2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[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-ma...lion-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...r-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-...ry-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/...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-d...n-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/fo...ualifying.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/po...02968115266959


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/ma...04268391440079


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/hung...x-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/formul...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/a...?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-magnusse...teresting.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...iver-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/belg...x-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/al...03842844821584


‘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/th...03172524812461


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/jam...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/t...reat/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...02702941900407


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/...un-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/...ormula-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/motorsp...urn-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/a...pHjoNHW2j0rrQM


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/motorsp...out-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/ga.../?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/oc...01431750105490


‘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/a...MFlNT9ioDAez2e


‘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/it...02048911525259


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/alp...-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/a...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/fla...wer-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/r...view/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/renaul...-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/fi...uctuating-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/a...?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/f...ian-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/fo...d-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...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...-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/w...ying-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/a...Ibd4A15c1MyaVV


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-gra.../?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/f...ian-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-down...couraging-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-...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/a...?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-bel...nce-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/motorsp...712e9fe246570f


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-new...ian-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/105264...-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/le...72372647897916


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/105261...ywhere-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/...elgian-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-fre...ice-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...alty-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/p...-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/motorsp...ice-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-wa...tappen-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/lan...elgian-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-fre...ice-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/m...ian-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/a...U6lOUckO8wBBSX


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/105271...an-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-...-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-a...ian-grand-prix