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Red Bull engine chief expects advantage over Ferrari at French GP.
Red Bull engine consultant Masashi Yamamoto is expecting Red Bull to have an advantage over Ferrari at the French Grand Prix.
19th July 2022, 17:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
With four races taking place in July, the first two have been won by the Scuderia; Carlos Sainz took his debut F1 victory at Silverstone, while Charles Leclerc seized the win in Austria one week later. Max Verstappen did prove victorious at the Sprint over the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, though, and remains at the top of the World Championship standings on 208 points, giving him a 38-point lead over Leclerc.
Ahead of the upcoming Grands Prix in France and Hungary before F1 embarks on its summer break, Yamamoto has urged Red Bull to ensure that they do not make any mistakes at the Circuit Paul Ricard.
The French Grand Prix marks the beginning of the second half of the 2022 F1 season, and Yamamoto – former Managing Director of Honda and now an engine consultant at Red Bull – feels that it is an important weekend. He also believes that his team will perform well at the track. "I think France is more in Red Bull's favour, so we can't drop it," Yamamoto told Japanese website as-web. "It's a crucial point."
‘France is more in Red Bull's favour, so we can't drop it’;
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-e...i-at-french-gp
Mercedes’ best chance yet of a win in F1 2022? French GP talking points
18 Jul 2022
Lewis Larkam
Although Mercedes were unable to replicate that level of performance in Austria, the team were still closer to Ferrari and Red Bull than they expected at a circuit that has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for the Silver Arrows in recent years, with Hamilton picking up his third consecutive podium finish.
Mercedes are expected to be stronger again in France thanks to the characteristics at Paul Ricard, which features high-speed corners and a smooth track surface, two factors that bring out the best in the W13.
Despite suffering a narrow defeat to Max Verstappen at last year’s French Grand Prix, Mercedes boast a strong record at Paul Ricard, with Hamilton winning two of the three races to be held in the South of France since the race’s revival in 2018.
‘Mercedes’ best chance yet’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/100...et-win-f1-2022
Lando Norris: “It’s important we continue to build on our results this season as the midfield gets tighter”
July 18, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Coming off of a double-points finish at the Red Bull Ring, Lando Norris said that the team’s performance kept them in the running for fourth in the constructors’ championship, currently tied with BWT Alpine F1 Team ahead of the French Grand Prix.
“With the summer break fast approaching, it’s important we continue to build on our results this season as the midfield gets tighter. Finishing P7 and P9 in Austria was positive after a difficult start to the weekend and it’s great to remain in this battle for fourth in the constructor standings.”
With tight margins between the midfield teams, Norris said that the return to a typical race weekend with three practice sessions will give the team the time necessary to best prepare for race day at a track where they have found success previously, having finished fifth and sixth at last year’s French Grand Prix.”
‘Important Results Building’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-gets-tighter/
F1 warned of potential French GP crisis
Sunday 17 July 2022 14:30
Ewan Gale
F1 has been warned over a potential track-limits crisis at the upcoming French Grand Prix. The topic took centre stage amongst the drivers at the Austrian Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen leading the criticism of the FIA's policing at the event as "a joke".
Over 40 incidents of drivers leaving the track were acknowledged by the sport's governing body, with numerous drivers handed penalties for excessively abusing the boundaries at the Red Bull Ring. But Red Bull team principal Christian Horner fears the problem will only be worse when F1 returns to Paul Ricard next weekend.
“The problem is the nature of the circuit [Red Bull Ring], it invites the drivers to use the track limits and of course, there were many, many drivers that were infringing that over the weekend [in Austria[," explained Horner. “My concern isn’t so much here. I think [Paul] Ricard will be a bigger issue.”
‘Potential track-limits crisis’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87...limits-crisis/
F1 NATION: Gerhard Berger joins the gang as we look ahead to an intriguing French Grand Prix
19 July 2022
Formula 1.
As we get into the second half of the 2022 Formula 1 calendar, the sport is heading to the French Grand Prix – with this week’s episode of our F1 Nation episode looking ahead to this weekend's action at Paul Ricard.
This week, Tom Clarkson is joined by Damon Hill, who is fresh (or maybe not) from taking on one of the Tour de France’s toughest climbs. They discuss whether Ferrari’s newfound momentum will continue in France, as the Scuderia look to make it three wins on the bounce – or whether Paul Ricard’s long front-tyre-punishing corners will hand the advantage to Red Bull. They also consider whether Mercedes could make it a three-team fight at the top.
They also look back on the first 11 races of the season and discuss which driver has raised his game after “staring into the abyss”. TC and Damon are also joined by special guest and former Ferrari race-winner Gerhard Berger, who weighs in on the Max Verstappen vs Charles Leclerc debate, as the trio choose their star performers of the season so far.
‘’Intriguing French GP Review’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...lCoCT0kOi.html
Wolff suggests 'miraculous' underhand tactics at play in F1
Tuesday 19 July 2022 04:00
Ian Parkes
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has suggested his F1 rivals have been breaking the rules this season with regard to the legality of the floors of their cars.
From the Belgian Grand Prix onwards, a new technical directive comes into force that clamps down on the use of a so-called flexi-floor via the use of the skid block.
It is understood a number of teams have been able to run their cars closer to a track surface via the use of a moveable floor, in particular, areas within the skid block that ensure a car's plank suffers less wear than is permissible.
‘Toto Wolff: 'Miraculous' F1underhand tactics’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87...lock-cheating/
Toto Wolff claims F1 rules are ‘clearly’ being broken by other teams
15:54 Mon, 18 Jul 2022.
Kieran Jackson Formula 1 Correspondent
The Independent
Mercedes boss Wolff believes some teams are breaching the current regulations regarding so-called ‘flexi-floors’
Toto Wolff claims some F1 teams are clearly breaching the current regulations surrounding ‘flexi-floors’ in light of a new technical directive from the FIA.
World motorsport’s governing body issued a new directive in the last month to clamp down on what Wolff believes is a grey area in the rules, with the directive coming into force at the Belgian Grand Prix after the…
‘Toto Wolff Claims F1 Rules Breach’;
https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/mer...-b2125737.html
Toto Wolff claims F1 "has less entertainment" because Red Bull and Ferrari are too strong
• 10:20, 18 Jul 2022
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
Mercedes chief Wolff was discussing why Sprint races are not enjoyed by some fans, and took the chance to complain about the performance gap to Red Bull and Ferrari
The performance gap enjoyed by Red Bull and Ferrari over Mercedes and the rest of the grid is making Formula 1 "less entertaining", said Toto Wolff.
"If you have Verstappen disappearing in a distance, the two Ferraris being the only entertainment during the race and then we are in the middle of nowhere in no man's land. Then the others are further behind, and then you have DRS trains. That never can make a good sprint race."
‘You have Verstappen disappearing… … then we are in the middle of nowhere in no man's land’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...cedes-27507148
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Guenther Steiner on upgrades: ‘I really want to show it’s not publicity’.
The Haas F1 Team continue to be the surprise package of the season, with the side coming into the French Grand Prix on the back of finishing sixth and eighth at the Austrian Grand Prix, despite still being yet to introduce a single upgrade.
19 July 2022
by Nick Golding
Haas are set to introduce their first upgrade of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The VF22 appears to be one of the most consistent cars on the grid this season, with the American side sitting seventh in the Constructors’ Championship, even though everyone around them has introduced plenty of upgrades.
Haas were initially set to introduce their first batch at the Spanish Grand Prix, but decided against it late-on. Instead, Kevin Magnussen’s and Mick Schumacher’s only upgrades for the year are set to come at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which takes place after the French GP.
‘VF22 Consistent Car, without Upgrades’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/guenther-...not-publicity/
Steiner targeting P6 in 2022 constructors’ standings after improved run of form for Haas
19 July 2022
Formula 1.
The Austrian Grand Prix marked the first time Haas have scored points with both cars in consecutive races in nearly four years. And the result has left Team Principal Guenther Steiner dreaming of a P6 finish in the constructors’ standings this year.
Double points for Haas at Silverstone after a five-race drought – as Mick Schumacher netted his first ever top-10 finish in F1 – were repeated at the following round at the Red Bull Ring, as Schumacher claimed P6 to Kevin Magnussen’s P8.
That’s the first time since the 2018 Brazilian and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix that Haas have taken consecutive double points – and having seen his team jump from P9 to P7 in the constructors’ standings, Steiner is hopeful of going one spot higher before the end of the year.
‘P6 Target’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...TBZ2fZp0b.html
Steiner puts a target on Alfa Romeo’s back
Date published: July 19 2022
Jon Wilde
Guenther Steiner has put a target on Alfa Romeo’s back, in hoping Haas can climb even loftier heights after their recent return to form. After a lean spell of five races in which they failed to score a point, Haas are back on song and reproducing their early-season promise.
The British and Austrian Grands Prix both resulted in double points finishes as Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher finished in the top 10 at each venue, the latter finally getting off the mark after 31 failed F1 attempts to do so.
Those points were not chicken feed either because they finished sixth and eighth in Austria, and thus the American team are now seventh in the Constructors’ Championship with AlphaTauri, Aston Martin and Williams behind them.
‘No Chicken Feed Points at Haas’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/guenth...nstructors-p6/
Haas not getting 'overenthusiastic' over recent run of points
19/07/2022 at 09:23
Phillip van Osten
Guenther Steiner says Haas isn't getting carried away with its consecutive double-points finishes in Britain and in Austria, insisting the string of good results won't easily continue.
"I’m very happy about it but I’m very happy about it for the team because I’ve told them that they need to believe in themselves because we’ve done it before and we will do it again, and we have so it’s a very good result," said the Haas team boss ahead of this week's French Grand Prix.”
"I think we have to be careful about getting too overenthusiastic for the next races, so we’re not thinking that this will keep continuing easily – this is very hard work from a lot of people. We will do the best we can and hopefully we can get some more points and have quite a relaxed summer break."
‘Happy to do the best Haas can’;
https://f1i.com/news/448451-haas-not...of-points.html
Steiner: We have to be careful about getting overenthusiastic.
19 July, 2022
Jad Mallak
Guenther Steiner warned Haas should not get overenthusiastic ahead of the 2022 French Grand Prix after both their cars scored points in two races in a row. Previewing the French Grand Prix at the Circuit Paul Ricard this weekend, Haas team boss Guenther Steiner is wary of getting too excited after two points-scoring races in a row, and tried to manage the expectations.
“I’m very happy about it but I’m very happy about it for the team because I’ve told them that they need to believe in themselves because we’ve done it before and we will do it again, and we have so it’s a very good result,” Steiner said of the previous two races.”
“I think we have to be careful about getting too overenthusiastic for the next races, so we’re not thinking that this will keep continuing easily – this is very hard work from a lot of people,” he added. “We will do the best we can and hopefully we can get some more points and have quite a relaxed summer break.”
‘Haas Overenthusiasm Warning’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07...renthusiastic/
“Motivation is very high within the team” – Haas’ Guenther Steiner
July 19, 2022
By Nick Golding
The Haas F1 Team go into this weekend’s French Grand Prix on the back of their most successful weekend in years, after finishing sixth and eighth at the recent Austrian Grand Prix.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s race at Circuit Paul Ricard, Steiner explained that “motivation is very high” at Haas. The Haas boss is targeting more points this weekend, with the VF22 appearing to be strong at every circuit.
“For sure, motivation is very high within the team after two weekends like we had in Silverstone and Austria. Our car is pretty good everywhere, I think our weakest point is high-speed tracks like those in Jeddah and Baku and coming up in Spa and Monza. I’m very confident that if we execute well, we can have points again. I don’t know how many but the reliability in the last two races was good and hopefully it will stay good for the next events before the summer.”
‘Haas Motivation High’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...nther-steiner/
‘Normally it’s Toto fighting everybody’: Guenther Steiner disagrees with Wolff after key FIA decision
The budget cap has been hiked after a number of protestations from the big teams on the Formula 1 grid.
18 July 2022
by James Clifford
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is pleased to see the back of the budget cap saga after it was raised by 3.1 percent. The budget was initially set at $140 million for the season for every team, and has to be spread out between damage repairs, car development, freight travel and more – drivers’ salaries are not included.
In the end, it was agreed that there would be a raise to the budget, and Steiner revealed that, having wanted the opposite to what the teams had been pushing for, a middle ground was found. “Pleased there was an outcome, I think the meeting took a while but in the end we found a compromise, which is always good,” he said.
“So the compromise was that we are all not really happy about it, but we move on and that is the most important for Formula 1 in general. “Obviously the big teams wanted more, the small teams wanted nothing and the compromise was in the middle. But I think it shows, again, in the end we work together.” The Italian quipped that it was strange seeing Mercedes boss Toto Wolff on the same side as the people he usually shares a frosty relationship with.
‘Guenther Steiner: ‘Normally it’s Toto fighting everybody’!’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/normally-...-fia-decision/
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Berger: Ferrari not ready for title fight, but Leclerc is.
Former Grand Prix racer Gerhard Berger believes Ferrari lack some of Red Bull’s strengths in order to fight for the championship. Berger believes Ferrari aren’t quite ready to win championships, but star driver Charles Leclerc is.
Date published: July 19 2022
Editor
Appearing on the F1 Nation podcast to preview the French Grand Prix alongside hosts Tom Clarkson and Damon Hill, Berger spoke about the current championship fight and said Red Bull and Max Verstappen are currently the standard setters.
“As a Ferrari fan, if you had the possibility to say ‘Ferrari are going to be second next year with such a car’, everybody would say ‘great’.”
“But, now, they are trying to fight a championship but didn’t fight for a championship for years. So they are not ready yet to fight in the championship like Red Bull, who fought until the last race last year [and know] very small detail and what it means for the championship.”
‘Gerhard Berger:P Ferrari lacking, Leclerc ready’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/gerhar...t-ready-title/
Ferrari boss insists they will not impose team orders on Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr.
Tuesday 19 Jul 2022 6:10 pm
Callum McAvoy
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has insisted that the team will not favour either Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz Jr. at this stage of the season. While Ferrari have the edge on Red Bull in terms of pure pace, a number of strategy errors and reliability issues have left the Scuderia trailing their title rivals in both championships at the halfway point of the season.
After 11 races, Leclerc is second, 38 points behind Max Verstappen, and Sainz Jr. is fourth and whopping 75 points of the leader, leaving Ferrari 56 points off Red Bull in the constructors’ table. Sainz Jr. for his part has had terrible luck in 2022, failing to finish four races, with three of those retirements caused by mechanical-related issues.
Mattia Binotto: ‘Obviously, there [are] two championships, the Constructors’ and the Drivers’. By maximising the team points, I’m pretty sure we are as well maximising the drivers’ opportunity by taking points [from] the opponents.’ With two more races left before the summer break, namely France and Hungary, a lot could still change in the championship, but if Verstappen extends his lead, then surely Ferrari will reconsider their strategy.
‘Ferrari No Team Orders’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/19/f1-no...o=newsnow-feed
Mattia Binotto pinpoints key upgrade which gave Ferrari a major boost.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took his first win since round three of the year at the Austrian Grand Prix last time out.
19 July 2022
by James Clifford
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has described the pace difference between Red Bull and his team as “negligible” after upgrades to the rear wing for the Scuderia. After watching his drivers show such superiority over their rivals in race pace in Austria, Binotto sees no daylight between the cars.
“I think in terms of pure speed [the cars are] very similar and quali is proving it, I don’t think there is much difference between the two cars,” he said. “We started pushing, putting pressure on Max at the restart and forcing him to have more pace and more pace was more degrading the tyres.”
“So, I think what we saw in the sprint has been more obvious because we put more pressure on.” However, the Italian still reckons, as was the case at the beginning of the year, that Red Bull’s chassis coupled with exquisite Honda power is keeping Red Bull in front in a straight line.
‘Ferrari Major Boost’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/mattia-bi...a-major-boost/
How Ferrari has slashed Red Bull’s F1 top speed advantage
Ferrari might not have been adopting Red Bull’s policy of throwing update after update at its 2022 Formula 1 car, but it has still been making important progress.
Jul 19, 2022, 8:58 AM
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
In fact, a recent concerted effort to address and close down a clear deficit it had to its main championship rival has paid off dividends, and could be significant for the title battle. Since the start of the year, GPS data of the Red Bull RB18 and the Ferrari F1-75 showed they achieved their lap times in different ways.
The Ferrari was better in slow and medium corners, while the Red Bull stretched its legs on the straights with a significant top speed advantage. And, as team boss Mattia Binotto readily admitted, the extent of Ferrari’s deficit – especially when the DRS was open – was something that could not be ignored.
“We had a disadvantage compared to the Red Bull no doubt, in terms of straight-line speed especially in the DRS zone,” he said. “So in terms of the power of their DRS compared to ours, we worked a lot on it.” That work culminated in the arrival of a new rear wing at the Canadian Grand Prix, but the team would only have enough parts available on this occasion for one of its drivers.
‘GPS data analysis of the Red Bull RB18 and the Ferrari F1-75’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/h...tage/10340065/
Ferrari’s lower-key upgrade approach is pegging Red Bull back
Jul 19 2022
By Rosario Giuliana
Ferrari heads into this weekend’s French Grand Prix buoyed by an Austria race that was the first in some time where it appeared to actually have a quicker Formula 1 car than Red Bull, with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz having significantly better race pace than Max Verstappen.
The development paths taken by Ferrari and Red Bull remain very different, in some ways even opposite. But Ferrari has largely stuck with its concept and has only brought in some small changes to reduce drag with updates.
In addition to the rear wing introduced in Canada and later used in both Silverstone and Austria, Ferrari has tried to reduce drag by slightly increasing the undercut in the underside of the sidepods in a package introduced at Silverstone.
‘Ferrari’s lower-key upgrade approach”;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferra...red-bull-back/
Ferrari tipped to beat Red Bull in Hungary because of this key advantage
Red Bull and Ferrari have won all of the opening 11 rounds of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
19 July 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Red Bull’s engine consultant, Masashi Yamamoto, believes that Ferrari will have the upper hand in Hungary just before the summer break, but anticipates a strong performance from Red Bull in France this weekend.
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have, between them, won seven races this season, and six of those were consecutive after the Scuderia had no answer to the upgrade introduced at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
However, Carlos Sainz won the British Grand Prix after a horrible day for the Austrian side, and indeed his team-mate Charles Leclerc due to a strategic error, before the Monegasque sealed the win at Red Bull’s home race in Austria last time out.
‘Key Advantage Ferrari’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-t...key-advantage/
Red Bull: Ferrari 'absolutely' in F1 title fight despite engine issues
19 July 2022
Ben Issatt
Red Bull insists Ferrari "absolutely" remain in this year's Formula 1 title battle despite recent engine problems. The Scuderia has had three retirements due to power unit failures already in 2022, costing Charles Leclerc very likely wins in Spain and Baku and also costing Carlos Sainz second place in Austria. But asked if Red Bull took any comfort in Ferrari's unreliability, team boss Christian Horner was clear. “Not really. We are not too focused on them,” he said via Motorsport.com.
Ferrari's problems have allowed Red Bull and Max Verstappen to open up 56 and 38-point leads in the Constructors' and Drivers' Championship respectively. But Horner maintained Ferrari is still a genuine threat on the road to Abu Dhabi. “Absolutely,” he said. “We are just at the halfway point of the championship and things swing around quite a lot.
“There is still an awfully long way to go. I would say Austria was sort of damage limitation as we managed to get pole, the sprint victory and then second place [in the race]. I think Max only lost five points to Charles in the Drivers’ Championship and obviously damage was relatively contained in the Constructors’.”
‘Ferrari still in Title Fight’;
https://www.insideracing.com/index.p...-engine-issues
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Max Verstappen reveals why he has a better relationship with Sergio Perez than Daniel Ricciardo.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen believes his relationship with Sergio Perez is the best he has had with a team-mate since his arrival into Formula 1.
19 July 2022
by James Clifford
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen believes his relationship with Sergio Perez is the best he has had with a team-mate since his arrival into Formula 1. Verstappen arrived at Red Bull in 2016 to partner Daniel Ricciardo having spent the 2015 season and the opening four rounds of 2016 at Toro Rosso alongside Carlos Sainz.
The Dutchman struck up a fantastic relationship with Ricciardo, and the pair gave fans some of the funniest and most entertaining off-track moments in recent memory. Since then, the reigning champion has partnered Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon – both of whom had short stints at the team – before Perez arrived ahead of the 2021 season.
It might be a bold claim to say that his friendship with the 32-year-old is better than what he had with Ricciardo, but Verstappen explained that the fact that he is older and more mature makes it easier for him to hold and enjoy a good relationship with other drivers. “I started of course very young in Formula 1 and I had, I think, also a very good relationship with Daniel,” he said.
‘Max friendship’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verst...iel-ricciardo/
Ferrari warned Red Bull have ‘unbeatable package’ as Charles Leclerc criticised for mistakes
2022 has been Ferrari's most successful season since 2018.
20 July 2022
by James Clifford
The combination of Verstappen and the Austrian side, who have won 19 of the last 34 races, is proving an almost unassailable benchmark at the moment. “Combined with the strategy of Red Bull, who are extremely good, the good pitstops, I think it’s nearly an unbeatable package,” stated Berger.
“In saying this, maybe the Ferrari has, in certain circumstances, a little bit of advantage and Leclerc is using it very well. He’s a super quick driver, super good.”
“[Anything] can happen and maybe the car is so good, they could win the championship already this year but, if they really have to fight, Red Bull has an advantage from last year’s fighting for the championship.”
‘Unbeatable Red Bull Package’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/ferrari-w...-for-mistakes/
Horner downplays potential Red Bull Honda headache
Wednesday 20 July 2022 08:15
Ewan Gale
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has insisted there have been no discussions with Honda over a potential return to F1 for the Japanese manufacturer.
"We opened the Red Bull Powertrain building so the staff moved into the building, which is a facility that should hopefully enable us to produce really competitive engines starting from 2026.
"We have an engineering partnership with agreement with Honda for the supply of the current engines under the current agreement to the end of the 2025 set of regulations and of course, there's discussions of Porsche and Audi looking at entering the sport, which I think again is really exciting for Formula 1 to have brands like that wanting to come in.”
‘No Headache’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87...onda-headache/
Red Bull won’t focus on ‘false game’ of qualifying pace
Date published: July 20 2022 - Michelle Foster
Despite losing the qualifying battle against Ferrari, Red Bull will not focus future updates on one-lap pace as it could lead to a “bit of a false game”, says Paul Monaghan. Ferrari have had the better pace during this season’s qualifying sessions, the Scuderia seven-four up on Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc is leading the way with six pole positions, Max Verstappen has three and their team-mates each have one.
But while that stat is not in Red Bull’s favour, and also means there is more to be done in the grands prix, the Milton Keynes squad have no intention of deliberately trying to create a faster car over one lap. Instead, their goal is to make the RB18 an overall faster car.
‘Red Bull Goal, Faster Car’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bu...alifying-pace/
How much is Red Bull’s F1 weight disadvantage costing it?
Jul 19 2022
By Edd Straw
Red Bull has had a strong 2022 Formula 1 season, but it hasn’t been perfect – with Max Verstappen admitting the team has been “not amazing in qualifying”. Ferrari has been the better performer in qualifying sessions, taking seven pole positions out of 11, with Red Bull having the rest. Verstappen has taken three of these, Sergio Perez the other.
But Red Bull has the better record on race days, winning seven times (and taking both sprints), meaning Verstappen leads the drivers’ championship by 38 points over Charles Leclerc. “We are still a little bit, I would say, not amazing in qualifying,” said Verstappen.
“But that hasn’t only to do with just the car, we are still a bit heavy. When all the fuel comes out, that is just a limitation we have. So we need to lose weight with the car, which we’re working on.”
‘Working on Red Bull Weight Solution’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/how-m...ge-costing-it/
Verstappen highlights the key to success at the French GP
Today, 15:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Max Verstappen will be hoping to make it back-to-back French Grand Prix wins during this weekend's event at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Max Verstappen reckons tyre degradation and the anticipated hot temperatures will be decisive factors at the upcoming French Grand Prix.
Amid a European heatwave, air temperatures are expected to reach 34 degrees Celcius on all three days of track action at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Pirelli also marked 'tyre stress' as four out of five in their race preview, with the Hard C2, Medium C3 and Soft C4 compounds being selected.
With these considerations in mind, Verstappen will be looking to claim back-to-back wins in France and extend his 38-point lead over Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. He won last season's event after adopting an aggressive two-stop strategy to overhaul Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton with two laps remaining.
‘Key to French Grand Prix Success’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...-the-french-gp
Perez looking to bounce back in France, as he insists he is 'still in contention' for the championship
20 July 2022
Formula 1.
Despite his 57-point deficit to championship leader and team mate Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez is still gunning for overall glory in 2022. But, the Mexican driver admits he and his team can ill-afford any more DNFs, as he looks to hit back in France.
Perez had at one stage been 15 points behind Verstappen, after winning the Monaco Grand Prix. But since then he has suffered from two retirements in four races – including a DNF last time out in Austria. Looking ahead to the French GP, Perez said he's searching for a redeeming result.
"After a tough weekend in Austria, it’s great to be back racing and have a chance to put things right," said Perez. “We have had two DNFs in the past three races and we can’t afford that in the championships so I’m aiming to change that this weekend in France. I’m still in contention for the drivers’ championship, so personally it is also important not to lose any more points.”
‘Sergio Perez Bounce Back Plan in France’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Rt7IOYhyJ.html
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Mercedes’ Toto Wolff: Aim for France “to make further inroads on the gap to the front” and strive for podium.
Looking back at the season as a whole, Wolff pointed out the considerable improvement in results between the beginning of the season and recent Grands Prix.
July 20, 2022
By Ashley Cline
Ahead of the French Grand Prix, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Principal Toto Wolff said that the last few races have been evidence of the “mammoth effort of the team” to put them back into consistent podium contention.
“Third and fourth in Austria was a satisfying result for the whole team, particularly given the position we were in on Friday evening. The team worked miracles to have two complete race cars ready for the Sprint and Grand Prix. 27 points on Sunday were a good reward for that effort.”
“We scored three podiums in the first seven races, and we have now achieved four in the last four. I’m pleased with the momentum we are building, and it reflects the mammoth effort of the team. Our understanding of the W13 is growing with every lap and it’s encouraging to see that reflected in our development and results.” Wolff said that development will continue as the team vies for a return to the top step, with more changes coming in France as they work toward closing the gap at Circuit Paul Ricard.
‘Mercedes Mammoth Effort’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ve-for-podium/
Lewis Hamilton to be replaced by Nyck de Vries for FP1 as 'insurance' plan takes shape
NYCK DE VRIES has been tipped as Toto Wolff's 'insurance policy' should Lewis Hamilton walk away from F1.
06:16, Thu, Jul 21, 2022
By Stuart Ballard
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed that Nyck de Vries will be given his chance to impress this weekend at the French Grand Prix by replacing Lewis Hamilton in the first practice session. De Vries was initially signed to McLaren's young driver programme back in 2010 before joining Mercedes as a reserve driver last year.
The 2019 F2 champion was tipped for a seat in F1 the following year, but ended up joining the Formula E Championship for Mercedes. He went on to win the Formula E Championship in just his second year and is now looking to make a name for himself in F1.
The 27-year-old made his F1 practice debut earlier this year when he replaced Alex Albon for FP1 at the Spanish Grand Prix. After De Vries' outing in Barcelona, the Dutchman was described as Wolff's "insurance policy" should Hamilton quit F1.
‘Toto Wolff's 'insurance policy'!’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-Wolff-F1-news
Wolff promises no let up in development as Mercedes' charge continues
20/07/2022, 12:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Toto Wolff has made clear that Mercedes will "keep chasing those final few tenths" by bringing more updates to their 2022 car as the season develops.
"The team worked miracles to have two complete race cars ready for the Sprint and Grand Prix. 27 points on Sunday were a good reward for that effort. "We scored three podiums in the first seven races, and we have now achieved four in the last four.
"I'm pleased with the momentum we are building, and it reflects the mammoth effort of the team. Our understanding of the W13 is growing with every lap and it's encouraging to see that reflected in our development and results."
‘Toto Wolff: No Let Up Promise’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-prom...arge-continues
Mercedes confirm French GP upgrades
Wednesday 20 July 2022 16:03
Ewan Gale
Toto Wolff has confirmed Mercedes will add more developments to the W13 at the French Grand Prix. There is no let up in Mercedes' quest to get back to winning ways, with further improvements to be made for the race at Paul Ricard this weekend.
Team principal Wolff explained: "While we were quicker in Austria, we still weren't quick enough to challenge at the front. "We need to keep chasing those final few tenths and bringing new developments to the cars, including this weekend in France."
"Paul Ricard is a very different track and challenge," added Wolff. "It has smooth tarmac and a wide range of corner types, along with long straights. The aim will be to make further inroads on the gap to the front and hopefully be back on the podium."
‘More W13 Developments’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87...prix-upgrades/
"I want to say we did it the right way." Inside the mind of Toto Wolff
He’s one of Formula 1's great thinkers, a hugely successful entrepreneur, and a charismatic leader, but who is Toto Wolff? The team principal of Mercedes-AMG Petronas sits down with Ben Winstanley to share his journey
Published: Wednesday 20th July 2022
by Ben Winstanley
Sometimes I feel like a football coach: there's a point where there's nothing more you can do and you have to leave it to the players on the pitch to get the job done
"I think that my 20-year background in finance has helped me to not only develop myself but also shape the team into the commercial operation that it is today. But I'm still learning. I'm 49 plus one, and I wonder where that trajectory takes me in the future."
It's a humbling and somewhat fearsome thought to consider the Wolff who's steered Mercedes to such heights may have room for growth, but it's indicative of a team that is not prepared to rest on their laurels – far from the perceived complacency some of Mercedes' detractors like to direct towards their rival.
‘I want to say we did it the right way’;
https://squaremile.com/sport/formula...eam-principal/
Toto Wolff unbothered by Mattia Binotto’s concern about FIA hiring ex-Mercedes advisor
Mohammed ben Sulayem has been forced to weather a few storms since his tenure as FIA president began in December.
by James Clifford
20 July 202220 July 2022
Shaila-Ann Rao, former special adviser to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, raised eyebrows when she was signed by the FIA as secretary general, leading to questions as to whether she could perform her tasks impartially. Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto conceded that he was ‘concerned’ by that development following the departure of Peter Bayer.
As for Rao, Wolff feels that she will do a splendid job in her new role. “I think my opinion about Shaila-Ann in terms of integrity and transparency, she is a lawyer, this is what she stands for and I think it is important.”
“We have had too many controversies in the past where things were not out in the open that should have been and she is a guarantee for that,” he added.
‘Toto Wolff unbothered by Mattia Binotto’s concern’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolf...cedes-advisor/
Toto Wolff finally speaks out on Mattia Binotto issue with FIA hiring ex-Mercedes advisor
TOTO WOLFF has spoken out on Mattia Binotto's concerns around F1 with the FIA's appointment of an ex-Mercedes advisor.
18:12, Wed, Jul 20, 2022
By Liam Llewellyn
Toto Wolff remained unmoved by Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto’s concerns about the FIA hiring a former Mercedes advisor. Shaila-Ann Rao, who once worked with the Austrian, has now been recruited by the FIA as their secretary general and many within the F1 world have questioned her ability to perform tasks fairly and impartially given her history with the Silver Arrows.
The Mercedes team principal is unphased by the mixed reaction to her appointment and believes his former employee will do a stellar job in her new role. “I think the FIA is getting there and we must not also forget that Mohammed needs to put his team in place and find his grip,” said Wolff.
“I think my opinion about Shaila-Ann in terms of integrity and transparency, she is a lawyer, this is what she stands for and I think it is important.We have had too many controversies in the past where things were not out in the open that should have been and she is a guarantee for that,” he added.
‘Toto Wolff remained unmoved by Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto’s concerns’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...dvisor-f1-news
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Alonso confident for French GP: I'm physically driving better than ever!
Alpine have also managed to draw even with McLaren as they battle for fourth in the Constructors' standings, and Alonso is looking forward to one of the team's home races at the upcoming French Grand Prix.
21/07/2022, 14:30
Author Anna Francis
With the Circuit Paul Ricard returning to the Formula 1 calendar in 2018 – Alonso's final season before he took a two-year hiatus from the sport – the two-time World Champion admits that he does not have that much experience of the track.
In the races that he has competed in there, Alonso has noticed that perfecting the car's set-up is particularly important. "It's a fun track and whilst I've raced at various French race circuits, I’ve only competed here twice before in Formula 1," he explained.
"It's a challenging circuit to get the car set-up right, with quite a few high-speed sections followed by various low- and medium-speed corners. We seemed quite competitive at various circuits this year, so hopefully we can keep this up at Paul Ricard."
‘EL PLAN: Fun Track Set-Up Importance’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-con...tter-than-ever
Hamilton: Alonso my toughest F1 opponent on ‘pure pace’
16:13 Thu, 21 Jul 2022
by Fergal Walsh
Lewis Hamilton says the most resilient opponent that he has faced during his career on “pure pace” is former McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso. This weekend, Hamilton will enter his 300th grand prix event, becoming just the sixth driver in F1 history to reach the milestone.
When asked in France who the toughest opponent he faced during his career was, he replied: “I think it’s difficult to say who has necessarily been my strongest competitor, because every time you’re with someone you’re in a different place of your life.
“I remember the task of being alongside Fernando when I was 22, you know, I was so young mentally and of course – OK in terms of skill – but it’s a lot of pressure to go up against a great like him. So I would say out of pure pace, I think I would say it’s Fernando, and ability. We had some good battles, I wish we could have more. Hopefully he will continue to race, and hopefully we will have more in the future.”
‘Fernando Hamilton: Alonso my toughest F1 opponent’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...-on-pure-pace/
Alonso glad to have avoided Kimi/Schumacher-style comeback
Date published: July 21 2022
Henry Valantine
Fernando Alonso said he is pleased at how he has been able to keep his speed up after returning to Formula 1, after alluding to his opinion that fellow World Champions Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen were “not the same as before” they left the sport for the first time.
Alonso said in an interview with The Race: “I know the first row [of the grid] is not the end of the world and I have been in that position a few times already, but it meant a lot because when you decide to come back, you need to put away a few things in life – family, friends again – and have full dedication for the job you do, travelling, the physical aspect, the mental aspect, everything and the pressure that you feel in your shoulders.”
“Because you are Fernando Alonso, and everyone will look at you if you are doing well.
“And I know that there were a couple of examples in the past that people were coming back, Kimi or Michael, that they were maybe… we all had the feeling that they were not the same as before. And I didn’t want that in my comeback.”
‘EL PLAN: Avoid Kimi/Schumacher-Style Comeback!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...cher-comeback/
‘What’s he adding to Formula 1?’ – Fernando Alonso interview
21/07/2022, 10:44
By Scott Mitchell
Fernando Alonso has started from the front row in Formula 1 38 times. The most recent occasion was a greater achievement than most and contrary to how he played it down at the time, it meant a lot to the two-time world champion.
Qualifying second in Canada was Alonso’s best grid position of his F1 comeback. It was also his first front row start in 10 years. The mostly wasted second half of Alonso’s F1 career is well-documented but even in that context, a decade’s wait just to start on the front row again seems like an age.
Alonso’s break from F1 in 2019 and 2020 had mixed results. He became a two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner and a World Endurance champion, failed to qualify for the 2019 Indianapolis 500 then finished a muted 21st a year later, and expanded his racing remit so widely he even made his Dakar Rally debut. But as he’s hinted at, Alonso’s results in the first year back in F1 should have already gone a long way to convincing doubters about the level he’d perform at.
‘EL PLAN: Front Row’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/whats...nso-interview/
Fernando Alonso: P4 in constructors' championship 'a nice target' for Alpine
21 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Fernando Alonso thinks that Alpine are "quite fast" heading into the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard, with the Spaniard hoping the French team can impress at their home race as they target P4 in the constructors' championship.
‘EL PLAN: P4’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...174179227.html
Fernando Alonso Wants Alpine to Hurry up and Focus All Resources on Next Year’s Car
21 Jul 2022, 09:07 UTC
by Sergiu Tudose
Alpine F1 Team is looking quite good at the moment. Some would argue they are the fourth-fastest team on the grid and time will tell whether McLaren will be able to do anything about that. However, Fernando Alonso believes his team’s long-term ambitions should outweigh this year’s results.
According to the Spaniard, it would be a mistake for Alpine to throw too much money at the current A522 race car, reports Motorsport, and used Mercedes as an example of what can happen when it comes to development.
“I don’t think it’s going to be that easy for us,” he said. “They [Mercedes] have a huge organization and we knew that they will come back sooner or later. For us, it’s more a medium/long-term program when we try to improve as much as they did. So, I think, for us, it’s a matter of starting next year’s car soon enough that we don’t compromise the next project.”
‘EL PLAN: Hurry up and Focus All Resources on Next Year’s Alpine Car’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/f...ar-194088.html
Fernando Alonso aiming for championship run in 2023, admits his future at Alpine is uncertain
Fernando Alonso is currently without a contract for 2023, and the Spaniard is expected to make a decision after the summer.
21 July 2022
by Nick Golding
With the A522 getting faster at each round, Alonso is keen for the team to continue developing the 2022 car ahead of the team’s home race. Alpine have previously explained that they are aiming to upgrade this year’s car until the season’s budget is completely spent, with the French-outfit wanting to secure fourth in the Constructors’.
However, Alonso thinks the time is right to start preparing next season’s car, whilst also continuing to upgrade the current model. With Alonso not believing a victory is possible this season, he wants the team to start working on 2023 now.
“Maybe it can be if other drivers are unlucky, but on our own? Difficult,” Alonso told NOS when asked if a podium finish is possible this season. “We are not fighting for wins and I don’t think it will get better any time soon. Fifth-placed finishes, like at Silverstone, that feels like winning to us. We are aiming for 2023. Then we need to have a better car.
‘EL PLAN: 2023 Contract’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-...-is-uncertain/
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F1 title momentum turns again; can McLaren hold on? Burning Questions.
Trends are also what McLaren is fighting at rival Alpine’s home track. The French team has been chipping away confidently at Woking’s place on the title table, and it now has the chance to take fourth outright in front of its home crowd in what would be a real blow to the British team in a difficult season.
July 21st, 2022 11:01 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
McLaren has been losing points to Alpine in the battle for fourth in the constructors standings since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when Fernando Alonso stubbornly held up both drivers in a typical elbow-defence to take the flag first among them. The gap had been 19 points before that. Ahead of the French Grand Prix the two teams are level, and Alpine is the squad on the move.
But being in the mix is McLaren’s problem. While Lando Norris is consistently getting the most out of the car, often that’s only enough to scrape into the points. Ricciardo’s low races have cost the team, but the car’s inconsistency has been what’s really hampered the points tally.
Ocon leads Alonso by 23 points in the standings, and though the Spaniard somewhat laughably suggested after Austria that he’d lost as many as 70 points through misfortune this season, the real number is probably in the still significant 40-point ballpark, accounting even for the points that Daniel Ricciardo should’ve scored at the races his McLaren was in the mix.
‘McLaren Losing Points and Momentum’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...70f6183681abb2
McLaren’s two key weaknesses and the challenge of fixing them
Jul 20 2022
By Scott Mitchell
Two key weaknesses with McLaren’s 2022 Formula 1 car are contributing to its fluctuating form this season and the team needs time to bring the improvements technical director James Key says are “abundantly clear”.
McLaren F1 technical director Key told The Race that rather than struggling to put the car in a good performance window, there have been specific situations where two weaknesses are being exposed. “When we’ve shown strong performance, it’s been real,” Key said. “It hasn’t been a freak event. But equally we have weak performances as well.”
“It’s more a case of having circuits which play to our strengths, but it’s not always anticipated. Monaco was far stronger than we thought. And I thought Barcelona would be quicker than Monaco was. I expected to be a lot better in Canada than we were. It’s definitely a bit of a rollercoaster but the good things, the high points scoring we’ve had in Australia and Imola and Monaco and so on, it’s not a fluke, it’s the performance of the car shining through on those tracks.”
‘McLaren’s Challenge Fixing Weaknesses’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/mclar...f-fixing-them/
Who Ricciardo was targeting with statement on his F1 future.
Daniel Ricciardo says the statement he released last week stressing he is “committed to McLaren until the end of next year and not walking away from” Formula 1 was partly motivated by wanting to reassure staff at the factory that he will still be there in 2023.
21/07/2022, 19:33
By Edd Straw
The Race
Team boss Zak Brown said in May that “mechanisms” existed in the contract that could allow it to end early, but The Race understands that Ricciardo is in control of these. Therefore, if McLaren were to replace Ricciardo it would need to be by agreement and, presumably, a significant pay-off.
Ricciardo said he issued the statement on social media last week so that people could hear “from the horse’s mouth” that he has no intention of walking away. As well as the wider world, he said this was aimed at McLaren colleagues based at the factory who he doesn’t see on a regular basis.
“There was a lot of noise, the rumours, people questioning and coming up with their own answers, and it was just kind of building,” said Ricciardo when asked why he released the statement.
‘Daniel Ricciardo: Motivated by wanting to reassure staff’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/who-r...his-f1-future/
Lando Norris hoping that small McLaren upgrade 'can work well'
21 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Lando Norris is hoping that a small McLaren upgrade for this weekend's 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix at Circuit Paul Ricard "can work well."
‘Small McLaren Upgrade’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...320092552.html
‘Research and bravery’ as McLaren contemplate changes for 2023
Date published: July 21 2022
Michelle Foster
McLaren technical director James Key has spoken of research and the bravery to follow through when it comes to improving their F1 car ahead of next year’s championship.
2022 has been a mixed season for McLaren with the car carrying notable weaknesses such as a sensitivity to track temperature and drag levels.
But as Key put it to The Race: “When we’ve shown strong performance, it’s been real. It hasn’t been a freak event. But equally we have weak performances as well.” The team intends on addressing those weaknesses with next year’s MCL37.
‘MCL37 Next Year For Improvement’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclare...-2023-changes/
McLaren boss Zak Brown discusses replacing Daniel Ricciardo with IndyCar ace Colton Herta.
13:48, 21 Jul 2022
By Daniel Moxon F1 Writer
The Australian's future with McLaren is in doubt amid his struggle to find consistent form, with IndyCar driver Herta considered a potential replacement after a successful test. McLaren chief Zak Brown has discussed the prospect of signing IndyCar star Colton Herta amid speculation over the future of Daniel Ricciardo.
The American was given the chance to drive the team's 2021 Formula 1 car in a test at Portimao last week. Herta said afterwards that it was "a lot of fun" and "really special", before adding that he felt he was fast enough to achieve his F1 dream.
And reports suggested that McLaren were also pleased with what they saw. As a result, speculation suggests Herta will be near the front of the queue if the team decides to replace Ricciardo.
‘Zak Brown discusses Colton Herta at McLaren’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...brown-27541392
‘There’s unfinished business’ – Why Daniel Ricciardo looks like a man on a mission ahead of the French Grand Prix
21 July 2022
Senior Editor Greg Stuart
Daniel Ricciardo loves his mixed martial arts. And walking into the paddock at the Circuit Paul Ricard on Thursday, the Australian had the look of a man stepping into the Octagon – a steely resolve behind that ever-present smile.
Every Formula 1 driver creates a certain amount of noise in both the media and the darker recesses of the internet. But the noise surrounding Ricciardo – and his future at McLaren – has been building up to a cacophony of ‘UFC walkout song’ proportions in recent weeks.
“I’m basically not backing down from any challenges,” he concludes. “Obviously we’ve faced a few over the 18 months and all of that sort of stuff. But simply this” – and here you can detect a shimmer of emotion ripple through Ricciardo – “I would love to swear if I could – but this stuff means a lot to me.”
‘Daniel Ricciardo Not Backing Down’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...lS6l1kmfv.html
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Aston Martin boss comments on Sebastian Vettel’s activism, insists they don’t have a ‘Plan B’.
It’s rumoured that the German driver will make his decision on whether to retire or not during the summer break, which takes place after next weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
21 July 2022
by Nick Golding
Sebastian Vettel is without a contract at Aston Martin beyond the end of 2022. Krack is insistent, though, that they aren’t “talking” about potential replacements for Vettel, with the team wanting the German to stay in 2023.
“We’re not talking about potential successors,” he insisted. “Neither with him nor with others. “We want Sebastian to stay with us.”
The Aston Martin boss has explained that the team have a “very good relationship” with the 53-time race winner, and that the German knows how much the team wants him to stay next season.
‘No Plan B’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/aston-mar...have-a-plan-b/
Sebastian Vettel hopes Aston Martin upgrades 'will help us solve the puzzle'
21 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Sebastian Vettel hopes that Aston Martin's upgrades for the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix will help the team "solve the puzzle" as they try to improve their car's performance.
‘Solving the Puzzle’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...399999431.html
VETTEL CONFIDENT IN ASTON MARTIN COMEBACK WITH INCOMING UPGRADES
Aston Martin have endured a tough 2022 campaign.
19:39 Thu, 21 Jul 2022.
Jay Winter
Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel believes his team will bounce back from their poor start to the 2022 season in the following races after revealing that “another set of parts” will upgrade the AMR22.
Der Plan: Vettel opened up on the tough start to the year and how it didn’t go as planned. “Well, [there are] new regulations this year in 2022 and for everybody, it was an opportunity to sort of get to the front,” he said.
“I think we’ve worked really hard. As it turned out, we were not quite where we wanted to be to start with. But I think so far the team has done incredibly well to try and turn things around as much as possible. We’ll have another set of parts coming in the next races and I think we are headed in the right direction.”
‘DER PLAN: BOUNCE BACK BELIEF’;
https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1...bastian+Vettel
Vettel has 'clear intention to keep going', shuts down rumors
21/07/2022 at 19:03
Phillip van Osten
Sebastian Vettel confirmed ahead of this weekend's French Grand Prix his "clear intention" of remaining in F1 next season with Aston Martin. There's recently been speculation around Vettel's F1 future, with the gossip pointing to an exit from the sport at the end of the year on the back of a disappointing season.
But Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack said in Austria that team and driver were holding positive talks that he hoped would come to fruition after F1's summer break. Vettel echoed Krack's comments.
"I'm racing this weekend, and the next one," he told the media in France on Thursday. "Obviously I've said that at some point, we will start to talk. I'm talking to the team. I think there's a clear intention to keep going, and we'll see soon where we stand."
‘Der Plan: Keep Going’;
https://f1i.com/news/448653-vettel-h...wn-rumors.html
Vettel shrugs off retirement talk at French Grand Prix
Issued on: 21/07/2022 - 18:52Modified: 21/07/2022 - 18:50
France 24.
Le Castellet (France) (AFP) – Sebastian Vettel on Thursday dismissed speculation about his future and declared he hopes to continue racing in Formula One and is talking to Aston Martin about staying.
He said the flat and relatively featureless Le Castellet circuit, built on a hot dry plateau of brushland 20 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean east of Marseille, was "what it is… not the most exciting track in the world. "But it is still quite challenging and technically demanding."
"I am racing this weekend and the next one," he responded, when questioned about his plans. "Obviously, I've said that at some point, we will start to talk. I'm talking to the team. I think there's a clear intention to keep going and we'll see soon where we stand."
‘Der Plan: Shrug off retirement talk’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...nch-grand-prix
Sebastian Vettel: the F1 'hypocrite' who won't be silenced
Date 20.07.2022
Author Thomas Klein
'Save the bees' That Formula 1 isn't the most environmentally friendly of sports comes as no surprise. But perhaps the fact that one of its most prominent drivers has become an environmental activist is.
At the last race, the Austrian Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel sported a helmet with a special yellow, orange and black design and the slogan: "Save the bees." The 35-year-old is involved in a project that works to protect the species. A few weeks earlier, he drew attention to the way oil is extracted from the Athabasca tar sands in western Canada.
'Then I'm just a hypocrite': However, despite his high-minded words of protest, Vettel remains part of a racing series that has stated its intention to become climate neutral by 2030, but still generates thousands of tons of carbon dioxide. This point wasn't lost on Alberta's environment minister, Sonya Savage. "I have seen a lot of hypocrisy over the years, but this one takes the cake," Savage tweeted in response to Vettel's criticism. "A race car driver sponsored by Aston Martin, with financing from Saudi Aramco, complaining about the oil sands."
‘Save the Bees’;
https://www.dw.com/en/sebastian-vett...ced/a-62527694
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Steiner sets ambitious target for Haas after recent points finishes.
Haas head to the Circuit Paul Ricard off the back of consecutive double-points finishes, including a season-best haul of 14 points at the Austrian Grand Prix.
21/07/2022, 09:30
Author Luke Murphy
Guenther Steiner is hopeful that Haas' recent points-scoring streak will help propel them towards better results in the second half of the season. However, looking ahead to the French GP, Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner warned the outfit against assuming points will be easier to come by.
"I'm very happy about it [the previous results] but I'm very happy about it for the team because I've told them that they need to believe in themselves because we've done it before and we will do it again, and we have, so it's a very good result," said Steiner.
"I think we have to be careful about getting too overenthusiastic for the next races, so we're not thinking that this will keep continuing easily – this is very hard work from a lot of people. We will do the best we can and hopefully we can get some more points and have quite a relaxed summer break."
‘Guenther Steiner: Better Results Hopeful’;
https://racingnews365.com/steiner-se...oints-finishes
Haas updates will be for lap time, not ‘publicity’
Date published: July 20 2022
Michelle Foster
Reiterating that Haas will be “careful” updating their VF-22, Guenther Steiner sees no reason to throw bits on the car for “publicity”. Haas are the only team yet to upgrade their 2022 challenger, the team racing the same car that was on track for the final day of pre-season testing in March. But you would not have thought so given their recent results.
Back-to-back double points hauls at the Austrian and British Grands Prix have seen the team climb to seventh in the Constructors’ Championship with 34 points, seven ahead of AlphaTauri. Haas, though, will not be holding off on the updates for much longer.
The first batch – which some reports claim will also be the only round of updates – will be introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix. “That’s the aim,” Steiner told GPFans. “Hopefully we will get what we expect from them. I’m always careful with upgrades whatever we do, so I won’t say how much we will go faster. But if we go faster that will help, and hopefully we can fight even harder.”
‘VF-22: Careful Updating’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-u...ting-lap-time/
2022 rules mean upgrades no longer so powerful
07:21 Thu, 21 Jul
ANDREW MAITLAND
Grandpx.news
Formula 1’s new regulations are succeeding in helping the smaller teams to fight their most powerful rivals. That is the view of Gunther Steiner, boss of the small American outfit Haas.
Team driver Kevin Magnussen agrees: “For a while, that gave us more progress than any new part. But now the land gains are getting smaller. That’s why an update is now coming at Haas, and Steiner thinks it will be worth “more than two tenths. We wouldn’t have put in the effort for less than that,” he said.
Therefore, while championing the budget cap, Steiner also praises the new ground-effect technical regulations that came into force this season. “I think it is a bit harder than it was in the old days, because the upgrades people brought have not been as big as they were years ago,” he said. “It’s much more difficult to find performance with these technical regulations than it was before. So we have also to say these technical regulations are pretty good.”
‘Gunther Steiner: Regulations Helping Smaller Teams’;
https://grandpx.news/2022-rules-mean...r-so-powerful/
Haas: Schumacher gains came amid 'unrest from outsiders'
21/07/2022 at 08:32
Michael Delaney
Haas team boss Guenther Steiner says Mick Schumacher's timely upswing in form came at a time when "unrest" incited by outsiders threatened the young German. Schumacher's early season track record, marked by mistakes and two big crashes, put a black cloud over the 23-year-old's F1 prospects.
It was a timely turnaround for the Ferrari protégé, and one that was executed as team and driver remained calm in the face of Schumacher's difficulties. But also against a backdrop of "unrest" stirred by outsiders according to Steiner.
"That was the aim, to bring that calm in," Steiner told Motorsport.com. "The nice thing is that the calm has come exactly where outsiders have tried to bring in unrest. I wouldn't say that's a satisfaction, but we worked towards the goal of Mick being successful and going fast. We have achieved that. I'm pleased about that."
‘Haas Calm Successful’;
https://f1i.com/news/448540-haas-sch...outsiders.html
Magnussen to keep Haas seat in 2023 – Steiner
JULY 20, 2022
ANDREW MAITLAND
There is better news for Magnussen, however, confirming: “Yes, Kevin has a multi-year contract. “We are making progress and have shown what we can do and logically we need the best possible drivers in our cars in order to finish in the points to get to the top,” Steiner added.
Formula 1 is in France this weekend, but insiders are not expecting Paul Ricard to be on next year’s calendar. “We would love to keep all the races,” Steiner told the German broadcaster ntv, “but that can’t happen.”
It is reported that FIA officials are in Kyalami this week to approve the former grand prix circuit for a new event in South Africa. “We have to make sure that things continue commercially and bring the sport to countries where it hasn’t been for a long time,” Steiner said.
‘Kevin has a multi-year contract’;
https://grandpx.news/magnussen-to-ke...-2023-steiner/
Guenther Steiner provides update on Mick Schumacher’s future as contract decision is ‘imminent’
21 July 2022
by Rob Kershaw
Mick Schumacher is out of contract at Haas at the end of this season. Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has reassured that it will not be long before we learn about the future of Mick Schumacher.
“Mick is very lucky to have a teammate like Kevin, he’s in a much better spot than last year,” said Steiner in the Red Bulletin ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. Schumacher’s recent form has been tremendous, out-performing his team-mate in Silverstone and Spielberg and scoring points in the process, ending his barren spell of 31 race entries without a point.
“Let’s wait for the two weeks and then a decision will be made,” he added. Magnussen was signed onto a multi-year contract at Haas when he re-signed, and his five points finishes this season have fully justified his return. Steiner confirmed that the Roskilde-born driver will be sticking around.
‘Mick Schumacher’s contract decision ‘imminent’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/guenther-...n-is-imminent/
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Leclerc heads Verstappen in opening French GP session.
Leclerc set a time of 1:33.930s to finish 0.091s up on title rival Max Verstappen in hot and sunny conditions on Friday afternoon.
15th July 2022.
by Phillip Horton
Carlos Sainz was third for Ferrari, three-tenths down, as he prepares to take a grid drop for Sunday’s race. George Russell was fourth-fastest for Mercedes but faced a deficit of almost a second to pacesetter Leclerc.
Pierre Gasly was an encouraging fifth for AlphaTauri as the team’s heavily upgraded AT03 made its on-track debut.
Sergio Perez had a scruffy session, spinning through Turn 3, before having to pit after a visor tear-off lodged in the right-rear of the car. Perez recovered to wind up sixth overall, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in the updated MCL36, while Williams’ Alexander Albon was a surprising eighth.
‘Charles Leclerc Fastest’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...ch-gp-session/
F1 2022 French Grand Prix - Free Practice Results (1)
22 Jul 2022
Connor McDonagh
2022 F1 French Grand Prix - FREE PRACTICE RESULTS (1)
Pos Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Charles Leclerc MON Scuderia Ferrari 1m33.930s
2 Max Verstappen NED Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m34.021s
3 Carlos Sainz ESP Scuderia Ferrari 1m34.268s
4 George Russell GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team 1m34.881s
5 Pierre Gasly FRA Scuderia AlphaTauri 1m34.979s
6 Sergio Perez MEX Oracle Red Bull Racing 1m35.174s
7 Lando Norris GBR McLaren F1 Team 1m35.232s
8 Alexander Albon THA Williams Racing 1m35.414s
9 Nyck de Vries NED Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team 1m35.426s
10 Daniel Ricciardo AUS McLaren F1 Team 1m35.660s
Results from the first practice session at the F1 French Grand Prix, Round 12 of the 2022 Formula 1 world championship;
https://www.crash.net/f1/results/100...tice-results-1
Leclerc edges out Verstappen as French GP weekend begins
22 July 14:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Baking hot temperatures greeted the drivers for the opening 60-minute session at the Circuit Paul Ricard, with tyre degradation expected to play a crucial role throughout the weekend.
It was the Soft compound that Ferrari driver Leclerc used to post the benchmark FP1 time of 1:33.930, putting him 0.091s clear of Red Bull rival Verstappen.
However, reigning World Champion Verstappen seemingly lost a chunk of time during his best lap, having run wildly wide at Turn 11 after going purple through the first two sectors.
‘Leclerc edges out Verstappen’;
https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-ed...weekend-begins
Sainz set to take 10-place grid penalty at French GP
15/07/2022, 14:11
TSN.ca Staff
Carlos Sainz will be facing a tough road victory at the French Grand Prix. The Ferrari driver is set to take a 10-place grid penalty on Sunday after he exceeded his allocation of control electronics, Formula One announced Friday.
BREAKING: Ferrari's Carlos Sainz is set to take a grid penalty
He'll currently take a 10-place grid drop after he exceeded his allocation of control electronics#FrenchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/aafjRgy04u
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 22, 2022
Sainz was third fastest in the opening practice ahead of the race on Friday, behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who led the session, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
‘10-place grid penalty’;
https://www.tsn.ca/carlos-sainz-ferr...prix-1.1828143
2022 French GP FP1: Pérez flat spots his tyres in big Turn 4 spin
22 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Sergio Pérez spins at Turn 4 of Circuit Paul Ricard during first practice at the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix, which flat spots the tyres on his Red Bull.
‘Sergio Pérez flat spots his tyres’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...144925358.html
What happened in first French Grand Prix F1 practice
15/07/2022, 14:22
By Josh Suttill
Charles Leclerc edged his Formula 1 title rival Max Verstappen by 0.091s to top the opening practice session at the French Grand Prix. Key moments
• Leclerc 0.091s faster than Verstappen
• Sainz third but has grid penalty
• Scrappy session leaves Perez sixth
• De Vries and Kubica have second FP1 outings of the year
As customary in 2022, the Ferraris and Red Bulls traded places at the top of the order with Austrian GP winner Leclerc going quickest with just under 15 minutes of the one hour session remaining.
‘As It Happened!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-...x-f1-practice/
Leclerc narrowly leads Verstappen as practice begins at Paul Ricard
2022 French Grand Prix first practice
Posted on 22nd July 2022, 14:23
Written by Will Wood
The skies over Le Castellet were as blue as the abrasive runoff strips on the perimeter of the Paul Ricard circuit as drivers headed out for the first time in the weekend. Air temperatures were only just under 30C, while the track was a toasty 56C.
Red Bull set the early pace in the session, with Verstappen’s 1’34.991 fastest of all, half a second quicker than team mate Sergio Perez. While looking to improve on his best personal time, Perez lost control of his car at the apex of turn three, looping his car around and over the blue run off strips outside of turn four. Fortunately for Perez, he managed to continue back into the pits.
Charles Leclerc set the early pace around a hot Paul Ricard circuit in the opening practice session for the French Grand Prix weekend. The Ferrari driver’s best time of a 1’33.930 was just under a tenth faster than championship leader Max Verstappen, with Carlos Sainz Jnr third fastest.
‘FP1: The track was a toasty 56C’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/22/...t-paul-ricard/
