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Ricciardo "hungry" for F1 return after illness.
“I’m glad to be back, feeling better and ready for the Bahrain Grand Prix and season ahead," said Ricciardo.
Sam Hall
Wednesday 16 March 2022 11:54
“I’m looking forward to the battles out on track with these new cars, particularly at Bahrain with its overtaking opportunities. Let's get some great results for the team!”
Now recovered and cleared to return to the paddock, Ricciardo is eager to make up for lost time.
"I want to maximise the free practice sessions to better understand the car and fine-tune everything ready for qualifying and lights out on Sunday.”
‘Hungry To Maximise’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/77...after-illness/
Vettel: There’s a lot to play for, that’s F1 at its best
Editor
16 March, 2022
Sebastian Vettel claimed, ahead of the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix that Formula 1 is at it’s best when there is a lot to play for which is the case this season.
“These new Formula One cars are so incredibly different to their predecessors,” Vettel said in a team statement previewing the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, having previously said the cars feel a bit “lazier” to drive.
“We’ve spent the past weeks learning as much about them as we can and I’m looking to racing a ground-effect car for the first time this weekend,” he revealed.
‘Ground-Effect Cars Lazier To Drive’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...1-at-its-best/
Verstappen: Important to have stable weekend in Bahrain
Jad Mallak
16 March, 2022
Verstappen ended pre-season testing in Bahrain last week fastest of all despite not “giving full beans” at the time, while his Red Bull RB18 seemingly a handy piece of kit.
“I’m looking forward to seeing where we are compared to the rest of the grid come qualifying on Saturday. The car looks good and as a Team we are in a good place.”
“The most important thing for us in Bahrain is to have a stable weekend without too many issues and we hope to score a good amount of points,” the Red Bull ace concluded.
‘Stable Weekend’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...nd-in-bahrain/
Steiner: We need to focus on going racing
Reuters
16 March, 2022
Haas F1 boss Guenther Steiner has got used to phoning team owner Gene Haas with bad news but Sunday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix could be the start of something better.
The team’s freight was then delayed due to a technical problem with the aircraft carrying it, forcing them to miss the first half of the opening day of the final test in Bahrain.
“It’s one (thing) after the other,” Steiner told Reuters in an interview. “It’s just like what is next? Every morning when you wake up, it’s like what is the next drama on my telephone?”
‘Racing Focus’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...am-bahrain-gp/
Inside Line: Which Mercedes W13 will pitch-up at Bahrain Grand Prix?
Paul Velasco
15 March, 2022
The most furiously debated topic on Formula 1 forums, our comments section and Facebook pages included, is the question of the Mercedes W13 state-of-readiness ahead of the 2022 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday.
My opinion, speculative too, is that they are not in trouble. In fact, they had the audacity to build two packages for the season, the Barcelona ‘conventional’ version and of course the radical sidepod-less which is nothing less than a W13B.
If the Bahrain package is not up to par, Mercedes can switch to the more conservative first edition of the W13, and in tandem develop the B-version as the season progresses, and release it when and if the performance tips towards the extreme version of their 2022 car.
‘To W13 ’B’, Or Not To W13 ’B’, That Is The Question?’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...in-grand-prix/
Mercedes relishing the challenge of unlocking W13 potential - Wolff
Phillip van Osten16/03/2022 at 16:27
"The start of a new Formula One season is always exciting, and this year more than most," commented Wolff in Mercedes Bahrain GP preview.
"With new technical and sporting regulations, there is so much to learn and discover as this new season begins.”
"Barcelona was a productive first test of the W13, then we brought a big update to Bahrain for the pre-season test which resulted from a huge effort by the whole team.”
‘Unlocking the W13 With Updates’;
https://f1i.com/news/434742-mercedes...ial-wolff.html
Hill advises Russell: Just make sure you’re fast!
Reuters
16 March, 2022
Asked what advice he would give to the youngster, Hill told reporters: “Just make sure you’re fast!
“You’re going to have to be possibly faster than you’ve ever driven before,” added the 61-year-old, an F1 expert for Sky Sports television, ahead of this weekend’s opening race in Bahrain. “It is a big step.”
“Was it harder than you thought? Is Lewis quicker than you thought? Do you think you can go any faster? Those are the things. I am sure he will be keen to avoid that,” explained Hill.
‘Fast And Faster!’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...in-gp-preview/
Alpine testing form suggests Alonso set for career crossroads
16/03/2022, 12:01
By Edd Straw
EL PLAN: When Fernando Alonso signed up to return to Formula 1 with what was then called Renault in mid-2020, but had been rebranded as Alpine by the time he started racing for the team last season, 2022 was always the key year.
“It is an interesting question and we don’t have an answer yet,” said Alonso. “We have to wait and see how the first races develop and see what we need from the car and from the package.”
“I’m optimistic because the team is putting a huge effort into this programme. We have the support from our president, we have the support from everyone at Renault and Alpine came last year to Formula 1 with the mind of this set of regulations and to try to be a contender in the future. If that future will be 2022 or 2025, I have no idea.”
‘EL PLAN: 2022 or 2025?’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/alpin...er-crossroads/
F1 anticipation is building... but do we have to start in Bahrain?
F1
March 16th 2022
Author
Chris Medland
Great facilities, good racing and the teams have just tested there: it makes sense to start the grand prix season in Bahrain, but Chris Medland thinks F1 should be looking for somewhere with more pizzazz
Firstly, my apologies to the Bahrain International Circuit. It’s a really good facility, and a track that provides good racing at sunset in what is often a visually impressive spectacle. But it just doesn’t float my boat as a season-opener, especially when it has hosted a pre-season test.
The opening round needs to be a big deal, just as the final round does. After months without F1 races and with a grid full of new cars and unknowns, that first weekend should be a major event.
‘Pizzazz To Float The Boat!’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...rt-in-bahrain#
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The university project that Newey's F1 rivals should not forget.
OPINION: Red Bull's fortunes were transformed prior to Formula 1's last fundamental rules reset in 2009, as Adrian Newey's contribution helped it to emerge from midfield mediocrity to becoming a title-winning force.
By: Jonathan Noble
Mar 10, 2022, 11:27 AM
With ground effect aerodynamics returning in F1's latest shake-up, Newey's insight could again have a pivotal impact
Formula 1 teams were quite open about how they were caught on the hop by the porpoising problems from the first pre-season test.
While F1 historians needed no reminding of the phenomenon that blighted F1 cars during the last ground effect era in the early 1980's, many of those heading up the designs of the 2022 challengers have never really worked on this type of grand prix car before.
‘Adrian Newey’s Pivotal Impact’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/t...orget/8867488/
Exclusive: New Red Bull sees Newey explore a very different design path
23 February, 20:40
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Red Bull managed to keep their real RB18 away from prying eyes until the opening morning of pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. What secrets can be revealed as the team's actual 2022 F1 car hit the track?
The new car designed by Adrian Newey and his technical staff is totally different from the other 2022 cars.
In fact, so far we've identified two design routes – notably the one followed by Mercedes, in terms of reduction of the volume of the sidepods towards the rear ends, and the one adopted by Ferrari with medium-length sidepods but a wide cross-section throughout.
However, the RB18 differs clearly from both concepts. In particular, what stands out most is the way in which the lower section of the sidepods is cut out, defining a channel.
‘RB18 Different Design Concept’;
https://racingnews365.com/exclusive-...nt-design-path
Exclusive: Newey on F1's new era, heavy cars and cost cap challenge
15 March, 08:40
Author Dieter Rencken
Co-author Tom Leach
Newey, speaking exclusively to RacingNews365.com, had some praise for the rules reset, confident that revised aerodynamic regulations will bring more overtaking, while the sport's cost cap will prevent an arms race amongst the teams at the top.
"I think that the principle of trying to help overtaking by reducing the sensitivity of the following car to the one in front is... okay," Newey accepted.
"I think it will help overtaking a little bit. I don't think it will be a significant shift, but it will help a little bit. I think there are other ways it could have been done, let's say."
‘Exclusive Adrian Newey Interview’;
https://racingnews365.com/newey-on-f...-cap-challenge
NEWEY: IMPROVED OVERTAKING COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN OTHER WAYS
Jad Mallak
15 March, 2022
Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s tech boss is fine with the concept Formula 1 pursued in 2022 to improve overtaking, but believes there could have been other ways to achieve the same result.
Newey remains one of the most successful designers in the history of F1 delivering Championship winning cars for Williams, McLaren, then Red Bull, the latest being the RB16B which Max Verstappen steered towards his maiden Drivers’ Crown in 2021.
“The only thing I would say is that this is, in reality, the biggest aerodynamic change we’ve had since Venturi cars were banned in 1982.”
“If you’re going to have such a big regulation change, which inevitably brings all sorts of other changes, it will probably spread the grid apart during the early seasons,” the Briton warned.
‘Spreading The Grid Apart’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...in-other-ways/
Berger backing Red Bull as Marko is ‘always smiling’
Date published: March 16 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Ex-F1 driver Gerhard Berger expects Red Bull to be the leading team and is assured in that pick by Helmut Marko’s smiling.
And Berger is tipping Red Bull to be the leading team at the Bahrain GP. Speaking on the ServusTV programme ‘Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar-7’, Berger said: “When you can do a lot of laps, it’s always very reassuring. After the tests, as a driver you can already see whether you are well positioned.
“And I’m in good spirits when it comes to Red Bull Racing. Because I always see motorsport consultant Dr. Marko with a smile on his face.
‘Berger Backing The Smiles!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/gerhar...red-bull-2022/
Verstappen has full faith in Red Bull’s F1 engine project after signing new deal
F1
Connor McDonagh
16 Mar 2022
Max Verstappen says he trusts Red Bull to deliver a competitive Formula 1 power unit after committing his long term future to the team.
Speaking on the opening day of the Bahrain test, Verstappen was confident about Red Bull’s ability to develop its own PU in F1.
"A bit like my previous deal, there was also a few unknown things," he said. "But I trust the team that everything will be fine because they have shown before that they can handle these situations really well.
‘Faith At Red Bull’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/998456...gning-new-deal
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Mercedes rivals knew controversial sidepod design was a flop last year after private test.
Mercedes may have caught some by surprise last week in Bahrain testing at the unveiling of their new-look W13 with minimal sidepods, but Haas seemingly weren't that transfixed by their rivals.
By STUART BALLARD
18:40, Wed, Mar 16, 2022 | UPDATED: 18:40, Wed, Mar 16, 2022
MERCEDES are sticking with their 'zero sidepod' design on the W13 for the start of the new F1 season.
However, the Haas team principal went on to state that the team quickly realised after several simulator runs that "wide sidepods" were the best way to go. “Exactly this concept was our first draft," Steiner said.
“We had it in the wind tunnel last July and already realised that it brings advantages in slow corners. As an overall package, however, we saw greater potential in wide sidepods.”
‘Controversial Sidepod Flop’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Laren-Williams
Hill thinks 'sidepod-less' design could be cause of Mercedes problems
17/03/2022, 11:50
Author Tom Leach
Damon Hill believes that Mercedes are fighting porpoising more severely than many of their rivals due to a by-product of their 'sidepod-less' car design.
"There's so much suck coming from under the car now that I think they're having trouble keeping control of the floor," said Hill, speaking to the F1 Nation podcast.
"That's why they put those floor-stays, or why they petitioned to allow for floor-stays to go in. If you look at the Mercedes, there's a vast area [of the floor], because they've got such slim sidepods. There is not much there to hold the floor up!”
‘Not Much There ‘Sidepod-Less’!’;
https://racingnews365.com/hill-think...cedes-problems
Wolff ‘really proud’ of striking Mercedes sidepod concept after it debuts in Bahrain
10 March 2022
Speaking in the lunchtime press conference on Thursday, Wolff couldn’t hide his satisfaction at Mercedes’ eye-catching design, which was radically different to the one they used at Barcelona pre-season running in February.
“I think we are really proud of what we have achieved in terms of concept,” said Wolff, “but now we need to make it go fast. I think it’s a development direction that we like, and it’s about tuning the car and so we are experimenting a lot, as we’ve done during the day, and approaching it with curiosity.”
“I think there [are still] issues that are… Bahrain-specific,” added Wolff. “It’s very hot, you see a lot of cars still bouncing – some on the straights, others through the corners – so it’s a tuning question. And we haven’t really looked at performance data yet.”
‘Wolff Really Proud Of Sidepod-Less Concept!’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...LfSTaxnYV.html
Brawn: We didn’t anticipate Mercedes’ ‘very extreme’ sidepod design
by Ryan Wood
10th March 2022, 10:13
Brawn worked with a team of engineers and designers within Formula 1 to shape the new technical regulations, in which he says they closed off “hundreds” of loopholes, but admitted such innovations will always come about given the engineering prowess of contained within F1.
“I think it’s impossible to anticipate the creative scope of the teams, once they get the regs, you’ve got thousands of engineers working on all the regulations and how they can use them [to their benefit].”
“So some of the solutions honestly we never anticipated,” he added. “I think there’s no doubt that the Mercedes concept, we didn’t anticipate, I don’t think… it’s a very extreme interpretation of the regulation and I think there’s going to be, inevitably, a lot of debate about their interpretation and that’s what happens with new regs.”
‘NEVER Anticipated ‘Sidepod-Less’ Concept!’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...idepod-design/
Marko unimpressed with Mercedes 'zero-sidepod' concept
Phillip van Osten
15/03/2022 at 14:56
"It looks revolutionary what Mercedes has brought but what matters is the time. We looked more at the performance and it wasn’t that impressive," Marko told Austrian daily OE24, referring to Mercedes' W13.
"The main thing is that we’re the fastest again," he said. "But we are primarily concerned with our car, and we are doing well there."
Although Red Bull's early confidence was upheld by its performance in Bahrain, Marko recalled that last year, Mercedes "was also behind in the test.” “Now I’m just waiting for qualifying on Saturday, when the engine will be revved up and all the cards will be on the table."
‘All The Cards On The Table, Saturday Qualifying’;
https://f1i.com/news/434672-marko-un...d-concept.html
Toto Wolff makes worrying admission for Lewis Hamilton ahead of Bahrain GP
The Mercedes chief is cautious about his team's chances ahead of the season opener in Sakhir, with everyone on the grid apparently keen to talk down their own chances
By Daniel MoxonSports Writer
• 20:18, 16 Mar 2022
Wolff also spoke about how testing had gone for his team, and what has been learned as drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell prepare for competitive action. While the running time will have been invaluable, the 50-year-old claimed that not all had been smooth sailing for Mercedes during testing.
"Barcelona was a productive first test of the W13, then we brought a big update to Bahrain for the pre-season test which resulted from a huge effort by the whole team. We completed good mileage, had solid reliability, and learned a lot about our new car, but it was not a straightforward three days for us.”
"We tried plenty of set-up options and made good progress in understanding our limitations, and there's still plenty of room for us to improve further. There is a lot of potential to unlock in the W13, and we know how much we relish the challenge of understanding the car and extracting the maximum from it, and this will be our focus for the coming days, weeks and months."
‘Not Straightforward, Understanding Limitations, Extracting The Maximum!’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...hrain-26486371
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I'm not here to help Lewis! Mercedes new boy George Russell vows to take the fight to his team-mate and seven-time world champion Hamilton ahead of the Bahrain opener - as he admits 'I am up against the greatest of all time'.
“Nobody who finds themselves there (being Wingman) can be upset with anyone else as they are there for a reason. They have not performed.”
By Jonathan McEvoy for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:30, 17 March 2022 | Updated: 23:23, 17 March 2022
• George Russell has made it clear he will not act as Lewis Hamilton's wingman
• The 24-year-old is keen to be a team player, but wants to compete for Mercedes
• Russell has delayed his move to Monaco to prepare for the upcoming season
He was polite and respectful like a new boy at school. But one thing George Russell made as plain as the desert sand: he has not arrived at Mercedes to act as Lewis Hamilton's wingman.
'If I perform, I will not ever be in that position,' declares the Brit. 'It is not whether I am willing to be Lewis' wingman. I would be disappointed if I found myself in that position because I would not have done the job.”
‘Wingman Disappointment!’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-Hamilton.html
Charles Leclerc: 'It's time for us to be back at the top'
17 Mar 2022
Charles Leclerc says Ferrari have been given a great opportunity to succeed this season, thanks to the new rules and regulations. The Monégasque driver says 'It's time for us to be back at the top' ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix.
‘It’s Time!’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...829427521.html
Leclerc: Red Bull favourite, but 'a lot more to come' from Mercedes
Phillip van Osten17/03/2022 at 17:14
Charles Leclerc says Red Bull will start F1's season this weekend in Bahrain with the status of favourites, but the Ferrari driver believes Mercedes has yet to show its full potential.
"I think Red Bull are [favourite], from what they’ve shown," said the Scuderia charger in Bahrain on Thursday. "But I also think that Mercedes didn’t show their full potential.”
"They’ve done a few laps here and there that were good once they were putting it together but they didn’t really put anything together to be honest.”
‘Full Potential?’;
https://f1i.com/news/434871-leclerc-...-mercedes.html
Hamilton edges Verstappen as bookies’ favourite; F1 gears up for Bahrain opener
17 Mar 2022
By Gambling Insider
The industry is preparing for an exciting season ahead that should see greater engagement from bettors. While formula one is still lower down on the list of operators' most popular sports, the excitement of last season, as well as increased betting industry involvement in the sport, means bookmakers can welcome another source of revenue as the football season comes to a close - and post-Cheltenham.
Sky Bet has odds of 13/8 for Hamilton to win. Meanwhile, Verstappen is second-favourite at 7/4, while 24-year-old George Russell is third-favourite at 13/2. Former world champions Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel have odds of 66/1 and 125/1, respectively.
Interestingly, despite Hamilton’s place as bookies’ favourite to claim the overall prize, Verstappen is seen as the most likely to win the opening race in Bahrain. Verstappen has odds of 4/7 on Sky Bet, while Hamilton is at 5/4. This has perhaps been influenced by the first pre-season testing session, which took place on 16 March.
‘Early Betting: Verstappen for Bahrain GP, Hamilton for World Champion’;
https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news...bahrain-opener
Time to get the sandbags off + 5 things to watch for - 2022 Bahrain GP Preview
Published Mar 18, 2022 4:00 AM
We're getting closer to the start of the 2022 Formula 1 season and soon it will be time to get the sandbags off! On Saturday, we will sort of know the pecking order for the first third of the season.
On Sunday, we will know if the cars and tyres will deliver what we're all waiting in anticipation for - classic wheel-to-wheel battles.
Inside Line F1 Podcast’;
https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1...s-to-watch-for
Ricciardo ‘hungry’ to get back in the car after Covid
Date published: March 17 2022 - Sam Cooper
McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo has said he is “hungry” to get back in the car after recovering from a bout of Covid that ruled him out of Bahrain testing.
“It’s hard to know where we’ll be on the grid but it’s going to be competitive and I’m hungry to get back in the car and go racing.”
“Heading into my second year with the team, I feel more confident and comfortable than ever. I’m determined to build on last year’s performance and use everything the team and I learned from the highs and lows to make this season one of our best.”
‘After Ilness, Daniel Ricciardo Hungry’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel...ry-to-be-back/
Can Ferrari put a halt to Mercedes and Red Bull's recent F1 domination?
17th March 2022, 18:20
Author Thomas Maher
Formula 1's long-awaited new era kicks off this weekend in Bahrain, with Ferrari seemingly ready to rejoin the battle at the front alongside Red Bull and Mercedes.
Looking back over the two pre-season tests in Barcelona and Bahrain, the Scuderia consistently impressed by placing at or near the very top of the timesheets throughout.
Both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc exploited what appeared to be good inherent speed from the F1-75, with the car adapting well to the two different circuit types. Added to that was metronomic reliability from the Ferrari power unit, with the team regularly amongst the highest mileage figures at the end of each day.
‘Metronomic Engine Reliability’;
https://racingnews365.com/can-ferrar...-f1-domination
Lewis Hamilton insists Mercedes have 'got a LOT of problems' and fears they might not be able to challenge for victories for the first FOUR races, with both Red Bull and Ferrari looking quick ahead of the season opener in Bahrain this weekend
By Kieran Lynch For Mailonline
Published: 08:47, 17 March 2022
'The testing has been difficult,' Hamilton said during a visit to Expo 2020 Dubai.
'It's crazy because, years ago, we used to have a lot of test days and now we only have, literally, three days in the car altogether. So it's not a lot of laps.
'When we go into this race, this week, we're still learning about the car – we probably will be for the first four races at least. We've got a lot of problems.'
‘Difficult Testing, Lot Of Problems’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...r-Bahrain.html
RacingNews365.com's predictions for the 2022 F1 season
18th March 2022, 07:30
Author RacingNews365 Staff
With the 2022 F1 season almost upon us, RacingNews365.com's finest minds have dusted off their crystal balls to bring you their predictions for the coming year.
The cars have been unveiled, pre-season testing is over, and it's finally time for F1's much-vaunted new era to get underway.
RacingNews365.com journalists Dieter Rencken, Mike Seymour, Thomas Maher, Tom Leach, Anna Francis and Michael Butterworth have put their reputations on the line to bring you their predictions for what looks like a notoriously unpredictable season.
‘Predictions’;
https://racingnews365.com/racingnews...2022-f1-season
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Gasly leads 1st practice at Bahrain GP, Verstappen 5th.
AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly of France.
BY JEROME PUGMIRE AP AUTO RACING WRITER
March 18, 2022 10:23 AM
AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly was quickest and Formula One champion Max Verstappen only fifth fastest for Red Bull in the first practice session at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday.
Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton made a sluggish start. The veteran British driver was seventh quickest as Mercedes appeared to struggle with grip. Gasly's best time of 1 minute, 34.193 seconds was .364 quicker than Charles Leclerc of Ferrari and .418 better than Leclerc's teammate, Carlos Sainz Jr.
Mercedes driver George Russell was fourth best and trailed Gasly by .436. Verstappen was .549 behind Gasly with Hamilton .75 back from Gasly's time.
‘AlphaTauri Quickest’;
https://www.heraldonline.com/sports/...mainstage_card
McLarens 16th and 17th in practice as drivers test “interim” fix for brake problems
2022 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on
18th March 2022, 13:50 | Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
“Obviously brake ducts are quite complex parts if you look at the entire Formula 1 car,” said Seidl. “So it was a race against time in order to bring an interim solution to here.”
“It’s definitely not the final, ideal solution. But we did what we could, the factory was flat-out in the last seven, eight days in order to provide us with the solutions we have on the cars now, which we have to evaluate now in free practice one and two.”
“Hopefully it allows us then to get back to normal running, to get back into our rhythm as well, which we lost a bit during the last test and then we take it from there.”
‘McLaren In Race Against Time’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/18/...rake-problems/
Hamilton and Verstappen trail as Alpine sidepod disintegrates in opening F1 practice
Ian Parkes
Friday 18 March 2022 13:04
There was drama early on as the session was only seven minutes old when the sidepod on Esteban Ocon's Alpine disintegrated as he hurtled down the start-finish straight with Aston Martin reserve Nico Hulkenberg in close attendance behind.
As Ocon returned to the pits, and a red flag was thrown by one of the FIA's two new race directors in Niels Wittich, TV images focused on the gaping hole in the side of the A522.
The team soon confirmed it was naturally "investigating the issue", revealing it was a "new, upgraded sidepod" that was running for the first time.
‘EL PLAN:
Sidepod Disintegration!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/77...g-f1-practice/
Bahrain GP: Encouraging FP1 for Williams Racing
By Andrew Hooper
March 18 2022
In the first Friday session of the 2022 Bahrain GP the Williams Racing Team would see their drivers finish the session in 13th and 15th. Both Nicholas Latifi and Alex Albon would essentially complete just two runs one on the hard and the other the soft. It was an encouraging start to the weekend but both drivers still have a lot to learn of their 2022 FW44.
Cla Driver Laps Time Gap
1 Pierre Gasly 23 1'34.193
2 Charles Leclerc 22 1'34.557 0.364
3 Carlos Sainz Jr 23 1'34.611 0.418
4 George Russell 23 1'34.629 0.436
5 Max Verstappen 22 1'34.742 0.549
6 Lance Stroll 22 1'34.814 0.621
7 Lewis Hamilton 17 1'34.943 0.750
8 Fernando Alonso 14 1'35.000 0.807
9 Yuki Tsunoda 20 1'35.028 0.835
10 Sergio Perez 23 1'35.050 0.857
11 Guanyu Zhou 20 1'35.053 0.860
12 Esteban Ocon 15 1'35.151 0.958
13 Nicholas Latifi 15 1'35.644 1.451
14 Nico Hulkenberg 23 1'35.815 1.622
15 Alex Albon 17 1'35.923 1.730
16 Lando Norris 22 1'36.304 2.111
17 Daniel Ricciardo 20 1'36.402 2.209
18 Mick Schumacher 23 1'36.536 2.343
19 Kevin Magnussen 21 1'36.804 2.611
20 Valtteri Bottas 2
‘Williams FW-44 Encouraging Start’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st203024.htm
What happened in first Bahrain Grand Prix F1 practice
18?03/2022, 13:22
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly topped the first practice session of the 2022 Formula 1 season as the championship’s new era began in earnest in Bahrain.
Key moments:
– Gasly leads Ferrari duo
– Red Bull pace appears hidden by run plan
– Alpine sidepod failure causes red flag
– Bottas limited to two laps
‘F1 New Era Begins’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-...x-f1-practice/
FP1 Highlights: Bahrain Grand Prix
18 Mar 2022
Watch highlights from the first practice session ahead of the season-opening 2022 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit.
‘Highlights’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...580300160.html
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Verstappen leads Ferraris in second Bahrain GP practice session.
World champion Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the second Formula One practice session at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
18/03/2022 - 20:18
Mercedes' George Russell was fourth while Fernando Alonso was fifth for Alpine.
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, hampered by a brake problem, was ninth fastest.
The seven-time world champion wound up 1.2 seconds adrift of Verstappen who ended the Briton's reign at last season’s furious finale in Abu Dhabi.
‘Max Verstappen Fastest’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...actice-session
Hamilton: Still calm but we’re not bluffing like some assume
Editor
18 March, 2022
The sidepod-less Mercedes W13 proved to be a handful relative to its rivals, as Max Verstappen set the pace in the Red Bull on Friday evening at Sakhir. He ended 1.2 seconds up on Hamilton, down in ninth, with new Silver Arrows teammate George Russell’s fourth-fastest, half a second shy of the top time. Neither driver happy.
“The bouncing we’re experiencing is losing us downforce compared to the others which is making it much harder out there. We’re not bluffing like people assume we are but we’ll work as hard as we can to get through it and do what we can.”
“At the moment, we’re not going to be in the race for the win here, Red Bull are 0.8/0.9secs ahead and Ferrari are half a second ahead so we’re scrapping with whoever is behind them.”
‘Sidepod-less W13 Losing Downforce’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...f1-bahrain-gp/
Mercedes resigned to ‘damage limitation’ focus at Bahrain GP
18/03/2022, 19:38
By Josh Suttill
The Mercedes Formula 1 team is braced for a “tough couple of days” at the 2022 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix where it will focus on “damage limitation”.
“That was a useful test, and we got a clear read on which set-up and floor specification was best for the bouncing.”
“However, we’re still struggling to get the rear of the car much lower and trying to do that gave the drivers a fairly bumpy time of it in the second session.”
‘Damage Limitation’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/merce...at-bahrain-gp/
Ferrari ‘sure’ Mercedes still in the Bahrain GP hunt
Date published: March 18 2022 - Henry Valantine
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto feels Mercedes are “very close” to front-running pace, despite their troubles in Friday practice in Bahrain.
But even with the worries about their pace – Russell going as far as to say Alfa Romeo and AlphaTauri could match Mercedes this weekend – the Ferrari boss is not writing them off.
Ferrari have made it clear their power unit was a priority for them heading into the new season, with an engine freeze taking hold this year until the end of the current engine formula in 2025 – making their current creation even more important than usual.
‘Ferrari Power Unit Priority’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...-bahrain-pace/
Mercedes look less of a threat to Red Bull than Ferrari after Friday practice
2022 Bahrain Grand Prix Friday practice analysis
Posted on
18th March 2022, 22:28 | Written by Will Wood
When Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell offered a pessimistic prediction of their performance ahead of the first day of practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix, Max Verstappen refused to buy what his rivals were selling.
Fresh from the cockpit of the W13 after his first day’s work as an official Mercedes race driver, Hamilton judged the deficit his new team lacked compared to their rivals as almost a second slower than Red Bull and over half a second behind the seemingly resurgent Scuderia. And the times from Friday’s evening running appears to back up Russell’s assessment.
Mercedes trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin, was frank in his analysis of the team’s potential pace and how likely they might be able to claw back the gap by Sunday. “In terms of pace, we have a significant gap to Ferrari and Red Bull, especially Max on the long run,” said Shovlin.
‘Significant Gap In Pace’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/18/...iday-practice/
Fernando Alonso: Alpine 'surprised' by competitiveness at Bahrain GP practice
18 Mar 2022
Fernando Alonso says that Alpine had some "positive surprises with how competitive we felt" during Friday's practice sessions at the 2022 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit.
‘Alpine Competitiveness’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...987265964.html
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Charles Leclerc insists 'there is MUCH more to come' from Ferrari after taking stunning Bahrain Grand Prix pole position ahead of Max Verstappen... but the world champion hints his Red Bull could have the edge on race day.
By Dan Ripley for MailOnline
Published: 18:36, 19 March 2022
• Charles Leclerc took a surprise pole position for Ferrari at the Bahrain Grand Prix
• Carlos Sainz took an excellent third for the team too behind Max Verstappen
• However, the world champion hinted his Red Bull may be quicker during the race
• The Monegasque though believes Ferrari's front running pace is here to stay
Charles Leclerc believes his surprise pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix for Ferrari is the real deal, and that his team could become a major force this season.
Leclerc pipped the Dutchman to pole position around the Sakhir circuit, with his team-mate Carlos Sainz in third and only a tenth down to indicate Ferrari are well on the pace at the season opening race.
‘Scuderia Major Force’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...n-GP-pole.html
Leclerc promises 'much more to come' from Ferrari after Bahrain GP pole
Ben Issatt
19 March 2022
Charles Leclerc hopes pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix will just be the start with "much more to come" from Ferrari in 2022.
Following the trials and tribulations the Scuderia has faced in recent years, Leclerc is certainly pleased that the focus on 2022 appears to have paid off.
“It feels good,” he said in Parc Ferme. "The last few years have been incredibly difficult for the team, we were quite hopeful that this [the new car regulations] was an opportunity to be back in the front.”
‘Ferrari Feels Good’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...ahrain-gp-pole
Max Verstappen: Second Place Start “A positive start to the season”
By Nick Golding
March 19, 2022
World Champion Max Verstappen had to settle for a second place start for the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix, after narrowly missing out on pole to Charles Leclerc at the Bahrain International Circuit.
The World Champion has looked flawless all weekend and is still the vast majorities favourite to take the win on Sunday, Verstappen is aware though that the Ferrari’s are very close.
“Overall, it’s not a bad position to be in, of course you always want more but this is a positive start to the season. I think we have a good race car which is important and with it being the start of the season, there are still a lot of things to learn. Q2 was good but Q3 was a bit more hit and miss with not really getting the right balance.”
‘A Positive Start’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...to-the-season/
Magnussen “speechless” after qualifying P7 for Haas
Sakhir, Bahrain
by Emer Hedderman
20th March 2022
Two weeks ago Magnussen’s year was set up to see him running in the top categories of both the IMSA SportsCar Championship and the World Endurance Championship, but a call from Haas’ Team Principal, Guenther Steiner, changed all of that.
“It’s crazy,” Magnussen said. “I mean, this is all we could have ever hoped for. I don’t know. I’m speechless. It’s crazy.
“The last couple of weeks have just been insane and getting here, learning about the car, seeing that it, maybe, it’s a pretty good one, but still not really knowing, being so anxious about this qualifying to really see how good it is, and then just finding out that it’s really good – crazy.”
‘Haas P7 Speechless’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/magnussen-...for-haas-78232
“It would be nice to have a battle with Mercedes” – Valtteri Bottas
By Nick Golding
March 19, 2022
It was a welcomed return to Qualifying 3 for Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, with Valtteri Bottas qualifying an incredible sixth and rookie team-mate Guanyu Zhou in fourteenth at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Very few would’ve predicted that Bottas would be qualifying on the third row for the Bahrain Grand Prix, let alone alongside his former Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team team-mate Lewis Hamilton, or three places ahead of George Russell, the man who replaced Bottas at Mercedes!
Bottas is very pleased to be starting sixth and is hopeful of a strong points haul on Sunday, he also wouldn’t mind a battle against his former team!
‘Bottas To Battle Mercedes’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ltteri-bottas/
Reaching Q3 is a “relief” for Alpine says Alonso as he urges development push
2022 Bahrain Grand Prix
Posted on
19th March 2022, 17:41 | Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Fernando Alonso says qualifying in the top 10 for the first race of the new season was a “relief” for Alpine. However he urged his team to press on with their development programme after lapping 1.6 seconds slower than pole-winner Charles Leclerc in Bahrain.
“To be fighting for the top 10 with both cars I think has been a relief a little bit for Alpine that the job done during the winter has been positive,” said Alonso.
“Now it’s up to us to develop the car as quick as possible. It’s going to be a huge development for everybody and we need to be fast off-track as well on that.”
‘EL PLAN: Alpine Relief’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/19/...elopment-push/
Wolff: We have to be realistic, we are third fastest
Jad Mallak
20 March, 2022
Toto Wolff is trying to be realistic about Mercedes’ form in the 2022 Formula 1 season, after qualifying fifth and ninth for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday, saying they are the third fastest team right now.
Toto Wolff spoke to Sky Sports F1 after qualifying and said: “I think we have to be realistic about our performance level at the moment.
“That is [being the] third quickest team on the grid, and Lewis has put the car there,” he added, hinting that Lewis Hamilton’s fifth grid position flattered the car a bit: “We are seven-tenths behind with one car, that’s where we are.”
‘Third Fastest Realism’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...third-fastest/
Lewis Hamilton in 'despair' with Mercedes star to face two new problems this season
LEWIS HAMILTON has been warned over two new problems he will face this season.
By LEWIS WINTER
13:05, Sat, Mar 19, 2022
Lewis Hamilton had a look of "despair" after the problems Mercedes faced on the first day of the opening practice session of the season, according to 1996 champion Damon Hill. Hamilton was only ninth-fastest in practice ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
"Basically they've got a problem," Hill said. "There was a little of a look of despair with Lewis but he knows he's got a good team behind him and they've got a lot of work to do.”
"He is trying to make it clear that he's not sandbagging, they're not just pretending they haven't got the pace, they genuinely don't have the pace. They have issues, you can see that clearly on the car, on the track. Lewis tends to show his feelings and concern.”
‘Look Of Despair’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...d-Prix-F1-news
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Leclerc wins season opening Bahrain GP on Formula 1 circuit.
Formula One champion Max Verstappen’s title defense turned into a nightmare when the Red Bull star retired near the end of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday allowing Ferrari to clinch a 1-2 finish with Charles Leclerc winning ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz Jr.
The Canadian Press
Leclerc was leading comfortably from Verstappen when the back of Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri car caught fire forcing him to park it on the side of the track. It was quickly put out and the Frenchman walked away unharmed.
From the restart, Leclerc got away and Verstappen started complaining about steering problems.
A few minutes later both Red Bulls were out of the race and George Russell's Mercedes moved up into fourth to give Mercedes an unexpected bonus.
‘Charles LecLerc No.1, Carlos Sainz, No.2’;
https://www.tsn.ca/leclerc-wins-seas...cuit-1.1773695
F1 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix - Full Race Results from Round 1
F1
Connor McDonagh
20 Mar 2022
https://www.crash.net/f1/results/999...esults-round-1
Bahrain GP: Charles Leclerc wins F1 season opener ahead of Carlos Sainz as Max Verstappen suffers late retirement
By George Dagless
Published: 20 Mar 2022, 17:04
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc rode through an epic duel with Max Verstappen and a late Safety Car period to take victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, underlining his early-season title credentials in the process, whilst Red Bull suffered a double retirement. On three consecutive laps, Verstappen overtook Leclerc to take the lead of the Grand Prix and on each occasion the Ferrari man fought back to reclaim P1 moments later.
A Safety Car period caused by Pierre Gasly’s fire left Leclerc needing to once again build his lead but he had no issues doing just that, with Verstappen instead beginning to suffer with power issues.
Indeed, with a handful of laps to go the Dutchman began crawling to the pitlane, with Carlos Sainz taking P2 to seal a Ferrari one-two. And, with just two laps to go, Red Bull’s night was topped off with Perez’s engine cutting out and forcing him out of the race, sealing a podium spot for Lewis Hamilton.
‘Ferrari One Two’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87986371...ate-retirement
Hamilton warns Mercedes has "a long way to go" after "difficult" Bahrain podium
Ewan Gale
Sunday 20 March 2022 17:12
Lewis Hamilton has insisted his Mercedes team will "keep our heads down" after capitalising on Red Bull's misfortune to steal a podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The Silver Arrows struggled for pace throughout the opening race of the season and at one point, Hamilton was 47 seconds adrift of eventual winner Charles Leclerc before the safety car was deployed late on to retrieve Pierre Gasly's burning AlphaTauri.
"I know the guys are working really hard back at the factory and it is not going to be a quick turnaround," said Hamilton. "But I know, we all know as a team that we have been the best-unified team for so long, I know that we all will keep our heads down, keep working, there is a long, long way to go."
‘Unified Team’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/78...ahrain-podium/
Leclerc heads Ferrari 1-2 in Bahrain amid Red Bull meltdown
Andrew Lewin20/03/2022 at 16:59
At the end of lap 54, the final act in Verstappen's Sunday drama came to a head: "What's going on with the battery?!" he said over the team radio, to which he received a funereal response from the Red Bull pit wall: "It's not the battery, there's nothing we can do." Seconds later the car lost drive and limped to pit lane with Verstappen's hopes dashed; Perez was also on air declaring that he too was losing power; as Hamilton lined him up for a last lap pass and an unlikely podium, the Red Bull's engine seized and sent Perez spinning out at turn 1.
Jaws were still dropping at this spectacle as Leclerc crossed the line to claim victory with Sainz now in second to make it a Ferrari 1-2, and Hamilton having salvaged a truly unexpected podium and Russell right behind him in fourth. magnussen confirmed a new era for Haas in fifth followed by Bottas, Ocon, Tsunoda, Alonso and Zhou and Schumacher just missing out.
And if that's the standard of racing for 2022, then it's going to be one heck of a season!
‘Jaws Dropping’;
https://f1i.com/news/435493-leclerc-...-meltdown.html
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Leclerc joked to Ferrari he had engine issue on final lap.
Charles Leclerc says that he joked over his team radio on the final lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix that he was suffering from an engine issue.
20/03/2022, 18:43
by Fergal Walsh
As he closed out the second sector on his final lap during the 2022 edition of the race, Leclerc jumped on the radio to declare that once again, he had a problem with his car. “Something strange with the engine, something strange with the engine,” he said, before stating moments later “I’m joking”.
Speaking to Sky F1 after the race, Leclerc said: “I did a bit of a joke on the radio on the last lap saying there was something strange with the engine.”
“The engineers, I’m pretty sure, didn’t like that. But it was fun, I had that in mind for the last 10 or 15 laps of the race, hoping there were no reliability issues.”
‘Something Strange With The Engine… …No Reliability Problems!’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...-on-final-lap/
Charles Leclerc admits it was 'incredible' to drive a car that 'was capable of winning' after Max Verstappen 'challenged' him in 'tough' season opener at the Bahrain Grand Prix
By Charlotte Daly For Mailonline
Published: 01:12, 21 March 2022
• Charles Leclerc secured Ferrari their first win the season at the Bahrain GP
• Red Bull suffered two late retirements from Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
• Leclerc said Verstappen 'challenged' him during the race on Sunday afternoon
• He also said it was 'incredible' to be 'back in a car that is capable of winning
Charles Leclerc said it was 'incredible' to be 'back in a car that was capable of winning after he secured Ferrari their first win the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday.
Leclerc said he was proud of his performance during the 'tough race' and credited his team for their contribution. While his team-mate, Carlos Sainz Jr, said Ferrari's 'tireless work over the last years' had finally 'paid off'.
‘Incredible To Be Back’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...e-winning.html
Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari engineers 'heart attacks' with last-lap prank in Bahrain
CHARLES LECLERC may well have been in the bad books with his Ferrari engineers had he not delivered a superbly-controlled victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
By DANIEL MOXON
22:07, Sun, Mar 20, 2022
Many drivers in Leclerc's position would probably focus entirely on getting safely across the finish line before allowing their thoughts to head anywhere else. However, the mischievous Monegasque had something brutal in mind for his engineers.
After those fatal mechanical issues for the cars driven by Verstappen and Perez, he pulled a prank over team radio by claiming he was suffering from a similar problem. "I joked on the radio [on the last lap] that there was something strange with the engine, which I am sure gave a heart attack to the mechanics," Leclerc admitted after the race.
‘Last-Lap Prank’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ahrain-F1-news
Binotto surprised by Ferrari race-pace advantage over Red Bull
20/03/2022, 18:50
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Mike Seymour
Ferrari have started the new F1 season in dream fashion, scoring a 1-2 in Bahrain while their closest rivals, Red Bull, suffered a double DNF.
Reflecting on the race result in an interview with Sky Sports F1, Binotto said: "It's fantastic; the 1-2 was unexpected. "I think it has been a great race. I think that Charles defended the position, [and it was] so nice to see him battling and fighting for the position, and for the win.
"We stayed out on our Medium tyres because, making the simulation and calculations, [Verstappen] should have needed two seconds per lap to catch up at the end of the race, and two seconds is a big amount. Somehow, Charles was easy on the tyres and was managing the tyres. He felt comfortable, so for us it was easiest to stay out and try to consolidate the position.”
‘Ferrari Surprise’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-su...-over-red-bull
Binotto feared 'heart attack' with late Bahrain safety car
Phillip van Osten20/03/2022 at 20:48
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto admitted being seized with anguish on his team's pitwall when a late safety car reset the gap between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen in the closing stages of Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.
Binotto praised Leclerc's tyre management during the race, with minimal degradation impacting his car. But the Scuderia boss also acknowledged that his team had benefitted from a bit of luck. "Somehow, Charles was easy on the tyres and was managing the tyres," he added.
"He felt comfortable, so for us it was easiest to stay out and try to consolidate the position. In the end, we were a bit lucky. [There was] certainly a heart attack for me on the pit wall when you're consolidating the positions and you've got the Safety Car 10 laps to the end.”
‘Seized With Anguish’;
https://f1i.com/news/435686-binotto-...afety-car.html
“A car that is capable of winning feels incredible” – Charles Leclerc
By Nick Golding
March 20, 2022
Charles Leclerc took Scuderia Ferrari back to where they belong, on the top step of the podium, after winning the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix with team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr making it a Ferrari 1-2 at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Leclerc would’ve been concerned about having Verstappen right on his gearbox all over again, however he had no reason to fear, the World Champion was forced into retirement just as Leclerc was about to restart the race. The Dutchman suffered multiple reliability issues at the exact same time, ending his hopes of victory.
Carlos Sainz Jr ran in third place for the vast majority of the race, the Spaniard found the race difficult and even believed it to be one of the hardest of his career since joining the team. Despite all of this, Sainz Jr made it a 1-2 for the Prancing Horses for the first-time since the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix.
‘Winning Car Feels Incredible’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...arles-leclerc/
Ferrari needs ‘four or five races’ to be sure of title hopes
The Race
20 March 2022, 20:28
By Scott Mitchell
Ferrari believes it needs “four or five races” to assess whether it is a 2022 title contender after claiming a one-two finish in Formula 1’s dramatic season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. However, it believes Red Bull is still the favourite, and wants to wait a few grands prix before deciding whether it has a package capable of fighting for both titles.
“I think that the others are very, very strong,” said Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto when asked by The Race if he felt Ferrari’s team and drivers are ready to mount a championship challenge. They have proved to be very strong yesterday in qualifying. It was really a matter of details.”
“I think today it could have been so good, but maybe they had some reliability issues or something that is not perfect on their car for what we may understand from the radio communications. And they would have been very fast otherwise.”
‘Four Or Five Races’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferra...1-title-hopes/
'A day to celebrate for entire team!' declares Sainz
Andrew Lewin20/03/2022 at 19:45
Carlos Sainz was proud to proclaim that Ferrari were finally back at the top of Formula 1, having gone through some tough times in recent seasons.
"This is definitely a day to celebrate for the entire team," the Spanish driver said in parc ferme after the end of the race. “Ferrari are back, and properly back.
"A 1-2, and where the team should have been over the last few years. The hard work is paying off and we are there.”
‘Entire Team Celebration’;
https://f1i.com/news/435717-a-day-to...res-sainz.html
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Mercedes to 'take a chainsaw' to W13 for Saudi Arabia.
Toto Wolff has suggested Mercedes will "take a chainsaw" to its W13 for Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in a bid to rectify the car's issues.
Sam Hall
Monday 21 March 2022 04:00
"It's easier to shed drag off the car because you simply take a chainsaw and cut the rear wing to bits and so that is what we will be doing for Jeddah," said Wolff. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Wolff explained what Mercedes believed to be the cause of its pace problem while conceding the manufacturer may need to look again at its latest power unit.
"I think we were probably over-winged," he added. "We had too much drag and that is just because we are lacking parts at the moment and hopefully we can remedy that.”
"It is half or a little bit more maybe of the top speed advantage but we need to really leave no stone unturned on the power unit side."
‘Chainsaw The W13’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/78...-saudi-arabia/
Toto Wolff says Mercedes are out of F1 title contention after one race.
Lewis Hamilton believes team have no quick fix for the problem afflicting their car.
21/03/2022, 11:37
Giles Richards in Bahrain
The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, has conceded his team and their seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, are not in contention for the Formula One world titles after the season’s opening race in Bahrain. Hamilton has acknowledged the team have no quick fix for the fundamental problem afflicting their car as they struggle to get the best out of it in the season’s initial meetings.
Wolff said it was up to the team to “regain land, centimetre by centimetre”, in what will clearly be a drawn-out fightback and that they could not simply throw parts at the car until they had solved the main issue with the porpoising. Optimism remains that when they do so they will be able to be very competitive, as Wolff was expectant they could “unleash the performance that we hope to be in the car”.
‘W13 Out Of F1 Contention’;
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/oth...race-1.4832207
Kravitz on when Mercedes ‘will get act together’
Date published: March 21 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Sky F1 reporter Ted Kravitz believes Mercedes are stuck with their ‘porpoising’-related performance issues until the European phase of the season.
Throughout testing, the eight-time Constructors’ champions had struggled to find a fix for their W13 bouncing down the straights, or ‘porpoising’ as it is termed, which meant Lewis Hamilton could manage only P5 on the grid in Bahrain, while team-mate George Russell started P9.
Ultimately, Mercedes did get a driver on the podium, Hamilton crossing the line P3 thanks to a double retirement for Red Bull, but for both pure one-lap and race pace, Mercedes were not in the same league as Red Bull or Ferrari.
‘Getting Their Act Together’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kr...ement-chances/
Mercedes F1 title bid ‘a very long shot’ to even think about.
The Race
20 March 2022, 20:18
It’s a “very long shot” for Mercedes “to even think about being in contention for any of the championships” in the 2022 Formula 1 season on the evidence of the Bahrain Grand Prix, believes Toto Wolff.
The winner of the last eight consecutive F1 constructors’ championships still ended up third and fourth at Sakhir with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell but owed that result to the last-gasp retirements of the Red Bulls.
Wolff felt that in an uneventful race “fifth and sixth would have been a reflection of where we are”. Mercedes was not on the pace of either Ferrari – which finished 1-2 – or its 2021 arch-rival Red Bull in Bahrain, and effectively used the race weekend as a test.
‘F1 Title A Long Shot’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/merce...n-think-about/
Mercedes highlight the key issue they need to get on top of
21/03/2022, 07:45
Author Thomas Maher
Mercedes' Andrew Shovlin says he expects the team to unlock plenty of performance from their W13 quite quickly. "Our priority has to be to get on top of our current performance issues," Andrew Shovlin, Head of Trackside Engineering at Mercedes, explained after the race.
"We don't have a car to fight for pole or race wins, and that isn't something that we can tolerate for long if we hold ambitions to win the championships.”
"The balance was quite tricky, but the main issue is just a lack of grip, caused by the fact that we have to run the car so high to avoid the bottoming."
‘W13 Car Can’t Fight For Pole Or Race Wins’;
https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-h...-get-on-top-of
Mercedes customer teams express concerns over engine
21/03/2022, 13:00
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Some of Mercedes' engine customers have suggested that the new power unit from the German manufacturer isn't quite as powerful as they'd like. At one point, the two McLarens, Williams and Aston Martins were the last six cars on track, while the Mercedes factory team were more than 30 seconds behind the leading Ferrari and Red Bull until a late Safety Car brought them back into contention.
With F1 entering an engine freeze for 2022 after quite a lot of work from manufacturers to adjust to the new E10 fuel, the relative lack of performance from the Mercedes power unit was noted by customers.
"This is an observation that we had already quite early," Aston Martin boss Mike Krack told media, including RacingNews365.com, when asked whether Ferrari's power unit appears to be a step ahead of the Mercedes.
‘Mercedes PU Concerns’;
https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-c...ns-over-engine
