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Alonso: Risk taken during Q3 laps was at an ‘uncomfortable level’.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso says he went beyond the limit during qualifying as he secured a spot on the front row of the grid for the Monaco Grand Prix.
18:23 Sat, 27 May 2023.
by Rob Kershaw
Motorsport Week
The Spaniard looked set for his first pole position since Germany 2012 in the dying moments of Q3 on Saturday, before a rapid final sector from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen gave the Dutchman his first-ever pole in the Principality.
Fernando Alonso: “We came here with some concerns about our performance on Saturdays, we seem very god on Sundays and taking care of the tyres, degradation is good on our car. But we struggle a bit on street circuits to put the temperature to hit the lap in Q3 but we are starting the first row of the grid in Monaco so I think it’s job done today.”
Alonso drew attention the time he lost to Verstappen in the final sector, adding that this has been the team’s most problematic area over the weekend. “I don’t think so,” he said when asked if he tried a different approach in qualifying. “I think both laps in Q3 we were increasing the level of risk to an uncomfortable level let’s say I think both laps were a little bit over the limit sometimes but everything went fine.
‘EL PLAN: Beyond the limit during qualifying’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...ortable-level/
Why Fernando Alonso took ‘uncomfortable level of risk’ in Monaco pole quest
27 May 2023 6:44 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Fernando Alonso was going all out in his search for pole position in Monaco on Saturday, and admitted he was taking “uncomfortable” risks as he tried to secure P1 on the grid. The Aston Martin driver had earmarked Monaco as a potential venue where he might have a chance of victory this season, and had sat top of Q3 heading into the dying moments of the session.
The search goes on for Alonso for his first pole position since the 2012 German Grand Prix, but having come onto team radio and said he was “driving like an animal”, it certainly was not through lack of effort on his part. So much so, that he was even pushing the boundaries to the edge of what he was comfortable with on Saturday.
‘EL PLAN: “Driving like an animal”!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...e-monaco-risk/
Alonso took ‘uncomfortable’ risks in Monaco Qualifying
Sunday 28th May, 2023 - 4:48am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Fernando Alonso suggests competition for pole position during Qualifying for the F1 Monaco Grand Prix saw things reach an “uncomfortable level.” Alonso will line up second for tomorrow’s race after missing out on pole by just over a tenth of a second to Max Verstappen.
“When they told me that we were P1 just sooner than Max completed the laps, I knew the possibility was there to be P2,” Alonso said. “It’s a long race; I don’t think that overtaking opportunities will come at all as it is Monaco,” he said.
“It is a very demanding race, on the car, on the gearbox, on the brakes, there are a lot of things that you need to care of over 78 laps. “So we have to be focussed, very concentrated, we have to be sharp on the strategy, pit stops, you know anything can happen. If an opportunity comes, we will take it.”
‘EL PLAN: “Sharp on the strategy”!’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/05/28...co-qualifying/
Alonso increased risk to 'uncomfortable level' in qualifying
27/05/2023 at 17:02
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Fernando Alonso says he went all-in and then some in Saturday's mesmerizing qualifying session in Monaco on his way to securing a spot on the front row of Sunday's race. Alonso seized the top spot from local hero Charles Leclerc in the final minute of the session with a lap that put the Aston Martin driver on the ragged edge more times than he cared to remember.
But the two-time world champion's best effort was ultimately beaten by a flying Max Verstappen who edged Alonso by just 0.084s by outpacing the latter in the final sector. The 41-year-old acknowledged however that Monaco's final sector was his weakest.
The Aston Martin garage erupted when Alonso popped to the top of the timing screens, but he knew that Verstappen would pull out the stops to snatch pole. Fernando Alonso: "So when they told me that we were P1 with just Tsunoda and Max completing the laps, I knew that the possibility was there to be P2."
‘EL PLAN: All-in and then some’;
https://f1i.com/news/475348-alonso-i...ualifying.html
Alonso was “over the limit” in pursuit of Monaco Grand Prix pole
27th May 2023, 16:49
Written by Keith Collantine
Fernando Alonso says there was little more he could have done to beat Max Verstappen to pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix. The Aston Martin driver came within a tenth of a second of taking pole in a closely-fought qualifying session. Verstappen took pole away from him with his final lap.
Alonso admitted he was already pushing very hard and doubts there is more he could have done to beat Verstappen. “I think both laps in Q3 we were increasing the level of risk into an uncomfortable level,” he said. “I think both laps in Q3 were a little bit over the limit sometimes, but everything went fine.”
‘EL PLAN: Pushing very hard’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/05/27/...and-prix-pole/
HIGHLIGHTS: Relive an action-packed qualifying as Verstappen takes pole in Monaco over Alonso
27 May 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Max Verstappen left it late to take his first ever pole position in Monaco, pipping Fernando Alonso in dramatic fashion on his final attempt in Q3 to seal a P1 start in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Verstappen was the final driver to set a lap in Q3 and headed into the final sector two-tenths down on Alonso in provisional pole. However, a strong final sector saw the Red Bull driver pip the Spaniard by just 0.084s, with a time of 1m 11.365s.
‘EL PLAN: Relive an action-packed qualifying’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...FCgl9SCLX.html
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Verstappen wins Monaco GP despite late-race rain chaos.
Max Verstappen withstood a rain shower and two brushes with the barriers to extend his Formula 1 points lead with victory in a dramatic Monaco Grand Prix.
28th May 2023, 16:00
By Matt Beer
The Race
The Red Bull driver pulled away from front-row partner Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin in the first half of the race as Esteban Ocon’s Alpine held the rest of the pack up, effectively neutralising the potential strategic intrigue of Verstappen being on mediums but Alonso running hards in that stint.
Both were still on their original tyres when the rain arrived with 26 laps to go. Verstappen escaped clouting the Portier barrier while Alonso initially pitted for fresh medium slicks even though everyone else was taking on intermediates at that moment. Alonso was back in the pits for inters on the next lap, but had such a big margin over Ocon that he didn’t lose second place.
Verstappen tagged the wall again coming out of the Swimming Pool section in the closing stages, also without damage, as he headed for victory by 28 seconds. Alonso pulled clear of Ocon following his additional stop, while the Frenchman completed a race under constant pressure to take Alpine’s first podium of the 2023 F1 season.
‘Late-race rain chaos’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/monac...ns-rain-chaos/
Monaco Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race from Monaco.
28th May 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -78 laps
2. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +27.921
3. Esteban Ocon Alpine +36.990
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +39.062
5. George Russell Mercedes +56.284
6. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +61.890
7. Pierre Gasly Alpine +62.362
8. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +63.391
9. Lando Norris McLaren +1 lap
10. Oscar Piastri McLaren +1 lap
‘Monaco Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race from Monaco’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-resul...and-prix-82208
FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO 2023
28th May 2023, 13:10
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site
‘As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live-...tml#lap-by-lap
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...CSvBqHhVi.html
2023 F1 Monaco Grand Prix - LIVE UPDATES! Weather causes chaos
28th May 2023, 13:11
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Max Verstappen won the Monaco Grand Prix from pole position.
‘This is how it happened...’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f...ernando-alonso
Max Verstappen wins thrilling Monaco GP as rain sparks late drama
The Dutchman led from start to finish and captured a dominant Monaco GP win
May 28, 2023
By Andrew Wright
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen sealed a dominant and chaotic Monaco Grand Prix win from Fernando Alonso to extend his lead in the world championship to 39 points. A typically processional race around the streets of Monte Carlo came to life when rain started falling with more than 20 laps remaining, sparking a flurry of activity in the pits as teams attempted to gauge the right cutoff point.
But there was no denying Verstappen, who opened up a healthy gap from pole in the dry phase of the race, before Red Bull got the big call correct to put their star driver on the intermediate tyres to take the chequered flag by 27 seconds and his fourth victory of the season.
“It was quite a difficult one because we were on the medium and Fernando was on the hard. We didn’t want to go that long but we had to stay out with the rain coming,” Verstappen said. “The tyres were graining and then the pace picked up a little bit but it was still very tricky to drive. Then it started to rain and we had to make the call to go onto the inters.”
‘Led from start to finish’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...in-late-drama/
Verstappen survives TORRENTIAL rain to dominate chaotic Monaco GP
Sunday 28 May 2023 17:07
Joe Ellis
GPFans
Max Verstappen converted his stunning pole position into a 39th Formula 1 victory at the Monaco Grand Prix. The reigning double-world champion nailed the start and built a substantial lead over Fernando Alonso, managing traffic and a downpour of rain with 25 laps to go to claim 25 valuable championship points.
Hallelujah for rain: It looked to be a processional finish but the heavens opened with just over 20 laps to go, forcing everybody to pit for intermediate tyres. Alonso had pitted just before the rain for medium tyres but had to come back to the pitlane for treaded tyres while Verstappen stayed out and made just the one stop to pull out a big lead.
All of the drivers were really struggling to keep their car in a straight line with George Russell, Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant all having big moments. Russell even collided with Sergio Perez as he rejoined, earning him a penalty.
‘TORRENTIAL rain’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...prix-red-bull/
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Bungling Ferrari and Aston Martin are sending Max Verstappen flying towards a third F1 title.
Red Bull’s life is made even easier when rivals like Aston Martin botch their tyre strategy in Monaco.
May 28, 2023 6:07 pm
By Kevin Garside
Chief Sports Correspondent
i News
Cudda, wudda, shudda or whatever the Spanish equivalent might be, is a sentiment that might torment Fernando Alonso until Monaco harbour drains of water. What where the Aston Martin pit wall thinking, pitting Alonso for dry tyres just as the rain began to fall?
Had he bolted on the intermediates as the conditions demanded, Max Verstappen, dicing with a sodden track on spent slicks, would have been toast and Alonso would be a Monaco winner for the third time.
Such are the split-second margins on a street circuit where little happens until the meteorology hits the fan. The pair were out on their own, a two-man procession way ahead of the field.
‘Bungling Ferrari and Aston Martin’;
https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-on...89?ITO=newsnow
Fernando Alonso call forced Max Verstappen and Red Bull strategy change in Monaco
Verstappen judged things to perfection at the 2023 Monaco GP
May 28, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen believes Fernando Alonso’s opening stint on hards forced him to stay out longer during Sunday’s 2023 Monaco Grand Prix. Verstappen, who narrowly took pole, drove faultlessly, leading every lap to win for the second time in Monte Carlo and extending his lead in the Driver Standings over Sergio Perez, who failed to score any points.
“It was quite hectic towards the end,” Verstappen said to select members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “But the whole race was all about management. Because Fernando starting on the hards [it] made me do a very long stint. Almost doubled to what we would have liked, but because of the rain, we couldn’t stop. If it had been dry, I would have put the hards on and waited until Fernando did his pitstop.”
“But we couldn’t do that because the risk of rain was around, so we had to stay out of the tyres we’re graining, which wasn’t easy, but luckily it picked up a little bit. Even on the intermediates, it was still very slippery through the second sector, and the hard bit is you have a good lead, but you don’t risk too much but not drive so slow because you have no temperature in your tyres.”
‘Red Bull strategy change’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...change-monaco/
Max Verstappen claims hitting wall in wet Monaco GP helped him secure victory to extend world championship lead
Max Verstappen claimed his fourth win of the season at a rain-affected Monaco GP to extend world championship lead to 39 points; Verstappen tapped the barriers at Portier when trying to negotiate wet track when still on dry tyres; Christian Horner explains why team had felt 'on the ropes'
Last Updated: 28/05/23 8:17pm
Sky Sports
And Verstappen said the wall had helped prevent him from spinning out from the lead. "I locked the rears and I couldn't get out of it, so it's just trying to control it with a bit of drifting," Verstappen said. "Luckily the wall in a way stopped it from sliding even more."
"Then it started to rain and on very worn tyres it was very difficult, I clipped a few barriers - I just had no grip. Even on the intermediates it was super slippery and it took a few laps to feel comfortable."
But Red Bull boss Christian Horner said they had felt "on the ropes" over the weekend. "I was nervous from about the moment the red light came on. When they pull the covers off and you see quite a few have gone on the hard tyre, you think 'okay, there's rain around, if they can go far enough, if the mediums degrade…' Horner told Sky Sports F1.
‘Hitting wall in wet’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...mpionship-lead
Verstappen admits being LUCKY during 'incredibly slippery' Monaco GP
Sunday 28 May 2023 20:51
Lauren Sneath
GPFans
Max Verstappen took his 39th career victory at the Monaco Grand Prix despite clipping the walls and enduring slippery conditions in an action-packed race. Verstappen explained that skimming the barriers a couple of times actually helped his race.
He said: “Clipped the walls a few times, but it was super difficult out there – that's Monaco! “I locked the rears and I couldn’t get out of it, so it was just trying to control it with a little bit of drifting. Luckily the wall in a way stopped it from sliding even more.
“It’s super nice to win it, it’s also super nice to win it in the way we did today with the weather and everything to stay calm and bring it home. A lot of points for the team as well, so that’s great.”
‘Being LUCKY’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...prix-rain-win/
Monaco GP: Max Verstappen Admits He Was Lucky To Survive And Win
Max Verstappen explained that he was struggling while racing on a set of worn medium tyres, having started the race on them, as the rain began.
• Updated: May 29, 2023
• Agence France-Presse
NDTV.com
Max Verstappen tip-toed through the rainswept conditions in the latter stages of his victory in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix and then declared he had been lucky to survive several brushes with the barriers. In the aftermath of a challenging race in increasingly difficult conditions, Red Bull's defending world champion and the current series leader admitted he was fortunate in the way his car smacked the railings.
Victory also gave some relief to agitated team boss Christian Horner who admitted he had felt apprehensive ahead of the Monaco race. "We were on the ropes here," he said. "We knew coming into this weekend that it was going to be our biggest challenge in the first half of the year and the low-speed nature was playing to their strengths.”
‘Lucky To Survive And Win’;
https://sports.ndtv.com/formula-1/mo...nd-win-4074553
Max Verstappen Wins In Monaco, Ferrari Disasterclass and Ocon Shines, What Happened At The Monaco Grand Prix?
Updated: May 28, 2023 7:14 pm
World In Sport (Weblog)
From pole to victory! Max Verstappen claimed his second victory in Monaco within the past 3 seasons. A rain impacted race which saw him cross the line 27 seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso who finished in second place. Alonso securing his first P2 finish this season, claiming a potentially crucial 18 points which could benefit himself, as well as Aston Martin in the constructors championship later down the line.
Ferrari Impload With Rain Arrival: From Lap 50 onwards the threat of rain had started to really become a factor for all teams and the majority had to start thinking about strategy, Ferrari at the time comfortably sat in P4 (Sainz) challenging P3 (Ocon) to get a podium as well as P6 (Leclerc) fighting Hamilton for P5.
Esteban Ocon’s Miraculous podium: Esteban Ocon take a bow! What a result the Frenchman has achieved for the team, after a superior qualifying getting P4 (which became P3 after Leclerc’s grid penalty) he managed to finish the race where he qualified.
‘Ferrari Disasterclass’;
https://worldinsport.com/max-verstap.../?nowprocket=1
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Mike Krack laments dodgy radar after Fernando Alonso strategy botch.
Aston Martin principal Mike Krack has defended the thinking behind the team’s strategy call in Monaco which saw Fernando Alonso miss a potential golden opportunity to pressurise race winner Max Verstappen.
28 May 2023 6:45 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
When the rain began to fall in the second half of the Monaco race, initially drivers attempted to tiptoe through the worst-affected section around Mirabeau and stay on the dry tyres.
The rain though would soon spread across the circuit, taking that option off the table, and that spelt bad news for Alonso who shortly before the rain started, had pitted to swap his hard tyres for mediums, having been set to run the alternate strategy to leader Verstappen.
Krack would explain that the call was not “a gamble”, rather their radar had said that no rain was coming, and so they reacted accordingly. “We thought it was only a short shower, our radar was not very good because we did not expect any actually,” Krack told F1TV. “And then it came and it came much, much more than we were anticipating.
‘EL PLAN: Defended the thinking’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mike-k...naco-strategy/
Did Alonso and Aston Martin throw away a Monaco win?
20:31 Sun, 28 May 2023.
Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor
ESPN.com
MONACO -- With the benefit of hindsight, Fernando Alonso had a clear shot at his 33rd Formula One victory at Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix. Had Aston Martin fitted intermediate wet-weather tyres to his car on Lap 54 instead of slick medium-compound tyres, and had he then completed a clean outlap with Max Verstappen pitting on Lap 55 (as he did in reality), Alonso would have emerged in the lead with 23 laps to run.
Arguably, given the changing track conditions, it's impossible to say what would have happened from Lap 54 onwards. But when you add up how much time Verstappen lost by staying out until the end of Lap 55 on slick tyres, and how much Alonso had to gain by switching to intermediates on Lap 54, it's also a fair assumption that the Aston Martin driver would have taken the lead.
‘EL PLAN: With the benefit of hindsight’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/3...way-monaco-win
Explained: How Aston Martin missed their golden chance as split-second call proves costly
May 29th, 2023 1:35 pm
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)
In a parallel universe Fernando Alonso has won his 33rd victory after taking the chequered flag at the Monaco Grand Prix in a fairytale finish for Aston Martin in the least predictable weekend of the Formula 1 season to date. But in reality Monte Carlo ended with Max Verstappen standing atop the podium for the 38th time and probably the sport’s best hope of a non-Red Bull Racing winner this season dashed in the spray of a late-race rain shower.
The difference between these two worlds is a single decision made with 24 laps to go. The window of opportunity was opening. But Alonso and his pit wall were indecisive over team radio. The Spaniard noted that the top part of the track was very wet but the bottom was dry. He said he wasn’t sure what tyre would be best. In the end the team made the call: it would be mediums — slick dry-weather tyres. He was called in at the end of lap 54 of 78.
Immediately it turned out to be wrong. The track was so wet on his out-lap that Alonso had to make a second stop to switch to intermediates, which put paid to his chances of winning the race. Verstappen, on the other hand, was able to switch directly to intermediates, earning a massive 20-second advantage that won him the race.
‘EL PLAN: Window of opportunity was opening’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...7b56f1d64635b8
'Aston Martin cost Alonso a win' - F1 Twitter's best Monaco GP memes
Sunday 28 May 2023 21:22
Ronan Murphy
GPFans
Rain caused CHAOS at the Monaco Grand Prix, but for F1 Twitter, the most chaos of the day was caused by the decision not to put Fernando Alonso onto intermediate tyres.
fernando alonso after aston martin pit him for slicks during a rain session potentially costing a WIN pic.twitter.com/HhpZhlyUK3
— j¹⁶ (@hugsricciardo) May 28, 2023
Alonso fans to the strategist who pitted him onto slicks #F1 #MonacoGP pic.twitter.com/Jf0NcKMjYh
— F1 Portrayed By Top Gear (@TopGearFormula1) May 28, 2023
This is the chaos we asked for pic.twitter.com/2lnGG4wXlm
— F1 Reaction Pictures (@FormulaReaction) May 28, 2023
‘EL PLAN: Alonso fans to the strategist’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...naco-gp-memes/
Fernando Alonso surprised by questioning over key Monaco strategy call
28 May 2023 8:05 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack has since revealed that the radar had told the team that very little, if any rain was going to reach the track. “I don’t know,” said Alonso when asked if that extra stop saw his victory chances slip away? “I heard this question in the TV pen as well. Which, I was surprised a little bit. I didn’t leave the race from the cockpit, as you probably saw on the outside. For me, it was very clear that the track on that lap we stop was completely dry, apart from Turn 7 and 8. So, how will [I] put the inters? It was completely dry, 99 per cent of the track. So, I stopped for dries.”
“The weather forecast, it was small shower, and the small quantity of rain as well, what we had, as a team, and we had a lot of margin behind us, to put the dry tyres and, if necessary, the inter tyres, so, you know, maybe it was extra safe, I don’t know. But that minute and a half that it took to go through Turns 5, 6, 7 and 8 again, it changed completely, so the out-lap on the dry tyres, it was very wet when I go to those corners, but the lap that we stopped, it was completely dry.”
‘EL PLAN: Key Monaco strategy call’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...tion-surprise/
Monaco GP: Did Alonso and Aston Martin let Red Bull ‘off the hook’?
May 28, 2023
By Luke Smith
If there was any Formula One weekend where Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin had a shot at defeating Red Bull this year, Monaco looked like the big one.
As other drivers switched to the intermediate tires suited for the rain, Alonso pitted — and put on slick mediums. Just a lap later, he changed his mind, pitting again to take on the inters. The double stop threw away any chance Aston Martin had of victory. Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner admitted post-race he was surprised by the call, saying it “totally got us off the hook.”
All season, Alonso has stressed the strength of the Red Bull car means Aston Martin can only win thanks to some outside influence causing a chaotic race. We certainly got that today. Did the team miss its golden chance to win, and fuel some hope of an unlikely title challenge? Let’s get into it.
‘EL PLAN: ‘Off the hook’?;
https://theathletic.com/4559190/2023...gp-win-alonso/
Alonso admits SHOCK before controversial pit-stop after losing Monaco win to Verstappen
Sunday 28 May 2023 19:57
Lauren Sneath
GPFans
Despite the drizzle, the two-time world champion was changed onto medium tyres, as most of his competitors opted for grippier intermediates. The Aston Martin soon had to head back into the pits to opt for the intermediate tyres, losing valuable time and widening the gap to the leading Red Bull.
After the race, Alonso told Sky Sports: “I mean, it was not (an) easy race especially when the rain came. It was very difficult to put temperature on the intermediate tyres. “Turn five especially, and seven – they were very risky. At the end, we secure second place.”
‘EL PLAN: Alonso admits SHOCK’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...es-aggressive/
FERNANDO ALONSO SPEAKS OUT AFTER STRATEGY CALL RUINED CHANCE TO BEAT MAX VERSTAPPEN
The Spaniard is still on the lookout for his first grand prix win since 2013
May 28, 2023
Sam Jones
FormulaNerds
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso has spoken out after struggles keeping the car on track saw him lose out to current world champion Max Verstappen in the Monaco grand prix.
“It was difficult and we started on the hard tyres, so gave up the possibility into Turn One,” said Alonso after the race. “We hoped to play the long game with the strategy but Max drove super well on the medium tyres to extend that first stint. We didn’t have any chance then the rain made things a bit complicated out there.”
‘EL PLAN: STRATEGY CALL’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/fe.../?nowprocket=1
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Mercedes admit they’re looking at copying Red Bull floor after Sergio Perez crash.
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has admitted that the Formula 1 paddock will be “all over” the photos of Sergio Perez’s RB19, which was risen to safety during Q1 on Saturday at the Monaco Grand Prix.
28 May 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Sergio Perez's and Lewis Hamilton's cars were both lifted into the air on Saturday at the Monaco GP. Perez crashed in the opening stages of Q1 on Saturday at the Circuit de Monaco, with his incident at the opening corner having resulted in the session being red flagged.
Interestingly though, Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson revealed that it’s difficult to “figure” Red Bull’s secrets out based on the images, due to their floor being “so curved”. “It’s so complex that on a 2D photo, because of the way the light is, it’s so curved, you can’t figure any of it out,” Robson said, as reported by RaceFans.net.
“I guess it’s just coincidental they do it all like that because that’s how they get the downforce. But it doesn’t half make it difficult to copy!” Shovlin on the other hand, believes people will be looking intently at the images, more so than at their W14 which was also risen to safety on Saturday.
‘Formula 1 paddock will be “all over” the photos’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/mercedes-...o-perez-crash/
Rival F1 teams analyse Red Bull crane photos
12:59 Sun, 28 May 2023.
ESPN.com
Formula One rivals hope to discover some of dominant Red Bull's most closely guarded secrets from photographs of the underside of Sergio Perez's car after it was craned off the Monaco Grand Prix circuit. The floor is the most aerodynamically sensitive area of the car, with ground-effect sculpting responsible for much of the performance.
It is also the hardest part for rival teams to get a glimpse of, unless a car overturns or is lifted into the air -- as Perez's was after the Mexican crashed into barriers in Saturday qualifying. Monaco marshals typically use cranes to clear stranded cars from the metal-fenced track because of the close confines and lack of runoff.
"With these regulations, the most important bit is the bit you don't normally get to see," Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin told reporters on Sunday. So the teams will be all over those kinds of photographs. Monaco is a good opportunity to get that kind of shot."
‘Analyse Red Bull crane photos’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/3...red-bull-floor
Marko slates Perez over 'stupid' crash
27 May 9:15PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
The Mexican hit the barrier on the exit of Sainte Devote having seemingly been distracted by an Alpine on the inside of the first corner. Perez missed his braking point and the hefty collision left extensive damage to the left-hand side of his RB19, with Team Principal Christian Horner concerned a chassis change could be needed.
The incident leaves Perez last on the grid for Sunday's race, leaving a dent to his title hopes. "If you have a car like that, you shouldn’t be out in Q1," Marko told Sky Deutschland. "That was a stupid mistake on his part. Maybe he was thinking too much about the championship.”
‘Shouldn’t be out in Q1’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-slat...r-stupid-crash
Helmut Marko’s unflattering verdict on Sergio Perez’s qualifying crash
28 May 2023 11:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Marko was not at all impressed. “To Sergio,” he told Sky Deutschland, “if you have a car like that, then you shouldn’t be thrown out in Q1. That was a stupid mistake on his part. Maybe he was thinking too much about the World Championship.”
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner tried to find a reason for his driver’s costly shunt, saying perhaps he was “distracted” by traffic. “I can only think he was distracted by the Alpine on the right-hand side because he just misjudged that first turn and the circuit was only going to get faster and faster,” he said.
“He’ll be kicking himself for that. I think he just went in too fast. Maybe he was distracted. You can see the overspeed, he had a bit of a snap on entry and it wasn’t a small tap.”
‘Helmut Marko: “To Sergio”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...lifying-crash/
‘My team don’t deserve this’ – Perez explains what happened with his session-ending Q1 crash
27 May 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Sergio Perez was at pains to apologise to his team after he crashed the car in qualifying. And given he will start from the back of the grid, the Red Bull racer isn’t holding much hope of a good result in Sunday’s Grand Prix.
‘At pains to apologise’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...212169430.html
Perez apologises to Red Bull after “unacceptable” mistake and point-less race
2023 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 28th May 2023, 18:33
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Sergio Perez apologised to his Red Bull team after leaving the Monaco Grand Prix empty-handed. “I think we’ve paid the price for my mistake,” he told media including RaceFans afterwards. “That’s been very costly.” Max Verstappen’s win means Perez has fallen from 14 points off the championship lead to 39 adrift. “I just have to apologise to my whole team because it is unacceptable to have this kind of mistake,” he said. “I just have to move on, learn from it, and I cannot afford another zero in the championship.”
He tangled with Stroll as he tried to follow his team mate through while Verstappen was lapping the pair of them. He was forced to make a second pit stop when he ran into Magnussen after the Haas driver skidded on the way into the chicane and slowed. “I broke my front wing with Magnussen who just braked out of the chicane,” said Perez. “It just went bad. When you are in those positions you always have to risk a lot.”
“I had no idea what was going on,” he added. “But unfortunately I had quite some damage.” Perez said he should have reacted sooner to the shower which hit the track late in the race. “Then the rain came, we were one of the last ones to pit,” he said. “And then I clipped the wall. It was just sort all of a mess.”
‘Perez apologises to Red Bull’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/05/28/...int-less-race/
Perez endures miserable Monaco: 'It was all a mess'
28/05/2023 at 20:21
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
Just a month ago, Sergio Perez was crowned king of the street circuits after a mighty performance in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku City. But this weekend saw another street circuit - iconic Monaco - take a big bite out of that.
“It was a really difficult day out there. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong,” he acknowledged. “It was the worst weekend I can remember in a while."
Although Perez was second quickest in FP3 on Saturday, his hopes of closing the gap to his Red Bull team mate in the championship standings collapsed with a costly error at the start of qualifying.
‘Perez endures’;
https://f1i.com/news/475700-perez-en...ll-a-mess.html
Perez ‘can’t afford’ another point-less weekend amid F1 title hope
17:18 Sun, 28 May 2023.
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week
Sergio Perez says he “can’t afford” another non-point finish during the 2023 Formula 1 season as he seeks to challenge for his first title this year. After crashing out of qualifying in the early stages of Q1, Perez started the race in 20th and stated prior to lights out that he expected his race to be a ‘nightmare’.
An incident-filled race for Perez – which involved collisions with Lance Stroll, Kevin Magnussen and George Russell – saw him rise to just 16th and his deficit to championship leader Verstappen has now grown to 39 points.
“We paid the price for my mistake [in qualifying] and that’s been very costly,” Perez said following the race. “I just have to apologise to my whole team because it is unacceptable to have this kind of mistake.”
‘Apologise to my whole team’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...f1-title-hope/
‘Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong’ – Perez downbeat after failing to score in Monaco
28 May 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Sergio Perez had a tough job on his hands in Monaco as a crash in qualifying meant he started from the back of the grid – and his race didn’t go much better as he eventually came home in P16 and well out of the points.
‘Perez downbeat’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...137190094.html
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‘I don’t care’: Ferrari star explodes at own team as row over tactics goes public in latest flop.
On team radio, he was heard saying: “This is exactly what I talked about.” His engineer responded: “The target was to cover Hamilton.” “But I don’t care about Hamilton,” said Sainz. “I was quick”.
May 29th, 2023 11:19 am
AFP from Afp
x Sports (Australia)
Ferrari race strategy was again under scrutiny after Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished sixth and eighth at the Monaco Grand Prix. A year after local hero Leclerc’s hopes of victory were upset by a late call to take slick tyres in the 2022 race, won by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, the Italian team were embroiled in another public row over their tactics.
This time it involved a frustrated Sainz who was called in to pit against his will when he was locked in a battle with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, who finished third. Sainz’s race engineer called him in to switch from hard tyres to medium in a bid, he said, to cover off the threat from Mercedes’s seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
In a heated exchange, partly revealed on team radio, it was clear that Sainz objected to the decision because he wanted to stay out and fight Ocon for third. A heated Sainz continued to complain to his engineer after making his stop telling him the team were making a mistake again.
“I was quick”;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...9bd23190ca2928
Carlos Sainz criticises Ferrari for ‘debatable’ first pit stop call in Monaco
29 May 2023 11:40 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Raging at Ferrari over a perceived botched strategy, Carlos Sainz believes the Scuderia could’ve been “a bit more patient” during the Monaco Grand Prix. Sainz spent the better part of the Monaco Grand Prix starring at Esteban Ocon’s rear wing as the Spaniard wasn’t able to find a way past, and when he did try at the Nouvelle Chicane, he broke the front wing endplate off of his SF-23.
His mechanics took up their positions in the pit lane with a new front wing but Sainz insisted on staying out. That turned out to be the first of three occasions where he was told to pit but refused to with the other two relating to tyre changes.
He eventually came into the pits on lap 34 to switch from hard tyres to medium, one lap after Ocon had pitted, with Sainz questioning why he hadn’t been left out to run longer especially as he came out behind the Alpine driver.
Sainz: “What the f***! This is exactly what I talked about!”
Race engineer Riccardo Adami: “The target was to cover Hamilton.”
Sainz: “I don’t care about Hamilton, I was quick!”
‘“What the f***!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos...t-stop-monaco/
Carlos Sainz growing frustrated with Ferrari as Lewis Hamilton rumours swirl
Ferrari had to settle for P6 and P8 in Sunday’s Grand Prix after poor qualifying saw them start the Monaco GP on the backfoot.
29 May 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News
Carlos Sainz had a disappointing weekend in Monaco, as he failed to make progress through the field after suffering contact with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon early in the opening stages of the race.
The Spaniard suffered minor front wing damage as he fought for a podium against Ocon but he was unable to get past the Frenchman, as the Alpine driver proved unpassable.
When rain started to fall on the track, Sainz suffered even more frustration, having to double stack behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, dropping down to eighth place. “We had a bit of an eventful race always chasing Ocon and on the gearbox of Ocon,” Sainz explained post-race.
‘Double stack frustration’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/carlos-sa...rumours-swirl/
Sainz: Ferrari should have been 'more patient' with Monaco strategy
28/05/2023 at 18:41
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Carlos Sainz says he was surprised by Ferrari's decision to call him in for a switch from hards to mediums after 33 laps, insisting the team just have been "more patient". Sainz held his own in fourth place just behind Alpine's Esteban Ocon during the first half of his Monaco Grand Prix.
As the pair battled in the early stages of the race, Sainz hit the Alpine driver's car as they barreled into the Nouvelle Chicane, a contact that damaged the Ferrari's front wing endplate. However, having started the 78-lap event on the hard tyre, Sainz justifiably pressed on hoping to extend his stint to the full life of his hard tyres.
Ferrari made several dummy calls, urging Sainz to box to force Ocon into pitting, but Alpine didn't take the bait. But when the Scuderia's pitwall called in Sainz for real after 33 laps, just after Ocon had suffered a slow stop, the call backfired and left the Ferrari charger once again chasing the Frenchman.
‘Dummy calls’;
https://f1i.com/news/475628-sainz-fe...-strategy.html
‘The pace was there but we didn’t get the calls right’ – Sainz frustrated after P8 finish in Monaco
28 May 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Carlos Sainz reckoned he absolutely had the pace to challenge for the top positions in the Monaco Grand Prix – but was hampered by his pit stop strategy before coming home in eighth place.
‘Didn’t get the calls right’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...159614955.html
Vasseur defends Ferrari strategy after Sainz airs frustration
29 May 9:50AM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Vasseur: No regrets over Ferrari strategy calls. "I think that it was a good strategy because when we asked him to pit it was to cover Hamilton, and it was to avoid [losing] a position against Hamilton," Vasseur told media, including RacingNews365.com.
"I think it was a good call because position [is] key on track. It would have been better to extend if we [were] not at risk with Hamilton, but in this situation I think it was the good call."
‘Frederic Vasseur: Good call’;
https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-de...rs-frustration
Ferrari defends Monaco strategy call after Sainz criticism
29/05/2023 at 10:52
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur countered Carlos Sainz's criticism of the team's strategy in Monaco, insisting it had made the right call regarding the Spaniard's race given the circumstances at the time.
An angry Sainz vented his frustration to his crew over the radio, but was told that the call was made to protect his position against the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton in fifth place which was gaining ground on the Ferrari. "I don't care about Hamilton," Sainz quipped. "This is weak!".
Vasseur begged to differ however, the Frenchman explaining after the race that Sainz would have likely lost out to Hamilton had he extended his stint on the hard tyre. "I think it was a good strategy because when we asked him to pit it was to avoid losing a position against Hamilton," said the Scuderia boss.
"This is weak!" Vasseur begged to differ’;
https://f1i.com/news/475755-ferrari-...criticism.html
-
Aston Martin got Fernando Alonso’s strategy wrong at Monaco – but he should have overruled them.
Spaniard is experienced enough behind the wheel and should take some responsibility for missing out on chance to end Red Bull’s winning run.
29 May 2023 • 11:36am
GARY ANDERSON
FORMER JORDAN AND JAGUAR F1 TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
The Telegraph
Did Aston Martin throw away victory? That is difficult to say as there are a lot of ifs and buts but they certainly threw away their best chance of winning. Alonso and Verstappen had differing strategies from the start. Neither had pitted by lap 50, with Alonso on the more durable hard tyre and Verstappen with worn mediums on which he was starting to struggle. Alonso and Aston Martin then had the advantage and the luxury of being able to go longer than Verstappen, wait for the rain to come – or not – and then make their decision.
You could hear the uncertainty from Alonso’s radio messages in the run-up to his stop. He was confused about what to do and was then told he would go onto a fresh set of medium tyres. It all happened so quickly but need not have. The team’s thinking was perhaps that their best chance of beating Verstappen was to be on fresh slick tyres if the rain stopped soon enough and was light enough, with the Red Bull driver either on old mediums or new intermediate tyres. It was a left-field choice more fitting of a team with a driver in 15th, not second.
Aston Martin would not have lost much by waiting another lap or so. Alonso’s hard tyres at that stage were perfectly fine and he is skilled enough to keep it on the track in those conditions. The longer they waited, the easier the call would have been. Instead they gambled at an outside chance of victory. It was a decision that did not need to be made when it was.
‘EL PLAN: An outside chance of victory’;
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-...-wrong-and-co/
Gary Anderson: Aston didn’t use Alonso enough in key Monaco call
May 29 2023
By Gary Anderson
The Race
When it comes to Formula 1 strategy calls it’s the old saying that hindsight is 20/20 vision. However, you can also look at that two ways: you can be part of the 20 that got it right or you can be part of the 20 that got it wrong. I have always looked at race strategy as a living thing. Yes you need a basic plan or two in place before the race starts but if you set your plan in stone then for sure someone else will do a better job.
As the laps unfolded the gap between them got bigger, opening up to around 10 seconds. Being on the hard tyre, and with Verstappen starting to complain about his mediums, Alonso had the best opportunity to go long and actually wait for the light rain that was in the area to either intensify or move off. But instead Aston Martin pitted on lap 54 for new mediums, and it sounded over the radio as though this was exactly as planned pre-race. Team boss Mike Krack said Aston did take the changing weather into consideration but thought it was going to dry quickly and that new medium slicks would handle a briefly damp track better than old hards would. But that wasn’t the reality of what was happening on track.
Your best weather feedback is your driver. They are the ones that know the track conditions and the grip level all around the track. In Monaco it was dry in the pits but wet from the Casino Square down to the entry to the tunnel, so I believe Alonso with his experience should have overruled the team’s decision to pit and done at least one more lap on his hard slicks. I also believe there should have been much more communication between the team and the driver about the track conditions.
‘EL PLAN: Aston didn’t use Alonso enough’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...y-monaco-call/
Did Alonso throw away a shot at the Monaco GP victory?
29 May 4:30PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
It was Fernando Alonso's first legitimate chance of victory against Red Bull, so how would it have turned out if he pitted for Intermediates instead of Mediums? It was three laps of chaos midway through the Monaco Grand Prix which decided the fate of Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin.
The pivotal point for Alonso came on Lap 53 when his times dropped as low as 1:30.862, it was at this stage that Aston Martin decided to call him in for his scheduled stop. Over team radio Alonso discussed the conditions with his engineer, initially saying he would go for Intermediates but believed the track was too dry throughout.
Alonso: "Turns seven and eight, I'd normally go for inters but the rest of the track will be too dry I guess. I don't know mate." Chris Cronin: "Ok mate, we're going to box this lap. And it will be for Mediums." He later claimed that the track was "99 per-cent dry" when he elected to come in, however at the same time both Mercedes drivers and Alpines stopped for Intermediates.
‘EL PLAN: Throw away a shot at the Monaco GP victory?’
https://racingnews365.com/did-alonso...aco-gp-victory
Kravitz reveals how Verstappen MISTAKE could have led to Alonso victory at Monaco GP
Monday 29 May 2023 13:12
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Ted Kravitz has claimed that Fernando Alonso would have still needed Max Verstappen to have made a mistake in order to win the Monaco Grand Prix, despite Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack admitting they made the wrong decision to send the Spaniard back out on slick tyres when the rain came.
‘EL PLAN: Alonso victory at Monaco GP’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...x-ted-kravitz/
Analysis: Why Aston Martin made medium tyre call – and did it cost Alonso victory?
2023 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 29th May 2023, 13:3929th May 2023, 15:53
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans
After the Monaco Grand Prix Fernando Alonso was quick to reject suggestions that his Aston Martin team had cost him victory by not putting him on intermediate tyres when he made his first pit stop on lap 54. Alonso defended the decision to fit another set of dry weather tyres, the medium compound, despite the rain which was falling around the track. But other drivers who pitted shortly before Alonso and also took slick tyres admitted after the race their teams had made a mistake. Did Aston Martin therefore slip up, and could they even have squandered an opportunity to win?
Among the drivers to come in was Alonso’s team mate, Lance Stroll, who took a set of intermediate tyres two-and-a-half laps before his team mate. Unfortunately their opportunity to gain information from his experience was lost when he retired soon afterwards.
Driver Team Lap Time Tyre
Pierre Gasly Alpine 47 16:04:16 Medium
Lando Norris McLaren 50 16:08:48 Hard
Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 51 16:10:46 Intermediate
Lance Stroll Aston Martin 51 16:10:52 Intermediate
Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo 52 16:12:35 Intermediate
Alexander Albon Williams 52 16:12:37 Intermediate
Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 53 16:13:18 Intermediate
Logan Sargeant Williams 52 16:13:19 Intermediate
Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 54 16:13:32 Medium
Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri 53 16:13:47 Intermediate
George Russell Mercedes 54 16:13:57 Intermediate
Aston Martin asked Alonso if he wanted intermediates, and he answered that depended on whether the rain would intensify. Aston Martin were convinced the rain would only be brief and light:
Alonso Yeah it’s raining also out of 10.
Cronin Report of rain at turn three, bit of rain turn three.
Alonso Yeah. What is the forecast rain?
Cronin So our forecast is saying it’s light, light rain only.
Alonso Yeah, the hard tyre is not the best, man. I don’t know what to do.
Alonso Yeah raining heavy in seven. Very slow.
Cronin Is it still medium tyres, though? Still medium tyres? Turn seven.
Alonso How is the pace?
Cronin Slippery track ahead. So similar to Verstappen, very similar to Verstappen. Just have a think if you think it’s inters.
Alonso Depends on the forecast, mate
Cronin We think it is a short shower on the radar.
‘EL PLAN: Analysis, Analysis, Analysis’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/05/29/...lonso-victory/
Would Alonso have won in Monaco if he'd made the right tyre call when the rain hit?
09:51 Mon, 29 May 2023.
Mark Hughes
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site
The closest Fernando Alonso came to denying Max Verstappen his dominant Monaco Grand Prix victory was when the rain came in the second half of the race. The timing of their respective pit stops and the choices made there brought a momentary uncertainty to the outcome.
Everyone was delaying pitting because it wasn’t clear if the rain was going to quickly pass – in which case stopping for intermediates would have been disastrous – or continue, in which case stopping for fresh slicks would have been potentially ruinous.
Because his tyre temperatures were falling and losing him 1-1.5s per lap to Verstappen, Alonso pulled the trigger first, but as he made his in-lap it was still only those three corners from the hairpin which were seriously wet. In discussing with his engineer what the choice of tyre should be when he stopped, intermediates or medium slicks, Alonso emphasised they should do something different to Verstappen. Doing the same wasn’t going to win them the race.
‘EL PLAN: Should do something different to Verstappen’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...bUdYAPWqq.html
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Jeremy Clarkson owes Alpine beers after Esteban Ocon shock podium at Monaco GP.
Jeremy Clarkson has promised to buy Alpine’s F1 staff “many” beers after Esteban Ocon picked up a surprise podium at the Monaco Grand Prix.
By Luke Chillingsworth
19:57, Sun, May 28, 2023
Daily and Sunday Express
Jeremy Clarkson made the bold statement as Esteban Ocon secured P3 in Monaco. The former Top Gear host said he would buy the team drinks if they held on for a top-three finish. Ocon duly delivered, benefitting from a series of errors from other drivers to take P3. Clarkson posted on Twitter: “Come on @AlpineF1Team I’ll buy you all a pint if you get a podium here.”
The post received over 6,500 likes with some questioning whether he would stick to his statement. However, minutes after the chequered flag, Clarkson seemed to suggest he was being serious. He added: “Well done @AlpineF1Team I owe you many Hawkstones.” Alpine’s staff were quick to comment underneath the message after spotting it after the race.
‘Many Hawkstones’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...aco-grand-prix
Revealed: How much it will cost Jeremy Clarkson to honour bet with Alpine
29 May 2023 9:50 AM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Ocon’s podium finish led the French driver to yell “Estie bestie’s on the podium, baby!”, revealing a new nickname he’s picked up within the team, while his drive also secured him the honours of the F1 Driver of the Day.
Assuming Clarkson follows through on his promise, it won’t cost the presenter ‘Diddly Squat’ either. According to his website, depending on quantity ordered, a bottle of Hawkstone costs around £2.50. With Alpine boasting around 1000 employees on its F1 team, Clarkson will have to stump up around £2500 worth of his beer to stay true to his word!
‘£2500 worth of his beer’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/esteba...monaco-podium/
Jeremy Clarkson owes Alpine employees many pints
Esteban Ocon's podium at the Monaco GP was his first rostrum since winning the 2021 Hungarian GP.
29 May 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Some Alpine employees discovered Clarkson’s promise, before commenting that they’d love a drink. Chris Shawe wrote on Twitter: “Will be in the office Tuesday waiting for the delivery!” Alpine wind tunnel engineer Brett Foster added: “Looking forward to it!”
Esteban Ocon: “I’m speechless, I’m on a cloud at the moment – I don’t know what to say! Before the weekend, if you told us that we were going to be in the top 10, we would have been happy, you know?” Ocon said after the race, as reported by the Express.co.uk.
“But it’s not the top 10, it’s not the top 5, it’s a podium! We are on it, and the energy I’ve received from everyone from [this] weekend has been awesome. I can’t thank everyone enough for the support I got, and that one goes to all the team, from Viry to Enstone to the track. This one’s for us and hopefully there’s many more to come.”
‘Waiting for the delivery!’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/jeremy-cl...es-many-pints/
Esteban Ocon’s F1 Monaco GP podium means Jeremy Clarkson owes Alpine a lot of beer
29 May 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Jeremy Clarkson is set for a costly round after promising to buy Alpine F1 staff beers if Esteban Ocon finished on the podium at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Clarkson later said: “Well done @AlpineF1Team I owe you many Hawkstones.” Alpine’s F1 factory in Enstone is just a short drive from Clarkson’s ‘Diddly Squat’ Farm in the heart of the Cotswolds.
Clarkson’s attempts at running his farm, including the production of his own ‘Hawkstone’ beer, are the subject of a documentary series on Amazon Prime Video. Clarkson is an avid fan of F1 and attended the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix earlier this year.
‘Clarkson’s ‘Diddly Squat’ Farm, the production of his own ‘Hawkstone’ beer’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102720...lpine-lot-beer
Delighted Ocon ‘on a cloud’ as Alpine claim first podium since 2021 in Monaco
28 May 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Esteban Ocon claimed the third podium of his Formula 1 career with a fine drive to P3 at the Monaco Grand Prix – with the Frenchman describing himself as ‘on a cloud’ after giving Alpine their first rostrum appearance since 2021.
Starting P3 on the grid following Charles Leclerc’s penalty for impeding Lando Norris in qualifying, Ocon swiftly fell off the back of the squabble between eventual winner Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso for the top two positions.
‘On a cloud’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...g5MxStxmt.html
‘Speechless’ Esteban Ocon on cloud nine after ‘surprise’ Monaco podium
28 May 2023 9:05 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Esteban Ocon is still flying high on his cloud after scoring a sensational podium finish on merit for Alpine in Monaco. “It’s been a while, feels good, I can tell you that! I’m speechless at the moment. I’m a little bit on my cloud still,” Ocon reflected when speaking to media post-race.
“You know, before the weekend, if you told us that we are going to be in the top 10, we would have been happy. It would have been a strong weekend. But we are not in the top 10, we are not in the top five, we are on the podium this weekend here in Monaco. And yeah, that shows really that never stopped believing.”
‘Speechless’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/speech...monaco-podium/
Ocon praises Alpine for 'never putting a foot wrong' in Monaco
28/05/2023 at 19:42
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Esteban Ocon says his Alpine team performed flawlessly for the duration of a Monaco Grand Prix weekend that the Frenchman concluded on the third step of the podium. After the race, a jubilant Ocon congratulated his Alpine crews for a job well done from start to finish, including the team's preparation period in Enstone.
"We’ve done it," said an elated Ocon after the race. "What a super weekend from everyone at the team! From the first day, from the simulator really. All the practice sessions we improved the car, from beginning to end, and we didn’t make a wrong foot any time, even when we put the inter tyres it was the perfect lap to do so."
‘Alpine team performed flawlessly’;
https://f1i.com/news/475645-ocon-pra...in-monaco.html
Ocon hopes Monaco podium is the ‘start of something’ for Alpine
10:05 Mon, 29 May 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week
Esteban Ocon says that he is hopeful his podium result at the Monaco Grand Prix is the “start of something” for Alpine following a difficult start to the 2023 Formula 1 season.
Ocon enjoyed a strong qualifying session in which he rocketed to third and didn’t relinquish the position during the race despite pressure from some of his rivals.
“We did bring some updates [to Monaco] that were supposed to be quite small but everything we had it went in the right direction today,” Ocon said.
“Start of something”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...ng-for-alpine/
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Toto Wolff gives new Mercedes verdict: From ‘awful’ W13 to ‘not good’ W14.
Toto Wolff delivered an unsettling verdict on Mercedes’ progression that has gone from an “awful” W13 at last year’s Monaco Grand Prix to a “not good” W14 this season.
29 May 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Mercedes introduced their new W14 at the Monaco Grand Prix, the team doing away with the zero-pod concept in favour of bulkier sidepods while also running a new front suspension, cooling system and floor. It lived up to expectations in that it wasn’t the silver bullet Wolff had previously said didn’t exist, nor did it see the team enter the fight for pole position or the race win.
But it did close the gap, at least between last year’s Monaco qualifying where George Russell was seven-tenths away from pole and this year’s where Lewis Hamilton was less than four-tenths down. “It’s so difficult [to assess] because we were in the mix with Aston Martin and with Ferrari, I would say,” Wolff said. “On a positive note, maybe encouraging because we have never been really good here.”
“We have been three tenths behind pole. Last year was six tenths, the car was awful last year and this time around the drivers said it’s not good. So, there’s a step in description. But we really need to be careful. We’ve got to go to Barcelona, collect more data. It’s a new baseline. I don’t expect us clearing Aston Martin and Ferrari there either. It is more about understanding what does this car do now and how do we need to set it up?”
‘ “Awful” W13 to a “not good” W14’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...-not-good-w14/
Toto Wolff reveals ‘nasty’ part of W14 still giving Mercedes problems
30 May 2023 12:06 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed the rear of the W14 is still somewhat “nasty” for his drivers, even after their upgrades in Monaco. “The car felt together, which is important, but it’s still a bit nasty on the rear – so that’s something which we need to dial out of the car for the next few races,” Wolff told reporters in Monaco, as per Motorsport.com.
The Spanish Grand Prix will offer Mercedes and others a much better opportunity to assess how their upgrades work in the real world, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya being a regular testing circuit in Formula 1 and a more conventional layout on which to gather data.
That will be the team’s priority over the weekend as they look into how their new parts have worked in relation to simulations at their factory, but the team principal knows it will take more than one race to establish how high their new performance level is. “I think Barcelona is not enough,” Wolff said.
‘ “Nasty” ‘;rear of the W14
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...s-w14-element/
Toto Wolff sticks the boot in on George Russell after denying his Lewis Hamilton request
Toto Wolff reflected on a frustrating day for George Russell at the Monaco Grand Prix.
07:07, Mon, May 29, 2023
By Jack McEachen
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff did not hold back when discussing George Russell’s error at the Monaco Grand Prix that likely cost him a podium place in a rain-hit race. The Brit looked set to benefit from a slow pitstop by Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, but appeared to get distracted by a yellow flag and ultimately ended in P5.
Not only did he drop behind Ocon and team-mate Lewis Hamilton, but he was also hit with a five-second penalty for an unsafe rejoin amid a collision with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez. He was then shut down by Wolff when asked to swap places with Hamilton, before the team principal bluntly claimed that without the error a podium place would have been secured.
‘Sticks the boot in’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Lewis-Hamilton
Russell “venting” over lost third place prompted radio call from Wolff
2023 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 28th May 2023, 20:1730th May 2023, 1:11
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
“I’m really kicking myself because P3 was almost guaranteed after not pitting,” he admitted. “I came out, there was a yellow flag, I backed off, and as soon as I touched the brakes, I locked up and followed Stroll up the escape route. That’s probably a lesson that actually when you’re not on it and you’re not focussed, you make those mistakes. Probably if there wasn’t a yellow flag there, I would have just been focusing more and I wouldn’t have gone off and cost most the team a comfortable P3.”
As he rejoined the track, Russell tangled with Sergio Perez. The stewards ruled the Mercedes driver returned to the track in an unsafe fashion and gave him a five-second time penalty. Russell “was venting my frustration at myself” on the radio when Wolff spoke to him, he said. “As a driver, you sometimes want to get this frustration out of your body and maybe it’s not necessarily easy for everybody to understand why.”
“Venting”
https://www.racefans.net/2023/05/28/...ll-from-wolff/
George Russell explains why Toto Wolff intervened on Monaco radio
29 May 2023 10:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
George Russell says he was “venting my frustration at myself” during the Monaco Grand Prix, that prompting Toto Wolff to speak to him over the radio to calm him down. Informed of his penalty, Russell asked the team if he could switch positions with Hamilton in order to potentially hunt down Ocon.
He even went as far as to say he wouldn’t cross the line more than five seconds ahead of Hamilton thus ensuring his team-mate finished ahead. As the conversation continued, Wolff promptly got onto the radio to calm his driver down. Wolff later told ServusTV that swapping positions was never going to be an option.
“He generally puts a lot of pressure on himself, that’s his way,” he said of his conversation with Russell. “We might have to consult and coordinate. I don’t think he also really thought we would swap positions. I said we are not even discussing that. Staying calm is important. Without his error, it would have been a podium finish, we were ahead of Ocon.”
‘Toto Wolff intervened on Monaco radio’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...-radio-monaco/
Wolff on Hamilton-Ferrari rumours: We have a pact
29 May 1:45PM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365
Toto Wolff has quashed reports suggesting that Ferrari have held talks with Lewis Hamilton over a 2024 Formula 1 drive, with Wolff revealing a "pact" that he holds with Hamilton. Speculation emerged prior to the Monaco Grand Prix that the Scuderia were reportedly preparing to make a £40 million offer to Hamilton to race for the team.
When asked about the reports linking Hamilton to Ferrari, Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.com: "There's nothing behind that. I think that, how it is at the moment with us, we are in a super happy position with Lewis. There weren't any stumbling blocks in the contract negotiations.”
"We have a pact – and we've had that since many, many years – that we wouldn't talk to any other driver before we have taken a decision to stay together or not, so I was never a millimetre in doubt that there was any discussion. Someone just placed that [story], maybe to, in a way, play a role in what seemed to be negotiation, but it is not negotiation. It is sitting at a table and saying, 'What is it we need to adapt to in the contract?' ”
‘We have a pact’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-on-h...we-have-a-pact
Mercedes boss’ foul play claim in $75m Ferrari link as star’s F1 pact revealed
May 30th, 2023 1:51 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff suspects debunked stories about Lewis Hamilton’s defection to Ferrari were planted to destabilise his team during contract talks. The UK’s Daily Mail reported last week that Ferrari had offered Hamilton $75 million to move to Maranello in 2024 and that the seven-time champion was already in high-level discussions with Scuderia president John Elkann.
Both Hamilton and Ferrari boss Frédéric Vasseur strongly denied that there was any truth to the report when asked in Monte Carlo at the weekend. The short-lived story followed reports in the Italian media at the end of April that Charles Leclerc was talking to Toto Wolff about a possible Mercedes drive in the event Hamilton retired at the end of the year, though both rebuffed the claims.
Formula 1 silly season is usually a fraught time of year, particularly when a driver with as high a profile as Hamilton is on the market. But Wolff said he suspected rumours that Hamilton would leave Brackley were malicious given the advanced level of discussions he was having with his driver.
‘Foul play claim, suspected malicious rumours, debunked stories’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...7bdaab97766449
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Will Alonso deliver dream win for home fans? Seven Spanish GP talking points.
Even just another podium finish will likely be enough to kick off the biggest party seen at the Spanish Grand Prix since that day back in 2013. The only question is, can Aston Martin successfully deliver once again?
31st May 2023, 7:1531st May 2023, 7:17
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans
It’s difficult to believe, but the last time Fernando Alonso stood on the top step of a podium was over a decade ago at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix. Unsurprisingly, it was a victory that proved popular with the local fans – many, many thousands of whom had travelled to the Circuit de Catalunya purely in support of the then-Ferrari driver.
But while he has taken 15 podium finishes since that day, he has not yet been able to break through and secure that long-awaited 33rd grand prix victory. Just days ago he came closer than he has ever been to winning since his return from retirement last weekend in Monaco with a well-deserved second place. However, he was still nearly half a minute adrift of Max Verstappen at the chequered flag – a sign of just how big that final step remains for Aston Martin to beat Red Bull.
That advantage Red Bull continues to hold out front makes the possibility of Alonso pulling off a stunning upset no higher this weekend than it has been at any other point in the season. But that won’t matter at all to the many fans who will be cheering him on in Barcelona. Even just another podium finish will likely be enough to kick off the biggest party seen at the Spanish Grand Prix since that day back in 2013. The only question is, can Aston Martin successfully deliver once again?
‘Dream win for home fans?’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/05/31/...alking-points/
5 big talking points heading into the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend
31st May 2023, 10:37
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport
Can Sergio Perez bounce back? Perez had a shocking weekend last time out in Monaco but gets a chance to respond as quickly as is possible in F1 with another GP a matter of days later.
Will Fernando Alonso give the home fans something to celebrate? The expectation on Fernando Alonso this weekend going into a home GP is probably about as high as it has been for a decade, given how well he is driving and how good the Aston Martin is this season.
‘Talking points: Where will Mercedes stack up? Where will Alpine be? How will track tweak change the spectacle?’;
https://www.givemesport.com/5-big-ta...-this-weekend/
Five key questions ahead of the 2023 Spanish GP
31st May 2023, 10:26
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week
How will the new final sector affect racing? One of the major talking points for the upcoming race weekend is the removal of the final sector chicane, which was detested by drivers and fans alike. Can Ferrari show greater race pace? Ferrari is enduring a dismal period, scoring just a single podium result in the first six rounds of the 2023 campaign. Its qualifying pace has been more positive, and it even scored a pole position in Baku.
Will Mercedes’ upgrades be further realised? The highly anticipated upgrades that Mercedes was originally meant to introduce at the cancelled Imola round broke cover in Monaco. Can de Vries continue his forward momentum? Under pressure to perform, Nyck de Vries enjoyed a positive Monaco Grand Prix weekend, which threatened to be his biggest challenge in the sport yet.
Can Alonso pull off a dream home result? It’s been over 10 years since Fernando Alonso took to the top step of the podium, and it occurred at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2013.
‘Key questions’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...23-spanish-gp/
IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix
31 May 2023
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site
1. How does Perez respond? The Monaco race weekend delivered plenty of thrilling action and a stunning qualifying session that was followed by the dramatic race, but for Sergio Perez it was a Grand Prix to forget. 2. Fernando’s home race. Carlos Sainz has enjoyed excellent home support in recent years, but there seems to be an added something in the atmosphere at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya when Fernando Alonso is racing there in a competitive car.
3. A true view of Mercedes’ upgrades. The list of upgrades being brought to Monaco by all of the teams was a long one after the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was called off, but it wasn’t the circuit that anyone was expecting to learn the most about their respective new parts. 4. A new track layout. I might have said Barcelona has been regularly used for testing in Formula 1, but that has tended to be on a layout that included a chicane prior to the final corner.
5. The start of something at Alpine? While there was increased scrutiny on Alpine around the Miami Grand Prix, the team performed well on race day in Florida and then brought a number of upgrades to Monaco as they looked to try and build on what is a strong baseline car.
‘5 storylines’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...etgYYto0E.html
Spanish GP weekend set to be a timely examination of Sergio Perez's title credentials
11:57 Mon, 29 May 2023.
George Dagless
Give Me Sport
Despite what happened at the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Sergio Perez can absolutely win the world title this season - but he now has very little margin for further error.
Indeed, he now lies 39 back from Max Verstappen, who won, in the standings and, though that is a gap that can be overhauled relatively quickly, it still feels sizeable given who is in possession of the advantage. Perez now must respond.
Reflecting on the weekend, he admitted he could now not afford another race this year to come away from pointless if he wants to achieve his championship dream and, clearly, he now needs a handful of races where he outscores his in-form team-mate - and likely this side of the summer break before the threat of Red Bull intervening and protecting Max on the way to a third world title grows large.
‘Must respond’;
https://www.givemesport.com/spanish-...e-credentials/
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Alpine 'EXPECT' to beat Mercedes and race Ferrari at Spanish Grand Prix.
Alpine's Sporting director Alan Permane says the French team "expects" to be ahead of eight-time constructors champions Mercedes and race Ferrari at the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix.
Wednesday 31 May 2023 13:57
Jay Winter
GPFans
Although Monaco can be known to produce one-off winners due to its unique nature, Permane is adamant that their car isn't only competitive in Monte Carlo. "I don't think this is a Monaco special car," he said. "It is just the upgrades we put on for Imola and also for here... the car is working well. I fully expect to be in front of Mercedes and with Ferrari at the next race."
While the British engineer seems to have high hopes for his team, Permane also shut down the idea they could challenge Aston Martin or Red Bull. "Max is too far away, and when Checo is on his game, he will be as well," he explained.
"Fernando is going to be very difficult but I don't see why we can't race with Ferrari and Mercedes, which we have done [in Monaco] and as we did do in Miami as well. They were quicker than us ultimately, but we were in a race with them. That is where we are aiming for."
‘French team "expects"!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-2023-preview/
‘Define the path’ – What’s at stake for Mercedes in Barcelona
Jun 1 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race
The performance and behaviour of the upgraded Mercedes Formula 1 car at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix will “define the path ahead for us”, according to trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin.
The underfloor, front suspension and new sidepods were the key elements of the upgrade, which team principal Toto Wolff characterised as “a fundamental shift in the design direction”. This is the first step in this concept, on which Mercedes will continue to build not just this year but with next year’s car.
The current Mercedes W14 is a compromised version of this new direction thanks to being constrained by aspects of the car architecture that cannot be changed this year either It’s already an improvement, but it’s necessary to accumulate real-world data to correlate with the design and development work being done at the team’s Brackley base. This will feed into not just the development plan for the rest of the year, but also the 2024 car project.
‘Car architecture: Define the path’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/defin...-in-barcelona/
F1 - 2023 Spanish GP SCHEDULE OF PRESS CONFERENCES
17:08 Wed, 31 May 2023.
FIA (Press Release)
THURSDAY, 01 JUNE
Press Conference:
1430hrs
Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)
Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
1505hrs
Nyck De Vries (AlphaTauri)
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Logan Sargeant (Williams)
TV Pen:
1430hrs
Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Sergio Pérez (Red Bull)
1505hrs
Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)
Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Alex Albon (Williams)
‘FIA (Press Release)’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2023-spa...ss-conferences
What tyres will the teams and drivers have for the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix?
31 May 2023
Formula One - Official Site
“Traditionally, Barcelona has been one of the most popular venues for testing: both for cars and tyres,” said Pirelli Motorsport Director Mario Isola. “It’s a complete track, featuring several different types of speeds and corners, and it also has a very long straight. As a result, aerodynamic efficiency is key to being competitive.
“The final sector has been modified for this year, reverting to the original layout without a final chicane. This makes it a much more flowing track now and also adds to the entry speed onto the main straight. There are two corners, Turn 3 and Turn 9, which are particularly demanding in terms of lateral forces exerted on the tyres.”
“We’ve chosen the same three types of tyre as the season-opener in Bahrain, but it’s important to remember, when comparing to last year, that this year’s C1 is an entirely new compound, specifically designed to bridge the gap between the hardest tyre in the range (now called the C0) and the C2.”
‘What tyres’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...RI0Kk4MBr.html
Spanish GP: F1 2023's true pecking order to be revealed at Circuit de Catalunya this weekend?
Last Updated: 01/06/23 6:21am
By Jonathan Green
SKY
Red Bull remain team to beat in Barcelona after 100 per cent start to year, but order behind intriguing as Mercedes, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Alpine run upgrades on representative circuit
The Circuit de Catalunya is arguably the most familiar to the drivers and teams, having regularly played host to testing sessions over the years. Several teams will be running upgrades on their cars this weekend, either for the first time or certainly running them for the first time in representative conditions.
"Barcelona is the best judge of a chassis - it's all about chassis and aero there," Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle said. So as the development war steps up, could we see F1 2023's true pecking order begin to emerge?
‘F1 2023's true pecking order to be revealed’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...a-this-weekend
Verstappen to confirm F1 fears?: What to expect at the Spanish GP
31 May 5:15PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Formula 1 returns to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Spanish Grand Prix with a revision to the track layout. The old double right-hander to finish the lap has returned, signalling an end to the slower chicane that had replaced the corner in 2007.
Max Verstappen took the upper hand over Sergio Perez in the F1 title battle after contrasting fortunes at the Monaco Grand Prix, whilst Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon secured podiums behind the Dutchman. So what should you expect from the Spanish GP weekend?
‘Alonso to spark Spanish fiesta, Mercedes' first real look at upgrade package, Alpine recover from Rossi polemics, Chicance removal to aid overtaking?’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...the-spanish-gp
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EL PLAN.
Spanish Grand Prix: Fernando Alonso gears up for success at home.
It’s been nearly a decade since there was this much hype surrounding the Spanish Grand Prix.
1st June 2023, 08:25
The Telegraph, Calcutta
41-year-old arrives revitalized with Aston Martin team that is one of the surprises of the season and has been running near top from start. The last time the Formula One crowd in Spain had such high hopes of celebrating a victory by Fernando Alonso — the country’s biggest racing idol — was back in 2013, when the two-time champion was driving for Ferrari.
Alonso went on to win that race in Barcelona, but since then has never been in a realistic position to make it to the top step of the podium again at home. That was his last win in F1 anywhere, and the last by any Spaniard in the local race. The 41-year-old Alonso arrives revitalized with an Aston Martin team that is one of the surprises of the season and has been running near the top from the start.
Alonso has five podium finishes in six races so far, and is coming off a season-best second-place finish in Monaco last weekend. The Spaniard said he doesn’t want to “disappoint anyone” by coming into his home race with too many expectations, and will not put “any pressure on my team or myself.”
‘EL PLAN: Arrives revitalized’;
https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1...ernando+Alonso
Alonso: Title chances remote against Red Bull but 'not giving up'
31/05/2023 at 09:21
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Fernando Alonso admits that Red Bull currently remains out of reach of its F1 rivals, but the Spaniard isn't giving up yet on his title chances this season with Aston Martin. Alonso secured his best result of the season in last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, finishing second behind the race's unassailable winner Max Verstappen.
The 41-year-old's fifth podium in six races has positioned him third in the Driver's standings, 51 points adrift from Verstappen but just 12 points behind the Dutchman's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. While Verstappen continues to extend his lead in the championship with each passing race, Alonso isn't conceding the title to the bulls yet.
"We will need weekends where Red Bull has some issues, like Sergio [Perez] had here [in Monaco] with the DNF or zero points. And if Max has one or two of those, we will be a little bit closer in the championship. This is motorsport. Anything can happen. But on pure pace. I think we don't have the chance yet. But we will not give up for sure."
‘EL PLAN: Need weekends where Red Bull has some issues’;
https://f1i.com/news/475899-alonso-t...giving-up.html
Revived Barcelona layout to be ‘more fun’ – Alonso
1st June 2023, 07:44
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news
The big novelty at this weekend’s Spanish GP will be the absence of the slow chicane at the end of the Circuit de Catalunya layout. “New protection and deceleration systems” including Tecpro barriers “allow the corners to be reinstated” a spokesman for the Barcelona track said at the time.
16 years after his aforementioned statement, the now 41-year-old Alonso admits he is looking forward to racing his Aston Martin through the revived corners. “I think it will probably be more fun to drive like this,” he is quoted by Diario Sport.
“That section was too slow for our cars. It wasn’t fun to race there, but we have to wait and see if this new design helps with overtaking.”
‘EL PLAN: More fun’;
https://grandpx.news/revived-barcelo...re-fun-alonso/
Revitalized Alonso gives Spaniards hope of ending winning drought at home in F1
May 31, 2023 9:13 AM PT
BY TALES AZZONI
ASSOCIATED PRESS
U-T San Diego
It’s been nearly a decade since there was this much hype surrounding the Spanish Grand Prix.
The last time the Formula One crowd in Spain had such high hopes of celebrating a victory by Fernando Alonso — the country’s biggest racing idol — was back in 2013, when the two-time champion was driving for Ferrari.
“I’m looking forward to seeing all of the Spanish and Aston Martin fans out in full force supporting our team,” Alonso said Wednesday. “I hope to see lots of green in the grandstands over the weekend. So far, we have scored lots of third places, a second place in Monaco and the next one we need is the top step. To do this we have to maximize every part of our weekend and capitalize on any opportunities that may come our way.”
Alonso said he won’t be obsessed with winning at home, and will try to “enjoy every moment” of what he called a “celebration” in Barcelona. A record crowd is expected this weekend to support Alonso and fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr. at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. More than 40,000 tickets were sold in the first few hours after being put on sale last year, and more tickets were made available again earlier this year. More than 100,000 people are expected for Sunday’s race.
‘EL PLAN: Ending winning drought’;
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...-at-home-in-f1
Aston Martin 'will be the next Red Bull' as Christian Horner makes Fernando Alonso point
Red Bull are dominating the Formula 1 world this season, but Aston Martin have made remarkable progress and have shown signs of being able to compete with the leaders
15:55, 31 May 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror
Aston Martin WILL dominate the Formula 1 world in the future, in the eyes of Sky Sports commentator David Croft. Aston Martin have delivered a competitive car, have hired scores of top staff from rival team and are building new state-of-the-art facilities at their Silverstone base. With all that in mind, Croft is confident that title challenges are in the team's future.
"There'll be a wind tunnel to come as well. There'll be a conference centre eventually on that. There'll be an engine project with Honda. They'll be making their own gearboxes," he said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast. "They'll no longer be getting technical support from other people. They'll be doing it all themselves.”
"With that comes challenges, but with that comes a lot more advanced information as to where the mounting points for the engine are going to be on the chassis, for instance. They could be, and I think they will be, the next Red Bull in Formula 1 – they've got the vision, they've got the money, they've got the strategy, they've got the people."
‘EL PLAN: Aston Martin WILL dominate the Formula 1 world’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...lonso-30123127
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EL PLAN: “A special energy”
Alonso addresses chances of Spanish GP victory as home fans give him 'special energy'.
Fernando Alonso will have the home crowd on his side, saying he always finds the fans give him “a special energy” when he races here.
01 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site
The 12th of May 2013 is the date on everyone’s minds – the last time Fernando Alonso crossed the line to take the chequered flag and win in Formula 1. A decade may have passed by the Spaniard but he has lost none of his sharpness and is on an incredible run of results heading into his home race.
Having never finished lower than fourth this season – his first as an Aston Martin driver – the Spaniard already has five podiums to show for himself with second in Monaco last weekend the closest he’s come to a win in nine years. As a result, many are asking when he can finally break the drought and make it to the top step of the podium.
For the romantics, Spain would be a perfect location to do that but the Aston Martin man is keeping those expectations measured. “I don’t think realistically we can fight for the victory, let’s be clear,” he said. “Red Bull have been very dominant all season long and I don’t see any reason why, in Barcelona, they should not aim for a one-two. But let’s see what we can do.”
‘EL PLAN: “A special energy”;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...BxXfH7P5C.html
Alonso out to claim 33rd victory at home
Aston Martin driver and Max Verstappen ready for Barcelona battle
ALAN BALDWIN
01 JUNE 2023 - 17:11
Financial Mail
Max Verstappen took his first Grand Prix win at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya with 33 on his car in 2016 and the same number will be a focus for Fernando Alonso fans when the Spaniard returns to the scene of his last victory.
“Mission 33” — the long-awaited 33rd career win — has been a rallying cry for fans of the 41-year-old Spaniard, now enjoying a revival with Aston Martin. His 32nd win was with Ferrari in May 2013 and Sunday’s race could be emotional.
If the heart beats for Alonso, with even Verstappen admitting in Monaco last weekend that he would love to see his fellow double champion win again, the head points to Red Bull’s runaway championship leader.
‘EL PLAN: “Mission 33”;
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/sp...ctory-at-home/
PADDOCK INSIDER: Alonso's inspired Aston Martin move could yield so much – and what a story it would be
01 June 2023
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
Formula One - Official Site
When Fernando Alonso left Formula 1 at the end of 2018, after 17 years in the sport, the Spaniard did not know what the future would hold. Despite his near unrivalled belief in his own ability, even he knew coming back in a driving capacity – and with a team that could compete – was a long shot.
“We will come back maybe one day as a tourist and as a commentator and enjoy Formula 1 in a different way,” he said after the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – a race where he finished 11th after a wild performance that saw him pick up three penalty points in three separate incidents.
Fast forward four-and-a-half years and Alonso can hardly believe what is happening to him. After a first F1 career ladened with near misses, bad luck and some bad judgement in terms of team moves, the double world champion – at 41 – has found himself in a position to achieve what looked like the impossible, a return to the top step of the podium.
‘EL PLAN: The impossible’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Zo5IolZYr.html
Alonso: Spanish GP win unrealistic with 'very dominant' Red Bull
01 June 2023
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing
The omens for the double world champion to score victory No.33 at his home race have been coming thick and fast in the build-up to this weekend's race in Barcelona. However, on Thursday, Alonso, who claimed his last F1 win came in Spain back in 2013, was quick to pop the hype balloon with a dose of reality.
“It feels good. Obviously, there is a special energy every time in Spain when I come here and I see all the fans," he said ahead of his 25th F1 race weekend in his home country via Formula1.com. “I don’t think, realistically, we can fight for the victory. Let’s be clear," Alonso stated.
“Red Bull has been very dominant all season long so I don’t see any reason why in Barcelona they should not aim for a one-two, but let’s see what we can do. A few updates for everybody, especially for Ferrari and Mercedes in Monaco, so let’s see.”
‘EL PLAN: Let’s be clear’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...inant-red-bull
Fernando Alonso highlights negative impact of Aston Martin’s unexpected rise
01 Jun 2023 8:30 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
While Aston Martin are delivering beyond all expectations so far in F1 2023, Fernando Alonso highlighted that this means the team is struggling to match the development rate of their rivals.
The development war is truly now ramping up though for F1 2023, Mercedes having introduced a heavily-revised W14 in Monaco, while this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix is set to mark the introduction of major upgrades at Ferrari.
And Alonso believes this is putting Aston Martin’s immaturity in terms of experience in the upper echelons of the grid on full display, in-season development being an area of their game which they must “speed up” in future to hang with the likes of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari.
EL PLAN: In-season development, “speed up”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...de-slow-speed/
'Search for perfection difficult in changing conditions' - Fernando Alonso defends Aston's Monaco strategy
01 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Speaking ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, Fernando Alonso is only positive regarding the Aston Martin team's P2 performance last time out.
EL PLAN: Only positive’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...122423222.html
-
Spain GP FP1: Red Bull 1-2 with Ferrari’s old-spec SF-23 faster than the new version.
Red Bull led the way from start to finish in the opening practice hour for the Spanish GP, delivering a crushing blow to Mercedes and Ferrari’s recent upgrades.
02 Jun 2023 1:34 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Although Mercedes delivered a heavily updated W14 in Monaco and Ferrari followed suit in Spain, neither team was able to take the fight to Red Bull in FP1 at the Barcelona circuit.
Running new prototype tyres for Pirelli, and new parts, for Ferrari and Aston Martin, Friday’s practice got underway under a sense of anticipation as the crowd waited to see whether their leading Spaniards, Sainz and Fernando Alonso, could take the fight to Red Bull.
From the get-go, they were off the pace.
For those testing new parts, Hamilton was seventh, 2.2s down, while Sainz, running the new Ferrari parts in a back-to-back test with his team-mate Leclerc, was a further 0.04s back. As Sainz whipped into the pits for his first stop of the session for new tyres, the flo-vis paint on his upgraded Ferrari was evident with the Spaniard covering 15 laps in the first 20 minutes.
‘Crushing blow’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/spain-...23-fp1-report/
(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Spanish Grand Prix
2nd June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 1:14.606
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.768
3. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.812
4. Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri +0.898
5. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.939
6. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.941
7. Kevin Magnussen Haas +1.083
8. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +1.088
9. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +1.120
10. George Russell Mercedes +1.147
‘Spanish Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the first practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Barcelona’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-...and-prix-82226
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix
3rd June 2023, 12:30
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site
‘As it Happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...3doYrpq4q.html
F1 Spanish Grand Prix - Friday Practice - LIVE UPDATES
2nd June 2023, 2:31
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net1
‘LIVE UPDATES!’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-spa...e-live-updates
Unhappy Max Verstappen tops FP1 ahead of Spanish GP
June 2, 2023
By Andrew Wright
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen posted the fastest lap of the first practice session ahead of the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix. The Dutchman carried on where he left off in Monaco, topping the timesheet in Barcelona courtesy of a 1:14.606 on the soft tyres that was good enough to finish almost eight tenths clear of Sergio Perez.
It might have appeared smooth sailing, but it sounded anything but from inside the cockpit, as Verstappen complained about his engine mode and porpoising. Despite that, he was in a league of his own, with the majority of drivers struggling to get within a second of his benchmark time.
Esteban Ocon continued his fine form to take third ahead of his teammate in fifth, with Nyck de Vries surprisingly splitting the Alpines in fourth. Home hero Fernando Alonso was the best part of a second down on the ultimate pace in sixth, perhaps underlining the superiority of the Red Bull.
‘Unhappy Max tops FP1’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ops-spain-fp1/
Verstappen leads Perez by seven-tenths as times tumble at revised Catalunya track
2023 Spanish Grand Prix first practice
Posted on 2nd June 2023, 13:522nd June 2023, 13:52
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans
Championship leader Max Verstappen led team mate Sergio Perez by seven tenths of a second as drivers familiarised themselves with the revised layout of the Circuit de Catalunya. Aston Martin sent Fernando Alonso out the moment the green light appeared at the end of the pitlane with a large aero rake installed on his AMR22. He performed some slow laps to generate some base data for his team on their new front and rear wings parts before returning to the pit lane.
Teams were also testing the new construction of tyres from Pirelli which are due to be introduced at the British Grand Prix in three rounds’ time. The vast majority of teams opted to run those prototype tyres for their initial laps, although the two Mercedes drivers of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both decided to complete runs on the revised rubber.
Many drivers had their first experience of the much faster turn 13 as they bypassed the chicane which was introduced in 2007. However many drivers, including Verstappen and Russell, reported some porpoising in their car as they rounded the final right hander at speeds of 250kph.
‘Times tumble’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/02/...talunya-track/
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Verstappen completes Spanish GP Friday clean sweep.
The two-time champion set a benchmark of 1:13.907 to finish 0.170secs faster than Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.
02 June 6:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen completed a Friday clean sweep at the Spanish Grand Prix by finishing top of second practice at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Verstappen had underlined Red Bull's early dominance with a margin of almost eight-tenths over teammate Sergio Perez and will enter the weekend as the driver to beat.
The session was dominated by continued struggles with a bump at the final corner which has been exaggerated by increased speeds compared to previous years after the old chicane was removed from the layout. Drivers have experienced excessive bouncing due to cars bottoming, with the Ferraris and Mercedes' struggling to comply more than their rivals.
‘Clean sweep’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...ay-clean-sweep
Verstappen still fastest but Alonso comes closest in second practice
2023 Spanish Grand Prix second practice
Posted on 2nd June 2023, 17:19
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans
2023 Spanish Grand Prix second practice result
Position Number Driver Team Model Time Gap Laps
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull-Honda RBPT RB19 1’13.907 33
2 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin-Mercedes AMR23 1’14.077 0.170 29
3 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas-Ferrari VF-23 1’14.177 0.270 31
4 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull-Honda RBPT RB19 1’14.219 0.312 29
5 31 Esteban Ocon Alpine-Renault A523 1’14.242 0.335 29
6 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari SF-23 1’14.246 0.339 31
7 55 Carlos Sainz Jnr Ferrari SF-23 1’14.274 0.367 31
8 63 George Russell Mercedes W14 1’14.392 0.485 31
9 77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo-Ferrari C43 1’14.448 0.541 31
10 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine-Renault A523 1’14.457 0.550 28
‘FULL 2023 Spanish Grand Prix second practice result’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/02/...cond-practice/
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from second practice for the Spanish Grand Prix
02 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site
‘As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...GVNqzB4Xo.html
How Friday practice for the F1 Spanish Grand Prix unfolded
2nd June 2023, 12:31
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
‘How Friday practice unfolded’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-spa...e-live-updates
Spanish GP FP2: Max Verstappen pips Fernando Alonso to top spot, Hulkenberg P3
02 Jun 2023 5:01 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Just as they were for most of the Monaco weekend, Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso were locked together at the top of the standings in FP2 for the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Aston Martin driver looking particularly planted through the fast Turn 14 and setting a purple sector 3 to go second quickest of anybody, 0.170s behind Verstappen’s benchmark, while team-mate Lance Stroll could only manage P18, nine tenths off Alonso’s pace in the session.
The closeness of the pack in practice also hints that qualifying could well be a tight session once again, as was the case in Monaco, though if anyone is going to challenge at the front of the field, Alonso or Perez look the most likely based on Friday’s evidence.
‘Pips Fernando’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/spanis...23-fp2-report/
Max Verstappen quickest in Spanish GP FP2 as Fernando Alonso closes in
The championship leader set the fastest time of the second practice session in Spain
June 2, 2023
By Andrew Wright
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen made it a Friday clean sweep at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, setting the fastest lap of the second practice session at the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix. The world champion cut a frustrated figure during FP1 and complained of porpoising but appeared happier when cars returned to the track for FP2.
That being said, his gap at the top of the timesheet was cut from nearly eight tenths to less than two, with his 1:13.907s on the soft tyres leaving him 0.170s ahead of the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard also ended the session able to match Verstappen closest in terms of race pace, setting up the prospect of an exciting GP.
‘Fernando Alonso closes in’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...alonso-closes/
-
EL PLAN.
Alonso taking energy from vocal home crowd as he looks to ‘put on a good show’ following P2 in Friday practice.
Offering his thoughts at the end of day one, Alonso said: “I think it’s so tight that one or two-tenths will put you in a completely different spot on the classification, so don’t pay too much attention on the times.”
02 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site.
Fernando Alonso enjoyed a strong start to his home Grand Prix weekend as he placed second to Max Verstappen on the opening day of practice at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, describing FP1 and FP2 as a “productive” pair of sessions.
Asked if Aston Martin’s latest updates – which include developments around the front and rear wing – are helping him, he commented: “They do, they do. Absolutely. There is not a new part that we put in the car that is not helping the performance. That is something that has been always the case with the team from Bahrain. I’m happy with upgrades, and let’s see tomorrow, when everyone goes to full power, where we are.”
‘EL PLAN: Taking energy’;
Alonso aiming to repay 'special energy' of Spanish fans
02/06/2023 at 19:31
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
"I heard 67 per cent of the merchandise on the grandstand is green, which is amazing,” he beamed, comparing it to his heyday with Renault. “This is going back to the 2005, 2006, 2007 years, where everything was in one colour. I really feel that support, that special energy," he continued. "It was amazing at the fan forum this morning.”
"While driving I cannot hear them, but I feel how enthusiastic they are, so hopefully we put in a good show for them.” But he's not getting carried away: “It’s so close over one lap that I think a couple of tenths will put you in a completely different position in the classification, so we won’t read too much into the times. We went through all the programme that we had before the free practice, which is a good thing, learning about the tyres," he said.
‘EL PLAN: 'Special energy'
https://f1i.com/news/476250-alonso-a...nish-fans.html
Alonso hot on Verstappen's heels in second Spanish GP practice
02 June 2023, 18:44
BY REUTERS
Times LIVE
Red Bull's Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen set the pace in both practice sessions for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, with home hero Fernando Alonso delighting the crowd with the second fastest lap.
The Dutch driver was 0.768 seconds quicker than Mexican team mate and closest rival Sergio Perez in the first session and then 0.170 faster than Aston Martin's Alonso in the late afternoon.
Alonso's 32nd and last win was at the same circuit a decade ago with Ferrari and his form at the age of 41 — with five podiums in six races including second in Monaco last weekend — has fired up the fans.
‘EL PLAN: Fired up fans’;
https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring...h-gp-practice/
Mercedes struggles continue in FP2 as Alonso closes gap to Verstappen
Friday 2 June 2023 18:24
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Max Verstappen put in another impressive performance in second practice to top the timing sheets, but Fernando Alonso ramped the pressure up on both Red Bull and the Dutchman after he ended up just 0.170secs behind him in second place.
Alonso made sure that the two-time world champion will be checking his rear-view mirrors ahead of Saturday's qualifying. The F1 veteran, who finished nearly a second behind Verstappen in first practice, roared back to life in the following session to end up within two-tenths of the Red Bull driver.
‘EL PLAN: Verstappen will be checking his rear-view mirrors’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...bull-mercedes/
Fernando Alonso omen spotted at Spanish Grand Prix as sign points to victory on home soil.
Alonso has not won an F1 race for a decade but has enjoyed a remarkable season so far this year and looks the man most likely to be the first to challenge the Red Bulls as the performance gap closes.
16:48, 2 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror
The fairytale outcome would be for that victory to come in front of those adoring Spanish fans. Alonso has waited 10 years to get back onto the top step of the podium in F1 – this very same event in 2013 being the last time he did so.
His next F1 win will be the 33rd of his career, which happens to be Verstappen's race number – when he's not sporting the '1' reserved for the defending world champion. So fans have been keeping an eye out for any further signs of that figure, fuelled by Alonso himself who has declared it to be a "good number".
So they were very excited when the official F1 social media accounts pointed out the fact Alonso's car is housed in garage 33 at the Circuit de Catalunya this weekend. The more superstitious felt it was an omen that the 41-year-old could do something special.
‘EL PLAN: ‘33’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...appen-30142134
Formula 1: 'Special energy' inspires Fernando Alonso at Spanish Grand Prix practice
Fernando Alonso said he was delighted with the big turnout of fans bedecked in the Aston Martin green in the grandstands
June 03, 2023 09:23:11 IST
Agence France-Presse
Firstpost
Two-time former world champion Fernando Alonso said his army of home fans had given him a “special energy” on Friday when he was second behind Max Verstappen in opening practice for the Spanish Grand Prix.
The 41-year-old Spaniard, who has reeled off five podium finishes for Aston Martin in six races this year to take third place behind the two dominant Red Bull drivers in the championship, was only 0.17 seconds slower than Verstappen. “It is so tight here,” he said.
‘EL PLAN: Fans bedecked in the Aston Martin green’;
Fernando Alonso: “The upgrades we’ve introduced are helping the performance of the car”
June 2, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
Fernando Alonso says it is too early to take anything away from the timing screens at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, despite the Spaniard ending second fastest overall to Max Verstappen.
“A lot of the grandstands are green and our Aston Martin merchandise is very popular,” he said. “The fans have been amazing and it’s great to see their support. Hopefully we can put on a good show for them tomorrow.”
Alonso feels Aston Martin’s recent updates to the AMR23 have helped the performance of the car, and he is keen to see where they will end up during Saturday’s Qualifying session amongst a field that appears to be extremely closely matched.
‘EL PLAN: Upgrades helping performance’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ce-of-the-car/
Aston Martin have “more time to find” after successful upgrade – Alonso.
2023 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 2nd June 2023, 18:16
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin have “more time to find” in their set up after finishing Friday closest to Max Verstappen. With half a second covering the top eight drivers, Alonso says he expects a competitive weekend at the front of the field. “It’s so tight that I think one or two tenths will put you in a completely different spot in the classification,” he said. “So don’t pay too much attention to the times.”
“There is not a new part that we put in the car that is not helping the performance,” he continued. “That’s something that has been always the case with the team from Bahrain. So I’m happy with the upgrades and let’s see tomorrow, when everyone goes to full power, where we are.
‘EL PLAN: “More time to find” ’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/02/...pgrade-alonso/
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FP3: Verstappen quickest in mixed FP3 conditions.
Spanish Grand Prix – Max Verstappen was fastest in a Red Flagged and rain-affected final practice where there was only proper running in the opening minutes.
3rd June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
With rain imminent, and lightning already lighting up the skies, the cars all lined up at the end of the pit lane to get whatever dry times that they could possibly get. The Williams cars were at the head of the queue Logan Sargeant opened the times with a 1:16.529 on the softs. Teams had been predicting rain about ten/fifteen minutes into the session but it wasn’t rain that stopped the dry running but a Red Flag after nine minutes when Sargeant’s Williams got out of shape going through the final corner sending him through the gravel and ended up beached at the barriers.
After five minutes all but the AlphaTauri and Ferraris, who’d sone install laps on hards or mediums before switching to the softs, had set times and it was Max Verstappen at the top of the charts with a 1:13.664, two and a half tenths ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez while the Mercedes cars of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were behind them.
The leaderboard didn’t change after the Red Flag so it was Verstappen on top ahead of Perez and Hamilton. Carlos Sainz was P4 ahead of Alonso and Russell. Charles Leclerc’s 1:14.353 saw him in P7 just ahead of Valtteri Bottas while Yuki Tsunoda was the last driver within a second of Verstappen. Norris and Zhou Guanyu had both set a 1:14.681 but the McLaren racer was the first to do so so he took P10.
‘Max Verstappen fasted’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen...nditions-82317
(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Spanish Grand Prix
3rd June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:13.664
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.250
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.408
4. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.576
5. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.600
6. George Russell Mercedes +0.614
7. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.689
8. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.696
9. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.995
10. Lando Norris McLaren +1.017
‘Spanish Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Barcelona’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-...and-prix-82313
AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from third practice for the Spanish Grand Prix
03 June 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site
‘AS IT HAPPENED’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Ov2rSzXdv.html
F1 Spanish Grand Prix - Final practice & Qualifying - LIVE UPDATES!
3rd June 2023, 11:23
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Follow all of the F1 action this weekend from the Spanish Grand Prix here with the Crash.net live blog.
‘LIVE UPDATES!’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-spa...g-live-updates
Verstappen tops Spanish GP final practice as Hamilton third
The Red Bull driver was over two tenths faster than teammate Sergio Perez.
June 3, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen once again was top of the timing charts in final practice ahead of qualifying for the Spanish GP. The Red Bull driver was 0.250s faster than teammate Sergio Perez at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, while Lewis Hamilton showed significant improvement for Mercedes in third.
Home favourites Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso were fourth and fifth in the session, ahead of the second Mercedes of George Russell, with Charles Leclerc back in seventh for Ferrari. Valtteri Bottas was eighth for Alfa Romeo, with the AlphaTauri of Yuki Tsunoda and Lando Norris of McLaren rounding out the top ten.
Sargeant in the gravel. The session came under red flags after just ten minutes of running when the Williams of Logan Sargeant slid off into the gravel at Turn 1. The drivers were slow to make their way back out on track once the session resumed as the rain started to come down in Barcelona, with most coming back out on intermediate tyres and a number struggling for grip.
‘Red Bull driver was over two tenths faster’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...amilton-third/
Spain GP FP3: A damp squib with Max Verstappen P1 before rain came down
03 Jun 2023 12:32 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Max Verstappen was quickest in the opening 10 minutes of Saturday’s final practice for the Spanish Grand Prix, after which the rain changed the complexion of the session. With rain forecast for 12:40 local time, light to start with and then increasing in intensity as George Russell was told, the drivers were quickly out onto the track for the start of the third and final practice at the Barcelona circuit.
Out on the soft Pirellis, Verstappen immediately went P1 with a 1:13.6, a quarter of a second up on Sergio Perez, with Lewis Hamilton P3 in the early running. Ferrari were also quickly out with their new-look sidepods – Carlos Sainz up to fourth place and Charles Leclerc P7 as the rain began to intensify.
Russell reported that, while it was raining, the “track just doesn’t seem that wet”… and, moments later, Ocon had a moment on the lines. Despite being given an extra set of intermediate tyres, some of the drivers – including Lewis Hamilton – climbed out of their cars with Mercedes’ Bradley Lord declaring the driver knew “well enough” what needed to be done.
‘A damp squib’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/spain-...23-fp3-report/
Spanish GP: Verstappen goes fastest before rain hits in Practice 3
03 June 2023
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing
Max Verstappen went fastest before rain arrived in Practice 3 at the Spanish Grand Prix. With a thunderstorm approaching, drivers rushed out on track to get some dry running on the soft tyres.
But the rush still wouldn't be enough to prevent Verstappen from claiming P1 with a 1m13.664, a quarter of a second clear of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. Lewis Hamilton reported poor driveability from his Mercedes but was still able to claim third ahead of the two Spaniards, Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso.
Lando Norris was the first to venture out for a lap on intermediates with the two Ferraris following a few minutes later. But while there was definite rain falling the circuit never got properly wet, meaning the tyres only lasted a handful of laps before chunking up and degrading.
‘Verstappen goes fastest’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...-in-practice-3
Verstappen stays on top as Sargeant crashes in rain-hit final practice
2023 Spanish Grand Prix third practice
Posted on 3rd June 2023, 12:50
Written by Will Wood
Max Verstappen continued his run of topping every session in Barcelona as rain affected final practice ahead of qualifying. The championship leader set the quickest time of the weekend so far with his only push lap early in third practice to go a quarter-of-a-second faster than team mate Sergio Perez. Rain then fell on the circuit, leading to Logan Sargeant crashing his Williams.
Lewis Hamilton was third for Mercedes as drivers’ fastest times were all set in the opening 10 minutes. With dark clouds hanging ominously in the horizon, there was a big rush out onto the Circuit de Catalunya as the final hour of practice began. All drivers headed out on soft tyres in an effort to perform a quick qualifying simulation run while they could, with Perez going quickest of all with a 1’13.914 ahead of the Mercedes pair of Hamilton and George Russell.
The chequered flag flew at the end of the hour, with Verstappen on top of the order, two-and-a-half tenths ahead of his team mate Perez. Hamilton’s best time from the early running put him third for Mercedes, with the two local favourites of Sainz and Alonso fourth and fifth. Russell was sixth ahead of Leclerc’s Ferrari. Valtteri Bottas,Yuki Tsunoda and Norris completed the top 10.
‘Sargeant crashes in rain-hit final practice’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/03/...inal-practice/
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Verstappen takes dominant Spanish GP pole as big names make early exits.
Verstappen‘s teammate and nearest title challenger Sergio Perez endured another poor Saturday, scraping through Q1 before running off track in Q2 and finishing 11th, giving the Dutchman another great chance to extend his championship lead. June 3, 2023.
By Andrew Wright
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen dominated a dramatic qualifying for the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix to take his fourth pole position of the season, as a number of big names made early exits in Barcelona. The world champion topped all three practice sessions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and made it a clean sweep over a single lap courtesy of a 1:12.272s that was good enough to beat Carlos Sainz by 0.462s.
“The car was really good,” Verstappen told Sky Sports F1. “Qualifying was really tricky with the weather but once it started to dry out, and in Q3, the car was on rails. It was really enjoyable to drive today. I love coming to Barcelona, I love the track, I love the fans – they love racing. I have a lot of great memories here and hopefully tomorrow we can have another one.”
‘Verstappen takes dominant Spanish GP pole’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...es-exit-early/
Qualifying Results – 2023 Spanish Grand Prix
3rd June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:12.272
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.462
3. Lando Norris McLaren +0.520
4. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.544
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.546
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.722
7. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.811
8. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.957
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.235
10. Oscar Piastri McLaren +1.410
‘Spanish Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Barcelona’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying...and-prix-82323
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix
03 June 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site
‘As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...oNwlTRZQ9.html
Mercedes teammates Hamilton and Russell collide in Spanish GP qualifying
The drivers came together in an incident on the main straight in Barcelona during Q2.
June 3, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport
Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell made contact during the second qualifying session for the Spanish GP in a bizarre incident. Hamilton claimed that Russell had eased off down the main straight of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during Q2 as he was coming up to the back of his teammate, forcing the seven-time champion to the outside and bringing the two cars together.
The Mercedes team were able to repair the damage to Hamilton’s car in time for Q3 with a new front wing, while Russell was eliminated in Q2 in 12th alongside the Red Bull of Sergio Perez. Hamilton will start the race in Spain from fifth, with Max Verstappen once again taking pole position.
‘Hamilton and Russell collide’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...gp-qualifying/
Lewis Hamilton slams "dangerous" George Russell after Spanish GP qualifying collision
Towards the end of Q2 in Barcelona, Russell and Hamilton made contact which broke the seven-time world champion's front wing and made him furious with his team-mate
15:56, 3 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
Lewis Hamilton slammed team-mate George Russell for a "really dangerous" move which caused damage to his Mercedes. It happened towards the end of Q2 as the two British drivers were trying to complete their final flying laps. Russell had the DRS open while Hamilton had a nice slipstream behind a car in front of him, meaning they both arrived at a corner at around the same time.
But Russell did not leave enough room for his team-mate on the track, forcing Hamilton onto the grass. There was also contact between them which ripped off the right front wing endplate off the more experienced Brit's car, and which left him very unhappy. He made as much clear over the radio as he reported the problem it had created. He said: "George just backed off. That's really dangerous. I might have some damage on the car."
Fortunately for Hamilton, he had already gone fast enough to secure his place in Q3 and was able to get a front wing replacement for the final part of qualifying. Russell, who was apologetic over the radio, was not so lucky as he only went 12th fastest
‘That's really dangerous’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...fying-30147532
F1 qualifying results: Verstappen on pole for Spanish Grand Prix, Leclerc to start P19
The F1 circus invades Barcelona this weekend
Sat, Jun 3, 2023, 3:14 PM
John Parker
Yahoo! Sports: Dr. Saturday (Weblog)
Hamilton fastest in Q1, Leclerc eliminated. After a frustrating Friday in which Lewis Hamilton mused he might be out early in qualifying, the Mercedes driver turned the fastest lap in Q1 with a 1:12.937. Last year's pole-sitter Charles Leclerc complained about his rear tires throughout the session and was eliminated, along with Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen, Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant.
Perez, Russell out Q2. Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Mercedes' George Russell were surprisingly eliminated in Q2, along with Zhou Guanyu, Nyck de Vries and Yuki Tsunoda. Perez went into the gravel early in his final flying lap, forcing him to abort and try again on now-dirty tires. Russell made contact with teammate Lewis Hamilton late in the session as well. Perez's teammate Max Verstappen was fastest in the session, clocking a 1:12.760.
‘Verstappen on pole’;
https://sports.yahoo.com/f1-qualifyi...MFRxQ7zMwfsF5O
Charles Leclerc fumes at Ferrari's "weird behaviour" amid Spanish GP qualifying shocker
Leclerc was on pole for the Spanish Grand Prix last year but endured a torrid session this time around, as one of the best qualifiers on the grid was slower than all other drivers except one
15:32, 3 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror
Leclerc was on pole for the Spanish Grand Prix last year but endured a torrid session this time around, as one of the best qualifiers on the grid was slower than all other drivers except one. In Q1, by the time everyone had taken the chequered flag, only Logan Sargeant was below him on the timesheets. After having it confirmed over the radio that he had qualified 19th, Leclerc simply responded: "Unbelievable."
Unsurprisingly, he sounded very irritable as he faced the TV cameras as the rest of the session continued. Leclerc said: "I don't have the answer for now. The left hand corners were undriveable.”
"There's something off in the left hand corners that we need to analyse and understand it was very far off what I expected. I thought it was the tyres on the first set, but I went on to the second set and it was exactly the same.”
"Unbelievable";
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...elona-30147380
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Winners and losers from the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix qualifying.
Another action packed qualifying session as Max Verstappen rose above his competitors to take pole for the Spanish Grand Prix.
03 Jun 2023 8:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
Winners: Max Verstappen - On a day when everyone struggled around him, Max Verstappen put in an effortless performance to secure pole yet again. Lando Norris - A very impressive performance from Norris as he secured his best qualifying result of the season so far. Nico Hülkenberg - It may be one of the lesser spotted stories but Nico Hülkenberg has quietly gone about his business since his return to Formula 1.
Losers: Charles Leclerc - Truth be told, Leclerc has not really looked quick all weekend. Sergio Perez - If the Monaco Grand Prix was the closing of the lid, qualifying in Spain was the final nail in the coffin of Sergio Perez’s title ambitions. George Russell - If a team boss could make a list of things they do not want to happen in a qualifying session then ‘your drivers crashing into each other’ would be pretty high up there.
‘Winners and losers’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/wi...ix-qualifying/
Lewis Hamilton offered Spanish Grand Prix boost as FIA hand out Pierre Gasly penalty
Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth behind Pierre Gasly for the Spanish Grand Prix but the Alpine star has landed himself in hot water with the FIA.
19:52, Sat, Jun 3, 2023
By Joe Krishnan
Daily and Sunday Express
Lewis Hamilton has been handed a major boost ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix after the Mercedes star could only qualify fifth at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The race stewards investigated Gasly after the session had concluded as footage appeared to show the Alpine driver impeding both Verstappen and Sainz in separate incidents. The Alpine driver was demoted to 10th following a double penalty from the FIA.
‘Major boost’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...enalty-F1-news
F1 Spanish Grand Prix starting grid: How today’s race will begin
4 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
2023 F1 Spanish Grand Prix - STARTING GRID
Pos. Driver Nat. Team
1 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing
2 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari
3 Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team
4 Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team
5 Lance Stroll CAN Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team
6 Esteban Ocon FRA BWT Alpine F1 Team
7 Nico Hulkenberg GER MoneyGram Haas F1 Team
8 Fernando Alonso ESP Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team
9 Oscar Piastri AUS McLaren F1 Team
10 Pierre Gasly FRA BWT Alpine F1 Team
‘This is how Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, round seven of the 2023 F1 world championship, will begin...’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/results/102...ace-will-begin
Helmut Marko: Sergio Perez getting ‘wake-up call’ from World Championship ‘dream’
04 Jun 2023 6:00 AM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes it is time for Sergio Perez to “wake up” and forget about winning the Formula 1 title after his latest qualifying disaster at the Spanish Grand Prix. He told Sky Deutschland: “With Sergio, things have not been going well since Monte Carlo. He needs to concentrate more on racing, not on the title. I hope he recovers himself.
“The whole weekend it was already the case that he was three-to-five tenths slower. It’s now the second consecutive weekend [with problems]. Checo is getting a relatively hard wake-up call now, but I’m sure he’ll pick himself up again.”
‘Wake-up call’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...perez-wake-up/
Turn five error ended my chance of reaching Q3 – Perez
2023 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 3rd June 2023, 19:25
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
Sergio Perez says his qualifying session was effectively over after his trip through the gravel at turn five before his elimination in Q2. The Red Bull driver was knocked out in Q2 in 11th place. Nico Hulkenberg beat him to the final place in Q3 by 0.051 seconds. It is the second successive event in which Perez failed to reach Q3, following his crash during qualifying last weekend in Monaco.
Speaking to media including RaceFans after the session, Perez said the mistake at turn five had ultimately cost him his place in the top 10. “The conditions were tricky and I ended up losing the car into turn five,” Perez explained. “Once we lost it, the tyres were too warm, too hot, and I couldn’t get them back to a good temperature window and I just didn’t have the grip on my final lap, which was a shame.”
‘Turn five error’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/03/...hing-q3-perez/
Carlos Sainz sets ambitious Ferrari target after ‘needed’ Spanish GP qualifying result
03 Jun 2023 7:15 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Carlos Sainz is aiming to secure his first podium finish of the F1 2023 season at the Spanish Grand Prix after admitting he “needed” a breakthrough result in qualifying in Barcelona.
“It was super tight, very, very tricky conditions out there today and even getting through Q1/Q2 without any issues and putting [together] a good lap only with one set in Q3 was probably one of the most tricky qualis I’ve had here in Barcelona in terms of conditions.”
“So I think P2 is as far as I could make it today and that 12.7 [was] a pretty good lap.”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/carlos...et-spanish-gp/
Lando Norris plays down McLaren performance improvement
Lando Norris qualified a surprise third for the 2023 Spanish GP in the McLaren
June 3, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport
After having his final lap scuppered in Monaco, Norris enjoyed a stellar qualifying session in Barcelona, setting the third-fastest time and securing McLaren’s first top-three starting position of 2023.
“Nothing’s really changed on the car,” Norris told media, including Total-Motorsport.com. “As much as I’d love to say, Oh, the car [is] improving, it’s not changed much. I think just going into qualifying, things started to come alive at all, a little bit more confidence with the rears and to lean on the car and tyres. Where we’re going to be tomorrow is a tough one.”
‘Qualified a surprise third’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...nt-spanish-gp/
More passing? Multiple stops? Rain? Only the winner seems not in doubt
2023 Spanish Grand Prix pre-race analysis
Posted on 3rd June 2023, 23:45
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans
After Red Bull’s rivals invested many hundreds of thousands of working hours developing their upgrades packages in pursuit of the RB19, Max Verstappen took little more than 72 seconds to destroy their hopes. “Overall, the whole weekend, it has been really enjoyable to drive the car,” Verstappen said after taking his fourth pole of the season. “It was really hooked up.”
But behind Verstappen, the battle that threatens to erupt over the final podium places should give fans every reason for excitement. Remarkably, the top seven places on the grid are all occupied by seven different teams. Less than half a second covered Carlos Sainz Jnr in second to Nico Hulkenberg, who will line up seventh for Sunday’s race courtesy of Pierre Gasly’s double penalty promoting him and five others.
All six drivers lining up behind Verstappen have every reason to be targeting solid points at a minimum and even a podium at best – with second-placed Sainz expecting the competition to be fierce among that group in the race.
‘More passing? Multiple stops? Rain?’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/03/...-not-in-doubt/
F1 Spanish GP: 7 questions that will decide Barcelona’s winner
21:46 Sat, 03 Jun 2023.
By Luke Smith and Madeline Coleman
The Athletic
Can Verstappen capitalize on another Pérez setback? Sergio Pérez said after his disappointing run to 16th in Monaco, where he was lapped twice by Verstappen, that he could afford no more zero-scores to stand any chance of winning this year’s championship.
Will Sainz or Alonso lead Spain’s home podium hopes? It’s truly a toss up. Will upgrades change the competitive order? Spain marked the arrival of a handful of F1 car upgrades, most notably on the Ferrari, which has abandoned its “bathtub” sidepods in favor of a more Red Bull-style design.
Can McLaren capitalize on Norris’s unexpected P3? Lando Norris was shocked after he clinched third place in qualifying and quickly tamped down expectations for race day.
‘7 questions’;
https://theathletic.com/4577852/2023...x-formula-one/
Verstappen “on another level” but we should’ve been right behind him – Wolff
2023 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 3rd June 2023, 20:133rd June 2023, 23:49
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
“That’s why the disappointment is big because we expected more,” Wolff continued. “Having said that, if you look at the gaps it was very, very compressed with everyone. You can get it wrong easily. You can see that Leclerc is out in Q1, Perez is out in Q2, so that’s a bit of a mystery today,” he added. “The wind changed 180 degrees and some were caught out, maybe, because of that.”
‘Toto Wolff says…’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/03/...ind-him-wolff/
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Verstappen dominates in Spain as Mercedes get double podium.
Spanish Grand Prix – Aside from a first corner challenge, Max Verstappen was untouchable in Spain as he beat the Mercedes by over twenty seconds.
4th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
It was almost a perfect start for the Spanish crowd as Sainz challenged for the lead at the first corner but Verstappen had the inside and was able to hold station. It was disaster for Norris though as and Hamilton made contact and the McLaren driver had to pit for a new nose and hard tyres at the end of the opening lap.
In the end the rain stayed away and Verstappen took the chequered flag 24 seconds ahead of Hamilton, the Dutch driver also taking the fastest lap, a 1:16.330. Russell came home in P3 to give Mercedes a double podium and take his first of the season.
Perez took P4 ahead of Sainz as the Aston Martins took the flag line astern in P6 and P7. Unfortunately for Alonso his worst result of the season comes at his home race, his previous worst had been P4 in Baku. Ocon was P8 while, as a result of Tsunoda’s time penalty, Zhou took P9 with Pierre Gasly taking the final point in P10.
‘Max dominates’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen...e-podium-82394
Race Results – 2023 Spanish Grand Prix
4th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -66 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +24.090
3. George Russell Mercedes +32.389
4. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +35.812
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +45.698
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +63.320
7. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +64.127
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +69.242
9. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +71.878
10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +73.530
‘Spanish Grand Prix – Here are the complete (provisional) results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race from Barcelona’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-resul...and-prix-82391
AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix
04 June 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site
‘AS IT HAPPENED’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...ta3h3R51I.html
Mercedes ROAR back at Spanish GP as Verstappen claims F1 victory in Barcelona
Sunday 4 June 2023 16:47
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Max Verstappen drove to victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, after Mercedes showed their pace to see Lewis Hamilton and George Russell claim podium finishes at Barcelona. Verstappen took the chequered flag in first place for the fifth time this season, ahead of Hamilton and Russell in second and third respectively in a much-improved showing for the Silver Arrows.
Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz would round off the top five, after the Red Bull driver failed to catch up with Russell in the dying stages of the race. An action-packed start, as Verstappen held off an aggressive start from Sainz heading into the first corner, the action was unfolding just behind.
Norris, starting in third, made contact with Hamilton as the McLaren's front wing touched the left-rear tyre of the Mercedes at turn two. It was a disastrous start for Norris as he was forced into the pits to replace his front wing, dropping down to 20th as a result of the incident.
‘ROAR back’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-f1-barcelona/
F1 Spanish GP: Max Verstappen romps to victory as Lewis Hamilton leads double Mercedes podium
4 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Max Verstappen cruised to a crushing victory at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton led a double Mercedes podium. Aside from having to fend off Carlos Sainz’s attack into Turn 1 at the start, Verstappen breezed to his third consecutive win as he racked up his 40th grand prix victory.
The two-time world champion’s fifth win in seven races has seen him further strengthen his position at the top of the drivers’ world championship, with teammate Sergio Perez enduring another difficult weekend. Having survived first-lap contact with McLaren’s Lando Norris, Hamilton claimed a distant second place behind Verstappen as Mercedes upgraded W14 demonstrated impressive race pace.
‘Double Mercedes podium’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/race-report...le-merc-podium
Max Verstappen celebrates 40th F1 win with crushing Spanish Grand Prix victory
4th June 2023, 16:01
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24
Max Verstappen turned up the pace again to win the Spanish Grand Prix for the third time in his Formula 1 career.
The Red Bull driver led from start to finish and was never under threat from any of the racers around him. Even at the start, when Ferrari's Carlos Sainz launched an attack on the Soft tyre, the Dutchman defended on the Mediums and never looked back.
Verstappen is in a league of his own in 2023 and has already amassed five wins from the season's opening seven races. "Yeah, good race that," the driver said as he celebrated his 40th F1 victory. "It's a big pleasure to drive with a car like this. A win here, it's incredible."
‘40th F1 win’;
https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsp...ctory-20230604
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Winners and Losers from the 2023 F1 Spanish Grand Prix.
Dominance with a capital D, light at the end of the tunnel, a harsh penalty and an out-of-sorts Spaniard. It's the Winners and Losers from the 2023 F1 Spanish Grand Prix.
04 June 9:50PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
Whereas a couple of races ago, there were questions as to whether there would be a Formula 1 title fight in 2023, that notion has now been firmly shut in crushing style by Max Verstappen. A 14-point lead after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has now turned into 53 in just three races after the World Champion delivered three wins on the trot and, for the first time this season, a Grand Chelem.
Verstappen will be the 2023 World Champion, and match Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton as the only drivers to win three titles on the trot - and with Red Bull's advantage seemingly going to be locked in until the end of 2025, it would take a brave person not to declare the Dutchman as favourite for '24 and '25 before the rules reset comes in.
‘Winners and Losers’;
https://racingnews365.com/winners-an...ish-grand-prix
Alonso´s long wait for 33rd F1 win goes on after disappointing Spanish GP
Published: 18:37, 4 June 2023
By Associated Press
Mail Online
MONTMELO, Spain (AP) - The prospect of Fernando Alonso ending a decade-long wait for his 33rd Formula One win in front of tens of thousands of fans at his home race proved too good to be true on Sunday. Alonso turned in his worst performance of the season when the two-time former world champion finished the Spanish Grand Prix in seventh place, one spot behind Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll.
Spanish fans had packed the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hoping to witness their idol finally return to the top of the podium. The last time Alonso won, he did so right here on the same track back in 2013 with Ferrari when he claimed victory No. 32. He also won the Spanish GP in 2006 with Renault.
But the Spanish driver was unable to recover from a mistake in Saturday´s qualifying when he drove his car into the gravel and damaged its floor. He could do no better than an eighth-place start and only managed to move up one spot through 66 laps. "We didn´t have the pace of other race days," Alonso said. "In reality, it all started with qualifying on Saturday, which was our weak point. Mercedes has taken a step forward and was too much for us. But I am not worried, we will (try to) beat them in Canada."
‘Wait for 33rd F1 win goes on’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap...panish-GP.html
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen not paying attention to Mercedes improvement
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen dominated the 2023 Spanish GP
June 4, 2023
By Ed Spencer
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen has played down Mercedes’ level of progression after taking a dominating victory in Sunday’s 2023 Spanish Grand Prix. Mercedes, who brought a new upgrade package for the Monaco GP, secured their first double podium of 2023 in Barcelona, with Lewis Hamilton second and George Russell third.
However, both were over 20 seconds adrift of Verstappen, who cruised to his fifth win of 2023 and his third at Barcelona. “I think they had a very strong race, to be honest, they’re improving,” Verstappen told select members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com. “But from our side, it’s not about being worried we just have to focus on ourselves.”
“At the moment, it all looks great, but you can’t stand still in this world. [We’ll] keep on trying to find things on the car [and] try [to] understand why the hard [tyre] wasn’t working with the car. We’ll see what happens in the coming races. I don’t know if there are going to be tracks that are better or worse [for us].”
‘Played down Mercedes’ level of progression’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...3-improvement/
Christian Horner: George Russell 'got away' with Spanish GP corner cut | Mercedes driver: I gained no advantage
4th June 2023, 19:51
Sky Sports
George Russell was not penalised for cutting the first chicane on the opening lap of the Spanish GP but Christian Horner says the Mercedes driver "managed to get away" without receiving a penalty; Russell held off Sergio Perez to take third place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Christian Horner believes the decision not to penalise George Russell on the opening lap of the Spanish Grand Prix was "the difference" in ensuring Sergio Perez missed out on a podium finish.
‘Corner cut’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...d-no-advantage
Perez’s fourth place was better than Red Bull’s simulation forecasted
2023 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 4th June 2023, 19:00
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said their simulation “said on a clean race P5, he did one better than that in P4.” Although Perez lost a place to Russell who started behind him, he got ahead of Carlos Sainz Jnr who lined up on the front row of the grid. Horner said their simulation “felt that maybe the Ferrari would have better race pace than it had.”
“The fact that he was getting within a couple of seconds of the podium as well at the end there and hunting down George, it was a very good recovery particularly the second half of the race for Checo,” Horner added. Perez said he “had to be quite patient, especially in the first lap of the race. Not taking unnecessary risk for us was important. Just being patient and try to go long and then the race was later on. But unfortunately, we just finished a bit further behind than George.”
‘Simulation forecasted 5th, one better at 4th’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/04/...on-forecasted/
Horner’s Fiery Response to Nico Rosberg: Defending Sergio Perez’s Spanish Grand Prix Performance
June 4, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
In his post-race interview with Sky Sports F1, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner wasted no time in delivering a swift response to Nico Rosberg’s comments regarding Sergio Perez’s performance at the Spanish Grand Prix. Rosberg implied that Perez’s lap times were lacking in the initial stages of the 66-lap competition, a notion that Horner seemed keen to challenge.
“You were just saying he did a good race but I thought it was quite a lack of performance, especially during the early part of the race,” began Rosberg. “Isn’t that true? I mean, comparing to Max there were some laps where there was quite a gap.”
Horner showed no interest in engaging in criticism towards his own driver, instead choosing to respond to Rosberg’s remarks with a cleverly veiled retort of his own. “You’re a critical kind of guy, aren’t you? You’re tough on these guys. Now you’re out of the car you have to criticise all the guys,” replied Christian Horner.
‘Fiery Response’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/horners-fi...x-performance/
Ferrari are “struggling more than I expected” this year, Leclerc admits
2023 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 4th June 2023, 17:19
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Charles Leclerc admitted Ferrari’s season is going worse than he feared after failing to score in the Spanish Grand Prix. He went into today’s race at a disadvantage as he started in the pit lane following set-up changes to his car. Leclerc qualified a lowly 19th after reporting a strange handling problem in qualifying which led his team to replace the rear end of his SF-23.
“To be honest we are struggling more than what I expected,” he admitted in response to a question from RaceFans at Circuit de Catalunya today. “We’ve had quite a few disappointing days this year, so unfortunately it’s just in line with the rest of the year,” he added. “But still overall we are lacking a lot of performance especially in the race again.”
“I think where we really need to put all our focus is to try and be more often at the peak of our tyres and know how to manage them better,” he added. “Two or three degrees makes a huge difference on balance, and this weekend we’ve been struggling getting completely in the window and be happy with the car. So there will be a lot of work on that.”
‘Ferrari are struggling’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/04/...eclerc-admits/
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Wolff claims Mercedes gap to Red Bull a LIE after 'MEGA' Spanish GP result.
Toto Wolff believes Mercedes are much closer to Red Bull than the Spanish Grand Prix may suggest.
Sunday 4 June 2023 19:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans
'Mega' Mercedes making progress. “We had a good race car. Lewis probably came out a good five or six seconds behind Max when he cleared Carlos,” Wolff told Sky Sports. ”I think we are just much closer. You see where the benchmark is. It’s at the end, more than 20 seconds, maybe it was 15 in reality, but that’s just not where we aim to be.”
“We just need to chip away. We are really good at grinding. Once there is a setup direction and a development direction, we just go for it and we have that advantage in terms of aero time.
‘Wolff claims Mercedes gap to Red Bull a LIE’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...sh-grand-prix/
Toto Wolff’s Candid Remarks: The Performance Gap Between Mercedes and Red Bull Revealed
June 4, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
According to team principal Toto Wolff, the team’s progress in terms of performance is noteworthy, but even more significant are the insights gained regarding the areas requiring further enhancements to unlock additional speed.
“But I think it is a new baseline. It is from where we can continue to work with a certain stability, and without needing to question certain parts of the car, whether it’s the bodywork, the floor, or the front suspension. It is now established, and this is what we are taking forward now.”
‘Toto Wolff’s Candid Remarks’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/german-man...ng-maiden-run/
Wolff: Double Spanish GP podium vindicates upgrade decision.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished second and third in Spain for the team's best result of the season.
04 June 5:20PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
"Let's keep our expectations real, there's such a long way to go in order to catch Red Bull, and we just need to grind away," Wolff explained to Sky Sports F1 after the first podium for the team since Australia.
"It's a good moment to see that the development direction is right. We just need to chip away and as you know from our lap times, we are really good at grinding. Once there is a set-up direction and a development direction, we just go for it and we have that advantage in terms of aero time, but we also need to be realistic.”
“Podium vindicates upgrade decision”;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-doub...grade-decision
Toto Wolff warns of ‘mega window’ behind sudden Mercedes resurgence
04 Jun 2023 4:32 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Toto Wolff was understandably pleased to see Mercedes take their first double podium of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix, but warned the conditions in Barcelona opened up a “mega window” that allowed the W14 to perform at its best.
While both Mercedes drivers made it onto the podium, Verstappen still took a dominant victory at the front of the pack, earning a third career Grand Chelem of pole, fastest lap, race victory and leading every lap on his way to leading Hamilton home by 24 seconds come the chequered flag.
‘Mega window’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...-spain-window/
Mercedes boss warns team to stay realistic after double podium
Issued on: 04/06/2023
France 24
Barcelona (AFP) – Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff on Sunday thanked his engineers for a successful upgrades package -- but warned the team to stay realistic after a double podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix.
A happy Wolff said he was keen to keep their big improvement in perspective and for the team to keep their feet on the ground. "I'm very happy for the hard work that has been done," said Wolff. "We took some decisions to go in another direction. We changed so many parts, with many variables we don't understand. And it was a risky move...”
‘Stay realistic’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...-double-podium
Toto Wolff happy with Mercedes progress after 'risky move'
17:31 Sun, 04 Jun 2023.
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport
"I'm very happy for the hard work that has been done," Wolff said to Sky. "We have to be realistic today, the conditions were perfect - not too hot, not too cold, the car was in a mega window. Let's keep our expectations real. There's such a long way to go to catch Red Bull but it's a good moment to see the development direction is right."
A positive result indeed for Mercedes, and they'll be hoping there's plenty more to come with us heading to Montreal up next.
‘More to come’;
https://www.givemesport.com/toto-wol...er-risky-move/
Mercedes issue glowing review of W14 upgrades: “From here we seek performance”
4 Jun 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
Mercedes have revealed their delight at the early impact of the new upgrades to their W14 - a welcome revelation to their legions of fans. The developed parts which first appeared a week ago in Monaco have received their first proper run at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix, and have left team principal Toto Wolff beaming.
“I think it's solid,” Wolff said about the upgraded W14. “It is from where we can continue to work with a certain stability. And without needing to question certain parts of the car - whether it's the bodywork, the floor, or the front suspension.”
“We seek performance”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102773...ek-performance
Wolff gives Mercedes WINNING verdict after new W14 upgrades
Sunday 4 June 2023 13:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans
The Mercedes team principal has been encouraged by the progress the W14 has made since the radical new upgrades were brought to the Monaco GP, where the team finished fourth and fifth.
No huge leap expected. Wolff is expecting to see an improvement, especially in race trim, for Mercedes with these new upgrades but can't see how they will completely close the gap to Red Bull.
‘WINNING verdict’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...rand-prix-bet/
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Ferrari upgrades did nothing for its confusing main weakness.
After a chastening Spanish Grand Prix in which Ferrari’s upgraded Formula 1 car exhibited much the same limitations as its predecessor, its biggest confusion clearly remains unresolved.
Jun 5 2023
By Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race
Carlos Sainz qualified on the front row at a time Ferrari’s chief rivals Mercedes and Aston Martin have each introduced upgrades. Ferrari reckons its new sidepods and floor, plus a circuit-specific rear wing, brought it two or three tenths of a second of laptime – if so, then this qualifying result would not have been possible with the old-spec SF-23.
In the race, though, Sainz went backwards. And Charles Leclerc, starting from the pitlane, barely went forwards. Sainz slipped from second to a limp fifth while Leclerc failed to make it into the points, finishing 12th on the road and 11th after a time penalty for Yuki Tsunoda.
“The global picture is the same,” admitted Vasseur. “We are there in quali and we are not there in the race. We are inconsistent on the same car between compounds and sometimes between the same compounds.”
‘Confusing main weakness’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferra...main-weakness/
Ferrari struggling to understand consistency issue with F1 car
5th June 2023, 10:16
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com
The car has regularly been fast over one lap, which was evident once again at the Spanish GP, where Carlos Sainz qualified second. However, the team continues to struggle in races, with the car behaving differently from stint to stint. In Barcelona, Sainz slipped down to fifth place at the flag, while from a pitlane start following his qualifying issues, Charles Leclerc could not rise higher than 11th.
"I think the main issue for us is not the potential on the lap, or this type of corner or this other," said Vasseur. "The main issue is the consistency. Charles's car for example, between the first and third stint with the same compound, the first one the balance was out of the place, and the last one was okay-ish.”
"And Carlos he did a decent first stint, a good last stint, and in the middle he lost 15 or 20 seconds on the competitors." He added: "It's very difficult to understand and to fix it, because it's not always the same, not always the same problem." Vasseur said it wasn't a matter of tyre degradation in Spain. "I don't think that it was tyre deg. It could become tyre deg if you push more. But it's not the main issue.”
‘Ferrari struggling to understand’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...ssue/10478965/
Ferrari weaknesses ‘came alive’ in Spanish GP despite upgrade
16:40 Sun, 04 Jun 2023
By Josh Suttill and Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race
Carlos Sainz says the “weaknesses of the car came alive at a circuit like this” after a torrid Spanish Grand Prix for Ferrari. Home hero Sainz stuck his SF-23 on the front row in Barcelona – but while he briefly challenged poleman Max Verstappen for the lead at Turn 1 on the opening lap, he’d spend the rest of Sunday looking in his mirrors and desperately managing his rubber.
“Honestly I just spent the whole race managing tyres because we know we are very hard on them,” Sainz said after the race. “With this high-deg circuit I just couldn’t push, we know it’s a weakness of our car and coming to a high-deg circuit and a two-stop race we were just managing the whole way, trying to make it to the target laps of the stint and still falling short of some of them.”
“The weaknesses of the car coming alive at a circuit like this, with the high-speed corners and how hard we are on tyres. Also shows yesterday we must have done a pretty good lap, I think today was again a bit back to where the car is in race pace. Probably this sort of track is not great for us.”
‘Weaknesses came alive’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferra...spite-upgrade/
Mystery surrounds Ferrari over Charles Leclerc’s ‘undriveable’ SF-23
05 Jun 2023 9:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Fred Vasseur has revealed Ferrari have yet to conduct a full examination of Charles Leclerc’s SF-23 after a troubled weekend at the Spanish GP ended with a distant P11. “I don’t understand what we are doing wrong, but we are doing something wrong,” said a dejected Leclerc.
Ferrari will now examine Leclerc’s car with Vasseur revealing they weren’t able to do an in-depth search after qualifying. “We don’t know about Charles,” he told Sky Germany. “We weren’t allowed to search because of the regulations so we modified the car so that he could race.
“We have to examine the car in the factory.”
‘Undriveable SF-23’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...-mystery-sf23/
Sainz DOUBLES DOWN on Ferrari criticism after 'worst possible' home race
Sunday 4 June 2023 21:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans
Sainz: We know our weakness. “Unfortunately, this is our situation exactly what I was talking about yesterday," Sainz said to Sky Sports.
"We know race pace and high-speed corners is our main weakness and unfortunately Barcelona has a high degradation tarmac, a high degradation configuration and a lot of high-speed corners which is our main weakness and that’s why today we were struggling so much out there.”
"Also, with the predictability of the car and everything, we were just, I did everything I could, I did the most optimal driving and stint that I could do but unfortunately P5 was the best I could achieve.”
'Worst possible home race’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ing-home-race/
Leclerc: Disappointing Spanish GP ‘in line with the rest of the year’
Monday 5th June, 2023 - 8:15am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Charles Leclerc has admitted the struggles he endured during the Spanish GP were indicative of a tough season, which has proved an even greater challenge than expected. The Monegasque started from the pit lane on Sunday after the team opted to change the rear end of his car, before finishing 11th.
Such have been Ferrari’s woes this season, Leclerc sits only seventh in the drivers’ standings with 42 points from seven races, 128 down on points leader Max Verstappen – a competition he led heading into last year’s Spanish Grand Prix. “To be honest, we are struggling more than what I expected,” he confessed of 2023 to date. He added: “We’ve had quite a few disappointing days this year so unfortunately, it’s just in line with the rest of the year.”
‘Tough season’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/05...t-of-the-year/
Ferrari duo lament more disappointment
19:14 Sun, 04 Jun 2023.
France 24
Leclerc, who had hoped to mount a title challenge this year, is 128 points adrift of defending champion Max Verstappen in seventh place and on Sunday struggled to make any impact after starting from the pitlane. He said: “For some reason we seem never to get in the right window of the tyre and when we do, it’s a bit of a surprise to us… So, there’s a lot of work we need to do.”
Team-mate Sainz, who was unable to take advantage of starting from the front row of the grid alongside Verstappen, said the team had embarked on using a package of upgrades without first understanding them. “We’ve identified our weaknesses and we know exactly where we are lacking,” Sainz told Sky F1.
“The feedback is there and the intention is there, but we need time. Mercedes proved they’ve done a good step and that’s a good reference. We have to try our best and push flat out back at Maranello. We probably put on our upgrade at the worst possible circuit for us.”
‘More disappointment’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...disappointment
Sainz 'couldn't push' as Ferrari's tyre woes exposed in Spain
04 June 2023
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing
Carlos Sainz admitted he "just couldn't push" his Ferrari due to continued tyre wear woes at the Spanish Grand Prix. Speaking afterwards, Sainz admitted there was nothing he could do to stop Lewis Hamilton or George Russell due to Ferrari's limitations.
While Mercedes' performance rebounded thanks mostly to a raft of upgrades introduced in Monaco, Sainz explained how Ferrari's tyre problems disguised the true potential of their own new package. "Difficult to tell," he said on if the upgrades had worked.
"So probably we haven't seen the best of them yet. I still believe with the bouncing and the high-speed weakness we have we were never going to be very competitive around here. So, it's too early to tell but I think they did a tremendous effort to bring it, so hats off to all the factory, let's keep pushing and let's keep improving."
‘Ferrari's tyre woes exposed’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...posed-in-spain
-
Alonso admits Aston 'didn't have the pace' in Barcelona.
For only the second time this season, Fernando Alonso failed to score a podium in F1, a shortfall due in Barcelona to Aston Martin's relative lack of pace.
05/06/2023 at 08:42
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Alonso lined up P8 on Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix grid, ran as high as fourth thanks to the pit stops gyrations and finished his home race seventh, just one position behind Aston teammate Lance Stroll.
It was a relatively uneventful afternoon for the two-time world champion who relied on a soft-soft-hard two-stop strategy to reach the checkered flag. "We didn't have the pace, so that's the biggest problem," Alonso admitted.
"It was not that we were unlucky or on differing strategies or anything like that, I think we were slow compared to the Mercedes – slow on the soft, slow on the hard.”
'Didn't have the pace';
https://f1i.com/news/476755-alonso-a...barcelona.html
Alonso: Aston Martin "didn't have the pace" in Barcelona F1 race
18:48 Sun, 04 Jun 2023.
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com
Fernando Alonso admits that his Aston Martin Formula 1 team simply “didn’t have the pace” with which to challenge at the front in the Spanish Grand Prix.
"We didn't have the pace, so that's the biggest problem," Alonso noted. "It was not that we were unlucky or on differing strategies or anything like that, I think we were slow compared to the Mercedes – slow on the soft, slow on the hard.”
"And we just concentrated on the Alpines, AlphaTauris, and kept up the pace with the Ferraris. At the end, I think we outscored the Ferraris this weekend because they only scored with Carlos [Sainz]. And we lost points with the Mercedes, but they have done a better job this weekend. So let's try the next one."
‘Outscored the Ferraris’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...race/10478748/
Alonso: Aston Martin must understand reasons for ‘tricky’ Barcelona race
5th June 2023, 10:36
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Fernando Alonso: “I think sixth and seventh positions were the maximum for us. I thought our performance seemed better in qualifying, so I think we need to look at why and aim to bounce back for Canada. We still scored some solid points and we had no risk at the end of the race.”
Like Alonso, Stroll asserts that Aston Martin will need to ensure it identifies the reasons for the issues that hampered the side’s competitiveness in Barcelona to avoid a repeat in the coming rounds.
“It was a fun battle with Lewis [Hamilton] on the first lap; I’ve pulled that move off before so I knew there was a gap and figured Lewis would leave me a bit of space, which he did,” he explained. “That put me in a good position going into Turn Five and I could hold the place.
‘Must understand reasons’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...arcelona-race/
Fernando Alonso explains Aston Martin’s stark loss of form at Spanish GP
The Spaniard endured a scrappy weekend at his home F1 Grand Prix
June 4, 2023
By Andrew Wright
Total Motorsport
Fernando Alonso admitted Aston Martin simply didn’t have the pace to do any better than sixth and seventh at the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix. The British team have been Red Bull’s closest challengers this season but lost second place in the constructors’ championship to a resurgent Mercedes at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Alonso added: “Yeah, I mean it was 10 laps to the end I was with a little bit fresher tyres but like one or two tenths faster than him, no more than that and I will you know not get crazy. I damage one floor yesterday I didn’t want to damage another one today or he damaged the floor or anything. Just tried to secure the place.”
‘Not get crazy’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...rm-spanish-gp/
Alonso in Aston Martin revelation: We had no plan
04 June 7:35PM
Author Ewan Gale
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Fernando Alonso has revealed Aston Martin entered the Spanish Grand Prix without a strategic plan. Assessing the strategy battle, Alonso told media, including RacingNews365.com: "We didn't have a plan, to be honest.
"We were not sure about the degradation. George was so fast on the first stint, when he overtook me, we changed our minds a little bit - we didn't want to run too close to the cars in front and extend the first stint.”
"By doing so, we also extended the second and we knew our opportunity was in the final 15 laps of the race, but not enough to fight at the front, just to fight the midfield."
‘Without a strategic plan’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-in-...we-had-no-plan
Alonso: Aston Martin ‘didn’t have a plan’ in Spanish GP
Monday 5th June, 2023 - 10:43pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Fernando Alonso has admitted that Aston Martin “didn’t have a plan” in terms of strategy when it came to executing the Spanish Grand Prix. Strategically, Alonso revealed the team had no firm plan heading into the race, and instead reacted to events of the opening laps.
“At the beginning, we didn’t have a plan, to be honest, because we were not sure about the degradation,” he explained. “We just concentrated on the Alpines, AlphaTauris, keeping up the pace with the Ferraris at the end. So we have to work a lot during the weekend to be happy with the car. We were always happy from FP1 where here (Barcelona) we had to work.”
“The upgrades, from the other people, I think maybe they didn’t show the full potential in Monaco, Miami – a street circuit – so here we saw that maybe they [Mercedes and Ferrari] are a bit stronger, but I’m not worried. There’s going to be better weekends and worse weekends, and we will have our opportunity.”
‘Reacted to events’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/05...in-spanish-gp/
Fernando Alonso reveals Aston Martin upgrade plan to ‘crush’ F1 rivals
05 Jun 2023 2:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Aston Martin appeared to take a step or two back in the pecking order in Barcelona, but Fernando Alonso warns of Canadian GP upgrades that can allow them to “crush” the competition. “I’m happy because qualifying was the Achilles heel of the whole weekend,” Alonso began as per SoyMotor.com.
“After starting from so far back, I was able to come back but only so far and both [George] Russell and Checo [Sergio Perez] were faster than us today, so there was a lot to do. Then we saved points. In terms of Constructors, it’s true that Mercedes took some important points from us, but we took points from Ferrari again.”
“In Canada we will bring more stuff, in Silverstone too… It will depend on who brings the improvements. Even with a normal time, we would have been on a par with Hamilton and maybe we would have had a better chance. I think it’s a race and in Canada we crush them.”
‘Crush the competition’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...-crush-rivals/
-
‘Starting from fourth would have been a very different race’ – Gasly laments grid penalty that dropped him to P10 in Spain.
Pierre Gasly qualified fourth – but two grid penalties dropped him to P10 on the grid, and he lost another four places on the opening lap, meaning he faced an uphill battle to make it back into the points.
04 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
‘Two grid penalties’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...885384761.html
Gasly expects Alpine to be “fighting for the top five soon” after Spanish GP
2023 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 5th June 2023, 17:08
Written by Ed Hardy and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
Pierre Gasly was encouraged by the progress Alpine have made despite his disappointing result in the Spanish Grand Prix. “We definitely made a step forward,” said Gasly, who is tenth in the championship. “We need to fight to get that consistency and show we’re able to maintain that pace regardless of the tracks we’re going to. But I think we did it in quali and today there were clear signs that the pace was there.”
“It was always going to be more messy from the middle of the pack,” added Gasly. “By lap one I’m 14th, 10 positions behind where we qualified, and it changes your entire race. The pace when we were alone was good, but spending all your time in a DRS train, traffic and overheating the tyres, you can’t really maximise the package. It feels like an underachieved result compared to the pace we had. I believe we had the pace for Aston today.”
“Fighting for the top five soon”;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/05/...er-spanish-gp/
Ocon says Alpine have made ‘huge step forward’ as he insists they can keep progress going
05 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Esteban Ocon is keeping the positives of Alpine’s recent progress at the forefront of his mind despite the team failing to make the same impression on race day as they did in qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Ocon remained buoyed by Alpine’s upturn in results at recent events, bringing the team back up to fifth in the constructors’ standings to head the midfield group. Asked if Alpine understand the difference in their qualifying and race pace in Spain, Ocon added: “I think we know, yes. Making it a change, that’s going to be more tricky.”
“But what we have to remember from the last two weeks is we’ve scored… I’ve scored 19 points in two races – this we can be extremely proud of. We’ve made a huge step forward in terms of car pace and I’m sure we can keep that going and find an extra [step] in the race.”
‘Buoyed by Alpine’s upturn in results’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...DmLaDseM0.html
Ocon frustrated after Alpine’s Saturday pace falls off ‘significantly’ on race day in Spain
04 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Esteban Ocon says the team knows why their pace dropped off between qualifying and the race, but admits fixing it will be easier said than done.
‘The team knows why’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...016996923.html
Ocon: Alpine drop off in pace in Spanish GP 'significant'
05/06/2023 at 16:21
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Esteban Ocon was unable to mix it up with the front-runners in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix after Alpine suffered a "significant" drop off in pace between qualifying and race day. Ocon was coy on the reason for his A523's performance slump in race trim, but suggested that Alpine had a clear understanding of the issue.
"It was my only chance to try and keep him behind," commented Ocon on his short but tough battle with Alonso. He was too fast so I had to defend quite hard, but I backed off because I thought I would not be able to do it."
"For two laps I managed to keep in front but the pace we had today compared to qualifying had dropped off significantly and we were not as fast as Saturday as the good group in front, and that's what we need to work on and understand."
‘Alpine had a clear understanding of the issue’;
https://f1i.com/news/476822-ocon-alp...gnificant.html
-
Lando Norris admits McLaren are 'NOWHERE NEAR as quick' as the top five teams after falling from third to 17th in a miserable Spanish Grand Prix, claiming the car's been 'slow all year'.
• Lando Norris finished 17th in Sunday's Spanish Gand Prix despite starting third
• He was forced to pit on the first lap after a collision and never recovered
• The driver has admitted his McLaren is 'nowhere near' as fast as the top teams
Published: 22:30, 4 June 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Mail Online
Asked what went through his mind on the point of impact with Hamilton, the 23-year-old revealed: ‘F***. 'Everybody checked up and I was too close to Lewis to react and brake, so it was just unlucky, a racing incident. Lewis didn’t do anything wrong. I touched his wheel, nothing happened to him. Maybe it made him quicker today.’
Norris was full of doom and gloom as he surveyed the wreckage of an afternoon that left him with a meagre 12 points from the opening seven rounds and 11th in the standings. That is a poor state of affairs for Surrey-based McLaren, the second most successful team in F1 history, after showing signs of recovery in recent years. ‘Our pace today was as expected – bad,’ said Norris.
'NOWHERE NEAR as quick';
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ive-teams.html
McLaren laments ‘one-lap wonder’ as both drivers out of top 10 at Spanish Grand Prix.
June 5th, 2023 6:14 am
Matthew Sullivan from News.com.au
Fox Sports (Australia)
It was a case of so near yet so far for Oscar Piastri and McLaren at the Spanish Grand Prix. McLaren put together an excellent qualifying, with Lando Norris setting the third fastest lap and Piastri putting his car in P9.
So there were hopes both cars might be able to finish in the top 10 in the race, but it was disappointment for a weekend that showed much promise. Norris was overtaken by Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap and was forced to make a very early pit stop to replace his front wing after he and Hamilton made contact.
David Croft said in commentary on Sky Sports: “It’s the worst possible start for him. Absolute disappointment for Lando Norris. He’s gone down to the bottom of the pack.”
‘McLaren laments’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...08a30a74e4964c
Why McLaren’s Spanish GP qualifying pace was a lie
Jun 6 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race
The Spanish Grand Prix weekend was the first test of the recently upgraded McLaren Formula 1 car on what could be called a ‘pure’ aerodynamic circuit. Lando Norris’s third place in qualifying suggested a dramatic step forward, but the race proved that, in his words, “we’re slow”.
“Because we’re slow, we have been all year,” he said when asked why he was so pessimistic about being able to score points without the first-lap incident. “There’s nothing else to say. Yesterday the cars weren’t any different, and yesterday was a special day.”
“Some good teams struggled a lot and some of the worse teams did a better job, so it was just an odd day, people making a lot of mistakes and we capitalised on that. Apart from that we’ve been off the pace all season, struggling to finish in the points in half the races.”
‘Qualifying pace was a lie’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-m...ace-was-a-lie/
‘It was just racing, I was just unlucky’ – Norris philosophical after Lap 1 clash with Hamilton that ruined his race.
04 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
After making contact with Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap, Lando Norris was forced to pit for a new front wing and eventually finished 17th – though he said afterwards he would have faced a tough battle to finish in the points anyway.
‘Just racing, just unlucky’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...646103726.html
Norris rues 'unlucky' first lap collision with Hamilton but says Spanish GP went 'as expected' after lowly P17 finish
04 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Lando Norris finished this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix down in 17th, but the McLaren driver insists his race went “just as expected” believing his team are not yet quick enough to battle for points on a Sunday.
“Obviously Lap 1 cost us everything but, at the same time, we would have been unlikely to finish in the top 10 today. I guess everyone’s expectations were too high after yesterday.”
“We tried to manage as much as we could but, at the same time, today was the pace that we’ve had all year and we were just normal paced. Yesterday was, I don’t know, unknown, a special day for us. As expected today.”
'Unlucky';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...ntFopyz21.html
Piastri: Spanish GP struggle brought McLaren 'back to reality'
06/06/2023 at 09:41
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
"A long afternoon, just didn't have the pace to really do anything," he commented. "It was a pretty poor first lap from myself, which didn't help things, but I don't think we really had the pace to stay in the points anyway."
"I don't think we're in normal circumstances able to put the car that high up on the grid," he added. Today was maybe a bit more back to reality, probably a more difficult day than what we would have hoped." McLaren's current woes appear to be linked to a disparity between how the MCL60's tyres react in different conditions.
"We seem to switch on the tyre very well when it's cold and difficult conditions, like Monaco on the Intermediates was the same story as qualifying here," Piastri explained. "So we need to try and work on that with the team and see what we can do to make our lives easier on Sundays."
‘How the MCL60's tyres react’;
https://f1i.com/news/476840-piastri-...o-reality.html
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Zhou: Points in Spain a 'massive relief' for Alfa Romeo.
Zhou Guanyu delivered a top-ten finish to Alfa Romeo in the Spanish Grand Prix, a result the Chinese charger described as "a massive relief" for the Swiss outfit after three pointless races.
05/06/2023 at 17:39
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
Zhou launched his race from P13 in Barcelona but the Alfa driver clocked in ninth at the end of an impressive opening lap. Zhou opted for a two-stop strategy during which he used all three available compounds, eventually stabilizing his race just inside the top-ten.
However, a fierce battle with AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda in the second half of the race resolved in Zhou's favor after his Japanese rival was handed a five-second penalty by the stewards for running the Alfa off the track.
"That feels like a massive relief for us, and for the team here and back in Hinwil," commented Zhou whose only points finish this season before Spain had been in Australia. It was a tricky start to the season for the team. We finally got some points that we deserved, and the car was mega.”
'Massive relief';
https://f1i.com/news/476827-zhou-poi...lfa-romeo.html
Alfa Romeo upgrades 'improving' our performance - Zhou Guanyu
03 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Zhou Guanyu suggests the Alfa Romeo upgrade package has improved the team's performance ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
'Improving our performance’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...027311162.html
2023 Spanish Grand Prix - Sunday
18:34 Sun, 04 Jun 2023.
Alfa Romeo Racing - Official Site
Alfa Romeo F1 Team KICK brought home two precious points from the Spanish Grand Prix as Zhou Guanyu delivered a flawless race in Barcelona. The Chinese driver made a leap forward at the start, settling into the top ten during his first stint: a good strategy saw the team react to the unfolding situation on track and, by the end of the afternoon, this resulted in Zhou crossing the line in tenth place – and immediately promoted to ninth, following a penalty to Yuki Tsunoda.
Valtteri Bottas’s race was compromised at the start, as damage to the floor of his C43 from some debris had a severe impact on his car’s performance. In a race with no yellow flags, on-track incidents or retirements, Valtteri, starting in 16th, had no chance to recover to the points. The Finn ran line astern with Zhou for a few laps in the middle of the race, eventually playing the team game and providing a good rear guard action to his team-mate before finishing in 19th.
‘Brought home two precious points’;
https://www.sauber-group.com/motorsp...d-prix-sunday/
Bottas reveals ‘significant damage’ after Spanish GP
Tuesday 6th June, 2023 - 2:27am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Valtteri Bottas has revealed to Alfa Romeo discovering “significant” damage on his car during its post-Spanish Grand Prix inspection. After struggling for pace throughout the race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Bottas finished 19th of the 20 cars that took the chequered flag. It was only the 15th time in F1 history an entire field has finished a grand prix.
Team-mate Zhou Guanyu, meanwhile, finished ninth to score two valuable points for the team, highlighting the difference between the two cars. Post-race, Bottas suggested there was something wrong with his C43 when speaking to the media.
“For me, it’s pretty clear there was something not right with the car, because I was more than one second per lap off, just sliding around,” he said. “Whether it was a mechanical or aero issue I cannot say, because the balance was not, like, way off, but there was just a lack of overall grip. So, we’ll see if there’s something damaged in the car.”
‘Significant damage’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/06...er-spanish-gp/
BOTTAS EXPLAINS ‘SIGNIFICANT FLOOR DAMAGE’ AS REASON FOR 19TH PLACE IN BARCELONA
The Finnish driver already had a feeling that something was wrong with the car after qualifying
June 6, 2023
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds
Problems with Bottas’ car since qualifying. The Finnish driver struggled to keep up with the pace of the rest of the field. His teammate, Guanyu Zhou, also managed to score two points for Alfa Romeo in ninth place. Bottas suspected something was wrong with his C43 immediately after the race, according to speedcafe.com.
“For me, it’s pretty clear there was something not right with the car, because I was more than one second per lap off, just sliding around,” Bottas said. “Whether it was a mechanical or aero issue I cannot say, because the balance was not, like, way off, but there was just a lack of overall grip.”
“So, we’ll see if there’s something damaged in the car.” At that point, however, it was not sure what had caused these problems with Bottas’ car – let alone whether it was damage to the C43 at all.
‘SIGNIFICANT FLOOR DAMAGE’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/bo...-in-barcelona/
"Something not right with the car," says Bottas
09:39 Mon, 05 Jun 2023.
Pitpass
Even the presence of his mum couldn't help Valtteri Bottas achieve a points finish in Spain, as he struggles with car that didn't feel right. Joined on the grid by his mother, that was about as it got for the 10-time grand prix winner, who ended the day 19th.
"For me it's pretty clearly there was something not right with the car," he told reporters at race end, "because I was more than one second per lap off, just sliding around. With no realistic hope of a points finish himself, Bottas was at least able to assist his teammate, the Finn holding off Kevin Magnussen for a few precious laps allowing Guanyu Zhou to build a decent gap.
"It's good to see that my team-mate was up there, he could fight in the top ten, so that's positive," said Bottas. "But, first of all, we need to find out what was wrong with my car. I had a chat with Zhou and he was saying the pace was quite good... it's good, but not for me," he added. "It's good to see that the upgrades are doing the job."
‘Car that didn't feel right’;
https://www.pitpass.com/75321/Someth...ar-says-Bottas
How the first team to fit intermediate tyres in Monaco got the call right
2023 Monaco Grand Prix
Posted on 31st May 2023, 14:51
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
Alfa Romeo were the first team to react to the rain in the Monaco Grand Prix by switching to intermediate tyres, and the wet weather was in their race strategy all along. Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu started 15th and 19th respectively, and were running 13th and 17th prior to their pit stops when the rain came. Alfa Romeo’s well-judged strategy moved them up to 12th and 14th, and they each gained another place before the end of the race.
Xevi Pujolar, the team’s head of trackside engineering: “Initially we were prepared like it will rain, maybe even for the start of the race,” he told media including RaceFans. “And then we had our dry configuration for the race. “When we were on the grid – and now actually we spend quite a lot of time on the grid – we were getting gradual updates. In he 15, 20 minutes before the race start we thought if it rains at all, it will be in the last part of the race. So then we said ‘okay, we stick to our dry plan, and then we’ll see if the rain is coming or not’. So our race tyre choice was based on a dry forecast, and then take it from there, we’ll see if the rain comes.”
Being ready proved crucial as the rain arrived earlier than that, on lap 51 of the 78-lap race, and Bottas was the first to react. “We could hear our drivers [and] also some other competitors saying there is some drops at times. So we were ready. It was difficult to know the intensity of the rain, but Valtteri was quite good on that and quite clear on his call. It was strange because when he was calling that it was getting very wet in sector two, the pit lane was completely dry. So that’s why probably it made a bit of confusion. Some of the teams were struggling to commit to the rain because the pit lane was completely dry.”
‘The call right’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/05/31/...he-call-right/
-
Haas drivers suffer from the same costly problem as they leave Spain empty-handed.
Haas team mates Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen finished this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix in 15th and 18th respectively, leaving both drivers to lament the high degradation of their tyres that hampered their hopes of scoring points.
06 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site
When asked to describe his Sunday in Barcelona, Hulkenberg replied: “Tough. Difficult. Unfortunately, the deg was really high for us. And we had to three-stop the race, where I think the competition two-stopped, and still the pace is similar to them.”
“At the beginning of every stint, we were very competitive, but our tyres just fell off so quickly, and we had to do a three-stop which wasn’t that optimum,” said Magnussen.
“Hopefully, we can try and learn about what caused it and improve, but certainly it was a tough race. When you have a bad weekend like this, you tend to find some interesting answers and that’s what I’m hoping for now. Onto the next one."
‘Same costly problem’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...KXTgCb3VK.html
Haas must ‘find a solution’ to tyre wear issues – Steiner
13:15 Tue, 06 Jun 2023
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says Haas must “find a solution” to the tyre degradation problems that hampered both cars in the Spanish Grand Prix.
“Quite a disappointing result today, we just couldn’t get the tyres to stay alive,” Steiner acknowledged. “We did one more pit stop than everyone else, but even if we hadn’t stopped, we would’ve gone slower and ended up there anyway. We need to go back to the drawing board and try to find a solution to our tyre degradation.”
Hulkenberg, who crossed the line a disappointing 15th, echoed Steiner’s comments, underlining that Haas has work to do to translate its searing one-lap potential into race trim. “It was tough,” Hulkenberg added. “Unfortunately, the degradation was really high for us and we had to three-stop whereas the competition didn’t.”
‘Find a solution’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...ssues-steiner/
Haas desperately in search of solution for tyre deg issues
07/06/2023 at 08:13
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
A taxing three-stop strategy, imposed by the excessive tyre wear on his VF-23, left Hulkenberg a lowly P15 at the checkered flag. "Tough. Difficult. Unfortunately, the deg was really high for us," commented the Hulk after his race.
"And we had to three-stop the race, where I think the competition two-stopped, and still the pace is similar to them. It looks at first glance that over one lap obviously we are competitive, but in the long runs we still have some homework to do, and some pace and deg to find."
And Steiner suggested that those answers will only be found by the team starting its tyre wear investigations from scratch. "Quite a disappointing result today, we just couldn’t get the tyres to stay alive," Steiner acknowledged.
‘Three-stop strategy’;
https://f1i.com/news/476891-haas-des...eg-issues.html
Steiner pleased with Hulkenberg's impact on Magnussen
07 June 4:55PM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365
Following Nico Hulkenberg's arrival into the Haas team for 2023, Guenther Steiner has enjoyed seeing the "healthy competition" that has developed between the German and teammate Kevin Magnussen.
When asked about the impact of Hulkenberg on Magnussen and whether the Dane has had to raise his game, Steiner told media, including RacingNews365.com: "It's difficult [to say]. "That’s a better question for Kevin than for me – but I think he puts an effort in and for him it's good to have a benchmark. That's what I think.
"Healthy competition";
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-pl...t-on-magnussen
Hulkenberg: Haas has to switch focus from qualifying to race
7th June 2023, 17:13
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com
Hulkenberg acknowledged that good one-lap performance was welcome, but says the team has to get its car working more effectively in races.
"I'd rather have it the other way around,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com about the qualifying pace. ”But that's the trend and the characteristic we see so far this year, and we need to try and balance it more between Saturday and Sunday.
“Because obviously whilst it's nice to bang out a nice quali it always then raises expectations, and you get a downer on Sunday which is not so easy to cope with and to explain to people all the time. So some work for the longer-term future, I think."
‘Get the car working more effectively in races’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/h...race/10479734/
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James Vowles Opens Up About Williams FW45’s Floor Design.
James Vowles, the current team principal of the Williams F1 team, has passionately come to the defence of their F1 challenger in response to the viral photos showcasing the floor of the FW45.
June 7, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
“There were photos taken of our floor this weekend after Logan went off in FP3 and obviously those have been compared to photography taken of our competitors just a few weeks ago,” the team principal (James Vowles) said.
“I think one thing to point out is that it is a little bit deceptive. What happened here is it’s very focused on that rear diffuser ramp unlike the other photos that perhaps focus more on to the floor and the mid floor where you can actually, within the regulations, add more detail.”
“All that said and done though, we are clearly lacking detail relative to our competitors but you wouldn’t have needed the underside of the floor to know that, you can see that from lap times.”
‘Passionately come to the defence’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/james-vowl...-floor-design/
Vowles discusses key Williams feature after Spanish GP EMBARRASSMENT
Wednesday 7 June 2023 20:57
Harry Smith
GPFans
James Vowles has touched on the state of the Williams floor in a recent address to fans of the team, following a weekend in the spotlight at the Spanish Grand Prix. The issue came to the forefront after Logan Sargeant crashed less than ten minutes into Saturday morning's FP3 session.
After the floors of Mercedes and Red Bull's challengers were exposed in Monaco, Williams became the latest to suffer this fate after Sargeant's car was lifted out of the gravel. The result was shocking with fans getting a sneak peek at the seemingly basic look of the Williams floor compared to their front-running competitors.
Speaking during the 'Vowles Verdict' segment for the Williams F1 website, Vowles explained: "There were photos taken of our floor this weekend after Logan [Sargeant] went off in FP3. And obviously those have been compared to photography taken of our competitors taken just a few weeks ago. I think one thing to point out is they're a little bit deceptive.”
'Vowles Verdict';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...sh-grand-prix/
Williams: Lack of FW45 floor detail shouldn’t come as surprise
15:12 Wed, 07 Jun 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week
Williams Team Principal James Vowles says that people shouldn’t be surprised by the lack of detail on the floor of the FW45 Formula 1 car. At the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend, imagery of underside of the car was taken after Logan Sargeant crashed out of the final practice session. The photos were directly compared to those taken one week prior in Monaco when the Red Bull and Mercedes challengers were hoisted into the air.
But Vowles insists that copying Red Bull’s design and attaching it to Williams’ chassis won’t benefit the car’s pace. “Understanding what you’re competitors do by giving an image of it and simply copying it won’t help you,” he said.
“So the clues behind it all, the key behind it all, is actually understanding why have they developed the floor in the way they have, what can we learn from it and apply it to where we are today to advance our learning and understanding.”
‘Copying it won’t help you’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...e-as-surprise/
Williams admit F1 floor “clearly lacking detail” despite ‘deceptive’ images
8 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Williams F1 team principal James Vowles has admitted the floor design of their car is “clearly lacking detail” compared to rivals. Images of the floor of the Williams FW45 emerged following Logan Sargeant’s crash during final practice at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, prompting comparisons to their competitors.
“We are clearly lacking detail relative to our competitors but you wouldn't have needed the underside of the floor to know that," he explained. "You can see that from lap times. That's fundamentally a feature of balance characteristics and the car's performance, and downforce as well at the same time, and a lot of that is being generated by the floor.”
"You can see that from lap times”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102813...ceptive-images
Williams admit images show their floor ‘clearly lacks detail’ compared to rivals
2023 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 7th June 2023, 13:55
Written by Keith Collantine
Crash.Net
James Vowles: “Furthermore, whatever you’ve seen on a competitor is at least six to eight weeks out of date, and where they are now is further forward. So the clues behind it or the key behind it all is actually understanding why they develop the floor in the way that they have and what can we learn from it and apply to where we are today to advance our learning and understanding.
“That is going on all the time. But what you can’t do is go away [with] some deep-rooted methods and systems that you need to actually understand how to generate downforce in an efficient manner for the car you have. So our prioritisation is [to] learn from others where we need to but make sure we carry on developing on our build cycle the way we know we’ll develop over time into a faster and faster car.”
Vowles indicated the team plans to bring new parts for its FW45’s floor over the next month. “We will introduce upgrades sometime over the next three races or so, potentially in one go or spread out across those. Some of them you’ll see, some of them perhaps less visible.”
‘Six to eight weeks out of date’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/07/...red-to-rivals/
Williams floor catches Adrian Newey’s eye for Red Bull upgrade
06 Jun 2023 2:15 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Red Bull design guru Adrian Newey has been looking up and down the grid for solutions that will improve the RB19 even further, and even the team at the back of the pack have helped make their car faster.
And when Red Bull arrived in Barcelona with changes to their edge wing and diffuser on the floor of the RB19, these were elements that became more reflective of their competitors, with chief engineer Paul Monaghan revealing that a small element of the Williams FW44 was analysed and replicated on their car.
“It wasn’t necessarily going to work on our car, but we looked at it a couple of times and it turned out that it could give a small advantage. And when the solution was fitted, the result was bigger than we had actually thought. It’s certainly not the most influential thing, but it helps a bit.”
‘Red Bull design guru Adrian Newey’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian...oor-influence/
Red Bull car taking inspiration from F1 backmarkers Williams
Red Bull owe part of their last two Formula 1 race wins for Max Verstappen to Williams
June 7, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport
Red Bull revealed they took inspiration from the unlikeliest of sources for their latest upgrade package that helped Max Verstappen storm to victory at the 2023 Monaco and Spanish Grand Prix. Red Bull arrived in Monaco with a new floor that was particularly altered towards the rear of the car, and the team’s chief engineer Paul Monaghan said they’d first spotted the design on the Williams before adapting it to their machinery.
“That piece of floor design that was out in early 2022,” Monaghan told the media in Spain. “The Williams had it quite early on and some other people had it. “It didn’t necessarily work for us, we’ve looked at it a couple of times, and it’s a small benefit. It looks like a slightly larger change and than has actually been realised.
“It’s not going to be the most influential thing you do, it helps a little bit and we’re quite constrained, height-wise where we can do it.” The upgrades were set to arrive in Imola for the first of Formula 1‘s scheduled triple-header, but extreme flooding in Italy pushed those arrivals back to the Monaco GP.
‘Inspiration from the unlikeliest of sources’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...kers-williams/
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‘If you do a bad job, you get sacked’: The arguments behind Steiner’s stewards take-down.
Guenther Steiner: “F1 is one of the biggest sports in the world and we still have laymen deciding on the fate of people that invest millions in their careers.”
June 7th, 2023 4:57 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Guenther Steiner has been reprimanded by the FIA stewards for his spectacular call to overhaul Formula 1’s umpiring system, but debate over the way the sport is adjudicated continues rumbling along. Steiner put himself into hot water at the weekend by slamming the decision to penalise his driver Nico Hülkenberg for a first-lap incident with Williams rookie Logan Sargeant at the Monaco Grand Prix. Hülkenberg dive-bombed Sargeant down the inside of Mirabeau and was slapped with a five-second penalty for being out of control of his car and causing a collision.
But Steiner is adamant that there was no contact, and on-board footage from Sargeant’s car is inconclusive as to whether contact was made or whether Sargeant reflexively turned out of a potential crash. The idea that his driver would be penalised based on what he believes is non-definitive proof rankled Steiner, and the clearly frustrated Haas boss used the opportunity to launch into a broader argument over the consistency of decision-making among the FIA’s rotating stewards panel.
Steiner said it all amounted to evidence that the FIA needed to overhaul its stewarding system to professionalise it. “Every professional sport has got professionals being referees and stuff like this,” he said. “F1 is one of the biggest sports in the world and we still have laymen deciding on the fate of people that invest millions in their careers. It’s always a discussion because there’s no consistency.”
“We still have laymen”;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...de5746fba190c2
Ralf Schumacher backs Guenther Steiner amidst
04 Jun 2023 9:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
As Guenther Steiner waits to hear his fate after a stewards inquiry into his comments about F1’s stewarding, surprisingly it is Ralf Schumacher who has defended the Haas team boss.
He was subsequently called to see the stewards in Spain with the team boss alleged to have breached three parts of the FIA’s International Sporting Code – acting “prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motorsport generally”, causing “moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA” as well as “misconduct towards” officials.
The hearing took place on Saturday afternoon with the outcome set to be announced on Sunday before the start of the Spanish Grand Prix. As Steiner waits to hear his fate, Schumacher has weighed in with the German warning against Formula 1 becoming a “police state”.
‘Police state concerns’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ralf-s...tate-concerns/
Steiner reacts to being called to stewards following CONTROVERSIAL comments
Saturday 3 June 2023 17:57
Harry Smith
GPFans
Speaking with Sky Sports F1 after FP3 Steiner, explained: "I don't know what I've done this time. "I mean I'm gonna see them and then I will let you know afterwards.”
Steiner was cautious of revealing too much in case he picked up another trip to the stewards. "I think if I talk now I get the code a second time. So no, I take these things seriously and I will have to tell them my opinion about it."
‘CONTROVERSIAL comments’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...sh-grand-prix/
Steiner reprimanded for FIA F1 stewards' criticism
12:40 Sun, 04 Jun
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
Haas Formula 1 boss Gunther Steiner has been given a reprimand by the Spanish Grand Prix stewards for comments he made regarding the FIA's handling of events in Monaco.
In a statement issued on Sunday morning, the stewards said: “Mr Steiner’s word “laymen” and his reference to other sports having “professional” personnel could be, and indeed were, perceived to cause offence and in our view reasonably did cause offence not only to the Stewards in Monaco but also to other FIA personnel and many motorsport volunteers.
“However, the Stewards accept Mr Steiner’s statement during the hearing, that his reference to professionalism was meant to refer to people who worked in a role as their profession and not that the Stewards were acting unprofessionally. Further Mr Steiner stated his reference to “laymen” was meant to refer to people who worked occasionally and not meant to refer a lack of qualifications or specialisation.”
‘Steiner reprimanded’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/s...ism-/10478463/
Haas principal Steiner reprimanded, apologizes for calling race stewards `laymen´
Published: 13:15, 4 June 2023
By Associated Press
Mail Online
MONTMELO, Spain (AP) - Haas team principal Guenther Steiner was reprimanded by the FIA on Sunday for calling the race stewards at last weekend´s Monaco Grand Prix "laymen" after he disagreed with their decision to penalize one of his drivers. The reprimand will not incur a penalty or fine.
Steiner apologized to stewards in a meeting on Saturday. He made that apology public in a statement released by Haas on Sunday before the Spanish GP. Steiner attracted the attention of race officials when he said on Thursday: "F1 is one of the biggest sports in the world, and we still have laymen deciding on the fate of people who invest millions in their careers."
Steiner was angry about a penalty given to Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg at Monaco. On Sunday, he said that he had apologized to the stewards if his words had been "misunderstood." "I had not intended to offend anyone and that my use of certain words could have been open to misinterpretation or misunderstood by some people," he said.
‘Steiner apologized to stewards’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap...ds-laymen.html
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Hill on Ferrari troubles: They're running with one leg all the time.
Damon Hill has compared Ferrari's recent troubles to "running with one leg all the time" given the mixed fortunes for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz at the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.
09 June 9:40AM
Author Anna Francis
RacingNews365
Sainz delivered a sign of promise on Saturday, having benefitted from the absence of the likes of Sergio Perez in Q3 to clinch P2 on the grid. However, the Spaniard slipped backwards in the race to eventually finish in P5.
On the other side of the garage, it was a nightmare weekend for Leclerc. The Monegasque qualified down in P19, leading the team to opt to start him from the pit lane after making changes to his car. Leclerc missed out on scoring a point by ending the Grand Prix in P11.
Mixed fortunes for Ferrari. Reflecting on this, Hill admitted that Ferrari seem to have faced a continued problem in their drivers experiencing contrasting fortunes. "What can you say about Ferrari? When one is up, the other is down," Hill told the the Sky Sports F1 Podcast. "It's like they are running with one leg all the time."
‘One leg’;
https://racingnews365.com/hill-on-fe...g-all-the-time
Hill on Ferrari's struggles: 'Like they're always running with one leg'.
08/06/2023 at 16:19
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
F1 world champion Damon Hill says Ferrari's persistent struggles this season, with one car or the other, make it feel as if the Scuderia is "always running with one leg". A pre-season favourite to shine this year, Ferrari is currently fourth in F1's Constructors' standings after seven races.
The Italian outfit's SF-23 contender has so far been no match for Red Bull's runaway RB19. But Ferrari has also been outpaced overall by Mercedes and Aston Martin. Hill noted how the running order directly behind Red Bull has often been reshuffled from race to race. However, Ferrari's lack of consistency and struggles is a constant.
"It’s a funny season in a way because we have seen quite a lot of disparity between apparent form on one circuit and the same form, or expectations, on another circuit," Hill told the Sky Sports F1 podcast. "Everyone is scratching their heads apart from Red Bull, who are delivering on every track.”
‘Running with one leg';
https://f1i.com/news/476985-hill-on-...h-one-leg.html
Hill SLAMS Ferrari in scathing review of 2023 F1 season
Friday 9 June 2023 08:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans
Damon Hill is perplexed at Ferrari's 2023 form, claiming they are always standing on one leg at a time, not both. The Scuderia has struggled to convert good qualifying performances into big points and podiums this season with its only rostrum coming courtesy of Charles Leclerc in Azerbaijan.
Hill, the 1996 world champion, thinks Ferrari's inconsistency has gone on long enough but admits that this season is a strange one comparing performance from one track to the next. "Then what can you say about Ferrari? When one is up, the other is down. It's like they are running with one leg all the time. So going forward, you have got the development curve and cost-cap restrictions to think about."
‘Hill SLAMS Ferrari’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-carlos-sainz/
Ferrari CEO issues firm statement in response to poor F1 2023 performance
08 Jun 2023 10:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Yet to win a grand prix this season and with their upgraded SF-23 failing to fire in Spain, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna has resorted to a Japanese proverb to inspire the team: “Nana korobi, ya oki.”
With the Monégasque driver, Sainz and team boss Fred Vasseur all highlighting the car’s inconsistency in the wake of the Spanish Grand Prix, CEO Vigna has tried to issue a rally cry to his troops.
“Nana korobi, ya oki!” he said during this week’s Bloomberg Capital Market Forum. That translates as “fall down seven times, stand up eight”, fitting given that Ferrari are seven races into this season.
He added: “It applies to life, as it does to F1. “It’s not easy, sometimes you slip four floors and you can’t see the end but with work, with passion, with skills and with the heart, in the end we recover. I’ve been there many times.”
“Nana korobi, ya oki.”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...rbs-statement/
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur admits SF-23 is 'very difficult to understand' after Spanish GP struggles
16:10 Thu, 08 Jun 2023.
Sky Sports
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has admitted their 2023 car is "very difficult to understand" after a tough Sunday at the Spanish Grand Prix.
'Very difficult to understand';
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...h-gp-struggles
Charles Leclerc’s damning comments on Ferrari’s woes
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has struggled this season with inconsistent car performance and tyre degradation.
9 June 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News
Expressing his frustration, Leclerc admitted: “We are struggling more than I expected. It’s not like I’ve got understeer in the car, and I can say, ‘Okay, this is a very understeery car’,” Leclerc said. “It’s just inconsistencies but it’s very difficult to work on inconsistencies, especially when you do exactly the same thing both times,” he explained.
“We’ll check what we are doing but it’s very, very difficult because even as soon as the wind changes slightly we’ve a car that changes quite a lot, so it’s very, very tricky. Where we really need to put all our focus is to try and be more often at the peak of our tyres and know how to manage them better,” he said.
“Two or three degrees makes a huge difference on balance. In Spain, we were struggling, either completely outside the window, or in the window and being happy with the car, so there’ll be a lot of work on that. We need to try to understand what’s going on with those tyres and put them in the right window more often.”
‘Damning comments on Ferrari’s woes’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/charles-l...ferraris-woes/
Why Ferrari has made F1 design changes it had denied needing
9th June 2023, 07:39
By Edd Straw
The Race
Ferrari made the most significant deviation from its original Formula 1 car concept introduced at the start of last season with its upgrade package at the Spanish Grand Prix – a change the team’s messaging had previously denied the need for. While the car may not look dramatically different, the introduction of the downwash ramp at the rear of sidepods means Ferrari has, for the first time, moved away from distinctive ‘bathtub’ shape.
And there is more to come – so while team principal Fred Vasseur said in the build-up to the race at Barcelona that “as long as I’m convinced that we can improve on the current car, it would be a mistake during the season to change completely the target”, it is evidence of a new direction from Ferrari.
Most likely, Vasseur’s positive messaging is intended to show support to the team and when it comes to talk of concept changes it’s an imprecise enough phrase that, combined with the fact the car hasn’t changed dramatically visually, you can argue this is not so major a change of direction.
‘Significant deviation’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-f...enied-needing/
Why Ferrari say their change in design is the result of “discipline”, not “copying”
2023 Spanish Grand Prix
Posted on 9th June 2023, 7:158th June 2023, 23:47
Written by Ida Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
Long-serving Ferrari engineer Jock Clear, now Charles Leclerc’s performance engineer, spoke to media including RaceFans ahead of the race last Sunday about what had inspired the upgrades, their predicted effectiveness, and why it had taken this long for them to appear when a downturn in their performance became apparent during the second half of last season.
The team started last season “convinced about what we had,” explains Clear. “And then we all have to learn from what other people are doing, but we also have to learn from what we’re doing. We’re not copying anyone, per se. We’re looking at what they did, we’re going back to our tunnel and trying to find out if that works. Now, it’s appeared on the car now because it works.”
“As soon as you see what someone else is doing well and you get that in your tunnel, you’re disciplined enough not to have a ‘knee jerk’ and just chuck it on your car, because it won’t work,” said Clear. “But you have to give yourself a couple of months to get it sorted, to get it to work with your car, and then you say ‘yeah, actually I can see where they’re coming from there’.”
“Discipline”;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/09/...e-not-copying/
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Aston Martin chief blunt about Fernando Alonso's future as rival F1 team admits interest.
Team Principal Mike Krack: "It's nice to hear that, that he has said that several years, we would be happy with that."
16:31, 9 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror
Mike Krack declared his delight in reaction to Fernando Alonso's admission that he intends to stay with Aston Martin for the long-term. It was in Barcelona, in front of his home crowd, that Alonso made that pledge about his future. "I'm going to be at Aston Martin for a few more years," he said.
Given his results so far this season, you would assume the team would be delighted about that. And team principal Krack confirmed that theory when questioned about it during the race weekend. "I think the main thing, and this is one of the big qualities, is the desire to be at the front, the motivation. And I think this is fully on with Fernando.”
"We don't think so much about that, to be honest, as you guys know. We take it race by race, and we try to do well every race. It's nice to hear that but we didn't think too much about it yet. Let's make it happen."
‘EL PLAN: “Fully on with Fernando.”;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...artin-30196790
'We would be happy with that' – Krack offers his thoughts on how long Alonso could stay at Aston Martin
08 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site.
Alonso and Aston Martin’s strong start to the season has led many to speculate when they could win their first race of the year, with their best finish coming in Monaco where the Spaniard took the chequered flag in second. And when asked if he believes they could win a race this year, Krack was in no mood to make predictions, but called on his team to be ready if the opportunity presents itself this season.
“I think that is very difficult to say because it’s such a relative competition that you are depending on the pace of others, you are depending on yourself, so I think it would be bold to say we will win this one, or that we are close to winning,” Krack explained.
“We have to see. We have to be there at each opportunity that is coming and, if it comes, we have to be ready, and until then we have to work hard to keep ourselves in the position to be there. I will not make any predictions of when we’re going to win a race.”
‘EL PLAN: 'We would be happy with that';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...jcpUDPzRG.html
Defiant Aston Martin respond to theory Mercedes now a clear step ahead
09 Jun 2023 2:15 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Aston Martin boss Mike Krack believes it’s too early to say whether Mercedes have toppled them as F1’s second-quickest team in 2023. Aston Martin have been the surprise package of 2023 so far, with the Silverstone-based squad racking up podium after podium with five appearances in the first six races courtesy of Fernando Alonso.
“I think it is too early or too easy to say that, because we have not seen the full picture in qualifying,” he said on Sunday night. “It’s something that is similar to how it is at the beginning of the year when we say we need three races to see where we are really.”
“Now it could well be that others have made a bigger step. But our early analysis so far doesn’t reflect that.” But Aston Martin will make “a step” next time out, with upgrades en route for the AMR23 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the Canadian Grand Prix.
‘Defiant Aston Martin response’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/defian...es-step-ahead/
Fernando Alonso vows to ‘crush’ Lewis Hamilton
Aston Martin are set to introduce a series of upgrades at the Canadian Grand Prix next weekend.
9 June 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Despite having slipped to third, Alonso is confident that the team can reclaim second perhaps as soon as next weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, where upgrades will be installed. It’s expected that Aston Martin will make a significant improvement in Canada next weekend and at the British Grand Prix in July, making Alonso believe that his side will “crush” the Silver Arrows.
“I’m happy because qualifying was the Achilles heel of the whole weekend,” Alonso said, as reported by The Mirror. “In terms of the constructors’, it’s true that Mercedes took some important points from us, but we took points from Ferrari again.”
“In Canada we will bring more stuff, in Silverstone too… It will depend on who brings the improvements. Even with a normal time, we would have been on a par with Hamilton [in Barcelona] and maybe we would have had a better chance. I think it’s a race and, in Canada, we crush them.”
‘EL PLAN: Bring more stuff & Crush’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-...ewis-hamilton/
Alonso, not Hamilton, has extra capacity says Verstappen
JUNE 9, 2023
GrandPrix.com
In Barcelona last weekend, the Red Bull driver came on the radio to ask his engineer: "Someone's phone is going - is that Helmut (Marko)'s?" Gianpiero Lambiase replied: "Er, yes."
"I do like to think that having extra capacity is a big advantage in F1," Verstappen told the Times. "You cannot train that kind of thing. Only a few drivers have it." When asked who, he answered: "For me, definitely Fernando.”
Verstappen was then asked if seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton has the same extra capacity. "No, Fernando stands out more with that," he said.
‘EL PLAN: Extra capacity’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/alons...erstappen.html
Christian Horner reveals rival F1 team Red Bull “most keeping an eye on” - and it’s not Mercedes
9 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Christian Horner insists Aston Martin are the team Red Bull are “most keeping an eye on” following their incredible start to the 2023 F1 season. After struggling to a disappointing seventh-place finish in last year’s constructors’ championship, Aston Martin completed a remarkable transformation over the winter
Despite Mercedes’ recent resurgence, which saw them leapfrog Aston Martin into second place in the constructors’ standings at the Spanish Grand Prix, Horner still sees Aston Martin as Red Bull’s biggest long-term threat. “We have a lot less wind-tunnel time than you guys,” he told Aston Martin ambassador Pedro De la Rosa when speaking to DAZN.
“So we’re having to be very selective about how we use that time, and also thinking about next year as well – so it’s about finding that balance. When you look at all that experience, you can see what Fernando’s brought to Aston Martin – which is still a young team. There are lots of new guys there; they took a few guys from us. For us, I think the team that we’re most keeping an eye on for the future is the Aston team – because you can see they have a strong energy.”
‘EL PLAN: Remarkable transformation’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102823...s-not-mercedes
Fernando Alonso came ‘very close’ to joining Red Bull, reveals Christian Horner
Friday 9 Jun 2023 4:32 pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk
Fernando Alonso came ‘very close’ to signing for Red Bull in 2008, team principal Christian Horner has revealed. Horner revealing the truth behind the rumours that the Spaniard nearly signed for his team. ‘We were very close. I went to see his representation agency at the end of 2007 to [sign him] for the 2008 and 2009 seasons, we offered him a two-year contract,’ Horner told Motorsport Magazin.
‘He only wanted to sign for one season, but Red Bull and [Dietrich] Mateschitz’s position was two years or nothing, and he didn’t commit to it. We thought he had a very clear contract to go to Ferrari in 2009.”
‘The strange thing is that Flavio [Briatore] was also involved, but he was trying to sign him for the Renault team, the team he was running at the time, and in the end, he ended up driving for Renault those two seasons.”
‘EL PLAN: Very close’;
https://metro.co.uk/2023/06/09/f1-fe...o=newsnow-feed
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Tost: Red Bull rejected "significantly better" Schumacher for AlphaTauri.
AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has admitted that Red Bull rejected his initial Pierre Gasly replacement, Mick Schumacher, whom he thinks is "significantly better" at racing than he is currently perceived.
Friday 9 June 2023 12:27
Jay Winter
GPFans
AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has admitted that Red Bull rejected his initial Pierre Gasly replacement, Mick Schumacher, whom he thinks is "significantly better" at racing than he is currently perceived. AlphaTauri's decision to sign Nyck de Vries for the 2023 season came down to Red Bull higher-ups, said Tost, confirming what Ralf Schumacher claimed back in May.
In an interview with Formel1.de, Tost admitted that he first thought that they would be keeping their fan favourite duo together. He said: "Initially, it was clear to me that our driver lineup would be Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda. Then suddenly Pierre was assigned to Alpine, and that left a spot open for us.”
Tost reinforced the decision to want to sign Schumacher, claiming the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher is "significantly better" than he is currently credited for. Mick Schumacher didn't secure a cockpit for this year," he recalled. "For us, it was then open, after the Pierre Gasly situation came to light. He is significantly better than he is currently perceived in the outside world."
‘Want to sign Schumacher’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...auri-rejected/
Mick Schumacher rejected for F1 race seat despite team chief making him number one choice.
Schumacher is a Mercedes reserve this year having been axed by Haas after two seasons in F1, but would have landed another race seat for 2023 had one team boss had his way
18:57, 9 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror
Franz Tost said he wanted Mick Schumacher to drive for AlphaTauri this season – but he was overruled by Red Bull bosses who blocked the move. But, Tost has revealed, he was prevented from making that happen by the top bosses at Red Bull who decided De Vries, who had enjoyed an eye-catching Formula 1 debut with Williams at Monza, was the man for the seat.
His words come after Ralf Schumacher, Mick's uncle, claimed his nephew was "blocked" from the seat by Helmut Marko. He also accused the head of Red Bull's youth development programme of having "a problem with the Schumacher name".
He said: "The driver available on the market was Mick. Mick would have made sense as well. But then Dr Helmut Marko came along and, for personal reasons or whatever it may be, didn't want that and chose Nyck de Vries instead."
‘Overruled, blocked the move’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...-tost-30197215
Franz Tost wanted to sign Mick Schumacher says Ralf
MAY 19, 2023
GrandPrix.com
In the 90s, Tost worked for Willi Weber - Schumacher's then manager - who asked Tost to accompany Ralf to race in Japan prior to his F1 debut. Tost then worked as BMW's track operations manager when Schumacher raced for Williams.
Schumacher now reveals that Tost, 67, actually wanted to sign Ralf's nephew Mick for the 2023 season after the 24-year-old lost his Haas seat after two years on the grid. "Franz had a completely different driver on mind than de Vries," Ralf revealed.
"He knows that drivers take two or three years to grow and the driver that was available was Mick. But then came Helmut Marko who, for personal reasons or whatever, didn't want to sign Mick.”
‘Completely different driver on mind’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/franz...says-ralf.html
‘It’s really difficult for rookies now’ – Tost defends De Vries after tricky start to first season
02 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
After a difficult start to Nyck de Vries’ first full campaign, AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost has explained why making the step up to F1 is so hard for young drivers these days.
‘Difficult for rookies now’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...574988914.html
Why the head of Red Bull’s finishing school has chosen to move on
News Focus
Posted on 26th May 2023, 7:1526th May 2023, 7:19
Written by Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
After 18 years in one of the fasted-paced sports in the world, Franz Tost’s time in the Formula 1 paddock is coming to an end. But his legacy will continue to be felt for many years, as many of the current and retired drivers have benefitted from his guidance.
Among those he introduced to the series are two multiple world champions. Four-times champion Sebastian Vettel and two-times (for now at least) winner Max Verstappen both flourished under his guidance. Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz Jnr and Daniel Ricciardo all went on to become race-winners. Others enjoyed success in WEC and Formula E after their time under Tost’s tutelage.
“I will not be in the pit lane anymore,” revealed Tost, 67, last month. AlphaTauri will therefore have a new face at the helm for the first time since it was bought by Red Bull and entered into F1 in 2006 as Toro Rosso. “When Dietrich Mateschitz [co-founder of Red Bull] called me and said, you go now to Italy,” Tost recalled, “when I came there and saw what it looked like – because I couldn’t believe that this is the infrastructure for a Formula 1 team – and then to build a team up.”
‘Will not be in the pit lane anymore’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/05/26/...ow-to-move-on/
AlphaTauri boss retiring
The reigning World Champion, Max Verstappen, has paid tribute to Franz Tost, who recently had his say on the fastest driver in the business.
by David Freeman
20 May 2023
Max Verstappen: “At the beginning of a career, it is important to have someone like Franz by your side. He helped me a lot at the start and supported me with his advice and experience. He is good at dealing with young drivers.”
“When young drivers enter [Formula 1], they want to achieve success quickly. It’s good to be reassured sometimes. The conversations with him have been very helpful to me.”
“He has discovered many talents and contributed to the development of the main team, which is why he had a great career. It is sad to see him go, but at some point, after so many years in Formula 1, you simply need more time for family.”
‘Max Verstappen, has paid tribute’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verst...boss-retiring/
Tost happy to hand over the reins to Mekies: "It's time"
13/05/2023 at 09:11
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
Long-time AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost says he's looking forward to handing over the responsibility of running the team to current Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies at the end of the year. “It’s time to go," he told the media in Miami last week. “I think this is the time where I will hand it over to some other people who can do a much better job than me."
As well as Mekies taking over Tost's role, the team has also appointed former FIA executive Peter Bayer to join the squad as CEO. “It’s the correct way to do it," Tost commented. "I am more than looking forward to when Peter Bayer and Laurent Mekies will take over leading the team.”
"When Dietrich Mateschitz decided to buy the Minardi team, he said one of the main pillars is to educate the young Red Bull drivers - and this is what the team did," Tost commented. “Looking back, there were some very high-skilled drivers like Sebastian Vettel, then, of course, Verstappen," he said. "There are also some other drivers, they were really fast, like Carlos Sainz, like Gasly, Ricciardo, Daniel, and now Yuki.”
"It's time";
https://f1i.com/news/474259-tost-hap...-its-time.html
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Wolff: Mercedes early season ‘shock’ key to change.
Toto Wolff has conceded Mercedes took a risk with its major change in development direction but that there was ultimately no choice after the shock it received at the start of the F1 season.
Saturday 10th June, 2023 - 12:28pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
One-lap pace appears to still be lacking but in race trim, at least, the car has made progress, even if the 24-second gap between race-winner Verstappen and runner-up Hamilton remains considerable. “We took some decisions to go in another direction,” explained Wolff.
“We changed so many parts that we thought might be variables that we don’t completely understand. It was a risky move, but everybody has just pushed forward and we’ve got a good race car.” As to why the move did not take place sooner, Wolff indicated that it was only in Bahrain that Mercedes realised it had effectively gone as far as it could go with the development of a car born from the new aerodynamic regulations introduced at the start of last year.
“We just needed the shock at the beginning of the season to understand that this (the design) is not going forward, that there were no more performance gains in it,” said Wolff. “That shook it up, and then we pushed forward, and then there are lead times, you need to design parts, you need to produce them, and the team has done a mega job with all that we have on the car.”
“We just needed the shock!”;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/10...eorge-russell/
Wolff concedes to Mercedes design failure
10 June 7:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Dieter Rencken
RacingNews365
Toto Wolff has conceded that Mercedes "misinterpreted" Formula 1 ground effect regulations after they finally switched to a more conventional concept.
"We had to work through this because we had also discovered that the [previous] direction just simply didn't work," Team Principal Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.com, when asked about discovering the original concept was flawed.
"We are a team of people that won eight consecutive championships, but we got it wrong last year. We tried to find out what it was, we didn't understand, and things got better towards the end of the season. The regulations were changed which we misinterpreted, and we start from zero.”
‘Mercedes design failure’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-conc...design-failure
Mercedes admits F1 upgrade ‘rush’ prompted some worries
14:58 Fri, 09 Jun 2023.
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
The German manufacturer produced a notable step forward in form at the Spanish Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished second and third behind race-winner Max Verstappen.
The potential of its revamped car, which features new sidepods, front suspension and floor, is clear to see, as the squad targets making further steps to try to close the gap to Red Bull.
But Wolff thinks it important that Mercedes’ designers now take stock of the current package and fully understand it, before getting ahead of themselves with more changes.
‘Take stock’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...ies-/10480138/
‘Toto Wolff still not convinced the new Mercedes sidepod concept is the better one’
08 Jun 2023 1:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Toto Wolff is reportedly “not convinced” Mercedes’ new sidepod concept is better than the zero-pod design but the team changed it anyway, says F1 journalist Christian Menath.
F1 journalist Christian Menath: “Toto said they just wanted to take out something of the equation – he’s still not convinced that the concept of these sidepods is the better one, they just wanted to take something out of the equation to be sure where the problem is. But I think that was part of the problem. For me, it’s definitely the right direction. But who am I to judge 1000 engineers in Brackley.”
Russell, who finished third at the Spanish Grand Prix to mark his first podium of this season behind his team-mate Lewis Hamilton, has also insists it’s not the sidepods that have created the magic. “It’s not the sidepods what make the difference,” he told Sky Sports. “It may be a factor, but the magic isn’t in the sidepods. We brought that design to the car to kind of rule it out, the sidepods. The magic was done underneath the car, on the floor. That’s the same for every single team.”
‘Mercedes sidepods’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...pt-reportedly/
Mercedes: “Massive step” forward in Spain different to F1 2022 false dawn
15:31 Wed, 07 Jun 2023.
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
The team delivered its best result of the 2023 season last weekend as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished second and third behind runaway race-winner Max Verstappen. The result, allied to the strong pace of the W14 throughout the race, has suggested that Mercedes' revamp of its car has delivered a significant leap forward in form after months of struggling with its 'zeropod' concept.
Wolff reckoned the gap between Mercedes was in the region of a few tenths now, which he said was a huge leap forward considering where the team had been earlier this year. “I think it is two/three tenths,” he said. “That's how we would judge it today.
“And that's a massive step forward. But we need to remain cool, because last year we've been looking pretty decent in Barcelona. However, as long as the trajectory goes upwards, it's going to be like share prices that go up and down. There's going to be moments, tougher moments, but I'm pleased for the job that has been done in Brixworth and Brackley.”
“Massive step”;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...dawn/10479580/
Toto Wolff breaks silence on Aston Martin ditching Mercedes
Aston Martin will switch to Honda power in 2026, ending their long-standing relationship with Mercedes.
8 June 2023
by Nick Golding
Wolff is certain that the switch from Mercedes to Honda has nothing to do with performance, with the Austrian believing that Aston Martin simply want to become a “true works team”. “I don’t think them switching from a Mercedes client situation to a Honda has anything to do with the power unit,” said Wolff, as reported by The Mirror.
“I think we are competitive in terms of power unit, but they always wanted to emancipate themselves and become a true works team, and that’s what they’re doing. They have their own exclusive power unit supply deal, they have their own fuel supplier, they are building a big factory that’s going online in the next few months.”
“Lawrence [Stroll, team owner]’s aim is never small. I think when you want to be competitive and win championships, that is the kind of step that you need to make.”
“True works team”;
https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolf...hing-mercedes/
Spanish GP could have triggered big change in Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff meeting
07 Jun 2023 1:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Lewis Hamilton said he was sitting down with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff on Monday for a chat, potentially involving contracts, but did Mercedes’ Spanish GP showing avoid that being a plea to stay?
But speaking on the Sky F1 podcast, reporter Natalie Pinkham asked fellow guest, 1996 World Champion Damon Hill, whether that far improved showing for Mercedes was the inspiration for Hamilton making that upcoming Wolff meeting public knowledge.
And Hill, who believes the meeting would have happened anyway, did suggest that the result perhaps spared Wolff from needing to convince Hamilton to stay with Mercedes during this catch-up, the team, Hamilton and Ferrari all recently batting away rumours linking the seven-time World Champion with a move to Maranello.
‘Triggered big change!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/spain-...wolff-meeting/
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Red Bull unconcerned by "ignorant copies".
Despite its magical underside being laid bare for all the world to see, Red Bull chief engineer, Paul Monaghan insists his team is not losing too much sleep.
13:18 Sat, 10 Jun
NEWS STORY
Pitpass
When Lewis Hamilton's car was lifted high into the air by the Monaco marshals following his crash in Saturday practice, team boss Toto Wolff opined the "whoever performed the crane has probably worked for Cirque du Soleil", the Austrian clearly frustrated that the secrets of the W14 had been laid bare.
In all honesty however, it is unlikely that too many teams were preparing to pore over the images arriving in their inboxes, especially as a couple of hours later they were given the opportunity to ogle the secret bits of the absolute star of 2023 thus far, the RB19 following Sergio Perez' crash in Q1. While Mercedes tech boss, James Allison has admitted that his aero team is poring over the images, Paul Monaghan insists that he and his team are not particularly concerned.
"It's not great," he said of the images. "We don't put our car up like that, but it has happened and we'll move on. But there's a phase lag between people seeing it, getting it onto their car and actually going faster with it," he said, when asked if there were fears of copycats. "A better description is that an ignorant copy isn't necessarily going to go faster. It has to integrate. And it's not just a bit of floor geometry."
"Ignorant copies";
https://www.pitpass.com/75341/Red-Bu...gnorant-copies
Red Bull concede ‘there are no copyrights, just flattery’
09 Jun 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Red Bull chief engineer Paul Monaghan concedes his team cannot stop rivals from copying Red Bull’s race-winning concepts, after all that’s not copyrighted. With Christian Horner having previously predicted convergence would come with the new cars, Monaghan was asked if teams have to adopt the Red Bull philosophy if they want to be fast.
“I don’t know if it’s unavoidable. You would have to talk to other people,” he told Motorsport.com. “If you don’t understand [the concept], you can copy it, but you won’t get any faster. Other people look at our car and try to be influenced by it if they think it makes them faster. That’s fine. It’s been happening for many, many years.”
“Ask McLaren about 2011 and what their car looked like when it wasn’t fast. Then it showed up with an exhaust that looked exactly like ours and it was pretty fast.” He added: “There are no copyrights, are there? You take it as flattery.”
‘No copyrights, just flattery’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bu...s-on-concepts/
Red Bull acknowledge growing strength of Aston Martin
Saturday 10th June, 2023 - 8:28pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has acknowledged the growing emergence of Aston Martin as a superpower in F1. Under the ownership of Lawrence Stroll and his consortium, Aston Martin has taken F1 by storm this season, with Fernando Alonso scoring five podiums from seven grands prix, including finishing runner-up to Max Verstappen in Monaco.
Horner readily concedes Aston Martin is “putting a good team together”, and can understand its decision to gain a greater level of independence. “They’ll get a competitive engine, but they already have a competitive engine,” he added. “They will perhaps achieve more independence because I guess their architecture is currently dictated by another team (Mercedes).”
“It’s good to see Honda continuing in the sport,” remarked Horner. “They have obviously done a significant u-turn from where they were 18 months to two years ago. But I think their decision, in many ways, forced us to make a decision about our long-term future and not being beholden to a manufacturer and taking control of our own future. And by making the investment that we have in Red Bull Powertrains, it has enabled us to put the whole thing under one roof.
‘Growing strength of Aston Martin’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/10...ngth-red-bull/
Horner reveals Red Bull engine plan after McLaren link rubbished
11 June 11:10AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Red Bull will supply AlphaTauri with its in-house power unit having partnered with Ford to kickstart its journey as an OEM and with Marshall switching to McLaren, talk had been rife that an engine deal could have been a negotiation sweetener. “No, Rob is not going with an engine,” Horner told media, including RacingNews365.com.
Outlining the championship-leading outfit's plans, Horner added: “Of course, a couple of teams have approached us about the power unit. Our plan at the moment is to supply two teams because we don’t want to overstretch ourselves in the first year. And of course, those teams are likely to be the two Red Bull-owned teams.”
‘Red Bull engine plan’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-rev...link-rubbished
F1: Adrian Newey talks Red Bull culture, copycat cars, power units and 2023 development race
Last Updated: 10/06/23 7:07am
Sky Sports
Adrian Newey says Red Bull have a minimal email culture and is aware about the dangers of complacency.
"Theoretically I'm in charge of everybody but I never look at it that way. We try to run a very flat structure, where we encourage everyone to communicate and minimise the email culture, encourage people to talk - if it's an aero designer, talk to the guy designing the mechanical solution for that aerodynamic shape," he told Sky Italy.
"Theoretically I'm in charge”;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...velopment-race
Newey reveals more concerns on 2026 power unit regulations
11 June 10:25AM
Author Luke Murphy
RacingNews365
Adrian Newey has spoken about the potential hurdles the sport may face due to the 2026 power unit regulation changes. Red Bull's Adrian Newey has highlighted a potential risk of the changing Formula 1 power unit regulations, which take effect in 2026.
The sport has introduced updates to the power unit specifications, which place greater emphasis on sustainability, and has encouraged more manufacturers to join the sport. Whilst the power units will retain their core configuration of a 1.6-litre V6 internal combustion engine, there will be a greater electrical output from the Kinetic Motor Generator Unit. The Heat Motor Generator Unit will be removed, and fully-sustainable fuels will be used.
The changes have prompted Audi and Ford to join the sport, with the latter teaming up with Red Bull, and has encouraged Honda to reverse their decision to step away from the sport. Following the announcement of the new regulations, F1 design guru Newey had previously cautioned that the 2026 generation of Formula 1 cars would be "quite a lot slower".
‘More concerns on 2026 power unit’;
https://racingnews365.com/newey-reve...it-regulations
Christian Horner jokes Toto Wolff is ‘blocked’ from his phone
11 Jun 2023 8:30 AM
Thomas Maher
Christian Horner has revealed there’s no way Toto Wolff can get in touch with him easily… Toto Wolff and Christian Horner are well-known for their love/hate relationship (which is probably more of a hate/hate deal really!), in their respective roles as team bosses of Mercedes and Red Bull.
“I think he’s blocked [on my phone],” Horner laughed. “It’s fine. I mean, look, there’s healthy competition, and it’s good to have rivalry in sport. They did a lot of winning, they’re a great team, and now we’re doing our thing and we’re tending not to look behind and looking forward.”
Speaking earlier this year, Wolff couldn’t resist taking a swipe at Horner in an interview with the UK’s Times newspaper. “I am living in his head rent-free,” Toto Wolff said. “The guy is obsessed. Every second that I spend on talking about Horner is a waste of time in my life.”
‘Hate/hate deal’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...cked-on-phone/
Marko: Red Bull DREAM could be over at Canadian GP.
Saturday 10 June 2023 11:57
Jay Winter
GPFans
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has claimed that his team are the favourites for every single Formula 1 race this season, but has admitted that the "dream" of doing so could be under threat in Montreal.
When asked if they can win every race of the current championship, Marko replied: "In terms of pure performance, we are capable of it. "It's not an exaggeration to say that we go into every race as favourites. However, you can't afford any bad luck. With 15 races still to go, anything can happen quickly."
"We could face challenges as early as next week in Montreal," he added. "The probability of realising this dream only increases if both cars are capable of winning." With a win in Canada, Red Bull will join the illustrious '100-win club' currently occupied by Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, and Williams.
‘Both cars are capable of winning’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ce-favourites/
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Helmut Marko Fought to Keep Christian Horner from Joining Ferrari.
Helmut Marko has disclosed his exceptional efforts towards the end of the previous year. The Austrian embarked on a mission to dissuade Red Bull’s longstanding team boss, Christian Horner, from accepting an enticing offer to join Ferrari as the successor to Mattia Binotto.
June 6, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
Marko passionately campaigned to dissuade Horner from accepting a compelling offer presented by Ferrari, recognizing the invaluable role he played within the Red Bull team. “It took me another whole night to convince Horner to stay at Red Bull,” the 80-year-old recounted. “And it cost us millions more.”
Ultimately, the Italian team directed their attention towards enticing Frederic Vasseur, the team boss of Sauber/Alfa Romeo, to join their ranks in Maranello. Despite the departures of certain vital technical personnel, such as Horner’s decision to remain with the team and Newey’s recent commitment to a new long-term agreement with the Milton Keynes squad, Red Bull has experienced the loss of other key members from their ranks.
‘Exceptional efforts’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/helmut-mar...ining-ferrari/
Christian Horner 'cost us millions' as Red Bull desperately tried to stop boss leaving
Red Bull had to dig deep into their pockets to stop Christian Horner from quitting.
11:38, Sun, Jun 4, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express
Helmut Marko has admitted Ferrari tried to steal Red Bull’s two biggest team members in what could have been a double blow for the team. The Red Bull chief has confirmed Adrian Newey and Christian Horner were almost poached with the pair close to walking away.
‘Dig deep’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-newey-f1-news
Revealed: What stopped Adrian Newey joining Ferrari before Red Bull
08 Jun 2023 6:45 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Adrian Newey revealed he was “very tempted” to join Ferrari twice in the 1990s, but refused as he did not want his young children to change schools at the time. “I was very tempted to go there in the past, it is a legendary brand,” Newey told Sky Sport Italia. “They contacted me in 1993, I think, and then in 1997, when I went to McLaren from Williams. And that was a very difficult choice: at the time my children were very young and I didn’t want them to change schools. Honestly, if I was 20 years younger…”
Newey’s designs have won 23 Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles throughout the course of his career to date, with the sport’s move to ground effect aerodynamics also playing into his expertise, given his university thesis was written on the subject.
“When new rules come out, like in that transition period between turbocharged and normally aspirated engines, I spend a lot of time thinking about what opportunities the new rules give you,” he said. “I always look for loopholes, situations where the rules ask you to do something but don’t force you, allowing you an original way of proceeding.”
“Very tempted”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian...ll-temptation/
Red Bull reveal how they stopped Adrian Newey from joining Ferrari at the last minute
Ferrari have made no secret of their efforts to secure top tier talent from across the paddock, as they look to build a formidable team.
8 June 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News
In a surprising revelation, Red Bull’s key advisor Dr Helmut Marko has confirmed the longstanding rumours that Ferrari had made multiple offers to renowned technical mastermind Adrian Newey over the years.
“(Luca di) Montezemolo was already cheering in the paddock and wanted to announce the deal,”, Marko said. “But during the night we were able to change Newey’s mind.” The exact details of what prompted Newey’s change of mind remain undisclosed.
‘No secret of their efforts’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/red-bull-...e-last-minute/
Marko: Perez seat with Red Bull 'not in jeopardy'
10/06/2023 at 08:23
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Helmut Marko has rubbished rumors that Sergio Perez's seat with Red Bull Racing is in jeopardy after The Mexican's recent run of troubled race weekends. A crash in qualifying in Monaco and a mistake in Q2 in Barcelona that barred him from the Saturday afternoon shootout led to complicated races at both venues for the Mexican who scored just 12 points in Spain where Verstappen reigned supreme once again.
"It’s all nonsense," the Red Bull motorsport boss told F1-Insider. "Sergio’s place has never been in jeopardy and will never be in jeopardy! He is an important element in achieving the goals we have set for this year. We want to finish first and second in the Drivers’ Championship and become Constructors’ World Champion as quickly as possible."
After last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner suggested that falling title pressure would help Perez "relax" and re-find his early season form.
'Not in jeopardy';
https://f1i.com/news/477062-marko-pe...-jeopardy.html
Marko slates 'nonsense' Perez claims
09 June 7:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
The Red Bull Motorsport Advisor is not happy with reports regarding Perez's place with the team. But dismissing concerns surrounding Perez's place at the team, Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Marko told F1-Insider: “It’s all nonsense.”
“Sergio’s place has never been in jeopardy and will never be in jeopardy. He is an important element in achieving the goals we have set for this year. We want to finish first and second in the Drivers’ Championship and become Constructors’ World Champion as quickly as possible.”
On advice he had given Perez, Marko added: "After his rather weak performances in Miami and Monaco, I just reminded Sergio that he should concentrate on his job. Sergio’s good race after the failed qualifying session in Barcelona was again the first step in the right direction.”
‘Concentrate on his job’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-slat...e-perez-claims
-
Palmer cautious over Mercedes’ W14 F1 upgrades.
Ex-Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer is remaining cautious over Mercedes’ upgrades following its positive performance at the Spanish Grand Prix.
08:28 Sun, 11 Jun 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week
Palmer, who raced for Renault during the 2016 and 2017 F1 seasons, says he is not fully convinced over Mercedes’ upgrades due to its historic strong form in Spain. “They have significant upgrades on the car and on the face of it, it looks like they are yielding immediate results.”
“However this has always been a strong Mercedes circuit. Last year George Russell was fighting for the lead and ended up third, while Lewis Hamilton put in an eyebrow raising performance from the back of the field. It’s more likely that whilst the upgrades worked, the track characteristics also enhanced their performance.”
“Canada in a couple of weeks’ time might be a more interesting comparison, as it’s more akin to the street circuits we’ve had thus far. They seem to be on the correct development path now though so like last year, they should only get more competitive from here.”
‘W14 F1 upgrades’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...4-f1-upgrades/
Mercedes anticipates Canada to be a ‘bigger challenge’ for upgraded W14
13:41 Fri, 09 Jun 2023.
• Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport
Mercedes is expecting its newly-upgraded Formula 1 car to face a “bigger challenge” at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix than its recent breakthrough in Barcelona.
Speaking in Mercedes’ post-race debrief, trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said: “The fact is that the update kit works very well around circuits like Barcelona with a lot of high-speed performance. We’ve been better at the fast circuits and the front-limited tracks. We ended up with a really good balance and really good race pace.”
“Now, where we are going to go next week, Montreal, it’s a very different circuit. There are more low-speed corners, quite a lot of straight-line full throttle and we would expect more of a challenge there.”
‘Bigger challenge for upgraded W14’;
https://readmotorsport.com/2023/06/0...-upgraded-w14/
Mercedes: Montreal 'more of a challenge' for W14 than Barcelona
09/06/2023 at 09:24
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Mercedes believes its upgraded W14 will face a bigger challenge in the Canadian Grand Prix than it did last week in Barcelona where the team achieved its first double-podium finish of the season. Mercedes rolled out its heavily updated car at Monaco, but the changes really came into their own at the Circuit de Catalunya, where the performance of the W14's more stable platform took a big step forward.
But Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes' trackside engineering director, believes the outfit's car will likely struggle to uphold its Barcelona form due to Montreal's high-downforce characteristics. Shovlin reckons Mercedes will be battling at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve next week with its usual opponents, but the Mercedes engineer also expects Alpine to join the fight behind Red Bull based on Esteban Ocon's podium performance in Monaco.
"We are thinking it will be more along the lines of some of the earlier races where we were definitely in the bunch with Ferrari, with Aston, and now Alpine look to have joined that group," he said.
‘Montreal 'more of a challenge' for W14’;
https://f1i.com/news/477018-mercedes...barcelona.html
George Russell anticipates further Mercedes W14 upgrades.
June 10, 2023
Read Motorsport
George Russell has hinted that the upcoming British Grand Prix could see significant updates for the Mercedes team following their successful performance in Spain. Russell suggested that fans should keep an eye on the British Grand Prix in early July to see what updates the team brings.
“Yeah, Silverstone we’re excited for,” Russell told Sky Sports F1 in Barcelona. “I think we’ll be in a good place there to fight for a good result. We might have a couple more things coming for Silverstone. But we need to not get too carried away with just this one result. The team have done an amazing job to bring these upgrades.”
‘Further Mercedes W14 upgrades’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/george-rus...-w14-upgrades/
George Russell teases arrival of even more Mercedes W14 upgrades – and soon
10 Jun 2023 9:15 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
George Russell has hinted that the British Grand Prix might bring the next significant batch of updates for Mercedes, after their success in Spain. Mercedes are continuing on their path of making wholesale changes to the W14 after ordering a change of design concept, following a slower-than-anticipated start to 2023.
It was a positive showing from the team (at Barcelona) last weekend, even if team boss Toto Wolff tried to temper expectations by acknowledging the cool weather conditions put the car in an optimal performance window.
‘Even more Mercedes W14 upgrades’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...grades-teased/
SCHUMACHER: ‘I LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT’ AS HE TESTS OUT THE W14 FOR THE FIRST TIME
June 8, 2023
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds
Mick Schumacher loved every second of testing on Wednesday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as he got to drive the W14 for the very first time.
‘TESTS OUT THE W14’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/sc...he-first-time/
Toto Wolff reveals his true feelings on upgraded Mercedes W14
07 Jun 2023 12:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Toto Wolff won’t be fooled by Mercedes’ double podium at the Spanish Grand Prix, although he does concede he is “cautiously optimistic” that they aren’t in for a repeat of 2022. “I’m never optimistic. Only fools are optimistic,” Wolff said as per Motorsport.com. “But in general I think it feels different than last year.”
“There’s still bouncing and it’s interesting to understand why. But we’ve learned so much over the past 12 months, so in general I have a lot of reasons to be cautiously optimistic.” But while the team has been criticised by some pundits for taking their time axing the zero-pods in favour of a downwash concept, Wolff says it was something “we had to work through.
“We had discovered the direction we’d come to simply didn’t work. We are a team of people that won eight consecutive championships and got it wrong last year and tried to find out what it was. We didn’t understand.”
‘True feelings on upgraded Mercedes W14’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...-w14-feelings/
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Fred Vasseur told to bring his ‘knuckle-dusters’ to sort out Ferrari mess.
Vasseur is the latest in a long line of managers to inherit what appears to be the poisoned chalice of leading Ferrari. Binotto’s resignation after more than two decades of respected servitude at Ferrari comes not even five years after the departure of Maurizio Arrivabene, who himself only took over from Marco Mattiaci at the end of 2014 – Mattiaci himself having only put in a year.
12 Jun 2023 2:45 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
But former F1 racer and three-time Le Mans winner David Kennedy: “In my book, I don’t think you could get much better than Fred Vasseur. He’s got a fantastic pedigree,” Kennedy told PlanetF1.com in an exclusive interview.
“It’s like the old days when Ron Dennis was a racer, where Frank Williams was a racer, where Eddie Jordan was a racer – to bring a depth of experience, and a consummate knowledge to make a difference, to really understand it.”
“Fred has been running race teams for eons and they have been outstandingly successful so I think, provided they give him the latitude and he wears his knuckle dusters, he can make a big difference.”
‘Knuckle-dusters’ to sort out Ferrari mess’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fred-v...-ferrari-mess/
Ferrari CEO addresses whether his team could quit F1 with Red Bull and Mercedes dominating
Ferrari have struggled to compete with Red Bull and Mercedes in recent years.
13:12, Mon, Jun 12, 2023
By Jack McEachen
Daily and Sunday Express
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna has insisted that the team remains fully committed to F1 despite being unable to match the success of Red Bull and Mercedes in recent seasons. Ferrari are the most successful team in the sport’s history, but have failed to claim a championship win in either category since 2008.
“Racing is in the DNA of our company. So Formula 1, world endurance championship, and we keep investing there because we see a lot of technologies that can go from the track to the road.”
“Was the bad start of the season in Formula 1 stressful for me?” Vigna added as he discussed the lack of podium finishes alongside Red Bull and Mercedes. “You know, I have more significant reasons for stress. For the team, this is a chance to improve and learn a lot. We must build a machine that will be better than the previous one, but this rule is true for everything we do.”
“Racing is in the DNA”;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-Bull-Mercedes
Ferrari affirm commitment to F1 after Le Mans win: “We will keep investing…”
12 Jun 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna has affirmed the Italian brand’s commitment to F1 following their impressive victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Speaking to Eurosport after Ferrari’s triumph at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Vigna insisted that “racing is in the DNA” of the company.
“It once again demonstrates that Ferrari is unique and that we make unparalleled cars. It is a unique car,” he said. “The next goal? To continue winning. Was the bad start of the season in Formula 1 stressful for me?
“Next goal? To continue winning”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102871...keep-investing
Hill: Mercedes has ‘leapfrogged’ Aston Martin, Ferrari F1 threat
13th June 2023, 10:41
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week
1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill believes Mercedes has “leapfrogged” the threat from rivals Aston Martin and Ferrari. When asked on the Sky Sports F1 podcast how much Mercedes could take from the result, Hill said: “I think quite a bit”
“Because they’ve actually shown in the race they’ve leapfrogged the threat from Aston Martin and Ferrari as well. They’ve actually shown [that on] a circuit where it really pushes the car’s ability to look after its tyres and have good balance and have good air performance, it’s shown that it’s got the potential there.”
‘Ferrari F1 threat, leapfrogged’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...ari-f1-threat/
Sainz explains Ferrari upgrade plan: 'That was the main target'
12 June 10:00AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Carlos Sainz has insisted Ferrari's latest upgrade package is aimed at opening up future opportunities rather than providing an instant performance improvement. Praising the impact of the updates, Sainz told media, including RacingNews365.com: "The new package was meant to improve mainly the medium-to-low-speed and, in that area, we have definitely felt a step in the right direction. “
"A step into a different direction is not so much a big upgrade or a big change in our performance but opening a bit of a different window of working range for the car - that was the main target of this upgrade, not to suddenly go half a second quicker. I think that is doing the job and it's working well."
‘Ferrari upgrade plan’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-expl...he-main-target
Max Verstappen tipped to LEAVE Red Bull and join Ferrari by former Le Mans winner Richard Bradley, as the Brit claims the Dutch star needs to win in a 'sub-standard car' to go down as an 'all-time great'
Published: 08:18, 12 June 2023
By Sam Brookes For Mailonline
Mail Online
Max Verstappen has been tipped to leave Red Bull and join Ferrari by former Le Mans winner Richard Bradley - who says he must win in a lesser car to prove his greatness. 'I think that Max is going to end up at Ferrari in a couple of years,' Bradley told On Track GP.
'It wouldn't surprise me, I think especially if he keeps on winning titles and he starts to get complacent, and people start saying "oh, is he the greatest of all time?" Max is the sort of guy that goes "okay, well I'll do what Schumacher did: I'll take Ferrari from not being in the position to win, to make them World Champions".
‘Win in a 'sub-standard car', join Ferrari’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...n-Ferrari.html
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Jeremy Clarkson meets F1 team to buy BEERS after Monaco promise.
The 63-year-old rocked up in a tractor used in the 'Clarkson's Farm' TV show, with a trailer full of beers in the back.
Monday 12 June 2023 17:57
Harry Smith
GPFans
Jeremy Clarkson has delivered on his promise to buy a pint for everyone in the Alpine team after Esteban Ocon claimed a podium at the Monaco Grand Prix. The TV presenter had made the promise after Esteban Ocon qualified in P3 for F1's crown jewel event.
Clarkson, who hosted the legendary British motoring show Top Gear, has an affinity for the Alpine team due to their locality to him. Based in Enstone in Oxfordshire, the team are the nearest to Clarkson's farm, which has been the centrepiece of the Amazon TV show, 'Clarkson's Farm'.
Alpine confirmed that Clarkson had indeed delivered on his promise with a tweet on Monday afternoon. The TV presenter was pictured alongside Esteban Ocon, who converted his P3 qualifying finish to a podium during the Monaco Grand Prix.
‘A trailer full of beers’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-esteban-ocon/
Jeremy Clarkson honours Esteban Ocon bet by delivering beers to Alpine’s factory
12 Jun 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson has stuck to his word of buying the Alpine F1 team some beers after Esteban Ocon finished on the podium at the Monaco Grand Prix.
The former Top Gear star vowed to buy everyone at Alpine a pint if Ocon held on to secure a podium in Monaco last month. During the race, Clarkson said on Twitter: “Come on @AlpineF1Team I’ll buy you all a pint if you get a podium here.”
On Monday afternoon, Clarkson was pictured driving in on one of his tractors with plenty of beers in his trailer. Pictures surfaced on the Alpine Twitter account with Clarkson carrying the beers, and then chatting to Ocon at the team’s base at Enstone.
‘Jeremy Clarkson has stuck to his word’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102872...pine-s-factory
Clarkson makes good on Alpine Monaco F1 bet with factory beer delivery
17:11 Mon, 12 Jun 2023.
By: Sam Hall
Motorsport.com
Jeremy Clarkson has made good on his promise to gift beer to the Alpine Formula 1 team after Esteban Ocon finished on the podium at the Monaco Grand Prix.
As Ocon took the chequered flag, Clarkson added: "Well done Alpine. I owe you many Hawkstones." Now Clarkson has come good on his word, arriving at the Alpine factory with his tractor and a trailer full of beer.
Taking to social media, Alpine welcomed the refreshing delivery, saying: "Delivering on his word. Cheers for the beers, Jeremy Clarkson." Not one to want to miss an opportunity, Clarkson also made use of his access to the Alpine F1 car to place his brew’s branding on the A523.
‘Hawkstones brew’s branding on the A523’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/c...very/10482077/
Jeremy Clarkson buys 1,000 beers for entire F1 team and delivers them by tractor
Jeremy Clarkson has followed up on his promise to buy beers for the entire Alpine team following Esteban Ocon's impressive podium finish in Monaco.
18:08, Mon, Jun 12, 2023
By ARCHIE GRIGGS
Clarkson has paid close attention to many different eras of F1 in his role as one of Britain's leading motoring journalists and previously interviewed the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher during his time on Top Gear.
He revealed his fondness for Alpine while speaking to Martin Brundle on the grid at this year's Bahrain Grand Prix, with the French outfit based near his farm in the Cotswolds.
"It's not like football, you don't have a team," said Clarkson when asked by Brundle where his loyalties lie in F1. "I like Alfa Romeos, always have done. Alpine are my local team in Chipping Norton so I root for them a little bit. I'm friends with a bunch of people at Red Bull and I'm here with Salman [the crown prince of Bahrain]. I don't know."
‘1,000 beers’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...hem-by-tractor
Special delivery for Alpine as Jeremy Clarkson delivers on podium promise
12 Jun 2023 1:41 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
With “Estie Bestie” Ocon taking third place to claim his first podium since his win at the Hungaroring in 2021, the French driver took to Twitter to raise the visibility of Clarkson’s promise.
On Monday, Clarkson made good on his end of the deal by showing up in his famously oversized Lamborghini tractor, hauling a trailer to deliver bottles of Hawkstone to Enstone!
Based on some quick maths, Clarkson’s pay-out won’t have cost him ‘Diddly Squat’ either. On his website, a bottle of Hawkstone costs around £2.50. With Alpine boasting around 1000 employees on its F1 team, Clarkson will have had to have stumped up around £2500 worth of his beer to stay true to his word!
‘“Estie Bestie” Ocon took to Twitter about Clarkson’s promise’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine...kson-delivers/
Jeremy Clarkson gets the beers in after honouring Ocon bet
Monday 12th June, 2023 - 11:56pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
During the race, Clarkson wrote via his Twitter account: “Come on @AlpineF1Team I’ll buy you all a pint if you get a podium here.” The tweet had 2.4 million views, over 15,000 likes, and was retweeted 394 times by fans.
Ocon started the race fourth, and despite the drama from around lap 50 when rain began to fall, the Frenchman finished third for Alpine’s first podium since the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix.
On Monday (June 12), Clarkson arrived via tractor at Alpine’s factory in Enstone to hand deliver the beers he promised, and to chat with Ocon.
‘Jeremy Clarkson gets the beers in’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/12...monaco-gp-bet/
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Alonso pledges to 'CRUSH' Red Bull and Mercedes.
Alonso then set his sights on the top teams ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. “In Canada, we’ll bring more things, and in Silverstone too… It will all depend on which team is bringing updates.”
Monday 5 June 2023 19:27
Harry Smith
GPFans
Fernando Alonso has claimed that Aston Martin will 'crush' their competition when the teams head to Canada in two weeks' time. The Silverstone-based team endured their trickiest weekend of the season so far at the Spanish Grand Prix with both Lance Stroll and Alonso struggling for pace relative to Mercedes.
Alonso then set his sights on the top teams ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. “Even then, with a normal qualifying, we would have started alongside Hamilton and could have had some better chances. I think it’s just one race – and then in Canada, we crush them.”
‘EL PLAN: 'CRUSH' Red Bull and Mercedes’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...an-grand-prix/
Fernando Alonso vows to ‘crush’ Lewis Hamilton
Aston Martin are set to introduce a series of upgrades at the Canadian Grand Prix next weekend.
9 June 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
Fernando Alonso: “In terms of the constructors’, it’s true that Mercedes took some important points from us, but we took points from Ferrari again. In Canada we will bring more stuff, in Silverstone too… It will depend on who brings the improvements.
“Even with a normal time, we would have been on a par with Hamilton [in Barcelona] and maybe we would have had a better chance. I think it’s a race and, in Canada, we crush them.”
‘EL PLAN: ‘Crush’ Lewis Hamilton’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-...ewis-hamilton/
Fernando Alonso vows to "crush" Lewis Hamilton as F1 rivalry reignites
06:00, 6 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
Fernando Alonso fired a clear warning to Lewis Hamilton that he will provide much stiffer competition for the podium than was the case in Barcelona at the weekend.
Seventh place at the Spanish Grand Prix was Alonso's worst finish of the year by far and the Aston Martin racer is clearly keen to set the record straight next time out in Montreal
‘EL PLAN: F1 rivalry reignites’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...elona-30159065
Alonso ready for Mercedes: In Canada we will crush them
Aston Martin were convincingly beaten by Mercedes in Spain but Fernando Alonso thinks the Canadian Grand Prix will be different
June 12, 2023
By Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Fernando Alonso has warned Mercedes that Aston Martin will crush them at the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix. Mercedes‘ double podium in Spain, courtesy of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, plus Lance Stroll‘s sixth and Fernando Alonso‘s seventh saw Aston Martin drop to third in the Formula 1 constructors’ championship, 18 points behind the Brackley-based team.
With upgrades in the pipeline, the order of second fastest car behind Red Bull might change hands again as the development race continues between Aston Martin, Ferrari and Mercedes.
‘EL PLAN: In Canada we will crush them’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...da-crush-them/
Alonso declares Aston Martin will 'crush' Mercedes with Canada upgrade
13 June 2023
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing
Fernando Alonso expects a significant upgrade will see Aston Martin "crush" Mercedes at the Canadian Grand Prix.
That sentiment was shared by Aston Martin boss Mike Krack, who admitted it was up to the team to keep up the pace in the development war that is now underway.
“He is right to ask us and push us for that,” he said. “There will be something coming in Canada. It will be a step.”
‘EL PLAN: "Crush" Mercedes’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...canada-upgrade
Fernando Alonso reveals Aston Martin upgrade plan to ‘crush’ F1 rivals
05 Jun 2023 2:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Aston Martin appeared to take a step or two back in the pecking order in Barcelona, but Fernando Alonso warns of Canadian GP upgrades that can allow them to “crush” the competition.
And Canada will be the scene where Aston Martin take a statement in this development race and go into “crush” mode, so says Alonso, and Mercedes he is looking at you especially.
‘EL PLAN: “Crush” mode;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...-crush-rivals/
“In Canada, we crush them” - Fernando Alonso eyeing Aston Martin upgrades after Spain blip
5 Jun 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Fernando Alonso is confident Aston Martin’s lack of performance at the Spanish Grand Prix was a one-off after he scored his worst result of the season.
Looking ahead to future races, Alonso is sure Aston Martin will return to form when they introduce upgrades at the next race in Canada.
‘EL PLAN: Eyeing Aston Martin upgrades’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102794...ter-spain-blip
