2023 Formula 1 Preview & Review.

High hopes and hot storylines at the Canadian Grand Prix: Prime Tire.
We’re watching three things this week ahead of the Canadian GP. What do Aston Martin’s upgrades look like? Is Canada where McLaren shines? Will Lewis Hamilton play spoiler?
Jun. 13, 2023
By Patrick Iversen (I’m Patrick, and Madeline Coleman will be along shortly. Onwards …)
The Athletic

Last year’s Canadian GP was bridled chaos. Max Verstappen won, sure. But the stuff behind him oscillated between wild and amusing. Kevin Magnussen ran around with a broken front wing until the stewards made him pit after Esteban Ocon tattled on him. Yuki Tsunoda drove straight out of pit lane into the wall. Sergio Pérez’s gearbox failed, setting him back in his title fight (sound familiar?).

Inside the paddock with Madeline Coleman. My coworker Luke Smith can confirm this, but I constantly point out different storylines that have nothing to do with wins, podiums, and points. There are so many intriguing elements about F1 and this year’s grid.

For those of you who want a storyline developing on the grid, how about how Alex Albon eased into a leadership-esque role? The 27-year-old previously had a Red Bull seat before they dropped him into a reserve and test driver role. After a year away from having a full-time seat, Albon returned with Williams last season.

‘High hopes and hot storylines’;

https://theathletic.com/4606005/2023...gp-prime-tire/


F1 NATION: Mercedes on the move, Aston’s upgrades and 50 years of the Safety Car – it’s our Canadian GP preview
13 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

With Verstappen moving 53 points clear of team mate and nearest rival Sergio Perez in the title race, hosts Tom Clarkson and Natalie Pinkham ponder whether the Mexican is feeling the pressure and if he has what it takes to fight back in Montreal.

Meanwhile, there’s plenty to talk about when it comes to the battle for second position in the constructors’ standings, a spot claimed by Mercedes after they used their recent W14 upgrades to secure a double podium finish in Barcelona and jump ahead of Aston Martin.

But Aston Martin are set to fight back with updates of their own at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, while 2023 signing and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso cheekily suggested after his home race that it will be the first and last time he finishes off the podium this season…

‘Canadian GP preview’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...goOftcIP4.html


WET CONDITIONS EXPECTED ONCE AGAIN THIS SEASON IN F1 AT THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX.
F1 heads to the Circuit de Gilles-Villeneuve in Canada this weekend.
June 13, 2023
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds

There is a 35% chance of rain on Friday between 1:30pm-2:30pm in Quebec which is when Free Practice One is set to take place. Conditions look better for Free Practice two with their being only a 19% chance of rain in that session. Despite this only being low chance of happening, the track is expected to still be damp through both FP1 and FP2 as there is a 50% chance of rain on Friday morning.

The rain does not stop there as the area is set to have a 60% chance of rainfall on Saturday between 1:30pm-2:30pm, which is during Free Practice Three. This is not expected to improve throughout the day as there is a relatively similar percentage to the chances of rain during Qualifying at 61%. The wet weather could lead to more drama in the session and potentially a grid shake up for the Grand Prix.

However, as things stand, the weather is likely to improve for Sunday’s race with there being no more than a 25% chance of wet conditions across the day.

‘50% chance of rain on Friday, 60% chance of rainfall on Saturday, 25% chance of wet conditions for Sunday’s race’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/we...an-grand-prix/


Red Bull 'determined' to achieve historic milestone at Canadian GP
13 June 3:35PM
Author Anna Francis
RacingNews365

Having won every race so far in the 2023 F1 season, Christian Horner has revealed that Red Bull are looking to set a new record in the team's history at the Canadian Grand Prix. Christian Horner has spoken of Red Bull's "determination" to achieve an historic 100th Formula 1 win at the Canadian Grand Prix.

"We've learned from [the Spanish Grand Prix] – did we start the race on the right tyres? Was a Soft tyre a better tyre for the first stint?" Horner told Sky Sports F1. "So that's one of the lessons to take away and for us to analyse where we [can] be better with the car. I think we're just taking things one weekend at a time, one session at a time and not projecting too far ahead."

"Canada is a unique circuit," the Team Principal explained. "It's always great racing there. I think that it's a different challenge. It's a lot of low-speed stuff, a couple of high-speed chicanes. But Checo's run well there before, as has Max, and I think that weather can always be a factor there as well. We're heading there on 99 victories now, so there's a determination to try and get the century at the next one."

‘Red Bull's "determination" to achieve an historic 100th Formula 1 win’;

https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-d...at-canadian-gp


Mercedes expecting direct rivals to be ‘stronger’ in Montreal
12/06/2023 at 17:51
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Mercedes deemed itself satisfied with the performance delivered by its upgraded W14 at the Spanish Grand Prix, but team boss Toto Wolff expects his outfit’s rivals to be “stronger” in Montreal. Mercedes introduced a new front suspension and a heavily revised floor/sidepod package in Monaco, but Barcelona provided a better validation of the changes.

“The gap to Red Bull is large and it will take lots of hard work to close that down. Nevertheless, we're up for the challenge.” Wolff warns that the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve won’t cater to the new-found qualities of Mercedes’ car, but come what may the team will fight to defend its turf in the F1’s Constructors’ standings.

“With its long straights and low-speed corners, it's not a track that we expect to suit our car as well as Barcelona did,” added the Austrian. “No matter where the true pace of the car is this weekend, we will aim to maximise our result. The characteristics of the circuit will also provide further opportunity to learn about the W14 and feed into our development path.”

‘Expecting direct rivals to be ‘stronger’ in Montreal’;

https://f1i.com/news/477241-mercedes...-montreal.html


Williams’ Dave Robson: “We expect to be more competitive” with Montréal upgrade package
By Ashley Cline
June 14, 2023
The Checkered Flag

The Canadian Grand Prix is set to be a crucial weekend for Williams Racing, as the team brings a new upgrade package to Alex Albon’s car. Head of Vehicle Performance Dave Robson said that Friday running in Montréal will be focused on “understanding” the update.

Coming off a tough double-header for the team in Monaco and Spain, Robson expects Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve to be a more competitive track for FW45 when compared to the previous two rounds. He added that Gilles-Villeneuve also offers greater overtaking opportunities, which may play into their ability to implement alternative strategies.

“Canada is always an enjoyable event; the circuit lends itself to good racing and there is always a chance of some tricky weather conditions, which can be blistering heat or sudden showers. The track in Montreal should play slightly more to the strengths of the FW45 than Monaco and Barcelona did. Furthermore, we have several upgraded components available this week, which will run on Alex’s car only. We expect to be more competitive, but we will take our time on Friday to understand if the new package is delivering as expected.”

“We expect to be more competitive”;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...grade-package/


Alfa Romeo Looking to ‘Replicate’ Impressive 2022 Canadian GP performance
June 13, 2023
By Nick Golding
The Checkered Flag

Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative of Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is hopeful that the Swiss side can score some good points at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, mimicking their 2022 performance at the Circuit de Gilles-Villeneuve.

Alfa Romeo head to Canada having claimed two points at the Spanish Grand Prix, courtesy of Zhou Guanyu finishing ninth. Valtteri Bottas was forced to settle for nineteenth in Spain, following significant floor damage. Despite this, the Hinwil-based team regard their Spanish GP performance as “positive”, given how the C43 did actually show strong pace.

On paper, this weekend’s Canadian GP should be a good one for the outfit, based on their performance last season. Twelve months ago in Montreal, Bottas finished seventh with Zhou in eighth, marking one of the team’s best results of the season. Last season’s result means that Alfa Romeo head to Montreal “with confidence”, to the extent where Alunni Bravi admits the target is to “replicate” their double points finish from 2022.

‘Replicate’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...p-performance/

Stroll sets Aston Martin double podium target for Canadian GP.
Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll is hoping to see both Aston Martins on the podium at the Canadian Grand Prix as he aims to put an end to Red Bull’s dominance in 2023.
14th June 2023, 16:14
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week

Stroll senior is hoping that his son will be able to become the first Canadian driver to finish on the podium at their home grand prix since Jacques Villeneuve finished second in 1996.

“Those are exactly the plans. Hopefully get two cars on the podium,” Stroll said speaking at an Aston Martin event in New York.

“I’m extremely confident. I believe the car will be very strong around the Montreal circuit, it suits our car well… so I’m really looking forward to going home and really looking forward to a great race.”

‘EL PLAN: The plans’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...r-canadian-gp/


Pessimistic Toto Wolff not expecting Montreal to suit Mercedes' upgraded W14 F1 car
14 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

A pessimistic Toto Wolff has played down Mercedes’ chances heading into this weekend’s F1 Canadian Grand Prix, saying the Montreal circuit might not “suit our car”. Mercedes had their best race of the season so far last time out at the Spanish Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell securing a double podium behind Max Verstappen’s dominant Red Bull.

It came a week after the eight-time constructors’ world champions debuted a major upgrade package in Monaco but Mercedes team principal Wolff has downplayed hopes of a repeat performance in Montreal. "The result in Spain was a well-deserved reward for everyone's efforts at Brackley and Brixworth to bring our update package to the track,” Wolff said. “We were pleased with how it performed, and it will provide a new baseline for us to build from.”

"We now move on to Montreal. With its long straights and low-speed corners, it's not a track that we expect to suit our car as well as Barcelona did. No matter where the true pace of the car is this weekend, we will aim to maximise our result. The characteristics of the circuit will also provide further opportunity to learn about the W14 and feed into our development path.”

‘Pessimistic Toto Wolff’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102877...ian-gp-chances


THIS WEEK IN F1: 10 quiz questions on all the F1 news ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix
14 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

The F1 circus is descending on Montreal and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for round eight of the 2023 season this weekend – and to tee it up we've put together a little quiz to help pass the days until the on-track action starts.

‘Quiz questions;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...nQakLTNGE.html


Gasly prepared for 'interesting' weather conditions at Canadian GP
14 June 2:30PM
Author Anna Francis
RacingNews365

After three consecutive points finishes, Pierre Gasly is keen to see what Alpine can achieve at the Canadian Grand Prix. Pierre Gasly is remaining ready for "interesting" weather conditions at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.

"After racing on a more conventional circuit in Barcelona last time out, we're back to a street track in Montreal," Gasly said. "It's a really cool place to race, very fast with big braking zones and quick corners. I've been preparing in the simulator in Enstone, everything feels good and I'm looking forward to being on track on Friday.”

'Interesting weather conditions;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-prep...at-canadian-gp


Here's a guide to the F1 Canadian Grand Prix races and events in Montreal
14th June 2023, 16:20
CTV News Montreal

Here is the schedule for the race weekend:
THURSDAY
• 9 a.m. to noon - pit lane walk
• Noon to 3 p.m. - Food trucks, bars, F-1 atmosphere.
• 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. - High speed testing of safety and medical cars.

FRIDAY
• 8:30 a.m. - Venue opens
• 9:10 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. - Series of challenges and practice sessions.
• 7:30 p.m. - Venue closes.

SATURDAY
• 7:30 a.m. - Venue opens.
• 8:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. - Series of qualifying sessions, races and a pit stop practice (11:10 a.m. to 11:40 a.m.)
• 7:30 p.m. - Venue closes.

SUNDAY
• 8:30 a.m. - Venue opens.
• 9:55 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - Races.
• 11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. - F1 Drivers Parade.
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. - F1 Pirelli Grand Prix du canada 2023 (70 laps, 120 minutes).
• 7:30 p.m. - Venue closes.

‘Guide to the F1 Canadian Grand Prix’;

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/here-s-a...real-1.6440665

Red Bull’s 100th win? Can Stroll end podium drought? Canadian GP talking points.
Have the upgrades Mercedes and Ferrari brought over the past races represented genuine steps forward for the teams? Or, as Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claimed after the Spanish Grand Prix, is the competitive order simply shuffling around as teams move from track to track, with the one constant being his team romping to a 20-second-plus victory every weekend?
2023 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 14th June 2023, 7:1513th June 2023, 23:19
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

This weekend’s race may provide further signs one way or another. Not least because, on paper, this is a track where we might ordinarily expect to see Ferrari ahead of Mercedes. The SF-75s enjoyed the combination of long straights, slow corners and the softest tyres Pirelli supplies in Baku, so Montreal should be a good venue for them.

In contrast, the Circuit de Catalunya has always suited Mercedes well, and team principal Toto Wolff admitted the Canadian circuit is unlikely to suit them so well. But perhaps the development directions the teams have taken will provide a surprise. Aston Martin can’t be discounted either. The team will have new parts for its AMR23 this weekend, and team principal Mike Krack was giving nothing away about the scale of the changes when asked in Spain, saying only that they would bring “a step” for the car.

If Aston Martin are back to their best this weekend after their sub-par showing in Spain, we could see the first Canadian driver on the podium at their home race for 27 years. The last driver to do so was Jacques Villeneuve when he made his home grand prix debut at the track in 1996.

‘Can Stroll end podium drought?’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/14/...alking-points/


World Champion Max Verstappen eying Ayrton Senna's record at Canadian Grand Prix
Thu, 15 June 2023 7:52AM
Alan Baldwin
The West Australian

Max Verstappen can deliver Red Bull’s 100th Formula One victory at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and step up alongside the late Brazilian great Ayrton Senna with a career haul of 41 wins.

Dutch double world champion Verstappen has won five of seven races so far this season and is chasing a fourth in a row to stretch his already yawning 53-point lead over Mexican teammate Sergio Perez. Red Bull have won 23 of the last 26 races, and 17 of the last 18. Victory this weekend will make them only the fifth constructor to have received 100 chequered flags.

Verstappen won last year in Canada from pole position ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, the multiple world champion who has won a record-equalling seven times there. “Last year’s win is still in my mind, hopefully we can do something similar this weekend,” Verstappen said.

‘Max Verstappen eying Ayrton Senna's record’;

https://thewest.com.au/sport/f1/domi...-gp-c-10984004


Verstappen favourite for Red Bull's 100th win at Canadian GP
15th June 2023, 00:35
Malay Mail

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen has won five of seven races so far this season and is chasing a fourth in a row to stretch his already yawning 53 point lead over Mexican team mate Sergio Perez.

Perez has only once stood on the podium in Montreal, a third place with Sauber in 2012. Last year the Mexican retired with a gearbox failure. “I have been in Milton Keynes since the Spanish GP, working hard with my team and we have put in a lot of good work and had some very constructive conversations,” said Perez. The Mexican's form has suffered two big blows of late, with 16th in Monaco and fourth in Spain, after a strong start to the campaign. “I must be massively consistent in Montreal and have a complete weekend,” he said.

Beyond Red Bull, Hamilton has every chance of being on the podium at the circuit where he took his first win as a rookie in 2007 but team boss Toto Wolff has cautioned against expecting too much. “With its long straights and low-speed corners, it's not a track that we expect to suit our car as well as Barcelona did,” said the Austrian.

‘Verstappen favourite for Red Bull's 100th win’;

https://www.malaymail.com/news/sport...adian-gp/74330


Lewis Hamilton admits Mercedes defeat after Toto Wolff's downbeat Canadian GP verdict.
Lewis Hamilton will have to wait until next year to get a whole new chassis on his Mercedes.
06:00, Thu, Jun 15, 2023
By Stuart Ballard
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton has admitted Mercedes' recent upgrades haven't fixed the issues he experienced at the start of the year, insisting there's 'nothing he can do about it'. The seven-time world champion revealed at the Australian Grand Prix that his cockpit inside the 2023 Mercedes car was causing him issues on the track.

Hamilton said at the time that he was sitting "closer to the front wheels than all the other drivers" on the grid, hampering his driving ability. Shortly after, Mercedes announced they would be moving in a different direction with their car design for the rest of the season.

Their major upgrades were introduced at the Monaco Grand Prix and Mercedes reaped the rewards from their changes a week later in Spain as both cars finished on the podium. But the changes have been unable to address the cockpit issue from earlier in the season with Hamilton admitting it's something he will have to cope with for the rest of the year. “There’s nothing you can do about it, that’s just the way it is,” Hamilton said. “The only thing you can do ultimately is just trying to slow the rate of rotation, stabilise the rear end.”

‘Toto Wolff's downbeat Canadian GP verdict’;

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


Ferrari’s Frédéric Vasseur Aiming for “Strong” Canadian GP
June 14, 2023
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Scuderia Ferrari’s Frédéric Vasseur is aiming for a strong Canadian Grand Prix, after an underwhelming start to the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship for the Italian team, who sit fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.

Ferrari have fallen behind both Aston Martin Armaco F1 Team and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team in the standings and in terms of performance lately, and will be hoping they can bounce back in Canada, but Team Principal Vasseur has made it clear that they still have to make improvements with their race pace despite recent upgrades.

“We come to Canada knowing that there is still room for improvement in terms of race pace with the SF-23. However, the upgrades introduced at the last round in Spain meant that the car behaved more consistently in the race in Barcelona.”

‘Room for improvement’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...g-canadian-gp/


Williams explain why only Alex Albon will have their Canadian GP upgrades
14 Jun 2023 4:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Williams will have a new package for the FW45 at the Canadian Grand Prix but it will only be fitted to Alex Albon’s car. Williams have once again found themselves lodged at the very bottom of the log with the team having scored just a single point in the first seven races of the season, Albon P10 in Bahrain.

Dave Robson, Williams’ head of vehicle performance, said: “The track in Montreal should play slightly more to the strengths of the FW45 than Monaco and Barcelona did. “Furthermore, we have several upgraded components available this week, which will run on Alex’s car only. We expect to be more competitive, but we will take our time on Friday to understand if the new package is delivering as expected.”

Albon is feeling hopeful as he reckons the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve should suit the car. “Heading into Canada,” he said, “it’s always a bit of a tricky circuit, however with it having more medium downforce, it should suit us a bit more than the last couple of tracks. We have an upgrade coming for this weekend, so it should be interesting to see how it performs. Everyone at the factory has done a huge job to get this upgrade ready for the weekend, so hopefully we can have a good result.”

‘Several upgraded components available’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/willia...n-gp-upgrades/


Canadian GP promoter doubts race could move dates to streamline F1 calendar
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 15th June 2023, 0:0114th June 2023, 23:08
Written by Ida Wood

F1 is keen to change the dates of some races on future calendars in order to cut travel between rounds and therefore reduce emissions. Moving the Canadian Grand Prix, which takes place this weekend, closer to the the Miami Grand Prix in May would allow F1 to make fewer transatlantic crossings. However the Canadian GP’s CEO Francois Dumontier has said the options to move their round of the world championship are limited by the Montreal climate.

“One can hardly imagine a presentation [of the race] before the beginning of June,” he told La Presse. He also ruled out an autumn date in the future as “we’d risk disrupting the activities of Parc Jean-Drapeau; in addition, in the fall, we could also find ourselves in conflict with congresses.” Dumontier admitted “it is mainly the weather [that is] the major sticking point in our talks” with F1 about moving the race to a different time of the year.

‘Doubts race could move’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/15/...nd-up-15-06-6/

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix.
There are a lot of slow-speed corners, the walls are very close in a lot of places, but it’s a great racetrack. You need a good front-end to get your car turned into the chicanes, which are pretty much everywhere.
15 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

The driver’s verdict: Jolyon Palmer, former Renault F1 driver: Canada is a really nice track to drive and you get a sense of atmosphere going around it. Overhanging trees give it the feel of a park and it feels like a street circuit – in essence, it is.

Strategy and set-up keys: Bernie Collins, former Aston Martin F1 strategist: Canada is an outlier in the ‘European season’ to allow the event to be held in more favourable weather conditions and involves teams reverting to flyaway set-ups after several events in their normal motorhomes.

Current form:Red Bull maintained their 2023 unbeaten run as Verstappen cruised to victory in Spain – the team sitting 135 points clear of Mercedes in the constructors’ standings and the Dutchman 53 points up on team mate Perez in the drivers’ battle.

‘NEED TO KNOW’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...oSMAaVJO9.html


“Intense” showers forecast during Canadian Grand Prix weekend
2023 Canadian Grand Prix weather
Posted on 15th June 2023, 12:4715th June 2023, 12:49
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Formula 1 drivers may see a repeat of last year’s Canadian Grand Prix weather conditions with rain expected during qualifying followed by a dry race. The official forecast for the weekend ahead at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve indicates there is a risk of rain on all three days, with the possibility of “intense” showers on Saturday, when final practice and qualifying will take place.

Second practice, which will start at 5pm local time, is especially at risk of disruption from a sharp shower. Those conditions will persist into Saturday, which could see the heaviest showers. The threat of rain is currently rated at over 80% and is likely to have an impact on final practice at half past noon and qualifying, which is scheduled for a 4pm start.

The weather is expected to improve on Sunday although the threat of further rain will not entirely recede. The chance of rain is officially estimated at 40%, though that may change over the coming days.

“Intense showers forecast”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/15/...-prix-weekend/


Groundhog Day: Why Montreal’s resident Groundhogs are an F1 Canadian GP attraction…
15 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Groundhogs, also known as marmots, are widely found across Canada and have ended up disrupting F1 events ever since the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve played host to its first grand prix back in 1978. Montreal’s resident rodents have a tendency to make the venue their home, meaning the drivers have to be extra alert when driving around the street circuit to avoid them.

Unfortunately, the small furry animals have often met their end following contact with F1 cars, something the drivers are sometimes helpless to avoid. Romain Grosjean damaged the nose of his Haas car when he hit a groundhog during free practice at the 2018 Canadian Grand Prix.

But then FIA race director Charlie Whiting explained that F1’s governing body had been advised against trying to remove the rodents. “Of course we saw the groundhog,” Whiting said. “I did ask if it was feasible to try and catch him and I was told by those who know much more about groundhogs it was a very unwise thing to try and do.”

‘Groundhog Day’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/100551...orious-pest-f1


Stroll's plan to SUCCEED in 'special' home GP as he praises 'incredible' Alonso
Thursday 15 June 2023 14:57
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans

Lance Stroll has admitted that he looks to replicate Fernando Alonso's "incredible" attitude towards Formula 1, as the Canadian opened up on his excitement over a "special" home race in Montreal.

"Canada is always really special," he told TSN's YouTube channel. "When you pull out a good result at home it always feel a little bit better.
"I've had a few good races back home and leaving the track on Sunday, it just makes it that little bit more special when it's at home.
"I thrive off of it," he added when asked about the added pressure of a home race. "I just enjoy the energy and the excitement around the weekend.
"I think it's easy to see it as a daunting experience, the idea of doing well at home, the pressure, that can kind of take away the joy of the weekend.

‘Stroll's plan to SUCCEED’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ton-martin-f1/


F1: 5 key talking points heading into the Canadian Grand Prix
15th June 2023, 12:44
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

What should we be looking out for this weekend in Canada, though? Here are five things to keep your eye on... Can Sergio Perez arrest his slide? The Spanish GP last time out was an important weekend for Checo as he needed to score well after disappointing in Monaco, but he found himself having to clamber up the field again and eventually finished fourth.

Can Mercedes build? A double podium finish for Mercedes last time out in Spain has really given them a shot in the arm - though they are obviously trying to remain cautious about what is to come. Can Alpine keep up their form? There are just two teams that have finished with both cars in the points in the last three races and one of those is Alpine.

More Montreal success for Alfa Romeo? In 2022, Alfa Romeo scored a double points finish in Canada and they would certainly like a repeat of that. A better track for Williams? Listening to what the likes of Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant have to say going into this weekend, there's hope that the Williams car is going to be a little more suited to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve than to recent venues that we have visited.

‘5 key talking points’;

https://www.givemesport.com/f1-5-key...an-grand-prix/


5 things to get you up to speed for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal
15th June 2023, 11:21
CTV News Montreal

Formula One is back in Canada for a second consecutive year as the Canadian Grand Prix gets underway this week in Montreal. To get you up to speed, here are five things to know ahead of this year's event: UNSTOPPABLE VERSTAPPEN: Max Verstappen is the latest example of what happens when you combine a great driver with the best car on the grid.

STROLL'S HOMECOMING: Lance Stroll is the only Canadian on the grid this year after Nicholas Latifi's departure from Williams. But although the number of Canadian drivers was split in half, the odds of a Canadian reaching the podium might have doubled. MERCEDES ON THE RISE? Mercedes has a long way to go before returning to the car that won eight straight constructors' championships from 2014-2021, but the team might have figured some things out in Spain.

FERRARI IN TROUBLE? After finishing second in the constructors' standings last season, Ferrari is in fourth this year. ABOUT THE CANADIAN GP: It's the 52nd Canadian Grand Prix and the 42nd edition in Montreal, famous for some classic races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and the "Wall of Champions" on Turn 14, which even the very best drivers have hit.

‘Get you up to speed’;

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/five-thi...real-1.6441926

First look at important changes made to Canadian GP circuit.
Drivers will no longer be able drive through an escape road to get back onto the track if they run wide at Turn 1.
15 June 7:00PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

The Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve has underwent a significant change at Turn 1 this year in a bid to stop drivers from gaining an advantage. Previously drivers could run wide at the corner if they out-brake themselves and rejoin at the exit of Turn 2, as long as they did so in a safe manner back on track.

This year there has been a row of TecPro barrier added where the track joins with the escape road, meaning drivers will be forced to turn around or reverse back onto the track at Turn 1.

The modification is a crucial part of the track as it is the end of one of the three DRS zones that feature on the circuit, with the changes potentially having an effect on whether drivers decide to make a move at the corner.

‘Important changes’;

https://racingnews365.com/first-look...ian-gp-circuit


Corner cutters beware: New barrier introduced at key Canadian GP run-off spot
15 Jun 2023 6:58 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

A new barrier has been put in place at the run-off of Turns 1 and 2 for the Canadian GP, which will stop the drivers from being tempted to cut the opening part of the lap if they lock up. It has not been an uncommon sight in years gone by at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for those who lock a brake and run deep into the left-hander of Turn 1, which then loops back on itself through Turn 2 and onto a short straight before Turn 3, for some drivers to cut Turn 2 altogether and rejoin the track.

On the first lap of the race, when Turns 1 and 2 also get congested, it’s also not unusual to see drivers take to the run-off and slot back into the order from there. But now, a new barrier has been installed where the asphalt run-off meets the exit of Turn 2 for this year’s Canadian GP, in an attempt to curb the drivers from doing so this time around.

‘Corner cutters beware’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/canadi...rier-addition/


Lance Stroll: “It’s always special for me to see all the Canadian support”
June 15, 2023
By Nick Golding
The Checkered Flag

Stroll knows that the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team will likely be in battle with multiple teams this weekend, although, upgrades for the Silverstone-based team in Canada could give them the edge. The Canadian has his eyes set on “pushing hard” for his fans in Montreal, with it being the best place to claim his highest finish of the year.

“I am really excited to return to Montréal for my home race; it’s always special for me to see all the Canadian support at the city I grew up in. It is a circuit that also holds some good memories for me; climbing seven places to finish in the points last year was especially memorable.”

“With how close the pecking order has been in recent races, it will be interesting to see what the characteristics of the circuit do to the competitiveness up and down the pitlane this weekend. The margins will be very tight, so we’ll be pushing hard to put on a good show for my home crowd.”

‘Canadian support’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...adian-support/


Fernando Alonso’s response to Aston Martin F1 owner Lawrence Stroll’s ‘aggressive’ Canadian GP target
15 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Fernando Alonso thinks Aston Martin F1 team owner Lawrence Stroll’s target of a double podium at the Canadian Grand Prix is an “aggressive target”. Stroll told Reuters that he hopes to see “two cars on the podium”, adding: “I’m extremely confident. I believe the car will be very strong around the Montreal circuit, it suits our car well…so I’m really looking forward to going home and really looking forward to a great race.”

Although he did not completely rule it out, two-time world champion Alonso admitted such a feat will be a big ask given Red Bull’s dominance so far this year.

“You never know, but it is an aggressive target for the weekend,” the Spaniard said. “But we know Lawrence. His ambition is super high always and we will try to make him happy and proud in the home grand prix.”

‘Big ask’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102884...dian-gp-target


Alonso singled out for FIA INSPECTIONS ahead of Canadian GP
Thursday 15 June 2023 19:15
Harry Smith
GPFans

Fernando Alonso has been singled out for an FIA investigation ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix with the stewards performing 'more extensive physical inspections'.

The FIA published a document on Thursday confirming that Alonso's car had been selected for further physical inspections ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. The checks for this are understood to have been taken directly following the Spanish Grand Prix.

These checks are done at random and selected from the top tens cars in the standings, ensuring compliance with the sport's technical regulations. Thankfully for Alonso and Aston Martin, the checks were passed without any issue with all parts found to be in compliance with FIA regulations.

‘Compliance’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...an-grand-prix/

Champ’s shot at history; Ferrari makes ‘worrying’ admission: F1 Canada burning questions.
The Canadian Grand Prix is perhaps best known in recent times for playing the weather card. Rain arrives randomly, heavily and often decisively, shaking up the field or suspending the race entirely.
June 16th, 2023 3:39 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)

Nothing says ‘F1’s European leg’ quite like a stand-alone visit to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix. The annual visit to Canada has long disrupted F1’s long European run to capitalise on the narrow window of warm summer weather in Quebec at the high-speed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve semipermanent street track.

With rain forecast all weekend, some are hoping there’ll be an elevated chance that someone other than Max Verstappen could stand on the top step. Sergio Pérez certainly hopes it’ll be him — the Mexican is targeting a “reset” to his season from 53 points down on his teammate.

Ferrari and Aston Martin will also be hoping for a bounce-back from difficult weekends in Barcelona. But the rain could be more valuable to the midfield, where points have been difficult to come by this season. McLaren, having scrapped to unlikely points all year, could be the biggest winners from a wet grand prix given its recent form in the rain.

‘F1 Canada burning questions.’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...a9d5e88b748cad


Leclerc expects major Ferrari issue to remain at Canadian GP
The Monegasque has a big problem to resolve and Ferrari don't appear to have found a solution
June 15, 2023
By Joe Ellis
Total Motorsport

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc is expecting another tough weekend at the 2023 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix after a pointless race in Spain. The Scuderia star qualified woefully in Barcelona and could not race his way into the top 10 and it later emerged that he was struggling massively in left-hand corners.

Those issues don’t appear to have been fixed by Ferrari as there are no new parts coming to the scarlet red car in Montreal. “It’s the first time it’s happened in my career,” Leclerc told the media ahead of the Canadian GP. “When I looked at the left-hand corners, that’s where I was struggling.

“I said it straight away after qualifying and we can see that on the data I’m losing six and a half to seven-tenths in left-hand corners. But there are no real reasons yet so I can’t say much more on that.”

‘Major Ferrari issue’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...3-canadian-gp/


Leclerc not expecting 'any miracles' for Ferrari in Canada as Sainz predicts Alpine to join battle for second
15 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Charles Leclerc admits he is not expecting "any miracles" at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix off the back of his point-less outing in Barcelona. Meanwhile his Ferrari team mate Carlos Sainz is expecting the layout of the circuit in Montreal to suit the SF23, but that there may be increased competition for P2 in the constructors' championship.

This performance came on the weekend that Ferrari brought their first major upgrade of the season and, after he revealed that they had brought the same car to Montreal, Leclerc admitted that he was not expecting a “huge step forward”. “It was a very difficult weekend for me especially,” said Leclerc. “On this track we don't have anything new, so I don’t think we will have any miracles. But we need to just try to maximise our package.”

“[We need to] understand more this package, the way we should set up the car in order to maximise it. In Spain we were quite easily off the window and then we were losing quite a bit of performance. So, we've learned a lot, but I don’t think it will be huge step forward.” When asked what he was expecting come Sunday afternoon, Leclerc replied: “I feel like Aston Martin will be doing a step forward for this weekend, Red Bull they will be in front as always.”

‘Not expecting 'any miracles' for Ferrari’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...uLAGIO2vh.html


The Battle Behind The Red Bulls – Who Comes Out on Top?
June 15, 2023
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Oracle Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen are seemingly running away with both FIA Formula 1 World Championships and even as early as the Canadian Grand Prix, many are already claiming that the title races are over.

However, what many won’t realise is the exciting and enticing battles happening behind the Bulls, between Scuderia Ferrari, Aston Martin Armaco F1 Team and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Fernando Alonso has been on top form this season, scoring five podiums this season in seven races, which is an incredible achievement for the Spaniard, who only joined Aston Martin at the start of this season.

Many have overlooked the performances of Lewis Hamilton this season, although the seven-time World Champion isn’t where he’d want to be, fighting for wins at the front, he is driving extremely well and has outdrove his W14 in multiple races this season. Ferrari have underperformed so far this season, but Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. still have so much to offer, and this weekend will be a chance for the pair to get back into form. Canada will be an interesting race for all three teams, but the question is who comes out on top?

‘Battle Behind The Red Bulls’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...es-out-on-top/


F1: Esteban Ocon upbeat as Alpine eye more points at Canadian GP
20:42 Thu, 15 Jun 2023.
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Esteban Ocon was in a positive mood speaking to the press ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend, as Alpine look to earn another double points finish.

Speaking ahead of the weekend here in Montréal, Ocon reflected on last season's result and also how discussed how he was feeling about their prospects over the coming days: "I think we had a very good car last year here. It was one of the weekends that we scored great points," the Frenchman said.

"We still have to focus on race pace and figure out why we are not as competitive on Sundays as we are on Saturdays but all in all it's going in the right direction with what we're doing and it's a good moment for us. We are having a good time at the moment definitely and we are all happy that we are in this position so far. We are moving forward and that's very important."

‘Ocon upbeat’;

https://www.givemesport.com/f1-esteb...t-canadian-gp/


Sergio Perez targets Canadian GP reset after tricky European double-header
The Mexican saw his 2023 title chances dwindle with poor qualifying preventing podiums in Monaco and Spain
June 15, 2023
By Joe Ellis
Total Motorsport

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is ready to completely reset his 2023 Formula 1 season after back-to-back disappointments in Europe. A crash in qualifying at Monaco and 12th in Spain gave the Red Bull man too much to do compared to his teammate, Max Verstappen, who went on to win both races on European shores.

“I want to reset and go again,” Perez told the media ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. “Monaco was all down to me and my bad mistake. “Then in Barcelona, a bad qualifying again which was tricky in the damp conditions and we paid the price on Sunday so I’m looking forward to getting back to the form we had in the early season.”

“Barcelona was the only time I have had difficulties with the car,” Perez added. “I struggled all through the weekend but other than that, I think in Monaco we had the pace to have a good weekend but I did a mistake. We should be having a lot of podiums and wins with this car from now until the end of the year. We can see the competition getting closer all the time.”

‘Reset after tricky European double-header’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...double-header/


How a mid-season rule change could aid Ferrari and hinder Aston Martin.
The aerodynamic testing rules in Formula 1 will see significant changes for certain teams based on their current success on track.
16 June 8:30AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365

Aston Martin's charge up the Formula 1 order is set to be hindered by the next revision to the sport's aerodynamic testing sliding scale. Teams are restricted on the amount of wind tunnel testing runs and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) hours they can do to develop their car, with the aim of reducing costs and enabling struggling teams to catch up.

The pecking order is based on the championship position at the end of the previous season, and is then reset on June 30 each year to reflect the current order.

Number Team (change from previous measuring point) Percentage
1 Red Bull (equal) 63%
2 Mercedes (+1) 75%
3 Aston Martin (+4) 80%
4 Ferrari (-2) 85%
5 Alpine (-1) 90%
6 McLaren (-1) 95%
7 Haas (+1) 100%
8 Alpha Romeo (-2) 105%
9 AlphaTauri (equal) 110%
10 Williams (equal) 115%

‘Aerodynamic testing rules in Formula’;

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-ga...er-canadian-gp

Aston Martin billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll pins Canadian GP pressure on son Lance.
Lawrence Stroll has high expectations for Aston Martin and the pressure is on his own son to live up to them in Montreal this weekend.
14:19, Fri, Jun 16, 2023
By Richard Garnett
Daily and Sunday Express

Aston Martin boss Lawrence Stroll has ramped the pressure up on his own son Lance, by claiming that he is looking for a double podium placing at the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend. The Silverstone-based team have made a solid start to the F1 season, recording five top-three finishes in the first seven races.

But all five of those podium appearances have been made by veteran driver Fernando Alonso, with the two-time former world champion enjoying a late resurgence in his F1 career. A haul of 99 points has put the Spaniard third in the Drivers' Championship behind the runaway Red Bull pairing of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

But in stark contrast, Alonso's Aston Martin teammate Stroll has only managed to accumulate 35 points so far, with his best performance a four-placed finish at the Australian Grand Prix in April. That appears to be of little concern to the 24-year-old's billionaire father, however, who has confidently predicted that his developing outfit can do the business in Montreal this weekend.

‘Lawrence Stroll pins Canadian GP pressure on son Lance’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...pressure-Lance


Alonso aiming for "aggressive" Canadian GP target
16 June 2:15PM
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

With the Canadian GP being the home race for Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll and son Lance, hopes are high of a strong result at Montreal. Fernando Alonso says he and Aston Martin are aiming to achieve team owner Lawrence Stroll's target of a double podium finish at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.

After a strong start to 2023, Aston Martin currently sit third in the Constructors' Championship with 134, with Alonso having scored all five of the team's podium finishes so far. Pressed on whether both he and teammate Lance Stroll – son of Lawrence – could make it into the top three in Sunday's race, Alonso said that was the aim.

"You never know, but it is an aggressive target for the weekend," Alonso told media, including RacingNews365.com. "But we know Lawrence, [his] ambition is super high, always, and we will try to make him happy and proud in the home Grand Prix."

‘Hopes are high of a strong result at Montreal’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-aim...dian-gp-target


Major Aston Martin changes head Canadian GP upgrade list
16th June 2023, 16:48
By Mark Hughes
The Race

Though it comes as the next round after the usual upgrade bonanza of Barcelona, Formula 1’s Canadian Grand Prix has seen several big-ticket development items declared by the teams – namely a major Aston Martin upgrade and an extensively-revised FW45 package that will only be available to the more experienced Williams driver, Alex Albon, this weekend.

‘Only Ferrari having no developments to announce’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/major...-upgrade-list/


Russell outlines THREE reasons why Mercedes could struggle in Canada
Friday 16 June 2023 16:57
Dan Ripley
GPFans

George Russell admits Mercedes face a number of handicaps heading into the Canadian Grand Prix. Asked on the reasons why Mercedes could struggle in Canada, Russell outlined three factors that could go against them.

"It's a really different circuit," he told Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz. "Barcelona with the new changes is all medium high speed corners. In Montreal, it's all slow speed corners, Barcelona - it's a very smooth tarmac. Here. It's very bumpy. It's hitting all the curbs. It's a straight track.”

"And finally, in Barcelona, we had the three hardest tires, and here with the three softest tires, so, you know, there's no guarantees that we're going to be competitive or as competitive as we were in Barcelona.”

‘ "Aggressive" Canadian GP target’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...an-grand-prix/


F1 Fantasy: top picks and predictions for the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
June 16th 2023
Author Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine

Driver and constructor F1 Fantasy picks for the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, including tips on who to avoid and which chips to play. Renowned for throwing up a curveball, the Canadian Grand Prix not only presents an opportunity for the trailing field to knock Red Bull off its win streak, but also a chance to make some big gains on the F1 Fantasy leaderboards.

Red Bull has continued to lead the way so far, the RB19 winning seven races from seven entires, and Max Verstappen‘s triumph in Spain further extended his advantage at the front of the field, scoring 314 F1 Fantasy points so far this season – 72 more than any other driver. But the ever-present challenge of Sergio Perez and Aston Martin‘s Fernando Alonso means the Dutchman’s third world title isn’t secured just yet and a slip up in Canada could put the trailing pack – and your F1 Fantasy team – back in the hunt.

‘Top picks and predictions’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#


Leclerc: Ferrari not expecting 'miracles' at Canadian GP
Friday 16 June 2023 15:57
Jay Winter
GPFans

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has tempered expectations for the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, acknowledging that his team does not anticipate any "miracles" at the event. After a challenging race in Spain where Leclerc narrowly missed out on points, the Monegasque remains cautiously optimistic about Ferrari's performance in Montreal.

Reflecting on the difficult weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix, Leclerc says Ferrari have "learnt a lot" but warns Tifosi expecting a "huge step forward" not to hold their breath. “Yeah, [the Spanish Grand Prix] was a very difficult weekend for me especially," he recalled at an FIA press conference in Montreal.

"On this track, we don't have anything new, so I don't think we'll have any miracles but we need to just try and maximise our package, understand more this package, the way we should set up the car in order to maximise it. So we've learnt a lot. And I'm pretty sure we'll be in a better place for this weekend. But I don't think it will be a huge step forward.”

‘Ferrari not expecting miracles';

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...2023-miracles/


F1 2023’s first driver market rumours victim on his struggles
Jun 16 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

Nyck de Vries’ career is a case study in Formula 1’s capriciousness. Shunned after winning the Formula 2 title in 2019, he was the toast of Monza after taking ninth for Williams following a late Italian Grand Prix call-up on Saturday morning last year and courted by several teams.

In May, only five races into his full-time F1 career with AlphaTauri, rumours swirled of ultimatums and the risk of imminent replacement. The media maelstrom has since calmed, with De Vries producing a solid run to 12th in Monaco then a frustrated 14th in Spain.

That’s not to say the pressure is vanquished. The combination of Yuki Tsunoda’s excellent performances in the other AlphaTauri and the success of other Red Bull prospects, notably Super Formula points leader Liam Lawson, means De Vries’ F1 future is far from secure. But he has now at least settled into the season.

‘Driver market rumours’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-20...his-struggles/

Canadian Grand Prix practice descends into farce after bizarre CCTV blackout.
First practice at the Canadian Grand Prix was halted due to an issue with local CCTV infrastructure in Montreal.
16th June 2023, 19:18
Kieran Jackson
Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent

Practice at the Canadian Grand Prix descended into an early farce on Friday after FP1 was halted due to CCTV issues. FP1 got underway for just five minutes before Pierre Gasly’s Alpine stopped at the side of the track, triggering a red flag.

Yet while Gasly’s car was quickly wheeled to safety, the red flag remained due to issues with the local CCTV infrastructure around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.

As opposed to qualifying and the race where the clock stops, in practice sessions the clock keeps rolling - meaning drivers were unable to get valuable time on track.

‘Descends into farce after bizarre CCTV blackout’;

https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-...-b2359144.html


F1 2023 Canadian Grand Prix - Friday Practice Results
16 Jun 2023
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

Results from Friday practice at the Canadian Grand Prix, Round 8 of the F1 2023 world championship.

2023 F1 Canadian Grand Prix - Free Practice Results (1)
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Valtteri Bottas FIN Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake 1m18.728s
2 Lance Stroll CAN Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team 1m19.175s
3 Fernando Alonso ESP Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team 1m19.807s
4 Sergio Perez MEX Oracle Bull Racing 1m20.154s
5 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m20.231s
6 Oscar Piastri AUS McLaren F1 Team 1m21.496s
8 Nico Hulkenberg GER MoneyGram Haas F1 Team 1m24.045s
8 Kevin Magnussen DEN MoneyGram Haas F1 Team 1m24.336s
9 Zhou Guanyu CHN Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake 1m24.961s
10 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari 1m25.991s

‘Results’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/results/102...actice-results


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Canadian Grand Prix
16 June 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS it happened!’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...10DtfijGc.html


2023 F1 Canadian Grand Prix - Friday Practice - LIVE UPDATES!
16th June 2023, 18:34
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f...e-live-updates


CAMERA ISSUES HAMPER FP1 AT THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
With many upgrades applied to cars across the paddock, the free practice sessions will be vital for the teams to gather valuable data
June 16, 2023
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds

FP1 for the Canadian Grand Prix was heavily hampered due to local CCTV issues. Valtteri Bottas topped the session ahead of Aston Martin duo Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso.

‘Local CCTV issues’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ca...an-grand-prix/

F1 Canadian GP: Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 in FP2 before rain hits.
Lewis Hamilton headed a Mercedes 1-2 in Formula 1's second free practice session for the Canadian Grand Prix, as a downpour flooded the track in the final five minutes.
23:11 Fri, 16 Jun 2023.
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

The second practice session was extended by half an hour following the opening session's curtailment as technical issues emerged with the circuit's CCTV system. This left the teams, who had managed only the most cursory of laps in FP1, with much in the way of data to gather ahead of Saturday's preparations for qualifying.

Charles Leclerc was first to bother the stopwatch, setting the opening benchmark of a 1m16.564s on the medium tyres, but the Ferrari driver was soon usurped as Fernando Alonso and Valtteri Bottas threw their first efforts into the fray. Max Verstappen then posted a 1m15.333s despite submitting complaints about his Red Bull's downshifts, taking the times down into the 1m14s with a 1m14.726s.

When the session drew into its final half-hour, radio messages began to emerge that rain was 10 minutes away. Making hay, George Russell then fired his Mercedes onto top spot with a 1m13.745s, where he remained for a few mere seconds before Hamilton eclipsed him with a 1m13.718s. With five minutes remaining, a sudden deluge hit the track at the hairpin - although the southern part of the circuit remained largely dry to create a split in conditions…

‘FP2 before rain hits’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...tice/10483743/


F1 2023 Canadian GP – Practice 2 Results
Mercedes were first and second fasted in FP2 at the 2023 Canadian GP
June 16, 2023
By John Smith
Total Motorsport

An extended Free Practice 2 session at the Canadian Grand Prix 2023 was topped by Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, with the seven-time Formula 1 champion 0.027s ahead of his teammate.

It must be said that the Red Bull drivers of Verstappen and Sergio Perez, who was eighth, being 0.424s and 0.532s behind Hamilton, respectively, though they both set their fastest times on the medium tyres, with the Mercedes on softs.

F1 Canadian GP 2023 – FP2 Results
Pos Driver Team Time
1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:13.718
2 George Russell Mercedes +0.027
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari +0.126
4 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.326
5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.376
6 Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.424
7 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.502
8 Sergio Perez Red Bull +0.532
9 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.701
10 Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.759

‘Practice 2 Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ice-2-results/


(FP2) Second Practice Results – 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
17th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Second practice was extended by half an hour (although most of that time was then lost due to two red flags and a downpour towards the end) after a CCTV issue saw the opening practice fail to restart following an early red flag for a car stopped on track.

Results (Classification):
1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes -1:13.718
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.027
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.126
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.326
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.376
6. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.424
7. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +0.502
8. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.532
9. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.701
10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.759

‘Canadian Grand Prix – Here are the results from the extended and disrupted second practice session ahead of the 2023 F1 World Championship race in Montreal’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp2-second...and-prix-82420


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from second practice for the Canadian Grand Prix
16 June 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...yeromrqyk.html


RED FLAGS AND RAIN HAMPER EXTENDED FREE PRACTICE TWO AT THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
The second session of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend was extended for an additional 30 minutes due to the camera issues seen during free practice one
June 16, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

The FIA announced that free practice two will be extended for an additional 30 minutes following the camera issues that red flagged the first practice session in Montreal. Issues with the track’s CCTV might not be the only hurdle Formula One needs to overcome this weekend, with rain forecasted

‘RED FLAGS AND RAIN’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/re...an-grand-prix/

Button admits Canadian GP weekend could now spiral into CHAOS.
"The problem is [that] when it rains, you can’t really get a feel for what the updates are doing, and the data doesn’t show either," the former world champion explained.
Friday 16 June 2023 21:34
Chris Deeley
GPFans

Jenson Button has admitted that the early end to FP1 at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix could cause teams a lot of problems. The first practice session allowed for less than 10 minutes of running before a combination of Pierre Gasly's Alpine failing on track and a malfunction in the local CCTV system caused the rest of the session to be red flagged.

Advantage Red Bull – again "Especially if you have sensors all over the car when there’s spray, you don’t get the information you need. Red Bull are pretty lucky – they did the right thing [and] got out there as soon as they could. They would’ve got information, but other people would’ve struggled with that.”

“It’s a real shame. It’s possibly going to rain tomorrow, that’s why they actually needed these sessions in the dry to get a feel for a bit of race setup. I don’t think any racing driver likes the rain, but it’s how you deal with it. Around here, it’s a really tricky place in the wet, because the white lines, it’s very narrow. You slip up [and] you’re in the wall."

‘Spiral into CHAOS’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...rain-practice/


Canadian Grand Prix practice is CANCELLED after just four minutes due to faulty CCTV system in blow to punters paying £300 for tickets... before FP2 is extended and brought forward
• The first practice for the Canadian Grand Prix was halted after just four minutes
• Red flag was waved when the CCTV system broke down in front of 90,000 crowd
• The second session was extended by 30 minutes and brought forward
Published: 20:10, 16 June 2023
By Jonathan McEvoy For Mailonine
Mail Online

Formula One was left red-faced as first practice for the Canadian Grand Prix ground to a halt after just four minutes of practice. In front of an estimated crowd of 90,000 – some of whom paid £300 to watch the weekend’s action – the red flag was waved when the CCTV system broke down. The network provides footage from every area of the track and is essential for safety reasons.

The FIA issued a statement, effectively blaming the local organisers, who they said were ‘working to resolve the issue and until that time we can’t re-start.’ In a further statement, the governing body added: ‘The delay will be longer as the CCTV is not synced correctly and until this issue has been fixed we cannot run on track. The system is a local installation and they are continuing to work to resolve the problem.

'The clock will continue to run down on FP1 and the session won’t be extended as there must be two hours between the end of FP1 and FP2. We are looking at options to extend FP2.’

‘Punters paying £300 for tickets...’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...TV-system.html


Faulty CCTV cameras leave 90 000 spectators staring at an empty track in Canada
20:41 Fri, 16 Jun 2023.
TEAMTalk Media
Wheels24

The first practice session for the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix was embarrassingly cancelled after a CCTV failure at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The opening one-hour of running for the weekend was red-flagged after just four minutes when Pierre Gasly broke down in his Alpine.

An FIA spokesperson said: "The delay will be longer as the CCTV is not synced correctly, and until the issue has been fixed, we cannot run on track. This system is a local installation, and they are continuing to work to resolve the problem.”

Former driver Karun Chandhok, who competed in 11 grands prix and now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, was critical of the FIA's decision to abandon the running. "I feel we needed to get on track," said Chandhok. "I would argue that there's races around the world where they haven't got CCTV cameras, and they rely on marshal posts to radio incidents in - then you can use the TV cameras to look at it."

‘Critical of the FIA's decision to abandon the running’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsp...anada-20230616


2023 Canadian GP FP2: Session red flagged as Hulkenberg’s smoking Haas stops on track
16 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Smoke was seen pouring out of the back of Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas as the sick-sounding car ground to a halt on the main straight with around 30 minutes gone in the session, to trigger a red flag as the marshals removed it from the track.

‘Smoking Haas’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...105830204.html


Alonso says F1 ‘shot itself in the foot’ after CCTV fault cancels practice session
2023 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 17th June 2023, 0:55
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

Fernando Alonso said Formula 1 let fans down after a problem with a CCTV system meant first practice was abandoned after four minutes of running. “It was a shame,” said Alonso. “I think it was not ideal for the teams, but mostly it was for the fans that came very early to the circuit, and we were not able to run in FP1.

“From time to time it seems that we are shooting [ourselves] in our feet as a sport. These things are a little bit embarrassing.” Alonso was able to cover 38 laps in second practice, which was extended to make up for some of the lost running in the first session. He lost further time as the session was red-flagged twice and heavy rain fell in the final 10 minutes. Alonso said the delays left Aston Martin without enough time to fully evaluate the changes to their car.

“We didn’t have time because FP1, unfortunately, the cameras or whatever on the circuit didn’t work and we didn’t have a Plan B, as all these times in this sport.” However Lance Stroll played down the effect the disruption had on their preparations. “It’s the same for everyone,” he said. “The car is feeling good,” he said. “I think we’re looking pretty good.”

‘Shot itself in the foot’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/17/...ctice-session/

Montreal track “definitely not suiting our package for now” – Verstappen.
“It was a shame that we ended up losing FP1, I think we really needed it,” said Perez. “And then FP2, towards the end conditions got a bit worse so it was a shame as well in that regard.”
2023 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 17th June 2023, 7:2017th June 2023, 2:06
Written by Ed Hardy
RaceFans

Max Verstappen said the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve does not suit his usually dominant Red Bull car after he and his team mate finished the first day of practice for the Canadian Grand Prix outside the top five. The Formula 1 championship leader was sixth in second practice, two places ahead of team mate Sergio Perez.

“I think we didn’t have a good day,” said Verstappen. “We still have a bit of work to do, the car’s not fantastic at the moment. We know our limitations with the car, and probably on the track like it is now with the bumps and kerbs it’s definitely not suiting our package for now. But we’ll try to find a few improvements.”

Perez admitted Red Bull’s nearest rivals are “looking good”, but with rain expected for qualifying Verstappen expects a potential mix-up in the final grid. “Probably tomorrow it’s going to be very wet,” Verstappen said. “So that normally always brings a few surprises in qualifying and then we’ll see what the weather will do on Sunday.”

“Definitely not suiting our package for now”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/17/...ow-verstappen/


Mercedes chief honest about Canadian GP chances ahead of fight with three F1 rivals
Mercedes enjoyed an excellent weekend in Barcelona with a double podium at the Spanish Grand Prix, but the Silver Arrows admit they are likely to struggle more in Montreal
06:00, 17 Jun 2023
Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

Mercedes admit a podium at the Canadian Grand Prix is going to be much more tricky than it was for them in Barcelona. Andrew Shovlin thinks Mercedes will have a harder time this weekend in Montreal

Asked if Mercedes' Barcelona result was down to the track or their upgrades, he said: "Well, probably both are true. The fact is that the update kit works very well around circuits like Barcelona with a lot of high-speed performance.”

"Although, the car itself would have still been okay there because 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.

‘Likely to struggle’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...ovlin-30255260


Mercedes' pace no fluke as Lewis Hamilton leads George Russell in Canada practice
17th June 2023, 09:33
Wheels24

An upbeat Lewis Hamilton demonstrated his undimmed vim and speed on Friday when he led George Russell in a Mercedes one-two in a truncated and interrupted day's practice at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Hamilton's Mercedes team technical director, James Allison, played down expectations despite the success just 12 days after a double podium finish in Spain. "It's nice to be at the front and not the back, but don't read too much into it," Allison told Sky Sports F1. "We did our long run work first and our short runs at the end, when the track was its best before the rain."

‘Played down expectations’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsp...ctice-20230617


Mercedes have lots of room for improvement after Canadian GP FP2 performance
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton was quickest in free practice 2 for the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
June 17, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Mercedes‘ technical director James Allisson insisted the team has lots of room to improve after Lewis Hamilton led a one-two FP2 of the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix. However, he doused expectations ahead of qualifying after a strange Friday in Canada where the afternoon session was rain-affected and FP1 only saw three minutes of live running.

“I think there’s plenty more to improve on your car before we get to qualifying,” Allison told Sky Sports F1. “The car is in okay shape, but it’s not deserving of a one-two, because we just weren’t running on track at the same time.”

“Thinking that this rain was coming a little sooner than he came, we ran a long run at the beginning of the session and short runs at the end. Everyone else did it vice versa, so we were doing our short runs when the track was at its fastest.”

‘Room for improvement’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...2-performance/


What we learned from Friday practice at the F1 Canadian GP
17th June 2023, 09:52
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

Following an unusual day of practice action at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a Mercedes 1-2 emerged on the timesheet while Red Bull languished down the order. While both teams had explanations for these situations, and effectively losing an entire practice session muddied the waters further, it appears a more open contest than at recent races could be on the cards

Formula 1's bizarre brace of Friday practice sessions for the Canadian Grand Prix ended with Lewis Hamilton holding the fastest time, as rain and technical issues left their respective marks. In the meantime, Red Bull's hunt for its 100th grand prix victory began with a rocky start as Max Verstappen could only manage the sixth-best time overall, while team-mate Sergio Perez was eighth on the timesheets - behind nominal FP1 topper Valtteri Bottas.

Red Bull's struggles were the most curious, and Verstappen left the session feeling that there was much to do overnight to bestow him with a greater feeling behind the wheel. Many of the issues he faced appeared to stem from difficulties dealing with kerbs and bumps, which could go some way to explaining why he lost so much time on the exits of corners. On the exit of the final chicane, Verstappen shed time relative to Alonso having had to contend with the oft-brutal kerb parked upon the apex.

‘A more open contest than at recent races could be on the cards’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/w...n-gp/10483895/

Verstappen fastest in wet final practice as Sainz crashes.
Canadian Grand Prix – Max Verstappen was fastest in a wet final Montreal practice which saw Carlos Sainz bring out the Red Flags.
17th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

While there had been heavy rain in Montreal earlier today, there were only a few spits as the final practice started. The Haas cars were the first to take to the track, and Hulkenberg put the first time in, a 1:34.889 on the full wets.

After ten minutes Ocon was fastest with a 1:31.428 with Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton less than a tenth behind and the Aston Martins had just switched from wets to intermediate tyres. After another ten minutes, and another spin for Tsunoda, everyone was on the intermediates and Hulkenberg had just jumped to the top with a 1:26.431 a good few tenths ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen.

As the session got suspended, Verstappen’s 1:24.480 was the top time while Sainz had just moved into P2 ahead of his teammate. Things got back underway with 23 minutes to go and Gasly led the way back out on track, intermediates continuing to be the tyre of choice. As in FP2, the heavy rain came in the final ten minutes so a lot of drivers retreated to the pits and the session effectively ended early.

‘Verstappen fastest’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen...-crashes-82425


(FP3) Third Practice Results – 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
17th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:23.106
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.291
3. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.377
4. Kevin Magnussen Haas +1.609
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +1.659
6. Pierre Gasly Alpine +1.719
7. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.838
8. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +1.849
9. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +1.882
10. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +1.981

‘Canadian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the final practice session ahead of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Montreal’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp3-third-...and-prix-82423


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from third practice for the Canadian Grand Prix
17 June 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...AhT1qCgZH.html


2023 F1 Canadian Grand Prix: Final Practice - LIVE UPDATES!
17th June 2023, 17:37
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f...e-live-updates


Ferrari's Carlos Sainz to be investigated by F1 stewards at Canadian GP after crash
Carlos Sainz suffered a Saturday practice to forget at the Canadian Grand Prix.
18:11, Sat, Jun 17, 2023
By Luke Chillingsworth
Daily and Sunday Express

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz will be investigated by the stewards for impeding other drivers while the Spanish star also crashed out in FP3. FIA chiefs decided to look at Sainz after complaints from Williams driver Alex Albon in the final practice session.

Albon was forced to bail out of a hot lap at the final chicane to avoid the Ferrari star and instantly took to team radio to vent his anger. The Thai star demanded race stewards took a look at the incident and take some action. He said: “That has to go to the stewards now. It's the same guy again.” Minutes later Sainz was forced out of the session after crashing out at turn one.”

He dropped his front right tyre on the white line on the outside of turn one which sent his car spinning round. Sainz was unable to avoid the barrier on the outside of the wall which ripped apart his front nose cone.

‘F1 stewards’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-grand-prix


Canadian GP: Verstappen sails to P1 in wet Practice 3
17 June 2023
Ben Issatt
Inside Racing

Max Verstappen sailed to the top of the timesheet in a wet final practice at the Canadian Grand Prix. A very wet track meant the drivers headed out on the new extreme wet Pirelli tyres that do not require any pre-heating in the blankets to start the session.


Ferrari seemed to be enjoying the wet, however, as Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc alternated at the top of the timesheets. It wasn't long until Max Verstappen also joined the fray as a drier line emerged and lap times significantly improved. Sainz's session then got worse as he lost the rear under braking into Turn 1 and slid into the barriers, causing a red flag.

Once cleared, Verstappen emerged and put in a string of fastest laps, ending with a best time of 1m23.106s. Leclerc was the only driver to get close to the world champion in second, just under three-tenths slower in his Ferrari.

‘Verstappen sails to P1’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula...wet-practice-3

Canadian GP qualifying results: Verstappen on pole as Hulkenberg trumps the two Mercedes
Max Verstappen managed to clinch yet another pole position at the end of an eventful qualifying session at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
22:16, Sat, Jun 17, 2023
By Archie Griggs

Max Verstappen managed to put himself on pole position for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix ahead of Nico Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso at the end of a thoroughly entertaining wet-dry qualifying session on Saturday. The indecisive conditions in Montreal saw plenty of teams struggle with their tyre strategies, with Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc both missing out on Q3 in spite of their best efforts.

Leclerc was once again left frustrated with Ferrari's decision-making process and was clearly furious with his team over the radio after he was knocked out in 12th place. The Monegasque driver asked for a new set of dry tyres as the clock ticked down in Q2 but was ignored by Ferrari, who have been consistently letting him down with their questionable strategy calls over the last few years.

‘Hulkenberg trumps the two Mercedes’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...enberg-F1-news


Qualifying Results – 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
17th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:25.858
2. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +1.244
3. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +1.428
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +1.769
5. George Russell Mercedes +2.035
6. Esteban Ocon Alpine +2.087
7. Lando Norris McLaren +2.188
8. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +3.436
9. Oscar Piastri McLaren +5.491
10. Alex Albon Williams Racing No time

‘Canadian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for tomorrow’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Montreal’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying...and-prix-82434


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix
17 June 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site20:42

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...qSfmPGJok.html


How qualifying for the F1 Canadian Grand Prix unfolded
17th June 2023, 17:37
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘How qualifying for the F1 Canadian Grand Prix unfolded’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f...e-live-updates


Pole for Verstappen as Hulkenberg puts Haas on the front row
17th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Q1: In the end Verstappen topped the session with a 1:20.851 ahead of Alonso and the Mercedes of Hamilton and George Russell. Tsunoda, Gasly, de Vries, Sergeant and Zhou didn’t make it through.

Q2: Verstappen was the first on track as the second part of qualifying started while Albon was the first to take the risk and put on a set of soft tyres while the rest continued on the intermediates. As Albon put in good times, other drivers also made the switch to slick tyres. Albon went to the top of the times with a 1:19.471 before dropping it down to a 1:18.725 as the rain started drizzling down again. At the top though the brave call from Albon saw him top the session over three and a half tenths ahead of Verstappen with the McLarens lining up behind him.

Q3: The rain continued bucketing down so the track would probably be getting worse each lap in this portion of the session. Surprisingly, despite the rain, times continued to improve and the session got Red Flagged with just over seven minutes on the clock as Oscar Piastri rear first into the barrier just after T7. Hulkenberg got incredibly lucky, crossing the line to go P2 a second before the Red Flag was shown.

‘Hulkenberg puts Haas on the front row’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/pole-for-v...ront-row-82433

HÜLKENBERG LOSES FRONT ROW, ALONSO PROMOTED TO P2 AFTER PENALTY.
Haas have lost their front-row start. Hülkenberg has taken a penalty for failing to stay above the minimum time during a red flag. The stewards found that the Haas driver was already 1.5 seconds over the minimum delta time when the red flag waved.
June 18, 2023
Jasmine Hughes
FormulaNerds

The penalty means that Hülkenberg will start from fifth on the grid. Fernando Alonso now finds himself starting alongside Max Verstappen on the front row. Hülkenberg isn’t the only driver to have received a penalty. Multiple minor incidents in Saturday’s qualifying saw a slew of F1 drivers dropping grid places as a result.

Carlos Sainz received a three-place grid penalty for impeding Pierre Gasly in the final stages of Q1 — potentially costing the Alpine driver a Q1 exit. As Gasly sped down the final straight of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, he was forced to take evasive action as he came up behind a much slower Sainz.

The stewards, after reviewing the incident, held that Sainz had “unnecessarily impeded” Gasly, and handed the Ferrari driver a three-place grid penalty as a result. The Ferrari driver now starts the Canadian Grand Prix from eleventh on the grid, having qualified in P8. Sainz also now starts from behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, who had an equally unhappy qualifying session. After failing to make it out of Q2, Leclerc qualified P11. He now starts from tenth on the grid due to Sainz’s penalty.

‘Haas have lost their front-row start’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/hu...so-p2-penalty/


Hulkenberg penalised, drops to third row of grid
18/06/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

They noted that Hulkenberg “had just finished his fastest lap and had started another push lap. He was at Turn 1 when the red flag was displayed, however at that point he was already 1.5 seconds over his delta time.

“He claimed this made it extremely difficult for him to come below the delta in the next sector. He also admitted to confusion about the beep signal in his headset, and therefore at one stage thought he was going too slowly.”

The normal penalty for failure to slow under red flags is 10 grid positions however in view of the mitigating circumstance, a lower penalty was deemed appropriate.

‘Third row of grid’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...-to-front-row/


Canadian GP: Starting Grid
18/06/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

Amended starting grid for the Pirelli Grand Prix du Canada after penalties applied.
Pos Driver Team
1 Verstappen Red Bull
2 Alonso Aston Martin
3 Hamilton Mercedes
4 Russell Mercedes
5 Hulkenberg Haas
6 Ocon Alpine
7 Norris McLaren
8 Piastri McLaren
9 Albon Williams
10 Leclerc Ferrari

Sainz: 3 place grid penalty for impeding another driver.
Tsunoda: 3 place grid penalty for impeding another driver.
Stroll: 3 place grid penalty for impeding another driver.
Hulkenberg: 3 place grid penalty for failing to stay above the minimum time set by the FIA ECU during a red flag.

‘Amended starting grid’;

https://www.pitpass.com/75410/Canadian-GP-Starting-Grid


Alonso on the hunt and Ferrari on the back foot – What To Watch For in the Canadian Grand Prix
18 June 2023
Chris Medland
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

1. Alonso versus Verstappen, again: A year ago at this very circuit we had the exact same front row as 2023 has served up, albeit with one driver in a different car. Max Verstappen was on pole from Fernando Alonso after a wet qualifying session, with Alonso in an Alpine at the time. 2. Mercedes threatening once again: Also in a strong position heading into the race are Mercedes, who continued their recent good form to become the only team with two drivers in the top five in qualifying.

3. Ferrari and Perez with work to do: Verstappen might be facing a threat from both Alonso and the Mercedes drivers but his closest challenger in the drivers’ championship has it all to do. Sergio Perez starts from 12th place after failing to make it into Q3 for the third race weekend in a row, getting caught out by the conditions in Q2.

4. Albon hunting a return to the points: Speaking of points, one of the stars of Saturday will be hoping to convert a top 10 starting position for just his second score of the year. Alex Albon finished tenth in Bahrain to start the season but has not scored since – a run he has a chance of ending after qualifying the updated Williams in ninth place.

‘Alonso on the hunt’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...YK123Kwqc.html


Alonso "four seconds" away from front row in F1 Canadian GP qualifying
18th June 2023, 00:07
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com

On his second flying lap in a wet Q3, Alonso set the fastest middle sector and was set to overhaul Nico Hulkenberg's surprise effort for second place, but was denied the chance to complete his lap when Oscar Piastri hit the wall at Turn 7. This produced a red flag, that Alonso caught just as he was leaving the chicane before the start-finish straight, forcing him to abort his run late on.

"We've been unlucky generally with the red flags today and in Q1 also - I think it was one second to see the line and then the red flag came just in that moment. In Q3, it was I think four seconds before the crossing the line to be in the first row," Alonso said. "I mean, we take it and I'm extremely happy [to be third] because it was a very complex qualifying to execute and you need constant communication with the team.”

"Four seconds";

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...ying/10484385/


Verstappen Praises Team after Pole Position at Canadian GP
June 18, 2023
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Verstappen showcased exceptional pace throughout the qualifying session, finishing in a remarkable time of 1:25.858s during the initial phase of Q3. His impressive lap secured pole position by a substantial margin of over one second compared to his closest contender, Nico Hülkenberg, before the red flags were deployed due to Oscar Piastri’s crash.

“We made the right calls at the right time today. It was very important to get the communication right with the Team, to really keep on top of things as the weather was changing by the minute, we were clear with what we wanted to do. It was good that I could really push the car, despite the conditions on track. I like this track and in the wet it’s even more challenging.”

‘Verstappen Praises Team’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...t-canadian-gp/


Ted Kravitz worried for future of two F1 stars if they miss out on Canadian GP podium
The Canadian Grand Prix could be make or break for one F1 team's ambitions for the season and Sky Sports pundit Kravitz thinks they "must" reach the podium in Montreal
06:00, 18 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer

Ferrari will be "sweating" if they cannot get on the podium at the Canadian Grand Prix. That is the view of Ted Kravitz, who thinks the Italians are well placed for a strong result in Montreal. But if they fail to take advantage, the Sky Sports pundit fears for the rest of their season.

Sky Sports pundit Kravitz thinks this Sunday's result may well be make-or-break for the rest of Ferrari's season. "I think for Ferrari it is a must to [score a] podium this weekend," he said. "If they don't get a podium, if they let Fernando Alonso get back in with his podium habit or Mercedes get back in with a podium, following up the ones that they showed in Spain, then I think people at Ferrari will start to sweat as to where exactly this season is going."

Ferrari made things difficult for themselves with a poor tyre strategy decision in the rain which meant Charles Leclerc failed to reach Q3. And Carlos Sainz, despite qualifying eighth, had a grid penalty looming over him after an incident with Pierre Gasly.

‘Make or break’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...anada-30260345

Alonso promises Verstappen PRESSURE ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso has stated that he expects to be closer to Max Verstappen in the Canadian Grand Prix, as he hopes that the two-time world champion will 'feel the pressure' during the race.
Sunday 18 June 2023 14:57
Dan McCarthy
GPFans

"Tomorrow [Sunday] we have a chance to push, I hope they feel our pressure tomorrow. How do you do it? When you're 2 seconds away, not 20," he told Marca. "We'll see if we can face Max tomorrow, we're not at that level, but instead of 20 or 30 seconds, we'll be closer."

Alonso started on the front row at Monaco but was unable to get close to Verstappen's Red Bull car on that occasion. He has been a prolific podium finisher though and has been in the top three in five of the seven races so far this season.

‘EL PLAN: PRESSURE’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...n-pressure-f1/


Fernando Alonso Aiming to ‘Put Pressure’ on Max Verstappen
June 18, 2023
By Nick Golding

Speaking prior to Hulkenberg’s penalty being announced, Alonso admitted that he has “an opportunity” to claim a good result on Sunday and potentially challenge Verstappen for victory.

“We will take third place on the grid after a very complex Qualifying session. We were a little bit unlucky with the red flags during Q1 and Q3 just before we could complete a faster lap that might have put us on the front row. There is an opportunity tomorrow and hopefully we can recover second place early in the race and put pressure on Max [Verstappen] in front.”

“It’s always a challenging circuit with very low grip in the dry and wet conditions and the weather is always unpredictable. The new AMR23 upgrades seem to be working well and delivering what we were expecting, but we will keep evaluating them and try to optimise our setup around this new package.”

‘EL PLAN: “An Opportunity” ’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ax-verstappen/


Alonso challenges Aston Martin to ramp up Red Bull pressure
18 June 10:00AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso believes Aston Martin has the chance to pressurise Red Bull in the Canadian Grand Prix.

But Alonso has insisted: "We have a chance to put on some pressure. They have had some very easy wins until now, hopefully, they will have to push a little bit more. "We have to be two seconds behind them, not 20 seconds behind them."

‘EL PLAN: Ramp up’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-cha...-bull-pressure


Lewis Hamilton sets sights on Verstappen and Alonso in Canadian GP
Lewis Hamilton secured fourth place in qualifying for the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
June 18, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

“I’m really grateful that we’re on the second row and I think the team has done a great job this weekend to put us there,” Hamilton told the media. “I think hopefully our race pace is stronger than what we showed today.

“So hopefully it’s fighting the top two drivers, Alonso and Max tomorrow, hopefully we can put some pressure at least on one of them.”

‘Sights set’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...3-canadian-gp/


Toto Wolff gives HONEST Mercedes assessment ahead of Canadian GP
Sunday 18 June 2023 15:57
Jack Walker
GPFans

Toto Wolff says Mercedes are not over the hill with their W14 struggles despite successful recent upgrades, but there is reason to be optimistic. “What we see is an upward trend. But, at the same time, you can see how vulnerable we are. Just look at FP3 where we were not having enough temperature in the tyres, and we fell off a cliff.”

“We feel that the car is coming together, and we see that our data yields results on track. We haven't felt that for a long time, and this contributes to being in a good place right now,” said Wolff.

“I think we can see the positive dynamic which is cascading and transcending into the organisation. I think we can be carefully optimistic,” he concluded.

‘Not over the hill’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ce-assessment/


‘Dangerous’ Canadian GP barrier revised after driver backlash
18th June 2023, 15:50
By Edd Straw
The Race

The FIA has shortened the barrier in the run-off area between Turns 1 and 2 ahead of today’s Canadian Grand Prix in response to feedback from Formula 1 drivers. This followed changes made to realign and extend the barrier ahead of the weekend in case of a car going off at high speed across the runoff and collecting a car that was exiting Turn 2.

GPDA director George Russell criticised the change after qualifying and was unhappy drivers had not been consulted. “We all spoke about that last night [Friday],” said Russell on Saturday. We probably should have been consulted about the views on that before decision were made and we all agreed that it’s suboptimal”.

‘Dangerous Canadian GP barrier’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/dange...iver-backlash/

Verstappen wins Canadian GP to claim Red Bull’s 100th victory and equal Senna’s tally.
Max Verstappen made it six victories from eight races in 2023 with a dominant display during Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, leading home the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, as Red Bull maintained their 100% winning record for the season so far.
18 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Verstappen’s lights-to-flag triumph also gave Red Bull their 100th victory in the sport, 18 years on from the team’s debut, while the Dutchman made more history by drawing level with the legendary Ayrton Senna on 41 wins – extending his championship lead in the process.

Alonso and Hamilton traded places on several occasions throughout the race, Hamilton getting the jump at the start but falling back behind when the various strategies unfolded, meaning it was the Spaniard who finished runner-up to the record-setting Verstappen.

Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were two of only five drivers – along with Red Bull’s Perez, Haas driver Kevin Magnussen and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas – to stay out under the Safety Car, giving them track position that they converted into P4 and P5 respectively. Perez took a lonely sixth, and the fastest lap bonus point, as he did his best to limit the damage…

‘Red Bull’s 100th victory’;

Race Results – 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
18th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing – 70 laps
2. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +9.570
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +14.168
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +18.648
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +21.540
6. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +51.028
7. Alex Albon Williams Racing +60.813
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +61.692
9. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +64.402
10. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +64.432

‘Canadian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-resul...and-prix-82451


AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the action from the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
18 June 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

‘AS IT HAPPENED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...5a8gSxV0J.html


2023 F1 Canadian Grand Prix: Verstappen wins ahead of Alonso - LIVE UPDATES!
18th June 2023, 18:27
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f...n-live-updates


Verstappen equals Senna’s tally, Red Bull gets 100th F1 win
18th June 2023.
By Ben Anderson
The Race

Max Verstappen claimed Red Bull’s 100th victory in Formula 1 by dominating the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix from pole position, a victory that draws him level with Ayrton Senna’s win tally. Hopes of a challenge from Fernando Alonso – perhaps the only driver consistently operating near Verstappen’s level in F1 right now – evaporated immediately when Alonso’s Aston Martin was beaten off the start line in a drag race with Lewis Hamilton’s improving Mercedes.

Verstappen led every one of the race’s 70 laps and extended his championship lead to 69 points after Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez laboured to sixth after yet again messing up qualifying. Verstappen has now won four straight races, and six of eight so far this season. A third world title already looks a formality.

‘Led every one of the race’s 70 laps’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/verst...-100th-f1-win/


Verstappen dominates Canadian Grand Prix for historic Red Bull win
18 June 2023, 20:46
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen dominated the Canadian Grand Prix for his sixth win of the season - and earn his Red Bull team their 100th Formula 1 victory. From pole position, Verstappen led all 70 laps at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for his fourth straight win having not been troubled for most of the afternoon.

Behind the Red Bull, Fernando Alonso made up for a slow start with a brave move on Lewis Hamilton to take second place with the seven-time Montreal winner coming home to complete the all-World Champion podium - as the top three finished where they started.

Clever Ferrari strategy enabled Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to use the overcut to salvage fourth and fifth, while Sergio Perez could only manage sixth - meaning Verstappen extended his points lead to 70.

‘Verstappen dominates’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...c-red-bull-win


Verstappen Dominates F1 Canadian GP, Alonso Second Again
In a fairly straightforward Canadian GP, Verstappen nabbed his 41st victory, and Alex Albon drove his Williams to a superb seventh.
PUBLISHED Jun 18, 2023 4:10 PM EDT
byChris Rosales
The Drive

The 2023 F1 Canadian Grand Prix was business as usual–Max Verstappen led the entire race from lights to flag while Fernando Alonso battled Lewis Hamilton to second place. While it wasn’t the most eventful race this year, it was a classic example of a Canadian GP with a densely packed midfield and battles going to the very last lap.

Verstappen dominated again, though with less a gap to the following cars than usual. At the end of the race, Alonso trailed Verstappen by just eight seconds, while Hamilton followed Alonso by three seconds. Behind them, the battle for seventh was red hot for the last 20 laps of the race with Alex Albon defending flawlessly against a charging Esteban Ocon to hold a stellar seventh-place finish for Williams. His efforts earned him a much-deserved driver of the day, and it must be said that a seventh-place in a Williams is an unbelievable result.

‘Verstappen nabbed his 41st victory’;

https://www.thedrive.com/news/versta...o-second-again


Max Verstappen cruises to Canadian Grand Prix victory, ties Ayrton Senna’s F1 record with 41st win
18th June 2023, 21:21
By Madeline Coleman
The Athletic

Max Verstappen cruised on to win the Canadian Grand Prix, though he spent plenty of time on the radio complaining about his tires early on. Here’s what you need to know:

• Sunday’s result not only marks Red Bull’s 100th victory but also makes Verstappen tied with Ayrton Senna’s F1 race win record (41).
• With 10 laps to go, the gap between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton was just 1.4 seconds. Mercedes reported over the radio that the Aston Martin driver was managing a rear brake issue, and when Aston Martin informed Alonso of the gap to the seven-time world champion, he said, “Copy. Leave it to me.”

• Logan Sargeant didn’t even make it to double-digit laps before he was ruled out of the race. The Williams rookie was told to stop the car because of a “critical message.”
• George Russell triggered a safety car period when he smacked the wall on lap 12, damaging his car. He continued until there were 15 laps to go when Russell was told to retire the car while running eighth.

‘EL PLAN: “Copy. Leave it to me.”!’

https://theathletic.com/4620674/2023...an-grand-prix/


Red Bull’s 100th F1 win: The exclusive club it joins
18th June 2023.
By Matt Beer
The Race

Red Bull has joined the very exclusive club of teams with 100 Formula 1 grand prix victories to their names, thanks to Max Verstappen’s 2023 Canadian GP win. It’s only the fifth team to hit the 100 win mark. Here is how that milestone was reached on the previous four occasions.

FERRARI - How: Alain Prost’s 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix win. Prost’s first victory for Ferrari in his second race with the team was achieved with typically measured Prost progress from sixth on the grid to second, which became first when Ayrton Senna broke his McLaren’s front wing on backmarker Satoru Nakajima’s Lotus.
McLAREN - How: Ayrton Senna’s 1993 Brazilian Grand Prix win. Senna’s final Brazilian GP victory was an against-the-odds triumph in which mid-race rain allowed him to take control (despite an early penalty for passing under a yellow flag) from the dominant Williams, helped by Prost staying out on slicks in the rain and spinning into Christian Fittipaldi’s already-crashed Minardi.

WILLIAMS - How: Jacques Villeneuve’s 1997 British Grand Prix win. A stuck wheelnut at a pitstop dropped Villeneuve from an early lead to seventh at Silverstone, but he fought back to be in a position to benefit when first title rival Schumacher’s Ferrari had a wheel bearing failure then Hakkinen’s McLaren-Mercedes suffered engine failure when six laps away from what would’ve been his first F1 win.
MERCEDES - How: Lewis Hamilton’s 2019 Mexican Grand Prix win. This one’s slightly debatable in timing terms, though the fact Mercedes is now well past 100 F1 wins is not.

‘The exclusive club’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-te...wins-red-bull/

Alonso says F1 Canadian GP "70 laps of qualifying" for him.
Fernando Alonso reckons he spent the entirety of Formula 1's 2023 Canadian Grand Prix delivering "qualifying" laps and he had no time to "relax" on his way to finishing second.
Motorsport.com
21:33 Sun, 18 Jun

The Aston Martin driver lost out to third-starting Lewis Hamilton initially into Turn 1 and was later required to briefly touch the brakes at the first round of pitstops when the Mercedes appeared to be released into his path. This incident was reviewed but passed without a penalty from the stewards. Alonso then recovered his original starting position with the aid of DRS to pass his former McLaren team-mate into the final chicane on lap 22 of 70.

Hamilton did give chase to close to within two seconds during the final 10 laps before Alonso dropped his times to secure his place as runner-up behind dominant race winner Max Verstappen. Given the Mercedes threat, Alonso said there was not "one lap where I could relax a little bit" in what he described as an "amazing battle". The two-time champion added that for the duration of the race, he drove as though it was "qualifying".

He said: "I think we were hoping to challenge a little bit more the Red Bull, but we lost a place at the start with Lewis. "Then it was a battle with the Mercedes and Lewis was pushing all the race so I didn't have one lap where I could relax a little bit. So, it was an amazing battle."

‘EL PLAN: Delivering "qualifying" laps’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...-him/10484903/


Aston Martin “took a little step ahead” of Mercedes this weekend – Hamilton
2023 Canadian Grand Prix
Posted on 18th June 2023, 21:5418th June 2023, 21:54
Written by Will Wood


Lewis Hamilton says Aston Martin have moved slightly ahead of Mercedes in Canada this weekend after being beaten to second place by Fernando Alonso. “It’s honestly been a great weekend for us,” said Hamilton. “I think we’re slowly chipping away. I think the Astons took a little bit of a step ahead this weekend when they added the upgrades, but we’re working on bringing some more moving forwards. Quite an honour to be up there with two world champions. I was really excited to be third and just trying to be in that mix. But unfortunately we didn’t have the pace today.”

Hamilton was heard discussing the race with winner Max Verstappen in the green room prior to the podium, telling the Red Bull driver that Mercedes “suck in the low speed corners. That’s where you just destroy me – out of the low speed,” he was heard telling Verstappen. Hamilton says that Mercedes anticipated they would not be as strong as their rivals at the Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve. “We knew that this weekend wouldn’t be our strongest circuit as we struggle in the lower speed corners particularly,” he explained. “That’s really where I was losing to Fernando and to Max, just on traction out of turn two, out of pretty much every corner.

‘EL PLAN: Aston Martin have moved slightly ahead’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/18/...kend-hamilton/


Alonso: Demanding Canadian GP was '70 laps of qualifying'
18/06/2023 at 21:34
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso says he went all-in in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix, firing off qualifying laps all afternoon to defend his runner-up spot in the race from Lewis Hamilton. While poleman Max Verstappen held his own at the start, Alonso lost out to Hamilton on the run into the first corner.

Thereafter, the Mercedes and Aston Martin drivers remained in close contact, even almost colliding in the pitlane after the pair had pitted under the safety car in the first part of the race. However, on lap 22 of 70, Alonso managed to get a run on his rival with the help of DRS and overtake the Mercedes, the Spaniard eventually building a three-second cushion for himself.

‘EL PLAN: '70 laps of qualifying'’;

https://f1i.com/news/478004-alonso-d...ualifying.html


Wolff addresses 'dramatic' Alonso-Hamilton near-miss
19 June 8:50AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has insisted the pit lane near-miss between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso at the Canadian Grand Prix was "a bit of drama" from the Aston Martin driver. Hamilton had leapt Alonso from third on the grid to take position behind race-leader Max Verstappen's Red Bull in the opening exchanges.

Addressing the pit lane incident, Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.com: "[It was] a bit of drama. "Shaking the steering a little bit and a little bit of touching of the brakes. He is good at that, the cries of 'I nearly hit him'... a bit of drama."

‘Alonso-Hamilton near-miss’;

https://racingnews365.com/wolff-addr...lton-near-miss


Hamilton explains why he ‘didn’t put up much of a fight’ to defend from Alonso in Canada
18 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Lewis Hamilton snatched P2 from Fernando Alonso on Lap 1 in Montreal but the Spaniard took the place back 22 laps later – though Hamilton reckoned it was only a matter of time given the pace advantage of the Aston Martin.

‘Didn’t put up much of a fight’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...999292216.html


Alonso beaming after fight to the finish in Canada: ‘It was 70 laps of qualifying – I loved it!’
18 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Fernando Alonso branded the Canadian Grand Prix Aston Martin’s “most competitive race of the year” as he finished just seven seconds behind winner Max Verstappen – even if it meant the Spaniard had to driver flat out for every lap.

‘EL PLAN: ‘It was 70 laps of qualifying – I loved it!’ ’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...760282960.html

Verstappen issues new aim: The next target is 200 wins!
After scoring Red Bull's 100th win in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen insists the team are not resting on their laurels.
19 June 2023, 11:25AM
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

"When I was a little kid driving in go-karting, I was dreaming about being a Formula 1 driver and I would have never imagined to win 41 Grands Prix, so of course, to tie with Ayrton is something incredible," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"Of course I'm proud of that, but I hope it's not stopping here. I hope that we can keep on winning more races. It's a great achievement for the team. We knew that this was the first opportunity to do so, and I'm happy that's done. We've won 100. But again, I hope we win more than 100, so the new target is 200."

‘Next target is 200 wins!’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...et-is-200-wins


Red Bull’s Christian Horner: “It’s a landmark day today and one for our history books”
June 19, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

“It’s a landmark day today and one for our history books, 100 victories for the team, 200 for Adrian and Max’s 41st putting him up there with Senna,” said Horner. “An amazing result for the whole team, not just the people here, but everyone back at the factory who works so hard, ensuring we continue to perform at such a high level.”

“I remember our first victory in China in 2009 and being happy that we’d won just one race, and here we are with 99 more. To get a century of victories is an incredible achievement, competing in 100 races is a feat in itself, but winning 27% of all races we have entered is something truly to be proud of. It’s been an amazing journey in a relatively short space of time and it’s down to our incredible people, our spirit and our culture.”

‘Landmark day today’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...history-books/


Max Verstappen’s insane attention to detail comes to light at Canadian Grand Prix
19 Jun 2023 6:59 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

We already know Max Verstappen can determine when Helmut Marko’s phone is ringing from within the Red Bull RB19, and it turns out he can also spot a line that is not completely straight.

After pulling up in the Red Bull pit box, Verstappen claimed that the yellow line in the middle, there so that drivers know where to position their front wheels, was not straight compared to the white lines either side. “Our yellow line, in the pit stop, in the middle, it’s not straight compared to the white lines,” he said over team radio. “It’s a bit distracting.”

And that piece of feedback from Verstappen was potentially crucial for the Red Bull team as they clocked the two fastest pit stop times of the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix for Sergio Perez and Verstappen respectively.

'Insane attention to detail';

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...pit-box-lines/


Verstappen insisting he’s taking it ‘race by race’ despite making it six wins from eight in Canada
Max Verstappen is already odds on to win the championship – and he took another step towards it with his sixth victory in eight races so far in 2023, but said afterwards he wasn’t getting ahead of himself.
23:44 Sun, 18 Jun 2023.
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

‘Race by race’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...761233243.html


Horner hails Red Bull's 'incredible achievement' after 'sensational' Verstappen seals team's 100th F1 victory in Montreal
19 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Christian Horner hailed Red Bull’s 100th win this weekend at the Canadian Grand Prix as an “incredible achievement” – before also delivering his verdict on whether his team can win every race this season. Following Max Verstappen’s victory in Montreal this weekend, Red Bull became just the fifth team in Formula 1 history to reach the 100-win landmark – after Ferrari (242), McLaren (183), Mercedes (125), and Williams (114).

Horner has overseen all 100 of those victories since taking charge of the team upon their entry into the sport in 2005. And speaking to Sky Sports F1 following the Canadian Grand Prix, Horner paid tribute to his team. Red Bull have won all eight races so far this season – with Verstappen having won six and Sergio Perez also winning twice – and Horner was also asked whether winning every Grand Prix this year was possible.

“We’re just taking things one race at a time. I don’t think you let your mind drift too far in the future,” Horner answered. “So many things can wrong. Can we? Yes. Will we? Who knows. Because there are so many variables in this game, we just take things one race at a time. The team are doing an incredible job, Max is driving out of his skin at the moment. Just collectively, the team are doing an incredible job.”

'Incredible achievement';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...4CKF8Jm1X.html


IN NUMBERS: The amazing stats behind Red Bull’s century of F1 wins
19 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

-- 19 -- Red Bull’s 100 race wins to date have been achieved across 19 seasons…
-- 30 -- From that aforementioned first win to their most recent in Canada last weekend…
-- 7 -- Monaco is Red Bull’s most successful circuit thanks to a tally of seven victories…
-- 41 -- Of Red Bull’s victories so far, 41 of them have been achieved by reigning double world champion Verstappen.

-- 38 -- Next in the table is Sebastian Vettel, who claimed 38 race wins…
-- 5 -- Overall, five drivers have won races with Red Bull since their debut…
-- 52 -- More than half of Red Bull’s victories – more specifically, 52 – have come from pole position.
-- 26 -- Meanwhile, more than a quarter of Red Bull’s victories have spearheaded a one-two finish.

-- 17 -- Red Bull’s most successful season in terms of race wins was the 2022 campaign…
-- 4 -- Only four other teams have secured more than 100 wins in the history of F1.
-- 9 -- If Red Bull win again at the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix, the team would take 10 victories in a row for the first time.

‘IN NUMBERS’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...LBtE96qnn.html


Verstappen takes his place among the greats as Newey pens another masterpiece
Monday 19 Jun 2023 6:02 pm
Adam Hay-Nicholls
Metro's F1 correspondent

Max Verstappen’s lights-to-flag win in Montreal gave the double world champion his 41st grand-prix victory – matching Ayrton Senna. It was Red Bull’s 100th triumph as a constructor, having picked up their first in Shanghai in 2009 courtesy of Sebastian Vettel, and the 200th win for an Adrian Newey-designed car.

The British engineer, whose illustrious F1 career started 34 years ago, says the ‘countdown’ to his retirement has ‘realistically begun’. Thirteen world championships have been won by cars penned by him, making him the most successful designer in the history of the sport.

‘Among the greats’;

https://metro.co.uk/2023/06/19/max-t...o=newsnow-feed


Max Verstappen: “To tie with Ayrton Senna is incredible and I feel really proud of that”
June 19, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Max Verstappen continued his remarkable run by taking victory in Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix, with the Dutchman now having led every lap of the past three races. The Oracle Red Bull Racing driver held on to the lead at the start at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and controlled the race thereafter, with his advantage at the top of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship standings now sixty-nine points.

However, it was not a completely straightforward day for the two-time World Champion, with struggles to get his tyres to the right temperature window. “I’m of course very happy to win here in Canada,” said Verstappen. “It wasn’t an easy or straightforward race though, it was quite difficult to switch on the tyres and get them to the right temperature.”

“To tie with Ayrton Senna is incredible and I feel really proud of that”;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...proud-of-that/

Vasseur: Ferrari need ‘1000 employees’ to beat Newey.
The Maranello based outfit have made multiple approaches to Adrian Newey in the past, and he even admitted himself that he was ‘very tempted’ to join the project.
Monday 19 June 2023 10:57
Shay Rogers
GPFans

When asked about the talent pool available to work on the car by Sky Sports F1, Vasseur emphasised the difficulty of poaching engineers from other countries. “It’s not the same situation. You can move from Red Bull to Mercedes and keep the same house, keep the kids in the same school from the Friday to the Monday everything is perfect.

“If you want to come to Italy it’s a different approach. We have to change the family environment and so on,” he said. “I think we have a good structure. We have to reinforce the team for sure and we are on this way. It’s not just about big names. In the big teams today, we are roughly 1000 [employees] and I’m convinced [that] the weight of the group is much more important than the weight of the individual.” he concluded.

While the Frenchman also hinted that the team would be adding some more names to the group soon, they will be hoping that the current crop can improve the car sooner rather than later, as superstar driver Charles Leclerc nears the end of his current contract.

‘1000 employees to beat Newey’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ewey-red-bull/


Ferrari crunch talks loom to address strategy botch blasted by Charles Leclerc
19 Jun 2023 9:30 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Fred Vasseur has revealed Ferrari will meet this week to discuss how to resolve strategy disagreements in the future. Charles Leclerc was furious after Ferrari’s decision not to switch him onto the softs during Q2 cost him a place in the final 10 shootout.

He took to the media to vent his frustration, saying it is not the first time such a problem has happened, and although Ferrari later claimed Leclerc changed his mind once he saw all available data, it is another moment of tension in an already tempestuous team.

Team boss Vasseur has been forced to step in and act as peacemaker, revealing that the Ferrari squad will meet on Tuesday in order to discuss the event and work out how to avoid such a public incident in the future. “We have to think about what happened,” he said, as reported by Motorsport.com. “We will have a meeting to discuss about it on Tuesday to fix it.”

‘Tension in an already tempestuous team’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...arles-leclerc/


“It was a good race for us, confirming that we are working in the right direction” – Vasseur
June 19, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Frédéric Vasseur reflected on a ‘good race’ for Scuderia Ferrari in Canada on Sunday, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. climbing from tenth and eleventh on the grid to take fourth and fifth place.

Ferrari have only scored one top three finish so far in the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season courtesy of third place for Leclerc in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but Vasseur says the team need to put together a full weekend if they want to contend for podiums.

“We are progressing race by race,” Vasseur added. “We will continue to focus on working solidly on the course we have set ourselves, while going into every small detail to ensure we can have a perfect weekend from Friday through to Sunday.”

“Working in the right direction”;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ction-vasseur/


‘We couldn’t have done any better’ – Leclerc reckons P4 was the best result possible for him in Montreal after starting 10th
18 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Charles Leclerc was audibly angry after dropping out of Saturday’s qualifying session in Q2, but was in better spirits after the race, having climbed up the order to P4 at the flag.

‘Best result possible’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...090648441.html


Martin Brundle says 'you don't need to do that' as Leclerc's team stop him peeking at car
Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle refused to take no for an answer as he tried to get to the bottom of Charles Leclerc's car issue ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix
19:45, 18 JUN 2023
BY Mark Whiley Sports Reporter
Daily Star

Martin Brundle defied obstructive Ferrari mechanics who tried to block his view of Charles Leclerc’s car ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. During his pre-race grid walk in Montreal, the legendary Sky Sports F1 commentator and pundit spotted a hive of activity around the car of Leclerc. Naturally, Brundle wandered over for a closer look, only to find a line of mechanics blocking his view.

“The car is up on the stands. There’s a ring of mechanics so we can’t get too good a look at it,” he said. “They’ve taken part of the underfloor off, the plank as it’s known.” One mechanic then deliberately stepped into front of the former F1 driver. “It’s okay, you don’t need to do that,” responded Brundle, who added: “I don’t know they want to stop us [looking], there’s nothing we can learn from that. They want absolutely nobody to get any views of that work going on.”

Undeterred, Brundle then went and found Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, who explained exactly what was going on. He said the plank on Leclerc’s car had been damaged on the way to the grid. Car modifications are strictly limited after qualifying but Vasseur said Ferrari had been given clearance to make the change by race stewards. Fans loved Brundle’s determination to get to the bottom of the issue. One said: “Mechanics block him, no problem I'll ask the bossman;) Awesome.”

‘Undeterred’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1...-dont-30264428


Martin Brundle angers Ferrari on Canadian GP grid walk by looking through engineers' legs
Sky Sports pundit Brundle was on his hands and knees on live TV to have a look at the floor of Leclerc's car, which was up in the air on the grid as Ferrari engineers addressed a problem
18:49, 18 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

In the absence of celebrities on the grid, he promised viewers a more "old-school" segment. And the Sky Sports pundit soon had plenty to talk about as he spotted the Ferrari up in the air. It was Leclerc's car being worked on with a problem on the floor being hastily fixed. To prevent rivals from taking a look at their floor design, engineers had formed a protective ring around the car. But the intrepid Brundle still tried to take a peek as he got on his hands and knees to peer through their legs.

"We can see through here as they're taking off part of the underfloor of the cars," he told viewers as the cameraman also dropped to ground level. But they were soon clocked by a Ferrari staff member who told them to stop. Brundle obliged, but didn't seem thrilled about it. "I don't know why... there's nothing we can learn from that," he said, as he got back to his feet and made a beeline for team principal Frederic Vasseur.

Asked what the problem is with Leclerc's car, the Frenchman replied: "We damaged the plank on a kerb and we are changing it. We got the approval from the FIA. "I don't know [how he did it] yet because Charles was at the top of the grid and we haven't discussed it." And, asked how he feels his drivers will get on, Vasseur was cautious about making any bold predictions.

‘On his hands and knees on live TV’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...anada-30264237


Ferrari respond to Ralf Schumacher’s latest criticism of Charles Leclerc
19 Jun 2023 12:00 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Fuming with Ferrari after qualifying in Montreal, Ralf Schumacher has put the blame for Charles Leclerc strategy complaints on the driver as he feels that’s his “responsibility”. Finishing the session 11th fastest, he yelled “come on” at the team while later telling the media that there have been too many similar mistakes in the past from Ferrari.

Schumacher, however, believes the driver needs to own his part. “As a driver, something like this would not have happened to me,” the German told Sky Deutschland. “As the driver I made the decision as to when to come in. I think it’s the responsibility of the man behind the wheel. Only I can see out there how wet or dry it is. It’s Leclerc’s fault, especially since both Ferrari drivers make too many mistakes.”

Vasseur has defended his driver saying he understands that Leclerc had his “own opinion” about what should happen. But even then, he insists, the driver has to listen to the team as they “don’t see the big picture” while sitting in the car. “These were not accusations,” Vasseur said of Leclerc’s criticism. “He just had a different perception of the situation from the car. It’s always good to have feedback from the drivers, but we have a decision at the command post because we have the information.”

‘At the Ferrari command post’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...her-criticism/

Mercedes set for fresh W14 upgrades at Silverstone – Wolff.
Mercedes are set to be armed with fresh W14 Formula 1 upgrades at the British Grand Prix, boss Toto Wolff has revealed.
20 June 8:00AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Having abandoned the zero sidepod concept in Monaco, Mercedes have banked a two-three in Spain and a further podium for Lewis Hamilton in Canada as they have moved up to second in the Constructors' standings.

The Monaco upgrades were never designed to get the team fighting Red Bull, instead the idea being to give them a platform from which they could build and hunt down the runaway leaders, with Wolff confirming the next step is a big upgrade package at Silverstone.

"We are bringing a larger [upgrade package] to Silverstone," Wolff confirmed to media including RacingNews365. "And then we should have another one before the [summer] shutdown [before the Belgian Grand Prix at the end of July.] The learnings [of the car] have accelerated a lot since we changed some of the conceptual architecture.”

‘Armed with fresh W14 Formula 1 upgrades’;

https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-s...verstone-wolff


Could Toto Wolff reveal spell even bigger Mercedes W14 upgrades are on the way?
Jamie Woodhouse 19 Jun 2023 7:30 AM
PlanetF1.com

While Mercedes have played down the extent of their remaining W14 upgrade work, team boss Toto Wolff suggested there are still substantial changes coming in multiple stages.

“For us we didn’t expect to perform in Canada because of the car’s DNA at the moment, so it’s encouraging to be not so far away,” Wolff stated. “But one must not forget Max is still having an easier time in the front, not cruising but still I think there is margin. So there’s quite the gain to catch up.”

‘W14 upgrades’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...pgrades-tease/


Mercedes plans "larger" upgrade for Silverstone
20/06/2023
NEWS STORY
Pitpass

The Austrian revealed that of particular importance is the accuracy in terms of the correlation between the on-track performance and wind tunnel and CFD data. "We are understanding the simulations better," he said. "The time is correlating what we are seeing on track and that's been our problem over the one and a half years.”

"We've seen good performance gains that are coming in the tunnel, we are seeing better understanding of what the car needs in order to go fast, what the set-ups need to look like. So generally, the steps are getting bigger. I think we are making good inroads."

‘Larger upgrade’;

https://www.pitpass.com/75441/Merced...or-Silverstone


Wolff makes HUGE Silverstone prediction and delivers big upgrade news
Tuesday 20 June 2023 20:57
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Wolff suggested that the next four races will show the strength of the upgrades, saying: "There should be decent steps coming in the next four races and we are understanding better the simulations, which correlates with what we are seeing on track.

"That has been our problem over the last one-and-a-half years, but we are seeing good performance gains coming from the wind-tunnel. We have a better understanding of what the car needs in order to go fast, what the setups need to look like. The steps are getting bigger now, and we are making good inroads."

‘Big upgrade news’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...s-silverstone/


Mercedes: Positivity ‘cascading’ into F1 team following W14 upgrades
11:53 Sun, 18 Jun 2023
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com

Having anticipated a tough challenge at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, where the long straights and slow corners were not expected to suit the Mercedes package, a fourth and fifth place on the grid in tricky wet conditions was encouraging.

With Lewis Hamilton having declared ahead of the weekend that Mercedes now had its ‘North Star’ back in terms of a development direction, Wolff concurred that the feeling inside the squad was now transformed.

“I think we can see the positive dynamic which is cascading and transcending into the organisation,” explained Wolff. “We feel that the car is coming together, and we see that our data yields results on track. We haven't felt that for a long time, and this contributes to being in a good place right now.”

“I think we can see the positive dynamic which is cascading and transcending into the organisation,” explained Wolff. “We feel that the car is coming together, and we see that our data yields results on track. We haven't felt that for a long time, and this contributes to being in a good place right now.”

‘Cascading, transcending’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/m...ades/10484528/

STRATEGY UNPACKED: How Albon beat a host of faster cars in Canada to seal Williams' best result for 2 years.
So how did Albon and Williams pull out such an impressive result after six races out of the points? Former Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins explains all…
20 June 2023
Bernie Collins
Former Aston Martin Head of Race Strategy
Formula One - Official Site

Alex Albon was one of the standout performers at the Canadian Grand Prix, setting the fastest time of all in the Q2 qualifying segment, before racing from ninth on the grid to P7 at the chequered flag – which is not only Williams’ best result of the year, but their best finish since George Russell scored second place in the rain-affected 2021 Belgian Grand Prix.

The race in Montreal featured no less than seven variations in tyre strategy, with the majority featuring the medium and hard tyres. Sixteen drivers chose to start on the mediums, with all – apart from Albon and both Ferraris – going on to complete a two-stop strategy (as the chart below shows). Albon started the race from P9 after a brilliant performance in qualifying saw him top Q2 by nailing a lap on slick tyres while others were still on intermediates.

And despite losing positions in the race to the faster cars of Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez (who all started behind him), he managed to gain places over both McLarens and Esteban Ocon – all three in faster cars, and having started ahead of him on the grid. But it was the gains over both McLaren drivers and Ocon that made the difference between failing to score and those crucial six points for Albon.

‘STRATEGY UNPACKED’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...e5aTnl2mY.html


Albon pays tribute to Williams for fast-tracking upgrades
20/06/2023 at 10:54
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

"This weekend, we’ve had a great car. I can’t thank the team enough," he told Sky F1 after last Sunday's race. I’ve been at the factory the last two weeks quite a lot, in terms of simulator work, but also with James [Vowles, Williams Team Principal] and I can’t tell you how much of a part deficit we were at after Barcelona.”

"We were on the edge. We decided to fast-track the upgrade into Canada, and the people at the factory, composites, everyone, actually we went, James and I went to meet them and discuss with them, we’ve got to try and get this upgrade ready for Canada. It’s going to be our only chance possibly until one of these Monza races come along. The guys worked absolutely flat out to get it ready.”

"It’s great to be able to put it on the car. We put a new PU in it this weekend, we put everything into this weekend. Actually, [there was] a bit of pressure in some respects coming into this weekend to deliver, and we did."

‘The guys worked absolutely flat out to get it ready’;

https://f1i.com/news/478260-albon-pa...-upgrades.html


How Alex Albon delivered his best Williams finish at the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix
19 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

It was a brilliant 2023 Canadian Grand Prix weekend for Williams driver Alex Albon.

‘Alex Albon delivered his best Williams finish’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...777384866.html


Albon reveals the secret behind Canadian GP MASTERCLASS
Tuesday 20 June 2023 18:57
Harry Smith
GPFans

Alex Albon has explained how he kept a train of cars behind him on his way to a P7 finish at the Canadian Grand Prix. The Thai driver was awarded the Driver of the Day award by the fans for his heroic race, in which he climbed to seventh place from a P9 start.

Albon explained: “It was stressful as well, I have to say. I don’t enjoy them races but the team love putting me in them situations so, yeah, it was good. There was a point in the race where were on them tyres and they told me ‘you’ve got 40 laps or what to do the rest of the race' and I thought ‘you guys are crazy’, but we made it last."

Albon then explained what allowed him to keep the train of cars behind him at bay for such a long stint. “The closing speed of the cars behind was quite big, so I didn’t think I’d be able to hold them off. But obviously George [Russell] looked like he ran into some brake issues and then Esteban [Ocon] just didn’t have the straight-line speed to get past us, so it works in our favour.”

‘MASTERCLASS Secret’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...x-p7-williams/


'It was more than I expected' – 'Super happy' Albon praises 'monumental' Williams upgrades after P7 finish in Canada
19 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Alex Albon described his run to a season-high seventh place at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix as both “super” and “stressful” – with the Thai racer also heaping praise on his Williams team for their "monumental" upgrades and performance in Montreal.

The Williams driver started the race from ninth on the grid – after gaining a place from Carlos Sainz’s three-place grid drop for impeding in qualifying – but lost a place off the line to the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, dropping him to 10th. Albon then made his one – and only – pit stop of the day on Lap 12, switching from the medium tyre to the hards.

He then gained track position on his rivals, with others opting to make a second stop, which saw Albon ascend up to sixth place. Albon eventually dropped to P7 when the Red Bull of Sergio Perez came steaming past him. However, he was able hold off the challenge of the likes of George Russell, Esteban Ocon, and Lando Norris late on in the proceedings, sealing his second top-10 finish of the season.

'It was more than I expected';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...rJkebzgmk.html


Williams’ Dave Robson feels Montréal upgrade “delivered well” after season-best finish for Albon
June 20, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

Williams Head of Vehicle Performance Dave Robson was disappointed to see Sargeant’s race come to such an early end, considering the “opportunity” he had to battle for positions at a circuit that FW45 had proven to be strong at.

“There were mixed fortunes for the two sides of our garage today. We were forced to retire Logan’s car after we spotted an oil leak, which was starting to affect his power unit. We need to inspect the car tonight and find out exactly where the leak is coming from. It was a shame for Logan as he had a good opportunity for some close racing and a good result.”

Along with this aspect, Robson said that his ability to defend against drivers behind also played a major role in his securing the result. “With Alex, we benefited from a well-timed safety car but were also able to put together a very strong 1-stop race. We have seen in the past that Alex is exceptionally good at managing a race and defending against a group of cars.”

‘Montréal upgrade “delivered well” after season-best finish for Albon’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ish-for-albon/

“There will be crashes”: F1 drivers oppose ban on tyre heaters ahead of 2024 vote.
Formula 1 drivers have warned the series is not ready to handle a proposed ban on tyre heating blankets next year.
16th June 2023, 10:1216th June 2023, 10:14
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Pirelli is developing revised tyres for next year which are designed to work without heating blankets, which F1 teams have used since the eighties to ensure cars leave the pits on tyres which are close to or at the optimum operating temperatures. F1 has reduced the permitted temperature range of the blankets in recent seasons as part of a move towards phasing out the use of the blankets entirely.

However based on their test runs with Pirelli’s prototype 2024 rubber, drivers remain concerned the new tyres cannot be brought up to temperature quickly enough in cooler conditions in order for them to be used safely. George Russell, who conducted a recent test of the tyres at the Circuit de Catalunya, said the conditions were closer to ideal than they encounter at other circuits during a typical season.

“In hindsight it probably wasn’t tested in the right conditions at the right circuit,” said Russell. “If you go to a circuit such as Barcelona which is quite an aggressive Tarmac, it was 40-odd degree track temperature, fully rubbered-in from the race weekend, the tyres were very sketchy coming out pit lane but by about turn five on the out-lap it was at a respectable level. But if I compare that in contrast with the start of the year when I did one run in Jerez in 10-degree track temperature it was extremely difficult getting out of the pits.”

“There will be crashes”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/16/...-of-2024-vote/


F1 drivers warn "there will be crashes" ahead of vote on controversial rule change
F1 drivers recently got another chance to test new tyres being developed by Pirelli ahead of the planned ban on tyre blankets being used in the sport from next year
21:18, 16 Jun 2023
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Mirror

F1 chiefs want to get rid of them altogether. Their argument is that, as the blankets require a notable amount of energy, their use goes against F1's attempts to become more sustainable. Supplier Pirelli has been developing compounds to be used on track which do not require the use of the blankets. Whether or not they will be used next year depends on the outcome of a vote to be held at the end of July.

Several test events have been held in recent months to gather date on how effecting those new compounds are. The most recent took place this month, in the days after the Spanish Grand Prix at the same Barcelona track.

"In hindsight it probably wasn’t tested in the right conditions at the right circuit," said George Russell, who shared duties with Mick Schumacher in the Mercedes test. "If you go to a circuit such as Barcelona which is quite an aggressive Tarmac, it was 40-odd degree track temperature, fully rubbered-in from the race weekend.

"There will be crashes";

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...ssell-30254192


Martin Brundle warns how tyre blanket ban could ruin F1 qualifying sessions
21 Jun 2023 3:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

F1 pundit Martin Brundle believes the slick-tyre gambles which paid off for some and punished others in Canada GP qualifying will cease to be without tyre blankets. Drivers and team personnel are certainly not fully onboard with the plan, safety concerns being the main sticking point, but for Brundle it is strategy worries.

Take the tyre blankets away though, which Brundle is not convinced are worse for the environment than adding extra fuel for tyre warm-up laps, then the former F1 driver suspects the current stars would not dare to deliver a lap on cold dry tyres in such conditions.

‘Strategy worries’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin...t-ban-warning/


F1 drivers told to change driving style amid 2024 tyre safety concerns
20 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

After participating in Pirelli’s most recent tyre test at Barcelona, Mercedes driver George Russell warned: “I don’t think we as a sport are at a position to bring these tyres into a racing scenario”. But Russell’s concerns have been rejected by Pirelli, who have suggested that drivers will need to adapt their driving styles.

“Obviously drivers need to think about the fact that not using the blankets is different than today, so they need to approach the out-lap in a different way,” Pirelli engineer Simone Berra said. “In cold conditions, it could be trickier to bring the tyres up to temperature but it’s just a matter of doing the first portion of the lap [cautiously].”

“But in terms of safety, I don’t see from the data any specific risk.”

“Obviously…………………………….”;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102953...afety-concerns


F1 drivers send warning to FIA over proposed rule change as George Russell speaks out
14:53 Sun, 18 Jun 2023.
Ryan Smart
SPORTbible

Leading F1 drivers have sent a warning to the FIA over a proposed change to the regulations surrounding tyre blankets. Tyre blankets are a vital component in F1, as they keep the tyres warm before being fitted on to the car. They are particularly important in cooler conditions, as they retain heat in the tyre and allow it to have more grip on the circuit itself.

The ability to warm up your tyres quickly - and keeping them at an optimal temperature - can be the difference between winning a race or finishing further down the field. However, the FIA have placed a limit in recent years on what temperature the tyre blankets can reach, and how long they can be used for before a car goes out on track.

As is traditional with any new tyre compound, drivers have tested the proposed tyres on track at 'test events' and during race weekends. The switch to the new compound is only planned at this stage, with a vote due to be held next month on whether to use them moving forwards. However, leading stars such as Fernando Alonso and George Russell have voiced their concerns. Alonso echoed Russell's thoughts, stating that he didn't understand why there needed to be a ban on tyre blankets. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, said there was still a 'question mark' over the suitability of the new compounds in cold conditions, and wants to carry out further tests.

‘Leading F1 drivers have sent a warning to the FIA’;

https://www.sportbible.com/formula-1...23976-20230618

Aston Martin’s Canadian GP upgrade brings new confidence for upcoming races.
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack is keen to see what progress the team has made in high-speed cornering following the upgrade it introduced in Canada.
22nd June 2023, 8:14
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans

The effectiveness of Aston Martin’s upgrades for the Canadian Grand Prix was demonstrated by Fernando Alonso‘s second place, as he finished less than ten seconds off victory despite extensive fuel-saving. Alonso was instructed to lift-and-coast for around two-thirds of the 70-lap race as a precaution over concerns over a problem in the team’s fuel system, which “did not materialise in the end”. But team principal Mike Krack was wary that had Alonso been driving at the car’s potential then Red Bull’s race winner Max Verstappen may have upped his pace in response to maintain his advantage.

It was a strong comeback weekend for Aston Martin, at least on Alonso’s side of the garage, as second place in qualifying and the race was a vast improvement on the previous race at Barcelona, where he started and finished outside the top six. However his team mate Lance Stroll suffered a disastrous qualifying session in Montreal which left him 16th on the grid, from where he was only able to recover as far as ninth.

Krack said the upgrades, focused around the floor and the engine cover towards the rear of the Aston Martin AMR23, brought everything in performance gains that the team had expected. However the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is among the six temporary circuits that have formed the first eight rounds of the season, while the Circuit de Catalunya with its medium and high-speed corners exposed the AMR23’s weaknesses two weeks ago.

‘EL PLAN: What progress the team has made’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/22/...pcoming-races/


Could Aston Martin be at ‘Red Bull’s level’ soon with wind tunnel data boost?
21 Jun 2023 6:45 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Less than 10 seconds behind Red Bull in Canada, a report claims Aston Martin believe their upgraded AMR23 can “drive at Red Bull’s level”, they just need to understand the upgrades a little better. Aston Martin brought their biggest round of upgrades for the car to the Canadian Grand Prix weekend where they ran a new floor and engine cover while there were also changes to the undercut behind the sidepod inlets.

The team acknowledge the changes were “enormous”, but almost seemed to downplay their performance gains, gains that saw Fernando Alonso bring his AMR23 home in second place having beaten Lewis Hamilton in the B-spec Mercedes to the line. But for the Spaniard it was a case of what could’ve been with Alonso telling the team he wanted to go for the win shortly after he was told to lift and coast with his car seemingly having a fuel system issue.

‘EL PLAN: Red Bull’s level’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...d-tunnel-data/


Alonso's Canadian GP advantage over Hamilton EXPLAINED by F1 expert
Tuesday 20 June 2023 21:57
Shubham Sangodkar
GPFans

The Canadian Grand Prix gave us an equal Fernando Alonso vs Lewis Hamilton battle for the first time this season, where both cars were equally matched, and were stronger in different phases of the race. Race Start: Lewis Hamilton had a much better launch compared to Fernando Alonso in both the first and second phases of acceleration towards turn 1. They were both joking post-race about how Alonso’s reaction time is slower because he’s older.

The First Stint - Mode “Push” - Both the drivers had started the race on mediums, and Alonso was pushing Hamilton to wear his tyres out in order to obtain a tyre delta advantage. The Second Stint - The Difference Maker - Alonso had really good consistency with the hard tyre while Hamilton was not able to consistently put in quick lap times. This allowed the Spaniard to catch up with his old team-mate and eventually pass him on lap 22 with DRS open.

The Third Stint - Hamilton Is a Fighter - As Hamilton pitted on lap 40, Mercedes looked at data from Ferrari and decided to put him on medium tyres, whose tyre degradation was much lower than expected. Aston decided to stick with hard tyres for the third stint. The medium tyres brought the Mercedes back to life again…

‘Shubham Sangodkar is a former F1 Aerodynamicist with a Master's in Racing Car Design specialising in F1 Aerodynamics and F1 Data Analysis’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/11...prix-analysis/


Aston Martin reveal misleading reason for Fernando Alonso’s lift and coast order at F1 Canadian GP
20 Jun 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net

Aston Martin have revealed that a fuel system error led to their request for Fernando Alonso to lift and coast during the F1 Canadian Grand Prix. Alonso had repassed Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in the battle for second place after initially losing out off the line but was instructed to “lift and coast” by his team in the closing stages of the race.

That enabled Hamilton to catch Alonso, though after seeing the gap reduce down to around 1.5 seconds, the Spaniard was able to pull clear and seal second place on the rostrum behind Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack explained that the the team’s data was indicating a possible problem on Alonso’s car which "did not materialise in the end”.

"We thought we had a problem with the fuel system,” Krack said. “But we were not sure. So as a precaution we said the best thing is to save some fuel and to do lift and coast.”

‘EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso’s lift and coast order’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/102952...nd-coast-order


Revealed: The role Fernando Alonso played in George Russell’s Canada shunt
19 Jun 2023 10:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

George Russell said his error that put him in the wall at the Canadian Grand Prix came when he was “doing everything” he could to pressurise Fernando Alonso. Russell’s Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton was able to make the pass on Alonso to improve to P2, putting the Aston Martin driver between the pair of Brits.

Alonso then in the opening laps was plotting a way past Hamilton, though he could not do that in comfort as he had Russell breathing down his neck, until he was not. On Lap 12 Russell took too much sausage kerb at the Turn 8/9 chicane, putting him out of shape as he clattered the wall on exit.

Russell was able to drag the heavily wounded W14 back to the pits and rejoin the race in P19 and last, and after the race Russell would detail the innocent role which Alonso played in his date with the wall. “Apologies to the team,” Russell began. “We’ve put so much hard work and effort into this weekend and a small mistake has had massive consequences. I was doing everything I could to put Fernando under pressure…”

‘EL PLAN: “Doing everything” ’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...-canada-crash/


How Aston Martin played it coy with its major Canada F1 upgrade
11:42 Tue, 20 Jun 2023.
By: Matt Somerfield
Motorsport.com

There was a lot more to the upgrade than initially met the eye, especially as the team was fairly coy when it came to detailing the changes it had made in the official car presentation submission document before the action got underway. This is usual fare to be honest though, as all of the teams have, over time, become more accustomed to generalising the changes being made to their cars at each grand prix.

After giving some in-depth analysis of its changes when this new era of F1 began, most now take more of a catch-all approach to explain what has been altered in the various legality zones/boxes, with the vagaries of the actual changes still needing to be explored.

The prime example in Aston Martin's case is the changes made to its sidepods, which aren't mentioned in its submission documents at all but have obviously been overhauled as part of the package of alterations made to the AMR23.

‘EL PLAN: Aston Martin played it coy’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/h...ade-/10485463/


Aston Martin baffled by Mercedes warning Lewis Hamilton of non-existent Fernando Alonso issue
20 Jun 2023 10:00 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Mike Krack has joked Mercedes “know more about our car than we do” after Lewis Hamilton was told Fernando Alonso had a brake issue, one Aston Martin didn’t know about. Chasing down Alonso in the final 10 laps of the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton brought the gap down to 1.4s and was told by Mercedes there was a rear brake issue that his Aston Martin rival was having to manage.

Bono: “Sounds like Alonso is nursing a rear brake issue.” That was news to the Aston Martin pit wall. “I was surprised as well to hear that,” team boss Krack said after the race. “I think Lewis was told we had a brake situation. We looked at each other and we said ‘They know more about our car than we do, we should speak to our Mercedes engineers’.”

‘EL PLAN: Bono: “Sounds like Alonso is nursing a rear brake issue.”!’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...-alonso-issue/

FIA warning spells trouble for Red Bull hopes of continuing F1 dominance.
FIA single seater director Nikolas Tombazis claims it is “only a matter of time” before the F1 pack converges and the all-conquering Red Bull dominance is no more.
21 Jun 2023 6:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Red Bull have made the perfect start to the F1 2023 campaign, winning all eight grands prix to leave the competition in the dust as they seemingly march towards successive title doubles.

Tombazis though insists this is merely temporary, and with the pack behind Red Bull so competitive, which sees Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari scrapping with the pursuers not far behind, Tombazis says Red Bull will soon fall into this battle, perhaps as soon as in the coming months.

“Putting Red Bull aside, everyone else is close,” he told Corriere della Sera, “and I think it’s only a matter of time before performance convergence is achieved. Maybe it will be achieved in the next few months, maybe it will be early next year.”

“Only a matter of time”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-wa...-f1-dominance/


FIA comments on scrapping DRS
There have been calls from both within and outside the Formula 1 paddock for DRS to be scrapped.
22 June 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News

The FIA’s single seater director Nikolas Tombazis has ruled out Formula 1 scrapping DRS “in the short term”, due to the Greek engineer believing it to be too big a “risk for the sport”. According to Tombazis, DRS isn’t going anywhere just yet, with him believing that overtaking will be “very difficult” if the system is removed.

“In an ideal world it is conceivable to remove DRS, but in the short term it will not happen because otherwise overtaking would be very difficult,” Tombazis told Italian outlet Corriere della Sera.

“We are no longer in the ’80s, when simulations were not so advanced and the differences between one car and the next were great. With the current level of technology, of science, removing the DRS would be a risk for the sport.”

‘Ttoo big a “risk for the sport”.’;

https://formula1news.co.uk/fia-comme...scrapping-drs/


FIA set to make MAJOR change to race weekends
Thursday 22 June 2023 17:57
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

The FIA is considering a major shakeup to the F1 calendar, including holding certain races on Saturday and adding the China Grand Prix back to the calendar. The FIA General Assembly, held in Cordoba, has met to discuss the future of the sport. F1 owners Liberty Media have shown signs of wanting to modernise the calendar, already altering the sprint race format to include a special sprint qualifying session.

Traditional races at risk. Much has been said about the future of traditional races, even iconic locations like Monaco. Although Monte Carlo seems to have held onto its spot for now, the Belgian Grand Prix’s future has not been decided, with the potential for it to alternate with Zandvoort in the Netherlands.

Stefano Domenicali has denied that these changes neglect the sport’s roots, telling the Beyond the Grid podcast: “I‘m laughing when I hear people that are saying Formula 1 is not respecting historical races. It’s absolutely the other way around. For sure it’s very important that the historical races have their own personality. What we want is to use this incredible moment, where Formula 1 is growing, to make sure that everyone is doing the right thing. It’s a matter of understanding that the world is evolving.”

“I‘m laughing’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/11...se-grand-prix/


FIA Extraordinary General Assemblies 2023
23.06.23
FIA (Press Release)

The Extraordinary General Assemblies of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (France and Switzerland) were held in Cordoba, Andalusia, today (22 June) at the completion of the FIA 2023 Conference, which took place under the theme of “Accelerating Change: Member-Driven, Knowledge-Led Transformation".

FIA Member Clubs took part in the voting process and approved several proposals, most notably the FIA’s annual audited accounts for 2022 and the reaffiliation of the Automobile Association of the United Kingdom as an FIA Member Club.

The next meeting of the FIA General Assemblies will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 8 December 2023.

‘Accelerating Change: Member-Driven, Knowledge-Led Transformation";

https://www.fia.com/news/fia-extraor...ssemblies-2023


THE FIA HINT AT REDUCING PRE-RACE GRID ACCESS
With the continued growth and interest in Formula One, pre-race grid walks are becoming more popular and overcrowded. But could this be a thing of the past?
June 21, 2023
Rhiannon Temporal
FormulaNerds

We are only eight races into the Formula One 2023 season, but it has not been smooth sailing for the FIA so far. In particular, the sport’s governing body has had to deal with multiple track-side safety issues. The most recent incident occurred at the Spanish Grand Prix. As the cars were given the green light to start their formation lap, there was a large crowd of guests next to the racetrack.

While the Spanish Grand Prix is the subject of these potential rule changes, it is not the only event that has suffered safety breaches this year so far. At the end of the Australian Grand Prix, fans invaded the track before the end of the race. Afterwards, the stewards summoned race officials and organisers over the breach. The incident sparked an investigation, with the FIA World Motor Sport Council still waiting on the findings.

The next incident happened at the following race in Azerbaijan. During the closing stages of the Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon was involved in an almost fatal near-miss in the pit lane. Videos of the incident showed FIA-sanctioned officials allowing parc ferme barriers and personnel to filter into the pit lane. But the race hadn’t finished, with the Alpine driver still to make his pit stop. The French driver has since received an official apology from the FIA for the incident.
"This is a SHAMBLES, absolute shambles!!" ��
A scary moment in the pit lane at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with people not realising Esteban Ocon was still to pit ��pic.twitter.com/L2I56JV2OI
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) April 30, 2023

‘REDUCING PRE-RACE GRID ACCESS’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/th...e-grid-access/

Domenicali: 24 F1 races is the "right number" for long term.
"What we want to do next year is 24 and I think 24 is the right number," Domenicali said on F1's Beyond the Grid podcast. "It’s the number that is required within the market.
23rd June 2023, 14:57.
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com

F1's calendar ballooned to a record 24 races for 2024 with the addition of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix in November. The return of Shanghai's Chinese Grand Prix was then cancelled as a result of China's on-going COVID-19 policy, while Imola's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was called off due to severe flooding, reducing the calendar down to 22 races.

The 2024 calendar is expected to feature the same 24 events as this year's schedule, with talks underway to extend the Belgian Grand Prix's contract as a bid to return to South Africa faltered for a second consecutive year.

According to F1 CEO Domenicali, the series will continue to target 24 events. "I would say it’s the right balance between that, the complexity of the logistics and of the people that are working. I would say this is the number which we should target to be stable for a long time."

‘24 is the "right number".’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...mber/10486463/


FIA clarifies F1’s budget cap regulations through TD45 update
2023 F1 season
Posted on 23rd June 2023, 14:44
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans

The FIA has clarified a key part of Formula 1’s Financial Regulations in an update issued to teams last month. TD45, a technical directive and cost cap administration clarification, provides added detail on how the sport’s governing body interprets the distinction between teams’ F1 activities and non-F1 activities.

The difference between the two is important because non-F1 activities are excluded from teams’ spending under the budget cap. If any team was able to gain benefits for its F1 programme through non-F1 activities, they could gain an advantage from spending outside of the budget cap. Several teams are involved in businesses outside of F1 and in some cases began doing so long before the budget cap was introduced in 2021. Others formed technology businesses and later sold them.

Mercedes has an Applied Science division which has developed technologies for use in the America’s Cup sailing race. Red Bull’s Advanced Technologies, which supplies both the world champions and AlphaTauri, has contributed to another entrant in the same competition and is developing the RB17 road car. Aston Martin’s comparable division, Aston Martin Performance Technologies, was set up in 2021. No team has been accused of breaking any rules.

‘FIA clarification’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/23/...h-td45-update/


Major European F1 race could be resurrected with early ‘signals’ sent
23 Jun 2023 2:15 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Hockenheim’s track manager Jorn Teske has said there is “pressure” for a return of a German Grand Prix. The Hockenheim circuit dates back to almost 90 years since it first opened for motor racing, although it would be 1970 before the track held its first Formula 1 race.

But finances plagued the hosting of the German Grand Prix, particularly as the Michael Schumacher effect faded away and well-funded races around the world were introduced to the calendar. The last edition of the German Grand Prix, held in 2019, came about with Mercedes backing as a title sponsor – such funding being necessary for the event to be held again.

But how likely is a return of Formula 1 to Hockenheim? Not very, according to Teske, as a result of the very high fees the circuit would need to pay to F1 to host a race. “I can’t say that seriously,” he said. “Neither the probability nor an exact timetable. In recent years it has repeatedly failed due to the financial situation. The staging involved such a great risk that we couldn’t take responsibility for it. We cannot jeopardize years of good work with a supposedly loss-making Formula 1 race a year.”

‘Great risk’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/german...-signals-sent/


FIA tackles impact on cost cap of teams' non-F1 projects
23/06/2023 at 12:18
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

The FIA recently issued a technical directive to F1 teams that closes a potential loophole in the sport's cost cap regulations regarding the use of staff assigned to non-F1 projects. Earlier this year, Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer voiced his concerns about teams gaming the system by employing staff officially assigned to outside projects.

"I think what some of the other teams are now doing, the bigger teams, is they're looking to exploit or have a better understanding of where there's some loopholes or some organisational changes you can make to actually stuff more people under that budget cap," commented Szafnauer.

"They're looking at: ‘I got rid of 100 people, but now I want to hire them back’. They can find spots for them, where they either don't count as a whole person or they do some marketing stuff or whatever it is, or they work on a boat for some of the time."

‘Technical directive’;

https://f1i.com/news/478414-fia-tack...-cost-cap.html


How FIA’s trying to close an F1 team ‘side project’ loophole
23rd June 2023, 11:52
By Mark Hughes
The Race

The FIA has issued a new technical directive to tackle potential grey areas around Formula 1 teams’ non-F1 engineering activities. The newly-imposed TD45 comes into immediate effect and is backdated to January 1 of this year.

It is described by the FIA as both a technical directive and a cost cap admin clarification which addresses the issue of non-F1 activities costs. Many of the top teams have non-F1 engineering divisions – notably Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, Aston Martin and McLaren.

How could it be proven what thought process initiated a technology which ended up being of benefit to the F1 team? What about engineering staff transferred from the F1 team to the sister company working on the new technology? Could they be discounted from the cost cap? What if they returned to the core F1 team afterwards?

‘Potential grey areas’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-f...ject-loophole/

Alpine’s Otmar Szafnauer admits two-stop strategy was “not the optimal approach” in Montréal.
Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer felt that the team missed out on a greater haul of points at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve due to their strategy decision to take two pit stops as opposed to one, which had proved to be a competitive alternative for rival teams.
June 21, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer: “It’s not been a straightforward afternoon with Esteban in the points and Pierre unfortunately missing out.”

“I think we have many things to learn from the race as we saw both Ferraris, Sergio [Perez] and Alex [Albon] make the one-stop strategy work, whereas we planned a one-stop but converted to a two-stop on both cars, which probably was not the optimal approach given the final outcome. That’s something we’ll review to see what we can do better going forward.”

“Not the optimal approach”;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...h-in-montreal/


Ocon urges Alpine 'review' after Canada loss
22 June 9:40AM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Having been running in P4 in the early stages of the Canadian Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon was left wondering what could have been after ending the day further back in eighth place. Ocon lost positions as the Grand Prix progressed and ultimately ended the event in P8 after being unable to pass the Williams of Alex Albon in seventh.
"I managed to overtake Nico [Hulkenberg, at the start], and then with the problem for George [Russell] I was fourth," Ocon told media, including RacingNews365.com. "We were fourth before the first round of stops. It's after that really that we started to lose positions."

"So we need to review where that was lost, if that was [during] the Safety Car or that was the strategy in general, going [to] two stops [from a one-stop]. [We need to see] what exactly it was because we ended up behind Alex and we knew we shouldn't end up behind the Williams – they are extremely difficult to pass, and we couldn't we get in front.”

‘Alpine review';

https://racingnews365.com/ocon-urges...er-canada-loss


Esteban Ocon: “We know that perhaps we did not maximise our opportunities today in Montréal”
June 20, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

Ocon, who started in sixth, lost out on places from the strategy front, with one-stop runners including both Scuderia Ferrari drivers, Sergio Pérez and Alex Albon making major strides in the field. Ocon said that their pace that he had was solid, but not quite enough to counter-attack in the end.

“I think we can be satisfied with finishing another race in the points but we know that perhaps we did not maximise our opportunities today in Montréal. Our car and our pace was strong but, in the end, it was not enough to pass Alex [Albon] in the Williams, who was quicker on the straights.”

‘Did not maximise our opportunities’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...y-in-montreal/


‘We’ve got way more pace than we’re showing’ – Gasly desperate for a clean weekend to show Alpine potential
18 Jun 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)

Pierre Gasly finished the Canadian Grand Prix outside the points in P12 – but said afterwards that was not a reflection of the pace of his Alpine car.

‘Desperate for a clean weekend’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...505485759.html


Gasly lost 'seconds a lap' in DRS train in Canadian GP
21/06/2023 at 09:47
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Pierre Gasly says his botched qualifying session in Montreal inflicted permanent damage on his race weekend as he was unable to extract himself from a DRS train on Sunday. Gasly was left fuming on Saturday afternoon at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after he had missed the Q2 cut through no fault of his own.

A forced move down the escape road left him a P17 in the pecking order. While he gained two spots on the grid thanks to penalties levied upon two other drivers, his lowly starting position consigned him from the outset to the lower tier of the midfield.

"I just want to get to Austria," a frustrated Gasly told the media after completing his race in 13th position. The damage we suffered [in qualifying] put us massively on the backfoot, and I think we saw why track position is so important."

‘DRS train’;

https://f1i.com/news/478310-gasly-lo...nadian-gp.html


Ocon plays down rear-wing issues in Montreal but says Alpine 'need to review' why they finished P8
21 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly left this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix disappointed for differing reasons. While Ocon was frustrated not to finish higher, Gasly was left ruing his poor luck that saw him unable to use the “potential” in Alpine's package.

After pitting for the hards in his first stop, he lost track position to the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, as well as the Red Bull of Sergio Perez – with all three drivers staying out. And, after pitting for the second time, he ended up behind the one-stopping Alex Albon.

Asked if he was pleased with the result, Ocon replied: “Pleased? No. Probably not. Happy to be in the points again, but we were fourth before all the rounds of stops. So, we need to review what happened, why we lost to all the other cars after the stops.

'Need to review';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...NVXUwgoih.html


Gasly expects talks over impeding: It's out of our control
22 June 2:15PM
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Pierre Gasly is expecting the issue of impeding to be discussed at the next Formula 1 race weekend after various incidents in recent qualifying sessions. The Alpine driver was issued with two penalties for separate impeding offences in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix, demoting him from P4 on the grid to P10.

"I was on the other side in Barcelona," Gasly told media, including RacingNews365.com. "The only thing that I tend to disagree a bit [with] is when you impede someone that finished on pole position, it's different than when you impede someone in a way that kicks him out of Q1 or Q2.”

"Clearly the damage was not only in qualy, but clearly in the race. Your whole weekend is affected by it. Maybe that needs a review, but honestly this is out of our control. I'm sure it's going to be talked about at the next race. At the moment, I just hope for a clean and smooth weekend and that's what we'll target in Austria."

‘It's out of our control’;

https://racingnews365.com/gasly-expe...of-our-control


Alpine chasing race pace improvements
Friday 23rd June, 2023 - 4:57pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer has singled out race pace as an area his team needs to improve, noting Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon enjoy good single-lap speed. Alpine has emerged as another contender towards the front of the grid, slotting in comfortably as the fifth-best team in F1 when everything goes to plan, and occasionally higher.

Those performances, however, rely on a strong Saturday with the Alpine seemingly unable to charge through the field in the race itself. “I think one-lap performance is good,” said Szafnauer.

“We have to work to make the race pace equal, relatively equal, to the one-lap performance. We’re not quite there, but we’re not far off. So there will be other things that we’re looking at to bring that race up to where the qualifying performance is, and then we’ll have an even better chance to score more points.”

‘Race pace improvements’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/23...-improvements/

Bottas encourages Alfa Romeo to continue to take 'steps forward' after well 'executed' P10 finish in Canada.
Valtteri Bottas was “pleased” to finish 10th in Canada this past weekend, as he lauded the “progress” made by Alfa Romeo in recent races – although his team mate Zhou Guanyu was left bemused by the team’s strategy that left him 16th.
22 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

Starting in 14th, on the hard tyre, Bottas made a slow start which saw him drop down to 16th. However, he moved up into the top-10 after opting not to pit under the Safety Car, while the drivers ahead of him made their first stops.

The Finn was running in P8 when he was called in for his first – and only – stop of the afternoon. He later found his way back up to ninth, but lost places to Lando Norris and Lance Stroll across the line – although he moved back up to 10th after Norris, who had a five-second penalty anyway, ran wide at the final chicane on the last lap.

Reflecting on his performance, Bottas said: “I am pleased with our race today. I made up four positions during the race, and it’s always a good day when that happens, especially when you get a top ten finish, which had been our main goal all weekend long.

‘Well 'executed' P10 finish in Canada’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...aaKDq3Pte.html


Bottas: Important points result in Canada
Tuesday 20th June, 2023 - 12:05pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

His point comes off the back of two collected by team-mate Zhou Guanyu in Spain in the race prior, leaving Alfa Romeo Sauber’s tally for the year at nine – one more than Haas. “Pleased with how today went, and I think when you make up four positions in the race, it’s a good day,” Bottas said after Sunday’s race. Even if it’s only a point, it’s something that important, so I’m pleased with it.”

Bottas had started the race on the hard compound tyres, gaining track position by staying out when the bulk of the field pitted on Lap 12 under the Safety Car triggered by George Russell. He finally stopped on Lap 35, swapping onto the medium rubber for the run to the flag. “I think it was the right call that we stayed out,” Bottas opined. “The stint I had on the mediums was a bit too long, so I think we did well with the strategy. Starting with the hard tyre was a good one, so overall I don’t think there was much more we could have done.”

‘Important points’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/20...ult-in-canada/


Bottas: Montreal race showed 'light at the end of the tunnel'.
20/06/2023 at 16:17
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Valtteri Bottas says his run to P10 in last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix was a welcome result and "a bit of light at the end of the tunnel" after a dismal period for the Alfa Romeo driver. "I think it’s important for myself and the whole team because we can see again the progress we’ve made," said Bottas after the race.

"I think, again, this weekend in every session the car has been capable of a top 10, and it was the same [in the race], so it’s good to see. It just gives us a bit of hope and a kind of feeling that there’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel."

‘Welcome result’;

https://f1i.com/news/478286-bottas-m...he-tunnel.html


Canada Point ‘Proof of all the hard work’ and a ‘Motivation Boost’ for Alfa Romeo – Bottas
June 21, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Valtteri Bottas returned to the points for the first time since the opening race of the season last weekend, with the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake driver earning tenth place in the Canadian Grand Prix.

It could have been even better for the Finn as he was passed on the run to the chequered flag by Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula 1 Team’s Lance Stroll, with Bottas struggling with tyre wear at the end of the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

‘Proof of all the hard work’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ltteri-bottas/


‘No interference’ as Sauber, Audi prepare for 2026
08:29 Fri, 23 Jun 2023.
Grandpx.news

Audi is already focused on preparing for its works Formula 1 foray for 2026, according to Sauber team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi. He says Sauber is also making plans for 2026 whilst also racing as Alfa Romeo in 2023.

"We cannot think of being competitive in 2026 if we are not capable of doing an optimal job and improving as a team during these years," said the Italian.

"At the same time Audi is concentrating on the engine project," Bravi added. "There is no interference and we are both working on our main focus - us on the car and Audi on the engine."

‘No interference’;

https://grandpx.news/no-interference...pare-for-2026/

‘Teams are terrified of speaking out after Guenther Steiner’s layman enquiry’.
With McLaren questioning, but making a point of not criticising, Lando Norris’ ‘unsportsmanlike behaviour’ penalty in Canada, Ted Kravitz says that’s because the teams are “terrified” of speaking against the FIA.
21 Jun 2023 4:30 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Norris was perplexed, telling the media “it doesn’t make sense to me”, while his team boss Andrea Stella said he wanted ongoing discussions with the FIA over the penalty. But, he made it clear McLaren weren’t criticising the stewards or expressing “too strong an opinion”, they just wanted an explanation. He added: “Ultimately we trust their judgement but we are reviewing the behaviour of Lando because we come out of this race very surprised that this has caused a penalty.”

Kravitz reckons that’s because McLaren, and all the other teams, are too scared about having a negative opinion lest the FIA come down on them as they did Guenther Steiner after his Monaco “laymen” remarks. “When Gunther brought it up after Monaco he was then penalised, censured by the FIA for speaking out about it in a kind of misunderstanding of the word, ‘layman’,” he told the Sky Sports podcast.

“Layman was what they didn’t like about it. So McLaren have learned from that. And McLaren were very keen not to say anything about sportsmanlike with the Lando penalty, less to they get a reprimand from the FIA. Teams are terrified of speaking out. Is that healthy? And if teams aren’t feeling like they can say anything about the FIA without getting called before the stewards like Guenther was, then is it incumbent for the media to ask the questions? I suppose it is.”

‘Teams terrified of the FIA’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/teams-...aking-out-fia/


Steiner reiterates calls for 'continuity' with F1 stewarding
17 June 9:20AM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Haas boss Guenther Steiner has reiterated his desire for Formula 1 to have permanent stewards after receiving a reprimand from the FIA over comments made. In Monaco, Nico Hulkenberg was given a penalty for an aggressive first-lap overtake, while Kevin Magnussen also made a similar move up the inside of Mirebeau in the race, but did not receive any sanction.

Responding to that in Spain, Steiner commented that "F1 is one of the biggest sports in the world, and we still have laymen deciding on the fate of people which invest millions into their careers," a comment which earned him a reprimand from the FIA, with use of the word 'laymen' highlighted as having potential to cause offence.

"Exactly how would you solve the continuity [of stewarding], how would you solve that or who would you have there?" the Haas boss explained to media, including RacingNews365. "I'm not going to choose the stewards, I don't really care. For me, the system, the continuity [needs to be] always the same. I still [believe] the penalty we got in Monte Carlo was wrong. It wasn't [at] a wrong turn, it was in a proper turn and there was collision, so how can you be penalised for something you didn't do?”

‘Permanent Stewards!’;

https://racingnews365.com/steiner-re...-f1-stewarding


FIA got a Steiner apology. Now it must follow his logic
Jun 11 2023
By Edd Straw
The Race

Guenther Steiner may have had to apologise for the way he expressed his criticisms of Formula 1’s stewarding systems, but the fundamental point he made is correct. It is an anachronism for a sporting competition as wealthy and high-profile as Formula 1 not to have permanent, professional stewards.

To avoid falling into the same trap as Steiner, it’s important to delineate between professional in status and professional in conduct. The use of the word “laymen” and mentioning other sports had “professional” referees, according to the stewards “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”.

There are plenty of volunteers and what should be technically classed as ‘amateurs’ who do a very professional job so this is not fundamentally about that. Instead, it’s about the role of what Steiner called ‘the referees’, the significance of the stewards and the unique place they have in the wider perception of F1. While the stewards generally do a good, professional job – genuinely – there is always room for improvement.

‘Fundamental point Guenther Steiner made is correct’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/fia-g...low-his-logic/


Guenther Steiner responds in wake of Bernie Ecclestone ‘unsuccessful team boss’ jibe
17 Jun 2023 7:45 AM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com

Guenther Steiner has said “I don’t really care” when it comes to his popularity, in the wake of Bernie Ecclestone’s recent jibe about him. The former F1 supremo threw his support behind Mick Schumacher after he was cast aside by Haas this season, claiming “an unsuccessful team boss” made sure his place on the grid would not continue into 2023.

In fact, his fame and what others think of him has never figured much in his mind – though he acknowledged the popularity he has does serve a wider purpose for the sport. “Look, it’s not bad, it’s good for Formula 1, it’s good for Haas, it’s good for me from time to time, so you have to deal with that and respect the fans because without fans we wouldn’t exist,” Steiner told MARCA in Spain.

“We need to be seen, because we have to make money and it costs a lot. But I insist that I didn’t wake up one morning and say ‘I want to be popular’. I don’t like it or dislike it, I don’t really care. I’m very passionate, but I’m not a bad guy, I tell people what I want and I have to do it if I want to achieve something because it’s not an easy fight out there.”

“I don’t really care”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...oss-criticism/


Steiner: Haas unsure about root cause of wild F1 fluctuations
21 June 7:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Haas boss Guenther Steiner has denied suggestions the team will not be able to solve their Sunday problems due to Ferrari links. Haas boss Guenther Steiner says the team are unsure about what is causing their wild Formula 1 performance fluctuations, but that they are aware of a "pattern" with Ferrari.

As a Ferrari customer squad, Haas take many parts of their car from the Scuderia – which, as RacingNews365.com revealed earlier this year, is subject to strict FIA and in-house checks to avoid transfer of information between the two teams.

In 2023, Haas' season has been punctuated with strong qualifying results such as Nico Hulkenberg's second in Canada (although he would start fifth due to a penalty) and Kevin Magnussen's fourth in Miami.

‘Unsure about wild F1 fluctuations’;

https://racingnews365.com/steiner-ha...1-fluctuations


Guenther Steiner highlights unwanted ‘pattern’ Haas are sharing with Ferrari
23 Jun 2023 3:00 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Haas boss Guenther Steiner acknowledges a “parallel” between their struggles on a Sunday and that of technical partner Ferrari. Tyre management is a key sticking point for Haas right now, a statement true also for Ferrari at times this season which has made Sundays a weakness for them both, though there was seemingly some respite for Ferrari at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a venue not renowned for punishing the Pirelli rubber.

Steiner though cannot overlook this “parallel” which has emerged between his Haas team and Ferrari. “It seems to be a parallel, obviously in different regions because they [Ferrari] are starting further up front, and the less dirty air you have, the easier it is,” Steiner is quoted by RacingNews365.com.

“But they fall back in the races on certain racetracks, so it seems there is a little bit of a pattern with them. So, it seems like a double-investigation is needed as Haas and Ferrari battle with what is apparently the same issue. If I would have the answer, we would be working on it, but we used to say it was the wind tunnel, and things like this, you need to look at the bigger picture,” Steiner continued.

‘Unwanted ‘pattern’ Haas are sharing with Ferrari’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...-race-pattern/


Haas F1 Boss Guenther Steiner Keeps it Running
June 17, 2023
Shlomo Sprung
Boardroom

Boardroom gets the latest from the Haas team principal about his unlikely fame, his new book, Logan Sargeant, and his standards for success in 2023. The 58-year-old Italian-born exec is a major contributor to F1’s success in the US as a breakout star of the hit Netflix docuseries Drive To Survive.

The show got Formula 1 and Haas a ton of exposure and new support given that it arrived, to hear Steiner tell it, at the right place at precisely the right time. The only downside for Guenther? “I get harassed a lot more on the streets now,” he said.

Somehow, Steiner even found time to publish a book called Surviving to Drive: A Year Inside Formula 1 that became a Sunday Times bestseller. He considers the book something for fans to enjoy who aren’t necessarily deeply invested in the wonkiest details of F1, giving them instead an inside look into what takes place behind the scenes in motorsports‘ most high-stakes, frenzied atmospheres. “It’s a good beach read,” he said. “When you’re on holiday this year, this summer, it’s a good place to read it.”

‘Good beach read’;

https://boardroom.tv/guenther-steine...-f1-team-2023/

AlphaTauri’s Jody Egginton: Tsunoda Strategy Gamble, “didn’t work out”.
AlphaTauri Technical Director, Jody Egginton explained that the team tried to differ the strategy to help Tsunoda recover and get back into contention to challenge for points.
June 25, 2023
By Joe Briley
The Checkered Flag

Jody Egginton: “Yesterday’s qualifying positions made today’s race more difficult than it needed to be. This, combined with Yuki’s three-place penalty, forced us into trying something different and unfortunately, it didn’t work out. We made a very early stop with Yuki to use the free air to recover race time.”

“The strategy was working quite well and Yuki got back into the pack, however, losing a bit of time behind Magnussen on older tyres, the decision was made to convert to a two-stop. This cost a bit more track position than expected due to a slow stop so ultimately, we couldn’t get back to the pack led by Albon.”

‘Strategy Gamble’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...idnt-work-out/


Tsunoda laments troubles mastering tricky AlphaTauri
22 June 8:55AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Yuki Tsunoda says he is still at a loss of how to "extract performance" from his AlphaTauri Formula 1 car after a difficult Canadian Grand Prix weekend. In a slow start to the season for AlphaTauri, Tsunoda has been a shining light, picking up their only two points with 10th place finishes in Australia and Azerbaijan.

The Japanese driver also has three 11th places to his name but had a quiet weekend in Montreal, having been knocked out in Q1 and then being unable to fight for points. Reflecting on his weekend, Tsunoda admitted that Canada was the first weekend of the season he "wasn't able to perform".

"It's a shame," he told the F1 Nation podcast. "I'm pretty happy with the performance I did in the race, but I just have to put it all together. We definitely have to work on the qualifying pace. With the conditions we had, with the damp track, we expected to have a good qualifying, because FP3 in the rain was pretty good.”

‘Still at a loss’;

https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-la...cky-alphatauri


Tost makes SHOCKING De Vries claim despite POINTLESS 2023 season
Sunday 25 June 2023 15:57
Joe Ellis
GPFans

AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost has insisted that Nyck de Vries has what it takes to win races and championships in F1. The Dutchman is one of just two drivers, the other being Logan Sargeant, who are yet to register a point in the 2023 season with AlphaTauri at the bottom of the constructors' standings.

“I said to him he should stay concentrated, he should stay confident because we all know he can do a good job," Tost told Formula 1's official website. “He won races in Formula 3 and Formula 2, he won championships – he won the Formula E World Championship. That means he knows how to win races and win championships. “He just needs to get the confidence – and we have to provide him with a good car.”

‘SHOCKING De Vries claim’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/11...aim-pointless/


Tsunoda assesses AlphaTauri's Austria hopes
21 June 3:40PM
Author Michael Butterworth
RacingNews365

Following a disappointing weekend in Montreal, Yuki Tsunoda is bracing himself for another trying outing next time out in Austria. Yuki Tsunoda says the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix is likely to prove a difficult weekend for his AlphaTauri squad.

"It's hard, because we need a good qualifying, and because we have Sprint qualifying, the top eight [positions] will count [for points in the Sprint race] and we'll have to be around P9 at least in Sprint qualifying to score points," Tsunoda told the F1 Nation podcast.

The Japanese added that he didn’t expect the Red Bull Ring to suit the characteristics of his AlphaTauri AT04. "In the race, I think it's going to be a little bit difficult to overtake there as well, so I wouldn't expect too much," said Tsunoda. "We definitely need a good car there, and I don't know if our car will suit well there, to be honest.”

‘AlphaTauri's Austria hopes’;

https://racingnews365.com/tsunoda-as...-austria-hopes


Yuki Tsunoda addresses Red Bull rumours and opens door to F1 move elsewhere
17:35 Sat, 24 Jun 2023.
By George Dagless
Give Me Sport

Despite what the standings say, Yuki Tsunoda is having a relatively positive season this year in F1 for AlphaTauri. The Japanese driver may only have two points to his name so far but that does not fairly tell the whole story, with him regularly finishing on the cusp of the points and seemingly getting the most out of the car more often than not this year.

Now in his third season in F1, he might not be quite ready yet for a move to a top team in the sport, but he is doing everything he can this season to show that he is on the right path to achieving that, and obviously with him part of the Red Bull programme, the more he impresses the more chatter will grow about him potentially moving to the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

‘Getting the most out of the car’;

https://www.givemesport.com/yuki-tsu...ove-elsewhere/

Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari criticism evokes memories of Alain Prost’s sacking.
David Coulthard doubts the relationship between Ferrari and Charles Leclerc will deteriorate in a fashion similar to Alain Prost’s over 30 years ago.
24 Jun 2023 8:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Following another tough weekend for Ferrari in which Leclerc could only manage fourth despite issues for a car from each of the Red Bull, Aston Martin, and Mercedes teams, David Coulthard has downplayed the possibility of Ferrari being annoyed with the Monégasque.

Following the qualifying session in which Ferrari had sent Leclerc out on intermediates as the track dried in Q2, not the first time the Scuderia have made a strategic faux pas, Leclerc made his feelings clear after the session. “When the track is so dry and we are staying on the inter tyres, we are not making our life any easier,” he said.

“So, we will, again, discuss with the team but we need to do a step forward now because it’s not the first time that it happens. We are quite often on the wrong side of making those decisions in those tricky situations. I had a clear opinion and a clear intuition and we went for something opposite. That was obviously frustrating to accept it first then you’re putting yourself in a very difficult situation. From that moment on, basically it’s slipped away from us.”

‘Memories of Alain Prost’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/charle...prost-sacking/


Vasseur on Ferrari troubles: Leclerc should 'put himself in our shoes'
25 June 2:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has urged Charles Leclerc to "put himself in our shoes" after another strategic fallout at the Canadian Grand Prix. Ferrari's strategy team has been much maligned since Leclerc joined in 2019 after a string of critical errors, not least during the ultimately failed championship charge last season.

"You can always do a better job," Vasseur told media, including RacingNews365.com. "But it is true that the picture you have 10 seconds after quali is not always the best one. We had a good discussion with Charles and gave him the global picture of the situation during the session.”

‘In our shoes’;

https://racingnews365.com/vasseur-on...f-in-our-shoes


VASSEUR RESPONDS TO LECLERC’S BLUNT CANADIAN QUALIFYING INTERVIEW
Frederic Vasseur and Charles Leclerc took their opinions to the media after yet another Ferrari strategy blunder
June 25, 2023
Luke Edmonds
FormulaNerds1

The Formula One world is well aware of Ferrari’s strategy blunders. However, Frederic Vasseur did not take kindly to these critiques from the Ferrari Wonder Boy. As a response to Leclerc’s comments during his post-qualifying interview, Vasseur sums that up to nothing more than short-term anger.

This is something that have plagued F1 drivers and staff members alike. After every frustrating moment throughout your career, a microphone is being put up to your face, and you’re expected to answer without having any time to reflect. Nonetheless, Frederic was quick to take accountability for Leclerc’s poor starting position.

Since his pole position in Baku, we have yet to see Leclerc start a Grand Prix inside the top 5. However, in the grand scheme of things, this has been the first time in quite a while that the majority of the blame can be placed on the Ferrari team.

‘Ferrari Wonder Boy’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/va...ing-interview/


Hill: Ferrari still in need of 'a firm hand' to solve team's malaise
25/06/2023 at 16:33
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Damon Hill has questioned whether Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur is "the firm hand" the Italian outfit needs to pull it out of its perennial "malaise". "They need to have a good, long, hard look at themselves, or someone does," Hill told The Express.

"It just seems this is the malaise that they perennially suffer from. It’s like, you’re not sure who’s really in charge there. It’s such a potent force in the sport, it needs the firm hand of someone like a Ross Brawn or a Jean Todt to grab it and get everyone to march with them."

Hill's Sky F1 colleague Martin Brundle warned that Vasseur isn't immune to falling victim to Ferrari's "revolving door" policy. "He knows which way is up. It has been a revolving door there and he’s got to be careful he doesn’t get caught up in it," he said in Montreal.

"Revolving door";

https://f1i.com/news/478549-hill-fer...s-malaise.html


Hill slates 'suffering' Ferrari with Leclerc future at risk
24 June 4:05PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Former F1 World Champion Damon Hill has urged Ferrari to have a "long, hard look at themselves" to end its current "malaise". The Monégasque made a plea for a switch to slicks to set a competitive time but had his call denied by the pit wall and was able to qualify only 11th on Intermediates.

It was not the first instance of strategy chaos experienced by Ferrari and Leclerc since he joined the team in 2019, with questionable decision-making a constant of late. Assessing where he could go if patience is lost with the Scuderia, Hill questioned: "What options are there? There aren’t any.”

“I suppose he could look at Aston Martin but I think Fernando’s got a two-year contract with them anyway. I think he’d probably step aside if they paid him enough money, but I don’t think he wants to give up a competitive drive."

‘Leclerc future at risk’;

https://racingnews365.com/hill-slate...future-at-risk


Martin Brundle warns Fred Vasseur of Ferrari ‘revolving door’ amidst rebuild mission
24 Jun 2023 1:30 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Martin Brundle does not want to see Fred Vasseur get caught up in the “revolving door” at Ferrari before finding his feet. “He knows which way is up. It has been a revolving door there and he’s got to be careful he doesn’t get caught up in it,” the Sky F1 broadcaster said after the Canadian Grand Prix.

The former F1 racer outlined how Vasseur needs to find more no-nonsense personalities like his own to slot into senior positions at the Scuderia, but said it could be a problem given the attractive options of teams that don’t require relocation to Italy.

“I think he needs four or five more like him, to be honest,” Brundle continued. “You’re trying to attract world-class aerodynamicists and technicians and designers, but Aston Martin ramped up massively and have been hiring. Audi, with Sauber, are hiring. They’re at a premium, these people, and they’re not easy to get hold of and to get out of long-standing, long-term contracts, and then to get them to move to Italy with their family.”

‘Rebuild mission’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin...sseur-ferrari/


Ralf Schumacher: Leclerc to Aston Martin is logical move
Both Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso lead Ferrari and Charles Leclerc in the 2023 constructors' and drivers' championships
June 24, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport

Ralf Schumacher believes Charles Leclerc should pursue a move to Aston Martin as Lawrence Stroll‘s team continue to overshadow Ferrari in 2023. Aston Martin‘s Fernando Alonso has scored over twice as many points as Leclerc including six podiums to the Monegasque driver’s one – a far cry from the first half of 2022 which saw him fighting for wins and the championship.

Leclerc‘s contracted to Ferrari until the end of 2024, but Schumacher urged him to explore other options than the team he’s been part of since 2016. “So far, there have only been Mercedes and Red Bull as potential options,” Schumacher told Sky Germany. “Mercedes is not quite as current at the moment, and it’s safe to assume that Hamilton will continue there.

“But I believe a strong candidate is also Aston Martin, as they also need to look around. Fernando Alonso will have another year after that.” In the middle of 2022, such a suggestion would’ve been laughed out of the room – but things move quickly in the world of F1.

‘Logical move’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/ral...-logical-move/

Alonso: More confident with Aston than any time in career.
Fernando Alonso says that Aston Martin's current performance is infusing him with more confidence than at anytime in his career, even his time at Renault when he won his two world championships.
24/06/2023 at 08:16
Andrew Lewin

While Max Verstappen remained firmly in control, Alonso felt that it (second place) showed Aston had close the gap to Red Bull while also staving off the threat from Mercedes. “In terms of pace we were matching Red Bull most of the race," he told Sky Sports F1, adding that in his view Canada had been the “most competitive race of the year” for his team.

“Everything is good," he replied when asked how things were at Aston, which he joined over the winter. "To be honest I cannot think of another time in my career that I was this confident with a team and with a project itself. I think there is more to come," he continued. "I want to win a race this year… the car is going in the right direction so more opportunities will come.”

‘EL PLAN: Infusing him with more confidence’;

https://f1i.com/news/478450-alonso-m...in-career.html


Alonso: Aston the most confidence-inspiring F1 project in my career
17:39 Fri, 23 Jun 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com

The ex-Renault, Ferrari and McLaren grand prix driver secured his sixth podium of the 2023 campaign last weekend in Canada. That haul after eight rounds is double the number of top-three results that the Spaniard achieved during his previous seven full-time seasons in F1.

Alonso finished second in Montreal, crossing the line 9.57 seconds behind dominant winner Max Verstappen. But he kept the chasing Lewis Hamilton out of DRS range in the final stint. This, Alonso told Sky Sports, helped underline Aston Martin’s “most competitive race of the year”. He added that, “in terms of pace, we were matching Red Bull most of the race”.

Aston team principal Mike Krack reckoned that missing out on the fight with Verstappen for victory in Canada was “not at all” frustrating. He continued: “It's challenging because we have a car with a driver that wants to do that, and we are not far from doing it. So, it's always very motivational and we need to fight hard to close the gap as much as we can for the next races.”

‘EL PLAN: The most confidence-inspiring F1 project in my career’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...ject/10486467/


Aston Martin challenged by Alonso winning mentality
25 June 11:50AM
Author Ewan Gale
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack has welcomed the challenge posed by Fernando Alonso's winning mentality as it aims to chase down Red Bull for a first Formula 1 win. The Spaniard joined the Silverstone-based outfit over the winter to replace the now-retired Sebastian Vettel, with Aston Martin having finished seventh in the Constructors' standings in 2022.

Alonso is notoriously demanding within a team given his passion for success, and the two-time World Champion has indicated a desire to secure a first win for Aston Martin in F1 in the near future. Addressing the wait for a win and Alonso's eagerness to get off the mark, Krack told media, including RacingNews365.com:

"Someone asked me before if it is frustrating, and I don't think it is at all, it's challenging. We have a car with a driver that wants to do it – and we're not far from doing it. So for us, it is very motivational and we need to fight hard to close the gap as we much as we can for the next races."

‘EL PLAN: Alonso winning mentality’;

https://racingnews365.com/aston-mart...ning-mentality


Alonso: Oversized F1 cars more of a problem than weight
25/06/2023 at 09:52
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Fernando Alonso believes that reducing the size of F1's current generation of machines would prove more beneficial to racing than lowering their weight. The weight is extraordinary," said Alonso. "At the moment, the low-speed performance is not great. We keep making these cars safer and safer, but obviously the heavier you make them when you have an impact it’s like crashing with a bus compared to a Smart Car."

Alonso believes that size matters when it comes to racing in close quarters, perhaps more than weight. "I don’t think it [reducing the weight] would change much the show," he said. "I think it’s more the size of the cars than the weight of the cars, which makes things a little bit more difficult.”

"Overtaking, fights into the first couple of corners in the race, it is difficult now to position the car, just because the size of it, not because the weight of the car."

‘EL PLAN: Reducing the size of F1's current generation of machines’;

https://f1i.com/news/478527-alonso-o...an-weight.html


Lance Stroll struggles against Fernando Alonso ‘doesn’t say much about Sebastian Vettel’
24 Jun 2023 9:15 AM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

As Fernando Alonso continues to lead the Aston Martin charge and Lance Stroll searches for an answer, F1 pundit Peter Windsor says this does not reflect well on Stroll’s former team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

Speaking about Stroll on his latest YouTube livestream, Windsor said: “He’s actually looking worse against Alonso than anyone he’s ever had next to him, isn’t he? Which says a lot about Fernando, and doesn’t say much about Sebastian Vettel actually.”

A fan then would ask Windsor if Lance could perhaps join another team so Aston Martin could bring in a stronger team-mate to Alonso? After initial laughter, Windsor said: “Wouldn’t that be funny if Lance Stroll told his old man that he was leaving Aston Martin to go and drive for, I don’t know, whatever, Red Bull.”

‘EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso continues to lead the Aston Martin charge’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/peter-...astian-vettel/

Marko: No one in F1 can challenge Verstappen right now.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko does not see anyone in Formula 1 who is able to compete with Max Verstappen given the Dutchman’s current form.
June 27, 2023
By Joe Ellis
Total Motorsport

The reigning two-time world champion has led 224 consecutive laps since he took the lead of the 2023 Miami Grand Prix and his lead in the standings is up to 69 points over Sergio Perez. The Mexican has started to dip in form but he is still holding off Fernando Alonso for second in the championship.

The Red Bull boss is totally happy with his drivers this season who are producing exactly what he expected. Marko, despite questions over Perez’s performances, is happy with his driver lineup and believes no one in F1 could manage to match Verstappen for a whole season.

“We also take luxury problems seriously,” Marko said, as quoted by F1 Insider. “As for Perez, soberly he’s done the job we expect him to do. He should help secure victory in the constructors’ championship and the current standings prove him right. He has also shown that he can still win races when he is at his best.”

‘No one in F1 can challenge Verstappen’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/mar...ge-verstappen/


Red Bull chief warns Ferrari won't let Austria be a 'walk in the park' for Verstappen
Friday 23 June 2023 17:57
Jay Winter
GPFans

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has cautioned those who assume the Austrian Grand will be an easy victory for Max Verstappen. Marko believes that the Red Bull Ring, a track known for its high-speed nature, will provide a favourable setting for Ferrari, who the Austrian claims were the quickest in Canada.

Although Verstappen aims to secure Red Bull's 101st victory at their home race, Marko draws attention to Ferrari's impressive performance in Montreal, which he believes went unnoticed.

"What went slightly unnoticed in Montreal is that Ferrari had the fastest car," Marko stated to oe24. "The Red Bull Ring suits them well. If Leclerc starts from either row 1 or 2, it won't be a walk in the park for Max."

‘Cautioned those who assume an easy victory’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/11...i-austrian-gp/


Red Bull: Perez doing the job 'we expect of him'
23/06/2023 at 16:24
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko suggested once again that Sergio Perez's future with eth Milton Keynes-based outfit is not in jeopardy, adding that the Mexican is fulfilling the team's expectations despite his disappointing form.

Marko sees no alternative currently as worthy as Perez to replace the Mexican. "We take luxury problems seriously," Marko told F1 Insider. "As far as Perez is concerned, so far, he has done the job we expect of him. He should help secure victory in the Constructors' championship and the current points score proves him right.”

‘Done the job we expect of him’;

https://f1i.com/news/478432-red-bull...ct-of-him.html


Perez still good enough for Red Bull says Marko
JUNE 22, 2023
GrandPrix.com

When asked why Perez is 6 tenths a lap slower than Verstappen in an identical car, Marko told Osterreich newspaper: "Because Max is Max. He's in the best car, but only (Fernando) Alonso and (Lewis) Hamilton could keep up with him at best. Those three are simply the strongest, with Max standing out among them."

“Perez has done the job we expect him to. He should help secure victory in the constructors' championship and the current standings prove that he is doing that," Marko told Sport1. "He has also shown that he can still win races when he is at his best.”

"The question of whether he is good enough does not arise for us. Because Max is getting better and better and the question you have to ask yourself is rather a different one - who would be the alternative?”

"Because Max is Max”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/perez...ays-marko.html


Marko explains why Perez is much slower than Verstappen in same car
21 June 1:20PM
Author Anna Francis
RacingNews365


The victory was also Red Bull's 100th in F1, a milestone that team advisor Marko relished celebrating. "When something like that happens, you don't run away straight away," Marko told Austrian outlet OE24. "Then you show up in Red Bull clothes as well. But I changed immediately and then slept wonderfully on the plane. 100 victories are a wonderful sleeping pill."

Sergio Perez was unable to match the pace of Max Verstappen during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, a race in which the Dutchman claimed Red Bull's 100th F1 victory. When asked why Perez looks to be much slower than Verstappen in the same RB19, Marko gave a simple answer. "Because Max is Max," the Austrian said.

"Because Max is Max”;

https://racingnews365.com/marko-expl...en-in-same-car

Lewis Hamilton ‘scored a point’ against Mercedes by proving Toto Wolff wrong – EXCLUSIVE.
EXCLUSIVE: Damon Hill believes that Lewis Hamilton will be pleased after getting Mercedes to change the design philosophy of their W14 challenger.
06:00, Sun, Jun 25, 2023
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Damon Hill believes that Lewis Hamilton got one over Mercedes boss Toto Wolff by forcing the team to admit they were wrong about the original design philosophy of their W14 challenger. The Silver Arrows initially tried to persevere with the 'zeropod' concept they introduced at the start of 2022, although it quickly became apparent that a change was needed in order to close the gap to Red Bull at the top of the pecking order.

"He’s scored a point a bit this year because he’s got them to admit they’ve made a mistake. They’ve changed direction and they’re now heading in what seems to be the right direction and he’s driving better now as well. It could be that he could have a car that he can contend for the championship with next year."

‘Proving Toto Wolff wrong’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-Wolff-F1-news


Damon Hill Credits Lewis Hamilton for Outshining Toto Wolff in W14 Redesign.
June 25, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Damon Hill, providing valuable insights, has highlighted the significance of Hamilton’s achievements. By exerting pressure on Mercedes and compelling them to alter their strategy, Hamilton has effectively scored a symbolic victory. This triumph could play a pivotal role in persuading the 38-year-old racing star to extend his contract with the team for the upcoming season.

During an exclusive conversation with Express Sport, Damon Hill shared his thoughts on the future of Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes when specifically questioned about it. “He knows that the team has got his back, they know what they’ve got with him and they will give him everything he possibly can,” said Hill.

‘Outshining Toto Wolff in W14 Redesign’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/damon-hill...-w14-redesign/


Mercedes’ upgrades yielding success ‘we haven’t felt for a long time’ – Wolff
2023 F1 season
Posted on 24th June 2023, 18:0024th June 2023, 17:56
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says his team feels happier with their performance than they have for a “long time” thanks to their recent upgrades package. Wolff says the apparent success of the Mercedes’ upgrades is having a positive impact within the team.

“I think we can see the positive dynamic literally cascading, transcending, into the organisation,” Wolff said. “We feel that the car is coming together, we see that our data yields results on-track and we haven’t felt that since a long time. That obviously contributes to this place being in a very good place.”

‘Toto Wolff says his team feels happier’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/24/...ng-time-wolff/


Even more W14 improvement in Austria? Toto Wolff delivers fresh hope
27 Jun 2023 3:43 PM
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

While Mercedes are not taking anything for granted, team boss Toto Wolff expects the Red Bull Ring to be a stronger battleground for the W14 than Montreal. Mercedes went into the Canadian Grand Prix last time out looking to prove that their improved showing in Spain, armed with the upgraded W14, was not merely track specific.

This is a home race for the Red Bull team, but also Wolff himself as an Austria native. “There were plenty of positives to take from the last race in Canada,” he said. “Although we didn’t get both cars to the chequered flag, a podium was a solid result and we saw encouraging signs from our updated package.”

“Austria is always a special weekend, as it’s my home race and I have good memories from the track; both with the team but also from my early years racing there and teaching as an instructor. It’s also the second sprint of the season so it will be interesting to see the impact it has on the weekend, at a more traditional circuit.”

‘Toto Wolff delivers fresh hope’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...rovement-hope/


Toto Wolff opens up on Mercedes disagreement on first day in charge of Silver Arrows
Toto Wolff has established himself as one of the most successful team bosses of all time over the last 10 years with Mercedes.
06:10, Tue, Jun 27, 2023
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Toto Wolff has revealed that he was left disappointed upon his arrival at Mercedes a decade ago by the scruffy nature of the reception at their Brackley headquarters. It was far from plain sailing for Wolff when he first arrived at Mercedes, though, with the German outfit having been firmly in the midfield shortly before he was recruited to lead them in 2013.

The levels of professionalism were nowhere near as high as they are now, which led Wolff into an early disagreement with his Mercedes colleagues on his very first day at work. "When I stepped in here for the first time I was waiting to meet Ross Brawn, who I have great admiration for as an engineer," said the Mercedes boss in an interview with Nasser Hussain as part of a new Sky Sports documentary, which is out on Wednesday.

"Whilst I was waiting it didn't feel like a Formula One reception. There was an old Daily Mail on the table and an old coffee cup with dry coffee inside. When I went to the meeting I said it didn't feel like a Formula One team. The answer I got was that the Daily Mail or the old coffee cup doesn't make the car faster, the engineering does. I disagreed because it shows whether you have attention to detail, whether you are a perfectionist or you seek excellence, and that starts with cleanliness and an immaculate environment, particularly in Formula One."

‘Toto Wolff: Mercedes disagreement on first day in charge’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Arrows-F1-news


Christian Horner draws attention to ‘inevitable’ Toto Wolff disruption tactic
27 Jun 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

As Red Bull look to be on course to win this year’s round of the Christian Horner versus Toto Wolff war, the Red Bull team boss says his rival will “inevitably use the media” to put on pressure on Red Bull. But, he concedes, it is a game of “vice versa”.

Along the way there was also a fair amount of drama as the two protagonists were each blamed for one massive crash, Hamilton at Silverstone and Verstappen in Italy, while Horner and Wolff brought the FIA into their feud as they questioned the legality of the others’ car.

But after one intense season, unlike anything witnessed in recent times, the battle petered out last year when Red Bull went on a charge in the new ground effect aerodynamic era and won 17 of the season’s 22 races. It had Wolff once again calling on the FIA to get involved, the Austrian wanting motorsport’s governing body to do something about his porpoising W13, while Horner told him it’s his own problem to fix.

‘Inevitable Toto Wolff disruption tactic’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...uption-tactic/


Wolff: Mercedes back ‘in a very good place’
Monday 26th June, 2023 - 11:24pm
By Ian Parkes
F1i.com

Toto Wolff believes validation of Mercedes’ decision to pursue an alternative development direction has resulted in a feeling with the car the team has not experienced “for a long time”. “We have set up a huge organisation in our financial department of 46 people that monitor the cost cap down to the last screw, and looks at the trend of our spend during all of the year,” said Wolff.

“What we’ve done is basically allocated resources to various projects. We stayed below that line all year last year, and we’re still below that line this year. And that is considering a normal, let’s say, development switch for next year, and this is still pretty much on track.”

“The good thing is we are constantly learning about what the car is doing. There are going to be some fundamental design changes for next year. But it’s not that we are building stuff. It’s more like what are we simulating, but that is not measured in either money, teraflops, or wind tunnel runs.”

‘In a very good place’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/26...ry-good-place/


Wolff: Risk/reward on banning tyre blankets in F1 unfavourable
26/06/2023 at 16:43
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff sees a lot of risk and very little reward in banning tyre blankets in Formula 1. Formula 1's stakeholders are set to vote at the end of July on whether to go ahead with a plan to ban electric tyre warmers as part of the sport's sustainability efforts.

Wolff confirmed that if it comes down to a vote by the F1 Commission at the end of July, he'll give the plan a thumbs down based on his drivers' feedback. "I’m going to vote on tyres on what my drivers tell me," he said, with Mick Schumacher standing nearby.

"Mick, Lewis and George, whatever their opinion, will be on how I should vote on tyre warmers." Asking Schumacher if tyre blankets should still be used in 2024, the young German gave a silent nod to his team boss. "So you know how I’m going to vote," concluded the Austrian.

‘Risk/reward unfavourable’;

https://f1i.com/news/478601-wolff-ri...avourable.html

Will Ferrari hit back at scene of their last win? Six Austrian GP talking points.
Formula 1 returns to Europe for a string of races across circuits that drivers and teams are all deeply familiar with. It is also the second sprint race weekend of the 2023 season as well as marking an unwelcome milestone for Ferrari. Here are the Talking Points for the Austrian Grand Prix.
2023 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 27th June 2023, 7:1527th June 2023, 0:03
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Ferrari’s year without wins: Just 15 months ago, Ferrari ended their longest losing streak of the 21st century with a strong victory for Charles Leclerc in Bahrain to enter into Formula 1’s new ground-effect era in the best way possible. Heading to the circuit where they last tasted victory almost a year ago, Ferrari need a clean weekend to show just how quick they truly are. Sprint sequel: As it was back in 2022, the Austrian Grand Prix will be a sprint race weekend. The second of six rounds run with the divisive format in 2023, this weekend will follow the revised format used for the first time at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix earlier this year.

Will Perez’s podium drought go on? While Verstappen continues to enjoy seemingly endless success out front, his Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez has endured a frustrating three rounds. Keep within the lines: When former FIA race director Michael Masi was axed as F1 race director before the start of the 2022 season, his replacements – Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas – both installed a new zero-tolerance policy to track limits.

New budget cap row brewing? It emerged last week the FIA has recently advised teams of a key clarification in how it will define ‘non F1 activities’ which are exempt from the budget cap. Crowd control: Crowd behaviour was a concern at last year’s race.

‘Six Austrian GP talking points’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/27/...alking-points/


Verstappen, Perez expecting 'hectic' home Austrian GP weekend
27 June 5:45PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are expecting a "hectic" and "tricky" Formula 1 weekend at Red Bull's home Austrian Grand Prix. F1 heads to Spielberg this weekend for Round 9 of the season, with Verstappen having won the last four races, leading every lap in Monaco, Spain and Canada.

That form, coupled with a blip for Sergio Perez has seen the points lead balloon to 69 points heading into a track Verstappen has won at four times while Perez only has a best finish of sixth.

It is also the second Sprint weekend of the season, with Verstappen vocal in his dislike of the format, but the Red Bull driver is expecting to put on a good show for the huge swaths of Dutch fans who make the trip to Austria.

‘Hectic home Austrian GP weekend’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...ian-gp-weekend


Revealed: Where on the grid Austrian Grand Prix will produce ‘super interesting’ fight
27 Jun 2023 8:00 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Austrian driver Ferdinand Habsburg has predicted that F1 fans could be treated to a “super interesting” fight as a result of the Austrian Grand Prix characteristics. WEC driver Habsburg believes the characteristics of the Red Bull Ring in his home country of Austria will produce a “super interesting” midfield battle between the likes of Alpine, Williams and McLaren.

“Personally, I am somebody that loves to follow not the front of the race, but I love to follow the middle of the race,” the ORF pundit told media including PlanetF1.com. “Watching to see how Williams does, how the Alpine car does, all of those cars in the midfield and I think the Red Bull Ring is particularly interesting for midfield cars.”

‘Super interesting’ fight’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/austri...aren-williams/


Haas treating Austria as test session to ‘cure’ F1 race pace woes
10:29 Tue, 27 Jun 2023.
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

The Haas Formula 1 team will be treating the Austrian Grand Prix weekend like a test session as it aims to rectify its race pace issues. Having shown strong one lap pace at certain events this year, Haas has been unable to carry over its speed into the race.

Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, Haas team boss Guenther Steiner says it will use the revised Sprint weekend format to focus on installing new ideas in a bid to find answers over its worrying form.

“We’re going into this race partly a little bit like a test session as well,” Steiner said. “We have a lot of things to try and cure our problems with the race pace, so we have a few ideas.”

‘Test session to ‘cure’ F1 race’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...ace-pace-woes/


Alonso rates Aston Martin's Austria hopes
27 June 11:05AM
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has moved to temper expectations ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, saying the Sprint format would "not be ideal" for his Aston Martin team. "I think the Sprint weekend will not be ideal for us," Alonso told media, including RacingNews365.com.

"We still [need] more time in Free Practice with our new upgraded car. We still need to understand and optimise the package a little bit and in Austria, obviously with the Sprint, we will have only FP1 to do that. But it is what it is.”

“The circuit will be good and maybe better for the package as well, this one with a strange layout, let's say. Maybe good for Ferrari, historically here as well with a long straight and short corners, so maybe in Austria we have a little bit more pace."

‘Aston Martin's Austria hopes’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-rat...-austria-hopes


Full weekend schedule for the F1 2023 Austrian GP
27 June 8:00AM
Author RacingNews365 Staff

Free Practice 1 will take place on Friday at 12:30 UK time, before traditional qualifying happens later in the day at 16:00.

The Sprint Shootout is scheduled for 11:00 on Saturday morning, and this will be followed by the Sprint at 15:30. The main Grand Prix starts at 14:00 on Sunday.

2023 F1 AUSTRIAN GP TIME SCHEDULE
Date Event Time (BST) Time (Local)
Friday 30 June Practice 1 12:30-13:30 13:30-14:30
Friday 30 June Qualifying 16:00-17:00 17:00-18:00
Saturday 1 July Sprint Shootout 11:00-11:44 12:00-12:44
Saturday 1 July Sprint 15:30-16:00 16:30-17:00
Sunday 2 July Race 14:00 15:00

‘Full weekend schedule’;

https://racingnews365.com/full-weeke...23-austrian-gp

Ferrari highlight 'extreme' Austrian GP limit.
Ferrari Head of ICE Davide Mazzoni has outlined the "extreme optimisation" needed for the energy management of an F1 power unit to be successful at the Red Bull Ring.
28 June 5:10PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

The Austrian Grand Prix plays host to the shortest lap time of the calendar, with drivers set to tackle only 10 corners this weekend. Three long DRS-assisted straights link up the corners to create an exhilarating lap lasting just over 60 seconds, but the layout does add strain on the effectiveness of power units.

"Having three DRS zones on a relatively short track, with some braking points that are very severe but of only short duration, requires an extreme optimisation of the Power Unit’s energy management," said Mazzoni.

"The system comprising the ERS, MGU-K, MGU-H and ICE is subjected to the stress of continuous transfer of energy from the recovery phase to its release in the high-speed sections, which is essential for setting a good lap time and for overtaking."

"Extreme optimisation needed";

https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-hi...trian-gp-limit


McLaren: Austrian GP upgrades start of ‘turning around the season’
28th June 2023, 13:15
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella says the extensive upgrade package it’s set to unveil over the coming rounds can be the start of his side “turning around the season”. The series of modifications will begin at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix and will change almost every aerodynamic part of McLaren’s 2023 launch-spec machine.

“Austria is a track in which we have done well in the past, I think six, seven corners, four of them are high speed, which we should be competitive on,” he said. “Then Austria is, like I said already for some time, our first step [of] bringing upgrades. I think this can be more important than how suitable the track is, the characteristics of our car.”

‘Extensive upgrade package’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...nd-the-season/


Verstappen set for emotional win? What to expect at the Austrian GP
28 June 3:40PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

F1 returns to the Red Bull Ring for round nine and the second Sprint weekend of the campaign. Max Verstappen holds a commanding lead over Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez after yet another victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, where the Mexican could finish only sixth.

The battle behind Red Bull looks to be ramping up, but with less practice time this weekend, can any surprises be sprung? RacingNews365.com takes a look at what we can expect at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Verstappen can provide emotional Red Bull win
Second-place battle up in the air
Albon to continue Williams crusade
De Vries' last resort?
Sprint surprises?

‘Emotional win?’;

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...he-austrian-gp


Bottas reveals EXTRA motivation ahead of Austrian Grand Prix
Wednesday 28 June 2023 14:57
Lauren Sneath
GPFans

Valtteri Bottas has said that Alfa Romeo will remain in the battle for the top 10 if the team keeps ‘doing its job’ as they head to the Austrian Grand Prix. He said: “The top ten finish the team achieved in Canada made us even more motivated. Our objective is to keep up with our good form and extend our points streak.

“Throughout my career, I have always enjoyed racing here in Spielberg: I have scored some good results here – including my first podium and two wins." He added: “With the sprint event format, and less practice time on track, it will be important to get the feeling right with the car from the very start, and build on that, especially when it comes to qualifying.”

“We know we have the potential to do well, and if we keep doing our job, we will remain in the battle for the top 10.”

‘EXTRA motivation’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/11...-top-10-fight/


Austrian GP weather forecast: Is a nasty surprise in store?
28 June 2:55PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

One thing that all Formula 1 sprint races have had in common thus far is that they have all been dry - but this run could come to an end at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Saturday at the Red Bull Ring, there is the possibility that the rain could arrive. RacingNews365's weather partners WeerOnline predict that Saturday morning's Sprint Shootout (Qualifying for the Sprint race) is set to be the wettest part of the weekend. A total of 16mm of rain could potentially fall over the circuit with the weather moving towards the east - and the Hungarian border.

Rain is also possible during Friday - and Qualifying for the main Grand Prix, with the morning practice session forecast to be dry. The temperature could peak around 26 degrees. As for race day, rain could fall in the early morning, perhaps interrupting the support series, but for the Grand Prix at 14:00pm local time, the forecast is for a cloudy 23 degrees, with the sun trying peak through the cloud cover.

‘Nasty surprise in store?;

https://racingnews365.com/austrian-g...prise-in-store

Double Fun or Double Dominance? 2023 Austrian Grand Prix.
It's time for F1 Sprint and the Grand Prix at the Red Bull Racing this weekend. 2 x Qualifying sessions and 2 x Races.
Published ‎Jun‎ ‎28‎, ‎2023‎ ‎11‎:‎38‎ ‎PM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)

The last time we had a Sprint + Grand Prix weekend, Charles Leclerc took pole (Baku, 2023). And the time before last (Brazil, 2022), George Russell won for Mercedes. We expect everyone to use and abuse this stat through the weekend.

In the mid-field, several teams will bring upgrades. But they will have lesser time to test them - just one Free Practice remember. Also, will the FIA bring about a rule change for using a 'new soft' in SQ3 on Saturday?

Also, it's Red Bull's home race - expect them to host some of the most-entertaining off-track activities. In fact, a jet pack operator will be present along with a legends parade. Will Sergio Perez bounce back? Will Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton continue to battle for P2? And what about Ferrari...?

‘Double Fun or Double Dominance?’;

https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1...austrian-grand


Hakkinen identifies Ferrari building block for Austrian GP
29 June 10:25AM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Mika Hakkinen has highlighted Ferrari's Formula 1 strategy as a key part of their hopes for success in the Austrian Grand Prix weekend. "Ferrari ran a good strategy in Canada and they need to build on that kind of confidence, even if Mercedes and Aston continue to have a performance advantage," Hakkinen noted in his Unibet column, while also observing the battle between Aston Martin and Mercedes.

"Behind Max [Verstappen] there is so much to enjoy as Aston Martin battles with Mercedes Benz. It was great to see Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton on the podium with Max in Canada – three great World Champions together.”

"Fernando and Lewis are beginning to close the gap to [Sergio Perez] in the World Championship. It’s going to be really important for those teams to focus on getting consistent performance across their driver line-up.”

‘Ferrari building block’;

https://racingnews365.com/hakkinen-i...or-austrian-gp


Alonso admits Austrian GP feature will HURT Aston Martin
Wednesday 28 June 2023 19:57
Dan Davis
GPFans

Fernando Alonso has claimed that the hectic Austrian Grand Prix schedule will damage Aston Martin's bid to fully optimise their recent upgrades. "I think the sprint weekend will not be ideal for us," Alonso said.

Team principal Mike Krack, meanwhile, is hopeful the upcoming races will provide a "clear picture" of where Aston Martin stand in comparison to their rivals. He said: "Canada is specific. I said in Barcelona that we should always wait a couple of races to identify really where you are.

"The mix between updates and the track characteristics makes it really difficult to get a clear picture. So, the safest thing to say at this point is Red Bull is in front... Anything else, I think it's probably also the shape of the day, how you are that day or how the circuit is suiting your car, or which tyres you're having on."

‘EL PLAN: "Clear picture"’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/11...-aston-martin/


Austrian GP: Toto Wolff optimistic Mercedes will make further improvements; Fernando Alonso says Sprint 'not ideal' for Aston Martin
Last Updated: 29/06/23 6:06am
Sky Sports

Mercedes claimed double podium in Spain and Lewis Hamilton was third in Canada after W14 received upgrades in Monaco; Toto Wolff hopes Silver Arrows continue upward curve in performance at Austrian GP

Toto Wolff is optimistic Mercedes' W14 will continue to show progress at this weekend's Austrian GP.

Mercedes will be introducing another "larger" upgrade at next weekend's British GP at Silverstone, but Wolff hopes his team will show more improvement in Austria as they seek to be Red Bull's closest challengers once again.

‘Mercedes will make further improvements’;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...r-aston-martin


McLaren seeking more than just downforce gains from major upgrade
2023 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 29th June 2023, 8:4629th June 2023, 9:13
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

McLaren are targeting more than just downforce gains from the major upgrade they will begin to introduce for their MCL60 this weekend, says Lando Norris. The team is rolling out a package of new parts over the next three rounds, starting in Austria this weekend, as it strives to reverse its slump in form since last season.

Some of the changes McLaren are looking to make address long-standing characteristics in their car’s handling, said Norris, who has been with the team since he arrived in F1 in 2019. “There are feelings I have in the car that we’ve had for the last five years and haven’t changed. So trying to understand all of these and actually make a difference, that’s also what we need if we want to compete and be a better team.”

“So anything that’s new – and there’s been a lot of work, a lot of changes – seeing all of this kind of come together and see what we can do with it [is encouraging]. But of course it’s not on track just yet. I’m confident it will be a step forward, but how much is the question. So I don’t want to get too overexcited about all of it like I never do. A lot of work that’s gone into it, so I’m excited to see all of that kind of come through and see what we’re capable of doing.”

‘Rolling out a package of new parts’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/29/...major-upgrade/


Budget cap penalty to have ‘massive’ impact on Red Bull – Pierre Wache.
June 28, 2023
BaylaSportsF1

Although Red Bull’s rivals have taken steps towards the dominant F1 team’s dominance recently, Alex Wurz says Max Verstappen is the clear favourite for the Austrian GP this weekend. “They have a car with good top speed, good downforce in slow corners and little drag on the straights. That’s what’s needed at the Red Bull Ring,” the former F1 driver and president of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association told Kronen Zeitung.

However, Dr Helmut Marko warned recently that Charles Leclerc could actually play a spoiler role at Red Bull’s home race. “Let’s see,” he told Osterreich newspaper. “Ferrari had the fastest car in Montreal. And now the Red Bull Ring suits them. If Leclerc starts from row 1 or 2, it won’t be a walk in the park for Max.”

Certainly, Pierre Wache – Red Bull’s technical director – does not seem to be too worried, as he admits that the 2023 car’s dominance turned out to be “bigger than we expected” before the season started. “It’s the efficiency, I would say,” he said. “On different tracks we are able to produce downforce without massive drag.”

‘It won’t be a walk in the park’;

https://baylasportsf1.com/budget-cap...-pierre-wache/

‘Life is unfair’: Verstappen rejects Hamilton’s call for rule change to end dominance.
Lewis Hamilton has called for Formula 1 to impose a cut-off point on car development to prevent one team dominating the championship.
2023 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 29th June 2023, 15:5829th June 2023, 16:38
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Hamilton said his proposal was “not aimed at any one particular person or anything.” He won six world championships in a seven-year spell from 2014 to 2020, during which time Mercedes was consistently the team to beat. Over the first three of those years they won 51 out of 59 races.

“In my 17 years of being here, before even I got here, you see a period, a time of dominance and it continues to happen,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans. “I was really fortunate to have one of those periods, Max is having that now – but with the way it’s going, it will continue to happen over and over again. And I don’t think that we need that in the sport.”

Hamilton believes “something’s got to change” to prevent individual teams dominating F1 as others have before Red Bull in recent years. However Verstappen had little time for Hamilton’s suggestion of imposing a cut-off date on teams’ car development. “Life is unfair as well so it’s not only in Formula 1,” he said. “A lot of things in life are unfair so we just have to deal with it.”

‘Life is unfair’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/29/...end-dominance/


Ill Perez faces Austrian GP fitness race
29 June 2:25PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Sergio Perez faces a race for fitness ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix after becoming unwell. Red Bull confirmed that having become unwell on Wednesday (28 June), Perez would be absent from the circuit for Thursday's media obligations in order to ensure he was in the 'best possible health' for the race weekend.

Drivers are afforded only one practice session ahead of qualifying as part of the alternate Sprint format, with Saturday now separated from the Grand Prix proper with its own qualifying Shootout ahead of the Sprint.

‘Austrian GP fitness race’;

https://racingnews365.com/ill-perez-...p-fitness-race


Tsunoda welcomes AlphaTauri rebrand and plan to mimic Red Bull’s car design
2023 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 29th June 2023, 11:3529th June 2023, 16:23
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans

Yuki Tsunoda has welcomed the news AlphaTauri will move closer to Red Bull in their design philosophy when they rebrand next year. “The orientation is clear: based on Red Bull Racing, as far as the regulations allow,” said Marko. “Do-it-yourself constructions are the wrong way.” Speaking at the Red Bull Ring ahead of this weekend’s race, Tsunoda said he was aware of the team’s plans to change its design philosophy before Marko revealed it.

“About the team changing, obviously I knew [there] will be stronger connection between Red Bull and AlphaTauri and it will be a lot changed before they actually announced it in the news,” he said in response to a question from RaceFans. “So I knew it.”

“Especially [on the] performance side that we saw the last two years, it was not really in the place that we wanted, especially last year. Probably Helmut thought that we need to change something. I think he gave us a chance, one more year and it didn’t improve much.”

‘AlphaTauri rebrand’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/29/...ls-car-design/


Ferrari brings revised F1 front wing to Austrian Grand Prix
29th June 2023, 13:49
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com

The tweaks were trialled at a filming day Ferrari conducted at Fiorano earlier in the week where its F1 challenger ran alongside its Le Mans-winning Hypercar. This was a shrewd move by the Scuderia, given that teams have less time to evaluate parts during free practice at the Red Bull Ring because it is a sprint event.

The changes that Ferrari have made are pretty extensive but mainly focus on the outboard section of the wing and endplate in order that the front tyre wake can be handled a little differently. This also has the benefit of improving flow downstream for the revisions Ferrari introduced to its sidepods and floor at the Spanish GP.

‘Revised F1 front wing’;

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...prix/10488998/


Doubts over Aston Martin as Ferrari hype continues for Austrian Grand Prix
29 Jun 2023 1:30 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso has become the latest figure to highlight the Ferrari threat ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, with the two-time World Champion expecting his Aston Martin team to struggle in Styria.

Although Verstappen took his fourth consecutive win in Canada, Marko told Austrian publication oe24 that Ferrari “had the fastest car” that weekend and warned Red Bull’s home race “will not be a big Oktoberfest for Max” if Leclerc can qualify strongly.

Marko’s view is shared by Alonso, who fears the vagaries of a sprint weekend in Austria – with just a single practice session to find a workable setup before qualifying on Friday afternoon – will count against Aston Martin after the team introduced a significant upgrade of their own last time out.

‘Ferrari hype continues’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...an-grand-prix/


Alonso delivers 'harsh' Austrian GP warning
29 June 9:40AM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365

Fernando Alonso has warned of the dangers of Formula 1 kerbs at the Red Bull Ring ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend.

Alonso finished second in Montreal last time out, utilising an update package to his Aston Martin and ahead for the Austrian GP weekend, the two-time F1 World Champion said: “It was great to return to the podium in Canada. "The upgrades we brought to the car seemed to be working well and we will continue to optimise the setup as we go into Austria.”

“It’s a fast and short lap here and it usually provides some good racing and overtaking. You have to be careful of the run-off areas and try to avoid damage to the cars with the harsh kerbs. I look forward to seeing what we can do. The target will be to keep up this form and score as many points for the team as we try to take back second place in the Constructors’ Championship.”

'Harsh' Warning’;

https://racingnews365.com/alonso-del...ian-gp-warning

Verstappen aims for another record as Red Bull head home.
Runaway leader and defending double world champion Max Verstappen bids to become the most successful driver in Austrian Grand Prix history this weekend as Red Bull plan a poignant 'century' celebration on home ground.
30th June 2023, 06:07
Wheels24

The 25-year-old Dutchman, who leads this year's title race by 69 points ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez, shares the record of three Austrian wins with four-time world champion Alain Prost. Another win at the Red Bull Ring circuit would take him to four and be his seventh in nine races this year as well as the team's 101st as they return to Austria for the first time since the death of owner Dietrich Mateschitz last October.

"It's going to be a bit special this time," said team boss Christian Horner amid celebrations of the team's 100th triumph at the Canadian Grand Prix. It's great to return to Austria with this run of form and results and with Max in such exceptional form. There will be a very big sell-out home crowd and a great atmosphere. They always put on a big show and this year will be the biggest of all."

‘Another record’;

https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsp...-home-20230629


Red Bull have “killed the opposition” in year since Ferrari’s last win – Sainz
2023 Austrian Grand Prix
Posted on 29th June 2023, 17:30
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham

Carlos Sainz Jnr admitted its been a “tough” year for Ferrari since they scored their most recent victory, at the scene of this weekend’s race. Charles Leclerc scored the Scuderia’s last win at the Red Bull Ring, almost a full year ago. Sainz said it’s “been a long year” for the team since then.

“From Austria last year ’til now, it’s been tough. We had a bit of a dip in form towards the end of last year in race pace, and then we carried that difficult moment into this year and we are in exactly the turning point or in the point of where we are trying to turn things around to make the car competitive again and to try and win again.”

All bar one of the 19 grands prix since Ferrari’s last win have been won by Red Bull, and Sainz acknowledged Ferrari face a formidable task in getting back on terms with them. “It’s not going to be easy because there’s another team called Red Bull that have killed everyone, killed the opposition in a way, and we are not the only ones suffering it,” he said. “There’s teams also like Mercedes that have suffered [from] their good job and it’s down to us now to reverse it and to try our best to win again.”

“Killed the opposition”;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/29/...ast-win-sainz/


‘Straightforward Weekend’ Needed for Ferrari to Bring Home Good Result – Frédéric Vasseur
June 29, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag

Frédéric Vasseur says it is important for Scuderia Ferrari to have a straightforward Austrian Grand Prix weekend if they want to bring home good results during Saturdays sprint race and Sunday’s main race at the Red Bull Ring.

Vasseur says that the sprint race weekend format means they need to arrive at the track with some kind of idea about the ideal set-up needed to be competitive, particularly with only one free practice session prior to the Qualifying session on Friday afternoon.

“Our main focus has been on ensuring that our drivers can get the most out of the SF-23 package, as indeed they were able to do in the race in Montreal. We’re looking to have a straightforward weekend all the way through from Friday to Sunday and if we manage it, then I’m sure we can bring home a good result.”

‘Straightforward Weekend’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...deric-vasseur/


Five big storylines to emerge from Austrian Grand Prix media day
29 Jun 2023 8:05 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Happen to miss what the F1 drivers had to say on media day at the Austrian Grand Prix? Well take a seat and make yourself comfortable, dear reader, because you’re in for a treat.

Lewis Hamilton wants FIA intervention to slow runaway leaders like Red Bull. Sergio Perez let slip back in Barcelona that Red Bull “are not really bringing big upgrades any more” to the RB19 as they switch focus to the 2024 car and, exactly four weeks later, word has finally reached Hamilton. And, it’s quite fair to say, he’s not very happy about it.

Max Verstappen points to Lewis Hamilton hypocrisy. Verstappen was quick to spot perceived hypocrisy in Hamilton’s comments and was even faster in pointing them out to everyone else, politely reminding his old rival that teams like Red Bull and Mercedes work hard to put themselves in winning positions and work even harder to preserve that status.

Lewis Hamilton: Red Bull’s ‘small’ cost cap punishment ‘didn’t cost them anything’. Of course, one of the main things preventing Mercedes from closing the gap to Red Bull is F1’s cost cap, introduced with the theoretical aim of levelling the playing field once and for all but in reality doing anything but.

‘Big storylines’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/austri...ig-storylines/


Lando Norris: Sprint weekend in Austria looks “promising” for McLaren
June 30, 2023
By Ashley Cline
The Checkered Flag

McLaren F1 Team’s Lando Norris comes into the Austrian Grand Prix after a solid showing of pace in Canada, though he did not score any points due to his five-second penalty for driving too slowly behind a safety car– noted by the stewards as “unsportsmanlike conduct” done to ensure a successful double-stack in the pits.

The Red Bull Ring holds significance for Norris, with him achieving his first podium result at the venue– a third place finish in 2020. Along with the sprint weekend set-up, which offers more opportunities to score points and come through the field, Norris said that this weekend is a “promising” one.

“The Red Bull Ring is one of my favourite circuits. It holds a lot of good memories for me, having scored my first podium there. It’s a Sprint weekend too, which always makes it more interesting. It’s all looking promising, so we’ll get out there and give it our all.”

‘Looks “promising” for McLaren’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...g-for-mclaren/


Alex Albon: “We’re going to be aiming for points”
June 29, 2023
By Joe Briley
TheCheckeredFlag.co.uk

Alex Albon comes into the Austrian Grand Prix full of confidence following an impressive race in Canada which saw him finish seventh, his highest finish for Williams Racing. Albon has said that he and Williams will be aiming for more points this weekend and with the sprint weekend, anything is possible.

“I’m looking forward to Austria after coming off the back of a great weekend in Canada. This track is another one that should suit our car more than some other circuits. With this format being a sprint weekend, coupled with the rain, it’s all to play for. We’re going to be aiming for points so let’s work to try make that happen.”

‘Full of confidence’;

https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ng-for-points/

Verstappen beats out Ferrari to top Austrian GP FP1.
Max Verstappen was fastest overall in first practice for the Austrian GP, as the Red Bull driver beat out Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by 0.241s despite running on medium compound tyres.
June 30, 2023
By Matt Neill
Total Motorsport

Sainz and teammate Charles Leclerc were both around 0.25 seconds slower than Verstappen on the soft compound tyres, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth for Mercedes half a second behind the Dutchman.

Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez was fifth overall, also running on the medium tyres, while Aston Martin‘s Lance Stroll was sixth, ahead of Kevin Magnussen and teammate Fernando Alonso.

George Russell was ninth overall for Mercedes, with Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu rounding out the top 10.

‘Verstappen beats out Ferrari’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...strian-gp-fp1/


(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Austrian Grand Prix
30th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:05.742
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.241
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.270
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.509
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.520
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.598
7. Kevin Magnussen Haas +0.755
8. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.914
9. George Russell Mercedes +0.954
10. Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo +1.038

‘Austrian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the only practice session of this weekend’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Red Bull Ring’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-...and-prix-82473


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Austrian Grand Prix
30 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...lgiOtnbfZ.html


2023 F1 Austrian Grand Prix - Qualifying - LIVE UPDATES!
30th June 2023, 12:11
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net

‘LIVE UPDATES!’;

https://www.crash.net/f1/live/2023-f...e-live-updates


Verstappen fastest ahead of Austrian qualifying
30th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Austrian Grand Prix – Max Verstappen denies the Ferraris the top spot to go fastest ahead of qualifying in the sole practice hour of the weekend.

Carlos Sainz had been holding the top of the times for the final five or so minutes but he was denied by a late last lap by Verstappen, after three laps cooling down his medium tyres, who put in a 1:05.742, almost a quarter of a second quicker than the Spaniard. Charles Leclerc was a few hundredths slower than his teammate in P3, both Ferraris having set their times on the softs.

Hamilton opened the timesheets with a 1:09.021 on the hards, while the two Williams cars sat out the first while in their garages, Alex Albon emerging after six minutes but returning to the pits without setting a time. There was no information initially given as to why they weren’t out on track and apparently even Jo Bauer, the F1 Technical Delegate, also went down to them to check on everything, later the team said there hadn’t been any issues and they were just following their run plan.

‘Verstappen fastest’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen...alifying-82476


AUSTRIAN F1 PRACTICE: FERRARI IMPRESS, RED BULL LOOK COMFORTABLE AT HOME
It's the second one hour-only practice of the F1 season. Following a frantic practice hour during the new sprint weekend format's debut weekend in Baku, would Austria follow suit?
June 30, 2023
Samuel Coop
FormulaNerds

The jury is very much still out on the new F1 sprint weekend format. But upending the conventional trend of three, hour-long practice sessions proved effective at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Would the second run of the single-hour practice format prove to be as chaotic and critical as the first?

The last quarter: With little over 10 minutes left to run, cars started to filter out of the pits with the red-walled soft tyres. First, Gasly would improve on his best time, despite an error at turn 3. Stroll would fare better, however, jostling in between Hamilton and Verstappen in P2. With most of the field on the softest rubber, Verstappen would not be deterred. The 25-year-old popping in the best time of the session on medium tyres.

However, Carlos Sainz soon took the initiative to get into the 1:05s with a little over five minutes to go. At the head of the pack is where he’d stay as the session entered the final two minutes. Would anyone get the better of him? Despite a slow first sector, Verstappen went purple in sectors two and three to end the session on top, clocking in a 1:05.742 on medium tyres. Another weekend of Red Bull dominance?

‘FERRARI IMPRESS, RED BULL LOOK COMFORTABLE’;

https://www.formulanerds.com/news/au...table-at-home/


Ominous pace for Verstappen in Austrian GP practice
Friday 30th June, 2023 - 10:44pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe

A late lap from Max Verstappen was an ominous warning to the field that Red Bull will again be a significant force to contend with in Austria this weekend. The Dutchman topped the event’s single practice session despite not using the softest compound tyre. He ended the session 0.241s clear of Carlos Sainz, the Ferrari driver having bolted on the red-walled rubber.

In the final minutes, Verstappen returned to the top of the timesheets after falling down the order as others completed their qualifying simulations. He did so on the medium compound tyre, leaving him more than 0.1s clear of Charles Leclerc in second best. Carlos Sainz then went fastest, logging a 1:05.983s to head the pack by 0.101s.

Red Bull had not touched the soft tyres, preferring to protect its limited bank with a view towards qualifying, the Sprint, and the race itself. A lap as the chequered flag fell saw Verstappen rise to the top of the timesheets once more, on a set of the medium tyres – the same set as he’d used to bank his earlier lap. It was an ominous lap, suggesting Red Bull once more has a comfortable advantage over the field.

‘Ominous pace for Verstappen’;

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/06/30...n-gp-practice/

Max Verstappen on Austrian GP pole despite F1 blast as Charles Leclerc suffers heartbreak.
Max Verstappen navigated a tricky Austrian Grand Prix qualifying session to secure pole position as the Formula 1 stewards deleted scores of lap times. The Dutchman felt their wrath twice himself as he had laps deleted in Q1 and Q2, and swore loudly as he complained over the radio about losing those times.
17:07, 30 Jun 2023
By Daniel MoxonSenior F1 Writer

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have made improvements in recent weeks, but championship leader Max Verstappen very much remained favourite for pole position at the Red Bull Ring

That was despite a monster lap from Charles Leclerc who gave everything to topple the Red Bull racer. But he was just four-hundredths of a second slower than Verstappen in an encouraging sign for Ferrari, who also had Carlos Sainz in third place.

Lando Norris was fourth quickest as McLaren's upgrades looked good while Lewis Hamilton starts fifth, sharing the third row with Lance Stroll. He will have been pleased to out-qualify his team-mate Fernando Alonso who will line up one place behind him.

‘Stewards deleted scores of lap times’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...ilton-30362995


Qualifying Results – 2023 Austrian Grand Prix
30th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:04.391
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.048
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.190
4. Lando Norris McLaren +0.267
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.428
6. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +0.502
7. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.520
8. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.699
9. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.779
10. Alex Albon Williams Racing +1.432

‘Austrian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for Sunday’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Red Bull Ring’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying...and-prix-82487


LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix
30 June 2023
Formula One - Official Site

‘As it happened’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...FyENEmrJp.html


Ferraris get close but can’t deny Verstappen the pole
Austrian Grand Prix – Max Verstappen took pole but the Ferraris weren’t too far behind, while track limits played havoc throughout the session.
30th June 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy

Q1: In the end the field was covered by just over eight and a half tenths but Yuki Tsunoda, Zhou, Sergeant, Magnussen and de Vries won’t be continuing in the session, unless there are any other time deletions of course.

Q2: Verstappen in P1 was the only driver not on track at the end while things didn’t go well for Perez as he got each of his fast laps deleted. The charts continued to change after all cars had set their times as there were a raft of deletions so it ended with Russell, Ocon, Piastri, Bottas and Perez failing to progress.

Q3: was able to shave more time off at the top to set a 1:04.391 and while the Ferraris gave it their best shot, the upgraded car just missed out and Leclerc wasn’t able to get closer than 0.048 seconds. There weren’t any times deleted after the session and Sainz took P3 ahead of Norris, also in an upgraded car. Hamilton ended the day in P5 while Stroll finished ahead of his teammate to take P6. Hulkenberg was P8 while Gasly and Albon rounded out the top ten.

‘Leclerc wasn’t able to get closer than 0.048 seconds’;

https://formulaspy.com/f1/ferraris-g...the-pole-82490


Verstappen pips Leclerc to pole as track limits errors doom Perez to 15th
2023 Austrian Grand Prix qualifying
Posted on 30th June 2023, 17:21
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans

Max Verstappen secured his fourth pole position in a row in Austria, narrowly beating the resurgent Ferrari of Charles Leclerc. However Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull registered his fourth consecutive failure to reach the final phase of qualifying. This time a string of track limits infringements prevented him progressing from Q2.

In the final minutes, Verstappen and the Ferraris both headed out for their final runs on fresh soft tyres. Verstappen improved by a tenth of a second to lower his own pole time to a 1’04.391. Leclerc was quickest in the middle sector but lost half a tenth to Verstappen in the final sector and crossed the line that far behind the Red Bull driver, ensuring yet another pole for the world champion.

Sainz was just under two tenths behind Verstappen in third place, while Norris secured fourth place in his updated McLaren. Hamilton secured fifth for Mercedes ahead of the two Aston Martins of Stroll and Alonso. Hulkenberg took eighth for Haas, with Gasly ninth and Albon in tenth, his final deleted time ultimately having no impact on his final qualifying position.

‘Verstappen pips Leclerc’;

https://www.racefans.net/2023/06/30/...perez-to-15th/


Lando Norris in awkward exchange with F1 journalist at Austrian GP - 'Who are you?'
McLaren driver Lando Norris is known for being one of the nicest guys in F1 and jumped to a reporter's defence ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix.
16:10, Fri, Jun 30, 2023
By Benjamin Goddard
Daily and Sunday Express

Experienced Brazilian television reporter Mariana Becker took the opportunity to ask Norris about the car improvements. She said: “How is it going to work with you to test everything and do you think it will be a game changer?” Norris replied: “Good question, you ask the best questions here, well done.” The British driver gave a smile while giving the answer but was shocked by what followed.

One male reporter stood nearby took issue with Norris’ answer and quipped: “You are one hell of a liar!” Both Norris and the Brazilian reporter seemed to be taken aback by the comment with the McLaren driver then quickly putting the male reporter down with his reply.

In an awkward exchange, the British driver added: “I’m not. Woah. Who are you?” Norris seemed lost for words before adding: “No I’m telling the truth.”

‘Awkward exchange’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ws-Austrian-GP