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Verstappen wins after thrilling fight with Leclerc.
Max Verstappen took the chequered flag ahead of Charles Leclerc after an action-packed end to the race in Jeddah.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
by Emer Hedderman
27th March 2022
After a late Virtual Safety Car… …Verstappen had closed the gap and the fight for the lead was back in full flow. Verstappen did make the move and got into P1, but a couple of corners later Leclerc made used of the DRS and retook the place.
The following laps were full of action with both locking up at one point trying to make the other cross the DRS detection line first so that they, the car behind, could have the advantage. There was a bit of a breather then as the Red Bull dropped back but the reigning champion didn’t leave Leclerc alone for long. Three laps from the end and Verstappen made it into the lead again with a pass on the start-finish straight.
‘A Thrilling Fight’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/verstappen...-leclerc-78484
Race Results – 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
by Emer Hedderman
27th March 2022
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2022 F1 World Championship season opening race from Jeddah.
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -50 laps
2. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.549
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +8.097
‘Results’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-resul...and-prix-78483
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Ain't No VER-Stopping Max! - Saudi Arabia GP Sunday.
Sunday night finally arrived at Jeddah, and with it the conclusion of a turbulent weekend for Formula One. And what a spectacle it was. Charles Leclerc led most laps, Max Verstappen never allowed him to relax…
March 27, 2022
By: Adil Muhammad, Unmesh Datta, Mikey McGuire
The two drivers who are emerging as the top championship contenders again squared off, delighting Formula One fans with another thrilling battle right up to the flag.
Plus, Lewis Hamilton started from the back of the pack, reliability bit teams hard – one before the race even started –, teammates squared off, and we eventually got one Turn 1 crash due to a divebomb. The Saudi Arabia Grand Prix had it all.
At the flag, Verstappen held on, defended his position brilliantly, and won the race from P4 on the grid, just 0.5 seconds ahead of Leclerc.
‘Thrilling Battle Up To The Flag’;
https://missedapexpodcast.com/articl...7/saudi-sunday
Verstappen beats Leclerc in frantic fight to the flag: 2022 Saudi Arabian GP report
March 28th 2022
Author Chris Medland
If Formula 1’s rulemakers could have picked two races to start the season to show they’ve got their new regulations right, they would probably have settled for the two they’ve just got. For the second race running, a thrilling battle between two of the sport’s brightest young stars lit up the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and for a few hours dispelled the unease at racing in Jeddah in the first place.
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc staged a second round of their Bahrain F1 battle at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with the Dutchman holding on for victory in an action-packed cat-and-mouse finale
‘Cat And Mouse Finale’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...ian-gp-report#
Formula 1: Max Verstappen relieved at 'kick-starting' title defence in Jeddah
28/03/2022, 05:37
First Post
Leclerc congratulated his rival on his victory on their slow-down laps, but after two races remains the embryonic championship’s early season leader by 12 points.
Agence France-Presse March 28, 2022 09:48:41 IST
World champion Max Verstappen admitted he was relieved to secure his first win of the season after battling to a thrilling victory ahead of old rival Charles Leclerc in Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The 24-year-old Dutchman said it had been a difficult, but good race and it showed that this season’s title battle "will be super-close between the two of us" after he won by just half a second ahead of the Ferrari.
"It was a tricky one," said the Red Bull driver. "We were battling hard at the front and we just had to play the long game. They were really quick through the corners, but we were quick on the straight. "The tyres were wearing out quite quick around here so you could see, at the end, I think we just had a little more pace and I just tried to get by."
‘Tricky But Relieved’;
https://www.firstpost.com/sports/for...-10494461.html
Verstappen’s racing savvy and Red Bull’s strategy deny Leclerc a second win.
On-track, an enthralling exhibition of wheel-to-wheel racing between two of motorsport’s highest calibre talents.
2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix review
Posted on
28th March 2022, 7:1028th March 2022, 7:17 | Written by Will Wood
Eventually, at the end of lap 46 with just four tours remaining, Verstappen judged his approach perfectly and swept by the Ferrari as they crossed the timing line and keep ahead through the opening two corners. Leclerc fought back hard to keep in touch with the Red Bull, but a yellow flag at turn one after Alexander Albon hit Lance Stroll compromised Leclerc’s opportunity to make a lunge into the corner.
Verstappen held on over the final two laps to successfully fend off the Ferrari and take the chequered flag for his first win of the season by a margin of just half a second at the end of what had been a true sprint finish for the pair.
“I’m very happy for Max and the team after the disappointment we had last weekend,” said Perez. “To get those results is really nice.”
‘
Red Bull Strategy’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/28/...-a-second-win/
Perez “had the race under control” until “bad luck” with Safety Car
Sergio Perez said “bad luck” with the timing of the Safety Car cost him a likely win in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver led the race from pole position until his pit stop on lap 14. Those running behind him were yet to pit at that point, and when the Safety Car came out soon afterwards it allowed them to pit and emerge in front of the former race leader.
2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on
27th March 2022, 22:1227th March 2022, 22:13 | Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
“Just bad luck, bad timing,” said Perez. “I felt I had the race pretty much under control and [then] came this incident from Latifi and basically it hurt me. It just came at the wrong point of the race for me. As a driver, there is nothing you could do. We have everything in place, plenty of margin for the undercut and unfortunately we couldn’t execute what what we should today.”
“I think we did everything throughout the weekend perfectly,” he said. “At the end behind Carlos, I think the car wasn’t as good as it was on the first stint. We did some adjustment going on to the hard compound, which probably hurt us a bit. And then, at the end, it was catching him up. Unfortunately we had the yellow flag and then he pulled away.”
The television coverage of the race gave the impression the timing of Perez’s pit stop was a reaction to Ferrari’s call for Charles Leclerc behind him to come in. However Perez said “I don’t think it was an early stop. I think they would have to have stopped a lap earlier. So I think it was the right lap to box.”
‘Bad Luck For Checo’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/27/...th-safety-car/
Sergio Perez underlines his class as he reflects on rotten Saudi Arabian GP misfortune
By George Dagless
Published: 27 Mar 2022, 20:42
Spare a thought for Sergio Perez this Sunday evening who had a potential third career Grand Prix victory taken away from him through no fault of his own at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Mexican put his Red Bull car on pole for the first time ever on Saturday night and led away at lights out on Sunday evening, with him building up a nice little cushion ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. Indeed, things were going really well for Perez who was driving superbly and he looked to have the race under control, before the racing gods intervened.
Ferrari called Charles Leclerc in to pit and so Red Bull made the same call to Perez to cover that move but, at the last moment, the Scuderia opted to stay out once they saw the Mexican had come in. That may not have cost him in normal conditions but, moments later, the Williams of Nicholas Latifi was in the wall and a Safety Car was called, allowing the likes of Leclerc, Verstappen and Carlos Sainz to take to the pits and change tyres whilst the rest of the field was well off of racing speed.
‘Sergio Perez Underlines His Class’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87989105...-gp-misfortune
Leader Perez left ‘hurt’ by Safety Car timing
Date published: March 28 2022 - Maria Bright
Sergio Perez put in a sterling lap in qualifying and seemed to have the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in hand, until the Safety Car came out. Red Bull were confident in the undercut strategy so Perez pitted, and Charles Leclerc in second place at the time stayed out, but a Virtual Safety Car was called, and then the full Safety Car, which meant Leclerc could pit at no harm to his position.
As quoted by GP Fans, Perez said: “[It was] just bad luck, bad timing [and] I felt I had the race under control then came this incident with Latifi…Basically, it hurt me and came at the wrong point of the race for me. As a driver, there’s nothing you can do.”
“We had everything in place and plenty of margin for the undercut, unfortunately, we couldn’t execute what we should have today.”
‘Hard luck today but that's racing @SChecoPerez Still a strong weekend and good points in P4’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sergio...ia-safety-car/
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Hamilton ‘glad everyone’s safe and looking forward to getting out’ of Saudi Arabia.
In brief, Hamilton: “I just want to go home”.
RaceFans Round-up
Posted on 28th March 2022, 0:01
Written by Hazel Southwell
Following a stressful and worrying Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where drivers stayed late into the night at the circuit on Friday night debating whether the event should go ahead, Hamilton said he was pleased to move on after finishing a disappointing 10th on Sunday.
“I’m so happy the weekend is done,” said the Mercedes driver. “I’m also just so happy that everyone’s safe, and just looking forward to getting out.”
Hamilton refused to be drawn on whether the race should go ahead next year, saying that for now: “I just want to go home.”
‘Getting Out!’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/28/...nd-up-28-03-5/
Lewis Hamilton and other F1 drivers unhappy at racing in Saudi Arabia
• Missile strike hit Jeddah 10 miles from the circuit on Friday
• ‘I am just looking forward to getting out. I want to go home’
• Giles Richards
• Sun 27 Mar 2022 22.38 BST
Lewis Hamilton and other drivers have made it clear they still have serious misgivings about racing in Saudi Arabia. Formula One is facing clear dissent and unease about the meeting’s future with Hamilton stating: “I am just looking forward to getting out.”
The weekend had been dominated by a missile strike that hit Jeddah on Friday, 10 miles from the circuit, and almost resulted in a driver boycott of the race. With distaste at the regime’s appalling human rights record and fears for the safety of their teams, it took a four-hour meeting on Friday night before the drivers were ultimately placated and persuaded to race.
F1 is enormously keen to keep racing in Saudi Arabia given the reported $900m contract they have to do so but the pushback from the drivers after this weekend is palpable. “Of course, I am relieved [to have got through the weekend],” said McLaren’s Lando Norris. “It is a nervous place to be and you are going to have these nerves.”
‘Nervous Place To Be’;
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...n-saudi-arabia
Lewis Hamilton makes his feelings clear about Saudi Arabia GP
By Daniel Hepburn
Published: 27 Mar 2022, 12:02
If there’s one man you listen to in the Formula 1 world, it’s seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. He made his thoughts about the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and its lack of human rights very known to F1 fans across the world, who would tune in and listen to the British driver when expressing his views.
Hamilton is commonly known to champion equality and human rights, but in Saudi Arabia they are still very behind, and this didn’t seem to sit right with Hamilton.
It’s got to the point that experts and critics have become to question whether F1 should even operate in countries with poor political views and Hamilton already knows his answer to that question.
“Just "Looking forward to going home"…man doesn't wanna comment on dramas!! Sir Lewis Updates’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87988987...audi-arabia-gp
F1 boss blocked Lewis Hamilton interviews after Saudi Arabia meeting
By LUKE CHILLINGSWORTH
13:28, Sun, Mar 27, 2022
Lewis Hamilton was reportedly banned from talking to the media after F1’s decision to continue with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. A missile strike hit just miles from the circuit on Friday afternoon before FP2 got underway. Finnish tabloid newspaper Iltalehti says Hamilton was stopped from talking to reporters by F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
They claim: “Stefano Domenicali made sure Hamilton was not allowed in front of the microphones". After a disappointing qualifying session, Hamilton was asked his views on the crisis.
He said: “I’m not here to comment on that. We worked together as a group, we all discussed and made a decision as a sport.” The drivers cancelled their media commitments after the crisis and were embroiled in four-hour talks with F1 bosses.
‘Stefano Domenicali made sure Hamilton was not allowed in front of the microphones!’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-grand-prix
F1 will consider suitability of future venues with “rationality” after missile strike near Jeddah
2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on 27th March 2022, 17:00
Written by Keith Collantine
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says the sport will consider any further response to the missile strike which put the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in doubt “in the right way.” Domenicali insisted the sport had put the safety of all involved before any other considerations.
“There’s been a lot of discussion, a lot of debate, but safety, security for all the people of our world is at the maximum level of attention to all of us. And there’s no discussion about it. It’s just the first priority.
“Of course, when you talk with the right authority, they have the responsibility for that in terms of the Ministry of Defence, the internal security. When we have received all the [as]surance that everything was under control the properly managed – and we need to rely on them because they have the responsibility for that – we inform the teams and the drivers and we move on.”
‘F1 Rationality’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/27/...e-near-jeddah/
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This year's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix deserves to be inscribed as one of Formula One's darkest moments.
Stefano Domenicali has been a fixture in the paddock for decades, but you wonder if F1's chief executive has any idea of the forces with which he is meddling by banking Middle Eastern riches so heedlessly.
Oliver Brown
March 28 2022 08:32 AM
Willingness to accept the sportswashing millions of the Middle East could soon come back to haunt the sport's chiefs
This sport has conjured many jarring juxtapositions in its time: think back to 1994, when, after Ayrton Senna's fatal accident, Martin Brundle was outraged that officials let the remaining cars speed past a pool of the Brazilian's blood. But there have been few spectacles quite so distasteful as staging motor racing next to a missile strike.
This year's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix deserves to be inscribed as one of F1's darkest moments, and not just because of the sunlight eclipsed by the nearby inferno.
‘Darkest Moments’;
https://www.independent.ie/sport/oth...-41494364.html
Rip-roaring Saudi GP action cannot make up for ridiculous decision to race in Jeddah.
Holding a world-famous sporting event in a country that is regularly attacked with missiles and drones is inexplicable in itself. That's before we even get onto the other reasons why a regime like the one in control of Saudi Arabia shouldn't be given such a platform to sportswash in the first place.
Mirror Sport's Daniel Moxon remains unconvinced about Formula 1 racing in Saudi Arabia despite the exciting action in Sunday's race
OPINION
By Daniel MoxonSports Writer
• 06:30, 28 Mar 2022
Friday gave us a very stark reminder of one of the many reasons why. The missile strike on an Aramco oil facility just a few miles from the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, which occurred while cars were out on track for the first practice session of the weekend, caused many people from online fans to some drivers themselves to question if it was even safe to hold a race in the city.
But the question – rightfully – was asked about why it was deemed safe to race in a country that is regularly bombed in such a manner in the first place. After all, the missile that hit on Friday afternoon was far from the only time such an incident has occurred. Ever since the Saudis led the intervention in Yemen which began in 2015, the Houthi rebels have been attacking cities across the Kingdom.
We cannot be naïve and pretend that cash doesn't talk, but it's hard to stomach so many major issues being overlooked for the sake of a money-spinning sporting event. The list includes, but is not limited to, the country's terrible human rights record, its backwards and archaic anti-gay laws and shocking incidents like the killing of U.S journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
‘Sportswash’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...shing-26569249
Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc entertain, but shadow hangs over Saudi Arabian GP
Nate SaundersF1 Associate Editor
It was a strange F1 race weekend, with the 48 hours before the race dominated by a missile attack on an oil depot just 10km from the circuit. At one point, it looked like F1's 20 drivers would refuse to take part in the event, and after agreeing to race they have demanded F1 reevaluate its decision to continue to race in the country long-term.
It's clear the issue will not simply be left in Saudi Arabia when Formula One leaves the country in the next 24 hours. Drivers have already agreed to discuss the future of the race with F1 in the coming weeks, and hopefully talks can be productive.
‘Shadow Hanging Over Missile Attack’;
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/3...udi-arabian-gp
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Formula 1 drivers to hold talks with bosses over future of race
28/03/2022, 12:34
By Matt Majendie
Formula 1 drivers are set to hold discussions over the future of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after agreeing to yesterday’s race going ahead.
Race winner Max Verstappen was among those to raise doubts about a return to the Middle East country next season. He said: “We had a lot of guarantees that of course it would be safe but, after this weekend all the drivers together, we will speak with F1 and the team bosses to see what is happening for the future.”
Further down the grid, Lewis Hamilton could not have sounded less keen on racing in Saudi again. Along with Sebastian Vettel, who missed the race because of Covid, he has been the most outspoken driver against the Saudi regime. It is thought that the seven-time world champion was one of the strongest voices pushing for the drivers to boycott the race in the wake of the missile strike by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
‘Doubts Raised About A Return’;
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/for...e-b990848.html
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Drivers to meet with Formula 1 bosses over concerns from weekend's race
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix went ahead as planned despite a rocket attack, claimed by Houthi rebels, on an oil facility less than 10 miles from the circuit during Friday's opening practice session
Last Updated: 28/03/22 1:27pm
The inclusion of Saudi Arabia on the Formula 1 calendar has been controversial since it first appeared ahead of the 2021 season due to the country's record on human rights.
Friday's rocket attack heightened concerns over the safety of the event too and although the rest of the Grand Prix passed off without incident, there are still questions the drivers want answering.
‘Answers’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...-weekends-race
F1 bosses 'have NO PLANS to review' their £50m-a-year, decade-long Saudi Arabia Grand Prix deal, 'but have told them they must do more to convince drivers it's safe' after boycotts were threatened over a nearby missile strike
• Formula One has told Saudi Arabia that the kingdom needs to do more on safety
• F1 bosses have no plans to review their big Saudi Grand Prix deal, claim reports
• The country has a bumper £50million-a-year, decade-long contract to host races
• But there are wide safety concerns after practice was disrupted by a bomb blast
• It reportedly took a long meeting to persuade the drivers not to boycott the race
By Max Mathews For Mailonline
Published: 13:21, 28 March 2022
Formula One chiefs currently have no plans to review their bumper Saudi Arabia Grand Prix contract despite narrowly avoiding a driver boycott over safety concerns, according to reports.
Drivers had to be persuaded not to pull out of Sunday's race in Jeddah after Friday practice was affected by thick black smoke when an oil depot a few miles down the road was bombed by Yemeni Houthi rebels.
However, it was reported F1 chiefs are not planning to review the decade-long, £50million-a-year deal - one of the most lucrative in the sport - as things stand.
‘Decade-long, £50million-a-year, one of the most lucrative’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sp...a-GP-deal.html
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Horner hails 'very, very hard work' as Red Bull bounce back in style.
Red Bull's Christian Horner has praised his team for responding to the disappointment of their Bahrain double retirement, after Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
28/03/2022, 07:00
"It was great to rebound after the disappointment of Bahrain," he told media, including RacingNews365.com, after the race.
"The team have worked very, very hard in the past week to understand and address, hopefully, the issues that we had.
"What a great race! It was a very strategic race for Max, not taking too much out of the tyres to make sure he had enough to attack at the end of the Grand Prix, and [we had] some great racing between him and Charles."
‘Red Bull Bounce Back’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-hai...-back-in-style
Christian Horner lauds ‘patient’ Max Verstappen after thrilling F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix victory
Daniel Austin
Monday 28 Mar 2022 10:08 am
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has lauded Max Verstappen’s ‘patience’ after the Formula 1 world champion took a late victory at the thrilling Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Horner says that his driver’s patience was key to securing the win. ‘That DRS is so powerful down the straight that you can see neither driver wanted to get it,” he told Sky Sports F1. ‘They actually braked and accelerated back towards the corner, so what a great race! It was an exciting last few laps but, thankfully, we just had enough to bring it home.’
‘It was a very patient race from Max,’ he said. ‘He looked after the tyres until the end of the race and then, after that last [virtual] safety car, he really went for it.’
‘Maximum ‘Patient’ Max’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/28/chris...o=newsnow-feed
Red Bull set for ‘significant time gain’ in fight with Ferrari for F1 title
Daniel Austin
Monday 28 Mar 2022 4:12 pm
Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko says that the team is set to bring a significant car upgrade to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix which could give it a crucial advantage in Formula 1 title race with Ferrari. Marko says that a significant boost should come at the Imola race which follows the Australian Grand Prix.
“The Ferrari is a car that is always fast, in all conditions [regardless of] temperature or tyres,’ Marko told Austrian TV station Servus. ‘Our car is definitely more difficult to tune, but we will lose some weight in Imola. That should give us a significant time advantage, time gain in other words.”
“I think we are in a good position, but we have an almost equal opponent in Ferrari. [Charles] Leclerc is driving absolutely flawless this season, so it will be an exciting year.”
‘Significant Boost’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/28/red-b...itle-16359526/
Ferrari: Red Bull low downforce approach 'merits some analysis'
Michael Delaney
28/03/2022 at 17:49
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto says Red Bull's decision to opt for a low downforce configuration for Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix "merits some analysis". "Max was on a slightly higher downforce level on Friday, and then he reduced it," Binotto explained, quoted by Motorsport.com.
"We decided ourselves to stay on a higher level of downforce, because we believed that was important for tyre degradation. But finally, in the race, the tyre degradation was very little.”
"I think that their choice somehow merits some analysis from our side. But overall, it's always a compromise. It's only a matter of details and the right pieces that can decide the race at the end."
‘Further Analysis’;
https://f1i.com/news/436874-ferrari-...-analysis.html
Marko shares details about 'significant' Red Bull update
28/03/2022, 15:15
As their battle with Ferrari continues, Red Bull are set to work on one of the key issues that has been affecting their car, according to team advisor Helmut Marko.
"The Ferrari is a car that is always fast, in all conditions [regardless of] temperature or tyres," Marko told Austrian media outlet Servus TV. "Our car is definitely more difficult to tune, but we will lose some weight in Imola."
Marko is reluctant to predict how Red Bull with fare at Albert Park (Australia), but is anticipating an exciting race all the same. "I think it will be more or less like here [in Saudi Arabia]," Marko added. "It's all about who can get the car set up in the best possible way. The track has suited us in the past, but it is difficult. It will probably be particularly exciting again."
‘Working On Key Issues’;
https://racingnews365.com/marko-shar...ed-bull-update
Horner 'concerned' after multiple Honda engine issues
28/03/2022, 11:30
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Red Bull boss Christian Horner is hopeful of fixes being identified and put in place after a spate of engine-related issues for their sister team.
The Red Bull Powertrains-badged engine in the back of the AlphaTauri is identical to that in the Red Bulls and, worryingly, was already Tsunoda's second power unit of the season, after he suffered an issue with his first unit during Friday practice.
On top of that, Pierre Gasly endured a stoppage in FP3, and had also taken on his second power unit for the campaign following a catastrophic fire at the Bahrain Grand Prix. "Of course, we're concerned about it," Horner told media, including RacingNews365.com, when asked about the issues with the engines.
‘Hoping For Fixes’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-con...-engine-issues
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Ferrari have been ‘beyond all expectations’ says Binotto.
“We have scored more points than Red Bull and Mercedes combined!” Mattia Binotto told motorsport.com.
Date published: March 29 2022 - Sam Cooper
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says even he has been surprised by the team’s performance in the opening stages of the 2022 season. After two races, Ferrari have taken 78 points from a total of 88 available and both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have been on the podium twice.
“I can say in summary we have collected 78 points out of 88 available – we have scored more points than Red Bull and Mercedes combined!” he told motorsport.com.
“The credit goes to a team that in three long weeks (we left for testing in Bahrain, then we stayed in Sakhir for the race and then moved to Jeddah) did a very solid job – the car worked, but also the pit-stops, the mechanics. In short, the strategies and engineering were of a high level. So I am very satisfied because we have collected so much, beyond all expectations.”
‘Scuderia Ferrari Scored More Points Than Red Bull and Mercedes Combined!’
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia...start-ferrari/
Binotto predicts how Ferrari/Red Bull battle will develop
28/03/2022, 16:45
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto reckons his team's close battle with Red Bull will come down to "fine details" as the season progresses. Asked where he felt the characteristics of the Ferrari and Red Bull differed, and how the Scuderia intend to take their developing knowledge of their opponent into consideration for future races, Binotto said that his team had made their downforce choice based on analysis.
The F1-75 has remained largely unchanged since it rolled out at the start of the first pre-season test in Barcelona, unlike Red Bull's RB18. The Milton Keynes-based outfit introduced a large update package for the final day of testing in Bahrain, which seemed to elevate their pace significantly.
But Ferrari are in no panic to respond with an upgrade package of their own just yet, with Binotto explaining that their calm approach is due to delaying spending as far into the season as possible in light of the budget cap. "It's not only a matter of when we'll be ready, but there's the matter of the budget cap and trying to make sure that we're not spending what we've got in the first races," he said.
‘Ferrari Spending Wisely’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-pr...e-will-develop
Red Bull guru Newey promises development war with Ferrari
28/03/2022, 10:45
Red Bull's Adrian Newey is expecting a close development war to play out between the team and Ferrari as the season goes on. After watching the fight unfold between Verstappen and Leclerc, Newey believes that the two teams were on a par in Jeddah.
"It was really tight, wasn't it?" Newey told Sky Sports F1 after the event. "The performance of our car and Ferrari's seemed to be absolutely identical through the whole race." In terms of what will give one team the edge going forwards, Newey is expecting development to play a key role.
"We saw it in Bahrain, we saw it here [in Saudi Arabia]," the Chief Technical Officer explained. "There seems to be so little to choose between the two of them. I guess it's just going to be a big development war now, but it's also a development war with one hand tied behind our backs, with the cost cap."
‘Develpoment War’;
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-g...r-with-ferrari
Red Bull exposed Ferrari's 'bigger weaknesses' - Leclerc
Ian Parkes & Topher Smith
Tuesday 29 March 2022 15:25
Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari's weaknesses became "much bigger" when battling Max Verstappen's Red Bull for victory in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
On where Ferrari's deficit to Red Bull came from during the battle with Verstappen, Leclerc explained: "I think the point where we struggled the most is whenever Max got the DRS basically because our weaknesses were just bigger, the straight-line speed difference was much bigger.
"We were still quick in the corners, but not enough to have that margin to cover. So from that moment onwards, it was a bit more difficult for us."
Ferrari Weaknesses’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/78...esses-leclerc/
Charles Leclerc's post-race comments summed up how fans feel about exciting start to F1 season
By George Dagless
Published: 28 Mar 2022, 09:38
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has summed up how F1 fans feel about the new season with him saying how exciting the Saudi Arabian GP was despite him finishing second.
“Oh my god! It was not enough today. I really enjoyed that race,” he said after the chequered flag. “It’s hard racing but fair. Every race should be like this. It was fun, I’m of course disappointed, we wanted to win today.
“We had two very different configurations with the Red Bulls. We were quite quick in the corner, but slow in straights. It was extremely difficult for me to cover Max in the straight. Max did a great job, it was a fun race.”
‘Fun Race’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87989103...t-to-f1-season
Leclerc strongly denies suggestions of a Ferrari 'bluff'
29/03/2022, 13:40
Author Thomas Maher
Charles Leclerc has made clear that Ferrari didn't bait Red Bull into pitting Sergio Perez from the lead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Given that Ferrari's tactic appeared to be a masterstroke, the obvious question was whether their appearance in the pits - combined with the radio message to Leclerc - was actually bait to get Perez out of the way. Leclerc, though, denied such suggestions during the post-race press conference.
"No, no. We were ready to pit," he told media, including RacingNews365.com. "I mean, yes, we basically went for the opposite to Checo [Perez] in front, and he boxed that lap, so yeah, I think we did the right choice."
‘Ferrari Didn’t Bait Red Bull’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-hi...-ferrari-bluff
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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits it is 'extremely painful' not to be part of Formula One's 'fun games' at the front, with his team well off the pace of leading duo Red Bull and Ferrari two races into the 2022 season.
Toto Wolff has conceded that Mercedes' drop in pace at the start of the Formula One season has left him hurting at not being involved in the championship battle.
By Dan Ripley for MailOnline
Published: 08:55, 29 March 2022
Lewis Hamilton could only finish 10th in Saudi Arabia, with George Russell fifth. Wolff admits to feeling pain having to watch the championship battle from the outside. “We have had the luxury of being right in the middle of those fun games for the last eight years,” the Mercedes boss was quoted to have said by GPFans.
'Actually luxury is the wrong word. We were right in the middle of those fun games in the front, and talking as a Formula One stakeholder we're benefiting from a great show that is really spectacular to look at.”
“On the other side, it is extremely painful to not be part of those fun games by quite a chunk of lap time deficit. We're not going to rest until we are back in the mix. It is no fun at all and an exercise in humility. It's going to make us stronger even though it's not fun right now.”
‘Extremely Painful’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...fun-games.html
The real reason why Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes can't keep up this F1 season
Tom Cary14:41, Mar 30 2022
When it was announced last May that Red Bull had nabbed another five Mercedes engineers for their new in-house engine facility at Milton Keynes, it was seen as a bit of a power play. Red Bull socking it to Mercedes, trying to topple the king. Following hot on the heels of Red Bull’s poaching of Ben Hodgkinson, head of Mechanical Engineering at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, as technical director of the project, it prompted a natural question: just how significant was this ‘brain drain’ from Brixworth to Milton Keynes?
Toto Wolff, Mercedes’s team principal, played it very cool at the time. “We have 900 or so employees [at Brixworth],” he said, calmly. “And if you’re fishing out 15 of these or so, that’s pretty normal. They went mainly after manufacturing staff so it’s not really performance.”
But there were whispers, too, that Mercedes were down on power. Hamilton and Russell were the only two Mercedes-powered cars to finish in the top 10, while the bottom six finishers all had Mercedes engines. Coincidence?
‘Brain Drain Coincidence?’;
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/motors...this-f1-season
Saudi Arabia weekend a “reflection of where we currently stand” – Mercedes’ Toto Wolff
By Paul Hensby
March 29, 2022
Toto Wolff reckons the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix result for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team highlighted just where the team are at this point of the season as George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and tenth respectively.
Wolff, the Team Principal at Mercedes, says the results in Saudi Arabia mean the team have a lot of work to do to play catch up to the leading two teams, both in Qualifying and in the races.
“Today’s race was the reflection of where we currently stand,” said Wolff. “The performance gaps seemed to be similar in qualifying and the race, and clearly there is a lot of work for us to do in order to get into the fight at the front.”
‘Work In Progress’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...es-toto-wolff/
Villeneuve: Russell can handle the Mercedes, Hamilton not coping
Jad Mallak
29 March, 2022
Jacques Villeneuve believes that Lewis Hamilton is not coping with this year’s Mercedes W13, having had perfect cars for some time, while George Russell seems to handle it better.
“It will be interesting what the response will be in the team, because Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton are not used to this. We can say that competing for the prizes is no longer an option for Mercedes,” the Canadian added. “George Russell can still handle the car to some degree. Maybe that’s because of his years at Williams where he also had to drive a difficult car.”
“But Lewis Hamilton is not coping at all. He’s always had a perfect car, he never had to push because they were so much faster. In the race yesterday he did alright, but on Saturday he was nowhere to be seen,” the 50-year-old reflected.
‘Jacques Villeneuve: Lewis Hamilton Not Coping, Nowhere To Be Seen’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...on-not-coping/
Wolff explains "confusion" led to Hamilton "game over"
Sam Hall & Ewan Gale
Tuesday 29 March 2022 17:15
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has explained the "confusion" of Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso's failures that led to Lewis Hamilton facing "game over" at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion was knocked out in Q1 during qualifying but made amends through strategy early on at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, using a safety car period to continue on his hard tyres and make his way into the top 10.
looked like a late switch to mediums would consolidate much-welcomed points given the struggles experienced in the W13 over the weekend, before Hamilton was unable to make his stop when the pit lane closed as the McLaren and Alpine both stopped at pit entry.
‘Confusion’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/79...ton-game-over/
Hakkinen: There’s been a power shift in F1 in 2022
Jad Mallak
29 March, 2022
Former double Formula 1 Champion Mika Hakkinen reflected on the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and believes there has been a power shift within the sport, as Mercedes took a step back.
“After two races we can see that there has been a power shift in Formula 1,” Hakkinen said in his Unibet column. “We knew from the opening race in Bahrain that Charles Leclerc is looking incredibly strong at Ferrari, well supported by team mate Carlos Sainz. But now that Red Bull seems to have to have solved the fuel vaporisation problem which caused both cars to return from the first race, they are just as competitive.”
“Mercedes have a significant set of problems to fix if they are to catch up with Red Bull and Ferrari. They need to do it quite quickly because the top two teams are going to be pushing so hard on their own development.”
‘Mercedes Power Shift, Step Back’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...in-f1-in-2022/
Mercedes F1 Team Boss Toto Wolff Believes Poor Form Has Humbled Reigning World Champs
29 Mar 2022, 08:43 UTC ·
by Sergiu Tudose
With two F1 races already in the bag this year, it’s clear that Mercedes-AMG are struggling to keep up with Red Bull and Ferrari. In terms of pace, it’s like Ferrari and Mercedes have swapped places from where they were in 2021, leaving the German outfit in kind of a no man’s land.
This past weekend in Saudi Arabia, George Russell finished the race fifth, while Lewis Hamilton could only manage P10 after recovering from his first Q1 knockout in over four years. Don’t get us wrong, it’s not that Mercedes look like a midfield team now, but rather they don’t look like title contenders anymore – same as Ferrari last year.
“We’re not going to rest until we are back in the mix. But you’re absolutely right: it’s no fun at all. [It’s] an exercise in humility, and it’s going to make us stronger in the end, even though it’s not funny right now.”
‘Not Going To Rest’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/m...ps-185121.html
Wolff sends message to Mercedes' rivals: We won't rest until we're back
28 March 07:45
Author Thomas Maher
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says it's "extremely painful" that his drivers aren't able to join in the battle at the front of Formula 1 as things stand.
Toto Wolff has vowed that his Mercedes team will not rest until they are able to rejoin the lead battle in Formula 1, having seemingly slipped from the pinnacle of the sport.
‘Vowed To Not Rest’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-vows...ack-in-the-mix
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Alpine drivers leave Saudi with contrasting fortunes after ‘intense’ wheel-to-wheel battle.
It was a tale of two races for Alpine on Sunday as Esteban Ocon finished sixth, just a tenth ahead of Lando Norris, while Fernando Alonso retired from the race and was left wondering what could have been at Jeddah.
28 March 2022
The Grand Prix began with a brilliant wheel-to-wheel battle between the Alpines, Ocon and Alonso jostling aggressively but cleanly before the Frenchman was told to back off by his team. And neither driver was sour about the situation, both clearly excited to take each other on around the high-speed street circuit.
“Yes it was good. Obviously very intense,” said Alonso. “We had also in Bahrain another fight so… My car for whatever reason today felt a little bit faster that Esteban’s car so I had relatively more pace, tried to overtake and pull away, which is what I did, and concentrate on Bottas – he was very fast as well.”
‘EL PLAN: Told To Back Off’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...zorHoXLe1.html
Alonso frustrated ‘two great races’ haven’t been rewarded
30/03/2022, 07:18
By Scott Mitchell
“I had two great races,” said Alonso. “One in Bahrain, but unfortunately with maybe the wrong strategy with the starting tyres that had been scrubbed that compromised my whole race, and also with an engine that was not great.”
“And now I was very fast in qualifying [in Saudi Arabia], very unlucky because some other people didn’t have new tyres in Q3 and the scrubbed set was the fastest.”
“So we had to overtake some cars and go back to our natural position this weekend, which was fifth or sixth. And then another retirement. I could be sixth or seventh in the championship and I’m not in that position,” he said. “And it’s not because we don’t deserve it. It’s just because we didn’t maximise the points.”
‘Two Great Races’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/alons...been-rewarded/
Alonso rues giving ‘points to other teams’ in Saudi
Date published: March 28 2022 - Michelle Foster
Fernando Alonso was left to rue his Saudi Arabian Grand Prix retirement, the Spaniard saying Alpine “gave points to other teams”.
Having spent the bulk of Sunday’s 50-lap grand prix ahead of his team-mate Esteban Ocon, the Frenchman P6 on the night, Alonso was on course for a solid points finish at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. But it all came to zero on lap 36 when he reported lost pace and reported “no power”.
“I don’t know exactly what happened, we are still investigating,” he told the official F1 website. “We lost power and eventually the car stopped so let’s see what we can find. “The race was good until that point, we were fast, we felt competitive and unfortunately we lost a lot of points.”
‘Points Given Away’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...r-teams-saudi/
Szafnauer happy to let Alonso and Ocon race each other
Date published: March 28 2022 - Sam Cooper
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer said he is happy to let his two drivers continue to race each other following the showdown during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
“It was fine, it was clean,” team principal Otmar Szafnauer said as per The Race. “It’s what the fans want to see. And we told them at the beginning, we’ll allow them to race.”
“We were losing a little bit more time than anticipated. That’s a little bit because of the track specific stuff here and a little bit because the cars can follow each other easier now, which was the aim of the new regulations. And because of it, if you can follow easier, you can start overtaking each other one lap after the next.”
‘Happy Racing’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/otmar-...arabia-battle/
Otmar Szafnauer delivers verdict after epic duel between Fernando Alonso & Esteban Ocon
By George Dagless
Published: 28 Mar 2022, 13:31
The early entertainment in the race around the Jeddah circuit was provided by the two Alpine drivers, as Alonso and Ocon squabbled lap after lap for position.
Indeed, in the end, it was Alonso who emerged victorious with Ocon told to hold position after Valtteri Bottas in the Alfa Romeo had closed up on them. Ocon had the last laugh, however, as he earned a P6 whilst Fernando had to retire and, post-race, Szafnauer said that he was happy with what he saw from the pair, and that the team had told them they were allowed to race at the beginning of the Grand Prix.
Szafnauer must have been a little nervous that the two were going to take each other off but, in the end, it was clean and certainly a spectacle to enjoy for fans.
‘Clean Racing’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87989262...o-esteban-ocon
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"We can't be happy and therefore we're not," says Norris.
McLaren's inauspicious start to the season has had a detrimental effect on team morale admits Lando Norris, while insisting that the Woking outfit remains fully motivated.
NEWS STORY
30/03/2022
Determined to reclaim third spot from Ferrari and close the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull, McLaren's pre-season hopes appear to have been cruelly dashed as the Woking outfit lies eighth in the team standings.
"When you have points and you have success and you have podiums, then there's always a rise in morale," says Norris, who heads to Australia tenth in the driver standings.
"I don't think it's got worse," he insists. "I think there's expectations, of course, that's racing, we want to have success and do well. So we're never going to be as happy in P16 compared to if we were P8 or P7 or whatever, so there's always just a little bit of happiness gone.”
‘McLarens’ Expectations’;
https://www.pitpass.com/72154/We-can...ot-says-Norris
The good, the bad and the ugly of McLaren’s miserable start to F1’s new era
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
March 30th, 2022 6:13 am
If you replay qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in slow motion, you can actually pinpoint the second Zak Brown’s heart rips in half. Dnial Ricciardo dealt the first blow, knocked out in P18. In an ambitiously hopefully moment Brown might have written it off to the Australian still recovering from COVID, but the knockout punch came only 15 minutes later, when Lando Norris was eliminated from qualifying in 13th.
In the space of about a week McLaren went from championship smoky to surprise backmarker, and though Saudi Arabia showed the car to be not quite as bad as Bahrain suggested, scrapping for minor points is a shatteringly long way from the target of regular podiums and victories. What’s gone wrong?
THE GOOD: February testing in Spain was a bright start for McLaren.
THE BAD: So when is a ‘good’ car not fast?
THE UGLY: McLaren’s shocker in Bahrain is unlikely to be repeated this season but is no less egregious for that fact.
‘THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY, THE MCL36’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...b5c926241d5fef
McLaren apologise to Ricciardo as double points finish evaporates
28 March 14:30
Author Thomas Maher
Daniel Ricciardo was a contender for a possible points finish as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix reached its closing stages. Team boss Andreas Seidl was apologetic over letting Ricciardo down.
"We have to apologise to Daniel," Seidl said in his post-race debrief. "Without his mechanical failure we would have had both cars home in the points. We'll analyse the exact cause of his DNF when we're home."
"The end result was obviously not what I wanted, but this weekend was more promising and we performed better on this track," he explained.
‘Daniel Ricciardo Apology’;
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-ap...ish-evaporates
Norris: MCL36 was in ‘exact same place’ as Bahrain
Date published: March 30 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Lando Norris says the McLaren MCL36 did not improve between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the latter track just suited it more. It has been an underwhelming start to the season for McLaren, who after two rounds find themselves P8 in the Constructors’ Championship with only six points.
Asked during the F1 Nation podcast how much of a surprise that P7 finish at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was, Norris replied: “I mean, after last week (Bahrain) you would say it was a surprise. But this week our pace was much better, so maybe not the biggest. I’m happy with it. I feel bad that I have to be happy with a P7.”
“The car is in exactly the same position as Bahrain, that’s the problem. If we went back to Bahrain, we’d still be out in Q1 and we’d be fighting for 16th and 17th like we were.”
‘Feel Bad That I Have To Be Happy With P7’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...ck-comparison/
Lando Norris reveals stark visibility issues in late-race battle with Esteban Ocon
By George Dagless
Published: 28 Mar 2022, 09:57
Esteban Ocon and Lando Norris enjoyed an exciting battle over 6th and 7th place in the final moments of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday, with Norris revealing after the race he had the added the dynamic of not being able to see very well out of the car to deal with.
It was a thrilling finish to the race for the pair, and Norris has revealed that he found it hard to see out of the car in the fight with Ocon, thanks to the cars that are harder to see out of and the way the Saudi track is set up with high walls and a lot of blind corners.
“What also had me over here is because the visibility is so much worse, as soon as I braked, I couldn’t see where Esteban was because you can’t see as far left,” Norris said to Sky Sports after the race.”
‘Visibility Issues’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87989177...h-esteban-ocon
Ricciardo: Mercedes still got a bit to find in its power unit
Jad Mallak
30 March, 2022
Daniel Ricciardo believes Mercedes have still got to find more performance from their PU, as Mercedes-powered teams occupy the lower end of the grid after the first two races of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
“It’s no secret that Mercedes, let’s say, have still got a bit to find,” the Australian revealed, and claimed that Mercedes-powered teams are running lower drag setups to compensate for less power.
However, the Australian has faith that Mercedes can sort the PU out insisting: “Let’s say, in this situation, there are no better hands I would rather it be in.”
‘Got To Find More Performance’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...ts-power-unit/
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Gasly was “screaming with pain” from intestine over last 15 laps.
“The last five laps, it was just about surviving,” the AlphaTauri driver said in response to a question from RaceFans.
2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Posted on
27th March 2022, 22:5728th March 2022, 13:30 | Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Gasly said he’d never experienced a pain like it before. “I had the feeling like every left turn there was someone stabbing me on the inside the intestine, so it was not nice.”
“It’s been the most painful last 15 laps of my entire career,” he added. “I don’t know what’s happened with my intestine, but I was dying inside the car. I was screaming because of pain.”
Despite his uncomfortable end to the race Gasly said afterwards he was “really happy” with his result, having dropped out of the top 10 early in the race but recovered to finish in the points.
‘Pain In The Intestine’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/27/...-last-15-laps/
AlphaTauri provide update on Gasly after extreme pain
29 March 12:50
Author Thomas Maher
AlphaTauri have offered a fresh update on how Pierre Gasly is feeling, after the French driver struggled with extreme intestinal pain during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Approached by RacingNews365.com for an update on Gasly's condition, and whether the potential reason for his discomfort had been identified, a team spokesperson confirmed that the French driver has since recovered fully.
"[It was] nothing serious, just some intestinal pain, but [now] all [is] OK!" they commented.
‘All OK’;
https://racingnews365.com/alphatauri...r-extreme-pain
Red Bull doesn't want to 'lose' Gasly - Marko
By GMM F1 | 5h
Dr Helmut Marko admits he is thinking about giving Pierre Gasly another chance at Red Bull's top Formula 1 team. The Frenchman, now 26, struggled alongside Max Verstappen in 2019 before his mid-season relegation, where he is now the solid team leader at the junior outfit Alpha Tauri.
F1 legend Gerhard Berger recently said Gasly is "good enough for another chance" at Red Bull, where the experienced Mexican Sergio Perez - Checo - is currently Verstappen's teammate. "Gerhard is right," Marko admits. "But at the moment we still have a contract with Checo.”
"We need to compare the performances of these two drivers. We still have until the middle of the year with Checo to do that." The latter comment implies that Perez's current one-year deal includes an option clause, which is typically activated by Formula 1 teams in the late summer.
‘Another Chance For Pierre Gasly’;
https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula...5.html?newsnow
'I trust the team' – Gasly backs AlphaTauri to solve reliability issues after problems in Jeddah
29 March 2022
AlphaTauri’s weekend at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was a tale of contrasting fortunes for their two drivers as Pierre Gasly finished the race in P8, while Yuki Tsunoda stopped on his lap to the grid with a suspected drivetrain issue that ended his Sunday early.
“Not a big concern but clearly it is something we know [we’ve got to] improve, so I trust the team in finding the solutions going forward, it’s something we have to sort out together, but I am sure the team will find the right things to do for the rest of the year.”
Tsunoda, on the other hand, was frustrated... “It’s such a shame that we are having these problems two times in a row and for us it’s two rounds in a row. We cannot continue like this, we have to solve this issue as soon as possible, reliability issue, to have more consistent results.”
‘Reliability Problems’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...koMdnfaCV.html
Yuki Tsunoda urges AlphaTauri to improve reliability issues
By George Dagless
Published: 31 Mar 2022, 12:46
Yuki Tsunoda has urged his AlphaTauri team to try and get on top of the reliability issues they are having at the start of this new Formula 1 season.
That said, then, Tsunoda has urged his team to try and get on top of their current troubles. Speaking after the retirement in Saudi last weekend, he said:
“Even though I was starting P19, anything can happen, maybe it was possible to be in the points. It’s such a shame… in Bahrain, the race pace was quite good. From also my side, disappointed that I could not have the experience to improve myself, but it is what it is.”
‘Must Improve Reliability’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87990574...ability-issues
Gasly’s Points Overshadowed as AlphaTauri Reliability Gremlins Continue
By Nick Golding
March 30, 2022
Pierre Gasly’s first points of the 2022 Formula 1 season were somewhat overshadowed, as team-mate Yuki Tsunoda failed to start the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after yet more reliability problems to his AT03.
Tsunoda failed to even make it to the grid, after experiencing reliability issues on the way round to take his spot. Tsunoda’s weekend was ridiculed by reliability issues, the Japanese driver didn’t even take part in Qualifying after issues arose with his AT03.
Scuderia AlphaTauri Team Principal, Franz Tost, “It was a difficult race for us, it’s always disappointing when a car isn’t able to make it to the starting grid. We had a problem on Yuki’s car with the oil pressure, therefore we had to stop. We now have to go away and investigate what the reason for this was.”
‘Gremlin Ridden AT03, Difficult and Disappointing’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...lins-continue/
