2024 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

What Sergio Perez’s fans were singing at him on his return to the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Sergio Perez receives a hero’s welcome ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix. The report from Record says the ‘party has already started’ ahead of the 20th race weekend of the F1 season in Mexico.
24 Oct 2024
Ben Evans
FIA (Press Release)

Sergio Perez needs all the help he can if he’s going to retain his seat at Red Bull Racing beyond the end of this season. The Mexico City Grand Prix – previously known as the Mexican Grand Prix until 2019 – is preparing to host its 25th race in Formula 1.

Hundreds of people came out to welcome Perez at the Plaza Carso where Telcel – one of Perez’s biggest sponsors – is based. Perez’s name was sung throughout the event, and they reportedly didn’t stop signing his customary ‘Viejo sabroso’ chant. The term translates to ‘tasty old man’ and has followed Perez around for several years now.

‘Viejo sabroso’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/wha...ty-grand-prix/


F1 - 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript
PART ONE – Sergio PÉREZ (Red Bull Racing), Nico HÜLKENBERG (Haas), Pierre GASLY (Alpine)
PART TWO – Charles LECLERC (Ferrari), Zhou GUANYU (Kick Sauber), Felipe DRUGOVICH (Aston Martin)
24.10.24
FIA (Press Release)

Q: Checo, I feel we have to start with you. Just describe the build-up to this Grand Prix for you? It seems to get bigger and bigger every year. Sergio PÉREZ: It's pretty impressive. You always forget when you are on the other side of the world with so many races, you really forget the amount of support you have in your own country. And yeah, it's amazing. It's a great opportunity. It's a great experience every single Grand Prix. You know, it's crazy to think that this is the ninth Grand Prix that we've had. I was just joking with some of my sponsors yesterday, every year we used to do a football game for the for the lead up to the grand prix and now nobody can play because everyone has issues with the knees, with the back, you know, so everyone is aging so much! It's just great you know to look back at it and obviously this year again I think this Mexican Grand Prix, to me, I think it's the best in the world by quite a chunk.

Q:. Nico, let's come to you now. What a weekend for you and for Haas in Austin. Just give us your reflections on that, first of all. Nico HÜLKENBERG: Yeah, it's been very positive. Scored points twice, and with both cars in the Sprint. So, yeah, I think, you know, we feel very happy coming out of there. Also, you know, taking P6, obviously, at the moment in the championship. So we want to obviously hang on to that, repeat it as often as we can and take that momentum into this week and to next week and just keep building on that.

Q: Pierre, let's come to you now. Let's get a review from you about Austin. You were running upgrades on your car. Qualifying looked great. A few issues in the race. Just talk us through it?
Pierre GASLY: Yeah, I mean, best qualifying of the year. So I would say definitely some good positives to take away from the weekend. You know, looking back at a couple of months ago, we started in Bahrain on the last row. Still, we kept focusing on developing the package we have and, you know, eventually got to P7 last week in quali. So very pleased to see some good evolution with the car. The other side on Sunday, it wasn't a good race, not well executed. Unfortunately, we lost quite a bit of time with the pit stop, struggled a lot with the Hard tyre and lost the good start we had. So quite gutted not to convert this good quali into points, but at least there is definitely some hopes. you know encouraging signs that we we're going to be able to fight slightly further up the top for the remaining races.

Q: Felipe, why don't we start with you, because for a long time now, you've been scheduled to drive Fernando's car in FP1 here tomorrow. How excited are you by that? And what is the programme tomorrow?
Felipe DRUGOVICH: Yeah, so thank you very much, first of all. Very excited to be here. Yeah, I think the only thing that wasn't planned to be is actually the press conference. So, yeah, my best wishes to Fernando. Let's see how he gets on tomorrow. But, yeah, really excited. Tomorrow the plan is to, first of all, focus a little bit for the team. We're going to have some development runs. I'm just trying to help the team. gather some data, I think I'll be able to have some fun at the end, you know, pushing a little bit, but, you know, it's normally quite tricky, especially as a new track for me, so I need to take care of the car, but, yeah, hopefully it'll be a good session.

Q: Zhou, let's come to you now. It was quite a tough weekend for you in Austin. The race didn't quite pan out as you wanted. You didn't have the upgrades on your car, Valtteri did. What was he saying about them? And what can you expect from them this weekend when you'll have them as well?
ZHOU GUANYU: You know, firstly, I think, excited, of course, to try the new package. I think Austin, in general, we were still trying to extract everything we could. I think it wasn't easy, just seeing how difficult, let's say, the start of the weekend for us, but also with the short term of just FP1, then obviously not getting enough track time to try certain things, trying to extract them. So I think it's working like we expected in terms of numbers. But I did definitely expect to be a little bit more ahead than the pace was. But one thing I think was good is that in qualifying, it was, I think, both of us under two tenths to Q2, which is the closest we've ever been the last four five races. In a way it shows how much struggle we've been in but one another side I think it shows we have managed to close the gap, which is something nice to do. Unfortunately my race, definitely not going to go too much into detail on that, with a mistake in Turn 1 and that cost quite a bit. But even then I think points weren't possible that weekend. But I was just trying to give it always what I had. So this weekend is going to be completely different, which will be nice and jump in the car after let's say P1, from P2 onwards, trying to figure out, you know, what we go forward and, you know, what set-up we make, adjustments.

Q: Charles, let's come to you now. Tremendous weekend for Ferrari last time out. What chance a repeat here in Mexico?
Charles LECLERC: I mean, it's very difficult to predict this season race by race. Last weekend went extremely well for us. We were particularly strong in races and in race pace. In qualifying, we struggled a little bit more. However, on paper, Mexico should be quite a good track for us. But that doesn't mean we'll reproduce the kind of performance we've done in Austin, we just need to focus on ourselves, focus obviously on FP2 for me, I won't be doing FP1, Ollie will be in the car for FP1, and yeah, just try and maximise the result this weekend, and then we'll see where it ends up, but it's obviously a very important part of the season, only five races to go, and there's the Constructors’ title, that is still possible, so we'll give absolutely everything in order to try and take that one.

‘Thursday Press Conference Transcript’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-mex...nce-transcript

[Fortitude]

Sergio Perez backed for F1 World Championship glory amid Mexican GP retirement rumours.
Sergio Perez has been backed to win the world title by his biggest fan – his dad.
24 Oct 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez is by far the most successful Mexican in F1 history having scored six of the country’s eight wins and raced more than every other driver combined. But the title crown has eluded him with his highest position being P2 in 2023, a season where he finished 290 points behind team-mate Max Verstappen.

But if there is one man who still believes in the driver, it is his dad. Antonio Pérez Garibay is a frequent figure in the paddock and is never happier than when his son is doing well. Another trait of Perez Sr is heaping expectations on his son. Having previously said his son will not retire before winning the World Championship, Perez Sr has again stated his confidence in this happening.

“The best of Checo Perez is yet to come,” he told Mexican publication Récord+. “I am sure that in due time, Checo will have the weapons and tools to fight for the world championship. I am very excited and I can say that Checo will be world champion.” Perez has been under fire for over a year given his lacklustre form but for now, Red Bull bosses have not suggested he will be dropped.

‘Biggest fan – his dad’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio...rement-rumours


Sergio Perez makes ‘terrible season’ admission as ‘massive change’ sought
24 Oct 2024
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez believes the Mexico City Grand Prix result could make a “massive” change to his F1 2024 season, which he deemed “terrible”. “Yeah, definitely, I know I’ve had a terrible season, a very difficult one,” he told media, including PlanetF1.com, in the press conference ahead of his home race at the Mexico City Grand Prix. It started really well, but, yeah, it’s been really, really difficult.”

“For me, you know, if I get a strong result, it can definitely change my season massively, in terms of personal feeling. So I’m really up for it,” he said, saying he hopes to be able to replicate his podium finish of 2021 by bringing his young son up with him. I think that moment will stay with me forever, having my son up there with me on the podium watching me,” he said.

“It’s something that I hope he remembers forever, if not I have the picture, at least, to show him when he’s old, you know? Those moments, I think it’s the ones that really matter to me, and I hope I can repeat that one this weekend.”

‘Strong result, it can definitely change my season massively’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio...ity-grand-prix


Multiple drivers set to appear in Mexico City Grand Prix FP1 session
24 Oct 2024
FIA Formula 2 Championship - Official Site

There are several drivers from the 2024 grid that will be getting into the cockpit of F1 machinery this weekend in Mexico for the opening Practice session of the event. Along with those on the ’24 grid, there are a few familiar faces also taking part in the action around the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this weekend.

After his first FP1 outing back in Monza, Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be back behind the wheel of the Mercedes W15, replacing Lewis Hamilton in first Practice ahead of his promotion to F1 full-time next season.

Over at Ferrari, Oliver Bearman will get back into the cockpit of the SF-24 for the first time since his impressive last-minute call-up in Jeddah. He will be taking over driving duties from Charles Leclerc for FP1 after several appearances for Haas earlier in the year.

‘Multiple drivers set to appear’;

https://www.fiaformula2.com/Latest/1...ix-fp1-session


Which F1 rookies are driving FP1 at the Mexican GP?
Half of the current F1 teams will field rookie drivers during FP1 at the Mexican Grand Prix - but who are the drivers getting the chance, and who is stepping aside?
24 Oct 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

FP1 Driver Team Driver Replaced
Pato O'Ward McLaren TBC
Oliver Bearman Ferrari Charles Leclerc
Kimi Antonelli Mercedes Lewis Hamilton
Felipe Drugovich Aston Martin Fernando Alonso
Robert Shwartzman Stake Zhou Guanyu

‘F1 rookies’;

https://racingnews365.com/which-f1-r...the-mexican-gp


Max Verstappen leaves presenter stunned with crude four-word comment during F1 Mexican Grand Prix build-up
Verstappen was participating in a pre-race event with Red Bull team-mate and home hero Sergio Perez.
24 Oct 2024
Ryan Smart
SPORTbible

Max Verstappen left a presenter stunned with a four-word comment during a pre-race event ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix. With five races left to go in the season - as well as two sprint races - the Dutchman is in the metaphorical pole position to claim his fourth consecutive title.

The Mexican Grand Prix is the home race for Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, meaning the pair have taken part in various promotional events in the build-up to the race. One activity saw the pair aim velcro footballs at a large target, with Perez scoring several points from his attempt.

Unfortunately for Verstappen, though, some of his attempts didn't land - causing him to make an amusing comment to the female reporter at the event. He exclaimed: "My balls didn't stick!" The reporter and Perez laughed, before she replied: "Your what?" Perez commented: "You listen too much to what Jorge Campos [Mexican former goalkeeper] says."

‘The female reporter and Perez laughed’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/max-ve...54436-20241024


Start time for the 2024 F1 Mexican GP
From Friday, October 25 to Sunday, October 27, the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix will take place. Check here for all the F1 start times in Mexico City.
24 Oct 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

We return to the standard format with three practice sessions, qualifying, and the race. Red Bull often performs well in Mexico and will undoubtedly do everything possible this weekend to be faster than title contender McLaren. Can Verstappen, like last week, keep Lando Norris behind him?

Timetable Mexican GP
Session
Date Time
Free practice 1 Friday 25 October 20:30 - 21:30
Free practice 2 Saturday 26 October 00:00 - 01:30
Free practice 3 Saturday 26 October 19:30 - 20:30
Qualification Saturday 26 October 23:00 - 00:00
Race Sunday 27 October 21:00 - 23:00

‘Standard format’;

https://racingnews365.com/start-time...-f1-mexican-gp

[Fortitude]

Mexico City GP Preview | Can Verstappen put the final nail in Norris' coffin?
Can Verstappen secure his fourth title? Of course, the rhetorical question is mathematically not possible. However, a fact is that Max Verstappen could leave the Circuit of the Americas with a big smile on his face.
24 Oct 2024
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Now, there is a bit less pressure on Red Bull, as they had to deliver at COTA with their upgrades to the RB20. Moreover, rivals can also help Verstappen to a title, given Ferrari's great performance. After a difficult weekend, Mercedes could also now follow Ferrari in getting on top of their upgrade package that can help them to perform.

Now, in Mexico City, there is more stability in the Austrian team as well. Verstappen once again showed why he is a world champion as he defended the attacks from Norris' McLaren very maturely and in an intelligent way, as McLaren could only lick their wounds.

The next circuit will also be one where Red Bull have historically performed well and dealt well with the high altitude. Since 2017, Verstappen only failed to win on one occasion, in 2019, when it was Lewis Hamilton who crossed the finish line in P1. If Verstappen manages to finish ahead of Norris, given his Dutch rival's performance, that can truly be a final nail in the coffin for the British driver.

‘Final nail in Norris' coffin?’

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30842...is-coffin.html


Eddie Jordan shares why he thinks Lando Norris might be ‘one of the best’ to never win an F1 championship
24 Oct 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

McLaren driver Lando Norris watched his faint hopes of winning the Formula Drivers’ Championship slip further away after the United States Grand Prix. With six Grand Prix remaining going into the race at Austin, Lando Norris knew he needed to make up nearly nine points at every race weekend on Max Verstappen to stand a chance of securing his first title.

Why Eddie Jordan isn’t sure McLaren star Lando Norris will ever be a Formula 1 world champion. Reflecting on how he battled Verstappen at the Circuit of the Americas, Jordan said: “You know, Lando Norris has been brought up by an amazing, lovely, beautiful, caring family. And is there an argument to say that he’s too nice? Yes, possibly.”

“The fact is that Lando Norris will go down in the history books as being one of the most incredibly fastest drivers, possibly not to have won a world championship. And the reason being, he should have been out of sight on several of the races this year, where, there is not a chance Max had the car that he had.”

‘Slip further away’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/edd...-championship/


‘Norris lacks elite mentality of ruthless Verstappen to win F1 title’
In the latest episode of the Total Motorsport F1 Show, David Schiavone questioned whether Lando Norris has the mentality needed to snatch the title from his rival Max Verstappen
24 Oct 2024
Joe Krishnan


Lando Norris does not yet have an elite mentality like the ‘ruthless’ Max Verstappen to win the Formula 1 2024 drivers’ championship, according to an F1 expert. In a special guest appearance on the Total Motorsport F1 Show, editor-in-chief David Schiavone questioned if the Briton has the mentality needed to become a world champion after being outfoxed by Verstappen.

“Max is ruthless. All the best drivers… they’re ruthless, they’re winners,” Schiavone said. “In Hungary, where Norris and [Oscar] Piastri were involved in the ‘will they, won’t they’ over swapping positions, I thought if Norris is to be one of those ruthless drivers, he needs to be saying ‘sorry, I’m winning’. And he didn’t.”

“That for me said a lot, that his mentality is not quite there. Helmut Marko said it last week, he got criticised by Zak Brown this weekend. It’s a mini example that his mentality is not quite at the elite level.” He added: “With Verstappen, this is what he does. He’s in the advantageous position in that if he brakes later, and Norris goes ‘I’m going to crash into him’, Norris is the loser because Max is ahead in the championship,” he said. “So he’ll be like ‘if you crash into me, it’s a win for me’.”

‘Norris lacks elite mentality’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/lan...ppen-f1-title/


McLaren lodges right of review over controversial Norris penalty
Oct 25, 2024
Josh Suttill
The Race

McLaren is petitioning for a right of review into Lando Norris’s five second time penalty for passing Max Verstappen off-track in the 2024 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. News on Thursday evening that McLaren is asking the FIA for a right of review comes as a shock as, on Sunday, Stella admitted any right of review into the incident would be unlikely to succeed.

The petition for a right of review will be heard at 2.30pm local time in Mexico on Friday via video conference with representatives from both McLaren and Red Bull present. The stewards will determine whether there’s a “significant and relevant new element which was unavailable to the party [McLaren] seeking the review at the time of the decision concerned”. Should McLaren be successful, it will trigger a second part of the hearing that will take place at a later date.

‘McLaren lodges right of review’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/m...us-gp-penalty/


McLaren know Norris’ penalty is likely to stand – so what do they hope to gain?
25th Oct 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans

But do McLaren seriously expect to persuade the stewards that Norris did not deserve a penalty for overtaking Verstappen off-track at turn 12 on lap 52 last weekend? Recent history suggests they shouldn’t.

Date of decision Team Event Incident Outcome
21 June 2019 Ferrari Canadian GP Sebastian Vettel rejoined the track in an unsafe fashion Failed

5 July 2020 Red Bull Austrian GP Lewis Hamilton failed to slow for yellow flags Succeeded

2 May 2021 Alfa Romeo Emilia Romagna GP Kimi Raikkonen failed to re-establish the correct restart order Failed

29 July 2021 Red Bull British GP Lewis Hamilton given a 10-second penalty for colliding with Max Verstappen Failed

9 August 2021 Aston Martin Hungarian GP Sebastian Vettel’s car disqualified for being underweight Failed

19 November 2021 Mercedes Brazilian GP Max Verstappen forced Lewis Hamilton off the track Failed

28 October 2022 Alpine United States GP Haas submitted protest against Fernando Alonso too late Succeeded

19 March 2023 Aston Martin Saudi Arabian GP Fernando Alonso failed to serve a five-second time penalty correctly Succeeded

18 April 2023 Ferrari Australian GP Carlos Sainz Jnr collided with Fernando Alonso Failed

2 July 2023 McLaren Canadian GP Lando Norris penalised for unsportsmanlike driving Failed

9 November 2023 Haas United States GP Track limits breaches Failed

5 May 2024 Aston Martin Chinese GP Fernando Alonso collided with Carlos Sainz Jnr Failed


What new evidence might McLaren have, and how likely is it to produce the desired outcome? New video evidence is unlikely to sway the stewards in this particularly case.

‘What do they hope to gain?’

https://www.racefans.net/2024/10/25/...-hope-to-gain/


Lando Norris’ ‘inexplicable' defence against Max Verstappen scrutinised
Martin Brundle's verdict on the opening lap of the United States Grand Prix between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
23 Oct 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.net

Legendary F1 commentator Martin Brundle has described Lando Norris’ attempt at defending the lead from Max Verstappen on the opening lap of the United States Grand Prix as ‘inexplicable’.

Martin Brundle: “At the start of the Grand Prix everyone got away in unison and Norris knew he had to defend the inside line into the first corner. It had worked well for him on this line the day before. Inexplicably he still left reasonable space on the inside and Verstappen wasted no time in filling it."

“They both inevitably ran quite wide on the exit, Norris now off the track. The race director and stewards take a more lenient view on the opening lap as the cars are bound to be in multiple close contact throughout, and the incident wasn't even raised for the stewards to debate.”

‘Lando Norris’ ‘inexplicable' defence’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105859...en-scrutinised


‘It’s racing’: Max Verstappen sends ‘kindergarten’ message to Lando Norris after US Grand Prix incident
22 Oct 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen dismisses criticism over Lando Norris tactics at US Grand Prix. Norris said over the radio that he was ‘ahead at the apex’ and pointed out that Verstappen ‘also went off’ in defence. However, the stewards controversially ruled out that he’d left the track and gained an advantage. Addressing the incident in an interview with Canal+, Verstappen insisted ‘we’re not in kindergarten’. He maintained that his tactics constituted fair racing.

In addition to extending his lead to 57 points, he may also have landed a psychological blow. Norris wasn’t able to overtake him cleanly despite a clear pace advantage. “I didn’t push anyone out,” Verstappen said. “We didn’t touch. I tried to make the corner. I was on full lock. It’s racing. We’re not in kindergarten.”

‘Tactics constituted fair racing’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max...prix-incident/