2023 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

[Fortitude]

Verstappen to receive new Hungarian GP trophy after Norris broke £39,000 original.
Herendi Porcelain Manufactory: “While the teams decide who was at fault and who was not, we will take on the joyful and heavy burden of this.”
17:25 Mon, 24 Jul 2023.
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Norris smashes six months’ hard work and nearly £40,000. Even worse for Verstappen, it was the first time he’s was in line to collect the majestic china Hungarian GP trophy – one of the best on the calendar.

“It is with great regret that we learned yesterday that the beautiful Herendi trophy, a handmade work of art, was damaged,” Attila Simon, CEO of Herendi Porcelain Manufactory Zrt told M4 Sport. “It is the result of nearly six months of work by more than 30 people and we were very sorry to see this happen to our artwork.”

“But we believe, and Herendi Porcelain Manufactory is a company that plays a key role in building the country’s image, that we will replace the trophy for the first place winner, and while the teams decide who was at fault and who was not, we will take on the joyful and heavy burden of this.”

‘Replace the trophy’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-max-verstappen-new-hungarian-gp-trophy-norris-original/


Max Verstappen's girlfriend gets involved as Lando Norris apologises to Red Bull star
Lando Norris has said sorry to Max Verstappen for smashing his Hungarian GP trophy.
21:13, Sun, Jul 23, 2023
By Charlie Malam
Daily and Sunday Express

Norris commented: "I'm so sorry." And Verstappen's girlfriend Kelly Piquet also got involved, appearing to hint that the Briton has plans to hit the golf course on Monday as she wrote: "@landonorris hope you have better form tomorrow!"

Norrisalso took to his Instagram story, quoting Verstappen's post and captioning it: "Sorry not sorry." He then posted a screenshot of a Google search for 'Kintsugi' which translates to 'golden joinery' and is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold seams where the cracks were.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Norris joked that the damage was actually Verstappen's fault. He said: "No that is my celebration, to hit the bottle. Max put his trophy in the wrong place. It's Max's fault."

‘Smashing his Hungarian GP trophy’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1794322/Lando-Norris-Max-Verstappen-Kelly-Piquet-F1-news


Lando Norris refuses to take responsibility for shocking Max Verstappen incident
24 July 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

In a lighthearted moment of podium celebration, Lando Norris, the talented driver from McLaren, playfully suggested that Max Verstappen was at fault for the accidental breakage of the $45,000 winner’s trophy during the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix.

In the post-race press conference, Norris jokingly blamed Verstappen for the mishap, stating, “Max just placed it too close to the edge. It fell over, I guess. Not my problem. It’s his!” Following the trophy mishap, the Herendi company, responsible for crafting the cup, pledged to replace it promptly.

Attila Simon, the CEO of Herendi, assured that they would take on the responsibility of making a new trophy. Production has already commenced, with efforts to expedite the six-month process to ensure Verstappen receives his replacement trophy in the coming weeks.

‘Refuses to take responsibility’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lando-norris-refuses-to-take-responsibility-for-shocking-max-verstappen-incident/


Lando Norris causes huge headache after £35k Hungarian Grand Prix trophy clanger
Max Verstappen spent only a few seconds in possession of his trophy for winning the Hungarian Grand Prix before it was accidentally smashed into several pieces
11:03, 24 Jul 2023
By Kieran King Sports Writer
The Mirror

Lando Norris stunned the Formula One world on Sunday when he smashed Max Verstappen's trophy after the Red Bull driver won the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The Brit finished second behind Verstappen and ahead of third-place Sergio Perez - and the trio celebrated their successes on the podium. After the national anthems, they were handed their champagne and began the traditional spraying of one another. But that was when things got out of hand.

Norris hit his bottle off the podium and accidentally forced the trophy off the top step. Footage shows the trophy break into several pieces. But the celebrations carried on regardless, with Norris nervously glancing behind him at the broken trophy several times as the champagne continued to flow.

‘Norris nervously glancing behind him’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/trophy-lando-norris-smashed-verstappen-30537536


Lando Norris smashes Max Verstappen's Hungary GP trophy during podium celebrations
09:57, Mon, 24 Jul 2023.
By Ben Hunt
Give Me Sport

Fans of both Norris and Verstappen have been quick to react to the incident.
“That’ll be a 5 sec penalty,” “A McLaren driver breaking Red Bull’s trophy for its 12 consecutive win is about as poetic as the real world gets,” and “This is amazing and if I may say… A very Lando thing to do. When Lando wins next week, Verstappen can get his own back,” were just a few of the comments.

Thankfully, the Red Bull team seems to have taken the incident in good humour, replying to McLaren’s tweet with: “We can’t take you anywhere, glad to have you up there with us though," before following up with: “We’re gonna need some glue."

Speaking on the F1 record, the Dutchman said: "Twelve wins in a row is just incredible. What we've been going through the last few years is unbelievable and, hopefully, we can keep this momentum going for a long time."

‘A very Lando thing to do’;

https://www.givemesport.com/lando-norris-smashes-max-verstappens-hungary-gp-trophy-during-podium-celebrations/

[Fortitude]

DRIVER OF THE DAY: Perez's P9-to-podium charge gets your vote in Hungary.
Sergio Perez needed a strong performance in Budapest – and boy, did he deliver, with an aggressive drive taking the Mexican from ninth on the grid to third at the flag.
23 July 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez - 20.7%
Lando Norris - 20.4%
Oscar Piastri - 13.7%
George Russell - 8.4%
Max Verstappen - 7.6%

‘DRIVER OF THE DAY’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.driver-of-the-day-perezs-p9-to-podium-charge-gets-your-vote-in-hungary.s0nL36qvXFiKT93OGxFFZ.html


Brundle: Perez recovery in Budapest a ‘statement drive’
25th July 2023, 14:39
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

But writing in his column for Sky Sports, Brundle commended Perez’s drive from Hungary: “Perez from a disappointing ninth on the grid would have an impressive drive to the podium which was determined and aggressive in equal measure,” he said.

“It was just the performance he needed for his own confidence as well as his reputation. His overtakes were tough, not with desperation but with total steeliness, and his speed was good. I described it in commentary as a statement drive.”

“He showed that he can just about keep his head in the shadow of Verstappen’s speed and results, which few others could do, but he still needs to be bothering the Dutchman’s mirrors at the end of the races. But let’s not forget his brilliant victories just a few months ago in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan.”

‘Statement drive’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/07/25/brundle-perez-recovery-in-budapest-a-statement-drive/


Perez produces ‘best payback’ to ease Red Bull pressure
Tuesday 25th July, 2023 - 1:32am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

“If you look at the progress Checo made from ninth on the grid, it was an outstanding drive from him,” said Horner. When asked about Friday morning being the worst-case scenario, he added: “It was the best payback he could give his mechanics and the team. He will take a lot of confidence out of that. It was a big result for him.”

Responding to him being under pressure, Horner said: “The problem is, you guys wind things up, and you can go from hero to zero in this business pretty quickly. He’s not immune to that. Formula 1’s a pressure business, he knows that. He’s been around long enough to know the pressures that there are in Formula 1, and at Red Bull, sometimes that’s even more heightened.”

“But he’s responded in the best possible way, did his talking on the circuit, delivered a great performance, and he’ll be more than happy with his drive today. He just needs to put more emphasis on Saturday. He was in Q3 at the weekend, and again he’ll take confidence from that. As soon as he starts qualifying on the first couple of rows, and then he’ll be back in business.”

‘Best payback’

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/25/sergio-perez-red-bull-hungarian-gp-pressure-payback/


Horner hails ‘outstanding’ Perez, but what did he say on Ricciardo?
Sergio Perez finished third at the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen
July 24, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Christian Horner praised Red Bull‘s Sergio Perez for hitting back at his critics as he achieved his second Formula 1 podium in six races at the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, but also talked up Daniel Ricciardo on his return with AlphaTauri.

But, Horner did acknowledge Perez, who is 110 points behind Verstappen in the drivers’ championship, still has room to improve in qualifying. An unassailable one-lap gap to Verstappen was what did for Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon previously in Red Bull‘s second seat, and had Perez started further up the grid he likely would’ve helped score the team’s first one-two since Miami.

“I think he needs to put more emphasis on Saturday,” Horner added. “He was in Q3 obviously, this weekend so I’d take confidence from that. As soon as it starts qualifying in the first couple of rows, and then we’ll be back in business. The problem is you guys wind things up, you can go from hero to zero in this business pretty quickly so he’s not immune to that. And I think he responded in the best possible way and did his talking on the circuit and delivered a great performance.”

‘Horner hails ‘outstanding’ Perez’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-horner-outstanding-perez-ricciardo/


Perez sends Ricciardo Red Bull WARNING and hits out at 'COUCH' CRITICS
Monday 24 July 2023 10:42
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Sergio Perez has insisted that you cannot be a driver for Red Bull unless you are ‘mentally strong’, explaining the ‘pressure’ to which he is subjected to as a member of the team. The driver, who has been with Red Bull as Max Verstappen’s team-mate since 2021, has seen a dip in performance recently which has ignited rumours that he could be replaced in 2025 by Daniel Ricciardo.

“If you're not mentally strong, you can't be in Red Bull. Here you should not underestimate the level of pressure you are subjected to. Red Bull is a team in which if you have a bad session you already have five drivers in the spotlight. It is a constant pressure from the press.”

“In these three years, I have never seen this before on any other team. With Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes, the team you tell me, all their drivers have had difficult times, but nothing happens. It's not like in Red Bull, you have a bad time and you already have to leave the team.” He explained: “I’m calm because I'm doing my best. But, without a doubt, it is judged very differently for the Red Bull drivers. Public opinion will always be there and it's normal. I focus on my own.”

‘Red Bull WARNING’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000324/sergio-perez-max-verstappen-f1-mentally-strong-red-bull/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc ******* BIZARRE Ferrari ******* that won't go ****.
“One *** of four words ** not understood ** my engineer ******* there is problems **** our radio for ***** or four races.” ******* Leclerc.
Monday 24 July 2023 19:12
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Ferrari *** been dealing with a ********** problem for ******* races, according to Charles *******. The ********** revealed after the Hungarian **, where Ferrari **** seventh and eighth, **** there **** been radio issues that **** lingered for ****** at least three races.

** has made communication ****** the races extremely ***** for Leclerc in **********, who was **** penalised for ******** in the pitlane in ********. “The problem is **** we have **** a lot of ******** with the radio,” Leclerc ****, as per *****.net.

“We **** to fix that, and *********, my tone of voice is ***** high because I **** to make myself *****. But I just ****** to make sure **** they didn’t understand me ***** and that I ****** to go aggressive ***** and not ********** late. It *** just about clarifying ******* of our radio ******.”

‘Radio ******’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000483/leclerc-reveals-aggressive-ferrari-problem-that-wont-go-away/


Vasseur 1-to-1: Ferrari mistakes, drivers and ignoring the noise
26th July 2023, 08:00
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

“I trust the people of the team,” he says. “They were able to win races, they all have huge potential. We have to improve, because this is the life of the team, of any racing team in the world, go-kart or F1 team, you always want to do a better job tomorrow than today.”

“It’s more a matter for me of mentality, that if you can have this kind of approach, how I can do the best on every single topic of the company. To have this kind of mentality is crucial.” Ferrari’s hierarchy needs the patience to let that filter through Maranello as Vasseur intends. The team faces short-term problems but F1 only offers medium-to-long-term solutions.

Where the Fred Vasseur era might lead will only become known if he is given time – not to see his vision through to the end, because he’d just tell you this is something with no finish line, but certainly a lot longer than the seven months or so he’s had so far.

‘Ferrari mistakes’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/vasseur-1-to-1-ferrari-mistakes-drivers-and-ignoring-the-noise/


Ferrari boss breaks silence on Charles Leclerc tensions after public outburst
Tensions have continued to boil over between Charles Leclerc and Ferrari amid speculation about his future.
25 July 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

In Budapest, Leclerc voiced concerns about the team’s race tactics, requesting a strategy offset compared to his teammate Carlos Sainz. Padros responded, “We are discussing it at the end,” which seemed to irk Leclerc, prompting him to retort, “What do you mean at the end?”

Padros then reassured him, “We are on it.” However, Vasseur clarified that part of Leclerc’s annoyance was a result of a malfunctioning microphone, which hindered clear communication.

“We were not able to understand what he said because he had an issue with the microphone,” Vasseur explained to the media.

‘Public outburst’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-boss-breaks-silence-on-charles-leclerc-tensions-after-public-outburst/


Leclerc reveals hidden Ferrari issues behind radio attitude
25 July 11:39AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

A number of frantic-sounding radio messages were relayed between driver and pit wall during the 70-lap event at the Hungaroring which saw Leclerc finish seventh. His finishing position was affected by strategic indecision, a 9.4-second first pit stop and a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane at his second stop.

Responding to questions over his radio attitude, Leclerc told media including RacingNews365: "We had a lot of problems with the radio and one out of four words is not understood by the engineer, because there's just been problems with the radio for three or four races.”

Matters were made no easier by a lack of hydration for Leclerc on the hottest day of the weekend as an issue with his drinks system hit pre-race. Explaining the issue, the Monégasque said: "I had no water. Just before the start, I realised the tube was short, so I couldn't reach the water - it was really frustrating."

"I had no water”;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-reveals-hidden-ferrari-issues-behind-radio-attitude


Ferrari “made too many mistakes” in Hungary – Vasseur
Tuesday 25th July, 2023 - 4:00am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Fred Vasseur claims Ferrari “made too many mistakes” across the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend that contributed to another below-par performance by the team’s high standards. Conceding that finishing sixth and seventh was “not the results we were expecting coming to Budapest, Vasseur added: “I think it was largely compromised after the quali with P6 and P11.”

“First, we need time to understand what we did right and wrong because the format was different. It’s not so easy to analyse the perfect weekend, and you need to get all the results to be able to retro-engineer this. On our side, it’s more the fact we made too many mistakes from the beginning to the end, and it’s not just about the pitstop, or the pit entry, or the quali yesterday, or the management of the tyres and so on.”

“In the end, the potential was probably better than what we showed (in qualifying), and then, at least with Charles, we lost 20 seconds in the race. Every single Monday of my career you have to do the list, and you have a long list of mistakes. Sometimes you can see it, sometimes not, but the job of the team principal is to do the list with team members and to fix it.”

“Too many mistakes”;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/25/ferrari-hungarian-gp-2023-too-many-mistakes/


SAINZ: LECLERC GOT PREFERENTIAL PIT STOP TO ‘COMPENSATE’ FOR MISTAKE
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have had several moments of minor tension this year, the most recent being the miscommunication in qualifying at the British Grand Prix. But have tempers flared again in Hungary?
July 25, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

Carlos Sainz believes Charles Leclerc was allowed to undercut him during the Hungarian Grand Prix to make up for an earlier pit stop blunder

When the drivers started to make their final stops of the Grand Prix, the Monégasque was given the preferred pit stop over his teammate. Typically, the driver ahead of his teammate on the track will be given the first pit stop, which tends to be the preferred stop.

DAZN asked Sainz about this strategic call by Ferrari after the Grand Prix. The Spanish driver responded: “There’s not much to say. Charles [Leclerc] had a slow pit stop and then it’s clear that the team wanted to change the positions of the cars. Maybe it was to compensate, I don’t know. A shame.”

‘PREFERENTIAL PIT STOP’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sainz-leclerc-got-preferential-pit-stop-to-compensate-for-mistake/


Two F1 teams catch Martin Brundle’s eye for all the wrong reasons
25 Jul 2023 8:15 AM
Mark Scott
PlanetF1.com

Sky F1 analyst and pundit Martin Brundle singled out both Ferrari and Aston Martin at the Hungarian Grand Prix – but not exactly for the right reasons. At the Hungaroring, Ferrari finished 70 seconds behind runaway winner Max Verstappen in the dominant RB19 while Fernando Alonso, on the podium in five of the first seven races, was 75 seconds adrift. His team-mate Lance Stroll, in P9, was even lapped by Verstappen.

“Ferrari had an ultimately disappointing weekend in seventh and eighth and a minute behind the leader,” Brundle said. “Charles Leclerc suffered a five-second penalty for speeding in the pitlane by just 0.7kph which rather sums up their luck at the moment. He also had a poor pit stop which further dented his chances and once again his frustration over team radio was plain to hear.”

“Carlos Sainz started on soft compound tyres which he used to very good effect by gaining five places off the line but ultimately it would compromise his race. Ferrari were the fourth fastest car on race day and were out-qualified by two of their customer teams in Alfa Romeo and Haas. I can imagine their debriefs after Budapest and heading directly to Spa were somewhat tense…”

“Ferrari… …out-qualified by two of their customer teams in Alfa Romeo and Haas”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/two-f1-teams-martin-brundle-eye-wrong-reasons/

[Fortitude]

Disappointing Hungary Result ‘a Reality Check’ for Aston Martin – Mike Krack.
Mike Krack says it is important that the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team can push through their developments as they were only the fifth fastest team during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.
July 25, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Krack, the Team Principal at Aston Martin, says both Alonso and Stroll performed well during the Hungarian Grand Prix but did not have the pace nor performance needed to challenge higher up the order, something they need to address if they are to return to their early podium-challenging form.

“Getting two cars home inside the points was the maximum today,” said Krack. “It was a quiet and uneventful race, and the results were in pace order as we finished behind our direct competitors. “Both Lance and Fernando performed very well, but we are missing the performance to challenge higher up.”

“Lance did particularly well to finish just behind Fernando from his initial grid position. Today is a reality check. We need to keep our heads down, keep working hard, and push through the developments to get back to where we were in earlier in the season.”

‘Fifth fastest team’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/07/disappointing-hungary-result-a-reality-check-for-aston-martin-mike-krack/


Why Aston Martin’s ‘reality check’ admission is so significant
Jul 25 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

“At the end of the day, I don’t think it is a strategy thing that made us go in one or the other direction, the cars were in pace order on a track where we thought we would be more competitive and we’re not,” Krack told The Race.

“This is a reality check for us. We have slipped back, we have to be honest about it. Seventy seconds after 70 laps is not lying, there were no safety cars, no major incidents. We need to work hard to give our drivers a better car because they maximised what we could do.”

“You will remember that I always said we need to look at a couple of races, different track characteristics,” said Krack. “We have had these now and we realise that we’re not quick enough.”

‘Reality check’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-aston-martin-f1-reality-check-admission-is-so-significant/


Three Points ‘the Maximum’ at ‘Hot and Demanding’ Hungaroring – Fernando Alonso
July 25, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Fernando Alonso believes ninth and tenth in Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix was the best result possible for the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team. Alonso says the team will need to find a way to get back to fighting at the front of the pack after seeing them fall further behind the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team as the teams battle over second place in the Constructors’ Championship, while Ferrari and the resurgence McLaren F1 Team are also involved in the battle.

“I think three points for us was the maximum we could achieve [as a team] today,” said Alonso. “We had a bit of a lonely race with no threats behind, but we were unable to make significant ground up on our competitors ahead of us.”

“It was a hot and demanding race as well and we all had to manage the tyres throughout. There have been a lot of surprises in the last few race weekends, but we need to try our best to get back to fighting at the front of the pack. We will analyse everything and look to bounce back at Spa next week.”

‘Three Points Max’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/07/three-points-the-maximum-we-could-achieve-at-hot-and-demanding-hungaroring-fernando-alonso/


Alonso makes BLUNT Aston Martin demand as team fall behind
Tuesday 25 July 2023 09:27
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Fernando Alonso is not happy with the lack of development from Aston Martin after a string of disappointing results. Alonso was scoring podiums consistently at the start of the season. The 41-year-old wants to get back to that level and continue the team's push for a strong constructors' finish and is demanding the team do something about it.

"Sure, we have fallen in performance compared to the beginning of the season," Alonso said, as per Mundo Deportivo. "There is no doubt that we are suffering in these last few races, so we are working hard.”

“It is a moment to grit our teeth, to be focused, to try to understand everything that is happening in the car, the good things that we said at the beginning of the year that it is not there, what we have been able to improve to try to retain it...improve the car, in short"

‘BLUNT Aston Martin demand’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000506/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-f1-2023-blunt-advice-form-slump/


Aston Martin admits studying latest Red Bull photos
26th July 2023, 08:22
Grandpx.news

Aston Martin does not deny taking another "good look" at detailed photos of the underside of Red Bull's dominant 2023 car. With photos of Sergio Perez's car as it was lifted by a crane in Monaco revealing the floor to be highly intricate. And teams got another good look at Perez's car once again last weekend in Hungary.

When asked if Aston Martin is reviewing those photos, technical boss Tom McCullough told Mundo Deportivo: "We always look at any photo as you try to understand how to develop. For this year or next year? It's an evolution.”

“What we do this year we will use for next year, and for elements like the floor we have more evolutions on the way for this year, just as other teams will. So, to answer your question”, McCullough added, “you always take a good look as we continue to bring updates to the car to improve performance this year.”

“It's an evolution”;

https://grandpx.news/aston-martin-admits-studying-latest-red-bull-photos/

[Fortitude]

Spa’s latest tragedy puts safety in the spotlight: Five Belgian GP talking points.
This weekend will have a different feel for several reasons. Tragedy struck at the circuit less than a month ago, as a crash claimed the life of young single-seater racer Dilano van ‘t Hoff, posing fresh questions over the dangers involved in racing at the historic track, especially in poor weather conditions.
26th July 2023, 7:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Safety concerns over Spa and rain visibility: Formula 1 heads to Spa-Francorchamps this year with the mood likely to be much more serious and sombre than usual. Earlier this month a crash claimed the life of Formula Regional European Championship racer Dilano van ‘t Hoff, just a few hundred metres beyond the section of track where F2 driver Anthoine Hubert suffered a fatal crash four years earlier.

First Spa sprint race: This weekend in Spa, teams will get even less time to prepare their cars. For the third time in the opening 12 rounds of the season, teams will face a sprint weekend – the first to be held at the iconic Spa circuit.
Will Ferrari find form? …they appear to have been overtaken in the development race by both Mercedes and McLaren, who have shot up to become the closest challengers to Red Bull at each of the last two rounds in Britain and Hungary.

Alpine decline: Alpine were full of optimism heading into 2023. However, at the mid-point of the season, the team have faced a reality check as while their rivals are now competing for podiums, Alpine appear to have fallen into a mid-season slump.
Sargeant seeking first point: With Nyck de Vries being jettisoned from his AlphaTauri in favour of Daniel Ricciardo, Logan Sargeant remains the last rookie on the grid yet to score a championship point.

‘Five Belgian GP talking points’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/26/wet-weather-puts-safety-in-spotlight-at-spa-five-belgian-gp-talking-points/


Nico Rosberg makes big prediction ahead of Belgian Grand Prix
26 Jul 2023 9:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

If Red Bull are expecting a smooth ride to ending part one of the F1 2023 season undefeated, then 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg warns they should be wary of McLaren and Ferrari.

Put to him on the Sky F1 podcast that it is hard to look past another dominant Red Bull win in Belgium, Rosberg replied: “Yeah, probably. But at the same time, there can be surprises in Belgium, we’ve always seen that there can be real surprises. “And probably the team that has a chance to surprise will be McLaren, maybe someone like Ferrari in qualifying.”

‘Big prediction’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-rosberg-big-prediction-belgium/


McLaren wary of Spa challenge amid improved pace
Wednesday 26th July, 2023 - 4:07pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

McLaren heads to this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at the famed Spa-Francorchamps circuit wary of its chances despite three promising performances on the trot. That included a second podium in as many races for Lando Norris in Hungary last weekend in a performance confirming McLaren’s place towards the front of the grid.

Andrea Stella Team Principal of McLaren F1 Team: “Even if Spa is normally mentioned as one of the high-speed tracks, and so in reality, the highest speed corner, which is corner 10 is flat in qualifying. And there’s a lot of lap time in corner one (La Source) which is 80 kph in corner eight (Rivage), which is 100, and in the last chicane, which is 90 kph. I don’t want to repeat myself, but I go with some care because in these three corners, at the moment, we see that we lose time.”

“So in addition to the outright performance, it will be important how rapidly you adapt your car to the demand of the track,” Stella noted. “Spa is also a very demanding track in terms of understanding, for instance, you’re ride heights. Because, for example, in Eau Rouge, you can’t run too low because otherwise you would have problems under the car. How rapidly you can set up your car can make a difference for the entire week’s performance.”

‘McLaren wary’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/26/mclaren-wary-of-spa-challenge-amid-improved-pace/


Unpredictable Spa could pose threat to Red Bull’s latest record attempt
26 Jul 2023 7:30 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

The last race before F1’s mandatory summer break looks nailed on for another Red Bull win unless the weather gods interfere… Red Bull head to Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium this weekend having set a new F1 record in Hungary by claiming their 12th Grand Prix victory in a row – albeit taking in the last race of 2022 into that unbeaten run.

They can set another all-time record this Sunday, if they win again, that of consecutive race wins in a single season. But, as is customary at Spa, the weather may have a big role to play over the course of the Belgian Grand Prix.

The predictable thing about a Spa weekend is the unpredictability of the weather, even in the earlier date slot the Belgian Grand Prix has been given this year, but the weather forecast does suggest rain showers are likely to disrupt the track action on all three days – rain is forecast during Friday’s qualifying, light showers during the Sprint, and similarly light rain at the start of the Grand Prix.

‘Predictable thing about a Spa weekend is the unpredictability of the weather’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/2023-belgian-grand-prix-preview/


Verstappen prepared for 'chaotic' Belgian GP Sprint
25 July 6:55PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

RacingNews365 takes a look at the potential headlines ahead of the sprint weekend at the 2023 F1 Belgian Grand Prix. Now is time for something a little bit different in Formula 1: the Belgian Grand Prix taking place before the summer break.

Traditionally, the trek to the middle of the Ardennes Forest has welcomed F1 back from the summer holidays, but in 2023, the race sends F1 on them. The Dutch Grand Prix has taken the end of August slot, with Spa now moving forward to round out the first-half of the campaign - which up until this point has been dominated by Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

To make matters worse for the chasing pack, Spa in 2022 was where the brilliance of Red Bull was unleashed. The 2022 Belgian Grand Prix was a tour de force from Verstappen who crushed the field in the RB18 on a weekend of unrivalled dominance. Quickest in Qualifying, he actually started 14th thanks to engine penalties, but by Lap 18 (including his pit-stop) was leading for good.

‘What to expect’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-to-expect-from-the-2023-f1-belgian-grand-prix


Spa boost for Mercedes as Toto Wolff reveals upgrade plan
26 Jul 2023 4:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed that the next stage of the W14 upgrade plan arrives at the Belgian Grand Prix as the team look to bounce back from the missed opportunities of Hungary. “Hungary was a weekend of highs and lows,” said Wolff. “Our pace was strong on Saturday and Sunday, but we didn’t maximise that across the weekend.”

“Lewis produced a brilliant lap to take pole position. However, on Sunday, we were too conservative with some of our decisions and ultimately missed out on a podium. George meanwhile was compromised in qualifying but drove a strong race from P18 to take P6.”

“We also encountered cooling limitations across both cars; we likely had the second-fastest car, but we must execute better if we are to deliver our full potential. Nevertheless, we scored good points with both drivers, and consolidated our P2 Championship position.”

‘Toto Wolff reveals Mercedes upgrade plan’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-spa-upgrades-mercedes/


Esteban Ocon: “We hope to bounce back quickly” in Belgium after consecutive double-retirements
July 26, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

BWT Alpine F1 Team’s Esteban Ocon discussed the disappointment of suffering a second consecutive double-retirement at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with him and team-mate Pierre Gasly getting caught up in a first lap incident which resulted in significant damage to both cars.

Esteban Ocon: “It was very frustrating for the entire team to have a double retirement on Sunday, especially in such circumstances so early into the race. There wasn’t much Pierre or I could do and we have no choice but to move on and focus on this weekend where we hope to bounce back quickly.”

Pierre Gasly: “Despite the significant impact of the crash on Sunday, I am feeling OK physically and very motivated to race in Belgium. Given this weekend’s Sprint format, we have the chance to take points on both Saturday and Sunday, so we will be doing all we can to maximise our opportunities.”

‘Hope to bounce back’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/07/esteban-ocon-we-hope-to-bounce-back-quickly-in-belgium-after-consecutive-double-retirements/

[Fortitude]

Danger at Spa circuit at F1 Belgian Grand Prix? “Worst emotion of my life” | “We see nothing, not exaggerating”.
“There are some changes which would make a difference,” said Charles Leclerc, who won his first F1 grand prix the day after Hubert’s death in 2019 and dedicated the moment to him.
27 Jul 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

“The walls after the straights, after Eau Rouge, we should have more space. If you lose control you bounce on the walls - this is a change to consider. The two biggest problems? Visibility. It is difficult to put into words what we see.”

“We see nothing, we are not exaggerating, when it is raining. This is a big problem for motorsport in general. Single-seaters have a lot of downforce, there is a lot of spray, and a lot of incidents. It is difficult to find a solution.”

“We see nothing, not exaggerating”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032129/1/danger-spa-worst-emotion-my-life-we-see-nothing-not-exaggerating


Drivers react as heavy rain threatens FP1 cancellation at Belgian GP
27 Jul 2023 4:08 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Heavy rain is forecast for Friday’s running at the Belgian GP, and with only one practice session available, this could pose a big problem for the teams and drivers. With the Belgian GP being a sprint weekend, the usual three hours of practice are knocked down to one before the cars go into parc fermé conditions for qualifying.

This makes the time to fine-tune car setup already much smaller than usual for the teams, but the possibility of that being removed altogether in heavy rain at the already fearsome Spa-Francorchamps has raised a few eyebrows among the drivers as they spoke ahead of the weekend.

Alfa Romeo driver and Hamilton’s former Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas added: “Similar thinking from my side. I think we rely obviously a lot on the FIA, and decisions being made, whether it’s about conditions and stuff.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez concluded: “It’s just important to to consider it, especially with the race conditions. Visibility can be really poor, so we are in the hands of our race director, nothing we can do now. So we just fully trust him.”

‘Heavy rain threatens FP1 cancellation’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/drivers-react-belgian-gp-rain-threat/


F1 stars voice concerns over safety at Belgian Grand Prix following recent tragedies
Thursday 27 Jul 2023 4:26 pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

A number of Formula One drivers have admitted they are concerned for their safety ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. In recent years there have been increasing worries about its safety, particularly at the famous Eau Rouge/Raidillon corners where they have been two fatal crashes in the past four years.

“I’m someone that is emotional,” Pierre Gasly, Alpine driver and a close friend of Hubert, said on Thursday. “I think I link places with emotions, and I’ve had the worst emotions of my life here. But at the same time, it’s one of my favourite tracks, so it’s very contradictory.”

Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have both called for the race to be cancelled should conditions severely affect visibility, with the latter saying: ‘We should be disciplined with safety. It is the No.1 priority. If it’s not safe to run, we must find solutions with a Safety Car.

‘F1 stars voice concerns over safety’;

https://metro.co.uk/2023/07/27/f1-stars-voice-concerns-over-belgian-gp-safety-following-recent-tragedies-19204330/?ito=newsnow-feed


Leclerc proposes safety changes ahead of latest Spa weekend
Friday 28th July, 2023 - 12:54am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Just four weeks ago, however, and in atrocious conditions, 18-year-old Dilano van ‘t Hoff was killed following a multi-car collision at the exit of Raidillon leading onto the Kemmel Straight in a Formula Regional European Championship race.

The latest incident has led to additional question marks over the ongoing safety of Spa-Francorchamps, especially in bad weather, as is expected across the forthcoming weekend. “There are some changes that could make a difference,” said Leclerc.

Leclerc has also called on FIA race control and F1 to make the right calls should it find itself in a similar position as was the case in 2021 when it appeared pressure was being applied to get a race underway despite shocking conditions. The culmination was four laps behind the safety car before the ‘race’ was abandoned, which ensured points could be awarded. Leclerc feels there should not be a repeat.

‘Safety changes’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/28/charles-leclerc-spa-belgian-gp-safety-changes/


Ferrari announce personnel change ahead of Belgian GP
27 July 1:12PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Ahead of the final race before the summer break, the Scuderia announced Mekies immediate departure, with his replacement named as new Sporting Director Diego Ioverno. "Laurent Mekies’ time at Scuderia Ferrari comes to an end this week," a statement read.

"The Racing Director will not be in Belgium and he leaves the Prancing Horse after four and a half seasons, during which time the team took seven wins. The entire team thanks him for his great contribution during those years.”

‘Ferrari announce personnel change’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-announce-personnel-change-ahead-of-belgian-gp


Mercedes' latest upgrade featuring reshaped sidepods breaks cover at F1 Belgian GP
27 Jul 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes’ latest F1 upgrade - featuring reshaped sidepods - has broken cover ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix. Amid their ongoing push to close the gap to runaway championship leaders Red Bull, Mercedes have brought new updates to their revised W14 car for the final race before the F1 summer shutdown.

Images of a new sidepod inlet design were captured as the car was put together in the garage on Thursday in the Spa-Francorchamps paddock. This marks a significant update to Mercedes’ sidepod philosophy, which was changed altogether as part of a much bigger upgrade package introduced earlier this year in Monaco.

‘Reshaped sidepods’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032137/1/first-look-reshaped-mercedes-sidepods-break-cover-belgian-gp

[Fortitude]

F1 drivers want ‘bold’ calls to delay/cancel Belgian GP sessions.
The risk of the Spa circuit in the wet means Formula 1 drivers want the FIA to be willing to take “bold” decisions about delaying or cancelling sessions at the Belgian Grand Prix.
28th July 2023, 09:31
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

No track changes have been made prior to the Eau Rouge/Raidillon complex for the Belgian GP weekend with Grand Prix Drivers Association director George Russell claiming there is agreement among the drivers that the track layout itself should be retained.

However, with a wet weekend likely and any track running on Friday already guaranteed to begin in wet conditions, Russell is one of several drivers to have stressed that all parties should be OK with the FIA being cautious and delaying or cancelling sessions. “To have a race cancelled is not perfect but we don’t want another huge incident as we’ve just seen,” Russell said.

The Mercedes driver added: “Fortunately the weather looks better for Sunday and we’ll be going ahead. But following recent events I think the FIA have to be bold with their decisions when it comes to safety, when it comes to visibility. We know what the situation was two years ago [in 2021]. We don’t want it to be strung out as it was then. But we’re going to need some bold decisions.”

‘F1 drivers want ‘bold’ calls’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-drivers-want-bold-calls-to-delay-cancel-belgian-gp-sessions/


George Russell calls for Belgian Grand Prix to be cancelled if rain makes the track unsafe following the recent death of Dilano van 't Hoff, 18, at Spa
• Drivers concerned about visibility in blinding spray with more rain forecast
• Dutch driver Dilano Van 'T Hoff died following a crash at Spa earlier this month
• The tragedy followed Anthoine Hubert's fatal accident in F2 four years ago
Updated: 23:00, 27 July 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy
Daily Mail

George Russell has raised the prospect of Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix being called off owing to bad weather. Sensitivities here are heightened by the death at Spa four weeks ago of 18-year-old Dutch driver Dilano van 't Hoff in a Formula Regional European Championship race. The tragedy followed Anthoine Hubert's fatal accident in F2 four years ago.

Mercedes' Russell said: 'We don't want to see another huge incident like the one we have just had. We want to race, everybody wants to race, but when you go down that straight at over 200mph and you can't see 50 metres in front of you, there will be incidents, so the FIA have got a big responsibility this weekend.'

Forecasts suggest the rain may ease on Sunday, though the weather in the Ardennes is highly unpredictable.

‘Sensitivities here are heightened by the death at Spa four weeks ago of 18-year-old Dutch driver Dilano van 't Hoff’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12346223/George-Russell-calls-Belgian-Grand-Prix-cancelled-rain-makes-track-unsafe-following-recent-death-Dilano-van-t-Hoff-18-Spa.html


Spectre of cancellation hangs over Spa GP
28th July 2023, 08:14
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

The big buzzwords in the Spa-Francorchamps paddock as the Belgian GP weekend kicked off were rain and cancellation. “If it’s cancelled, it’s cancelled, and we’ll deal with it,” said Haas driver Kevin Magnussen.

Valtteri Bottas added: “Obviously visibility is the big one here if it’s raining, but that’s when someone else needs to control the drivers. Can they start the race or not?” And Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc said: “Safety comes first, and us drivers shouldn’t complain if we don’t get any laps if it is not safe to do so, with everything that has happened.”

Nico Hulkenberg says the drivers also have a responsibility this weekend to communicate directly with race director Niels Wittich on the radio. “He hears our comments,” said the Haas driver. “If 50 percent of us are saying it’s too dangerous, he’ll respect that. He knows we’re the best judges.”

“If it’s cancelled, it’s cancelled”;

https://grandpx.news/spectre-of-cancellation-hangs-over-spa-gp/


Glimmer of hope for Max Verstappen’s rivals with driver set to be penalised
28 Jul 2023 7:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen’s rivals have been given a look in the door ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, not because of their own gains but rather a five-place grid penalty that is said to await the runaway championship leader.

According to reports in the Dutch media, De Telegraaf’s Erik van Haren claims Verstappen will be collecting his first grid penalty of this season for changing parts as he moves on to his fifth gearbox. That means even if he clinches pole position in Friday evening’s qualifying, he will line up P6 for Sunday’s 44-lap Belgian Grand Prix.

Speaking to AD.nl prior to the Spa weekend, the Dutchman said: “We have a fast car when it is dry and when it rains. It will be wet this weekend, but I am looking forward to it. It’s a great track and it would be great if I could win here again.”

‘Penalty of this season for changing parts as he moves on to his fifth gearbox’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappens-gearbox-penalty-rumours-spa/


Ban on tyre blankets would make Formula 1 “look so stupid” – Verstappen
28th July 2023, 7:15
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Max Verstappen has warned Formula 1 risks making itself look “stupid” if it goes ahead with plans to ban the use of tyre warmers. F1 is keen to ban the use of tyre warmers to reduce freight and lower its energy consumption, as part of its goal to become a net zero emitter of carbon by 2030. It has observed how the paddock’s energy use spikes at points in the race weekend when teams heat large numbers of tyres.

However several drivers including Verstappen have questioned the need to ban tyre warmers and warned doing so could lead to an increase in crashes when drivers leave the pits on cold rubber. “I don’t think we should head in that direction because it is extremely difficult,” he told media including RaceFans. “People probably don’t know how difficult it is to drive a car with 1,000 horsepower out of the pits already. Especially when the track is also a bit slippery. It is not necessary. We already have [them], I don’t think it actually generates [consumes] a lot of energy, these kind of tyre blankets.”

Verstappen said the F1 paddock’s air conditioning requirements consume more energy than tyre heaters do. He also believes the compromises needed to make F1 tyres work without blankets will worsen the quality of racing.

‘F1 paddock’s air conditioning requirements consume more energy than tyre heaters do’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/28/ban-on-tyre-blankets-will-make-formula-1-look-so-stupid-verstappen/


Apologetic Norris promises to be “more careful” after breaking Verstappen’s trophy
2023 Belgian Grand Prix
Posted on 27th July 2023, 20:45
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Lando Norris says he be “a lot more careful” on the podium in future after accidentally breaking the race winner’s trophy last weekend in Hungary. The McLaren driver is known for celebrating by ‘spiking’ his champagne bottle in celebration on the podium. This involves slamming the bottle down on its base to eject a stream of liquid into the air.

“First of all, I do want to apologise for it,” Norris said ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. “I obviously had no intention of ever doing such a thing. And I know how much it means to the Hungarians and part of their culture and so forth. Of course I want to enjoy the time, but it was never my intention to do such a thing.”

The trophy manufacturers, Herendi Porcelanmanufaktura, are reportedly producing a replacement for Red Bull, who will take possession of the trophy instead of Verstappen. “We get a new one anyway so it’s alright,” said the championship leader.

‘Apologetic Lando Norris’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/27/apologetic-norris-promises-to-be-more-careful-after-breaking-verstappens-trophy/

[Fortitude]

Sainz quickest, Sargeant crashes, Verstappen sets no time in wet practice.
Carlos Sainz Jnr set the fastest time in the practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix in a heavily wet hour of running.
2023 Belgian Grand Prix first practice
Posted on 28th July 2023, 13:47 | Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

The Ferrari driver posted the quickest lap of a 2’03.207 on full wet tyres as only 15 drivers completed timed laps – championship leader Max Verstappen being one of five drivers who did not set a time. Logan Sargeant crashed his Williams midway through the session, bringing out the red flags.

The anticipated rain arrived well before the start of the sole practice session for the weekend, leaving the track soaked by the time the green light appeared at the end of the pit lane to begin the hour. Alexander Albon was the first driver to take to the soggy circuit on intermediate tyres, but he was soon joined by Lewis Hamilton who played it safer with full wet tyres.

There were no improvements in the latter stages of the session, with only a handful of cars heading out in the final minutes to conduct practice starts. That left Sainz on top of the times, half a second quicker than Piastri and Norris in third. Charles Leclerc was fourth fastest in the second Ferrari, with Perez fifth in the Red Bull. Albon was sixth for Williams with Yuki Tsunoda seventh, Kevin Magnussen eighth, Daniel Ricciardo ninth and Nico Hulkenberg completing the top 10.

‘Sainz quickest’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/28/sainz-quickest-sargeant-crashes-verstappen-sets-no-time-in-wet-practice/


(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
28th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -2:03.207
2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.585
3. Lando Norris McLaren +1.277
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +4.941
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +5.033
6. Alex Albon Williams Racing +5.187
7. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +5.860
8. Kevin Magnussen Haas +6.022
9. Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri +6.112
10. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +6.835

‘Belgian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the only practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2023-belgian-grand-prix-82819


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Belgian Grand Prix
28 July 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-belgium-2023.5kgndY6MGvkR08Vna5ODE1.html


Qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix is at risk of being postponed, after heavy rain badly affected the morning practice session at Spa
• Friday's qualifying session could be delayed due to heavy rain in Belgium
• The morning practice session was difficult for drivers due to the torrential rain
• More rain is predicted on Saturday which may further disrupt the weekend
Updated: 14:13, 28 July 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy
Mailonine

Qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, due to be held on Friday afternoon at 4pm BST, is in doubt with the Spa-Francorchamps circuit soaked by rain. An increasingly grey sky developed during practice, in which Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz set the fastest time, as persistent downfall intensified.

No driver completed more than eight laps during the hour-long session, with Williams’ Logan Sargeant and Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu hitting the barriers at the end of the Kemmel Straight.

The weather in the Ardennes is notoriously capricious, but the bad weather seemed well set. The FIA reacted to the conditions by confirming that they would prioritise qualifying for Sunday’s grand prix over Saturday’s sprint shootout and race if required.

‘Qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix is at risk of being postponed’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12348869/Qualifying-Belgian-Grand-Prix-risk-postponed-heavy-rain-badly-affected-morning-practice-session.html


Sergio Perez may be gifted Belgian GP pole with weather set to cause chaos
Sergio Perez may secure pole position without setting a lap time with qualifying under threat from the weather.
13:12, Fri, Jul 28, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Sergio Perez could be gifted pole position for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix if qualifying is cancelled due to heavy rain. The FIA has confirmed the grid would be determined based on championship order if rain forces officials to not run the session. This would put Perez on pole with Max Verstappen handed a five-place grid drop for using too many gearbox parts.

Fernando Alonso would start on the front row followed by the Mercedes pair of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. According to AccuWeather, thunderstorms are predicted for most of the afternoon. There is a yellow weather warning in place for rain on Friday afternoon and much of Saturday. The Met Office reports that there is a 40 percent chance of rain for the rest of the day.

The FIA have told teams that FP1 would not be used to determine the grid with the one-hour practice considered not a competitive session. The FIA has confirmed the priority is to run qualifying for the Grand Prix and could move to cancel other sessions if needed.

‘Weather set to cause chaos’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1796254/sergio-perez-belgian-grand-prix-weather

[Fortitude]

Charles Leclerc takes Belgian Grand Prix pole as Max Verstappen slapped with F1 penalty.
Max Verstappen knew his best Belgian Grand Prix starting position would be sixth, having taken an extra gearbox which came with a five-place grid penalty for the championship leader.
17:17, 28 Jul 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Charles Leclerc will start the Belgian Grand Prix on pole position with Max Verstappen down in sixth thanks to a grid penalty. The Dutchman was quickest overall with a storming lap in Q3. But he drops five places on the grid for Sunday's main race after taking an extra gearbox for this weekend, exceeding his allowance for the season.

Leclerc was second quickest to secure only his second pole of the season. And Sergio Perez will join the Monegasque on the front row of the grid, exorcising his qualifying demons to pip Lewis Hamilton, meaning the Brit will start third.

Verstappen very nearly didn't survive Q2 without a hitch. He was only 10th fastest in that middle part of the session, and duly responded to almost going out of the session with a rant over the radio at his Red Bull team.

‘Charles Leclerc will start the Belgian Grand Prix on pole position’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-belgian-gp-qualifying-hamilton-30578061


Qualifying Results – 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
28th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:46.168
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.820
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.877
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.919
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.984
6. Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.197
7. Lando Norris McLaren +1.501
8. George Russell Mercedes +1.637
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.675
10. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +2.673

‘Belgian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for Sunday’s 2023 F1 World Championship race around Spa-Francorchamps’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-belgian-grand-prix-82832


Starting grid for F1 Belgian Grand Prix: How the race will begin
28 Jul 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Here’s the starting grid for Sunday’s F1 Belgian Grand Prix. Is Red Bull’s winning streak set to end?
1. Charles Leclerc
2. Sergio Perez
3. Lewis Hamilton
4. Carlos Sainz
5. Oscar Piastri
6. Max Verstappen
7. Lando Norris
8. George Russell
9. Fernando Alonso
10. Lance Stroll

‘Starting grid’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032275/1/starting-grid-f1-belgian-grand-prix-how-race-will-begin


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix
28 July 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-belgium-2023.7HduCzQFIB3fEXwEuAarC2.html


How qualifying for the 2023 F1 Belgian Grand Prix unfolded
28th July 2023, 16:23
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘How qualifying unfolded’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/how-qualifying-2023-f1-belgian-grand-prix-unfolded


Lewis Hamilton 'under investigation' after George Russell near-miss at Belgian GP
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are set to be investigated after an incident at the Belgian Grand Prix.
17:00, Fri, Jul 28, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton will be investigated by the FIA after a near-miss with George Russell in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix. Hamilton ran wide on the exit of Eau Rouge and appeared to rejoin the circuit just in front of his team-mate.

Race stewards quickly noted the incident but soon confirmed they would be holding a full investigation. Towards the end of Q2, race control confirmed the turn four incident involving Hamilton and Russell would be investigated after the session.

Onboard footage from Russell’s car shows the ex-Williams star was forced to ease off the throttle to avoid a collision. Hamilton qualified P4 on Friday evening with Russell only quick enough for eighth.

'Under investigation';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1796382/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-george-russell-investigation-fia


Ricciardo suffers NIGHTMARE qualifying session at the Belgian Grand Prix
Friday 28 July 2023 17:40
Dan Ripley
GPFans

Daniel Ricciardo endured a miserable qualifying session in just his second qualifying session back in Formula 1 after being dumped out in the first session at the Belgian Grand Prix. On a wet track, the times tumbled as the track gradually dried during Q1 at Spa, and the Australian looked to have secured a sixth spot to move into Q2.

However, the Australian had his lap time deleted after running slightly wide off track after Eau Rouge at the top of the hill into Radillon meaning he will start Sunday's race on the back row in 19th alongside the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg.

‘NIGHTMARE qualifying session’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000726/daniel-ricciardo-belgian-grand-prix-qualifying-out-q1-alphatauri/


McLaren ban Nico Rosberg from Belgian Grand Prix garage after Lewis Hamilton incident
Rosberg is often on duty at F1 race weekends in his role as a pundit for broadcasters including Sky Sports, and has been noted for being an apparent 'curse' for some teams
16:37, 28 Jul 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

McLaren erected a sign banning Nico Rosberg from taking selfies outside their garage in a tongue-in-cheek joke at the Belgian Grand Prix. The German is a welcome face in the Formula 1 paddock as the sport's 2016 champion. And he is often in attendance at races given his role as a pundit for Sky Sports.

But his presence is only welcome in certain circumstances it seems. His punditry is encouraged, but selfies in front of the team garages appear to be off limits these days. That's certainly the case at McLaren. The Woking-based team is taking the 'Rosberg curse' seriously after Lewis Hamilton became its latest victim last weekend in Hungary.

The 'curse' has become a talking point on social media. Fans have noticed that snaps posted by Rosberg on his own channels of himself in front of a specific team's garage is often followed by on-track misfortune for that team. It happened twice in Budapest last weekend. Before qualifying, the German snapped himself in front of Max Verstappen's car – only for the Dutchman to then miss out on pole position for the first time in two months.

'Rosberg curse';

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/belgian-gp-mclaren-rosberg-norris-30578246

[Fortitude]

Verstappen 'exploded' after 'married couple' argument – Marko.
"It was like an old married couple," joked Marko. "They argued for a while about when to go. But now everything is all right again.”
28 July 9:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko hailed Max Verstappen's Belgian Grand Prix qualifying 'explosion' after the F1 championship leader obliterated the field. The Dutchman finished eight-tenths faster than nearest challenger Charles Leclerc on a drying track at Spa-Francorchamps.

But Verstappen will provisionally start Sunday's Grand Prix sixth on the grid having taken a new gearbox for the event, promoting the Ferrari driver to pole. "We didn't have a flawless Q2, it was close. But in Q3 Max 'exploded', which was an incredible demonstration. We actually expected that a little bit," Marko told Sky Sports DE.

"I think he was the best in all three sectors. He had one mistake in turn nine and his first corner was not optimal once as well. But he registers that and Max only makes those mistakes once. When the pressure is on, he delivers."

‘Delivers’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-exploded-after-married-couple-argument-marko


'It was super-tricky' – Sergio Perez reflects on rain-affected Belgian GP qualifying
28 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez admits "Q3 was very tricky" but the Red Bull driver will start the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix from the front row alongside Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

‘Super-tricky';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.it-was-super-tricky-sergio-perez-reflects-on-rain-affected-belgian-gp-qualifying.1772684382467710281.html


Winners and losers from the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix qualifying
28 Jul 2023 8:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen claimed his eighth pole position of the F1 2023 season in Friday’s Belgian Grand Prix qualifying session at Spa. The Red Bull driver’s lap for pole was a massive eight tenths faster than Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari – but Verstappen will start Sunday’s race from sixth after incurring a five-place grid penalty for exceeding his gearbox allocation.

Think that will stop him? Think again. Here are the main winners and losers from Spa qualifying… And so another qualifying session ends with Verstappen and Red Bull on top, yet this time it wasn’t quite so comfortable as the final timesheet made it look.

In fact, at one stage – the dying moments of Q2 – it was positively uncomfortable as Verstappen only just held on to his Q3 place in 10th spot, resulting in the mother of all team radio rants directed at race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

‘Winners and losers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/winners-losers-2023-belgian-grand-prix-qualifying/


Ricciardo made error behind Q1 exit while ‘trying to take Eau Rouge full throttle’
2023 Belgian Grand Prix
Posted on 28th July 2023, 20:13
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Daniel Ricciardo admitted he made the mistake which led to his elimination in the first round of qualifying while trying to take one of spa’s most notorious corners flat-out in wet conditions. The AlphaTauri driver, in his second race since returning to Formula 1, qualified on the back row of the grid after his final flying lap in Q1 was deleted because he put all four wheels off the track at the exit of Raidillon.

“Basically I tried to take Eau Rouge full [throttle],” Ricciardo explained afterwards. “I entered full and I felt the car start to move and so I had a little lift and it just put me a bit off-line. Then I was kind of on the wetter part of the track and I couldn’t really do much more. I kind of just had to let the car and go. I tried to save it but…

“It’s frustrating, obviously,” he said. “On one hand, this is quali, you’ve obviously got to try. My intentions were good to try and take it full, I thought it could have been done. But a little error then put us out.”

“Basically I tried to take Eau Rouge full [throttle]”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/28/ricciardo-made-error-behind-q1-exit-while-trying-to-take-eau-rouge-full-throttle/


How Lando Norris self-sabotaged his Belgian GP
Lando Norris went off at Stavelot during Q1 at the Belgian GP.
28 July 2023
by Nick Golding

Norris was relieved to have made it into the top 10 given his off in Q1. “I went off in Q1 and completely destroyed the floor, so I’m happy to have made it to Q3 and only be a couple of tenths off what Oscar did,” Norris told Sky Sports F1.

“I think he did a good job. His middle sector was very strong. We were very poor in the straights. There’s wins and losses, but I’m happy. It could have been a lot worse, I could have been out in Q1, so I’ll take P7.”

Norris was then asked just how much of his floor he damaged, to which he revealed that the entire thing had sustained damage. “The whole thing. Normally, you can repair it [under parc ferme rules],” Norris revealed.

‘Self-sabotaged’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/how-lando-norris-self-sabotaged-his-belgian-gp/


Ted Kravitz offers ‘only explanation’ for baffling Alpine timing on management sackings
28 Jul 2023 8:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse

Sky F1 pit-lane reporter Ted Kravitz cannot fathom why Alpine chose to announce the exits of Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane during the Belgian GP weekend, unless they actually did want maximum attention.

Kravitz suggested the folk at Alpine were very much trying to keep a low profile with the media in Belgium, which then made him question why they would break the news in the middle of a race weekend if they did not want the attention.

The only explanation he could think of then is that parent brand Renault did want to generate attention and “make the biggest splash possible” as they set about trying to reroute the ship after what has been a very disappointing F1 2023 campaign so far for Alpine.

‘Only explanation’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kravitz-alpine-management-sackings/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc dismisses all hope of Belgian GP win despite pole.
Asked as to his chances of victory, Leclerc replied: “Not confident, especially with the two Red Bull guys right behind. They’ve got a much better race car than we have.
Saturday 29th July, 2023 - 10:02am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Charles Leclerc is refusing to target a repeat of his 2019 Belgian Grand Prix victory despite starting from pole position. Leclerc will lead away the field for Sunday’s race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit after securing top spot on the grid thanks to Max Verstappen being hit with a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change beyond the permitted allocation for the season.

“It’s great to be starting first, and it gives us a good chance to have a great result, but to say we will target the win is probably a bit too optimistic. If there’s an opportunity for whatever reason, as always, I’ll try and get it, but I believe it’s going to be difficult to keep these guys behind.”

Leclerc concedes he has struggled in the past with such a changeover, so has been forced to adapt. “I’ve put quite a lot of work in for those conditions – half-wet, half-dry,” said Leclerc. “It’s one of those conditions where I have struggled with the car, but I felt much better, so this was positive, but still very far from Max, in Q3 especially.”

‘Leclerc dismisses all hope of Belgian GP win’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/29/charles-leclerc-ferrari-belgian-gp-win-no-hope/


Perez's Leclerc regret in Belgian GP qualifying
28 July 10:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull's Sergio Perez felt he should have been able to out-qualify Charles Leclerc at the Belgian Grand Prix and inherit pole position.

Although Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying, he will drop to sixth on the grid by virtue of a gearbox penalty and allowing second and third fastest Leclerc and Perez to shuffle forward onto the front row.

Ferrari driver Leclerc pipped Perez by 0.057secs to take pole for Sunday's race but the Mexican - who secured his best grid spot since pole in Miami - felt he should have done better.

‘Perez's Leclerc regret’;

https://racingnews365.com/perezs-leclerc-regret-in-belgian-gp-qualifying


For once, Verstappen’s rivals may be closer in the race than qualifying
2023 Belgian Grand Prix Friday practice analysis
Posted on 28th July 2023, 23:53
Written by Will Wood

Verstappen may not be on pole or even in the top five positions when the grand prix begins, but just one day into the weekend, it feels like the soon-to-be three-times world champion will be especially tough to beat around Spa once more.

Just like in 2022, Verstappen’s penalty was not a matter of necessity, but a strategic decision. With its high average lap speed, multiple long straights and flowing, sustained corners that emphasise the exceptional efficiency of the RB19’s aerodynamics, Red Bull know this is perhaps the best circuit for Verstappen to take the hit of a gearbox penalty. Especially when it’s only five places.

“I think it’s still the best place to do it,” Verstappen said after qualifying. “I think Sunday looks more and more dry. So that’s why we still went for it, basically.”

‘Verstappen’s rivals may be closer in the race’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/28/for-once-verstappens-rivals-may-be-closer-in-the-race-than-qualifying/


Winners and Losers from 2023 F1 Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying
28 July 10:54PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Winner - Charles Leclerc: Perhaps, this result was always destined for Leclerc. The only time he has been on the front-row this year was in Azerbaijan and Austria - both Sprint weekends. And what is Belgium?
Loser - Daniel Ricciardo: The barest of margins knocked Daniel Ricciardo out in Q1 - and he only has himself to blame. He ran wide at the top of Raidillon, cutting the inside of the corner.

Winner - Sergio Perez: Remarkably, this is the first time Sergio Perez has qualified where a Red Bull RB19 should since pole position in Miami.
Loser - Esteban Ocon: On a day of upheaval for the team off the track, Esteban Ocon crashed in Qualifying, leaving him 15th fastest but 14th on the grid thanks to Kevin Magnussen's penalty.

Winner - Oscar Piastri: A blooming reputation continues to grow. Oscar Piastri was a standout performer in Qualifying, even if his sixth-fastest time was perhaps a little below what was expected, the fact is he still out-qualified Lando Norris and look the more comfortable of the McLaren drivers.
Loser - Lando Norris: You skate off through the gravel and chances are you will damage your car - and in this era of F1 where the floor is ever so crucial to performance, you will take a hit. Enter Norris. His Q1 off was a lairy moment that had repercussions that followed him throughout the session.

‘Winners and Losers’;

https://racingnews365.com/winners-and-losers-from-2023-f1-belgian-grand-prix-qualifying

Russell urges Belgian GP cancellation sense if rain threatens safety.
29 July 5:00AM
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Jesse Janse
RacingNews365

George Russell has warned the FIA must not shy away from cancelling the Belgian Grand Prix should conditions pose safety risks. Eighteen-year-old Dutchman Dilano van 't Hoff was killed earlier this month in a FRECA race when collected in a multi-car accident in treacherous conditions.

Mercedes driver Russell told media including RacingNews365: "I felt like the incident that happened in [Formula Regional], it was only really a matter of time [before] something like that happened. Drivers aren't going flat-out in the straight because they can't see, somebody gets rear-ended, and then there's a car in the middle of the track."

The heavy rain forecast to fall at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend evokes memories of the truncated 2021 Belgian GP, with that race running for only two laps behind the Safety Car as the conditions were deemed too dangerous. "I think, two years ago, that was the correct decision to call the race off," said Russell. "Obviously, to have a race cancelled is not perfect for anybody, but we don't want to see another huge incident."

‘FIA must not shy away from cancelling the Belgian Grand Prix should conditions pose safety risks’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-urges-belgian-gp-cancellation-sense-if-rain-threatens-safety

[Fortitude]

Verstappen snatches Belgium Sprint pole from Piastri.
Just 0.025s separated the top three in Sprint Shootout Qualifying at Spa.
29 July 1:36PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen pipped Oscar Piastri by just 0.011s to earn pole position in Sprint Shootout Qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix. In drying conditions at Spa, Verstappen's final lap of the session was enough to just pip the McLaren rookie to P1, although Piastri will take the first front-row start of his career.

Belgian GP pole-sitter Charles Leclerc was fourth after a mistake on his final lap, being out-qualified by teammate Carlos Sainz, with Lewis Hamilton down in seventh for Mercedes ahead of Sergio Perez.

‘Just 0.025s separated the top three’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-snatches-belgium-sprint-pole-from-piastri


Sprint Shootout – 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
29th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:49.056
2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.011
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.025
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.195
5. Lando Norris McLaren +0.333
6. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.644
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.844
8. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.905
9. Esteban Ocon Alpine +1.438
10. George Russell Mercedes +6.686

‘Belgian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the Shootout ahead of this afternoon’s 2023 F1 World Championship Sprint around Spa-Francorchamps’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-shootout-2023-belgian-grand-prix-82867


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the Sprint Shootout at the Belgian Grand Prix
29 July 2023
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-sprint-shootout-in-belgium-2023.2YxIIHfJyHSttCQoD2hA8K.html


2023 F1 Belgian Grand Prix - Sprint Shootout - LIVE UPDATES!
29th July 2023, 10:54
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f1-belgian-grand-prix-sprint-shootout-live-updates


Verstappen denies Piastri Belgian GP F1 sprint pole by 0.011s
Jul 29 2023
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Formula 1 championship leader Max Verstappen denied rookie Oscar Piastri pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps by just 0.011s.

Delayed like its Friday predecessor (the main race qualifying), albeit by 35 minutes rather than 10, the three-segment sprint qualifying featured a similar pattern of a session starting out in intermediate conditions but progressively improving to slicks weather.

This time, however, the second segment only featured one driver gambling on slicks – Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, whose session ended in the barriers. But the resulting clean-up bought even more time for the track to dry, and so the pole shootout was again an all-slicks affair – albeit going down to the wire with track conditions ever-improving.

‘Max Verstappen denied rookie Oscar Piastri pole position’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-denies-piastri-belgian-gp-f1-sprint-pole-by-0-011s/


Belgian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen on pole in delayed Sprint Shootout as Stroll eliminates both Astons
29 Jul 2023 12:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

A delayed start, a red flag that eliminated team-mates, and a World Champion on pole position, Sprint Shootout at the Belgian Grand Prix had a little bit of everything on Saturday.

Max Verstappen will line up on pole position for Saturday’s Sprint at the Spa-Francorchamps having beaten Oscar Piastri to the coveted grid slot by 0.011s seconds with Carlos Sainz in third place.

But over at Aston Martin a few questions will be asked after Lance Stroll’s crash late in Q2 eliminated both AMR23s with the team late, too late, in sending Fernando Alonso out.

‘Stroll eliminates both Astons’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/belgian-grand-prix-2023-sprint-shootout-report/

[Fortitude]

Belgian GP: Verstappen storms to Sprint win ahead of Piastri.
Max Verstappen overcame an early undercut by Oscar Piastri to take victory in the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint.
29 July 2023
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing

Two heavy rain storms delayed the start by half an hour with fifth formation laps taking place behind the Safety Car. When the action eventually began, Verstappen led the way while half the grid opted to pit immediately for intermediates.

The rest of the field followed on the second lap with Piastri taking the lead after being the first car to pit, ahead of Verstappen in second. An earlier stop helped Gasly move up to third for Alpine followed by Perez and Hamilton. The two Ferraris lost out as Carlos Sainz dropped to sixth and Charles Leclerc seventh.

‘Verstappen storms to Sprint win’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16813-belgian-gp-verstappen-storms-to-sprint-win-ahead-of-piastri


Sprint results – 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
29th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 11 laps
2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +6.677
3. Pierre Gasly Alpine +10.733
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +12.648
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +15.016
6. Lando Norris McLaren +16.052
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +16.757
8. George Russell Mercedes +16.822
9. Esteban Ocon Alpine +22.410
10. Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri +22.806

‘Belgian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s Sprint, one of six scheduled for the 2023 F1 World Championship’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-results-2023-belgian-grand-prix-82911


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the F1 Sprint in Belgium
29 July 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-f1-sprint-in-belgium-2023.7cljKp4ohH8CmL6HEhOM0E.html


Hamilton slapped with race PENALTY after dramatic contact in Belgian GP sprint
Saturday 29 July 2023 18:17
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton was penalised for contact with Sergio Perez during the Belgian GP sprint. The Mercedes and Red Bull duo went side by side through Stavelot and there was light contact between the two.

Perez soon slipped down to the back and retired while Hamilton had five seconds added to his race time, meaning he went from fourth down to seventh. In the end, Hamilton only just stayed ahead of his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who completed the points by passing Daniel Ricciardo.

‘Race PENALTY’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000821/lewis-hamilton-mercedes-f1-belgian-grand-prix-penalty/


Lewis Hamilton hit with penalty for clash with Red Bull's Sergio Perez in F1 Belgian Grand Prix sprint race
29 Jul 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton incurred a five-second time penalty for a clash with Red Bull's Sergio Perez during the sprint race at the F1 Belgian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver went wheel-to-wheel with Perez, and their dramatically collided while side-on, on Saturday at Spa.

Perez was initially able to hold off Hamilton, although he later lost his position. Hamilton finished the sprint race fourth but the penalty meant he was relegated to P7.

‘Lewis Hamilton incurred a five-second time penalty’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032408/1/hamilton-hit-penalty-clash-red-bull-f1-belgian-gp-sprint-race

[Fortitude]

Hamilton ‘took the whole right-hand side off the car’ and ruined my race – Perez.
“It was massive damage from the contact from Lewis,” said Perez. “He just took the whole right hand side off the car.”
29th July 2023, 17:58
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Sergio Perez says Lewis Hamilton caused major damage to his car when the pair collided during the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race. “He damaged the floor and the sidepod, so that that was game over – we lost too much grip with it.”

After the contact Perez struggled for grip, was passed by the Ferrari drivers and spun off at Stavelot. He had gained ground earlier in the race and believed he was in position to make up more places.

Red Bull retired Perez late in the race. The stewards held Hamilton responsible for the collision and gave him a five-second time penalty which dropped him from fourth to seventh place.

‘Took the whole right-hand side off the car’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/29/hamilton-took-the-whole-right-hand-side-off-the-car-and-ruined-my-race-perez/


Christian Horner: Lewis Hamilton ‘put a big hole’ in Sergio Perez’s sidepod
29 Jul 2023 5:56 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has accused Lewis Hamilton of putting “a big hole” in Sergio Perez’s sidepod during their clash in the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race. “Checo had an amazing stop and a great release that jumped both the Ferrari and Lewis, so that elevated him to fourth.”

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Horner described the collision as “very unfortunate” and revealed the extent of the damage to Perez’s car. He said: “Unfortunately, the contact – left-front to sidepod – has put a big hole in the sidepod and you lose so much downforce.

“You could see he really lost a huge amount of performance, so we had no choice but to retire the car. That was very unfortunate.”

‘Lewis Hamilton ‘put a big hole’ in Sergio Perez’s sidepod’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-lewis-hamilton-sergio-perez-sidepod/


Lewis Hamilton ‘ruined’ Sergio Perez’s race with big damage to RB19 car
29 Jul 2023 6:10 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez has had his say on the incident between himself and Lewis Hamilton that caused him to retire from the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix Sprint race. The Mexican was battling over fourth place with Hamilton when the Brit attempted a move up the inside of Turn 15.

Explaining the incident, Perez said: “It was massive damage from the contact with Lewis. He just took the whole right-hand side of the car, he damaged the floor and the sidepod, so that was game over. It was too much.”

“Basically he just ran out of grip and could not stop his car and just went into the side of me. He [Hamilton] was just in a hurry to recover, everyone was in a hurry to recover because it’s a very short race so you have to take those risks, but yeah, not nice to get my race ruined by him.”

‘Big damage to RB19 car’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/perez-blames-hamilton-for-belgian-gp-sprint-incident/


PEREZ REFLECTS ON INCIDENT WITH HAMILTON: ‘HE JUST CRASHED INTO ME’
The Spa Sprint Race saw another Red Bull-Mercedes rivalry as Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton made contact
July 29, 2023
Peter Casey
FormulaNerds

Visibly frustrated by this, Perez spoke to Sky Sports after the race. The Red Bull driver said: “Basically Lewis crashed into me and took the whole right-hand side of my car off. So we basically lost all the load.”

“Unfortunately that meant no points for today,” continued Perez, who had, before this weekend, scored the most points at the previous sprint races.”

‘HE JUST CRASHED INTO ME’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/perez-reflects-on-incident-with-hamilton-he-just-crashed-into-me/


‘It meant game over for my race’ – Perez on his collision with Hamilton
29 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez retired from the Saturday Sprint at Spa, after a collision with Lewis Hamilton left him with significant damage to his Red Bull.

‘Game over’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.it-meant-game-over-for-my-race-perez-on-his-collision-with-hamilton.1772774558884825230.html


Lewis Hamilton ‘ruined’ Sergio Perez’s race with big damage to RB19 car
29 Jul 2023 6:10 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez has said Lewis Hamilton “ruined” his sprint after the collision between them that saw him forced to retire at Spa-Francorchamps. Hamilton moved alongside Perez on the exit of Stavelot after the Red Bull driver ran wide, but with the two next to each other through Curve Paul Frere, they collided and a hole in the Red Bull bodywork was formed with the impact.

Addressing Hamilton’s contact directly, he believes the seven-time World Champion was rushing to try and find a way by in the shortened sprint – with several laps having been taken away through the weather intervening on Saturday. Ultimately, he feels the collision “ruined” his day.

“He was in a bit of a hurry,” Perez stated. “You know, everyone was in a hurry to recover today. It’s a very short race, so you have to take those levels of risk but yeah, not nice to get my race ruined by him. Yeah, tomorrow we will know about the car, where we really are. So, looking forward to that and hopefully we can recover the points we lost today.”

‘Lewis Hamilton ‘ruined’ Sergio Perez’s race’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-ruined-sergio-perez-race/

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen leaves no doubt about his intentions.
Max Verstappen is hoping to keep Red Bull’s 100% win record this season alive at one of his favourite tracks.
29 July 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

“Spa is, of course, my favorite track on the calendar, so I’m looking forward to racing there and seeing the fans,” Verstappen said ahead of the race weekend. With the picturesque backdrop around the circuit, Verstappen is anticipating a large contingent of supporters to back him from the grand stands, as he seeks to leave with a full set of points.

Verstappen will have the opportunity to walk away from Belgium with more points than usual, as the sprint format returns this weekend. With rain expected during the whole race weekend, the action could be set to be even more exciting than usual.

“I’m looking forward to that,” Verstappen said. “It looks like it’s going to be quite a rainy weekend, so we’ll see what impact that’ll have as it always makes it a bit more interesting and chaotic.”

‘No doubt about his intentions’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verstappen-leaves-no-doubt-about-his-intentions/


No strategy regrets for Verstappen after Spa Sprint triumph as he issues caution ahead of Belgian GP start
29 July 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Verstappen’s attention now turns to Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix, where he will start down in P6 – his dominant performance in Friday afternoon's qualifying session that saw him claim P1 countered by a five-place grid drop for gearbox changes.

But Verstappen said that a clean Lap 1 – the kind that he infamously failed to enjoy at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix – would be key if he was to maintain his current streak of Grand Prix wins, which currently stands at seven.

Asked if he’d seen anything from his rivals to suggest that he couldn’t win Sunday’s race from P6, Verstappen replied: “Not at the moment, but we also haven’t really run in proper dry conditions, so we’ll have to see what we get tomorrow. For me it’s more about staying out of trouble Turn 1, Lap 1 and basically no damage on the car. If I have car that’s in a 100% state, I can win the race.”

‘Staying out of trouble Turn 1, Lap’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.no-strategy-regrets-for-verstappen-after-spa-sprint-triumph-as-he-issues.6SSFJp4FOqPaRiIaUGnTo8.html


Leclerc on pole, Perez leads the Red Bulls but Verstappen is the clear favourite
2023 Belgian Grand Prix pre-race analysis
Posted on 30th July 2023, 0:36
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

For the grand prix, however, neither Mercedes nor McLaren will be on the front row. That privilege will go to Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari and Sergio Perez alongside him. Although starting from the best possible position, Leclerc admitted on Friday he expected a “very tricky” grand prix.

He was not thrilled with fifth in the sprint race, but he was at least comfortable with how his car had felt over the 11 laps. “I was pretty happy in the race today,” he told media including RaceFans after the race. “There was a lot of overheating – I think it was a case for everybody, but we need to look into it. Especially if we find ourselves in those conditions tomorrow in order to make a step forward.”

Perez alongside will start on the front row for a grand prix for the first time since Miami seven rounds ago – coincidentally the last time he started ahead of his team mate on the grid. While his sprint race saw him struggling to match his team mate’s pace until contact with Hamilton put him out, Perez is eager to extend Red Bull’s record run of victories by breaking his team mate’s current streak. “I will try my best,” he said. “I will try to get Charles at the start, which is always hard, but I think it’s also a long race, high deg. So anything can happen on Sunday, but we certainly have a good position.”

‘Leclerc admitted on Friday he expected a “very tricky” grand prix’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/30/leclerc-on-pole-perez-leads-the-red-bulls-but-verstappen-is-the-clear-favourite/


Verstappen unfazed by 'tiny little issues' in sprint win
29/07/2023 at 18:02
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Max Verstappen took a predictable win for Red Bull in Saturday's sprint race at Spa-Francorchamps, overcoming some minor setbacks to take victory by over six seconds from Oscar Piastri in a rain-hit 11-lap event. "I think it was just a safer call," Verstappen said when asked whether he felt hs should have pitted on the previous lap. "I could have come in first but then I might have been blocked by other cars.”

"There might have been a safety car and then you would lose out massively," he continued. "So I didn't mind staying out. We lost one position, but we knew we were quick. You could see that when we put the inters on - we were flying, so it was okay."

‘Unfazed by 'tiny little issues' in sprint win’;

https://f1i.com/news/482598-verstappen-unfazed-by-tiny-little-issues-in-sprint-win.html


Top 3 F1 drivers react after Belgian GP qualifying: 'We know the car is quick'
18:27 Sat, 29 Jul 2023.
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24

Max Verstappen secured pole position for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, but the Dutchman will not start on pole position. Red Bull Racing opted to fit Verstappen's RB19 with a fifth gearbox, surpassing the allocated four for the year. This will see him receive a five-place grid penalty, resulting in him starting sixth.

"I know with the penalty, I drop back on Sunday, but (Friday) was all about feeling confident," the defending champ said after qualifying. We know the car is quick. Last year I had more penalties, and we still won the race, so that's the target."

'We know the car is quick';

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/top-3-f1-drivers-react-after-belgian-gp-qualifying-we-know-the-car-is-quick-20230729


Why Max Verstappen will win the 2023 Belgian GP
Red Bull's Max Verstappen is looking to secure another success on the racetrack after topping qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
29 July 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

Despite leading the field in the qualifying session for Sunday’s Grand Prix, Max Verstappen will only start in P6 after a five place grid penalty due to a new gearbox. However, according to Sky F1’s Martin Brundle, Verstappen and those around him firmly believe that winning from any starting position is within his grasp.

Verstappen’s recent success has been nothing short of remarkable, securing seven consecutive victories, including his latest triumph in Hungary. Brundle doesn’t believe this penalty will significantly hinder Verstappen’s chances. “He takes a five-place grid drop here on Sunday for a fresh gearbox,” said Brundle to Sky F1.

“All season long, we’ve heard them talking about shift problems, certainly earlier on in the season as well, so interesting that as we just move into the second half the season, they’re taking another gearbox and taking a gearbox penalty. But you sense that Max can and that Max thinks he can win from anywhere on the grid.”

‘Max Verstappen will win’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/why-max-verstappen-will-win-the-2023-belgian-gp/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen dominates once again to win in Spa.
Belgian Grand Prix – After starting P6, Max Verstappen made it to the front to dominate in Spa and give Red Bull another 1-2 while Charles Leclerc took P3.
30th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

As the lights went out Leclerc held the lead but a few corners in Perez got the better of him to put a Red Bull into the lead of a race once again. Further back Carlos Sainz and Piastri clashed at T1, the McLaren driver plummeted down the pack and slowly made his way back towards the pits. The misfortune for Piastri allowed Max Verstappen to move up a spot and the reigning champion was into P4 before the end of the opening lap.

Perez and Leclerc make their stops, the two heading out on mediums while Verstappen and his engineer GP had another radio squabble first about strategy and then about whether to stop or try to make his tyres last and wait for the potential rain in a few minutes. The Dutch driver did head to the pits at the end of lap 14 for his own mediums and he got back out in P2 but the two second gap between the two Red Bulls vanished over the next lap with the reigning champion on his teammate’s rear wing by lap 16.

At the front, Verstappen was told to use his head and not push the tyres too hard trying for the fastest lap. He countered that with the suggestion that he push on and make enough of a gap to pit again to give the team a little pitstop training but that was shut down on him. On lap 43 Hamilton ducked into the pits for new mediums, having had more than enough time between himself and Alonso to pit without issue. Verstappen had pulled out a sufficient gap to Perez that he could’ve done the same but Red Bull didn’t seem to be interested this time.

‘Another radio squabble first’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen-dominates-once-again-to-win-in-spa-82990


Race Results – 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
30th July 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 44 laps
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +22.305
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +32.359
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +49.671
5. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +56.184
6. George Russell Mercedes +63.101
7. Lando Norris McLaren +73.719
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +74.719
9. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +79.340
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +80.221

‘Belgian Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-belgian-grand-prix-82987


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
30 July 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-msc-cruises-belgian-grand-prix-2023.2bHFvMCWcbtPESvasm3R1a.html


2023 F1 Belgian Grand Prix - LIVE UPDATES!
30th July 2023, 13:19
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f1-belgian-grand-prix-race-day-live-updates


Max Verstappen continues race engineer tiff with tense Belgian GP messages
30 Jul 2023 2:53 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen had another tetchy radio exchange with race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase during the Belgian Grand Prix, as he closed in on the lead of the race. Verstappen had passed Charles Leclerc for second place on the road and was closing in on team-mate Sergio Perez for the lead, but with that came a reminder from ‘GP’ about the rules of engagement between the team-mates in combat.

The exchange in full:
Lambiase: “Don’t forget, Max, use your head please.”
Verstappen: “Are we both doing it or what?
Lambiase: “You…just follow my instruction.”
Verstappen: “I want to know whether both cars will do it.”
Lambiase: “Max, please follow my instruction and trust it. Thank you.”

Any worries Verstappen may have had around how he and Perez would go racing against each other would not have been playing on his mind too much either, as he sailed past his team-mate on the Kemmel Straight to take the lead on lap 17 of the Belgian Grand Prix. Apart from a nervy moment on lap 21 as some light rain fell on the circuit through Raidillon and Eau Rouge, Verstappen almost losing the car, the Dutchman strolled to an eighth successive victory to move to within one of the all-time record set by Sebastian Vettel in 2013.

‘Another tetchy radio exchange’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-race-engineer-tiff-continues/


Max Verstappen in more awkward team radio exchanges at F1 Belgian Grand Prix
30 Jul 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

With Verstappen in the lead, he received a scolding from his race engineer. "You used a lot of tyre on the out lap, Max,” Lambiase said. "Not sure that was sensible." Verstappen notably did not reply.

“This tyre had reasonable degradation in the first stint,” Lambiase said. “I'd ask you to use your head a bit more.” With Verstappen cruising further into the lead, he decided to tease Lambiase.

“I could also push on and we do another stop? A little bit of pit stop training,” he joked. Lambiase: “No, not this time.”

‘More awkward team radio exchanges’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032508/1/verstappen-more-awkward-team-radio-exchanges-f1-belgian-grand-prix


Hamilton makes last-minute decision to WIND UP Verstappen during Belgian Grand Prix
Sunday 30 July 2023 16:36
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton opted to pit late in the Belgian Grand Prix to claim the extra point for fastest lap, denying Max Verstappen in the process. The championship leader was looking set for a full haul of points having held the fastest lap of Spa throughout the race but his old rival had other ideas.

Pitting onto brand new medium tyres with two laps to go, Hamilton set a 1:47:305 to take the extra point and deny Verstappen the perfect weekend. Verstappen still extended his points lead with victory as Sergio Perez completed a Red Bull one-two and Charles Leclerc finished third.

He pitted late on in Austria in order to ensure he would get the extra point for the fastest lap and if he had a slightly bigger lead at Spa, he may well have done so here. The only thing preventing him from doing so was his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase and Perez who was just about close enough to not make it comfortable.

‘WIND UP Verstappen’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000920/lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-f1-fastest-lap-point-mercedes-red-bull/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull boss hails ‘mind blowing’ season as Verstappen cruises again.
Verstappen romped to his eighth consecutive victory and 10th of the season to maintain Red Bull’s total grip on Formula One after 12 of 22 races.
July 30, 2023
AFP
Iraqi News

Spa-Francorchamps – Red Bull boss Christian Horner described his team’s form this season as “mind blowing” after Max Verstappen’s latest display of dominance at Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. sked about the prospects of completing an unbeaten season, Horner said: “I’m not going to project that far ahead. We’ll come back after the break and try to keep this amazing momentum going.”

On Sunday, Perez was second — Red Bull’s fifth one-two of the season — and he has a 40-point lead over Fernando Alonso in the standings. Horner praised the team for their work in winning all 12 races this year.

“It’s all about team-work and everyone doing their bit,” he said. “It’s what the team has done in the first part of this year and it’s why we remain unbeaten so far. It’s mind blowing! We need to keep this level going, but right now everyone deserves a well-deserved break.”

‘Mind blowing’;

https://www.iraqinews.com/sports/red-bull-boss-hails-mind-blowing-season-as-verstappen-cruises-again/


Christian Horner speaks out on messages from ‘demanding customer’ Max Verstappen
30 Jul 2023 5:42 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner has praised Max Verstappen’s race engineer for keeping a lid on the “demanding customer.” The relationship between Verstappen and race engineer Gianpiero ‘GP’ Lambiase was put under the microscope in Spa with the Dutchman seemingly increasingly agitated over the team radio.

Christian Horner, though, has defended the relationship, suggesting the two were the perfect partnership and one that had been formed over years working together. “GP and Max have been together since the first race that Max stepped into the car,” Horner told media including PlanetF1.com.

“GP, he’s our Jason Statham equivalent, they certainly look alike, and he deals with him firmly but fairly. There’s a great respect between the two of them and that comes out of a mutual trust that you must have between an engineer and the only problem is that conversation between the two of them has 200 million people listening.”

“GP, he’s our Jason Statham equivalent”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-max-verstappen-gp/


Horner praises dominant Verstappen and explains why Perez lost out at Spa
“I think on the medium tyre Checo definitely wasn’t as comfortable as Max was. And then on the soft tyre at the end, it was about managing the tyre,” Horner said.
July 30, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has said it is beyond the team’s wildest dreams to be as dominant as they have been in 2023 as Max Verstappen secured his eighth victory in a row at the Belgian GP.

Verstappen rallied from a five-place grid penalty which dropped him to P6 at the start of the race to win by 22 seconds ahead of teammate Sergio Perez, after dispatching of both the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton with ease.

“It was a surprise it took him so long to get to the front to be honest with you,” Horner joked. “But no, honestly all jokes aside, I thought he drove an incredible race today, obviously the first in passing the cars that he did a great job to get up to P2.”

‘Beyond the team’s wildest dreams’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-christian-horner-praises-dominant-verstappen-explains-perez-lost-out-belgian-gp-2023/


Sergio Perez’s glaring Max Verstappen message as Christian Horner reveals weakness
30 Jul 2023 5:27 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez admitted there was “nothing I could have done” to keep Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen at bay in Belgium, with Christian Horner revealing tyre degradation was an issue for Perez.

And speaking immediately after the race, which Perez went on to finish P2, the Mexican racer reflected positively on his race and result, even if Verstappen was in another league. “It was a good race for the team,” he said. “We had a great start, so managed to get through Charles, which was one of the targets for today.”

“And from then on I was just doing my own race and then Max came through in the second stint pretty fast, so nothing I could have done there. And then afterwards it was just about making sure we brought it home safely without too much damage to the car.”

“Nothing I could have done”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-max-verstappen-spa-message/


Marko laughs off Verstappen engineer radio tension
30 July 8:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

"Well, I've heard they might spend two days together on an island in the Mediterranean. My phone is on in case it escalates, I'll be there as a mediator," Marko joked when speaking to ServusTV. "They operate at a very high level and respect each other. 'GP' has Italian roots and Max is also very temperamental.”

"We know the background and then it gets even funnier.... but unfortunately I can't reveal everything. Of course, he [Max] has his own ideas, like doing an extra stop now to give the team another pit stop training and secure the fastest lap. But it wasn't worth that risk."

Addressing the one-two finish, Marko added: "The whole weekend was incredibly strong from both drivers. Things got a little tense because of Max's grid penalty, but in the race there was sovereignty and ease again - except for a moment in the wet Eau Rouge."

‘In the race there was sovereignty’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-laughs-off-verstappen-engineer-radio-tension

[Fortitude]

Mark Hughes: What Verstappen’s radio scoldings tell us.
You probably heard Gianpiero Lambiase trying to scold his driver Max Verstappen for using his new tyres too hard, going into the third stint of the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix.
Jul 31 2023
By Mark Hughes
The Race

Lambiase was recruited from Force India to Red Bull part-way through 2014 as team principal Christian Horner had heard on the grapevine that he was practical and strong-minded, exactly the sort of guy that could replace Guillaume Rocquelin as Sebastian Vettel’s race engineer as Rocquelin was being promoted. So after the standard interview, Lambiase was then put in front of Vettel and grilled. He made a strong impression on everyone, Vettel included.

Then Vettel left for Ferrari and Lambiase ended up engineering Daniil Kvyat’s Red Bull instead. Until the Russian was replaced after just over a season by the teenage sensation Verstappen. So Lambiase has witnessed first hand the evolution from unchecked brilliance to one of the greatest performers the sport has ever seen. He was almost certainly part of that evolution.

But the dynamic between them hasn’t really changed; Max is still the sometimes errant young kid, Lambiase the stern older brother who must ensure Max does not irresponsibly risk their victory. No matter how many of them he has already won. Max is totally happy with that dynamic, revels in having fun with it, in winding up the figure of authority, totally confident in his own ability, knowing how far he can play with it, knowing it makes GP nervous.

‘Radio scoldings’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-what-verstappen-and-engineer-lambiases-radio-tension-tells-us/


Max Verstappen on concern over Gianpiero Lambiase being ‘removed’
31 Jul 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen has downplayed his testy exchanges with Gianpiero Lambiase over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, saying that’s how he and his race engineer “operate”. Chasing an eighth grand prix win on the trot at Spa, Verstappen wasn’t happy with GP’s run plan during Friday evening’s qualifying with Helmut Marko putting that down to nothing more than an “old married couple” having an argument.

But two days later the testy exchanges were back as Verstappen, having started the race in sixth place due to a gearbox penalty, chased down his team-mate Serio Perez for the lead. Verstappen and Lambiase have been together since 2016, teaming up in the driver’s first season with Red Bull with GP integral in every one of the Dutchman’s 45 race wins and two World titles.

It’s a relationship that Verstappen billed as “very important”. “I find it always a really important part of your performance – not only your race engineer but also everyone very close around you [like] your performance engineer and these kind of things,” Motorsport.com quotes him as having said.

‘That’s how he and his race engineer “operate”.’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-concern-gianpiero-lambiase-removed/


Verstappen uses his head – with some cajoling – for emphatic Spa triumph
2023 Belgian Grand Prix review
Posted on 31st July 2023, 7:17
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Whether it’s a marriage, a romantic partnership, company colleagues or team mates in a sports team, it’s constantly hammered into us in every area of our lives how critical communication is to all relationship we have. In the pit lane, nowhere is that truer than for a Formula 1 driver and their race engineer. A constant feedback loop between the pair is critical. Not only to honing car performance off the track, but especially to those split-second decisions that can win or lose races on track.

In 151 grands prix together prior to the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase had forged one of the most decorated driver-engineer partnerships Formula 1 has ever seen. Over eight seasons, the pair had secured 44 grand prix wins, 27 pole positions and enjoyed a stunning podium rate of 59% – as well as winning two world championship titles while they were at it.

It’s an incredible record of sustained achievement eclipsed only on the current grid by Lewis Hamilton and Peter Bonington – the single most successful combination in the history of the sport. But that doesn’t mean the pair aren’t susceptible to friction and conflict in their work, just like any other colleagues. Except, when most co-workers clash with each other, their arguments are not broadcast all over the world for an audience of millions to gleefully eavesdrop on.

‘How critical communication is to all relationship we have’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/31/verstappen-uses-his-head-with-some-cajoling-for-emphatic-spa-triumph/


F1 Podcast: Verstappen vs his engineer as he blitzes all rivals
Jul 31 2023
The Race

Max Verstappen’s path to another pair of Formula 1 race wins at the Belgian Grand Prix included him being bluntly told to “use your head” by his Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

Why the “edgy rapport” between the pair seemed particularly tense at Spa is one of the many topics Edd Straw, Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell-Malm tackle in The Race F1 Podcast.

They also discuss whether Sergio Perez’s return to the grand prix podium after a three-month absence will actually be more demoralising than reassuring, Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri’s clash, George Russell’s loss of form compared to Lewis Hamilton and whether Spa is really up to standard as a modern F1 venue.

‘The Race Debate’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-podcast-verstappen-vs-his-engineer-as-he-blitzes-all-rivals/


Horner aims quip at Verstappen over Belgian GP rise
31 July 5:00AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Red Bull Team Principal joked he was "surprised" it took Max Verstappen so long to assume the lead of the Belgian Grand Prix. "I was surprised it took him so long to get to the front, to be honest with you," quipped Horner, speaking to media including RacingNews365.

"All jokes aside, he drove an incredible race. His pace in the first stint, passing the cars as he did, he did a great job to get to P2. After the stop, his race really came alive on the Medium tyre where he showed incredible speed.”

"Checo didn't defend too hard because of the speed difference between the two of them and then thereafter it was about managing the rest of the race. Phenomenal to go into the summer break unbeaten in both Grands Prix and Sprints. It is beyond everyone's wildest imagination to be sitting in this position now."

“S surprised it took him so long to get to the front”, Red Bull Team Principal joked’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-aims-quip-at-verstappen-over-belgian-gp-rise

[Fortitude]

Perez confident form is back after ‘rough patch’.
Sergio Perez firmly believes he is back in form following “a rough patch” that wrecked his early-season hope of an F1 title bid.
Monday 31st July, 2023 - 11:21pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Perez’s performance in Budapest was a step in the right direction, and although he led the race at Spa-Francorchamps for 17 laps following an early lap-one pass on polesitter Charles Leclerc, he had to settle for second following another Verstappen overtake. But a seemingly more relaxed Perez said: “It was a good race for the team, we deserved it. We had a great start, I managed to get through Charles, which was one of the targets.”

“I knew it was quite crucial for my race to get him on lap one. We had a good launch, so it was just about making sure we got him into Turn 5, and it worked well. From then on, I was just doing my own race. We managed to do a good first stint. Max then came through in the second pretty fast, and there was nothing I could have done there. Afterward, it was just about making sure we brought it home safely without too much damage on the car.”

“My last few races have been a bit of…very hard to get a proper read on them because of the way you have to race with dirty air, and so on, so that to me is where we’re going to be learning the most on that stint in free air, and the second stint as well. I now really look forward to not leaving the podium anymore from now until the end of the year. It’s been a bit of a rough patch, but I think we have overcome it, and here, we have managed to score great points for the team.”

‘Rough patch’:

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/31/sergio-perez-red-bull-belgian-gp-runner-up-form/


Perez praises team mate Verstappen for ‘tremendous’ first half of season after eighth straight win
31 July 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez has admitted that “there’s nothing to be taken away” from Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen after the Dutchman’s “tremendous” opening half to the 2023 campaign. Verstappen, looking to make it three world titles on the bounce, leads Perez by 125 points in the drivers’ standings after taking 10 wins from 12 races so far, including the last eight in a row.

“Overall, I think it’s a great team result. I think once Max came through, with his pace on that second stint, it was all about bringing it home with a good result for the team. We were looking after the car at that point, making sure that we didn’t take too much out of it. That was pretty much the whole race.”

As for Verstappen’s performances from the Bahrain opener to Belgium on Sunday, he continued: “There’s nothing to be taken away from Max, certainly. He did a tremendous a race, and he’s done a tremendous season. But the gap looked bigger today, because we had to make sure we brought it home once the result was settled. But certainly he’s done a tremendous job, he’s very talented, around his team they’re getting the maximum out of the weekends, weekend after weekend, which is really impressive.”

‘Perez praises team mate Verstappen’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-praises-team-mate-verstappen-for-tremendous-first-half-of-season-after.3NSr1t8Pzh3GJeYGaxMndN.html


Sergio Perez opens up on ‘you will talk to me now’ radio message
Sergio Perez has claimed back-to-back podiums following a spell of poor performance with Red Bull.
31 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Perez has often struggled in qualifying this season, with him having recently gone on a run of five consecutive races without a Q3 appearance. He ended this streak at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he claimed ninth on the grid. To Red Bull’s delight, he progressed to Q3 at the Belgian Grand Prix as well, where he went on to qualify in third.

After his final hot lap, Perez weirdly said to Horner over the radio “you will talk to me now”, something the 33-year-old has since explained the reasoning of. “Ah, you will talk to me now,” Perez said after being congratulated by Horner. “I will talk to you. I said to you top five, mate. You’ve blitzed it,” Horner said.

The Mexican was asked about the radio conversation, where he admitted that Horner kept “talking” following qualifying. “It was a joke,” revealed Perez. “He [Horner] came before qualifying and said ‘if you’re not in the top three, I will not talk to you the rest of the weekend’. So he was talking to me the rest of the weekend.”

“It was a joke”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/sergio-perez-opens-up-on-you-will-talk-to-me-now-radio-message/


Helmut Marko blow for Sergio Perez: ‘You can’t do that against Max Verstappen’
31 Jul 2023 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

There was good and bad news in Helmut Marko’s review of Sergio Perez’s Belgian GP as while he was “very strong”, the Red Bull motorsport advisor says he just “can’t” compete with Max Verstappen. Verstappen would go on to win the race by 22 seconds with Perez runner-up in what was the team’s first 1-2 result since the Miami Grand Prix. Marko was happy with the result, the Austrian accepting Perez that did the job Red Bull required of him.

“The whole weekend was very strong,” the Red Bull motorsport advisor told Sky Deutschland. “We knew he was one of the top drivers. Nobody looks good next to Verstappen and you have to deal with that psychologically when you see that someone is better in every phase than you are.”

“You compete to win, you can’t do that against Max Verstappen.” Adding that Perez does his “job very well”, Marko was happy to see he “consolidated number two in the World Championship. The whole team – and he’s also part of the team – didn’t make mistakes. “One can only hope it continues like this.”

“Nobody looks good next to Verstappen and you have to deal with that psychologically”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-red-bull-blow-sergio-perez/


[B]Red Bull chief tells Perez to WAKE UP and realise championships are impossible
Monday 31 July 2023 14:57
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Helmut Marko has said Sergio Perez has ‘woken up from his world title dream’ and that this may help his Red Bull performance improve. The Red Bull adviser made the comments as Perez attempts to bounce back from some difficult races over the season. He told Formel.de: “He has now woken up from his world title dream. Maybe that will help him refocus on getting the best possible performance.”

Marko explained that the team is satisfied with Perez’s performance, despite Verstappen being in another league altogether. Marko added: “Sergio is second in the championship. More is not possible for him. And he is currently doing that. Max is underestimated. He is exceptional, when you see the mental capacities he has.”

The Austrian team adviser suggested that Perez’s contract, which is set in stone until the end of 2024, is not in jeopardy right now. He said: “We have a contract with Perez until the end of 2024. He is second in the world championship. Why should we need to take action now?”

“Sergio is second in the championship. More is not possible for him”;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000894/helmut-marko-sergio-perez-f1-world-title-red-bull-dream/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari boss Fred Vassuer snaps back at critics after Belgian GP.
“I will stay very calm because we had the same meeting one week ago and we were at the end of the world, McLaren was flying and we were stupid,” Vasseur told the press.
July 31, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Ferrari scored 24 points at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, almost double their combined tally from Silverstone and Hungary. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur hit back at the team’s reactive critics following a return to form at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix spearheaded by Charles Leclerc‘s podium and P2 in qualifying.

“And so from one week to the other that McLaren is at the back today and we are at the front, bla bla bla. We have to stay calm, take it easy race after race but we know that the pack is so tight that for one or two tenths can move you from P2 to P11.” Ferrari have regularly featured in the top five throughout 2023 but have never looked consistently like the true frontrunners behind Red Bull.

However, there’s hope that Spa could signal that ascension, and they enter the summer break less than 60 points behind Mercedes in the constructors’ championship. “It’s not the end of the season,” Vassuer added. “We have a lot to do, but today it’s good to finish the first part of the season on a positive tone, we will have the two weeks off with a positive rise in mind.”

“We have to stay calm”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-ferrari-boss-fred-vassuer-snaps-back-critics-2023-belgian-gp/


Vasseur admits Ferrari GUESSWORK at Spa and says 'plan didn't work'
Monday 31 July 2023 08:27
Chris Deeley
GPFans

Fred Vasseur has admitted that Ferrari took a shot in the dark at their setup for the Belgian Grand Prix, with heavily reduced running time due to the sprint weekend format and the wet track for the only free practice session. With the forecast for Sunday constantly changing, teams were forced into their best guesses for both what the weather would be and how their cars would respond to a potential wet race.

"I think we had a good weekend," the Ferrari chief said. "We showed a good race pace, so the team had a good weekend. Of course, Carlos wasn’t that good today. We tried to keep the car in the race, but our plan didn’t work.”

"It was very difficult to clearly understand the race because we only had one free practice, and it was in wet condition. I think our strategy was good, and it was important for the team. We will enjoy the break now and then focus on the second part of the season."

‘Ferrari GUESSWORK’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000970/fred-vasseur-ferrari-belgian-grand-prix-strategy/


Leclerc: Late fuel-saving threatened Spa F1 podium
16:23 Mon, 31 Jul 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc says that excessive fuel-saving measures during the closing stages of the Belgian Grand Prix threatened his podium finish. “This was the best we could achieve today, no doubt,” Leclerc said after finishing 32s adrift of Verstappen.

“So yeah, you always hope to try to win the race, but on the other hand, realistically, we knew that both of the Red Bulls would be much quicker, and… yeah… but our target was to maximise the points with the package we had and honestly, I don’t think we could have done anything better today.”

He added: “When you look at the Red Bull, we still have a lot of work to do, especially in terms of race pace, because degradation and everything they are quite far ahead still. Leclerc reveals that he was “told to do some fuel saving” in the dying embers, creating a harder-than-anticipated run to the end until Mercedes pursued the fastest lap.

‘Late fuel-saving threatened Spa F1 podium’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/07/31/leclerc-late-fuel-saving-threatened-spa-f1-podium/


Leclerc: Too early to know if Ferrari has solved F1 tyre issues
12:07 Mon, 31 Jul 2023.
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

On a day when many drivers suffered tyre issues Leclerc had a strong run to third place behind the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. After two difficult weekends in Britain and Hungary, it was the Italian team’s first podium since the Monegasque driver took second in Austria. Leclerc suggested that there were signs of improved tyre degradation even in races where the team had poor results, but he remains cautious about the bigger picture.

“I think it's a bit too early to say but it's been two or three races where we are managing our tyres better,” he said. “I think today, this was definitely not the reason why we finished so far behind the Red Bulls, I think they were just quicker.”

“But in terms of tyre management, we didn't have a huge degradation. And also looking at Mercedes behind, I was in control of the pace of my tyres. So on that it looked good. We still need to keep an eye on that because sometimes, especially in very specific conditions, we sometimes get off the window of the tyres, the right window, and then we struggle quite a lot.”

‘F1 tyre issues’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/leclerc-too-early-to-know-if-ferrari-has-solved-f1-tyre-issues/10502613/


Leclerc makes STRONG statement on Ferrari exit
Monday 31 July 2023 17:27
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Charles Leclerc has insisted that he has no plans to jump ship from Ferrari despite a rollercoaster season, as he said he has ‘complete confidence’ in team principal Fred Vasseur. The Monegasque driver was pegged as a serious challenger to Max Verstappen last year, but so far in 2023 has struggled to make anything like as strong an impression as 2022.

He told Belgian broadcaster RTBF ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix: “I have complete confidence in Fred Vasseur. He knows exactly where he wants to go and what he is going to do to get there. We discuss a lot together to achieve the objectives. It gives me confidence.”

He added: “But it’s like that for everyone apart from Red Bull. It’s up to us to do a better job. We will focus on these last races, knowing that the car does not allow us to do the results of last year. We have to succeed in maximising the potential of the car, and the current package, and not make small mistakes with the strategy, traffic management, and things like that.”

‘No plans to jump ship’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000881/charles-leclerc-ferrari-f1-move-belgian-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Hamilton receives FURTHER FIA punishment after Perez collision.
In addition to the five-second penalty he received, Hamilton was also given two penalty points on his licence, his only points on his super licence in the last 12 months.
Sunday 30 July 2023 12:27
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

The Ruling: "The Stewards reviewed video and in-car video evidence," their report stated. "Hamilton was attempting to pass Perez on the inside at Turn 15. While Perez was giving little room on the inside for Hamilton, Hamilton drove onto the kerb and subsequently understeered into Perez in the wet conditions. The Stewards consider that Hamilton was predominantly at fault for causing a collision and order a five second penalty."

In addition to the five-second penalty he received, Hamilton was also given two penalty points on his licence, his only points on his super licence in the last 12 months. Alongside time penalties, driving infringements issued by the stewards – who act independently from the FIA – also carry penalty points to ensure driving standards are maintained. These points expire after 12 months have elapsed, but will result in a race ban should 12 points be accrued during this period.

‘FURTHER FIA punishment’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000873/lewis-hamilton-sergio-perez-penalty-f1-fia-ruling-spa-belgian-gp/


Lewis Hamilton fumes at F1 stewards at Belgian Grand Prix after double punishment
Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated at F1 officials after the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race.
12:35, Sun, Jul 30, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has called out F1 stewards after he was hit with a double punishment at the Belgian Grand Prix. Hamilton was slapped with a five-second time penalty moments after making contact with Sergio Perez in Saturday’s sprint race.

Perez refused to accept responsibility for the incident as he laid the blame firmly at Hamilton’s door. The Mexican commented: "Lewis just crashed into me and took the whole right-hand side of my car off so we basically lost all of the load. Unfortunately, that meant no points today.”

Hamilton is not pleased with the punishment as he declared it, in his opinion, a racing incident. The penalty demoted Hamilton from P4 at the line to seventh, costing the Briton three world championship points. He said: “As Ayrton said, if you no longer go for a gap that exists, then you are no longer a racing driver.”

‘Lewis Hamilton fumes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1796762/lewis-hamilton-f1-stewards-penalty-belgian-grand-prix


Lewis Hamilton claims he was listening to Ayrton Senna after Sergio Perez incident
Lewis Hamilton was demoted to seventh after his penalty was added to his finishing time in the sprint.
30 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Lewis Hamilton: “It’s tricky conditions out there, we are all trying our best. Of course, it wasn’t intentional. I went for a gap, he was going slow through [Turn] 14, I went up the inside, more than half a car length up the inside.”

“If you are not going for a gap, you are no longer racing, as Ayrton [Senna] once said. That’s what I did. When I watched it back, it felt like a racing incident to me. We don’t want to be deterred from racing.”

‘Listening to Ayrton Senna’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-claims-he-was-listening-to-ayrton-senna-after-sergio-perez-incident/


Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost's Championship Deciding Crash | 1989 Japanese Grand Prix
Oct 22, 2019
FORMULA 1

The moment Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost's rivalry was cemented into F1 history. Senna had to win to beat his team mate Prost to the 1989 title, but despite crossing the line first after a collision between the two - the story didn't end there...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBForKcFWoA


Japan 1990 - Senna and Prost's first corner accident
Apr 16, 2020
Norkeys

Murray on Senna Prost collisions 1989: This is fantastiiic!
1990: This is amaziiing!

Great commentary by Murray and James. And I think everyone knew that Senna was gonna punt Prost off the track regardless if Senna himself would be out or not

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbeBnn0Ufsc


Hamilton in brutal Perez dig as Verstappen warned
01 August 10:45AM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton has insisted he would run Max Verstappen a lot closer than the Dutchman's teammate Sergio Perez is currently managing to do in the same car. Red Bull's RB19 has proved the class of the field so far in 2023, with Verstappen and Perez winning all 12 Grands Prix and three Sprint events this year.

"At the moment, it's impossible to beat the Red Bull unless they don't finish. They're eight-tenths to one second faster per lap than everybody else," Hamilton told Belgian outlet Sporza.

"It is what it is. There’s nothing I can do about it. Do I want to be as fast as them? Of course. Would I like to have a car that's as fast as them? Of course. If was in Sergio's car, Max would not be having the same time he's having now. But it's not the way life is."

‘Hamilton in brutal Perez dig’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-in-brutal-perez-dig-if-i-were-in-his-car-max-wouldnt-be-so-far-ahead


F1 LIVE: Lewis Hamilton in Toto Wolff 'divorce' meeting as Russell replacement lined up
13:24, Tue, Aug 1, 2023 |
By Joe Krishnan
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton's future at Mercedes still looks no more certain as the F1 drivers and teams head into the summer break, with the seven-time world champion's new contract not yet finalised.

The 38-year-old was said to be only a signature away from extending his deal after holding talks with Toto Wolff, but at the halfway stage of the 2023 season, his plans beyond the current campaign are unclear.

It certainly makes sense that the Briton would consider all options available to him, with speculation linking him with Ferrari refusing to go away, although it is widely expected Hamilton will eventually sign to take his time with Mercedes beyond a decade.

'Divorce' meeting’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1797285/F1-LIVE-Lewis-Hamilton-Toto-Wolff-George-Russell-Max-Verstappen


Martin Brundle’s Mercedes accusation will alarm Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton's future at Mercedes beyond 2023 remains uncertain, with him not yet signing a new contract.
31 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Brundle thinks this will have left the team “confused”, with them once again simply “surviving the season”. “I think they will be very frustrated,” Brundle told Sky Sports F1. “Their car is on a knife-edge to set up, to understand, to drive. “Then they suddenly promise a great result, get something a little bit special, go to the next race with upgrades – and fall off the pace. I would imagine they are confused with this car. ‘Diva 2’ I think they call it already don’t they?”

Mercedes were arguably third or fourth in the pecking order, with McLaren’s pace having been better than their race result. Despite the Germans inconsistent performances racing driver and pundit Naomi Schiff believes Mercedes are “going forward”, but that their “biggest concern” could become Ferrari’s progress in Spa.

“I think for them the bigger concern today was the Ferraris, they had fantastic pace this weekend whether it was dry or wet, their car is in a window where it’s really working. Lewis was between 2-3s behind Charles the whole race, and just didn’t have enough in the end it chase him down.”

‘Diva 2’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/martin-brundles-mercedes-accusation-will-alarm-lewis-hamilton/

[Fortitude]

Alonso says Aston Martin corrected “a few faults” as improved pace yields fifth.
Fernando Alonso said Aston Martin successfully addressed some of the problems they identified with their car in recent races after scoring his best result since the Canadian Grand Prix.
31st July 2023, 12:55
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

After climbing from ninth on the grid to finish fifth yesterday, Alonso told media including RaceFans: “I felt definitely more competitive than the last few events.” Alonso gained places when Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz Jnr tangled at the start. At the time he was concerned he would drop back over the course of the race.

“I was lucky at the start before Eau Rouge, I made a few places there,” said Alonso. “I was a little bit worried we will fall back and the pace will not be good enough to keep that position. But it was good, today the car felt fast. We kept one Mercedes behind, one McLaren behind, so we were in the mix and that’s good news before the summer break.”

The mixed conditions over the course of the rain-affected sprint race weekend presented difficult set-up choices for the grand prix, which was expected to remain dry. “It was not an easy weekend to go into the rhythm and the wet qualifying and the track changing all the time,” said Alonso. “So not much experience on dry.”

“EL PLAN: Corrected a few faults”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/31/alonso-says-aston-martin-corrected-a-few-faults-as-improved-pace-yields-fifth/


Alonso encouraged by Aston Martin set-up discovery
Tuesday 1st August, 2023 - 7:04pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Changes to how Aston Martin sets up its cars left Fernando Alonso enthused following the Belgian Grand Prix. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were fifth and ninth respectively in Spa-Francorchamps, following another double-points result in Hungary a week earlier. Aston Martin started the 2023 season with a bang, Alonso recording six podium places in the opening eight grands prix.

“I think today the car felt more normal,” Alonso said on Sunday. We had a few thoughts after Hungary, after Silverstone, so the team was making few set-up changes also to the car. I think it paid off today; the car felt much more normal, more competitive. So yeah, happy. A good boost for summer.”

‘EL PLAN: Alonso encouraged’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/01/alonso-encouraged-by-aston-martin-set-up-discovery/


Alonso says 'fast' Aston Martin felt 'more normal' at Spa
01/08/2023 at 09:42
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

"I think the car felt fast today," Alonso said after last Sunday's race. "The guys did an incredible job again on the strategy, also on the pitstops. We made a few places also yesterday, even if we didn't finish the race. And yeah, I think today the car felt more normal.”

In such precarious and changing conditions as those encountered last weekend, Alonso acknowledged that his vast experience as an F1 veteran remains a prime asset.

"I’m nearly 43 you can say now!" he joked, having turned 42 last Saturday. "I think people already saw that it's not a big change when you're 41 or when you're 25. It's more in your head, in the motivation, how you approach the weekend. So it's not about youth, it's just about going fast!"

‘EL PLAN: Vast experience as an F1 veteran remains a prime asset’;

https://f1i.com/news/483089-alonso-says-fast-aston-martin-felt-more-normal-at-spa.html


Revealed: The “answer” to “where Aston Martin’s pace has gone”
1 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Ted Kravitz has delivered the answer to why Aston Martin have dropped away from the podium positions. “I have an answer for you about where their pace has gone,” Kravitz told Sky. “[Performance director] Tom McCullough and [team principal] Mike Krack has both confirmed this. It was the Canada upgrades that confused the team.”

“The chief engineer said that sometimes when you put an upgrade package on the car, it might work. It came at the worst time. The upgrades came in Canada. Where were they in Canada? P2. Second only to Max Verstappen so obviously that gave them a false steer that these upgrades were great, and weren’t actually unbalancing the car.”

“When they got to Hungary and Silverstone, they found that the upgrades were, in fact, unbalancing the car. But they know that now. They are not confused. They are backing out, or rather adapting, the upgrades to make them work.”

“EL PLAN: Where Aston Martin’s pace has gone”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032594/1/revealed-answer-where-aston-martin-s-pace-has-gone


Alonso makes HUGE claim about current F1 grid
Monday 31 July 2023 13:12
Lauren Sneath

Fernando Alonso has suggested that any team on the grid today would be superior to the best teams in the 2000s, thanks to advances in technology. The Spaniard, now a driver for Aston Martin, won two world championships in 2005 and 2006 with Renault.

Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, he told Sky Sports F1: “Now everything is driven by simulations, computers, super sophisticated technology, wind tunnels. I think the teams of today will beat any of the teams of the 2000s very easily. Even the last one [most recent team] today [Aston Martin], is a super mega team.”

‘EL PLAN: HUGE claim’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000915/fernando-alonso-f1-teams-today-beat-2000s/


Fernando Alonso Denies Obstructing Hamilton at McLaren: “No-one heard my version.”
August 2, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

In a gripping qualifying session, Alonso incurred a penalty for a delay in the pits, leading to vocal complaints from Hamilton’s side of the garage. Allegations of intentionally preventing Hamilton from completing a final lap stirred the air, but the Spanish driver has since come forward in an exclusive interview addressing the incident.

“No-one heard my version, or the truth, or the facts,” said the Spanish driver. “I said that I never hold anyone. They just gave me old tyres when it was qualifying. So there is the radio transcript, the decision from the stewards, where it is written that they put me a penalty on an article that didn’t exist. They just put the penalty but clarified it was not for any article, and things like that.”

“And it was my team putting a protest against myself, which is the first time in the history of the sport. So when you put all these kinds of things and you don’t see the facts, obviously it is difficult to clarify some misunderstandings.”

“EL PLAN: No-one heard my version”;

https://baylasportsf1.com/fernando-alonso-denies-obstructing-hamilton-at-mclaren-no-one-heard-my-version/

[Fortitude]

‘I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a weekend like this’ – Russell ‘glad’ to put Belgian GP behind him.
He concluded: “And from my own personal side, just a really challenging weekend.”
31 July 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Assessing his race, Russell said: “It was alright. I was very unfortunate at the beginning. I made a really strong start, and then I saw Oscar [Piastri going slowly]. I thought it was a puncture, but didn’t realise he’d lost his steering.

“I decided to go to the left, he was just drifting to the left, I got boxed in, and I lost four positions. That probably cost me one position at the end of the race. I should’ve been ahead of Fernando [Alonso]. glad this weekend is over.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a weekend like this in my whole career. One, in terms of the weather changing so often. Like [Saturday], I don’t think I’ve lived a day of my life like [Saturday], it was just unbelievable.”

“It was alright”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.i-dont-think-ive-ever-experienced-a-weekend-like-this-russell-glad-to-put.4NnDdHQEKLMYqNKYgcPvnZ.html


[B]Russell: 'Misjudgment' behind Piastri thwarted top-5 result at Spa
01/08/2023 at 08:17
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

George Russell says a "misjudgment" while running behind Oscar Piastri's stricken McLaren at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix compromised his race and a potential top-five finish at Spa. Launching his race from P8, Russell enjoyed a clean get-way and exited La Source with a clear path ahead.

But on the run down to Eau Rouge, the Mercedes driver unassumingly moved into the path of a slow-moving Piastri, who had collided with the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz at Turn 1, boxing in Russell who was then overtaken by several cars left and right.

Russell completed the first lap a lowly 11th which compelled Mercedes to extend its driver's first stint on the medium tyre to 22 laps, or exactly half the race, which carried the Briton to sixth at the checkered flag.

‘Thwarted top-5 result at Spa’;

https://f1i.com/news/483084-russell-misjudgment-behind-piastri-thwarted-top-5-result-at-spa.html


George Russell issues demand to F1 bosses as Mercedes star insists 'that shouldn't happen'
Old issues returned to hinder George Russell and Mercedes in Belgium.
13:35, Wed, Aug 2, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

George Russell has urged F1 bosses to address the issue of porpoising and told them that it 'shouldn't be happening' at the pinnacle of motorsport after he and Lewis Hamilton were hampered by the phenomenon during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.

The problems returned in Belgium last weekend, prompting Russell to call for a solution once and for all. "We suffered with a huge amount of bouncing today,” Russell explained in the aftermath of the Belgian GP.

“A number of teams did, maybe not as severe as we did. It's still obviously a bit of a shame to see that, as a sport at the pinnacle, the majority of teams are still struggling with bouncing. I hope something can be solved in that regard in the future."

‘Demand to F1 bosses’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1797908/George-Russell-FIA-Mercedes


Anderson casts doubt on Mercedes bouncing
01/08/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Former designer, Gary Anderson has cast doubt on Mercedes bouncing issues at Spa, suggesting that all might not be as it appears. Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell complained of the phenomenon which plagued Mercedes and several other teams throughout 2022, but which has been absent for much of this year. For someone who spent much of the early part of the weekend warning on safety issues, even suggesting that the race should be cancelled if the weather worsened, one should not dismiss Russell's lobbying skills lightly.

Jordan and Jaguar designer, turned pundit, Gary Anderson certainly doesn't. "We never really hear about other teams suffering from it," he adds. "They all seem to have accepted that bouncing will be there at certain points and they just react to it and know what to do. The Ferrari drivers' heads were bouncing up and down in the high-speed Blanchimont towards the end of the lap, and that can only come from porpoising or bouncing. I am not sure whether Mercedes keep talking about it because they want the FIA to step in and change the regulations."

"We never really hear about other teams suffering from it," he adds. "They all seem to have accepted that bouncing will be there at certain points and they just react to it and know what to do. The Ferrari drivers' heads were bouncing up and down in the high-speed Blanchimont towards the end of the lap, and that can only come from porpoising or bouncing. "I am not sure whether Mercedes keep talking about it because they want the FIA to step in and change the regulations." A-ha!

‘A-ha!’;

https://www.pitpass.com/75856/Anderson-casts-doubt-on-Mercedes-bouncing


Russell SLAMS 'pointless' F1 feature and demands 'improvements'
Sunday 30 July 2023 11:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

George Russell has lashed out at Formula 1's 'pretty pointless' extreme wet weather tyres after drivers were mandated to start on the most cautious set of rubber during Saturday's sprint race. After a substantial downpour fell over Spa just minutes before Saturday's sprint race was set to take place, the FIA ruled that all cars were to start on full wets behind the safety car.

Safety no doubt at the forefront of their minds, with good reason, but the performance of the extreme wet weather tyre has left F1 drivers somewhat frustrated. “The extreme [wet] tyre is a pretty pointless tyre, it's really, really bad,” Russell told media including GPFans.

“It's probably six, seven seconds a lap slower than the intermediate. And the only reason you'd ever run the extreme wet is because you'd aquaplane on an intermediate. So that needs to be substantially improved. The aquaplaning with fairly little water is really substantial. I remember watching the old onboard videos of 2007 with [Felipe] Massa and [Robert] Kubica in Fuji, so much water, they were still pushing flat out.”

‘George Russell has lashed out’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000868/george-russell-f1-mercedes-wet-tyre-pointless-spa-belgian-grand-prix/


George Russell and Charles Leclerc unhappy with Pirelli
Pirelli are trying to make "improvements to the Extreme Wet tyre following several complaints.
31 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

All the drivers started the race on the full wets but pitted in the opening two laps of green flag racing for the Intermediates. The drivers have therefore called for Pirelli to make “some significant improvements” with the full wet tyre, given that nobody wants to use it even in dangerous conditions.

“I remember watching the old onboard videos of 2007 with [Felipe] Massa and [Robert] Kubica in Fuji,” George Russell said. “So much water and still [able to] push flat out. I remember doing test days here in F3 on Michelin and Hankook and aquaplaning wasn’t really as thing. I appreciate we are doing over 200mph and it’s not straightforward, but there needs to be some significant improvements.”

Charles Leclerc also insisted that “some work” must be done by Pirelli, with the tyre only being suitable for when the track has rivers across it. “There’s some work that needs to be done because we’ve got extreme tyres that are really slow, but really good for [avoiding] aquaplaning, but we never drive in those conditions because of visibility,” Leclerc said.

‘There needs to be some significant improvements’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/george-russell-and-charles-leclerc-unhappy-with-pirelli/


Mercedes explain what happened between Hamilton and Russell in SQ3 squabble
02 Aug 2023 3:37 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott says the team will take “learnings” from the situation which saw George Russell compromise Lewis Hamilton in qualifying for the Belgium sprint. Asked as part of Mercedes’ Belgian GP debrief what happened to the communication with Hamilton and Russell, Elliott replied: “In order to explain that I think I first need to explain how difficult it is to get right in the first place.”

“When you’ve got a track that is drying it is nearly always the case the quickest lap is going to be the very last lap of the run and so your first laps are about getting a banker lap in, and then as you get to the end of the session you want to be at the right place so you are just about crossing the line at the end of the session with your tyres in the right window.”

“So in 18 and 19, where you get to open the lap there was a lot of queuing, a lot of cars there, and so we were worried about getting over the line before the session ended. And we were asking our drivers to speed up, they thought they had less time available than they really did and as a result of that we ended up with our two cars too close together.

‘SQ3 squabble’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-george-russell-mercedes-spa-sq3/

[Fortitude]

The ‘psychological challenge’ facing ‘spiralling’ Lando Norris during Belgian GP.
Andrea Stella: It was psychologically challenging for Lando Norris. Having had to listen to Norris complaining to his interim race engineer, Stella praised his driver for successfully managing to keep his head down and concentrate once the opportunity arose for a turnaround in fortune.
01 Aug 2023 9:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Team boss Andrea Stella explained that Norris had been “spiralling” negatively during the opening stint as he complained about his lack of pace and pleaded with his team for an alternative strategy as he was eaten up down the straights.

“So we were expecting the vulnerability but, indeed, when we were in the mix of the other cars, he was starting to spiral negatively, quite rapidly,” Stella told media, including PlanetF1.com.

“We have to very frankly admit that, while this configuration gave us an advantage in the previous days, [Sunday] it was starting to be a significant issue. Then we didn’t help ourselves, in a way, by trying to give Lando free air and fitting hard tyres.”

‘Psychological challenge’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-pyschological-challenge-belgian-grand-prix/


Lando Norris brands McLaren strategy ‘terrible’
Lando Norris was the only driver to use the hard tyres at the Belgian GP on his way to seventh
July 30, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Sunday’s race was largely carried out in dry conditions as Norris, who was the only driver to use the hard tyres, initially fell down the order due to a lack of straight line speed. “We had to try something so we went onto the hard [tyre] but it was worse,” Norris said to the media.

“No-one has used the hard all weekend. We thought it normally kind of suits us so I think it was the right decision to try, but it was still terrible. I just didn’t have enough laps to get the tyres into the window and to be able to push and I got overtaken on my first lap out of the box.”

“Then I got put behind one car so I couldn’t push in the middle sector and then I got overtaken two or three more times. Then we put the softs on and everything came back to us, I don’t know how we ended up seventh. Honestly, I felt like I was last for the most part and I ended up in seventh so I am a bit surprised.”

‘Only driver to use the hard tyres’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-lando-norris-mclaren-strategy-terrible/


McLaren admit to hard tyre mistake with Norris
Monday 31st July, 2023 - 7:16pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

The decision to run Lando Norris on hard tyres during the second stint of the Belgian Grand Prix was a mistake, according to McLaren boss Andrea Stella. Having started sixth on the grid, Norris plummeted down the order in the opening stages.

That prompted some to question whether the Englishman was struggling with an issue with his car, only for the team to confirm that it was an inability to get the tyre working that was blighting his pace.

‘Hard tyre mistake’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/31/mclaren-admit-to-hard-tyre-mistake-with-norris/


Norris surprised to finish seventh after “terrible” Belgian Grand Prix
2023 Belgian Grand Prix
Posted on 30th July 2023, 17:27
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Lando Norris summed up his Belgian Grand Prix as “terrible” and said he was surprised to finish seventh after running near the back. “We need to rethink how we approach the weekend with the wing level and stuff like this, especially on a different circuit,” said Norris. “It might work on one, but it doesn’t work on all of them and we clearly got it wrong this weekend.”

He said his car felt much better during the brief period of rainfall in the middle of the race, though it never grew heavy enough for anyone to pit for intermediate tyres. “It was lighter than I was hoping, but obviously it still helped us,” he said. “I think everyone got a bit scared and I was on the soft at the time the rain came, which I think was a perfect thing to have done which is why we boxed I think.”

‘Surprised to finish seventh’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/07/30/norris-surprised-to-finish-seventh-after-terrible-belgian-grand-prix/


Lando 'stuck in a circle' - but somehow still ends up P7!
30/07/2023 at 19:01
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Lando Norris was as confused by anyone as to what exactly happened to him in today's Belgian Grand Prix. He started from seventh on the grid and crossed the line in P7 after 44 laps - but in between, he was all over the place.

"It was terrible," he told the media afterward. "That's an honest answer. We were just stuck in a circle of not being able to push enough in the middle sector because of the cars ahead. People [behind were] having to lift in Eau Rouge, we were that slow," he said. "I was getting overtaken before the DRS zone even started.”

“I was barely making eighth gear,” he continued. “I was that slow on the straights. I just couldn’t defend, I couldn't attack. It was impossible to overtake. I didn’t overtake one person on the straights, I was too slow. Honestly, I had a run on Alex [Albon] out of turn 1: I had new tyres, he had old tyres, and I think by the end of the straight he pulled three or four car lengths from me!”

'Stuck in a circle';

https://f1i.com/news/482838-lando-stuck-in-a-circle-but-somehow-still-ends-up-p7.html

[Fortitude]

Ocon: Alpine took “very noticeable” forward step with Spa F1 upgrade.
Esteban Ocon has praised the “quite impressive” and “very noticeable” performance step taken by the Alpine Formula 1 team in time for last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
3rd August 2023, 10:46
Motorsport.com

Despite setting a pre-season target to retain fourth place in the 2023 constructors’ championship while closing the gap to Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes, the Enstone team has fallen to sixth behind midfield rivals McLaren and Aston Martin come the summer break.

Given the drop off, Alpine owner Renault Group has sought to replace company CEO Laurent Rossi while allowing team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane to leave by mutual consent. Chief technical officer Pat Fry has also accepted an offer to head up the design department at Williams.

Amid the turmoil, Pierre Gasly climbed from sixth to second place in the rain-affected Saturday sprint race at Spa, while Ocon rose from 14th to eighth in the full GP on Sunday. This competitiveness prompted Ocon to say, “It’s very encouraging that each time we bring an update, the car seems to take a step forward. Clearly, I dedicate that [Sunday result] to Viry and Enstone, because it's really encouraging that what we bring to the track really makes us step forward.”

“Quite impressive” and “very noticeable” performance step’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ocon-alpine-took-very-noticeable-forward-step-with-spa-f1-upgrade/10503675/


‘We flew through the field!’ – Ocon beaming after battling drive to P8 at Spa
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Esteban Ocon said after the Belgian Grand Prix he really enjoyed the race, as he pulled off a series of overtakes to fight his way up into the points.

‘We flew through the field!’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.we-flew-through-the-field-ocon-beaming-after-battling-drive-to-p8-at-spa.1772858938225422249.html


Ocon pleased to ‘save our weekend’ with run to points in Belgium
08:39 Wed, 02 Aug 2023.
by Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Esteban Ocon says he was happy to “save” Alpine’s weekend with a run to eighth place at the Belgian Grand Prix, a week that proved to be tumultuous for the Enstone-based squad.

“One more lap, one more lap. That’s what Lando could have said for many occasions when we raced together,” said the Frenchman, acknowledging prior battles with the McLaren ace. I enjoy the last lap battles with him all the time, it always seems to happen together. But not this time, unfortunately.”

Despite his battle with Norris not having the best outcome, Ocon was happy with how he and the team performed. “[I’m] glad we saved our weekend in a way,” he said. “Friday, Saturday didn’t go to plan, we didn’t put everything together. But clearly that race, we could show the real pace of the car, and how it was working, and yeah, had some really good battles out there.”

‘Happy to “save” Alpine’s weekend’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/01/ocon-i-dedicate-that-one-to-enstone-and-viry/


Ocon happy to 'save Alpine's weekend', in a way
02/08/2023 at 08:19
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Esteban Ocon believes his run to P8 in last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix brought a bit of comfort to Alpine in the midst of the team's off-track turmoil at Spa. On Friday, the Enstone squad lobbed a bombshell in the paddock when it announced that it had parted ways with team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane, not to mention CTO Pat Fry's move to Williams.

Ocon speculated on what his performance would have been had Spa's manic weather remained dry. "What if it was a dry weekend on the rest? "Because I think we had clearly that pace in the race," he said.

"It’s very encouraging that each time we bring an update, the car seems to take a step forward. Clearly, I dedicate that one to Viry and Enstone, because it’s really encouraging what we bring to the track really makes a step forward."

‘Enstone squad lobbed a bombshell’;

https://f1i.com/news/483143-ocon-happy-to-save-alpines-weekend-in-a-way.html


Gary Anderson: Lessons from my own ‘Alpine vs Otmar’ F1 moment
3rd August 2023, 07:14
By Gary Anderson
The Race

Even by Formula 1 standards, Alpine’s sudden announcement that team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane – who has been at the team for 34 years – were on their way out during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend was a jarring one. They even had to see out the event in their current roles, something that departing personnel usually get to avoid when a team’s ownership decides there must be change.

For me, there was a sense of deja vu. I have been there and suffered the consequences of the actions of a car manufacturer when Ford took over Stewart Grand Prix and named it Jaguar. I had a stand up ‘discussion’ with one of Ford’s top management, which I hoped would clear the air. Unfortunately, things were said that couldn’t be retracted so I suffered the consequences.

Ever since Renault took over what’s now the Alpine team ahead of the 2016 season, there has been a revolving door of leadership with Fred Vasseur, Cyril Abiteboul, Marcin Budkowski and Szafnauer all having key roles at the top and leaving or being moved on. In fact, that’s been the case in many of these roles, as this table shows us.

‘Had to see out the event in their current roles, something that departing personnel usually get to avoid’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-lessons-from-my-own-alpine-vs-otmar-f1-moment/


Fernando Alonso tells Otmar Szafnauer to ‘be quiet’ as he tears into sacked Alpine F1 boss
3 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso says his former F1 boss Otmar Szafnauer “should be quiet” considering the contrasting fortunes between Alpine and Aston Martin. The two-time world champion launched a scathing verbal attack on the now-fired Szafnauer for his “slow” and poor handling of contract negotiations last year.

Fernando Alonso: “After the results of Aston Martin and the results he's achieving, he's still talking and still proud of the decision, which is incredible, amazing. Asked whether he thinks Alpine underestimated what he brought to the team, the 42-year-old replied: “100%. And still do.”

Fernando Alonso: "When you are doing the best you can every weekend, when I did so many things for Renault as well, you take a little bit personal when someone is doubting your performance or your age or these kinds of things. And you just want to prove even extra hard that you are in the best moment of your career. The results, they speak for themselves, and that's the best way.”

‘EL PLAN: Be quiet’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032666/1/alonso-tells-szafnauer-be-quiet-he-tears-sacked-alpine-boss

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin silly season rumour starts as Lance Stroll exit prediction made – F1 news round-up.
August 2 also marks a special day in the calendar for everyone who happened to be on social media and witness Oscar Piastri single-handedly blow up Twitter (and Alpine’s best-laid plans to replace Fernando Alonso) in one fell swoop.
02 Aug 2023 11:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Silly season starts with ‘Hulkenback’ to Aston Martin rumour: Nico Hulkenberg was spotted entering the Aston Martin motorhome as the Spa weekend unfolded, with the German having served as the team’s reserve driver for several seasons during his time off the grid and fulfilled a few stand-in appearances during the Covid-interrupted seasons.

Crofty predicts Lance Stroll may choose to leave Aston Martin: Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft made a prediction that Lance Stroll may in fact decide that Formula 1 life may not be for him come the end of next season, and move into “something that fulfils him more.”

Sandbagging questions sent Max Verstappen’s way after huge pace advantage: After biding his time to climb up the field from sixth, Max Verstappen was able to fly clear of the rest of the field when he was able to get into the lead on Sunday.

‘EL PLAN: Silly season rumour’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-news-aston-martin-silly-season-rumour/


Alonso still determined to help Stroll lead Aston in the future
04/08/2023 at 15:09
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso says he knows "what his role is" at Aston Martin, and it involves multiple objectives, one of which is to help Lance Stroll pick up the baton in the future to become the team's "leader".

Alonso's priority with Aston Martin is to help the team grow to allow it to fulfil its big ambitions. But a by-product of that commitment is to ensure that Stroll is able to lead the charge once the 42-year-old Spaniard decides to call it a day on his driving career.

"I know what my role is," Alonso said. "Try to help the team to grow in all these areas, try to help Lance as well in anything that I can bring to the team. Because I will race for a few more years but I don’t know how many – not so long. And he will race for many more years, and he has to lead the team into the future. So I am happy to help."

‘EL PLAN: "What his role is".’;

https://f1i.com/news/483284-alonso-still-determined-to-help-stroll-lead-aston-in-the-future.html


Alonso wants to help Stroll grow into F1 team leader
4th August 2023, 10:00
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Fernando Alonso says he wants to help Aston Martin team-mate Lance Stroll grow into becoming a team leader in Formula 1. Stroll is currently competing in his seventh F1 campaign, while Alonso is the most seasoned driver in the sport’s history, with 367 starts and counting to his name. The duo paired up this year at Aston Martin following Alonso’s decision to depart Alpine at the end of 2022.

Stroll’s seat is seen as safe at Aston Martin, as his father Lawrence took over ownership of the team midway through 2018, several months before Lance was signed to the squad.

“I don’t think there is much more mystery on this,” Alonso added. “We have a good relationship now. We are not fighting for the championship. If we were fighting for the championship, maybe there would be less communication or a little bit more tension, between the team or drivers. But right now we have very clear goals and we work together in that direction.”

‘EL PLAN: Help Stroll grow into F1 team leader’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/04/alonso-wants-to-help-stroll-grow-into-f1-team-leader/


Lance Stroll tipped to quit: ‘F1 wasn’t the sport he wanted when he was young’
3 Aug 2023
Harvey Orgill
Crash.net

Formula 1 commentator David Croft has suggested Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll could leave the sport in 18 months time. “I do wonder, he’s the one driver on the grid that you think ‘you are guaranteed a job as long as your dad is there’. We’ve never actually talked about contracts for Lance Stroll." said Sky Sports commentator David Croft on their podcast.

“We’ve never looked at his future elsewhere, but I just have a little feeling that in about a year and a half’s time, Lance Stroll will race his last race in Formula 1 and go off and do something else”, said Croft. “I just think he’s losing his mojo. I don’t think Formula 1 was the sport he wanted to go into when he was younger.”

‘SILLY SEASON: Lance Stroll tipped to quit’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032682/1/lance-stroll-tipped-quit-f1-wasn-t-sport-he-wanted-when-he-was-young


Stroll says Aston Martin ‘have work to do’ to recapture early season form
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lance Stroll finished in ninth place in the Belgium Grand Prix, but says Aston Martin need to put the work in to claw their way back up towards the front of the grid.

‘Have work to do’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.stroll-says-aston-martin-have-work-to-do-to-recapture-early-season-form.1772857962090379823.html

[Fortitude]

Yuki Tsunoda surprised at Daniel Ricciardo's "behaviour" after F1 return with AlphaTauri.
"I already know he is fast but also how he's behaving in the team is like probably the opposite as me," he told reporters. "So, lots of things to learn, a lot from him.”
18:08, 4 Aug 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Ricciardo is back on the grid with AlphaTauri, partnering Tsunoda who has to get used to racing with a team-mate with a wealth of F1 experience for the first time.

"It's also a bit of pressure for myself and probably that made me rush and a couple of mistakes in the last couple of races. But I was able to put it all together in the last race. It was not easy. But just happy and feeling ready for a fight with him in the second half of the season."

‘Surprised at Daniel Ricciardo's "behaviour".’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/tsunoda-ricciardo-alphatauri-relationship-2023-30632413


Belgium Points Finish proof that Aero Development ‘Going in the Right Direction’ – Franz Tost
August 4, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Franz Tost says it was pleasing to see one of his Scuderia AlphaTauri cars finish inside the top ten in Sundays Belgian Grand Prix, with Yuki Tsunoda ending a run of seven races without a point for the Faenza-based squad.

Tost, who will leave his role as Team Principal at AlphaTauri at the end of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, feels the development of the AT04 appears to be heading in the right direction as they were able to finally break their run of pointless races and show themselves to be competitive amongst the midfield in Belgium.

“We started the race with Yuki in P11 and Daniel in P19, so we decided to split the strategy between the two cars: Yuki started on the medium compound, and Daniel on the soft tyre,” said Tost. “Yuki managed a fantastic start and ended up in P8, keeping his position for a very long time.”

‘Going in the Right Direction’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/08/belgium-points-finish-proof-that-aero-development-going-in-the-right-direction-franz-tost/


Tsunoda challenged by 'fast' Ricciardo but 'ready to fight'
03/08/2023 at 17:12
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Yuki Tsunoda says Daniel Ricciardo's arrival at AlphaTauri last month has forced him to raise his game, but the Japanese charger is ready for the challenge that his new situation has delivered.

"It's challenging. But at the same time, I know that this current situation is completely new for me," he said at Spa last weekend. "I'm learning a lot, especially getting challenged by an experienced driver. And not only is he an experienced driver, he’s a top driver and we know that he's fast.”

"I already know he is fast but also how he's behaving in the team is like probably the opposite as me," said Tsunoda. "So, lots of things to learn, a lot from him."

'Ready to fight'

https://f1i.com/news/483240-tsunoda-challenged-by-fast-ricciardo-but-ready-to-fight.html


Yuki Tsunoda on Spa Point: “I’m happy I could extract and maximise the car’s performance”
By Paul Hensby
August 4, 2023
The Checkered Flag

Yuki Tsunoda was delighted to end his run of failing to score points by taking tenth place in the Belgian Grand Prix, his first top ten finish since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April.

“The team did a fantastic job today; the car was flying and I’m happy to finish in the points before the summer break,” said Tsunoda. “A huge well done to the entire team: the mechanics, people in Bicester and Faenza, and trackside engineers.”

“It’s been a long time since I scored points, and I’ve been struggling in the last few races, so I’m very happy now. We were slightly lucky with a couple of cars retiring in front of us, but I felt really comfortable during the race.”

‘Extract and maximise’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/08/yuki-tsunoda-on-spa-point-im-happy-i-could-extract-and-maximise-the-cars-performance/


Tsunoda relishing 'fight' as Ricciardo pressure applied
02 August 8:15PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

"It is actually quite challenging but at the same time, I know this current situation is completely new for me," Tsunoda explained to media including RacingNews365 after a third points finish of the season at Spa.

"I'm learning a lot especially being challenged by an experienced driver, and not just a normal experienced driver. "[Daniel] is a top driver and we know that he is fast but also how he is behaving with the team is opposite to me.”

"There are a lot of things I've learnt from him. It has also put a bit of pressure on myself and that probably made me rush and make a couple of mistakes in the last couple of races.”

‘Relishing fight';

https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-relishing-fight-as-ricciardo-pressure-applied

[Fortitude]

Former F1 champion unleashes BRUTAL Ricciardo criticism in scathing rant.
Former F1 driver Jacques Villeneuve is not impressed with Daniel Ricciardo's return to the sport, suggesting that no other driver would secure a return based on his performances at McLaren.
Tuesday 25 July 2023 21:57
Harry Smith
GPFans

The popular Australian's stint with McLaren was hyped up on announcement in 2021, but Ricciardo never felt comfortable with his machinery and was routinely beaten by team-mate Lando Norris. McLaren ultimately decided to part company with Ricciardo a year prior to the end of his contract in 2022, instead recruiting his rookie compatriot Oscar Piastri for the 2023 campaign.

Speaking about Ricciardo's return during the Canal+ broadcast of FP1 for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Villeneuve provided a scathing review of the Aussie's career. "He's been resting for several months," Villeneuve explained. "He did some political background work with [Helmut Marko] that [Nyck de Vries] didn't see coming, well done.”

"On the other hand, it's impressive, for a return to Formula 1, a big smile and Instagram are enough to drive these magnificent cars, it's incredible. No [other] driver after four pitiful seasons was allowed to return to Formula 1.”

‘BRUTAL Ricciardo criticism in scathing rant’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000566/daniel-ricciardo-f1-return-red-bull-jacques-villeneuve-criticism-alphatauri/


DAN AND OUT: Ex-F1 champ Jacques Villeneuve blasts Daniel Ricciardo’s career claiming that almost half of it has been ‘terrible’
Published: 14:06, 13 Jul 2023
Etienne Fermie
The Sun

DANIEL RICCIARDO'S Formula One career was blasted as "terrible" by former champ Jacques Villeneuve - or at least, half of it. Racing legend Villeneuve, 51, last year blasted Ricciardo, telling F1 TV: "He had two terrible years at Renault and two even more terrible years at McLaren. That's four years. Almost half of his Formula One career was bad.

"Alpine have no reason to take him, especially when he's driven there before. The modern cars just don't seem to suit his driving style. He was impressive at Red Bull. He showed amazing overtaking manoeuvres. He was ahead of Max at the beginning. But in the end Max started to get a handle on him.”

"Then he switched. And after the switch something seems to have happened that he never managed to get a handle on. He never recovered from that."

‘Modern cars just don't seem to suit his driving style’;

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/19803645/f1-jacques-villeneuve-daniel-ricciardo/


Ricciardo holds McLaren responsible for career slump
July 28, 2023
BaylaSportsF1.com

Daniel Ricciardo on Thursday appeared to directly attribute the slump in his career over the past two seasons at McLaren to the Woking based team. The implication from Ricciardo’s remarks about Alpha Tauri is that McLaren’s engineers may not have been as receptive to his input.

“I don’t really want to talk about the time at McLaren anymore,” he expressed. “But back then, during the first summer break, I realized that we were going about things the wrong way, although obviously everyone was acting in the team’s best interest.”

‘McLaren responsible’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/ricciardo-holds-mclaren-responsible-for-career-slump/


F1 champions split over Ricciardo comeback
Two former world champions are divided over Daniel Ricciardo's handling of his return to the Formula 1 grid.
JULY 27, 2023
GrandPrix.com

For his part, 1997 title winner Jacques Villeneuve thinks the 33-year-old Australian played a masterstroke prior to Hungary by filling the suddenly-ousted Nyck de Vries' place at Alpha Tauri. “Daniel rested for a few months and did some political work that de Vries didn't see coming”, the Canadian told the French broadcaster Canal Plus. “It's impressive to return to Formula 1 and drive these great cars with a big smile and working social media. Incredible,” Villeneuve added.

While 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg agrees that it was an impressive return for Ricciardo, he is less impressed with some of Ricciardo's messaging. “The only thing I would like to say is that it was unnecessary for Daniel to make it so clear that he is here to come back to Red Bull”, said the German. “It's unnecessary additional pressure that he's putting on himself. I would have handled that a bit differently and downplayed it a bit.”

‘Daniel Ricciardo's handling of his return to the Formula 1 grid’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/f1-champions-split-over-ricciardo-comeback.html


Nico Rosberg’s controversial take on Daniel Ricciardo declaration
Daniel Ricciardo made his return to racing with AlphaTauri last weekend at the Hungarian GP.
by Nick Golding
26 July 2023

Ricciardo left Red Bull at the end of 2018 whilst alongside Max Verstappen, with Rosberg believing that the eight-time race winner simply “didn’t feel comfortable” anymore with the Austrians. “I think he just didn’t feel comfortable in the team anymore,” Rosberg said.

“There was this rising star in Max Verstappen who was getting more and more support in the team and he just saw an opportunity to go to another team and be the star there and open up a new chapter and that was his decision at the time. I don’t think he would call it a mistake looking back, I’m not sure.”

The Aussie is keen to race for the Austrians again, something which Rosberg wants the AlphaTauri driver to play down a “little bit”. “The one thing I will say, it’s unnecessary, that Daniel makes it so clear that he is here to get back into the Red Bull Racing team,” Rosberg said. “It’s unnecessary extra pressure that he has set himself. I would have played that a bit differently and downplayed it a little bit.”

‘Controversial take on Daniel Ricciardo declaration’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/nico-rosbergs-controversial-take-on-daniel-ricciardo-declaration/

[Fortitude]

F1 silly season in full swing as SEVEN drivers out of contract including Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo are among seven drivers who don't yet know what their 2024 plans are as they look to iron out their Formula 1 futures during the summer break.
13:15, 3 Aug 2023
By Samuel Meade Sports Brand Writer
The Mirror

The F1 summer break is often when future decisions are made - with just shy of half the grid unsure of their 2024 drives. Known as 'silly season' - one driver move can often lead to a domino effect, as we've seen previously.

Lewis Hamilton is the biggest name on the grid whose futures is undecided, while some teams have both seats currently vacant heading into next season. The Mercedes driver has been with the Silver Arrows since 2013 but no deal is yet signed for next year with the German manufacturer still not providing a car capable of challenging for the title.

Daniel Ricciardo is back in F1 with AlphaTauri for the rest of this season. He was recalled following the brutal axing of De Vries and has immediately targeted a seat with Red Bull for 2025.

‘F1 silly season in full swing’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/f1-silly-season-lewis-hamilton-30620016


F1 silly season: Driver linked with sensational return to Aston Martin
02 Aug 2023 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Seen walking into the Red Bull hospitality, but that was explained away as travel, it’s now being claimed it’s Aston Martin, not Red Bull, who could be the ones to sign Nico Hulkenberg.

According to former driver turned pundit Timo Glock, it’s not Red Bull who are leading the charge, rather it’s his former team, Aston Martin. Although he expects Hulkenberg to remain at Haas next season, Aston Martin having Fernando Alonso and their team owner’s son Lance Stroll on the books, he reckons the German could be in line for a 2025 seat with the Silverstone team.

“I think he will still be driving with Haas next year because there is no other option,” Speedweek quotes the Sky Sports commentator as having said. “After that, I’m sure that the teams have him on the radar, for example, Aston Martin. “Mike Krack saw what Nico Hülkenberg can do in the car without any preparation and how he drives at the moment. He’s definitely on the list and I trust him to be able to show everything in a top team.”

‘Sensational return to Aston Martin’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-aston-martin-2025-move/


F1's blockbuster silly season transfer story with long-lasting effect on three teams
A year has passed since Alpine tried and so publicly failed to promote junior driver Oscar Piastri to an F1 race seat, but the Aussie and his new McLaren employers had other ideas
06:00, 2 Aug 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

It will forever remain an iconic silly season story among Formula 1 fans on Twitter. "I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year."

That post is still live on Oscar Piastri's account, a year on from when he first pressed send. That was about an hour and a half after Alpine had indeed released a statement 'confirming' that the Aussie had been promoted to a race seat. The warning signs were there straight away. The press release gave the impression it had been written hastily, as a response to the previous day's news that Fernando Alonso would be leaving for Aston Martin.

I remember, as I wrote the breaking news story for the Mirror Sport website, thinking it was odd that there was no quote from Piastri himself included in the release. A little over 90 minutes later, it became obvious why it was missing.

‘F1's blockbuster silly season transfer story’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/oscar-piastri-alpine-mclaren-saga-30606818


Aston Martin silly season rumour starts as Lance Stroll exit prediction made – F1 news round-up
02 Aug 2023 11:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft made a prediction that Lance Stroll may in fact decide that Formula 1 life may not be for him come the end of next season, and move into “something that fulfils him more.”

With the Canadian struggling to compete against Fernando Alonso in the first half of the 2023 season, Croft wonders about where his motivation may be at the moment, following a sterling start to the year after recovering from broken bones in his hand to drive to a P6 finish in Bahrain.

“I do wonder, he’s the one driver on the grid that you think: ‘You’re guaranteed a job as long as your dad is there’, and we’ve never actually talked about contracts for Lance Stroll,” Croft told the Sky Sports F1 podcast. “We’ve never looked at his future elsewhere, but I just have a little feeling that in about a year and a half’s time, Lance Stroll will race his last race in Formula 1 and go off and do something else.”

‘Aston Martin silly season rumour’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-news-aston-martin-silly-season-rumour/


F1 'Silly Season' is already heating up: Here is what we know and what is still rumored
15:57 Sat, 22 Jul 2023.
Cork Gaines
INSIDER

The 2023 Formula One "silly season" is already heating up as rumors are flying about the 2024 driver lineup. This year's driver shakeup was supposed to be quiet, but Daniel Ricciardo is back, and with Lewis Hamilton's contract still in doubt and struggles at Ferrari, there are an unusual number of rumors surrounding the top teams.

1. Red Bull: Verstappen has won two championships with Perez's aid but shows little reciprocation, particularly now as Perez had emerged as the strongest title challenger. With Perez failing to reach the podium in four of the past five races, rumors are heating up that his seat is not secure.

2. Mercedes: The Daily Mail had reported that Ferrari could be making a move for Hamilton with boss John Elkann in direct contact with Hamilton and prepared to offer him $49.3 million (£40.0 million) per year to switch teams.

‘F1 'Silly Season' is already heating up’;

https://www.insider.com/f1-drivers-silly-season-contracts-2023

[Fortitude]

Gasly: Alpine must use summer break to ‘process’ F1 team changes.
Pierre Gasly says Alpine must use the summer break to “process” the major changes that were made at the Formula 1 team in recent weeks.
12:16 Wed, 02 Aug 2023.
Motorsport Week

Gasly, who joined Alpine at the start of the 2023 campaign, suggested the situation for him as a newcomer has been far from ideal. “Personally I’ve got to focus on what I do on the track and try to bring the best I can from every single session,” Gasly said.

“That’s what I’ve been focussing on, obviously everyone is disappointed with the start of the year, we didn’t perform straight from the start as well as we should have. There hasn’t been the progress that we all would have liked. Obviously, I’ve just joined six months ago, I don’t know what the past history.”

“It’s quite a lot of changes just for me coming in the team and relying on new people and then all these changes. Everybody needs to sit down and process what’s happened and just refresh and start fresh in Zandvoort.”

‘Use summer break to ‘process’ F1 team changes’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/02/gasly-alpine-must-use-summer-break-to-process-f1-team-changes/


‘I just want to say thanks’ – Gasly pays tribute to departing Alpine bosses as he lets news ‘sink in’
01 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Pierre Gasly has offered his initial reaction to the various Alpine leadership changes that were announced over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, admitting that he needs time to “let everything sink in”.

Asked about the various changes, and how he is staying focused on driving, Gasly said: “My part of the job is trying to extract every single hundredth and millisecond out of this car and that’s what I try to do.”

“Obviously there have been a few changes [to the management structure] and I haven’t really had time to sit down and let everything sink in. But I think the most important [thing] for me to say right now is I just want to thank Laurent, Otmar, Alan and Pat for their effort and their work with me since the start of the year.”

‘I just want to say thanks’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.i-just-want-to-say-thanks-gasly-pays-tribute-to-departing-alpine-bosses-as.5iOEU4EesoJyOz1nHcGz96.html


Gasly's concession amid huge Alpine changes
03 August 9:06AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly has conceded that Alpine is lacking 'overall potential compared to rival Formula 1 teams with its A523 machine. Alpine's hopes of closing the gap to the top three teams in 2023 has failed, with the team languishing in sixth place in the Constructors', as Aston Martin took a giant leap forward with McLaren also improving after a sizeable mid-season upgrade.

As a result of the poor performances, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer and Sporting Director Alan Permane left the team after the Belgian Grand Prix, with CEO Laurent Rossi being removed by Renault Group chair Luca de Meo the week before in Hungary. Despite a podium in Monaco and top three in the Belgian Sprint for the team, Gasly feels it has failed to live up to expectations.

‘Gasly's concession’;

https://racingnews365.com/gaslys-concession-amid-huge-alpine-changes


Gasly hoping Alpine surprise boosts departing Szafnauer and Permane
01 August 6:45PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly hopes his surprise third-place finish in the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint will leave "special memories" for the departing Alpine senior management.

After a poor Qualifying session for the Grand Prix on Friday, Gasly was able to secure sixth on the Sprint grid, and by pitting on the first lap when the Sprint started, was able to grab third place.

He was able to stay there and deliver a much-needed boost to the team, with the Frenchman hoping Szafnauer, Permane and Pat Fry - who is to take up the Chief Technical Officer role at Williams - could depart on good terms.

"Special memories";

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-hoping-alpine-surprise-boosts-departing-szafnauer-and-permane


Pierre Gasly’s manager admits Alpine ‘frustration’
August 4, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

“The car was born as it was born,” Gasly’s manager, Guillaume Le Goff, told RMC. “A little out of step with what we expected. So yes, there is a bit of frustration on that side,” he explained, after Alpine sacked its team boss Otmar Szafnauer and long-serving sporting director Alan Permane last weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.

According to Chevrier, the former engine boss at Viry-Chatillon, one problem is quite well known in the paddock at present as Renault is pushing for special dispensation to improve its power unit amid the current freeze. “The few whispers I hear from Viry tell me that they thought they had made significant progress on the engine,” he said. “Both in terms of performance and reliability.”

‘The few whispers’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/pierre-gaslys-manager-admits-alpine-frustration/


Manager suggests Pierre Gasly regret over Alpine move
Pierre Gasly finished third in the 2023 Belgian GP sprint race to score his first podium with Alpine.
by Nick Golding
5 August 2023

Ex-Renault team member Denis Chevrier has revealed that the French manufacturer thought they’d made “significant progress” with their power unit; however, they’re learning considerably less about their engine.

Renault are the only power unit supplier in F1 currently without a customer team, something which has seen the side “learn a lot less”. They are currently trying to receive special treatment to increase the power of their power unit, to make them more competitive.

“It seems like a decent power unit. The problem is that it’s only in those two cars. So you learn a lot less and much less quickly than the others. That’s one of the drawbacks.”

‘Only those two cars, so you learn a lot less’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/manager-suggests-pierre-gasly-regret-over-alpine-move/


Gasly leads emotional tribute at Spa for Anthoine Hubert.
Thursday 3 August 2023 16:27
L.A. Wilshaw
GPFans

Every year since that tragic day in 2019 at the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, Pierre Gasly has paid tribute to his friend, Anthoine Hubert, who lost his life in a racing incident during the 2019 F2 Feature Race. Inspiring the paddock with a heartfelt gesture, Gasly sent a letter of invitation to all Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3 personnel and colleagues to join him on a ‘Run for Anthoine’ at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit.

Wearing ‘Race for Anthoine’ t-shirts, Gasly led the group alongside team mate, Esteban Ocon, F2 and F3 drivers Victor Martins, Jack Doohan and Caio Collet, all existing members of the Alpine Driver Academy [former Renault Sport Academy], that Hubert was a member of. Talking to Channel 4’s Lee McKenzie over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Gasly gave an emotional testimony on his tribute for Hubert.

He said, “It was very emotional. I’m really proud of our sport right now. I’ve just seen, in these tremendous conditions, most of the people in the paddock whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2 or Formula 3 gathered together on the grid. Obviously it was a very meaningful sort of run for me for Anthoine [Hubert] and obviously Dilano [van’t Hoff] as well, who we lost a couple of weeks ago.”

‘Emotional tribute’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001169/pierre-gasly-f1-spa-tribute-anthoine-hubert/

[Fortitude]

Current Driver Line-up the Preferred Choice for Sauber F1 Team in 2024 – Alunni Bravi.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi has hinted that both Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are the preferred choice to remain as drivers for what will become the Sauber F1 Team next year.
August 4, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

The team have not had the strongest of seasons so far and currently sit ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with only nine points to their name, with their last top ten finish coming in the Canadian Grand Prix back in June. Bottas scored the teams’ best result of the year in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix when he took eighth place, while Zhou has a pair of ninth place finishes as his best finish of the year in Australia and Spain.

Alunni Bravi, the Team Representative at Alfa Romeo, says the team would prefer to have continuality in its driver line-up next year, although where that leaves current FIA Formula 2 championship leader and long time Sauber Junior driver Théo Pourchaire is unclear.

“Of course, we always said that stability for us is important,” Alunni Bravi is quoted as saying by Motorsportweek.com about its planned driver choices for 2024. “We are a team that is in a transformation process, and we try to be as much stable as possible in all areas.”

‘Preferred Choice’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/08/current-driver-line-up-the-preferred-choice-for-sauber-f1-team-in-2024-alunni-bravi/


Alfa Romeo reveal 'target' for F1 2024 driver line-up
5 Aug 2023
Harvey Orgill
Crash.Net

Alfa Romeo currently have no plans to change their driver line-up for the 2024 F1 season. Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are in their second season together as teammates at the Hinwil-based outfit and both are likely to be retained.

Bottas signed a multi-year deal, believed to run until the end of 2024, following his departure from Mercedes and has established as Alfa Romeo’s team leader. Sauber junior Theo Pourchaire could potentially put himself in the running for a 2024 F1 seat if he goes on to win the F2 championship, which he currently leads.

Alfa Romeo team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi: “There will be time after the summer shutdown to sit down with Zhou and look at what will be the best solution for both of us. Our target is to keep both drivers in our team next year but, of course, there must be all the elements in place to have a win-win situation.”

'Target';

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032811/1/alfa-romeo-reveal-target-f1-2024-driver-lineup


Bottas banking on Alfa Romeo F1 upgrades to inspire 2023 upturn
11:36 Wed, 02 Aug 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Valtteri Bottas has revealed that Alfa Romeo will introduce upgrades after the summer break that he hopes will return the team to points-scoring contention. Alfa Romeo has struggled considerably throughout the 2023 Formula 1 season, having only scored nine points across the first 12 races to languish ninth in the Constructors’ Championship.

The Italian marque proved uncompetitive around the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, with Bottas and team-mate Zhou Guanyu qualifying 14th and 17th respectively. Despite introducing updates at Silverstone designed to improve the performance of its C43 car in high-speed corners, Alfa Romeo arrived in Spa expecting to struggle.

While both drivers made strong progress to climb the order in the race, Bottas, who took the chequered flag in 12th, asserts that he extracted the maximum result possible. However, Bottas concedes he was pleasantly surprised by Alfa Romeo’s pace compared to its immediate rivals within the midfield.

‘Alfa Romeo F1 upgrades’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/02/bottas-banking-on-alfa-romeo-f1-upgrades-to-inspire-2023-upturn/


Difficult for Alfa Romeo to make Spa Progress with Similar Pace Across Many Cars – Bottas
August 4, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Valtteri Bottas acknowledged that the Belgian Grand Prix was always going to be a difficult race for Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake, especially when starting amongst a group of cars who are very equally matched. The Finn started thirteenth but was able to make very little progress across the forty-four lap race at Spa-Francorchamps, with Bottas finishing twelfth, just under five seconds away from the top ten.

“We can say today has been a solid race, I was happy with our pace and with the strategy we chose,” said Bottas. “Overall, it has been pretty much a straightforward one, with nothing much happening after the start, when I went slightly off on the grass to avoid Yuki [Tsunoda], who was heading right. Of course, with the pace being very similar for so many cars in the field, it was going to be a bit difficult to make progress, especially taking into consideration how this track hasn’t suited our car best and our starting positions.”

‘Difficult to make Spa Progress’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/08/difficult-for-alfa-romeo-to-make-spa-progress-with-similar-pace-across-many-cars-valtteri-bottas/


Bottas: Alfa Romeo have ‘lots of things we need to do better’ when the season resumes
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Valtteri Bottas has called on Alfa Romeo to improve the pace of the car, but also tighten up operationally after a tricky first half of the season concluded with a P12 for the Finn at Spa.

‘Lots of things we need to do better’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.bottas-alfa-romeo-have-lots-of-things-we-need-to-do-better-when-the-season-resumes.1772858240294267048.html

[Fortitude]

Alex Albon 'has turned heads in F1 paddock' as ex-Red Bull star targets race wins.
Alex Albon has been linked to rival F1 teams after a string of solid performances at Williams.
10:40, Thu, Jul 27, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Alex Albon has impressed rival team bosses with the ex-Red Bull driver starring at Williams since his F1 return. According to ESPN, at least two teams showed a serious interest in signing Albon for the 2023 campaign.

However, the constructors were unable to negotiate a deal with Williams holding onto the services of the 27-year-old. There were even paddock rumours that he turned down the opportunity to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull earlier this season. However, the claims are likely false with Albon denying a move was on the cards.

But he stressed the links showed his talent had shone through since his F1 comeback. He explained: “Yeah. Weird! The only thing that's nice about rumours is it's clearly showing things are going well. They're nice rumours as well. I see some bad ones. It's always my friends sending me this absolute garbage, like, 'Is this true!?'"

‘Turned heads in F1 paddock';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1795734/alex-albon-williams-red-bull-belgian-grand-prix


F1 team principal blames 'BROKEN CAKE TINS' for major problems in Spa
Saturday 5 August 2023 09:12
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Williams F1 team principal James Vowles has claimed that 'broken cake tins' are to blame for their severe tyre degradation at Spa, something that potentially cost them a points-finish at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Both Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant were in the mix for a possible top 10 finish after making a strong to start to the final race before the summer break. Yet after pitting for a set of fresh medium tyres, the pair tumbled down the order, with Albon and Sargeant eventually crossing the line in 14th and 17th respectively.

And after both drivers complained about severe tyre degradation, their team principal has now offered an explanation as to exactly what went wrong, including some non-culinary 'cake tins' being broken.

"So this is an interesting question, because actually what caused the degradation issue wasn't anything that we would have learnt in any of the practice sessions. It's actually a problem that happened in the race," he said in the latest episode of 'The Vowles Verdict'.

'BROKEN CAKE TINS';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001255/f1-cake-tins-williams-spa-belgium-grand-prix-james-vowles/


‘Broken cake tins’ impaired Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant
Williams team principal, James Vowles, came up with an interesting excuse as to why his drivers underperformed at Spa.
7 August 2023
by Robert Collins
Formula1News

Williams’ teammates Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant both had the chance to get in the top 10 of the Belgian GP – but were jeopardised by tyre issues. They ended up finishing in 14th and 17th place, respectively, which came as a shock to their fans.

It was apparent that both drivers struggled in Sector 2, as sliding around the track with degraded tyres was surely a tricky task. The ‘cake tins’ in question refer to the carbon surrounds inside the wheels attached to the car (also called nozzles). These tins serve the purpose of regulating the heat flow between the scalding brake disc and the tyres.

Without proper carbon surrounds, or with broken ones, the temperature of the tyre rises rapidly which causes extreme degeneration. Vowles addressed the issue, saying: “Their cake tins were broken, broken probably during a pit stop, but it’s very difficult to pinpoint exactly where. I’m fairly convinced that that’s part of the reason why we suddenly had very significant degradation.”

‘Broken cake tins’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/broken-cake-tins-impaired-alex-albon-and-logan-sargeant/


Alex Albon laments trouble with tyre degradation in Spa: “The whole weekend was tricky, and the race was just the same”
August 5, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

Williams Racing’s Alex Albon struggled with tyre degradation throughout the Belgian Grand Prix, citing the effect of FW44’s low downforce set-up through the twisty second sector of Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as the primary culprit.

In the end, Albon finished the race in fourteenth place after taking three pit stops rather than the expected two, and having to carefully manage his tyres, particularly in the middle stints on the medium compound.

“I had a good start today; however, I was almost surprised I fell out of the points in the mid stint, but I was just struggling so much with degradation. The whole weekend was tricky, and the race was just the same. We’re running low downforce, which is fun but going through sector two, it degs the tyres so much.”

‘Whole weekend was tricky’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/08/alex-albon-laments-trouble-with-tyre-degradation-in-spa-the-whole-weekend-was-tricky-and-the-race-was-just-the-same/


Albon FIRES Williams warning after slipping down the pack
Thursday 3 August 2023 17:12
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Alex Albon is very concerned that Williams' lack of pace at Spa could dent its hopes of a big points haul at Monza. Traditionally, Williams has been one of the fastest teams in a straight line which makes them very tough to pass and a real threat at high-speed circuits.

Monza is as fast as they come and Williams claimed points courtesy of Nyck de Vries in 2022, but Spa was a different animal in 2023. Albon dropped out of the points and couldn't lay a glove on the top 10 on a track where his car should have thrived.

‘Albon FIRES Williams warning’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001128/alex-albon-williams-f1-warning-belgian-grand-prix/


Albon: Williams' 'great fun' turned into 'vicious circle'
01 August 11:40AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Alexander Albon has detailed how Williams' Belgian Grand Prix turned into a "vicious circle" and "wake-up call" despite "great fun" with the FW45. The slippery Williams machine was expected to be a points contender at Spa-Francorchamps owing to its prodigious straight-line speed, but Albon could only manage 14th in the Grand Prix with teammate Logan Sargeant 17th.

The main limiting factor for Williams was overheating its tyres with a lack of downforce in the second sector proving a weakness Albon was not able to overcome and just made his race worse. "I was almost surprised that I fell out of the points in the mid-stint, and don't know where everyone leapfrogged me," Albon told media including RacingNews365.

"At the end of the stint, we were struggling with tyre degradation and it was a tricky race because we are running the low downforce. That is great fun in some ways, but through Sector 2, it is not so fun anymore. We are just degrading the tyres so much, and we even saw it on the Wet tyres.”

'Great fun turned into vicious circle';

https://racingnews365.com/albon-williams-great-fun-turned-into-vicious-circle

[Fortitude]

Hulkenberg: No quick fix to Haas 'complex' tyre issues.
Nico Hulkenberg says Haas knows what it has to do to solve its car's complex tyre degradation issues, but unfortunately a solution "doesn't just lay on the street".
03/08/2023 at 14:39
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Haas' VF-23 has demonstrated impressive speed on Saturdays, with Nico Hulkenberg qualifying among the top-ten in four of the last six races. However, it's been a different story for the US outfit on Sundays with tyre degradation systematically undermining both Hulkenberg and teammate Kevin Magnussen's efforts.

Haas' engineers have been on their car's case for months, but elaborating a solution has turned into along haul process according to Hulkenberg. "I think we understand the cause and what happens and why it happens," stated the Hulk last weekend in Spa where he finished 18th, while Magnussen complted his race 15th.

"But fixing it and bringing loads of performance, it doesn't just lay on the street, it's a bit more complex. I think we can still improve the situation this year. To what extent, that's TBC, it's down to us, and we have to prove it. But yeah, it's a longer-term thing."

‘No quick fix’;

https://f1i.com/news/483229-hulkenberg-no-quick-fix-to-haas-complex-tyre-issues.html


Hulkenberg pinpoints Haas positive after 'nasty' Spa
01 August 3:15PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

It was a bad weekend for the German in Belgium, but could there be light at the end of the tunnel? Nico Hulkenberg has spotted light at the end of the tunnel for Haas despite a "nasty" Belgian Grand Prix.

"We understand the cause, what happens and why it happens, but fixing it and bringing loads of performance, it doesn't just lay on the street," Hulkenberg told media including RacingNews365. "It's a bit more complex. We can still improve the situation this year, but to what extent, that's TBC. It's down to us and we have to prove it.”

"What we really need are some upgrades, some real performance to help. Obviously, this track exposes the weaknesses of our car very much. It is why we've not been competitive in any session, on any lap. There is a lot of work to do. Let say that this weekend is over and done with is good, it's been a pretty grim weekend.”

‘Haas positive after 'nasty' Spa’;

https://racingnews365.com/hulkenberg-pinpoints-haas-positive-after-nasty-spa


‘We need some performance on the car ASAP’ – Hulkenberg’s verdict on Haas after the Belgian GP
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Nico Hulkenberg finished P18 and last at Spa, and said afterwards it was a race weekend to “forget about quickly” for Haas.

‘Performance ASAP’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.we-need-some-performance-on-the-car-asap-hulkenbergs-verdict-on-haas-after-the-belgian-gp.1772857765737183790.html


How Haas runs its F1 operation across three countries
Saturday 5th August, 2023 - 5:05pm
By Mat Coch

Simone Resta, technical director at Haas, has explained how the operation functions across three different facilities, in three different countries. The American registered team has its formal headquarters in Charlotte, in the United States. From there, the administration of the team is managed.

In the United Kingdom, the race team is based out of a factory in Banbury, previously occupied by the Manor F1 team. Resta, and the design staff, are based in Italy, working from an office in Maranello within the confines of Ferrari’s sprawling facility.

It creates a complex web, with the team spread across three timezones – and that’s before considering Dallara’s input into the team (it’s based in Parma, an hour or more from Maranello, in Italy). Simone Resta: “Speaking about most of the teams, and if not all of the teams… … You can have a coffee with a mechanic and they can tell you how shit a certain part of the car is to mount, or stuff like that.”

‘F1 operation across three countries’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/05/how-haas-runs-its-f1-operation-across-three-countries/


Guenther Steiner breaks silence on Daniel Ricciardo rejection
Haas signed Nico Hulkenberg for 2023 after Daniel Ricciardo rejected their offer to replace Mick Schumacher.
6 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has admitted that there’s no hard feelings with AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo, who rejected a move to the American side last season.

Steiner hasn’t got any issues with Ricciardo following his decision to reject Haas, with the Italian noting that the 34-year-old is a “very good guy” and has “talent” despite his poor 2022 campaign. “I think Daniel is a very good guy and he’s won races. He had a tough season last year, not an easy one the year before, and sometimes you need to take a step back to [make] two forward.”

“Everybody needs to do a decision they want to make. We did one last year, everybody has got an opinion on what we did when we didn’t extend one of our drivers,” the Haas boss explained. “If a team decides that is the best way to move forward for them? I have no opinion on it. They know what they’re doing. I think they are fully qualified to do it.”

‘No hard feelings’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/guenther-steiner-breaks-silence-on-daniel-ricciardo-rejection/

[Fortitude]

David Coulthard picks out worse-performing driver than Nyck de Vries.
13-time F1 race winner David Coulthard says while Nyck de Vries understandably found out Formula 1 is a “stopwatch” game, he feels that applies even more to Logan Sargeant.
24 Jul 2023 1:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The Hungarian Grand Prix marked the first stop on the F1 2023 calendar where De Vries was not present, the Dutchman having been given the boot from Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri after an underwhelming 10-race stint in his rookie season.

That is the belief of former Red Bull driver Coulthard, who when using his “stopwatch” theory to assess how each driver is performing, highlighted that Williams’ American rookie Sargeant is half-a-second slower than his team-mate Alex Albon, the biggest discrepancy he sees on the current grid.

But, he says Sargeant is being “given space” for his slow start to F1 2023 because of his nationality and the income he is generating for Williams. Formula 1 has experienced rapid popularity growth in the United States, which Coulthard says helps Sargeant since he hails from the nation, while he then in-turn claims that the Williams Academy graduate is bringing vital funds into the team.

‘His “stopwatch” theory’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/david-coulthard-logan-sargeant-worse-nyck-de-vries/


Former F1 star issues DAMNING verdict over current driver WORSE than axed De Vries
Wednesday 26 July 2023 10:57
Harry Smith
GPFans

Former F1 driver David Coulthard has questioned the long-term future of Logan Sargeant, who he suggests is performing worse relative to his team-mate than Nyck de Vries. The young American has failed to score a point to date, while team-mate Alex Albon has notched up 11 points for the team.

"I actually don’t think it’s a matter of time, it’s a matter of pace, Coulthard told Channel 4 (via the Mirror) when asked about Sargeant's long-term F1 future. "This is a stopwatch championship, so you either deliver the lap time or you don’t. He was on average within about two-and-a-half tenths of Yuki Tsunoda, which actually, the worst-performing person on average is Logan Sargeant in the Williams.”

"He’s half a second away from Alex Albon. He’s bringing money to the team and given a bit of space, American, that fits I guess the overall growth of F1 right now. So I think we should only ever look at the lap time rather than... this isn’t a personality competition."

‘DAMNING verdict’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1000556/nyck-de-vries-f1-logan-sargeant-david-coulthard-williams-alphatauri/


David Coulthard suggests F1 driver should be immediately fired
Nyck de Vries was recently axed by Red Bull to make way for the returning Daniel Ricciardo.
26 July 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard has admitted that Logan Sargeant is at risk of being dumped by Williams, following AlphaTauri’s “brutal” sacking of Nyck de Vries. When asked if De Vries’ sacking was fair, Coulthard pointed out that the ex-AlphaTauri driver wasn’t even the “worst-performing person”.

Coulthard revealed that Sargeant is half-a-second slower than Williams team-mate Alex Albon per lap this season, whereas De Vries was on average two-and-a-half tenths slower per lap than Yuki Tsunoda prior to his firing. The American desperately needs a points finish to warrant his stay in F1, given that the likes of Mercedes reserve Mick Schumacher are currently on the bench.

‘Logan Sargeant is at risk of being dumped’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/david-coulthard-suggests-f1-driver-should-be-immediately-fired/


2023 Belgian GP FP1: Sargeant hits the wall and brings out red flags in wet first practice at Spa.
28 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Rain was falling from the get-go when FP1 began at Spa – and after a couple of near misses from other drivers, Williams rookie Logan Sargeant was the first to crash, causing a red flag.

‘Sargeant hits the wall’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2023-belgian-gp-fp1-sargeant-hits-the-wall-and-brings-out-red-flags-in-wet-first-practice-at-spa.1772668387483035633.html


Sargeant reckons he would have made SQ3 without spin on his push lap in the Sprint Shootout
29 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Logan Sargeant said he was on “the best lap I’d driven all weekend” in SQ2 when he spun – with a red flag then robbing him of a chance to set another time, as he dropped out win P13.

‘Would have made SQ3 without spin on his push lap’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.sargeant-reckons-he-would-have-made-sq3-without-spin-on-his-push-lap-in-the-sprint-shootout.1772754203447340431.html


Williams ‘left the first stop too late’ on ‘tough day’ at Spa – Sargeant
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Logan Sargeant finished 17th in the Belgian Grand Prix, and said after the race the timing of his first pit stop hindered his race.

‘Left the first stop too late’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.williams-left-the-first-stop-too-late-on-tough-day-at-spa-sargeant.1772857307297685605.html


Sargeant wants more progress: Not where I want to be
04 August 10:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Logan Sargeant has conceded that he would like to see more progress from himself in his rookie Formula 1 season. This is why Sargeant is expecting more when discussing his form with media, including RacingNews365: "I'm making steps in the right direction, but I'm still not where I want to be.”

"There's plenty of work to still be done. But I see the progress. I see it's moving in the right direction and that's what matters. But yeah, I'm still striving to be better."

ROOKIES HEAD-TO-HEAD
Driver Best Finish Worst Finish (not including mechanical failure) Points after 12 races
Logan Sargeant P11 - British GP P20 - Spanish GP 0
Nyck de Vries P12 - Monaco GP Retirement - Azerbaijan GP 0
Oscar Piastri P4 - British GP P19 - Miami GP 34

"I'm making steps”;

https://racingnews365.com/sargeant-wants-more-progress-not-where-i-want-to-be

[Fortitude]

Security forced to step in as F1 star MOBBED by fans in return to home country.
Zhou posted a video on his Instagram stories of him arriving at Shanghai airport with security having to create a path through the hundreds of adoring fans waiting for him.
Monday 7 August 2023 20:12
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Zhou Guanyu has used the F1 summer break as a chance to return to China after several years away. The Alfa Romeo driver lives in the UK and has done since his school days as a result of pursuing motorsport as a career.

‘F1 star MOBBED’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001381/zhou-guanyu-alfa-romeo-f1-mobbed-fans-security-china/


PALMER: How did Alfa Romeo’s brilliant Saturday turn into such a disappointing Sunday in Hungary?
26 July 2023
Jolyon Palmer
Former F1 Driver
Formula One - Official Site

Alfa Romeo missed a golden opportunity to bag some big points on Sunday, given their strong pace and lofty Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying positions. For teams further down in the championship the opportunity to start fifth and seventh doesn’t come along too often, so their rivals will be breathing a sigh of relief that the Swiss squad couldn’t add to their points tally in Budapest.

But how did such a promising Saturday turn into such a disappointing Sunday? For Zhou Guanyu – who had qualified a career-best P5 for this race – it began with bad luck. His car had a software override for a brake issue, which cut the engine power just before the lights went out.

Everything had seemed normal on the grid for the Chinese racer, but as the fourth light came on and he was holding his pre-start revs the power died which left him having to re-engage the clutch and pull away with a flood of cars passing on either side. From the cockpit this is a scene of mild panic and immense frustration as you realise your whole weekend's work has gone out of the window.

‘Software override’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.palmer-how-did-alfa-romeos-brilliant-saturday-turn-into-such-a-disappointing.01DNEJuAt72uEBrOAwa8MT.html


Exclusive: Zhou Guanyu on F1 future and Audi dreams as contract ticks down
31 Jul 2023 3:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Zhou Guanyu is optimistic of securing a new long-term deal with the Alfa Romeo-Sauber team, and is eyeing up staying on for Audi. Speaking to PlanetF1.com during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Zhou said his main priority at the moment is to stay racing with Sauber on into 2024 and beyond in a bid to race for Audi in 2026.

“I’m happy for the next few years before Audi take over to stay here,” he said. “And now, obviously knowing the team turns into a manufacturer team, there’s no better place to be. We need to see and, obviously, my priority is to stay here and to go all the way to the Audi times because that’s where I think we’ll be making a huge difference in the regulations – 2026 with all the changes though, of the team, of the cars – it’ll be another story and a mixed up grid.”
With contract negotiations coming up as the time looms to make a decision for 2024, is Zhou chasing a multi-year deal, or is he happy to take it a year at a time? “Yeah, I’d prefer to have a long deal,” he said.

‘Optimistic of securing a new long-term deal’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/underrated-zhou-guanyu-eyes-new-contract/


Zhou Guanyu never expected Alfa Romeo would be 'fighting for the top five' last time out
27 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Speaking ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu reflects on his up and down weekend in Budapest and expresses surprise the team were able to challenge so effectively in Qualifying.

'Fighting for the top five';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.zhou-guanyu-never-expected-alfa-romeo-would-be-fighting-for-the-top-five-last-time-out.1772581495472261849.html


Alfa Romeo make Zhou Guanyu decision with crunch meeting scheduled
Zhou Guanyu has been pushing to extend his F1 career with Alfa Romeo into 2024 and beyond.
10:43, Fri, Aug 4, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Alfa Romeo look set to hand a new contract to Zhou Guanyu with team principal Alessandro Alunni Bravi revealing the team’s desire to retain both the Chinese driver and team-mate Valtteri Bottas for the 2024 season.

The Italian outfit’s driver line-up has been a topic of contention ahead of the summer break and the start of F1’s ‘silly season’. Many expected Zhou’s seat to be one of the few up for grabs for F1 hopefuls this summer, but the 24-year-old looks set to retain his place in the team for at least another season.

Team boss Alunni Bravi explained his plans for Alfa Romeo’s 2024 driver line-up to Motorsport.com, stating: "We have always said that stability is important to us. We are a team in the process of transformation and we are trying to be as stable as possible in all areas. Of course, we are looking for improvement and opportunity.”

‘Crunch meeting scheduled’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1798691/Alfa-Romeo-Zhou-Guanyu


Exclusive Q&A with Zhou Guanyu: The struggle for success, Valtteri Bottas, and a future with Audi?
04 Aug 2023 8:15 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu sat down with PlanetF1.com for a wide-ranging interview during the Belgian Grand Prix. The first-ever Chinese Formula 1 driver has proven himself a solid pair of hands in the midfield as Alfa Romeo have struggled to compete as a regular points-scoring outfit during his 18 months in the sport.

PF1: 18 months in Formula 1, and you’re well settled in with Alfa Romeo at this stage. How do you look back over the last season and a half? Do you feel like you’re now underlining your place in the sport? GZ: “I feel like, in general, there are obviously up and downs. But, overall, I’m quite happy with the way I was able to put myself in this F1 world and show worldwide what I’m capable of doing as a driver.”

PF1: You stepped up to F1 after quite a long run in Formula 2. Has F1 been an even bigger challenge than perhaps you were expecting at the time? GZ: “Of course, I was expecting it to be very difficult. I was actually thinking maybe the results will come later than the first race or at the beginning.”

‘Exclusive Q&A’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/exclusive-qa-zhou-guanyu-belgian-gp/


ZHOU GUANYU PROVIDES CONTRACT UPDATE AND HOPES FOR 2026
The Chinese driver is competing in his second season in Formula One and currently sits P16 in the drivers' championship having scored 4 points this season so far
August 1, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

China’s first-ever Formula One driver is currently competing in his second season at the pinnacle of motorsport. But Zhou Guanyu is yet to race at his home Grand Prix, which he expects to change in 2024. However, he needs a contract for next season before his dream can become reality.

When pressed for further details surrounding the desired length of his contract, the Chinese driver responded: “Yeah, I’d prefer to have a long deal. I’m definitely trying to have more than a one-year deal and then to be having an open mind for 2026.”

The 2022 rookie was asked whether there has been any progress in contract talks. Zhou confirmed that, while negotiations have begun, he tends to keep out of the talks. He revealed: “Yeah, of course, we’ve been already talking about it. I leave it to my manager to do that. But the team is happy with my job on track so far.” He continued, “So we’re just going to continue working to finish off before the summer break on a high and then the rest of the season will come.”

‘Prefer to have a long deal’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/zhou-guanyu-provides-contract-update-and-hopes-for-2026/

[Fortitude]

MAGNUSSEN ON ‘FRUSTRATING’ 2023 SEASON WITH HAAS’ PERFORMANCE DROP.
Danish driver Kevin Magnussen has scored two points so far in his 2023 Formula One campaign. The Haas driver finished P10 in Saudi Arabia and Miami earlier in the year, and he currently trails his teammate Nico Hulkenberg by seven points in the drivers' championship.
08:35 Tue, 08 Aug 2023.
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

The first half of the 2023 Formula One season has been lacklustre for Haas. The American team has recently been leapfrogged by Williams in the constructors’ championship, a team they outscored in 2022. Both Haas drivers are also demanding more from their team. Kevin Magnussen has complained about the difficulty Haas is facing when fighting for a points-scoring position. While Nico Hulkenberg is also hoping for race pace improvements.

During the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, Magnussen opened up about his feelings regarding Haas’ performance in 2023 so far. The Danish driver said: “Well, I don’t know. I think it’s frustration. It’s of course building when you see other teams developing and making big gains and we haven’t seemed to make that big step yet. But I still have all the faith in the team that we can turn it around, eventually.”

‘HAAS’ PERFORMANCE DROP’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/magnussen-on-frustrating-2023-season-with-haas-performance-drop/


Magnussen still has faith that Haas can 'turn it around'
08/08/2023 at 10:54
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Kevin Magnussen has denied that he is "disheartened" by Haas' disappointing results this season, although he admits that the team's underperformance is "frustrating". So far the US outfit has only put eleven points on the board in 2023, which puts it eighth in F1's Constructors' standings just ahead of Alfa Romeo and AlphaTauri.

"I think it's frustration," he said when asked if he felt disheartened. "It's of course building when you see other teams developing and making big gains and we haven't seemed to make that big step yet. But I still have all the faith in the team that we can turn it around eventually.”

"It's not going to be immediate but I think we're doing the groundwork to be able to bring that step later on in the year. It's of course frustrating when you don't have it and we want to be up there scoring points and doing well and at the moment it's a bit hard. We have made some progress. Overall, our performances have dropped compared to our main competitors."

‘Still has faith’;

https://f1i.com/news/483468-magnussen-still-has-faith-that-haas-can-turn-it-around.html


Kevin Magnussen: “We still have way more degradation than everyone else”
August 7, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Kevin Magnussen felt he had the pace to challenge for the top ten during the Belgian Grand Prix at the beginning of each stint, but the tyre degradation of his MoneyGram Haas F1 Team car put paid to his chances of scoring points.

“I felt there was a little more to fight for this race, I had a bit more competitiveness,” said Magnussen. “We still have way more degradation than everyone else, which I think is the main differentiator today. Pace-wise at the beginning of the stints it felt like we could fight for the top ten but didn’t have the degradation to keep fighting to the end.”

“I think we’re getting a good understanding of what we need to do and I’m looking forward to the second half of the year, looking forward to some upgrades, and making some changes to the car. Hopefully we can get back in the game, we’re still P8 in the Constructors’ Championship and that’s our aim as a team to gain another position from last year. We’ve got everything to play for.”

“more degradation than everyone else”;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/08/kevin-magnussen-we-still-have-way-more-degradation-than-everyone-else/


Magnussen rejects 'disheartened' claims over Haas failure
07 August 7:45PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Kevin Magnussen has rejected suggestions that he is 'disheartened' as Haas's form in Formula 1, but admits he is frustrated. "We have made some progress. Overall, our performances have dropped compared to our main competitors.”

"But Qualifying versus Race, I think that that has improved. Unfortunately, some of the cars that we used to be racing at the beginning of the year have just become much faster overall and that's why we don't see that gain so much.”
"But yeah, as I said, we're working super hard. The whole team is really working hard and I think there's still reason to be optimistic for the remainder of the year."

'Disheartened claims rejected’;

https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-rejects-disheartened-claims-over-haas-failure


Magnussen admits 'frustration building' at Haas but says there is 'reason to be optimistic'
07 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Kevin Magnussen has “faith” that Haas can return to form in the second half of the season, despite admitting that “frustration” is building within the team after having not finished in the top-10 of a Grand Prix since May.

Part of Haas’ issue this season has been their inability to transfer their strong qualifying pace to Sunday’s race. However, Magnussen believes the team have made strides in that area and can be “optimistic” about their performances for the rest of the year.

Magnussen also gave an update on his contract situation with the team heading into the summer break. The Dane’s current contract with Haas is set to expire at the end of 2023, and while Magnussen says there is no news of an extension to report, he says he is “pretty happy” where he is. “I don't really know what's going on. I feel like the team is pretty happy, but you never know with these things, and I'll take it one day at a time.”

'Reason to be optimistic';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.magnussen-admits-frustration-building-at-haas-but-says-there-is-reason-to-be.179nw1gUxm5q2OPvldhdrE.html


Magnussen says Haas got their strategy all wrong after they called him in for new tyres on a quick lap in SQ1
29 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen says he was on course to progress from the first part of the Sprint Shootout but his team called him in for a new set of tyres – and then he hit traffic on his next attempt, and was out in P18.

‘Haas got their strategy all wrong’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.magnussen-says-haas-got-their-strategy-all-wrong-after-they-called-him-in-for-new-tyres-on-a-quick-lap-in-sq1.1772753346381109621.html


Magnussen hoping Haas can get ‘back in the game’ after the summer break
30 Jul 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen finished outside the points in 15th place in the Belgian Grand Prix, and said after the race he’s looking forward to getting some upgrades on the car once the season resumes at Zandvoort after the August break.

‘Back in the game’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.magnussen-hoping-haas-can-get-back-in-the-game-after-the-summer-break.1772857181695058020.html

[Fortitude]

Mazepin clears HUGE hurdle in bid to make controversial F1 return.
Nikita Mazepin is now cleared to return to F1 after the EU court ruled to suspend sanctions in regard to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Tuesday 1 August 2023 11:27
Joe Ellis
GPFans

The 24-year-old was prevented from racing in F1 at the start of 2022 as the war began because of close connections between him and Vladimir Putin. After a second court session, it was ruled that Mazepin can return to racing in F1 if he can find a seat.

He has already negotiated with some teams over a potential deal when he was granted access to the European Union back on 2 March. "In the new round, the Court upheld Nikita again, as there remains a need for interim measures to be taken to prevent serious and irreparable damage to the athlete," Mazepin's legal team said to TASS.”

"The Council of the EU did not provide convincing evidence to the contrary. Nikita Mazepin remains entitled to enter the EU to qualify for teams, participate in the Formula 1 series and other competitions. He can also receive income in connection with racing activities and negotiate with sponsors."

‘Now cleared to return to F1’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001032/nikita-mazepin-f1-return-eu-court-ruling-banned/


Court says Mazepin free to return to Formula 1
07:17 Tue, 01 Aug 2023.
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

A top European court has confirmed that sacked Nikita Mazepin is now free to race in Formula 1. Earlier this year, the same court temporarily lifted European sanctions on the Russian former Haas driver that had been imposed at the outset of the Ukraine conflict.

“The court was not satisfied that the restrictive measures against the applicant were based on a sufficiently solid factual basis,” Mazepin’s lawyers told Tass news agency. They added that Mazepin, 24, is a “young sportsman who was in no way involved in the events in Ukraine and does not carry out any activity in the sectors of the economy that would bring substantial income to the Russian government”.

Without the court’s intervention, Mazepin is exposed to “serious and irreparable damage to the athlete”. “The EU council has not provided convincing evidence to the contrary,” the lawyers continued. Mazepin therefore now has the right to enter Europe “to negotiate with Formula 1 teams” and race in other series, including receiving “income in connection with racing activities and negotiations with sponsors”.


‘A top European court has confirmed that sacked Nikita Mazepin is now free to race in Formula 1’;

https://grandpx.news/court-says-mazepin-free-to-return-to-formula-1/


Court ruling allows Nikita Mazepin to return to Formula 1
Nikita Mazepin is no longer under sanctions in Europe and is able to return to Formula 1.
3 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Ex-Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin is officially free to talk to teams in the paddock about a potential return; however, Russian sports lawyer Anna Antseliovich isn’t sure if he’ll be able to.

Mazepin is allowed to travel and work in Europe once again, after his sanctions on the continent were lifted. The former Haas driver had been sanctioned in Europe for his links to the conflict in eastern Europe, which caused him to be axed by Haas in the first place ahead of the 2022 season.

‘Return to Formula 1’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/court-ruling-allows-nikita-mazepin-to-return-to-formula-1/


The EU Court ruling which could pave way for Nikita Mazepin’s F1 return
01 Aug 2023 6:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Nikita Mazepin’s lawyers have successfully managed to have sanctions against the Russian racer overturned. Sanctions against former F1 driver Nikita Mazepin have been overturned by the Court of Justice of the European Union, according to a spokesman for the Russian driver.

Earlier this year, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled to allow Mazepin to enter the EU to allow for negotiations with F1 teams, and enabling him to participate in F1 and/or other racing series provided he could reach agreement with their governing body. The Council of the European Union ignored the rules of the CJEU to extend sanctions against Mazepin, which was then challenged by Mazepin’s lawyers.

“In the new round, the Court upheld Nikita again, as there remains a need for interim measures to be taken to prevent serious and irreparable damage to the athlete,” his representation said, as quoted by Russian publication TASS. “The Council of the EU did not provide convincing evidence to the contrary. Nikita Mazepin remains entitled to enter the EU to qualify for teams, participate in the Formula 1 series and other competitions. He can also receive income in connection with racing activities and negotiate with sponsors.”

‘Pave way for Nikita Mazepin’s F1 return’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/eu-court-ruling-nikita-mazepin-f1-return/


Lawyer questions Mazepin’s freedom to return to F1
August 2, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

According to prominent Russian sports lawyer Anna Antseliovich, Nikita Mazepin may not be entirely free to negotiate his return to Formula 1. “It is difficult to say whether Mazepin will now be able to negotiate with Formula 1 teams,” she told RT.

“The rules there are not quite the same as in other sports. After all, we are talking about commercial competitions, not representing the Russian national team,” Antseliovich added. There are apparently some agreements in Formula 1 that other athletes are not subject to.”

Despite this uncertainty, Antseliovich believes that the European court’s repeated rulings in favor of Mazepin set a positive precedent for other athletes. “It is no secret that legislators in most countries, including those in the EU, pay attention to these verdicts in similar cases,” Antseliovich said. “Let’s not forget that he was on the sanctions lists.”

‘Lawyer questions Mazepin’s freedom’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/lawyer-questions-mazepins-freedom-to-return-to-f1/

[Fortitude]

Former Ferrari chief Binotto could make METEORIC return to Formula 1.
Mattia Binotto may be making a return to the Formula 1 paddock following substantial rumours that the vacant team principal seat at Alpine could be his in the very near future.
Wednesday 9 August 2023 06:57
L.A. Wilshaw
GPFans

The former Ferrari boss has been the most popular name on the list of contenders since Otmar Szafnauer parted ways with the team immediately after the chequered flag was flown at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Adding fuel to the rumours of his appointment, Binotto was spotted at the Spa circuit post-Belgian Grand Prix, at a private test for Pirelli. F1i has posted about Binotto’s move to Alpine on their X account.

‘METEORIC return’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001404/mattia-binotto-alpine-f1-ferrari/


OPINION: Binotto would be wise to steer clear of Alpine omnishambles
03 August 3:35PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

The ex-Ferrari boss has been tipped as a potential replacement for Otmar Szafnauer at Alpine, but would be wise to avoid. The first mistake made by Renault upon its return to Formula 1 in 2016 was to commit to winning the World Championship in one of those five-year plans the suits tend to like.
That immediately puts a hard deadline in place with tangible progress needing to be evidenced year-upon-year for any chance of meeting the goal.

Come 2022, and yet more senior management changes were in the offering as Budkowski (who it had worked hard to extract from the FIA) and Alain Prost were out with Otmar Szafnauer drafted in as Team Principal. After good progress in 2022, the team is currently in disarray having lost its CEO Laurent Rossi, Team Principal and experienced Sporting Director Alan Permane in the space of a week.

Whatever way you look at it, this is not the way to run a Formula 1 team. The hopes of Renault seeing Alpine challenging for wins and titles can now be wiped out until certainly the latter half of the decade. It is why Mattia Binotto, who has been linked with the vacancy, should clear and avoid the mess.

‘Alpine omnishambles’;

https://racingnews365.com/binotto-would-be-wise-to-steer-clear-of-alpine-omnishambles


Rumours intensify with ex-F1 team boss set for very quick return
08 Aug 2023 12:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Rumours surrounding Mattia Binotto becoming Alpine team principal are intensifying, with multiple reports claiming he has agreed to join the Enstone-based team as Otmar Szafnauer’s replacement.

The former Ferrari team boss was spotted in the paddock at the British Grand Prix in July, and has been the name most consistently linked with the now-vacant position at Alpine since it became available last week, with Szafnauer agreeing a ‘mutual’ termination of his deal with the French team, along with long-serving sporting director Alan Permane.

A report from L’Auto Journal in France claims that Binotto was at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend and stayed for the post-race Pirelli tyre test, and they claim he has already agreed terms to become Alpine team boss, following conversations with Renault CEO Luca de Meo.

‘Rumours intensify’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia-binotto-alpine-rumours-intensify/


Mattia Binotto 'set for F1 return' as former Ferrari chief plots his "revenge".
Binotto has been out of a job since he resigned as Ferrari team principal at the end of last season, feeling he had lost the full backing of the iconic brand's top brass.
17:57, 8 Aug 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Mattia Binotto has been strongly tipped to become the new Alpine team principal. The Renault-backed squad is in need of a new leader following the axing of Otmar Szafnauer at last month's Belgian Grand Prix. Both he and long-serving sporting director Alan Permane left Enstone by mutual consent.

Reports claim Szafnauer's successor has already been secured. According to French outlet L'Auto Journal, Renault chief executive Luca de Meo has chosen Binotto as his preferred choice for the role. It remains to be seen when the Italian would be free to take over if he accepts the job.

If he does accept, it will be Binotto's first Formula 1 role outside of Ferrari. He spent more than two decades rising through the ranks to become team principal, spending four years in that role before he left at the end of last year. … and he was the one to pay the price as the brand's board members continued their trend of being impatient for success.

‘Plots his revenge’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/binotto-alpine-team-principal-ferrari-30658674


Martin Brundle taken aback by ‘brutal’ Alpine sackings as Mattia Binotto links continue
02 Aug 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Brundle was shocked, calling the oustings “brutal”. “I’m still taken aback by their wholesale forced departure of experienced F1 folk, and apparently with more to come,” he wrote in his post-Belgian GP column for Sky Sports. “I must assume there are wise and knowledgeable people incoming that we’ve yet to hear about. “Publicly binning team boss Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane mid-event while they still had a job to do on the pit wall was brutal even by F1’s less-than-impressive standards in this respect.”

Looking ahead to Alpine’s future, the former driver turned TV pundit says there are already rumours former Ferrari team boss Binotto is being lined up for the team principal job. “I’ve heard the rumour,” he said on Sky Sports. “This is a funny old place as you know, you can start a rumour just for fun and see how quickly it comes back to you as fact. But it’s not out of the question.”

“Binotto has got a lot of experience, obviously in the Ferrari system, and knows about running a Formula 1 team. Obviously, it didn’t work out for him at Ferrari otherwise he’d still be there. But I wouldn’t be surprised if that was announced, no.”

‘Brutal even by F1’s less-than-impressive standards’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-alpine-sackings/


Mattia Binotto tipped for swift return as new boss of Alpine
8 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Motorsport Week

The ex-Ferrari boss has been picked by Renault CEO Luca De Meo to take the reins at Alpine, according to L’Auto Journal. Binotto, who became the latest victim of Ferrari’s ruthlessness last season and was replaced by Fred Vasseur, was spotted recently in the paddock at the F1 British Grand Prix.

Leo Turrini, an Italian journalist with ties to Ferrari, wrote in Quotidiano: “In France they say that Binotto already has the agreement with Alpine. I wouldn't be surprised and I wrote it. I have known Mattia for almost 30 years. He is a smart guy, perhaps undermined by an excess of self-esteem.”

“He had the Ferrari [team] in hand for a few years, it was his dream come true. Other dreams, however, have failed, also due to his own responsibility. He made mistakes, but he wasn't always helped. He trusted the wrong friends and in communication it was a disaster. Some of his utterances cry out for revenge. But, for the avoidance of doubt, he is a smart person. If he finds a mentor in De Meo and learns to listen more, he could do very good things.”

‘Swift return’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1033085/1/mattia-binotto-tipped-swift-return-new-boss-current-f1-team


Ex-Ferrari boss Binotto tipped for shock F1 return with Alpine
13:51 Wed, 09 Aug 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has been selected as Alpine’s new Formula 1 Team Principal, according to L’Auto Journal. The French outlet reports that Renault Groupe CEO Luca de Meo has chosen Binotto to take the reigns from Otmar Szafnauer who left Alpine after the Belgian Grand Prix as part of a mass exodus of senior staff. Alpine currently finds itself sixth in the Constructor’s standings on 57 points, some 46 points adrift of next best McLaren.

It’s reported that Binotto has already accepted the offer of Alpine Team Principal from De Meo, his role could include a wider focus. It is understood that the former Ferrari man would only entertain offers that would allow him to restructure a team as he sees fit. Renault’s existing leadership hierarchy would make such a feat difficult for Binotto without some form of carte blanche.

‘Binotto tipped for shock F1 return’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/09/ex-ferrari-boss-binotto-tipped-for-shock-f1-return-with-alpine/

[Fortitude]

David Croft calls out Formula 1 fans who complain about Max Verstappen’s dominance.
Croft maintains that the thrilling performances by Verstappen and Red Bull are worth appreciating and celebrating, urging fans to focus on the incredible feats on display rather than lamenting the lack of suspense in the title race.
August 6, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Speaking alongside ex-F1 racer Karun Chandhok on the Sky F1 podcast, he said:
“All I would say is if you think the sight of cars going at 200 miles an hour plus, or doing 170 miles an hour through Maggotts and Becketts, or showing the most supreme engineering challenge, in the hands of some of the most talented human beings ever to grab hold of a steering wheel, where we’re at tracks where you’re millimetres away from ruining your afternoon for 70-odd laps in a race, if you think that’s boring, I can’t help you. I really can’t.”

“It is so so easy to run with the herd here and say ‘oh it’s boring because Max keeps winning’. Why not marvel at the record? At the excellence, at the consistency and to be that good for so long. I couldn’t do it. Karun couldn’t do it. You know what it takes Karun to be that good and appreciate what we’re seeing, because we’re not going to see it forever.”

“I can’t help you. I really can’t”;

https://baylasportsf1.com/david-croft-calls-out-formula-1-fans-who-complain-about-max-verstappens-dominance/


David Croft vehemently defends Max Verstappen
Red Bull's Max Verstappen is closing in on the top-three on the all-time F1 winners list.
8 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has jumped to the defence of reigning World Champion Max Verstappen, who’s been accused by several fans for making the sport “boring”. Many have shared their frustrations online about Verstappen’s current dominance, with the Dutchman being in a complete league of his own.

The two-time World Champion is all but set to become a three-time World Champion very soon, as he boasts a ridiculous 125-point lead over Sergio Perez. Verstappen could effectively miss the next five races and still lead the championship.

He’s now claimed 45 wins in his F1 career and is closing down on four-time World Champion Alain Prost’s 51 wins. “It is so so easy to run with the herd here and say ‘Oh, it’s boring because Max keeps winning’,” Croft said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

‘Closing down on four-time World Champion Alain Prost’s 51 wins’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/david-croft-vehemently-defends-max-verstappen/


Sky F1's David Croft shows his stripes in rant over Max Verstappen's Red Bull dominance
Red Bull have won all 12 races so far this season and Max Verstappen has taken 10 of those victories, leading to some F1 fans criticising the sport for its lack of competitiveness
16:21, 8 Aug 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

David Croft questioned how Formula 1 fans can complain about Max Verstappen's remarkable success so far this season. But not everyone shares that opinion. Sky Sports commentator Croft is clearly among the latter group, as evidenced by his criticism of the sport's boo boys in the midst of this remarkable Red Bull dominance.

While it may be boring for some fans, safe to say everyone involved with Red Bull feels very differently about the situation. That includes Verstappen, who dismissed the suggestion that even he might be getting bored with how easy some of his victories have been this year. "That actually doesn't make it boring. That's why I'm here. I want to be here. I want to win," he told reporters.

"To be up front. It's what makes it a lot more enjoyable to come to a race weekend. Knowing that you can't win, you have no chance – that's boring for me. This is the opposite. "I just put a lot of pressure on myself to try to deliver what I can. The team does that as well, they always want to be as good as they can be. Some races look easier than others, sometimes it just clicks a bit easier. I think that is the strength of the team, we always want to do the best we can, we always want to improve. That's why we are doing so well at the moment."

‘Croft shows his stripes in rant’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/red-bull-verstappen-crofty-sky-30657728


Mercedes boss Toto Wolff flat-out disagrees with David Croft over Max Verstappen
Toto Wolff and David Croft have differing opinions on the dominance of Max Verstappen.
10:05, Mon, Aug 7, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes boss Wolff has not been impressed by the entertainment value of Verstappen’s domination, stating: “I don’t know whether our dominance was similar or less as I think we had years where we did it in the same way, but at least we had two cars that were fighting each other.”

“So that caused a little bit of entertainment for everyone, and that’s not the case at the moment,” Wolff continued. “It is what it is and I often say that it’s a meritocracy and it’s up to us to fight back.”

The Austrian team principal’s viewpoint has been shared by fans this season, but exacerbated by the relative struggles of his team. Mercedes have been forced to feed off scraps in 2023 with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton collecting four podiums and George Russell stepping onto the podium only once.

‘Toto Wolff flat-out disagrees with David Croft’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1799467/Max-Verstappen-Toto-Wolff-David-Croft


David Croft urges F1 to scrap cost cap model and proposes simpler solution
07 Aug 2023 5:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Sky F1 commentator David Croft believes the FIA can help itself and the Formula 1 teams by simplifying the current cost cap procedure which he questions whether anyone “truly understands”.

Croft believes that the cap in its current form should be axed, with a more understandable system introduced whereby a set limit is imposed above the base cost cap level to cover all additional expenditure currently not included or being directed and hidden elsewhere by the teams, and make any breach sanctions severe.

“The cost cap is limiting many things in Formula 1,” said Croft on the Sky Sports F1 podcast. “Staff recruitment is being affected by it, because teams just can’t pay the money that businesses outside of Formula 1 can pay, because the cost cap isn’t going up and inflation is quite high. There is a brain drain as it were in Formula 1 with people leaving the sport to go and work elsewhere.”

‘Current cost cap procedure which he questions whether anyone “truly understands”!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/david-croft-f1-cost-cap-solution/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes boss Wolff REVEALS Hamilton contract length.
"It's simply minor details that need to be resolved in the contracts," Wolff clarified to motorsport-total.com.
Thursday 10 August 2023 13:57
Jay Winter
GPFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated that seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will continue racing for "many years" to come. Wolff reassured Silver Arrows fans that the delay in the new contract is simply down to ironing out minor details, quashing any speculation about his retirement or shift to an ambassadorial role in the near future.

The focus, he asserted, remains firmly on securing Hamilton's presence as a driver. "No, we're not discussing an ambassador role after his retirement," stated the Austrian. "That's also not part of the contract negotiations. I believe he has many years ahead as a driver in this team, so it's just about clarifying things in the contract."

Navigating the delicate balance between contractual formalities and anticipation, Wolff refrained from providing a definitive date for contract completion. "I don't want to give a date, as it's lawyers talking to lawyers," he explained. "There are no material issues anymore, but you have to give the matter time, and I don't want to commit to a date."

‘Wolff REVEALS’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001535/lewis-hamilton-toto-wolff-mercedes-f1-contract-length/


Toto Wolff’s concerning Mercedes comments as Lewis Hamilton talks drag on
George Russell has lacked confidence in the W14 and sits 49 points behind Lewis Hamilton in the championship.
10 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted that the W14 has proven to have “no sweet spot”, with the Austrian labelling it as a reason why George Russell has struggled this season. Whilst the W14 is better than the team’s 2022 car, Russell has been weaker this year and finds himself behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Russell appeared to suit the W13 better than the W14, whereas Hamilton struggled to adjust to the 2022 car. “I don’t know. These cars are on the knife’s edge,” Wolff explained ahead of the summer break. “You can quickly fall off it and lose the confidence. On the other side, if you’re within that corridor of sweet spot… having said that, that car has no sweet spot!”

“I don’t know”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolffs-concerning-mercedes-comments-as-lewis-hamilton-talks-drag-on/


Wolff warns F1 faces 'catastrophe' over engine measures
05/08/2023 at 09:31
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Mercedes team principal and executive director Toto Wolff has come out strongly against any suggestions that F1 should introduce a new engine equalisation clause that would impose limits on the entire field.

“Entertainment follows sport, and why the sport is so credible is because you have just got to work hard to be successful,” Wolff is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com this week. “If you're falling back as an engine supplier, and your engine isn't as performant as others, that's obviously everybody's problem," he acknowledged.

"At the same time, with a frozen engine, we don’t want to lose out on giving someone opportunities," he stressed. “But it needs to be done in a meritocratic way. For that, we have a rule in the 2026 power unit regulations that if one power unit will drop out of three per cent below the top power unit, then the teams would sit down in good faith and debate what could be done.”

“Entertainment follows sport”;

https://f1i.com/news/483318-wolff-warns-f1-faces-catastrophe-over-engine-measures.html


Toto Wolff blasts selfish Williams rivals for ‘jumping on the bandwagon’
08 Aug 2023 5:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff is unimpressed with Williams’ rivals for “jumping on the bandwagon” to try to gain leeway with their capital expenditure and hopes a “solution for Williams” can be found.

Williams team boss James Vowles recently revealed that a lot of Williams’ infrastructure hasn’t been updated in almost two decades with the Briton asking for a bit of freedom in the team’s capital expenditure.

He raised Williams’ plight at July’s F1 Commission meeting but found his rival team bosses not only calling for more room for their teams but also for the $36m limit to be raised.

‘Selfish Williams rivals’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-rivals-jumping-bandwagon-williams-recovery/


Mercedes boss Toto Wolff suffers nasty injury while on holiday with family during F1 break
The 2023 F1 season is currently in the midst of a summer break, with drivers and team members jetting off on holiday before the next Dutch Grand Prix from August 25-27
09:57, 7 Aug 2023
By Fraser Watson
The Mirror

Susie took to Instagram on Sunday morning to share some snaps of the couple enjoying themselves with their young son Jack, but the final picture showed her partner holding his son's hand with his left arm in a full-length cast. It strongly implied the chief of the Silver Arrows had suffered a notable injury.

“Action-packed start to the summer holidays," wrote Susie, who also included images of a family karting session. "Last picture shows how the downhill mountain biking ended for Toto…”

According to Planet F1 , Mercedes have since confirmed that Wolff has fractured his elbow last Monday, just a day after the race at Spa-Francorchamps. However, he's expected to make a full recovery during the current recess period.

‘Toto Wolff suffers nasty injury’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mercedes-toto-wolff-f1-news-30644016


Toto Wolff suffers injury while mountain biking on his family holiday
6 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.net

Toto Wolff was pictured with his arm in a cast while on a family holiday. His wife, Susie Wolff, revealed that the injury was caused while mountain biking. “Action-packed start to the summer holidays,” Susie posted to social media. “Last picture shows how the downhill mountain biking ended for Toto…”

It is not the first time that Wolff's arm has ended up in a sling after a day of cycling. In 2014, it was again his wife who revealed via social media that he had fallen and injured an arm.

‘Downhill mountain biking’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1032981/1/toto-wolff-suffers-injury-after-crashing-mountain-bike-his-family-holiday

[Fortitude]

The key personnel Ferrari wants from the teams it’s losing to.
Ferrari’s getting aggressive in its attempt to address a disappointing performance in Formula 1 2023 but it’s probably not enough.
11th August 2023, 08:02
The Race

So it’s no surprise that there’s more and more evidence in the paddock that it’s trying to solve its problems with proactive attempts to bring in fresh expertise from the teams that are beating it right now. It’s been mostly silent since early season news and rumours of various staff leaving Ferrari and others potentially doing so as well.

The exits of people like David Sanchez have inevitably been played down, with the argument being that he was not an essential figure as head of vehicle concept, nor a hugely effective one. One anti-Sanchez theory in the paddock is that given Ferrari started 2022 well enough but failed to progress, then clearly hit a wall in 2023, his concept didn’t have enough potential to begin with.

But Sanchez is now joining McLaren, which is saying the opposite – that the concept role is vital and Sanchez, who was a central figure to all the race-winning Ferraris in the hybrid engine era, is a key acquisition. So Ferrari has jobs to fill. And it continues to be linked with poaching all manner of Mercedes and Red Bull staff members – with the first major acquisition expected to be Loic Serra joining from Mercedes, although probably not until 2025.

‘Ferrari’s getting aggressive’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-key-personnel-ferrari-wants-from-the-teams-its-losing-to/


Ferrari should be 'protagonists, not extras’, says disappointed ex-chairman Luca di Montezemolo
11 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo is disappointed by the lack of progress made by his former F1 team, saying they should be “protagonists, not extras”. Di Montezemolo, who oversaw Ferrari and Michael Schumacher’s period of F1 domination in the early 2000s, stepped down from his long-time role amid a poor 2014 season.

Di Montezemolo says he expected more from Ferrari in the decade that has passed since his departure. “As a fan I dream of a Ferrari not that always wins, but that fights for the title until the last race,” he told Quotidiano Nazionale. “As in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2008, 2010, 2012. You can lose, but as protagonists, not as extras.”

The Italian believes Ferrari need to tie down Charles Leclerc for as long as possible but says the Maranello outfit’s problem is not their drivers. “He’s good and I don’t think there are free riders stronger than him,” Di Montezemolo said of Leclerc. “But in the present who drives the red is the least of the problems. As president I had built a dream team, from Schumi to [Jean] Todt, from [Ross] Brawn to [Rory] Byrne.”

'Protagonists, not extras’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1033177/1/ferrari-should-be-protagonists-not-extras-says-disappointed-exchairman


Ferrari boss fires warning about catching Max Verstappen
Ferrari are a staggering 312 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship.
9 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has admitted that it’s “quite difficult” to catch Red Bull in the current era of Formula 1, with the budget cap being to blame. “Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades,” Vasseur said, as reported by Crash.net.

“It means that when there is a gap, and a real gap, it’s quite difficult to catch up. One weekend to the others over the last four or five weekends it was a one time [Ferrari] ahead in quali, one time McLaren, one time Mercedes. But we are always behind Red Bull and at least in the race they have still a huge gap.”

“Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-boss-fires-warning-about-catching-max-verstappen/


Ferrari to use new Mercedes signing to entice number one target to Maranello – report
07 Aug 2023 9:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Failing to sign Pierre Waché when Ferrari made a play for the Red Bull technical director earlier this year, reports claim Fred Vasseur is going to use his newest recruit, Mercedes’ Loïc Serra, to get his number target.

Having lost David Sanchez to McLaren and Laurent Mekies to AlphaTauri, earlier this year Ferrari made a play for Waché, the Red Bull technical director and one of the key men behind the all-conquering Red Bull RB19 and its superior DRS. They were, however, rebuffed by the Frenchman before turning their attention to his compatriot and Mercedes’ performance director Serra.

Expected to join Ferrari in 2025, unless the Scuderia can reach an agreement with Mercedes that will allow for a shorter period of gardening leave, AMuS’s Michael Schmidt reports the Scuderia are hoping to use Serra to persuade Waché over to Ferrari as they are good friends. “I believe Loïc Serra was chosen carefully,” Schmidt said in his post-Spa video. “He is one of the best friends of Pierre Waché, the technical director of Red Bull. The two often spend hours together in the paddock, even though they are from rival teams.”

‘Entice number one target’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-lois-serra-pierre-wache/


Frederic Vasseur blames FIA for Ferrari’s struggles
Ferrari have fallen 312 points behind Red Bull after just 12 races of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
8 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur believes catching Red Bull has been made more difficult by the introduction of the budget cap, which came into effect in 2021.

As a result of Ferrari not being able to throw everything at development because of the $135 million cost cap, closing Red Bull has become “quite difficult”. “Red Bull is also bringing upgrades and upgrades and upgrades,” Vasseur said, as reported by Motorsport Week.

Despite the gap to Red Bull being so large, Vasseur has stressed that Ferrari are focusing on themselves and not their rivals. He revealed that the Italians are “pushing like hell” to improve whatever they can to increase their performance, with the side seemingly trying everything. “To catch up, it’s not that you are thinking about the Red Bull and to say well ‘what [do] we have to do?’” added Vasseur.

“Pushing like hell”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/frederic-vasseur-blames-fia-for-ferraris-struggles/


Ferrari claims F1 cost cap has made Red Bull harder to catch
8 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

The introduction of the F1 cost cap has made it even harder to close the gap to Red Bull, according to Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur. Ferrari boss Vasseur believes the F1 cost cap, which is set at $135m for each team this year, has only made the deficit for the chasing pack more difficult to bridge.

“To catch up, it’s not that you are thinking about the Red Bull and to say well ‘what [do] we have to do?’” Vasseur said. “You have to work on yourself. It means that we are developing, we are developing in every single direction, we are trying to improve aero, suspension and whatever we can do.”

“We are pushing like hell to do a better job but if you have a look, and this is crucial, with the bouncing and so, it’s not when you are bringing upgrades that you are doing a huge step forward."

‘Red Bull harder to catch’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1033067/1/ferrari-claims-f1-cost-cap-has-made-red-bull-harder-catch


Leclerc wants Ferrari investigation into race weakness
07 August 2:55PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Leclerc wants to know the reason for the drop-off when asked about Ferrari's weaknesses by media, including RacingNews365: "We have statistics of all the pit stops around the paddock and before this race [Belgium] we were still one of the best ones.

"In the last few races, we started to struggle a bit more, so now we will look into it. It's been two or three races in a row where we've had one or two pit-stops where we've struggled. It has to become one of our priorities to maximise our points."

‘Ferrari investigation’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-wants-ferrari-investigation-into-race-weakness

[Fortitude]

Fernando Alonso receives apology from Aston Martin chief as Lewis Hamilton closes in.
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has issued an apology to Fernando Alonso as the team continue to lag behind rivals Mercedes, Ferrari and now McLaren in the development race and the Spaniard loses further ground in his fight with Lewis Hamilton.
18:40, Tue, Aug 8, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

“The drivers, I have to say credit to both of them,” Krack explained to Formula1.com. “Because it was a difficult situation when you are used to having a front-running car and then you start to slip back a little bit. It’s easy to get destructive and it happened exactly the opposite so I’m really happy with the way that this has evolved.”

Krack then made his apology to Alonso and Stroll, stating: “I’m really sorry for our drivers that we have not maybe managed to keep up there but, rest assured, we will try everything to come back.”

‘Fernando Alonso receives apology from Aston Martin chief’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1800064/Fernando-Alonso-Lewis-Hamilton-Aston-Martin


F1 boss issues APOLOGY to drivers amid sudden form slump
Tuesday 8 August 2023 16:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Alonso, in particular, started the 2023 season like a house on fire, scoring multiple podiums and regularly being the closest challenger to Red Bull. Aston Martin have since gone off the boil, with Mercedes and Ferrari bringing useful upgrades. McLaren have also now entered the conversation with a remarkable turn of speed.

Alonso is still holding onto third in the drivers' standings but Lewis Hamilton is only one point behind. Stroll is ninth in the points, behind Lando Norris. Team principal Mike Krack has issued an apology to Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll due to Aston Martin's recent slump in form.

‘F1 boss issues APOLOGY’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001387/mike-krack-aston-martin-f1-fernando-alonso-lance-stroll-apology/


F1 team principal admits DOUBLE PODIUM covered up 'weaknesses'
Wednesday 9 August 2023 12:12
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

In an interview on the Aston Martin website, he said: “We've lost small amounts compared to our competitors and as an engineer, that makes you disappointed, but it's the qualifying and finishing positions that give the perception that we've dropped back massively when in reality we haven't.

“Our competitors have just improved more than us and jumped into that gap between us and Red Bull.” Krack said: “We're constantly pushing the development, and these cars are so complex that any change will impact other areas of the car – there are side effects. Very few changes you make to the car work in isolation.”

“We made a change earlier in the season and didn't anticipate it having some of the side effects that it did. It wasn't until after several races at different types of circuits that we realised how it was influencing the car. The upgrades we have put on the car have worked, and the numbers are where they should be – but I think the results over the last few races are representative of where we are.”

‘DOUBLE PODIUM covered up 'weaknesses'!’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001431/mike-krack-aston-martin-f1-fernando-alonso-podium-monaco-canada-outliers/


Alonso unhappy with 'one factor' affecting Aston Martin
06 August 4:15PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso is unhappy with the mid-season change in Formula 1's tyre construction by Pirelli. Alonso discussed his stance on rule changes halfway through a season when speaking to media, including RacingNews365: "I'm not a fan of changing the rules in the middle of a championship.”

"In sport, you know, you change the balls in the middle of the tennis tournament or something like that, and it’s what happens when we change tyres here, we change the rules in the middle of a F1 World Championship.

"But you know, at the end of the day, is the same for everybody again, so we just need to understand the tyre the best we can, and hopefully extract the maximum."

"I'm not a fan of changing the rules in the middle of a championship”;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-unhappy-with-one-factor-affecting-aston-martin


Alonso makes track RETURN despite F1 being on summer break
Wednesday 9 August 2023 16:57
Nilanjana Chatterjee
GPFans

Formula 1 might have gone on a hiatus, but that didn't stop Fernando Alonso from hitting the race track. Alonso went go-karting on the track at his Museum, posted pictures of his day out on Twitter for his followers.

Alonso has a considerable part to play in bringing F1 motorsport to Spain. It was after he won the first championship title that F1 began drawing a fanbase in the country. After it became the most followed sport in the country, the Fernando Alonso Museum and Circuit were built to pay tribute to the two-time F1 world champion and promote motor racing.

The Museum curates all his trophies, from his karting days to his time with Renault and Ferrari. It is a living testament to what Alonso has achieved in his career in motor racing for 21 years. Speaking about Aston Martin's dip in performance, he said: "We need to keep working, understanding, a few qualifying [sessions] already on circuits that we were not competitive," he said. "Barcelona, Austria, and Silverstone - all three of them seem a little bit similar in a way in track characteristics. So, we need to understand that."

'One factor';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001483/fernando-alonso-track-f1-summer-break-karting/


Performance at Spa ‘Good News’ for Aston Martin Heading into Summer Break – Alonso
August 4, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Fernando Alonso admitted he was concerned about the potential performance of the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team during the Belgian Grand Prix, but he was happy to be able to head into the summer break with a fifth-place finish.

“I was lucky at the start: I made up a few places into Eau Rouge, but then I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to hold onto those positions through the first stint,” said Alonso. “We were fast – we kept one Mercedes and one McLaren behind us – so we were in the mix. That’s good news for the whole team as we head into the summer break.”

“The car felt great today – and really gave me confidence. This is a high-efficiency circuit – and, after the British Grand Prix, we were a little concerned about our performance coming here. The team changed a few characteristics on the car and it really paid off.”

‘Performance at Spa Good News’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/08/performance-at-spa-good-news-for-aston-martin-heading-into-summer-break-alonso/


Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin target through mid-season struggles
06 Aug 2023 6:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso isn’t thinking about life after Aston Martin just yet, remaining laser-focused on his years of involvement as a driver. While Aston Martin hit the ground running in 2023 with multiple podium finishes, the last four races prior to the summer break have proven far more of a challenge as the team have struggled to keep up with the development progress made by other teams, such as McLaren and Mercedes.

As a result, Alonso says the obvious obstacle in transitioning into a true top-flight team is still one they must overcome, and he’s ready for the challenge of making that happen. “Not thinking too much into the future, thinking on these years only,” when asked about his future with Aston Martin.

“The target is to keep growing as a team. We are finding some obstacles right now. We are dealing with some extra performance from our opponents, our lack of performance in certain circuits and these kinds of things. Which I find very interesting and very useful for us as a team to grow up.”

‘Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin target’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-target-mid-season-struggles/

[Fortitude]

McLaren poised to stay in attack mode with another major upgrade in the works.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has confirmed there will be no let-up in the Woking-based team’s push on development in the second half of the season.
12 Aug 2023 10:45 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

“We’re working on some evolution of these concepts for post-shutdown,” he told media in Belgium. “We are definitely working on an evolution of this package. So another round of bodywork and floor – we still have to sign this off, we have a few more days of work. If we are successful, then we will definitely attempt to bring it to one of the events soon after the shutdown.”

“We will see, it’s very difficult to say,” he said. “I think we kind of understand what happened with this one. But what we’re working on is not only simple millimetres, is a bit of a conceptual evolution. So there’s a degree of uncertainty like in all aerodynamic evolutions.

“Really the evidence comes only when you test these kinds of things trackside because, even if you have good wind tunnel correlation, and good CFD correlation, you’re always a little bit on the edge of knowledge. This is the same for every team so you can always say yes, once you have tested trackside.”

‘No let-up’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-upgrades-coming-second-half-2023/


McLaren pushing to sign off final F1 ‘conceptual evolution’ update for 2023 car
McLaren has revealed it is pushing to sign off a ‘conceptual evolution’ upgrade that could be the final major update for its 2023 F1 car.
Aug 1, 2023, 9:02 AM
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Ahead of a landmark moment for the team, as it prepares to put its 2024 car in its new wind tunnel for the first time, the squad still wants to eke out one final effort for its current MCL60. “We are working on an evolution of these concepts for post shutdown,” he said.

“There is another kind of round [of changes to] the bodywork and floor. We still have to sign this off, and we have a few more days of work, but if we are successful, then we will definitely attempt to bring it in one of the events soon after the shutdown.”

‘Conceptual evolution’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-pushing-to-sign-off-final-conceptual-evolution-update-for-f1-2023-car/10502886/


McLaren have Red Bull and Newey to thank for STUNNING F1 turnaround
Saturday 12 August 2023 16:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has said that his team 'need to pay credit' to Peter Prodromou in light of their recent positive developments. Team principal Stella has put this recent performance success down to his head of aerodynamics Peter Prodromou. “It soon became very apparent to us that Peter Prodromou was the person that needed to lead Aerodynamics,”

Stella said in an exclusive interview with McLaren. “Peter’s leadership has been exceptional since he has been given authority over aerodynamic development and reorganisation of the department. We need to pay credit to Peter because this has been done by him, supported by Giuseppe Pesce, the Director of Aerodynamics, and the rest of the Aerodynamic leadership team.”

Earlier in his career he partnered with Red Bull’s highly credited Adrian Newey whilst working for McLaren in 2005. Christian Horner took Newey’s services to Red Bull in 2006, with Prodromou following closely behind, and they collaborated to see Sebastian Vettel win his four consecutive championships. Having collaborated with one of Formula One’s greatest technical minds, Prodromou’s wealth of experience is now proving invaluable to McLaren's advancements.

‘STUNNING F1 turnaround’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001598/mclaren-andrea-stella-adrian-newey-red-bull-f1-turnaround/


McLaren target crucial Red Bull weapon on F1 'to-do list'
11 August 2:55PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

McLaren is pursuing Red Bull's powerful DRS and beam wing configuration with its latest updates after the summer break. The team brought the first step of this update to the Belgian Grand Prix, with a concept that is close to mimicking that seen on the RB19.

Team Principal Andrea Stella told media, including RacingNews365: "The underlying level of drag is more, it has to do with the overall configuration of the car. Red Bull has done a very good job of having a car that is low drag independent of the rear wing.”

"If I take our case specifically - like in Spa - the main opportunity is to keep working on the rear wing. This is something that was on our to-do list, but kind of we are not there yet. So I think the main opportunity for us is on the rear wing. But overall, the impact on drag comes actually from the entire car."

'To-do list';

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-target-crucial-red-bull-weapon-on-f1-to-do-list


Why McLaren F1 didn’t address its high drag problem sooner
13:59 Thu, 10 Aug 2023.
By: Filip Cleeren
Co-author: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

McLaren started the season off the pace with a car that was both lacking overall downforce and suffering from a lack of aerodynamic efficiency, meaning it creates too much drag for a given downforce level.

Incoming team principal Andrea Stella rolled out a recovery plan to get the team's MCL60 back on track, which included a philosophy change and then a comprehensive upgrade package overseen by a revised technical structure at Woking.

"We have done quite a lot of work on re-designing of the car from the start of the season," Stella explained. "One thing that we haven't attacked yet is actually the car at low drag level, so there wasn't much efficiency to gain by going on a small rear wing and we decided to stay at the point in which the car is at the moment most efficient.”

‘Recovery plan’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/why-mclaren-f1-didnt-address-its-high-drag-problem-sooner/10506240/


F1 mid-season review: McLaren disrupts the fun
09 August 1:50PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Up to the Canadian Grand Prix in June, 2023 had been a poor showing from McLaren with just 17 points on the board, a massive restructuring of the technical department and a whole lot of questions beginning to bubble around its lead driver.

But the lid could not be kept on much longer after a stunning British Grand Prix weekend where Norris and Piastri took second and third on the grid with the Australian only missing out on finishing there in the race thanks to Lewis Hamilton getting lucky with the Safety Car timing.

This was backed up again in Hungary, a circuit Norris downplayed hopes for, with another run to second for Norris as Piastri struggled after an early bright start, but still took fifth. The team was caught out at Spa with its high-downforce rear-wing and the lack of a low-downforce option in the dry conditions for the race...

‘Questions beginning to bubble’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-mid-season-review-mclaren-disrupts-the-fun


McLaren requires “urgent work” after F1 Belgian GP reality check
McLaren requires “urgent work” to remedy weaknesses exposed by the “reality check” that was the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, according to the Formula 1 team’s boss Andrea Stella.
Jul 31, 2023, 10:03 AM
By: Matt Kew
Co-author: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Lando Norris classified seventh in the Belgian GP after dropping three places during the opening stint due to struggles on the medium tyres. He then made an earlier stop for hard tyres, which similarly backfired to leave the Briton feeling as though he was running “last”.

Stella reckoned the Spa weekend had proved a “reality check” and showed that his team had “urgent work” to undertake to resolve weaknesses that would carry over to the Italian GP. He said: “This weekend told us that where we could do work. The car is improved in some areas. This was confirmed. But, at the same time, this weekend confirmed the areas that we haven't addressed yet.”

“[It] gives us a reality check that there's more work to do and, to some extent, confirms that those areas, they need to be addressed quite urgently. This urgency, for instance, comes from the fact that a second race after [the summer] shutdown is Monza. You can't go racing in Monza like [we did in Spa]. So, there's urgent work that needs to happen at McLaren to fix the situation.”

‘Reality check’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-requires-urgent-work-f1-belgian-gp/10502539/


McLaren explain F1 upgrade risk
10 August 10:02AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has conceded aerodynamic development will always carry a "degree of uncertainty". "When you have aerodynamic development, you carry a degree of uncertainty," Stella told media including RacingNews365. "In mechanical design, it is much of a consolidated science in terms of the tools you use to go from point A to point B - you kind of have more control of the process.”

"But in aerodynamics, air has such a non-linear behaviour, things can vary quite significantly just by changing starting conditions just a little bit, it always retains a degree of uncertainty even when the tools tell you this works.”

"You put it trackside and you are always a little nervous. So that's the specifics of aerodynamics as a science, so that's why you see me prudent. If it was something to do with metal design, I would be more certain in my conclusions.”

“Degree of uncertainty";

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-explain-f1-upgrade-risk

[Fortitude]

Former driver claims Ferrari F1 staff 'WORK IN FEAR' at Maranello.
“I'm telling you, all the people there work in fear," he revealed to Formel1.de. "They don't raise objections because they're afraid of losing their jobs." Former Formula 1 driver Marc Surer.
Sunday 13 August 2023 06:57
Jay Winter
GPFans

Marc Surer has claimed this has a knock-on effect for new staff that join the Italian ranks too. "Engineers who are excited and enthusiastic, they're being restrained because they're afraid of losing their jobs," said the Swiss-German. "Engineers who are excited and enthusiastic, they're being restrained because they're afraid of losing their jobs.”

“This mainly concerns the Italian staff. Of course, it's an honour to work at Ferrari, and one wouldn't want to jeopardise their job.” Although Ferrari may be struggling with keeping up with expectations from last season, Vasseur has asked for time in order to bring in the right people to fix the Prancing Horse.

'WORK IN FEAR';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001670/ferrari-f1-maranello-staff-fear-marc-surer/


Rubens Barrichello reveals Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher bias
Rubens Barrichello claimed nine wins for Ferrari from 2000-2005, partnering Michael Schumacher at the team.
12 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Barrichello very much saw Schumacher at his very best; however, the Brazilian insists that the German was “never supportive”. Ferrari also supposedly used to have meetings just with Schumacher, which Barrichello would just sit in.

“I always made friends and I’ve always had a good relationship with all my teammates,” Barrichello said on the Beyond the Grid podcast. “But he was never supportive. He was never there to offer help, so I never asked. Michael was different. He was a bit naive in the way that he worked.”

“So many times, we would finish a meeting and then they would start another one with just Michael there! So I took my chair and would just sit there! Eventually I felt that the team was his.”

“Never supportive”;

https://formula1news.co.uk/rubens-barrichello-reveals-ferraris-michael-schumacher-bias/


F1 legend opens up on WALKING OUT on Schumacher and Ferrari
Sunday 13 August 2023 08:27
Dan Davis
GPFans

"I always say he was better than me, no doubt," Barrichello told F1.com. "But because he was already there from '96, he had four years [in the team], he had gone through the injury, and obviously Jean [Todt] considered him like a son, so it was tough for someone new to come in and say 'OK, give me the freedom'.”

"I told Ferrari if it was written in my contract to let Michael go [ahead], I didn't want to sign. My contract said nothing about that. For my benefit I accepted so many things, there were many things I did not accept, but some I did because I saw I was growing there. For six years I saw I was going forward and my time was coming."

"Honda approached me in 2005 and I said I can't [join] because I have a contract with Ferrari for 2006," he added. “But something happened [at Ferrari] in the middle of that year - I’ll put it in my book one day! - and I didn't like it. I said 'I can see you guys are not giving me the freedom to race, I waited six years, and I thank you guys very much but I want you to sign me off and I want to leave the contract'."

‘WALKING OUT’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001690/michael-schumacher-rubens-barrichello-ferrari-walking-out/


‘Ferrari president personally contacted Lewis Hamilton - but he said no’
12 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

“Hamilton had been contacted personally by [Ferrari president John] Elkann,” wrote Leo Turrini, an Italian journalist respected for his ties to the Scuderia, in Quotidiano. “I understand he politely replied ‘no thanks’. And you can understand it (unfortunately).”

Previously the Daily Mail insisted that Ferrari were offering a £40m deal to prise Hamilton away from Mercedes. They insisted that Elkann was “already in close contact with Hamilton” over a deal which would partner him with either Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz. But Hamilton and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff have constantly stated their belief that an extended arrangement would be thrashed out between them.

‘You can understand it (unfortunately)’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1033207/1/ferrari-president-personally-contacted-lewis-hamilton-he-said-no


Lewis Hamilton bluntly rejects Ferrari president’s offer
Lewis Hamilton is set to remain with Mercedes after rejecting Ferrari, but he still doesn't have a contract for 2024.
12 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Hamilton rejecting Ferrari is a clear sign of his intent to remain with Mercedes, something he’s informed the media he’s keen to do. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has also told the media countless times this season that the Silver Arrows are planning for a future with the 103-time race winner, with it being believed that his new deal will be for two seasons.

Hamilton has very much been the lead Mercedes driver this season, having finished behind George Russell in 2022. The deal was supposedly for Hamilton to replace Carlos Sainz, who has been linked to Sauber ahead of their merge with Audi in 2026.

‘Ferrari president’s offer rejected’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-bluntly-rejects-ferrari-presidents-offer/

[Fortitude]

Formula 1 legend blasts the current state of the sport.
German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck has voiced strong criticism of some of the latest developments in Formula 1.
August 3, 2023
BaylaSportsF1.com

In a recent interview with Eurosport Germany, the 72-year-old former F1 driver was asked about the suggestion that the FIA should introduce certain rules to curb Red Bull’s dominant performance. “I think that’s totally unfair,” Stuck expressed his discontent.

Regarding Formula 1’s commitment to sustainability, Stuck finds it unconscionable that synthetic fuels are not already powering the cars. He questioned, “Why hasn’t this been the case – for a long time?” and stressed that Formula 1 must consistently take on a pioneering role in the automotive world.

He also criticized the opposition faced by potential new teams, like Andretti-Cadillac, who desire to join Formula 1 from 2025. “If the FIA bends to the will of the teams that are against new teams like that, then I ask myself: would this have happened under Jean Todt?” Stuck questioned.

‘Current state of the sport’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/formula-1-legend-blasts-the-current-state-of-the-sport/


1 Man Is Killing Formula One Stock Hype
Aug 11, 2023
Posted by Chad Stone
Money and Markets

Have you caught the Formula One bug? Like many, I was hooked after watching the first season of Drive to Survive on Netflix. I loved the mix of fast-paced Formula One action on the track and personal drama in the paddock. My wife calls it “Real Housewives of Racing,” ha!

Now … I’m obsessed. I’m up at ungodly hours of the morning to catch practice and qualifying sessions on the other side of the world, my social feeds are dominated by F1 analysis and I’m even considering attending a race next season (and I thought a Disney trip was expensive…).

But one person is doing everything he can to kill the Formula One hype machine… Max Verstappen is on an absolute tear. He’s won eight straight races and could easily win eight more. It’s like watching prime Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods.

Real Housewives of Racing”;

https://moneyandmarkets.com/verstappen-killing-formula-one-stock-hype/


5 Biggest Disappointments of 2023 Formula 1 Season, So Far
Some teams and drivers using August as a chance to regroup, maybe even save their season.
PUBLISHED: AUG 8, 2023
BY PHILLIP HORTON
AutoWeek

Not a Single Close Battle Up Front: This is not a criticism against Red Bull or Max Verstappen—they’ve been the class of the field.
Nyck de Vries: This could extend to AlphaTauri as a whole—a team that spent years in the midfield and has now drifted to the back

Ferrari: Ferrari started Formula 1’s new era in 2022 on top but quickly allowed its position to slip due to in-season development, strategic blunders, reliability setbacks and driver errors. Ferrari’s performance level has fluctuated from podium contention to barely scraping into the points and it does not yet fully understand the SF-23. Another era of rebuilding is underway.

Haas F1 Team: It has been a frustrating season for a Haas team that is eighth in the championship and ahead of Alfa Romeo on countback only.
Lance Stroll: A few drivers have had fairly average first portions of the season—George Russell, Pierre Gasly, Kevin Magnussen have all had a largely forgettable time—but Lance Stroll has had a humbling stretch, for sure.

‘5 Biggest Disappointments’;

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/formula-1/a44764737/5-biggest-disappointments-of-2023-formula-1-season-so-far/


The 2026 Engine Regulations: Transforming Formula 1 Racing
13:43 Fri, 04 Aug 2023.
By Theo Gayle
World In Sport (Weblog)


New Carbon-Free Fuel: As part of the 2030 “Net Zero Carbon” project, Formula 1 will introduce a revolutionary carbon-free fuel in 2026.
Increased Electric Power: The Motor Generator Unit – Kinetic (MGU-K) will see a substantial boost in power, transitioning from 120 kW to an impressive 350 kW.

Removal of MGU-H: The complexity and cost of the Motor Generator Unit – Heat (MGU-H) have led the FIA to eliminate it from the power units.
Reduced Fuel Allowance: The new regulations will enforce a reduction in the allowed amount of fuel for each race.

An Exciting 2026 Season: The 2026 Formula 1 season promises to be one of the most thrilling in recent history. The introduction of new teams is expected to bring unpredictability and shake up the established order among leading teams.

‘2026 Engine Regulations’;

https://worldinsport.com/the-2026-engine-regulations-transforming-formula-1-racing/?nowprocket=1


Explained: The 2026 engine regulations set to seriously shake up Formula 1
02 Aug 2023 1:55 PM
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com

In 2026, we will experience significant changes in regulations, mainly impacting the power units. The last major step was taken in 2014 when the FIA decided to introduce hybrid systems in F1.

But, the real questions are: What do the new rules bring? Are they good for the sport, and most importantly, will racing be more exciting in 2026? Let’s dig into the technical details of the new engine changes and explain how they will affect racing.

It seems that the Red Bull team members are not happy with the new regulations. Max was highly dissatisfied with the new rules, claiming that the team with the most powerful engine will also be the fastest one on the track. He also added that drivers will have to downshift on straights to recharge the battery. Horner also spoke about how the new rules need to be re-evaluated, expressing doubt about their benefits for F1.

‘Seriously shake up Formula 1’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/explained-2026-formula-1-engine-regulations/

[Fortitude]

Guenther Steiner: 24 Races is the Limit for F1 Success.
“If you have more races, it needs to be a big step financially that you can actually have two teams [crews] running it. Otherwise, I think it’s very difficult to attract people to work in F1. Guenther Steiner.
August 12, 2023
13:28 Sun, 13 Aug 2023.
BaylaSportsF1

The schedule for the 2024 Formula 1 season comprises an unprecedented 24 rounds. This tally aligns with the cap established by the Concorde Agreement, an accord encompassing the teams, Formula 1, and the FIA, slated to be in effect until 2026.
Guenther Steiner holds the viewpoint that adhering to the 24-race threshold is optimal.

Expanding to 25 or beyond within a 52-week timeframe presents substantial logistical challenges, necessitating significant alterations to the functioning of Formula 1 teams, he asserted. If you have more races, it needs to be a big step financially that you can actually have two teams [crews] running it. Otherwise, I think it’s very difficult to attract people to work in F1.”

“It is putting an effort in. I see from my side, obviously I come in on Wednesdays some of the crew which are the set-up crew, they are away sometimes months in a row. That’s a long time and for them it’s more difficult than for me. Obviously for us personally as well it’s not easy to be away 24 weekends for racing.”

‘24 Races is the Limit’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/guenther-steiner-24-races-is-the-limit-for-f1-success/


[B]Haas 'very fluid' on vital 2024 decision - Steiner
03 August 4:20PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner believes the situation is "very fluid" on whether they chose to switch focus to their 2024 car. "We need to learn exactly what it is [causing issues]," he explained to media, including RacingNews365.

"There is no point to move on now 100% to the 2024 car and not even know why we are here this year. You could end up in the same place next year. It's a topic which comes up all the time: 'How long can we push it?' ”

"We will bring some parts for after the summer break to see how they work and things like this, and then we will make the decision. But it's very fluid at the moment on when we will move over 100% to the 2024 car."

‘Vital 2024 decision’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-very-fluid-on-whether-to-switch-focus-to-2024


F1 team principal backed for incredible DRIVE on 2024 grid
Thursday 3 August 2023 14:27
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has been hilariously backed by a Formula 1 fan to not only drive on the grid in 2024, but to possibly even become world champion. Ever since his inadvertent starring role in Netflix's Drive to Survive, Steiner has become somewhat of a cult hero among F1 fans.

The Haas team principal's face is often seen on t-shirts, hats and plenty of other paraphernalia brought to a track by fans for a race weekend. And at Spa, one fan took things a step further than most in rather hilarious style. As the rain poured down, through the crowd of umbrellas and ponchos, the cameras picked up one fan holding up a bright yellow banner with Steiner photoshopped into a Haas race suit.

Alongside the image, a caption read: "The next world champion? Guenther on the grid 2024." The Haas team principal was seen laughing at the suggestion, before offering a thumbs up to the cameras in acknowledgement of the drenched race-goer.

‘Cult hero among F1 fans’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001002/f1-guenther-steiner-2024-haas-grid-team-principal-drive/


Steiner can’t explain cult-figure popularity
Friday 11th August, 2023 - 6:59pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Guenther Steiner has admitted that he can’t explain why he enjoys cult-figure popularity in the world of Formula 1. “You cannot be unhappy,” Steiner told Speedcafe if asked what he thought of the attention his popularity brings. “But the strange thing is when you achieve something not trying to do it, and you get there, it’s like ‘explain it’.”

“People say, can you explain it to me? I say no, I cannot explain to myself, how to explain to someone else?! It has become what it is. I think it’s one of those things, like Drive to Survive, nobody thought the series will be this popular – never ever.”

“A lot of people tried to do a series, Ferrari, Mercedes not taking part the first year, and all of a sudden this thing picks up so big, and me being part of it… It’s weird. If you try to do something like this, it’s very difficult to achieve, but this is just right place, right time.”

“I cannot explain to myself, how to explain to someone else?!”;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/11/steiner-cant-explain-cult-figure-popularity/


Steiner renews F1 warning over new teams
12 August 7:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Will F1 rock the boat with new outfits from 2025? Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner has stood firm with his belief that the admittance of new teams to the F1 grid would risk long-term stability in the sport.

"You have 10 very stable teams which are all technically stable, financially stable," Steiner told media including RacingNews365. "If you put another team in and maybe somebody gets in jeopardy in three or four years time, maybe eight or nine teams leave.”

"The business is run by FOM and they need to make sure that this is sustainable. At the moment, we are at a peak, everything seems to be growing and there is never an end to it - we could have 56 races a year and 22 races a year and everything would be happy.”

‘Risking long-term stability’;

https://racingnews365.com/steiner-renews-f1-warning-over-new-teams


Steiner: New teams 'pose risk to long-term stability of F1'
13/08/2023 at 16:09
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner fears that adding new teams to the Formula 1 grid would risk the long-term stability and financial success of the sport.

"We made big growths in the last year. It is very stable. We have ten very good teams and if you change something, you could go the other way. If you put another team in and maybe somebody gets in jeopardy in three or four years time, maybe only eight or nine teams will be left,” he cautioned.

“If you do too much and the teams aren’t stable anymore, what would you achieve then?" he continued. “You’ll be sitting here in three years saying you’ve lost a team because it went bankrupt. At the moment we are at the peak. Formula 1 is growing and there is never an end to it. We could have 56 races in a year and 22 teams in a year, and would be happy."

'Pose risk to long-term stability of F1';

https://f1i.com/news/483768-steiner-new-teams-pose-risk-to-long-term-stability-of-f1.html


Steiner keen to use McLaren 'proof' in Haas turnaround
09 August 8:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner believes the team can use McLaren's example of turning its season around as "proof" it can be done.

"If you take the positives, obviously we are not doing what McLaren is doing and a lot of other teams are bringing upgrades and are still where they were," Steiner told media including RacingNews365.

"McLaren is doing a very good job, you have to compliment them, but it shows that with hard-work and a bit of luck, it can be done. It's not that I think you give up now, or you will never get there. If something has been done, you can try and do it.”

‘Proof it can be done’;

https://racingnews365.com/steiner-keen-to-use-mclaren-proof-in-haas-turnaround

[Fortitude]

Why Helmut Marko is the best motorsport talent spotter.
Marko has a phenomenal CV as far as getting drivers to F1 goes. He has helped 16 drivers get to the top-class of motorsport, with the two stars in his portfolio being Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
August 5, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Between them, the pair have won 98 races, six world championships, 85 pole positions and have stood on the podium 211 times.

Five of his drivers have gone on to win F1 races once Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly bringing their total to 107 wins, whilst the cult-hero racer Juan Pablo Montoya also credits Marko for improving his talent.

His eye for talent shows no sign of slowing down, as he is nurturing highly-rated youth prospects such as Lawson, Ayumu Iwasa, Dennis Hauger and Isack Hadjar are all in Formula 2 – the final step before F1.

‘Best motorsport talent spotter’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-helmut-marko-best-motorsport-talent-spotter/


Horner: If you can’t handle ‘ruthless’ Marko, you can’t handle F1
17:10 Sat, 05 Aug 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has praised right-hand man and advisor Helmut Marko for his ‘ruthless’ behind-the-scenes management. As Red Bull’s chief talent scout, Marko has played an instrumental role in the vast success the Austrian outfit has endured since entering Formula 1 in 2005.

Most notably he was behind Max Verstappen’s jump from Formula 3 to Formula 1 with Toro Rosso in 2015. Just one year later, the then 18-year-old found himself in the main Red Bull team, winning on his debut with the team and he is now closing in on a third consecutive World Championship.

However, Marko has often been criticised for operating the two Red Bull-owned team F1 teams under somewhat of a revolving door policy, with the hardwired Austrian not being afraid to dismiss many a driver that has failed to meet his lofty standards.

‘Ruthless behind-the-scenes management’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/05/horner-if-you-cant-handle-ruthless-marko-you-cant-handle-f1/


Marko reveals Senna-Prost fears in Verstappen-Hamilton partnership
14 August 7:00AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko has insisted the heated relationship between F1 World Champions Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost as teammates prove it is better to have a clear hierarchy between drivers.

"But we as team management want success and we want to win the championship - if possible both the Drivers' and Constructors'. Then it is better if you have a hierarchy, where it is clear who is the clearly faster number one and who is the number two driver.”

"Norris I can still imagine but with Hamilton as a teammate, I have a hard head. The whole team atmosphere and our performance should not suffer. In the past, we saw, for example, Senna and Prost, two superstars, who only looked at each other and put the team in second place."

‘Better to have a clear hierarchy between drivers’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-reveals-senna-prost-fears-in-verstappen-hamilton-partnership


Helmut Marko makes honest confession over offering Lando Norris a Red Bull contract
Lando Norris has recently been linked with a move to Red Bull, much to the excitement of the neutrals.
13:04, Mon, Aug 14, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Helmut Marko has dashed fans’ hopes of seeing Lando Norris partner Max Verstappen in the near future, suggesting that while he admires the British driver’s talent, Red Bull prefer to have a clear hierarchy between the two drivers in order to avoid conflict.

Red Bull know all about the difficulties of managing two drivers who both believe they should be winning races. The infamous ‘Multi 21’ incident caused major friction between Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel at the start of the last decade, and Verstappen and Ricciardo also had their on-track squabbles during their stint as team-mates.

“In principle, we never have a stable order, but the entire team, atmosphere and competitiveness must not suffer. If you have two such stars, let's take the past: Senna with Prost did not go well. They then only looked at themselves, the team was then in the background.”

‘Honest confession’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1802000/Lando-Norris-Helmut-Marko-Red-Bull


The crazy world of working with Helmut Marko - “When he goes rogue…”
12 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Christian Horner says Helmut Marko is a “communication manager’s nightmare” when he “goes rogue” as he provided an insight into his Red Bull F1 colleague. Marko’s brutally honest remarks have often landed him in hot water over the years, and Horner admitted the media “only have to prod him” to “get a headline”.

“I’ve known him for a long time,” Horner told ESPN. “When I first met him in 1996, I needed to buy a trailer for the Formula 3000 and Formula 2 team that I had. Helmut, first of all, he’s a passionate racer. He was a good driver himself until his accident and he’s just very direct.”

“With junior drivers, he’s picked some great ones. He’s a tough operator with the junior drivers but if they can’t survive Helmut, they’ll never survive Formula 1. He’s 80 years young, he’s still watching every Formula 3 session and following the young talent religiously. I’ve always had a very straightforward and good relationship with him.”

‘Marko’s brutally honest remarks’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1033203/1/crazy-world-working-helmut-marko-when-he-goes-rogue


Wolff and Vasseur ‘love affair’ blasted as rivals gang up on Red Bull.
Helmut Marko is not expecting to receive any support from Ferrari as he said Fred Vasseur is in a “love affair” with Toto Wolff.
Sam Cooper 14 Aug 2023 12:45 PM

Red Bull have led the way with their main concern being the size of the battery, so much so that Christian Horner described it as a potential “Frankenstein” car. Horner is not the only Red Bull voice to shine a spotlight on this with Marko suggesting Max Verstappen’s 2021 Silverstone crash could have been very different with a bigger battery. “The weight is a safety risk,” he told Motorsport-Total.com. “The Silverstone accident that Max [Verstappen] had in 2021 can end very differently with such a heavy battery.”

“A battery always entails certain risks. We already have cars that are close to the sports car level in terms of weight and dimensions. But the race tracks remain the same. We would have to make them all a metre wider in order to keep up with the development of the cars.

Marko went on to suggest it is not just Red Bull who have these concerns but revealed who he does not expect to get any support from. “The fact that you then have to slim down the car aerodynamically so that it no longer has any air resistance means that the effect of the slipstream is lost,” the Austrian said. “There are brands that have the same concerns. Vasseur is continuing his love affair with Toto. Therefore there is little resonance at Ferrari.”

‘Wolff and Vasseur ‘love affair’!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-fred-vasseur-love-affair-red-bull/


Helmut Marko blasts ‘made up’ Sergio Perez story
Sergio Perez has disappointed Red Bull in the last few races, as he has spiralled downwards.
10 August 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

The narrative took a new twist during the summer break when Dutch media outlets reported that Perez might face the consequences of his performance deficit to Verstappen, potentially resulting in a pay cut.

In response to the rumors, Marko emphatically stated, “I don’t know where this is coming from again. “It’s completely made up out of thin air. The contracts are precisely regulated. There will be no salary cuts. I can only say it again and again: we are leading the Drivers’ Championship with both drivers and are clearly ahead in the team ranking.”

‘Made up Sergio Perez story’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/helmut-marko-blasts-made-up-sergio-perez-story/

[Fortitude]

Vowles only offering 'truthful' long-term vision to prospective drivers.
Williams team boss James Vowles will offer the truth and nothing but the truth to drivers interested in joining the British outfit rather than lure candidates with false promises or numbers.
12/08/2023 at 16:37
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Vowles reiterated the importance of not describing to potential recruits and candidates the situation at Williams in a way that makes it seem more acceptable than it really is.

"If you do anything else to them, all you do is at one point they'll be disrupted with 'This isn't the reality of what you promised them'", he said.

"So, this is why the whole way through I've been focusing on the long-term and a truthful analysis of the long-term, but allowing people to buy into that vision."

'Truthful long-term vision’;

https://f1i.com/news/483709-vowles-only-offering-truthful-long-term-vision-to-prospective-drivers.html


James Vowles warns against ‘long-term massive deficit’ created by ‘fictitious’ number
11 Aug 2023 9:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

New Williams team boss James Vowles says he won’t dish out “fictitious” numbers when he tries to persuade top talent to join Williams. Bottom of the log in four of the last five seasons, it’s been hard-going for the former World Champions who have suffered from a lack of investment in the Formula 1 team.

That has left them lagging behind their rivals with new team boss Vowles tasked with bringing their infrastructure into the 21st century with the former Mercedes head of strategy revealing some things haven’t been updated in two decades.

This season Williams are seventh on the log with Albon having scored all 11 of their points with his best result being a P7 at the Canadian Grand Prix. “I think five years is not a bad period of time to be talking about,” Vowles said of a timeframe, but he stopped short of setting a definitive target such as Audi, who’ve said they want to be at the front within three years of its arrival on the grid.”

‘Some things haven’t been updated in two decades’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-vowles-fictitious-numbers-williams/


No sugar coating vows Vowles
14/08/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Williams boss, James Vowles promises that any new recruits to the team, including drivers, will be told exactly where the teams stands and what its genuine prospects are.

Meanwhile, there is media speculation that Mick Schumacher could replace Logan Sargeant, whom Vowles appeared to deliberately omit from his comments. The German is test and reserve driver with Mercedes after being dropped by Haas at the end of last season, and has won praise from both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell this season for his commitment and development work.

When it was unclear whether Sargeant would gain the requisite points for his superlicence, Williams held exploratory talks with Schumacher before the American got the all-clear.

‘Media speculation’;

https://www.pitpass.com/75881/No-sugar-coating-vows-Vowles


Vowles proves to be excellent choice
August 8 2023
By Andrew Hooper
WilliamsF1 Supporters

As the Williams Racing Team enjoys their Formula One Summer Break we can look back at the arrival of James Vowles into the position of Team Principal, and the subsequent challenges that he has had to face as he works on returning the Williams Team back to a more competitive position in the F1 championship. For James this focus on the teams technical department will allow senior leadership the opportunity to focus more on the teams overall recovery.

In recent interviews James spoke of how the situation as it stands within the team is like being “on crutches” with senior management having to address issues across the whole team. James explained his comment by saying: “We're fortunate with the team I have behind me at the moment because they are filling voids that exist. But clearly, we're on crutches. We're trying to do 10 things and it's always better if you focus on one. I'm not a strong engineer within the paddock. There are much stronger engineers than I am.”

“What I am, though, is someone with a vision of where we want to get to and lead people there on that direction. People, at the moment, are very much aligned with that view.” James added: “At the moment, we have a small leadership team that are cascading ideas. But you get an almost exponential improvement in the amount of people you put in place, the training you put in place, and the ideas, the more you have lieutenants that you trust. That’s not the case today.”

“Lieutenants that you trust”;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st204999.htm


Vowles to ‘break Williams systems’ to move forward
Sunday 16th July, 2023 - 9:10pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

James Vowles is aware he is likely to cause problems inside Williams by breaking existing systems long in place but believes such a task is crucial if he is to continue to move the F1 team forward. Vowles maintains a complete culture change is required, adding: “You don’t change that by just using words, you change that by showing what you would like, and hope people follow your direction of travel.”

“What I’m trying to bring in through the organisation is honesty, openness, proper communication, which for a lot didn’t even exist. That’s not the organisation’s fault, but it was surviving, has been surviving for probably 15, 20 years, which means it was only thinking one week ahead, one month ahead.”

“And what I’ve really tried to bring in is to stop that, and from the get-go, thinking six months ahead, 12 months ahead, 24 months and 36 months ahead. Those are the timelines we need to think about. It means you don’t firefight anymore, you think about how we’re going to be better, making those large steps. It’s a complete mind shift from where we are.”

“Don’t firefight anymore”;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/07/16/williams-james-vowles-break-systems-move-forward/

[Fortitude]

F1’s Much-Loved Imola Cat Has Sadly Passed Away.
This is the saddest of news. The iconic Imola cat, named Formulino, has reportedly passed away. You don’t tend to go to racetracks and find cats lingering around, but the Imola circuit was different. Formulino was the secret cat king of Imola paddock
Posted on August 14, 2023
by Charley Williams
wtf1.com

He was often spotted wandering in and out of teams’ garages and around the media pen and even had his own paddock pass. When the Emilia Romagna GP was cancelled this year from flooding, many fans were anxious to know Formulino was safe – and the circuit confirmed he was.

Something the Imola cat is most known for deciding the fate of F1 drivers; if you were welcoming of Formulino, you would have great fortune, which Lewis Hamilton discovered in 2020.

Mercedes let Formulino wander into the Mercedes garage and have a good look around, a quick hello and a stroke from Lewis, and just hours later, he was able to pull off the ultimate overcut and push on into the lead, taking his first Imola victory.

‘If you were welcoming of Formulino, you would have great fortune’;

https://www.wtf1.com/post/f1s-much-loved-imola-cat-has-sadly-passed-away/


Formulino, the legendary F1 cat who tormented Sebastian Vettel has passed away
14 Aug 2023
F1 Desk
Crash.Net

Formulino, the legendary cat who lived at the site of the F1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, has reportedly passed away. The grey tabby cat shot to fame in 2020 when F1 returned to Imola - it soon became clear that she lived at the location, as he marched through the paddock inspecting garages.

“If she comes to see you, it’s good luck,” Sebastian Vettel was told by Sky’s Ted Kravitz three years ago as Formulino interrupted their interview. “I don’t like cats,” Vettel replied. “I have nothing to offer. She’s a bit overweight, though.”

The then-Ferrari driver endured a miserable weekend at Formulino’s home thereafter, qualifying 14th and finishing the grand prix 12th. However, Lewis Hamilton benefitted from his acceptance of Formulino.

“If she comes to see you, it’s good luck”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1033287/1/legendary-f1-cat-who-tormented-sebastian-vettel-has-passed-away


RIP FORMULINO: F1 cat that had own VIP pass to Grand Prix race weekends dies as heartbroken fans say ‘run free beautiful Imola kitty’
Published: 13:17, 15 Aug 2023
Ciaran Wiseman
TheSun.co.uk

AN F1 cat that had its own VIP pass to Grand Prix race weekends has sadly passed away. Heartbroken fans have left emotional tributes after Formulino's death was reported. Such was the animal's popularity, it even wore a VIP pass round its neck as it strolled around the paddock.

ESPN report, though, that Formulino has died, with one fan commenting on the news: "Run free beautiful Imola kitty." Another wrote: "Rest in peace Formulino." A third F1 fan added: "So sad, my daughter thought it was such a lovely story and was so jealous of the cat." Meanwhile, one more said: "This made me so sad. RIP beautiful kitty, you will be missed at Imola."

"Rest in peace Formulino";

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23500390/f1-cat-formulino-vip-grand-prix-race-weekend-imola/


Italian F1 icon Formulino dies at the age of 16
Monday 14 August 2023 23:27
Chris Deeley
GPFans.com

'Mascot, therapist and snack buddy': A post on the 'official' Instagram account of Formulino, shared to his 37.5k followers on Monday evening, confirmed his passing. "It's hard to find the right words in times like these," the caption read.

"After more than sixteen years the day we hoped would never come is here, and our beloved Arturo has left us. It’s like a part of us has been taken away with him. He was a member of the Formula Imola family, the first to arrive when the offices opened and the last to leave at sunset after punching his time-card.”

"Our mascot, therapist and snack buddy filled our working days with joy. There is no Motorsport lover who will not remember him, ready to welcome anyone arriving at the racetrack direction building. We will miss you more than we can express. You will always be our Formulino."

'Mascot, therapist and snack buddy';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001795/formulino-dies-imola-cat-16/


F1: Imola’s much-loved cat mascot Formulino that cursed Sebastian Vettel dies aged 16
Formulino was often spotted wandering around Imola’s paddock and was known to bring both good luck and misfortune to drivers including Lewis Hamilton
Published 15th Aug 2023, 17:08 BST
By Rebecca Braybrook
LancashireEveningPost.co.uk

The iconic Imola paddock cat, Formulino, had passed away at the age of 16. Formulino, dubbed the king of Autodromo di Imola was often spotted wandering around the team’s garages and was even given his own paddock pass. Imola had set up the iconic feline with his own Instagram account where they regularly shared pictures of Formulino exploring the race track.

After the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled earlier this year, many Formula 1 fans were left anxious to know if Formulino was safe, forcing the circuit to confirm he was being cared for. Formulino was known amongst F1 fans for deciding the fate of the drivers, with those who were welcoming of the cat, being dealt good fortune in their race. In 2020, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton discovered the cat’s magical abilities. After being allowed to wander into the Mercedes garage, Lewis Hamilton approached the cat for a stroke.

Hours later, the seven time world champion pulled off a dramatic overcut to take the lead and his first victory at Imola. The iconic feline visited the four time world champion as he spoke to Sky Sports, with host Ted Kravitz telling Vettel that it was considered a sign of good luck. The German driver responded: “I don’t like cats but maybe I like this one. I have nothing to offer it. He’s a bit overweight though.” Vettel then finished the race in 12th place after a faulty wheel nut caused a 13-second pitstop.

‘The iconic Imola paddock cat, Formulino’;

https://www.lep.co.uk/read-this/formulino-the-imola-cat-dies-4256496

[Fortitude]

Former Ferrari chief berates team: ‘Enzo would not have accepted it’.
Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo has berated the Scuderia for celebrating Charles Leclerc’s P3 at the Belgian Grand Prix, saying Enzo Ferrari “would not have accepted” that.
16 Aug 2023 11:15 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Former chairman di Montezemolo says that’s a sign of how far Ferrari, who haven’t won a Drivers’ title since 2007 and a Constructors’ since 2008, have fallen. “You know what I’m sorry about?” he told Quotidiano. “Celebrating a third place, like Spa. This is not like Ferrari and the old man would not have accepted it. Never.”

He added: “Ferrari taught me a lot. For example, never to be satisfied. After a win, he immediately thought about the next race.” Di Montezemolo recalled another side of Ferrari’s character in his strive to always do better, so much so the founder wasn’t a fan of Formula 1’s summer break. “Commanding! For example, Enzo hated holidays, in August he kept me in the office, he couldn’t stand people going on vacation,” he said.

“But he was also a funny guy. Do you know the one about the telephone? Ferrari said that in the office I was always on the phone talking to beautiful women. So one morning he showed me a huge pink telephone on the desk. And when I introduced him to Edwige Fenech he said ‘She is definitely smarter than you’.”

‘Enzo hated holidays’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/former-ferrari-chief-enzo-never-accept-p3/


Ferrari boss issues DAMNING 'impulsive' verdict on star driver
Wednesday 16 August 2023 11:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Frederic Vasseur has branded Charles Leclerc as "impulsive" in an interview in which he expresses his concerns about his current driver pairing. Ferrari have had a tough first half of 2023, in which they appear to have regressed from challenging for race wins to scrapping with numerous other constructors for a place in the top five.

When asked if he was content with his driver pairing in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Vasseur stated, "You can always do better, as a team and also as drivers. Charles didn't expect a season like this and at the beginning he pushed more than he should, now he seems to have digested the situation better. Carlos is very consistent and for this reason he's a good reference for us."

‘DAMNING 'impulsive' verdict’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001860/charles-leclerc-ferrari-f1-frederic-vasseur-impulsive/


Charles Leclerc called out by his own boss as Fred Vasseur risks starting Ferrari row
Charles Leclerc is reportedly close to signing a new deal with Ferrari, but he is not without criticism.
10:51, Wed, Aug 16, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Speaking to Italian news outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Vasseur explained: "We can always do better, as a team and also as drivers. Charles was not expecting a season like this and at the beginning he pushed harder than he should have, now he seems to have digested the situation better.”

These words could be taken either way by Leclerc, but it is certainly a bold call from Vasseur, who is currently taking part in negotiations with the Monegasque driver over a new, long-term deal with the team.

‘Starting Ferrari row’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1802730/Charles-Leclerc-Ferrari-Fred-Vasseur-Carlos-Sainz


Fred Vasseur: ‘Impulsive’ Charles Leclerc guilty of pushing ‘more than he should’
16 Aug 2023 6:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur believes an “impulsive” Charles Leclerc was sometimes guilty of pushing “more than he should” in a challenging first half of the F1 2023 season. He told Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport: “You can always do better, as a team and also as drivers.”

“As a character Leclerc is impulsive, if something doesn’t go well he doesn’t hold back. However, for his own good and that of the team, sometimes it’s better to calm down before speaking. In the heat you don’t have all the information you need to form a definitive judgment and in front of an open microphone it’s better to take your time.”

‘Guilty of pushing more than he should’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-vasseur-impulsive-charles-leclerc/


Leclerc Baffled by Verstappen-Perez Gap: “Wide Margin Hard to Explain”
August 14, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has expressed his astonishment at the noticeable disparity that has occasionally surfaced between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez within the Red Bull team throughout this season.

During an interview with Motorsport.com(Italian edition), the Monegasque openly acknowledged: “I think Max is a great driver, but at the same time there are many who cannot explain such a wide margin between him and Checo. Personally I think it is impossible to read the situation well from the outside, only inside the team do they know exactly everything.”

“At times the margin between Max and Checo was greater than I would have expected, but on the other hand Verstappen is an incredible driver and it is probably very difficult to be alongside him. But again, I don’t have the full picture of the situation.”

‘Leclerc Baffled’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/leclerc-baffled-by-verstappen-perez-gap-wide-margin-hard-to-explain/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin assess chances of returning to second-fastest car.
Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack believes this car development war will impact their ability to return to second quickest.
Author Rory Mitchell
16 August 4:25PM
RacingNews365

Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack has assessed the team's chances of returning to being the second quickest car behind Red Bull.

"Under normal circumstances, you would say to gain three positions in such a field, over the short time of 11 events, it’s very hard and very ambitious.”

"On the other hand, the gaps are very small. We have seen how much we have lost, and I think the most important is to recover that and try to recover a little bit more."

“The gaps are very small”;

https://racingnews365.com/aston-martin-assess-chances-of-returning-to-second-fastest-car


Krack insists Aston Martin need to 'recover' and 'close the gap' after slipping down the pecking order
16 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack admits his team now have the fifth-fastest car on the grid but has given the reasons why his side have tumbled down the pecking order, as they now plot their route back on to the podium places.


He later added: “From our side we will try to improve the car further. There are a couple of things planned for Zandvoort, and we need to close that gap again.”

‘Need to recover';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.krack-insists-aston-martin-need-to-recover-and-close-the-gap-after-slipping.jhW23UFFgodeOIzhJg3oO.html


Aston Martin have "good" amount of budget left to spend on developing 2023 car
16th August 2023, 00:06
Ida Wood
RaceFans

Aston Martin remain in a position where they have money to spend within their 2023 budget on car development, and plan to use it later this year.

Aston Martin’s performance director Tom McCullough told RaceFans. “Our job is to understand what we’ve actually done to our car on track, relative to the development tool, where our relative competitiveness in low, medium, high [speed] corners, straight-line speed – with and without DRS. Obviously each track has different requirements as well. So that side of the analysis, I think we’ve understood what we’ve done to the car.”

“The developments that are coming in the second half of the season are already actually addressing some of the areas. Of course you try to address the areas you’re not as strong in. I think really from Zandvoort onwards, we’re going to have some continuous development as we’ve done all year. We still have good budget left to keep developing our car hard. And that’s our plan for the second half of the season.”

‘Good amount of budget left’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/16/racefans-round-up-16-08-6/


Aston Martin send ominous warning to Mercedes
Aston Martin have fallen backwards in the pecking order since introducing a recent large upgrades package.
15 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough has revealed that the Silverstone-based team still have money to continue developing the AMR23, but noted that they will also focus on next season’s car.

When the second half of the season gets underway, further upgrades will be installed in the hope of rediscovering their early year pace, whilst they’ll also have an eye on 2024. “We’ve been targeting quite strong development throughout the year and we have budget to keep developing the car,” McCullough said.

“That’s our aim, so we are bringing some steps all the way to the end of the championship really – as much as we can do. At a certain point, you have to fully focus on 2024, but we’re in the phase now where we’re able to work on both cars.”

‘Fallen backwards’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/aston-martin-send-ominous-warning-to-mercedes/


Lance Stroll dubbed ‘most stressed driver on the grid’ thanks to Fernando Alonso
15 Aug 2023 12:45 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Lance Stroll “sounds like the most stressed driver on the grid” on team radio, according to Le Mans winner Richard Bradley. While discussing mid-season driver ratings on the On Track GP Podcast, 2015 Le Mans winner Bradley believes that the Canadian has cut a “stressed” figure on team radio this year, but his achievements should not be forgotten either.

“It’s difficult at the beginning [of the season] because remember at the beginning he was injured as well, obviously there was a question mark over whether he’d miss the first couple of races when he fell off his bike,” he said.

“So it’s very hard to look at and rate those because it’s obviously [difficult] when you’re recovering from injury, I was going to say three, maybe a four [out of 10]. When you listen to him on the radio, he certainly sounds stressed – he sounds like the most stressed driver on the grid, maybe that’s just his personality.”

‘Most stressed driver on the grid’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lance-stroll-most-stressed-f1-driver-fernando-alonso/


Q&A with Fernando Alonso
"IT HAS BEEN A DREAM START FOR US!"
AUGUST 15, 2023
GrandPrix.com

The Spaniard insists the first half of the 2023 World Champion has surpassed his and his team's expectations and vows to continue to fight to come back to the front of the field and, eventually, score that elusive 33rd Grand Prix win the whole of Spain seems to be desperately hoping for.

Q: More recently you had a couple of disappointed weekends, but in Belgium you finished ahead of one Mercedes, and the sole surviving McLarens, so is there some satisfaction that things are coming back in the right direction?
Alonso: I think so. I think the car felt fast on race day in Spa, the guys did an incredible job again on the strategy, also on the pit stops.

Q: Based on what's going on at Alpine, you're now certain you made the right decision coming here instead of staying where you were?
Alonso: Obviously you never know that. You know, it would be nice to have a crystal ball and before you make a decision in switching teams you know the future, but yes, at the end I'm happy where I am, and there is a project here into the future and I'm very proud.

‘Q&A EL PLAN’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/qanda-with-fernando-alonso.html

[Fortitude]

Watch out Ferrari and Audi: Red Bull’s F1 2026 engine is ‘miles ahead’.
Rather than Red Bull Powertrains struggling to hit targets, advisor Helmut Marko says they are “miles ahead” of Audi and Ferrari in the development of their new power unit for 2026.
15 Aug 2023 6:45 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The regulations for 2026 are set, but recently Red Bull principal Christian Horner called for some revisions to be made, fearing that drivers were going to need to downshift on the straights in order to harvest electrical energy for these power units.

Mercedes principal Toto Wolff subsequently shut that possibility down, suggesting it was born from Red Bull perhaps fearing that their Red Bull Powertrains division, which has partnered with Ford, was not finding the desired success with their power unit.

It is quite the opposite though Marko ensures, who believes while Mercedes are about on a par with the development of their PU, Ferrari and newcomers Audi are lagging “miles behind” in the process. “I don’t think we are technically behind. We have brought in people from Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault and Cosworth [for the engine department],” Marko told Motorsport-Total.com.

‘Miles ahead’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-red-bull-ferrari-audi-2026-engine/


Marko goads Mercedes as Red Bull chief THANKS F1 rivals for key staff members
Wednesday 16 August 2023 09:12
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Helmut Marko has claimed that Red Bull are 'miles ahead' of their Formula 1 rivals when it comes to their engine development, in part due to the team's aggressive recruitment strategy.

Marko also emphasised that Red Bull's new engine factory in Milton Keynes is 'state of the art', going on to insist that the team are clear of teams such as Ferrari and future F1 rivals, Audi.

"In August, we are still running a complete combustion engine with MGU-K and battery," he added. "There we are miles ahead of Audi, we are miles ahead of Ferrari, and Mercedes is about the same."

‘THANKS F1 rivals for key staff members’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001832/helmut-marko-f1-mercedes-red-bull-engine-staff-members-2026-changes/


Marko, Alonso and Verstappen united in PROTEST against FIA
Tuesday 15 August 2023 11:57
Luis Raya
GPFans

Helmut Marko has joined Alonso and Verstappen's protest for the reduction of weight and size of the current F1 cars. "The size complicates things more than the weight. In the early corners of the race, it's now difficult to position the car solely due to its size, not its weight. I think significantly reducing the weight of the cars will be tough, as hybrid engines will always be heavier than regular engines, and safety in these cars is also much greater," said Fernando Alonso.

Helmut Marko also took the opportunity to discuss his collaboration with Ford starting in 2026, which will coincide with a major rule change. "We have the best when it comes to internal combustion engines. And we have two very brilliant minds on the electric side," Marko said, confident in his bid for 2026.

‘United in PROTEST against FIA’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001785/max-verstappen-f1-fernando-alonso-helmut-marko-protest-against-fia/


David Croft demands major change: 'Stop the FIA being F1 rule-makers'
16 Aug 2023
Harvey Orgill
Crash.Net

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has made a bold claim on the rule-making process in F1, stating that Liberty Media should have more of a say. When asked about the subject and what he would like to see changed in Formula 1, Croft told the Sky F1 podcast: “First and foremost, I’d have to stop the FIA being the rule-makers.”

“That’s the trouble the commercial rights holder (Liberty Media) has, it’s that they don’t make the rules – they can have an influence because they have a standing on the F1 Commission, but they don’t make the rules… the FIA does. I think the time has come in F1 to actually bring the two parties a lot more closely aligned.”

While Croft admitted F1 had a large say in the current regulations along with the FIA, he still feels the sport should place more importance on it’s marketing by giving more power to Liberty Media: “They are a lot more closely aligned and these regulation changes had been driven by F1 rather than the FIA.”

'Stop the FIA being F1 rule-makers';

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1033361/1/croft-demands-major-change-stop-fia-being-f1-rulemakers


David Croft calls for drastic FIA removal that would rock F1’s foundation
16 Aug 2023 12:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Sky F1 commentator David Croft believes the FIA should have no further involvement in the evolution of Formula 1’s rulebooks. “That’s the trouble the commercial rights holder (Liberty Media) has, it’s that they don’t make the rules – they can have an influence because they have a standing on the F1 Commission, but they don’t make the rules… the FIA does.”

Croft also posited that the expanding race calendar for 2024, an expansion that has come about under Liberty Media’s watch, is pushing the limit of what fans can cope with – particularly with the inclusion of Sprint weekends. “I think we’re getting there with the Sprint,” he said.

“But, personally, I think we’re at the limit for the number of races. I don’t think we need any more races and sometimes less is more on that one. We’ll do 24 next year, and then we’ll revisit it again – maybe 24 might be a bit too much. Because to actually ask people to invest so much time in the sport for 24 races, as fans, is asking a huge amount. But I understand why it’s happening.”

‘Drastic FIA removal’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/david-croft-calls-for-fia-removal/

[Fortitude]

Steiner impressed by Hulkenberg's speed in readapting to full-time F1 drive.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner was impressed by the speed at which Nico Hulkenberg became reacquainted with the rigours of Formula 1 without a full-time seat for three years.
Aug 17, 2023, 12:31 PM
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
Co-author: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Reflecting on his decision to sign Hulkenberg, Steiner explained that he feared the Rhinelander would need time to fully reacquaint himself with the day-to-day work as an F1 driver - but his anxieties were quickly relieved.

"I've been pretty, pretty impressed. We took him for one reason, because we know we can drive a race car. The doubt was after three years as not a full-time driver, how long does it take him to catch up?" Steiner explained.

"It didn't take him any time because he was there from day one, you know, which is very good. It's actually very impressive, but also as a human being, he tries to help the team and that's what we wanted with the experience, that's what I always said.”

‘Impressed by Hulkenberg's speed’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/steiner-impressed-by-hulkenbergs-speed-in-readapting-to-full-time-f1-drive/10508280/


Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg set to be retained by Guenther Steiner at Haas for F1 2024 season
14 Aug 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Kevin Magnussen’s contract is expiring but he is reportedly set to remain at Haas next season. Guenther Steiner’s team are expected to want to keep the same driver line-up for the 2024 season. They brought in Nico Hulkenberg this year, as Mick Schumacher’s replacement, to team with Magnussen.

“Having had their hands burned trialling an inexperienced line-up that brought funding, Haas have flipped back to experience,” F1.com’s Lawrence Barretto reported. “It’s paying dividends with the American team in the fight to finish seventh in what would be their best finish since 2018.”

“It’s almost certain they will name an unchanged line-up for 2024.” Talks to extend Magnussen’s stay are “ongoing” and “believed to be very positive”, it was reported. Hulkenberg is also discussing a new deal with Haas.

‘To be retained’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1033271/1/guenther-steiner-makes-major-call-haas-2024-driver-lineup


Two seats taken off the F1 driver market with new contracts imminent
F1's ‘silly season' is fast approaching with drivers up and down the grid searching for new contracts.
11:49, Mon, Aug 14, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Haas duo Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen are both set to sign new contracts with the team for the 2024 season with no changes expected from Guenther Steiner, according to a recent report. With nine points to his name, Hulkenberg has brought in the lion’s share of the team’s tally this campaign with the issues in the team largely coming from the other side of the garage.

Even more impressive have been the German’s qualifying performances. While Magnussen has failed to reach Q3 on all but one occasion this season, Hulkenberg has appeared in Q3 in half of the Grands Prix this year, exiting in Q1 only three times in the process. These performances have made the decision to renew his deal a no-brainer for Steiner and Haas.

‘New contracts imminent’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1801980/Haas-Nico-Hulkenberg-Kevin-Magnussen-new-contract


Steiner: No alternative to Haas solution
Wednesday 16th August, 2023 - 12:12pm
By Ian Parkes, Mat Coch
Speedcafe

There is no current alternative to the way Haas operates its Formula 1 team, according to its boss Guenther Steiner. The American-registered operation employs arguably the most complicated model of all 10 current teams with offices spread across three counties.

However, given the choice, Steiner admits he would consolidate the Haas operation. “But I don’t have a choice in the moment,” he admitted. “If you would like to do something different, you need to come up with a good way how to do it. But in the moment, there is no good way how to unify the team like this.”

“The only thing would be to take the race team to Italy,” he added. “That is much easier than to take the design team to the UK, but that is also not possible because we have got 100 people working there and I will need to replace at least half of them, maybe more, because more than half of them wouldn’t come to Italy.”

‘The most complicated model’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/16/steiner-no-alternative-to-haas-solution/


38: Steiner-FIA Spat Great For Netflix-F1 Show
In PodcastsPublish DateAugust 17, 2023
Kunal Shah
Kunal's F1 Blog

Guenther Steiner is a character that keeps giving, especially when it comes to the Netflix-F1 show. Thankfully, the star of season 1 of ‘Drive to Survive’ was let off with a small financial penalty.

‘Guenther Steiner is a character that keeps giving’;

https://www.kunalsf1blog.com/38-steiner-fia-spat-great-for-netflix-f1-show/


Guenther Steiner casts verdict on ‘not normal’ sackings at Alpine
16 Aug 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Sacking Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane on the eve of the summer holiday, Guenther Steiner concedes that’s not “normal” but “everybody does it their own way”. Having previously achieved success with Racing Point, a team that punched above its weight financially, Haas team boss Steiner feels Szafnauer’s exit makes little sense, and the timing of it even less. He, however, has backed the long-time Formula 1 team boss to recover “pretty quick” from his exit.

“It was done in not the normal way,” conceded the Haas team boss, “but everybody does it their own way. I think obviously Otmar will be disappointed, but he has been there before. If you are in this job, I think most of us have been there before. One door closes, another one opens. In the end, in this job, it is just a difficult job.”

“You are in the public eye; things can happen, and you just have to deal with that. I’m not saying that it’s nice to deal with it, but it’s part of it. I think Otmar will be over it pretty quick. As I said he has been there before, and these things they happen, it’s part of our life as a team principal.”

‘Not normal sackings’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-sacking-otmar-szafnauer-not-normal-way/

[Fortitude]

Massa lawyers start LEGAL ACTION to strip Hamilton of F1 title.
Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa's legal team have initiated legal proceedings against Formula One officials and the governing body FIA, alleging that a 'conspiracy' denied him the 2008 Formula One championship, according to Reuters.
Friday 18 August 2023 06:57
Jay Winter
GPFans

The legal action seeks substantial damages for the alleged manipulation that cost Massa tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses. In a formal 'Letter Before Claim,' Massa's lawyers have stated that the Brazilian driver was deprived of the championship title through actions at the highest echelons of the sport.

The letter was sent to Formula One's CEO Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. It was dated August 15 and came from the London offices of Enyo Law. "Simply put, Mr. Massa is the rightful 2008 Driver's Champion, and F1 and FIA deliberately ignored the misconduct that cheated him out of that title," the letter claims.

‘Initiated legal proceedings’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001953/felipe-massa-lewis-hamilton-f1-2008-legal-action/


Ex-Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa claims he is ‘rightful’ 2008 champion not Lewis Hamilton
Thu, Aug 17, 2023, 8:53 PM
Mauricio Savarese
Sports.Yahoo.com

SAO PAULO – Former Formula One driver Felipe Massa has accused the auto racing series' governing body of conspiring to prevent him from winning the 2008 title, and the Brazilian claimed he is the “rightful” champion.

A member of Massa’s management team told The Associated Press on Thursday that the letter was also sent to Formula One Management, alleging the two bodies failed to act after learning that same year that Renault’s Nelson Piquet Jr. had deliberately crashed at the Singapore Grand Prix to help then-teammate Fernando Alonso win the race.

Massa’s letter was triggered by an interview of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, who said in March that he was aware of Piquet’s deliberate crash in that same year but chose not to investigate it until Hamilton received the season’s title at an FIA ceremony.

‘Rightful 2008 Champion’;

https://sports.yahoo.com/ex-formula-1-driver-felipe-195318316.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJaR0t0aVz-FHO2WCYi6Gl16rYSwizbTslxwkVIhdrB4bp7omo5aJVyKLiL-PD7-rY84mGv0YP63rB37OjKdzp_Zy1vGBHYtzYWStGv5uvGZTUJfw3 CqHzNcCBWh3MR5fZUNI5dFlNGA7peqWvk5OzEoBRcqubiGCm96 1aVLXuOZ


Ex-F1 star threatens F1 with legal action over ‘conspiracy’ to deny him 2008 title
August 18th, 2023 3:25 pm
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)

Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has commenced legal action against Formula 1 and motorsport governing body the FIA over allegations a “conspiracy” denied him the 2008 world championship. The Renault F1 team had secured victory for Fernando Alonso by ordering his then teammate Nelson Piquet Junior to crash, triggering a safety car that put the Spaniard into the lead. Pole-getter Massa dropped from first place to outside the points. Title rival Lewis Hamilton finished third, extending his championship lead to seven points.

Hamilton won the title by one point at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix. Renault’s actions came to light in 2009 when Piquet Junior went public with his claims after being sacked by the team. In an interview with German website F1 Insider earlier this year former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone revealed that both he and then FIA president Max Mosley had known the race had been fixed during the 2008 season.

“We decided not to do anything at first,” Ecclestone said. “We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal. We had enough information in time to investigate the matter. According to the (FIA) statutes, we should have cancelled the race in Singapore under these conditions. That means it would never have happened for the world championship standings. Then Felipe Massa would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton.”

‘Conspiracy’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/exf1-star-threatens-f1-with-legal-action-over-conspiracy-to-deny-him-2008-title/news-story/f4efca168c7ab8175b37d9184beda474


F1’s ‘Crashgate’ scandal returns as Felipe Massa seeks justice for a lost title
21:33 Thu, 17 Aug 2023.
By Madeline Coleman
The Athletic

One of Formula One’s most infamous scandals, “Crashgate,” is back in the headlines after Felipe Massa and his lawyers made a push for justice and understanding this week.

The incident went down during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Nelson Piquet Jr. crashed in that September race, triggering a chain of events that helped his teammate, Fernando Alonso, win the race and left Massa out of the points. That made all the difference at season’s end, when Lewis Hamilton bested Massa for the drivers’ championship by a single point.

In 2009, Piquet Jr. revealed he was told to purposefully crash. A subsequent investigation led to heavy punishments for Renault personnel, and the world moved on — until this season. In March,F1-insider.com published quotes attributed to former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, suggesting that he and then-FIA president Max Mosley decided not to investigate the potential breach, despite being aware of it.

‘F1’s ‘Crashgate’ scandal returns’;

https://theathletic.com/4785380/2023/08/17/f1-crashgate-felipe-massa-nelson-piquet-jr/


Felipe Massa seek compensation for lost 2008 F1 title
18th August 2023.03:38
Malay Mail

LONDON, Aug 18 — Lawyers for former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa have started legal action against Formula One bosses and the governing FIA seeking substantial damages resulting from an alleged “conspiracy” that denied him the 2008 championship.

A formal eight-page Letter Before Claim, seen by Reuters, was sent to Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali and Paris-based FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem on August 15. Such a letter is a required formal legal notice before court proceedings. London-based Enyo Law said Brazilian Massa, now 42, had been “the victim of a conspiracy committed by individuals at the highest level of F1 together with the FIA and Formula One Management”.

It said Massa had lost out on tens of millions of euros in lost earnings and bonuses as a result of another driver’s deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix that was allegedly covered up before becoming a scandal in 2009. The crash cost Massa vital points in a season where he ultimately lost out by a single point to McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, the first of the Briton’s record-equalling seven.

‘Seek compensation’;

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2023/08/18/felipe-massa-seek-compensation-for-lost-2008-f1-title/85825


Massa taking legal action against FIA, FOM over crashgate - reports | RaceFans Round-up
18th August 2023, 00:06
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Former FOM chief Bernie Ecclestone claimed in an interview earlier this year that he and former FIA president Max Mosley were aware that Piquet’s crash was intentional but had not acted to avoid a controversy over the results of the championship.

‘Legal action against FIA, FOM’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/18/racefans-round-up-18-08-6/


Massa steps up legal challenge over lost 2008 F1 world title
Felipe Massa has stepped up his legal battle over losing the 2008 Formula 1 world championship by sending a letter to the FIA and F1 laying out the details of his impending claim.
18:32 Thu, 17 Aug 2023.
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

In March (2023), Ecclestone was quoted in an interview by F1-insider saying the result of the Singapore race, in which Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed to help Renault team-mate Fernando Alonso win, could have been thrown out, which would have swung the title race in favour of the Ferrari driver.

In April (2023), Massa signalled his intention to take legal action against the results of the 2008 F1 world championship, which he lost to McLaren's Lewis Hamilton by a single point.

After assembling a legal team, Massa has now sent a so-called Letter Before Claim to the FIA and FOM (15th August 2023) which sets out the details of the case the Brazilian intends to pursue in court.

‘Letter to the FIA and F1 laying out the details of his impending claim’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/massa-steps-up-legal-challenge-over-lost-2008-f1-world-title/10508519/

[Fortitude]

Dutch GP threatened by protest.
The upcoming Dutch Grand Prix could be interrupted by local taxi drivers, who are threatening to block the roads to the circuit in a dispute over services.
18 August 11:35AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Taxi drivers have been informed by letter they cannot work during the Grand Prix weekend, as they will not be permitted to enter the area. This has caused uproar among drivers as the event expects over 100,000 visitors per-day, many of whom would be able to use these taxi services.

It is reported that 150 taxi drivers will be blocked from being able to get close to Zandvoort over the race weekend. This has led to the drivers demanding a solution from the municipality of Zandvoort or the Dutch GP organisers, otherwise they will come up with 'extreme measures' such as protests or blocking the access roads to the circuit.

‘Threatening to block the roads’;

https://racingnews365.com/dutch-gp-threatened-by-protest


Huge protests threaten to DERAIL Dutch Grand Prix
Saturday 19 August 2023 09:12
Janice Kusters
GPFans

Over the past few months, several Grands Prix have encountered recurrent risks of protests and blockades, with climate activists frequently being the source of these challenges.

The tables have turned for the upcoming race in Zandvoort, as Dutch taxi drivers find themselves in a state of fury triggered by a recent alteration in the monitoring of taxi licensing for the Dutch Grand Prix.

Only Zandvoort-based taxis are being granted this coveted license. Meanwhile, taxis operating out of the nearby city of Haarlem are being denied. "There is no consideration for us at all, absolutely none," complained Samir Belgnaoui, a taxi driver from Haarlem who represents around 150 colleagues.

‘Protests threaten to DERAIL’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002017/dutch-grand-prix-f1-protest-taxi/


Zandvoort bracing for Dutch GP blockade threat
18/08/2023 at 14:42
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The municipality of Zandvoort says it is in talks with local taxi drivers who are threatening to disrupt F1's Dutch Grand Prix weekend with a blockade protest due to restrictions imposed on their services.

A proper certification is required for taxi drivers to gain access to a designated zone outside the circuit, but only a specific quota of 'Taxi-Pass' authorizations has been assigned and distributed.

The limitations that have been decided have arisen following an issue encountered last year by the event's organizers, when taxis illegally entered the restricted zone and wreaked havoc on the latter's organization, according to Walter Sans, a Zandvoort municipality representative.

‘Bracing for Dutch GP’;

https://f1i.com/news/484013-zandvoort-bracing-for-dutch-gp-blockade-threat.html


Zandvoort respond to Dutch GP blockade threat
18 August 1:06PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Marnik Kok
F1i.com

Taxi drivers have threatened to disrupt the weekend either through protest or blocking the access roads to the circuit. The municipality of Zandvoort says they are in consultation with local authorities on how to deal with the matter.

"Now they say: we're going to block. What you get then is a situation just like with other demonstrations. You can do a protest in the Netherlands, you can demonstrate, so it goes like any other action," said the spokesperson. "There is consultation with the people who are about public order and security, such as the police.”

“Then we look at how such a demonstration can be managed. We have further explained why we have the rules [of the admission tickets etc]. Last year's evaluation report found that there has been too much nuisance due to illegal taxi pass-through certificates. So what we are doing now is entering into a conversation about the protests and demonstrations."

‘Dutch GP blockade threat’;

https://racingnews365.com/zandvoort-respond-to-dutch-gp-blockade-threat


F1 Dutch GP promotes inclusivity and clamps down on flare use
16:05 Fri, 18 Aug 2023.
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

The sheer scale of the support for local hero Max Verstappen can be intimidating to overseas visitors or fans of other drivers, and Zandvoort is keen to avoid the sort of harassment issues that were reported in Austria last year.

One ongoing topic at Zandvoort has been the use of orange flares by fans, and Van Leeuwen has made it clear that they are not allowed at the circuit. "Because of the popularity of the sport and Max, fans brought in these flares in Austria a few years ago," he said. "The image looked great on TV, and they shot footage with the flares.”

"This is also dangerous for the drivers because I think two years ago during the formation lap in Austria, the drivers had poor vision. And that was something that a normal fan did not know. They just saw two guys with a flare and then there were four guys and then eight and 16 and 32. And now we have to bring it down."

‘Clamping down on flare use’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-dutch-gp-flare-use-clampdown/10508168/


Dutch GP pokes fun at Verstappen trophy mishaps
20 August 3:25PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

The Dutch Grand Prix X [formerly Twitter] feed has poked fun at Max Verstappen's recent trophy mishaps. Verstappen has been in sublime form this season, securing 10 wins from 12 races, including each of the last eight.

But whilst it has been smooth sailing on track, the Dutchman has had a rough relationship with winners' trophies at the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix. In a humourous post on social media, the Dutch GP has posted a picture of its winners' trophy wrapped in bubble wrap, captioned: "Let's break records, not trophies."

‘Wrapped in bubble wrap’;

https://racingnews365.com/dutch-gp-pokes-fun-at-verstappen-trophy-mishaps

[Fortitude]

Ecclestone claims to have 'NO MEMORY' of damning Crashgate interview.
Former chief executive of Formula 1, Bernie Ecclestone, has said he ‘cannot remember’ comments he made which sparked Felipe Massa to take legal action against F1.
Friday 18 August 2023 18:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans

In March 2023, the Brazilian driver initiated legal proceedings after Ecclestone was quoted stating that he and former FIA President Max Mosley were aware of the intentional nature of the Singapore 2008 Grand Prix incident long before they came to light in the public – saying outright that Massa was 'cheated' out of the title.

However, in the incident referred to as ‘Crashgate’, Ecclestone now has insisted that he does not recall making these comments. "I don't remember any of this, to be honest. I don't remember giving the interview, for sure," Ecclestone said to Reuters.

'NO MEMORY';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001982/bernie-ecclestone-felipe-massa-fernando-alonso-crashgate-singapore-2008-nelson-piquet/


Bernie Ecclestone: “I don’t remember giving the interview.”
August 18, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

In a puzzling turn of events, Bernie Ecclestone, the former Formula 1 supremo, has claimed he has no recollection of his previous assertion that he was aware of the intentional nature of Nelson Piquet’s crash during the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.

Earlier this year, Ecclestone and former FIA President Max Mosley purportedly acknowledged their awareness of the premeditated crash but claimed inaction. However, recent reports from Reuters have quoted Ecclestone expressing uncertainty about the exact details of his prior statements, further deepening the intrigue surrounding the ‘Crashgate’ scandal.

“I don’t remember any of this, to be honest. I don’t remember giving the interview, for sure,” Ecclestone said, adding that neither Massa nor the Brazilian’s lawyers had approached him to ask what he might have said.

“Don’t remember”;

https://baylasportsf1.com/bernie-ecclestone-i-dont-remember-giving-the-interview/


Ecclestone "cannot remember" key Crashgate interview
18 August 9:50AM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

The 92-year-old has cast doubt over some quotations attributed to him regarding the 2008 Crashgate affair. Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has said he does not remember saying that he knew in 2008 that then-Renault driver Nelson Piquet's crash in that year's Singapore Grand Prix was deliberate.

"I don't remember any of this, to be honest. I don't remember giving the interview, for sure," Ecclestone said, adding that neither Massa nor the Brazilian's lawyers had approached him to ask what he might have said.

"Cannot remember";

https://racingnews365.com/ecclestone-cannot-remember-key-crashgate-interview


Ex-F1 supremo denies knowledge of comments central to Felipe Massa lost title claim
19 Aug 2023 6:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com0

Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says he does not remember giving the interview which has led to a legal challenge from Felipe Massa over the 2008 World Championship outcome.

But, as Massa and his representatives now reportedly use this claim as grounds for legal action, Ecclestone has drawn a blank when it comes to his memory of speaking these words in such an interview in the first place.

“I don’t remember any of this, to be honest,” Ecclestone told Reuters. “I don’t remember giving the interview for sure.”

‘Denies knowledge’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/bernie-ecclestone-no-knowledge-felipe-massa-claim/


Bernie Ecclestone drops fresh twist on Felipe Massa's legal battle on Lewis Hamilton title
Felipe Massa sought legal advice after Bernie Ecclestone said in March that he knew about 'Crashgate' in 2008 but was unable to act on it.
17:33, Fri, Aug 18, 2023
By Stuart Ballard
Daily and Sunday Express

Felipe Massa's legal action against F1 bosses and the FIA appears to have hit its first hurdle with Bernie Ecclestone backtracking on quotes he made earlier this year about the controversy surrounding the 2008 World Championship.

The Brazilian's lawyers have now started legal action against F1 and the FIA to seek millions in compensation. However, Ecclestone has told Reuters that he doesn't recall ever saying the quotes attributed to him from earlier this year.

"I don't remember any of this, to be honest," he said. "I don't remember giving the interview for sure."

‘Bernie Ecclestone drops fresh twist’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1803774/Bernie-Ecclestone-Felipe-Massa-legal-battle-Lewis-Hamilton-2008-title

[Fortitude]

Newey’s ‘challenge the system’ F1 approach a boost to Red Bull success.
Adrian Newey’s willingness to ‘challenge the system’ at Red Bull has been singled out as a big benefit in helping the team push forward with its Formula 1 success.
15:40 Sun, 20 Aug 2023.
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

The legendary F1 designer is currently Red Bull’s chief technical officer and, although he admits the countdown to his retirement is now underway, he still maintains a hands-on involvement in the squad. Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache thinks that the manner of Newey’s involvement, in looking at the big picture, works really well in helping the team get the best out of itself.

“The structure is done to have people we trust in the system, either at the track or at the factory, and to be able to develop the work in the way we want to,” Wache told Motorsport.com. Adrian, he's going to each area where he wants to be able to interact with everybody and will challenge the system.”

“It's a chance for him to be able to go into small details in some areas, and then bigger pictures in others. When you do your job, and you have somebody at the side you know well, if you take that step back it can be a massive benefit.”

‘Newey’s ‘challenge the system’ F1 approach’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/newey-red-bull-f1-success-approach/10508814/


Why Red Bull have no need to axe Sergio Perez as future rumours swirl
20 Aug 2023 4:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull have been advised there are plenty of reasons to keep hold of Sergio Perez even if he is unable to challenge Max Verstappen. The 2024 Red Bull seat is one of the much-discussed topics in Formula 1 as although Perez is contracted for that season, Daniel Ricciardo’s return sparked rumours the Milton Keynes outfit may be looking at alternatives.

But even if Perez is never going to be in the same bracket as Verstappen, Red Bull have been advised he comes with other advantages. Although Perez’s run of poor form seems to be over for now, it has been a long time since he stood on the top step of the podium.

“Helmut Marko made a good point,” Le Mans class winner Richard Bradley said on the On Track GP podcast. “He’s still running second in the championship. He seems to get on okay with Max.” Bradley went on to suggest that another reason for keeping Perez is the boost in marketing it gives the team in the Americas. In the same way Verstappen has reignited Dutch passion for the sport, Perez has had a similar effect in Mexico.

‘Plenty of reasons to keep hold of Sergio Perez’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/richard-bradley-red-bull-no-need-axe-sergio-perez/


Max Verstappen Bemoans Continuous Changes in F1
August 19, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Two-time world champion, Max Verstappen, has urged Formula 1’s leadership to curtail the frequency of alterations to the sport, citing a perception that the current emphasis primarily revolves around financial gains. I am concerned about the sport that I have always loved,” the 25-year-old stated in an interview with De Telegraaf.

“And still like it, but to a certain extent. It’s not that I’m completely against change, as is sometimes said. But it must be adjustments that benefit Formula One. Why do you have to change certain things when things are going well? I think a traditional qualifying session is well set up in that form.”

“It shouldn’t just be about money. People may think: ‘he earns a lot of money, what is that guy complaining about?’ But it’s about well-being, how you experience things and not how much you earn. Sometimes I think I have to do too many things, and not do them.”

‘Continuous Changes in F1’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/max-verstappen-bemoans-continuous-changes-in-f1/


Marko denies Verstappen Red Bull favouritism
20 August 2:20PM
Author Fergal Walsh


Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Dr Helmut Marko has again moved to clarify that the Milton Keynes-based squad is not favouring Max Verstappen. The performance differential between the duo has led to suggestions that Red Bull is developing its cars to suit Verstappen.

“No, that is not true. At the beginning of 2022 the car suffered a lot of understeer," Marko told Motorsport Magazin. "This was due to the car being overweight. In the long run, you will not be successful with an overweight car, but as the car became lighter, the car went more to a 'neutral' balance - or even a bit more oversteer.”

Its run of success has seen it set a new record for the most consecutive race wins in F1, sitting at 13 with the likelihood of Verstappen and Perez extending the streak. On why Red Bull had found such success, Marko said: "I think because we have a team that has been unchanged for years. So the continuity, the stability in the whole organisation and the flexibility to make quick decisions.”

‘Verstappen Red Bull favouritism denied’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-again-denies-verstappen-favouritism


Verstappen ponders worth of remaining in F1
20/08/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Not for the first time, world champion Max Verstappen has hinted that his time in F1 may be limited. "Travel isn't the biggest problem," he insists, "it's more about all the extra stuff I have to do. Thursdays on a race weekend can be very long depending on where we are and outside the grands prix there's a lot of simulator work.”

"For example, I lose over a month per year to marketing. At a certain moment you just don't feel like doing all that anymore." His current deal with Red Bull sees him committed to the Austrian team until 2028, asked if he might look to quit the sport before then, especially if the 2026 rules overhaul should work against his team, he replied: "Things would have to be really bad for that to happen.”

"I don't expect the team to fall back that much with all the great people we have. But in this sport it's always possible you're not that competitive. It depends on what the prospects are," he added, "but yeah, I don't see myself touring in the midfield for three years. Then I'd rather stay at home or go do something else. But again, I don't expect that to happen."

‘Time in F1 may be limited’;

https://www.pitpass.com/75893/Verstappen-ponders-worth-of-remaining-in-F1

[Fortitude]

Ferrari no longer working on 2023 car – boss.
Ferrari is no longer working on its 2023 in the wind tunnel, team boss Frederic Vasseur has revealed.
12:49, 21st August 2023.
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

The Maranello team is currently behind Red Bull, Mercedes and even Aston Martin in the constructors’ standings – meaning Vasseur is now looking at 2024 more than the rest of this season. “For this season we stopped development in the wind tunnel at the end of July,” the Frenchman told La Gazzetta dello Sport, “but we have pieces already approved that we will take to Qatar or Austin.

“For the 2024 machine, we are still at the philosophical concepts. We need to think differently and find margins so the drivers can race without always being at the limit. But the deadline for the new car is not the end of the year. We have to be ready for Bahrain in March so we still have many months ahead of us,” Vasseur added.

In the meantime, Vasseur has been busy trying to recruit new staff. “We have hired about 25 people, but we are looking for more,” he said, pointing out that it is hard for Ferrari to woo British-based top engineers. We have signed with a leading name,” Vasseur added, “which should start on 1 January 2025 but I am trying to convince Toto Wolff to release him sooner.

‘No longer working on its 2023 Car in the wind tunnel’;

https://grandpx.news/ferrari-no-longer-working-on-2023-car-boss/


James Allison ‘stigma’ hanging over Ferrari in their search for top F1 talent
21 Aug 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Respected Italian journalist Leo Turrini believes one of the reasons Ferrari struggle to bring in foreign engineers is because of yesteryear’s treatment of James Allison and the “stigma” it left behind. British designer and engineer Allison has a long history with Ferrari having initially joined the team in 2000 for five years before moving to Renault and then returning to Ferrari in 2013.

Taking on the role of technical chief, he abruptly left the team in August 2016 following the death of his wife in March of that year. How Ferrari dealt with Allison’s leave of absence after his wife’s passing is a stain that Ferrari are still having to deal with, says Turrini. “Quite a few foreign technicians hesitate in the face of Ferrari proposals because they know the Scuderia’s recent history,” he declared on his blog.

“And Allison’s story, unfortunately for [former bosses] Marchionne and Arrivabene, is a stigma across the Channel. “Some debts are not paid immediately, but later.” Joining Mercedes, Allison played an integral role in the team’s continued success through to 2021, the last season in Mercedes’ eight-year Constructors’ Championship run.

‘Stigma hanging over Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-james-allison-stigma-recruitment/


Ferrari drivers can ‘do better’ – Vasseur
21st August 2023, 08:27
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

As uncertainty looms over Ferrari’s driver lineup beyond 2024, team boss Frederic Vasseur admits both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz can “do better”.

It had been rumoured that Lewis Hamilton might be an option for Ferrari, especially given his closeness to Vasseur. “I talk to him at every race,” Vasseur admitted. “He raced for me 20 years ago and we’re still close. I helped him when he went to McLaren at the start of his career and we talk every now and then.”

“I don’t want to compare him to our drivers – it wouldn’t make sense. But the contribution of a top driver isn’t just driving, it’s also technical, strategy, help in hiring engineers. And in this case, if you have Hamilton or Verstappen but also Leclerc, it’s easier,” he said.

“Can do better”;

https://grandpx.news/ferrari-drivers-can-do-better-vasseur/


‘Charles Leclerc will be rewarded for his patience with Ferrari’
21 Aug 2023 6:45 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Former F1 racer David Kennedy, a multiple Le Mans winner and a former junior category team boss rival of Fred Vasseur through his involvement with Status GP, believes Vasseur’s appointment as replacement for Mattia Binotto will eventually lead to stability and a more competitive Ferrari as he moulds the team in his image.

“Fred has earned his spurs in all the junior categories, and has an exceptional pedigree. He’ll know the business from nuts and bolts all the way through. This is a people business, and he will know who the stars are in terms of engineers and designers. He’s been at the coalface long enough and I think, given a little bit of time, and if Ferrari doesn’t do what they often do by getting wobbly knees and pulling the rug from under them, they’ll let him get on with it.”

“I remember when Jean Todt started, he had a tough couple of years till he got the pieces in place. And, when he did, they were dynamite, and I think Fred is in that process.”

‘Patience with Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-rewarded-patience-ferrari/


HALF TERM REPORT: Ferrari – Fallen championship aspirations but an intense battle for second place looms
20 August 2023
Nadim Bart-Williams
Junior Staff Writer
Formula One - Official Site

Ferrari came into the 2023 season with championship aspirations following their second place finish last year. Instead they have slipped down the pecking order and currently find themselves in a battle for second. But, is it all doom and gloom? Here's their half term report…

Best finish: Charles Leclerc — 2nd in Austria
Qualifying head-to-head: Charles Leclerc 8 – 4 Carlos Sainz
Race head-to-head: Charles Leclerc: 7 – 5 Carlos Sainz

Best moment: Ferrari’s best moment this year came on the Friday and Saturday of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, as Leclerc put in an outstanding performance to take pole position for both Sunday’s race and for the Baku Sprint.

‘HALF TERM REPORT’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.half-term-report-ferrari-fallen-championship-aspirations-but-an-intense.3Dg8zLR5YJ6TCcmaK74eFd.html


Charles Leclerc told career descending into ‘traditional Ferrari driver story’
20 Aug 2023 2:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

F1 business expert Mark Gallagher believes the career path of Charles Leclerc is following one typical of a Ferrari driver as rumours continue to swirl over his future. Aston Martin and Mercedes are among the teams Leclerc has been linked with and Gallagher, when appearing on the GP Racing magazine podcast, claiming it is “extraordinary” how it has come to this for a driver who not long ago was the Ferrari “golden boy”.

“It’s extraordinary really, watching the sport and seeing how careers develop, and the ebb and flow of careers, Charles has gone from the golden boy at Ferrari, that kind of rocket ship trajectory of his career, and here we are in the middle of 2023, his fifth season, and we’re wondering what he should do next,” said Gallagher.

“If I may say, it looks a little bit like a traditional Ferrari driver story, where you come in with great hope and then it just starts to slightly sour. Charles has made some driving errors over the years plus the team, apart from the fact that the team strategically, operationally, and personnel wise leaves a bit to be desired. So basically, every aspect of the team leaves a bit to be desired. You then have Charles with those few driving errors.”

‘Traditional Ferrari driver story’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mark-gallagher-charles-leclerc-ferrari-career/

[Fortitude]

Wolff elevates d'Ambrosio to team boss 'reserve' status.
Toto Wolff says Jerome d'Ambrosio who stands next to the Mercedes boss' command post on race weekends is now the Brackley squad's reserve team principal.
20/08/2023 at 14:42
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

D'Ambrosio – a three-time winner in Formula E who competed in F1 with Marussia in 2011– was appointed earlier this year by Mercedes as the team's new director of driver development, working alongside long-standing Mercedes-AMG driver development advisor Gwen Lagrue. The Belgian took over the responsibilities previously entrusted to James Vowles before the latter's move to Williams.

However, d'Ambrosio's perennial presence this season alongside Wolff in the Mercedes garage on race weekends is a clear indication that something bigger is at play for the 37-year-old former races, which Wolff has now confirmed.

"When I am absent on a race weekend, Jerome will replace me," the Austrian told French weekly Auto Hebdo. "It is true that in 11 years it has only happened three times, but it is a situation that we have to anticipate. Now, he has to gain credibility within the team and in the paddock, he still has time, but in case I can’t be there, he will be in my place."

‘Jerome d'Ambrosio: Team Boss 'reserve' status’;

https://f1i.com/news/484109-wolff-elevates-dambrosio-to-team-boss-reserve-status.html


Toto Wolff names his replacement as Mercedes team boss
20 Aug 2023 7:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff has announced former F1 driver Jérome D’Ambrosio, who joined Mercedes in March, will be the one to replace him if he can’t attend a grand prix this season. There was, however, no mention of D’Ambrosio doing so at the Dutch Grand Prix despite Wolff having suffered an arm injury during his summer break shenanigans.

He added: “Jérôme did a very good job last year with his role at Venturi. A small structure, which obviously has nothing to do with ours, which still has 2,500 people. However, he is involved and I must even say that half of his interventions during the grands prix are sensible.”

“I assure you that this is already a remarkable score, James Allison often told me that I said 50 percent intelligent things, and 50 percent nonsense. More seriously, you have to give him time, but I have the impression that he has the right profile to take on this role.”

‘James Allison often told me (Toto Wolff) that I said 50 percent intelligent things, and 50 percent nonsense’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-names-replacement-mercedes-team-boss/


Wolff reveals DIFFICULTY of being Mercedes F1 team principal
Wednesday 16 August 2023 06:57
Neil Goulding
GPFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted that the hardest part of being in charge of the Formula 1 team is 'being able to juggle' the different roles demanded of him within the job. The 51-year-old has worked with Mercedes for a decade and has a 33 per cent share in the company.

But even the hugely-successful Austrian entrepreneur has found it hard to manage a race team at the top level. “Getting the balance right is tricky,” said Wolff in Q&A on TikTok when asked about the challenges he faces in his role. “The hardest part of being a team principal is being able to juggle all the areas.”

"There’s the racing side and the regulations, and then to keep working with our sponsors and having a long-term view. What I would say to my young self is just keep your eyes open and grab the opportunities,” he said.

‘Juggle the different roles demanded’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001781/toto-wolff-mercedes-f1-team-principal-difficulty-juggling/


The Benz and the Billions: Along the Road with Mercedes F1 Boss Toto Wolff
17:56 Sun, 20 Aug 2023.
Shlomo Sprung
Boardroom

The celebrated racing exec speaks with Boardroom on his unique path as an entrepreneur, his relationship with Lewis Hamilton, and getting back to the top of Formula 1. The team’s tweaks and simulations, however, didn’t translate to the desired results on the track, marking another start to a Formula 1 season in which they had to revisit their fundamental approach to the car as the season carried on.

“There were a few really painful races,” Toto Wolff told Boardroom of the period before Mercedes decided to make what he called a radical concept change, which included a new front suspension, altered bodywork, and a new floor. “Now, we are on an encouraging path, but I wouldn’t want to say now we are out of the woods. But as long as the trajectory goes in the right direction — like an increasing share price, we’re still going to see oscillations up and down during the season. And that’s to be expected.”

As we’ve seen on TV, the 51-year-old Austrian is an intense, driven leader who has overseen several years of winning through a mix of racing acumen and entrepreneurial expertise — so much, in fact, that Forbes estimates Wolff to be worth $1.6 billion thanks to his reported 33% ownership stake in the Mercedes F1 team. Unlike so many in the billionaire class, however, this fortune was self-made.

‘A few really painful races’;

https://boardroom.tv/toto-wolff-mercedes-f1-team-part-1/


Wolff recalls Nordschleife crash: ‘I thought I was dead’
20 August 12:10PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Wolff suffered a puncture while travelling almost 200mph. Mercedes CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff has provided an insight into his high-speed crash at the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 2009. The German track - nicknamed the 'Green Hell' - is known to be one of the most dangerous in the world and last held an F1 World Championship race in 1976.

Speaking on BBC's Desert Island Discs, Wolff explained that he returned to the track in 2009 to stamp his own mark at the venue. “It was said that only locals can be really fast there," said Wolff. ”And there were professionals who were very successful at an international level, who drove on the Nordschleife and were never able to get near the locals.”

“So I said to myself, I'll show them that I can beat the records. Niki [Lauda] had his bad accident there when he almost died in the flames. He said to me, 'Don't be so stupid. Nobody cares about the lap time on the Nordschleife. You could kill yourself’.”

“I thought I was dead’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-recalls-nordschleife-crash-i-thought-i-was-dead


Wolff says 'sails are set' as Mercedes shift focus to 2024 car and plot route to 'winning titles again'
15 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Toto Wolff insists there is “light at the end of the tunnel” for Mercedes in this frustrating season for the Silver Arrows – and has revealed the team's focus is now switching to next year's car.

“It’s a frustrating process because it takes time to change the car fundamentally, the concept and aerodynamics. But there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.” Asked what the team could do better with the car, Wolff answered: “Main areas of improvement is just about giving the drivers a more reliable car.

“It’s not about absolute amount of downforce but it’s just for them to know the car is going to be stable when they come into the corner, which isn’t the case at the moment.” Looking ahead to the second half of the year, which is set to kick off in Zandvoort with the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25-27, Wolff explained that Mercedes are looking forward to optimising the performance of the W14, with attentions already turning to their 2024 car.

‘shift focus to 2024 car and plot route to 'winning titles again’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.wolff-says-sails-are-set-as-mercedes-shift-focus-to-2024-car-and-plot-route.6mUC0Dc2gFYAieAECEzlBD.html


Wolff takes aim at 'CATASTROPHIC' life decision
Tuesday 15 August 2023 09:12
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has taken aim at people who put pineapple on their pizza, labelling the decision as 'catastrophic'. "Pineapple on pizza is catastrophic," he said. "It's called Hawaiian and every Italian will turn in his grave. It's like the same sin as drinking a cappuccino after 12 o'clock." Curiously though, the Austrian was a fan of pineapple, just not when served on top of a pizza.

Answering one fan who wanted to know his secret for looking so young. "I'm not sure I'm looking so young anymore," he jokingly replied. "In any case, my wife doesn't tell me that. I'm washing my face in the morning and evening with cold water. Somebody told me once, or I must have read it at the hairdresser, that it gives [your face] a natural lift."

"Pineapple on pizza is catastrophic";

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1001786/toto-wolff-f1-mercedes-catastrophic-decision-pineapple-pizza/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin warn rivals it is not ‘game over’ as development race continues.
“I’m not an engineer, but I speak with our team, with all our members, and I get this very positive feeling that they know exactly what’s going on” Fernando Alonso.
22 Aug 2023 4:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

When pressed further on exactly has happened to see Aston Martin fall away from the front in recent races, the Spaniard was unable to put his finger on why – or would not give the game away – but added that he expects the team to keep pushing with the AMR23 for a little while yet.

“They know exactly where they have to focus on, and they’re focusing on [it], so I’m very relaxed. I want to congratulate other teams because they’ve done a fantastic job, but this is not game over. You know, it’s not like ‘ah, we are done, that’s it for the season.’ No way, we are still gradually improving our car.”

“And it gives you this sense of peace when you know where the areas of improvement are, because when you focus on the areas that are not that critical, you might lose a bit of focus, but we know exactly where the improvement areas are, and we’re working flat out.

‘EL PLAN: Gradually improving our car’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-2023-season-not-game-over/


Alonso reveals biggest F1 regret
22 August 4:00PM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has said his failure to win a World Championship with Ferrari is the first thing he would change about his F1 career. "Winning a championship with Ferrari would probably be the first thing that I'd [change], if I could go back in time," said Alonso.

"In 2010 and 2012, we were within a few laps of winning a Championship, and that probably could have changed the outcome of many things, and the history behind a few things, and I was disappointed for sure to miss those."

Aside from his failure to win a title with Ferrari, Alonso also noted his regret at not enjoying the successes of his earlier career, acknowledging that, at 42 years old, his time in F1 is drawing to a close. "What I regret for sure was not enjoying [myself] more. My time, my career, I know that I'm at the end of it, and a new life, in few years' time, for me [will be] without driving.”

‘Biggest F1 regret’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-reveals-biggest-f1-regret


Third F1 title no longer ‘the highest priority’ for Alonso
21st August 2023, 14:36
by Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Two-time Formula 1 Champion Fernando Alonso has admitted he “would love” to win a third title but claiming that long-awaited championship isn’t his primary objective. The Spaniard missed out on a hat trick of titles in 2007 by a solitary point in a tumultuous year with McLaren.

More near misses occurred in 2010 and 2012 with Ferrari, but now, speaking on the High Performance Podcast, he is no longer concerned with chasing that elusive third title.

“I would love to win the championship once again but it’s not the highest priority,” he said. “I am enjoying the process, especially now with Aston Martin, to become a contender for the future.”

‘Enjoying the process’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/22/third-f1-title-no-longer-the-highest-priority-for-alonso/


ALONSO: ‘I APPRECIATE FANS MORE AFTER COMING BACK TO F1’
The Spaniard discussed returning to the sport after early retirement
August 22, 2023
Dalila Zanardo
FormulaNerds

2-times World Champion Fernando Alonso came out of retirement in 2021 to join Alpine after having previously retired at the end of the 2018 season. Now, the Spaniard admitted his period out of the sport made him appreciate more fans.

“But when I stopped, the only thing that I received every time that I was meeting people or any fan or people at the airport or in the hotels or whatever was ‘you need to come back, you need to come back’, these kind of things. So the people, it was a surprise that they loved what we were doing because for me, the last few years before I stopped, it was like we are nearly anonymous here, no one is seeing us and the sport was not maybe great as it is now with all this Drive to Survive and Netflix. So I thought that it was much less interesting, but I was surprised at how much love I received from people.”

‘APPRECIATE FANS MORE AFTER COMING BACK’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alonso-i-appreciate-fans-more-after-coming-back-to-f1/


Fernando Alonso brands Formula 1 "selfish and fake" compared to "more pure" motorsports
Fernando Alonso has opened up about his career, reflecting on his decision to leave Formula 1 in 2018 and his decision to return in 2021
13:00, 22 Aug 2023
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso has suggested other motorsports are 'purer' than F1 in a stinging criticism despite sitting third in the standings for the 2023 season.

He also competed in the IndyCar Series and the Dakar Rally before returning to F1 in 2021 with Alpine. Reflecting on his time away from F1 in an appearance on the High Performance Podcast, Alonso said: "Formula One in motorsport is very different to any other category, much more selfish, much more glamorous in a way, but also more fake in another way.

"I think it's more pure motorsport in Le Mans, or Indy or Dakar but yeah, for sure Formula 1 has this appeal, you know, people wanted to attend the races, want to watch it on TV. I was also watching the F1 races on TV, I appreciated a little bit more all of the stuff as a driver I didn't like before.”

‘Brands Formula 1 selfish and fake’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/fernando-alonso-f1-aston-martin-30760269


Alonso opens up on 'SELFISH' and 'FAKE' F1
Tuesday 22 August 2023 08:27
Sam Cook
GPFans

He said that, despite trying out other motorsports during his two-year sabbatical from the sport, he missed the buzz around F1.

"Formula One in motorsport is very different to any other category, much more selfish, much more glamorous in a way, but also more fake in another way.”

‘ 'SELFISH' and 'FAKE' F1’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002158/fernando-alonso-f1-selfish-and-fake/


Fernando Alonso makes Michael Schumacher claim
Fernando Alonso defeated then-Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher to the title in 2005 and in 2006.
22 August 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso has admitted that he “never doubted” that he could beat Michael Schumacher, something he did to the shock of the Formula 1 world. Whilst at Renault in 2005, Alonso ended Schumacher’s five-year reign, with the seven-time World Champion having won every title from 2000-2004 at Ferrari.

Alonso ended Schumacher’s dominance and started his very own, which saw him also claim the title again in 2006. Schumacher actually chose to retire at the end of 2006, before returning with Mercedes in 2010.

Alonso’s and Schumacher’s fights were epic, especially as very few drivers previously had ever been able to duel with the legendary German. 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen was able to at times but never over an entire season.

‘Alonso’s and Schumacher’s fights were epic’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-alonso-makes-michael-schumacher-claim/


ALONSO’S ASTON MARTIN JOURNEY: TRIUMPHS, CHALLENGES, AND AGELESS EXCELLENCE
Fernando Alonso excels with Aston Martin, securing podiums and defying age-related stereotypes in a thrilling 2023 Formula 1 season
August 22, 2023
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

Alonso’s perspective on the season remains positive and uplifting despite the challenges. According to motorsport.com, he describes it as “incredible,” a testament to the remarkable journey he’s embarked on.

“[It has been] a dream first half of the season. We are P3 in the constructors’ championship in front of Ferrari, we are P3 in the drivers’ championship together with Lewis. It was impossible to think this way in Bahrain,” Alonso said, reflecting on the team’s achievements.

“Incredible”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/alonsos-aston-martin-journey-triumphs-challenges-and-ageless-excellence/


Revealed: The most valuable piece of advice Fernando Alonso has ever received
21 Aug 2023 8:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

“Second is the first loser. In this sport, you win, or you don’t’. ‘To finish second, seventh or 11th is the same. There is only one guy with the trophy and it’s not us. So I understand your emotion, but this is nothing to celebrate’.”

“It was shocking, because I was 13 and I thought that was really good and that was really bad for a kid. But then with time I understood that was good advice in general.”

‘Only one guy with the trophy’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/most-valuable-advice-fernando-alonso-received/

[Fortitude]

Haas bring upgrades but 2024 car taking priority.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has confirmed the cars for this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix will sport upgrades – albeit with the focus on 2024.
Wednesday 23rd August, 2023 - 1:34pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

The team has so far struggled this year with its VF-23 which has become renowned for relatively strong qualifying performances, particularly from Nico Hulkenberg, only to fall through the field on race day due to the car rapidly degrading its tyres.

“The team is working flat out to make some modifications to the car which will be coming later on in the year, and I can’t give an exact timeline because of the shutdown,” said Steiner, referring to the recent two-week break.

“We keep on working, and there are two reasons for this. Firstly, to try and make the car go quicker, as you always do with upgrades but also to know the direction for the VF-24, which is as important, if not more important. There’s a lot of hard work going on. It’s almost as intense as being in December developing the new car.”

‘VF-23 Upgrades’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/23/haas-upgrades-dutch-gp/


Steiner explains why Haas will continue to develop 2023 F1 car
10:53 Tue, 22 Aug 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner has explained the side will continue to bring upgrades to its 2023 Formula 1 car in a bid to understand the direction needed for next season’s package.

“We have got some upgrades coming for Zandvoort, on the brake ducts and front wing, but the team is working flat out to make some modifications to the car which will be coming later on in the year and I can’t give an exact timeline because of the shutdown,” he said.

Haas rounded out a disappointing first half of the year without a points finish on a Sunday in seven rounds, dating back to Kevin Magnussen’s 10th place in Miami in May. It marks the worst run of any team, with F1’s latest entry only adding to its points tally courtesy of Hulkenberg recording a sixth-place finish in the Austrian Sprint Race.

‘Continue to develop 2023 F1 car’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/22/steiner-explains-why-haas-will-continue-to-develop-2023-f1-car/


Ferrari theory explored as mystery surrounds ‘very weird’ tyre problem at Haas
22 Aug 2023 3:45 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Dealing with a tyre-eating VF-22, Guenther Steiner says while Haas need to examine if their issue is linked to Ferrari’s, he doesn’t believe they are the “same problem”.

Blighting the first half of Haas’ season, the German driver accepted after the Belgian Grand Prix that the tyre issue won’t be a quick fix for Haas, saying: “Fixing it and bringing loads of performance, it doesn’t just lay on the street, it’s a bit more complex.

“I think we can still improve the situation this year. To what extent, that’s TBC, it’s down to us, and we have to prove it. But yeah, it’s a longer-term thing.” A thing Haas are working hard at with Steiner revealing they’re still flat-out on this year’s car in an attempt to resolve the issue before they carry it over into 2024’s car.

‘Very weird tyre problem’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-tyre-issues-ferrari-could-be-linked/


Hulkenberg not ‘bitter or frustrated’ over no-F1 podium record
11:51 Fri, 18 Aug 2023.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Nico Hulkenberg insists he is not “bitter or frustrated” at the fact he remains without a podium finish in his decade-long Formula 1 career. Arguably his best shot at a podium came in Brazil 2012 when he led for more than 40 laps before colliding with Lewis Hamilton whilst battling for the lead.

But when asked if he was ever frustrated at the lack of silverware over his 10 seasons in F1, Hulkenberg stressed he was at peace with his career. “That’s stating a fact there,” Hulkenberg said, as quoted by Motorsport.com.

“I’m here in the current Formula 1 season, working day-in, day-out and trying to maximise the season,” he said. “I have to maximise what I have. And the opportunities in the past, unfortunately they didn’t work. Of course, that was very frustrating at the time, but that is what it is.”

‘Not bitter or frustrated’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/08/18/hulkenberg-not-bitter-or-frustrated-over-no-f1-podium-record/


Steiner explains why Haas will continue to develop 2023 F1 car
10:53 Tue, 22 Aug 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner has explained the side will continue to bring upgrades to its 2023 Formula 1 car in a bid to understand the direction needed for next season’s package.

“We have got some upgrades coming for Zandvoort, on the brake ducts and front wing, but the team is working flat out to make some modifications to the car which will be coming later on in the year and I can’t give an exact timeline because of the shutdown,” he said. “We keep on working, and there are two reasons for this.”

“Firstly, to try and make the car go quicker as you always do with upgrades but also to know the direction for the VF-24, which is as important, if not more important. There’s a lot of hard work going on, it’s almost as intense as being in December developing the new car.”

‘Continue to develop’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/22/steiner-explains-why-haas-will-continue-to-develop-2023-f1-car/


Hulkenberg ‘ruining’ Magnussen’s F1 career
08:27 Mon, 21 Aug 2023.
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

Nico Hulkenberg is in the process of “ruining” Kevin Magnussen’s Formula 1 career. That is the view of former F1 driver Marc Surer, referring to the way in which 35-year-old Hulkenberg has dominated Haas incumbent Magnussen in 2023.

“Magnussen ruined Mick Schumacher’s F1 career and now Hulkenberg is ruining Magnussen’s career,” the Swiss told formel1.de. “I expected Magnussen to be at Hulkenberg’s level, and he’s doing that in the race but not in qualifying. Obviously, Hulkenberg has a natural talent.”

“Kevin is a good driver, no doubt, but he lacks something extraordinary, and I don’t think it’s motivation. Although if the car is not progressing, as seems to be the case, it is quite problematic to stay fully motivated,” Surer added.

“Magnussen ruined Mick Schumacher’s F1 career and now Hulkenberg is ruining Magnussen’s career”;

https://grandpx.news/hulkenberg-ruining-magnussens-f1-career/


Steiner: Haas rollercoaster weekends 'difficult to digest'
22/08/2023 at 13:51
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Haas team boss Guenther Steiner says the chronic tyre degradation issues impacting its 2023 car have led to "rollercoaster" race weekends that are "difficult to digest" for the US outfit. This season, the second year of F1's ground-effects regulation, Haas' VF-23 has demonstrated impressive speed on Saturdays, with Nico Hulkenberg qualifying among the top-ten in four of the last six races.

However, it's been a different story for the American outfit on Sundays, with tyre degradation systematically undermining both Hulkenberg and teammate Kevin Magnussen's efforts. Haas' engineers have been on their car's case for months, but elaborating a solution has turned into a long-haul process. In the interim, Steiner admits that race weekends are a frustrating succession of highs and lows.

‘Haas rollercoaster weekends’;

https://f1i.com/news/484182-steiner-haas-rollercoaster-weekends-difficult-to-digest.html

[Fortitude]

Piastri prepared for Zandvoort challenge.
It will be the Australian's first visit to the circuit in his racing career. Oscar Piastri says he has been preparing for his first Formula 1 outing at the Zandvoort circuit in the McLaren simulator.
22 August 10:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The Dutch Grand Prix circuit is one of the tracks on the calendar that Piastri did not race at, during his time rising through the F1 feeder championships. With it now his 13th race in F1 and 12 months on from his contract saga, Piastri said: "I'm looking forward to getting back to racing after some time off for the summer break.

"I had a nice time away on holiday, enjoying the sun and I feel recharged ahead of going into this second half of the season. Next up is the Dutch GP. Zandvoort is a new track for me, so I’ve been working hard in the sim with the engineers to get as prepared as possible for the weekend.”

"I'm feeling ready and excited to get back into the car and see all the Papaya fans in the stands. Let's bring home good results."

‘Zandvoort challenge’;

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-prepared-for-zandvoort-challenge


Piastri happy with Webber support amid ‘whirlwind’ rookie F1 season
15:48 Tue, 22 Aug 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri says he is happy to have manager Mark Webber “in my corner” whilst he encounters a “whirlwind” rookie season in Formula 1. Speaking on Virgin Radio recently, Piastri has credited the important role Webber, a nine-time F1 race winner with Red Bull in his time, has played in his career to this stage.

“He’s good,” Piastri acknowledged. “The first few years we worked together he did a lot behind the scenes for me – he still does a lot behind the scenes for me now. Obviously he’s got a wealth of F1 experience, racing experience, and now that I’m in F1 myself, he’s got heaps of ideas and questions.”

‘Whirlwind rookie F1 season’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/22/piastri-happy-with-webber-support-amid-whirlwind-rookie-f1-season/


Eliminating mistakes the focus for Piastri
Monday 21st August, 2023 - 5:30am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Oscar Piastri is aiming to eliminate mistakes in the final 10 races of the 2023 F1 once the season resumes at the end of the month. Speaking with Speedcafe, Piastri gave himself just a ‘B’ for the opening 12 races of the season, reasoning he’s made too many mistakes.

Heading into the year, his stated focus was to allow himself time to learn the sport and blow off some of the cobwebs after a year out of competition. “I think it’s the same; try and continue to build on getting quicker,” Piastri told Speedcafe of his aims for the second half of the season, “having complete races and just eliminating some of those mistakes.”

“I’m obviously able to get quite close to Lando [Norris] in most sessions, but I want to be able to take that next step and really be able to challenge him. I want to try and continue to improve myself. I’m happy with the level I’m at but I feel like there still can be more, so just getting the most out of that.”

‘Eliminating mistakes’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/21/eliminating-mistakes-the-focus-for-piastri/


McLaren boss unveils pivotal ambition that will stop rivals snatching Lando Norris
22 Aug 2023 8:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says proving to Lando Norris that his and the team’s title ambitions can be achieved together is key to keeping him, with very positive momentum being made towards that. “I think it’s been massively important for all of us. It shows we can do it,” Brown told ESPN regarding McLaren’s performance spike.”

“That being said, we haven’t won one with [Norris] yet. He loves McLaren, it’s been his family, so there’s no doubt in my mind his number one choice is to win a World Championship with McLaren. I think the best thing we do to retain him is to demonstrate to him we’re a team capable of doing that.”

‘Pivotal ambition’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-lando-norris-title-ambition-progress/


McLaren: Proving team is title-worthy key to retaining Norris
22/08/2023 at 08:34
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Zak Brown says that proving to Lando Norris that McLaren is a team capable of winning the F1 world championship will be key to retaining the young Briton's services in the future. On the back of McLaren's spectacular gains this summer, which allowed Norris to score successive P2 podiums in Britain and in Hungary, the 23-year-old reiterated his long-term commitment to his team.

"I want to achieve my success and I want to achieve my goals with McLaren," he said in Spa. "That’s been my target since I’ve come here, since I’ve entered Formula 1 with this team. I guess I’m a loyal guy from that point of view, that I’ve joined the team, they gave me a chance in Formula 1 and I want to deliver and achieve success for them."

‘Proving team is title-worthy’;

https://f1i.com/news/484159-mclaren-proving-team-is-title-worthy-key-to-retaining-norris.html


McLaren has no more "big holes" to fix as it targets F1 titles - Brown
11:56 Tue, 22 Aug 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

McLaren Formula 1 boss Zak Brown believes the team has no more "big holes" to fix and now has everything in place to win championships following major infrastructure upgrades. Over the winter, newly promoted team principal Andrea Stella led a thorough review of the Woking design department.

It subsequently let go of technical chief James Key, restructured its leadership, and hired David Sanchez from Ferrari and Red Bull veteran engineer Rob Marshall.

With elements of that revised set-up in place, McLaren upgraded its current MCL60 from what was a backmarker car in the early races to then scoring podiums in the British and Hungarian Grands Prix plus a top-three finish in the Spa sprint immediately before the summer break.

‘No more "big holes" to fix’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-has-no-more-big-holes-to-fix-as-it-targets-f1-titles-brown/10510193/


Zak Brown admits ‘pointless’ to build up McLaren pre-season expectation
20 Aug 2023 8:30 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Zak Brown said it would have been “pointless” for McLaren to build up pre-season expectations knowing how far behind their car was. The 2023 car looked the worst McLaren had produced since the dark times of 2017 but the turnaround has been quite staggering in not only its effectiveness but the speed of it.

Since Austria, McLaren have gone from one of the slowest cars on the grid to in the pack competing behind Red Bull but Brown has revealed why he did not want to talk up the team’s chances heading into the season. “It would have been pointless to talk up the launch, knowing what we were going to see 30 days later, so we were just transparent because our data said we were not where we need to be,” he told Motorsport.com.

“We knew changes were in the works, and then data was telling us things were going to start looking up in Austria and Silverstone and they have. So. that’s given us a lot of confidence that what we’re seeing in data is correlating to the track, whether that’s good data or bad data.”

“Turnaround has been quite staggering”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/zak-brown-pointless-mclaren-pre-season/

[Fortitude]

All eyes on Max Verstappen at Zandvoort with Sebastian Vettel's nine in a row record in sight.
Max Verstappen could equal Sebastian Vettel’s record for nine straight victories at his home race this weekend.
22 Aug 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Red Bull are invincible in 2023, winning all 12 races so far this season. More importantly, they’ve rarely been challenged on raw pace - perhaps only Monaco with Fernando Alonso was where they were under the most threat.

Verstappen has won the last two Dutch Grands Prix, overtaking Lewis Hamilton following the Safety Car in 2022. Reliability aside, it’s hard not to see anything but a Verstappen victory.

‘Invincible’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1033794/1/all-eyes-verstappen-zandvoort-vettels-nine-row-record-sight


Verstappen bracing for 'temperamental' weekend in Zandvoort
23/08/2023 at 10:53
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Max Verstappen will be aiming next weekend for his ninth consecutive F1 win this season, but the dominant Red Bull driver says his home race at Zandvoort could be a soggy affair due to area's forecasted "temperamental" weather.

Barring an unforeseen event, the 25-year-old will in all likelihood celebrate his third world title before the end of F1's 2023 campaign and perhaps as early as the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

In the interim, Verstappen will attempt to uphold his 100% win rate on home ground, having never been defeated at Zandvoort – either in qualifying or on race day – since F1's return to the legendary venue in 2021.

'Temperamental weekend’;

https://f1i.com/news/484218-verstappen-bracing-for-temperamental-weekend-in-zandvoort.html


F1's run of wet weekends could continue in Zandvoort | 2023 Dutch Grand Prix weather
08:07 Tue, 22 Aug 2023.
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Teams may have to get the intermediate tyres out as soon as Friday. There is a moderate 40% risk of showers on Friday afternoon at present, scheduled to clash with the second practice session of the day.

Saturday’s qualifying day is currently on track to be the driest of the three days of the race weekend. It is forecast that Saturday will be cloudy, with the biggest risk of rain being in the morning – although much lower than Friday.

For the grand prix on Sunday, however, the chances of rain picks up again. Systems currently predict another 40% chance of rain on Sunday, although again that risk is at its highest in the morning, when Formula 2 and the Porsche Supercup races will be taking place.

‘2023 Dutch Grand Prix weather’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/22/f1s-run-of-wet-weekends-could-continue-in-zandvoort/


Reserve driver Shwartzman will take up Ferrari's FP1 rookie outings in 2023 starting in Zandvoort
23 August 2023
Formula1.com

Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has revealed that reserve driver Robert Shwartzman will get behind the wheel of the SF23 in both the team’s allocated rookie FP1 sessions this year – starting this weekend at the Dutch GP.

Shwartzman has been a part of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2017, and since leaving Formula 2 at the end of the 2021 – where he finished as the runner-up to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri – he has been serving as the Scuderia’s reserve driver.

Explaining why Zandvoort was one of the tracks chosen, Vasseur said: “Because it was the choice of the driver. I gave them the choice to do it, where they want to do it.” Vasseur also explained why the decision on which tracks to give rookies a run out is so difficult to make. He said: “I know that it is not an easy situation but Carlos… it’s not so easy to decide.”

‘Ferrari rookie FP1 session’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.reserve-driver-shwartzman-will-take-up-ferraris-fp1-rookie-outings-in-2023.22p9NXkIoNDrZ2cKzjqQX0.html


Zandvoort wants beach visitors to come after noon during Grand Prix to avoid peak times
Monday, 14 August 2023 - 15:35
NL Times

Visitors who will not attend the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort are requested to postpone their visit to the seaside town until after 12 p.m. during the race weekend. The Zandvoort municipality wants to ensure a well-managed distribution of crowds.

"Will there be any beach visitors? People are welcome. Just come and experience the atmosphere, but do come outside the entry and exit times. Don't come at the moment everyone wants to be on the circuit," said the spokesperson. The municipality has made no changes to the mobility plan for this year. Trains will operate every five minutes between Amsterdam Central and Zandvoort aan Zee.

Traditional routes remain accessible to visitors, including the boulevard that passes various stalls and stages within the village. In the village, however, there are additional stages this year to better spread the crowds: on the Raadhuisplein, Badhuisplein, and Kerkplein. Zandvoort is closed to car traffic during the race weekend.

‘Beach visitors avoid peak times

https://nltimes.nl/2023/08/14/zandvoort-wants-beach-visitors-come-noon-grand-prix-avoid-peak-times

[Fortitude]

Dutch Grand Prix - five things.
AFP Sport looks at five things ahead of the 13th race of a season dominated by Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
Issued on: 24/08/2023 - 05:00
Zandvoort (Netherlands) (AFP)
France 24

Vettel's record in jeopardy: Max Verstappen has a significant milestone in his sights on his home patch. 'Golden' Red Bull: The 2023 season may be turning into a bit of a relentless grind for the non-partisan fan, but unsurprisingly that view is not shared at Red Bull.

Mercedes 'recharged': Mercedes approach the second half of the season "recharged" says boss Toto Wolff after a challenging campaign so far… The chasing pack: Unlikely as it is, if Verstappen comes unstuck in the Dutch dunes, which teams aside from Mercedes are best placed to capitalise?

Alpine turbulence: Pierre Gasly's sprint third place at Spa was a much needed pick-me-up for the beleaguered Alpine-Renault outfit.

‘Five things’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230824-dutch-grand-prix-five-things


What to expect from the 2023 F1 Dutch Grand Prix
23 August 4:20PM
RacingNews365

How many drivers get a chance to equal an all-time record in front of their home Formula 1 fans? That is the opportunity presenting itself to Max Verstappen at this weekends Dutch Grand Prix, which takes place for the third time since its return in 2021 at Zandvoort.

Behind Red Bull there is a tight battle for second in the Constructors' Championship, after McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari managed to catch up to Aston Martin. Further behind Alpine look to be in no-mans land on 57 points, with incumbent Team Principal Bruno Famin targeting at least a top five finish.

Then the battle gets closer between Williams and Haas for seventh, with the pair both on 11 points. Further back is Alfa Romeo on nine points, while AlphaTauri hope Daniel Ricciardo can change their fortunes as they sit last on three points.

‘What to expect’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-to-expect-from-the-2023-f1-dutch-grand-prix


Aston Martin get development boost after ‘working tirelessly’ on Dutch GP upgrades
23 Aug 2023 6:52 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows has confirmed the team will be bringing upgrades to their car this weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix, having been “working tirelessly” to understand why their performance has dropped off in relation to others.

“We’ve been working tirelessly to develop our understanding of the AMR23. We believe we now have a good understanding of the car’s weaknesses and we’re taking steps to address them.”

“We hope that the performance of the car at Zandvoort, with our latest updates, will confirm we are heading in the right direction and help Lance and Fernando fight for points this weekend.”

“We’ve been working tirelessly”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-dutch-gp-development-boost/


Max Verstappen unbothered by Dutch GP jeopardy
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is looking to continue his string of strong outings around Zandvoort.
23 August 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

As Max Verstappen readies himself for his home Grand Prix at Zandvoort, he’s not only aiming for a record-equalling ninth consecutive win this season, but he’s also keeping a watchful eye on the area’s fickle weather forecast.

Verstappen’s stronghold on his home turf remains unassailable, as he has never been bested at Zandvoort since F1’s return to the iconic track in 2021.

His unbeaten streak extends to both qualifying and race day. Expressing his excitement about returning to the track, Verstappen mentioned, “It’s an amazing track and of course, the fans are incredible there, so I’m definitely excited to get back on track.”

‘Home turf remains unassailable’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verstappen-unbothered-by-dutch-gp-jeopardy/


Dutch GP protest disruption looks more certain
23 August 3:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

A protest for the Dutch Grand Prix looks more certain as tensions grow between race organisers, local authorities, and taxi drivers over access to the track.

Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reports drivers have become more frustrated after they found out other drivers outside of Zandvoort have managed to obtain permits. The municipality of Zandvoort explained that a number of taxis have parking permits within the area, which made them eligible for the proper access permit.

Taxi drivers are unhappy with this and it increases the chance of protest action, which is most likely to take place on Saturday and Sunday. A resolution is reportedly trying to be reached, which could take until as late as Friday.

‘Dutch GP protest disruption’;

https://racingnews365.com/dutch-gp-protest-disruption-looks-more-certain


Dutch Grand Prix faces potential blockade by taxi drivers due to access permit dispute
Wednesday, 23 August 2023 - 20:00
NL Times

Angry taxi drivers from Haarlem are committed to blocking roads leading to the Formula One event in Zandvoort this weekend, the Noordhollands Dagblad reported on Wednesday. The taxi drivers are currently in a dispute with the municipality of Zandvoort over access permits during the race weekend.

The conflict began last week when about 150 taxi drivers in the Haarlem region were informed they will not be granted access to the vicinity of the circuit during the race weekend without a special permit, as only taxi companies from Zandvoort and Bloemenaal will be eligible for the access permit.

‘Angry taxi drivers’;

https://nltimes.nl/2023/08/23/dutch-grand-prix-faces-potential-blockade-taxi-drivers-due-access-permit-dispute


Dutch GP’s 2025 Future Uncertain, Admits Race Boss
August 23, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Jan Lammers, the Dutch GP boss and former Formula 1 driver, has confessed that the future of the Dutch Grand Prix within the Formula 1 grid remains uncertain. The current contract for Zandvoort’s race will expire after next year, and Lammers acknowledges that negotiations with Formula One Management (FOM) might prove challenging.

“FOM knows what they want and we know what we want,” he stated to Viaplay, anticipating the upcoming event this weekend. When you see countries like Saudi Arabia committing 900 million for ten years to their grand prix, we can’t compete with that,” he accepted.

Kees van de Grint, previously an engineer for Bridgestone and Ferrari in F1, believes that it would be absurd if Zandvoort were removed from the calendar due to financial demands. “Money shouldn’t be the most important thing,” he emphasized. “When I see what the Dutch have created, it’s unique.”

‘Dutch GP’s 2025 Future Uncertain’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/dutch-gps-2025-future-uncertain-admits-race-boss/


Dutch Grand Prix trophies hark back to historic traits.
Dutch GP trophy design revealed. Following on from 2021's design, the 2023 trophies hark back to a classic era of racing.
23 August 12:30PM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

According to designers Studio Piet Boon, this year's trophies represent a redesign of the cup awarded at the 1939 Dutch Grand Prix, and prominently feature the Netherlands' Royal Coat of Arms, complete with heraldic lions in gold for the race winner, red for the second-placed driver, and blue for the third-placed finisher (see below picture).

Piet Boon also modelled the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix trophy after the 1939 cup, though this one was manufactured from recycled beer bottles and engraved with sand from the Zandvoort beach (below right). In 2022, however, the Dutch Grand Prix trophy was designed by Pablo Lucker, who went for an altogether different design in homage to the event's title sponsor.

Careful with that trophy, Max. The official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Dutch Grand Prix has poked fun at Red Bull's recent propensity for breaking trophies. Referring to the incidents, earlier this week the Dutch Grand Prix account posted its winners' trophy wrapped in bubble wrap, captioned: "Let's break records, not trophies."

‘This year's trophies represent a redesign of the cup awarded at the 1939 Dutch Grand Prix’;

https://racingnews365.com/dutch-gp-trophy-revealed

[Fortitude]

After getting on terms with Aston Martin, Ferrari's next target is Mercedes | 2023 Dutch Grand…
There is a big gap in the constructors’ standings between Ferrari in fourth and Mercedes in second, but the former feel they can be Formula 1’s second fastest team on track.
24th August 2023, 07:27
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur insists the Scuderia are “moving forward”, based on their results heading into the summer break. “If you have a look on the first 12 races, it’s clearly up and down, really tight,” he said. Tiny errors make a significant difference in the fight to be closest to Red Bull, and that can make it hard to identify where their strengths and weaknesses lie.

“The most difficult part of the job is to understand what is going well and what is going wrong and where we can improve,” he said. “I think the reaction of the team from the beginning of the season was a good one. They remember that Jeddah was very tough for us and the reaction after Jeddah, for me, was a good one. Everybody was pushing in the same direction.”

“Moving forward”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/24/after-getting-on-terms-with-aston-martin-ferraris-next-target-is-mercedes/


F1 Form Guide: Dutch Grand Prix
24th August 2023, 09:12
Motorsport.com

Max Verstappen is favourite to celebrate victory with his home crowd this weekend – but further down the pack there is plenty to play for? The top four teams – Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari – have been consistently filling the top 10 throughout the season. In fact, they took all but 11 of the 100 points-scoring places available in the first 10 races.

On average, that has meant there are just three spaces available in the top 10 for other teams to step into – and Alpine (33/10 for a top 10) could be worth a look as they finished sixth and ninth last year at this track.

The nature of this circuit could help Williams' competitiveness and Alex Albon will be keen to make it back into the points this weekend. Last year he finished 12th, and his odds of a points finish this time are 7/4.

‘Plenty to play for’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-form-guide-dutch-grand-prix/10510171/


Ferrari ready for second half of the season @ Dutch Grand Prix
AUGUST 24, 2023 in Motorsport
Racecars

Frédéric Vasseur - Team Principal: “We have recharged our batteries and are ready to go again. We can do so off the back of a strong showing in Belgium that ended with a well-deserved podium for Charles, which was down to excellent preparation and a race that was well executed in terms of strategy, pace, tyre management and pit stops.”

“Even though we will as usual be focusing on our own efforts, we are well aware that, on a short lap like Zandvoort, the gaps between the teams behind Red Bull will be even closer than at Spa. Qualifying is particularly important at this track and the top ten on the grid will probably be fought out to the thousandth of a second. It will be a very busy weekend and we are aiming for a clean time on track to allow Charles and Carlos to get the maximum out of the SF-23.”

“We have recharged our batteries and are ready to go again”;

https://www.racecar.com/news/98985/motorsport/ferrari-ready-for-second-half-of-the-season-dutch-grand-prix


What tyres will the teams and drivers have for the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix?
24 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

F1’s official tyre suppliers have brought the three hardest tyres in the range to Zandvoort, with the teams able to call upon the C1 (hard tyre), C2 (medium tyre), and the C3 (soft tyre) – as last seen at the British Grand Prix in July. “The second half of the season gets underway with a unique race,” said Pirelli’s Motorsport Director Mario Isola.

“It’s a very twisty track with two banked corners – Turn 3 and Turn 14 – that are steeper than Indianapolis, by way of comparison. On corners like this the stress on the tyres is greater than it would be through normal corners, as the vertical forces increase with the much higher speeds due to the banking.”

“We’ve brought the same tyres as 2022, at least as far as the names are concerned: C1, C2, and C3. However, the current C1 is actually a new compound for this year, positioned between the C2 and the previous C1, which is now called the C0.”

‘Very twisty track with two banked corners’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.what-tyres-will-the-teams-and-drivers-have-for-the-2023-dutch-grand-prix.3pw91vurngvK6UBYVfGWef.html


‘Want to put right’: AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda outlines F1 plan for ‘demanding’ Dutch GP
23rd August 2023, 10:49
F1 Oversteer

Tsunoda has now outlined his desires to ‘put right’ the AlphaTauri star’s failure to finish the Dutch GP during Formula 1’s past two visits. He has had to retire on each visit to Zandvoort since F1 returned to the Netherlands. But the Kanagawa-born ace also has another concern.

He is cautious about his team’s struggles in qualifying this year given the tight layout of the Zandvoort circuit. Tsunoda has only qualified inside the top 10 twice this season with eighth in Azerbaijan and ninth in Monaco. His average qualifying position in 2023 is just 14th place. “We’ve had two races in Zandvoort in the past and I even made it to Q3 last year,” Tsunoda has told AlphaTauri’s official website ahead of the Dutch GP.

“But I’ve never finished, so that’s something I want to put right this weekend. I like the track because it’s technical with some unique features, such as the steeply banked corners and the mix of slow and fast turns. It’s physically quite demanding.

‘Want to put right’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/alphatauris-yuki-tsunoda-outlines-what-f1-star-plans-to-put-right-at-dutch-gp/

[Fortitude]

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix.
After a month-long summer break, F1 returns to action with the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend. Ahead of the event, Need to Know is your all-in-one guide with stats, trivia, insight and much more.
24 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Vital statistics
• First Grand Prix – 1952
• Track Length – 4.259km
• Lap record – 1m 11.097s, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 2021
• Most pole positions – Rene Arnoux (3)
• Most wins – Jim Clark (4)
• Trivia – Zandvoort’s final corner – named after Dutch motorsport legend Arie Luyendyk – features an 18-degree banking, almost double the numbers seen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 199 metres
• Overtakes completed in 2022 – 47
• Safety Car probability – 50%*
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 50%*
• Pit stop time loss – 21.53 seconds

FAN VIEW: The summer break has changed little for F1 Play gamers, who again believe Max Verstappen will be dominant once more on home soil at Zandvoort. He now accounts for more than 95% of the victory votes, with only his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc able to register more than 1% each so far.

FAN VIEW: Following on from the victory predictions weighing heavily in Verstappen’s favour, more than 86% of F1 Play gamers expect the flying Dutchman to be the fastest man over a single lap at his local circuit. Hamilton (6%) is a very distant second.

‘NEED TO KNOW’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.need-to-know-the-most-important-facts-stats-and-trivia-ahead-of-the-2023-dutch.4W13q2emftbESNCOQad1WT.html


First pictures from the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix weekend | F1 Pictures
24th August 2023, 15:17
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

‘First pictures’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/24/first-pictures-from-the-2023-dutch-grand-prix-weekend/


Verstappen aims to 'keep on doing the same thing' at 'amazing' Dutch GP
24 August 2023
Inside Racing

Max Verstappen hopes to "keep on doing the same thing" at the Dutch Grand Prix. Asked about his expectations in the press conference on Thursday, however, Verstappen admitted doing so wasn't a given.

“Just try to keep on doing the same thing – that would be nice,” he said. "Of course, after a break, you never know how you get back into things.”

“Also [with] the track and the weather that is forecast, I think it’s always a bit more tricky. We’ll see. We have a quick car, but it’s again about putting everything together to have a really strong weekend.”

'Keep on doing the same thing';

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16820-verstappen-aims-to-keep-on-doing-the-same-thing-at-amazing-dutch-gp


Sainz warns F1 rivals that 'SLEEPY' Ferrari are ready for Dutch Grand Prix
Thursday 24 August 2023 17:57
Luis Raya
GPFans

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have insisted that Ferrari's batteries have been 'recharged', with the pair warning their F1 rivals that they are ready to fight for big things at the Dutch Grand Prix.

"[It has been] good to have a bit of time off to recharge the batteries and to be fully ready for the second part of the season," said Leclerc in a video posted on the team's social media.”

Sainz continued: "Which even if we might look a bit sleepy because it's Thursday 10am, Thursday's for us are a bit slow sometimes; we are fully ready to go and fully recharged, looking forward to having a good strong weekend after the summer break."

‘Ferrari are ready’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002326/carlos-sainz-f1-ferrari-dutch-grand-prix-charles-leclerc-zandvoort/


Dutch GP taxi driver protest called off
24 August 5:50PM
Author Ewan Gale
Co-author Jesse Janse
RacingNews365

The group of 150 drivers had threatened to set up blockades around Zandvoort. A protest that threatened to disrupt this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix has been averted. A group of roughly 150 taxi drivers in the Zandvoort region had threatened to create blockades around the circuit after feeling aggrieved over a perceived disadvantage and unfair competition with taxis from outside the seaside town were reportedly given an exemption initially aimed purely for local drivers.

Just a day before the on track action begins, drivers have been given permission to drive as far as the municipality of Zandvoort, which means F1 fans can be dropped off in surrounding towns before continuing their journeys to the circuit.

A spokesman for the Haarlem taxi drivers has revealed the group has unanimously decided to call off the action, though RacingNews365 has been informed that the group of drivers which has 'additional tickets, illegal or not' are unhappy with the compromise.

‘Protest averted’;

https://racingnews365.com/dutch-gp-taxi-driver-protest-called-off

[Fortitude]

F1: The key talking points ahead of the Dutch GP.
The F1 summer break comes to a conclusion as the Dutch GP takes place this weekend.
25th August 2023, 09:48
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

The F1 summer break comes to a close with the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, as the circus descends on the seaside town of Zandvoort.

Verstappen eyes Sebastian Vettel record.
Who'll return from the summer in form?
Mercedes could be strong.

Wet weather could play a factor.
Battle for 2nd in Drivers' standings hots up.

‘The key talking points’;

https://www.givemesport.com/f1-the-key-talking-points-ahead-of-the-dutch-gp/


The upgrades F1 teams have brought to the Dutch GP
25th August 2023, 10:42
by Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

The Formula 1 paddock has had the summer break to determine how best to approach the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and six teams have decided to bring updates to the circuit this weekend. Championship leaders Red Bull has brought just a single update to its all-conquering RB19 machine, with the Milton-Keynes-based outfit electing to make alterations to the Beam Wing by revising cambers and angles of incidence across particular elements.

Mercedes continues to tackle its performance deficit to Red Bull in the form of three updates to its W14 machine with performance gains as the primary objective. McLaren admitted it got its circuit-specific set-up at Spa-Francorchamps wrong and will be hoping to avoid the same mistake at Zandvoort. Aston Martin is the team bringing the largest upgrade package to Zandvoort. The Silverstone-based squad emerged as the closest challenger to Red Bull at the start of the season but rapidly fell back into the clutches of rival teams before the break.

Haas is a team that has struggled all season long with race pace – owing to aggressive tyre degradation – and has brought three updates to its car for the Zandvoort weekend. The sixth and final team to bring updates to its car at Zandvoort is AlphaTauri, with the Faenza-based squad making a single revision to the AT04 in the form of a new Rear Wing Endplate… The likes of Ferrari, Alpine, Alfa Romeo and Williams have elected not to make updates ahead of the Dutch GP

‘Upgrades F1 teams have brought’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/25/the-upgrades-f1-teams-have-brought-to-the-dutch-gp/


Dutch GP upgrades revealed
Friday 25th August, 2023 - 6:57pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Aston Martin’s bid to return to the front in F1 has led to the team introducing a significantly upgraded new floor ahead of this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix. Haas is another team to bring a major change with a new front wing and nose, its second iteration following an update introduced ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix in May.

Haas is another team to bring a major change with a new front wing and nose, its second iteration following an update introduced ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix in May. McLaren has a new rear wing and beam wing assembly, whilst Red Bull, Mercedes, and AlphaTauri have brought minor updates.

The four other teams – Ferrari, Alpine, Alfa Romeo, and Williams – have no updates this weekend.

‘Dutch GP upgrades revealed’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/25/dutch-grand-prix-car-upgrades/


Revealed: Upgrades that Aston Martin and Mercedes brought to F1 Dutch Grand Prix
25 Aug 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Red Bull: Beam Wing
Mercedes: Floor Edge, Beam Wing.

McLaren: Rear Wing, Beam Wing
Aston Martin: Floor Body, Floor Fences, Diffuser

Haas: Front Wing, Nose, Rear Corner
No updates: Ferrari, Alpine, Alfa Romeo, Williams

‘Upgrades Revealed’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1033910/1/revealed-upgrades-aston-martin-and-mercedes-brought-f1-dutch-grand-prix


Ted Kravitz to miss Dutch Grand Prix as Sky Sports F1 favourite's absence explained
Sky F1 pit lane reporter Kravitz and main presenter Simon Lazenby are set to miss this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix, meaning there will also be no Ted's Notebook programme
06:00, 25 Aug 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer

Kravitz and Lazenby are among the most regular appearance-makers. Kravitz is rarely absent from the pit lane, giving detailed insight into what is going on inside each of the team garages, while Lazenby is Sky's main presenter for its coverage of Formula 1.

It's not the first race Kravitz has missed for personal reasons this season. He was not part of Sky's presenting team at the Spanish Grand Prix in early June, choosing instead to take a longboat holiday on the Grand Union Canal.

It is not year clear who will take on Kravitz's role in the pit lane at Zandvoort this weekend. For Friday practice in Barcelona it was Martin Brundle, who joked about being "promoted" to the role but was soon complaining about a lack of action in the pit lane.

‘Ted Kravitz missing’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/dutch-grand-prix-kravitz-missing-30764012

[Fortitude]

Home hero Verstappen fastest in FP1 ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen ensured it was business as usual for Red Bull after topping the timesheet in FP1 ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.
Friday 25 August 2023 13:39
Dan Davis
GPFans

Determined to impress in his home race and in front of a sea of orange, the world champion and this year's runaway leader was fastest with a time of 1:11.852. Fernando Alonso finished second, two-tenths behind Verstappen's best effort.

Lewis Hamilton took third, with a blistering effort in the latter stages of the session hamstrung by an untimely crash from Nico Hulkenberg's Haas at Turn 13. Sergio Perez settled for fourth but impressed after switching to the soft tyres.

Alex Albon's Williams ended the hour in fifth, meanwhile. Rounding off the rest of the top 10 were Lando Norris, Logan Sargeant, Oscar Piastri, Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon.

‘Home hero Verstappen fastest’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002400/max-verstappen-red-bull-fp1-dutch-grand-prix-2023/


(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
25th August 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:11.852
2. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.278
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.373
4. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.471
5. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.595
6. Lando Norris McLaren +0.608
7. Logan Sargeant Williams Racing +0.765
8. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.806
9. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.897
10. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.950

‘Dutch Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the first practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Zandvoort’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2023-dutch-grand-prix-83020


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Dutch Grand Prix
25 August 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-the-netherlands-2023.5Ffceb6j8H9QcVSOdNdGVG.html


F1 Dutch Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice: LIVE UPDATES!
25th August 2023, 11:46
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Follow all of the F1 action from Zandvoort here at the Dutch Grand Prix with the Crash.net live blog.

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-dutch-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-live-updates


Alonso and Hamilton challenge Verstappen in Dutch GP FP1
25 August 1:35PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Could there be a fight for pole on Saturday? F1 roared back into action after its summer break in the same fashion as the first half of the season ended with Max Verstappen on top of the leaderboard in first practice for the Dutch Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver set a benchmark of a 1:11.852 to finish 0.278secs faster than Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso on his homecoming at Zandvoort. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was third fastest ahead of the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez as teams blew off their cobwebs ahead of the final 10 races of the year.

Verstappen was fastest on all three tyre compounds, ultimately laying down the foundations for a strong weekend on the Softs, though made his way through the gravel at Turn 12 after the chequered flag finished. Hamilton would have been challenging the Dutchman's time had it not been for Hulkenberg's crash halting his initial progress on the red side-walled tyre.

‘Fastest on all three tyre compounds’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-and-hamilton-challenge-verstappen-in-dutch-gp-fp1


Max Verstappen tops first practice session at Zandvoort despite Hulkenberg red flag
Max Verstappen topped FP1 at the 2023 Dutch GP ahead of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
August 25, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen got his 2023 Dutch Grand Prix weekend off to the perfect start by topping FP1, as he bids for a third straight home win a record-equalling ninth consecutive win in Formula 1. There’s rain forecast for all three days of the Dutch GP weekend but that stayed away for FP1, giving a first indication of the running order after the summer break.

There were some interesting run plans from Aston Martin and McLaren, who’ve both brought upgrades to the circuit. Aston Martin in particular have revamped their floor but Alonso didn’t set a competitive time for well into the session, before eventually ending up second.

Nico Hulkenberg provided the biggest incident of the session, when he lost control seemingly innocuously going into turn 13 and spun nearly a full circle before tapping the tyre barrier with his front wing. According to team boss Guenther Steiner, Haas only have one more of the newly designed front wing at Zandvoort so the team will need to decided whether to risk that in FP2.

‘Perfect start’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-max-verstappen-tops-first-practice-session-zandvoort-dutch-gp-hulkenberg-red-flag/


Everything that happened in opening F1 Dutch GP practice
Aug 25 2023
By Ben Anderson
The Race

Max Verstappen set the fastest time in first practice for the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, ahead of Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin – as both Williams drivers made the top 10 and neither Ferrari made the top 15.

FP1 Key moments
• Verstappen fastest from Alonso
• Engine problems for Stroll
• Hulkenberg causes red flag

The key laps on the soft C3 tyres came during the final 10 minutes of the hour-long session, after a brief red flag period following a crash for Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas. Verstappen was the only driver to lap below the 1m12s, his 1m11.852 putting him almost three tenths clear of Alonso’s Aston Martin, which features a heavily revised new floor this weekend.

‘Everything that happened’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/everything-that-happened-in-opening-f1-dutch-gp-practice/

[Fortitude]

Norris dislodges Verstappen to top Dutch GP FP2 as Zandvoort traffic problems show.
Lando Norris was the man to beat ahead of Max Verstappen in FP2 for the 2023 Dutch GP.
August 25, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Crash.Net

Lando Norris proved McLaren are back from Formula 1‘s summer break with a bang as he beat Max Verstappen to top FP2 at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix. He was just two-hundredths of a second ahead of the home favourite, but Verstappen was comfortably quicker on soft-tyre race pace and will likely feel satisfied with the session.

Alex Albon and Lewis Hamilton backed up their strong FP1 pace by finishing third and fourth, around three-tenths behind Norris. Australian friendly fire saw Oscar Piastri and Daniel Ricciardo out just ten minutes into the session, as Piastri lost control at turn three and slammed front-first into the wall with next to no runoff area to play with.

Yuki Tsunoda was another surprise face in the top five, with Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas also both looking good in sixth and ninth. Aston Martin took a step back after an optimistic FP1 for Fernando Alonso, he was tenth with Lance Stroll eight and half a second behind Norris, while Sergio Perez was seventh just a few hundredths ahead of the Canadian.

‘Norris dislodges Verstappen’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lando-norris-dislodges-max-verstappen-top-dutch-gp-fp2-zandvoort-traffic-problems-show/


(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
25th August 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Lando Norris McLaren -1:11.330
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.023
3. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.269
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.308
5. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.390
6. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.436
7. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.487
8. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.505
9. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.527
10. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.533

‘Dutch Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the second practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Zandvoort’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2023-dutch-grand-prix-83029


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from second practice for the Dutch Grand Prix
25 August 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-the-netherlands-2023.78qoMZPnSYdBmtOh3u1Mxn.html


How Friday F1 practice for the Dutch Grand Prix unfolded
25th August 2023, 16:21
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘How Friday F1 practice unfolded’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/how-friday-f1-practice-dutch-grand-prix-unfolded


Ricciardo injures hand in Dutch GP practice question
25th August 2023, 16:25
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1
ESPN.co.uk

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands -- Daniel Ricciardo's participation at the Dutch Grand Prix is in doubt after he injured his hand in a crash during Friday practice. AlphaTauri driver Ricciardo, following not too far behind, also lost control of his car and although he avoided his fellow Australian, he hit the barrier hard. When the team asked him over the radio if he was OK, Ricciardo replied: "F---, my hand, f---."

He also said he had not seen Piastri's car until it was too late. Onboard replays showed Ricciardo taking the glove off his left hand, which he was holding when he got out of the damaged car and walked away. The Australian driver went to the medical centre at the Zandvoort circuit and was seen leaving with the arm in a sling.

Ricciardo has gone to a local hospital for a further check. If Ricciardo is unable to race, Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson is at Zandvoort and could be in line to make an F1 debut. In a more remarkable scenario, Nyck de Vries, the driver Ricciardo replaced in mid-July, is still under a central Red Bull contract and could be called upon to make a return at his home race.

‘Nyck de Vries, return at his home race?’

https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/38257628/daniel-ricciardo-injures-hand-dutch-gp-practice-question


Ricciardo taken to hospital after Dutch Grand Prix crash
Friday 25 August 2023 17:34
Dan Davis
GPFans

Daniel Ricciardo was taken to hospital for checks on a potential hand injury after his AlphaTauri was involved in a crash during FP2 at the Dutch Grand Prix. In his attempt to avoid clattering into Oscar Piastri's McLaren at the winding Turn Three, Ricciardo hit the brakes and guided his car into the barrier with a shunt.

The extent of his condition is not currently known, though the FIA confirmed to the media that Ricciardo had been taken to hospital for precautionary checks. "We can confirm Daniel Ricciardo has been transferred to the local hospital for further checks following his crash in FP2," a short statement read.

It remains to be seen whether Ricciardo will be able to take part in the rest of the weekend's action, though Red Bull junior Liam Lawson is on standby. The ousted Nyck de Vries may also be a shock contender to step in.

‘Ricciardo taken to hospital’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002427/daniel-ricciardo-hospital-dutch-grand-prix-crash-fp2-hand/


2023 Dutch GP FP2: Bizarre moment as both Piastri and Ricciardo end up in the wall at Turn 3
The second practice session for the Dutch GPwas halted after just 10 minutes after a bizarre incident when Oscar Piastri crashed at Turn 3, with fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo apparently distracted by the McLaren and also hitting the wall.
25 Aug 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Bizarre moment’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2023-dutch-gp-fp2-bizarre-moment-as-both-piastri-and-ricciardo-end-up-in-the-wall-at-turn-3.1775215152976472052.html

[Fortitude]

Ricciardo OUT of Dutch GP; Lawson set for F1 debut.
Liam Lawson will make his F1 debut with AlphaTauri at this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix as a replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo.
25 August 7:03PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Australian Ricciardo crashed out in second practice at Zandvoort having locked up in avoidance of the already-stricken Oscar Piastri at Turn 3, hitting the barriers nose first. But he held onto the steering wheel on impact and anguished about pain in his left hand over the radio.

After initial checks at the circuit's medical centre and further evaluation in hospital, RacingNews365 can confirm Ricciardo has sustained a broken hand.

‘Ricciardo OUT’;

https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-out-of-dutch-gp-lawson-set-for-f1-debut


Zandvoort marshals send heart-warming gift to Daniel Ricciardo after FP2 hand injury
25 Aug 2023 5:30 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

The Zandvoort marshals tried to make Daniel Ricciardo’s evening a little better by gifting him a Dutch delicacy.

“Hi Daniel, hope your wrist is ok! We’d love to see you back in the car this weekend. Hope the stroopwafel is in one piece. Kind regards from Turn 3 marshals.”

‘Heart-warming gift’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/zandvoort-marshals-gift-stroopwafel-daniel-ricciardo/


Ricciardo reveals choice between hitting Piastri or wall
25 August 10:45PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed he faced a choice between hitting Oscar Piastri or the wall during the crash in which he suffered a broken hand. "I remember coming into Turn 3. I had already gotten into the corner and then saw Piastri, so it was either hit him or the wall.”

"When I hit the wall, I didn’t have enough time to take my hands off the steering wheel, so the wheel came and hit my hand. It's really unfortunate and frustrating, but I’ll try to recover as quickly as I can.”

‘Choice between hitting Piastri or wall’;

https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-reveals-choice-between-hitting-piastri-or-wall


Christian Horner: Daniel Ricciardo broken hand a great shame 'He's a tough Aussie'
20:09 Fri, 25 Aug 2023.
Sky Sports

Red Bull boss Christian Horner discusses Daniel Ricciardo's broken hand and his expectations for Dutch Grand Prix replacement driver Liam Lawson.

'He's a tough Aussie';

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/f1/12947544/christian-horner-daniel-ricciardo-broken-hand-a-great-shame


Who is Liam Lawson? F1 driver that replaces Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri
Daniel Ricciardo will not take part in the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix after breaking his hand on Friday
August 25, 2023
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Liam Lawson‘s origin story begins in the picturesque town of Hastings, New Zealand. From the moment he could walk, Lawson exhibited an innate passion for speed. The local karting tracks became his playground, and it wasn’t long before he was outpacing competitors much older than him. His natural talent, combined with an unwavering dedication, saw him rise rapidly through the ranks.

Transitioning from karting, Lawson ventured into the junior racing circuits. Here, against a backdrop of roaring engines and cheering crowds, he continued to shine. His name became a regular feature on leaderboards, and whispers of ‘Who is Liam Lawson?‘ began to echo in racing circles.

With every race, Lawson solidified his reputation as a future star of motorsports. The Red Bull Junior Driver Program, a beacon for young talents worldwide, soon took notice of Lawson‘s prowess. Earning a spot in this esteemed program was a testament to Lawson’s potential.

‘Reputation as a future star of motorsports’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/who-is-liam-lawson-f1-replaces-daniel-ricciardo-alphatauri/


Ricciardo’s replacement has a big task but a bigger opportunity
Aug 25 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Red Bull loves throwing a driver into the deep end in Formula 1 and now it’s Liam Lawson’s turn to sink or swim. The size of the challenge stepping in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri in the middle of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend should not be underestimated.

Right now we do not know how long Ricciardo will be sidelined for but in all likelihood one grand prix will turn into two, given Monza follows next weekend. And depending on Ricciardo’s recovery, maybe Singapore could come too soon as well. But Lawson may not be best served looking at this as the first of multiple opportunities as that could lead him to playing it too safe now.

There’s a balance to strike here and only Lawson can judge it correctly. But the upside is huge. It is a chance to put himself right at the forefront of Red Bull’s thoughts for 2024, given that there’s an AlphaTauri seat is up for grabs full-time. If this plays a part in Lawson getting the drive full-time next year it would be because Lawson has had an unexpected opportunity to make his own case more compelling and has done exactly that.

‘The size of the challenge stepping in, should not be underestimated’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/ricciardos-replacement-has-a-big-task-but-a-bigger-opportunity/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen quickest as red flag fly three times in wet final practice | 2023 Dutch Grand Prix…
The championship leader’s best time of a 1’22.010 on intermediate tyres near the end of the session, three tenths of a second ahead of George Russell with Sergio Perez third-fastest.
26th August 2023, 11:49
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Verstappen was not immune from the low-grip conditions as he slid off at turn 11 to make a brief trip over the gravel. However, when the chequered flag came out, he remained in the top spot of the order to be the fastest driver in the wet session ahead of Russell.

Perez was third-fastest in the second Red Bull ahead of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton in fifth. Alexander Albon was sixth for Williams with Piastri seventh ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Charles Leclerc, who ran off at turn one two more times in the final minutes. Norris completed the top ten in the second McLaren.

‘Red flag fly three times’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/26/verstappen-quickest-as-red-flag-fly-three-times-in-wet-final-practice/


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
26th August 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 1:21.631
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.379
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.000
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.003
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +1.092
6. Alex Albon Williams Racing +1.119
7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.261
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +1.334
9. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +1.462
10. Lando Norris McLaren +1.527

‘Dutch Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Zandvoort’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2023-dutch-grand-prix-83041


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from third practice for the Dutch Grand Prix
26 August 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-the-netherlands-2023.53uW7exwc4bMAFAweBFqgy.html


F1 Dutch Grand Prix 2023 - Final Practice: LIVE UPDATES!
26th August 2023, 10:41
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-dutch-grand-prix-2023-final-practice-live-updates


F1 - Verstappen tops wet final practice in Zandvoort as red flags fly
26.08.23
FIA (Press Release)

Max Verstappen topped the timesheet ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell in a wet final practice session for the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix in a session interrupted by three red flags periods.

With heavy rain in the morning, the final hour of practice got underway in thoroughly wet conditions, providing AlphaTauri reserve Liam Lawson with an even greater challenge as he set about preparing for his first grand prix in place of Daniel Ricciardo who broke a bone in his left hand in a crash during second practice.

The 21-year-old New Zealander was one of the first drivers on track, on full wet tyres, and he gingerly made his way around the 4.2km of Zandvoort as he got to grips with an unfamiliar car and track. It was Max Verstappen who was almost caught out by the conditions, however. The championship leader, also on full wets, put a wheel on the white line at the top of Turn 3 and was lucky to control the resulting slide towards the barriers.

‘Red flags fly’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-verstappen-tops-wet-final-practice-zandvoort-red-flags-fly


Verstappen back on top as CHAOS takes over in Dutch Grand Prix FP3
Saturday 26 August 2023 12:48
Anna Malyon
GPFans

A series of chaos and three red flags in FP3 saw Max Verstappen head back to the top despite narrowly avoiding a crash during the session. Despite the McLaren’s fighting for top spot, Verstappen, George Russell and Sergio Perez finished in the top three.

Despite things quickly undergoing again, the challenging wet conditions proved problematic for several drivers, including Charles Leclerc who had a close call with the wall.
Zhou Guanyu found himself in trouble as he ended up in the gravel trap, forcing another red flag. This mishap occurred as he lost grip at turn 13, resulting in a spin after losing control of the rear of his car.

‘CHAOS takes over in Dutch Grand Prix FP3’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002479/max-verstappen-dutch-grand-prix-fp3-fastest-2023/


Three red-flag incidents in wet final Dutch GP practice
26th August 2923, 11:56
By Jack Cozens
The Race

Max Verstappen went comfortably fastest in a wet final practice for the Dutch Grand Prix, as Liam Lawson completed 23 laps in his first session as a Formula 1 driver, which included a red-flag inducing spin.

Key moments:
> Verstappen and Russell a step ahead of the rest
> F1 debutant Lawson causes red flag with recoverable spin
> Lawson’s off was red flag three after Magnussen and Zhou

The session only really came alive in the final 20 minutes once the worst of the rain had cleared, allowing the 18 cars still in final practice at that point to fit intermediate tyres. Drivers had split their limited running in the 40 minutes beforehand, in which Kevin Magnussen and Zhou Guanyu both caused red flags having spun, between the wet and intermediate tyres as rain initially intensified at Zandvoort.

‘Max Verstappen went comfortably fastest’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/three-red-flag-incidents-in-wet-final-dutch-gp-practice/


Ricciardo replacement Lawson causes RED FLAG on debut during Dutch Grand Prix FP3
Saturday 26 August 2023 12:28
Luis Raya
GPFans

Liam Lawson spun in his first Formula 1 session during FP3 of the Dutch GP, causing the third red flag of the session. The New Zealander, who was called in as an emergency replacement for Ricciardo at AlphaTauri following his Friday crash, made his debut on Saturday in challenging conditions with a wet track.

In a session aimed at familiarising himself with the car, Lawson lost control of his vehicle, briefly touching the wall and ending up facing the other direction, resulting in a red flag. The New Zealander rejoined the session shortly afterward.

‘Liam Lawson familiarising himself with the car’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002478/daniel-ricciardo-liam-lawson-f1-red-flag-dutch-grand-prix-fp3/

[Fortitude]

F1 Dutch GP qualifying results: Max Verstappen takes pole at Zandvoort.
Verstappen will start ahead of Lando Norris (McLaren) and George Russell (Mercedes) in Sunday’s race after the one-hour qualifying session on Friday, which is split into three segments with five cars each being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 before the top-10 shootout of Q3.
26th August 2023, 15:37
By: Charles Bradley
Motorsport.com

What happened in Dutch Grand Prix Q3? The track was ready for slicks at last, with Albon setting the pace at 1m15.743s before team-mate Sargeant crashed heavily at Turn 2, causing a red flag.

After a lengthy delay, McLaren took a 1-2 at the resumption with Norris ahead of Piastri on 1m12.049s, with Verstappen three tenths in arrears. But another red flag was required soon after when Leclerc understeered off into the tyrewall at Turn 9.

The session restarted with four minutes to go, with Verstappen lowering the bar to 1m10.567s. Norris got to within 0.537s of that, with George Russell going third for Mercedes, ahead of Albon, Fernando Alonso (Aston), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Piastri, Leclerc and Sargeant.

‘F1 Dutch GP qualifying results’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-dutch-gp-qualifying-results-pole-verstappen/10511780/


Qualifying Results – 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
26th August 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):

Q3
1.Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:10.567
2.Lando Norris McLaren +0.537
3.George Russell Mercedes +0.727
4.Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.852
5.Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.939
6.Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +1.187
7.Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.313
8.Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.371
9.Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +2.098
10.Logan Sargeant Williams Racing +6.181

‘Dutch Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from qualifying for tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Zandvoort’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-dutch-grand-prix-83047


Live coverage: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix
26th August 2023, 13:47
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-the-netherlands-2023.3uJkMvkc3W19TBXWNEbEtE.html


F1 Live - Dutch GP Qualifying Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
26th August 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Dutch Grand Prix Qualifying Watchalong F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J29dgdKHkaY


Verstappen storms twice red-flagged Q3 to take Dutch GP pole
Aug 26 2023
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen took pole position on home turf at the Dutch Grand Prix after triumphing in an incident-packed Q3 shootout that featured two red flags.

Charles Leclerc took too much speed into Turn 9 and went off the road into the barriers with four minutes of Q3 remaining, bringing out the second red flag of Q3 and grounding himself to ninth in qualifying.

Lewis Hamilton was the big-name Q2 elimination as he went out in 13th, less than a tenth away from Q3. He was followed by AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and Nico Hulkenberg who was slowest of all in Q2 as he was eliminated in 15th place, albeit still only just under two tenths adrift of Q3.

‘Pole position on home turf’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-storms-twice-red-flagged-q3-to-take-dutch-gp-pole/


Lewis Hamilton embarrassed by Logan Sargeant and expresses concerns over Dutch GP
Lewis Hamilton was knocked out in Q2
15:07, Sat, Aug 26, 2023
By Mikael McKenzie
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton crashed out of qualifying in Q2 and will start the Dutch Grand Prix in 13th place after being embarrassed by Sargeant's success came at the expense of Hamilton, who fell out of the top 10 when the Williams man put his time on the board. Mercedes have struggled all year and their woes don't look likely to improve any time soon.

Hamilton is concerned that he may struggle to make it into the points during the race. He said: "I did two fast laps at the end and the tyres overheated so I couldn't improve on the last lap.”

"I have got the same car as in qualifying which wasn't really good. Hopefully when the car is a bit heavier I will be able to progress forward but this is not an easy track to move forwards on. Tomorrow is a new day and I will give it my best."

“I couldn't improve on the last lap”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1806372/Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes

[Fortitude]

Winners and losers from the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix qualifying.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen set pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix for the third successive year in a rain-affected qualifying session at Zandvoort.
26 Aug 2023 7:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Winners - Max Verstappen: It really does help that his home race just happens to be held at a circuit almost perfectly suited to Verstappen’s driving style.
Lando Norris/McLaren: When – if – Red Bull’s golden run ends, Norris and McLaren are best placed to take advantage.
Alex Albon/Williams: Where has this come from? Williams’s strong performances in Montreal and the new-look, high-speed Melbourne earlier this season were not entirely unexpected, but small, twisty, max-downforce Zandvoort?

Losers - Lewis Hamilton: Following Lewis Hamilton’s latest early exit, at least one Mercedes has failed to reach Q3 in eight of the 16 qualifying sessions (including sprint shootouts) held so far in 2023.
Charles Leclerc: Feast or famine, sunshine or showers, pole or pitiful.
Logan Sargeant: When Haas dropped Mick Schumacher at the end of last season, the team were open in admitting that they just couldn’t afford his constant crashes against the backdrop of F1’s cost cap.

Oscar Piastri: Oscar Piastri has picked a bad time to suffer the first truly difficult – let’s call it character-building – weekend of his F1 career
Sergio Perez: Having qualified four tenths off his team-mate in the dry in Hungary, Perez was 0.9s adrift of Verstappen in both Friday qualifying and the sprint shootout at Spa. He hit a new low at Zandvoort, where he will start six places lower than the Red Bull team leader having gone 1.3s slower in Q3.

‘Winners and losers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/winners-losers-2023-dutch-grand-prix-qualifying/


The key talking points to come from Dutch Grand Prix qualifying.
Qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix provided plenty of excitement on Saturday.
16:59 Sat, 26 Aug 2023.
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Varied grid a positive sign for F1 competitiveness: Yes, Max Verstappen's dominance is obviously not the most entertaining spectacle in the world, but there are plenty of positive signs about the state of the sport in behind him.
Williams shine: As mentioned, Albon did a brilliant job for Williams on Saturday and his team-mate also had a fine afternoon, in the main.

Charles Leclerc makes fresh error: There's no denying Charles Leclerc's brilliant speed and pace but on Saturday we saw his latest mistake which led him to slamming into the barriers and out of Q3.
Disappointment for Lewis Hamilton: Hamilton was in a positive frame of mind as we headed into this weekend… … continued to cut an upbeat figure after Friday practice and so he is going to be naturally disappointed with the way his Saturday went, with him revealing after the session that he lost some confidence in the car today compared to how he was feeling in it on Friday.

George Russell returns to good qualifying form: Russell has, deservedly, earned the moniker of 'Mr Saturday' thanks to his qualifying performances both at Williams and Mercedes during his time in F1.

‘Plenty of excitement on Saturday’;

https://www.givemesport.com/the-key-talking-points-to-come-from-dutch-grand-prix-qualifying/


Verstappen chasing another record and Lawson’s F1 debut – What To Watch For in the Dutch Grand Prix
26 August 2023
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

1. Verstappen chasing another record: The 2023 season has been a record-breaking one for Red Bull already, with the team becoming the most successful in terms of consecutive victories. But another record – currently held by one of their former drivers – is within touching distance for Max Verstappen on Sunday.
2. Albon hunting a big result from the second row: Directly behind Norris is a driver who was certainly not expecting to be lining up on the second row this weekend.

3. Hamilton fighting back through the field: One thing that the statistic of six different constructors on the first three rows suggests is a mixed-up order where some quick cars are out of position – and one of those is Lewis Hamilton.
4. Lawson’s debut: After qualifying 20th – a respectable 1.4 seconds away from Q2 – on a still-wet track, Lawson will now tackle his first ever Grand Prix start on a particularly challenging circuit, as the multiple incidents so far this weekend have shown.

5. More rain on the way: There have been a number of races this season that have come with a threat of rain at some point, and we’re facing more of the same at Zandvoort this weekend.

‘What To Watch For’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.verstappen-chasing-another-record-and-lawsons-f1-debut-what-to-watch-for-in.5JmN2shcRSejDUA1IDidM7.html


Lando Norris assesses chances of beating Max Verstappen to Dutch GP win
McLaren once again proved their credentials at a high-downforce circuit
August 26, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Verstappen eyes ninth straight F1 win after another Dutch GP pole. Norris second fastest
Saturday, August 26, 2023
Toronto Star

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands (AP) — Red Bull driver Max Verstappen produced a typically strong final lap to take pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix on Saturday for the third straight year.

‘Ninth straight F1 win’;

https://www.thestar.com/sports/auto-racing/verstappen-eyes-ninth-straight-f1-win-after-another-dutch-gp-pole-norris-second-fastest/article_b5c2781a-2338-5377-ab43-800cee4b48be.html


Toto Wolff questions ‘odd’ Sergio Perez deficit to Max Verstappen: ‘Checo’s not an idiot’
26 Aug 2023 6:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has no logical explanation for the alarming performance gulf between Red Bull team-mates Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, which stood at 1.3 seconds after Dutch GP qualifying.

And Wolff cannot fathom how a multi-time grand prix winner in Perez can be so far adrift of Verstappen when driving the same Red Bull RB19. “Odd, bizarre,” said Wolff of that gap when speaking to media including PlanetF1.com following qualifying.

“Checo’s not an idiot. We have seen in all these years Checo is a grand prix winner, multiple grand prix winner, and he was at Racing Point, so I cannot comprehend [it]. We’ve seen that Max has destroyed every single team-mate that was with him, whether it’s his ability to create a car around himself, that is just very tricky to control but fast if you can, and that creates those gaps, the 1.3.”

‘Checo’s not an idiot’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-sergio-perez-max-verstappen-gap-odd/


‘Tricky’ Dutch GP awaits Perez after qualifying strategy error
17:42 Sat, 26 Aug 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Sergio Perez will once again have to work his way through the field if he hopes to threaten his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen in the Dutch Grand Prix. Perez had to settle for seventh on the grid after a chaotic final qualifying session on a constantly evolving track surface at Circuit Zandvoort.

“It was quite disruptive, with the amount of time we waited in the garage, obviously the sun was out at that time but it was quite hard to know how much it has dried up and when we went out,” the Red Bull driver said.

“I think we probably took the wrong strategy in regards to making a double warm up lap, well a double push lap. I think we took too much out of the tyre but as always you know the better strategy after the session. Anyway we are P7 and tomorrow the main target is to have a strong start and then go forwards from there.”

‘Tricky’ Dutch GP awaits Perez’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/26/tricky-dutch-gp-awaits-perez-after-qualifying-strategy-error/


Logan Sargeant devastated after Q3 crash ‘overshadows’ Dutch GP breakthrough
26 Aug 2023 10:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Sargeant was thrilled to reach the final segment of qualifying for the first time – and deeply regrets the way his session ended. He told Sky F1: “It was difficult, the tyres were going away but the track was drying.”

“It wasn’t the cleanest, most perfect lap [in Q2] but I was able to get just enough out of it to get to Q3 which was nice. I feel like it’s been a great weekend until that mistake, really close to where I needed to be in full dry conditions yesterday, great long run pace – just all overshadowed by one tiny, little mistake.”

‘Thrilled to reach the final segment of qualifying for the first time’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-sargeant-dutch-gp-q3-crash/


Dutch GP: Standout qualifying for Williams Racing
August 27 2023
By Williams Racing

After several promising practice sessions the Williams Racing Team went into qualifying for the 2023 Dutch GP feeling positive about their chances. But the results would be way above their expectations as we for the first time since 2017 had both cars into Q3.

‘Way above their expectations’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st205034.htm


F1 Live - Dutch GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Aug 27, 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Dutch Grand Prix Race Watchalong F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDBiNntEgl0

[Fortitude]

Verstappen seals Dutch GP win hat-trick as late rain causes chaos.
Max Verstappen secured a record equalling ninth victory in a row at his home Dutch GP, as rain showers at the start and finish of the race prompted a host of position changes up and down the grid.
August 27, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

While Verstappen managed to get past and lead, a late safety car to clear the crashed Alfa Romeo of Zhou Guanyu led to some nerves in the garage, with the restart delayed for over 40 minutes as the rain poured down at Zandvoort.

The Dutchman managed to hold off the challenge of Fernando Alonso to take his third consecutive victory at his home race, but Perez was unable to hold onto third as he was handed a five-second penalty for speeding in the pitlane before the red flag.

That promoted the Alpine of Pierre Gasly to third, securing the team’s second podium finish of the season, with the Mexican down in fourth ahead of the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, who fended off the challenge of Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the race.

‘Dutch GP win hat-trick/Record equalling ninth victory in a row’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-verstappen-seals-dutch-gp-win-hattrick-late-rain-chaos/


Race Results – 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
27th August 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 72 laps
2. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +3.744
3. Pierre Gasly Alpine +7.058
4. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +10.068
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +12.541
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +13.209
7. Lando Norris McLaren +13.232
8. Alex Albon Williams Racing +15.155
9. Oscar Piastri McLaren +16.580
10. Esteban Ocon Alpine +18.346

‘Dutch Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Zandvoort’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-dutch-grand-prix-83063


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
27 August 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-heineken-dutch-grand-prix-2023.2QNjo1ujovypZv3aibbgZJ.html


F1 Dutch Grand Prix 2023 - Race Day: LIVE UPDATES!
27th August 2023, 13:06
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-dutch-grand-prix-2023-race-day-live-updates


F1 Live - Dutch GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
27th August 2023.
Racing Statistics

‘F1 Live Dutch Grand Prix Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDBiNntEgl0


Verstappen matches Vettel record with Dutch GP win in the rain
27th August 2023, 16:33
By Philip Duncan
Evening Standard

Max Verstappen navigated his way through a chaotic and dramatic rain-hit Dutch Grand Prix to equal Sebastian Vettel's record of nine victories in a row. Pole-sitter Verstappen found himself down in 13th place after seven drivers - including Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez - took advantage of a sudden first-lap downpour to move on to wet tyres.

The Dutchman regained the lead on lap 13 of 72 only for the race to be red-flagged with just eight laps to run after Zhou Guanyu crashed out following a second heavy shower.

A 43-minute suspension followed as the tyre barrier at the opening corner was repaired.But Verstappen beat Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso in a six-lap dash to the chequered flag to match Vettel's streak, set in 2013.

‘Verstappen matches Vettel record’;

https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/b1103217.html


Verstappen equals Vettel’s win record in chaotic Dutch GP
Aug 27 2023
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen survived a late-race restart in a chaotic rain-affected Dutch Grand Prix to walk away with his record-equalling ninth successive Formula 1 grand prix win. A torrential downpour with just over 10 laps to go forced the drivers to switch from slicks to inters for the second time in the race.

The resulting tricky conditions caught out Zhou Guanyu, whose Alfa Romeo went skating off at Turn 1 that quickly led to a red flag. After a delay of just under an hour the race resumed with six laps of proper racing, the field having completed two laps under the safety car. Verstappen led at the restart with Fernando Alonso keeping him honest and looking for any way to grab his first win for over a decade.

He remained within a second for the first couple of laps but then had to turn his attention to the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez behind him. Perez’s main focus was building a gap to Pierre Gasly behind, however, as he picked up a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pitlane.

‘Verstappen equals Vettel’s win record’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-equals-vettels-win-record-in-chaotic-dutch-gp/

[Fortitude]

Record-equalling 9th win in a row for super Verstappen.
Runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen celebrated a record-equalling ninth successive victory after winning a rain-hit and red-flagged Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday for the third year in a row.
Last Edited August 27, 2023 | 11:53 PM
Reuters Zandvoort, Netherlands
Gulf Times

The Red Bull driver’s home triumph from pole position at a soggy Zandvoort equalled now-retired four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel’s 2013 run of success with the same team.
It was Red Bull’s 14th consecutive triumph and 13th of the season, with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza following next weekend.

Rain brought chaos at the end of lap one, with a further dry period followed by a downpour that swept in from the North Sea to halt proceedings for 40 minutes on the 65th of 72 laps with cars skidding off.
Fernando Alonso put Aston Martin back on the podium with second place and a bonus point for fastest lap after the eventual rolling re-start behind the safety car led to a thrilling final chase at the seaside circuit.

Pierre Gasly was third, his first podium finish since he joined Renault-owned Alpine, as Red Bull’s Sergio Perez collected a five-second post-race penalty for speeding in the pit lane and dropped to fourth. Verstappen now leads Perez, his closest rival, by a mighty 138 points with nine races remaining. Red Bull lead Mercedes by 285 points with Aston Martin 40 points further back and 14 ahead of Ferrari.

‘Record-equalling 9th win’;

https://www.gulf-times.com/article/667348/sports/record-equalling-9th-win-in-a-row-for-super-verstappen


VERSTAPPEN ‘INCREDIBLY PROUD’ AFTER CLAIMING HIS NINTH CONSECUTIVE VICTORY IN 2023 AT THE DUTCH GP
The Championship leader equalled former Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine consecutive race wins in a season at Zandvoort
August 27, 2023
Darius Needham

Verstappen came into the weekend knowing that a victory would see him equal Formula 1 history. The Dutchman gave himself the best chance of achieving this feat after he claimed pole position in Qualifying by nearly sixth tenths of a second.

After the race, Verstappen spoke to formula1.com as he reflected on a great performance in front of his home crowd at Zandvoort. “It’s incredible. Also today, they didn’t make it easy for us with the weather to make all the time the right calls. I’m incredibly proud.”

“I already had goosebumps when they were playing the national anthem before the start. Even with all the bad weather, the rain, the fans were still going at it, so an incredible atmosphere.”

“I’m incredibly proud”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/verstappen-incredibly-proud-after-claiming-his-ninth-consecutive-victory-in-2023-at-the-dutch-gp/


‘It’s something I never thought was possible’ – Verstappen on equalling Vettel’s consecutive wins record
27 Aug 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen won the Dutch Grand Prix to equal Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine F1 victories in a row. After the race he said such a feat isn’t easy – even if you have the best car. “It’s easy to trip up, make a mistake or go off – but we didn’t."

“Never thought was possible”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.its-something-i-never-thought-was-possible-verstappen-on-equalling-vettels-consecutive-wins-record.1775402814444329373.html


Max Verstappen wins Dutch GP, equals Vettel with F1 record 9th straight victory
Rainy weather equaled a chaotic Grand Prix race
Aug 27th 2023 at 1:51PM
ASSOCIATED PRESS

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen won a rain-marred Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday to equal Sebastian Vettel's F1 record of nine straight victories, and increased his huge championship lead to 138 points as he races toward a third straight world title.

The Red Bull star clinched his third straight win from pole position at the Zandvoort track, with veteran Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain finishing second and picking up a bonus point for the fastest lap. “Nine in a row is something I never even thought about. Very happy with that," Verstappen said. “I know I have a car which is capable of a lot."

The orange-clad home crowd pumped him up. “I already had goose bumps when they were playing the national anthem before the start. Even with all the bad weather and the rain the fans were still going at it, an incredible atmosphere," the Dutch driver said. “I’m going to enjoy this. It’s always tough, the pressure is always on to perform.”

“I already had goose bumps”;

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/08/27/max-verstappen-wins-f1-dutch-grand-prix/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKUFaIs5DwflSQS47WrtCq7914zr IwD7K-99PIbxYz6cy4_xOKomhFHgZsI-XJQH3iLCsqXZosSKdNCcxPO8KY9OpbYOC3aXRU76cBY5y6pHLC yn1HgzIzUmyozcPST4NLYmjnCwh3_a9TdkzAhkZnK7GhjWq7TN _VHH5SARUNjL


Verstappen takes latest F1 record in his stride
Monday 28th August, 2023 - 10:40am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

“It was probably one of the more difficult races to win,” said Verstappen, who now has 46 overall to his name. “Nine in a row was something I never even thought about, so yeah, very happy with that, but in general, very happy to win here in front of my own crowd.”

In terms of eulogising over a remarkable feat when you consider this is the 74th season in F1’s history, and yet only two drivers have managed to win nine in a row, that was as good as it got from Verstappen. Suggested to Verstappen that the race was the ultimate example of how hard it can be to keep a winning streak going, he replied: “Yeah, absolutely, I mean, even if you have the best…

“I think there have been more dominant cars in the past than we have at the moment, and they haven’t been able to do so, to win nine in a row, whatever, the consecutive wins we have as a team. So it is hard, and especially like this race, it’s easy to make a wrong call, or even drop it yourself in the gravel or whatever. It’s never that straightforward, unfortunately.”

‘In terms of eulogising over a remarkable feat’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/28/max-verstappen-dutch-gp-f1-wins-record/


Max Verstappen equals Sebastian Vettel’s 2013 streak of success with Dutch Grand Prix victory
Verstappen’s 11th victory of the season, and 46th of his career, provided another big push towards clinching a third title well before the end of the season
Published 28.08.23, 10:26 AM
The Telegraph, Calcutta

Formula One leader Max Verstappen celebrated a record-equalling ninth successive victory on Sunday after beating the rain to win a chaotic and red-flagged Dutch Grand Prix for the third year in a row.

The Red Bull driver’s home triumph from pole position at a soggy Zandvoort equalled now-retired Sebastian Vettel’s 2013 streak of success and was the team’s 14th consecutive triumph and 13th of the season.

‘Big push towards clinching a third title’;

https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/max-verstappen-equals-sebastian-vettels-2013-streak-of-success-with-dutch-grand-prix-win/cid/1962064


Horner explains "no-brainer" pit call which jumped Verstappen past Perez | 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
18:49 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Verstappen arrived in second place behind Perez and soon reduced his team mate’s lead to less than three seconds. “Checo then had the target to pull a gap on the cars behind him,” Horner explained, “but Max’s pace as he came through the field was such that I think at one point he took seven seconds out of him in three laps, and was coming very fast.”

At that point, on the 12th lap of the race, Red Bull brought Verstappen in to put him on slick tyres. Perez came in the next time around, but as Verstappen had lapped quicker on his fresh tyres he gained the lead of the race from his team mate. Perez asked his team on the radio whether Verstappen had undercut him and was told he had. Horner said the team decided to pit Verstappen before his team mate, despite the possibility it would cost Perez the lead of the race, because they were concerned other drivers who had already switched to slick tyres might get ahead of him.

“Alonso and, I think, Gasly behind him had pulled the trigger and pitted,” Horner explained. “And you could see from Albon suddenly the circuit was coming alive for the slicks. Had we pitted Checo first, they would have both undercut Max, so we’d have gone from a net one-two to a net one-four. So we pitted Max first with the risk being that he’d undercut Checo but we’d end up as a team as first and second. So it was a no-brainer.”

‘ "No-brainer" pit call’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/27/horner-explains-no-brainer-pit-call-which-jumped-verstappen-past-perez/

[Fortitude]

Alonso thrilled with podium return at Zandvoort as he says Aston Martin car was ‘flying’ in tricky conditions.
Fernando Alonso was full of positive words about the handling of his Aston Martin as the Spaniard and the team returned to the podium positions with a run to second in a chaotic, rain-hit Dutch Grand Prix.
27 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

“It was a very intense race,” said Alonso, who gained a spot when Sergio Perez spun off before the late red flag. “Obviously at the beginning, with the wet conditions, we were very, very fast, and we stopped maybe one lap too late, but the same as the leaders.”

“The car was flying today, very competitive, very easy to drive. In these conditions you need a car that you can trust, and I did trust the car a lot today, I did enjoy.”

“Thanks to all the fans, the energy that we have here in Zandvoort is very unique. Two years ago, when this race came , I thought I will never experience the Zandvoort podium, because I was not in a position to think about that.”

‘EL PLAN: Thrilled with podium return’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alonso-thrilled-with-podium-return-at-zandvoort-as-he-says-aston-martin-car.2dnR7QGVRRWxCdJ0sWAnEm.html


[B]F1 2023 Dutch GP – Fastest Lap
Max Verstappen took a record equalling ninth victory in a row in a chaotic rain-soaked race.
August 27, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Fernando Alonso secured the extra point for fastest lap at the Dutch GP on his way to finishing second behind the record breaking Max Verstappen, who took his ninth consecutive victory of the season in a chaotic race dominated by rain.

Verstappen eventually overtook Sergio Perez after opting not to pit in the early stages of rain, and maintained his lead, even as a late safety car appearance—triggered by Zhou Guanyu’s crashed Alfa Romeo—ratcheted up the tension in the Red Bull garage.

The weather at Zandvoort, a coastal venue beside the North Sea, is notoriously unpredictable, and the rain proved to be a game-changer for many drivers. Lando Norris, who decided against pitting in the early stages of the race for intermediate tyres, saw his position plummet.

‘EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso secured the extra point for fastest lap’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-dutch-gp-fastest-lap/


DRIVER OF THE DAY: Alonso gets your nod after scintillating Zandvoort drive
27 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso was in a typically feisty mood as the Dutch weather threw everything at Zandvoort. The two-time world champion came through it all to finish just 3.7s behind race winner Max Verstappen and put Aston Martin back on the podium for the first time since Canada back in June. He also took the fastest lap to boot. Here’s how the voting broke down…

Fernando Alonso - 20.9%
Alex Albon - 14%
Max Verstappen - 10.9%
Pierre Gasly - 9.1%
Lewis Hamilton - 9%

‘EL PLAN: Scintillating Zandvoort drive’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.driver-of-the-day-alonso-gets-your-nod-after-scintillating-zandvoort-drive.1JIlysagiMKquolWDtNme2.html


Fernando Alonso convinced he ‘can’ match Max Verstappen’s ‘underestimated’ achievement
28 Aug 2023 6:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso believes the key to Max Verstappen’s success is his ability to be at “100 percent” more often than his rivals, but that doesn’t mean the Spaniard can’t achieve similar success himself.

“I think to win in such a dominant matter in any of the professional sports, it is so complicated. So to be at the same level of him, obviously, we have a lot of self-confidence, drivers in general, so I do believe that I can do as good as well. I don’t know about Lewis, but me, yes! And Lewis as well, and everyone.”

“I think you need to enter in a mood, in a state that you are connected with a car. I think on days like today, I felt that I was at my best and have been giving 100% of what I felt and my abilities on a racing car, but maybe in Spa I was not at that level or in Austria or something like that.”

‘EL PLAN: “100 percent” more often than his rivals’

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-max-verstappen-underestimated-success/


FACTS & STATS: Alonso beats Schumacher record for longest first-last podium interval
27 August 2023
Sean Kelly
Virtual Statman
Formula One - Official Site

• With P2 today, Fernando Alonso secured his seventh podium of 2023 and extended his gap over Hamilton in third place in the championship (they were separated by one point before today).

• That P2 for Alonso breaks Michael Schumacher's F1 record (7,399 days) for the longest interval between first and last career podium finishes (Alonso's first podium was Malaysia 2003).

• With his P2 combined with fastest lap, Alonso has now scored more points for Aston Martin in the first 13 races this year (168) than he did in his previous two seasons at Alpine (162).

‘EL PLAN: Alonso beats Schumacher record’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.facts-and-stats-alonso-beats-schumacher-record-for-longest-first-last-podium.3UsYBoQtSPpQwRluRxn9hz.html


Alonso feared for Zandvoort escape with late Verstappen move
27 August 6:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso joked he would not have been able to leave Zandvoort if he attempted to overtake Max Verstappen for the lead of the Dutch Grand Prix.

“It is one of those races when it is difficult to concentrate and stay focused for such a long period of time,” said Alonso, who secured his seventh podium of the season and first since the Canadian Grand Prix.”

“I think this is a very special race track. I’m happy for Max. I did think about trying a move at the last restart but then I thought maybe I couldn’t exit the circuit. So I stayed calm in second.”

‘EL PLAN: “I stayed calm in second”;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-would-not-have-left-zandvoort-with-late-verstappen-move


Alonso “thought maybe I can’t exit the circuit” if he attacked Verstappen at restart
Posted on 27th August 2023, 17:08
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Fernando Alonso says he was wary of lunging at Max Verstappen in the final laps of the Dutch Grand Prix after finishing second behind his rival. “This is a very special race track with all the fans and the energy going on, so you feel always very focussed,” said Alonso. “I did think about trying a move in the last restart [on Max], but then I thought maybe I cannot exit the circuit, so I stayed calm in second.”

“Two years ago when this race came I thought I will never experience maybe the Zandvoort podium because I was not in the position to think about that,” he said. “And today it’s going to be very special to share the podium with Max and Pierre.”

He started from fifth on the grid, but gained ground early in the race when he was one of the first drivers to pit following a rain shower which hit the track on lap one. “It was a very intense race,” said Alonso. “Obviously at the beginning with the wet conditions we were very, very fast.”

‘EL PLAN: Alonso “thought maybe I can’t exit the circuit” ’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/27/alonso-thought-maybe-i-cant-exit-the-circuit-if-he-attacked-verstappen-at-restart/

[Fortitude]

Gasly hails ‘massive motivation boost’ for overhauled Alpine after ‘insane’ run to P3 at Zandvoort.
Pierre Gasly was full of smiles at the end of the Dutch Grand Prix after landing Alpine’s second podium finish of the season and his first since the 2021 campaign in a dramatic, rain-hit encounter at the Zandvoort circuit.
27 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Gasly started Sunday’s race in 12th position but made the most of the tricky conditions to jump up the order and mix it at the front, having benefitted from an early switch to intermediate tyres when rain arrived on the first lap.

While he ultimately crossed the line in fourth, Gasly’s result became third when Sergio Perez’s five-second time penalty was applied for speeding in the pit lane – backing up team mate Esteban Ocon’s podium in Monaco and his recent Sprint rostrum in Belgium.

“It feels good! I must say, it feels good,” said Gasly, who last finished on a Grand Prix podium in Azerbaijan in 2021. “Especially at the start of the season, I felt like we were pretty unfortunate on a number of occasions and we were like, ‘Okay, there’s nothing we can do, just keep pushing, focusing on ourselves and improve what we can and what we have in our hands’.”

‘Massive motivation boost’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.gasly-hails-massive-motivation-boost-for-overhauled-alpine-after-insane-run.3yAI5BWeatbOTybNkEh71M.html


Pierre Gasly 'pretty upset' and rubs salt in Sergio Perez wounds after snatching podium
Pierre Gasly crept onto the podium after Sergio Perez was hit with a penalty
16:46, Sun, Aug 27, 2023
By Mikael McKenzie
Daily and Sunday Express

Pierre Gasly says he was "pretty upset" to be hit with a five-second penalty early on in the Dutch Grand Prix, but he felt the score was settled when Sergio Perez received the same punishment a few laps before the end of the race, handing the Alpine star third place.

"I was pretty upset I had a five-second penalty earlier in the race, so I thought it was 1-1," Gasly said. "Then I pushed as hard as I could to stay within five seconds and managed to do it. It was a very long race, very challenging from start to finish."

'Pretty upset';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1806583/Pierre-Gasly-Sergio-Perez-Dutch-Grand-Prix


'Upset' Gasly overcomes punishment for podium
27 August 6:03PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

The Frenchman hailed his Alpine team for its race execution after finishing third at Zandvoort. Alpine driver Pierre Gasly praised his team for "great execution" after securing a stunning third place at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The Frenchman started 12th on the grid at Zandvoort but made the most of a chaotic opening to the race, where rain fell midway through the opening lap, to make his way up the grid - assuming third behind Sergio Perez and Zhou Guanyu after the early pit stops filtered through.

"I was pretty upset that I got a five-second penalty earlier in the race so I was like 'now it is one-one [after Perez was given his punishment]. Then obviously I tried to push as hard as I could to stay within five seconds and I managed to do it. It was a very long race managing from start to finish - it was great execution from all the guys."

'Now it is one-one’;

https://racingnews365.com/upset-gasly-overcomes-punishment-for-podium


Gasly: Dutch GP podium shows Alpine in "right direction" after F1 manager exits
19:14 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

Pierre Gasly has said his podium in the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix is further proof the Alpine Formula 1 team is heading in the “right direction” following its management turmoil. The result marks Alpine’s second top-three classification in as many rounds, with Gasly also ranking third in the Belgian sprint race.

This brace of headline results follows immediately after team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane - an Enstone veteran of 34 years - parted company following differences of opinion with senior management at owner Renault over the squad’s direction. Chief technical officer Pat Fry is also off to Williams.

He told French broadcaster Canal+: “We need to keep working, keep improving the car and work this way until the end of the year. I'm glad to see that things are falling into place within the team, we're learning to work better and better together. It's going in the right direction, and we proved it again today.”

‘Further proof’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/gasly-dutch-gp-podium-alpine-right-direction-f1-manager-exits/10512547/


Third place in grand prix “feels a lot better” than in a sprint race – Gasly
2023 Dutch Grand Prix
Posted on 27th August 2023, 19:27
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Pierre Gasly said he was very satisfied to take his first podium finish for Alpine after suffering a number of setbacks since joining the team. “It’s obviously very satisfying when you get a reward for the work that we are all putting in, in the team,” he said. It is Gasly’s first podium finish since the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “Last year with AlphaTauri we were nowhere near a podium finish at any point, we just didn’t have the speed,” he said.

“I think this year we came close in Monaco, running in third position and it was clearly a missed opportunity with the extra stop which wasn’t necessary. But it’s sort of season where you’ve just got to keep trying again and again and there’s going to be a point where things are going to click and today it did.”

Gasly rose from 12th on the grid to finish on the podium. He was one of seven drivers who pitted as soon as rain started to fall on the first lap, which helped him move up the order. “It was probably the most challenging race of the year,” he said. “There were a lot of obstacles, there were many moments where we could have got it wrong but as a team we just tried to maximise that.”

“Feels a lot better”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/27/third-place-in-grand-prix-feels-a-lot-better-than-in-a-sprint-race-gasly/


Gasly: Dutch GP podium proves Alpine 'going in the right direction'
27/08/2023 at 20:03
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Pierre Gasly claimed his second top-three finish in as many races on Sunday, the Alpine driver following up his third place in Spa's sprint event last month with a proper podium in the Dutch Grand Prix after a spirited drive in challenging conditions. While Gasly never put a foot wrong in the race – save for his pitlane transgression – his decision to pit at the end of the first lap for a switch to the inters when the rain set in also proved well-inspired.

"We had to make extremely important decisions," he said. "Coming out of the last corner on lap one, I immediately understood that there was a big opportunity for us, so I asked the team to pit straightaway, and it paid off. Then, we had a car that worked well today; I managed to fight with the Ferrari, to stay rather close to Alonso.”

"Many things happened, but you had to stay calm. I am really happy with the team's work and what they achieved." On the other side of the Alpine garage, Esteban Ocon also enjoyed a solid drive through the field from P16 on the grid to the race's final point, making it a double top-ten finish for the French outfit.

‘Second top-three finish in as many races’;

https://f1i.com/news/484956-gasly-dutch-gp-podium-proves-alpine-going-in-the-right-direction.html


Gasly details tumultuous first year with Alpine
28 August 10:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Competitive mindset key for Gasly: "I'm super competitive, I need competition in my life," Gasly exclusively tells RacingNews365. "After a week [off], I'm already [feeling] like I want to go on track with these guys and get my elbows out. It is such a unique feeling that you have [driving the car] that you can miss it very quickly.”

"That's why in my time off, I've got to find competition every single day. It is quite tiring for my friends as I'll non-stop be challenging them at paddleball, at volleyball. We will go to the beach, and I can't lie down, I need to challenge someone with a beach racquet.”

"I just need this in my life, I am able to switch off and enjoy the time to mentally recharge, but I will always have this competitive mindset."

‘Tumultuous first year’;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-details-tumultuous-first-year-with-alpine


Exclusive: Pierre Gasly finally finds the fortune he has been searching for
28 Aug 2023 9:00 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Luck can be the most elusive part of a driver’s arsenal. With it, points, podiums, wins or even championships could be on the cards. Without it and it can seem like the world is collapsing around you.

A sprint podium in Spa was little consolation for a year that had incorporated multiple DNFs and left him trailing his team-mate. In his hour of frustration, Gasly welcomed the summer break. “Give me two days and I will forget how to drive,” he exclusively told PlanetF1.com inside the Alpine hospitality, days out from the Dutch Grand Prix.”

But even if Gasly was able to cleanse his mind of racing, the competitive nature was still here. “I’m super competitive so I need competition in my life,” he said. “After a week already I was like ‘f###, I want to go on track with these guys’ you know, get my elbows out. It’s such a unique feeling that you have that you miss it very quickly.”

‘Pierre Gasly finally finds the fortune’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/exclusive-pierre-gasly-finds-fortune/

[Fortitude]

Perez: Tyre saving call behind Verstappen pace deficit in F1 Dutch GP.
Asked by Motorsport.com to explain the delta, Perez said: "We were expecting rain, the team was telling me that there was more rain coming.”
18:33 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

Sergio Perez reckons Red Bull needing him to save his intermediate tyres is why Formula 1 team-mate Max Verstappen could cut his early 2023 Dutch Grand Prix lead in half. Perez reckons this significant pace differential was largely down to a need to save his intermediate tyres on a drying track as Red Bull warned that more rain was on the way.

Asked by Motorsport.com to explain the delta, Perez said: "We were expecting rain, the team was telling me that there was more rain coming. The track was on the dry side, so if I were to push, I would just have destroyed completely the inter tyre." Had rain arrived as anticipated, Perez reckoned he could have held onto first place for longer.

Motorsport Reader Comment:
Jonathoan Stevens (jonno)
In reply In reply to Mannes Karsten
He was asked to drive that slow.
He didn’t know Max was not asked to drive slow.
He expected the team to make a call to keep him in the lead.
He didn’t know that the team would undercut him as leader.

‘He was asked to drive that slow. He didn’t know Max was not asked to drive slow’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/perez-tyre-saving-call-behind-verstappen-pace-deficit-in-f1-dutch-gp/10512486/


Perez QUESTIONS Red Bull strategy after losing out to Verstappen
Sunday 27 August 2023 19:57
Luis Raya
GPFans

Sergio Perez took to team radio during the Dutch Grand Prix to question Red Bull's strategy after Max Verstappen undercut him to take the lead at his home race. Red Bull then decided to call Verstappen in for a pit stop first on lap 12, while he was in P2 and just over two seconds behind his team-mate.

Perez pitted a lap later, but the improving track conditions caused the Mexican to come out behind the Dutch driver, who executed a textbook undercut. In disbelief, Perez had a radio exchange with his team, asking: "Did Max undercut us?" The blunt reply of: "Yes, Max undercut us," was issued back by his engineer.

Later on in the race, there was another bizarre strategy call when the Mexican was told to box for full wet tyres, just before what looked like an increasingly likely red flag. Moments later, the red flag was confirmed, yet thankfully for Checo, positions were counted back from the previous sector, meaning that he was able to regain his third position.

‘Perez QUESTIONS Red Bull strategy’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002601/sergio-perez-max-verstappen-f1-red-bull-dutch-grand-prix-questions-strategy/


Red Bull’s logic for Verstappen/Perez undercut: Does it stand up?
18:27 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
By Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen may have walked away with his third successive Dutch Grand Prix victory as expected but his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez had a genuine advantage of around 15 seconds over him at one stage. Red Bull brought Verstappen in first for the switch to slicks and by the time Perez had swapped one lap after Verstappen, he emerged behind his team-mate.

Perez appeared confused on team radio when he came back out in second – “did Max undercut us?” he asked bewildered. So how did he feel about it after the race? What was Red Bull’s explanation for bringing the lead car in second – and was it unfair on Perez?

‘There’s absolutely no way the same logic would have been given had the positions been reversed’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-logic-verstappen-perez-dutch-gp-undercut/


Christian Horner grilled after suspicions of Max Verstappen favouritism at Dutch GP
27 Aug 2023 5:38 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner allayed any fears that Red Bull had intentionally undercut Sergio Perez with Max Verstappen at the Dutch Grand Prix, explaining that Verstappen’s out-lap pace even caught the team by surprise.

Horner said: “He made a great first call to get in early, he was one of the first to get on to the inters, the next call he made, he made at the pit entrance, so of course the team weren’t ready for it, but it was reacting to the weather and we were still able to turn it around.”

“He was just desperately unlucky because it looks like he got the fine for speeding in the pit lane when he came into the pits before the red flag, and he’s hit the pit wall up there which is why the repairs were taking place on his car and hence the pickup of the five-second penalty. He was probably actually surfing at that point as opposed to speeding, but very harsh for him and he deserves very much to be on the podium today.”

‘Christian Horner grilled’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-max-verstappen-favouritism-claim-dutch-gp/


Horner apologises to Perez over pit-stop DEBACLE
Tuesday 29 August 2023 06:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

In all of the chaos of the second heavy downpour during the Dutch Grand Prix, Perez was brought into the pits to change onto intermediate tyres. Unfortunately for him, the late call on the weather had meant that the team weren't ready to receive the Mexican, which resulted in a 10 second pit-stop.

After the race, Horner spoke to Perez on the team radio, apologising for the error. "I apologise, the tyres weren't ready on time due to a last-minute call," Horner noted. "We were significantly delayed in the pit lane due to the chaos. Nonetheless, your performance today was excellent and very consistent."

‘Pit-stop DEBACLE’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002681/f1-dutch-grand-prix-christian-horner-apologises-sergio-perez-red-bull-pit-stop/


‘It’s a shame’: Sergio Perez speaks out on Red Bull controversy
Sergio Perez has publicly questioned Red Bull following the 2023 Dutch GP, which Max Verstappen won.
28 August 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

Intrigue unfolded at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix as Sergio Perez voiced uncertainty regarding Red Bull Racing’s tactical choices, leading to a shift in fortunes that saw Max Verstappen seize the lead, leaving Perez grappling with mixed emotions. Amidst the drama of the latest Formula 1 showdown, Sergio Perez found himself in the spotlight due to Red Bull’s strategic manoeuvres.

Closing the gap by an impressive 13 seconds in a mere few laps, Verstappen’s presence loomed large in Perez’s rearview mirrors before both were directed to make their respective pit stops. Perez offered insights into the decision, stating, “We were expecting rain. The team was telling me that there was more rain coming. So, it was very important because the track was on the dry side. “If I were to push, I’d have just destroyed the inter.”

‘It’s a shame’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/its-a-shame-sergio-perez-speaks-out-on-red-bull-controversy/

[Fortitude]

Carlos Sainz’s worrying Ferrari admission: ‘We had the sixth fastest car this weekend’.
Carlos Sainz believes Ferrari slipped back to being the sixth best team at the Dutch Grand Prix despite his strong fifth-place finish.
29 Aug 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Sainz held onto fifth at Zandvoort on Sunday, resisting late pressure from Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Despite having track position, Sainz was overtaken by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, and more surprisingly, the Alpine of Pierre Gasly, who ultimately finished on the podium.

“I would say after looking at the Alpine more the sixth fastest car this weekend,” Sainz said. “But yeah, when you’re going into a race and going into yesterday’s quali that we were just lacking this weekend, and we had to focus in maximising a good result or a decent result and we did that today.”

“Even in the last stint when I knew I had one set of inters left to put on for the last seven laps and the tyres were destroyed from yesterday’s quali, I still managed to keep Hamilton behind and bring home a P5 that was honestly not on the cards, I think.”

‘We had the sixth fastest car this weekend’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1034419/1/sainz-s-worrying-ferrari-admission-we-had-sixth-fastest-car-weekend


Williams “on par with Ferrari and Aston Martin” at Zandvoort – Albon
2023 Dutch Grand Prix
Posted on 28th August 2023, 14:4328th August 2023, 14:45
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

After matching his career-best qualifying result, Williams’ Alexander Albon converted fourth on the grid into eighth in Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix. “I think we were on par with the Astons and Ferraris this weekend,” he reckoned. “We did that first stint and in the whole stint we maybe lost two seconds to the Aston and the Ferrari in front of us. And we were on 15-lap, 10-lap older tyres than they were.”

He was in sixth during his second stint and thinking “this is perfect” before he was informed more rain was on its way. Williams waited before pitting again, and Albon thought he had timed it well until the rain meant he “was crawling in the last four corners”. That allowed McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell to get ahead of him.

“It happens,” said Albon. “It’s one of them things where it feels like we finished today slightly disappointed that we didn’t finish sixth, but we still finished eighth, it’s still an amazing result for us. We’ve been here on pace this weekend, there’s no mistake about it. It’s been our strongest weekend, it’s the best I’ve felt in the car in my time at Williams and there’s so many positives to take from here.”

“It’s been our strongest weekend,”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/28/williams-on-par-with-ferrari-and-aston-martin-at-zandvoort-albon/


Dutch Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc forced to retire, Max Verstappen unstoppable
Published on 28 August 2023
By Romain Boisaubert
Monaco Tribune

For Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), there was damage to his front wing after a little encounter with Oscar Piastri’s McLaren on the opening lap of the race, which left him short on pace throughout the Grand Prix. The race came to a premature end for the Monegasque, who was forced to retire on lap 42.

A Grand Prix that Charles Leclerc will want to forget, and which he intends to make up for quickly. Next up is the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 3, where the tifosis are expected to be very vocal.

Charles Leclerc: (…) I can’t wait to get to Monza and feel all the support, given how difficult the season has been. We’ll do our best. It’s one of the most difficult tracks of the year in terms of the car’s balance. But at Monza, we’ll have a different package.”

‘A Grand Prix that Charles Leclerc will want to forget’;

https://www.monaco-tribune.com/en/2023/08/dutch-grand-prix-charles-leclerc-forced-to-retire-max-verstappen-unstoppable/


Sainz excelled when Ferrari might not have even scored.
Aug 29 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Carlos Sainz has moved into a championship position he does not ascribe much value to: fifth, the same place he has finished in each of his seasons as a Ferrari Formula 1 driver. It wasn’t something to celebrate last year when team-mate Charles Leclerc finished runner-up in a much more competitive campaign.

In fact, even this season, Sainz isn’t exactly doing cartwheels about the fact finishing fifth in the Dutch Grand Prix has moved him above Leclerc and Mercedes driver George Russell in the points.

He was, however, rightly very pleased with the performance. It’s the (you guessed it) fifth time this season he’s finished a race fifth, his second-best result. Nothing spectacular, right? Except it came on probably Ferrari’s least competitive weekend of 2023 – beaten by five teams in qualifying and looking only sixth-fastest (at best) in the race.

‘Sainz excelled when Ferrari might not have even scored’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/sainz-excelled-when-ferrari-shouldnt-have-even-scored/


Ferrari in Need of ‘Restructure’ for Team Turnaround – Leader
August 29, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

La Gazzetta dello Sport called it a “shameful” performance, while Corriere dello Sport was in agreement, terming it a “very dark weekend” for Ferrari. La Stampa further weighed in with: “Ferrari at rock bottom.”

Some analysts speculate that Ferrari’s conspicuous absence of speed over the Dutch GP weekend resulted from an ill-advised selection of aerodynamic equipment.

Vasseur told Sky Italia when asked if he’s been handed a problematic team: “We have to do the best possible job with what we have right now.”

‘Restructure’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/ferrari-in-need-of-restructure-for-team-turnaround-leader/


Can Ferrari bounce back from latest disappointment in front of the Tifosi at the Italian Grand Prix?
29 Aug 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

A look at the main talking points heading into the final European F1 race of the season at the Italian Grand Prix. Can Ferrari give the Tifosi something to celebrate?

Ferrari head into their home event at Monza on the backfoot following a disappointing Dutch Grand Prix. While Carlos Sainz came away from Zandvoort with a respectable fifth-place, it didn’t tell the whole story as a number of teams (McLaren and Mercedes) failed to capitalise on their pace advantage.

Sainz made a startling admission after the Dutch GP that Ferrari had the sixth-fastest car, even slipping behind Alpine as Pierre Gasly finished on the podium. It’s highly unlikely that Ferrari will be as slow at Monza, given that Charles Leclerc was able to finish third at Spa before the summer break - another low downforce track.

‘Bounce back’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1034423/1/can-ferrari-bounce-back-latest-disappointment-front-tifosi


Ferrari pins hopes on all-new F1 car — but does it know what it's got wrong?
August 29th 2023
Author: Tony Dodgins

Eighteen months ago, as F1’s new ground effect regulations came in, Ferrari and Charles Leclerc were duking it out with Red Bull and Max Verstappen at the front of grands prix. Today, Verstappen and Red Bull are enjoying an RB19 that is setting new records as one of the most dominant cars in the sport’s history.

It works everywhere: high downforce, low downforce, low degradation, high degradation, whatever speed range you care to choose. Unsurprisingly, Milton Keynes is hard at work on a 2024 car that is an evolution. Why would it be anything else? Ferrari, by contrast, is all over the place. And nowhere demonstrated that better than Zandvoort. The men in red aren’t even on the same page.

Ferrari’s head of chassis, Enrico Cardile: “It’s crystal clear what we did wrong with the car,” Cardile said in Holland. “The weaknesses are clear. It’s not a matter of understanding what we should do. We are not in nowhere land. We know what we have to do. It’s a matter of doing it.”

‘The men in red aren’t even on the same page’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/ferrari-pins-hopes-on-all-new-f1-car-but-does-it-know-what-went-wrong/?nowprocket=1#

[Fortitude]

Wolff admits 'CATASTROPHIC' mistakes as Mercedes miss golden chance.
“I think we stayed out catastrophically too long," Wolff said to Sky Sports. "We got it completely wrong. It’s annoying because the car had really [good] pace. From there on, it was just recovering as good as we could.”
Monday 28 August 2023 21:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Toto Wolff admitted that Mercedes made critical errors that cost them a better result at the Dutch GP. Lewis Hamilton fought back from 13th on the grid to claim sixth while George Russell ended up out of the points after late contact with Lando Norris.

But in a race with changeable conditions, Wolff was left frustrated that the Silver Arrows made the wrong decisions with strategy. The race pace was impressive for both Russell and Hamilton, but they failed to score the points they perhaps warranted.

‘Wolff admits 'CATASTROPHIC' mistakes’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002652/toto-wolff-mercedes-f1-dutch-grand-prix-catastrophic-mistake/


Wolff slams ‘subpar’ Mercedes strategy calls in Dutch GP
08:56 Tue, 29 Aug 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

“I think we stayed out catastrophically too long. We got it completely wrong,” Wolff told Sky Sports. “We will review thoroughly. The situation is never one person or one department. It is the communications between driver, pit wall, strategy, weather and then all of us taking decisions.”

“That was absolutely subpar from all of us, and that includes me. It’s good when it hurts. When it stings, it sticks. It’s annoying because the car had really [good] pace. And then, from there on it was just recovering as good as we could,” Wolff explained.

‘Wolff slams ‘subpar’ Mercedes strategy calls’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/29/wolff-slams-subpar-mercedes-strategy-calls-in-dutch-gp/


Wolff: 'Subpar' Mercedes got Dutch GP strategy 'completely wrong'
28/08/2023 at 08:18
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Toto Wolff says Mercedes paid the price in Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix for its "subpar" communication and "catastrophic" strategy decisions. Rain pummeled down on the field of competitors at Zandvoort shortly after the start, half-way through the opening lap.

Those who opted to immediately switch from slicks to intermediates were rewarded for their move, but on the Mercedes pitwall the consensus was that the sudden shower that had rolled in from the sea would not last.

The Brackley squad subsequently delayed the stops of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell until laps 3 and 4 respectively, a decision that would prove costly for the two drivers. Hamilton dropped to last but was eventually able to battle his way back to sixth, while Russell who had qualified an impressive third saw his hopes of a podium blown into oblivion.

‘Hopes of a podium blown into oblivion’;

https://f1i.com/news/485093-wolff-subpar-mercedes-got-dutch-gp-strategy-completely-wrong.html


Wolff laments 'monumental' Mercedes error
28 August 5:20PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Teammate Lewis Hamilton was also told to stay out and dropped down to P20 when he eventually pitted on lap four, with rivals that had made the switch lapping much faster. Mercedes did not see this on the timing screen according to Wolff, who after Hamilton picked up sixth at Zandvoort told Speedweek: "It was a monumental mistake that we made at the beginning.

"Our car has pace and then it didn't work at all between weatherman, the drivers and the strategy. Me included." Mercedes took feedback from its drivers in the opening stages but failed to notice lap times that were over 20 seconds slower than lead Intermediate runner Sergio Perez, who had pitted at the end of the first lap and made his way to the lead by lap four.

"We did not see that Perez had brought out such a gap," said Wolff. "The weather came so fast, much faster and stronger than expected, all our predictions didn't see that. Now we have to look at it and clarify why this happened. We would have had a car that could have driven at the very front. But that doesn't exist in sports, it doesn't help."

‘Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff: W”e did not see that Perez had brought out such a gap" ’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-laments-monumental-mistake-during-zandvoort-rain


Mercedes lick wounds after worst result yet in 2023
20:41 Sun, 27 Aug 2023.
The Straits Times

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands - Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff promised a thorough review after Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix turned into the former champions' worst race yet of the 2023 Formula One season.

The eight points scored marked the first time this season that Mercedes had failed to take at least double figures from a weekend.

"I'd rather have a fast race car and a mediocre result even if it hurts," said Wolff. "We saw at the end on the inters George had (Red Bull race winner) Max (Verstappen's) pace and Lewis was very strong behind (Ferrari's Carlos) Sainz...It's still bittersweet because the result is just really bad.”

‘Mercedes lick wounds’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/mercedes-lick-wounds-after-worst-result-yet-in-2023


Wolff says Russell's thoughts about loss of form 'a myth'
29/08/2023 at 16:23
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Toto Wolff says George Russell's belief that he has lost his form is "a myth" that the Mercedes boss is making every effort to remove from the Briton's psyche. "I’ve never bought into this thought," Wolff told the media last weekend. "When you and I are having a bad day nobody knows but if a driver has a bad day and he’s probably a tenth off, that makes all the difference in the qualifying.”

"So all drivers have days that are not so good and we’ve seen these ups and downs with George but the quality of driver I’ve never doubted a minute. [In qualifying] he was able to shine, put the car on P3, had a problem-free qualifying and no traffic so I haven’t seen any pattern change."

Nevertheless, as Russell questions the moment, Wolff is doing his best to fend off the demons surrounding his driver. "I’m trying to really bang it into his head that he hasn’t lost his form, that it is just the myth that he’s making up," said the Mercedes F1 boss.

‘Just the myth that he’s making up’;

https://f1i.com/news/485223-wolff-says-russell-thoughts-about-loss-of-form-a-myth.html


Toto Wolff's Italian GP outlook a worry after Lewis Hamilton's bold Max Verstappen claim
Lewis Hamilton left the Dutch Grand Prix positive after climbing seven places to finish in the points, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff does not appear to share the Englishman's optimism
07:53, 30 Aug 2023
By Jacob Leeks Sports Reporter
The Mirror

Toto Wolff has moved to dampen expectations of Mercedes' performance in Monza this weekend after a mixed Dutch Grand Prix. The F1 circus travels to Lombardy for the Italian Grand Prix following a thrilling race in Zandvoort which saw rain, red flags and a record number of overtakes. Silver Arrows star Lewis Hamilton was able to stay calm in the chaos to secure a sixth-place finish.

“It didn't start off that well, but I'm pretty happy with the drive that I did to get back into the points and get sixth. It could have been higher for sure, if we made the right decision at the end of the day," Hamilton said. "We should have pitted [straight away] but we didn’t. We paid the price for that, and we did our best to come back.”

“I feel like today was redemption, in the sense of it was terrible yesterday. I managed to dial the car in a bit better today and overtook a bunch of people. To start 13th, I was dead last at one point, to get back up to sixth, I'm happy with that. I think today I had the pace [for the podium]. I was on pace with Max in the race, but we were just out of position.

‘Toto Wolff has moved to dampen expectations’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-wolff-mercedes-italy-30818494

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris fumes after McLaren’s botched strategy at Dutch GP.
Lando Norris has been left seething in the wake of McLaren’s nightmare outing at the Dutch Grand Prix.
August 28th, 2023 3:23 pm
Staff Writers from News.com.au

The British driver enjoyed a stellar weekend around the Zandvoort track and started the race from second on the grid. As soon as the race got underway however the McLaren star and his teammate, Aussie Oscar Piastri, suffered thanks to a costly tactical decision.

The heavens opened up as the grid made their way around the track on the opening lap and as the rain got heavier, almost every team elected to pit and move off the soft tyres in favour of the intermediate tyres. McLaren decided to stay out and push on for longer with the soft compound.

The decision backfired almost instantly and left Norris and Piastri stranded towards the back of the grid and fighting to claw their way back into the points. After the race the British star voiced his displeasure with the strategical blunder and called for a review into what had happened.

‘Lando Norris has been left seething’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/lando-norris-fumes-after-mclarens-botched-strategy-at-dutch-gp/news-story/f74fd175dd7fec075766c76ec9f3b9c6


Norris demands McLaren investigation after latest strategy mishap
27 August 9:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lando Norris asserts that McLaren has “lost too many points” this season through “bad” strategy choices amid another squandered opportunity at the Dutch Grand Prix. “I’m not going to talk too much otherwise I’ll create a headline and I’m really bad at that,” he reflected.

“It’s clear we made the wrong decision, we made a bad decision, it’s something we’ll talk about and review, we’ve made a couple this season, we’ve lost too many positions and too many points with a couple of these things.”

‘Norris demands McLaren investigation’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/29/norris-mclaren-have-lost-too-many-points-through-bad-strategy-decisions/


Norris demands McLaren investigation after latest strategy mishap
27 August 9:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has called for McLaren to investigate its Dutch Grand Prix strategy after dropping out of podium contention. "We've lost too many positions and also the points throughout this year with a couple of these things.”

Russell joined Norris in the battle for fifth in the closing stages and when side-by-side through Turns 11 and 12 late on, the duo made contact, resulting in a puncture for the Mercedes driver that left him last of the finishers.

On the contact, Norris added: "The cars are so sharp nowadays, you touch them a little bit and it's like a full punch all of a sudden. It's just good racing, we were close, wheel wheel-to-wheel and I feel bad that it came off that way."

‘Latest strategy mishap’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-wants-mclaren-investigation-into-dutch-gp-strategy


NORRIS RUES ‘WRONG DECISION’ THAT COST MCLAREN AT ZANDVOORT
McLaren saw its chances of a podium finish vanish during the first deluge of rain
Last updated:August 28, 2023
James Phillips
FormulaNerds

Lando Norris has reflected on a race of missed opportunities for McLaren after its strong qualifying performance fell away in the race. Speaking to formula1.com after the race, Norris admitted the call by McLaren to stay out when the rain first came down was “wrong. He also said that the team should be performing better, despite the positive aspects of the race:

“Wrong decision. [We] just made the wrong decision at the beginning. I guess it happens, but at the same time, [we] should be doing a slightly better job than we did today.”

“Some good things of course – I don’t want to say it is all negative. Some points on the board, it wasn’t a shocking race. A lot of it was good – the pit stop for the second bit of rain was good, so some good things. Just the first one was a bad decision and cost us a lot of places.”

‘Chances of a podium finish vanish’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/norris-rues-wrong-decision-that-cost-mclaren-at-zandvoort/


Norris: McLaren race pace still 'not good enough'
29/08/2023 at 08:26
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Lando Norris says McLaren's race pace relative to its rivals still isn't good enough, an assertion made after the Briton finished seventh in the Dutch Grand Prix. "There are times when it's down to pace and times when it's down to strategy, and the strategy is what messed us up today," he said.

"I don't think the pace is bad, the pace was okay. Not good enough, if you want to say what was our pace compared to Aston's? It was pretty terrible. Compared to Mercedes? Pretty terrible. So our pace today was a long way off our pace that we showed yesterday in qualifying. And our one-lap is still a lot more competitive than our race pace.”

‘McLaren race pace still not good enough';

https://f1i.com/news/485189-norris-mclaren-race-pace-still-not-good-enough.html


Tactical errors like Dutch GP pit call have cost McLaren “a lot of points” – Norris
2023 Dutch Grand Prix
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
Posted on 28th August 2023, 12:09
RaceFans

Norris initially held on to his second place starting spot but was passed by Fernando Alonso on lap two as rain fell. Red Bull’s pole-winner Max Verstappen and Alonso then pitted to switch from their slick tyres, and Norris moved ahead. He led for eight seconds before Mercedes’ George Russell came past. Norris was then overtaken by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez – who had been the first to pit for intermediate tyres.

Although “strategy is what messed us up today”, Norris felt McLaren’s race pace compared to Aston Martin and Mercedes was also “pretty terrible. Our one-lap pace is still a lot more competitive than our race pace. I think that’s becoming more and more evident, and we’re doing whatever we can to fix it and to make steps forward but at the minute it’s nowhere near enough.” But he said he was “so happy to be in P7” given “it could have been a lot worse” after the start.

‘Norris was then overtaken by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/28/tactical-errors-like-dutch-gp-pit-call-have-cost-mclaren-a-lot-of-points-norris/

[Fortitude]

Ten-in-a-row for Verstappen? Six talking points for the 2023 Italian Grand Prix.
If Verstappen disappoints the Tifosi by taking yet another win on Sunday, it will be a historic moment for the sport as Verstappen once again does something no F1 driver has ever done before.
2023 Italian Grand Prix
Posted on 30th August 2023, 7:1531st August 2023, 7:56
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Just one week after Max Verstappen had the privilege of over 100,000 fans passionately cheering him on to victory at Zandvoort, he will have a circuit full of people hoping he will finally be beaten during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza – ideally by one of the Ferraris.

The Formula 1 record for consecutive grand prix victories – the nine Verstappen equalled last weekend – has stood for 70 years, established by Alberto Ascari. His run of nine wins was interrupted by one race he did not enter, the 1953 Indianapolis 500, then a points-paying world championship round.

Prior to last weekend, only one driver had won nine races in a row without any breaks or interruptions – Sebastian Vettel. Now Verstappen sits alongside Vettel as a joint record holder, with an extremely strong chance to go one better than his fellow Red Bull world champion. As much as fans may bemoan Verstappen’s stranglehold over the sport, it’s undeniable that 10 straight wins would be a truly special achievement.

‘Ten-in-a-row’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/30/ten-in-a-row-for-verstappen-six-talking-points-for-the-2023-italian-grand-prix/


What is the Monza Curse? The freaky streak that could deny Max Verstappen record F1 victory
The previous three winners of the Italian Grand Prix have all failed to finish the Monza race the year after claiming victory
August 30, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen will look to win the 2023 Italian Grand Prix to claim a record-breaking 10th consecutive F1 win, but in order to do so he’ll need to survive the Monza curse. Since 2019, the winner of the Italian GP has failed to finish the race the following year. Charles Leclerc retired in 2020, Pierre Gasly retired in 2021 and Daniel Ricciardo retired in 2022.

With limited opposition in 2023, could the curse of Monza be Verstappen‘s greatest threat to his chances of victory? Verstappen won the 2022 edition quite comfortably, claiming the top step of the podium after leading by 17 seconds prior to a late safety car.

‘The Monza Curse? The freaky streak’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/what-is-the-monza-curse-the-freaky-streak-that-could-deny-verstappen-record-f1-victory/


Verstappen history beckons - What to expect at the Italian Grand Prix
30 August 1:50PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

It is hard to believe that Verstappen won't take sole ownership of the record for most consecutive victories in F1 history at Monza this weekend given his stunning run of form.

Not even two downpours and a red flag could shuffle the pack against the two-time champion at his home race - a race of such jeopardy providing the type of opportunities rivals had been longing for all season.

So Verstappen enters another race week knowing he could become the first driver in history to secure 10 wins in a row, a streak stretching back to the Miami Grand Prix in May.

‘Verstappen history beckons’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-history-beckons-what-to-expect-at-the-italian-grand-prix


Stay at home, Tifosi! 2023 Italian GP Preview – Inside Line F1 Podcast
August 30, 2023
Kunal Shah
Kunal's F1 Blog

The ‘Temple of Speed’ and the ‘Tifosi’ – will this unique love affair and emotion be rewarded with success this weekend at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix? That’s what the tifosi and their beloved Scuderia Ferrari would be hoping for. But given Ferrari’s form, the tifosi might be better off staying at home!

Will Max Verstappen claim the record for 10 successive wins in Formula 1? Or can someone actually halt his race-winning streak? Of course, the ‘curse of Monza’ is yet to be broken. But VER losing due to the Monza curse would be pure cruel!

But which team will be second-fastest at Monza? McLaren and Aston Martin have had a straightline speed deficit. Will their upgrades bring them into play? If Ferrari keep fumbling, is Mercedes the default team to claim P2? Could Williams have an outside chance given their recent recovery?

‘The ‘Temple of Speed’ and the ‘Tifosi’ ’;

https://www.kunalsf1blog.com/stay-at-home-tifosi-2023-italian-gp-preview-inside-line-f1-podcast/


F1 set for first fully dry race weekend in four months
2023 Italian Grand Prix weather
Posted on 31st August 2023, 8:1430th August 2023, 22:15
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Formula 1 is set for its first all-dry weekend of track action since May’s Miami Grand Prix with the trip to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. Each of the last eight rounds have seen at least one session in which the track was wet. The round preceding those was due to be the first of two events in Italy – but the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled due to flooding in and around the Imola circuit.

It will be not only dry but quite warm this weekend at Monza, which is hosting the final round of the season which takes place in Europe. Both practice sessions on Friday will be held in the afternoon, meaning drivers will be facing air temperatures of 24C in first practice and 26C in second practice while the supporting Formula 2 and Formula 3 championships may be on track when it’s just 15C in the morning.

There is no expectation of rain during either of F1’s sessions, although there will be north-blowing winds that could be as strong as 15kph. That means drivers will have a tailwind down the pit straight, but will go up against a headwind on the back straight. It will make the slipstream effect weaker on the run to turn one, but stronger entering Curva Parabolica.

‘Fully dry race weekend’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/31/f1-set-for-first-fully-dry-race-weekend-in-four-months/


Lawson ready to deliver at Monza with full preparation
Thursday 31st August, 2023 - 10:49am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Liam Lawson feels a full weekend of preparation will help him to deliver across the Italian Grand Prix – although is expecting the attention to again rise another level. “In Monza, it’s going to be nice to have the full build-up to the weekend preparation-wise, being able to drive in all the practice sessions,” said Lawson.

“For Zandvoort, I flew in from Japan (following his latest race in Super Formula) on Thursday night after racing there the previous weekend. Obviously, you’re always prepared as much as you can be for these things, but it’s so unlikely that you never really expect it to happen – and then it did!”

“The support from the team was amazing. They did everything possible to prepare me as much as possible in the limited time we had. Even during the race, Pierre (Hamelin, Race Engineer) was super supportive with so much information, basically walking me through it, and that really made my life a lot easier.”

‘Lawson ready to deliver’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/08/31/liam-lawson-alphatauri-italian-gp-preparation/


‘It’s crystal clear’: Ferrari’s brutal admission after Dutch GP howler — but can it turn things around?
August 30th, 2023 5:06 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Ferrari will send off the European campaign of the Formula 1 season in style, unveiling this week a one-off celebratory livery, complete with new overalls and race helmets, for its home Italian Grand Prix.

The success in question being marked is the team’s victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, Ferrari’s first win at the world’s most famous endurance race since 1965. Of course in the F1 world Scuderia Ferrari has little to celebrate.

The 2023 season has been a disappointing one, made only more painful by the fact it started last year, the first under new regulations, not just as a championship contender but at one stage as a comfortable title leader. Its competitiveness tailed off badly though 2022, precipitating the departure of team principal Mattia Binotto and a wide-ranging team reshuffle by the hand of new boss Frédéric Vasseur.

‘It’s crystal clear’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/its-crystal-clear-ferrari-makes-honest-admission-after-dutch-gp-shocker-but-can-it-turn-things-around/news-story/8ffe653c6e7bef4462fc865343947d71


Italy GP boss in a ‘hurry’ for F1 contract talks
08:44 Wed, 30 Aug 2023.
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

Italian GP chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani says he is in a “hurry” to ink a new Formula 1 race deal with Liberty Media. With the highly popular Dutch GP at Zandvoort facing the prospect of having to annually alternate its calendar spot, it is clear that even the historic venue at Monza is in doubt for the future.

“The future is in our hands,” Damiani, president of the Italian automobile club Aci, is quoted by Italy’s Autosprint ahead of this weekend’s F1 race at Monza. We must be all together to guarantee an extension of the contract with Liberty Media that expires in 2025,” he said. “And under conditions that are sustainable. And we must do it quickly.”

It is already well known that F1 and Liberty are demanding key changes at the more than 100-year-old Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. “Monza is 100 years old and we are happy to be able to contribute so that the story continues,” Sticchi Damiani said.

“The future is in our hands”;

https://grandpx.news/italy-gp-boss-in-a-hurry-for-f1-contract-talks/

[Fortitude]

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2023 Italian Grand Prix.
Formula 1 heads straight from Zandvoort to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix this weekend. Ahead of 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.
31 August 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Vital statistics
• First Grand Prix – 1950
• Track Length – 5.793km
• Lap record – 1m 21.046s, Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 2004
• Most pole positions – Lewis Hamilton (7)
• Most wins – Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton (5)
• Trivia – The Italian Grand Prix has featured on the F1 calendar since the inaugural 1950 season, with Monza home to every race apart from 1980, when Imola played host
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 472 metres
• Overtakes completed in 2022 – 91
• Safety Car probability – 50%*
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 38%*
• Pit stop time loss – 23.46 seconds

The driver’s verdict: Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver: Monza is one of a kind on the calendar, yet in many ways is the simplest track. It’s low downforce and all begins with braking into the chicane for Sector 1 and getting your car to stop as nicely as you can for Turn 1 – that’s the key.

Strategy and set-up keys: Bernie Collins, former Aston Martin F1 strategist: Monza requires minimum drag and therefore minimum downforce, meaning we will see some of the highest straight-line speeds of the season. In the past, prior to resource restrictions or the cost cap, most teams would have a specific rear wing for the weekend.

‘NEED TO KNOW’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.need-to-know-the-most-important-facts-stats-and-trivia-ahead-of-the-2023-italian.5s6y4U1AkqQLpX6q4hz6U9.html


The key talking points heading into the Italian Grand Prix
31st August 2023, 12:30
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Max Verstappen eyes another record: Max Verstappen has had an incredible season and is on the verge of another slice of F1 history if he can win this weekend.
Can Williams cause another shock? Williams came back from the summer break in fine form, with them seeing both cars into Q3 for the first time since 2017, with Logan Sargeant making the last part of the session for the first time in his debut F1 year.

Liam Lawson gets a full weekend: Lawson did a solid job last weekend for AlphaTauri as he was thrown into the deep end at Zandvoort with little prep time thanks to Daniel Ricciardo's crash and subsequent injury.
Special liveries: Finally, we're set to see some one-off liveries used this weekend by a couple of the teams. Both Ferrari and Alfa Romeo are on home turf this weekend and have marked the occasion with some eye-catching paint jobs.

‘Key talking points’;

https://www.givemesport.com/the-key-talking-points-heading-into-the-italian-grand-prix/


F1 Form Guide: Italian Grand Prix
31st August 2023, 10:05
Motorsport.com

POLE PERFORMANCE: Although Verstappen has won the last nine races, he has ‘only’ been on pole in six of them! If there is any chance of him being beaten this weekend, then, it is probably on Saturday afternoon.

PODIUM CHALLENGERS: Despite the high likelihood of a Red Bull victory, Monza has seen five different winners in the last five years. Verstappen won last year, but Hamilton won in 2018, Leclerc in 2019, Pierre Gasly in 2020 and Daniel Ricciardo in 2021.

CHANCE CHOICES: Last year saw a higher-than-average four cars retire from the race, with a double failure for Aston Martin. Haas is at 6/1 to be the first team to retire a car this time, with Alpha Tauri next at 32/5 and Alpine at 33/5.

‘F1 Form Guide’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-form-guide-italian-grand-prix/10513432/


Sainz rates Ferrari chances for Monza homecoming
31 August 10:55AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz has insisted he expects Ferrari to improve its form for the Italian Grand Prix based on its Belgian Grand Prix performance. Rating Ferrari's chances at Monza, Sainz told media including RacingNews365.com: "I think we should be back to a decent place.

"I know it sounds positive or optimistic right now, but our performance swings this year are so high that we could also be looking at being back to the second or third fastest car in Monza in front of the Tifosi, especially after such a good result in Spa.”

"I'm more optimistic about that and glad that in a tough weekend [at Zandvoort] we still managed to finish in the top five."

‘Back to a decent place’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-rates-ferrari-chances-for-monza-homecoming


Ferrari at home in Monza, the only Italian race on this year’s F1 calendar
AUGUST 31, 2023 in Motorsport
Racecars

This weekend, the Italian Grand Prix takes place at Monza, the only Italian race on this year’s calendar following the cancellation of the one at Imola, because of flooding in the Emilia-Romagna region back in the Spring. Monza has hosted more world championship Grands Prix than any other track and, as usual, a large crowd of home fans are expected to turn up to support the Scuderia.

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc and the entire team are counting on that support and are hoping to pay them back with a strong showing, getting the most out of the SF-23, which so far this season has proved to be not that easy to drive, even if on some tracks it has been second best behind the team that has dominated the championship so far.

Temple of Speed. Monza is now the only truly high speed circuit on the calendar, known as the “temple of speed” after the likes of Hockenheim, Silverstone and the Osterreichring were modified over the years. It features a mix of fast corners and long straights, with chicanes to slow the place, requiring the drivers to deal with heavy braking.

‘Ferrari at home in Monza’;

https://www.racecar.com/news/99026/motorsport/ferrari-at-home-in-monza-the-only-italian-race-on-this-years-f1-calendar

[Fortitude]

Leclerc provides prediction over Ferrari's Monza chances.
Can Ferrari win its first race of the current season on home soil? Charles Leclerc is confident Ferrari will be more competitive at its home race at Monza after a nightmare weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix.
31 August 5:25PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

“Let’s say it’s not exactly like Spa but the track characteristics are closer to the ones of Spa than Zandvoort and Budapest,” Leclerc told media including RacingNews365.com when assessing Ferrari's chances. “So we should be a bit more competitive here. Whether it will be enough or not to fight for the podium, I don't know. But I really hope so. We'll do everything for it, for sure.”

Ferrari has arrived at Monza with a revised car livery to commemorate its 24 Hours of Le Mans win earlier this year. “I love it, especially the Ferrari old style logo is what I love most,” Leclerc said regarding the new livery. Beautiful, I love it.”

‘Confident Ferrari will be more competitive’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-provides-prediction-over-ferraris-monza-chances


Verstappen rejects Gasly’s claim Italian GP will be ‘trickiest for him to win’
2023 Italian Grand Prix
Posted on 31st August 2023, 17:03
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Max Verstappen has dismissed Pierre Gasly’s claim that Monza will be a more difficult track for Red Bull to win on this weekend. But Verstappen doesn’t see any reason why Monza should present any particular challenges for Red Bull. “People are allowed to wish for these kind of things, but I think it’s going to be a good track for us,” he said.

Verstappen has previously said his car was more competitive on permanent circuits than street tracks. He expects the race after the Italian Grand Prix, on the Marina Bay street course in Singapore, could prove more of a challenge for them.

“For sure, we try to improve everything we can,” he said, “but some things, of course, they might only be fixed for next year. I do think that Singapore probably is a little bit more difficult than Spa or Zandvoort or any of these kind of tracks.”

“People are allowed to wish for these kind of things”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/31/verstappen-rejects-gaslys-claim-italian-gp-will-be-trickiest-for-him-to-win/


Alonso pinpoints Ferrari and Williams as Italian GP podium threat
31st August 2023, 17:31
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Fernando Alonso has pinpointed Ferrari and Williams as Aston Martin’s main threat for a podium place at the Italian Grand Prix.

Alonso predicts that Ferrari’s strong showing at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit prior to the summer break will stand them in good stead to be competitive on home ground, but he has also listed Williams as a credible threat for a top-three finish on Sunday.

The Spaniard believes Williams’ straight-line speed superiority will enable its slippery FW45 package to excel around the low-downforce circuit configuration at Monza.

‘Ferrari and Williams as Aston Martin’s main threat for a podium’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/08/31/alonso-pinpoints-ferrari-and-williams-as-italian-gp-podium-threat/


Norris: McLaren have reviewed mistakes after “stupid” radio remark to engineer
2023 Italian Grand Prix
Posted on 31st August 2023, 15:46
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Lando Norris says McLaren have reviewed their “mistakes” from the Dutch Grand Prix after he was left out on slick tyres on a wet track at the start. As he was overtaken by cars who had pitted, Norris had a tense exchange with his engineer Jose Manuel Lopez. “Rain has stopped, Lando,” Lopez said. “We don’t expect any rain in the next 15 minutes.” “I know,” Norris replied. “I’m saying it’s not going to dry out any time soon, either.”

“Do you need the inters?,” Lopez asked. “If you cannot keep the can on the corners, we will box. If you can keep it on track…” he trailed off as Norris was overtaken through the penultimate corner by Zhou Guanyu, who had stopped at the end of the opening lap for intermediates.

“Box, mate. We’re too slow,” Norris asked. “We are faster than inters cars,” Lopez insisted. “What the f-,” exclaimed Norris. “Are you stupid?,” he said, before diving into the pit lane to fit intermediate tyres.

‘McLaren have reviewed mistakes’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/08/31/norris-mclaren-have-reviewed-mistakes-after-stupid-radio-remark-to-engineer/


PADDOCK INSIDER: Why Mercedes opted to stick with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
31 August 2023
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site17:28

Just a few hours into Italian Grand Prix media day, in rival Ferrari’s backyard, Mercedes dropped the news the Formula 1 paddock has long been expecting – Lewis Hamilton has signed a new deal to race on with the team beyond the end of the season – and that his team mate George Russell would be sticking around too.

Hamilton and Mercedes’ story not yet finished. It's been clear for a long time that Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have unfinished business together in Formula 1, so it was a case of when, not if, they would announce a continuation together beyond the end of this season.

Russell delivers on expectation. Mercedes knew what they were getting when they made Russell a permanent member of the team, following his stunning super sub performance for Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain in 2020 – but he still had to show he had what it takes to deliver consistently. And he’s done just that…

‘Mercedes dropped the news the Formula 1 paddock has long been expecting’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.paddock-insider-why-mercedes-opted-to-stick-with-lewis-hamilton-and-george.7xPJNRVYcp5xQ0kA9JDMoV.html

[Fortitude]

Leclerc expects Monza set-up to lift Ferrari performance.
Charles Leclerc says that on paper, Monza's low-downforce characteristics should suit Ferrari although the Monegasque is unsure if any subsequent lift in performance will be enough for the Scuderia's cars to fight for a podium on Sunday.
31/08/2023 at 18:48
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

"We are lucky enough that driving for Ferrari, we've got support everywhere but obviously when we come to Italy, it's on a different level," said the five-time Grand Prix winner who won at Monza in 2019.

"So a very busy week, but also a very exciting one. I'm sure it motivates the whole team. So I'm really looking forward to going out on track and hopefully have a great result this weekend."

‘Monza set-up to lift Ferrari performance’;

https://f1i.com/news/485384-leclerc-expects-monza-set-up-to-lift-ferrari-performance.html


‘My priority is to win with Ferrari’ – Leclerc speaks out over his F1 future after recent rumours
01 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc has made clear that he “would love” to stay at Ferrari going forward and realise his dream of winning the world championship with the famous Italian marque. Leclerc’s current Ferrari deal expires at the end of next season and his future has come under the spotlight amid the team’s inconsistent 2023 campaign that has yielded just three podium finishes so far.

“I have always loved Ferrari and I would love to stay,” said Leclerc, who was supported by the manufacturer en route to F1. “I’ve always made it very clear that my goal is to try to be a world champion, but firstly with Ferrari.”

“I know how difficult it is. We are not in the easiest situation. There is a big gap to fill to get to Red Bull’s level, but Ferrari has helped me before I got into F1, believed in me and put me into the Ferrari seat very early on, and it’s always a team that I’ve loved.”

‘Love to stay at Ferrari going forward’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.my-priority-is-to-win-with-ferrari-leclerc-speaks-out-over-his-f1-future.3sueNVEp8rJpc6k8jl3Tok.html


Contract talks with Leclerc ‘starting’ now – Vasseur
SEPTEMBER 1, 2023
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news

Talks between Ferrari and Charles Leclerc have now begun. That is the news from the Maranello based team’s new boss Frederic Vasseur, despite him declaring recently that talks will only take place at the end of the season.

Vasseur, however, has now been quoted by La Repubblica newspaper as revealing: “We are starting to discuss the extension of Charles’ contract from 2025. “He is part of the team. We have to give him the best car possible and he has to be the best driver he can be.”

‘Contract talks’;

https://grandpx.news/contract-talks-with-leclerc-starting-now-vasseur/


Sainz: Ferrari car's issues 'intrinsic', can't be solved with upgrades
01/09/2023 at 09:41
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz says the problems impacting Ferrari's SF-23 are "intrinsic" and can only be solved though fundamental design changes and not through development.

"We've done a decent job in terms of development," Sainz told the media on Thursday at Monza. "If you look at the development race this year, we are up there in terms of cars that have developed the most, and it is clear that the biggest jump has been done by McLaren.”

"But apart from them, normally, we've been lacking against Mercedes and Red Bull in development this year and what we haven't managed to do is take away the characteristics that make our car extremely tricky to drive in certain situations. It is an intrinsic problem in the car that you can't take away in development and only take away by design.”

‘Intrinsic problem, can't be solved with upgrades’;

https://f1i.com/news/485459-sainz-ferrari-cars-issues-intrinsic-cant-be-solved-with-upgrades.html


Adam Driver holds back tears as Ferrari receives six-minute standing ovation at Venice Film Festival
1st September, 2023, 04:31
Stewart Perrie
UNILAD

The biopic about the origins of the legendary Ferrari car brand has been given a rockstar reception at the Venice International Film Festival. Adam Driver stars as Enzo Ferrari, the Italian motor racing driver and entrepreneur who founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team. He has completely transformed his appearance for the role to accurately portray the racing legend.

The synopsis is listed as: "Ferrari is set during the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle and danger of 1950’s Formula 1, ex-racer, Enzo Ferrari, is in crisis. "Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife, Laura, built from nothing ten years earlier. Their tempestuous marriage struggles with the mourning for their one son.

"Ferrari struggles with the acknowledgement of another. His drivers' lust to win pushes them out to the edge. He wagers all in a roll of the dice on one race, the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the iconic Mille Miglia." Michael Mann is directing the film and it's based on the 1991 biography Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine. After premiering in Venice, the film got a six-minute standing ovation, according to Variety.

‘Six-minute standing ovation’;

https://www.unilad.com/film-and-tv/news/ferrari-receives-sixminute-standing-ovation-at-venice-film-festival-002344-20230901


Here's What We Learned From The New Ferrari Movie Trailer
1st Sept 2023, 01:07
Henry Kelsall
HotCars

Summary
• The new Ferrari film tells the story of Enzo Ferrari and his company's struggle to overcome a financial crisis in 1957, while also exploring personal tragedies and family drama.

• The film showcases the passion of Ferrari's drivers and highlights the 1-2-3 finish in the 1957 Mille Miglia race, portraying the dangers and intensity of motorsport in the late 1950s.

• Compared to the Lamborghini biopic, the Ferrari film focuses more on personal matters and family dynamics, while also delving into the rivalry between Ferrari and Lamborghini. The movie is set for release in Christmas 2023.

‘The New Ferrari Movie Trailer’;

https://www.hotcars.com/what-we-learned-from-new-ferrari-movie-trailer/


Ferrari at the Venice Film Festival: this old banger splutters along
1st Sept 2023, 09:48
By Jo-Ann Titmarsh
Evening Standard

Mchael Mann careers into the Venice competition with Ferrari, his decades-long passion project about Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), the man behind the distinctive red racing car. Sadly, it’s unlikely this film will see the chequered flag raised come the end of the festival, given how it stalls and splutters along its 130-minute course.

The film focuses on three months in 1957: Enzo is a middle-aged man with a miserable wife, Laura (Penélope Cruz), an uncomplaining lover Lina (Shailene Woodley) and a company on the brink of bankruptcy. He is also father to a dead son with the former (24-year-old Enzo died of muscular dystrophy in 1956) and to an illegitimate boy with the latter. Added to Ferrari’s tribulations is the news that renowned racing driver Jean Behra is in town trying to beat Ferrari’s speed record with Maserati’s new car.

‘This old banger splutters along’;

https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/b1104051.html


F1 Live - Italian GP Free Practice 1 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Sep 1, 2023

F1 Live Italian Grand Prix FP1 Watchalong | Monza F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzw090mbZec

[Fortitude]

Italian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen lands early FP1 blow but all is not lost for Ferrari.
Max Verstappen dealt an early reminder to Ferrari about who’s the driver to beat by setting the fastest lap time in the opening practice session for the Italian Grand Prix, but the Tifosi will take some encouragement as Carlos Sainz was only 0.046s down.
01 Sep 2023 1:33 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Verstappen, who is seeking a record-breaking 10th race win on the trot this weekend, posted a 1:22.657 to grab the Monza weekend’s first P1 with Sainz second ahead of Sergio Perez.

Swapping the sea of orange from Zandvoort for a wave of red at Monza, Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were amongst the first out with the Monégasque driver waving to the fans as he toured the track at the start of his out-lap.

‘All is not lost for Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/italian-grand-prix-2023-fp1-report/


Practice Results – 2023 Italian Grand Prix
1st September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:22.657
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.046
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.177
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.309
5. George Russell Mercedes +0.532
6. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.557
7. Lando Norris McLaren +0.584
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.612
9. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.614
10. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.787

‘Italian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the opening practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Monza’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/practice-results-2023-italian-grand-prix-83082


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Italian Grand Prix
01 September 2023
Becky Hart
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-italy-2023.7dH24EWT3Xe0y7aLJn0mI3.html


F1 Italian Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice: LIVE UPDATES!
1st August 2023, 12:28
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-italian-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-live-updates


Verstappen narrowly leads Sainz on hard tyres in first practice
2023 Italian Grand Prix first practice
Posted on 1st September 2023, 13:38
Written by Will Wood

Max Verstappen used just a single set of hard tyres to set the fastest time during opening practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The championship leader’s best time of a 1’22.657 was 0.046s faster than Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jnr as each of the quickest six drivers used just a single set of tyres each during the opening hour of running.

Verstappen set the early pace with a 1’23.479 on the hard tyres, just three hundredths of a second quicker than team mate Perez. Oscar Piastri put his McLaren to the top of the times on the soft tyres, three-hundredths quicker than the championship leader, before Verstappen improved to post a 1’22.657 on his eighth lap on his hard tyres.

‘Verstappen narrowly leads’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/01/verstappen-narrowly-leads-sainz-on-hard-tyres-in-first-practice/


F1 Live - Italian GP Free Practice 2 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
Sep 1, 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLDGGtFnDKU

[Fortitude]

Italian GP: Sainz leads Norris as Perez crashes in Practice 2.
The Spaniard posted a best time of 1m21.355s on soft tyres to lead his former teammate Lando Norris in a strong second for McLaren. Sergio Perez completed the top three for Red Bull, but the Mexican would crash out in the final 10 minutes to put a dampener on an otherwise promising session.
01 September 2023
Ben Issat
InsideRacing.com

Carlos Sainz sent the Tifosi home happy by going fastest for Ferrari in Practice 2 at the Italian Grand Prix.

Mercedes ran different setups on their two cars as Lewis Hamilton opted for more downforce compared to teammate George Russell. But George's approach worked best as he sat seventh compared to Lewis in ninth, three-tenths behind with both on mediums.

Oscar Piastri backed up McLaren's strong pace in fourth as traffic hampered Max Verstappen's best lap in fifth and Leclerc dropped to sixth. Albon and Alonso slipped to seventh and eighth after completing their soft tyre run early, while Russell could do no better than ninth in the Mercedes.

‘Carlos Sainz sent the Tifosi home happy’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16831-italian-gp-sainz-leads-norris-as-perez-crashes-in-practice-2


(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Italian Grand Prix
1st September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -1:21.355
2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.019
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.185
4. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.190
5. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.276
6. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.361
7. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.624
8. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.716
9. George Russell Mercedes +0.821
10. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.936

‘Italian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from practice two for this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2023-italian-grand-prix-83094


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from second practice for the Italian Grand Prix
01 September 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-italy-2023.O1rUWm7jH9krXZkyYUiK6.html


F1 Italian Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice: As it happened
1st September 2023.
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

The final European race of the 2023 F1 season takes place this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix.

‘Recap the action here with the Crash.net live blog’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-italian-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-it-happened


F1 Live - Italian GP Free Practice 2 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
1st Sept. 2023.
Racing Statistics
F1 Live Italian Grand Prix FP1 Watchalong | Monza F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics.

‘Free Practice 2 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLDGGtFnDKU


Christian Horner's reaction says it all as Sergio Perez crash causes Italian GP red flag
Sergio Perez crashed out of FP2 on Friday afternoon, hitting the barriers with fewer than ten minutes remaining.
16:56, Fri, Sep 1, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The Mexican driver was sitting clear of his Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen in the timing sheets heading into the final ten minutes of the session when he lost control of his career coming out of the final corner.

This is the latest slip-up from Checo, who will be having nightmares thinking back to his practice crash ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix prior to the summer break.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was visibly frustrated by the crash, struggling to contain his disbelief as the marshals red flagged the session with fewer than ten minutes left on the clock.

‘Christian Horner was visibly frustrated by the crash’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1808436/Sergio-Perez-Italian-Grand-Prix-crash-FP2


Red Bull fined after Verstappen mistake in Italian GP practice
01 September 6:14PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Red Bull has been fined €500 after Max Verstappen was caught speeding in the Italian Grand Prix pitlane during second practice. The World Champion was clocked in at 84.8kph (52.6mph) with a limit of 80kph (49.7mph) in force for the weekend at Monza.
As a result, Red Bull picked up the fine that was handed out by the stewards. It was not a smooth session for Verstappen who only managed fifth fastest, having got a lot of traffic on his fastest lap.

‘Max Verstappen was caught speeding’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-fined-after-verstappen-mistake-in-italian-gp-practice


Sainz ends Italian GP Friday on top, Perez spins out
1 Sept. 2023, 17:14
By Ben Anderson
The Race

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz set the fastest time in second practice for the 2023 Italian Grand Prix, as Monza’s typical slipstreaming traffic problems spoiled Max Verstappen’s qualifying simulation.

Key moments:
> Sainz sets the pace for Ferrari
> Two McLarens in top four
> Perez causes red flag with Parabolica off
> No mileage for Stroll

Verstappen was only fifth-fastest for Red Bull, almost three tenths off the pace. He described the middle sector of his best lap as “shocking with the traffic” after encountering a train of slow-moving cars through the Lesmos.

‘Sainz sets the pace for Ferrari’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/sainz-ends-italian-gp-friday-on-top-perez-spins-out/

[Fortitude]

Sainz noticed instant Ferrari improvement at Monza.
The Spaniard ended Friday practice at the top of the timesheets in front of the Tifosi.
01 September 9:20PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz noticed an instant improvement in the Ferrari SF-23 when he took the track for Italian Grand Prix practice. Sainz noticed the change when discussing their form on Friday with F1 TV: "It was a smooth day to be honest, it's great to be back on track like Monza and from the first lap of FP1 you want to feel our car normal again after such a difficult weekend in Zandvoort.

"As soon as we put the car on track here, for some reason, it just adapted a lot better and it was a lot easier to set up and drive. We had a smooth day, doesn't mean that we are going to be P1 [in qualifying] and in the race but at least the feeling is much better."

‘Instant Ferrari improvement at Monza’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-noticed-instant-ferrari-improvement-at-monza


Sainz wasn’t expecting Ferrari’s strong start to Italian GP weekend
The Spaniard is pleased with the turnaround after a tough weekend at Zandvoort
September 1, 2023
By Adriano Boin
Total Motorsport

Carlos Sainz topped the timesheets during FP2 for the 2023 Italian GP, which came as a welcome surprise to the Spaniard. The performance comes after a tough weekend for the Scuderia at Zandvoort. Sainz crossed the line fifth, while teammate Charles Leclerc retired after suffering damage during a first-lap clash.

“It can’t get much better than that,” Sainz told reporters. “It was a smooth day, to be honest. It’s great to be back at a track like Monza and from the first lap of FP1 to feel the car normal again after such a difficult weekend at Zandvoort.

“As soon as we put the car on track here for some reason it just adapted a lot better and it was a lot easier to set up and drive it per corner. It doesn’t mean that we’re going to be P1 tomorrow and in the race, but at least the feeling is much better.”

‘Carlos Sainz topped the timesheets’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/sainz-wasnt-expecting-ferraris-strong-start-to-italian-gp/


Perez encouraged by “best Friday in a while” despite spin into barrier
2023 Italian Grand Prix
Posted on 1st September 2023, 17:391st September 2023, 19:12
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Sergio Perez was upbeat about his performance in practice for the Italian Grand Prix despite spinning into a barrier at the end of Friday’s second session.
He admitted he made a mistake at the final corner, Alboreto, in the final minutes of Friday’s running. “I understeered off on the exit and tried to keep it nailed,” Perez explained. “I thought I had it under control, but then I just touch a little bit the gravel, and that was game over.”

His car spun through the gravel trap and its rear wing made light contact with a barrier. However Perez does not believe it will prove a significant set back for the rest of his race weekend. “It doesn’t look too bad to me, the damage, the hit was fairly small,” he said. “I don’t think we lost anything at the end, I think two laps. So nothing representative in that regard.”

Despite his crash, Perez said he is “definitely” off to a strong start at Monza. “We’ve been working really hard. I think we’ve found some positive steps in the car so hopefully we can show it all tomorrow and on Sunday.”

‘Perez encouraged by “best Friday in a while” ’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/01/perez-encouraged-by-best-friday-in-a-while-despite-spin-into-barrier/


Latest Max Verstappen tiff with race engineer plays out during Monza practice
01 Sep 2023 5:45 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen and his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase were at it again during FP2 ahead of the Italian Grand Prix as Verstappen pushed for a second qualifying simulation. Verstappen though, having been unable to set a representative time on his qualifying simulation, was keen to take matters into his own hands and stay out to get a better “read” of the situation.

Understandably, that did not sit too well with ‘GP’ as Verstappen attempted to stray from the run plan, leading into the following radio conversation:
Verstappen: “We’re not going to try again? Because I had a s*** read.”
GP: “It’s not qualifying, Max.”
Verstappen: “Yeah I know, but I want to have a proper read.”

After the session this debate sparked back into life when Lambiase, with a strong hint of sarcasm, asked Verstappen: “Did you learn anything?” With Verstappen replying: “No, not really”, the response of “well done” came from his race engineer.

‘Latest Max Verstappen tiff with race engineer’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/latest-max-verstappen-tiff-race-engineer-monza/


Norris: McLaren ‘not as good’ as Italian GP practice times suggest
19:06 Fri, 01 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Lando Norris insists McLaren’s pace is “not as good as it looks” at Monza after he managed the second-fastest time in FP2 at the Italian Grand Prix.

When asked how his MCL60 felt across the opening day, Norris admitted: “To begin the day, not so good. Really the only run we looked competitive was the final run, which makes us look very good, but I would say we’re not as good as what it looks.”

“I think with the other tyres, with the medium and the hard, we struggle quite a bit more… and also on the race runs we struggle quite a bit more than we do on the one-lap Soft, it’s a C5 so it’s obviously a Soft tyre, provides a lot of grip for one lap, which is always a good thing for us, we always need that little extra thing that brings the balance closer towards us, it gives us what we almost wish we have from the car itself.”

“Not as good as it looks”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/01/norris-mclaren-not-as-good-as-italian-gp-practice-times-suggest/


Mercedes bemoan 'messy' Italian GP Friday
01 September 7:20PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Mercedes has bemoaned a "messy" Friday practice for the Italian Grand Prix after struggling to get on top of car setup amid the various red flags.

Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin believes there is still more work to be done to catch Ferrari and Red Bull and explained: "It's been a messy day, partly with red flags but also because we've not got the car in a good place at the moment.”

"That means we have a bit of work to do overnight to get the setup in the right place for the rest of the weekend. Single lap and long run both need work if we want to be competitive. There's not much else to say; we just need to get on with the job of sorting the car out."

'Messy Italian GP Friday’;

https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-bemoan-messy-italian-gp-friday


Lewis Hamilton spared awkward reunion at Italian GP as FIA 'phone ex-F1 star to ban him'
Lewis Hamilton will be hoping to bounce back to form at the Italian Grand Prix.
By Charlie Parker-Turner
10:54, Sat, Sep 2, 2023

Lewis Hamilton will be spared of an awkward reunion with former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix as it has been revealed that the Brazilian has been told not to attend the race. Massa has taken the first steps towards fighting for the 2008 championship, which he still believes was not secured in ‘fair’ fashion.

His spokesperson told Motorsport.com: “Massa had already bought a flight ticket and received a call from the high ranking of Formula 1 on Monday, asking him not to go to Monza.”

‘FIA 'phone ex-F1 star to ban him'

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1808636/Lewis-Hamilton-Felipe-Massa-Italian-Grand-Prix-F1-news


F1 Live - Italian GP Free Practice 3 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
2nd Sept. 2023.
Racing Statistics

‘Free Practice 3 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIb4T8kTg_A

[Fortitude]

Sainz edges out Verstappen again in Italian GP final practice.
Carlos Sainz returned to the top of the timing charts for the second session in a row in the final practice runs ahead of qualifying for the Italian GP. September 2, 2023
By Matt Neill

Sainz was faster than Max Verstappen in second practice on Friday, albeit after the Dutchman was impeded during some of his flying laps, and there is a quiet confidence in the Scuderia that their low-downforce setup could be competitive at Monza.

The Spaniard was 0.086s ahead of the Dutchman, with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton in third half a second back, just ahead of the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. Fernando Alonso was fifth for Aston Martin, ahead of George Russell and the Haas pair of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.

Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was forced to retire in the closing stages of the session before he got a chance to do a final flying lap, with a leak in the power unit emerging as the team prepped the car for the last runs on track.

‘Sainz edges out Verstappen again’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/sainz-edges-out-verstappen-again-in-italian-gp-final-practice/


Sainz puts Ferrari on top ahead of qualifying but warned over Piastri clash
2023 Italian Grand Prix third practice
Posted on 2nd September 2023, 12:49
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

2023 Italian Grand Prix third practice result
Position Number Driver Team Model Time Gap Laps
1 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Ferrari SF-23 1’20.912 22
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull-Honda RBPT RB19 1’20.998 0.086 23
3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes W14 1’21.453 0.541 22
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari SF-23 1’21.486 0.574 22
5 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR23 1’21.711 0.799 24
6 63 George Russell Mercedes W14 1’21.730 0.818 24
7 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas-Ferrari VF-23 1’21.884 0.972 21
8 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas-Ferrari VF-23 1’21.985 1.073 27
9 23 Alexander Albon Williams-Mercedes FW45 1’22.054 1.142 17
10 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull-Honda RBPT RB19 1’22.192 1.280 16

‘Sainz puts Ferrari on top ahead of qualifying’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/02/sainz-puts-ferrari-on-top-ahead-of-qualifying-but-warned-over-piastri-clash/


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from third practice for the Italian Grand Prix
02 September 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-italy-2023.1uzymjrdCLa6eFtlVp6DCw.html


F1 Italian Grand Prix 2023 - Final Practice: LIVE UPDATES
2nd Sept. 2023, 11:51
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

It's qualifying day at the Italian Grand Prix, with Ferrari looking like their in the hunt for pole position. Follow all the action from Monza here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘LIVE UPDATES’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-italian-grand-prix-2023-final-practice-live-updates


F1 Live - Italian GP Free Practice 3 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
2nd Sept. 2023.
Racing Statistics

‘Free Practice 3 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIb4T8kTg_A


Ferrari on top again in final Italian GP practice
Sep 2 2023
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Carlos Sainz continued his and Ferrari’s strong single-lap form during Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix weekend by topping final practice.

Key moments:
> Sainz outpaces Verstappen
> Hamilton best of the rest
> Albon ninth on hard tyre

Sainz led Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen by just under a tenth in a session that featured a fairly wide variety of runplans, likely as a result of the Alternative Tyre Allocation trial – which will mean teams run different compounds in different qualifying segments later today.

‘Ferrari on top again’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferrari-on-top-again-in-final-italian-gp-practice/

[Fortitude]

F1: Carlos Sainz sends Tifosi wild after securing pole for Italian GP.
Carlos Sainz sent the Tifosi into rapture at Monza as he took pole position ahead of Max Verstappen by 0.013s, and Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc by 0.067s, in what was a thrilling qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix.
2nd September 2023, 16:23
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Q3: Verstappen dipped a wheel into the gravel on his first run which naturally cost him time, leaving Ferrari to give their fans a huge boost of optimism as Sainz and Leclerc went fastest of all before the second, and all important, set of flying laps.

To the delight of the many Ferrari fans packing the stands, Sainz would keep P1 with a brilliant final lap to see off the hard-charging Verstappen, whilst the other Scuderia driver of Leclerc will line up in P3 tomorrow.
Ferrari fans can enjoy their Saturday night here in Italy, then, but know that keeping Verstappen at bay over a full race distance is another question altogether, with Max on the hunt for a record 10th straight win in F1.

‘Tifosi into rapture’;

https://www.givemesport.com/carlos-sainz-sends-tifosi-wild-after-securing-pole-for-italian-gp/


Qualifying Results – 2023 Italian Grand Prix
2nd September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy15:30

Q3
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -1:20.294
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.013
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.067
4. George Russell Mercedes +0.377
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.394
6. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.466
7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.491
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.526
9. Lando Norris McLaren +0.685
10. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.123

‘Italian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-italian-grand-prix-83112


Live coverage: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix
2nd September 2023, 14:45
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-italy-2023.7Ia3iNHo8WbdpYBMq1K9Fw.html


F1 Italian Grand Prix 2023 - Qualifying: LIVE UPDATES
2nd Sept. 2023, 12:52
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-italian-grand-prix-2023-qualifying-live-updates


Sainz takes dramatic Italian GP pole in tight qualifying battle.
Carlos Sainz sent the legions of Tifosi at Monza into raptures after the Spaniard beat out Max Verstappen to pole position for the Italian GP by just 0.013 seconds.
September 2, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Sainz had similarly edged out the Dutchman to top spot in both FP2 and FP3, and he was able to continue that form in qualifying to take a dramatic pole position, with Ferrari his teammate Charles Leclerc just 0.067 seconds behind the polesitter.

While Verstappen will remain the favourite to repeat his dominant form of the season during the race, the result marks a boon for the Scuderia after a difficult few races where they have been surpassed by McLaren and others. Behind Leclerc, George Russell secured fourth for Mercedes after a challenging build up for the Brackley outfit, ahead of the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez.

Alex Albon showed that his pace in the Williams is still there, particularly on the low-downforce setup around Monza, qualifying in sixth, knocking Oscar Piastri back to seventh. Lewis Hamilton was eighth for Mercedes after a nervy Q2, ahead of the second McLaren of Lando Norris, with Fernando Alonso rounding out the top 10 for Aston Martin.

‘Pole position for the Italian GP by just 0.013 seconds’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-sainz-dramatic-italian-gp-pole-tight-qualifying-battle/


Sainz edges Verstappen to pole at Monza in front of Tifosi
2nd September 2023, 16:17
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Carlos Sainz edged Max Verstappen to pole for the Italian Grand Prix, much to the delight of the onlooking Tifosi.
Charles Leclerc will line up in third as Ferrari look to utilise the home advantage to disrupt Verstappen’s dominant streak.
Qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix played host to the second trial of Pirelli’s Alternative Tyre Allocation which mandates the use of the Hard tyre in Q1, Mediums for Q2 before those challenging for pole would switch to the Soft compound for Q3.

‘Sainz edges Verstappen to pole’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/02/sainz-edges-verstappen-to-pole-at-monza-in-front-of-tifosi/

[Fortitude]

What’s at stake for Ferrari on Verstappen’s big day.
“We’re just going to try and make their life as complicated as possible and try to take the win.” One-three on the grid, both Ferrari drivers have made their intentions for the Italian Grand Prix.
3rd Sept. 2023, 09:01
The Race

Ferrari topping qualifying at Monza is exciting. But as Alonso said on Saturday: “The race is tomorrow. We saw Ferrari many times on pole on Saturday, and not so happy on Sundays – especially last year, they were on pole like 60% of the time [Ferrari were on pole for 55% of grands prix last year], and Max won all the races.

“Let’s wait and see. Obviously for our constructor championship points it’s not good if Ferrari scores many this weekend, but it seems like they will. We have to accept that, get better ourselves and let’s see.”

Does Alonso really believe there is a serious chance of Ferrari cashing in on this big opportunity? Probably. Starting first and third, with Alonso the best of the Aston Martins in 10th, is a terrible position to be in and does come with a real threat of a significant points swing in the fight for third in the championship.

‘Make their life as complicated as possible’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/whats-at-stake-for-ferrari-on-verstappens-big-day/


Leclerc believes Ferrari can BEAT Verstappen after claiming shock Monza pole
Sunday 3 September 2023 07:27
Jay Winter
GPFans

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc is holding onto a strong belief that his team can triumph over Red Bull's Max Verstappen at the Italian Grand Prix, despite the predictive data suggesting otherwise.

The Ferraris are split by the Dutch world championship leader after Carlos Sainz secured pole position with an impressive time of 1:20.294. Max Verstappen was hot on his heels with a time of 1:20.307, while Leclerc clinched the third spot on the grid with a time of 1:20.361.

Despite Ferrari's metrics pointing towards yet another Verstappen win, Leclerc has a gut feeling that they will stop the two-time world champion from breaking the record of most consecutive Grand Prix wins. "I want to believe we can beat Max tomorrow," he told Sky Italia.

‘Charles Leclerc is holding onto a strong belief’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003065/charles-leclerc-ferrari-max-verstappen-red-bull-carlos-sainz-italian-grand-prix/


Winners and Losers from 2023 F1 Italian Grand Prix qualifying
02 September 11:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Winner - Carlos Sainz: This pole position for Sainz should come as no surprise.
Loser - Lance Stroll: In mitigation, Lance Stroll did not turn a flying lap at Monza until Saturday morning owing to him giving up the Aston Martin to Felipe Drugovich for FP1 and then a fuel system issue putting him out early in FP2.

Winner - Alexander Albon: 12 months on from having his Monza hopes dashed by his appendix ruining things, Alexander Albon has returned and means business.
Loser - Logan Sargeant: On the flip side, there is Logan Sargeant who could only manage 15th, and slowest in Q2.

Winner - Liam Lawson: This is the first real weekend of which Liam Lawson can be judged owing to the unusual and chaotic circumstances of his debut at Zandvoort.
Loser – Alpine: For Alpine at the moment, it feels like one step is made forwards, and two are taken back.

‘Winners and Losers’;

https://racingnews365.com/winners-and-losers-from-2023-f1-italian-grand-prix-qualifying


Hamilton issues X-RATED verdict after Italian Grand Prix qualifying performance
Sunday 3 September 2023 09:27
Sam Cook
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton has given a scathing review of his performance in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, labelling it as 's***'. The seven-time world champion only managed to put his Mercedes in eighth, whilst his team-mate George Russell finds himself starting up in fourth after pulling together a great lap at the end of Q3.

And the Briton did not hold back after the session. "S***," he bluntly told Viaplay when asked for his thoughts on qualifying. "It was terrible, it was a bad session. but you know, sometimes that happens. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn't," he added.

"I was struggling absolutely every lap, there wasn't one lap that felt good for me, just struggled to get out of Q1, nearly didn't make it, and then struggled to get into Q3, so balance issues. Struggling with the car. It's not a strong circuit for me in general, but George did a great job today."

‘X-RATED verdict’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003057/lewis-hamilton-f1-italian-grand-prix-monza-mercedes-qualifying/


Max Verstappen bites back at 'jealous' Lewis Hamilton in spat before Italian GP
Max Verstappen has bitten back at Lewis Hamilton’s comments – calling the Brit ‘jealous’ before the Italian GP as old rivalries threaten to be renewed
06:30, 3 SEP 2023
BY CAMERON WINSTANLEY
Daily Star

Hamilton suggested that Verstappen’s achievements are nothing special, claiming that the Red Bull champion has had an easier ride. Hamilton said: "I'm no more impressed than when Michael [Schumacher] was leading, when Sebastian [Vettel] was leading when Kimi [Raikkonen] was driving, when Fernando [Alonso] was winning – it's just the same," the seven-time world champion said when asked about Verstappen's accomplishments.

"In my personal opinion, all my team-mates have been stronger than the team-mates Max has had – Jenson , Fernando, George [Russell], Valtteri , Nico [Rosberg]. I've had so many. These guys have all been very, very strong, very consistent – and Max has not raced against anyone like that."

Verstappen was asked on his reaction to Hamilton’s war of words in Monza ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix. He said: "Maybe he's a little jealous of my current success. This kind of statement... he possibly thinks he's winning something with that, but it makes no difference to me. I think Mercedes have a very hard time dealing with losing, after all these years of winning so much.”

‘Hamilton suggested that Verstappen’s achievements are nothing special’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/verstappen-calls-hamilton-jealous-spat-30850644


[B]Technical: Ferrari drivers set to race with fresh engines in Monza
02 Sep 2023, 22:00
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

There is a host of drivers to race with fresh power unit elements at Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, including pole sitter Carlos Sainz and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc. F1Technical's senior writer Balázs Szabó reports from the Monza paddock.

With Monza being one of the most demanding circuits in terms of the power unit, teams usually install fresh power unit elements at the Italian Grand Prix. In truth, Spa also used to serve as a venue for fresh engines when the Belgian Grand Prix preceded the Monza round in the past.

A total of six drivers have received fresh internal combustion engines for the Monza race, including the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, the AlphaTauri driver pair of Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, Mercedes racer George Russell and Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas. These six drivers have also received a new motor genetor unit – kinetic.

‘Ferrari drivers set to race with fresh engines’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24181


[B]F1 Live - Italian GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Sep 3, 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Italian GP Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XljFYXAkbFw

[Fortitude]

Verstappen scores perfect ten out of ten with Italy GP win.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen has become the first driver in F1 history to score ten back-to-back victories in a season, dashing Ferrari hopes with another peerless performance in the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
03/09/2023 at 15:46
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Pole sitter Carlos Sainz battled valiantly to stay in front but ultimately gave way on lap 15, and subsequently also lost out to Sergio Perez who made it a Red Bull 1-2.

But Sainz did manage to hold on to third under intense pressure from his team mate Charles Leclerc. making for a thrilling no-holds-barred battle between the Ferrari pair in the closing laps.

‘First driver in F1 history to score ten back-to-back victories’;

https://f1i.com/news/485863-verstappen-scores-perfect-ten-out-of-ten-with-italy-gp-win.html


Race Results – 2023 Italian Grand Prix
3rd September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -51 laps
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +6.802
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +11.082
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +11.508
5. George Russell Mercedes +23.028 *
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +42.679 *
7. Alex Albon Williams Racing +45.106
8. Lando Norris McLaren +45.449
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +46.294
10. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +64.056

‘Italian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-italian-grand-prix-83132


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the 2023 Italian Grand Prix
03 September 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-pirelli-gran-premio-d-italia-2023.TVZD3aQzEho8dvg2ZgYro.html


https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-pirelli-gran-premio-d-italia-2023.TVZD3aQzEho8dvg2ZgYro.html


F1 Italian Grand Prix 2023 LIVE UPDATES!
3rd Sept. 2023, 13:17
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Follow all the F1 action from the Italian Grand Prix here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-italian-grand-prix-2023-live-updates


F1 Live - Italian GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
3rd Sept. 2023.
Racing Statistics

‘Italian GP Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XljFYXAkbFw


Sergio Perez in fighting talk to Max Verstappen after impressive Italian GP drive
Sergio Perez put in an impressive showing at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.
15:55, Sun, Sep 3, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Sergio Perez has come out fighting after the Italian Grand Prix, claiming that fans will see his best form of the season in the final eight races of the campaign. The Mexican driver endured a typically difficult qualifying session on Saturday afternoon, slotting into the starting grid behind his team-mate, both Ferrari drivers and Mercedes' George Russell.

As Max Verstappen battled Carlos Sainz for the lead of the race, Checo was forced to stare at the rear wing of Russell's Mercedes as the Guadalajara-born driver attempted all sorts of moves into the Variante del Rettifilo to get past and into P4.

When asked by Nico Rosberg whether he can close up to Verstappen before the end of the season off the back of this performance, Checo replied: "Yeah, I think we've done a lot of progress. On the setup side, I am feeling a lot more comfortable in the car. So I do expect that we will see the best form in the next leg [of] races."

‘Sergio Perez put in an impressive showing at the Italian Grand Prix’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1808914/Sergio-Perez-Max-Verstappen-Italian-Grand-Prix

[Fortitude]

Verstappen gets his mighty 10 as Ferrari defence collapses at home: Italian GP talking points.
We got a great last-gasp duel between Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz for second place, after which the Ferrari drivers engaged in a private edge-of-your-set battle for a final spot on the podium.
Verstappen wins historic 10th Grand Prix | 01:20
September 4th, 2023 9:14 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

There would be no Ferrari fairytale at Monza this year, but the race wasn’t much poorer for it. A great race doesn’t need to have lots of overtaking, only lots of battling, and Monza had that in spades. But, as always, there’s an asterisk. The race was thrilling if you forget that Max Verstappen waltzed to victory. For 15 short laps it appeared as though the title leader might actually have been out of answers to break though pole-getter Sainz’s defences.

It took only one mistake from the Spaniard for Verstappen to barge through and establish an unassailable lead, grabbing a slice of history with it. This season will be remembered for Verstappen’s ruthless domination, but races like the Italian Grand Prix remind us that actually the racing has been pretty good all year, so long as you start counting from second place.

We’re officially in uncharted territory. No driver has ever enjoyed as long a dominant streak as Verstappen, whose 10 victories on the bounce take him past Sebastian Vettel’s nine in succession in 2013. Red Bull Racing also becomes the first team to win 15 grands prix consecutively, eclipsing Ferrari’s 14 set in 1952–53 — though, again, this record excludes the Indianapolis 500, and it also predates the constructors championship.

‘We’re officially in uncharted territory’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/verstappen-gets-his-mighty-10-as-ferrari-defence-collapses-at-home-italian-gp-talking-points/news-story/927a00ecc6317514d1695ebc9b1080ac


Verstappen had to ‘nurse little issue’ in closing stages of Italian GP
17:12 Sun, 03 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Max Verstappen reveals that he had to “nurse a little issue” during the closing stages of his run to victory at the Italian Grand Prix.

Despite saying “everything felt good” for the majority of the race, the Dutchman admits he “had to nurse a little issue at the end. But we had, luckily, of course, a gap behind so I could easily back off,” Verstappen added.

‘Nurse little issue’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/03/verstappen-had-to-nurse-little-issue-in-closing-stages-of-italian-gp/



Christian Horner reveals sudden cause which forced Verstappen into ‘drastic slow down’
03 Sep 2023 6:50 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Christian Horner has revealed what was going on to cause the Red Bull pitwall to tell Max Verstappen to slow down in the final laps at Monza. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hinted that temperatures on the RB19 were getting uncomfortably high.

“We were just managing some temperature issues,” he confirmed. “We just didn’t want to take any risks on a stinking hot day. We had a couple of temperatures that were…they were under control.”

“But there were a bunch of cars ahead of Gasly and we just didn’t want to run in dirty air. So that’s why we took it a little bit easy in the last few laps.”

‘Drastic slow down’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-max-verstappen-issue-italian-gp/


What a Surprise: Max Verstappen Wins Another F1 Grand Prix!
Published: 3 Sep 2023, 17:48 UTC
By: Dragos Chitulescu
autoevolution

The Italian Grand Prix is done and dusted! Carlos Sainz gave the Tifosi some hope on Saturday, but that didn't guarantee a victory for him on Sunday. And once again, Red Bull Racing has had its eyes on the prize, with Max Verstappen breaking yet another Formula One record.

Winning the Italian Grand Prix would have boosted confidence and morale for Scuderia Ferrari team members and fans alike. Several years have passed since Charles Leclerc achieved that performance for the Italian Squad, but this time, everyone was watching for Carlos Sainz.

And in typical Verstappen fashion, nothing else could stop him from winning the race at the end of the day. It is his tenth consecutive victory this season, so he has broken yet another F1 record. Sergio Perez finished P2, just six seconds behind Max. Carlos Sainz scored a bittersweet result for Ferrari, taking P3: his first podium since the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. He had an epic duel with Charles Leclerc towards the end of the race, and it's worth watching the replay to see it.

‘And in typical Verstappen fashion’;

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/what-a-surprise-max-verstappen-wins-another-f1-grand-prix-220510.html


Analysis: Why Ferrari didn’t go aggressive on strategy in their fight with Red Bull
2023 Italian Grand Prix
Posted on 3rd September 2023, 21:433rd September 2023, 21:48
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Once Carlos Sainz Jnr lost the lead on the 15th lap of the Italian Grand Prix, it was always unlikely Ferrari were going to be able to get it back. There was one strategic option available to them once Max Verstappen found his way into the lead: Respond by pitting Sainz immediately. Then, depending on Red Bull’s next move, Ferrari had the luxury of covering him off with either of their cars.

But they chose not to go down that route. Team principal Frederic Vasseur said they couldn’t risk bringing him in so early, despite its length being cut to 51 laps due to the delayed start. “We were all a bit worried with the the life of the hard [tyre],” said Vasseur. “We were a bit blind because we didn’t do a long stint before [in practice].”

“It was also a risk to stop very early. We were all at the limit. I think Max the last couple of laps had some issue with the front-left also and we had not so much margin.”

‘Why Ferrari didn’t go aggressive on strategy’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/03/analysis-why-ferrari-didnt-go-aggressive-on-strategy-in-their-fight-with-red-bull/


Horner: Red Bull never imagined leaving European season undefeated
Red Bull made it 14 wins from 14 races at Monza, and its significance wasn't lost on Christian Horner.
September 3, 2023
By Adriano Boin
Total Motorsport

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says his team’s undefeated run so far in 2023 is something he could have never imagined. The team made it 14 wins from as many races so far this season as Max Verstappen took the chequered flag from teammate Sergio Perez at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix.

“It’s an amazing result,” Horner told reporters, including Total-Motorsport, after Sunday’s race. “Ferrari getting pole position yesterday, you could see what it meant to the Tifosi. Certainly last night outside my hotel, I was in the same hotel as the Ferrari drivers, it was around 1 a.m. that they finally quieted down.”

“We knew we had a quick car. Ferrari were very fast on the straights today and Max could see they were a littler harder on the rear tyres, and that was part of our strategy in terms of the setup that we adopted knowing that the temperatures were going to be a little bit higher today. Carlos defended very hard and robustly which you would in a Ferrari around Monza, but finally Max was able to get that pass done and Checo as well, first passing George [Russell], then Charles [Leclerc] and then Carlos.”

‘Red Bull never imagined leaving European season undefeated’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/horner-red-bull-never-imagined-european-season-undefeated-f1/

[Fortitude]

Wolff: Verstappen wins record just 'for Wikipedia'.
Toto Wolff feels Max Verstappen's 10 straight Formula 1 wins is "just for Wikipedia" and doubts if the Red Bull driver even cares about the record.
04 September 12:05PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Victory in the Italian Grand Prix gave Verstappen double figures in terms of successive wins, the first driver to ever reach that mark in Grand Prix racing, surpassing Sebastian Vettel's tally of nine. Verstappen has won 12 of the 14 races in 2023 and is set to wrap up a third title in the coming races, but Mercedes boss Wolff was rather non-plussed about the record.

"Our situation was a little bit different because we had two guys fighting against each other within the team," Wolff told Sky Sports F1. "I don’t know if he cares about the records. It is not something that would be important for me, those numbers, are for Wikipedia and nobody reads that anyway."

"[The records] were irrelevant in our good days at Mercedes, I don't know how many races we won in a row (10 between Monaco-Singapore 2016). "I didn't even know that there was a count on how many you win, therefore asking me to comment on some achievement is difficult because it has never played a role in my whole life.”

"Just for Wikipedia";

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-verstappen-wins-record-just-for-wikipedia


Damon Hill unimpressed by Toto Wolff’s dismissal of Max Verstappen’s record win
4 September 2023 at 11:16 am
Philip Duncan, PA F1 Correspondent
Yahoo! Sport

Damon Hill has described Toto Wolff’s dismissal of Max Verstappen’s record winning streak as “churlish” and “ungracious”. Moments after Verstappen drove into the record books, Mercedes team principal Wolff called the Dutchman’s unprecedented run of victories “completely irrelevant”. He added that the record was only “for Wikipedia, and nobody reads that anyway”.

Responding to Wolff’s unflattering appraisal, 1996 world champion Hill said: “It sounded a bit churlish and not very gracious. “It’s unlike Toto because he’s usually very sporting. But he is hurting a bit now. They know what it is like to be dominant and they didn’t even get on the podium in Monza.”

“They seem to be a bit stymied and can’t seem to work out what to do. But who can? It seems like everywhere we go, Red Bull has got the upper hand.”

‘Damon Hill unimpressed’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/damon-hill-unimpressed-toto-wolff-101644942.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHxi8fbdwHmsdKgOHjzCB-aMmWNxSOejp2xYiCz4Yjty0rL2jvXQ5Rv_26gNl-6jEucEefsEEFh7IIIdz4_K6yM4Ul5CQk9ogxt43AySoaLrgouZ pP1NVA-GnSeXwvq3WGIRKY0wQYaMPQaesD2zeKs77txCmo9jhkZZZpEFb sHE


Toto Wolff steps in as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's F1 feud turns ugly
F1 stars Hamilton and Verstappen renewed their war of words at the Italian Grand Prix, after the Mercedes racer downplayed the achievements of his Red Bull rival
12:29, 4 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Toto Wolff stepped in to defuse the situation after Lewis Hamilton sparked a fresh row with Max Verstappen. The two Formula 1 rivals took shots at one another over the course of the Italian Grand Prix weekend. It began when Hamilton downplayed Verstappen's dominance of the sport and claimed the Dutchman's Red Bull team-mates have not been of the same standard.

"I'm no more impressed than when Michael [Schumacher] was leading, when Sebastian [Vettel] was leading when Kimi [Raikkonen] was driving, when Fernando [Alonso] was winning – it's just the same," the seven-time world champion said. He then added: "In my personal opinion, all my team-mates have been stronger than the team-mates Max has had – Jenson , Fernando, George [Russell], Valtteri , Nico [Rosberg]. I've had so many. These guys have all been very, very strong, very consistent – and Max has not raced against anyone like that."

Mercedes chief Wolff attempted to cool tensions between the drivers. Speaking to reporters after the Monza race, the Austrian dismissed the spat as little more than two rivals "poking fun" at each other. "First of all, it's obvious that the drivers like to poke each other a bit," he said. But Wolff did go on to suggest that he agreed with Hamilton's claim that he has faced sterner tests from his team-mates over the course of his F1 career.” Wolff added: "You can say that Lewis has raced three world champions. He raced Jenson, he raced Fernando and he raced Nico. But I don't want to in any way diminish anybody's performance because Max in the car is outstanding. So, it's just part of the fun."

‘Rivals "poking fun" at each other’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-verstappen-feud-monza-wolff-30858108


[B]Hamilton takes SWIPE at Verstappen with pointed F1 team-mate jibe
Saturday 2 September 2023 19:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans

Lewis Hamilton has given his honest opinion on Max Verstappen's team-mates, suggesting that no one has genuinely posed a significant challenge to the Dutch driver. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff also expressed his confusion about Perez’s inability to compete with Verstappen despite being in the same car.

“We have seen it all these years, Checo is a Grand Prix winner - a multiple Grand Prix winner, so I cannot comprehend,” Wolff told the media. “We’ve seen that Max has destroyed every single team-mate that was with him. Whether it is his ability to create a car around himself that is just very tricky to control, but fast when you can (control it), and that creates those gaps."

However, Verstappen responded strongly to Wolff’s comments claiming they were 'bull**** comments'. “It’s not like that, I just drive the car the fastest way possible," Verstappen said. "I’m not there to tell the guys 'give me more because that’s how I like it,” Verstappen said. “I just say to design me the fastest car and I’ll drive around that because every single year, every car drives a little bit differently.”

‘Toto Wolff also expressed his confusion’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1002936/lewis-hamilton-f1-max-verstappen-teammates-sergio-perez-mercedes-red-bull/


[B]Max Verstappen mocks "jealous" Lewis Hamilton as F1 rivals clash at Italian Grand Prix
Verstappen has responded after Hamilton claimed the Red Bull racer's team-mates over the years were much easier to beat than the ones he has faced as a Mercedes driver
19:13, 2 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Those words were posed to Verstappen as he spoke to reporters in Monza. In response, Verstappen bristled as he took aim at both Hamilton and his Mercedes team, and retorted: "Maybe he's a little jealous of my current success. "This kind of statement... he possibly thinks he's winning something with that, but it makes no difference to me. I think Mercedes have a very hard time dealing with losing, after all these years of winning so much.”

"At some point, you have to be realistic and then you have to be able to appreciate what other teams are doing. We did the same when they were dominant and we also said, 'We have to work harder because we are not good enough'. You can keep shouting and screaming that what we do is not that special... you just have to deal with yourself."

Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle was also surprised by Hamilton's words, but thinks he knows what the Brit was hoping to achieve. He said: "That's Lewis' opinion and he very firmly put it out there. He's not going to give Max an ounce of oxygen, or anything, to pick him up. I'm surprised just how hard he was. Of course, Lewis has had strong team-mates but I wouldn't write off the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez, who Max has had alongside him. They are world-class racing drivers. Lewis just doesn't want to give anything away, does he?"

“Makes no difference to me”;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-verstappen-teammates-jealous-monza-30849688

[Fortitude]

Perez amazed by 'INSANE' moment in charge to Monza podium.
Sergio Perez has admitted that he couldn't believe how hard he had to work to overtake the two Ferraris in the Italian GP.
Sunday 3 September 2023 17:27
Joe Ellis
GPFans

It took Perez several laps to find a way past both of the Prancing Horses and he couldn't shake them off as the race neared its conclusion. “I think it was basically the maximum we could have achieved today," Perez told Nico Rosberg after the race. "It was so difficult to overtake. A lot harder than we really thought. I think we were lacking some straight-line speed.”

"To get through Charles and then to get through Carlos, it was pretty insane, because I had to use a lot my tyres. I really thought, especially in the beginning, I couldn’t get close to Charles because we were stuck in the DRS.”

"I had to put the pressure on Charles, and he got the DRS from Carlos and then it was also a lot of fighting with him. In the end, we managed to get both of them."

‘Couldn't believe how hard he had to work’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003123/sergio-perez-red-bull-f1-italian-grand-prix-insane-moment/


‘The passes were on the limit but fair’ – Perez on his fight through the field to the podium at Monza
03 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez had to battle his way up from fifth on the grid to finish P2 at Monza – though he said overtaking was “super hard” in the race, because the DRS was much less effective at this track.

‘The passes were on the limit but fair’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.the-passes-were-on-the-limit-but-fair-perez-on-his-fight-through-the-field-to-the-podium-at-monza.1776033493280467376.html


Perez reflects on 'pretty insane' drive to podium
03 September 5:35PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Perez believes there was an important factor impacting his progression: "It was so difficult to overtake, we were lacking straight-line speed. I was close at the Parabolica but it was not enough," he said. "I was most of the time 0.3s I knew 0.2 would give me a chance, but 0.3 I will not even get close. So to get through Charles [Leclerc] and Carlos [Sainz], it was pretty insane because I had to use my tyres a lot."

After running wide at Turn 1 multiple times trying to get past Sainz, the Red Bull driver eventually managed to secure second. "I had to put the pressure on Charles and keep out of the DRS from Carlos, then it was a lot of fighting with him and we managed to get both of them," he said.

"I think we've done a lot of progress on the setup side," explained Perez. "I'm feeling a lot more comfortable in the car, so I do expect that will see the best form in the next races. I think we've done a lot of progress on the setup side," explained Perez. "I'm feeling a lot more comfortable in the car, so I do expect that will see the best form in the next races."

‘Perez reflects’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-reflects-on-pretty-insane-drive-to-podium


[B]Perez celebrates Monza podium after 'pretty insane' battle
03/09/2023 at 18:59
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

"It was so difficult to overtake," he reflected when interviewed in parc ferme after the end of the race. "We were lacking straight-line speed. I was close at the Parabolica, but it was not enough. The Ferraris were very fast on the straights so it was hard to make my way through the field. We had some tough racing, but I fought really hard to overtake and gave it my all and it paid off.”

"Carlos and Charles defended like their lives depended on it, which meant we had to work that extra bit harder," he added. “This was a very special victory, but we had to do it the hard way." Perez said that he had been working hard on optimising the set-up for this week's race after missing out last weekend in Zandvoort where he slipped off the podium in the final laps and ended up P4.

“We didn’t get to show it yesterday, but it’s been a strong weekend in terms of performance. I feel like my form is fully back and I hope we can have a very strong end to the season.”

‘Perez celebrates Monza podium’;

https://f1i.com/news/485942-perez-celebrates-monza-podium-after-pretty-insane-battle.html


Perez felt ‘lucky' to avoid damage during Leclerc battle
04 September 1:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

The Red Bull driver spent much of the first half of the race in the mirrors of George Russell, unable to get close enough to pull off a move as the Mercedes defended hard. "First [I had to] get through George, which wasn't very easy," Perez told media including RacingNews365.

"I had to take the escape road into Turn 2 a few times. Once I managed to clear him, the team told me to box but at the same lap. Carlos [Sainz] boxed, so I decided to stay out, thinking that we could extend a little bit more, to build a little bit more of a tyre delta. But then we were at risk of undercut to George and we ended up behind the Ferraris."

"Once Charles had the DRS from Carlos, it was very hard to put him under pressure," Perez reflected. He lost the DRS from Carlos and that really made my race. When I was able to pass I had some contact, I think into Turn 4, I had no space, and we ended up touching. Luckily there was no damage for any of us."

‘Perez felt ‘lucky' to avoid damage’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-felt-lucky-to-avoid-damage-during-leclerc-battle


[B]Perez ‘more comfortable’ with Red Bull F1 car after ‘progress on set-up side’
13:54 Mon, 04 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sergio Perez says he is “more comfortable” with Red Bull’s 2023 Formula 1 car after making recent “progress on the set-up side”.

The Mexican revelled in his “best Friday in a while” at the Italian Grand Prix, but a spin late in FP2 and a subsequent oil leak on Saturday morning, necessitating a switch to an older power unit within his allocation, saw Perez only qualify fifth for Sunday’s race.

However, he was able to overtake George Russell and the two Ferraris to follow team-mate Max Verstappen home, handing Red Bull its first-ever 1-2 finish at Monza.

‘Perez ‘more comfortable’ with Red Bull F1 car’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/04/perez-more-comfortable-with-red-bull-f1-car-after-progress-on-set-up-side/


Perez satisfied with podium after 'terrible' weekend
05 September 7:30AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The Mexican was satisfied with a clean weekend, after a difficult race in Zandvoort in which a late race penalty demoted him to fourth.

"Very pleased – but we had a terrible Saturday in terms of the issues we had in FP3 with the car that really put us back in qualifying," Perez told media, including RacingNews365 of his weekend. "I think we could have had a better starting position, which definitely will have put us a lot closer in the fight for victory.”

"But certainly, we made a lot of progress, which is a positive thing. I think we've done very well [with the set-up direction], and some work with the suspension [helped.] [After that I was] able to feel quite a lot more comfortable."

‘Perez satisfied’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-satisfied-with-podium-after-terrible-weekend

[Fortitude]

How Ferrari's 'different animal' nearly upset Red Bull record.
Ferrari came away from Monza with its best result of 2023 so far, but it was very nearly an iconic upset in front of the adoring Tifosi crowd.
05 September 2:15PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

If you were not paying attention for the last 14 races, the Italian Grand Prix confirmed it: Perfection and luck will be needed to beat Max Verstappen in 2023.

Ferrari nearly provided a much-needed upset to Red Bull's win streak, but even the 'Monza curse' could not strike against one of the most dominant driver and car combinations of all time in Formula 1.

Verstappen and the RB19 leave the European part of this season undefeated, but it was very nearly a different outcome at Ferrari's home race.

'Different animal';

https://racingnews365.com/how-ferraris-different-animal-nearly-upset-red-bull-record


F1: Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz share thoughts on exciting Monza battle
The Tifosi were not left disappointed after the Italian Grand Prix after an exciting battle between the Ferrari drivers
Published 5th Sep 2023, 11:26 BST
By Rebecca Braybrook
Lancashire Evening Post

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have praised each other after putting on an exciting fight during the Italian Grand Prix. The Ferrari drivers left Formula 1 fans on the edge of their seats after “tough, hard racing” as the pair competed for third place.

Sainz, 29, took third place having started on pole, with Leclerc, 25, close behind him, taking fourth place. Although the Tifosi were dreaming of a Monza victory, it seemed impossible against the current, heavily dominant Red Bulls.

Fans were relieved to see both cars came out of the race unharmed after a few close calls. Sainz told Ferrari: “It was a great weekend all along and to be able to celebrate a podium with the tifosi is the perfect icing on the cake! I really want to thank every single one of them for their endless support. They are very special.”

‘Exciting Monza battle’;

https://www.lep.co.uk/read-this/ferrari-drivers-discuss-monza-battle-4280888


Ferrari's Italian GP boost: A one-off Monza special or genuine F1 progress?
5th Sept. 2024, 11:30
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

There is no denying that Ferrari pulled out all the stops for Monza. While Red Bull steered clear of introducing a brand-new wing package for the ultra low-downforce track and opted for just a trimmed-out upper flap, Ferrari ran a bespoke Monza wing with a much flatter mainplane than teams would ordinarily choose with the current generation of cars.

It also elected to introduce brand-new power units for the weekend, knowing full well that fresh engines always deliver a bit more oomph. There were even whispers in the paddock that Ferrari had done the equivalent of turning them up to 11 in a bid to squeeze every last bit of horsepower out of them, but this was something Vasseur denied.

"We didn't take more risks than Zandvoort," he said. The end result was Ferrari's most competitive outing of the year, as the squad maximised the opportunity thrown at it that the SF-23 seems to be much more competitive at the lower downforce venues.

‘One-off Monza special or genuine F1 progress?’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferraris-italian-gp-boost-a-one-off-monza-special-or-genuine-f1-progress/10516455/


Carlos Sainz’s father critical of Ferrari’s ‘curious’ F1 team orders stance at Italian GP
5 Sep 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Carlos Sainz Sr has hit out at Ferrari’s “curious” decision not to call off the late fight between his son and Charles Leclerc at the F1 Italian Grand Prix. Having lost out to both Red Bulls despite a valiant defence, early race leader Sainz Jr found himself engaged in a thrilling duel with Ferrari teammate Leclerc to determine who would take the final spot on the famous Monza podium.

The pair almost took each other out on several occasions but Ferrari opted against intervening in their fierce battle, with Sainz just able to hold on to third place ahead of Leclerc. And Sainz’s father thought the decision not to use team orders was odd.

“It’s curious,” Sainz Sr told DAZN on Sunday. “Sometimes they decide some things, sometimes others. It is he who has to ask and understand the strategies, why sometimes they can attack each other and other times not.”

‘Curious F1 team orders’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1035159/1/sainz-s-father-critical-ferrari-s-curious-team-orders-stance


Sainz's regret over lost Italian GP victory dream
05 September 9:50AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz admits that he thought he could win the Italian Grand Prix after holding onto the lead in the early stages. When asked if he thought he could win the race at any stage during the first stint, Sainz told media including RacingNews365: “Yeah, halfway through it.”

“I felt like I had it fairly under control but then around lap 10 to 12, I started filling the rear left tyre giving up a lot earlier than I would have expected. At that point, I realised I had used my tyres too much probably to keep Max behind, I had worn that rear-left tyre too much and that I was going to suffer a lot for the rest of the race because it was going to probably make me box early into a hard tyre.”

‘Sainz's regret’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-was-confident-of-italian-gp-before-verstappen-overtake


What will change after Ferrari’s brilliant ‘no risk’ near-disaster
5th Sept 2023, 07:58
By Edd Straw
The Race

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur’s style when he faces the media after each Formula 1 grand prix will be very familiar to anyone who has ever watched a television interview or FIA press conference feed.

He undercuts serious questions with a joke, blocks potentially controversial ones with a straight bat and does everything he can to avoid feeding the storm clouds that regularly gather around Maranello.

The opening question was, inevitably, about the decision not to order them to hold positions. His counter was that had he ordered them to hold position, there would have been questions about that approach and while he admitted that facing the possibility of something going wrong was “not very comfortable” he was right to trust the drivers.

‘Ferrari’s brilliant ‘no risk’ near-disaster’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-will-change-after-ferraris-brilliant-no-risk-near-disaster/


Vasseur names SURPRISE issue as biggest challenge of being Ferrari boss
Tuesday 5 September 2023 00:57
Dan McCarthy
GPFans

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur has admitted that recruiting staff and dealing with turnover is the biggest challenge of leading the team. Speaking to F1's Beyond The Grid podcast, the Frenchman was outlining the biggest challenges of being in charge of such a team and gave a fairly surprising answer, citing staff recruitment and retention.

"To not shop is to go backwards," he admitted. "This is the life of every single company in the world, that you have a turnover. We are losing perhaps 90 people a year because they want to stop Formula 1, because they are going to pension, or because they want to go to another team for family reasons.

"To stay at the same level, you need to recruit 90 people a year. This is probably the biggest challenge because we need to recruit as soon as possible."

‘Vasseur names SURPRISE issue’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003102/ferrari-f1-fred-vasseur-biggest-challenge-recruitment/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes “not in the fight”at F1 Italian Grand Prix - “body language speaks one thousand words”.
Toto Wolff’s “body language” suggested frustration within the Mercedes camp after the F1 Italian Grand Prix, said Naomi Schiff.
3 Sep 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Mercedes saw both drivers hit with separate five-second time penalties, with George Russell finishing fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth. A seemingly irritable team principal Toto Wolff claimed it was “maximum” his team could extract from a Monza track which doesn’t suit the W14’s characteristics.

“Body language speaks one thousand words,” Sky TV analyst Schiff said about Wolff. “Sometimes they don’t tell us the full picture and we have to read between what we see on track, and what they tell us. You can really tell in his demeanour that it’s not the result they wanted.”

“The penalties didn’t help but they weren’t in the fight anyway, today. The good thing for them, though, is that consistently they’re more often there than some of the teams around them. So it might be a track-specific thing.”

“Body language speaks one thousand words”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1035084/1/mercedes-not-fight-body-language-speaks-one-thousand-words


Toto Wolff fires Lewis Hamilton and George Russell warning in Italian Grand Prix verdict
Russell dropped one place from his starting spot to finish fifth, while Hamilton was one place behind and avoided losing more places after picking up a time penalty
17:34, 3 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer

Toto Wolff felt his Mercedes team did all it could in the Italian Grand Prix – but made it clear he will never be satisfied with two non-podium finishes. George Russell finished one place ahead of Lewis Hamilton, fifth on the road. The latter held on to sixth despite picking up a time penalty for a collision with Oscar Piastri, while Russell was also penalised for an earlier incident.

Both built a gap big enough to not lose a place to Alex Albon when those penalties were taken into account. And it meant a solid haul of points for Mercedes despite losing out to both Red Bull and Ferrari cars. Team principal Wolff's body language said more than his words after the race – he was clearly dejected after a race in which his team fought hard for only a small reward.

‘Clearly dejected’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-russell-italian-gp-result-30853905


Lewis Hamilton receives further punishment after Italian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton has been served another slice of misery after his Italian Grand Prix incident.
08:13, Mon, Sep 4, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has been handed two penalty points on his license for his involvement in the crash between his Mercedes and McLaren’s star rookie Oscar Piastri at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.

There was no bad blood between Hamilton and Piastri after the race, in line with the Brit’s comments. The seven-time world champion was caught on camera approaching the young Aussie in his cockpit with the cars back in parc ferme, apologising for his role in the crash.

Piastri also had his say on the incident after the race, explaining to Sky Sports F1: "The incident with Lewis, he probably just creeped over a bit more than he thought. The stewards gave out their verdict and he has apologised so there is nothing more I can ask for or do at that point.”

‘Further punishment’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1809031/Lewis-Hamilton-penalty-Italian-Grand-Prix


George Russell has "accepted" Mercedes' poor F1 pace – Lewis Hamilton should do the same
Russell has out-qualified Mercedes team-mate Hamilton at both the Dutch and Italian Grands Prix since the F1 summer break, and finished ahead of the seven-time world champion in the Monza race
10:06, 4 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

The Italian Grand Prix produced another confusing result for Mercedes. Fifth and sixth, as team principal Toto Wolff said after the race, is not something this team wants to get used to celebrating. In reality, though, it was the best they were going to get in any scenario which saw all the Red Bull and Ferrari cars finish.

George Russell finished one place ahead of Lewis Hamilton. It has been a fine start to the second half of the season for the younger Brit, after admitting he was not happy with his form prior to the summer break. "I'm really pleased with my own personal performance for these first two races," he said at Monza. Russell also declared that he is "back to my level" having "lost my way" before shutdown.

Explaining how, he added: "[I've] slightly gone back to basics and not tried to reinvent the wheel with set-ups and just accepting the pace of the car. P4 was the maximum potential [in qualifying]. But if I went in trying to do a lap for pole, trying to find three extra tenths, I'd have ended up in the gravel because three tenths extra is just not possible."

‘Gone back to basics’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/russell-hamilton-mercedes-result-monza-30856709


Sky F1 pundits agree on Lewis Hamilton after being upstaged by George Russell
Russell got the better of more experience team-mate Hamilton in their first season together, though so far in 2023 it's the seven-time world champion leading the Mercedes charge
06:00, 4 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer

Naomi Schiff and Martin Brundle agreed as they theorised why Lewis Hamilton was beaten by George Russell in their first season as team-mates.

Russell joined Mercedes at the start of last season, his arrival coinciding with the team's dip in fortunes. While the Silver Arrows were not in the title fight due to their car's lack of competitiveness, the signing from Williams at least managed to impress with his consistency throughout the season.

He beat Hamilton by 35 points in the end – an eye-catching number for the seven-time world champion to lose by. So far in 2023, though, he has got the better of that intra-team battle with his fellow Brit.

‘Upstaged by George Russell’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-russell-h2h-mercedes-results-30854661


Lewis Hamilton faces NEVER winning another F1 world title because he 'has serious problems' and 'no longer has the hunger', says Sir Jackie Stewart
• Lewis Hamilton is tied with Ferrari icon Michael Schumacher on seven titles
• The Brit has not had the car to challenge for the title since missing out in 2021
• Jackie Stewart believes the Mercedes star 'no longer has the hunger'
Updated: 15:31, 5 September 2023
By Kieran Lynch For Mailonline
Mail Online

Formula One legend Jackie Stewart has sensationally claimed that Lewis Hamilton 'no longer has the hunger' and might never win an eighth drivers' title. He told the German publication in an interview: 'First of all, Lewis is one of the best to ever drive in Formula 1. But the truth is that in the last decade he competed with Mercedes for a team that was virtually out of competition.

'During this time, Lewis only had one real competitor: his respective teammate. Except for 2016, he always emerged victorious from the duel. And then he lost to Nico Rosberg. With respect: a good driver, but not the most talented in the world. But Rosberg was hungry and had the absolute will to become world champion. Lewis no longer has that hunger. Because of that – and because the car is no longer quite as powerful – he has serious problems.”

Stewart, 84, went on to add that Hamilton's hopes of winning the title rely on Mercedes, though he doesn't expect him to move out on his own ahead of Schumacher. He said: 'That (eighth title) also depends on Mercedes. It's not impossible, but I still don't think he'll be able to do it. And I don't think - despite the rumors about Ferrari - that he will change teams again.'

‘Lewis Hamilton faces NEVER winning another F1 world title’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12482839/Lewis-Hamilton-faces-NEVER-winning-F1-world-title-problems-no-longer-hunger-says-Sir-Jackie-Stewart.html


Examined: Has Lewis Hamilton really had tougher team-mates than Max Verstappen?
05 Sep 2023 9:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton sent tongues wagging when he suggested all of his team-mates have been better than Max Verstappen’s, but how true is that bold claim? While it is hard to rank different drivers in different cars and in different eras, the easiest way to do it is to sort them into tiers so to kick things off, we are taking a look at the men Hamilton has shared the garage with… …then those of Max Verstappen.

So to judge Hamilton’s statement on merit you would have to say that he is correct, his team-mates have been objectively better but he has had two seasons where the team has come close to collapsing due to that rivalry. Meanwhile, you may struggle more to find a team-mate who has a bad word to say about Verstappen.

‘Examined’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/examined-lewis-hamilton-tougher-team-mates-max-verstappen/

[Fortitude]

McLaren boss’s scathing clash response is very important.
He could have chosen the ‘all’s well that ends well’ approach and shrugged it off, but instead chose to draw a clear line in the sand: “This is not acceptable”.
6th September 2023, 07:19
By Edd Straw
The Race

There was an easy escape route for McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella when asked about the Italian Grand Prix clash between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, but it says much about his leadership style that he chose not to take it.

When team-mates clash, there’s inevitably a scramble to apportion blame and demands for action to be taken. Different teams deal with this in different ways, and must do given the dynamic between team-mates varies and a good team boss will understand there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, for example, was phlegmatic about the risky dice between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz because “at the end, both drivers finished the race”. But while that approach was entirely appropriate for his and the team’s situation that day at Monza, it would have been a risky approach for Stella and McLaren.

“This is not acceptable”;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-mclaren-bosss-scathing-clash-response-is-so-important/


Furious McLaren chief to hold Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri talks after Italian GP clash
19:35, 3 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Andrea Stella fumed at drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for their "unacceptable" conduct during the Italian Grand Prix. "There should never ever be contact between two McLaren cars", said the Italian after his home race. "There was contact, which doesn't fit the way we go racing at McLaren. What is important is to have clear parameters as to what you deem acceptable and what you deem unacceptable.”

"It's not an emotion thing, it's just like you do with other things. You deal with racing in a similar way. This is very clear that for any driver, there's something bigger than them. It's the team."

Hinting that he will hold talks with both drivers, he added: "I need to review. Like all things, we will do it calmly. There's nothing that we need to do urgently. We will take the adjustments that we need. It's always a little tricky when you leave the pits, especially on hard tyres.”

‘Furious McLaren Chief’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/norris-piastri-monza-crash-stella-30854513


McLaren drivers address in-race contact after Monza near-miss
03 Sep 2023 10:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have played down the contact they made during the Italian Grand Prix, with the pair having almost come to blows at Monza. Once Piastri pitted, he emerged level with Norris on track and under braking for the Rettifilo Chicance, Piastri locked up and tagged wheels with Norris.

Norris eventually claimed the position from his rookie team-mate, but he was happy to look past the incident as no major damage occurred between the two of them. “So he just had a bit of understeer, I left enough of a gap, I think, but it’s impossible to see,” Norris told media including PlanetF1.com after the race.

As for Piastri, he was on the wrong side of the incident having lost out to Norris with an undercut, and he expects talks to take place within McLaren to establish what happened between the two and how it can be avoided in future. “Yeah, I mean, obviously not ideal,” Piastri said. “Fortunate to have both fine after that. Yeah, of course, the intention is never to get that.”

‘McLaren drivers address in-race contact’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-drivers-address-monza-contact/


[B]McLaren: ‘Unacceptable’ drivers put themselves before the team
09:39 Mon, 04 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has branded the clash between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Italian Grand Prix as “unacceptable”, stating the pair placed themselves above the team.

Stella has addressed that the team will need to review the coming together before taking action, citing that Piastri was possibly caught by being on colder Hard tyres. “I need to review. Like all things, we will do it calmly. There’s nothing that we need to do urgently. We will take the adjustments that we need,” he explained.

“It’s always a little tricky when you leave the pits, especially on hard tyres. It could be that certainly Oscar was trying to see where he could place himself so that he could keep the position. But on colder tyres, this could be slightly more difficult than he might have anticipated. We could absolutely conclude that this is just a little misjudgement.”

“I need to review. Like all things, we will do it calmly”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/04/mclaren-unacceptable-drivers-put-themselves-before-the-team/


McLaren warns Norris, Piastri over ‘unacceptable’ contact
04 September 2:35PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has warned his drivers over their racing conduct going forward after they made contact at the Italian Grand Prix. "There should never, ever be contact between two McLaren cars," Stella told media including RacingNews365.

"There was contact which doesn't fit the way we go racing at McLaren. You just review things like you do with anything that is technical, operational or racing. What is important is to have a clear perimeter as to what you deem acceptable and what you deem unacceptable.”

‘Unacceptable’ contact’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-warns-norris-piastri-over-unacceptable-contact


McLaren predicted to become ‘turbulent’ with Lando Norris’ ‘annoyed’ messages
05 Sep 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Timo Glock is “curious” to see how the McLaren rivalry plays out as Oscar Piastri begins to put more pressure on Lando Norris.

ntroducing an upgraded MCL60 at the Austrian Grand Prix, Norris and Piastri surged forward into the podium battle with Norris second at Silverstone, and again in Hungary, while Piastri’s Sundays were undone by strategy.

In Hungary, the rookie was undone by an undercut from his teammate with Nico Rosberg calling it “unfair”. That there was more of the same at Monza could add to growing tension.

‘Turbulent’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-predicted-to-become-turbulent/


Ex-F1 driver pinpoints the clue that Aussie rookie Oscar Piastri is making teammate Lando Norris 'feel the heat' at McLaren
• Ex F1 star says Norris is feeling heat from Piastri
• Says Norris is 'digging deep' to beat teammate
• Piastri was scolded for contact with Norris
By James Cooney For Daily Mail Australia
Updated: 08:31, 5 September 2023
Mail Online

A former F1 driver believes that Lando Norris is starting to really 'feel the heat' from rookie McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri after just half a season racing together. Former F1 driver Joylon Palmer believes the rebuke from the team boss is a sign the relationship between the drivers is changing at McLaren. 'Norris is definitely feeling the heat from a really good rookie this year,' Palmer told the BBC.

'Piastri was at fault for their small touch but they got away with it and, thankfully for McLaren, they didn't have damage – unlike the Piastri/Hamilton touch which was what ended Piastri's chances of points today.”

'So they got away with it from a team point of view and I think Norris is feeling some heat from Piastri, who's doing a really good job, but I still think Lando has got the upper hand at McLaren.”

‘Lando Norris 'feel the heat' at McLaren’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12481355/Oscar-Piastri-Lando-Norris-McLaren-F1.html

[Fortitude]

Brundle fires back at Wolff for 'Wikipedia' jibe.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff reacted to Verstappen's record by claiming it was "just for Wikipedia" and doubted whether he cared about such a record.
06 September 5:00AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Writing on his Sky Sports F1 column, Brundle feels they should be applauded for their efforts. "What an achievement to faultlessly keep up that level of performance and reliability on many different track layouts and in varying weather conditions, up against mighty opposition," he wrote.

"Congratulations to each and every one of them. If a tennis player or football or rugby team for example was so utterly complete and dominant, they would rightly be globally lauded at the highest level. As should this pairing be. Sport can and should be tribal, but you must surely also appreciate a level of excellence in others.”

"So I was a little surprised and disappointed that Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff played down this achievement over the weekend, because they rightly received their due reverence and appreciation during their years of total domination from 2014 to 2020.”

‘Should be applauded for their efforts’;

https://racingnews365.com/brundle-fires-back-at-wolff-for-wikipedia-jibe


Nico Rosberg calls Toto Wolff out for 'ungracious' answer to Red Bull question.
"I think Toto was just a bit down there and that made his answer a bit darker and not quite as gracious. Not quite as gracious as perhaps he would normally be, because I think the right answer would have been hats off and respect to Red Bull for their achievements." Nico Rosberg
13:45, Wed, Sep 6, 2023
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Nico Rosberg has accused Toto Wolff of disrespecting Max Verstappen after the Mercedes boss claimed that only Wikipedia readers will care about the Dutchman's latest record. Wolff was left reeling last weekend as Verstappen cruised to another simple victory at the Italian Grand Prix, a result which etched his name into the F1 history books.

Rosberg told the Sky Sports F1 Podcast: "I think Toto got in a moment where he was not too happy about his own race team’s performance on the weekend, because of course where they finished. Fifth and sixth, miles behind Ferrari and Red Bull, is not really the goal.”

'Ungracious answer to Red Bull question’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1809994/Nico-Rosberg-Toto-Wolff-Red-Bull-F1-news


Nico Rosberg responds to Toto Wolff’s Red Bull ‘Wikipedia’ comments
05 Sep 2023 7:15 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Nico Rosberg has refuted Toto Wolff’s idea that only Wikipedia readers care about records in light of Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s success. Wolff came off rather bitter in the aftermath of Verstappen securing a record 10th consecutive victory, describing such stats as only interesting to Wikipedia.

But his former driver Rosberg has disagreed suggesting Wolff was “in a moment” and revealed everyone cares about records. As to Wolff’s claim that only Wikipedia readers care about breaking records, Rosberg did not agree with that assessment.

“We all care about records, of course,” said Rosberg. “And we think a lot about records. So even Max who always says ‘no, I don’t care about 10 races.’ What does he do when he gets out of the car? He puts both of his hands up and points to the world that that’s 10 in a row.”

‘“We all care about records, of course,” said Rosberg’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-rosberg-toto-wolff-red-bull-wikipedia/


Damon Hill Slams Toto Wolff’s ‘Wikipedia’ Remark on Verstappen’s F1 Feat
September 4, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

The 1996 World Champion Hill has criticised Toto Wolff for downplaying Max Verstappen’s record-breaking 10 consecutive F1 wins, calling it a “Wikipedia” stat. Wolff’s comments, seen as dismissive, sparked debate amid recognition issues for Verstappen’s achievements, as Mercedes struggles in the 2023 season.

Damon on Sky Sports stated: “It sounded a bit churlish and not very gracious, and unlike Toto, because he’s usually very sporting. I think he’s hurting a bit now,” Hill continued. “They know what it’s like to be dominated and they didn’t even get on the podium.”

“They seem to be a bit stymied and can’t seem to work out what to do, but who can? Ferrari did a great job in Monza – it suited their car, I think – but it seems like everywhere we go, the Red Bull has got the upper hand and we’ve just got to sit and watch this unfold.”

‘Toto Wolff’s ‘Wikipedia’ Remark’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/damon-hill-slams-toto-wolffs-wikipedia-remark-on-verstappens-f1-feat/


Red Bull label Mercedes boss 'SALTY' after Verstappen comments
Wednesday 6 September 2023 09:57
Jay Winter
GPFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff's recent dismissal of Max Verstappen's record-breaking ten consecutive Formula 1 Grand Prix wins has sparked some playful banter in the paddock.

Wolff downplayed the achievement, deeming such statistics as 'unimportant' and suggesting that no one pays attention to them, quipping, "It is for Wikipedia, and nobody reads that anyway."

Red Bull mechanic, Calum Nicolas, took to Twitter to respond to Wolff's comments, labelling the Mercedes boss 'salty'.
So much salt �� https://t.co/zaj66fqvjV
— Calum Nicholas (@F1mech) September 3, 2023

'SALTY';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003195/red-bull-max-verstappen-10-mercedes-toto-wolff-f1/


Helmut Marko fires back at Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff: They are not a serious opponent
07 Sep 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

As Mercedes continue to dismiss Max Verstappen’s epic run, Helmut Marko has fired back saying Red Bull aren’t bothered by what they say as they’re “not a serious opponent”.

But rather than become frustrated by Mercedes’ apparent lack of respect, the team called out on by Martin Brundle and Damon Hill, Marko has fired back saying they’re opinions aren’t something Red Bull bother themselves with.

“This is exactly the difference,” he said as per Motorsport.com. “We look at our own team and try to perform as well as possible. “We are not involved with Mercedes as long as they are not a serious opponent. We look at ourselves, we do our best and we don’t create stories for nothing like they do.”

“They are not a serious opponent”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut-marko-fires-back-mercedes-are-not-serious-opponent/

[Fortitude]

Alexander Albon: “That was probably my toughest but my most proud race I’ve done”.
Alexander Albon says he was very proud of his performance during the Italian Grand Prix as he secured a seventh-place finish at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, his second top ten finish in just seven days.
September 6, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

The Williams Racing driver started sixth on the grid and put in a superb defensive drive throughout, only losing out on his starting position by Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team’s Lewis Hamilton, who was running a different strategy.

He was able to withstand almost race long pressure from McLaren F1 Team’s Lando Norris, who Albon joked would not have liked staring at the back of the FW45 for as long as he did. He knew early on it would be a tough race to manage his tyres, but he was able to do so to equal his best result of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season.

“That was probably my toughest but my most proud race I’ve done, so I’m very happy,” said Albon. “I’m sure Lando didn’t enjoy that one too much, but I did!”

‘Toughest but my most proud race I’ve done’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/09/alexander-albon-that-was-probably-my-toughest-but-my-most-proud-race-ive-done/


EXCLUSIVE: Albon reveals SECRET to his incredible defensive performances
Tuesday 5 September 2023 21:57
Jim Kimberley
GPFans

Vowles' Albon targets : James Vowles believes Alexander Albon should be "aiming for winning races" in Formula 1 as he continues to impress for Williams. "He should be aiming for winning races and being on the podium," Vowles told media including RacingNews365 of Albon.

"He has the potential and he frankly deserves to be in that position. But more so that's a journey he's happy to do with Williams, whilst we're on the pathway towards it at the same time. That's the perfect summary of that situation. He's a racing driver coming to the peak of his career, he should absolutely be focused on doing the best he can with his God-given ability, while it still exists.”

"His lifecycle [as a driver], I mean if you look at [42-year-old] Fernando [Alonso] it's [15] years that he has in front of him. He has a good amount of time in front of him now. But I'd be disappointed if any team-mate joined me and said: ‘All I'm interested in doing is scoring the odd point'.”

‘SECRET to his incredible defensive performances’;

https://racingnews365.com/albon-set-lofty-targets-by-williams-boss-vowles


ALBON: ‘I’M SUPER HAPPY’, AS HE REFLECTS ON A MIGHTY P7 RESULT AT MONZA
The British-Thai driver came across the line to finish in P7 at the Italian Grand Prix
September 5, 2023
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds

Heading into Round 15 of the season at Monza, Williams and Albon in particular, were coming off some great results. The Grove team have made some important strides since the Canadian Grand Prix and were looking to keep up their points scoring form in Italy.

In Qualifying, Albon impressed once again as he continues to exceed expectations. The British-Thai driver would start the race from sixth on the grid. For a majority of the Italian Grand Prix, Albon was enjoying a very comfortable race, which did not see too much overtaking in it. However, after pitting for hard tyres earlier than some of the drivers around him, he found himself with a lot of defending to do in the later stages.

In the final 13 laps of the race, Albon managed to keep Lando Norris at bay after an intense battle to take P7 at the Checkered flag. Despite his best efforts to maintain his position in P6, Lewis Hamilton who was on fresher medium tyres would get ahead of the Williams man in the end.

‘I’M SUPER HAPPY’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/albon-im-super-happy-as-he-reflects-on-a-mighty-p7-result-at-monza/


James Vowles promises ‘big names from big teams’ as Williams recruitment drive continues
06 Sep 2023 3:45 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

James Vowles has teased the announcement of “big names from big teams” as Williams continue to bolster their ranks. With Fry on board in both the chief technical officer role and the technical director one for the time being, Vowles is continuing his mission to raise Williams from also-rans to back where they once operated.

To do that, he has identified a number of other staff he wants on board and has revealed some have already joined the project. “For the remainder of the team, we’ve started to bulk out,” he told The Mirror. “We haven’t made it all public but there are some good hires coming in.”

“It will take time, as always in Formula 1, but across the next 12 months we’ll see some big names from big teams all coming across. That’s what makes me excited. The direction of travel to where we are today is before we’ve even bulked the team out in the way that I’d like to.”

“Big names from big teams”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-vowles-williams-recruitment/


Williams’ Dave Robson: “We came to Monza thinking that we could score points on merit”
September 6, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Dave Robson admitted that the Williams Racing team came to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza believing they could score points, and they were able to achieve that thanks to the excellent drive put in by Alexander Albon.

Robson, the Head of Vehicle Performance at Williams, admitted that the hot conditions at Monza were not helpful for the team, but to put in such a strong performance despite this and the high degradation to the tyres was good news for everyone within the Grove-based team.

“We came to Monza thinking that we could score points on merit and we achieved that today,” said Robson. “The hot conditions were not ideal for us, but we know that this is an area that we need to work on, and we are working hard to improve the situation.”

‘Scoring points on merit’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/09/williams-dave-robson-we-came-to-monza-thinking-that-we-could-score-points-on-merit/

[Fortitude]

Alonso glad to finish 'most difficult race of the year' at Monza.
The Aston Martin driver only managed a best position of ninth, a far cry from their usual podium success. Fernando Alonso was glad to finish the Italian Grand Prix after branding it one of the 'most difficult races' of the year for Aston Martin.
03 September 10:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

The Spaniard claimed that it was a difficult race when speaking to media including RacingNews365: "It was a very demanding race; mentally and physically to drive the car with very low grip which made it very tricky to drive," he said.

"So for me, it was one of the most difficult races of the year and it's the worst result. It's going to be an anonymous race, nobody will remember this but I will do in my head because it has been a tough one."

'EL PLAN: Most difficult race of the year';

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-glad-to-finish-most-difficult-race-of-the-year-at-monza


P9 at Monza ‘what we deserved today’ – Alonso
03 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin “were only good for ninth” in the Italian Grand Prix and will be looking at why they didn’t have any more pace on race day.

“EL PLAN: Were only good for ninth”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.p9-at-monza-what-we-deserved-today-alonso.1776030809974586428.html


Alonso reveals why he will 'REMEMBER' torrid Italian Grand Prix
Monday 4 September 2023 14:27
Jay Winter
GPFans

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso has described the Italian Grand Prix as 'one of the most difficult races' for him this season, highlighting the intense mental and physical demands he faced at the 'Temple of Speed' in Monza.

Speaking to the media after the race, the 42-year-old, reflected on the 'demanding' Grand Prix. "It was a very demanding race; mentally and physically to drive the car with very low grip which made it very tricky to drive," he said.

"So for me, it was one of the most difficult races of the year and it's the worst result. It's going to be an anonymous race, nobody will remember this but I will do in my head because it has been a tough one."

' EL PLAN: One of the most difficult races';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003188/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-f1-italy-grand-prix/


Alonso ‘anonymous’ despite personal best
Tuesday 5th September, 2023 - 1:22am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

“Many, many lessons we need to take from this race,” said Alonso. “We weren’t competitive so that’s the main focus for us to try to understand, and on this type of circuit what we need to do differently for the future, and also for next year when we come here.”

“Race-wise, there is not much to talk about. We were slow from the beginning to the end, it was not possible to fight for better than ninth so we take these points, but also hopefully many lessons.”

Given what Alonso has achieved this season, and just a week after finishing second to Max Verstappen in the Dutch GP, the two-time F1 champion conceded to enduring obvious frustration.

‘EL PLAN: Anonymous’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/09/05/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-italian-gp-anonymous-weekend/


Alonso wants 'new ideas' from Aston after 'anonymous' Italian GP
05/09/2023 at 09:06
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso suggested that F1 fans would have been excused if they were left with the impression that he had sat out last weekend's Italian Grand Prix, for it was an "anonymous race that no one will remember" as far as the Aston Martin driver was concerned.

It's likely Aston always expected its high-drag AMR23 to struggle in Monza's low-downforce environment, so raking in a few points will have perhaps satisfied the team overall.

However, the low-key result reconciled with Ferrari's double top-four finish means that the Scuderia has progressed to third in F1's Constructors' standings, 11 points ahead of Aston Martin.

‘EL PLAN: Alonso wants 'new ideas' from Aston’;

https://f1i.com/news/486138-alonso-wants-new-ideas-from-aston-after-anonymous-italian-gp.html


Krack demands Aston Martin improvement to help Stroll
05 September 3:10PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Mike Krack wants to see Aston Martin step up and help support Lance Stroll as the Canadian continues to struggle to match Fernando Alonso's results.

Since the Canadian Grand Prix, Stroll has scored just seven points in Grands Prix with an additional five coming in the Austrian Sprint race, with Alonso hauling a total of 57 in the same period with four more coming from his fifth place in that Austrian event.

"There is not a marked gap in performance, there is a marked gap in points," Krack told media including RacingNews365. "It is important to separate between the two. As a team, we are analysing the season from both perspectives on both drivers, and as a team, we need to do a much, much better job on that side of the garage.”

‘EL PLAN: Aston Martin improvement to help Stroll’;

https://racingnews365.com/krack-demands-aston-martin-improvement-to-help-stroll


Is Flexible-Wing Rule Hurting Aston Martin? – Study
September 6, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Fernando Alonso is set on pushing Aston Martin ahead of Ferrari in the world constructors’ championship. The team headquartered in Silverstone didn’t perform well at Monza, fueling new gossip that the issue might be linked to the FIA’s recent restrictions on flexible wings.

“It’s not something that affects us,” said Red Bull’s Christian Horner when questioned about the clampdown, which becomes fully active at the subsequent Singapore Grand Prix. “We’ve seen a few rubbery nose boxes, shall we say,” he added.

Nonetheless, Aston Martin foresees better pace in the streets of Singapore, with Alonso contending that the Monza circuit simply wasn’t a good match for their 2023 vehicle. “Singapore will be better than Monza, that’s for sure,” he told Mundo Deportivo. “But we already know how hard it is to win a race.”

‘EL PLAN: Fueling new gossip’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/is-flexible-wing-rule-hurting-aston-martin-study/


Aston Martin mechanic bets against Fernando Alonso…and pays the price
07 Sep 2023 2:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso’s second podium as an Aston Martin driver led to his composite technician Sam Russell having to get a new tattoo, but that’s what you get for betting against Alonso. Heading to Saudi Arabia, the team downplayed their chances with team boss Mike Krack trying to temper expectations.

It seems Russell, Alonso’s composite technician, fell for it… And paid the price. “I lost a bet in Saudi Arabia with Mark, a guy I work with, he said ‘If we get a podium, I get to design the tattoo and pay for it, but you have to get it’.”

“And I was like, ‘Okay’. I didn’t think we would get one. It turns out the car was quite fast. So I need to get a pie on number two, I need to get it updated.”

“EL PLAN: I get to design the tattoo and pay for it, but you have to get it’.”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-podium-bet-aston-martin-mechanic-tattoo/

[Fortitude]

Bottas hopes lost F1 "fun" can fuel Alfa Romeo motivation.
The Finn has endured a poor season with just six points, but is hopeful of a brighter future. Valtteri Bottas feels the battle to return to the top table of Formula 1 is enough motivation after losing the "fun" of competing at the front.
07 September 3:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers

Bottas joined Alfa Romeo ahead of the 2022 season after a five-year spell with Mercedes in which he claimed 10 Grand Prix wins and 58 overall podiums as team-mate to Lewis Hamilton. Since his departure, the best the Finn has managed is fifth-place in the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as Alfa hit the ground running in the ground-effects era, although this was largely to do with the C42 machine being on the weight limit with others over.

In 2023, Bottas has just six points to his name, with a season-best of eighth in the Bahrain opener and P10 finishes in Canada and Italy as Alfa has struggled. While Bottas has lost the feeling of racing at the very front, he believes the challenge to get back up there serves as enough motivation.

"For sure, I had to change many, many goals," Bottas explained to media including RacingNews365. "It is just not fun when you are not fighting for wins anymore, and it is definitely more fun when you are performing and up there. That is how it goes and you enjoy it more, but for now, the goal is the long-term, and the motivation is to get back up there for wins and podiums some day. That is the motivation and drive now, to work with a team and why I want to drive the best I can.”

‘The battle to return to the top table of Formula 1 is enough motivation’;

https://racingnews365.com/bottas-hopes-lost-f1-fun-can-fuel-alfa-romeo-motivation


Bottas credits Alfa Romeo for ‘nailing the strategy’ as he grabs final point in Italy
03 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Valtteri Bottas managed to claim the final point on offer in the Italian Grand Prix by coming home in P10 – and said it was largely down to a perfect strategy from his team.

‘Nailing the strategy’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.bottas-credits-alfa-romeo-for-nailing-the-strategy-as-he-grabs-final-point-in-italy.1776030552585881949.html


2023 Italian Grand Prix - Sunday
September 3rd, 2023
Alfa Romeo Racing - Official Site

Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative: “Before the race, we said our target today was to score at least a point, and it’s very important we were able to achieve it. We executed a perfect race and we were able to hit our target.”

Valtteri Bottas (car number 77): “Points were the target today, and we achieved that: it’s nice to be back in the top ten as it had been a while, despite all our hard work, and this point is for everyone at Alfa Romeo.”

Zhou Guanyu (car number 24): “I am glad to see Valtteri bring home one point from this race, a point that helps us close the gap to Haas. Considering the results we had on Friday and Saturday, we made a massive step forward, which is encouraging for the races ahead – especially as we are meant to bring further upgrades in Singapore, where we must make a further improvement.”

‘We executed a perfect race and we were able to hit our target”;

https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsport/f1-news/2023-italian-grand-prix-sunday/


Zhou Guanyu locked in two-driver battle to keep hold of Alfa Romeo seat – report
05 Sep 2023 10:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com10:53

Speculation about Zhou Guanyu’s Formula 1 future continues with Ted Kravitz reporting he is up against Theo Pourchaire for the second Sauber race seat.

Zhou was asked about that rumour and downplayed it to the media, including PlanetF1.com’s Thomas Maher, saying: “Of course, I have personal sponsors and I don’t feel like I lack any foundations on that. Rumours are made up, but all the details we need to talk about with the team because it is not like it is the first contract, the second one is more [focused] on details because it is your second contract in F1.”

“Nothing to be majorly worried about because I feel like what I show on track deserves to be in this paddock.” Kravitz, though, says the 24-year-old should be worried as he is in a fight with Pourchaire to partner Valtteri Bottas next season.

‘Two-driver battle to keep hold of Alfa Romeo seat’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/zhou-guanyu-two-driver-battle-alfa-romeo-seat/


Zhou 'very close' to decision over F1 future
07 September 6:20PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Zhou Guanyu is hopeful that an agreement over fresh Formula 1 contract with Alfa Romeo is "very close" as doubt remains over his future. "Nothing is sure until you sign the contract," Zhou replied when asked by RacingNews365 if he was convinced he would be staying for 2024.

"Obviously, nothing has been decided, but we are getting very close to that point. It's definitely been heading a lot further along since the summer break. I have less personal sponsors and I know what the rumours are, but I feel like I have a lack of any foundations.”

"That is on our side, and the rumours are there but we need to talk about the details with the team because it is not the first contract I have in Formula 1. The second [contract] has been more or less the details because it is your second contract, but there is nothing major to be worried about and I feel like what I show on track deserves to continuously [on the grid.]"

"Nothing is sure until you sign the contract";

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-very-close-to-decision-over-f1-future

[Fortitude]

Nico Hulkenberg’s savage assessment of ‘unworthy’ Haas’ Italian GP performance.
Nico Hulkenberg savaged Haas after the Italian Grand Prix ended with the VF-23s the only two cars lapped, Haas failing to score a point for the ninth grand prix in a row.
04 Sep 2023 1:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

When all was said and done after the 51 laps, Hulkenberg was 17th to Kevin Magnussen’s P18. The Haas teammates were not only the last of the classified runners but also the only drivers lapped by race winner Max Verstappen. “We’re just eating the tyre, the balance is poor, we’re sliding a lot more than other cars, can’t keep the pace up using more tyre.”

“So yeah, it was one of the toughest and worst races of the season,” Hulkenberg told media including PlanetF1.com after the race. “The characteristic and the feel of the car was much better [in Zandvoort] than this weekend. So yeah, need to review that.”

“Obviously, that’s also a big miss, not having a front flap ready for the new front wing. I think we’re the only team who didn’t have any parts, any upgrades here this weekend, and quite frankly, we’re not point worthy also for that reason.”

‘Nico Hulkenberg savaged Haas’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-savage-assessment-haas-italian-gp/


Magnussen brands the Italian GP ‘worst race ever’
03 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Kevin Magnussen finished P18 at Monza and said Haas have “a steep hill to climb” to rediscover their competitive edge. “[We] just no pace at all, the tyres are just falling apart, there was no balance,” he said afterwards.

‘Worst race ever’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.magnussen-brands-the-italian-gp-worst-race-ever.1776029361368818660.html


‘The start was the only positive’ – Hulkenberg on a tough day for Haas at Monza
03 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Nico Hulkenberg finished down in 17th place and said after the race it was a pretty miserable Grand Prix for the team, with his start – when he made up three places – really the only positive.

‘The only positive’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.the-start-was-the-only-positive-hulkenberg-on-a-tough-day-for-haas-at-monza.1776029905719235370.html


Hulkenberg FUMES at own team after 'frustrating' Italian GP
Monday 4 September 2023 11:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Nico Hulkenberg was furious with his own team after a dismal day behind the wheel at the Italian GP. The German had forced his way into 10th on the opening lap but soon began to rapidly fall through the field and finished way outside the points.

Kevin Magnussen had an equally tough day, spending much of the race a lap down due to a pure lack of pace. Hulkenberg blamed the team for failing to bring any upgrades or specialist parts to the 'Temple of Speed'.

‘Hulkenberg FUMES at own team’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003159/nico-hulkenberg-haas-f1-italian-grand-prix-fumes/


Haas will need 'magic' to turn around season - Hulkenberg
05 September 10:40AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Nico Hulkenberg believes Haas will need "magic" to turn around their current season. When asked if they can turn things around, Hulkenberg told media, including RacingNews365: "To be honest Williams look like they're gone, them and McLaren obviously made huge progress this year. I don't see how we can turn this around, unless we come up with something really magic."

While the German does not expect the team to "pull up any trees" he is cautiously optimistic. "We're behind compared to the competition, and we were the only team to bring nothing to Monza," he told Sky Germany.

"If you do so little, you can't expect much and we were not worthy of points here, and were far from it. It is frustrating, but we have to accept it and move to a track [in Singapore] that maybe suits us a bit better.”

‘Does not expect the team to "pull up any trees"!’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-will-need-magic-to-turn-around-season-hulkenberg


KEVIN MAGNUSSEN MAKES DAMNING ADMISSION REGARDING 2023 FORM
The Danish driver has failed to score a single point in the last nine races and has only scored two points throughout the entire season so far
September 5, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

The 2023 Formula One season has been particularly unfavourable for Kevin Magnussen. Following the Italian Grand Prix, where the Haas driver came home in P18, Speedcafe asked him if he was currently experiencing the most frustrating period of his career. The Danish driver responded:

“Certainly, one of the weakest, it seems. I still believe the team is in a stronger place than it has been, yet it’s just a paradox that we have probably one of the weakest cars we’ve had.”

‘Weakest cars’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/kevin-magnussen-makes-damning-admission-regarding-2023-form/


Magnussen suffering ‘one of weakest periods of career’
Tuesday 5th September, 2023 - 4:30am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Magnussen suffered another miserable weekend behind the wheel of the VF-23, starting 19th on the grid before going on to finish last of the 18 classified after retirements for AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon in his Alpine.

In a bid to propel Magnussen up the order, the Dane started on the hard tyres in the hope of running long, only to pit on lap 13. Adjustments were also made to the front-wing flap angle due to his difficulties in the first stint. At that stage, the writing was on the wall, with a second stop compounding his misery.

Asked by Speedcafe whether it was one of the more frustrating periods of his career, he replied: “Certainly one of the weakest, it seems.”

‘Magnussen suffered another miserable weekend’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/09/05/kevin-magnussen-haas-weakest-point-f1-career/


Haas 'cannot cry' over 2023 paradox - Magnussen
04 September 8:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Kevin Magnussen believes Haas "cannot cry" at its current lack of performance in Formula 1 as he identified a "paradox" within the team. Dane Magnussen, now in his sixth season with Haas, believes the car to be the worst he's had, but is optimistic of a reversal in fortunes soon.

"The work is being done in the background, and we just have to be patient on that until we can bring the parts to the car," Magnussen told media including RacingNews365. "At the end of the day, we've got a job to do and we need to crack on until we get those parts and we can't cry about what we've got at the moment.”

"We've got to work with what we have, and try to get something out of it no matter how difficult it looks. I still believe that the team is in a stronger place than it has ever been, it is just a paradox that we've probably got one of the weakest cars we've had with the strong foundations that I see in the team.”

'Cannot cry';

https://racingnews365.com/haas-cannot-cry-over-2023-paradox-magnussen

[Fortitude]

Monza experience ‘super painful’ for Alpine – Gasly.
Pierre Gasly has stated that the Italian Grand Prix was “super painful” for Alpine as it failed to challenge for points on a poor weekend.
04 September 11:00AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

"It’s been super painful," the Frenchman told media including RacingNews365. "We have such a lack of competitiveness compared to our rivals and we knew straight away from the start of the season, we knew that it would be a painful [race].”

"It was clearly very difficult out there and we saw it [during qualfiying]. We knew there would not be any magic overnight, but it's just pretty painful from inside the cockpit."

‘Super Painful’;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-monza-experience-super-painful-for-alpine


Gasly and Ocon reflect on 'very painful afternoon' at Italian Grand Prix as Alpine leave Monza point-less
06 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

It was a weekend to forget for Alpine at Monza, with Pierre Gasly left to reflect on a “very painful” Italian Grand Prix, while Esteban Ocon called on the team to review their struggles after he was forced to retire for “safety reasons”.

Asked whether Alpine’s performance in Monza “was just a blip”, Ocon responded: “I don’t think it’s as simple as that, in Spa you are very low downforce as well and it’s a quick circuit also and we were very competitive there.”

“So, I think it’s more than just the fast circuits... so we need to reset and keep digging. I’m sure we will find answers and come back stronger. Full trust to the team and I’m sure we are going to get there.”

'Very painful afternoon';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.gasly-and-ocon-reflect-on-very-painful-afternoon-at-italian-grand-prix-as.1z2hV22b5SQ6BHi9USDevz.html


CHAOS AT THE ITALIAN GP FOR ALPINE: OCON’S SAFETY RETIREMENT
Alpine face reliability issues, while Gasly Laments 'Painful' Weekend at Monza
September 6, 2023
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

Esteban Ocon has spoken out about the safety concerns that led to his retirement from the Italian Grand Prix. The Frenchman was in 15th place when Alpine decided to retire from the race with 12 laps to go. This was Ocon’s fifth retirement of the year as Alpine struggles with ongoing reliability issues at the races.

Ocon explained why he ended his race early, citing safety as the main reason. He mentioned problems with the steering, which caused it to lock up in the corners, and stressed the importance of preventing a complete steering failure to ensure safety.

The decision came on top of an already tricky weekend for Alpine. According to racingnews365.com, he explained why he had to retire: “For safety reasons. We had the steering locking into corners and we didn’t want the steering to lock completely. So, it was just safer to retire the car and not have more issues. That ended our weekend which has been a tough one.”

‘CHAOS’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/chaos-at-the-italian-gp-for-alpine-ocons-safety-retirement/


Ocon explains safety issues that caused Monza retirement
05 September 8:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

The Frenchman was running in 15th when he pulled into the pits to retire with 12 laps until the end of the race. It is the fifth retirement for Ocon so far this year, as Alpine has struggled to get on top of its reliability issues in races, with Monza always expected to be a struggle for the team owing to its lack of engine power.

When asked why the team decided to end his race early, Ocon told media including RacingNews365: "For safety reasons. We had the steering locking into corners and we didn't want the steering to lock completely.”

"So, it was just safer to retire the car and not have more issues. That ended our weekend which has been a tough one."

‘Safety issues’;

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-explains-safety-issues-that-caused-monza-retirement


Gasly: Alpine needs to understand "super painful" Monza F1 weekend
16:00 Wed, 06 Sep 2023.
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

While Gasly explained that Alpine had expected to struggle in Monza, that didn't make its weekend any less of a blow. "The most important thing is really to understand and quantify where that drop of performance is coming from and come back next year with a stronger package," he explained.

"Because I'm going past Carlos [Sainz] last week on track, same tyres, on pure pace, and this weekend he's standing on the podium, and I'm almost a lap down. We knew it's a very power-sensitive track, but still, it seems like it's not only [that], it's the whole package, which has got to be better for this track."

"I think we will have another update coming quite soon. There is a clear trend in terms of the type of tracks where we are more and less competitive. And I think that's something we need to work on for next year, to just have a package, more rounded package which works everywhere."

"Super Painful";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/gasly-alpine-needs-to-understand-super-painful-monza-f1-weekend/10516678/


Gasly identifies positives following Alpine management upheaval
06 September 11:25AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly has seen a positive reaction at Alpine to the mass exodus of senior leadership just prior to the summer break. "With the changes, it can always go either way, people can receive it positively or negatively," Gasly told media including RacingNews365.

"It is out of my control, and coming back from the summer break, I really tried to assess the mood inside the team and try to understand from the mechanics' and the engineers' points of view as to how the change was received.”

"To be fair, it's been positive and there have been promotions within the team, such as Rob Cherry from Chief Mechanic to Team Manager. There have been a couple of promotions and people have seen it as a good opportunity. I don't want to make any conclusions as it needs time, but I must say that the mood [within the team] is definitely up."

‘Gasly identifies positives’;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-identifies-positives-following-alpine-management-upheaval


Alpine boss opens up on sackings: ‘They promised me things that were not kept’
08 Sep 2023 7:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

The Renault CEO said he was promised things that were not kept after a wave of firings within the Alpine F1 team. Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane both lost their jobs before the summer break while former Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi was moved away from the F1 operation to a vague ‘special projects’ role.

Renault boss Luca de Meo has been speaking about why he felt a change was needed. “They promised me things that were not kept,” he told the Italian edition of Motorsport.com. “When you tell your boss something, then you have to do it: it’s in the dynamics of a company.”

“It seemed like a brutal action, and it was, but we are behind what we set ourselves as goals. Not that I forced them to set targets, but they set them themselves: they communicated them and this didn’t work because we didn’t have the right trajectory.”

‘Brutal action’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine-sackings-promise-not-kept/

[Fortitude]

Helmut Marko’s latest praise for Liam Lawson mounts pressure on Yuki Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo.
Helmut Marko has revealed Liam Lawson could be in contention for a full-time F1 seat if his great form continues, mounting the pressure on Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo.
6 Sep 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lawson has impressed during his first two F1 outings, finishing a solid 11th at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend. The 21-year-old is expected to remain at AlphaTauri for the next two races as Ricciardo continues to recover from wrist surgery.

Speaking on ServusTV, Marko has been impressed with how Lawson has been performing in F1 2023, declaring “the speed is there”. “Liam has been with us for a while. He is a tough but very smart man in a fight, a bit like Bruce McLaren. This is certainly someone for the future. The speed was there [last weekend in Italy], and that is a good sign.”

“The speed is there”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1035187/1/marko-s-latest-praise-lawson-mounts-pressure-tsunoda-ricciardo


Marko: ‘Things can move quickly’ with Lawson 2024 F1 chances
08:20 Sat, 09 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko has said “things can move quickly” regarding Liam Lawson’s chances of securing a 2024 Formula 1 seat with AlphaTauri.

“He is now second in the Super Formula in Japan – a very tough class,” Marko discussed. “Those cars are faster than in Formula 2, but because it is in Japan, there is not much attention to it here. Maybe he can still win there.”

“Whether he will be in a car (full-time) or be a reserve driver? As we have already seen, things can move quickly, and we only have four seats. He has shown that he is good enough for Formula 1, and now he has to confirm that in the coming races.”

‘Things can move quickly’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/09/marko-things-can-move-quickly-with-lawson-2024-f1-chances/


Lawson disappointed to miss F1 points in Monza
Monday 4th September, 2023 - 11:33am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Liam Lawson was left disappointed after missing out on a points-paying result for Scuderia AlphaTauri in the F1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The New Zealander, in just his second Formula 1 appearance and his first full weekend at the wheel, finished 11th after 51 laps of racing.

“More and more comfortable, but just a little bit disappointed with the race,” Lawson said of his second Formula 1 race. “We maybe had the pace for points, I’m not sure, we have to look into it. I had a bad start, and that’s where we really lost the chance. A bit disappointed to be so close.”

“I had a bad start”;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/09/04/lawson-disappointed-f1-points-monza/


Lawson describes 'lost chance' in Italian GP.
04 September 9:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lawson felt there was one area that prevented a points finish when discussing the race with media, including RacingNews365: "We maybe had the pace for points, I'm not sure we'll have to look into it. But I had a bad start that's where we think really lost the chance. I am a bit disappointed to be so close [to points]."

The AlphaTauri driver is still getting used to the longer F1 race distances, having mostly ran shortened races in Super Formula throughout the 2023 season. "These races are longer than I'm used to, so I’m definitely adjusting [to it]," said Lawson. "It's been something I've been working on for a while. For Singapore I have no idea what's going to happen right now [and if Ricciardo will come back], so I'll prepare like normal."

'Lost chance';

https://racingnews365.com/lawson-describes-lost-chance-in-italian-gp


Sky F1 pundit identifies ‘problem’ for Liam Lawson after eye-catching Monza display
04 Sep 2023 4:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Sky F1 pundit Anthony Davidson fears Yuki Tsunoda’s Italian Grand Prix DNS will make it tough for Red Bull and AlphaTauri to form a proper evaluation of Liam Lawson’s performance at Monza.

He said: “Some good overtakes there as he worked his way back through the field, so he didn’t lose his nerve when he got a bad start. The only problem to him, of course, is that he didn’t have his team-mate as a reference throughout the whole race.”

“As soon as we saw Tsunoda go out, I’m sure that was a negative effect, I feel, for Liam Lawson because I can’t look at the job he did today and have a barometer. So maybe the car was better than what he showed, we’ll never know.”

‘Barometer’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sky-f1-pundit-liam-lawson-monza/


Lawson 'disappointed' to miss out on points in Italian GP
05/09/2023 at 10:24
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

F1 rookie Liam Lawson cast a disappointed figure after the Italian Grand Prix, the AlphaTauri charger left to ponder what may have been after just missing out on a top-ten finish at Monza. "More and more comfortable, but just a little bit disappointed with the race," Lawson said as he described his afternoon at the Temple of Speed.

At Monza, the Red Bull protégé enjoyed a trouble-free three days of running, in the dry, that proved invaluable for his experience and progress. "Much, much more prepared, to be honest, but unfortunately not enough to fight for points," he said. "It definitely helps with all the work we did leading up, and I feel much more comfortable with the car."

'Disappointed to miss out on points’;

https://f1i.com/news/486143-lawson-disappointed-to-miss-out-on-points-in-italian-gp.html


Tsunoda says ‘lots of positives’ to take from Monza despite failing to start race
05 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Yuki Tsunoda’s Italian Grand Prix failed to get going when on the formation lap he pulled over to the side of the track as smoke came from his AlphaTauri. However, the Japanese driver was still able to see the positive side of things as he looked forward to Singapore.

Speaking to the media after the incident, Tsunoda talked through what had happened, explaining: “First of all, I heard something with the sounds from the gearbox, or an engine sound. And after that I didn’t feel any torque or something like that from my engine or the gearbox.”

‘Lots of positives’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tsunoda-says-lots-of-positives-to-take-from-monza-despite-failing-to-start.4L6KyhiBYuj52yoAOGMJcV.html


Tsunoda enjoying Lawson relationship at AlphaTauri
Wednesday 6th September, 2023 - 2:46am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Yuki Tsunoda has hailed the “good environment” inside AlphaTauri given his prior friendship with new team-mate Liam Lawson.

“He’s learning a lot,” said Tsunoda, when asked by Speedcafe as to how his partnership with Lawson was developing. “I don’t have to say anything to him. Obviously, if he asks something then I’ll always answer. But we’ve a good relationship. We were already friends from the past, so there’s been no awkwardness or anything like that.”

“We’ve been able to speak to one another quite naturally, as a friend, which has made for a good environment in the team. The team is supporting Liam a lot to build up his faith and confidence, but he’s doing quite a good job, so we’re happy.”

“Good environment”;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/09/06/liam-lawson-yuki-tsunoda-alphatauri-relationship/


Tsunoda ‘less worried than last year’ about AlphaTauri F1 future
15:47 Tue, 05 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

When asked about his thoughts on next year with his place on the grid not yet confirmed, Tsunoda said ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix last month: “I’m probably less worried than last year. Because like I said, I think as a driver position I am in the team a lot different compared last year.

“And so far I heard from Red Bull they’re happy with it, so… Still, I know what I can improve like what I can… I know I can have a big step [to be a] more better driver. So I’m not really worried about that, and I’m not really stressing with that. More focusing to what they want me to improve, and I know what they want me to improve.

‘Focusing to what they want me to improve’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/05/tsunoda-less-worried-than-last-year-about-alphatauri-f1-future/

[Fortitude]

Marko’s comments about Perez have to stop.
This cannot keep happening to Sergio Perez. He deserves better than to have to grin and bear derogatory remarks from a senior figure in Red Bull’s Formula 1 organisation. The way Helmut Marko talks about him needs to stop.
14:51 Fri, 08 Sep 2023.
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Marko’s questioning of Perez’s supposed ‘Mexican mentality’ is just the latest of many comments about where Perez comes from, used in a critical context. A non-exhaustive list includes suggesting Perez need not be scared about the nearby missile strike in Saudi Arabia last year because Mexico City (the city Perez isn’t even from) is also dangerous, joking that Perez may have been drinking tequila the night before the French Grand Prix because he was ‘asleep’ at a safety car restart, indicating that Perez has ups and downs because he is “South American” and making that same point (and geographical error) again with comments this week to apparently explain why Perez’s head is not as focused as that of Max Verstappen or Sebastian Vettel.

It’s one thing to scrutinise or even criticise Perez as an F1 driver for his performance. It’s quite another to lazily assert that perceived deficiencies exist because he is Mexican. It would seem odd if Marko set out to offend Perez or anyone else. But that doesn’t really matter, not least because ignorance is not an excuse for someone so prominent who has done this so often.

In the apology eventually shared on Marko’s behalf he stresses he does not advocate generalising about the people from any country, any race, or any ethnicity. But his various previous marks made it clear Marko believes the ‘Mexican mentality’ is not only a real thing but absolutely a factor to consider in explaining problems within Perez’s performances. Perez has talked about this before. Primarily, he experienced it before he got to F1. But it is a concern that has persisted. And if anyone believed it was fictionalised, Marko’s comments are a clear counterargument to that.

‘Marko’s comments about Perez have to stop’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/marko-comments-about-perez-have-to-stop/


Marko’s Insensitive Slur on Perez’s Heritage Creates Uproar
September 8, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

The Red Bull advisor has been known to publicly criticise the Mexican driver on numerous occasions following Perez’s subpar performance in the first stint of the ongoing campaign. However, Christian Horner has been working to reassure Perez of his place in the team for the upcoming season.

Neither Red Bull nor Sergio Perez have issued a statement regarding the situation. However, Marko’s comments have sparked a significant backlash from fans. Helmut Marko had previously implied that Perez’s South American heritage might be a factor behind his inconsistent performance.

“As a South American, he generally has a lot of ups and downs,” Marko told Sky Germany in 2022. Max is not afraid, and Perez is very scared, although it isn’t different from how he lives in Mexico City.”

‘Christian Horner has been working to reassure Perez of his place in the team for the upcoming season’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/markos-insensitive-slur-on-perezs-heritage-creates-uproar/


Mexico City GP throw support behind Sergio Perez after Helmut Marko comments
09 Sep 2023 1:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

The Mexico City Grand Prix organisers have defended Sergio Perez after Helmut Marko made another xenophobic slur against him. The Mexico City Grand Prix organisers have become the latest to support Perez.

“At the Mexico GP we express our support to the Mexican driver, Sergio “Checo” Perez,” the organisers said on social media. “Inappropriate comments have no place in any environment, including sport.”

“It is important that action is taken to prevent it and that apologies are made where necessary. We invite everyone to build a more respectful and united Formula 1 community, encouraging healthy competition both on and off the track.”

‘Mexico City GP throw support behind Sergio Perez’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mexico-city-gp-support-sergio-perez-helmut-marko-comments/


Marko apologises for 'offensive' comment on Perez.
Helmut Marko has apologized for publicly suggesting that Sergio Perez's fluctuating form in F1 this season is rooted in the Mexican's ethnicity, after the Austrian was hit with a wave of criticism.
08/09/2023 at 18:08
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Marko found himself in hot water across the internet last Monday after his initial remarks, but the former F1 driver's awkward "clarification" properly submerged him on social media on Friday. The magnitude of the backlash was such that late in the day, the Red Bull motorsport boss felt compelled to issue a formal apology.

"Concerning my remark about Sergio Perez, ServusTV Sport and Talk, Monday September 4: I would like to apologise for my offensive remark and want to make it absolutely clear that I do not believe that we can generalise about the people from any country, any race, any ethnicity," Marko stated.

‘Apologized’;

https://f1i.com/news/486327-marko-apologises-for-derogatory-comment-on-perez.html


Helmut Marko issues public apology to Sergio Perez – F1 news round-up
08 Sep 2023 11:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko made reference to Sergio Perez and his nationality (both in a derogatory and incorrect fashion) when discussing his performances alongside Max Verstappen.

In praising his performance on Red Bull-owned ServusTV, Marko raised eyebrows for this line in particular: “Let’s remember that he is South American and so his head is not as focused as Max Verstappen or as Sebastian Vettel was, but racing is his forte and he had a very good race.”

‘Public apology to Sergio Perez’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-news-helmut-marko-apology/


Red Bull luminary apologises over Sergio Perez comments
Sat, 9 September 2023 2:06AM
Staff Writers Reuters
The West Australian

Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko, one of the leading figures in the dominant Formula One team, has apologised for blaming Mexican driver Sergio Perez's fluctuating form on his ethnicity. It was not the first time Marko has referred to Perez as a South American, although the Mexican comes from Guadalajara which is geographically in North America.

South America has also produced more Formula One world champions than any country other than Britain and some of the sport's greatest drivers. An attempt by Marko to clarify his comments only dug a deeper hole.

The www.oe24.at website on Friday reported Marko as saying: "It wasn't meant that way. I meant that a Mexican has a different mentality than a German or a Dutchman. But who knows, maybe it's controlled." The initial comments made headlines in Mexico and across the internet.

‘South America has also produced more Formula One world champions than any country other than Britain and some of the sport's greatest drivers’ (Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Juan Manuel Fangio);

https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsport/red-bull-luminary-apologises-over-sergio-perez-comments-c-11847306


Marko releases statement following controversial Perez comments
Friday 8 September 2023 18:27 - Updated: 18:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Red Bull's advisor Helmut Marko has apologised over comments he made about Sergio Perez, stating his mental focus isn't as consistent as Max Verstappen's because 'he's South American.' Perez has come in for lots of criticism from Marko for his below-par performances this season, but none quite so controversial as this.

Perez is currently second in the drivers' world championship, 145 points behind his team-mate Verstappen. Together, they have won every race this season in the dominant RB19 car but, whilst Verstappen has won 12 races, Perez has only managed two victories.

"I would like to apologise for my offensive remark and want to make it absolutely clear that I do not believe that we can generalise about the people from any country, any race, any ethnicity," he said. "I was trying to make a point that Checo has fluctuated in his performance this year, but it was wrong to attribute this to his cultural heritage."

"I would like to apologise”;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003435/helmut-marko-sergio-perez-f1-red-bull-south-american-apology/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari squeezed engines at Monza.
Dr Helmut Marko has backed Fernando Alonso's suspicion that Ferrari's sudden surge in performance at Monza last weekend might be short-lived.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2023
GrandPrix.com.

It is the Ferrari circuit, Spaniard Alonso, who raced for the Maranello based team for five years until 2014, said after Ferrari's impressive outing at the Italian GP.

For years they have put in a new engine or done special things like that for that race, but the world championship is 22 races, the Aston Martin driver added.

Red Bull team advisor Marko echoes Alonso's sentiments. We knew that Ferrari would put everything possible into Monza, he told Servus TV. "They went to the maximum and squeezed out the last horsepower.”

‘Ferrari squeezed engines’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/ferrari-squeezed-engines-at-monza.html


Vasseur says he ‘really appreciated’ Sainz and Leclerc’s intra-team tussle in closing stages of Italian GP
07 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Fred Vasseur has reflected on the late battle between his drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz at the Italian Grand Prix, the “completely unique” experience of being the Ferrari Team Principal at Monza, and the team’s progress in the championship.

Speaking after the action, Vasseur opened up on his decision to let the two drivers continue to fight, before explaining why he felt it was the right call to make for the team despite the risk of them potentially colliding with each other.

“On this, I tend to have the last call, and I told them to race but no risk,” said Vasseur. “But I was much more comfortable with this situation than to freeze… For sure it was a bit of a strange feeling, but I’m a fan of ‘let them race’.

‘Really appreciated’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.vasseur-says-he-really-appreciated-sainz-and-leclercs-intra-team-tussle-in.r7NX3jKu0wuHaOelgsLZh.html


Jacques Villeneuve’s ‘chaos’ theory which is exposing Charles Leclerc
07 Sep 2023 5:15 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Jacques Villeneuve believes Carlos Sainz is currently the stronger driver at Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc letting frustration get the better of him. Speaking to PlanetF1.com in an exclusive interview at Monza, 1997 F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve said he doesn’t believe Ferrari will be the team to topple Red Bull from their perch at the top of F1.

Asked why he feels the Scuderia aren’t his pick, Villeneuve said there is a clear lack of direction currently within the Italian squad. “It’s chaos,” he said. “The car is difficult to drive and, right now, Charles Leclerc is not driving with confidence, and he’s making too many mistakes.”

“That’s not helping the team moving forward. But Carlos Sainz is the better driver right now at Ferrari. So there isn’t the driving force coming from the drivers the same way that Max [Verstappen] is doing, that [Fernando] Alonso is doing that, that Lewis [Hamilton] is doing. Drivers need to push the team and, right now, the Ferrari drivers aren’t really doing it.”

‘Jacques Villeneuve’s ‘chaos’ theory’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/jacques-villeneuve-charles-leclerc-driving-frustrated-at-chaotic-ferrari/


Former F1 champ claims Leclerc under MORE pressure than Ferrari team-mate
Friday 8 September 2023 06:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi has said that Charles Leclerc's seat at Ferrari is less secure than Carlos Sainz Jr's. "In my opinion, Leclerc is under more pressure than Sainz," two-time world champion Fittipaldi told Tuttosport.

"The Monegasque wants to achieve results that are not arriving, while the Spaniard seems to be more consistent in the race.” While both drivers' short-term future at Ferrari is certain, the team may look at other options if they produce a better car next season that isn't being converted into consistent podium-finishes.

Fittipaldi admits it is tough for Ferrari drivers, with the pressure being more than at any other team. "A certain pressure can be created in the team and on a mental level it can make things more complicated for Leclerc. He must act with more calm, so he will make fewer mistakes."

‘Leclerc under MORE pressure’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003379/f1-ferrari-charles-leclerc-carlos-sainz-emerson-fittipaldi-italian-grand-prix-more-pressure/


Ferrari promise 2024 challenger will be 'very different'
10 September 12:10PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Ferrari's Head of Aero Development Enrico Cardile has claimed that the team's 2024 challenger will be "very different" compared to their current car. Cardile said the team will produce an entirely new concept, which RacingNews365 Technical Analyst Paolo Filisetti explored in a recent piece.

Next years car will not be an evolution: "It [2024 car] will be very different, because developing this year’s car we realised that some architectural choices we made were not right," Cardile explained to media including RacingNews365. It was constraining the development too much.”

"Next year’s car will not be an evolution of this year’s car like this year’s car has been compared to last year’s car. It will be a brand new car – different chassis with different design, different rear end to allow our aero [department] to better develop the car to achieve their targets."

‘It will be a brand new car’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferraris-2024-challenger-to-be-very-different

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen winds up Toto Wolff with 'six-time world champion' jibe at Lewis Hamilton.
Max Verstappen has fired subtle digs at both Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton by claiming the Brit has only won the world title six times.
12:32, 11 Sep 2023
By Daniel Orme Football Writer
The Mirror

Reigning World champion Max Verstappen has fired a dig at both Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton after comments the former made following his record-breaking victory at the Italian Grand Prix. Speaking shortly after his victory on home soil, he admitted that he wasn’t totally sure how many pieces of silverware his fierce rival had won.

"With Lewis, I don't know for sure but I mean for someone who has won six world championships, you must know,” Verstappen said, to which the reporter corrected him by stating that Hamilton actually has seven titles to his name. The 25-year-old then had a cheeky retort of: "Are you sure it's seven, not six?" That appeared to be an attempt to point to Felipe Massa’s attempts to be recognised as the 2008 world champion having agonisingly lost out to Hamilton.

The exchange between the journalist and Verstappen continued with the latter telling the current F1 leader to "look it up" as it is "in the history books". Verstappen then fired his dig towards Wolff with his final comment. "I mean, I'm not very sure, you know,” he added. "I don't read Wikipedia."

‘Subtle digs’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/max-verstappen-wolff-hamilton-jibe-30911453


Toto Wolff would throw a title away in the name of integrity
10 Sep 2023 9:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Toto Wolff insists when Mercedes eventually reel in Red Bull it will be done the right way as he’d rather lose a championship than “break the rules in an intentional way”. Unlike Lewis Hamilton who’d like the FIA to intervene for the “better” of the sport, Wolff believes it’s for the teams to reel in Red Bull.

“As a team principal, I don’t want to jump on the bandwagon that others have done in the past of saying we need to change the regulations because we can’t continue with the dominance of a team,” he told the media including PlanetF1.com. “If a team dominates in the way Max has done with Red Bull then fair dues, this is a meritocracy.”

“As long as you comply with the regulations; technical, sporting, and financial, you just need to say well done and it’s up to us to catch up. If that takes a long time then it takes a long time. I remember people crying foul when it was us. Entertainment follows sport and not the other way around. We can’t be WWE, with scripted content. We don’t want to be scripted content.”

‘Throw a title away in the name of integrity’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-would-throw-a-title-away-in-the-name-of-integrity/


Toto Wolff warns that F1 must not become “scripted content” like WWE wrestling
10 Sep 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Toto Wolff does not want new regulations to slow down Red Bull - because F1 must not become “scripted content” like WWE wrestling. Red Bull are currently riding high in one of F1’s best-ever seasons - they have won all 15 grands prix in 2023, and Max Verstappen is cruising to a third consecutive championship.

But Mercedes team principal Wolff does not advocate for new rules which would slow down dominant teams, and enable others to catch up. "As a team principal, I don't want to jump on the bandwagon that others have done of saying 'we need to change the regulations because we can't continue with the dominance of a team'," Wolff said.

‘WWE wrestling’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1035486/1/toto-wolff-warns-f1-must-not-become-scripted-content-wwe-wrestling


‘Mercedes don’t seem to have a clue how to do what Red Bull are doing’
11 Sep 2023 4:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

F1 commentator Peter Windsor feels there is no sign yet that Mercedes have “any clue” how to close the gap to F1 2023’s unbeaten Red Bull team. Appearing via a recent YouTube stream, he said: “You’ve got to say, if you’re the factory Mercedes team, the customer teams are uncomfortably close, aren’t they?”

“And when Mercedes have to say post-race [at Monza], ‘Wow, we were the third-quickest car after Red Bull and Ferrari’, it wasn’t that brilliant. I mean, who did they beat? Their customers, basically – that’s not much to write home about.”

“The fact that they are writing home about that just shows you the trouble that Mercedes are in and they don’t seem – on the face of it, what we’re seeing at the moment in the raw evidence – to have any clue yet how to do what Red Bull are doing.

“Not much to write home about”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-no-clue-red-bull/


Toto Wolff slams Lewis Hamilton's F1 rivals in rant over Italian Grand Prix penalty
Lewis Hamilton was penalised for causing a collision with Oscar Piastri which damaged the front wing of the McLaren and ruined the Aussie driver's race at Monza
10:39, 4 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton was remorseful, though, as he made a point of going straight over to Piastri in parc ferme after the race to apologise. Mercedes chief Wolff expressed his pride with the way Hamilton had conducted himself. But, as he heaped praise upon his driver, he took a swipe at others on the F1 grid – without mentioning any names – claiming that few of them would have had the moral fortitude to do the same.

"That was Lewis' mistake," the Austrian said of the incident. "I think a five-second penalty for that is it what the menu says. These things happen, it's hard racing. You've got to overtake here and seen a few of these. So it's justifiable."

And regarding Hamilton's actions after, he added: "He's very sportsmanlike with these things. He is the only one that I see out there admitting, saying, he got this wrong. We just had a chat, he didn't see him on the right and it goes on [him]. I think that kind of sportsmanship is what you need to admire with him. Pretty much everyone [else] is always complaining and moaning, just to try to not get a penalty."

‘Toto Wolff slams Lewis Hamilton's F1 rivals’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-penalty-monza-piastri-30857076

[Fortitude]

First Lewis Hamilton, now calls for Michael Schumacher to be stripped of maiden F1 title.
After Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 title triumph was the subject of a legal dispute by Felipe Massa, a respected F1 reporter has called for Michael Schumacher to be stripped of the first of his seven World Championships too.
Mon, 11 September 2023 at 9:30 pm BST
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Comments by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone earlier this year prompted former Ferrari driver Massa to launch a legal challenge against the result of the 2008 World Championship, with the Brazilian’s unhappiness surrounding that year’s highly controversial Singapore Grand Prix.

In a recent interview with Swiss-German publication Blick about his long career covering Formula 1, legendary journalist Roger Benoit admitted he only regards Schumacher as a six-time World Champion – claiming the 1994 should not be attributed to him. Asked if he considers Schumacher to be the greatest racing driver of all time, Benoit said: “As a six-time World Champion, he certainly belongs in the top five.”

Pressed on why he referred to Schumacher as only a six-time title winner, he replied: “Of course, I know that he was World Champion seven times. But the 1994 title should actually be taken away from him, because he only won it because of his foul on Damon Hill.”

‘Roger Benoit admitted he only regards Schumacher as a six-time World Champion – claiming the 1994 should not be attributed to him’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/first-lewis-hamilton-now-calls-203000479.html

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-michael-schumacher-stripped-f1-title/


Felipe Massa "expecting" help from F1 ally in legal fight for Lewis Hamilton's 2008 title
Massa is trying to legally overturn the result of the 2008 F1 championship in his favour, having agonisingly lost out to Hamilton in the dying moments of the season finale
16:12, 6 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Earlier this year, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said in an interview that he and then-FIA chief Max Mosley knew about Crashgate in 2008, but did not act. His words alerted Massa, who quickly sought legal advice, believing that bosses' inaction over the matter denied him the championship.

A legal letter was sent to both F1 and the FIA by Massa's lawyers, who are reportedly seeking substantial damages for their client. And, judging by the Brazilian's latest comments to Italian broadcaster TG1, he also hopes to take that title from Hamilton.

"I have one certainty – that title is mine and it is Ferrari's 16th drivers' title," he said. "I have hired a team of very strong lawyers. We will fight to the end to obtain justice in this sport. I don't understand why a case of manipulation cannot be verified in the way right, even if a year, two years or 15 years later."

"I have one certainty – that title is mine and it is Ferrari's 16th drivers' title";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/massa-ferrari-hamilton-2008-title-30878640


Brazilian lawyers give F1 and FIA new deadline in Massa 2008 case
11 September 3:25PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The legal team that is advising Felipe Massa in the attempt to overturn the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship result has extended the deadline for the FIA and FOM to respond to a Letter Before Claim until mid-October. The initial deadline set in September was extended to October according to Bernardo Viana, a partner at law firm Vieira Rezende Advogados.

"The ball is on their court, we've been waiting for their response," Viana told Reuters. "They asked for more time, until mid-October, and in good faith we have agreed to that." Massa started his legal action earlier this year, following an interview that surfaced with Bernie Ecclestone.

The Brazilian's lawyers now expect to see Lewis Hamilton, who went on to win the 2008 World Championship, to support their claims. "He is an important ambassador for the sport and has always defended sporting integrity. He is an honorary Brazilian citizen and very well liked by Brazilians, so I hope he will support us," Viana said. "We have absolutely nothing against Hamilton."

"The ball is on their court, we've been waiting for their response";

https://racingnews365.com/brazilian-lawyers-give-f1-and-fia-new-deadline-in-massa-2008-case


Felipe Massa has one aim in legal battle for Lewis Hamilton's F1 title as lawyer opens up
Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has launched a legal claim to try and overturn the result of the 2008 Formula One Championship, won by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton
16:10, 11 Sep 2023
By Felix Keith Sports Reporter

It is an admission that Massa and his team believe means the race should have been cancelled. Massa’s lawyer, Bernardo Viana, has given the sport's governing body, the FIA, until mid-October to respond to a Letter Before Claim sent to them in August.

"The objective is to bring the trophy home. It's not financial,” Viana told Motorsport.com. "To get there, several measures will be taken with different aims, some to obtain information and others to obtain statements. We want everything that happened in 2008/09 to come to light.”

He added: “We understand that there is even more information that has not been made public." Massa has assembled a legal team which also includes Nick De Marco, the sports law barrister who represented Newcastle in their legal battle with the Premier League over the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund takeover.

‘Felipe Massa has one aim in legal battle’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/felipe-massa-lewis-hamilton-2008-30914501


Former F1 driver Felipe Massa ready to go to court as he claims he was 'robbed' of 2008 title
Published: 00:00, 1 September 2023
By Associated Press
Mail Online

SAO PAULO (AP) - Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa says he is ready to take Formula One's governing body to court to press his claims that he was "robbed" of the 2008 title, which he lost by one point to Lewis Hamilton. The Brazilian added he is "100% ready" to take the case to court if he hears nothing back before then.

"I trust and I really believe that for justice that we will show what happened was not correct," the 42-year-old Massa told the AP at his apartment in Sao Paulo. "I am the champion, and I feel that. I feel that I have the title. The 16th champion of Formula One for Ferrari. We proved that season that we deserved it."

Massa's claim centers around an infamous crash by Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr. in Singapore in 2008, which led to a drawn-out scandal the following year after claims that he had crashed deliberately in order to help teammate Fernando Alonso win the race.

‘Robbed of 2008 title’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-12468149/Former-F1-driver-Felipe-Massa-ready-to-court-claims-robbed-2008-title.html


Felipe Massa Won’t Attend Italian GP as F1 Ambassador Because It’d Be Awkward
Due to Massa’s legal action against F1 for his 2008 championship loss, F1 asked Massa not to attend the Italian GP at all.
PUBLISHED Sep 2, 2023 3:30 PM EDT
byChris Rosales
The Drive

You ever had a really big argument with your parents, but you still have to show up to a family dinner right afterward? Well, that’s Felipe Massa right now. Except he was asked not to show up at all to the 2023 Formula 1 Italian GP because of his pending legal action against F1 for his 2008 championship loss.

According to Autosport, a spokesperson for Massa said that “high-ranking” F1 officials called Massa on Monday and asked him not to attend the race. This comes after initial reports that Massa was asked not to attend as an F1 ambassador and could attend as a private individual. It seems that both parties came to an agreement after Massa purchased flight tickets to get to Monza.

‘It’d Be Awkward’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/felipe-massa-wont-attend-italian-gp-as-f1-ambassador-because-its-awkward

[Fortitude]

Peter Windsor: Red Bull’s Rivals Should Feel ‘SHAME’ for Their Struggles.
Former Formula 1 team manager Peter Windsor has expressed strong criticism of Red Bull’s competitors, suggesting that they should feel a sense of disappointment in their ongoing struggle to keep pace with the dominant championship leaders.
September 10, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Former Formula 1 team manager Peter Windsor has expressed strong criticism of Red Bull’s competitors, suggesting that they should feel a sense of disappointment in their ongoing struggle to keep pace with the dominant championship leaders.

“We’re now [in] 2023, they’ve had three years of working with this thing and they still can’t get the cars to work properly.”

“If it wasn’t for Red Bull you’d have to be saying: ‘There’s something wrong here. All these incredible Formula 1 teams with their sophisticated technology cannot get this thing to work on a consistent basis’.”

‘Red Bull’s Rivals Should Feel ‘SHAME’ ’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/peter-windsor-red-bulls-rivals-should-feel-shame-for-their-struggles/


Verstappen and Perez offer Singapore hope to F1 rivals
Monday 11th September, 2023 - 6:33pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have offered a crumb of comfort to their F1 rivals by suggesting that next weekend’s race in Singapore could be one where Red Bull finally struggles.

Offering his thoughts on how he feels he and Red Bull will fare in Singapore, Verstappen said: “A little bit more difficult, I think, for us, but we’ll see. We’ll do our best and, of course, we’ll try to go in there and win it again. But it’s not, let’s say, going to be the strongest weekend for us.”

Perez concurred with Verstappen, adding: “I think so. I agree with Max. It’s going to be a weekend where basically anything can happen, and hopefully we are able to have a very strong Saturday because if you don’t start on the front row, it’s very unlikely you will have a shot at the victory. Hopefully, we can repeat what we did there last year.”

“A little bit more difficult, I think, for us, but we’ll see”;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/09/11/sergio-perez-max-verstappen-red-bull-singapore-gp/


Horner makes Red Bull claim to achieve historic F1 record
11 September 7:30AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Christian Horner believes Red Bull must "stay at the top of their game" if they want to achieve a historic 100% win record for their season. When asked what it will take to stop them from winning every race, Horner told media including RacingNews365: "There are so many elements whether its reliability, luck, strategy, a pitstop, pace, weather..."

"You've got to stay on top of your game. For me that's the most remarkable achievement this year so far; that we haven't dropped the ball. We've managed to keep operating at an incredibly high level and that's something which has not been seen before."

"Stay at the top of their game";

https://racingnews365.com/horner-makes-red-bull-claim-to-achieve-historic-f1-record


Legendary McLaren F1 car designer hails Adrian Newey as ‘the greatest ever’
11 Sep 2023 5:15 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Steve Nichols, the man behind the legendary McLaren MP4/4 car of 1998, has hailed Red Bull’s Adrian Newey as “the greatest ever” designer in F1 history. He told the Top Gear website: “I suppose I would have preferred to win [in Italy in 1988] but from a sporting point of view it’s quite nice that we missed the one race.”

“It gives somebody a good shot at having a perfect season. The way things are going this year, it looks like that may come to pass. Inevitably, it would be a great achievement. It’s a large credit to their designer Adrian Newey. He’s been a hero of mine and in my opinion he’s the greatest ever. He’s incredible, isn’t he? Such a long-lived career and so many successes. It’s really quite remarkable.”

“What we created that year in ‘88 was the most successful Formula 1 car that there’s ever been. I think it’s important to say ‘the most successful’ because it’s not necessarily the greatest Formula 1 car ever. You can’t compare the [1992 Williams] FW14B with the MP4/4, like we can’t compare the MP4/4 with the Lotus 25.

‘The greatest ever’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-mp4-f1-car-adrian-newey/


Gerhard Berger places Max Verstappen’s talent above that of both Schumacher and Hamilton.
September 10, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Amidst a season where Max Verstappen is challenging the records of Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, Gerhard Berger openly rates the Red Bull driver higher than the two seven-time World Champions.

With five more years remaining on his Red Bull contract and no significant regulation changes until 2026, it’s not far-fetched to imagine Verstappen chasing after Hamilton and Schumacher’s seven World titles or Hamilton’s 103 race wins. This remarkable performance has led Berger to declare that Verstappen ranks alongside triple World Champion Ayrton Senna as one of the best Formula 1 drivers he has ever witnessed.

“Verstappen and Senna are unique in the business – they are the two best I have seen in the last 50 years,” he told Kronen Zeitung. “Schumacher and Hamilton are also exceptional drivers. Of course, you should always look at the statistics, they are both fantastic. But Senna died early – and Verstappen is still young.”

‘Verstappen ranks alongside triple World Champion Ayrton Senna as one of the best Formula 1 drivers he has ever witnessed’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/gerhard-berger-places-max-verstappens-talent-above-that-of-both-schumacher-and-hamilton/

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin: ‘Lucky for us’ Alpine cared about Alonso’s age.
Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack says the side remains grateful that Alpine failed to tie down Fernando Alonso last year due to concerns regarding his age.
09:37 Mon, 11 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Rumours emerged that Alpine was intent on only offering a one-year deal with an option included amid concerns about Alonso’s age rather than the guaranteed multi-year agreement the driver was searching for.

Krack alleviates no doubt about Alonso, 42, remaining at the top level, asserting that the thinking behind athletes dropping away with age is now an outdated belief.

“I think, with the right discipline and the right motivation, he will perform without problems. You look at Valentino Rossi, for example, or you look at tennis players, [like Roger] Federer, he had a very long career,” Krack told the Spanish side of Motorsport.com.

‘EL PLAN: Lucky for us’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/11/aston-martin-lucky-for-us-alpine-cared-about-alonsos-age/


Mike Krack takes a dig at Alpine: Fernando Alonso’s age is just a number.
The 42-year-old Spanish F1 driver has left Aston Martin more than impressed in 2023.
September 12, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Aston Martin pounced to sign the Spaniard after Alpine dithered in offering a contract extension to Alonso given their concerns over his age, which then prompted a swap of Enstone for Silverstone. “It’s not a decision I make alone,” Krack said to Motorsport.com, regarding the drivers hired. “We have Lawrence [Stroll], we have Martin [Whitmarsh] and we discuss those things.”

“I can only say, that at the level he is working, age is just a number, with the right discipline and motivation, he will perform without a problem. You see Valentino Rossi, for example, or you see tennis players like [Roger] Federer, they had a very long career. Maybe we have to change our mentality a little bit.”

‘EL PLAN: Aston Martin pounced to sign the Spaniard after Alpine dithered’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-aston-martin-mike-krack-dig-alpine-fernando-alonso-age/


Fernando Alonso: Aston Martin ‘don’t make big mistakes, like some of our competitors’
12 Sep 2023 9:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Despite losing third place to Ferrari at Monza, Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin can take encouragement from a season in which they’re “not making big mistakes like some of our competitors”.

Quick out of the blocks at the start of the campaign, Aston Martin struggled to maintain their position as the second quickest team on the grid and, as of Monza, have fallen to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. It’s been a notable decline with just two podiums in the last seven races compared to Alonso’s five in the first seven grands prix. He is, however, still sitting P3 in the Drivers’ Championship.

“I think we are doing the job of executing the maximum from the car,” he told the media including PlanetF1.com. “Sometimes unfortunately it’s ninth, sometimes it’s second. We are not doing mistakes. We are doing good strategy, good pit stops, not making big mistakes like some of our competitors, [like] they made at the beginning of the year.”

‘EL PLAN: Executing the maximum from the car’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-dont-make-big-mistakes/


Alonso looking to be 'candidate' for VICTORY in Singapore
Monday 11 September 2023 06:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Fernando Alonso has said that he hopes to be a 'candidate' for the race win at the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix.. “Singapore will be better than Monza, that's for sure," he told Mundo Deportivo.

"But to win a race we already know how hard it is. With Red Bull performing at an incredible level every Sunday. We will see if we are one of the candidates for Singapore."

“EL PLAN: Singapore will be better than Monza”;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003388/fernando-alonso-f1-2023-aston-martin-red-bull-max-verstappen-singapore-grand-prix/


Alonso promised more aero efficient 2024 Aston Martin F1 car
12th Sept. 2023. 13:43
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

Alonso has urged the team to address efficiency, and McCullough agrees that it is a priority. "Fernando touched on the efficiency of the car," said McCullough when asked about the issue by Motorsport.com.

"It is an area where at the start of the year we were definitely one of the slower cars in the straight line. We worked on that with the base car, and also the rear wing levels that we brought [to Monza]. It's an area of improvement, and it is an area we need to improve more for next year, that's clear."

"The main architecture of the car, the whole car more than just the rear wings, the areas that we've worked on, there are a lot of elements that contribute to the efficiency of the car," he said.

‘EL PLAN: Address efficiency’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alonso-promised-more-aero-efficient-2024-aston-martin-f1-car/10519245/


Alonso wants 'new ideas' from Aston after 'anonymous' Italian GP
05/09/2023 at 09:06
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso suggested that F1 fans would have been excused if they were left with the impression that he had sat out last weekend's Italian Grand Prix, for it was an "anonymous race that no one will remember" as far as the Aston Martin driver was concerned.

"I think the car and the efficiency of the car is maybe not as it should be for this kind of track," Alonso acknowledged. "It seems to have been our weakness and we know that. Now we need to get better and bring some new ideas. I think we are executing the maximum from the car. Sometimes unfortunately it’s ninth like today, sometimes its second like last week.”

"But we are not doing any mistakes, with the strategy or the pitstops – not making any big mistakes our competitors made at the beginning of the year so we have a good gap in terms of points. It’s getting closer, even Ferrari I think is ahead of us now with this result, so let’s bounce back in Singapore."

‘EL PLAN: Bounce back’;

https://f1i.com/news/486138-alonso-wants-new-ideas-from-aston-after-anonymous-italian-gp.html

[Fortitude]

IT’S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we’re excited about ahead of the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix.
Eight rounds of the 2023 season remaining and it’s time for the flyaways to start once again with a stunning double-header in Singapore and Japan.
11 September 2023.
Chris Medland
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

There’s plenty to talk about as well after stepping off the plane so here are some of the topics expected to be doing the rounds at Marina Bay. Another challenge to Red Bull? The run of wins for Max Verstappen and Red Bull continued in Monza last time out, but they were both made to work hard for it, particularly in the first part of the race.

The intense battle for podiums: The beauty of that question above is that even if Red Bull retain an advantage over the rest of the field, the fight behind continues to be thrilling.
Final driver market pieces: On Thursday at the Italian Grand Prix, Mercedes announced contract extensions for both of their drivers that tie them into the team until the end of the 2025 season and leaves very few seats unconfirmed for next year.

The cost cap: One of the biggest pieces of news to come out since the paddock left Italy relates to the cost cap, as the FIA released their findings for 2022. All 10 teams have been found to be under the cap, in line with the Financial Regulations, and as a result have been issued their certificates of compliance.
A spectacular physical test: The original night race, Singapore has been one of the most iconic races on the calendar from its first appearance in 2008, with the stunning downtown location that sees the track winding its way through the city streets under floodlights.

‘5 storylines’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.its-race-week-5-storylines-were-excited-about-ahead-of-the-2023-singapore.5bu45hURO3HIZ0stgN0ZeR.html


Track changes, car changes, same winner? Six Singapore GP talking points
These are the talking points for the Singapore Grand Prix.
12th September 2023, 7:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Trimmed-down track: After 13 races around the five kilometre street circuit with the only significant change being the removal of the unique but clumsy Singapore Sling chicane, this year’s Singapore Grand Prix will see the circuit take on a different look with the removal of the float sequence of turns 16 to 19 that saw drivers run along the waterfront before turning under the grandstand.
Flexibility clampdown: In response to concerns about how some teams may be skirting this rule, the FIA have issued a technical directive to all ten teams to make them aware that parts of the cars that could flex under load will be placed under increased scrutiny.

Stroll under scrutiny: It’s clear that Aston Martin need Stroll to raise his game if they are to have any chance of fighting for a top three finish over the final eight rounds of the championship.
Tying loose ends: Days after the Italian Grand Prix, the FIA announced all 10 teams that been certified as being under the 2022 budget cap, with no team found to have committed any material or procedural breaches of the financial restrictions over last season.

‘Singapore GP talking points’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/12/track-changes-car-changes-same-winner-seven-singapore-gp-talking-points/


POINTS PERMUTATIONS: Where and when Verstappen can become the 2023 F1 world champion
12 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

With eight Grands Prix remaining, and three Sprints, there are still 232 points up for grabs, which means no chance for the Dutchman to mathematically end Perez’s hopes in Singapore and secure a third title on the bounce.

Instead, depending on results this weekend, the earliest Verstappen could clinch the title is the scene of his 2022 triumph, the Japanese Grand Prix, where he needs to depart with a lead of 180 points or more over Perez to put things beyond doubt.

Grand Prix Lead required afterwards
Japan 180
Qatar 146
United States 112
Mexico 86
Brazil 52
Las Vegas 26
Abu Dhabi -

‘POINTS PERMUTATIONS’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.points-permutations-where-and-when-verstappen-can-become-the-2023-f1-world.412HcLWdfHinODX0u0sIub.html


How Formula One Constructors' Championship can be won in Singapore
The 2023 F1 season is being dominated by Red Bull and their lead in the Constructors' Championship is so large they can win it as early as the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix.
18:39, Tue, Sep 12, 2023
By Liam Llewellyn
Daily and Sunday Express

Red Bull can clinch the 2023 F1 Constructors’ Championship at the Singapore Grand Prix - seven races before the end of the season. The team was dominant in 2022 but this season they have been untouchable and won every single race so far.

Following Sunday’s race, Red Bull will retain the Constructors' Championship if they lead the standings by 353 points or more. To have any chance of achieving this, Verstappen and Perez must finish first and second, just as they did at the Italian GP earlier this month.

‘1 – 2’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1812131/formula-one-constructors-championship-red-bull


Ferrari explains 'nasty' SF-23 traits that could affect Singapore chances
11 September 1:50PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ferrari senior performance engineer Jock Clear has detailed some of the "nasty traits" of the SF-23 package that could make the Singapore Grand Prix a challenge for the team.

"Going into Zandvoort, we knew that it was a circuit that wasn't going to suit us and was going to expose the Achilles Heel of the car," Clear told media including RacingNews365. "We know that there are areas in this car that are really tricky, but it does remain a pretty quick car at most places, it just becomes trickier and trickier.”

"You saw that with Charles putting it in the wall in qualifying, so it is a car that is very much on the edge of circuits like that. With a perfect lap around there, we could have qualified third or fourth, which was the potential of the car, but that potential comes with huge risks at those circuits.”

'Nasty SF-23 traits’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-explains-nasty-sf-23-traits-that-could-affect-singapore-chances


Mercedes outline BOLD Singapore GP expectations after falling behind Ferrari
Sunday 10 September 2023 09:57
George Brabner
GPFans

Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has expressed optimism for the Silver Arrows’ performance at the Singapore Grand Prix. Shovlin expects Mercedes to come back into their own on the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

He said in a Mercedes debrief after the Italian Grand Prix: “Well, we’re certainly hoping so [that Singapore will suit the W14 more than Monza], but there’s reason to think that the car will work better because Singapore is a maximum downforce circuit and our performance at the high downforce tracks, if you look at Barcelona, Budapest, even Zandvoort in the race the car was working well, we've had pretty strong performance.”

‘BOLD Singapore GP expectations’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003431/mercedes-singapore-grand-prix-expectations-andrew-shovlin-lewis-hamilton-george-russell/


Mercedes has 'reason to think' fortunes will be better in Singapore
12 September 7:30AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Mercedes Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin expects the team's form will improve at the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix. "The track though does throw up some pretty unique challenges and we've also got some layout changes for this year," said Shovlin.

"There is a sequence of four corners near the end of the lap that have been removed where the track used to go underneath a grandstand through a tunnel. That's now gone so we've got a longer straight which will change a little bit how the tyres are working.”

“There is a bit less energy there but it's also an abrasive tarmac. We've got the softest three compounds so it's a pretty tough race on the tyres and it's also a bumpy street circuit. Added to that, the race is run at night. Plenty of challenges for us to try and tackle then but we are going there optimistic for a strong performance.”

'Reason to think';

https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-has-reason-to-think-fortunes-will-be-better-at-singapore


AlphaTauri develop major upgrade as they copy Red Bull
AlphaTauri will start to adopt Red Bull's design philosophy this weekend at the 2023 Singapore GP.
12 September 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

AlphaTauri are set to commence their final-stretch charge this weekend at the Singapore Grand Prix, where the Faenza-based team are reportedly going to introduce a major Red Bull-inspired upgrades package.

Bayer actually revealed to PlanetF1.com that they will start to adopt Red Bull’s design philosophy this weekend, as part of a major upgrade. “There are no quick gains,” Bayer told PlanetF1.com.

“I mean, this year, we’ve seen some amazing changes in the results scheme, when suddenly Aston Martin popped up, and then suddenly McLaren popped up, but I think that’s really down to the fact that they all understood that what Red Bull Racing did in terms of design philosophy is the right one with this new downforce element which everybody is following.”

‘AlphaTauri develop major upgrade’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/alphatauri-develop-major-upgrade-as-they-copy-red-bull/

[Fortitude]

What to expect from the 2023 F1 Singapore Grand Prix.
What can we expect as F1 returns to the Marina Bay Street Circuit for the Singapore Grand Prix?
13 September 2:00PM
RacingNews365

Marina Bay has undergone some temporary track changes for this weekend's race, the biggest since 2013 when the famous 'Singapore Sling' chicane was removed, as Turns 16-19 under the grandstand have been replaced by a straight. This is due to construction works with lap-times set to be trimmed by nearly 20 seconds.

The field will be hoping to catch Max Verstappen and deny him an 11th straight win, and extend the record he broke last time out in Italy. Verstappen has never won in Singapore and only has a second place as his best finish since his 2015 debut. Will the hoodoo continue or will the soon-to-be three-time champion finally chalk the race off his 'to-do list?'

‘Will the hoodoo continue’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-to-expect-from-the-2023-f1-singapore-grand-prix


Gasly concerned by Singapore track changes hampering Alpine
13th Sept. 2023, 13:07
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly concedes the track alterations in place for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix are likely to hamper Alpine’s chances. After encountering a challenging first half to his debut season with the team since his winter switch from AlphaTauri, Gasly headed into the summer break having secured third place in the Belgian Grand Prix Sprint Race.

“As a team we really experienced the highs and lows of racing across the last two events,” Gasly explained in Alpine’s Singapore Grand Prix preview. The podium in Zandvoort was fully deserved and we had a reasonable package there to compete for solid points.”

“In Monza, we expected it to be a challenge and, unfortunately, we lacked performance and could not put ourselves in contention. We had a very productive day on the simulator last week and I think we are in better shape for the next two races where we aim to return to the points.”

‘The highs and lows of racing’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/13/gasly-concerned-by-singapore-track-changes-hampering-alpine/


2023 F1 Singapore Grand Prix weather forecast
13 September 3:55PM
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

According to our friends at WeerOnline.com, Friday practice is expected to be dry. The chance of showers is small, resting about 20% and the temperature will rise to about 33 degrees Celsius at the hottest time of the day.

However, over the weekend, the threat of rain will increase - on Saturday, the day of qualifying, there will be a 40% chance of a shower at the track. On Sunday, more showers will develop in the region and the chance of rainfall is over 60%.

However, most of the showers will fall in the afternoon and as both qualifying and the race do not start until the evening hours, it does not appear as though the track will be heavily saturated for the sessions.

‘Weather forecast’;

https://racingnews365.com/2023-f1-singapore-grand-prix-weather-forecast


THIS WEEK IN F1: 10 quiz questions on all the F1 news ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix
13 September 2023
Rob Burnett
Special contributor
Formula One - Official Site

The European leg of the Formula 1 season is over – and now we've moved on to the flyaway races, beginning this weekend in Singapore. F1 has been racing at the Marina Bay Circuit since 2008 and this weekend's Grand Prix will be the 14th held at the track since it joined the calendar.

To help keep you occupied until then, we've knocked up a quick quiz. It will test your knowledge of the history of the Singapore GP, and there's a few questions thrown in on the F1 news from the past week or so as well.

‘10 quiz questions’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.this-week-in-f1-10-quiz-questions-on-all-the-f1-news-ahead-of-the-singapore.6UXHjpFUoGccbuiVZ2yh1z.html


Charles Leclerc hopes to be third-time lucky with Ferrari at Singapore Grand Prix
13/09/2023, 11:56.
Jonathan Wong
Assistant Sports Editor
The Straits Times

SINGAPORE – Charles Leclerc knows he is the fastest man at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. At least over one qualifying lap. After all, he has put his Ferrari on pole at the last two editions of the Singapore Grand Prix.

But staying in front of the chasing pack has been his Achilles heel. In 2019, he finished second behind then-teammate Sebastian Vettel and in 2022, he lost his lead to Sergio Perez before Turn 1 on the first lap, eventually settling for runner-up behind the Red Bull driver.

His Formula 1 record of five wins alongside 20 poles suggests a highly talented racer but perhaps not the ruthless winning machine his rival Max Verstappen (47 wins, 28 poles) has evolved into. No wonder Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur, who was with Leclerc at Sauber in 2018 and has a close relationship with him, has heaped praised on the flying Dutchman.

‘Third-time lucky’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/charles-leclerc-hopes-to-be-third-time-lucky-with-ferrari-at-singapore-grand-prix


Hamilton and Russell keeping COOL ahead of Singapore Grand Prix
Tuesday 12 September 2023 22:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have been pictured keeping cool during their preparations for the Singapore Grand Prix, by taking an ice bath. Now, they are getting ready for this weekend's Singapore GP – which will be held in sweltering conditions – by taking an ice bath side-by-side.

Both Mercedes and Ferrari have proven themselves to be quick over one lap at times this season, suggesting it might not all be plain sailing for Max Verstappen as he looks to extend his record of 10 consecutive race victories.

‘Keeping COOL’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003658/lewis-hamilton-george-russell-f1-mercedes-singapore-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

What are the new changes to the Singapore track? As Max Verstappen aims to pick up his first win at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
The Red Bull star comes into this weekend's action off the back of a win at the Italian Grand Prix - becoming the first driver ever to win 10 races in a row.
Published: 09:35, 14 September 2023
By James Evans For Mailonline
Mail Online

Formula One is set to return this weekend after a two week hiatus with the Singapore Grand Prix. Ahead of this weekend's action, many fans will notice a few slight tweaks to the track ahead of this year's edition. Max Verstappen will be aiming to win his 11th race in a row at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The new layout will now become one long 397.9m straight, reducing the total number of corners from 23 to 19. The changes will put less stress on the tyres and give drivers a quick moment to take a breather. Work on the new track is set to officially be completed by the end of 2026.

‘A few slight tweaks to the track’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12517137/What-new-changes-Singapore-track.html


Max Verstappen's Unconquered Frontier...Yet! 2023 Singapore GP Preview
Published ‎Sep‎ ‎13‎, ‎2023‎ ‎11‎:‎01‎ ‎PM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

Max Verstappen is yet to win in Singapore. Will we repeat this stat after the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix though? Heck, VER is yet to take pole position at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. In fact, Red Bull Racing never has.

Firstly, VER's five race winning streak of 2022 ended at Singapore. Could it be a repeat this year? Of course, this could be for no fault of his own, as we saw in 2022.

Secondly, will the driver breaking VER's ongoing race winning streak become popular or unpopular for breaking the streak? Yes, it is about who breaks the streak. If it's Sergio Perez, he will be unpopular, however, if it's any other driver, he'll be a popular one! The perils of racing along side Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, we guess.

‘Max Verstappen's Unconquered Frontier...’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/max-verstappens-unconquered-frontier-yet-2023-sing


Why Perez & Ferrari will hope to break Verstappen's streak: What to watch for at 2023 Singapore GP
September 13th 2023
Motor Sport Magazine

Can Perez maintain his reputation as street circuit specialist? Having found polarising success on street circuits in the past — winning in Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia — Perez’s next trip to Marina Bay signifies a shot at redemption. As written by Mark Hughes for Motor Sport, the Mexican’s advantage is due to his “simpler driver style”, which allows him to shave Armco and concrete barriers thanks to his handling of oversteer and very delicate throttle foot to optimise traction.

Could Ferrari be Red Bull’s biggest challenger in Singapore? “Like every race, we have had a competitive car everywhere so why should that not be the case in Singapore?” Helmut Marko told Motorsport.com. “But I have to say Ferrari and especially Leclerc is a specialist around there. If they are faster in qualifying, then it could become a problem for us because overtaking in Singapore is very difficult. But I’m still optimistic that the package we are bringing to Singapore is good enough to win.”

‘What to watch for’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/why-perez-ferrari-will-hope-to-break-verstappens-streak-what-to-watch-for-at-2023-singapore-gp/?nowprocket=1#


All you need to know about F1’s new Singapore GP layout
14th Sept. 2023, 07:32
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Why the change? Although it intuitively feels like a change someone will have pitched in an effort to improve overtaking, the removal of the four corners is dictated by non-F1 matters, specifically the replacement of the Marina Bay Floating Platform that was located in this section of the track.

What it means? A shorter laptime is the obvious knock-on effect. Though the reduction in actual lap length is borderline negligible – around 100 metres, or two percent – the removal of four basically-90-degree corners will obviously do a lot for the average speed of the lap.

What else? The Singapore track was never the most demanding in terms of pure tyre degradation – hence the aforementioned use of the hypersoft – but it is a hot enough place to where tyre overheating is a particular worry.
Who wins out? This is still a relatively minor change, and over the rest of the lap the corners still come thick and fast to where it still looks firmly a high-downforce track.

‘All you need to know’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/all-you-need-to-know-about-f1s-new-singapore-gp-layout/


Singapore Grand Prix could see race-day rain again
Formula 1
Posted on 14th September 2023, 7:15
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

The last round of the Formula 1 championship ended a string of rain-affected race weekends. But that may change again at the Singapore Grand Prix. There is a 20% probability that the Marina Bay street circuit will be rained on during daylight hours on Friday, with the first practice session not beginning until 5:30pm and two support series going out before then that can sweep away any standing water.

It’s a similar story on Saturday, with a 40% chance of daytime rain and F1 using the same session timing as Friday for third practice and qualifying. Forecasts predict it to be 30C for the final practice session and 29C for qualifying.

The chance of rain rises to 60% for Sunday, and some of those showers could be heavy and thundery. Whether they and the rain they deposit will linger long enough to affect the race, which starts at 8pm, is the key question. Temperatures of 30C will help to dry up any rain that does fall.

‘Could see race-day rain again’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/14/singapore-grand-prix-could-see-race-day-rain-again/


Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff agree as Mercedes face "unique" Singapore GP challenge
Singapore's Marina Bay Circuit is the next stop on F1's global tour and Hamilton and his Mercedes team are hopeful of a competitive showing over the course of the weekend
06:00, 14 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Toto Wolff shares the "hope" held by Lewis Hamilton that the Singapore Grand Prix could be a big opportunity for Mercedes.

The Austrian added his belief that it is a track which should be much better suited to Mercedes' W14 cars: "Singapore is a unique challenge for every team. The hot and humid conditions are tough on the drivers, team members and the cars. It's a bumpy track and there are some changes to the layout for this year, too.”

"It should make the lap more flowing and slightly kinder on the tyres. The battle with our nearest competitors is incredibly close. It's hard to predict just how the order will shake out each weekend. Nonetheless, we typically perform better on high downforce tracks, so we're hopeful of a competitive showing."

‘Track should be much better suited to Mercedes' W14 cars’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-wolff-mercedes-singapore-gp-30933162


Ricciardo to skip Singapore Grand Prix as Kiwi rookie gets golden chance to shine
September 13th, 2023 9:51 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Daniel Ricciardo will not race at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix to continue rehabilitation for his broken hand. New Zealand rookie Liam Lawson will remain in the cockpit alongside Yuki Tsunoda.

AlphaTauri hasn’t committed to a return date for the injured Aussie, with his injuries to be reassessed early next week. The Qatar Grand Prix on 1 October is firming as a likely return date, though the team is yet to rule out an early comeback at next weekend’s race in Japan.

Lawson has boosted his bid for a full-time race seat in 2024 with a pair of assured performances in Ricciardo’s absence. He made a Q2 appearance at just his second time of asking at the Italian Grand Prix, where he finished 11th and less than seven seconds outside the points despite being saddled with a slower strategy. Neither Ricciardo nor predecessor Nyck de Vries has finished higher than 12th this season, though Daniel finished 11th in Belgium’s sprint race.

‘Kiwi rookie gets golden chance to shine’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/ricciardo-to-skip-singapore-grand-prix-as-kiwi-rookie-gets-golden-chance-to-shine/news-story/cc1c98cf991a81a46faa99499420507f

[Fortitude]

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix.
Ahead of 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.
14 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

The driver’s verdict:
Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver: Marina Bay is a long, complex circuit, and draining as well – a little bit like Monaco – with plenty of bumps. It’s all about the low-speed and having decent turn-in without losing the rear or suffering snaps of oversteer.

Strategy and set-up keys: Bernie Collins, former Aston Martin F1 strategist: Singapore is F1’s original night race and brings a whole host of challenges, from the intense heat and humidity to the demanding wall-lined layout, meaning drivers and teams are kept on their toes throughout the weekend.

Vital statistics
• First Grand Prix – 2008
• Track Length – 4.940km
• Lap record – N/A (due to 2023 layout changes)
• Most pole positions – Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton (4)
• Most wins – Sebastian Vettel (5)
• Trivia – Due to the physical demands of the climate and circuit, drivers can lose as much as 3kg in body weight over the course of a race in Singapore
• Pole run to Turn 1 braking point – 178 metres
• Overtakes completed in 2022 – 71
• Safety Car probability – 100%*
• Virtual Safety Car probability – 33%*
• Pit stop time loss – 29.83 seconds

‘The most important facts, stats and trivia’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.need-to-know-the-most-important-facts-stats-and-trivia-ahead-of-the-2023-singapore.361ZHWFD1aZr8opUZr70yJ.html


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the build-up ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend
14 September 2023
Becky Hart,
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

Build-up to the Singapore Grand Prix. It is hot in Singapore, the drivers are already posting sweaty selfies on their social media accounts and everyone is in for a tough weekend. This is often the longest race on the calendar in terms of time and sometimes the laps don't get completed in under the two hour time limit.

‘Follow all the build-up’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-f1-singapore-grand-prix-build-up-2023.60tk2ZxYE16d3s1XqhouC6.html


Verstappen, Perez wary of 'really painful' Singapore GP
14th September 2023, 15:10
Wheels24

Runaway Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen conceded Thursday that his win streak was under threat at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, where his car is "not as competitive".

The Red Bulls have been unstoppable in 2023, winning all 14 races, with flying Dutchman Verstappen taking the chequered flag 12 times.

He said he would spare no effort to extend his record of consecutive wins to 11 but conceded the nature of Singapore's high downforce layout would enable Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin to get closer.

'Really painful';

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/verstappen-perez-wary-of-really-painful-singapore-gp-20230914


Russell hopeful Singapore strength can aid Red Bull pursuit
14 September 2:20PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

George Russell has outlined his hope of competing closer to Red Bull during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. "Last year [in Singapore] we had a really fast car and unfortunately, we didn't make the most of it during the weekend,” Russell told media including RacingNews365.

"I think it's so close at the moment between ourselves, Ferrari and McLaren. Aston Martin are fluctuating in performance. Hopefully we can close the gap slightly on Red Bull here on the high downforce circuit."

‘Hopeful’;

https://racingnews365.com/russell-hoping-for-closer-fight-with-red-bull-in-singapore


Ferrari set for Singapore 'reset' after Monza success - Leclerc
14 September 4:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc expects Ferrari will find the Singapore Grand Prix tough, following its podium challenge at Monza. The team adopted a 'Monza special' aero package which enabled it to maximise the potential of the SF-23 at the high-speed track, but Leclerc expects the team to struggle more at the high downforce Marina Bay Street Circuit, which have proved a weakness for the package in 2023.

"I think it's the overall performance we'll have this weekend," Leclerc told media including RacingNews365 if he was optimistic about Ferrari's chances in Singapore - a track he has taken pole at in both 2019 and 2022.

"It's quite difficult to go from one weekend in Monza, where we are fighting for third position and we are clearly the second strongest team on track, to a weekend like this where we need to reset a little bit. We will be closer at least with Mercedes, McLaren, also Aston Martin. We just need to reset a little bit more."

‘Expects the team to struggle more’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-expecting-ferrari-reset-after-monza-success

[Fortitude]

Why Singapore’s F1 schedule operates on European time.
Singapore is Formula 1’s original night race - but there’s a reason behind the nighttime shift beyond the amazing spectacle…
15 September 7:30AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Singapore’s nighttime serves a purpose that is deeper than creating fabulous imagery - it is part of the logistic challenge of hosting the race. Upon arrival at the location, team members and drivers operate on European time. Singapore is currently five hours ahead of Central European time, meaning that just as the sun is creeping up on the horizon, F1 personnel will be tucking themselves into bed.

Around lunchtime, they awake and have breakfast, meeting those who are taking their midday meals. It is a strange concept, but eliminates the threat of jet leg and ensures that there is no overhanging tiredness to disrupt the flow of the race weekend.

It also means that for those who are working back at the factory, there is little difference when it comes to work schedules and operating within the same time frame as those at the race track.

‘Operating on European time’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-singapores-f1-schedule-operates-on-european-time


Singapore GP: Thursday's build-up in pictures
14/09/2023 at 19:00
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

After a two-week break, it's back to the grind for Formula 1 this weekend at one of the most challenging events of the season: the Singapore GP.

Check out our pictures from Thursday's buildup to the race weekend at Marina Bay.

’49 Pictures’;

https://f1i.com/news/486614-singapore-gp-thursdays-build-up-in-pictures-3.html


Singapore GP: F1 technical images from the pitlane explained
Sep 14, 2023, 9:27 PM
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

Red Bull has a new rear wing design at the Singapore Grand Prix, as the team follows in the footsteps of its rivals. This style of semi-detached tip section was first introduced by Alpine and has found its way onto the AlphaTauri and McLaren already this season.

An overview of Mercedes nose and front wing assembly, which has an elongated mainplane in the outer section, resulting in three elements with a much shorter chord thereafter.

Ferrari’s higher downforce rear wing assembly has a deeper spoon-shaped mainplane arrangement and squared-off tip section. To match the higher downforce rear wing selection, Ferrari has added a Gurney flap to the trailing edge of the upper flap on the front wing.

‘F1 technical images from the pitlane’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/singapore-gp-f1-tech-images-explained/10520265/


Hamilton hopeful for Mercedes podium hunt
15 September 5:00AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton hopes Mercedes can replicate last year's performance at the Singapore Grand Prix and fight for a podium. "I think we should we were relatively competitive," he told media, including RacingNews365.

"Last year, we had such a great race. But given the car we had last year, I'm hoping this [years] car has progressed quite a lot. Maybe we'll be a little bit closer, I'm hoping we can fight for the podium."

‘Mercedes podium hunt’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-hopeful-for-mercedes-podium-hunt


Charles Leclerc bats off Helmut Marko comments in worrying Ferrari admission
Ferrari impressed everyone with their pace at Monza, but the Scuderia may be in for a tough weekend in Singapore.
16:24, Thu, Sep 14, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Charles Leclerc has claimed that he isn’t buying into Red Bull’s fears about Ferrari’s pace ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, suggesting that he is worried that the team could struggle in relation to their rivals on Sunday.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 about the team’s hopes for the Singapore GP, Leclerc said: “It’s nice to read that [Red Bull are worried about Ferrari], but I’m not buying it at all. I mean I really think that they will be the strongest this weekend, especially come race day.”

“In quali it may be close, but maybe not, I mean we don’t know. I think on a high downforce track like here, I expect us to struggle more than Monza, so I don’t think they will have any threat, I think they will be the fastest on track.”

“It’s nice to read that [Red Bull are worried about Ferrari]”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1812904/Charles-Leclerc-Helmut-Marko-Ferrari


Norris handed biggest MCL60 upgrade since Austria for Singapore GP
14/09/2023 at 18:23
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Lando Norris will head into his Singapore Grand Prix weekend as the recipient of a major update on McLaren's MCL60, the biggest since the transformative upgrade introduced by the team in Austria.

Norris revealed that the primary objective of the revisions is to address the MCL60's weakness in low speeds this year. "Probably since Austria, it is the thing that we believe will kind of help us move forward the most since then," said the Briton as he described the magnitude of the upgrade.

McLaren enjoyed the impact of its Austrian update immediately. Norris says that swift fulfilment has strengthened McLaren's confidence that its latest package will also produce a speedy step forward. "Sometimes we would put stuff on and it's not really delivered to what we wanted or what it should have done," he said.

‘Biggest MCL60 upgrade’;

https://f1i.com/news/486657-norris-handed-biggest-mcl60-upgrade-since-austria.html


F1 drivers campaigning for track changes ahead of Singapore GP
14 Sep 2023 4:30 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Will an additional DRS zone be added to the circuit layout in Singapore before the serious action of the weekend gets underway? Speaking on Thursday’s media day in Singapore, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez said the topic of adding on another DRS zone is one topic that will be discussed in the drivers’ briefing ahead of the weekend action beginning on Friday.

“I think we are all expecting and we are all trying to get an extra DRS with the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Association), because we feel like it can be improved for racing,” he said. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was another to lend a voice of support for introducing a DRS zone, saying: “The FIA is concerned about safety in that little left kink. I reckon personally – and the other drivers too – that it’s not going to be an issue.”

“We are pushing at the moment to be able to try it at least in FP1, see how it feels and if it’s OK, potentially keep it. There’s no reason why we would not be able to keep it. Even if we want to be really safe, we just put [it after Turn 15].”

‘Will an additional DRS zone be added’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-drivers-campaigning-for-track-changes-singapore-gp/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc fastest in Singapore first practice as lizards disrupt session.
Leclerc was fastest overall in the first session of the weekend as the teams got their first look at the updated Marina Bay Street Circuit.
September 15, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

The action on track was briefly interrupted for a yellow flag at Turn 8 due to a monitor lizard on track, with the drivers swerving to avoid the animal as it made its way slowly across the circuit – eventually making it safely back behind the walls.

Another appeared later on, this time at Turn 9, with another brief yellow flag to help them on their way unharmed, with a third bring up the reptile hattrick in the final stages of the session.

�� Max: “There’s a lizard again on the track. It’s a smaller one this time!”

�� GP: “Okay understood. Maybe Godzilla had a kid”

����#F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/xngLSJ648r
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 15, 2023

‘Lizards disrupt session’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-leclerc-fastest-singapore-first-practice-as-lizards-disrupt-session/


SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX: F1 FREE PRACTICE 1 RESULTS
Formula 1 took to the Marina Bay circuit for the first session of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend
September 15, 2023
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

FP1 Results
P1: Charles Leclerc
P2: Carlos Sainz
P3: Max Verstappen
P4: Lando Norris
P5: Lewis Hamilton
P6: George Russell
P7: Sergio Perez
P8: Fernando Alonso
P9: Yuki Tsunoda
P10: Esteban Ocon

Lizard on track! ��
The yellow flags come out but he seems quite chilled ��#F1 #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/1YORJCZRh5
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 15, 2023

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/singapore-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-1-results/


F1 Results Today: Singapore Grand Prix practice times
Friday 15 September 2023 12:39
Chris Deeley
GPFans

The most dramatic moment in the first practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix came when the yellow flag was deployed for a large lizard on the track not once, not twice, but three times, with drivers just starting to get used to the profile of the Marina Bay track.

Singapore Grand Prix FP1 practice results - Friday September 15
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari): 1:33.350sec
2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari): +0.078s
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull): +0.126s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren): +0.172s
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes): +0.190s
6. George Russell (Mercedes): +0.345s
7. Sergio Perez (Red Bull): +0.375s
8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin): +0.624s
9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri): +0.692s
10. Esteban Ocon (Alpine): +0.716s

‘Large lizard on the track not once, not twice, but three times’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003809/f1-results-today-singapore-grand-prix-practice-times/


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Singapore Grand Prix
15 September 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-singapore-2023.dwommdoIddaNwK8euDbzf.html


F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice: LIVE UPDATES!
15th September 2023, 09:57
Reporting By: Harvey Orgill
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-singapore-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-live-updates


F1 Live - Singapore GP Free Practice 1 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
15th September 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Free Practice 1 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql_TNClw5Cs


‘Godzilla’s kid’ interrupts first practice at Singapore Grand Prix
15 Sep 2023 11:23 AM
Thomas Maher

There was a brief moment of levity in the first practice session at Marina Bay, with a big lizard running onto the track and causing a yellow flag at the Singapore Grand Prix.

This is not the first time that local wildlife in Singapore has made its way onto the circuit, with lizards having been a presence on the track in years gone by.

But this time around, a large lizard made its way onto the track on the exit of the Turn 8 hairpin, standing in the middle of the road and causing multiple drivers to take evasive action.

‘Godzilla’s kid’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/godzillas-kid-interrupts-singapore-grand-prix/


Race guide for the Singapore Grand Prix
14 Sep 2023, 09:00
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The ultimate test of man and machine: Over the past years, Singapore has established itself as a Formula One classic. With its total length of 5.063km, Singapore is one of the longest tracks on the current calendar. However, the street track rather became famous thanks to its layout. Drivers have to excel with their cars driving through a series of difficult corners and over very high kerbs. Singapore’s climatic conditions characterized by heat and high humidity also add another challenge to master.

‘Ultimate test of man and machine’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24187


Extensive final McLaren F1 upgrade of 2023 revealed
15th September 2023, 10:38
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

The extensive McLaren Formula 1 car upgrade revealed at the Singapore Grand Prix is intended to improve slow-speed cornering performance as a priority. This is the third of three big packages McLaren planned for this season and the second to have been properly influenced by the revised technical structure that was implemented early in the year.

The Singapore developments include a revised front wing endplate, a new sidepod inlet, mirror mounting and halo furniture to work in conjunction with a new bodywork shape for the engine cover and sidepod and “fully revised floor” including updated fences, floor edge and diffuser.

‘Extensive final McLaren F1 upgrade’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/extensive-final-mclaren-f1-upgrade-of-2023-revealed/

[Fortitude]

F1 Singapore GP: Sainz quickest from Leclerc by 0.018s in FP2.
Carlos Sainz outpaced Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in second practice for the Singapore Grand Prix, leading his Formula 1 team-mate by a scant 0.018s.
Sep 15, 2023, 3:10 PM
By: Jake Boxall-Legge

The Monza pole-sitter punched in a 1m32.120s to top the session amid the soft-tyre phase of running, which withstood a siege from Leclerc despite Sainz's inferior first and second sectors.

Being set at the same time of day as qualifying and the race, FP2 was considered the sole representative practice session as the track had cooled under the night sky.

Leclerc set the pace on the medium compound with his final run on the yellow-walled tyres, overturning team-mate Sainz's advantage at the top by approximately a quarter of a second as the Spaniard had largely bossed the top of the timing boards in the early phases of the session.

‘Ferrari 1 – 2’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-singapore-gp-sainz-quickest-from-leclerc-by-0018s-in-fp2/10520613/


F1 2023 Singapore GP – Practice 2 results
Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari was fastest in Free Practice 2 at the 2023 Singapore GP
September 15, 2023
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

F1 2023 Singapore GP – Practice 2 results

Pos Driver Team Time
1 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:32.120
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.018
3 George Russell Mercedes +0.235
4 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.358
5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.465
6 Lando Norris McLaren +0.591
7 Sergio Perez Red Bull +0.692
8 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.732
9 Kevin Magnussen Haas +0.897
10 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.985

‘After claiming the top two positions in FP1, Ferrari once again showed their pace at the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix with Carlos Sainz leading Charles Leclerc in Free Practice 2.‘;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-singapore-gp-practice-2-results/


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from second practice for the Singapore Grand Prix
15 September 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-singapore-2023.3MPUA43M9b8ABrK1jX1ldf.html


F1 Live - Singapore GP Free Practice 2 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
Sep 15, 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Free Practice 2 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAWxe2OHyTY


Verstappen ISSUES persist as Red Bull kept off top spot in Singapore Grand Prix FP2
Friday 15 September 2023 16:02
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

After the conclusion of FP1, it was clear that Verstappen was not entirely comfortable with the setup of his RB19. Yet sadly for the Dutchman things did not improve much for him in Friday's second practice session. It took just 20 minutes before he lost the rear of his RB19 past the Esplanade Bridge, proceeding to complain about a lack of grip.
Although the race pace of Verstappen's car will no doubt be strong come Sunday, there are signs that the two-time world champion's run of successive race wins might be in serious jeopardy. And if Red Bull are hoping that Perez can be there to pick up the pieces of his team-mate, a rather concerning radio message may just bring them back down to earth.

"It's just not coming mate," the Mexican told his engineer. 'Every braking zone I feel like I'm going to crash. The rear is just stepping out massively." A seventh and eighth place finish in FP2 for Perez and Verstappen respectively will leave plenty to ponder ahead of Saturday's action.

"It's just not coming mate";

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003831/singapore-grand-prix-f1-fp2-report-max-verstappen-red-bull-ferrari/


F1 results: FP2 timings from Singapore Grand Prix practice
15 Sep 2023 3:01 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari carried on where they left off in the morning session, by topping the time in the more representative hour under the spotlights. Claiming another 1-2, it was Carlos Sainz who came out on top of the intra-team battle.

Red Bull’s quest to win every race this year looks slightly under threat, with Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen only managing seventh and eighth, respectively.

Mercedes were the closest rivals to Ferrari, with George Russell popping into third, a quarter of a second down on the Ferrari duo, while Lewis Hamilton was fifth with a time another two-tenths back – the pair were split by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

‘Ferrari carried on where they left off’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-results-2023-singapore-grand-prix-fp2/


Alonso accused of animal killing after LIZARD invasion in Singapore
Friday 15 September 2023 14:57
Chris Deeley
GPFans

Formula 1 fans have accused Fernando Alonso of killing one of the lizards which interrupted FP1 at the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday.

The evidence isn't conclusive (although it seems likely that someone will be asked about the incident later in the weekend) but a clip appears to show the Spaniard splatting the unfortunate critter as it wandered into his path through Turn 9.

It appears the FP1 lizard was struck by Fernando Alonso. Poor thing... #F1 #SingaporeGP
— Phillip Horton (@PHortonF1) September 15, 2023
Ofc it’s Alonso who brutally murdered the lizard
— Erik���� (@F1swe77) September 15, 2023

‘The evidence isn't conclusive’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003817/fernando-alonso-lizard-f1-dead-singapore-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Vasseur buoyed by BEST Ferrari Friday of the season.
“This is our best Friday since the beginning of the season,” Vasseur told Sky Sports Italia. “Qualifying is tomorrow, and we need to be ready, but it’s always good to start the weekend in the right way.”
Friday 15 September 2023 19:42
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Fred Vasseur: “We need to concentrate on ourselves tomorrow. The set-up of the car and the tyres are our primary focus, but tomorrow will be a different story because different drivers will push a lot.”

“I focus on my team and don’t have time to think about Red Bull. I think tomorrow they will be more competitive. When you have a lot of pressure, you might make some mistakes. But we need to focus on ourselves and not the other teams.”

‘BEST Ferrari Friday’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003853/fred-vasseur-ferrari-f1-singapore-grand-prix/


Red Bull "way worse than expected" at Singapore Grand Prix as Max Verstappen left baffled
Runaway leaders Red Bull warned ahead of this trip to Singapore that the Marina Bay Circuit might cause them to struggle more than usual, and Friday practice backed up that concern
15:55, 15 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Verstappen cut a frustrated figure as he spoke after the session about the struggles he and his team were facing. "A little bit worse than expected today, struggling a lot with the balance of the car," Verstappen said.

"We tried a few things in FP2 – some worked, some didn't, but we never really got the car together. There are a few things to figure out tonight. There are a few things that we don't understand, so that's what we have to look into. I will try to improve, but it's quite a big gap. Ferrari is very fast, I think we're just way worse than expected."

"Way worse than expected";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/red-bull-singapore-verstappen-ferrari-30951815


Verstappen 'STRUGGLING A LOT' with Red Bull car at Singapore GP
Friday 15 September 2023 18:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Verstappen has never won at the Marina Bay circuit, a run which dates back to his debut there in 2015. Although there were no races held there in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Red Bull have only won once in Singapore since 2013.

That was last year, when Perez came through to brilliantly take the victory, but Verstappen was hampered by mistakes in both qualifying and the race and could only bring his car home in seventh. It's quite astonishing given how much Verstappen has dominated both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but Singapore seems to be a bit of a bogey track for him.

Red Bull will need to put in some serious thinking overnight if they are to challenge Ferrari, and indeed Mercedes who have also looked fairly quick so far this weekend, for pole position tomorrow.

'STRUGGLING A LOT';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003837/singapore-grand-prix-f1-fp2-max-verstappen-struggling-red-bull/


Red Bull accused of ‘playing games’ after poor Singapore Grand Prix Friday
15 Sep 2023 4:22 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull looked all out of sorts on Friday ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, but Danica Patrick is not reading much into that. Patrick though does not believe we should read too deeply into Red Bull’s Friday struggles.

“I’m not always buying every time that a team has a bad day, or even a session,” the former IndyCar and NASCAR racer told Sky F1. “Because sometimes it just all of a sudden turns the other direction.”

“There’s probably games getting played, and then sometimes you just miss it. So yeah, not really counting them out. But they did come in saying it would probably be a little bit more of a struggle, and so far that’s been true…it’s only Friday.”

‘Accused of playing games’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/danica-patrick-red-bull-games-singapore/


Leclerc expects INCONSISTENT Ferrari at Singapore
Friday 15 September 2023 22:42
Sam Cook
GPFans

Leclerc thinks that the car will struggle around the Marina Bay circuit, one of the longest and physically demanding races on the Formula 1 calendar. “As you know, I love street circuits and this is undoubtedly one of my favourites,” he told the media before the weekend.

“But its characteristics will probably not suit our car that well, because in the past it has performed inconsistently on high downforce tracks. Better to keep our feet on the ground, see how free practice goes and then we will have a clearer understanding.”

‘INCONSISTENT Ferrari expected’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003814/singapore-grand-prix-f1-2023-charles-leclerc-carlos-sainz-ferrari-inconsistent/


Hamilton criticises teams who blocked addition of fourth DRS zone
Formula 1
Posted on 15th September 2023, 17:10
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton criticised Formula 1 teams who did not support the addition of an extra DRS zone for this year’s Singapore Grand Prix. The FIA chose not to add a fourth DRS zone at this point on the circuit after canvassing the views of teams. “All the drivers, we all requested it from the FIA,” said Hamilton. “The FIA asked all the teams and there’s a couple of teams that turned it down.”

“So in the drivers’ briefing we’ll try to bring it up. But the teams should be for more racing, not against it. It’s interesting to have a few teams that are against it. But we’ll discuss it and try.” Sergio Perez said yesterday the Grand Prix Drivers Association was pushing for an extra DRS zone “because we feel like it can be improved for racing.”

‘A couple of teams that turned it down”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/15/hamilton-criticises-teams-who-blocked-addition-of-fourth-drs-zone/


George Russell ‘Optimistic’ for Singapore Grand Prix Weekend after ‘Very Positive Friday’
September 15, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

It was a very positive Friday for us overall,” said Russell. “The car is feeling really good around the circuit. It definitely improved in the cooler temperatures of FP2 but equally, it still felt decent in the slightly unrepresentative conditions of FP1. The times were very tight between several cars.”

“Ferrari looked quick, particularly on the single lap. The long run performance across a number of competitors was also strong but we can be optimistic heading into the weekend. We will do our usual work overnight and hopefully find some improvements heading into Saturday.”

“I am really enjoying the new track layout. It makes the final sector, and the lap as a whole, much more flowing. It definitely improves the experience behind-the-wheel and should help create better racing on Sunday. The new track surface in turns one to five is also an improvement.”

‘Optimistic’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/09/george-russell-optimistic-for-singapore-grand-prix-weekend-after-very-positive-friday/


Lawson enjoying ‘quite tricky’ Singapore challenge
15 September 9:30PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

With just one more session left to run before qualifying, Lawson says final practice carries great importance as he continues to get up to speed at the track. "Initially, it was quite tricky, but I think that’s expected with how this track is," the New Zealander said.

"But I enjoyed it, still learning a lot, still getting familiar with it. We need to make the most of FP3. So far it has been OK, we’ve just been gradually building, basically. But there’s still a bit more to come."

‘Quite tricky’;

https://racingnews365.com/lawson-enjoying-quite-tricky-singapore-challenge


Lando Norris fears McLaren upgrade gains still not enough against ‘way too fast’ rival
15 Sep 2023 5:53 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris fears Ferrari remain “way too fast” for McLaren at the Singapore Grand Prix despite being pleased with the team’s latest upgrade package. Asked to sum up his day’s work, he told Formula 1: “Good, tricky.”

“I think it was a positive day. I think we weren’t expecting to suddenly be P1 or anything, so P1 maybe looked more positive initially but I think we’re always good at getting up to speed. I feel like it’s a good strength of mine, getting up to speed quickly on a tricky track.”

“So, good day. I think we’ve definitely taken some steps forward, the new bits are looking like they’re doing what they’re meant to do, which is always a good thing. A couple of little mistakes, maybe, which cost me a little bit of lap time, but plenty of things for us to improve on for tomorrow.”

‘Way too fast rival’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-mclaren-upgrade-ferrari/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen FUMES as Ferrari keep Red Bull off top spot in Singapore Grand Prix FP3.
Carlos Sainz went fastest during the final practice session ahead of qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, as Max Verstappen could not hide his frustration after he suffered further issues at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
Saturday 16 September 2023 12:41
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

After Ferrari took the fight to Red Bull during Friday's practice sessions, all eyes were on Verstappen and whether he could respond to their impressive pace in the final session before qualifying. The two-time world champion initially looked far more comfortable in his Red Bull on Saturday compared to the day before, yet there were still signs that things were not all going his way.

Aa bizarre moment during the early stages of FP3 saw Verstappen veer off track – at a rather pedestrian pace – before eventually spinning the car around at the escape road of Turn 14. And in a similar theme to Friday's running, it did not take long before the Dutchman revealed that he was not best pleased with his setup, taking to the team radio for an X-rated complaint over his upshifts that he would eventually label as 'unacceptable'.

Perez meanwhile also had issues regarding the rear of his RB19, insisting that it felt 'on the edge', as the Mexican fought to keep control of his car during FP3.

‘Verstappen FUMES’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003874/singapore-grand-prix-fp3-report-red-bull-max-verstappen-ferrari/


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Singapore Grand Prix
16th September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -1:32.065
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.069
3. Lando Norris McLaren +0.238
4. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.313
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.316
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.470
7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.665
8. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.719
9. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.831
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.880

‘Singapore Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice for this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2023-singapore-grand-prix-83160


F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023 - Final Practice Results
16 Sep 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

2023 F1 Singapore Grand Prix - Free Practice Results (3)
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari 1m32.065s
2 George Russell GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 1m32.134s
3 Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team 1m32.303s
4 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m32.378s
5 Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari 1m32.381s
6 Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 1m32.535s
7 Oscar Piastri AUS McLaren F1 Team 1m32.730s
8 Sergio Perez MEX Oracle Bull Racing 1m32.784s
9 Nico Hulkenberg GER MoneyGram Haas F1 Team 1m32.896s
10 Yuki Tsunoda JPN Scuderia AlphaTauri 1m32.945s

‘Results from final practice at the Singapore Grand Prix, Round 15 of the F12023 world championship’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/results/1035794/1/f1-singapore-grand-prix-2023-final-practice-results?language=en


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from third practice for the Singapore Grand Prix
16 September 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-singapore-2023.47ITHeWV1mPCUySKRIW8Sh.html


F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023 - Final Practice: LIVE UPDATES!
16th Sept. 2023, 10:21
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES’;

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Singapore+GP


F1 Live - Singapore GP Free Practice 3 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
16th Sept. 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Free Practice 3 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-DeijLZNtQ


Singapore Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz quickest in FP3 as Red Bull’s troubles continue
16 Sep 2023 11:37 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz secured the practice hat-trick for Ferrari in Singapore with a 1:32.065 in a session in which Red Bull looked to have overcome their issues only to falter. The first of the qualifying simulations began with 20 minutes to go with Russell lowering his benchmark to a 1:32.3. Lando Norris in the upgraded McLaren jumped ahead of the Mercedes teammates by 0.06s.

As the track conditions ramped up, Verstappen went P1 with a 1:33.6…. and then let rip at his “f**k” upshifts. But it wasn’t all bad as he did decline the opportunity to pit for a flap adjustment, telling his race engineer that he was “happy”.

‘Red Bull’s troubles continue’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/singapore-grand-prix-fp3-2023-report/

FOR QUALIFYING;

F1 Live - Singapore GP Qualifying Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
16th Sept. 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Scheduled for September 16 at 1:30 PM’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVX7yDMy3Q0

[Fortitude]

Verstappen FURIOUS as rookie dumps world champion out of Singapore GP qualifying.
The rest of the grid must be partying in the paddock seeing Red Bull finally struggle after the most dominant season perhaps ever in F1.
Saturday 16 September 2023 16:15
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Max Verstappen was furious after he and his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez were knocked out of Q2 at the Singapore Grand Prix. The championship leader had a big slide on his final qualifying lap and he could not make up the time in the ultra-tight session.

He hung on in 10th until AlphaTauri driver and Red Bull junior Liam Lawson stunned the paddock to reach Q3 for the first time in his career. Verstappen could yet start further back than 11th with two FIA investigations hanging over his head for impeding.

‘Verstappen FURIOUS’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003897/max-verstappen-f1-singapore-grand-prix-red-bull-qualifying-out-furious/


Qualifying Results – 2023 Singapore Grand Prix
16th September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):

Q3
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -1:30.984
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.072
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.079
4. Lando Norris McLaren +0.286
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.501
6. Kevin Magnussen Haas +0.591
7. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.631
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.689
9. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.824
10. Liam Lawson AlphaTauri +1.284

‘Singapore Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race around Marina Bay’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-singapore-grand-prix-83165


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix
16 September 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it Happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-singapore-2023.pXeMgeGEX9siGmYFIF0uJ.html


F1 Live - Singapore GP Qualifying Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
16 September 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Qualifying Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVX7yDMy3Q0


Lance Stroll in terrifying crash at Singapore GP as Aston Martin car smashed to bits
Lance Stroll was caught in a huge collision during qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday.
14:25, Sat, Sep 16, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Lance Stroll was caught in a huge crash during qualifying ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix as his Aston Martin collided with the wall on the exit of the final corner. The young Canadian was battling to escape the elimination zone but was clearly struggling with the balance of his car, correcting a snap coming out of the final corner which put him on a collision course with the barriers.

Stroll was already fighting oversteer heading into the final string of corners when the car bottomed out coming off the kerb. The 24-year-old lost control of his car and collided with the barriers with a huge impact, ending the session early.

With such a huge impact, the immediate thoughts turned to Stroll's safety. When checked on by his race engineer the Canadian driver confirmed that he had escaped the incident without injury.

‘Aston Martin car smashed to bits’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1813600/Lance-Stroll-crash-Singapore-Grand-Prix


Max Verstappen storms off after Singapore GP qualifying embarrassment as F1 penalty looms
Verstappen has struggled with the balance of his Red Bull car throughout the Singapore GP weekend and paid for in in qualifying when he failed to even make it into the top 10
15:14, 16 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer

Max Verstappen failed to qualify in the top 10 for the Singapore Grand Prix – and his day could be about to get worse with a potential grid penalty on the way. Verstappen was furious as he shouted over the radio after it was confirmed he was out. "I don't know if you saw that, but that was f***ing shocking. Absolutely shocking experience," he cursed.

After pulling up in the pit lane, he immediately got out of his Red Bull and stormed off. Clearly, the Dutchman needed to calm down before speaking to anyone about what had happened. Ironically, the man who condemned him to a start outside the top 10 was a driver for sister team AlphaTauri.

It was Liam Lawson, in just his third ever F1 race weekend, who made it through to Q3 for the first time at Verstappen's expense. It came after Verstappen had already turned the air blue with an X-rated rant over the radio about the traffic he faced at the end of Q1. "There are so many f***ing cars," he had shouted.

‘Max Verstappen storms off’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-verstappen-grid-penalty-singapore-30957204


Ferrari and Mercedes share FRONT ROW for Singapore Grand Prix after Verstappen's qualifying NIGHTMARE
Saturday 16 September 2023 16:34
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Carlos Sainz claimed pole during qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, after both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez failed to make the top 10 in a chaotic hour of racing at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Sainz topped the timesheets with a lap-time of 1:30.984s, to start from P1 on the grid on Sunday ahead of George Russell and Charles Leclerc in second and third respectively.

Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton rounded off the top five in fourth and fifth, with Kevin Magnussen putting in a superb performance in his Haas to secure sixth.

‘Ferrari and Mercedes share FRONT ROW’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003903/singapore-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-max-verstappen-red-bull-sergio-perez-ferrari/


Sainz snatches Singapore GP pole amid Red Bull meltdown
16th Sept. 2023, 15:38
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
The Race

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz took pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix, as the dominant Formula 1 champion-elect Max Verstappen and his Red Bull team floundered badly.

Verstappen faces two separate investigations for alleged impeding – one for stopping for several seconds at pitlane exit during Q1 and another for seemingly getting in the way of AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda in Q2.

But any penalties for either or both of those incidents are unlikely to make his Saturday that much worse given he was eliminated in Q2 on merit – having struggled with a suddenly-unruly RB19 all weekend – by Tsunoda’s stand-in team-mate Liam Lawson.

‘Sainz snatches Singapore GP pole’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/sainz-snatches-singapore-gp-pole-amid-red-bull-meltdown/

[Fortitude]

Ferrari face mighty challenge to hold off Mercedes in fascinating Singapore GP.
What a 2023 Singapore Grand Prix we have in store. We said pre-event that Red Bull would be susceptible at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, but nobody thought both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez would fail to reach Q3.
September 17, 2023
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Carlos Sainz will start from pole position ahead of George Russell and Charles Leclerc on Sunday, all of whom are targeting to be the first non-Red Bull race winner in 2023. The heat and multiple traction zones mean Singapore is one of the higher degradation tracks on the Formula 1 calendar, so tyres will be vital and so will strategy.

Straight away, Mercedes and Ferrari are set to differ here. Russell and Lewis Hamilton have two new medium tyres in their bank, whereas everyone else only has one set of mediums. If tyre degradation is a major problem, the Mercedes pair can go medium-medium-hard and avoid the softs. If it’s a two-stop race, everyone else will be forced to use the softs since they have just one set each of the mediums and hards.

‘Ferrari face mighty challenge’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-ferrari-mighty-challenge-mercedes-fascinating-singapore-gp/


Winners and losers from the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix qualifying
16 Sep 2023 6:20 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Winners
Carlos Sainz/Ferrari: Having followed up pole for Ferrari at Monza with another here – in the same car as Singapore specialist Charles Leclerc – these are the greatest days of Carlos Sainz’s Formula 1 career.
George Russell: The last non-Red Bull driver to win a grand prix? George Russell. Starting from second and with Mercedes invariably stronger in race conditions, is there a chance that he could repeat his Brazil 2022 heroics on Sunday?

Haas: Haas admitted after Alex Albon’s points finish at Monza that any hope of catching Williams for seventh place in the Constructors’ standings had gone.
Liam Lawson: Sport has a habit of delivering great stories and the one featuring Liam Lawson – the Red Bull junior in just his third appearance knocking Red Bull’s reigning double World Champion out of qualifying – was simply irresistible.

Losers
Max Verstappen/Red Bull: With Verstappen and Red Bull now staring down the barrel of the team’s first defeat in 10 whole months, how to explain their wretched performance this weekend?
Sergio Perez: Much of the focus of Red Bull’s failures will inevitably fall on Verstappen, but Sergio Perez does not escape here unscathed either.
Lance Stroll: Motor racing cannot simply be a rich kid’s hobby. It is a fundamentally dangerous sport with the capacity to bite. Hard.

‘Winners and losers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/winners-losers-2023-singapore-grand-prix-qualifying/


Verstappen rules out Singapore GP win after qualifying nightmare
Sunday 17th September, 2023 - 12:43pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Max Verstappen expects his winning streak to end after enduring a horror qualifying session for Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix. “You can forget about that,” he told the media in Singapore when asked about his chances of victory on Sunday.

“I want to win, but when it’s not possible you have to accept that. I don’t want to make it sound too dramatic, but it was of course a very tough weekend and today in qualifying it’s definitely been for a long, long time that in qualifying it has been like this.”

“Clearly we just don’t understand that issue,” he added. “You don’t make these kind of changes and it’s worse, so we are clearly not understanding the car this weekend around this track.”

‘Qualifying nightmare’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/09/17/verstappen-rules-out-singapore-gp-win-after-qualifying-nightmare/


Perez blames engine problem for Q2 elimination at Singapore Grand Prix
16th September 2023, 18:13
Written by Ed Hardy and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Sergio Perez says an engine problem caused his early elimination from qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver qualified 13th as he and team mate Max Verstappen both failed to make the cut for Q3 in a shock off-day for the world champions.

“I’m really disappointed because we haven’t been able to make any progress. The fact that I had an issue with the engine on my final attempt for Q3 meant that I couldn’t make it into Q3, unfortunately.” He described the balance problems he suffered throughout the weekend so far. “Every corner is quite different, we were playing around with the tools quite a lot.”

‘Engine problem caused his early elimination from qualifying’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/16/perez-blames-engine-problem-for-q2-elimination-at-singapore-grand-prix/


Leclerc SLAMS fellow drivers after Singapore GP 'JUNGLE'
Sunday 17 September 2023 07:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Charles Leclerc has criticised his fellow Formula 1 drivers for making the final sector a 'jungle' during qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix. “I struggle with the last sector, but it's nothing new," he told Danika Patrick after qualifying.

"I've been struggling with this car for the whole season. I always need to be quite aggressive, and sometimes I push too much. At the same time, we need to see the bigger picture, and we're in a better position than we were, for example, in Zandvoort.”

”It's like the jungle on the third sector now. We always had this 'gentleman agreement' between drivers where you shouldn't overtake in the last sector. Unfortunately, a few drivers didn't follow that rule this season, and then it was chaos at some point because no one is following that 'agreement' anymore.”

‘Leclerc SLAMS fellow drivers’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1003924/charles-leclerc-singapore-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-jungle/


Lando Norris identifies helping hand required in quest for Singapore podium
16 Sep 2023 6:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

McLaren’s Lando Norris has plotted the unlikely route needed for him to end on the podium in the Singapore Grand Prix. The McLaren man has a solution though – chaos.

“First lap, a sea of safety cars, pitstops,” he joked when asked how he could finish on the podium. “In terms of racing and overtaking it’s pretty impossible. It’s tough to say but there’s a lot of unknowns with degradation, I don’t think anyone’s really done more than 10, 12, 15 laps in a row. So a lot of things for us to find out.”

‘Chaos’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-identifies-helping-hand-required-in-quest-for-singapore-podium/


Stroll cleared to start Singapore GP after heavy crash
Sunday 17th September, 2023 - 4:13am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Lance Stroll has been cleared to start the Singapore Grand Prix after escaping injury in a hefty crash at the end of Qualifying 1 in Marina Bay. The Aston Martin driver crashed in the final corner, careering nose-first into the Tecpro barriers on the outside of the circuit.

Stroll will officially line up 20th for Sunday night’s race (though it’s more likely he’ll start from the pit lane) after being cleared to take part. “He got out of the car unaided and was taken to the medical centre for a precautionary assessment,” the team confirmed following the crash. Lance was cleared by the on-site medical team and returned to the team at track.”

First on the scene, Lando Norris believes Stroll was caught out by the car bottoming out as the Aston Martin rode the exit kerb. “He was still spinning and kind of coming back onto the track quite a bit,” the McLaren driver explained. “I hit the brakes quite quickly because I didn’t know if he was going to come across the road or what.”

‘Stroll cleared to start’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/09/17/stroll-cleared-to-start-singapore-gp-after-heavy-crash/


FOR THE RACE;

F1 Live - Singapore GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Sep 17, 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Singapore Grand Prix Race Watchalong | Marina Bay Street Circuit F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0uJPkIlZzU

[Fortitude]

Sainz wins thrilling Singapore F1 Grand Prix from Norris and Hamilton.
McLaren’s Norris finished in a brilliant second place with Hamilton third – teammate Russell looked like taking the third place spot but crashed on the last lap.
Sunday 17 September 2023 3:03 pm
Matt Hardy
City AM

The result brings an end to a season of dominance by Red Bull and Max Verstappen, who finished fifth. It is Sainz’s second win after the 2022 British Grand Prix. Sainz’ teammate Charles Leclerc finished fourth, Pierre Gasly was sixth and Oscar Piastri was seventh.

Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Kevin Magnussen completed the top 10. “An incredible feeling and an incredible weekend. All of Italy and all of Ferrari will be proud today,” Sainz said.

“It was all about managing [tyres] and making it to the target laps. We gave Lando some DRS [to help]. Carlos was very generous helping me get DRS,” Norris said.

‘Sainz wins thrilling Singapore F1 Grand Prix’;

https://www.cityam.com/sainz-wins-thrilling-singapore-f1-grand-prix-from-norris-and-hamilton/


Race Results – 2023 Singapore Grand Prix
17th September 2023
by Emer Hedderman

Results (Classification):
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari – 62 laps
2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.812
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +1.269
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +21.177
5. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +21.441
6. Pierre Gasly Alpine +38.441
7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +41.479
8. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +54.534
9. Liam Lawson AlphaTauri +65.918
10. Kevin Magnussen Haas +72.116

‘Singapore Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race around the Marina Bay Street Circuit’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-singapore-grand-prix-83174


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix
17 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-singapore-airlines-singapore-grand-prix-2023.1CPuOAUcHtpypzSzSRHyCR.html


F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023 - LIVE UPDATES!
17th September 2023, 12:17
Reporting By: Harvey Orgill
Crash.Net

It's race day at the Singapore Grand Prix! Follow all of the action here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘LIVE UPDATES’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-singapore-grand-prix-2023-live-updates


F1 Live - Singapore GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
17th September 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Singapore Grand Prix Race Watchalong | Marina Bay Street Circuit F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0uJPkIlZzU


George Russell chokes back tears in emotional first words after Singapore Grand Prix crash
George Russell was close to tears in the media pen after crashing out in the final lap of the Singapore Grand Prix.
15:43, Sun, Sep 17, 2023
By Stuart Ballard

George Russell was visibly emotional in his first interview after crashing out on the final lap of the Singapore Grand Prix as he pushed for a win in what ended up being a pulsating race. Mercedes looked as though they had got the strategy spot on after taking advantage of Esteban Ocon's retirement to put fresh medium tyres on both their cars.

Russell was leading the charge ahead of Lewis Hamilton with the pair quickly getting past Charles Leclerc to close down Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz. Sainz ended up using Norris to help both drivers keep Russell and Hamilton at bay heading into the final laps.

Russell screamed on the radio in despair at crashing out and emotions were clearly still high as he went into the media pen. The Brit had tears in his eyes as he apologised to his Mercedes team for not finishing the race and picking up valuable points.

‘Emotional first words - Russell screamed on the radio’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1813817/George-Russell-tearful-apologise-Singapore-Grand-Prix-F1-news

[Fortitude]

David Croft mocked Toto Wolff as George Russell eyed victory.
Whilst Russell and Hamilton were charging after the podium places, Croft joked: “I haven’t seen Wolff smile much recently but if they win this I bet he will read the race report on Wikipedia afterwards.”
17 September 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Lewis Hamilton scored a podium for Mercedes at the 2023 Singapore GP, while George Russell crashed out on the last lap. Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft made a comical Wikipedia-themed joked aimed at Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff during the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday.

Mercedes opted to pit both drivers again, to give them fresh tyres to fight through to the front. The plan ultimately didn’t work, although Wolff’s face on Lap 52 suggested that the Austrian was expecting a Mercedes victory to occur. Had Russell not crashed, then he would’ve claimed third ahead of Hamilton in fourth.

‘Wikipedia-themed joked’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/david-croft-mocked-toto-wolff-as-george-russell-eyed-victory/


The emotional toll Russell’s ‘pathetic’ mistake clearly took
17th Sept. 2023, 18:14
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

An emotionally pained George Russell wanted to “curl up in a ball and be with nobody” after his “pathetic” mistake on the final lap of Formula 1’s Singapore Grand Prix. It was close to an hour after the crash by the time Russell completed his media duties, yet he still looked disconsolate after he finished his round in the TV pen and made his way over to the small group of written media, including The Race, that had waited for him.

And though the peak of the emotion, which included Russell being close to tears at one point, had faded slightly he still often had to pause at length, take time to find his words, and generally looked and sounded a mix of fed up and mentally and physically exhausted. “In those moments you just want to curl up in a ball and be with nobody,” Russell said. “It’s the most horrendous feeling in the world, when you’re so physically drained, mentally drained, missed out on an opportunity of victory, and then to make such a mistake. It is truly heartbreaking.”

That wasn’t the extent of Russell’s misery or self-flagellation. He said he was not just going to brush it off, and that he would feel “very different” if he had spun or locked up and hit the wall. “But to clip the wall on the last lap is just… it’s such a pathetic mistake,” Russell said. “It’s why it sort of feels so strange right now. It goes to show you just need to stay on it, doesn’t matter what the scenario is.”

‘The emotional toll’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-emotional-toll-russells-pathetic-mistake-clearly-took/


Mercedes Data Predicted First and Second Place Finish in Singapore GP
September 17, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Toto Wolff shared that Mercedes utilized data to anticipate their drivers finishing in the first and second positions during the Singapore Grand Prix after executing their second pit stop under the Virtual Safety Car.

“Super that Lewis is on the podium. He had a brilliant race and had pace at the end. Just a shame for George because he worked hard for that,” said the Mercedes team principal. “It could have been a good third and fourth, lots of points, but now we lost 22 [points] against Ferrari.”

“It was so difficult to win the race if we were just static,” he added. “So we said let’s go for it and we just went for it and in the end it’s a podium for Lewis and that’s great. I don’t think we would have been able to win that’s why we took the risk. We knew worst case it was third and fifth, best case the win. When we came out with several laps, it [the data] showed first and second.”

‘Mercedes Data Predicted First and Second’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/mercedes-data-predicted-first-and-second-place-finish-in-singapore-gp/


[B]Hamilton thought Mercedes could get 1-2 after late pit stop
17th Sept. 2023, 18:37
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Hamilton, who concedes his tough qualifying hindered his race prospects, asserts he was alert to the possibility of Mercedes seizing a remarkable 1-2 in the closing stages.

“It was okay. I think ultimately just not that great a weekend, but the team did a fantastic job with the strategy, the guys did a great job in the pit stop, just faultless on that side,” Hamilton said.

‘Possibility of Mercedes seizing a remarkable 1-2’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/17/hamilton-thought-mercedes-could-get-1-2-after-late-pit-stop/


Wolff believes Russell deserved podium after last lap shunt
17 September 5:24PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff believes George Russell deserved a podium, after crashing out of the Singapore Grand Prix on the final lap.

When asked about the closing stages, Wolff told Sky Sports: "Yeah super that Lewis was on the podium, also at the end he had pace. It's just a shame for George because he worked hard for that.”

Wolff believed this was the best option to maximise Mercedes' points, after Russell asked how he could win the race over team radio. "It was clear it was difficult to win the race if we were just static. I said: 'Let's go for it, the data is robust' and we went for it, but in the end, it was a podium for Lewis," said Wolff.

“Shame for George because he worked hard for that”;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-believes-russell-deserved-podium-after-last-lap-shunt

[Fortitude]

Jubilant Ferrari poke fun at rivals with 'GOOD JOB' message.
Unsurprisingly, Ferrari were quick to congratulate Norris for his efforts. Taking to Twitter, formerly X, after the race, they posted: "Good job Lando :)."
Sunday 17 September 2023 23:42
Dan Davis
GPFans

Ferrari have toasted Lando Norris' heroics at the Singapore Grand Prix with a cheeky social media message, after Carlos Sainz clinched a dramatic victory. In a nail-biting grandstand finish, Sainz pipped Norris and Lewis Hamilton to the chequered flag, albeit after his comfortable cushion at the front had vanished.

Much of the race resembled a procession, though a late safety car opened the door for a challenge from the Mercedes duo of Hamilton and George Russell. Both drivers, strapped up with fresh tyres, mounted a rapid charge on the podium spots and closed the gap on the leader Sainz and Norris in second.

However, despite Charles Leclerc's failure to defend, Norris delivered a steely resistance, preventing Russell and Hamilton from nipping in front. Ultimately, Russell's race was brought to a smoky end after he crashed out on the final lap, ensuring Sainz and Norris occupied the top two spots.

'GOOD JOB';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004006/ferrari-mclaren-singapore-grand-prix-carlos-sainz-lando-norris/


Sainz would have been ‘dead meat’ without slowing tactics
19:38 Sun, 17 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Carlos Sainz reckons he would have been “dead meat” against the Mercedes drivers without slowing down for Lando Norris in the closing stages of the Singapore Grand Prix. “We have to be extremely proud of the weekend that we put together,” he said. “We’ve had one opportunity this year to win the race, which was here in Singapore, and we nailed it.”

“We didn’t put a foot wrong all weekend. There were a lot of moments out that we were a bit under pressure. We kept it calm, we kept our plan, our strategy. We had to play with tyre degradation, with pit stop gaps, with DRS. Playing with all that and managing to keep everything under control, we managed to bring home a win that was never easy, but that definitely feels incredible.” When asked how nervous he was about the Mercedes threat, Sainz responded: “At the beginning, not so nervous, because I felt like I had a lot of pace in hand to push the last 12-15 laps.”

“Then it surprised me quite a lot how quickly the Mercedes managed to pass Charles and close the gap on Lando and me. And at that point, I thought, it’s not going to be easy, and these last five, six laps are going to be a fight, and at that point, I had to change a bit the strategy. I had to give Lando a bit of a cheeky DRS boost, and that helped us to keep them behind and win the race and get the win for Ferrari that feels great.”

‘Dead meat without slowing tactics’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/17/sainz-would-have-been-dead-meat-without-slowing-tactics/


The move that 'saved' Sainz's Singapore victory
18 September 8:45AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

It was a close final few laps for Carlos Sainz as he defended from Lando Norris and the two Mercedes drivers. Carlos Sainz has described the moment that "saved" his Singapore Grand Prix victory, while under pressure from both Mercedes drivers in the final laps.

Sainz reduced his pace to give Norris the DRS and attempt to create a 'train' effect, which makes it difficult for faster cars to overtake. It worked but Sainz pointed out it was not without risk when speaking to media including RacingNews365: "It's always tricky. Because you always put yourself under extra pressure, no?," he said.

"Because then you know that then you cannot have a lock-up. You cannot have a single mistake or a snap because it means that Lando’s going to have a chance to overtake you if he's on DRS. At that point you decide to give him the DRS, hoping that that's going to be enough to keep the Mercs behind."

'Saved Sainz's Singapore victory’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-describes-move-that-saved-singapore-victory


Lando Norris reveals why he didn’t try and pass Carlos Sainz for Singapore GP win
Lando Norris finished second to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz at the 2023 Singapore GP
September 17, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris has praised Carlos Sainz’s late-race tactics after securing second place in Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix. Following Esteban Ocon’s retirement courtesy of a gearbox failure on Lap 43, Mercedes pitted George Russell and Lewis Hamilton for fresh tyres, allowing them to reel in Sainz and Norris, who stayed out.

The former McLaren teammates worked together to hold both charging Mercedes at bay by using the DRS to their advantage, with Norris holding onto second, securing his podium since Hungary. “It was protecting P2,” said Norris when the media asked where his focus was in the final laps. “George struggled to overtake me when he had a five or six-tenths advantage.”

“So the chances of me getting Carlos with maybe one-tenth advantage, there [was] no chance, so I think Carlos played it smart. There was no need for me to try and attack him. The more I attacked him, the more vulnerable I would have been from both the guys behind, and I wouldn’t be sitting here if I played it differently, so [it was a] stressful last few laps.”

“I wouldn’t be sitting here if I played it differently”;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lando-norris-mclaren-why-pass-carlos-sainz-2023-singapore-gp-win/


Singapore GP driver ratings: Was Carlos Sainz's performance the best from a Ferrari driver in over a decade?
17 Sep 2023
Connor McDonagh

Crash.net F1 journalist runs through his driver ratings for the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz - 10
After an impressive weekend at Monza, Sainz went one better to deliver the best performance of his entire F1 career.

Not only did he have the pace, his intellect and race IQ was outstanding to keep Norris behind in DRS range which ultimately allowed them both to fend off the two Ferraris.

An incredible performance from the Spaniard in Singapore - arguably the best from a Ferrari driver since Alonso in Valencia (2012).

‘Best from a Ferrari driver in over a decade’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1035994/1/was-sainzs-performance-best-ferrari-driver-over-decade


Why Carlos Sainz’s win elevates him into F1’s ‘elite’ circle
18 Sep 2023 8:15 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz’s win on the streets of Singapore was easily the most impressive drive of the Spaniard’s career, showing a measured and controlled mettle on his way to the chequered flag. There’s a particularly famous quote from Alain Prost that typified his measured approach to racing in F1, namely “I always say that my ideal is to get pole with the minimum effort, and to win the race at the slowest speed possible.”

It was an approach that served Prost well. Not that the French driver was slow, by any means, but his composure and calculated approach to racing was in stark contrast to the gung-ho heroics and theatrics that made rival and teammate Ayrton Senna the crowd-pleaser.

Carlos Sainz channeled his inner Alain Prost during the Singapore Grand Prix, coming home with the win after proving unflappable under extreme pressure for most of the race. Having kept Charles Leclerc at bay in Monza two weeks ago, Sainz picked up where he’d left off by controlling the pace of Leclerc throughout the opening stint at Marina Bay.

‘Channeled his inner Alain Prost’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/why-carlos-sainz-win-elevates-f1-elite-circle/


Ferrari starting to purr as Red Bull quilt shows signs of fraying
Carlos Sainz's victory on Singapore ended a run of 15 successive wins for Red Bull, with second driver Sergio Perez hinting he may seek new pastures at the end of his deal
Sep 18, 2023
Byron Young
The National

Most things about Formula One are epic in scale. Certainly the enormous budgets, the eye-watering speeds, the endless globetrotting and, as the world discovered in Singapore, even the failures. The wheels came off Max Verstappen’s record-breaking run every bit as impressively as his recent run of success.

Singapore was more proof that Ferrari are starting to purr under new boss Frederic Vasseur. Charles Leclerc’s pit stop error aside they delivered in one of the toughest races of the year. Race winner Carlos Sainz used the inspired tactic of helping former teammate Lando Norris behind him race faster so he could delay the impending attack by the quicker Mercedes duo.

This was undoubtedly the best F1 race of the year so far but can the pattern continue? “This was an anomaly, Red Bull will be back in Japan,” said McLaren boss Zak Brown. Even in our good years we sometimes had problems in Singapore,” said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. “We never knew why and I bet they don’t.”

‘Ferrari are starting to purr’;

https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/f1/2023/09/18/ferrari-starting-to-purr-as-red-bull-quilt-shows-signs-of-fraying/

[Fortitude]

Lawson delivers season-best result to AlphaTauri in Singapore.
Liam Lawson became on Sunday in Singapore only the sixth Kiwi to score championship points in F1, the talented rookie also delivering at Marina Bay its best result of the year to AlphaTauri with P9.
18/09/2023 at 09:21
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

In only his third Grand Prix, Lawson made the top-ten shootout on Saturday, outpacing teammate Yuki Tsunoda to start his race from 10th on the grid. Looking back on his evening, as impressive as his performance appeared to be from the outside, Lawson singled out his start as an area where he needs to improve.

"For me, the start I need to get on top of because it’s now two weekends in a row that I’ve watched the start, basically, and lost a couple of positions," he admitted. "It’s just making our life more difficult, so that’s really the biggest loss of the race, and that’s on my part.”

‘Only the sixth Kiwi to score championship points in F1’;

https://f1i.com/news/487250-lawson-delivers-season-best-result-to-alphatauri-in-singapore.html


AlphaTauri update on Liam Lawson’s future after Singapore points
18 Sep 2023 11:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Liam Lawson’s audition for a 2024 AlphaTauri race seat will continue at Suzuka with the team’s CEO Peter Bayer telling ServusTV he will stand in for Daniel Ricciardo. Impressing on debut when he beat Yuki Tsunoda, this past weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix has firmly cemented Lawson as a candidate for a 2024 race seat.

And according to Bayer, he’ll have another chance to stake his claim on a 2024 seat with the CEO reportedly telling ServusTV he will race at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. The Austrian went on to say how impressed he’s been with the 21-year-old. “We are very happy with the performance. Two points and the best result of the season in his third race ever,” he said. “We’re happy with Liam’s performance, he fought like a lion.”

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner also took note, telling the media in Singapore: “I think he’s done a great job. Obviously, he’s a Red Bull Racing driver on loan to AlphaTauri, as all the drivers are there. I think he’s done an impressive job considering the circumstances, he’s been dropped in the car and, at a track that’s very challenging, I think he’s done a great job.”

“He fought like a lion”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alphatauri-update-liam-lawson-future/


Red Bull faces AlphaTauri F1 driver dilemma as CRUNCH decision looms
Monday 18 September 2023 20:13
Jim Kimberley
GPFans

Liam Lawson is an F1 point-scoring driver following the New Zealander's Marina Bay heroics to cross the line in P9. Furthermore, he created headlines on Saturday after his Q2 effort kicked Max Verstappen out of the top 10, creating an unpredictable grid that battled for the race win. Showing such potential only three rounds into his F1 career means that Lawson has cannonballed, rather than thrown, his hat into the ring for a 2024 seat.

The coming weeks will be critical for Lawson, who looks set to get his fourth grand prix start at Suzuka, as he could claim another impressive finish in the Japanese GP and become the 2023 Super Formula champion.

‘CRUNCH decision looms’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004092/alphatauri-yuki-tsunoda-daniel-ricciardo-liam-lawson-2024/


Daniel Ricciardo in danger as AlphaTauri decide on Liam Lawson plan after Singapore GP
Lawson continued to shine as a stand-in for the injured Ricciardo, recording AlphaTauri's best result of the 2023 season so far in the demanding Singapore night race
16:03, 18 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

AlphaTauri plan to decide their 2024 driver line-up "in the next few days". Chief executive Peter Bayer gave that timeline when speaking to German-language TV after the Singapore Grand Prix. He was reflecting on an excellent performance from Liam Lawson in just his third Formula 1 race.

The New Zealander has been standing in for Daniel Ricciardo since he broke his hand at Zandvoort last month. The Aussie underwent surgery shortly after and has been on the sidelines as he recovers. Lawson's result in Singapore has further strengthened calls for AlphaTauri to give him a race seat for 2024.

That would mean either Ricciardo or Tsunoda would loss their places on the grid in a potentially fatal blow to their F1 ambitions. Ricciardo will return to his seat when he recovers, but that won't be until at least Qatar next month with Lawson reprising his stand-in role again in Japan this weekend. But AlphaTauri might have already made a decision about his F1 future by then

‘Daniel Ricciardo in danger’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/ricciardo-lawson-2024-alphatauri-tsunoda-30970212


Alpha Tauri driver talks in full swing
"Discussions" about Alpha Tauri's full-time driver lineup for 2024 are currently "in full swing".
18th Sept. 2023, 10:21
GrandPrix.com

That's what the Red Bull-owned team's new CEO Peter Bayer said in Singapore, as rookie Liam Lawson continues to impress in the injured Daniel Ricciardo's car. The latest rumblings suggest that New Zealander Lawson, 21, has been so impressive since stepping into Ricciardo's cockpit at Zandvoort that Yuki Tsunoda is likely to be shuffled into the Red Bull reserve role next year.

When asked if he has done enough to be told he will be staying put for 2024, Lawson said on Sunday: There's nothing at this stage. Still, he has clearly impressed the decision-makers at Red Bull and Alpha Tauri.

I was thinking 'his car is twice as wide as the others', Bayer enthused after Lawson fended off challenges from behind. Liam never lost his cool. He looked like a seasoned professional. He fought like a lion.

‘Most insiders agree that Ricciardo-Lawson is looking like the likely Alpha Tauri lineup for 2024’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/alpha-tauri-driver-talks-in-full-swing.html


Ricciardo will not be at Suzuka
Liam Lawson will definitely keep filling in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at Suzuka this weekend.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2023
GrandPrix.com

According to insiders, both Japanese Yuki Tsunoda and Ricciardo should be worried about the new 'Lawson factor' when thinking about their 2024 seats.

Ricciardo is watching someone score points in his car in their third race, former F1 driver Robert Doornbos told Ziggo Sport. That's bound to eat at you. I think it's obvious that Lawson will be offered a permanent seat next year.

As for this weekend's Japanese GP, meanwhile, CEO Bayer has some very good news for Lawson. Daniel is flying on to Australia now for his physiotherapy and will support us morally, but he will not be there (at Suzuka) live, he told Servus TV.

‘That's bound to eat at you’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/ricciardo-will-not-be-at-suzuka.html

[Fortitude]

5 Winners and 5 Losers from Singapore – Who impressed under the lights at Marina Bay?
After a steady start, the Singapore Grand Prix roared into life with four cars fighting for the win in the closing stages to set up a grandstand finish.
18 September 2023
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site

Winner: Carlos Sainz - This was Carlos Sainz’s most complete weekend in Formula 1, the Spaniard having the edge on team mate Charles Leclerc throughout practice before delivering a scintillating lap to take back-to-back pole positions for the first time in his career.
Losers: Red Bull - The perfect season is over for Red Bull as they tasted defeat for the first time all year. Neither Red Bull driver reached Q3 for the first time since the 2018 Russian Grand Prix as the RB19...

Winners: Ferrari - Ferrari have had plenty of critics in recent times as they’ve struggled for performance, both with strategy and operationally – but in Singapore, when their best chance of a win in 2023 presented itself, they didn’t make a single mistake.
Loser: George Russell - George Russell was heartbroken after he crashed on the final lap when fighting to snatch second from Lando Norris, the Briton arguably the fastest driver in the field on Sunday.

Winners: McLaren - McLaren’s relentless development rate shows no signs of abating as the British squad brought an upgrade package to the track one race early...
Losers: Aston Martin - This was a weekend to forget for Aston Martin, who only started the Grand Prix with one car after Lance Stroll withdrew following a heavy crash in qualifying.

‘Winners: Liam Lawson, Kevin Magnussen. Losers: Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.5-winners-and-5-losers-from-singapore-who-impressed-under-the-lights-at.1twkc4QIaodMXZxfU6RZGr.html


Ferrari dealt Carlos Sainz conundrum after Singapore Grand Prix masterclass
Carlos Sainz was unstoppable in Singapore, but his performance has given Ferrari plenty to consider.
15:35, Mon, Sep 18, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Carlos Sainz produced one of the most impressive drives of the season so far in Singapore on Sunday as he saw off the threat of Lando Norris and the two Mercedes drivers to become the first non-Red Bull Grand Prix winner of 2023. Once the celebrations in the Ferrari camp calm down, team principal Fred Vasseur will have plenty to consider...

The Scuderia have historically favoured a clear 1-2 structure and with Leclerc’s star power and race-winning pedigree, the Monegasque driver is seen as the team’s number one. However, Sainz’s performances are beginning to challenge that narrative. Vasseur now faces the prospect of upsetting his in-form driver if he opts to destabilise the power dynamic between the two Ferrari drivers at the next round of contract negotiations...

Sainz has made public his desire to stay with Ferrari long-term, but as of now, there is no new contract on the table. Leclerc is believed to be on the verge of signing a bumper, long-term deal, but with Sainz in demand and ahead of his team-mate in the standings, it is becoming harder and harder not to warrant a longer extension for both drivers.

‘Carlos Sainz conundrum’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1814092/Ferrari-Carlos-Sainz-conundrum-Singapore-Grand-Prix


On Track GP Podcast: ‘Carlos Sainz is having a better season than Charles Leclerc’
18 Sep 2023 6:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz took top honours for Ferrari in the first non-Red Bull victory of 2023 so far, while a charging George Russell missed out on a podium after a devastating last-lap crash in his Mercedes.

While Red Bull suffered an uncharacteristic off-weekend, it was Ferrari and McLaren that stepped up to the plate, with Mercedes bearing down on them in the closing stages of the race on Sunday.

But a combination of Sainz’s clever driving and speed throughout the weekend held off those behind him as he took his second career victory, and both On Track GP presenters were impressed with what they saw from the Spaniard in Singapore.

‘Carlos Sainz took top honours for Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/on-track-gp-podcast-2023-singapore-grand-prix/


‘Reap what we’ve sown’: The Singapore mistakes that led to the end of F1 giant’s golden run
September 19th, 2023 12:19 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)02:50

Red Bull Racing’s Singapore Grand Prix performance wasn’t just poor; it was a historically bad weekend for a team used to bossing Formula 1. It’d been five years since Milton Keynes had last found itself with both cars out of qualifying before Q3 — the 2018 Russian Grand Prix...

But there were no regulation-related asterisks on the team’s 11th and 13th-place eliminations in Marina Bay at the weekend. That was pure performance — or “shocking” performance, as Verstappen put it. Before Singapore, Red Bull Racing had taken all but three pole positions — excluding Belgium, where Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying but served a grid penalty. Its trio of defeats came at an average of 0.068 seconds.

In Singapore Verstappen was 0.734 slower than Carlos Sainz in Q2, which was 1.189 seconds off the eventual pole time. How did it go so wrong, and has a Red Bull Racing weakness been exposed? It’s not the first time the Singapore streets have tripped up a dominant car enjoying an otherwise completely untroubled season. Memories of Mercedes’s remarkable defeat in 2015 — having swept every pole up to that point only to find itself a remarkable 1.415 off the pace — were close to hand on Saturday night.

“Shocking”;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/reap-what-weve-sown-the-singapore-mistakes-that-led-to-the-end-of-f1-giants-golden-run/news-story/b19ae6308ec1798296b5164a1bb3addb


Christian Horner claims Red Bull were "completely screwed" at Singapore GP as streak ends
Red Bull endured a terrible weekend in Singapore as they lost their 100 per cent winning record and Max Verstappen's historic F1 winning streak came to an abrupt end
11:41, 18 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Christian Horner lamented his team's bad luck as Red Bull were "completely screwed" by the timing of the safety car during the Singapore Grand Prix. Reflecting on how the race had panned out, team principal Horner suggested the safety car had limited what his drivers could do. "I think we understood a lot more in the race and the pace of the car came much more back to what we expected," he told reporters.

"Coming here we expected to have closer competition. But I think it took us a bit by surprise just how far out we were on Friday. And I think that we were just not in the right operating window for the car, particularly over a single lap, and when you're not there then the tyres feel horrible, everything just doesn't work. So I think we got a very good steer in the race, I think that we saw, particularly in the latter stint, that Max's pace was very, very strong.”

“Unfortunately in the race, by starting on the hard, we took if you like a strategic gamble and the best way of that race paying us off is if you get an early safety car or a safety car later into the race. Now, the lap that the safety car came out in was probably strategically the worst possible lap for the strategy that we were on, because it gave the cars ahead of us a free stop. At the same time, whilst giving us track position, it made us take the restart with tyres that are very hard to heat up again, having done well over 20 laps. The safety car completely screwed it for us.

"Completely screwed";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/singapore-gp-red-bull-christian-30966977


Christian Horner opens up on Max Verstappen’s fury during Singapore GP weekend
18 Sep 2023 4:30 PM
Thomas Maher
The Mirror

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has no complaints about Max Verstappen’s unhappiness with the handling of his RB19 throughout the weekend in Singapore.

However, Christian Horner said Verstappen’s temper isn’t something Red Bull concern themselves with, explaining that they expect the same standards of themselves as they do from their drivers. “He cares. And he wants it,” Horner said.

“He’s the most competitive driver we’ve ever worked with. That’s who he is. You know that, when he gets in the car, he’ll give you 110%. That’s exactly what he’s done today. He’s just a very honest guy, he doesn’t hide his emotions. I think that he was disappointed in yesterday, as the whole team was, but he brushed himself down and came back fighting today and put in a great drive.”

‘110%’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christian-horner-max-verstappen-temper-singapore-grand-prix-weekend/


Verstappen knows Singapore weekend was 'anamoly' - Horner
18 September 7:30PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen knows that Red Bull's slump in performance at the Singapore Grand Prix was just an "anomaly", according to Christian Horner.

"Max has won 10 races in a row, he’s leading the World Championship by almost double the points of anybody else and he's got plenty of reasons to be happy with life at the moment," Horner told media including RacingNews365.

"He knows this was an anomaly and hopefully, we can be competitive again next week [in Japan]. He cares and he wants it, he's most competitive driver we've ever worked with. That's who he is. When he gets in a car, he'll give you 110%, and that's exactly what he's done [in the race].”

'Anamoly'

https://racingnews365.com/horner-verstappen-happy-despite-end-to-f1-win-streak

[Fortitude]

Fred Vasseur confirms ‘clever’ DRS ploy came from Carlos Sainz himself.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed the tactic deployed by Carlos Sainz to deliberately bring Lando Norris into his DRS range in Singapore came from his driver himself, rather than from the pit wall.
18 Sep 2023 9:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Having made his way through to the chequered flag unscathed, the Ferrari team boss revealed it was his driver who took the initiative and tried something different on Sunday.

“It was the idea of Carlos, I don’t want to say it’s of use, but he knew he was more at risk with Mercedes than with Norris,” Vasseur told reporters after the race.

“With Norris we had the same tyres, almost the same pace from the lap one and we were not really at risk with Norris except if we lost the tyres, and it was a clever move from Carlos to keep Norris into the DRS.”

‘Clever DRS ploy came from Carlos Sainz himself’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-vasseur-clever-drs-ploy-carlos-sainz/


Lando Norris rubs salt into Red Bull wounds by laughing at Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen lost his unbeaten record this season at the Singapore Grand Prix over the weekend.
17:09, Tue, Sep 19, 2023
By Charlie Parker-Turner
Daily and Sunday Express

Lando Norris has admitted that he has laughed with Max Verstappen about his performance at the Singapore Grand Prix that saw the Red Bull star forfeit his unbeaten record. The Dutchman only managed to finish fifth at Marina Bay as Red Bull lost their flawless record, failing to win a race for the first time in 2023.

Verstappen could only manage fifth, though he has shared a laugh with Norris about the performance, the McLaren driver has revealed. He explained: "I don't know what they struggled with but when I watched his onboard yesterday I kind of laughed because I've never seen a car that bad before.”

‘Lando Norris rubs salt into Red Bull’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1814481/Lando-Norris-Max-Verstappen-F1-Red-Bull


Lando Norris pokes fun at George Russell as Mercedes star fights tears after F1 crash
George Russell was left on the verge of tears after crashing late on during the Singapore Grand Prix but his compatriot Lando Norris didn’t appear to be full of sympathy after the race
22:46, 18 Sep 2023
By Daniel Orme Football Writer

Norris, who was going head-to-head with Russell for second place, gave his verdict on the crash after the game and teased his countryman but still claimed he was full of sympathy. “I hit the wall in the same place, I did the same,” the McLaren star told media. “So I think he copied me and did it even worse!

“So I feel for him, he fought a tough race, he was the quickest I would say out there today. So it helped me a bit, the last couple of corners I could chill.” Whilst Norris could see the light of the situation, the same could not be said of Russell. He was immediately put in front of the cameras after being forced to retire and was visibly emotional.

‘Lando Norris pokes fun’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/formula1-norris-russell-crash-verstappen-30973056


Oscar Piastri sends message to Martin Brundle after being snubbed on Singapore grid walk
Martin Brundle's grid walk in Singapore was a little more messy than Sky Sports viewers are used to.
08:41, Mon, Sep 18, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Oscar Piastri has sent a message to Martin Brundle after he was snubbed mid-interview at the Singapore Grand Prix, suggesting that the pair should reconvene to finish off the conversation in Suzuka this weekend. Brundle was attempting to grab drivers for his legendary grid walk segment on the Sky Sports F1 broadcast when he managed to stop Piastri and catch the 22-year-old for a chat. However, midway through this, the broadcaster became distracted.

With Alpine driver Esteban Ocon strolling past, Brundle dropped his conversation to try to catch the Frenchman in order to wish him a happy birthday. In the meantime, Piastri was left awkwardly waiting and decided to scamper off to his spot on the grid.

The young Aussie took to the social media platform X to message Brundle, posting: “Shall we finish that interview in Suzuka @MBrundleF1?” with winking and laughing emojis. Piastri then followed up that tweet by saying: “FWIW (for what it’s worth), I’d have done the same. Happy birthday @OconEsteban.”

‘Should reconvene to finish off the conversation’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1813917/Oscar-Piastri-Martin-Brundle-grid-walk-Singapore


Mark Hughes: How Red Bull could still have won in Singapore
Sep 18, 2023
by Mark Hughes
The Race

With the Red Bulls starting 11th and 13th after their desperately bad qualifying, that sequence always looked like coming to an end around Singapore, a track demanding the second-highest pace difference of the season to pull off an overtake – and in a car which was just plain not as fast as the Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren.

And yet… had Logan Sargeant not brought out the safety car on lap 20 by hitting the wall and leaving a debris trail in his wake as he returned to the pits, a very different race, with a very different Red Bull result may have played out.

Verstappen lost around 29s to the frontrunners as a result of how that safety car punished Red Bull’s inverted strategy of starting him and Sergio Perez on the hards in combination with the free stop the others got. It could not have come at a worse time. In fifth place at the end a couple of tenths behind Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, he was just 21s behind the victorious Sainz. In the straight running of the race, without any safety car or VSC, Verstappen would have been in the thick of the action in the late stages, on newish medium tyres against the old hards of the Ferraris, Mercedes and Norris.

‘How Red Bull could still have won’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-how-red-bull-could-still-have-won-in-singapore/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull coronation at Honda’s home track? Seven Japanese GP talking points.
For the best part of a year it seemed like no one could beat Red Bull. Then in Singapore last weekend not one, not two, but three of their rival teams beat them home.
20th September 2023, 7:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Red Bull’s revenge? For the first time in over 300 days, Red Bull competed in a grand prix that they did not win last weekend. Rather than suffering an unexpected double breakdown or having both cars caught up in an accident with their rivals or even each other, Red Bull’s record winning run came to an end simply because they lacked the pace of their rivals.
McLaren eying fourth place: Aside from Red Bull, Aston Martin were the stand-out performers in the early stages of the 2023 season. Fernando Alonso secured six podium appearances over the opening eight rounds and the team held second in the constructors’ standings until the Spanish Grand Prix in early June.

AlphaTauri under the microscope: AlphaTauri may be a Red Bull-owned team based in Italy, but they will be in the spotlight more than most teams in Japan this weekend as a result of their two drivers.
Will they go all the way? The Japanese Grand Prix has not reached its 53-lap distance in the last five years. After Lewis Hamilton took victory in 2018, Valtteri Bottas did the same for Mercedes the following year.

‘Japanese GP talking points’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/20/red-bull-coronation-at-hondas-home-track-seven-japanese-gp-talking-points/


Verstappen primed to roar back at 'old school' Japan GP
Issued on: 20/09/2023 - 05:13
France 24

Suzuka (Japan) (AFP) – Runaway Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen will be determined to roar back at Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix after his record streak of 10 straight wins ended in Singapore.

The 25-year-old told reporters after struggling with Singapore's street circuit, where overtaking is all but impossible, that "this track is so different to Suzuka and it doesn't relate".

"We have learned a bit from today and have a few ideas with what we got wrong," he said after Carlos Sainz triumphed for Ferrari to ruin Red Bull's perfect record this season. I cannot go into details but I feel good about Suzuka."

‘Verstappen primed to roar back’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230920-verstappen-primed-to-roar-back-at-old-school-japan-gp


Lance Stroll provides crucial Japanese GP fitness update after missing Singapore race
20 Sep 2023 7:39 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lance Stroll has silenced all speculation by confirming that he will return to the Aston Martin cockpit for the Japanese Grand Prix.

With Aston Martin having played down the prospect of Stroll being absent from this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix too, the driver has now taken to social media to confirm that he is indeed fit and ready to get back to action at Suzuka.
“Thank you for all the kind messages,” he wrote in a post.
“Ready to race this weekend.”

Aston Martin will be hoping for a far smoother race in Japan after Singapore descended into a nightmare, Alonso calling the AMR23 “undriveable” at one stage in the race, with a poor Aston Martin pit stop also helping him on his way to a lowly P15 finish.

‘All speculation silenced’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lance-stroll-provides-crucial-japanese-gp-fitness-update-after-missing-singapore-race/


2023 F1 Japanese Grand Prix session timings and preview
Sep 20, 2023, 7:03 AM
By: Rachit Thukral
Motorsport.com

Red Bull's winning streak came to an end in Singapore last weekend, with Carlos Sainz scoring an emphatic victory for Ferrari from pole position. However, all signs point to the status quo returning at Suzuka, with the Honda-powered Red Bull squad favourite to take top honors in front of Japanese fans.

Max Verstappen won last time out at Suzuka, leading a 1-2 for Red Bull ahead of Sergio Perez. The previous six races in Japan, dating back to the start of the V6 hybrid era in 2014, were all won by Mercedes.

‘Status quo returning at Suzuka’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2023-f1-japanese-grand-prix-session-timings-preview/10522434/


Leclerc hopes Suzuka win 'possible' for positive Ferrari future.
19 September 4:06PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc hopes Ferrari can continue its run of competitive races at the Japanese Grand Prix for the sake of the team's future success. "I really hope it's possible to reproduce that in Suzuka," he told media including RacingNews365. "I'm really looking forward to seeing it because if we do that, then it's a really good sign for the future. As I've said in Zandvoort, we've done many tests.”

"In Monza, we wanted to reconfirm those tests and the understanding we had from the car, from here, we applied everything and it seemed to do a big step forward. Having said that, Singapore has historically been a very good track for us so we need to wait one more race to see whether we have done a really good step forward consistently, or whether it's one-off."

One of the main problems of the SF-23 has been the 'aero peakiness' which has made the car unstable through high-speed corners. Leclerc described how Ferrari has managed to find a compromise in its car setup, but admits that it could make it harder to drive in certain conditions.

‘Suzuka win possible';

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-hopes-suzuka-win-possible-for-positive-ferrari-future

[Fortitude]

What to expect from the 2023 F1 Japanese Grand Prix.
The circuit is one of the most challenging on the calendar, characterised by the long sweeping corners and small run-offs.
20 September 1:40PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Following a thrilling race in Singapore the next flyaway race on the Formula 1 calendar is at Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix. The tropical weather also sometimes plays havoc with the weekend, although this weekend it looks like it could be straightforward.

Red Bull head into the race having had their 14 race run of victories unseated by Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, but will they finally achieve what has been a formality since the start of the season? Red Bull can wrap up the Constructors' Championship this weekend, after the team failed to secure it in Singapore with a difficult finish.

They are 308 points ahead of Mercedes and would need to outscore the team with both Verstappen and Sergio Perez, with the margin needing to be at least 309 points by the end of the weekend.

‘What to expect’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-to-expect-from-the-2023-f1-japanese-grand-prix


Suzuka, you are special! 2023 Japanese GP Preview
Published ‎Sep‎ ‎20‎, ‎2023‎ ‎1‎:‎32‎ ‎PM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

The Formula 1 circus travels Far East to race in Suzuka, one of the most-legendary circuits on the calendar. The Japanese Formula 1 fans are special for their love for the sport transcends team-driver boundaries. But of course, they've got Yuki Tsunoda to cheer for, for yet another race. But will he be there in 2024? Should an extension announcement come this weekend?

The key question, though, is - will Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen resume their dominant ways? OR has the 'flexi' technical directive literally slowed them down this much? Will Charles Leclerc bounce back at Ferrari? We can't recollect when last was he out-qualified and out-scored by a team-mate for three races in row. Yes, Carlos Sainz has been in splendid form post-summer break.

‘Suzuka, you are special!’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/suzuka-you-are-special-2023-japanese-gp-preview


IT’S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we’re excited about ahead of the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix
20 September 2023
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

How will Red Bull respond? Red Bull will want to put the last race behind them quickly, partly just because of the nature of the calendar meaning they need to be on form from the start of FP1 on Friday, but also because Japan provides them with their first chance to win the constructors’ championship this year.

The challengers looking to keep the pressure on: Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur attributes the recent performances to work done at Zandvoort after the summer break, and then Sainz being able to hit the ground running from the very first lap of FP1 at each of the last two venues.

Liam Lawson’s second home: He’s already raced at Suzuka in Super Formula and is set to do so again in October’s title decider, so it’s a track he has the most recent knowledge of outside of F1. Lawson is also likely to get a large amount of support given his local exploits and the fact he’s driving for a Honda-affiliated team, which perhaps means he now faces his first weekend with a form of expectation on his shoulders.

‘A special atmosphere (full main grandstand at Suzuka long after dark on a Thursday)’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.its-race-week-5-storylines-were-excited-about-ahead-of-the-2023-japanese.2q0S5q44Qf2vPLIyL1fbTb.html


Stroll makes STATEMENT on his racing return after Singapore crash
Wednesday 20 September 2023 14:27
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Lance Stroll has confirmed that he is ‘ready to race’ at the Japanese Grand Prix after missing last week’s race following a crash in qualifying. At the Singapore Grand Prix, as the Canadian driver attempted to make it out of Q1 he pushed too hard and sent the car hurtling into the barriers.
The car was severely damaged, and a huge amount of debris flew onto the track. Luckily Stroll walked away from the scene unhurt, but the team later announced that he was still ‘feeling the effects’ of the massive crash and would sit out the race the next day.

‘Ready to race’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004179/lance-stroll-racing-return-singapore-grand-prix-crash-japanese-suzuka/


Mercedes have plan to help Lewis Hamilton and George Russell ahead of Japan GP
Mercedes have hatched a plan to help improve their fortunes.
12:07, Wed, Sep 20, 2023
By George Glinski

Mercedes are expected to roll out a new set of upgrades towards the back end of the year. George Russell claims there are "a few more things to come" as the Silver Arrows battle it out for second place in the constructors rankings.

Mercedes are currently placed second in the standings, 24 points ahead of Ferrari and 72 in front of Aston Martin. However, they gave up ground on both at the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend. Mercedes are hoping to ensure they don't give up any more points to their rivals by rolling out some improvements to their cars with Russell revealing there are a few on their way.

"In all honesty, there'll be a few more little things to come towards the end of the season, which will aid our learning into next season," he said. Mercedes have struggled to replicate the success of the past decade in recent years but Russell hopes they can learn from their mistakes and come back stronger next season.

‘Roll out a new set of upgrades’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1814722/Mercedes-Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell-F1-news


Kannapolis-based Haas F1 Team says “Konnichiwa,” preps for Japanese Grand Prix
Published: Sep. 20, 2023 at 11:05 AM GMT+1
By David Whisenant
WBTV

Kevin Magnussen: Some drivers decide to stay in Singapore after the race while others choose to travel to Japan for a few extra days before activities begin in Suzuka. What was your travel plan?
“After the race, my team and I stayed in Singapore for a few days, hung out and did some training. It feels good at least to just chill out and train well the day after the race and do what we need to do physically to prepare for Suzuka.”

Nico Hulkenberg: Some drivers decide to stay in Singapore after the race while others choose to travel to Japan for a few extra days before activities begin in Suzuka. What was your travel plan?
“Japan is so far away that when you get an opportunity to explore for a couple of days, I think you should take it. Our engineering department, some other members of the team, and myself went to Tokyo. It’s also rare that I get to spend time with the team away from the track, so this was a fun way to spend it.”

‘Preps for Japanese Grand Prix’;

https://www.wbtv.com/2023/09/20/kannapolis-based-haas-f1-team-says-konnichiwa-preps-japanese-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull set for Suzuka celebration after Singapore Grand Prix shock.
Red Bull need score only a point more than Mercedes at Suzuka on Sunday (Sept 24) to retain their Formula One constructors' title and trigger celebrations after last weekend's Singapore shock.
Sep 21, 2023
Reuters
AsiaOne

After failing to win for the first time this season, and 15 victories in a row dating back to the end of last year, the champions look likely to be back to their dominant ways in Japan. Last year in a rain-shortened race Max Verstappen sealed his second championship with team mate Sergio Perez completing the one-two.

The runaway championship leader, now 151 points clear of Perez, must wait a while longer for his third title but Red Bull are set to complete their half of an inevitable double at a track owned by partners Honda. They currently have a 308 point advantage over Mercedes and 332 over Ferrari, with only 309 points -- including those from sprint races and fastest laps -- still to be won after Suzuka.

"I think we will be quick in Suzuka," Verstappen said last Sunday. "It should be good for our car. The track is always super-fun to drive so I hope as soon as we put the car on the track that it's in a good window."

‘Red Bull set for Suzuka celebration’;

https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/red-bull-set-suzuka-celebration-after-singapore-grand-prix-shock#gsc.tab=0


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the build-up ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend
21 September 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

Build-up to the Japanese Grand Prix. Hello and welcome to the Land of the Rising Sun...

The F1 circus is back in Japan, at one of the most iconic circuits on the calendar. The fast and flowing Suzuka has hosted many epic battles over the years, but what does 2023 have to offer?

‘The build-up’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-thursday-build-up-in-japan-2023.1koRrctoJrYIVEkvB7om5t.html


Lewis Hamilton at odds with Toto Wolff as Mercedes boss misses Japanese Grand Prix
Toto Wolff will not be supporting Lewis Hamilton in person at Suzuka.
06:28, Thu, Sep 21, 2023
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has insisted that Mercedes will not be looking to completely 'bin' their current W14 challenger at the end of the year. The 38-year-old's verdict is at odds with that of Toto Wolff, who will not be in attendance at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix in order to undergo knee surgery.
Mercedes have made plenty of positive strides in recent months after ditching their unsuccessful 'zeropod' concept but remain some way adrift of Red Bull, who have been setting the pace virtually all year.

Despite this, Hamilton is not expecting the Silver Arrows to make an entirely fresh start in 2024, with the Brit insisting that his current car is still a 'masterpiece' regardless. "We won't ever bin this car, these cars are still masterpieces even if they aren't the fastest in the world," said the Brit in Thursday's press conference at Suzuka.

"There will be bits of it that we try to change, try to hold on to some of the positives. With the new direction we have it is far too early to say and be optimistic about next year's car, but I have full faith in the crew." It comes after Wolff suggested last weekend that Mercedes will completely ditch their W14 concept when the season draws to a close. The 51-year-old was adamant that while the current car is 'really fast', next year's W15 will be a huge step forward after many months of relentless work behind the scenes.

‘WOLFF: Completely ditch their W14 concept, VERSUS, HAMILTON: "We won't ever bin this car” ’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1815022/Lewis-Hamilton-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-Japanese-Grand-Prix-F1-news


Liam Lawson: Previous Suzuka experience 'should help' but Japanese GP will be 'a steep learning curve'
21 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Having raced at Suzuka in other racing categories, AlphaTauri driver Liam Lawson hopes his experience will help him in the 2023 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.

'A steep learning curve';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.liam-lawson-previous-suzuka-experience-should-help-but-japanese-gp-will-be-a-steep-learning-curve.1777619863665049395.html


Japanese GP organisers left red-faced after Ferrari BLUNDER
Thursday 21 September 2023 04:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Officials at the Japanese Grand Prix recently addressed a funny oversight involving Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc in the lead-up to this weekend's race. The awareness of this issue arose only subsequent to the circulation of a viral photograph on Reddit, which prominently displayed the placement of Sainz's banner above both sides of the Ferrari garage.

Sainz has garnered considerable attention in recent weeks due to his noteworthy achievements, including securing pole position at Monza earlier this month and claiming a spectacular victory in last week's race in Singapore. His triumph at Marina Bay marked a significant milestone, as he became the only driver aside from the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez to clinch a race win in the 2023 season.

‘Sainz's banner above both sides of the Ferrari garage!!!’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004187/japanese-grand-prix-f1-ferrari-blunder/

[Fortitude]

MAX IN SUZUKA: 'DON'T CARE WHEN I WIN THE TITLE'.
“I don’t mind if it’s on a Saturday or Sunday. I know it’s coming so I’m not thinking about it too much. Maybe it’s good to win it on a Saturday so we can go on a big night out. Maybe my reaction times won’t be as good on Sunday when the lights go out”, laughs Max.
Published on 21 September 2023
by Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

Although the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver won last year’s Japanese Grand Prix, and with it his second world title, Max will not be able to secure title number three just yet. He will have to wait until later in the season, which could lead to the championship being clinched during a Saturday sprint.

Despite a ten race winning streak coming to an end, Max remains cool about the situation. “We’ve stopped winning for one race, these things happen. Before we won ten in a row”, smiles Max. “Of course I wanted to win, but we knew there was going to be a day where we wouldn’t win and things go wrong. Unfortunately, Singapore was that weekend. But we’ll keep going and try again this weekend.”

'DON'T CARE WHEN I WIN THE TITLE';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5246/


Red Bull have clear path to clinching Constructors’ Championship in Japan
Published Sep 20, 2023 at 11:38 AM ET
TSN

Red Bull have a clear path to clinching a second straight Constructors’ Championship at Formula One's Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday. While the team saw its lead shrink amid struggles in Singapore, the title can be locked up with a return to form in Suzuka.

Red Bull will clinch the team championship if they outscore Mercedes by any margin and avoid being outscored by Ferrari by 24 points. The Constructors' title can be secured by @redbullracing in Suzuka ��#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/aZ32KY8V9n
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 20, 2023

‘Clinching Constructors’ Championship in Japan’;

https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/red-bull-have-clear-path-to-clinching-constructors-championship-in-japan-on-tsn-tsn-1.2010046


Sergio Perez aiming to hit back at Japanese GP after Singapore disaster
Sergio Perez expects Red Bull to be back to form for the Japanese GP after a nightmare weekend in Singapore.
September 21, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Verstappen was easily passed by George Russell, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton under the lights at Marina Bay, and there was nothing the typically all-conquering driver-car package could do to stop them.

Despite theories circulating that the team has been hit by a Formula 1 technical directive aimed at stopping flexi-floors and flexi-wings, Perez has said that they expect to be back around Suzuka.

“Oh that’s definitely the target [winning],” Perez said to media ahead of the race at Suzuka. “We still don’t fully understand what went wrong in Singapore. We have some ideas. The track is very different, so there should not be a reason why we can’t be strong in Suzuka. Actually, this should be one of the best circuits for us.”

‘Red Bull to be back to form’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-sergio-perez-aiming-hit-back-japanese-gp-singapore-disaster/


Lewis Hamilton: “Something’s up” if Red Bull don’t win Japanese Grand Prix by 30 seconds
21 Sep 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton has predicted Red Bull to be “phenomenal” at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix as the team looks to bounce back from a disappointing race in Singapore. Looking ahead to this weekend’s race, Hamilton expects Red Bull to return to their pre-Singapore level of performance.

“I would think that if they’re not 30 seconds ahead like they have done in the past then something’s up… but no, it they had a difficult weekend at the last one but their car should be phenomenal here," he said.

“They have been phenomenal all year long with pace at pretty much every circuit and it is going to be great to watch that car in general.”

‘Lewis Hamilton has predicted Red Bull to be “phenomenal” ’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1036100/1/hamilton-something-s-if-red-bull-don-t-win-japanese-gp-30-seconds


Japanese GP: Thursday's build-up in pictures
21/09/2023 at 13:00
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Suzuka's heart-pounding track – one of F1's most appreciated venues, for drivers and fans alike – takes center stage this weekend as the championship moves on to round 16.

Check out our selection of pictures from Thursday's build-up to the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix.

‘Thursday's build-up in pictures’;

https://f1i.com/news/487485-japanese-gp-thursdays-build-up-in-pictures-4.html


Gary Anderson: Why McLaren's last big upgrade looks so good for Suzuka
Sep 21, 2023
by Gary Anderson
The Race

Lando Norris's second-place finish in Singapore might have been McLaren's first podium in four grands prix, but it nevertheless continued an impressive upward Formula 1 trend that stretches even further back, to the start of July and the Austrian Grand Prix.

Just as that Austria uptick came on the same weekend McLaren introduced the first part of a major upgrade for its MCL60, so too its Marina Bay rostrum followed the introduction - on Norris's car - of its last significant package of 2023.

As a result, big things are expected of McLaren this weekend at the Japanese GP, where both Norris and team-mate Oscar Piastri will have that upgrade. F1 championship leader Max Verstappen thinks Norris could be a serious threat in qualifying at least, while Mercedes' George Russell reckons the Norris-McLaren combination might end up best of the rest behind Red Bull "with their high-speed performance".

‘McLaren's last big upgrade looks so good’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gary-anderson-why-mclarens-last-big-upgrade-looks-so-good-for-suzuka/


Steiner predicts 'reality' to hit Haas at Japanese GP
21 September 5:10PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Guenther Steiner has predicted that Haas will be "hit by reality" in the Japanese Grand Prix after Kevin Magnussen's points finish in Singapore.

"I think with all honesty, it was to do with the track, a completely different layout, and our car car didn't suffer at the track," Steiner told media including RacingNews365 of the ability to score points at Marina Bay.

"We still had degradation in the race, but I am very happy for the points and qualifying was great. It was good to get the point home, but the car didn't fix itself over last weekend, it was track-specific. We will get hit by reality again here."

‘Car didn't fix itself over last weekend’;

https://racingnews365.com/steiner-expects-reality-to-hit-haas-at-japanese-gp


Lawson reveals F1 'discussions' on horizon as AlphaTauri star issues 'NOT HAPPY' warning
Thursday 21 September 2023 15:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Liam Lawson has stated that he 'wouldn't be happy' if he were to return to his role as a reserve driver in the 2024 Formula 1 season, as he revealed that 'discussions' are set to take place after the conclusion of the Japanese Grand Prix.

"I wouldn't be happy to go back to being reserve, but obviously, I know how hard it is to get into Formula 1," he told the media. "And I understand that that can be really difficult sometimes. So obviously, what will happen, will happen, but these things I just haven't really thought about too much. I'm just trying to make the most of this."

Yet Lawson revealed that any indication as to whether he will get a chance on the grid in 2024 has been put on the back burner until this weekend's racing has been taken care of. “To be honest, there hasn't been a huge amount of time to discuss the future," he added.

‘F1 'discussions' on horizon’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004247/liam-lawson-f1-alphatauri-seat-japanese-grand-prix-daniel-ricciardo/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen strides ahead in opening Japanese GP practice.
World Champion Max Verstappen quickly cast aside his and Red Bull’s subdued Singapore weekend with an emphatic showing in opening practice for Formula 1’s Japanese Grand Prix.
22nd September 2023, 04:37
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Verstappen clocked a time of 1:31.647s around the figure-of-eight Suzuka circuit in a hot and overcast first 60-minute session on Friday lunchtime. Verstappen’s lap, set on the Soft tyre, left him a comfortable 0.626s clear of Singapore race winner Carlos Sainz.

McLaren’s drivers set their best times during the closing stages of the session, with Lando Norris moving into third place, while Oscar Piastri leapt from the lower half of the pack into seventh spot.

Sainz’s Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc was fourth while home representative Yuki Tsunoda was a surprise fifth for AlphaTauri, as the only other drivers within a second of pacesetter Verstappen.

‘Emphatic showing’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/22/verstappen-strides-ahead-in-opening-japanese-gp-practice/


(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Japanese Grand Prix
22nd September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:31.647
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.626
3. Lando Norris McLaren +0.745
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.927
5. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.950
6. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.003
7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.066
8. Alex Albon Williams Racing +1.344
9. Liam Lawson AlphaTauri +1.358
10. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.393

‘Japanese Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the opening practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Suzuka’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2023-japanese-grand-prix-83178


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix
22 September 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-japan-2023.4Y8EZjtjbAl4XF4KQwGXVJ.html


F1 Live - Japanese GP Free Practice 1 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
22 September 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Free Practice 1 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrBvgbgKoQ4


Verstappen ROARS back as Ferrari rival Red Bull in Japanese Grand Prix FP1
Friday 22 September 2023 05:37
Shay Rogers
GPFans

The two-time world champion was the first man on track and showed clear intent to attack the session from the start, as Red Bull looked to make amends for a poor Singapore Grand Prix performance. It took him 15 minutes to lead the McLaren’s atop the timesheets by 1.6 seconds, as he showed a glimpse of the true performance they have in hand this weekend.

Although he had little to complain about during FP1, the Dutchman was less than pleased with George Russell’s efforts to get out of his way during a fast lap early on in the session. However, replays showed the Brit doing all he good to get out of the way, even touching the grass as he navigated the tight sector one.

‘Verstappen ROARS back’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004297/japanese-grand-prix-f1-fp1-report-max-verstappen-red-bull-ferrari/

[Fortitude]

FP2: Verstappen leads Leclerc and Norris to stay on top during second practice at Suzuka.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull put the memories of a challenging Singapore weekend behind them as they doubled up during Friday practice for the Japanese Grand Prix, following up their pace-setting FP1 efforts with the fastest time in FP2, which was red-flagged late on when Alpine’s Pierre Gasly crashed out.
22 September 2023


In another session that featured prototype C2 tyre testing for the 2024 season, Verstappen was one of the first drivers to switch to the standard soft compound rubber, producing an initial benchmark of 1m 31.377s to continue where he left off earlier in the day.

Following runs from Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc at the halfway mark, which saw both briefly top the times, Verstappen rejoined the Suzuka track on softs to pump in a 1m 30.688s lap and move comfortably clear of the McLaren and Ferrari drivers.

Leclerc wound up three-tenths adrift and Norris four-tenths back, with Carlos Sainz – the winner at Marina Bay and pole-sitter for the last two races – making it two Ferraris in the top four positions, half a second down on Verstappen’s time.

‘FP2: Verstappen leads Leclerc and Norris to stay on top’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.fp2-verstappen-leads-leclerc-and-norris-to-stay-on-top-during-second.KYBWB6IZubATzdrM8xw9P.html


(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Japanese Grand Prix
22nd September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:30.688
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.320
3. Lando Norris McLaren +0.464
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.549
5. George Russell Mercedes +0.640
6. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.804
7. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.867
8. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.974
9. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.022
10. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +1.051

‘Japanese Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the second practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Suzuka’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2023-japanese-grand-prix-83190


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from second practice for the Japanese Grand Prix
22 September 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-japan-2023.6aTZzeOBl4fcdC76Bz9F5n.html


F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice: As it happened
22nd September 2023, 08:20
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Here's what happened in F1 Friday practice at the Japanese Grand Prix.

‘As it happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-japanese-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-it-happened


F1 Live - Japanese GP Free Practice 2 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
22 September 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Free Practice 2 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH6RQCERpcg


Alpine suffer nightmare end to Japanese Grand Prix FP2 after CRASH causes red flag
Friday 22 September 2023 09:10
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Pierre Gasly had an unfortunate end to his FP2 at the Japanese Grand Prix after he crashed into the barriers to cause a red flag. The Frenchman, who recorded the 19th fastest time of the session, locked up at Degner 2 and skidded through the gravel before making contact with the wall.

Alpine will have work to do to fix what looks to be some nasty suspension damage despite the relatively low impact. The crash came with just two minutes left in FP2, prompting an early end to the session.

‘Alpine suffer nightmare’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004314/japanese-grand-prix-f1-fp2-crash-pierre-gasly-alpine-red-flag/


Max Verstappen 'impressed' by F1 rivals but makes clear demand of Red Bull in Japan
Max Verstappen is hoping to overcome a disappointing Singapore Grand Prix with a better Red Bull display in Japan.
09:10, Thu, Sep 21, 2023
By Sam Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Max Verstappen has heaped praise on McLaren ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend. McLaren have enjoyed a successful run of form in recent months, with Lando Norris finishing on the podium at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Piling praise on McLaren, Verstappen said: “What McLaren have done this year is quite impressive, from where they started to where they are now, so I expect them to be strong - but I expect to be ahead.”

He added of Red Bull’s chances in Japan: “It's important that we analyse everything, but there's no real rush. Singapore is so different to here in terms of how you set up the car, so I'm not worried that a weekend like that will upset our weekend here. [This track] felt nice on the simulator, so that is good.”

‘Heaped praise on McLaren’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1815061/Max-Verstappen-F1-Red-Bull-Japan

[Fortitude]

What we learned from Friday practice at the F1 Japanese GP.
Max Verstappen's headline times in both of Friday's Formula 1 practice sessions at the Japanese Grand Prix proved that Red Bull's misfortune in Singapore was a mere blip.
Sep 22, 2023, 1:36 PM
By: Jake Boxall-Legge

The championship leader atoned for a difficult weekend at the Marina Bay Circuit last time out by stamping his authority on FP1, capturing a 1m31.647s to sit above Singapore winner Carlos Sainz by 0.6s as Ferrari continued its recent resurgence with the runner-up spot in the noon-time session.

He proceeded to claim FP2 over the other Ferrari in the afternoon, outpacing Charles Leclerc by the smaller margin of 0.3s with a 1m30.688s while Lando Norris sat in the top three of both sessions to demonstrate McLaren's credentials as a podium contender at Suzuka.

Lewis Hamilton had predicted that Red Bull would be strong before any of the cars had turned a wheel, suggesting Verstappen should win Sunday's race by over 30 seconds and lauded the RB19's characteristics around a circuit such as Suzuka. The seven-time champion's early assessment appears to have been proven correct, owing to Verstappen's evident advantage through the first practice sessions.

‘The championship leader atoned for a difficult weekend’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/what-we-learned-from-friday-practice-at-the-f1-japanese-gp/10523715/


Max Verstappen boldly snubs Mercedes after Japanese GP practice masterclass
Max Verstappen bounced back from his tough Singapore GP with an immense start to Friday's practice action in Japan.
09:13, Fri, Sep 22, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The Dutch driver endured a difficult outing in Singapore last weekend, failing to reach Q3 before recovering to finish fifth, comfortably out of the picture for the victory. However, Red Bull's star man was back to his unflappable best on Friday in Japan, finishing at the top of the timing sheets in both FP1 and FP2 as he sets himself up for a dominant weekend at Suzuka.

Verstappen was six-tenths faster than second-best Carlos Sainz in FP1, before finishing three-tenths to the good on his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in the second practice session of the day. Speaking to Sky Sports about his start to the weekend, Verstappen said: "Yeah it felt really good today. From lap one the car was enjoyable to drive again and it seems like we had a strong day on the short runs [and] long runs.”

"There is a lot of degradation so [it] will be quite tough I think on tyres in the race, but yeah so far I think we have a good start to the weekend." The Dutchman was then asked about who he sees as his biggest rivals for pole position on Saturday, responding: “It looks like it’s all a bit tight behind me between Ferrari and McLaren are close.”

‘Japanese GP practice masterclass’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1815489/Max-Verstappen-Mercedes-snub-Japanese-Grand-Prix


Lewis Hamilton openly admits he has NO CHANCE of victory at F1's Japanese Grand Prix after a 'really bad day' saw him finish 16th and 14th in practice
• Lewis Hamilton has discarded Mercedes' chances at the Japanese Grand Prix
• The seven-time world champion endured torrid practice sessions at Suzuka
Published: 12:55, 22 September 2023
By Ollie Lewis For Mailonline
Mail Online

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he ‘definitely won’t be winning’ the Japanese Grand Prix after a day to forget in Suzuka. The seven-time world champion put in two underwhelming performances in Friday’s practice sessions, crossing the line in P16 and P14.

‘It was a really bad day, to be honest, he said. ‘A real struggle out there. [We were] a long way off, two seconds off in the first session and over a second off in the second. We're working away at just trying to fix the car's balance.”

‘We'll work on it overnight and turn it around for tomorrow, but we definitely won't be winning this weekend! If I in particular can move further up the order so I can at least back up George, who did a not-such-a-bad lap... yeah, tough one.”

‘P16 and P14’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12549273/Lewis-Hamilton-mercedes-japan-grand-prix.html


Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton facing elimination in Japan
22 September 2023, 12:08
by Asher Fair
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

Lewis Hamilton can officially be eliminated from 2023 Formula 1 world championship contention in this Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. For the first time since 2011, seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton is on the verge of being eliminated from championship contention for a third straight season.

That elimination can officially happen in this coming Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit, which Hamilton enters trailing two-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen by 194 points in the driver standings.

There are seven races remaining on the 22-race 2023 schedule. With 25 points going to the winner and one additional point going to the driver who records the fastest lap, provided he finishes inside the top 10, there are 182 points on offer throughout the rest of the season in Grands Prix themselves.

‘Facing elimination’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2023/09/22/formula-1-lewis-hamilton-facing-elimination-japan/


Ferrari’s floor changes and five more teams’ Japanese Grand Prix updates
22nd September 2023, 12:51
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Japan’s round of the world championship may follow just one week after Singapore’s, but more than half the teams have nonetheless brought new bits for their cars.

Inevitably, the packages are not as extensive as those brought by the likes of McLaren and AlphaTauri to last week’s race. They are also more focused on efficient downforce generation, as Suzuka features several long acceleration zones in addition to medium and high-speed corners. Ferrari ran their new floor on Charles Leclerc’s car only in first practice, in order to compare its performance with the previous version which Carlos Sainz Jnr ran.

Four teams – Red Bull, Alpine, Alfa Romeo and Haas – have brought no updates this weekend. However the world champions are running the floor they introduced in practice for the Singapore Grand Prix but did not run in the race.

‘Japanese Grand Prix updates’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/22/ferraris-floor-changes-and-five-more-teams-updates-for-japanese-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

JAPANESE GRAND PRIX: F1 FREE PRACTICE 3 RESULTS.
The Japanese Grand Prix’s third and final practice session saw Max Verstappen back in first place on the timesheets.
September 23, 2023
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds

The last sixty minutes of practice before qualifying were initially characterised by few cars on the track. Most drivers talked to their race engineers before getting into their cars.

The last ten minutes then saw the final rehearsal before qualifying. Verstappen returned to the track and moved up to first place with a 1:30.267, 0.240 seconds faster than Norris before. As time ticked down, both Ferraris went out for another fast lap, Sainz closely followed by Leclerc.

Sainz finished the lap with a 1:13.137 and Leclerc with a 1:31.022 – P4 and P5 until Sergio Perez also followed suit, clocking a 1:31.004 and sliding into 4th place. Traffic on the Suzuka track will be a problem in qualifying in a few hours – as it was just between Tsunoda and Magnussen. The Danish driver had to quickly move aside and raised his hand apologetically.

‘Max Verstappen back in first place’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/japanese-grand-prix-f1-free-practice-3-results/


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Japanese Grand Prix
23rd September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:30.267
2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.240
3. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.288
4. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.737
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.755
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.870
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.892
8. George Russell Mercedes +1.238
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.282
10. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +1.401

‘Japanese Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Suzuka’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2023-japanese-grand-prix-83202


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from third practice for the Japanese Grand Prix
23 September 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-japan-2023.2Zcioq5jMebv1e3h5HTDXW.html


F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2023 - Final Practice: LIVE UPDATES!
23 Sep 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

It's qualifying day for the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix. Follow all of the F1 action here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-japanese-grand-prix-2023-final-practice-live-updates


F1 Live - Japanese GP Free Practice 3 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
23 September 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Free Practice 3 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHjXyzosJh0


McLaren SURGE sees Verstappen rivalled in Japanese Grand Prix FP3
Saturday 23 September 2023 05:38
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Max Verstappen dominated his third consecutive practice session of the weekend in Suzuka, ahead of Lando Norris in second and Oscar Piastri in third. Sergio Perez finished fourth, alebit seven tenths behind his Red Bull team-mate, with the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in fifth and sixth.

Mercedes placed seventh and eighth, nearly a second behind Verstappen’s time, with Fernando Alonso and Zhou Guanyu rounding out the top ten.

As teams opted against doing much running in the early stages of the session, McLaren were the first to show any real pace, sitting 1-2 ahead of the Ferrari’s just 15 minutes into the session. Eventually, Max Verstappen came to play, lifting himself ahead of Lando Norris and into first place just two tenths ahead, and closer than many anticipated.

‘McLaren SURGE’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004370/mclaren-surge-sees-verstappen-rivalled-in-japanese-grand-prix-fp3/

[Fortitude]

“Mind-blowing” Max Verstappen pole at Japanese GP hailed as ‘one of the greatest qualifying laps in F1 history’.
Max Verstappen’s pole position lap at the Japanese Grand Prix has been labelled as “one of the great qualifying laps in F1 history” by Karun Chandhok.
23 Sep 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Verstappen had already done enough to seal pole with his opening salvo in Q3 but improved further with a phenomenal final effort that left Sky pundit Chandhok in awe.

"I'm still breathless watching that. I think that was one of the great qualifying laps in F1 history," ex-F1 driver Chandhok said. There's not much left on the table. The detail with which he drove - pinching little bits on the entry into Spoon Curve, 130R not using all the width.’

“He thought about every metre and for me that's a driver who's ahead of the car. If they didn't have Max in the car, they would be second on the grid.”

‘Greatest qualifying laps in F1 history’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1036516/1/mindblowing-verstappen-pole-hailed-one-greatest-f1-history


Qualifying Results – 2023 Japanese Grand Prix
23rd September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:28.877
2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.581
3. Lando Norris McLaren +0.616
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.665
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.773
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.973
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +1.031
8. George Russell Mercedes +1.342
9. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1.426
10. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.683

‘Japanese Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Suzuka’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-japanese-grand-prix-83216


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix
23 September 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-japan-2023.5D7zauoYaISlfsRhyAtG8q.html


F1 Live - Japanese GP Qualifying Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
23 September 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Qualifying Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drGN2jJecvI


Verstappen takes crushing Suzuka pole ahead of Piastri
Sep 23, 2023
by Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen and Red Bull are back on top in Formula 1 after crushing the opposition in Japanese Grand Prix qualifying.

There’s been zero sign of a repeat of Red Bull’s struggles in Singapore – where both cars were knocked out of Q2 – all weekend and that continued into qualifying with Verstappen delivering on his clear pole favourite status throughout. He held a four tenths of a second advantage over his nearest rival, Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, after the opening runs of Q3.

Verstappen delivered a 1m28.877s on his final run to extend that gap to almost six tenths. Piastri couldn’t improve on his second run but he’ll still line up on the front row in F1 for the first time in a grand prix, having done so in the sprint at Spa, and has managed that on his Suzuka debut too.

‘Crushing Suzuka pole’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-takes-crushing-suzuka-pole-ahead-of-piastri/


F1 ROOKIE joins Verstappen on the front row for Japanese GP after qualifying
Saturday 23 September 2023 09:19
Sam Cook
GPFans

Max Verstappen stormed home to take a dominant pole position during qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix.

He was 0.581 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger Oscar Piastri, the biggest gulf since Michael Schumacher's blistering effort around the same track in 2004, with the other McLaren of Lando Norris in third.

‘F1 ROOKIE joins Verstappen on the front row’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004385/japanese-grand-prix-f1-qualifying-max-verstappen-red-bull-pole-position-mclaren/

[Fortitude]

Japanese Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins the race and the teams’ title, Perez implodes.
It was business as usual for Max Verstappen as the reigning World Champion wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship for Red Bull with his 13th win of this season at the Japanese Grand Prix.
24 Sep 2023 7:37 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

The Dutchman was matchless at the Suzuka circuit as he romped to the victory by almost 20 seconds ahead of the McLarens of Lando Norris with Oscar Piastri third. His 26 points meant Red Bull won the Constructors’ Championship as they took an unassailable lead in the standings.

However, it was a tale of two Red Bulls as Sergio Perez, twice pitting for a new front wing after hitting rivals, retired his RB19 from last place on lap 15 due to crash damage. The story of his race included two new front wings, two penalties, and a strange retired-unretired-retired situation.

https://www.planetf1.com/news/japanese-grand-prix-2023-report


Race Results – 2023 Japanese Grand Prix
24th September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 53 laps
2. Lando Norris McLaren +19.387
3. Oscar Piastri McLaren +26.494
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +43.998
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +49.376
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +50.221
7. George Russell Mercedes +57.659
8. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +74.725
9. Esteban Ocon Alpine +79.678
10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +83.155

‘Japanese Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race around the Suzuka Circuit’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-japanese-grand-prix-83232


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix
24 September 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-lenovo-japanese-grand-prix-2023.789FpPRZiSblfajRUna9N6.html


F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2023 - As it happened
24th September 2023, 06:57
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘As it happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-japanese-grand-prix-2023-it-happened


F1 Live - Japanese GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
24 September 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLMZiMduea0


Verstappen dominates for Japanese GP victory as Red Bull secure back-to-back constructors’ titles
24 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Max Verstappen and Red Bull returned to winning ways in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix after surviving a dramatic first lap and pulling comfortably clear of McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, confirming another constructors’ title for the Milton Keynes team.

Verstappen was attacked by Piastri and Norris at the start but kept both of them at bay, navigated Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car periods and then romped into the distance, taking the chequered flag first for the 13th time this season.

As such, Red Bull mathematically put the constructors’ championship out of their rivals’ reach to back up their 2022 win and make it two triumphs on the bounce, underlining the outfit’s superiority under F1’s latest ground effect era so far, while adding to the teams’ titles they achieved in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

‘Red Bull secure back-to-back constructors’ titles’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.verstappen-dominates-for-japanese-gp-victory-as-red-bull-secure-back-to-back.6nJ1rDkiGByJw6nypqVPO6.html

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff must be tearing his hair out watching Mercedes from Monaco after Red Bull claim constructors' championship following Max Verstappen's victory in Japanese Grand Prix.
How, then, have Mercedes gone from cloud nine to the depths of despair in just one week? The first warning signs were cast by Hamilton on a humid Thursday afternoon in Suzuka.
Published: 10:03, 24 September 2023
By Ollie Lewis For Mailonline
Mail Online

On a humid Thursday afternoon in Suzuka.: ‘I would think that if they [Red Bull] are not 30 seconds ahead like they have been in the past, then something’s up,’ the seven-time world champion predicted, seemingly already defeated despite last week’s morale-boosting performance. It’ll be interesting to see how the weekend goes. I hope we’ll be closer, and I hope they’re not as fast as the 30-second gap.’

The proof was in the pudding as Hamilton crossed the line in 16th and 14th across both practice sessions, while Russell got his car up to fifth. ‘We'll work on it overnight and turn it around for tomorrow,’ Hamilton seethed. ‘But we definitely won't be winning this weekend.’ Pushed on why Mercedes were so far off the pace, Hamilton said: ‘It's figuring out what is wrong. We were much closer in the last race (in Singapore) but we didn't have many high-speed corners, only one, but not as high-speed as the corners here.’

It didn’t get much better in qualifying, either. On paper, Mercedes have the perfect duo to challenge Verstappen: Hamilton is, statistically speaking, the greatest qualifier of all time with 104 poles, while Russell was not dubbed ‘Mr Saturday’ during his stint at Williams for nothing.

‘Tearing his hair out’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12554655/Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-Monaco-Red-Bull-constructors-championship-Max-Verstappen-Japanese-Grand-Prix.html


Toto Wolff stand-in responds to George Russell-Lewis Hamilton argy-bargy at Japanese Grand Prix.
Mercedes have no problems with how Lewis Hamilton and George Russell battled each other at the Japanese Grand Prix, describing it as “hard racing”.
24 Sep 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Mercedes have no problems with how Lewis Hamilton and George Russell battled each other at the Japanese Grand Prix, describing it as “hard racing”. Hamilton and Russell went head-to-head on track on several occasions at Suzuka. At one point, both drivers went off the track at Spoon as Hamilton defended the position from Russell.

The pair’s battle went down to the final laps, with a split in strategy resulting in convergence at the end of the race. Hamilton was able to get past Russell after Mercedes deployed team orders, leaving the latter vulnerable to Carlos Sainz behind.

Reflecting on the battle, Bradley Lord - who is acting as a Toto Wolff stand-in alongside Jerome d’Ambrosio - said: “They race each other hard on a hard-racing track. It’s easy to read a lot into those radio messages in the heat of the moment. As always, we talk about it away from the pressure and the high temperatures of the cockpit in the debrief after.

‘George Russell-Lewis Hamilton argy-bargy’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1036647/1/wolff-standin-responds-russellhamilton-argybargy-suzuka


Tempers flare between Hamilton and Russell at Suzuka
Andrew Lewin
24/09/2023 at 10:17
F1i.com

There was a noticeably fractious relationship between Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell during today's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka International Racing Course. “Who do we want to fight here, each other or the others?” Russell sniped as Hamilton went on to finish in fifth, while Russell subsequently also lost out to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and ended seventh.

Talking of his early battle with Hamilton, Russell said: “Obviously made the first overtake, lost it down the straight which was annoying, and the second chance where he had his right to the line, so part of racing."

Team principal Toto Wolff wasn't in Suzuka this weekend, but Bradley Lord - who is standing in for him on the Mercedes pit wall alongside Jerome d’Ambrosio - was on hand to clarify what had gone on. "It’s easy to read a lot into those radio messages in the heat of the moment," he said. "As always, we talk about it away from the pressure and the high temperatures of the cockpit in the debrief. That’s where anything gets tidied up that needs tidying up."

‘Tempers flare’;

https://f1i.com/news/488044-tempers-flare-between-hamilton-and-russell-at-suzuka.html


George Russell fumes at "disaster" after Lewis Hamilton team order at Japanese Grand Prix
Hamilton finished the Japanese Grand Prix fifth, two places ahead of Russell, after Mercedes ordered the younger Brit to let his team-mate past in the latter stages of the Suzuka race
09:53, 24 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon
The Mirror

George Russell admitted his Japanese Grand Prix strategy failed and let to the order to allow Lewis Hamilton to pass, but was left to rue another "disaster". Russell had tried a bold one-stop strategy for the Suzuka race. Everyone else, perhaps sensibly, was banking on at least two visits to the pit lane on a track which is notorious for chewing up tyres.

It didn't really work out for the Brit. He was running fifth on the road in the final stages but on very old tyres and with Hamilton and Carlos Sainz close behind. Wary that Sainz might be able to get past both, Mercedes ordered Russell to let his team-mate through. He complained over the radio but eventually complied with the instruction.

‘Fumes at "disaster"!’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/russell-hamilton-orders-mercedes-japan-31014831


Mercedes’ call to help Russell using DRS “made no sense” – Hamilton
Formula 1
Posted on 24th September 2023, 10:41
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham

Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes made the wrong call when he was told to slow down and help his team mate by giving him the opportunity to use his Drag Reduction System. “I needed to get as far clear ahead as possible and I was on my way, I was around two seconds ahead, and they asked me then to give George DRS so I had to come off the gas down the straight to get him 0.8 behind.”

“Then he got DRS, but then he got overtaken, which was going to happen because he was on a one stop and we were on a two. But then he got past him, and then he was right on my tail. So, not ideal. It made it very, very hard for the last couple of laps. But I think as a team we’ve got to be grateful for fifth and seventh – it’s better than sixth and seventh.”

‘Lewis Hamilton said Mercedes made the wrong call’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/24/mercedes-call-to-help-russell-using-drs-made-no-sense-hamilton/


Sainz "laughing in the car" as Mercedes repeated DRS trick in Japan
Carlos Sainz says he was "laughing in the car" during the Formula 1 Japanese GP when he realised that Mercedes had borrowed the DRS trick he used in Singapore.
Sep 24, 2023, 11:26 AM
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

In the closing laps of last weekend's street race in the Marina Bay track, Sainz slowed down to give DRS to the following Lando Norris in an attempt to keep George Russell and Lewis Hamilton behind on their fresher tyres.

In the end, the ploy worked, and Sainz and Norris finished first and second, with Hamilton taking third after Russell crashed on the last lap. At Suzuka, the positions were reversed with Sainz catching up with Russell and Hamilton, who were running fifth and sixth. Sainz admitted that he found the scenario unfolding in front of him amusing.
"Yeah, I found it [funny], actually," he said when asked by Motorsport.com about his comment. I was laughing in the car because I could see Lewis backing off in 130R to give the DRS to George. And I was like, I need to make sure I attack George into the chicane. If I don't throw him offline, it's going to be impossible to pass them.

"Laughing in the car";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/sainz-laughing-in-the-car-as-mercedes-repeated-drs-trick/10524761/


Mercedes implode with strategy nightmare in Wolff's absence
Sunday 24 September 2023 10:39
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Friction behind the scenes? It had already been an uncomfortable watch for Wolff and those in the Mercedes garage as Hamilton and Russell went wheel-to-wheel on multiple occasions. The younger Brit had made a move into the final chicane only for Hamilton to fight back as he recovered from contact on lap one with Sergio Perez.

Later in the first stint, Russell tried another overtake around the outside of Spoon, only for Hamilton to push him off track. Russell jumped ahead thanks to his one-stop strategy and even though Hamilton was faster at the end of the race, the seven-time world champion had to be let through rather than making the move himself.

Had Wolff been at the track and on radio communications, you can almost guarantee he would have put an end to the madness and Mercedes might have kept Sainz at bay and scored a couple extra points.

‘Mercedes implode’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004487/mercedes-strategy-nightmare-lewis-hamilton-george-russell-f1-toto-wolff/

[Fortitude]

Hamilton makes 2024 plea as McLaren emphasises Mercedes' plight.
Lewis Hamilton says the Mercedes Formula 1 team needs the "greatest six months of development" it has ever had if it is to compete with Red Bull in 2024.
Sep 24, 2023
by Jack Cozens
The Race

Having repeated his opinion that this year's Mercedes was "basically the exact same" as last year's in terms of feeling, Hamilton was asked how much he felt his comments about where the car could be improved were being taken on board and what Mercedes will require to have similar success to what Red Bull and Verstappen are enjoying next season.

"There are things that I've asked for, that we've gone... in part of the direction for next year," he told Sky Sports F1. "All the points that George and I give I think have been fully listened to. I have no idea where the car's going to be next year, but we're a long, long way away.”

"We've got to hope for... the next six months has to be the greatest six months of development that we've ever, ever had to close that gap, to be really banging on the door."

"Greatest six months of development";

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/hamilton-makes-2024-plea-as-mclaren-emphasises-mercedes-plight/


Hamilton says next six months are crucial for Mercedes
24th September 2023, 14:06
The Straits Times

With Mercedes-powered McLaren finishing second and third with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Hamilton said Mercedes needed to take a good look.

"We can't turn a blind eye to that. We've got to look at what they've done and go in that direction. That is the direction. But I truly believe my team can do it," he said.

‘Next six months are crucial’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/hamilton-says-next-six-months-are-crucial-for-mercedes


Lewis Hamilton has asked Mercedes to copy one of their biggest rivals as Max Verstappen continues to dominate.
08:42, Sun, Sep 24, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

While the result was a positive step forward from a difficult set of practice sessions and qualifying stint, Hamilton was not satisfied with Mercedes' overall showing with their lead driver ending the race 50 seconds back from Verstappen in P1.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 about what his team need to do in the factory, Hamilton said: "The next six months have got to be the greatest six months of development that we've ever, ever had to close that gap. To be really banging on the door.

"We've always been great at putting downforce on the car, it's just that with the way our car currently works, adding downforce isn't working - it just makes it bounce more. Hopefully with the change in philosophy we will be back to where this team deserve because this is a world championship team. We still are an amazing team and I have absolute faith in everyone. But decisions that are made in this period of time are critical for our trajectory."

‘Copy one of their biggest rivals’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1816104/Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-copy-McLaren-Max-Verstappen


Lewis Hamilton demands Mercedes listen to him as problems laid bare in Red Bull chase
Hamilton finished the Japanese Grand Prix fifth and a long way behind winner Max Verstappen, after which he spoke about the size of the task facing his Mercedes team
09:19, 24 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

He wasn't close to the podium, while there was a chasm between Hamilton and race winner Verstappen. It was a gap which, in the mind of the seven-time world champion, illustrates the improvements the Silver Arrows need to make.

Speaking after the Suzuka race, he stressed the importance of his own input in that quest. "There are things that I've asked for that we've gone in part of the direction for next year," he said.

Reflecting on how his race went, he said: "I'm exhausted, for one. Fighting with absolutely everything I have to get as high up as possible and get ahead of Ferrari, which had an upgrade this week so they were particularly quick. They have been quicker the last three races."

‘Lewis Hamilton demands Mercedes listen to him’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-japanese-gp-mercedes-car-31014708


Lewis Hamilton warned he made a mistake signing new Mercedes contract
Lewis Hamilton reportedly rejected an approach from Ferrari before signing his two-year extension with Mercedes.
23 September 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Fans of Lewis Hamilton have insisted that the British driver should’ve rejected a new deal at Mercedes and have joined Ferrari, following a concerning qualifying performance for the Silver Arrows at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Mercedes’ deficit has concerned Hamilton’s supporters, who don’t think the 38-year-old will ever return to the front with the Silver Arrows.
“They have no chance next year,” wrote @Jordan_F1 on Twitter/X.
“That team is hopeless now & Lewis shouldn’t have stayed there.”

Several fans agreed with this supporter’s take on the situation, with many having questioned why he rejected a move to Ferrari, who have improved considerably over recent races.
“Agreed. I honestly thought he would move to Ferrari but hey it’s F1, contracts, anything can happen,” said @jgc0.

‘Made a mistake’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-warned-he-made-a-mistake-signing-new-mercedes-contract/


Lewis Hamilton despairs over Mercedes woes after Japanese GP with message to Toto Wolff
Lewis Hamilton salvaged a P5 finish at the Japanese Grand Prix but was left unhappy after the chequered flag.
08:21, Sun, Sep 24, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

When the chequered flag waved at Suzuka, Hamilton crossed the line almost 50 seconds back from Max Verstappen, highlighting the work that Mercedes still have to do over the winter if they're to close up to Red Bull.

The seven-time world champion has now sent a message to Toto Wolff, who missed this weekend to undergo knee surgery, and the rest of the team at the factory back in Brackley.

"The next six months have got to be the best six months of development we've ever had to close that gap. To be really banging on the door."

‘Lewis Hamilton despairs… … sent a message to Toto Wolff’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1816101/Lewis-Hamilton-Mercedes-Japanese-GP-Toto-Wolff


Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes of "critical" decisions and sets huge development target after F1 Japanese Grand Prix
24 Sep 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes need to pull off “the greatest six months of development” in order to catch Red Bull in time for the 2024 F1 season.

"Critical";

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1036649/1/hamilton-warns-mercedes-critical-decisions-and-sets-huge-development-target


We are a long, long way away, admits Hamilton
24/09/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

"It's tough on weekends like this," he told Sky Sports, "particularly when the car is such a handful. It felt just the same as last year, it's bouncing and sliding."

"The evidence is there, at McLaren, and we can't turn a blind eye to that, we've got to look at what they've done and go in that direction. That is the direction.”

“Long, long way away”;

https://www.pitpass.com/76246/We-are-a-long-long-way-away-admits-Hamilton

[Fortitude]

As good as Max Verstappen has been, his Red Bull team deserve the greater plaudits.
Whisper it, but the F1 teams really prefer the world constructors’ championship to the world drivers’ championship.
25th September 2023, 03:08
David Tremayne
The Straits Times

There is reflected glory in the latter, but to many it is purely reflective of the man at the wheel, whereas the former acknowledges just what a huge team effort is required to field two cars for around 23 races in a season, and to keep developing them to the nth degree within the newly imposed US$135 million (S$184 million) limitations of the current cost cap.

Max Verstappen’s brutal return to utter dominance after the strange glitch in Singapore the previous week was more than sufficient to wrap up a sixth WCC for Red Bull Honda. Details of precise payments to teams for their final positions therein are a close-guarded secret, but suffice it to say they are made on a percentage basis so most of the money from the 2023 kitty will be headed to Milton Keynes.

There is a cost too, however: a sliding scale reduction in the time the most successful teams are allowed to spend on crucial aerodynamic research. It’s designed to level the playing field, though if you look at what Red Bull have achieved this year – 15 wins from the 16 races – compared with 2022, when it was also the most successful, the restriction on Adrian Newey’s fun time appears to have had little ill effect.

‘Adrian Newey’s fun time’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/as-good-as-max-verstappen-has-been-his-red-bull-team-deserve-the-greater-plaudits


‘Golden moment’: The numbers behind Red Bull Racing’s ‘unbelievable’ sixth title
September 25th, 2023 6:00 am
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)

Red Bull Racing has won its sixth constructors championship, embedding itself deeper into the history books as one of Formula 1’s all-time great teams.

Its sextet of titles puts it one short of the iconic Lotus squad of the 1960s and 70s. With two seasons still to run under this set of technical regulations, Mercedes and McLaren’s tallies of eight titles apiece are within reach before rules changes threaten to shake up the order.

Only Williams (nine) and Ferrari (16) are further ahead among championship-winning constructors. “To achieve this sixth constructors championship is beyond our wildest dreams,” team principal Christian Horner said. “Coming into the season, I don’t think we could have dreamt of having a season like this. It’s unbelievable.”

‘Golden moment’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/golden-moment-the-numbers-behind-red-bull-racings-unbelievable-sixth-title/news-story/73bb2737f3504e321f7e9309052ca2ce


Verstappen Undoubtedly ‘the Fastest and the Best’, Says Helmut Marko
September 24, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Max Verstappen has certainly put to rest any doubts at Suzuka, affirming that the issues in Singapore are now behind him. The Dutch driver was not just seven-tenths ahead of the McLarens during the qualifying rounds; he was nearly a full second quicker than his own Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez. “All I can say is that our cars are equal,” he said when asked about the large gap to Perez.

But Verstappen has completely dispelled any theories that the FIA’s restrictions on movable aerodynamics had adversely impacted Red Bull. “We had a bad weekend,” he said. “Of course then people start saying ‘ah, it’s all because of the technical directives’. I think they can go suck on an egg.”

Arriving in Japan, the 25-year-old was clearly “energised” to counter his detractors, with Red Bull’s team advisor Dr Helmut Marko in agreement: “Max was really highly motivated here and wanted to show it. “He has shown here that he is the fastest and the best,” Marko told ORF. “Everything else is back on track.” For every other driver in the field, Verstappen’s showing is a tough act to follow.

‘Clearly “energised”!’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/verstappen-undoubtedly-the-fastest-and-the-best-says-helmut-marko/


Christian Horner reveals failed vow ‘fired-up’ Max Verstappen made ahead of Japanese GP
24 Sep 2023 5:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has revealed Max Verstappen’s state of mind coming to Japan after a disappointing Singapore weekend. Horner revealed that Verstappen had just fallen shy of the target he’d set himself coming to Suzuka, having vowed to bounce back after his defeat.
“Sometimes the races you lose are the weekends you learn the most at,” Horner said.

“I think that it was a big reminder to everybody that it’s very easy to miss the target. We all left Singapore knowing that, ultimately, the winning run that we had would come to an end but a little frustrated. I played paddle tennis with Max on Wednesday and he was properly fired up! He made it clear, ‘I want to win the race by 20 seconds’.

“In fairness, he came within point seven of a second of achieving that, had it not been for a blue flag at the end there! You could tell, from the very first lap in FP1 that, on the hard tyre, he was 1.8 seconds quicker than the rest of the field on medium or soft tyres at that point.”

‘Win by 20 seconds’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-vow-japanese-gp-revealed-by-christian-horner


In pictures: Red Bull celebrates sixth Constructors' F1 title
24 September 2:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen's victory at the Japanese Grand Prix and Red Bull's sixth Formula 1 Constructors' Championship.

‘Pictures in the link below!’;

https://racingnews365.com/in-pictures-red-bull-celebrates-sixth-constructors-f1-title


The Highlight Of Suzuka Was Sergio Pérez’s 41-Minute Pit Stop
If you are on the east coast of the United States... There are some aspects of this that are bad, like sleep deprivation, and some aspects that are good, like getting to deliriously watch Sergio Pérez unretire his car for the express purpose of serving a five-second time penalty.
1:26 PM EDT on September 24, 2023
By Kathryn Xu
Defector

He started P5 this race, a decent qualification, but one that guaranteed he would be in traffic. At Suzuka, that meant about five separate collisions and an immediate safety car to start the race. For Pérez, it meant being sandwiched with Lewis Hamilton on one side and two Ferraris on the other. After kissing wheels with Hamilton going into turn one, Pérez pit for a new front wing, got a 10-second penalty for failing to adhere to pit stop procedure, and wound up behind the Haas of Kevin Magnussen.

The Haas proved an even more formidable foe for Pérez than Hamilton did. Out of the points and impatient, Pérez made an extremely late lunge up the inside of Magnussen from several car lengths away and tapped Magnussen's rear tire with his front wing. The move functioned more as a dive bomb than an overtake attempt and was, at this point, well-rehearsed after he'd tried it last week on Alexander Albon. Pérez wound up with the same penalty too: a mere five seconds that was rendered meaningless for the race. However, this time Pérez, on his third front wing of the day, retired the car.

After likely undertaking a lengthy discussion with race control, Red Bull officially unretired Pérez's car on lap 40 to do his lap of shame. The original retirement became classified as a 41-minute pit stop, which will no doubt deal a great blow to the Red Bull mechanics' average pit-stop time. Upon reentering, Pérez was 26 laps behind the race leader, Max Verstappen, and five laps behind the next-closest driver, Lance Stroll, who had already retired his car. Pérez came into the pits once more to serve his penalty, which was classified as taking place on lap 14 of the race. Just a couple laps prior, Carlos Sainz Jr. had pitted on lap 38 of the race—such are the intricacies of F1. The following lap, Pérez retired the car again, this time for good, and disrupted our previous understanding of how retirements work: Sometimes, it takes more than one try to get it to stick.

‘Pérez’s 41-Minute Pit Stop’;

https://defector.com/the-highlight-of-suzuka-was-sergio-perezs-41-minute-pit-stop


Marko backs Perez to recover from poor Suzuka outing
24 September 3:30PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has backed Sergio Perez to recover from his difficult outing at the Japanese Grand Prix.

"He had an unfortunate day which originated in the free practice sessions,” Marko told Viaplay. “He couldn't match Max's speed and today just everything went wrong, but we are confident of a strong comeback from him.”

‘Marko backs Perez to recover’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-backs-perez-to-recover-from-poor-suzuka-outing


Marko reveals Red Bull FIA talks to 'prioritise Verstappen'
Sunday 24 September 2023 22:27
Sam Cook
GPFans

Helmut Marko has said that Red Bull were given permission by the FIA to allow Sergio Perez to return to the circuit, having already retired from the race, to serve his penalty at the Japanese Grand Prix. It was a strange moment in which it appeared Red Bull may have bent the rules slightly, but Marko has told Sky Germany that the team had cleared it with the FIA.

"Thank god we were able to serve the penalty here," he said. “[They told us] if we did not serve the penalty here, then we would have had to do it in the next race and our strategy is to prioritise Max. For example, in the case of a safety car, we would send him out in a way where Max would not be hindered.”

‘FIA Permission’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004518/helmut-marko-red-bull-f1-fia-japanese-grand-prix-sergio-perez-penalty/

[Fortitude]

Norris reveals McLaren 'CLOSEST to Red Bull' they have been all season.
Lando Norris believes McLaren were one of the closest they've been to Red Bull during practice at the Japanese Grand Prix than they have been at any practice session this year.
Monday 25 September 2023 09:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

The Brit made the admission after FP2, where he managed to put his car into third, just 0.464 seconds behind the leading Red Bull of Max Verstappen. In the race, Norris's prediction proved accurate as he and team-mate Oscar Piastri secured a double podium behind the Dutchman.

McLaren have enjoyed an incredible comeback this season, throwing their car into contention for podiums at the majority of race despite only managing to score 17 points from the first eight races of the season.

'CLOSEST to Red Bull';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004337/lando-norris-mclaren-f1-red-bull-japanese-grand-prix-practice-fp2-close/


Brown explains Suzuka team order between Piastri and Norris
25 September 8:45AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has explained the reason why the team ordered its cars to swap positions midway through the Japanese Grand Prix, after an early pit stop for Oscar Piastri.

"They were on different cycles on the tyres and at the same time Lando got caught out by Perez. We weren't sure if he had a problem and couldn't get by him [Perez] or not," Brown told Sky Sports F1.

"It was a pretty straightforward race, it's always nerve-racking because it's not over until the chequered flag comes out."

‘McLaren CEO Zak Brown explains Suzuka team order’;

https://racingnews365.com/brown-explains-team-order-between-piastri-and-norris


Damon Hill warns Lando Norris after Oscar Piastri's clear statement at Japanese GP
McLaren racers Norris and Piastri both finished in the top three at Suzuka, joining race-winner Max Verstappen on the podium in the team's best result of the 2023 season
25th Sept. 2023, 14:16
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Damon Hill believes Oscar Piastri is now ready to provide a true challenge to Lando Norris. "It couldn't last forever, Lando knows that," said the 1996 world champion. "This is a game where there always is someone who is going to come to your house and start putting his feet up on the table and make himself a cup of tea.”

"That's what happens in this game, it's not your team. Lando knows the score and I don't think he got the best out of himself [in qualifying]. He's already said he recognises it's not nice having a quick team-mate, he'd rather not have one.”

"But, for the team, it's fantastic. They know they've got two drivers that they can rely on going into the future and they're down there at the sharp end of the grid, two cars, not just one."

‘Lando Norris: Not nice having a quick team-mate’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/norris-piastri-mclaren-podium-hill-31023585


Why Oscar Piastri wasn’t completely satisfied despite breakthrough F1 podium at Japanese GP
25 Sep 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Oscar Piastri says he still has areas to work on despite claiming a breakthrough first F1 podium at the Japanese Grand Prix. “It’s special wherever you get a podium. To get the first one, I don’t think it really matters where, it’s always going to be special,” he said.

“You know, I think for myself, it probably wasn’t my strongest Sunday. So from that side of things, there’s still a few things I want to work on. But no, to get the first podium, on pace as well is a very exciting moment.”

The 22-year-old Australian conceded he “just wasn’t quick enough at certain points of the race” as he ended up losing out to Norris. “These high-deg races are probably the biggest thing I need to try and work on at the moment,” he explained.

“Just wasn’t quick enough at certain points”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1036795/1/why-piastri-wasn-t-completely-satisfied-despite-breakthrough-f1-podium


Oscar Piastri's mum takes a very cheeky shot at the F1 star after he took his first podium spot at the Japanese Grand Prix
Published: 06:07, 25 September 2023
By James Cooney For Daily Mail Australia
Mail Online

'You never forget your first podium. There are not many people who get this opportunity in their whole life and I've managed to have it in my first season.' 'For now I'll enjoy the trophy. I've been drowned by Lando in champagne - which is a nice problem to have,' he added.

Piastri's mum, who has built a cult following on social media, quipped that she could finally throw away his childhood trophies. 'Nice work today Osc,' wrote Nicole, sharing a photo of her son's awards. 'Does this mean I can get rid of some of these finally?'

Nicole made headlines before the race by asking if anybody had a cheap flight to Japan to watch her son starting the race on the front row at Suzuka. McLaren team boss, Zak Brown, said he'd be happy to organise the trip for Nicole, but she eventually declined the offer, stating: 'Thank you for the kind offer, but I think it's best that I have my anxiety attack in the comfort of my own home.'

‘Oscar Piastri's mum built a cult following’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12556589/Oscar-Piastri-mum-Nicole-Japanese-Grand-Prix-F1-third.html

[Fortitude]

Verstappen red-hot favourite to clinch 3rd championship at Qatar Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen is the red-hot favourite to clinch his third straight championship at next month’s Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix, and he might not even have to wait for the race itself if he gets the job done in Saturday’s (October 7) sprint.
Last Edited September 25, 2023 | 10:16 PM
Agencies/Doha
Gulf Times

Following his 13th victory of the 2023 season at Suzuka Grand Prix, which put the Red Bull driver’s away to wins away from equalling his record for most wins in a single season, moved Verstappen 177 points away from team-mate Sergio Perez in the standings.

The Mexican driver last outscored his team-mate in the fourth round of the campaign in Azerbaijan, where Perez clinched the second of his two wins so far in 2023. Since then, Verstappen has done nothing but increase his championship lead, taking a record-breaking 10 victories in a row, a streak that only ended in Singapore earlier this month, when Carlos Sainz won for Ferrari.

Verstappen’s win in Japan, where Perez had a nightmare race and retired, left the Dutchman with 400 points scored to his team-mate's 223. With 180 points available in the remaining six races, Verstappen's 177-point advantage means he needs to score just three more points before the season ends to wrap up his third consecutive title.

‘Red-hot favourite’;

https://www.gulf-times.com/article/668949/qatar/verstappen-red-hot-favourite-to-clinch-3rd-championship-at-qatar-grand-prix


How can Max Verstappen win his third F1 title in Qatar?
26 September 5:00AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen can finally clinch his third Drivers' title at the Qatar Grand Prix, having dominated the season with 13 wins to his name out of 16 races so far. After scoring the maximum amount of points on offer at Suzuka, he now leads Sergio Perez by 177 points in the championship.

There is a maximum of 180 points still on offer in the last six races, which includes 156 during the Grands Prix and 24 from the remaining Sprint races. Mathematically Verstappen can take the title as early as the Sprint race in Qatar on Saturday, which would make him the first driver to win a championship before a Grand Prix has begun in 35 years.

The last time this happened was when Nigel Mansell withdrew from the 1987 Japanese Grand Prix after a crash during Friday practice, effectively handing the title to Nelson Piquet.

‘How can Max Verstappen win’;

https://racingnews365.com/how-can-verstappen-win-his-third-f1-title-in-qatar


Verstappen’s Japan victory paves way for third world title in Qatar
• September 25, 2023
• Adnan Saif
Doha News

Verstappen could clinch his third drivers championship in Qatar as early as the sprint race, which has been introduced for the first time in Lusail. Dominant racer Max Verstappen silenced his critics after winning the Japanese Grand Prix in a mostly outstanding race for Red Bull, paving the way for his crowning at the world champion in Qatar.

This is the Dutchman’s 13th victory of the Formula 1 season, to which he also clinched the constructors championship, the sixth title for the Red Bull team, which acknowledges the performances of the racing team as a whole.

On his radio to his team following his victory, a jovial Verstappen stated “What an unbelievable season we are having, you can all be very proud here at the track and back at the factory. You guys built a rocket ship of a car”.

‘Rocket ship of a car’;

https://dohanews.co/verstappens-japan-victory-paves-way-for-third-world-title-in-qatar/


HORNER PRAISES VERSTAPPEN ON ‘UNBELIEVABLE WEEKEND’ AS RED BULL CLAIM CONSTRUCTORS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
Red Bull claimed their 6th Constructors' title at the weekend after a dominating performance by Max Verstappen
September 25, 2023
Oliver Brindle

A commanding performance for Max Verstappen saw him bring home the race win for the Milton Keynes-based team, alongside the Constructors’ title. However, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner quickly addressed Sergio Perez’s situation at Red Bull, claiming if Verstappen wasn’t racing, Perez would be leading the Championship.

Verstappen was able to top every Free Practice session in Japan. Along with that, he took Pole by being the only driver to get into the 1:28s; he then proceeded to cruise to victory in Suzuka, forgetting Singapore’s woes. However, Verstappen has confirmed that the most essential part of his weekend was not simply winning but taking home the Constructors’ title for everyone working at the track and factory. Speaking to Sky Sports, Verstappen said:

“Unbelievable weekend. To win here was great, the most important thing was to win the constructors. Very proud for everyone working at the track and at the factory. We are having an incredible year.”

‘UNBELIEVABLE WEEKEND’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/horner-praises-verstappen-on-unbelievable-weekend-as-red-bull-claim-constructors-championship/


Verstappen rates current Red Bull success compared to 2022
26 September 8:45AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Red Bull also ran away with the titles last year - but speaking to media including RacingNews365, Verstappen has asserted that its ongoing run trumps it. “It’s better, for sure,” Verstappen said.

“The car has been more dominant this year, apart from Singapore – but all the races we’ve had a really, really good car. It’s just an incredible season for everyone involved within the team. I’m just very proud to be a part of it but also very proud to be working with all of these amazing people here at the track but also especially back at the factory as well.”

“These people you might not see at the track but they are doing also a lot of hard work to make sure that our cars are always in the best shape, get developed throughout the year, and also be best prepared for the year after.”

“It’s better, for sure”;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-rates-current-red-bull-success-compared-to-2022


Christian Horner leads rowdy Red Bull celebrations after sealing F1 title at Japanese GP
Red Bull made their sixth Formula 1 constructors' title success official when Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix, sparking wild celebrations after the race
12:34 Mon, 25 Sep 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

The team's usual post-race photoshoot had an extra layer of celebration to it as Red Bull cans were sent flying everywhere, soaking everyone in the vicinity. But the party did not end at the track. It was carried on late into the night in Japan. Horner posted a video of Red Bull staff gathered by a bar, behind which he was stood apparently serving drinks to his colleagues.

One staff member was playing a guitar and leading his colleagues in a rendition of 'Wonderwall'. Horner himself enthusiastically joined in and shared footage of the celebrations on social media, after paying tribute to all Red Bull Racing staff as he reacted to the title success. He said: "It's been the most amazing race for us, the most amazing year. It's all testimony to these guys and all the men and women back in the factory at Milton Keynes, and to Red Bull, and all our partners.”

"It is the collection of an incredible effort of everybody doing their best to achieve results like we've done. Of course, you know, Max is just on another level at the moment. So today was an incredible performance." Verstappen has not yet made sure of the drivers' title but, thanks to Perez's DNF in Suzuka. He could secure it in the Qatar Sprint race on October 7. If not, he will be odds-on favourite to do so in the Grand Prix the following day.

'Wonderwall. Horner himself enthusiastically joined’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/red-bull-celebrations-japan-horner-31022477

[Fortitude]

Sainz: Ferrari pace at Suzuka ‘better than results show’.
Carlos Sainz believes that Ferrari’s pace was stronger than what its results reflected in last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
26/09/2023 at 16:52
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

In Sainz’s view, his SF-23’s absolute pace was worth more than its sixth-place position at the checkered flag. "We had better pace than the results show," he said after last Sunday’s event. "I think we were very quick straight from the start, the first stint I felt like I had a bit more pace than the guys in front.”

"I managed my tyres well, but obviously being behind in track position is always gonna cost you, especially being difficult in Suzuka to overtake. I felt back to normal, as soon as I got up into a rhythm I understood the car well. A shame about the last pitstop as it cost us quite a bit of race time, but it is what it is."

Sainz said that Ferrari had “played it safe” by extending his stint on the medium, and also because the Spaniard’s pace was strong on the yellow-rimmed tyres. Furthermore, the Scuderia’s efforts in past months to mitigate its car’s tyre decoration issues appeared to bear fruit, with relatively little deg observed in the race.

‘SF-23’s absolute pace was worth more than its sixth-place’;

https://f1i.com/news/488370-sainz-ferrari-pace-at-suzuka-better-than-results-show.html


Sainz makes Ferrari 'SHAME' admission over one key failure
Tuesday 26 September 2023 14:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Carlos Sainz has said that his Ferrari team 'haven't been fast' in pit stops this season, after an undercut by Mercedes left him struggling to reclaim positions at the Japanese Grand Prix. The Spaniard lost fifth position when Lewis Hamilton was able to undercut him at the last round of stops and found himself in seventh after George Russell in the other Mercedes attempted a one-stop strategy.

Having fresher tyres, Sainz was able to overtake Russell but couldn't get back the position on Hamilton, finishing sixth. It was a frustrating race for the team, particularly given the fact Sainz had managed to claim a stunning victory at the Singapore GP last time out.

'Haven't been fast in pit stops’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004538/carlos-sainz-ferrari-f1-japanese-grand-prix-unhappy-pit-crew/


Sainz admits Ferrari 'played it safe' during contra-Japanese gamble
26 September 1:58PM
Author Rory Mitchell

Sainz felt there was more to offer when speaking to media, including RacingNews365: "We had better pace than the results show," he said. "I think we were very quick straight from the start, the first stint I felt like I had a bit more more pace than the guys in front.”

"I managed my tyres well, but obviously being behind in track position is always gonna cost you, especially being difficult in Suzuka to overtake. I felt back to normal, as soon as I got up into a rhythm I understood the car well. A shame about the last pitstop as it cost us quite a bit of race time, but it is what it is."

'Played it safe';

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-makes-admission-after-hamilton-loss


Leclerc got 'lost' amid Suzuka chaos: 2023 Japanese GP diary
September 25th 2023
Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine

Leclerc doesn’t know where he is. OK, that subheading might need the addition of the words “in the race”, but it was an extremely funny moment either way. Charles Leclerc started fourth and just held on to his starting position after a four-wide moment on the run to Turn 1.

When a virtual safety car was deployed to clear debris at the hairpin, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri — ahead of Leclerc — came across an ailing Red Bull, and even after doing all of his television interviews and making it to the written media, Leclerc still thought it was Max Verstappen who was slowing.

Then informed it was Sergio Perez falling a lap down before retiring, the penny finally dropped for the Ferrari driver. “Ohhh right, OK! That’s what it was, I thought Max was out of the race at that moment, it was just confusing for me.”

‘Leclerc doesn’t know where he is’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/leclerc-got-lost-amid-suzuka-chaos-2023-japanese-gp-diary/?nowprocket=1#


Sainz triggered Ferrari strategy call
Monday 25th September, 2023 - 7:51pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pressure from Carlos Sainz back to the Ferrari pit wall during the Japanese Grand Prix ultimately resulted in the strategy that saw him split the two Mercedes. “The first pitstop was really on the edge between keeping the two cars in front or Lewis getting within the two cars,” explained Ferrari Boschung Fred Vasseur.

“It was a matter of tenths probably and it was the right call from the team and the second stop was a bit more strategic. The call also came from Carlos that we agreed that we would have to extend [the stint] to try and have a tyre advantage during the last couple of laps. Because if you copy Lewis, you [will stay] behind him, and without a big delta [in tyre performance] you are going to stay behind him.”

“The second one was a good call from Carlos, if you copied Lewis you would have had no tyre advantage and we decided to extend the stint a little bit to have the advantage. In the last two laps, it wasn’t quite enough with Lewis, but it was the right call.”

‘Ferrari strategy call’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/09/25/sainz-triggered-ferrari-strategy-call/

[Fortitude]

Is Lewis Hamilton and George Russell ‘needle’ a glimpse at fireworks to come?
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s hard battling and team radio disagreements was an intriguing sub-plot of the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, but could it be a sign of things to come?
25 Sep 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Sky F1 pundit Karun Chandhok was among many observers who couldn’t help but notice the “needle” between Hamilton and Russell, who is now 75 points adrift of his teammate in the championship.

“He [Hamilton] is 75 points ahead of George. He was quite quick to point that out!” Chandhok said of Hamilton. “There was needle with George. There is a little bit of needle between the two drivers.”

‘Glimpse at fireworks to come?!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/1036771/1/hamiltonrussell-needle-glimpse-fireworks-come


Sam Bird: Hamilton-Russell Tension Could’ve Exploded on Podium Battle!
September 25, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Former Mercedes reserve driver Sam Bird suggests that the tension between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell during the Japanese Grand Prix would have escalated further had a podium finish been at stake.

Tensions between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell unfolded at the Japanese Grand Prix as they pursued different strategies. They engaged in thrilling on-track battles, including a contentious moment at the Spoon Curve.

‘Tension Could’ve Exploded on Podium Battle!’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/sam-bird-hamilton-russell-tension-couldve-exploded-on-podium-battle/


Hamilton and Russell fight shows Mercedes will have big problems in the future
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are yet to collide but the 2023 Japanese GP suggested an accident is set to happen
September 24, 2023
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell nearly came to blows twice at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix on a weekend where Toto Wolff was probably sitting at home either seething at his drivers or with a wry smile, knowing he has two very motivated drivers.

If Hamilton and Russell raced how they did for the lead though, there’s no doubt Wolff would have been livid. It’s understood that the Mercedes boss, who wasn’t at Suzuka due to knee surgery, got on the phone to order the team to tell Russell to let Hamilton through.

‘Toto Wolff got on the phone!!!!!!’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-hamilton-russell-fight-mercedes-big-problems-future/


Mercedes warned of ‘not a good thing’ between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
Mercedes had to ask George Russell several times at the 2023 Japanese GP to let Lewis Hamilton past.
26 September 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Former Ferrari and Williams team manager Peter Windsor believes there is “definitely acrimony” at Mercedes, between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. It was certainly a heated race for the Silver Arrows for all the wrong reasons, something Windsor believes isn’t good for the team.
“You could tell that there is definitely acrimony between the two now – and that’s not a good thing,” Windsor said on his YouTube channel. “Imagine if Mercedes had a Championship-winning car and this was the World Championship and grand prix wins they were racing for, imagine what it would be like between Lewis and George.”

“The good thing is it’s only for the minor placings, it’s all you can say. ‘Does it really matter that much?’ I suppose is what you’d say in the boardroom afterwards. But if they do get in a position actually to be doing something serious in 2024 – a big ask, you’ve got to say – then how are you going to manage that Lewis Hamilton/George Russell imbalance?”

‘Peter Windsor: “Definitely acrimony” at Mercedes!’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/mercedes-warned-of-not-a-good-thing-between-lewis-hamilton-and-george-russell/


Russell admits 'VENTING' in angry team radio message after Hamilton incident
Sunday 24 September 2023 16:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans

George Russell admitted that he used his team radio to let his frustration out during the Japanese GP. Russell admitted to Sky Sports F1 after the race: “When you’re in the car, 48 laps in, you’re giving it everything, you’re making a sub-optimal strategy try to work. That radio is a bit of a venting tool to release some frustration.”

"It’s easy in hindsight, but for me right now, the goal is to secure P2 for the team in the constructors. On my personal side, the driver’s championship is totally out of the window, it’s been a complete disaster of a season in that regard. So many missed chances.”

‘Russell admits VENTING';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004506/george-russell-lewis-hamilton-venting-mercedes-f1-japanese-grand-prix/


‘George Russell is proving why Lewis Hamilton wanted Mercedes to keep Bottas’
26 Sep 2023 6:45 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

F1 commentator Peter Windsor believes the tension between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton at the Japanese Grand Prix proves why the latter was so keen to keep Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes beyond 2021.

Bottas, 34, helped the Alfa Romeo-branded Sauber team to their best result in the Constructors’ Championship in a decade in 2022 and famously reached Q3 at every single race in his five full seasons as a Mercedes driver as Hamilton’s team-mate.

Speaking via his YouTube channel, 1992 title-winning Williams team manager Windsor fears the arrival of Russell has upset the balance between the drivers at Mercedes, likening the bond Hamilton had with Bottas to the dynamic between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez at Red Bull currently.

‘Lewis Hamilton wanted Mercedes to keep Bottas’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-russell-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-keep-bottas


Lewis Hamilton fans demand Mercedes sack George Russell, sign Valtteri Bottas
Mercedes have been accused of having made a mistake by signing George Russell as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate.
25 September 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Several fans of Lewis Hamilton have accused Mercedes of making a mistake by signing George Russell to replace Valtteri Bottas last season, following Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.

“As I said last week signing Russell was a mistake. Just didn’t think it would be proven every week. He will be a liability in a championship scenario,” wrote @F1_Jordan on Twitter/X.

Several fans agreed with this view and criticised Mercedes for not stating who their clear number one driver is. “Absolutely, I expected more from Mercedes in terms of managing their drivers. I don’t recognise this team at all,” commented @Farinho_10.

‘Liability in a championship scenario’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lewis-hamilton-fans-demand-mercedes-sack-george-russell-re-sign-valtteri-bottas/


Hamilton takes SLY dig at Russell after Japanese GP battle
Sunday 24 September 2023 21:42
Sam Cook
GPFans

The pair were embroiled in a great on-track battle during the race, which saw multiple switches of position and, at times, became a little heated. This was especially true when Hamilton appeared to run Russell off the track as the pair were squabbling for sixth and seventh position near the start of the race.

Russell lost out, eventually finishing seventh whilst Hamilton took home fifth to extend his lead over his team-mate in the standings. “It wasn’t the perfect day for the team," he (Hamilton) told Sky Sports Italia. "I think we should’ve swapped positions if we wanted to win against Ferrari. George is quite far behind me in the championship, so I’m not battling him. We should’ve worked together to get more points.”

‘SLY dig’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004525/lewis-hamilton-george-russell-f1-mercedes-complaints-japanese-grand-prix/


Lewis Hamilton demands talks with George Russell after blaming him for Mercedes 'fight'
20:53, Sun, Sep 24, 2023
By Alex Turk
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that he will hold talks with Mercedes teammate George Russell after their tense battle in the Japanese Grand Prix. Hamilton and Russell were tangled in an awkward showdown in the opening and closing stages on the Suzuka Circuit as Ferrari took advantage.

The seven-time world champion defended his position when his teammate launched a move into the final chicane early on before defending well again in the later laps after going wide at the second of the Degner corners. Russell questioned the team radio why the seven-time world champion was fighting him for places while the clash with Ferrari remains rife.

Near the finale, Hamilton caught Russell during the latter's attempt at the one-stop and asked him to let him pass while under pressure from Carlos Sainz. Russell's delay while suggesting he should copy Sainz's DRS trick from Singapore caused frustration, but he finally let Hamilton through

‘Lewis Hamilton demands talks’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1816269/Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell-Mercedes-F1-Japanese-Grand-Prix

[Fortitude]

Fernando Alonso lashes out at Aston Martin as honeymoon period ends.
Fernando Alonso was left frustrated by Aston Martin’s strategy at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, where he accused them of throwing him to “the lions”.
24 September 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Alonso made an excellent launch thanks to having started the race on the Soft tyres, something which saw him show good pace in the opening stages. However, Alonso started to struggle once the drivers around him on the Mediums started to get their tyres to work, something which resulted in Aston Martin calling the Spaniard in for an early pit-stop.

Whilst this saw Alonso undercut several drivers, he was quickly caught by the drivers on the Mediums again once they’d pitted and gotten their new tyres upto temperature.

Alonso recognised that he was in trouble and complained to the team for putting him on the wrong strategy. “You’ve thrown me to the lions by stopping that early!” Alonso complained to Aston Martin over the radio.

‘Frustrated’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-alonso-lashes-out-at-aston-martin-as-honeymoon-period-ends/


Alonso's vocal annoyance can't be separated from Aston decline
Sep 25, 2023
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

In Aston Martin’s weakest spell of the 2023 Formula 1 season, Fernando Alonso has gained attention with some spiky radio messages. And it is hardly a coincidence. “At the beginning of the season I was voted for nine or 10 points [out of 10 in people rating his performances] and now I'm four of five,” he said after qualifying on Saturday at Suzuka. But I'm at the same level.”

The point is obvious, and accurate. Aston Martin’s AMR23 is not the competitive force it was earlier in the year. That brings tougher races, more frustrating situations, and more Alonso radio complaints. In Singapore he told his team the car was undriveable. In Japan we heard him declare his team had “thrown me to the lions by stopping that early”. Alonso was annoyed by that after the race, calling it “the classic thing, the classic FOM radio, completely out of context”.

It wasn’t really. And Alonso’s one of the, if not the, smartest drivers on the grid. He uses everything at his disposal and that includes knowing what messages are likely to get picked up on the broadcast. Whether you believe it’s what he was doing on this occasion or not, it is well within his skillset to say something that he wants the world feed to pick up.

‘Alonso's vocal annoyance’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-annoyed-alonso-so-much-and-where-aston-decline-fits-in/


Transcript: What Alonso really meant by being “thrown to the lions” at Suzuka
Formula 1
Posted on 27th September 2023, 7:15
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Fernando Alonso expressed frustration that one of his radio messages during the Japanese Grand Prix was broadcast on Formula 1’s television feed “out of context.” It’s not the first time a mid-race radio comment by Alonso at Suzuka has been the subject of scrutiny. But the circumstances last weekend were rather different to those of eight years ago.

“You’ve thrown me to the lions, to stop that early, mate,” Alonso grumbled. “It’s unbelievable.” On the face of it, Alonso appeared to be venting in frustration about being passed. On the lap before, he had been overtaken by Sainz’s team mate Charles Leclerc too, but had ended the lap gaining a place back when Sainz pitted. But despite appearances the focus of Alonso’s concern was not the cars he had just been passed by.

The Ferraris had started fourth and sixth, Alonso tenth. A strong start saw the Aston Martin driver jumped up to sixth place to sit right behind them. Race engineer Chris Cronin was pleased by the early progress, but both knew it would be a challenge to hold onto that lofty position.

‘Transcript’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/27/transcript-what-alonso-really-meant-by-being-thrown-to-the-lions-at-suzuka/


Fernando Alonso 'upset' as F1 star explains radio rant at Japanese Grand Prix
Fernando Alonso has explained the context behind his radio message during the early stages of the Japanese Grand Prix.
13:27, Sun, Sep 24, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The legendary Spaniard enjoyed a positive start to the Japanese Grand Prix, capitalising on a chaotic opening lap to jump up to sixth place before settling into a rhythm. Unfortunately for Alonso, he wasn't allowed to stay in this rhythm for long with the team dragging him into the pit lane for a change of tyres on lap 11.

With those stopping after him closing up on their fresher tyres and Lewis Hamilton making his way past, Alonso appeared frustrated over the team radio, stating: "You have thrown me to the lions by stopping that early mate. Unbelievable." Addressing his comments to Autosport after the race, Alonso said: “I think it's the same classic theme, the classic FOM radio, completely out of context.”

"I'm not sure exactly what other drivers say when they are behind a car that is slower and on the straight, they are pulling away even when you open the DRS. “Maybe they say, 'I'm okay, I'm happy to stay here and to stay behind'. But I prefer to be motivated, to overtake them. On track, as I said, I was slower even with the DRS open.”

‘Radio rant explained’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1816159/Fernando-Alonso-radio-rant-Japanese-Grand-Prix


Alonso says Aston Martin are pushing ‘flat out’ on developments as constructors’ fight ramps up at Suzuka
25 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso has indicated that there will be more to come from Aston Martin over the final six races of the 2023 season as they look to maximise their standing in the constructors’ championship.

Reflecting on his run to P8 at Suzuka, behind the two McLarens, Ferraris and Mercedes machines, Alonso said: “I think today we had a little bit more than the result shows. I think P6 and definitely P7 was possible.”

“I think we didn’t optimise the strategy, maybe we stopped too soon at the beginning, too early – maybe that compromised a little bit the final result. But we were fast and the pace was a little bit better than expected, so I had fun in the car.”

‘Pushing flat out’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alonso-says-aston-martin-are-pushing-flat-out-on-developments-as.6lrud3dRSRLjTS5mcklB1f.html


‘I was upset’: F1 driver admits he was ‘thrown to the lions’ by team over pit strategy at Suzuka
15:05 Mon, 25 Sep 2023.
F1 Oversteer.

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso has admitted he wasn’t pleased with his team’s strategy at Suzuka this weekend. The Spanish champion’s comments were relayed by The Athletic after a tough weekend for the British team.

After starting the season so strongly, Aston Martin have fallen away in the second half of the year. Out of the constructors in the top half of the championship right now, Aston Martin have the biggest disparity in terms of the quality of their two drivers.

Fernando Alonso recorded six podiums in the first eight races but has only recorded one top-three finish since Canada.

‘I was upset’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/f1-driver-admits-he-was-thrown-to-the-lions-by-team-over-pit-strategy-at-suzuka/


‘We stopped too early’ – Alonso reckons strategy cost him at least one place in the Japanese GP.
24 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso finished eighth at Suzuka but said after the race his pace was better than that and his pit stop strategy perhaps cost him more positions.

‘We stopped too early’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.we-stopped-too-early-alonso-reckons-strategy-cost-him-at-least-one-place-in-the-japanese-gp.1777903039028362440.html

[Fortitude]

Mercedes 'are lost' and 'don't have a clue' as F1 expert tells Toto Wolff his big mistake.
Former Jaguar and Jordan technical director Gary Anderson has claimed that Mercedes don't know where they are going wrong, telling team principal Toto Wolff that his team need to start maximising their package and heading towards Red Bull’s design philosophy.
10:10, Tue, Sep 26, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The Japanese Grand Prix represented a miserable weekend for the Silver Arrows as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell left everything out on the track, only to come home in P5 and P7 respectively. Writing in his Telegraph column, Anderson claimed: “McLaren, meanwhile, have shifted away from their previous concept in this area to one that essentially looks like the Red Bull, but then you also need to understand the design philosophy to get the best from it.”

“At a track like Suzuka, which is a real test of a car, McLaren qualified and finished second and third to Verstappen. The visual concept is something that makes the car work, but you have to do all the other non-visual stuff with it too, like understanding the detail on the under-floor. McLaren seem to understand that well now after their woeful start. Becoming Red Bull-alikes, if you will, has taken them (and other teams) forward. This is the main area where Mercedes are lost.”

“If they are going to start again with their car, they need to begin in this area. Yet even taking all that into consideration, they are not getting the best out of their car for what it is currently, which is where Ferrari have improved. There is some light at the end of the tunnel for Wolff and Mercedes, and there are signs that the Austrian is working towards the points made by Anderson. The Brackley-based team have already halted their development of the W14, instead switching attention to next year’s car.”

‘Mercedes 'are lost' and 'don't have a clue'!’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1816789/Mercedes-F1-Toto-Wolff


Newey explains rejection of Mercedes ‘zeropod’ philosophy
17:08 Wed, 27 Sep 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey has opened up on how he and his design team opted to reject the ‘zeropod’ design philosophy adopted by Mercedes. Mercedes finally abandoned the project at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix with the introduction of a heavily redesigned package.

“Obviously, with last year’s car we took an aerodynamic direction with the sidepod and design and the concept of the car, which was almost polar opposite to what Mercedes did,” Newey told F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast. “Mercedes showed flashes of competitive last year, they won in Brazil [with George Russell].”

“Then you’re faced with a choice of well, do we start to research Mercedes in case you’ve missed something or do we stick with what we’re doing? And gut feel was, let’s stick with what we’re doing.”

‘Gut feel’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/27/newey-explains-rejection-of-mercedes-zeropod-philosophy/


Elite F1 teams express concerns over McLaren’s ascent
September 26, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Both Ferrari and Mercedes, among the frontrunners in Formula 1, are voicing their concerns, citing they are “worried” about McLaren’s swift progression. Right now, Red Bull is reigning supreme in Formula 1, with Mercedes and Ferrari positioned behind, accumulating less than half of Red Bull’s points.

Although Aston Martin has solidified its fourth position with a commendable start to 2023, Lando Norris, having secured second at Suzuka, believes McLaren can surpass them.

“If it’s 49 points, then I definitely think we can,” said the Briton. “Our current advantage over most teams is having two drivers who are consistently vying for these positions and securing points.”

‘Current advantage: Consistent two drivers’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/elite-f1-teams-express-concerns-over-mclarens-ascent/


‘Lost’ Mercedes ordered to copy Red Bull as Lewis Hamilton loses patience
Mercedes have admitted that they might introduce yet another new concept for the 2024 season.
26 September 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Ex-Jaguar technical director Gary Anderson believes Mercedes need to copy Red Bull for next season, should the Silver Arrows decide to “start again” with the design of their car. At Mercedes, the side just look “lost”, to the extent that they’ve openly admitted that their design concept could be changed for a third time for 2024. Anderson think their best option is to become “Red Bull-alikes”, a route which has been taken by McLaren, Aston Martin and Haas.

“McLaren, meanwhile, have shifted away from their previous concept in this area to one that essentially looks like the Red Bull, but then you also need to understand the design philosophy to get the best from it,” Anderson wrote in his column for The Telegraph. “At a track like Suzuka, which is a real test of a car, McLaren qualified and finished second and third to Verstappen.”
“The visual concept is something that makes the car work, but you have to do all the other non-visual stuff with it too, like understanding the detail on the under-floor. McLaren seem to understand that well now after their woeful start. Becoming Red Bull-alikes, if you will, has taken them (and other teams) forward. This is the main area where Mercedes are lost.”

‘Hamilton loses patience’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/lost-mercedes-ordered-to-copy-red-bull-as-lewis-hamilton-loses-patience/


Newey explains why Red Bull didn’t study Mercedes’ “polar opposite” concept
Formula 1
Posted on 27th September 2023, 13:26
Written by Keith Collantine
Motorsport Week

Red Bull’s chief technical officer Adrian Newey has shed light on how he devised the design which has dominated Formula 1 since the current technical regulations were introduced. He has also explained why his team spurned the radically different approach taken by Mercedes, despite their rival’s upswing in form over the course of last season which culminated in them winning the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Newey began designing F1 cars in the 1980s when ground effect aerodynamics were first used. He said the experience gained there, as well as in sports car and IndyCar racing, gave him an advantageous understanding of the rules that were introduced last year. Red Bull experienced some of the same problems with bouncing and porpoising as their rivals, but unlike most of the other teams, were quickly able to master it.

“We had an amount of bouncing, not as bad as the other teams, but we still had some bouncing which we needed to get on top of. And I think we had a reasonable understanding of what we needed to do to do that. So come the first upgrade we had in for the Bahrain race, then bouncing was much less of an issue than it was for other teams. That meant that we didn’t have to put a lot of our development energy into fixing bouncing, such as Ferrari and Mercedes did.”

‘Adrian Newey has shed light on how he devised the design’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/27/newey-explains-why-red-bull-didnt-study-mercedes-polar-opposite-concept/


Mercedes provide latest W15 update with ‘fundamental’ developments in the works
27 Sep 2023 4:36 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Mercedes have said they will use the winter months to make the “fundamental” developments on their 2024 challenger, the W15, and there are still upgrades to come this season. Team principal Toto Wolff has previously hinted that the United States Grand Prix in Austin will be the location for the arrival of the final major upgrade package of the year on their car.

Mercedes’ head of strategy Rosie Walt has elaborated further, explaining that any further upgrades in 2023 will “directly feed” into developing next year’s car, given the stability of the sport’s regulations. Mercedes are still locked in a tight battle with Ferrari for second place in the Constructors’ Championship this year, with only 20 points separating the two teams with six races to go.

“This decision is never as black and white as it seems,” Walt said in response to a question about the balance the team strikes between upgrading their current car or putting their resources into next year’s challenger. Whilst we will have to use the winter to make more fundamental developments to W15, there are plenty of things we can do with the current car which will both make it faster and aid our learning and understanding to develop next year’s car.”

‘Latest W15 update’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-update-fundamental-w15-developments

[Fortitude]

Ocon explains ‘crazy race’ that saw him go from Lap 1 puncture to points.
Esteban Ocon’s race looked to be unravelling when he picked up a puncture on the opening lap in Japan, but he fought his way back up the order to finish P9.
24 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Crazy race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.ocon-explains-crazy-race-that-saw-him-go-from-lap-1-puncture-to-points.1777903348818607305.html


Gasly: Alpine's Ocon swap wasn't discussed before Japan F1 race.
Pierre Gasly was left confused by Alpine's order to swap positions with Esteban Ocon at the end of Formula 1's Japanese Grand Prix, which he said wasn't discussed beforehand.
Sep 24, 2023, 10:02 AM
By: Filip Cleeren
Co-author: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

In the final stages of the Suzuka race, Gasly was asked to let Ocon by as the pair was set to finish ninth and 10th. Gasly angrily protested on the radio but eventually relented by letting his team-mate by at the very last possible moment, in the third sector of the final lap.

Gasly was asked to let Ocon by to return the favour from earlier in the race, when Gasly passed Ocon but then failed to overtake Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso ahead of the pair, thereby having to revert the positions.

‘Pierre Gasly was left confused’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/gasly-doesnt-understand-alpine-order-to-swap-positions-in-japanese-gp/10524776/


Radio messages reveal Pierre Gasly’s fury with Alpine after Esteban Ocon team order
24 Sep 2023 10:12 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Karel Loos: Okay, mate. So we’ve got Esteban 2.4 behind. Instruction on the pit wall coming. Can we swap back around, please?
Pierre Gasly: Mate, what the f**k? You’re kidding me, are you? Why are you saying that? I was faster. I’m on fresher rubber. If you would have not passed me (sic), I would have overtaken him anyway.
KL: Yeah, we’ll discuss it in the office. Please swap round, please.
PG: Are you serious? You’re being serious? I started in front, I was in front the whole race, you let him undercut me, and then…

KL: Mate, I’m not joking. The instruction comes from the pit wall. Let’s do it next time round, please. Turn 16.
However, Gasly didn’t appear to be eager to relinquish position, with Ocon getting on the radio requesting that his teammate be told again to swap positions.
PG: You confirm you want to swap?
KL: Affirm, mate. Affirm, please.
PG: Yeah, thank you. Complete joke.
Another half a lap passes, with Loos getting back on the radio.

KL: Please Pierre.
PG: I’m doing it.
KL: Copy, thank you. You don’t have to say anything now, we’ll discuss it after. OK, that’s the checkered flag. That’ll be Scenario 12.
KL: OK mate, so stop the car in parc ferme.
PG: No, it’s OK, mate. It’s OK. Let’s stop here. It’s OK. I understand. I understand what you’re doing. It’s like…
KL: OK. Let’s discuss it out on the camera, mate. Just switch off.

‘Radio messages’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre-gasly-angry-radio-alpine-esteban-ocon-team-order


Alpine created needless tension with 'complete joke' Gasly order
Sep 24, 2023
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Alpine’s claim that swapping its Formula 1 drivers on the final lap of the Japanese Grand Prix was in “the best interest of the team” did not chime with what Pierre Gasly viewed as a “complete joke” of a situation.

A swearing Gasly made his displeasure clear before moving aside for Esteban Ocon to take ninth place but was told it was a strict pitwall instruction he needed to follow. And the final lap inversion, which Gasly only complied with exiting the final corner, was a source of obvious tension afterwards.

Ostensibly this was just another example of a standard application of team orders. One car (Gasly) pitted, had fresher tyres, and was catching the other car (Ocon) – so was ordered past to try to attack the next car ahead (Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin), with the positions being swapped back when that failed.

‘Needless tension’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/gasly-anger-with-complete-joke-alpine-order-explained/


F1 team boss blames driver rift on 'communication problems'
Thursday 28 September 2023 17:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Alpine team principal Bruno Famin has said that there hasn't been a breakdown in the relationship of his two drivers, but communication problems at the Japanese Grand Prix led to Pierre Gasly feeling unhappy. The French driver was left reeling after the team told him to gift ninth place back to Esteban Ocon during the last lap of the race when the cars were running in ninth and tenth.

It was a move that Gasly called 'pointless', but the team insisted it was because Ocon had let his countryman through earlier in the race to let him chase after Fernando Alonso. When he wasn't able to catch and pass the Spaniard, they decided to switch it back again in a move that, according to Famin, wasn't communicated well enough to Gasly.

'Communication problems';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004761/bruno-famin-alpine-f1-pierre-gasly-esteban-ocon-communication-problems/

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda frustrated after missing out on points at home in Japan as he questions AlphaTauri’s strategy.
Yuki Tsunoda was left with a feeling of what might have been following the Japanese Grand Prix as the home favourite’s ninth-place starting position turned into 12th at the chequered flag.
27 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Tsunoda and new team mate Liam Lawson ran inside the points-paying places in the opening exchanges of Sunday’s race but dropped down the order as various tyre strategies played out. At the end of it all, Lawson came home 11th as the first of the lapped runners, with Tsunoda one spot behind, meaning AlphaTauri remain at the foot of the constructors’ standings on five points.

Reflecting on his home race, Tsunoda commented: “It’s frustrating because there was pace today, but I didn’t have the opportunity to maximise it. On this track, it’s hard to follow because the tyres overheat very easily and I feel like we pitted for the hard compound too late, so I was behind everyone and had to catch up to the pack.”

“I think there was no chance to catch P10 today. It’s a shame that I wasn’t able to perform well and get a good result in front of the Japanese fans, but I got a lot of energy from them so thank you to all the fans. In the end, it is what it is.”

‘Tsunoda frustrated’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tsunoda-frustrated-after-missing-out-on-points-at-home-in-japan-as-he.69dGsDBSc8rURVasSZKe1x.html


Lawson admits to ‘no satisfaction’ over beating Tsunoda in Suzuka
24 September 4:11PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

When asked if he was satisfied to finish ahead of his team-mate after missing out on a drive for next season, Lawson said: “Not satisfaction. I want to be in a seat and I don’t have one right now. It’s basically just doing the best job I can each time I get into the car. I’ll keep doing that for as long as I’m driving.”

Lawson added that AlphaTauri didn’t have the pace within the car to challenge for points during the Grand Prix. “We didn’t quite have the speed today,” he said. “To be honest, the only guys that we were really racing today were the Alpines and they were too quick. It meant that we were just outside the points unfortunately. I feel like we pretty much maximised [what we could]."

‘No satisfaction’;

https://racingnews365.com/lawson-admits-to-no-satisfaction-over-beating-tsunoda-in-suzuka


‘No satisfaction’ over beating Yuki Tsunoda for Liam Lawson at Suzuka after missing out on ‘24 seat
25 Sep 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Liam Lawson is taking ‘no satisfaction’ from the fact he was able to out-race Yuki Tsunoda at the Japanese Grand Prix because he missed out on a full-time seat for 2024. AlphaTauri announced Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo as their driver line-up for 2024, meaning Lawson is set for a season on the sidelines.

Lawson has been very impressive since making his F1 debut at the Dutch Grand Prix in August. He scored AlphaTauri’s best result of F1 2023 in Singapore (ninth) and managed to beat Tsunoda again on-track in Sunday’s Japanese GP.

‘No satisfaction’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1036791/1/no-satisfaction-over-beating-tsunoda-lawson-after-missing-out-24-seat


'So be it' if Lawson has to LEAVE Red Bull programme
Monday 25 September 2023 08:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

As Liam Lawson's stock continues to rise following a string of impressive performances while deputising for the injured Daniel Ricciardo, attentions are turning to where he might find himself next season.

Anthony Davidson said the rookie may have to look elsewhere for the right opportunity. “Of the last three Grand Prix, two of them have been incredibly tough," Davidson said. "I mean Zandvoort with those mixed conditions, thrown in at the deep end with no testing, hardly knew the car at all, what a Grand Prix to try and survive. He did really well.”

“In the same way we saw with Pierre Gasly [he had to] make his own bed somewhere else. If [Lawson] has to do that, and I don’t know how their contracts work there, maybe he’d take a financial hit as well because I’m sure they sign up for a long time with the Red Bull program, but so be it.”

'So be it';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004220/liam-lawson-alphatauri-red-bull-anthony-davidson-sky-sports-f1-podcast/


Lawson received messages from ‘all the Kiwi drivers’
Wednesday 27th September, 2023 - 5:00am
By Mat Coch

Liam Lawson has had messages of support from his compatriots around the world as he continues deputising for Daniel Ricciardo. “Honestly, from all the Kiwi drivers,” Lawson said when asked by Speedcafe if he’d swapped messages with van Gisbergen. (The 22-year-old has previously revealed that Shane van Gisbergen has played a role in his burgeoning career.)

“That’s been really, really cool to see that. Obviously there’s not many of us abroad doing this kind of thing, and so I think we stay pretty well connected. From everybody, the support has been, especially from home, it’s been amazing.”

‘All the Kiwi drivers’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/09/27/lawson-received-messages-from-all-the-kiwi-drivers/


Liam Lawson rules out possible Williams loan switch for 2024
26 Sep 2023
Connor McDonagh

Liam Lawson has seemingly ruled himself out from moving to Williams on loan for the 2024 season. Speaking during the Japanese GP weekend, Lawson made it clear that he’s “a Red Bull driver” and “all the Red Bull seats are filled”.

“I’m a Red Bull driver,” he said. “All the Red Bull seats are filled and unfortunately for me that means that, for now, I’ll be reserve driver.” Lawson’s main goal is still to be an F1 driver, with a full-time seat in 2025 in his sights.

“I’ve got my head down at the moment trying to make the most of these races,” he said. “Ultimately obviously my goal is to be in F1 so I’ll try and do what I can to achieve that in the future. One of the positives about being a Red Bull driver is, for me having five years in this programme, it’s a high-pressure programme.”

‘Made it clear that he’s “a Red Bull driver” ’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1036819/1/lawson-rules-out-possible-williams-loan-switch-2024


Lawson not distracted by missing 2024 AlphaTauri F1 race seat
Liam Lawson insists that learning he didn’t have a full-time AlphaTauri Formula 1 drive for 2024 has not distracted him from his current stint with the Italian team.
Sep 27, 2023, 10:52 AM
Motorsport.com

The Faenza outfit announced over the Suzuka weekend that Yuki Tsunoda will be joined by Daniel Ricciardo next year, with Lawson serving as reserve once again for the two Red Bull teams.

Japan was the New Zealander’s fourth outing since Ricciardo suffered a hand injury at Zandvoort. While the target is for the latter to return for the next race in Qatar, Lawson could get a fifth race in the AT04 if it is decided that Ricciardo needs more recovery time.

"I think to be honest, I haven't thought about it too much,” said Lawson when asked by Motorsport.com about the impact of the line-up confirmation. “I think right now I'm focused on making the most of this opportunity.”

‘Lawson not distracted’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/lawson-not-distracted-by-missing-2024-alphatauri-f1-race-seat/10525876/

[Fortitude]

Bottas reflects on early lap collisions in Japan that forced him to retire 'undriveable' car.
Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu were left to lament a chaotic and eventful first few laps at this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. While the former was forced to retire due to damage, the latter was able to continue on to finish 13th.
26 September 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Bottas had a solid getaway from 16th and went three-wide with Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon on the run down to Turn 1. Unfortunately, he collided with both drivers, with Bottas sandwiched between the pair, forcing him to pit for a new front wing.

While trying to make his way back through the field, he looked to go around the outside of Logan Sargeant at the hairpin. However, the Williams driver locked up, sending him straight into Bottas, and he subsequently knocked the Finn into the gravel and later out of the race.

Reflecting on the Lap 1 incident, Bottas said: “Yeah, pretty eventful short race. But, I mean, I had a great start actually off the line, I was between two cars going into Turn 1. And the car on the right started squeezing to the left so then, in the end, there was not space, so there was a collision, and I had a puncture on the front right.”

‘Bottas reflects;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.bottas-reflects-on-early-lap-collisions-in-japan-that-forced-him-to-retire.2FmrPBKleMeXb60mO9hj3T.html


Zhou explains moment that 'destroyed' his front wing
25 September 8:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

The collision threw up a lot of debris which caught Zhou out and resulted in a Safety Car during the opening laps. "Where I was starting I was hoping for a bit of a more messy start up front," Zhou told media, including RacingNews365.

"Somehow I get put into the path of this massive carbon piece and that fully destroyed my front wing before Turn 1. I think there was a little bit of damage under the front of the car, but across the front wing was ok because we changed it. But maybe a small crack, but I don't think it's a major issue."

‘Moment that 'destroyed' his front wing’;

https://racingnews365.com/zhou-explains-moment-that-destroyed-his-front-wing


2023 Japanese Grand Prix - Sunday
September 24th, 2023
Alfa Romeo Racing - Official Site

Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative:“There are still some positives to take with us from this weekend, although we come back from Suzuka with no points: we had reasonable race pace today, compared to our direct competitors; Zhou was able to perform a solid race, despite having been forced to pit to change his front wing because of damage.”

“After the opening lap accident, Zhou managed to regain positions on track, thanks to a two-stop strategy which saw him running on soft tyres for most of the race and then change for hard in the final section, ultimately crossing the line in 13th place.”

After a very good start in which he gained two places, Valtteri was squeezed between Albon and Ocon, and forced to an early pit to change the damaged parts on his C43. Even though he was able to quickly recover thanks to the Safety Car period, Valtteri’s race unfortunately came to an end when Sargeant took him out: the damage on the car was too heavy, and it was not possible for him to continue.

“Still some positives to take with us from this weekend”;

https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsport/f1-news/2023-japanese-grand-prix-sunday/


Bottas explains why he had to retire after ‘eventful short race’ at Suzuka
24 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Valtteri Bottas was in the wars in Japan, picking up damage in a Lap 1 incident before he was punted off by Logan Sargeant five laps in, before he eventually retired his Alfa Romeo.

‘Eventful short race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.bottas-explains-why-he-had-to-retire-after-eventful-short-race-at-suzuka.1777897873197702433.html


Bottas rues 'eventful and short' race after multiple incidents
25 September 12:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Valtteri Bottas has rued his "eventful and short" Japanese Grand Prix, after getting caught up in numerous incidents at the start.

The Alfa Romeo driver started from 16th on the grid and was collected by Esteban Ocon heading into the first corner, causing front wing damage and a puncture.

It was a hectic return to the pits as the mechanics worked frantically to get him back out on track before he could be lapped by the Safety Car.

"Eventful and short";

https://racingnews365.com/bottas-rues-eventful-and-short-race-after-multiple-incidents


Alfa Romeo scramble to fix car with their HANDS in Bottas pit stop nightmare
Sunday 24 September 2023 08:11
Janice Kusters
GPFans

Valtteri Bottas experienced a nightmare pit stop during the Japanese Grand Prix after a first-lap incident. As the race began, cars towards the rear of the field quickly closed in on each other. In the chaos, Bottas collided with the Williams of Alex Albon, resulting in significant damage to his car.

This unfortunate turn of events forced him into an unexpected pit stop to replace both the front wing and the tyres. The pit stop turned into a torturous 33.9-second ordeal as the front wing was not prepared for installation, causing mechanics to scramble while the car remained stationary.

To compound the frustration, difficulties arose in lifting the car using the jack, leading to frantic shouting among team members, clearly audible on the broadcast. Ultimately, they had to resort to manually raising the car by its suspension to change the tires.

‘Frantic shouting among team members’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004455/f1-japanese-grand-prix-alfa-romeo-pitstop-nightmare-valtteri-bottas/


Valtteri Bottas wants to ‘have a word’ with 22-year-old F1 rival on Japanese GP ‘mistake’
09:33 Tue, 26 Sep 2023.
F1 Oversteer

Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas plans to speak with Formula 1 rival Logan Sargeant as contact with the Williams rookie ended both of their Japanese Grand Prix last Sunday. But while Sargeant will want to forget his struggles at Suzuka before Formula 1 hits the track in Qatar in two weeks, Bottas is minded to speak with the Williams rookie about their crash at the Japanese GP. Williams suffered a double-DNF at Suzuka as Albon also retired on Lap 27.

“Yes, maybe I’ll have a word with him to figure out what he was thinking about,” Bottas said, via quotes by Motorsport Week, after the Japanese GP. “It could be it was just a mistake.” Should Bottas speak with Sargeant to discuss the collision, the Williams driver could suggest the Alfa Romeo ace was overly ambitious with his overtake. Sargeant was ahead of the Finn before locking up entering Turn 11 with enough space for Bottas to note he would run wide.

‘Have a word’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/valtteri-bottas-wants-to-have-a-word-with-22-year-old-f1-rival-on-japanese-gp-mistake/

[Fortitude]

Sargeant's Suzuka weekend: How a NIGHTMARE unfolded.
Logan Sargeant experienced a forgettable weekend in Suzuka, marked by errors and incidents that could seriously jeopardise his future in the category.
Sunday 24 September 2023 18:42
Luis Raya
GPFans

Williams are one of the teams with the greatest difference between its drivers this season, with Alex Albon carrying the team's weight and accumulating 21 points, while Logan Sargeant is struggling in his first season in Formula 1. The Japanese Grand Prix has been particularly tough for the American driver, with many errors compromising his weekend, and many are placing him outside the grid for the next season.

Start from the pit lane. If starting from the back seemed like the worst, things took a turn for the worse when the American was penalised and had to start from the pit lane. The reason for this was that the team changed the chassis in the closed park, which also resulted in a 10-second penalty during the race. This seriously hampered his race, leaving little hope of achieving a good result in Suzuka.

Crash with Bottas on lap 5. After the chaos of the first lap and the withdrawal of the safety car, Valterri Bottas, in the last position, attempted to overtake Sargeant on the outside at the turn 11 hairpin.

‘How a NIGHTMARE unfolded’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004458/logan-sargeant-f1-2023-japanese-grand-prix-williams-qualifying-crash-race-incident-bottas/


Why Logan Sargeant has been whacked with a massive penalty
Logan Sargeant's rookie season in Formula 1 has taken a turn for the worse, following an FIA decision.
25 September 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Rookie Logan Sargeant’s maiden Formula 1 campaign went from bad to worse at the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend, where the American was slapped with several penalties by the FIA. Sargeant’s car snapped on him which resulted in him trying to turn out of it, sending him off the circuit and into the wall.
His crash destroyed his car, with the cameras having panned to several distraught Williams mechanics. A long night was ahead of Williams ahead of the race, with Sargeant requiring a new survival cell. Whilst a new survival cell can be fitted, a completely new chassis is against the rules, as this would result in effectively a ‘third car’ being introduced.

The FIA’s technical delegate Jo Bauer was unhappy with how much work Williams had done to the spare chassis ahead of parc ferme concluding, to the extent that it was as if the outfit had three cars. As a result, Williams’ repairs were referred to the stewards, who agreed with Bauer that the rules had been breached.

‘Massive penalty’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/why-logan-sargeant-has-been-whacked-with-a-massive-penalty/


Vowles shows support for young F1 star ahead of 2024 Williams seat decision
Friday 29 September 2023 11:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Williams has provided yet another vote of confidence in their young Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant, but it remains unclear if he'll be in the seat next season. "We will give Logan the chance to prove himself until the end of the season," Vowles told Blick newspaper. “Other drivers I can think of were given two years to do that,” he added, likely alluding to former Haas driver Mick Schumacher who has been linked with the Williams seat.”

Despite Sargeant's recent crashes in Japan, Vowles defended him once more. "He did the three practice sessions at Suzuka as I would hope from him," Vowles remarked. "In his Q1 lap, he was almost exactly as fast as Alex [Albon] up until the accident. That shows that he has the speed."

Sargeant, in response, acknowledged that Williams had set clear expectations for him to exhibit "constant improvement" in each race "from now until the end of the season".

‘Team boss James Vowles confirmed their short-term commitment to Sargeant’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004815/williams-logan-sargeant-mick-schumacher-alex-albon-f1-2024-seat/


Alex Albon: ‘It was game over’ after heavy Lap 1 contact with Bottas
24 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Alex Albon’s Williams took a big hit off the line from the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas, forcing the Thai driver to eventually retire from the race.

‘Game over’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.alex-albon-it-was-game-over-after-heavy-lap-1-contact-with-bottas.1777898862266919352.html


Albon admits AlphaTauri F1 gains ‘a bit worrying’ for Williams
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Alex Albon admits that AlphaTauri’s recent performance gains are “a little bit worrying” for Williams’ chances of holding onto seventh place in the championship. AlphaTauri currently languish rooted to the bottom of the Constructors’ standings, having only accumulated five points across the 16 rounds to be held in the 2023 season.

The Faenza-based side sits five points behind Alfa Romeo, who are a further two points adrift of Haas in eighth place. However, Williams, who have been confined to the foot of the standings in four of the past five seasons, lead the way in the battle to secure seventh position, with the Grove-based side notching 21 points to date.

‘A bit worrying’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/30/albon-admits-alphatauri-f1-gains-a-bit-worrying-for-williams/


Williams' Albon worried by AlphaTauri's recent resurgence
30/09/2023 at 11:25
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Alex Albon admits that he's worried about the recent improvement in performance by the AlphaTauri team, and what it might mean for Williams' hopes of a strong outcome to this year's constructors championship. "They were quick in Singapore and they're going to be quick again in every circuit," predicted Albon. "I think their step has been quite significant, and a little bit worrying.”

Tsunoda had started the Japanese GP in ninth place but dropped out ot the top ten in the race, which Albon reckoned was down to the team's tyre strategy over the course of the weekend. "I think they boxed themselves, I was really surprised by their tyre choice,” Albon mused. “They gave themselves only one medium, one hard, and I think Yuki didn't even have a new soft.”

“They gave themselves only one medium, one hard, and I think Yuki didn't even have a new soft," he summarised. “Obviously we didn't expect this much degradation in the race," agreed Tsunoda. "Other teams had hard tyres, we did not, so some things to look out for the future."

‘AlphaTauri's recent resurgence’;

https://f1i.com/news/488564-williams-albon-worried-by-alphatauris-recent-resurgence.html

[Fortitude]

Rejected F1 team claims Andretti accepted by FIA.
Rodin Cars was one of a handful of potential teams hoping to join F1 with its existing partnership with junior racing squad Carlin.
Author Jake Nichol

F1's governing body opened up a process for interested parties to lodge applications to join the grid in January, with a number of responses being received. These included what is now known as Andretti Cadillac Racing, Hitech Grand Prix, Rodin Carlin, Asian start-up LKY SUNZ and the Craig Pollock-backed Formula Equal.

In a statement confirming the team's rejection, Rodin founder David Dicker said: "We wish to emphasise that our objective here is not to criticise the FIA or seek a reconsideration of its decision," said a statement. "We fully respect and accept the outcome. Our sole purpose is to release information we consider in the public interest to inform the Formula 1 community."

Rodin also highlighted the fact that through the partnership with Carlin, a pathway from the junior formulas right up to F1 was possible, but the FIA has seemingly decided that the project did not meet the strict criteria placed on the entry process. But hinting at a pass for Andretti, the statement continued: "We appreciate the opportunity to have participated in the FIA process and extend our best wishes to Andretti for their successful bid.”

‘Release information we consider in the public interest’;

https://racingnews365.com/rejected-f1-team-claims-andretti-accepted-by-fia


FIA rejects carmaker's F1 team application as theory emerges over Andretti Global bid.
New Zealand-based manufacturer Rodin Cars was one of several parties to lodge a bid with the FIA in the hope of joining the F1 grid, with Andretti believed to be the front-runner.
16:28 Thu, 28 Sep 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Explaining its plan for an F1 entry, Rodin revealed details of its submission. It had planned to build its cars at its current facility in New Zealand, which would have made it the only manufacturer based in the southern hemisphere on the grid.

Rodin said it would have been able to provide young drivers with a direct ladder through the junior formulae through its Carlin teams, all the way up to F1. It also claimed there was the "opportunity of discussions for a Ferrari collaboration on the Rodin F1 car", hinting at a potential engine deal with the Italian team.

The carmaker also pledged to reserve one of its F1 race seats for a female driver. "We have tested Liam Lawson, Jamie Chadwick and Louis Sharp at our facility in New Zealand, in both an F3 car and our own car, the Rodin FZed, which is a car somewhat quicker than a GP2/F2 car," Rodin said. "Jamie performed exceptionally well and, if she was available, we would have no hesitation in putting her in a seat."

‘Theory emerges’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/rodin-carlin-f1-team-andretti-31055185


FIA expected to grant Andretti F1 licence - but will Liberty Media and the teams agree?
7 Sep 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

According to a report in German publication AMuS, the FIA will give their blessing to Andretti for them to join the grid for as early as 2025. The American outfit have been vocal in their interest in joining F1 since last year, however, it’s been met by a lot of backlash.

F1 and the teams are concerned that an 11th team would “dilute” the sport or cost the existing constructors crucial prize money. However, due to an EU sports law regarding participation in motorsport events, F1 might find it difficult to find enough reasons to reject Andretti.

The majority of the parties against Andretti from joining F1 are linked to financial reasons rather than the benefit of the sport. Given Andretti’s rich motorsport history and engine partner General Motors, there’s few grounds for F1 to reject them, particularly as they’ve progressed through the FIA’s stringent process.

‘Lot of backlash’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1035227/1/fia-expected-grant-andretti-f1-licence-will-teams-agree


What happens if FIA approves Andretti Cadillac and F1 doesn’t
Sep 7, 2023
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

For the Andretti/General Motors combination that appears to still be the case. Unfortunately for them, it isn’t just the FIA’s call. It’s F1’s. And that position has been consistent for months – clearly, the commercial rights holder, which is aligned with the majority of teams on this, has not felt that expanding the grid is a good idea. The message has stayed the same: show us that you will grow the championship commercially and give F1 more than you will take away by turning 10 slices of the revenue shared among teams into 11 slices.

And while there is a financial aspect to winning over the FIA, that relates to showing the funding exists to being a competent F1 team on-track. It is not the same as presenting a good commercial case to F1 itself. This conflict has been known for months. And it has carried a clear risk that the FIA would give a team the green light but F1 would reject them on commercial grounds. In this case, an entry or entries are granted but they then engage in futile commercial discussions.

There’d be no Concorde deal, and therefore no prize money. There’d be arguments over the right to be shown on TV. And there’d be, after all of this, the serious risk of a long, complex and expensive legal dispute. So, for Andretti and General Motors, their FIA-approved entry would be walked back on because it cannot feasibly proceed, which would be a disastrous look.

‘Show us that you will grow the championship commercially’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/what-happens-if-fia-approves-andretti-cadillac-and-f1-doesnt/


Andretti ‘successful’ with one 11th F1 team bid officially rejected
28 Sep 2023 1:30 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Rodin Cars, company owner David Dicker: “Below, we outline the significant differences between the Andretti bid and the Rodin bid,” said the statement from Rodin. The reasons given are geographic diversity, guaranteeing a female driver (the team say they would have no hesitation putting W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick in one of their seats), as well as being an independent car manufacturer with an engine facility “fully capable of building an entire engine” from their manufacturing facility in New Zealand.”

Added to that are full composite capabilities, as well as their own test tracks, while Rodin pointed to the prototype of their FZero machine as having come from their own facilities. The statement outlines that they had an “opportunity of discussions” for collaboration with Ferrari on the Rodin F1 car, and funding would not be an issue thanks to the “personal wealth of their founder”.

‘Andretti ‘successful’ ’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/andretti-f1-bid-successful-rodin-rejected

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff says he will work on Hamilton-Russell tensions.
Mercedes has addressed the flare-up between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix.
29 September 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell clashed, sparking concerns after a tense outing in Japan. However, Mercedes has sought to downplay the incident, describing it as a “heat of the moment” issue that will be addressed calmly in the post-race debrief.

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff acknowledged the incident but remained optimistic about resolving any conflicts. He stated, “Anything that needs tidying up or discussing afterwards, we’ll be able to do away from that pressure cooker and nice and calmly in the debrief.”

‘Flare-up’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolff-says-he-will-work-on-hamilton-russell-tensions/


Mercedes chief reveals how Hamilton and Russell issues will be dealt with
Saturday 30 September 2023 07:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Mercedes team-mates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell raised eyebrows when they found themselves entangled in a tense on-track battle during the Japanese Grand Prix. However, Bradley Lord, Mercedes' chief communications officer, has moved swiftly to downplay the incident, categorising it as a momentary flare-up of emotions that will be addressed in a composed post-race debrief

Lord acknowledged the incident but remained confident in the team's ability to address and resolve any conflicts. "Anything that needs tidying up or discussing afterwards, we'll be able to do away from that pressure cooker and nice and calmly in the debrief," he said.

‘Needs tidying up’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004836/toto-wolff-lewis-hamilton-george-russell-mercedes-conflict-f1-japanese-grand-prix/


Wolff confirms if Mercedes considered Russell and Hamilton swap
20 September 5:35PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has confirmed whether the team planned to swap George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the Singapore Grand Prix. Both Hamilton and Russell were closing down on Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz for the lead, after pitting during an earlier Virtual Safety Car for fresh Mediums.

When asked if they considered swapping the cars, Wolff told media, including RacingNews365: "No. I think both played for the victory and in that circumstance, you've just got to let them race and fight it out between themselves. I think it was the absolute right call. We would have finished P2, P5. Maybe P2, P4 and we wanted to win the race, so we took the risk and I would every day of the week do it again," said Wolff.

"It's algorithms and it's probabilities in the background, there are mathematicians and scientists and strategists at work to come up with the best solutions and then there are more simple racer minds that are trying to find the best compromise. In that case, there was a lot of debate beforehand when to put the car in a safety car window or virtual safety car window, but we did it and then it was deployed and we were all behind it."

"It's algorithms and it's probabilities in the background, there are mathematicians and scientists and strategists at work”;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-confirms-whether-mercedes-would-swap-drivers-in-final-laps-of-singapore


POLE POSITION: Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will always be Toto Wolff's favourite, so maybe George Russell has to leave Mercedes
• Toto Wolff is thought to favour Lewis Hamilton over team-mate George Russell
• Mercedes boss ordered Russell to let Hamilton pass in Suzuka last weekend
• Red Bull to stick with Sergio Perez despite his wobbles in Max Verstappen’s wake
Published: 00:38, 29 September 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Mail Online

It was no surprise that Toto Wolff — remarkably in contact from home in Monaco rather than in Suzuka — ordered George Russell to let Lewis Hamilton pass last weekend. Despite the Mercedes team being in disarray on several levels, they insist they got this call right. Perhaps they did, though we can never be sure, but it certainly achieved what appeared to be Wolff’s main aim: to look after Hamilton. He finished fifth. He had been running sixth. Russell finished seventh. He had been running fifth.

But it remains true that Russell is No 2 in his boss’s affections. Wolff, the businessman, maybe sees more commercial opportunities in one driver than the other. Now, Wolff either believes in Russell’s abilities to win the title, or he doesn’t. He has nurtured him through the junior ranks but still patronises him, at 25 (shades of Ron Dennis with Lewis at McLaren).

He also pays him a fraction of Lewis’s moolah. Senior figures in the team say, ‘George is still learning’. Which sounds very much like, ‘Back in your box, boy’. In which case, if I were Russell, I wouldn’t be sure Mercedes is the team for me. It is also in a mess. After months of idle talk, they finished 49 and 57 seconds off the pace in Japan, whatever the damn strategy was.

‘Toto Wolff — remarkably in contact from home in Monaco rather than in Suzuka’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12573435/POLE-POSITION-Seven-time-world-champion-Lewis-Hamilton-Toto-Wolffs-favourite-maybe-George-Russell-leave-Mercedes.html


Lewis Hamilton responds to Toto Wolff after threat to 'bin' Mercedes car
Toto Wolff claimed that Mercedes would 'bin' their W14 at the end of the season.
16:23, Fri, Sep 29, 2023
By Charlie Parker-Turner
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has insisted that Mercedes will not ‘bin’ their 2023 car, despite recent comments from team chief Toto Wolff. The Brit has claimed that the W14 has shown signs of promise and the team will continue to use the vehicle as part of a ‘learning curve’.

Wolff appears to be under the impression that the vehicle is the sole issue and a complete change is on the horizon. Speaking after the Singapore Grand Prix, he said: “We will throw this one in the bin when it's really fast and then embark on a new journey. I think we have encouraging signs from the tunnel of a balanced car that's going to be more together, and we have answers to our questions. So, we are really looking at the results with an encouraging perspective.”

Hamilton viewed the comments as quite premature and hinted that it was unfair to simply say that the car was being ‘binned’ after all of the hard work that was used in developing the concept. “We won't ever bin the car of course. These cars are still masterpieces, really, even if they're not the fastest car in the world. Two-thousand people have worked so hard to build these things and they will continue to be a part of our history and our learning curve. There will be bits of it that we try to change, try to hold on to some of the positives because there's always positives, good and bad sides, and so we're trying to hold on to the positives.”

‘Lewis Hamilton responds to Toto Wolff’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1818254/Lewis-Hamilton-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-W14

[Fortitude]

Marko backs Perez to recover from poor Suzuka outing.
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has backed Sergio Perez to recover from his difficult outing at the Japanese Grand Prix.
24 September 3:30PM
Author Fergal Walsh

Perez was involved in a number of incidents during the race, the first of which was on the run to the first corner, forcing him to pit for a new front wing. The Mexican was then handed a duo of time penalties, first for a Safety Car infringement and secondly for making contact with Haas’ Kevin Magnussen.

Red Bull opted to retire the car, but made a brief reappearance to serve the time penalty he was handed for colliding with Magnussen.

"He had an unfortunate day which originated in the free practice sessions,” Marko told Viaplay. “He couldn't match Max's speed and today just everything went wrong, but we are confident of a strong comeback from him.”

‘Marko backs Perez’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-backs-perez-to-recover-from-poor-suzuka-outing


Helmut Marko reveals FIA negotiation over Sergio Perez controversy
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez retired from the 2023 Japanese GP twice, following a miserable race for the Mexican.
25 September 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has revealed that the FIA granted the team permission to let Sergio Perez rejoin the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, so that he could serve a time penalty. Perez endured a disastrous Sunday at Suzuka, with the Mexican’s race having been ruined after just a few seconds.

Red Bull were keen to get the penalties served to avoid them carrying over to Qatar, something which was a relief to Marko. “Thank god we were able to serve the penalty here,” Marko told Sky Germany. “[They told us] if we did not serve the penalty here, then we would have had to do it in the next race and our strategy is to prioritise Max.”

‘FIA negotiation’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/helmut-marko-reveals-fia-negotiation-over-sergio-perez-controversy/


Perez opens up on struggles, on the track and at home
29/09/2023 at 12:27
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sergio Perez says his confidence was shattered this season by a Red Bull car that moved out of his comfort zone, which led to struggles not only out on the track but also at home where his cheerful demeanor was nowhere to be found.

"When the season started, the car suited me perfectly. But cars evolve during the season," Perez explained in an interview with Dutch newspaper De Limburger. After Miami, things went downhill. I had a different car that didn’t suit me so well. Then I failed to get into Q3 several times, so my confidence dropped. As a result, the driving went a lot less as well.”

“I struggled a lot in the summer. In the beginning, I was competing for the world title but, from May onwards, that changed. I was driving without confidence. At one point I just didn’t come out [of Q2]. That was very tough. Because you drive with a top team, the pressure to perform increases quickly."

'After Miami: Downhill';

https://f1i.com/news/488511-perez-opens-up-on-struggles-on-the-track-and-at-home.html


Horner backs Perez to achieve astonishing Red Bull first
Friday 29 September 2023 06:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has backed Sergio Perez to finish in second in the drivers' championship, which would give Red Bull their first ever one-two in the standings. He needs to prove that he can beat everybody other than Verstappen regularly.

Horner agrees that this is important, not least because it would be the first time in Red Bull's history that they have had their drivers first and second in the drivers' standings. "He's got at least a one race weekend sort of [points] 'buffer' to Lewis and greater than that to Fernando [Alonso] behind him," Horner told Sky Sports.

"It's something that we've never achieved; we've never finished first and second with any of our drivers in the world championship so it would be a big thing for us to achieve. He came close last year, it would be his best-ever result, and he's got the best car that he's ever had to be able to try and achieve that result."

‘Christian Horner backs Sergio Perez’ ’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004777/christian-horner-red-bull-f1-sergio-perez-frustrating-team-history/


5: The Sergio Perez Interview Podcast
Publish DateSeptember 28, 2023
Kunal's F1 Blog.


By the end of the 2018 Formula 1 Season, Sergio Perez would become Force India’s most-experienced driver – and unless Esteban Ocon (who is next on the show!) goes on a podium scoring spree, he will also become the team’s most-successful driver.

Force India has helped stabilise Perez’s career and vice-versa; they make a lethal combo – one to watch out for this season. He is also the best person to judge Force India’s key strength – one that’s made them the talk of the paddock and the ‘best bang for buck World Champions’.

In this week’s episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, the famous Mexican driver joins us on the show – also becoming first driver in history to appear on our show twice! Super thanks to our friends at Force India for making this happen – #FeelTheForce, indeed.

‘Sergio Perez Interview’;

https://www.kunalsf1blog.com/5-the-sergio-perez-interview-podcast/


PEREZ ‘STILL LEARNING EVERY DAY’ AHEAD OF 2024 TITLE CHALLENGE.
The Mexican driver has been under a lot of pressure this season, failing to deliver great results for Red Bull.
September 28, 2023
Sam Jones


Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has admitted that he is ‘still learning every day’ as he prepares to pick himself back up to mount a title challenge in 2024. The six-time race winner had a strong start to the 2023 season, winning two of the opening four races to put himself in a good position to mount a challenge for the 2023 drivers championship title. Perez couldn’t keep his form up though, with a crash during qualifying in Monaco proving to be the first domino to fall.

The Mexican failed to make it out of Q3 for five consecutive races including Monaco, whilst his teammate Max Verstappen carried the Red Bull team, winning 10 races in a row and breaking the record for most successive victories in the process. His struggles still remain, getting into two separate incidents before being forced to retire in Suzuka last weekend.

To get his season back on track, Perez has been working with the Red Bull engineers to make the car more suited to his needs. “But I didn’t give up and kept working hard with the engineers to sort things out, my self-confidence came back when I realised that I won races under my own steam earlier this year. I dare say I am 100 percent again now. And I also have the conviction again that I can have a shot at the world title next year.”

‘LEARNING EVERY DAY’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/perez-still-learning-every-day-ahead-of-2024-title-challenge/


Sergio Perez hires help to aid Red Bull woes after struggling away from F1
Sergio Perez has struggled to come close to matching Max Verstappen's results during their time as team-mates in 2023.
15:10, Tue, Sep 26, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Sergio Perez has revealed the mental impact of his on-track performances for Red Bull this season, explaining that he has hired a mental coach to help him process and deal with the highs and lows that life at the front end of F1 presents. The Mexican driver kicked off his 2023 season with two wins in the opening four rounds, beating team-mate Max Verstappen on the streets of Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. These performances sparked hopes of an inter-team title fight and heaped the pressure on Checo.

Unfortunately, Perez couldn’t live up to his billing as a title contender for long. A disappointing showing in Miami allowed Verstappen to come from the midfield to win as Checo’s Dutch team-mate pulled off a sensational ten-race winning streak to effectively decide the championship prior to the summer break.

Speaking to De Limburger about his struggles, Checo revealed: “Formula One is my sport, my life, my passion. When you are having such a hard time at work, it is difficult to be cheerful at home with your wife and children. So I hired a mental coach because my family deserves to have that cheerful father at home. Together with my coach, I worked on becoming the best version of myself at home, but also as a driver. As a result, I found positivity again. I am now 33 years old, but I am still learning every day. On the track, but certainly also off it. Partly because of this, I will never get tired of Formula 1. It is really great what this sport still gives me.”

‘Hired a mental coach’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1816948/Sergio-Perez-Red-Bull-F1


Perez confident of F1 2024 title shot after hiring mental coach
09:34 Thu, 28 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Sergio Perez has revealed he has hired a mental coach to help him overcome the struggles he has encountered in Formula 1 in 2023. Perez said that work with his engineers behind the scenes has helped him rebuild his dented confidence, inspiring him to believe a renewed title tilt is possible next year.

“But I didn’t give up and kept working hard with the engineers to sort things out,” he continued. “My self-confidence came back when I realised that I won races under my own steam earlier this year. I dare say I am 100 per cent again now. And I also have the conviction again that I can have a shot at the world title next year.”

‘F1 2024 title shot’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/28/perez-confident-of-f1-2024-title-shot-after-hiring-mental-coach/

[Fortitude]

HAAS ‘DON’T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT’ FROM NEW UPGRADES, SAYS STEINER.
Haas is set to bring major upgrades to the United States Grand Prix at the end of October.
September 30, 2023
Jasmine Hughes
FormulaNerds

The American racing team has endured a difficult 2023. Race weekends have brought mixed fortunes for the team, which often has decent one-lap pace but falls short during the race itself. So far, Haas has only finished in the points on four occasions this season.

Haas team principal Gunther Steiner admitted that Haas are fully sure of what it’ll get out of the new upgrades. “I don’t know yet exactly what to expect,” Steiner said, as quoted by Speedcafe. “Obviously you expect that you have got better performance, but the main thing is to get to see what you do next year, because next year’s car is completely changing concept.”

“With this year’s car, we couldn’t do a complete change anymore because there is some restrictions you have got yourself, like the radiators and the side-impact structure. So we wouldn’t go the full way, but we go in that direction as much as we could,” added Steiner. “But it’s more to learn and hopefully we get a more stable car; the car is very temperamental aero-wise – downforce comes and goes.”

Gunther Steiner: “I don’t know yet exactly what to expect!”;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/haas-dont-know-what-to-expect-with-new-upgrades-says-steiner/


Guenther Steiner reveals details of new Haas car for United States GP.
The Haas team principal has given more info about how their new 2023 car will look towards the end of this season
September 20, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Guenther Steiner has revealed the new direction of Haas‘s 2023 Formula 1 car concept, as the team pulls the plug on the current design.

Haas have displayed promising one-lap pace throughout 2023 but have failed to translate the performances into results during races, partially due to a problem with tyre wear.

“The concept of the car will change quite a bit,” Steiner told the media. “Going in that direction you’re limited with your chassis and a few other things as you’re right now, but we are trying to go to the downward [sidepod] shape now, like everybody else has done.”

‘New Haas car for United States GP’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-guenther-steiner-new-haas-car-united-states-gp/


One F1 team in ‘survival mode’ with ‘very little time’ to understand Austin updates
28 Sep 2023 7:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

In “survival mode” at the moment and then facing a race against “time” to understand the upcoming VF-23’s upgrades, Guenther Steiner can only hope the Austin updates do what the box says.

The team has not put a single updated part on the car since the Dutch Grand Prix with the American outfit pinning their hopes on a B-spec car that will hit the track at the United States Grand Prix. Until then, as Magnussen told Motorsport.com: “It’s survival mode.”

Team boss Steiner is hoping Haas’ Austin upgrades put them back in the fight for points finishes, the 58-year-old knows that until the car is on the track, Haas won’t know what they’re genuinely dealing with. Haas will have just five races from the United States Grand Prix until the end of the season to understand the revised car. “Absolutely, and we had very little time to develop it,” he said.

‘Survival mode’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-in-survival-mode-austin-updates


Haas F1 Team Principal casts doubt over 2023 car development
September 29, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang

With six rounds left in 2023, Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner admits that questions still surround the short and long-term direction at Haas F1. Before the 2023 F1 season, Guenther Steiner made clear that a development plan was in place to correct the team’s seasonal mid-season decline. There was optimism on this issue over the winter, especially as an official agreement with new title sponsor MoneyGram was confirmed.

Having introduced virtually no significant upgrades in 2023, the American GP offers some hope for the team. A major set of changes have been scheduled for COTA, the first and – almost certainly – last updates of the season. If Haas cannot find performance with these changes (and understand them within a fairly limited timeframe), their winter development for 2024 will be compromised. As quoted by Speedcafe, team principal Guenther Steiner is uncertain about the impact of their planned updates:

“I don’t know yet what to expect. Obviously, you expect that you have better performance.
“But the main thing is to get to see what you do next year because next year’s car is completely changing the concept.”
Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner

‘Questions still surround the short and long-term direction at Haas F1’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/09/29/haas-f1-2023-development/


Haas hoping 2024 decision will be learning 'shortcut' - Steiner
27 September 7:05PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner said the team is using its existing 2023 cost cap budget to help development on the 2024 car as it hopes to "shortcut" the learning process. The team will introduce an updated spec of its VF-23 at the upcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin, which will be a Red Bull-inspired car concept.

Steiner: It was better to do it this year. "This package came out of development we did for 2024, so we were always in that direction and that is the aim," Steiner told media, including RacingNews365. "At least we learn about the car and how it reacts, so we are getting better ready for next year.”

"That's the biggest thing, because continuing with this one we know where we are, and if you know where we are and you cannot find any performance, then you need to shift to a different concept. It was better to do it this year, at least an interval version. We didn't spend a lot of money on upgrades this year because we didn't find any performance, so we had some budget available. We said: 'We're making this step, at least we're doing the best to get ready for next year' ”.

‘Learning 'shortcut' – Steiner’;

https://racingnews365.com/haas-uses-remaining-2023-budget-to-help-2024-car


Guenther Steiner reveals innovative solution for increased team infrastructure spending
01 Oct 2023 3:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Haas team boss Guenther Steiner suggests that rather than raising the limit on team infrastructure expenses, overspending should be handled on a case-by-case basis and put forward to rival teams. American investment firm Dorilton Capital purchased the Williams F1 team from the Williams family back in 2020, and Vowles has made no secret of the rebuild mission required at the team starved of funding for many seasons.

But, with this limit hampering Williams’ ability to get their infrastructure back up to speed, Vowles had been calling for a method of increasing that ceiling to allow smaller teams to catch up, though the matter stalled following an F1 Commission meeting. Steiner, though, believes that rather than a blanket increase to the limit, a system should be put in place where a team spends to that limit, and then presents its plans and reasons for wanting more CapEx spending power before fellow teams in a unique case-by-case setup.

Laying out his proposal, as per Motorsport-Magazin.com, Steiner said: “We have a CapEx limit now. Before anything is changed, someone has to go here and say: ‘I’m over it now’ and ask if it can be increased. And not just ask for the impossible. “Spend 36 million, see how far you get, and then explain to people what else you’re going to do. That’s how I would do it.”

‘Guenther Steiner reveals innovative solution’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-solution-team-capex-spending

[Fortitude]

Budget cap means Ferrari must ‘be patient’ in pursuit of Red Bull – Leclerc.
Charles Leclerc is encouraged by the progress Ferrari has made with their SF-23 car in recent races, but accepts he will have to be patient to see how quickly they can catch this year’s champions Red Bull.
2024 F1 season
Posted on 2nd October 2023, 7:152nd October 2023, 9:34
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

“After Monza, we understood more things which are good for this year – even though it will be a small step in the right direction – but mostly for designing next year’s car, which is positive,” said Leclerc. He finished fourth for the third race in a row at Suzuka, while his team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr has taken two podiums in that time including the only win for a driver outside Red Bull.

Leclerc said the progress the team has made also vindicates the design direction they have taken for next season. “The 2024 project is very different to the car we have this year,” he said. “And this [run of form], with everything we’ve learned so far, it reaffirms that it’s a good choice what we’ve done for next year. And then the more we learn, the better it is for doing the last few details for next year’s car. So it’s super-important.”

‘Be patient’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/02/budget-cap-means-ferrari-must-be-patient-in-pursuit-of-red-bull-leclerc/


‘I have a feeling’: Charles Leclerc admits Ferrari have been studying F1 rivals ahead of Qatar…
10:00 Sun, 01 Oct 2023.
F1 Oversteer

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has admitted that his team have been studying Mercedes ahead of next weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix. Leclerc was speaking to Sky Sports F1 with the race to finish behind Red Bull heating up.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship in Japan last weekend. In reality, they’ve known for a long time they were going to win the title given their complete domination of Formula 1 this year.

Speaking ahead of the race, Leclerc said: “Mercedes are strong, especially in the races. In Japan, they put us under a bit of pressure at the end by splitting the cars. In qualifying, it’s a bit more inconsistent, so it’s going to be a very close fight. We are a bit more inconsistent in the race, they are a bit more inconsistent in qualifying. But, I have a feeling inside me that we have learned a few things in the last weekend that will hopefully give us the upper hand for the rest of the season.”

“I have a feeling”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/charles-leclerc-admits-ferrari-have-been-studying-f1-rivals-ahead-of-qatar-gp/


'I hate to find excuses' - Leclerc's role in volatile Ferrari year
Oct 1, 2023
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

In a chastening 2023 Formula 1 season for Ferrari, Charles Leclerc has had some specific issues to deal with. That hasn’t always been easy and at times Leclerc has made things worse for himself. The upshot has been a volatile season of grand peaks, low troughs, quiet races of real class and some rather anonymous ones too.

“We straight away knew what our weaknesses were,” says Leclerc. “We were, at least at the beginning of the year, super wind-sensitive, which is something I guess is quite difficult to understand for fans that are not properly into Formula 1.”

“There were some off-examples like Baku, where the wind was quite high, but we were super strong [Leclerc was on pole and finished on the podium], which was difficult to understand. But then as a general trend, we were struggling quite a lot. Even in one weekend, we could see a lot of very good sessions and also very difficult sessions. That was very, very difficult for us because also as a driver, it's very difficult to set up the car in a particular way, because you will get one car one session and a very different one the one after.

'I hate to find excuses';

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/i-hate-to-find-excuses-leclercs-role-in-volatile-ferrari-season/


Sainz ‘confident’ Ferrari can fight McLaren on ‘low speed’ tracks
09:34 Sat, 30 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Carlos Sainz is not concerned by McLaren’s strong pace at the Japanese Grand Prix, insisting that Ferrari will be able to battle his former team on several of the remaining tracks this year.

Asked whether he suspected McLaren would retain its Japanese GP pace across the remainder of the year, Sainz said: “I think in high-speed circuits yes, but when we go to places like Mexico, or even Austin, with more low-speed content we’ll be very confident we will have a race with McLaren.”

‘Sainz confident’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/09/30/sainz-confident-ferrari-can-fight-mclaren-on-low-speed-tracks/


Sainz outlines hope for new Ferrari car
30 September 1:50PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers

Carlos Sainz has detailed the biggest change he hopes Ferrari will make to its car for next year’s Formula 1 campaign. Sainz expressed his hope that the issues will be eradicated for next year’s challenger.

“For sure there are some things on set up that could be implemented into next year's car,” he told media including RacingNews365.com. “But I am hoping that next year's car has completely different characteristics than this one and it's a bit of a new start.”

“This year's car has given us a few headaches here and there. It is true that the car when it comes to one lap, C5 tyres on certain tracks it can be very, very quick. But it is true that many in the race even in Singapore, we were nothing special with tyre wear, our degradation still has its weaknesses that we need to address.”

‘Hope for new Ferrari car’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-outlines-hope-for-new-ferrari-car


Leclerc: Ferrari ‘have learned things’ that will help in Mercedes fight
13:30 Sun, 01 Oct 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc says Ferrari “have learned a few things” that he hopes will enable the team to have the “upper hand” over Mercedes. Leclerc believes Ferrari has taken a step forward recently and is optimistic that it will provide the team with the base to overhaul Mercedes across the remaining six rounds.

Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur asserts its battle with Mercedes can’t be delayed because of the potential risk of paying the price for it early next year. “You don’t have to postpone the fight, the fight is with Mercedes today, and we have to take it,” he said.

‘Ferrari ‘have learned things’!’

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/01/leclerc-ferrari-have-learned-things-that-will-help-in-mercedes-fight/


Leclerc promises very different Ferrari design in 2024.
30/09/2023 at 09:16
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Now attention is turning to next year's entry, and Leclerc says it should be a very different beast from this year's car. “We learnt plenty during Monza especially about our weaknesses,” Leclerc noted. “After Monza we understood more things which are good for this year.”

“We understood good things in the last few races. Whether this is all or not is difficult to say until we’ve actually achieved our development programme and confirmed it was that. I’m not confident this is everything we had to find to close the gap to Red Bull, but it’s a step in the right direction for sure," he noted. "Mostly for designing next year’s car, which is positive.”

"It’s super important. It was really good to understand that before the end of the season, as we still have quite a few races so we can maybe push a bit more in that direction. There were things we tested in Monza to make sure that it was really the case, and it was. We learnt a lot in Zandvoort and Monza and that is good for this year, even though I don’t think it will turn our season around.”

‘Very different Ferrari design in 2024’;

https://f1i.com/news/488551-leclerc-promises-very-different-ferrari-design-in-2024.html

[Fortitude]

Alonso calls Aston Martin to make off-track F1 improvements.
Fernando Alonso has called on Aston Martin to make improvements off-track in order to return to the form it displayed at the start of the season.
30 September 6:10PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

The Silverstone-based squad commenced the campaign in strong fashion, with Alonso scoring six podiums in the first eight races. However, in the following eight rounds, just one podium has followed, while Aston Martin has also been overtaken by Mercedes and Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship.

“Red Bull was not dominant in Singapore, and we didn't take that opportunity,” Alonso told media including RacingNews365.com. “So that was the thing that we need to obviously understand, we need to be aware of the challenge that we are facing. At the beginning of the year, we had a fast car. We already said at the beginning that we were facing a huge challenge in the season because our main competitors are huge organizations and very top teams,” he said.

“So it was more or less expected that Ferrari and Mercedes eventually they will match our pace and potentially go ahead. “Mercedes took not too long to be in that position, Ferrari took a little bit longer. And McLaren now, they are very strong. So we have to accept that we need to raise our level off track as well and the rate of development has to be a little bit faster next year.”

‘EL PLAN: Make improvements off-track in order to return to form’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-calls-aston-martin-to-make-off-track-f1-improvements


Alonso highlights issue Aston Martin must fix
29 September 2:55PM
Author Ewan Gale
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Addressing the inconsistent results in recent months, Alonso told media including RacingNews365.com: "It's difficult to have a car that performs at all types of circuits and all types of corners.

"The window of operation of the car and the set-up is very narrow in this generation, so if you don't get everything right, you can easily be out of the top 10. If you get everything right that you can, you can fight for podiums and this happens to many teams.”

"Behind Red Bull, it seems quite close so when you can be the second fastest team or the fifth or sixth fastest team, in terms of results it is very different. So let's see if we can be a little bit more consistent track-to-track and if we can widen the operating window that the car is working in."

‘EL PLAN: Issues Aston Martin must fix’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-highlights-issue-aston-martin-must-fix


Aston Martin prepare late changes to salvage 2023 season
September 28, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Aston Martin has a small window of opportunity to correct their failed efforts to develop the AMR23 this season. Significant issues began emerging after the Canadian GP. A large upgrade package was introduced in Montreal, including a new floor, with the intention of improving efficiency. With Alonso securing yet another podium and crossing the line in P2, these changes seemed positive.

Unfortunately for the Silverstone-based team, this result obscured the reality of the situation. In subsequent rounds, the AMR23 lost its superiority in low-speed corners – whilst failing to improve its top speed substantially. Moreover, a car that was easy to set up and optimize at the beginning of 2023 became difficult to keep in its operating window.

Next year’s cars will be an evolution from this year, and so any unresolved issues on the AMR23 could be carried over into 2024. This makes it critical for Dan Fallows and his team at the factory to reverse the car’s worrying new behaviors. Aston Martin could lose fourth in the Championship to McLaren, something nobody would have predicted after Bahrain. However, the series of corrections planned for the final races this year are of far greater significance.

‘EL PLAN: Late changes to salvage 2023 season’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/09/28/aston-martin-prepare-late-changes-to-salvage-2023-season/


Alonso relieved after ‘just’ keeping his perfect Q3 record in 2023 going at Suzuka
23 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso is the only driver in the field to have made it through to Q3 at every race so far this season – and he just kept that run going in Japan, qualifying P10.

‘EL PLAN: Keeping his perfect Q3 record in 2023’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.alonso-relieved-after-just-keeping-his-perfect-q3-record-in-2023-going-at-suzuka.1777813928144650160.html


Krack confident of further Aston Martin podium success
02 October 8:45AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

When asked about the fluctuations in form, Krack told media, including RacingNews365: "When you look at the season overall, you see teams going up and down all the time. "To be honest in Zandvoort we also performed better than we expected originally, then you go to Monza and it's obviously a different circuit.”

"But it is up and downs we have seen with all the teams so far this year, so that is something that we need to try and understand. In Formula 1, it's not never one thing. There are also circuits where there are slower corners, so I think all in all, you always have to try and improve your car," explained Krack.

‘EL PLAN: Further Aston Martin podium success’;

https://racingnews365.com/krack-confident-of-further-aston-martin-podium-success


Krack 'fine' with Alonso's F1 team radio after critical outburst
Saturday 30 September 2023 14:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has said that Fernando Alonso's recent critical comments were 'absolutely fine', insisting that the Formula 1 veteran's grievances will only spur the team on. “I think you can listen to the 20 drivers, and everybody's really hard,” Krack told the media after the Japanese GP.

“Everybody's passionate. If the driver would not be doing something like that, what driver is it? So, I think, it's fine. For us, we take it as a motivation and it also opens up always a different view of things. So, absolutely fine.”

‘EL PLAN: We take it as a motivation’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1004876/mike-krack-f1-fernando-alonso-aston-martin-harsh-radio-comments/

[Fortitude]

McLaren 'focused on the process', not rushing upgrades.
McLaren has developed its MCL60 at a healthy rate this season, with great success, but team boss Andrea Stella explains why it's always ill advised for a team to rush its upgrades.
02/10/2023 at 15:52
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

McLaren has developed its MCL60 at a healthy rate this season, with great success, but team boss Andrea Stella explains why it's always ill advised for a team to rush its upgrades. "I’m focused on the process," said the McLaren team principal. "And you can have targets, you can say ‘these are my two, three milestones from a results point of view’.”

"But in reality, you don't work against that. You work just at the fastest, reasonable pace that can be sustained in development. I mean, that's the definition, what we do is the fastest reasonable pace that can be sustained in development. Then we see where we end up."

'Focused on the process';

https://f1i.com/news/488683-mclaren-focused-on-the-process-not-rushing-upgrades.html


STELLA: MCLAREN ‘ENCOURAGED’ BY THEIR DEVELOPMENT DESPITE WORRIES OF ‘OUTSTANDING’ RED BULL IN QATAR
Stella is 'encouraged' by McLaren's development but warns how it is easy to become complacent
October 3, 2023
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

McLaren’s Team Principal, Andrea Stella, has spoken out on how he believes Red Bull is out of reach in the development race for this season. However, the Italian admitted he doesn’t want complacency to lead to a slip in development ahead of next year.

Team Principal Andrea Stella has now pointed out that they need to continue the pace they are developing at and avoid any complacency, which would lead to decline in performance similar to that of Aston Martin. Speaking to Racer.com, Stella said: “If anything, we are trying to be as rigorous as possible from a development point of view to ensure that we are not short-cutting any steps. We don’t get too like, ‘We need to develop faster’, and then you start to skip some methodical steps that we have applied so far.”

“But I think everyone at McLaren, especially the technical leadership – are very aware that the pace of development is already fast and that is what we need to keep pursuing. And then we will see once we are in Bahrain next year who has been able to develop faster. We saw with Aston Martin that over the winter, big steps are possible. Or like with McLaren that you can do it even during the season.”

'Encouraged by McLaren's development’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/stella-mclaren-encouraged-by-their-development-despite-worries-of-outstanding-red-bull-in-qatar/


Lando Norris: MCL60 pace “encouraging” going into final races of 2023
October 2, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

McLaren F1 Team‘s Lando Norris was pleased with the pace of MCL60 at the Japanese Grand Prix, where the team took its first double podium of the season. With seven races to go in the season, the British driver said that the team’s current performance is “encouraging.” “We’re back racing after a week off. We had a very successful race in Japan with another P2 for me and a double podium for the team. The car had strong pace, which is encouraging as we go into the final seven races of the season.”

“Qatar up next. It’s another Sprint race weekend, so more opportunity for points. This is only the second time we’re racing at the Lusail International Circuit, so we will have to learn as much as we can from the Friday practice session. I’ve been back at the MTC with the engineers in preparation over the last two weeks. We’ll look to extract the maximum from the car and hopefully bring home some more points.”

‘MCL60 pace “encouraging” ’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2023/10/lando-norris-mcl60-pace-encouraging-going-into-final-races-of-2023/


Stella urges McLaren reflection as Aston Martin fight intensifies
02 October 4:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Andrea Stella feels it is "important to acknowledge" the progress made by McLaren in 2023 as it eyes a late surge for fourth in the Constructors' Championship. "As we head into the Qatar Grand Prix week, it's important to acknowledge how far we have come in the season," Stella explained.

"Achieving a P2 and P3 in Japan was not an easy task, but it was made possible by the quality of the teams' work at the factory and trackside [at Suzuka]. We're more determined than ever to continue improving, as we work towards being consistent in fighting at the top of the field.”

"Qatar race is fairly new to F1, as we have only visited the Lusail International Circuit once before back in 2021. However, this is the first time we will be bringing the new generation of cars here, so everyone will be trying to make the most of the practice sessions, and the Sprint format only adds to that challenge."

‘Aston Martin fight intensifies’;

https://racingnews365.com/stella-urges-mclaren-reflection-as-aston-martin-fight-intensifies


McLaren boys blown away by new wind tunnel!
13:03 Mon, 02 Oct 2023.
F1i.com

On Monday, McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown, F1 team principal Andrea Stella and Lando Norris stood in the eye of the team's new aerodynamic storm. McLaren's new state-of-the art wind tunnel that was four years in the making is now up and running.

The Woking-based outfit's achievement in bringing its new wind tunnel online marks a significant milestone for the Formula 1 team, showcasing its commitment to the ever-increasing importance of advanced aerodynamic research and performance.

‘Blown away’;

https://f1i.com/images/488669-mclaren-boys-blown-away-by-new-wind-tunnel.html


McLaren unveil ‘biggest investment’ in decades with launch of new wind tunnel
02 Oct 2023 12:40 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

McLaren have released behind-the-scenes images of their new wind tunnel as their aerodynamics team moves back in-house for the first time since 2010. With the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) having first opened its doors in 2003, the team soon found some of their equipment was quickly becoming out of date.

The most prominent of those was the wind tunnel with McLaren deciding to close it down in 2010 and instead rent Toyota’s in Germany, but have always longed to bring everything back on site. That dream became a reality recently when McLaren unveiled their state-of-the-art wind tunnel on the site of where the previous one once was.

‘Biggest investment’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclaren-new-windtunnel-images


Red Bull's unexpected 2024 F1 threat
Oct 2, 2023
The Race

Lando Norris promised McLaren is “coming for Red Bull” after finishing second at Suzuka - but has the team really usurped Mercedes and Ferrari as Red Bull’s biggest 2024 Formula 1 threat? Norris knows Red Bull is uncatchable this year, but his eyes right after the race were firmly on the big picture.

With Norris signed up to the end of 2025 and Oscar Piastri recently agreeing a new deal to stay until the end of 2026, McLaren also has an outstanding and stable driver line-up. McLaren has the right facilities, people and resources to become a major player in F1 again - so what does it still need?

The one big question is whether it can overcome the long-standing technical weakness it has suffered from with its car. For years, McLarens have been tricky to drive and while recent developments have improved performance and added downforce, those inherent characteristics are still there. “You have to drive it one way, but it’s a way I don’t like to drive,” Norris has explained.

‘Lando Norris: “Coming for Red Bull” ’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bulls-unexpected-2024-f1-threat/


McLaren eager to avoid any more Norris/Piastri F1 team orders
McLaren wants to avoid the need for imposing any more team orders on its Formula 1 drivers, after again intervening between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Japan.
Oct 2, 2023, 9:58 AM
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

With its two drivers on slightly offset strategies at Suzuka, McLaren had to ask Piastri to let Norris through at one point to ensure that they did not waste time fighting each other and risk squandering the team's prospects for a double podium finish.

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has no doubts that the team has done the right thing in swapping its drivers around when needed, but he accepts it is something he is not eager to happen all the time. Asked how the Japan call compared to those made in Hungary and Italy, Stella said:

"It was much, much easier in a way, as those two situations were stressful, especially the one in Monza. And when I say stressful, I mean stressful because we created stress between our two drivers, which we could have avoided, really. That's something that we reviewed. It may happen again in the future, but when it is avoidable, we should avoid it.

‘Stressful, I mean stressful’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-eager-to-avoid-any-more-norris-piastri-f1-team-orders/10527745/

[Fortitude]

IT’S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we’re excited about ahead of the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix.
One championship down, one to go, as Max Verstappen closes in on a third straight drivers’ title. But there are plenty of other fights up and down the field that are just heating up, so here are some of the topics we’re getting excited about heading to Lusail.
02 October 2023
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

Verstappen on the verge: It has looked an inevitability since very early in the season, and after repelling the early challenge of team mate Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen has raced away into the distance in terms of the championship standings, to such an extent that he’s set to wrap matters up with more than five races still remaining.

Mercedes versus Ferrari: Mercedes have been consistent point-scorers all year but Ferrari have found form since their home race at Monza, scoring a third and fourth there behind only the Red Bulls, and then winning in Singapore courtesy of Carlos Sainz. Charles Leclerc was then fourth ahead of Lewis Hamilton at Suzuka – where Sainz also beat George Russell – and the gap has closed to just 20 points between the teams.

McLaren closing in on Aston Martin: There’s also tension brewing between Aston Martin and McLaren in a sporting sense, but this battle has taken on a very different form. Aston Martin were the standout team behind Red Bull in the early part of the year, with Fernando Alonso amassing multiple podiums after a sensational step forward was made over the winter. But that improvement has since been matched by McLaren, who scored just 17 points in the first eight races this year but have added 155 to that total in the eight since upgrading their car in Austria.

‘Ricciardo nearing a comeback (Delayed), Sprinting back to Qatar’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.its-race-week-5-storylines-were-excited-about-ahead-of-the-2023-qatar-grand.6dJhe0z1PP7rNcDEQ68ICT.html


Three storylines to watch at f1 Qatar Grand Prix
It will also be the first Sprint event to take place under floodlights, as the previous host venues – Silverstone, Monza, Brazil, Imola, Austria, Baku and Belgium – have all been daytime races.
Last Edited October 03, 2023 | 12:15 AM

One championship down, one to go, as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen closes in on a third straight drivers’ title.

Verstappen on the verge: It has looked an inevitability since very early in the season, and after repelling the early challenge of teammate Sergio Perez, Verstappen has raced away into the distance in terms of the championship standings, to such an extent that he’s set to wrap matters up with more than five races still remaining.

Mercedes versus Ferrari: The points between Verstappen and Perez are not the only ones to pay attention to at the moment though. While Red Bull wrapped up their constructors’ championship in Japan, there’s far from any clarity over who will be the runner-up this season as Mercedes and Ferrari fight it out for best of the rest honours.

‘Three storylines’;

https://www.gulf-times.com/article/669393/sports/three-storylines-to-watch-at-f1-qatar-grand-prix


Full schedule for the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix
03 October 8:45AM
Author RacingNews365 Staff

2023 F1 QATAR GRAND PRIX SCHEDULE
Date Event Time (Local) Time (BST)
Friday October 6th Practice 1 16:30 - 17:30 14:30 - 15:30
Friday October 6th Qualifying 20:00 - 21:00 18:00 - 19:00
Saturday October 7th Sprint Shootout 16:00 - 16:44 14:00 - 15:00
Saturday October 7th Sprint 20:30 - 21:00 18:30 - 19:30
Sunday October 8th Race 20:00 - 22:00 18:00

‘Full schedule’;

https://racingnews365.com/full-schedule-for-the-2023-formula-1-qatar-grand-prix


Lawson to continue as Ricciardo’s substitute at Qatar Grand Prix
Formula 1
Posted on 3rd October 2023, 15:563rd October 2023, 22:01
Written by Ida Wood

Liam Lawson will remain in AlphaTauri’s line-up for this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix. He has occupied the seat alongside Yuki Tsunoda since Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix in August. In the four grands prix Lawson has contested so far he has scored two points, reached Q3 and never finished lower than 13th.

Before being called up to make his Formula 1 debut, Lawson was combining his reserve driver duties for Red Bull with racing in Japan’s top-level Super Formula series. He sits second in the standings ahead of the double-header Monza season finale at the end of this month having won three of the seven races held so far.

‘Ricciardo’s substitute at Qatar Grand Prix’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/03/lawson-to-continue-as-riccairdos-substitute-at-qatar-grand-prix/


Lawson's last big F1 chance to make a 2024 case
Oct 3, 2023
by Matt Beer, Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Lawson gets a fifth race as Yuki Tsunoda's team-mate, having impressed greatly since his mid-weekend call-up at the Dutch GP. But that still looks unlikely to result in a 2024 F1 race seat. AlphaTauri has already announced Tsunoda and Ricciardo as its line-up for next year, with Red Bull saying Lawson will return to a reserve role - although there have been reports he is guaranteed a 2025 race drive at one of its F1 teams.

Scott Mitchell-Malm: Even if he's not going to race next year, he needs to make the biggest impression he can now so that it lasts as long as possible. Otherwise the momentum he's built in this super-sub run will be well faded by the time he's a factor in the 2025 driver market.

Once Ricciardo's back, all Lawson can do is wait. Until then his focus has to be grasping every opportunity he has. Then it's up to others - but at the very least Lawson can take a lot of satisfaction knowing he did everything in his could to stake his claim.

‘Big F1 chance to make a 2024 case’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/lawsons-last-big-chance-to-make-a-2024-case/

[Fortitude]

A champion crowned as rivals fight for pride - What to expect at the Qatar GP.
The country missed out on the calendar last season as it focused on its hosting duties for the 2022 FIFA World Cup but is back with substantial infrastructural upgrades to better house the F1 circus.
04 October 2:07PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

A champion to be crowned: Whilst Verstappen's championship glory has been a question of when and not if for a long time given his dominance this season, the Dutchman's crowning is likely to be confirmed this weekend.

Perez bounce back? But what of Perez? It is imperative Perez rebounds instantly as he aims to take second in the Drivers' championship. A one-two is something Red Bull has never achieved in F1 - and really should be completing given the dominance of the car this term. But with Lewis Hamilton impressively racking up points in the Mercedes and closing to within 40 points of Perez, no further slip-ups can be afforded.

Eyes on Sargeant as pressure ramps up: With 19 of the 20 seats on next year's F1 grid now taken, Logan Sargeant is in the unenviable position of being the last to secure his future.
Tyres under the microscope: Tyre wear was a big talking point at the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix in 2021 with high degradation presenting an intriguing tactical battle across the grid.

‘A champion crowned’;

https://racingnews365.com/a-champion-crowned-as-rivals-fight-for-pride-what-to-expect-at-the-qatar-gp


F1 chief left 'scratching his head' ahead of Qatar GP return
Wednesday 4 October 2023 14:58
Anna Malyon
GPFans

Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner says that temperatures for this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix have left him "scratching his head". “In 2021, when we visited the first time, it was a ‘last-minute’ call I’d say," said Steiner in Haas' Qatar Preview. We were welcomed very much by everyone in Qatar, and it was a good race.”

"I remember the smaller garages but that was because they were built for motorbikes, but the facilities have all been upgraded and they look very good. The only thing that has me scratching my head is the temperatures, which are really high, in the forties. We’re racing at night though, so it should be okay.”

'Scratching his head';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005095/f1-qatar-grand-prix-haas-guenther-steiner-preview/


Why Steiner is 'scratching his head' in Qatar GP build-up
04 October 8:50AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Working hard to get out of the hole: Whilst Nico Hulkenberg has often displayed promising one-lap pace for Haas this term, struggles with tyre degradation - especially on the rear tyres - have left the team fighting a losing battle come race day.

Steps looked to have been taken at the Singapore Grand Prix, only for a return to reality in Japan last time out. On how he manages his emotions from race to race, Steiner explained: “It’s very simple, just look forward and know what we are doing as a team.”

"We’re working hard to get out of this hole and that’s what motivates me every day of the week. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t know we’re working hard and getting better to where we want to be and should be.”

‘Working hard to get out of the hole’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-steiner-is-scratching-his-head-in-qatar-gp-build-up


Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix Predictions
October 4, 2023
By: Erika Di Guido
Last Word On Sports

Round 18 for Formula 1, the Qatar Grand Prix it’s getting closer. Let’s discover some facts about it and make predictions for the podium. Considering the track and recent performances, the drivers on the podium at the Qatar Grand Prix could be: Max Verstappen: unreachable in his success, the Dutchman is consistent on every track. The Japanese GP proved that the race in Singapore was just a single accident. It’s only natural to add Super Max on the highest step of the podium once again, and this time he could officially be the 2023 World Champion.

Sergio Perez: even if his season was marked by ups and downs, it’s possible that we’ll see a double podium for Red Bull in Qatar. After all, Sergio Perez and the RB19 have found a way to gain some positions, and he finished on the podium on multiple occasions. If this will be the case this Sunday, the Mexican could join his teammate for the celebrations.

Lando Norris: the McLaren driver, after a disappointing start of the season, had some good results, the most recent one the p2 in Japan. The whole McLaren team worked hard to improve the MCL60 and the efforts are paying off. The car shows a reliability and a potential to fight for the highest positions. A success in Qatar will definitely prove that McLaren is on the right path right now.

‘Predictions’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/10/04/formula1-qatar-grand-prix-predictions/


What's the weather forecast for the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix?
04 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

The weather radar makes for good reading for both the drivers and the fans in the stands as it is expected to be hot and sunny on all three days of action. For a more detailed forecast, scroll down below.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6 – FP1 AND QUALIFYING
Conditions: A sunny and dry day with gusts of wind up to 55kph in the afternoon. Rising sand in places especially in FP1. FP1: 38°C // Q: 32°C.
Maximum temperature expected: 41 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 31 Celsius
Chance of rain: 0%

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 – SPRINT SHOOTOUT AND SPRINT
Conditions: Still a dry and sunny day with gusts of wind up to 45kph in the afternoon, and a little bit more in the morning. SS: 36°C // SPRINT: 32°C.
Maximum temperature expected: 40 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 31 Celsius
Chance of rain: 0%

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8 – RACE WEATHER
Conditions: Fair weather all day, with light wind throughout the day. RACE: 32°C
Maximum temperature expected: 38 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 30 Celsius
Chance of rain: 0%

‘Weather forecast’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.whats-the-weather-forecast-for-the-2023-qatar-grand-prix.2wcsqWvpMxkepYq0PMwb4a.html

[Fortitude]

How can Max Verstappen win the F1 championship? Permutations for Qatar Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen could become the 2023 Formula One drivers’ champion for the third year in a row at this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.
4 October 2023 at 3:48 pm
Marc Mayo
Yahoo! UK & Ireland

How can Max Verstappen win the F1 Drivers’ Championship? Here are all the details...
If he finishes sixth or higher in the sprint: In this scenario, Verstappen claims the F1 title no matter where Perez finishes.

If he finishes seventh in the sprint: Perez must win the sprint to deny Verstappen here, at which point he can still easily win the title at Sunday’s grand prix.
If he finishes eighth in the sprint: This will still be enough if Perez finishes outside of the top two.

If he misses out on any points in the sprint: Verstappen will still win the world championship if Perez finishes outside of the top three.
If he misses out and Perez finishes inside the top three: All will not be lost for Verstappen, who needs to come out of this weekend with a 146-point lead to win the title after Sunday’s grand prix. His current advantage is 177.

‘Here are all the details...’;

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/max-verstappen-win-f1-championship-144804896.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALXPY57tJVYFK379G9oohES7o5DD ElHwa42BNsQKzUUaxvoqLxnxJ3XTiZBJ95041nt00GeeqXMCaX p0OiifsSZ0x_RjL2GoX0fReBvc4PcKV6cES4Lfb9QXLzJ1Gakv GicnPpmxLe_0h5tO4pLj3DSKd1T2uR5SqqUV2S4k0gPg


Qatar could serve up two of F1’s hottest races this season
Formula 1
Posted on 5th October 2023, 7:154th October 2023, 21:53
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

There is only one past example of the Qatar Grand Prix for teams to look back on when preparing themselves for the desert weather they will encounter this weekend. The track’s proximity to Qatar’s eastern coast, with few buildings lying between it and the coast, makes it more vulnerable to winds and the dust they carry – note how much dust the cars kicked up at the start in 2021.

Given the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix will be a night race, practice on a sweltering and potentially sand-covered track will simultaneously be of limited relevance but also of extreme significance for preparing for the weekend given there is just a single session.

Sunday at Losail will be less windy, and track staff have plenty of time to sweep the surface before what is set to be the hottest grand prix of the year begins at 8pm. It will be 33C when the race begins, and probably only 2C cooler when the chequered flag waves. Drivers, teams, tyres and engine components (which will likely have already been used in many races this year) will be put to the test by the Qatari heat.

‘F1’s hottest races this season’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/05/qatar-could-serve-up-two-of-f1s-hottest-races-this-season/


‘More respect’ shown to Lewis Hamilton over George Russell at Mercedes – F1 news round-up
04 Oct 2023 11:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Russell believes that his relationship with Toto Wolff is a little different from the dynamic Lewis Hamilton has with Wolff – something that made a particular difference when he first stepped into the Mercedes team. Opening up on how he felt Lewis Hamilton perhaps commanded ‘more respect’ when he first arrived over 10 years ago, Russell said his own signing as a youngster has resulted in a very different leadership approach from Wolff.

“I think, obviously, when Lewis and Toto were acquainted, Lewis was already World Champion, he was already this megastar,” he said. “There was perhaps really more respect [from] Toto to Lewis when he joined because Toto was completely new to Formula 1 at that time, Toto was the rookie and Lewis was the household massive name.”

“Whereas with myself, Toto signed to me as a 16-year-old. They’ve always, I guess, nurtured me along my way, advised me, helped me reach my full potential and I guess, yeah, to a degree, you could be right but I think our relationship now has gone more from, I’m not going to say paternal figure, but I’d class ourselves as more friends now.”

‘Nurtured me along my way’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/more-respect-shown-to-lewis-hamilton-over-george-russell-at-mercedes-f1-news-round-up


McLaren predicts ‘strong’ Qatar GP
Thursday 5th October, 2023 - 5:00am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Andrea Stella has suggested the upgraded McLaren MCL60 will be well suited to the Lusail circuit at this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix. With Lusail also featuring predominantly medium- and high-speed corners, team principal Stella is optimistic.

“There’s a variability of tracks left in the season, but none of these tracks has the Singapore characteristics,” he reasoned when asked if McLaren can catch Red Bull this year.

“So while there could be some tracks in which we could be competitive – I think Qatar could be a decent track for us – I’m afraid that the characteristics we like, they are also the characteristics where Red Bull will be just outstanding. So we’ll have to be realistic that we need some situations, let’s say, to happen to be able to make the final step.”

‘McLaren MCL60 will be well suited to the Lusail circuit’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/05/mclaren-predicts-strong-qatar-gp/


Lawson expecting Qatar GP to be 'tougher' as he continues to deputise for Ricciardo
04 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Liam Lawson is expecting a tough weekend in Lusail as he once again readies himself to fill in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at the Qatar Grand Prix, with the latter continuing his recovery from a broken hand.

Ahead of another weekend behind the wheel of the AT04, Lawson said: “I drove the Qatar track in the simulator at the end of last week. It’s very fast, a very high-speed circuit and quite unique, and I’ve not seen many tracks like it, as there’s only one low-speed corner in the whole track.”

“The rest is just fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh gear, so I think it’s going to be exciting to drive. With only one free practice session, we drivers will have to know where to improve because it’ll get faster at night when it’s much cooler. And we need to know exactly how to extract everything out of the car. I’m expecting it to be tougher than the races we’ve just done.”

‘Liam Lawson is expecting a tough weekend’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.lawson-expecting-qatar-gp-to-be-tougher-as-he-continues-to-deputise-for.26V6CTQJEDGNXp7tNoNLPD.html


Andretti hijacks the 2023 Qatar GP Preview
Published ‎Oct‎ ‎04‎, ‎2023‎ ‎9‎:‎27‎ ‎PM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

We expect discussions and dissonance around Andretti's entry in Formula 1 to hijack all stories from the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, including Max Verstappen's impending 3rd Formula 1 World Championship.

But does Formula 1 need an 11th team? We're split in our judgment and opinion. On sporting grounds, we agree that an 11th team will do wonders for Formula 1 and upcoming young talent. But from a business perspective, it's tricky - that's where we had peak disagreement despite having no vested interests in Andretti's entry.

Why should the existing 10 teams agree to devalue their business? Why is Andretti interested in Formula 1 only now? Is the FIA pressurising Liberty Media to enter into an agreement with Andretti by making their (acceptance) stance public? Lots of interesting discussions that will hopefully give you a better understanding of the messy situation that Formula 1 faces with Andretti.

‘Inside Line F1 Podcast’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/andretti-hijacks-the-2023-qatar-gp-preview

[Fortitude]

Dutch fans in Qatar as Verstappen expected to win third F1 world title this weekend.
Several hundred Dutch fans are in Qatar this weekend for the Formula 1 race, where Max Verstappen is expected to win his third world title. The 26-year-old Red Bull driver could become world champion as early as Saturday in the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Thursday, 5 October 2023 - 19:45
NL Times

Qatar is one of six Grand Prix that has sprint races. The top eight drivers in the sprint receive points, with the first place securing eight points. Verstappen needs just three points to become champion, meaning he has to finish sixth or higher in the 100-kilometer sprint race on Saturday. "I can win the world title during the sprint race on Saturday, so that's the main goal,” Verstappen said. “Hopefully it will be a weekend to remember,” he added.

If Verstappen does not secure enough points in the sprint, he still has the opportunity to claim the title in the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday. The last Grand Prix in Qatar took place in 2021. Although Verstappen recorded the fastest lap, he finished second behind Lewis Hamilton.

A few hundred of Dutch fans are already in Qatar. The last group of over 300 fans who booked through Stip Reizen flew to Qatar on Thursday afternoon. "After it became clear that Max could become world champion in Qatar, the last available spots sold out in just a few minutes," said Stip Reizen director Fred Verlinden.

‘Dutch fans in Qatar’;

https://nltimes.nl/2023/10/05/dutch-fans-qatar-verstappen-expected-win-third-f1-world-title-weekend


Talking points ahead of Qatar GP: Max on the brink, Mercedes' battle within, and a bridesmaid
5th October 2023, 17:20
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24

Five talking points must be addressed when the chequered flag drops on Sunday:
1 Verstappen gunning for gold: The Qatar race weekend will present Red Bull's Verstappen with two opportunities to win the 2023 title.

2 Battle for second: Though Aston Martin and star driver Fernando Alonso started the 2023 season with a bang, their car development went backwards, resulting in the team losing second place in the Constructors' race, and Alonso slipping to fourth in the Drivers' battle.
3 Ricciardo wants to go: "Does he need to rush a hasty return for Qatar or maybe another couple of weeks for Austin? [Lusail] is a hell of a bumpy circuit anyway, it might be better to use that time in preparation for Austin." Liam Lawson will continue as the stand-in driver this weekend.

4 Logan Sargeant on a cliff: As with any team taking on a rookie, Williams gambled with Logan Sargeant in 2023. Unfortunately, the American failed to impress to date, and many are calling for his head.
5 Mercedes unravelling? It's not been plain sailing for Mercedes in 2023. While George Russell was the team's best performer in 2022, Hamilton has upped his game this season, comprehensively outperforming his teammate.

‘Five talking points’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/talking-points-ahead-of-qatar-gp-max-on-the-brink-mercedes-battle-within-and-a-bridesmaid-20231005


Relentless Max Verstappen can clinch his 3rd F1 title as early as the sprint at the Qatar Grand Prix
5th Oct. 2023, 12:05
BY JAMES ELLINGWORTH
Associated Press

Max Verstappen can win his third straight Formula One title at the Qatar Grand Prix. And he can do it on Saturday. It’s been a relentlessly dominant season from the Dutch driver, who has had the fastest car with Red Bull but has also left teammate Sergio Perez far behind in the standings.

Perez is the last driver with a mathematical chance of catching Verstappen in the six remaining rounds of the championship, but even if Verstappen crashes out of the sprint race, Perez will need to place in the top three to keep the contest alive. Perez paid tribute to Verstappen’s achievements Thursday but said the difference in their seasons was in part because developments to the Red Bull car have not suited his own driving style.

“Max has done a tremendous job. I think no credit should be taken away from this season that he has done. I think he has driven on another level compared to anyone else, and that’s something that I have a lot of respect for,” Perez said. “I felt like since Barcelona (the Spanish Grand Prix in June), I was starting to struggle and have some deficits with the car.”

‘Relentless Max Verstappen’;

https://apnews.com/article/max-verstappen-qatar-f1-286036322166ac3560b027989e029d57


Perez wants ‘straightforward’ Qatar GP after Suzuka set-up issue
5th October 2023.
by Taylor Powling
MotorSportWeek.Com

Sergio Perez is optimistic about a “more straightforward” Qatar Grand Prix after admitting a set-up issue hampered his Japan weekend. Perez, however, explains that a rueful set-up direction was responsible for the huge deficit he upheld to Verstappen at the last round. “Asia wasn’t good for me at all, Singapore and obviously Suzuka,” Perez reflected.

“It’s mainly the direction we took with the set-up of the car. Now looking back at it, we do understand where it went wrong, and I really hope that we are able to have a much more straightforward weekend here. But I think we’ve learned a lot [about] what went wrong in Suzuka, so I do expect to be in a much better position this weekend.”

‘Perez wants ‘straightforward’ Qatar GP’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/05/perez-wants-straightforward-qatar-gp-after-suzuka-set-up-issue/


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the build-up ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix weekend
05 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

So it is much more a matter of when, rather than if Verstappen will wrap up the title this weekend and be able to celebrate his third straight drivers' title. It will be thoroughly well deserved, given he has won 13 of the 16 races so far this season.

‘Build-up to the Qatar Grand Prix’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-thursday-build-up-in-qatar-2023.2rp3UzydP2bNgMKruJmXR.html


‘Never a doubt’ – Carlos Sainz speaks out on his Ferrari future ahead of Qatar Grand Prix
Thursday 5 Oct 2023 6:13 pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Carlos Sainz insists he is more committed than ever to Ferrari amid speculation the Formula One star is yet to open contract talks with the team. Ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, Sainz is fifth in the standings and will be aiming to hold off teammate Charles Leclerc, who is just 15 points behind, over the final six races.

Of course, fighting for fifth is not where the 29-year-old wants to be, with no one on the grid able to match the sheer speed of Red Bull and Max Verstappen this year. ‘There has never been a doubt. I am very comfortable with Ferrari, I want be here for the medium to long-term,’ he told Sky Sports.

‘There has been high confidence between each party. The wins and podiums – the only thing they do is reassure everything that we already knew. I hope that the winter is a good opportunity to find an agreement and continue working in the future because it’s the place that I love driving for and I see myself driving [for them] and winning a world championship soon.’

‘Never a doubt’;

https://metro.co.uk/2023/10/05/f1-carlos-sainz-speaks-out-on-ferrari-future-ahead-of-qatar-grand-prix-19614029/?ito=newsnow-feed


Lewis Hamilton excited by "top secret" Mercedes F1 plan in coy Qatar GP interview
Lewis Hamilton was questioned about Mercedes' 2024 car at the Qatar Grand Prix after making the trip to his F1 team's factory after the last race weekend at Suzuka
5th Oct. 2023, 18:10
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton was coy about Mercedes' 2024 Formula 1 car after a visit to the factory ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion was questioned about the trip as he spoke to the media on Thursday. Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz was especially keen to prise some information out of the Brit.

But Hamilton was keeping his cards close to his chest as he met Kravitz's question with a warm smile. "I can't tell you man, it's all top secret stuff!" the Mercedes racer joked. "You go in and there's new bits coming and stuff being tried all the time. What excites me is going into where the aerodynamics team is working away – that's what inspires me. Everyone's heads are down and everyone is doing their due diligence.”

"Everyone is unhappy with where we are and where we've been for the last couple of years. I know they're hungry and that, for me, I know these guys are chasing and doing everything they can. I'm able to then bring that into the weekend. No matter what shape [the car's bodywork] is looking like, I can't say that it's going to be fast. It's about the work that those guys are doing, and they know what they are doing. I have 100 percent faith in them and that they'll pull it together."

“It's all top secret stuff!";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/hamilton-mercedes-qatar-gp-car-31116610

[Fortitude]

MAX ON BRINK OF THIRD TITLE: 'UNIMAGINABLE'.
Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, Max Verstappen spoke to the international press, including Verstappen.com, to discuss the upcoming race weekend in which the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver looks set to clinch his third world championship.
Published on 05 October 2023
by Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl

This weekend’s round of the 2023 F1 season, features another sprint at a circuit infamous for its warm conditions, both ingredients for a challenging event. “It’s really very hot but it does cool down a bit in the evening. So it does mean that the first and only practice session doesn’t really bring clarity ahead of qualifying because the conditions will differ so much. The balance, tyres and set-up will change. Because it’s a sprint weekend, it’s more difficult because you have take more of a risk when making decisions.”

The championship leader added: “That’s a bit of shame. It would be amazing to have a couple of practice sessions to really get the car dialled in, so you can go into qualifying with maximum confidence. That would be the best for all teams to get the most out of their car, but it is what it is.”

‘MAX ON BRINK’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5263/


Relentless Verstappen can clinch his 3rd F1 title as early as the sprint at Qatar Grand Prix
Today 05:02 am JST Today | 06:43 am JST
By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
Japan Today

LUSAIL, Qatara: Max Verstappen can win his third straight Formula One title at the Qatar Grand Prix. And he can do it on Saturday. Verstappen will secure the title if he finishes sixth or higher in the sprint race, which could leave Sunday's main Grand Prix as something of an afterthought.

Winning the title in a sprint — a 19-lap contest that F1 refuses to call a “race” — could be a little awkward for the series and for Verstappen. He has previously argued the format should be scrapped.

“It’s not proper racing, it’s more like gambling," he said after the season's first sprint in Azerbaijan in April. "I think I will have more success in Vegas if I go to the casino. I like racing, I’m a pure racer and I think this is more for the show.”

‘Relentless Verstappen’;

https://japantoday.com/category/sports/relentless-max-verstappen-can-clinch-his-3rd-f1-title-as-early-as-the-sprint-at-the-qatar-grand-prix


Sprint race and night event makes set-up a “guessing game” – Verstappen
6th October 2023, 7:165th October 2023, 23:22
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Max Verstappen says Red Bull may have to take risks with their car set-ups for this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix due to the limited practice time. Speaking to media including RaceFans on Thursday in Losail, Verstappen said that the reduced practice time makes getting his Red Bull set-up correctly will be crucial.

“I think we normally should be quick here, but again, it’s only one practice session, so it’s about making sure that once we hit the ground running that the car’s in a good place, a good window,” he said. “But normally, it should be a nice track for us and we just want to have a good weekend. It’s never going to be very straightforward for anyone out there,” he said. “Of course, if you hit the ground running in the car feels amazing – then great, perfect. But it’s very rare that it’s like that with one session.”

“Then again, it’s too hot. So then you go to qualifying with different conditions. It makes it a proper guessing game about, ‘okay, well we did FP1, we might be quite happy, but then what would we do for qualifying?’, because it’s a lot colder and the balance and the tyres – everything changes. So there’s a lot that you have to get right and for sure some teams will be better than others, of course I hope that we are on the better side, but I guess we’ll find out.”

“Guessing game”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/06/sprint-race-and-night-event-makes-set-up-a-guessing-game-verstappen/


Alonso overlooks Hamilton, says Verstappen is the F1’s best driver since Schumacher
October 6th, 2023 10:44 am
AFP from Afp
Fox Sports (Australia)

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso divided opinions in the paddock when he suggested that Max Verstappen was Formula One’s best driver since Michael Schumacher, overlooking Lewis Hamilton’s achievements. Speaking to reporters, when asked if Verstappen deserved a place among the sport’s modern greats, the 42-year-old Spaniard said: “I’ve only been wheel-to-wheel with Michael, but with Michael maybe, yes.”

“And for the next few years he will keep adding championships so we will compare him with Michael even closer in the future.” Alonso’s omission of Hamilton raised eyebrows, but was no great surprise as the pair endured a highly-strained season as team-mates at McLaren in 2007, Hamilton’s rookie year.

‘EL PLAN: Verstappen is the F1’s best driver since Schumacher’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2023-qatar-grand-prix-fernando-alonso-says-max-verstappen-is-f1s-best-driver-since-michael-schumacher/news-story/5ec02aadf8b597b4695ecd51cd607d40


Perez reveals performance objective for tricky race
Friday 6 October 2023 09:13
Sam Cook
GPFans

Sergio Perez has said he wants to show why Red Bull are world champions by producing a performance capable of beating team-mate Max Verstappen at the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend.

Perez told media after the Japanese Grand Prix: “Qatar is a chance to get back to racing for me with two opportunities to win across the weekend. “The sprint format always throws up challenges when it comes to setting the car up, so we will work hard together to ensure we are ready for qualifying on Friday night."

He added: “The track can be tricky, as we learnt in 2021, grip is affected by the sand on the surface, so you must be alert. A night race is always fun though and this might be the hottest event we have all season, so it will involve a lot of management across all three days to get the most out of the car."

“Qatar is a chance to get back to racing for me”;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005181/sergio-perez-red-bull-f1-beat-max-verstappen-qatar-gp-world-champion-performance/


Red Bull set to equal F1 record.
Another team record is in sight for the Milton Keynes-based outfit at the Qatar Grand Prix.
06 October 7:30AM
RacingNews365

Red Bull is set to equal yet another of its F1 records at this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix. The Milton Keynes-based outfit has been dominant throughout the season having taken victory in all but one of the races this term - the only failure to win coming at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez could tie the team's record for most consecutive points finishes with a top 10 in Sunday's race or a top eight in Saturday's Sprint at the Lusail International Circuit. The current record stands at 38 races in a row, set twice between Spain 2016 and Australia 2018 and then Spain of the same season to Abu Dhabi in 2019.

‘Another team record’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-set-to-equal-f1-record


First pictures from the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix weekend
5th October 2023, 22:065th October 2023, 23:23
Written by Keith Collantine

Pictures from the build-up to the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix at Losail International Circuit.

‘First pictures’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/05/first-pictures-from-the-2023-qatar-grand-prix-weekend/

[Fortitude]

FP1: Verstappen edges out Ferrari drivers to top the only practice in Qatar.
Double world champion Max Verstappen set the benchmark time with a 1:27.428 in the sole practice session at the Qatar Grand Prix with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc having taking second and third on a very sandy track surface in Lusail.
06 Oct 2023, 16:38
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

The session started in challenging conditions as the track was even dirtier than expected before the session. Unsurprisingly, drivers complained about the grip level and were forced to apply a different approach to the one-hour session than they usually do. The sandy track asphalt was particularly punishing as the sprint weekend format means that this session was the only practice for the entire Qatar Grand Prix weekend.

Drivers started to perform low-fuel runs in the dying seconds of the session, but not everyone used Pirelli's C3 compoud that serves as the soft tyre on this weekend. Double world champion Max Verstappen put on the red-walled tyres to set a 1m27.428s, edging out the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

‘Max Verstappen set the benchmark time’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24223


(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
6th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy15:36

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:27.428
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.334
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.481
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.491
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.588
6. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.599
7. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.743
8. George Russell Mercedes +0.908
9. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.952
10. Lando Norris McLaren +1.013

‘Qatar Grand Prix – Here’s the classification from the only practice session ahead of this evening’s qualifying for Sunday’s 2023 F1 World Championship race.\’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2023-qatar-grand-prix-83245


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Qatar Grand Prix
06 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula1 Official Site.

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-qatar-2023.5Ls2lvpXFvQ2FzhVoP6U7j.html


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Qatar Grand Prix
06 October 2023
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Follow all of the action from this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘As it happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-qatar-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-live-updates


F1 Live - Qatar GP Free Practice 1 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
06 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Qatar Grand Prix FP1 Watchalong
F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Free Practice 1 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbf6KAxHTQE


F1 Results Today: Qatar Grand Prix practice times as Verstappen gets perfect start in tough conditions
Friday 6 October 2023 16:37
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Max Verstappen has made the perfect start to the Qatar Grand Prix weekend as he returned to the top of the timesheets for FP1.

The two-time world champion recorded an unbeatable lap time of 1:27.428s as he and the rest of the grid battled tricky track conditions. Sand, wind and the setting sun all caused an additional level of challenge for the drivers.

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished behind the Dutchman in second and third respectively, while Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez rounded off the top five.

‘Verstappen gets perfect start’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005115/f1-results-today-qatar-grand-prix-practice-times-official/

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen strolls to Qatar GP pole after McLaren track-limit woes.
Max Verstappen eased to pole position for the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix as Lando Norris took provisional second, but struggled with track limits throughout Q3 and was knocked off the front row after going wide on his final flying lap.
October 6, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

No one could get close to Verstappen, though Norris was three-tenths away before his lap time was deleted, and George Russell was the only other driver within half a second as the Mercedes man bagged second.

Rapid track evolution characterised the session with plenty of drivers improving on their final runs and several big names being caught out as a result. But Verstappen was so dominant that he could abort his last flying lap and still finished well ahead of the pack as Oscar Piastri was promoted to third following his teammate’s woes.

However, Piastri was then also stripped of his final lap, and will start the race from sixth, promoting the second Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton up to third on the grid.

‘No one could get close to Verstappen’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max-verstappen-strolls-to-qatar-gp-pole-after-mclaren-track-limit-woes/


Qualifying Results – 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
6th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:23.778
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.441
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.527
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.591
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.646
6. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.762
7. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.775
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.985
9. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +1.280
10. Lando Norris McLaren No time

‘Qatar Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for Sunday’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Losail’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-qatar-grand-prix-83250


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix
06 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-qatar-2023.1cgoplnyrcPjs2WE7QxAFo.html


F1 Qatar Grand Prix 2023 - Qualifying: LIVE UPDATES!
06 October 2023
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘As it happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-qatar-grand-prix-2023-qualifying-live-updates


F1 Live - Qatar GP Qualifying Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
06 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Qatar Grand Prix Qualifying Watchalong
F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Qualifying Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMx4nx40vTI


Verstappen on pole as both McLaren drivers penalised in Q3
6th October 2023, 19:20
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

There was no answer to Verstappen’s lap as Norris could only climb to second, three-tenths adrift of the Dutchman. Replays showed that Norris had left the track in the process, and his lap-time was deleted as a result. The incident promotes George Russell to the front-row after he was able to maintain his advantage over Hamilton at the Lusail International Circuit.

Following the penalty for his team-mate, Oscar Piastri was met by a similar fate. He too saw his final lap-time invalidated and will drop from third to sixth. Deleted lap-times moves Hamilton into third. The seven-time champion will share the second row of the grid with his former McLaren team-mate, Fernando Alonso. Leclerc also benefits, claiming fifth.


‘Both McLaren drivers penalised’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/06/verstappen-on-pole-as-both-mclaren-drivers-penalised-in-q3/

[Fortitude]

Aussie F1 star Oscar Piastri is ROBBED of podium finish in qualifying by F1 farce that saw his fastest lap time deleted.
Aussie ace Oscar Piastri has found himself at the centre of a F1 farce that has marred qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix.
Published: 04:05, 7 October 2023
By Ap
Mail Online

Piastri was among several drivers to lose their fastest laps for straying beyond the white lines defining the edge of the track in their final laps in qualifying. But so slow were the stewards in actually deleting their times, Piastri — who had to that point set the third-quickest time — was giving the customary post-session top-three interview when he found out his time had been deleted and he had been demoted to sixth.

Even after being told of the demotion, Piastri still posed for the customary top-three photo. He was even interviewed and had to tell the reporter that he did not finish P3 at all. 'I don't think anyone's updated you yet but I got my lap deleted so I'm not P3 anymore, I think I'm P6' he said.

‘ROBBED’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12604345/Aussie-F1-star-Oscar-Piastri-ROBBED-podium-finish-qualifying-F1-farce-saw-fastest-lap-time-deleted.html


‘This is fun’: Piastri cruelly robbed on live TV in hilariously awkward moment
October 7th, 2023 12:54 pm
Tyson Otto from News.com.au
Fox Sports (Australia)

Oscar Piastri was cruelly robbed at the Qatar Grand Prix in scenes of complete anarchy following a dramatic qualifying session on Saturday morning. The Aussie was speaking on live TV when he was given the shattering news his final flying lap had been deleted, dropping him off the podium.

In the ultimate slap on top of the penalty, Piastri was also forced to go through the formal post-session media commitments posing alongside Max Verstappen and George Russell, who qualified fastest. Piastri was his usual calm self when learning the news, but the frustration under the skin was clear to see.

Sky Sports Formula 1 presenter Naomi Schiff was the one that had to break the news in the middle of her interview with Piastri. Piastri responded: “I didn’t know. This is fun isn’t it, not knowing who is in the top three”. Schiff replied: “Oh gosh. It sounds as if you may have dropped down to sixth now.” Piastri signed off by saying “wonderful” and giving a mock thumbs up.

‘This is fun!’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/this-is-fun-piastri-cruelly-robbed-on-live-tv-in-hilariously-awkward-moment/news-story/07cab967c412b6a5fff208630dac3c50


Sky F1 pundit caught off guard as Oscar Piastri learns of Qatar GP penalty mid-interview
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both had Q3 lap times deleted after the end of Qatar Grand Prix qualifying, changing the result of the session for the McLaren drivers
20:16 Fri, 06 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Oscar Piastri learned he had been relegated three places after Qatar Grand Prix qualifying in an awkward Sky Sports interview. Piastri laughed before responding: "I didn't know, but this is fun isn't it?" Told that he had been relegated to sixth on the grid, he simply replied: "Wonderful," before leaving to fulfil other media commitments.

Meanwhile, a visibly emotional Norris said he was "p****d off" at himself for his own mistake. He said: "I just had a correction on oversteer and went off. The team has done a good job but I've messed it up, so... I just think of the job I'm meant to do which is put in good laps and don't make mistakes, and that's all I did today. Not a good day for me."

"P****d off";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/piastri-sky-sport-interview-qatar-31126225


‘This is fun’ – Formula 1 rookie Oscar Piastri awkwardly finds out he’s been relegated during live interview
6th October 2023, 7:29 pm
Connor Andrews
talkSPORT

Norris had already parked his car in its second-place spot for a post-session interview, thinking he’d secured a spot between first-placed Max Verstappan and third-placed George Russell. However, he was soon informed his lap had been deleted, sending him down to tenth, and Piastri up to third.

The Australian then learned he had suffered a similar fate too, coming in much more awkward circumstances. A graphic on the screen came up saying he was in fact starting sixth for Sunday’s race, and interviewer Naomi Schiff said: “We’re just hearing that you had a track limits infringement.”

‘Awkwardly finds out he’s been relegated during live interview’;

https://talksport.com/sport/motorsport/1592332/


George Russell and Oscar Piastri baffled in awkward interviews as quali result changed
George Russell and Oscar Piastri were both left confused in the aftermath of qualifying in Qatar
19:27, Fri, Oct 6, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

When the chequered flag waved at the end of the session Max Verstappen was sitting pretty at the top of the standings, but below him, it was chaotic as both McLaren drivers saw their lap times deleted. On the timing screens, it looked as though Lando Norris would line up in P2 ahead of Mercedes driver Russell, followed by Piastri in P4 and Lewis Hamilton in P5. This wasn't, however, the way that things ended.

Norris knew immediately that his lap was set to be deleted, unleashing his frustrations over the team radio, although this fact escaped Russell during his post-race interview. Addressing his qualifying performance, Russell believed he was lining up in P3 for Sunday's race. He said: "Really tricky day for everybody. New tarmac, really slippery, very windy here.”

Russell then looked baffled when Piastri approached him to take the microphone and asked: "Where's Lando?" And it wasn't just Russell who was left confused though. With Norris' time deleted, Piastri was temporarily promoted to the top three of qualifying, only to find out midway through his interview with Naomi Schiff that he had been demoted to sixth place.

‘Baffled in awkward interviews’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1820965/George-Russell-Oscar-Piastri-Qatar-GP


‘I struggled a lot’ admits Perez after Q2 exit in Qatar
06 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Sergio Perez had a lap deleted which dropped him out of qualifying in P13, but even before that he wasn’t looking comfortable in the car, as he admitted after the session.

‘Lap deleted';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.i-struggled-a-lot-admits-perez-after-q2-exit-in-qatar.1779031054252599842.html

[Fortitude]

FIA announce additional practice session and safety measures for Qatar GP weekend.
Formula 1’s governing body the FIA have announced an additional practice session plus new safety measures ahead of the Sprint Shootout at the Qatar Grand Prix.
07 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Pirelli carry out an analysis of the tyres which have been used for approximately 20 laps to check various safety parameters after practice on Friday of every race weekend. In Qatar, that analysis revealed “a separation in the sidewall between the topping compound and the carcass cords on many of tyres that were checked”.

The FIA and Pirelli believe “a significant number of additional laps on these tyres could result in circumferential damage of the tyres with subsequent air loss, and tyres analysed with lower lap numbers showed a much-reduced extent of the issue”.

The FIA added that the “issue has likely been caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyre sidewall and the 50mm ‘pyramid’ kerbs used extensively at this circuit, aggravated by the propensity to ride those kerbs”. With this in mind, the FIA have announced a series of actions on safety grounds in response to the issue.

‘New safety measures’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.fia-announce-additional-practice-session-and-safety-measures-for-qatar-gp.6KiVt8iMqSUj47dv4knawg.html


How Pirelli discovered F1's biggest tyre drama since the 2005 US GP
7th October 2023, 12:22
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com

A statement from the FIA on Saturday in Qatar alerted the wider world to what is the biggest tyre-related drama to hit Formula 1 since the infamous 2005 US GP. It wasn't entirely a surprise – there were tyre issues at Losail in 2021, and the revised kerbs, especially at Turns 12-13, attracted a lot of comment from teams and drivers before the cars even ran on Friday.

As the FIA statement confirmed, "this issue has likely been caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyre sidewall and the 50mm 'pyramid' kerbs used extensively at this circuit, aggravated by the propensity to ride those kerbs." The damage was found predominantly on front tyres but also on rears, and mainly on lefts, but also on rights. Intriguingly, it was also seen on both the inner and outer sidewalls.

In essence, the outer sidewalls are taking hits as cars run up against the steep outer edge of the kerbs for a considerable distance, and then the inner sidewalls are impacted when the cars drop over the 50mm kerb and run along the drop beyond the hard edge. In effect, it is consistent hard hits on the sidewall, over a number of laps, that are creating the issue. It's also a result of the high g-loadings in that sequence creating a "bulge" in the sidewalls that make the tyres more vulnerable to damage.

‘It wasn't entirely a surprise’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/how-pirelli-discovered-f1s-biggest-tyre-drama-since-the-2005-us-gp/10529827/


FIA makes last-minute change to Qatar GP weekend, including mandatory pit stops
7th October 2023, 13:40
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24

In a statement, the FIA said that it and Pirelli, Formula 1's tyre supplier, believe "a significant number of additional laps on these tyres could result in circumferential damage of the tyres with subsequent air loss, and tyres analysed with lower lap numbers showed a much-reduced extent of the issue."

Among the changes brought about are revised track limits at Turns 12 and 13. Because of this, a 10-minute "practice familiarisation session" will take place at 16:00 local time (15:00 SA time), allowing drivers to adjust to the revised track limits. The Sprint Shootout will kick off at 16:20 - 20 minutes after the original scheduled time.

After the Sprint Shootout, Pirelli will analyse the tyre wear data from both the 10-minute session and the 19-lap Sprint Shootout. If the issue still needs to be resolved, new tyres used in the race may be at most 20 laps in the Grand Prix. This number increases to 22 laps if used-tyres are fitted in the race to account for the in- and out-laps in qualifying. As such, drivers are required to perform at least three pit stops in the 57-lap race.

‘FIA makes last-minute changes’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/fia-makes-last-minute-change-to-qatar-gp-weekend-including-mandatory-pit-stops-20231007


Qatar GP tyre concerns create huge problems
October 7, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

The following actions will be taken on safety grounds in response to this issue:
1. Track limits at Turns 12-13 will be revised.
2. There will be a 10-minute Practice Familiarisation Session, scheduled to start at 16:00 local time, following the revision of the track limits, to allow drivers to adjust to the changes. The Sprint Shootout will therefore start 20 minutes later than scheduled (16:20 local time).
3. There will extensive tyre analysis following the Sprint (19 laps), to decide whether further action needs to be taken ahead of the Grand Prix.
4. In the event the problem is still evident, we will be issuing the following directive for Sunday’s Grand Prix, on safety grounds:
• The tyre life parameter must not exceed 20 for new tyres used in the race.
• This number would rise to 22 for any used tyres fitted in the race, to account for in-out laps in qualifying.
All drivers will be obliged to perform at least three tyre-change pitstops during the race.

‘Huge problems’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/10/07/qatar-gp-tyre-problems/


F1 tyre fears lead FIA to schedule extra practice session and change timetable
Formula 1
Posted on 7th October 2023, 11:287th October 2023, 13:40
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Fears over possible tyre failures at the Qatar Grand Prix have led the FIA to schedule an extra practice session on Saturday. The FIA has therefore announced qualifying for today’s sprint race will be delayed by 20 minutes and take place at 4:20pm local time. The revised track limits will be imposed by a repositioning of the white line one the outside of turns 12 and 13. It will be moved towards the inside of the track by 80 centimetres.

Drivers will run longer stints on their tyres in the sprint race and grand prix than they did in practice. That has raised fears of potential tyre failures. “It is the view of the FIA and Pirelli that a significant number of additional laps on these tyres could result in circumferential damage of the tyres with subsequent air loss, and tyres analysed with lower lap numbers showed a much-reduced extent of the issue,” said the FIA in a statement.

The FIA pinpointed new kerbs installed at the circuit this year for contributing to the problem. “This issue has likely been caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyre sidewall and the 50mm ‘pyramid’ kerbs used extensively at this circuit, aggravated by the propensity to ride those kerbs.”

‘F1 tyre fears’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/07/fia-schedules-extra-practice-and-delays-sprint-race-qualifying-over-tyre-fears/

[Fortitude]

McLaren land sensational 1-2 in Qatar GP Sprint Shootout.
Oscar Piastri led a stunning McLaren front-row lockout in the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix sprint shootout, securing McLaren’s first ‘qualifying’ win since 2012 as Lando Norris went off at the final corner on his last flying lap.
October 7, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Verstappen will clinch the drivers’ championship in the sprint race later if he finishes in the top six, and looks good to secure that after qualifying third with his Red Bull teammate and only title challenger Sergio Perez down in eighth.

Lewis Hamilton was the big-name elimination earlier, he only managed 12th and saw his final SQ2 lap deleted for track limits, but that time wouldn’t have been enough for the top 10 anyway.

‘McLaren land sensational 1-2’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-mclaren-land-sensational-2023-qatar-gp-sprint-shootout/


Sprint Shootout – 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
7th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

SQ3
1. Oscar Piastri McLaren -1:24.454
2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.082
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.192
4. George Russell Mercedes +0.387
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.701
6. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.793
7. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.866
8. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.928
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin No time
10. Esteban Ocon Alpine No time

‘Qatar Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the shootout for this evening’s 2023 F1 World Championship Sprint in Losail’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-shootout-2023-qatar-grand-prix-83262


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the Sprint Shootout at the Qatar Grand Prix
07 October 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-sprint-shootout-in-qatar-2023.6ciwm42oRUAObOPD7JYXnX.html


F1 Live - Qatar GP Sprint Shootout Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
07 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baMdNP0EqJE


Lewis Hamilton and George Russell among eight drivers facing Qatar GP investigation
Mercedes duo George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have both been placed under investigation in Qatar
14:48, Sat, Oct 7, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both placed under investigation for track limits violations during the sprint shootout in Qatar on Saturday afternoon. The British pair were among eight drivers placed under investigation after the first part of the sprint shootout qualifying session with both Williams and AlphaTauri drivers, Lance Stroll and Pierre Gasly also falling foul of the regulations.

This has been just the latest in a long line of track limits-related issues at the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend with Friday's running proving so problematic that changes to the kerbs were made overnight. After losing a lap to track limits in SQ1, Hamilton is facing his second trip to the stewards in as many days after he was checked for a maximum lap time violation in qualifying on Friday.

‘Qatar GP investigation’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1821122/Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell-Qatar-GP-investigation

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen is crowned world champion for the THIRD consecutive year as rampant Red Bull superstar confirms his dominance after Sergio Perez crashes in Qatar sprint.
The rampant Red Bull superstar has proven untouchable this year and confirmed his dominance once and for all after Sergio Perez crashed out of the Qatar sprint race.
Published: 19:03, 7 October 2023
By Daniel Davis For Mailonline
Mail Online

Verstappen has won 13 races to date this year, with Perez and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz the only other drivers to take the chequered flag in first place. He also set a new record for racking up 10 consecutive victories earlier in the campaign, surpassing the legendary Michael Schumacher in the process.

Further underlining his status as one of the all-time greats, Verstappen, who narrowly missed out in Qatar, also emerged on top in two of the year's four sprints. His triumph leaves Perez and Lewis Hamilton locked in a tussle over the runner-up position, with Fernando Alonso unlikely to mount a last-gasp push.

Perez had looked to delay the inevitable but was sent into an unfortunate spin following a racing incident tangle involving Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg.

‘Max Verstappen is crowned world champion for the THIRD consecutive year’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12605697/Max-Verstappen-world-champion-Red-Bull-Sergio-Perez-Qatar.html


Sprint Results – 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
7th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Oscar Piastri McLaren -19 laps
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1.871
3. Lando Norris McLaren +8.497
4. George Russell Mercedes +11.036
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +17.314
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +18.806
7. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +19.860
8. Alex Albon Williams Racing +19.864
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +21.180
10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +21.742

‘Qatar Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s Sprint, one of six alternate format weekends scheduled for the 2023 F1 World Championship’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-results-2023-qatar-grand-prix-83276


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the F1 Sprint in Qatar
07 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-f1-sprint-in-qatar-2023.3Tl9kQtsHj3JQsLQ1AaIhV.html


F1 Live - Qatar GP Sprint Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
07 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Sprint Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXka_gEPBQk


Piastri wins Qatar GP Sprint as Verstappen crowned champion
Sunday 8th October, 2023 - 5:12am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Oscar Piastri has sensationally won the Qatar GP Sprint ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The Australian had to fight for the victory after losing out to George Russell in the early stages before holding off Verstappen in the latter laps. From pole position, Piastri jumped well and held his advantage.

Second for Verstappen was enough to see him crowned champion after Sergio Perez crashed out midway through.

‘Piastri wins/Verstappen crowned champion’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/08/piastri-wins-qatar-gp-sprint-as-verstappen-crowned-champion/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen's third Formula One title caps a dominant season for Dutch driver and Red Bull.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands reacts as he became F1 drivers world champion after the sprint race ahead of the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit, in Lusail, Qatar, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.
7 October 2023 at 9:50 pm
Associated Press
Yahoo! UK & Ireland

LOSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Max Verstappen has clinched the Formula One title for the third year running after placing second in the sprint race on Saturday in Qatar. It has been a season of record dominance for Verstappen and Red Bull. Sergio Perez seemed capable of challenging his teammate early in the season, but a series of mistakes in qualifying left him well adrift before Verstappen secured the title in Qatar on Saturday.

Even before the season began, Red Bull was the clear favorite after Verstappen and Perez both set fast times in testing in Bahrain. Red Bull had the fastest car in 2022, which had seen a revolution in car design after F1 reintroduced ground-effect aerodynamics, and retained that advantage into 2023.

The opening race of the season at the Sakhir circuit was a crushing 1-2 for Red Bull, with Verstappen ahead of Perez. Third-place Fernando Alonso was 38 seconds adrift of the lead for Aston Martin.

‘Verstappen's third Formula One title’;

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/verstappens-third-formula-one-title-205007040.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANjlLept_6jFPTZRZFDIlNmOutbn gaQFC5pEIm_aVS2Wp7LRFeWr2OFr8m91yf5iuYTGMDcQDrYcbz DjhXfOrH07O48i8QT01xA891tJqrk0RuNEYeyMWZSPFHLkQWRJ plfEN5VT2OGGqS_q8e3x3jF8mPcSE91RwkuWspZmKAO0


Starting grid for today's F1 Qatar Grand Prix: How the race will begin
8 Oct 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Max Verstappen will begin the F1 Qatar Grand Prix on pole position. The two Mercedes drivers are right behind him but the team have played down their chances of upsetting Red Bull. Do they have a chance?

Lando Norris' track limit violations in qualifying mean a front row start evaporated, and he will instead begin in 10th, hampering McLaren's hopes. Oscar Piastri will start sixth.

Ferrari - the only team to interrupt Red Bull's winning streak this year - have Charles Leclerc fifth and Carlos Sainz12th. Keep an eye on the under pressure Lance Stroll who is way down in 17th.

‘F1 Qatar Grand Prix’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1037543/1/starting-grid-todays-f1-qatar-grand-prix-how-race-will-begin


What's annoyed F1 drivers most about Qatar GP tyre problems.
Oct 7, 2023
by Edd Straw
The Race

Formula 1 drivers have criticised the communications surrounding the Qatar Grand Prix weekend tyre troubles, with some indicating they first heard about the problem through unofficial channels and, in some cases, even the media. It’s also understood that the FIA felt the right course of action would be to understand the problem and propose a solution, which was worked on at length on Saturday morning with a full report composed, prior to presenting it to the drivers.

Mercedes driver and GPDA director George Russell was among those to complain about the communications. He also felt the idea of mandating three stops was too big an intervention. “I found out from a text on WhatsApp, from another driver in our group chat, which is obviously not ideal,” said Russell.

“It’s part and parcel of a sprint race weekend. If you go to a track like Barcelona, you get all the practice in and you know that in the race, after all the information that has been gathered, it’s going to be a two or a three-stop. If you try one stop, it’s just not going to work.”

‘What's annoyed F1 drivers most’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/whats-annoyed-f1-drivers-most-about-qatar-gp-problems/


FIA to make call on three-stop Qatar GP after Sunday F1 team meeting.
A decision on whether the Qatar Grand Prix will need mandated stint lengths over tyre safety concerns will be taken following a Formula 1 team managers meeting on Sunday afternoon.
Oct 7, 2023, 10:33 PM
By: Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

In a press release sent out following the sprint race, Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola stated: “It was a particularly busy day for Pirelli.

“As previously mentioned, during our usual analysis last night after free practice, we discovered that some tyres that had done 20 or more laps were showing signs of micro lacerations in the sidewall, between the topping compound and the carcass cords, most likely caused by the impact generated by repeatedly going over the kerbs at some corners, especially Turns 12 and 13.”

“We immediately informed the FIA, who proceeded to take action, by revising the track limits at these corners and instigating an additional free practice session prior to the sprint shootout, to allow the drivers to check out the new lines through this part of the track.”

‘Decision tyre safety concerns will be taken following a Formula 1 team managers meeting on Sunday afternoon’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-to-make-call-on-three-stop-qatar-gp-after-sunday-f1-team-meeting/10530225/


George Russell ignites Max Verstappen fight after World Championship confirmed
George Russell has ignited the fight with Max Verstappen and Red Bull after he confirmed his third World Championship.
20:29, Sat, Oct 7, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Verstappen has been simply untouchable in 2023, taking 13 wins from a possible 16 ahead of the Qatar GP weekend to line up his third World Championship in record-breaking style.

Unfortunately for Russell, Mercedes have rarely been in the fight this year. The 25-year-old driver notched his first win in Brazil last year but has been unable to challenge Verstappen at the front so far this season.

Despite this, Russell still believes that his team can take the fight to Red Bull in 2024. They'll be better placed to do so after scrapping the 'zeropod' design philosophy ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this year.

‘George Russell ignites Max Verstappen fight’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1821198/George-Russell-Max-Verstappen-World-Championship

[Fortitude]

F1 tyre chaos in Qatar leads to FIA bombshell.
The F1 2023 Qatar GP could see an unprecedented number of pit stops, with the FIA introducing a mandatory limit on stint length.
October 8, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

As was the case in Free Practice 1, this issue has likely been caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyre sidewall. And the 50mm ‘pyramid’ kerbs used extensively at this circuit, aggravated by the propensity to ride those kerbs.

As a consequence, it has been decided by the FIA and Pirelli and after consultation with the teams on safety grounds, the following measures will be implemented for today’s Qatar Grand Prix:

• A mandatory limit of 18 laps of total tyre life per set will be imposed.
• The life of already used tyres will be taken into consideration.
• The FIA and Pirelli will communicate to the teams the remaining available laps for each set of used tyres at their disposal for the race and the criteria used to calculate that number.
• There is no direct mandate for at least three tyre-change pitstops during the race. However, this will be a consequence of the above guidelines should the race run its entire race distance.
• Any car deemed to have exceeded the tyre life lap limit will be reported to the Stewards as being run in unsafe condition.
• This information will be formally communicated to the teams in the Race Directors’ notes. Further updates will be issued as required.

‘Tyre chaos/ FIA bombshell’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/10/08/f1-qatar-gp-tire-chaos/


Drivers limited to 18 laps per tyre set at today’s F1 Qatar Grand Prix
8 Oct 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Pirelli will limit drivers to 18 laps per set of tyres at today’s F1 Qatar Grand Prix. A three-stop pitstop strategy will not be enforced, however with the 57-lap distance and only 18 laps permitted per tyre set, it is inevitable that each driver will pit three times.

A driver will be black flagged and disqualified if they exceed an 18-lap stint on a single set of tyres. Pirelli met with the F1 drivers on Sunday, six hours before the race is due to begin at 6pm UK, to discuss the late change of rules.

If a driver needs to run used tyres, they will receive two extra laps for the slow in and out-laps. If a driver used a set of tyres for five laps in practice or qualifying, they can use those tyres for 15 laps in the race. Tyre and track limit issues have been a constant theme all weekend in Qatar.

‘Black flagged and disqualified if they exceed an 18-lap stint’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1037659/1/drivers-limited-18-laps-tyre-set-today-s-f1-qatar-grand-prix


FIA double down on strict Qatar GP rules for F1 drivers despite "embarrassing" blast.
The FIA have announced a new approach to the Qatar Grand Prix after Max Verstappen was crowned a three-time world champion during Saturday's sprint race at the Losail Circuit.
8th October 2023, 14:30
By Daniel Orme Football Writer
The Mirror

Drivers could be forced into three or four pit stops as a minimum in the Qatar Grand Prix after the FIA confirmed that tyres will only be allowed to used for maximum of 18 laps amid safety fears.

The track has been narrowed at turns 12 and 13 in the hope of reducing the damage done to the tyres. Further analysis was also done following Saturday's Sprint race, with the call then being made to introduce the lap maximum.

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has already expressed his disdain at the forced changes in the face of tyre damage. Speaking in Qatar, he said: "It shouldn't happen, this should not happen in Formula 1.

"Embarrassing";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-formula-1-fia-qatar-31135747


FIA Statement – Treatment of tyres for the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix - UPDATE
08.10.23, 14:05
FIA (Press Release)

Following the standard analysis of tyres used during Free Practice 1 yesterday, in which tyres that have been used for approximately 20 laps are examined by Pirelli to check various safety parameters, a separation in the sidewall between the topping compound and the carcass cords on many of tyres that were checked was discovered.

It is the view of the FIA and Pirelli that a significant number of additional laps on these tyres could result in circumferential damage of the tyres with subsequent air loss, and tyres analysed with lower lap numbers showed a much-reduced extent of the issue.

This issue has likely been caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyre sidewall and the 50mm ‘pyramid’ kerbs used extensively at this circuit, aggravated by the propensity to ride those kerbs.

‘Update’;

https://www.fia.com/news/fia-statement-treatment-tyres-2023-fia-formula-1-qatar-grand-prix-update


FIA confirm radical safety measures for Qatar GP after tyre concerns
08 October 3:08PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

The FIA has confirmed F1 teams and drivers will be mandated to complete at least three pit stops during the Qatar Grand Prix. Pirelli analysis on Friday after free practice and qualifying showed that tyres which had been used for around 20 laps had signs of 'separation in the sidewall between the topping compound and the carcass cords'.

With the risk of blowouts increased for tyres that surpassed this stint length, changes were made to the track limits at Turns 12 and 13 as the issue was believed to have been caused by 'high-frequency interference' between the sidewall and 50mm 'pyramid' kerbs used at the circuit. FIA Single Seater Director Nicolas Tombazis was quick to stress that these kerbs were FIA-sanctioned and were not to blame for the issue.

‘Radical safety measures’;

https://racingnews365.com/fia-confirm-radical-safety-measures-for-qatar-gp-after-tyre-concerns

[Fortitude]

2023 F1 Qatar GP results: Max Verstappen wins, Mercs collide.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix, the 18th round of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, in a pitstop-filled race due to tyre fears.
8th October 2023, 19:43
By: Charles Bradley
Motorsport.com

Polesitter Verstappen, who started on medium tyres, led Russell and Hamilton on the long run to the first corner – the latter starting on soft rubber. As Hamilton lunged around the outside of those ahead of him, the Mercedes pair collided, sending Hamilton spinning into the gravel minus his right-rear wheel. Russell limped back to the pits for a new front wing.

That promoted Piastri to second, ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso (who was delayed avoiding the spinning Russell), Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Norris.

The drama right from the start when the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton collided at the first corner, allowed three-time champion Verstappen to pull well clear out front. Sprint winner Oscar Piastri was best of the rest for McLaren, finishing just ahead of his team-mate Lando Norris. Russell recovered to finish fourth.

‘Max Verstappen wins, Mercs collide’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/2023-f1-qatar-gp-results-verstappen-wins-mercedes-clash/10530591/


Race Results – 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
8th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 57 laps
2. Oscar Piastri McLaren +4.833
3. Lando Norris McLaren +5.969
4. George Russell Mercedes +34.119
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +38.976
6. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +49.032
7. Esteban Ocon Alpine +62.390
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +66.563
9. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +75.181
10. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +76.127

‘Qatar Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race around the Losail International Circuit’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-qatar-grand-prix-83287


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
08 October 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-qatar-airways-qatar-grand-prix-2023.4kZozt8UbEtid1MgeglrT7.html


F1 Qatar Grand Prix 2023 - LIVE UPDATES!
8th October 2023, 17:15
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Follow the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘As it happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-qatar-grand-prix-2023-live-updates


Toto Wolff sends stern George Russell radio blast after Lewis Hamilton crash at Qatar GP.
Toto Wolff did not travel to the Qatar Grand Prix as he recovers from knee surgery, but had a radio line to his drivers which he used after Lewis Hamilton and George Russell crashed.
08 October 2023, 18:53
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

An animated Russell swore loudly over the radio before shouting: "Come on! What the hell? Guys, come on. Two races in a row." He later went on to apologise and explain what he felt had caused the coming-together with his team-mate.

He said: "I'm so sorry guys, I wasn't even looking behind. I was just focused ahead and just came from nowhere. F***ing lost for words, honestly. Just seen the replays on the TV screen. I couldn't do anything, totally sandwiched."

He was dwelling on the incident so much that team principal Wolff, watching on from home as he recovers from knee surgery, to find a radio line to Russell to sternly remind him: "George, let's race now, let's make the best out of it."

‘Toto Wolff radio blast’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/toto-wolff-sends-stern-george-31137518


Oscar Piastri made a cheeky comment in the aftermath of his second-ever F1 podium at the Qatar Grand Prix
19:42, Sun, Oct 8, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Oscar Piastri poked fun at Lewis Hamilton's lap one crash with his Mercedes team-mate in a radio message after the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday.

Piastri went on to manage his race perfectly, keeping the now-three-time world champion in his sights and fighting off the advances of Norris to seal his second F1 podium finish, one day after taking his first win.

He made sure to thank Hamilton for his role in the result too. Speaking on the radio after the chequered flag, Piastri said: "Nice assistance from whoever bowled everyone in turn one, thank you!"

‘Cheeky comment’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1821445/Oscar-Piastri-Lewis-Hamilton-crash-Qatar-GP

[Fortitude]

“Wow, thankyou Mercedes!” Astonished reaction in cooldown room after F1 Qatar Grand Prix.
The collision between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell astonished the podium trio in the cooldown room after the F1 Qatar Grand Prix.
8 Oct 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Race winner Max Verstappen and McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were exhausted after the grand prix when they saw a replay of the headline clash between the Mercedes drivers. Hamilton took the blame for the incident which caused him to retire early.

Norris said: “George couldn’t do anything.”
Piastri asked: “Who caused it, at the start?”
Verstappen replied: “Lewis turned in too much.”
Norris said: “George couldn’t have done anything else.”
Piastri reacted: “What? Was it Lewis and George that crashed?”
Norris: “Yeah.”
Piastri: “Ha! Wow. Thank you, Mercedes.”

Norris: “Yeah, it made our lives a lot easier, huh? George was quite quick.”
Verstappen: “You know what they call that? The law of the jungle.”
A tired Verstappen joked that he was too weary to carry away the winner’s trophy.
He teased Norris: “Can you take it?”
Norris: “The trophy? I’ll break it, if you want!”

“Thank you, Mercedes”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1037749/1/wow-thankyou-mercedes-astonished-reaction-cooldown-room


'Russell and Hamilton will never be the same after this' - Fears for Mercedes duo after Qatar collision
Monday 9 October 2023 07:42
Ronan Murphy
GPFans

Formula 1 fans are concerned that the first-turn collision between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell could have a long-lasting effect on the duo. Both drivers were battling Max Verstappen at the start of the Qatar Grand Prix and with Hamilton trying to overtake on soft tyres, leaving his team-mate with nowhere to turn. At the time, Hamilton said "I've just got taken out by my own team-mate," but later told Sky Sports "I'm happy to take responsibility."

Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton never crashed in their 5 years as teammates. #F1 https://t.co/VNxnGh4WQC
— Unicorn�� (@hamburgerh0tdog) October 8, 2023
That’s quite frankly ridiculous. SURELY Russell, Hamilton and Mercedes KNEW AND DISCUSSED Lewis on softs was always going to get a better launch. Why would Russell defend him?

Utterly, utterly ridiculous
— DRS Open Podcast (@DRSOpenPod) October 8, 2023

george russell ruining lewis hamilton’s race every time he has a chance of winning needs to be studied.
— elle (@HAMLEWISIRR) October 8, 2023
Lewis Hamilton was ahead of Max Verstappen and George Russell at the start. #f1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/Gqb5wxb3u3
— Unicorn�� (@hamburgerh0tdog) October 8, 2023

‘Will never be the same’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005452/lewis-hamilton-george-russell-mercedes-relationship-qatar-grand-prix-collision/


Qatar GP conclusions: Lewis Hamilton alarm, pivotal moment for Max Verstappen
09 Oct 2023 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

On the day Mercedes team-mates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finally came to blows, here are our conclusions from Lusail… Lewis Hamilton: Yesterday’s man? When the Wolff is away, the Mercedes drivers will play. And not very nicely either.

With the Mercedes team boss absent as he recovers from knee surgery, Hamilton and Russell got too close to comfort on a number of occasions at the previous race at Suzuka, but with fifth place their limit on the day – and a deficit of almost a minute to race winner Verstappen to worry about first – the tension between the drivers was easy enough to drain away. But a first corner collision in Qatar, as both were lining up moves on Verstappen in the only chance Mercedes had all night to make an impression on Red Bull? Different story.

It will help that Hamilton took responsibility for the contact, albeit only after initially blaming Russell in the heat of the moment over team radio, but for the seven-time World Champion – guilty of not leaving enough room on the inside – this is the latest in what has become a worrying pattern of uncharacteristic mistakes stretching back to his previous opening-lap retirement at Spa last year.

‘Yesterday’s man?’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/conclusions-2023-qatar-grand-prix


Hamilton fined $80,000 after Qatar crash
Monday 9th October, 2023 - 7:39am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Officials have fined Lewis Hamilton more than AUD $80,000 after he crossed the track following his opening corner retirement in the Qatar Grand Prix. Hamilton came together with his Mercedes team-mate George Russell as they swept into the right-hander with enough force to break the seven-time champion’s right-rear wheel. He spun into the gravel, his race is over, venting his frustration over the radio to his team.

After climbing from the car, Hamilton then crossed the live race track behind the train behind the Safety Car his crash had triggered, but before Russell had emerged from the pit lane. While nothing came of the investigation into the crash itself, stewards did take issue with Hamilton crossing the racing surface.

“After crashing out of the race in Lap 1, the driver of Car 44 abandoned his car in the gravel and ran back to the pits,” the stewards noted in their report. “He thereby crossed the track that was live at this time and reached the inside edge of the track just seconds before Car 63 arrived at high speed after exiting the pits. He then continued to walk alongside the track until finally exiting the track.”

‘Hamilton fined $80,000’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/09/hamilton-fined-80000-after-qatar-crash/


‘We had discussed it in the morning’ - Toto Wolff stand-in reacts to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell's crash
8 Oct 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes have described the first-lap collision between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at the F1 Qatar Grand Prix as the “worst possible thing that can happen.”

"Worst possible start and the worst possible thing that can happen for a race team to see your two cars collide,” said Mercedes communications director Bradley Lord, who along with Jerome D’Ambrosio and Andrew Shovlin, is standing in for Mercedes boss Toto Wolff while he recovers from knee surgery. "For sure, on Lap 1 with George at the back and Lewis in the gravel, things didn't look brilliant at all.”

"To turn that around with George in P4 and outscoring Ferrari on an afternoon was not something we could have hoped for once we were one lap into the race. What might have been is clear to see. We were right on the pace of the McLarens, probably not within striking distance of Max, but there's a double podium that could have been today.”

‘Mercedes F1: “Worst possible thing that can happen”!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1037755/1/we-had-discussed-it-wolff-standin-reacts-hamiltonrussell-crash


Nico Rosberg pins ‘100%’ blame on Lewis Hamilton for George Russell clash
08 Oct 2023 8:25
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Rosberg, who had multiple high-profile collisions of his own with Hamilton while they were duelling for titles at Mercedes, including at Spa in 2014 and Barcelona in 2016, believes his former team-mate was fully to blame for Sunday’s incident.

He admitted it was only a “slight misjudgement” on Hamilton’s part, but it was enough to see him out of the Qatar Grand Prix. “So Lewis had soft tyres, so he just tries to go around the outside, but it’s three people going into Turn 1, and it was 100% Lewis’ error there,” Rosberg stated on Sky Sports F1.

“It’s a slight misjudgement, and it’s not a big misjudgement, a slight misjudgement, doesn’t leave quite enough space for George there, so it’s all on Lewis – which actually he already admitted to, he kind of took responsibility for it.”

‘Nico Rosberg: ‘100%’ blame on Lewis Hamilton’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-rosberg-blames-lewis-hamilton-george-russell-clash


Our verdict on Hamilton/Russell Qatar clash and consequences
Oct 8, 2023
The Race

Our writers give their verdict on what happened in the incident and the implications it has on the future.
Ben Anderson: Only one driver was at fault

Glenn Freeman: Credit to Hamilton for taking blame
Josh Suttill: Inevitable this was coming

Jack Benyon: Worrying incident for a driver of Hamilton's calibre
Sam Smith: Important to not over-analyse this

‘Our verdict’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/our-verdict-on-hamilton-russell-qatar-clash-and-consequences/

[Fortitude]

Passing out and vomiting - F1 drivers' Qatar GP nightmare.
The extreme conditions Formula 1 drivers faced in the Qatar Grand Prix went “beyond the limit of what was acceptable” in a “dangerous” race that featured drivers “passing out in the car”, vomiting in their helmets, pulling out of the race and collapsing in the aftermath.
Oct 8, 2023
by Josh Suttill, Ben Anderson, Edd Straw
The Race

“This is the toughest race for every driver in Formula 1 of our careers for everyone, no exception. I don’t believe the one that says it’s not,” was Charles Leclerc’s stark post-race verdict. There were plenty of drivers in public agreement, with Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director George Russell labelling it an “absolutely brutal race” as he experienced a new level of exhaustion within the cockpit.

Seventh-place finisher Esteban Ocon was actually physically sick in his helmet “for two laps” in his Alpine less than a third of the way into the race. “That was the hardest-fought points that I’ve ever had to fight for,” Ocon said after the race. I was feeling ill, lap 15, 16, I was throwing up for two laps inside the cockpit. And then I was like, ‘S*** that’s going to be a long race'.”

F1 rookie Logan Sargeant wasn’t able to finish the race, voluntarily ending his grand prix due to the exhaustion, having been already “weakened by flu-like symptoms” earlier in the week. He and team-mate Alex Albon both visited the medical centre after the race, with Albon “treated for acute heat exposure”. Valtteri Bottas called the conditions “torture” while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll said he was “passing out in the car” and “fading in and out” due to the conditions.

‘Passing out and vomiting’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/passing-out-and-vomiting-f1-drivers-qatar-gp-nightmare/


Racing at Qatar makes F1 drivers sick – Up and down in Lu(o)sail
October 9th 2023
Author: James Elson
Motor Sport Magazine

The idea of racing in the UAE is usually vomit-inducing due to much of the region's human rights abuses against its own citizens and the horrifically bland tracks – but this time in Qatar things got even worse

Drivers were fainting and vomiting, the pitstops were flowing, but it was the same old story out front as Verstappen cruised so easily to a third title it looked like he barely noticed – giving the impression he kind of won the F1 2023 title by accident.

‘F1 drivers sick’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/racing-at-qatar-makes-f1-drivers-sick-up-and-down-in-luosail/?nowprocket=1#


Why were F1 drivers so sick at Qatar GP?
A number of drivers were seeking medical attention after an exhausting Qatar Grand Prix.
09 October 11:58AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Williams' Logan Sargeant pulled out mid-race due to illness whilst Alpine's Esteban Ocon was sick in his helmet early on. Alex Albon and Lance Stroll both struggled to extract themselves from their cars in parc fermé, whilst up in the podium cooldown room, Oscar Piastri took a lie down to regather himself.

The humidity was also high in Doha as the wind dropped from the first two days of running. With less cool air from the breeze to cool the effects of the temperature and humidity, one mitigating variable was removed. Drivers are affected by wasted heat from the car's mechanics, such as the power unit, as Fernando Alonso demonstrated when radioing his Aston Martin team to complain of his seat burning.

George Russell could be seen lifting his visor in the hope of finding cooling air when pitting for Mercedes, with Lando Norris pictured doing similar for McLaren. But on the race track, when Yuki Tsunoda attempted to get airflow into his helmet, the AlphaTauri driver was met with a face full of sand.

‘Drivers were seeking medical attention’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-were-f1-drivers-so-sick-at-qatar-gp


F1 Qatar Grand Prix: Why so many drivers fell ill and update on Logan Sargeant's health
Williams driver Logan Sargeant retired during yesterday's Qatar GP due to health concerns
Published 9th Oct 2023, 09:43 BST
By David George
National World

The gruelling heat of Qatar caused major problems for F1 drivers at the weekend. Williams driver Logan Sargeant retired halfway through the grand prix, telling his team over the radio that he "felt sick" and eventually pulling into the garage. Meanwhile, Alpine driver Esteban Ocon threw up in his helmet during the race - something he said he's "never had" before. Ocon finished seventh for the French team.

Other drivers, including Sargeant's teammate Alex Albon and Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll, were seen struggling to get out of their cars at the end of the grand prix. Williams later confirmed that Albon was taken to the medical centre "to be treated for acute heatstroke" with Sargeant and numerous other drivers also getting assessed by doctors.

Dehydration was also an issue, and was the first symptom of Sargeant's condition. Drivers have fluids they can drink during the race, but in a bid to save weight many have been putting the bare minimum into the car. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri said: "It was a combination of a lot of things - the humidity, having three stops meant we were pushing flat out and just the nature of the track - there's a lot of high-speed corners that just naturally take its toll. Definitely the hardest race I've done."

‘Many drivers fell ill’;

https://www.nationalworld.com/sport/formula-1/f1-qatar-grand-prix-why-drivers-ill-update-logan-sargeant-health-4364543


F1 drivers admit huge health concerns at extreme Qatar GP
Monday 9 October 2023 06:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans

The Qatar GP was unprecedented in many ways and the physicality of the race certainly fell into that category. Rarely have we seen drivers voluntarily go to the medical centre after the race to get checked over for heat exhaustion and dehydration but that's what we got in Losail.

The high forces of the track coupled with immense heat, even at night, made the 2023 Qatar GP a brutal affair with no safety cars to break up the action after the opening lap. Every driver who completed a large amount of the race found it extremely tough, including the Grand Prix Drivers' Association Director, George Russell.

Lance Stroll admitted severe safety concerns over driving the last part of the race. "Everything goes blurry," the Aston Martin star admitted. "You know, I mean the last 25-30 laps, which is blurry in the high speed corners and blood pressure dropping and just passing out basically in the car in the high speed corners and high G forces. So you're relying just on your visual reference to the outside of the track and what that is. The last the last 20-25 laps, you can't really see anything because you're just fading as you're going through those corners."

‘Huge health concerns’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005470/f1-qatar-grand-prix-conditions-sick-george-russell-charles-leclerc-lando-norris/

[Fortitude]

‘I’m very proud’ – Emotional Jos Verstappen heaps praise on son Max after latest F1 title win.
Jos Verstappen expressed his pride and emotion as he reacted to son Max securing a third successive F1 championship title over the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, praising him for being “so dominant” all year long.
09 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Speaking to Sky Sports after the title was sealed, Verstappen senior, himself a former F1 racer, commented: “It’s the way he did it. He was so dominant this year and he delivered really well. I’m very proud of that.”

Jos, who played a key role in Max’s junior career and journey through the motorsport ranks, was asked if he always knew his son would go on to achieve such success. “I knew it a long time [ago] when he was in go-karts,” he said. “I think we made the right decisions in the beginning of his career and I must say now it’s up to him what he does.”

“I’m just very happy how he does it, how strong he is and the way he works for that [success]. The credit is definitely for Max.” With Verstappen joining an elite club of three-time world champions, the question on many people’s lips is how many the 26-year-old can rack up during his time in F1. “We will see, we don’t know yet,” added Jos, with Max’s Red Bull contract set to run through the 2028 season. “This is a good thing, we have to enjoy it, then we’ll see.”

‘I’m very proud’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.im-very-proud-emotional-jos-verstappen-heaps-praise-on-son-max-after-latest.2QHKrD7VvbazFyGyx6wF1.html


Max Verstappen has won the right to hold his head up high in F1’s most elite company
04:07 Mon, 09 Oct 2023.
David Tremayne
The Straits Times

It’s impossible to look back on the Qatar Grand Prix and not mention Max Verstappen and his third world championship. Like a young child, everything he has done in 2023 has been demanding and attention seeking, albeit in a very adult manner.

Has there ever been a driver so utterly in control of all of his circumstances, so dominantly successful?

‘In F1’s most elite company’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/max-verstappen-has-won-the-right-to-hold-his-head-up-high-in-f1-s-most-elite-company


Verstappen on the same level as Senna says Berger
With the championship now all decided and a full five grands prix left to run in 2023, column inches will be full of the proposition: Is Max Verstappen the best Formula 1 driver of all time.
OCTOBER 9, 2023
GrandPrix.com

F1 legend Gerhard Berger, a friend of the Red Bull team, is arguably best known for being teammate at McLaren to the great Ayrton Senna. The Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport asked him: is Verstappen even better than his fellow triple-world champion Senna was?

I've always seen Senna as the greatest of all time, Berger said. "But I have to say that Max is on the same level. He doesn't make mistakes, he is always fast in any condition - wet, dry, fast or slow tracks, he is always in front. He is truly an excellent driver. I think he and Senna are drivers we will remember forever.”

Another question that will be hotly debated in the remaining races of 2023 is whether Verstappen and Red Bull will be challenged any harder by their rivals next year. Berger answered: "You can never know about that. Next year everyone will have a new car and hope the gap will be smaller because it is more spectacular to see. But if we remove Max we can already see a good championship, because Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin and Mercedes are all on a similar level.”

‘Same level as Senna’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/verstappen-on-the-same-level-as-senna-says-berger.html


Verstappen equals Senna in F1 record books after bagging EPIC milestone
Monday 9 October 2023 17:29
Joe Ellis
GPFans

When it comes to the greatest in F1, many people will look at championships and races won but to see true brilliance, you have to look at another statistic. The term 'grand slam' is more commonly heard in tennis or even rugby but it is a rare thing to accomplish for an F1 driver.

It is when a driver takes pole position, fastest lap, wins and leads every lap of the race which is an incredibly hard thing to do in a sport where the smallest margins matter. At the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, though, it happened and Max Verstappen moved himself alongside some true F1 greats as he did so.

‘Verstappen equals Senna’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005465/max-verstappen-ayrton-senna-red-bull-f1-records-qatar-grand-prix-grand-slam/


How ‘new breed’ Max Verstappen differs from Schumacher and Hamilton
09 Oct 2023 8:15 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill says the “new breed” Max Verstappen comes from a background where he was moulded as a racer from a young age by his father Jos, a figure which Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton did not have.

“He’s got a good head on his shoulders and he’s mature. He’s come into Formula 1 aged 17, before he could even drive a road car and was volatile and quick, and he’s managed to combine that youth and speed with experience now.

“And I think in the interview he gave at the weekend with Karun Chandhok, he was very clear that he was admitting that he understands now what the job is better, so he’s just getting better and better all the time.” With Verstappen now on 14 grand prix wins for F1 2023, he is on course to topple his own record of 15 wins in a single season, with five rounds of the campaign remaining.

‘New breed’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/how-new-breed-max-verstappen-differs-from-schumacher-and-hamilton


Marko reveals two sides of Verstappen and how F1 champion has changed
Tuesday 10 October 2023, 08:27
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has stated that Max Verstappen has two different sides to him depending on whether or not he is behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car.

Marko has now heaped praise on Verstappen, someone who the Austrian claims has a different side to him when his race helmet goes on. "Since his first world title in 2021, he has improved incredibly and at the same time found a certain calmness," he told Sky Germany.

"The current season is characterised by the fact that there were no slumps, there were no mistakes. Driving at such a level every weekend at that age is unique. He is absolutely down to earth," Marko added. "Lives his own life, but the focus is clearly on Formula 1. So as I said, outside of the car he is the ideal son-in-law. But things change drastically in the car."

‘No slumps’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005386/helmut-marko-max-verstappen-f1-champion-qatar-grand-prix-red-bull/


Verstappen now a “very polished diamond” after third F1 title win – Horner
10th October 2023, 8:15
Written by Ed Hardy and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said Max Verstappen is now a “very polished diamond” after winning his third world championship. Verstappen sealed the title in Saturday’s sprint race at Losail International Circuit. The 26-year-old is the 11th driver in the sport’s history to win the championship three times.

“He’s always had the speed from the moment he sat in the car and I think that he now couples that with experience,” Horner, whose team also took Sebastian Vettel to four world titles, told media including RaceFans. “He arrived in Formula 1 as quite a rough diamond, he’s now a very polished diamond and I think that he’s maintained all those raw attributes that he had but now brings experience.”

“I think we’ve known it was coming from about the fourth or fifth race,” he said. “It’s been the most outstanding, unbelievable season.” However, it is still beyond anything Red Bull could ever have dreamed of as the team has won all but one grand prix in 2023 so far. “It’s exceeded all our expectations,” said Horner. “Max as a driver has just continued to evolve. The level that he’s now operating at, the way he’s able to read races, manage tyres, the mental strength that he has in the high pressure moments, it’s absolutely outstanding.”

“Very polished diamond”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/10/verstappen-now-a-very-polished-diamond-after-third-f1-title-win-horner/

[Fortitude]

Sainz issues BLAME after Ferrari DNS nightmare in Qatar.
International Circuit were to blame for the petrol tank issue which left him unable to start the Qatar Grand Prix.
Monday 9 October 2023 19:48
Sam Cook
GPFans

"I found damage to the petrol tank and it could be due to the kerbs," he said. "A more in-depth investigation will be needed to understand what really happened and how. In any case, the damage was irreparable because we lost too much petrol."

Also speaking to Sky Sports F1, team boss Fred Vasseur agreed with Sainz on the potential cause of the Spaniard's issue.

“We haven’t had time to take the tank off yet, but probably [it’s due to the kerbs] because the leak seems significant, so there’s significant damage," he said. "It probably comes from the last laps of yesterday."

‘Could be due to the kerbs’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005504/carlos-sainz-ferrari-f1-qatar-grand-prix-nightmare-petrol-tank-losail-track/


Sainz: ‘Impossible’ to detect fuel system issue before race day
09/10/2023 at 15:07
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz says the fuel system issue that sidelined him from the Qatar Grand Prix went undetected due the relatively low levels of fuel run by Ferrari on Friday and Saturday. During the run-up to last Sunday’s race, the Scuderia mechanics identified a fuel system problem on Sainz’s car and the crews set out to fix the issue before the start of the race.

Sadly, with one hour to go, it became obvious for the team that a timely repair would not be possible, leaving Ferrari with no other choice but to pull out its #55 entry. A massively disappointed Sainz lamented missing an opportunity to put more points on the board after his recent series of solid runs that included his win in Singapore.

‘Fuel system issue’;

https://f1i.com/news/489682-sainz-impossible-to-detect-fuel-system-issue-before-race-day.html


Carlos Sainz blasts FIA in brutal rant as Ferrari driver forced to miss Qatar GP
Carlos Sainz was forced to miss the start of the Qatar Grand Prix after a fuel system issue, capping off a miserable weekend.
15:22, Mon, Oct 9, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, team principal Fred Vasseur explained: “It was when we put the petrol in that the problem appeared, not before. You can say that we could have put the fuel in earlier but it doesn't work that way. There definitely wasn't enough time to change the tank. I honestly don't know [why it happened], we need to investigate.”

“There hasn't been time to remove the tank yet, but probably yes [it's due to the curbs], because the leak seems very large and therefore there is significant damage. It probably comes from yesterday's last laps."

If the Ferrari boss’ theory is proven true then this gives more credence to Sainz’s frustration about the way the FIA went about their changes in Qatar. He said: “There has been a resurface, a redoing of the curbs, and for some reason, the FIA persisted with this design of curbs that is killing Pirelli tyres.

‘FIA persisted with this design of curbs that is killing Pirelli tyres’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1821727/Carlos-Sainz-Ferrari-Qatar-GP


Leclerc says fifth was the best he could do in Qatar as Sainz laments 'cruel' fuel leak that ruled him out of the race
09 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc believes his fifth place finish at the Qatar Grand Prix was the best he could have done this weekend, while Carlos Sainz was left lamenting a fuel leak on his Ferrari that caused him to pull out of the race before it even started.

Asked if he was happy about his performance, Leclerc said: “Happy? No. Because when you see the race of George when he is out in Turn 1 and then manages to finish in front, [I] think it’s a surprise for us the pace of the Mercedes today.”

“At the end for us it was a bit damage limitation for the race today. Unfortunately, we had Carlos out straight at the start, [and] we had to take a bit more margin with the way I was driving, but all in all we maximised what we could have done.”

‘Maximised’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.leclerc-says-fifth-was-the-best-he-could-do-in-qatar-as-sainz-laments-cruel.2arSNrs7NsUGskzn8RG87o.html


F1 races could be axed as FIA chief sides with Charles Leclerc after driver complaints
Numerous F1 stars were pulled up for track limits infringements at the Qatar Grand Prix.
13:51, Tue, Oct 10, 2023
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has suggested that some circuits could be axed from the F1 calendar unless alterations are made. Track limits infringements dominated proceedings in Austria and Qatar, with Charles Leclerc among the drivers to complain about punishments dished out by the stewards at Losail Circuit.

Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon were all hit with multiple penalties for exceeding track limits in Qatar. A total of 51 infringements were pounced on by stewards - more than any other race this season apart from Austria. "We are speaking about centimetres at 280kph," moaned Leclerc after the chequered flag.

"In qualifying, when we are fresh, it’s possible to respect them. But then it’s just a nightmare at the end of the race. So, maybe there are things that we could do because these cars now are so quick in the high-speed corners, so when you are doing quali laps after quali laps, the G-forces we are going through for 57 laps with this heat is crazy."

‘Driver complaints’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1822112/f1-fia-charles-leclerc-mohammed-ben-sulayem-qatar-grand-prix

[Fortitude]

EL PLAN: Alonso pleased to feel ‘more competitive’ again in Qatar.
Fernando Alonso admits that he was pleased to feel “more competitive” than in previous rounds in Qatar.
09:28 Tue, 10 Oct 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Although McLaren closed further in the standings, Alonso was encouraged by Aston Martin’s weekend performance at the Lusail circuit compared to previous rounds. “I felt more competitive this weekend than the last few events,” he said. “Ninth in Monza, no points in Singapore, ninth in Japan, so I think a little bit better this weekend.”

Alonso, now in his 20th F1 season, believes Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix resides in the “top three” hardest races he’s ever encountered. “One of the hardest [races] for sure,” he noted. “I think when we were racing in Malaysia in Sepang in [the] daytime, I remember those to be very extreme. I think it was Bahrain 2005 it was like 41 degrees, extremely hot. And then here, for sure in the top three.”

‘EL PLAN: Encouraged by Aston Martin’s weekend performance’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/10/alonso-pleased-to-feel-more-competitive-again-in-qatar/


Alonso calls Qatar pace ‘a positive surprise’ as Stroll’s penalties deny Aston Martin double points
10 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso was able to capitalise on his strong qualifying performance and bring home his best result since Zandvoort with a solid sixth place finish in Qatar, but it was anything but a straightforward night for the Spaniard.

“The weekend was a little bit more competitive than what we thought so that was a positive surprise but we still need to improve in the next couple of races,” he said afterwards, with his points haul helping to keep Aston Martin just ahead of McLaren in fourth in the constructors’ championship.

“[McLaren are] very strong and better than us. There’s nothing we can do, we just have to respect their performance and they have this momentum but we still cannot give up. Hopefully in the next three races we have a strong weekend, score with both cars and they have a bad weekend and then we open the gap, but at the moment it is tough.”

‘EL PLAN: A positive surprise’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alonso-calls-qatar-pace-a-positive-surprise-as-strolls-penalties-deny-aston.7bdisz1yXZqNwIh4oLgn1d.html


Aston Martin forbidden by F1 rules as Fernando Alonso suffers ‘semi-burns’
10 Oct 2023 1:45 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has revealed he suffered a “semi-burn” on his right-hand side in the extreme conditions in Qatar with Aston Martin “not allowed” to throw water over him in a pitstop. Pitting shortly after the radio message was broadcast by FOM, Aston Martin did nothing but change the double World Champion’s tyres.

That’s because, Alonso says, throwing water over a driver is not allowed. “I think for Lance and myself, both of us, we were struggling a little bit with temperature in the seat on the right-hand side,” Alonso said.

“I got like burned in the first 15 laps so I even asked on the radio if they could throw me some water or something at the pit stop, which apparently is not allowed.” Reiterating that it was “not allowed, so they couldn’t help me on that” to Sky Sports, he added: “I have a very warm seat and by lap 15 I had a semi-burn on the right-hand side.”

‘FORBIDDEN EL PLAN: “I even asked on the radio if they could throw me some water”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando-alonso-suffered-semi-burn-qatar


Alonso asked team to throw water on him in pits ‘but apparently it’s not allowed’
9th October 2023, 0:329th October 2023, 0:32
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Alonso said he was burned by his seat during the Qatar Grand Prix and was disappointed to discover his team was not allowed to throw water on him to cool the area during the race.

“I think for Lance [Stroll] and myself, both of us, we were struggling a little bit with temperature in the seat on the right-hand side,” said Alonso. “I got like burned in the first 15 laps so I even asked on the radio if they could throw me some water or something at the pit stop, which apparently is not allowed.”

Teams may not add liquids to their cars as it would increase their weight, which could be used as a way of getting around the minimum mass limit.

‘FORBIDDEN EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso was in desperate need of cooling during the Qatar Grand Prix’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/09/racefans-round-up-09-10-6/


Rare Lance Stroll sympathy emerges in Fernando Alonso ‘hammering’
10 Oct 2023 10:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Taking a hammering from Fernando Alonso on the track, David Coulthard says he understands Lance Stroll’s frustration but that doesn’t make it okay for him to shove his trainer. Stroll had yet another on a long list of trying Grand Prix weekends in Qatar, starting with the Aston Martin driver’s failure to make it out of Q1 on Friday night.

Back in the garage and with his night’s work prematurely curtailed, Stroll initially threw his steering wheel onto the nose of his AMR23, potentially damaging the £20,000 steering wheel and scratching the car. His behaviour went from bad to worse as approached by his personal trainer Henry Howe, Stroll was seen shoving the Briton out of his way.

“That is a meltdown which I feel for him,” Coulthard told Channel 4. “That’s not something I thought I would say very often for Lance but he’s just getting absolutely hammered by Fernando Alonso and he’s had a meltdown. His trainer is just trying to do his job, which is get him to the scales.”

‘Rare Lance Stroll sympathy’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ex-red-bull-pair-feel-sorry-for-lance-stroll

[Fortitude]

Marko insists Red Bull rivals 'BETTER' than F1 champions in key area.
Helmut Marko has revealed that McLaren is superior to Red Bull in 'very fast corners', emphasising the need to push themselves to their limits to overcome this challenge.
Tuesday 10 October 2023 18:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans

This resurgence has led to speculation that McLaren could be a strong contender for the championship in the upcoming season. And in an interview with Sky Germany, Ralf Schumacher claimed that McLaren would be Red Bull’s ‘biggest threat’.

Marko responded, saying: “They are fast and stable on all tracks. They are the most consistent and we have to say that the McLaren is better than our car in very fast corners. So, when it's like this, we really have difficulties and have to push ourselves to the limit.”

‘Helmut Marko: McLaren is superior to Red Bull’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005414/helmut-marko-f1-red-bull-mclaren-max-verstappen-champion/


Marko highlights McLaren as potential 2024 title contender
October 10, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Dr Helmut Marko has spotlighted McLaren as perhaps the principal threat to Red Bull’s existing mastery of Formula 1 in 2024. His insight emerges after McLaren’s marked upswing this campaign after a somewhat lukewarm onset in 2023, with Oscar Piastri clinching the Qatar sprint race starting from pole, and his colleague Lando Norris following closely behind.

“They are our most regular pursuers now and they are still gaining momentum,” the Red Bull team counsellor Marko shared with Kronen Zeitung publication.

McLaren team leader Andrea Stella didn’t counter Marko’s projection. “It was a very positive weekend for us,” he conveyed to the Austrian channel ORF. “We are the second fastest car and that is really good for the future.

‘McLaren as potential 2024 title contender’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/marko-highlights-mclaren-as-potential-2024-title-contender/


Piastri Sprint win ‘very well deserved’
Tuesday 10th October, 2023 - 3:02pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella believes victory for Oscar Piastri in the F1 Sprint in Qatar was “very well deserved”. Stella, who has often spoken highly of his young Australian driver, was full and adulation for the 22-year-old.

“This victory comes in, to me, in a dominant way,” he said. “He was P1 in the shootout [on Saturday] afternoon and then he was very strong in the race; a strong pace, he could match [Max] Verstappen’s pace in the final laps, there was a racing situation, being overtaken, re-overtaking, so very well deserved. It adds a bit of history, another piece of history, to his career after the first podium.”

‘Very well deserved’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/10/piastri-sprint-win-very-well-deserved/


How Piastri survived and thrived in F1’s ugly wasteland as McLaren power shift looms
October 9th, 2023 2:52 pm
Jacob Polychronis from Fox Sports

Before even turning the wheel of a F1 car in anger, Oscar Piastri was lauded as a special talent who had what it took to succeed in the most cutthroat sport of all. “He is absolutely the real deal,” said commentator David Croft in March. “He looks a champion in the making to be honest, and has done for some time now.”

If Croft’s words weren’t believed already, then they’re almost impossible to ignore now with Piastri arguably F1’s most in-form driver. His second-place finish on Sunday behind Max Verstappen saw him named driver of the day, while the night before he became a race-winner in his rookie season by claiming the sprint in Qatar.

Lewis Hamilton (2007) and Juan Pablo Montoya (2001) are the only two drivers this century to win an F1 race in their rookie season. Many are still waiting to do so years after their debut season, such as McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who noted at the start of his post-race interview: “First win — earlier than mine...”

‘The real deal,’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2023-qatar-grand-prix-oscar-piastri-to-force-mclaren-power-shift-lando-norris-analysis-stats/news-story/54a1fbefb435c13c43c80295b503a79b


McLaren set all-time record with fastest F1 pit stop in Qatar Grand Prix
9 Oct 2023
Connor McDonagh

McLaren set a new all-time record for the fastest F1 pit stop during Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix.
As confirmed by DHL, Norris second pit stop on Lap 28 was timed at 1.8 seconds. The previous record was 1.82 seconds, held by Max Verstappen and Red Bull from the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix.

However, that respective time was done with the smaller, 13-inch tyres, rather than the heavier 18-inch ones that are used today. It capped off a remarkable weekend for McLaren, who won the sprint race with Oscar Piastri before securing another double-podium in the main event.

McLaren now sit just 11 points behind Aston Martin in the race for fourth in the F1 2023 constructors’ championship with five rounds to go.

‘Fastest F1 pit stop’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1037785/1/mclaren-set-alltime-record-fastest-f1-pit-stop-qatar


Norris podium celebration goes awry AGAIN
Wednesday 11 October 2023 18:42
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Lando Norris has celebrated standing on three successive podiums as the McLaren driver took P3 at the Qatar Grand Prix – but could not quite pull off his signature podium stunt.

Despite Norris’s best efforts, he could not get any champagne to fizz out of the bottle after giving it his best shot.

‘Goes awry AGAIN’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005561/lando-norris-f1-podium-celebration-qatar-grand-prix/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes 'have lost control' of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell as Toto Wolff blamed.
Former F1 team manager turned pundit Peter Windsor believes that the dynamic between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell is out of control, placing the blame at the feet of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
11:50, Mon, Oct 9, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

After Hamilton got a positive start off the line he attempted to make a move around the outside into turn one but failed to leave enough room for Russell on the inside, making contact on his right-rear tyre and sending him spinning out into the gravel trap. Both drivers were left frustrated on the radio with Hamilton claiming he was “taken out by my own team-mate,” and Russell raging that he was left with nowhere to go after watching the incident from his cockpit on one of the big screens.

Discussing the crash after the Qatar Grand Prix, Windsor commented: “Just imagine if Mercedes were in the running for the world championship in any given situation, in any given year, imagine what it'd be like between Lewis and George Russell. The management have absolutely no control over them now, and there is nothing they could do about it because there is no way you can ever say to George Russell, ‘Lewis may well try to pass you on the outside, let him go.’ It's never going to happen.”

“It's not a conversation that George would even begin to listen to. And that of course is what Mercedes never considered, I guess, when they hired George rather than keeping Valtteri Bottas." Windsor believes Mercedes boss Wolff was always asking for trouble by pitting together two clear winners, insisting Hamilton needed someone like 'Bottas or Sergio Perez' to partner him.

'Have lost control';

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1821624/Mercedes-Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell-Toto-Wolff


Hamilton will get new cockpit position – Wolff
October 12, 2023
by Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton will be happier at the wheel of Mercedes’ all-new 2024 car. “We have to get back to basics,” team boss Wolff, who was absent at Suzuka and Qatar after knee surgery, told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport. I don’t want to hear Lewis say anymore ‘My cockpit is too far forward’.”

However, he insisted that Mercedes has learned much more than that about why the 2022-2023 car concept wasn’t a success. “We know what we understand and will not pay attention to what we do not understand,” said Wolff. “The biggest problem is that the drivers have no confidence in the car. We have to give them a solid foundation to score good points.”

Wolff also admitted that part of the issue is simply that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is so far ahead of the rest of the field. “There is only one man at the moment who stands head and shoulders above the rest,” said the Austrian. “Ferrari, Aston Martin, McLaren and us are all in the same situation. At least we are second in the constructors’ championship, because after all these years we have learned how to optimise our results. It’s just that no one comes close to Verstappen.”

‘New cockpit position’;

https://grandpx.news/hamilton-will-get-new-cockpit-position-wolff/


George Russell lives right next to Toto Wolff and meets Mercedes boss 'every day'
George Russell and Toto Wolff have been spending time together in Monaco.
09:13, Wed, Oct 11, 2023
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

It seems as though Russell is happy to mix work with pleasure when it comes to meeting Wolff away from the paddock, with the pair often linking up for coffee when they are not travelling the world with Mercedes. They only live down the road from each other and have recently been learning to freedive with the help of Hamilton, who accompanied Russell on his first time in the water.

"I see them all the time in Monaco [Toto and Susie]," said Russell during an appearance on the Beyond the Grid podcast. "We live about 200 metres from each other. We go to the gym together, have coffee together daily. We don't really talk about racing, to be honest.

"We're learning to freedive together at the moment. We went with Lewis on our first experience into the water. I'm a kid from the countryside in the UK, watersports activities were never a thing. Suddenly this life has exposed me to so much which I'm so grateful for."

‘Spending time together in Monaco’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1822380/George-Russell-Toto-Wolff-Mercedes-F1-news


Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff and Manchester United bidder Jim Ratcliffe share $92 million payout even as team’s ad value tumbles
12:19 Wed, 11 Oct 2023.
BY Ryan Hogg
Fortune

Mercedes Benz’s billionaire F1 chief Toto Wolff and fellow billionaire Man Utd bidder Jim Ratcliffe will take big cuts of the F1 team’s £75 million ($92 million) dividend, despite the team’s waning on-track performance severely hurting the value of its TV coverage.

In an annual financial report filed Monday, Mercedes Benz-AMG Petronas’s chief Wolff said it had confirmed the dividend to its shareholders in March. It represents a steep rise on a £55 million ($67.5 million) dividend paid out in 2022.

For years Mercedes, led by Wolff—who is also a director at the F1 team—dominated the F1 track. The team won eight constructors’ championships in a row between 2014 and 2021, while its main driver Lewis Hamilton won the drivers’ world championship six times in that period.

‘Big dividend’;

https://fortune.com/2023/10/11/mercedes-poor-f1-season-cuts-advertisement-value-800-million-toto-wolff-man-utd-bidder-jim-ratcliffe-92-million-dividend/


Mercedes hint Lewis Hamilton's replacement is already lined up in 'very talented' driver
Lewis Hamilton is coming to the end of his F1 career, but Mercedes have the perfect driver waiting in the wings.
07:01, Thu, Oct 12, 2023
By Harry Smith

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has claimed that he is totally content with his driver line-up moving forward but also acknowledged that teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli is seen as the future of the Silver Arrows.

Wolff moved quickly to secure a new contract for George Russell in the summer, adding another two seasons to his existing contract, while seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton also put pen to paper on an extension that will keep him with the Brackley-based team into his forties.

What has remained up in the air is where Mercedes will go once Hamilton’s retirement does come. With Mick Schumacher in the reserve role and Frederik Vesti clearly not trusted to make the step up just yet, George Russell is without an obvious future partner.

'Very talented driver lined up’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1822545/Mercedes-Lewis-Hamilton-replacement

[Fortitude]

Should F1 SCRAP the Qatar Grand Prix? YOUR COMMENTS after drivers slam 'dangerously hot' race which saw Esteban Ocon vomit inside his helmet and Lance Stroll briefly pass out inside sweltering cockpits.
Fans have called for Formula One's farcical Qatar Grand Prix to be scrapped after one driver briefly lost consciousness and another vomited inside his helmet amid the sweltering temperatures during the race.
Published: 11:55, 10 October 2023
By Sam Mcevoy For Mailonline
Mail Online

George Russell and Lando Norris hit out at the event on Sunday which went 'beyond the limit of what is acceptable' with many drivers saying they were feeling sick and close to passing out. Temperatures in the drivers' cockpits exceeded 50 degrees for the 57-lap race in Lusail which lasted one hour and 28 minutes. Canadian driver Lance Stroll said he faded in and out of consciousness because of the extreme heat and humidity during the race and was also seen stumbling towards an ambulance moments after he emerged from his Aston Martin.

And the news that drivers' health has been put at risk due to the extreme conditions has seen many of our readers call for the Gulf State race to be scrapped. One commenter said: 'Scrap the contract with Qatar. Driver safety should be number one priority. Imagine passing out while driving at over 300km/hr.'

Another agreed, insisting that drivers potentially passing out is not only a major safety risk for those in the cockpit but fans in attendance as well. 'Passing out in an f1 car turns into into a 1 ton bullet travelling at 300 kmph. Its not just a danger to the driver but others including fans. Qatar should be scrapped immediately,' they said.

‘Driver safety should be number one priority’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12613917/Should-F1-SCRAP-Qatar-Grand-Prix-COMMENTS-drivers-slam-dangerously-hot-race-saw-Esteban-Ocon-vomit-inside-helmet-Lance-Stroll-briefly-pass-inside-sweltering-cockpits.html


Mark Webber details alarming driver scene in gruelling Qatar GP fall-out
12 Oct 2023 3:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Mark Webber says there was a “lot of strife” evident as he walked through the post-Qatar Grand Prix parking lot with the drivers clearly suffering as they climbed out of their cars. According to reports several drivers fainted after the race while in-car camera footage showed Stroll and Alex Albon struggling to climb out of their cars with Williams thanking Alfa Romeo as their mechanics rushed over to help Albon.

“Myself and DC [David Coulthard] walked through the area where the drivers come out a car immediately and there was a bit of a war zone causing a lot of strife,” he said. “But these top three guys also, they don’t get to the sort of fluids, they can’t get to the people, their trainers and things.”

“I think there’s a few lessons where they immediately they need a bit more hydration, just something cold to start with after that length of race.” Craig Slater reported that “two or three drivers have their own accord of taking themselves to the medical centre because of dehydration” such were the conditions.

“Lot of strife”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mark-webber-alarming-driver-scene-qatar-gp


FIA begin analysis into competing in extreme weather conditions following Qatar Grand Prix
10 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

The FIA have announced that they have begun an analysis into competing in extreme temperatures following the Qatar Grand Prix weekend. In the aftermath of the weekend, the FIA announced that they would be working with Formula 1 to explore possible solutions in the case of facing similar conditions at future events.

A statement from the FIA released on Monday evening said: “The FIA notes with concern that the extreme temperature and humidity during the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix had an impact on the wellbeing of the drivers.

“While being elite athletes, they should not be expected to compete under conditions that could jeopardise their health or safety. The safe operation of the cars is, at all times, the responsibility of the Competitors, however as with other matters relating to safety such as circuit infrastructure and car safety requirements, the FIA will take all reasonable measures to establish and communicate acceptable parameters in which Competitions are held.”

“As such, the FIA has begun an analysis…”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.fia-begin-analysis-into-competing-in-extreme-weather-conditions-following.637DIoiP7dSEuBugfGeXxF.html


PALMER: The three key elements that made the race in Qatar such a test for the drivers
Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix became one of the most physical races in Formula 1 history, in conditions and circumstances that provided the perfect storm.
11 October 2023
Jolyon Palmer
Former F1 Driver
Formula One - Official Site

Firstly let's look at the ambient conditions. This element has obviously taken centre stage in the Grand Prix debriefs. It was officially 31 degrees on the timing screens throughout the race which is extremely hot, especially for a night race – but is actually lower than we’ve seen on other occasions this year. What made the conditions on Sunday harder than usual was the extreme humidity and stillness. Humidity was over 75%, which is an intense level, and with very little wind there was no natural ventilation either.

The second factor that compounded woes in the cockpit is the track layout in Qatar. It’s not just high temperatures that can strain drivers, but also sheer g force loads that go through the body. Circuits like Silverstone or Suzuka have plenty of long, fast corners and stress the drivers physically as well, even in cooler conditions. With g forces of up to 6g acting on the body for long durations, you are working up a sweat even before you add in other factors.

Finally, the icing on the cake came with the introduction of a mandatory three-stop race. Nobody was able to run a tyre beyond 18 laps as a precaution on such a challenging high speed circuit – particularly with the ‘pyramid’ kerbs used extensively at this track. What this meant for the drivers was that they could push flat-out in each stint. On Sunday, there was no knife edge balance between trying to eke out extra laps on a set of tyres to avoid an additional stop. Because the stops were enforced, saving tyres in the race became pointless.

‘Three key elements’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.palmer-the-three-key-elements-that-made-the-race-in-qatar-such-a-test-for.2bEJlSrY7i9GImp45gwdQl.html


Martin Brundle under fire for ‘not helpful’ Qatar Grand Prix comments
11 Oct 2023 11:15 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Martin Brundle’s comments regarding the conditions of the Qatar Grand Prix have been addressed by a physiological expert. Speaking in an extended interview with PlanetF1.com, Associate Professor in Environmental Physiology at Roehampton University London, Dr. Chris Tyler, believes opinions like Brundle’s are somewhat dismissive of the genuine challenge that was put on the drivers.

Pointed out to him that it’s a safety concern, given that drivers were near fainting point behind the wheel, he (Martin Brundle) said: “I really appreciate your view but this is a highly regarded and paid challenge and that’s why there are (currently) only 20 F1 drivers in the world. It’s a dangerous and brutal business, deliver or leave, there are plenty more willing to take the chance.”

In the interview, which will be published in full on Wednesday on PlanetF1.com, Dr. Tyler explained how drivers can train to improve their ability to handle the extreme stresses of races such as what unfolded last weekend in Qatar. “You certainly can. Humans are very good at adapting to the heat,” he said.

‘Not helpful’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-not-helpful-qatar-gp-comments-dr-chris-tyler


Sargeant says retiring ‘the last thing I wanted to do’ as he explains Qatar GP struggles
12 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Logan Sargeant has shared some initial comments after pulling out of last weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, with illness in the build-up to the event contributing to his discomfort behind the wheel.

Sargeant sent several radio messages to the Williams pit wall expressing that he felt unwell during a particularly hot and humid race at the Lusail International Circuit, ultimately returning his car to the pits after 40 of the 57 scheduled laps.

“The main thing is Alex and I are both okay,” said Sargeant post-race. “I’ve been feeling unwell all week which didn’t help with the dehydration in this heat. The last thing I wanted to do was retire the car, but I had to put my health first. Sorry to the team for not being able to reach the finish line. They’ve done an incredible job all weekend in these intense conditions.”

‘Retiring the last thing I wanted to do’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.sargeant-says-retiring-the-last-thing-i-wanted-to-do-as-he-explains-qatar-gp.5kMOnODttJOZhPigPLMi5i.html

[Fortitude]

Ocon was 'throwing up' 16 laps into gruelling Qatar GP.
The Alpine driver felt it was one of the hardest races in his career, after driving home to seventh in the Qatar Grand Prix.
08 October 11:19PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Esteban Ocon has revealed that he was "throwing up" inside his helmet 16 laps into the gruelling Qatar Grand Prix. Although the heat only reached a maximum of 33°c, the humidity was high for the drivers in the cockpit, which coupled with the high g-forces and flat-out nature of the race, meant it was a physical Grand Prix.

Williams' Logan Sargeant had to retire from the race after suffering from dehydration, while several other drivers had to visit the medical centre after the race due to the extreme conditions. Lance Stroll even admitted to losing consciousness at times during the 57-lap race, with Ocon detailing being sick at the wheel as he came home to a seventh-place finish.

‘Throwing up 16 laps into gruelling Qatar GP’;

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-throwing-up-16-laps-into-gruelling-qatar-race


Ocon ‘was throwing up for two laps’ amid extreme heat
22:40 Sun, 08 Oct 2023.
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Esteban Ocon says he was vomiting for two laps of Formula 1’s Qatar Grand Prix as drivers struggled with the extreme weather conditions. “That was the hardest fought points that I’ve ever had to fight for,” said Ocon, who finished seventh.

“I was, I don’t know, I was feeling ill, lap 15, 16, I was throwing up for two laps inside the cockpit. And then I was like, s**t, that’s going to be a long race. I don’t know, I tried to calm down, I tried to remember that the mental side in sport is the strongest part of your body, and I managed to get that under control, and finish the race.”

“But honestly, I was not expecting for the race to be that hard. I can normally do two race distances, even in Singapore. Physically, like muscle-wise and cardio-wise, I’m always fine. I don’t know, it was just like 80 degrees inside the cockpit this race.” Ocon said he was “trying to guide some air into my helmet, the more I was breathing to try and get everything lower, the more heat that was coming inside the helmet. Honestly, it was hell in there.”

‘Throwing up for two laps’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/08/ocon-was-throwing-up-for-two-laps-amid-extreme-heat/


Ocon explains his 'extremely tough' run to P7 as Gasly rues costly track limit penalties in Qatar
10 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Esteban Ocon was pleased to take home some “valuable points” for Alpine after battling through illness during the race in Qatar, while Pierre Gasly admitted he made “too many mistakes” after a slate of penalties for exceeding track limits cost him a place in the top 10.

Ocon was one of the drivers to make big gains at the start of the race, going from eighth to fifth as he took advantage of the confusion caused by the Mercedes drivers colliding at Turn 1 on the opening lap.

The French driver later lost out to Lando Norris and George Russell but pulled off a number of impressive overtakes – including on Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez – on his way to finishing seventh. It's his best result since finishing third in Monaco, and came despite the fact he was vomiting in the car during the race.

'Extremely tough run to P7’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.ocon-explains-his-extremely-tough-run-to-p7-as-gasly-rues-costly-track-limit.6BbTLZCrnYxvG7uaLIxn9x.html


Ocon would 'rather be killed than retire' despite Qatar GP hell
10 October 11:40AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Alpine driver Esteban Ocon has insisted “you need to kill me before I retire" after driving through "hell" at the Qatar Grand Prix. Sweltering conditions were present in Qatar all weekend with the temperature often peaking above 35 degrees Celsius.

The intensity of the race was increased when 18-lap maximum stints per tyre compound were mandated due to concerns over the rubber's reaction to the kerbs. With drivers able to push harder due to tyre wear being less of a concern, the continuous fast laps coupled with the heat made for difficult conditions behind the wheel.

“It was so hot that I wanted to open the visor in the straight line because I had no air. I was trying to also guide, with my hand, some air into the helmet because the more I was breathing to try and get everything lower, the more heat was coming inside the helmet. It was hell in there. But next year, we're coming [later] so that should be better.” When asked if he was tempted to retire while feeling unwell, Ocon said: “No. You need to kill me before I retire. It’s true.”

‘It was hell in there’;

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-would-rather-be-killed-than-retire-despite-qatar-gp-hell


Gasly rues energy management issues forcing ‘risks’ in Qatar GP
15:07 Wed, 11 Oct 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly rued energy management issues that contributed to him taking “too many risks” and picking up track limit penalties in the Qatar Grand Prix. Consequently, Gasly was demoted from ninth to 12th, behind both Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll, who were also punished for frequently venturing outside the white lines.

“It wasn’t a good day, I made too many mistakes with these track limits, [and it] cost me 15 seconds,” he admitted. “So I can only be disappointed with myself because obviously, you’re talking a few centimetres, which is nothing. But I paid a big price for it and missed out on the points, so I’ve just got to learn from this.”

‘Picking up track limit penalties’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/11/gasly-rues-energy-management-issues-forcing-risks-in-qatar-gp/


Gasly: Power unit issue prompted “too many risks” with Qatar F1 track limits
15:32 Wed, 11 Oct 2023.
Motorsport.com

The Alpine driver picked up three five-second penalties for track limits offences over the course of the race. He took the first at a pit stop, while the others were added to his race time, leaving him in 12th place behind the also penalised Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll.

Gasly admitted that one of the problems was that track limits warnings came too late from the FIA, via his engineer. "It was the story of the whole race,” he said. “I don't have any excuses because it's the same for everyone, and at the end of the day I took too many obviously.”

Like other drivers Gasly found the race hard physically: "It was the toughest race of the year. It was clearly very hot in the car, and very physically challenging. I knew it will be like that. “And I know I'm training really hard, and I have one of the best physical conditions in the paddock. So I usually embrace these conditions.

“Too many risks”;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/gasly-power-unit-issue-prompted-too-many-risks-with-qatar-f1-track-limits/10531557/

[Fortitude]

‘Unbelievably dangerous’ - F1 trainer reveals what drivers’ bodies went through at Qatar GP.
An experienced F1 trainer has explained what drivers had to endure during extreme conditions at the Qatar Grand Prix.
11 Oct 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

"I've heard that it was one of the hardest conditions that anyone has ever seen," Sam Village, a performance coach who has worked with Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Zhou Guanyu, told the Sky Sports F1 podcast. "I've spoken to Zhou's trainer, who also worked on the grid with Felipe Massa for his whole career as well, and he said he has never seen it hotter than that.”

“Then I spoke to Carlos [Sainz's] coach and he said that the dry heat during the day meant that the humidity was created in this landscape and it just became unbearable. It was a combination of the length of the stint they were given, the new track surface and the heat," he explained.

"The characteristic of the Qatar track is there are lots of high-downforce fast corners. When they go through these high-downforce fast corners they tense and ultimately, they hold their breath a little bit. So their breathing rate is the same as when they are asleep but their heart rate is between 150 and 180 . So, there's an element of hypoxia in the brain as well potentially. That's the challenge.”

‘Unbelievably dangerous’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1037855/1/unbelievably-dangerous-f1-trainer-reveals-what-drivers-bodies-went-through


[B]F1 must 'define boundaries' to protect drivers - Vowles
12 October 9:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Williams Team Principal James Vowles has insisted boundaries must be defined to protect driver safety after a strenuous Qatar Grand Prix. Addressing Sargeant's condition, Vowles explained: "He was ill the week prior and ill a little bit leading up to Friday. That weakened his immune system and sufficiently so that he was very easily dehydrated.”

"The circumstances in Qatar were very different. The rule brought in for safety meant a three-stop was incredibly easy to do on the tyres, so the drivers were pushing flat out from start to finish. It really was four sprint races just flat out from start to finish - that was different and unusual to drivers.”

"There are elements of this we need to understand and as a sport, do better. They have a drinks system on board, it is only a couple of litres and it is not terribly cool when you are 20 or 30 laps into the race, so there are probably elements that we can help with. But we are a sport pushing elite athletes to the absolute limit, so what we need to do now is define boundaries to make sure they get to the end safely."

‘Protect drivers’;

https://racingnews365.com/f1-must-define-boundaries-to-protect-drivers-vowles


Williams confirm Albon treated at medical centre after Qatar GP
08 October 10:35PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Williams has issued an update on Alexander Albon's condition following the Qatar Grand Prix. Several drivers complained about the intense conditions they experienced during the race, as temperatures reached the limit for some in the cockpit. Team-mate Logan Sargeant had to retire from the race early due to "intense dehydration," with Aston Martin's Lance Stroll admitting he was even losing consciousness at times such was the physicality of conditions.

Williams confirmed in a statement: "Following the Qatar GP, Alex was taken to the medical centre to be treated for acute heat exposure. He has now been assessed and cleared by the medical team." Albon managed to finish 13th on the road, after briefly running in the points for much of the race, although he was hit with track limits time penalties.

‘Losing consciousness’;

https://racingnews365.com/williams-issue-albon-condition-update-after-intense-qatar-race


Qatar GP: Tough race for Williams Racing.
October 11 2023
By Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

Coming off the positive points scoring result from the Saturday Sprint the Williams Racing Team went into Sunday's race with a degree of optimism. But the events of the race showed that their optimism was not well founded. The early stages of the race would see both Alex and Logan running just outside the top ten with both having started on the medium.

But with the first series of pit stops both Alex and Logan would seem to drop back and as the race went on their positions became poorer. Added onto this was the extreme nature of the heat and humidity that every driver was subject to. Such was the impact of this that Logan would be forced to retire after suffering severe dehydration.

He would have to be helped from his car. Despite making it to the finish Alex would also be required to get help to get out of his car such was the impact of the heat on him. Thankfully both drivers would make a complete recovery. Alex would finish 13th.

‘Tough race’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st205206.htm


Williams to make Sargeant decision ‘end of the year’
Wednesday 11th October, 2023 - 7:30pm
By Ian Parkes
SpeedCafe.com

Of the 20 seats on an F1 grid, the only one now available for 2024 remains that currently occupied by Sargeant, leading to the spotlight being firmly on the 21-year-old for the remainder of this campaign. Asked as to the timeline for a decision, Vowles said: “I suspect it’ll be to the end of the season. I think we’ve already committed to the direction of travel we’re in, he has targets for that, and it’d be wrong to go against that decision point. So end of the year.”

Vowles believes the reason behind the number of incidents for Sargeant has been as a result of gnawing frustration that has grown as the season has unfolded, leading to him overdriving. “The frustration has been there for many months,” said Vowles. “He went into Bahrain, and probably the worst thing that can happen, he overlapped with Lando (Norris) in Q1.”

“He perhaps thought the challenge in front of him might not be as significant as it really is. What you then saw after that time was the gap starting to grow, and a driver that’s now frustrated. His normal tools aren’t producing the quality of lap-time that was there previously.”

‘End of the year decision’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/11/logan-sargeant-williams-future-decision-end-of-the-year/

[Fortitude]

F1 duo labelled "desperate boys" as furious team chief lets rip at Qatar GP.
Nico Hulkenberg was one of three drivers who were taken out of the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint race when he got into a tangle with Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon as he entered a corner.
16:41 Sun, 08 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Guenther Steiner labelled Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon "two desperate boys" as he fumed over the crash which took out his driver Nico Hulkenberg in the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint. "It's really bad for us because it was a day where we could have taken something," said the German racer.

"I'm very disappointed about that because it was an opportunity. Ocon started to have problems and so I was able to attack him. But Perez also came from behind and was so fast. That meant he was suddenly in the middle of things, but I saw him really late because I was focused on Ocon. And he, in turn, probably didn't know or couldn't see that I also had a car next to me and therefore there was no more space.”

"It put me in a sandwich and yes, with three cars so tight in a corner, that was too close. I'd like to blame Esteban, but I don't think he can know that Sergio is on the right. [It was a] very stupid and unfortunate racing situation."

"Desperate boys";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/perez-ocon-hulkenberg-crash-qatar-31136584


Haas take social media by storm with 'Guenther's Yearbook' post
Wednesday 11 October 2023 16:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Haas F1 have hopped aboard the internet's 'yearbook' bandwagon, using AI to predict what their team principal Guenther Steiner might have looked like way back when. The trend invites users to recreate their high school yearbook photos with a whole lot of 90s flair.

However, that didn't stop the American team from generating yearbooks for their drivers Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen and Pietro Fittipaldi. And they promised that if those snaps garnered 100,000 likes on Instagram, they'd release 'Guenther's Yearbook'.

‘Haas take social media by storm’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005512/haas-f1-guenther-steiner-nico-hulkenberg-kevin-magnussen-pietro-fittipaldi-ai-yearbook-instagram/


Nico Hulkenberg draws unwanted attention for big ‘screw up’ at the Qatar Grand Prix
09 Oct 2023 2:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Tripped up by a “strange situation” of not having a car in the box in front of his in Qatar, Nico Hulkenberg admits he “screwed up” by slotting into the wrong spot. “Remember to leave the free space behind Norris in front of you,” his race engineer radioed to Hulkenberg.

Hulkenberg finished the grand prix down in 16th place, his team boss Guenther Steiner ruing the German’s error. “Nico starting in the wrong grid spot at the beginning didn’t help at all because once you get 10 seconds behind at the start of the race where we are, you have no chance. We fought but it wasn’t enough,” he said.

Replays of the start showed the Haas driver frantically looking around him as he seemed to realise his mistake. “I realised before I stopped but you can’t reverse and the damage was done, so that was obviously a big mistake from me,” he said. “That stopped our race before it even started.”

‘Screw up’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-hulkenberg-screwed-up-qatar-grand-prix


Delusional to hope for miracles with B-spec vehicle – Magnussen
October 10, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Projecting a massive progression for Haas at their home ground in Austin the coming weekend would be “idiotic”. Such is the caution from team driver Kevin Magnussen, though he is filled with anticipation for the conclusion of Haas’s lengthy development hiatus at the US GP, marked by the launch of a B-version car.

The buzz is that the B-car from Haas might align with the development path McLaren has taken, sporting a fundamental aerodynamic design reminiscent of the formidable Red Bull. “This specification of the car ended worse than it started, so we are happy to see the end of it,” Haas team principal Gunther Steiner conveyed to Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

“This specification of the car ended worse than it started, so we are happy to see the end of it,” Haas team principal Gunther Steiner conveyed to Ekstra Bladet newspaper. Despite McLaren’s impressive advancements since adopting a more Red Bull-oriented model, the Danish driver Magnussen remains grounded.

‘Haas B-spec development hiatus’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/delusional-to-hope-for-miracles-with-b-spec-vehicle-magnussen/


Magnussen warns against ‘miracles’ with Haas upgrade
Thursday 12th October, 2023 - 6:00pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Kevin Magnussen cannot wait to see the back of the current Haas car although has warned against expecting miracles with the upcoming upgrades. “I’m happy we get this upgrade for the next race, I’m excited about it,” said the Dane, whose 10th place in Singapore is Haas’ only point from the last 12 grands prix.

“It’s really positive for the team to have that look forward to, to get some new tools to play with, and hopefully we can find more performance. But I don’t think it’s realistic to expect miracles in the first race in Austin. Of course, we all wish for that at night when we go to sleep.”

“But realistically it will take us a race or two to figure it out. I’m just really glad we can leave this behind and move on.” Team principal Guenther Steiner readily concedes that at this stage Haas “don’t know how good the upgrade will be”, although there is an expectation the team will get “something good out of it”.

‘See(ing) the back of the current Haas car’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/12/kevin-magnussen-haas-upgrade-united-states-gp/


Magnussen excited by Haas upgrade, but not expecting miracles
12/10/2023 at 16:08
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Kevin Magnussen is counting down the days to next week’s US Grand Prix in Austin where Haas will field a significantly updated VF-23, but the Dane isn’t expecting miracles from the new package.

Haas team boss Guenther Steiner cautioned over inflating expectations, admitting that the US outfit will only know if the new package will bear fruit once it puts its car on track at The Circuit of the Americas.

“The best thing is that we’re going in the direction we want to go for next year, and we will learn a lot this year for next season,” said Steiner. “At least we know we’re doing things to move forward, we’re not sitting here waiting for the end of the season. We will work hard until the end.”

‘Counting down the days’;

https://f1i.com/news/489848-magnussen-excited-over-haas-upgrade-but-not-expecting-miracles.html

[Fortitude]

Qatar GP was 'torture' for drivers – Bottas.
The Alfa Romeo driver joins fellow drivers in giving his take on the tough conditions during the Qatar Grand Prix.
09 October 7:15PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers

Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas has branded the Qatar Grand Prix "torture" following several concerns from drivers over the conditions during the race. When asked about the conditions, Bottas told media, including RacingNews365: "I would say it was harder than Singapore, just the temperature in the cockpit was almost too much.

"It's getting to the limit that somebody's going have heat stroke, the feeling is like torture." Williams' Logan Sargeant was the only driver to retire due to "intense dehydration" while Esteban Ocon revealed he vomited 16 laps into the race. When told about the other drivers, Bottas replied: "I'm not surprised, any hotter than this it will not be safe."

'Torture';

https://racingnews365.com/qatar-grand-prix-was-torture-for-drivers-bottas


Alfa Romeo double points finish in Qatar puts Williams in the crosshairs
Zhou Guanyu went from qualifying in 20th place to finishing ninth in the 2023 Qatar GP
October 8, 2023
By Carl Hilliard
Total Motorsport

“Yeah, really clean race,” Bottas told the media after the race. “Good strategy. Of course, it felt a bit strange to stop after three laps from a good position. We had been lucky in a way because Lewis [Hamilton] was out and also [Carlos] Sainz didn’t start. Sometimes you need that bit of luck and today they just got everything right.”

With the result from Alfa Romeo being as strong as it was, the gap to Williams in the Constructors’ Championship was cut down to seven points, with Bottas happy to close the gap to their rivals. “We closed the gap a little bit. So yeah, I feel like we definitely made some progress now, and finally understand the upgrades,” Bottas said.

‘Double points finish’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-alfa-romeo-double-points-finish-qatar-puts-williams-crosshairs/


Bottas delighted with ‘really rewarding’ Qatar GP as both Alfa Romeos score points
08 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Valtteri Bottas finished P8 in Qatar with his team mate Zhou Guanyu one place behind to cap a good day’s work for the Swiss team.

‘Bottas delighted’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.bottas-delighted-with-really-rewarding-qatar-gp-as-both-alfa-romeos-score-points.1779216285900319152.html


Bottas: Alfa Romeo ‘finally understand upgrades’ after Qatar
14:16 Wed, 11 Oct 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Amid the FIA imposing maximum 18-lap stint lengths to alleviate concerns over the tyres, Alfa Romeo took advantage of an early Safety Car to pit Bottas after only three laps. Bottas’ early gamble paid dividends as he took the chequered flag ninth, which became eighth when Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was penalised a third time for track limits.

“Really clean race, good strategy,” Bottas reflected. “Of course, it felt a bit strange to stop after three laps from a good position, but in the end it meant all the stints were just equal stints and we thought that would be the fastest way to the flag – and it was.”

“Yeah, of course we had a bit of luck either way, because Lewis [Hamilton] was out and also Sainz didn’t start,” Bottas acknowledged. “So otherwise, P8 would have been difficult, but sometimes you need that bit of luck and today we got everything right. And even Zhou, starting last and ending up 10th, had a great race.”

‘Finally understand upgrades’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/11/bottas-alfa-romeo-finally-understand-upgrades-after-qatar/


Bottas: Alfa finally ‘understands upgrades 100 percent’
14:58 Thu, 12 Oct 2023.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Valtteri Bottas feels that Alfa Romeo owes its double podium finish in Qatar in part to its now solid understanding of the recent upgrades implemented on its C43 car. “We’ve learned a lot about the upgrades,” said Bottas. “We finally understand them 100 percent, and now we are starting to get more out of them”

“Of course, maybe the track favoured us a little bit, but at least we seem to be stronger than in previous races and I’m happy. The next race [in Austin] is quite a different track again, but it seems like we were definitely more competitive [in Qatar] than other weekends.”

‘Understands upgrades 100 percent’;

https://f1i.com/news/489843-bottas-alfa-finally-understands-upgrades-100-percent.html


Alfa Romeo joins F1 trend for rear wing endplate tweak
13:45, 2023.
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

The challenges of a sprint race meant Formula 1 upgrades were thin on the ground in Qatar last weekend – but they weren’t completely absent. Three teams took the plunge in making modifications to their cars, with Alfa Romeo becoming the seventh F1 team to modify its rear wing endplate to feature an upwashing swage line on the external face.

‘Alfa Romeo joins F1 trend’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/alfa-romeo-joins-f1-trend-for-rear-wing-endplate-tweak/10532480/

[Fortitude]

FIA officially warns Stroll over Qatar GP garage tantrum.
The FIA has handed Lance Stroll an official warning for his conduct in the wake of his Q1 elimination from qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix last weekend.
08:42 Sat, 14 Oct 2023.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

After the session, an angry Stroll climbed out of his car made his way towards the back of the Aston Martin garage, ignoring a directive from his performance coach Henry Howe to exit at the front to present himself at the weighbridge.

As Howe insisted, Stroll then abruptly vented his frustration by showing his coach out of the way. Earlier this week, it came to light that the FIA was investigating the matter, with Stroll referred to the governing body’s Compliance Officer to determine whether his actions had breached motorsport’s Code of Ethics.

On Friday, the FIA issued an update in which it stated that it had handed Stroll a warning regarding his antics in Qatar. “We can confirm that the FIA Compliance Officer has received an apology from Lance Stroll regarding his actions during the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix,” read the FIA statement.

‘FIA officially warns Stroll’;

https://f1i.com/news/489916-fia-officially-warns-stroll-over-qatar-gp-garage-tantrum.html


Heart v head for Lawrence Stroll – surely one option with son Lance
Sunday 15th October, 2023 - 10:06am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

You will no doubt have heard the expression ‘blood is thicker than water’, and it undoubtedly rings true when it comes to the father-son relationship that is Lawrence and Lance Stroll. But at this particular point in time, Aston Martin owner Lawrence must be questioning such a phrase following the dramatic collapse in the form of his 24-year-old.

Almost certainly, Stroll Jr’s Formula 1 future would be a serious topic of debate in the boardroom of every other team – if a decision to let him go had not already been taken by now. Stroll was a remarkable sixth in the season-opening Bahrain GP, a result that even had Alonso hailing the superhero qualities of a driver 18 years his junior, followed by a season-high fourth in the crash-strewn race in Australia, and then seventh in Azerbaijan.

So it is evident the talent is there, leaving you wondering exactly what has happened for him to disappear off the radar and become the petulant man-child as witnessed after qualifying for last weekend’s Qatar GP. Stroll’s anger was understandable in many respects. He had again been knocked out of Q1, finishing 1.1secs adrift of Alonso, and in the same-spec AMR23. It resulted in Stroll sullenly throwing his steering wheel out of the cockpit before storming to the back of the garage and pushing his personal trainer, Henry Howe, out of the way as he made his escape.

‘Heart v head’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/15/lawrence-stroll-lance-stroll-aston-martin-heart/


Aston Martin chief wants less criticism of Lance Stroll as FIA probes F1 shove incident
Lance Stroll was criticised over the Qatar Grand Prix weekend by F1 journalists, pundits and fans alike for shoving an Aston Martin colleague in frustration over his qualifying performance
19:43 Thu, 12 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack likened Lance Stroll's qualifying outburst at the Qatar Grand Prix to when a footballer reacts angrily to being substituted as he called for "more respect" from Formula 1 media. His Aston Martin team played down the incident, as did Stroll as as he later reflected on it.

"We're good. He's a bro," the racer said. "We go through the frustrations together and we ride together, so we're cool. I'm not looking at social media. I'm in the car driving this weekend." Regardless, he faced a wave of criticism from journalists, pundits and fans for his actions. But his boss Krack suggested his belief that there was an overreaction to the incident and that he feels drivers should be cut some slack for their actions in the head of the moment.

Krack said: "I'm sure we run 10-20 times less adrenaline on the pit wall than the drivers do, but you put the microphone straight away in front of them, or you gauge every reaction that they do. Emotions are what we want from sportsmen and then if they react, we judge them quickly, 'Is this right, is this wrong?'

‘More respect from Formula 1 media’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lance-stroll-aston-martin-respect-31175820


Nico Rosberg and David Coulthard rip Lance Stroll to shreds
Calls for Lance Stroll to be replaced at Aston Martin are mounting, as the Canadian continues to spark controversy.
14 October 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg and ex-F1 driver David Coulthard have agreed that Lance Stroll’s behaviour last Friday at the Qatar Grand Prix was poor, after he pushed his personal trainer.

Rosberg slammed Stroll after qualifying in Qatar and stressed that he cannot treat any team member in the manner of which he did. “That’s not on, not for the mechanics, not for the trainer, not for anybody. That’s really bad behaviour,” Rosberg told Sky Sports F1.

Coulthard agreed with Rosberg’s take on the incident and noted that the Aston Martin driver “had a breakdown”, whilst his trainer was simply “trying to do his job”. “He’s just getting absolutely hammered by Fernando Alonso and he’s had a meltdown. His trainer is just trying to do his job, which is get him to the scales,” Coulthard said on Channel 4.

‘Lance Stroll’s behaviour’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/nico-rosberg-and-david-coulthard-rip-lance-stroll-to-shreds/


Lance Stroll apologizes for conduct at Qatar GP and receives written warning from FIA
13 October 2023 at 6:22 pm
Associated Press
Yahoo! UK & Ireland.

LONDON (AP) — Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll apologized to Formula One's governing body and received a written warning Friday for his conduct at the Qatar Grand Prix, where he shoved a member of his team in frustration after an early exit in qualifying.

‘Lance Stroll apologises’;

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lance-stroll-apologizes-conduct-qatar-172248680.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9jLm5ld3Nub3cuY28udWsv&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMzUXr-TaYfipGEaIsKvaMKpZu8kLwRQYXYJ7__BZXjCk_5VsiF6dSu3I omVwtVKPqHxqzUFzeC4aiZ975UwLwB58TUtLe3hQqqxOYaoxfi Sc8HUAIZ0UecazCjlh8aBBCYz0bzzk5kmY6RPv3OFtOCGtNuEr ya553cBIulAm_Pw


Stroll receives FIA warning for Code of Ethics breach for shoving coach
13th October 2023, 17:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

The FIA’s Code of Ethics states in section 1.4 that “all forms of harassment against participants to the FIA activities, be it physical, mental, professional or sexual, are prohibited.”.

Stroll has not yet made any public comment on his apology or on the FIA’s warning. He currently sits in tenth place in the constructors’ championship on 47 points, six places and 136 points below team mate Fernando Alonso.

‘FIA warning for Code of Ethics breach’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/13/stroll-receives-fia-warning-for-code-of-ethics-breach-for-shoving-coach/

[Fortitude]

Sargeant defends record: F1 drivers used to have “endless testing”.
Logan Sargeant insists he deserves more time in F1, explaining that rookie drivers have very limited testing time.
October 15, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

In addition to this, pre-season testing is very limited for young drivers. Sargeant recently explained the impact of this on his ability to achieve results: “It is a constant work-in-progress, and I don’t think anyone is perfect in that sense,” he told racingnews365.

“It is just about building off the mistakes, and it might sound silly, but using them to your advantage to try and learn from them. Ideally, you’d have more testing, as that is the best way to prepare. I mean, back in the day when Lewis [Hamilton] and Fernando [Alonso] joined, everyone back then got endless days of testing. And in the current car, too, which is very different to what we experience now.”

These points are entirely valid, with pre-season testing far shorter than it used to be. In the current era of F1, rookies must adapt quickly to the demands of the sport. This doesn’t mean that rookies are doomed – as evidenced by Piastri’s performances. However, it does complicate things.

‘Sargeant defends record’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/10/15/sargeant-defends-record-f1-drivers-used-to-have-endless-testing/


Sargeant in firm declaration as he battles to save F1 seat
14 October 8:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Williams Logan Sargeant says he ignores the "nonsense" of social media as the under-pressure rookie fights to save his Formula 1 career. "Experience always helps, but I have people to talk to to just try and understand how to approach things and why these little mistakes are happening and how to get rid of them," Sargeant explained to media including RacingNews365.

"It is a constant work-in-progress, and I don't think anyone is perfect in that sense - it is just about building off the mistakes, and it might sound silly, but using them to your advantage to try and learn from it.”

"Everyone who knows what is going on behind the scenes, who knows me as a person wants me to succeed. I have support from the team, so don't really care what anyone else thinks. I don't look at [social media] to be honest. I have conversations with people who want me to keep improving, people who want me to be a better driver and person so I don't even pay attention to any of that nonsense."

‘Sargeant in firm declaration’;

https://racingnews365.com/sargeant-in-firm-declaration-as-he-battles-to-save-f1-seat


Williams’ Vowles says Lawson ‘absolutely deserving’ of a seat in F1 as he restates commitment to help ‘quick’ Sargeant
13 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

When asked about the difficulty in his role as Team Principal of striking a balance between encouraging Sargeant whilst also needing to see a certain level of performance from the youngster, Vowles responded: “You’ve summed it up perfectly.”

“We have a responsibility both as a team, because we’ve brought Logan in with very minimal amounts of testing. If you compare, for example, even to Oscar [Piastri] on the grid, Oscar was taking a year of just doing F1 testing [in 2022], and he’s doing an excellent job with it.”

“We have a responsibility to Logan to make sure we’ve given him every opportunity to succeed, and I don’t believe we’ve done that yet, which is why my commentary is quite clear in the media.”

‘Williams’ Vowles restates commitment to help ‘quick’ Sargeant’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.williams-vowles-says-lawson-absolutely-deserving-of-a-seat-in-f1-as-he.5xZnbUQjaW1HVbvkzbo81n.html


VOWLES: ‘WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LOGAN’
James Vowles reiterates Williams' commitment to the American rookie
October 13, 2023
Grace Robinson
FormulaNerds

James Vowles, Williams f1 Team principal, has spoken about the team’s commitment to Logan Sargeant. With the only seat left for the 2024 season being Sargeant’s current one, all eyes are on Williams and Vowles to see if they stick with the American.

Will Sargeant stay for 2024? As the season’s end draws closer, many are speculating whether Sargeant will stay. Vowles certainly hasn’t made his decision yet but has spoken about some of the things that the American driver has done to convince him that he is worthy of another year behind the wheel. One of these moments was at the Qatar Grand Prix during the only free practice of the weekend. Sargeant was quick during FP1. What makes this more impressive is this track was entirely new to him.

“You saw in an FP1 session, he’s actually doing a good job, again putting himself in the top 10. We weren’t doing anything special with him. At the end of the year, we’ll all know, and I’ll be able to look him in the eyes and know that we’ve given him the best opportunity, or that he is absolutely going to be in the car next year, but let’s provide him the time to be able to do that.”

‘Some things that have convinced him that he is worthy of another year behind the wheel’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/vowles-we-have-a-responsibility-to-logan/


Vowles tells Sargeant to be more consistent
15/10/2023 at 11:29
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

Williams Racing team principal James Vowles has told their rookie driver Logan Sargeant that he needs to improve his consistency if he wants to keep his seat at Grove for a second season. “Logan performed well [in Qatar]," said Vowles in a post-event video report for the official William website this week. "Especially given his illness and his weakened immune system, the dehydration he was suffering from.”

“He qualified close to Alex for the main Grand Prix and in the main GP itself," he pointed out, "Until the dehydration really properly kicked in, he was a matter of seconds behind him. He had less track limits abuse than most of the other cars around him," he added. "So he was building on that consistency we’ve asked him to work on."

‘Be more consistent’;

https://f1i.com/news/489975-vowles-tells-sargeant-to-be-more-consistent.html


Logan Sargeant admits he was blindsided by Williams announcement over his F1 future
Logan Sargeant has not yet scored a Formula 1 point in his first season in the sport, though Williams team principal James Vowles is being patient with the American
16:32 Fri, 06 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Logan Sargeant said he had no idea that his boss James Vowles was planning to publicly back him for a place on the 2024 Formula 1 grid. His seat at Williams is the only one on the grid still to be set in stone for next year. And, given the American still hasn't scored a point in his debut year in the sport, the external pressure has been mounting.

Questioned about those quotes as he faced reporters at the Qatar Grand Prix, Sargeant said he was not expecting such a statement but that it had been a pleasant surprise. "It’s always nice, I mean, from my side, I talk to James every single weekend. I knew that before anything was put on social media. It was just sort of a nice surprise, really," he said.

"I didn’t know that was coming. But at the end of the day, I have to just keep working hard, keep my head down, and try to be better. Japan, including the lap until the last corner in quali, was my best weekend to this point, 100 percent. I built it up nicely, did everything I needed to, I was just too heavy on the right foot in the last corner and that's how quickly it can go wrong. I think, realistically, now it's just more important to have a clean weekend and not go for every last hundredth, even if that means I'm leaving a tenth or two on the table."

‘Blindsided by Williams announcement’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/logan-sargeant-williams-2024-seat-31124806

[Fortitude]

LAWSON: I ‘DON’T HAVE TIME’ TO MAKE MISTAKES AFTER LAP ONE SPRINT RACE INCIDENT.
Liam Lawson rues that he “doesn’t have time” to make mistakes after his 2023 Qatar Grand Prix sprint race error.
October 8, 2023
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

The Kiwi rookie, who has been filling in for injured Daniel Ricciardo, was left frustrated after making a mistake, losing the rear of his car, spinning into the gravel and out of the race. Lawson was asked whether he would be able to move on quickly from the mistake. However, due to having limited time, he will not get over it. He said:

“No, because I don’t have time to make these kind of mistakes.
“Obviously, I have a short run in Formula 1 at the moment, so it’s important for me to make the most of every session. And I definitely can’t afford to have mistakes like this.”

Lawson started the race on medium tyres, which many drivers struggled with the low-grip, dusty surface. The Kiwi was conscious of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton having a snap of oversteer, but had already committed into the corner, carrying too much speed. “It was obviously pretty poor. But it’s the same for everybody. So obviously a big mistake for me and I’m obviously very sorry to the team. Really caught me out. Turn 1 was really good on line, made up some places.”

‘Can’t afford to have mistakes like this’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/lawson-i-dont-have-time-to-make-mistakes-after-lap-one-sprint-race-incident/


Lawson disappointed not to ‘go out on a high’ as his super-sub stint comes to an end
08 Oct 2023
Speedcafe

Liam Lawson has stood in for Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri for the last five races, but was disappointed not to get a better result on his last outing in the car as he finished P17 and last in Qatar.

‘Lawson disappointed not to ‘go out on a high’ ’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.lawson-disappointed-not-to-go-out-on-a-high-as-his-super-sub-stint-comes-to-an-end.1779215162352287568.html


Lawson disappointed with final F1 cameo
Monday 9th October, 2023 - 3:37pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

With Daniel Ricciardo expected to return to the Scuderia AlphaTauri drive for the United States Grand Prix, it’s likely Lawson’s final F1 appearance until 2025.

“Obviously you want to go out on a high, so this is pretty tough to finish off on,” the 22-year-old said. “It’s just something really to look into.”

“Obviously the first couple of races went really good, we were building up, and then this weekend I think we just struggled.”

‘Final F1 cameo’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/09/lawson-disappointed-with-final-f1-cameo/


Lawson laments ‘pretty tough’ end to AlphaTauri stint
10:19 Tue, 10 Oct 2023.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

F1 rookie Liam Lawson hoped to conclude his cameo with AlphaTauri on a high, but instead it was a “pretty tough” end for the young gun in Qatar. Lawson crossed the checkered flag in 17th position as the final driver in the pecking order after running at the tail end of the field all evening, struggling for grip.

The 21-year-old, who spun out of F1’s sprint event on Saturday, left Qatar with few positives to take away from what was likely his final outing with AlphaTauri, as Daniel Ricciardo is expected to return to active duty at the US Grand Prix in Austin next week.

“We had a good start next to Stroll and [he] just didn’t really see me, so swiped across the front of me,” Lawson explained. “And then I lost like two more spots, so it was obviously pretty frustrating there.”

‘Lawson laments’;

https://f1i.com/news/489720-lawson-laments-pretty-tough-end-to-alphatauri-stint.html


Lawson will linger on Qatar sprint mistake as F1 cameo ends
12:46 Sun, 08 Oct 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

Japanese Super Formula points runner-up Lawson has largely impressed during his five-round cameo for Ricciardo, who crashed in practice at Zandvoort, breaking a bone in his left hand.

Lawson lost control through Turn 2 on the opening lap to beach his car in the gravel and retire from the Saturday race, his penultimate before Daniel Ricciardo is due to return from injury. The 21-year-old Kiwi said that this is a mistake that he “can’t afford” and will therefore likely dwell on as his effective audition for a full-time race seat in 2025 is fast approaching its end.

‘Qatar sprint mistake as F1 cameo ends’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/lawson-will-linger-on-qatar-sprint-mistake-as-f1-cameo-ends/10530325/


Liam Lawson will get a Red Bull F1 race seat – maybe sooner than you'd think.
Daniel Ricciardo's broken hand, sustained in a crash at the Dutch Grand Prix, gave the opportunity for Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson to audition for a full-time F1 seat.
06:14 Mon, 09 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Liam Lawson has, barring any unexpected twists in Daniel Ricciardo's recovery, completed his final Formula 1 race this season. But I'll eat my own pen if it's the last of his career, even with the Aussie expected to be back in action at the United States Grand Prix next time out.

It is inconceivable that he won't get a full-time seat at some point, given the way he has proven himself in this temporary stint. Disappointingly, he did not manage to go out with a bang at the Qatar Grand Prix. He span out of the Sprint and was dead last of the finishers in the main race on Sunday as he struggled with the sweltering heat.

So did the rest of the drivers, to be fair. But his first four efforts were excellent. Solid drives at Zandvoort, Monza and Suzuka were not rewarded as they might have been, but his ninth-placed finish in Singapore, another sweatbox of a night race, remains AlphaTauri's best result of the season.

‘But I'll eat my own pen if it's the last of his career’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/liam-lawson-red-bull-future-31138668


Horner: Lawson will return to F1 in the future
Wednesday 11th October, 2023 - 5:00am
By Ian Parkes

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has made it clear to Liam Lawson he has not run his last race in F1. Lawson performed admirably over the five grands prix in which he deputised for Daniel Ricciardo with AlphaTauri, even if he felt he let himself down with his performance in the last of those in Qatar last weekend.

“He’s done a great job,” said Horner on Lawson’s five-race cameo. “Jumping in with zero mileage in the car, and he’s acquitted himself well as a grand prix driver. I think he’s caught all our attention in terms of the job that he’s done. It certainly won’t be his last race in F1, I’m sure of that, with what he’s done in these five races. He’s demonstrated that he deserves an opportunity in the future.”

‘Lawson will return to F1’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/11/liam-lawson-alphatauri-f1-future/


Lawson ‘to keep fire warm’ under Ricciardo and Tsunoda
Tuesday 10th October, 2023 - 5:00am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

The 21-year-old New Zealander then conjured an astonishing performance in Singapore where he scored the team’s best result of the season in finishing ninth. AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer has explained the rationale as to why Liam Lawson was overlooked for a race seat with the team in 2024. Bayer said: “We had lots of discussions about the future of the team and our shareholders said ‘We want you to continue and educate young drivers but we also want you to be successful’.

Assessing why Lawson was overlooked, “Ultimately, you can’t have both. You can’t have two ‘young’ drivers in the team. We looked at what we needed to deliver that, and we finally came to the conclusion that, first of all, we only have two seats. Daniel offers a lot of expertise, especially when it comes down to the setup of the car, which is something that we have struggled with.”

Bayer insists, though, AlphaTauri will always provide opportunities for upcoming drivers, but that now has to be tempered by the needs of the team in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Suggested to Bayer that AlphaTauri’s reason for existence was no longer as a platform for young drivers, he replied: “It is but not absolutely so. The reality today, if you’re looking at the grid, it’s so competitive, so tight, with every tenth of a second being fought for.”

‘Lawson ‘to keep fire warm’ ’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/10/liam-lawson-alphatauri-daniel-ricciardo-yuki-tsunoda/

[Fortitude]

Andretti Drama Exposes Increasing Tension Between F1 and FIA.
FIA President Ben Sulayem says Andretti has nothing to worry about, but a war between the FIA and Formula 1 is brewing.
Oct 11, 2023 6:00 PM EDT
byChris Rosales|
TheDrive.com

Michael Andretti’s place on the Formula 1 grid is far from a given. Even though the FIA approved the American team for competition in F1, there’s still a major hurdle to be cleared. A political one, that can't simply be vaulted over by allowing Andretti to compete. Andretti may be the smoke, but a brewing war between the FIA and Formula 1 Management (FOM) is the real fire.

When speaking to Motorsport.com, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said that he is "very optimistic" that Andretti will get approval from F1. He continued, apparently unprompted, saying "We don't have to go to court, and I don't think any of us will go to court, I mean, maybe it sounds very exciting and thrilling to the media, but it will not go to court. I'm sure of that. Why should we go to court?"

Ben Sulayem’s comments reflect a situation brewing since Andretti first tendered its interest in F1, and it also reads like somebody with a lot to worry about. The FIA believes Andretti fits the bill for an 11th team—manufacturer backing and real intent to compete—and emphatically supports their entry into F1. But F1 isn’t convinced, and has acted borderline hostile to Andretti. All of this points to a growing political war between F1 and the FIA.

‘Growing political war’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/andretti-drama-exposes-increasing-tension-between-f1-and-fia


Fresh blow for Andretti’s F1 plans as Renault engine pre-contract agreement expires
12 Oct 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Alpine have revealed that a pre-contract agreement to supply customer engines to Andretti’s new F1 team has now expired. “We will not resume discussions until the review process has been completed with a positive result.”

Famin added: "In principle, we have nothing against an eleventh team if it turns out that it increases the value of the sport. But it is not our job to judge that. We follow the regulations, whether it is the sporting regulations or the Concorde agreement.”

‘Fresh blow for Andretti’s F1 plans’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1037942/1/fresh-blow-andretti-s-f1-plans-renault-engine-option-expires


Andretti will not be left without F1 engine supply, says FIA
11:33, 2023.
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Andretti Global F1 had originally been expected a supply of Renault engines, but it emerged last week that a pre-contract the team had with the French manufacturer had now lapsed, and talks had not resumed. The situation means that, for now, Andretti does not have a firm engine contract in place.

Ben Sulayem said there was no doubt in his mind that the rules were explicit in ensuring a supply for Andretti. “It works that, with the rules, nobody can say no to them,” he said.

“If all the teams say no, then the FIA has the power to go on and say, the least two [engine manufacturers] being used, then we put them in a draw, and we take one. It’s not a secret, and I'm sure it is either Alpine or Honda, and one of them would win because that is the rules.”

‘That is the rules’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/andretti-will-not-be-left-without-f1-engine-supply-says-fia/10533383/


ANALYSIS: Full impact of Andretti Global F1 entry
Thursday 12th October, 2023 - 1:00pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

How F1 prize money is divided: Currently, teams enjoy a $35 million flat payment from F1 for taking part in the championship, a simple $350 million pot split 10 ways.
Financial adjustments for Andretti Global in F1: What we can say with some certainty is that F1’s prize money fund will not get any larger, so the money will have to go further.

Ferrari will continue to receive its five percent bonus (though some sources suggest this is a flat $35 million sum rather than a percentage of income), while the ‘success’ bonus pot will also remain unchanged – worth around $3.6 million for each of the six currently eligible teams (Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Alpine, McLaren, and Williams).

From there, ‘Column 1’ payments, the flat fee paid out simply for competing, are assumed to reduce with the $350 million sum being split 11 ways rather than 10. Each team would therefore receive $31.82 million instead of $35 million, a reduction of $3.18 million for the existing 10 teams. However, given the prize money fund won’t increase, the performance-based payments would have to be adjusted.

‘A reduction of $3.18 million for the existing 10 teams’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/12/analysis-full-impact-of-andretti-global-f1-entry/


FIA president delivers bad news to F1 teams trying to block Andretti bid
14 Oct 2023 7:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the F1 teams have “no power” over Andretti joining and that it is a decision for the FIA and FOM. Formula 1 teams have been the biggest opponents to Andretti getting on the grid with many of them concerned that another mouth to feed will have a negative impact on their own profits. Regardless of their opinions, they officially do not get a vote but FOM is always going to be keen to get them on side.

As of right now, it appears as if you have the FIA in one corner and the F1 teams and FOM in the other when it comes to Andretti with the latter two being much less inclined to make room for the American team. It is an issue that threatens to bring tension to the FIA-F1 relationship but the sporting body’s president is unperturbed by this, remarking that the relationship between the two was like the Vatican and the Pope.

‘Tension to the FIA-F1 relationship’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-president-declares-f1-teams-no-power-andretti


Hypocrisy over Andretti: The F1 teams waging war on 11th team entry
October 11th 2023
Author Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine

The major talking point on Thursday and Friday surrounded the FIA’s approval of Andretti Cadillac’s application to join Formula 1 in future. That approval had looked to be on its way for a number of months and all it has served to do is officially move the process onto negotiations with Formula One Management (FOM), an aspect that was always going to prove the biggest hurdle.

Opposition from FOM was also not unexpected given the comments made by teams and Stefano Domenicali ever since Andretti publicly announced its plans to set up a new team. But as you might have picked up from the post-race diary, what really stood out to me was the hypocrisy of some teams, as they outlined their resistance to the bid.

‘Hypocrisy over Andretti’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/hypocrisy-over-andretti-the-f1-teams-waging-war-on-11th-team-entry/?nowprocket=1#


Revealed: The two F1 teams who oppose Andretti’s arrival the most
15 Oct 2023 8:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Williams and Haas may be the most likely teams to take exception to an Andretti F1 entry, with former Williams team manager Peter Windsor explaining why.

Current Williams team principal James Vowles has made his position abundantly clear on the issue of an extra team, hoping to see Formula 1 become financially stable throughout the grid before adding to it, while Haas also oppose adding to the grid for now.

While Andretti would have to pay a $200m [£165m] anti-dilution fee to the existing teams if they do enter Formula 1, Windsor explained that the subsequent loss of income for the other teams would lessen the size of the proverbial “slices of cake” when split between 11 instead of 10.

‘F1 teams who oppose Andretti’s arrival’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/biggest-andretti-f1-opposition-revealed


Ferrari, Williams against Andretti F1 entry
Saturday 7th October, 2023 - 8:00pm
By Mat Coch

Ferrari and Williams team bosses have expressed their displeasure at the concept of Andretti Global being granted entry into F1. “Williams is against the addition of an 11th team and very strongly against,” explained James Vowles, Williams’ team principal.

“My responsibility is to 900 employees within my company.” Vowles argues that Williams has consistently made a loss and will continue to do so in at least the short term as it invests to boost its on-track competitiveness.

‘Against Andretti F1 entry’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/07/ferrari-williams-against-andretti-f1-entry/


Red Bull reveal opposition to Andretti joining F1
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has revealed concerns about the impact of Andretti turning the sport into an 11-team competition.
10 October 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News.com

Despite existing F1 teams lacking the authority to influence the decision of admitting an 11th team to the grid, Marko articulated his reservations about how the championship’s “cake” would be apportioned if it expanded beyond the current ten teams.

He remarked, “As a team, we have no legal opportunity to have a say in this. But my opinion is clear: if the cake is divided by eleven, instead of ten, there must be a balance.” While the FIA has granted its approval, the ultimate verdict resides with F1’s proprietors, Liberty Media.

‘Red Bull reveal opposition’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/red-bull-reveal-opposition-to-andretti-joining-f1/

[Fortitude]

Horner: McLaren now Red Bull’s ‘most consistent challenger’.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has praised McLaren's recent form, labelling team papaya as their "most consistent challenger” in Formula 1.
16/10/2023 at 15:45
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

"It's moved around over the last four or five races but they've become certainly more consistent, the most consistent challenger,” Horner asserted. "They're doing a good job and the drivers are driving well. Particularly Oscar, in his rookie season is doing a very strong job."

McLaren’s strong run of form has allowed the Woking-based outfit to reduce its gap to fourth-placed team Aston in F1’s Constructors’ standings to just 11 points. However, in Qatar last time out, McLaren F1 boss Andrea Stella was cautious regarding his team’s ability to seize fourth in the championship…

“We stay very, very grounded,” said the Italian. “We saw how marginal things are. We saw what happened with Mercedes, like what happened with Ferrari who didn’t even start. This is not because they are not great teams with great drivers, this is because the sport is very marginal.”

‘Most consistent challenger’;

https://f1i.com/news/490035-horner-mclaren-now-red-bulls-most-consistent-challenger.html


McLaren now most 'consistent' Red Bull rival - Horner
16 October 8:45AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner believes McLaren has now become the most "consistent" rival to the team in Formula 1. Horner believes their resurgence in form has led to McLaren becoming the most consistent rival to Red Bull.

Max Verstappen believes McLaren's strong driver lineup is enabling them to be consistently behind Red Bull as a rival on track. "As a team they are probably the most consistent, compared to the others behind us," said the three-time World Champion.

‘Most 'consistent' Red Bull rival’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-now-most-consistent-red-bull-rival-horner


NORRIS: MCLAREN CLOSING CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS GAP TO FERRARI IS ‘DOABLE’
Ferrari holds a 79-point lead over McLaren in the Constructors' Standings
October 14, 2023
Jasmine Hughes
FormulaNerds

McLaren was something of a late bloomer this season, suffering a slow start to the year. But since garnering momentum at the British Grand Prix in July, McLaren has celebrated seven podiums between its two drivers, with rookie Oscar Piastri taking the Sprint Race win at the recent Qatar Grand Prix.

As of Qatar, McLaren sits fifth in the Constructors’ standings, just 11 points behind Aston Martin, which enjoyed a flying start to the season but has floundered in recent races. Third in the standings is Ferrari, bolstered by Carlos Sainz’s race win at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Although Ferrari has a 79-point advantage over McLaren, it seems Lando Norris believes that the British team could beat Ferrari to third in the standings by the end of the season. “It’s doable, I think so,” Norris told Motorsport.com.

‘GAP TO FERRARI IS ‘DOABLE’ ’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/norris-mclaren-closing-championship-points-gap-to-ferrari-is-doable/


Norris: Making up 79-point gap to Ferrari F1 for P3 "doable"
09:10 Sat, 14 Oct 2023.
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

McLaren started the season off the pace but following a change of concept and personnel reshuffle it has produced an impressive B-spec that turned the MCL60 into a reliable podium contender.

When asked if Ferrari can still be caught across the remaining five weekends, which include two more sprints, Norris replied: "It’s doable, I think so. A couple of races ago it was 70-something [points] to Aston.

"I think we're just doing a good job, not just in terms of pace but we had a 1.8 second pit stop which is pretty impressive from the guys. They've been working extremely hard so to reward the whole team consistently is only more motivating and a bigger boost every weekend."

‘79-point gap to Ferrari F1 for P3 "doable" ’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/norris-making-up-79-point-gap-to-ferrari-f1-for-p3-doable/10532525/


McLaren to trial landmark upgrade at US Grand Prix
Saturday 14 October 2023 11:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

McLaren are set to experiment with cutting-edge recycled carbon fibre components on their cars at the upcoming United States Grand Prix. Collaborating with V Carbon, an innovative composites organisation, McLaren have successfully procured materials to produce unique components designed for the cockpit branding panels.

This initiative marks a significant stride towards the team's goal of creating a fully sustainable Formula 1 car by the decade's end, aligning with the sport's broader sustainability objectives and offering remarkable advantages. “We're proud to team up with V Carbon to lead the charge in sustainable materials, running with recycled carbon fibre at the Austin GP," said McLaren chief operating officer Piers Thynne. "The potential future applications of rCF are hugely exciting.”

‘Landmark upgrade’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005783/mclaren-f1-us-grand-prix-upgrade/


McLaren reveal early optimism for 2024 development
October 13, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella reveals there are already promising signs for the team’s 2024 development. At this stage of the year, McLaren is capturing the majority of F1 headlines. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured another double-podium at the Losail International Circuit, underscoring the team’s fantastic leap mid-season.

When the year began, the MCL60 was limited in almost all areas. Excessive drag and lousy top speed were among the most obvious weaknesses. The first large-scale updates in Austria largely resolved this area, with the next set of changes targeted at improving low-speed performance.

‘Early optimism for 2024 development’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/10/13/mclaren-reveal-early-optimism-for-2024-development/


Mercedes F1 director reveals SECRET behind rival's resurgence
Friday 13 October 2023 10:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Sky Sports F1 pundit Ted Kravitz has revealed that Mercedes technical director James Allison told him where McLaren have been able to make such huge gains in 2023.

“James Allison from Mercedes said, ‘You look at where the Red Bull is strong, where the McLaren is strong and it’s in that kind 220 to 250kph bracket,’ which kind of meant that in those medium to high-speed corners,” Kravitz said. “There it absolutely gains a huge amount of time.”

"On the balance of the tracks that we have nowadays, that’s a significant number of corners that are at that speed range. That’s where the McLaren has really made huge gains. Alright, it’s not so great in the low speed corners but they can sort of figure that out but it’s clearly a good car.”

‘SECRET behind rival's resurgence’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1005693/mercedes-f1-james-allison-mclaren-ted-kravitz-secret/

[Fortitude]

EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso lambasts Motorsport.com.
Fernando Alonso was accused of having a go at Aston Martin during the Japanese GP, and the Spaniard has fired back.
16 October 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

When those around him made their first pit-stop, Alonso’s new tyres were already several laps old, with him being heard telling his team on the radio that they’d “thrown him to the lions”. Alonso’s radio message in Japan was viewed negatively; however, he’s insisted that this isn’t actually the case.

Not all of Alonso’s and the Silverstone-based team’s radio conversations during the Japanese GP were heard on the world feed, with the Spaniard having insisted after the race that his ‘lion’ remark had been taken out of context. Alonso recently explained how it’s difficult for those watching F1 to truly understand the meaning behind a radio message, as conversations prior to a session aren’t heard by the world.

The Aston Martin driver revealed that he’d spoken to the team about not pitting to early in Japan moments before the race whilst sitting on the grid, with his early-race comment having been in reference to that. “Even I think last Monday, Motorsport.com still put in the radio – so it was one week after Suzuka – saying that I was in traffic after my stop. Which was a little bit surprising because I don’t know what negativity it is on that, discussing with the team.” Fernando Alonso

‘EL PLAN: Motorsport.com still put in the radio…’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-alonso-lambasts-motorsport-com/


Alonso: ‘99% of people cannot understand’ F1 radio exchanges
17th October 2023, 13:21
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Alonso expressed that spectators can’t grasp the context of any dialogue that is released as they aren’t privy to prior discussions. “Yeah, I have no problem at all,” he began. “Obviously, in Suzuka it has been, yeah… It was difficult to get the point of the media. Even, I think, last Monday Motorsport.com still put in the radio.”

“So it was one week after Suzuka, saying that I was in traffic after my stop, which I was a little surprised, because I don’t know what negativity is on that, discussing with the team. And obviously you have no information about how the weekend goes, you know, the meetings that we have on Sunday morning.”

“Even on the grid, you know, the conversation on the grid on Sunday in Suzuka, we were talking, ‘don’t stop too early, because then with our lack of speed on the straights, we will be in traffic and we will get stuck’. So, when the radio comes out, obviously the level of maturity and complexity on the comments, 99% of the people cannot understand.”

“EL PLAN: 99% of people cannot understand”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/17/alonso-99-of-people-cannot-understand-f1-radio-exchanges/


Aston Martin working on solving AMR23 ‘burning seat’ issue
15:59 Sat, 14 Oct 2023.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack says the team is trying its best to address the burning seat issue suffered by Fernando Alonso in Qatar but which appears to be a recurring problem on the team’s AMR23.

“The seat is burning, mate. Anything we can do at the pit stop? Throw me water or something,” Alonso asked. Given the amount of electrical wire and components located in the cockpit of Aston’s car, the team predictably ignored its driver’s appeal.

After the race, when queried on Alonso’s plight, Krack admitted that it hadn’t been the first time the Spaniard had complained about the searing heat emanating from his machine’s seat. “Yes, it’s true. He reported on it already a couple of times,” said the Aston chief. “We are working on it. And it’s not that we have not done anything. We had it also in Singapore, which we thought was much, much better.”

‘EL PLAN: AMR23 ‘burning seat’ issue’;

https://f1i.com/news/489946-aston-martin-working-on-solving-amr23-burning-seat-issue.html


Alonso directs 'overconfident' jibe to McLaren
16 October 7:45PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has suggested that it is good that McLaren is “overconfident” amid the fight for fourth place in the Constructors' Championship. Recently, McLaren's Lando Norris expressed conviction that the team could emerge on top in the fight.

Speaking to media including RacingNews365.com, Alonso has said that Aston Martin can benefit from their rivals having too much confidence. “Obviously they have the momentum for sure,” Alonso said. “And they've been quite fast. But every weekend we see up and downs for everybody.”

“They've been very strong before the August break in Austria, in Silverstone. I think they were close to being both on the podium in Silverstone. In Zandvoort, we were on the podium and they struggled a little bit. So, it's good if they're overconfident, and let's see if we can beat them in Abu Dhabi!”

‘EL PLAN: It is good that McLaren is “overconfident”;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-directs-overconfident-jibe-to-mclaren


Norris responds to 'silly' Alonso confidence jibe
14 October 8:45AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has responded to Fernando Alonso's jibe over McLaren becoming "overconfident" in its pursuit to finish ahead of Aston Martin in Formula 1 Constructors' Championship.

When asked about the comments, Norris told media, including RacingNews365: "How many points did we catch in Suzuka? 20? So unless his maths is deteriorating.... Which it definitely isn't!

"Fernando is just Fernando, he's always gonna say things, he always makes himself look very good or other makes other people look bad."

' EL PLAN: Silly Alonso confidence jibe’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-responds-to-silly-alonso-confidence-jibe

[Matthew]

It is a season when Red Bull and Max are dominating. We already have champions of this season with 5 races still to go. I hope we see more competitive seasons in coming years.

[Fortitude]

Full schedule for the 2023 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.
Check out the full weekend time schedule for the United States Grand Prix, which will take place from October 20th-22th at the Circuit of the Americas the 2023 F1 season heads onto its 18th round.
17 October 8:45AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Formula 1 heads to the United States for the second time this year following its trip to Miami in May. This time around however, the paddock is setting up in Austin, Texas at the Circuit of the Americas for the 17th round of the campaign.

The weekend will also use the F1 Sprint format for the fourth time this year, while Daniel Ricciardo will make his return after sitting out the last five rounds due to a hand injury.

‘Check out the full schedule for the 2023 Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix below’;

https://racingnews365.com/full-schedule-for-the-2023-formula-1-united-states-grand-prix


Austin gears up for record-breaking crowds with return of Formula One Lenovo Grand Prix
Tue, October 17th 2023, 3:52 AM UTC
by Andrew Freeman
CBS Austin

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin City Limits may now be behind us, but now with the Formula One Lenovo Grand Prix returning to Circuit of Americas this weekend, packed hotels and crowded airports are not. Next to summertime, October is the busiest period of travel for the Austin airport, even beating out the holidays. Last year, the Formula One Grand Prix broke records at the airport with more than 40,000 travelers, and airport officials are expecting another record-breaking event this year.

Speaking at an F-1 car presentation at the governor's mansion Monday, Governor Greg Abbott noted the grand prix has brought Texas more than $10 billion since it began in 2012. "It brings a lot of excitement, but also a lot of attention to Austin and to Texas,” Abbott said.

Circuit of Americas expects to generate another billion dollars in tax revenue this year between flights, hotel stays, and food. "It’s great for F-1, it’s great for the race. But think what it does for the bars and restaurants and entertainment locations across the entire area,” Abbott said.

‘Record-breaking crowds’;

https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/austin-gears-up-for-record-breaking-crowds-with-return-of-formula-one-lenovo-grand-prix


F1's lesser known milestone GP - 2023 United States GP Preview
Published ‎Oct‎ ‎17‎, ‎2023‎ ‎10‎:‎32‎ ‎PM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

COTA marks the start of a triple header and will host a Sprint format weekend for the first time. Will Max Verstappen win his first race as a three times World Champion? OR will McLaren's surge at the front continue and will they finally conquer the Verstappen-Red Bull Racing barrier?

All eyes on Logan Sargeant and Haas F1 Team - the second of their three home Grands Prix this season. And of course, for Liberty Media, too.

‘2023 United States GP Preview’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/f1s-lesser-known-milestone-gp-2023-united-states-g


F1 NATION: Verstappen charges on, Mercedes look to bounce back and Ricciardo returns – it’s our United States GP preview
16 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

After a weekend off, it’s almost time to go racing again as a triple-header sequence begins with the United States Grand Prix – and the F1 Nation crew are here to discuss all the major talking points. With Max Verstappen’s third successive title win fresh in the memory, host Tom Clarkson is joined by Damon Hill to discuss the standout moments of the Dutchman’s season so far.

From his best qualifying performance to his best Grand Prix win and the race in which he handled the most pressure, Clarkson and F1’s world champion of 1996 run through the lot.

Also stopping by for a chat is Mercedes Technical Director James Allison, who explains how the team dealt with the collision between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell last time out in Qatar, plus how they plan to bounce back at the Circuit of The Americas with a new floor.

‘United States GP preview’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.f1-nation-verstappen-charges-on-mercedes-look-to-bounce-back-and-ricciardo.3WbDrmSxO3XYA9Hqa0tbzp.html


‘Significant’ Mercedes update to provide vital W15 clue at US Grand Prix
17 Oct 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Bringing a new floor to Austin, James Allison says don’t expect Mercedes to “leap past” Max Verstappen, the upgrade is more of a “bellwether” to ensure they’re heading in the right direction towards a title challenge next year.

Mercedes will introduce a “modified floor” with 2024’s car in mind with Allison, the team’s technical director, hoping it will give them an indication of whether they’re heading in the right direction.

“Hopefully it will give us a bit of lap time, always a benefit,” Allison explained. “But it is mostly a useful thing because it’s a bellwether for whether we’re on the right track. But in lap time terms it will be small. Useful, but don’t expect us to have leapt past Max.”

‘Significant Mercedes update’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/mercedes-w15-clue-united-states-grand-prix


Mercedes share details of new upgrade set for F1 United States Grand Prix
17 Oct 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Mercedes hope that the introduction of a new floor upgrade at the upcoming F1 United States Grand Prix will indicate they are “on the right track”. Mercedes’ 2022 and 2023 campaigns have been hampered by their troubled and inconsistent W13 and W14 cars, prompting a fundamental design change for next season.

Allison said Mercedes now have a “very clear idea of what we need to put right”. “I think that much of what ails us now is reasonably well-understood and we’re working to fix that,” he explained.

“I feel like all of us got a pretty clear-sighted view of what we want to do with the car. This championship, while we haven’t made the really impressive progress that McLaren have, we have nevertheless been charting a path through the season that gives us a very clear idea of what we need to put right. So that makes the next years fun, very exciting to look forward to, and actually this period of the year extremely enjoyable."

‘Hampered by their troubled and inconsistent W13 and W14 cars’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1037861/1/mercedes-share-details-new-upgrade-set-f1-united-states-grand-prix


James Allison: Fresh Upgrade at US Grand Prix Signals New Direction.
October 17, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Their decision to introduce a new floor for the upcoming US Grand Prix in Austin is significant not just for its potential immediate performance gains but also for what it symbolizes in their ongoing efforts.

“Hopefully it will give us a bit of lap time,” said James Allison.“That’s always a benefit.” He continued:“But it is mostly a useful thing because it’s a bellwether for whether we’re on the right track.

‘New Direction’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/james-allison-fresh-upgrade-at-us-grand-prix-signals-new-direction/


Mercedes target podium return in Austin but admit to key ‘worry’ against Red Bull and McLaren
16 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Mercedes have set the clear goal of fighting for a podium finish at the upcoming United States Grand Prix as the team look to bounce back from a compromised race last time out in Qatar and get their hands on some more silverware.

Speaking in Mercedes’ post-Qatar Grand Prix debrief, Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin gave his thoughts on the W14’s performance at the Lusail International Circuit and any learnings that can be taken to Austin this weekend.

Shovlin admitted to a “big question” in the Mercedes camp regarding exactly where they will stack up in the pecking order at the Circuit of The Americas, but he nonetheless hopes to see Hamilton and Russell pushing for the rostrum places.

‘Mercedes target podium return’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.mercedes-target-podium-return-in-austin-but-admit-to-key-worry-against-red.L7OiqXOLR5QqUA17HMCu2.html

[Fortitude]

Sainz win validated 'right direction' for Ferrari – Vasseur.
Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur believes Carlos Sainz's win during the Singapore Grand Prix gave the team "confirmation" that it is heading in the right development direction.
17 October 4:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The team started off the 2023 season on the wrong foot, but now Ferrari is starting to come back to its early 2022 form. The SF-23 started off as a continuation of the F1-75, but it suffered from the same tyre degradation and inconsistencies that plagued the 2022 machine.

At the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari switched car concepts and moved away from the 'bathtub' design of sidepods in favour of the downwash effect, which is a popular trend due to the success of Red Bull.

While it did not bring immediate success to the team, Ferrari has worked at understanding its package, with a breakthrough made in practice at the Dutch Grand Prix, with Sainz going onto take pole and a podium in Italy before winning from pole in Singapore to halt Red Bull's unbeaten run.

‘ "Confirmation" that it is heading in the right development direction’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-win-validated-right-direction-for-ferrari-vasseur


Vasseur hints at keeping ‘excellent’ driver lineup
October 18, 2023
by Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Frederic Vasseur sounds determined to keep Ferrari’s “excellent” driver lineup intact beyond the expiry of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc’s 2024 contracts. The Maranello-based marque’s former president Luca di Montezemolo declared this week that “the last problem for Ferrari today is the drivers – it is the car”.

New team boss Vasseur appears to agree. “The drivers are part of the performance and we have two excellent ones – very good and competitive,” he said at the Il Festival dello Sport this week. “We have talked about them and they are professionals,” Vasseur added. “They know where the limits are and so far they have done a fantastic job.”

Sainz, also at the festival in Trento, denies it. “I trust him (Leclerc) a lot,” he insists. “I see him as honest and I see his commitment to the team. And the important thing is to build the future together.” Sainz, 29, has also been pushing Vasseur for clarity about his expiring contract.

‘Vasseur hints’;

https://grandpx.news/vasseur-hints-at-keeping-excellent-driver-lineup/


Sainz would expect title fight with Leclerc to be 'close'
17:47, 18th October 2023.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have never fought each other for the world title in F1. But if they do, the Spaniard thinks it would be a close fight between the pair. Unfortunately, Ferrari’s hopes of fielding a championship winning car this season failed to materialize.

“Charles and I often find ourselves close,” commented Sainz during the recent Festival dello Sport. “We haven’t fought for the title, but for a third place in Monza or a pole, yes, and it wouldn’t be much different for a championship.”

“We had three years to train and get to know each other, and we know the respect between us. We all push in the same direction. We have always believed we could win, and we never gave up. It’s this drive that makes me say Ferrari is in the right place to win.”

‘Title fight’;

https://f1i.com/news/490141-sainz-would-expect-title-fight-with-leclerc-to-be-close.html


Charles Leclerc addresses Ferrari boss’ leadership
Charles Leclerc has backed his team principal, Fred Vasseur, despite the team experiencing a challenging outing in 2023.
18 October 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News

Charles Leclerc has commended the pragmatic leadership style of Fred Vasseur, who assumed the role of team principal at Ferrari earlier this year. He further elaborated on the unique blend of passion and pragmatism at Ferrari, stating, “I think as an Italian team, and as Ferrari, this is what I love most about Ferrari is the emotions that we feel.”

“Whenever we are at highs and how passionate the people are, but to have this balance with Fred I think is also really good.” Leclerc highlighted Vasseur’s ability to maintain a clear vision, regardless of the team’s performance, noting,

“To have the clear vision when things are going wrong, and also, when things are going very strong [and say] ‘But that’s not it, we still need to work very hard,’ I think we kind of already had that philosophy.” Leclerc also acknowledged the strengthening of this philosophy under Vasseur’s leadership, asserting, “But I think Fred has strengthened it, and that’s really good.”

‘Pragmatic leadership style’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/charles-leclerc-addresses-ferrari-boss-leadership/


WATCH: First trailer for Christmas Enzo Ferrari biopic
18 October 5:15PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

The first trailer for the Enzo Ferrari, Ferrari, biopic has been revealed ahead of the film's release in cinemas in the United States on Christmas Day. Directed by Michael Mann whose previous films include Ali about boxing great Muhammed Ali and Miami Vice, the film focuses on the late 1950s and the 1957 Mille Migilia in Ferrari's life, dealing with the death of his son Dino from Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 1956.

Enzo is portrayed by Adam Driver - Kylo Ren in Star Wars while Laura Ferrari - the mother of Dino is played by Penelope Cruz. Sir Stirling Moss - who famously never drove for Ferrari in F1 after a falling out is played by Ben Collins - who was formerly The Stig on the BBC motoring show Top Gear while Tommaso Basili plays Gianni Agnelli - the former FIAT boss whose grandson John Elkann is now chairman of Ferrari and of the Stellantis group.

‘Enzo Ferrari biopic’;

https://racingnews365.com/watch-first-trailer-for-christmas-enzo-ferrari-biopic

[Fortitude]

Toto Wolff opens up on 'frustrating' crash between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell that shattered Mercedes' points total at Qatar Grand Prix - but he is convinced pair will 'grow' from it ahead of Austin round.
But Wolff was keen to stress that recent events were unlikely to repeat themselves in Austin, with both drivers having learned their lesson.
Published: 17:02, 18 October 2023
By Tamara Prenn For Mailonline
Mail Online

'The last round in Qatar was a case of what might have been,' Wolff shared ahead of raceweekend in Austin. 'As a team, you never want to see your cars collide. It was frustrating to leave a lot of points on the table, particularly as the pace of the car was strong.”

‘It was encouraging though to see how the drivers and the team reacted. Both Lewis and George know the team comes first and do not ever intend to jeopardise that. I am sure we will all grow from this moment. We’re now focused on Austin and making sure we get the most out of each upcoming weekend.’

After reviewing footage of the crash, Hamilton was quick to apologise personally to Russell - with the pair sharing a hug after the race - and the team after first blaming his compatriot for the collision over his radio.

'Frustrating crash’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12645601/Toto-Wolff-opens-frustrating-crash-Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell-shattered-Mercedes-points-total-Qatar-Grand-Prix-convinced-pair-grow-ahead-Austin-round.html


Mercedes vs Ferrari and Perez's ultimatum: What to watch for at 2023 United States GP
October 18th 2023
Author: Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

Now that Red Bull has secured its sixth constructors’ title and Max Verstappen is a three-time world champion, F1 approaches the US Grand Prix with eyes focused on the trailing field — four front-running teams set to do battle over a sprint race weekend at COTA.

The resurgence of McLaren has provided Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri with a car that can push Red Bull a little closer and take the fight to the rest of the midfield. Should the fast and flowing curves of COTA suit McLaren’s MCL60, expect the papaya cars to be at the sharp end again.

Who will win the race for second place?
Daniel Ricciardo’s return at the US GP
Sergio Perez’s future in doubt
Logan Sargeant still in search of a point
More scorching temperatures predicted at the US Grand Prix

‘What to watch for’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/mercedes-vs-ferrari-and-perezs-ultimatum-what-to-watch-for-at-2023-united-states-gp/?nowprocket=1#


Behind the scenes with Logan Sargeant: Williams' rookie on returning to Austin and targets for the rest of 2023
18 October 2023
Logan Sargeant
Williams Racing Driver
Formula One - Official Site

Hey all, I’m touching base from the United States where I’ve been for a few days before heading to the Circuit of The Americas for the US Grand Prix. Retiring the car from the last race was a tough call to make, but I had to put my health first. It’s been good to have a week off to let my body recover. I’m back to full fitness now and fully ready to go for this weekend.

First stop was New York for a few media activities, including appearing on NBC Morning News with Savannah Sellers and chatting to Nylon Magazine and The Players' Tribune. Then it was over to Austin, which is one of my favourite cities in the world. There’s such a good vibe there and it’s one of the places I never tire of going back to.

I’ll be making stops at a few BBQ places – and a Mexican on the river called ATX Cocina, and we’ve got a team dinner, which is a great opportunity for everyone who has worked so hard this year to get together. The Circuit of The Americas is a very special place for me, as not only did I officially join the Williams family on that weekend in 2021, but last year I also did my first FP1 session at the track. So, it’s cool that I’m now heading back there to take the next step – my first race in Austin.

‘Behind the scenes with Logan Sargeant’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.behind-the-scenes-with-logan-sargeant-williams-rookie-on-returning-to-austin.2t5F9K5qbcGDBs4d0SaOOp.html


F1 faces another hot race in Austin after punishing Losail temperatures
Formula 1
Posted on 19th October 2023, 7:15
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

Following the punishing weather conditions of the Qatar Grand Prix, which prompted the FIA to investigate its extreme effect upon drivers, the last thing the Formula 1 paddock wanted was another hot race. But the forecast for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix indicates they can expect one. The first of three consecutive weeks of racing in the Americas is set to be another battle against the heat.

The average daily high temperature around this time of year in Austin, Texas is 27C, but F1’s sprint sessions on Saturday will be held on that day in considerably hotter conditions. It will be 32C for qualifying at the start of the afternoon, then 34C for the sprint race at 5pm with 40% air humidity. F1 has scheduled in a 2pm start time for Sunday’s grand prix, but will likely have similar conditions to the sprint race. Air temperature will be between 33C and 34C through the race, humidity will be 40% and it is expected to be windier than on previous days.

Drivers can expect this weekend’s race won’t be as demanding as their visit to Losail was as the humidity won’t be as high and the Circuit of the Americas offers more respite between its many quicker corners. They can still expect this to be one of the more physically demanding rounds of the year, though compared to what they went through last time it shouldn’t offer a serious cause for concern.

‘F1 faces another hot race’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/19/2023-united-states-grand-prix-weather/


Red Bull "vulnerable" at Austin GP as surprise F1 winner picked out over Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen and Red Bull will be favourites for victory in the United States Grand Prix, but Damon Hill thinks another F1 star has a chance to upset them in the Sprint race
19:50 Wed, 18 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Damon Hill tipped Lando Norris to upset Red Bull in the Sprint race at this weekend's United States Grand Prix. "I think Lando has got to win," said the Sky Sports F1 pundit, referring to Saturday's Sprint race in Austin. He's due one, isn't he Lando? Sprint, Lando – race is going to be Max.

"I just think it's a question of who else is on the podium. Checo [Perez] has got to turn the wick up. The Mexican Grand Prix is coming up. He's got to do something. Find that thing, whatever it is or not try too hard or something. I don't know what it is."

Norris takes part in his 100th F1 Grand Prix this weekend. The Brit has always enjoyed a strong reputation in the sport and is widely regarded as a potential future champion, but so far the stars have failed to align for Norris to win a race.

‘Red Bull vulnerable’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/red-bull-vulnerable-austin-gp-31223682


Race guide for the United States Grand Prix
16:37 Wed, 18 Oct 2023.
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Following one of the physically most demanding races of F1 history, the Qatar Grand Prix, the field now moves to North America this weekend with the Circuit of the Americas set to host the United States Grand Prix, Round 18 of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship. F1Technical's senior writer Balázs Szabó picks out some trivia and stat ahead of the race in Texas.

The 5.513km track only joined Formula One in 2012, but it has already made its reputation since. The sport left the United States in 2007 due to the lack of interest and enthusiasm. However, there was always a growing wish for Formula One to return to the important market, and the idea of the reorganized United States Grand Prix was proposed in the middle of 2010.

The circuit was the first in the United States to be purpose-built for Formula One. The layout was conceived by 1993 Motorcycle World Champion Kevin Schwantz with the assistance of German architect and circuit designer Hermann Tilke, who has also designed the Sepang, Shanghai, Yas Marina, Istanbul, Bahrain, Yeongam, and Buddh circuits, as well as the reprofiling of the Hockenheimring and Fuji Speedway.

‘Track purpose-built for Formula One’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24239


West Aussie ace Daniel Ricciardo to make Formula 1 comeback at US Grand Prix
Wed, 18 October 2023 7:11PM
Philip Duncan
Press Association
The West Australian

Daniel Ricciardo will return from injury for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix. The 34-year-old Australian has missed the past five races after he broke his left hand in practice for the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25. However, the PA news agency has been told Ricciardo, who took part in a Red Bull demonstration run in Nashville last weekend, will be back in his AlphaTauri cockpit for practice at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

Ricciardo was handed a second chance by Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri following his dismissal by McLaren at the end of last season. Despite his injury, AlphaTauri announced last month they had retained the eight-time grand prix winner for 2024 alongside Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda.

‘Formula 1 comeback’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/f1/daniel-ricciardo-to-make-f1-comeback-at-us-grand-prix-c-12247972

[Fortitude]

Red Bull warned of rival who ‘are going to be good’ at US Grand Prix.
Ex-F1 racer Jan Lammers has tipped Mercedes to provide a stern challenge to the dominant Red Bull team in Austin.
19 Oct 2023 1:45 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lammers has name-dropped Mercedes as a team that could keep Red Bull on their toes, arguing that they have shown “potential” recently which they could not take advantage of. George Russell recovered to P4 in Qatar despite colliding with team-mate Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap.

“Mercedes has shown a lot of potential in recent races,” Lammers told RacingNews365.com. “They just haven’t gotten the most out of it for the time being. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they manage to do that now. In that case, Mercedes is going to be good in the United States.”

‘Stern challenge’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bull-warned-mercedes-good-us-grand-prix


What tyres will the teams and drivers have for the 2023 United States Grand Prix?
19 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Pirelli have announced which tyres they will be bringing to the circuit for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix – the fifth Sprint weekend of the season and the second in a row.
F1’s Official tyre supplier have decided that the teams will have the option to run the C2 (hard tyre), C3 (medium tyre), and C4 (soft tyre) in Austin – the same tyre range last used at the Sprint weekend at Spa-Francorchamps in July. Due to the revised Sprint format, there will be a change in the number of sets of tyres given to the teams. Pirelli will once again bring two sets of the hards, but they will also nominate four sets of the mediums, and just six sets of the softs.

The amount of medium compound tyres will be increased because of Saturday’s Sprint shootout, which will require the teams to run the mediums in both SQ1 and SQ2, with the softs only being used in SQ3. “Austin kicks off a series of four races – three of them run consecutively – on the American continent and it all begins with the United States Grand Prix," said Pirelli's Motorsport Director Mario Isola.

‘Pirelli have announced which tyres they will be bringing’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.what-tyres-will-the-teams-and-drivers-have-for-the-2023-united-states-grand.24UsOsaCszDcdoTFNZVcIl.html


The biggest F1 scandals: Qatar GP outshone by bizarre American tyre fiasco
19 October 2:00PM
Author Luke Merkx
Co-author Jesse Janse
RacingNews365

The year is 2005. Lewis Hamilton drives in Formula 3, Max Verstappen goes to primary school and Fernando Alonso fights for his first world title. It is also the year in which the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis ends in farce.

Embarrassment: The result? Thousands of American fans in the grandstands and millions of TV viewers are presented with an embarrassing display. All twenty drivers will start their warm-up lap, but only six take to the start: Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, Jordan's Tiago Monteiro and Narain Karthikeyan and Minardi's Christijan Albers and Patrick Friesacher.

The rest of the drivers dive into the pit lane at the end of the formation lap and then park their cars and do not participate in the race. During the starting procedure, the engine noise is drowned out by boos from the crowd. Schumacher would go on to claim the only Ferrari victory of the season, Monteiro scored his first and only F1 podium finish and Christijan Albers clinched points for the first and only time in his Formula 1 career

‘Bizarre American tyre fiasco’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-biggest-f1-scandals-qatar-gp-outshone-by-bizarre-american-tyre-fiasco


Ricciardo eager for US GP F1 return after sideline frustration
19th Oct. 2023, 13:16
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Daniel Ricciardo is eager for his return from injury at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix after admitting it was “frustrating” watching from the sidelines.

Ricciardo, who replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri only 10 races into the year, has been absent from the previous five rounds since breaking his left hand in a practice crash at Zandvoort at the end of August. The Australian underwent a run in the simulator ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix but elected to delay his comeback by one race weekend to allow his injury to heal further.

“It’s good to be back! My hand is much better, and the simulator was a useful way of assessing it,” Ricciardo said in AlphaTauri’s Austin preview. “I tried it out in the week before Qatar, but I didn’t feel it was at full potential, so I spent the rest of that week in the UK, spending more time in the sim, and got to a point where I felt ready to go.”

‘Ricciardo eager’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/19/ricciardo-eager-for-us-gp-f1-return-after-sideline-frustration/


Stroll replacement rumours SWIRL after F1 poster mishap
Thursday 19 October 2023 11:57
Tyler Foster
GPFans

Aston Martin’s commitment to Lance Stroll seemingly came into question after an embarrassing error from the United States Grand Prix organisers saw reserve driver Felipe Drugovich included on an F1 poster instead of the Canadian.

In an ironic twist, the organisers for the upcoming United States Grand Prix in Austin accidentally included Drugovich instead of Stroll on a poster showing the current F1 drivers. After this was seemingly noticed on social media, the organisers moved to quickly correct this mistake and return Stroll to his spot.

‘Rumours SWIRL’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006061/lance-stroll-f1-aston-martin-felipe-drugovich-fernando-alonso-us-grand-prix-austin/


F1 take action to stop Lance Stroll rumour mill going into overdrive
19 Oct 2023 10:00 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The rumour mill was almost sent into overdrive when Felipe Drugovich, rather than Lance Stroll, featured on the United States GP signage, while Daniel Ricciardo also was not safe from the errors. Ahead of media Thursday in Austin, images appeared on social media showing Aston Martin reserve Drugovich on the driver posters, rather than Fernando Alonso’s actual team-mate Stroll.

Had Formula 1 let the cat out of the bag early? Stroll has suffered an alarming slump in form and was given a formal warning for his altercation in Qatar with trainer Henry Howe, triggering speculation that Stroll could be preparing to exit his father Lawrence’s Aston Martin team.

That was not the only mishap though, with fans also taking to social media to highlight that Ricciardo’s name above his AlphaTauri garage had been spelt wrong. The image showed that the ‘I’ had been missed out of his surname. He has not been gone that long!

‘F1 take action’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-act-embarrassing-lance-stroll-mistake

[Fortitude]

Five Things to Watch at the 2023 U.S. Grand Prix in Austin.
The second of three U.S. races this year, Austin has always delivered a fantastic spectacle on and off the race track since its debut on the calendar in 2012. Here are five story lines that you should know ahead of this weekend’s race.
Updated October 19, 2023 12:27 PM
By Katy Fairman Sports Illustrated
The News Tribune, Washington

Another Sprint weekend: For most F1 fans, they’ll know the format of a race weekend as follows: Friday practice, Saturday qualifying and then the race Sunday.
Ricciardo is back from injury: Daniel Ricciardo might be Australian, but the AlphaTauri driver has always had an obsession with the United States Grand Prix.

Big upgrades on the way for the Haas F1 Team: The team is fronted by drivers Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg, with Netflix’s Drive to Survive favorite Guenther Steiner as their team principal.
F1 Academy makes its F1 debut: F1 Academy, which is in its inaugural season, will conclude in Austin this weekend and crown its first champion.

Pressure for Pérez and home hero Sergeant: Verstappen might have just clinched another world championship, but his teammate, Sergio Pérez, is not having quite the same fortunes. …he’s faced recent struggles and has not been putting in the performances expected of him. There’s also one final seat next season that’s not yet decided, and that’s at Williams Racing. Currently, American Logan Sargeant holds the slot for the rest of 20…

‘Five Things to Watch’;

https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/article280746345.html#storylink=mainstage_card


In pictures: Taking to Austin's streets to reward fans for their support.
19.10.2023
Aston Martin F1 - Official Site

Ahead of the United States Grand Prix, we took the streets of Austin to meet fans, hear your stories of fandom and reward your incredible support.

We hear you, Austin: I/ AM A FAN is all about recognising and rewarding your unique fandom, so we took to the streets of Austin to listen to your unique stories of support. We gave each of the fans we met a limited edition Fernando Alonso United States Grand Prix cap in return for their stories of fandom.

A unique reward for a unique story, with each cap different from the next due to no two caps featuring an identical pattern. View our gallery of passionate fans and hear some of their stories ahead of the United States Grand Prix.

‘EL PLAN: Limited edition Fernando Alonso United States Grand Prix cap in return for their stories of fandom’;

https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/news/gallery/taking-to-austins-streets-to-reward-fans-for-their-support


MAX ABOUT AUSTIN GP: 'NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HIT 50 WINS'
Published on 19 October 2023
by Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl

Two weeks ago Max Verstappen claimed his third Formula 1 world driver's championship title in Qatar during the Saturday sprint race. After a small party with the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team, Max was prepared for another race that Sunday, which he won.

In Austin, Texas, the title-holder was asked if he could celebrate back home in Monaco: “A little bit with some friends. It was also just nice to be home, before heading into this triple header. So yeah, nothing too crazy.”

If Max wins this Sunday, it will be his 50th Grand Prix win. A real milestone. “It’s a nice number,” Max says, “I never thought I would hit (50 wins). Now that we’re getting close to it, we should try to expand a bit more. But, we’ll see. It’s more important that we focus on this weekend.”

'NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HIT 50 WINS';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5281/


What's the weather forecast for the 2023 United States Grand Prix?
19 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

2023 Qatar Grand Prix weekend weather forecast
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20 – FP1 AND QUALIFYING
Conditions: Extremely hot day with temperatures largely above normal and approaching record highs. FP1: 32°C // Q: 35°C.
Maximum temperature expected: 35 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 18 Celsius
Chance of rain: 0%

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 – SPRINT SHOOTOUT AND SPRINT
Conditions: A sunny day with a very hot feeling, with no wind anticipated throughout the day. SS: 32°C // SPRINT: 34°C.
Maximum temperature expected: 34 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 18 Celsius
Chance of rain: 0%

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22 – RACE WEATHER
Conditions: Still fair and hot weather throughout the day but with southerly winds expected to gradually increase in the afternoon. RACE: 32°C
Maximum temperature expected: 33 Celsius
Minimum temperature expected: 18 Celsius
Chance of rain: 0%

‘Weather forecast’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.whats-the-weather-forecast-for-the-2023-united-states-grand-prix.1rNpFL7eyXY7crLbz3Djjy.html


F1 stars could face massive new fines after remarkable rule change ahead of Austin GP
Formula 1 drivers are paid handsomely for their work, but their wallets could take a huge hit for any rule-breaking going forward after the FIA decided to make some changes
20:03 Thu, 19 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Formula 1 drivers face fines up to almost £1m for future rule-breaking after the World Motor Sport Council agreed to quadruple the current limit. The International Sporting Code previously stated that F1 stewards could give out fines up to a maximum of 250,000 euros (£218k). That figure has not been changed for more than a decade but, at a meeting held in Geneva, it was decided an increase was required.

And F1 drivers face the most significant rise as flouting the rules could now cost them up to one million euros (£871k). Competitors in all other FIA world championship series have a new limit of three-quarters of that amount, while all other FIA-sanctioned competitions have a maximum fine only half the size of F1.

In a statement issued by the governing body, it was asserted that the fine limit "has not been reviewed nor amended for at least the last twelve years", and that the previous limit "does not reflect the current needs of motor sport".

‘Massive new fines’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/f1-fia-fines-austin-gp-31233299


Drew Barrymore is all smiles while checking out pit row and interviewing racers during previews of F1 Grand Prix of United States in Austin... amid her talk show writers controversy
Published: 01:44, 20 October 2023
By Brian Gallagher For Dailymail.com

Barrymore was donning a black Oracle/Red Bull Racing fire suit with red stripes down the side and a pair of blue sneakers. She also wore black gloves as her auburn hair flowed down past her shoulders for the outing.

The host was also seen interviewing Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Mexican racer Sergio Perez from Oracle Red Bull Racing.

‘Drew Barrymore is all smiles’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12651795/Drew-Barrymore-smiles-checking-pit-row-interviewing-racers-previews-F1-Grand-Prix-United-States-Austin-amid-talk-writers-controversy.html

[Fortitude]

Verstappen fastest in sole US GP practice.
World Champion Max Verstappen set the pace during the sole practice session for Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas.
19:46 Fri, 20 Oct 2023.
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week

Verstappen clocked a time of 1:35.912s when drivers carried out qualifying simulations on Soft tyres during the closing stages of the one-hour session. The US Grand Prix is one of the six Sprint weekends designated by Formula 1 in 2023, meaning qualifying will take place later on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s Sprint sessions.

Verstappen’s time left him 0.156s clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton – who had been fastest during the Hard tyre runs – in third spot. Sergio Perez showed an upturn in performance by classifying fourth, three-tenths behind his team-mate.

‘Verstappen fastest’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/20/verstappen-fastest-in-sole-us-gp-practice/


F1 United States Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice Results
20 Oct 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

2023 F1 United States Grand Prix - Free Practice Results (1)
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m35.912s
2 Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari 1m36.068s
3 Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 1m36.193s
4 Sergio Perez MEX Oracle Bull Racing 1m36.212s
5 Kevin Magnussen DEN MoneyGram Haas F1 Team 1m36.472s
6 George Russell GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 1m36.474s
7 Alex Albon THA Williams Racing 1m36.492s
8 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari 1m36.533s
9 Nico Hulkenberg GER MoneyGram Haas F1 Team 1m36.702s
10 Pierre Gasly FRA BWT Alpine F1 Team 1m36.705s

‘Results from Friday practice at the United States Grand Prix, Round 18 of the F1 2023 world championship’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/results/1038556/1/f1-united-states-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-results


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the United States Grand Prix
20 October 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site.

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-the-united-states-2023.4eso3WnJp8pihEhiVZRRmd.html


F1 Live - United States GP Free Practice 1 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
20 October 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Free Practice 1 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXEXciTmBDE


2023 United States GP FP1: Piastri pulls off impressive save after running off track in first practice.
20 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site.

Oscar Piastri was a heartbeat away from crashing into the barriers in first practice at the Circuit of The Americas, but just managed to catch his McLaren as he ran wide at Turn 9.

‘Impressive save’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.2023-united-states-gp-fp1-piastri-pulls-off-impressive-save-after-running-off-track-in-first-practice.1780300932474299361.html


Lando Norris leaves Carlos Sainz shaken with Austin GP near miss – "Oh my god"
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz was aware enough to avoid a nasty crash with his former McLaren team-mate Lando Norris in the first and only practice session at the United States Grand Prix
19:14 Fri, 20 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

A panicked Carlos Sainz sounded shaken after a scary near-miss with friend Lando Norris during United States Grand Prix practice.

The session was less than 10 minutes old when they almost came together. The Ferrari driver was on a hot lap while Norris was driving his McLaren rather more sedately to get his tyres into their optimum window. But as Sainz came tearing through the COTA esses, his former team-mate failed to move too far off the racing line and the Spaniard had to bail out.

Drivers usually send angry messages after such incidents, but there was a not of worry in Sainz's voice as he reported the near-miss over the radio. "Oh my god, whoa," he said, before telling his team: "Lando there. I think he didn't see me, but we nearly crashed." Fortunately, Sainz was able to react in time to avoid hitting into the side of the McLaren.

‘Carlos Sainz shaken’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/norris-sainz-austin-gp-qualifying-31242545


Stroll MISERY worsens after United States Grand Prix practice disaster
Friday 20 October 2023 20:27
Tyler Foster
GPFans

Lance Stroll’s recent frustrations continue as the Canadian driver suffered mechanical issues during the opening practice session of the United States sprint weekend.

In FP1, his Aston Martin AMR23 was only able to complete five laps before having to pit due to overheating front left brake discs. Stroll subsequently finished the session as the slowest of the 20 cars due to his lack of running, and will now be behind the weekend’s run plan compared to the rest of the grid..

‘Frustrations continue’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006162/lance-stroll-f1-aston-martin-fp1-united-states-grand-prix-practice/

[Fortitude]

US Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc takes stunning pole, Max Verstappen to start P6.
Charles Leclerc has earned a superb pole position for the US Grand Prix on Sunday, beating Lando Norris to the P1 grid slot in a thrilling qualifying session in Austin.
20 Oct 2023 11:07 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen had set a time good enough for pole, but a track limits breach at Turn 19 saw him drop to sixth on the grid – with Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz and George Russell rounding out the top five.

Further down, there was disappointment for both Aston Martin drivers, however, as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both dropped out in Q1, set to start 17th and 19th respectively as they struggled to extract pace from the updated AMR23.

Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant were the others to drop out in Q1, with a frantic session coming to a close.

‘Stunning pole’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/us-grand-prix-2023-qualifying-report


Qualifying Results – 2023 United States Grand Prix
20th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -1:34.723
2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.130
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.139
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.222
5. George Russell Mercedes +0.356
6. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.358
7. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.366
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.431
9. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.450
10. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.744

‘United States Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for Sunday’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Circuit of the Americas’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-united-states-grand-prix-83310


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from qualifying for the United States Grand Prix
20 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-the-united-states-2023.6XfAWBpjOhZk6iaWzFouGD.html


F1 United States Grand Prix 2023 - Qualifying: As it happened
20 October 2023
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘Qualifying: As it happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-united-states-grand-prix-2023-qualifying-it-happened



F1 Live - United States GP Free Quali Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
20 October 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Quali Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU-sQbRusKk


F1 stewards penalise Max Verstappen as Red Bull F1 star rues Austin GP qualifying error
Max Verstappen was momentarily top of the timesheets in qualifying for the United States Grand Prix, but lost pole position to Charles Leclerc when his time was deleted
20 October 2023, 00:29
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Max Verstappen said a "little mistake" led to the moment which saw the United States Grand Prix stewards delete his pole-sitting lap in qualifying. The Dutchman looked to have gone quickest overall to cement his place at the front of the grid for Sunday's race in Austin.

But TV cameras showed Verstappen had appeared to exceed track limits on the penultimate corner of that lap and, soon after, the stewards concurred that it was an illegal lap. So it was scrubbed from the board and the Red Bull driver was relegated to sixth place. Charles Leclerc took pole in his absence, while Lando Norris pulled off an excellent lap to pip Lewis Hamilton to a spot on the front row.

"I knew in Turn 19 that it was going to be a close call," said Verstappen of that lost lap. "I had a little mistake in Turn 1 so I had to really push for it in the rest of the lap. It's fine margins, honestly, I didn't even understeer, I just tried to really maximise the corner and I misjudged it by a little bit."

‘F1 stewards penalise Max Verstappen’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/max-verstappen-austin-gp-qualifying-31243910

[Fortitude]

Leclerc admits surprise at Ferrari's pace after taking pole position for United States GP.
Charles Leclerc admitted that he was surprised by Ferrari's pace in Austin but praised the work of his team after he went on to take a stunning pole position for the United States Grand Prix.
20 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

This is the third time this season that Leclerc has taken pole position on a Sprint weekend – after Baku and Belgium – and when asked why that continues to happen, Leclerc said: “I don't know. I think as a team we did a great job.

“We know that in this Sprint weekend it’s more important than ever to have a clean FP1 [and] we did. We had a good FP1, we started with a strong base thanks to the work the guys have done to prepare this weekend, with a car straight away feeling good, then I was feeling good.”

“I was happy throughout qualifying, the last lap in Q3, there was a bit of mistakes here and there, but I think it wasn’t easy for everybody. So, really happy to be starting on pole for Sunday.” Asked if Ferrari were surprised by their pace compared to their rivals, Leclerc said: “Yes, we are. In the last sector we have been very strong whether it’s in FP1 this morning or in qualifying.”

‘Surprised by Ferrari's pace’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.leclerc-admits-surprise-at-ferraris-pace-after-taking-pole-position-for.PKEUZbO6czmKC1mcctVwI.html


ONBOARD: Charles Leclerc’s 2023 Pirelli Pole Position Award lap at the United States Grand Prix
21 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Ride onboard with Charles Leclerc as the Ferrari driver claims pole position with a lap of 1:34.723 in qualifying at the 2023 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

‘Pirelli Pole Position Award’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.onboard-charles-leclercs-2023-pirelli-pole-position-award-lap-at-the-united-states-grand-prix.1780323458028085354.html


Qualifying Highlights: 2023 United States Grand Prix
20 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Watch highlights from qualifying at the Circuit of The Americas ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix.

‘Highlights from qualifying’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.qualifying-highlights-2023-united-states-grand-prix.1780316731645839696.html


Max Verstappen predicts ‘fun’ US GP after falling foul of ‘fine margins’
21 Oct 2023 1:08 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen is ready to have some “fun” in Austin after a track limits violation dumped him out of pole position and down to P6. And Verstappen seemingly had done enough as he went 0.005s clear of Charles Leclerc, though then the nervous wait began to learn of whether he had breached track limits at Turn 19.

As it turned out, Verstappen had gone beyond the white line and so lost that time, meaning he would instead be forced to settle for a P6 grid slot. But, while it was “unfortunate” to fall foul of track limits, Verstappen is not letting that dampen his mood for the rest of the race weekend.

“I mean, I knew in [Turn] 19 that it was going to be a close call,” Verstappen told Sky F1. “I had a little mistake in Turn 1, so I had to really push for it in the rest of the lap. It’s fine margins, honestly. I didn’t even understeer, I just tried to really maximise the corner and I misjudged it by a little bit. It’s very fine margins when you’re pushing to the limit. It was a bit unfortunate, but it makes the Sunday also a bit more fun.”

‘Fine margins’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-fine-margins-us-gp-qualy-track-limits


CHRISTIAN HORNER: 'HE HAD TO GIVE IT ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING'
Published on 21 October 2023
by Johan Peeters
Verstappen.nl

Christian Horner, team principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, reflects after Friday’s qualifying for the United States Grand Prix: “It looked like we were going to get pole today but then a small lock up at turn 1 put Max on the back foot so he had to give it absolutely everything. He tried, but unfortunately we didn’t quite do it today.”

“Checo struggled with balance slightly but it was tight margins with not a lot in it but it will make for an interesting race on Sunday. We start from P6 and P9 for the race which makes things a little harder for us but there is always an opportunity for victory and we look forward to seeing what Sunday brings."

‘ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5284/


Perez blames wind for Verstappen defecit in United States GP qualifying
Sergio Perez could only manage ninth in qualifying for the 2023 US GP
October 21, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Perez would’ve been nearly half a second behind his teammate were it not for that intervention by the stewards though, and the highest he managed across all three qualifying sessions was sixth in Q1.

“It certainly wasn’t a straightforward one I was struggling with the balance from low speed to high speed, especially in the low-speed,” Perez told the media. “We did some changes that probably didn’t help us as much.”

‘Perez blames wind’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-checo-perez-blames-wind-max-verstappen-defecit-2023us-gp-qualifying/


Alonso rues Aston Martin’s ‘terrible’ FP1 as he predicts ‘heavily compromised’ race following shock Q1 exit
21 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Fernando Alonso is expecting Aston Martin to face a “heavily compromised” race in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix after the team suffered a double Q1 exit in qualifying, marking the first time that Alonso has failed to progress beyond the opening session in 2023.

Having lost momentum to rivals including Mercedes and Ferrari in recent races, the team brought a new floor for the AMR23 to Austin but struggled to collect crucial data in Friday’s free practice hour, in what will be the sole practice session of another Sprint weekend. When asked after the session if his early exit was due to not getting a clean lap in, or whether it was in fact the car’s maximum performance, Alonso explained: “No, it was the maximum, I think.

“The lap was not ideal, the out lap especially, the traffic was very badly managed. I think I crossed the line within one second of the limit, so I started the lap too close to the cars in front, so that didn’t help. The lap felt okay, and the pace was really not good enough to be into Q2, and let’s see tomorrow if we can make a good Sprint, because Sunday’s race is heavily compromised now.”

‘Aston Martin’s ‘terrible’ FP1’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.alonso-rues-aston-martins-terrible-fp1-as-he-predicts-heavily-compromised.5EALmYbZg74Gv7aNxjyYsI.html

[Fortitude]

Verstappen nets USGP sprint pole despite 360-degree spin scare.
Max Verstappen returned to pole position for the United States sprint event as the Red Bull driver denied grand prix polesitter Charles Leclerc in Saturday’s shootout.
Sunday 22nd October, 2023 - 5:25am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

With the soft tyres strapped to the cars for what was effectively a one-lap showdown in Q3 as none of the cars emerged from the garage until late on, Verstappen set the bar early on with a time of one minute 34.538secs around the Circuit of the Americas.

For Verstappen, there was a degree of redemption after claiming pole for the grand prix for a moment on Friday, only for his lap to be deleted, allowing him to clinch his third sprint pole from the five events so far this year.

Behind him, his rivals lined up to challenge, but the three-time F1 champion did enough to keep them at bay, with the top three separated by just 0.069s, with Leclerc on the front row, and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton third quickest.

‘Redemption’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/22/max-verstappen-united-states-gp-sprint-shootout-scare/


Sprint Shootout Results – 2023 United States Grand Prix
21st October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

SQ3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:34.538
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.055
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.069
4. Lando Norris McLaren +0.101
5. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.356
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.401
7. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.503
8. George Russell Mercedes +0.661
9. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.828
10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.359

‘United States Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the shootout for tonight’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Circuit of the Americas’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-shootout-results-2023-united-states-grand-prix-83326


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the Sprint Shootout at the United States Grand Prix
21 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-sprint-shootout-in-the-united-states-2023.7uEiykOV9f2WHUHWlLCWlh.html


F1 United States Grand Prix 2023 - Sprint: LIVE UPDATES!
21 October 2023, 18:41
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘Sprint: LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-united-states-grand-prix-2023-sprint-live-updates


F1 Live - United States GP Sprint Shootout Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
21 October 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Sprint Shootout Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqaP63sq20A


Charles Leclerc calls for George Russell penalty as FIA investigate US GP near-miss
21 Oct 2023 7:08 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Charles Leclerc was clear in his mind that George Russell deserves a penalty after their impeding encounter in the Austin sprint shootout.

While qualifying to determine the United States Grand Prix grid took place on Friday, the drivers were back in qualifying action on Saturday to set the starting order for the sprint. And it only took until the latter stages of SQ1 for some drama, as Russell seemed to very much get in the way of Leclerc.

As Leclerc swept through the penultimate corner at the Circuit of The Americas, the Ferrari driver found a slow-moving Russell in his Mercedes on the exit, wrecking that final flying lap for Leclerc. Both drivers cleared the SQ1 stage, but that was of little comfort to Leclerc.

‘FIA investigate US GP near-miss’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charles-leclerc-wants-george-russell-penalty-us-gp

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to Austin GP Sprint win as George Russell gets penalty.
Max Verstappen started the Sprint race on pole with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in his mirrors, to make up for his disappointing qualifying result for the main Grand Prix.
23:42 Sat, 21 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton pushed Max Verstappen hard in the opening laps of the United States Grand Prix Sprint, but was unable to stop the Dutchman from winning. The Mercedes man got the better of Charles Leclerc early on and avoided a penalty despite appearing to overtake off the track. Hamilton was allowed to keep the place and was gunning for Verstappen, but he just did not have the race pace to trouble the Red Bull.

Leclerc got an excellent launch off the line and put Verstappen under pressure, but the Red Bull racer was in no mood to let the Ferrari man through. He squeezed Leclerc as much as he could on the inside of the track while still giving his rival enough room on the track. That pinched him into the first corner and made sure the Monegasque could not complete the overtake. And Hamilton took advantage of the scrap to slip by the Ferrari and into second place.

Leclerc came home third, but his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz was unable to hold off the charge of Lando Norris. The McLaren man had given a glum prediction of his chances this weekend, but is proving himself wrong after qualifying second for Sunday's Grand Prix and showing good pace in the Sprint. Sainz had started on the soft tyres which began to lose grip around half-way through. Sergio Perez soon swallowed him up. George Russell didn't but he still scored a point despite picking up a penalty for an illegal overtake on Oscar Piastri.

‘Max Verstappen: Austin GP Sprint win’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/breaking-austin-gp-sprint-result-31249025


Sprint Results – 2023 United States Grand Prix
21st October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -19 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +9.465
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +17.987
4. Lando Norris McLaren +18.863
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +22.928
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +28.307
7. Pierre Gasly Alpine +32.403
8. George Russell Mercedes +34.250 *
9. Alex Albon Williams Racing +34.567
10. Oscar Piastri McLaren +42.403

‘United States Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s penultimate Sprint of the 2023 F1 World Championship’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-results-2023-united-states-grand-prix-83339


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the F1 Sprint in the United States
21 October 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-f1-sprint-in-the-united-states-2023-.65QQpQMKIhtW5IuKIj6BR.html


F1 United States Grand Prix 2023 - Sprint: As it happened
21 October 2023
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

It's sprint day at the Circuit of the Americas which plays host to this weekend's United States Grand Prix. Follow all of the action here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘Sprint: As it happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-united-states-grand-prix-2023-sprint-it-happened


F1 Live - United States GP Sprint Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
21 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live United States Grand Prix Sprint Race Watchalong | US GP Live | USA GP F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Sprint Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVKmDStYLLI


Max Verstappen the lone star in crushing US GP Sprint Race victory
Max Verstappen eased to victory in the 2023 US GP Sprint Race ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
October 21, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen coasted to victory of an anticlimactic 2023 United States Grand Prix sprint… Verstappen got very aggressive with Leclerc on the run turn one, forcing the Ferrari all the way to the paint on the left of the track, and that allowed Hamilton to sweep into second around the outside.

Ferrari gambled with the soft tyres for Carlos Sainz and that backfired dramatically – if not unpredictably, with the Spaniard unable to even get past his teammate. From a high point of fourth, Sainz sunk like a lump of the tarmac he was driving on in the second half of the race to come home sixth.

Lando Norris was the first to pass his former teammate-turned-overtaking buffet, finishing the race where he started in fourth but never close to troubling the podium. However, those five points move McLaren to just six behind pointless Aston Martin in the constructors’ championship.

‘Max Verstappen the lone star’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-max-verstappen-lone-star-crushing-2023-us-gp-sprint-race-victory/


MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS SPRINT RACE IN AUSTIN: 'PACE WAS VERY GOOD'
Published on 22 October 2023
by Misha van der Kroon
Verstappen.nl

After the race, Max comments: “It was quite tight, but luckily there’s a lot of space going into turn 1, so that definitely helps. I gave Charles just enough space and made the corner as tight as possible for him, so he couldn’t break late, and that worked out well in the end. After that, we could do our own race and control the pace. The most important thing was to stay calm and keep the tyres alive. I had a bit of fun at the end, when I could push a bit more.”

The pace of the RB19 was encouraging for Max, who has a tough task tomorrow, starting from P6: “The confidence is definitely there, and I’ll need it tomorrow. Starting from P6 is going to be different than today, but it makes it interesting. Hopefully we can have a bit of fun out there tomorrow, a few overtakes. And of course we want to win.”

'PACE WAS VERY GOOD';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5286/

[Fortitude]

STRATEGY GUIDE: What are the possible race strategies for the 2023 US Grand Prix in Austin?
Four teams covered by little more than a tenth of a second and Max Verstappen starting down in sixth creates the prospect of excitement at Circuit of The Americas. So here are a few of the strategic options that are likely to be open to the teams and drivers on race day in Texas…
22 October 2023
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

What’s the quickest strategy? The Sprint format means we’ve been able to see a glimpse of what is likely to happen in terms of tyre performance at COTA – and it still points to a two-stop race.

How about a different option for the top 10? So you might have been able to work out from the above list of teams that many of those at the sharp end of the grid need to do something different. While Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri can run the medium-hard-hard strategy, Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, Alpine and Aston Martin cannot.

What are the options for the bottom half of the field? Perhaps an option for those in the top 10 too, another two-stop strategy could see all three tyre compounds used.
Wait, but what’s the weather doing? There’s a slight difference to the conditions expected on Sunday compared to the rest of the weekend but it’s a change that is likely to be welcomed by the teams and drivers.

‘STRATEGY GUIDE’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.strategy-guide-what-are-the-possible-race-strategies-for-the-2023-us-grand.vsnoqLmWvJS15FdRKreJt.html


Why pole-winner Leclerc doubts he’ll be able to fight Verstappen for victory
There may be three grands prix in the United States of America – but there’s only one United States Grand Prix.
Posted on 22nd October 2023, 11:0522nd October 2023, 11:10
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

While the glitz, glamour and human interest stories at the heart of the sport have attracted scores of new fans to Formula 1, the last two seasons have failed to offer the true edge-of-your-seat action and intrigue at the front of the field that would surely be the best way of keeping fresh fans engaged and even bringing new eyes to the sport. Max Verstappen has been almost literally unstoppable, his domination of the sport this year on a par with anything his predecessors achieved.

Pirelli are projecting a two-stop strategy sticking with the medium and hard tyres as the optimal approach to the 56 lap race. As the run to turn one will be critical for Leclerc’s chances of fighting for a victory, he will surely fit the medium tyres for the opening stint to help him have the traction he needs to beat Norris on the run up the hill to the first corner. Pirelli then expect most teams to run the hards in the middle stint before switching to hards or mediums at their second stop...

“It’s going to be tight,” Leclerc said. “I expect Max to get ahead and to not be too much of a fight but then otherwise it’s going to be tight. I think we have to look into our data and try to understand what we can do better for tomorrow’s degradation because the pace is there, it’s always been there, sometimes we seem to be a bit inconsistent with our race pace. Today was the case, we struggled more than others and we’ll try to understand what’s wrong and see if we can do anything different for tomorrow to help that.”

‘Leclerc doubts';

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/22/why-pole-winner-leclerc-doubts-hell-be-able-to-fight-verstappen-for-victory/


Horner curses Verstappen BAD LUCK ahead of United States Grand Prix.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has said that new track limit rules at the United States Grand Prix were 'unlucky' for Max Verstappen, as he only managed to qualify sixth for Sunday's race.
Sunday 22 October 2023 12:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

The dominant Dutchman had his final lap time deleted during Q3, after a track limits infringement was penalised by the stewards. That lap time was five thousandths of a second quicker than Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, but its deletion meant that the three-time world champion could only manage sixth, whilst Leclerc went on to take his third pole position of the season.

Now, Horner has commented on the fact that new track limit rules brought in after qualifying mean that Verstappen wouldn't have been punished for the same offence on Saturday. According to the FIA, the white line at the outside of Turn 9, Turn 12 and Turn 19 was widened in order to give drivers further room on the track. The decision was taken after talks were held with both drivers and teams on Friday night.

‘New track limit rules’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006264/christian-horner-red-bull-f1-max-verstappen-us-gp-bad-luck-fia/


‘Won’t be easy’: Max’s admission sparks hopes of US GP thriller after sprint dominance — LIVE
October 22nd, 2023 8:04 pm
AFP from Fox Sports
LIVE Fox Sports (Australia)

Max Verstappen will be hunting a “fun” 50th career victory from sixth on the grid in Monday’s United States Grand Prix (starts 6am AEDT) after cruising to victory for Red Bull in Sunday’s sprint race. The newly crowned three-time world champion led from pole position to the chequered flag to finish 9.465 seconds clear of revitalised seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. Charles Leclerc came home third for Ferrari, 17.997 adrift.

“The pace of the car was really good today,” said the 26-year-old Dutchman, who wrapped up his third consecutive drivers’ title with victory in Qatar earlier in October. But I’m going to need it tomorrow because starting P6 is going to be a bit more difficult and different from today. It makes it more interesting and hopefully we can have a bit of fun out there with quite a bit of passing... It won’t be easy because I need to pass five cars to win.”

‘Won’t be easy’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2023-formula-1-united-states-grand-prix-race-live-updates-start-time-in-australia-grid-how-to-watch-daniel-ricciardo-oscar-piastri/news-story/bf96d33d420bff0ff3f264ae87d344c6


Optimistic George Russell outlines target for US GP after disappointing Sprint Race
George Russell starts the 2023 United States GP fifth for Mercedes
October 22, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Mercedes brought a new floor to the Circuit of the Americas and Hamilton‘s certainly bedded in quickly, qualifying third for the grand prix after just an hour of free practice then repeating that performance in the sprint shootout.

“In the end, it was a shame I couldn’t get past Carlos, he was just too quick in the corners that matter compared to us,” Russell told the media. “But we’re in a strong place for tomorrow, I think starting fifth we’ve got a good chance to fight for a podium. But a fight it’s going to be with probably with Lando.”

“It’s feeling good, we know that a circuit like this with high and low-speed corners doesn’t naturally suit our car but definitely a lot of positives to take, it’s all going in the right direction so feeling optimistic.”

‘Optimistic George Russell’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-optimistic-george-russell-outlines-target-2023-us-gp-disappointing-sprint-race/


Alonso: Upgrade 'risk' not reason behind Aston Martin Austin slump
22 October 12:40PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso feels Aston Martin was right to bring its big upgrade to the United States Grand Prix, despite the "risk" of it being a Sprint weekend. "The frustration was not really increasing in the race because we've been on the same page, the whole weekend," Alonso told media including RacingNews365. "We were uncompetitive in FP1, in qualifying and in the Sprint. The car as been in parc ferme since FP1 and maybe we are not optimised in terms of set-up.”

"We want to think [it would be better on a normal weekend] with more free practice you have the time to test many different combination of setups and different ways of optimising the new package. It was also a bit risky to bring the upgrades to a Sprint weekend as you rely so much on a perfect FP1 with two cars doing different tests between the two. We had a very chaotic FP1 and since then have been on the backfoot.”

‘EL PLAN: Big upgrade’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-upgrade-risk-not-reason-behind-aston-martin-austin-slump


Fast facts ahead of the United States Grand Prix
22 October 2023, 10:37
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Long history – Today’s race will be the 44th United States Grand Prix and the 74th F1 race in the United States. First held in 1959 at Sebring, the United States Grand Prix has a peripatetic history. Races followed at Riverside (1960), Watkins Glen (1961-1980), Phoenix (1989-1991) and Indianapolis (2000-2007) before the Circuit of the Americas joined the sport in 2012. The racetrack in Texas has hosted the United States Grand Prix in every year since except in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic forced the sport to call off its trip to the North-American continent.

Importance of the starting position – Joining the Formula One race calendar in 2012, the Texas racetrack has produced some thrilling duels since. Although the long circuit features a wide layout and offers several overtaking spots, starting from the first row has proved crucial so far. In almost every edition of the event, one of the two drivers starting from the front row won the race, with five victories from pole and four from P2. The only exception was last year when three-time world champion Max Verstappen climbed up from third on the grid to win the race.

‘Fast facts’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24251

[Fortitude]

F1 United States GP: Verstappen beats Hamilton to take 50th win from sixth on grid.
Max Verstappen won Formula 1's 2023 United States Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, the trio taking different paths to victory in a gripping strategic affair.
22nd October 2023
AUTHORAlex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

The win gave Verstappen his 50th F1 career victory in a race where he struggled with brake problems and Ferrari's challenge disappeared early. Norris got a better start than Ferrari's polesitter Charles Leclerc and was quickly alongside the Ferrari before heading to the Turn 1 apex to make certain of the lead.

Verstappen triggered the race's first big strategy call when he came into take more new mediums, with McLaren bringing Norris in from the front a lap later at the end of the 17th tour, but putting him onto new hards.

By stopping earlier and with consistent pace in the 1m41s, Verstappen had cut his previous seven-second gap to Norris in half and he was soon homing in on the McLaren – which retook the lead when Leclerc finally pitted on lap 23.

‘50th F1 career victory’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-united-states-gp-verstappen-beats-hamilton-to-take-50th-win-from-sixth-on-grid/10536471/


Race Results – 2023 United States Grand Prix
22nd October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -56 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +2.225
3. Lando Norris McLaren +10.730
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +15.134
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +18.460
6. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +24.662
7. George Russell Mercedes +24.999
8. Pierre Gasly Alpine +47.996
9. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +48.696
10. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +74.385

‘United States Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race around the Circuit of the Americas’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-united-states-grand-prix-83350


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the 2023 United States Grand Prix
22 October 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it Happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-lenovo-united-states-grand-prix-2023.6pdQRN8bUT0HCHCkKJ0UMt.html


F1 United States Grand Prix 2023 - As it happened
22 October 2023, 19:25
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘As it happened;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-united-states-grand-prix-2023-it-happened


F1 Live - United States GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
22 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live United States Grand Prix Race Watchalong | US GP Live | USA GP F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyHOeW2YYh4


Verstappen outruns Hamilton to win United States GP from sixth on grid
Formula 1
Posted on 22nd October 2023, 21:51
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Max Verstappen rose from sixth on the grid to win the United States Grand Prix, beating Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris to take his 15th win of 2023. The world champion gained five places to move into the lead of the race just after his final pit stop, leading home Hamilton and Norris in a hard-fought race where just 20 seconds covered the top five at the chequered flag.

Verstappen checked off the remaining laps and took the chequered flag to secure the win, his record-equalling 15th of the season, by just over two seconds from Hamilton. Norris claimed the final podium place in third, around ten seconds behind the winner.

Sainz came home fourth for Ferrari, ahead of Perez in fifth and Leclerc finishing sixth after a one stop strategy failed to pay off. Russell came home in seventh, with Pierre Gasly securing four points for Alpine in eighth. Lance Stroll secured his first points since the summer break with ninth, while Yuki Tsunoda took tenth place and a bonus point for fastest lap after pitting for soft tyres on the penultimate lap.

‘Verstappen outruns Hamilton’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/22/verstappen-outruns-hamilton-to-win-united-states-gp-from-sixth-on-grid/

[Fortitude]

Hamilton, Leclerc disqualified from United States Grand Prix.
The planks on the Mercedes and Ferrari did not conform to regulations in post-race checks.
23 October 2:20AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been disqualified from the United States Grand Prix after excessive skid-block wear meant their planks did not conform to F1's Technical Regulations. Post-race checks carried out by the FIA's Technical Delegate discovered the infringements after the 56-lap event on a bumpy Circuit of the Americas.

Hamilton had closed into within 19 points of Red Bull's Sergio Perez in the Drivers' standings with second, having pushed Max Verstappen all the way to the end following a fascinating strategic battle. Leclerc on the other hand had slipped from pole to sixth by the end of the race having been left on a one-stop strategy by Ferrari.

"The Stewards note that the onus is on the competitor to ensure that the car is in compliance with the regulations at all times during an event. In this particular case, the rear skid in the area defined in the Technical Delegate’s report was outside of the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, which includes a tolerance for wear.”

‘Hamilton, Leclerc disqualified’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-leclerc-disqualified-from-united-states-grand-prix


Hamilton and Leclerc disqualified from United States Grand Prix for technical breach
23 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have both been disqualified from the United States Grand Prix. Following the race in Austin, their cars were inspected and irregularities were spotted by the FIA Technical team after a plank wear inspection was carried out.

The Delegate’s Report stated that: “The skids located in the area -825 ≥ XR ≥ - 1025 are found to be not in compliance with Article 3.5.9 e) of the 2023 Formula One Technical Regulations.” As such, both were immediately referred to the stewards. Both teams sent a representative to speak to the stewards, stating that "the high wear on the skid pads was probably a result of the unique combination of the bumpy track and the Sprint race schedule that minimized the time to set up and check the car before the race."

However, the Stewards noted that "the onus is on the competitor to ensure that the car is in compliance with the regulations at all times during an event. In this particular case, the rear skid in the area defined in the Technical Delegate’s report was outside of the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, which includes a tolerance for wear."

‘Disqualified from United States Grand Prix for technical breach’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-hamilton-and-leclerc-disqualified-from-united-states-grand-prix-for.10nvuyvEPfMgoeWxWOhw0a.html


F1 United States Grand Prix 2023 - Race Results after Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc DSQ
23 Oct 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

2023 F1 United States Grand Prix - Race Results
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing 56 Laps
2 Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team + 10.730s
3 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari + 15.134s
4 Sergio Perez MEX Oracle Red Bull Racing + 18.460s
5 George Russell GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team + 24.999s
6 Pierre Gasly FRA BWT Alpine F1 Team + 47.996s
7 Lance Stroll CAN Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team + 48.696s
8 Yuki Tsunoda JPN Scuderia AlphaTauri + 74.385s
9 Alex Albon THA Williams Racing + 86.714s
10 Logan Sargeant USA Williams Racing + 87.998s

‘Full results from the United States Grand Prix, Round 18 of the F1 2023 world championship’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/results/1038945/1/f1-united-states-grand-prix-2023-race-results-after-hamilton-leclerc-dsq


Hamilton and Wolff react to United States GP disqualification
23 October 5:00AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has conceded the team "got it wrong" with set-up after Lewis Hamilton was disqualified from the United States Grand Prix. The seven-time F1 World Champion had put in a stirring performance to challenge Max Verstappen and Red Bull for victory at the Circuit of the Americas.

But post-race inspection found his plank had worn too much during the race and thus failed to conform with the sport's Technical Regulations, resulting in a disqualification. Reacting to the result, Hamilton said: "It is of course disappointing to be disqualified post-race but that doesn't take away from the progress we've made this weekend."

"Set-up choices on a sprint weekend are always a challenge with just one hour of free practice - and even more so at a bumpy circuit like COTA and running a new package," explained Wolff. "In the end, all of that doesn't matter; others got it right where we got it wrong and there's no wiggle room in the rules. We need to take it on the chin, do the learning, and come back stronger next weekend."

‘Hamilton and Wolff reaction’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-and-wolff-react-to-united-states-gp-disqualification


Winners and losers from F1's 2023 United States Grand Prix
Oct 23, 2023
The Race

Winners
Max Verstappen: When the best are up against it, they still tend to find a way to win. That's what Verstappen and Red Bull did at Austin.
Lance Stroll: It was far from Aston Martin's strongest weekend but this was easily Stroll's best of the second half of the season so far. He finished ahead of Alonso in the sprint and was only a few seconds behind him in the grand prix when Alonso slid down the order and retired with suspected floor damage.

Yuki Tsunoda: Never mind that attrition and disqualifications aided his result; Tsunoda got the maximum available to him ensured he was the one to benefit from retirements ahead.
Williams: What was initially going to be a painful 11th and 12th place finish for Williams turned into a first double points finish since the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix for the team.

Losers: Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, Lap-one clashers Oscar Piastri, Esteban Ocon

‘Winners and losers’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/winners-and-losers-f1-2023-united-states-gp/


Logan Sargeant wins first F1 point at US GP after Lewis Hamilton disqualified
Logan Sargeant is finally a Formula 1 point-scorer and becomes the first American to achieve that in three decades, since Michael Andretti at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix
Oct 23, 2023, 02:19
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Logan Sargeant scored his first ever Formula 1 point as a result of Lewis Hamilton's disqualification from the United States Grand Prix. The Floridian drove well to finish 12th on the road in Sunday's race at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas. He finished just over a second behind Williams team-mate Alexander Albon in one of his most impressive results to date.

But it still was not the top-10 finish he so desperately craves – or so he thought. Hours after the conclusion of the race, it was announced both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were under investigation. And both were disqualified after a lengthy probe from the stewards. It elevated Albon into ninth place while Sargeant inherited 10th, securing his first point in the sport in his 18th Grand Prix.

‘Logan Sargeant wins first F1 point’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/logan-sargeant-us-gp-point-31254292


United States GP: Double points result for Williams Racing
October 23 2023
By Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters

Despite having finish 11th and 12th in the 2023 United States GP subsequent post race inspections would see penalties handed out to two top ten finishing drivers seeing the Williams Racing Team finish with a double points scoring result. Alex Albon would originally finish in 11th and Logan Sargeant 12th but with the penalties we would see Alex moved into 9th and Logan 10th. Prior to the points scoring decision both Alex and Logan had put in good drives that saw them just outside the points but for the team to come away with the points was an amazing reversal of fortunes. Especially for Logan who would score his first point of his F1 career.

Logan Sargeant: "It’s amazing to score my first point in F1 on home turf after the challenging weekend I’ve had. I’m so proud of this team and myself for the hard work and progress we’ve been making this season.”
Alex Albon: "I’m very happy for the team and especially Logan for scoring points today. We had our luck, but we were there to take it!”

Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance: "After Leclerc and Hamilton’s post-race disqualifications, we come away from Austin with double points for the team for the first time since the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. It’s also Logan’s first point in Formula 1 and he becomes the first American to score a point since Michael Andretti at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix.”

‘Double points result’;

https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st205260.htm

[Fortitude]

Aston Martin boss explains how Sprint Race led to Hamilton and Leclerc being disqualified from US GP.
Mike Krack suggests Sprint weekend to blame for Hamilton and Leclerc DSQs
October 23, 2023
By Roman Brock
Total Motorsport

A disappointing result for them, and Aston Martin chief Krack’s thoughts on the matter may well point at the fact the hectic nature of the Sprint has led to these disqualifications. “[Ride height] is one of the issues with a Sprint weekend,” Krack said to the press. “You know you have to do the Sprint and the race and two qualifyings and you can wear one mm and you have to run low.

“It’s tough [to find the right ride height]… you always have a risk.” Indeed, the statement from the FIA around the ruling to throw both drivers out suggests that the congested schedule was indeed, at least partially, to blame for the ruling.

The statement read: “During the hearing the team acknowledged that the measurement performed by the FIA Technical Team was correct and stated that the high wear on the skid pads was probably a result of the unique combination of the bumpy track and the Sprint race schedule that minimised the time to set up and check the car before the race.”

‘Disappointing result’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-aston-martin-mikekrack-explains-sprint-race-lewis-hamilton-charles-leclerc-disqualified-2023-us-gp/


'Sprint weekend robbed Hamilton of podium' - US Grand Prix hot takes
Monday 23 October 2023 13:27
Sam Cook
GPFans

Max Verstappen claimed his 15th race victory of the season, and his 50th career win, by coming from sixth on the grid to win the United States Grand Prix. The Dutchman nursed braking issues and a very fast Lewis Hamilton to take victory by just over two seconds. Except...that wasn't quite the case, it turned out. When scrutineers examined Hamilton's Mercedes, they judged his skid blocks to be too worn down – and disqualified him from the final result.

Chris Deeley: Lead Editor: This weekend showed, above all else, what F1 teams, drivers and fans will miss out on if sprint weekends are made the norm. Instead of a genuinely pacy Aston Martin mixing it with their 2023 rivals, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll had to start prohibitively far back – all because their single practice session before Friday's qualifying was disrupted by a brake issue.

‘Hamilton robbed of podium'’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006363/lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-f1-red-bull-mercedes-us-gp-race-50-wins/


Should the FIA do more after Leclerc and Hamilton findings?
23 October 3:45PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The planks are a safety feature introduced after the deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, and 1mm of wear is allowed from a 10mm block.

The disqualifications of Hamilton and Leclerc posed a question, what about George Russell and Carlos Sainz? Both sister cars are identical, and as the image below shows, both Russell and Sainz also had a low ride height, creating sparks. But their cars were not selected for further inspection, despite their team-mates being found in breach of the technical regulations.

Owing to the sheer number of components on every car, it is impossible for the FIA's technical inspection team to strip down every car after every race to check its legalities, which is why the team led by Jo Bauer conduct random checks to ensure cars are legal.

‘Should the FIA do more’;

https://racingnews365.com/should-the-fia-do-more-after-leclerc-and-hamilton-findings


Vasseur claims Ferrari 'FAILED' Leclerc with United States GP blunder
Monday 23 October 2023 12:42
Joe Ellis
GPFans

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has said that his team failed Charles Leclerc at the United States GP – even before the Monegasque driver was disqualified for an illegal car.

The 26-year-old produced a fabulous lap in qualifying to claim pole position ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris but the race pace wasn't there for the Scuderia, and the FIA scrutineers eventually disqualified him for an illegal floor on his car.

Ferrari attempted an audacious one-stop strategy on Leclerc's car but the tyre wear was too great to make it truly work and he was passed by his team-mate Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez late in the race.

‘Ferrari 'FAILED' Leclerc’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006366/charles-leclerc-failed-ferrari-fred-vasseur-f1-united-states-grand-prix/


The Schumacher precedent that made Hamilton and Leclerc's DSQs inevitable
23 October 10:30AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Disqualification for excessive plank wear is nothing new either, with Michael Schumacher's Benetton removed from the 1994 Belgian Grand Prix for a similar offence. The plank was introduced at the 1994 German Grand Prix as a safety measure following the deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna in that year's San Marino Grand Prix.

The idea was to have the plank of wood there to raise ride heights, thus slowing the cars. The worn planks for both Hamilton and Leclerc were found during routine post-race scrutineering in which the #44 and #16 were both randomly selected for more detailed checks in addition to the standard ones performed on all cars.

Max Verstappen's Red Bull and Lando Norris's McLaren were the other two cars checked post-race for more detailed examination. The fact that four cars were submitted to further checks and two of them failed led to some on social media to claim that the strike rate of 50% surely indicated that others too must have been in a similar situation.

‘The Schumacher precedent’;

https://racingnews365.com/the-schumacher-precedent-that-made-hamilton-and-leclercs-dsqs-inevitable

[Fortitude]

Sargeant ends a 30-year wait for American driver to score in F1.
AUSTIN, Texas - Williams rookie Logan Sargeant celebrated a surprise first point in Formula One on Sunday, thanks to the disqualifications of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, and ended a 30-year wait for a U.S. driver to score.
03:22 Mon, 23 Oct, 2023
The Straits Times

Sargeant was classified 10th at Austin's Circuit of the Americas after Mercedes' Hamilton was stripped of second place and Ferrari's Leclerc lost his sixth place when their cars failed post-race checks. The last US driver before the 22-year-old Florida native to score in a grand prix was Michael Andretti with McLaren in 1993.

"It’s amazing to score my first point in F1 on home turf after the challenging weekend I’ve had," said Sargeant, who failed to finish the previous race in Qatar after suffering exhaustion in the heat. "I’m so proud of this team and myself for the hard work and progress we’ve been making this season," added the rookie whose seat for next season is far from certain.

"We worked hard overnight to find a direction with the car that was going to be positive, and we found that...The pace was so much better today, and I was driving really well." Williams also had Alex Albon finish in ninth place, with the team having two drivers in the top 10 for the first time since the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.

‘30-year wait ends’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/sargeant-ends-a-30-year-wait-for-us-driver-to-score-in-f1


Logan Sargeant becomes the first American to score a Formula One point in 30 years
11:20 Mon, 23 Oct 2023.
CNN

CNN — At the United States Grand Prix, Williams driver Logan Sargeant ended a three decade-long wait for an American driver to score points in an F1 race, grabbing a 10th place finish on home soil in Austin, where the drama continued even after the checkered flag.

Sargeant had initially crossed the line in 12th position, but after Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc were disqualified post-race for a technical infringement, the American was bumped up two places to 10th, giving him his first ever point at the Circuit of the Americas. Williams also gained a double points finish, with Alex Albon promoted to P9.

Sargeant, competing in his first season in F1, bounced back from a tough Sprint race on Saturday where he finished at the back of the pack. It was also a much better race weekend for the rookie than the prior Qatar Grand Prix, in which he retired on lap 41 after the sweltering conditions caused him to experience intense dehydration.

‘First American to score a Formula One point in 30 years’;

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/23/sport/logan-sargeant-f1-american-grand-prix-spt-intl/index.html


Williams reveal wholesome moment Sargeant discovers he's an F1 points scorer
Monday 23 October 2023 15:57
Sam Cook
GPFans

Williams have revealed the moment that Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon realised they had achieved a double-points finish for the team at the United States Grand Prix. The disqualification off both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc after the race for having excessive wear on their skid blocks led to the promotion of many drivers up the order, including Albon and Sargeant who take home ninth and tenth repspectively after a solid race.

For Sargeant, it means he has finally managed to score his first point in Formula 1, and becomes the first American driver for 30 years to score a point in the sport. Now, in a series of photos on X, formerly known as Twitter, Williams have revealed the special moment that the pair found out together that they had scored the team's first double-points finish of the season.

Reading the final results… pic.twitter.com/S4vy8XYO7u
— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) October 23, 2023

‘The wholesome moment’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006410/logan-sargeant-williams-f1-alex-albon-us-gp-points-lewis-hamilton-charles-leclerc-disqualification/


Long-awaited F1 first achieved after Hamilton and Leclerc disqualifications
23 Oct 2023 1:36 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Not the way he thought it would happen, but Logan Sargeant is now finally off the mark as a Formula 1 points scorer! It has been a challenging rookie season for Williams’ American racer, who did not have a point on the board as he battles to, as Williams wish, secure a second season with the team.

And 18 grands prix into his Formula 1 career, Sargeant has finally scored his first point, though it certainly was not the usual way for it to come about. Sargeant crossed the line P12 at the Circuit of The Americas, a strong result in front of his home crowd, though one that would not snap his point-less run.

But, news soon emerged that Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who finished P2, and Ferrari’s P6 finisher Charles Leclerc were facing disqualification from the results, after the FIA discovered excessive wear on the skid pads under their respective challengers in post-race checks. That nightmare scenario would indeed come true for Hamilton and Leclerc, bumping Sargeant up to P10 as he secured his first Formula 1 point, with several other drivers benefitting in a major way from that duo’s misfortune.

‘Long-awaited F1 first achieved after disqualifications’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/logan-sargeant-first-f1-point-us-gp


Vowles: Pat Fry Williams arrival to have ‘real effect’ in 2025
14:37 Thu, 19 Oct 2023.
by Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Williams Team Principal James Vowles says the appointment of new Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry will have a “real effect” on the team from 2025 onwards. Fry departed Alpine earlier this year and was snapped up by Williams to take on the role of CTO, with his duties officially commencing on November 1. Speaking to the official Formula 1 website, Vowles commented how the effect of Fry’s appointment is all about the long-term gains, with the development of next year’s car well underway.

“We’ve brought together a really good group of individuals at Williams, and we are working together,” he said. “In part, I have sadness because I have to start letting go of that side of things. With 2024 though, the dye is pretty much set in the direction of travel. This chassis will already, by the time he comes through the door, be most of the way produced. It has to be. That’s what the timelines are for these things, which means you define some of the big elements to things.”

“The aero package again will be most of the way through development, even though it’s going to be for next year. But the impact – and I’ve said it all along – I’m not interested in short term, I’m interested in the long term. So, he will already, in the 2024 season, have a positive effect but that real effect will kick in in ’25, ’26, [2027].”

‘Real effect’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/19/vowles-pat-fry-williams-arrival-to-have-real-effect-in-2025/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen on 50th F1 win: Rookie numbers compared to Hamilton.
After claiming his 50th Formula 1 victory at the 2023 United States GP, Max Verstappen joked that he only has rookie numbers compared to Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who has 103 F1 wins to his name.
October 24, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen took his 50th Formula 1 win at the 2023 United States GP. Despite struggling with a race-long brake problem and a hard-charging Hamilton, Verstappen clung on to win at the Circuit of the Americas, to take his 15th victory of the 2023 F1 season.

The win also made Verstappen the fifth driver in Formula 1 history to have emerged victorious in 50 Grand Prix, putting him one win away from tying with Alain Prost as the F1’s fourth-most-successful driver.

“It’s a great number still rookie numbers compared to Lewis,” joked Verstappen after the race on Sunday. “For sure, it’s a great number. I’m very happy with it. But let’s try to win a few more. The first stint, I tried to be patient, but at the same time, following for so long did hurt my tyres a little bit. I was struggling a lot with the brakes compared to yesterday.”

‘50th Formula 1 win’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/max-verstappen-50th-f1-win-rookie-numbers-compared-lewis-hamilton/


Verstappen on Fans Hostility: ‘I’m the One Bringing the Silverware Home’.
Max Verstappen, fresh off his triumph in the United States Grand Prix, has openly embraced the less-than-friendly reception from fans at the Circuit of the Americas.
October 23, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Max Verstappen, fresh off his triumph in the United States Grand Prix, has openly embraced the less-than-friendly reception from fans at the Circuit of the Americas. The Dutch driver clinched his 50th Formula One race victory, engaging in a thrilling strategic battle with Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes in Austin.

Despite securing the Drivers’ title at the previous race in Qatar, Verstappen faced a chorus of boos during his parc fermé interview with former champion Jenson Button, upon stepping onto the podium, and while receiving his well-earned trophy.

Rumours circulating on social media have hinted at a portion of the booing possibly being aimed at Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas. Furthermore, another contributing factor to the reception Verstappen received at the Circuit of the Americas was the substantial presence of Mexican fans who turned out to support his teammate, Sergio Perez.

‘Openly embraced the less-than-friendly reception’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/verstappen-on-fans-hostility-im-the-one-bringing-the-silverware-home/


Max Verstappen shows true colours with comments on US Grand Prix boo boys
Max Verstappen was heavily booed by fans after winning the United States Grand Prix.
13:25, Tue, Oct 24, 2023
By Archie Griggs

Max Verstappen has insisted that he is only focused on winning races and not making fans happy after he was loudly booed on the podium at the United States Grand Prix. The Dutchman fought back from sixth on the grid to win the 50th race of his career despite being put under heavy pressure by Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.

The occasion was somewhat marred after the race by loud boos from the thousands of fans in attendance as Verstappen collected his winner's trophy on the podium. More booing was clearly heard during the Dutch national anthem, with many fans taking the opportunity to declare their support for Sergio Perez by chanting his name.

Verstappen did not seem too bothered by the frosty reception he received when quizzed on the topic after celebrating his win, saying: "In the end, I'm the one who goes home with the trophy, fine by me." The Red Bull man was then asked if he will be frustrated if he is booed again at this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix but insisted that he does not care as long as he keeps winning. He simply said: "Then I'll still go home with the trophy!"

‘Does not care’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1827395/Max-Verstappen-US-Grand-Prix-F1-news


Verstappen's girlfriend Kelly Piquet unimpressed by podium boos at US Grand Prix
Tuesday 24 October 2023 11:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Despite starting from sixth place, he fought his way to victory, pushing Lewis Hamilton to second place, prior to his subsequent disqualification, and Lando Norris to third. The triumph marked his 50th Formula 1 win, making him the second fastest to reach this milestone after Michael Schumacher.

Although some fans were displeased, Verstappen's girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, seemed confused by the negative crowd reaction in footage posted on social media. Verstappen, however, now a three-time world champion, appeared unfazed by the negative reception when asked on Viaplay.

‘Unimpressed by podium boos’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006462/max-verstappen-kelly-piquet-f1-united-states-grand-prix-boos/


VERSTAPPEN: AUSTIN TRACK ISN’T ‘F1 LEVEL’ AND IS ‘BETTER SUITED TO A RALLY CAR’
A couple of drivers had a few critiques for the Austin track...
October 24, 2023
Caitlyn Gordon
FormulaNerds

Austin is notoriously known for its bumpy track. The bumps are caused due to the unstable position in which the track was built. Previously, it has been reconstructed to cater to Moto GP and F1 weekends more. However, Verstappen came out and said that the track still needs to have more work done:

“It needs to be redone because at the moment it feels like it’s better suited to a rally car, “I’m jumping and bouncing around. In an F1 car probably you don’t even see it as much because we are glued to the ground because of the downforce. But the bumps and jumps that we have in some places is way too much. I don’t think it’s F1-level.” The Dutchman confessed.

The Red Bull driver was quick to show support for the track after his criticisms but continued to go on about how change is needed: “I love this track, honestly, the layout is amazing,

‘AUSTIN TRACK ISN’T F1 LEVEL’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/max-verstappen-austin-track-isnt-f1-level-and-is-better-suited-to-a-rally-car/


Verstappen urges Red Bull to ‘understand’ US GP brake issue
24th Oct. 2023, 16:47
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Max Verstappen has urged Red Bull to get on top of the race-long brake issues that hampered him during the United States Grand Prix.

“But at the same time, I was struggling a lot with the brakes compared to yesterday, so I couldn’t really be that nice to the tyres under braking, just being very inconsistent. That basically carried on for the rest of the race, which compared to yesterday that was quite a big factor because I never really had a lot of confidence to be consistent under braking.”

“But, nevertheless, I think as a team we did the right strategy, we pitted at the right time, and basically because of that I could work my way forward. I think we did everything correct today but I was hoping for a little bit more pace because I think yesterday we were a lot more competitive.”

‘Race-long brake issues’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/24/verstappen-urges-red-bull-to-understand-us-gp-brake-issue/


Verstappen grumpy all weekend in Austin says Marko
OCTOBER 24, 2023
GrandPrix.com

As he struggled with the car's handling earlier on Sunday, cracks in the relationship with his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase emerged again. Lambiase, having been chided by Max throughout the race, then told Verstappen on the radio I'll see you on Friday - as he skipped the podium proceedings and post-race debrief.

Asked to explain one angry outburst to Lambiase about not talking to him in braking zones, Verstappen hit back: I said it nicely. At least I said please. Dutch GP boss Jan Lammers thinks Max was right to chastise his engineer. When you're downshifting, it's important that you hear the revs properly, especially if you're having problems, he told NOS.

Team boss Christian Horner, meanwhile, denied that Lambiase actually boycotted the podium and post-race debrief. He just had to get back to England - he was rushing to catch his flight, he insisted. Normally it's Helmut, but now it's the engineer.”

‘Grumpy all weekend’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/verstappen-grumpy-all-weekend-in-austin-says-marko.html

[Fortitude]

Will Perez bow under hometown pressure? What to watch for at 2023 Mexico City GP.
Verstappen's continued dominance is mounting stress on the career of Sergio Perez — his Red Bull seat still at risk. Could a surprise announcement steal Mexican GP headlines, or will the focus remain on 2024 race seats and possible debut victories?
October 24th 2023
Author: Cambridge Kisby

Having wrapped up his third consecutive world title in Qatar, Max Verstappen is currently on cruise control but remains in dominant form: winning from sixth on the grid in the USA and breaking numerous F1 records in the process. Therefore, attention has now been drawn to those behind him, but the spotlight will surely shine brightest on the hometown hero of this coming weekend: Sergio Perez.

The Mexican finds himself in the midst of a season-long struggle; having not qualified on the front row of the grid since Miami and not having won a race since Azerbaijan; while his team-mate has dominated out front. Such a difference in performance has caused many to question Perez’s long-term future — not only at Red Bull but on the F1 grid entirely.

‘Will Perez bow under hometown pressure?’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/will-perez-bow-under-hometown-pressure-what-to-watch-for-at-2023-mexico-city-gp/?nowprocket=1#


Paddock “rumour” shared that will worry Sergio Perez before F1 Mexican Grand Prix
24 Oct 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

A “rumour” spreading through the F1 paddock is that Sergio Perez has pressure to claim P2 in the drivers’ championship to retain his Red Bull seat. Sky’s Ted Kravitz shared the whisper after the United States Grand Prix, just days before F1 heads to Perez’s home race in Mexico.

“There is a rumour around the place,” Kravitz claimed. “If Checo does not manage to seal P2 in the drivers’ championship - which is something Red Bull have never done, and something Christian Horner and Helmut Marko value very highly this year - then they’ll have to have a serious think about whether Checo does stay within his contract next year.”

‘Paddock “rumour” shared’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1039024/1/paddock-rumour-shared-will-worry-sergio-perez-f1-mexican-gp


Marko fires at 'Mexican' support after Verstappen US F1 booing
Monday 23 October 2023 08:57
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Helmut Marko has spoken out against the vocal displeasure of fans after the United States Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen was booed on the podium. The Austrian believes that a select group of Mexican fans may have been behind the noise, with Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez currently struggling heading into his home race.

“We are in contact with a lot of Mexicans,” he told Sky Germany. “The majority are very friendly and fair, but there are always some, let's say enthusiastic people, who don't maintain the fair sporting standard. But we have no concerns and are happy to go to Mexico.”

‘Marko fires at 'Mexican' support’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006384/helmut-marko-max-verstappen-red-bull-f1-united-states-grand-prix/


Mexican GP concern raised for Max Verstappen as Christian Horner makes "villain" comment
Max Verstappen was booed at the United States Grand Prix by fans of his teammate Sergio Perez and Red Bull's team principal Christian Horner has addressed the situation
09:30 Tue, 24 Oct 2023.
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror

Red Bull chief Christian Horner is expecting Max Verstappen to get booed at the Mexican Grand Prix, following his frosty reception at last week's United States Grand Prix.

Verstappen was loudly booed as he stood on the podium after winning the race, with some fans chanting the name of his teammate Sergio Perez. The Mexican is hugely popular in the US and, with Texas bordering Mexico, his supporters made their voices heard at the Circuit of the Americas.

And Horner is expecting Verstappen will receive a similar reception at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, but insisted it is "water off a duck's back" for the three-time F1 world champion. When asked about the booing, Horner replied: "I don't think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico!

‘Expecting Max Verstappen to get booed at the Mexican Grand Prix’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/verstappen-boos-horner-perez-redbull-31264256


Christian Horner suspects Max Verstappen to receive poor Mexican GP reception
Max Verstappen was booed throughout the Dutch national anthem at the 2023 US GP.
23 October 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suspects that Max Verstappen won’t receive the “warmest reception” at this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix, after he was subjected to boos and jeers last weekend.

“I don’t think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico! But that’s water off a duck’s back. One year you are the villain, the next year you are the hero,” said Horner.

‘Max Verstappen to receive poor Mexican GP reception’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/christian-horner-suspects-max-verstappen-to-receive-poor-mexican-gp-reception/


Horner unfazed by Red Bull Mexico welcome after Marko slur
23 October 11:35AM
Author Ewan Gale
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

On whether Red Bull could expect a confrontational atmosphere in Mexico City given Marko's comments about the country and attitude towards Perez, Horner insisted: "I am not worried about that.”

"The team is fully behind Checo and both of our drivers. We love racing in Mexico, we love the Mexican fans, the passion - that stadium is unique. So we are really looking forward to it."

Unfazed and really looking forward to it’;

https://racingnews365.com/horner-unfazed-by-red-bull-mexico-welcome-after-marko-slur


Christian Horner shares Max Verstappen Mexico GP ‘villain’ fear after Marko's Perez slur.
Max Verstappen was given a hostile reception when stepping onto the podium at the United States Grand Prix.
12:49, Mon, Oct 23, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Between Verstappen’s refusal to help him in the fight for P2 in the Drivers’ Championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix last season and Helmut Marko’s unacceptable comments about the 33-year-old’s Mexican heritage after the Italian Grand Prix this summer, there is a frosty sentiment towards the Red Bull hierarchy among the Perez’s fans.

This boiled over at the most recent race in Austin with Perez’s loyal fans booing Verstappen as he took to the top step of the podium at the Circuit of the Americas. The three-time world champion saw off the threat of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to clinch his 15th win of the season. Marko attracted widespread criticism from the world of F1 after he claimed Perez’s struggles this season relative to team-mate Verstappen were partially down to a ‘lack of focus’ stemming from his Mexican heritage.

While Perez publicly stated that he had put the incident behind him, his on-track performances remain a point of concern. However, a fourth-place finish in Texas will give the 33-year-old confidence ahead of his return to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez next weekend. "He should take a lot of confidence out of that,” Horner said after Perez’s performance at the United States GP. "His race pace was strong, we know he always races well and hard and hopefully, it is just the injection of confidence he needs going into his home race which I am sure is going to be nuts for him."

‘Injection of confidence he needs’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1826973/Christian-Horner-Max-Verstappen-Mexico-GP-Marko-Perez-slur

[Fortitude]

Perez urges respect from fans over Vertsappen hostility.
Sergio Perez has urged his faithful supporters to support the entire Red Bull team during the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend.
25 October 3:40PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

A partisan crowd was in attendance at the Circuit of the Americas for last weekend's United States Grand Prix, where chants of 'Checo' preceded a chorus of boos for teammate and three-time World Champion Max Verstappen after he secured a 50th career F1 win. Perez and Verstappen have had a fractured history as teammates with tension spilling over at last season's São Paulo Grand Prix.

Since then, fans of the Mexican have been less than impressed with the support given to Perez by Red Bull and matters were not helped by a xenophobic slur made by Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko when assessing the six-time race winner's poor form mid-season - though an apology was forthcoming.

"Mexico is my most important weekend of the season and I can’t wait for my home race," said Perez. "The support in Austin this weekend was crazy, so I can’t even imagine what Mexico will be like, it’s going to be very special. We have made some very good steps with the car but didn’t get to fully show our progress due to taking some wrong directions with the set-up this past weekend.”

"I want Mexico to come out to support the whole Red Bull team, not just me";

https://racingnews365.com/perez-urges-respect-from-fans-over-vertsappen-hostility


Horner: No need for Perez to finish second to retain Red Bull seat
25/10/2023 at 14:23
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Christian Horner has once again set the record straight regarding Sergio Perez’s future, insisting the Mexican does not have the obligation to finish second in the championship to retain his seat with Red Bull for 2024. Horner denied that such a performance-related clause would be enforced against Perez at the end of the year.

"There's no pre-mandate like that," said Horner in Austin. "We've never finished first and second in a championship. We finished first and third a few times with Mark [Webber] and Sebastian [Vettel] and we finished it last year with Max and Checo. So, with this car, it would be fantastic, in such a season that we've had, if we could finish first and second.”

"But there's no pre-mandate on Checo that you have to finish second or you won't be driving the car next year. That's never been discussed." Horner insisted that he had no doubts about Perez’s ability to perform on a par with Verstappen, as he did at the start of the year, but suggest that the Mexican is lacking the proper “mindset” to battle at the front.

‘Christian Horner has once again set the record straight’;

https://f1i.com/news/491180-horner-no-need-for-perez-to-finish-second-to-retain-red-bull-seat.html


Red Bull deny Perez F1 2024 stay dependent on second place
25/10/2023, 12:15
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has denied that Sergio Perez’s stay with the side in 2024 is dependent on him securing second place in the Drivers’ Championship. “But there’s no pre-mandate on Checo that you have to finish second or you won’t be driving the car next year. That’s never been discussed.”

Horner outlined that Red Bull’s sole intention is to help Perez return to the level that enabled him to consistently battle and support Verstappen at the sharp end. “We know Checo,” he added. “If you see Checo’s performances in the first part of the year: Bahrain, was very, very tight with Max. The race in Saudi, it was a great race between the two of them pushing each other really hard, with very fine margins.”

“His race in Azerbaijan, winning the sprint and the grand prix there. Those are the kinds of performances that we know he’s capable of. I think it’s just getting him back into that mind frame and to get the most out of him to get him back to those levels of performances.” Although Perez’s future is secure for 2024, Red Bull is yet to determine who will partner triple World Champion Verstappen in the team beyond the end of next season.

‘No pre-mandate on Checo’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/25/red-bull-deny-perez-f1-2024-stay-dependent-on-second-place/


IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix
25 October 2023
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

The fallout from Austin: Both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc – originally classified sixth – were disqualified for having too much wear on the plank that is under the car, with the skids that are checked designed to measure how low a car is running to conform to the regulations.

Perez with home advantage: I call it home advantage, but when the interest is so enormous there must be a big dose of pressure that comes with being Sergio Perez in Mexico City. The Mexican is a huge star and already enjoyed massive support in Texas last weekend, where his name was regularly being chanted from the grandstands.

Can Aston hit back at McLaren? McLaren’s impressive turnaround has made their overhauling of Aston Martin feel like an inevitability for a few races now, as Mike Krack’s team have struggled to match the development rate of their rivals.

‘Sargeant’s signs of progress, Rookie FP1 outings’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.its-race-week-5-storylines-were-excited-about-ahead-of-the-2023-mexico-city.4aa4QVfGjVUXD0NPA2ItcM.html


Lewis Hamilton v Max Verstappen rivalry could reignite at Mexican Grand Prix
25 Oct 2023 9:00 AM
Luke Murphy
PlanetF1.com

After Red Bull managed to survive scares and claim US Grand Prix victory, will the champions prove their mastery in Mexico or could it finally be ‘Hammer Time’ for Mercedes again?

Max Verstappen overcame handling difficulties, brake issues and rampant rivals to take win number 15 of the season and the Dutchman will return to one of his most successful circuits to take the unique technical challenges of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

After an improved showing at the US GP, Mercedes will be hoping their upgrades continue to show more promise in Mexico. In a difficult 2022 season, last year’s race was one of Mercedes’ better events, partly due to the reduced effect of their draggy car. This year, they will be hoping their car optimisations can help them challenge for their first win of the season.

‘Rivalry could be reignited’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-rivalry-mexican-grand-prix


MAX AHEAD OF MEXICO GP: 'EXPECT MORE OF A FIGHT'
Published on 25 October 2023
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

After winning the race in Austin last weekend, Max Verstappen is now looking forward to coming weekend, the Mexican Grand Prix: “It’s great to be in Mexico. The team has a great history there, winning and taking a double podium in the last two years. It is of course Checo’s home race so it will be a big one for us. The atmosphere is always amazing driving through Foro Sol.”

Max continues: “Mexico City is the highest altitude track of the season, which is more stressful on the cars, but the RB19 has been faultless in most conditions so I’m looking forward to seeing how we will perform. We’re also returning to the normal race format this weekend so that’ll be good, as we head into the second race of the triple header. Following Austin, we can expect the race to be more of a fight, but we’ll use our strategy to our strength. The aim is to keep on winning.”

'EXPECT MORE OF A FIGHT';

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5293/

[Fortitude]

Pressure on Perez to perform at home: Six talking points for the 2023 Mexican GP.
Sergio Perez has struggled to match the performance of his Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen for the vast majority of the year, so prospects of a home victory for Mexico’s sole F1 driver do not seem high. But after an improved showing last weekend in Austin, can Perez spring a surprise and spark a fiesta in the grandstands?
Formula 1
Posted on 25th October 2023, 7:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Casa de Checo: From the moment Sergio Perez was announced as a Red Bull driver at the end of the 2020 season, the scores of Formula 1 fans in Mexico could hardly be blamed for getting their hopes up about the prospect of seeing one of their own win their home grand prix. But in his third season in the Red Bull, Perez has never looked less likely to compete for victory at his home grand prix as he has this time around. Perez was again off the level of his team mate last weekend in Austin – which did little to raise the expectations of him competing for the win in Mexico City.

Ferrari’s altitude sickness: Ferrari’s form has yo-yoed so regularly throughout the 2023 season that Charles Leclerc admitted he had effectively given up on predicting whether they would be strong or weak heading into each race weekend.
Friday practice cameos: As the season winds down with both world championship titles already decided, this is the part of the year when F1 teams begin to fulfil their Friday young driver practice allocations before the end of the season like a university student cramming in last minute revision before a big exam.

Plank problems? The disqualifications of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from the final results of the US Grand Prix was a stunning story for how unusual it was as well as the major implications it had on the order throughout the field.
Battle at the back heats up: As a result of the post-race drama in Austin, the biggest winners were two of the teams who value points finishes the most – Williams and AlphaTauri. Seventh-placed Williams went from missing out on points at the chequered flag to gaining three points out of the blue – moving them from seven points clear of Alfa Romeo to ten points ahead.

‘Pressure on Perez to perform at home’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/25/pressure-on-perez-to-perform-at-home-six-talking-points-for-the-2023-mexican-gp/


F1 monitoring Hurricane Otis ahead of Mexico City GP
Thursday 26th October, 2023 - 11:07am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

F1 officials are monitoring Hurricane Otis ahead of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix. Hurricane Otis made landfall at Acapulco in southern Mexico on Wednesday knocking out power and communication after being upgraded from tropical storm to Category 5 in the space of just 12 hours, the most severe rating possible for a hurricane.

Otis increased in intensity prior to reaching land prompting the National Hurricane Centre to warn of a “nightmare scenario” with sustained winds of more than 250km/h. The storm has since made its way inland and is currently around 200km west of Mexico City, home of this weekend’s grand prix.

Since making landfall and moving inland, Otis’ intensity has been downgraded to Category 4. Organisers are monitoring the situation though do not expect the event to be impacted as its projected to continue northwards. Home to almost nine million people, Mexico City remains outside the area predicted to experience even tropical storm-strength winds.

‘F1 monitoring’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/26/f1-monitoring-hurricane-otis-ahead-of-mexico-city-gp/


Mexico City GP Weather: Latest forecast for F1 race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Max Verstappen could break the record for most wins in an F1 season at the 2023 Mexico City GP
October 25, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Friday: Practice 1 & Practice 2 - Things stay pretty consistent over the weekend, with a bright and sunny start on Friday morning.

Saturday: Practice 3 & Qualifying - Similar to Friday, temperatures won’t get too hot and the wind won’t be too gusty. There is a 10% chance of rain for qualifying, but expect that number to go down as the weekend approaches. Interestingly, humidity will plummet from 90 percent in early morning, to 50 percent at for FP3 at 11:30am local time and just 30 percent by the time qualifying starts at mid-afternoon.

Sunday: Race: Again temperature won’t get any higher than 25 degrees, but the chance of rain is up to a whopping 14 percent come lights out at 14:00. However, this is F1 where the forecast seemingly needs to be north of 99% for fans to be sure of getting some wet-weather action. Humidity and wind speed won’t be an issue either, so it really is on whether Red Bull can somehow screw up their setup with the altitude.

‘Mexico City GP Weather’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-mexico-city-gp-weather-latest-forecast-for-f1-race-autodromo-hermanos-rodriguez/


Mexican GP will be hot but not a repeat of last year’s high
Formula 1
Posted on 26th October 2023, 8:14
25th October 2023, 23:22
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

It will be cloudy on Friday when practice begins, but the sun should start to break through by the time the F1 field takes to the track. Maximum air temperatures of around 25C expected in the second practice session, which begins at 4pm, and there is an outside chance of rain with a 40% chance of a shower currently forecast.

The next two days will be slightly warmer and the low threat of rain will recede even further. Third practice in the middle of Saturday being held when it’s likely only 23C but with an increase to 26C by the time qualifying starts at 3pm. The grand prix will start at 2pm on Sunday again with the air temperature expected to be around 26C. After last year’s scorching trip to Mexico, this is set to be the second hottest grand prix in Mexico since F1 returned to the country in 2015.

It’s not unusual to see considerable variation in track temperatures during this race, with a range of up to 10C seen in some recent events. That can make tyre selection tricky. Last year Mercedes chose a more conservative strategy for the race than rivals Red Bull, and paid the price as Max Verstappen won as he pleased.

‘Hot but not a repeat of last year’s high’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/26/mexican-gp-will-be-hot-but-not-a-repeat-of-last-years-high/


Plank Gate, High Altitude & Rookies - 2023 Mexico GP Preview
Published ‎Oct‎ ‎26‎, ‎2023‎ ‎12‎:‎00‎ ‎AM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

Will 'plank gate' continue to be a thing as Formula 1 reaches Mexico City for this weekend's 2023 Mexico Grand Prix? Yes, we think so - and it should be so.

Is Formula 1 too complex for FIA to police it fairly? And 'fairly' is the word, especially with 50% of the cars scrutineered post-race in Austin failed the test. Does this system need to evolve, and if so, what's the most fair way to do so given Formula 1's logistical schedules?

‘2023 Mexico GP Preview’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1-podcast/plank-gate-altitude-rookies-2023-mexico-gp-preview

[Fortitude]

Red Bull go against Max Verstappen wishes with security decision for Mexico Grand Prix.
But Verstappen’s popularity in Mexico has been affected by his perceived relationship with hometown hero Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez.
26th October 2023, 2:50 pm
Sean O'Brien
talkSPORT

Formula 1 star Max Verstappen will be protected by bodyguards at the upcoming Mexican Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver wrapped up his third title in record-equalling time earlier this season.

Rumours suggest Red Bull are considering getting rid of Perez one year before his contract expires amid questions over his form. The saga has led to a backlash from Mexican fans towards Verstappen, which was demonstrated at the US Grand Prix last weekend.

Perez is hugely popular in Texas and the Dutch national anthem was drowned out with boos towards Verstappen and chants of ‘Checo! Checo! Checo!’ This aside, drivers have complained about fan behaviour in the paddock at the Mexican Grand Prix before.

‘Speaking to F1-Insider on the use of bodyguards for Verstappen’s safety, Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko explained: “Max doesn’t actually want that and is relaxed’;

https://talksport.com/sport/1617240/


'Marko confirms Verstappen BODYGUARDS' for Mexican Grand Prix
Thursday 26 October 2023 12:42
Cal Gaunt
GPFans

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has reportedly confirmed that bodyguards will be provided to ensure the safety of Max Verstappen during the Mexican Grand Prix.

According to F1-Insider, Marko has confirmed that the team will have two bodyguards in place for Verstappen in Mexico City, but insists it's only as an act of precaution. "Max doesn’t actually want that and is relaxed," he told the publication. But we have responsibility for him, so we just want to be on the safe side.”

'Marko confirms Verstappen BODYGUARDS';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006569/max-verstappen-red-bull-helmut-marko-sergio-perez-bodyguards-f1-mexico-grand-prix/


Red Bull to give Max Verstappen bodyguards at Sergio Perez’s home race, the F1 Mexico City Grand Prix
26 Oct 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net

Red Bull will reportedly give Max Verstappen two bodyguards to protect him this weekend in Mexico. While his teammate Sergio Perez returns to home soil where he is idolised at the F1 Mexico City Grand Prix, it’s a different story for Verstappen.

Threats via social media were a main reason why Red Bull opted for extra security, the report states. Red Bull also reportedly expect Perez to minimise the hostility from fans aimed at Verstappen through a public statement.

‘Two bodyguards’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1039111/1/red-bull-give-verstappen-bodyguards-perez-s-home-race-mexico


Pirelli explain Mexican Grand Prix tyre test
25 October 2023, 8:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Pirelli will introduce a prototype C4 tyre for teams to trial during Friday practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Italian manufacturer is in the process of homologating its compounds for next season, where F1 will tackle 24 races between March and November.

"Mexico gives us the chance to try out a new variant of the C4 with all the teams," said Head of Motorsport Mario Isola.”

"During the two hours of free practice on Friday, each driver will have two sets of these new prototypes to use as they wish. Once we have analysed all the data, we will then decide whether or not to homologate this version for use in 2024."

‘Tyre test’;

https://racingnews365.com/pirelli-explain-mexican-grand-prix-tyre-test


Podcast: Perez's patchy F1 form ahead of pivotal home race
How pivotal a race might the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix be in the Formula 1 career of Sergio Perez?
Oct 26, 2023
The Race

Attention is on Perez heading to his home race given his tricky run of late in the RB19, and the panel ask whether he's turned a corner - having responded to two dreadful weekends with a solid performance at Austin - in time for the visit to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit he's scored podiums at in the last two years.

What route Perez needs to take to get the best out of Red Bull's cars and the key quality he needs to show Red Bull are also considered - as is the role successfully exhibiting those could play in Perez staking his claim for a 2025 contract extension.

There's a closer look too at Perez's hero status in Mexico and whether he can use his home support to raise his performance level, at how his slump in competitiveness has been received in Mexico, and whether second in the F1 standings is his to lose or win.

‘Perez's patchy F1 form’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/podcast-perez-patchy-form-f1-home-race/

[Fortitude]

Lewis Hamilton fumes as F1 rivals got away with "illegal" cars in Mexico GP rant at FIA.
Lewis Hamilton believes more cars should be checked after races after being disqualified from last Sunday's United States Grand Prix.
27th Oct. 2023, 08:50
By Tom BlowSports Writer
The Mirror

The seven-time world champion finished second last time out after producing one of Mercedes' best displays since 2021 when they last won the Constructors' Championship. Yet Hamilton was forced to return his runners-up trophy after being disqualified. Hamilton's car was declared illegal during a post-race review for excessive wear on the underfloor skid blocks. It was a frustrating climax to the Brit's race weekend after finishing in P2, a result that's hard to achieve due to the dominance of Red Bull.

Hamilton's car was only reviewed because of a spot check. The Mercedes icon believes all cars should be reviewed after races to ensure the process is equal. He thinks that "far more" cars would've been found illegal if all 20 were checked last Sunday. "What's crazy is they only test four cars, 50 cent fail," said Hamilton ahead of this Sunday's Mexican Grand Prix. "And I've had information from many others that were also illegal but they got away with it. That's messed up."

He added: "There have been many other scenarios like this where some people have got away with certain things and some people have got unlucky and got tested. There needs to be some form of better structure to make sure it is fair and even across the board."

‘Lewis Hamilton fumes’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-disqualified-usgp-fia-31291744


'Rules are rules' – Leclerc accepts ‘completely fair’ Austin disqualification as he sets target for Mexico City GP
26 October 2023
Formula1 Official Site

Charles Leclerc has called his disqualification from the United States Grand Prix “completely fair” after both his and Lewis Hamilton’s cars were found to be in breach of the regulations following the event.

It was a challenging race in Austin for Leclerc, with the Ferrari driver having slipped back from pole position to P6 by the chequered flag. He later suggested that adopting a one-stop strategy had been “wrong” and that the team needed to understand why their predictions for the plan had been incorrect.

When asked in the build-up to the Mexico City Grand Prix about the processes Ferrari had put in place to ensure that a scenario like the disqualification could not happen again, Leclerc explained: “It’s a very difficult question to answer, especially on a Sprint weekend, because at the end we only have one session to actually set up the ride height of the car, and once we’ve finished FP1 we are nowhere.

'Rules are rules';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.rules-are-rules-leclerc-accepts-completely-fair-austin-disqualification-as.5HcrCneBXCVcrKzWcIa9Qw.html


Hamilton: Window closing for Mercedes to keep alive F1 streak
27 October 7:30AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton has suggested that Mercedes could be in the fight at the front of the field during the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, with only one other chance to win in 2023 afterwards.

Mercedes has not yet won a race this season with the only non-Red Bull victory coming in Singapore through Ferrari and Carlos Sainz in a season otherwise dominated by Max Verstappen with 15 wins from 18 races.

Last time out in the United States, Hamilton had strong pace throughout the Grand Prix and crossed the line in second place before he was disqualified for a technical infringement, as he looks to end his own personal win drought stretching back to the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

‘Window closing’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-upbeat-over-mercedes-chances-in-mexico


Mexican GP: Thursday's build-up in pictures
26/10/2023 at 23:00
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

It’s on to the second leg of F1’s grueling triple header and to the always colorful Mexican GP at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Here is out first batch of pictures of the weekend from round 19 of the 2023 F1 world championship.

‘Thursday's build-up in pictures’;

https://f1i.com/news/491269-mexican-gp-thursdays-build-up-in-pictures-4.html


Mexican GP: F1 tech images from the pitlane explained
OCT 27, 2023, 8:39 AM
AUTHOR Matt Somerfield
CO-AUTHOR Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

Ferrari has opted for more cooling at the Mexican Grand Prix, as the rarified air at the circuit's altitude means teams are less concerned about the ill effects running so much cooling might have on the aerodynamic output.

McLaren looks set to employ a high downforce rear wing and beam wing layout from the suite of options at their disposal, which also includes an open-ended endplate and tip section solution. Note also the placement of a kiel probe array in the central portion of the wing that the team will use to collect data during FP1.

The front wing on the Mercedes W14 also has a Gurney in the central, moveable section of the upper flap. It’s a high downforce rear wing configuration for Mercedes in Mexico, as you’d expect, with the team employing its version of the open-ended endplate tip section. Also note the heat tape that’s been added to the front and rear brake drums.

‘F1 tech images from the pitlane explained’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mexican-gp-f1-tech-images-pitlane-explained/10538294/


Max Verstappen sends message to ‘disrespectful’ fans ahead of Mexican Grand Prix
Thursday 26 Oct 2023 10:25 pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Max Verstappen has called for Formula One fans to have more respect for all the drivers on the grid after he was booed at last weekend’s United States Grand Prix. The three-time champion was jeered while celebrating his win in Texas, partially by Mexican fans who were supporting his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

The organisers of the Mexican Grand Prix have launched the #racepect campaign as a reaction to the ‘unfortunate statements and attitudes in recent years and during the current championship we have seen’. Asked about the campaign, Verstappen told Sky Sports it was: ‘Good that they’re raising awareness not only in our sport but lots of different sports.’

‘I arrived Tuesday evening and honestly the reception I’ve got has been great, very nice. People always have questions about it but for me I’m here to do my job and so far the welcome I’ve got has been amazing and has always been amazing. Hopefully it will stay like that for everyone and that is why they’re trying to promote that. It’s not only about here, it’s in general in the sport right now.’

‘Have more respect for all the drivers’;

https://metro.co.uk/2023/10/26/f1-max-verstappen-sends-message-to-disrespectful-fans-ahead-of-mexico-gp-19727853/?ito=newsnow-feed


There’s no place like home but the pressure’s on for Sergio Perez in Mexico
Thursday 26 Oct 2023 7:33 pm
Adam Hay-Nicholls
Metro.co.uk

It’s difficult to ascertain how much pressure Sergio Perez is under on the eve of his home grand prix. The Mexican has, clearly, underperformed in a Red Bull that is by far and away the best car this season, and one of the most dominant – in Max Verstappen’s hands, at least – of all time. But Red Bull insist he’ll still be driving for them next year.

If ever there was a time to change the narrative it’s now. Perez would love nothing more than to finish the season on a high at home, and on to Sao Paulo, Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi with a spring in his step. But it’s all psychological. Whatever this barrier is, it’s been reinforced by Verstappen’s constant winning. Perez needs a clean weekend, no mistakes. He won’t want that 39-point buffer to Hamilton to shrink.

If he doesn’t hang on to second in the championship, some have questioned whether his contract with Red Bull will be honoured for next year. Christian Horner has gone out of his way not to be too critical of Checo’s performances, in public at least, and has moved to dispel some of that pressure.

‘There’s no place like home’;

https://metro.co.uk/2023/10/26/sergio-cant-afford-to-fail-with-pressure-on-for-his-home-race-in-mexico-19727355/?ito=newsnow-feed

[Fortitude]

Perez sets sights on achieving his 'biggest dream' of winning his home race in Mexico.
Sergio Perez has set his sights on having the “perfect weekend” as he looks to achieve his “biggest dream” of lifting the first place trophy in front of his home crowd at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
26 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Perez is set to race at home for the eighth time in his career, and he has finished inside the top-10 at all but one of those events – in 2018 when he was forced to retire with a brake issue. His record at his home race since joining Red Bull in 2021 makes for even better reading, as he has finished third at the last two events.

When asked if he had dreamt about winning in front of the Foro Sol, Perez said: “It would be insane. “That's obviously... that [would] be my biggest dream, to achieve that this weekend. Now [it is] full focus on tomorrow, the practice, and [to] try to get a perfect weekend here.”

To get that win Perez will be hoping to recapture the sort of form he showed when he last won a race – which was at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April. The Mexican showed good pace in Austin last time out, where he placed fifth on the road before gaining a place after Lewis Hamilton was disqualified.

'Biggest dream: “It would be insane”!’

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-sets-sights-on-achieving-his-biggest-dream-of-winning-his-home-race-in.5LkD1cdSXclgnJpTZBkxxc.html


Max Verstappen discusses Sergio Perez relationship ahead of Mexico City GP
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez's relationship will be under the spotlight in Mexico City
October 27, 2023
By Roman Brock
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen has played down talk of a rivalry between himself and Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez ahead of the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix. The Dutchman and the Mexican are the top two drivers in the Formula 1 driver standings but it is the former who has won the world championship at a canter this year.

“That’s made up,” said Verstappen to the press in Mexico on a rivalry between the two. “Checo and I get on really well and I mean, for us, I don’t think there is any rivalry. Obviously as a driver on track you always want to be first but I think we have a lot of respect for each other and we appreciate each other’s performances.”

To pre-empt hostility, #RacePect has been plastered around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in a bid to try and quell some of what could be directed to Verstappen, whilst he has been quick to play down any idea that there is a bad relationship between himself and his team-mate.

‘Quell and play down’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-max-verstappen-sergio-perez-relationship-mexico-city-gp/


High altitude AND high drama! Will we finally see a good Mexico City GP?
There's just four races to go in the 2023 F1 season, starting with the Mexico City GP
October 27, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Formula 1 arrives in Mexico City on a high after a scintillating 2023 United States GP, though mercifully for teams it’s a standard three-practice weekend this time. In the middle of an Americas triple-header with Interlagos coming up next, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez at least always plays host to some of the most passionate fans in F1.

Can Checo Perez perform? “It’s very different,” Perez told the media. “It’s the weekend you want to be perfect, the weekend that you want to maximise your result. And if there’s one particular grand prix that you want to win it’s your home grand prix.”

“Once I’m in the car, it’s a lot easier. It’s very easy, it comes naturally, but when you are out of the car or even in the paddock, the attention is very different, a lot of flies on you and a lot of support from the crowd.”

‘High altitude AND high drama!’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-high-altitude-drama-finally-see-good-mexico-city-gp/


Aston Martin spark Mexico GP intrigue with unique rear wing configuration
27 Oct 2023 9:45 AM
Uros Radovanovic
PlanetF1.com

After perhaps the most exciting race of the season in Texas, we’re heading straight to Mexico for one of the more unique challenges on the calendar. This high-altitude track can pose serious challenges to the teams. So, let’s take a closer look at the cars and see who could potentially benefit the most from this track.

The burning question is which of the leading teams will benefit the most from this unique track set-up? First and foremost, teams like Mercedes and Aston Martin, which introduced significant upgrades last week, should be noted.

An interesting note is that Aston Martin is the only team this weekend without a gurney flap on the rear wing. This aero element is placed on the trailing edge of the rear wing, preventing airflow separation on the wing’s underside. This increases downforce, which is crucial in Mexico.

‘Aston Martin spark Mexico GP intrigue’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-martin-spark-mexico-gp-intrigue-rear-wing-configuration


Ferrari’s unwell F1 drivers in Mexico
14:15, 27th October 2023.
by Andrew Maitland
Grandpx.news

Ferrari is navigating a tricky situation as both their drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, grapple with health issues ahead of the Mexico Grand Prix. On media day at the circuit, Leclerc was noticeably alone, engaging with the press and attending PR events with only reserve driver Robert Shwartzman sometimes by his side.


Sainz, his usual race teammate, was conspicuously absent, confined to the hotel and “feeling unwell,” as stated by the Maranello-based team. Ferrari maintained a positive outlook, however, assuring that “nothing serious” was at play and expressing their expectation for Sainz to be back and ready for action the following day.

Leclerc, though present at the track, was not in peak condition himself. He revealed an ongoing battle with pain, a challenge he also faced during the US GP weekend. Initially suspecting an impacted wisdom tooth, Leclerc had to rely on painkillers to get through the events. Unfortunately, the issue persisted into the Mexico GP.

‘Ferrari’s unwell F1 drivers in Mexico’;

https://grandpx.news/ferraris-unwell-f1-drivers-in-mexico/


McLaren racing into F1 Mexico City Grand Prix on podium streak by Norris and Piastri
27th October 2023, 07:06
Associated Press

McLaren still likes to be coy about its expectations from week to week. Before the Texas race, Norris tried to downplay the team’s chances on a track he said would expose its weakness in slow speed corners. Norris had barely finished the U.S. Grand Prix when he was already suggesting McLaren could struggle in Mexico City and Brazil, the next race.

“I think our best chances (to win) are gone,” Norris said. “There’s no super high speed circuits left, which is where we are strong. I don’t think they are any good ones for us coming up. Think our best have come and gone.” Verstappen wasn’t buying it. “You are always quick (in Brazil),” Verstappen told Norris.

‘Podium streak by Norris and Piastri’;

https://apnews.com/article/norris-piastri-mclaren-verstappen-aa7bd04a03acc544baef96211c842a86

[Fortitude]

F1 Mexico GP: Verstappen pips Albon by 0.095s in FP1.
The Anglo-Thai driver split the Red Bulls, as Perez was approximately 0.3s behind Verstappen's headline time. This put him above Norris after the Briton's brief spell at the top.
27th October 2023, 20:42
AUTHORJake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Verstappen logged a 1m19.718s on softs, having dispatched Lando Norris from the top spot as the McLaren driver had been among the first of the frontrunners to switch to the red-walled tyre.

Norris had gone just 0.008s faster than Verstappen's medium-tyre effort of a 1m20.245s - but the Dutchman returned to the top on his first soft run.

Albon then set the best first sector as he offered Verstappen more than a token challenge and, although the Williams driver lost a sprinkling of time in the following two splits, he still sat within a tenth of his former team-mate.

‘Verstappen pips Albon’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-mexico-gp-verstappen-pips-albon-by-0095s-in-fp1/10538804/


F1 Mexico City Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice Results
27 Oct 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

2023 F1 Mexico City Grand Prix - Free Practice Results (1)
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m19.718s
2 Alex Albon THA Williams Racing 1m19.813s
3 Sergio Perez MEX Oracle Bull Racing 1m20.015s
4 Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team 1m20.237s
5 Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari 1m20.297s
6 Oscar Piastri AUS McLaren F1 Team 1m20.463s
7 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari 1m20.479s
8 Daniel Ricciardo AUS Scuderia AlphaTauri 1m20.568s
9 Esteban Ocon FRA BWT Alpine F1 Team 1m20.677s
10 Lance Stroll CAN Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team 1m20.687s

‘Results from Friday practice at the United States Grand Prix, Round 19 of the F1 2023 world championship’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/results/1039292/1/f1-mexico-city-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-results


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from first practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix
27 October 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-mexico-city-2023.3Fj1KMJVb7unO67G0iaYpo.html


F1 Mexico City Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice: LIVE UPDATES!
27th October 2023, 19:40
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

The Mexico City Grand Prix kicks off with two practice sessions on Friday. Follow all of the F1 action here with the Crash.net.

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-mexico-city-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-live-updates


F1 Live - Mexico GP Free Practice 1 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
27 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Mexico Grand Prix FP1 Watchalong | Mexican GP Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Free Practice 1 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HirXL79qIGA


Mexican GP practice one: Albon splits the Red Bulls
Oct 27, 2023
by Ben Anderson
The Race

Alex Albon came within a tenth of a second of beating Max Verstappen to the fastest time in first practice for Formula 1's Mexican Grand Prix, as Williams proved Red Bull’s closest challenger in the early running at the Mexico City circuit.

Key moments
• Verstappen fastest for Red Bull
• Albon beats Perez to second
• Three rookies make F1 debuts
•
There’s a good chance the Williams ran higher power settings on its Mercedes engine for this session compared to Red Bull’s Honda unit - something Williams often does on Fridays - but Albon’s pace was still impressive.

‘Mexican GP practice one’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mexican-gp-practice-one-albon-splits-the-red-bulls/

[Fortitude]

Mexico GP: Verstappen stays on top in Practice 2.
Max Verstappen completed a Friday sweep by leading Practice 2 at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
27 October 2023
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing

The reigning world champion was fastest in a very tight session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with less than a second covering the top 16 cars. Lando Norris was closest to the Red Bull driver, finishing just over a tenth behind in second for McLaren with Charles Leclerc taking third for Ferrari.

The start of the session saw Alex Albon maintain his strong pace from Practice 1, leading Verstappen by just 0.01s on the prototype C4 tyre. A nearby dark cloud threw some spots of rain to the final corner but didn't disrupt the early running. Max would switch to mediums for his second run and upped the pace with the fastest time of the weekend on a 1m19.5s, a tenth clear of Leclerc.

Oscar Piastri briefly displaced the Red Bull at the top after being among the first onto the soft compound, with Albon going second on the red-marked tyre. Fernando Alonso's tricky Friday continued with a high-speed spin on the kerb at Turn 9, destroying his soft tyre run in the Aston Martin.

‘Verstappen stays on top’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16868-mexico-gp-verstappen-stays-on-top-in-practice-2


(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Mexican Grand Prix
28th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:18.686
2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.119
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.266
4. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.269
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.302
6. Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri +0.316
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.338
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.391
9. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.477
10. George Russell Mercedes +0.541

‘Mexican Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the second practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Mexico City’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second-practice-results-2023-mexican-grand-prix-83384


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from second practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix
27 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-second-practice-in-mexico-city-2023.4w0Fn6KVsnSzIY4keDfo0W.html


F1 Mexico City Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice: As it happened
28thOctober 2023, 00:14
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

The Mexico City Grand Prix kicks off with two practice sessions on Friday. Follow all of the F1 action here with the Crash.net.

‘As it happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-mexico-city-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-it-happened


F1 Live - Mexico GP Free Practice 2 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
27 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Mexico Grand Prix FP1 Watchalong | Mexican GP Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Free Practice 2 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LpseNffLO8


Mexico City GP weekend going ‘better than I expected’ – Verstappen
28 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Max Verstappen said he’d had “a positive start to the weekend” after going P1 in both FP1 and FP2 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

‘Better than I expected’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.mexico-city-gp-weekend-going-better-than-i-expected-verstappen.1780952624852225585.html


Alonso says Aston Martin will ‘see where we are tomorrow’ after working on race pace on Friday
28 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso was at the bottom of the time sheets after second practice in Mexico, but said after the session he was concentrating on high-fuel long-run performance, so it was not a true reflection of his pace.

‘See where we are tomorrow’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.alonso-says-aston-martin-will-see-where-we-are-tomorrow-after-working-on-race-pace-on-friday.1780957939507211246.html

[Fortitude]

Leclerc: Ferrari unlikely to repeat US shock in Mexican GP.
Charles Leclerc believes it will be a "huge surprise" if Ferrari can challenge for pole position at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
28 October 8:45AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The Monogasque was third quickest and 0.266s slower than the best time set by Max Verstappen in the opening day's running at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez with Lando Norris separating the two, with Leclerc coming off a surprise pole position last time out in the United States.

While it was a reasonable day for his side of the Ferrari garage, Leclerc, who was disqualified from sixth place in Austin due to excessive plan wear, feels the SF-23 package is just not quick enough to be challenging at the top come the sharp end of qualifying.

Leclerc: We've got work to do: When asked about his chances of taking back-to-back poles for the first time this season, Leclerc conceded to F1TV that: "It will be a huge surprise if we achieve pole position, but never say never. "It's a tricky track, it's very difficult to put the lap together, but I feel like this weekend we are a bit too far away. We've still got a lot of work to do.”

‘SF-23 package is just not quick enough’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-makes-admission-over-ferrari-target-in-mexico


Ferrari boss admits Mexico struggles after tough Friday running
Saturday 28 October 2023 02:12
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Fred Vasseur has revealed that Ferrari struggled to come to terms with conditions during Friday’s running for the Mexican Grand Prix and have work to do to improve across the rest of the weekend. Despite their struggles, Vasseur believes that teams up and down the pitlane are struggling to cope with the conditions of the Mexican altitude.

“We are all struggling to find the right feeling this weekend,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “We will have a better look tomorrow. We’re very focused on cooling down the engine and the tyres, and we will work on that tomorrow to be ready for the race.”

“We are all struggling”;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006699/fred-vasseur-charles-leclerc-ferrari-f1-mexican-grand-prix/


Norris regrets showing McLaren's Mexican GP pace 'too early'
28 October 9:25AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Lando Norris felt his quickest effort during practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix was "too quick" for so early in the weekend as he nipped at Max Verstappen's heels.

"Many drivers were within three-tenths, but I think it was a good Friday and good start to the weekend," Norris told F1 TV with the top eight drivers down to Esteban Ocon close behind Verstappen.

"Things could swing very quickly either way. I did a very good lap, maybe it was too good for this early in the weekend, but we'll continue to try and improve.”

"Too quick", 'Too early'’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-shows-early-practice-hand-too-good-for-early-in-weekend


McLaren challenge Red Bull for top spot in rain-hit Mexican Grand Prix practice
Saturday 28 October 2023 01:06
Sam Cook
GPFans

Max Verstappen once again topped practice at the Mexican Grand Prix, building on his FP1 performance by taking first place in a rain-affected FP2.

He finished 0.119 seconds ahead of second-place Lando Norris, with McLaren providing yet more evidence that they now have a car that's capable of challenging for the front row at most races.

‘McLaren challenge’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006694/max-verstappen-red-bull-f1-lando-norris-mclaren-mexico-gp-fp2-practice-report/


Sergio Perez and George Russell in agreement as F1 praised for popular new change
Sergio Perez and George Russell have backed up each other's opinions over the latest changes from F1.
07:00, Sat, Oct 28, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

The Mexican GP is always one of the most anticipated events on the F1 calendar thanks to the passion of the home crowd, but that love for the sport has often led to one of the most hectic paddocks of the season with drivers struggling to make their way past swathes of adoring fans to get to team meetings and media duties. Therefore, the decision was made this year to have a quieter paddock. This is something that many drivers have been calling for at different races throughout the season with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly particularly vocal about the increasing difficulty drivers are facing throughout race weekends.

Perez was asked about the changes to the paddock…“We have to make sure that the drivers are comfortably going around the paddock, and I think that that should be a nice balance. And I just want everyone to have a great time in my country and I think that's something that went over the limit last year, that hopefully this year can be improved. Because overall it's in my opinion the best reception for all the drivers in the world."

These opinions were backed up by Mercedes’ Russell, who insisted that he loves to see as many fans as possible in the paddock but admitted that changes were probably needed. "I think for me, the more the merrier is great," the 25-year-old said. "But at the end of the day, we're all here to do a job, and last year, we were struggling just to get from our engineers' office to the garage without people jumping on us and sticking cameras right in our faces.”

‘Sergio Perez and George Russell in agreement’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1828897/Sergio-Perez-George-Russell-FIA-change


Hamilton bemoans 'night and day' difference in Mercedes
28 October 3:24AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton bemoaned the difference in how his Mercedes performed after practice ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix compared to last weekend in the United States.

"The car is completely night and day different compared to last week, and I just don't know what to say. You never know what you're going to get with the car.”

"Some days she is great, and some days she is not. It is hard to extract the lap, but I think there is definitely performance there - so it is just trying to extract it.”

"Some days she is great”;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-bemoans-night-and-day-difference-in-mercedes


Ricciardo: I’ve a top-10 quali car for Mexico City GP
Saturday 28th October, 2023 - 11:29am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Daniel Ricciardo was left beaming following Friday practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix and expressing confidence of a top-10 place in qualifying.

“I’m definitely confident,” said Ricciardo. “I can’t stand here and predict where I will be because who knows in quali and what other teams might do with fuel or engines.”

“But I know what I felt in the car was good, and I believe that is a top-10 car tomorrow. A top-six car would be nice. I will try to keep that going.”

‘Daniel Ricciardo was left beaming’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/28/daniel-ricciardo-alphatauri-mexico-city-gp-quali/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull’s rivals have time to find – but Perez is closer to Verstappen than it seems.
“We didn’t have a straightforward day,” Perez admitted after he had been safely ferried from the Red Bull garage and through the packed paddock to the media pen.
28th October 2023, 12:2428th October 2023, 12:25
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Verstappen finished day one of the Mexican weekend in perfect form. His best time of a 1’18.686 was ultimately four places and three tenths faster than his Red Bull team mate’s personal best – about par for the course for Perez over the period following the summer break. But while the timing screen suggested that there was another small but significant gulf in performance between the two Red Bull drivers, Perez at least could offer a plausible excuse this time by.

“We didn’t get a good read on the softs over a single lap. I had a yellow flag on my lap, so I ended up doing it on the second timed lap. So plenty of things to understand.” Data shows that Perez was far closer to Verstappen’s best time of the day on his first push lap on softs – just 0.072s off from his team mate through the first half of the lap until having to back for yellow flags at turn eight.

Although it’s impossible to know what time he would have eventually posted after completing the lap, it does suggest that at this early stage of the weekend, Perez may not be as far off his team mate as the timing screen suggests.

‘Perez is closer’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/28/red-bulls-rivals-have-time-to-find-but-perez-is-closer-to-verstappen-than-it-seems/


Red Bull address reliability concern ahead of 2023 Mexico City GP
Red Bull have won the Mexico City GP four times since 2017
October 28, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
TotalMotorsport.com

Red Bull have introduced an updated cooling louvre to their RB19 ahead of the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix, as the team aims to solve a reliability concern by combatting the high-altitude of the track. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is situated 2238m above sea-level meaning that the air is much thinner at that altitude. Whilst the benefit is a reduction of drag due to less air resistance, increasing straight-line speed, it does comes with a penalty elsewhere.

The trade-off is that there isn’t as much air to keep the cars cooler and with Formula 1 cars notoriously prone to overheating there can be issues with the power unit or brakes, issues capable of leading to retirement from the 71-lap race. The world champions bid to solve the conundrum by enlarging the forward exit louvres on the right side of their car, with the goal of achieving their desired level of cooling in the lower atmospheric pressure of the Mexican capital.

Red Bull, as part of modern F1 regulations, are mandated to publicly state updates and upgrades brought to any race weekend and this track-specific change is the only one they have brought. The requirement is part of an open-knowledge initiative aiming to help the slower teams find ideas to close up the field spread and thus create closer and more competitive racing.

‘Reliability concern’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-red-bull-address-reliability-concern-ahead-2023-mexico-city-gp/


Norris emerges as Red Bull’s closest rival in Mexico Practice
October 28, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Lando Norris proved competitive for McLaren on the first day of Mexico practice, keeping company with Red Bull and Max Verstappen.

Max Verstappen was fastest across in both sessions, wasting no time in the RB19. Red Bull will be favourites all weekend, but they are accompanied by McLaren. Specifically, the #4 machine of Lando Norris has shown strong pace in Mexico. McLaren has been consistently fast since the Austrian GP, often contending for podium finishes. This weekend should be no different.

‘Red Bull’s closest rival’;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/10/28/norris-emerges-as-red-bulls-closest-rivals-in-mexico-practice/


Williams mystified by Albon P2 placing in Mexico FP1
28th October 2023, 14:10
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Williams Head of Vehicle Performance Dave Robson admits it was “quite a big surprise” when Alex Albon wound up second in FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Asked if Albon’s FP1 effort provided an unexpected shock to the team, Robson said: “Yes, quite a big surprise, if I’m honest. We still don’t fully understand why.”

“I think it’s quite clear that Alex was very confident and happy in the car, right from the first lap, which makes a big difference. But obviously, the debrief is going on now. I’m not exactly sure whether they’re able to pick it apart. But yeah, it’s definitely a surprise. A nice way to start the weekend but a bit of a surprise.”

‘Williams mystified’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/28/williams-mystified-by-albon-p2-placing-in-mexico-fp1/


Guenther Steiner shares Mexican Grand Prix concerns after Friday practice
28 Oct 2023 1:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner is worried Haas could be in for a difficult Mexican Grand Prix weekend as their VF-23 package is “just not enough” for the high altitude of Mexico City. Having put a B-spec car on the track at the previous race in Austin, Haas’ upgraded VF-23 is still in its infancy with Kevin Magnussen calling it the “early version” of next year’s car.

Steiner is worried Haas’ high downforce package just isn’t enough to deal with the challenges of the circuit. “It looks like our heaviest downforce package is just not enough for here, we’ve struggled in the slower sectors because of the thin air at this altitude,” said the Italian. “It’s one of these things. We’ll work on it for next year so that our high downforce package works here as well.”

‘Guenther Steiner: “It’s one of these things”!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenther-steiner-haas-package-not-enough-mexico-demands


Leclerc: ‘Huge surprise’ if Ferrari challenge for Mexico GP pole
28th October 2023, 13:19
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

There is little optimism for Ferrari’s Mexico City Grand Prix weekend as Charles Leclerc warns it will be a ‘huge surprise’ to see a scarlet car challenge for pole on Saturday. Leclerc enters the Mexico race weekend off the back of a pole position in Austin, but the Monegasque is doubtful over the possibility of repeating last weekend’s qualifying result.

“We still have a lot of work to do because the McLaren seems to be extremely strong, obviously the Red Bull and Max seem to be very very strong,” the 21-time polesitter said. “Mercedes are a bit more difficult to read into for now but focusing on ourselves, we know what are the areas we need to work on and hopefully that will help us take a step forward tomorrow.”

‘Little optimism for Ferrari’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/28/leclerc-huge-surprise-if-ferrari-challenge-for-mexico-gp-pole/

[Fortitude]

F1- Verstappen continues to set the pace in final practice for Mexico City Grand Prix ahead of Albon, Pérez.
Max Verstappen made it a clean sweep of practice sessions at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, topping final practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and Red Bull team-mate Sergio Pérez.
28.10.23
FIA (Press Release)

The three-time champion was biding his time, however, and when he went out for a final run he returned to the top of the order. It was not by much, though. Quickest in the opening sector, the Dutchman lost time in S2 and crossed the line just 0.070s ahead of Albon. The Dutchman was quickly on the radio to report that he had encountered significant traffic during his lap.

Pérez took third just 0.139s behind Verstappen, followed by Russell, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, the Alfa Romeo of Valtteri Bottas and the AlphaTauri of Yuki Tsunoda. Lando Norris was eighth for McLaren, ahead of Ricciardo and the top 10 was rounded out by Hamilton. The shape of the top 10 might have been different had either Ferrari driver managed a clean lap on Softs at the end of the session with Leclerc and Sainz ending up 13th and 15th respectively.

Sainz was also involved in an incident in which he appeared to be blocked by the slow Aston Martin of Lance Stroll while on a push lap. The Spaniard had to break hard to avoid the Canadian, spinning as a result.

‘Max Verstappen made it a clean sweep of practice sessions’;

https://www.fia.com/news/f1-verstappen-continues-set-pace-final-practice-mexico-city-grand-prix-ahead-albon-perez


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Mexican Grand Prix
28th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:17.887
2. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.070
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.139
4. George Russell Mercedes +0.361
5. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.505
6. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.550
7. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.563
8. Lando Norris McLaren +0.593
9. Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri +0.612
10. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.635

‘Mexican Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Mexico City’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-practice-results-2023-mexican-grand-prix-83393


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from third practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix
28 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-third-practice-in-mexico-city-2023.1dbVxicN0i7WMQL4CXxPyh.html


F1 Mexico City Grand Prix 2023 - Final Practice: LIVE UPDATES
28 October 2023, 18:13
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘Final Practice: LIVE UPDATES’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-mexico-city-grand-prix-2023-qualifying-live-updates


F1 Live - Mexico GP Free Practice 3 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
28 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Mexico Grand Prix FP3 Watchalong | Mexican GP Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Free Practice 3 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0XyEdirjSM


Albon right with Verstappen again in final Mexican GP practice
Oct 28, 2023
by Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Alex Albon split the two Red Bulls in the final practice session for Formula 1’s Mexican Grand Prix to raise hopes of a mighty Williams surprise in qualifying.
KEY MOMENTS
• Verstappen fastest, 0.1s covers the top three
• Starring Albon second-quickest
• Both Ferraris outside the top 10

The top three drivers were covered by just over a tenth of a second at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with Max Verstappen quickest ahead of Albon and Sergio Perez.

‘Albon right with Verstappen again’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/albon-right-with-verstappen-again-in-final-mexican-gp-practice/


Verstappen pips surprise challenger in FP3 at Mexican Grand Prix
Saturday 28 October 2023 20:54
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Max Verstappen lead his third consecutive practice session at a hot Mexican Grand Prix, ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon in second and home favourite Sergio Perez in third. George Russell had a solid session for Mercedes in fourth, with Oscar Piastri and Valterri Bottas behind in fifth and sixth.

Red Bull tried to spoil everyone’s party as they have so often this season, but Verstappen failed to crack Russell’s lap with his first attempt, despite setting his time on a slightly more rubbered in track. Eventually the Dutchman found his way past and into first place, with Perez lifting himself up the order to leave Red Bull handily placed in first and third halfway through the session.

‘Verstappen pips surprise challenger’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006744/max-verstappen-red-bull-alex-albon-f1-mexican-grand-prix-fp3/


Williams admits their Mexican Grand Prix pace is “a big surprise”
Formula 1
Posted on
28th October 2023, 20:02
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Williams admitted their competitive start to the Mexican Grand Prix weekend has taken them by surprise. Alexander Albon was second-quickest behind Max Verstappen in the opening practice session, a position he repeated in the final hour of running ahead of qualifying on Saturday. The team’s head of vehicle performance Dave Robson said after the first practice Albon’s pace had been “quite a big surprise, if I’m honest.”

“This car obviously has had a reasonable amount of input from Alex over the last couple of years,” he said. “So I think the car is better than it has been in recent years. It still has issues, for sure I think the car for whatever reason was just good straight out of the box, so the set-up work that Alex had done on the simulator clearly helped.”

“He has a good understanding when the car is working well, or when it’s not working in some corners but well in others, he’s quite capable of adapting to that without getting too frustrated,” Robson added. “So he is very good at making the most of what we’re able to give him and in the background that continual sort of medium-term development of the car is going on and he’s leading that and so as we bring the improved parts to the car, if it delivers what he has asked for, then inevitably he finds the lap time.”

“A big surprise”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/28/williams-admits-their-mexican-grand-prix-pace-is-a-big-surprise/


[B]Stroll causes chaos as F1 rival rages at him ruining flying lap
Saturday 28 October 2023 21:17
Sam Cook
GPFans

Lance Stroll has avoided a penalty after impeding Ferrari's Carlos Sainz during FP3 at the Mexican Grand Prix. Sainz rages at Stroll. The Spaniard wasn't the only Ferrari driver who was left feeling aggrieved during the session.

Charles Leclerc also felt he was impeded, by Haas' Kevin Magnussen who admitted over his team radio that he hadn't seen the Monagasque driver, attempting to blame his engineer for not letting him know he was there…

‘Chaos’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006745/lance-stroll-aston-martin-f1-mexican-grand-prix-carlos-sainz-fp3-practice-penalty/

[Fortitude]

Leclerc pole, Ferrari 1-2 and Norris shock elimination in astonishing Mexico City GP.
Charles Leclerc led a shocking Ferrari front-row lockout in a tumultuous, helter-skelter qualifying for the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix with Max Verstappen third but facing a grid penalty along with both Mercedes.
October 28, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are all under investigation after qualifying for the 2023 Mexico City GP. Ferrari were 1-2 after their first runs after seeming nowhere in the weekend up until Q3, and no one could improve to depose them on their final runs.

Once the dust settled at the chequered flag in Q3 though, it was Ferrari celebrating a stunning second successive pole position. Daniel Ricciardo made Q3 for the first time since the 2022 Abu Dhabi GP, and will start at least fourth which would’ve been a much bigger talking point at almost any other qualifying session of the year, and Sergio Perez is fifth.

Mercedes had looked like the most likely challengers to Red Bull for pole position and Hamilton topped Q2, but neither driver could challenge at the death and they’ll start sixth and eighth led by the seven-time champion. They were split by Oscar Piastri, while the Alfa Romeos completed the top 10.

‘Leclerc pole, Ferrari 1-2’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-charles-leclerc-pole-ferrari-1-2lando-norris-shock-elimination-astonishing-2023-mexico-city-gp/


Qualifying Results – 2023 Mexican Grand Prix
28th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari -1:17.166
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.067
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.097
4. Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri +0.216
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.257
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.288
7. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.457
8. George Russell Mercedes +0.508
9. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.866
10. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +0.884

‘Mexican Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-mexican-grand-prix-83405


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix
28 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-mexico-city-2023.6nUhlP5pe51CZCTHV8Ubw.html


F1 Live - Mexico GP Qualifying Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
28 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Mexico Grand Prix Quali Watchalong | Mexican GP Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Qualifying Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f6i4bVdwKA


Norris suffers shock Mexican GP qualifying elimination
28 October 11:29PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Lando Norris suffered a shock exit from Mexico City Grand Prix qualifying, after he elected to abort his fastest lap in Q1. Both McLarens were in the drop zone during the dying moments of the session, with Oscar Piastri managing to improve his time to second quickest.

While Norris was on his final lap, Fernando Alonso spun and continued at Turn 4, causing a brief yellow flag in the area. This prompted Norris to abort his lap time, causing him to get knocked out of the session early after the gamble by the team for the first runs on Medium tyres backfired forcing the late switch to Softs that ultimately failed.

‘Lando Norris suffered a shock exit’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-suffers-shock-mexican-gp-elimination


Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen face Mexico GP penalties as F1 stewards investigate
Lewis Hamilton, his Mercedes team-mate George Russell and Red Bull rival Max Verstappen were among several drivers under the F1 stewards' microscope for their actions during Mexico GP qualifying
28 October 2023, 22:45
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are under investigation for potential rule-breaking in Mexican Grand Prix qualifying. And several other drivers are also under the microscope after a farcical start to the session. Q1 was marred by several incidents as traffic played a major role in the first part of qualifying on a relatively short track.

Logan Sargeant is another driver potentially facing a penalty after the session as the American is probed for both failing to slow under the yellow flags and is also accused of overtaking while they were flying.

Yuki Tsunoda is also involved in that probe as he was the one who was passed by the Williams driver. But Sargeant was the slowest qualifier anyway with only Tsunoda set to be behind him on the grid after accepting penalties for taking new engine components.

‘F1 stewards investigate’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/mexico-gp-qualifying-hamilton-verstappen-31306285

[Fortitude]

Leclerc and Sainz ambush Verstappen in Mexico quali.
Charles Leclerc will start tomorrow's Mexican Grand Prix from pole position, with Carlos Sainz completing a Ferrari front row lock-out in qualifying in Mexico City leaving Max Verstappen in P3.
28/10/2023 at 23:11
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com

The surprise of the session was AlphaTauri's Daniel Ricciardo clinching fourth on the grid ahead of Sergio Perez, with Lewis Hamilton only able to claim P6 from Oscar Piastri and George Russell. The Mexican fans cheered Perez setting the first lap of Q3 with a time of 1:17.788s, but it proved half a second slower once again compared to Verstappen. An impressive Ricciardo then flew to second before Ferrari sprang a surprise from out of nowhere by going P1 and P2 for Leclerc and Sainz respectively.

The Mercedes cars of Russell and Hamilton took provisional spots on the third row ahead of Perez and Piastri, with the Alfa pair at the bottom. The final order was confirmed by one final push: Leclerc, Sainz, Verstappen and Ricciardo could wring no more pace out of their cars, but Piastri dug deep for sixth. Hamilton found enough to move back ahead of the McLaren but Russell was left in eighth ahead of the two Alfas.

But crucially, no one had been able to catch the two Ferraris with Leclerc confirmed on pole and Sainz completing a 1-2 lock-out for the Scuderia. A spin for Fernando Alonso at the end of Q1 triggered yellow flags affecting several drivers, with Lando Norris a conspicuous casualty as the McLaren ended up P19 after failing to complete a fully representative time.

‘Leclerc and Sainz ambush Verstappen’;

https://f1i.com/news/491649-leclerc-and-sainz-ambush-verstappen-in-mexico-quali.html


HEAD-TO-HEAD: How Leclerc edged ahead of Sainz to take pole for the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix
29 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Watch to see how Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and team mate Carlos Sainz compared in qualifying at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix.

‘HEAD-TO-HEAD’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.head-to-head-how-leclerc-edged-ahead-of-sainz-to-take-pole-for-the-2023-mexico-city-grand-prix.1781048656765201382.html


Ferrari drivers react to surprise front-row lockout after huge pace jump
28 Oct 2023 11:53 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Carlos Sainz has admitted he is “struggling to understand” Ferrari’s performance leap after sealing a front-low lockout in qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix. Despite setting pole position for last weekend’s United States GP, Ferrari were largely quiet throughout practice at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Sainz was left bemused by Ferrari’s sudden improvement, admitting he has struggled for rhythm on the low-grip track all weekend until Q3. He said: “It was a very strange one. Honestly, the whole weekend I’ve struggled to put a lap together. The first lap that I put together was in Q3, the first run.”

“Suddenly I was P1 at the time, Charles beat me by half a tenth. But I just struggle to understand where suddenly we can find half a second and then go half a second slower on the next lap.
“It’s very tricky with the tyres, the feeling with the car is very strange around this circuit, but we managed to do a good lap when it counted and it puts us in a good position for tomorrow.”

‘Ferrari drivers react to surprise front-row lockout’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos-sainz-ferrari-pace-jump


Why Verstappen, Mercedes duo and Alonso avoided Mexico penalties
Oct 29, 2023
by Josh Suttill
The Race

Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Fernando Alonso have all escaped punishment for the incidents that earned them summons to the stewards after Mexican Grand Prix qualifying.

Verstappen, Russell and Alonso were investigated for impeding in the pitlane, when all three cars were seen to have slowed to a crawling pace at the pit exit in Q1 with a large gaggle of cars behind them.

But the officials effectively expressed sympathy for the drivers' need to create gaps in the qualifying traffic and agreed that - while discouraged by the wording of the regulations - doing so in the pit exit was preferable to slowing on circuit.

‘Mexican penalties avoided’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/verstappen-mercedes-drivers-and-alonso-avoid-mexican-grand-prix-penalties/


Ricciardo adamant stunning Mexican qualifying ‘no fluke’
Sunday 29th October, 2023 - 10:44am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Daniel Ricciardo is adamant his stunning fourth place on the grid for the Mexico City GP in his AlphaTauri was “no fluke”. “From lap one yesterday I felt good, and really all weekend I felt we had a car to figure well inside the top 10,” said Ricciardo.

“This morning (in final practice), we were still there – P9 – but honestly, I was not happy with my lap this morning. I knew we could show more than that. You never know in quali because obviously everyone turns it up but I was confident in myself that I could definitely get some more tenths out of the car.”

“In Q1 and Q2, Yuki was great, gave me a tow just to obviously make sure we got into Q3, but then in Q3, I didn’t have a tow and we still showed really good pace. So I think that’s probably the coolest thing about today, that it wasn’t ‘Oh, okay, they did it, but he gained a couple of tenths from a tow’.”

‘No fluke’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/29/daniel-ricciardo-alphatauri-mexico-city-gp-qualifying-no-fluke/


Sergio Perez warned more Mexico GP embarrassment could come after Daniel Ricciardo blow.
In front of his adoring home crowd at the Mexican Grand Prix, Sergio Perez could only go fifth fastest in qualifying while Daniel Ricciardo outperformed him in the slower AlphaTauri sister car
29th October 2023, 01:59.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Daniel Ricciardo thinks he can deliver "a big bag of points" in the Mexican Grand Prix and is adamant his qualifying result was no fluke. In a Saturday session full of surprises, the Aussie's result was a contender to be the biggest of them all. Out of nowhere, Ricciardo put his AlphaTauri car on the second row with a lap quick enough for fourth place.

It meant he got the better of Sergio Perez, who could only manage to go fifth fastest despite having the support of the crowd and the quicker Red Bull car. And that did not go unnoticed by F1 fans on social media. Speaking to reporters after the session, Ricciardo insisted the result was no fluke and could not hide his excitement over what might be possible in Sunday's race. "From lap one yesterday I felt good, and really all weekend I felt we had a car to figure well inside the top 10," he beamed.

“A big bag of points";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/daniel-ricciardo-mexico-gp-perez-31306646


Self-critical Lando Norris returns after nightmare Mexican GP qualifying
28 Oct 2023 11:50 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Norris was asked by Sky F1 to explain how the events unfolded, having pitted to ditch the mediums for soft tyres. He said though that actually the “pace was good” and so why he was told to pit is a mystery, though he was not pointing the finger at his team, rather admitting that he should have done a better job.

“I got told to box for some reason,” he confirmed. “The pace was good. I don’t know, I got told to box so something obviously wasn’t right. But that wasn’t the problem, I just made some mistakes on my one lap that I had, obviously there was a yellow [flag] in the end from Fernando.”

“So yeah, that one opportunity, that one lap that I was given, I didn’t put together and I went off and that was it. We’ll speak about it after. I had one lap and I didn’t do it, so it’s on me.”

‘Nightmare’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-self-critical-mexico-q1-exit

[Fortitude]

‘Anything can happen’ – Perez ready for action in home race after taking P5 on the grid.
Sergio Perez has an army of Mexican supporters at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, and he’s hoping to give them something to cheer about on race day.
28 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Anything can happen’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.anything-can-happen-perez-ready-for-action-in-home-race-after-taking-p5-on-the-grid.1781040122655849818.html


Perez Mexican homecoming: 'Boom, Checo's popularity has skyrocketed'
29 October 12:00PM
Author Luke Merkx
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez may be struggling for form in F1 but his popularity and status has never been higher. That's according to Fox Sports Mexico's Diego Meija, who sat down with RacingNews365.com in the build-up to the Mexico City Grand Prix. Asked if the growth in South and Central America had mirrored that of the United States, Meija replied: "Yes, certainly in Mexico. That's especially since Checo became a Red Bull driver.

"His popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. When he drove at Force India and Racing Point, he was a well-known sportsman. Now he is a real celebrity. He is on the same level as the most famous soccer players." On the arrival of Netflix hit docuseries Drive to Survive, Meija added: "That gave a big boost to the popularity of F1 in Latin America and Mexico. In doing so, we got a driver on the best team just when the sport was attracting more here.

"Boom, Checo's popularity was suddenly mega. When you're here, that's when you notice it. You see billboards and ads featuring him everywhere, both locally and internationally. The biggest Mexican brands want to tie themselves to him. They see him as the perfect ambassador for Mexico. He really is a star in the country. It's similar to the fan base a soccer team has. They continue to support him regardless of his performance."

'Boom, Checo's popularity has skyrocketed';

https://racingnews365.com/perez-is-hot-in-mexico-boom-since-red-bull-checos-popularity-is-mega


Father insists Perez loves driving for Red Bull.
Sergio Perez's father says there is no doubt his son will still be at Red Bull in 2024.
OCTOBER 29, 2023
GrandPrix.com

Mexican Perez, 33, has a contract for next year, but rumours of strained relationships with Verstappen, Red Bull bosses and his performance slump will not go away. Perez's father Antonio Perez Garabay has often fanned the flames of the speculation, but on the occasion of the Mexican GP this weekend, he now says his son could not be happier at Red Bull.

Checo will be with Max in the same team for another ten years, he smiled to the Austrian broadcaster ORF. "And in these ten years Checo might win a world championship. I like that my son competes with the best driver in the world. And the best driver in the world right now is Max Verstappen,” Perez senior, a well-known motor racing and political figure in Mexico, added.

Amid wild rumours of a cut-throat rivalry between Perez and Verstappen early this weekend, Red Bull chiefs stepped in to insist that the pair actually get on well. Perez's father agrees: This is the best relationship with a teammate that Checo has ever had in his Formula 1 career.”

‘Perez loves driving for Red Bull’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/father-insists-perez-loves-driving-for-red-bull.html


Perez rues decision to use extra set of new tyres in Q2 after qualifying fifth
Formula 1
Posted on 29th October 2023, 0:42
Written by Ed Hardy
RaceFans

Sergio Perez said tyre troubles were behind a disappointing qualifying session for the Mexican Grand Prix which left him on the third row of the grid. Perez was seventh after his first run in Q3 on a used set of soft tyres. He then joined his rivals in using a fresh set for his final lap, and jumped up to fifth. However he admitted that was still “not where we wanted to be” and said he shouldn’t have used an extra set of new tyres earlier in qualifying.

“I think we were missing a lot on that set of tyres, that second set of tyres for Q3,” he told Sky. “In Q2, we really didn’t need it. That was quite costly because the progression that we had in Q3 wasn’t ideal during that first run then going into the new. I felt like when I finished my lap, I felt like I undershot it a bit here and there and a tenth or two would have changed completely our lives today, so not ideal.”

Perez said there were big differences between each set of tyres for qualifying due to the circuit where “grip is extremely low.” “There is a changing temperature of two, three degrees,” he added. “You feel it whereas somewhere else you don’t really feel it. Every single set I had today felt differently, so the grip is extremely low.”

‘Perez rues decision’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/29/perez-rues-decision-to-use-extra-set-of-new-tyres-in-q2-after-qualifying-fifth/


Perez points to Red Bull choice for Mexican GP qualifying deficit
29 October 1:57AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez lamented a mistake that cost him a shot at qualifying higher for his home Mexico City Grand Prix.

Perez: We lost a [tyre] set in Q2: "[It was] very fine margins, actually. I think the progression that we had through qualifying wasn't great, especially Q3," Perez told F1 TV.

"We lost a [tyre] set in Q2, we put another lap on it, and just the progression in Q3 I felt like it could have been quite a lot better. Tomorrow it is a long race ahead, so anything can really happen. It will be an interesting one and let's see what we are able to do."

‘Perez: We lost a [tyre] set in Q2’;

https://racingnews365.com/perez-laments-mistake-that-cost-mexico-second-row


Sergio Perez doubts securing P2 target will ‘make any difference’ to Red Bull progress
29 Oct 2023 9:00 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez is unsure if finishing second in the Drivers’ Championship will feel like progress at Red Bull, as his focus remains set on the “ultimate target” of becoming World Champion. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has spoken of his desire to secure a first-ever 1-2 in the Drivers’ standings for the team this year, though he denies giving Perez an outright target to achieve that goal.

But if the Mexican ends up taking that accolade, he is unsure how it would make him feel in terms of progression at Red Bull. “I really don’t know,” Perez told Formula1.com when asked how securing P2 in the Drivers’ standings would help his mentality moving forward.

“I’ll tell you once I get this second-place trophy, but I don’t think it will make any difference. If there is a difference, it will be in how I achieve that. I want to achieve it with more victories this year, by finishing the season strong, and having great momentum to go into the winter – still believing that I can be champion in the future, which is the ultimate target.”

“I’ll tell you once I get this second-place trophy”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio-perez-p2-drivers-finish-difference

[Fortitude]

F1 Mexico GP: Verstappen breezes to record-breaking 16th win of 2023.
The victory gives Verstappen a new record for most F1 wins in a single season, this his 16th 2023 triumph after he scored 15 last year.
22:32 Sun, 29 Oct 2023.
AUTHORAlex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com

Max Verstappen dominated a red-flagged 2023 Formula 1 Mexico Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, seizing the lead at Turn 1 where team-mate Sergio Perez crashed out.

At the start, Verstappen shot off the line as the two Ferraris ahead rather stuttered away, the Dutchman carving between Leclerc and Sainz to easily claim the inside line for Turn 1. There, Perez suddenly arrived on the far left of Verstappen and Leclerc, having got an even better getaway than his team-mate and then gained from the slipstream coming off the other RB19 and then Leclerc's Ferrari.

Perez's run was so good his wheels were the furthest ahead when the trio reached the turn-in point for the first corner, but with Verstappen swinging slightly back left just seconds before this, Leclerc got pinched between the two Red Bull cars.

‘Record-breaking 16th win of 2023’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-mexico-gp-verstappen-breezes-to-record-breaking-16th-win-of-2023/10540216/


Race Results – 2023 Mexican Grand Prix
29th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -71 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +13.875
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +23.124
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +27.154
5. Lando Norris McLaren +33.266
6. George Russell Mercedes +41.020
7. Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri +41.570
8. Oscar Piastri McLaren +43.104
9. Alex Albon Williams Racing +48.573
10. Esteban Ocon Alpine +62.879

‘Mexican Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-mexican-grand-prix-83422


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix
29 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-gran-premio-de-la-ciudad-de-mexico-2023.3d0gpi8seBWD1H7qHIu07Y.html


F1 Mexico City Grand Prix 2023 - As it happened
19:38 Sun, 29 Oct 2023.
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Follow the 2023 F1 Mexico City Grand Prix here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘As it happened’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-mexico-city-grand-prix-2023-it-happened


F1 Live - Mexico GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
29 October 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Mexico Grand Prix Race Watchalong | Mexican GP Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJOO2kVt1SA


Sergio Perez suffers HEARTBREAK at his home Mexico Grand Prix as he is shunted off by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz at the first CORNER... before his Red Bull car is retired before it makes it round a single lap
Published: 20:13, 29 October 2023
By Jake Fenner For Dailymail.Com
Mail Online

Red Bull Racing's Sergio Perez had his day at his home race - the Mexico City Grand Prix - come to a sudden and unfortunate end before even completing the first turn. At the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Perez started the race P5 and got a great jump off the line.

But he went into Turn 1 three-wide - with teammate Max Verstappen on the inside and pole sitter Charles Leclerc in between them. Perez turned across Leclerc's Ferrari - with his right rear tire clipping Leclerc's front left. It caused Perez's car to bounce into the air and caused severe damage to the structure of his vehicle.

‘Sergio Perez suffers HEARTBREAK’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12686157/Sergio-Perez-suffers-HEARTBREAK-home-Mexico-Grand-Prix-shunted-Charles-Leclerc-Carlos-Sainz-CORNER-Red-Bull-car-retired-makes-round-single-lap.html


RACE START: Perez forced out of Mexico City GP after collision with Leclerc in dramatic getaway
29 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site

There was plenty of drama at the start of the Mexico City Grand Prix as local favourite Sergio Perez collided with Charles Leclerc in a battle for the lead. Both Red Bull drivers had an excellent getaway, with Max Verstappen looking to challenge pole-sitter Leclerc into Turn 1 while Perez tried to find a way around the outside.

‘Plenty of drama’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.race-start-perez-forced-out-of-mexico-city-gp-after-collision-with-leclerc.2qlr6GiPwZFPH8xpV2LFgz.html


F1 fans in VISCERAL reaction to Perez Mexico nightmare
Sunday 29 October 2023 21:41
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Formula 1 fans have reacted viscerally to Sergio Perez's sudden and dramatic retirement from his home grand prix ont he very first lap, after the Mexican driver clipped Charles Leclerc and flew off the track.

Emotions appeared to be running high for Perez after his retirement, as he banged his hands on his car in frustration. And that anger was also felt online, with F1 fans taking to social media to express their disappointment at the incident and, in some cases, air their grievances about Perez himself.

On the other hand, some fans called Perez's competency into question over the crash. When commentator David Croft expressed sympathy for Perez, some disagreed with his take on the incident.

‘F1 fans in VISCERAL reaction’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006836/sergio-perez-f1-mexican-grand-prix-disaster-fans-social-media/


Perez on Mexican GP bust: ‘I saw the opportunity and went for it’
29/10/2023 at 21:53
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Sergio Perez says he “saw an opportunity” at the start of Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix and “went for it”, but the aggressive move ended in disaster for the local hero.

"I had a tremendous start, the gap was there and to be honest, where I was starting the race, I would have been disappointed if I'd been on the podium knowing there was a chance of victory and I didn't take it,” Perez explained.

‘Saw the opportunity and went for it’;

https://f1i.com/news/491865-perez-on-mexican-gp-bust-i-saw-the-opportunity-and-went-for-it.html


Mexican GP crowd exit quickly as Sergio Perez gives emotional interview after retirement
Sergio Perez was visibly emotional after retiring from his home race in Mexico on the first lap.
21:34, Sun, Oct 29, 2023
By Stuart Ballard
Daily and Sunday Express

Sergio Perez has refused to lay the blame for his disappointing retirement from the Mexican Grand Prix on Charles Leclerc, insisting he could have pulled out of the move before colliding with the Ferrari driver. Perez got off the line quicker than anybody else and saw an opening to take the lead of his home race going into the first corner.

Fans in attendance for the Mexican Grand Prix were also disappointed it seems as they made quick exits from the circuit despite only a few laps of the race being completed. Perez "very sad" to have retired from his home race, but ultimately felt the opportunity to take the lead in the first corner was too good of a chance to miss.

‘Mexican GP crowd exit quickly’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1829340/Mexican-Grand-Prix-crowd-early-exit-Sergio-Perez-interview-retirement

[Fortitude]

Horner, Verstappen defend Perez over Mexico Turn 1 move.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner and Max Verstappen have defended Sergio Perez’s attempted move at Turn 1 on the first lap that sent him out of the Mexico City Grand Prix.
30th October 2023, 09:03
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

After Perez conceded that his approach was centred on gunning for victory, Horner believes that “you can’t blame” the Mexican for trying to seize the lead at his home event.

“Yeah, absolutely two contrasting emotions,” Horner said. “One absolutely gutted to see Checo go out on the first corner. He had probably his best start of the season, got the draft and the tow from the three cars ahead, and so arrived with massive overspeed.”

“And you can’t blame him at his home race, going to try and take the lead of the grand prix. I think you have to call it a racing incident, because three into one doesn’t go. Charles couldn’t get out of it, he braked late.”

‘Horner added: “Yeah, just said to him, next race next week, you’re going for the lead in your home race, you wouldn’t be a racing driver if you weren’t going for it.”!’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/30/horner-verstappen-defend-perez-over-mexico-turn-1-move/


Horner “can’t blame” Perez for F1 Mexico Turn 1 move
30th October 2023, 08:22
AuthorFergal Walsh
Co-authorAaron Deckers
Motorsport.com

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner feels he can not blame Sergio Perez for wanting to be aggressive at the start of the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Horner also revealed that he gave Perez words of encouragement while consoling him, reminding him that the next race is coming up straight away this weekend in Brazil.

"I think it's a tough moment for him, it's in front of his home crowd," said Horner. "He’s very emotional. I just said to him [that the] next race is next week [in Brazil], you're going for the lead in your home race. You wouldn't be a racing driver if you weren't going for it."

‘Horner also revealed that he gave Perez words of encouragement while consoling him’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-cant-blame-perez-eagerness-after-mexico-crash


Max Verstappen critiques Sergio Perez’s role in disastrous Mexican GP crash
30 Oct 2023 6:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Sergio Perez’s Mexican Grand Prix was over before it even began with Max Verstappen arguing that while he should’ve left a “bit more room”, had his teammate pulled off the audacious fifth to first pass he would’ve looked “amazing”. The Dutchman gets why Perez tried to make the move, but believes he made one key mistake.

“I mean, I understand because it’s his home Grand Prix,” he said. “You want to be on the podium, I fully understand that. He went around the outside, and he tried. Looking at the footage, I think he could have left a little bit more space, but at the other end if it would have worked, you know, you look amazing. And of course, I think it’s just more like that excitement of wanting to be on the podium and this time it didn’t work out, unfortunately.”

Cutting a forlorn figure as he walked away from his stricken RB19, the Mexican driver told Spanish broadcaster DAZN: “I’m sad without a doubt because today was my opportunity. I had a very good start and I was only thinking of winning the race. I didn’t want to be on the podium. I’ve been on the podium two years in a row. I saw the opportunity and I went for it. In hindsight, I took a risk, but if I had pulled it off I would have come out of Turn 1 in the lead.”

‘Acknowledging the hurt for his home fans who watched his race end as soon as it began, Perez says he’ll still walk away with his head high knowing he gave it his all’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-critiques-sergio-perez-role-mexican-gp-crash


Red Bull win in Mexico despite heartbreak for home hero Perez
30th October 2023, 08:56
Charles Crook
CitiBlog

Red Bull won the Mexico City Grand Prix through Max Verstappen, although team mate Sergio Perez retired after one lap of his home race. A busy start had seen Verstappen bypass the two Ferraris, who had locked out the front row ahead of him.

Perez made his own flying start from fifth and as the field approached turn one, Perez attempted his own move on Charles Leclerc. This lead to contact between the Red Bull and the Ferrari at turn one, causing Perez’s Red Bull to briefly go airborne and suffer substantial damage to the side of the car.

Perez made it back to the pits but was retired, much to the disappointment of the majority of the crowd in Mexico City who had come to see him in his home race.

‘Heartbreak for home hero Perez’;

https://citiblog.co.uk/2023/10/30/red-bull-win-in-mexico-despite-heartbreak-for-home-hero-perez/


Mark Hughes: The very different Mexican GP we could've had
Oct 30, 2023
by Mark Hughes
The Race

Kevin Magnussen’s crash halfway through the Mexican Grand Prix and the red flag it brought gave a handy punctuation point for a significant proportion of the crowd to go home, disappointed as they were by the elimination of their hero Sergio Perez within seconds of the start.

It was one of those moments laden with poignancy and significance, Perez getting a fantastic start from fifth to be neck-and neck on the outside approach to Turn 1, with Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen to his inside – and him poised to go past them both, 200,000 people willing him on with bated breath.

On the line he was on, he might have swept past them both and assumed the lead. But it would have required Leclerc’s co-operation, would have needed him to have been intimidated into braking early to avoid contact. It was about five seconds into the race and the people had no-one to cheer for.

‘One of those moments laden with poignancy and significance’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/mark-hughes-the-very-different-mexican-gp-we-couldve-had/


Marko sympathetic towards Perez over costly Mexico crash
30 October 1:48AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has reacted to Sergio Perez's crash at the Mexico City Grand Prix, insisting his contact with Charles Leclerc was a “racing incident”. “It was a racing incident, that can happen,” said the Austrian. “He saw an opportunity.”

“He was on the outside of Leclerc and wanted to steer inside. A racing incident. You can't blame Checo for anything. It's too bad we lost 19 points to Hamilton [in the Drivers' Championship]."

“Until the first lap of the race, he drove a super weekend and I am convinced he would have been on the podium." Marko also had praise for the Mexican fans in attendance at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriquez. “They were super! An incredibly sporting crowd and I have rarely experienced such an atmosphere," said Marko.

‘Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko: "How many times do I have to repeat this? Checo has a contract for 2024 and it will happen,” he said’;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-speaks-out-about-red-bull-seat-perez-after-clumsy-crash

[Fortitude]

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz blasted by own boss for 'losing control' of Mexican GP.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed his frustration with drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz after the pair failed to make the most of a front-row lockout at the Mexican GP.
07:00, Mon, Oct 30, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz found themselves in hot water with Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur in Mexico. Speaking after the race the Ferrari boss said: "I'm not satisfied with the start of my drivers today. The start wasn't good, we gave everyone the slipstream, totally losing control of the situation.”

Charles Leclerc was caught up in a lap-one incident with Sergio Perez. "This put Carlos and Charles in a difficult position with both Red Bulls. Checo and Charles touched each other and we lost a piece of the front."

‘Blasted by own boss’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1829366/Charles-Leclerc-Carlos-Sainz-Mexican-GP


Ferrari boss blames drivers for ‘losing control’ of Mexican Grand Prix
30 Oct 2023 1:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

It was, Vasseur says, not a satisfactory result with the team boss pointing the finger at his drivers for making poor starts and not being able to shake off the chasing pack.

“I’m not satisfied with the start. It’s not a question of management, it’s that we started badly and gave the slipstream to everyone, losing control of the situation,” he told Sky F1. First of all, if you start badly you lose ground from the others and lose the slipstream.”

“This led Charles to being between Verstappen and Perez and, later, having contact with them. At that point part of the wing broke and we also had problems with Carlos. “But the underlying problem is that we started badly because Max is already in front of Carlos after a few meters.”

“I’m not satisfied with the start”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-boss-blames-drivers-losing-control-mexican-grand-prix


Sainz says Ferrari need to look into cause of poor starts in Mexico
Formula 1
Posted on 30th October 2023, 17:17
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

“We need to have a look at the starts,” said Sainz after the race. “We both didn’t get a very good launch. I think Charles and I got away very similar and then Verstappen was just very quick off the line.” The team looked long and hard at how to improve its starts at the low-grip Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, said Sainz.

“We’ve been struggling a bit with the starts since FP1 at this surface and with this grip,” he explained. “We probably didn’t get everything perfect for this weekend after some very strong starts recently. So it’s something to look at.” Sainz said the first start was “very chaotic, like always in Mexico.”

“It was very tricky braking into turn one, everyone tries to outbrake themselves to try and keep position and I think Checo was the unlucky one, Charles probably a lucky one and it’s how it is, it’s racing and it’s always going to happen here in turn one in Mexico.”

“We need to have a look at the starts”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/30/sainz-says-ferrari-need-to-look-into-cause-of-poor-starts-in-mexico/


Leclerc surprised to finish Mexico GP after Perez clash
Monday 30th October, 2023 - 6:41pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Leclerc had started from pole but found himself flanked on the run to the first corner by Max Verstappen on his right and Perez on the left. “I had nowhere to go,” Leclerc, who ended the race third, said. “I was extremely surprised I could finish the race anyway.” The impact saw Perez fired into the run-off area with damage to the right-hand sidepod of the RB19. He managed to limp the car back to the pits where he retired, leaving him to describe it as the saddest moment of his career.

Leclerc picked up damage to his front wing in the encounter, the left end fence handing off the Ferrari for the first four laps. It eventually broke free, triggering a brief Virtual Safety Car, but the pole-sitter was able to carry on and ultimately changed the front wing under the red flag for Kevin Magnussen’s crash.

“We broke part of the front wing in Turn 1, and then on the radio they told me we were lacking I think 10 or 15 points [of downforce],” Leclerc said. “To be honest, I managed to drive around it and it didn’t feel too bad, so that was positive. Of course, it’s never ideal to lose so many points [of downforce] into Turn 1, but it’s like this and we then managed to do a good race from that moment onwards.”

‘Leclerc surprised to finish Mexico GP’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/30/leclerc-surprised-to-finish-mexico-gp-after-perez-clash/


Sainz dismisses Russell complaints: 'He does it often'
30 October 3:10PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Carlos Sainz has dismissed protests from George Russell over the Ferrari driver's weaving in the Mexico City Grand Prix. Defending fourth place, along the pit-straight into the Turn 1 braking zone, Sainz defended as is his right, but Mercedes' Russell felt the Spaniard was making more than one change of direction in the braking zone.

When asked about the manoeuvres, Sainz told media, including RacingNews365: "Well I was moving once and right before braking, which is what the rules allow. You cannot move on the braking but you can move right before braking and that's what I was doing.”

"When you're behind you open the radio, you complain about the guy in front and [hope] he gets a warning or a five-second penalty because it benefits you. It's the same as always, everyone does it. George does it a lot."

‘Protests dismissed’;

https://racingnews365.com/sainz-defends-russell-manoeuvres-after-team-radio-complaints

[Fortitude]

Wolff shares BRUTAL Hamilton verdict over Mercedes progress.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has joked that Lewis Hamilton was happy with the performance of his W14 for the first time this year after the seven-time champion matched his season-best result of second in the Mexican Grand Prix.
Tuesday 31 October 2023 08:27
Tyler Foster
GPFans

Over the course of Hamilton’s 17-year career in Formula 1, the British driver has developed a reputation for whinging over the radio. Whether he is complaining that his tyres won’t last, or the pit strategy is wrong or even that the safety car is going too slowly, Hamilton is prepared to get his way.

Speaking after Hamilton’s second-place finish, team boss Wolff joked that it was the first time this season that he has been happy with the car. “Today I think it was a first where he said ‘the car is actually good!’ But it was a brilliant, brilliant drive and we have these oscillations in performance.”

“We don’t really know, sometimes the tyres stick, sometimes not. The smiles on our faces because the car was strong. I think once Lewis was in free air, we had so much margin on the medium, fastest lap at the end. It was good.”

‘BRUTAL Hamilton verdict’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1006926/toto-wolff-f1-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-mexico-grand-prix/


Lewis Hamilton and George Russell given clear Toto Wolff order after Mexico GP
Mercedes showed strong race pace again at the Mexican Grand Prix but team boss Toto Wolff was left lamenting his team's performances in qualifying after the race
00:20 Mon, 30 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Toto Wolff demanded his drivers start qualifying better as he reacted to a strong Mercedes result at the Mexican Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton drove from sixth on the grid to finish second after avoiding trouble in an action-packed race. And George Russell also improved to finish sixth, fending off the challenge of Daniel Ricciardo in the final few laps.

Team principal Wolff was pleased with both drives and with the speed shown by his team's cars. But he feels there is more on the table for Mercedes in these final races of the season if they can qualify better.

"The smile on our face is because the car was strong," said the Austrian after the race. "Once Lewis was in free air, we had so much margin in the medium. The lap times were good and [he got the] fastest lap at the end.”

‘Clear Toto Wolff order’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/lewis-hamilton-george-russell-given-31312050


Toto Wolff decodes McLaren’s George Russell message and highlights ‘killer’ blow
30 Oct 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Warning Lando Norris that George Russell was “all or nothing”, Toto Wolff surmises McLaren’s message to their driver in Mexico was to tell him “don’t crash we need those points”. “We know what Russell is like, he’s all or nothing. So you just have patience with him,” was the message from the McLaren pit wall.

Wolff was asked for his thoughts on that message and whether it was a sign of respect toward his driver. “I think that these two have probably had that race situation hundreds of times in their life so they will have known what to do,” he said. “I think it was more of a message like don’t crash we need those points.”

The team boss believes Russell’s efforts on Sunday were hampered by tyre issues with the Briton having hounded Carlos Sainz before being forced to back off when his tyres began to overheat. But cooling the rubber, Russell wasn’t able to regain grip and as a result lost pace and a position. “I think we need to understand what actually happened to George because he was pushing very, very strong behind Sainz, but so did Lewis,” he said.

‘Toto Wolff decodes message’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-wolff-killer-lando-norris-got-the-better-george-russell


Martin Brundle calls out 'flippant' Toto Wolff following Lewis Hamilton comments
Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton have endured a turbulent last two races, and now they've attracted the attention of Martin Brundle.
18:34, Sun, Oct 29, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Martin Brundle has labelled Toto Wolff ‘flippant’ after the Mercedes team principal claimed that he has no regrets over Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from the United States Grand Prix and that he would be happy to risk it again and fight for the win on sprint weekends.

Hamilton finished just two seconds behind reigning world champion and eventual race winner Max Verstappen at the Circuit of the Americas but was disqualified along with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc after both cars failed routine inspections later on Sunday. These disqualifications were partially caused by the sprint format with the singular practice session preventing teams from fully figuring out an optimal set-up for the weekend’s running.

This has triggered a wider debate about the future of sprint races in F1. Toto Wolff: "I would take the disqualification running for a race win and seeing the performance, rather than ending P3 and 25 seconds adrift. Every day of the week I would take the disqualification."

‘Toto Wolff labelled ‘flippant’!’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1829302/Martin-Brundle-Toto-Wolff-Lewis-Hamilton-comments


Martin Brundle addresses ‘flippant’ Toto Wolff disqualification comments
29 Oct 2023 1:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Martin Brundle has called out Toto Wolff for his “flippant” comment that he’d risk a disqualification in a bid to win a race, the former F1 driver believing Lewis Hamilton’s plank was a “reasonable chunk” outside the regulations.

“I take a disqualification running for a race win and seeing the performance against running P3 and ending up 25 seconds adrift,” he told Sky Sports. “So every day of the week I’ll go for the disqualification.” That was put to Brundle, who was asked whether it was worth the risk with the former F1 driver replying: “Absolutely not. I think Toto is being a flippant there. Toto and Lewis have done a very good job this weekend of saying nothing to see here, look at all those others they must have been cheating as well or whatever.”

“Cheating is too strong a word -found to be outside of the regulations. But, you know, some teams lifted their cars to be certain because it was a Sprint weekend because it was bumpy, drivers taking kerbs, talk of a headwind pushing the cars down a little bit more even on the back straight. And I don’t believe that Mercedes was illegal by just a small amount, it was a reasonable chunk.”

‘Flippant Toto’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin-brundle-flippant-toto-wolff-disqualification-comments

[Fortitude]

Norris on his late charge to P5 in Mexico: ‘One of the best stints I’ve ever had’.
Lando Norris was down in P14 after the red flag restart in Mexico City, but charged his way all the way up to fifth at the chequered flag with some superb overtaking moves.
29 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘One of the best stints I’ve ever had’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.norris-on-his-late-charge-to-p5-in-mexico-one-of-the-best-stints-ive-ever-had.1781131205123428275.html


McLaren boss Andrea Stella lauds Lando Norris after recovery with Fernando Alonso-Valencia 2012 comparison
30 Oct 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has likened Lando Norris’ recovery drive at the Mexico City Grand Prix to Fernando Alonso’s epic Valencia win in 2012. Norris was knocked out in Q1 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez after making a mistake on his final lap.

Speaking after the race in Mexico, Stella heaped praise on Norris, declaring his drive as one of the “best” he’s ever seen. “Well in fairness we were having exactly this conversation on the pit wall as his race engineer Will Joseph turned to me and said to me that’s one of the best of Lando. I said, ‘Will, that’s one of the best at all’.

“Overtaking, so many overtakings, in Mexico, where yesterday if you read the quotes everyone is saying it’s so difficult to overtake, while managing PU temperatures, having to do lift and coast. I’m just impressed. One of the best races for a driver that I’ve been part of, let’s say.”

“One of the best at all”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1039763/1/mclaren-boss-lauds-norris-after-recovery-alonsovalencia-2012-comparison


Lando Norris takes swipe at McLaren rivals after barnstorming drive to fifth in Mexico City GP
Lando Norris scythed through the field to eventually finish fifth at the 2023 Mexico City GP
October 30, 2023
By Ed Spencer

Lando Norris has suggested drivers should be self-aware when in wheel-to-wheel combat after finishing fifth in Sunday’s 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix. “I enjoyed the whole thing apart from my restart if you saw it”, reflected Norris to the media after the race.

“I had to avoid a very big crash, just people coming across, not realising they can be three abreast. So I avoided two extremely big crashes, one would have been very nasty, so a bit of self-awareness from other drivers would have been great.”

“But that’s not why I lost out. I lost out because of a bad start. The pace was amazing from Lap 1, there was a lot of [tyre] management involved. I couldn’t push as much as I wanted to at times.”

‘Barnstorming drive to fifth’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lando-norris-swipe-mclaren-rivals-barnstorming-drive-fifth-2023-mexico-city-gp/


Norris says rivals need ‘more self awareness’ after ‘avoiding extremely big crashes’
Formula 1
Posted on 30th October 2023, 7:15
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Lando Norris said some of his rivals showed poor awareness of other cars during the restart in yesterday’s Mexican Grand Prix. Norris climbed from 17th on the grid to finish fifth in yesterday’s race and said afterwards he “enjoyed the whole thing apart from my restart.”

“I probably had to avoid a very big crash,” he explained. “Just people coming across, not probably realising that people can be three-abreast. I avoided two extremely big crashes which would have been very nasty. So, a bit more self awareness of some drivers would be great.”

However he said the near-miss was “not why I lost out” at the restart and fell back four places. “I lost out because of a bad start, but I lost out even more because of these things.” Norris was thrilled by his car’s performance in the race as he recovered to finish fifth.

‘More self awareness’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/30/norris-says-rivals-need-more-self-awareness-after-avoiding-extremely-big-crashes/


Piastri-Tsunoda battle ends in collision
Oscar Piastri and Yuki Tsunoda collided on lap 49 of the Mexico City Grand Prix, sending the AlphaTauri spinning off the track at Turn 1.
October 30, 2023 — 3.02pm
The Sydney Morning Herald

‘Piastri-Tsunoda battle’;

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsport/piastri-tsunoda-battle-ends-in-collision-20231030-p5eg5h.html?js-chunk-not-found-refresh=true


Piastri “hard racing” with seething Tsunoda
Monday 30th October, 2023 - 1:30pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Oscar Piastri felt he was simply “hard racing” with Yuki Tsunoda who was left seething following their collision during the Mexico City Grand Prix. McLaren driver Piastri produced a vigorous defence of his seventh position on lap 48 and again a lap later against AlphaTauri’s Tsunoda at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

“He chopped across,” said Piastri, who went on to finish eighth, whilst Tsunoda was four places further back as the incident ultimately compromised his race. Tsunoda fumed over the radio as he made his way back on track, using an expletive to express his frustration. To add to his ire, the stewards investigated both incidents but took no action.

Asked to discuss the incident post-race, a clearly angry Tsunoda said: “I don’t want to comment about these things. I already commented enough when I was driving! We were showing a good performance and it’s such a shame I ended up like that.” Pointed out to Tsunoda that the stewards took no action, he tersely replied: “As I expected.”

“He chopped across”;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/30/oscar-piastri-yuki-tsunoda-collision-mexico-city-gp/


Piastri and Tsunoda at odds over Mexican GP clash
31/10/2023 at 14:09
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

The two drivers had been locked in battle for P7 since the start of the second part of the race, after a red flag triggered by Haas’ Kevin Magnussen had paused proceedings. The fight intensified however on lap 48 of 71 when Piastri strengthened his grip on seventh as Tsunoda went on the attack.

The cars made contact twice, resulting in Piastri narrowly avoiding a spin as he exited Turn 1 and entered Turn 2. On the subsequent lap, Tsunoda once again attempted to overtake the McLaren, this time on the outside as they approached the first corner.

Although the incident was put under investigation by the stewards, they ultimately took no further action, a decision that didn’t surprise Tsunoda. “As I expected, they love the top teams,” said the Japanese driver who alluded to a preferential treatment for McLaren relative to AlphaTauri.

‘Aat odds’;

https://f1i.com/news/492138-piastri-and-tsunoda-at-odds-over-mexican-gp-clash.html


Tsunoda: F1 stewards ‘love the top teams’ amid Piastri clash
31st October 2023, 10:18
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Yuki Tsunoda has again remarked that the Formula 1 stewards “love the top teams” following his clash with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix.

Having earned five points the previous weekend in the United States, Tsunoda’s Mexico weekend was compromised from the outset by the news that he would be placed at the back of the grid for exceeding his maximum allocation of power unit elements.

But Tsunoda moved up three places to 17th due to other grid penalties before making a storming start to gain another trio of positions on the opening lap of the race. After making the earliest pitstop of any driver at the end of Lap 11, Tsunoda displaced both Aston Martin drivers to rise to eighth by the time the race was stopped on Lap 35.

‘F1 stewards love the top teams’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/31/tsunoda-f1-stewards-love-the-top-teams-amid-piastri-clash/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott resigns on the eve of Brazilian GP.
Mercedes have announced Mike Elliott has left the team as they continue to look for a first win in 2023.
October 31, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport

Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott has resigned from his position at the team ahead of the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix. Elliott, who joined Mercedes in 2012 after a stint at Renault, rose through the team’s ranks, going from head of aerodynamics to technical director in nine years.

“It has been one of the great privileges of my career to be part of this Mercedes team,” said Elliott. “During my time, I have seen it grow from a group of people pulling together to win races, then a first championship, to winning a record eight consecutive constructors’ championships. – and I am proud to have made my contribution to that journey.”

“Although the last two seasons have not seen us winning races in the manner we aspire to, they have tested us in many other ways – and forced us to question our fundamental assumptions about how we deliver performance. During the past six months, I have enjoyed developing the technical strategy that we hope can provide the foundations of the team’s next cycle of success.”

‘Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott resigns’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-mercedes-chief-technical-officer-mike-elliott-resigns-brazilian-gp/


Mercedes chief 'suddenly quits' before Brazilian GP as barren Lewis Hamilton run continues
Mercedes are yet to win a single Grand Prix in 2023, with Toto Wolff's strategic reshuffle failing to bear fruit.
16:59, Tue, Oct 31, 2023
By Charlie Gordon
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes chief technical officer Mike Elliott has handed in his resignation ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix. The aerodynamics expert has been unable to inspire a turnaround in fortunes for the Silver Arrows this season, with Lewis Hamilton still chasing his first race win since 2021.

The first signs of Elliott becoming unsettled with the Silver Arrows emerged earlier this year. Back in April, he decided that his skills were not best suited to the role of technical director and swapped jobs with James Allison to become chief technical officer.

Only six months down the line, Elliott has once again requested a change, but this time it involves him leaving the team altogether. The 49-year-old is now on gardening leave, having completed his last day at the Brackley headquarters on Tuesday.

‘Handed in his resignation’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1830038/mercedes-brazilian-grand-prix-lewis-hamilton-mike-elliott


Wolff sets Mercedes expectations for 2023 Brazilian GP
Lewis Hamilton was second in the 2023 Mexico City GP
October 31, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Toto Wolff has hinted he’s hoping Mercedes might be able to repeat their stunning success of a year ago at the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix, after confirming the W14‘s newly upgraded floor has been a success.

“I think obviously the longer you have the upgrade on the car and collect data, the better you’re going to be able to tune it,” Wolff told the media. “I don’t want to set the expectations high, because last year came as a little bit of a surprise that we dominated that weekend.”

“So I think we have to go there knowing we have a good car, if we put all the ducks in one line then I think we can we can have a very strong weekend. Whether it’s good enough to beat Max… their package, driver car power, and is just very complete.”

‘Wolff sets Mercedes expectations’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-wolff-mercedes-expectations-brazilian-gp/


Carlos Sainz bemoans recurring Ferrari problem ahead of Brazil
Carlos Sainz outlined Ferrari's continued weakness in F1 2023
October 31, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Carlos Sainz has criticised Ferrari‘s race pace following the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix which saw the team convert a front-row lockout in qualifying into a third and fourth place finish.

“It’s been the case the whole year. We can fight them in qualifying, we can beat them in qualifying,” Sainz told the media. “But then come the race we’re two, three, sometimes four tenths off the pace. Today it was six tenths at this track. It is the main weakness of the car and where we are focusing on.”

“I don’t think we struggled with our [tyre] degradation and we just struggled with the race pace of the car. Once the tyres are in overheating, once the tires more worn out, you don’t have the peak of soft tyre helping you to turn the car and to help with the traction, and our car is now in a much weaker state, and that’s where the Red Bull and Mercedes are quicker.”

‘Recurring Ferrari problem ahead of Brazil’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-2023-carlos-sainz-recurring-ferrari-problem-ahead-brazil/


Alex Albon ‘worried’ about Daniel Ricciardo after Mexico City GP
Alex Albon secured a ninth place finish for Williams at the 2023 Mexico City GP
October 30, 2023
By Roman Brock
Total Motorsport

Alex Albon has admitted that the pace of the AlphaTauri cars at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix is something to worry about from his and his Williams team’s perspective.

“Daniel’s pace is something to be a bit worried about,” Albon said to the press after the chequered flag in Mexico City. “They had a double points finish today, or they should have had. They only need another finish like that [to be close to us.] We still need to keep our heads down and try and finish high up.”

‘Worried’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-alex-albon-worried-daniel-ricciardo-after-2023-mexico-city-gp/

[Fortitude]

Alonso concedes Aston Martin ‘not fighting for anything’ in final races.
Asked about Aston Martin’s expectations for the next race in Brazil, Alonso said, as quoted by Motorsport.com: “Honestly, we are not fighting for anything.”
10:22 Tue, 31 Oct 2023.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport.

Fernando Alonso insists Aston Martin is “not fighting for anything” in the remaining three races of the 2023 Formula 1 season, with focus now shifting to next year. Aston Martin’s form has hit a downward spiral after the team’s confession that it went in the wrong direction regarding its in-season car development.

This has resulted in the Silverstone-baed outfit slipping from third in the constructors’ championship to fifth in just a matter of races. Alonso’s strong run of results early in the season saw him sit third in the drivers’ standings for much of the year, but the Spaniard has now fallen to fifth and has three drivers within 32 points of his current tally.

Fernando Alonso: “In the constructors’ championship, we are locked in in the position we are. In the driver’s championship, we will lose a couple of places. But I mean, it is incredible that we are in front of Ferraris, or George or Lando or whatever, but we will lose those positions. They have a very fast car. And yet, let’s see what we can do.”

‘Incredible that we are in front of Ferraris’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/10/31/alonso-concedes-aston-martin-not-fighting-for-anything-in-final-races/


Alonso: Aston now ‘learning – not fighting for anything’
31/10/2023 at 08:22
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Alonso still hopes that the team’s current efforts to improve its fortunes will allow it to conclude its year “on a high”. "We are working as much as we can," he said. "It's not that we are just happy with the situation. It's not the position we wish we were, but at the same time, we are working very hard to reverse the situation.”

"And sometimes you learn more from the difficulties than from the celebrations. So right now we have a difficult time. And we are trying to do as many tests as possible, giving as much feedback as possible to the factory in Silverstone. And hopefully, as I said, finish on a high, and not on a low."

‘Learning – not fighting for anything’;

https://f1i.com/news/492109-alonso-aston-now-learning-not-fighting-for-anything.html


Alonso: Aston can ‘learn more from the difficulties than celebrations’
09:07 Tue, 31 Oct 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Fernando Alonso believes Aston Martin can “learn more from the difficulties than the celebrations” amid another tough weekend outing at the Mexico City Grand Prix. After encountering trouble with its latest upgrades in the United States, Aston Martin again lacked the pace of its competitors at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

The two-time World Champion is under threat of also relinquishing places to the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell.

“In the Drivers’ championship, we will lose a couple of places,” he continued. “But I mean, it is incredible that we are in front of Ferraris, or George or Lando or whatever, but we will lose those positions. They have a very fast car. And yet, let’s see what we can do.”

“Learn more from the difficulties than the celebrations”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/10/31/alonso-aston-can-learn-more-from-the-difficulties-than-celebrations/


Aston insists it's not lost - but the signs are very worrying
Oct 31, 2023
by Ben Anderson
The Race

The Mexican Grand Prix was objectively Aston Martin’s worst weekend of the 2023 Formula 1 season. Zero points for only the second time all year and star driver Fernando Alonso looking uncharacteristically out of sorts in a car he admitted he was “always not trusting”.

“This weekend has been particularly difficult for me,” Alonso added. “I always felt on the back foot and always not trusting the car. [It] seems we are not very confident now on the car, driving - we cannot extract the maximum and this is penalising us a lot.”

This is exactly the sort of sensation Lance Stroll explained amid his nightmare Qatar Grand Prix qualifying session. The subsequent upgrades - new diffuser, revised floor edges, new engine cover and beam wing - were meant to address this directly, and, in Stroll’s words, “make the car more predictable and easier to drive”. It would seem right now that this latest update has had the opposite effect.

‘Aston insists it's not lost’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/aston-martin-upgrade-concern-mexico-alonso-stroll-krack/


Aston Martin not lost, Alonso not retiring
Amid a wild round of rumours this week, Fernando Alonso insists he is not yet ready to retire.
NOVEMBER 1, 2023
GrandPrix.com

“For now, no”, Fox Sports Mexico quotes the 42-year-old Spaniard as saying when asked if his long Formula 1 career might now be nearing its end. “I know I'm in the closing part of my career, but for now, I don't see it. I don't have a date to put an end to my career”, Alonso added.

“You may have the impression that we are lost”, team boss Mike Krack told DAZN. "But I think when you are lost, you don't pay attention to the data anymore which makes you try things that are unreasonable. And that's not the case”, he insisted.

“We want to compete and we don't like starting from the pitlane”, Krack said, "but it is very important that we understand the data. And the best way to understand what you're doing is to go back to something you already know to compare it.” Krack admitted that Aston Martin still don't know what specification of the 2023 car the team will field this weekend in Brazil.

‘Aston Martin not lost, Alonso not retiring’;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/aston-martin-not-lost-alonso-not-retiring.html

[Fortitude]

Brazilian GP storm threat as Lewis Hamilton involvement in Mercedes departure speculated – F1 news round-up.
Was Lewis Hamilton involved in Mike Elliott resignation? Might Brazilian GP storm spoil Mercedes’ last chance?
22:12 Wed, 01 Nov 2022.
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

With Lewis Hamilton having previously indicated unhappiness with the direction of the Mercedes development and concept of the W13 and W14, Sky Sports journalist Craig Slater has suggested Hamilton’s influence might have played a part in Elliott’s decision-making. “The rearrangement at Mercedes over the last two years, not saying Lewis was negative in any way in 2022, but there was a kind sobriety and restraint about the way he would speak,” he said.

“And I sense now, he’s much more on the front foot again. I think he feels that yes, the building blocks and the right people are in place, in terms of where the car development is going. That little quote I made was almost, was that in reference to Mike Elliott, or the engineers who want to go a different way from the kind of Red Bull path that Mercedes has now adopted.”

Having won last year’s race in Brazil as Red Bull fumbled the ball, Mercedes’ best chance at pulling off a win in 2023 is likely this weekend’s event at Interlagos. In our preview for this weekend, Luke Murphy explores the likely favourites for what could be a chaotic weekend – what with it being (once again!) a Sprint race weekend, while the weather forecast is less than favourable…

‘Lewis Hamilton involvement in Mercedes departure speculated’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/brazil-gp-storm-threat-lewis-hamilton-mike-elliott-speculation-f1-news-round-up


Toto Wolff points out Lewis Hamilton's big problem ahead of Brazilian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton has said he "can't wait" for the Brazilian Grand Prix after finishing second in Mexico last week, but Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has issued a warning about the car
16:05 Wed, 01 Nov 2023.
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff is hoping Lewis Hamilton and George Russell can "put on a good show" at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, but admitted their car is still "tricky to master". Wolff has warned both Hamilton and Russell they could experience some problems with the car in Brazil. "We came away from Mexico with our advantage over Ferrari in the fight for second in the Constructors' intact," he said.

"That is an important battle for us and one we are focused on winning. Leaving Mexico with a second-place finish, given the challenging start to the weekend and our grid positions, was positive. The car showed very good race pace however we know we've got more work to do to extract the maximum from the W14 across all three days.”

“Lewis put in a very strong performance to score a podium and George gave it absolutely everything, even when his tyres had gone off at the end. We've got one last race in this triple header and it's in Brazil. We know we've taken a good step forward in recent races, but Mexico showed W14 can still prove tricky to master.”

‘Toto Wolff has issued a warning about the car’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/toto-wolff-lewis-hamilton-mercedes-31336846


Massa likely to skip visit to Brazilian GP amid F1 legal challenge
09:12 Wed, 01 Nov 2023.
AUTHORJonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

The Brazilian has brought in lawyers to evaluate court action over what he feels was a conspiracy that resulted in him losing the 2008 world championship to Lewis Hamilton. He believes that at the time, the FIA and FOM (Formula One Management) did not act properly on the knowledge they had about Nelson Piquet’s deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore GP, which proved to have an influential outcome on the title.

With the Brazilian GP being so close to his home, and him being a local hero, it was thought that maybe he would make the effort to visit Interlagos. However, speaking to Motorsport.com, Massa has indicated that he is likely to avoid a trip to the F1 event – and he definitely has not been asked to fulfil any ambassadorial duties. Pushed on if he would go to the race off his own back, Massa said: “I believe I won't. I would [only] go to the races as an ambassador.”

But I 100% respect the [legal] situation that is happening at the moment, perhaps [to the point] of not going because of [all] that is happening.
“But there was no invitation and no conversation about my work as ambassador, so I don't think I should participate.” Massa has indicated several times that the aim of any legal action he plans is to overturn the outcome of the 2008 world championship.

‘Skip visit to Brazilian GP’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/felipe-massa-skip-brazilian-gp-f1-legal-challenge/10541056/


Why is Brazil's F1 race now called the Sao Paulo Grand Prix?
01 November 9:50AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

The Brazilian Grand Prix is one of the most iconic races on the Formula 1 calendar. Between 2005 and 2009, it was the place where the World Championship was decided with Fernando Alonso (twice), Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button all leaving Interlagos with one more World Championship than when they arrived.

It is the place where Ayrton Senna famously drove to the win in 1991 while stuck in fifth gear in the rain, suffering cramps before hoisting the trophy aloft. But officially, the last Brazilian Grand Prix was in 2019 - won by Max Verstappen. The race was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, before returning under the Sao Paulo Grand Prix moniker in 2021.

The change in name is due to the new contract promoters agreed with F1 to keep the race at Interlagos until the end of 2025, staving off a threat from Rio de Janeiro. The name change reflects the increased involvement of the local authorities and also helps to promote the city worldwide.

‘Interlagos: Sao Paulo Grand Prix’;

https://racingnews365.com/why-is-brazils-f1-race-now-called-the-sao-paulo-grand-prix


Perez labels Mexico result ‘devastating’ as he vows to bounce back in Brazil
01 November 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez has labelled his retirement from his home race at the Mexico City Grand Prix “devastating” – while vowing to fight back at this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

“Mexico was devastating for me,” said Perez. “But in this sport these things happen, and you can’t afford to keep going over what could have been. I wanted to win my home race more than anything but that is gone now and my full focus is on finishing second in the championship.”

“We need to have a great weekend in Brazil and I feel confident in our ability to get results right now. It felt like things were coming together last weekend with the direction we are taking.”

‘Bounce back in Brazil’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-labels-mexico-result-devastating-as-he-vows-to-bounce-back-in-brazil.5jsoEVMNad2VkZV43bl9Pm.html


Ricciardo 'excited' for Brazil after Mexico confidence-booster
01/11/2023 at 18:11
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Daniel Ricciardo says he’ll head into his Brazilian Grand Prix weekend carrying the confidence he collected in Mexico City. Ricciardo’s standout performance also delivered to AlphaTauri its best result of 2023.

“Mexico was a great weekend from start to finish, and I was really happy,” he said in his team Brazilian Grand Prix preview. We had a good car and made the most of it. I stayed there for a couple of days after the race before coming down to São Paulo.”

Next weekend, Ricciardo will enjoy his fifth race with AlphaTauri, his third since his comeback in Austin which followed a two-month break to nurse his broken hand make to health.

'Excited for Brazil’;

https://f1i.com/news/492204-ricciardo-excited-for-brazil-after-mexico-confidence-booster.html

[Fortitude]

Race guide for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Round 20 of the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship sees teams and drivers head to the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, home to the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
2nd November 2023, 11:53
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

A true rollercoaster: The 4.309km Interlagos track presents a totally different set of requirements to those seen in Mexico a week ago. Finding the perfect set-up usually proves to be quite tricky as the slow- and medium-speed sections require higher levels of downforce while the high-speed parts including the long start-finish curvature present a desire for low drag. Following the extremely long main straight, drivers arrive to an exciting section where finding the right lines and good rhythm is of key importance.

This combination of three bends known as Senna-S comprise the only high-speed corners of the entire circuit. The rear stability is tested by the elongated Turn 3 which then leads onto the second-longest straight of the circuit. With braking into Turn 4, drivers commence their trip into the second sector of the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. The next uphill, undulating, curved section is taken at full thottle before drivers slightly touch the brakes to find the maximum speed which they can take Turn 7 at.

The next three medium-speed bends build an undulating section where drivers have to rely on the mechanical and tyre grip. Presenting the last corner of Sector Two, Turn 11 tests the rear stability of the cars. Arriving to Turn 12, drivers keep their focus on the very best acceleration as the upcoming uphill curved section that leads into the main straight is taken at full throttle.

‘ Sao Paulo-born Ayrton Senna’s success prompted the owners of the Interlagos circuit to revamp the track, the Grand Prix returned to Sao Paulo in 1990 where it has remained since’;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/24272


What to expect from the 2023 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix
02 November 11:50AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Sprint season finale: The sprint format has split opinions ever since it made its Formula 1 debut in 2021, with the number of weekends doubling to six for the current campaign. Sao Paulo will host the final sprint event of the season this weekend, with just one practice session in play before the drivers jump into qualifying.

Few will forget last year’s dramatic qualifying session in Brazil that saw Kevin Magnussen take a shock pole position for Haas. True, the weather on the day helped the Dane secure the top spot at the end of the session - but the forecast currently suggests that qualifying this time around could be wet once again and offer similar opportunities.

‘What to expect’;

https://racingnews365.com/what-to-expect-from-the-2023-f1-brazilian-grand-prix


Mercedes cautious over Brazilian GP prospects despite 2022 win
2nd November 2023, 10:13
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport

Mercedes says it is not taking its prospects for this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix for granted despite being tipped to repeat its victory from last year. Last year’s triumph at Interlagos remains Mercedes’ last victory in Formula 1 as the Brackley-based outfit is still chasing its first win of 2023.

Asked if the 2023 Mercedes could increase the team’s chances of an even more competitive showing in Brazil than last year, team boss Toto Wolff, as quoted by Motorsport.com said: “To be honest I don’t know. I think we can see with all teams that there is a certain degree of correlation of last year’s performance and this year.”

“But there is not enough data to make that solid assumption, so I don’t know. Both feet on the ground and let’s see where we are at Interlagos.” Mercedes scored a second place finish in Mexico last weekend that made amends for Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from a podium finish at the US Grand Prix the week before.

‘Mercedes cautious’;

https://readmotorsport.com/2023/11/02/mercedes-cautious-over-brazilian-gp-prospects-despite-2022-win/


Lewis Hamilton goes double-leather in a bright green Ayrton Senna tribute outfit to honour the Formula One icon at his home Grand Prix in Brazil
Published: 13:26, 2 November 2023
By Luke Power For Mailonline
Mail Online

Lewis Hamilton wore a bright green double-leather outfit in tribute to childhood hero Ayrton Senna as he arrived at the track ahead of the Brazilian GP this weekend. The Mercedes driver wore a green and black jacket and also had a Brazil flag on his pants in tribute to the legendary driver who inspired him as a kid. On the back of his jacket, Hamilton had a visualisation of Senna wearing a helmet with his name in italics underneath.

Twenty-five years after his death, Hamilton said: 'I grew up watching videos of him. He's the most iconic driver we've had. He was the most iconic individual, a real leader and a master of his craft.'

‘Ayrton Senna tribute outfit’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12702505/Lewis-Hamilton-goes-double-leather-bright-green-Ayrton-Senna-tribute-outfit-honour-Formula-One-icon-home-Grand-Prix-Brazil.html


CONTEST BRAZILIAN GP: WIN A BY MAX VERSTAPPEN SIGNED RBR DRIVER CAP 2023!
Published on 02 November 2023
by Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl

Every Grand Prix during the 2023 Formula 1 season, you can win great prizes in our contest. Hit the button below to participate.

For the Brazilian GP competition, you can win a by Max Verstappen signed Red Bull Racing Driver Cap 2023! Check out all official and exclusive Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing merchandise on Verstappen.com.

‘WIN A BY MAX VERSTAPPEN SIGNED RBR DRIVER CAP 2023’;

https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5305/


Would Max Verstappen repeat controversial 2022 Brazilian GP moment with Sergio Perez?
Max Verstappen caused a Red Bull scandal after snubbing Sergio Perez at Interlagos
November 2, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Max Verstappen refused to answer whether he’d move aside to help Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez at the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix, with the Mexican still locked in a battle with Mercedes‘ Lewis Hamilton for second-place in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship.

Verstappen controversially refused to help Perez in a similar situation 12 months ago at Interlagos, then exploded into an expletive-driven rant against the press when questioned about why he didn’t move aside for sixth place.

Ultimately it wouldn’t have impacted the final championship, but Verstappen dodged committing to an answer when asked if he’d act differently in 2023. “Good question, I think at the end of the day, I think that it shouldn’t always matter on me to get the points,” Verstappen told the media. “But I’m confident in Checo that he can stay ahead because I do think that we have the faster car on average.”

‘Controversial 2022 Brazilian GP moment’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-max-verstappen-red-bull-repeat-controversial-2022-brazilian-gp-moment-sergio-perez/


Perez ‘looking forward’ for final three races as Hamilton ready to take fight to Red Bull in Sao Paulo
02 November 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez is feeling optimistic for the Sao Paolo Grand Prix weekend after vowing to put his early exit last time out in Mexico behind him, while Lewis Hamilton – his increasingly close rival for P2 in the drivers’ standings – has warned that he’s ready to capitalise should Red Bull not be on their A game in Brazil.

There was heartbreak for Perez in front of his home fans at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez when his attempt to battle for the lead into Turn 1 on the opening lap backfired. The RB19 made contact with Charles Leclerc after attempting to pass the Ferrari on the outside, resulting in Perez being launched into the air and off the track.

One week prior to his DNF in the Mexico City Grand Prix, Perez progressed from ninth on the grid in Austin to end the race in P4, a result that seems to have given him hope for what he can achieve in Brazil, the final event of a triple-header. “I think the last two races have been really positive, we haven’t managed to really put it together,” Perez added. “I think we definitely have made a lot of progress and I’m optimistic for this weekend that we’ll finally get to show the pace that we have.”

‘Optimistic’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-looking-forward-for-final-three-races-as-hamilton-ready-to-take-fight.6bYom3qN4GHDltP5ZrifBl.html

[Fortitude]

WEEKEND WARM-UP: The drivers get set for the final race of the triple header in Brazil.
It's the final race of the triple header with the drivers all getting set to contest the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. But before they go out on track, we head to the paddock, where our Weekend Warm-up crew are on hand to preview all the action.
02 November 2023
Formula One - Official Site

The gang first look at the big news this week from Mercedes, as they announced the departure of their Chief Technical Officer Mike Elliot. They asses the impact that may have on the Silver Arrows before giving their verdict on whether they will be the closest challengers to Red Bull in Brazil.

AlphaTauri’s performance in Mexico is also up for up discussion as they try to continue their fine form this weekend. They are in the battle for P7 in the constructors’ championship but do they have enough to overhaul Williams’ 12-point advantage?

Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, and Alpine all have hopes of scoring in Brazil, and the crew look at each team’s chances in the final Sprint weekend of the season.

‘Final race of the triple header’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.weekend-warm-up-the-drivers-get-set-for-the-final-race-of-the-triple-header.1rFT9xkvfuxy0EQ9qRRIR2.html


First pictures from the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix weekend
21:39 Thu, 02 Nov 2023.
RaceFans

Pictures from the build-up to the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

‘Pictures’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/11/02/first-pictures-from-the-2023-brazilian-grand-prix-weekend/


FIA make crucial change to combat growing F1 issue ahead of Brazilian GP
02 Nov 2023 8:03 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The FIA’s Formula 1 race director Niels Wittich has moved to ban drivers from stopping in the fast lane of the pit lane after recent impeding incidents.

A recent move to combat dangerous slow-moving traffic in qualifying, that being to impose a maximum permitted time for an out-lap, had led to an unintended consequence.

The United States and Mexican Grand Prix rounds both saw drivers picked up by the stewards for impeding in the pit lane by stopping their car in the fast lane, thus blocking others drivers behind them in the queue.

‘FIA make crucial change’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-ban-pit-lane-impeding-brazilian-gp


Leclerc enjoys “very special” visit to meet family of “my only idol” Senna
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 3rd November 2023, 0:01
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans.net

In the round-up: Charles Leclerc met the family of his motor racing idol Ayrton Senna during the run-up to this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix. Ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, Leclerc visited the Ayrton Senna Foundation to meet the family of the triple world champion and admire some memorabilia from his racing career.

“Ayrton is the one and only idol I’ve ever had,” Leclerc said. “The foundation and the family invited me to the foundation in Sao Paolo. I had the chance to see the car he has been racing in, also a few helmets that he’s been using, and it was really, really emotional. Also the family has been welcoming me in the best way possible. Viviane [Senna’s sister] has explained me many stories, and also the stories of the helmets and the cars in there. And it was a very, very special moment for me for sure.”

‘Meet family of “my only idol” Senna’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/11/03/racefans-round-up-03-11-6/


F1 Practice Today: Brazilian Grand Prix 2023 start time, schedule and TV channel
Friday 3 November 2023 07:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans.com

Free Practice - Friday November 3, 2023
Local time (Sao Paulo): 11.30am Friday
UK time (GMT): 2.30pm Friday
Central European Time (CET): 3.30pm Friday
United States (Eastern Time): 10.30am Friday
United States (Central Time): 9.30am Friday
United States (Pacific Time): 7.30am Friday
South Africa: 4.30pm Friday
Australia (Sydney/Melbourne): 1.30am Saturday

‘Brazilian Grand Prix 2023 start time’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1007072/f1-practice-today-brazilian-grand-prix-2023-start-time-schedule-and-tv-channel/

[Fortitude]

Brazilian Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz on top in FP1 but Max Verstappen keeps rivals in the dark.
Late Soft run hands Ferrari the 1-2. Ferrari made a late swap to the Soft tyres with Sainz going quickest with a 1:11.732 to beat his teammate Charles Leclerc by a tenth with George Russell on the mediums only 0.025 further back despite running the Mediums.
03 Nov 2023 3:36 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Ferrari, who spent the bulk of the session, doing long runs made a late swap to the Soft tyres with Carlos Sainz up into P1 with a 1:11.7 while Charles Leclerc went second, 0.108s slower than his teammate. Russell dropped to third.

As for Verstappen, he finished FP1 down in 16th place, 1.061s off the pace, but he spent the entire session on the Hard tyres. Perez also didn’t run tyre other than the Hards. Sergio Perez closed the gap to Verstappen to 0.025s with the Mercedes teammates making gains as Lewis Hamilton shot up to third, 0.3s down.

Keeping rivals in the dark’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/brazilian-grand-prix-2023-fp1-report


(FP1) First Practice Results – Sao Paulo Grand Prix
3rd November 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari -1:11.732
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.108
3. George Russell Mercedes +0.133
4. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.196
5. Alex Albon Williams Racing +0.312
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.404
7. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.452
8. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +0.749
9. Logan Sargeant Williams Racing +0.847
10. Kevin Magnussen Haas +0.860

‘Sao Paulo Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the only practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Interlagos’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-practice-results-2-23-sao-paulo-grand-prix-83436


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
03 November 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-first-practice-in-brazil-2023.5DZpVDAlpr29ePiA7J0Wi2.html


F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix 2023 - Friday Practice: LIVE UPDATES!
03 November 2023, 14:35
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Follow all of the action from Interlagos with the Crash.net live blog for the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. It's a sprint weekend so expect a hectic three days of action in Brazil.

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-sao-paulo-grand-prix-2023-friday-practice-live-updates


F1 Live - Brazil GP Free Practice 1 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
03 November 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Brazil Grand Prix FP1 Watchalong | Sao Paolo GP Live | Sao Paulo GP Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Free Practice 1 Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASFSmvKSGZ8


Ferrari dominate Brazilian Grand Prix practice as SHOCK team make huge gains
Friday 3 November 2023 16:42
Sam Cook
GPFans

Ferrari backed up their supreme one-lap pace from the last few races, by topping the one and only practice session of the weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

McLaren also seem to have strong pace, however, with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri looking very fast in the first two sectors of their fastest run, before aborting their laps and heading into the pits in a strange move.

Haas show surprising pace: After a disappointing Mexican GP in which Nico Hulkenberg complained about the upgrades made to his Haas car, the team were surprisingly fast during this practice session.

‘Ferrari dominate’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1007124/carlos-sainz-ferrari-f1-charles-leclerc-haas-brazilian-gp-practice-fp1/


F1 Brazilian GP: Sainz tops practice from Leclerc; Verstappen 16th
03 November 2023, 15:48
AUTHORFilip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Carlos Sainz led a Ferrari 1-2 ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc in the only practice session for Formula 1's Brazilian Grand Prix.

All 20 drivers wasted no time getting out as the condensed sprint race format only leaves teams a single-hour practice to nail down their set-ups for the entire weekend. Because of the lack of practice time, duties were split between race runs and just a handful of qualifying sims, with all teams kicking off proceedings on a dry Interlagos circuit on Pirelli's hard tyre compound.

McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri propped up the timesheets after not setting times on the softest compounds, electing to save them for later. The session ran without noteworthy incidents, although Norris and Hulkenberg escaped damage when they made glancing contact at the final corner, which netted the German a trip to the stewards.

‘All 20 drivers wasted no time getting out’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-brazilian-gp-sainz-tops-practice-from-leclerc-verstappen-16th/10542131/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen takes SUPREME pole as McLaren falter in Brazilian GP Qualifying.
Max Verstappen took a sensational pole position in a rain interrupted Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying session ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lance Stroll.
Friday 3 November 2023 20:21
Shay Rogers
GPFans

Aston Martin topped an excellent day with Fernando Alonso joining his team-mate on an all Silverstone second row. Mercedes will lock out the third row as Lewis Hamilton will start ahead of George Russell on Sunday.

Lando Norris was disappointed with himself as McLaren were caught out and denied a chance to fight for pole position, instead finishing seventh and tenth following an Oscar Piastri mistake. Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez were two more drivers to fall foul of the conditions, and will start eighth and ninth respectively.

‘SUPREME pole’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1007148/max-verstappen-red-bull-charles-leclerc-ferrari-f1-brazilian-grand-prix-qualifying/


Qualifying Results – 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
3rd November 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:10.727
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.294
3. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.617
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.660
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.742
6. George Russell Mercedes +0.863
7. Lando Norris McLaren +1.260
8. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +1.262
9. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +1.594
10. Oscar Piastri McLaren No time

‘Sao Paulo Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for Sunday’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at Interlagos’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying-results-2023-sao-paulo-grand-prix-83449


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
03 November 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-qualifying-in-brazil-2023.2UeKZQT9SuWd1qjHKRH4Mi.html



F1 Live - Brazil GP Qualifying Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
3rd November 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Brazil Grand Prix Qualifying Watchalong | Sao Paolo GP Live | Sao Paulo GP Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Qualifying Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg897CVXXH0


Max Verstappen takes pole for the Brazilian Grand Prix after rain dominates final qualifying session with drivers only able to log one lap.
Max Verstappen will start on pole for the Brazilian Grand Prix after rain dominate the third qualifying session in Interlagos.
Published: 19:15, 3 November 2023
By Lewis Browning For Mailonline
Mail Online

After a delayed start to qualifying, rain arrived minutes into the final session and drivers were only able to get one lap in, setting the grid with the world champion on another pole and Charles Leclerc second.
Rain did impact a few drivers, with Oscar Piastri spinning out on his lap and ending up tenth, with team-mate and the quick Lando Norris seventh.

‘Max Verstappen takes pole’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12708205/Max-Verstappen-takes-pole-Brazilian-Grand-Prix-rain.html

[Fortitude]

Piastri explains his Q3 off after rain ‘throws a spanner in the works’ in Brazil.
McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri ran off the track at Turn 12 on his final run in Q3 as ran hit Interlagos at the tail end of qualifying.
03 Nov 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Throws a spanner in the works’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.piastri-explains-his-q3-off-after-rain-throws-a-spanner-in-the-works-in-brazil.1781572814777564218.html


Perez rues Piastri moment denying him Brazil front row slot
21:11 Fri, 03 Nov 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

“We were just incredibly unlucky today,” Perez rued. “I should have been in the front row. My lap was very close to Max’s until the last corner… and I found Piastri so I had to back off my lap. And meant that I was just nowhere. Very unfortunate because I felt we had a lot better.”

But Perez, who is bidding to rebound from retiring on the opening lap of his home grand prix last weekend, insists his qualifying pace provides optimism heading into the race. Asked if he retained confidence heading into the remainder of the weekend, Perez said: “Definitely, there are some good points and good opportunities to race from here.”

“Incredibly unlucky today”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/03/perez-rues-piastri-moment-denying-him-brazil-front-row-slot/


Sergio Perez “should have been on the front row” of F1 Sao Paulo GP grid but frustrated to end up ‘P-nowhere’
3 Nov 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Sergio Perez says he was “incredibly unlucky” to have only qualified ninth at the F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix and feels he had the pace to be on the front row. Perez was one of the last drivers out of the pits and was forced to abandon his lap when Piastri ran wide at the final corner, resulting in yellow flags.

Up until that point, Perez was convinced his lap would have been good enough to join Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, who claimed pole position, on the front row for Sunday’s race. “I should have been on the front row. My lap was very close to Max's until the last corner and I found Piastri, so I had to back off my lap. That meant that I was just P-nowhere. Very unfortunate because it felt like we had a lot better today.”

Perez will start the grand prix four places behind Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who he is 20 points ahead of in the battle to secure second place in the drivers’ championship.

“Should have been on the front row”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1040044/1/perez-should-have-been-front-row-frustrated-end-pnowhere


Norris ‘gutted’ as conditions cost Piastri in qualifying
Saturday 4th November, 2023 - 6:00pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were left frustrated following qualifying for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after both were caught out by the rapidly changing conditions. Thunder and lightning arrived soon after officials red flagged qualifying with four minutes remaining.

Times in Qualifying 3 were slower than they’d been just minutes earlier, with Verstappen sealing pole with a best lap 0.6s down on what he’d managed at the end of Qualifying 2. Norris had been fastest in Qualifying 2 with a 1:10.021s, but was only able to deliver a 1:11.987s in Qualifying 3.

“Honest, the car was amazing,” Norris said of his qualifying session. “Easily probably quick enough to be quickest today and on pole, so pretty gutted it had to end the way we did. I don’t know what to feel about it. The car was amazing, it came alive a lot in qualifying and easily good enough to be quickest, as I say. Delivering that lap and putting it together in Q3 and everything is a different job. Disappointed,” he added.

‘Gutted’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/11/04/norris-gutted-as-conditions-cost-piastri-in-qualifying/


‘Insane’ weather hits Brazilian GP qualifying as Ricciardo ‘gets it wrong’, Piastri rues Q3 ‘shame’
November 4th, 2023 9:57 am
AFP with Fox Sports from Fox Sports


It was “hero to zero” for AlphaTauri and Daniel Ricciardo while Oscar Piastri and McLaren ran into issues in the final session of a wet and wild qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix. As for who excelled, Max Verstappen and Red Bull anticipated the weather conditions perfectly to secure pole position ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

The newly-crowned three-time world champion clocked a best lap in one minute and 10.727 seconds to outpace Leclerc by 0.294 seconds with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso taking third and fourth places to lock out the second row of the grid for Aston Martin.

Q3 began in near-darkness under leaden clouds, with Alonso leading the way before Verstappen clocked 1:10.727, Leclerc going second ahead of Stroll and his Aston Martin team-mate before the weather turned wild. A blast of wind upset Piastri’s lap, Leclerc complained of “super weird conditions” and Alonso declared “it’s night” before the session was red-flagged.

‘Piastri rues Q3 shame’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsport/formula-one/f1-2023-brazilian-grand-prix-qualifying-results-times-weather-forecast-rain-highlights-daniel-ricciardo-oscar-piastri-pole/news-story/ee3b39d14aecbdacd4b752ca0ef4431f

[Fortitude]

Russell, Ocon and Gasly hit with two-place grid drops after impeding incidents in Sao Paulo GP qualifying
23:30 Fri, 03 Nov 2023.
Formula One - Official Site

Mercedes’ George Russell and Alpine duo Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly have been hit with two-place grid penalties for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix following impeding incidents in the pit lane during qualifying.

Russell – who won his first and so far only Grand Prix at the venue last year – will now start eighth for the race on Sunday, while Ocon and Gasly will drop to 14th and 15th on the grid respectively.

The penalties come after a rule specific to this weekend at Interlagos was laid out in the race director’s notes stating that any driver trying to create a gap to the car in front during qualifying must stay as far to the left as possible in the pit lane exit. This proved a flashpoint during Q1 when Russell was captured driving slowly down the pit exit…

‘Two-place grid drops’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.russell-ocon-and-gasly-hit-with-two-place-grid-drops-after-impeding.5gK9z8jDmtFCbVmQum09CZ.html


F1 starting grid: What is the grid order for the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix?
03 Nov 2023 7:43 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The Interlagos storm was not the only winner in Q3, it shared that honour with Max Verstappen who claimed Brazilian GP pole. Verstappen delivered a 1:10.727, a time which could not be matched on the opening runs, which turned out to be the only laps as the rain set in, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set to join Verstappen on the front row.

Aston Martin needed a confidence boost and certainly got that on Friday, Lance Stroll set to head row two alongside team-mate Fernando Alonso, while it was going to be an all-Mercedes row three, Lewis Hamilton ahead of George Russell, though Russell was later demoted two places for impeding at the pit exit.

Brazilian Grand Prix grid order
1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
3. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
4. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
5. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
6. Lando Norris, McLaren
7. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
8. George Russell, Mercedes*
9. Sergio Perez, Red Bull
10. Oscar Piastri, McLaren

‘F1 starting grid’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-starting-grid-2023-brazilian-grand-prix


Winners and losers from the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying
03 Nov 2023 9:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Winners
Max Verstappen/Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Red Bull paid the price here last year for not positioning themselves at the front of the queue in the pit lane, as the clouds rapidly darkened over Interlagos in the seconds before Q3.
Lance Stroll/Aston Martin: After six Q1 exits in a row, what a stunning result this was for Lance Stroll. If only he would tell his face. Stroll’s quite lukewarm reaction to his best result of the season revealed why so many struggle to warm to him and why his commitment to – and enjoyment of life – in F1 is so often questioned by onlookers.

Losers
Sergio Perez: Perez within two-tenths of Verstappen in Q1 and Q2. Then came Q3, positioned last in the queue for his only lap and having to ease off for the yellow flags caused by Oscar Piastri’s off-track excursion. The result, after his most encouraging performance for some time? Ninth. When your luck is out…

McLaren: As the tortuous wait for a first F1 win goes on, watching yet another chance slip through the net will not do much for Lando Norris’s mood. As Piastri went off at Juncao… Another huge opportunity lost, another punch to the guts.
AlphaTauri: Ricciardo was convinced there was more in it, but was undone by a mistake in to the Senna S on his final lap, while Yuki Tsunoda was left to shout over the radio about traffic, his usual hobby horse.

‘Winners and losers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/winners-losers-2023-brazilian-grand-prix-qualifying


F1 photographer ‘nearly decapitated’ after roof collapses at Brazilian Grand Prix
Saturday 4 November 2023 08:42
Shay Rogers
GPFans

A Formula 1 photographer has narrowly escaped significant injury after reports emerged of a roof collapse at the Brazilian Grand Prix after weather caused chaos at the end of qualifying. A grandstand at the famous ‘Juncao’ corner – the last corner of the circuit, has seemingly collapsed after the session as a result of the storm, resulting in further chaos at the circuit.

Andy Hone, an F1 photographer for more than a decade, took to social media to reveal that he came incredibly close to a potentially fatal injury in the final stages of qualifying.

"What a scary 10 minutes on track!" he wrote. "A grandstand roof collapsed at the last corner and nearly got decapitated by falling debris!"

‘Nearly decapitated’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1007157/f1-roof-collapse-qualifying-brazilian-grand-prix/


Brazilian Grand Prix: Grandstand roof at Interlagos COLLAPSES as violent storms sweep through Sao Paulo on F1 weekend
• Photographers captured the wreckage at the circuit that sent fans running
• Q3 was cut short due to the storm, with Max Verstappen claiming Sunday's pole
Published: 23:24, 3 November 2023
By Jake Fenner and Jonathan McEvoy for MailOnline
Mail Online

Fans were left streaming for the exits after heavy winds and lashing rain descended upon the Friday qualifying session for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos. Those winds saw the roof on one of the grandstands near the final corner of the circuit at the storied Brazilian track collapse.

Track officials say that the grandstands will be inspected before being reopened for Saturday's sprint shootout and sprint race sessions. F1 photographer Andy Hone, who was trackside when the collapse occurred, tweeted: 'What a scary 10 minutes on track! A grandstand roof collapsed at the last corner and nearly got decapitated by falling debris!'

Multiple videos on social media appeared to show roofs being torn loose and blowing away. It's unclear how many grandstands were affected by this storm. Q3 had to be cut short as a result of this squall - with most drivers only able to complete one lap before the qualifying session was abandoned.

‘Grandstand roof at Interlagos COLLAPSES’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12708977/Brazilian-Grand-Prix-Grandstand-roof-Interlagos-COLLAPSES-violent-storms-sweep-Sao-Paulo-F1-weekend.html

[Matthew]

Lance Stroll did great to get P3 but it is very unlikely that he'll finish the race on podium.

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris redeems McLaren with pole in Brazilian GP Sprint Shootout.
Norris edged out Max Verstappen for pole position in the Brazilian GP Sprint Race.
November 4, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Lando Norris put a disappointing Brazilian GP qualifying behind him as he secured pole position in the Sprint Shootout at Interlagos. McLaren have looked competitive all weekend in Sao Paolo, but the team failed to capitalise on their pace in qualifying for Sunday’s grand prix after they mistimed their final runs of the session and were caught out by incoming rain which ruined their flying laps.

However, the Brit put that to bed for the Sprint race, edging out Max Verstappen by 0.061 seconds, with the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez to start from third on the grid. That was despite the fact that Norris appeared unhappy with the lap on the radio, seemingly surprised that the pace was good enough to keep the dominant Verstappen from claiming yet another pole.

Mercedes qualified fourth and fifth with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton respectively, with Yuki Tsunoda a strong sixth for AlphaTauri. Ferrari failed to translate their pace in practice onto the grid, with Charles Leclerc seventh and Carlos Sainz in ninth, split by the second AlphaTauri of Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri a disappointing 10th in the second McLaren on used soft tyres.

‘Norris appeared unhappy with the (POLE) lap on the radio’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-lando-norris-redeems-mclaren-pole-brazil-gp-sprint-shootout/


Sprint Shootout Results – 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
4th November 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
SQ3
1. Lando Norris McLaren -1:10.622
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.061
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.134
4. George Russell Mercedes +0.235
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.318
6. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.397
7. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.455
8. Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri +0.500
9. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.504
10. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.567

‘Sao Paulo Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from the Shootout for this afternoon’s 2023 F1 World Championship Sprint at Interlagos’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-shootout-results-2023-sao-paulo-grand-prix-83463


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the Sprint Shootout at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix
04 November 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-sprint-shootout-in-brazil-2023.2Dy642NilAYz3LRGph56XY.html


F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix 2023 - Sprint: LIVE UPDATES!
04 November 2023, 13:58
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Follow all of the sprint action from Interlagos here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘Sprint: LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-sao-paulo-grand-prix-2023-sprint-live-updates


F1 Live - Brazil GP Sprint Shootout Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
04 November 2023
Racing Statistics

‘Sprint Shootout Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdwd2_ZIP0c


F1 Brazilian GP: Norris beats Verstappen to sprint shootout pole
04 November 2023, 15:21
AUTHORJake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Lando Norris clinched the fastest time in the Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix sprint shootout to beat Red Bull pair Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez to pole.

Despite a first sector that was over two tenths slower than the best efforts from the Red Bulls, Norris found time over the rest of the lap to clinch pole position for Saturday's shortened race - albeit with some evident bemusement after feeling that his lap was not particularly special.

The Briton endured a nervy wait as the Red Bulls and Mercedes looked far stronger in the opening sector; Verstappen looked to be good value to usurp the McLaren having been up on Norris' split by the end of the second sector, but could not maintain that pace. Perez was then tracking in first having set the best opening split on his run, but fell behind team-mate Verstappen to collect third place on the sprint grid.

‘Evident bemusement after feeling that his lap was not particularly special’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-brazilian-gp-norris-beats-verstappen-to-sprint-shootout-pole/10542660/

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen cruises to Brazil GP Sprint Race victory ahead of Lando Norris.
Max Verstappen comfortably won the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix Sprint Race from second on the grid as he overtook Lando Norris for the lead of the event on the opening lap.
November 4, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

After taking the lead at the start the reigning world champion opened up a gap to George Russell, who had also jumped Norris at the start, to control the mini-race with ease. On Lap 4, Sergio Perez cleared Lewis Hamilton for fourth-place whilst a lap later, Mercedes cars lost another place as Norris reclaimed second back from his British counterpart, Russell.

Perez temporarily shuffled Russell back down the order as he lost fourth to the Mexican but he was too eager in his overtake and the 25-year-old reclaimed the position at the end of the back-straight into Turn 4. But two laps later, Russell proved unable to hold back the Red Bull for much longer as Perez got the move done into Turn 1 at the second effort before he pushed on in an attempt to close up to the McLaren and his teammate for the battle for the lead.

Ricciardo, known as the honey badger for his aggression, was having a great race battling the Ferraris. He temporarily cleared Carlos Sainz before a mistake a corner later allowed the Spanish driver to slip back through and a scavenging Oscar Piastri used the chance to sneak by his fellow Australian into ninth.

‘Max Verstappen cruises to victory’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-max-verstappen-cruises-2023-brazil-gp-sprint-race-victory-ahead-lando-norris/


Sprint Results – 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
4th November 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -24 laps
2. Lando Norris McLaren +4.287
3. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +13.617
4. George Russell Mercedes +25.879
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +28.560
6. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +29.210
7. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +34.726
8. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +35.106
9. Daniel Ricciardo AlphaTauri +35.303
10. Oscar Piastri McLaren +38.219

‘Sao Paulo Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s Sprint, the last of six that were scheduled for the 2023 F1 World Championship’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-results-2023-sao-paulo-grand-prix-83481


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the F1 Sprint in Brazil
04 November 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happens’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-f1-sprint-in-brazil-2023.cVbgLWgHe3bgIEnPad7WS.html


F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix 2023 - Sprint: LIVE UPDATES!
04 November 2023, 15:29
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Follow all of the sprint action from Interlagos here with the Crash.net live blog.

‘Sprint: LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-sao-paulo-grand-prix-2023-sprint-live-updates


F1 Live - Brazil GP Sprint Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
04 November 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Brazil Grand Prix Sprint Race Watchalong | Sao Paolo GP Live | Sao Paulo GP Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Sprint Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuMecImp8YY


Brazil GP: Verstappen victorious in action-packed Sprint
04 November 2023
Ben Issatt.
Inside Racing

Max Verstappen claimed another comprehensive victory in the Sprint at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The reigning world champion took the lead at the start and didn't look back as he wrapped up his seventh win in the format.

At the front, however, it was an easy win for Verstappen by four seconds over Norris with Perez completing the podium. Russell followed in fourth Leclerc held on to fifth but sixth was still three crucial points for Tsunoda and AlphaTauri.

Hamilton was seventh as Sainz pipped Ricciardo by less than two-tenths over the line to take the final point in eighth. Piastri claimed 10th keeping Alonso at bay in 11th with Lance Stroll gaining five places upto 12th.

‘Action-packed Sprint’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula-1/16876-brazil-gp-verstappen-victorious-in-action-packed-sprint

[Fortitude]

EL PLAN: Stroll targets podium finish in Brazil after P3 in qualifying as Alonso insists Aston Martin 'know what they're doing'.
Lance Stroll has set his sights on a podium finish at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after the Aston Martin driver qualified in a season-high third place – while Fernando Alonso, who lines up fourth, says the team need that result.
03 November 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Aston Martin had showed a decent turn of pace throughout the opening day with Stroll going sixth in FP1. He followed that up with strong efforts in qualifying – ending up P6 in Q1 although he scraped through in 10th in Q2. But on his only lap in Q3, Stroll set a time of 1m 11.344s to go third just as the rain that brought qualifying to an early end started to fall. He wound up over six-tenths behind pole-sitter Max Verstappen, but sealing a first top three start since the Turkish Grand Prix in 2020.

Speaking after jumping out the cockpit, Stroll said: “Yeah, we are aiming for a podium. I think it’s going to be tricky though, I don’t think we have the third quickest car. “The McLarens are going to be quick on Sunday, we were fortunate with the rain that came in, so we got our lap in early. I don’t think everyone got their laps in. I’m sure [Sergio] Perez is going to be coming through the field, the McLarens, but we will see what we can do.”

‘EL PLAN: Stroll targets podium finish’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.stroll-targets-podium-finish-in-brazil-after-p3-in-qualifying-as-alonso.l1uMqrrEbFJzGfq1NGI5E.html


“We need it” - Why Sao Paulo GP qualifying gives Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin “hope”
3 Nov 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso believes Aston Martin’s return to form at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix “proves we know what we’re doing”. Reflecting on qualifying at Interlagos, Alonso admitted Aston Martin ‘needed’ that result.

“We need it,” he said. “I think the last two races we were experimenting a little bit and starting from the pit lane - all these kinds of things. We needed a nice result here in Brazil for both cars to give some hope to the team and prove we understood a few things, and we are back being competitive. This proves we know what we’re doing and I am happy with that.”

Stroll starred in qualifying as he beat his veteran teammate. “The car was feeling good throughout the session,” Stroll added. “Q3 was really tricky. My lap was pretty bad but I think conditions changed a lot. I had a few lock-ups and missed some apexes but in the end, good enough for top three, which is a great result.”

“EL PLAN: We need it”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1040046/1/we-need-it-why-sao-paulo-qualifying-gives-alonso-and-aston-martin-hope


Lance Stroll admits Aston Martin car ‘still felt like crap’ in Brazil qualifying
03 Nov 2023 10:45 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Stroll felt the team executed the session to perfection, but admitted the car did not feel great underneath him as a storm arrived at the start of Q3. He said: “I guess time will tell if we build on today and we can keep up this form at other places.

“I don’t think we were lucky today, I think we made our own luck. We did well going at the front of the queue and getting good track position. The weather was coming in, so I think that was smart. But I still really felt like crap in the car. It was really tricky in Q3 and then I think the wind changed direction.”

“So it’s still really tough, but I think we did a good job getting both cars, me and Fernando, at the front of the queue and the team did a good job of giving us an attempt [at] the front of the queue and before the bad weather came in. It looks like a lot of guys missed their laps or didn’t get them in for whatever reason, so I think we made our own luck today.”

“EL PLAN: I still really felt like crap in the car”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lance-stroll-aston-martin-crap-brazil-qualifying


Stroll: Aston Martin F1 made own luck with third in Brazilian GP qualifying
20:53 Fri, 03 Nov 2023
AUTHORJake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Stroll managed to outqualify team-mate Fernando Alonso on their laps after the Spaniard was first onto the road but, as weather conditions worsened, pace began to decline and only polesitter Max Verstappen and runner-up Charles Leclerc overcame the Aston Martins.

"I don't think we were lucky today; I think we made our own luck," Stroll replied to a question asking if Aston Martin's result was largely through good fortune.

"I think we did well going to the front of the queue and getting good track position. And, yeah, the weather was coming in, so I think that was smart."

‘EL PLAN: Stroll managed to out-qualify team-mate’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/stroll-aston-martin-made-own-luck-with-third-in-f1-brazilian-gp-qualifying/10542373/


Fernando Alonso reveals relief of strong Aston Martin Brazil qualifying
The qualifying result is one of Aston Martin's best since the first part of the season after losing ground to rivals.
November 3, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Fernando Alonso has said Aston Martin‘s lockout of the second row in qualifying for the Brazilian GP was a much-needed result after a series of disappointing races. Despite starting off the 2023 season at the second-best team on the grid, Aston Martin have fallen off the pace significantly as McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes have all jumped ahead in the development race.

The team were back in the top spots once again in Interlagos, as Stroll and Alonso took third and fourth respectively on the grid for the grand prix in a rain-disrupted qualifying session. “Yea, we needed it. I think the last two grand prix we were a little bit experimenting, starting from the pitlane and all these kinds of things,” Alonso told F1TV after the session.

“So we needed a nice result here in Brazil for both cars to keep up some hope in the team and prove that we understood a few things and we are very competitive, so this proves we know what we are doing and I am happy with that.”

‘EL PLAN: Relief of strong Aston Martin Brazil qualifying’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-fernando-alonso-reveals-relief-strong-aston-martin-brazil-qualifying/


Aston Martin’s pace in the Sprint is ‘a good sign for tomorrow’ – Alonso
04 Nov 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso finished the Sprint outside the points in P11, but was encouraged by his car’s speed ahead of Sunday’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

‘EL PLAN: A good sign for tomorrow’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.aston-martins-pace-in-the-sprint-is-a-good-sign-for-tomorrow-alonso.1781663485028819945.html


Alonso: Brazil masterstroke proves Aston Martin 'knows what it is doing'
04 November 1:50PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has praised Aston Martin's quick work in identifying the threat posed by the storm during the final stage of Sao Paulo Grand Prix qualifying.

Aston Martin was able to capitalise on this by sending both Stroll and Alonso out early for their laps, with the two securing third and fourth on the grid - the team's best qualifying result of the season.

Alonso hailed the team for the call as it looks to arrest a slide backwards over recent races as it has fallen off in the development race. "We needed a nice result here in Brazil for both cars to give up some hope in the team and just prove that we understood few things and that we are competitive.”

‘EL PLAN: Brazil masterstroke - Alonso hailed the team for the call’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-brazil-qualifying-masterstroke-gives-aston-martin-hope

[Fortitude]

Winners and Losers from 2023 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix Sprint.
A fine indicator then of what we can expect during the first stint of the race itself, which is one of the biggest sticks with which to beat the Sprint format, among others.
05 November 12:30PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Winner - Sergio Perez: It is a start, nothing more for Sergio Perez but his climb to third is base from which he can build across the final three races. What did Perez say? "I had a terrible start and ended up losing a place to George and then another place to Lewis into Turn 4. From then on I was fighting and had to use all of my tyres, then I think I paid the price towards the end."

Loser - Daniel Ricciardo: This might be considered sacrilege in some quarters, but the one thing Daniel Ricciardo didn't really do in that outstanding Mexico City weekend was race. What did Ricciardo say? "F**k, F**k, F**k, F**k. Sorry guys. Just that f***ing DRS in Turn 2. You pass in [Turn] 1 and then you just get f***ed. It is impossible."

‘Winners and Losers’;

https://racingnews365.com/winners-and-losers-from-2023-f1-brazilian-grand-prix-sprint


Verstappen’s rapid pace looks too much for all bar compromised Norris
2023 Brazilian Grand Prix pre-race analysis
Posted on 5th November 2023, 9:14
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Moments after crossing the line to secure fourth place in the sprint race for the Brazilian Grand Prix, George Russell had to satisfy his curiosity about the pace of his rivals ahead. “What was the pace of Max and Lando at the end?,” he asked. “Max at the end was doing 14.8, 14.7,” Russell’s race engineer Marcus Dudley replied. “And Norris…” “FOURTEEN eight?,” Russell interrupted, aghast. “Wowser. Okay…”

That leaves Norris in sixth as the better bet to move up the order through the grand prix, given his ability to largely match Verstappen through the bulk of the sprint race. And the McLaren driver was buoyed by vastly exceeding his own pre-weekend expectations on Saturday.

“Better bet to move up the order’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/11/05/verstappens-rapid-pace-looks-too-much-for-all-bar-compromised-norris/


Russell surprised at 'WEAK' Mercedes pace at Brazilian Grand Prix
Sunday 5 November 2023 14:27
Sam Cook
GPFans

George Russell has admitted his surprise at just how slow Mercedes were during Saturday's sprint race at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Russell reveals Mercedes inconsistencies: After being slammed with a two-place grid penalty for Sunday's main race which means he'll start down in eighth, it is looking unlikely that Russell will be able to repeat his heroics from last season's Brazilian GP, where he led home a Mercedes one-two.

"The pace we were missing was surprising," he told DAZN after the sprint race. "The degradation was not worse than expected. The wheels are very difficult to understand. Sometimes the teams are fast and, suddenly, they become slow. We will see tomorrow. Today was the weakest pace we've had all season."

'WEAK Mercedes pace’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1007257/george-russell-mercedes-f1-pace-brazilian-grand-prix-lewis-hamilton-toto-wolff/


Lando Norris could prove Mika Hakkinen right at Brazil GP as Max Verstappen vulnerable
Mika Hakkinen tipped Lando Norris to provide a strong challenge to Max Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix and the Brit is feeling confident after finishing second in the sprint race
05 November 2023, 10:05
By Matthew Cooper Sports Writer
The Mirror

Mika Hakkinen tipped Lando Norris to provide a strong challenge to Max Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix and the Brit is feeling confident after finishing second in the sprint race. McLaren star Lando Norris is feeling confident ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, having been told he is one of only two drivers who could "stop Max Verstappen".

It will be a tough challenge though, with Verstappen on pole and Hamilton and Norris set to start fifth and sixth respectively. "In my opinion there are two drivers who can stop Max Verstappen from winning the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend," Hakkinen wrote in a column for Unibet.

"Max is going for win number 17 this season but the way Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris are driving at the moment I think it's possible they could cause problems for Red Bull. I thought both of them drove brilliantly in Mexico, there is a real fire in their driving, and if they can continue that momentum into Interlagos anything can happen.”

‘Mika Hakkinen tipped Lando Norris to provide a strong challenge’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/norris-hakkinen-verstappen-brazilian-grandprix-31364697

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/norris-hakkinen-verstappen-brazilian-grandprix-31364697


Red Bull learned lessons of a year ago to crack Interlagos
Monday 6th November, 2023 - 12:33am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claims lessons were learned from last year’s São Paulo Grand Prix that have stood Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in good stead for this weekend’s event. Explaining the turnaround from a year ago, Horner said: “Last year we got the setup wrong here, and you have such a short window with the one practice session. It was quite costly.”

“So we used the lessons from last year, applied them here, and it was great to win another sprint race, our fifth sprint victory of the year.” Horner has conceded to feeling a little apprehensive coming into the weekend, knowing Interlagos “doesn’t play to our strengths” as there are “not a lot of high-speed corners”.

Horner is now naturally confident Verstappen will convert his pole into what would be a record-extending 17th victory of his extraordinary season. “It is quite a tricky track but I think we found a good setup as you’ve saw, and that bodes well, hopefully, for the race tomorrow,” added Horner. “You’ve now got a reasonable amount of data to look at, in terms of what the relative performance and tyre wear were on the different cars.”

‘Lessons learned a year ago’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/11/06/red-bull-sao-paulo-gp-lessons-learned/


Confidence gained in Austin propels Sergio Perez forward in Brazil
Sergio Perez eventually finished third in the 2023 Brazilian GP Sprint Race
November 5, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport

Sergio Perez believes his fourth-place finish in at the 2023 United States Grand Prix has given him renewed confidence after a poor patch of form as he was back among the top three in the Brazilian GP Sprint Race.

Perez was undeterred and bounced back from a disappointing Qualifying to finish third in the Sprint Race behind Lando Norris and teammate Max Verstappen, who won his third Sprint of 2023. “Well, I think from Austin onwards, we’ve been a lot better than we’ve shown on pace”, explained Perez to the press.

“But for some reason or another, we haven’t been able to put it all together. I think in Mexico, we were also strong, and obviously, here, it’s been a good solid day with the morning. We were very unlucky with the Q3 conditions and getting the yellow flag at the end, but other than that, I think it’s been a good pace.”

‘Confidence gained’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-confidence-gained-austin-propels-sergio-perez-forward-2023-brazilian-gp/


How the Ferrari strategists could give Charles Leclerc victory at Brazilian GP
Max Verstappen led Charles Leclerc and Aston Martin in qualifying for the 2023 Brazilian GP
November 5, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

How can Leclerc conquer Verstappen? Focus on the start. Norris was really lazy off the line in the sprint, having got an equal launch to Verstappen there’s no way he should’ve left the inside line open, but it at least gives Leclerc a sliver of hope that he can take the lead early. Not that he should expect Verstappen to be as welcoming – see lights out at the Austin sprint a fortnight ago.

If Leclerc can hold track position early on then he has a genuine chance of defending it for the rest of the first stint. Interlagos is known for fantastic on-track action – Hamilton made 24 overtakes over the 2021 Brazilian GP weekend – but the back-to-back DRS zones in the first sector mean defending drivers aren’t powerless.

Red Bull‘s early-season DRS dominance has also been pegged back from the start of the season, but the undercut is a potent weapon at Interlagos so Ferrari strategists should be itching to pit Leclerc early.

‘Ferrari strategists’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-charles-leclerc-2023-brazilian-gp-win-possible-ferrari-strategists/


Ricciardo "frustrated" with F1 Brazilian GP DRS zones after botched overtakes
November 5, 2023, 13:15
AUTHOR Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

Daniel Ricciardo was left "frustrated" with Interlagos' DRS placement following his botched overtake attempts on Carlos Sainz in Formula 1's Brazilian Grand Prix sprint. "It certainly wasn't a boring race, so part of my fun box is fulfilled, but my frustration box is also very full," Ricciardo said about his early race fight with Sainz.

"Obviously had pace for points and every time I would pass Carlos, you then give them the DRS for Turn 2. I passed him, I felt like I got it done and then I just wave him by with DRS open. To make matters worse his second botched overtake left him vulnerable against McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who nicked his position into Turn 8.

‘Fun box is fulfilled’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/daniel-ricciardo-f1-brazilian-gp-drs/10542946/

[Fortitude]

Verstappen beats Norris again to win Brazilian GP as Alonso denies Perez podium.
Max Verstappen led almost every lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix to take his 17th grand prix victory of the season ahead of Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso.
Formula 1
Posted on 5th November 2023, 19:12
Written by Will Wood

The world champion held off Norris at the restart after an early red flag stoppage and controlled the majority of the race to win by over eight seconds from Norris behind. Alonso claimed the final podium position in third after winning a long-running battle with Sergio Perez on the final lap by just five hundredths of a second.

Before the race began, the entire field left the grid for the formation lap on soft tyres, except for Logan Sargeant towards the back of the field. But while the field were making their way through Ferradura before the start, second-placed Charles Leclerc suddenly lost hydraulics in his Ferrari, sending him spinning into the outside barriers.

However, on the run to turn one, a clash between the two Haas drivers of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg and the Williams of Alexander Albon sent Magnussen and Albon into the outside tyre barrier. The Safety Car was deployed as both were out on the spot, with Hulkenberg damaged along with the cars of Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri due to debris caused by the collision

‘Verstappen again’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/11/05/verstappen-beats-norris-again-to-win-brazilian-gp-as-alonso-denies-perez-podium/


Race Results – 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
5th November 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -71 laps
2. Lando Norris McLaren +8.277
3. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +34.155
4. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +34.208
5. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +40.845
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +50.188
7. Pierre Gasly Alpine +56.093
8. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +62.859
9. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +69.880
10. Esteban Ocon Alpine +1 lap

‘Sao Paulo Grand Prix – Provisional results from F1 World Championship race at Interlagos’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-results-2023-sao-paulo-grand-prix-83493


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the 2023 Sao Paulo Grand Prix
05 November 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.live-coverage-formula-1-rolex-grande-premio-de-sao-paulo-2023.37jS2sq15v7WPZzclikqqx.html


F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix 2023 - As it happened
05 November 2023, 16:25
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-sao-paulo-grand-prix-2023-it-happened


F1 Live - Brazil GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
05 November 2023
Racing Statistics

F1 Live Brazil Grand Prix Race Watchalong | Sao Paolo GP Live | Sao Paulo GP Live F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!

‘Race Watchalong’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BsCG5Zlh9s


Brazilian GP red-flagged after mega crash KOs trio within seconds of F1 race starting
Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix lasted a matter of seconds before the race was red-flagged following a major crash that saw three drivers taken out of contention
05 November 2023, 17:24
BY TOM SUNDERLAND
Daily Star

The Brazilian Grand Prix came to a swift halt on Sunday after the Formula 1 race was red-flagged on the first lap following a major crash. Sao Paulo witnessed early drama after the Haas of Kevin Magnussen and Williams' Alexander Albon made contact almost straight out of the gates. Debris was seen flying across the track as both driver skidded into the tyre wall, but that wasn't the end of the fallout.

AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo was also caught up as collateral after it appeared his car was struck by a tyre from one of his obliterated opponents. That's in addition to McLaren's Oscar Piastri being told to pit after his team told him his car was unfit to drive.

‘Red-flagged’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1/brazilian-grand-prix-red-crash-31366980


Max Verstappen breaks 71-year-old Formula 1 record with Brazil Grand Prix win
Sunday 5 Nov 2023 7:19 pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk

Max Verstappen broke yet another unbelievable Formula One record as he claimed victory at Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix. The three-time world champion survived a chaotic start to the race to cruise to his yet another win at Interlagos.

He has now won 17 of the 20 races so far this season, and that means that no matter what happens in the final two races of the year, he’ll have a minimum win percentage of just over 77%. That breaks the record for the highest win percentage for an F1 season, which stood at 75% and had been held by Alberto Ascari since 1952.

The Italian won six out of the eight races that year as he claimed the second of his two world-titles 71 years ago. Given how the sport’s calendar has nearly tripled since then, it was one record that seemed unattainable to even the greatest racers, but that has changed thanks to Verstappen’s perfect driving and the dominance of the Red Bull RB19.

‘71-year-old Formula 1 record broken’;

https://metro.co.uk/2023/11/05/max-verstappen-breaks-71-year-f1-record-with-brazil-grand-prix-win-19777724/?ito=newsnow-feed


Lando Norris shines in Max Verstappen chase as Fernando Alonso thrills at Brazil GP
Charles Leclerc didn't even start a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix after crashing on the formation lap, leaving Max Verstappen alone on the front row to fight for the win with only Lando Norris for company
19:02, 5 Nov 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Charles Leclerc didn't even start a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix after crashing on the formation lap, leaving Max Verstappen alone on the front row to fight for the win with only Lando Norris for company

Tyre degradation was heavy for Hamilton and George Russell while their massive rear wing meant they were slow on the straights too – even with the DRS activated. It meant neither of them were ever a threat to Verstappen in the race.

To be fair, few others were either. Only Norris showed the pace to keep Verstappen honest settling for second after driving the wheels off his McLaren in pursuit of the champion. Fernando Alonso came close to joining them on the podium after Aston Martin binned their upgrades and took their car back to basics, fending off Sergio Perez late on to take third.

‘Lando Norris shines in Max Verstappen chase’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/brazil-gp-result-lewis-hamilton-31367238


Max Verstappen wins a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix after Daniel Ricciardo narrowly avoided being hit in the head by a flying tyre on the first lap... with Lando Norris second and struggling Lewis Hamilton finishing down in eighth
• Leclerc crashed due to a hydraulics problem before a red flag just two laps in
• Mercedes struggled for pace throughout the race with George Russell retiring
• Norris took second after a fast start and challenged Verstappen briefly to start
Published: 19:01, 5 November 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy For Mail Online
Mail Online

A flying 13kg tyre carcass narrowly missed Daniel Ricciardo’s head during a chaotic first lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix won by Max Verstappen. The left-rear tyre of Abon’s blue-liveried car came detached and flew in the direction of Ricciardo’s AlphaTauri further back. It missed the Australian by a few inches and instead caught his rear wing. Hulkenberg’s car was largely unharmed, though the tyre bounced worryingly close to the left of him before vaulting its way towards RIcciardo.

Ricciardo turned frantically left in reaction to the incoming stray rubber. ’I tried to miss it but the tyre was in the air and it clipped my rear wing,’ he said over the radio. The red flag was waved and Ricciardo, his car repaired, was ready for the restart. Verstappen, from pole, was in clinical charge throughout with Lando Norris second and Fernando Alonso third.

But what a sorry mess for Mercedes – as bad a day as any in their two years of serial non-achievement. At the end of Saturday’s sprint over just 24 laps, George Russell had been 26 seconds back and Lewis 35. This is light years in a sport of thousandths. And the real affair over 71 laps was even worse for being a longer-endured agony. Hamilton finished eight, one minute and three seconds back. Russell retired with rising oil temperature while running 11th – engine failure, baldy speaking.

‘Chaotic Brazilian GP’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12713131/Max-Verstappen-wins-Brazilian-Grand-Prix-Lando-Norris-second.html


Leclerc details cause of Brazil GP formation lap shunt
05 November 2023, 18:17
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Charles Leclerc has explained the cause of the crash on the formation lap that saw his Sao Paulo Grand Prix come to an end on the formation lap. “Hydraulics. Why the f— am I so unlucky!” Leclerc exclaimed over the team radio.

While Leclerc was able to get his SF-23 moving again, he only dragged the wounded Ferrari as far as the nearest escape road to withdraw from the race. Despite a red flag for a subsequent multi-car incident at the race start, there would be no opportunity for Ferrari to examine or repair the damage to Leclerc’s car.

"Hydraulics. Why the f— am I so unlucky!”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/05/leclerc-details-cause-of-brazil-gp-formation-lap-shunt/

[Fortitude]

Winners and losers from F1's 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix.
The Brazilian Grand Prix rarely disappoints and the 2023 edition was another that packed plenty in, with all three podium finishers having cause for celebration - but a painful race marking a particularly stark contrast for the team that won here last year.
Nov 5, 2023
The Race

A familiar winner, a welcome return to the podium, and a miserable turn of pace for Formula 1's former dominant force.

‘Here are our pick of winners and losers from Interlagos’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/winners-and-losers-f1-2023-brazilian-gp/


F1 2023 Brazilian GP Review - Alonso's Defensive Master Class
6th November 2023, 07:24
Motorsport.com

The wait goes on for Lando Norris for his first win as Max Verstappen takes his 17th of the season, in a race that started with a bang. But while it straight forward for him others had misfortune and in some cases didn't make it to the start.

‘F1 2023 Brazilian GP Review’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/f1-2023-brazilian-gp-review-alonsos-defensive-master-class/643076/


Brazil GP conclusions: Alonso’s genius, Perez’s pulse and Brundle’s gem
06 Nov 2023 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen claimed a record-extending 17th victory of the F1 2023 season in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. The three-time World Champion dominated from pole position and was joined on the podium by Lando Norris, who equalled his career-best result of second for McLaren, and Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso, who came out on top in a thrilling battle with Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez.

With the DRS zones connected at Interlagos, it seemed inevitable late in the race that Perez would steal that much-needed podium finish for himself. Yet if there was one driver who is capable of holding back the tide – who thrives in situations when he has an obvious car disadvantage, when his back is pinned firmly against the wall – it is Alonso, ingeniously missing the apex at Juncao to carry as much speed as possible on to the main straight to counteract the Red Bull’s straight-line speed.

And when a leak did slip through – Perez finally forcing his way past on the penultimate lap – Fernando reached with all his plate-spinning might to somehow plug it and save the day, repassing him with the very last chance he had at Turn 4 on the final lap to complete one of his most heroic drives.

‘Brazil GP conclusions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/brazilian-grand-prix-2023-conclusions


Norris: Verstappen had ‘an answer to everything’ in Brazil GP
21:30 Sun, 05 Nov 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Lando Norris had to settle for second place in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, insisting Max Verstappen had “an answer to everything”. “It couldn’t have gone much better, to be honest,” said Norris, who had qualified seventh on Friday.

“Good pace, similar to yesterday, which is the main thing,” continued Norris who also ended the Saturday Sprint as runner-up. “P2 is as good as you can get nowadays and for the time being,” the 13-time podium finisher added as Verstappen claimed a 17th win of the season. “At the second start I was just a little bit aggressive on it. I’m still happy.”

“There’s little bits where the tyres come back to you a little bit and then you can push on, but Max always seemed to have an answer to everything,” Norris rued. “Which is a shame, but fair play to him – he drove a good race. So tough with the wind conditions and everything, but P2 is a good result.”

‘An answer to everything’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/05/norris-verstappen-had-an-answer-to-everything-in-brazil-gp/


Sergio Perez shows true colours after losing in Fernando Alonso photo finish at Brazil GP
Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso gave everything to beat each other to third place on the last lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix, culminating in a sprint to the finish line
21:12, 5 Nov 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer

Sergio Perez shared an embrace with Fernando Alonso after cruelly losing a spot on the podium to the Spaniard. Alonso spent the vast majority of the race in that position (THIRD). But Perez had been saving his tyres for a late attack on the Aston Martin driver and launched that assault with a few laps to go.

It looked as though the Mexican had his rival's number after getting past on the penultimate lap. But Alonso used all his experience to make sure he got past the Red Bull on the final lap to set up a desperate dash to the line. The Red Bull driver was the one to miss out on a place on the podium. He sought out Alonso in the media pen to hug and congratulate his rival. And he was very complimentary towards the Spaniard as he reflected on how the conclusion of the Grand Prix had panned out.

"It was quite an intense battle – we tried everything," he said. "Unfortunately, we didn't succeed on that, but it was well deserved for Fernando. I think we had a great fight, very fair and to the limit. I think this is something that a lot of drivers can learn from because what we did, the way we fought today, it's how it should be done. I'm on the wrong side, I end up losing but it's fine because it was a great fight.”

‘Hug and congratulate his rival’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/sergio-perez-fernando-alonso-brazil-31368199


Sergio Perez's 9th-to-4th drive at Brazil GP not enough to silence gossip mongrels
6th November 2023, 04:43
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24

‘9th-to-4th drive’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsport/formulaone/sergio-perezs-9th-to-4th-drive-at-brazil-gp-not-enough-to-silence-gossip-mongrels-20231106


Sao Paulo Stroll and Sargeant's major F1 boost – five things Brazil GP headlines missed
Brazilian Grand Prix race reports led with Lando Norris challenging winner Max Verstappen and the glorious battle for third between Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez, but there were plenty of other stories which didn't get the limelight
6th November 2023, 07:14
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror

Max Verstappen won the Brazilian Grand Prix, but Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso stole the show with their mad dash to the finish line. Both wanted desperately to stand on the podium alongside Verstappen and runner-up Lando Norris. But only Alonso earned the right to do so after a thrilling late battle which ended in a photo finish – the Spaniard just doing enough to hold off his Red Bull rival.

‘Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso stole the show’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/brazil-gp-result-ricciardo-piastri-31368695


Wolff bemoans Mercedes’ 'worst weekend' since F1 return
06 November 7:30AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has labelled the São Paulo Grand Prix as the team's “worst weekend in 13 years”. “I think Sprint weekends haven't been our strengths,” he told media including RacingNews365.com.

“We are working ourselves out of problems on most weekends. But swings are not on from being almost quickest [in Mexico] to being eighth. For me personally, the worst weekend in 13 years.”

“Worst weekend in 13 years”;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-bemoans-mercedes-worst-weekend-since-f1-return


Hamilton: Red Bull “so far away” they’ll remain ahead “for the next couple of years”
Formula 1
Posted on 6th November 2023, 7:15
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Lewis Hamilton has little hope of catching Red Bull in the near future after Mercedes’ poor Brazilian Grand Prix performance. “I knew that we would have a difficult day,” Hamilton told media after yesterday’s race. “Nothing changed in the car from yesterday to today so I knew it would be a tough one.”

“Yesterday I just ate through the tyres with an unexpected lack of pace. I think I drove better today in terms of at least making my stints, but we were just slow. The tyres were always overheating for us,” he added. “The tyres were overheating, slow on the straights, no grip in the corners.”

“So far away”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/11/06/hamilton-red-bull-remain-ahead-next-couple-years-f1/


'Guy Fawkes wouldn't have picked a Mercedes' - Brazilian Grand Prix hot takes
Monday 6 November 2023 09:27
Sam Cook
GPFans.com

Sam Cook - F1 Journalist: If Guy Fawkes was attempting a speedy getaway having been caught trying to blow up parliament on this day in 1605, he certainly wouldn't have picked a Mercedes F1 car as his mode of transport.

‘Where has all their pace gone to?’

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/1007331/george-russell-mercedes-f1-lewis-hamilton-max-verstappen-brazilian-gp-guy-fawkes-fireworks/

[Fortitude]

Mercedes will RIP UP designs for next season's car after nightmare display at the Brazilian Grand Prix, admits Toto Wolff... with beleagured team boss claiming there is 'something fundamentally wrong'.
'This car, the development of this car, has been more plasters we put on something not right, and it shows that it is so unpredictable that it can swing either side.' Toto Wolff.
Published: 13:25, 6 November 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy For Mailonine
Mail Online

Beleaguered Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted he will rip up the Mercedes' car design for next year. The 51-year-old Austrian is under the biggest strain of his career to piece back together the threads of his once dominant outfit, and is at a loss to explain the extraordinarily poor performance in Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton was 1min 3sec off winner Max Verstappen, while George Russell retired with engine failure. The Silver Arrows were way off the pace and only the sixth best team behind Red Bull, McLaren, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Alpine. Wolff said: 'A lot of change (is needed). We need a different car next year. And today proves that is the right thing to do.”

'At least we know that the trajectory of changing is right. It feels horrible for the whole team. And I wish we could start the new season concentrating on the new car. There is something fundamentally wrong mechanically. It's not a rear wing and it's not the car being slightly too high. Because we are talking a millimetre or two. That is performance but it is not the explanation for a total off-weekend.

‘Been more plasters we put on something not right’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-12715729/Mercedes-RIP-designs-seasons-car-nightmare-display-Brazilian-Grand-Prix-admits-Toto-Wolff-beleagured-team-boss-claiming-fundamentally-wrong.html


Lewis Hamilton and George Russell humiliation confirmed after Brazilian Grand Prix result
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both suffered during the Brazilian Grand Prix as Mercedes struggled for pace.
14:33, Mon, Nov 6, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Mercedes’ miserable performance at the Brazilian Grand Prix means that Max Verstappen is now guaranteed to end the 2023 season with a points tally that is greater than that of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell combined. Hamilton could only manage a P7 finish in the sprint race on Saturday, even falling behind AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda before the chequered flag. Things got even worse for the seven-time world champion on Sunday as he dropped from third to eighth after the red flag restart.

Russell’s weekend was even more miserable than his team-mate's. The 25-year-old became agitated while stuck behind Hamilton during the early stages of the race before his form tailed off dramatically. He slumped to the outskirts of the top ten before an engine cooling issue forced the Mercedes crew to box the No.63 car and retire. This will add insult to injury for Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who was left furious following their miserable weekend in Brazil. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race he said: “Inexcusable performance. There’s even no words for that.”

"That car finished second last week and the week before, and whatever we did to it was horrible. Lewis survived out there, but George, I can only feel for the two driving such a miserable thing. It shows how difficult the car is, it’s on a knife’s edge. You’ve got to develop that better for next year because it can’t be that within seven days you’re finishing on the podium, solid, with one of the two quickest cars, and then you’re nowhere and finishing eighth."

‘Humiliation’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1832058/Lewis-Hamilton-George-Russell-Brazilian-Grand-Prix


Mercedes and Ferrari progress hit setback after 'miserable' Brazilian Grand Prix
After the encouragement from Austin and Mexico, both teams had weekends to forget in Sao Paulo
6th November 2023, 04:41
Byron Young
The National

Wolff branded their sudden lack of form as “unacceptable” and “baffling”, saying Mercedes appeared to be racing on “three wheels not four” in their “miserable” car. Lewis Hamilton has predicted Max Verstappen’s staggering domination could continue for the next couple of years.

Hamilton’s analysis also rings true for Ferrari, who also suffered badly in Brazil. Having qualified on the front row, Charles Leclerc failed to make it to the start after a hydraulics failure pitched him into the barriers and teammate Carlos Sainz complained publicly about their troublesome clutch.

Bemoaning his misfortune, Leclerc joked he might detour before Vegas to the Christian religious site of Lourdes to try to turn his luck around. Such is Red Bull’s scorching pace under genius designer Adrian Newey, their nearest rivals in Brackley and Maranello are falling apart just when the foundations of next year’s challenge should be materialising.

‘Setback’;

https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/f1/2023/11/06/mercedes-and-ferrari-progress-hit-setback-after-miserable-brazilian-grand-prix/


10 things we learned from the 2023 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix
PUBLISHEDNOV 6, 2023, 2:59 PM
AUTHORAlex Kalinauckas

Max Verstappen returned to sprint winning ways at the final much shorter event of 2023, following up his Austin sprint victory, after his surprise defeat to Oscar Piastri in the Qatar weekend’s first race. In Brazil, Verstappen quickly overcame the other McLaren of Lando Norris to earn his fourth sprint win of the year.

The weekend also included plenty of major news lines during the off-track moments – including surprise revelations about F1’s future tyres and the results of the recent US GP, plus a calendar contract extension for the Brazilian race. All that and more is included here in the pick of what we learned from F1's latest visit to Sao Paulo.

‘10 things we learned’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/10-things-we-learned-from-the-2023-f1-brazilian-grand-prix/10543772/


Lando Norris equals unwanted F1 record with Brazilian Grand Prix podium
05 Nov 2023 9:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris has joined Nick Heidfeld on the unwelcomed record of most F1 podiums without a win, following his P2 finish in Brazil. Norris was unable to turn his sprint pole into a victory on Saturday, but having been the only driver to show anywhere near enough pace to make the dominant Max Verstappen sweat, his prospects of a strong Brazilian Grand Prix showing were very high, even from P6 on the grid.

Lando Norris claims record-equalling 13th podium without win. For the sixth time in F1 2023, Norris took to the P2 podium step at Interlagos, while this marked the 13th Grand Prix podium in his career.

A first victory continues to elude Norris though, which has seen him join Heidfeld on 13 podiums without a win, an unwanted record in Formula 1. Heidfeld scored twelve of his podiums with Sauber, while his final F1 podium came in 2011 with Lotus-Renault.

‘Most F1 podiums without a win = 13’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-norris-equals-f1-record-most-podiums-no-win

[Fortitude]

Ferrari make statement on Charles Leclerc after driver's Brazilian Grand Prix nightmare.
Ferrari have released a statement explaining that Charles Leclerc's formation lap incident was caused by a "loss of hydraulics supply", meaning he could do nothing to avoid hitting the barriers.
21:28, Sun, Nov 5, 2023
By Harry Smith

Charles Leclerc didn't even start the Brazilian Grand Prix as Ferrari endured an afternoon to forget at Interlagos. The Monegasque driver was meant to start the race from the front row alongside pole-sitter and eventual race winner Max Verstappen, but he never got the opportunity to see the green lights come on.

Leclerc was making his way around the Ferradura corner on the formation lap when he lost control of his SF-23, spinning into the barriers and out of the race in a shocking turn of events. Ferrari have since explained the cause of the incident, taking to the X social media platform to explain: "During the formation lap, Charles experienced an issue with one of our car systems which led to a loss of hydraulics supply, meaning he had no power steering and no gearbox command.

‘Ferrari make statement’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1831844/Ferrari-Charles-Leclerc-Brazilian-Grand-Prix


Vasseur takes aim at social media over Leclerc crash: 'It's not his fault'
06 November 11:40AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has described the São Paulo Grand Prix as a “missed opportunity” following Charles Leclerc's non-start but admonished his driver of any blame. Leclerc was due to start on the front row alongside polesitter Max Verstappen and after a bold tyre strategy through the weekend aimed at maximising the race, Vasseur told media including RacingNews365.com: “It's very frustrating for Charles and for the team.”

“The issue also is that strategically over the weekend, we put all the effort into the long run to save tyres. We didn't put new tyres on for the Sprint and we didn't take the start [of the Grand Prix].”

“For sure it's frustrating, it was more than disappointing but I'm sure that he will be back we'll be focused on Vegas. It was not the Charles' fault at all that. Someone told me about social media, they were complaining about Charles but without the gearbox and the power steering, you can't do anything.“

'It's not his fault';

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-rues-missed-opportunity-amid-leclercs-non-start


Electronics issue triggered Leclerc's Brazil F1 formation lap crash
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur confirmed that the Leclerc’s failure to get away from the accident scene had been caused by “the same issue, the system switched off the hydraulic and engine”.
11:38 Mon, 06 Nov 2023.
AUTHORAdam Cooper
Motorsport.com

"I went to the corner, I lost the power steering first, and then the engine cut off for safety reasons,” he explained. “And then the rear wheels locked up, and that made me spin.”

“So I had no control over the car to any point. Hydraulics, that is what I felt. But at the end, I don't think that is the issue, speaking with the engineers. We know what that is, but I cannot go too much into details.” Leclerc said he could have kept going as only his front wing was damaged in the accident if his electronics issue hadn't kept happening.

"I moved the car again. There was only the front wing that was damaged," he explained. "But apart from that, nothing else. I started again, I got the hydraulics for 15 seconds. But then exactly the same thing happened. I lost the hydraulics, and then the engine cuts off. And obviously, it was clear that I couldn't go forward anymore, because I went 20 metres."

‘Electronics issue’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/charles-leclerc-reveals-electronic-issue-triggered-f1-crash/10543508/


‘Why am I so unlucky?’ – Leclerc left devastated by formation lap failure in Brazil
06 November 2023
Formula One - Official Site

For the Monegasque, this latest failure was another blow in what has been an incredibly tough season. Starting from second on the grid and one of the few front runners still to have some fresh soft tyres in his locker, he had hoped to have a strong race. Instead, it all unravelled before the lights had even gone out.

“I turned into Turn 6, everything was fine and then as you can see, I basically lose the wheel because there is no power steering anymore, the steering wheel feels extremely stiff, then I go straight,” he said afterwards. “Then the engine stopped for safety reasons, which made the rear wheels lock, which made me spin. Then I touched the wall, I started to start the car again, I did 20 metres then exactly the same thing happened. So that’s it.”

Leclerc’s anguish was clear to see, the Monegasque driver holding his head in his hands in the cockpit. “Why the **** am I so unlucky, why the **** am I so unlucky?” he repeated down the radio to his race engineer, before climbing out of his cockpit and sitting on the wall, head bowed.

‘Why am I so unlucky?’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.why-am-i-so-unlucky-leclerc-left-devastated-by-formation-lap-failure-in.1SuZD1s3cJGgdnUuTkPLw9.html


LECLERC ADMITS 2023 IS ‘A SEASON TO FORGET’ WHILST SAINZ REFLECTS ON ‘MISSED OPPORTUNITY’ IN BRAZIL
2023 hasn't gone the way Charles Leclerc planned with him saying it's been a "season to forget" whilst Sainz hopes Ferrari can bounce back in Las Vegas
November 6, 2023
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds

The Sao Paulo Grand Prix was one to rue for Charles Leclerc after he failed to start the Grand Prix whilst Carlos Sainz reflects on the “missed opportunity” Ferrari had during the race. Speaking after his early retirement from the formation lap, Leclerc said: “I don’t know what to do anymore. Obviously, it’s been a season to forget. There’s been quite a few races where I felt I was on it and then for some reason or another it wasn’t the result I wanted on Sunday. And today’s part of that, so of course, the frustration is big today and it’s like this, now I need to get over it and focus on the last two races, which are still important.”

‘An eventful race’ for Sainz: The Spaniard had an “eventful” race having initially gone back a few places on the start, before being able to overtake those in front. Sainz was able to overtake both Mercedes drivers during the race, which was crucial for the Constructors’ Championship. LAP 37/71 Sainz picks off Hamilton in the run down to Turn 4 P6 for the Spaniard! #F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/9BfhjBZJ8S — Formula 1 (@F1) November 5, 2023

However, it wasn’t plain sailing for him as a clutch issue persisted all weekend. Speaking after the race, Sainz reflected on his race and the “missed opportunity” Ferrari had. He said: “Yeah, a bit of an eventful race. We had again a problem with the clutch in the two starts like yesterday in the Sprint. We’ve been struggling with this part all weekend.”

‘A SEASON TO FORGET’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/leclerc-admits-2023-is-a-season-to-forget-whilst-sainz-reflects-on-missed-opportunity-in-brazil/


Leclerc frustrated with Brazilian fail but ‘I need to move on’
06/11/2023 at 15:06
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Charles Leclerc was dealt a bitter blow in Brazil when his car failed on the formation lap of the Sao Paulo GP, but the Ferrari charger says he needs to regroup and “move on”. “I'm annoyed because obviously, especially in the second part of the year I finally found the confidence with the car, and then you start second, you sacrifice a whole weekend for Sunday's race, you do six corners, and that's it.”

“So, I'm very frustrated for now but now I need to move on and obviously focus on the last two races, that's the best thing I can do as a driver.” Vasseur said that Ferrari will investigate the issue that befell the Leclerc, before setting off for next week’s round in Las Vegas. “Now, we have to stay calm to understand what has happened to avoid any issues in the future,” he said.

“I think the pace over the weekend was not that bad. We were in a good position today, and it is a missed opportunity because we were catching up with Mercedes a little bit over the weekend but with Charles on the front row with two sets of tyres, it could have been much better. We have still two attempts with Vegas and Abu Dhabi. Vegas could be a chaotic one and if we have the same pace as this weekend and Mercedes the same pace as this weekend, we have an opportunity.”

‘I need to move on’;

https://f1i.com/news/493067-leclerc-frustrated-with-brazilian-fail-but-i-need-to-move-on.html

[Fortitude]

McLaren was gunning for Verstappen and Brazilian GP win – Stella.
McLaren set its sights on winning the Brazilian Grand Prix with Lando Norris but fell short as Red Bulls secured its 19th victory of the campaign while Norris had to settle for second place in Sao Paulo.
07 November 9:50AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has explained how the team chucked everything it had at Max Verstappen after the Sao Paulo Grand Prix restart through Lando Norris. "I think certainly in terms of our approach, especially after the red flag, we wanted to win it,” Stella told media including RacingNews365.

"So we put, at the start, our best set of Softs on, we decided to start on a new set so that we could try and take the lead. From there, [we hoped to maybe] put Verstappen in an unusual position and see what we could do, maybe we can just cover any time he pits, and so on.”

“We couldn't take the lead at the start, we went very close to doing that on track ." Stella confirmed that McLaren tried all it could to reel in the Red Bull driver later in the race but was forced to concede defeat.

‘Gunning for Verstappen’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-reveals-how-it-planned-to-win-brazilian-gp


[B]Verstappen: Norris early stint pace applied pressure in Brazil
11:23 Mon, 06 Nov 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Max Verstappen believes his route to victory in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix appeared easier from the outside than it was inside the cockpit of his Red Bull RB19 car. Verstappen aced two standing starts to be uncontested away from the line, but Lando Norris, who’d moved into second, maintained pace with the leader during the early stages.

Following one attempted overtaking manoeuvre on the seventh lap, Verstappen instantly pulled away out of DRS range to ultimately prevail over the McLaren by 8.2s. However, the reigning champion contends that the race was tougher than his winning margin suggested, citing how Norris was a match for him at the beginning of stints.

“I think it was good,” Verstappen said. “I mean, also, maybe it looks fully easy from the outside, but I think for most of every stint, Lando was matching my lap times. It was always like the last five to ten laps when it seemed like then, of course, we had better tyre deg. But yeah, the beginning of every stint, I definitely had to focus a lot and I couldn’t afford to make mistakes.”

“It looks fully easy from the outside”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/06/verstappen-norris-early-stint-pace-applied-pressure-in-brazil-gp/


Max Verstappen caught by surprise by ‘unexpected’ Lando Norris attack
05 Nov 2023 9:18 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Max Verstappen admitted he was caught on the hop by Lando Norris as the McLaren driver launched an attack early on in Brazil.

Opening up on how Norris had suddenly appeared on his gearbox as the duo started Lap 8, Max Verstappen told media how he had had to keep a close eye on Norris throughout the race as the McLaren’s pace proved enough to be a threat. “He suddenly closed a lot – I didn’t expect him to have a run into Turn 1!” he said.

“But yeah, I had to use my battery a bit for one lap, into [Turn] 1 and [Turn] 4 to defend and then I had to, of course, try and maintain that gap. But I think what also was very important at that stage of the stint was to really look after the tyres to make sure that you have a good lap to pit.”

‘Caught by surprise’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-verstappen-surprise-lando-norris-brazilian-grand-prix-attack


Norris says second is as good as he can get for time being
00:21 Mon, 06 Nov 2023
The Straits Times

As Norris pointed out, since the team brought a major upgrade to Austria in July he has scored more points than any driver other than Verstappen.

"Very good, couldn’t have gone much better, to be honest," said Norris of a race in which he seized second place into the first corner after starting sixth. P2 (second place) is as good as we can get nowadays and for the time being, but very happy for the rest of it."

Norris, who had started on pole position in Saturday's sprint race and also finished second, said there was no point where he felt Verstappen might leave the door open for him. "Max always seemed to have an answer to everything, which is a shame. But fair play to him, he drove a good race, so yeah, tough, with the wind conditions and everything but P2 is a good result," he said.

‘Second is as good as he can get’;

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/formula-one/norris-says-second-is-as-good-as-he-can-get-for-time-being


Norris: Verstappen Brazil GP pursuit ‘wasn’t worth the risk’
09:21 Mon, 06 Nov 2023
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Lando Norris believes a second overtaking attempt on Max Verstappen in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix “wasn’t worth the risk” of compromising his overall race.

Norris reckons he was capable of mounting another attack on Verstappen, but the prospect of being vulnerable to Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin deterred him.

“The opportunity to race against Max was only going to be for a few laps,” he said. “We weren’t going to find, all of a sudden, the pace we needed to compete against him for a whole race.”

‘Wasn’t worth the risk’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/06/norris-verstappen-brazil-gp-pursuit-wasnt-worth-the-risk/


Lando Norris: McLaren have “plenty more to come” in 2024
November 6, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Lando Norris is very pleased with the progress at McLaren this year, revealing his optimism about the team’s chances for 2024. Speaking after the Brazilian GP, Lando Norris outlined his belief in McLaren for 2024:

“Since we bought this upgrade to Austria, I’ve been the second-highest-scoring driver on the grid… Considering we’re talking about fighting the Red Bull, I think it’s still a very, very good thing – what we’ve achieved this year. To go from where we were in Bahrain to getting close and talking about fighting a Red Bull, I think, are very good signs for us.”

“And we know we still have plenty more things to come next year. So I’m excited. Having that as a thought, it’s quite a faraway thought. I don’t want to think of that just now. There’s no point thinking of it until next year, but I’ll be optimistic, and I believe we can do it as a team.”

“Plenty more to come”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/11/06/lando-norris-mclaren-have-plenty-more-to-come-in-2024/


Piastri accepts partial blame over costly start crash
06 November 10:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Oscar Piastri has accepted he put himself at extra risk of contact on the opening lap of the São Paulo Grand Prix after a disappointing qualifying result.

McLaren repaired Piastri's car during the subsequent red flag period which allowed him back into the race, albeit a lap down on the rest of the field. “I hit the brakes for Turn 1 and then looked in the mirror,” Piastri told media including RacingNews365.com.

“I saw someone's tyre flying through the air and thought that didn't look very good. Sure enough, I got an impact after that, it's a shame. There was nothing I could have done.”

‘Partial blame’;

https://racingnews365.com/piastri-accepts-partial-blame-over-costly-start-crash

[Fortitude]

Fernando Alonso piles misery on Lewis Hamilton with Sergio Perez comments after Brazil GP.
Fernando Alonso may have performed heroics to pip Sergio Perez to third place at the Brazilian Grand Prix, but it was getting past Lewis Hamilton on the first lap that thrilled the Spaniard the most.
17:00, Mon, Nov 6, 2023
By Richard Garnett
Daily and Sunday Express

Two-time world champion Alonso has proved the doubters wrong this season by clocking up eight podium finishes for Aston Martin. The 42-year-old is currently fourth in the drivers' championship and now sits just 28 points behind Hamilton, who could only finish a disappointing eighth at Interlagos.

In a frantic finish to the race, Alonso finished just a tenth of a second ahead of Perez, but outscoring the Mexican's Red Bull was not the most satisfying part of the day for the Aston Martin man. As per the Mirror, Alonso said: "Obviously the last lap overtake was quite a lot of commitment. We were both just all-or-nothing in a few corners. But I think, to be honest, the most important overtake of the race was on Hamilton into turn four in lap one. That changed my race.”

‘Most important overtake of the race was on Hamilton’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1832109/Fernando-Alonso-Lewis-Hamilton-Sergio-Perez-Brazil-GP


Perez found ‘intense’ battle with Alonso ‘super enjoyable’ despite missing out on the podium
06 November 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Sergio Perez missed out on a top three finish in Sao Paulo by just 0.053s, as Fernando Alonso pipped him in a drag race across the finishing line. It was the perfect end to an epic battle that had been going on for many laps between the Red Bull and the Aston Martin, with the two racers giving it everything for that final podium slot.

It took until Lap 54 for Perez to get into DRS range of Alonso ahead, and the Mexican soon went for a move into Turn 1. But Alonso knew he was coming and took a wider line to cut back across the apex, preventing his rival from squeezing down the inside. That was the status quo for lap after lap, Perez harrying and Alonso defending for all he was worth.

But on the penultimate lap, the Mexican finally found a way past into Turn 1, and managed to almost break the DRS to ensure Alonso couldn’t return the favour into Turn 4. The Spaniard admitted that he thought his chance of a podium had gone, only for Perez to brake a fraction too late into Turn 1 on the final lap, giving Alonso a run into Turn 4 where he retook the position.

‘Super enjoyable’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.perez-found-intense-battle-with-alonso-super-enjoyable-despite-missing-out.jyGXOmAusHieeyAPp3KHR.html


Trackside footage shows just how close Brazil GP finish was between Alonso & Perez
12:56 Mon, 06 Nov 2023.
By Mitchell Weaver
Give Me Sport

Alonso takes P3 just ahead of Perez in Brazil: On turn 4 of lap 71, Alonso had one last chance to use his DRS and attempt an overtake on Perez. The Spaniard made it look easy as he slipped round the outside of Perez, before making a brilliant defensive move on the next corner to keep his place. The two drivers then went on a pure sprint to the finish, leading to an epic finale that will go down as one of the highlights of the season.

As the two drivers made it down the final stretch to the checkered flag, Perez had time to catch up and get alongside the Aston Martin, with the nose of Alonso's car just making it over the line ahead of the Red Bull. The official time between the two drivers would go on to be confirmed as +0.053, making this one of the closest finishes the sport has seen, and providing an exhilarating finish for fans who have not had too much drama to cheer about this season.

‘Exhilarating finish for fans’;

https://www.givemesport.com/trackside-footage-shows-just-how-close-brazil-gp-finish-was-between-alonso-perez/


‘Well deserved’: Sergio Perez seriously impressed with ‘intense’ driver during Brazilian GP
18:07 Mon, 06 Nov 2023.
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez was full of praise for Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso after their intense battle in Brazil. Perez was speaking to the press after narrowly missing out on a much-needed podium on the final lap.

Perez hails Alonso after Brazil race: Speaking about their encounter in the final laps, Perez said: “It was quite an intense battle. We tried everything. Unfortunately, we didn’t succeed on that, but it was well deserved for Fernando. I think we had a great fight, very fair and to the limit. I think this is something that a lot of drivers can learn from because what we did, the way we fought today, is how it should be done. I’m in the wrong side, I end up losing but it’s fine because it was a great fight.”

“We’ve seen in the last couple of races that the pace has been there, that we’ve been really strong, and for some reason or another we haven’t been able to get the final end result, but I just know that it’s a matter of time.” Martin Brundle praised Perez’s overtaking in Brazil and he did get the better of Alonso on the penultimate lap. But the Aston Martin’s straight-line speed and the Mexican getting slightly out of shape going into turn one on the final lap was all the 42-year-old needed to retake third.

‘Sergio Perez was full of praise for Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/sergio-perez-seriously-impressed-with-intense-driver-during-brazilian-gp/


Alonso “cannot wait” to tackle final races in rejuvenated Aston Martin
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 7th November 2023, 0:01
Written by Ida Wood

Aston Martin claimed their second biggest points haul of the past three seasons in last weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, and Alonso believes more of the same is possible after they turned around their mid-season slump in form. “I was a little bit concerned, no doubt, for the last few races and maybe the final part of the championship,” he admitted. “Now I cannot wait to go to Vegas. So it’s a very different energy when you have a performing car.”

After taking the final podium place by five hundredths of a second in Brazil, Alonso conceded a repeat may not be on the cards in the final two races, but he believes they will be “at least closer than Mexico” where they had failed to contend for points the week prior. “I think there are a couple of things that have been understood inside the team and the direction to go,” he said. “We had some hopes for this race and they proved to be right. And now, why not to be competitive in the last two?”

“Cannot wait”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/11/07/racefans-round-up-07-11-6/

[Fortitude]

'We both want the best': Verstappen and Lambiase on their 'fiery' Red Bull F1 partnership.
Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase have shared a few harsh words over the course of the 2023 season — even in the midst of overwhelming dominance.
November 8th 2023
Author: Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

In 2016, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg collided at Catalunya‘s Turn 4, spilling both title-challengers into a gravel trap and out of the Spanish Grand Prix. With the dominant duo on the sidelines, a rare opportunity beckoned for a non-Mercedes win and the young Max Verstappen, in his debut race for Red Bull, seized it with both hands.

Guided by his own natural talent and, for the first time, the experienced voice of race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, the Dutchman fended off challenges from team-mate Daniel Ricciardo and Ferrari‘s Kimi Raikkonen to claim his first F1 victory.

Seven years on from that auspicious day and Verstappen is now a three-time world champion, having claimed his 17th grand prix victory of the season in Brazil (and the 52nd win of his career so far). Through it all, Lambiase — known as GP — has remained a constant presence in his ear.

'We both want the best';

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/single-seaters/f1/we-both-want-the-best-verstappen-and-lambiase-on-their-fiery-red-bull-f1-partnership/?nowprocket=1#


Lambiase opens up about Verstappen: 'Max is my little brother'
08 November 6:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Lambaise: We've had a few ups and downs: Although Verstappen won his first race on debut with Red Bull, it did not bring instant success as the team struggled to match the might of Mercedes. "In 2018, 2019, and 2020 when the car wasn't quite as competitive as the team would have liked, especially for Max," Lambiase recalled.

"At that point you can see his frustration coming through already that he wasn't able to compete for the championships at that point. We had a few ups and downs I would say in that period; the middle, third, fourth, fifth year. But since 2021 - which was so intense - the relationship and the bond was cemented that year."

'Max is my little brother';

https://racingnews365.com/lambiase-opens-up-about-verstappen-since-then-max-is-my-little-brother


Ex-F1 racer Jolyon Palmer dissects the thrilling Alonso-Perez battle for P3 from a driver’s POV
08 November 2023
Former F1 Driver
Jolyon Palmer
Formula One - Official Site

Until the penultimate lap Alonso hadn’t had to cover the inside, but you could see him constantly scanning his mirrors, sizing up where Perez was. Finally the Mexican deployed as much energy as he could and grabbed an opportunity into Turn 1. Alonso covered a bit late and a bit half-heartedly and it looked like the move was done. After a dozen laps of stalking, the faster car had finally gobbled up it’s prey.

But that wasn't the end of the story – not with Alonso in this mood. Perez knew it as well and it was a mixture of his late race angst, Alonso’s driving and reputation that gave the Spaniard a chance to fight back against the odds. As Perez came through, Alonso was close enough to fight back into Turn 4 without looking seriously like re-passing.

Crucially the 42 year old kept harassing the back of the Red Bull for the next corners as well, making Perez drive in his mirrors, defensively through the fast Turns 6 and 7 of Ferradura, where it’s notoriously difficult to follow, as well as making the Mexican jink late to the inside to cover the inside of the next slower right.

‘Thrilling Alonso-Perez battle’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.ex-f1-racer-jolyon-palmer-dissects-the-thrilling-alonso-perez-battle-for-p3.46cW3th8HOEgpfytdVbmTn.html


Perez on Alonso duel: “With 95% of the field, I would’ve crashed”
November 7, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Sergio Perez believes Fernando Alonso is one of the few drivers who can race wheel-to-wheel at the very limit in F1. Moreover, he explained post-race that very few drivers could have sustained such a duel:

“Slowly but surely, we got closer to Alonso until the end,” he told Spanish outlets at Interlagos. In truth, it was a really fun race. Because [I was] fighting with a driver like Alonso at the limit – I think with 95% of the grid, I would’ve crashed. But with Fernando, you can have these kinds of battles – and they are always entertaining.”

It is no surprise that Perez and Alonso have such respect for each other. Over ten years ago at the Malaysian GP, the two drivers battled for victory at the Sepang circuit. On that occasion, it was the Spaniard who secured the race win for Ferrari.

“With 95% of the field, I would’ve crashed”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2023/11/07/perez-on-alonso-duel-with-95-of-the-field-i-wouldve-crashed/


HORNER ADMITS ‘THIS IS THE CHECO THAT WE KNOW’ AFTER ‘CONFIDENCE’ BOOSTING DRIVE FOR PEREZ IN BRAZIL
Christian Horner has stated that Perez's strong drive at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix "was important for his confidence"
November 8, 2023
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has claimed that it was a “very strong weekend” for Sergio Perez at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix despite losing out on a podium on the final lap. Despite this late knockback, Horner confirmed that he was impressed by Perez’s drive and was pleased with the 12-point gap he had gained on his Drivers’ Championship rival Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Horner said: “I thought he drove brilliantly well, he had a little bit of a wobble at [turn] two, which allowed Fernando, who was pretty quick on the straights today, to have a go. He did his best to hang on to it though.”

“But I think for Checo to outscore Lewis [Hamilton] by 12 points this weekend, it’s been a very strong weekend for him. A third in the sprint, fourth from ninth on the grid with the yellow flag he got in qualifying. I think there’s been very good points for him.”

‘THIS IS THE CHECO THAT WE KNOW’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/horner-admits-this-is-the-checo-we-know-after-confidence-boosting-drive-for-perez-in-brazil/

[Fortitude]

Pierre Gasly: Sao Paulo GP ‘one of our best races of the season’.
Pierre Gasly fought his way up from 15th on the grid to P7 in the race at Interlagos and was extremely pleased at his progress after the final lap.
05 Nov 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘One of our best races of the season’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.pierre-gasly-sao-paulo-gp-one-of-our-best-races-of-the-season.1781758326494633330.html


OCON REVEALS FRUSTRATIONS AMIDST GASLY’S SAO PAULO GRAND PRIX JUBILATION
The Alpine teammates secured a double-point finish in Brazil, with Pierre Gasly finishing P7 ahead of Esteban Ocon in P10
November 7, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

The Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend saw a mixture of fortunes for the Alpine duo. Both drivers were eliminated in Q2 during qualifying for the Grand Prix. While Esteban Ocon was involved in a major crash during the sprint shootout. His collision with Fernando Alonso saw the Frenchman drop out of the first part of the session, with Pierre Gasly then out in SQ2.

‘FRUSTRATIONS’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ocon-reveals-frustrations-amidst-gaslys-sao-paulo-grand-prix-jubilation/


‘Incredible’: 27-year-old F1 driver admits he sacrificed qualifying in Brazil for Sunday’s race
12:06 Tue, 07 Nov 2023.
F1 Oversteer

Gasly hails qualifying set-up for Brazil success: Speaking about his display in Sao Paulo, Gasly said: “It was an incredible race, I’m very happy with the work as a team we have done this weekend. “We purposely decided to compromise the car set-up a bit for qualifying to improve our chances to race and have a bit more straight-line speed.

“And from P15, made up eight positions, managed to you know get in that group with Carlos, with the Mercedes, with Aston for quite a while, yeah, one of our best races of the season. Good tyre management, good pit stops, good strategy. Strong team race overall with Esteban in P10 and me P7 so very positive.”

Gasly will hope that Alpine can produce a car next year that doesn’t require him to sacrifice qualifying pace like he did in Brazil to compete during races. The team are the definition of mid-table right now and will hope they can replicate McLaren’s resurgence this season to fight at the front of the grid. They’ve got to make sure the team go in that direction and don’t get caught up in the fight between the bottom four teams instead.

‘Sacrificed qualifying’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/27-year-old-f1-driver-admits-he-sacrificed-qualifying-in-brazil-for-sundays-race/


Gasly backs 'compromised' Alpine plan on 'strongest weekend'
08 November 7:45PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Gasly supportive of Alpine 'compromise': "It was one of our best races of the year," Gasly told media including RacingNews365 after the team elected to opt for a skinny rear-wing set-up for the race.”

"I had two very, very strong starts, I managed to pass cars on both occasions and on the second start, I was able to get up the gearbox of [Carlos] Sainz. For pretty much the whole race, I was keeping up with Sainz, the Aston Martins in front and the Mercedes as well and we managed to make the two-stop work with good tyre management.”

"I passed George [Russell] and Lewis [Hamilton] on the race-track and in the end, I was lapping like a tenth away from Carlos. I'm very happy because we were struggling a lot on this track since we arrived. We knew that it was a compromise, we accepted it, and missed Q3 by four-tenths, and that is what we were seeing from the [data].”

‘Gasly supportive of Alpine compromise';

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-backs-compromised-alpine-plan-on-strongest-weekend


Gasly: Brazil GP recovery ‘one of our best races of the year’
15:01 Tue, 07 Nov 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

Pierre Gasly was thrilled by his recovery to seventh place in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, hailing it “one of our best races of the year” amid a tough weekend for the Alpine team.

“I think it was one of our best races of the year to be fair,” Gasly reflected. “It was two very, very strong starts. Managed to pass cars on both occasions and [the] second start I managed to get in the gearbox of Sainz and pretty much the whole race I was, you know, keeping up with Sainz, the Aston in front, the Mercedes I had as well.”

“And we managed to make the two-stop work, good tyre management, good pit stop, pass George [Russell] and pass Lewis [Hamilton] on the race track and in the end I was managing to lap like a tenth from Carlos in the whole race. So I’m very, very happy, especially because we’ve been struggling a lot on this track since we arrived. So one of the best performances.”

‘Thrilled by recovery to seventh place’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/07/gasly-brazil-gp-recovery-one-of-our-best-races-of-the-year/


‘Inside the team’: F1 journalist says mood inside ‘chaotic’ F1 team has really improved this Season…
09:37 Wed, 08 Nov 2023.
F1 Oversteer

The mood at Formula 1 team Alpine has improved during 2023 after widespread changes were made midway through the season. Journalist Frederic Ferret has shared the latest he’s heard from within the French outfit as the F1 season comes to an end.

The final two races of the season could earn plenty of teams in the paddock tens of millions of pounds if they pick up some positive results. Mercedes and Ferrari are fighting to finish runners-up to Red Bull and it’s still all to play for between McLaren and Aston Martin.

The bottom four teams are separated by just 16 points and there’s a huge difference in prize money between finishing seventh and last. There are only two teams who have nothing to play for in the Constructors’ Championship. Red Bull have more than doubled the points tally of Mercedes and Max Verstappen would be leading the standings on his own at this stage.

‘Mood inside ‘chaotic’ F1 team has really improved this Season’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mood-inside-quite-chaotic-formula-1-team-has-really-improved-this-season/

[Fortitude]

Tsunoda: ‘P16 to P9 is still good… but I could have done more’.
Yuki Tsunoda drove a strong race in Brazil, making his way from 16th on the grid up to the points and P9 – though he said afterwards he could have done even better had he not had to manage an engine issue on his AlphaTauri.
05 Nov 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘P16 to P9 is still good’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.tsunoda-p15-to-p9-is-still-good-but-i-could-have-done-more.1781753184960589191.html


Yuki Tsunoda adds more Mercedes pain with Lewis Hamilton feedback
06 Nov 2023 7:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Yuki Tsunoda believes passing Lewis Hamilton would have been within reach in Brazil, had he not experienced car issues late on. But having had seven-time World Champion Hamilton in his sights late on, he felt frustrated to have not been able to mount a challenge.

“Yeah, I would say so,” Tsunoda said when asked if he was pleased with his performance in Sao Paulo. Definitely I could have done more, but yeah, sorry for the team. Also in the end I wasn’t able to push [to the] maximum for several reasons. But yeah, overall, I mean, P16 to P9 is still good. Well done to the team, I think it’s also unfortunate for Daniel that he had also been off on his side, we would have scored points.”

When asked what problems befell his car, he did not want to reveal too many secrets, but felt that the issue stopped him from piling more misery on Mercedes by pushing Hamilton further down the order come the chequered flag.

‘Experienced car issues late on’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/yuki-tsunoda-lewis-hamilton-pain-brazil


Tsunoda 'sorry' he couldn't score more points in Brazil as AlphaTauri look to chase down Williams
08 November 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Yuki Tsunoda’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend brought some much needed points to AlphaTauri, as the racer finished P6 in the Sprint and P9 in the race itself. But despite those positive results, Tsunoda was still left believing he could have done more to help cement his team’s place higher up the standings.

With eyes now firmly fixed on chasing down Williams one place above – only seven points separating the teams in a congested area of the constructors’ standings – Tsunoda felt he could have helped narrow that gap even further in Brazil. “I’m happy for scoring points, but I definitely could’ve done more,” said Tsunoda. “I made a mistake in Turn 10, which caused me to lose one position, so I’m really sorry to the team.”

“I think more was possible, especially as we were managing some reliability issues that we’ll look into. It’s such a shame about Daniel as well because he was also really fast. I think we both could’ve scored points today. Looking at the positives, starting P16 and ending up P9 shows the strong pace of the car and that we’ve definitely made a big step in the last races since we introduced the upgrades in Austin.”

AlphaTauri look to chase down Williams’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tsunoda-sorry-he-couldnt-score-more-points-in-brazil-as-alphatauri-look-to.4xOm5E631pvlMLVwYMMVCo.html


‘Like taking candy from a baby’: Sky commentators very impressed with ‘feisty’ driver in Brazil …
Paulo Grand Prix
Mon 6 November 2023 19:30
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda had one of his best weekends of the season in Brazil, scoring points for in both races this weekend. Commentating on Sunday’s race for Sky Sports F1, David Croft and Martin Brundle were both impressed with the young Japanese driver.

Watching the 23-year-old at Interlagos, Martin Brundle said: “This looks a bit feisty doesn’t it?” David Croft added: “Doesn’t it just? Yuki Tsunoda on Valtteri Bottas, it’s like taking candy from a baby that one. Yuki Tsunoda up to tenth place as the AlphaTauri gets past the Alfa Romeo after they started the race on level points.”

Tsunoda should have added to his points tally before arriving in Brazil with AlphaTauri looking very fast in Mexico City. Unfortunately, contact with Oscar Piastri saw him spin out and he could only recover to 12th on that occasion.

‘Like taking candy from a baby’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/feisty-23-year-old-f1-driver-seriously-impresses-at-sao-paulo-grand-prix/


‘We could have got a lot of points’ – Ricciardo rues getting hit by debris from Lap 1 crash.
05 Nov 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Daniel Ricciardo was hit by a flying tyre from the crash involving Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon on the first lap in Sao Paulo.

‘Hit by a flying tyre’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.we-could-have-got-a-lot-of-points-ricciardo-rues-getting-hit-by-debris-from-lap-1-crash.1781754382388250973.html

[Fortitude]

Williams ‘just not quick enough’ to pick up points in Brazil – Sargeant.
Logan Sergeant just missed out on points in Sao Paulo, finishing in P11 – but he said after the race he just didn’t have the speed to finish any higher.
05 Nov 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Just not quick enough’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/video.williams-just-not-quick-enough-to-pick-up-points-in-brazil-sargeant.1781753552992943155.html


Alex Albon’s dig at ‘traffic makers’ Haas after ‘big’ Brazil Grand Prix crash
06 Nov 2023 11:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Alex Albon says he is fine after a heavy shunt on the opening lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix, a racing incident triggered by the “backstop” Haas teammates. Lining up 15th on the grid, Albon made yet another flying start and looked to challenge the Haas teammates around the outside on the run-up to Turn 1.

Momentarily three abreast, Kevin Magnussen moved to the right to get a better line into the corner and tagged Nico Hulkenberg who in turn crashed into Albon. Hitting the rear left of the Williams, which pitched Albon to the right and he then speared into Magnussen’s VF-23 before sliding off the track at speed and into the barrier.

‘Traffic makers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/alex-albons-dig-traffic-makers-haas-big-brazilian-gp-crash


Alex Albon blameless in Brazilian GP crash, with Hulkenberg claiming he wanted a kiss
Three cars failed to make the first turn at Interlagos, including Albon
November 6, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport

Alex Albon says he felt he couldn’t do any more in an opening lap 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix crash that involved himself, Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen at Interlagos.

Hulkenberg made contact with both cars but managed to continue, but Albon and Magnussen‘s races were over before they even managed to get through Turn 1 leaving the Thai-British driver frustrated about the situation.

“Both cars attracted to me,” Hulkenberg said to press. “They wanted to come and give me a kiss, and they got to kiss. I think they don’t come again. There was minor damage on my car, which were able to repair in the red flag, but it was a shame because we lost the new set of soft tyres. Soft tyres were very handy today, they were almost definitely by far the best tyre to be on.”

‘They got to kiss. I think they don’t come again’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-alex-albon-williams-blameless-2023-brazilian-gp-crash-hulkenberg-wanted-kiss/


Albon: Being ‘number one’ on race starts factor in Brazil GP crash
17:03 Tue, 07 Nov 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Alex Albon has rued that making the ‘number one’ start amongst the Formula 1 field contributed to his crash with Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen on Lap 1 of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

“The last three races, so Mexico, the sprint race yesterday and today, we’ve been number one on starts,” Albon told Motorsport.com when asked about the race ending incident. “We’ve had very good starts, three in a row now. Sometimes it works for you like it did in Mexico. And sometimes it works against you, like it did here today.”

‘Number one’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/11/07/albon-being-number-one-on-race-starts-led-to-brazil-gp-crash/


Albon laments first corner exit as rivals gain ground on Williams
07 November 9:30PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Alex Albon believes Williams opened the door for "championship rivals" to reel it in over the fight for seventh in the Constructors' following his first lap DNF in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Williams currently has 28 points, to AlphaTauri's 21, but Albon believes a chance was opened for the Faenza-based team to capitalise after the crash.

AlphaTauri is Williams' nearest challenger, with Yuki Tsunoda going onto bank two points for a ninth-place finish, coupled with the three he scored in the Sprint for a five-point haul. It moved the team onto 21 points, seven behind Williams with just two rounds remaining in the season.

‘Albon laments first corner exit’;

https://racingnews365.com/albon-laments-first-corner-exit-as-rivals-gain-ground-on-williams