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Five big Italian GP questions: Ferrari’s home chances, Williams’ Colapinto conundrum and more.
The eternal question when it comes to the Italian Grand Prix: How will Ferrari perform in front of their adoring home support?
28 Aug 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Well, if team principal Fred Vasseur is anything to go by from before the summer break, he was hopeful that Monza would be one of the circuits where the Scuderia would be able to mount one of their stronger challenges in the remainder of the F1 2024 season.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso even said the SF-24 “should be the car to beat” at the Temple of Speed this weekend, with its strengths seemingly suiting the long straights and sweeping corners that Monza provides.
The beauty of the F1 2024 season so far has been its unpredictability, and given track changes at Monza this year, Carlos Sainz predicts another weekend along the same lines. “It’s been resurfaced, Monza, so we will find a very different Monza to the last few years,” he told media including PlanetF1.com at Zandvoort.
‘Ferrari’s home chances’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/italia...lliams-ferrari
IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2024 Italian Grand Prix
28 Aug 2024
Special Contributor: Chris Medland
Formula One - Official Site
Ferrari’s upgrades and home hopes: How can we start anywhere else but with a Ferrari section when discussing the Italian Grand Prix at Monza? But there’s more to look forward to this weekend than just passionate support…
Before the summer break, Team Principal Fred Vasseur had said the Dutch Grand Prix would be a case of damage limitation, before a run of races that would suit their car more. So Charles Leclerc’s excellent performance to secure a podium at Zandvoort was a positive surprise.
Ferrari wanted to make sure they didn’t lose too much ground to Red Bull in the constructors’ championship and limited that loss to just a solitary point. And now they look to increase the pressure.
‘5 storylines’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...cqvNtRGHPN2bP7
Williams make pitlane mistake in Monza with Colapinto's name
28 Aug 2024
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com
This weekend at the Italian Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto will make his first appearance for the Williams team. His name is already hanging over the team's pit box, only there has been a mistake. On Tuesday, it was announced by Williams that Logan Sargeant will have to leave the team with immediate effect.
His replacement was announced simultaneously. F2 rookie Franco Colapinto will take over the wheel for the remaining races of this season. Next season, Carlos Sainz will race in that Williams seat.
Colapinto will thus have his first F1 seat this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix. With this comes the fact that his name hangs above the pit box. Now, only a clumsy mistake has been made. For his name is misspelled. It reads 'Franco Colopinto' instead of 'Franco Colapinto'.
‘Pitlane mistake: 'Franco Colopinto'!’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29735...-in-italy.html
Sainz ‘hopeful’ Ferrari F1 Monza upgrades eradicate bouncing
28 Aug 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz is “hopeful” that the new upgrade package coming in time for the team’s home Grand Prix at Monza will eradicate its bouncing issues. With a new raft of upgrades, including a new floor coming in time for the Italian GP this weekend, Sainz is hoping the team has found a solution.
“I hope once we unlock or discover what is the actual thing that is generating this porpoising, which I feel like we’re a step behind in understanding that,” the Spaniard said at Zandvoort following the Dutch GP.
“Hopefully with this new floor or new upgrades that we’ll bring soon, these problems go away and we can just focus on adding downforce to the car.” Sainz rued that the team had to adjust its ride height at Zandvoort to mitigate its bouncing issues, which in the ground effect era of F1, means sacrificing raw pace.
‘Eradicate porpoising’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...cate-bouncing/
Monza resurfacing 'could have big impact on Italian GP'
28 Aug 2024
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
New asphalt put down at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza could have a major effect on this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, according to tyre providers Pirelli in their pre-race analysis. "As is usually the case with newly laid asphalt, the surface is smoother than its predecessor and darker in colour," Pirelli pronounced. The darker surface also will pick up more heat from the sun and could reach highs of over 50C.
In theory the new surface should offer more grip, which will impact the temperature generated in the tyres and contribute to increased tyre degradation, which teams will have to account for with their race strategies.
Ideally teams will want to run a one-stop race because the time needed for a pit stop at Monza is one of the longest of the year, especially relative to the speeds the cars reach on track. However that might not be possible this year.
‘Increased tyre degradation’;
https://f1i.com/news/517531-monza-re...talian-gp.html
Verstappen and Norris in agreement over Italian GP 'unknown'
The two F1 title protagonists will go head-to-head once again this weekend at the Italian Grand Prix.
29 August 2024
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris are in agreement that the Italian Grand Prix will be an unknown in terms of how each team will perform.
At low downforce, high-speed tracks like Monza, both the MCL38 and RB20 have appeared strong, with Norris, who is looking to prevent a third straight Verstappen Monza win, keeping his cards close to his chest. "I have no idea. You ask us questions like we're meant to know. I've got no idea," Norris told media including RacingNews365 when asked if McLaren's Zandvoort pace would translate to Monza. "Anyone could be on top. Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, us. Ferrari were quite quick [in the Dutch GP], we probably didn't expect them to be as good as they were.”
Verstappen, who was also asked for his thoughts as to how the Italian GP would play out, pointed to a key problem with the RB20. "We just need to figure out our balance issues. I think that will already help a lot also with [tyre] deg," he said. "Of course, in Monza, a lot is new. You know, Tarmac, kerbs, even the layout in Turn 1, 2. So also we need to understand that a bit more. But we know we have quite a bit of work to do."
‘Italian GP 'unknown'!’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...ian-gp-unknown
Why the Italian Grand Prix is particularly tough for F1 cars
28 August 2024
Sandy van Wijngaarden
GPblog.com
This weekend, the Italian Grand Prix is on the programme. Besides the long history the track in Monza has, it is also a unique track. Brembo's technical team explain what is special about the fast track. Brembo is an Italian manufacturer specialising in high-performance braking systems. The company supplies the braking systems of several Formula 1 teams. The manufacturer rates the 5,973-metre track at Monza as one of the circuits that demands the most from the brakes.
Besides being tough on the brakes, the circuit is also tough on the drivers. On a scale of 1 to 5, the Monza circuit gets a five in terms of difficulty from Brembo. In the three chicanes, brake pedal pressure exceeds 140 kilograms. Delays in corners create at least 4.5 g. There are six braking points with a total braking time of just under eight seconds per lap
‘Circuit is also tough on the drivers’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29722...rand-prix.html
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Lando Norris and Sergio Perez disagree on F1 title fights as Red Bull driver makes big claim.
Lando Norris announced he will refuse to answer any more questions about his and McLaren‘s chance in either the drivers’ or constructors’ f1 title fights against Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
29 Aug 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport
Lando Norris announced he will refuse to answer any more questions… “I don’t know. It’s not something you can just question now, and I think I answered it in every single interview I did last week,” Norris told members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com at Monza. “So I’m not going to answer every single interview from now on.”
Sergio Perez believes Red Bull have found the problem that’s seen their lead over McLaren cut from a high of 115 points to just 30 ahead of the 2024 Italian Grand Prix where Norris arrives as favourite.
“There are many races to go still, so definitely the momentum is with them,” Perez said. “But we’re not sitting back. We as a team are working really hard to find the solutions, and I think there has been a really good step taken to understand the issue.”
‘Lando Norris announced he will refuse to answer’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/lan...ull-big-claim/
Perez hopeful about future: 'Now we understand what is wrong'
29 Aug 2024
Tygo Bekkema
GPblog.com
According to Perez, Red Bull finally know where the problems with the car are coming from. But despite this, the six-time Grand Prix winner also stresses that it will not be easy for Red Bull to hold off the McLarens. "Well, I think the biggest thing for us is that we understand now the issues with the car. We understand them. It's just a question of how quickly and what solutions we have to fix them. But we exactly know where we are with the car. We know what is the issue. And, yeah, hopefully in the coming weekends, even already for this one, we are able to make a lot of progress."
Perez expects an exciting battle, but he is confident of a good outcome. "Definitely the momentum is with them. But we're not sitting back. We, as a team, are working really hard to find the solutions. I think it has been a really good step taken to understand the issue. It has taken us probably a little bit too long. But we know our problems. It will just be a matter of maximising from now until the end of the year and see where we end up. But I have got every hope that we can bring some performance to the car in the coming races."
‘How quickly and what solutions we have to fix them’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29753...ll-racing.html
Ferrari eyes Monza glory as Verstappen's dominance falters
29 Aug 2024
Malay Mail
Is Ferrari the team to beat? Ferrari have had a driver on pole position at each of the last two Monza GPs only to lose out both times to Verstappen on home soil. Charles Leclerc, whose second place behind Verstappen two years ago was particularly bitter as the Dutchman started the race seventh on the grid, won a brilliant battle with Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri for third at Zandvoort.
That finish, and Carlos Sainz battling back to fifth, gave some heart to downbeat Ferrari ahead of their home GP, where they will have similarly fanatical support to what Verstappen received in the Netherlands.
‘Ferrari eyes Monza glory’;
https://www.malaymail.com/news/sport...falters/148538
Drama in Monza already: F1 Safety car in the barrier after high-speed crash
29 Aug 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
The Formula 1 world is anticipating a dramatic weekend in Monza. The Italian Grand Prix is set to see McLaren and Red Bull go head-to-head again, while Mercedes and home favourites Ferrari also try to challenge for the victory. But there's already drama a day before the on-track action starts. The safety car has crashed.
During the high-speed track test, the safety car crashed at Parabolica. This is perhaps the most iconic corner at the Monza circuit and is the final corner before the start/finish straight. It is always a challenging part of the circuit for the Formula 1 drivers, but Bernd Mayländer had trouble with it on Thursday. The safety car appears to have spun off the track at high speed and run across the gravel. It hit the wall, and part of its bonnet went underneath the barrier.
It seems impossible to open the left side door. But there is good news: everyone got out of the car, and all involved are OK. GPblog has since learned the following information about the incident. "There was an on-track incident with the FIA Safety Car today at Monza. Aston Martin is investigating the cause but can confirm both driver and passenger are fine. There is an additional Safety Car at the circuit and it will not impact the weekend's event."
‘Part of its bonnet went underneath the barrier’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29750...rand-prix.html
Fresh concern for Hamilton and Russell as Mercedes don't understand update
29 Aug 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
There is now fresh concern for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell as Mercedes admit they don't fully understand the latest upgrade applied. "You can take some straightforward measurements and say that the downforce it was supposed to deliver looked like it was there. So at one level, you could take comfort that it worked as expected. But a lot of the pace of the cars in this year, particularly, is down to how well they handle”
“So it's not just a question of ‘does your aero package deliver you downforce’, but is it delivering you the balanced car that you need through the corners? Is it delivering you the balanced car you need from high speed to low speed? And we definitely know that we didn't have a well-balanced car this weekend. That's where most of our pace went,"
‘Fresh concern’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29745...or-update.html
Renault F1 staff on strike over Alpine engine decision with Italian GP protest planned
29 Aug 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
An Italian Grand Prix protest and strike at the Renault Viry engine base has been announced in response to the F1 power unit withdrawal threat. Viry staff intend to take a stand, with Alpine Racing France employees preparing to protest on Friday, August 30 in a two-part action.
100 employees will attend the opening day of the Italian Grand Prix race weekend, where they will be split into two groups in grandstands N4 and N24, displaying a banner calling for the Renault engine to remain in Formula 1, with personnel to wear a white shirt sporting the Alpine logo and a ‘#ViryOnTrack’ message.
These staff will wear a black armband, as will personnel in the Alpine garage where possible, though it has been assured that it won’t affect the on-track running of the Alpine team. Meanwhile, most staff back at Viry will go on strike as a show of support for this movement.
‘Wear a black armband’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/renaul...lans-alpine-pu
Alpine employees to protest at Italian GP - report
Alpine employees based at Renault's Viry-Châtillon will go on strike or head down to Monza to protest the decision to end its F1 power unit operation at the Italian Grand Prix.
29 Aug 2024
RacingNews365
Around 100 staff will head to Monza, where they will be split into two groups and sent out with banners to contest the project that plans to transition Alpine into a power unit customer in F1. This is according to French publication L'Equipe, which has obtained a press release from the employees.
"Each group will display a banner with a clear and non-aggressive message, pleading the cause of maintaining a French engine in F1, all will be wearing a white T-shirt with the Alpine logo, the message #ViryOnTrack and a black armband," the statement says.
It adds: "No action will prevent track operations from taking place." That will come as some relief to the team and organisers of the Italian Grand Prix, but it shows the level of dissatisfaction with the decision by Renault.
‘Message #ViryOnTrack and a black armband’;
https://racingnews365.com/renault-em...est-and-strike
Alpine F1 staff strike during Italian GP in protest over plans to axe engine project
Renault plan to ditch their F1 engine operations which are based at Alpine's facility in Viry-Chatillon, France, which has angered staff to the point they have now taken industrial action
29 Aug 2024
Daniel Moxon
The Mirror
Last week, Viry staff warned that Renault's plans to abandon their engine projects, including the new power units in development for 2026 when new F1 technical rules come into force, were a "betrayal" and asked De Meo to change course. We do not understand what justifies killing this elite entity that is the Viry-Chatillon site and betraying its legend and its DNA by grafting a Mercedes heart into our F1 Alpine [car].
"The announcement of the end of the development and production of French power units for Formula 1 is incomprehensible. We cannot accept that Alpine and the Renault Group damage their images, which is why we ask Mr. De Meo and his board of directors to renounce this decision."
"Betrayal";
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...uring-33560268
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F1 - 2024 Italian Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
PART ONE – Sergio PÉREZ (Red Bull Racing), Alex ALBON (Williams), Lando NORRIS (McLaren)
PART TWO – Nico HÜLKENBERG (Haas), Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), Charles LECLERC (Ferrari)
29 Aug 2024
FIA (Press Release)
Q: Lando, two wins. How were the celebrations on Sunday night? Was it as raucous as Miami? Lando NORRIS: Quite the opposite. No, I just went back home and had dinner and went to bed. So not very exciting at all. But it was, yeah, it's just a good feeling. And that's the most important thing.
Q: Checo, can we come to you now and get your thoughts on this battle between Red Bull and McLaren? Sergio PÉREZ: Well, I think what they've shown in Zandvoort was really, really strong. I think it's been the strongest performance we've seen from McLaren in a while. At the same time, I think we have every hope to believe that Zandvoort is probably a really bad track for us in regards to the wind, that we suffer more than others. We'll see. We come to a very different track and we expect them to be still the benchmark. Hopefully we can get closer and be in the mix in the race.
Q: Alex, welcome to you now. Zandvoort looked like a missed opportunity for you and Williams. How was the pace of the car in the race? Alex ALBON: I don't think we really were able to show anything. We were stuck behind cars in the first stint. We tried to box early and then got covered off by other cars. So then we were stuck again in the second stint and that was kind of our race. As you said, a missed opportunity. I felt like we could have scored points last week. Yeah, obviously something to review. We need to understand the processes that went on to be disqualified. Obviously it was very unintentional and the car was still good on Sunday with all the changes. So yeah, it's a bit frustrating to miss out.
‘Press Conference Transcript’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-ita...nce-transcript
What time is the Italian Grand Prix? F1 race and qualifying schedule
Aug 29, 2024
The Race
ITALIAN GP SCHEDULE (LOCAL TIME)
Friday August 30
Practice 1: 1.30pm
Practice 2: 5pm
Saturday August 31
Practice 3: 12.30pm
Qualifying: 4pm
Sunday September 1
Italian Grand Prix: 3pm
ITALIAN GP SCHEDULE (UK TIME)
Friday August 30
Practice 1: 12.30pm
Practice 2: 4pm
Saturday August 31
Practice 3: 11.30am
Qualifying: 3pm
Sunday September 1
Italian Grand Prix: 2pm
‘Race and qualifying schedule’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...ying-schedule/
Verstappen confirms latest Red Bull experiment
Red Bull will again try to crack its ongoing issues with its problematic RB20.
29 August 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
In the wake of Verstappen finishing a third-of-a-second off the pace of McLaren's Lando Norris in qualifying, and 22.9s adrift at the end of the race - the largest margin of victory this year - Red Bull will again address its concerns around low-downforce Monza.
"The problem in Zandvoort, with the wind and the rain, it was very difficult to get a bit of a read [on the two different packages]," said Verstappen, speaking to media, including RacingNews365.
"It's a very different weekend now, and besides the stuff we want to try on the car, the track is quite different. We also need to keep track of that to make the right calls. We're trying a lot of stuff to try and improve the balance of the car."
‘Problematic RB20’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...ull-experiment
Leclerc addresses Monza victory chances after Alonso prediction
Charles Leclerc and Ferrari enter the Italian Grand Prix looking to take a third consecutive podium - can it make the trip to the top step?
29 August 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Having shown strong race form at the last two events, Leclerc asserted he is not letting it impact his forecast of the weekend ahead. “I don't let the last two races change our expectations,” Leclerc told media including RacingNews365. “We are in a difficult moment for the team, we are struggling a bit with pace at the moment.”
“I think we understood quite a few things since Zandvoort, especially on what happened on Saturday when our performance was quite far from ideal. But on the Sunday, it was a good race. In Spa, it was good as well. Here it should be a bit more in the direction of Spa, so hopefully we will be a bit more in the fight for the podium. However, for the win, I don't think we quite have that yet.”
‘Difficult moment for the team’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-ad...nso-prediction
Ferrari bring radical upgrade to Italian GP
Ferrari is packing big for the Italian Grand Prix. The Scuderia has brought a major update, that might be dubbed a 'Monza special'
29 August 2024
Jake Nichol & Pepijn van der Hulst
RacingNews365
RacingNews365 understands that the upgrades Ferrari will be introducing in Monza can be considered exceptional, including a rear wing designed especially for the high speeds found at the track. This is an extraordinary decision for the team, given upgrade packages are designed to work over a variety of tracks and with the budget cap preventing teams from creating too many parts.
There are also limitations on wind tunnel and CFD testing time. There are suggestions that the rear wing could only be used at Monza, with the floor and rear beam wing also receiving upgrades to aid Leclerc and Sainz's push in front of the Tifosi, with the hope being that the team can improve its fortunes and close the gap to the cars ahead.
'Monza special';
https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-br...-to-italian-gp
Does Russell fear being pushed out for Verstappen? 'Entertaining to read'
29 August 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
Mercedes are yet to fill their second seat up after Lewis Hamilton announced that he will leave the German team for Ferrari at the beginning of the 2025 season. Andrea Kimi Antonelli will drive in a free practice session, while the team have announced ahead of the Dutch GP that they will not sign Max Verstappen for the 2025. George Russell talked about his current situation and his contract with his team in Monza.
Russell himself is yet to know who will be his teammate in the upcoming season at Mercedes. The Briton's contract with the team runs until the end of the 2025 season. Following that Mercedes confirmed to GPblog that Verstappen will not join the team in 2025, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is rumoured to be Toto Wolff's choice for the upcoming season, although that has not been announced for now. Meanwhile, the Italian youngster will take part in FP1 at his home Grand Prix.
"It’s something we've not spoken about at all, to be honest. I've been with this team for so, so long. I'm managed by Mercedes. We've always said we will be continuing together for the indefinite future," the two-time Grand Prix winner began answering GPblog's question about his future at the team in Italy.
‘Toto Wolff's choice’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29756...-mercedes.html
Franco Colapinto explains F1 call-up after Williams pull him out of F2 sim
Logan Sargeant’s replacement opens up on shock F1 promotion
29 Aug 2024
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net
Speaking for the first time on his shock promotion, Colapinto told the media at Monza that he was as late as Monday in the simulator preparing for the F2 round when he got the call from Williams. “For you to imagine, Monday I was in the Formula 2 sim preparing for the race here in Monza with my team, so you can imagine how late it was,” he said.
“I don’t know when they were thinking about but it’s an opportunity that I feel ready for and waiting for for so so long. As a young kid I was always dreaming of this coming through and happening, so today to be here speaking to all of you, it’s a pleasure and I am extremely grateful we have got this opportunity.”
“It came very late, of course, but although I am ready I was not expecting it, to be honest. I cannot explain how happy I am to be here with Williams, they have been very supportive and the opportunity they have given me is insane.” Colapinto, who took part in FP1 at Silverstone for Williams, says there wasn’t any prior discussions about this opportunity and wasn’t something on his mind this year.
‘F1 call-up’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105406...him-out-f2-sim
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Italian Grand Prix FP1 results: Verstappen sets the early pace ahead of Leclerc and Norris.
With just five minutes to go, the Dutchman jumped up the standings to finish two-tenths clear of the heavily updated Ferrari of Leclerc in front of the Tifosi, with Norris right behind Leclerc in P3.
30 August 2024
Editor: Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
Max Verstappen topped the timing sheets in the first free practice session of the Italian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris at Monza.
Behind the top three was Carlos Sainz in the other Ferrari, and Valtteri Bottas rounded out the top five with a fantastic session, sitting in P1 for the majority of FP1. Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso were the other drivers to make it into the top ten.
‘With just five minutes to go’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29777...nd-norris.html
Italian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
30 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 17 1:21.676
2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 22 1:21.904 0.228
3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 25 1:21.917 0.241
4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 23 1:22.126 0.450
5 77 Valtteri Bottas Sauber 21 1:22.127 0.451
6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 22 1:22.199 0.523
7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 23 1:22.214 0.538
8 23 Alex Albon Williams 23 1:22.220 0.544
9 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 20 1:22.311 0.635
10 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 18 1:22.315 0.639
‘Full results’;
https://speedcafe.com/italian-gp-fre...ice-1-results/
Charles Leclerc sends Milan into a frenzy ahead of the Italian Grand Prix
30 August 2024
GQ
Crowds and crowds of exuberant young fans – each wearing or holding their own bit of Ferrari red – are desperate to catch a glimpse of the 26-year-old Monégasque idol, hopeful of having a cap, a T-shirt or even a body part signed. If the atmosphere doesn’t already translate the level of love in the air for Leclerc and Ferrari, the handwritten signs will.
One reads “Ferrari is our first and only love” with the numbers 16 and 55 (Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz’s car numbers) encircled by hearts. Another says “After all this time? Forza Ferrari, SEMPRE [heart emoji].” My favourite: “HOT girls support Charles Leclerc” with a red chilli in place of the “T”.
“Ferrari is our first and only love”;
https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/articl...interview-2024
New confidence for Ferrari heading into home race at Italian GP
Aug 30, 2024
TSN
New track, new colors and renewed confidence for Ferrari as the Formula One team heads into its home race at Monza. Ferrari did better than expected at last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc earning a second straight podium finish and teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. surging from 10th on the grid to place fifth.
Although it was a well-timed morale boost for a team which started 2024 fighting for wins but had dropped out of contention, Leclerc was quick to temper expectations. “I don’t let the last two races change our expectations,” he said. “We are in a difficult moment for the team. We are struggling a little bit with pace at the moment.”
‘New confidence for Ferrari’;
https://www.tsn.ca/auto-racing/new-t...n-gp-1.2167428
Toto Wolff's five-word message to Kimi Antonelli after 45G crash on Italian GP debut
After his first Formula 1 session was hyped up, teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli crashed on just his second flying lap around Monza as he pushed to impress in George Russell's car. Toto Wolff grimaces as he watched Andrea Kimi Antonelli crash at Monza.
• 30 Aug 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz describing what was going on and making a significant comparison. He said: "I've been working in this pit lane for 23 years and I've seldom seen attention like Kimi Antonelli is getting at the front of this garage.
"It was three deep with photographers at the front of the garage. I haven't seen attention on a driver like this since the Michael Schumacher days - I promise you, it's that much. Bearing in mind you've got Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, the stars of Ferrari, you've got Lewis Hamilton in the next garage for heaven's sake!
Antonelli lost control and span into a barrier. Immediately, he jumped onto the radio to apologies for the team, prompting a response from team principal Wolff. The Austrian's voice was very calm as he simply replied: "All good, Kimi, all good." TV cameras showed Wolff grimacing at images of the crash on the monitor in front of him, which was registered at 45G.
"All good, Kimi, all good";
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...wolff-33568723
Italian Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 1 Results
What happened as the first F1 session of the weekend went ahead?
August 30, 2024
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds
The first F1 laps of the Italian Grand Prix weekend. Verstappen showed the Red Bull’s continuous problems in the first laps, having to take the emergency exit out of turn one twice. Both Ferraris also seemed to be struggling.
The mistake came after Kimi Antonelli had set the first good lap times. The young driver attempted to make the turn into Parabolica but experienced a sudden snap mid-corner, causing him to lose control. The car’s rear slid out, sending him through the gravel trap and into the barriers, where he knocked off the front wing in the process.
After the red flag. With a little more than 30 minutes left on the clock, the cars got out to the track again. Verstappen took the top spot with a time of 1m 23.088s, while Sainz moved into second place. The Dutch driver is feeling the heat this weekend, as he hasn’t secured a Grand Prix victory since the race in Spain in June.
‘What happened’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/it.../?nowprocket=1
Alpine F1 engineers protest in Monza: 'It's not easy'
August 30, 2024
Editor: Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
While it was announced at the Belgian GP that Alpine will stop running with a Renault engine, many workers learned that moment what will happen regarding their work at the Viry factory. Ahead of the Italian GP, driver Pierre Gasly reacted to the recent protest from the French factory.
"Well, the way I look at it is I have absolutely no power or control over that situation. It's a team and top management topic, so from this point of view I'm focusing on my race and the best thing I can do to every employee of the team is perform the best way I can on the track, to give them the rewards of all the hard work that every single employee is doing. That's my role in the team and that's what I'll focus on," the team's driver, Gasly reacted to GPblog among others in Monza.
The Frenchman hopes however that the situation can be resolved soon. "I understand all parties. It's not as easy as we can talk about it. Nothing of my control, and as I said, at the end of the day, hopefully everyone will come out of it with a good option," the driver who won his one Grand Prix in Monza concluded. Gasly has a contract signed with the team, and will team up with Jack Doohan next season at Alpine.
‘Alpine F1 engineers protest’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29774...talian-gp.html
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Lewis Hamilton edges Lando Norris by finest of margins in Italian GP FP2 after Magnussen shunt causes red flag.
Lewis Hamilton led the way by a few thousandths of a second ahead of Lando Norris in FP2 at the 2024 Italian GP.
30 August 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport
Lewis Hamilton was just 0.003 seconds ahead of Lando Norris in a tight FP2 at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix while Kevin Magnussen caused a second significant stoppage of the day. Parabolica issues continued after FP1 with plenty of drivers including Verstappen running wide, but it was at the Lesmos that Magnussen produced the session’s only red flag in Monza.
He pushed too hard entering turn seven and Magnussen kicked up a massive dust cloud as he completed a full spin over the gravel before hitting the tyre barrier with the left side of his Haas, able to walk away from the incident. Carlos Sainz, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc underlined Ferrari and McLaren‘s competitiveness in the top five, while FP1 leader Max Verstappen was down in 14th just ahead of Sergio Perez.
‘Lewis Hamilton led the way’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/lew...ssen-red-flag/
Italian GP: Free Practice 2 Results
31 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 23 1:20.738
2 4 Lando Norris McLaren 22 1:20.741 0.003
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 26 1:20.841 0.103
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 22 1:20.858 0.120
5 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 25 1:20.892 0.154
6 63 George Russell Mercedes 18 1:21.086 0.348
7 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 24 1:21.140 0.402
8 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 22 1:21.300 0.562
9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 22 1:21.316 0.578
10 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 25 1:21.363 0.625
‘Full results’;
https://speedcafe.com/italian-gp-fre...ice-2-results/
Red Bull have “identified the issues” but tipped to be behind McLaren at Italian GP
"I would imagine they will be a little bit behind McLaren but not much."
30 Aug 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft believes Red Bull will remain behind McLaren despite progress being made by the reigning world champions at the Italian Grand Prix. The timesheets didn’t look too good for Red Bull though in second practice, with Max Verstappen failing to set a quick lap on the softs.
“I still think whilst they’ve understood the problems they’ve been suffering from they’re still fine-tuning it to try and find performance now they’ve identified the issues,” Croft said. “I would imagine they will be a little bit behind McLaren but not much. Whether they’re ahead of Ferrari, I am still not quite sure.”
“Identified the issues”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105420...ren-italian-gp
Laptimes suggest Mercedes and Ferrari could be an Italian GP threat
Aug 30, 2024
Ben Anderson
The Race
Barely more than a tenth and a half covered the top five fastest Formula 1 cars in second practice for the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, but no Red Bull featured in that picture thanks to the odd circumstances of FP2 at Monza.
Max Verstappen aborted his first attempt at a qualifying simulation on the soft C5 compound Pirellis at Monza and was prevented from trying again by Kevin Magnussen’s heavy crash at the second Lesmo. That shunt curtailed running in the middle part of the session and forced most of the field to use the remaining 15 minutes for race runs.
Delays in the garage for George Russell and Sergio Perez at the start of the session - Russell while repairs were finished following Kimi Antonelli’s FP1 crash and Perez while Red Bull completed a precautionary gearbox change - meant those two were missing from the early medium tyre runs and also out of sync with their qualifying simulations.
‘Italian GP threat’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/l...ian-gp-threat/
Italian Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 2 Results
August 30, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds
The green flag was waving again with a third of the session to go. Russell was raring to get out to get as much track time as possible. The Briton wnet round the outside of Perez at Curva Grande. The Mercedes driver opted to do some high fuel runs on the medium tyre.
Russell went for a soft tyre run late on in the session, setting a time good enough for sixth and three-and-a-half tenths off Hamilton. Hamilton ended the session quickest by 0.003 seconds from Norris and a further tenth ahead of Sainz. The top five finished all separated by only a tenth-and-a-half.
FP2 has been a tricky session for Red Bull. Verstappen ended the session in 13th, struggling with snaps of oversteer and lock-ups. Perez ended the session a position behind the Dutchman in 14th.
‘Green flag was waving again’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/it.../?nowprocket=1
Piastri pleased with pace and potential in Monza
Solid early pace left Oscar Piastri optimistic heading towards qualifying and Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.
31 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Oscar Piastri was left in positive mood following the opening day of running at the Italian Grand Prix. “I would say pretty good,” he said of his Friday. “Some things to tidy up definitely, but I think the pace and potential is definitely there, so leaving pretty happy.”
“The tyres have been an interesting point today for everybody, so it will be interesting to see what that's like throughout the rest of the weekend. Monza's a little bit different now with some of the changes they've made with the kerbs and the resurfacing and stuff, so taking a little bit to get used to that, but pretty solid Friday.”
‘Piastri pleased’;
https://speedcafe.com/piastri-please...tial-in-monza/
Toto Wolff lifts lid on Kimi Antonelli chat after nightmare Italian Grand Prix crash
Toto Wolff has offered an insight into his conversation with a devastated Kimi Antonelli after FP1 in Monza.
Aug 30, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Toto Wolff has revealed that he told Kimi Antonelli the same message before the session and after his FP1 crash, downplaying the impact of the 18-year-old’s shunt at the Parabolica corner. Offering a peek behind the curtain at his chat with Antonelli, Wolff said: “He apologised first of all, and I think this is what you need to do when you bring a car back that looks a little bit like a Lego box [that has] fallen on the floor.”
“But [he] also said that he felt so much confidence in the car, the car was good and I guess he was just bitten. Everybody suffered from loss of temperature, especially rear temperature out of Ascari with these kinds of speed, and that’s why the rear went, the way it slipped out.”
Touching on his message from behind the session, Wolff added: “I told him to enjoy it. I think he has a lot of natural ability but he must not forget that this is the best job in the world. I said to him also to take the pressure off – we live in our microbubble here, nobody’s interested in FP1 anyway. Whatever happens, happens, and just get on with things. And I told him the same after the session.”
‘Toto Wolff lifts lid’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix
FYI: Due to other commitments, the FP3 and Qualification Results, will be posted late Saturday, early Sunday.
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Lewis Hamilton heads Mercedes 1-2 in final Italian GP practice.
Lewis Hamilton pips George Russell as Mercedes show impressive pace in final practice.
31 Aug 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Lewis Hamilton picked up where he left off on Friday by setting the pace in final practice at the F1 Italian Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion, who also produced the fastest time in FP2, pipped teammate George Russell by just 0.093 seconds to head a Mercedes 1-2 on what has been a hugely positive start to the Monza weekend for the Silver Arrows.
Mercedes’ late turn of pace came after Charles Leclerc, who ended up third-quickest and 0.109s behind Hamilton, had spearheaded a Ferrari stranglehold at the top of the timesheet to delight the tifosi.
The McLaren’s of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finished fourth and fifth, while reigning world champion Max Verstappen was unhappy with the balance of his Red Bull as he posted the sixth-fastest time, 0.251s adrift of his 2021 title rival.
‘Mercedes 1-2’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105430...an-gp-practice
Italian GP: Free Practice 3 Results
31 August 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 19 1:20.117
2 63 George Russell Mercedes 23 1:20.210 0.093
3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21 1:20.226 0.109
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 14 1:20.252 0.135
5 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:20.262 0.145
6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 23 1:20.368 0.251
7 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 19 1:20.463 0.346
8 23 Alex Albon Williams 14 1:20.596 0.479
9 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 15 1:20.905 0.788
10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 17 1:20.943 0.826
‘Full results’;
https://speedcafe.com/italian-gp-fre...ice-3-results/
Italian Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 Results
August 31, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds
At their home race, the Ferrari drivers were out on track in front of the Tifosi. Leclerc’s time was good enough for P10, but on his next hot lap reached P4. His teammate, Sainz was in P8.
Halfway point: As the drivers reached the halfway point of Free Practice 3 at the Temple of Speed, the top 10 were Leclerc, Russell, Sainz, Hamilton, Norris, Piastri, Verstappen, Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, and Perez.
With just under 30 minutes remaining, Albon put in a lap time of 1:20.596 on the soft compound tyres, putting himself on top. Meanwhile, Piastri went slightly wide into the gravel, kicking up dust. Later, Verstappen had a similar moment in the same place.
Closing stages: With 15 minutes remaining of FP3, Leclerc beat his teammate’s time with a 1:20.226. Rookie Colapinto was in P8 in the Williams. Norris was out and set a purple Sector 2, completing his lap with a 1:20.262 time splitting the Ferraris. Verstappen’s lap put him in P6 and complained that his car was not turning in properly. Meanwhile, his teammate, Perez struggled with a lack of grip in P15. He cut the corner and went off at the Variante della Roggia chicane.
‘Free Practice 3 Results’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/it.../?nowprocket=1
FP3 Highlights: 2024 Italian Grand Prix
August 31, 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Watch highlights from third practice ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix.
‘FP3 Highlights’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/fp...06976118115731
Max sixth in final free practice in Monza
31 August 2024
Florence Cobben
Verstappen.nl
Max Verstappen, driving his Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20, finished sixth in the final free practice of the Monza Grand Prix. At 31 degrees Monza is red hot. 15 minutes after the start of the session, Max drives onto the track on a set of mediums and sets a 1:20.950 lap time, a lap only surpassed by Oscar Piastri on softs.
Moments later Lando Norris goes to P1 on soft tyres (1:20.787), but quickly has to hand the covetted positionover to Carlos Sainz (1:20.742).
Max, demoted in the meantime to P7, returns to the track on mediums and attempts a long run. Alex Albon drives his Williams on softs to P1 (1:20.596), before passing the torch to both Ferraris. After 11 laps, Max returns to the pits.
‘Sixth’;
https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5577/
Italian GP: Red Bull’s trouble continue as Lewis Hamilton sets the pace in FP3
31 Aug 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Red Bull’s troubles continued in Saturday’s practice at Monza where Max Verstappen was only sixth fastest in a session in which Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes 1-2. Sergio Perez made it a Red Bull 1-2 as the team, having experimented with the set-up of the RB20 on Friday, looked to rebound from Friday’s lowly positions where they were outside the top ten.
Red Bull’s reign, though, didn’t last long with McLaren and Mercedes coming to the fore with Oscar Piastri P1 after the first quarter of the session. With lower flatter kerbs in use this weekend after the circuit was revamped, Hamilton chose an interesting line but took a bit too much of the green kerb and went airborne.
Bolting on a new set of soft tyres after final set-up changes were made, Hamilton went quickest ahead of Russell with a 1:20.117, putting him 0.093s up on his team-mate. Leclerc was third. Verstappen, who finished P6 as he kicked up dirt on his final flying lap, reported his car didn’t want to turn in in “low speed” or “medium” corners. As for Sergio Perez, he finished P18.
‘Red Bull’s trouble continue’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/italia...024-fp3-report
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Norris excels to get pole for Italian GP as Verstappen has a disaster in P7.
Lando Norris has qualified on pole position as he continues to make a pursuit on Max Verstappen. This time, it's even better news for the McLaren driver as his teammate Oscar Piastri, both Mercedes drivers and both Ferrari drivers separate himself and the Dutchman.
31 August 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
After the first run in Q3, McLaren drivers sat at the top of the timesheet, followed by both Mercedes, both Ferrari and both Red Bull. Perez managed to do a quicker lap than Verstappen, who claimed he had "no grip" at all on the new set of tyres. Red Bull Racing decided to get out of garage first for the second run in Q3. Verstappen managed to move ahead of Perez, but could only go as high as 7th.
‘Norris excels’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29817...n-seventh.html
Italian GP: Qualifying Results
1 September 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 1:19.911 1:19.727 1:19.327
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:20.076 1:19.808 1:19.436 0.109
3 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:20.169 1:19.877 1:19.440 0.113
4 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:20.074 1:20.007 1:19.461 0.134
5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:20.149 1:19.799 1:19.467 0.140
6 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:20.477 1:19.641 1:19.513 0.186
7 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:20.226 1:19.662 1:20.022 0.695
8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:20.598 1:20.216 1:20.062 0.735
9 23 Alex Albon Williams 1:20.542 1:20.314 1:20.299 0.972
10 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:20.781 1:20.411 1:20.339 1.012
‘Full results’;
https://speedcafe.com/italian-gp-qualifying-results/
Italian Grand Prix: F1 Qualifying Results
31 Aug 2024
Morgan Holiday
FormulaNerds
The final session in Monza saw both Red Bulls, both Mercedes, both Ferraris, and both McLarens get a chance at pole, as well as the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg and the Williams of Alex Albon.
The McLarens pulled out a strong performance early on, Norris setting a 1:19.401 to take provisional pole on his first lap, with Piastri close behind. Russell and Hamilton slotted into fourth and fifth respectively, with Sainz and Leclerc following them and Perez and Verstappen next.
So McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull lined up neatly in that order after their first set of laps, Hulkenberg ahead of Albon to complete the top ten.
‘Qualifying Results’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/it.../?nowprocket=1
Norris knows he must “make the most” of chance to slash Verstappen’s points lead
31st August 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans
It would have seemed unfathomable just a few months ago but it is true – McLaren could leave Monza on Sunday with the lead of the constructors’ championship. But regardless of how strong McLaren are in race pace, Norris expects Verstappen will have stronger pace in the race than in qualifying. Even so, he knows he has a “good opportunity” to make substantial gains on his rival’s 70-point lead in the drivers’ championship.
“I expect him to come through and probably be behind us quite quickly,” Norris said. “Their race pace looked very strong on Friday. They were on the better side of the graining and the degradation, so I expect them to probably be a bit more hopeful tomorrow. “
“For some reason, they just didn’t seem to take those steps forward through qualifying. He still seemed quick – in Q2 he was right there and ended up quicker than me, even on a used tyre. And even his gap to Perez wasn’t as big as what it normally is. So I don’t know if he just struggled more with something or just didn’t put good enough laps in, but it’ll be for a reason, I’m sure. And we need to try and make the most of that.”
‘Make the most of chance’;
https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/31/...s-points-lead/
'Could've been pole': Lewis Hamilton ‘absolutely furious’ after Italian GP qualifying error
31 August 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer
Lewis Hamilton was left ‘absolutely furious’ after making an error in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix which cost him a potential front-row start. The Mercedes driver lines up sixth on the grid alongside Carlos Sainz, having set a lap that was 0.186s off the pole lap of Lando Norris.
The seven-time world champion had shown pace in the third practice session when he set the fastest time and was around a tenth and a half quicker than Oscar Piastri. Hamilton explained that he made a mistake at the beginning of his final timed lap in Q3, which set him on course for a disappointing result.
“I am furious, absolutely furious. I could have been on pole, at least on the front row. I just didn’t do the job. I lost a tenth and a half into Turn 1, and then a tenth in the last corner. No one to blame by myself,” said Hamilton. Hamilton believes qualifying has been somewhat of a weakness this season, despite Mercedes appearing to finally extract pace from their W15.
“I am furious, absolutely furious”;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...lifying-error/
Christian Horner and Max Verstappen comments say it all after Italian Grand Prix disaster
Red Bull endured a miserable qualifying session at the Italian Grand Prix as their troubles continued.
Aug 31, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Assessing a difficult qualifying for his team, Horner told Sky Sports F1: "The balance just isn't there, you can hear from Max's comments. Something is there fundamentally happening that we are not on top of. Q2 didn't look took too bad but in Q3 we were miles away. We are looking at everything. We ran older spec last week to see if that redressed the issues but the reality was we still had the same handling characteristics and issues.”
"We need to address it quickly as McLaren have made a significant step over the last few races and we are now behind Ferrari and Mercedes as well. Something is clearly not working on the car. There will be an engineering solution to an engineering problem."
Verstappen was equally frustrated. "The car is very difficult to drive and find a good balance," he complained. "If you have one issue and try to fix that, then there is another issue. It's not every driveable, let's put it like that. Q2 was not too bad Q3 felt very bad again - I had a lot of understeer on both tyres.
‘Miserable qualifying session’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix
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Formula 1: McLaren’s Norris sets up chance to chop Verstappen's 70-point lead with Italian GP pole.
Lando Norris gave himself a great chance to further cut Max Verstappen’s Formula One championship lead by taking pole position for the Italian Grand Prix yesterday.
1st Sept 2024
Malay Mail
A dominant display from Norris and Piastri is great news for McLaren who are only 30 points behind Red Bull in the constructors’ championship. “I think for us to come away with a 1-2, to come away with another pole, was probably not quite what we were expecting. But in a good way, of course,” Norris told reporters.
“For sure it’s a good opportunity (to cut Verstappen’s leader). I mean I expect him to come through and probably be behind us quite quickly... I expect them to probably be a bit more hopeful tomorrow,” said Norris of Verstappen. “He still seemed quick, like in Q2 he is right there and ended up quicker than me even on a used tyre.”
‘Chop Verstappen's 70-point lead’;
https://www.malaymail.com/news/sport...gp-pole/148869
Italian Grand Prix: Lando Norris takes pole, Oscar Piastri second as Max Verstappen struggles
31 Aug 2024
Michael Doyle
ABC Online
Norris was blistering on Saturday at Monza while drivers' championship leader Max Verstappen struggled to qualify down in seventh. Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was just eighth fastest, meaning the world champion's lead in the constructors' championship — which is a narrow 30 points over McLaren — is under serious threat.
Norris took pole with a lap which he was not pleased with, while Piastri claimed second with a lap set on his first run in Q3. "First lap in Q3 was good, the second one was not quite enough. Amazing effort from the team to pull off [the lock out]," Piastri said after qualifying.
With a front row start, Piastri will be eyeing off a shot at his second win of the season. "Starting a bit further up than last week is a positive to myself, it's a long run to turn one so starting second isn't a bad thing."
‘Pole';
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-...cond/104295522
Will McLaren Use Team Orders? - F1 Italian GP Qualifying Debrief
31 Aug 2024
Motorsport.com
Alex Kalinauckas and Mark Mann-Bryans break down all the action from Saturday at the Italian GP, including McLaren's front-row qualifying lockout, Red Bull's ongoing struggles, Lewis Hamilton's brutal honesty as Kimi Antonelli is confirmed to drive for Mercedes in 2025; and what strategies could come into play for Sunday's race.
0:00 McLaren's one-two
2:09 Can Lando catch Max?
3:05 Red Bull's woes
4:28 Strategies options for the race
7:29 Mercedes' qualifying
‘Team Orders?’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/...ebrief/654413/
Lando Norris Pinpoints Key Reasons Behind Italian Grand Prix Pole
31 Aug 2024
Ed Spencer
autoevolution
Lando Norris believes set-up changes between the final practice session and Qualifying helped him take pole position for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
"Like everyone's seen, it's been the closest build-up in FP1, FP2, FP3, I think we just looked as good as the others, nothing more, nothing less," explained Norris in Saturday's post-qualifying FIA press conference. "So yeah, I just expected a tough qualifying, and it was for sure, but I think for us to come away with a 1-2 and another pole was not quite what we were expecting, but in a good way, of course.”
"A good qualifying, I wouldn't say the cleanest, just difficult to put laps together around here with the margins, so small you try and go for everything, but you can also pay a price, so risk-reward in a lot of corners. But I think the risk that we had held through, the set-up changes we made into Qualifying, seemed to have made a good amount of progress, and we looked very quick.”
‘Key Reasons’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/l...le-239209.html
“Smaller steps” key to progress as McLaren set pace for fourth race running
31 Aug 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Last year Norris said part of the reason Red Bull had become so dominant was because they had such a good car they were able to focus on extracting the best from small details. Now Red Bull have taken a mis-step... ...and McLaren are able to focus on these decisive details.
“We’ve definitely been taking some smaller steps forward,” he said after taking pole position today. “But some of the upgrades we had have been track-specific. The rear wing that we had which was the main part of the upgrade last weekend, we don’t have it again here. So it’s not like what worked perfectly well there, works here. So we had that, but we also had the rear wing again this weekend. So specific things, but it’s not like it revolutionised the car or made the car feel like it’s a lot better. It’s just a bit more efficient.”
“It’s smaller things, but those smaller things really make big differences in the end. If you have one or two smaller snaps [of oversteer] over a single lap, you can gain half a tenth, one tenth quite quickly because the tyres are in a better condition, the temperature’s less, and things like that. They’ve definitely helped.”
“Smaller steps”;
https://www.racefans.net/2024/08/31/...-race-running/
Mercedes understand Zandvoort set-up error after Monza rebound – Russell
1 Sept 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Mercedes understand where they went wrong with their car’s set-up last weekend, says George Russell, after the team’s better showing in qualifying yesterday. “In this sport it runs away from you really, really quickly if you’re just on the wrong side of that sweet spot and that’s absolutely what we found in Zandvoort. As painful as it is, it’s important sometimes to have those disappointing weekends. There’s no guarantees for [the race]. We weren’t a million miles away in qualifying in Zandvoort, but I am confident we’ll be more in the mix and try and keep up with these [McLaren] guys.”
Russell said he was finding time with his car throughout Saturday’s running after sitting out first practice on Friday while Andrea Kimi Antonelli drove his car. Antonelli crashed heavily during the session, and repair work delayed Russell’s start to second practice. “It was a very up and down weekend,” said Russell. “Obviously I missed a lot yesterday, which put me really on the back foot.”
“I had to make a lot of changes from FP3 into qualifying because that was really my first proper session out on track. And Q1 and Q2 was really, really messy. I wasn’t confident, didn’t feel good in the car and just sort of scraped through the session. Then suddenly I managed to get it in the sweet spot for Q3. Both my laps, I think I was third or fourth, and obviously ended up third."
‘Set-up error’;
https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/01/...bound-russell/
'Ridiculous' - Why Hamilton's latest F1 qualifying defeat hit so hard
Aug 31, 2024
Samarth Kanal
The Race
Hamilton doesn’t often hide his emotions after a session; it’s easy to gauge from the tone of his voice and his body language whether he’s elated or deflated by his performance - but he was even more honest about his qualifying shortcomings at Monza.
“I just didn’t extract the maximum. Turn 1 and 2, I lost a tenth and a half to my previous Q2 lap and then I lost another tenth in Turn 11, apex speed, so it was just absolutely ridiculous from my side," he said. “Completely unacceptable. And it’s totally me. Nothing else. Nobody else."
While Hamilton wasn’t in the chase for pole position he might have been able to join Russell on the second row and outqualify the Ferraris. Instead Hamilton will start sixth, on the third row, alongside Carlos Sainz. “I wasn’t expecting more, but I was expecting to do a better job than I did.”
'Ridiculous';
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/l...so-hard-monza/
Mercedes hint at key opportunity for Lewis Hamilton in today’s F1 Italian GP
Important factor pinpointed by Mercedes to give Lewis Hamilton hope
01 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, said: "We knew it was going to be tight at the front [in qualifying]. “It was therefore not unexpected that the field was so close at the end of Q3. Ferrari managed to get both of their cars into the 0.073s gap that was between Lewis and George. McLaren meanwhile have been quick at every track we’ve visited recently so it was no surprise to find that we couldn't quite match them.”
“That is both frustrating and encouraging. The gap to P1 was just over one tenth of a second and pole position was within touching distance for both our drivers. George is well placed lining up in P3. Our starts have been good recently and it's a long run to turn one. If we can get between the McLarens off the line, that will help our chances of a strong afternoon.”
“Lewis has a bit of work to do starting from behind the Ferraris, but the degradation here looks set to be high. There could be plenty of opportunity to get into the fight at the front if that is the case. As we know, he is one of the best at tyre management so we can be excited as to what [Sunday] may bring."
‘Key opportunity’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105437...-f1-italian-gp
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Ferrari drivers left frustrated by understeery SF24 in Monza qualifying.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz looked strong and competitive all weekend long, but they have already suggested after Friday’s practice sessions that the heavily-upgraded SF-24 needed to be fine-tuned ahead of qualifying.
1 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Asked to reflect on his qualifying day at Ferrari’s home turf, Leclerc said: “Disappointed. Yesterday it seemed like it was a positive day, today quite a bit less. P4 was the best we could do, but [it’s] frustrating. I don’t like fighting for these kinds of positions. We are very close to first place, on the contrary of last weekend which is a good step forward. However, it’s not enough, so I really hope that tomorrow we can turn the situation around.”
“I mean, [in Turns] 1, 2, 4, 5 I’ve had so much understeer all weekend, so it’s not like it got worse,” the 26-year-old explained. “But it was just the same and I believe that the others maybe did a step forward that we didn’t do today, and that’s where we paid the price of being on pole or P4.”
‘Ferrari drivers left frustrated’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/25387
Leclerc reveals how Ferrari can compete for the victory: 'Need to do this'
31 August 2024
Nicole Mulder
F1 Blog
Charles Leclerc made rare critical comments on his radio during qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix. Leclerc is certain it will be a close race. "I want to look forward, not backwards," reads Leclerc's clear answer to a question from GPblog. "There are quite a lot of guys that are super quick and that I would have expected to be in front of us today. But at the same time, I think we can have a good race. There weren't too many differences of pace, apart from Lewis, that did a really strong race pace in FP2," says Leclerc, who is expecting the top teams to all be on a similar level in the race.
How can Ferrari fight for the victory tomorrow? When asked what it would take to fight for victory, the Monegasque replied, "A good start and then try and use that DRS to try and stay within the McLaren, which we expect to be very, very strong. And then it will be a tyre management race. Everybody, I think, as I said, has a very similar pace. Apart from any surprises tomorrow, I think we are all pretty similar. However, we've got to do a good job time management-wise because this is what will make the difference tomorrow."
'Need to do this';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29834...ualifying.html
Sainz “thought I was on for pole” before cloud cover spoiled lap
SEPT 1, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog
Sainz thought he was heading for pole at one stage. Carlos Sainz thought he was heading for pole position at Monza before understeer at the Lesmos and the Parabolica spoiled his final lap. “There was just a small moment in the first lap, just bottoming out in a kerb,” he said when asked by this writer about his session. “But from there on, I felt I was flat out in a good place with the car. I did some strong laps in Q2, then in Q3 this cloud started to arrive. The temperature started to drop, the grip was a lot higher. That’s why you saw us going a lot quicker in Q3.”
“But unfortunately in our car, it just induced a lot of understeering in the two Lesmos and Parabolica, and it meant that we couldn’t get the car turned. I did a good purple sector one in that last lap, which I thought I was on for pole. But then even if we added a lot of balance, a lot of flap to the car in the last run, still the Lesmos and the Parabolica gave me big understeer, and I couldn’t get the car turned, and the lap didn’t quite click.”
“Thought I was on for pole”;
https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/01/...r-spoiled-lap/
Leclerc frustrated by understeer as Ferrari updates “not enough”
Sept 1, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
Charles Leclerc limited by persistent SF-24 weakness. Leclerc plagued by understeer. Speaking after yesterday’s qualifying, the Ferrari driver explained that understeer plagued him throughout the session: “Yeah, disappointed. Yesterday, it seemed like it was a positive day, today quite a bit less. P4 was the best we could do, but frustrating. I don’t like fighting for these kinds of positions."
"We are very close to first place, on the contrary of last weekend, which is a good step forward. However, it’s not enough. So I really hope that tomorrow we can turn the situation around. I mean, [in turns] 1, 2, 4, 5, I’ve had so much understeer all weekend… That’s where we paid the price.”
“Not enough”;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...es-not-enough/
Christian Horner’s reported Zoom call ‘with the entire top’ amid Red Bull’s troubles
1 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Christian Horner reportedly scheduled a Zoom call with the “entire top” of Red Bull’s engineering and design departments in light of the team’s shattered advantage on the track.
Max Verstappen told the media including PlanetF1.com: “For whatever reason in Q3 I picked up a lot of understeer on both tyre sets, and this is something that I don’t understand at the moment. “It was just not driveable in any corner, so that’s something that is very weird.” This isn’t the first time the reigning World Champion has complained about his RB20 with Verstappen notably frustrated with Red Bull’s “not good enough” upgrades in Hungary.
Doornbos claims such are the concerns, team boss Horner held a Zoom meeting with the “entire top” of Red Bull’s engineering and design departments. “You see that when the car performs less, the gap between Max and Perez becomes smaller. That’s crazy,” Doornbos told Ziggo Sport. “That indicates that there is no balance, and the car no longer listens to its talent. It wants more bite at the front, but those engineers have to do that.”
‘Zoom call with the “entire top” of Red Bull’s engineering and design departments in light of the team’s shattered advantage’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...-bull-troubles
Marko demands Red Bull investigate 'serious situation' after woeful qualifying
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko wants Red Bull to identify where it "took the wrong turn" in the F1 development race after being out-qualified by McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari at Monza.
31 Aug 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
"We have to find the moment when we took the wrong turn," Marko told Sky Sports Germany after the grid-setting session. Then you have to look at Miami, because at that time we were still dominant. The races Max [Verstappen] won after that, he won because of his qualities. But with the complexity of these cars, it becomes very difficult," the 81-year-old added.
"Thank God we have some time towards the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, because now it was practically impossible to implement anything. But the situation is starting to get serious."
‘Where it "took the wrong turn" in the F1 development race’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-dema...ful-qualifying
Red Bull make Newey confession after alarming loss of form
Dr Helmut Marko has claimed Adrian Newey could have helped the difficult situation Red Bull finds itself in with the performance of the RB20 falling behind the McLaren MCL38.
1 Sept 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko has said that outgoing chief technical officer Adrian Newey's "experience and knowledge" could have helped stem the tide of McLaren's surge to dominance in F1. Marko does not, however, believe Newey's departure - which was announced in the run-up to the round in Florida - is the root of the issues Red Bull is now facing.
He highlighted the "broad base" the team has to draw from. Although, he did not rule it out as having an impact on some level. "Newey is no longer fully involved in the process," the Austrian told Sky Sports Germany. "That is a factor we have to look at, but we have a broad base. It's true that his experience and knowledge could certainly have helped in this situation."
‘Adrian Newey’;
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-a...g-loss-of-form
Ecclestone believes in a Verstappen world title, but Max less and less
1 Sept 2024
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com
It is not that often that Bernie Ecclestone is in the F1 paddock anymore. When the former Formula 1 owner - now at the age of 93 - does appear, it is always a reunion with many old friends. One after another gets a hug from the Brit, who is still exceptionally fit for his age. And those who ask for a photo or autograph are never disappointed.
As Ecclestone walked through the paddock in Monza with his wife Fabiana on Saturday, GPblog asked him who he thinks will be the world champion in 2024? The billionaire stopped walking and pretended for a moment not to remember the name: "Ehhh, what's that guy's name again?", Ecclestone said teasingly. Only to shout, after a moment of silence, "Max Verstappen!"
Full of confidence, Ecclestone appears confident about title prolongation by Red Bull Racing's Dutchman, who himself seems to radiate less by the week that he believes in a positive outcome to the season.
‘Ecclestone believes in a Verstappen world title’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29835...-red-bull.html
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Ferrari stun with Leclerc win in Italian GP as Norris fails to capitalise
Charles Leclerc and Ferrari have stunned McLaren to win their home Italian Grand Prix in front of the Tifosi.
1 Sept 2024
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
The man from Monaco rolled the dice with a one stop strategy and it paid off in Monza. Lando Norris lost out to his teammate early and couldn't recover. He finished third, with Oscar Piastri in second.
There was excitement at the end of the race as McLaren attacked Ferrari. The two teams were on contrasting strategies, with the Italians rolling the dice with a one stop race. Piastri used his fresher rubber to close an 11 second gap with less than 10 laps remaining. The gap reduced but Leclerc had enough grip to hold on.
With such a delta between Norris and Verstappen's starting position, it gave the Brit a crucial chance to cut Verstappen's lead in the World Championship. Norris did take a eight point dent but it could've been so much bigger. Norris lost the lead in the opening lap and left the door open for Leclerc to move through. Norris took home 15 points and Verstappen finished sixth. The Brit took the fastest lap point from the Dutchman on the last lap. McLaren did however take another gain on Red Bull in the Constructors Championship with Perez down in P8.
‘Man from Monaco rolled the dice’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29850...ris-fails.html
Italian GP: Race Results
2 September 2024
Mat Coch
Full results from the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 53
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 2.664
3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 6.153
4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 15.621
5 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 22.82
6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 37.932
7 63 George Russell Mercedes 39.715
8 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 54.148
9 23 Alex Albon Williams 67.456
10 20 Kevin Magnussen Haas 68.302
‘Full results’;
https://speedcafe.com/italian-gp-race-results/
Italian Grand Prix: F1 Race Results
An excessive heat warning greets the Formula 1 drivers for today's race at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Sept 1, 2024
Hannah May
FormulaNerds
Closing stages: The Spanish Ferrari driver was celebrating his 30th birthday in front of the Tifosi, but unfortunately for him lost third place to Norris at the start of lap 48. However, waiting to pass Sainz puts Norris 4.5 seconds adrift of Piastri ahead. On lap 50, the top ten were: Leclerc in the lead, followed by Piastri, Norris, Sainz, Hamilton, Verstappen, Russell, Perez, Magnussen, and Albon.
As it stands, Red Bull would hold onto their Constructors’ Championship lead by 10 points ahead of McLaren. Leclerc looked to be on course to take the win at his team’s home race. The Monagasque became the tyre whisperer amid roars from the Tifosi.
At the chequered flag, Leclerc crossed the line for victory in Monza. Joining him on the podium were the two McLaren drivers, Piastri in P2 and Norris in P3. Norris also picked up the fastest lap of the race point on the final lap.
History made – AGAIN! ��
The moment Charles scored Ferrari's 21st win at home ��#F1 #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/eSkQq5uoiB
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 1, 2024
‘Charles scored Ferrari's 21st win at home’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/it.../?nowprocket=1
Leclerc executes one-stop to beat McLaren to F1 Italian GP win
1 Sept 2024
Motorsport Week
Charles Leclerc executed an audacious one-stop race to beat the McLaren drivers to deliver Ferrari a memorable win on home soil at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix. The top six drivers were all equipped with the Medium compound to begin the race, but Red Bull elected to gamble with the choice to go with the more durable Hards.
The battle at the top was stagnant as the drivers strived to preserve their rubber, but there was a change as Perez seized Russell’s seventh place using DRS on Lap 11. Russell had lost a front wing end plate earlier in proceedings and sliding to the back of the leading pack prompted Mercedes to pit him on that lap to make the repairs.
Norris was told to box to undercut Leclerc and the Briton obliged with that request on Lap 14, gaining the position once the Ferrari emerged out the pits on new Hards. McLaren responded to that with Piastri coming in on the next lap, while his compatriot Ricciardo was given 10 seconds extra due to RB serving his penalty incorrectly.
‘Leclerc executed an audacious one-stop race’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...talian-gp-win/
Charles Leclerc wins Italian GP in Ferrari masterclass as Max Verstappen rages at Red Bull
Charles Leclerc held off the threat of McLaren in a grandstand finish at the Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Charles Leclerc held off the charge of Oscar Piastri to claim a fairytale Italian Grand Prix victory in front of the Tifosi. Lando Norris rounded out the podium, while Max Verstappen finished sixth.
For the second race in a row, Norris started on pole, and for the second race in a row, there was a different name leading at the end of lap one. Piastri surged around the outside at the Della Roggia chicane, catching his team-mate off guard, while Leclerc followed him through on the corner exit.
While the rest of the top eight drivers started on the medium compound tyres, Red Bull’s duo were on the hards. Max Verstappen made good ground running long, but a six-second pit stop neutralised his good work as he emerged from his first stop just ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez.
‘Fairytale Italian Grand Prix victory’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix
Italian GP: Ferrari stun McLaren at Monza as Charles Leclerc pulls off incredible one-stop win
1 Sept 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Ferrari gambled on a one-stop strategy with Charles Leclerc to end their five-year wait for an Italian Grand Prix win, the Ferrari driver beating the two-stopping McLarens to the line. On a day when McLaren seemed to have the 1-2 in hand, Ferrari threw the dice and it paid off as Leclerc took the chequered flag 2.6 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri with Lando Norris third.
It was the Ferraris running 1-2 with 10 to go, Leclerc and Sainz on one-stop strategies with the Monegasque driver 15s ahead of Piastri. With eight to go, Piastri used DRS to pass Sainz and was 11.6s behind Leclerc… 9.7s which led to a “leave me alone”… 7.2s with three to go…
Leclerc took the chequered flag three seconds ahead of Piastri, Ferrari’s one-stop gamble paying off for their first Italian Grand Prix win since 2019. Norris, who grabbed the fastest lap point, completed the podium ahead of Sainz, Hamilton and Verstappen. Russell, Perez, Albon and Alonso completed the points as Magnussen dropped out of ninth place when his 10-second penalty was applied.
‘Ferrari stun McLaren’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/italia...24-race-report
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Leclerc in seventh heaven after Ferrari home win: 'My god, the emotions...'
It is no surprise Charles Leclerc was overjoyed after his impressive win in the Italian Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver won in front of the frenzied tifosi, who were present in large numbers at the Monza circuit.
1 Sept 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com
Leclerc over the moon after Ferrari home win at Monza. "It is an incredible feeling," began Leclerc, who has already won the Italian GP back in 2019. "I thought the second time, if there was a second time, would not feel as special as the first, but the emotions over the last few laps were the same as 2019. I want to win Monza and Monaco every year and I have managed to do so. It is so, so special. The tifosi were incredible, mamma mia!"
Asked whether Ferrari will also be in good shape for the Formula 1 race in Baku, Leclerc does not yet dare to make any predictions. "Our package was working well on a track like Monza but whether it will be the same for the rest of the season I doubt. I still think McLaren are favourites but we have done a step forwards, that's for sure," the Ferrari driver explained.
‘Seventh heaven’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29855...prix-2024.html
Ferrari strategy masterstroke gives Leclerc famous Italian GP victory
A one-stop strategy from Charles Leclerc saw Ferrari take victory at Monza
1 Sept 2024
Adriano Boin
Total Motorsport
Charles Leclerc and Ferrari pulled off a strategical masterstroke on Sunday, getting the better of both McLarens and taking victory in front of the cheering tifosi at the 2024 Italian GP. It all seemed to be going in McLaren‘s favour, with the papaya duo sitting one-two before the second round of pitstops.
After McLaren stated over the team radio that their drivers could race one another under ‘papaya rules’, it all became a moot point when Norris made a mistake at Turn 4. This allowed Leclerc to close up right behind him, and McLaren pitted Norris for a new set of hards on Lap 33.
Piastri came in soon after, making it a Ferrari one-two at the front with Leclerc leading Sainz. While the rest of the grid also came in for a second stop, the Scuderia opted to keep the pair out in hopes of claiming a famous victory in front of the Tifosi. It paid off in the end, Leclerc taking his second victory of the season following his success in Monaco.
‘Ferrari strategy masterstroke’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/fer...-2024-victory/
Leclerc and Ferrari snatch Italian GP win from McLaren
Sep 1, 2024
by Ben Anderson
The Race
Charles Leclerc scored a brilliantly opportunistic victory for Ferrari in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, defeating Oscar Piastri’s McLaren thanks to a strategic masterstroke at Monza. As McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull all committed their drivers to a two-stop race following a frenetic pace in the opening stint, Ferrari gambled on making it to the end with just one pitstop.
Leclerc held a lead of 11.5 seconds over Piastri with just eight laps to run, after Piastri overtook the rear-gunning Ferrari of Carlos Sainz into the Ascari chicane. Sainz was at this stage struggling with his front-left tyre, despite pitting four laps later than Leclerc did, but Leclerc’s pace held up better - and although Piastri was charging along in the closing laps, Leclerc held on to win by 2.6 seconds.
‘Brilliantly opportunistic victory for Ferrari’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/i...rrari-mclaren/
Charles Leclerc the toast of Italy as Ferrari outsmart Lando Norris and McLaren
McLaren dominated the Italian Grand Prix with Oscar Piastri leading for most of the race after getting past pole-sitter Lando Norris, but Charles Leclerc was the one who delivered for Ferrari
1 Sep 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Charles Leclerc is the toast of Italy again after pulling off a second famous Ferrari victory at Monza - five years on to the day from his first.
McLaren were outsmarted by Ferrari who pulled only pitted Leclerc once. And the Monegasque had enough juice in his tyres to hold off the charging Piastri and send the Italian fans ballistic. Leclerc, who secured Ferrari's last Monza win in 2019, said: "It's an incredible feeing.
‘Enough juice in his tyres’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...4-win-33579098
Leclerc overjoyed after leading Ferrari to an unexpected home victory in Monza
The Monegasque driver came through from P4 on the grid to win the Italian Grand Prix for a second time
September 1, 2024
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds
Charles Leclerc was overcome with emotion after claiming victory in Monza, as he described the win at Ferrari’s home as “an incredible feeling.” After qualifying for the race yesterday in P4, Leclerc knew that it would be an uphill task to get past both McLaren’s who lined up on the front row of the grid. However, with most teams opting for a two-stop strategy, Leclerc and Ferrari would go bold by sticking to the one stop.
The first time was so nice, Leclerc had to do it twice. Speaking to formula1.com and the media after the race, Leclerc was overcome with emotion as he described winning in Monza for the second time in his career just as sweet as the first time. “Just watching the grandstands inside of the track – which is tricky! – but incredible,” added Leclerc, who earlier this year won his home race in Monte Carlo for the first time.
“I mean Monaco and Monza are the two races I want to win every year. Obviously I want to win as many races as possible, and the World Championship as soon as possible, but these are the two most important races of the season and I managed to win them this year. It’s so, so special.”
‘Leclerc overjoyed’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/le.../?nowprocket=1
Leclerc thought Monza F1 win was gone with Norris undercut
1 Sept 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Charles Leclerc has expressed that he was concerned his chance to win Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix had dissipated when Lando Norris undercut him at his pit stop. The Monegasque, who questioned Ferrari’s choice to react to Norris’ first stop, has admitted that he was worried his prospects had been hindered stopping on Lap 16. “I thought that we’ll struggle a bit more compared to the McLaren, but also compared to the Mercedes that seemed to have a really good pace on Friday.”
“However, after a few laps I saw and I felt the car was in a good place. Oscar maybe was a little bit quicker. It was difficult to see Lando’s pace as he was behind. Then once we got undercut, I thought, okay, maybe we are losing the win there, but then once both pitted, I actually picked up quite a lot of front grip having the free air in front.”
“As they said, being the last car, I didn’t have much to lose by trying the one-stop, but we did a really, really good job with that front left, which has been very, very tricky for everybody. We had a lot of front braking but managed to take that front grip again and that helped us to win today.”
‘Thought Monza F1 win was gone’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...rris-undercut/
Leclerc stuns with home win for Ferrari at Monza
Piastri finishes runner-up and title-chasing Briton Norris takes third place
01 SEPT 2024
ALAN BALDWIN
Financial Mail
Monza - Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari a stunning home Italian Grand Prix victory and sent the crowd wild with delight after nursing his tyres on a bold one-stop strategy to deny favourites McLaren a one-two finish.
‘Leclerc stuns with home win’;
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/sp...rari-at-monza/
‘The emotions were exactly like 2019’ says Leclerc after leading Ferrari to victory joy in Monza
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site
The result in Italy was aided by upgrades brought to this race by Ferrari. But Leclerc was unsure about whether the team could now become consistent challengers in the remaining eight races of the season, as he looked ahead to the next race in Baku – a track where he has traditionally performed well.
“I don’t know,” said Leclerc, when asked if the upgrade had made the difference, “because I think our package was working pretty well on a track like Monza. Whether it will be the same for the rest of the season, I doubt so.
‘Aided by upgrades’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...MTWBATRErpXia1
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Media don't hold back on McLaren: 'Record-breaking self-destruction'.
'Norriscide' at Monza! Apocalypse Now, for McLaren! 'Harakiri' at McLaren! The horror, the horror…"
2 Sep 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com
La Gazzetta dello Sport: "Monza confirmed all McLaren's philosophical shortcomings in the face of a world championship that can and - given the current value of their car and Red Bull's problems - perhaps should be won. The team has been fumbling for months now and failing to take advantage of the opportunities that have presented themselves. Seeing Piastri slip past Norris on the first lap (also losing his position to Leclerc) and not letting him take second place on the final lap is an example of truly record-breaking self-destruction. Team orders are annoying to impose, but losing titles that can be won is certainly much worse."
AS: Spain's AS speaks of nothing less than 'harakiri' (the Japanese word for a traditional form of suicide) at McLaren. The newspaper does not understand why McLaren allowed Piastri to make a second pit stop and thus let a certain victory slip away. "Under pressure from Leclerc, he had to make a second stop. The stragglers also stopped and that forced McLaren to make the biggest mistake: Piastri had a huge lead but was still asked to make his second stop on lap 39 of 53, forcing him to make up almost 15 seconds in 14 laps. The simulation should have given the MCL38 a two-second per lap lead in those conditions."
‘McLaren's philosophical shortcomings’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29878...clerc-win.html
Martin Brundle just got ‘confirmation’ of how Oscar Piastri feels about Lando Norris’s title hopes
2 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Martin Brundle now sure Oscar Piastri has ‘zero interest’ in Lando Norris’s title challenge. Reflecting after the race, co-commentator David Croft said: “The big questions at McLaren will be what happened on the first lap, should Oscar have gone for it, did that then hurt our strategy, did we push too hard in that opening strategy [spell] so that we had to commit to a two-stop?”
Brundle replied: “With Leclerc in the middle of them as it ended up, it meant they had to cover that off. They didn’t get out front and then control the race. I think we got confirmation there that Piastri has zero interest in Lando Norris’s world championship.”
‘Zero interest’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...s-title-hopes/
Rosberg grills Zak Brown face to face: 'You allowed Leclerc to come by'
2 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
McLaren are getting a lot of heat over their decision to let Oscar Piastri race against and overtake Lando Norris in the Italian Grand Prix. Norris had a chance to cut his World Championship deficit to Max Verstappen by around 15 points, but the British driver was overtaken by Piastri and then left exposed for Charles Leclerc to take advantage. When McLaren CEO Zak Brown visited the Sky Sports broadcasting area in the paddock, Rosberg didn't hold back. He said:
"Turn four. First, Lando almost spun. That was very close, it won't get closer than that. Then you allowed Leclerc to come through. Maybe that was those 2.6 seconds that cost you the win. Isn't it time to implement some rules here?!". Brown kept his cool: "That's what we'll discuss next week. We'll look at that. Getting Leclerc into the middle, could we have been able to pull away.”
“It's a fair question," Brown acknowledged. "It was an aggressive pass, so that's a conversation we'll have. It was a bit nerve-wracking on pit wall. Lando got a bad run out of that corner that opened the door a little bit. It would've been nice to see them run one-two for a little bit longer," Brown added before Rosberg dished out some praise for Piastri.
“Aggressive pass”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29879...-in-italy.html
McLaren’s squandered chances and Leclerc cools expectations: Three things we learnt from Italian GP
2 Sep 2024
Malay Mail
McLaren’s missed opportunity: McLaren have done great work in developing the best car on the paddock and should be considered favourites for the constructors’ championship as they only trail Red Bull by eight points. But both of their drivers were on the front row of the starting grid yesterday and Piastri’s daring early overtake of Norris came as a huge surprise for a team which had a great chance to claim one-two finishes in both qualifying and the GP.
Norris said after the race that he’s not in F1 “just to beg for someone to let me pass”, but the Briton seemed extremely disappointed that McLaren didn’t order Piastri, who is 106 points behind Verstappen, to lay off. “I would love it but it’s not up to me."
‘McLaren’s squandered chances’;
https://www.malaymail.com/news/sport...lian-gp/148939
Piastri's controversial move divides opinion: 'Should they have done that?'
2 Sept 2024
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com
Oscar Piastri's aggressive first-lap overtake on teammate Lando Norris has divided the opinion of the paddock. The race-changing manoeuvre meant that Norris finished behind Piastri. The Brit eventually crossed the line in third place as Charles Leclerc took an emphatic victory in front of the adoring Tifosi. Norris thinks Piastri's move was too aggressive, as he scored fewer points than he hoped in the hunt to cut down Max Verstappen's championship lead. Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok debated this, as he thinks Piastri's move was completely fair.
Chandhok: Piastri was 'absolutely fair': "As we get into the braking zone, and we look at the apex, Lando's got plenty of space. Oscar has left him a car's width, so he hasn't squeezed him, he hasn't pinched him, but he's put himself in a position to crucially be in front at that second apex. His eye is already looking at that second apex and thinks, 'I want to be the inside line there', and Lando had to have a massive snap of oversteer, which really compromised his exit," Chandhok began on Sky Sports.
‘Piastri's controversial move’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29887...-in-monza.html
‘What team orders?’ Norris calls out Piastri as ‘way too close’ move adds fuel to fire
Sept 2, 2024
Fox Sports
Lando Norris claimed Oscar Piastri’s Lap 1 move for the lead at the Italian Grand Prix was “way too close for comfort” as a fresh source of tension in the McLaren garage emerged. Norris started the race at Monza in pole position, but lost the race lead just seconds in after his Australian teammate made an opportunistic move at the della Roggia chicane.
The move came despite talk during the week of McLaren favouring Norris over Piastri with a title race potentially on the cards. “I don’t think Norris expected his teammate to do that!” Martin Brundle exclaimed on Sky Sports’ commentary. “Team orders? What team orders?!” David Croft added.
Meanwhile, Piastri wasn’t buying into any suggestions that his move was overly-aggressive. “I broke later and got around the outside,” the Australian said. “There wasn’t really much more to it than that. We both got through it unscathed. I knew once I hit the brakes I kind of got ahead a bit and knew I was entitled to stay on the outside. For 38 laps, it put me in a race-winning position. So it was just a good first lap.”
‘Fuel to fire’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...7e5db8bf7237ed
'It hurts a lot': Oscar Piastri blows lead in 'painful' grand prix loss to Charles Leclerc
Sept 1, 2024
CNN
Aussie Piastri had led for much of the race after overtaking his McLaren teammate and polesitter Lando Norris on the first chicane but opted for a two-stop strategy, wary of his tyres degrading too much. Norris pitted too, and that left the two Ferrari cars of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz out in front with a healthy lead as the remaining laps ticked down.
Piastri too was left "hurting" from his second-place finish, he said in his post-race interview. "It hurts a lot. Did a lot of things right today … from the position we were in with the tyres looking like they did, doing a one-stop seemed like a risky call and in the end, it was right," he said. "Very happy with the pace … just when you finish second it hurts.”
"Today, unfortunately we got it a bit wrong, and (I was) a big part of that. We had everything to lose from being at the head of the race and Charles could try something a bit different, he was going to finish third anyway. He picked the right gamble today … yep, painful."
‘Left "hurting" from his second-place finish’;
https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motors...02-p5k70t.html
Oscar Piastri issues response to daring Lando Norris overtake as ‘papaya rules’ explained
1 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
“I mean, I broke later and got around the outside, there wasn’t really much more to it than that,” Piastri told media including PlanetF1.com after the race.
When asked for an explanation of what ‘papaya rules’ means, Norris put it plainly: “Just don’t crash. That’s all. There was no contact, so he did a good job.”
‘Papaya rules’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-...ules-explained
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Lando Norris' Unwanted Streak Continued at Italian GP.
Lando Norris continued his worrying streak of losing the lead on the opening lap of a race when starting from pole position at the Italian Grand Prix this past weekend.
2 Sep 2024
Ryan Sinnott
Give Me Sport
After a brilliant display during qualifying to clinch his fourth pole of the season, it was a Sunday to forget for the Brit as a sluggish start ensured that he finished third behind Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
This was the seventh time that the 24-year-old has started at the front of the grid during his career, but just like the six previous occasions, he failed to finish the opening lap in first place.
Lando Norris' streak of losing lead on first lap
Race Pole position Leading after lap 1
2021 Sochi Grand Prix Lando Norris Carlos Sainz Jr
2023 Sao Paulo Sprint Lando Norris Max Verstappen
2024 Shanghai Sprint Lando Norris Lewis Hamilton
2024 Barcelona Grand Prix Lando Norris George Russell
2024 Hungaroring Grand Prix Lando Norris Oscar Piastri
2024 Zandvoort Grand Prix Lando Norris Max Verstappen
2024 Italian Grand Prix Lando Norris Oscar Piastri
‘Unwanted Streak Continued’;
https://www.givemesport.com/lando-no...-continued-f1/
Stella unphased with Piastri's overtake on Norris: "I welcome it"
2 September at 16:49
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
The Italian Grand Prix was a missed opportunity for McLaren in many respects. A front-row lockout gave them the best chance to secure maximum points and capitalise on a faltering Red Bull, but they were out-foxed by the one-stop strategy of Ferrari and Charles Leclerc. Lando Norris also missed out on the chance to significantly cut the then 70-point deficit on Max Verstappen. However, his teammate Oscar Piastri was allowed to battle and overtake him on lap 1, almost coming together in the process.
Speaking to the paddock at Monza, which included GPblog, Andrea Stella, the Italian team boss, was asked about how close his two drivers came on the first lap, to which he answered: "The drivers were close together, but this is because they were close together on the grid. So for me, I welcome, and I look forward to having many more of these situations. What we need to do is to make sure that in these situations, the outcome is the one that works best for the team and for the drivers."
‘Stella unphased’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29893...-at-monza.html
McLaren warned against ‘destroying’ Oscar Piastri with ‘papaya rules’ investigation underway
2 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Ralf Schumacher has warned McLaren they could “destroy” Oscar Piastri if they ask him to back off from Lando Norris with Andrea Stella saying they’ll review their “papaya rules” after Monza. It’s a position Schumacher doesn’t envy Stella for being in.
“As long as the two are so close together, I would have a hard time as team boss,” he admitted. “You can destroy a driver to some extent if you tell him that he has to back off.”
‘Could “destroy” Oscar Piastri’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/oscar-...w-papaya-rules
Lando Norris wants McLaren team orders after Italian GP drama
Norris was overtaken by his teammate Oscar Piastri on Lap 1 in Monza and eventually finished third
1 Sept 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Lando Norris suggested he wants team orders for the rest of the season although he conceded it isn’t his demand to make following another poor Lap 1 at the 2024 Italian GP when he was overtaken by Oscar Piastri.
“I would love it, but it’s not up to me,” Norris told members of the media, including Total-Motorsport.com of team orders. “It’s tough because obviously as a driver, you don’t want it. You don’t want things to just be played that way.”
“I would love it”;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/lan...lian-gp-drama/
Windsor baffled by McLaren's attidude: 'Didn't control their F1 drivers'
2 Sep 2024
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com
Peter Windsor does not understand at all McLaren's decision to let Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris compete against each other. It may be a fair approach, but with Red Bull Racing's current state, it could just ruin the Woking-based Formula One team's chances of beating Max Verstappen in the Formula 1 World Championship.
"This is the second time that Lando's found himself in a position of having to do something to avoid Oscar," Windsor said in his analysis on YouTube. "Here it was Oscar on the outside and you can see Lando was completely shocked completely caught by surprise. Oscar took the lead of the Italian Grand Prix. I mean what was that all about? What was the risk that was worth taking at that stage of the race with Lando Norris on the Pole and having led out of the first corner?"
‘Baffled by McLaren's attidude’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29879...r-piastri.html
Squeamish Lando Norris is being let down by muddled McLaren... the only way the Brit can win world championship is if he's made the No 1 driver, writes JONATHAN McEVOY
• There were high hopes for Lando Norris going into the Italian Grax Prix weekend
• From pole, he came third, behind Charles Leclerc and team-mate Oscar Piastri
• McLaren must give the Brit priority if he's to beat Max Verstappen to the title
1 Sept 2024
Jonathan McEvoy
MailOnline
There is only one way Lando Norris can win the world championship. And that is if McLaren help him to do it by making him their No 1 driver. He cannot do it on his own. That much became even more glaringly clear by the fourth corner of an Italian Grand Prix won unexpectedly by Charles Leclerc to the cheering, flag-waving delirium of the tifosi who flooded the home straight afterwards.
Norris was indignant afterwards despite seeing his championship deficit to Max Verstappen, who finished sixth and calling his car a 'monster', cut from 70 to 62 points with eight races and three sprints remaining. 'We could easily have crashed had I braked one metre later. But if I could rewind I would do it differently. Maybe I was too much on the cautious side and I paid the price.'
‘Squeamish Lando Norris’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...AN-McEVOY.html
McLaren boss says both F1 titles now on, orders may follow
1 Sep 2024
The Straits Times
MONZA, Italy - McLaren boss Andrea Stella said both Formula One titles were achievable after Sunday's Italian Grand Prix and indicated team orders could be used to help Lando Norris battle Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Norris cut Verstappen's lead to 62 points with eight races remaining, plus sprints, while McLaren are only eight behind Red Bull in the constructors' standings.
The Briton would have cut Verstappen's lead by much more had he converted pole position into victory at Monza but Australian team mate Oscar Piastri overtook him on lap one and also opened the door for Ferrari's eventual winner Charles Leclerc.
‘Both F1 titles now on’;
https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...ers-may-follow
Helmut Marko sends thanks to McLaren as ‘papaya rules’ let Red Bull off the hook
2 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Helmut Marko thanked McLaren for not going down the team orders route at Monza as it has ensured the damage was limited for Red Bull at the Italian Grand Prix.
Marko appreciated McLaren’s “sporting behaviour”. He added to the German media: “You could see that on the first lap and that they did not change places later. In other words, our misperformance was not that noticeable. It could have been worse, but the gap is about the same as in Zandvoort.”
‘Thanks to McLaren for ‘papaya rules’!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...misperformance
Marko laughs at 'McLaren's sportsmanship': 'I want to thank them for that'
1 Sept 2024
Cas van de Kleut
GPblog.com
Red Bull Racing had a dramatic race weekend in Monza. Max Verstappen saw his championship lead shrink again, as Lando Norris finished third with the fastest race lap. Yet things could have been a lot worse had the Briton won. Red Bull's top consultant, Helmut Marko, can, therefore, laugh at the fact that this did not happen.
There was little upbeat about the race for Red Bull, yet Marko smilingly told De Telegraaf: "A disappointing result? No way. We had seen this coming a bit and I want to congratulate Ferrari on the victory and thank McLaren for their sportsmanship. I appreciate that, and it makes our situation a bit better."
‘Marko laughs at 'McLaren's sportsmanship';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29865...rand-prix.html
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Sainz: Ferrari F1 upgrades delivered ‘genuine’ Monza race with McLaren.
Carlos Sainz was enthused that Ferrari’s Formula 1 latest upgrades put it in a “genuine” race with McLaren at the Italian Grand Prix as team-mate Charles Leclerc won.
3 Sept 2024
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
The Spaniard, who finished fourth behind Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, rued his prospects coming undone when he lost a tow on the McLaren cars when they pitted. However, Sainz spoke of his encouragement at how his team’s cars were able to keep a race pace that enabled his team-mate Leclerc’s victory.
“Today we were in a genuine race with the McLarens,” he said, adding: “I think obviously here the tow makes a bit of a difference and I think I lost the tow around Lap 15 when they boxed and I could really feel how slow you become without it.”
“Then they form a train of three cars and I was in the middle of nowhere with Lewis in my tow following my pace but I genuinely think today we were in the race with the McLarens which was great to see.”
‘Genuine race with McLaren’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...-with-mclaren/
Sainz explains Monza 'miracle' after reaching 'crisis' point
Carlos Sainz has outlined why he reached "crisis" point during the Italian Grand Prix and how he "miraculously recovered" from it.
3 Sept 2024
Samuel Coop & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Carlos Sainz has detailed the "crisis" he dealt with during the Italian Grand Prix, as Charles Leclerc stormed to victory in front of the Tifosi. The Spanish driver, revealed that whilst Ferrari's rivals were peeling in for their second round of pit stops, his Pirellis reached a critical point, which they "miraculously recovered" from.
Whilst Leclerc triumphed, 29-year-old said there was a period of the race when he did not believe the aggressive, and ultimately race-winning, one-stop strategy would be possible. "For some reason, Charles [Leclerc] and I went through a phase of high degradation on the hards [tyres].”
"And then they miraculously recovered, and that's what allowed us to go to the end. But there was a point when the others started boxing that the tyre was really in crisis, but then the last 10 laps, the tyre recovered, and we could keep a decent pace to the end."
Monza 'miracle' after reaching 'crisis';
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-expl...g-crisis-point
RACE RECAP: CHARLES TRIUMPHANT, CARLOS FOURTH
1 Sept 2024
Ferrari - Official Site
Start. Charles and Carlos are fourth and fifth on the grid, with the Monegasque moving up to second thanks to a mistake from George Russell and the battle between the two McLaren drivers at the Roggia chicane. Oscar Piastri leads followed by Leclerc, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz up to fourth.
Lap 13. Lando Norris pits for Hard tyres promoting Carlos to third.
Lap 14. Charles pits and rejoins eighth.
Lap 15. Piastri pits, Carlos leads.
Lap 19. The Spaniard also pits, rejoinig sixth behind his team-mate.
Lap 23. Max Verstappen comes in for another set of Hards. Charles is fourth, Carlos fifth.
Lap 24. Now Sergio Perez pits for tyres so Leclerc is third, Sainz fourth.
Lap 32. Norris switches to another set of Hards. Charles and Carlos are second and third.
Lap 39. Piastri pits. Leclerc leads from Sainz.
Lap 43. Piastri passes Carlos.
Giro 47. Norris passes Carlos.
Finish. Piastri closes on Charles but the Monegasque holds on for the win! Carlos fourth.
‘RACE RECAP’;
https://www.ferrari.com/en-GB/formul...prix-2024-race
‘It shows you’: Carlos Sainz sends brutal message to Lando Norris after Oscar Piastri’s overtake at Monza
3 September 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Sainz and Norris are close friends but the Spaniard has warned the two-time race winner about Oscar Piastri. The Australian youngster pulled off a brilliant move to take the lead of the race and was only denied victory by Ferrari’s superior tyre management and strategy.
Sainz believes that Norris has to be careful of the 23-year-old while Martin Brundle believes Piastri has no interest in helping Norris win the championship at this stage of the season. Sainz was asked about the first-lap incident between the two McLaren drivers and said: “It shows you that there are no friends here and that you cannot trust anyone.”
‘It shows you’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/car...take-at-monza/
Carlos: “Monza is always unique”
1 Sept 2024
Ferrari - Official Site
Monza 29 August 2024: Carlos Sainz was very much in demand on Thursday in the Monza paddock, as the Spaniard prepares for a strong showing in what will be his last Italian Grand Prix in Scuderia Ferrari HP colours. Last year’s poleman spoke about the unique feelings generated at this track.
“For sure, for us Ferrari drivers, this is the most demanding weekend of the year, but you can’t help getting carried away by the passion and support we feel from our supporters whenever we race here. We can rest on Monday, but for now we will enjoy it.”
“Monza is always unique”;
https://www.ferrari.com/en-GB/formul...24-media-sainz
Sainz details breakdown in negotiations with Ferrari over F1 deal
27 Aug 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Sainz has revealed that he was engaged in conversations with Ferrari over an extension when Hamilton elected to activate a break clause in his deal to change teams. “I was in the middle of negotiations with Ferrari,” Sainz told Sky Sports F1 at Zandvoort last weekend. “Everything seemed to be going in the right direction and suddenly these news arrived to me and it was completely unexpected.”
“Everything is actually going smoothly, and I’m that’s why I was so convinced and so sure I was gonna continue there. But a seven-time world champion decided that he wanted to go to Ferrari. And in that case, I couldn’t do nothing against it, and I had to accept it very quickly.”
“Completely unexpected”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...-over-f1-deal/
Spanish bank sponsor to end "$60m" deal with Ferrari when Carlos Sainz exits
Major sponsor to part ways with Ferrari
1 Sept 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
Santander will end their sponsorship of Ferrari at the end of this season. The Spanish bank’s exit coincides with Carlos Sainz’s departure from Ferrari. The driver from Spain will head to Williams in 2025, when he is replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari.
Santander’s claim that they will ‘continue to work with a range of partners’ might open the door to an alliance with Williams, where Sainz will be driving.
‘Carlos Sainz exits, Santander will end their sponsorship of Ferrari’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105440...os-sainz-exits
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Hamilton 'hoping to have more pace' in Monza after P5 finish.
Mercedes Lewis Hamilton was "hoping to have more pace" in Monza after finishing 5th in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
‘More pace';
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ha...08162751021208
Hamilton left to rue personal performance: 'Would've beaten a Ferrari'
2 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
Lewis Hamilton was left regretting his own personal qualifying performance as he believes more would've been possible in the Italian Grand Prix. Though Hamilton did express how Mercedes were missing 'one or two tenths' in race pace on Sunday. The Brit eventually finished fifth, behind only McLaren and the race-winning team Ferrari.
What did Hamilton lack in Italy? In a conversation with the media present in Italy, including GPblog, Hamilton was asked what was lacking. "My qualifying performance at the end yesterday," was Hamilton's first thought before also looking at the Mercedes car. "And then just race pace. We had more degradation and just generally lacking one or two tenths in the race."
"I probably could have finished ahead of one Ferrari if I had been further ahead [on the starting grid]," Hamilton said, insisting a P4 or better was on the cards for the seven-time World Champion. "We just didn't have the pace. We have to go and look and try to understand why. Also because we looked better on Friday. We almost got slower through the weekend. Or others got faster. Or we were light [on fuel in practice] and they were heavy," Hamilton concluded.
‘Left to rue personal performance’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29883...rand-prix.html
Hamilton stumped by Mercedes performance in Ferrari pursuit
Lewis Hamilton has said he does not know why Mercedes lacked race pace at Monza, with the British driver consigned to a lonely drive to fifth.
1 Sept 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he does not know why Mercedes were less than competitive than Ferrari and McLaren at the Italian Grand Prix. "Ultimately, I think we didn't have the race pace today. I'm not quite sure why. I think even if I started further ahead [it] would have been hard," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. "Even if I was ahead of [the] Ferraris, they would have come out ahead. They just had more pace than us, but they had an upgrade this weekend, and we didn't - it's just how it goes.”
"There will be a race, hopefully, that we will have an upgrade and the others won't and we'll be stronger, maybe, but it's very, very fine, small margins between all [of] us and unfortunately, today, we just didn't have the pace... so it was inevitable they would be quick compared to us. I wish we were closer and more in the fight, but onwards and upwards."
‘Stumped by Mercedes performance’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-s...errari-pursuit
Hamilton expecting more upgrades and 'performance' from Mercedes
2 Sept 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
For Lewis Hamilton, he would have been expecting better than P5 at the Italian Grand Prix. After topping the timing sheets in FP2 and FP3, showing some great pace around the 'Temple of Speed', he was disappointed in qualifying, leading to some harsh criticism of himself. He moved up one spot to P5 come the race's end, but he hoped for more. However, coming into the next race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion believes Mercedes will come with some updates.
Hamilton 'hoping to fight for a win again' with new updates: Speaking to the paddock after the Grand Prix at Monza, which included GPblog, Hamilton said some updates for the W15 are in the pipeline: "We definitely have [some updates], yeah. There's definitely some performance to come over the course of the next few races. We’ll find out when we get there. We do have small bits, but I don't know if we have anything huge coming. But hopefully, we have some more performance."
‘Expecting more upgrades and performance';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29896...-mercedes.html
F1 News: Mercedes fear they have “lost pace”
Sept 2, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
Speaking post-race, Andrew Shovlin (trackside engineering director) discussed the state of play at Mercedes: “We didn’t have the pace to be able to both manage the tyres and keep up with our competitors ahead… It looks like we’ve lost some pace relative to our rivals since the summer break. We will go away and investigate why that is and what we need to do to put in a more competitive showing in Baku.”
Recent upgrades from Ferrari and McLaren have given Mercedes somewhat of a headache. The factory in Brackley will need to respond with upgrades of their own to keep up, although they can still be satisfied with their general progress in 2024. Unlike the front-running teams, the German constructor is not in contention for either Championship this season. Instead, Mercedes will focus on maximising results this year and establishing a good platform to fight at the front throughout next season.
‘Lost some pace relative to our rivals’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...-summer-break/
Lewis Hamilton finds one positive for Mercedes at Italian GP
1 Sept 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport
“The only positive to take away is that we have good reliability, but everyone around us did too,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “We didn’t have race pace today, I’m not sure why. Even if we had started further forward, it would have been hard. Even if we were ahead of the Ferraris, they would have come out ahead, they had more pace than us.”
‘Good reliability’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...24-italian-gp/
Hamilton's negative attitude comes under scrutiny from Mercedes boss Wolff
2 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
Lewis Hamilton has been negative about his own performance at the Italian Grand Prix. At the weekend, when Mercedes announced Hamilton's replacement (Andrea Kimi Antonelli), the Brit suggested Mercedes deserved better in qualifying and suggested the young Italian might do a better job than him. Toto Wolff has assessed this negative attitude.
"I think the great characteristic of a champion is to first look at himself and say, ‘What did I do wrong?’ And I think that's what he's doing. He's trying to find where he can improve, what he could have done better and where he's lost their performance," Wolff said in a conversation with GPblog and others. "He's been very strong, and was a role model for George, and even for Kimi. It's something that is important for the team. But the greatest of all time are very critical," Wolff highlighted.
‘Great characteristic of a champion’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29885...-mercedes.html
F1 News: Toto Wolff Highlights Lewis Hamilton’s Self-Criticism Following Italian Grand Prix
Sept 02, 2024
Jake Faigus
Athlon Sports
Toto Wolff is focusing on Lewis Hamilton's self-criticism following the Italian Grand Prix, highlighting it as a key trait of a champion. He said as much to Sky Sports F1 after qualifying. Hamilton acknowledged that qualifying has been a challenge for him recently and mentioned that he would be reflecting on his performance for the next few hours.
"I lost a tenth and a half through Turns One and Two, and then a tenth in the last corner. No one to blame but myself. Qualifying has been my weakness for a minute now and I can't figure it out. I will be kicking myself for the next couple of hours but I need to move forward. We have a good race car, the team have done an amazing job this weekend, they really have.”
He also hinted that his future teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, might help fill the gap for Mercedes next season. "The car felt better than last race and the team deserve better. Maybe they will get that with Kimi [Antonelli]." He added: "It was absolutely ridiculous from my side and completely unacceptable. I'm just not very good at qualifying, simple as. It is unbelievably frustrating but I will keep working. That's all I can do."
‘Lewis Hamilton’s Self-Criticism’;
https://www.fresnobee.com/sports/art...mainstage_card
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Horner praises Verstappen: 'Even with this car you can see his talent'.
Verstappen can no longer compete for wins with the car he currently has, he said in Monza. The development of the RB20 has gone in such a wrong direction that the world champion is repeatedly talking about where they could improve now.
4 Sep 2024
Cas van de Kleut
GPblog.com
Horner sees Verstappen's talent in RB20. So it seems that Verstappen is suffering a bit more from the recent problems than Perez. However, according to Horner, he still sees Verstappen's qualities in the RB20.
"I think that on a low downforce circuit, and this type of circuit in particular [like Monza], it's highlighted that even Max with his talent, he's been able to. You can see flashes of it, like in Q2. As soon as you've got a bit of a balance, bang the lap time was there. But theoretically, putting new tyres on should always be quicker than old tyres," the team principal explained.
‘Horner praises Verstappen’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29921...rent-rb20.html
Max Verstappen ‘should be concerned’ with Red Bull urged to act in ‘losing streak’ warning
4 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Banging his steering wheel in Monza before declaring both titles are “not realistic”, David Coulthard says Max Verstappen has just cause to be concerned having not won any of the last six races. Verstappen and Red Bull had a troubled weekend at the Italian Grand Prix where the reigning World Champion was almost seven-tenths of a second shy of pole position before bringing his RB20 home in sixth place.
A notable misstep in Hungary forced the team to dial back on their upgrades with Red Bull now in a race to figure out exactly where they went wrong. But while Marko says they made a breakthrough on Saturday that allowed them to take a decision on how to move forward, today the team is facing the loss of the Constructors’ Championship and perhaps even the Drivers’.
“At the moment, both championships are not realistic,” he told the media, including PlanetF1.com, at Monza. Coulthard says he has every right to be worried. “He should be concerned,” he told Channel 4 after the race. “I think the whole team are concerned. They haven’t built on the upgrades. Unlike McLaren who have found performance, they haven’t moved forward. They need to unlock the performance in that car.”
‘Red Bull urged to act’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...streak-warning
Horner: Verstappen “not panicking” over recent RB20 form
SEPTEMBER 4, 2024 ·
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog
Christian Horner insists that Max Verstappen is “not panicking” and remains sully supportive of Red Bull Racing despite the recent drop-off in the form of the RB20. Verstappen has made it clear in public that he’s unhappy with how races have gone recently, having finished a distant sixth in Italy last weekend.
However Horner says that the Dutchman is still fully behind the ongoing efforts to turn things around for the remainder of the season. “What’s really impressed me with Max is how he’s really engaged in this process,” said Horner.
“He’s not panicking. He’s working with the engineers. He’s explaining very clearly where the issues are. He’s putting the time and effort in. He was in early [on Sunday] morning, he was on Zoom calls last week, he’ll be on the simulator before the next race, and he’s really working hard at this. And I think he’s shown great maturity as a World Champion, the way he’s working with the engineering group.”
“Not panicking”;
https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/04/...ent-rb20-form/
Downbeat Verstappen says the RB20 'won't be fantastic' in Baku
4 Sep 2024
Jeroen Immink
GPblog.com
Upcoming races will be on the streets of Baku and blood-hot Singapore. Verstappen knows what to do then. "I think at the moment on most tracks, it's mainly the balance. Ride can be improved on every single track naturally. But on the street circuits, that really comes out more," the three-time world champion revealed.
What does Verstappen expect from upcoming street races? Last year in Singapore, Verstappen experienced his worst race (P5), and the Dutchman does not expect miracles this year either. "At the moment, we are not the fastest car even on a normal track. So I don't expect Singapore to suddenly then be fantastic. It's not going to like swap around in Singapore for us," Verstappen said.
‘Does not expect miracles’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29913...singapore.html
Red Bull braced for F1 2024 title defeat as boss goes all in on Max Verstappen – report
04 Sep 2024
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com
Red Bull have reportedly conceded defeat to McLaren in the F1 2024 Constructors’ Championship, with a senior figure quoted as saying a fourth title for Max Verstappen is “all that counts now.”
Verstappen went on to sound the alarm after the race, telling media including PlanetF1.com that both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship will slip away from Red Bull if the situation is not rectified. He said: “At the moment, both championships are not realistic.”
“We have to turn it around and it’s not easy to do that very quickly, and then if we can put that on the car, then it becomes more driveable. I’ve said a lot and now it’s up to the team to come with a lot of changes with the car, because we basically went from a very dominant car to an undriveable car in the space of six to eight months.”
‘Sound the alarm’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclare...eat-title-race
Horner details Verstappen role in Red Bull misery
Red Bull has suffered a downturn in form over the last handful of races and is searching for a fix to return to race-winning ways.
4 Sept 2024
Fergal Walsh & Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Speaking directly after the Italian Grand Prix in which Verstappen finished sixth after qualifying seventh, Horner confirmed Verstappen had been in early that morning. Horner added: "He was on Zoom calls last week, [and] he’ll be on the simulator before the next race.”
“He's really working hard at this. I think he's shown great maturity as a world champion, the way he's working with the engineering team.” Horner hailed Red Bull's engineering team as he backed it to lift it from the struggles it has been enduring.
“Nobody likes the situation we're in at the moment,” he said. “Nobody is happy with it. We've got to work really hard to turn it around. But the one thing this team has is strength in depth and talent. And we'll come back.”
‘Shown great maturity as a world champion’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-det...ed-bull-misery
Max Verstappen makes RB20 engine power admission as Red Bull problems stack up
3 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Max Verstappen revealed he was unable to run his engine at full power during the Italian Grand Prix at the weekend, due to an issue. Verstappen was seen hitting his steering wheel in frustration after an uncharacteristic six-second pit stop from Red Bull on Sunday, as part of what became a frustrating weekend for the Dutch driver.
To compound those concerns, he revealed he was unable to run at full power in the race at Monza. “In terms of position, yes, but I think how we approach the race, not,” Verstappen told Sky F1 when asked if he got all he could out of the Italian Grand Prix.
When asked if that engine issue had hampered his afternoon, the three-time World Champion replied: “It would have still been a bad race, but at least maybe you are a bit more competitive. Because like this we were in no man’s land basically, doing our own race.”
‘Unable to run engine at full power’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...sue-italian-gp
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George Russell takes blame for costly Lap 1 “misjudgement” at Italian GP.
"I got some damage, I think, at the next corner with Max. Who knows what could’ve been."
1 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
George Russell has taken full responsibility for his costly “misjudgement” on the opening lap of the Italian Grand Prix. Russell sustained damage on the opening lap of the race at Monza when recovering from his off-track moment at Turn 1.
The Mercedes driver took to the run-off area and rejoined in close proximity to Max Verstappen. Reflecting on the opening lap at Monza, Russell said: “It was mainly the first lap that cost me. It was a misjudgement on my behalf. Oscar came across sharply. He braked earlier than I expected.”
“When I reacted and hit the brakes, the whole car was locking up. I had to avoid him, to not crash. I got some damage, I think, at the next corner with Max. Who knows what could’ve been. But I don’t think we could’ve kept up with the McLarens. Charles was fast too.”
“Misjudgement”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105451...ent-italian-gp
George Russell 'really quite disappointed' with P7 in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Russell doesn't believe Mercedes would have had the pace to challenge Ferrari and McLaren after finishing P7 in the Italian Grand Prix.
‘Disappointed';
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ge...08380958568090
George Russell blames Mercedes controversy on 'not eating enough pizza'
George Russell is navigating a tough run of form with Mercedes.
Sep 2, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Speaking to supporters in the Italian Grand Prix fan zone, Russell and Hamilton were asked if they had eaten any of Italy’s most famous culinary export. Hamilton responded: “We’re a bit too heavy right now, we can’t have pizza. We’re a bit fat at the moment. Last race, he was heavy and I was even heavier.”
Russell then joked: “Yeah in Spa I didn’t have my pizza so I was underweight and disqualified last week. [Then in] Zandvoort I had a lot of pizza and we were heavy and slow, so I need maybe half a pizza!” This produced a laugh from Hamilton, who added: “It’s true! We were overweight!”
‘Pizza’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ilton-Mercedes
Russell thought he would “go airborne” during Perez battle
SEPT 2, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog
The Mercedes driver damaged his wing on the first lap and after a long early stop for a replacement he had to make his way back up. He was fighting Perez for seventh place when the Mexican made it hard to get by. “I thought I was about to go airborne when he was squeezing me at 340,” he said when asked by this writer about the fight.
“Hard racing, and at least glad to make up one position. It was right at the very, very limit.” Asked if he would speak to the Red Bull driver he said: “There’s nothing to say. We didn’t crash at the end of the day. And I got past him. Half a centimetre more, and it could have been a different story.”
“The sport is a bit strange at the moment, with how Red Bull have lost so much pace. Ferrari seemed to be struggling in Zandvoort and all the races prior, but then they were so quick on Sunday in Zandvoort and this whole weekend. So I don’t really know.”
“Go airborne”;
https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/02/...-perez-battle/
Toto Wolff gives verdict on fierce Russell v Perez battle ‘at the very limit’
1 Sep 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
While the sort of incident that can happen, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes Sergio Perez moved “late” on George Russell at Monza. Russell in his Mercedes found himself in combat with the Red Bull of Perez for P7 at Monza, a move which Russell ultimately completed, though not without some drama going into the opening chicane.
Wolff felt that Perez had moved “late” against Russell in the braking zone at the first chicane. “I’m trying to be objective, and with the George incident on Turn 1, it’s probably racing that can happen,” he said. “But with Checo, that was a move under braking. Was there enough gap, when the gap was tiny? But still, the move came late.”
‘At the very limit’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/toto-w...-russell-monza
Wolff: Mercedes W15 has lost “quite a chunk” of performance
SEPT 3, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog
“It was better than Zandvoort,” said Wolff when asked by this writer about the Monza race. “But we are quite a chunk of from pre-summer performances. I think we scored a podium in five races or six races and three victories, two on merit.”
“And we don’t seem to be playing there at the moment, in the front. And when you’re on the back foot pace-wise, then obviously you’re in a bit of a no-man’s land in terms of strategy. So it’s good that we have a little bit of time to analyse that.”
Wolff admitted that tyre management in races, something that worked so well for Russell at Spa, is the key weakness at the moment. “I think we’re able to extract a single lap, which is in principle, good news,” he said. “But then the balance isn’t, in a way, good enough to keep the tyres happy for the race.”
“Chunk of from pre-summer performances”;
https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/03/...f-performance/
George Russell's seat at Mercedes is not safe amid the team's pursuit of Max Verstappen, says Nico Rosberg
2 Sept 2024
SkySports
George Russell's Mercedes contract expires at the end of the 2025 F1 season; the Silver Arrows have just signed teenage star Andrea Kimi Antonelli to partner Russell next year; Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has repeatedly expressed his desire to bring Max Verstappen to the team
However, 2016 world champion Rosberg said: "George is not safe at all because Toto still wants Max. He will try again for 2026 because 'give up' does not appear in Toto's vocabulary. If Max does become available - and I do think it's a possibility - then it is a shootout between George and Kimi next year.”
"It's a lot of pressure on George as he has everything to lose. He should be the one ahead at the team internally, because Kimi is 18 and he's completely new and in a full-pressure situation, so it's not an easy situation for George."
"George is not safe at all”;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...s-nico-rosberg
‘Right on the edge’: Why George Russell made subtle ‘dig’ at Kimi Antonelli during Monza press conference
4 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer
After Kimi Antonelli crashed 10 minutes into his FP1 debut at Monza, the 18-year-old experienced first-hand how things can change in the highly pressurised world of F1. Antonelli was taking over from George Russell in the session and caused significant damage to the W15, which impacted Mercedes’ run plan for the rest of the day. Russell missed nearly 30 minutes of FP2 while the team continued with repairs, while the team was cut short on the amount of spares they had for the new specification parts.
During the drivers’ press conference over the weekend, Russell made a ‘bit of dig’ at Antonelli over the crash according to journalist Alex Kalinauckas when speaking on the Flat Chat podcast. George Russell blames Andrea Kimi Antonelli for lack of spare parts. F1 teams are quite limited in the amount of parts they are able to produce in a season due to the cost cap, while crash damage is also included in that calculation.
Drivers have lost their seats before due to crashing too often, including Mick Schumacher and most recently Logan Sargeant at Williams. Russell made a subtle hint that Mercedes might have to get used to these setbacks in the early stages of Kimi Antonelli’s career. “Mercedes is in for a real challenging year next year where Antonelli is absolutely rapid, but he crashes a lot. I could totally see it,” said Kalinauckas.
‘Bit of dig’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/why...ss-conference/
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'Really disappointed' Sergio Perez comments on finishing P8 in the Italian Grand Prix.
Perez comments on holding up George Russell from Max Verstappen to maximise returns for the Red Bull in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
'Really disappointed';
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/re...07258109871195
Sergio Perez: Verstappen now “in the same boat” as me
September 2, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
Verstappen has complained extensively about the RB20’s handling. The Dutchman is unhappy with his car’s drivability, a theme that has become increasingly prevalent in F1 circles.
However, for Sergio Perez, his teammate’s current difficulties are what he has experienced for most of 2024: “We basically were slow and high degradation,” he said post-race in Monza.
“I really feel like I’m in the same boat as I’ve been in for the last eight, ten races. But now, all of a sudden, Max has come to similar issues. So, yeah a little bit of a confusion there. But yeah, it’s clearly in the data where the problem is.”
“In the same boat”;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...me-boat-as-me/
Perez struggles with similar problems that 'Verstappen suddenly has'
4 Sept 2024
Ludo van Denderen
Sergio Perez has been telling it all season: the Mexican finds it difficult to handle Red Bull Racing's RB20, and as a result, he cannot perform as he hopes. Consequently, the vice-world champion has not yet won this season, unlike Max Verstappen. However, his Dutch teammate has been waiting for another win since the Spanish Grand Prix. According to Sergio Perez, Verstappen is currently running into the same problems he has been struggling with throughout 2024.
“I really feel like I’m in the same boat as I’ve been in for the last eight, 10 races but now all of a sudden Max has come into similar issues so yeah, a little bit of a confusion there but it is clear in the data where the problem is,” Perez stated to F1TV. What the problem is? That lies in the balance of the car, those involved within Red Bull said one by one at Monza last weekend.
‘Sergio Perez has been telling it all season’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29919...denly-has.html
Verstappen now ‘in the same boat I’ve been in for 10 races’ says Perez as he opens up on Red Bull’s Monza struggles
3 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site
Sergio Perez started and finished the Italian Grand Prix in eighth position, and bar an entertaining duel with George Russell, didn’t have much to show for his afternoon in a Red Bull that was proving a handful around the Temple of Speed.
Much like his team mate Max Verstappen, Perez struggled with the balance of his RB20, finding tyre wear higher than expected and failing to make a two-stop strategy work to his favour. He started on the hard compound, before running that again, moving onto the mediums late on.
“[I’m] really disappointed,” he admitted afterwards. “I was expecting it to be difficult but not this bad. We basically were slow and had high deg [degradation], especially on the medium. I compromised my race a little bit I think to keep George [Russell] behind, but that worked quite well for us because we were able to hold George behind for a little bit and in the end he came really close to Max, so I think it made a difference to the team in terms of points we secured today.”
‘Hold George behind for a little bit and in the end he came really close to Max’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...AlZ0KNGVAXyp0U
Perez is confident that Red Bull has "no more questions" regarding its current issues
3 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Pushed on to comment on Red Bull's current issues, Perez sounded a positive note, claiming that he hopes that the Milton Keynes-based outfit will return to top form in the near future.
"I am very confident the Team here at track and back at home have the solution, we have produced great cars in the past and there is no reason why we cannot get back on track.”
"We have no questions now, we know the problem. Given it is all related to balance, if we can find a fix then we can switch it around but for now, it’s head down until we find the answer,"
‘Perez sounded a positive note’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/25409
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Alex Albon comments on 'intense' Italian Grand Prix.
Alex Albon brings home points for Williams after finishing P9 in Monza as "the tortoise wins the race".
01 September 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
‘P9 in Monza’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/al...06246141817635
‘Been quite strong’: Ted Kravitz explains why Alex Albon was so angry at Monza despite scoring points
2 September 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Williams will be delighted that for the third time in the 2024 Formula 1 season, they’ve left a race weekend with points. Going into nearly any other race weekend, a new driver on the grid would be the biggest focus in the press and Franco Colapinto was a key talking point.
Why Alex Albon was so angry with Williams during the Italian Grand Prix. Relaying what he heard between Albon and the Williams pit wall, Kravitz said: “So, you’ve mentioned Alex Albon fighting with Kevin Magnussen, Albon’s been reminded by his engineers that Magnussen has a ten-second penalty still to be served.”
“Albon’s saying, well what do you want me to do, race him or just stay here? I can probably get onto Alonso in P8, now Albon’s been quite strong on the radio, accusing the team of being indecisive once again, that’s something we’ve heard before from Albon, isn’t it? A case of I used to be decisive but now I’m not so sure at Williams.”
‘What do you want me to do?’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...coring-points/
Alex Albon: Williams have more upgrades in the pipeline
September 3, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
Alex Albon showed why he is such an indispensable asset to Williams by taking points. Although the Monza circuit is usually a favourable track for Williams, delivering a result when you are expected to (as McLaren are showing) is no easy feat.
Thanks to the team’s lighter and upgraded version of the FW46, Albon is optimistic for what remains of 2024: “We’re on a slow burner, and we’re kind of just about getting into it. We have an upgrade, another one planned for hopefully a couple of races.”
“Let’s hope we can try and catch Alpine in the Championship, that’s our target. I think the last few races have proved we can have a fairly good car, capable of Q3, so we’ll keep at it.”
‘More upgrades in the pipeline’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...-the-pipeline/
'The tortoise wins the race' – Albon reflects on ‘intense' Italian GP as Colapinto assesses his debut performance
02 September 2024
Formula One - Official Site
Alex Albon has reflected on an "intense" Italian Grand Prix where the "tortoise won the race" as he bagged valuable points for Williams in P9. Rookie team mate Franco Colapinto also scored an impressive P12 in his debut F1 race to mark a strong showing for the Grove squad.
His consistent drive meant that he was promoted to ninth place and received an important two points after the Dane’s penalty was added. Albon also faced his battles behind as he was closely pursued by Fernando Alonso towards the end of the race, but the Williams man managed to stay ahead on 36-lap-old hard tyres.
Williams had opted for a one-stop strategy at Monza – like winner Charles Leclerc – and, while it meant the pair had to manage their tyres carefully, it helped them finish strongly with Colapinto 13 seconds away from scoring points.
'The tortoise wins the race';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...cTpOfWnvPXX2zl
Italian GP: Fantastic race result for Williams Racing
September 2 2024
Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters
The Williams Racing Team would come away from the 2024 Italian GP with a successful outcome with the Alex Albon achieving a 9th place finish after a one pit stop strategy. It was not the easiest of outcomes as Alex still suffered from graining of his tyres that he had to manage. Alex had finished 10th on the road but another driver would receive a time penalty seeing Alex move forward.
Alex Albon: "It was a good race and I’m happy. I felt like we did a decent job, whilst also struggling quite a lot with the tyres. The front left was always a problem throughout so I had to manage this, and I couldn’t really stop the graining, which was always a problem for us. In the end, we did a good job of surviving while relying on Kevin’s penalty to get P9.”
“Haas had us beat this weekend on race pace, so we still have some work to do, but with another upgrade to come, hopefully, we can get back into this point-scoring rhythm for the remaining races of the season. Also, well done to Franco on a great race, he did an impressive job on his first weekend in F1."
"It was a good race and I’m happy
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st206331.htm
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Magnussen 'doesn't know what is happening' with penalties but finishes P10.
Kevin Magnussen "happy" with Haas's race but confused about penalties given to him. Points still come his way finishing in P10.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
‘Finishing in P10’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ma...04934052377377
Magnussen “completely confused” by penalty that led to race ban
SEPTEMBER 1, 2024
adamcooperf1.com
Magnussen will miss the Baku race. Kevin Magnussen will serve a one-race ban and miss the Azerbaijan GP after picking up two penalty points in Monza and bringing his points total for the past year to 12. He crossed the line in an encouraging ninth place and the best runner outside the top four teams, but was demoted a spot to 10th.
“Yeah, frustrated about the penalty, I don’t understand it at all,” he said when asked by this writer. “Flat out, just completely confused. Me and Gasly raced hard into Turn 4. We had slight contact, we both missed the corner, came back on track again. No damage to either car, no consequence to the race of either of us.”
“And I get a 10-second penalty. Then lap one, Ricciardo and Nico, Ricciardo put Nico in the grass at 300km/h completely destroyed Nico’s race. Massive consequence, and damage to Nico’s car, and he gets a five second penalty. Where’s the logic? I just don’t get it.”
‘Frustrated about the penalty’;
https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/01/...d-to-race-ban/
Martin Brundle joins increasing criticism of FIA race ban for Kevin Magnussen
04 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
List of voices criticising the decision to ban Kevin Magnussen is getting longer. “This seems harsh,” Sky Sports broadcaster Martin Brundle insisted. “Points should only be applied to very serious driving misdemeanours, and otherwise the time penalty itself should suffice.”
Fernando Alonso also chimed in: “Penalty points, as we’ve discussed many times, should be for dangerous driving, something that is a danger for the sport and for the others. “A couple of those points that he accumulated, I’m not sure… I don’t have the list here. But sometimes it’s just pit lane, white line, unsafe releases, all these kind of things.”
“I mean, this is part of racing.” Alonso said about Magnussen’s incident at Monza: “This is a drive-through. This is a five-second penalty. “I understand the racing penalties, but the safety penalties are a little bit harder to understand.”
‘Increasing criticism’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105459...evin-magnussen
Gasly prepared to take drastic stewards action over Magnussen F1 ban.
Pierre Gasly has defended Kevin Magnussen and tried to see if his penalty could be reversed.
2 Sept 2024
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Pierre Gasly has revealed he would have tried to defend Kevin Magnussen to F1 stewards after he was handed a ban in the Italian Grand Prix. Frenchman Gasly stuck up for the Dane Magnussen. "I hope they can revert on that, because it will definitely be unfair," Gasly told media including RacingNews365 when told of Magnussen's ban.
"I [would]be happy to [defend Magnussen], and [I had] a drugs test so wasted an hour, but [I would have] seen what I could have done as it would be very unfair for the incident that it was. I was a bit surprised [about the penalty], as he tried, it was a bit of wheel-to-wheel contact and I didn't lose any time in the end. I am surprised."
‘Surprised’;
https://racingnews365.com/gasly-prep...s-after-f1-ban
The upside for Haas from Magnussen's controversial race ban
Sep 6, 2024
by Edd Straw
The Race
An unexpected driver ban is rarely a positive for a Formula 1 team, but Haas will benefit from Kevin Magnussen's absence from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in terms of its preparations for 2025. Ollie Bearman's premature Haas debut will inject extra momentum to what is already a rolling start to their relationship.
It's an unusual situation for Bearman given he shouldn't be under any undue amounts of pressure, certainly less than were this his F1 debut. He's already stashed significant credit with his outstanding performance for Ferrari at Jeddah after stepping in for Carlos Sainz from FP3, and while he will be determined to repeat that impression he has already shown himself and the world that he can cut it in F1.
He's already under contract for 2025, so in that regard he has nothing to prove. What's left is just the usual need for any driver at this level to prove themselves every time they get in the car, which is onerous enough but won't be added to by other baggage. You could argue there's the hope that a great performance might lead to the seat being given to him for the rest of the season, but it's been made clear Magnussen will be back in Singapore so that is off the table.
‘The upside’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/h...n-ban-f1-race/
Haas confirm Bearman to replace Magnussen in Baku
September 6, 2024
James Phillips
FormulaNerds
The American team was widely expected to confirm the British youngster for Baku after Magnussen crossed the threshold for a race ban. It is the first race ban awarded by the FIA in 12 years since Romain Grosjean was sidelined after causing a first-corner crash in Spa. In a statement released by Haas, Bearman says his experience in Jeddah with Ferrari will help with the preparation of being thrown into an unexpected race weekend:
“It’s definitely more of a challenge stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with limited prep-time and so on, but I’m in the fortunate position of having done it earlier in the year with Scuderia Ferrari, so I can at least call on that experience”.
‘Haas confirm Bearman’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ha.../?nowprocket=1
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Alonso 'proud' of 'well executed' race in Monza.
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso is "proud" of a "well executed" race in Monza for the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
'Well executed race’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/al...06414697327423
Alonso would rather have upgrades than a strategy "brain" at Monza
Tyre mastery can’t compensate for Aston Martin’s deficit at Monza
Sep 1, 2024
Ben Vinel Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin is lacking pure performance which tyre savviness cannot make up for at Formula 1's Italian Grand Prix. "I prefer to have an updated floor or rear wing than a brain at the moment," the two-time world champion said. "But it could be the case tomorrow that we see a different Monza.
"[On Friday] we were quite worried [about] all the teams, we saved two hard tyres for the race and we checked before qualifying that everyone did, so there is not an advantage anymore. So we are all in the same place.
"Probably one-stop is still the favourite, historically Monza has been like that. But if extreme graining happens, two stops is available for everyone with the tyres available. So I don't think that we will see many different strategies tomorrow. The tyres will dictate the race."
‘Upgrades than a strategy "brain"!’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...onza/10650124/
Alonso won't confirm Newey’s arrival: 'They are only rumours'
2 Sept 2024
Corwin Kunst
GPblog.com
Fernando Alonso hoped after last year's strong start to the season that he would eventually be able to really fight for the Formula 1 world title again at Aston Martin, but that hope has come to an end this season - at least for now. The British team is somewhat in no-man's land, but the two-time world champion is patient and believes better times are coming. Whether that will be with or without Adrian Newey, the Spaniard cannot or will not say.
Alonso acknowledges that this is the situation Aston Martin is in. "Yeah, of course, nothing we can do. I mean, we are in our team's hands, and I think Lance and myself, we're trying to do the best we can every weekend. But I think this year we've been, Lance and myself, very close, two or three seconds away at the end of the race, either in front or behind. Today was one of those weekends that I was a little bit better, and I was happy with the car and pushing to the level that maybe was beyond 100%, and that was P11."
Rumours of Adrian Newey's arrival are getting louder by the week. But they are not more than rumours, according to Alonso. "Well, still only rumours. And I think it's not only one man's job to fix the things [the current problems]," said the world championship number nine after 15 races. Virtually nothing about the rules will change in 2025. Does that mean there won't be much to gain for Aston Martin next year either? "Well, I think we still have time to react. It's only the end of August. It's the first of September. “
‘Rumours';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29893...situation.html
Even Newey won't be quick fix for Aston Martin says Alonso
2 Sep 2024
GrandPrix.com
Explaining his Italian GP, Alonso said he expected to be 16th or 17th at the chequered flag - but ultimately he managed maybe my best race of 2024 and finished P11. “Tomorrow”, Alonso said, "I will be the only one who remembers 'Alonso's Monza 2024'. Our car eats up the tyres, we slide in the corners, we have no grip. We have hardly any strong points.”
“Let's see if there is a response, some action, and not always coming with the same car”, he added. As for those intensifying Newey rumours, Alonso warned that there are no silver bullets in Formula 1. “I think it's not just one person's job to fix things”, he answered, when asked about the rising prospect of the famous 65-year-old Briton wearing green from 2025.
“It's more about what we have now, what we're producing, understanding what's going in the right direction, what's going in the wrong direction, and trying to prepare for 2025 in a better way”, Alonso concluded.
‘Even Newey won't be quick fix’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/even-...ys-alonso.html
Alonso: “Painful” to drop out of Monza F1 points after second stop
3 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog
Fernando Alonso admits that it was “painful” to miss the points in the Formula 1 Italian GP after stopping twice when his immediate rivals were able to make a one-stop work. Nevertheless the Spaniard admitted that the outcome was better than he had anticipated. “Today is much, much better than expected,” he said when asked by this writer about his race.
“I think the execution of the race was really good for us. We got lucky with the start, a very good start, we overtook Nico, and then we were 10th, and close to Alex. So we kept the pace, surprisingly, with the Williams, so happy with that. And then we undercut him.We were running ninth for the majority of the race.”
“And then we opted for two stops, we could not make it on one with our tyre degradation. We tried to catch at the end. And eight-tenths from Albon, one-tenth from Magnussen. So P11, only one second away of P9, which is very painful to lose the points, because I think we deserved it in a way, with a well-executed race. But the car is what it is at the moment, and we need to get better.”
“Painful”;
https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/03/...r-second-stop/
Alonso airs upcoming concern after making 'not good enough' claim
No messing about with words here from Fernando as usual ahead of the races in Baku and Singapore
3 Sep 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Fernando Alonso has delivered a "not good enough" message to Aston Martin following a run of grands prix around the fringes of the top 10 that has left him concerned ahead of the upcoming street races in Baku and Singapore. Asked whether he was expecting the car to perform better at the street circuits, he bluntly replied:
"No. Until we have an upgrade on the car, this is what it is, and this is not good enough. Not good enough in Monza, not good in Zandvoort, in Spa, in Hungary. So I don't think there's going to be a big change in Baku, Singapore or Austin, unless we bring new parts. That's the plan.”
"The team is aware of the situation, the team is working flat out. We keep united, we keep pushing. Last weekend [Dutch GP] was one point, here [Monza] we were close to two points, and that will be our battle."
‘No messing about with words’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-air...d-enough-claim
Fernando Alonso sympathetic towards Kevin Magnussen after controversial race ban
Fernando Alonso has offered a sympathetic view towards Kevin Magnussen following his race ban.
3 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso expressed sympathy for Kevin Magnussen after the Haas driver was handed a race ban for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“Someone told me he got a 10 seconds penalty. I'm a bit surprised for that because he tried, but it was a bit of wheel to wheel and in the end I really didn't lose any time. I'm a bit surprised,” Fernando Alonso said.
“I hope somehow they can revert on that because that will would be definitely unfair. I'll be happy to do- I'll see what I can do. That will feel very unfair for the incident that it was.”
‘Fernando Alonso sympathetic’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105456...rsial-race-ban
Alonso: Aston struggling to beat Williams and Haas is not acceptable
Alonso can accept Aston Martin not mingling with the top four teams yet but isn't keen on fighting humbler midfield squads
Sep 4, 2024
Ben Vinel Oleg Karpov
Motorsport.com
Fernando Alonso has lamented Aston Martin’s position in the Formula 1 pecking order with the team struggling to keep the upper hand on its midfield rivals. Alonso confessed to feeling somewhat powerless trying to get the best of a midfield car but doesn’t want to settle for a fight with smaller outfits.
“Of course, nothing we can do,” the Spaniard said. “We are in our team's hands, and I think Lance and myself, we’re trying to do the best we can every weekend. One inspired weekend, like this one from my side, I know it's going to be 'completely anonymous Monza 2024 from Alonso'.
“But I think this year we've been – Lance and myself – very close, and [in Monza] it was one of those weekends that I was a little bit better and I was happy with the car and pushing to the level that maybe was beyond 100% and that was P11, so disappointed on that.
‘Fernando Alonso has lamented Aston Martin’s position’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...able/10650989/
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'Not bad' first race for Franco Colapinto as he finishes P12.
Franco Colapinto finishes P12 and is "very happy" with performance in his first Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
'Not bad';
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/no...07491857381910
Colapinto: ‘A little mistake cost me a lot’ in Monza F1 qualifying
1 Sep 2024
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week
Amid the threat of elimination, Colapinto pushed hard on his final lap in the opening Q1 qualifying session, running wide at the second Lesmo during an effort he felt was good enough to advance.
“I think I felt a little bit of understeer. It was quite on the limit, that lap, and I just dropped two tyres in that double curve, and I couldn’t catch it back,” said Colapinto. “So just a little mistake that cost me a lot, maybe a chance of going into Q2.”
‘Pushed hard’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...f1-qualifying/
‘Wow’: Franco Colapinto asks Williams for change after ‘so much pain’ on Formula 1 debut
1 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer
Franco Colapinto makes seat request after ‘painful’ Italian GP. Colapinto said he was in ‘pain’ during much of the race due to not having an optimal seat design in his FW46.
“You were right. I was gonna have pain after this race. Wow. I never had so much pain in a race car before. We need to do some things to the seat. But I really enjoy it, thanks very much,” said Colapinto.
‘Wow’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fra...rmula-1-debut/
Colapinto relieved to answer Williams ‘question mark’ at Monza
Franco Colapinto impressed on his F1 debut for Williams taking 12th place in the Italian Grand Prix.
2 Sept 2024
Jake Nichol & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Franco Colapinto has detailed his relief at being able to answer a big Williams "question mark" heading into the Italian Grand Prix. "I am very happy with the result, but happy because the pace was a question mark," Colapinto told media including RacingNews365.
"I have never done more than eight laps in a row before this, and suddenly there are 53 - and I had never tried a hard compound [tyre] either. So there were a lot of new things, but it was a very positive weekend overall. It was obviously a little bit frustrating with the mistake [on Saturday], but I paid it back to the team with a really strong race.”
"I now have a lot of information to take to the factory, on the simulator and understand better on what I need to work on as your first race is always tough with many unknown things, but we managed it well, and only finishing a couple of seconds outside of the points was decent."
‘Detailed his relief’;
https://racingnews365.com/colapinto-...-mark-at-monza
Colapinto did “good job” in race, “fantastic” in qualifying – Vowles
3rd Sept 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
“Franco, this weekend, given we’ve really taken him out of F2 and immediately put him in F1 – but with significant amounts of preparation behind the scenes – has done a good job,” said Vowles in a video released by the team. As well as the front-left tyre graining problems most drivers suffered the Williams pair also had to cope with their rear tyres overheating, said Vowles. Colapinto “took it in his stride,” he said.
“He executed the race perfectly, making progress and overtaking cars. And I think had qualifying really gone to plan – and just for transparency in qualifying he was near enough within a tenth of Alex [Albon] as he went through turn seven, so very, very close – he would have been today potentially in with a chance for points. And that, for your first outing in a car, is fantastic.”
“Good job”/“Fantastic”;
https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/03/...nd-up-03-09-7/
Colapinto proud after debut: 'Happy with the result after tough decision'
4 September at 18:00
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com
"Very positive. I am happy, of course, with the result, but mostly happy with the pace. It was a question mark. I have never done more than 8 laps in a row before this, and suddenly I had to do 53, and I never tried the hard compound as well," the Argentinian began in the paddock in Monza.
Colapinto finished 12th in Italy, just one position shy of Sargeant's best result in the 2024 season. "Of course, a bit frustrating the little mistake I have done yesterday, but today, I paid it back to the team with a really strong pace. The engineers stayed with me during all the sessions and they helped me a lot with the tools to keep the tyres under control."
‘Colapinto proud’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29923...es-vowles.html
Business: Williams secures new Argentine sponsor after signing Franco Colapinto
4 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
On the eve of last weekend's Italian Grand Prix, Williams has announced a new partnership with Argentine leading digital transformation company Globant.
James Vowles, Team Principal: “I am delighted to welcome Globant to Williams Racing as Argentina prepares to mark its latest milestone in Formula 1. This partnership unites two organisations driven by innovation and a passion to provide unrivalled experiences for fans, and we are looking forward to working together starting this weekend in Monza.”
‘New Argentine sponsor’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/25362
David Coulthard gives two-word verdict on Franco Colapinto’s debut with Williams at Monza
5 Sept 2024
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer
David Coulthard gives two-worded verdict on Franco Colapinto’s Williams debut. The Scotsman said: “I think that was a very good debut for Franco Colapinto at Williams. He’s replaced Logan Sargeant. Sorry for Logan but unfortunately just too many crashes and as Mark has famously said: ‘Formula 1 isn’t a finishing school, it’s where you have to come in and deliver.”
‘Very good debut’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dav...iams-at-monza/
Williams loaded Colapinto with "more information than a human can take"
Williams team principal James Vowles delivers his verdict on Franco Colapinto's maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monza
6 Sep 2024.
Filip Cleeren Oleg Karpov
Motorsport.com
"Part of the reason why he's in the car is his ability to cope with immense amounts of pressure," James Vowles said. "You still [need to] have natural ability to drive quickly, but he's not really flappable.”
"We loaded him up with more information than a human being can take, and if you ask him now, he'll say that was definitely too much. But it didn't cause him to go into any other state than 'this is how I do things, and this is how I perform the best', and that's part of the reason why he's in the car."
“Not really flappable”;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/w...take/10651684/
'We've already started working': Franco Colapinto’s manager admits ‘reality’ of Williams star’s future after F1 debut
6 Sept 2024
Luke-John Buckle
F1 Oversteer
Franco Colapinto’s team has already begun work to find him a drive ahead of next season. “At the moment, it looks like there will not be a seat in Formula 1 next year. That’s the reality. But what we do know at the moment is Franco has eight races to show what he’s made of with no pressure from the team or us.”
“We need him to grow day by day. Then what the future will hold, we will see. It’s something that we’ve already started working on we pretty much know now that he will not be on the grid in Formula 1 in 2025.”
‘Already started working’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/fra...fter-f1-debut/
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Ricciardo: 'ultimately we weren't quick enough'.
Daniel Ricciardo admits RB "weren't quick enough" in the Italian Grand Prix after a P13 finish in Monza.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
‘P13 finish’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ri...07693399962085
Ricciardo left uninspired by VCARB updates: ‘I’ll give it a session though’
7 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda are trying their best to keep VCARB in sixth place in the Constructors Championship. However, the duo hasn’t been inspired by the team's latest updates. They currently lead the battle for sixth by six points, but Haas are applying pressure.
Ricciardo is not confident about the upgraded floor that he will, likely, get at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. Ricciardo explained that VCARB still plan to use the upgrades despite the negative feedback from the Japanese driver. “Sometimes you can't predict what happens on track. It might produce more load, but maybe it shifts the balance, so maybe setting the car up is trickier. And maybe that's what it was,” Ricciardo told GPblog and others.
"It's hard for me to speak on. Look, I want to believe that it can still be good because obviously the last one wasn't too good for us. I'd like to think this one is better. But obviously Yuki has the only experience with that this weekend. And obviously he was a bit vocal about having a tough weekend. So we'll see. But it's something I want to at least give it a session and have a feel for it before I also maybe say it's not the one,” Ricciardo concluded.
‘Uninspired’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29960...-upgrades.html
Daniel Ricciardo on Nico Hulkenberg clash: “I thought we had space; I apologised”
Daniel Ricciardo reacts to incident with Haas at F1 Italian Grand Prix
2 Sep 2024
Lewis Duncan
Crash.Net
Ricciardo ended a troubled home race for the RB squad in 13th. “Ultimately, we weren’t quick enough today, even without the penalties,” he said. “We tried, and I was enjoying the wheel-to-wheel racing at the start, but I made contact with Nico in Turn 8.”
“I spoke to him after the race, I thought we had space, but felt the contact so didn’t give him enough room, and I apologised. It’s tough as you race hard but the smallest margins make a difference.”
“The car felt ok after, and we pushed as hard as we could with what we had. I was trying to get the maximum out of the car from Friday afternoon to today. Personally, I feel a lot better this weekend, and we were close to scoring points.”
“I apologised”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105454...e-i-apologised
‘Sorry for him’ – Ricciardo sends apology to former team mate after Monza clash
4 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site
The incidents started early, with Ricciardo squeezing Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas on the very first lap. While the Honey Badger could continue after that moment of wheel banging, he was soon handed a five-second time penalty for causing the contact.
But worse was to follow, when his front jackman accidentally touched the car too soon when the penalty was served, meaning Ricciardo was handed a 10-second penalty for failing to serve the original one correctly.
The Australian was quick to take the blame for the opening lap incident as well, saying he tried to find Hulkenberg post-race to explain his part in the contact. “Obviously I’m aware I’m fighting and there’s a car alongside me, but you don’t really know. Like I thought we were good and then I felt the contact, so I obviously immediately assumed I didn’t give him enough room.”
‘Sorry for him’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...oFxWBs6JCetBRn
RB driver announcement soon? Daniel Ricciardo ‘pretty much telegraphed it’ on Thursday
4 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Ted Kravitz reckons Daniel Ricciardo “telegraphed” a pending VCARB driver announcement during the Monza weekend, and it’s one that doesn’t bode well for the Honey Badger. Kravitz reckons VCARB could announce even before the next race in Baku that Ricciardo is out and that Lawson will instead partner Yuki Tsunoda next season.
“Are we going to have a driver announcement at RB before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a couple of weeks time?” he said in his post-race Ted’s Notebook. “We’re all expecting it. Daniel Ricciardo pretty much telegraphed it on Thursday.”
“And is that driver announcement going to be that Liam Lawson will partner Yuki Tsunoda at RB next year? That’s what everybody is expecting.”
‘Telegraphed it’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/rb-dri...aphed-it-monza
‘I know what’s required’: Daniel Ricciardo remains confident amid speculation on F1 future
September 5th, 2024
Fox Sports (Australia)
Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo remains confident he will finish the season at RB amid growing speculation about his future in the sport. When asked whether he was confident he would remain at RB for the remainder of the 2024 campaign, Ricciardo responded: “Yes. I say yes, I’ve been in this long enough – who knows?”
“But, I will keep making it about me. If I’m performing they won’t find a reason to do anything. If I perform, I’m good. If I focus on myself it shouldn’t affect me. It doesn’t matter what someone is saying. It matters what my hands and feet are doing in the cockpit.”
Red Bull has already confirmed that teammate Yuki Tsunoda will drive for RB in next year’s championship while Red Bull team director Helmut Marko revealed that New Zealand’s Liam Lawson would earn a seat in 2025. If Mexican veteran Sergio Perez keeps his seat at Red Bull, Ricciardo would almost certainly have to make way for Lawson.
“Who knows?”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...96dca83908fcfa
Paddock whisper that “everybody is expecting” Daniel Ricciardo to lose F1 seat
Fresh suggestion that Daniel Ricciardo's days in Formula 1 are numbered
7 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
“Everybody is expecting” Daniel Ricciardo to lose his 2025 F1 drive with RB, Ted Kravitz has claimed. The whisper came from inside the Monza paddock at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix. Ricciardo has spoken openly and honestly about the looming threat of being ditched from his drive for next season.
Sky Sports’ Kravitz wondered in Italy: “Are we going to have a driver announcement at RB before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix? “We are all expecting it. Ricciardo pretty much telegraphed it on Thursday.”
“Is that driver announcement going to be that Liam Lawson will partner Yuki Tsunoda next year? That is what everyone is expecting.” The revelation is a bitter blow to Ricciardo. He is out of contract at the end of this season, and the 2025 F1 driver line-up has just two vacant seats available.
‘Bitter blow’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105459...o-lose-f1-seat
Ricciardo views coming races as critical to F1 future
Daniel Ricciardo is heading into the final eight races of the season aware they could be his last in F1.
7 Sept 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
With uncertainty remaining as F1 heads into the final eight races of the year, Ricciardo has admitted that he’s treating the run to Abu Dhabi as the most critical of his career. “It needs to be the mindset,” he confessed. “And if I feel like I’m softening that, then I need to kind of shake myself a little bit and make sure I’m not. It is still very important, but I also think I am still learning, which is great, and I think that mindset is a much better one for me.”
“When there’s a bit on the line, when that pressure is a little bit higher, it in a way kind of increases that spark in me and stops me from feeling a little bit, maybe relaxed or whatever you want to say. I’ve just got to make sure that I still, and I think this is still the case… these are very important races. But even if, for whatever reason, they weren’t, even if I signed a contract today, I still should be telling myself that they are because I think that’s where I operate the best for myself.”
‘Final eight races could be his last in F1’;
https://speedcafe.com/ricciardo-view...-to-f1-future/
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Esteban Ocon comments on his P14 finish in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
Trying everything this weekend "unfortunately was not enough" for Esteban Ocon as he finishes P14.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
‘P14 finish’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/es...09070725528090
Ocon left frustrated by switch issue in Monza qualifying
1 Sep 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog
Esteban Ocon was left frustrated by a switch issue after earning 15th place in qualifying for the Italian GP. “I think to start with on the positives, from Friday to Saturday really more like a level of performance that we had pre-Zandvoort,” he said when asked by this writer about the session.”
“So really, there’s something that we touched overnight that has made the difference. We need to investigate exactly what it is, because it is not very clear at the moment, but the car, since this morning, FP3 and now, feels like more of a normal car, more like the one I’m used to from pre-Zandvoort.”
“So that’s, that’s a very positive. On the other side because of that we could have gone a little bit quicker on today’s lap. A bit my fault, a bit the guys’ fault, we messed it up. We should have seen it. And basically that gave me some understeer on the lap. And there’s going to be some work to do for tomorrow. I think our straightline speed is decent. So hopefully we can gain some places.”
‘Frustrated’;
https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/01/...za-qualifying/
EXCLUSIVE: Haas boss “not bothered” by “noise” around Esteban Ocon’s reputation
Speaking exclusively to Crash.net at the Dutch Grand Prix, Haas boss Ayao Komatsu expressed that he is unconcerned about Esteban Ocon’s reputation of not being a ‘team player’.
3 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Speaking exclusively to Crash.net at the Dutch Grand Prix last month, Komatsu revealed that Ocon’s reputation was a “discussion point” and that they had “honest” talks about it during negotiations. “It was a discussion point but I have my belief from the beginning,” Komatsu said.
“I had to speak with Esteban in an honest way to understand where he’s at in all those things. Honestly, fundamentally, what I believe is as long as we have good, respect relationship with mutual respect and transparency. If we’ve got fundamental trust between the team and the driver, it shouldn’t be an issue.”
‘Unconcerned’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105455...ons-reputation
‘Discussion point’: Ayao Komatsu explains the concern he shared with Esteban Ocon before signing 2025 Haas deal
3 September 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
Ayao Komatsu shares Esteban Ocon concerns during negotiations. “It was a discussion point but I have my belief from the beginning,” he said. “I had to speak with Esteban in an honest way to understand where he’s at in all those things.”
“Honestly, fundamentally, what I believe is as long as we have good, respect relationship with mutual respect and transparency. If we’ve got fundamental trust between the team and the driver, it shouldn’t be an issue.”
‘During negotiations’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/aya...025-haas-deal/
Alpine F1 Faces Uncertainty Amid Strikes And Shakeups
5 Sep 2024
Kanzah Maktoum
Forbes
Describing Alpine Renault’s 2024 Formula 1 season as merely turbulent is an understatement. The team has faced a series of upheavals: senior personnel have left, significant strategic shifts are being made, changes to their engine supply are being considered, and Flavio Briatore has been brought on board.
Most recently, there has been fierce opposition within the team, with resistance reaching a boiling point. Employees at the Viry-Chatillon facility in France planned a peaceful protest and strike during the Italian Grand Prix.
Last week, employees donned white T-shirts bearing the Alpine logo and the message #ViryOnTrack, along with black armbands, as they staged a peaceful protest in two grandstands at Monza. Workers at the Viry-Chtillon plant also went on strike in solidarity.
‘Uncertainty’;
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kanzahm...-and-shakeups/
Renault F1 engine axe decision not final yet says CEO
Renault CEO Luca de Meo insists a final decision about the fate of the French carmaker's works Formula 1 engine program is yet to be taken.
SEPT 5, 2024
GrandPrix.com
“We have four or five weeks to determine the next steps ahead of the board meeting”, said the Italian. “We are evaluating all opportunities.” De Meo admits that he finds the idea of switching to a competitive customer engine very appealing.
“If we look at this from a purely financial point of view - how expensive it is to develop an engine for 2026 yourself, and how much could you save with a customer engine - then we are talking about a huge difference”, he said. "Those who look at the numbers see that we could enter the new era of Formula 1 with a more powerful but less expensive package. But there are many factors to consider when making a decision.”
"What does the marketing department think about this? What negative consequences, including financial ones, could there be in the event of this move? Our ambition is to create a competitive project. Therefore, when choosing, we take into account many factors, and we do this with special care.”
‘Axe decision not final’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/renau...-says-ceo.html
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'A lot to review' for Pierre Gasly and Alpine after finishing P15.
After finishing 30 seconds from the top 10, Pierre Gasly reviews "not good" Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
'A lot to review';
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/a-...05988179466651
Pierre Gasly confused and frustrated with qualifying P14 for the 2024 Italian Grand Prix
31 Aug 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
A confused Gasly explains the Alpines struggles with the soft compound tyre around Monza after exiting Qualifying in Q2.
‘Confused and frustrated’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/pi...16273714661466
Pierre Gasly wants “unfair” Kevin Magnussen F1 ban reversed
Pierre Gasly reckons Kevin Magnussen's F1 ban should be overturned.
2 Sep 2024
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Pierre Gasly has called for F1’s stewards to reverse the ban handed out to Kevin Magnussen following their “nothing” collision at the Italian Grand Prix. "Honestly, this was nothing," Gasly said. "The whole afternoon we were dead slow. We really need to get on top of it because I really believed we would have more potential in the race and it was a lot harder.”
"Someone told me he got a 10 seconds penalty. I'm a bit surprised for that because he tried, but it was a bit of wheel to wheel and in the end I really didn't lose any time. I'm a bit surprised. I hope somehow they can revert on that because that will would be definitely unfair. I'll be happy to do it [speak with the stewards] - I'll see what I can do. That will feel very unfair for the incident that it was.”
“Unfair”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105451...1-ban-reversed
‘There is a lot of work ahead of us’ says Gasly after Alpine fall back in Italian Grand Prix
4 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site
Alpine saw a reversal in their fortunes at the Italian Grand Prix just days after scoring points in Zandvoort, with Pierre Gasly admitting that the team have “a lot of work ahead” to understand the issues following his drive to P15. Reflecting on his race, Gasly conceded: “It was a very long afternoon. I’m very disappointed because I thought that somehow in the race things will get better compared to yesterday, and it was actually worse.”
“We had some brake issues yesterday we found out after quali, which carried on this afternoon. The car was bouncing a lot and we just had no grip out there. We finished 30 seconds I think from the top 10, which is not good. There is a lot of work ahead of us to understand why… Last week at a very different track we had some pace to fight there, today it was impossible, so [I’m] pretty disappointed.”
‘Reversal in their fortunes’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...2ydD2gXHdhRdGn
Gasly admits he is ‘very disappointed’ after ‘impossible’ Italian GP
Gasly has suggested that there "is a lot of work ahead" for Alpine to improve their position in 2024
Sept 5, 2024
Oliver Brindle
FormulaNerds
No improvements in Italy: The once Renault-branded team currently sit eighth in the Constructors’ Championship, 15 points behind American team Haas. Their hunt of the US-based team was once again hampered in Italy after Kevin Magnussen finished in 10thextending their lead of Alpine by a point.
Gasly and teammate Esteban Ocon finished outside the top 10, in 15th and 14th, respectively. The French manufacturer joined Stake as the only two teams with both cars finishing outside the points. When reflecting on the French pairing’s struggles, the one-time race winner shared his disappointment after feeling the race pace of the A524 would help them improve their weekend from qualifying.
As reported by F1, Gasly said: “It was a very long afternoon. I’m very disappointed because I thought that somehow in the race things will get better compared to yesterday, and it was actually worse. We had some brake issues yesterday we found out after quali, which carried on this afternoon. The car was bouncing a lot and we just had no grip out there. We finished 30 seconds I think from the top 10, which is not good.”
‘Impossible Italian GP’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ga.../?nowprocket=1
INSIDE: How did chicken risotto and tiramisu please Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly at Monza?
4 Sep 2024
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
Last Sunday's Italian Grand Prix saw Alpine and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas partner to provide an exclusive culinary experience, starting the countdown to the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix this November. Executive Chefs from The Venetian Resort travelled to Italy to team up with Alpine's trackside catering team and deliver a unique dining experience for drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly, as well as invited guests during the Monza F1 round.
Tge French outfit revealed that "leading The Venetian Resort chefs was the internationally renowned Olivier Dubreuil, Vice President of Culinary Operations at The Venetian Resort and Master Chef of France." Olivier Dubreuil and Alpine chefs revisited the drivers’ favourite childhood dishes, each with a prestigious twist. Pierre’s chosen foods were tacos and tiramisu while Esteban reminisced about his mother’s chicken risotto.
Reflecting on the experience, Gasly added: “The Venetian Resort looked after me and the whole BWT Alpine F1 Team incredibly well at the first Las Vegas Grand Prix last season, and it was such a pleasure to have them with us in Monza. "They’ve recreated the tacos and tiramisu I used to have as a kid perfectly, and I’m now looking forward to returning to Vegas even more and staying at The Venetian, a true icon of Las Vegas!"
‘Chicken risotto and tiramisu’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/25410
‘Good work’: Pierre Gasly explains how 2025 Alpine driver Jack Doohan helped him score points at the Dutch Grand Prix
26 Aug 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Doohan was confirmed as Alpine’s second driver for 2025 at the beginning of the race weekend. The young Australian has been vital behind the scenes to Alpine with his tireless simulator work. Gasly explained that Doohan’s hours in the sim during the Dutch Grand Prix ended up giving him a much-needed boost.
Asked about his new teammate for 2025, Gasly said: “It’s exciting! I mean I’m stoked for Jack, I’ve seen him working with the team for the past year and a half. Obviously, he’s been very involved in the race team with the work in the simulator and in testing, so I saw him always keeping a close eye on what we’ll be doing with Esteban and I’m very, very happy. We’ll work very hard to make sure we’ve got a stronger car for next season and hopefully he’ll have a bit more fun than we’re having at the minute!”
‘Vital behind the scenes’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/pie...ch-grand-prix/
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Bottas: 'I wouldn't do anything different' after finishing P16.
A "better than last weekend" race for Valtteri Bottas as he brings the Sauber home in P16 in the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
‘Finishing P16’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/bo...05230126262447
Sauber spot “positive sign” but Valtteri Bottas still point-less
Sauber boss insists there is reason for optimism
2 Sep 2024
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
Sauber believe they have closed the gap to their nearest rivals despite still not scoring a point at the F1 Italian Grand Prix. Team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi insists there is some optimism. “We could see some positive signs in [the] performance by the team, even though the finishing positions, on paper, don’t look much different from the previous races,” he claimed.
“Both drivers were able to manage their tyres well, hard and medium alike, and this allowed us to follow the race strategy we planned before the race, with degradation under control. Of course, this is still not enough to fight for points, as we lack overall pace: but the low-drag package we brought to Monza and the setup changes we made for qualifying improved the car balance and gave Valtteri and Zhou a chance to fight.”
“We still have a long journey ahead of us to be in the battle for points, but it is important to acknowledge that, today, the gap with our direct competitors has been reduced – it's a positive sign we need to outline.”
“Positive sign”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105454...ill-point-less
Exclusive: Bottas opens up on Audi plans that make F1 success ‘a matter of time’
9 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
“In the last few months I’ve had to keep my eyes and ears open, what’s happening, and trying to read the driver market, because there’s been no guarantees of me staying here,” Bottas told Motorsport Week in an exclusive interview.
“But now, there’s a clear direction, a clear priority, and still I think in the long term it could be really interesting, and there could be some success in sight if I can get into the project. I feel like that’s what I need at this stage of my career, I need a clear project into which to focus, and that’s obviously at the moment easier, and for Audi.”
‘A matter of time’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...atter-of-time/
Valtteri Bottas refuses to budge from key Sauber contract demand
August 31, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
Valtteri Bottas insists on a multi-year deal in Sauber talks. Bottas underlines his objectives. Since making the decision to leave Mercedes and join Sauber, Bottas has spoken extensively about the importance of signing long-term deals.
The Finn does not want a return to the uncertainty of the one-year contracts he received as Mercedes. The 35-year-old wants to join a team that sees him as part of their project for the long term. Consistent with this non-negotiable, Bottas has told the media he wants to be part of the Audi project in 2026 and beyond:
“I’m only interested in a multi-year contract. Because if I only sign for one year, I know that it probably won’t be easy [getting another contract] next year either. That’s not very interesting for my career. My priority is to be part of Audi. Since the announcement that the brand is coming to Formula 1, I have always shown my interest in this project. I have the experience, and I think that’s what the team needs.”
‘Refuses to budge’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...ntract-demand/
Valtteri Bottas’ ‘matter of time’ Audi F1 prediction as driver market battle hots up
9 Sep 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Pushing to be a part of the Audi F1 project, Valtteri Bottas batted away any negativity and said success is merely a “matter of time”. Audi showed its previous F1 chief Andreas Seidl and chairman Oliver Hoffmann the door, bringing in ex-Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto, while Red Bull’s long-serving sporting director Jonathan Wheatley will arrive in 2025 to run the Audi F1 project with Binotto.
The duo has a challenge on their hands, with Sauber rock bottom of the F1 2024 Constructors’ Championship and the only team without a point, a tough base for Audi F1 to build from without major improvement. But Bottas has no concerns, having seen the behind-the-scenes work taking place, as he fights to earn a place in the Audi F1 story, as the likes of Liam Lawson, Mick Schumacher, Theo Pourchaire and Gabriel Bortoleto continue to be linked with an F1 2025 seat.
“In the last few months I’ve had to keep my eyes and ears open, what’s happening, and trying to read the driver market, because there’s been no guarantees of me staying here,” Bottas began when speaking to Motorsport Week. “But now, there’s a clear direction, a clear priority, and still I think in the long term it could be really interesting, and there could be some success in sight if I can get into the project.”
‘Seen the behind-the-scenes work taking place’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtte...ss-wants-place
Exclusive: Bottas claims people in F1 have ‘short memories’ amid fight to save 2025 drive
9 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Valtteri Bottas has asserted that some people within Formula 1 have “short memories” as he strives to salvage his place on the grid past the ongoing 2024 campaign. Bottas has entered the final season of his deal with Sauber, and he is awaiting a decision on whether the team intends to retain him as it prepares to morph into Audi. Despite possessing a convincing margin over team-mate Zhou in the head-to-head, Bottas has not had the equipment to deliver the results his outings have merited.
“Yeah, it’s not an easy situation to be in as a driver, because you struggle to prove what you can do,” he admitted. “If people just look at the results, it’s quite easy to judge. But the main thing is I know how I’m performing, the team knows how I’m performing, and in the end that’s what matters. The people who know about driver performance, they will still see what you can do, what you can achieve if you have the machinery.”
“But I think the difference with Mattia is that he was in a battle against us when I was at Mercedes, and he could monitor what I can do, and I could steal some points from them, so he knows that. Like I said yesterday, I think we started the discussions in the right way with good respect, and that’s what I really appreciate. So we’ll continue the discussions, but for me it’s clear what I want, and what I want is to be in F1 until Audi joins.”
‘The difference with Mattia’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...ve-2025-drive/
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'Very poor first lap' adds to 'difficult' Italian Grand Prix for Nico Hulkenberg.
Nico Hulkenberg explains how multiple events made the Italian Grand Prix very "difficult" for him, bringing his Haas over the line in P17.
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
'Very poor first lap';
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ve...05430394841249
Italian Grand Prix: Race Recap
Sept 1, 2024
Haas F1 Team - Official Site
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team finished with Kevin Magnussen 10th and Nico Hulkenberg 17th, at the Italian Grand Prix, Round 16 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, held Sunday at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
Hulkenberg started from 13th on the grid, also on medium tires, but lost ground on the opening lap after he was hit by Ricciardo, for which the RB driver was penalized. Hulkenberg subsequently collided with Yuki Tsunoda and came into the pits on lap five for Hard tires and change of front wing, emerging at the rear of the field. Hulkenberg was issued a 10-second time penalty for the contact, which he served at his second pit stop on lap 32, at which he took on another set of hard tires. Hulkenberg classified in 17th place.
Nico Hulkenberg: “It was a very poor first lap; going into Turn 8 I got a good tow from Daniel Ricciardo so I took the outside line, but he swept across and didn’t really leave me space, so we made contact and that took me off a bit. The engine went into anti-stall so that took a while to sort out and I lost a few more positions – more or less that was when the race was looking very difficult. Then the racing incident with Yuki Tsunoda meant I had to come in for a front wing change, plus the penalty I had to serve, you lose so much time – so it was game over. It was very good that Kevin was there and had a strong drive, there is that to take away.”
‘Race Recap’;
https://www.haasf1team.com/news/ital...x-race-recap-6
Nico Hulkenberg makes Yuki Tsunoda team radio dig after Italian GP collision
2 Sep 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Haas racer Hulkenberg ploughed into the side of Tsunoda’s VCARB at the opening Monza chicane, resulting in race-ending damage for Tsunoda, while Hulkenberg was given a 10-second time penalty and later two penalty points on his superlicence.
“He was probably on the radio, knowing him,” Hulkenberg said of Tsunoda when speaking to media including PlanetF1.com. Hulkenberg also claimed that Tsunoda would have seen him struggling to make the braking zone, so could have “saved himself”, but opted not to.
“But of course, I didn’t stop it how I wanted to, but I think he saw me coming as well with quite some speed and still he decided to turn in,” Hulkenberg continued. “I think he could have saved himself, but he chose not to.”
‘Team radio dig’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-h...n-gp-collision
Hulkenberg: Monza fight with RB pair was “just normal racing”
SEPT 5, 2024
Adam Cooper's F1 Blog
Nico Hulkenberg insists that his incidents with RB drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda in the early laps at Monza were “just normal racing”. The German says that he’s not battling the Italian cars harder than anyone else, despite Haas and RB being in a close fight for sixth place in the World Championship.
“I feel like we lost everything already on lap one,” said Hulkenberg when asked about his difficult race by this writer. “First chicane was somehow boxed in, but in the wrong spot, and then lost out. And then I got a good strong tow off Danny. So I went next to him on the outside, but he swept across quite a lot, and just didn’t leave quite enough room.”
“So we made contact, it put me in the dirt, anti-stall kicked in in fourth gear. So until I had that sorted out, I lost another three or four positions. And I must have been P16/17 after lap one, obviously pretty poor and bad. It was always going to be difficult. And the Yuki incident and front wing change and all the rest of it did the rest.”
“Lost everything already on lap one”;
https://adamcooperf1.com/2024/09/05/...normal-racing/
‘Not yet’: Nico Hulkenberg admits he’s been waiting 10 years to discover if F1 team will offer him a seat
9 Sept 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
Nico Hulkenberg has made a shocking revelation that one of Formula 1’s biggest teams has left him waiting for a decision on a seat for nearly 10 years. Back in 2013, Hulkenberg enjoyed a breakout second half of the season with Sauber, finishing 10th in the drivers’ championship.
Who has Nico Hulkenberg been waiting on a response from? One of Hulkenberg’s biggest frustrations of his career is that he has failed to score a podium across his 219 starts. A man of his talent should undoubtedly have achieved a top three, and maybe even a victory, but he has never quite found the right situation to do so.
It has now emerged that he was on the radar of Ferrari for a seat back in 2014, which may have seen him achieve the feat nearly a decade ago, if things had gone his way. When asked by the German Press Association, via FAZ, if he had spoken to ex-Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali about reasons for not being picked for a drive in 2014, he said: “Not yet, Because he still says: ‘Not yet, come later.’ I don’t know [when I will get an answer], I don’t have a crystal ball,” he added.
‘Waiting 10 years’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/nic...er-him-a-seat/
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Zhou left with performance regrets as he weighs up his F1 future.
He doesn't say whether he feels he has much or little chance of getting the seat at Audi. “It really depends on what Mattia and also what the Audi people really want, so we need to speak about it, and I'm open to discussions about individual or multiple [years].” Zhou Guanyu
5 Sept 2024
Jeroen Immink
GPblog.com
For Zhou, racing for a contract at all costs is almost a habit. "It's obviously not the first time I've had a one-year contract, so it wouldn't change the story for me. But on the other side, we need to se what we can bring togeher because when you have one year, you obviously look out. But when Audi came, I think that's where the bigger change came in terms of pure performance. Also, you can fight hopefully closer to the top three, and that's where we want to be," the Chinese driver said.
In doing so, Zhou himself feels he should have shown more in the quest for an F1 seat. "I didn't show as much as I wanted to in terms of performance, especially in one lap pace I've been lacking. Of course, I feel like I have a chance and definitely being one of the runners fighting for the seat together with my teammate and some others maybe. But nothing is confirmed, so I'm open to talk about it," Zhou said.
“Depends on Mattia”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/29940...o-to-audi.html
Possible ‘advantage’ found in contract negotiations as team-mates fight for F1 2025 seat
09 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Zhou Guanyu has said he would be willing to accept a one-year contract extension at Sauber next year, whereas F1 team-mate Valtteri Bottas is looking for a multi-year deal. Bottas recently made it clear he is “only interested in a multi-year contract” to stay in Formula 1 with Sauber, which will become Audi in 2026, with both he and Zhou among the candidates for one of two remaining seats on the grid next year, the other at VCARB.
Zhou added he would take the time to speak to the new people at the top of the Audi F1 operation to see what their targets are. Within that, though, he is aware that the time for negotiation is fast approaching.
“And I’m open to the discussion about individual or multiple [years]. We need to see and wait and have some discussion because, obviously, nothing has been fully going very deeply into details, but I think now is probably the time that we’re going to be more into that. I leave it to them to discuss. Of course, I feel like I have a chance, and definitely being one of the runners fighting for the seat together with my team-mate and some others, maybe – but nothing is confirmed, so I’m open to talk about it.”
‘Willing to accept a one-year contract’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/zhou-g...altteri-bottas
‘An honour’: Zhou Guanyu shares his F1 ‘career highlight’ amid uncertainty over his Sauber future
9 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer
Zhou Guanyu could be contesting the last eight races of his Formula 1 career amid uncertainty over his future at Sauber for 2025. With only two seats left on the grid, it is becoming increasingly unlikely that Zhou will secure a full-time race seat at the teams that have openings.
Zhou Guanyu identifies the biggest highlight of F1 career so far. Zhou has been in talks with other F1 teams in a bid to rescue his chances of continuing beyond 2024, but any hopes appear to be fading and could result in him taking up a reserve role. While his results have not been the most spectacular on the grid, owing to a difficult year for Sauber and uncompetitive cars the previous two years, he still has some special moments he can take away.
“I think the career highlight will definitely be the first grand prix [Bahrain 2022]. To score points on my debut was something I dreamed of, or something I couldn’t have imagined. So it was an honour to do that,” said Zhou. “The Chinese Grand Prix was like having a childhood dream within F1 that comes true. Obviously, F1 is a dream but then to be racing at home where everything started, that was the Chinese Grand Prix back in 2004.”
‘An honour’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zho...sauber-future/
Zhou Guanyu admits that 2025 F1 seat is unlikely
Sept 9, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
Speaking to Crash.net in Monza, Zhou made clear that he “could accept the fact” Bottas is more likely to continue with the team next year. He also explained that staying in F1, regardless of what capacity, is the priority: “At the moment, I don’t want to be in other series yet. Because I feel like I’m still in a period that if I can stay in F1, or making a comeback if I don’t have a seat, there will still be chances to show what I’ve got.”
Although Zhou could quite easily join another elite motorsport category, he is not interested in racing anywhere else beyond F1. Of course, when a driver loses their F1 seat, finding a way back into a full-time role is difficult. With that said, landing a reserve driver contract is a useful way of being active in the paddock and ready for any potential opportunities.
Jack Doohan received some criticism when he first agreed to become Alpine’s reserve driver, but he eventually earned a full-time contract for 2025. Therefore, it would not be a surprise to see Zhou remain active in the paddock next season.
“Show what I’ve got”;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...t-is-unlikely/
‘Big struggle’: Zhou Guanyu pinpoints the reason why his qualifying performances have been so poor this season
9 Sept 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
Zhou Guanyu has struggled to match teammate Valtteri Bottas during his third season in Formula 1, which may be a reason why he doesn’t have a seat on the 2025 grid. It looks like Sauber are going to opt against retaining the Chinese driver for a fourth term in the sport, having failed to score a point throughout this season.
Zhou has been honest in his assessment of his form this year, admitting that he has struggled to adapt over one lap. “Once everything has kind of settled down then we lack some car performance, unfortunately,” he said. “The car we had this year requires a different driving style which I try to get a better improvement on, but it’s not an easy short-term fix.”
“For the one lap, to try to change my driving style is not something that is quite easy to do. But in a race, I’m able to adapt that quite straightforward from the beginning.”
‘Different driving style’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/zho...r-this-season/
F1 News: Sauber Sees Glimmers of Hope Amid Ongoing Point-Less Struggles
Sept 03, 2024
William Frost Athlon Sports
The Wichita Eagle, Kansas City
Sauber is maintaining a positive outlook despite a tough start to the season, having yet to score any points. At the recent Italian Grand Prix, drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu finished near the back of the pack, continuing their search for a breakthrough. The team's strategy at Monza, which involved a long stint on hard tires for Bottas, didn't yield the desired results. However, team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi believes there are signs of progress. While Sauber remains the only team without points, Bravi emphasizes that the team is closing the gap to its competitors.
"We could see some positive signs in [the] performance by the team, even though the finishing positions, on paper, don't look much different from the previous races," he claimed. "Both drivers were able to manage their tyres well, hard and medium alike, and this allowed us to follow the race strategy we planned before the race, with degradation under control."
"Of course, this is still not enough to fight for points, as we lack overall pace: but the low-drag package we brought to Monza and the setup changes we made for qualifying improved the car balance and gave Valtteri and Zhou a chance to fight. We still have a long journey ahead of us to be in the battle for points, but it is important to acknowledge that, today, the gap with our direct competitors has been reduced – it's a positive sign we need to outline."
‘Glimmers of Hope’;
https://www.kansas.com/sports/articl...mainstage_card
‘Absolute animal’: Ruth Buscombe shares why she thinks Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu is an ‘absolute animal’
10 Sept 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Ruth Buscombe is an F1 strategist who previously worked for Ferrari, Haas and Sauber and now provides punditry for F1 TV at race weekends. She was speaking on the Drive to Wynn Podcast and highlighted what Zhou’s greatest strength is. It’s not been easy for the 25-year-old to showcase his talents in the slowest car on the grid this year.
“Give him a soft tyre and he’ll be able to make a significant amount of positions right at the very start of the race, really strong with picking off drivers. And it’s like, that’s just one example of like, if, you know, there’s certain times where actually your grid position or, where you are running dominates it. But like, if they were starting next to each other naturally, you’d put Valtteri on the reverse and Zhou on the kind of the standard strategy, because that’s the way we maximize the things they’re good at.”
‘Absolute animal’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/rut...solute-animal/
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ANALYSIS: 'I’ve never been more certain' – How Lawrence Stroll fended off the competition to snap up ‘bargain’ Adrian Newey.
Lawrence Stroll won the biggest battle of his career as he fended off the competition to sign Adrian Newey, the greatest designer in the history of Formula 1. But how did he do it?
10 Sep 2024
Lawrence Barretto
Formula One - Official Site
He told the entire Aston Martin staff due to come in on the Sunday before the Canadian Grand Prix to stay at home so Newey could have a private tour of the factory and see what he was building. Newey could see firsthand that Stroll meant business.
Whatever it took from a resource perspective, Stroll was committed to delivering. Everything about the place is world class from the new wind tunnel due to come online at the end of the season, and the in-loop simulator, to the gym and spinning room – which has classes twice a day.
Newey’s interest was clear – and simultaneously, interest from Ferrari began to ease off – so Stroll upped his game, offering the designer a chance to become a “shareholder and a partner”. Remarkably, this was the first time Newey had been offered a stake in a team, the chance of ownership – and it was something he craved. As Newey told me when we chatted on Tuesday – he’s now got “skin in the game” and that’s very motivating.
“Shareholder and a partner”;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...QVcft8qr5vpV2k
Alonso relishing ‘incredible’ chance to work with Newey in F1 at Aston Martin
10 Sep 2024
Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Fernando Alonso has expressed that he is relishing an “incredible” chance to work with Formula 1 design guru Adrian Newey when he moves to Aston Martin in 2025. “I think, yeah, as you said, been racing against each other for many years,” Alonso said. “I would say that he was more an inspiration.”
“I think thanks to Adrian and his talent and cars, I think we all got better as a driver, as engineers, teams. We all had to raise the bar thanks to him to be able to compete. I think now is an incredible day for the team. Lawrence’s [Stroll, team owner] vision is taking shape with this building, with Adrian, with Honda, Aramco, new wind tunnel.”
“You know, so definitely the team of the future, I would say. And yeah, for me, it’s going to be an incredible opportunity professionally to work with Adrian and to keep wearing this green colour, which I’m very proud to be part of.”
‘Incredible chance to work with Newey’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...-aston-martin/
Lawrence Stroll shares what he’d ‘never seen’ happen at Aston Martin before Adrian Newey’s announcement
10 Sep 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer
Stroll was asked about what the reaction was like when he introduced Newey to Aston Martin’s staff and said: “What we actually did witness was, I’m not quite sure how many people, I think about 800 or so in the street was an explosion of applause.
“I’ve never seen since I’m here such a level of excitement of any announcement. We’ve obviously never made an announcement of this magnitude, we just weren’t fortunate enough to. But I saw everyone leave with a very big smile on their face and a kind of hop and skip in their walk. So, hopefully, they go back to their desks and figure out how to draw something a little quicker!”
‘An announcement of this magnitude’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/law...-announcement/
Billionaire boss’ staggering $295m gamble explained... and why it will shake up F1 order
Sept 11th, 2024
Michael Lamonato
Fox Sports (Australia)
What performance part is worth $59 million per year? Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll believes he has the answer. Its name is Adrian Newey, he’s 65 years old and he’s the biggest technical name in motorsport. Everything Newey touches turns to title-winning gold. In the modern history of Formula 1 there’s no greater correlation with success than having Newey’s name on the door to the biggest office in the design department.
His reputation is such that his decision to quit Red Bull Racing earlier this year set off a frantic race to secure his signature. Rumours of courtship were intense. Ferrari emerged as an early frontrunner. Mercedes and McLaren were believed to be in the mix. Williams went on record as wanting to bring Newey back to the team with which he won his first grand prix titles. But Aston Martin had the strongest hand. Billionaire owner Stroll made sure of it.
The cash stuffed down Stroll’s deep pockets is turning Aston Martin, the evolution of a string of minnow F1 squads, into a grandee. The team wants for nothing. Its infrastructure is state of the art. Its personnel are head hunted from among the best in the sport. Its ambitions are sky high. The combination was compelling. Newey, competitive to a fault, saw the potential in Aston Martin as the final move of his decades-long career.
‘Staggering $295m gamble explained...’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...9d805b63e6cba5
Damon Hill pokes fun at Ferrari as Aston Martin announce Adrian Newey
Tue 10 September 2024 19:00
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Aston Martin have won the race to sign legendary Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey. The team unveiled their new managing technical partner on Tuesday morning. Damon Hill recalls Adrian Newey to Ferrari speculation. Writing on his Instagram story, Damon Hill quoted a report from June that Newey had accepted a three-year offer from Ferrari. He joked that ‘this may prove to be very wide of the mark’.
The 1996 F1 world champion knew that Aston Martin would announce his arrival in a press conference later on Tuesday. Ferrari have also lost technical director Enrico Cardile to the Silverstone outfit.
‘Hill pokes fun at Ferrari’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...-adrian-newey/
WATCH: Newey on signing for Aston Martin, what convinced him about the project and working with Alonso
10 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site
Fresh from the announcement and a press conference with the media at the team’s state-of-the-art Silverstone headquarters, Newey spoke with F1.com’s Lawrence Barretto to talk through how he came to the decision.
Newey shared why he decided to commit to another chapter in F1 after several decades in the sport, how persuasive Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll was during initial talks to join the squad, and what it will be like to work with two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
‘What convinced him’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...NrTCyTtTwpRlux
Adrian Newey: All you need to know about his sensational Aston Martin move
10 Sep 2024
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Adrian Newey will be heading to Aston Martin once he leaves Red Bull, in a move that is set to be seismic in the world of Formula 1. There is a lot to unpack as the sport’s widely-lauded ‘design guru’ has decided upon his next move, so we are here to guide you through everything you need to know about one of the year’s biggest transfers.
‘All you need to know’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/adrian...ary-start-date
Aston Martin hope to win big with ‘bargain’ Adrian Newey
11 Sep 2024
The Straits Times
“I can tell you Adrian is a bargain,” Stroll said of the man he will reportedly be paying somewhere between £20-30 million (S$34-51 million) a year – making him one of the highest paid in the paddock.
“I’ve been in business for over 40 years now, and I’ve never been more certain. It’s not an investment. He’s a shareholder and a partner,” added the Canadian, describing Newey as a key element to the team’s title aspirations.”
‘Aston Martin hope to win big’;
https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/f...n-adrian-newey
Aston Martin's Silverstone factory tour was 'crucial' for Newey
10 Sept 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
Newey on the new factory and Lawrence Stroll. Newey explained his viewpoint. "The building's clearly mightily impressive. It has a great feel to it. But the second bit, which we didn't talk about, is I think it's a real demonstration of Lawrence's commitment to envision where he wants the team to get to. I don't know how much it costs, but it's not going to be cheap. I'll find other ways of spending money now for him within the cost cap," the Aston Martin engineer told reporters.
The brand new recruit also had a nice compliment in store for Lawrence Stroll. "I think that was perhaps the combination of seeing all the facilities, how nice a feel and how well thought out the building is, and perhaps most of all, that very visual demonstration of Lawrence. If I had to describe Lawrence in one sentence, I think one of the things that I also think of is he has total belief, he has his direction, and he's happy to put all his chips on black, and that's what he's doing here."
‘Real demonstration of Lawrence's commitment’;
https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1/Adrian+Newey
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Lance Stroll 'not competitive' this weekend after finishing P19.
After a difficult afternoon, Lance Stroll comments on not being competitive and the "bottom line... we haven't been quick all weekend".
1 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
'Not competitive';
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/la...06644791495312
Piastri’s pursuit of Leclerc delayed by Stroll “driving like it was his first go-kart race”
1st Sept 2024
Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Oscar Piastri was unimpressed with Lance Stroll’s driving when he lapped him during the Italian Grand Prix. Piastri began chasing Leclerc after making his second visit to the pits, while Leclerc ran to the end on a single stop. The McLaren driver first had to overtake Leclerc’s team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr for position, then lost more time putting Stroll a lap down.
“At that point, I was pretty optimistic. [But] I lost a decent amount of time behind Carlos. You had Stroll driving like it was his first go-kart race. I don’t know what went through his brain when he saw his blue flag. That cost another second. I needed that stint to be perfect to win that race and those little things are ultimately what cost us a bit of a chance.
“Driving like it was his first go-kart race”;
https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/01/...-go-kart-race/
This is how Lance Stroll reacted to Adrian Newey's arrival at Aston Martin
10 Sept 2024
Jeroen Immink
GPblog.com
How did Stroll react to Newey's announcement? Stroll - who has been racing under the Aston Martin name since 2021 - reacted happily to Newey's arrival. "Yeah, it's a huge day. There's already a lot said, but I think it's really the most exciting day in this team's history. Adrian's won more championships than anyone in the paddock and now he's wearing green," said Stroll.
"So it's an extremely exciting day. 2026 is not far away. A completely new set of regulations, a lot of opportunity, and we're really constructing an incredible team with so many talented people that are already here. Now Adrian's coming on board, so really exciting," Stroll added.
‘Most exciting day in this team's history’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30011...on-martin.html
Why Lance Stroll deserves much more respect than his ‘pay driver’ label gets him
11 Sep 2024
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
Stroll Jnr is in the unfortunately fortunate position of being the son of a determined billionaire. As to how much he wants to be in F1, his demeanour around the racing would suggest otherwise, and how much he is there to appease his father, only they will know, but it is not a case of Stroll just being dropped into the sport.
According to his own website, Stroll first sat behind the wheel at the age of four in a go-kart and he enjoyed the typical route up the motorsport ladder. He won the rookie of the year award in his first season of karting and followed it up with driver of the year. In 2010, he swapped Canada for Geneva and joined the Ferrari Driver Academy at the age of 11, becoming colleagues with the likes of Sergio Perez and Jules Bianchi.
‘Lance Stroll deserves much more respect’;
https://www.planetf1.com/features/la...label-gets-him
Adrian Newey weighs in on Aston Martin driver pairing: What does he think of Lance Stroll?
11 Sep 2024
Total Motorsport
The great mystery of Adrian Newey and his Formula 1 future has finally been answered, but what does he think of his new driver pairing?
“Lance, I’ve known slightly for many years back from his Formula 3 days,” Newey told media at the Aston Martin reveal. “My lad, Harry, was also racing F3 the same time that the Lance was, so [he] admired him. He dominated the second half of that year in F3. Fernando? We’ve battled against each other for so many years. He’s been a kind of arch enemy at times.”
“We came so close to him joining Red Bull in 2008 for the 2009 season. But unfortunately, it didn’t quite happen, which is great shame so we continued to battle against each other. He’s a legend of the sport so [I’m] very much looking forward to working with him.”
“My lad, Harry, was also racing F3 the same time that the Lance was, so [he] admired him”;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/adr...-lance-stroll/
Adrian Newey to Aston Martin - 6 things TV cameras missed at F1 press conference
Mirror Sport was in the room as Aston Martin showed off Adrian Newey to the Formula 1 press corps and kept an eye out for the things the millions watching from home couldn't see
11 Sep 2024
Daniel Moxon
The Mirror
How Aston Martin staff were told: A crowd of around 800 of them amassed outside the factory doors and the announcement was met by plenty of cheers and thunderous applause. They know just how much of a big deal this could be - after all, Newey has already turned Red Bull from a mediocre midfield outfit into perennial title contenders. Aston Martin hope he can do the same there.
Steady Eddie Jordan: Once upon a time, Formula 1 facilities in Silverstone were home to Jordan Grand Prix. Nearly 30 years on from the early-2005 sale of the team to the Midland Group, Eddie was back on Tuesday to watch the current residents unveil his great friend and client.
What Newey did after the cameras stopped rolling: He bounded straight off the stage and made a beeline for his wife Amanda, who had been watching on sat next to Alonso throughout the show. They exchanged a smile and a few words before he headed back onto the stage to pose for photos, but it was a nice moment between them to witness.
‘Mike meets Mandy, Facilities fit for the occasion, Lance's mic-drop moment’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...artin-33640189
Adrian Newey to become joint-owner of Aston Martin
Adrian Newey will join Aston Martin as both its technical managing partner and co-owner.
11 Sept 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Aston Martin announced Adrian Newey will join the Silverstone-based operation in March next year. His arrival was much expected despite interest from other teams in pit lane, most notably Ferrari. “He will be the leader of the technical team. He’ll be a leader, also in the company, in the overall business, as a partner and shareholder. So I leave that structure up to Adrian, who’s much better suited than myself.” Managing director Lawrence Stroll.
The opportunity to become a shareholder in the organisation was an appealing one for Newey, who likened Aston Martin to an ‘old school’ F1 team with Stroll as its figurehead. “The reality is, if you go back 20 years, then what we now call team principals are actually the owners of the teams: Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Eddie Jordan, etc, etc, Newey began. In this modern era, then Lawrence is actually unique, in being the only properly active team owner.”
“It’s a different feeling when you have somebody like Lawrence involved like that. It’s back to the old school model. To have the chance to be a shareholder and a partner is something that has never really been offered to me before,” he added. “So it’s a slightly different slant. It’s one I’m very much looking forward to.”
So I leave that structure up to Adrian, who’s much better suited than myself”;
https://speedcafe.com/adrian-newey-t...-aston-martin/
'Adrian Newey to be first billionaire F1 engineer if Aston Martin wins titles'
If he’s as successful at Aston Martin as he has been at Red Bull, he will become F1’s first billionaire engineer.
Sept 11th 2024
Matt Bishop
Motor Sport Magazine
I worked for Aston Martin in 2021 and 2022 and I have known Newey for the thick end of 30 years, so I have had plenty of reflecting to do. First of all, I want to make clear that Lawrence Stroll deserves plaudits for the magnitude of his ambition. One of the richest men ever to have fully immersed himself in Formula 1, he has made clear from the outset that he was determined not only to set up an F1 team for which his son could race, but also to move heaven and earth to make sure that that team would eventually have every tool at its disposal with which to win.
Newey’s key colleagues at Aston Martin will be Dan Fallows, who worked well and successfully under him at Red Bull until he was lured to Aston Martin in 2022 as its new technical director; Enrico Cardile, the ex-Ferrari man who will soon join the company as its chief technical officer; and Cowell, whose role as group chief executive officer may sometimes have to encompass shielding Newey, a sensitive soul, from Stroll’s outwardly chummy but occasionally domineering management style.
As it happens, the Red Bull and Aston Martin F1 teams share not-dissimilar back stories. Both were originally founded by charismatic ex-driver entrepreneurs. Eddie Jordan launched Jordan in 1991, and it has now morphed via Midland, Spyker, Force India, and Racing Point into Aston Martin; Jackie Stewart launched Stewart in 1997, and it has now morphed via Jaguar into Red Bull. In many ways Aston Martin now finds itself roughly where Red Bull was in 2006, Newey’s first year with the Milton Keynes team and the second year of its Red Bull era.
‘Will Adrian Newey become F1’s first billionaire engineer?’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#
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Tsunoda uses an Italian expression to show anger: "What a salami!".
A hilarious team radio moment from the Japanese driver followed, showing that Tsunoda had already learnt quite a bit of Italian in Faenza. It's the Italian equivalent of calling someone a sausage in English.
3 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
The Italian Grand Prix was over early for Yuki Tsunoda. On the fourth lap of the Formula 1 race, the VCARB driver was hit by Nico Hulkenberg's Haas.
"What a salami!";
https://www.gpblog.com/en/videos/299...-a-salami.html
'We lost': Laurent Mekies points out ‘most frustrating aspect’ of Yuki Tsunoda’s Monza retirement
2 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer
Yuki Tsunoda was the sole retirement from the Italian Grand Prix after a collision with Nico Hulkenberg seven laps into the Italian Grand Prix. RB denied opportunity to test new parts after Yuki Tsunoda retirement. RB brought a few upgrades to this race including a new floor and halo aimed at bringing them more performance to the track.
But because Hulkenberg’s collision damaged the floor, Tsunoda was forced to retire because of the net effect it had on his car balance. This denied the team the opportunity to compare it to Ricciardo, who was running the old-specification parts.
Mekies was less than impressed by the Haas driver’s antics: “One could say our race was dictated by Hulkenberg, with Daniel given a five-second penalty, having forced him of the track, before Nico then drove into Yuki, leading to us retiring the car.
‘Most frustrating aspect’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lau...za-retirement/
Yuki Tsunoda: Rivals have reached out to me in 2024
September 9, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
Tsunoda received several offers from across the paddock. Yuki Tsunoda admits that 2024 is the first time he’s been approached by rivals in the paddock: “I started to probably show my value this year, from the beginning of the season. Before I signed my contract with VCARB, fortunately, a couple of teams reached [out] to me…”
“I never had that in the last two years, especially the first two years. So you just need to consistently keep delivering the results. So far, I’m able to achieve that – but it’s kind of the first year I’m showing good results consistently. I know a lot of things I can improve, and still a lot of things to come from myself.”
‘Tsunoda received several offers from across the paddock’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...to-me-in-2024/
Yuki Tsunoda outlines his ‘main priority’ in the hunt for his next F1 drive after RB
4 Sept 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
Yuki Tsunoda is coming to the end of his fourth season in Formula 1, all with the same Visa Cash App RB team who he has helped to deliver a level of stability to. The Japanese star has been a dependable performer for the Italian outfit, maturing through his time with them and picking up the speed with experience.
“That’s the main priority is Red Bull Racing,” he said. “It’s the one thing I was aiming since I joined Formula 1. The car is one of the fastest cars right now and currently, probably McLaren’s a little bit faster, but I just want to drive the car and show my potential for top three, top two, whatever.”
“At the same time, if things don’t ever achieve, or maybe there’s other car – they’re happy with the drivers. Also as a driver myself, that’s also I want to drive some point in the top five. Hopefully VCARB will be able to achieve that.”
‘Main priority’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/yuk...rive-after-rb/
Yuki Tsunoda explains how his ‘relationship’ with Helmut Marko adds ‘extra pressure’ at RB
4 Sept 2024
Rory Mitchell
Helmut Marko is known for being a tough boss at Red Bull having been in charge of their driver programme since they joined Formula 1. Although it can often look like they have a conveyor belt of rookie drivers, their ruthless approach has yielded title success for them over the years with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
Yuki Tsunoda says Helmut Marko adds ‘extra pressure’ to perform. Tsunoda has scored the bulk of RB’s 34 points in the Constructors’ Championship this season, which puts them in sixth heading into the final eight races of the season. “If I have a good race, he will praise me. He will say nice words. If I have a bad race he’ll add a bit of pressure, a little bit more than usual. So I kind of got used to it. But he’s the guy who was, since I joined Red Bull, always looked after me,” said Tsunoda.
“Sometimes his advice can be a bit of extra pressure, going ahead of race. But at the same time, a lot of times also helped me a lot. Without our team I’m not here in Formula 1. I’d say the relationship is definitely there.”
‘Extra pressure’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/yuk...ressure-at-rb/
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Will McLaren overtake Red Bull in the constructors' title battle in Baku?
McLaren now sit just eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors' standings, and while Red Bull continues their downward spiral, the papaya-coloured team will hope to overtake the Austrian team in Baku. Will they be abe to do so?
11 Sept 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
Since the Miami Grand Prix, Red Bull have gone through some struggles, and the last time out at Monza, it was possibly the worst performance in Red Bull's recent memory. Although Norris could not take the win from pole position, he cut a 70-point deficit on Max Verstappen to 62, and with Oscar Piastri's P2, McLaren closed the gap to just eight points in the constructors' championship.
McLaren, who have been competitive at every race so far in 2024, will hope that's the same in Baku, while also hoping for more poor performances from Red Bull. Sergio Perez has the most wins in Baku under his belt, winning in 2021 and 2023 with Red Bull to take that crown. Nico Rosberg, Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen also have a win to their name around the street circuit.
‘Will McLaren overtake Red Bull?’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30022...e-in-baku.html
‘Poison for them’: Red Bull told why the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be like ‘poison’ for the RB20
10 Sept 2024
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer
It has been six races since the seemingly dominant Red Bull team last won a race in a season that began with everyone expecting them to dominate. Why the Azerbaijan Grand Prix could be like ‘poison’ for Red Bull. The Baku street circuit plays host to the longest straight in Formula 1 at over 1.2km, offering an opportunity for overtaking, but also suffering for those without the right package. Red Bull were the slowest team through the speed traps at the Italian Grand Prix, and their lack of a low downforce rear wing even annoyed Verstappen at Monza.
Journalist Ralf Back agrees that Red Bull’s next few races could make for grim reading if they fail to improve their form. “Now we have a track in Azerbaijan that can be very, very undulating, which has been a poison for them so far the Red Bull in the last races,” he said on F1-Insider.com‘s YouTube. “Then comes Singapore, maybe there will be a miracle and they are just good where they were really bad last year, even though they had by far the best car.”
‘Grim reading’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red...-for-the-rb20/
Max previews Azerbaijan GP: 'Our priority is to get our form back'
11 Sept 2024
Niels Hendrix
Verstappen.nl
Looking ahead to the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Max Verstappen says: “I have been back in the factory with the team this week and on the sim ahead of the double header. Monza was a tough race and it is our priority to get our form back to where it needs to be. We always want to be more competitive and the team has been working hard to improve the issues we have been seeing with the car from the past few races.”
The Dutch Oracle Red Bull Racing driver adds: “We are now back to the flyaways with this first race returning to Baku. It is always a good challenge coming here and is an interesting track to drive, being a street circuit with long straights, so we are ready to get back racing again and see what the weekend brings.”
‘Our priority to get our form back to where it needs to be’;
https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5585/
The F1 record Verstappen can edge closer towards with special Baku performance
Max Verstappen will establish himself in joint second-place on an exclusive qualifying list with pole position in Baku, but the Dutchman will still be some way off Lewis Hamilton's record.
10 Sept 2024
Samuel Coop
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen has the opportunity to match an F1 great during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. If the Dutchman can successfully secure pole position for the race in Baku, he will equal the number of times different circuits Red Bull's first drivers' champion, Sebastian Vettel, took pole on.
Pole postion on different circuits
# Driver Different circuits
1. Lewis Hamilton 32
2. Sebastian Vettel 23
3. Max Verstappen 22
3= Alain Prost 22
5. Ayrton Senna 20
5= Nigel Mansell 20
7. Michael Schumacher 19
8. Nelson Piquet 17
8= Nico Rosberg 17
10. Jim Clark 16
‘F1 record Verstappen can edge closer towards’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...rmance-in-baku
Norris reveals the dreaded small print to McLaren's team orders
12 Sept 2024
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com
Andrea Stella revealed this week how Oscar Piastri has been instructed to support teammate Lando Norris in his fight. Speaking in Baku, Norris was asked for his feelings on the team orders announcement and shared, "Good. Thankful. Yeah, how do I say it? He's still fighting for his own racing. He's still going out and doing his stuff. And it could be that there's no time this year that he needs to help me. So it’s more that I have Oscar’s help when needs be, but he's still going out with the intent of every session just fighting for himself and going to do his job," Norris told GPblog and others.
Norris seems adamant that Piastri is not going to sacrifice his own performance for the sake of helping Norris' championship hopes. The Brit was asked whether, in the case where Piastri is outperforming Norris, the Australian would automatically give Norris wins. Norris simply responded, "No." Norris then elaborates on this, specifying that the team orders will likely not come into play for race wins, but rather for the lower points scoring positions. "In general, probably for lower positions. But if he's fought for a win and he's deserving of a win, then he deserves to win."
‘Would automatically give Norris wins. Norris simply responded, "No”;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30045...r-piastri.html
Has McLaren Picked Lando As It's #1 F1 Driver? - Azerbaijan GP Preview
11 Sep 2024
Motorsport.com
After Monza, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella gave the media his biggest hint yet that the team may start favouring Lando Norris in pursuit of both major titles.
Will we see that in Baku? Charles Leclerc has always gone well at the track, with three straight pole-positons, but has played down his chances of back-to-back wins. Is he bluffing?
‘#1 F1 Driver?’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/...review/654861/
Vasseur reveals Ferrari's approach to the Azerbaijan GP weekend
11 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
Following Ferrari's win at the Italian Grand Prix, Fred Vasseur is reassured that he is implementing the correct methods at the team. "The Baku street circuit features a combination of very high speed sections and extremely twisty ones, presenting a unique set of challenges. In the past, we have usually been quite competitive here and it is also one of Charles’ favourites. We are on a high following the win in Monza and we are determined to maintain this run of form," Vasseur said. Despite those three pole positions, Leclerc has never won a GP in Baku.
Vasseur doesn't want to be distracted by what his rivals are doing. "Once again, we can expect to see a very close fight between the top four teams. I often say we are focussing on ourselves and it’s clear this is the right approach, because we have seen a dramatic change in the hierarchy among the teams since the early part of the season. Our win in Italy also supports my view that how you execute the weekend from Friday to Sunday can play as important a role as the actual performance level of the car, so with Charles and Carlos we will again be aiming to do everything perfectly in Baku, to try and bring home another very good result for the team," he concluded.”
‘Ferrari's approach’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30027...d-in-baku.html
Mercedes explain why the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is "unusual"
10 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is known for producing high-drama moments, and Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ director of trackside engineering, doesn't expect that to be different during the 2024 Formula 1 season.
"Baku is an unusual circuit because you’ve got this really tight, twisty, very low speed sector two, and then this really long straight. It requires a relatively low wing level; that isn’t what you’d normally have with all those low-speed corners, but you’ve got to have it with the long straight," Shovlin explained.
"It’s also a weekend where you can get a lot of incidents affecting the race, it’s very easy if a driver makes a mistake there that will have to bring out a safety car in order to clear it up. The other issue you’ve got this year is any given track you can end up with at least three if not four teams all within a tenth or two of each other. That makes it very hard to predict where they’re all going to fall in qualifying, and where people will stack out in race pace," Shovlin detailed more challenges.
"Unusual";
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30001...rand-prix.html
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F1 - 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Thursday Press Conference Transcript.
PART ONE – Oliver BEARMAN (Haas), Franco COLAPINTO (Williams), Zhou GUANYU (Sauber)
PART TWO – Daniel RICCIARDO (RB), Pierre GASLY (Alpine), Fernando ALONSO (Aston Martin)
12.09.24
FIA (Press Release)
Oliver BEARMAN: Yeah, it's nice to be back, first of all. Of course, not the circumstances I would have hoped, but nonetheless, it's a great opportunity to build up my experience, get a full weekend under my belt, like you said. With some notice this time. I've known it was coming, which is helpful. And yeah, I just want to use it to really build up step by step and enjoy it as well.
Franco COLAPINTO: It was very special. It's amazing to see here so many people. In F2, there were so little, and now it's full! But I'm very happy to be here. It was a very special moment in my career. Of course, you always work for that goal and that dream, since you are very little. And to have achieved it in Monza… It's very late notice. I was in the sim for F2, preparing the race of Monza, with the MP team. Suddenly, I got a call that I had to go to England and I did the best prep I could, but it was very little.
Zhou GUANYU: Honestly, I think just enjoy the weekend because I think… especially, I think, for Ollie who has already done a whole weekend. He know how this is feeling. And for Franco, I think he will just enjoy all the races, like I did in my first season. I mean you know like the circumstances are different but I think every driver especially in F2 really wants to take that chance and here is the perfect platform for them to shine and have a nice future. So, yeah, I just wish them all the best but not to go too fast though and stay behind.
Fernando ALONSO: Well, it has been a positive week, for sure, for the team with the announcement and yeah, he's a great addition to the team. And probably, for me, what I think is that the Aston Martin team is the team of the future, in a way. We are just opening new buildings at the factory, the campus. Building 2 is finished. Wind tunnel will be January. Honda, Aramco, the best partners in the world, probably, and now Adrian as well. So, yeah, I think the team is taking shape and Lawrence’s vision is taking shape. So, yeah, good news this week.
Daniel RICCIARDO: I don't think I could give much advice to the most experienced guy on the grid. But look, obviously I enjoyed... I've spoken it before. I enjoyed a lot of my time with him. And it was just even a privilege, when I joined Red Bull Racing in 2014, just to drive one of his cars, work alongside him. Obviously, his level of expertise in his field and, you know, I would normally just feed back things. It's not that I could stand toe to toe with him and speak his language, if you know what I mean. But it was just to try and obviously collaborate in those years and collaborate. Give what I could and then let him obviously work his magic.
Pierre GASLY: Yeah, it is true. I mean, yeah, it was a very special six months working with him, you know. Very similar comments to Daniel. Obviously, he got the chance to work for a much longer time, but he's one of the most successful car designers in our sport. And he's got a very unique way of approaching racing, approaching design, because similar to Daniel, I would walk in the factory and see him in front of his board, drawing all sorts of stuff, which I could not even tell what was really going on there but ultimately, it just seems to work when it gets to the track.
‘Press Conference Transcript’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-2024-aze...nce-transcript
Verstappen, Red Bull seek to bounce back at Azerbaijan GP
12 Sep 2024
Gulf Today
Max Verstappen will look for an improved personal and team performance this weekend when Red Bull seek to stop the rot and stay on top in the Formula One title race at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“Monza was a tough race for us and it is our priority to get our form back to where it needs to be,” said Verstappen. “We always want to be more competitive and the team has been working hard on the issues we’ve had.”
“We’ve had a good period of reflection and work since the last race,” said Perez. “Both Max and I have been in the factory working to ensure we are finding a fix for the problems. To get back to where we should be on the grid, it will take a team effort and you can see that every day in Milton Keynes. This has pulled us all together.”
‘Bounce back’;
https://www.gulftoday.ae/sport/2024/...-azerbaijan-gp
Sergio Perez makes audacious Red Bull prediction for Azerbaijan GP and Singapore
McLaren could overtake Red Bull in the F1 contructors' championship at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP
12 Sept 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport
“I think at the moment, with the current package we have, these two should be our best tracks,” Perez told members of the press including Total-Motorsport.com. “These two upcoming races should be our best ones.”
“I do expect us to look more competitive here. But if we are able to fix the issue, then we can get back to contention because it’s something that can bring a lot of lap time to us. Like always on a weekend, it’s not ideal to be testing stuff,” Perez added. “But we will try and get to the bottom of the issues. “I think they’ve been here since the beginning.”
“But probably they felt like it was not so noticeable and Max was coping well with them, it was not such an issue. It’s something that will help both drivers. But like I’ve said before, it will help me even more, because of the driving style I have.”
‘Audacious Red Bull prediction’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/ser...azerbaijan-gp/
McLaren to lead F1 title race for first time in a decade? 2024 Azerbaijan GP preview
Sept 12th 2024
Cambridge Kisby
Motor Sport Magazine
F1 has said farewell to Europe for 2024 and now heads to Azerbaijan where twisting Old City streets, combined with long straights and the gusts that have earned Baku its ‘windy city’ label, give race engineers plenty of set-up challenges.
Following on from a 2-3 finish in Italy, McLaren now trails Red Bull by just eight points in the constructors’ standings. The team has outscored the reigning champions by more than that margin in the previous five races, so Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will have high hopes of taking the lead in the teams’ title race on Sunday afternoon.
McLaren team principal Andreas Stella: “We need to be better at capitalising [on] the opportunity Red Bull at the moment seem to offer by not being in the usual possibility of competing for podiums,” he said. “It’s definitely a worthwhile exercise to review in the specifics, not only of the entire race but the entire race. Even on the first lap, because I hope we will be in the condition to have these situations frequently in the future – it means the two McLarens will start from the front of the grid. But we need to make sure that this is the best for the team and the best for Lando.”
‘High hopes of taking the lead’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#
FIA lengthens DRS zone for F1 Azerbaijan GP
12 Sep 2024
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week
The FIA has decided to extend a DRS zone for the second Formula 1 Grand Prix on the bounce, with the start-finish straight at the Baku City Circuit extended by 100 meters.
After the sport’s governing body chose to lengthen the DRS zone at the corresponding straight at the Monza circuit for the Italian Grand Prix two weeks ago, a similar action as been taken ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the aim once again being to increase the probability of overtaking.
‘Lengthens DRS zone by 100 meters’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/...azerbaijan-gp/
Vasseur reveals Ferrari's approach to the Azerbaijan GP weekend
11 Sept 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
Following Ferrari's win at the Italian Grand Prix, Fred Vasseur is reassured that he is implementing the correct methods at the team. After previous success at the venue, the Ferrari team boss feels confident that the Italian team can compete at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
"The Baku street circuit features a combination of very high speed sections and extremely twisty ones, presenting a unique set of challenges. In the past, we have usually been quite competitive here and it is also one of Charles’ favourites. We are on a high following the win in Monza and we are determined to maintain this run of form," Vasseur said. Despite those three pole positions, Leclerc has never won a GP in Baku.
"Once again, we can expect to see a very close fight between the top four teams. I often say we are focussing on ourselves and it’s clear this is the right approach, because we have seen a dramatic change in the hierarchy among the teams since the early part of the season. Our win in Italy also supports my view that how you execute the weekend from Friday to Sunday can play as important a role as the actual performance level of the car, so with Charles and Carlos we will again be aiming to do everything perfectly in Baku, to try and bring home another very good result for the team," he concluded.
‘Ferrari's approach to the Azerbaijan GP weekend’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30027...d-in-baku.html
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Verstappen sets pace as THREE red flags wreck Azerbaijan GP first practice.
If that was an indicator for the rest of the weekend then it could get very messy.
13 Sept 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Max Verstappen emerged quickest from a remarkable first practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix punctuated by three red flags, including a crash for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Less than two weeks after producing a superb drive to win Ferrari's home Italian Grand Prix at Monza, those memories were swiftly banished as Leclerc crashed after 26 minutes of the opening practice session at the Baku Street Circuit.
Leclerc was at the top of the times and had just purpled the first sector on another hot lap when he ploughed nose-first into a barrier at the sharp Turn 15 left-hander. It was the second red flag of the session as it had also been stopped after 18 minutes to allow a marshal to remove a piece of metal debris off the track, resulting in a five-minute hiatus.
The third then followed with 19 minutes remaining, and this time it was Williams rookie Franco Colapinto, on his first trip to Baku in any category, who smacked into a wall at the Turn 4 right-hander. Colapinto simply caught a part of the dusty track which resulted in him sliding left-rear first into the concrete, with the resultant force leading to the front-left following suit.
‘It could get very messy’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...first-practice
Azerbaijan GP: Free Practice 1 Results
13 Sept 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Full results from Free Practice 1 from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.
Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 20 1:45.546
2 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 18 1:45.859 0.313
3 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 16 1:45.922 0.376
4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 17 1:46.027 0.481
5 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 20 1:46.173 0.627
6 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 17 1:46.282 0.736
7 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 18 1:46.452 0.906
8 63 George Russell Mercedes 17 1:46.516 0.970
9 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 11 1:46.608 1.062
10 3 Daniel Ricciardo RB 22 1:46.687 1.141
‘Full results from Free Practice 1’;
https://speedcafe.com/azerbaijan-gp-...ice-1-results/
Red Bull's first attempt at fixing its F1 car problems
Sep 13, 2024
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race
Red Bull's floor upgrade at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is a first attempt to address the development issues that have hurt its 2024 Formula 1 car, with bigger fixes yet to come. Red Bull has revised the tunnel geometry on its RB20's latest floor with the aim of 'improving pressure gradients along the floor' for better underbody aerodynamic performance.
"The lessons are kind of ongoing, and the immediate reaction tends to be [seen in] the later races," Monaghan said. "So, it's a testament to everybody that we got it here. A lot of hard work, and that hard work will continue. Singapore's only a week away. So that will be potentially another evolution for us.”
"The scale of the update kind of determines the phase lag in there. If we've managed to do it for this race, it's not the biggest one we'll ever undertake in terms of geometry change. It's subtle. Could the effect be good? Yes. And I think the proof of the pudding will be on Sunday afternoon."
‘Fixing its F1 car problems’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/r...jan-gp-update/
Verstappen tops heavily disrupted session with new Red Bull upgrades
Sep 13, 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
Max Verstappen topped the first free practice session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend as Red Bull Racing introduced new upgrades. The session was heavily disrupted, with three red flags. Lewis Hamilton finished second, with Sergio Perez in third. Lando Norris rounded out the top four.
With five minutes remaining, Verstappen put the soft tyres on and completed a lap in anger. He was quickest in sector one and two, but lost a bit of time in sector three compared to the best in the session. It was good enough overall to take him to P2. Right at the end of the session, Verstappen moved to the top of the timesheets.
Red Bull Racing introduced new upgraded this weekend as they hope to recover from the disappointing Italian GP weekend. Sergio Perez finished third fastest with a late lap. Mercedes decided to run their older floor for this session.
‘Verstappen tops heavily disrupted session’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30065...1-in-baku.html
Leclerc blames 'the dirt' for this FP1 crash in Baku
Sep 13, 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
Charles Leclerc has crashed in the streets of Baku. The Ferrari driver won the Italian Grand Prix last weekend, but this crash could end up knocking his confidence. The man from Monaco has already identified the blame: the dirt.
With the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend taking place on a street circuit, dirt can often appear in FP1. It seems to have caught Leclerc out in the opening 30 minutes to the FP1 session. He said on the radio: "I took the dirt on the outside". caused the second red flag of the session. A piece of debris was found on the circuit earlier in the session. Leclerc will not be able to return to the track until FP2.
'The dirt';
https://www.gpblog.com/en/videos/300...1-in-baku.html
HIGHLIGHTS: Watch the action from FP1 as Leclerc and Colapinto crash while Verstappen sets the pace in Baku
Sep 13, 2024
Formula One - Official Site
Max Verstappen set the pace during FP1 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as Charles Leclerc and Franco Colapinto crashed out on the streets of Baku.
In what was a disrupted session that saw three red flags (the first to clear debris while the other two were required for the aforementioned crashes), Red Bull's reigning world champion left it late to post the quickest time of 1m 45.546s. That was ultimately 0.313s faster than second-placed Lewis Hamilton.
Red Bull's Sergio Perez posted the third fastest time at the track where he is a two-time winner, while Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top five.
‘Watch the action from FP1’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...3IXzAxNLxD7rOc
F1 Azerbaijan GP 2024 – Free Practice 1 Results
Red Bull were the early pace setters thanks to Max Verstappen to topped FP1 at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP
13 Sept 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport
Charles Leclerc, a Baku street circuit specialist with pole positions in the last three years, had a strong start on medium tyres. However, his session was cut short after he lost control and hit the wall at Turn 15, bringing out the red flag with 30 minutes to go.
The temporary street circuit, which is only used once a year for Formula 1, had low grip levels, making it challenging for drivers to find their rhythm. Verstappen though, managed to clock a 1:45.546s in the final moments to top the timesheets. Mercedes’ Hamilton followed closely in second, just 0.313s behind the Red Bull driver.
Sergio Perez secured third place, 0.376s off the top spot, while McLaren’s Lando Norris continued his strong form, finishing fourth. Carlos Sainz of Ferrari slotted into fifth, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in sixth.
‘Free Practice 1 Results’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ice-1-results/
'It's overly political': Jacques Villeneuve ‘didn’t like’ what Oscar Piastri said in Azerbaijan Grand Prix interview
13 Sept 2024
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer
Jacques Villeneuve unhappy with ‘overly political’ Oscar Piastri interview. During his grilling in the pen, Piastri said he wouldn’t let Norris pass every time he’s ahead. He does accept, however, that winning the drivers’ title is ‘a big goal’ for the team.
After listening to his interview on Sky Sports F1, pundit Jacques Villeneuve expressed his frustration with the ‘overly political’ communications strategy at McLaren. The 1997 world champion claims the drivers can’t ‘say what they really feel’.
Norris accepted team orders at the Hungarian GP when the pit wall wanted to restore Piastri’s lead. He repeatedly expressed his reluctance before eventually doing so. “I didn’t like this interview,” Villeneuve said. “It’s overly political. You can tell the drivers cannot say what they really feel inside. It’s only the contracts. They cannot stop Piastri from going for his own personal win, but they can force him to work for the team.”
'It's overly political';
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jac...rix-interview/
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Full Azerbaijan GP FP2 results: Leclerc pips Perez to P1, Hamilton P3.
Just +0.006 seconds separated the Monegaque and the Mexican drivers when the chequered flag fell, with Leclerc able to set a flying lap on the softs with just 12 minutes remaining in FP2.
13 Sep 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
Charles Leclerc was able to just edge out Sergio Perez in the second free practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, taking P1 ahead of the updated Red Bull.
It was a great result for Leclerc, who crashed out in FP1 earlier and missed half of the session. The Ferrari mechanics were able to fix the car before FP2 got underway, but complaints from the Monegasque about the steering meant he was forced to come in for more repairs. However, after all of that, he was able to go fastest.
Behind the tightly packed front three was the other Ferrari of Carlos Sainz in P4, while the McLaren of Oscar Piastri finished just +0.033 behind the Spaniard in P5. Max Verstappen could only finish sixth after his P1 in FP1, with the Dutchman going straight on twice in what was a sloppy session. Lance Stroll, Nico Hulkenberg, George Russell and rookie Ollie Bearman rounded out the top ten.
‘Just +0.006 seconds’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30076...l-results.html
Azerbaijan GP: Free Practice 2 Results
14 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Full results from Free Practice 2 from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.
Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 19 1:43.484
2 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 22 1:43.490 0.006
3 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 21 1:43.550 0.066
4 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 24 1:43.950 0.466
5 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 24 1:43.983 0.499
6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 23 1:44.029 0.545
7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 23 1:44.093 0.609
8 27 Nico Hulkenberg Haas 23 1:44.475 0.991
9 63 George Russell Mercedes 16 1:44.536 1.052
10 50 Oliver Bearman Haas 23 1:44.547 1.063
‘Full results from Free Practice 2’;
https://speedcafe.com/azerbaijan-gp-...ice-2-results/
2024 Azerbaijan GP FP2: Concerned Leclerc pits and insists ‘I’m not driving this car anymore’
13 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari in first practice, and although the team got it repaired in time for FP2, the Monegasque wasn’t happy with the feel of the car and pitted after just a few minutes of the session.
“I’m not driving this car anymore”;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/20...90741201817899
Azerbaijan Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 2 results
Did the drivers get more running than in the first session?
Sept 13, 2024
Lena Ferle
FormulaNerds
The first qualifying simulations: With little over 30 minutes on the clock, the first drivers strapped on the soft tyres to test qualifying laps. Norris was on a fast lap but encountered a slow-moving Gasly, which ruined his run, otherwise he would’ve set the new fastest lap.
Track evolution played a major role in the fast laps – Perez’s time of 1:43.490 was almost half a second faster than second-placed Carlos Sainz. Leclerc and Russell still hadn’t completed a flying lap on soft tyres, while the rest of the grid had done so. Perez topped the timesheets, just 0.060s ahead of Hamilton, who managed his best lap despite running on seven laps old soft tyres. Sainz sat in third, with Piastri, Verstappen, and Stroll close behind.
The final minutes: As the track continued to improve and gain grip, Leclerc was expected to set the fastest time. He posted a 1m 43.484s, just 0.006s ahead of Perez, though he did benefit from a tow during his flying lap. Russell had previously only been out on the hard tyres, but with only seven minutes left, he did his first laps on the soft tyres. He set a time that put him in 9th place.
‘F1 Free Practice 2 results’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/az.../?nowprocket=1
2024 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Free Practice 2 results
13 Sept 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
After complaining about a 'bent' Ferrari early in the session following repairs made to his SF-24 after a crash in FP1, Charles Leclerc returned to the Baku Street Circuit late on to post the fastest time. Two-time race winner at this circuit, Sergio Perez, finished just 0.006s behind Leclerc in his Red Bull, with Lewis Hamilton marginally behind his two rivals in his Mercedes.
Three-time F1 champion Max Verstappen was only the sixth quickest, just over half-a-second adrift, with F1 title rival Lando Norris a lowly 17th, albeit that time set on medium-compound Pirelli rubber as the Briton did not post a representative soft-tyre run.
‘Complaining about a 'bent' Ferrari’;
https://racingnews365.com/2024-f1-az...tice-2-results
Norris and Verstappen struggle in tight FP2 at 2024 Azerbaijan GP as Leclerc tops times
There was plenty of action in Free Practice 2 at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc ends the session fastest
13 Sept 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris found themselves uncomfortable with their cars during FP2 at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP with the odds for the race still wide open as Charles Leclerc and Ferrari topped the times on Friday, September 13.
The Monegasque didn’t have an easy time either but posted a 1:43.484 to top the timing boards at the Baku City Circuit as he and Verstappen took repeat trips down the escape roads as Norris struggled to get a good time on the board in their three-way fight for the F1 2024 titles.
The Ferrari star is trying to get his weekend back on track after a crash in FP1 but found himself flirting with the walls once again after he took to the escape road at the scene of his Turn 15 as well as his famous 2019 crash when he branded himself stupid.
‘Struggle’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/nor...rc-tops-times/
F1 Azerbaijan GP: Leclerc leads Perez by 0.006s in tight FP2
A 1m43.484s proved good enough for Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to deny Red Bull a clean sweep of Friday practice sessions
Sep 13, 2024
Jake Boxall-Legge
Motorsport.com
Ferrari repaired Leclerc's car after his Turn 15 shunt in the opening stage of Friday practice, but the Monegasque proved irascible on the radio and made his displeasure about his rebuilt SF-24 clear after crashing in FP1, feeling that the steering was 'heavy'. He elected to pit amid further handling struggles.
This caused a slight layoff in running, and he returned to the circuit later in the session for a few exploratory laps on the medium tyre; despite an off at Turn 8, he was able to keep it out of the wall for a tilt on the soft tyres. This led him to set a 1m43.484s time, eclipsing Perez's time from earlier.
‘Ferrari repaired Leclerc's car’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...lerc/10653805/
Azerbaijan GP: Max Verstappen misses top five as Charles Leclerc mounts FP2 fightback
13 Sep 2024
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com
Verstappen, fastest in FP1, was first out as the light went green, armed with the mediums tyres, as was Leclerc after Ferrari got his SF-24 back in working order, following his FP1 date with the barriers. Williams needed a bit more time to get Franco Colapinto’s FW46 back on track.
Leclerc’s frustrations were starting to escalate, as he declared it “impossible” that Ferrari could not see anything on the data. He duly returned to the pits, with Perez now leading a Red Bull one-two. Verstappen survived a major scare though, locking up and coming to a stop inches from the wall at Turn 5, while Hulkenberg was getting upset with Perez who “thinks we’re racing” through the tight second sector.
The low, setting sun was causing visibility issues for Verstappen, who took to the run-off at Turn 7, but Perez was flying on the softs as he returned to P1, almost half a second clear of Sainz. Leclerc was at last back out on track, but still was not having it all his own way as he found the Turn 8 run-off, while Sainz was checking out the Turn 3 escape route. Colapinto was fortune to withstand a heavy whack of the inside barrier at the ultra-tight Turn 8/9.
“Impossible”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/azerba...024-fp2-report
2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Free Practice 2 F1 results (Baku)
13 Sep 2024
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
As the drivers laid down the laps, trips up the escape roads and the subsequent yellow flags were prevalent, including one for reigning World Champion Verstappen. Halfway through the session, Carlos Sainz was up in P1 with a 1:43.950, putting him 0.033s up on Oscar Piastri with Verstappen a further 0.04s. Leclerc was in the pits surrounded by a red wall of Ferrari mechanics as the team tried to resolve his steering issue.
However, back on track with a fresh set of soft tyres on his SF-24, Leclerc clocked a 1:43.484 to beat Perez by a mere 0.006s. Hamilton was third, 0.06s down. Sainz was fourth fastest ahead of Piastri while Verstappen was only P6, 0.545s off the pace. Lance Stroll, Nico Hulkenberg and Russell were next in line with the Briton covering just 16 laps with a late call to box as Mercedes noted an issue with the car. Oliver Bearman completed the top ten for Haas.
‘Laid down the laps, trips up the escape roads and the subsequent yellow flags’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-res...-prix-baku-fp2
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Leclerc explains rollercoaster start to Azerbaijan GP weekend after FP1 crash and peculiar FP2 problem.
Charles Leclerc experienced an up-and-down first day on the streets of Baku as the Ferrari driver overcame a crash during first practice and car troubles in the second session to finish at the top of Friday’s timesheets.
13 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site
Charles Leclerc: “That wasn’t great to start the weekend, but I still had a lot of confidence in the car, so there wasn’t much problem. Then the thing is that when we started FP2 there was an actual problem on the car that we saw later on, once I stopped, and we changed that particular part.”
“It was nothing to do with the crash before, so the mechanics have done a really good job. We just had a problem with one new part that we had just put on the car. I won’t go too much into details but that was obviously giving me a very strange feeling with the steering wheel. We changed that, went again and then it was fine. It was not as many laps as what I would have hoped for on this Friday, but competitive anyway.”
“We still have to work on the car, there’s plenty to do to improve. There’s the driving to be improved quite a bit, because I was still taking a little bit my references in FP2, but again, we are fast, so that’s a good sign. Hopefully just more to come tomorrow.”
‘Rollercoaster start’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...pR5scyRt4AXQYg
'Affinity with the walls': Jacques Villeneuve mocks Charles Leclerc after Azerbaijan Grand Prix crash
13 Sep 2024
Luke-John Buckle
F1 Oversteer
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend began with multiple drivers crashing on the unforgiving streets of Baku and causing red flags. The Baku City Circuit is a street track that requires a lot of confidence to maximise the lap time with minimal margin for error in Formula 1. Villeneuve was far from impressed by Leclerc’s antics in first practice, as other drivers have avoided the wall after a similar incident.
He said: “An affinity with its walls as well. You can see that he even missed the kerb on the inside. So he wasn’t thrown off. You could see with the skids, he just arrived with too much speed. And like we’ve seen other drivers when they realise they’re too fast, they opt for going off, going straight, then reversing, and he didn’t make that call.”
'Affinity with the walls';
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jac...nd-prix-crash/
Perez has pace, but there’s no doubt who Verstappen’s team mate is here to help
13th Sep 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans
Since Sergio Perez last flew out of Azerbaijan following his victory in Baku in April 2023 – over 500 days ago – there has been little for the veteran Red Bull driver to celebrate on track. But in a sport where there are few true friends, where the only one you can rely on is yourself, Baku has arguably been kinder to Perez than anyone or anything else in Formula 1. With two victories and five podiums from seven starts – both records for this distinctive track – Perez can always rely on Baku for a strong result, even if he’s been in the midst of one of his all-too-frequent slumps in form over the years.
Perez described his Friday as a “good, solid day”. Verstappen, who had looked atypically ragged around the Baku circuit during the session was also “quite confident” about the team’s early performance following a very disappointing showing at Monza last time out. But although Verstappen was slower than his team mate, it’s easy to see why looking into the data.
Taking both Red Bull drivers’ fastest laps from Friday, there was a clear set-up difference between the two team mates. While Verstappen was able to carry significantly higher minimum speed at the apexes through the many 90-degree corners – as much as 6kph in turns four and seven – Perez was easily quicker on the straights by an even greater amount. Verstappen went from being almost two tenths up on Perez heading down to turn 16 to falling to more than half a second adrift of his team mate by the time he reached the end of the lap.
‘Perez has pace’;
https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/13/...-here-to-help/
Red Bull drivers hail ‘positive’ and ‘promising’ first day in Baku with Perez confident of being ‘in the mix’ for pole
13 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site
Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen both expressed optimism after Red Bull appeared to take a step in the right direction with the RB20 on the opening day of practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. As cars hit the track on the streets of Baku, though, there were early signs that Red Bull – who are running an upgrade on their floor this weekend – have potentially turned a corner.
“It was definitely a good, solid day,” said Perez, who finished P2, a mere six-thousandths of a second away from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and has been working hard to find a breakthrough after significant struggles on his side of the garage. Asked if that gives him hope of fighting for pole, the Mexican added: “I think tomorrow anything can happen, really, so we just have to keep our head down and hopefully deliver a great couple of laps. Well, we only need one in Q3!”
Verstappen, meanwhile, was around half a second slower than Leclerc, having experienced several lock-ups and off-track excursions but been left with a similarly positive feeling about his and the team’s prospects. “I think overall a good day,” he commented. “We learned quite a bit. Now it’s just about tidying up the things that we tried. But I think, so far, we have been more competitive this weekend, so that’s a positive.”
‘In the mix for pole’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...VdphBaBqLPXivP
Alarm bells ring for Norris as he tells McLaren 'we've got a lot to find'
13 Sep 2024
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
Lando Norris was downbeat after the first two practice sessions during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. Norris does have some concerns over his car's performance. "We're quite a long way off. I'm having to push way too much to try and get a lap time out of it. I think where Oscar was is kind of more where we are. So I think if we nail it, we're just about there, but I'm sure they're not even close to nailing it yet. I think we have quite a lot to find, honestly," Norris said bluntly.
Norris and McLaren are chasing Red Bull in the F1 Constructors' Championship, but he sees a broader problem with more teams capable of winning in Baku. "Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, they're all very similar. And then there's a good three, four tenth gap back to us so a lot of work to do. Ferrari are very quick here. Mercedes will be quick with these track conditions. It's very slidey out there. We perform well on the higher grip circuits. Finding it difficult but we'll work hard tonight," Norris added.
‘Alarm bells ring’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30077...e-in-baku.html
Ted Kravitz notes something ‘strange’ that Lando Norris said to the media at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
13 Sep 2024
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer
Ted Kravitz notes the ‘strange’ thing Lando Norris said to the media about Budapest. The topic of team orders at McLaren and whether they will prioritise Norris as their best chance to win the title has been going on since the Italian Grand Prix. Norris looked sick of the media in Azerbaijan as a result of the constant questioning as many try to figure out how the team are going to play it with their two drivers.
One of the major talking points from McLaren this season was back in Hungary, as Norris was forced to let Piastri back past for the win after the former ended up ahead after the second pit stop. Speaking on Ted’s Podbook, Ted Kravitz noted that Norris was questioned in the media pen about the matter in the wake of the discussion around team orders. The pit lane reporter could not help but be bewildered by the McLaren driver’s comments on the situation in Budapest.
“This is a strange thing that Lando said,” he said. “It was put to him, you know, what about the lost points in Hungary where you gave the position back to Oscar and arguably the P2 in Monza? And Lando said: ‘look I’ve not lost on any points. I’m very happy with how we’ve worked as a team and we’ve got the points that we deserve,’ so I think you can tell what’s going on there.”
‘Not lost on any points’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...an-grand-prix/
Piastri “in the ballpark” in tight Azerbaijan GP battle
Oscar Piastri believes McLaren is “in the ballpark” following the opening day of running at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
14 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Piastri was fifth fastest in the day’s second practice session, half-a-tenth away from the time posted by Charles Leclerc. “I think it’s been a decent day,” the Australian reasoned. “It’s a bit hard to know at the moment, with the track evolving so much still, but our pace seems in the ballpark.”
“Very slippery, much slipperier than it has been, I would say, in the last few years,” Piastri said when asked about the conditions. I think that’s why we’re seeing the track get quicker and quicker. It’s not easy out there, definitely and it’s quite inconsistent, but the same challenge for everyone.”
“In the ballpark”;
https://speedcafe.com/piastri-in-the...jan-gp-battle/
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Full Azerbaijan GP FP3 results: Russell takes P1 from Leclerc, Norris P3.
George Russell just beats Charles Leclerc to P1 in the final free practice session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with both of them beating the McLaren of Lando Norris in P3.
14 Sep 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
In the final few minutes of the session, Russell was able to find the extra pace and set the fastest lap of the session, highlighting the straight-line speed that Mercedes have around the Baku City Circuit and showing that qualifying later in the day will be extremely close to call.
Behind him by just +0.050 seconds was Leclerc in the Ferrari, who has looked very consistent all weekend. The Monegasque driver is searching for his fourth pole position in a row in Baku. Norris, who has been off the pace for the majority of the weekend, finally put a lap together and showed he still has some speed with his McLaren.
Behind Norris was his teammate Oscar Piastri in P4, with Max Verstappen and his updated Red Bull only quick enough for P5 despite his first place in FP1 on Friday. Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez were P6 and P7, respectively.
‘FP3 results’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30094...baku-2024.html
Azerbaijan GP: Free Practice 3 Results
14 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Full results from Free Practice 3 from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.
Pos Num Driver Team Laps Best Diff
1 63 George Russell Mercedes 15 1:42.514
2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 15 1:42.527 0.013
3 4 Lando Norris McLaren 14 1:42.737 0.223
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 12 1:42.749 0.235
5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 14 1:42.864 0.350
6 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 15 1:42.968 0.454
7 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 14 1:43.024 0.510
8 23 Alex Albon Williams 12 1:43.194 0.680
9 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 13 1:43.238 0.724
10 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 13 1:43.301 0.787
‘Full results from Free Practice 3’;
https://speedcafe.com/azerbaijan-gp-...ice-3-results/
Azerbaijan Grand Prix: F1 Free Practice 3 results
Who will find the sweet spot for their set-up ahead of a tricky qualifying session?
Sep 14, 2024
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds
The light turned green, once again, with just over a third of the session to go. Norris was the first driver to exit the pitlane. The Briton hasn’t managed to set a lap time so far. The McLaren driver went quickest, setting a 1:44.226, going a tenth-and-a-half quicker than Albon’s time. Meanwhile, Hamilton went deep into Turn Three, bringing out brief yellow flags. Albon then responded, smashing Norris’ time with a 1:43.623.
However, Leclerc then went quicker with a 1:43.455. Verstappen set a time good enough for second, setting the fastest middle sector. The Dutchman found himself just over a tenth behind Leclerc. However, Verstappen’s teammate Perez managed to go quickest, going 0.066 seconds quicker than Leclerc. Piastri then smashed the Mexican’s time, going over six tenths quicker with a 1:42.749. The track is improving constantly. George Russell has endured a difficult FP3, with the latest issue going deep into Turn Two.
The Briton reported that “the ride feels terrible down the straight under braking”. Meanwhile, Hamilton set a lap good enough for second – over half-a-second behind Piastri. Leclerc then went quickest, once again, setting a 1:42.564. The Monegasque has been untouchable throughout the first sector with no other driver close. Verstappen set a time good enough for third, going quickest in the middle sector. Norris managed to go within two tenths of Leclerc. However, Russell managed to beat Leclerc’s time with a 1:42.514.
‘Who will find the sweet spot?’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/az.../?nowprocket=1
Azerbaijan GP FP3: Ocon stops on track to bring out red flags in final practice
Sep 14, 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Final practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was halted 15 minutes into the session after Esteban Ocon suffered a mechanical failure and was forced to park his Alpine on track.
‘Azerbaijan GP FP3’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/az...61270993582613
F1 Azerbaijan GP 2024 – Free Practice 3 Results
14 Sep 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport
George Russell was fastest in FP3 at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP, the final practice session before Qualifying. With four teams in the fight for pole position, George Russell topped the timesheet of the third and final practice session in Baku, just ahead of Charles Leclerc in the 2024 Azerbaijan GP Free Practice 3 results.
Another practice session riddled with red flags as Esteban Ocon had an issue with his Alpine which brought his session to an early end, before Oliver Bearman misjudged Turn 1 and went into the barrier.
The session began under overcast skies and light drizzle, contrasting with the sunny conditions seen in FP1 and FP2. Drivers faced additional challenges on the Baku City Circuit, already known for its dusty and slippery surface. Although the track was slightly damp, slick tyres were still used, with drivers cautiously finding their rhythm.
‘Free Practice 3 Results’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ice-3-results/
Red Bull can counter McLaren in team orders battle in Azerbaijan GP, Christian Horner confirms
McLaren's infamous 'Papaya Rules' debacle has brought team orders into sharp focus in the 2024 F1 title battle with Red Bull
14 Sep 2024
Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport
Christian Horner underlined that Sergio Perez ‘100%’ knows his role is to support Max Verstappen‘s championship ambitions at Red Bull amid questions over team orders ahead of the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “You only have to think back to Abu Dhabi 2021 to see what a team player Checo is. So for us, the game plan is pretty straightforward. I’d love that headache, to be managing on the last few laps.”
But an optimistic Horner believes Red Bull have fixed the most pressing problems in time for Baku after heavy experimentation in free practice. “It’s still very very tight but I think we have a better balance in the car and Sergio is more in the comfort zone as well, so it will be about getting that lap perfectly correct,” Horner added.
“What we have been playing with is do you have more downforce to protect that degradation or have less downforce for the straight line speed but have more deg. It’s that fine line. Both drivers are reporting that the nasty characteristics they had in Monza aren’t there.”
‘McLaren's infamous 'Papaya Rules' debacle’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/red...rner-confirms/
FP3 Highlights: 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
‘Watch highlights from third practice ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/fp...67671951307239
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Lando Norris dumped out in Q1 as McLaren apologise over team radio at Azerbaijan GP.
Norris abandoned his flying lap after Esteban Ocon brought out the yellow flags, condemning him to a P17 grid slot on Sunday. McLaren apologised to their star driver over the radio, but there was little they could do to improve his mood.
Sep 14, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Lando Norris will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from 17th on the grid after the Brit was knocked out in Q1 following a late yellow flag on his final run of the session.
At the end of Q1, Williams, Haas and Alpine were all represented in the top seven positions. At the other of the order, there was a huge scalp.
‘Little they could do to improve his mood’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...s-Lando-Norris
Lando Norris reacts to huge F1 title blow in Azerbaijan GP qualifying shocker
Lando Norris wants to keep the pressure on Max Verstappen in the Formula 1 title race but suffered a major blow to his chances by failing to get out of Q1 in Baku
Sep 14, 2024
Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Lando Norris suffered a huge blow to his Formula 1 title hopes as he failed to get out of Q1 during qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The McLaren racer had struggled in practice but would still have expected to be in the fight for pole position for the Baku race. However, it was not to be as he suffered an unexpected Q1 exit - the first time Norris has failed to reach the top 10 on the grid all season.
Track evolution was a major factor and everyone was improving significantly on their final flying laps of Q1. But Norris' was ruined when Esteban Ocon briefly went off track in the final sector, ahead of Norris. Yellow flags were waved and Norris had to slow or risk a punishment. He did so and, as a result, lost his chance to improve his time. He pulled into the pit lane instead of crossing the timing line to confirm his early exit from the session.
Briton smiled ruefully as he said: "Everyone did their second laps and I didn't so just unlucky, that's all. I have to lift [for the yellow flags]. “ Asked if he thinks he can cut through the pack in the race, he replied: "I'm going to have to hope so, aren't I? It is what it is. A long race ahead and we have some good tyres in the bank... I'm still hopeful. I think the car is quick and the lap I was on would have easily gone second. It's a bit frustrating, but nothing I can do."
‘Huge F1 title blow’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...fying-33668995
Norris suffers shock early exit in Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying
Lando Norris' F1 title hopes have suffered a major blow.
14 Sept 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Lando Norris' F1 drivers' championship hopes suffered a major blow following a disastrous qualifying session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Norris will start 17th at the Baku Street Circuit, the McLaren driver's first Q1 exit since last year's inaugural race in Las Vegas.
The Briton headed straight into the pit lane rather than complete the lap, leaving him in a miserable position to start the grand prix, albeit on a track where overtaking is possible. "I had to lift," confirmed Norris, who goes into the race 62 points adrift of championship leader Max Verstappen.
"I had to lift";
https://racingnews365.com/norris-suf...rix-qualifying
Azerbaijan GP Qualifying: Shock in Baku as Norris is knocked out in Q1
14 Sept 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Title contender Lando Norris will have it all to do in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after the McLaren man was knocked out of qualifying in Q1, down in 17th place.
‘Shock in Baku’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/az...75109270308954
Azerbaijan GP: Qualifying Results
14 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Full results from Qualifying from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.
Pos Num Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Diff
1 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:42.775 1:42.056 1:41.365
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:43.033 1:42.598 1:41.686 0.321
3 55 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:43.357 1:42.503 1:41.805 0.440
4 11 Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing 1:43.213 1:42.263 1:41.813 0.448
5 63 George Russell Mercedes 1:43.139 1:42.329 1:41.874 0.509
6 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 1:43.097 1:42.042 1:42.023 0.658
7 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:43.089 1:42.765 1:42.289 0.924
8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:43.472 1:42.426 1:42.369 1.004
9 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 1:43.138 1:42.473 1:42.530 1.165
10 23 Alex Albon Williams 1:42.899 1:42.840 1:42.859 1.494
‘Full results’;
https://speedcafe.com/azerbaijan-gp-qualifying-results/
McLaren’s Lando Norris out of Azerbaijan GP qualifying in first phase
Yellow flags meant the 24-year-old failed to put in a second fast lap in Q1
14 Sep 2024
The Irish Times
McLaren’s Formula One title challenger Lando Norris failed to make it out of the first phase of qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday and is set to start Sunday’s race in 17th place. The Briton missed out after a yellow flag warning meant he had to slow on his final attempt to get out of the bottom five.
The run-up to the race weekend has been dominated by talk of potential team orders at McLaren and Norris being helped by Australian team-mate Oscar Piastri, who went through to the second phase.
‘Potential team orders at McLaren talk’;
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/202...n-first-phase/
Full Baku GP qualifying results | Leclerc takes pole, Piastri P2, Sainz P3
14 Sep 2024
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com
Charles Leclerc makes it four pole positions in as many years at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix by taking pole position in Baku ahead of Oscar Piastri and Csrlos Saizn in P2 and P3, respectively. The Ferrari driver continues his Saturday dominance around the Baku City Circuit, making it his fourth pole on the bounce, giving him the perfect opportunity to back up his Italian Grand Prix win last time out.
Behind him was Piastri in P2, but his teammate Lando Norris was eliminated in a shock Q1 exit. Sainz took P3, with Sergio Perez only good enough for P4. George Russell was able to take P5 ahead of a slow Max Verstappen in P6, and an even slower Lewis Hamilton in P7. Fernando Alonso, Franco Colapinto and Alex Albon rounded out the top ten.
‘Leclerc takes pole’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30103...prix-2024.html
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Villeneuve calls out Norris this time for Baku mistake.
According to the 1997 world champion, there is no doubt about Lando Norris being at fault for his early exit in Q1.
14 Sep 2024
Kada Sarkozi
Jacques Villeneuve: "It will be frustrating. I don't remember, I don't think you have to slow down until the yellow flag. And by the time you reach the post, the yellow flag was off. He actually did not need to slow down. So that's a little mistake. He also went off wide in the last corner. So it's not even sure his lap time would have been that good," the Canadian said on Sky Sports.
A difficult pill to swallow for McLaren in Baku: A shock result caused Lando Norris to finish only in P17 in qualifying. Why Andrea Stella struggled to understand why the yellow flags were waved that moment, Jacques Villeneuve declared that Norris' elimination is only the Briton's fault in Azerbaijan.
‘Difficult pill to swallow’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30111...baijan-gp.html
Will Leclerc grab his chance to win in Baku – and even overhaul Norris?
14th Sep 2024
Will Wood
RaceFans
It’s hard to believe that the roll-call of grand prix winners around the Baku City Circuit, including Nico Rosberg, Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas, does not feature the driver who now has four pole positions in Azerbaijan to his name. Charles Leclerc will lead the field away on Sunday’s formation lap for the fourth consecutive year, still in pursuit of his first victory in Baku.
“I’ll have to do a bit of homework tonight in order to get ready for tomorrow, but I’m not too worried that we’ll do the best job with our package and then we’ll see whether it’s good enough to win the race tomorrow or not.”
If he is able to win, there’s more than just a victory in the offering for him. Should Leclerc win and Norris fail to score a point, he will jump the McLaren driver to become the closest driver to Verstappen in the championship.
‘Will Leclerc grab his chance?’;
https://www.racefans.net/2024/09/14/...erhaul-norris/
Piastri ‘had a lot less to lose’ in qualifying as he outlines plan to take early race lead in Baku
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site
After qualifying on the front row in back-to-back races, Oscar Piastri is targeting polesitter Charles Leclerc to claim the race lead in Baku and finish McLaren’s rollercoaster weekend on a high. The papaya team’s drivers found themselves at opposite ends of the grid after qualifying in P2 and P17 respectively for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as Lando Norris fell victim to yellow flags in Q1 and failed to improve his lap time.
“[I] just tried to really get the most out of it,” Piastri said. “This track really rewards commitment, so on the last laps in Q3 I knew I had a lot less to lose so I just tried to maximise the car. It was feeling good all the way through, just didn’t maximise it much in the first part of qualifying, but very happy with Q3.
Asked whether he was planning to pass Leclerc into Turn 1, he said: “Yeah, definitely try and get into the lead. Clean air is beneficial everywhere so that would make life easier. I’m on the dirty side of the grid so that’s not going to help, but that’s definitely the plan.”
‘Plan to take early race lead’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...HLNd2CO5vrZCtg
Sainz pleased with P3 on a Baku track that ‘doesn’t come naturally’
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Carlos Sainz admitted Baku is a circuit that he’s “always struggled on”, so the Ferrari man was very satisfied to grab a P3 grid slot for Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
‘Doesn’t come naturally’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/sa...80052482879128
‘Scary for the rest’: Jacques Villeneuve jokes F1 driver’s about to be ‘scary’ after what he heard in Baku
14 Sep 2024
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer
Jacques Villeneuve joked one Formula 1 driver is about to become ‘scary’ good after what he heard from them after qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday. Perez qualified in P4 for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Verstappen only able to secure P6 with a 0.210-second deficit to his Red Bull teammate and 0.658s to pole. So, Villeneuve is tipping Perez to remain a threat given the team understand why he often struggled for pace.
“I’ve been telling [Red Bull] these issues since probably 10 races ago or maybe even halfway through last year,” Perez told Sky Sports F1 (14/09, 14:38). “It’s a development course we took with the car. With the driving styles, some drivers are more sensitive than the other.”
“Max wasn’t feeling it that much but lately it became so extreme that he ended up having similar issues. The team understands now where those issues are, which is great news for the team. It’s just, the main thing is how quickly we can fix them.” To which, Villeneuve responded: “So, that means you’ll become scary for the rest of the grid now to the end of the season?”
‘Become ‘scary’ good’;
https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jac...heard-in-baku/
Russell reveals what ‘bodes well for the race’ for Mercedes, after qualifying P5
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
George Russell will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from the third row, but reckons Mercedes have an ace in the pack when it comes to their straight line speed.
‘Bodes well for the race’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/video/ru...78590449180856
Max Verstappen takes blame for poor Azerbaijan GP qualifying
The F1 world championship leader will start Sunday’s race in Baku from sixth on the grid
14 Sep 2024
Brandon Sutton
Total Motorsport
“I think some changes that we made going into qualifying, thinking they would improve the car, actually made it worse,” Verstappen told F1 TV at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP. “From the first lap I did in qualifying, I was not happy with the car, and I just tried to drive around it.”
“But when you’re not confident and comfortable with the car on a street circuit, you cannot push to the limit and I think that’s basically what happened. As soon as it matters, people start risking more, but I just didn’t feel comfortable enough to attack.”
“The car was very difficult—jumping a lot, losing contact with the tarmac. So, it wasn’t very nice. Of course, I went off in the last corner, which also didn’t help. All in all, it was quite disappointing.”
‘Max Verstappen takes blame’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/max...gp-qualifying/
“Same Saturday as always” - Lewis Hamilton makes familiar “tyres didn’t work” complaint
Lewis Hamilton's view on qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: :Same thing that happens every Saturday."
14 Sep 2024
Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
It was a familiar story for Lewis Hamilton at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as he struggled for tyre temperature in qualifying. “Yesterday the car was amazing, felt great. Honestly, I think it could have been at least second row today. Came today, the tyres didn’t work all day.” Lewis Hamilton.
“Tyres didn’t work”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/105551...work-complaint
Gasly disqualified from qualifying at Azerbaijan Grand Prix over fuel flow breach
14 Sep 2024
Formula One - Official Site
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly has been disqualified from the results of qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after the stewards determined that his car had breached the fuel flow limit.
"The Technical Delegate reported that Car 10 [Gasly] exceeded the permitted 100Kg/h fuel mass flow on the final timed lap of Q2," read the note from the stewards confirming the Alpine driver's disqualification.
‘Gasly disqualified’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...xuLLpmKwmX1xwh
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Oscar Piastri wins Azerbaijan GP epic as Lando Norris rubs salt into Verstappen's wounds.
Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc enjoyed the battle of the season around the streets of Azerbaijan.
Sep 15, 2024
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Oscar Piastri held off Charles Leclerc in a sensational spectacle at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Further back, Lando Norris completed a noble comeback, recovering from P15 to P4 to finish ahead of title rival Max Verstappen.
Polesitter Leclerc looked comfortable out front throughout the opening stint, stretching out a lead of nearly five seconds before the first pit stops, but after some strong McLaren teamwork allowed Piastri to defend against a Sergio Perez undercut, the Australian was unleashed.
With his team-mate leading the way, Norris made his pit stop on lap 38, emerging in seventh place with a 15-second deficit to Verstappen ahead. Six laps later, the Dutchman’s advantage had been halved and on lap 49 he made the move stick.
‘Battle of the season’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...jan-Grand-Prix
Azerbaijan GP: Race Results
15 Sep 2024
Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Full results from the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku Street Circuit.
Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff
1 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 51
2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 10.91
3 63 George Russell Mercedes 31.328
4 4 Lando Norris McLaren 36.143
5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 77.096
6 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 86.526
7 23 Alex Albon Williams 88.05
8 43 Franco Colapinto Williams 89.864
9 44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 91.958
10 50 Oliver Bearman Haas 93.212
‘Full results’;
https://speedcafe.com/azerbaijan-gp-race-results/
F1 Azerbaijan GP 2024 – Race Results
15 Sep 2024
John Smith
Total Motorsport
A mesmerising race long battle in Baku was eventually won by Oscar Piastri who took the chequered flag and to take victory ahead of Charles Leclerc in the 2024 Azerbaijan GP results.
In the final few laps with Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz fighting for second place, Sainz jumped Perez into Turn 1 then out of Turn 2, the Ferrari and Red Bull collided meaning the race ended under the Virtual Safety Car.
George Russell benefited from that collision and took the final podium position. Lando Norris, who started in 15th position, brilliantly recovered to take P4, jumping title-rival Max Verstappen in the process.
‘Race Results’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...-race-results/
Piastri wins classic Baku race after PHENOMENAL F1 duel with Leclerc
Today at 13:37
Matt Gretton
GPblog.com
Oscar Piastri has won a classic 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix after battling Charles Leclerc during the second half of the race. The two F1 drivers put on an incredible display of skill in the streets of Baku, with the McLaren driver getting the better result. Sergio Perez tried to get involved in the battle for the lead. The Mexican crashed with Carlos Sainz in the dying stages of the race, lifting George Russell to the podium.
Lando Norris did all he could to recover from a poor qualifying session, but there wasn't a safety car to aid his progress. He finished in fourth, one place ahead of his rival Verstappen so the Brit actually cut the gap to Verstappen in the World Championship. There is also good news for the Woking-based team as McLaren took the lead of the Constructors' Championship. For the first time since May 2022, Red Bull do not sit at the top of the standings.
The Grand Prix featured a phenomenal duel between Piastri and Leclerc for the lead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The battle lasted more or less the entire length of the second stint, with a third different constructor (Sergio Perez) also getting in on the action at times. The duel saw a bold overtake from Piastri, various attacking attempts from Leclerc to regain the lead and crafty dummy radio calls with Ferrari teasing an undercut. It was the McLaren driver who won the duel. Leclerc's grip ran out at the end of the race, which put him under pressure from Perez. Perez dropped behind Sainz, and then the two drivers crashed.
‘PHENOMENAL F1 duel’;
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/30133...x-in-baku.html
Azerbaijan Grand Prix: F1 Race Results: The Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw a last minute crash and a change for the lead in the Constructors' Championship after a stressful battle for the lead
Sep 15, 2024
Abby Bathurst
FormulaNerds
Final laps: With 11 laps left, Leclerc radioed that Piastri was starting to struggle with his tyres. Despite that though, Leclerc still couldn’t retake the lead. Meanwhile, Hamilton fought with Bearman and overtook him for 12th. This put him behind Colapinto. The top four drivers were soon all in contention for the race win with Sainz now only two seconds behind Perez, who was within DRS range of Leclerc, who was within DRS range of Piastri.
However, Leclerc dropped Perez and Sainz and was told by his engineer to “Come on!”. He did, unfortunately, drop back slightly, but Piastri kissed the wall at Turn 15. Sainz then started to close up behind Perez, who had re-entered DRS range behind Leclerc. The Monegasque though had fallen out of DRS range behind Piastri, with the gap 1.242 seconds on lap 47.
With a gap now between Piastri and Leclerc, Perez was putting the pressure on the Leclerc, who said he has no rear tyres. Whilst Perez was putting the pressure on, Norris was putting the pressure on Verstappen as he got within less than a second behind the Red Bull. The final three laps saw Norris overtake his championship rival for P6. Virtual Safety Car: Perez then overtook Leclerc, but Leclerc came back fighting, pushing Perez wide and Sainz came through too. But unfortunately, Sainz and Perez then made contact and both crashed out.
‘Last minute crash and a change for the lead in the Constructors' Championship’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/az.../?nowprocket=1
Sainz and Perez in massive crash on penultimate lap of Azerbaijan GP
What a spectacular ending!
15 Sep 2024
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365
Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez were involved in a massive crash on the penultimate lap of an enthralling Azerbaijan Grand Prix. With McLaren's Oscar Piastri managing to stretch his lead out front after being hounded for 30 laps by Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari, the Monégasque then started to lose his rear tyres. That allowed Red Bull's Perez to push for second place, but with Sainz also closing in as he sensed a podium.
At the start of lap 50, Perez went for a move on Leclerc, only for the latter to hug the barrier at Turn 1 and force the Mexican wide. IN turn, Sainz seized his opportunity to make a move on Perez and claim third place. Sainz, though, was slow out and that allowed Perez to pull himself back alongside and attempt to reclaim third between Turns 2 and 3. But as Sainz shifted marginally to his left, Perez ran into the side of the SF-24, with the impact sending both hurtling into a wall on their left-hand side.
Perez, winner of this race twice in the past, was incredulous over the radio, while Sainz simply asked: "What happened? What happened?" The race then finished behind the safety car, with Piastri taking the chequered flag ahead of Leclerc. Mercedes' George Russell was promoted onto the podium, with McLaren's Lando Norris fourth and Max Verstappen in his Red Bull fifth.
‘Massive crash on the penultimate lap’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-and-...-azerbaijan-gp
