2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Ricciardo in the Spotlight: Montreal Performance and the Road Ahead.
Despite a sub-par 2024 season so far, Ricciardo had his best weekend of the year so far in Montreal, qualifying in fifth and securing his first points in a full Grand Prix by finishing eighth, while bouncing back from a 5 second penalty for a jump start that had the potential to ruin his weekend.
June 12, 2024
Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Ricciardo Vs Tsunoda: One weekend out of nine has seen Ricciardo bring home points for Visa Cash App RB in a full Grand Prix format, alongside his outstanding performance in the Miami Grand Prix Sprint. His much younger teammate Yuki Tsunoda has had an outstanding season, getting points in six out of the nine rounds so far.

Consistency is Key: Ricciardo has been struggling throughout 2024, he’s admitted that but when you look at it objectively, the struggle hasn’t been as worrying as his difficulties at McLaren F1 Team.

Christian Horner still believes Ricciardo can deliver in F1, and RB team principal Laurent Mekies has been very complimentary of the eight-time race winner. RB CEO Peter Bayer has consistently mentioned Ricciardo’s influence in car development and setup, so it’s clear to see he still has the backing of the ones whose opinions matter, which didn’t always seem the case at McLaren.

‘Best weekend of the year so far’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...he-road-ahead/


Brundle: Ricciardo never the same after ‘flawed decision’
15:55 Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

In his post-Canadian Grand Prix column for Sky Sports, Brundle addressed the acrimonious exchange between Villeneuve and Riccardo, expressing his respect for both drivers and offering his view on the Aussie’s achievements.

“For the record, as it's become a hot topic due to my Sky Sports F1 colleague Jacques Villeneuve expressing his firm opinions, I have fundamental respect for all F1 drivers, not least for Daniel and Jacques, because I know how hard it is to drive such fearsome cars under that spotlight,” Brundle wrote. “Daniel has won eight GPs including an outstanding Monaco victory, scored 32 podiums, and has regularly shown world-class talent.”

“But those results were quite a while ago and I wish he'd not left Red Bull at the end of 2018. That was an emotional and flawed decision, he should have faced up to Max in the best car, then he'd have necessarily raised his game even further. Ricciardo never seemed to be quite the same driver again,” he added.

‘Flawed decision’;

https://f1i.com/news/510791-brundle-...-decision.html


Jacques Villeneuve Was Harsh, But Right - Daniel Ricciardo Is Toiling
21:34 Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Dan Cancian
Forbes

“Why is he still in F1?,” Villeneuve said of Ricciardo during a Sky Sports broadcast on Friday. “We’re hearing the same thing now for the last four, five years — we have to make it better for him, poor him. It’s been five years of that. Maybe you make that effort for Lewis Hamilton, who’s won multiple championships. You don’t make that effort for a driver that can’t cut it. Can’t cut it? Go home, there’s someone else who can take your place.”

After qualifying fifth on Saturday, Ricciardo’s retort was similarly direct with the Australian questioning Villeneuve’s faculties. “I think he’s hit his head a few too many times, I don’t know if he plays ice hockey or something.” An expletive-laden advice followed, before Villeneuve fired back, criticising Ricciardo, who finished eighth on Sunday, for allowing the criticism to get under his skin. “You cannot make it personal,” he said. “You need a thick skin and I got under his skin but it got better for his driving. But it’s not enough, he needs to do more of this.”

While Villeneuve was arguably too blunt in his criticism, there is no denying there his scathing verdict contained more than an element of truth. Ricciardo’s stock has been trending in the wrong direction as far as he is concerned this season, in which he has been regularly outpaced by teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Aside from a fourth-place finish in the sprint race in Miami last month, Sunday’s eighth place-finish in Montreal was the first time Ricciardo had scored points this season.

‘Harsh’;

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dancanc...do-is-toiling/


How Daniel Ricciardo changed his approach for Canada
Daniel Ricciardo adopted a different approach heading into the Canadian Grand Prix after a tough weekend in Monaco.
14 June 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

It proved a positive step for the Australian, who delivered his best grand prix qualifying result of the season in Montreal, followed by his best race result. Playing a part in that performance, the 34-year-old reasons, was a frank discussion with his team following the disappointment of Monaco. “We're pretty open with each other but I wanted to make sure that there was nothing that they saw that they needed to unload,” he explained.

“I just basically wanted to know like, ‘what do you guys think is going wrong? Tell me if there's something you see from me and I want to try and fix it. But I'll also tell you guys what I feel and maybe why I do feel a little bit flat, or maybe the schedule's a bit too much at the moment, or whatever'.

That resulted in him arriving in Canada, by his own admission, feeling “hungry and happy and ready to say f*** you.” Eighth in Montreal was Ricciardo's first points-scoring result since he finished seventh in the Mexico City Grand Prix, and ended an 11-race run of results outside the top 10, a streak only equalled by his first 11 races in F1 for HRT in 2011.

‘Adopted a different approach’;

https://speedcafe.com/how-daniel-ric...ch-for-canada/


Helmut Marko issues stinging six-word Daniel Ricciardo verdict after Villeneuve criticism
Daniel Ricciardo still has work to do to impress Helmut Marko despite his positive Canadian Grand Prix drive.
Jun 13, 2024
Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Helmut Marko remains ‘unimpressed’ with Daniel Ricciardo’s form despite the Australian’s positive Canadian Grand Prix performances. The RB driver secured his first points from a Grand Prix this season in Montreal. It has been a disappointing year for Ricciardo, having returned to a full-time place on the grid midway through 2023. He replaced Nyck De Vries at Red Bull’s sister team.

Ricciardo has faced criticism for his performances this season, so a positive display in Canada would have been a welcome boost for the 34-year-old. However, Marko. the veteran Red Bull technical advisor, 81, told Motorsport.com: "In general terms, RB is a junior team, so we have to see what happens." Brutally, Marko added: "The rest is not impressive yet."

‘Still has work to do to impress Helmut Marko’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...rdo-Villeneuve


Ricciardo looking to ‘keep that edge’ after strong weekend in Canada
After struggling the past couple of weekends, Ricciardo made a strong comeback and secured four crucial points, slotting himself into 12th in the standings
June 12, 2024
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

Ricciardo gives his thoughts: Looking back on the weekend, Ricciardo says he wants to ‘keep it rolling’ and bring in more strong performances for the team: “I’ve just got to keep it rolling,” He said to Autosport.

“That little energy, probably a little bit of a chip on my shoulder I brought into the weekend, I’ve got to make sure that that stays there, and just keep that level of intensity I don’t know if it’s the need to be a bit angry or just get my testosterone up, but I think it helps me. There is certainly some hope that it is [a turning point]. Obviously, I’ve got to repeat it and back it up to prove it.”

“But I’m definitely happy with some things that I’ve acknowledged since Monaco, and it’s no coincidence that this weekend went a bit smoother. It’s just making sure that we keep tapping into it and that I’m holding myself accountable, not getting too relaxed and happy-go-lucky. Making sure I keep that edge about me.”

‘Keep it rolling’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ri...end-in-canada/


RB told Ricciardo he wasn’t to blame for jump start penalty
10th June 2024, 13:41
Written by Keith Collantine

RB reassured Daniel Ricciardo he was not to blame after the stewards gave him a five-second time penalty for jumping the start of the Canadian Grand Prix.

Ricciardo said after the race he hadn’t realised his car was moving before the red lights went out. “I got a penalty for a jump start, but I was a bit confused because I knew that I didn’t jump the lights but then I remembered that during the start I felt that maybe the car was moving,” he said.

His race engineer Pierre Hamelin told him on the radio: “The penalty was nothing to do with you, Daniel. No mistake on your side. It was an issue with the car.” RB team principal Laurent Mekies later confirmed Ricciardo’s car moved before the start “due to some very slight clutch dragging.”

‘Not to blame’;

https://www.racefans.net/2024/06/10/...start-penalty/

[Fortitude]

Gasly on Alpine’s double points haul: ‘None of our simulations showed this was possible’.
Pierre Gasly was P9 in Canada, one place ahead of Alpine team mate Esteban Ocon to ensure the team scored with both cars – which Gasly said looked a long shot on the morning of the race.
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Long shot’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ga...19233684295528


Pierre Gasly’s ‘great teamwork’ verdict as Esteban Ocon and Alpine clash over Canada GP orders
10 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Gasly was keen to put the spotlight on the fact that Alpine recorded a double points finish, taking their F1 2024 season tally up to five, as he praised the “great teamwork” which he saw going on throughout the race.

“First of all, I think the main news should be that we scored points with both cars and looking at all the simulation this morning, none of them looked that it would be achievable,” he told reporters after the race. So definitely a very positive day for the team.”

“The target was quite clear at the end. I was faster on the hard tyres towards the end of the race and I was right behind Daniel and as soon as Daniel overtook Esteban, the goal was for the other car to let me pass and for the last four laps to try to overtake Daniel with the DRS. It took slightly more time than we would have liked, but honestly, it’s no big deal.”

‘Put the spotlight on the fact that Alpine recorded a double points finish’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre...da-team-orders


Gasly maintains Alpine positivity in face of team order friction
Pierre Gasly is refusing to get drawn into the team order drama at Alpine, instead focusing on the positives from the Canadian GP.
11 June 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly has insisted the Canadian Grand Prix was a "positive" one for Alpine, regardless of discontent from Esteban Ocon over team orders.

"First of all, I think the main news should be that we score points with both cars," the Frenchman told media including RacingNews365 after the pair finished ninth and tenth respectively. "Looking at all the simulations this morning, none of them looked it will be achievable. So definitely a very positive day for the team.

‘Gasly maintains Alpine positivity’;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-main...order-friction


Esteban Ocon attacks Alpine over team radio after request rejected at Canadian GP
There was more drama between Alpine team-mates Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly at the Canadian Grand Prix.
23:05, Sun, Jun 9, 2024
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Esteban Ocon was left furious on the team radio in the aftermath of the Canadian Grand Prix after the Alpine team refused to return the favour and give Pierre Gasly team orders to let his colleague and rival through on the final lap.

Earlier in the closing stages, Ocon let Gasly through to attack the VCARB of Daniel Ricciardo. Unfortunately for Alpine, he was unable to find a way through and when the under-fire Frenchman asked for the positions to be swapped before the chequered flag, they refused.

This caused Ocon to react with fury. The 27-year-old shouted “forget it” over the radio, adding: “No comment. I am too nice, too nice. I've done what I had to do, which is the most important. But you guys didn't do what you had to do. That's it."

‘More drama’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix


F1 News: Alpine Defends Canadian GP Decision Which Left Esteban Ocon Fuming
Published Jun 13, 2024
By Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

Following the Canadian Grand Prix, a cloud of controversy hovered over the Alpine F1 Team, embroiled by Esteban Ocon's disappointment with a late-race team order. With emotions running high, Ocon, who was in line to finish in 9th place, was instructed to let his teammate, Pierre Gasly, overtake him just two laps before the checkered flag—a decision that did not sit well with the French driver.

Ocon's frustration was palpable after the race as he stated, as quoted by Crash.net: "I am happy for the team to be able to score with both cars, but the order should be reversed on that occasion. I got the instructions to let Pierre past with two laps to go to catch Daniel [Ricciardo] who was two and a half seconds in front and too fast for us. So the call was nonsense.”

"I've done my part of the job, which is being a team player. I've always respected the instructions I've been given. It's always been the case and I've never done anything different in my career. I've done my part of the job and not the team today, and it is very sad."

‘Alpine Defends Canadian GP Decision’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/form...1215?piano_t=1

[Fortitude]

“I don’t think the team did their part” – ‘Too nice’ Esteban Ocon takes aim at Alpine in Canada.
Esteban Ocon says Alpine didn’t do “their part of the job” when the team failed to order Pierre Gasly to give him back P9 on the final lap of the Canadian Grand Prix.
10 Jun 2024 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

After a bit of discussion with his race engineer, Josh Peckett, he let Gasly through at Turn 8 on the penultimate lap despite believing it was a thankless task. With Gasly unable to catch Ricciardo, Ocon believed his team-mate should’ve given the position back only to be told that “the cars are not swapping places”.

The Frenchman was frustrated, telling Peckett that he’d done his job “but you guys didn’t do what you had to do.” It’s a sentiment he echoed when he faced the media after bringing his A524 home in tenth place, one position behind Gasly.

“I think today I’ve done my part of the job,” he said. “but I don’t think the team did their part of the job. I’ve been a team player and I’ve always respected the instructions that I’ve been given, always – it’s always been the case and I showed it once more today. But the nice guy doesn’t always pay off in Formula 1 and that is bothering me a lot.”

‘Too nice’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteba...team-order-row


Full Ocon team radio transcript as anger boils at Alpine team order
Esteban Ocon was furious at an Alpine team order in the closing laps of the Canadian Grand Prix.
10 June 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has hit out at Alpine's team orders in the Canadian Grand Prix, after waving team-mate Pierre Gasly through. In the closing stages, Ocon was ordered to let Gasly past so that he could attack eighth-placed Daniel Ricciardo - a call he felt made "no sense" owing to there being just two laps to go and Ricciardo being 2.5s ahead of him.

However, he complied with the request, but was furious the order was not reversed on the final lap as Gasly did not pass Ricciardo, the trio finishing eighth-ninth-and 10th, as Alpine scored double points for the first time this season. Ocon, who is leaving the team at the end of the season, had put in a strong race, climbing from 18th and last on the grid to a points position - and hit out at Alpine's handling of the situation.

‘Anger boils’;

https://racingnews365.com/full-ocon-...ine-team-order


Unhappy Ocon blasts Alpine team order: ‘No reason for the call’
11:55 Mon, 10 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Tensions filtered into the Alpine camp once again after Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, with a very unhappy Esteban Ocon blasting his team’s call to switch its drivers’ positions in the final laps of the race.

Ocon had outpaced teammate Pierre Gasly over the entire course of the 70-lap event. But just four laps from the checkered flag, the Frenchman succumbed to an attack by RB’s Daniel Ricciardo who seized P8 from the Alpine charger.

The Enstone squad’s pitwall then ordered Ocon to wave Gasly through to allow the latter a chance to hunt down Ricciardo. A reluctant Ocon eventually complied, although his teammate was predictably unable to overhaul the Aussie.

‘No reason for the call’;

https://f1i.com/news/510645-unhappy-...-the-call.html


Full Esteban Ocon radio transcript uncovered after team order row in Canada
10 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Esteban Ocon issued a sarcastic “amazing” to his race engineer Josh Peckett after being informed Pierre Gasly would not give him back P9 on the final lap of the Canadian Grand Prix.

A transcript of his radio conversation with his race engineer laid bare the Frenchman’s frustration over the situation.

‘Sarcastic amazing’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteba...der-row-canada


Ocon blasts ‘no sense’ Alpine team order
Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon ended the Canadian Grand Prix in ninth and 10th respectively - however, the latter was not impressed by a team order intervention.
10 June 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has taken issue with a team order from the Alpine squad late on at the Canadian Grand Prix. After being overtaken for eighth place in the final laps by Daniel Ricciardo, Ocon moved aside for team-mate Pierre Gasly to give him a shot at attacking the RB driver.

However, Gasly couldn't move ahead of Ricciardo and crossed the line in ninth, ahead of Ocon. Speaking to Sky F1 after the race, Ocon expressed the P9 position should have been given back to him before the chequered flag. “I'm happy for the team to be able to score with both cars. But the order should be reversed on that occasion,” he said.

“I got the instruction to let Pierre pass with two laps to go to catch Daniel who was two and a half seconds in front and too fast for us. The call made no sense. I've done my part of the job, I've always been a team player, I've always respected the instructions I've been given. It's always been the case. I've never done anything different in my career. But I've done my part of the job, but not the team today. It's very sad.”

‘No sense’;

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-blast...ine-team-order


Esteban Ocon and Alpine split gets ugly as team order row emerges at Canadian GP
09 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Esteban Ocon and Alpine were involved in a team orders row in Canada, Ocon finally obliging, but 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve sensed sabotage from the Frenchman.

Analysing the team orders incident, Villeneuve saw clear tactics at play from Ocon, who he felt let Gasly by to make it look like he was being the “team player”, but made sure to do it late enough so that Gasly could not overtake Ricciardo.

He said: “That wasn’t good, because we heard him in his comments, ‘I was a team player, I let him by, the team was wrong’ and so on, but he made sure that he waited long enough that it was too late for Gasly to go and attack. But he still let him by to say, ‘I was a team player’. So there’s a lot of thought process going in there.”

‘Gets ugly’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteba...ow-canadian-gp


Report: How Alpine could part ways with Esteban Ocon midway through 2024 season after Canadian GP spat
Thu 13 June 2024 08:30
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Esteban Ocon is leaving Alpine at the end of the season. The team confirmed after the events of the Monaco Grand Prix that they had come to the mutual decision to move on. Ocon had ignored the instructions of team boss Bruno Famin by attempting a move on teammate Pierre Gasly at Portier on the first lap. The two drivers made contact that ended Ocon’s race and left Gasly with damage.

While a rumoured one-race suspension for Ocon didn’t come to fruition, there were signs in Canada that the atmosphere in the team was tense. There was controversy in the closing stages of the race, when the two cars were running in the last two points-paying positions. Ocon was the lead car in P9 but he was nursing an energy management issue. The team then instructed him to let Gasly through so the 28-year-old could try and attack Daniel Ricciardo in the RB.

Alpine may have to come to financial agreement with Esteban Ocon. German outlet Auto Motor und Sport consider the possibility that Alpine will throw Ocon ‘out the door before the end of the season’. The team may wish to get reserve driver Jack Doohan as early as possible.

‘Financial agreement’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/how...adian-gp-spat/

[Fortitude]

‘I was bracing for the impact’ – Hulkenberg recounts heart-stopping near-miss with Tsunoda in Montreal.
Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg had a nasty fright at the tail-end of a frantic Canadian Grand Prix, with the German driver coming within millimetres of running into the spun VCARB car of Yuki Tsunoda.
11 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Tsunoda was running in P9 among a gaggle of cars on Lap 66 of 70 in Montreal when he lost control of his VCARB machine and spun across the grass at Turn 8, coming to a stop just as Hulkenberg was accelerating out of Turn 9 – Hulkenberg’s Haas only just avoiding the stricken Japanese driver.

“I just don’t know,” said Hulkenberg of the incident. “I tried to react, tried to stop and tried to avoid him, but it must have been by a few millimetres – it felt very, very close so I have closed my eyes already bracing for the impact but managed somehow luckily to escape it.”

“The first 10 laps were going really well,” agreed Hulkenberg, “but then it dried out and all came undone again. But yeah, that was that. We knew about that risk – not risk, but that scenario. But a clean race, no mistakes at least.”

‘Bracing for the impact’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...bHrCBBmaI4yPxn


Hulkenberg was ‘bracing for impact’ before near-miss with Tsunoda
11:41 Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The closing laps of the Canadian Grand Prix were a heart-stopping affair for Nico Hulkenberg, with the Haas charger just narrowly avoiding a nasty head-on collision with RB’s Yuki Tsunoda. With only four laps remaining in the frantic Montreal race, Tsunoda, who had been battling for a top-ten finish, lost control of his car exiting Turn 8.

The Japanese driver spun across the runoff area and came to a precarious halt just as Hulkenberg was powering out of the right-left complex. The German reacted instinctively, swerving his Haas to avoid a high-speed collision. Replays showed the gap between the two cars was mere millimeters, leaving Hulkenberg visibly shaken after the close call.

‘Heart-stopping affair’;

https://f1i.com/news/510773-hulkenbe...h-tsunoda.html


‘I was bracing for the impact’ – Hulkenberg on just missing the spinning Tsunoda in final laps
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Nico Hulkenberg finished just outside the points in P11 in Canada – but was lucky to escape contact with Yuki Tsunoda when the RB driver spun late in the race.

‘Lucky to escape contact’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/i-...18095587067691


Why Hulkenberg felt like ‘a sitting duck’ in F1 Canadian GP
14:38 Wed, 12 Jun 2024
Pablo Suárez
Motorsport Week

Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg has explained that his choice to opt for a higher downforce set-up in Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix left him feeling like a sitting duck”. Hulkenberg would miss out on a first point in three races in 11th, while Magnussen bemoaned a slow stop onto Intermediates costing him as he came home in 12th.

“I think obviously the first 10 laps were going really well but then it dried out and all that came undone again so yeah that was that,” Hulkenberg said. “We knew we’re not about that risk or not risk about that scenario and then no I think clean race, no mistakes at least.”

Although Hulkenberg gained places with a later switch onto the slicks, the German rued his high downforce set-up leaving him vulnerable to rivals on the back straight. “I think we got a little bit unlucky with one of the Safety Cars, I feel like we missed out,” he lamented. “In the end, it was good to wait a little bit later for the slicks because it was difficult in the first sector to keep it on track.”

‘A sitting duck’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...1-canadian-gp/


Canadian Grand Prix: Race Recap
June 9, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site

Ayao Komatsu, Team Principal: “It was a pretty frustrating day unfortunately as I think we made the right choice putting both drivers on wet tires, that was good. Both Kevin and Nico did a good a very good job, made lots of positions up and we pitted at the right time for inters with Kevin, only for our pit stop issue to undo our gains, which is frustrating.”

“In terms of pace, with Kevin we wanted to go on to the slicks early, but in hindsight, it was too early, and Nico’s timing was absolutely perfect. On the last set of tires for Kevin, the pace came back, so again it’s just frustrating that with certain parts we showed we had the speed and potential, but we just didn’t put it together for the needs of our drivers.”

“Finishing just outside of the top 10, we have to regroup and go again in Barcelona, but today it wasn’t great operationally, so we need to review and make sure we improve as a race team.”

‘Race Recap’;

https://www.haasf1team.com/news/cana...x-race-recap-3


Hulkenberg reveals rear wing issue cost him time as he drops out in Q1
08 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Nico Hulkenberg há enjoyed plenty of top 10 qualifying appearances this year but the Haas driver was out at the first hurdle in Canada, dropping out of Q1 in P19.

‘Rear wing issue’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/hu...26714654934405


‘There’s talk’: Haas could receive £27m if they hire 12-point driver alongside Oliver Bearman
Thu 13 June 2024 16:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Zhou Guanyu offers Haas huge sponsorship windfall. According to Auto Motor und Sport journalist Michael Schmidt, speaking on the Formel Schmidt podcast, Alpine driver Esteban Ocon is a strong contender to replace Magnussen. Komatsu sees him as a driver who will score points more often than not in a clean race. Ocon is leaving Alpine at the end of the season and Martin Brundle expects him to make the move. He already has a close friendship with the Japanese team principal.

But Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu is also trying to muscle his way into contention. Zhou may be the victim of Hulkenberg’s arrival. One journalist has previously described the 25-year-old as a ‘pay driver’, and he would apparently bring the team up to £27m in commercial deals if he joined. But that may not be enough to save his career given that he’s only scored 12 points in 53 race starts.

Schmidt said: “Zhou also offers a lot of money. There’s talk of $30m-$35m, but Haas can’t do that. The problem is they have a rookie in Bearman. [Ocon] is a sure point-setter, and that shows up when it’s [a] clean [race].”

‘£27m’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/haa...liver-bearman/

[Fortitude]

Magnussen laments having ‘nothing to show for it’ after passing NINE cars in opening laps.
Haas' Kevin Magnussen started the Canadian Grand Prix on full wet tyres and stormed up to P5 from 14th in the opening few laps, before eventually finishing down in 12th for no points.
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Passing NINE cars’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ma...16682224060202


2024 Canadian Grand Prix: Magnussen picks off six cars on the opening lap
10 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen started 14th on the grid in Canada but Haas bolted on a set of full wet tyres and with the rest of the field on intermediates, the Dane was able to pick off an incredible six other cars to leave him P8 at the end of Lap 1.

‘Picks off six cars on the opening lap’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...11599999626104


Magnussen pinpoints where Haas wasted F1 points in Canada
10:41 Fri, 14 Jun 2024
Pablo Suárez
Motorsport Week

“We had one very slow pit stop and one medium slow pit stop, and I also think we pitted for Inters off from the full Wets too early,” Magnussen expressed. “It felt like something was coming at the beginning of the race but there’s nothing to show for it.”

Magnussen lamented Haas missing out on a golden opening to land some points. “Yeah, it didn’t feel like we got the best out of it today with all the opportunity that the race offered we didn’t seem to capitalize on that so that’s disappointing but you know we’ll review it and really try to understand it,” he bemoaned.

“Right now it’s all a bit blurry but yeah there were lots of opportunities that’s for sure we didn’t get any points so gotta look into things.” Meanwhile, Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu concurred with Magnussen’s comments, admitting the side “wasn’t great operationally” during the race in Montreal. “It was a pretty frustrating day unfortunately as I think we made the right choice putting both drivers on Wet tyres, that was good,” explained Komatsu

“There’s nothing to show for it.”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...nts-in-canada/


‘That’s disappointing’: Kevin Magnussen thinks Haas made a ‘disappointing’ mistake in F1 Canadian GP
Tue 11 June 2024 19:30
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Kevin Magnussen feels Haas made a mistake with his full wet tyres in the Canadian GP. Going against the grid seemed to be a great decision as Magnussen and Hulkenberg carved through the field. While their rivals fought for grip using Pirelli’s intermediate tyres, the Haas duo were sailing. Magnussen even ran as high as P4 before pitting as the track began to dry.

Haas opted to switch the 31-year-old onto intermediate tyres at the end of Lap 7 but elected to leave Hulkenberg on full wets. A slow pit stop also cost Magnussen another six seconds to drop out of the points as Haas were not prepared to service his car when the Dane stopped. Yet Magnussen feels Haas were wrong to stop him and should have left both of their cars on full wets. Hulkenberg did not stop until Lap 12 and the rest of the Formula 1 field made their first stops under the safety car Logan Sargeant caused by spinning in his Williams at Turn 4. Haas also serviced Magnussen and Hulkenberg for a second time under the safety car to run in P15 and P18 respectively.

The two stops negated all of the good work Magnussen enjoyed in the early laps and left the Haas racer regretting what could have been in the Canadian GP. “I didn’t have the feeling that we got the best out of the race,” Magnussen said, via quotes by Speedweek. “We didn’t use the many opportunities that were presented to us. That’s disappointing. I think we came into the pits too early from the rain tyres. It felt like something was coming at the start of the race but, in the end, it didn’t.”

‘Disappointing mistake’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/kev...1-canadian-gp/


Magnussen admits he could lose F1 race seat
Kevin Magnussen admits he is at risk of losing out in this year's hectic driver 'silly season'.
JUNE 12, 2024
GrandPrix.com

When asked if he could lose in F1's current game of 'musical chairs', Magnussen told Ekstra Badet newspaper: “Yes, there is a risk of that happening.” He has not been seriously linked with a move to another team.

“The (Haas) team knows me very well, said the Danish driver. "I am a known quantity to them. So I don't think I need to prove anything. The market is very open this time. We have to see how it plays out”, Magnussen added.

“I have made it clear that I would love to continue here. The team is in a good place with hope for the future. I would love to be a part of it, he said. "I don't know how long it will be before we know the outcome. Until then, I'll just keep driving. I don't really have a deadline. But I still think the market is quite open.”

'Musical chairs';

https://www.grandprix.com/news/magnu...race-seat.html


'That's why he never learns': Jacques Villeneuve livid after what Kevin Magnussen said at Canadian Grand Prix
Sat 8 June 2024 15:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Jacques Villeneuve says Kevin Magnussen is destined to repeat same mistakes. Inevitably, journalists asked Magnussen about the incident during his media duties ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. The former McLaren driver issued a defiant response, insisting that Perez ‘had seen’ him and hadn’t left a car’s width (RacingNews365). When those remarks were put to 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve in the Sky Sports commentary box during FP2, he launched into a stinging rebuke. He says there’s not even a debate to be had over who was to blame for the incident.

And he feels that Magnussen’s lack of introspection will cost him in the long run. In his eyes, he’s bound to get involved in further incidents if he doesn’t change his mindset. “That’s why he never learns,” Villeneuve said. “100, 1000% there’s no doubt [it was his fault]. Unless, as a driver, you spend your time thinking ‘I was wrong, what could I have done better?’, you will never learn and you will repeat over and over and over the same mistake.”

Ayao Komatsu critical of Magnussen after Monaco crash. The verdict of a pundit is one thing, but crucially, Magnussen’s boss Ayao Komatsu wasn’t impressed either. Speaking in the team principals’ press conference (F1), the Haas team principal said that he’d taken an unnecessary risk. “He expected Perez to leave more room for him but that’s not up to him in the end,” he said. “There was a point where everything was under his control where he could have made a decision to back off which he didn’t.” These comments certainly don’t bode well for Magnussen’s chances of earning a new deal.

‘Lack of introspection will cost him in the long run’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/he-...an-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Bottas on Sauber’s current plight: ‘We need bigger upgrades – and more of them’.
Kick Sauber are the only team yet to score points this year and after finishing 13th in Canada, Valtteri Bottas says the team need to improve the car if they are to break their duck any time soon.
22:36 Sun, 09 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘More bigger upgrades’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bo...17802381171512


Bottas admits Kick Sauber need ‘bigger upgrades and more of them’ as points drought continues in Canada
10 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

Reflecting on whether the pre-race changes had helped with the feel of the car, Bottas explained: “I think with the conditions we had today it was probably the right thing to do, to try and do something. I think it helped a bit, we had a bit more downforce.”

“But still, we made progress but mainly due to other cars making mistakes, etc. Pace-wise, we’re still not in the top-10 at the moment.” Kick Sauber remain the only squad in the field yet to score a point this season and, in order to improve their propects, Bottas thinks that bringing frequent updates is the answer.

‘Points drought’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...oPds3VI8iba9Ws


Sauber needs more upgrades says Bottas
Sauber needs to bring "more" and "bigger" upgrades to the next Formula 1 races, according to Valtteri Bottas.
JUNE 11, 2024
GrandPrix.com

“There is no improvement in sight”, agrees veteran F1 journalist Roger Benoit, who covers Sauber's progress in detail for the Swiss newspaper Blick. “The C44 is by far the slowest car in the circus”, he added. “The many upgrades don't really help at all - or the rivals' developments are simply better.”

Indeed, during Sunday's Canadian GP, the laptimes were so slow that both Bottas and Guanyu Zhou underwent mid-race rear wing setup changes. “It was right that we tried something”, Bottas is quoted by the Finnish broadcaster MTV. "We got a little more grip.”

“But the car needs more pace. Upgrade packages are needed”, the 34-year-old added. “The team has some plans, but we need bigger upgrade packages. And more of them. That is the key now”, he said.

“C44 is by far the slowest car in the circus”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/saube...ys-bottas.html


Bottas says key to Sauber improvements ‘not rocket science’
19:58 Fri, 14 Jun 2024
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sauber suffered another dismal race weekend in Canada, and yet Valtteri Bottas insists the key to improving the performance of the Swiss outfit's car “isn’t rocket science”. "We still have work to do," said Bottas. "We need to keep bringing upgrades and make the car faster. It is not rocket science, we just need more bits."

Bottas suggested that a few changes were on the docket for next week’s Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. "We have small things but a very high downforce track, a different track to here,” he said. “I think it is going to be close, as we have seen. The next step is to get back to Q2 and then we can fight a bit better."

‘Not rocket science’;

https://f1i.com/news/510897-bottas-s...t-science.html


Bottas urges Sauber to bring ‘bigger upgrades’ to catch F1 rivals
15:54 Sat, 15 Jun 2024
Pablo Suárez
Motorsport Week

Valtteri Bottas has urged the Sauber Formula 1 team to introduce “bigger upgrades” amid its pointless start to 2024 continuing at last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. Sauber once again trailed home outside the points positions in Montreal and remains the one team still awaiting to score in the Constructors’ Championship this term.

Another double Q1 elimination prompted the Hinwil-based squad to elect to start both cars from the pit lane in order to escape parc ferme and make set-up alterations. But having crossed the line 12th out of the 15 drivers who took the finish, Bottas has stressed that Sauber must bring more updates to eradicate the deficit to its rivals.

The Finn conceded the more promising result was “due to other cars making mistakes” as he insisted that pace-wise Sauber is “still not in the top 10 at the moment”. Expanding on how his race went, Bottas applauded the decision to make changes to the car to run more downforce as it helped in the changing weather conditions.

‘Bigger upgrades’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...tch-f1-rivals/


Bottas still believes in chance to stay at Sauber
Sun, 16 Jun 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Sauber could also opt to keep hold of Zhou Guanyu, but it's thought that the team is looking for a clean slate of drivers ahead of its upgrade into becoming the Audi works team in 2026. “I feel like at the moment they want quite a lot of change in the team, probably,” Bottas told the media last week in Montreal. “Same thing with the driver line-up.

"That’s my how I read the situation," he said. "They are willing to wait for a long time, but I can’t forever. I don’t think I have the time to wait for too long, so that’s why I want to speed things up. This team is definitely still an option," he continued, pointing out that it had been his long-term plan from the very start to remain at the squad to see it into the Audi era after joining it in 2022 from Mercedes.

“This team is definitely still an option”;

https://f1i.com/news/510953-bottas-s...at-sauber.html


Bottas reveals Sauber/Audi F1 extension still an option for 2025
09:06 Sat, 15 Jun 2024
Motorsport Week

Valtteri Bottas has revealed that extending his contract with Sauber as it builds towards Audi’s impending arrival remains an option for his Formula 1 future into 2025. Despite developments continuing to ramp up in the driver market, Bottas remains at ease over his prospects and is convinced that he will remain on the grid in 2025.

“I’m confident I’m going to get a seat,” Bottas added. “But obviously in this sport nothing is confirmed, so it’s never 100 per cent sure until you’re signed. But at least how I see the situation at the moment, I’m not worrying. But it should be an interesting week or two ahead for sure.”

“It’s something you get used to, obviously, it’s a way more comfortable feeling if you know what is happening. But at the same time, it’s kind of exciting, a kind of certain element of unknowns. There could be something new and exciting on the way. That’s kind of nice. But [I] just need to live with the situation.”

‘Bottas remains at ease’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...tion-for-2025/


Valtteri Bottas gives F1 future update as Jacques Villeneuve gets ‘feeling’ over next move
14 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Villeneuve told Sky F1 in Canada that he has a “feeling” Bottas might return to the team with which he spent five seasons previously, with team principal Toto Wolff preparing youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli for a future in Formula 1. “I guess Bottas will go to Mercedes,” he said. “They want a driver for one year. So who do they take? They take a driver who will take a one-year deal, knows the team, experience and prepares the seat for Antonelli. And then Toto will have to pay a team to put Antonelli somewhere for a year.”

PlanetF1.com understands no decision has yet been taken over the F1 2025 driver line-up at Mercedes, though Wolff has acknowledged teenage Formula 2 rookie Antonelli is set to play a part in the team’s future eventually. Speaking about his own future recently, Bottas is looking to secure his place in Formula 1 beyond the end of the season, with the Finn currently in the final year of his contract with Sauber.

‘Villeneuve gets ‘feeling’ over next move’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtte...eneuve-feeling

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda reveals wind gust cost him on last Canada F1 Q3 run.
Yuki Tsunoda is convinced that he could have qualified higher than eighth place for Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix had a gust of wind not cost him on his final run.
09 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

The Japanese racer was well-poised to celebrate the occasion with another headline-grabbing result as he advanced through Q1 in second and was then fourth in Q2. But a moment on the exit of Turn 2 on his last lap in the top-10 shootout dented his prospects and saw him end up three spots behind RB team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

With Tsunoda winding up four-tenths down on the pole position benchmark, the RB driver rued the snap preventing him from obtaining an even stronger starting berth. “A lot on the table, I would say,” Tsunoda rued. “I got a bit of an unfortunate gust from behind at Turn Two, and I lost the car completely, so I lost a lap time there. Especially looking at Q1 and Q2, I was pretty consistent and I was in the top five.”

“And actually considering my pretty bad lap, I mean I ended up in P8, so yeah, obviously there was a mixed feeling. But at the same time, I was not really in good condition in the three practices, so it was a good turnaround anyway. And the first time for the team to end up [in the] top ten with both cars, so still positives.”

‘Wind gust’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...ada-f1-q3-run/


Yuki Tsunoda and Canada GP race organisers subject of two rare FIA summons orders
09 Jun 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

The FIA have handed out two rarely-seen summonses post-race at the Canadian Grand Prix, with Yuki Tsunoda called to the stewards for allegedly arriving late for the pre-race playing of the national anthem. Tsunoda was summoned for allegedly turning up late for the national anthem being played prior to the Canadian Grand Prix.

The FIA claim this is an alleged breach of Article 19.4 b) of the sporting regulations, whereby: “All drivers must attend a thirty (30) minute drivers parade or presentation (including, but not limited to, group photos, social media activities, celebrity interaction or trackside fan engagement) commencing two (2) hours and ten (10) mins before the scheduled start of the formation lap.”

Within that clause, the rule adds: “In any case, no less than fourteen (14) minutes before the scheduled start of the formation lap all drivers must be present at the front of the grid for the playing of the national anthem.” As a result, the stewards handed the RB driver a €10,000 fine for his lateness, writing: “The Stewards reviewed video evidence and determined that the driver was indeed late for the anthem."

'No less than fourteen (14) minutes before the scheduled start';

https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-t...gp-fia-summons


RB issued fine after strange Tsunoda infringement
RB has been forced to pay a fine after breaching the sporting regulations on the build-up to the Canadian Grand Prix.
10 June 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

“The Stewards received a report from the Media Delegate that the driver of Car 22 (Yuki Tsunoda) was late for the National Anthem,” read a statement. “The Stewards reviewed video evidence and determined that the driver was indeed late for the anthem.”

“The team stated that they failed to inform the driver about the timing adequately and therefore caused the delay, but it is also the responsibility of the driver to arrive in time. It is noted that the driver, once made aware of his mistake, took every reasonable effort to attend the National Anthem as soon as possible.”

“The Stewards acknowledge that attending the National Anthem is an important element of the pre-race procedures and a sign of respect for the host country of the event. The Stewards note that the precedents are implying a less severe penalty (reprimand), but feel that escalating the penalty to a fine is appropriate.”

‘Breaching the sporting regulations’;

https://racingnews365.com/rb-issued-...a-infringement


Visa Cash RB fined for Yuki Tsunoda's pre-race infringement
10 Jun 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The Visa Cash RB team have been fined after their Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda was late for the National Anthem that preceeded yesterday's Canadian Grand Prix.

The stewards launched an investigation into the incident, reviewing video evidence, and came to the conclusion that Tsunoda was indeed late for the anthem. During the hearing, the Faenza-based outfit conceded that they failed to inform Tsunoda about the timing, but the stewards noted that the Japanese driver "took every reasonable effort" to attend the National Anthem after the delay.

‘Late for the anthem’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24763


‘It was my fault’ – Tsunoda holds his hands up after late slip drops him to the back
9 Jun 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Yuki Tsunoda was having a strong weekend until the last few laps of the Grand Prix when he lost the car and hit the wall putting him down to the back of the field. Afterwards he admitted it was his mistake.

‘Lost the car and hit the wall’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/it...15175997158188


Why RB decided to keep 'simply phenomenal' Tsunoda for 2025
RB has taken up an option on Yuki Tsunoda's contract for the 2025 season, extending his stay for a fifth season.
9 June 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

A "step up" in performance was a major factor as to why RB has elected to retain the "simply phenomenal" Yuki Tsunoda for 2025, says boss Laurent Mekies. It was announced on Saturday of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend that Tsunoda would be retained for a fifth season in 2025 by the team, having had a strong start to the '24 season with 19 points from the first eight races - already besting his entire 2023 points haul.

The Japanese racer has been of interest to other teams, with Aston Martin touted as one possible destination once it joins forces with Honda for 2026, but he will remain at Faenza for next term, with Team Principal Mekies believing Tsunoda has now added maturity to his approach. "I watched Yuki’s progress in Formula 1 with interest even before I returned to Faenza and it’s been impressive, year after year," he said.

"The step up he has made this year is simply phenomenal, and he keeps surprising us all, race after race. There’s no doubting his natural speed to which he has now added a much more mature approach and this combination makes him a very quick and consistent performer, and a great team player. We continue to get a better understanding of what he needs from us and vice versa, so we are progressing together, Yuki as a driver and the team. We share the same ambitions, so there are several good reasons to continue our journey together. He still has a lot to give."

‘A "step up" in performance’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-rb-dec...unoda-for-2025


Marko reveals Tsunoda was ‘in demand’ with rival F1 teams
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has revealed that Yuki Tsunoda was “in demand” at rival Formula 1 teams prior to the news that RB has elected to retain him in 2025.
16 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

“Yuki has changed a lot since his arrival in F1. He has really improved in his development. He is an emotional driver and he manages to limit his mistakes. He was in demand by other teams. He is young and he fits our mould. That’s why we’ve just extended his contract for another year.” Helmut Marko.

“Yeah, I think that being able to clear [that] clears up my mind, and in the end VCARB is performing well and this is a team I’m scoring points a lot,” Tsunoda said. “And it would have been sad going to another team and see that VCARB ended up in a nice position.”

“But no, jokes side actually, always Red Bull and Honda were part of my career. Me and Red Bull, it’s all aligned with the current situation for myself and for the future. So, just keep focusing on what I’m doing, and I’m very happy that I’m able to support this team for this big project.”

“In demand”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...ival-f1-teams/


Red Bull might not take Yuki Tsunoda seriously yet, but RB does
Yuki Tsunoda's Formula 1 career remains in a holding pattern after being snubbed for a Red Bull promotion in 2025, but the parent team's loss might be RB's gain.
14 Jun 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Red Bull's strong man Christian Horner appears unconvinced Tsunoda can be the calm and harmonious presence alongside Max Verstappen that he wants, although team advisor Helmut Marko has kept the door open for a promotion in the future, suggesting Tsunoda clicked into gear a little too late to be considered for 2025.

"He has to continue to perform like he does now. Let's see what the future brings then," Marko told Motorsport.com. "His development is really good, although it came a little bit later than we expected, but he is now a top driver I would say."

“This is the first season in which Yuki is consistently fast and he is controlling his emotions, which was his biggest problem before. "To be fair to him, he had always flashes of speed, but this year besides the China race he is consistently fast. Of course, it is changing his profile."

‘In a holding pattern’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/r...does/10623253/

[Fortitude]

‘A bit lonely’: Zhou Guanyu admits something that had ‘never happened before’ ruined his race in Canada.
Zhou came home in 15th at the chequered flag – last of the remaining cars – and was the only driver lapped although that was partly down to another awful pit stop from the team – something that has ruined Sauber’s races all season.
Sun 16 June 2024 13:00
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

The Canadian Grand Prix was another race to forget for Sauber as they remain rooted to the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship. Zhou was speaking to Motorsport.com after the Canadian Grand Prix and admitted that he was baffled by one aspect of the race in Montreal. Zhou Guanyu admits lack of understanding of the 2024 Sauber car.

Asked what went wrong in Canada, Zhou said: “Just struggling across the different compounds. At the halfway stage of the race, I was a bit out of the race anyway, so a bit lonely. We have something already planned back at the factory to check everything, [and] make sure we are starting a little bit more from scratch. These two weekends, I feel like something is not clicking right and this weekend, all these mistakes, they never happened before.”

“So we try to understand all of our issues and have some plans for the next race.” When asked if he was worried about the rear of his 2024 Sauber due to the crashes he suffered earlier in the weekend, Zhou added: “It is everywhere, to be honest, just four-wheel sliding. There is not a massive limitation, we are just lacking grip. It is quite simple but not an easy one to get progress.”

‘Never happened before’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zho...ace-in-canada/


Zhou desperate to remain in F1 for 2025
19:03 Sat, 15 Jun 2024
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds

Zhou Guanyu has stated that he desperately wants to remain in Formula 1 next season. However, he is eager to avoid becoming a reserve driver for 2025 as he looks for a full-time seat. Zhou finds himself at a very important stage in his F1 career. He is one of several drivers currently who find themselves without a seat going into next season.

However, it is looking unlikely at the moment that both Zhou and his team-mate Valtteri Bottas will be at Stake F1 in 2025. Audi have already announced the signing of Nico Hulkenberg for next season, meaning he will drive for Stake F1 next season. The Hinwil-based team are also reportedly interested in Carlos Sainz, as he looks to keep his place in the sport as well.

Speaking to the media, including racingnews365.com, Zhou is hoping that he can do enough to stay in F1 with a full-time seat, as he admits that he doesn’t want to be a reserve driver. “I don’t want to be the reserve, I don’t want to take a year off,” Zhou said. “I don’t think [at] this kind of age of my career, I don’t really want to take a year off because Formula 1 when you take a year off, it’s difficult to come back.”

‘Looks for a full-time seat’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/zh...n-f1-for-2025/


Zhou desperate to avoid missing 2025 F1 seat
Zhou Guanyu is one of several drivers still without a seat for the 2025 F1 season.
15 June 2025
Nick Golding & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Zhou Guanyu has revealed that he is eager to avoid becoming a reserve driver next season, just to remain in the F1 paddock in 2025. The Chinese driver is one of several in the championship without a deal for next year, with a move elsewhere looking set to be his only way of remaining on the grid.

Audi has already signed Haas' Nico Hulkenberg for 2025 and 2026, meaning the German will race for Stake F1 next season. Carlos Sainz also reportedly has an option to join the Hinwil-based team, should he wish to do so. It means the chances are incredibly high that both Zhou and Valtteri Bottas will need a new home for 2025, with Zhou in particular not being open to accepting a reserve position.

Despite being keen to avoid becoming a reserve driver at the age of 25, Zhou is aware that there might become a point this year where he has to consider accepting a reserve position. However, at least for now, the sport's first star from China is not thinking about a third driver position. If we have to then we have to see, we have to consider but for the moment I'm not trying to think in that way," insisted Zhou.

‘Eager to avoid becoming a reserve driver next season’;

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-despe...g-2025-f1-seat


‘A bit lonely’: Guenther Steiner expects Alpine to snub 53-race driver despite £27m sponsorship package
Sat 15 June 2024 07:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Guenther Steiner says Zhou Guanyu financial appeal is ‘overrated’. Another driver who will hope to be in the Alpine conversation is Zhou Guanyu. The team know Zhou well after he spent two years as their test driver in 2020 and 2021. Like Sauber teammate Bottas, he’s looking for a seat elsewhere for 2025. And he’ll hope a huge financial package comes to his aid.

Zhou is the first full-time Chinese driver in F1 history and he brings commercial ties from his homeland. One journalist believes he can offer around £27m in that regard. But speaking on the Red Flags podcast, former Haas boss Guenther Steiner suggested that this wouldn’t be enough to persuade Alpine. With the backing of a giant manufacturer like Renault, he believes they won’t be governed by such incentives.

“It’s a works team,” he said. “I think they will get the best driver possible. I think in the current status of F1, this is overrated, ‘who’s bringing money or not?’. Especially the big teams, with the budget cap. They know what they want. They want success.”

‘Wouldn’t be enough’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gue...rship-package/


Haas tipped to reject €30m+ offer from driver in danger to secure ‘sure-fire’ F1 2025 lineup
17 Jun 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Haas are set to turn down an astronomical financial offer from Zhou Guanyu’s sponsors to sign Esteban Ocon as Oliver Bearman’s team-mate for the F1 2025 season. Appearing on Auto Motor und Sport’s Formula Schmidt show, respected reporter Schmidt has claimed that Zhou is trying to tempt Haas “with a lot of money” – believed to be as much as €35million – as he tries to rescue a place on the grid for F1 2025.

“Zhou Guanyu has been linked with a lot of money. There is talk of €30-35m. But they can’t do that, because the problem with Bearman is that he’s a rookie. You have to add someone who is a sure-fire scorer. And it is evident at Sauber that [Zhou] is certainly not.”

At the recent Canadian Grand Prix, Zhou revealed he is targeting a return to Alpine as Ocon’s replacement for F1 2025, having emerged from the team’s junior academy. “I think the other [Sauber] seat [alongside Hulkenberg] is still available, so we still have an option [to stay],” Zhou told reporters in Montreal.

‘Turn down an astronomical financial offer’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-o...f1-2025-lineup

[Fortitude]

Double disaster for Ferrari makes Montreal 'one to forget'.
There was no sugar coating just how badly the Canadian Grand Prix turned out for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both failing to finish Sunday's race at Montreal's Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
10 Jun 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

"We were hoping for a red flag to be able to do a reset and restart," Vasseur said. "There was no red flag, so we had to pit which cost us a lap and effectively that was the end of Charles’ race."

Leclerc had to tip-toe his way back to the pits for a replacement set of intermediates and was soon lapped by race leader Max Verstappen. He opted to retire from last place on lap 41 to save further wear on the power unit.

“Honestly, there’s not much more to say apart from the engine issue cost us everything,” Leclerc explained afterwards. "The bottom line today is that the engine issue is what compromised our race.”

‘Double disaster’;

https://f1i.com/news/510598-double-d...to-forget.html


Charles Leclerc reveals huge Ferrari power unit issue in disastrous Canadian Grand Prix
10 Jun 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Speaking to Sky F1 following the Canadian GP, Leclerc would reveal the alarming extent of the issues which he was battling with the Ferrari PU, meaning there was “nothing we could have done better” to improve their performance. “I was losing 1.2 [seconds] in the straights, which was extremely annoying,” said Leclerc.

“And then over that I had like 10 changes per lap on the different engine switch, which was such a frustrating race because you get passed by everybody in the straights. In corners you are fast and actually I think the pace was quite strong at the beginning considering the 1.2 off, but with the engine issue, there was nothing we could have done better.”

‘Huge Ferrari power unit issue’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charle...ssue-canada-gp


‘This one hurts’ – Leclerc pinpoints issue for Ferrari to look into after disastrous double DNF in Canada
09 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site

It was a disastrous day for Ferrari at the Canadian Grand Prix, with both cars retiring from the running just two weeks after scoring a victory and double podium in Monaco. After lining up in P11 and P12 respectively following a difficult qualifying on Saturday, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both struggled to make ground from the midfield as the race progressed.

“I think we shouldn’t overreact with the pace of the car,” the six-time race winner said. “I mean, you’ve got good weekends, you’ve got bad weekends. Yesterday we missed Q3 by three hundredths, we were definitely not feeling good with the car and we’ve got to work on that and try to understand what went wrong. Today I wouldn’t say the pace was bad – if you look at the first stint with a second-and-a-half slower engine, I think we weren’t that bad in corners and we were strong, just the engine was so big [of an] issue that we couldn’t do anything.”

“So as much as we didn’t overreact after Monaco, we shouldn’t overreact after this one. But this one hurts. It’s big points for the team, with the two cars DNF’d, that we are going to lose against our competitors, and engine-wise it’s something that we need to look at.”

‘This one hurts’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...VtjINY2fPlGzkt


Vasseur reveals what could’ve saved Leclerc’s F1 Canadian GP
10 Jun 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur has revealed Ferrari hoped for a red flag period to override the engine issue on Charles Leclerc’s car in Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix.

Vasseur has confirmed that Ferrari was holding out on a stoppage emerging to allow the team to troubleshoot the issue without Leclerc losing a single place on track.

“On one side of the garage with Charles, we had, on lap two, we lost part of the power,” he told RacingNews365. “We were expecting a red flag to do a power cycle and to try to come back. But the red flag never happened. We had a red flag in Monaco but not in Montreal. At one stage, we had to pit, we lost almost one lap but it was done.”

‘What could’ve saved Leclerc’s F1 Canadian GP’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...1-canadian-gp/


Ferrari won't overreact to Canada F1 disaster where "everything went wrong"
Ferrari Formula 1 team boss Fred Vasseur conceded "everything went wrong" in a disastrous Canadian Grand Prix, but says his squad won't overreact to its horror weekend.
10 Jun 2024
Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Amid a "long list" of issues, Vasseur admitted "everything went wrong" for the Scuderia in Canada, with Leclerc's power unit issue that left him down 80bhp the most frustrating problem on the day. "With Charles, on lap two we lost part of the power," Vasseur explained. "It was not just the engine itself; I think it is the control of the engine that we had to stop the engine completely. We went through a cycle but it was 30 or 40 seconds.

"For Charles, when you are in the car, fighting in a group and see you are missing 10 or 15 kp/h, you have no chance to overtake, your engineer is telling you you are missing 80 horsepower, I can perfectly understand that motivation is difficult to find in this kind of situation. "If he was not frustrated in these conditions, I would be worried." Asked if it was his most difficult weekend in charge of the Maranello squad, he said: "The most difficult? I don't know but it was not the best one.”

"Sometimes you get the feeling everything is going wrong and going against you but we don't change the approach. We are working as a team with the drivers in the good and bad moments and we will keep the same approach for next weekend and continue together. I'm not [bothered] at all by this kind of weekend, it is what it is."

"Everything went wrong";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/v...rong/10621990/


Unearthed Charles Leclerc radio lays bare Canadian GP frustrations
11 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

A wretched weekend in Canada ended with Charles Leclerc sarcastically celebrating the team’s order to retire his power-less Ferrari SF-24 on lap 40. His race though was undone by an engine issue early in the grand prix that cost him time on the straights, the driver revealing he was losing over a second per lap. Already dealing with that issue, his frustrations boiled over in his radio chatter with his new race engineer Bryan Bozzi when the call was made to swap to slicks despite more rain on the horizon.

Leclerc was caught out.
Leclerc: Shall we box again? It’s raining too much.
Engineer: It’s only, it’s going to last only one, two laps.
Leclerc: For f**k sake, it’s raining too much. I’m losing like 10 seconds a lap.
Engineer: Copy. We box for inters.

But as the engine issue continued to hamper his progress, he reported: If we are losing 1.5 seconds on the straight, then there’s no f**king point. I want to stop.
Ferrari eventually called him on lap 40 to retire the car.
Engineer: And Charles, we will retire the car. We will retire the car.
Leclerc: Yay! That is a good idea.
Engineer: Copy.

“Yay! That is a good idea”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/uneart...p-frustrations


Report: What Frederic Vasseur has ordered Ferrari staff to do behind the scenes after double DNF in Canada
13 June 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari now in ‘race against time’ to bring upgrade to Spanish Grand Prix. According to Formu1a.uno, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has taken decisive action after their Montreal woes. He’s ordered them to bring forward an upgrade that wasn’t due to go on the car until the British Grand Prix at the start of July.

Instead, he wants the ‘most important’ new parts ready for the next race in Spain, the first leg of a triple-header. This has sparked ‘very frenetic’ scenes at their Maranello base. Ferrari’s staff face a ‘race against time’ to meet the request, with the production department in for ‘a lot of work’. The aim of the updates is to find a ‘better aerodynamic compromise’ for the SF-24. Barcelona was a weak circuit for the Italian marquee last year, with Leclerc suffering a shock Q1 exit and only managing to finish 11th. Sainz qualified 2nd alongside Verstappen but ended up slipping to P5 in the race.

Ferrari introduced their first major upgrades of the new season at Imola last month, but it wasn’t until the following race in Monaco that they made a noticeable step forward. They might not expect an immediate upturn from the next raft of developments, then, particularly if they have to be rushed through. But the earlier they get them on the car in a representative F1 session, the sooner they will be able to understand and optimise them. It’s clear that Vasseur is impatient as he bids to make the Prancing Horse the class of the field once again.

‘Race against time to bring upgrade’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...dnf-in-canada/

[Fortitude]

Sainz admits to ‘driver mistake’ after spin put him out of the race – and took Albon out too.
Carlos Sainz spun his Ferrari on Lap 51 in Canada and Williams’ Alex Albon was unable to avoid his rival, taking them both out of the race.
9 June 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Driver mistake’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sa...15553175246819


In search of lost grip
22:50 Sun, 09 Jun 2024
Ferrari - Official Site

Montreal 09 June 2024: Scuderia Ferrari HP’s performance in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix did not live up to expectations, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz failing to make the cut to Q3, qualifying in eleventh and twelfth places respectively. The biggest handicap for both SF-24s was a lack of grip.

‘Lost grip’;

https://www.ferrari.com/en-GB/formul...lifying-report


Sainz makes Ferrari vow after Canada woes
Carlos Sainz suffered a late DNF in the Canadian Grand Prix after contact after spinning and collecting Alex Albon's Williams.
10 June 22024
Jake Nichol & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz is firm that Ferrari's Canadian Grand Prix woes are a "one-off" and that he expects the team to be back in contention in Barcelona. Ferrari arrived in Montreal with expectations high after it finished 1-3 in Monaco, but Sainz and team-mate Charles Leclerc both struggled badly across the weekend, with neither making it into Q3 and did not make much forward progress in the race.

Leclerc's race was hampered by an engine issue, but Sainz was fighting on the cusp of the points late on when he spun at Turn 6 after dipping a wheel onto the wet track, and as he spun, he collected Alex Albon's Williams. He did manage to get going again, but retired soon after to round off a miserable weekend for Ferrari.

"It was not an ideal weekend for anyone in the team, but we will try and reset and go again," Sainz told media including RacingNews365. "It is clear that we were not on the right end of the pace and were struggling as a team. In any condition, we seemed to be struggling with the balance and the pace, but it is going to be a one-off and we will be back in Barcelona where we are normally."

‘Sainz was fighting on the cusp of the points’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-make...er-canada-woes


Jacques Villeneuve stunned by Carlos Sainz after doing something you ‘never, ever do’ in F1
Mon 10 June 2024 07:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Jacques Villeneuve was reflecting on the Canadian Grand Prix for Sky Sports F1 after watching both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz fail to finish the race. Ferrari’s weekend started badly, with neither driver able to reach Q3 in qualifying, giving them plenty of work to do during a wet race.

Jacques Villeneuve says Carlos Sainz did something you ‘never do’ in Formula 1 Heading into the closing stages of the race, Sainz was in a train of cars including both Alpine drivers and both RBs. However, the Spaniard made a mistake heading into the corner that also caught out the likes of Sergio Perez and Logan Sargeant. Albon had to take avoiding action, but Sainz still managed to crash into the back of his Williams.

Commenting on the incident, Villeneuve said: “Once it started raining, pit him [Charles Leclerc] right away. “They had to try because they had engine issues and they were not going to score points, so trying fine, but like Karun [Chandhok] said, put on the soft tyres. And then [Carlos] Sainz spins and then lets go of the breaks, something you never, ever do and he collected [Alex] Albon.”

‘Never, ever do’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jac...ever-do-in-f1/


Carlos Sainz issues apology to rumoured F1 2025 team-mate after Canada collision
10 Jun 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz has apologised to Alex Albon, smoothing things over with his potential 2025 team-mate after punting the Williams driver out of the Canadian Grand Prix. “It was a driver mistake,” Sainz admitted. “I was starting to take some risks because I could see that in the dry we were a little bit more competitive and there was the chance for points if I took some risks and overtook some cars in DRS trains. But I ended up paying the price.”

Damaging the rear-right of the FW46, both drivers were out of the race. Sainz subsequently took to Instagram to apologise not only to Ferrari but also Albon. “A race to forget for the team,” he posted on social media. “The entire weekend has been on the edge for us. I tried to push in the DRS train to overtake and did a mistake on the kerb. Sorry to the team and to Albon.”

‘Apology’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos...nada-collision


Carlos Sainz sends message to potential 2025 teammate Alex Albon after Canadian GP crash
Tue 11 June 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Carlos Sainz apologises to Alex Albon amid Williams rumours. The crash involving Sainz and Albon wasn’t just significant because it potentially cost the latter some valuable points. The two drivers may well end up as teammates next year. F1 Oversteer understands that Grove will be his destination. In fact, James Vowles’ employees are 90% sure that the deal will happen.

Writing on his X account, Sainz acknowledged his error. He also offered an apology to Albon ahead of their potential partnership in 2025. “A race to forget for the team,” he said. “The entire weekend has been on the edge for us. I tried to push in the DRS train to overtake and did a mistake on the kerb. Sorry to the team and to Albon. We now need to understand what happened here and move on.”

Why Williams will find Sainz mistake ‘quite funny’. There are no concerns that Sainz’s blunder will hurt his chances of joining Williams. Vowles won’t pass up the chance to sign a three-time race-winner and an F1 A-lister over one mishap. Instead, journalist Edd Straw suspects that Williams will find the coincidental nature of the collision ‘quite funny’. There could still be an announcement before his home race in Spain at the end of next week.

‘Sainz acknowledged his error’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/car...dian-gp-crash/


Carlos Sainz 'could sign contract tomorrow' as Ferrari star reveals seven offers
Carlos Sainz says he could sign with a new Formula One team 'tomorrow'.
Jun 18, 2024
Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Carlos Sainz has claimed he has offers on the table from all seven teams looking for new drivers for the 2025 season. The Spaniard will leave Ferrari at the end of 2024, making way for the highly-anticipated arrival of Lewis Hamilton. Sainz, who says he could agree a contract 'tomorrow' if he wanted to, has been strongly linked with Williams in recent weeks but there are a further six teams whose driver line-up for next year is not confirmed. Mercedes, Aston Martin, VCARB, Haas, Alpine and Sauber also have places free.

It was put to Sainz that Williams are the favourites to secure his commitment for 2025. However, the 29-year-old insists that all seven teams have made offers and that he “could sign with them tomorrow”, but will instead take his time before making a decision. Sainz says that he will make a decision soon. “I won’t lie to you, all the teams that haven’t signed their drivers for next year have me on their list and have offered me a contract. I could sign with them tomorrow, but I won’t do it tomorrow,” he told El Hormiguero.

'Could sign contract tomorrow';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...es-Formula-One