way it slipped out.”

Touching on his message from behind the session, Wolff added: “I told him to enjoy it. I think he has a lot of natural ability but he must not forget that this is the best job in the world. I said to him also to take the pressure off – we live in our microbubble here, nobody’s interested in FP1 anyway. Whatever happens, happens, and just get on with things. And I told him the same after the session.”

‘Toto Wolff lifts lid’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1942537/Toto-Wolff-Kimi-Antonelli-Italian-Grand-Prix


FYI: Due to other commitments, the FP3 and Qualification Results, will be posted late Saturday, early Sunday.

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton heads Mercedes 1-2 in final Italian GP practice.
Lewis Hamilton pips George Russell as Mercedes show impressive pace in final practice.
31 Aug 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton picked up where he left off on Friday by setting the pace in final practice at the F1 Italian Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion, who also produced the fastest time in FP2, pipped teammate George Russell by just 0.093 seconds to head a Mercedes 1-2 on what has been a hugely positive start to the Monza weekend for the Silver Arrows.

Mercedes’ late turn of pace came after Charles Leclerc, who ended up third-quickest and 0.109s behind Hamilton, had spearheaded a Ferrari stranglehold at the top of the timesheet to delight the tifosi.

The McLaren’s of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished fourth and fifth, while reigning world champion Max Verstappen was unhappy with the balance of his Red Bull as he posted the sixth-fastest time, 0.251s adrift of his 2021 title rival.

‘Mercedes 1-2’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054304/1/lewis-hamilton-heads-mercedes-1-2-final-italian-gp-practice


Italian GP: Free Practice 3 Results
31 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 19 1:20.117

2 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 1:20.210 0.093

3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21 1:20.226 0.109

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 14 1:20.252 0.135

5 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:20.262 0.145

6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 23 1:20.368 0.251

7 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 19 1:20.463 0.346

8 23 Alex Albon Williams 14 1:20.596 0.479

9 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 15 1:20.905 0.788

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 17 1:20.943 0.826

‘Full results’;

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


Italian Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 Results
August 31, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

At their home race, the Ferrari drivers were out on track in front of the Tifosi. Leclerc’s time was good enough for P10, but on his next hot lap reached P4. His teammate, Sainz was in P8.
Halfway point: As the drivers reached the halfway point of Free Practice 3 at the Temple of Speed, the top 10 were Leclerc, Russell, Sainz, Hamilton, Norris, Piastri, Verstappen, Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, and Perez.

With just under 30 minutes remaining, Albon put in a lap time of 1:20.596 on the soft compound tyres, putting himself on top. Meanwhile, Piastri went slightly wide into the gravel, kicking up dust. Later, Verstappen had a similar moment in the same place.

Closing stages: With 15 minutes remaining of FP3, Leclerc beat his teammate’s time with a 1:20.226. Rookie Colapinto was in P8 in the Williams. Norris was out and set a purple Sector 2, completing his lap with a 1:20.262 time splitting the Ferraris. Verstappen’s lap put him in P6 and complained that his car was not turning in properly. Meanwhile, his teammate, Perez struggled with a lack of grip in P15. He cut the corner and went off at the Variante della Roggia chicane.

‘Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/italian-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-3-results/?nowprocket=1


FP3 Highlights: 2024 Italian Grand Prix
August 31, 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Watch highlights from third practice ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix.

‘FP3 Highlights’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/fp3-highlights-2024-italian-grand-prix.1808906976118115731


Max sixth in final free practice in Monza
31 August 2024
Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen, driving his Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20, finished sixth in the final free practice of the Monza Grand Prix. At 31 degrees Monza is red hot. 15 minutes after the start of the session, Max drives onto the track on a set of mediums and sets a 1:20.950 lap time, a lap only surpassed by Oscar Piastri on softs.

Moments later Lando Norris goes to P1 on soft tyres (1:20.787), but quickly has to hand the covetted positionover to Carlos Sainz (1:20.742).

Max, demoted in the meantime to P7, returns to the track on mediums and attempts a long run. Alex Albon drives his Williams on softs to P1 (1:20.596), before passing the torch to both Ferraris. After 11 laps, Max returns to the pits.

‘Sixth’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5577/


Italian GP: Red Bull’s trouble continue as Lewis Hamilton sets the pace in FP3
31 Aug 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull’s troubles continued in Saturday’s practice at Monza where Max Verstappen was only sixth fastest in a session in which Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes 1-2. Sergio Perez made it a Red Bull 1-2 as the team, having experimented with the set-up of the RB20 on Friday, looked to rebound from Friday’s lowly positions where they were outside the top ten.

Red Bull’s reign, though, didn’t last long with McLaren and Mercedes coming to the fore with Oscar Piastri P1 after the first quarter of the session. With lower flatter kerbs in use this weekend after the circuit was revamped, Hamilton chose an interesting line but took a bit too much of the green kerb and went airborne.

Bolting on a new set of soft tyres after final set-up changes were made, Hamilton went quickest ahead of Russell with a 1:20.117, putting him 0.093s up on his team-mate. Leclerc was third. Verstappen, who finished P6 as he kicked up dirt on his final flying lap, reported his car didn’t want to turn in in “low speed” or “medium” corners. As for Sergio Perez, he finished P18.

‘Red Bull’s trouble continue’;

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

[Fortitude]

Norris excels to get pole for Italian GP as Verstappen has a disaster in P7.
Lando Norris has qualified on pole position as he continues to make a pursuit on Max Verstappen. This time, it's even better news for the McLaren driver as his teammate Oscar Piastri, both Mercedes drivers and both Ferrari drivers separate himself and the Dutchman.
31 August 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

After the first run in Q3, McLaren drivers sat at the top of the timesheet, followed by both Mercedes, both Ferrari and both Red Bull. Perez managed to do a quicker lap than Verstappen, who claimed he had "no grip" at all on the new set of tyres. Red Bull Racing decided to get out of garage first for the second run in Q3. Verstappen managed to move ahead of Perez, but could only go as high as 7th.

‘Norris excels’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298175/lando-norris-on-pole-position-in-italian-gp-with-max-verstappen-in-seventh.html


Italian GP: Qualifying Results
1 September 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:19.911 1:19.727 1:19.327

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:20.076 1:19.808 1:19.436 0.109

3 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:20.169 1:19.877 1:19.440 0.113

4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:20.074 1:20.007 1:19.461 0.134

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:20.149 1:19.799 1:19.467 0.140

6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:20.477 1:19.641 1:19.513 0.186

7 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:20.226 1:19.662 1:20.022 0.695

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:20.598 1:20.216 1:20.062 0.735

9 23 Alex Albon Williams 1:20.542 1:20.314 1:20.299 0.972

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:20.781 1:20.411 1:20.339 1.012

‘Full results’;

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


Italian Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
31 Aug 2024
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds

The final session in Monza saw both Red Bulls, both Mercedes, both Ferraris, and both McLarens get a chance at pole, as well as the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg and the Williams of Alex Albon.

The McLarens pulled out a strong performance early on, Norris setting a 1:19.401 to take provisional pole on his first lap, with Piastri close behind. Russell and Hamilton slotted into fourth and fifth respectively, with Sainz and Leclerc following them and Perez and Verstappen next.

So McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull lined up neatly in that order after their first set of laps, Hulkenberg ahead of Albon to complete the top ten.

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/italian-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-results/?nowprocket=1


Norris knows he must “make the most” of chance to slash Verstappen’s points lead
31st August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

It would have seemed unfathomable just a few months ago but it is true – McLaren could leave Monza on Sunday with the lead of the constructors’ championship. But regardless of how strong McLaren are in race pace, Norris expects Verstappen will have stronger pace in the race than in qualifying. Even so, he knows he has a “good opportunity” to make substantial gains on his rival’s 70-point lead in the drivers’ championship.

“I expect him to come through and probably be behind us quite quickly,” Norris said. “Their race pace looked very strong on Friday. They were on the better side of the graining and the degradation, so I expect them to probably be a bit more hopeful tomorrow. “

“For some reason, they just didn’t seem to take those steps forward through qualifying. He still seemed quick – in Q2 he was right there and ended up quicker than me, even on a used tyre. And even his gap to Perez wasn’t as big as what it normally is. So I don’t know if he just struggled more with something or just didn’t put good enough laps in, but it’ll be for a reason, I’m sure. And we need to try and make the most of that.”

‘Make the most of chance’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/31/norris-knows-he-must-make-the-most-of-chance-to-slash-verstappens-points-lead/


'Could've been pole': Lewis Hamilton ‘absolutely furious’ after Italian GP qualifying error
31 August 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton was left ‘absolutely furious’ after making an error in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix which cost him a potential front-row start. The Mercedes driver lines up sixth on the grid alongside Carlos Sainz, having set a lap that was 0.186s off the pole lap of Lando Norris.

The seven-time world champion had shown pace in the third practice session when he set the fastest time and was around a tenth and a half quicker than Oscar Piastri. Hamilton explained that he made a mistake at the beginning of his final timed lap in Q3, which set him on course for a disappointing result.

“I am furious, absolutely furious. I could have been on pole, at least on the front row. I just didn’t do the job. I lost a tenth and a half into Turn 1, and then a tenth in the last corner. No one to blame by myself,” said Hamilton. Hamilton believes qualifying has been somewhat of a weakness this season, despite Mercedes appearing to finally extract pace from their W15.

“I am furious, absolutely furious”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lewis-hamilton-absolutely-furious-after-italian-gp-qualifying-error/


Christian Horner and Max Verstappen comments say it all after Italian Grand Prix disaster
Red Bull endured a miserable qualifying session at the Italian Grand Prix as their troubles continued.
Aug 31, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Assessing a difficult qualifying for his team, Horner told Sky Sports F1: "The balance just isn't there, you can hear from Max's comments. Something is there fundamentally happening that we are not on top of. Q2 didn't look took too bad but in Q3 we were miles away. We are looking at everything. We ran older spec last week to see if that redressed the issues but the reality was we still had the same handling characteristics and issues.”

"We need to address it quickly as McLaren have made a significant step over the last few races and we are now behind Ferrari and Mercedes as well. Something is clearly not working on the car. There will be an engineering solution to an engineering problem."

Verstappen was equally frustrated. "The car is very difficult to drive and find a good balance," he complained. "If you have one issue and try to fix that, then there is another issue. It's not every driveable, let's put it like that. Q2 was not too bad Q3 felt very bad again - I had a lot of understeer on both tyres.

‘Miserable qualifying session’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1942803/Christian-Horner-Max-Verstappen-Italian-Grand-Prix

[Fortitude]

Formula 1: McLaren’s Norris sets up chance to chop Verstappen's 70-point lead with Italian GP pole.
Lando Norris gave himself a great chance to further cut Max Verstappen’s Formula One championship lead by taking pole position for the Italian Grand Prix yesterday.
1st Sept 2024
Malay Mail

A dominant display from Norris and Piastri is great news for McLaren who are only 30 points behind Red Bull in the constructors’ championship. “I think for us to come away with a 1-2, to come away with another pole, was probably not quite what we were expecting. But in a good way, of course,” Norris told reporters.

“For sure it’s a good opportunity (to cut Verstappen’s leader). I mean I expect him to come through and probably be behind us quite quickly... I expect them to probably be a bit more hopeful tomorrow,” said Norris of Verstappen. “He still seemed quick, like in Q2 he is right there and ended up quicker than me even on a used tyre.”

‘Chop Verstappen's 70-point lead’;

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2024/09/01/formula-1-mclarens-norris-sets-up-chance-to-chop-verstappens-70-point-lead-with-italian-gp-pole/148869


Italian Grand Prix: Lando Norris takes pole, Oscar Piastri second as Max Verstappen struggles
31 Aug 2024
Michael Doyle
ABC Online

Norris was blistering on Saturday at Monza while drivers' championship leader Max Verstappen struggled to qualify down in seventh. Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was just eighth fastest, meaning the world champion's lead in the constructors' championship — which is a narrow 30 points over McLaren — is under serious threat.

Norris took pole with a lap which he was not pleased with, while Piastri claimed second with a lap set on his first run in Q3. "First lap in Q3 was good, the second one was not quite enough. Amazing effort from the team to pull off [the lock out]," Piastri said after qualifying.

With a front row start, Piastri will be eyeing off a shot at his second win of the season. "Starting a bit further up than last week is a positive to myself, it's a long run to turn one so starting second isn't a bad thing."

‘Pole';

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-01/oscar-piastri-formula-1-italian-grand-prix-qualifying-second/104295522


Will McLaren Use Team Orders? - F1 Italian GP Qualifying Debrief
31 Aug 2024
Motorsport.com

Alex Kalinauckas and Mark Mann-Bryans break down all the action from Saturday at the Italian GP, including McLaren's front-row qualifying lockout, Red Bull's ongoing struggles, Lewis Hamilton's brutal honesty as Kimi Antonelli is confirmed to drive for Mercedes in 2025; and what strategies could come into play for Sunday's race.

0:00 McLaren's one-two
2:09 Can Lando catch Max?
3:05 Red Bull's woes
4:28 Strategies options for the race
7:29 Mercedes' qualifying

‘Team Orders?’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/mclaren-team-orders-imminent-f1-italian-gp-qualifying-debrief/654413/


Lando Norris Pinpoints Key Reasons Behind Italian Grand Prix Pole
31 Aug 2024
Ed Spencer
autoevolution

Lando Norris believes set-up changes between the final practice session and Qualifying helped him take pole position for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

"Like everyone's seen, it's been the closest build-up in FP1, FP2, FP3, I think we just looked as good as the others, nothing more, nothing less," explained Norris in Saturday's post-qualifying FIA press conference. "So yeah, I just expected a tough qualifying, and it was for sure, but I think for us to come away with a 1-2 and another pole was not quite what we were expecting, but in a good way, of course.”

"A good qualifying, I wouldn't say the cleanest, just difficult to put laps together around here with the margins, so small you try and go for everything, but you can also pay a price, so risk-reward in a lot of corners. But I think the risk that we had held through, the set-up changes we made into Qualifying, seemed to have made a good amount of progress, and we looked very quick.”

‘Key Reasons’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/lando-norris-pinpoints-key-reasons-behind-italian-grand-prix-pole-239209.html


“Smaller steps” key to progress as McLaren set pace for fourth race running
31 Aug 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Last year Norris said part of the reason Red Bull had become so dominant was because they had such a good car they were able to focus on extracting the best from small details. Now Red Bull have taken a mis-step... ...and McLaren are able to focus on these decisive details.

“We’ve definitely been taking some smaller steps forward,” he said after taking pole position today. “But some of the upgrades we had have been track-specific. The rear wing that we had which was the main part of the upgrade last weekend, we don’t have it again here. So it’s not like what worked perfectly well there, works here. So we had that, but we also had the rear wing again this weekend. So specific things, but it’s not like it revolutionised the car or made the car feel like it’s a lot better. It’s just a bit more efficient.”

“It’s smaller things, but those smaller things really make big differences in the end. If you have one or two smaller snaps [of oversteer] over a single lap, you can gain half a tenth, one tenth quite quickly because the tyres are in a better condition, the temperature’s less, and things like that. They’ve definitely helped.”

“Smaller steps”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/31/smaller-steps-key-to-progress-as-mclaren-set-pace-for-fourth-race-running/


Mercedes understand Zandvoort set-up error after Monza rebound – Russell
1 Sept 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Mercedes understand where they went wrong with their car’s set-up last weekend, says George Russell, after the team’s better showing in qualifying yesterday. “In this sport it runs away from you really, really quickly if you’re just on the wrong side of that sweet spot and that’s absolutely what we found in Zandvoort. As painful as it is, it’s important sometimes to have those disappointing weekends. There’s no guarantees for [the race]. We weren’t a million miles away in qualifying in Zandvoort, but I am confident we’ll be more in the mix and try and keep up with these [McLaren] guys.”

Russell said he was finding time with his car throughout Saturday’s running after sitting out first practice on Friday while Andrea Kimi Antonelli drove his car. Antonelli crashed heavily during the session, and repair work delayed Russell’s start to second practice. “It was a very up and down weekend,” said Russell. “Obviously I missed a lot yesterday, which put me really on the back foot.”

“I had to make a lot of changes from FP3 into qualifying because that was really my first proper session out on track. And Q1 and Q2 was really, really messy. I wasn’t confident, didn’t feel good in the car and just sort of scraped through the session. Then suddenly I managed to get it in the sweet spot for Q3. Both my laps, I think I was third or fourth, and obviously ended up third."

‘Set-up error’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/01/mercedes-understand-zandvoort-set-up-error-after-monza-rebound-russell/


'Ridiculous' - Why Hamilton's latest F1 qualifying defeat hit so hard
Aug 31, 2024
Samarth Kanal
The Race

Hamilton doesn’t often hide his emotions after a session; it’s easy to gauge from the tone of his voice and his body language whether he’s elated or deflated by his performance - but he was even more honest about his qualifying shortcomings at Monza.

“I just didn’t extract the maximum. Turn 1 and 2, I lost a tenth and a half to my previous Q2 lap and then I lost another tenth in Turn 11, apex speed, so it was just absolutely ridiculous from my side," he said. “Completely unacceptable. And it’s totally me. Nothing else. Nobody else."

While Hamilton wasn’t in the chase for pole position he might have been able to join Russell on the second row and outqualify the Ferraris. Instead Hamilton will start sixth, on the third row, alongside Carlos Sainz. “I wasn’t expecting more, but I was expecting to do a better job than I did.”

'Ridiculous';

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-f1-qualifying-defeat-hit-so-hard-monza/


Mercedes hint at key opportunity for Lewis Hamilton in today’s F1 Italian GP
Important factor pinpointed by Mercedes to give Lewis Hamilton hope
01 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, said: "We knew it was going to be tight at the front [in qualifying]. “It was therefore not unexpected that the field was so close at the end of Q3. Ferrari managed to get both of their cars into the 0.073s gap that was between Lewis and George. McLaren meanwhile have been quick at every track we’ve visited recently so it was no surprise to find that we couldn't quite match them.”

“That is both frustrating and encouraging. The gap to P1 was just over one tenth of a second and pole position was within touching distance for both our drivers. George is well placed lining up in P3. Our starts have been good recently and it's a long run to turn one. If we can get between the McLarens off the line, that will help our chances of a strong afternoon.”

“Lewis has a bit of work to do starting from behind the Ferraris, but the degradation here looks set to be high. There could be plenty of opportunity to get into the fight at the front if that is the case. As we know, he is one of the best at tyre management so we can be excited as to what [Sunday] may bring."

‘Key opportunity’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054379/1/mercedes-hint-key-opportunity-lewis-hamilton-todays-f1-italian-gp

[Fortitude]

Ferrari drivers left frustrated by understeery SF24 in Monza qualifying.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz looked strong and competitive all weekend long, but they have already suggested after Friday’s practice sessions that the heavily-upgraded SF-24 needed to be fine-tuned ahead of qualifying.
1 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Asked to reflect on his qualifying day at Ferrari’s home turf, Leclerc said: “Disappointed. Yesterday it seemed like it was a positive day, today quite a bit less. P4 was the best we could do, but [it’s] frustrating. I don’t like fighting for these kinds of positions. We are very close to first place, on the contrary of last weekend which is a good step forward. However, it’s not enough, so I really hope that tomorrow we can turn the situation around.”

“I mean, [in Turns] 1, 2, 4, 5 I’ve had so much understeer all weekend, so it’s not like it got worse,” the 26-year-old explained. “But it was just the same and I believe that the others maybe did a step forward that we didn’t do today, and that’s where we paid the price of being on pole or P4.”

‘Ferrari drivers left frustrated’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25387


Leclerc reveals how Ferrari can compete for the victory: 'Need to do this'
31 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
F1 Blog

Charles Leclerc made rare critical comments on his radio during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. Leclerc is certain it will be a close race. "I want to look forward, not backwards," reads Leclerc's clear answer to a question from GPblog. "There are quite a lot of guys that are super quick and that I would have expected to be in front of us today. But at the same time, I think we can have a good race. There weren't too many differences of pace, apart from Lewis, that did a really strong race pace in FP2," says Leclerc, who is expecting the top teams to all be on a similar level in the race.

How can Ferrari fight for the victory tomorrow? When asked what it would take to fight for victory, the Monegasque replied, "A good start and then try and use that DRS to try and stay within the McLaren, which we expect to be very, very strong. And then it will be a tyre management race. Everybody, I think, as I said, has a very similar pace. Apart from any surprises tomorrow, I think we are all pretty similar. However, we've got to do a good job time management-wise because this is what will make the difference tomorrow."

'Need to do this';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298344/charles-leclerc-surprised-max-verstappen-was-slower-in-f1-monza-qualifying.html


Sainz “thought I was on for pole” before cloud cover spoiled lap
SEPT 1, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Sainz thought he was heading for pole at one stage. Carlos Sainz thought he was heading for pole position at Monza before understeer at the Lesmos and the Parabolica spoiled his final lap. “There was just a small moment in the first lap, just bottoming out in a kerb,” he said when asked by this writer about his session. “But from there on, I felt I was flat out in a good place with the car. I did some strong laps in Q2, then in Q3 this cloud started to arrive. The temperature started to drop, the grip was a lot higher. That’s why you saw us going a lot quicker in Q3.”

“But unfortunately in our car, it just induced a lot of understeering in the two Lesmos and Parabolica, and it meant that we couldn’t get the car turned. I did a good purple sector one in that last lap, which I thought I was on for pole. But then even if we added a lot of balance, a lot of flap to the car in the last run, still the Lesmos and the Parabolica gave me big understeer, and I couldn’t get the car turned, and the lap didn’t quite click.”

“Thought I was on for pole”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/01/sainz-thought-i-was-on-for-pole-before-cloud-cover-spoiled-lap/


Leclerc frustrated by understeer as Ferrari updates “not enough”
Sept 1, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Charles Leclerc limited by persistent SF-24 weakness. Leclerc plagued by understeer. Speaking after yesterday’s qualifying, the Ferrari driver explained that understeer plagued him throughout the session: “Yeah, disappointed. Yesterday, it seemed like it was a positive day, today quite a bit less. P4 was the best we could do, but frustrating. I don’t like fighting for these kinds of positions."

"We are very close to first place, on the contrary of last weekend, which is a good step forward. However, it’s not enough. So I really hope that tomorrow we can turn the situation around. I mean, [in turns] 1, 2, 4, 5, I’ve had so much understeer all weekend… That’s where we paid the price.”

“Not enough”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/09/01/leclerc-frustrated-by-understeer-as-ferrari-updates-not-enough/


Christian Horner’s reported Zoom call ‘with the entire top’ amid Red Bull’s troubles
1 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner reportedly scheduled a Zoom call with the “entire top” of Red Bull’s engineering and design departments in light of the team’s shattered advantage on the track.

Max Verstappen told the media including PlanetF1.com: “For whatever reason in Q3 I picked up a lot of understeer on both tyre sets, and this is something that I don’t understand at the moment. “It was just not driveable in any corner, so that’s something that is very weird.” This isn’t the first time the reigning World Champion has complained about his RB20 with Verstappen notably frustrated with Red Bull’s “not good enough” upgrades in Hungary.

Doornbos claims such are the concerns, team boss Horner held a Zoom meeting with the “entire top” of Red Bull’s engineering and design departments. “You see that when the car performs less, the gap between Max and Perez becomes smaller. That’s crazy,” Doornbos told Ziggo Sport. “That indicates that there is no balance, and the car no longer listens to its talent. It wants more bite at the front, but those engineers have to do that.”

‘Zoom call with the “entire top” of Red Bull’s engineering and design departments in light of the team’s shattered advantage’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-zoom-call-with-entire-top-red-bull-troubles


Marko demands Red Bull investigate 'serious situation' after woeful qualifying
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko wants Red Bull to identify where it "took the wrong turn" in the F1 development race after being out-qualified by McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari at Monza.
31 Aug 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

"We have to find the moment when we took the wrong turn," Marko told Sky Sports Germany after the grid-setting session. Then you have to look at Miami, because at that time we were still dominant. The races Max [Verstappen] won after that, he won because of his qualities. But with the complexity of these cars, it becomes very difficult," the 81-year-old added.

"Thank God we have some time towards the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, because now it was practically impossible to implement anything. But the situation is starting to get serious."

‘Where it "took the wrong turn" in the F1 development race’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-demands-red-bull-investigate-serious-situation-after-woeful-qualifying


Red Bull make Newey confession after alarming loss of form
Dr Helmut Marko has claimed Adrian Newey could have helped the difficult situation Red Bull finds itself in with the performance of the RB20 falling behind the McLaren MCL38.
1 Sept 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has said that outgoing chief technical officer Adrian Newey's "experience and knowledge" could have helped stem the tide of McLaren's surge to dominance in F1. Marko does not, however, believe Newey's departure - which was announced in the run-up to the round in Florida - is the root of the issues Red Bull is now facing.

He highlighted the "broad base" the team has to draw from. Although, he did not rule it out as having an impact on some level. "Newey is no longer fully involved in the process," the Austrian told Sky Sports Germany. "That is a factor we have to look at, but we have a broad base. It's true that his experience and knowledge could certainly have helped in this situation."

‘Adrian Newey’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-admit-newey-could-have-helped-prevent-alarming-loss-of-form


Ecclestone believes in a Verstappen world title, but Max less and less
1 Sept 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

It is not that often that Bernie Ecclestone is in the F1 paddock anymore. When the former Formula 1 owner - now at the age of 93 - does appear, it is always a reunion with many old friends. One after another gets a hug from the Brit, who is still exceptionally fit for his age. And those who ask for a photo or autograph are never disappointed.

As Ecclestone walked through the paddock in Monza with his wife Fabiana on Saturday, GPblog asked him who he thinks will be the world champion in 2024? The billionaire stopped walking and pretended for a moment not to remember the name: "Ehhh, what's that guy's name again?", Ecclestone said teasingly. Only to shout, after a moment of silence, "Max Verstappen!"

Full of confidence, Ecclestone appears confident about title prolongation by Red Bull Racing's Dutchman, who himself seems to radiate less by the week that he believes in a positive outcome to the season.

‘Ecclestone believes in a Verstappen world title’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298353/f1-bernie-ecclestone-on-max-verstappen-winning-the-title-with-red-bull.html

[Fortitude]

Ferrari stun with Leclerc win in Italian GP as Norris fails to capitalise
Charles Leclerc and Ferrari have stunned McLaren to win their home Italian Grand Prix in front of the Tifosi.
1 Sept 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

The man from Monaco rolled the dice with a one stop strategy and it paid off in Monza. Lando Norris lost out to his teammate early and couldn't recover. He finished third, with Oscar Piastri in second.

There was excitement at the end of the race as McLaren attacked Ferrari. The two teams were on contrasting strategies, with the Italians rolling the dice with a one stop race. Piastri used his fresher rubber to close an 11 second gap with less than 10 laps remaining. The gap reduced but Leclerc had enough grip to hold on.

With such a delta between Norris and Verstappen's starting position, it gave the Brit a crucial chance to cut Verstappen's lead in the World Championship. Norris did take a eight point dent but it could've been so much bigger. Norris lost the lead in the opening lap and left the door open for Leclerc to move through. Norris took home 15 points and Verstappen finished sixth. The Brit took the fastest lap point from the Dutchman on the last lap. McLaren did however take another gain on Red Bull in the Constructors Championship with Perez down in P8.

‘Man from Monaco rolled the dice’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298507/charles-leclerc-and-ferrari-win-italian-gp-as-lando-norris-fails.html


Italian GP: Race Results
2 September 2024
Mat Coch

Full results from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 53

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 2.664

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 6.153

4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 15.621

5 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 22.82

6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 37.932

7 63 George Russell Mercedes 39.715

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 54.148

9 23 Alex Albon Williams 67.456

10 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 68.302

‘Full results’;

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


Italian Grand Prix: F1 Race Results
An excessive heat warning greets the Formula 1 drivers for today's race at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Sept 1, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Closing stages: The Spanish Ferrari driver was celebrating his 30th birthday in front of the Tifosi, but unfortunately for him lost third place to Norris at the start of lap 48. However, waiting to pass Sainz puts Norris 4.5 seconds adrift of Piastri ahead. On lap 50, the top ten were: Leclerc in the lead, followed by Piastri, Norris, Sainz, Hamilton, Verstappen, Russell, Perez, Magnussen, and Albon.

As it stands, Red Bull would hold onto their Constructors’ Championship lead by 10 points ahead of McLaren. Leclerc looked to be on course to take the win at his team’s home race. The Monagasque became the tyre whisperer amid roars from the Tifosi.

At the chequered flag, Leclerc crossed the line for victory in Monza. Joining him on the podium were the two McLaren drivers, Piastri in P2 and Norris in P3. Norris also picked up the fastest lap of the race point on the final lap.
History made – AGAIN! ��
The moment Charles scored Ferrari's 21st win at home ��#F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/eSkQq5uoiB
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 1, 2024

‘Charles scored Ferrari's 21st win at home’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/italian-grand-prix-f1-race-results-2/?nowprocket=1


Leclerc executes one-stop to beat McLaren to F1 Italian GP win
1 Sept 2024
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc executed an audacious one-stop race to beat the McLaren drivers to deliver Ferrari a memorable win on home soil at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix. The top six drivers were all equipped with the Medium compound to begin the race, but Red Bull elected to gamble with the choice to go with the more durable Hards.

The battle at the top was stagnant as the drivers strived to preserve their rubber, but there was a change as Perez seized Russell’s seventh place using DRS on Lap 11. Russell had lost a front wing end plate earlier in proceedings and sliding to the back of the leading pack prompted Mercedes to pit him on that lap to make the repairs.

Norris was told to box to undercut Leclerc and the Briton obliged with that request on Lap 14, gaining the position once the Ferrari emerged out the pits on new Hards. McLaren responded to that with Piastri coming in on the next lap, while his compatriot Ricciardo was given 10 seconds extra due to RB serving his penalty incorrectly.

‘Leclerc executed an audacious one-stop race’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/01/leclerc-executes-one-stop-to-beat-mclaren-to-f1-italian-gp-win/


Charles Leclerc wins Italian GP in Ferrari masterclass as Max Verstappen rages at Red Bull
Charles Leclerc held off the threat of McLaren in a grandstand finish at the Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Charles Leclerc held off the charge of Oscar Piastri to claim a fairytale Italian Grand Prix victory in front of the Tifosi. Lando Norris rounded out the podium, while Max Verstappen finished sixth.

For the second race in a row, Norris started on pole, and for the second race in a row, there was a different name leading at the end of lap one. Piastri surged around the outside at the Della Roggia chicane, catching his team-mate off guard, while Leclerc followed him through on the corner exit.

While the rest of the top eight drivers started on the medium compound tyres, Red Bull’s duo were on the hards. Max Verstappen made good ground running long, but a six-second pit stop neutralised his good work as he emerged from his first stop just ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez.

‘Fairytale Italian Grand Prix victory’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1943011/Charles-Leclerc-Max-Verstappen-Italian-Grand-Prix


Italian GP: Ferrari stun McLaren at Monza as Charles Leclerc pulls off incredible one-stop win
1 Sept 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari gambled on a one-stop strategy with Charles Leclerc to end their five-year wait for an Italian Grand Prix win, the Ferrari driver beating the two-stopping McLarens to the line. On a day when McLaren seemed to have the 1-2 in hand, Ferrari threw the dice and it paid off as Leclerc took the chequered flag 2.6 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri with Lando Norris third.

It was the Ferraris running 1-2 with 10 to go, Leclerc and Sainz on one-stop strategies with the Monegasque driver 15s ahead of Piastri. With eight to go, Piastri used DRS to pass Sainz and was 11.6s behind Leclerc… 9.7s which led to a “leave me alone”… 7.2s with three to go…

Leclerc took the chequered flag three seconds ahead of Piastri, Ferrari’s one-stop gamble paying off for their first Italian Grand Prix win since 2019. Norris, who grabbed the fastest lap point, completed the podium ahead of Sainz, Hamilton and Verstappen. Russell, Perez, Albon and Alonso completed the points as Magnussen dropped out of ninth place when his 10-second penalty was applied.

‘Ferrari stun McLaren’;

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

[Fortitude]

Leclerc in seventh heaven after Ferrari home win: 'My god, the emotions...'
It is no surprise Charles Leclerc was overjoyed after his impressive win in the Italian Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver won in front of the frenzied tifosi, who were present in large numbers at the Monza circuit.
1 Sept 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Leclerc over the moon after Ferrari home win at Monza. "It is an incredible feeling," began Leclerc, who has already won the Italian GP back in 2019. "I thought the second time, if there was a second time, would not feel as special as the first, but the emotions over the last few laps were the same as 2019. I want to win Monza and Monaco every year and I have managed to do so. It is so, so special. The tifosi were incredible, mamma mia!"

Asked whether Ferrari will also be in good shape for the Formula 1 race in Baku, Leclerc does not yet dare to make any predictions. "Our package was working well on a track like Monza but whether it will be the same for the rest of the season I doubt. I still think McLaren are favourites but we have done a step forwards, that's for sure," the Ferrari driver explained.

‘Seventh heaven’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298559/charles-leclerc-reaction-f1-win-ferrari-italian-grand-prix-2024.html


Ferrari strategy masterstroke gives Leclerc famous Italian GP victory
A one-stop strategy from Charles Leclerc saw Ferrari take victory at Monza
1 Sept 2024
Adriano Boin
Total Motorsport

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari pulled off a strategical masterstroke on Sunday, getting the better of both McLarens and taking victory in front of the cheering tifosi at the 2024 Italian GP. It all seemed to be going in McLaren‘s favour, with the papaya duo sitting one-two before the second round of pitstops.

After McLaren stated over the team radio that their drivers could race one another under ‘papaya rules’, it all became a moot point when Norris made a mistake at Turn 4. This allowed Leclerc to close up right behind him, and McLaren pitted Norris for a new set of hards on Lap 33.

Piastri came in soon after, making it a Ferrari one-two at the front with Leclerc leading Sainz. While the rest of the grid also came in for a second stop, the Scuderia opted to keep the pair out in hopes of claiming a famous victory in front of the Tifosi. It paid off in the end, Leclerc taking his second victory of the season following his success in Monaco.

‘Ferrari strategy masterstroke’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/ferrari-strategy-masterstroke-charles-leclerc-famous-italian-gp-2024-victory/


Leclerc and Ferrari snatch Italian GP win from McLaren
Sep 1, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race

Charles Leclerc scored a brilliantly opportunistic victory for Ferrari in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, defeating Oscar Piastri’s McLaren thanks to a strategic masterstroke at Monza. As McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull all committed their drivers to a two-stop race following a frenetic pace in the opening stint, Ferrari gambled on making it to the end with just one pitstop.

Leclerc held a lead of 11.5 seconds over Piastri with just eight laps to run, after Piastri overtook the rear-gunning Ferrari of Carlos Sainz into the Ascari chicane. Sainz was at this stage struggling with his front-left tyre, despite pitting four laps later than Leclerc did, but Leclerc’s pace held up better - and although Piastri was charging along in the closing laps, Leclerc held on to win by 2.6 seconds.

‘Brilliantly opportunistic victory for Ferrari’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/italian-grand-prix-report-2024-charles-leclerc-ferrari-mclaren/


Charles Leclerc the toast of Italy as Ferrari outsmart Lando Norris and McLaren
McLaren dominated the Italian Grand Prix with Oscar Piastri leading for most of the race after getting past pole-sitter Lando Norris, but Charles Leclerc was the one who delivered for Ferrari
1 Sep 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Charles Leclerc is the toast of Italy again after pulling off a second famous Ferrari victory at Monza - five years on to the day from his first.

McLaren were outsmarted by Ferrari who pulled only pitted Leclerc once. And the Monegasque had enough juice in his tyres to hold off the charging Piastri and send the Italian fans ballistic. Leclerc, who secured Ferrari's last Monza win in 2019, said: "It's an incredible feeing.

‘Enough juice in his tyres’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/leclerc-ferrari-monza-2024-win-33579098


Leclerc overjoyed after leading Ferrari to an unexpected home victory in Monza
The Monegasque driver came through from P4 on the grid to win the Italian Grand Prix for a second time
September 1, 2024
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds

Charles Leclerc was overcome with emotion after claiming victory in Monza, as he described the win at Ferrari’s home as “an incredible feeling.” After qualifying for the race yesterday in P4, Leclerc knew that it would be an uphill task to get past both McLaren’s who lined up on the front row of the grid. However, with most teams opting for a two-stop strategy, Leclerc and Ferrari would go bold by sticking to the one stop.

The first time was so nice, Leclerc had to do it twice. Speaking to formula1.com and the media after the race, Leclerc was overcome with emotion as he described winning in Monza for the second time in his career just as sweet as the first time. “Just watching the grandstands inside of the track – which is tricky! – but incredible,” added Leclerc, who earlier this year won his home race in Monte Carlo for the first time.

“I mean Monaco and Monza are the two races I want to win every year. Obviously I want to win as many races as possible, and the World Championship as soon as possible, but these are the two most important races of the season and I managed to win them this year. It’s so, so special.”

‘Leclerc overjoyed’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/leclerc-overjoyed-after-leading-ferrari-to-an-unexpected-home-victory-in-monza/?nowprocket=1


Leclerc thought Monza F1 win was gone with Norris undercut
1 Sept 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc has expressed that he was concerned his chance to win Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix had dissipated when Lando Norris undercut him at his pit stop. The Monegasque, who questioned Ferrari’s choice to react to Norris’ first stop, has admitted that he was worried his prospects had been hindered stopping on Lap 16. “I thought that we’ll struggle a bit more compared to the McLaren, but also compared to the Mercedes that seemed to have a really good pace on Friday.”

“However, after a few laps I saw and I felt the car was in a good place. Oscar maybe was a little bit quicker. It was difficult to see Lando’s pace as he was behind. Then once we got undercut, I thought, okay, maybe we are losing the win there, but then once both pitted, I actually picked up quite a lot of front grip having the free air in front.”

“As they said, being the last car, I didn’t have much to lose by trying the one-stop, but we did a really, really good job with that front left, which has been very, very tricky for everybody. We had a lot of front braking but managed to take that front grip again and that helped us to win today.”

‘Thought Monza F1 win was gone’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/01/leclerc-thought-monza-f1-win-was-gone-once-norris-undercut/


Leclerc stuns with home win for Ferrari at Monza
Piastri finishes runner-up and title-chasing Briton Norris takes third place
01 SEPT 2024
ALAN BALDWIN
Financial Mail

Monza - Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari a stunning home Italian Grand Prix victory and sent the crowd wild with delight after nursing his tyres on a bold one-stop strategy to deny favourites McLaren a one-two finish.

‘Leclerc stuns with home win’;

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/sport/other-sport/2024-09-01-leclerc-stuns-with-home-win-for-ferrari-at-monza/


‘The emotions were exactly like 2019’ says Leclerc after leading Ferrari to victory joy in Monza
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site

The result in Italy was aided by upgrades brought to this race by Ferrari. But Leclerc was unsure about whether the team could now become consistent challengers in the remaining eight races of the season, as he looked ahead to the next race in Baku – a track where he has traditionally performed well.

“I don’t know,” said Leclerc, when asked if the upgrade had made the difference, “because I think our package was working pretty well on a track like Monza. Whether it will be the same for the rest of the season, I doubt so.

‘Aided by upgrades’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/the-emotions-were-exactly-like-2019-says-leclerc-after-leading-ferrari-to.7lF5zsUyMTWBATRErpXia1

[Fortitude]

Media don't hold back on McLaren: 'Record-breaking self-destruction'.
'Norriscide' at Monza! Apocalypse Now, for McLaren! 'Harakiri' at McLaren! The horror, the horror…"
2 Sep 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

La Gazzetta dello Sport: "Monza confirmed all McLaren's philosophical shortcomings in the face of a world championship that can and - given the current value of their car and Red Bull's problems - perhaps should be won. The team has been fumbling for months now and failing to take advantage of the opportunities that have presented themselves. Seeing Piastri slip past Norris on the first lap (also losing his position to Leclerc) and not letting him take second place on the final lap is an example of truly record-breaking self-destruction. Team orders are annoying to impose, but losing titles that can be won is certainly much worse."

AS: Spain's AS speaks of nothing less than 'harakiri' (the Japanese word for a traditional form of suicide) at McLaren. The newspaper does not understand why McLaren allowed Piastri to make a second pit stop and thus let a certain victory slip away. "Under pressure from Leclerc, he had to make a second stop. The stragglers also stopped and that forced McLaren to make the biggest mistake: Piastri had a huge lead but was still asked to make his second stop on lap 39 of 53, forcing him to make up almost 15 seconds in 14 laps. The simulation should have given the MCL38 a two-second per lap lead in those conditions."

‘McLaren's philosophical shortcomings’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298789/international-media-critical-of-mclaren-after-ferrari-and-leclerc-win.html


Martin Brundle just got ‘confirmation’ of how Oscar Piastri feels about Lando Norris’s title hopes
2 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle now sure Oscar Piastri has ‘zero interest’ in Lando Norris’s title challenge. Reflecting after the race, co-commentator David Croft said: “The big questions at McLaren will be what happened on the first lap, should Oscar have gone for it, did that then hurt our strategy, did we push too hard in that opening strategy [spell] so that we had to commit to a two-stop?”

Brundle replied: “With Leclerc in the middle of them as it ended up, it meant they had to cover that off. They didn’t get out front and then control the race. I think we got confirmation there that Piastri has zero interest in Lando Norris’s world championship.”

‘Zero interest’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-just-got-confirmation-of-how-oscar-piastri-feels-about-lando-norriss-title-hopes/


Rosberg grills Zak Brown face to face: 'You allowed Leclerc to come by'
2 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

McLaren are getting a lot of heat over their decision to let Oscar Piastri race against and overtake Lando Norris in the Italian Grand Prix. Norris had a chance to cut his World Championship deficit to Max Verstappen by around 15 points, but the British driver was overtaken by Piastri and then left exposed for Charles Leclerc to take advantage. When McLaren CEO Zak Brown visited the Sky Sports broadcasting area in the paddock, Rosberg didn't hold back. He said:

"Turn four. First, Lando almost spun. That was very close, it won't get closer than that. Then you allowed Leclerc to come through. Maybe that was those 2.6 seconds that cost you the win. Isn't it time to implement some rules here?!". Brown kept his cool: "That's what we'll discuss next week. We'll look at that. Getting Leclerc into the middle, could we have been able to pull away.”

“It's a fair question," Brown acknowledged. "It was an aggressive pass, so that's a conversation we'll have. It was a bit nerve-wracking on pit wall. Lando got a bad run out of that corner that opened the door a little bit. It would've been nice to see them run one-two for a little bit longer," Brown added before Rosberg dished out some praise for Piastri.

“Aggressive pass”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298799/nico-rosberg-grills-zak-brown-for-mclaren-f1-performance-in-italy.html


McLaren’s squandered chances and Leclerc cools expectations: Three things we learnt from Italian GP
2 Sep 2024
Malay Mail

McLaren’s missed opportunity: McLaren have done great work in developing the best car on the paddock and should be considered favourites for the constructors’ championship as they only trail Red Bull by eight points. But both of their drivers were on the front row of the starting grid yesterday and Piastri’s daring early overtake of Norris came as a huge surprise for a team which had a great chance to claim one-two finishes in both qualifying and the GP.

Norris said after the race that he’s not in F1 “just to beg for someone to let me pass”, but the Briton seemed extremely disappointed that McLaren didn’t order Piastri, who is 106 points behind Verstappen, to lay off. “I would love it but it’s not up to me."

‘McLaren’s squandered chances’;

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2024/09/02/mclarens-squandered-chances-and-leclerc-cools-expectations-three-things-we-learnt-from-italian-gp/148939


Piastri's controversial move divides opinion: 'Should they have done that?'
2 Sept 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com

Oscar Piastri's aggressive first-lap overtake on teammate Lando Norris has divided the opinion of the paddock. The race-changing manoeuvre meant that Norris finished behind Piastri. The Brit eventually crossed the line in third place as Charles Leclerc took an emphatic victory in front of the adoring Tifosi. Norris thinks Piastri's move was too aggressive, as he scored fewer points than he hoped in the hunt to cut down Max Verstappen's championship lead. Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok debated this, as he thinks Piastri's move was completely fair.

Chandhok: Piastri was 'absolutely fair': "As we get into the braking zone, and we look at the apex, Lando's got plenty of space. Oscar has left him a car's width, so he hasn't squeezed him, he hasn't pinched him, but he's put himself in a position to crucially be in front at that second apex. His eye is already looking at that second apex and thinks, 'I want to be the inside line there', and Lando had to have a massive snap of oversteer, which really compromised his exit," Chandhok began on Sky Sports.

‘Piastri's controversial move’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298875/oscar-piastri-s-f1-overtake-on-lando-norris-divided-opinion-in-monza.html


‘What team orders?’ Norris calls out Piastri as ‘way too close’ move adds fuel to fire
Sept 2, 2024
Fox Sports

Lando Norris claimed Oscar Piastri’s Lap 1 move for the lead at the Italian Grand Prix was “way too close for comfort” as a fresh source of tension in the McLaren garage emerged. Norris started the race at Monza in pole position, but lost the race lead just seconds in after his Australian teammate made an opportunistic move at the della Roggia chicane.

The move came despite talk during the week of McLaren favouring Norris over Piastri with a title race potentially on the cards. “I don’t think Norris expected his teammate to do that!” Martin Brundle exclaimed on Sky Sports’ commentary. “Team orders? What team orders?!” David Croft added.

Meanwhile, Piastri wasn’t buying into any suggestions that his move was overly-aggressive. “I broke later and got around the outside,” the Australian said. “There wasn’t really much more to it than that. We both got through it unscathed. I knew once I hit the brakes I kind of got ahead a bit and knew I was entitled to stay on the outside. For 38 laps, it put me in a race-winning position. So it was just a good first lap.”

‘Fuel to fire’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2024-italian-grand-prix-lando-norris-calls-out-oscar-piastri-over-lap-one-overtake-video-reaction/news-story/5d3b924e4a237864d87e5db8bf7237ed


'It hurts a lot': Oscar Piastri blows lead in 'painful' grand prix loss to Charles Leclerc
Sept 1, 2024
CNN

Aussie Piastri had led for much of the race after overtaking his McLaren teammate and polesitter Lando Norris on the first chicane but opted for a two-stop strategy, wary of his tyres degrading too much. Norris pitted too, and that left the two Ferrari cars of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz out in front with a healthy lead as the remaining laps ticked down.

Piastri too was left "hurting" from his second-place finish, he said in his post-race interview. "It hurts a lot. Did a lot of things right today … from the position we were in with the tyres looking like they did, doing a one-stop seemed like a risky call and in the end, it was right," he said. "Very happy with the pace … just when you finish second it hurts.”

"Today, unfortunately we got it a bit wrong, and (I was) a big part of that. We had everything to lose from being at the head of the race and Charles could try something a bit different, he was going to finish third anyway. He picked the right gamble today … yep, painful."

‘Left "hurting" from his second-place finish’;

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motorsport/formula-1-italian-grand-prix-2024-results-charles-leclerc-oscar-piastri-news-20240902-p5k70t.html


Oscar Piastri issues response to daring Lando Norris overtake as ‘papaya rules’ explained
1 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

“I mean, I broke later and got around the outside, there wasn’t really much more to it than that,” Piastri told media including PlanetF1.com after the race.

When asked for an explanation of what ‘papaya rules’ means, Norris put it plainly: “Just don’t crash. That’s all. There was no contact, so he did a good job.”

‘Papaya rules’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-piastri-lando-norris-pass-papaya-rules-explained

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris' Unwanted Streak Continued at Italian GP.
Lando Norris continued his worrying streak of losing the lead on the opening lap of a race when starting from pole position at the Italian Grand Prix this past weekend.
2 Sep 2024
Ryan Sinnott
Give Me Sport

After a brilliant display during qualifying to clinch his fourth pole of the season, it was a Sunday to forget for the Brit as a sluggish start ensured that he finished third behind Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.

This was the seventh time that the 24-year-old has started at the front of the grid during his career, but just like the six previous occasions, he failed to finish the opening lap in first place.

Lando Norris' streak of losing lead on first lap

Race Pole position Leading after lap 1

2021 Sochi Grand Prix Lando Norris Carlos Sainz Jr

2023 Sao Paulo Sprint Lando Norris Max Verstappen

2024 Shanghai Sprint Lando Norris Lewis Hamilton

2024 Barcelona Grand Prix Lando Norris George Russell

2024 Hungaroring Grand Prix Lando Norris Oscar Piastri

2024 Zandvoort Grand Prix Lando Norris Max Verstappen

2024 Italian Grand Prix Lando Norris Oscar Piastri

‘Unwanted Streak Continued’;

https://www.givemesport.com/lando-norris-unwanted-streak-continued-f1/


Stella unphased with Piastri's overtake on Norris: "I welcome it"
2 September at 16:49
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

The Italian Grand Prix was a missed opportunity for McLaren in many respects. A front-row lockout gave them the best chance to secure maximum points and capitalise on a faltering Red Bull, but they were out-foxed by the one-stop strategy of Ferrari and Charles Leclerc. Lando Norris also missed out on the chance to significantly cut the then 70-point deficit on Max Verstappen. However, his teammate Oscar Piastri was allowed to battle and overtake him on lap 1, almost coming together in the process.

Speaking to the paddock at Monza, which included GPblog, Andrea Stella, the Italian team boss, was asked about how close his two drivers came on the first lap, to which he answered: "The drivers were close together, but this is because they were close together on the grid. So for me, I welcome, and I look forward to having many more of these situations. What we need to do is to make sure that in these situations, the outcome is the one that works best for the team and for the drivers."

‘Stella unphased’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298935/andrea-stella-discusses-lando-norris-and-oscar-piastri-overtake-at-monza.html


McLaren warned against ‘destroying’ Oscar Piastri with ‘papaya rules’ investigation underway
2 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ralf Schumacher has warned McLaren they could “destroy” Oscar Piastri if they ask him to back off from Lando Norris with Andrea Stella saying they’ll review their “papaya rules” after Monza. It’s a position Schumacher doesn’t envy Stella for being in.

“As long as the two are so close together, I would have a hard time as team boss,” he admitted. “You can destroy a driver to some extent if you tell him that he has to back off.”

‘Could “destroy” Oscar Piastri’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-piastri-mclaren-review-papaya-rules


Lando Norris wants McLaren team orders after Italian GP drama
Norris was overtaken by his teammate Oscar Piastri on Lap 1 in Monza and eventually finished third
1 Sept 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris suggested he wants team orders for the rest of the season although he conceded it isn’t his demand to make following another poor Lap 1 at the 2024 Italian GP when he was overtaken by Oscar Piastri.

“I would love it, but it’s not up to me,” Norris told members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com of team orders. “It’s tough because obviously as a driver, you don’t want it. You don’t want things to just be played that way.”

“I would love it”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lando-norris-wants-mclaren-team-orders-f1-2024-italian-gp-drama/


Windsor baffled by McLaren's attidude: 'Didn't control their F1 drivers'
2 Sep 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Peter Windsor does not understand at all McLaren's decision to let Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris compete against each other. It may be a fair approach, but with Red Bull Racing's current state, it could just ruin the Woking-based Formula One team's chances of beating Max Verstappen in the Formula 1 World Championship.

"This is the second time that Lando's found himself in a position of having to do something to avoid Oscar," Windsor said in his analysis on YouTube. "Here it was Oscar on the outside and you can see Lando was completely shocked completely caught by surprise. Oscar took the lead of the Italian Grand Prix. I mean what was that all about? What was the risk that was worth taking at that stage of the race with Lando Norris on the Pole and having led out of the first corner?"

‘Baffled by McLaren's attidude’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298792/peter-windsor-doesn-t-understand-mclaren-over-lando-norris-and-oscar-piastri.html


Squeamish Lando Norris is being let down by muddled McLaren... the only way the Brit can win world championship is if he's made the No 1 driver, writes JONATHAN McEVOY
• There were high hopes for Lando Norris going into the Italian Grax Prix weekend
• From pole, he came third, behind Charles Leclerc and team-mate Oscar Piastri
• McLaren must give the Brit priority if he's to beat Max Verstappen to the title
1 Sept 2024
Jonathan McEvoy
MailOnline

There is only one way Lando Norris can win the world championship. And that is if McLaren help him to do it by making him their No 1 driver. He cannot do it on his own. That much became even more glaringly clear by the fourth corner of an Italian Grand Prix won unexpectedly by Charles Leclerc to the cheering, flag-waving delirium of the tifosi who flooded the home straight afterwards.

Norris was indignant afterwards despite seeing his championship deficit to Max Verstappen, who finished sixth and calling his car a 'monster', cut from 70 to 62 points with eight races and three sprints remaining. 'We could easily have crashed had I braked one metre later. But if I could rewind I would do it differently. Maybe I was too much on the cautious side and I paid the price.'

‘Squeamish Lando Norris’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13802897/Squeamish-Lando-Norris-let-muddled-McLaren-way-Brit-win-world-championship-hes-No-1-driver-writes-JONATHAN-McEVOY.html


McLaren boss says both F1 titles now on, orders may follow
1 Sep 2024
The Straits Times

MONZA, Italy - McLaren boss Andrea Stella said both Formula One titles were achievable after Sunday's Italian Grand Prix and indicated team orders could be used to help Lando Norris battle Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Norris cut Verstappen's lead to 62 points with eight races remaining, plus sprints, while McLaren are only eight behind Red Bull in the constructors' standings.

The Briton would have cut Verstappen's lead by much more had he converted pole position into victory at Monza but Australian team mate Oscar Piastri overtook him on lap one and also opened the door for Ferrari's eventual winner Charles Leclerc.

‘Both F1 titles now on’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/mclaren-boss-says-both-f1-titles-now-on-orders-may-follow


Helmut Marko sends thanks to McLaren as ‘papaya rules’ let Red Bull off the hook
2 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Helmut Marko thanked McLaren for not going down the team orders route at Monza as it has ensured the damage was limited for Red Bull at the Italian Grand Prix.

Marko appreciated McLaren’s “sporting behaviour”. He added to the German media: “You could see that on the first lap and that they did not change places later. In other words, our misperformance was not that noticeable. It could have been worse, but the gap is about the same as in Zandvoort.”

‘Thanks to McLaren for ‘papaya rules’!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-mclaren-sporting-approach-minimised-red-bull-misperformance


Marko laughs at 'McLaren's sportsmanship': 'I want to thank them for that'
1 Sept 2024
Cas van de Kleut
GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing had a dramatic race weekend in Monza. Max Verstappen saw his championship lead shrink again, as Lando Norris finished third with the fastest race lap. Yet things could have been a lot worse had the Briton won. Red Bull's top consultant, Helmut Marko, can, therefore, laugh at the fact that this did not happen.

There was little upbeat about the race for Red Bull, yet Marko smilingly told De Telegraaf: "A disappointing result? No way. We had seen this coming a bit and I want to congratulate Ferrari on the victory and thank McLaren for their sportsmanship. I appreciate that, and it makes our situation a bit better."

‘Marko laughs at 'McLaren's sportsmanship';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298650/helmut-marko-on-sportsmanship-mclaren-at-italian-grand-prix.html

[Fortitude]

Sainz: Ferrari F1 upgrades delivered ‘genuine’ Monza race with McLaren.
Carlos Sainz was enthused that Ferrari’s Formula 1 latest upgrades put it in a “genuine” race with McLaren at the Italian Grand Prix as team-mate Charles Leclerc won.
3 Sept 2024
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

The Spaniard, who finished fourth behind Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, rued his prospects coming undone when he lost a tow on the McLaren cars when they pitted. However, Sainz spoke of his encouragement at how his team’s cars were able to keep a race pace that enabled his team-mate Leclerc’s victory.

“Today we were in a genuine race with the McLarens,” he said, adding: “I think obviously here the tow makes a bit of a difference and I think I lost the tow around Lap 15 when they boxed and I could really feel how slow you become without it.”

“Then they form a train of three cars and I was in the middle of nowhere with Lewis in my tow following my pace but I genuinely think today we were in the race with the McLarens which was great to see.”

‘Genuine race with McLaren’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/03/sainz-ferrari-f1-upgrades-delivered-genuine-monza-race-with-mclaren/


Sainz explains Monza 'miracle' after reaching 'crisis' point
Carlos Sainz has outlined why he reached "crisis" point during the Italian Grand Prix and how he "miraculously recovered" from it.
3 Sept 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz has detailed the "crisis" he dealt with during the Italian Grand Prix, as Charles Leclerc stormed to victory in front of the Tifosi. The Spanish driver, revealed that whilst Ferrari's rivals were peeling in for their second round of pit stops, his Pirellis reached a critical point, which they "miraculously recovered" from.

Whilst Leclerc triumphed, 29-year-old said there was a period of the race when he did not believe the aggressive, and ultimately race-winning, one-stop strategy would be possible. "For some reason, Charles [Leclerc] and I went through a phase of high degradation on the hards [tyres].”

"And then they miraculously recovered, and that's what allowed us to go to the end. But there was a point when the others started boxing that the tyre was really in crisis, but then the last 10 laps, the tyre recovered, and we could keep a decent pace to the end."

Monza 'miracle' after reaching 'crisis';

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-explains-monza-miracle-after-reaching-crisis-point


RACE RECAP: CHARLES TRIUMPHANT, CARLOS FOURTH
1 Sept 2024
Ferrari - Official Site
Start. Charles and Carlos are fourth and fifth on the grid, with the Monegasque moving up to second thanks to a mistake from George Russell and the battle between the two McLaren drivers at the Roggia chicane. Oscar Piastri leads followed by Leclerc, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz up to fourth.
Lap 13. Lando Norris pits for Hard tyres promoting Carlos to third.

Lap 14. Charles pits and rejoins eighth.
Lap 15. Piastri pits, Carlos leads.
Lap 19. The Spaniard also pits, rejoinig sixth behind his team-mate.
Lap 23. Max Verstappen comes in for another set of Hards. Charles is fourth, Carlos fifth.
Lap 24. Now Sergio Perez pits for tyres so Leclerc is third, Sainz fourth.

Lap 32. Norris switches to another set of Hards. Charles and Carlos are second and third.
Lap 39. Piastri pits. Leclerc leads from Sainz.
Lap 43. Piastri passes Carlos.
Giro 47. Norris passes Carlos.
Finish. Piastri closes on Charles but the Monegasque holds on for the win! Carlos fourth.

‘RACE RECAP’;

https://www.ferrari.com/en-GB/formula1/articles/italian-grand-prix-2024-race


‘It shows you’: Carlos Sainz sends brutal message to Lando Norris after Oscar Piastri’s overtake at Monza
3 September 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Sainz and Norris are close friends but the Spaniard has warned the two-time race winner about Oscar Piastri. The Australian youngster pulled off a brilliant move to take the lead of the race and was only denied victory by Ferrari’s superior tyre management and strategy.

Sainz believes that Norris has to be careful of the 23-year-old while Martin Brundle believes Piastri has no interest in helping Norris win the championship at this stage of the season. Sainz was asked about the first-lap incident between the two McLaren drivers and said: “It shows you that there are no friends here and that you cannot trust anyone.”

‘It shows you’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/carlos-sainz-sends-brutal-message-to-lando-norris-after-oscar-piastris-overtake-at-monza/


Carlos: “Monza is always unique”
1 Sept 2024
Ferrari - Official Site

Monza 29 August 2024: Carlos Sainz was very much in demand on Thursday in the Monza paddock, as the Spaniard prepares for a strong showing in what will be his last Italian Grand Prix in Scuderia Ferrari HP colours. Last year’s poleman spoke about the unique feelings generated at this track.

“For sure, for us Ferrari drivers, this is the most demanding weekend of the year, but you can’t help getting carried away by the passion and support we feel from our supporters whenever we race here. We can rest on Monday, but for now we will enjoy it.”

“Monza is always unique”;

https://www.ferrari.com/en-GB/formula1/articles/italian-grand-prix-2024-media-sainz


Sainz details breakdown in negotiations with Ferrari over F1 deal
27 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sainz has revealed that he was engaged in conversations with Ferrari over an extension when Hamilton elected to activate a break clause in his deal to change teams. “I was in the middle of negotiations with Ferrari,” Sainz told Sky Sports F1 at Zandvoort last weekend. “Everything seemed to be going in the right direction and suddenly these news arrived to me and it was completely unexpected.”

“Everything is actually going smoothly, and I’m that’s why I was so convinced and so sure I was gonna continue there. But a seven-time world champion decided that he wanted to go to Ferrari. And in that case, I couldn’t do nothing against it, and I had to accept it very quickly.”

“Completely unexpected”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/08/27/sainz-details-breakdown-in-negotiations-with-ferrari-over-f1-deal/


Spanish bank sponsor to end "$60m" deal with Ferrari when Carlos Sainz exits
Major sponsor to part ways with Ferrari
1 Sept 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Santander will end their sponsorship of Ferrari at the end of this season. The Spanish bank’s exit coincides with Carlos Sainz’s departure from Ferrari. The driver from Spain will head to Williams in 2025, when he is replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari.

Santander’s claim that they will ‘continue to work with a range of partners’ might open the door to an alliance with Williams, where Sainz will be driving.

‘Carlos Sainz exits, Santander will end their sponsorship of Ferrari’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054401/1/spanish-bank-sponsor-end-60m-deal-ferrari-when-carlos-sainz-exits

[Fortitude]

Hamilton 'hoping to have more pace' in Monza after P5 finish.
Mercedes Lewis Hamilton was "hoping to have more pace" in Monza after finishing 5th in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘More pace';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hamilton-hoping-to-have-more-pace-in-monza-after-p5-finish.1809008162751021208


Hamilton left to rue personal performance: 'Would've beaten a Ferrari'
2 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Lewis Hamilton was left regretting his own personal qualifying performance as he believes more would've been possible in the Italian Grand Prix. Though Hamilton did express how Mercedes were missing 'one or two tenths' in race pace on Sunday. The Brit eventually finished fifth, behind only McLaren and the race-winning team Ferrari.

What did Hamilton lack in Italy? In a conversation with the media present in Italy, including GPblog, Hamilton was asked what was lacking. "My qualifying performance at the end yesterday," was Hamilton's first thought before also looking at the Mercedes car. "And then just race pace. We had more degradation and just generally lacking one or two tenths in the race."

"I probably could have finished ahead of one Ferrari if I had been further ahead [on the starting grid]," Hamilton said, insisting a P4 or better was on the cards for the seven-time World Champion. "We just didn't have the pace. We have to go and look and try to understand why. Also because we looked better on Friday. We almost got slower through the weekend. Or others got faster. Or we were light [on fuel in practice] and they were heavy," Hamilton concluded.

‘Left to rue personal performance’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298832/lewis-hamilton-regrets-his-performance-in-qualifying-for-italian-grand-prix.html


Hamilton stumped by Mercedes performance in Ferrari pursuit
Lewis Hamilton has said he does not know why Mercedes lacked race pace at Monza, with the British driver consigned to a lonely drive to fifth.
1 Sept 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton has admitted he does not know why Mercedes were less than competitive than Ferrari and McLaren at the Italian Grand Prix. "Ultimately, I think we didn't have the race pace today. I'm not quite sure why. I think even if I started further ahead [it] would have been hard," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "Even if I was ahead of [the] Ferraris, they would have come out ahead. They just had more pace than us, but they had an upgrade this weekend, and we didn't - it's just how it goes.”

"There will be a race, hopefully, that we will have an upgrade and the others won't and we'll be stronger, maybe, but it's very, very fine, small margins between all [of] us and unfortunately, today, we just didn't have the pace... so it was inevitable they would be quick compared to us. I wish we were closer and more in the fight, but onwards and upwards."

‘Stumped by Mercedes performance’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-stumped-by-mercedes-performance-in-ferrari-pursuit


Hamilton expecting more upgrades and 'performance' from Mercedes
2 Sept 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

For Lewis Hamilton, he would have been expecting better than P5 at the Italian Grand Prix. After topping the timing sheets in FP2 and FP3, showing some great pace around the 'Temple of Speed', he was disappointed in qualifying, leading to some harsh criticism of himself. He moved up one spot to P5 come the race's end, but he hoped for more. However, coming into the next race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion believes Mercedes will come with some updates.

Hamilton 'hoping to fight for a win again' with new updates: Speaking to the paddock after the Grand Prix at Monza, which included GPblog, Hamilton said some updates for the W15 are in the pipeline: "We definitely have [some updates], yeah. There's definitely some performance to come over the course of the next few races. We’ll find out when we get there. We do have small bits, but I don't know if we have anything huge coming. But hopefully, we have some more performance."

‘Expecting more upgrades and performance';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298964/lewis-hamilton-hoping-for-more-upgrades-and-performance-from-mercedes.html


F1 News: Mercedes fear they have “lost pace”
Sept 2, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Speaking post-race, Andrew Shovlin (trackside engineering director) discussed the state of play at Mercedes: “We didn’t have the pace to be able to both manage the tyres and keep up with our competitors ahead… It looks like we’ve lost some pace relative to our rivals since the summer break. We will go away and investigate why that is and what we need to do to put in a more competitive showing in Baku.”

Recent upgrades from Ferrari and McLaren have given Mercedes somewhat of a headache. The factory in Brackley will need to respond with upgrades of their own to keep up, although they can still be satisfied with their general progress in 2024. Unlike the front-running teams, the German constructor is not in contention for either Championship this season. Instead, Mercedes will focus on maximising results this year and establishing a good platform to fight at the front throughout next season.

‘Lost some pace relative to our rivals’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/09/02/f1-news-mercedes-fear-they-have-lost-pace-over-summer-break/


Lewis Hamilton finds one positive for Mercedes at Italian GP
1 Sept 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

“The only positive to take away is that we have good reliability, but everyone around us did too,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “We didn’t have race pace today, I’m not sure why. Even if we had started further forward, it would have been hard. Even if we were ahead of the Ferraris, they would have come out ahead, they had more pace than us.”

‘Good reliability’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lewis-hamilton-positive-mercedes-performance-2024-italian-gp/


Hamilton's negative attitude comes under scrutiny from Mercedes boss Wolff
2 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Lewis Hamilton has been negative about his own performance at the Italian Grand Prix. At the weekend, when Mercedes announced Hamilton's replacement (Andrea Kimi Antonelli), the Brit suggested Mercedes deserved better in qualifying and suggested the young Italian might do a better job than him. Toto Wolff has assessed this negative attitude.

"I think the great characteristic of a champion is to first look at himself and say, ‘What did I do wrong?’ And I think that's what he's doing. He's trying to find where he can improve, what he could have done better and where he's lost their performance," Wolff said in a conversation with GPblog and others. "He's been very strong, and was a role model for George, and even for Kimi. It's something that is important for the team. But the greatest of all time are very critical," Wolff highlighted.

‘Great characteristic of a champion’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298854/toto-wolff-looks-at-lewis-hamilton-negative-attitude-at-mercedes.html


F1 News: Toto Wolff Highlights Lewis Hamilton’s Self-Criticism Following Italian Grand Prix
Sept 02, 2024
Jake Faigus
Athlon Sports

Toto Wolff is focusing on Lewis Hamilton's self-criticism following the Italian Grand Prix, highlighting it as a key trait of a champion. He said as much to Sky Sports F1 after qualifying. Hamilton acknowledged that qualifying has been a challenge for him recently and mentioned that he would be reflecting on his performance for the next few hours.

"I lost a tenth and a half through Turns One and Two, and then a tenth in the last corner. No one to blame but myself. Qualifying has been my weakness for a minute now and I can't figure it out. I will be kicking myself for the next couple of hours but I need to move forward. We have a good race car, the team have done an amazing job this weekend, they really have.”

He also hinted that his future teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, might help fill the gap for Mercedes next season. "The car felt better than last race and the team deserve better. Maybe they will get that with Kimi [Antonelli]." He added: "It was absolutely ridiculous from my side and completely unacceptable. I'm just not very good at qualifying, simple as. It is unbelievably frustrating but I will keep working. That's all I can do."

‘Lewis Hamilton’s Self-Criticism’;

https://www.fresnobee.com/sports/article291841160.html#storylink=mainstage_card

[Fortitude]

Horner praises Verstappen: 'Even with this car you can see his talent'.
Verstappen can no longer compete for wins with the car he currently has, he said in Monza. The development of the RB20 has gone in such a wrong direction that the world champion is repeatedly talking about where they could improve now.
4 Sep 2024
Cas van de Kleut
GPblog.com

Horner sees Verstappen's talent in RB20. So it seems that Verstappen is suffering a bit more from the recent problems than Perez. However, according to Horner, he still sees Verstappen's qualities in the RB20.

"I think that on a low downforce circuit, and this type of circuit in particular [like Monza], it's highlighted that even Max with his talent, he's been able to. You can see flashes of it, like in Q2. As soon as you've got a bit of a balance, bang the lap time was there. But theoretically, putting new tyres on should always be quicker than old tyres," the team principal explained.

‘Horner praises Verstappen’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/299211/christian-horner-on-max-verstappen-s-talent-with-the-current-rb20.html


Max Verstappen ‘should be concerned’ with Red Bull urged to act in ‘losing streak’ warning
4 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Banging his steering wheel in Monza before declaring both titles are “not realistic”, David Coulthard says Max Verstappen has just cause to be concerned having not won any of the last six races. Verstappen and Red Bull had a troubled weekend at the Italian Grand Prix where the reigning World Champion was almost seven-tenths of a second shy of pole position before bringing his RB20 home in sixth place.

A notable misstep in Hungary forced the team to dial back on their upgrades with Red Bull now in a race to figure out exactly where they went wrong. But while Marko says they made a breakthrough on Saturday that allowed them to take a decision on how to move forward, today the team is facing the loss of the Constructors’ Championship and perhaps even the Drivers’.

“At the moment, both championships are not realistic,” he told the media, including PlanetF1.com, at Monza. Coulthard says he has every right to be worried. “He should be concerned,” he told Channel 4 after the race. “I think the whole team are concerned. They haven’t built on the upgrades. Unlike McLaren who have found performance, they haven’t moved forward. They need to unlock the performance in that car.”

‘Red Bull urged to act’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-should-be-concerned-red-bull-losing-streak-warning


Horner: Verstappen “not panicking” over recent RB20 form
SEPTEMBER 4, 2024 ·
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Christian Horner insists that Max Verstappen is “not panicking” and remains sully supportive of Red Bull Racing despite the recent drop-off in the form of the RB20. Verstappen has made it clear in public that he’s unhappy with how races have gone recently, having finished a distant sixth in Italy last weekend.

However Horner says that the Dutchman is still fully behind the ongoing efforts to turn things around for the remainder of the season. “What’s really impressed me with Max is how he’s really engaged in this process,” said Horner.

“He’s not panicking. He’s working with the engineers. He’s explaining very clearly where the issues are. He’s putting the time and effort in. He was in early [on Sunday] morning, he was on Zoom calls last week, he’ll be on the simulator before the next race, and he’s really working hard at this. And I think he’s shown great maturity as a World Champion, the way he’s working with the engineering group.”

“Not panicking”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/04/horner-verstappen-not-panicking-over-recent-rb20-form/


Downbeat Verstappen says the RB20 'won't be fantastic' in Baku
4 Sep 2024
Jeroen Immink
GPblog.com

Upcoming races will be on the streets of Baku and blood-hot Singapore. Verstappen knows what to do then. "I think at the moment on most tracks, it's mainly the balance. Ride can be improved on every single track naturally. But on the street circuits, that really comes out more," the three-time world champion revealed.

What does Verstappen expect from upcoming street races? Last year in Singapore, Verstappen experienced his worst race (P5), and the Dutchman does not expect miracles this year either. "At the moment, we are not the fastest car even on a normal track. So I don't expect Singapore to suddenly then be fantastic. It's not going to like swap around in Singapore for us," Verstappen said.

‘Does not expect miracles’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/299138/max-verstapppen-downbeat-on-chances-at-f1-races-in-baku-and-singapore.html


Red Bull braced for F1 2024 title defeat as boss goes all in on Max Verstappen – report
04 Sep 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull have reportedly conceded defeat to McLaren in the F1 2024 Constructors’ Championship, with a senior figure quoted as saying a fourth title for Max Verstappen is “all that counts now.”

Verstappen went on to sound the alarm after the race, telling media including PlanetF1.com that both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship will slip away from Red Bull if the situation is not rectified. He said: “At the moment, both championships are not realistic.”

“We have to turn it around and it’s not easy to do that very quickly, and then if we can put that on the car, then it becomes more driveable. I’ve said a lot and now it’s up to the team to come with a lot of changes with the car, because we basically went from a very dominant car to an undriveable car in the space of six to eight months.”

‘Sound the alarm’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-crowned-f1-2024-champions-red-bull-defeat-title-race


Horner details Verstappen role in Red Bull misery
Red Bull has suffered a downturn in form over the last handful of races and is searching for a fix to return to race-winning ways.
4 Sept 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Speaking directly after the Italian Grand Prix in which Verstappen finished sixth after qualifying seventh, Horner confirmed Verstappen had been in early that morning. Horner added: "He was on Zoom calls last week, [and] he’ll be on the simulator before the next race.”

“He's really working hard at this. I think he's shown great maturity as a world champion, the way he's working with the engineering team.” Horner hailed Red Bull's engineering team as he backed it to lift it from the struggles it has been enduring.

“Nobody likes the situation we're in at the moment,” he said. “Nobody is happy with it. We've got to work really hard to turn it around. But the one thing this team has is strength in depth and talent. And we'll come back.”

‘Shown great maturity as a world champion’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-details-verstappen-role-in-red-bull-misery


Max Verstappen makes RB20 engine power admission as Red Bull problems stack up
3 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen revealed he was unable to run his engine at full power during the Italian Grand Prix at the weekend, due to an issue. Verstappen was seen hitting his steering wheel in frustration after an uncharacteristic six-second pit stop from Red Bull on Sunday, as part of what became a frustrating weekend for the Dutch driver.

To compound those concerns, he revealed he was unable to run at full power in the race at Monza. “In terms of position, yes, but I think how we approach the race, not,” Verstappen told Sky F1 when asked if he got all he could out of the Italian Grand Prix.

When asked if that engine issue had hampered his afternoon, the three-time World Champion replied: “It would have still been a bad race, but at least maybe you are a bit more competitive. Because like this we were in no man’s land basically, doing our own race.”

‘Unable to run engine at full power’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-red-bull-engine-issue-italian-gp

[Fortitude]

George Russell takes blame for costly Lap 1 “misjudgement” at Italian GP.
"I got some damage, I think, at the next corner with Max. Who knows what could’ve been."
1 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

George Russell has taken full responsibility for his costly “misjudgement” on the opening lap of the Italian Grand Prix. Russell sustained damage on the opening lap of the race at Monza when recovering from his off-track moment at Turn 1.

The Mercedes driver took to the run-off area and rejoined in close proximity to Max Verstappen. Reflecting on the opening lap at Monza, Russell said: “It was mainly the first lap that cost me. It was a misjudgement on my behalf. Oscar came across sharply. He braked earlier than I expected.”

“When I reacted and hit the brakes, the whole car was locking up. I had to avoid him, to not crash. I got some damage, I think, at the next corner with Max. Who knows what could’ve been. But I don’t think we could’ve kept up with the McLarens. Charles was fast too.”

“Misjudgement”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054515/1/george-russell-takes-blame-costly-lap-1-misjudgement-italian-gp


George Russell 'really quite disappointed' with P7 in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Russell doesn't believe Mercedes would have had the pace to challenge Ferrari and McLaren after finishing P7 in the Italian Grand Prix.

‘Disappointed';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/george-russell-really-quite-disappointed-with-p7-in-the-2024-italian-grand-prix.1809008380958568090


George Russell blames Mercedes controversy on 'not eating enough pizza'
George Russell is navigating a tough run of form with Mercedes.
Sep 2, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Speaking to supporters in the Italian Grand Prix fan zone, Russell and Hamilton were asked if they had eaten any of Italy’s most famous culinary export. Hamilton responded: “We’re a bit too heavy right now, we can’t have pizza. We’re a bit fat at the moment. Last race, he was heavy and I was even heavier.”

Russell then joked: “Yeah in Spa I didn’t have my pizza so I was underweight and disqualified last week. [Then in] Zandvoort I had a lot of pizza and we were heavy and slow, so I need maybe half a pizza!” This produced a laugh from Hamilton, who added: “It’s true! We were overweight!”

‘Pizza’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1943275/George-Russell-Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes


Russell thought he would “go airborne” during Perez battle
SEPT 2, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

The Mercedes driver damaged his wing on the first lap and after a long early stop for a replacement he had to make his way back up. He was fighting Perez for seventh place when the Mexican made it hard to get by. “I thought I was about to go airborne when he was squeezing me at 340,” he said when asked by this writer about the fight.

“Hard racing, and at least glad to make up one position. It was right at the very, very limit.” Asked if he would speak to the Red Bull driver he said: “There’s nothing to say. We didn’t crash at the end of the day. And I got past him. Half a centimetre more, and it could have been a different story.”

“The sport is a bit strange at the moment, with how Red Bull have lost so much pace. Ferrari seemed to be struggling in Zandvoort and all the races prior, but then they were so quick on Sunday in Zandvoort and this whole weekend. So I don’t really know.”

“Go airborne”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/02/russell-thought-he-would-go-airborne-during-perez-battle/


Toto Wolff gives verdict on fierce Russell v Perez battle ‘at the very limit’
1 Sep 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

While the sort of incident that can happen, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes Sergio Perez moved “late” on George Russell at Monza. Russell in his Mercedes found himself in combat with the Red Bull of Perez for P7 at Monza, a move which Russell ultimately completed, though not without some drama going into the opening chicane.

Wolff felt that Perez had moved “late” against Russell in the braking zone at the first chicane. “I’m trying to be objective, and with the George incident on Turn 1, it’s probably racing that can happen,” he said. “But with Checo, that was a move under braking. Was there enough gap, when the gap was tiny? But still, the move came late.”

‘At the very limit’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-sergio-perez-late-move-george-russell-monza


Wolff: Mercedes W15 has lost “quite a chunk” of performance
SEPT 3, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

“It was better than Zandvoort,” said Wolff when asked by this writer about the Monza race. “But we are quite a chunk of from pre-summer performances. I think we scored a podium in five races or six races and three victories, two on merit.”

“And we don’t seem to be playing there at the moment, in the front. And when you’re on the back foot pace-wise, then obviously you’re in a bit of a no-man’s land in terms of strategy. So it’s good that we have a little bit of time to analyse that.”

Wolff admitted that tyre management in races, something that worked so well for Russell at Spa, is the key weakness at the moment. “I think we’re able to extract a single lap, which is in principle, good news,” he said. “But then the balance isn’t, in a way, good enough to keep the tyres happy for the race.”

“Chunk of from pre-summer performances”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/03/wolff-mercedes-w15-has-lost-quite-a-chunk-of-performance/


George Russell's seat at Mercedes is not safe amid the team's pursuit of Max Verstappen, says Nico Rosberg
2 Sept 2024
SkySports

George Russell's Mercedes contract expires at the end of the 2025 F1 season; the Silver Arrows have just signed teenage star Andrea Kimi Antonelli to partner Russell next year; Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has repeatedly expressed his desire to bring Max Verstappen to the team

However, 2016 world champion Rosberg said: "George is not safe at all because Toto still wants Max. He will try again for 2026 because 'give up' does not appear in Toto's vocabulary. If Max does become available - and I do think it's a possibility - then it is a shootout between George and Kimi next year.”

"It's a lot of pressure on George as he has everything to lose. He should be the one ahead at the team internally, because Kimi is 18 and he's completely new and in a full-pressure situation, so it's not an easy situation for George."

"George is not safe at all”;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13208792/george-russells-seat-at-mercedes-is-not-safe-amid-the-teams-pursuit-of-max-verstappen-says-nico-rosberg


‘Right on the edge’: Why George Russell made subtle ‘dig’ at Kimi Antonelli during Monza press conference
4 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

After Kimi Antonelli crashed 10 minutes into his FP1 debut at Monza, the 18-year-old experienced first-hand how things can change in the highly pressurised world of F1. Antonelli was taking over from George Russell in the session and caused significant damage to the W15, which impacted Mercedes’ run plan for the rest of the day. Russell missed nearly 30 minutes of FP2 while the team continued with repairs, while the team was cut short on the amount of spares they had for the new specification parts.

During the drivers’ press conference over the weekend, Russell made a ‘bit of dig’ at Antonelli over the crash according to journalist Alex Kalinauckas when speaking on the Flat Chat podcast. George Russell blames Andrea Kimi Antonelli for lack of spare parts. F1 teams are quite limited in the amount of parts they are able to produce in a season due to the cost cap, while crash damage is also included in that calculation.

Drivers have lost their seats before due to crashing too often, including Mick Schumacher and most recently Logan Sargeant at Williams. Russell made a subtle hint that Mercedes might have to get used to these setbacks in the early stages of Kimi Antonelli’s career. “Mercedes is in for a real challenging year next year where Antonelli is absolutely rapid, but he crashes a lot. I could totally see it,” said Kalinauckas.

‘Bit of dig’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why-george-russell-made-subtle-dig-at-kimi-antonelli-during-monza-press-conference/

[Fortitude]

'Really disappointed' Sergio Perez comments on finishing P8 in the Italian Grand Prix.
Perez comments on holding up George Russell from Max Verstappen to maximise returns for the Red Bull in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'Really disappointed';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/really-disappointed-sergio-perez-comments-on-finishing-p8-in-the-italian-grand-prix.1809007258109871195


Sergio Perez: Verstappen now “in the same boat” as me
September 2, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Verstappen has complained extensively about the RB20’s handling. The Dutchman is unhappy with his car’s drivability, a theme that has become increasingly prevalent in F1 circles.

However, for Sergio Perez, his teammate’s current difficulties are what he has experienced for most of 2024: “We basically were slow and high degradation,” he said post-race in Monza.
“I really feel like I’m in the same boat as I’ve been in for the last eight, ten races. But now, all of a sudden, Max has come to similar issues. So, yeah a little bit of a confusion there. But yeah, it’s clearly in the data where the problem is.”

“In the same boat”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/09/02/sergio-perez-verstappen-now-in-the-same-boat-as-me/


Perez struggles with similar problems that 'Verstappen suddenly has'
4 Sept 2024
Ludo van Denderen

Sergio Perez has been telling it all season: the Mexican finds it difficult to handle Red Bull Racing's RB20, and as a result, he cannot perform as he hopes. Consequently, the vice-world champion has not yet won this season, unlike Max Verstappen. However, his Dutch teammate has been waiting for another win since the Spanish Grand Prix. According to Sergio Perez, Verstappen is currently running into the same problems he has been struggling with throughout 2024.

“I really feel like I’m in the same boat as I’ve been in for the last eight, 10 races but now all of a sudden Max has come into similar issues so yeah, a little bit of a confusion there but it is clear in the data where the problem is,” Perez stated to F1TV. What the problem is? That lies in the balance of the car, those involved within Red Bull said one by one at Monza last weekend.

‘Sergio Perez has been telling it all season’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/299193/sergio-perez-on-red-bull-problems-that-max-verstappen-now-suddenly-has.html


Verstappen now ‘in the same boat I’ve been in for 10 races’ says Perez as he opens up on Red Bull’s Monza struggles
3 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez started and finished the Italian Grand Prix in eighth position, and bar an entertaining duel with George Russell, didn’t have much to show for his afternoon in a Red Bull that was proving a handful around the Temple of Speed.

Much like his team mate Max Verstappen, Perez struggled with the balance of his RB20, finding tyre wear higher than expected and failing to make a two-stop strategy work to his favour. He started on the hard compound, before running that again, moving onto the mediums late on.

“[I’m] really disappointed,” he admitted afterwards. “I was expecting it to be difficult but not this bad. We basically were slow and had high deg [degradation], especially on the medium. I compromised my race a little bit I think to keep George [Russell] behind, but that worked quite well for us because we were able to hold George behind for a little bit and in the end he came really close to Max, so I think it made a difference to the team in terms of points we secured today.”

‘Hold George behind for a little bit and in the end he came really close to Max’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/verstappen-now-in-the-same-boat-ive-been-in-for-10-races-says-perez-as-he.5PGmjSe7AlZ0KNGVAXyp0U


Perez is confident that Red Bull has "no more questions" regarding its current issues
3 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Pushed on to comment on Red Bull's current issues, Perez sounded a positive note, claiming that he hopes that the Milton Keynes-based outfit will return to top form in the near future.

"I am very confident the Team here at track and back at home have the solution, we have produced great cars in the past and there is no reason why we cannot get back on track.”

"We have no questions now, we know the problem. Given it is all related to balance, if we can find a fix then we can switch it around but for now, it’s head down until we find the answer,"

‘Perez sounded a positive note’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25409

[Fortitude]

Alex Albon comments on 'intense' Italian Grand Prix.
Alex Albon brings home points for Williams after finishing P9 in Monza as "the tortoise wins the race".
01 September 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘P9 in Monza’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/alex-albon-comments-on-intense-italian-grand-prix.1809006246141817635


‘Been quite strong’: Ted Kravitz explains why Alex Albon was so angry at Monza despite scoring points
2 September 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams will be delighted that for the third time in the 2024 Formula 1 season, they’ve left a race weekend with points. Going into nearly any other race weekend, a new driver on the grid would be the biggest focus in the press and Franco Colapinto was a key talking point.

Why Alex Albon was so angry with Williams during the Italian Grand Prix. Relaying what he heard between Albon and the Williams pit wall, Kravitz said: “So, you’ve mentioned Alex Albon fighting with Kevin Magnussen, Albon’s been reminded by his engineers that Magnussen has a ten-second penalty still to be served.”

“Albon’s saying, well what do you want me to do, race him or just stay here? I can probably get onto Alonso in P8, now Albon’s been quite strong on the radio, accusing the team of being indecisive once again, that’s something we’ve heard before from Albon, isn’t it? A case of I used to be decisive but now I’m not so sure at Williams.”

‘What do you want me to do?’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted-kravitz-explains-why-alex-albon-was-so-angry-at-monza-despite-scoring-points/


Alex Albon: Williams have more upgrades in the pipeline
September 3, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Alex Albon showed why he is such an indispensable asset to Williams by taking points. Although the Monza circuit is usually a favourable track for Williams, delivering a result when you are expected to (as McLaren are showing) is no easy feat.

Thanks to the team’s lighter and upgraded version of the FW46, Albon is optimistic for what remains of 2024: “We’re on a slow burner, and we’re kind of just about getting into it. We have an upgrade, another one planned for hopefully a couple of races.”

“Let’s hope we can try and catch Alpine in the Championship, that’s our target. I think the last few races have proved we can have a fairly good car, capable of Q3, so we’ll keep at it.”

‘More upgrades in the pipeline’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/09/03/alex-albon-williams-have-more-upgrades-in-the-pipeline/


'The tortoise wins the race' – Albon reflects on ‘intense' Italian GP as Colapinto assesses his debut performance
02 September 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alex Albon has reflected on an "intense" Italian Grand Prix where the "tortoise won the race" as he bagged valuable points for Williams in P9. Rookie team mate Franco Colapinto also scored an impressive P12 in his debut F1 race to mark a strong showing for the Grove squad.

His consistent drive meant that he was promoted to ninth place and received an important two points after the Dane’s penalty was added. Albon also faced his battles behind as he was closely pursued by Fernando Alonso towards the end of the race, but the Williams man managed to stay ahead on 36-lap-old hard tyres.

Williams had opted for a one-stop strategy at Monza – like winner Charles Leclerc – and, while it meant the pair had to manage their tyres carefully, it helped them finish strongly with Colapinto 13 seconds away from scoring points.

'The tortoise wins the race';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/the-tortoise-wins-the-race-albon-reflects-on-intense-italian-gp-as-colapinto.74Jm4AHcTpOfWnvPXX2zl


Italian GP: Fantastic race result for Williams Racing
September 2 2024
Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

The Williams Racing Team would come away from the 2024 Italian GP with a successful outcome with the Alex Albon achieving a 9th place finish after a one pit stop strategy. It was not the easiest of outcomes as Alex still suffered from graining of his tyres that he had to manage. Alex had finished 10th on the road but another driver would receive a time penalty seeing Alex move forward.

Alex Albon: "It was a good race and I’m happy. I felt like we did a decent job, whilst also struggling quite a lot with the tyres. The front left was always a problem throughout so I had to manage this, and I couldn’t really stop the graining, which was always a problem for us. In the end, we did a good job of surviving while relying on Kevin’s penalty to get P9.”

“Haas had us beat this weekend on race pace, so we still have some work to do, but with another upgrade to come, hopefully, we can get back into this point-scoring rhythm for the remaining races of the season. Also, well done to Franco on a great race, he did an impressive job on his first weekend in F1."

"It was a good race and I’m happy

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206331.htm

[Fortitude]

Magnussen 'doesn't know what is happening' with penalties but finishes P10.
Kevin Magnussen "happy" with Haas's race but confused about penalties given to him. Points still come his way finishing in P10.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Finishing in P10’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/magnussen-doesnt-know-what-is-happening-with-penalties-but-finishes-p10.1809004934052377377


Magnussen “completely confused” by penalty that led to race ban
SEPTEMBER 1, 2024
adamcooperf1.com

Magnussen will miss the Baku race. Kevin Magnussen will serve a one-race ban and miss the Azerbaijan GP after picking up two penalty points in Monza and bringing his points total for the past year to 12. He crossed the line in an encouraging ninth place and the best runner outside the top four teams, but was demoted a spot to 10th.

“Yeah, frustrated about the penalty, I don’t understand it at all,” he said when asked by this writer. “Flat out, just completely confused. Me and Gasly raced hard into Turn 4. We had slight contact, we both missed the corner, came back on track again. No damage to either car, no consequence to the race of either of us.”

“And I get a 10-second penalty. Then lap one, Ricciardo and Nico, Ricciardo put Nico in the grass at 300km/h completely destroyed Nico’s race. Massive consequence, and damage to Nico’s car, and he gets a five second penalty. Where’s the logic? I just don’t get it.”

‘Frustrated about the penalty’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/01/magnussen-completely-confused-by-penalty-that-led-to-race-ban/


Martin Brundle joins increasing criticism of FIA race ban for Kevin Magnussen
04 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

List of voices criticising the decision to ban Kevin Magnussen is getting longer. “This seems harsh,” Sky Sports broadcaster Martin Brundle insisted. “Points should only be applied to very serious driving misdemeanours, and otherwise the time penalty itself should suffice.”

Fernando Alonso also chimed in: “Penalty points, as we’ve discussed many times, should be for dangerous driving, something that is a danger for the sport and for the others. “A couple of those points that he accumulated, I’m not sure… I don’t have the list here. But sometimes it’s just pit lane, white line, unsafe releases, all these kind of things.”

“I mean, this is part of racing.” Alonso said about Magnussen’s incident at Monza: “This is a drive-through. This is a five-second penalty. “I understand the racing penalties, but the safety penalties are a little bit harder to understand.”

‘Increasing criticism’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054592/1/martin-brundle-joins-increasing-criticism-fia-race-ban-kevin-magnussen


Gasly prepared to take drastic stewards action over Magnussen F1 ban.
Pierre Gasly has defended Kevin Magnussen and tried to see if his penalty could be reversed.
2 Sept 2024
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly has revealed he would have tried to defend Kevin Magnussen to F1 stewards after he was handed a ban in the Italian Grand Prix. Frenchman Gasly stuck up for the Dane Magnussen. "I hope they can revert on that, because it will definitely be unfair," Gasly told media including RacingNews365 when told of Magnussen's ban.

"I [would]be happy to [defend Magnussen], and [I had] a drugs test so wasted an hour, but [I would have] seen what I could have done as it would be very unfair for the incident that it was. I was a bit surprised [about the penalty], as he tried, it was a bit of wheel-to-wheel contact and I didn't lose any time in the end. I am surprised."

‘Surprised’;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-prepared-to-defend-magnussen-to-stewards-after-f1-ban


The upside for Haas from Magnussen's controversial race ban
Sep 6, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race

An unexpected driver ban is rarely a positive for a Formula 1 team, but Haas will benefit from Kevin Magnussen's absence from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in terms of its preparations for 2025. Ollie Bearman's premature Haas debut will inject extra momentum to what is already a rolling start to their relationship.

It's an unusual situation for Bearman given he shouldn't be under any undue amounts of pressure, certainly less than were this his F1 debut. He's already stashed significant credit with his outstanding performance for Ferrari at Jeddah after stepping in for Carlos Sainz from FP3, and while he will be determined to repeat that impression he has already shown himself and the world that he can cut it in F1.

He's already under contract for 2025, so in that regard he has nothing to prove. What's left is just the usual need for any driver at this level to prove themselves every time they get in the car, which is onerous enough but won't be added to by other baggage. You could argue there's the hope that a great performance might lead to the seat being given to him for the rest of the season, but it's been made clear Magnussen will be back in Singapore so that is off the table.

‘The upside’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/haas-upside-ollie-bearman-kevin-magnussen-ban-f1-race/


Haas confirm Bearman to replace Magnussen in Baku
September 6, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

The American team was widely expected to confirm the British youngster for Baku after Magnussen crossed the threshold for a race ban. It is the first race ban awarded by the FIA in 12 years since Romain Grosjean was sidelined after causing a first-corner crash in Spa. In a statement released by Haas, Bearman says his experience in Jeddah with Ferrari will help with the preparation of being thrown into an unexpected race weekend:

“It’s definitely more of a challenge stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with limited prep-time and so on, but I’m in the fortunate position of having done it earlier in the year with Scuderia Ferrari, so I can at least call on that experience”.

‘Haas confirm Bearman’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/haas-confirm-bearman-to-replace-magnussen-in-baku/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Alonso 'proud' of 'well executed' race in Monza.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso is "proud" of a "well executed" race in Monza for the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'Well executed race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/alonso-proud-of-well-executed-race-in-monza.1809006414697327423


Alonso would rather have upgrades than a strategy "brain" at Monza
Tyre mastery can’t compensate for Aston Martin’s deficit at Monza
Sep 1, 2024
Ben Vinel Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin is lacking pure performance which tyre savviness cannot make up for at Formula 1's Italian Grand Prix. "I prefer to have an updated floor or rear wing than a brain at the moment," the two-time world champion said. "But it could be the case tomorrow that we see a different Monza.

"[On Friday] we were quite worried [about] all the teams, we saved two hard tyres for the race and we checked before qualifying that everyone did, so there is not an advantage anymore. So we are all in the same place.

"Probably one-stop is still the favourite, historically Monza has been like that. But if extreme graining happens, two stops is available for everyone with the tyres available. So I don't think that we will see many different strategies tomorrow. The tyres will dictate the race."

‘Upgrades than a strategy "brain"!’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-would-rather-have-upgrades-than-a-strategy-brain-at-monza/10650124/


Alonso won't confirm Newey’s arrival: 'They are only rumours'
2 Sept 2024
Corwin Kunst
GPblog.com

Fernando Alonso hoped after last year's strong start to the season that he would eventually be able to really fight for the Formula 1 world title again at Aston Martin, but that hope has come to an end this season - at least for now. The British team is somewhat in no-man's land, but the two-time world champion is patient and believes better times are coming. Whether that will be with or without Adrian Newey, the Spaniard cannot or will not say.

Alonso acknowledges that this is the situation Aston Martin is in. "Yeah, of course, nothing we can do. I mean, we are in our team's hands, and I think Lance and myself, we're trying to do the best we can every weekend. But I think this year we've been, Lance and myself, very close, two or three seconds away at the end of the race, either in front or behind. Today was one of those weekends that I was a little bit better, and I was happy with the car and pushing to the level that maybe was beyond 100%, and that was P11."

Rumours of Adrian Newey's arrival are getting louder by the week. But they are not more than rumours, according to Alonso. "Well, still only rumours. And I think it's not only one man's job to fix the things [the current problems]," said the world championship number nine after 15 races. Virtually nothing about the rules will change in 2025. Does that mean there won't be much to gain for Aston Martin next year either? "Well, I think we still have time to react. It's only the end of August. It's the first of September. “

‘Rumours';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/298934/fernando-alonso-addresses-adrian-newey-s-arrival-and-aston-martin-situation.html


Even Newey won't be quick fix for Aston Martin says Alonso
2 Sep 2024
GrandPrix.com

Explaining his Italian GP, Alonso said he expected to be 16th or 17th at the chequered flag - but ultimately he managed maybe my best race of 2024 and finished P11. “Tomorrow”, Alonso said, "I will be the only one who remembers 'Alonso's Monza 2024'. Our car eats up the tyres, we slide in the corners, we have no grip. We have hardly any strong points.”

“Let's see if there is a response, some action, and not always coming with the same car”, he added. As for those intensifying Newey rumours, Alonso warned that there are no silver bullets in Formula 1. “I think it's not just one person's job to fix things”, he answered, when asked about the rising prospect of the famous 65-year-old Briton wearing green from 2025.

“It's more about what we have now, what we're producing, understanding what's going in the right direction, what's going in the wrong direction, and trying to prepare for 2025 in a better way”, Alonso concluded.

‘Even Newey won't be quick fix’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/even-newey-wont-be-quick-fix-for-aston-martin-says-alonso.html


Alonso: “Painful” to drop out of Monza F1 points after second stop
3 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Fernando Alonso admits that it was “painful” to miss the points in the Formula 1 Italian GP after stopping twice when his immediate rivals were able to make a one-stop work. Nevertheless the Spaniard admitted that the outcome was better than he had anticipated. “Today is much, much better than expected,” he said when asked by this writer about his race.

“I think the execution of the race was really good for us. We got lucky with the start, a very good start, we overtook Nico, and then we were 10th, and close to Alex. So we kept the pace, surprisingly, with the Williams, so happy with that. And then we undercut him.We were running ninth for the majority of the race.”

“And then we opted for two stops, we could not make it on one with our tyre degradation. We tried to catch at the end. And eight-tenths from Albon, one-tenth from Magnussen. So P11, only one second away of P9, which is very painful to lose the points, because I think we deserved it in a way, with a well-executed race. But the car is what it is at the moment, and we need to get better.”

“Painful”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/03/alonso-painful-to-drop-out-of-monza-f1-points-after-second-stop/


Alonso airs upcoming concern after making 'not good enough' claim
No messing about with words here from Fernando as usual ahead of the races in Baku and Singapore
3 Sep 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has delivered a "not good enough" message to Aston Martin following a run of grands prix around the fringes of the top 10 that has left him concerned ahead of the upcoming street races in Baku and Singapore. Asked whether he was expecting the car to perform better at the street circuits, he bluntly replied:

"No. Until we have an upgrade on the car, this is what it is, and this is not good enough. Not good enough in Monza, not good in Zandvoort, in Spa, in Hungary. So I don't think there's going to be a big change in Baku, Singapore or Austin, unless we bring new parts. That's the plan.”

"The team is aware of the situation, the team is working flat out. We keep united, we keep pushing. Last weekend [Dutch GP] was one point, here [Monza] we were close to two points, and that will be our battle."

‘No messing about with words’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-airs-upcoming-concern-after-making-not-good-enough-claim


Fernando Alonso sympathetic towards Kevin Magnussen after controversial race ban
Fernando Alonso has offered a sympathetic view towards Kevin Magnussen following his race ban.
3 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso expressed sympathy for Kevin Magnussen after the Haas driver was handed a race ban for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

“Someone told me he got a 10 seconds penalty. I'm a bit surprised for that because he tried, but it was a bit of wheel to wheel and in the end I really didn't lose any time. I'm a bit surprised,” Fernando Alonso said.

“I hope somehow they can revert on that because that will would be definitely unfair. I'll be happy to do- I'll see what I can do. That will feel very unfair for the incident that it was.”

‘Fernando Alonso sympathetic’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054563/1/fernando-alonso-sympathetic-towards-kevin-magnussen-after-controversial-race-ban


Alonso: Aston struggling to beat Williams and Haas is not acceptable
Alonso can accept Aston Martin not mingling with the top four teams yet but isn't keen on fighting humbler midfield squads
Sep 4, 2024
Ben Vinel Oleg Karpov
Motorsport.com

Fernando Alonso has lamented Aston Martin’s position in the Formula 1 pecking order with the team struggling to keep the upper hand on its midfield rivals. Alonso confessed to feeling somewhat powerless trying to get the best of a midfield car but doesn’t want to settle for a fight with smaller outfits.

“Of course, nothing we can do,” the Spaniard said. “We are in our team's hands, and I think Lance and myself, we’re trying to do the best we can every weekend. One inspired weekend, like this one from my side, I know it's going to be 'completely anonymous Monza 2024 from Alonso'.

“But I think this year we've been – Lance and myself – very close, and [in Monza] it was one of those weekends that I was a little bit better and I was happy with the car and pushing to the level that maybe was beyond 100% and that was P11, so disappointed on that.

‘Fernando Alonso has lamented Aston Martin’s position’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-aston-struggling-to-beat-williams-and-haas-is-not-acceptable/10650989/

[Fortitude]

'Not bad' first race for Franco Colapinto as he finishes P12.
Franco Colapinto finishes P12 and is "very happy" with performance in his first Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'Not bad';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/not-bad-first-race-for-franco-colapinto-as-he-finishes-p12.1809007491857381910


Colapinto: ‘A little mistake cost me a lot’ in Monza F1 qualifying
1 Sep 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Amid the threat of elimination, Colapinto pushed hard on his final lap in the opening Q1 qualifying session, running wide at the second Lesmo during an effort he felt was good enough to advance.

“I think I felt a little bit of understeer. It was quite on the limit, that lap, and I just dropped two tyres in that double curve, and I couldn’t catch it back,” said Colapinto. “So just a little mistake that cost me a lot, maybe a chance of going into Q2.”

‘Pushed hard’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/01/colapinto-a-little-mistake-cost-me-a-lot-in-monza-f1-qualifying/


‘Wow’: Franco Colapinto asks Williams for change after ‘so much pain’ on Formula 1 debut
1 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Franco Colapinto makes seat request after ‘painful’ Italian GP. Colapinto said he was in ‘pain’ during much of the race due to not having an optimal seat design in his FW46.

“You were right. I was gonna have pain after this race. Wow. I never had so much pain in a race car before. We need to do some things to the seat. But I really enjoy it, thanks very much,” said Colapinto.

‘Wow’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/franco-colapinto-asks-williams-for-change-after-so-much-pain-on-formula-1-debut/


Colapinto relieved to answer Williams ‘question mark’ at Monza
Franco Colapinto impressed on his F1 debut for Williams taking 12th place in the Italian Grand Prix.
2 Sept 2024
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Franco Colapinto has detailed his relief at being able to answer a big Williams "question mark" heading into the Italian Grand Prix. "I am very happy with the result, but happy because the pace was a question mark," Colapinto told media including RacingNews365.

"I have never done more than eight laps in a row before this, and suddenly there are 53 - and I had never tried a hard compound [tyre] either. So there were a lot of new things, but it was a very positive weekend overall. It was obviously a little bit frustrating with the mistake [on Saturday], but I paid it back to the team with a really strong race.”

"I now have a lot of information to take to the factory, on the simulator and understand better on what I need to work on as your first race is always tough with many unknown things, but we managed it well, and only finishing a couple of seconds outside of the points was decent."

‘Detailed his relief’;

https://racingnews365.com/colapinto-relieved-to-answer-williams-question-mark-at-monza


Colapinto did “good job” in race, “fantastic” in qualifying – Vowles
3rd Sept 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“Franco, this weekend, given we’ve really taken him out of F2 and immediately put him in F1 – but with significant amounts of preparation behind the scenes – has done a good job,” said Vowles in a video released by the team. As well as the front-left tyre graining problems most drivers suffered the Williams pair also had to cope with their rear tyres overheating, said Vowles. Colapinto “took it in his stride,” he said.

“He executed the race perfectly, making progress and overtaking cars. And I think had qualifying really gone to plan – and just for transparency in qualifying he was near enough within a tenth of Alex [Albon] as he went through turn seven, so very, very close – he would have been today potentially in with a chance for points. And that, for your first outing in a car, is fantastic.”

“Good job”/“Fantastic”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/03/racefans-round-up-03-09-7/


Colapinto proud after debut: 'Happy with the result after tough decision'
4 September at 18:00
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

"Very positive. I am happy, of course, with the result, but mostly happy with the pace. It was a question mark. I have never done more than 8 laps in a row before this, and suddenly I had to do 53, and I never tried the hard compound as well," the Argentinian began in the paddock in Monza.

Colapinto finished 12th in Italy, just one position shy of Sargeant's best result in the 2024 season. "Of course, a bit frustrating the little mistake I have done yesterday, but today, I paid it back to the team with a really strong pace. The engineers stayed with me during all the sessions and they helped me a lot with the tools to keep the tyres under control."

‘Colapinto proud’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/299235/franco-colapinto-f1-debut-in-monza-after-tough-decision-by-james-vowles.html


Business: Williams secures new Argentine sponsor after signing Franco Colapinto
4 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

On the eve of last weekend's Italian Grand Prix, Williams has announced a new partnership with Argentine leading digital transformation company Globant.

James Vowles, Team Principal: “I am delighted to welcome Globant to Williams Racing as Argentina prepares to mark its latest milestone in Formula 1. This partnership unites two organisations driven by innovation and a passion to provide unrivalled experiences for fans, and we are looking forward to working together starting this weekend in Monza.”

‘New Argentine sponsor’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25362


David Coulthard gives two-word verdict on Franco Colapinto’s debut with Williams at Monza
5 Sept 2024
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

David Coulthard gives two-worded verdict on Franco Colapinto’s Williams debut. The Scotsman said: “I think that was a very good debut for Franco Colapinto at Williams. He’s replaced Logan Sargeant. Sorry for Logan but unfortunately just too many crashes and as Mark has famously said: ‘Formula 1 isn’t a finishing school, it’s where you have to come in and deliver.”

‘Very good debut’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/david-coulthard-gives-two-word-verdict-on-franco-colapintos-debut-with-williams-at-monza/


Williams loaded Colapinto with "more information than a human can take"
Williams team principal James Vowles delivers his verdict on Franco Colapinto's maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monza
6 Sep 2024.
Filip Cleeren Oleg Karpov
Motorsport.com

"Part of the reason why he's in the car is his ability to cope with immense amounts of pressure," James Vowles said. "You still [need to] have natural ability to drive quickly, but he's not really flappable.”

"We loaded him up with more information than a human being can take, and if you ask him now, he'll say that was definitely too much. But it didn't cause him to go into any other state than 'this is how I do things, and this is how I perform the best', and that's part of the reason why he's in the car."

“Not really flappable”;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-loaded-colapinto-more-information-human-can-take/10651684/


'We've already started working': Franco Colapinto’s manager admits ‘reality’ of Williams star’s future after F1 debut
6 Sept 2024
Luke-John Buckle
F1 Oversteer

Franco Colapinto’s team has already begun work to find him a drive ahead of next season. “At the moment, it looks like there will not be a seat in Formula 1 next year. That’s the reality. But what we do know at the moment is Franco has eight races to show what he’s made of with no pressure from the team or us.”

“We need him to grow day by day. Then what the future will hold, we will see. It’s something that we’ve already started working on we pretty much know now that he will not be on the grid in Formula 1 in 2025.”

‘Already started working’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/franco-colapintos-manager-admits-reality-of-williams-stars-future-after-f1-debut/

[Fortitude]

Ricciardo: 'ultimately we weren't quick enough'.
Daniel Ricciardo admits RB "weren't quick enough" in the Italian Grand Prix after a P13 finish in Monza.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘P13 finish’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ricciardo-ultimately-we-werent-quick-enough.1809007693399962085


Ricciardo left uninspired by VCARB updates: ‘I’ll give it a session though’
7 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda are trying their best to keep VCARB in sixth place in the Constructors Championship. However, the duo hasn’t been inspired by the team's latest updates. They currently lead the battle for sixth by six points, but Haas are applying pressure.

Ricciardo is not confident about the upgraded floor that he will, likely, get at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. Ricciardo explained that VCARB still plan to use the upgrades despite the negative feedback from the Japanese driver. “Sometimes you can't predict what happens on track. It might produce more load, but maybe it shifts the balance, so maybe setting the car up is trickier. And maybe that's what it was,” Ricciardo told GPblog and others.

"It's hard for me to speak on. Look, I want to believe that it can still be good because obviously the last one wasn't too good for us. I'd like to think this one is better. But obviously Yuki has the only experience with that this weekend. And obviously he was a bit vocal about having a tough weekend. So we'll see. But it's something I want to at least give it a session and have a feel for it before I also maybe say it's not the one,” Ricciardo concluded.

‘Uninspired’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/299600/daniel-ricciardo-and-yuki-tsunoda-react-to-vcarb-f1-upgrades.html


Daniel Ricciardo on Nico Hulkenberg clash: “I thought we had space; I apologised”
Daniel Ricciardo reacts to incident with Haas at F1 Italian Grand Prix
2 Sep 2024
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net

Ricciardo ended a troubled home race for the RB squad in 13th. “Ultimately, we weren’t quick enough today, even without the penalties,” he said. “We tried, and I was enjoying the wheel-to-wheel racing at the start, but I made contact with Nico in Turn 8.”

“I spoke to him after the race, I thought we had space, but felt the contact so didn’t give him enough room, and I apologised. It’s tough as you race hard but the smallest margins make a difference.”

“The car felt ok after, and we pushed as hard as we could with what we had. I was trying to get the maximum out of the car from Friday afternoon to today. Personally, I feel a lot better this weekend, and we were close to scoring points.”

“I apologised”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054544/1/daniel-ricciardo-nico-hulkenberg-clash-i-thought-we-had-space-i-apologised


‘Sorry for him’ – Ricciardo sends apology to former team mate after Monza clash
4 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site

The incidents started early, with Ricciardo squeezing Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas on the very first lap. While the Honey Badger could continue after that moment of wheel banging, he was soon handed a five-second time penalty for causing the contact.

But worse was to follow, when his front jackman accidentally touched the car too soon when the penalty was served, meaning Ricciardo was handed a 10-second penalty for failing to serve the original one correctly.

The Australian was quick to take the blame for the opening lap incident as well, saying he tried to find Hulkenberg post-race to explain his part in the contact. “Obviously I’m aware I’m fighting and there’s a car alongside me, but you don’t really know. Like I thought we were good and then I felt the contact, so I obviously immediately assumed I didn’t give him enough room.”

‘Sorry for him’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/sorry-for-him-ricciardo-sends-apology-to-former-team-mate-after-monza-clash.7K6wqSCToFxWBs6JCetBRn


RB driver announcement soon? Daniel Ricciardo ‘pretty much telegraphed it’ on Thursday
4 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ted Kravitz reckons Daniel Ricciardo “telegraphed” a pending VCARB driver announcement during the Monza weekend, and it’s one that doesn’t bode well for the Honey Badger. Kravitz reckons VCARB could announce even before the next race in Baku that Ricciardo is out and that Lawson will instead partner Yuki Tsunoda next season.

“Are we going to have a driver announcement at RB before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a couple of weeks time?” he said in his post-race Ted’s Notebook. “We’re all expecting it. Daniel Ricciardo pretty much telegraphed it on Thursday.”

“And is that driver announcement going to be that Liam Lawson will partner Yuki Tsunoda at RB next year? That’s what everybody is expecting.”

‘Telegraphed it’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/rb-driver-announcement-soon-daniel-ricciardo-telegraphed-it-monza


‘I know what’s required’: Daniel Ricciardo remains confident amid speculation on F1 future
September 5th, 2024
Fox Sports (Australia)

Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo remains confident he will finish the season at RB amid growing speculation about his future in the sport. When asked whether he was confident he would remain at RB for the remainder of the 2024 campaign, Ricciardo responded: “Yes. I say yes, I’ve been in this long enough – who knows?”

“But, I will keep making it about me. If I’m performing they won’t find a reason to do anything. If I perform, I’m good. If I focus on myself it shouldn’t affect me. It doesn’t matter what someone is saying. It matters what my hands and feet are doing in the cockpit.”

Red Bull has already confirmed that teammate Yuki Tsunoda will drive for RB in next year’s championship while Red Bull team director Helmut Marko revealed that New Zealand’s Liam Lawson would earn a seat in 2025. If Mexican veteran Sergio Perez keeps his seat at Red Bull, Ricciardo would almost certainly have to make way for Lawson.

“Who knows?”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/i-know-whats-required-daniel-ricciardo-remains-confident-amid-speculation-on-f1-future/news-story/d81f67038c2c33a6a696dca83908fcfa


Paddock whisper that “everybody is expecting” Daniel Ricciardo to lose F1 seat
Fresh suggestion that Daniel Ricciardo's days in Formula 1 are numbered
7 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

“Everybody is expecting” Daniel Ricciardo to lose his 2025 F1 drive with RB, Ted Kravitz has claimed. The whisper came from inside the Monza paddock at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix. Ricciardo has spoken openly and honestly about the looming threat of being ditched from his drive for next season.

Sky Sports’ Kravitz wondered in Italy: “Are we going to have a driver announcement at RB before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix? “We are all expecting it. Ricciardo pretty much telegraphed it on Thursday.”

“Is that driver announcement going to be that Liam Lawson will partner Yuki Tsunoda next year? That is what everyone is expecting.” The revelation is a bitter blow to Ricciardo. He is out of contract at the end of this season, and the 2025 F1 driver line-up has just two vacant seats available.

‘Bitter blow’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054596/1/paddock-whisper-everybody-expecting-daniel-ricciardo-lose-f1-seat


Ricciardo views coming races as critical to F1 future
Daniel Ricciardo is heading into the final eight races of the season aware they could be his last in F1.
7 Sept 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

With uncertainty remaining as F1 heads into the final eight races of the year, Ricciardo has admitted that he’s treating the run to Abu Dhabi as the most critical of his career. “It needs to be the mindset,” he confessed. “And if I feel like I’m softening that, then I need to kind of shake myself a little bit and make sure I’m not. It is still very important, but I also think I am still learning, which is great, and I think that mindset is a much better one for me.”

“When there’s a bit on the line, when that pressure is a little bit higher, it in a way kind of increases that spark in me and stops me from feeling a little bit, maybe relaxed or whatever you want to say. I’ve just got to make sure that I still, and I think this is still the case… these are very important races. But even if, for whatever reason, they weren’t, even if I signed a contract today, I still should be telling myself that they are because I think that’s where I operate the best for myself.”

‘Final eight races could be his last in F1’;

https://speedcafe.com/ricciardo-views-coming-races-as-critical-to-f1-future/

[Fortitude]

Esteban Ocon comments on his P14 finish in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
Trying everything this weekend "unfortunately was not enough" for Esteban Ocon as he finishes P14.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘P14 finish’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/esteban-ocon-comments-on-his-p14-finish-in-the-2024-italian-grand-prix.1809009070725528090


Ocon left frustrated by switch issue in Monza qualifying
1 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Esteban Ocon was left frustrated by a switch issue after earning 15th place in qualifying for the Italian GP. “I think to start with on the positives, from Friday to Saturday really more like a level of performance that we had pre-Zandvoort,” he said when asked by this writer about the session.”

“So really, there’s something that we touched overnight that has made the difference. We need to investigate exactly what it is, because it is not very clear at the moment, but the car, since this morning, FP3 and now, feels like more of a normal car, more like the one I’m used to from pre-Zandvoort.”

“So that’s, that’s a very positive. On the other side because of that we could have gone a little bit quicker on today’s lap. A bit my fault, a bit the guys’ fault, we messed it up. We should have seen it. And basically that gave me some understeer on the lap. And there’s going to be some work to do for tomorrow. I think our straightline speed is decent. So hopefully we can gain some places.”

‘Frustrated’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/01/ocon-left-frustrated-by-switch-issue-in-monza-qualifying/


EXCLUSIVE: Haas boss “not bothered” by “noise” around Esteban Ocon’s reputation
Speaking exclusively to Crash.net at the Dutch Grand Prix, Haas boss Ayao Komatsu expressed that he is unconcerned about Esteban Ocon’s reputation of not being a ‘team player’.
3 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking exclusively to Crash.net at the Dutch Grand Prix last month, Komatsu revealed that Ocon’s reputation was a “discussion point” and that they had “honest” talks about it during negotiations. “It was a discussion point but I have my belief from the beginning,” Komatsu said.

“I had to speak with Esteban in an honest way to understand where he’s at in all those things. Honestly, fundamentally, what I believe is as long as we have good, respect relationship with mutual respect and transparency. If we’ve got fundamental trust between the team and the driver, it shouldn’t be an issue.”

‘Unconcerned’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054551/1/exclusive-haas-boss-not-bothered-noise-around-esteban-ocons-reputation


‘Discussion point’: Ayao Komatsu explains the concern he shared with Esteban Ocon before signing 2025 Haas deal
3 September 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Ayao Komatsu shares Esteban Ocon concerns during negotiations. “It was a discussion point but I have my belief from the beginning,” he said. “I had to speak with Esteban in an honest way to understand where he’s at in all those things.”

“Honestly, fundamentally, what I believe is as long as we have good, respect relationship with mutual respect and transparency. If we’ve got fundamental trust between the team and the driver, it shouldn’t be an issue.”

‘During negotiations’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ayao-komatsu-explains-the-concern-he-shared-with-esteban-ocon-before-signing-2025-haas-deal/


Alpine F1 Faces Uncertainty Amid Strikes And Shakeups
5 Sep 2024
Kanzah Maktoum
Forbes

Describing Alpine Renault’s 2024 Formula 1 season as merely turbulent is an understatement. The team has faced a series of upheavals: senior personnel have left, significant strategic shifts are being made, changes to their engine supply are being considered, and Flavio Briatore has been brought on board.

Most recently, there has been fierce opposition within the team, with resistance reaching a boiling point. Employees at the Viry-Chatillon facility in France planned a peaceful protest and strike during the Italian Grand Prix.

Last week, employees donned white T-shirts bearing the Alpine logo and the message #ViryOnTrack, along with black armbands, as they staged a peaceful protest in two grandstands at Monza. Workers at the Viry-Chtillon plant also went on strike in solidarity.

‘Uncertainty’;

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kanzahmaktoum/2024/09/05/alpine-f1-faces-uncertainty-amid-strikes-and-shakeups/


Renault F1 engine axe decision not final yet says CEO
Renault CEO Luca de Meo insists a final decision about the fate of the French carmaker's works Formula 1 engine program is yet to be taken.
SEPT 5, 2024
GrandPrix.com

“We have four or five weeks to determine the next steps ahead of the board meeting”, said the Italian. “We are evaluating all opportunities.” De Meo admits that he finds the idea of switching to a competitive customer engine very appealing.

“If we look at this from a purely financial point of view - how expensive it is to develop an engine for 2026 yourself, and how much could you save with a customer engine - then we are talking about a huge difference”, he said. "Those who look at the numbers see that we could enter the new era of Formula 1 with a more powerful but less expensive package. But there are many factors to consider when making a decision.”

"What does the marketing department think about this? What negative consequences, including financial ones, could there be in the event of this move? Our ambition is to create a competitive project. Therefore, when choosing, we take into account many factors, and we do this with special care.”

‘Axe decision not final’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/renault-f1-engine-axe-decision-not-final-yet-says-ceo.html

[Fortitude]

'A lot to review' for Pierre Gasly and Alpine after finishing P15.
After finishing 30 seconds from the top 10, Pierre Gasly reviews "not good" Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'A lot to review';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/a-lot-to-review-for-pierre-gasly-and-alpine-after-finishing-p15.1809005988179466651


Pierre Gasly confused and frustrated with qualifying P14 for the 2024 Italian Grand Prix
31 Aug 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

A confused Gasly explains the Alpines struggles with the soft compound tyre around Monza after exiting Qualifying in Q2.

‘Confused and frustrated’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/pierre-gasly-confused-and-frustrated-with-qualifying-p14-for-the-2024-italian-grand-prix.1808916273714661466


Pierre Gasly wants “unfair” Kevin Magnussen F1 ban reversed
Pierre Gasly reckons Kevin Magnussen's F1 ban should be overturned.
2 Sep 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Pierre Gasly has called for F1’s stewards to reverse the ban handed out to Kevin Magnussen following their “nothing” collision at the Italian Grand Prix. "Honestly, this was nothing," Gasly said. "The whole afternoon we were dead slow. We really need to get on top of it because I really believed we would have more potential in the race and it was a lot harder.”

"Someone told me he got a 10 seconds penalty. I'm a bit surprised for that because he tried, but it was a bit of wheel to wheel and in the end I really didn't lose any time. I'm a bit surprised. I hope somehow they can revert on that because that will would be definitely unfair. I'll be happy to do it [speak with the stewards] - I'll see what I can do. That will feel very unfair for the incident that it was.”

“Unfair”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054518/1/pierre-gasly-wants-unfair-kevin-magnussen-f1-ban-reversed


‘There is a lot of work ahead of us’ says Gasly after Alpine fall back in Italian Grand Prix
4 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alpine saw a reversal in their fortunes at the Italian Grand Prix just days after scoring points in Zandvoort, with Pierre Gasly admitting that the team have “a lot of work ahead” to understand the issues following his drive to P15. Reflecting on his race, Gasly conceded: “It was a very long afternoon. I’m very disappointed because I thought that somehow in the race things will get better compared to yesterday, and it was actually worse.”

“We had some brake issues yesterday we found out after quali, which carried on this afternoon. The car was bouncing a lot and we just had no grip out there. We finished 30 seconds I think from the top 10, which is not good. There is a lot of work ahead of us to understand why… Last week at a very different track we had some pace to fight there, today it was impossible, so [I’m] pretty disappointed.”

‘Reversal in their fortunes’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/there-is-a-lot-of-work-ahead-of-us-says-gasly-after-alpine-fall-back-in.YY4btmH2ydD2gXHdhRdGn


Gasly admits he is ‘very disappointed’ after ‘impossible’ Italian GP
Gasly has suggested that there "is a lot of work ahead" for Alpine to improve their position in 2024
Sept 5, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

No improvements in Italy: The once Renault-branded team currently sit eighth in the Constructors’ Championship, 15 points behind American team Haas. Their hunt of the US-based team was once again hampered in Italy after Kevin Magnussen finished in 10thextending their lead of Alpine by a point.

Gasly and teammate Esteban Ocon finished outside the top 10, in 15th and 14th, respectively. The French manufacturer joined Stake as the only two teams with both cars finishing outside the points. When reflecting on the French pairing’s struggles, the one-time race winner shared his disappointment after feeling the race pace of the A524 would help them improve their weekend from qualifying.

As reported by F1, Gasly said: “It was a very long afternoon. I’m very disappointed because I thought that somehow in the race things will get better compared to yesterday, and it was actually worse. We had some brake issues yesterday we found out after quali, which carried on this afternoon. The car was bouncing a lot and we just had no grip out there. We finished 30 seconds I think from the top 10, which is not good.”

‘Impossible Italian GP’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/gasly-admits-he-is-very-disappointed-after-impossible-italian-gp/?nowprocket=1


INSIDE: How did chicken risotto and tiramisu please Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly at Monza?
4 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Last Sunday's Italian Grand Prix saw Alpine and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas partner to provide an exclusive culinary experience, starting the countdown to the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix this November. Executive Chefs from The Venetian Resort travelled to Italy to team up with Alpine's trackside catering team and deliver a unique dining experience for drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, as well as invited guests during the Monza F1 round.

Tge French outfit revealed that "leading The Venetian Resort chefs was the internationally renowned Olivier Dubreuil, Vice President of Culinary Operations at The Venetian Resort and Master Chef of France." Olivier Dubreuil and Alpine chefs revisited the drivers’ favourite childhood dishes, each with a prestigious twist. Pierre’s chosen foods were tacos and tiramisu while Esteban reminisced about his mother’s chicken risotto.

Reflecting on the experience, Gasly added: “The Venetian Resort looked after me and the whole BWT Alpine F1 Team incredibly well at the first Las Vegas Grand Prix last season, and it was such a pleasure to have them with us in Monza. "They’ve recreated the tacos and tiramisu I used to have as a kid perfectly, and I’m now looking forward to returning to Vegas even more and staying at The Venetian, a true icon of Las Vegas!"

‘Chicken risotto and tiramisu’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25410


‘Good work’: Pierre Gasly explains how 2025 Alpine driver Jack Doohan helped him score points at the Dutch Grand Prix
26 Aug 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Doohan was confirmed as Alpine’s second driver for 2025 at the beginning of the race weekend. The young Australian has been vital behind the scenes to Alpine with his tireless simulator work. Gasly explained that Doohan’s hours in the sim during the Dutch Grand Prix ended up giving him a much-needed boost.

Asked about his new teammate for 2025, Gasly said: “It’s exciting! I mean I’m stoked for Jack, I’ve seen him working with the team for the past year and a half. Obviously, he’s been very involved in the race team with the work in the simulator and in testing, so I saw him always keeping a close eye on what we’ll be doing with Esteban and I’m very, very happy. We’ll work very hard to make sure we’ve got a stronger car for next season and hopefully he’ll have a bit more fun than we’re having at the minute!”

‘Vital behind the scenes’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pierre-gasly-explains-how-2025-alpine-driver-jack-doohan-helped-him-score-points-at-the-dutch-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Bottas: 'I wouldn't do anything different' after finishing P16.
A "better than last weekend" race for Valtteri Bottas as he brings the Sauber home in P16 in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Finishing P16’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bottas-i-wouldnt-do-anything-different-after-finishing-p16.1809005230126262447


Sauber spot “positive sign” but Valtteri Bottas still point-less
Sauber boss insists there is reason for optimism
2 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Sauber believe they have closed the gap to their nearest rivals despite still not scoring a point at the F1 Italian Grand Prix. Team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi insists there is some optimism. “We could see some positive signs in [the] performance by the team, even though the finishing positions, on paper, don’t look much different from the previous races,” he claimed.

“Both drivers were able to manage their tyres well, hard and medium alike, and this allowed us to follow the race strategy we planned before the race, with degradation under control. Of course, this is still not enough to fight for points, as we lack overall pace: but the low-drag package we brought to Monza and the setup changes we made for qualifying improved the car balance and gave Valtteri and Zhou a chance to fight.”

“We still have a long journey ahead of us to be in the battle for points, but it is important to acknowledge that, today, the gap with our direct competitors has been reduced – it's a positive sign we need to outline.”

“Positive sign”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1054541/1/sauber-spot-positive-sign-valtteri-bottas-still-point-less


Exclusive: Bottas opens up on Audi plans that make F1 success ‘a matter of time’
9 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

“In the last few months I’ve had to keep my eyes and ears open, what’s happening, and trying to read the driver market, because there’s been no guarantees of me staying here,” Bottas told Motorsport Week in an exclusive interview.

“But now, there’s a clear direction, a clear priority, and still I think in the long term it could be really interesting, and there could be some success in sight if I can get into the project. I feel like that’s what I need at this stage of my career, I need a clear project into which to focus, and that’s obviously at the moment easier, and for Audi.”

‘A matter of time’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/06/exclusive-bottas-opens-up-on-audi-plans-that-make-f1-success-a-matter-of-time/


Valtteri Bottas refuses to budge from key Sauber contract demand
August 31, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Valtteri Bottas insists on a multi-year deal in Sauber talks. Bottas underlines his objectives. Since making the decision to leave Mercedes and join Sauber, Bottas has spoken extensively about the importance of signing long-term deals.

The Finn does not want a return to the uncertainty of the one-year contracts he received as Mercedes. The 35-year-old wants to join a team that sees him as part of their project for the long term. Consistent with this non-negotiable, Bottas has told the media he wants to be part of the Audi project in 2026 and beyond:

“I’m only interested in a multi-year contract. Because if I only sign for one year, I know that it probably won’t be easy [getting another contract] next year either. That’s not very interesting for my career. My priority is to be part of Audi. Since the announcement that the brand is coming to Formula 1, I have always shown my interest in this project. I have the experience, and I think that’s what the team needs.”

‘Refuses to budge’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/08/31/valtteri-bottas-refuses-to-budge-from-key-sauber-contract-demand/


Valtteri Bottas’ ‘matter of time’ Audi F1 prediction as driver market battle hots up
9 Sep 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Pushing to be a part of the Audi F1 project, Valtteri Bottas batted away any negativity and said success is merely a “matter of time”. Audi showed its previous F1 chief Andreas Seidl and chairman Oliver Hoffmann the door, bringing in ex-Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto, while Red Bull’s long-serving sporting director Jonathan Wheatley will arrive in 2025 to run the Audi F1 project with Binotto.

The duo has a challenge on their hands, with Sauber rock bottom of the F1 2024 Constructors’ Championship and the only team without a point, a tough base for Audi F1 to build from without major improvement. But Bottas has no concerns, having seen the behind-the-scenes work taking place, as he fights to earn a place in the Audi F1 story, as the likes of Liam Lawson, Mick Schumacher, Theo Pourchaire and Gabriel Bortoleto continue to be linked with an F1 2025 seat.

“In the last few months I’ve had to keep my eyes and ears open, what’s happening, and trying to read the driver market, because there’s been no guarantees of me staying here,” Bottas began when speaking to Motorsport Week. “But now, there’s a clear direction, a clear priority, and still I think in the long term it could be really interesting, and there could be some success in sight if I can get into the project.”

‘Seen the behind-the-scenes work taking place’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtteri-bottas-matter-of-time-audi-f1-success-wants-place


Exclusive: Bottas claims people in F1 have ‘short memories’ amid fight to save 2025 drive
9 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Valtteri Bottas has asserted that some people within Formula 1 have “short memories” as he strives to salvage his place on the grid past the ongoing 2024 campaign. Bottas has entered the final season of his deal with Sauber, and he is awaiting a decision on whether the team intends to retain him as it prepares to morph into Audi. Despite possessing a convincing margin over team-mate Zhou in the head-to-head, Bottas has not had the equipment to deliver the results his outings have merited.

“Yeah, it’s not an easy situation to be in as a driver, because you struggle to prove what you can do,” he admitted. “If people just look at the results, it’s quite easy to judge. But the main thing is I know how I’m performing, the team knows how I’m performing, and in the end that’s what matters. The people who know about driver performance, they will still see what you can do, what you can achieve if you have the machinery.”

“But I think the difference with Mattia is that he was in a battle against us when I was at Mercedes, and he could monitor what I can do, and I could steal some points from them, so he knows that. Like I said yesterday, I think we started the discussions in the right way with good respect, and that’s what I really appreciate. So we’ll continue the discussions, but for me it’s clear what I want, and what I want is to be in F1 until Audi joins.”

‘The difference with Mattia’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/09/exclusive-bottas-claims-people-in-f1-have-short-memories-amid-fight-to-save-2025-drive/

[Fortitude]

'Very poor first lap' adds to 'difficult' Italian Grand Prix for Nico Hulkenberg.
Nico Hulkenberg explains how multiple events made the Italian Grand Prix very "difficult" for him, bringing his Haas over the line in P17.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'Very poor first lap';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/very-poor-first-lap-adds-to-difficult-italian-grand-prix-for-nico-hulkenberg.1809005430394841249


Italian Grand Prix: Race Recap
Sept 1, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Kevin Magnussen 10th and Nico Hulkenberg 17th, at the Italian Grand Prix, Round 16 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.

Hulkenberg started from 13th on the grid, also on medium tires, but lost ground on the opening lap after he was hit by Ricciardo, for which the RB driver was penalized. Hulkenberg subsequently collided with Yuki Tsunoda and came into the pits on lap five for Hard tires and change of front wing, emerging at the rear of the field. Hulkenberg was issued a 10-second time penalty for the contact, which he served at his second pit stop on lap 32, at which he took on another set of hard tires. Hulkenberg classified in 17th place.

Nico Hulkenberg: “It was a very poor first lap; going into Turn 8 I got a good tow from Daniel Ricciardo so I took the outside line, but he swept across and didn’t really leave me space, so we made contact and that took me off a bit. The engine went into anti-stall so that took a while to sort out and I lost a few more positions – more or less that was when the race was looking very difficult. Then the racing incident with Yuki Tsunoda meant I had to come in for a front wing change, plus the penalty I had to serve, you lose so much time – so it was game over. It was very good that Kevin was there and had a strong drive, there is that to take away.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/italian-grand-prix-race-recap-6


Nico Hulkenberg makes Yuki Tsunoda team radio dig after Italian GP collision
2 Sep 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Haas racer Hulkenberg ploughed into the side of Tsunoda’s VCARB at the opening Monza chicane, resulting in race-ending damage for Tsunoda, while Hulkenberg was given a 10-second time penalty and later two penalty points on his superlicence.

“He was probably on the radio, knowing him,” Hulkenberg said of Tsunoda when speaking to media including PlanetF1.com. Hulkenberg also claimed that Tsunoda would have seen him struggling to make the braking zone, so could have “saved himself”, but opted not to.

“But of course, I didn’t stop it how I wanted to, but I think he saw me coming as well with quite some speed and still he decided to turn in,” Hulkenberg continued. “I think he could have saved himself, but he chose not to.”

‘Team radio dig’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-yuki-tsunoda-team-radio-dig-italian-gp-collision


Hulkenberg: Monza fight with RB pair was “just normal racing”
SEPT 5, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Nico Hulkenberg insists that his incidents with RB drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda in the early laps at Monza were “just normal racing”. The German says that he’s not battling the Italian cars harder than anyone else, despite Haas and RB being in a close fight for sixth place in the World Championship.

“I feel like we lost everything already on lap one,” said Hulkenberg when asked about his difficult race by this writer. “First chicane was somehow boxed in, but in the wrong spot, and then lost out. And then I got a good strong tow off Danny. So I went next to him on the outside, but he swept across quite a lot, and just didn’t leave quite enough room.”

“So we made contact, it put me in the dirt, anti-stall kicked in in fourth gear. So until I had that sorted out, I lost another three or four positions. And I must have been P16/17 after lap one, obviously pretty poor and bad. It was always going to be difficult. And the Yuki incident and front wing change and all the rest of it did the rest.”

“Lost everything already on lap one”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/05/hulkenberg-monza-fight-with-rb-pair-was-just-normal-racing/


‘Not yet’: Nico Hulkenberg admits he’s been waiting 10 years to discover if F1 team will offer him a seat
9 Sept 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Nico Hulkenberg has made a shocking revelation that one of Formula 1’s biggest teams has left him waiting for a decision on a seat for nearly 10 years. Back in 2013, Hulkenberg enjoyed a breakout second half of the season with Sauber, finishing 10th in the drivers’ championship.

Who has Nico Hulkenberg been waiting on a response from? One of Hulkenberg’s biggest frustrations of his career is that he has failed to score a podium across his 219 starts. A man of his talent should undoubtedly have achieved a top three, and maybe even a victory, but he has never quite found the right situation to do so.

It has now emerged that he was on the radar of Ferrari for a seat back in 2014, which may have seen him achieve the feat nearly a decade ago, if things had gone his way. When asked by the German Press Association, via FAZ, if he had spoken to ex-Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali about reasons for not being picked for a drive in 2014, he said: “Not yet, Because he still says: ‘Not yet, come later.’ I don’t know [when I will get an answer], I don’t have a crystal ball,” he added.

‘Waiting 10 years’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-admits-hes-been-waiting-10-years-to-discover-if-f1-team-will-offer-him-a-seat/

[Fortitude]

Zhou left with performance regrets as he weighs up his F1 future.
He doesn't say whether he feels he has much or little chance of getting the seat at Audi. “It really depends on what Mattia and also what the Audi people really want, so we need to speak about it, and I'm open to discussions about individual or multiple [years].” Zhou Guanyu
5 Sept 2024
Jeroen Immink
GPblog.com

For Zhou, racing for a contract at all costs is almost a habit. "It's obviously not the first time I've had a one-year contract, so it wouldn't change the story for me. But on the other side, we need to se what we can bring togeher because when you have one year, you obviously look out. But when Audi came, I think that's where the bigger change came in terms of pure performance. Also, you can fight hopefully closer to the top three, and that's where we want to be," the Chinese driver said.

In doing so, Zhou himself feels he should have shown more in the quest for an F1 seat. "I didn't show as much as I wanted to in terms of performance, especially in one lap pace I've been lacking. Of course, I feel like I have a chance and definitely being one of the runners fighting for the seat together with my teammate and some others maybe. But nothing is confirmed, so I'm open to talk about it," Zhou said.

“Depends on Mattia”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/299400/f1-drivers-valtteri-bottas-and-guanyu-zhou-want-to-go-to-audi.html


Possible ‘advantage’ found in contract negotiations as team-mates fight for F1 2025 seat
09 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Zhou Guanyu has said he would be willing to accept a one-year contract extension at Sauber next year, whereas F1 team-mate Valtteri Bottas is looking for a multi-year deal. Bottas recently made it clear he is “only interested in a multi-year contract” to stay in Formula 1 with Sauber, which will become Audi in 2026, with both he and Zhou among the candidates for one of two remaining seats on the grid next year, the other at VCARB.

Zhou added he would take the time to speak to the new people at the top of the Audi F1 operation to see what their targets are. Within that, though, he is aware that the time for negotiation is fast approaching.

“And I’m open to the discussion about individual or multiple [years]. We need to see and wait and have some discussion because, obviously, nothing has been fully going very deeply into details, but I think now is probably the time that we’re going to be more into that. I leave it to them to discuss. Of course, I feel like I have a chance, and definitely being one of the runners fighting for the seat together with my team-mate and some others, maybe – but nothing is confirmed, so I’m open to talk about it.”

‘Willing to accept a one-year contract’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/zhou-guanyu-contract-advantage-sauber-audi-f1-valtteri-bottas


‘An honour’: Zhou Guanyu shares his F1 ‘career highlight’ amid uncertainty over his Sauber future
9 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Zhou Guanyu could be contesting the last eight races of his Formula 1 career amid uncertainty over his future at Sauber for 2025. With only two seats left on the grid, it is becoming increasingly unlikely that Zhou will secure a full-time race seat at the teams that have openings.

Zhou Guanyu identifies the biggest highlight of F1 career so far. Zhou has been in talks with other F1 teams in a bid to rescue his chances of continuing beyond 2024, but any hopes appear to be fading and could result in him taking up a reserve role. While his results have not been the most spectacular on the grid, owing to a difficult year for Sauber and uncompetitive cars the previous two years, he still has some special moments he can take away.

“I think the career highlight will definitely be the first grand prix . To score points on my debut was something I dreamed of, or something I couldn’t have imagined. So it was an honour to do that,” said Zhou. “The Chinese Grand Prix was like having a childhood dream within F1 that comes true. Obviously, F1 is a dream but then to be racing at home where everything started, that was the Chinese Grand Prix back in 2004.”

‘An honour’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zhou-guanyu-shares-his-f1-career-highlight-amid-uncertainty-over-his-sauber-future/


[B]Zhou Guanyu admits that 2025 F1 seat is unlikely
Sept 9, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Speaking to Crash.net in Monza, Zhou made clear that he “could accept the fact” Bottas is more likely to continue with the team next year. He also explained that staying in F1, regardless of what capacity, is the priority: “At the moment, I don’t want to be in other series yet. Because I feel like I’m still in a period that if I can stay in F1, or making a comeback if I don’t have a seat, there will still be chances to show what I’ve got.”

Although Zhou could quite easily join another elite motorsport category, he is not interested in racing anywhere else beyond F1. Of course, when a driver loses their F1 seat, finding a way back into a full-time role is difficult. With that said, landing a reserve driver contract is a useful way of being active in the paddock and ready for any potential opportunities.

Jack Doohan received some criticism when he first agreed to become Alpine’s reserve driver, but he eventually earned a full-time contract for 2025. Therefore, it would not be a surprise to see Zhou remain active in the paddock next season.

“Show what I’ve got”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/09/09/zhou-guanyu-admits-that-2025-f1-seat-is-unlikely/


‘Big struggle’: Zhou Guanyu pinpoints the reason why his qualifying performances have been so poor this season
9 Sept 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Zhou Guanyu has struggled to match teammate Valtteri Bottas during his third season in Formula 1, which may be a reason why he doesn’t have a seat on the 2025 grid. It looks like Sauber are going to opt against retaining the Chinese driver for a fourth term in the sport, having failed to score a point throughout this season.

Zhou has been honest in his assessment of his form this year, admitting that he has struggled to adapt over one lap. “Once everything has kind of settled down then we lack some car performance, unfortunately,” he said. “The car we had this year requires a different driving style which I try to get a better improvement on, but it’s not an easy short-term fix.”

“For the one lap, to try to change my driving style is not something that is quite easy to do. But in a race, I’m able to adapt that quite straightforward from the beginning.”

‘Different driving style’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zhou-guanyu-pinpoints-the-reason-why-his-qualifying-performances-have-been-so-poor-this-season/


F1 News: Sauber Sees Glimmers of Hope Amid Ongoing Point-Less Struggles
Sept 03, 2024
William Frost Athlon Sports
The Wichita Eagle, Kansas City

Sauber is maintaining a positive outlook despite a tough start to the season, having yet to score any points. At the recent Italian Grand Prix, drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu finished near the back of the pack, continuing their search for a breakthrough. The team's strategy at Monza, which involved a long stint on hard tires for Bottas, didn't yield the desired results. However, team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi believes there are signs of progress. While Sauber remains the only team without points, Bravi emphasizes that the team is closing the gap to its competitors.

"We could see some positive signs in [the] performance by the team, even though the finishing positions, on paper, don't look much different from the previous races," he claimed. "Both drivers were able to manage their tyres well, hard and medium alike, and this allowed us to follow the race strategy we planned before the race, with degradation under control."

"Of course, this is still not enough to fight for points, as we lack overall pace: but the low-drag package we brought to Monza and the setup changes we made for qualifying improved the car balance and gave Valtteri and Zhou a chance to fight. We still have a long journey ahead of us to be in the battle for points, but it is important to acknowledge that, today, the gap with our direct competitors has been reduced – it's a positive sign we need to outline."

‘Glimmers of Hope’;

https://www.kansas.com/sports/article291882345.html#storylink=mainstage_card


‘Absolute animal’: Ruth Buscombe shares why she thinks Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu is an ‘absolute animal’
10 Sept 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Ruth Buscombe is an F1 strategist who previously worked for Ferrari, Haas and Sauber and now provides punditry for F1 TV at race weekends. She was speaking on the Drive to Wynn Podcast and highlighted what Zhou’s greatest strength is. It’s not been easy for the 25-year-old to showcase his talents in the slowest car on the grid this year.

“Give him a soft tyre and he’ll be able to make a significant amount of positions right at the very start of the race, really strong with picking off drivers. And it’s like, that’s just one example of like, if, you know, there’s certain times where actually your grid position or, where you are running dominates it. But like, if they were starting next to each other naturally, you’d put Valtteri on the reverse and Zhou on the kind of the standard strategy, because that’s the way we maximize the things they’re good at.”

‘Absolute animal’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ruth-buscombe-shares-why-she-thinks-sauber-driver-zhou-guanyu-is-an-absolute-animal/

[Fortitude]

ANALYSIS: 'I’ve never been more certain' – How Lawrence Stroll fended off the competition to snap up ‘bargain’ Adrian Newey.
Lawrence Stroll won the biggest battle of his career as he fended off the competition to sign Adrian Newey, the greatest designer in the history of Formula 1. But how did he do it?
10 Sep 2024
Lawrence Barretto
Formula One - Official Site

He told the entire Aston Martin staff due to come in on the Sunday before the Canadian Grand Prix to stay at home so Newey could have a private tour of the factory and see what he was building. Newey could see firsthand that Stroll meant business.

Whatever it took from a resource perspective, Stroll was committed to delivering. Everything about the place is world class from the new wind tunnel due to come online at the end of the season, and the in-loop simulator, to the gym and spinning room – which has classes twice a day.

Newey’s interest was clear – and simultaneously, interest from Ferrari began to ease off – so Stroll upped his game, offering the designer a chance to become a “shareholder and a partner”. Remarkably, this was the first time Newey had been offered a stake in a team, the chance of ownership – and it was something he craved. As Newey told me when we chatted on Tuesday – he’s now got “skin in the game” and that’s very motivating.

“Shareholder and a partner”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/analysis-ive-never-been-more-certain-how-lawrence-stroll-fended-off-the.5KpGO1PpQVcft8qr5vpV2k


Alonso relishing ‘incredible’ chance to work with Newey in F1 at Aston Martin
10 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Fernando Alonso has expressed that he is relishing an “incredible” chance to work with Formula 1 design guru Adrian Newey when he moves to Aston Martin in 2025. “I think, yeah, as you said, been racing against each other for many years,” Alonso said. “I would say that he was more an inspiration.”

“I think thanks to Adrian and his talent and cars, I think we all got better as a driver, as engineers, teams. We all had to raise the bar thanks to him to be able to compete. I think now is an incredible day for the team. Lawrence’s [Stroll, team owner] vision is taking shape with this building, with Adrian, with Honda, Aramco, new wind tunnel.”

“You know, so definitely the team of the future, I would say. And yeah, for me, it’s going to be an incredible opportunity professionally to work with Adrian and to keep wearing this green colour, which I’m very proud to be part of.”

‘Incredible chance to work with Newey’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/10/alonso-relishing-incredible-chance-to-work-with-newey-in-f1-at-aston-martin/


Lawrence Stroll shares what he’d ‘never seen’ happen at Aston Martin before Adrian Newey’s announcement
10 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Stroll was asked about what the reaction was like when he introduced Newey to Aston Martin’s staff and said: “What we actually did witness was, I’m not quite sure how many people, I think about 800 or so in the street was an explosion of applause.

“I’ve never seen since I’m here such a level of excitement of any announcement. We’ve obviously never made an announcement of this magnitude, we just weren’t fortunate enough to. But I saw everyone leave with a very big smile on their face and a kind of hop and skip in their walk. So, hopefully, they go back to their desks and figure out how to draw something a little quicker!”

‘An announcement of this magnitude’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lawrence-stroll-shares-what-hed-never-seen-happen-at-aston-martin-before-adrian-neweys-announcement/


Billionaire boss’ staggering $295m gamble explained... and why it will shake up F1 order
Sept 11th, 2024
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)

What performance part is worth $59 million per year? Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll believes he has the answer. Its name is Adrian Newey, he’s 65 years old and he’s the biggest technical name in motorsport. Everything Newey touches turns to title-winning gold. In the modern history of Formula 1 there’s no greater correlation with success than having Newey’s name on the door to the biggest office in the design department.

His reputation is such that his decision to quit Red Bull Racing earlier this year set off a frantic race to secure his signature. Rumours of courtship were intense. Ferrari emerged as an early frontrunner. Mercedes and McLaren were believed to be in the mix. Williams went on record as wanting to bring Newey back to the team with which he won his first grand prix titles. But Aston Martin had the strongest hand. Billionaire owner Stroll made sure of it.

The cash stuffed down Stroll’s deep pockets is turning Aston Martin, the evolution of a string of minnow F1 squads, into a grandee. The team wants for nothing. Its infrastructure is state of the art. Its personnel are head hunted from among the best in the sport. Its ambitions are sky high. The combination was compelling. Newey, competitive to a fault, saw the potential in Aston Martin as the final move of his decades-long career.

‘Staggering $295m gamble explained...’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/explained-why-billionaire-aston-boss-has-total-belief-in-295m-newey-gamble/news-story/e972897451a73d26d79d805b63e6cba5


Damon Hill pokes fun at Ferrari as Aston Martin announce Adrian Newey
Tue 10 September 2024 19:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin have won the race to sign legendary Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey. The team unveiled their new managing technical partner on Tuesday morning. Damon Hill recalls Adrian Newey to Ferrari speculation. Writing on his Instagram story, Damon Hill quoted a report from June that Newey had accepted a three-year offer from Ferrari. He joked that ‘this may prove to be very wide of the mark’.

The 1996 F1 world champion knew that Aston Martin would announce his arrival in a press conference later on Tuesday. Ferrari have also lost technical director Enrico Cardile to the Silverstone outfit.

‘Hill pokes fun at Ferrari’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/damon-hill-pokes-fun-at-ferrari-as-aston-martin-announce-adrian-newey/


WATCH: Newey on signing for Aston Martin, what convinced him about the project and working with Alonso
10 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Fresh from the announcement and a press conference with the media at the team’s state-of-the-art Silverstone headquarters, Newey spoke with F1.com’s Lawrence Barretto to talk through how he came to the decision.

Newey shared why he decided to commit to another chapter in F1 after several decades in the sport, how persuasive Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll was during initial talks to join the squad, and what it will be like to work with two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.

‘What convinced him’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/watch-newey-on-signing-for-aston-martin-what-convinced-him-about-the-project.3UjSr3laNrTCyTtTwpRlux


Adrian Newey: All you need to know about his sensational Aston Martin move
10 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Adrian Newey will be heading to Aston Martin once he leaves Red Bull, in a move that is set to be seismic in the world of Formula 1. There is a lot to unpack as the sport’s widely-lauded ‘design guru’ has decided upon his next move, so we are here to guide you through everything you need to know about one of the year’s biggest transfers.

‘All you need to know’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian-newey-aston-martin-move-explained-role-salary-start-date


Aston Martin hope to win big with ‘bargain’ Adrian Newey
11 Sep 2024
The Straits Times

“I can tell you Adrian is a bargain,” Stroll said of the man he will reportedly be paying somewhere between £20-30 million (S$34-51 million) a year – making him one of the highest paid in the paddock.

“I’ve been in business for over 40 years now, and I’ve never been more certain. It’s not an investment. He’s a shareholder and a partner,” added the Canadian, describing Newey as a key element to the team’s title aspirations.”

‘Aston Martin hope to win big’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/aston-martin-hope-to-win-big-with-bargain-adrian-newey


Aston Martin's Silverstone factory tour was 'crucial' for Newey
10 Sept 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Newey on the new factory and Lawrence Stroll. Newey explained his viewpoint. "The building's clearly mightily impressive. It has a great feel to it. But the second bit, which we didn't talk about, is I think it's a real demonstration of Lawrence's commitment to envision where he wants the team to get to. I don't know how much it costs, but it's not going to be cheap. I'll find other ways of spending money now for him within the cost cap," the Aston Martin engineer told reporters.

The brand new recruit also had a nice compliment in store for Lawrence Stroll. "I think that was perhaps the combination of seeing all the facilities, how nice a feel and how well thought out the building is, and perhaps most of all, that very visual demonstration of Lawrence. If I had to describe Lawrence in one sentence, I think one of the things that I also think of is he has total belief, he has his direction, and he's happy to put all his chips on black, and that's what he's doing here."

‘Real demonstration of Lawrence's commitment’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Adrian+Newey

[Fortitude]

Lance Stroll 'not competitive' this weekend after finishing P19.
After a difficult afternoon, Lance Stroll comments on not being competitive and the "bottom line... we haven't been quick all weekend".
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

'Not competitive';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/lance-stroll-not-competitive-this-weekend-after-finishing-p19.1809006644791495312


Piastri’s pursuit of Leclerc delayed by Stroll “driving like it was his first go-kart race”
1st Sept 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Oscar Piastri was unimpressed with Lance Stroll’s driving when he lapped him during the Italian Grand Prix. Piastri began chasing Leclerc after making his second visit to the pits, while Leclerc ran to the end on a single stop. The McLaren driver first had to overtake Leclerc’s team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr for position, then lost more time putting Stroll a lap down.

“At that point, I was pretty optimistic. I lost a decent amount of time behind Carlos. You had Stroll driving like it was his first go-kart race. I don’t know what went through his brain when he saw his blue flag. That cost another second. I needed that stint to be perfect to win that race and those little things are ultimately what cost us a bit of a chance.

“Driving like it was his first go-kart race”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/01/piastris-pursuit-of-leclerc-delayed-by-stroll-driving-like-it-was-his-first-go-kart-race/


[B]This is how Lance Stroll reacted to Adrian Newey's arrival at Aston Martin
10 Sept 2024
Jeroen Immink
GPblog.com

How did Stroll react to Newey's announcement? Stroll - who has been racing under the Aston Martin name since 2021 - reacted happily to Newey's arrival. "Yeah, it's a huge day. There's already a lot said, but I think it's really the most exciting day in this team's history. Adrian's won more championships than anyone in the paddock and now he's wearing green," said Stroll.

"So it's an extremely exciting day. 2026 is not far away. A completely new set of regulations, a lot of opportunity, and we're really constructing an incredible team with so many talented people that are already here. Now Adrian's coming on board, so really exciting," Stroll added.

‘Most exciting day in this team's history’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300110/f1-driver-lance-stroll-reacts-to-adrian-newey-joining-aston-martin.html


Why Lance Stroll deserves much more respect than his ‘pay driver’ label gets him
11 Sep 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Stroll Jnr is in the unfortunately fortunate position of being the son of a determined billionaire. As to how much he wants to be in F1, his demeanour around the racing would suggest otherwise, and how much he is there to appease his father, only they will know, but it is not a case of Stroll just being dropped into the sport.

According to his own website, Stroll first sat behind the wheel at the age of four in a go-kart and he enjoyed the typical route up the motorsport ladder. He won the rookie of the year award in his first season of karting and followed it up with driver of the year. In 2010, he swapped Canada for Geneva and joined the Ferrari Driver Academy at the age of 11, becoming colleagues with the likes of Sergio Perez and Jules Bianchi.

‘Lance Stroll deserves much more respect’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/lance-stroll-deserves-more-respect-than-his-pay-driver-label-gets-him


Adrian Newey weighs in on Aston Martin driver pairing: What does he think of Lance Stroll?
11 Sep 2024
Total Motorsport

The great mystery of Adrian Newey and his Formula 1 future has finally been answered, but what does he think of his new driver pairing?

“Lance, I’ve known slightly for many years back from his Formula 3 days,” Newey told media at the Aston Martin reveal. “My lad, Harry, was also racing F3 the same time that the Lance was, so [he] admired him. He dominated the second half of that year in F3. Fernando? We’ve battled against each other for so many years. He’s been a kind of arch enemy at times.”

“We came so close to him joining Red Bull in 2008 for the 2009 season. But unfortunately, it didn’t quite happen, which is great shame so we continued to battle against each other. He’s a legend of the sport so [I’m] very much looking forward to working with him.”

“My lad, Harry, was also racing F3 the same time that the Lance was, so [he] admired him”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/adrian-newey-aston-martin-driver-pairing-f1-fernando-alonso-lance-stroll/


Adrian Newey to Aston Martin - 6 things TV cameras missed at F1 press conference
Mirror Sport was in the room as Aston Martin showed off Adrian Newey to the Formula 1 press corps and kept an eye out for the things the millions watching from home couldn't see
11 Sep 2024
Daniel Moxon
The Mirror

How Aston Martin staff were told: A crowd of around 800 of them amassed outside the factory doors and the announcement was met by plenty of cheers and thunderous applause. They know just how much of a big deal this could be - after all, Newey has already turned Red Bull from a mediocre midfield outfit into perennial title contenders. Aston Martin hope he can do the same there.

Steady Eddie Jordan: Once upon a time, Formula 1 facilities in Silverstone were home to Jordan Grand Prix. Nearly 30 years on from the early-2005 sale of the team to the Midland Group, Eddie was back on Tuesday to watch the current residents unveil his great friend and client.

What Newey did after the cameras stopped rolling: He bounded straight off the stage and made a beeline for his wife Amanda, who had been watching on sat next to Alonso throughout the show. They exchanged a smile and a few words before he headed back onto the stage to pose for photos, but it was a nice moment between them to witness.

‘Mike meets Mandy, Facilities fit for the occasion, Lance's mic-drop moment’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/adrian-newey-event-aston-martin-33640189


Adrian Newey to become joint-owner of Aston Martin
Adrian Newey will join Aston Martin as both its technical managing partner and co-owner.
11 Sept 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Aston Martin announced Adrian Newey will join the Silverstone-based operation in March next year. His arrival was much expected despite interest from other teams in pit lane, most notably Ferrari. “He will be the leader of the technical team. He’ll be a leader, also in the company, in the overall business, as a partner and shareholder. So I leave that structure up to Adrian, who’s much better suited than myself.” Managing director Lawrence Stroll.

The opportunity to become a shareholder in the organisation was an appealing one for Newey, who likened Aston Martin to an ‘old school’ F1 team with Stroll as its figurehead. “The reality is, if you go back 20 years, then what we now call team principals are actually the owners of the teams: Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Eddie Jordan, etc, etc, Newey began. In this modern era, then Lawrence is actually unique, in being the only properly active team owner.”

“It’s a different feeling when you have somebody like Lawrence involved like that. It’s back to the old school model. To have the chance to be a shareholder and a partner is something that has never really been offered to me before,” he added. “So it’s a slightly different slant. It’s one I’m very much looking forward to.”

So I leave that structure up to Adrian, who’s much better suited than myself”;

https://speedcafe.com/adrian-newey-to-become-joint-owner-of-aston-martin/


'Adrian Newey to be first billionaire F1 engineer if Aston Martin wins titles'
If he’s as successful at Aston Martin as he has been at Red Bull, he will become F1’s first billionaire engineer.
Sept 11th 2024
Matt Bishop
Motor Sport Magazine

I worked for Aston Martin in 2021 and 2022 and I have known Newey for the thick end of 30 years, so I have had plenty of reflecting to do. First of all, I want to make clear that Lawrence Stroll deserves plaudits for the magnitude of his ambition. One of the richest men ever to have fully immersed himself in Formula 1, he has made clear from the outset that he was determined not only to set up an F1 team for which his son could race, but also to move heaven and earth to make sure that that team would eventually have every tool at its disposal with which to win.

Newey’s key colleagues at Aston Martin will be Dan Fallows, who worked well and successfully under him at Red Bull until he was lured to Aston Martin in 2022 as its new technical director; Enrico Cardile, the ex-Ferrari man who will soon join the company as its chief technical officer; and Cowell, whose role as group chief executive officer may sometimes have to encompass shielding Newey, a sensitive soul, from Stroll’s outwardly chummy but occasionally domineering management style.

As it happens, the Red Bull and Aston Martin F1 teams share not-dissimilar back stories. Both were originally founded by charismatic ex-driver entrepreneurs. Eddie Jordan launched Jordan in 1991, and it has now morphed via Midland, Spyker, Force India, and Racing Point into Aston Martin; Jackie Stewart launched Stewart in 1997, and it has now morphed via Jaguar into Red Bull. In many ways Aston Martin now finds itself roughly where Red Bull was in 2006, Newey’s first year with the Milton Keynes team and the second year of its Red Bull era.

‘Will Adrian Newey become F1’s first billionaire engineer?’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/adrian-newey-to-be-first-billionaire-f1-engineer-if-aston-martin-wins-titles/?nowprocket=1#

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda uses an Italian expression to show anger: "What a salami!".
A hilarious team radio moment from the Japanese driver followed, showing that Tsunoda had already learnt quite a bit of Italian in Faenza. It's the Italian equivalent of calling someone a sausage in English.
3 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

The Italian Grand Prix was over early for Yuki Tsunoda. On the fourth lap of the Formula 1 race, the VCARB driver was hit by Nico Hulkenberg's Haas.

"What a salami!";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/videos/299012/yuki-tsunoda-calls-f1-driver-a-salami.html


'We lost': Laurent Mekies points out ‘most frustrating aspect’ of Yuki Tsunoda’s Monza retirement
2 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda was the sole retirement from the Italian Grand Prix after a collision with Nico Hulkenberg seven laps into the Italian Grand Prix. RB denied opportunity to test new parts after Yuki Tsunoda retirement. RB brought a few upgrades to this race including a new floor and halo aimed at bringing them more performance to the track.

But because Hulkenberg’s collision damaged the floor, Tsunoda was forced to retire because of the net effect it had on his car balance. This denied the team the opportunity to compare it to Ricciardo, who was running the old-specification parts.

Mekies was less than impressed by the Haas driver’s antics: “One could say our race was dictated by Hulkenberg, with Daniel given a five-second penalty, having forced him of the track, before Nico then drove into Yuki, leading to us retiring the car.

‘Most frustrating aspect’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/laurent-mekies-points-out-most-frustrating-aspect-of-yuki-tsunodas-monza-retirement/


Yuki Tsunoda: Rivals have reached out to me in 2024
September 9, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Tsunoda received several offers from across the paddock. Yuki Tsunoda admits that 2024 is the first time he’s been approached by rivals in the paddock: “I started to probably show my value this year, from the beginning of the season. Before I signed my contract with VCARB, fortunately, a couple of teams reached [out] to me…”

“I never had that in the last two years, especially the first two years. So you just need to consistently keep delivering the results. So far, I’m able to achieve that – but it’s kind of the first year I’m showing good results consistently. I know a lot of things I can improve, and still a lot of things to come from myself.”

‘Tsunoda received several offers from across the paddock’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/09/09/yuki-tsunoda-rivals-teams-have-reached-out-to-me-in-2024/


Yuki Tsunoda outlines his ‘main priority’ in the hunt for his next F1 drive after RB
4 Sept 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda is coming to the end of his fourth season in Formula 1, all with the same Visa Cash App RB team who he has helped to deliver a level of stability to. The Japanese star has been a dependable performer for the Italian outfit, maturing through his time with them and picking up the speed with experience.

“That’s the main priority is Red Bull Racing,” he said. “It’s the one thing I was aiming since I joined Formula 1. The car is one of the fastest cars right now and currently, probably McLaren’s a little bit faster, but I just want to drive the car and show my potential for top three, top two, whatever.”

“At the same time, if things don’t ever achieve, or maybe there’s other car – they’re happy with the drivers. Also as a driver myself, that’s also I want to drive some point in the top five. Hopefully VCARB will be able to achieve that.”

‘Main priority’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-outlines-his-main-priority-in-the-hunt-for-his-next-f1-drive-after-rb/


Yuki Tsunoda explains how his ‘relationship’ with Helmut Marko adds ‘extra pressure’ at RB
4 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
Helmut Marko is known for being a tough boss at Red Bull having been in charge of their driver programme since they joined Formula 1. Although it can often look like they have a conveyor belt of rookie drivers, their ruthless approach has yielded title success for them over the years with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

Yuki Tsunoda says Helmut Marko adds ‘extra pressure’ to perform. Tsunoda has scored the bulk of RB’s 34 points in the Constructors’ Championship this season, which puts them in sixth heading into the final eight races of the season. “If I have a good race, he will praise me. He will say nice words. If I have a bad race he’ll add a bit of pressure, a little bit more than usual. So I kind of got used to it. But he’s the guy who was, since I joined Red Bull, always looked after me,” said Tsunoda.

“Sometimes his advice can be a bit of extra pressure, going ahead of race. But at the same time, a lot of times also helped me a lot. Without our team I’m not here in Formula 1. I’d say the relationship is definitely there.”

‘Extra pressure’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-explains-how-his-relationship-with-helmut-marko-adds-extra-pressure-at-rb/

[Fortitude]

Will McLaren overtake Red Bull in the constructors' title battle in Baku?
McLaren now sit just eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors' standings, and while Red Bull continues their downward spiral, the papaya-coloured team will hope to overtake the Austrian team in Baku. Will they be abe to do so?
11 Sept 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Since the Miami Grand Prix, Red Bull have gone through some struggles, and the last time out at Monza, it was possibly the worst performance in Red Bull's recent memory. Although Norris could not take the win from pole position, he cut a 70-point deficit on Max Verstappen to 62, and with Oscar Piastri's P2, McLaren closed the gap to just eight points in the constructors' championship.

McLaren, who have been competitive at every race so far in 2024, will hope that's the same in Baku, while also hoping for more poor performances from Red Bull. Sergio Perez has the most wins in Baku under his belt, winning in 2021 and 2023 with Red Bull to take that crown. Nico Rosberg, Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen also have a win to their name around the street circuit.

‘Will McLaren overtake Red Bull?’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300222/will-mclaren-overtake-red-bull-in-the-constructors-title-battle-in-baku.html


‘Poison for them’: Red Bull told why the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be like ‘poison’ for the RB20
10 Sept 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

It has been six races since the seemingly dominant Red Bull team last won a race in a season that began with everyone expecting them to dominate. Why the Azerbaijan Grand Prix could be like ‘poison’ for Red Bull. The Baku street circuit plays host to the longest straight in Formula 1 at over 1.2km, offering an opportunity for overtaking, but also suffering for those without the right package. Red Bull were the slowest team through the speed traps at the Italian Grand Prix, and their lack of a low downforce rear wing even annoyed Verstappen at Monza.

Journalist Ralf Back agrees that Red Bull’s next few races could make for grim reading if they fail to improve their form. “Now we have a track in Azerbaijan that can be very, very undulating, which has been a poison for them so far the Red Bull in the last races,” he said on F1-Insider.com‘s YouTube. “Then comes Singapore, maybe there will be a miracle and they are just good where they were really bad last year, even though they had by far the best car.”

‘Grim reading’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red-bull-told-why-the-azerbaijan-grand-prix-will-be-like-poison-for-the-rb20/


Max previews Azerbaijan GP: 'Our priority is to get our form back'
11 Sept 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Looking ahead to the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Max Verstappen says: “I have been back in the factory with the team this week and on the sim ahead of the double header. Monza was a tough race and it is our priority to get our form back to where it needs to be. We always want to be more competitive and the team has been working hard to improve the issues we have been seeing with the car from the past few races.”

The Dutch Oracle Red Bull Racing driver adds: “We are now back to the flyaways with this first race returning to Baku. It is always a good challenge coming here and is an interesting track to drive, being a street circuit with long straights, so we are ready to get back racing again and see what the weekend brings.”

‘Our priority to get our form back to where it needs to be’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5585/


The F1 record Verstappen can edge closer towards with special Baku performance
Max Verstappen will establish himself in joint second-place on an exclusive qualifying list with pole position in Baku, but the Dutchman will still be some way off Lewis Hamilton's record.
10 Sept 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen has the opportunity to match an F1 great during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. If the Dutchman can successfully secure pole position for the race in Baku, he will equal the number of times different circuits Red Bull's first drivers' champion, Sebastian Vettel, took pole on.

Pole postion on different circuits
# Driver Different circuits
1. Lewis Hamilton 32
2. Sebastian Vettel 23
3. Max Verstappen 22
3= Alain Prost 22
5. Ayrton Senna 20
5= Nigel Mansell 20
7. Michael Schumacher 19
8. Nelson Piquet 17
8= Nico Rosberg 17
10. Jim Clark 16

‘F1 record Verstappen can edge closer towards’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-can-match-f1-great-with-special-performance-in-baku


Norris reveals the dreaded small print to McLaren's team orders
12 Sept 2024
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com

Andrea Stella revealed this week how Oscar Piastri has been instructed to support teammate Lando Norris in his fight. Speaking in Baku, Norris was asked for his feelings on the team orders announcement and shared, "Good. Thankful. Yeah, how do I say it? He's still fighting for his own racing. He's still going out and doing his stuff. And it could be that there's no time this year that he needs to help me. So it’s more that I have Oscar’s help when needs be, but he's still going out with the intent of every session just fighting for himself and going to do his job," Norris told GPblog and others.

Norris seems adamant that Piastri is not going to sacrifice his own performance for the sake of helping Norris' championship hopes. The Brit was asked whether, in the case where Piastri is outperforming Norris, the Australian would automatically give Norris wins. Norris simply responded, "No." Norris then elaborates on this, specifying that the team orders will likely not come into play for race wins, but rather for the lower points scoring positions. "In general, probably for lower positions. But if he's fought for a win and he's deserving of a win, then he deserves to win."

‘Would automatically give Norris wins. Norris simply responded, "No”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300458/lando-norris-shares-details-on-mclaren-f1-team-orders-with-oscar-piastri.html


Has McLaren Picked Lando As It's #1 F1 Driver? - Azerbaijan GP Preview
11 Sep 2024
Motorsport.com

After Monza, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella gave the media his biggest hint yet that the team may start favouring Lando Norris in pursuit of both major titles.

Will we see that in Baku? Charles Leclerc has always gone well at the track, with three straight pole-positons, but has played down his chances of back-to-back wins. Is he bluffing?

‘#1 F1 Driver?’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/has-mclaren-picked-lando-as-its-1-f1-driver-azerbaijan-gp-preview/654861/


Vasseur reveals Ferrari's approach to the Azerbaijan GP weekend
11 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Following Ferrari's win at the Italian Grand Prix, Fred Vasseur is reassured that he is implementing the correct methods at the team. "The Baku street circuit features a combination of very high speed sections and extremely twisty ones, presenting a unique set of challenges. In the past, we have usually been quite competitive here and it is also one of Charles’ favourites. We are on a high following the win in Monza and we are determined to maintain this run of form," Vasseur said. Despite those three pole positions, Leclerc has never won a GP in Baku.

Vasseur doesn't want to be distracted by what his rivals are doing. "Once again, we can expect to see a very close fight between the top four teams. I often say we are focussing on ourselves and it’s clear this is the right approach, because we have seen a dramatic change in the hierarchy among the teams since the early part of the season. Our win in Italy also supports my view that how you execute the weekend from Friday to Sunday can play as important a role as the actual performance level of the car, so with Charles and Carlos we will again be aiming to do everything perfectly in Baku, to try and bring home another very good result for the team," he concluded.”

‘Ferrari's approach’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300278/fred-vasseur-previews-ferrari-f1-weekend-in-baku.html


Mercedes explain why the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is "unusual"
10 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is known for producing high-drama moments, and Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ director of trackside engineering, doesn't expect that to be different during the 2024 Formula 1 season.

"Baku is an unusual circuit because you’ve got this really tight, twisty, very low speed sector two, and then this really long straight. It requires a relatively low wing level; that isn’t what you’d normally have with all those low-speed corners, but you’ve got to have it with the long straight," Shovlin explained.

"It’s also a weekend where you can get a lot of incidents affecting the race, it’s very easy if a driver makes a mistake there that will have to bring out a safety car in order to clear it up. The other issue you’ve got this year is any given track you can end up with at least three if not four teams all within a tenth or two of each other. That makes it very hard to predict where they’re all going to fall in qualifying, and where people will stack out in race pace," Shovlin detailed more challenges.

"Unusual";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300018/mercedes-showcase-headaches-for-f1-teams-in-azerbaijan-grand-prix.html

[Fortitude]

F1 - 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
PART ONE – Oliver BEARMAN (Haas), Franco COLAPINTO (Williams), Zhou GUANYU (Sauber)
PART TWO – Daniel RICCIARDO (RB), Pierre GASLY (Alpine), Fernando ALONSO (Aston Martin)
12.09.24
FIA (Press Release)

Oliver BEARMAN: Yeah, it's nice to be back, first of all. Of course, not the circumstances I would have hoped, but nonetheless, it's a great opportunity to build up my experience, get a full weekend under my belt, like you said. With some notice this time. I've known it was coming, which is helpful. And yeah, I just want to use it to really build up step by step and enjoy it as well.

Franco COLAPINTO: It was very special. It's amazing to see here so many people. In F2, there were so little, and now it's full! But I'm very happy to be here. It was a very special moment in my career. Of course, you always work for that goal and that dream, since you are very little. And to have achieved it in Monza… It's very late notice. I was in the sim for F2, preparing the race of Monza, with the MP team. Suddenly, I got a call that I had to go to England and I did the best prep I could, but it was very little.

Zhou GUANYU: Honestly, I think just enjoy the weekend because I think… especially, I think, for Ollie who has already done a whole weekend. He know how this is feeling. And for Franco, I think he will just enjoy all the races, like I did in my first season. I mean you know like the circumstances are different but I think every driver especially in F2 really wants to take that chance and here is the perfect platform for them to shine and have a nice future. So, yeah, I just wish them all the best but not to go too fast though and stay behind.

Fernando ALONSO: Well, it has been a positive week, for sure, for the team with the announcement and yeah, he's a great addition to the team. And probably, for me, what I think is that the Aston Martin team is the team of the future, in a way. We are just opening new buildings at the factory, the campus. Building 2 is finished. Wind tunnel will be January. Honda, Aramco, the best partners in the world, probably, and now Adrian as well. So, yeah, I think the team is taking shape and Lawrence’s vision is taking shape. So, yeah, good news this week.

Daniel RICCIARDO: I don't think I could give much advice to the most experienced guy on the grid. But look, obviously I enjoyed... I've spoken it before. I enjoyed a lot of my time with him. And it was just even a privilege, when I joined Red Bull Racing in 2014, just to drive one of his cars, work alongside him. Obviously, his level of expertise in his field and, you know, I would normally just feed back things. It's not that I could stand toe to toe with him and speak his language, if you know what I mean. But it was just to try and obviously collaborate in those years and collaborate. Give what I could and then let him obviously work his magic.

Pierre GASLY: Yeah, it is true. I mean, yeah, it was a very special six months working with him, you know. Very similar comments to Daniel. Obviously, he got the chance to work for a much longer time, but he's one of the most successful car designers in our sport. And he's got a very unique way of approaching racing, approaching design, because similar to Daniel, I would walk in the factory and see him in front of his board, drawing all sorts of stuff, which I could not even tell what was really going on there but ultimately, it just seems to work when it gets to the track.

‘Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-azerbaijan-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript


Verstappen, Red Bull seek to bounce back at Azerbaijan GP
12 Sep 2024
Gulf Today

Max Verstappen will look for an improved personal and team performance this weekend when Red Bull seek to stop the rot and stay on top in the Formula One title race at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

“Monza was a tough race for us and it is our priority to get our form back to where it needs to be,” said Verstappen. “We always want to be more competitive and the team has been working hard on the issues we’ve had.”

“We’ve had a good period of reflection and work since the last race,” said Perez. “Both Max and I have been in the factory working to ensure we are finding a fix for the problems. To get back to where we should be on the grid, it will take a team effort and you can see that every day in Milton Keynes. This has pulled us all together.”

‘Bounce back’;

https://www.gulftoday.ae/sport/2024/09/12/verstappen-red-bull-seek-to---bounce-back-at-azerbaijan-gp


Sergio Perez makes audacious Red Bull prediction for Azerbaijan GP and Singapore
McLaren could overtake Red Bull in the F1 contructors' championship at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP
12 Sept 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

“I think at the moment, with the current package we have, these two should be our best tracks,” Perez told members of the press including Total-Motorsport.com. “These two upcoming races should be our best ones.”

“I do expect us to look more competitive here. But if we are able to fix the issue, then we can get back to contention because it’s something that can bring a lot of lap time to us. Like always on a weekend, it’s not ideal to be testing stuff,” Perez added. “But we will try and get to the bottom of the issues. “I think they’ve been here since the beginning.”

“But probably they felt like it was not so noticeable and Max was coping well with them, it was not such an issue. It’s something that will help both drivers. But like I’ve said before, it will help me even more, because of the driving style I have.”

‘Audacious Red Bull prediction’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/sergio-perez-makes-audacious-red-bull-prediction-2024-azerbaijan-gp/


McLaren to lead F1 title race for first time in a decade? 2024 Azerbaijan GP preview
Sept 12th 2024
Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

F1 has said farewell to Europe for 2024 and now heads to Azerbaijan where twisting Old City streets, combined with long straights and the gusts that have earned Baku its ‘windy city’ label, give race engineers plenty of set-up challenges.

Following on from a 2-3 finish in Italy, McLaren now trails Red Bull by just eight points in the constructors’ standings. The team has outscored the reigning champions by more than that margin in the previous five races, so Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will have high hopes of taking the lead in the teams’ title race on Sunday afternoon.

McLaren team principal Andreas Stella: “We need to be better at capitalising [on] the opportunity Red Bull at the moment seem to offer by not being in the usual possibility of competing for podiums,” he said. “It’s definitely a worthwhile exercise to review in the specifics, not only of the entire race but the entire race. Even on the first lap, because I hope we will be in the condition to have these situations frequently in the future – it means the two McLarens will start from the front of the grid. But we need to make sure that this is the best for the team and the best for Lando.”

‘High hopes of taking the lead’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/mclaren-to-lead-f1-title-race-for-first-time-in-a-decade-2024-azerbaijan-gp-preview/?nowprocket=1#


FIA lengthens DRS zone for F1 Azerbaijan GP
12 Sep 2024
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

The FIA has decided to extend a DRS zone for the second Formula 1 Grand Prix on the bounce, with the start-finish straight at the Baku City Circuit extended by 100 meters.

After the sport’s governing body chose to lengthen the DRS zone at the corresponding straight at the Monza circuit for the Italian Grand Prix two weeks ago, a similar action as been taken ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the aim once again being to increase the probability of overtaking.

‘Lengthens DRS zone by 100 meters’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/12/fia-lengthens-drs-zone-for-f1-azerbaijan-gp/


Vasseur reveals Ferrari's approach to the Azerbaijan GP weekend
11 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Following Ferrari's win at the Italian Grand Prix, Fred Vasseur is reassured that he is implementing the correct methods at the team. After previous success at the venue, the Ferrari team boss feels confident that the Italian team can compete at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.

"The Baku street circuit features a combination of very high speed sections and extremely twisty ones, presenting a unique set of challenges. In the past, we have usually been quite competitive here and it is also one of Charles’ favourites. We are on a high following the win in Monza and we are determined to maintain this run of form," Vasseur said. Despite those three pole positions, Leclerc has never won a GP in Baku.

"Once again, we can expect to see a very close fight between the top four teams. I often say we are focussing on ourselves and it’s clear this is the right approach, because we have seen a dramatic change in the hierarchy among the teams since the early part of the season. Our win in Italy also supports my view that how you execute the weekend from Friday to Sunday can play as important a role as the actual performance level of the car, so with Charles and Carlos we will again be aiming to do everything perfectly in Baku, to try and bring home another very good result for the team," he concluded.

‘Ferrari's approach to the Azerbaijan GP weekend’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300278/fred-vasseur-previews-ferrari-f1-weekend-in-baku.html

[Fortitude]

Verstappen sets pace as THREE red flags wreck Azerbaijan GP first practice.
If that was an indicator for the rest of the weekend then it could get very messy.
13 Sept 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen emerged quickest from a remarkable first practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix punctuated by three red flags, including a crash for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Less than two weeks after producing a superb drive to win Ferrari's home Italian Grand Prix at Monza, those memories were swiftly banished as Leclerc crashed after 26 minutes of the opening practice session at the Baku Street Circuit.

Leclerc was at the top of the times and had just purpled the first sector on another hot lap when he ploughed nose-first into a barrier at the sharp Turn 15 left-hander. It was the second red flag of the session as it had also been stopped after 18 minutes to allow a marshal to remove a piece of metal debris off the track, resulting in a five-minute hiatus.

The third then followed with 19 minutes remaining, and this time it was Williams rookie Franco Colapinto, on his first trip to Baku in any category, who smacked into a wall at the Turn 4 right-hander. Colapinto simply caught a part of the dusty track which resulted in him sliding left-rear first into the concrete, with the resultant force leading to the front-left following suit.

‘It could get very messy’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-sets-pace-as-three-red-flags-wreck-azerbaijan-gp-first-practice


Azerbaijan GP: Free Practice 1 Results
13 Sept 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 20 1:45.546

2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 18 1:45.859 0.313

3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 16 1:45.922 0.376

4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 17 1:46.027 0.481

5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 20 1:46.173 0.627

6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 17 1:46.282 0.736

7 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 18 1:46.452 0.906

8 63 George Russell Mercedes 17 1:46.516 0.970

9 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 11 1:46.608 1.062

10 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 22 1:46.687 1.141

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

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


Red Bull's first attempt at fixing its F1 car problems
Sep 13, 2024
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Red Bull's floor upgrade at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is a first attempt to address the development issues that have hurt its 2024 Formula 1 car, with bigger fixes yet to come. Red Bull has revised the tunnel geometry on its RB20's latest floor with the aim of 'improving pressure gradients along the floor' for better underbody aerodynamic performance.

"The lessons are kind of ongoing, and the immediate reaction tends to be [seen in] the later races," Monaghan said. "So, it's a testament to everybody that we got it here. A lot of hard work, and that hard work will continue. Singapore's only a week away. So that will be potentially another evolution for us.”

"The scale of the update kind of determines the phase lag in there. If we've managed to do it for this race, it's not the biggest one we'll ever undertake in terms of geometry change. It's subtle. Could the effect be good? Yes. And I think the proof of the pudding will be on Sunday afternoon."

‘Fixing its F1 car problems’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-2024-f1-car-problems-azerbaijan-gp-update/


Verstappen tops heavily disrupted session with new Red Bull upgrades
Sep 13, 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Max Verstappen topped the first free practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend as Red Bull Racing introduced new upgrades. The session was heavily disrupted, with three red flags. Lewis Hamilton finished second, with Sergio Perez in third. Lando Norris rounded out the top four.

With five minutes remaining, Verstappen put the soft tyres on and completed a lap in anger. He was quickest in sector one and two, but lost a bit of time in sector three compared to the best in the session. It was good enough overall to take him to P2. Right at the end of the session, Verstappen moved to the top of the timesheets.

Red Bull Racing introduced new upgraded this weekend as they hope to recover from the disappointing Italian GP weekend. Sergio Perez finished third fastest with a late lap. Mercedes decided to run their older floor for this session.

‘Verstappen tops heavily disrupted session’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300659/red-bull-f1-upgrades-help-verstappen-top-fp1-in-baku.html


Leclerc blames 'the dirt' for this FP1 crash in Baku
Sep 13, 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Charles Leclerc has crashed in the streets of Baku. The Ferrari driver won the Italian Grand Prix last weekend, but this crash could end up knocking his confidence. The man from Monaco has already identified the blame: the dirt.

With the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend taking place on a street circuit, dirt can often appear in FP1. It seems to have caught Leclerc out in the opening 30 minutes to the FP1 session. He said on the radio: "I took the dirt on the outside". caused the second red flag of the session. A piece of debris was found on the circuit earlier in the session. Leclerc will not be able to return to the track until FP2.

'The dirt';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/videos/300674/f1-crash-for-charles-leclerc-in-fp1-in-baku.html


HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action from FP1 as Leclerc and Colapinto crash while Verstappen sets the pace in Baku
Sep 13, 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen set the pace during FP1 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as Charles Leclerc and Franco Colapinto crashed out on the streets of Baku.

In what was a disrupted session that saw three red flags (the first to clear debris while the other two were required for the aforementioned crashes), Red Bull's reigning world champion left it late to post the quickest time of 1m 45.546s. That was ultimately 0.313s faster than second-placed Lewis Hamilton.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez posted the third fastest time at the track where he is a two-time winner, while Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top five.

‘Watch the action from FP1’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/highlights-watch-the-action-from-fp1-as-leclerc-and-colapinto-crash-while.2PH5E5Fo3IXzAxNLxD7rOc


F1 Azerbaijan GP 2024 – Free Practice 1 Results
Red Bull were the early pace setters thanks to Max Verstappen to topped FP1 at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP
13 Sept 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Charles Leclerc, a Baku street circuit specialist with pole positions in the last three years, had a strong start on medium tyres. However, his session was cut short after he lost control and hit the wall at Turn 15, bringing out the red flag with 30 minutes to go.

The temporary street circuit, which is only used once a year for Formula 1, had low grip levels, making it challenging for drivers to find their rhythm. Verstappen though, managed to clock a 1:45.546s in the final moments to top the timesheets. Mercedes’ Hamilton followed closely in second, just 0.313s behind the Red Bull driver.

Sergio Perez secured third place, 0.376s off the top spot, while McLaren’s Lando Norris continued his strong form, finishing fourth. Carlos Sainz of Ferrari slotted into fifth, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in sixth.

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-azerbaijan-gp-2024-free-practice-1-results/


'It's overly political': Jacques Villeneuve ‘didn’t like’ what Oscar Piastri said in Azerbaijan Grand Prix interview
13 Sept 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Jacques Villeneuve unhappy with ‘overly political’ Oscar Piastri interview. During his grilling in the pen, Piastri said he wouldn’t let Norris pass every time he’s ahead. He does accept, however, that winning the drivers’ title is ‘a big goal’ for the team.

After listening to his interview on Sky Sports F1, pundit Jacques Villeneuve expressed his frustration with the ‘overly political’ communications strategy at McLaren. The 1997 world champion claims the drivers can’t ‘say what they really feel’.

Norris accepted team orders at the Hungarian GP when the pit wall wanted to restore Piastri’s lead. He repeatedly expressed his reluctance before eventually doing so. “I didn’t like this interview,” Villeneuve said. “It’s overly political. You can tell the drivers cannot say what they really feel inside. It’s only the contracts. They cannot stop Piastri from going for his own personal win, but they can force him to work for the team.”

'It's overly political';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-didnt-like-what-oscar-piastri-said-in-azerbaijan-grand-prix-interview/

[Fortitude]

Full Azerbaijan GP FP2 results: Leclerc pips Perez to P1, Hamilton P3.
Just +0.006 seconds separated the Monegaque and the Mexican drivers when the chequered flag fell, with Leclerc able to set a flying lap on the softs with just 12 minutes remaining in FP2.
13 Sep 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Charles Leclerc was able to just edge out Sergio Perez in the second free practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, taking P1 ahead of the updated Red Bull.

It was a great result for Leclerc, who crashed out in FP1 earlier and missed half of the session. The Ferrari mechanics were able to fix the car before FP2 got underway, but complaints from the Monegasque about the steering meant he was forced to come in for more repairs. However, after all of that, he was able to go fastest.

Behind the tightly packed front three was the other Ferrari of Carlos Sainz in P4, while the McLaren of Oscar Piastri finished just +0.033 behind the Spaniard in P5. Max Verstappen could only finish sixth after his P1 in FP1, with the Dutchman going straight on twice in what was a sloppy session. Lance Stroll, Nico Hulkenberg, George Russell and rookie Ollie Bearman rounded out the top ten.

‘Just +0.006 seconds’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300763/f1-azerbaijan-grand-prix-fp2-full-results.html


Azerbaijan GP: Free Practice 2 Results
14 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 19 1:43.484

2 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 22 1:43.490 0.006

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 21 1:43.550 0.066

4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 24 1:43.950 0.466

5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 24 1:43.983 0.499

6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 23 1:44.029 0.545

7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 23 1:44.093 0.609

8 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 23 1:44.475 0.991

9 63 George Russell Mercedes 16 1:44.536 1.052

10 50 Oliver Bearman Haas 23 1:44.547 1.063

‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;

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


2024 Azerbaijan GP FP2: Concerned Leclerc pits and insists ‘I’m not driving this car anymore’
13 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari in first practice, and although the team got it repaired in time for FP2, the Monegasque wasn’t happy with the feel of the car and pitted after just a few minutes of the session.

“I’m not driving this car anymore”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-azerbaijan-gp-fp2-concerned-leclerc-pits-and-insists-im-not-driving-this-car-anymore.1810090741201817899


Azerbaijan Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 2 results
Did the drivers get more running than in the first session?
Sept 13, 2024
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

The first qualifying simulations: With little over 30 minutes on the clock, the first drivers strapped on the soft tyres to test qualifying laps. Norris was on a fast lap but encountered a slow-moving Gasly, which ruined his run, otherwise he would’ve set the new fastest lap.

Track evolution played a major role in the fast laps – Perez’s time of 1:43.490 was almost half a second faster than second-placed Carlos Sainz. Leclerc and Russell still hadn’t completed a flying lap on soft tyres, while the rest of the grid had done so. Perez topped the timesheets, just 0.060s ahead of Hamilton, who managed his best lap despite running on seven laps old soft tyres. Sainz sat in third, with Piastri, Verstappen, and Stroll close behind.

The final minutes: As the track continued to improve and gain grip, Leclerc was expected to set the fastest time. He posted a 1m 43.484s, just 0.006s ahead of Perez, though he did benefit from a tow during his flying lap. Russell had previously only been out on the hard tyres, but with only seven minutes left, he did his first laps on the soft tyres. He set a time that put him in 9th place.

‘F1 Free Practice 2 results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/azerbaijan-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-2-results/?nowprocket=1


2024 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Free Practice 2 results
13 Sept 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

After complaining about a 'bent' Ferrari early in the session following repairs made to his SF-24 after a crash in FP1, Charles Leclerc returned to the Baku Street Circuit late on to post the fastest time. Two-time race winner at this circuit, Sergio Perez, finished just 0.006s behind Leclerc in his Red Bull, with Lewis Hamilton marginally behind his two rivals in his Mercedes.

Three-time F1 champion Max Verstappen was only the sixth quickest, just over half-a-second adrift, with F1 title rival Lando Norris a lowly 17th, albeit that time set on medium-compound Pirelli rubber as the Briton did not post a representative soft-tyre run.

‘Complaining about a 'bent' Ferrari’;

https://racingnews365.com/2024-f1-azerbaijan-grand-prix-free-practice-2-results


Norris and Verstappen struggle in tight FP2 at 2024 Azerbaijan GP as Leclerc tops times
There was plenty of action in Free Practice 2 at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc ends the session fastest
13 Sept 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris found themselves uncomfortable with their cars during FP2 at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP with the odds for the race still wide open as Charles Leclerc and Ferrari topped the times on Friday, September 13.

The Monegasque didn’t have an easy time either but posted a 1:43.484 to top the timing boards at the Baku City Circuit as he and Verstappen took repeat trips down the escape roads as Norris struggled to get a good time on the board in their three-way fight for the F1 2024 titles.

The Ferrari star is trying to get his weekend back on track after a crash in FP1 but found himself flirting with the walls once again after he took to the escape road at the scene of his Turn 15 as well as his famous 2019 crash when he branded himself stupid.

‘Struggle’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/norris-verstappen-struggle-tight-fp2-2024-azerbaijan-gp-leclerc-tops-times/


F1 Azerbaijan GP: Leclerc leads Perez by 0.006s in tight FP2
A 1m43.484s proved good enough for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to deny Red Bull a clean sweep of Friday practice sessions
Sep 13, 2024
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Ferrari repaired Leclerc's car after his Turn 15 shunt in the opening stage of Friday practice, but the Monegasque proved irascible on the radio and made his displeasure about his rebuilt SF-24 clear after crashing in FP1, feeling that the steering was 'heavy'. He elected to pit amid further handling struggles.

This caused a slight layoff in running, and he returned to the circuit later in the session for a few exploratory laps on the medium tyre; despite an off at Turn 8, he was able to keep it out of the wall for a tilt on the soft tyres. This led him to set a 1m43.484s time, eclipsing Perez's time from earlier.

‘Ferrari repaired Leclerc's car’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-azerbaijan-gp-fp2-leclerc/10653805/


Azerbaijan GP: Max Verstappen misses top five as Charles Leclerc mounts FP2 fightback
13 Sep 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Verstappen, fastest in FP1, was first out as the light went green, armed with the mediums tyres, as was Leclerc after Ferrari got his SF-24 back in working order, following his FP1 date with the barriers. Williams needed a bit more time to get Franco Colapinto’s FW46 back on track.

Leclerc’s frustrations were starting to escalate, as he declared it “impossible” that Ferrari could not see anything on the data. He duly returned to the pits, with Perez now leading a Red Bull one-two. Verstappen survived a major scare though, locking up and coming to a stop inches from the wall at Turn 5, while Hulkenberg was getting upset with Perez who “thinks we’re racing” through the tight second sector.

The low, setting sun was causing visibility issues for Verstappen, who took to the run-off at Turn 7, but Perez was flying on the softs as he returned to P1, almost half a second clear of Sainz. Leclerc was at last back out on track, but still was not having it all his own way as he found the Turn 8 run-off, while Sainz was checking out the Turn 3 escape route. Colapinto was fortune to withstand a heavy whack of the inside barrier at the ultra-tight Turn 8/9.

“Impossible”;

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


2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Free Practice 2 F1 results (Baku)
13 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

As the drivers laid down the laps, trips up the escape roads and the subsequent yellow flags were prevalent, including one for reigning World Champion Verstappen. Halfway through the session, Carlos Sainz was up in P1 with a 1:43.950, putting him 0.033s up on Oscar Piastri with Verstappen a further 0.04s. Leclerc was in the pits surrounded by a red wall of Ferrari mechanics as the team tried to resolve his steering issue.

However, back on track with a fresh set of soft tyres on his SF-24, Leclerc clocked a 1:43.484 to beat Perez by a mere 0.006s. Hamilton was third, 0.06s down. Sainz was fourth fastest ahead of Piastri while Verstappen was only P6, 0.545s off the pace. Lance Stroll, Nico Hulkenberg and Russell were next in line with the Briton covering just 16 laps with a late call to box as Mercedes noted an issue with the car. Oliver Bearman completed the top ten for Haas.

‘Laid down the laps, trips up the escape roads and the subsequent yellow flags’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-results-2024-azerbaijan-grand-prix-baku-fp2

[Fortitude]

Leclerc explains rollercoaster start to Azerbaijan GP weekend after FP1 crash and peculiar FP2 problem.
Charles Leclerc experienced an up-and-down first day on the streets of Baku as the Ferrari driver overcame a crash during first practice and car troubles in the second session to finish at the top of Friday’s timesheets.
13 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc: “That wasn’t great to start the weekend, but I still had a lot of confidence in the car, so there wasn’t much problem. Then the thing is that when we started FP2 there was an actual problem on the car that we saw later on, once I stopped, and we changed that particular part.”

“It was nothing to do with the crash before, so the mechanics have done a really good job. We just had a problem with one new part that we had just put on the car. I won’t go too much into details but that was obviously giving me a very strange feeling with the steering wheel. We changed that, went again and then it was fine. It was not as many laps as what I would have hoped for on this Friday, but competitive anyway.”

“We still have to work on the car, there’s plenty to do to improve. There’s the driving to be improved quite a bit, because I was still taking a little bit my references in FP2, but again, we are fast, so that’s a good sign. Hopefully just more to come tomorrow.”

‘Rollercoaster start’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/leclerc-explains-rollercoaster-start-to-azerbaijan-gp-weekend-after-fp1.4yiVIFJJpR5scyRt4AXQYg


'Affinity with the walls': Jacques Villeneuve mocks Charles Leclerc after Azerbaijan Grand Prix crash
13 Sep 2024
Luke-John Buckle
F1 Oversteer

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend began with multiple drivers crashing on the unforgiving streets of Baku and causing red flags. The Baku City Circuit is a street track that requires a lot of confidence to maximise the lap time with minimal margin for error in Formula 1. Villeneuve was far from impressed by Leclerc’s antics in first practice, as other drivers have avoided the wall after a similar incident.

He said: “An affinity with its walls as well. You can see that he even missed the kerb on the inside. So he wasn’t thrown off. You could see with the skids, he just arrived with too much speed. And like we’ve seen other drivers when they realise they’re too fast, they opt for going off, going straight, then reversing, and he didn’t make that call.”

'Affinity with the walls';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-mocks-charles-leclerc-after-azerbaijan-grand-prix-crash/


Perez has pace, but there’s no doubt who Verstappen’s team mate is here to help
13th Sep 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Since Sergio Perez last flew out of Azerbaijan following his victory in Baku in April 2023 – over 500 days ago – there has been little for the veteran Red Bull driver to celebrate on track. But in a sport where there are few true friends, where the only one you can rely on is yourself, Baku has arguably been kinder to Perez than anyone or anything else in Formula 1. With two victories and five podiums from seven starts – both records for this distinctive track – Perez can always rely on Baku for a strong result, even if he’s been in the midst of one of his all-too-frequent slumps in form over the years.

Perez described his Friday as a “good, solid day”. Verstappen, who had looked atypically ragged around the Baku circuit during the session was also “quite confident” about the team’s early performance following a very disappointing showing at Monza last time out. But although Verstappen was slower than his team mate, it’s easy to see why looking into the data.

Taking both Red Bull drivers’ fastest laps from Friday, there was a clear set-up difference between the two team mates. While Verstappen was able to carry significantly higher minimum speed at the apexes through the many 90-degree corners – as much as 6kph in turns four and seven – Perez was easily quicker on the straights by an even greater amount. Verstappen went from being almost two tenths up on Perez heading down to turn 16 to falling to more than half a second adrift of his team mate by the time he reached the end of the lap.

‘Perez has pace’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/13/perez-has-pace-but-theres-no-doubt-who-verstappens-team-mate-is-here-to-help/


Red Bull drivers hail ‘positive’ and ‘promising’ first day in Baku with Perez confident of being ‘in the mix’ for pole
13 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen both expressed optimism after Red Bull appeared to take a step in the right direction with the RB20 on the opening day of practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. As cars hit the track on the streets of Baku, though, there were early signs that Red Bull – who are running an upgrade on their floor this weekend – have potentially turned a corner.

“It was definitely a good, solid day,” said Perez, who finished P2, a mere six-thousandths of a second away from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and has been working hard to find a breakthrough after significant struggles on his side of the garage. Asked if that gives him hope of fighting for pole, the Mexican added: “I think tomorrow anything can happen, really, so we just have to keep our head down and hopefully deliver a great couple of laps. Well, we only need one in Q3!”

Verstappen, meanwhile, was around half a second slower than Leclerc, having experienced several lock-ups and off-track excursions but been left with a similarly positive feeling about his and the team’s prospects. “I think overall a good day,” he commented. “We learned quite a bit. Now it’s just about tidying up the things that we tried. But I think, so far, we have been more competitive this weekend, so that’s a positive.”

‘In the mix for pole’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/red-bull-drivers-hail-positive-and-promising-first-day-in-baku-with-perez.3B7zyE09VdphBaBqLPXivP


Alarm bells ring for Norris as he tells McLaren 'we've got a lot to find'
13 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Lando Norris was downbeat after the first two practice sessions during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. Norris does have some concerns over his car's performance. "We're quite a long way off. I'm having to push way too much to try and get a lap time out of it. I think where Oscar was is kind of more where we are. So I think if we nail it, we're just about there, but I'm sure they're not even close to nailing it yet. I think we have quite a lot to find, honestly," Norris said bluntly.

Norris and McLaren are chasing Red Bull in the F1 Constructors' Championship, but he sees a broader problem with more teams capable of winning in Baku. "Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, they're all very similar. And then there's a good three, four tenth gap back to us so a lot of work to do. Ferrari are very quick here. Mercedes will be quick with these track conditions. It's very slidey out there. We perform well on the higher grip circuits. Finding it difficult but we'll work hard tonight," Norris added.

‘Alarm bells ring’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300774/lando-norris-downbeat-after-f1-practice-in-baku.html


Ted Kravitz notes something ‘strange’ that Lando Norris said to the media at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
13 Sep 2024
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Ted Kravitz notes the ‘strange’ thing Lando Norris said to the media about Budapest. The topic of team orders at McLaren and whether they will prioritise Norris as their best chance to win the title has been going on since the Italian Grand Prix. Norris looked sick of the media in Azerbaijan as a result of the constant questioning as many try to figure out how the team are going to play it with their two drivers.

One of the major talking points from McLaren this season was back in Hungary, as Norris was forced to let Piastri back past for the win after the former ended up ahead after the second pit stop. Speaking on Ted’s Podbook, Ted Kravitz noted that Norris was questioned in the media pen about the matter in the wake of the discussion around team orders. The pit lane reporter could not help but be bewildered by the McLaren driver’s comments on the situation in Budapest.

“This is a strange thing that Lando said,” he said. “It was put to him, you know, what about the lost points in Hungary where you gave the position back to Oscar and arguably the P2 in Monza? And Lando said: ‘look I’ve not lost on any points. I’m very happy with how we’ve worked as a team and we’ve got the points that we deserve,’ so I think you can tell what’s going on there.”

‘Not lost on any points’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted-kravitz-notes-something-strange-that-lando-norris-said-to-the-media-at-the-azerbaijan-grand-prix/


Piastri “in the ballpark” in tight Azerbaijan GP battle
Oscar Piastri believes McLaren is “in the ballpark” following the opening day of running at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
14 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Piastri was fifth fastest in the day’s second practice session, half-a-tenth away from the time posted by Charles Leclerc. “I think it’s been a decent day,” the Australian reasoned. “It’s a bit hard to know at the moment, with the track evolving so much still, but our pace seems in the ballpark.”

“Very slippery, much slipperier than it has been, I would say, in the last few years,” Piastri said when asked about the conditions. I think that’s why we’re seeing the track get quicker and quicker. It’s not easy out there, definitely and it’s quite inconsistent, but the same challenge for everyone.”

“In the ballpark”;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-in-the-ballpark-in-tight-azerbaijan-gp-battle/

[Fortitude]

Full Azerbaijan GP FP3 results: Russell takes P1 from Leclerc, Norris P3.
George Russell just beats Charles Leclerc to P1 in the final free practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with both of them beating the McLaren of Lando Norris in P3.
14 Sep 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

In the final few minutes of the session, Russell was able to find the extra pace and set the fastest lap of the session, highlighting the straight-line speed that Mercedes have around the Baku City Circuit and showing that qualifying later in the day will be extremely close to call.

Behind him by just +0.050 seconds was Leclerc in the Ferrari, who has looked very consistent all weekend. The Monegasque driver is searching for his fourth pole position in a row in Baku. Norris, who has been off the pace for the majority of the weekend, finally put a lap together and showed he still has some speed with his McLaren.

Behind Norris was his teammate Oscar Piastri in P4, with Max Verstappen and his updated Red Bull only quick enough for P5 despite his first place in FP1 on Friday. Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez were P6 and P7, respectively.

‘FP3 results’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/300945/full-f1-results-from-fp3-at-the-azerbaijan-grand-prix-in-baku-2024.html


Azerbaijan GP: Free Practice 3 Results
14 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 63 George Russell Mercedes 15 1:42.514

2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 15 1:42.527 0.013

3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:42.737 0.223

4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 12 1:42.749 0.235

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 14 1:42.864 0.350

6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 15 1:42.968 0.454

7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 14 1:43.024 0.510

8 23 Alex Albon Williams 12 1:43.194 0.680

9 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 13 1:43.238 0.724

10 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 13 1:43.301 0.787

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

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


Azerbaijan Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 results
Who will find the sweet spot for their set-up ahead of a tricky qualifying session?
Sep 14, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

The light turned green, once again, with just over a third of the session to go. Norris was the first driver to exit the pitlane. The Briton hasn’t managed to set a lap time so far. The McLaren driver went quickest, setting a 1:44.226, going a tenth-and-a-half quicker than Albon’s time. Meanwhile, Hamilton went deep into Turn Three, bringing out brief yellow flags. Albon then responded, smashing Norris’ time with a 1:43.623.

However, Leclerc then went quicker with a 1:43.455. Verstappen set a time good enough for second, setting the fastest middle sector. The Dutchman found himself just over a tenth behind Leclerc. However, Verstappen’s teammate Perez managed to go quickest, going 0.066 seconds quicker than Leclerc. Piastri then smashed the Mexican’s time, going over six tenths quicker with a 1:42.749. The track is improving constantly. George Russell has endured a difficult FP3, with the latest issue going deep into Turn Two.

The Briton reported that “the ride feels terrible down the straight under braking”. Meanwhile, Hamilton set a lap good enough for second – over half-a-second behind Piastri. Leclerc then went quickest, once again, setting a 1:42.564. The Monegasque has been untouchable throughout the first sector with no other driver close. Verstappen set a time good enough for third, going quickest in the middle sector. Norris managed to go within two tenths of Leclerc. However, Russell managed to beat Leclerc’s time with a 1:42.514.

‘Who will find the sweet spot?’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/azerbaijan-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-3-results/?nowprocket=1


Azerbaijan GP FP3: Ocon stops on track to bring out red flags in final practice
Sep 14, 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Final practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was halted 15 minutes into the session after Esteban Ocon suffered a mechanical failure and was forced to park his Alpine on track.

‘Azerbaijan GP FP3’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/azerbaijan-gp-fp3-ocon-stops-on-track-to-bring-out-red-flags-in-final-practice.1810161270993582613


F1 Azerbaijan GP 2024 – Free Practice 3 Results
14 Sep 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

George Russell was fastest in FP3 at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP, the final practice session before Qualifying. With four teams in the fight for pole position, George Russell topped the timesheet of the third and final practice session in Baku, just ahead of Charles Leclerc in the 2024 Azerbaijan GP Free Practice 3 results.

Another practice session riddled with red flags as Esteban Ocon had an issue with his Alpine which brought his session to an early end, before Oliver Bearman misjudged Turn 1 and went into the barrier.

The session began under overcast skies and light drizzle, contrasting with the sunny conditions seen in FP1 and FP2. Drivers faced additional challenges on the Baku City Circuit, already known for its dusty and slippery surface. Although the track was slightly damp, slick tyres were still used, with drivers cautiously finding their rhythm.

‘Free Practice 3 Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-azerbaijan-gp-2024-free-practice-3-results/


Red Bull can counter McLaren in team orders battle in Azerbaijan GP, Christian Horner confirms
McLaren's infamous 'Papaya Rules' debacle has brought team orders into sharp focus in the 2024 F1 title battle with Red Bull
14 Sep 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Christian Horner underlined that Sergio Perez ‘100%’ knows his role is to support Max Verstappen‘s championship ambitions at Red Bull amid questions over team orders ahead of the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “You only have to think back to Abu Dhabi 2021 to see what a team player Checo is. So for us, the game plan is pretty straightforward. I’d love that headache, to be managing on the last few laps.”

But an optimistic Horner believes Red Bull have fixed the most pressing problems in time for Baku after heavy experimentation in free practice. “It’s still very very tight but I think we have a better balance in the car and Sergio is more in the comfort zone as well, so it will be about getting that lap perfectly correct,” Horner added.

“What we have been playing with is do you have more downforce to protect that degradation or have less downforce for the straight line speed but have more deg. It’s that fine line. Both drivers are reporting that the nasty characteristics they had in Monza aren’t there.”

‘McLaren's infamous 'Papaya Rules' debacle’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/red-bull-can-counter-mclaren-in-team-orders-battle-in-azerbaijan-gp-christian-horner-confirms/


FP3 Highlights: 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Watch highlights from third practice ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/fp3-highlights-2024-azerbaijan-grand-prix.1810167671951307239

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris dumped out in Q1 as McLaren apologise over team radio at Azerbaijan GP.
Norris abandoned his flying lap after Esteban Ocon brought out the yellow flags, condemning him to a P17 grid slot on Sunday. McLaren apologised to their star driver over the radio, but there was little they could do to improve his mood.
Sep 14, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lando Norris will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from 17th on the grid after the Brit was knocked out in Q1 following a late yellow flag on his final run of the session.

At the end of Q1, Williams, Haas and Alpine were all represented in the top seven positions. At the other of the order, there was a huge scalp.

‘Little they could do to improve his mood’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1948532/Azerbaijan-Grand-Prix-qualifying-results-Lando-Norris


Lando Norris reacts to huge F1 title blow in Azerbaijan GP qualifying shocker
Lando Norris wants to keep the pressure on Max Verstappen in the Formula 1 title race but suffered a major blow to his chances by failing to get out of Q1 in Baku
Sep 14, 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lando Norris suffered a huge blow to his Formula 1 title hopes as he failed to get out of Q1 during qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The McLaren racer had struggled in practice but would still have expected to be in the fight for pole position for the Baku race. However, it was not to be as he suffered an unexpected Q1 exit - the first time Norris has failed to reach the top 10 on the grid all season.

Track evolution was a major factor and everyone was improving significantly on their final flying laps of Q1. But Norris' was ruined when Esteban Ocon briefly went off track in the final sector, ahead of Norris. Yellow flags were waved and Norris had to slow or risk a punishment. He did so and, as a result, lost his chance to improve his time. He pulled into the pit lane instead of crossing the timing line to confirm his early exit from the session.

Briton smiled ruefully as he said: "Everyone did their second laps and I didn't so just unlucky, that's all. I have to lift [for the yellow flags]. “ Asked if he thinks he can cut through the pack in the race, he replied: "I'm going to have to hope so, aren't I? It is what it is. A long race ahead and we have some good tyres in the bank... I'm still hopeful. I think the car is quick and the lap I was on would have easily gone second. It's a bit frustrating, but nothing I can do."

‘Huge F1 title blow’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-norris-azerbaijan-gp-qualifying-33668995


Norris suffers shock early exit in Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying
Lando Norris' F1 title hopes have suffered a major blow.
14 Sept 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Lando Norris' F1 drivers' championship hopes suffered a major blow following a disastrous qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Norris will start 17th at the Baku Street Circuit, the McLaren driver's first Q1 exit since last year's inaugural race in Las Vegas.

The Briton headed straight into the pit lane rather than complete the lap, leaving him in a miserable position to start the grand prix, albeit on a track where overtaking is possible. "I had to lift," confirmed Norris, who goes into the race 62 points adrift of championship leader Max Verstappen.

"I had to lift";

https://racingnews365.com/norris-suffers-shock-early-exit-in-azerbaijan-grand-prix-qualifying


Azerbaijan GP Qualifying: Shock in Baku as Norris is knocked out in Q1
14 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Title contender Lando Norris will have it all to do in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after the McLaren man was knocked out of qualifying in Q1, down in 17th place.

‘Shock in Baku’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/azerbaijan-gp-qualifying-shock-in-baku-as-norris-is-knocked-out-in-q1.1810175109270308954


Azerbaijan GP: Qualifying Results
14 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:42.775 1:42.056 1:41.365

2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:43.033 1:42.598 1:41.686 0.321

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:43.357 1:42.503 1:41.805 0.440

4 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:43.213 1:42.263 1:41.813 0.448

5 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:43.139 1:42.329 1:41.874 0.509

6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:43.097 1:42.042 1:42.023 0.658

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:43.089 1:42.765 1:42.289 0.924

8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:43.472 1:42.426 1:42.369 1.004

9 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 1:43.138 1:42.473 1:42.530 1.165

10 23 Alex Albon Williams 1:42.899 1:42.840 1:42.859 1.494

‘Full results’;

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


McLaren’s Lando Norris out of Azerbaijan GP qualifying in first phase
Yellow flags meant the 24-year-old failed to put in a second fast lap in Q1
14 Sep 2024
The Irish Times

McLaren’s Formula One title challenger Lando Norris failed to make it out of the first phase of qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday and is set to start Sunday’s race in 17th place. The Briton missed out after a yellow flag warning meant he had to slow on his final attempt to get out of the bottom five.

The run-up to the race weekend has been dominated by talk of potential team orders at McLaren and Norris being helped by Australian team-mate Oscar Piastri, who went through to the second phase.

‘Potential team orders at McLaren talk’;

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/2024/09/14/mclarens-lando-norris-out-of-azerbaijan-gp-qualifying-in-first-phase/


Full Baku GP qualifying results | Leclerc takes pole, Piastri P2, Sainz P3
14 Sep 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Charles Leclerc makes it four pole positions in as many years at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix by taking pole position in Baku ahead of Oscar Piastri and Csrlos Saizn in P2 and P3, respectively. The Ferrari driver continues his Saturday dominance around the Baku City Circuit, making it his fourth pole on the bounce, giving him the perfect opportunity to back up his Italian Grand Prix win last time out.

Behind him was Piastri in P2, but his teammate Lando Norris was eliminated in a shock Q1 exit. Sainz took P3, with Sergio Perez only good enough for P4. George Russell was able to take P5 ahead of a slow Max Verstappen in P6, and an even slower Lewis Hamilton in P7. Fernando Alonso, Franco Colapinto and Alex Albon rounded out the top ten.

‘Leclerc takes pole’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301030/full-f1-results-from-qualfying-at-the-azerbaijan-grand-prix-2024.html

[Fortitude]

Villeneuve calls out Norris this time for Baku mistake.
According to the 1997 world champion, there is no doubt about Lando Norris being at fault for his early exit in Q1.
14 Sep 2024
Kada Sarkozi

Jacques Villeneuve: "It will be frustrating. I don't remember, I don't think you have to slow down until the yellow flag. And by the time you reach the post, the yellow flag was off. He actually did not need to slow down. So that's a little mistake. He also went off wide in the last corner. So it's not even sure his lap time would have been that good," the Canadian said on Sky Sports.

A difficult pill to swallow for McLaren in Baku: A shock result caused Lando Norris to finish only in P17 in qualifying. Why Andrea Stella struggled to understand why the yellow flags were waved that moment, Jacques Villeneuve declared that Norris' elimination is only the Briton's fault in Azerbaijan.

‘Difficult pill to swallow’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301114/f1-jacques-villeneuve-calls-out-lando-norris-this-time-azerbaijan-gp.html


Will Leclerc grab his chance to win in Baku – and even overhaul Norris?
14th Sep 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

It’s hard to believe that the roll-call of grand prix winners around the Baku City Circuit, including Nico Rosberg, Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas, does not feature the driver who now has four pole positions in Azerbaijan to his name. Charles Leclerc will lead the field away on Sunday’s formation lap for the fourth consecutive year, still in pursuit of his first victory in Baku.

“I’ll have to do a bit of homework tonight in order to get ready for tomorrow, but I’m not too worried that we’ll do the best job with our package and then we’ll see whether it’s good enough to win the race tomorrow or not.”

If he is able to win, there’s more than just a victory in the offering for him. Should Leclerc win and Norris fail to score a point, he will jump the McLaren driver to become the closest driver to Verstappen in the championship.

‘Will Leclerc grab his chance?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/14/will-leclerc-grab-his-chance-to-win-in-baku-and-even-overhaul-norris/


Piastri ‘had a lot less to lose’ in qualifying as he outlines plan to take early race lead in Baku
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

After qualifying on the front row in back-to-back races, Oscar Piastri is targeting polesitter Charles Leclerc to claim the race lead in Baku and finish McLaren’s rollercoaster weekend on a high. The papaya team’s drivers found themselves at opposite ends of the grid after qualifying in P2 and P17 respectively for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as Lando Norris fell victim to yellow flags in Q1 and failed to improve his lap time.

“[I] just tried to really get the most out of it,” Piastri said. “This track really rewards commitment, so on the last laps in Q3 I knew I had a lot less to lose so I just tried to maximise the car. It was feeling good all the way through, just didn’t maximise it much in the first part of qualifying, but very happy with Q3.

Asked whether he was planning to pass Leclerc into Turn 1, he said: “Yeah, definitely try and get into the lead. Clean air is beneficial everywhere so that would make life easier. I’m on the dirty side of the grid so that’s not going to help, but that’s definitely the plan.”

‘Plan to take early race lead’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/piastri-had-a-lot-less-to-lose-in-qualifying-as-he-outlines-plan-to-take.6tkPnkbrHLNd2CO5vrZCtg


Sainz pleased with P3 on a Baku track that ‘doesn’t come naturally’
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Carlos Sainz admitted Baku is a circuit that he’s “always struggled on”, so the Ferrari man was very satisfied to grab a P3 grid slot for Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

‘Doesn’t come naturally’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sainz-pleased-with-p3-on-a-baku-track-that-doesnt-come-naturally.1810180052482879128


‘Scary for the rest’: Jacques Villeneuve jokes F1 driver’s about to be ‘scary’ after what he heard in Baku
14 Sep 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Jacques Villeneuve joked one Formula 1 driver is about to become ‘scary’ good after what he heard from them after qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday. Perez qualified in P4 for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Verstappen only able to secure P6 with a 0.210-second deficit to his Red Bull teammate and 0.658s to pole. So, Villeneuve is tipping Perez to remain a threat given the team understand why he often struggled for pace.

“I’ve been telling [Red Bull] these issues since probably 10 races ago or maybe even halfway through last year,” Perez told Sky Sports F1 (14/09, 14:38). “It’s a development course we took with the car. With the driving styles, some drivers are more sensitive than the other.”

“Max wasn’t feeling it that much but lately it became so extreme that he ended up having similar issues. The team understands now where those issues are, which is great news for the team. It’s just, the main thing is how quickly we can fix them.” To which, Villeneuve responded: “So, that means you’ll become scary for the rest of the grid now to the end of the season?”

‘Become ‘scary’ good’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-jokes-f1-drivers-about-to-be-scary-after-what-he-heard-in-baku/


Russell reveals what ‘bodes well for the race’ for Mercedes, after qualifying P5
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

George Russell will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from the third row, but reckons Mercedes have an ace in the pack when it comes to their straight line speed.

‘Bodes well for the race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/russell-reveals-what-bodes-well-for-the-race-for-mercedes-after-qualifying-p5.1810178590449180856


Max Verstappen takes blame for poor Azerbaijan GP qualifying
The F1 world championship leader will start Sunday’s race in Baku from sixth on the grid
14 Sep 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

“I think some changes that we made going into qualifying, thinking they would improve the car, actually made it worse,” Verstappen told F1 TV at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP. “From the first lap I did in qualifying, I was not happy with the car, and I just tried to drive around it.”

“But when you’re not confident and comfortable with the car on a street circuit, you cannot push to the limit and I think that’s basically what happened. As soon as it matters, people start risking more, but I just didn’t feel comfortable enough to attack.”

“The car was very difficult—jumping a lot, losing contact with the tarmac. So, it wasn’t very nice. Of course, I went off in the last corner, which also didn’t help. All in all, it was quite disappointing.”

‘Max Verstappen takes blame’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max-verstappen-takes-blame-for-poor-azerbaijan-gp-qualifying/


“Same Saturday as always” - Lewis Hamilton makes familiar “tyres didn’t work” complaint
Lewis Hamilton's view on qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: :Same thing that happens every Saturday."
14 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

It was a familiar story for Lewis Hamilton at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as he struggled for tyre temperature in qualifying. “Yesterday the car was amazing, felt great. Honestly, I think it could have been at least second row today. Came today, the tyres didn’t work all day.” Lewis Hamilton.

“Tyres didn’t work”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1055517/1/same-saturday-always-lewis-hamilton-makes-familiar-tyres-didnt-work-complaint


Gasly disqualified from qualifying at Azerbaijan Grand Prix over fuel flow breach
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly has been disqualified from the results of qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after the stewards determined that his car had breached the fuel flow limit.

"The Technical Delegate reported that Car 10 [Gasly] exceeded the permitted 100Kg/h fuel mass flow on the final timed lap of Q2," read the note from the stewards confirming the Alpine driver's disqualification.

‘Gasly disqualified’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/breaking-gasly-disqualified-from-qualifying-at-azerbaijan-grand-prix-over.6ks7FOpUxuLLpmKwmX1xwh

[Fortitude]

Oscar Piastri wins Azerbaijan GP epic as Lando Norris rubs salt into Verstappen's wounds.
Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc enjoyed the battle of the season around the streets of Azerbaijan.
Sep 15, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Oscar Piastri held off Charles Leclerc in a sensational spectacle at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Further back, Lando Norris completed a noble comeback, recovering from P15 to P4 to finish ahead of title rival Max Verstappen.

Polesitter Leclerc looked comfortable out front throughout the opening stint, stretching out a lead of nearly five seconds before the first pit stops, but after some strong McLaren teamwork allowed Piastri to defend against a Sergio Perez undercut, the Australian was unleashed.

With his team-mate leading the way, Norris made his pit stop on lap 38, emerging in seventh place with a 15-second deficit to Verstappen ahead. Six laps later, the Dutchman’s advantage had been halved and on lap 49 he made the move stick.

‘Battle of the season’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1948785/Oscar-Piastri-Lando-Norris-Max-Verstappen-Azerbaijan-Grand-Prix


Azerbaijan GP: Race Results
15 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 51

2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 10.91

3 63 George Russell Mercedes 31.328

4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 36.143

5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 77.096

6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 86.526

7 23 Alex Albon Williams 88.05

8 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 89.864

9 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 91.958

10 50 Oliver Bearman Haas 93.212

‘Full results’;

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


F1 Azerbaijan GP 2024 – Race Results
15 Sep 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport

A mesmerising race long battle in Baku was eventually won by Oscar Piastri who took the chequered flag and to take victory ahead of Charles Leclerc in the 2024 Azerbaijan GP results.

In the final few laps with Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz fighting for second place, Sainz jumped Perez into Turn 1 then out of Turn 2, the Ferrari and Red Bull collided meaning the race ended under the Virtual Safety Car.

George Russell benefited from that collision and took the final podium position. Lando Norris, who started in 15th position, brilliantly recovered to take P4, jumping title-rival Max Verstappen in the process.

‘Race Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-azerbaijan-gp-2024-race-results/


Piastri wins classic Baku race after PHENOMENAL F1 duel with Leclerc
Today at 13:37
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Oscar Piastri has won a classic 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix after battling Charles Leclerc during the second half of the race. The two F1 drivers put on an incredible display of skill in the streets of Baku, with the McLaren driver getting the better result. Sergio Perez tried to get involved in the battle for the lead. The Mexican crashed with Carlos Sainz in the dying stages of the race, lifting George Russell to the podium.

Lando Norris did all he could to recover from a poor qualifying session, but there wasn't a safety car to aid his progress. He finished in fourth, one place ahead of his rival Verstappen so the Brit actually cut the gap to Verstappen in the World Championship. There is also good news for the Woking-based team as McLaren took the lead of the Constructors' Championship. For the first time since May 2022, Red Bull do not sit at the top of the standings.

The Grand Prix featured a phenomenal duel between Piastri and Leclerc for the lead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The battle lasted more or less the entire length of the second stint, with a third different constructor (Sergio Perez) also getting in on the action at times. The duel saw a bold overtake from Piastri, various attacking attempts from Leclerc to regain the lead and crafty dummy radio calls with Ferrari teasing an undercut. It was the McLaren driver who won the duel. Leclerc's grip ran out at the end of the race, which put him under pressure from Perez. Perez dropped behind Sainz, and then the two drivers crashed.

‘PHENOMENAL F1 duel’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301331/oscar-piastri-wins-f1-azerbaijan-grand-prix-in-baku.html


Azerbaijan Grand Prix: F1 Race Results: The Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw a last minute crash and a change for the lead in the Constructors' Championship after a stressful battle for the lead
Sep 15, 2024
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

Final laps: With 11 laps left, Leclerc radioed that Piastri was starting to struggle with his tyres. Despite that though, Leclerc still couldn’t retake the lead. Meanwhile, Hamilton fought with Bearman and overtook him for 12th. This put him behind Colapinto. The top four drivers were soon all in contention for the race win with Sainz now only two seconds behind Perez, who was within DRS range of Leclerc, who was within DRS range of Piastri.

However, Leclerc dropped Perez and Sainz and was told by his engineer to “Come on!”. He did, unfortunately, drop back slightly, but Piastri kissed the wall at Turn 15. Sainz then started to close up behind Perez, who had re-entered DRS range behind Leclerc. The Monegasque though had fallen out of DRS range behind Piastri, with the gap 1.242 seconds on lap 47.

With a gap now between Piastri and Leclerc, Perez was putting the pressure on the Leclerc, who said he has no rear tyres. Whilst Perez was putting the pressure on, Norris was putting the pressure on Verstappen as he got within less than a second behind the Red Bull. The final three laps saw Norris overtake his championship rival for P6. Virtual Safety Car: Perez then overtook Leclerc, but Leclerc came back fighting, pushing Perez wide and Sainz came through too. But unfortunately, Sainz and Perez then made contact and both crashed out.

‘Last minute crash and a change for the lead in the Constructors' Championship’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/azerbaijan-grand-prix-f1-race-results/?nowprocket=1


Sainz and Perez in massive crash on penultimate lap of Azerbaijan GP
What a spectacular ending!
15 Sep 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez were involved in a massive crash on the penultimate lap of an enthralling Azerbaijan Grand Prix. With McLaren's Oscar Piastri managing to stretch his lead out front after being hounded for 30 laps by Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari, the Monégasque then started to lose his rear tyres. That allowed Red Bull's Perez to push for second place, but with Sainz also closing in as he sensed a podium.

At the start of lap 50, Perez went for a move on Leclerc, only for the latter to hug the barrier at Turn 1 and force the Mexican wide. IN turn, Sainz seized his opportunity to make a move on Perez and claim third place. Sainz, though, was slow out and that allowed Perez to pull himself back alongside and attempt to reclaim third between Turns 2 and 3. But as Sainz shifted marginally to his left, Perez ran into the side of the SF-24, with the impact sending both hurtling into a wall on their left-hand side.

Perez, winner of this race twice in the past, was incredulous over the radio, while Sainz simply asked: "What happened? What happened?" The race then finished behind the safety car, with Piastri taking the chequered flag ahead of Leclerc. Mercedes' George Russell was promoted onto the podium, with McLaren's Lando Norris fourth and Max Verstappen in his Red Bull fifth.

‘Massive crash on the penultimate lap’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-and-perez-in-massive-crash-on-penultimate-lap-of-azerbaijan-gp

[Fortitude]

Piastri ignored his race engineer to pull off race-winning pass on Leclerc.
Oscar Piastri revealed he disregarded an instruction from his race engineer to pull off the overtaking move which won him the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
15 Sep 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Piastri said his race engineer Tom Stallard urged him to treat his tyres gently at the beginning of both stints, but ignored him both times, and on the second occasion pulled off the pass which got him into the lead. Getting into clean air at that stage “won me the race,” said Piastri.

“I felt a bit sorry for my race engineer because I basically tried to do that [pass] in the first stint and completely cooked my tyres. So my engineer came on the radio and said, ‘let’s not do that again’, basically. And I completely ignored him the next lap and sent it down the inside. At that point, I felt [that] trying to stay back and wait for Charles to deg[rade his tyres] was never going to happen. I thought we was just going to secure us P2.”

“I had a similar opportunity in the first stint. I felt like on lap two or three, I was just within DRS, but didn’t fully capitalise on that opportunity. And I got to the end of the straight thinking ‘if I had have done a couple of things a bit differently here, I maybe had a chance’. So when I had a similar opportunity after the pit stop, I had to take it. And I wouldn’t be sat here without that.”

‘Ignored his race engineer’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/15/piastri-ignored-his-race-engineer-to-pull-off-race-winning-pass-on-leclerc/


‘He was perfect’: Jacques Villeneuve shares why Oscar Piastri’s Baku win was better than his maiden F1 victory
15 Sep 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Oscar Piastri’s second win better because he ‘didn’t crack under pressure’. Jacques Villeneuve is a man who knows a lot about having the bottle to claim race victories and world championship in Formula 1. He claimed the title in his sophomore season back in 1997, and had 11 race victories across his decade-long career.

Speaking about Piastri’s performance on Sky Sports F1, he admitted that it was about as faultless as you could expect. “Piastri’s win in Hungary is in the books, but this [Azerbaijan] is the one that he just mastered himself,” he said. “He did the overtaking, he was quick after, he didn’t crack under pressure. He was perfect.”

‘He was perfect’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-shares-why-oscar-piastris-baku-win-was-better-than-his-maiden-f1-victory/


Oscar Piastri makes typical remark as McLaren driver admits he had "50-50" chance of crashing
Azerbaijan Grand Prix winner Oscar Piastri got away with a risky move as he overtook pole-sitter Charles Leclerc and proceeded to hold on for his second victory of 2024
15 Sep 2024
By Tom Victor Sport Trends Writer
The Mirror

"To be honest, when I hit the brakes I was like 'There's a 50-50 chance whether I make this corner or not'," Piastri said. Leclerc put on a brave face as he attempted to explain why the recovery never came.

"Yeah I just broke the way I was breaking normally," the Ferrari driver admitted. "I saw you go in so I was like 'He's not going to release the brakes... okay, I'll just let him go and take the DRS and try to overtake you', and that never happened."

"To be honest there were about 10 laps where I thought it was going to happen," Piastri replied. "But once I got clean air I thought 'Okay, maybe my life will be a bit easier now'."

"50-50";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/piastri-leclerc-azerbaijan-grand-prix-33673619


How Oscar Piastri won the 2024 Azerbaijan GP
Piastri produced a thrilling overtake on Lap 20 to take the lead from Charles Leclerc
15 Sep 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Oscar Piastri’s expert race-reading ability. The 23-year-old Australian is known for his very cool head behind the wheel and his exceptional ability to decisively read the race picture and make the bold decisions... The moment came on Lap 20 when he made an audacious lunge on Leclerc into Turn 1 from far back, managing to scoop the car up on the exit before slamming the door firmly shut in the face of his rival through Turn 2.

It wasn’t something anyone, including Ferrari, were expecting him to do at that moment but it turned out to be a race-winning brave move by earning him the crucial free air he described as “king” at the 2024 Belgian GP. “I went for a pretty big lunge but I managed and then hung on for dear life for the next laps. Once he dropped out of DRS it was a little bit more relaxing but there’s no relaxing lap around here.” Oscar Piastri.

‘Thrilling overtake’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/how-oscar-piastri-won-the-2024-azerbaijan-gp/


Oscar Piastri’s win adds further complications to McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’ enforcement
15 Sep 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

The driver that launched his team ahead of Red Bull in the WCC was Oscar Piastri – mere days after McLaren admitted its so-called “papaya rules” would now begin favouring teammate Lando Norris.

In effect, “papaya rules” refer to McLaren’s rules of engagement between drivers. Now, even the decision to implement Norris-biased papaya rules has fallen flat.

With seven Grands Prix remaining in 2024, there will be plenty of opportunities for Norris to reestablish his place at the head of the McLaren team, and perhaps to usurp Max Verstappen in the championship standings. But if McLaren wants that to happen, it’s high time to get definitive.

‘Further complications to McLaren’s ‘papaya rules’ enforcement’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/mclaren-papaya-rules-complication-oscar-piastri-lando-norris-baku-win


McLaren answer: Do team orders change after Piastri's victory?
15 Sep 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Oscar Piastri has won his second ever Grand Prix in Azerbaijan, after overtaking Charles Leclerc on the second stint. The Australian has now equalled Lando Norris' number of victories as well. Following the race, team principal Andrea Stella explained whether this changes the team orders declared ahead of the weekend in Baku.

"I think I said already that we have two number one drivers, effectively. And having two number one drivers means that we approach things, first of all, in the interest of the team. The interest of the team is to win the Constructors' Championship. And yes, it's to win also the Drivers' Championship," the Italian team principal began to explain to GPblog and others following the Azerbaijan GP. "Lando was in the most favourable position before his race. I think he still is in the most favourable position. So more naturally, we would have supported Lando."

Stella continued by saying that, on the other hand, Norris could also help Piastri out today, even as he is the favoured driver. "I think we have evidence today that actually, interestingly, it was Lando supporting Oscar and enabling Oscar's victory thanks to driving for the team and driving to support his teammates. So I think that remains our approach. We always intended to review after every event with each driver, with the driver together, what was going to be the best approach for the next races. We will do it and set the plan for Singapore," he concluded.

‘Team order changes’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301485/mclaren-team-orders-change-oscar-piastri-victory-f1-baku-lando-norris.html


Lando Norris satisfied to play ‘small part’ in Oscar Piastri’s F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix win
15 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Lando Norris has expressed that he was satisfied to have managed a “small part” in helping McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri win Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Perez’s progress being disrupted behind Norris enabled Piastri to box two laps later and retain the place, where he then proceeded to pass Charles Leclerc to triumph.

“At that point I was still kind of stuck behind Alex [Albon], so I couldn’t do a lot,” Norris told Sky Sports F1. “I didn’t slow down, I just saved my tyres a little bit more as they were overheating a little bit.”

“It allowed Oscar to stay ahead and potentially get the win today, so I’m happy to know I played a small part in that, and for us as a team, that’s what we need to do.”

‘Perez’s progress being disrupted behind Norris’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/15/lando-norris-satisfied-to-play-small-part-in-oscar-piastris-azerbaijan-f1-grand-prix-win/


Lando Norris' F1 world title bid back from the dead as bold Brit cuts through the field to take down Max Verstappen and narrow gap by three points, writes JONATHAN McEVOY
15 Sep 2024
Jonathan McEvoy and Dmcontent
MailOnline

It looked all over, and then the body twitched. That is how Lando Norris’s world championship hopes refused to die in the space of a topsy-turvy 24 hours. On Saturday night, he qualified 17th for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the third-last place you want to be when you stand 62 points behind Max Verstappen with eight races remaining.

Last night, he could look back on a fine day’s work. One touched by a little luck, but at the centre of his fourth-place finish was a mighty drive in a lickety-split McLaren. Verstappen, who started sixth, finished fifth, his lead trimmed to 59 points.

‘Back from the dead’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-13853265/Lando-Norris-F1-world-title-bid-dead-bold-Brit-cuts-field-Max-Verstappen-narrow-gap-three-points-writes-JONATHAN-McEVOY.html

[Fortitude]

Vasseur frustrated after Leclerc displayed 'mega' pace in Baku.
Speaking of the race, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur said that the Scuderia will need to find out what has caused the issues during the hard-tyre stint after Leclerc dominated the opening stages of the race on the mediums.
16 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Despite having displayed dominant qualifying and race pace in Baku, Charles Leclerc lost another opportunity to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Ferrari's team boss Fred Vasseur was understandably disheartened after the race, and stressed that the Scuderia need to clear several questions regarding its tyre management on the hard compound.

"The first part of the race went very well for Charles and his pace was mega. Then we need to analyse the laps immediately after his pit stop as the pace proved to be too slow and in the end he had no tyres left anyway. Probably we were a bit too conservative at the start of the second stint but having to drive in dirty air was difficult for Charles and the result was it damaged the tyres. We will review everything carefully.”

‘What has caused the issues?;’

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25484


Vasseur laments Ferrari tyre approach after Baku disappointment
Despite claiming pole position, Charles Leclerc was beaten to victory in Baku by McLaren's Oscar Piastri
15 Sep 2024
Adriano Boin
Total Motorsport

Fred Vasseur believes the 2024 Azerbaijan GP was a missed opportunity for Ferrari, as Charles Leclerc‘s hopes of victory failed to materialise despite starting on pole position with the team principal pointing to Ferrari’s tyre approach. Vasseur noted that Ferrari‘s pace during the first stint may have actually worked against them as it resulted in a false sense of optimism.

Vasseur indicated that Ferrari took a conservative tyre approach after switching to the hard tyres, which gave Piastri the opening to pass Leclerc and take the win. “In the first stint we felt very comfortable, especially with Charles. We dominated that part of the race. Perhaps, however, we were also far too optimistic then,” Vasseur told select members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com.

“The pit stop was okay, but we lost in both inlap and outlap. The first few laps with the tyre was important for the second stint, but it was probably not the right approach. We were immediately overtaken, and it was difficult to try to pass Piastri. And staying so long in dirty air damaged Charles’ tires.

‘Missed opportunity for Ferrari’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/vasseur-ferrari-tyre-approach-2024-azerbaijan-gp-disappointment/


Leclerc pinpoints two errors that cost him victory at Azerbaijan GP
Leclerc had a six-second lead on Oscar Piastri going into the pit-stop phase of the 2024 Azerbaijan GP
15 Sep 2024
Adriano Boin
Total Motorsport

After the race Leclerc admitted he should have given Piastri a harder time when fighting for top spot, and revealed he and Ferrari were at a bit of a loss as to how McLaren were able to make the undercut so powerful.

“I think today we lost the race based on two misjudgments,” Leclerc told select members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com. “The first one I explained earlier: not fighting Oscar more was a mistake from my side, because then, with the different configurations, we were struggling to actually overtake back on the straight.”

“The second one is exactly this. We expected the undercut today to be a very difficult thing to do, just because we thought that the warm up on the hard will be extremely difficult. For some reason, I don’t really have the explanation yet, but we’ve got to look into how the gap went from six seconds to one and a half, because that is definitely not what we expected and that is a lot, even on a track where undercut are big.”

‘Two errors that cost him victory’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/charles-leclerc-pinpoints-two-errors-cost-victory-2024-azerbaijan-gp/


Leclerc: ‘I didn’t quite defend as well as I should have’ in Azerbaijan GP
There was plenty of action on the streets of Baku, including a dramatic late collision
Sept 16, 2024
Freddie Cotton
FormulaNerds

Small Margins: After the race, Leclerc was asked by F1 media to pinpoint the moment that the race started to fall away from him: “I think as soon as we put the hard tyres on. The mediums were very competitive and the car felt good”, he said in response.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t do any high fuel running on my side in FP1/FP2 and we went for a set-up direction that maybe in the race was a bit more difficult to manage. Especially on the hard tyres, I was really struggling to just keep those rear tyres.”

“Towards the end I really thought that… in one corner or two I thought that I would put it in the wall. It was very close, but [we ended up] second today.”

‘Plenty of action’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/leclerc-i-didnt-quite-defend-as-well-as-i-should-have-in-azerbaijan-gp/?nowprocket=1


Charles Leclerc: Ferrari must review lost pit stop time to McLaren in F1 Azerbaijan GP
Sept 16, 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc has insisted that Ferrari must review the circumstances which saw him lose vital time to Oscar Piastri in the pits in Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

“We expected the undercut today to be a very difficult thing to do, because we thought that the warm-up on the Hard would be extremely difficult,” Leclerc explained. I don’t really have the explanation yet because I haven’t gone into details.”

“But we’ve got to look into how the gap went from six seconds to one and a half, because that is definitely not what we expected. And that is a lot. Even on a track where undercuts are big, it’s still four seconds and a half or four seconds – a lot of lap time loss, which I don’t exactly know why and where we’ve lost this lap time.”

‘Gap went from six seconds to one and a half’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/16/charles-leclerc-ferrari-must-review-lost-pit-stop-time-to-mclaren-in-f1-azerbaijan-gp/


‘Cocky’ Carlos Sainz ‘got into trouble’ in Baku with ‘beginners’ crash verdict issued
16 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ralf Schumacher says Carlos Sainz got “cocky” in his late charge in Baku while Helmut Marko has dubbed it a “beginners” crash that shouldn’t happen with drivers of Sainz and Sergio Perez’s experience. Perez called Sainz a “f**king idiot” as he made it clear he felt the Ferrari driver was to blame while Sainz questioned “what happened”.

Schumacher answered that, telling Sky Deutschland: “Sainz came along, [then] Sainz got really cocky and wanted his own team-mate too. “He didn’t know where to go and got into trouble. For whatever reason, he moved over, but Perez didn’t move to the side either. They touched each other and I say misery against misery.”

The German added: “Both have so much experience, that doesn’t have to happen so close to the end. You have to take the points.” Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko agreed with Schumacher’s take on the collision that Sainz was the one who caused it by moving over. “I see a rather abrupt movement to the left by Sainz, which ultimately caused this crash,” he said. “I completely agree with Ralf.”

‘Cocky’ Carlos Sainz ‘got into trouble’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/cocky-carlos-sainz-into-trouble-baku-beginners-crash-verdict


Sainz explains 'drift' that led to Perez crash in Azerbaijan GP
Carlos Sainz saw a potential podium in Baku end in tears following a late-race incident with Sergio Perez.
15 Sep 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz has explained the "drift" that resulted in his race-ending crash with Sergio Perez at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. When asked to detail what he would tell the stewards, Sainz told media, including RacingNews365: “That I did my normal racing line and the line that we all do on every lap of this track. Exiting Turn 2, we always drift a bit towards the left, but without doing any weird or erratic manoeuvre.”

‘We always drift a bit towards the left…’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-explains-drift-that-led-to-perez-crash-in-azerbaijan-gp


Carlos Sainz denies he was “aggressive” in race-ending Sergio Perez crash
Carlos Sainz doesn't think he was "aggressive" during his race-ending clash with Sergio Perez.
15 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

“I didn’t do any erratic manoeuvres or aggressive moves on Checo. For some reason, which I still don’t understand, we collided. That was the end.”

“I still don’t understand…’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1055609/1/carlos-sainz-denies-he-was-aggressive-race-ending-sergio-perez-crash

[Fortitude]

Mercedes “not fooling ourselves” over Baku performance after Russell’s podium.
“Inheriting a podium and finishing third is better than we expected, but we are not fooling ourselves that, on pace today, we were P5,” said Wolff.
16th September 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

George Russell was promoted from fifth to third by the collision between Carlos Sainz Jnr and Sergio Perez at the end of the race. Wolff said the team know that flattered their performance in Baku. “We will analyse the race and weekend as a whole. The second half of our grand prix on the hard tyre was encouraging. George was able to keep the temperatures under control and, having driven within himself early in the stint, was able to deliver strong pace in the closing stages.” Toto Wolff.

“Not fooling ourselves”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/16/racefans-round-up-16-09-7/


Why Russell is 'infuriated' despite inheriting Baku podium
Sep 15, 2024
Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

An Azerbaijan Grand Prix podium fell into George Russell's lap in the final laps - yet the Mercedes Formula 1 man found the Baku race "pretty infuriating" and struggled to hide his frustrations in the aftermath.

"We'll definitely take the podium but it was such an odd race," Russell remarked post-race to F1TV, before launching into something of an unprompted tirade. "The first half of the race, we were 1.5s off the pace. The last 20 laps, I was a second quicker than Oscar [Piastri] and Charles [Leclerc] and three tenths quicker than Max, Checo and Carlos.”

"It's the same circuit, same driver, same car. We just went from a yellow tyre [medium] to a white tyre [hard]. Honestly, it's actually pretty infuriating that it changes this much."

'Infuriated';

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/george-russell-infuriated-despite-baku-f1-podium/


George Russell demands 'serious conversations' as Mercedes ace fuming at Azerbaijan GP
George Russell scored an impressive result in Baku but was furious when he stepped out of the cockpit.
Sep 15, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell has demanded 'serious conversations' about the performance of F1's Pirelli tyres after labelling his experience on the Italian manufacturer's rubber as 'infuriating' in Baku.

“It’s the same circuit, same driver, same car – we just went from a yellow tyre to a white tyre. Honestly, it is actually pretty infuriating that it changes this much. It’s not just the Mercedes, it’s every team and every driver. One session, you’re fast, the next you’re not. And there’s only one thing that changes.”

Russell continued his rant, pointing fingers at Pirelli. He fumed: "I think even the people who make the tyres don’t understand the tyre. I think we all need probably serious conversations again about what’s going on, because we’ve got 2,000 people working their butts off to deliver the fastest car.”

‘People who make the tyres don’t understand the tyre’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1948851/George-Russell-Mercedes-Azerbaijan-Grand-Prix


Russell “shocked” by minute-long VSC delay after Sainz-Perez crash
15th September 2024
Will Wood
RacingNews365

George Russell was “shocked” by how long race control took to deploy the Virtual Safety Car after the crash on the penultimate lap of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Speaking after the race, Russell said the most difficult part of the race was “driving full gas into a wall of carbon fibre on the penultimate lap.”

“That was pretty crazy,” Russell continued. “The sun was coming down. You couldn’t see anything. I was shocked the Safety Car or VSC obviously didn’t come out sooner. The car could have been anywhere. Glad to see everybody was okay. It was a long old race and glad to be on the podium.”

‘Minute-long VSC delay’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/15/russell-shocked-by-minute-long-vsc-delay-after-sainz-perez-crash/


Russell reveals 'shock' after Sainz-Perez collision
15 Sep 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

George Russell has highlighted his “shock” that a safety car intervention was not called sooner following the penultimate lap crash between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez. The duo came together on the straight between Turns 2 and 3 as they battled for the final spot on the podium.

Mercedes driver Russell benefited from the coming together as he leapt from fifth to third to secure his third podium of the year. But when asked to pinpoint his most difficult moment of the grand prix, Russell replied: “Driving full gas into a wall of carbon fibre on the penultimate lap. That was pretty crazy.”

'Shock';

https://racingnews365.com/russell-reveals-shock-after-sainz-perez-collision


Lewis Hamilton reveals component on Mercedes F1 car “wasn’t correctly built”
"One of the components wasn’t correctly built. That led us the wrong way then on Saturday."
15 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking to media including Crash.net after the race in Baku, Hamilton said: “We had a great car on Friday. We made the tiniest changes into Saturday. One of the components wasn’t correctly built. That led us the wrong way then on Saturday.

“We didn’t find out until the end of the day. Being this race was the best race they said at least to make the change. “We need one engine as I lost one earlier. We knew it was going to be a tough day.” Crash.net asked Hamilton what the component was but he refused to comment.

“Wasn’t correctly built”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1055606/1/lewis-hamilton-reveals-component-mercedes-f1-car-wasnt-correctly-built


Hamilton makes remarkable Mercedes 'yank' revelation
Lewis Hamilton salvaged two points after a recovery drive in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
16 Sep 2024
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he had to "yank" his steering wheel throughout the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, in an attempt to turn his Mercedes W15. Hamilton was forced to use an unusual driving-style in a bid to "slide" his W15 through all the corners, caused by the 39-year-old having too much front-end and no rear-end.

He made multiple remarks over the radio during the race, in a bid for the Brackley-based outfit to see how he was having to drive. The steering difficulties for Hamilton were triggered by a poor car balance, which the 105-time race winner made a staggering revelation over.

"It was the worst balance I probably ever had, one of the worst balances," Hamilton told select media including RacingNews365. "Basically I had so much front-end and no rear. [To turn] I had to yank the steering to break the traction from the front, slide the front through every corner. It's the weirdest way to drive."

‘Had to "yank" his steering wheel’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-makes-remarkable-mercedes-yank-revelation


Toto Wolff responds to Lewis Hamilton’s ‘you see how I’m driving this thing’ W15 comment
17 Sep 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Team boss Toto Wolff took to team radio afterward to tell Hamilton: “Lewis, good to make it to the end, that was a horror race. I can so relate to it, we can all relate to it. At least we have taken the penalty now. Let’s move forward, look forward.”

Hamilton didn’t respond to Wolff’s radio call, with race engineer Pete Bonnington telling his driver “Well done” as Hamilton returned to the pits.

‘You see how I’m driving this thing W15’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-lewis-hamilton-you-see-how-im-driving-this-thing-w15-azerbaijan-gp


Lewis Hamilton's response to Toto Wolff's radio message sums up Mercedes 'disaster'
Lewis Hamilton finished ninth at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, having started from the pit lane after being penalised for exceeding his power unit allowance this season
16 Sep 2024
Nathan Ridley Senior Sports Reporter
The Mirror

A disgruntled Lewis Hamilton stayed silent after boss Toto Wolff admitted that Mercedes had a 'horror race' at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Hamilton was silent, though, continuing to drive before his engineer, Peter Bonnington, resumed communication to guide the Brit back to the garage. With just seven Grands Prix remaining before he moves to Ferrari, Hamilton is desperate to finish his final season with the Silver Arrows on a high after 11 stellar years.

‘Hamilton was silent’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-toto-wolff-mercedes-33677469

[Fortitude]

Gutted Christian Horner claims Sergio Perez could have won F1 Azerbaijan GP.
Red Bull’s gutted team principal Horner told Sky Sports about Perez: “He deserved a lot more. Carlos drifts across the circuit.”
15 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Christian Horner insisted that Sergio Perez could have won the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix without the misfortune that hindered him. “Very disappointing. He should have, at least, been on the podium. It destroyed the race for Checo, it did a lot of damage, and cost us vital points in the constructors’ championship.”

Horner was asked if Perez could have caught Piastri before his crash with Sainz. “Difficult,” he responded. “Unfortunately he lost quite a bit of time on his out-laps after Alex Albon. “Then Lando cost him dearly which gave Oscar the track position.”

“Without that, he would have won the race today. It’s one of those things that is heartbreaking for the team, to lose a podium in the dying laps of the race.”

‘Deserved a lot more’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1055602/1/gutted-christian-horner-claims-sergio-perez-could-have-won-f1-azerbaijan-gp


Anatomy of Azerbaijan F1 chaos as Sergio Perez labels Carlos Sainz ‘F------ idiot’ – plus who was at fault
Rivals’ collision on dramatic penultimate lap sparks fury with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri claiming victory
15 Sep 2024
Luke Slater
The Telegraph

Telegraph Sport’s verdict: This was a pretty amateurish crash but the blame should fall more on Sainz’s shoulders. As the stewards noted, it is always the case that both drivers can almost always do more to avoid a collision, but that does not mean liability should be apportioned equally.

The comments about normal racing lines are one thing – and go some way to exonerating Sainz – but should they really be applicable when cars are battling in close quarters? At that point, “normal” racing lines tend to overlap significantly.

In the replays you can see Sainz checks his mirrors just before he moves over, however slightly, on Pérez. The sun, which was low in the sky at this point in the day, could have decreased Sainz’s visibility too. Still, he was the one who moved on to Pérez and said he knew he was there.

‘F1 chaos’;

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/09/15/azerbaijan-gp-chaos-sergio-perez-carlos-sainz-verdict-fault/


Perez left “super frustrated” as Sainz collision costs podium shot
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

“I’m super frustrated that we both ended up our weekends like that for our teams,” he said when asked by this writer about the incident. And it’s just a shame, because when we exited Turn 2, there was a metre between the cars, and then within a metre or two, we ended up making contact.” Sergio Perez.

“Obviously I understand what Carlos was trying to do, to follow Charles’s tow, but I was there, and it all happened very quickly. As he was having more speed the way he moved meant that he touched my front right tyre quite quickly.”

“Super frustrated”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/15/perez-left-super-frustrated-as-sainz-collision-costs-podium-shot/


Sergio Perez fumes at Carlos Sainz in team radio spray after 'disastrous' crash
Sep 15, 2024
Damien McCartney
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

Sainz looked to make a move around the outside of his teammate into the corner, which then compromised his exit and allowed Perez to come back at him on the long run to turn three.

It was here that Sainz' left-rear tyre made light contact with Perez' front-right, which turfed them both into the concrete wall on the left hand side of the Baku street circuit. "What the f---, is he an idiot or what? Is he crazy or what? F---ing idiot!" Perez raged on team radio as the two cars came to a grinding halt.

“Is he crazy or what?”;

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motorsport/f1-news-2024-azerbaijan-grand-prix-sergio-perez-carlos-sainz-crash-reaction-comments-video-20240916-p5kau8.html


Unseen Footage Shows Sergio Perez Confront Carlos Sainz After Crash
16 Sep 2024
Alp Salfur
Give Me Sport

The Mexican Red Bull driver had made his immediate thoughts post-accident clear with a tirade of expletives on the team radio. All the while, Sainz just couldn't believe what had happened.

In the footage shared by Sky Sports, it can be seen from Perez's onboard camera that he approached the Spaniard, who was still in his Ferrari, before seemingly tapping on the latter's helmet and showing clear frustration towards his rival.

‘Unseen Footage’;

https://www.givemesport.com/unseen-footage-sergio-perez-confront-carlos-sainz-crash-f1/


Perez’s father rushed to hospital after late Baku crash
Sergio Perez's father, Antonio Perez Garibay, was hospitalised on Sunday after suffering a pre-infarction.
17 Sep 2024
Roy Stroot & Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Antonio Perez Garibay, the father of F1 driver Sergio Perez, was hospitalised on Sunday following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The 65-year-old former politician was found unconscious in his bathroom and rushed to a hospital in Mexico City. When in hospital, it was revealed that Perez Senior suffered a pre-infarction.

The incident, according to the PR department, reportedly occurred right after his son's crash in Baku, after which the Mexican Red Cross treated him. However, it has not been confirmed whether Perez is still in the hospital or has since returned home, but Mediotiempo reports that while he remains under care, he should be permitted to leave the hospital on Tuesday.

Antonio Perez himself, from the hospital, commented on the incident to Mediotiempo: “Everything happened after the accident. “The shock of the accident may have caused this. They are already checking my heart to see why I fainted.”

‘The incident... ...reportedly occurred right after his son's crash’;

https://racingnews365.com/perezs-father-rushed-to-hospital-after-late-baku-crash


[B]Horner refuses to give up in championship battle: 'We took a big hit'
16 Sep 2024
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com

Christian Horner has not put the possibility of conquering both the Driver and Consturctor Championships out of his mind, he explained to GPblog and other media. "We took a big hit in the constructors today, but we've got 20 points deficit now. So we've got to attack. We've still got seven races to go, two sprint races to go. But there's a lot of points up for grabs and a lot of different circuits coming up. So it's far from over."

Meanwhile, it is clear that the upcoming race in Singapore will not see any updates on Verstappen's and Perez's cars. After the race in Asia, there will be a three-week break before the US Grand Prix in Austin. There, Red Bull plans to use an improved version of the RB20. "We're pushing hard," Horner said. "We're now not defending, we're chasing, so it changes the dynamic again. And we're just going to throw everything at it."

"We're pushing hard";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301683/christian-horner-defends-red-bull-falling-behind-mclaren-but-won-t-give-up.html


Verstappen warns McLaren: 'Then they need a perfect season ending'
16 Sep 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Max Verstappen thinks Red Bull Racing has taken a clear step in the right direction in Baku. Verstappen may have had a disappointing result in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but he said earlier this weekend that his team had made clear progress. Thefore, the his previous description of calling the car a 'monster' no longer applies to the RB20.

All in all, Verstappen remained positive after the weekend in Azerbaijan. "Of course, I would have liked to extend the gap. But, yeah, with our race today, I'm still happy that it was only that," said the Red Bull driver. He also added: "I think if we do a better job ourselves, they [McLaren] need to have a perfect end to the year."

‘Verstappen warns McLaren’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301609/f1-max-verstappen-warns-mclaren-after-red-bull-improvements-baku.html


Horner has one clear goal for Red Bull: 'Help Verstappen against Norris'
15 Sep 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Christian Horner remained clear about team orders at Red Bull Racing. Now, the British team principal has once again declared that the team's focus is helping Max Verstappen to win his fourth drivers' title. '' We've got a driver that's fighting for a world championship. It's a team sport, so it's very clear that Checo’s job is there to support Max to the end of the year.''

'Help Verstappen against Norris';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301459/christian-horner-finds-mclaren-s-approach-odd.html


Horner finds saving grace in Azerbaijan after difficult day for Red Bull
15 September at 20:00
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Sergio Perez looked to be on course to finish on the podium at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but his hopes of finishing in the top 3 in Grand Prix for the first time since China ended after he crashed out with Carlos Sainz. Moreover, Max Verstappen finished in P5, and McLaren now leads the constructors' standings as well. Christian Horner referred to the Azerbaijan weekend as a "frustrating" one, but he still found some positives.

"It's frustrating, particularly after where Lando qualified, that we didn't beat him today. But thankfully, he hasn't scored big points. But we've got to build on what we've learned already and there's still a lot of racing to do," Horner remained confident.

‘Still found some positives’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301513/f1-christian-horner-saving-grace-red-bull-max-verstappen-lando-norris-title.html

[Fortitude]

Rookie Colapinto impresses at Williams: Was Sainz the right choice for '25?
Franco Colapinto has only two Grands Prix to his name, but the Argentine has demonstrated he is an asset to Formula 1.
16 Sep 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

His eighth-place finish in Baku—even ahead of Lewis Hamilton—is proof that Williams made the right decision to bring him in as a replacement for the dismissed Logan Sargeant. But is it also a wise move that Colapinto has to make way for Carlos Sainz after this F1 season?

Williams deliberately chose not to have a rookie. A few weeks ago, Williams was overjoyed to have secured Carlos Sainz for 2025 and beyond. Sainz is a proven Grand Prix winner who has worked at Ferrari at the top level. Team boss James Vowles even ranked him among the top three drivers on the grid. Williams is convinced that the Spaniard can reach a fairly consistent level and should be able to score points regularly.

It's easy to talk in hindsight. And yes, Colapinto, too, will probably make a stupid mistake somewhere in the remaining races, thus throwing away important points. But in retrospect, signing Sainz does not seem to have been necessary at all, as I am sure the Spaniard would not get much more - if any at all - out of the Williams. Moreover, Colapinto would have been a cheaper option, and he appears to be a huge magnet for sponsors from Argentina. The main argument: Colapinto is only 21 years old, and Williams could enjoy him for many years to come.

‘Rookie Colapinto impresses’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301670/f1-williams-should-not-have-recruited-sainz-and-continued-with-colapinto.html


Colapinto: Williams made a “difficult bet” giving me race seat
SEPT 17, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Franco Colapinto admits that his Williams Formula 1 team and its boss James Vowles made a “difficult bet” by promoting him to a race seat and ousting Logan Sargeant. “They showed so much confidence and trust in putting me in a seat,” he said of the Williams decision.
“It was a very difficult bet, and a bet that many people didn’t understand. But I hope I come to be showing what I’m capable of, that I deserve a seat in F1. The opportunity that James gave me is helping me to show that. I am just doing a lot of work to try to learn quick I have very little mileage in an F1 car.”

“It’s only two races, and FP1, and a few laps in Abu Dhabi last year. But I think with the little mileage I got to be in the points in the second race, is something really positive, and really good.”

“Difficult bet”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/17/colapinto-williams-made-a-difficult-bet-giving-me-race-seat/


‘Didn’t understand’: Franco Colapinto reveals ‘very difficult bet’ Williams made which he has already proven right
16 Sep 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Franco Colapinto proving that Williams made correct call in ‘very difficult bet’. It’s a shame that Williams have already confirmed Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon as their drivers for 2025 because things might have changed if they had seen Colapinto in their car sooner. With incredibly limited running, he has taken to the faster cars like a duck to water and is deservedly earning plaudits for the feat.

Speaking to Motorsport.com after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Argentine discussed the bet that Williams made on him. “They showed so much confidence and trust in putting me in a seat,” he said. “It was a very difficult bet, and a bet that many people didn’t understand. But I hope to be showing what I’m capable of and that I deserve a seat in Formula 1. The idea and the opportunity that James gave me are helping me to show that.”

‘Didn’t understand’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/franco-colapinto-reveals-very-difficult-bet-williams-made-which-he-has-already-proven-right/


Colapinto had “big confidence boost” after Williams crew fixed crashed FW46
14 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Franco Colapinto says that his crash in FP1 in Baku had a positive outcome as the Williams Formula 1 crew gave him a “big confidence boost” and “energy” after repairing his FW46. “Yeah, it was difficult,” he said when asked by the writer about the setback of the early crash.

“But more difficult it was going to be if I couldn’t do FP2. And luckily, the boys in the garage did an amazing job to put the car back out. They didn’t even have lunch, but they were working flat out to put my car out in FP2.”

“And after they did that, they gave me a big confidence boost and a lot of energy to try and achieve a good result for them, for the effort that they have been doing this year, and it was nice today to give them back a little bit of what they gave me.

‘Didn’t even have lunch, but they were working flat out’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/14/colapinto-had-big-confidence-boost-after-williams-crew-fixed-crashed-fw46/


'The situation': Journalist gives main reason why Franco Colapinto can't race with Sauber next, due to reason out of his control
17 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Franco Colapinto does not have the budget to race for Sauber. With RB likely to look in-house for any driver to pair Yuki Tsunoda in 2025, it means Colapinto would only stand a chance at the opening in Sauber alongside Nico Hulkenberg. There are questions over whether Colapinto is in the running for a seat in 2025, given there are two seats still left at RB and Sauber. According to journalist Julianne Cerasoli on YouTube, there could be a major barrier to Colapinto’s chances.

“Does Colapinto stand a chance at taking Bortoleto’s seat at Sauber? I went to talk to people who are closest to Colapinto to understand the situation and the question whether he was in talks with Sauber and they looked at me and said ‘no’ as if it was the most absurd question,” said Cerasoli.

“Then I understood the situation a little bit more and he doesn’t have the budget to do F1 as a starter next year. He’s talking about a budget of around 15 million, 10, 12, 15 million dollars to do F1 next year to take up the place at Sauber and he doesn’t have that kind of money. He would also be tied to his contract at Williams.”

'The situation';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/franco-colapinto-set-to-miss-out-on-2025-sauber-f1-seat-due-to-reason-out-of-his-control/


Uncovered: The huge Williams upgrade package unlocking big FW46 gains
17 Sep 2024
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com

Williams is looking better than ever this season, scoring an impressive 10 points with both drivers finishing in the top 10 – a feat we haven’t seen from the team in quite some time.

Their first major aerodynamic upgrade package was introduced two weekends ago in the Netherlands, and the improvements are already very noticeable in Azerbaijan. Let’s dive into how the upgraded FW46 has evolved and which key changes have made a real difference on the track.

By Saturday, it was clear that the positive changes were making an impact, with the FW46 looking sharp on the circuit. The last time Williams had both drivers in Q3 was at Las Vegas last year – a track bearing some similarities to the Azerbaijan circuit.

‘Huge Williams upgrade package’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/uncovered-the-huge-williams-upgrade-package-unlocking-big-fw46-gains


“Plenty of opportunity” left for Williams after passing Alpine in championship
17th Sep 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Vowles praised Alexander Albon and Franco Colapinto for delivering the team’s biggest points haul since he took charge last year. “It’s not easy doing a one-stop here, pushing the tyres to the absolute limits of life and not making a single mistake and they both did that today admirably,” he said in a video released by the team. “Off to Singapore next, I’m excited to see what we can deliver there and beyond. There is plenty of opportunity left in this championship.”

Vowles said the last three races have shown the progress the team has made with its latest upgrade. “You can now see across Zandvoort, Monza and here we were able to get the car into qualifying three, except this weekend both cars were there. In terms of the race itself, we try two different strategies, really, to race Fernando.”

They are very, very strong, he’s a very clever driver and it was difficult to get ahead of him. I think they had just slightly better degradation than we did relative to Alex, and that’s something we need to look into. But the car pace is there or thereabouts. Then towards the end of the race, Franco just doing a brilliant job, staying within just a few seconds of Alex, ready to pick up anything that came our way and, it did in a big way.”

“Plenty of opportunity”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/17/racefans-round-up-17-09-7/


Albon explains how Williams pace put him in an ‘awkward position’ in Baku
15 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alex Albon raced to a very solid P7 in Azerbaijan, but was mixing it with the leaders in the first half of the race.

‘Awkward position’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/albon-explains-how-williams-pace-put-him-in-an-awkward-position-in-baku.1810267519672229576

[Fortitude]

‘I was a little bit cautious’ – Bearman assesses his performance after points on Haas debut.
Ollie Bearman finished 10th in Baku to grab a point on his debut for the Haas team, ahead of his first full season with the American squad next year.
15 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘10th in Baku to grab a point on his debut for the Haas’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/i-was-a-little-bit-cautious-bearman-assesses-his-performance-after-points-on-haas-debut.1810268398795347936


Exclusive - Behind the scenes of Bearman's Haas F1 debut
16 Sep 2024
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

The day before Motorsport.com sidled into the back of Haas's garage at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Oliver Bearman had already made a point of getting to know all his mechanics working in this critical spot.

He’d gone around the whole Haas squad and said hello on Thursday – a new bundle of energy after the American team had gotten used to the laid-back unruffledness of two season pros in Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg for the last two seasons.

We watch as he gets his helmet strapped on, takes in last words from his personal support team (Enzo Mucci and Jamie Smith) and climbs aboard. Experienced F1 race engineer Mark Slade runs him through switch and systems settings on the steering wheel, then it’s off for the first of three runs – two medium stints either side of a soft run.

‘Exclusive - Behind the scenes’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/-exclusive-behind-the-scenes-of-bearmans-haas-f1-debut/10654863/


Report: What Oliver Bearman did behind the scenes that was ‘impressive’ to Haas staff during Azerbaijan Grand Prix
16 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Haas impressed by Oliver Bearman’s quick-learning attitude. After finishing in 10th place at the end of the Azerbaijan GP, Bearman made an impression within the Haas team including team principal Ayao Komatsu. “Not perfect, but pretty impressive,” said Komatsu, referencing Bearmans weekend.

According to the report, other Haas members felt he made a greater impression off the track rather than with his performances in the Grand Prix. Bearman’s ‘quick learning attitude’ was highlighted as a reason why he received high praise, having also impressed Hulkenberg with his ability to stay calm under pressure.

‘Quick learning attitude’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-oliver-bearman-did-behind-the-scenes-that-was-impressive-to-haas-staff-during-azerbaijan-grand-prix/


Oliver Bearman did something no F1 racer has ever done in Azerbaijan GP drive
Ferrari-backed Oliver Bearman stepped in for the suspended Kevin Magnussen at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the Brit crossing the line 10th to score points for the second time this year
17 Sep 2024
Nathan Ridley Senior Sports Reporter
The Mirror

British wonderkid Oliver Bearman has become the first ever Formula 1 driver to score points on his debut for two different teams within the same season.

Bearman, who's just 19, drove for Haas on Sunday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, impressively finishing 10th. The Ferrari-backed teenager tussled with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Haas team-mate Nico Hulkenberg to secure a point, marking the second time that he's finished inside the top 10 this year.

In March, at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Bearman was handed a late call-up by Ferrari and stepped in for the injured Carlos Sainz. The Chelmsford-born sensation drove superbly to clinch P7 and was hailed for his incredible debut.

‘British wonderkid’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/oliver-bearman-f1-azerbaijan-haas-33684030


The hidden winner of Bearman's and Colapinto's Baku heroics
Bearman and Colapinto have adapted well to life in F1 after stepping up from F2
Sep 18, 2024
Ewan Gale
Motorsport.com

The performances of Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix left Haas and Williams with plenty to mull over.

For Haas, Bearman's pace out of the box in Baku was impressive – matching team-mate Nico Hulkenberg and securing a point for finishing 10th, becoming the first driver in F1 history to score for two different teams in his first two appearances.

His recovery from a practice crash was far from rookie-like and the smiles in the garage across the weekend showed a synergy that has already been developed through his development with the team ahead of his full-time drive next season.

‘Hidden winner’;

https://www.motorsport.com/fia-f2/news/the-hidden-winner-of-bearmans-and-colapintos-baku-heroics/10655204/


Bearman reveals Hamilton edge over F1 rivals after ‘yo-yo’ Baku battle
Ollie Bearman finished 10th on his Haas debut, after duelling with Lewis Hamilton in Azerbaijan.
16 Sep 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers

Detailing his first on-track battle with the seven-time world champion, Bearman expressed his frustration at a minor mistake. "We were going like a yo-yo quite a lot," Bearman told media including RacingNews365 of his battle with Hamilton.

"I was pushing hard some laps to overtake Franco, and my tyres were really quite hot - and it was exactly at that point he popped up on [the back of] me. He overtook quite easily, and then I needed a few laps but caught him back up, so yeah, it is annoying that I let him overtake, but you know, with a guy like that, you can't make little mistakes.”

"You know when you go around the outside, he is going to leave you space, which is a nice feeling. I knew he wasn't going to put me in the wall, which is a bit less sure with some other drivers, and it is always very clean, but hard when you race him."

‘Hamilton edge’;

https://racingnews365.com/bearman-reveals-hamilton-edge-over-f1-rivals-after-yo-yo-baku-battle


Oliver Bearman's lie-in: Haas recruit reaps benefit of F1 schedule in Baku
Sep 16th 2024
Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine

Perks of being an F1 driver? There must be a number of upsides to being a Formula 1 driver, but it’s funny what really stands out for those who are just making their way into the sport. Ollie Bearman didn’t really get a flavour of the full race weekend in Jeddah because his call-up to race for Ferrari came on Saturday morning ahead of FP3, so Baku was his first experience of a normal build-up and the entire weekend schedule as he substituted for Kevin Magnussen at Haas.

And what was one of the perks that he found himself really enjoying on Friday? Being able to have a lie in. Bearman was only just walking into the paddock for the first time — and dealing with plenty of fans even at a quiet race — just 15 minutes before Formula 2’s practice session got underway at 11am.

That would have meant an earlier start had he still been racing for Prema this weekend, but it’s on a race weekend that includes F3 that the F2 drivers really feel it as they go through a briefing that has to be held before F3’s early-morning running due to the crossover in FIA personnel. So while he has often needed to be at track not long after sunrise and then waiting a number of hours before driving the F2 car, Bearman was enjoying his more relaxed start to each day in the F1 paddock.

‘Perks: Being able to have a lie in’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/oliver-bearmans-lie-in-haas-recruit-reaps-benefit-of-f1-schedule-in-baku/?nowprocket=1#


In the footsteps of Antonelli and Bearman: 'F2 and F3 are booming'
16 Sep 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

With Franco Colapinto, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, drivers advancing from the step-up classes to Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 are currently more than demonstrating their worth. CEO Bruno Michel can be satisfied: The junior series is thriving like never before, both financially and sportingly. "At the moment, the business is booming. There is money, there are drivers. But we always need to be very careful," states the Frenchman.

Bruno also believes that a driver who is really good enough will eventually find their way to the top in motorsport. "I've never seen a driver at this kind of level not being able to progress because of money issues. Because now, the good thing is that most of the F1 teams have academies. They're looking for drivers. And when the driver has talent, they're picking him up and they're helping him. It doesn't mean that they put their whole budget on, but they're really helping him quite a lot."

'F2 and F3 are booming';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/299957/interview-with-bruno-michel-ceo-f2-and-f3-business-is-booming.html

[Fortitude]

Alonso lands sixth for Aston on “opportunistic Sunday”.
Fernando Alonso earned a valuable sixth place for his Aston Martin Formula 1 team on an “opportunistic Sunday” in Baku having taking advantage of the late collision between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz. It was Aston’s best result since Alonso finished sixth at Montreal in June.
16 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

“Yeah, definitely quite happy,” he said when asked by this writer about his race. “Obviously, on a normal weekend, only ninth and 10th is available for the midfield teams.”

“And today, thanks to some action in front of us, sixth was available, and we were there to take it. So yeah, an opportunistic Sunday for us, a lot of points. So happy for the team.”

“Yeah, definitely quite happy”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/16/alonso-lands-sixth-for-aston-on-opportunistic-sunday/


Alonso left impressed by Azerbaijan 'outstanding risk'
Fernando Alonso bagged his best result since Canada earlier this year following a run to sixth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
16 Sep 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has hailed the “outstanding risk” on display from the entire F1 field during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “I think the level of risk and precision that you have to apply in a race like today is outstanding, for everybody, all 20 drivers,” Alonso told media including RacingNews365.

“With a low level of grip, I think we were driving close to 100% every lap. It was very impressive that there was no safety car or no accident happened in the race. “It was no different for us, obviously, Monza P11, not really any prize from that race, and here a lot of points, so one compensated the other.”

'Outstanding risk';

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-left-impressed-by-azerbaijan-outstanding-risk


Alonso happy with ‘opportunistic Sunday’ as Stroll reflects on ‘frustrating weekend’ after contact with Tsunoda
17 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

That was Alonso’s best finish since he also finished sixth in Canada, eight races ago. “The pace today was better than expected, degradation was better than expected,” the Spaniard said. “We stopped on Lap 13 and carried to the end with one set of hards with good pace. It was a little bit of a lonely race for me with nobody ahead to fight with. We were able to follow the trend around us on a one-stop strategy and we maintained the position to those chasing us behind. It was still a tough race with no time to relax.”

Lance Stroll’s race was compromised from the very first lap in Baku, as contact with Yuki Tsunoda’s RB gave him a puncture, the resulting pit stop dropping him to last place. “My race was pretty much over on the first lap when [Yuki] Tsunoda and I made contact. I dived down the inside – I'm not sure if he saw me or not – but he closed the door and I had to pit with a puncture,” Stroll said.

‘Opportunistic Sunday’ vs. ‘Frustrating weekend’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/alonso-happy-with-opportunistic-sunday-as-stroll-reflects-on-frustrating.299riq66RyK7Vwd0OhDLyw


Fernando Alonso reveals secret Adrian Newey meeting to land Aston Martin signature
Fernando Alonso was determined for Aston Martin to get their man
16 Sep 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Fernando Alonso revealed he had a secret chat with Adrian Newey around the time of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix in a successful bid to coax the legendary designer to Aston Martin for the 2025 Formula 1 season. “I texted him for sure,” Alonso told members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “Like everybody did that I wanted to work with him.”

“And I saw him also at the Monaco Historic GP that he was racing that week as well and we spent half an hour chatting. We all tried to persuade him. I think, ultimately, Lawrence [Stroll] and his vision the new factory and what Aston Martin wants for the future to work with Honda as well were probably key factors. Listening to what Adrian said yesterday.”

‘Fernando Alonso was determined for Aston Martin to get their man’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/fernando-alonso-secret-adrian-newey-meeting-aston-martin-signature/


‘Have to question’: Ralf Schumacher wonders if 22-pole driver has ‘lost his interest’ in F1 after what he’s seen lately
13 Sep 2024
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Excitement is building about the future of Aston Martin in Formula 1 after the team acquired the services of Adrian Newey. The Silverstone team are making huge strides off the track with Lawrence Stroll bringing serious investment in his effort to win the championship. But according to Schumacher, Alonso has ‘lost his interest’ in F1 and no longer has the ability to challenge for the top.

Speaking with Formel1.de, Ralf Schumacher cast doubt over Alonso about his future in F1. He said: “If he wants to become world champion then of course he also has to have two top drivers, and I do not want to offend his son, he has certainly become good now. But you still have to ask the question of how good Fernando Alonso is, that is also a question to be honest.”

“If you look at the last races now, you can say that Lance has gotten better, or that Fernando has also lost his interest a bit. At the moment, you do not know for sure.” Even Martin Brundle has noticed how unhappy Alonso has been as the team look nowhere near the top four in terms of performance as they sit fifth in the constructors’ standings, 218 points behind Mercedes.

‘Have to question’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ralf-schumacher-wonders-if-22-pole-driver-has-lost-his-interest-in-f1-after-what-hes-seen-lately/


Mansell critical of Ferrari missing out on Newey: 'Lost an opportunity'
18 September at 19:30
Last update 18 September at 19:30
18 Sep 2024
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com

Last week, it was announced that Adrian Newey will join Aston Martin and design their Formula 1 car from 2025. The highly regarded designer comes over from Red Bull Racing, where he enjoyed years of success. Former F1 world champion Nigel Mansell thinks Ferrari have missed out on a game-changing opportunity.

According to Mansell, Ferrari have made a mistake in not doing more to tempt Newey to their team. "Ferrari, I love them. I love them. I really do, but they lost an opportunity because whoever gets Adrian Newey is almost assured of having a fantastic few years. And I think Aston Martin have done something very special in securing his services," the Briton reveals to Crash.net.

By signing the designer, Mansell thinks Aston Martin have struck gold. The former Ferrari and Williams driver thinks Newey will make a big impact at his new team. "I think people have underestimated as well that I don't think Adrian was totally happy in the last few years with Red Bull and what a fantastic job he's done and I think now being in the UK, being with Aston Martin, I think Adrian will find a little bit more energy and a bit more direction," Mansell said.

'Lost an opportunity';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301987/former-f1-driver-nigel-mansell-critical-of-ferrari-after-missing-out-on-adrian-newey.html


Ferrari accused of being “short-sighted” for not meeting Adrian Newey’s demands
"Ferrari, I love them. I love them. I really do, but they lost an opportunity because whoever gets Adrian Newey is almost assured of having a fantastic few years."
18 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Mansell exclusively told Crash.net and Sportscasting: “As soon as I heard that Ferrari were baulking at possibly the wage bill that Adrian wanted. I think that was short sighted of them.” Mansell is adamant Newey’s move to Aston Martin will give him “a little more energy”, predicting that he could “do something very special” when he joins next year.

“And I mean, I'll be fascinated to watch with all the sporting fans around the world, just how quickly it comes to the fore. I think now being in the UK, being with Aston Martin, I think Adrian will find a little bit more energy and a bit more direction,” he added.

“And that's frightening for everybody to maybe listen to those words because he does such a fantastic job. And if he feels comfortable, which I'm sure he does with Aston Martin, I think watch this space. I think he could do something very special.”

‘Watch this space’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1055666/1/ferrari-accused-being-short-sighted-not-meeting-adrian-neweys-demands


Jeremy Clarkson makes next F1 prediction after revealing Newey's secret
18 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Jeremy Clarkson has made his next Formula 1 prediction after correctly revealing Adrian Newey's move to Aston Martin. The British presenter revealed that Newey was househunting in Oxfordshire while Ferrari was still the favourite to sign the chief design engineer. The two friends went to school together.

In the wake of Aston Martin's announcement, Clarkson revealed how he knew he was going to the British team. "I broke that story about six weeks ago. Everyone said he was going to Ferrari, and I just met him, and he said, 'Oh, I'm looking for a house around you'. And I thought, 'If you're going to Ferrari, why are you buying a house in Oxfordshire?" Clarkson said on Heart Radio before suggesting the team will become successful.

"Aston? Well, they'll win. He's very good, and they seem to have a limitless supply of money, and I think Aston are going to be a force to be reckoned with," Clarkson added.

"Aston? Well, they'll win”;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301983/jeremy-clarkson-makes-another-f1-prediction.html

[Fortitude]

F1 - 2024 Singapore Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
PART ONE – Valtteri BOTTAS (Kick Sauber), George RUSSELL (Mercedes), Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren).
PART TWO – Lance STROLL (Aston Martin), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing), Yuki TSUNODA (RB)
19.09.24
FIA (Press Release)

Oscar PIASTRI: (Phenomenal victory) No, I got humbled very quickly the next day by George actually playing an UNO World Championship on the plane. So I got brought back down to earth very quickly. No, I mean, it was, it has been a fun few days, you know, I think for myself, it's always nice when you can reflect on a race where you feel like you've done a, you know, a very good job and a job you can be proud of. So yeah, Not too much celebrating, but a lot of happy memories. So, yeah, I'm ready to try and go again this weekend.

George RUSSELL: Yeah, first of all, every race we go to at the moment, it's quite a unique circuit. Obviously, Azerbaijan was very unique in its own way. Singapore is unique in its own way. And there's a lot of these types of tracks on the calendar. And as Oscar said, it's so competitive now at the front. And a tenth or two can be the difference between a front row star or P6 or 7 on the grid, which is very exciting. We went really strong here last year. The pace was really good in Singapore. So hopefully we can continue that good performance we had here last year and see where it takes us.

Valtteri BOTTAS: It definitely has been tough. A few races, not just a couple. Expectations, realistically, I don't think it's going to be an easy weekend as we don't really have any upgrades. It is a bit of a different track to Baku, different downforce level. If we can get things right, we can be in a better shape, but not expecting any magic, to be honest.

Max VERSTAPPEN: All good. I know that it's not going to be our easiest weekend, just straight up. But, of course, you know, you analyse the race that you did last year. A few things that could have, you know, been done better. That's what we'll try to do this weekend. But, yeah, I don't expect it, of course, suddenly to be one of our strongest weekends. But, yeah. I just hope that what we did in Baku already, it stabilised the car a bit more. That was positive. And hopefully we can just build on that and see around here. I mean, of course, around here normally it's a bit more bumpy than Baku, but hopefully the car can take it.

Yuki TSUNODA: Yeah, I think anyway, the races, even if I have good races, I'm still able to reset. So, yeah, I mean, the last two races are the things that I want to, you know, it's not the way I wanted to finish, obviously. But, yeah, I like the Singapore track, so I'm trying to think in a positive way. You know, there's nice food here, exciting track. It's going to be anyway a very tough race, a physically demanding race ahead of us, so yeah, i'm still motivated and aiming for high.

Lance STROLL: I mean, compared to the beginning of the season, yes. I think we were comfortably the best of the rest at the beginning of the year, I think the last few weekends we've been on the back foot but looking forward to Singapore this weekend and we’ll see what we can do.

‘Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-singapore-grand-prix-thursday-press-conference-transcript


IT’S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we’re excited about ahead of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix
18 Sep 2024
Chris Medland
Formula One - Official Site

After a thrilling race in Azerbaijan, we don’t have long to wait for our next installment of the drama that is the 2024 Formula 1 season, with Singapore closing this pair of races. With a new leader in the constructors’ championship, and after some eye-catching recent results, here are a few talking points heading into this weekend’s race at Marina Bay.

McLaren and Ferrari – round three?
Perez’s strong performance and Verstappen’s lead
Magnussen returns as Haas and Williams fight
RB’s poor form and driver uncertainty
A spectacular setting that’s a physical test for the drivers

‘5 storylines’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/its-race-week-5-storylines-were-excited-about-ahead-of-the-2024-singapore.6lXbtjFDmh0Mnexop2RTwh


F1 start time for the 2024 Singapore GP
From Friday, September 20 to Sunday, September 22, the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix will take place. Check here for all the F1 start times at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
19 Sep 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

The schedule of the F1 Singapore GP is automatically adjusted to your time zone.

Timetable Singapore GP

Session Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 20 September 11:30 - 12:30
Free practice 2 Friday 20 September 15:00 - 16:00
Free practice 3 Saturday 21 September 11:30 - 12:30
Qualification Saturday 21 September 15:00 - 16:00
Race Sunday 22 September 14:00 - 16:00

‘The schedule’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-start-time-for-the-2024-singapore-gp


NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix
19 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Vital statistics
• First Grand Prix – 2008
• Track Length – 4.940km
• Lap record – 1m 35.867s, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 2023
• Most pole positions – Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton (4)
• Most wins – Sebastian Vettel (5)
• Trivia – Due to the physical demands of the climate and circuit, drivers can lose as much as 3kg in body weight over the course of a race in Singapore
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 178 metres
• Overtakes completed in 2023 – 85
• Safety Car probability – 100%*
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 33%*
• Pit stop time loss – 29.02 seconds
*From the last six races in Singapore

‘NEED TO KNOW’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/need-to-know-the-most-important-facts-stats-and-trivia-ahead-of-the-2024-singapore.27jai8QJEy1FUuQnlGkoJF


Under-pressure Red Bull and Max Verstappen face their toughest challenge of 2024 F1 season at Singapore Grand Prix
Sep 19, 2024
FP Sports
Firstpost

“We have learnt from what we did wrong last week in Baku and can try a few things differently,” said the Dutch driver, who has yet to win in the city state where tropical storms and safety cars pose an additional hazard. Marina Bay is a cool circuit but we do expect this to be a bit more of a challenge,” he added.

“We think we know what we can do better and of course need to make sure that we are optimising the set up. It will be important to keep the car in control a bit more in the slow speed so it doesn’t jump around and this should hopefully help us a lot. We are continuing to fight for the Championship: we win and lose as a team and are going to keep pushing and try and come back stronger.”

‘Toughest challenge of 2024 F1 season’;

https://www.firstpost.com/sports/singapore-grand-prix-2024-red-bull-max-verstappen-f1-13817071.html


Perez lifts Red Bull expectations in Singapore: 'Can handle this package'
18 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Sergio Perez is confident Red Bull Racing has the pace for podium in the Singapore Grand Prix. After beating teammate Max Verstappen in Baku - until he crashed towards the end - Perez is confident the car can handle the package currently being used. The Mexican wants to do everything possible to win again in Singapore.

Perez is encouraged by his speed in Baku and hopes to take that momentum to the Marina Bay Street Circuit. "We had the pace all weekend and now it’s about converting that pace into a podium in Singapore. The car has shown it’s capable with this package, so we need to get the set-up right across the weekend and execute our qualifying and race plan perfectly," he added.

Perez is known for being strong at the street circuits, and the F1 circus heads to another one this weekend. "I’ve won in Singapore before, in tricky conditions and, as everyone knows, I love a street circuit, there’s something special about a night race and this one is probably the best there is. On Sunday night I want us to be able to say we did the best we could to win this race and that’s what our full focus will be on from the moment we start work in Singapore," Perez said.

‘Perez lifts Red Bull expectations’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/301934/sergio-perez-wants-to-go-for-f1-victory-in-singapore-gp.html


Report: Ferrari have ‘accelerated’ plans to deliver ‘most important’ car update for the Singapore Grand Prix
18 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari rushing through new front wing update to try and be ready for the Singapore Grand Prix. The report from Formu1a.uno admits that the majority of Ferrari’s main updates for the second half of the season were added to the car in Monza. Ferrari have taken a step forward in the last two races as Leclerc’s victory in front of the Tifosi demonstrated.

However, they now believes that plans to introduce a new front wing have been ‘accelerated’ so that it arrives in time for the race in Singapore, rather than after the impromptu three-week break in Austin. These upgrades are also expected to determine what the team prioritise as they continue development of the 2025 car with even more flexible front and rear wings in the pipeline given the current interpretation of the rules.

‘Accelerated’ plans to deliver ‘most important’ car update’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ferrari-have-accelerated-plans-to-deliver-most-important-car-update-for-the-singapore-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

McLaren are ‘ones to watch’ at Marina Bay.
MCLAREN Racing heads into Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix as F1’s ones to watch, the papaya-drenched team that just may be the ones to finally dethrone Red Bull and Max Verstappen.
19 Sep 2024
Morning Star

Red Bull and its Dutch driver have had ironclad grips on both the drivers championship and the constructors title for best car since Verstappen won his first title in 2021. Verstappen now has three consecutive titles and currently leads the driver standings; Red Bull has back-to-back constructors titles but, headed into the weekend, no longer leads the standings.

McLaren took the top spot with Oscar Piastri’s win last Sunday. Coupled with Lando Norris’s fourth-place finish, McLaren is now the constructors leader for the first time since 2014. McLaren last won the constructors’ championship in 1998.

McLaren starts the weekend in Singapore with a 20-point lead over Red Bull, which had led the carmaker competition since 2022. “I think we’ve got as good a shot as anyone,” Zak Brown, the chief executive of McLaren, boldly declared last weekend at IndyCar's season-ending race. He’d watched Piastri win and McLaren move to the top from Nashville, Tennessee, and even with the big-talking American half a world away, McLaren still managed to make tongues wag at the the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

‘Ones to watch’;

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/mclaren-are-%E2%80%98ones-watch%E2%80%99-marina-bay


Lando Norris heaps pressure on Verstappen in F1 title race: Still Max’s championship to lose
Norris dismissed suggestions McLaren’s pace means he’s now the favourite to win the title
19 Sep 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris rubbished suggestions he’s favourite to win the 2024 F1 title by piling the pressure onto Max Verstappen, by declaring the Red Bull driver has it all to lose ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. “We’ve turned things around,” Norris told members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “But I still strongly believe that they can turn things around quickly too.”

“It’s really only been the last two races where they’ve been off the pace a little in qualifying, but more so in the race itself. If you look at last weekend, Max said he didn’t get the setup right, and Checo [Perez] was one of the quickest and should have won the race.”

“So that was Max having a bad weekend, not Red Bull. People need to focus on the specific issues in front of them instead of making sweeping judgments. It’s still Max’s championship to lose, not mine. I’m the one with nothing to lose at the moment.”

‘Piling on the pressure’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lando-norris-heaps-pressure-max-verstappen-f1-title-race-2024/


‘A mess’: Jacques Villeneuve shares the moment he thought McLaren showed ‘real weakness’ this season
20 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Jacques Villeneuve says Max Verstappen shows more maturity than Lando Norris. Norris has remarkably only won two races this season but let a lot of points slip in the title battle, owing to a series of strategic mishaps and unforced errors on track. The last two races he has missed big opportunities to close the gap to Verstappen. In Monza, he was overtaken by his teammate in a forceful move which relegated him to third from pole, then at Azerbaijan a poor qualifying strategy led to a back-of-the-grid start.

Villeneuve believes these errors, largely owed to McLaren, will ultimately be the cause of Norris’ failure to win the title this season. “It will be very close between Max and Lando. Max has changed his approach. He is not trying to win races, but just to rack up points. That shows maturity,” said Villeneuve.

“The championship is more important than winning individual races. He knows that McLaren is not making the tough decisions that it should, and that will be in his favour. If Lando is not champion it will be McLaren’s fault, not his. McLaren have made a mess of things and it’s too late now. It started in Hungary, they have shown real weakness by not giving priority to Norris over Piastri, but we don’t know what Oscar’s contract says. We don’t know what Mark Webber, his manager, managed to get into his contract. He’s a smart guy.”

‘A mess’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-shares-the-moment-he-thought-mclaren-showed-real-weakness-this-season/


Max ahead of Singapore GP: 'Progress in Baku'
19 Sep 2024
Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

Max Verstappen: “Usually, I rewatch my races to see what I could’ve done better. Sometimes you have a bit more time for this and you can do a deep dive. But the race in Baku is still fresh in my mind, so I’ve not fully rewatched it. It wasn’t my most exciting race either.”

“Of course, we want to keep improving and we’ll have to see when and where this will happen. We want to get the balance right again and Baku was a step in the right direction, so we need to build on that. After Singapore, we have a few weeks until the next round so hopefully we can bring some improvements. There are still a bunch of races that allow us to improve the car, which will also helpful for next year.”

The reigning champion added: “I really want to make the car faster with the team and get a better balance. If we are able to do that, I know we’ll be competitive again. That’s the only thing we can do. If we’re able to perform better, it’ll make our lives a lot easier.”

‘Hopefully we can bring some improvements’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5597/


Red Bull apology suggests Perez is finally being listened to
Sep 19, 2024
Edd Straw
The Race

Sergio Perez has revealed some of Red Bull’s Formula 1 engineers apologised to him after the recent Italian Grand Prix because the team now better understood the nature of the car problems that had been limiting his performance earlier in the season but were only fully recognised once team-mate Max Verstappen started to struggle too.

While Verstappen’s performance advantage during the middle stages of the season showed Perez was still not getting the most out of the car, he was effectively the ‘canary in the coal mine’ whose struggles potentially should have been taken more seriously. Asked by The Race if Red Bull was now seeing his value more in terms of feedback, Perez replied: “In a way, yes. To be fair, some of the engineers after Monza came to me and apologise, in a way, because now it’s a lot clearer [what] the issues I was talking about [were].”

“It was always the speculation around it and people saying the problem was I was not focused enough or other things. But at the end of the day, I’m just happy that we found out the problem and that we can focus on that and improve it.”

‘Canary in the coal mine’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-apology-suggests-perez-is-finally-being-listened-to/


Sergio Perez’s Family Reveal Health Update After F1 Driver’s Father Was Rushed To Hospital
Lydia Mee
Sep 19, 2024
Newsweek
Rock Hill Herald

Antonio Perez Garibay, the father of well-known Formula 1 driver Sergio Perez, recently experienced a severe health scare. Following his son's crash with Carlos Sainz in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Antonio was discovered unconscious in his bathroom, suffering from a pre-infarction - a serious precursor to a heart attack. The ordeal took place shortly after Perez was involved in a high-speed collision with Carlos Sainz in the latter stages of the race. Fortunately, the Perez family provided a positive health update, as reported by Mirror, announcing Antonio Perez Garibay's discharge from the hospital.

The statement read: "After spending several days in hospital, Mr Antonio Perez Garibay has been discharged and is now at home, where he will continue his recovery process in the company of his loved ones. Through this statement, Mr Perez Garibay and Scuderia Perez would like to express their most sincere gratitude to friends, family and the media for the countless displays of affection, support and solidarity during this time.”

"Don Antonio will continue his recovery under medical instructions. We thank you again for your understanding and support, and we will be attentive to any relevant updates regarding his health status. Antonio himself speculated that the stress from his son's crash might have been a contributing factor to his medical condition. “Everything happened after the accident. The shock of the accident may have caused it. They are already checking my heart to see why I fainted."

‘Most sincere gratitude to friends, family and the media’;

https://www.heraldonline.com/sports/article292775589.html#storylink=mainstage_card


Vasseur eyeing Singapore glory repeat for Ferrari redemption
Ferrari narrowly missed out on a race win last time out at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with Oscar Piastri besting Charles Leclerc to the chequered flag.
18 Sep 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has outlined his goal of prevailing around the streets of Singapore once again this weekend. When asked if Ferrari's strong pace at Baku was track specific, Vasseur told media including RacingNews365: “If it’s track specific, then it’s good because next weekend it’s the same [type of] corners.”

“The race after Singapore, we have a break between Singapore and Austin. We’ll have time to discuss about Austin, but first it’s Singapore, and I want to have a good result in Singapore, as we did last year to fight our opposition.”

‘Ferrari redemption’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-eyeing-singapore-glory-repeat-for-ferrari-redemption

[Fortitude]

Leclerc pips Norris in Singapore GP practice.
Charles Leclerc has narrowly beaten Lando Norris to end opening practice for the Singapore Grand Prix fastest. Ferrari continued its strong form in Marina Bay with Carlos Sainz third in the sister car, the top three split by less than two-tenths.
20 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The first and third practice sessions in Singapore are curious affairs. The meaningful running takes place under lights, while opening practice begins in the late afternoon sun. Not that there was much of it, overcast conditions helped keep a lid on temperatures, which were already above 30 degrees.

The focus was therefore on the basics; confirming right height, wing levels, and other elements of set-up with less focus on specifics such as tyre wear, which were more difficult to extrapolate meaningful data from. That prompted a split approach from the field, with half on hard compound tyres, and the other half on mediums.

Not among them as the session began, however, was Oscar Piastri, whose car had suffered a problem during pit stop practice earlier in the day. “During this morning’s pit stop practice we encountered an issue on the rear-left corner of Oscar’s car, which we are currently replacing,” a McLaren spokesperson confirmed in the minutes before practice began.

‘Leclerc pips Norris’;

https://speedcafe.com/leclerc-pips-norris-in-singapore-gp-practice/


Singapore GP: Free Practice 1 Results
20 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:31.763

2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 24 1:31.839 0.076

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 26 1:31.952 0.189

4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 21 1:32.097 0.334

5 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 25 1:32.263 0.500

6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 24 1:32.369 0.606

7 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 20 1:32.375 0.612

8 23 Alex Albon Williams 24 1:32.451 0.688

9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 25 1:32.610 0.847

10 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine 26 1:32.615 0.852

‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;

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


Singapore Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 1 Results
Sep 20, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Tsunoda went up to second, going only 0.098 seconds slower than Norris. Sainz quickly took the spot off the Japanese driver, going 0.001 seconds slower than the McLaren driver at the top. However, Norris further improved his time at the top. The McLaren driver set a 1:31.839, going over three tenths clear of Sainz. Leclerc went close to Norris’ time – only 0.037 seconds off the Briton’s time.

Verstappen jumped up to third, going two-and-a-half tenths slower than Norris. However, Sainz quickly reclaimed the third spot, going just over a tenth slower than the McLaren driver. With 15 minutes to go, Leclerc went quickest, setting a 1:31.763 on the soft compound. The Monegasque went 0.076 seconds quicker than Norris.

Mercedes have been struggling in this session, with Hamilton complaining of “too much understeer” with his W15. The seven-time world champion was also struggling with traction. Piastri brushed the wall in the middle sector. The Australian finds himself in sixth. Leclerc ended the session quickest ahead of Norris and his teammate Sainz – all within two tenths.

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/singapore-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-1-results-2/?nowprocket=1


2024 F1 Singapore Grand Prix - Free Practice 1 results
20 Sep 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

It proved to be a ding-dong battle between Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris for top honours in first practice for the Singapore Grand Prix. Around a revised Marina Bay Street Circuit now containing four DRS zones following the removal of a fiddly section in the final sector, it was Ferrari driver Leclerc who posted the fastest time with a lap of 1:31.763s, just 0.076s ahead of McLaren's Norris.

Three-time F1 champion and current standings leader Max Verstappen, who has never won at this track, had to settle for the fourth-quickest time, 0.334s off the pace in his Red Bull. As for last week's Azerbaijan GP winner, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who brushed a wall at one stage during the session, he had to settle for sixth, over six-tenths of a second adrift.

‘Free Practice 1 results’;

https://racingnews365.com/2024-f1-singapore-grand-prix-free-practice-1-results


The early clues about Singapore GP order from FP1
Sep 20, 2024
Josh Suttill
The Race

Charles Leclerc pipped Lando Norris to top the opening Formula 1 practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix. Early indications suggest it will be another McLaren vs Ferrari fight at the front, as it was at Monza and in Baku.

Norris spent a healthy portion of the session at the top of the timesheets on a 1m31.763s but Leclerc displaced him with just over 10 minutes to go. The Ferrari driver's 1m31.763s was 0.076 seconds quicker than Norris's best effort set earlier in FP1. But Leclerc's time was set on a second push lap on his soft tyres, suggesting there's plenty of performance to come.

His Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz was third fastest, just under two tenths adrift of Leclerc. Max Verstappen appears to have quickly reestablished himself as the stronger Red Bull driver, based on FP1 in Singapore at least. He was fourth fastest, three tenths adrift of Leclerc.

‘Early clues’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-2024-singapore-gp-fp1-early-clues/


Ferrari head Singapore Grand Prix upgrades with new front wing
These are the upgrades that each team has brought to the F1 Singapore Grand Prix.
20 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

The F1 teams have introduced minimal upgrades for this weekend’s race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. With a three-week gap until USA, teams are expected to introduce their final significant upgrade packages for COTA.

However, for this weekend in Singapore, Ferrari have a brand new front wing for this weekend as they look to find more performance.

‘Upgrades’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1055779/1/ferrari-head-singapore-grand-prix-upgrades-new-front-wing


Now or never for Lando Norris: Will Singapore GP mark the turning point in the F1 title fight?
Lando Norris trails Max Verstappen by 59 points in the F1 drivers' standings ahead of a make-or-break Singapore GP
20 Sep 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

The next two F1 Grand Prix will likely be pivotal in deciding the fate of the Formula 1 drivers’ championship between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. Norris lands in Singapore knowing he’s not taken full advantage against Verstappen since the summer break across three races where McLaren have enjoyed a clearly superior car, and needs to add a hefty amount to the 19 points he’s chiselled away from the Dutchman’s lead.

Meanwhile Verstappen knows the United States GP is the first chance Red Bull has to fight McLaren and Norris on an equal footing once again, after Helmut Marko confirmed their F1 upgrade schedule. However, the gap could be down to 34 points in the title battle by the time the F1 circus reaches Austin – it all depends on how Verstappen can limit the damage in Singapore or whether Norris can truly stick his boot in.

‘Now or never’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/now-or-never-lando-norris-2024-singapore-gp-turning-point-f1-title-fight-verstappen/

[Fortitude]

High tension in Singapore Norris pips Leclerc to P1 in FP2: Verstappen P15.
Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc look set for an intense duel during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. After Leclerc topped FP1, Norris reacted by going fastest in FP2.
Today at 15:02
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing anticipates that their upgrades will work well in the next Grand Prix weekend in Austin, but for now, they seem to be off the pace in Singapore again. Sergio Perez recorded the 8th fastest time in the session, and the Dutchman was in P15. Verstappen's full pace wasn't shown, but the RB19 is not yet fully optimised as Verstappen ran over the kerbs, and Perez used the run-off area. Full loads and engine modes remain unknown. Red Bull was not alone with their issues, as Norris also used the run-off zone, and both drivers clipped the wall.

Therefore, Norris and McLaren will want to maximise the weekend. Norris needs to take as many points as possible to cut his 59-point gap to Verstappen in the World Championship. To do that in Singapore, he will have to survive another battle from Ferrari. Yuki Tsunoda had another positive session with a P4 finish. Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five.

‘High tension’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/302444/f1-fp2-report-in-singapore-as-lando-norris-tops-session.html


Singapore GP: Free Practice 2 Results
21 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 26 1:30.727

2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 27 1:30.785 0.058

3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 26 1:31.356 0.629

4 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 27 1:31.468 0.741

5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 26 1:31.474 0.747

6 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 25 1:31.478 0.751

7 63 George Russell Mercedes 25 1:31.488 0.761

8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 24 1:31.598 0.871

9 23 Alex Albon Williams 25 1:31.650 0.923

10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 25 1:31.667 0.940

‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;

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


Norris and Leclerc in Singapore shoot-out as Verstappen flounders
Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc went head-to-head to top FP2 at the Singapore Grand Prix as their two teams continued to dominate under the Marina Bay lights.
20 Sep 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Closing stages: Sainz would provide further clarity as to what caused his lock-up, complaining of an issue with the brakes on his Ferrari. The majority of the field would be back on medium or hard tyres as the session approached the final 10 minutes.

The session calmed considerably in the closing stages, with long-run plans the order of the day. However, there was still enough time for some action. Norris went sideways, dirtying his tyres prior to a trip to a side road. The 24-year-old managed to get his McLaren facing the right direction, but compatriot Russell would end the session without a front wing.

The Mercedes driver found the wall with only a couple of minutes to run, meaning the session ended under the yellow flag. He was ultimate able to remove himself from the barriers, returning his damaged W15 back to the pits.

‘Head-to-head to top FP2’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-leclerc-in-singapore-shoot-out-as-verstappen-flounders


Norris edges Leclerc in Singapore GP FP2 with Verstappen nowhere near contention
Lando Norris in the McLaren was fighting it out with Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in Singapore
20 Sep 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris was fastest in FP2 at the 2024 Singapore GP ahead of Charles Leclerc by just 0.058, with Max Verstappen a shocking 15th quickest in a poor session for the world champion at the Marina Bay Circuit on September 20.

The world champion found himself stuck well outside of the Top 10, and a worrying half a second behind Sergio Perez as his poor form from the Baku City Circuit seems poised to rage on, with the 26-year-old struggling to get to grips with his underwhelming Red Bull.

‘Verstappen nowhere near contention’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/norris-edges-leclerc-2024-singapore-gp-fp2-verstappen-nowhere-near-contention/


Singapore GP: McLaren asked by FIA to change controversial rear wing after rivals question legality
20 Sep 2024
Sky Sports

McLaren have been asked to change their rear wing following questions over its legality from their rivals at the Singapore Grand Prix. An on-board shot from the car of Oscar Piastri, during his victory at last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, appeared to show a part of McLaren's rear wing flexing upwards on the main straight, and subsequently attracted significant attention on social media.

Only a certain amount of flexing is allowed on bodywork parts of an F1 car and McLaren's rear wing received a query from at least one team, including Red Bull. Sky Sports News understands that the sport's governing body, the FIA, has asked McLaren to change their rear wing from this weekend's race in Singapore, with seven events remaining this season.

‘Rivals question legality’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13218184/singapore-gp-mclaren-asked-by-fia-to-change-controversial-rear-wing-after-rivals-question-legality


Helmut Marko calls for second FIA investigation into McLaren at Singapore Grand Prix
McLaren were dealt a significant blow at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Sep 20, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Helmut Marko has confirmed that Red Bull will turn their attention to McLaren’s front wing after ‘three complaints’ led to the FIA outlawing the current Constructors’ Championship leaders’ rear wing at the Singapore Grand Prix.

In the aftermath of Oscar Piastri’s impressive Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory last weekend, onboard footage circulated around social media showing the rear wing of the MCL38 flexing towards the endplate area. This created a ‘mini-DRS’ effect, allegedly giving McLaren a significant speed advantage.

As a result of the clear evidence, Red Bull lodged a protest and according to an Autosport report, Zak Brown’s outfit have now been instructed by the FIA that they are no longer allowed to run their current rear-wing design.

‘Dealt a significant blow’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1951186/McLaren-Helmut-Marko-FIA-Singapore-Grand-Prix


2024 Singapore GP FP2: Colapinto mistakenly stops his Williams in Alpine pit box
Sep 20, 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Franco Colapinto is on just his third race weekend for Williams, so it’s perhaps understandable he accidentally drove into the Alpine pit box in second practice in Singapore…

‘Williams in Alpine pit box’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Grands+Prix/Singapore+GP


F1 - 2024 Singapore Grand Prix - Friday Press Conference Transcript
20.09.24
FIA (Press Release)

TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: James VOWLES (Williams), Frédéric VASSEUR (Ferrari), Mario ISOLA (Pirelli)

Mario ISOLA: Yeah, obviously it was the first test, a bit difficult. Our main job was to try to correlate simulations with mule car. We know that mule cars cannot be representative considering that 2026 cars are completely different, but I believe we did a good job and thanks to Aston Martin, that was the first team running the test, [we got] valuable information and probably also a good starting point as a baseline for future development.

James VOWLES: Yeah, (Franco Colapinto) he's done an absolutely outstanding job. Just really jumped straight into it, two feet first, and has been swimming ever since. But he's doing brilliantly well. And to score points in your second ever Grand Prix, to be a few seconds behind Alex, is extraordinary. And again this morning, brilliant job.

Frédéric VASSEUR: Well, from the beginning, we are not focused on the championship. We are taking it race after race, and I think it's the right approach. James said it before, that the championship is really difficult to read, because it doesn't matter if it's the first group or the second one, it's so tight that you can move from a good weekend, you are doing a 1-2 and the weekend after you are 7-8. Have a look on Mercedes what they did before the break and after the break. And I think this is true for everybody. And I think it makes no sense to imagine how could be the picture in two or three months. We have still something like 400 points on the table, I think, for the team championship. And it's a lot. It means, let's be focused on Baku, on Singapore, and then on the next one and try to do a good job. And we'll see at the end.

‘Friday Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-singapore-grand-prix-friday-press-conference-transcript

[Fortitude]

What we learned from Friday practice at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.
If Friday practice is anything to go by, then the Singapore Grand Prix promises to develop into a closely fought weekend between Ferrari and McLaren. Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris were astoundingly close, separated by less than a tenth across two practice sessions.
20 Sep 2024
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

In Singapore, there is only one truly representative session for the GP: the night-time FP2 is the closest of the three practice hours in terms of track conditions and temperature, giving its equivalent timing to the qualifying and race phases of the weekend. Naturally, the teams wanted to use that opportunity to get some running in — and hoped that none of their drivers suffered an ignominious tangle with the barriers.

The likes of Red Bull and Mercedes dealt with two hours of set-up struggles, while RB surprised with its consistent one-lap pace among the top half of the field. As ever, it's shaping up to be an intriguing weekend at Marina Bay.

‘What we learned’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/what-we-learned-from-friday-practice-at-the-2024-singapore-grand-prix/10656330/


Two-horse race as Red Bull struggles; McLaren loses trick part after protest: F1 talking points
Sep 21st, 2024
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)

The Singapore Grand Prix has looked like a two-horse race from the very first moments of practice. Charles Leclerc topped first practice ahead of Lando Norris by 0.076 seconds. Norris reversed the order in FP2 to lead Leclerc by 0.058 seconds. But it was what happened to the rest of the field in FP2 that was most notable. George Russell was the fastest Mercedes at 0.761 seconds adrift, while Sergio Pérez again led the way for Red Bull Racing 0.871s down. No-one was within half a second of the leading two.

Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri will surely close the gap to their teammates on Friday. Sainz suffered a brake imbalance all day, the absence of which would surely move him up. Piastri admitted he was simply uncomfortable in the car, but the Australian has a reputation for making massive steps forward between Friday and Saturday.

‘Two-horse race’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/twohorse-race-as-red-bull-struggles-mclaren-loses-trick-part-after-protest-f1-talking-points/news-story/c633deaf596907cc5697a6f219c87336


Gary Anderson: McLaren's flexible rear wing is misguided
Sep 20, 2024
Gary Anderson
The Race

Although the FIA said McLaren's rear wing is legal, that didn't stop rival Formula 1 teams from complaining about it. These complaints seem to have propelled the FIA into demanding - or McLaren offering, depending who you listen to - adjustments be made to better control the flexibility in future.

‘Misguided’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-mclaren-f1-flexible-rear-wing/


Ferrari remain cautious after strong run of form as 'good sequence' can end
20 Sep 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Even as Ferrari were able to gather some momentum over the past couple of weekends, Frederic Vasseur prefered to remain cautious in Singapore. "We are in a good sequence, but again, it was like this for everybody from the beginning of the season, that if you remember the first four races that Red Bull was flying, then we had a good sequence."

"Then it was Mercedes, then McLaren, then we are really in a pack and I don't remember when it was so tight in F1 with four teams able to win, eight drivers able to win. And you really never know when you are going somewhere, if you will fight for P1, P2, or P7, P8," the team principal continued.

‘Cautious’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/302534/frederic-vasseur-on-momentum-ferrari-and-bizarre-gaps-in-f1.html


Leclerc warns Ferrari ‘cannot rely on a good Friday’ with ‘work to be done’ despite strong start in Singapore
20 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc believes that Ferrari still have work to do... “It felt good, but there is still some work to be done,” the 26-year-old explained. “The car didn’t exactly feel like I wanted so, yeah, we still have to try and improve it. And of course with the forecast for the rest of the weekend, it’s a little bit up and down so we will have to adapt very quickly, so we cannot rely on a good Friday."

"But it’s been a good Friday and it’s better to have a good one than a bad one. It’s a good starting point, but we still have to push forward.” In terms of what he would like to work on, Leclerc said: “Just a bit more balance in the car, putting everything together in terms of driving and then we should be in a good place for tomorrow.”

‘Work to be done’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/leclerc-warns-ferrari-cannot-rely-on-a-good-friday-with-work-to-be-done.51KtVazCtSW9s30xgbwZYY


Do long runs offer hope for Verstappen and Mercedes in Singapore?
20 Sep 2024
Cas van de Kleut
GPblog.com

While McLaren and Ferrari had a rather positive Friday in Singapore, Red Bull Racing and Mercedes were struggling more in the Asian country, as the time sheets show over a single lap. Is there any hope for these two teams based on their long runs, or do they have to hope for a radical change come Saturday?

Red Bull to rely on long runs? Verstappen completed his long run on the hards in Singapore. He started with a 1:37.215, and his average lap time was a 1:37.868 over six laps, but it is clearly unknown how much his RB20 fuelled up.

Similarly to the Dutchman, Sergio Perez also did his race simulation on the hardest tyre compound, however, he had slower place than his teammate. The Mexican's fastest lap was 1:38.408, and his average lap time was a 1:39.441.

‘Do long runs offer hope?’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/302521/f1-longrun-analysis-after-fp2-in-singapore-with-max-verstappen.html


‘Nothing seems to work’ – Hamilton predicts he ‘won’t be going into Q3’ after ‘difficult’ Singapore practice
20 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Hamilton summarised the day as “very difficult” after he was outpaced by teams expected to be in the midfield, such as RB, Haas and Williams to finish in P12 and P11 across FP1 and FP2. “We’ve tried everything set-up wise and nothing seems to work with the set-up, so definitely very challenging,” he said. “We’re really giving it everything and then you find out you’re a second off.”

“I think ultimately [we’re] just a little bit lost and we’re not really sure where to put the car. At the moment, I won’t be going into Q3.” Russell has generally appeared more confident than his 39-year-old team mate with qualifying in the W15, beating his team mate 13 times on Saturdays this season, but he had a disappointing end to his second practice session in Singapore.

‘Nothing seems to work’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/nothing-seems-to-work-hamilton-predicts-he-wont-be-going-into-q3-after.4JjgkmA8lJahu7m5lOuB0t


Perez demands 'big change' after Red Bull 'surprise'
Sergio Perez completed the opening day of the Singapore Grand Prix one-second off the leading pace.
20 Sep 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Despite its poor recent history at the Marina Bay Circuit and expectations having not been high ahead of this weekend, the team has been caught by surprise at just how far off the pace the RB20 is. "No, I think it took us a surprise," revealed Perez. "And yeah, definitely, we got some work to do overnight, because we are very far."

Red Bull – not for the first time in recent races – now has a long night ahead to try and find a temporary solution to its problems. Perez pointed out after second practice that a very significant change is required for Red Bull to move closer to the front. "We are nearly a second off the pace, so we need quite a big change to be able to come through," assessed Perez. "And yeah, we see what we are able to do."

‘Got some work to do overnight’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-demands-big-change-after-red-bull-surprise


Marko shows signs of frustration with Red Bull's car: 'Nothing works!'
20 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

According to Marko, the team needs to come up with drastic adjustments to improve things before qualifying. "At the moment I would say it is very worrying." The Austrian is negatively surprised with the performance of the cars. Marko made a brutual observation. "I just looked and our pace was the same as Colapinto..."

'Nothing works!';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/302489/helmut-marko-very-concerned-about-red-bull-s-pace-in-singapore.html


‘Difficult’ – Verstappen’s verdict on Red Bull’s first day in Singapore
20 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen was fourth quickest in FP1 but only P15 in second practice as Red Bull struggle to get to grips with the Singapore circuit.

‘Difficult’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/difficult-verstappens-verdict-on-red-bulls-first-day-in-singapore.1810726954168364431

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris sets track record to head FP3 at F1 Singapore GP.
McLaren‘s Lando Norris delivered a lap record to lead the timesheets over George Russell’s Mercedes in the last practice session at Formula 1‘s Singapore Grand Prix.
21 Sep 2024
Motorsport Week

The Briton delivered a blistering 1:29.646s on the Soft tyre to emerge 0.479 seconds quicker than Russell, who split the McLarens as Oscar Piastri propped up in third.

Piastri commended the improved balance on his McLaren MCL38 compared to the opening practice sessions, but he was almost eight-tenths back on his team-mate. Red Bull also improved as Max Verstappen managed to sneak his RB20 into fourth place as Ferrari’s encouraging earlier pace dissipated on the red-walled compound.

‘Lap record to lead the timesheets’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/21/lando-norris-sets-track-record-to-head-fp3-at-f1-singapore-gp/


Singapore GP: Free Practice 3 Results
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay.
21 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:29.646

2 63 George Russell Mercedes 17 1:30.125 0.479

3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 15 1:30.431 0.785

4 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 15 1:30.540 0.894

5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 19 1:30.559 0.913

6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 19 1:30.807 1.161

7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 17 1:30.864 1.218

8 23 Alex Albon Williams 12 1:30.949 1.303

9 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 13 1:30.989 1.343

10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 22 1:31.082 1.436

‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;

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


Singapore Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 Results
Which teams will find the right set-ups before qualifying later on?
Sep 21, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

Qualifying runs. Russell was the first driver to set a meaningful lap on the soft compound tyre. The Mercedes driver set a 1:30.125 on the soft compound. Piastri’s time was only good enough for second – three tenths behind Russell. Verstappen set his time on his soft tyre run. The Dutchman set a time only good enough for third – four tenths beind Russell. The Red Bull driver went wide at the final corner.

Norris set all three purple sectors to go right to the top of the timesheet. The Briton set a 1:29.646 – 0.479 seconds quikcer than Russell’s time. FP1’s pace setter Leclerc could only manage to go fifth on his soft tyre run. Ferrari don’t look as comfortable as yesterday. The Monegasque reported that he had “no grip”. Norris ended the session just under five tenths clear of Russell with his teammate Piastri in third.

‘Qualifying runs’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/singapore-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-3-results-2/?nowprocket=1


Advantage Norris heading into Singapore GP qualifying
Lando Norris heads into qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix favourite after a strong showing in final practice.
21 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The McLaren driver was almost half a second clear of the pack after the final practice hour, which proved positive for some and disastrous for others. George Russell was second best in a good result for Mercedes after a tough start to the weekend in Marina Bay, with Oscar Piastri third best in the second McLaren.

Things weren’t so rosy at Ferrari though, with Charles Leclerc almost a second off the pace in fifth. Heavy rain late on Friday evening washed much of the grip from the Marina Bay circuit. Though F1 Academy and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia had been out, the track remained green.

‘Advantage Norris’;

https://speedcafe.com/advantage-norris-heading-into-singapore-gp-qualifying/


Singapore Grand Prix practice red-flagged as marshals forced to chase lizard away
FP3 was red-flagged on Saturday after an unlikely visitor was spotted on the race track.
Sep 21, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The Singapore Grand Prix produced a hilarious moment on Saturday as a lizard appeared on the track at the start of FP3. The session was then red-flagged as marshals chased the animal off the race track.

"We are told the track is clear, but just have a look for the lizard," said Alonso's race engineer, before the Spaniard hit back: "No it's in the middle of the track.”

‘Red-flagged’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1951450/Singapore-Grand-Prix-lizard-red-flag


2024 Singapore GP FP3: Final practice red flagged after lizard is spotted on track
Sep 21, 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The running in FP3 was halted momentarily after a lizard was seen on track with the marshals deployed to remove it from the danger zone.

‘Lizard is spotted’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-singapore-gp-fp3-final-practice-red-flagged-after-lizard-is-spotted-on-track.1810801260596529235


Singapore GP: Godzilla stars in early FP3 running before Lando Norris comes to the fore
21 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

On a slow start to Saturday’s action, Aston Martin were the first to brave the conditions including a head-to-head battle with a monitor lizard that was heading down to Turn 16. “He’s living his best life,” declared Charles Leclerc while Fernando Alonso had to change his line to avoid hitting it.

Lando Norris destroyed his rivals in the final practice hour for the Singapore Grand Prix, up by almost half a second. The McLaren driver laid down a 1:29.646, a new lap record, to sit 0.479s up on George Russell with Oscar Piastri P3.

‘Godzilla stars’;

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


F1 – Norris powers ahead in final practice at Marina Bay Circuit
21.09.24
FIA (Press Release)

McLaren’s Lando Norris set the pace in the final practice session ahead of the qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, beating Mercedes George Russell by almost half a second, with Oscar Piastri taking third place in the other McLaren.

‘Norris powers ahead’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-norris-powers-ahead-final-practice-marina-bay-circuit


Toto Wolff responds to McLaren's rear wing "game"
21 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

How did Wolff react to McLaren's wing? "We're so [focused on our] own issues to solve them that we didn't have it on the radar. You can say that's naive or not," Wolff told Sky Sports, but did admit he believes he McLaren could've got a sporting advantage from it.

"But for sure, in Monza and in Baku, it might have had an effect, especially when you see the close racing in the front. That happened, but we weren't part of this game, so it was a second priority to us," Wolff concluded on the topic.

'Didn't have it on the radar';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/302653/toto-wolff-on-mclaren-f1-rear-wings.html

[Fortitude]

Norris takes pole, Verstappen P2.
Lando Norris secured pole position, setting a time of 1:29.525. Max Verstappen will join the McLaren driver on the front row at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
22 Sep 2024
Sophia Crothall
GPblog.com

Lando Norris finished fastest during Q1 whilst, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly, Valtteri Bottas, and Zhou Guanyu were all eliminated. George Russell also complained on the radio during the session that he had no grip, with his teammate Lewis Hamilton also having issues with the rear.

In Q2, Alex Albon, Franco Colapinto, Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen and Esteban Ocon were all eliminated. Oscar Piastri finished the session as the fastest driver. The final ten drivers then battled it out in Q3 to secure their slot on the grid. A red flag was brought out after Carlos Sainz crashed into the wall, and the session got underway again with eight minutes on the clock.

‘Lando Norris and Max Verstappen on the front row’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/302701/singapore-grand-prix-qualifying-results-2024.html


Singapore GP: Qualifying Results
22 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay.

Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:30.002 1:30.007 1:29.525

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:30.157 1:29.680 1:29.728 0.203

3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:30.393 1:29.929 1:29.841 0.316

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:30.811 1:30.153 1:29.867 0.342

5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:30.258 1:29.640 1:29.953 0.428

6 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:30.724 1:30.150 1:30.115 0.590

7 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:30.684 1:30.450 1:30.214 0.689

8 22 Yuki Tsunoda RB 1:30.716 1:30.289 1:30.354 0.829

9 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:30.786 1:29.747

10 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:30.670 1:30.108

‘Full results from Qualifying’;

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


Lando Norris clinches pole at Singapore Grand Prix to boost title chances
Sep 21, 2024
Deepanraj Ganesan
The Straits Times

SINGAPORE – McLaren’s title-chasing Lando Norris will get a chance to cut Red Bull’s Max Verstappen’s lead further in the drivers’ championship race after the Briton secured pole position at the Marina Bay Circuit on Sept 21 ahead of the Dutchman.

With only seven races including the 2024 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix left and a 59-point deficit to Verstappen, Norris arrived in Singapore as a man on a mission, focused on narrowing the gap.

Securing pole is vital on the tight 4.94km street circuit, where overtaking is notoriously tricky; historically, nine of the 14 races here have been won from pole. In 2023, Carlos Sainz’s pole position translated into a victory here.

‘Boost title chances’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/lando-norris-clinches-pole-at-singapore-grand-prix-to-boost-title-chances


Singapore Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
Find out what happened in Formula 1 Qualifying for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix
Sep 21, 2024
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds

Q3: The final part of Qualifying had barely begun before it was red flagged, as Sainz was at the end of his first flying lap when he went into the barriers. After the red flag was ended and Sainz’s car was cleared away, there were only seven minutes left on the clock. Instead of attempting multiple laps, everyone opted to wait in the pits and just do one flying lap to decide who would get pole position.

The McLarens were the first out to make their final attempt. Piastri, on provisional pole, was the first driver across the line. Piastri didn’t see much of an improvement, which allowed Norris to take provisional pole from him with a lap time of 1:29.525. Leclerc only managed fourth place, before losing his lap time and being dropped down to ninth ahead of Sainz.

Then Hamilton jumped up to second, before getting beat out by Verstappen, as Russell went right behind his teammate. But no one could improve on Norris’ time, putting the British driver on pole for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix ahead of Verstappen and Hamilton.

‘Formula 1 Qualifying’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/singapore-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-results/?nowprocket=1


Norris beats Verstappen to Singapore pole after Sainz crashes out
21 Sep 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

After a delay, the session resumed with eight minutes remaining. The nine remaining drivers waited until the closing minutes to emerge on their final runs. Piastri improved on his own provisional pole with before Norris went four tenths faster to go to the top of the times by four tenths of a second.

That would prove to be the pole-winning lap for the McLaren driver as no one could get within two tenths of his time. Verstappen was closest, securing the other front row position in second, with the two Mercedes of Hamilton and Russell in third and fourth. Piastri will start fifth ahead of Hulkenberg a surprise sixth, with Alonso and Tsunoda behind them.

The two Ferraris will start ninth and tenth with neither registering a lap time in Q3. Leclerc’s only timed lap of the session was deleted for exceeding track limits at turn two, with Sainz failing to set a time after crashing on his out-lap.

‘Norris beats Verstappen’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/21/norris-beats-verstappen-to-singapore-pole-after-sainz-crashes-out/

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris Claims Fifth Pole Of 2024 In Singapore.
Lando Norris will start the 15th edition of the Singapore Grand Prix from pole position. It’s the McLaren driver’s sixth pole, the fifth this season. His time of 1’29”525 is over 1”4 faster than the 2023 pole time of 1’30”984 set by Carlos Sainz. It’s the British team’s 161st pole, the last six all coming courtesy of Norris.
Sep 22, 2024
F1 Chronicle

Max Verstappen, lapped in 1’29”728 and will line up alongside Norris, having yet again missed out on pole at the Marina Bay circuit. The second row is an all-Mercedes affair, with Lewis Hamilton (1’29”841) ahead of team-mate George Russell by just 26 thousandths of a second.

Lando Norris – P1 “It was tough in Qualifying today, I was finding it difficult to go quicker and it put me under a little bit of pressure, especially with just one lap to get it right. The car felt good though, it’s been strong all weekend and when you have that, you’re confident, you can go out and push to get the lap time you need. So, I did the job I had to do to thank the team for their hard work and I’m excited to see what we can do tomorrow.”

‘Fifth Pole Of 2024’;

https://f1chronicle.com/lando-norris-claims-fifth-pole-of-2024-in-singapore/?nowprocket=1


Singapore GP: Lando Norris excited by Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton challenge as he seeks crucial F1 win
Will title-chasing Lando Norris overcome the challenge of both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton from the head of the Singapore grid?;
21 Sep 2024
Sky Sports

Lando Norris is relishing the "pretty awesome" challenge of battling Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton for Singapore GP victory. He also expects the world champion pair to "probably try to play more tricks" each attempting to win a race pivotal to the McLaren's driver's own first-time title hopes.

For the first time since the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August, the Briton shares the front row with defending three-time champion and 59-point title leader Verstappen, who returned to qualifying form after a series of disappointing races that has allowed Norris and McLaren to put the Dutchman and Red Bull under serious championship pressure.

‘Relishing the "pretty awesome" challenge’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13218840/singapore-gp-lando-norris-excited-by-max-verstappen-lewis-hamilton-challenge-as-he-seeks-crucial-f1-win


Damon Hill issues nine-word reaction as Lando Norris secures Singapore Grand Prix pole
21 Sep 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Norris was the first to beat Piastri and shattered his teammate’s benchmark as the McLaren star shot into P1 by 0.428s. It proved enough for the Bristol-born pilot to post the pole time, with Verstappen snatching second in front of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

It is the sixth pole position of Norris’ Formula 1 career and fifth of the 2024 campaign alone. But the McLaren ace is still yet to directly convert any into a win, having lost the lead of the Dutch Grand Prix to Verstappen at the start but re-passed the home hero to win by 22.896s.

Norris will hope to hold off Verstappen into Turn 1 at the Singapore GP. But having the field close together in qualifying excites Hill for how the race will unfold on Sunday. The 1996 F1 champion thinks Marina Bay should stage another spectacle after Norris’ superb qualifying. “Great lap from Lando,” Hill posted on X. “Great set-up for tomorrow!”

‘Nine-word reaction’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/damon-hill-issues-nine-word-reaction-as-lando-norris-secures-singapore-grand-prix-pole/


Verstappen 'didn't expect to be on the front row' for Singapore GP
21 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Drivers' championship leader Max Verstappen says he was a lot happier driving the Red Bull RB20 during qualifying for Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix, feeling that he could "attack corners a bit better" than in the practice sessions.

'Didn't expect to be on the front row';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/verstappen-didnt-expect-to-be-on-the-front-row-for-singapore-gp.1810818826131942361


Red Bull are back at their best as team slashes its lap time deficit in Singapore
21st Sep 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Red Bull arrived in Singapore following their worst run of form in years. On average, they were 0.46% off the pace over the previous three races. This from the team which began the season with seven consecutive pole positions. More worryingly for them, Singapore had been their sole weak track for their all-conquering RB19 last year. But if they could show a better turn of pace at Marina Bay, it would surely bode well for the rest of the season.

A week ago in Baku, Red Bull claimed they’d made some improvements to their car’s handling on Friday, before set-up changes on Max Verstappen moved it out of its comfort zone, consigning him to a fifth-place finish. In Singapore, the team look very much their old selves. Verstappen didn’t look comfortable at any time during practice, but in qualifying the car came to life. On top of which, in a challenging Q3 where most drivers only got a single flying lap in, he got closer to his potential than several of his rivals, and his reward was a better qualifying position than his car arguably deserved.

‘Back at their best’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/21/red-bull-are-back-at-their-best-as-team-slashes-its-lap-time-deficit-in-singapore/


Verstappen's F1 press conference protest after swearing penalty
Sep 21, 2024
Josh Suttill
The Race

Bizarre exchange:
Tom Clarkson: What did you change overnight?
Max Verstappen: A lot.
TC: Can you elaborate?
MV: No I might get fined or get an extra day [of community service].
TC: Well look Max, are you confident of the race pace?
MV: Maybe.
TC: How much of the race is a step into the unknown given the problems you had in practice?
MV: It's an unknown.
TC: Tell us about lining up on the...
MV: This is not about you, don't worry. I don't want to upset you.
TC: We're fine but can you just tell us about lining up alongside Lando in terms of the championship battle and your tactics in the race?
MV: We'll find out tomorrow.

As usual, following Clarkson's questions to the top three qualifiers, the session was then opened up to questions from the media attending the race. Verstappen received the first question on how much of Red Bull's turnaround was down to the team getting the car balance right versus the driver getting more out of the car. "I would prefer if you asked these questions outside the room," Verstappen replied.

‘Verstappen's F1 press conference protest’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/max-verstappen-f1-protest-press-conference-swearing-penalty/


Hamilton shocked at scale of Mercedes Singapore revival
After a troubled practice, Lewis Hamilton banked third on the grid at Marina Bay.
21 Sep 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

"Qualifying has been a disaster for me all year long, and I've been working and working and working trying to get myself back up there - and all of a sudden, the car came alive in qualifying for the first time in a long time," he told media including RacingNews365. "Through the weekend so far, we were looking, well, I was looking particularly very poor.”

"I mean, this morning and all of yesterday, we were 1.2 seconds off [Norris], so we arrived with a car that was massively understeery, and we just couldn't dial anything in, no matter what we did. Nothing changed. We made changes overnight, came here today, pretty much the same thing, and I was definitely shocked to see that we were still 1.2 seconds behind Lando again.”

"We just kept our heads down, made some more changes and got into qualifying and it was like night and day, there was such a big difference. It was such a nightmare the past day and a half. The car was all of a sudden alive, and I was able to go where I wanted to go. It was looking really strong throughout qualifying and I think obviously with the crash in Q3 it made it difficult for all of us to put that final lap together.”

‘The car came alive’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-rues-singapore-shame-after-overcoming-disaster


Hamilton relieved to qualify third after “very poor” start to weekend
21 Sep 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton said his car came alive in qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix as he qualified third after a poor start to practice. “I’m not saying it’s a surprise, but through the weekend so far we were looking – well, I was looking, particularly – very poor,” he said. “This morning and all of yesterday, we were 1.2 seconds off. We arrived with a car that was massively understeery and we just couldn’t dial any [grip] in, no matter what we did. Nothing changed.”

However Hamilton said his car came alive in the cooler conditions of qualifying. “We just kept our heads down, kept not giving up, we made some more changes and got into this session and it was like night and day,” he said. “It was such a big difference. The car was all of a sudden alive and I was able to go where I wanted to go. It was looking really strong throughout qualifying.”

‘Relieved to qualify third’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/21/hamilton-relieved-to-qualify-third-after-very-poor-start-to-weekend/

[Fortitude]

Norris destroys F1 rivals in sensational Singapore GP victory.
Lando Norris took a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the Singapore Grand Prix, further reducing Max Verstappen's drivers' championship lead after of the new Autumn calendar break.
22 Sep 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Lando Norris took his first F1 career grand chelem in the Singapore Grand Prix, to reduce the drivers' championship deficit to 52 points with a superb victory. It is McLaren's first grand slam since the 2008 Chinese Grand Prix - the same year F1's inaugural trip to the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Max Verstappen came home in second place, over 20 seconds behind his title rival, with Oscar Piastri finishing in third place, after making easy work of the Mercedes' pair of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Ferrari worked through the pack well, but the cost of their difficult qualifying in Singapore proved a heavy price to pay.

Further back, Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg completed their strong weekends, to score points in eighth and ninth, respectively. Sergio Perez held off an impressive Franco Colapinto for the final point.

‘Sensational’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-destroys-f1-rivals-in-sensational-singapore-gp-victory


Singapore GP: Race Results
22 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Full results from the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff

1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 62

2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 20.945

3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 41.823

4 63 George Russell Mercedes 60.807

5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 61.626

6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 83.477

7 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 94.19

8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1L

9 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1L

10 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1L

‘Full results’;

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


F1 LIVE - Singapore GP RACE - Commentary + Live Timing
22 Sep 2024
F1 Gamer

This is a Formula One (F1) live stream which has full live commentary and live timing data alongside a track map. It is the first F1 (Formula 1) Grand Prix this season in Singapore, held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIa2d63B54g


Lando Norris dominates Singapore Grand Prix but Max Verstappen springs F1 title surprise
Lando Norris started on pole with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton breathing down his neck while Daniel Ricciardo began what may be his final F1 race from 16th on the grid
22 Sep 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen limited the damage done to his Formula 1 title defence on a night that belonged to Lando Norris. But, for all his supremacy, Norris' title bid wasn't set alight as Verstappen crossed the line second to ensure just a single-figure points gain for his closest challenger. And he will be delighted to have achieved that given how worried he was that Red Bull would struggle once again on the Singapore streets.

It will have made Red Bull feel better after Sergio Perez struggled to make progress and crossed the line 10th to secure just one single points. And Daniel Ricciardo's F1 career may have ended on a whimper, crossing the line down in 18th as rumours swirl he will be replaced ahead of the next race in Austin. But he did at least steal the fastest lap from Norris after stopping late to put on a fresh set of softs.

‘Norris' title bid wasn't set alight’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-singapore-gp-winner-result-33725017


Lando Norris dominates Max Verstappen as Lewis Hamilton fumes at Singapore Grand Prix
Lando Norris made a clear statement with a dominant win at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Hamilton's evening in Marina Bay was nothing short of infuriating for the seven-time world champion. The Brit accused his strategists of "killing him" with an unfavourable soft-to-hard strategy. He took the chequered flag in P6 after starting third on the grid.
Sep 22, 2024
Harry Smith
The Mirror

Lando Norris produced a statement victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, finishing nearly 22 seconds clear of title rival Max Verstappen. Oscar Piastri rounded off the podium to cap off a strong weekend for McLaren. Norris headed into the Grand Prix knowing full well that his pole position conversion rate was under scrutiny. The Brit didn’t let the pressure get to him though, and he led Verstappen across the line at the end of lap one following a slick getaway from the grid.

With nine laps in the bank, race engineer Will Joseph asked his driver to open up a five-second lead over Verstappen. Seven laps later, Norris had obliterated that target, moving 13 seconds ahead of his championship rival. Norris was turning the screw and inflicting more pain on Verstappen. On lap 30, the reigning champion came in for his stop, although his title rival nearly had a disastrous moment, clipping the wall after a lock-up.

‘Clear statement with a dominant win’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1951794/Lando-Norris-Max-Verstappen-Lewis-Hamilton-Singapore-Grand-Prix


Blisteringly quick Norris dominates Verstappen to win Singapore GP
22 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Lando Norris has dominated the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, beating Max Verstappen at the Marina Bay Circuit. At one point, Norris had a half-a-minute lead, and he wasn't challenged. The McLaren driver did have two lucky escapes after contact with the wall. Verstappen limited his title damage by finishing second. Oscar Piastri took home important points for McLaren with his third-place finish.

‘Blisteringly quick Norris’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/302975/lando-norris-beats-max-verstappen-in-the-2024-singapore-grand-prix.html


Norris survives two wall strikes to dominate Singapore GP
Sep 22, 2024
Ben Anderson
The Race

When McLaren asked Norris how comfortable he felt running at that pace, Norris replied he was at “pace 6 or something”. McLaren asked him to open the gap out to five seconds to protect from a potentially powerful Red Bull undercut at the pitstops, but Norris was so comfortable as he upped his pace that he was sometimes lapping a second or more per lap quicker than his rival.

Norris was so fast in fact that he was never in danger of being overtaken in the pits even though he locked up and almost crashed at Turn 14 towards the end of that first stint. He feared front wing damage but the team could spot nothing. It was a lucky escape for Norris, who clouted the wall again towards the end of the race and was told to take a drink, refocus, “chill out” and bring it home safely.

Once again Norris narrowly escaped unscathed, before racing on to victory by a massive 20.9s, despite also running wide late-on while lapping Franco Colapinto’s Williams, as Norris continued to flirt with disaster.

‘Two wall strikes’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/singapore-grand-prix-result-2024-lando-norris-hits-wall-dominates/


Singapore Grand Prix: F1 Race Results
Sep 22, 2024
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds

The closing stages: As we entered the closing stages of the race, Magnussen had a puncture on lap but managed to limp his way back round to the pits a lap later. Despite Magnussen setting the fastest lap on new soft tyres, his time was deleted meaning Norris still had the extra point intact.

Norris’ lead with five laps to go was at nearly 29 seconds. On the penultimate lap, Ricciardo who was down in P19 pitted once again in an attempt to go for the fastest lap, which he would get in the end on what could be his last F1 race.

Despite Verstappen cutting the gap down to 21 seconds in the final few laps, he could not do anything to change the inevitable in this race as a dominant Norris would cross the line to win the Singapore Grand Prix. Verstappen would claim an important P2 finish and Piastri rounded off the podium places in third.

‘Five laps to go was at nearly 29 seconds’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/singapore-grand-prix-f1-race-results-2/?nowprocket=1


Lando Norris wins Singapore Grand Prix in drama-free race at Marina Bay
Sep 22, 2024
Deepanraj Ganesan
The Straits Times

SINGAPORE – McLaren reigned supreme in Singapore for the first time since 2009, as Lando Norris won the Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix on Sept 22. The papaya-clad McLaren driver turned his pole position into victory, marking the British team’s first win here in over a decade.

‘Drama-free race’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/lando-norris-wins-singapore-grand-prix-in-drama-free-race-at-marina-bay

[Fortitude]

What Lando Norris said to Max Verstappen in Singapore cooldown room as Piastri lands FIA quip.
Lando Norris: ‘I actually s*** myself’ in brush with wall!
22 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris admitted his brush with the wall during the Singapore Grand Prix led to a very nervous moment from within his McLaren cockpit.

McLaren driver locked up into the Turn 14 hairpin midway through the race, forcing him to run wide of the apex, and he brushed the wall on the exit – with only minor front wing damage reported. With Verstappen seeing that footage for the first time, the surprised Red Bull driver responded to that moment by exclaiming: “No way!”

Norris then turned to his title rival and admitted with a smile: “I actually s*** myself.” Piastri, sat with the pair of them, joked about the FIA’s clampdown on drivers swearing, quipping immediately to Norris: “So, without using swear words, how did you feel when you did that moment?” – which drew a laugh from his McLaren team-mate in return.

‘I actually s*** myself’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-singapore-grand-prix-cooldown-room


Norris showcases his brutal side: 'Wanted the biggest lead possible'
22 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Lando Norris dominated the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix but had to survive two heart-in-the-mouth moments. At one point, Norris hit the barrier while cruising with a nearly half-a-minute advantage over Max Verstappen.

He also panicked about the front wing being damaged when he brushed the wall earlier in the race. "It was an amazing race. A few two many close calls. It was well controlled otherwise. The car was mega. We were flying the whole race," Norris said in his first reaction after the race.

At several moments, Norris nearly threw away the win. He was unsure whether he was over pushing or chilling too much. "It's not that you're over pushing. Sometimes, you can be chilling too much. Maybe it was both. Easy to lock the tyres," he added before showcasing his brutal side. "I didn't want to have a one second lead, I wanted to have the biggest lead possible," Norris concluded.

‘Brutal side: 'Wanted the biggest lead possible'!’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303007/lando-norris-reflects-on-nervous-moments-in-singapore-grand-prix.html


Lando Norris lit up a dull Singapore GP with his brilliance but it may not be enough
Lando Norris touched the wall a couple of times but he still completely dominated the Singapore Grand Prix, even if it only brought him eight points closer to title rival Max Verstappen
22 Sep 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

For one evening, it felt like we had time travelled back to 2023 with one car miles up the road from everyone else. Except this time, the Red Bull of Max Verstappen was the one doing the chasing. Entirely in vain. This was Lando Norris at his imperious best, producing the most dominant performance of his Formula 1 career.

The only disappointment for Norris was that, for his dominance, it didn't have as much of an impact on his title challenge as he would have liked. He remains 51 points behind Verstappen with six rounds to go, having only gained eight despite finishing 22 seconds ahead.

‘It may not be enough’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lando-norris-singapore-title-verstappen-33725883


I am working my butt off – Lando Norris looking to reel in Max Verstappen
22 Sept 2024
philip duncan
Yahoo! Sport

Asked if he now expects the title race to go to the wire, Norris said: “I am working my butt off to try and make sure it happens, but he (Verstappen) is doing the same to make sure it doesn’t. There will be plenty of competition until the end of the year. All I can do is score as many points as possible.”

“There are still a lot of points to catch up and that will not be easy to do. Max and Red Bull are one of the most dominant pairings ever seen in Formula One. And that hasn’t changed. It is the same team and same driver combination so I have some tough competition. Our car is quicker than theirs, and that is down to the team being smart. But that is the game.”

After the chequered flag fell, Horner was quick to tell Verstappen that Norris had enjoyed two fortunate escapes en route to victory. Explaining the radio message, Horner said with a smile: “It was to show that he (Norris) was a lucky b******. Hitting the wall once is usually a wake-up call and to hit it twice, somebody is smiling on you.”

“Working my butt off”;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/am-working-butt-off-lando-172337432.html


Norris had “a few too many close calls” on course to victory
22 Sep 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Singapore Grand Prix winner Lando Norris admitted he had too many “close calls” with the barriers on his way to win by more than 20 seconds from Max Verstappen. Norris led every lap of the race from pole position to secure his third victory of the season ahead of the championship leader.

“It was an amazing race,” Norris said. “A few too many close calls. I had a couple of little moments in the middle, but it was well controlled, I think, otherwise. The car was mega, so I could push. We were flying the whole race and at the end I could just chill. So it was nice race, still tough – I’m a bit out of breath – but a very fine one.”

“A few too many close calls”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/22/norris-had-a-few-too-many-close-calls-on-course-to-victory/


Lando Norris’ pace “going to have Red Bull scared” as crucial stat emerges
Nico Rosberg analyses F1 Singapore Grand Prix
22 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn

Max Verstappen will mathematically win the F1 title if he finishes as runner-up, behind Lando Norris, at every race for the rest of the season. Verstappen has a 52-point lead at the summit of the championship despite Norris dominating the F1 Singapore Grand Prix.

“More than the win, it was the performance and the speed today,” Nico Rosberg analysed on Sky Sports. “That is going to have Red Bull scared. With this speed until the end of the year, it’s realistic that “Lando can win the remaining races. For Max to come second is so difficult.”

Questions remain about whether they should have treated Norris as their No1 driver earlier in the season to boost his title hopes. Rosberg disagrees: “It was too premature to compromise Oscar Piastri. He is still in the championship hunt, he can mathematically do it if things go his way. They will, at some point, apply team orders.”

“Going to have Red Bull scared”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1056389/1/lando-norris-pace-going-have-red-bull-scared-crucial-stat-emerges


‘We were flying the whole race’ – Norris hails ‘amazing’ Singapore win despite ‘too many close calls’
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Lando Norris was thrilled with his dominant drive to victory in the Singapore Grand Prix, with the McLaren man feeling that he was “flying” throughout the 62-lap encounter despite some close calls with the barriers along the way.

Having struggled with his starts at times during the 2024 season, Norris ensured that this was not the case this weekend by making a strong launch off the line to hold the lead into Turn 1.

Those “close calls” perhaps left the McLaren team’s hearts in their mouths as Norris made a couple of brushes with the walls of the Marina Bay Street Circuit. One of those incidents prompted the 24-year-old’s race engineer to remind him to apply “full concentration” and “take a drink” amid Singapore’s humid conditions.

‘We were flying the whole race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/we-were-flying-the-whole-race-norris-hails-amazing-singapore-win-despite-too.1U2CyuajKvc7ochsxlfhug


Mark Hughes: McLaren's other wing trick behind its Singapore superiority
Sep 22, 2024
Mark Hughes
The Race

McLaren’s high downforce superiority is derived from its great balance when running those bigger wings, an advantage which multiplies with its effect on tyre degradation. This is with a generation of car inherently difficult to balance, a generation which Red Bull has found can fall badly out of balance as it’s developed to produce more total downforce.

Mastery of aero elasticity gave McLaren its rear wing ‘mini DRS’ advantage on the low-downforce tracks. But on the high-downforce tracks that same mastery has given it a front wing which deforms perfectly to be powerful on slow corners with an aggressive flap angle, without it then being too powerful on high-speed corners as the flap bends, reducing the downforce of the wing to give the centre of pressure appropriate to the speed of the corner.

‘McLaren's other wing trick’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-mclarens-other-wing-trick-behind-its-singapore-superiority/


McLaren's F1 wing trick beat Red Bull at its own game
Sep 20, 2024
Edd Straw
The Race

McLaren’s rear wing gambit is pure Formula 1. It couldn’t have been executed more beautifully, allowing it to run a rear wing that was particularly beneficial for Spa, Monza and Baku before it was asked to modify it thereafter.

Red Bull is a past master when it comes to the dark art of aeroelasticity, but this time it’s McLaren that has played a blinder. Remember, McLaren’s Rob Marshall made it clear that it worked with the FIA to establish the legality of its rear wing – and that includes access to designs. That, combined with passing the load tests means that the wing therefore was indeed absolutely legal until it wasn’t.

‘McLaren’s rear wing gambit is pure Formula 1’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mclaren-wing-trick-beat-red-bull-at-its-own-game/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen Bluntly States: 'I Knew the Car Was F*cked'.
In Thursday's press conference, Verstappen responded to the question about the difference between the two teammates, given he is the top driver in the team. "I don't know? A different set up".
19 Sep 2024
Sophia Crothall
GPblog.com

Why was Verstappen slower than Perez in Baku? "So as soon as I went into qualifying, I knew the car was f*cked. I tried to optimize the car all the time and this time it didn't work out. So I knew that I was stuck with it and then, you tried to optimize it. Of course, my run one and then Q3 that would have been enough for P3 in qualifying hurt me and you start in the back of the top group."

"The balance was of course not there in the race. Then you get stuck behind two cars in the middle of the race so you kill your tyres. Everything just went wrong from qualifying. The rules of course, don't allow you to, to change anything on the car you're stuck with it and that's what happened," he concluded.

‘Bluntly Stated’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/302128/verstappen-warned-for-swearing-during-press-conference.html


Max Verstappen walks out of interview after giving two-word answer to FIA question
Sep 20, 2024
Joe Krishnan
Daily and Sunday Express

But Verstappen appeared to take a dim view of the new strict rules, giving just two words in his post-FP2 interview before walking off in footage that surfaced on social media.

The interviewer for F1 TV said: "Can we also just have a word about this FIA situation today, we've got some-", at which point Verstappen cut her short and replied: "No words" before then walking out of the media pen.

"No words";

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1951297/Max-Verstappen-interview-FIA-Singapore


International media rally behind Verstappen: 'FIA penalty is absurd'
Sep 23, 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Corriere dello Sport: "While it is true they have overhauled the RB20 at Red Bull, Max interpreted the changes as best he could and took a hugely valuable second place. However, the curse of Singapore persists, where he has never won," wrote the Italian newspaper, which gives Verstappen great credit for his protest at the FIA press conference. "He deserves high marks for his protest to the FIA - in which he gave answers of one syllable - for the absurd punishment he received."

The Guardian: The British newspaper saw a lacklustre race in a weekend where most of the talk was about the penalty imposed on Verstappen by the FIA. Noting that Norris, too, could just as easily have a community service penalty hanging over his head. In the cooldown room, Norris said "I actually s**t myself" while looking back at his near-crash with Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. "On the precedent set this weekend, Norris can expect at least a fine, if not possibly some community service to match Verstappen’s, in a pointless and vapid distraction to what is the most exciting season since 2021."

'FIA penalty is absurd';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303168/max-verstappen-gets-support-from-international-media-after-fia-protest.html


F1 drivers united before FIA talks on Max Verstappen swearing row
23 Sept 2024
giles richards
Yahoo! Sport

Formula One drivers are united ahead of talks with the FIA over the Max Verstappen swearing row that engulfed the Singapore Grand Prix, amid widespread dissatisfaction with the sport’s governing body. The chair of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), Alex Wurz, believes the penalty Verstappen received was too severe and that the organisation would reach a consensus before presenting a response to the FIA.

Wurz cited the case of the former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, who became one of the most well-known and popular personalities in the sport partly because of his liberal and entertaining use of expletives. The Netflix series Drive to Survive, responsible in part for the enormous growth in F1’s popularity, recognised Steiner’s draw and made extensive use of his colourful language in the show.

“How many lifetime community services would Guenther Steiner have to serve for using the F word?” Wurz told Formel1.de. “He was glorified for using the F word. Netflix broadcast this worldwide, no problem. But then to suddenly change like that?”

'Guenther Steiner glorified for using the F word';

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/f1-drivers-united-fia-talks-102105930.html


Horner backs Verstappen after FIA swearing row: 'Royal family swears too!'
22 Sep 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner believes the punishment is relatively harsh and used an example of the royal family swearing to support the Dutchman after the conclusion of the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

According to Christian Horner, swearing is a common way to express emotion. "I think that Max has made his feelings clear on it. Of course, all these drivers are role models. But, language is used in everyday life, it perhaps could have been dealt with slightly differently, which would have avoided any awkwardness. I’m not sure how much he’s talking in the FIA press conference now, but I assume it's relatively little," Horner began.

The Red Bull team boss was asked if the team has asked their start driver not to swear, to which Horner responded with: "No, no. Look, I suppose the difference was between a press conference and in the car. But for a driver whose native language is not English… I mean, we’ve seen Royal Family members telling photographers to take a fucking photo. So reactions need to be relative." Horner concluded. Hopefully, the situation can be resolved swiftly before Formula 1 returns on October 20 in Texas.

'Royal family swears too!';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303100/christian-horner-defends-f1-max-verstappen-after-swearing-controversy.html


Wolff backs Verstappen: 'We all know each other, it's not the worst thing'
22 Sep 2024
Estéban den Toom
GPblog.com

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff stands by Max Verstappen... Wolff and Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari's team boss, also had to visit the stewards last year for foul language. "He was a bit more worried. I said to them it's the first time since school that I was called to the headmaster and I promise it's going to be the last time. Now having said that, I think there is an argument that big swearing and being rude on the radio is not something that should happen. "I think it's always the context in the way you say it, but we want to have emotions, we want to have raw moments, we understand that the drivers are in a state of extremes.”

“If we can dim it down a little bit, I think that's good for all of us, but I wouldn't necessarily ban the F word," Wolff said. Asked if Verstappen's community service is too severe, Wolff wondered who listens to the FIA during the press conference. "I don't think anybody listens to the FIA president at a press conference anyway. I mean, you listen, but it's not written about, rarely."

‘Wolff backs Verstappen’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303129/f1-toto-wolff-over-max-verstappen-fuss.html


Max Verstappen hails Red Bull turnaround in F1 Singapore GP
22 Sep 2024
James Phillips
Motorsport Week

Despite the dominance of Lando Norris in the Grand Prix, Verstappen was positive after finishing second, 20 seconds behind his McLaren rival. “Compared to the start of the weekend, we improved quite nicely,” Verstappen said. “I think that’s been great for us as a team on a track that we know we’re not performing normally the best. So I’m happy with second today.”

“The last few laps, I think it was feeling a little bit better,” Verstappen explained. “But overall, [it was] quite a lonely race for me.” Although unable to catch Norris, Verstappen successfully saw off a late challenge from the second McLaren of Piastri. With 12 laps remaining, Verstappen had a comfortable 17-second lead over the McLaren. This increased to 21 seconds by the chequered flag.

“We improved quite nicely”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/22/max-verstappen-hails-red-bull-turnaround-in-f1-singapore-gp/


‘No way’: Max Verstappen stunned after watching terrifying Lando Norris moment during Singapore Grand Prix win
Sun 22 September 2024 17:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Norris, Verstappen and Oscar Piastri watched the highlights of the race and as the Brit entered the room, Verstappen said: “At one stage I thought you were going to lap me!” Watching one of the Mercedes cars run wide, Norris remarked: “I did exactly the same.”

The trio then saw the clip of Norris locking his tyres going into turn 10 and all three drivers couldn’t believe how close he was to losing his front wing, with Verstappen simply saying, “No way!” “You should have released the brake a little bit there,” Verstappen concluded.

‘Scraping the barrier’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max-verstappen-stunned-after-watching-terrifying-lando-norris-moment-during-singapore-grand-prix-win/


Verstappen admits Red Bull ‘need to bring more performance’ after being beaten by McLaren again
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen finished second to Lando Norris in Singapore and called on his team to close the performance gap to McLaren for the final six races of the year.

‘Bring more performance’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/verstappen-admits-red-bull-need-to-bring-more-performance-after-being-beaten-by-mclaren-again.1810910130709889171

[Fortitude]

Piastri: Difficult to “work some magic” in Singapore race.
Oscar Piastri admits that it will be difficult to “work some magic” and come through the field in the Singapore GP after a crucial mistake in qualifying left the McLaren Formula 1 driver fifth on the grid.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

The Australian was not as comfortable on Friday as team mate Lando Norris, but he reported that the car felt better from the start of FP3. He topped Q2, but when it mattered in Q3 he had wheelspin late in his last lap, and it was enough to send the tyre temperatures up and make the final corners difficult.

“I think through practice it was a big struggle, to be honest,” he said when asked by this writer about his session. I just had no pace. Through qualifying, I felt quite comfortable. I was feeling much better with the car, and in Q2 I was strong, even Q3. But just both my laps were terrible.”

“The last one was looking good, and a little bit quicker than what I managed in Q2, which would have put me well in the fight for pole. But I just had a bit of a moment towards the end of the lap. And with these tyres this weekend, if you have one little moment, it destroys your lap. So just very frustrating.”

“Work some magic”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/22/piastri-difficult-to-work-some-magic-in-singapore-race/


Piastri: P3 ‘the most we could have hoped for’
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Oscar Piastri finished third from fifth on the grid on a night when McLaren sealed a 1-3 finish with Lando Norris taking victory under the lights in Singapore.

‘1-3 finish’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/piastri-p3-the-most-we-could-have-hoped-for.1810909695878092783


Damage limitation for Piastri in Singapore GP
Oscar Piastri admitted his drive to third in the Singapore Grand Prix was a case of damage limitation.
23 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

“[Qualifying] obviously wasn’t ideal, but today the aim was to get onto the podium,” Piastri said. “I think losing so much time behind the Mercedes in the first stint meant that that [third] was definitely the most we could have done, so walking away reasonably happy. I think it was a good damage limitation day today.”

“It was difficult for the last few laps of the stint, but until then I could tell that we had a good pace advantage over Mercedes,” Piastri explained. “And Lewis starting on the soft meant that I was never really going to try and push to get him early on. I knew that the race was going to come to me much later on, and that’s basically what we did.”

“When I was in the dirty air behind them, it was tough, as it always is, but I knew that we had a good pace advantage and that the longer we kept going the more opportunities we opened up for ourselves the bigger tyre difference we had. If there was a Safety Car then we could have capitalised on it, so I think we executed it very well.”

‘Damage limitation’;

https://speedcafe.com/piastri-mclaren-singapore-gp-damage-limitation/


Piastri highlights key McLaren call in Singapore ‘recovery’
Oscar Piastri ran an assured and risk-free race from fifth on the grid to third in the Singapore Grand Prix, thanking McLaren for the strategy that allowed him to pass both Mercedes' drivers en route to the podium.
23 Sep 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has praised McLaren for employing the race strategy that allowed him to finish in the Singapore Grand Prix podium after a difficult qualifying session. The Australian started the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in fifth and ran long into the race. When he ultimately stopped for fresh rubber, he emerged behind the Mercedes pair of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who had both out-qualified him.

Whilst his team-mate had two scary moments en route to victory, Piastri kept it clean, opting for a low-risk approach after dispatching of the two Mercedes cars. "No, I kept it off them [the walls] this time, I don't think I hit anything," he explained after the 62-lap race. It was a bit close with George [Russell] at Turn 1, but once I got into third, I had a massive gap to try and close up, so I didn't wanna take too many risks. I feel like I've brushed enough walls in the last two weeks, so hopefully the mechanics don't have to change too many bits before next race."

‘Key McLaren call’;

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-highlights-key-mclaren-call-in-singapore-recovery


Piastri pleased with podium recovery in Singapore as he helps McLaren strengthen constructors’ lead
23 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Oscar Piastri expressed his satisfaction at the “great result” of rising to the podium at the Singapore Grand Prix, after the McLaren driver started Sunday’s race down in fifth position via a difficult qualifying session. “I felt like we had a really quick car underneath us and a good strategy to get past the Mercedes. A big thank you to the team, the car was exceptional this weekend, and some great points for the whole team.”

‘Strengthen constructors’ lead’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/piastri-pleased-with-podium-recovery-in-singapore-as-he-helps-mclaren.2t5bi0XpcMKNROeJgtx0u9


‘Getting old’: Sam Bird left amazed by ‘stunning’ Oscar Piastri moment during the Singapore Grand Prix
22 Sep 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Oscar Piastri puts a ‘stunning’ move on Lewis Hamilton. After dragging out his first stint on the medium tyres, Piastri stopped halfway through the race and re-joined in a net fifth place. Behind both Mercedes drivers, albeit with a considerable tyre life advantage on the hard compound, he closed seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton down almost immediately.

Launching an attack on the Brit around the outside of seven, he placed his car in the perfect position to claim fourth. Formula E race winner Sam Bird reserved high praise for the Australian driver. “The hard tyres of Lewis Hamilton are getting old now, that’s a stunning move from Oscar Piastri,” he said.

‘Stunning move’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sam-bird-left-amazed-by-stunning-oscar-piastri-moment-during-the-singapore-grand-prix/


Oscar Piastri took ‘good lessons’ from Singapore F1 ‘damage limitation’
23 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Asked whether the third step on the rostrum was the maximum he could have achieved, Piastri, who was 20 seconds behind Verstappen, responded: “Yeah, I think so. Yeah, you know, yesterday obviously wasn’t ideal, but today the aim was to get onto the podium. I think losing so much time behind the Mercedes in the first stint meant that that was definitely the most we could have done.”

“So walking away reasonably happy. Of course, I’d prefer to be sat in the middle. But I think it was a good damage limitation day today. Even through the weekend, I was struggling quite a lot in practice and felt like I made a good step into qualifying. Didn’t execute as well as I needed to, but I feel like I’ve learned a lot through the weekend as well.”

“So even if the end result wasn’t exactly what I hoped, I think we’ve done a good job of maximising the points, especially for the team. It’s a massive points haul for us, and I feel like I’ve learned some good lessons for next year as well. All in all, reasonably happy.”

‘maximum he could have achieved’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/23/oscar-piastri-took-good-lessons-from-singapore-f1-damage-limitation/


Piastri labels his Singapore race as “good damage limitation“
23 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Having secured a third place finish at the Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri went on to label his latest podium finish as a “good damage limitation.”

"Once I got past the Mercedes, Max was, I think, 20 seconds ahead, and I knew I was a lot quicker than the Mercedes, so the last 15 laps felt longer than the first 45. So yeah, it was a tough race, definitely. It always is here. But in some ways having the air blowing in your face and stuff like that is almost quite nice.”

"You know, the in-lap was actually probably... You know, when you stop concentrating so much and you don't have as much air in your face, it actually can feel worse. So definitely a tough evening, but that's what we're paid for.”

‘Having the air blowing in your face’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25535

[Fortitude]

Shaky George Russell moment emerges in untelevised footage after ‘borderline heatstroke’ in Singapore.
Untelevised footage from the Singapore Grand Prix has uncovered the moment Mercedes driver George Russell staggered as he made his way through parc ferme at the end of the race.
24 Sep 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Footage captured by the onboard camera of Valtteri Bottas’s Sauber at the end of the gruelling 62-lap race has revealed the moment Russell staggered through parc ferme at the end of the race, at one stage pausing to rest his hands on the tyres of Bottas’s car and the car parked to its left.

Russell then shuffled forward a few yards before again resting his hand on the rear-left tyre of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, parked just ahead. The Singapore Grand Prix is widely regarded as one of the most physically demanding events on the F1 calendar, with the race held in stifling conditions.

Hamilton and Russell have both previously complained over team radio about a warm sensation emanating from their seats in the cockpit at various points during the F1 2024 season. The team later posted a clip to social media of a Mercedes staff member delivering a plate of food to a smiling Russell and Hamilton in the team’s hospitality unit in the Marina Bay paddock.

‘Borderline heatstroke’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-shaky-moment-borderline-heatstoke-singapore-grand-prix


Hamilton and Russell taken ill after Singapore GP
A physically tough Singapore Grand Prix took its toll on Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in Singapore!
22 Sep 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell failed to appear for media duties following the Singapore Grand Prix due to falling ill after the race. Singapore's climate makes the grand prix around the Marina Bay Circuit one of the physically toughest of the year. Race-winner Lando Norris admitted that he was feeling “dizzy” while standing in parc ferme after jumping out of his car.

Drivers normally report to the TV and written media after the race - however the Mercedes duo skipped the commitments on medical grounds. “Unfortunately neither George or Lewis will be attending the media pen this evening as they recover from the exertions of this evening’s race,” Mercedes confirmed.

‘Taken ill’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-and-russell-taken-ill-after-singapore-gp


Wolff issues health update on Hamilton and Russell
Toto Wolff has provided further clarity on why Lewis Hamilton and George Russell missed their media duties after the Singapore Grand Prix.
22 Sep 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are both "fine" after the pair had to skip their post-Singapore Grand Prix media obligations. The Brackley-based team informed media including RacingNews365 that "unfortunately neither George or Lewis will be attending the media pen this evening as they recover from the exertions of this evening’s race."

The message added: "We will however offer a quote from both of them in due course." After their efforts, Wolff explained to media including RacingNews365 that it was "overheating" that caused them to miss their duties. “they’re both suffering from the overheating, but they’re fine now, the Austrian said. "They put themselves in an ice bath, and I think that helped a bit”

‘Ice bath’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-issues-health-update-on-hamilton-and-russell


Russell admits Mercedes was sold Singapore dream
George Russell has stated that a promising Saturday at the Marina Bay Street Circuit left Mercedes with the impression he could have achieved more than what was ultimately possible in the Singapore Grand Prix.
23 Sep 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

George Russell has claimed Mercedes' pace in qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix made the team believe it could do better than the fourth-place finish he achieved. The 26-year-old started and ended the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in that position, after benefitting from Lewis Hamilton's alternate tyre strategy, but losing out to the pace of Oscar Piastri's McLaren.

"After a very difficult Friday, we would have likely taken P4 in the Grand Prix," Russell explained in a statement after missing his media duties. "Our pace in Qualifying, however, made us believe we could achieve more. "Today was no doubt a difficult race for us, both challenging in terms of our pace but also physically."

‘Could have achieved more’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-admits-mercedes-was-sold-singapore-dream


Wolff brands Singapore Grand Prix ‘a really painful, painful evening’ as he admits Mercedes just ‘too slow’
24 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Toto Wolff watched his drivers slog their way round the Marina Bay Street Circuit on a hot and humid evening in Singapore, with George Russell finishing where he started in fourth and Lewis Hamilton dropping three places to come home sixth.

“I think we’ve read the race wrong,” Wolff admitted. “We took a decision based on historic [data] that this race was basically a procession, Monaco-like and that the soft tyre would give [Hamilton] an opportunity at the start, basically the only overtaking opportunity.”

“And that was a decision that we all took together jointly, it felt like a good offset. But with the rear tyre deg we had, there was only one way and that was backwards. So, I think there was a logic behind it, but it was contrary to what we should have decided. But it doesn’t hide away from the fact that when the car is slow, you’re just slow.”

‘Painful, painful evening’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/wolff-calls-singapore-really-painful-as-he-admits-mercedes-just-too-slow.3aId6ZYnMTNdO1ohnLcZER


Pirelli had talks with Russell after criticism
SEP 23, 2024
GrandPrix.com

Pirelli's F1 boss sought out George Russell for a chat over the Singapore GP weekend. A week ago, the Mercedes driver slammed the inconsistency of the tyres in Formula 1 today, claiming even Pirelli “don't understand them” and denouncing the product as not good enough.

“I always talk to the drivers because it's useful to understand better”, Mario Isola, Pirelli's F1 chief, is quoted by France's Auto Hebdo. “Obviously, in the heat of the moment after the (Baku) race, George had some things to say and we talked together.”

“But looking at the data from all the cars in Baku, we didn't find anything strange in terms of tyre performance.” The Italian said he thinks Russell might be misunderstanding why the performance of his car was so different from one set of tyres to the next.

‘Pirelli had talks with Russell’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/pirelli-had-talks-with-russell-after-criticism.html


George Russell on Red Bull F1 2026 radar as Christian Horner faces Martin Brundle grilling
23 Sep 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner: “We’re having to look further down the road. We’ve got some great talent. We’ve got Liam Lawson on the bench. “Looking at the likes of [Franco] Colapinto, [Oliver] Bearman and Antonelli, is he at that level? Only time will tell. We’ve got Isack Hadjar in Formula 2, who’s been, until recently, leading that championship.”

“We’ve got a very exciting young talent that I’m particularly excited about in F3, Arvid Lindblad, so we’ve got depth in our junior program and that’s why there’s a natural gap now.” Horner added: “We just want to take time to consider what those options look like for the future – and we’re not afraid to go out of the pool.

“George Russell is out of contract at the end of the next year. It would be foolish not to take that into consideration. There are other drivers – talented drivers – that could well be out of contract as well.”

‘Red Bull F1 2026 radar’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-red-bull-shortlist-christian-horner-martin-brundle


Toto Wolff hits back at Christian Horner with brutal response after George Russell comment
Toto Wolff didn't mince his words when responding to Christian Horner's comments in Singapore.
Sep 23, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff has accused Christian Horner of "stirring s*** up" after the Red Bull team principal brought up George Russell’s name in a list of potential options for his team in the 2025 driver market.

Christian Horner: "George Russell is out of contract at the end of the next year. It would be foolish not to take that into consideration. There are other - talented drivers - that could well be out of contract as well."

When these comments were posed to Mercedes boss Wolff, the Austrian didn’t pull any punches. "Christian is always trying to stir s*** up. It’s part of the game. George is a Mercedes driver, has been forever and hopefully will be forever. We have a long contract with him."

"Stirring s*** up";

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1951963/Toto-Wolff-Christian-Horner-George-Russell-Red-Bull

[Fortitude]

Leclerc hails Ferrari fightback from torrid Singapore GP qualifying.
Charles Leclerc hailed Ferrari's "really good race execution" that enabled him to claw his way up to fifth in the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday after a disastrous qualifying session 24 hours earlier.
22/09/2024
France 24

"We maximised our potential today and our race execution was really good," said Leclerc, who still has an outside shot at the drivers' title. He is third in the standings, 34 points behind second-placed Norris and 85 adrift of leader Max Verstappen with six races and three sprints to go.

"Overall, it isn't the most satisfying weekend for us, but as a team, we can be proud of turning things around and bringing home this P5 today."

‘Leclerc hails Ferrari fightback’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240922-leclerc-hails-ferrari-fightback-from-torrid-singapore-gp-qualifying


Leclerc’s race “all about waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting”
23rd September 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Leclerc spent the first 28 laps of his race trying to find a way past Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso. Once he finally broke free of them, he was able to secure a fifth-place finish. “It was very, very frustrating because I wished Nico and Fernando would pit earlier, but obviously they were doing their race and they have all the right to do so,” he told Viaplay.

“But that compromised ours because we were just stuck for 35 laps behind them and then it’s all about waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and hoping that they don’t go too long on their stint, in order to then push on my tyres and come back towards the end. And that’s what we did. But we weren’t in a great position to do anything better.”

“All about waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/23/racefans-round-up-23-09-7/


Leclerc “loved” Singapore GP charge after early nightmare in traffic
23 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Charles Leclerc says he “loved” the second part of a Singapore GP that saw him charge to fifth place from ninth on the grid after his frustrating Q3 session. “Yeah, I did,” he said when asked by this writer if he’d enjoyed the race. “From the end of the first stint to the last laps, I loved it. The first 25 laps were a nightmare, because I was just a sitting duck behind Fernando and Nico.”

“And I was just hoping that they had to box very soon because of [the cars] behind, but it never really happened, and they went very long. And I just had to wait. But overall, it’s been a good race from that moment onwards. As soon as they pitted, we maximised our points. We just paid a little bit price of a bad quali yesterday.”

‘Charles Leclerc says he “loved” the second part of a Singapore GP’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/23/leclerc-loved-singapore-gp-charge-after-early-nightmare-in-traffic/


Leclerc looks to positives but Ferrari paid the price in Singapore
Leclerc managed to recover from P9 on the grid to finish fifth in Singapore
23 Sep 2024
Adriano Boin
Total Motorsport

Charles Leclerc managed to find the positives and believes Ferrari maximised their performance in the 2024 Singapore GP, with a fifth-place finish all they could have asked for after a disastrous showing in qualifying.

“The last laps I loved it. The first 25 laps were a nightmare because I was just a sitting duck behind Fernando and Nico,” Leclerc told accredited members of the press, including Total-Motosport.com.

“I was just hoping that they had to pit very soon because I was behind, but it never really happened. They went very long so I just had to wait. Overall, it was a good race from that moment onwards. As soon as they pit we maximised our points, we just paid a little bit of the price for our qualifying yesterday.”

‘Looks to positives’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/charles-leclerc-positives-ferrari-paid-price-2024-singapore-gp/


Charles Leclerc: Ferrari ‘paid the price’ for Singapore F1 qualifying setback
23 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc has conceded that he “paid the price” in the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix for the qualifying setback which spoiled his and Ferrari‘s race prospects.

However, the marque’s hopes unravelled once the all-important Q3 session that determines the grid arrived as Carlos Sainz crashed while Leclerc propped up in ninth. Leclerc’s one attempt was deleted as he exceeded track limits at Turn 2, with the Ferrari driver incensed that low tyre temperatures had compromised his endeavours.

“Paid the price”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/23/charlesleclerc-ferrari-paid-the-price-for-singapore-f1-qualifying-setback/


Ferrari rue qualifying disaster in F1 Singapore GP
23 Sep 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur rued a costly qualifying session that hurt Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s chances in the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. “Friday we were in a better shape than fifth and seventh, so it means that we missed something during the weekend, it’s clear,” said Vasseur.

“But when you start in Singapore ninth and 10th, you know did something wrong on Saturday. It’s not the Sunday that we have to learn something. It’s more than to do a better job on Saturday.” Vasseur said that “the result of the weekend is not the one expected,” no doubt disappointed given Ferrari took victory in Singapore last year.

‘Ferrari rue qualifying disaster’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/23/ferrari-rue-qualifying-disaster-in-f1-singapore-gp/


Leclerc pinpoints key failing in Singapore ‘missed opportunity’
Charles Leclerc walked away from the Singapore Grand Prix with a fifth place result in a “missed opportunity” for Ferrari.
23 Sep 2024
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

When asked if Singapore was a missed opportunity for Ferrari, Leclerc told media including RacingNews365: “I would say yes. But looking back at the pace of the McLaren, and of Max, I’m not sure how many points have we missed today.”

“George definitely, I think we had the car in order to finish in front. I didn’t check again the pace of everybody, but what I’ve heard about Lando’s pace, I don’t think we quite had that in the car, and I don’t know where the others were behind him.”

‘Missed opportunity’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-pinpoints-key-failing-in-singapore-missed-opportunity


Singapore GP data: How the power of the overcut was used against Mercedes at Marina Bay
23 Sep 2024
Pablo Hidalgo
PlanetF1.com

Still to make the epic comeback was Leclerc. On lap 42, after being blocked by Alonso for three laps, the Ferrari driver finally managed to overtake the Spaniard. Ahead, Carlos Sainz in P6 was in a very different race situation to the Monégasque driver.

Ferrari ordered Sainz to swap positions with Leclerc on lap 43 and the Spaniard put up no opposition. Leclerc then had almost 20 laps to catch Hamilton who was 15 seconds ahead on tyres 19 laps older. And just as in the case of McLaren, with a car also superior to Mercedes in race pace. In just eight laps, Leclerc hunted Hamilton down to reach P5. The Ferrari driver then had another 11 laps to try and catch Russell who was eight seconds ahead.

Leclerc pushed as hard as he could with the hard tyre which started to degrade quickly from lap 55 onwards. The Monégasque reached Russell’s DRS zone on lap 58, but due to the high tyre wear and the difficulty to overtake on track in Singapore, he didn’t make it to P4.

‘The power of the overcut’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Ferrari/Charles+Leclerc

[Fortitude]

“Sometimes I wonder why I do this”: How Hamilton endured a slog to sixth in Singapore.
Toto Wolff: “Yeah Lewis sorry we gave the two of you a car that was just not good enough for you. And obviously we read the race wrong but I don’t think it would have made a difference, we were just too slow today.”
24th Sep 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton’s frustration with his strategy in the Singapore Grand Prix became clear shortly after he was overtaken by his team mate George Russell. The pair shared the second row of the grid at the start. But Mercedes opted to put Hamilton on soft tyres, which led him to pit earlier than most of his rivals, three of whom passed him before the end of the race. He later said he was “so angry” with the decision. Here’s how his race unfolded on his radio.

“It’s going to be a tough afternoon…”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/24/sometimes-i-wonder-why-i-do-this-how-hamilton-endured-a-slog-to-sixth-in-singapore/


‘Perplexed, angry’ Lewis Hamilton reveals strategy 'battle' with Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton was left "perplexed" by Mercedes' decision to split strategies at the Singapore Grand Prix.
24 Sep 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

But speaking at a Petronas sponsor event in Kuala Lumpur, Hamilton admitted Mercedes’ decision to start on softs “didn’t make sense to me”. “It wasn’t fun,” Hamilton said of the race. “We sat in our meeting in the morning ahead of the race and the night before they had already mentioned that they would like to split the cars.”

“I was a bit perplexed by it, because in the past when we’ve ever been in that position, if George has qualified well, like he normally does and I’m out of the top 10 or something, then we would split the strategies.”

“But when we were so close it didn’t make sense to me and so I battled as hard as I could to fight to go onto the medium tyre but the team continued to suggest that I start on the soft. When they took the tyre blankets off and everyone was on mediums…”

‘Perplexed, angry’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1056442/1/perplexed-angry-lewis-hamilton-reveals-strategy-battle-mercedes


Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes overruled plea to avoid Soft tyre in F1 Singapore GP
24 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that Mercedes ignored his desperate plea to avoid starting the race on the Soft tyre at the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix last weekend. Hamilton has divulged that he argued against the pre-race discussion to split strategies between the two Mercedes cars, but the team opted to overrule his concerns.

“We sat in our meeting in the morning of the race – actually the night before they already mentioned that they would like to split the cars – and for me, I was a bit perplexed by it,” Hamilton said at an event in Kuala Lumpur with Mercedes sponsor Petronas.

‘Mercedes overruled plea’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/24/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-overruled-plea-to-avoid-soft-tyre-in-f1-singapore-gp/


Lewis Hamilton tells Mercedes they are 'killing him' after bold Singapore GP tactic
Lewis Hamilton was unhappy with his Mercedes team at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Sep 22, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton complained that his Mercedes team were 'killing him' with a bold Singapore Grand Prix tyre strategy. The seven-time world champion improved his qualifying form to set up a P3 start for the race around the Marina Bay Street Circuit, and Mercedes went extra aggressive with their tyre selection.

Starting on the soft compound tyres with almost all of their rivals beginning on mediums, Hamilton was handed an excellent opportunity to overtake second-placed Max Verstappen at the race start. Unfortunately for the seven-time world champion, he got a lot of wheelspin off the line and when he arrived at Turn One, he could only launch a half-hearted move on Verstappen, who held position.

‘Lewis Hamilton tells Mercedes they are 'killing him'!’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1951779/Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-Singapore-Grand-Prix


Lewis Hamilton slams Mercedes decision that left him ‘perplexed’ in extremely awkward new interview after Singapore GP
The seven-time world champion was unimpressed...
24 Sep 2024
Tom Jenkins
SPORTbible

Lewis Hamilton has been left 'angry' and 'perplexed' by one decision Mercedes made during the Singapore GP where Hamilton saw himself slip from third on the grid to a sixth-placed finish. It was a disastrous grand prix for the man who lined up behind the leading two, as Hamilton saw Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, and his teammate George Russell come past him in the race.

Hamilton was the outlier at the front of the grid as he started the race on the soft tires while those around him opted for the medium. This decision meant Hamilton had to pit significantly earlier than his competitors, meaning he was essentially hung out to dry in the later stages of the race against cars with much faster tires.

Speaking at a Petronas event following the race, Hamilton pulled no punches as he slammed Mercedes' strategy all while sitting next to Russell.

“The night before they had already mentioned they would like to split the cars, I was a bit perplexed by it," he explained. Hamilton has been convincingly beaten 13-5 by Russell in qualifying so far in 2024, so the fact the 39-year-old was actually ahead of his teammate on the grid made the decision even more baffling.

‘Lewis Hamilton slams Mercedes decision’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-decision-singapore-054106-20240924


Mercedes got Hamilton’s Singapore GP strategy wrong, Wolff admits
24 Sep 2024
Keith Collantine

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described his team’s Singapore Grand Prix performance as “really painful” after they failed to capitalise on their second row lock-out. “Our strategy decisions in the race were determined by our experiences in the past here where track position is crucial,” Wolff explained. “We thought that the soft tyre would give Lewis an advantage at the start but that turned out to be the wrong decision.”

“With our challenges managing the rear surfaces, we went backwards. Overtaking proved possible, contrary to previous races here where it has been more processional, and in hindsight we should have started him on the medium.” However Wolff said the team’s core problem was its W15’s poor race pace. “We were too slow today,” he admitted.

“We are struggling at the moment with tracks that are hot and demanding on traction, like here and Baku, but that is no excuse. It is difficult for us to accept but we must do and find a way to improve.” Neither Mercedes driver spoke to the media after taking the chequered flag as the team said they needed time to “recover from the exertions of this evening’s race,” which is regularly one of the most punishing on the calendar.

‘Mercedes got Hamilton’s Singapore GP strategy wrong’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/22/mercedes-got-hamiltons-singapore-gp-strategy-wrong-wolff-admits/


Toto Wolff reveals race-destroying Mercedes mistakes at Singapore GP
Mercedes started third and fourth but converted that to fourth and sixth at the 2024 Singapore GP
22 Sep 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

“That was a really painful evening for us,” Wolff told Mercedes in a press release of their mistakes in Singapore. “P4 and P6 is not a good result after starting P3 and P4.

‘Race-destroying Mercedes mistakes’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/toto-wolff-race-destroying-mercedes-mistakes-2024-singapore-gp/


‘We had the doctors with them’ – Lewis Hamilton and George Russell suffer ‘borderline heatstroke’ at Singapore GP
22 Sep 2024
Philip Duncan
The Irish Independent

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both pulled from their planned media commitments following the Singapore Grand Prix with “borderline heatstroke”. “They would not have been able to go to the [television/print] pen. There were no bad feelings or any annoyance. It is just that we had the doctors with them. But they are all good.”

A Mercedes spokesperson added: “Unfortunately neither George or Lewis will be attending the media pen this evening as they recover from the exertions of this evening’s race.” Hamilton was later quoted in a Mercedes press release. “It is hard to describe the range of emotions you feel when we have a difficult race like that,” he said.

“This year continues to be a testing one for everyone, but we are all pushing as hard as we can. We don’t always get things right and that was the case today with our strategy. We all head into the weekend, and every decision we take, with the right intentions and sometimes it doesn’t work out. It can be frustrating, but we are all in this together.”

‘We had the doctors with them’;

https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/motor-sport/we-had-the-doctors-with-them-lewis-hamilton-and-george-russell-suffer-borderline-heatstroke-at-singapore-gp/a900751253.html

[Fortitude]

Sainz: Singapore GP another “wasted opportunity” for Ferrari.
Carlos Sainz says that the Azerbaijan and Singapore GPs represented “a wasted opportunity” after he failed to capitalise on Ferrari’s strong form on street venues.
23 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

The Spaniard crashed while battling for the podium in Baku, and then went off again on cold tyres at the start of Q3 in Singapore. “I think in general, the last couple of races have been a bit of a wasted opportunity,” he said when asked by this writer about the outcome in Singapore.

“And I’m not happy with how the things have gone on these last two weekends. At the same time, you never know what there’s around the corner, and we might be surprised with how we can perform in Austin, Mexico, Vegas and these tracks.”

“So I’m going to keep myself optimistic six races left in this long year, but yeah, going to work on my weaknesses, and put myself in a better position for the last six races. So I’m hopeful that we can qualify a bit further up, like we were doing at the beginning of the year. And that makes the whole weekend a lot easier.”

“Wasted opportunity”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/23/sainz-singapore-gp-another-wasted-opportunity-for-ferrari/


Carlos Sainz gives Red Bull ‘in our sights’ warning as Constructors’ battle tightens
23 Sep 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz said Ferrari have Red Bull “in our sights” as the team look to hunt down the reigning champions for second place in the table. With McLaren looking likely to extend their lead at the top, Sainz reckons their best shot is to go after Red Bull.

“McLaren definitely have the upper hand,” Sainz said. “They are the favourites for winning it. We still have Red Bull in our sights, and obviously McLaren, if they start going south or they start having problems we need to keep ourselves in.”

“I think it would show good resilience by the team,” Sainz said of a possible P2 finish. “After a tough part of the year where we gave up a lot of points and a lot of development curve. But Red Bull are going to come back strong with the upgrades, I think at the end of the season once they’ve understood what they got wrong. Also with their car it’s not going to be easy to beat them either.”

‘In our sights’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-red-bull-our-sights-warning-constructors-battle


Sainz has regrets after another "wasted opportunity" for Ferrari
24 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

los Sainz is left rueing wasted chances for Ferrari after a worse-than-expected result in Azerbaijan and Singapore. In 2023, Red Bull won 21 out of 22 Grands Prix. Sainz was the driver to end that streak of wins at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, holding off McLaren and Mercedes in the final few laps of the race. In 2024, Ferrari looked strong during Friday practice in Singapore by competing with Norris' best times. The Italian team was leapfrogged overnight by Max Verstappen…

Sainz knows what he wants to improve on going into those final six events. "Just try and feel a bit more confident going into Turn 1 and qualifying, because clearly, these last few weekends haven't been the best approach. I'm hopeful that we can qualify a bit further up, like we were doing at the beginning of the year, and that makes the whole weekend a lot easier," he added.

"Wasted opportunity";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303340/carlos-sainz-sees-a-wasted-chance-for-ferrari-f1-in-singapore.html


Carlos Sainz reveals scale of Ferrari tyre ‘homework’ amid Singapore F1 struggles
25 Sep 2024
James Phillips
Motorsport Week

Carlos Sainz has admitted that Ferrari has a lot of “homework” to do to get on top of the tyre problems that blighted its weekend at Formula 1‘s Singapore Grand Prix. Sainz has admitted that the narrow operating window of the current Pirelli compound is something that Ferrari must aim to get a handle on to avoid similar setbacks.

“I think what keeps being a bit of a trend this year is that we have a very narrow window for the tyres to perform in our car this year,” Sainz told media including Motorsport Week. “I think last year our car switched on the tyres whenever we wanted. This year seems to be a very fine line between getting them in the right window or not.”

“So, yeah, we’re trying to figure that out from my side. I’m gonna focus during these next few weeks to see what I can do for the last six races to make that less of a limitation or less of a weakness and put ourselves further up, because then the race pace is always strong. So some homework to do on that side.”

‘Lot of “homework” to do’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/25/carlos-sainz-reveals-scale-of-ferrari-tyre-homework-after-singapore-f1-struggles/


FIGHTING BACK
22 Sep 2024
Ferrari - Official Site

Singapore 22 September 2024: The Scuderia Ferrari HP team and its drivers ran another perfectly executed race in Singapore. Charles managed to make up four places to finish fifth and Carlos Sainz, taking part today in his 200th Grand Prix, finished five places higher than he started, seventh after dropping down to 12th off the line.

Carlos Sainz #55 : “It was a challenging race. We took a risk by pitting very early, but we made it work to the end, gaining some positions. We knew our pace was solid and I enjoyed some good overtakes on track. Today was about damage limitation, but we leave Singapore with a sense of disappointment. Now there is a gap to reset and come back stronger for the last races of the season. There are still a lot of points in play and we need to maximise every weekend.”

Fred Vasseur, Team Principal Scuderia Ferrari HP: “I’m very pleased with how we performed today, less so with Saturday. We had a good strategy, good race management and we ran a very strong race on both sides of the garage. Carlos had a difficult start after which he showed good pace and in the closing stages.”

‘Ran another perfectly executed race’;

https://www.ferrari.com/en-GB/formula1/articles/singapore-grand-prix-2024-free-practice-report

[Fortitude]

Alonso smashes expectations again: 'Nothing showed it was possible'.
Fernando Alonso: "Today, finishing eighth is a bit better than our best dreams. We are just lucky we got points but it was possible to be P15. I think we should be 15th and 16th. We are eight, two seconds behind the Ferrari. I don't know if I can do more,"
25 Sep 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

A regular issue in the 2024 season is also present at Aston Martin. The team have brought upgrades to tracks, but sometimes, it was for the better to take them off their car. "I think apart from one team, everybody's putting upgrades on, removing part of them or removing them all, going back to a previous pack. The subject is not an easy one. I wish we would be in a different position. But we are not. Maybe the others have also understood quicker than we did? We have to be self-critical. We cannot, these results that we have here should not hide the fact we are not where we want to be."

According to Krack, his Spanish driver was indeed correct, as he outperformed the numbers at the Asian circuit. "Yes, at the end of the day we have our numbers and we do our pre-race estimations. Now in Baku obviously he finished higher up because there was attrition. But today, and again, full transparency, none of our estimations were predicting that we could finish where we finished," he declared, praising the driver.

‘Alonso smashes expectations again’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303471/f1-aston-martin-call-alonso-miracle-singapore-gp-2024.html


Alonso: ‘Eighth is better than we expected’
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso finished P8 for Aston Martin in Singapore – but called on the team to find performance quickly to get them closer to the front runners.

‘Find performance quickly’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/alonso-eighth-is-better-than-we-expected.1810909194385066065


Alonso: Singapore P8 finish “better than our best dreams”
24 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Fernando Alonso says his eighth place for Aston Martin in the Singapore GP was “better than our best dreams,” while stressing that the Silverstone team has to “raise the level.” The Spaniard agreed that he couldn’t have done any better with the car he had. “Absolutely, I think behind the top four teams, just in front of Checo,” he said. “So normally it’s ninth and 10th available today.”

He added: “I just tried to follow Nico and tried to undercut him at one point. But the Ferraris should have won this race probably, they were the fastest car this weekend. So it wasn’t my race. I think now we need to raise the level,” he said. “We have some new parts coming in the next few races, hopefully they help us to come back to a stronger performance.”

“Better than our best dreams”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/24/alonso-singapore-p8-finish-better-than-our-best-dreams/


Fernando Alonso did something none of Aston Martin’s ‘simulations’ predicted during Singapore Grand Prix
23 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Aston Martin admitted that reaching Q3 might be a challenge, but Fernando Alonso took advantage of poor sessions for Mercedes and Ferrari to reach P7 on the grid. Alonso managed to hold off Charles Leclerc in the opening stages of the race, but the Ferrari driver passed him just before Aston Martin decided to pit him for his first stop.

The Spaniard would go on to lose positions to Carlos Sainz but managed to stay ahead of Sergio Perez and finish a few seconds off the Ferrari in P8. Team principal Mike Krack said he exceeded their expectations when speaking to Motorsport-Total. Aston Martin expected they would tumble down the order and outside of the points-paying positions, based on their simulations showing they were only the eighth fastest car over the weekend.

“We should have finished in P15 and P16. That’s what the simulations tell us, because we are passed out as the seventh or eighth team. But we are eight, two seconds behind a Ferrari,” said Alonso. Alonso took his team by surprise by holding off Leclerc in the early stages after overtaking Nico Hulkenberg at the start, which ultimately enabled him to stay inside the top ten and exceed their expectations.

‘Based on simulations, only the eighth fastest car’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fernando-alonso-did-something-none-of-aston-martins-simulations-predicted-during-singapore-grand-prix/


Street circuits ‘cannot hide lack of performance’ says Alonso as Aston Martin lose ground to rivals
24 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

“Eighth is better than we expected coming here to Singapore,” the former world champion said. “Obviously the qualifying yesterday was very encouraging and starting P7, we were dreaming that P8/P9 was possible and at the end we achieved it.”

“Good strategy from the team – we were behind Nico, we undercut on Lap 23 and we managed to overtake him, so overall I think eighth was the maximum. Now we have a little break before Austin and we have to find some performance in the car. We’ve been losing a little bit of ground compared to the top teams and we are in the middle of the midfield. We want to change this situation.”

“Good strategy from the team”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/street-circuits-cannot-hide-lack-of-performance-says-alonso-as-aston-martin.1OXY6N8Rz0I1VzDuj9NUdf


Aston Martin must improve before Newey arrives says Alonso
25 Sep 2024
GrandPrix.com

Newey's first Aston Martin will be the 2026 car for the all-new regulations. “I think 2026 is in our heads for everyone at Aston”, Alonso, 43, told DAZN. "The biggest hope is the arrival of Adrian Newey, Enrico Cardile and a few other names.”

“This is going to be great and the future looks bright, but what we are doing now is not good enough. We have to change the pace in 2025”, he insisted. “I'm currently putting all my effort in to overcome the lack of pace we have”, said Alonso.

"A lot of work was done between Baku and Singapore. After practice we left the computers at two in the morning. We have increased the workload to find answers more than ever before.”

‘Putting all my effort in’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/aston-martin-must-improve-before-newey-arrives-says-alonso.html


Alonso hoping for 'nice surprise' with Newey influence
Adrian Newey will start working for Aston Martin at the start of March next year.
25 Sep 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

When asked if Newey can influence next season's Aston Martin, Alonso told select media including RacingNews365: "I would like to say yes, but honestly, I don't think so. March ‘25, I think the focus for most of the teams will be the ‘26 projects and the change of regulations. You start in March, and until you know everybody, you take your place in the factories, it’s April or May.”

"And I don't think that it's worth spending too much [time] on the ‘25 campaign unless you are fighting for the championship. I hope we have a nice surprise, but I doubt it. So I think the ‘26 project should be the first car that he has an influence."

‘March ‘25, I think the focus for most of the teams will be the ‘26 projects’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-hoping-for-nice-surprise-with-newey-influence


‘Time’ A Factor For Elusive Third Title Claims Alonso
Sep 26, 2024
F1 Chronicle

The Spaniard said he was so keen for Adrian Newey to sign for Aston Martin that he texted the 65-year-old, met with him, and even offered a chunk of his sizeable salary to potentially increase team owner Lawrence Stroll’s financial offer.

According to the team’s commercial and marketing director Jefferson Slack, 2026 will probably be too early for a championship challenge from Aston Martin. “Newey will certainly be a big help for 2026 to be fighting for wins, and I think in 2027 we will be fighting for world championships,” he is quoted as saying by Diario Sport newspaper.

Alonso, currently 43, will turn 46 in the middle of 2027. “Step by step,” he said, “we have all we need to have that first race win and hopefully fighting for championships in the future. But I’m aware that this takes time and I don’t have that time in a way.”

‘So keen for Adrian Newey to sign… … even offered a chunk of his sizeable salary’;

https://f1chronicle.com/time-a-factor-for-elusive-third-title-claims-alonso/?nowprocket=1

[Fortitude]

Lawson: RB told me two weeks ago I would replace Ricciardo.
Liam Lawson says he has known for the past two weeks he would make his return to Formula 1 in the next race in Austin.
26th Sep 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

“It now finally does feel real, obviously I knew about it for the last, probably, two weeks, but until it’s out there to the world, it obviously doesn’t ever really feel set in stone,” he told the New Zealand Herald. “I couldn’t tell anybody.”

“It had been the plan for a long time now, where this was where I was leading,” he added. “Obviously I had a contract date that needed to be fulfilled so basically it was going towards this way, and then a couple of weeks ago they told me this is what was going to happen. And then basically not long after that, it was set in stone.”

“Singapore was definitely not an enjoyable weekend for me just because obviously we all knew what was coming,” he said. “At the same time, Daniel has always been very good to me in a lot of ways when I drove last year. Even this season, he’s always been somebody that I’ve never felt in competition with him or anything like that. He never made it feel like that.”

‘Known for the past two weeks’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/26/lawson-rb-told-me-two-weeks-ago-i-would-replace-ricciardo/


The rise and fall of Daniel Ricciardo: F1 title contender turned struggling star
26 Sep 2024
Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

For several years, Ricciardo was seen as a potential F1 world champion, with pace complemented by an uncanny sense of the braking limit, which enabled him to pull off impossible-looking banzai overtaking manoeuvres. The contrast between his cheery personality and aggressive on-track moves earned him the nickname ‘Honey Badger’

But after leaving Red Bull, where he gave Max Verstappen a run for his money, Ricciardo never again hit the same career highs, as he struggled with inferior cars and ultimately with questions over his competitiveness.

Eight race wins, three pole positions and 32 podium finishes to his name illustrate Ricciardo’s underlying ability, and close friendships with former team-mates, fellow drivers and team bosses demonstrate his unique likability. But now the 35 year old expected to be replaced by Liam Lawson at RB with six races remaining in the 2024 season. With little chance at a seat elsewhere, this looks to be Ricciardo’s final farewell.

‘Rise and fall’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/the-rise-and-fall-of-daniel-ricciardo-f1-title-contender-turned-struggling-star/?nowprocket=1#


Crucial reason pinpointed for Daniel Ricciardo’s cruel F1 decline
New theory may explain Daniel Ricciardo's downfall in competitiveness
26 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Daniel Ricciardo’s inability to cope with the latest generation of Formula 1 car has been cited as a major reason for his downfall. “The cars that he drove so unbelievably well were a different philosophy of car,” said journalist Sam Power from Australia’s Channel 10 on the F1 Nation podcast.

“The 2022 regs that came in are incredibly stiffly sprung, a very flat floor. Previously he was used to an Adrian Newey car which was high rake, quite a lot of roll. Very different. We have often heard about him trying to adapt his driving style. I’d hazard a guess that it’s a mismatch to the 2022 cars and their general philosophy, more than anything.”

Ricciardo’s pomp at Red Bull was never relived in stints at Renault, McLaren and AlphaTauri/RB. He originally lost his F1 drive when McLaren ditched him but missed only half-a-season before Red Bull rescued his career and threw him into their AlphaTauri seat. Ricciardo initially impressed but an injury allowed Lawson to briefly deputise - and show the world his obvious potential.

‘Crucial reason’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1056430/1/crucial-reason-pinpointed-daniel-ricciardos-cruel-f1-decline


Marko reflects on Ricciardo's 'prodigal son' failure
Daniel Ricciardo had a Red Bull return in his sights but the "killer instinct" was gone, according to Helmut Marko.
26 Sep 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has accused Daniel Ricciardo of losing his "killer instinct" that resulted in the return of "the prodigal son" turning into a failure. Speaking to Motorsport-Total, Marko said. "Then he didn't have a winning car at either Renault or McLaren. He did win at Monza [2021 Italian GP], but those were special circumstances.”

"I don't know what exactly happened, because if we knew, we would have helped him. But the speed and, above all, this late braking, and then he goes left or right... in these last few years he tried but it was no longer there, the killer instinct was gone."

Explaining that the timing of Ricciardo's departure announcement was "related to a variety of factors and obligations," he added: "He was informed, and the worthy farewell performance was, I think, the fastest lap. "That still showed what potential he has, not continuously and not at the level that would have justified him coming to Red Bull Racing, but that was an impeccable performance.”

‘Ricciardo's 'prodigal son' failure’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-reflects-on-ricciardos-prodigal-son-failure


‘We all have bad times’: Why Guenther Steiner wasn’t ‘happy’ after watching one of Daniel Ricciardo’s last interviews
26 Sep 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Guenther Steiner was saddened by one Daniel Ricciardo interview at Singapore Grand Prix. Ricciardo saw any realistic hope of scoring points dashed in qualifying. He suffered a Q1 exit for the sixth time this season, taking P16 on the grid. Watching on from the garage, Liam Lawson knew Ricciardo would be knocked out. The car was quick enough for Q3, with Tsunoda qualifying eighth.

Ricciardo is an eight-time Grand Prix winner who has racked up 32 podiums. He’s also an immensely popular figure in the paddock, but it was clear to Steiner that he’d reached a low point. He told Champ1: “I saw the interview with him after qualifying on TV in Singapore and I wasn’t really happy anymore. We all have good times, we all have bad times, we’re all just human. You have to respect that he won races. I like him. Danny is a great guy. He’s done a lot.”

‘Saddened’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why-guenther-steiner-wasnt-happy-after-watching-one-of-daniel-ricciardos-last-interviews/


Christian Horner speaks out on Daniel Ricciardo as VCARB exit confirmed
26 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner paid tribute to Daniel Ricciardo following the announcement he will be replaced at VCARB for the remainder of the season. “From the moment you arrived at Red Bull it was obvious you were so much more than just a driver,” Horner wrote on Instagram. “Your constant enthusiasm, sense of humour and attitude will leave an indelible legacy on the Team here in Milton Keynes and F1 as a whole.

“Thank you for the wins, smiles, songs (and I wish I could say the shoeys), you will always be a special part of the Red Bull Family. 8 wins, 32 podiums, 1329 points. These statistics and accolades are not the only measure of who you are and what you have achieved. Thank you Daniel.”

‘Tribute’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-daniel-ricciardo-red-bull-exit-reaction


Daniel Ricciardo pens emotional F1 farewell message after brutal Red Bull axe
Daniel Ricciardo's F1 career is all but over after he was let go by Red Bull's junior team RB, with the Australian understandably emotional in the wake of his exit
26 Sep 2024
Jacob Leeks Senior Sports Reporter
The Mirror

"I’ve loved this sport my whole life. It’s wild and wonderful and been a journey. To the teams and individuals that have played their part, thank you," Ricciardo wrote in an Instagram post of himself in his racing overalls with his back to the camera.

"To the fans who love the sport sometimes more than me haha thank you. It’ll always have its highs and lows but it’s been fun and truth be told I wouldn’t change it. Until the next adventure.”

RB Team Principal, Laurent Mekies thanked the driver for his efforts. “Everyone here at VCARB would like to thank Daniel for his hard work across the last two seasons with us. He has brought a lot of experience and talent to the Team with a fantastic attitude, which has helped everyone to develop and foster a tight team spirit," Mekies said.

‘Farewell message’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/daniel-ricciardo-red-bull-exit-33762775


VCARB welcome Lawson after saying goodbye to 'gentleman Ricciardo'
26 Sep 2024
Jeroen Immink
GPblog.com

VCARB team principal Laurent Mekies reacted Daniel Ricciardo's departure and the arrival of Liam Lawson to his team, after the driver change was announced on Thursday afternoon, the team report. The Frenchman sympathises with Ricciardo, and welcomed Lawson's at the Faenza-based formation.

Mekies is delighted at the arrival of Lawson. The New Zealander will be Yuki Tsunoda 's teammate and will once again drive Formula One in Austin. " I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome Liam. He already knows the Team well. He drove for us last season, and coped well under difficult circumstances, so it’ll be a natural transition."

"It’s great to see young talent from within the Red Bull family make the next step. We’re looking forward to getting our heads down and focusing on the rest of the season together," Mekies concluded.

‘VCARB welcome Lawson’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303702/vcarb-team-boss-laurent-mekies-on-f1-daniel-ricciardo-and-liam-lawson.html

[Fortitude]

Hulkenberg happy to score points for Haas after ‘stressful’ race in Singapore.
Nico Hulkenberg finished P9 to grab two vital points for Haas, after keeping Red Bull’s Sergio Perez behind him for the second half of the race.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Happy to score points’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hulkenberg-happy-to-score-points-for-haas-after-stressful-race-in-singapore.1810906498526547347


Singapore Grand Prix: Race Recap
September 22, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Hulkenberg took the start from sixth place on Pirelli P Zero Yellow medium tires and maintained position after battling against McLaren’s Oscar Piastri through the opening sector. The German came in on lap 29 for White hard tires and ceded positions to the recovering Scuderia Ferrari drivers, as well as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

Hulkenberg took the checkered flag in ninth position to add two valuable points to MoneyGram Haas F1 Team’s 2024 tally, marking the third successive race in the points for the team. Nico Hulkenberg: “I’m happy to get points. There are a few things to look into and review from our side, but otherwise a clean race. It wasn’t very eventful but it was very stressful keeping the Red Bull behind for the whole of the second stint, it was tough to bring it home.”

“We managed to do so, and I’m happy, this is a bit of redemption for last week. We’ve been there or thereabouts many times this season, and it’s not the first time we’ve pulled it off. We put ourselves in a good position yesterday with quali which was another key point. I had a clean start, a clean race, and it’s important that we got those points.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/singapore-grand-prix-race-recap-5


2024 Singapore Grand Prix: Brilliant rear angle view as Hulkenberg passes Piastri on the race start
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The rear angle camera from George Russell’s car captured the race start as Nico Hulkenberg managed to pass Oscar Piastri while several other cars ran off track in the midfield scuffle for places.

‘Hulkenberg passes Piastri on the race start’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-singapore-grand-prix-brilliant-rear-angle-view-as-hulkenberg-passes-piastri-on-the-race-start.1810899430201560478


‘I don’t care if it’s a Red Bull’ – Hulkenberg reflects on defensive Singapore drive as he bags more Haas points
25 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Nico Hulkenberg explained that securing points is his main priority no matter which cars are around him, after he added two more to Haas’s 2024 tally in the tight midfield battle. Whilst the quicker McLaren got back past, Hulkenberg did well to keep Fernando Alonso at bay until the Aston Martin got the better of him in the pit stops.

As the physically demanding race neared its close, he was forced to relentlessly defend from the threat of Sergio Perez’s Red Bull to secure some incredibly valuable points for the team. “Obviously happy to get points, that’s what matters,” he said after the race. “From that point of view, it was good. There’s a few things to look into and review in terms of strategy but otherwise, clean race.”

“[It was] not very eventful, but stressful keeping the Red Bull at bay for the whole second stint. It was tough to bring it home with the tyres and everything but we managed, so happy and a bit of a redemption from last week.”

‘I don’t care if it’s a Red Bull’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/i-dont-care-if-its-a-red-bull-hulkenberg-reflects-on-defensive-singapore.1UHD5bHBYwEJLSm48iTxzj


Hulkenberg: Singapore points “redemption” for Baku mistake
25 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Hulkenberg did a good job to keep Perez at bay. Nico Hulkenberg says his ninth place in Singapore for the Haas Formula 1 team was a form of “redemption” after his mistake late in the previous race in Azerbaijan. In Singapore Hulkenberg made amends by qualifying sixth and finishing ninth, having held off Perez for many laps.

Hulkenberg played down the fact that he’d beaten Perez’s Red Bull. “I think we’ve been there thereabouts many times this season,” he said. “It’s not the first time we pulled it off. I think obviously, we put ourselves in a really good position already yesterday with quali. That was also one of the key points. I had a good start and a clean race. So I don’t care if it’s a Red Bull or who it is, it’s important that we get those points.”

“Redemption”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/25/hulkenberg-singapore-points-redemption-for-baku-mistake/

[Fortitude]

‘Elbows out’: Christian Horner shares what Sergio Perez did in Singapore that was ‘hugely important’ for Red Bull.
Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner knows that the autumn break ahead of the final six race weekends of the season are going to be vital for his team.
24 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Christian Horner lauds ‘hugely important’ Sergio Perez moment during the Singapore Grand Prix. Channel 4 co-host David Coulthard mentioned to Horner that Perez seemed to be held up in the midfield after a difficult qualifying session and asked him about his feedback, to which the Red Bull team principal replied:

“Well, he had a good first lap. He got his elbows out, made a couple of decent passes, but then he just got stuck. He struggled with traction; he couldn’t get off the corners where he needed to get into an overtaking position so that was frustrating for him. He got a point out of it; they’re all going to add up at the end of the year, so that’s hugely important.”

‘Elbows out’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/christian-horner-shares-what-sergio-perez-did-in-singapore-that-was-hugely-important-for-red-bull/


Sergio Perez highlights reasons behind F1 Singapore GP Q2 exit
21 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sergio Perez has attributed his Q2 elimination in qualifying at the Singapore Grand Prix to set-up changes that took his Red Bull Formula 1 car in the “wrong direction”. Perez was endeavouring to build on an encouraging weekend in Azerbaijan last time out that had him on track to take a podium until a late collision with Carlos Sainz.

“I don’t know, Q1 was looking really nice and smooth, I actually had a mistake on my lap into Turn 1 where I lost around two-three tenths. But I just went slower in Q2, I felt I was sliding a lot more, couldn’t get the tyre up to temperature. It was just very, very tricky, very tricky afternoon.”

“Yeah, to me in Q2 I had issues with the brakes and the tyres, I think the brakes were running too hot and I was lacking quite a lot of bite from them,” he explained. “And the tyres were absolutely nowhere in Q2, the two laps I did I just had no grip at all, was super tricky.” However, the Mexican believes the greatest aspect behind his premature exit was alterations to the set-up on his RB20 overnight which made the car’s balance worse.

“No grip at all, was super tricky”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/21/sergio-perez-highlights-reasons-behind-f1-singapore-gp-q2-exit/


F1 News: Red Bull Engineers Acknowledge Oversight as Perez Faces Performance Woes
Sep 21, 2024
William Frost Athlon Sports
The Fresno Bee

Moving Forward: Optimism for the Future. As the season unfolds, Perez holds onto optimism regarding a potential turnaround. After nearly clinching a podium finish in Baku-only to collide with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz-he candidly remarked, "We had the pace to win... I think we definitely were in the mix for the win." He firmly believes that ongoing enhancements and adjustments within the team can bring them back on track for better performances.

The upcoming races will be crucial for Perez, racing with updated specifications on his car that reflect the team's commitment to mending past issues. When asked about the outlook for overcoming the season's challenges, he shared a hopeful sentiment: "If we're able to confirm what we've done in Baku… our season can take a U-turn, a massive U-turn and still finish strongly."

‘Red Bull Engineers Acknowledge Oversight’;

https://www.fresnobee.com/sports/article292839534.html#storylink=mainstage_card


Perez blames “something funny with the tyres” after “nightmare” qualifying
21st Sep 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

“I think we had good preparation through Q1, but in Q2 there was something going funny with the tyres,” he told the official F1 channel. I just couldn’t get them in the window, the rear axle. “I was struggling quite a lot with it. It was just so peaky, that just a little tickle on the car on the balance will make a huge difference. Unfortunately, we are knocked out. It hasn’t been a straightforward weekend. I think we lost some potential from yesterday, so there plenty of stuff to analyse.”

Perez went on to finish eighth last year, but he suspects rising through the field will be a challenge on Sunday. “It’s very difficult to overtake out there,” he said. “So it’s going to be a tricky, tricky race tomorrow. Once again, I think trying to score some points, minimise the damage, will be the target.”

“Something funny with the tyres”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/21/perez-blames-something-funny-with-the-tyres-after-nightmare-qualifying/


Perez brands his Singapore Grand Prix ‘a complete disaster’ as he comes home P10
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was brutally honest about his weekend in Singapore as he picks up the final point on offer.

‘Complete disaster’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/perez-brands-his-singapore-grand-prix-a-complete-disaster-as-he-comes-home-p10.1810907884280478225


Sergio Perez calls for Red Bull upgrades after “total nightmare”
Sergio Perez says Red Bull need to bring further upgrades to their car to compete with McLaren.
22 Sep 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

“Unfortunately we were just not able to maximise the result today,” Perez told Sky Sports F1. "It was a shame. “It’s now time to look forward to the next races of the season because today was a total nightmare, a disaster with the balance. I struggled a lot.” Perez felt Red Bull kept him out too long before pitting him in the hope they might capitalise on a potential Safety Car which never arrived. “In hindsight we probably went on too long, unfortunately, and that meant we lost out,” he added.

“I think we need a good upgrade,” Perez admitted. “The coming tracks should be better for us, so hopefully we are able to have a better package coming up.” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “Max drove a strong race today and P2 was what we had. If you consider where we were a few weeks ago the progress is visible, and we have the better part of a month to put our heads down and make some progress before we head to Austin. There will be a lot of late nights in Milton Keynes.”

‘Late nights’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1056401/1/sergio-perez-calls-red-bull-upgrades-after-total-nightmare


Perez brands his Singapore GP a ‘complete disaster’ after struggling to progress beyond P10
23 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Come race day, Perez’s prospects initially looked promising after gaining three positions on the opening lap. However, he was unable to make much further ground from there and ended the day in 10th place, taking just one point in the process.

Asked later on if he was disappointed to not make faster progress during the Grand Prix, Perez answered: “Yes, I think also the strategy, looking at it, when you see where Carlos [Sainz] finished [in P7 from P10 on the grid], probably we lost an opportunity to make more progress and undercut more people. Once we were on a similar tyre age behind Nico [Hulkenberg], it was… that was pretty much it.”

Pushed on how frustrating it had been to spend much of the race stuck behind the Williams of Franco Colapinto, the 34-year-old said: “It was a very… it was a disaster, complete disaster. We had a good Lap 1, we were up to P10 and that’s basically where we finished, so a bit of a shame in that regard.”

“Once we were on a similar tyre age… … that was pretty much it”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/perez-brands-his-singapore-gp-a-complete-disaster-after-struggling-to.6sOPQ2geiL8fieWj61DWU


Christian Horner urges Sergio Perez: "We need two drivers firing on all cylinders"
"I think that we need to have two drivers firing on all cylinders."
25 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Reflecting on Perez’s race, Horner told media in Singapore: “Checo, he was stuck around Hulkenberg for basically 30 laps. Yeah, I mean, Checo had a good first lap. He qualified out of position, and then he just really struggled to overtake.”

“He was struggling a little for traction in the areas where you want the traction out of Turn 3 and onto the back straight. But, yeah, you know, that was what he could manage today.” Horner wants more from Perez. “I think that we need to have two drivers firing on all cylinders,” he added.

“Checo had a good weekend last weekend. He had a tough weekend this weekend. We need to put some weekends together where you can see where McLaren are putting two drivers on the podium. It’s those big points that really make a difference. So, you know, we need to make sure that Checo goes as far off the field as we can get it, in terms of finding the right direction.”

‘Struggling a little for traction’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1056468/1/christian-horner-urges-sergio-perez-we-need-two-drivers-firing-all-cylinders

[Fortitude]

Damon Hill sends five-word message to Franco Colapinto after ‘impressive’ Singapore Grand Prix.
Damon Hill: “Another impressive weekend from Franco.”
22 Sep 2024
Shay Rogers

Damon Hill happy to see ‘another impressive weekend’ from Franco Colapinto. The most impressive aspect about Colapinto in Singapore was his performance against teammate Alex Albon.

He has been very close to him in pace since joining the team and was finally able to get the better of him at the Singapore Grand Prix before Albon retired. Former Formula 1 champion Damon Hill knows a thing or two about extracting good results from Williams cars having claimed a championship with them in 1996.

“Another impressive weekend from Franco”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/damon-hill-sends-five-word-message-to-franco-colapinto-after-impressive-singapore-grand-prix/


Franco Colapinto reacts to Sergio Perez F1 praise in Singapore
26 Sep2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Perez, stuck behind Colapinto until he a pitted on Lap 28, lauded the Argentine’s defensive abilities mid-race over team radio. “He’s very good, difficult to pass” said the Mexican.

High praise indeed from F1‘s minister of defence, to which Colapinto told media including Motorsport Week: “Checo [Perez] is a super nice guy.”

“I grew up watching him racing in F1. Waking up early in Argentina and supporting him as a driver from Mexico, closest to us. It was really nice supporting him and it’s even better racing him.”

‘High praise’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/26/franco-colapinto-reacts-to-sergio-perez-f1-praise-in-singapore/


PALMER: After his first three races Franco Colapinto is looking right at home in F1, so is he the real deal?
Former F1 Driver
25 Sep 2024
Jolyon Palmer
Formula One - Official Site

I said after Franco Colapinto’s impressive debut in Monza that Baku and Singapore would be tougher challenges and better tests for the rookie driver – and my word how he has excelled.

Baku is a fast street circuit with overtaking opportunities on a low downforce track, while Singapore is arguably the most gruelling track on the calendar, as the drivers battle heat and humidity on a more bumpy and twisty street circuit. Through three very different races now Colapinto has shown his Formula 1 performance in Monza was no flash in the pan.

‘Looking right at home in F1’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/palmer-after-his-first-three-races-franco-colapinto-is-looking-right-at-home.7j5uuldvYPYGSWNQ1f1u2L


'Can't stress': Jolyon Palmer highlights most ‘impressive’ thing Franco Colapinto did in Singapore Grand Prix
27 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Colapinto criticised Williams for their strategy in Singapore after dropping behind Sergio Perez and finishing 1.6s off the Red Bull at the finish line. Feeling he clearly had the pace, the Argentine said the team should have anticipated the undercut strategy. Palmer highlighted that while Red Bull had a superior pit stop, Colapinto made an error that cost him time. “The fact he was actually dropping Perez before his pit stop speaks volumes as well of his race pace,” said Palmer.

“The only thing that let him down was the Mexican’s undercut, which came partly by Red Bull having a superior pit stop to Williams, but also partly by a small mistake on Colapinto’s in lap which cost him some critical time, so clearly there are still some details for the Argentine to learn.” Despite missing out on another points finish, Colapinto earned further praise from Palmer for his heroics in the last three races.

“But overall I can’t stress how impressive this three-race start has been for a driver nobody expected to be in Formula 1 at all this year. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone surprise me with the level of their early performances as much as Colapinto has and logic says it must be securing his future in the sport,” said Palmer.

'Can't stress';

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jolyon-palmer-highlights-most-impressive-thing-franco-colapinto-did-in-singapore-grand-prix/


Sainz questions 'banzai' Colapinto overtake
Franco Colpainto gained several positions at the start of the Singapore Grand Prix by moving up the inside of a number of cars into the first corner.
24 Sep 2024
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Sainz stated he enjoyed a strong starting from 10th on the grid but was demoted one spot in the opening corners as he hit out at Colapinto's overtaking manoeuvre. “Honestly, starting from the dirty side, I actually got a decent start,” Sainz told media including RacingNews365.

“But going into Turn 1, I think there was a Williams doing a bit of a banzai move. Obviously, with how much we have to play in the championship, I had to take avoiding action. And if not, I would have probably had a big contact from the Williams.”

'Banzai';

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-questions-banzai-colapinto-overtake


Alex Albon retracts view on Franco Colapinto F1 Singapore GP incident
24 Sep 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Alex Albon has retracted his initial view on the “divebomb” manoeuvre that Williams team-mate Franco Colapinto made in the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

Indeed, at the start of the Singapore GP, Colapinto surged up the inside of Turn 1, going from 12th to ninth as Albon was caught on the outside, dropping to 15th. “I don’t know how it looked on the outside, but I think it was more just that no one could turn into the corner,” Albon said post-race.

“So, everyone concertinaed and basically had to go straight at turn one. I was on the outside and I paid the price. I mean nothing really to criticise. It was just a bit unfortunate I was the one on the other side of the corner.”

‘Alex Albon has retracted his initial view on the “divebomb” manoeuvre’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/24/alex-albon-retracts-view-on-franco-colapinto-f1-singapore-gp-incident/


Vowles defends Colapinto on “divebomb” Singapore GP start
26 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

The Argentine rookie made a move down the inside that led to several drivers running wide and losing places in the scramble round the first couple of corners. His own team mate Alex Albon claimed on team radio that he had been “divebombed” by the youngster, although he was less critical after the race. However Carlos Sainz called it a “Banzai move”.

“We have Alex at the front of the field dropping back as a result of the start,” said Vowles of the incident. “He wasn’t sure what was happening with both Ferraris and Franco, and took evasive action. Franco stayed on his line, but I understand entirely why Alex did that, and he lost too many positions at that point.”

Vowles insisted that Colapinto was in control at the first corner. “The start of the race is nothing that you plan in advance,” he said. “You have to react to conditions around you. In that both Ferrari and Alex were reacting, really, to what they thought was a lock-up from Franco. It wasn’t. It was dust being kicked up on the way in. He was actually in control of the car, left space at the apex, and could put the car where he needed to.”

‘Franco Colapinto was in control’;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/26/vowles-defends-colapinto-on-divebomb-singapore-gp-start/

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda admits he ‘definitely has to do better in the future’ after frustrating start.
Yuki Tsunoda started the race in P8, but finished outside the points in P12 – and cited his poor start as the culprit.
22 September 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Frustrating start’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/tsunoda-admits-he-definitely-has-to-do-better-in-the-future-after-frustrating-start.1810905479913527698


Exclusive: RB ready for Yuki Tsunoda to be F1 team leader amid Daniel Ricciardo exit
27 Sep 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

RB CEO Peter Bayer revealed to Motorsport Week that Yuki Tsunoda is ready to step up as team leader, with the torch passed on from the recently departed Daniel Ricciardo.

“I strongly believe that you need to have one experienced driver and experienced meaning somebody like Yuki, who has now done a couple of years,” said Bayer.

“Daniel helped us to fine-tune Yuki and sort of polish the edges and certainly Yuki is somebody who is able to do that in the future. I see the pairing of taking somebody under your wings, goes quite well with the Red Bull philosophy actually.”

‘Yuki Tsunoda to be F1 team lea’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/27/exclusive-rb-ready-for-yuki-tsunoda-to-be-f1-team-leader-amid-daniel-ricciardo-exit/


‘Need to bother’: Martin Brundle unimpressed with RB radio message to Yuki Tsunoda during Singapore Grand Prix
24 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle was commentating on the race for Sky Sports F1 and noticed one moment in particular on the 24-year-old’s team radio that left him very confused. Over the RB team radio, Tsunoda was told: “Perez and Colapinto are fighting, there could be something coming to us. Let’s be on it.”

Tsunoda was far from impressed with this message and replied: “Too much information.” Hearing that exchange, Brundle explained: “Yeah, I mean that’s a bit speculative isn’t it? And I don’t know if you really need to bother your driver with that do you?”

“I mean, he’ll dive around the cloud or the confetti of carbon fibre pieces should something happen, I’m sure.” Croft: “I’m sure he’s watching it very closely given he’s a second-and-a-half behind that particular battle out on track.”

“Too much information”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/martin-brundle-unimpressed-with-rb-radio-message-to-yuki-tsunoda-during-singapore-grand-prix/


F1 driver Yuki Tsunoda talks to Macao News about his meteoric rise in motorsport
Currently at 12th place in the F1 driver standings, the 24-year-old Japanese racer was recently in Macao
He took part in the Macau Grand Prix in 2019 and recalls the event as ‘fun’ but ‘quite a tricky race overall’
26 Sep 2024
Erico Dias
Macao News

Tsunoda’s passion for racing ignited when he was just four, inspired by his father, amateur racer Nobuaki Tsunoda. In 2016, the younger Tsunoda joined the FIA F4 Championship as part of Honda’s Formula Dream Project (HFDP), a driver development program and finished third in his debut season.

The following year, he became the first Honda apprentice to win the Japanese Formula 4 title. That success pushed him into Formula 3 in 2019 with Jenzer Motorsport, where he finished 9th in the standings. In 2020, Tsunoda took on Formula 2 with Carlin and came third in the championship. He also became the first Japanese driver to win the FIA Rookie of the Year award.

His F1 debut came in 2021 with AlphaTauri, now VISA Cash App RB, where he made an immediate impact by finishing 9th and becoming the first Japanese driver to score points in his debut race. Tsunoda capped off his rookie season with a standout performance, finishing 4th in the final race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

‘Tsunoda’s passion for racing ignited’;

https://macaonews.org/life/sports/yuki-tsunoda-formula-1-rb/


‘Beyond this year’: Why Yuki Tsunoda ‘will go’ from RB at the end of the 2025 Formula 1 season
26 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda is the driver caught in the crossfire as he prepares for a fifth consecutive season at RB in 2025. However, journalist Mat Coch was speaking on the Pit Talk Podcast about the Japanese driver’s future. He believes that his time with RB will come to an end after next season. Tsunoda has out-performed Ricciardo this season but has failed to pull up any trees, and the conclusion of Red Bull’s engine deal with Honda is likely to see the 24-year-old’s time with the team come to an end.

“As soon as you start looking to the future, what’s the value in the now? You either throw all of your eggs in that basket, or you focus on today. And given where Red Bull is, that’s why it makes a little bit more sense – it doesn’t make it any easier to digest or accept – but that’s why it makes more sense because behind Liam Lawson you’ve got Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad and a couple of other kids that are on the radar as well.”

“So, there is that production line that starts to come through once more. Then, when you start to think a little bit beyond this year, Yuki Tsunoda will go when the Honda deal ends so there’s another seat. You want Liam well out of the way so you can begin to groom the next driver in to replace Yuki.”

‘Beyond this year’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why-yuki-tsunoda-will-go-from-rb-at-the-end-of-the-2025-formula-1-season/


Yuki Tsunoda ‘expected’ to follow Daniel Ricciardo out of Red Bull and join nine-podium team for 2026
27 Sep 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda set to join Aston Martin in 2026. According to Speedcafe, Lawson ‘could find himself alongside Verstappen’ if he ‘impresses’ Red Bull bosses in the next couple of months. That, in turn, would mean F2 championship contender Isack Hadjar graduating to RB for 2025. When Red Bull considered sacking Sergio Perez earlier this season, Ricciardo and Lawson were the only genuine contenders. Despite being the standout option on paper, Tsunoda was overlooked.

The 24-year-old is preparing to leave in just over a year’s time. After seeing out his contract, he’s expected to join Aston Martin, who will partner with his backers Honda. Arvid Lindblad, the 17-year-old who’s currently fourth in the F3 championship, could succeed him for 2026. Lindblad will race in F2 next year as he tries to build up the necessary superlicence points to enter the top tier.

‘Set to join Aston Martin in 2026’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-expected-to-follow-daniel-ricciardo-out-of-red-bull-and-join-nine-podium-team-for-2026/

[Fortitude]

Ocon: P13 ‘the maximum we could have done’.
Esteban Ocon finished 13th for Alpine in Singapore, and said that was the best result possible given the pace in the car.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘P13: The maximum’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ocon-p13-the-maximum-we-could-have-done.1810907434047196510


2024 Singapore Grand Prix: Ricciardo drops down the order as Ocon and Magnussen pass in quick succession
23 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Daniel Ricciardo didn’t look happy on his current set of tyres when Esteban Ocon and Kevin Magnussen managed to squeeze past the RB car in quick succession in the latter stages of the race.

‘Ricciardo drops down the order’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-singapore-grand-prix-ricciardo-drops-down-the-order-as-ocon-and-magnussen-pass-in-quick-succession.1810916443803291500


‘It’s great for the team’ – Ocon hails future Haas team mate Bearman as a 'remarkable talent'
26 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Ocon – who ended the race in P15 for Alpine – went on to share words of praise for Bearman when he was asked during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend if he was looking forward to partnering the 19-year-old next season, as well as being quizzed on whether he expected his new team mate to push him.

“Yeah, for sure!” said Ocon. “What he's done in Baku was really remarkable and I knew it. I think everyone in the paddock knew that he’s a remarkable talent and what he’s done was very impressive, to be on pace straightaway at such a technical track.”

“I’ve been looking at his lap in F2 when he had the steering bent and he was on pole, and that tells you everything. It tells you that he’s at ease straightaway whatever car he’s driving.”

‘It’s great for the team’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/its-great-for-the-team-ocon-hails-future-haas-team-mate-bearman-as-a.3CIZgR3d5vI91fr4TVecnc


Esteban Ocon labels 2025 Haas F1 teammate Ollie Bearman “a remarkable talent”
"I think everyone in the paddock knew that he’s a remarkable talent and what he’s done was very impressive..."
26 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Ocon will become Haas’ de facto team leader - something he’s not experienced previously in his career. At Force India and Alpine, he had more experienced teammates in Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso.

While more recently, he’s been alongside Pierre Gasly. Opening up about his relationship with Bearman, Ocon added: “We’ve chatted a little bit but we’ve been so busy that unfortunately not enough.”

‘Ocon will become Haas’ de facto team leader’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1056498/1/esteban-ocon-labels-2025-haas-f1-teammate-ollie-bearman-remarkable-talent


What makes the Singapore Grand Prix one of the toughest races physically?
26 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The Singapore Grand Prix is considered as the toughest race on the F1 schedule alongside the Qatar Grand Prix, posing a huge challenge to drivers. Esteban Ocon's Performance Coach Tom Clark reveals what makes the Singapore race even more challenging than similarly hot rounds such as the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Explaining the physical challenges at the Marina Bay Circuit, Esteban Ocon's Performance Coach Tom Clark noted: “So driving in the heat, so in Singapore, it’s very hot and humid. "The main difference for the drivers is generally there is more of a cardiovascular strain which means generally speaking the racing is about 10 to 20 per cent more intense and more difficult for them, with heart rates being higher and the general heat contributing to more loads and fatigue.”

"Combines with the fact that this is a very long race typically, we reach the time limit here with two hours or close to it. The combination of the high heat, the street circuit which is very mentally challenging means this is one of the hardest circuits of the calendar.”

‘Esteban Ocon's Performance Coach Tom Clark’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25545


'A bittersweet taste' – Ocon reflects on ‘emotional’ milestone and Alpine career as he marks 150 F1 races
15 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Esteban Ocon will take part in his 150th Formula 1 race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as he looks to end his final few races with Alpine on a high, but the Frenchman will have his work cut out after a troublesome weekend in Baku thus far.

“It’s a big number for sure,” Ocon told the media ahead of the weekend. “I didn’t see the time going, time flies when you have fun, that’s what people say! I didn’t know [the milestone] before I came to this event – I just saw that the team did a special post for it and it’s pretty cool to achieve such a milestone.”

“There’s a lot of races now a year and that’s why the time flew so quickly. I guess you just go race by race and travel all around the world one after another and think about the present moment, but it is quite emotional.”

'A bittersweet taste';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/a-bittersweet-taste-ocon-reflects-on-emotional-milestone-and-alpine-career.Uz0FbW51qswlWlERVU2Wm

[Fortitude]

Stroll sums up his P14 in Singapore: ‘Difficult day, difficult weekend’.
Lance Stroll came home in 14th place for Aston Martin and said he was struggling for balance and grip all weekend at the Marina Bay Circuit.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Difficult day, difficult weekend’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/stroll-sums-up-his-p14-in-singapore-difficult-day-difficult-weekend.1810908322728887689


Stroll: Tricky qualifying ‘the story of my weekend’ in Singapore
21 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lance Stroll qualified down in P17 for Sunday’s Grand Prix, and branded his Aston Martin AMR24 as “a very difficult car to drive”.

‘Tricky qualifying’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/stroll-tricky-qualifying-the-story-of-my-weekend-in-singapore.1810814642585207899


'Difficult day' for Stroll with P14 in Friday practice
20 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lance Stroll concedes there is a "a lot of work to do tonight" for Aston Martin after both cars finish outside the top ten in Friday's second practice session in Singapore.

'Difficult day';

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/difficult-day-for-stroll-with-p14-in-friday-practice.1810728828981406586


INSIDE: How did sliders save Lance Stroll's life?
26 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Sliders: "The sliders! These actually saved my life in Bahrain that weekend [in 2023], man! I couldn't put my shoes on. I was in a lot of pain. At first, it was just like, 'How am I going to be comfortable walking up and down the paddock?' And then it was like, 'Boom, some big BOSS sliders!' Actually, then I thought it was kind of swaggy, the socks and the sliders. It had a good look to it.

"Recovering from the pre-season cycling accident is one of my biggest life achievements. It was, in my mind, not really a possibility when I was lying on the ground with my broken wrists, hand, toe… I was just kind of thinking, 'This isn't good, this is really not good,' but it was an incredible recovery. I had a great team around me, doctors, physios that helped me get to Bahrain, and to come away in sixth with some points was a great achievement.”

"I showed a lot to myself more than anything else. My tolerance for pain got much higher after Bahrain and some of my ideas of what I think is possible have changed. It was incredible adversity and a very challenging moment in my life that I overcame. It was a big life lesson for me. Courage is part of what we do. To drive these cars on the limit, to face adversity and go out there and compete every weekend takes a lot of courage and that's one of the reasons why the sport is so appealing."

"The sliders!”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24724


Stroll cities confidence in the car as main factor to performance
28 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Stroll insists that the most vital thing is to build up confidence behind the wheel as it allows a driver to push the car to the limit. "I think it's always important to have confidence when you're in the car. When you're not confident in the car, that's when you just can't like really push it and lean on it, they're not comfortable to drive."

He added that confidence allows a driver "to lean on it, to come off the brake, carry speed, get back on the power as early as possible. I think that definitely is a factor for sure when you're driving and you're talking about that confidence thing," it's still crucial to find that confidence.” Stroll claims that Aston Martin clearly faces a big challenge to improve many aspects, but he is delighted that the team has been able to capitalize on some opportunities to score points in several races.

"I think I'm happy that we've been able to score points as a team, we capitalized throughout the year and we scored some points. A lot of racing to go and, always trying to just improve in every area. Improve setting up the car to be as good as it can be, improve qualifying, improve the race, it's a never-ending evolution."

‘Confidence in the car as main factor to performance’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25282


Guenther Steiner takes aim at ‘non-existent’ Lance Stroll with ‘weird’ trend identified
29 Sep 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says Lance Stroll is “just non-existent” with the Aston Martin driver passing “completely under the radar” in F1 2024. And he suggested that the youngster simply goes through the motions when he does not have a competitive car at his disposal, with Stroll waiting to see if F1 2025 brings an improvement for Aston Martin.

He said: “Lance passes completely under the radar. It’s weird. You never speak good or bad about him, he’s just non-existent.” Put to him that F1 fans have just accepted Stroll being around, he added: “Exactly. I don’t think he’s a bad race car driver. I don’t know what it is. Obviously, we all know that he doesn’t need to drive a race car. He alright [financially], so maybe that’s what it is.”

“If the car is not [good enough] to [reach] the podium or something, he’s just like: ‘Yeah, I just get by. Who cares? I wait until next year’s car comes and see if that is better.’ I don’t know. I don’t know the guy, never spoke with him, so I have no idea. But he’s one of these guys who is rarely spoken about when he’s in the points. It’s less spoken about when he’s not in the points. He’s just there.”

‘Non-existent’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-lance-stroll-trend-non-existent


Former Williams team boss admits missed opportunity with Stroll “drives me nuts”
25th September 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Williams admitted she regrets missing the opportunity to keep Stroll within the Williams fold when she ran the team. “It drives me nuts because Lawrence was with us,” she told Business of Sport. Lance Stroll made his Formula 1 debut at Williams in 2017, through the financial support of his father. However Williams struggled the following year and Lawrence Stroll took the opportunity to buy Force India, moving his son there in 2019.

He has since spent heavily on the team, funding a massive upgrade of its facilities and hiring a raft of senior staff from rivals including star designer Adrian Newey. Stroll rebranded his team as Aston Martin in 2021, the year after the Williams family sold its team. “There is not one day when I ever, ever have the emotion that I’m pleased that we sold Williams,” she admitted. “No, never. I never, ever think that.”

“Everyone will probably go ‘oh, she’s so dramatic’ and whatever, but I will live with the heartbreak of losing it every single day. Because it wasn’t a decision that we made as a family to sell because we’d had enough of Formula 1 or wanted to cash out. We all wanted to stay in it. It was our life for ever, that was the plan. I wanted to run the team for my son or my nephews.”

‘Missed opportunity with Stroll “drives me nuts”.’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/25/former-williams-team-boss-admits-missed-opportunity-with-stroll-drives-me-nuts/

[Fortitude]

No Formula 1 for Zhou and he can no longer enter this class either!
For weeks, Guanyu Zhou said the same story. In short, his entire focus was on finding an F1 seat for 2025, and he was not looking at options in other classes.
30 Sep 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

It is now fairly clear that there is no place for the Chinese driver in Formula 1, as almost certainly Valtteri Bottas will get the seat Zhou was aiming for at Sauber. Meanwhile, Zhou has realised that his F1 adventure is coming to an end for the time being and so he is now looking around. Formula E - long seen as the most logical next step, as China's electric car market is the largest in the world - is also no longer an option for Zhou, according to GPblog.

All seats for next season have been filled, apart from the two seats at ERT. However, this Chinese team plans to extend the contracts of Sergio Sette Camara and Dan Ticktum for another season. Time is slowly running out for Zhou anyway, as top seats are currently being filled in most classes. "Wherever I go, I need to make sure that the door in F1 doesn't close at that time because I think a lot of drivers still make their comeback," said Zhou, who realises a decision has to be made.

"I am not worried about my racing career. I'm thinking about my Formula 1 career more than that, which is really nice to have. As a kid growing up, to get other very top teams in other series poaching, I think was a good thing," Zhou added before saying living the dream changed that view. "I want to stay here many more years."

‘F1 adventure is coming to an end for the time being’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304154/zhou-can-no-longer-enter-formula-e-after-leaving-formula-1.html


Zhou fielding 'several very good' offers outside F1
Zhou Guanyu has said he has "several very good" opportunities outside F1 if he cannot secure the seat at Stake alongside Nico Hulkenberg for 2025.
29 Sep 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Regardless of what subsequently lies in store for Zhou, he claims to have a variety of options to draw upon if he cannot secure his desired contract renewal at Stake.

"At the moment, all I can say is that there's already several very good chances, teams in other series [that have] approached me for a drive for next year," the Chinese driver told media including RacingNews365.

"But, at the moment, of course, I want to still get the Sauber seat, and if by any chance, I don't have that, we have to think about the rest [of the options available]."

'Several very good';

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-expresses-f1-reluctance-despite-multiple-offers


Sauber seat speculation: Which driver will secure the 2025 spot?
There is one spot open at Sauber for their final full season next year before becoming Audi for 2026
September 26, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Current drivers, Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas have yet to secure contracts for 2025. The team and drivers have had a difficult season, yet to score any points and experiencing issues with pit stops at the beginning of 2024. According to F1 Oversteer, it is rumoured that Zhou may be offered the role of reserve driver.

Bottas joined Alfa Romeo for the 2022 season. He signed a multi-year deal and drove alongside Zhou, who was a rookie driver in 2022. Both drivers remained with the team when they rebranded to Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber. If the team choose to part ways with Zhou at the end of 2024, will they keep one of their drivers to partner with Hulkenberg for 2025?

‘Zhou may be offered the role of reserve driver’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/opinions/sauber-seat-speculation-which-driver-will-secure-the-2025-spot/?nowprocket=1


Sauber's reserve driver quits Formula 2 season early for new challenge
28 Sep 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Zane Maloney will not finish the current Formula 2 season, after the Sauber reserve driver signed a contract with the new Lola Yamaha ABT team that will compete in Formula E. As the latter class will begin their new season in Mexico on 7 December, Maloney will be present there and therefore will not compete at the Abu Dhabi event in F2.

‘Sauber's reserve driver’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303838/zane-maloney-earlier-away-from-formula-2.html


Mattia Binotto: Audi will have a ‘gap to recover’ with F1 engine
30 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sauber Motorsport boss Mattia Binotto has admitted Audi is braced to have an initial “gap to recover” once it debuts as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer in 2026. “I’ve been visiting Neuberg in the last days and weeks” Binotto said.

“The engine is progressing well, running on the dyno, some long distances so far already performed. I think here as well, it’s a learning process. We are competing with other organisations where manufacturers are settled down,” he accepted. “Certainly, all the experience is pretty important and valid.”

“So while I think the organisation there [at Audi] is great, the facilities are great, the programs are going ahead, still there is a learning curve, which needs to be done. So I’m expecting initially to have a gap to recover. How big it will be, I think that you can never know.”

‘Gap to recover’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/30/mattia-binotto-audi-will-have-an-initial-gap-to-recover-with-f1-engine/

[Fortitude]

Sorting out his Sauber future ‘high on the priority list’ for Bottas after P16 finish in Singapore.
Sauber’s point-less run continued in Singapore, but Valtteri Bottas is now focussed on confirming his plans for next year with the team yet to decide who will partner new signing Nico Hulkenberg in 2025.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

‘Sorting out his Sauber future’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sorting-out-his-sauber-future-high-on-the-priority-list-for-bottas-after-p16-finish-in-singapore.1810906982251440405


Valtteri Bottas sends ‘high priority’ message to Audi with F1 future still unclear
Valtteri Bottas is keen for his F1 future to be sorted during the upcoming break.
25 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking to F1TV after the race in Singapore, Bottas outlined his hopes for the upcoming break. “First of all, try to find performance, evaluating what exactly is going to be the upgrade for Austin, which is very much needed,” Bottas said.

“And sorting things out for the future, that’s obviously high on my priority list because it’s starting to feel almost like Christmas time, you know it’s getting close so better get it sorted.”

‘High priority’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1056461/1/valtteri-bottas-sends-high-priority-message-audi-f1-future-still-unclear


Bottas keen to get his future ‘sorted’ after ‘slightly better’ weekend for Sauber in Singapore
25 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

The second seat at Sauber, alongside Nico Hulkenberg for next season, is still unoccupied, but an announcement is thought to be made sooner rather than later with multiple candidates on the table. Whether Bottas or Zhou sign a contract extension, or new boss Mattia Binotto takes a chance on a younger driver like Franco Colapinto, still remains to be seen.

Reflecting on their P15 and P16 finish in Singapore, Bottas said it was “still not an easy day like expected, and also no help from safety cars”. “I just had an issue with my brakes at the beginning of the race,” he added. “They overheated and I started locking up, so lost some time there. If I look at the race, I don’t think we would actually do much different.”

“We could also work together as a team at the end of the race to keep Gasly behind and that was good, so I think we maximised today.” With an “important” three-week break ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Bottas outlined his aims as the sport heads into the final part of the season.

‘The second seat at Sauber’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/bottas-keen-to-get-his-future-sorted-after-slightly-better-weekend-for.2Js02Wmf26CFL9ZBIAY0u0


‘My understanding’: When Sauber are expected to announce Valtteri Bottas as their second driver for 2025
25 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber to give them their full name, appear to have chosen Hulkenberg’s teammate and speaking on the Pit Talk Podcast, journalist Mat Coch gave more details about their decision. Bottas has been waiting for a long time to see if he would be handed another Formula 1 contract.

It appears as though Sauber are going to stick with the Finn and are expected to confirm that he’ll stay with the team before the United States Grand Prix. Providing an update on the Formula 1 driver’s market, Mat Coch said: “Yeah, Franco Colapinto, or as I’ve dubbed Ayrton Colapinto because he looks so much like Ayrton Senna, it’s frightening, kind of similar in pace too, the kid is rapid.”

“I think he’s going to miss out; it’s just too late in the day. It’s a little bit like Liam Lawson last year. He came in and shone, but it was just too late in the day to seal the deal for next year but watch for Colapinto I think he’ll certainly feature for 2026 conversations. My understanding is that Valtteri Bottas, if he has not signed the contract as we’re recording this, it’s pretty much done and the announcement will be made before COTA [Circuit of the Americas in Austin].”

‘Ayrton Colapinto’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/when-sauber-are-expected-to-announce-valtteri-bottas-as-their-second-driver-for-2025/


Bottas backs himself to remain in F1: 'Better than at Mercedes'
28 Sept 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Valtteri Bottas is yet to sign a contract for the 2025 Formula One season, but the driver from Finland hopes to remain at Stake F1, the team that is owned by Audi. He has also declared that he is performing better than he did at his previous team.

The Finn believes based on performance, he is driving better than he did at his last employer as he hopes to secure a seat for 2025. "I feel like, yes, especially in qualifyings this year, I haven't felt any signs of being worse. If anything, you keep getting better with experience. You gain more consistency, more confidence”

“You can solve different issues in a different way. You can adapt to the car the more time you spend in the sport. I feel actually I'm driving better than what I did at Mercedes, but obviously it's not that visible," Bottas revealed.

'Better than at Mercedes';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303812/f1-driver-valtteri-bottas-on-stake-sauber-and-mercedes.html


'Didn't want': Valtteri Bottas has now ‘given up’ on key Sauber contract demand ahead of re-signing for 2025
27 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Bottas is expected to be announced by Sauber sooner rather than later and journalist Julianne Cerasoli, speaking on her YouTube channel, explained more details about the Finn’s situation. Valtteri Bottas is the most experienced option available to Sauber but that hasn’t helped him in his quest to score a championship point this year. He’s no longer in a particularly strong bargaining position either, meaning he’s had to give up one of his key demands in order to stay on the grid in 2025.”

Talking about the driver predicament at Sauber, Cerasoli said: “With the information that we have, the Bottas contract is not signed, but it is written and is in the phase of going back to the lawyers. These Formula 1 contracts are quite complex, so, that’s one thing if something goes back now. There was also the thing where Bottas didn’t want to sign for just one year. He has now given up putting his foot down about it”

“From Sauber’s perspective, having Bottas for a year instead of Gabriel Bortoleto, it was really between the two, Franco Colapinto wasn’t talking to Sauber. In their optics, it makes more sense that. This will make more sense to McLaren, as they would not release him from the contract and what Bortoleto’s own management imagine is the best thing for him is to stay in the McLaren academy, perhaps become a McLaren reserve driver next year.”

“Bottas didn’t want to sign for just one year”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/valtteri-bottas-has-now-given-up-on-key-sauber-contract-demand-ahead-of-re-signing-for-2025/


Valtteri Bottas wary of potential Ricciardo-style F1 exit
Valtteri Bottas has admitted that he’s had to learn to live with uncertainty surrounding the end of his F1 career.
1 October 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Bottas is out of contract at year end, though expected to remain with Sauber alongside Nico Hulkenberg for next season. The potential however remains that his contract isn’t extended, and the coming six races mark the end of his F1 career.

“I think that the ideal scenario would be that you decide when it’s time,” Bottas told Speedcafe when asked about not necessarily being able to end his career on his own terms. That’s ideal, but it’s not how the sport sometimes works.”

“There’s many elements. There’s a lot of politics, you name it. It’s a difficult sport on that, but I just hope that eventually I can pull the trigger, let’s say, not the other way around. But you never know.”

‘Learnt to live with uncertainty surrounding the end of his F1 career’;

https://speedcafe.com/bottas-ricciardo-style-f1-exit/

[Fortitude]

Dejected Gasly admits ‘fundamentally we’re just too slow’.
Pierre Gasly cut a downbeat figure after he finished 16th in Singapore – and said Alpine need to make “huge steps” to catch back up to the top 10 runners.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Fundamentally we’re just too slow’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/dejected-gasly-admits-fundamentally-were-just-too-slow.1810907095707363606


‘We are not quick or competitive’ – Gasly offers grim assessment as Alpine fail to score for third straight race
25 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Alpine might have had a more straightforward race in Singapore than the one they managed in Azerbaijan, but both drivers come home outside the points for the third straight race weekend.

He started on the mediums like most of the field, but ran an exceptionally long first stint before bolting on the softs late on – too late to make much of an impression and climb back through the order. “A very difficult and frustrating race for us in the end,” Gasly said afterwards. “We are just not quick or competitive enough at the moment.”

“The lack of pace forced us to try some different strategies in the hope of improving our end result. We stayed out long on the Mediums on the first stint and lost a lot of time to cars we were racing at the start. The plan then was to disrupt some cars behind in the hope to benefit Esteban to get something from the race.” That plan didn’t work out, although Esteban Ocon managed to finish two places higher than he started, coming home in 13th.

‘Grim assessment’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/we-are-not-quick-or-competitive-gasly-offers-grim-assessment-as-alpine-fail.60NVeX0GBNOYIiE9sac7ei


Gasly frustrated at being “sacrificed” to help Ocon
25 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Pierre Gasly was left frustrated at the Singapore GP after being “sacrificed” to help the race of Alpine Formula 1 team mate Esteban Ocon. “Today, I got sacrificed, left out on track to block the others and try to help Esteban to catch up,” he said when asked by this writer about his race.

“Fundamentally, we are just too slow, and it forces us to try some interesting strategies. When you’re lapping five second off the pace the last 10 laps, not much point. But I understand we try to help one car in a way, because we are obviously not able to fight on pure pace for the top 10.”

Asked if he was surprised to be given soft tyres at his stop he said: “I was just surprised to be in the first place to be left out like that. I think, obviously I started out of position, made my way back, I think we were running three or four seconds behind Esteban.”

“Sacrificed”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/25/gasly-frustrated-at-being-sacrificed-to-help-ocon/


Gasly fires blow at Alpine’s recent woes
The French team have endured an underwhelming 2024 season
September 26, 2024
Freddie Cotton
FormulaNerds

Following last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, Gasly cut a frustrated figure in the media pen. The French driver was on an alternate strategy at the Marina Bay Circuit, which failed to reap him any rewards as he sank to a 17th place finish in Sunday’s race. Since his P9 finish in Zandvoort, the 28-year-old has not only failed to score any points, but has also struggled to get anywhere near the top ten finishers.

“The lack of pace forced us to try some different strategies in the hope of improving our end result. We stayed out long on the Mediums on the first stint and lost a lot of time to cars we were racing at the start. The plan then was to disrupt some cars behind in the hope to benefit Esteban to get something from the race.”

“The reality is three races ago [in Zandvoort] we were ninth place and at the last three races we have been far away from the top 10. We have to find some performance and there is a lot of work ahead of us to improve our current level.”

‘Gasly fires blow’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/gasly-fires-blow-at-alpines-recent-woes/?nowprocket=1


Gasly jealous of Norris and Verstappen but delighted for F1: 'I'm enjoying’
30 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Pierre Gasly has voiced his opinion on Formula 1's current status. Despite not being in the battle himself, he believes it is "great" that the sport has a four-team fight at most race weekends. The Frenchman also highlighted the gap to the midfield.

The French team had aspired to be at the top of Formula 1 but instead have to watch on from afar. Still, the Frenchman enjoys watching and is glad an intense battle can happen in Formula 1. "Well, first of all, I wish I'd be part of it," Gasly laughed. "But then, as a fan of the sport, I think it's great. I think F1 is in a very good spot at the minute," believes the Frenchman, who has only scored eight points this season.

His former team, Red Bull Racing, are fighting with McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes. "I'm really enjoying the four-team battle because that's how I think the sport should be. Having three, four-teams fighting for race wins every weekend, everybody enjoys that. As a sport, I think it's great," Gasly reiterated.

'I'm enjoying’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304146/pierre-gasly-enjoys-lando-norris-and-max-verstappen-f1-battle.html

[Fortitude]

Magnussen confirms puncture caused his late DNF in Singapore.
Kevin Magnussen failed to finish the race in Singapore with a puncture forcing him to retire his Haas four laps before the end.
22 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Puncture caused his late DNF’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/magnussen-confirms-puncture-caused-his-late-dnf-in-singapore.1810907251164043243


'Fresh start' - Peter Windsor shares where he thinks Kevin Magnussen would have expected to finish in Baku
18 Sep 2024
Shay Rogers
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen would’ve expected to finish fourth in Baku according to Peter Windsor. Magnussen will return to his Haas cockpit for the Singapore Grand Prix, one of just seven races left before it appears he will wave goodbye to Formula 1 for good. His penalty point total has reset, so expect a nothing-to-lose approach from the Dane, who is well-known for sending it on his rivals.

He will need to combine with teammate Nico Hulkenberg to ensure that Haas receive their biggest payday since 2018, with a potential sixth-place finish up for grabs in the constructors’ championship. Renowned Formula 1 journalist Peter Windsor was impressed by Bearman, but believes that Magnussen would have expected to finish higher than the Brit if he was in the car.

“I’d say Ollie Bearman probably second in that [driver of the day vote],” he told The F1 Hour podcast. “I think that was outstanding as well. I wonder what Kevin Magnussen thought about that. For sure, knowing KMag, he was thinking ‘ah yeah, well I would’ve been fourth’ in that race.”

‘Expected to finish fourth’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/peter-windsor-shares-where-he-thinks-kevin-magnussen-would-have-expected-to-finish-in-baku/


'Fresh start' - Magnussen glad to be back with 'stuff to look forward to' for Haas
After serving his one race ban, Haas driver Kevin Magnussen is looking forward to this weekend's Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Circuit, where he hopes the team can be fighting for points again.
19 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Glad to be back’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/fresh-start-magnussen-glad-to-be-back-with-stuff-to-look-forward-to-for-haas.1810620976668176029


Kevin Magnussen’s first words after serving rare one-race ban from FIA
17 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Kevin Magnussen is looking forward to taking on “one of my favourite tracks” upon his return to Formula 1, after serving his one-race suspension by the FIA. “It’s one of my favourite tracks,” Magnussen said of Singapore. “Street circuits are my favourite category of tracks and Singapore is a special one, the original night race.”

“With the heat and the humidity and the length of the race, and just because you never really get a break throughout the lap, it’s a constant sequence of corners over the whole lap pretty much. I feel like we have a good car for Singapore, it’s a low-speed track and we should be in a decent position to be competitive.”

“There’s been some interesting races in the past, we scored in Singapore last year, so am hoping to do that again.”

“One of my favourite tracks”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/kevin-magnussen-f1-return-singapore-grand-prix


Kevin Magnussen makes foul-mouthed Singapore GP claim after serving F1 ban
Kevin Magnussen missed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix having picked up enough F1 penalty points to trigger a one-race ban, but is back for the Singapore race after Oliver Bearman filled in at Haas
19 Sep 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Kevin Magnussen has asked the FIA to stop "punishing ridiculous things" upon his return to the Formula 1 paddock. He told reporters in Singapore: "A little extra bonus weekend off with the family. So, in many ways, nice to have that little surprise holiday.”

"I let [Haas] know before the race that if there's anything, I'm here ready to help out with advice or input or whatever. I switched off completely. It was a nice weekend off for me. You get punished, and then you come back, and you're like all ready to... f**k s**t up now!" He insists he won't be changing the way he drives upon his return. Magnussen added: "It's funny how that works. In a way, it hasn't really affected me.”

"I think with those points, it was annoying to have the knowledge that the next time anything happens, there's a race ban. It's nice to know that's not a factor any more. But I actually don't think it has affected me in how I've driven. I've really tried to say look, I need to crack on here, and whatever happens happens."

“All ready to... f**k s**t up now!"

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/kevin-magnussen-ban-fia-singapore-33705409


Singapore Grand Prix: Race Recap
Sep 22, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Nico Hulkenberg ninth and Kevin Magnussen 19th, at the Singapore Grand Prix, Round 18 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Magnussen started from 14th on the grid on hard tires and maintained position through the opening stint, pitting on lap 28 to take on a set of medium rubber. Magnussen sustained a left-rear puncture after lightly brushing the wall at turn 5 on lap 50, and had to complete almost a full lap before pitting. The Dane re-emerged on Red soft tires but, two laps down, pulled into the pits on lap 58 to retire the car, officially classifying in 19th place.

Kevin Magnussen: “I got a puncture - sometimes you hit a rough spot and it cuts the tire. We weren’t quick on the hard tire, we tried to do the opposite strategy and go long and hope for a safety car in the middle window, which didn’t happen. We had to cut it short on the hard compound, and then I got the puncture at the end. We’ve had good pace at recent races and we’re in a good spot with the car. We have an upgrade coming in Austin and we have every race to look forward to for the rest of the season.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/singapore-grand-prix-race-recap-5


‘Think about it’: Guenther Steiner tells Haas what they should say to Kevin Magnussen about his immediate F1 future
27 Sep 2024
Tyler Rowlinson
Oversteer

Guenther Steiner thinks taking Kevin Magnussen out of the car now is ‘worth considering’ In Baku, Bearman recovered from a crash in FP2 to finish the race in 10th, becoming the first driver in F1 history to score points for two different teams after two race starts. Fans were left in disbelief by Bearman’s Baku performance as he managed to beat his more experienced teammate Hulkenberg. Many have speculated since that the Brit could step into Haas early than anticipated and replace Magnussen for the rest of the season.

Speaking on the Champ1 YouTube channel, former Haas boss Guenther Steiner reckons taking Magnussen out of the car now is ‘worth considering.’ Asked whether Bearman could join Haas now, he said: “I honestly don’t know, I don’t even know the contract. I do not know whether you can get out it somehow, [but] you can get out of every contract, you know that. You can get out of every one, and otherwise you just get out of it with money. That is also possible. But there are also ethical reasons.”

“I would say Kevin was a big part of the team when the team wasn’t doing so well and that’s why you stay loyal. You also have to stay human. Maybe talk to Kevin and say: ‘hey Kevin, at the moment it looks like Ollie [Bearman] is stronger than you, what do you say to that?’ We don’t know that these conversations took place, or at least I don’t know, but it could be. But you have to think about it. What you said is certainly worth considering, it is worth considering even now.”

‘Guenther Steiner: “Hey Kevin, at the moment it looks like Ollie [Bearman] is stronger than you, what do you say to that?” ’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/guenther-steiner-tells-haas-what-they-should-say-to-kevin-magnussen-about-his-immediate-f1-future/

[Fortitude]

Albon addresses 'paying the price' after Colapinto divebomb.
Alexander Albon has said there is "nothing really to criticise" about Franco Colapinto's lap 1 lunge at the Singapore Grand Prix, despite "paying the price" for the move.
23 Sep 2024
Samuel Coop & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Alexander Albon has said he "paid the price" for Franco Colapinto's dive-bomb up the inside of Turn 1 at the start of the Singapore Grand Prix. In the opening metres of the race, the young Argentine, who started P12, threw his Williams up the inside of the first corner, moving him up into ninth position.

It was a move that immediately caught the ire of his team-mate, who jumped onto his radio, exclaiming: "Franco just divebombed! What is he doing?!" Carlos Sainz called it "banzai" and in the melee Albon had to take to the run-off area, dropping down the order to P15, having started ahead of Colapinto in P11.

However, Albon insisted there was not anything to criticise in hindsight, as he walked back his lap 1 radio message. "Everyone kind of concertinaed, basically everyone had to go straight into Turn 1, and obviously I was on the outside, so I paid the price," he explained to media including RacingNews365 after retiring from the race with a power unit issue on lap 15 of 62. I mean, nothing really to criticise. I think in the end, it was unfortunate that I was the one on the other side of the corner."

'Paying the price';

https://racingnews365.com/albon-addresses-paying-the-price-after-colapinto-divebomb


Albon on Colapinto’s Singapore Turn 1 move: ‘It’s something to review’
Alex Albon speaks on his teammate's risky move at the Singapore Grand Prix
Sep 24, 2024
Alejandra Guajardo Lozano
FormulaNerds

Alex Albon didn’t appreciate his teammate’s move on the opening lap in Singapore, a race that saw both Williams drivers leave empty-handed. While Albon was not happy with Colapinto’s move, the Argentinian driver was praised for such an amazing masterclass move. Colapinto himself was also pretty pleased by his move during the post-race interviews. He said:

“There was a pretty nice gap and I went for it and it worked out. Here, you know, the start is very important and to leave Turn 3 in front of some cars is always nice. You are in a match for a position later in the race. I was in a position to finish in the points.”

“Unfortunately it didn’t happen, but it’s still a decent three first races of my life and I’m close to the points again. We need to focus a little bit more, focus a bit more on quali. We should have been in Q3 and today we should have been able to finish P10, but just need to keep nailing it and we’ll be better for the next race.”

‘It’s something to review’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/albon-on-colapintos-singapore-turn-1-move-its-something-to-review/?nowprocket=1


Albon's facing his career-defining test six months early
Sep 24, 2024
Josh Suttill
The Race

Alex Albon knows as well as any other Formula 1 driver what having a tough team-mate in the same car is like. In fact doing so almost destroyed his F1 dream. He was sidelined by Red Bull for not measuring up well enough against Max Verstappen and almost couldn't find a way back onto the grid before Williams signed him up for 2022.

An unexpected challenge: Colapinto has put more pressure on Albon in three weekends than Sargeant did in 37. He was on Albon's pace at Monza but buckled under the pressure of his first qualifying session and was knocked out in Q1.

That decided the weekend but Colapinto didn't make the same mistake in Baku as he got through into Q3 and beat Albon, who was denied a final run by an airbox fan mishap. Given how close they were prior to Q3, it's debatable who'd have come out on top. He'd also recovered from the kind of FP1 crash that would have obliterated Sargeant's confidence all weekend.

‘Career-defining test six months early’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/alex-albon-f1-career-defining-test-williams-franco-colapinto/


Why front-running F1 teams overlooked Alex Albon in this season’s driver market
25 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams team principal James Vowles is absolutely delighted with the business his team has done this season. Although Williams currently sit eighth in the Constructors’ Championship, hopes are high for next year and beyond. Carlos Sainz has been recruited from Ferrari to race alongside Alex Albon and the staff numbers behind the scenes are growing every week.

A report from The Race has shared more details about why Albon wasn’t considered a serious option by some front-running teams in the paddock. Red Bull were reportedly interested in Albon before the start of the season as a replacement for Sergio Perez next year.

Vowles made it clear that his driver wasn’t available, but it says a lot considering how concerning Perez’s form was at times last year – and how he has proceeded to perform this season – that Red Bull didn’t push harder to bring him back. Mercedes also tentatively held talks with Albon but have decided to replace Lewis Hamilton with rookie Kimi Antonelli instead.

‘Overlooked’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why-front-running-f1-teams-overlooked-alex-albon-in-this-seasons-driver-market/


Williams suspect cracked radiator duct to blame for Albon’s Singapore retirement
28th Sep 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans

Albon’s overheating blamed on duct: After Alexander Albon was forced to retire from the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend with an overheating car, Williams team principal James Vowles says his team believes they know the culprit but are not sure. “Alex’s car was running hot. We could see that from the beginning of the race, but then it started stepping up quite considerably,” Vowles explained in a video on Williams’ website.

“The actual reason is not fully known yet. What I can tell you is there’s a carbon duct that links to one of the radiators and that was cracked. Whether that was enough to be able to cause this issue is what we’re still going through the question of. What we will know though is once we have that, that there are effectively measures in place to make sure we both understand the fault and have systems in place to rectify not just that, but others that could occur as a result of the learning that we’ve had.”

‘Cracked radiator duct suspected’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/28/racefans-round-up-28-09-7/


Williams investigating cause behind Alex Albon F1 Singapore GP DNF
29 Sep 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

“Alex’s car was running hot. We could see that from the beginning of the race, but then it started stepping up quite considerably,” Williams’ Team Principal explained in the latest edition of The Vowles Verdict.

“The actual reason is not fully known yet. What I can tell you is there’s a carbon duct that links to one of the radiators and that was cracked. Whether that was enough to be able to cause this issue is what we’re still going through the question of.”

“What we will know though is once we have that, that there are effectively measures in place to make sure we both understand the fault and have systems in place to rectify not just that, but others that could occur as a result of the learning that we’ve had.”

‘The Vowles Verdict’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/29/williams-investigating-cause-behind-alex-albon-f1-singapore-gp-dnf/


Williams still don’t know what caused Alex Albon’s Singapore GP retirement
30 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Mon 30 September 2024 13:00
Rory Mitchell
Williams team principal James Vowles has said the team is still investigating what caused Alex Albon’s retirement from the Singapore Grand Prix. Alex Albon had lost places at the start following a bold move by teammate Franco Colapinto at the first corner, before losing speed 15 laps into the race with a suspected power unit temperature issue.

He was told to pit by the team to avoid any further damage to the power unit, which quashed any hopes that he would score more points for Williams at what looked like another promising race for Albon. The exact reason for the retirement is currently unknown, but Vowles said the team is investigating a potential issue that could lead to answers when speaking on his Vowles Verdict debrief.

Alex Albon seat at risk for 2026 according to Guenther Steiner. Colapinto has matched Albon over single-lap pace and outscored Sargeant in just two races, having finished in eighth at Azerbaijan after a late pass on Nico Hulkenberg. Former F1 team principal Guenther Steiner believes if Albon can’t outperform Sainz next season, Vowles could be tempted to with another long-term prospect that could command a lower wage.

‘Still investigating’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/williams-still-dont-know-what-caused-alex-albons-singapore-gp-retirement/


Singapore GP: Zero points for Williams Racing
Sep 25 2024
Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

‘Zero’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206404.htm

[Fortitude]

Horner highlights pressure on Red Bull updates: 'Need bang for the buck'.
Crucial weeks await Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing. Besides an improved floor, Red Bull is likely to modify the RB20's front wing in Austin. All in all, these updates should allow Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez to immediately get more performance out of their cars.
2 Oct 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

"We want to build on the understanding since Monza and take a car that is well balanced between both of its axels. That inspires the confidence of the driver," Horner stated in the F1 Nation podcast, who also pointed out that the track has been resurfaced and there is a sprint weekend. "We have to hit the ground running. But the team has been working incredibly hard on understanding the issues and hopefully getting remedies on the car for Austin."

Red Bull has a handicap: Another disadvantage for Red Bull is that the team won the world title in the constructors last season and remained on top when the latest wind tunnel hours were locked in. As a result, Red Bull have the least amount of development time. "There is a handicap system. And cost cap, you have to think very carefully about where you are going to apply your money. You need to have bang for buck. Gone are the days when you keep throwing different solutions at things. You cannot afford to do that. You have to be selective in what you hit the production button on," Horner said.

'Bang for the buck';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304404/horner-tempers-expectations-for-updates-red-bull-and-mentions-handicap.html


Why Red Bull is taking a huge gamble with its Austin update
1 Oct 2024
Roy Stroot & Ian Parkes

Red Bull, in particular, will be pulling out all the stops to get the RB20 back to the front and inject new life into the fight for this year's F1 championships. So Red Bull is going all out with a final big update in Austin. It has been suggested it could fix the dysfunctional balance problems of the car and decide the title fight in Red Bull's favour. Red Bull, though, is taking a huge gamble for several reasons.

Let’s start by stating the obvious - an update does not always mean progress. Just ask Ferrari. The Scuderia was in great shape at the start of the European part of the season following the introduction of a major update for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. And at Red Bull, an update has not always worked. The new floor for the car at the British GP was meant to solve problems but only served to create more. Generally, an update generally needs time to bed itself in, and that is where the next hurdle comes in.

‘Huge gamble’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-red-bull-is-taking-a-huge-gamble-with-the-austin-update


What Red Bull ‘must’ do in the final six races to keep Max Verstappen beyond 2025
1 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull is facing a development race in the final six races of the 2024 season. Red Bull must fix top speed issues on RB20: According to Bild, the team has largely got on top of their problems with the car balance but must work on extracting more straight-line speed from the RB20.

Austin is more likely to play to the strengths of their chassis, while Mexico could throw up some unwanted issues due to its stop-start nature. Red Bull is pinning a lot of its hopes of retaining the Constructors’ crown on its Austin upgrade, while Verstappen will be hoping it will make life easier to defend his Drivers’ crown from Norris.

‘Development race’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/what-red-bull-must-do-in-the-final-six-races-to-keep-max-verstappen-beyond-2025/


Hill predicts an 'anxious time' ahead for Max Verstappen
2 Oct 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Damon Hill believes that Max Verstappen will start to feel "anxious" as his World Championship lead shrinks. Though the 1996 Formula 1 World Champion would prefer to be in the Dutchman's shoes rather than the chasing position Lando Norris finds himself in. "Max has got it all to lose. It was a similar thing in ‘96 for me because the gap closed up towards the end of the season, and that can be an anxious time.”

“In motorsport, there’s tension. You can't avoid it. So it's the ability to cope with tension, to cope with pressure, but I think I'd rather have the lead than be trying to get it," Hill said on the F1 explains podcast. "I think that it's better to have the advantage and protect it. You've got nothing to lose if you're chasing, but at the same time you're behind. So it's always a better position to be in, to have those points," he added.

'Anxious time';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304414/damon-hill-highlights-disadvantage-for-lando-norris-in-title-battle.html


Horner compares Verstappen to Schumacher: 'He drives around the problems'
2 Oct 2024
Ben Stevens
GPblog.com

Christian Horner sees in Max Verstappen certain qualities that seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher also showed. "I think because of his unprecedented ability to drive around problems, Max has been able to deal with them," Horner said in the F1 Nation podcast. "It's reminiscent of how Michael Schumacher drove in the 1990s, he could also handle that car better than anyone else, while others struggled with it."

"Max has that ability to just drive around those problems. So I think it was already more or less built in, but at Monza we only really saw the extent of it. There we saw to what extent the contact between the front and rear axles was broken. And the figures we expected to see on the track were miles away from our simulations," Horner said.

'Drives around the problems';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304488/red-bull-boss-compares-max-verstappen-to-michael-schumacher.html


Christian Horner: Red Bull bolstered by 200 signings from F1 rivals Mercedes
02 Oct 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

“We’ve recruited, I think, close to 250 people during the last 12 months, across the project, into powertrains, into the brand new engine shop that we’re building,” Horner told British broadcaster Channel 4.

“We don’t talk about the over 200 people we brought from Mercedes. There’s a lot of focus on the two people that are leaving, because they’re slightly more public facing.” The two key figures departing Red Bull are none other than Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley.

Christian Horner: “Adrian has been on the brink of retiring for 10 years, and so we had to be prepared for that, and I believe we have got strength in depth. He’s chosen to continue and continue elsewhere. And of course, Jonathan likewise, a long-term team member. But they’re two higher profile names. The reality is that’s just two people out of 2000 people that we have within the group.”

“We’ve recruited”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/10/02/christian-horner-red-bull-bolstered-by-200-signings-from-f1-rivals-mercedes/


Horner hands Perez rallying cry with Red Bull title under threat
Christian Horner has called on Sergio Perez to up his game as Red Bull's constructors' crown looks to be at threat.
28 Sep 2024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

With the RB20's form fluctuating, Horner has urged Perez, whose long-term future is not secure despite his 2025 contract, to up his game. "We need to have two drivers firing on all cylinders," Horner told media including RacingNews365. "Checo had a good weekend [in Azerbaijan] and a tough weekend [in Singapore].”

"We need to put some weekends together where we're putting two drivers on the podiums. It is those big points that really make a difference. We need to make sure that Checo is as far up the field as we can get him."

With tracks on the horizon that should ordinarily suit Red Bull, Horner added: "Everybody is still massively motivated in the team, and we're still fighting for both championships. We took a hit in the constructors' (in Singapore with McLaren scoring 41 points to Red Bull's 19), but there are still a lot of races to go. There are some circuits where we've performed very well in the past."

"Massively motivated”;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-hands-perez-rallying-cry-with-red-bull-title-under-threat


Why Now is Not the Time for Sergio Pérez to Retire
Oct 2, 2024
Emma Fisher
Last Word On Sports

For Pérez, these challenges stem from what he has faced over the past 15 months due to “the car development, the direction, and the trajectory we’ve been taking,” according to F1 media. While Verstappen was able to manage, recent races have shown the Dutchman’s struggle also. “Some people don’t understand it, especially from the media side, that different driver styles can come to different conclusions.”

“The problem was… Well, not the problem – the good thing was that Max was less sensitive to it than I was. Ten, 12 races ago, I was complaining about these issues, but now they are so big that even Max is feeling them. I think the solution will benefit me even more with my style. It’s very clear in the data, the team is fully aware of it and hopefully we can fix the issues soon going forwards. Then we can unlock a lot of performance from the car.”

With Pérez’s car issues now understood – and similarly experienced by his teammate, who risks losing his fourth World Championship to McLaren’s Lando Norris – Red Bull is actively working to improve the RB20. While they do not seem to be an easy fix, this could buy Sergio Pérez further time to prove his abilities this season so that his desire to retire on his terms is fulfilled.

“Unlock a lot of performance”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/10/02/why-now-is-not-the-time-for-sergio-perez-to-retire/

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris insists McLaren are doing ‘a better job’ than Red Bull in title fight.
Lando Norris is in the middle of a fight for the Formula 1 championship for the first time in his career with McLaren.
30 Sep 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

McLaren do have a faster car than Red Bull though, and that could prove to be a problem for Verstappen, which is something Norris praised while speaking to RacingNews365. “We are doing a better job as a team right now because my car, our car, is quicker than theirs [Red Bull],” he said.

“But that’s just credit to the team for doing an amazing job, for being smarter and doing cooler things, creating mini-DRS flaps and stuff. I’m working my heart out, I’m working my butt off, to try and make sure that happens [winning the drivers’ championship]. He’s [Verstappen] trying to make sure it doesn’t happen. So, we’ll have to wait and find out.”

‘Creating mini-DRS flaps and stuff’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lando-norris-insists-mclaren-are-doing-a-better-job-than-red-bull-in-title-fight/


‘I couldn’t ask for a better boss’ – Norris opens up on how ‘integral’ Stella dealt with McLaren team orders talks
02 Oct 2024
Formula One - Official Site

When asked during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend how Stella is at managing conversations around team orders, Norris responded: “Very, very good, and I probably wouldn’t ask for anyone else to have his job and make these kinds of decisions.”

“From all the people that I’ve known and worked with, I think Andrea is one of the most integral parts of keeping a team together, motivating the team, pushing the team, making the team what it is today, which is close to being the best team in Formula 1 at the minute.”

“I have a lot of confidence in him and we just work well. There’s always good points, constructive points, criticism points, but that all just makes us work better as a team. I think the most important thing that we have is just honesty between one another.”

““Very, very good”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/i-couldnt-ask-for-a-better-boss-norris-opens-up-on-how-integral-stella-dealt.5OZqTAHweazvnonnsZoEuS


Oscar Piastri sends ‘no blank cheque’ message to Lando Norris amid McLaren team orders debate
02 Oct 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Piastri has reiterated his willingness to support Norris’s title charge, but insists his team-mate will not have “a blank cheque” across the final six races as McLaren aim to seal the Constructors’ crown. He told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: “The team wants to win both championships. If you have the opportunity to do so, you can’t let it pass you by.”

“If I’m only thinking about myself, I don’t like team orders against me. No driver likes that. For your own pride, you want to show that you are the fastest driver on the track. Nevertheless, I will help Lando in the final races if I am asked. He has the more realistic chance of winning the title. But that’s not a blank cheque. It has to make sense for me to let him by.”

“We also want to win the constructors’ championship and sacrificing my race to help Lando won’t help us achieve that goal. We will decide on a case-by-case basis. Baku showed how we do things at McLaren. If Lando hadn’t stopped Perez after the first pit stop, I might not have won. He has a share in my victory.”

‘No blank cheque’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-piastri-lando-norris-mclaren-team-orders-no-blank-cheque


Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur should be ‘alarmed’ after what he’s seen at McLaren
2 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari should be concerned about McLaren development. The standout team this year has been McLaren, having produced a car that went from finishing second and 20 seconds off the pace to one that is now capable of winning by the same margin as Verstappen at the recent Singapore GP.

Ferrari has managed to produce a faster car this year and overtaken Red Bull in the development race but has not been able to replicate the gains made by McLaren. “Fundamentally there is something lacking at Ferrari this season. It’s hard to put your finger on exactly what it is, I’ve been impressed by the leadership of Vasseur, but they have been lost this year. The same with Mercedes,” said journalist Nate Saunders.

“Those two teams came into the year and you thought if either team is going to come close to Red Bull, it will be them. But McLaren has just leaped pass both of them. Ferrari has been left in the dust and you have to ask yourself why that is? Because Ferrari have the same if not better resources than McLaren, so that should be a bit alarming.”

‘Ferrari has been left in the dust’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ferrari-boss-frederic-vasseur-should-be-alarmed-after-what-hes-seen-at-mclaren/


'That was taking the p***' – Horner shocked by Norris's pace in Singapore
26 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Christian Horner has admitted that he was taken aback by how much pace Lando Norris had in the Singapore Grand Prix, with the McLaren driver crossing the line to take victory 20 seconds clear of Max Verstappen despite a couple of brushes with the wall along the way.

Asked if he was surprised by just how much Norris had in hand at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Horner responded: “Yeah, that was taking the p***! I shouldn’t say that in an official capacity. I mean, the pace he had in hand on that tyre, at that point in time…”

“At that point we’ve conceded the race on pace. He touched the wall for the first time and then touched it for the second time, but obviously got away with it.” Horner offered his congratulations to Norris and McLaren for their success in Singapore, adding: “They had a very strong car this weekend and particularly on the first stint they were very quick.”

‘Congratulations to Norris and McLaren’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/that-was-taking-the-p-horner-shocked-by-norriss-pace-in-singapore.4oXJwpwlFTXvhvGc42e0xw


Steiner brands Norris 'lucky' after 'weird' blunder
Lando Norris brushed multiple walls on his way to victory in the Singapore Grand Prix.
1 Oct 2024
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has been judged as "lucky" by former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner after surviving multiple "weird" wall brushes during the Singapore Grand Prix. Steiner highlighted how lucky the title contender was, by pointing out that Kevin Magnussen sustained a puncture after his first strike with the wall on the outside of Turn 5. "I could say that maybe he was managing the race," Steiner said on the Red Flags Podcast. "Did he lose concentration? Did he try to do something? I don't know, but it's weird.”

'Lucky';

https://racingnews365.com/steiner-brands-norris-lucky-after-weird-blunder


Aston Martin set to investigate McLaren’s F1 upgrade blueprint
2 Oct 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Having since slipped into the midfield’s clutches, Aston Martin boss Mike Krack has conceded it would be “foolish” not to review the methods behind McLaren’s climb. “We are looking at this a lot,” Krack told Autosport.

“If you compare the pace, and you see when have they [McLaren] made a step, and you can correlate that with some upgrades that are declared as we never have the full picture, there is some correlation where you can say, ‘okay, this is what it has been changed, and what has it potentially done’.”

“When you see, for example, the Zandvoort upgrade, it’s a bit here, a bit there, a bit there. You see how fine and complex these cars have become, so I think it would be foolish not to look at it.”

‘Investigate McLaren’s F1 upgrade blueprint’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/10/02/aston-martin-set-to-investigate-mclarens-f1-upgrade-blueprint/


McLaren detail why 'red herring' scrutiny is ‘good news’
McLaren faced questions from rival teams after the Azerbaijan GP when the legality of its rear wing was called into question.
3 Oct 2024
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted it is “good news” that rival F1 teams have taken issue with its rear wing. “I find that so much attention on our rear wing is just good news because it means that opponents are not focusing on themselves,” Stella told media including RacingNews365.

'Red herring' scrutiny is ‘good news’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-detail-why-rear-wing-scrutiny-is-good-news

[Fortitude]

Gary Anderson: Ferrari's F1 upgrade risks cancelling itself out.
It's difficult to say if this has been a step forward or not, but to me the endplate treatment is a positive and the flap trailing edge treatment could very easily lead to a bit of head scratching at Maranello.
Sep 25, 2024
Gary Anderson
The Race

Ferrari's new Formula 1 front wing, introduced at the Singapore Grand Prix, is both a general front wing upgrade and one focused on the demands of the high-downforce Marina Bay circuit. You need to consider the effect of all of the components and the various interacting airflows. It all needs to work together for the best and most consistent flow going between the front wheels and the side and bottom of the chassis.

This new front wing has some positives and potentially some negatives. If we look at how competitive things are at the front of the grid, it shows that a small step in either direction can have major consequences for your performance in terms of grid position. And as qualifying in Singapore showed, the same can be said for whether the team and drivers get it right.

‘Head scratching’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-ferrari-f1-front-wing-upgrade-risks-cancelling-itself-out/


Leclerc demands Ferrari realism over late F1 title push
30 Sep 2024
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Despite the upturn in form, the Monegasque believes this to simply be track-specific as he warned against getting too carried away. "There needs to be a little bit of luck involved on our side, because even if we do really well until the end of the season, it is going to be difficult to go and take the drivers' title," Leclerc told media including RacingNews365.

"But I am not really thinking about it now, I'm just trying to focus race-by-race and the worst thing we can do at this moment is to have wrong expectations going forward. We have gone through some very specific tracks since Monza, which has made us look particularly good, and I hope that picture remains [after Singapore].”

"However, I expect McLaren and Red Bull to get back to their normal level of performance, McLaren never left it, but it is still the car to beat and Red Bull will come back and it will make our life a bit more difficult. We need to be good at having the right expectations going into weekends because otherwise it can push you to try and find performance that is not in the car, but we are working well and the development is going well."

‘Warned against getting too carried away’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-demands-ferrari-realism-over-late-f1-title-push


Ferrari got it wrong in Singapore. But its F1 gamble has worked before...
25 Sep 2024
Mark Hughes
Motor Sport Magazine

Ferrari was 'scratching' in Singapore as it gambled on a late qualifying run to beat the faster McLarens. But while it ended disastrously, there was nothing wrong with its approach, writes Mark Hughes — as Mercedes showed in 2019

Sometimes in a grand prix weekend it will become obvious to a team when it is competitive, but not quite the fastest. Quick enough that if everything goes in your favour and you really squeeze every last drop of performance from the car, you might set pole and you might thereafter have a chance of winning.

But not fast enough that you can control your own destiny. There is another car inherently faster than you and if they nail it they’re going to beat you. But they might not nail it, so you are looking for every tiny opportunity to make the difference. You are what is commonly referred to as ‘scratching’.

‘Got it wrong’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/ferrari-got-it-wrong-in-singapore-but-its-f1-gamble-has-worked-before/?nowprocket=1#


Vasseur defends Ferrari decision after Singapore woe
Ferrari did not enjoy the most successful weekend in Singapore but was able to move forward following a difficult qualifying session.
25 Sep 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

When asked if Ferrari considered being more aggressive with its strategy, Vasseur told media including RacingNews365: “To start soft, you can make one position perhaps. But at the end of the day, if you want to be aggressive, you will pit lap 12 or 15 like Lewis [Hamilton] did, but you don’t have another choice because you have to pit lap 12 because you are stuck.”

Despite the difficult weekend in Singapore, Vasseur at least commended the strategy call to bring home points following a difficult qualifying session. “At least to start with medium, we had the opportunity to extend, and the scenario of the race was a bit different. I think it was a good strategy,” he added. “The fact that we split the cars to do one early stop and another one we extended was also a good call. It went pretty well due to the track position at this stage.”

‘Ferrari decision defended’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-defends-ferrari-decision-after-singapore-woe


Vasseur: Ferrari must do “a better job” over whole race weekend
25 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur admits that his team must do a “better job” and be consistent through a whole race weekend in the wake of a frustrating Singapore GP. “It’s always good to finish the weekend on a positive tone, and honestly today, it was a very good race,” said Vasseur.

“It’s true that on the other hand you increase a little bit the frustration after a poor Saturday, when you have this kind of race. But I prefer to have a frustration on Sunday evening, after Saturday, with a good race, than a poor race. And you say, ‘Okay it was like this.’ I think it’s good to finish and to attack the three or four weeks break with a positive tone.”

“On Friday we were in better shape, and it means that we missed something during the weekend, it’s clear,” he said. “When you start in Singapore ninth and 10th, you know that we made something wrong on Saturday. But it’s not the Sunday that we have to blame something or someone. It’s more to do a better job on Saturday.”

“Something wrong on Saturday”;

https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/25/vasseur-ferrari-must-do-a-better-job-over-whole-race-weekend/


‘The goal’: Charles Leclerc gives one-word answer on whether Ferrari can win the 2025 championship
2 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Charles Leclerc confident Ferrari can challenge for 2025 title. Ferrari brought a floor upgrade to the Italian GP which is intended to be the key part that will make their car a better all-rounder and less ‘peaky’ like they experienced last season.

“We are seeing quite a lot of gains. We just need time to bring those upgrades on the car,” said Leclerc. When asked if he thinks it means Ferrari can challenge for titles, Leclerc said: “Yes. It is. Obviously it is a constant process that keeps evolving and the goal is to always make it better.”

‘The goal’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/charles-leclerc-gives-one-word-answer-on-whether-ferrari-can-win-the-2025-championship/


Ex-Ferrari engineer gives Hamilton instructions: 'Then he'll walk on water'
26 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

"When a seven-times world champion chooses your team to come and work at your team. I don't think he needs to bring an entourage with him. And I always spoke about this, this publicly, both for Lewis himself and for people like Bono [Peter Bonnington]. I think that it's quite a dangerous game to play to follow the driver around because if the driver falls out of favour or the driver decides that after one year this is not for him, he can't take the entourage with him. So I think that Lewis has done the right thing," Smedley said on the Formula for Success podcast.

"They'll [Ferrari] just be able to raise their game by another 1%, 2%, because they'll feel that confidence. This is a seven-time world champion coming into your team, having chosen your team over effectively a team he's been at for, let's call it all of his life, if you take the engine part of it, suddenly he's walking away from all of that and all of that legacy, and he's choosing you guys. So that gives you a massive boost of confidence. If everybody works that half/one percent harder or smarter, then great things can happen," he concluded.

'Then he'll walk on water';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303595/rob-smedley-advices-lewis-hamilton-ahead-of-f1-switch-to-ferrari.html


Rob Smedley lauds ‘really encouraging’ Ferrari steps in area they were ‘dreadful’ at before
26 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell

Rob Smedley lauds ‘encouraging’ improvements to Ferrari’s strategy. Smedley worked with Ferrari for 10 years between 2004 and 2014 where he was race engineer to Felipe Massa and was known for his humorous exchanges over team radio. When discussing the areas where Ferrari has improved, Smedley said it was ‘encouraging’ to see the team improve their trackside operations compared to when he was at the Italian outfit.

‘Rookie mistakes’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/rob-smedley-lauds-really-encouraging-ferrari-steps-in-area-they-were-dreadful-at-before/


Remarkable rumour: 'Lewis Hamilton is going to sponsor himself at Ferrari'
26 Sep 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Hamilton's Tequila brand to sponsor Ferrari? In a roundabout way, Lewis Hamilton will sponsor himself in his new F1 adventure after he leaves Mercedes.

‘Remarkable rumour’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/303597/lewis-hamilton-sponsors-himself-at-ferrari-in-2025.html

[Fortitude]

Mercedes admit to Lewis Hamilton strategy ‘mistake’ after Singapore issues.
Hamilton was the only driver in the top 13 to begin the Singapore Grand Prix on softs but stopped far earlier than he would have hoped, losing any advantage he may have gained from the tactical choice.
30 Sep 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes have admitted they made a “mistake” in bringing Lewis Hamilton in earlier after the seven-time World Champion voiced his displeasure at the Singapore strategy call. Hamilton bemoaned the decision, suggesting that it made “no sense”, after he finished sixth and behind team-mate George Russell.

“We sat in our meeting in the morning of the race – actually the night before they already mentioned that they would like to split the cars – and for me, I was a bit perplexed by it,” Hamilton said at an event in Kuala Lumpur for Mercedes sponsor Petronas.

Mercedes technical director James Allison admitted that it was a “mistake” and that a different call would be made could if they turn back time. “Before I give the explanation, I’ll just start off by saying we shouldn’t have started on the softs. That was a mistake. If we could turn back time, we would do what those around us did and select the mediums.”

‘Perplexed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-admit-lewis-hamilton-strategy-mistake-singapore-issues


Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes driver insists 'things are cool' with his team after Singapore GP strategy error
Lewis Hamilton dropped from third on the grid to finish sixth at the Singapore GP after a poor strategy call
1 Oct 2024
Sky Sports

"When that happens it's natural to be frustrated and easy for me to speak out in that frustration. We knew starting on soft tyres was a bold and risky move but one that could give us an advantage at the start and I ultimately agreed with that recommendation.”

He added: "Make no mistake though, things are cool with the team. As with all successful partnerships, you have to have some lows to have the highs. We're not afraid of those tricky conversations and challenging moments which is why we have achieved so much together. We will support each other to the very end. It's all love."

'Things are cool';

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13225401/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-driver-insists-things-are-cool-with-his-team-after-singapore-gp-strategy-error


James Allison says Mercedes issue they 'couldn't control' in Singapore affected them all year
30 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

James Allison says ‘weakness’ in W15 has impacted Mercedes throughout the year. Mercedes entered the summer break with three wins between Hamilton and Russell, but things began to take a downturn at Zandvoort. Russell blamed the car setup while Hamilton was limited due to a grid penalty, but at the following race in Monza they still struggled to break into the top three.

While Mercedes has produced a car that is fast over one lap, this pace is impacting them during the races according to Allison. “We found a very good setup for a lap, which did us no favours in the race,” said Allison. “A weakness became visible again, which has been impacting us all year round. We couldn’t control the temperatures of the rear tyres.”

‘Couldn’t control the temperatures of the rear tyres’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mercedes-issue-they-couldnt-control-in-singapore-affected-them-all-year/


'Dig deep': Rob Smedley shares how Toto Wolff’s media interviews show Mercedes downfall ‘hurts them’
30 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

A winless 2023 confirmed that Mercedes was entering a period of decline, all while several senior members associated with their title success also left for new opportunities on the grid. Toto Wolff visibly affected by Mercedes’ downfall according to Rob Smedley. Wolff is one of the few experienced heads still in the team alongside technical director James Allison, and the impact of their current frustrations is clear when he speaks to the media.

“They deserve to win and get those seven years of World Championships on the bounce because they were doing the best job. Then the car simply wasn’t good enough at the start of this new era of regulations and they really had to dig deep,” said Smedley. “You can see that and you can see how much it hurts them. You see it, even if you don’t know these guys, in their media interviews. You see it in Toto’s media interviews.”

“If you know these guys personally, you can see how much it hurts them. You know, they just want to win and they just want to do everything they can to get back. So they’ve really like knuckled down, doubled down on what they needed to do.”

‘Toto Wolff visibly affected by Mercedes’ downfall’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/rob-smedley-shares-how-toto-wolffs-media-interviews-show-mercedes-downfall-hurts-them/


Lewis Hamilton drops girlfriend update and admits he was 'terrified' of Toto Wolff chat
Lewis Hamilton opened up about his personal life and family plans in an interview where the topic of Toto Wolff was also discussed.
Sep 29, 2024
Fasika Zelealem
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has confessed his desire to start a family but insists he still has unfinished business in Formula One in a clear hint he's not ready to start dating yet. The racing superstar is notoriously private about his personal life, with his on-off relationship with former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger being the only one widely known.

Hamilton is in his final year with Mercedes and is set to join Ferrari in 2025 after announcing the major move earlier this year. Despite being a seven-time champion and one of the greatest drivers in F1 history, Hamilton admitted it was "terrifying" to tell Mercedes boss Toto Wolff about his decision to leave the Silver Arrows, reports the Mirror. "It's been a rollercoaster of emotions from the moment I signed the contract - telling my boss, that was terrifying," remarked Hamilton.

‘Opened up’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1954851/lewis-hamilton-girlfriend-toto-wolff-Mercedes


Peter Windsor questions Lewis Hamilton criticism of Mercedes after strategy mistake
30 Sep 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Peter Windsor questions Mercedes’ strategy for Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes was ‘in the woods’ for most of the weekend on tyres, having found they suffered from overheating on all compounds including the hard tyre. Russell said he knew as soon as he saw the tyres for Hamilton that his teammate would disprove of the strategy, which ultimately played into the Briton’s hands later in the race.

“It’s a moot point whether Lewis suggested it to the team or the team suggested it to Lewis and he endorsed it,” said Windsor. “The point is they did it and why? Only to get an advantage off the line in a relatively short run into Turn 1 at Singapore, and he’s trying to overtake one of the hardest guys in F1 in Max Verstappen. If he hasn’t got past him or Lando Norris, then the whole point of him running the soft goes out the window.”

‘Soft tyre strategy out the window’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/peter-windsor-questions-lewis-hamilton-criticism-of-mercedes-after-strategy-mistake/


'Hamilton would have been an eight-time F1 champion had Whiting not died'
30 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com

Charlie Whiting, who had been in the role for a long time, died suddenly just prior to the 2019 Australian Grand Prix weekend at the age of 66. Hamilton, the lead car, was on used tyres, with Verstappen on fresh tyres. The Dutchman made the move early in the lap and held on to win the World Championship for the first time. Steiner has expressed his thoughts on that moment.

"Wherever your loyalties lie with that one (and yes, I agree, it was amazing entertainment), from a regulations point of view it was a s**t show of biblical proportions, and regardless of what decision Charlie Whiting might have made in Michael Masi’s position there would have been far less controversy and embarrassment," Steiner said.

Still, the former team boss concludes: "Oh, f**k it. We all know what Charlie would have done. Had he been at the helm Lewis would now be an eight-time world champion."

‘A s**t show of biblical proportions’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304140/guenther-steiner-on-max-verstappen-and-lewis-hamilton-f1-2021-abu-dhabi.html


Mick Schumacher makes telling Mercedes comments and puts pressure on Toto Wolff
Sep 30, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Schumacher’s journey back to the F1 grid has been a sorry tale so far. Since being axed by Haas at the end of the 2022 campaign, the German racer has been linked with a host of vacancies… That isn’t to say that Schumacher hasn’t found success. He has made a strong impact as Mercedes’ test driver, and in a conversation with Motorsport-Total he sent a clear message to Toto Wolff as he hunts a new contract with the Silver Arrows.

“You don't really see what's going on there, but it's going well there too," he explained. "So we're all pretty optimistic that I'll keep doing it." Despite his desire to continue with Mercedes, a full-time F1 return is his primary goal. Asked about his ‘Plan B’, Schumacher added: “I think I will deal with it when the time comes and Plan A doesn't work.”

"So, as I said, we stand by the fact that Plan A works and we're trying our best to make it happen. But, as I said, yes, Plan B has to be in the back of our minds. I don't know where that will lead yet."

‘Journey back to the F1 grid, sorry tale so far’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1955100/Mick-Schumacher-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes

[Fortitude]

Why the 'persuasive' Lawrence Stroll is actually a strength of Aston Martin.
Since the arrival of Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin has been making improvements. The owner of the Formula 1 team was perhaps the main reason that Adrian Newey decided to join the British team. What makes Stroll so special? Mike Krack explained it in an exclusive interview with GPblog.com.
02 Oct 2024
Tim Kraaij
GPblog.com

"Lawrence's passion and commitment and enthusiasm is very endearing. It's very persuasive. The reality is if you go back 20 years, then what we now call team principles are actually the owners of the teams. Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Eddie Jordan etc. In this modern era, then Lawrence is actually unique in being the only properly active team owner. It's a different feeling when you have somebody like Lawrence involved like that. It's back to the old school model," Newey revealed at the press conference at Silverstone.

"It's fantastic. Especially as I have worked in the corporate world for a couple of years and when you see how quickly we can make decisions without having to prepare a pack or whatever. You can just go there and say this is what we want to do, and within ten seconds, you can go and do it or not," Krack stated in a conversation with GPblog.

"This flexibility came to light when we started a collaboration with Fernando [Alonso]. It was a matter of hours where other structures might take three months to decide. I think in the case of Fernando, his situation was dragging, dragging, dragging and we just made facts. This is only possible with someone at the top like Lawrence, who has a clear mind, a clear vision and he's a strong leader. He just says this is what we're going to do and this is what is an asset of this team."

'Persuasive Lawrence Stroll is actually a strength of Aston Martin’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304399/why-lawrence-stroll-is-precisely-a-strength-of-aston-martin.html


‘In my career’: Fernando Alonso has ‘never seen before’ in F1 what’s happened at Aston Martin
Oct 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Fernando Alonso had ‘never’ seen an owner like Lawrence Stroll in F1 before joining Aston Martin. While Alonso won two titles with Renault, won races with Ferrari and drove for McLaren as a title-contending team and as a recovering outfit, the Oviedo native had never seen the same commitment from a team’s ownership as he has with Lawrence Stroll at Aston Martin.

“I think Aston Martin are the most determined team I have been in in my career,” he stated, via quotes by AS. “The commitment of this team, the vision of our leader Lawrence Stroll, is something I have never seen before. And probably the results that Aston Martin have achieved in three years since it has existed are also unprecedented with eight podiums last year, and now the signing of Adrian Newey.”

“Most determined team I have been in in my career”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fernando-alonso-has-never-seen-before-in-f1-whats-happened-at-aston-martin/


Alonso urges Aston Martin shake-up despite Newey arrival
29 Sep 2024
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has urged Aston Martin to make changes for the 2025 F1 season despite the upcoming arrival of Adrian Newey. Aston Martin is fifth in the table, over 200 points adrift of fourth-placed Mercedes, and a comfortable 52 points clear of RB. It is a shadow of the team which claimed eight podiums last season, alerting Alonso that the Silverstone-based outfit needs a boost for next year before Newey's arrival, albeit with his primary focus on 2026.

"I think 2026 is in our hands for everyone at Aston Martin," Alonso told media including RacingNews365. "The biggest hope with Adrian [Newey] coming, Enrico [Cardile], some of the names. So this is going to be great. The future looks bright, but for 2025 we need to shake things a little bit. I mean, it's not good enough what we are doing right now. 2025 we need to change."

‘Make changes for the 2025 F1 season’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-urges-aston-martin-shake-up-despite-newey-arrival


Alonso: Third F1 title my "only priority", wants Dakar return over Indy 500
Oct 2, 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

"I attempted Indy 500 three times and didn't succeed. It's the only one missing [from the triple crown]. But at the moment, it's not in my plan," Alonso said at an event of Aston's sponsor Cognizant. "I'm very, very focused [on] Formula 1 now. For the next two or three years, I want to win the third world title. This is my first and only priority at the moment.”

"Only priority";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-third-f1-title-my-only-priority-wants-dakar-return-over-indy-500/10659734/


Villeneuve says "exceptional drivers" can only drive cars designed by Newey
3 Oct 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Jacques Villeneuve believes that only "exceptional drivers" can properly compete in cars designed by Adrian Newey. "From my experience, Newey has always built cars that need to be driven very precisely," started the 1997 world champion. "His cars have always had a narrow operating window, but if you found that operating window, the cars were super fast. It is not a car for everyone. He makes cars for exceptional drivers and the exceptional drivers will make a big difference in these cars; the ordinary driver will suffer," Villeneuve indicated to Marca.

"The key now for Fernando [Alonso] is to 'survive' long enough to get a winning car," Villeneuve continues, knowing that 2026 will be the season that Aston Martin are looking towards. "You don't do that by beating [Lance] Stroll by a second a lap. Part of Fernando's job there is to help Lance improve. His job there is not necessarily to become champion himself, he has to make Aston Martin champion. That's why Newey is joining the team."

"Exceptional drivers";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304623/jacques-villeneuve-on-adrian-newey-at-aston-martin-and-the-2026-regulations.html


Newey explains why he opted for 'old school' Aston Martin, rather than joining Hamilton in 2025 move to Ferrari
4 Oct 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Adrian Newey has given a revealing insight into why he chose to join Aston Martin for next year, despite having been linked with a move to Ferrari where he could have teamed up with Lewis Hamilton in 2025. Indeed, Hamilton himself stated that it would be a “privilege” to work with Newey, comments that the Briton admitted he was “very flattered” by.

Newey was asked how seriously he had entertained the prospect of signing with Ferrari, as well as being quizzed on why he ultimately plumped for the Silverstone outfit instead. “I think from my part, I was very flattered by the number of teams that did approach me,” Newey explained. “I had discussions with some of those teams, not all of them. In the end, it became a very clear and natural choice, for all the reasons I stated earlier in the conference.”

“Towards the end of April, I decided that I needed to do something different,” the 65-year-old conceded. “I spent a lot of time with Mandy, my wife, kind of discussing what’s next… What do we do? Do we go off and sail around the world? Do I do something different? We took a bit of time out. I felt that I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved what I aspired to from the age of 10 or 12, which was simply to be a designer – I didn’t even know the word engineer – in motor racing.”

‘Opted for 'old school' Aston Martin’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/newey-explains-why-he-opted-for-old-school-aston-martin-rather-than-joining.KB3N3eZ0Fxi4Uy3neiTqk


Aston Martin 'encouraged' by Honda collaboration: 'They are really pushing'
29 Sep 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com

Japanese manufacturer Honda will supply engines for Aston Martin from 2026. Mike Krack, Aston Martin's team boss, ran media through the latest updates in the project, as he is very excited by the progress that has been made between his team and champion engine supplier Honda. "No, no, the meetings that are coming up are just a sequence of meetings that have been planned since we started the collaboration. There is no, this is not a kick-off or a start, this has been, this goes on for long already," he revealed after the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Aston Martin team boss is very pleased with how things have been going so far. "Very well, very well. It's very encouraging, they are really, they are racers. They are pushing, pushing, pushing and the same goes for the collaboration with Aramco, so we have like a tripartite collaboration there, which works really well", the team principal concluded.

Mike Krack: "But again, you know, it's not the collaboration that matters, it's the result at the end of the day." Concluded Krack. Currently, Aston Martin finds itself in fifth place in the constructors standings with 86 points. The British team are 243 points behind fourth-placed Mercedes but still sits 52 points ahead of closest challengers VCARB.

'They are really pushing';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304066/mike-krack-on-f1-aston-martin-collaboration-with-honda-for-2026.html


Cycling sprint legend Sir Mark Cavendish KBE named Aston Martin’s first High Performance Ambassador
2 Oct 2024
Aston Martin (Press Release)

British sporting legend, Sir Mark Cavendish becomes the first person to take on the new role of Global High Performance ambassador at Aston Martin

‘High Performance Ambassador’;

https://www.astonmartin.com/en-gb/our-world/news/2024/10/2/cycling-sprint-legend-sir-mark-cavendish-kbe-named-aston-martin-s-first-high-performance-ambassador

[Fortitude]

Lawson reflects on terrible Singapore weekend.
Having just been confirmed as a replacement for Daniel Ricciardo at the Visa Cash App RB outfit, Liam Lawson has reflected on the "terrible" race weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix.
2 Oct 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Speaking to New Zealand's radio station Newstalk ZB, Lawson has opened up on the atmosphere at the Faenza-based outfit during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, revealing that it was strange given the looming announcement. "The weekend in Singapore was not pleasant at all because obviously we all knew what was going to happen.”

“At the same time, Daniel has always been very good to me when I drove in his place last year. And even this season he was a person with whom I never felt that I was in competition for the seat. So, on the weekend the feelings were terrible. On the other hand, the opportunity to drive in Formula 1 comes only once, and for me, it has come now.”

"So I can only be grateful to Red Bull for the opportunity and feel the need to take it with both hands. He also told me the same thing, he told me that I have to get the most out of this chance that was given to me."

“Not pleasant at all”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25556


Marko: Red Bull will consider its juniors, not Russell, for the future
Despite Russell’s Mercedes contract ending in a year’s time, Marko says Red Bull is focusing on its proteges
4 Oct 2024
Ben Vinel
Motorsport.com

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko says the Austrian brand will mainly look at its junior drivers for the future, rather than established Formula 1 stars. "George Russell is on a par with [Lewis] Hamilton in qualifying, if not faster," Marko admitted in an interview with Motorsport.com's sister publication Formel1.de. "But Russell is Mercedes-Benz-affiliated, and now we are focusing on our juniors.”

"We see this with [Franco] Colapinto, for example, he was relatively inexperienced and not very successful in the junior series, although it has to be said that he never had the best teams, but what an incredible performance he is putting in now.”

"And now let's see what our juniors or even a Yuki Tsunoda can do. He can also be described as a junior. But as I mentioned earlier, how does he compare to a Lawson?"

‘Mainly look at its junior drivers for the future’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/marko-red-bull-will-consider-its-juniors-not-russell-for-the-future/10660016/


Report: Why Pierre Gasly had a ‘reputation for being difficult’ within Red Bull before Helmut Marko sacked him
4 Oct 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Pierre Gasly felt the full force of Red Bull’s notorious ruthlessness in 2019. He would last just half a season alongside Max Verstappen before a demotion back to Toro Rosso. The Frenchman had impressed at the junior team, scoring 29 of their 33 points in 2018 – his first full season. With Daniel Ricciardo making a shock move to Renault, Red Bull continued their policy of promoting from within.

The ‘excessive’ requests Pierre Gasly made that annoyed Red Bull management. According to The Race, Red Bull staff found it ‘difficult’ to work with Gasly during his brief stay. This may have contributed to his swift exit. He apparently demanded extremely specific tweaks to the configuration of his car. And perhaps most significantly, he ‘publicly’ challenged the team’s leadership over their issues.

‘Extremely specific tweaks to the configuration of his car’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why-pierre-gasly-had-a-reputation-for-being-difficult-within-red-bull-before-helmut-marko-sacked-him/


Tsunoda forced to end his demo run in Taiwan with engine issues
05 Oct 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Completing his first demonstration run in Taiwan last weekend, Visa Cash RB driver Yuki Tsunoda was forced to end his on-track activity with engine issues.

Tsunoda's day took a premature end as he was forced to abandon his donuts in the Red Bull early in a fiery moment. The Red Bull crew needed to run over to extinguish the smoke and flames which were emerging from the RB8. Speaking of his experience behind the wheel of an V8-powered F1 car, Tsunoda noted: "That was amazing. Thank you for a lot of support.”

“I saw a lot of people waving their flags, waving their hands. Definitely I saw every single moment and I hope you guys enjoyed the first Formula 1 [event] in Taiwan. I tried my best. I’m sure you guys enjoyed V6 [sic] sound! Actually first time me as well driving a V8, so yeah, it was amazing. Thank you for the support. It was a nice, successful event.”

‘Extinguish the smoke and flames’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/25564


Marko slates 'outdated' philosophy of F1 rivals
Red Bull has made a habit of promoting its junior drivers. Why, questions Helmut Marko, have other teams not done the same?
4 Oct 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Helmut Marko has derided the philosophy of Red Bull's F1 rivals as 'outdated' when it comes to the promotion of junior drivers. Red Bull has made a habit over the years of giving drivers who have climbed the ladder via its Red Bull Academy an opportunity in F1, with some notable examples such as Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo, amongst others.

It has to be said, however, that Red Bull has long been in the fortuitous position of having its 'sister' team - Toro Rosso, AlphaTauri, and now RB - to trial young blood before promoting to the senior outfit, unlike other teams. Nevertheless, Marko has applauded Mercedes boss Toto Wolff for giving Kimi Antonelli a shot at F1 next year after his remarkable rise, whilst Williams has blooded Franco Colapinto this season after axing Logan Sargeant, although the Argentinian does not have a full-time drive for next year.

Marko's comments stem from the fact Liam Lawson is being given the final six grands prix of this year to prove himself after a decision was taken to drop veteran Daniel Ricciardo. "We will evaluate how he compares to Yuki Tsunoda and then we will see what happens," said Marko, via his Speedweek column.

'Outdated';

https://racingnews365.com/marko-slates-outdated-philosophy-of-f1-rivals

[Fortitude]

“Unfiltered”: Guenther Steiner’s tales of life in charge of Haas reviewed.
Drive to Survive had already given Guenther Steiner sufficient celebrity status to allow him to put out a book, 2023’s Surviving to Drive, which covered the team’s 2022 season.
29 Sep 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The opening sections on how Haas entered F1 therefore prove the most engaging... Why did Haas gain a place at the table eight years ago when F1 is now so hostile to new entrants? Don’t expect to gain any useful perspective reading this.

Prolific swearing is still very much key to Steiner’s schtick, so Mohammed Ben Sulayem should look away now. Actually, the FIA president might be best advised to avoid it altogether, as Steiner has some choice words about his performance in the role compared to his predecessor.

Steiner is unequivocal about where he places the blame for Haas’s slump to last-place finishes in 2021 and 2023: a lack of investment by Gene Haas beyond the initial entry into F1, in particular the mothballing of the team’s facilities during the pandemic.

“Unfiltered”;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/29/unfiltered-guenther-steiners-tales-of-life-in-charge-of-haas-reviewed/


Steiner victorious after Haas copyright lawsuit gets dismissed in court
Despite leaving the team at the start of the season, an ongoing legal battle has been going on between Steiner and his former team Haas...
The Californian court rules in favour of Guenther Steiner after legal battle with former team Haas over his book.
28 Sep 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

At the start of May, it was revealed that Steiner had launched a lawsuit against his former team Haas due to unpaid commissions spanning from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2023. Steiner claimed that Haas owed him money he had not received, breaching his employment agreement. Just 12 days later, Haas’ parent company Haas Automation launched a lawsuit against Steiner, suing the Italian for trademark infringements in his autobiography, “Surviving to Drive.”

Haas Automation claimed Steiner had used trademarks and Haas branding without consent, and with no response from the Italian on the matter Haas took things to court in California. The main issue had to do with photography used throughout the book, with the front cover being a particular issue for Haas Automation who claimed the photos breached federally registered trademarks involving its CNC machine tools business and motorsports activity.

Four months later the California judge has ruled in favour of Steiner, claiming that the logos used throughout the book had been relevant to the book and had not been misleading. The court documents stated: “The Book recounts Steiner’s experiences as team principal of the Haas F1 Team during the 2022 season. Using photos that include the Haas marks is an artistic choice to provide additional context about the 2022 season with the Haas F1 Team. Here, there is no explicit indication, overt claim, or explicit misstatement that the ‘source of the work’ is Haas Automation.

‘Steiner victorious’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/steiner-victorious-after-haas-copyright-lawsuit-gets-dismissed-in-court/?nowprocket=1


Gene Haas adds F1 investment to ‘increase the ceiling’ as on-track performance improves
28 Sep 2024
Elizabeth Blackstock
PlanetF1.com

Haas Formula 1 team principal Ayao Komatsu has revealed that owner Gene Haas is willing to continue investing ample funds into his Formula 1 team — particularly as the team has one of its most successful seasons in years.

The authors of Racing with Rich Energy: How a Rogue Sponsor Took Formula 1 for a Ride discovered from Haas team members that Gene Haas requested the outfit begin operating on a limited budget even before Formula 1 officially introduced a cost cap. The goal was to prepare for the cost cap implementation, though it also unfortunately meant the team couldn’t grow quite as quickly as others.

That strategy could be criticized for effectively limiting the team’s ability to score points during a season, but after Haas released Guenther Steiner from his team principal role and hired Ayao Komatsu instead, the outfit has seen a significant improvement in performance. Per Komatsu’s interview with Crash.net, that’s because Haas has already begun bulking up his investments.

‘Gene Haas requested the outfit begin operating on a limited budget’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/gene-haas-adds-f1-investment-increase-the-ceiling-as-on-track-performance-improves


Haas Eyeing $100m Windfall For 2024 F1 Progress
26 Sep 2024
F1 Chronicle

Haas is making impressive steps forward in its new post-Gunther Steiner era. After Steiner’s long reign, Ayao Komatsu took over at the helm of the American team in 2024 – and already the better results are racing in. Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport believes Komatsu, a long-serving senior engineer at Haas prior to his promotion, has successfully changed the team culture.

“Every good idea is followed up now, no matter who it comes from,” he confirmed. “In the past, the direction was set from above.” Car upgrades used to be rare and often hit-and-miss for Haas, but all three major development steps so far this season have moved the pace forwards.

“The first only worked 50 percent, the second delivered more than the numbers predicted, and the third was delayed by one race,” Komatsu said. “With the first one, several of our guys immediately came up with ideas about how we could still get the most out of the package. There was no blame – everyone just pulled together.”

‘Eyeing $100m Windfall’;

https://f1chronicle.com/haas-eyeing-100m-windfall-for-2024-f1-progress/?nowprocket=1


‘How painful is that’: Haas F1 boss Ayao Komatsu opens up on the ‘very difficult’ reality Nico Hulkenberg had to admit
4 Oct 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Nico Hulkenberg is leading Haas in the Formula 1 team’s best season since 2018, but team principal Ayao Komatsu had to point out a ‘difficult’ truth to unlock his results.

Komatsu never felt Hulkenberg shone at managing his tyres and had to accept that. “You’re telling the driver, ‘You’ve got to, let’s say, lose tenths in certain corners’. How painful is that?,” Komatsu told Motorsport.com. “But then you’ve got to understand that, ‘If you do this, you see the payback in a good way – if you don’t do it, this is the result of it’.”

“But unless you experience it and see on the data, feel it back-to-back, it’s very difficult to accept it black and white. I don’t think tyre management was ever his strength. If you look at the previous races he used to do with Renault, I don’t think it was his strength and, obviously, these tyres are so sensitive.”

‘Difficult truth’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/haas-f1-boss-ayao-komatsu-opens-up-on-the-very-difficult-reality-nico-hulkenberg-had-to-admit/


The critical element Haas needed for Hulkenberg to crack an old F1 weakness
The American team’s much improved form in F1 2024 goes back to a distinct change of tact in pre-season testing
3 Oct 2024
Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu says convincing Nico Hulkenberg to buy into a different approach to winter testing is behind their much-improved results in the 2024 Formula 1 season. In an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com, Komatsu explains that he feels Hulkenberg has been “better” overall compared to the driver who restarted his career with Haas last year, but “not better in terms of giving us reference in qualifying, in terms of tyre management, race management”.

“It doesn't just come from him,” Komatsu added. “Just the whole team, the way that we work together from pre-season testing, involving drivers in the centre to understand how he needs to manage tyres. “We had to do that race practice – tyre management – in pre-season testing,” Komatsu says – explaining that Haas’s plan was to do this to get a full understanding on its tyre wear over longer stints.”

“But this winter, for me, there was no option. It's not optional. It's not conditional. “It's just: ‘No, we've got to understand this one. We've got to get the drivers to experience it – the consequences, positive or negative – then they will buy into it.’ Then they know why they're doing what they're doing’.”

‘Distinct change in pre-season testing’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/the-critical-element-haas-needed-hulkenberg-to-buy-into-to-crack-an-old-f1-weakness/10660045/


Nico Hulkenberg: Haas has the ‘momentum’ in RB F1 fight
28 Sep 2024
James Phillips
Motorsport Week

Nico Hulkenberg has thrown down the gauntlet to rivals RB. as he and Haas target snatching sixth place in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship from the Faenza outfit. The German also reiterated his belief that sixth place in the constructors’ championship is achievable for Haas.

“I think everyone in the team firmly believes that we can challenge and fight them. We scored a point last weekend [with Bearman]. We should have scored more, and now six races to go, it’s all to play for. Obviously, they’re not going to hand it to us. They’ll try to fight back, but it’s just a race till the end. But I think we have good momentum.”

“Now there’s a bit of a break, but the next triple header, I really look forward to probably my favourite time of the season. We’re competitive in the races, and in Austin, we actually get further upgrades. So that’s encouraging, but I think some good circuits coming for us and our package, and I look forward to hopefully a couple more points.”

‘Thrown down the gauntlet’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/09/28/nico-hulkenberg-haas-has-the-momentum-in-rb-f1-fight/

[Fortitude]

James Vowles claims Williams will have “best driver line up on the grid” in F1 2025.
James Vowles has made a surprising claim that Williams will have the best F1 driver line-up on the grid in 2025.
3 Oct 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, Vowels said: “In ’25, I think we will have the best driver lineup on the grid. I mean, Franco’s doing a brilliant job. What he doesn’t have is the experience that Carlos will come with, but he’s doing an outstanding job. I think from the perspective of not just driving the car, but leading the team forward, we’ll have the best line-up on the grid. That will help motivate and push us forward.”

“There’s good developments ongoing, just as a continuation of ’24 to ’25.” Vowels’ claim stems from Sainz’s respectable record against strong teammates. “That’s my opinion of it. And I’ll explain some of the reasons behind it to a certain extent,” Vowles added. “A, they’re both performing at a very high level. I mean, Carlos has driven against all of the drivers we’ve just discussed.”

“Against Lando, he was successful. Against Charles, up and down. But he’s there or thereabouts. There’s hardly anything between those two drivers. Against Max, in that first year in Toro Rosso, [he] was exceptional against him.”

‘James Vowles has made a surprising claim’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1057117/1/james-vowles-claims-williams-will-have-best-driver-line-grid-f1-2025


James Vowles was ‘taken aback’ by what Franco Colapinto did weeks before landing Williams seat
2 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
Crash.Net

James Vowles impressed by Franco Colapinto after Silverstone outing. Colapinto ran with Williams during FP1 at Silverstone owing to the rules around rookie drivers without a super licence being given at least two outings at teams during the year. It was the first time he drove the car and was just four-tenths off Albon at the end of the session, which raised a few eyebrows in the paddock. Vowles recalls how he felt after the session and the influence it had on appointing him to the seat later in the season.

“I was a little bit taken aback how quick he was immediately out of the post. I spoke to him about it, he was very relaxed. He said ‘Yeah, it may never happen again’ So I was just enjoying the moment,” said Vowles. Although he has impressed so far this season, it is unlikely that Colapinto will get a seat for the near future with Williams owing to them signing Carlos Sainz alongside Alex Albon for 2025. Sainz and Albon are seen as a strong pairing for the future but there is ambiguity over whether either could stay at the team in the long term.

‘Franco Colapinto: ‘Yeah, it may never happen again, so I was just enjoying the moment’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/james-vowles-was-taken-aback-by-what-franco-colapinto-did-weeks-before-landing-williams-seat/


Williams records £84 million loss after 2023 Formula 1 season
4 Oct 2024
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Williams has recorded a financial loss of £84 million after the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, in which the team finished seventh in the Constructors’ standings. The company accounts of Williams Grand Prix Engineering reveal a loss of £84.2 million for the financial year of 2023, up from £17.9 million in 2022.

Revenue fell from £142.8 million to £127 million, with the team saying in a statement: “Whilst losses have increased compared with 2022, this is in line with expectations and the company’s strategy to continue investing in all areas of the business to drive both on-track and commercial performance in pursuit of success in the medium and long-term.

The team, owned by Dorilton Capital after purchasing it from the Williams family in 2020, said its assets of £67.3 million proves “a sound financial base on which to continue the team’s long term strategy of returning to the front of the grid and being financially sustainable.”

‘Financial loss of £84 million’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/10/04/williams-records-84-million-loss-after-2023-formula-1-season/


Williams losses spiralled 344% to UK£80.3m in 2023
Grove-based outfit claims significant losses are in line with expectations after investments on and off the track.
October 4, 2024
Cian Brittle
BlackBook Motorsport

Confirmed:
• Williams experience huge 344 per cent year-over-year (YoY) increase in losses, rising from UK£17.9 million (US$23.6 million) to UK£84.3 million
• Revenue dropped from UK£142.8 million (US$188 million) to UK£127 million (US$167.2 million)
• Emissions rose marginally from 3,111 tCO2e in 2022 to 3,232 tCO2e in 2023

Context: Despite their alarming financial performance, Williams have claimed that their results fell in line with expectations, given that the Grove-based outfit has undertaken significant investment in all areas of the business to drive both on-track and commercial growth. Revenue was also hit by the team finishing bottom of the constructors’ championship in 2022, meaning it received less prize money.

Commercially, the team has started heading in the right direction, with sponsorship deals agreed with the likes of Gulf Oil, Globant, MyProtein, Stephens, Michelob Ultra and Kraken. However, the full impact of those agreements will only be reflected in future financial reports. The team will hope that the investments it has made will start to bring results as it won’t be able to stomach heavy losses over a prolonged period of time. At the very least, revenue should benefit from a seventh-placed finish in the 2023 standings.

‘Williams losses spiralled 344%’;

https://www.blackbookmotorsport.com/news/williams-racing-f1-financial-results-2023/


The Colapinto effect: Argentina's yearning for its next sporting hero
Oct 4, 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Williams driver Franco Colapinto's successful Formula 1 debut with Williams has triggered his nation's sense of pride. Franco Colapinto's confident performances haven't just surprised the Formula 1 paddock: the Williams rookie has also awakened a nation's yearning for its next sporting hero.

The country has a rich history with F1, with a grand prix held intermittently in Buenos Aires between 1953 and 1998. Four of those were won by Argentina's original F1 superstar Juan Manuel Fangio, with the late Carlos Reutemann the last Argentine to win a grand prix in 1981. Since a brief intermezzo by Gaston Mazzacane in 2000 and 2001, motor racing fans have had to wait another 23 years to cheer on one of their own until Williams protege Colapinto was surprisingly parachuted into Logan Sargeant's seat at September's Italian Grand Prix.

While Colapinto's unexpected promotion already made headlines back home, the Buenos Aires native's strong performances generated an even bigger buzz. TV audiences and social media numbers soared in recent weeks, with FOX Sports Argentina's broadcast figures tripling since Colapinto's arrival. FOX, which is just one of several ways to watch F1 in the country, enjoyed even bigger peaks during the Singapore Grand Prix, which drew around 600,000 viewers up from an average of 150,000 on the subscription channel, rivalling primetime numbers on a Sunday morning. In local newspapers, numerous articles popped up highlighting his every move, down to journalists even tracking down his birthplace Pilar on the outer edge of Buenos Aires' sprawling metropolis.

‘The Colapinto effect’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/the-colapinto-effect-argentinas-yearning-for-its-next-sporting-hero/10660333/


‘Always been painful’: Alex Albon identifies his best chance to banish ‘painful’ Williams memories
5 Oct 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Alex Albon and Williams have largely been unable to replicate their great results from 2023 this year, but he sees one race as their best chance to banish ‘painful’ memories. Albon shared, via Motorsport-Total: “When I think about the remaining races this year, Brazil stands out for me as the race where there are the most opportunities. If you want to score points against a midfield team, you should try here.”

The London-born Thai is convinced that the Sao Paulo GP will offer Williams’ best chance for points as Interlagos has similar characteristics to the streets of Monaco and Singapore. They were ‘painful’ tracks for Williams in the past, but Albon feels they suit tight circuits this year. “These are tracks that have always been painful for us,” Albon continued. “And this year, we were actually pretty good on them.”

‘Always been painful’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alex-albon-identifies-his-best-chance-to-banish-painful-williams-memories/

[Fortitude]

Renault boss blasts F1 team for 'looking like jokers!'
Renault CEO Luca de Meo has delivered a scathing verdict as to the French manufacturer will be pulling out of F1 after almost a 50-year involvement.
4 Oct 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

"Fans - except the real enthusiasts, I agree - and sponsors come for a team, not for an engine," said De Meo, speaking to L'Equipe. "Partners sign with McLaren, not with a Mercedes under the hood. The F1 public has changed. It has expanded to include young people, women. This new clientele has a different interpretation of this sport.”

"We support a driver, a colour, a brand. Not an engine. Alpine, given our ranking [ninth in the constructors' Championship] is losing bonuses. Sponsors are rare. We have a hole in the air. My shareholders know how to count. Alpine has to make money." Suggested to De Meo that accountancy goes out of the window when a team is performing, he concurred but added: "Now, with our P16, P17, we look like jokers. We are nowhere. The famous 'marketing returns' have vanished. Even though they are not quantifiable in money."

"It's a very emotional subject," said De Meo. "This decision is the result of months and months of observations. I would first of all like to say that I admire the commitment and tenacity of the people at Viry-Châtillon. I know they will tomorrow imprint this state of mind in the forthcoming projects. They are optimistic, and that's good news. I like to see them so disappointed with this decision, but unfortunately, in my job, I can't think like a fan. That's to say, I am a manager. I run a listed company, and I have to rethink the F1 project to finally win, so I am looking for shortcuts to achieve it.”

'Looking like jokers!';

https://racingnews365.com/renault-boss-blasts-f1-team-for-looking-like-jokers


Viry staff "deplore" Renault's F1 withdrawal
2 Oct 2024
Pitpass

Staff at Renault's Viry-Chatillon engine manufacturing facility have accused the company of shunning its heritage. "All staff representatives, representing the voice of employees and a majority of stakeholders, regret and deplore the decision to stop F1 engines in 2026," said the Viry Social and Economic Committee (CSE) in a statement.

"This choice is endorsed by the group, which wishes to reduce the financial risk surrounding F1, even though no serious study has been conducted to assess the impact on future sales and the prestige of the brand.”

"Partnership solutions were rejected by the group, even though they would have made it possible to meet several objectives: maintaining F1 activity, reducing development and operating costs, maintaining all skills, and the possibility of bringing an already largely developed and promising RE26 engine to the 2026 season."

‘Accused the company of shunning its heritage’;

https://www.pitpass.com/78822/Viry-staff-deplore-Renaults-F1-withdrawal#google_vignette


Blunt conclusion from Renault's CEO: 'We've become invisible in F1'
5 Oct 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com

On Monday, Renault announced that it would cease production of its Formula 1 power trains at the end of the 2025 season. This, of course, was a severe blow to the workers in Viry-Châtillon, where Renault's engines are made. These staff members will now be transferred to another project. "It is a very emotional subject, first of all for me," CEO De Meo stated in conversation with l'Equipe. "I am very passionate about it. It is heartbreaking. This decision has not been taken lightly."

Renault has enjoyed very successful periods in Formula 1, most recently with Red Bull from 2010-2013. Since the hybrid era, the French manufacturer has been unable to return to its former glory. "I am a manager. I manage a listed company. And I have to rethink the F1 project to finally win," he explains.

'We've become invisible in F1';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/304821/ranault-ceo-luca-de-meo-speaks-out-on-alpine-f1-team-losing-its-engines.html


How corporate mismanagement has killed off Renault in F1
4 Oct 2024
James Phillips
Motorsport Week

Pulling the plug on a modern disaster of corporate interference. Watching Renault since introducing the turbo hybrid power units in 2014 has been a painful experience for fans and pundits alike. The results are well documented. A disastrous first year in 2014 saw Red Bull lose the Constructors’ title due to poor reliability. Toro Rosso (now RB), Caterham, and Lotus all saw dramatic drop-offs in performance.

The power unit regulations remained stable for several years after their introduction, mainly due to Honda’s arrival in 2015 with McLaren. However, Renault did not take advantage of this; instead, it invested in buying Lotus ahead of the 2016 season. Renault has existed as a works team several times in the last 20 years, but its final iteration is one of the worst examples of corporate interference in modern times.

From the start of its journey, unrealistic timelines were flaunted, such as the five-year plan for achieving title wins from its inception. This was Renault’s first mistake. Given Lotus’s underfunded state, race wins, let alone title wins, could never be a short—to medium-term goal. Enstone needed significant investment, and the Viry-Châtillon engine facility was required to build more powerful power units and integrate with its British base.

‘Modern disaster of corporate interference’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/10/04/how-corporate-mismanagement-has-killed-off-renault-in-f1/


‘Invisible’ Alpine ‘put ourselves to shame’ as Renault CEO speaks out on controversial engine axe
6 Oct 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Renault CEO Luca de Meo gave a very frank assessment of the Alpine F1 team predicament, claiming “something needed to be done”, as the engine division took the bullet. “It is a very emotional subject, also for me,” De Meo told L’Équipe. “It saddens me a lot, but this is the result of months of observation.”

“In my work, however, I cannot think like a fan. I am a manager. I head a listed company. Unfortunately, that means I have to rethink the Formula One project in order to win. So then you have to start looking at what you can change in the short term.”

“The team has become invisible in recent years. Two more years like this and the whole project was out of control. We have been in decline for three seasons. Something really needed to be done about that. And fortunately, most fans end up coming for the race team, not the engine.”

‘Put ourselves to shame’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-put-ourselves-to-shame-renault-ceo-engine-axe-verdict


Renault CEO justifies F1 exit: “Alpine has to make money”
Oct 4, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Finances played decisive role in ending Renault’s F1 partnership with Alpine. For many years, there was huge optimism surrounding the Renault/Alpine project. Even big-name drivers like Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso were convinced by their project.

However, the last two years have seen Alpine plummet down the pecking order. After finishing the first season of the 2022 regulations in 4th, they are now 9th in the standings – struggling to score points. In a bid to reverse their fortunes, many changes have been considered.

Three team principals have been at the helm at Alpine over the last twelve months – perhaps the most obvious example of their instability. Most recently, the team concluded that continuing with Renault engines was no longer worth the trouble.

‘Renault CEO justifies F1 exit’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/10/04/renault-ceo-justifies-f1-exit-alpine-has-to-make-money/


Alpine F1 team principal responds to Renault engine scrap
Oct 4, 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Alpine Team Principal Oliver Oakes welcomes the Renault Group’s decision to abandon its Formula 1 engine project, saying “I want the best engine.”

“I want the best engine”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/10/04/alpine-f1-team-principal-responds-to-renault-engine-scrap/


'Emotional subject': Renault boss speaks out after axeing F1 engine project amid staff disputes
6 Oct 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Luca de Meo ‘saddened’ by Renault F1 engine project closure. Renault had been producing engines for the last three decades at their Viry Chatillon plant, which meant it was steeped in rich history.

French F1 driver Romain Grosjean branded the decision to shut the plant ‘sad’ on social media, having previously raced for them between 2012 and 2015.

‘Saddened’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/renault-boss-speaks-out-after-axeing-f1-engine-project-amid-staff-disputes/

[Fortitude]

Bottas confident he’s ‘driving better than at Mercedes’ as he aims to seal Sauber deal for 2025.
Valtteri Bottas believes that he is now driving better than he did during his five-year stint with Mercedes, but the Finn acknowledges that his level of performance is “not that visible” on the outside given the challenging season that Kick Sauber have faced so far.
3 Oct 2024
Formula One - Official Site

With Bottas’s future yet to be decided – as one seat remains at Kick Sauber, with Nico Hulkenberg the only driver confirmed at the team for 2025 – the 35-year-old was asked during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend if the team’s struggles have complicated matters in terms of securing his seat.

“Yeah, it's how the sport is,” Bottas responded. “I think it's not just this season, but if you look at this season and the last season, when you're fighting towards the back, obviously, it's much less visible on what you can do and what kind of performances are you having.”

“It's pretty much against your team mate that you can have a comparison so, for sure, you're more out there if you're fighting within the points and towards the front end. That's just how it goes so, for sure, it has not been helping the situation.”

‘Future yet to be decided’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/bottas-confident-hes-driving-better-than-at-mercedes-as-he-aims-to-seal.5DnxmeFS4vTVpgulu5puS6


Is the Sauber seat Schumacher’s last shot at an F1 return?
Sauber have one seat remaining for 2025 that has yet to be announced. Is it a realistic prospect for Schumacher, or has his last chance already passed him by?
October 4, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds

Schumacher may be overlooked again if the rumours regarding Valtteri Bottas are true. Bottas currently drives for Sauber. News has been circulated that Bottas will retain his seat with the team. Not known for holding back his opinions about experienced drivers getting opportunities over younger talent, Marko spoke out on the topic. He shared:

“If the situation is really that Valtteri Bottas gets the chance, then the whole thing is even more incomprehensible to me.” He continued: “I think if Schumacher doesn’t get this seat, then Formula 1 history is over for him.”

Marko expanded on his honest and, perhaps, blunt assessment of Schumacher’s prospects. He clarified: “He should then concentrate on the long-distance races, where he was very successful, and do that. If he stays in motorsport, then he has to find something that he enjoys, but where he also has a chance of winning.”

‘Schumacher’s last shot’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/is-the-sauber-seat-schumachers-last-shot-at-an-f1-return/?nowprocket=1


Report: Mick Schumacher set to lose out on 2025 Sauber seat as Mattia Binotto makes his decision
5 Oct 2024
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Mattia Binotto has ‘decided against’ Mick Schumacher and gone for Valtteri Bottas. According to a report from Bild, Schumacher will ‘not get a permanent cockpit in a Formula 1 car in 2025’. Valtteri Bottas has been the favourite to retain his seat at Sauber, and Mattia Binotto has reportedly ‘decided against’ Schumacher and opted to keep Bottas with the team for next season.

Their form will present a huge concern for Audi for when they join the sport. With not much expected to change in 2025 for Sauber, the German manufacturer will have a lot of work to do to get up the field, if that was not already apparent. The signing of Hulkenberg is a good addition to the project, given his impressive performances with Haas this year. The 37-year-old is currently sat 10th in the drivers’ standings with 24 points.

Bottas is still an able driver and offers a bit of continuity for Sauber if they do in fact choose to retain him for 2025. The Finn is also a 10-time Grand Prix winner from his time at Mercedes, which also yielded 58 podiums and 20 pole positions. Whatever the case, it is clear the team is in dire need of good fortunes before the 2026 regulations come into effect.

‘Set to lose out’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mick-schumacher-set-to-lose-out-on-2025-sauber-seat-as-mattia-binotto-makes-his-decision/


Helmut Marko: Sauber choosing Valtteri Bottas over Mick Schumacher would be ‘incomprehensible’
4 Oct 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Helmut Marko believes that Sauber, which will transition into a works Audi setup in 2026, would be well-advised to grant Schumacher a second chance in the series. Schumacher, now a reserve driver at Mercedes, has been unable to secure a permanent drive since Haas opted to drop him at the end of his sophomore term in 2022.

“I think Audi’s car will definitely not be a winning car next year,” Marko told Sport.de. “That means there will be no pressure for Audi or its drivers. It would be a good comparison with Nico Hulkenberg. If the performance is not right, you can always replace him for 2026.”

Marko has contended that it would be ungraspable should Sauber choose to retain the Finn, who has been with the side since departing Mercedes at the end of 2021. “If the situation is really that Valtteri Bottas gets the chance, then the whole thing is even more incomprehensible to me,” he continued.

‘Ungraspable’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/10/04/helmut-marko-sauber-choosing-valtteri-bottas-over-mick-schumacher-would-be-imcomprehensive/


Audi's starkest F1 warning lies in Sauber's past
Oct 6, 2024
Edd Straw
The Race

Sauber may be just 15 months away from becoming Audi’s works Formula 1 team, but the process of 'Audification' started back in 2022. Not that you would know it given its dismal results. Sauber has failed to score a point so far this season, suggesting the team hasn’t heeded a lesson from the past when it was BMW's works team.

With just 16 points across its last 50 grands prix, this is a team that gives the impression it is drifting. But any expectation that Audi's illustrious record in other forms of motorsport - whether that's rallying, sportscars or tin-tops - and the prodigious investment level means success is guaranteed is misplaced.

This is F1 and Sauber must maximise the next 18 months before Audi's debut. It needs to become a sharper racing organisation, improve its development rate and exhibit the ruthless pursuit of results any F1 team needs to have even a chance of getting to the front. As Binotto recently said: "We need to train our muscles for the future." In F1 if you work on the basis of success coming at some point in the future without being aggressive enough with short-term objectives, then tomorrow never comes. Just as that glorious championship-winning tomorrow never came for BMW Sauber.

"We need to train our muscles for the future";

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/audi-f1-warning-bmw-sauber-history/