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Saudi Arabia FP1: Leclerc off to a good start.
Charles Leclerc went fastest at the opening Free Practice session for the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix clocking a lap time of 1:30.772 set on the Soft tyres.
Jad Mallak
25 March, 2022
Formula 1 resumed in Jeddah with FP1 for the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Charles Leclerc leading the way, less than a week since the Ferrari 0ne-two season-opening race in Bahrain. Max Verstappen was second fastest for Red Bull, 0.116s off the Monegasque’s best time.
Valtteri Bottas continued the strong showing of Alfa Romeo, and took third place with a lap time of 1:31.084, and was followed by Carlos Sainz in the other Ferrari, 0.055s further behind.
Pierre Gasly survived a brush with the wall midway through the session to take fifth fastest for AlphaTauri, 0.545s off the ultimate pace. The Frenchman’s teammate Yuki Tsunoda was sixth fastest in the sister car a further 0.188s adrift, and was followed by Sergio Perez, seventh in the RB18 who’s best time was 1:31.563 almost eight tenths off the pace.
‘Charles Leclerc Leads The Way’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...-a-good-start/
Leclerc quickest on Friday but ends practice early after brushing the wall
2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix second practice
Posted on
25th March 2022, 18:4525th March 2022, 18:48 | Written by Will Wood
Charles Leclerc was quickest in the second practice session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but ended his running early after brushing the barriers.
Leclerc brushed the barrier at turn four, before driving slowly back to the pits after reporting an engine problem. He was able to successfully recover to the pitlane, but did not take any further part in the session. His team mate Sainz also had to bring his Ferrari back to the pitlane having hit the wall on the exit of the long hairpin of turn 13, sidelining him from the rest of the session also.
‘Leclerc Brushed Barrier And Ended Session Early’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/25/...hing-the-wall/
Why Ferrari drivers are unhappy with Saudi Arabia track changes
25/03/2022, 16:15
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc agree that the many changes made to Jeddah's Corniche Circuit are not impactful enough to improve safety and racing at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Speaking to members of the media in Saudi Arabia, including RacingNews365.com, Leclerc welcomed the changes, but believes that some areas of the circuit that needed improvements have been ignored.
Sainz: Our visibility doesn't improve. Leclerc's teammate, meanwhile, believes that the changes offer very little improvements to the safety of the circuit, suggesting that the feedback provided by drivers following last season's event has not been followed.
‘Track Change Impact Not Enough’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-ferrar...-track-changes
Bottas & Alfa Romeo eager to capitalise on Bahrain momentum in Jeddah
Ben Issatt
25 March 2022
Valtteri Bottas and Alfa Romeo hope to build on the momentum from Bahrain at this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
While many thought Bottas' decision to join Alfa from Mercedes would be a substantial backwards step, it has so far proven not to be the case with the Finn actually starting alongside former teammate Lewis Hamilton on the Bahrain grid.
And Valtteri is keen for the team to keep their current advantage for as long as possible. “It’s nice to be back in the car soon after a good result," he said of this weekend's race in Jeddah. "It gives us the chance to build on the strong performance we showed last weekend and fix the things that can be improved.”
‘Mercedes to Alfa Great Move’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...ntum-in-jeddah
‘I want to get in the fight as soon as possible’ says Hamilton, as Mercedes prepare to try fixes in Saudi
25 March 2022
Lewis Hamilton has vowed ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to try and get in the championship battle “as soon as possible” after a bittersweet opening race of the season in Bahrain.
“A huge amount of work has gone on in the past three days,” he added. “We're aware of the problems we have, but in terms of what's causing it, we're just working through it, trying to figure that out and how we can rectify it without losing performance – and ultimately gain performance.”
“But three days is such a short time between races, so it's not a huge difference here this weekend. But hopefully we'll have some things to try. And from a driver's perspective, that's exciting when you… get into the car, just trying something new and hoping it unlocks a bit of performance. But the others are still very strong.”
‘A. S. A. P. For The Championships Battle’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...VPGWJ9Y8l.html
Lewis Hamilton: Mika Hakkinen feels George Russell could 'irritate' team-mate
By George Dagless
Published: 24 Mar 2022, 10:31
Former Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen has said that Lewis Hamilton may become irritated if the teamwork at Mercedes is not as good with George Russell as it was with Valtteri Bottas.
Despite that, though, Finnish F1 icon and double-world champion Hakkinen has said that if the teamwork does not continue or does not reach the levels it did when Valtteri Bottas was in the Silver Arrows’ garage, Lewis Hamilton might get irritated.
“I believe and I know from my experience that Lewis is relatively sensitive,” said Hakkinen during a video for Unibet’s YouTube channel. “He is a sensitive person. When Valtteri was Lewis’ team-mate, the teamwork was perfect. Now, the support he’s going to get from Russell… the teamwork could be lost. That’s where Lewis can become irritated.”
‘Irritation Possibilities’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87988008...tate-team-mate
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Ferrari’s double crash gives Mad Max boost as struggling Mercedes take step forward: F1 practice talking points.
What we don’t know is how this package goes over a race distance because both Ferrari drivers crashed before they could complete any meaningful race simulation.
March 26th, 2022 12:13 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Leclerc took a small but impactful bit out of the apex at turn four, breaking his steering arm, while Sainz grazed the wall at turn 13, likewise damaging his machine. Neither accident was repairable in time to resume the session.
It means it’s unclear how Ferrari will manage its tyres over a race stint, when lower downforce tends to mean worse wear. Ferrari had better tyre wear than Red Bull Racing in Bahrain, but it was running a notable step up in downforce.
Max Verstappen completed his long running untroubled and unsurprisingly was quickest of anyone over an 11-lap run on the mediums, which is expected to be the preferred starting compound. Though the soft offers better grip, degradation on the red-walled rubber will push drivers towards three-stop territory, and with overtaking difficult around street circuit, making the fewest stops is generally preferable to a theoretically faster strategy.
‘Ferrari Double Crash, Red Bull Untroubled Running’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...c7df6114f79f1e
Ferrari ahead again but driver errors on Friday could cost them in the race
2022 Saudi Arabian GP Friday practice analysis
Posted on
26th March 2022, 1:4126th March 2022, 1:45 | Written by Will Wood
For a while on Friday night it seemed the practice times at Jeddah Corniche Circuit would be relegated to an obscure statistical footnote to a race which never happened. However at the time of writing, despite the shock of a missile exploding a mere 10 kilometres from the track shortly after cars began lapping, all signs are the race weekend will continue as planned.
Two deceptively minor-looking brushes with the barriers for both Leclerc and team mate Carlos Sainz Jnr ultimately ended the Ferrari drivers’ second practice sessions early. While the two F1-75s will be easily repaired in time for Saturday’s final practice, both Ferrari drivers will rue missing out on their only opportunity for meaningful high-fuel race simulation runs.
Among those who did log some longer runs on the medium tyre, there was little surprise as to who appeared to look the strongest. Max Verstappen put in the best seven-lap representative stint of the field, with an average lap time of a 1’35.502, just over a tenth of a second quicker than team mate Sergio Perez’s comparative run in the second Red Bull.
‘Ferrari Long Simulation Runs Cancelled’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/26/...m-in-the-race/
Villeneuve baffled by McLaren MCL36 'screw-up'
Michael Delaney
25/03/2022 at 17:11
Jacques Villeneuve says he's baffled by McLaren's troubles, wondering how on earth the Woking-based outfit has managed to "screw-up" its new MCL36 so badly.
"How could McLaren screw this up?" Villeneuve questioned in a column for Dutch website Formule1.nl. "McLaren was the biggest disappointment of the weekend. Such an experienced organisation, so much knowledge and skill in car design, it’s unbelievable that they screwed up like that. It was really painful to see Ricciardo racing at the back."
Villeneuve was equally critical of Aston Martin's opening performance in Bahrain, although not surprised. "It’s as if they don’t know how to design a car anymore!" said the Canadian. "Their car doesn’t look good. To compete at the top it takes more than ambition and money, Formula 1 is a special sport. It’s not just about marketing and branding."
‘McLaren ‘Screw-Up’, Aston Martin Does Not Look Good’;
https://f1i.com/news/436201-villeneu...-screw-up.html
Ricciardo must ‘put own career to one side’ for McLaren
Date published: March 26 2022 - Michelle Foster
Daniel Ricciardo needs to “put his own career to one side” to focus solely on what is best for McLaren in their current struggles. That’s according to former F1 driver turned commentator Martin Brundle.
Brundle says the Woking team now needs help sorting out their issues and has backed Ricciardo to do just that. “It’s a difficult time for him,” Brundle told foxsports.com.au. “He’s been kicked in the guts, hasn’t he, which is a great shame.”
“Daniel’s got the talent and determination, I have no doubt about that. He’s got the touch behind the wheel. [But] you can’t out-drive a car if it’s not fully competitive. It’ll be telling now if he can dig deep and help. He’s got to help drive that team forward. That’s what he’s there to do. That’s why they wanted his speed and experience.”
‘Ricciardo To The Rescue’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin...reer-one-side/
Mercedes spent Friday trying and failing to rid W13 of problems
26/03/2022, 07:40
Mercedes have confirmed that, despite running a number of experiments during Friday practice in Saudi Arabia, they are yet to cure the problems facing their new W13 car.
Their biggest obstacle thus far has been finding a solution to porpoising, a downforce phenomenon that has been addressed successfully by most teams in the paddock. Mercedes are still struggling, however, and look set to continue to do so heading into qualifying and the race in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking late on Friday evening, Mercedes' Trackside Engineering Director, Andrew Shovlin, explained: "We tried a few more experiments to understand the bouncing issue here, some which made it worse, some which helped, but we don't yet have a solution to make the problem go away. Overall though, a reasonable day, but, clearly, we still have a bit of work to do before we'll be troubling Red Bull or Ferrari."
‘W13 Solutions, Work In Progress’;
https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-s...13-of-problems
‘Easy gains’: Mercedes set to close gap to Ferrari and Red Bull in next two races
Mercedes are expecting imminent improvements to their car after a disappointing start to the 2022 season.
by Rob Kershaw
25 March 202225 March 2022
Mercedes trackside engineer Andrew Shovlin has revealed that the team have found some solutions to the problems that have thus far hampered them in 2022.
“We’re working race by race at the moment. The factory is primed to bring absolutely anything they can in the next few days.”
“We’re learning with every day. Every time the car is out on track, there is a lot of work going on in the factory, trying to understand the science of what is going on but we are learning every day and if we have got something useful to bring to Jeddah, we’ll make sure we can get it there on the car.”
‘Solutions Race-By-Race’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/easy-gain...ext-two-races/
Haas won't be P3 'for long' but target regular 2022 points finishes
Ben Issatt
25 March 2022
Haas is confident of remaining in the battle for points throughout the 2022 Formula 1 season, if not at the same level as in Bahrain.
The American outfit, who languished at the back of the grid last year, was the fourth-best team in the season-opener on a similar pace to Mercedes.
Magnussen's 10 points from Bahrain actually put Haas third in the Constructors' Championship behind Ferrari and Mercedes.
‘Haas F1: Third in the 2022 Constructors Championship’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...oints-finishes
Guenther Steiner – “Not the perfect day today but I think we can recoup”
By Darius Needham
March 26, 2022
After coming off of a great race result for the Haas F1 Team at the Bahrain Grand Prix, picking up 10 points through Kevin Magnussen, their weekend in Saudi Arabia for the Jeddah Grand Prix could not have got off to a worse start.
In free practice one, Magnussen completed just two installation laps before realising that he had an issue with his car which he brought back to the pits. It was later revealed that the VF-22 had suffered a hydraulic leak which resulted in the vehicle remaining in the garage for the rest of the session.
Haas’ Team Principal, Guenther Steiner spoke afterwards about the difficult day for the team whilst reflecting on Mick Schumacher’s solid performance. “Not the perfect day today but I think we can recoup tomorrow if we have a good day, it’s just that it could’ve gone better. Kevin had too many technical issues with the car but we’re working on it and will sort them out. Mick did a good, solid job.” said Steiner.
‘Haas F1 To Regroup’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...we-can-recoup/
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Saudi GP: Leclerc pips Verstappen, Mercedes P11 & P14 in Practice 3.
On his final flying lap, the Ferrari driver, who also led both sessions on Friday, would post a 1m29.735s to complete a practice sweep, leading the two Red Bulls by less than a tenth of a second.
Ben Issatt
26 March 2022
Porpoising issues appeared to be hampering Carlos Sainz as the Spaniard finished two-tenths back in third, ahead of Valtteri Bottas in fifth for Alfa Romeo. Both Alpines and both AlphaTauris also made the top 10 with Kevin Magnussen overcoming Haas' hydraulics problems on Friday to sit P8.
Outside that margin though was the two Mercedes' as their lack of straight-line speed left Lewis Hamilton 11th and George Russell 14th.
‘Bottas 5th, Hamilton 11th, Confirms Move To Alfa Romeo Correct!’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...-in-practice-3
Saudi Arabia Qualifying: Can Leclerc be stopped?
Editor
26 March, 2022
If Charles Leclerc’s form from the beginning of the 2022 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend is anything to go by, then it would be a tough job for the one – Max Verstappen – to stop him from getting pole.
Leclerc is in supreme form, gaining confidence from his F1-75, that even not his accident in FP2 on Friday could affect, and the proof was his FP3 best time.
Verstappen is up their too, but the reigning Champion has some demons he need to exorcise in Jeddah before he can take pole. Remember his lap last year? How it ended in tears?
‘Leclerc Unstoppable, Ferrari Dominant’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...eport-results/
Charles Leclerc sets the pace in final practice as Lewis Hamilton struggles
26/03/2022 | 15:21 PM
By Philip Duncan, PA F1 Correspondent, Jeddah
Lewis Hamilton finished only 11th in final practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc set the pace.
‘Leclerc Pace Setter, Hamilton Struggling’;
https://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/ch...s-1280276.html
Leclerc shows why he has potential to challenge for F1 title
He and Max Verstappen relived their karting days, in 'a car capable of winning'
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mar 26th 2022 at 12:30PM
It took three laps in Bahrain for Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc to show why he is a potential Formula One title contender, heading into this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Sure, the slick driver from Monaco won the season-opener last Sunday in style: from pole position and with the fastest lap.
But what really stood out was the way he went toe-to-toe with world champion Max Verstappen — his former teen rival from their karting days — and came out on top.
‘Leclerc On Top’;
https://www.autoblog.com/2022/03/26/...YbRXy7K2bxn6UA
Hamilton flounders, Leclerc clean sweep as F1 show goes on despite terrorist attack
Ian Parkes
Saturday 26 March 2022 15:05
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes emerged from final practice for the controversial Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as also-rans as Charles Leclerc made it a clean sweep ahead of qualifying.
Mercedes finished the hour-long session with the seventh quickest car given those ahead of the reigning constructors' champions, with Hamilton a lowly 11th fastest and almost a second adrift of Ferrari's Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
‘Leclerc Clean Sweep in Practice 3’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/78...rorist-attack/
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Sergio Perez on POLE at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Who could have predicted that?
Alesi: ‘Perez often disappears…it’s a fact’.
Sergio Perez did nothing to impress Jean Alesi in the Bahrain Grand Prix, the ex-Ferrari driver saying the Mexican “often disappears”.
Date published: March 25 2022 - Jon Wilde
‘Perez DISAPPEARS On Pole!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/jean-a...en-disappears/
Martin Brundle brutally dismisses Max Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez
By WILL LANCASTER
13:46, Wed, Mar 16, 2022
Martin Brundle has dismissed any chance of Red Bull star Sergio Perez coming close to winning the 2022 Formula One Drivers' Championship with the season just days away from commencing.
Brundle believes that the Mexican has no chance of winning a title, citing Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton's prowess as the reason why. “For a whole season, no, I honestly don’t think so," Brundle said.
‘Perez Brutal Pole!’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ez-2022-season
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‘It feels amazing’ says Perez, after becoming first Mexican pole-sitter in F1 history.
A scintillating final lap in Q3 from the Mexican saw him set a benchmark time of 1m 28.200s to take his maiden pole – in his 215th race – by just 0.025s from Charles Leclerc, with Perez unable to hide his delight after qualifying.
26 March 2022
A sensational Saturday in Saudi Arabia saw Sergio Perez claim the record for the most races before taking a pole position – while the Mexican also claimed his country’s first-ever pole position in F1 with a stunning effort beneath the floodlights at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
“It feels amazing!” said Perez, who along with Verstappen failed to score at the season opener in Bahrain one week ago. “We come from a difficult weekend [in] Bahrain and the team has been pushing so hard back home in Milton Keynes, everyone is really positive and pushing hard so extremely happy for that.”
‘Sergio Perez Amazing Pole’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...92JTOxygS.html
Perez ‘could do 1,000 more laps and not beat pole time’
by Phillip Horton
26 March 2022, 21:54
Sergio Perez says he would not beat his Saudi Arabian Grand Prix pole time if he tried another 1,000 times, after grabbing top spot for the first time in his career. Perez overhauled Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz during the closing stages of Q3 at Jeddah to snatch pole position.
“Today was very special to me, I achieved the best lap of my life,” said Perez. “I feel like I could do another thousand laps and there is no chance I can get the same lap, with the amount of perfection and risk.”
‘Sergio: Best Lap Of My Life’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...eat-pole-time/
Perez hails 'lap of my life' to secure Saudi Arabian pole position
Issued on: 26/03/2022 - 22:28
Eleven years and 214 races after making his Formula One debut, Sergio Perez will on Sunday be the first Mexican to start from pole position when he lines up for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix thanks to the "lap of my life".
Exactly 11 years to the day since his first outing in Melbourne, Perez will bid for his third victory after out-pacing his Red Bull team-mate world champion Max Verstappen and both Ferraris in a dramatic qualifying on Saturday.
"Unbelievable! Yes! Definitely a great achievement for me," he enthused. "I am so pleased. This was something very really nice and really special too. The lap of my life at the place where it is most difficult to do qualifying."
’11 Years, 214 Races’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...-pole-position
Sergio Pérez confident he can capitalise on 'perfect lap' and maiden pole
26 Mar 2022
Red Bull's Sergio Pérez is optimistic he can take full advantage of his first-ever pole position during Sunday's 2022 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
‘Sergio Pérez confident’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...499599195.html
Horner hails "mighty" Perez pole in Saudi Arabia
Paul Macdonald
Saturday 26 March 2022 20:30
Christian Horner described Sergio Perez's performance as "mighty" as the Mexican's thrilling final lap secured his debut pole for Red Bull in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
He said: "I'm just so pleased for Checo. He's worked harder than ever and that was mighty. The Ferraris put down such a competitive marker and for Checo to go and do that - I think it's only the second time he's out-qualified Max [Verstappen] - and to put in a lap like that here, it's an unbelievable performance from him.”
"The car this year is more suited to his style, it's not as quirky as last year's car. He's done a great job there. Saturdays, by his own admission, have never been the strongest part of his armoury. He's always come alive on race day. To deliver that kind of performance, at this circuit, will do him the world of good and we just need to convert that into a result tomorrow."
‘MIGHTY Perez Pole’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/78...-saudi-arabia/
Horner praises Perez’s pole lap at ‘hardest’ F1 circuit
by Fergal Walsh
26 Mar 2022, 20:02
“I’m just so, so pleased for Checo,” Horner told Sky F1 after the session. “[After] 215 races, it’s incredible.”
“He’s working harder than ever and that lap was mighty. We could see it coming, it was coming, it was coming, the Ferraris put down such a competitive marker.
“It’s the second time I think he’s out-qualified Max. To put in a lap like that here, the most hardest, most dangerous circuit that we go to, [it’s] an unbelievable performance from him.”
‘We could see it coming, it was coming, it was coming…..’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...st-f1-circuit/
Perez takes Webber's record with pole spot
Alan BaldwinReuters
Sun, 27 March 2022 7:39AM
Mexico's Sergio Perez has claimed a Formula One record which Australia's Mark Webber may happily shed after taking pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Eleven years to the day after the first F1 grand prix qualifying session of his career in Melbourne, Perez celebrated his first pole position on Saturday. The 32-year-old produced the lap of his life to take the top slot for Red Bull for what will be his 215th grand prix start in Jeddah on Sunday.
Nobody else has ever waited so long for a pole, 'Checo' taking the record from nine-race winner Webber whose first, also with Red Bull, came at the 131st time of asking at the Nuerburgring in 2009.
‘Sergio Perez, Smashes Mark Webbers’ Record!’
https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsp...spot-c-6218721
Leclerc and Sainz admit Ferrari were helpless to prevent Perez pole
26/03/2022, 19:55
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Mike Seymour
The two Ferrari drivers have moved to congratulate Sergio Perez after he became the first Mexican to claim a pole position in Formula 1.
The two Ferrari drivers crossed the line to claim a provisional 1-2 during the final moments of qualifying at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, impressed with their own laps. But then Red Bull rival Perez arrived seconds later to spoil the party, putting in a blistering-hot lap time of 1:28.200.
That lap was close to three-tenths of a second faster than his World Champion teammate, Max Verstappen, but was only three-hundredths of a second faster than Leclerc, who has admitted that he did all he could.
‘Both Ferrari Drivers Congratulate Sergio Perez’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-an...ent-perez-pole
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Mick Schumacher tells fans he is 'ok' after horror 170mph smash: F1 driver - son of Michael Schumacher - posts smiling selfie from his hotel as he's released from hospital after Saudi Arabia Grand Prix crash.
But he posted smiling selfie on social media today with a defiant message that 'we'll come back stronger'.
By Olly Allen and Jamie Phillips For Mailonline
Published: 09:04, 27 March 2022
Mick Schumacher has told fans he is 'ok' in a smiling selfie from his hotel room as he is released from hospital following a horror 170mph crash during qualifying at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. The Haas driver, son of Michael, crashed into the wall on the exit of Turn 12 on the Jeddah circuit, with his car being torn to pieces.
The red flag was immediately raised to allow an ambulance on to the track, with Schumacher conscious and talking to doctors before being lifted from his smashed up car and taken to the medical centre before going on to a nearby hospital.
The shocking nature of the crash was shown as the Haas car broke in two as it was lifted off the track.
‘Mick Posts Smiling Selfie Picture’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...fie-hotel.html
Lewis Hamilton visits Haas HQ after Mick Schumacher flown to hospital in Saudi Arabia
LEWIS HAMILTON and Mick Schumacher were both central to the drama during a jam-packed day of qualifying in Saudi Arabia.
By CHARLIE GORDON
05:30, Sun, Mar 27, 2022
Shortly after the incident, Hamilton was snapped heading into Haas HQ to check up on the progress of the team's promising youngster. F1 journalist Claire Cottingham added: "Confirmation after I tweeted this [photo that] Hamilton popped down to check on how Schumacher was. A touching moment."
‘Lewis Visits Haas F1 HQ’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...d-prix-f1-news
Mick Schumacher speaks with mum after lucky escape from terrifying F1 crash
Mick Schumacher survived a horror crash in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian GP so before being taken to hospital for checks he spoke to his mum and F1 legend Michael's wife Corinna
BY Dan Burnham
• 20:05, 26 MAR 2022
Speaking to Sky Sports, team principle Guenther Steiner revealed Schumacher had spoken to mum Corinna before he was taken to hospital for precautionary checks. He said: "I didn’t speak with him directly. He's spoken to his mum. I spoke with his mum a few times and kept her updated.
‘Corinna Schumacher Kept Updated’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1...crash-26564314
“Aggressive” kerb Schumacher hit should be changed before race, says Norris
2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on
26th March 2022, 23:51 | Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Lando Norris has called for immediate changes to the kerb Mick Schumacher hit when he crashed heavily in qualifying, which had already caused another major accident the day before.
Norris says the changes to Formula 1 cars for this year has made the kerb more hazardous. “I think with this era of cars, with how you have to run them and how they’re designed, some kerbs throughout the year might need to change, and I think this kerb is one of them,” he said in response to a questions from RaceFans.
F2 driver Cem Bolukbasi hit the same kerb during practice on Friday and crashed, suffering a concussion, which means he will also take no further part in the event. Norris said this was another example of the problem with the kerb.
‘Change The Kerb For Safety’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/26/...e-says-norris/
Max Verstappen hits out at 'very, very dangerous' Saudi track after Mick Schumacher crash
MAX VERSTAPPEN has slammed the Jeddah circuit following Mick Schumacher's horror crash.
By JOSHUA LEES
08:21, Sun, Mar 27, 2022
One of Schumacher’s fellow drivers in Verstappen was left angered by the incident and took aim at the ‘dangerous’ design of the Jeddah track, after it was modified for this year’s race. “Last year for me, personally, I was happy with how we went through the weekend in terms of crashes," said the Dutchman.
“In some places, if you lose the car like today with Mick and you go flat out into the wall it is extremely painful and very, very dangerous. Not only that, the straights are not entirely straight because they're all a bit blind. I don't understand why you need to design the track [like this] "If it's going to be flat out just design it straight. It's just safer for everyone."
Max Verstappen: Dangerous Design of the Jeddah Track’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...macher-F1-news
Schumacher discharged from hospital after frightening qualifying shunt
Sam Hall
Saturday 26 March 2022 22:05
Mick Schumacher has left hospital following the completion of precautionary checks after his heavy crash during qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Schumacher will take no further part in the weekend with the team formally withdrawing his car.
Mick Schumacher Discharged From Hospital’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/78...lifying-shunt/
Schumacher speaks out after being released from hospital
27/03/2022, 22:05
Mick Schumacher is now out of hospital, Haas have confirmed, following a horror crash during qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Posting on social media, Schumacher has assured fans that he is "ok" following the crash and has thanked them for their kind messages. He added that his Haas car "felt great" during the qualifying session and has vowed to "come back stronger".
Schumacher will play no part in tomorrow's Saudi Arabian GP, with Haas having already withdrawn both the driver and his car from the event. Schumacher will now have two weeks to prepare for the Australian GP, which is set to take place from 8-10 April.
‘Mick Schumacher Will Be At The Australian GP’;
https://racingnews365.com/schumacher...r-horror-crash
Steiner Confirms Schumacher will not race on Sunday after High-Speed Qualifying Crash
By Paul Hensby
March 26, 2022
Guenther Steiner has confirmed that Mick Schumacher will not compete in Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after his high-speed crash during Qualifying on Saturday evening.
With the session red-flagged, the Haas F1 Team driver was attended to immediately by the medical team before being taken to hospital for checks, with Schumacher potentially set to stay there overnight as a precaution.
As a result of this, and with his car needing a lot of repair work to be ready to race, Steiner, the Team Principal at Haas, has confirmed that Schumacher will not take to the track on Sunday despite having qualified fourteenth.
‘Guenther Steiner: Schumacher Not To Race As A Precaution’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...lifying-crash/
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Why Ferrari aren't concerned after losing pole to Red Bull.
Sergio Perez will start the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in pole position after his mighty Q3 lap snatched the glory away from Ferrari and Charles Leclerc.
27/03/2022, 07:40
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Mike Seymour
Mattia Binotto is bracing himself for red flags and Safety Cars that have the potential to shake up the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and believes Ferrari can be happy knowing their cars will start the race in second and third.
Red Bull's pole position no surprise to Ferrari. For Ferrari, it is no shock to see a Red Bull car starting ahead of them on race day, and Perez has all that it takes to turn that pole into a win, reckons Binotto. "Sergio is always a good racer. He's very fast and has got a very good race pace, so certainly, starting in pole, he can do it," Binotto told Sky Sports F1.
‘Ferrari Unconcerned’;
https://racingnews365.com/why-ferrar...le-to-red-bull
Leclerc plans ‘full attack’ on Perez and Red Bull
by James Phillips
27th March 2022
Ferrari ace Leclerc plans to attack Perez and Red Bull in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Charles Leclerc looked set to have two consecutive pole positions this weekend, after turning up the wick at the end of Q2.
Speaking after qualifying, Leclerc confessed he was “disappointed” to lose pole by the smallest of margins, acknowledging the risks Perez took to secure pole: “I’m a bit disappointed. Only two hundredths, it’s so close. I am pretty sure Checo’s lap is exceptional, I mean the last sector, pretty sure he took a lot of risk and was rewarded by it, and this is how it works on those city tracks.
Reflecting on challenging Red Bull in the race, Leclerc said he will planning a ‘full attack’ to take the top spot away from Perez. “I think on our side there is plenty to learn from this qualifying. Yes, it is full attack, as always. The race is tomorrow… so hopefully we can have a better day tomorrow.”
‘Full Attack’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/leclerc-pl...red-bull-78475
Leclerc “Confident for Tomorrow” After Another Strong Qualifying for Ferrari
By Joe McCormick
March 27, 2022
Leclerc is confident in his abilities, and will be hoping to overtake pole-sitter, Sergio Perez, in the race to take victory in Saudi Arabia. “We were quick in our race simulation this morning and I feel confident for tomorrow. A race in warm conditions, taking place at night, on a very fast and narrow street circuit – it should be an exciting one.”
Sainz seemed rather deflated when climbing out of the car in third, after putting his car on provisional pole at the start of Qualifying 3; but quickly explained that he didn’t feel as strong on new tyres. “Of course, the target will be to bring the pace of today’s quali into the race. We have saved several sets to give us different strategic options in case the race gets tricky as it did last year, so we’ll try to make everything work. Let’s race.”
Ferrari will be hoping to extend their constructors championship lead with another one-two finish tomorrow, and are certainly in a strong enough position for this to be a possibility.
‘Ferrari Confidence’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...g-for-ferrari/
Sainz reveals bizarre reason for qualifying struggles in Jeddah
Carlos Sainz's pace-setting lap at the beginning of Q3 was beaten by both Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc at the end of qualifying.
by Rob Kershaw
27 March 202227 March 2022
Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz have revealed that he was unable to tap into the performance of new tyres in qualifying as his wait for a maiden pole position continues.
“The lap for P3 was pretty good, it was on a used tyre, because on a used tyre for some reason this weekend is giving me a better feeling,” he said after qualifying.
“The new tyre for me if very difficult [and] very tricky to handle and when I went on new [tyres] for the last run in Q3 I just didn’t have any rear grip and I struggled. For a used tyre it wasn’t that bad but again Checo and Charles beat me by a little so it’s still okay.”
‘Used Tyre Better Feeling’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/sainz-rev...les-in-jeddah/
Saudi Arabian GP: Emerson Fittipaldi makes Ferrari prediction for round 2 of F1 season
By George Dagless
Published: 27 Mar 2022, 11:11
Former Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi is predicting Ferrari to be the team to beat this evening at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
“I’m sure Ferrari [will win,]” he said to Vegas Insider. “They got their act together better than anybody else before the season and it showed in the results in Bahrain.”
“This new aerodynamic package with the porpoising that was happening, in all the teams, it happened when you had ground effect cars many years ago and you could see Ferrari was the most, what I call, stable. Didn’t look porpoised, the back or the front.”
‘Emerson Fittipaldi: Ferrari Most Stable’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87988976...2-of-f1-season
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Szafnauer Thrilled with Alpine Qualifying – But “Only Half of the Job is Complete”
Team principal for BWT Alpine F1 Team, Otmar Szafnauer, is “delighted” with a fifth and seventh place start on the grid for Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, though remains realistic, claiming that the job is not completely finished.
By Joe McCormick
March 27, 2022
“We’re delighted with today’s Qualifying result with brilliant laps from Esteban and Fernando to put us well inside the top ten for tomorrow’s Grand Prix. We knew from the beginning of the weekend we had the pace to be very competitive, so to see the hard work from everyone at the team pay off is excellent,” says the new Alpine team principal for the 2022 season.”
Szafnauer claims that Alpine are going to work on the strategy for Sunday’s race overnight – “Only half of the job is complete, though, and points are only given out on Sundays. We’ve put ourselves in a great position to have a strong race and we’re looking forward to developing our strategy overnight to ensure both cars are very well placed and prepared to score points.“
“We also wish Mick well after a quite frightening crash during the session. We hope Mick recovers quickly and is in a position to race again soon.”
‘Get Well Mick Schumacher’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...b-is-complete/
“There is Still More Potential” – Alonso After Excellent Saudi Arabian Qualifying for Alpine
By Joe McCormick
March 27, 2022
Fernando Alonso remains competitive in seventh place. “First of all, the most important thing is that Mick is OK. That was a big shunt, and I am glad to see that everything seems to be fine with him,” the Frenchman claimed.
“It’s only the second race with this new car and to qualify in fifth and seventh is great and we should be very happy about today. We’ve built up well all weekend and I am happy how the car has improved during all the practice sessions. We’re in the mix to fight for a solid result tomorrow.”
“With these 2022 cars we keep learning every single time we leave the garage and I think there is still more potential for us to develop. The tyre degradation is still a little bit unknown for tomorrow and now we don’t have to use the tyres we qualified on in Q2, so it gives us more flexibility on strategy,” the Spaniard continued.
‘EL PLAN: More Potential’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ng-for-alpine/
Whitmarsh’s arrival prompted Szafnauer rethink
Date published: March 27 2022 - Frank Parker
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has revealed his former employers Aston Martin wanted him to remain there, but Martin Whitmarsh’s arrival convinced him to move on. With fresh investment, the British squad opted to appoint former McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh as Group Chief Executive Officer – a role that oversees the Formula 1 team of the Aston Martin group.
It was a move Szafnauer felt would have reduced his influence on the team and the Romanian-American engineer, being a racer, wanted to have more of an impact. Thus Szafnauer ultimately moved to rival team Alpine following their own management restructure.
“Although they asked me to stay, I didn’t think it was appropriate for someone to come in and do 95% of your job and (I) do 5%,” said the Alpine boss. “I probably could have stayed where I was, taken the pay cheque to the bank every month. That’s not me. I’m a racer.”
‘Otmar Szafnauer: A Racer’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/otmar-...artin-rethink/
'Extremely strong' qualifying for P5 Ocon and Alpine
26 Mar 2022
Esteban Ocon is satisfied with "a great qualifying" for Alpine after finishing P5 on Saturday, two places ahead of team mate Fernando Alonso ahead of Sunday's 2022 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
‘P5 Strong Qualification For Alpine’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...661622195.html
Ocon eyeing podium after qualifying P5 with ‘extremely strong’ pace at Jeddah
26 March 2022
Esteban Ocon missed out on a podium in last year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but this season he’s eyeing up a re-do after qualifying fifth on the grid for Alpine.
Asked if he had the “secret sauce” at Jeddah, given his prowess on this challenging circuit, Ocon replied: “I don’t know if I have the secret keys or sauce that you mean, but no, it was definitely a great qualifying for sure. I always say that here you need to let the horsepower go at the right time, and putting it together when it counts, and that’s what we did today.
‘Podium Aspiration For Ocon’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...YgVQtiH69.html
Fernando Alonso encouraged by Alpine qualifying performance
26 Mar 2022
Fernando Alonso has "full confidence" Alpine can be competitive on Sunday, after finishing P7 in qualifying ahead of Sunday's 2022 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
‘Alpine Encouragement’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...243163174.html
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Bottas explains how it feels to see Hamilton and Mercedes struggle.
"Weird" to see Hamilton struggling. "It is surprising to see them struggling, but it's also nice to be able to battle with them," the Finnish driver said.
Author Anna Francis
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Lewis Hamilton caused one of the biggest shocks in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with his exit in Q1. Meanwhile, former teammate Valtteri Bottas secured P8 in the Alfa Romeo, and the Finn is feeling positive about his new team.
Bottas admits that it was strange to watch Hamilton having difficulties with the car in Saturday's session. "It's weird to see," he told media including RacingNews365.com. "I would guess he had some kind of issue, I don't know."
Overall, Bottas feels very happy that he made the decision to join the Swiss outfit. "I think this was kind of the best case scenario for our first season together that I could ever imagine, with the information I had," the 10-time race winner explained. "I'm really happy with the decision I made, and I'm happy overall as well. So yeah, [I'm] enjoying it."
‘Valterreri Bottas Happy With Move From Mercedes To Alfa Romeo’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-exp...cedes-struggle
Valtteri Bottas “Pleased to be in Q3” For Second Week in a Row
By Joe McCormick
March 27, 2022
Valtteri Bottas has qualified eighth for Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, marking a second consecutive Qualifying 3 appearance for Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN. Progress has been excellent for the Swiss team, after spending the majority of 2021 fighting to get out of Qualifying 1.
Setting a lap time of 1:29.183, Bottas will start on the fourth row of the grid for the second race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia, and is happy with Alfa Romeo’s consistency:
“I am pleased to be in Q3, especially with our performance: we were very consistent, made good progress in each session and got a good spot on the grid for the race. The main thing today, though, is that Mick is ok after the heavy shunt. We hope to see him back in a race car as soon as possible.”
‘Alfa Romeo F1 Consistency’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...week-in-a-row/
Valtteri Bottas confident Alfa Romeo 'in the fight' on Sunday
26 Mar 2022
Valtteri Bottas is encouraged by the consistency shown by his Alfa Romeo after finishing P8 in Saturday qualifying and is optimistic about challenging for points in Sunday's 2022 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
‘Consistency Encouragement’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...593728832.html
Saudi Arabian Qualifying “Confirms our Bahrain Result was Not a Fluke” – Alfa Romeo
By Joe McCormick
March 27, 2022
Frédéric Vasseur, team principal for Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN believes that the second consecutive Qualifying 3 entry for Valtteri Bottas and an impressive thirteenth place for Zhou Guanyu confirms that the good performance in Bahrain last weekend was not a one-off exception.
“First and foremost, the important news from the evening are about Mick Schumacher being ok after a very big accident. Full credit to the FIA for making these the safest cars in F1 history,” states the Alfa Romeo boss.
“It’s going to be a long race and we’ve seen tonight that this track doesn’t forgive any mistake: there are a lot of challenges, but also a lot of potential opportunities to take and it will be up to us to bring home a good result.”
‘Alfa Romeo Not A Fluke’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ke-alfa-romeo/
Alfa Romeo working on fix for Bottas and Zhou’s “very poor” starts
2022 F1 Season
Posted on
24th March 2022, 8:2224th March 2022, 10:03 | Written by Hazel Southwell
Alfa Romeo is looking into how it can improve its performance at the start of races, after Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu lost more places than any other drivers on lap one in Bahrain. Bottas fell from sixth to 14th at the start while Guanyu slipped from 15th to 19th.
“Both cars experienced a very poor start,” he explained. “Then not only the start, but also trying to get grip and avoiding incidents during lap one.
“So that one definitely is an area that we’ll have to take some actions and try to understand a bit more, see how we can solve it or try to mitigate as much as possible for the next week because we don’t have so many days.” The next round of the championship takes place at Jeddah Corniche Circuit this weekend.
‘Working On A Fix’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/24/...y-poor-starts/
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Hamilton blasts Mercedes car as 'undriveable' in five-year low.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton described his Mercedes car as "undriveable" on Saturday after qualifying only 16th on the grid for Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Issued on: 26/03/2022 - 21:32
"Of course, I am very disappointed," said Hamilton, who apologised to the team.
"We have a serious issue – something in the set-up – and it was looking good in P3 (practice) so I tried to progress further in a similar direction, but maybe went too far.
"The car was so nervous it was undriveable."
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...-five-year-low
“Can’t seem to improve, man”: How Hamilton’s “bolder” set-up gamble led to shock Q1 exit
2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on
27th March 2022, 10:22 | Written by Keith Collantine
“We’re still experimenting with set-ups to find out where the sweet spot of the car is,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explained in response to a question from RaceFans. “On Lewis’s side they went a bit bolder and the outcome was that basically they had no rear end in the car. And that explains that big lap time deficit.”
Hamilton was six tenths of a second slower than his team mate on the same rubber when he dropped out at the end of Q1. “I had no rear end,” he admitted while the qualifying session continued without him. “The car was feeling good in [final practice] and I made a couple of adjustments. But I had no rear end, the rear was so loose.”
Ahead of his final run, Bonnington’s feedback to Hamilton was much the same as it had been after his first, that he was trying to take too much speed into the corners.
‘Bolder Gamble’
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/27/...shock-q1-exit/
‘Balance of the Car’ Responsible for Hamilton’s Shock Q1 Exit in Saudi Arabia
By Joe McCormick
March 27, 2022
Lewis Hamilton surprised race fans around the world on Saturday, when the Briton was knocked out of the first qualifying stage in the dying moments of the session at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit – qualifying sixteenth on the grid. The 2021 runner up has claimed that the setup of the car “went the wrong way tonight” as Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team continue to struggle with their W13 car.
Before analysing his qualifying performance, the seven-time world champion was quick to comment on the Qualifying 2 accident with Schumacher – “I hope Mick is OK, that corner is 170mph and it’s terrifying to see what’s happened – that’s the biggest crash we’ve seen at this track.”
“For me, I struggled with the balance of the car today, the rear end was snapping out and this isn’t where we want to be. We went the wrong way with the set up tonight and the car just wasn’t underneath me for this session,” Hamilton claims, after visibly struggling to keep the car stable during his onboard camera feeds.
‘Balance Of Car Wrong’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-saudi-arabia/
Button wonders what Hamilton will do after 'very strange' qualifying
27/03/2022, 15:10
Author Thomas Maher
Jenson Button is curious to see what Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes will choose to do after only managing to qualifying 16th for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
One of Lewis Hamilton's former teammates is intrigued about the approach Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes will have to Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with the seven-time World Champion only qualifying 16th for the race.
"It was a really, really strange qualifying session for him, [and] very unexpected for him, for the team and for the whole of F1 to see him that far down."
‘Very Strange Qualifying’;
https://racingnews365.com/button-won...nge-qualifying
Mercedes porpoising impacting more than just pace
Date published: March 27 2022 - Michelle Foster
George Russell says Mercedes’ porpoising issue is impacting more than just the W13’s pace, it is also a distraction for the drivers.
Russell believes a huge part of the problem is the W13’s porpoising, which is so extreme that it is forcing Mercedes to run at a higher ride-height which is costing them downforce. “It’s exactly the same as we’ve seen since day one,” the new signing told The Race.
“The only way to run is to raise the car very high. And obviously, with this ground effect car, we lose all of the downforce.”
‘W13 Woes’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...g-distraction/
Juan Pablo Montoya: George Russell could beat Lewis Hamilton in standings on one condition
By George Dagless
Published: 27 Mar 2022, 12:46
Montoya, speaking to Vegas Insider, believes that if the Mercedes isn’t quick enough to win the title this year, Russell could have the edge over Hamilton:
“If Mercedes is not as strong as to win a championship, absolutely. If Mercedes has a shot at the championship, no. I think Lewis is still going to beat him just because he has a lot more experience.”
“If the car is average, running fifth every week, I think George will still push like he wants to win where Lewis might be disappointed, and won’t care enough.”
‘George Russell Could Have The Edge’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87988981...-one-condition
