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Record-breaker Alonso says he played French GP 'like a chess game' on way to P6.
Sunday’s French Grand Prix was a memorable one for Fernando Alonso: not only did he finish sixth at his Alpine team's home Grand Prix, but the Spaniard also broke the record for the most laps completed in Formula 1 history.
25 July 2022
Formula 1.
Alonso started the race in seventh but made one of his traditional fast getaways when the lights went out, jumping Lando Norris and George Russell to climb to fifth. And while he couldn’t keep Russell behind for long, the Spaniard was able to come home sixth and comfortably clear of Norris, which he felt was the best he could have hoped for.
“I’m very happy!” said Alonso. “I think the start was mega, from seventh to fifth – some risky moves there, then good tyre management. I think P6 was the maximum today. The tyres were acting better than we expected, so we did have to manage but not as much as we thought. I am pleased with our race today. It was well-executed from our side, and we managed the pace and tyres well.
“We had to work through a lot of things in terms of the car balance this weekend, but we ended up finishing just behind the top-five positions, so a very solid race in the end and more points on the board for us. It shows that when we have a clean weekend like this one, then we can finish in the top-six positions,” he added. “Hopefully we can keep up this level of consistency throughout the second half of the season and continue our momentum.”
‘Fernando Alonso: French GP 'chess game' to P6’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...T52D3eusb.html
Alonso calls top six finish a 'good surprise' for Alpine
25/07/2022, 09:15
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
With concerns that Alpine's long run pace might be lacking, Fernando Alonso was pleasantly surprised to comfortably finish in the top six at Paul Ricard. Fernando Alonso says his Alpine's pace in Sunday's French Grand Prix was a "good surprise", as he had a solid run to sixth at the flag.
Despite reservations over Alpine's long run pace before the race, points for Alonso and teammate Esteban Ocon at Paul Ricard saw the French squad move into fourth in the Constructors' Championship, ahead of McLaren, and the Spaniard said he was pleased with his afternoon's work.
"It was a well-executed race from our side," Alonso told media including RacingNews365.com. "We were very concerned at the beginning of the weekend that our pace was not great, but we ended up just behind the top three teams, like our normal position so far this year.”
‘Alpine Surprises Good’;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-cal...ise-for-alpine
Alonso: Strong start 'crucial' to beating McLarens in French GP
25/07/2022 at 09:41
Phillip van Osten
"The start was crucial probably to get in front of Lando," said the Spaniard. "I think they have very similar pace, but to be in front of them in the first couple of laps was enough to control the race and to control the pace.”
"We were not in a stress at any point, so it was good. Well executed race." As Alonso's race engineer kept him informed of the gap between himself and the McLaren pair of Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, the Spaniard mischievously encouraged his rivals to up the pace, suggesting it would ruin their tyres.
"I wish I could challenge the Mercedes in front of us or Checo, but that was not our league," he said. "So from that moment it was just to control them [the McLarens], and if they get closer to us probably they will damage the tyres."
‘Fernando Alonso: Strong start 'crucial' ’;
https://f1i.com/news/449325-alonso-s...french-gp.html
Esteban Ocon: French GP was 'a good race' for Alpine
24 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Esteban Ocon, who finished P10 at Circuit Paul Ricard, says that the 2022 Formula 1 French Grand Prix was "a good race" for Alpine as the team overtook midfield rivals McLaren in the constructors' standings with a strong points haul.
‘Good Race for Alpine’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...116773278.html
Norris not falling for Alonso’s ‘mind games’ after pace claim
Date published: July 23 2022
Sam Cooper
Lando Norris was refusing to be sucked in by Fernando Alonso’s “mind games” and said he “doesn’t believe a word he says.” There may be 18 years of age difference between the two drivers but Norris has been around Alonso enough to know that the Spaniard is not afraid to pull some tricks in the media.
The Alpine driver arrived in the media pen before Norris following qualifying of the French Grand Prix and said he would have to see if the team had sacrificed race pace in order for an improved performance on the Saturday.
Norris, who will start two places ahead of Alonso in P5, was not buying it and remarked that the two-time World Champion was playing “mind games. Oh that’s Fernando,” he told F1.com. “He’s playing mind games with you. He knew I was coming here [the media pen] after. I don’t believe a word he says.”
‘EL PLAN: Alonso’s ‘mind games’ ’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...so-mind-games/
Alpine boss expects Alonso and Piastri to be on 2023 F1 grid
23/07/2022 at 14:54
Michael Delaney
Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi is confident that incumbent Fernando Alonso and reserve driver Oscar Piastri will both be racing in F1 next year, although not in the same team.
Esteban Ocon is committed to the Enstone squad until the end of 2024, but Alonso's contract with Alpine runs out at the end of this year.
However, both team and driver have expressed a desire to extend their collaboration, but a status quo would inevitably leave the highly-rated Piastri as the off man out in 2023.
‘On 2023 F1 Grid’;
https://f1i.com/news/448936-alpine-b...3-f1-grid.html
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McLaren qualifying speed papering over cracks – Norris.
Lando Norris has suggested McLaren's qualifying pace has hidden a lot of the MCL36's deficiencies this season after falling back during the French Grand Prix.
Monday 25 July 2022 12:40
Ewan Gale
The British driver qualified a magnificent fifth to split Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell at the Paul Ricard Circuit. Put to Norris that his suggestion of improved qualifying pace would help at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix where overtaking is difficult, he replied: "Yeah, it's true, for certain tracks.
Addressing his start, Norris said: "I had a bit of wheelspin but I don't think it changed our race in any way. Fernando would still have passed me. "I think we achieved everything we could have done, frustrating because after qualifying our hopes were pushed up a little bit.
"I think it was more because we did a very, very good lap and to be in the middle of the two Mercedes, they showed they can almost race for a win. It shows there are differences between people's pace in quali and races and for whatever reason, we maybe show a bit more pace in quali - the new tyres and low fuel hides a lot of our issues and problems. As soon as we get into high fuel, old tyres, all those issues are exposed, and we're just quite slow."
‘Papering Over Cracks’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87...-lando-norris/
Lando Norris laments “tough day” at the French Grand Prix: “We weren’t as quick as we needed to be”
July 25, 2022
By Ashley Cline
McLaren F1 Team’s Lando Norris struggled with a lack of pace and high tyre degradation at the French Grand Prix, and was ultimately unable to build from his fifth place starting position and ultimately finished in seventh. With the team finding themselves in a performance deficit to their nearest competitors recently, Norris “expected” to have trouble battling for the sharp end of the points.
“Tough day but I think it was what we expected. It was a long race and we struggled a little bit with the degradation of the tyre but also just with the pure pace. We weren’t as quick as we needed to be, so yeah, just tough but I won’t say disappointed. It’s sort of what we were expecting, so not a surprise.”
Norris said that the team will look to make the most of the upgrades they brought to France at the next race weekend in Hungary, as they are motivated to improve upon their current standing as summer break nears. “We’ll keep pushing, keep trying to improve, and we’ll go again next weekend. Thanks again to all the team here and at the factory for their efforts.”
‘Lando Norris: “Tough Day” at the French Grand Prix’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-needed-to-be/
Norris takes a 'lot of positives' from France despite Alpine edging ahead of McLaren in the championship
25 July 2022
Formula 1.
Lando Norris had put in what he called a “very, very good lap” in qualifying to seal P5 on the grid and split the two Mercedes cars. But the youngster had indicated he would struggle to stay there in the race and so it proved, as he lost out to both George Russell and Fernando Alonso to come home a still solid seventh.
In France, McLaren were running a raft of new upgrades, which helped Norris to extract the absolute maximum from his MCL36 on Saturday over one lap. But he wasn’t able to replicate that feeling during the race, although he was still pleased with the progress the team had made.
“I think there’s still a lot of positives – it’s helped the car, it’s moved it in the right direction,” he said. “Some of those improvements in balance that I seemed to have for yesterday, I lost today and went away from me, and I just didn’t have the same confidence in the car. Good work by the team; we’d have been a lot slower if we didn’t have [the upgrades].”
‘Lando Norris: 'Lot of Positives' ’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...pvSdiT14z.html
Norris praises McLaren for keeping 'much quicker' Alpine behind until now
25 July 12:15
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Co-author Aaron Deckers
McLaren fell behind Alpine in the race for fourth position in the Constructors' standings after both teams logged double points finishes at the French Grand Prix. As the 2022 season develops, Norris noted the importance of bringing upgrades if McLaren are to stay in the fight for P4.
"We'll look into all the updates and see what we did," Norris told media, including RacingNews365.com. "I think a lot of them were positive. I think we would have been even slower [in the race] and in an even worse position [in qualifying] if we didn't have the updates, so I think it's a lot of positives and we move forward.
"Alpine have been much quicker than us all season, they've just made a lot more mistakes, and we've done a very good job with a lot of things to be ahead. Now, being behind them is more realistic, and where we deserve to be with the car."
‘McLaren being behind Alpine is "more realistic" ‘;
https://racingnews365.com/norris-pra...hind-until-now
Aussie F1 star Daniel Ricciardo gets his Italian wrong and calls teammate Lando Norris a VERY rude name four times while interviewer desperately tries to correct him
• Ricciardo called Norris a 'sh**head' in a hilarious post-race interview
• He mixed up his Italian words, with interviewer explaining his mistake
• Aussie finished ninth with Norris seventh in a solid French GP for McLaren
• Ricciardo also cracked up a commentator up with his description of a sandwich
By KRISTY WILLIAMS FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
PUBLISHED: 05:32, 25 July 2022
Daniel Ricciardo did nothing to hose down speculation there's tension between him and Lando Norris when he hilariously called his McLaren teammate a 'sh**head' by accident when he got his Italian wrong following the French Grand Prix.
‘Interviewer desperately tries to correct Daniel Ricciardo’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...do-Norris.html
Ricciardo cusses Norris four times in Italian in amusing interview blunder
Monday 25 July 2022 10:25 - Updated: 10:26
Ronan Murphy
Daniel Ricciardo made a hilarious - but offensive - blunder on Italian television after McLaren secured a double-points finish at the French Grand Prix. Ricciardo, whose father is Sicilian, was being interviewed in Italian following his ninth-place finish at the Circuit Paul Ricard when he called Lando Norris a 'stronzo.'
Ricciardo said "Lando, il stronzo" before the Italian TV host interjected to tell him that the term was a bad word in Italian. Stronzo roughly translates to 's***head' or 'a**hole' and is considered a swear word in Italian.
Ricciardo repeated the word on three further occasions. When the reporter pointed out his mistake, the Australian driver replied in English "Is it not a good word? Okay, scusa."
‘Interview Blunder’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87...rview-blunder/
Ricciardo mistakingly labels team-mate Norris an ‘a**hole’
Date published: July 25 2022
Sam Cooper
Daniel Ricciardo may not be quite as fluent in Italian as he thinks he is after calling his own team-mate Lando Norris an “a**hole”. With both drivers being among the most fun-loving off track, this season alone we have been treated to incidents like Ricciardo smacking Norris in the face with a space hopper at Silverstone. However, Norris may not appreciate being called an “a**hole” four times live on national TV.
Speaking to the Italian media following the race at Paul Ricard, Ricciardo noticed his team-mate behind him waiting for his turn to speak. With a smile, Ricciardo told the reporter Norris was a “stronzo, The reporter then acted rather shocked and said “no, no”.
Ricciardo looked a little taken aback and then said “un stronzo, no?” before saying it again another two times. Perhaps realising his mistake, Ricciardo switched back to his native English and asked “is it not a good word?” before the reporter told him no, it very much is not. It turns out the 33-year-old had labelled his team-mate an “a**hole” and when he asked if it was really bad, the reporter said it was “more bad than good”.
‘Italian Reporter: More bad than good!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/daniel...orris-asshole/
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Villeneuve: Ferrari and Leclerc best example how not to win a championship.
Jacques Villeneuve slammed Ferrari and Charles Leclerc after the 2022 French Grand Prix, claiming what they are doing is the best example how not to win the Formula 1 Championship.
Jad Mallak
26 July, 2022
“The race was good, but could have been so much better,” Villeneuve said of the missed fight in his formule1.nl column. “With the tremendous heat levels, we had all the ingredients for a great fight. “Leclerc and Verstappen had the same pace, but Leclerc went and made another mistake that he should not have made. He admits it himself, this kind of thing means he doesn’t deserve the championship.
“I don’t get it either, in Austria he withstood the pressure just fine,” a bewildered Villeneuve wrote. “That is the big difference with Verstappen, this does not happen to him. And if he is beaten by Leclerc, he often finishes second, so the huge gap is not going to shrink quickly. “And so we have a championship with two more or less equal cars, but where one has a big lead. This is the best example of how not to win a championship,” the Canadian claimed.
Ferrari didn’t manage Carlos Sainz’s race properly. “Sainz was unhappy yesterday,” Villeneuve said. “First things went wrong during his pit stop, then there was the penalty he got after that, which I think they should have redeemed afterwards. Sainz made a really brilliant move on Pérez and still seemed to have the speed to pull away,” the 1997 F1 Champion pointed out. “They then acted hesitantly at the pit wall at Ferrari and that costs Sainz points.”
‘How not to win a Championship’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07...-championship/
JV: Leclerc setting ‘best example’ of how not to win title
Date published: July 26 2022
Jamie Woodhouse
1997 champ Jacques Villeneuve says Charles Leclerc is setting the prime example of how a title challenge fades away. Villeneuve pointed out that Verstappen does not make these kinds of mistakes like Leclerc, who also spun at Imola earlier in the season as he harried Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull.
“The race was good, but could have been so much better,” Villeneuve wrote in his Formule1.nl column. “With the enormous heat, we had all the ingredients for a great fight. Leclerc and Verstappen were on the same pace, only Leclerc makes another mistake he shouldn’t make. He admits it himself, he doesn’t deserve the Championship this way. I don’t get it either, in Austria he withstood the pressure perfectly.”
‘Title challenge fades away’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/jacque...-france-error/
Charles Leclerc consoled by stewards after French Grand Prix crash in new footage.
18:23, 25 JUL 2022
BY Andrew Gamble Sports Trends Writer
Charles Leclerc's faltering title bid hit another roadblock at the French Grand Prix after the Ferrari star crashed out of the race, allowing rival Max Verstappen to cruise to victory. Ferrari star Charles Leclerc had to be consoled by race stewards after he made a crucial error to crash out of the lead of the French Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old extended his lead to more than a second to prevent Verstappen from being able to use the DRS overtaking ability, ensuring his lead was fairly comfortable. It meant the Red Bull was forced to come in first, pitting on lap 16. Leclerc stayed out and the question arose whether he would retain his lead once he came into the pits, but he perhaps should have come in earlier. Less than two laps later, the Ferrari spun out at the demanding corner after the long Mistral straight and the Signes curve, which should be taken at full speed.
Leclerc spun across the run-off area before slamming his Ferrari’s nose into the barriers. He tried to reverse out but couldn't, and let out a frustrated scream: “No!” The Ferrari man exited his car as stewards arrived on the scene, and the attendants actually helped console Leclerc as the gravity of his error seemingly began to dawn on him. While crouched on the floor, a steward had his arm around Leclerc’s shoulders in an attempt to cheer him up.
‘Charles Leclerc consoled by stewards after French Grand Prix crash’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1...rench-27573943
RED MIST: 2022 – The year Ferrari won the title for Max
25 July, 2022
Michele Lupini
The 2022 French Grand Prix was brilliant for the Tifosi, with Charles Leclerc vigorously defending from the relentless Max Verstappen. Until lap 18, that is.
Just 24 hours earlier, Carlos Sainz had towed Charles Leclerc to an epic tactical pole position. And then for the initial seventeen race laps, Leclerc gradually wore Max Verstappen down to submission.
Ferrari forced Red Bull into an earlier stop and Leclerc looked content to keep on pumping away on those mediums. Hold that thought: Mediums. Then it all fell apart. Kudos to Charles on taking (another) one for the team.
“I think it’s just a mistake,” Leclerc admitted. “I tried to take too much around the outside, put a wheel probably somewhere dirty. But it’s my fault and if I keep doing mistakes like this then I deserve not to win the championship,” the Ferrari ace admitted. Not that his rivals lying around in the cool room concurred. But let’s leave that one there.
‘Ferrari won the title for Max’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/07...title-for-max/
What France Taught Us About The Demise Of Charles Leclerc's Title Bid
Jul 25, 2022 4:51 PM
Eoin Harrington
Sunday's French Grand Prix saw a change in form from the Monégasque driver. Leading the race, with the potential to take back-to-back wins and cut another chunk from Verstappen's lead in the championship, Leclerc would spectacularly spin and crash out of the race, leaving his hopes of a maiden title in tatters.
The result from Paul Ricard - which saw Verstappen win and extend his lead by a further 25 points - leaves question marks surrounding Leclerc's mentality in the title battle. Long term, however, it could be a positive learning experience for the 24-year-old.
It seems harsh to say, but any hope of the 2022 title is now surely gone for the Monaco native. It would take a miracle unlike any we have seen in F1 history - Leclerc would, in effect, have to win nearly every race between now and the end of the season, presuming Verstappen keeps up his ludicrous consistency of finishing in the top two of races.
‘Long Term Positive Learning Experience’;
https://www.balls.ie/motorsport/char...allenge-518297
Has “lunacy” cost Ferrari F1 title? - GPFans Stewards' Room Podcast
Monday 25 July 2022 16:20 - Updated: 16:45
Sam Hall
Max Verstappen secured yet another victory at the French Grand Prix but Ferrari blunders again stole the headlines.
GPFans editor-in-chief Ian Parkes, deputy editor Sam Hall and F1 correspondent Ewan Gale join Oliver Wilson for this week's roundtable.
Ferrari's strategy was perfect in qualifying but a race-ending driver error from Charles Leclerc and slow decision-making from the pit wall for Sainz saw the Scuderia lose significant ground on Red Bull.
‘Ferrari “lunacy” Stole The Headlines!’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88...-room-podcast/
Ferrari Is Sabotaging Its First Real Shot at the F1 Title in Years.
Red Bull’s running away with the championship and Ferrari still can’t get it together.
Jul 25, 2022 11:14 AM
By Hazel Southwell
All of us are human. We all make mistakes. Sometimes it's comforting to remember that, which is why watching the 2022 Formula 1 season is actually a valid form of therapy. I've done a lot of things that have been against my own best interests, thrown away opportunities, had fits of pique that saw me turn down things I should've gone for, and missed calls I should've taken. But at least I wasn't spending $140 million to do that in public at Grand Prix circuits like Ferrari has this year.
To win an F1 world championship you need to build a really good car, have really good drivers, and then use both of those to score more points than your rivals. Two out of three ain't bad a lot of the time, but that's definitely not good enough in F1. If Ferrari can't find a way to stop making mistakes, then Verstappen and Red Bull will run away with the titles.
‘Ferrari Is Sabotaging F1 Title!’;
https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator...title-in-years
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‘Ferrari wrote the manual on shooting themselves in the foot’.
If Niki Lauda was alive today he would be on about Ferrari being “too Italian” as once again they shot “themselves in the foot” at the French GP, says Jonathan McEvoy.
Date published: July 25 2022 - Michelle Foster
It is, according to F1 journalist McEvoy, a manual “written” by Ferrari. “Ferrari really are unfathomable,” he wrote in the Daily Mail. “Despite groaning riches and unsurpassed heritage, they regularly shoot themselves in the foot. “This season alone they have pulled off the unholy trinity: unreliability, strategy botches and driver boobs. That manual was written in Maranello.”
“Why? A singular theory was advanced by one of their former champions, the late Niki Lauda, when I asked why Michael Schumacher’s glory-soaked era had not been backed up with more success. “‘They are too Italian,’ he said. Alluding to Schumacher, technical chief Ross Brawn and the predominantly native workforce, Lauda added: ‘Then, you had the Teutonic influence: clear, unbending. The English acted as the bridge. Italy is all about romance and spaghetti.”
McEvoy believes Ferrari are missing the influence of former tech boss James Allison, the Englishman now with Mercedes. “One Englishman whom the Scuderia really miss is James Allison,” he continued. “Mention of his name, and the fact he was allowed to leave a few years back, causes former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo to shake his head in despair.”
‘Manual was written in Maranello’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...ting-the-foot/
Ferrari’s defence of ‘defeatist’ Sainz strategy doesn’t hold up
Jul 25 2022
By Ben Anderson
Ferrari and Carlos Sainz were emphatically defensive about their strategy in Formula 1’s French Grand Prix, with Sainz adamant that Ferrari is “not a disaster” in this regard despite various recent fumbles.
Ferrari F1 boss Mattia Binotto was forced onto the defensive after the team turned a possible 1-2 result at the British GP into a 1-4, and he was at it again after the Paul Ricard F1 race, where Sainz gave up a possible podium finish by making an extra pitstop late in the race that condemned him to fifth.
“As far as the choice we made, it was the proper and the right one,” said Binotto, who insisted his driver lacked sufficient information from inside the cockpit to decide for himself – though it’s interesting that Sainz did not automatically comply with the call to pit, suggesting he had conflicting feelings at the time. Binotto added that he had “no doubt” the call had been correct.
‘Ferrari’s defence doesn’t hold up’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/ferra...oesnt-hold-up/
Ferrari's wine waiter on the pitwall – French GP Goin' up, Goin' Down.
Unforced errors, confused strategy and weird floating heads were all on the menu in Provence
July 25th 2022
Author James Elson
What could well be Formula 1’s last ever race at Paul Ricard or even in France had all the absurdity of a Camus novel to see it off. Under a burning, blinding sun Charles Leclerc binned it from the lead, Ferrari had an existential crisis on the pitwall, Nico Rosberg’s head floated round like something from an absinthe-induced night terror and the FIA’s VSC system went completely cuckoo as George Russell and Sergio Perez engaged in a game of ‘who can drive slowest’.
It was dramatic, maddening, amusing and sad all at once – Going up, Going Down at the 2022 French GP. Leclerc once more threw away a crucial advantage when he held all the cards, this time in a place it hurts more than most, the French GP.
Pole runs in Baku 2019 and Monaco 2021 were surrendered to shunts, he spun off out of third in Imola this year and now probably his worst mistake in Paul Ricard, crashing out of the lead when seemingly having the grand epreuve in his pocket. That scream of “Nooo” was harrowing, and will live long in the motor sport memory – pretty much Leclerc’s and Ferrari’s season summed up in one utterance.
Unforced errors, confused strategy and weird floating heads on the menu’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...-up-goin-down#
Italian media point Leclerc to 'flawless' Verstappen: He learns from his errors
25/07/2022, 16:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Co-author Aaron Deckers
Italian media have reacted in numbers over the contrasting fortunes experienced by F1 title rivals Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen at the French Grand Prix. After the race, Italian publications rushed to offer their assessment of Leclerc's mistake, Verstappen's subsequent cruise to victory and what the two outcomes mean for this year's championship battle.
Leclerc's French GP victory chances "go up in smoke" "Leclerc was dominating, Ferrari were strong and Red Bull were in trouble," wrote La Gazzetta dello Sport. "He ended up in the tyre barriers and saw a fourth win this season go up in smoke. C'est la vie. Verstappen took full advantage and gained another 25 points in the battle for the title."
Leclerc's crash compared to Vettel's Hockenheim disaster. Meanwhile, the Corriere dello Sport compared Leclerc's crash to Sebastian Vettel's painful race-ending mistake on home soil at the 2018 German Grand Prix. A "defining moment" in the race for the 2022 F1 title? Over at La Repubblica, there were suggestions that Sunday's Grand Prix could be a turning point in the title race. "Verstappen again showed how mature he is and uses his full talent," they wrote, giving him nine out of 10 for his performance.
‘Italian Media Assessments’;
https://racingnews365.com/italian-me...rom-his-errors
Hill questions 'all at sea' Ferrari after French GP strategy calls
26/07/2022, 15:20
Author Michael Butterworth
After the French Grand Prix bore witness to yet another questionable Ferrari strategy call, Damon Hill believes the Scuderia need to look at how to improve efficiency of communication on the pit wall.
Former F1 World Champion Damon Hill has questioned the effectiveness of Ferrari's strategy calls, after the team chose to pit Carlos Sainz late in the race, just as he was attempting to overtake Sergio Perez.
Sainz overruled Ferrari's initial call and passed Perez, but pitted two laps later and dropped from third to ninth, and although he recovered to finish fifth, some suggested that Ferrari should have left him out on worn tyres to try to defend his third place. Sainz also overruled Ferrari's call to pit him at Monaco, in a race where the Scuderia's indecision over strategy saw Charles Leclerc drop from first to fourth.
And at Silverstone, Ferrari's decision to pit Sainz over Leclerc under Safety Car conditions again saw the Monegasque lose the race lead and finish fourth. Speaking after the French Grand Prix, Hill suggested that Ferrari's history of decision-making at crucial moments left a little to be desired.
‘Strategy Calls Questioned’;
https://racingnews365.com/hill-quest...strategy-calls
Doubts cast over Ferrari being able to get on top of their 'big problem'
26/07/2022, 13:40
Author Michael Butterworth
With Ferrari and their customer teams having suffered several costly mechanical retirements so far in 2022, Nico Rosberg doubts whether the Scuderia have a quick fix to their reliability issues. Former F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg has cast doubt over whether Ferrari have got on top of the reliability concerns that have plagued them so far in the 2022 season.
Ferrari customer teams Haas and Alfa Romeo have also been struck with reliability issues related to their power units, prompting Rosberg to question whether Ferrari could iron out these problems in a hurry. "I'm sure they've learned from what happened in Austria," Rosberg told Sky F1.
“But with an engine, it's often not so easy to bring a quick fix, and I've heard that within Ferrari, it's not easy to bring in this quick fix, so they're trying to manage the situation carefully, but there are some headaches remaining there.”
‘Big Problem Doubts’;
https://racingnews365.com/doubts-cas...ir-big-problem
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Is Ferrari’s upgraded floor the indirect cause of Charles Leclerc’s latest DNF? F1 TECH...
Analysing the Ferrari onboards in the first part of the race, we can safely say the behaviour of the F1-75 didn't help Leclerc avoid a tragic end to the French GP.
26 Jul 2022
Alessio Ciancola
Statistically speaking, Ferrari have the best car on the grid with the F1-75 able to be competitive on every track so far this season in 2022, particularly on mid to high downforce ones. Throughout the season, Ferrari’s engineers back at Maranello understood the weak points of the F1-75 and thus introduced upgrades in the subsequent races after Bahrain.
Reflecting on the crash itself, it’s possible to see that in the first part of the corner, Leclerc managed to take it with a very pointed front end but through the corner, the lazy rear didn’t follow it and thus there was a huge oversteer moment for him that he wasn’t able to control, crashing into the barriers as a result. Of course, it is really difficult to say what are the real reasons for the crash, even if it’s quite clear that it was just caused by a human mistake, admitted by Leclerc himself afterwards.
Analysing the Ferrari onboards in the first part of the race, we can safely say the behaviour of the F1-75 didn't help Leclerc avoid a tragic end to the French GP. While the link might not be direct, could it be possible to say that Leclerc’s crash may have been indirectly caused by Ferrari’s new upgrades?
‘Ferrari’s Upgraded Floor Analysis’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/100...c-s-latest-dnf
Broadcast delay behind "nonsensical" radio call to Sainz, reveals Ferrari.
Told to stay out, the Spaniard battled with the Red Bull throughout the final section of the lap, then, just as he gained the advantage over the Red Bull and pulled ahead, came that infuriating voice telling him to "box, box".
26/07/2022
NEWS STORY
Ferrari strategy director, Inaki Rueda reveals that the infuriating radio call to Carlos Sainz to pit at the exact moment he was battling with Sergio Perez was not what it appeared.
Hands up, all of you who screamed at their TVs as Ferrari effectively ordered Sainz to "box, box" at the precise moment he was finally passing Sergio Perez as they battled for third on Sunday.
Previously, the Spaniard had been arguing with his team over the rights and wrongs of making a second stop, a 5s time penalty imposed for the unsafe release at his first merely adding to the conundrum.
‘Ferrari: Broadcast Delay’;
https://www.pitpass.com/73215/Broadc...eveals-Ferrari
Ferrari’s Mattia Binotto: “There is no point on dwelling on Charles’ mistake”
July 26, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Mattia Binotto is already putting the disappointment of the French Grand Prix behind him as his Scuderia Ferrari team turn their attention to the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend.
harles Leclerc crashed out of the lead at the Circuit Paul Ricard on Sunday, and Binotto, the Team Principal at Ferrari, says there is little point in dwelling over the Monegasque driver’s mistake. “There is no point on dwelling on Charles’ mistake,” said Binotto. “These things can happen, even to great drivers like him and together, we have already put it behind us.”
“Although this result was far from the one we wanted, there are still some positives to take away from this race,” said Binotto. “First of all, the F1-75 was very competitive, even on this difficult Paul Ricard track.”
‘Mattia Binotto: No point on dwelling on Charles’ mistake’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...arles-mistake/
Charles Leclerc stat hints F1 title is already Max Verstappen's after French GP heartbreak
CHARLES LECLERC has a mountain to climb in the F1 Drivers' Championship this season.
05:35, Wed, Jul 27, 2022
By Michael Gowler
If that wasn't painful enough for the Ferrari man, he's seen five drivers record more points than him over the past six races - with Verstappen having extended his advantage over Leclerc by 57 points in that time. The Red Bull racer has registered 123 points since Monaco, while a rejuvenated Lewis Hamilton has amassed the second-highest points tally over the same period with 81.
Leclerc's Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz has scored 79 points over the past six races - one more than Red Bull's Sergio Perez. Mercedes' George Russell has recorded 69, which is three more than Leclerc has earned over the same time. "I've been saying I think I'm performing at my highest level in my career but if I keep doing those mistakes then it's pointless to perform at a very high level. I'm losing too many points - seven in Imola, 25 here - because honestly we probably were the strongest car on track today.”
"So, if we lose the championship by 32 points, at the end of the season I will know where they are coming from. It's unacceptable, I just need to get on top of those things."
‘Charles Leclerc stat: 32 points!’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...nch-Grand-Prix
Ferrari boss backs Charles Leclerc to recover from France crash and claims team can win every race left in 2022
Tuesday 26 Jul 2022 1:11 pm
Callum McAvoy
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has backed Charles Leclerc to come back even stronger at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix following his crash at the last race in in France. Binotto also made a huge claim that his team could definitely win all 10 remaining races of the season, despite their numerous struggles so far in 2022.
After 12 races, the Scuderia trail Red Bull by 82 points, while Max Verstappen has a very impressive 63 point lead over Leclerc, but Binotto is convinced Ferrari and Leclerc can overcome their issues and dominate the rest of the season.
‘At the end of the season we will see where we are, but I think with our good package, there is no reason why we cannot win 10 races from now to the end,’ Binotto said as per De Telegraaf.
‘Mattia Binotto: Win 10 races from now to the end’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/26/f1-fe...o=newsnow-feed
Binotto details Ferrari's plan of attack after French GP blow
25 July 2022, 17:30
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Mattia Binotto has called for "focus" at Ferrari and a "race-by-race" approach as they bid to claw back lost ground to Red Bull. Binotto dreams of winning every remaining race.
Put to him that neither Leclerc nor Ferrari can afford any more issues in their quest to beat Verstappen and Red Bull to title glory, Binotto explained how his team will fight back. "No, we cannot, [just] as they cannot afford mistakes – I think that's the risk for everyone," Binotto told Sky Sports F1, after Carlos Sainz salvaged fifth for the team by fighting back from an engine penalty.
"[We will take it] step-by-step, race-by-race and stay focused. We will try to challenge them, try to win all the races from now to the end, which is the only thing we can do. Then let's see what will happen [at the end of the season]."
‘Mattia Binotto: Ferrari's plan of attack’;
https://racingnews365.com/binotto-de...french-gp-blow
-
Ferrari Looking to Dominate Hungarian Grand Prix, Wants to Secure 1-2 Result.
Despite Charles Leclerc crashing out and Carlos Sainz finishing just P5 in France, Ferrari are looking to take the Hungaroring by storm, with team principal Mattia Binotto wanting his drivers to secure a one-two finish.
27 Jul 2022, 07:58 UTC ·
by Sergiu Tudose
In France, the Scuderia really underperformed, despite looking strong in terms of pace. After the race, the Italian outfit came away with just 11 points to Red Bull’s 37 and Mercedes’ 33, but according to Binotto, his team would like to wash away this poor result with a dominant one.
If you would have asked me before this race what was the gap to Red Bull or Max, I couldn’t answer to you because I’m not looking. What we are focused on is trying to go at each single race and get the maximum results from it. And it didn’t happen here in Paul Ricard,” said Binotto following the race.
“There is always something to improve and learn, and that’s our approach. It’s step by step; we are progressing and becoming better. Once again today we have proved to our drivers we have a fast car and a competitive one. I think we are simply looking to Hungary, we need to turn the page and look to Hungary and do a one-two there, so we simply focus on the next result.”
‘1 – 2 Target;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/f...lt-194572.html
Leclerc needs luck to go against Verstappen again – Six Hungarian GP talking points
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Posted on 27th July 2022, 8:10
Written by Will Wood
With Charles Leclerc throwing away an opportunity to take more points out of Max Verstappen’s championship advantage in Paul Ricard last weekend, there is only one more chance for him to claim back some momentum before the summer break. Here are the talking points for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Can Leclerc strike back before the summer break?
Magnussen finally gets the upgrades
Stuck in a rut?
Ocon one year on
Rules of racing
Coming attractions
‘Talking Points’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/27/...alking-points/
Max Verstappen claims Red Bull need to find ‘quite a bit of performance’, fires Hungary GP warning
The Hungarian Grand Prix is the last race before the summer break.
26 July 2022
by James Clifford
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen anticipates that the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend will be a difficult one for his team, so places an emphasis on collecting solid points even when Ferrari are stronger.
“Of course, it’s a great lead but a lot of things can happen and I just want to stay focused; we need a lot more good results, a lot more one-lap pace,” Verstappen told Formula1.com.
“The next race is Budapest, and I think that will be a bit more of a struggle for us, where I think Ferrari is going to be really, really quick. “It’s all about scoring points every single race, even when it’s not your race.”
‘Max Points Scoring’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/max-verst...ry-gp-warning/
Verstappen expects 'really, really quick' Ferrari to keep pushing Red Bull
26/07/2022, 17:00
Author Michael Butterworth
Max Verstappen says he is expecting a tough fight to beat Ferrari at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. Verstappen won the French Grand Prix as title rival Charles Leclerc spun out of the lead, and the Dutchman now sits a commanding 63 points clear of the Ferrari driver in the Championship standings.
But Verstappen is expecting Ferrari to be very strong at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with the slow corners of the Hungaroring circuit likely to suit the handling characteristics and the one-lap pace of the F1-75.
Speaking after the French Grand Prix, Verstappen acknowledged his commanding position at the top of the Drivers' Championship, but cautioned that there was still much to do to consolidate his points lead. "It's a great lead, but a lot of things can happen," Verstappen told media including RacingNews365.com. "I just want to stay focused. We need a lot more good results.”
‘Great lead, stay focussed’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...shing-red-bull
Magnussen will be only Haas driver to use team’s major upgrade in Hungary
2022 Hungarian Grand Prix
Posted on 26th July 2022, 10:48|
Written by Keith Collantine
Haas will only have one example of the major new upgrade for its VF-22 available for use at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. The team has chosen to give the single upgrade kit to Kevin Magnussen, who is their leading points scorer over the season so far. “In the end, we couldn’t get two car kits to the race track, so with Kevin being in front in the championship we gave him the package to try,” team principal Guenther Steiner explained.
The upgrade was originally scheduled to arrive at the previous race. However Haas’s development programme was held up as it had to produce extra replacement parts following the two major crashes suffered by Mick Schumacher in Jeddah and Monaco. “Unfortunately we had a few delays in the development stage, so we postponed it from the French Grand Prix to Hungary,” said Steiner. “Also, with the spares situation we had at the beginning of the season, up to race seven or eight, we fell a bit behind in production and therefore we don’t have enough parts for two cars.
“We struggle with spare parts for one car so hopefully we can get it done and bring it to Hungary. Everybody has worked really hard – the team and our suppliers – to make this happen so I’m still very happy that we bring it on one car to Hungary,” he added. “We want to get some data before the summer break so we have something to work from when we get back, and if all goes well we’ll have it on both cars.”
‘Only enough spares parts for one car’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/26/...de-in-hungary/
Budapest weather: Could rain play a role in the Hungarian GP?
27/07/2022, 15:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Mixed weather conditions are predicted across the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend at the Hungaroring, with rain in the air on Saturday. Formula 1 moves on to Hungary for the final round before the summer break, with a mixed weather forecast potentially adding to the spectacle.
After a baking hot event at Paul Ricard, warm temperatures are also expected at the Hungaroring – but this time rain could enter the mix. While the start to the weekend is set to be dry, rain is a threat for Saturday's final practice and qualifying sessions.
‘Rain could enter the mix’;
https://racingnews365.com/budapest-w...e-hungarian-gp
Hungarian Grand Prix: 5 dramatic moments from the F1 archive
27 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Check out five of the most hair-raising moments from Formula 1 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
‘5 Hair-raising Moments;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...918898735.html
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“We need to keep unlocking more performance” – Mercedes’ Toto Wolff.
Wolff, the Team Principal at Mercedes, says the gap to the two teams ahead of them remains too much, particularly over a single lap, and they are working extra hard to close that gap still further across the remainder of the season.
July 27, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Toto Wolff says that whilst it was encouraging that the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team scored a double podium in last weekend’s French Grand Prix, the team are not yet where they want to be when it comes to competing against Oracle Red Bull Racing or Scuderia Ferrari.
“It was encouraging to score such a big haul of points in France and maximise the situation on Sunday but we know there is much work still to do,” said Wolff. “The gap to the leaders on a single lap persists and we struggle more at the start of stints.”
“We need to keep unlocking more performance, and by maintaining the culture, mindset and spirit that has spurred on all the hard work at the factories, I’m confident we will. Our reliability was good once again, and both Lewis and George were on strong form, to deliver a double podium.”
‘Unlocking More Performance’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...es-toto-wolff/
Toto Wolff hits out at ‘bored’ Christian Horner after warning about ‘illegal’ practice.
The regulations for next season have caused division in the paddock.
27 July 2022
by James Clifford
Horner’s retort related to Wolff’s alleged intentions to work through the summer to improve the W13. There is a 14-day shutdown during the summer break during which nobody from the team is allowed to work on the car, so the 48-year-old cautioned the German side against that.
“I heard that Toto is said to have said that they are working through the summer break to improve the car, that would of course be illegal,” stated Horner.
’14-day Shutdown’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/toto-wolf...egal-practice/
Toto Wolff's ex-Mercedes advisor releases statement after Ferrari suspicions about FIA job
SHAILA-ANN RAO has taken a new role within the FIA after three years at Mercedes.
06:33, Thu, Jul 28, 2022
By Sam Smith
Shaila-Ann Rao has released a statement after several Formula One teams expressed concerns about the former Mercedes advisor’s new high-profile role within the FIA. Rao was recently appointed as general secretary to autosport and has denied that there will be any preferential treatment towards her former employers.
She has been forced to deny that there is a conflict of interest in her taking the new job. Rao points out there several members of FIA staff have worked for teams in the past - including at Ferrari.
"Before I worked for Mercedes, I was director of legal affairs at the FIA. That's how the world of F1 works, you go from one team to another. It's full of ex-employees, even Stefano Domenicali worked at Ferrari. I'm not worried about certain rumours, I'll move on and keep doing what I've always done - work,” she told radio station Corriere della Sera.
‘SHAILA-ANN RAO Statement’
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ri-FIA-F1-news
Wolff reveals 'biggest asset' for Mercedes in push for victory
28/07/2022, 07:00
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff says the team's culture is its biggest asset as the Silver Arrows seek to get back to winning ways. "I think the biggest asset is the culture that we have in the team," Wolff told media including RacingNews365.com.
"For me, it's the immune system of the team. It keeps us working with the right mindset and spirit when it's difficult. The drivers are part of our culture and our mindset, and they very rarely make mistakes, they squeeze the utmost out of the car.”
"They're clever, we've seen that [at the French Grand Prix], and just never let go. And then reliability has been a highlight so far. I think reliability is strong, and we are delivering solid work, it's just that we need to understand how to unlock more performance in qualifying and the initial stages of the race."
‘Wolff: It's the immune system of the team’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-reve...sh-for-victory
Mercedes still has 'a lot of laptime' to catch up - Wolff
26/07/2022 at 18:06
Phillip van Osten
Toto Wolff is under no illusions that Mercedes is still significantly lagging Red Bull and Ferrari in terms of pure performance despite the German outfit achieving its season best result in France.
"I think Budapest is really going to be good for us, because Paul Ricard – a flat surface, not bumpy and fast corners – was not so good for us, so we have to have some sort of opposite thinking now that the track that shouldn’t suit us and isn’t great, maybe we can be good!”
"But joking aside I have no idea. You come here with expectations of fighting at the front, you don’t, so I don’t know what to expect in Budapest."
‘Laptime Catch Up’;
https://f1i.com/news/449434-mercedes...-up-wolff.html
Wolff says Mercedes still 'need to work out how to win' despite 'encouraging' double podium finish in France
27 July 2022
Formula 1.
Toto Wolff was encouraged by his team’s best result of the season in the French Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both scored podium finishes.
While Wolff admitted the result – the first double podium of the season for Mercedes – was a positive sign, he was unconvinced as to whether it was a fair reflection on the performance of their car.
“I think second and third is great, they are two steps on the podium and the most points [we could get],” said Wolff. “It’s encouraging we could score this result on Sunday but it’s still very difficult for us to pin down where [we would end up] if everyone finishes.”
‘Working Out How To Win’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...EF8pMzoI2.html
Wolff explains why he shut down furious Russell over the radio
26 July 12:00
Author Luke Murphy
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Toto Wolff has explained why he elected to intervene and make a rare radio communication to George Russell during the French GP. Team Principal Toto Wolff to make a rare communication to the driver, telling Russell that no penalty was forthcoming and that he should attempt another overtake.
"I found that he was a little bit stuck in this loop of being upset about the situation, and as a driver you are [alone] in your little cockpit," Wolff explained to media, including RacingNews365.com after the race.
"I felt that he had the pace; he just needed to drop the upsetness and concentrate on wherever he could beat him on track. In the end he was just clever; there was confusion with the Virtual Safety Car, he just did it."
‘Furious Russell Shutdown’;
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-expl...over-the-radio
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Christian Horner warns Toto Wolff against ‘illegal’ summer work.
In the latest episode of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner’s ongoing feud with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, the Briton has warned the 50-year-old that working through the summer is not permitted.
by James Clifford
27 July 202227 July 2022
“I hear Toto said they are going to work throughout the summer break to improve the car, which would, of course, be illegal,” he said. “They were certainly talking up their chances coming into the weekend. I think in the end Max was reasonably comfortable. But you can see they are chipping away at it, they are getting closer and closer.”
“If you had told me going into Christmas last year that with the biggest regulation change in 40 years, with the effort that we put into last year’s championship, that we would be sitting here with eight Grand Prix victories, two sprint race victories and leading both championships by 63 and 82 points respectively, that would have been beyond my wildest expectations,” he explained.
“I think that it really is a testament to the determination, dedication and hard work that has gone on behind the scenes within the factory.” 126 points separate Red Bull and Mercedes in the Constructors' Championship after 12 rounds.
‘On-going Feud’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/christian...l-summer-work/
Christian Horner brands Toto Wolff intentions 'illegal' as F1 bosses turn hostile again
CHRISTIAN HORNER has reignited his war of words with Toto Wolff.
08:08, Wed, Jul 27, 2022
By Sam Smith
Christian Horner has warned Toto Wolff that it would be ‘illegal’ for Mercedes to continue updating the W13 during Formula One’s summer break. In the latest war of words between the two team principals, Red Bull chief Horner has warned his rival of summer law-breaking.
Horner warned: "I heard that Toto is said to have said that they are working through the summer break to improve the car. That would of course be illegal."
It comes after Wolff accused Horner of being ‘bored’ after Red Bull contested new F1 regulations designed to limit the porpoising of the cars. Red Bull have not suffered from the problem quite so frequently, and it is partly why Max Verstappen is so far ahead of his rivals in the world drivers’ championship.
‘Illegal Toto Wolff Intentions’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...milton-F1-news
Horner: ‘too late in the day’ to change 2023 F1 rules to help a certain team
11:18 Sat, 23 Jul 2022.
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
Read Motorsport
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says it is “too late in the day” to be making changes to Formula 1’s 2023 floor rules to help a “certain team”. In an attempt to combat the porpoising issues that teams have suffered with under the 2022 regulations, the FIA announced last week a raft of measures planned for next year.
These tweaks are significant enough to have an impact on car designs that has left more than half of the grid unhappy with the proposed changes. The FIA has insisted it would press on with its actions as it feels they are a “significant safety matter”, but Horner has suggested Mercedes is behind the push for a change as they have struggled with porpoising this season.
Discussing the matter further, Horner hoped the FIA’s intervention wouldn’t go too far, acknowledging Mercedes has seemed to have got on top of the excessive bouncing in recent races. “Just run the car higher: it’s easy. We haven’t had a problem all year. There’s only one team that’s had a big problem,” Horner added.
‘Too Late in the Day’;
https://readmotorsport.com/2022/07/2...-certain-team/
Horner’s case against ‘easy card’ FIA’s using for 2023 changes
Jul 26 2022
By Edd Straw
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says the safety justification being used by the FIA to force through Formula 1 floor regulation changes for 2023 is “a very easy card to stand behind”.
Horner disputes whether the porpoising and bottoming-out problems that these changes are designed to eliminate are a safety concern that should be tackled through technical regulation changes. This is on the basis that they are particular to certain cars and therefore it is the responsibility of the teams concerned to address them.
The FIA can force through changes on safety grounds without the usual voting procedure being used. Changes at this notice for 2023 would otherwise require a ‘super-majority’ of 28 out of 30 votes in the F1 Commission to be given the green light, effectively meaning a minimum of eight of the teams would need to support them.
‘Easy Card’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/horne...-2023-changes/
Guenther Steiner backs Christian Horner argument in Toto Wolff fight
GUENTHER STEINER is among several team principals arguing against rules changes for 2023.
14:13, Sat, Jul 23, 2022
By Luke Chillingsworth
Guenther Steiner has backed Christian Horner’s debate in his fight over new 2023 rules changes with Toto Wolff. The Haas boss said the American team were one of the six squads which did not want new floor rules to battle porpoising issues.
Horner has also hit back at mid-season rules changes while Wolff has openly pushed for updated regulations on safety grounds. Steiner said Haas wanted to keep the rules as the team had already started working on the new 2023 car.
Haas are among a gaggle of teams who have benefitted from the new regulations, with the team scoring more points this season than the last three years combined. Steiner told Sky Sports F1: “We are with the six teams which don't want the change. We are pretty happy where we are. “Either we want to keep it or we want to find a compromise. We started [already] with the 2023 cars and if you change the rules now we find it's a little bit late to do that.”
‘Guenther Steiner backs Christian Horner’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-rules-changes
Red Bull slate rival F1 team over regulation lobbying
Saturday 23 July 2022 08:10
Ian Parkes & Sam Hall
The FIA announced it would introduce new design rules for next year to effectively quash any remaining porpoising issues, all in the name of safety. The plans include raising the floor edges of the cars by 25mm, which would result in major changes being required for the 2023 designs.
This has sparked uproar in the paddock, with at least five teams understood to be pushing back against the proposal. GPFans understands the teams are Red Bull, AlphaTauri, Ferrari, Haas and Alfa Romeo.
In opposition, Wolff and Mercedes have been the most outspoken in demanding the FIA make changes. Horner has suggested if the "one team" concerned has a problem it has two options available. “Just run the car higher," added Horner. "It’s easy. We haven’t had a problem all year. There is only one team that has had a big problem. “
‘
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87...-row-lobbying/
‘Mercedes Regulation Lobbying’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87...-row-lobbying/
Christian Horner hits out at Mercedes again in fresh rant over F1 rule changes
CHRISTIAN HORNER has taken another shot at Mercedes.
07:04, Thu, Jul 28, 2022
By Mikael McKenzie
Mercedes have really struggled with porpoising and Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are yet to win a race. Hamilton has complained of back pain because his car constantly bounces when the track is not smooth.
Mercedes could raise their floor further off the ground to solve the issue, but that had a seriously detrimental effect on speed. Toto Wolff is pushing for another solution; a change in the rules, which Horner is not having.
Christian Horner: “Changing rules because a couple of teams haven’t managed to hit targets is never the right thing to do,” he told Eurosport. “If you want to have convergence in F1, the best thing to do is to leave it alone. Then all the teams will converge. What you would see next year, if the rules were left completely alone, I’d be surprised if you saw any bouncing because we've got some of the brightest engineers in the technical world solving these problems.”
‘Couple of teams haven’t managed to hit targets’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...Max-Verstappen
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Vettel stuns F1 by announcing retirement after 2022 season.
Vettel’s immediate bosses at Aston Martin paid tribute to his contribution and made it clear they wanted him to keep racing.
28/07/2022
By Scott Mitchell
Sebastian Vettel will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the season. The four-time world champion joined Aston Martin in 2021 on a two-year deal after being ousted at Ferrari.
Team principal Mike Krack said that if the team achieved its potential then Vettel’s “groundwork” will have been a crucial component and “one of the architects of that future success will be Sebastian”.
Stroll said: “I want to thank Sebastian from the bottom of my heart for the great work that he has done for Aston Martin over the past year and a half. “We made it clear to him that we wanted him to continue with us next year, but in the end he has done what he feels is right for himself and his family, and of course we respect that.”
‘Vettel stuns F1’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/vette...r-2022-season/
F1 world reacts as Vettel announces his retirement
28/07/2022, 13:20
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Sebastian Vettel made headlines around the world on Thursday as the German announced his upcoming retirement from F1 after 15 years in the sport.
Shortly after the news broke, the F1 community took to social media to pay tribute to the four-time World Champion and 53-time Grand Prix winner.
‘Check out some of the reactions’;
https://racingnews365.com/f1-world-r...-f1-retirement
Vettel reveals when he decided to retire from F1
Date published: July 28 2022
Jon Wilde
Sebastian Vettel has revealed that calling time on his Formula 1 career was anything but a snap decision. That may not appear to have been the case considering Aston Martin had been trying right up until this week to convince him to stay with the team for a third season.
Asked in an interview with Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz on the eve of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend when he had made up his mind to retire, Vettel replied: “When? The last years, is the truth. I think it’s not one question you ask yourself and then you find an answer and that’s it. I know, and I understood I think very early, that it’s a sort of life-changing decision.”
“How life-changing is very difficult to grasp because I’m turning around the next corner and don’t know what’s waiting, but that’s true probably for any athlete no matter your sport – whether you choose to or whether you’re pushed into a position due to injury or external factors. [It’s] something we all face at some point. To me, it feels like the right point at this stage.”
‘Decision Time’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebast...ment-decision/
Sebastian Vettel wooed wife at high school and now share £115m fortune together
15:57, 28 JUL 2022
BY Nick Murphy
Sports Reporter
Sebastian Vettel will go sailing off into the Formula 1 sunset with his gorgeous wife and an eye-watering £115million nest-egg - not to mention those four F1 drivers' titles. Not a lot is known about the beautiful blonde F1 WAG, although The Sun claimed in 2019 that she is a former industrial design student who doesn't yearn for the limelight like some of the other wives and girlfriends of the pitlane.
Just like her motor racing hubby, Hanna isn't big on social media. While Vettel only joined Instagram just before his retirement, Hanna hasn't posted on the social media site since 2013. The pair met while at school and have been sweethearts ever since, finally tying the knot in 2019. They have three children together, with Vettel citing his wish to spend more time with his kids as a reason behind his decision to leave F1.
"The decision to retire has been a difficult one for me to take, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about it; at the end of the year I want to take some more time to reflect on what I will focus on next; it is very clear to me that, being a father, I want to spend more time with my family," he said in his goodbye message on Aston Martin's website.
‘Spend more time with my family’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1...-wife-27601965
The five teams of number five: Vettel’s F1 career history in pictures
F1 history
Posted on 28th July 2022, 13:3728th July 2022, 13:44 |
Written by Keith Collantine and Will Wood
BMW-Sauber – 2006-07 It all began 15 years ago with a one-off debut in the United States Grand Prix. BMW gave Vettel his first opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car after he dominated their German junior championship in 2003, winning an incredible 18 races out of 20.
Toro Rosso – 2007-08 Red Bull also had a hand in Vettel’s progress through the junior ranks and four races after his debut with BMW Sauber they placed him at junior team Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) in place of Scott Speed.
Red Bull – 2009-14 Three races into his career as a Red Bull driver, Vettel scored his second victory in another soaking wet race, in Shanghai. The rapid Brawns won most of the races in the first half of the season, however, and Jenson Button beat him to the title.
Ferrari – 2015-20 Having achieved so much in his time at Red Bull, Vettel was keen for a new challenge. What greater challenge could there be than emulating his great mentor Michael Schumacher’s feat of turning around an underperforming Ferrari team and bring them back into championship contention once again?
Aston Martin – 2021-22 After months of speculation, Racing Point announced that Vettel would join the team when they transitioned into Aston Martin for the 2021 season.
‘Five teams of number five’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/07/28/...y-in-pictures/
Earnest, ruthless, ‘protected’, undermined: Who Vettel is to F1
28/07/2022
By Mark Hughes
So it’s happened: Sebastian Vettel has decided to call it a day. Four consecutive world championships and 53 grands prix victories over 15 seasons is one hell of a tally and puts him statistically among F1’s elite of history.
When in 2013 he beat Mansell’s record of most poles in a season he was thrilled to receive a message of congratulations from his boyhood hero. As a boy he’d pestered his parents to take him to Madame Tussaud’s waxworks display in London just because he knew there was a model of Mansell in there and he wanted his picture taken next to it, he told us. Did he think there should now be a waxworks model of Vettel in there, he was asked. “No, I don’t think so,” he grinned. “You already have one German in there and he’s not very popular.”
Beneath the friendly and open persona though was a fierce competitor. And an unusually intelligent one. The talent was directed by this intense focus but driving that was a great well of emotion. He threw absolutely every bit of himself into competing and that could boil over when he felt he’d been dealt an injustice. That image of him moving the number 1 bollard from in front of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in parc ferme Canada 2019 and putting it to where Vettel’s first-across-the-line Ferrari should have stood was very much him.
‘No 1 Bollard belongs to Sebastian Vettel’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/earne...ttel-is-to-f1/
'A true F1 legend' - Formula 1 reacts to Vettel retirement news
Thursday 28 July 2022 13:50 - Updated: 13:50
Ronan Murphy
Legends of Formula 1, team-mates and rivals have paid tribute to Sebastian Vettel after the four-time world champion announced his retirement. The Aston Martin driver will leave the grid at the end of the 2022 season and is set to reach 300 races at Abu Dhabi before driving off into the sunset.
World champions Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were among those who wrote tributes on social media, with protege Mick Schumacher also penning a heartfelt message as Vettel calls time on his 15-year career in Formula 1.
‘Sebastian Vettel remembered’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/88...tirement-news/
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Bottas seeking Alfa turnaround after tough French GP.
Valtteri Bottas is eager to get back on track with Alfa Romeo in Hungary after a tough French Grand Prix weekend that he concluded once again out of the points.
27/07/2022 at 14:09
Phillip van Osten
Alfa is in the midst of a performance slump that started at Silverstone and extended to Paul Ricard where neither Bottas nor teammate Zhou Guanyu were top ten contenders on race day. From P11 on the grid, Bottas suffered a poor start that dropped him down the order to 16th on the opening lap. Slow launches due to excessive wheelspin have been a chronic issue at Alfa Romeo, and it led the Swiss outfit to update the transmission of its C42 with new componentry supplied by Ferrari.
But Bottas felt that the problem at Paul Ricard was not clutch-related. "It felt like it's not a clutch issue, just wheelspin at the start, so [we] need to investigate why," said the Finn. Thereafter followed a long, drawn out afternoon during which Alfa's initial race strategy plans were disrupted by the timing of a safety car. "It was a really long race and it felt like a lot of sweat with nothing to show for it!" he said. "Of course, you can learn something from every race, so that must be what we take away from this weekend.
Looking ahead to next weekend's round of racing at the Hungaroring, Bottas hopes a few changes on Alfa's C42 will help him turn around his and his team's fortunes. Alfa Romeo currently sits sixth in the Constructors' standings, but 38 points behind McLaren. "Having back-to-back races offers us the chance to bounce back right away from the tough weekend we had in France, where nothing seemed to be working in our favour," he said.
‘Seeking Alfa Romeo turnaround in Hungary’;
https://f1i.com/news/449468-bottas-s...french-gp.html
Valtteri Bottas: First half of F1 season a 'solid base to build from'
28 Jul 2022
Formula 1.
Speaking ahead of the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring, Valtteri Bottas says that the first half of the Formula 1 season has been "really, really positive" and that it gives Alfa Romeo "a solid base to build from."
‘Solid Positive Base to Build’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...416231698.html
Valtteri Bottas: “Back-to-back races offers us the chance to bounce back”
July 28, 2022
By Paul Hensby
Valtteri Bottas is looking to get back into the points this weekend in Hungary after three consecutive races where he has failed to score a top ten finish. The Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN driver had an underwhelming French Grand Prix last weekend as he finished only fourteenth, whilst he also failed to break into the top ten in either the British or Austrian Grand Prix.
“Having back-to-back races offers us the chance to bounce back right away from the tough weekend we had in France, where nothing seemed to be working in our favour,” said Bottas. “I enjoyed racing at the Hungaroring in the past, having also been on the podium here twice before, and I am looking forward to being back in action on track.
“The fans are always passionate and welcoming here, and it would be nice to put up a good show for them before the summer break. The team has been working really hard these past days to find a solution to our struggles last weekend, and together with some updates we can hopefully put up a good fight for points in the midfield.”
‘Bounce Back on Back-to-Back Race’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...o-bounce-back/
Bottas calls for Alfa Romeo investigation into Paul Ricard issues
28/07/2022, 10:20
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Valtteri Bottas says an investigation is needed into the troubles his Alfa Romeo had at the start of the French Grand Prix. Starting 11th on the grid, Bottas had severe wheelspin at the start and had dropped to 17th by Lap 2.
From then on, a points finish looked unlikely, and the timing of the Safety Car forced him onto a two-stop strategy, meaning the best the Finn could do was 14th by the chequered flag. Bottas and teammate Zhou Guanyu had struggled with clutch and anti-stall issues at the start of Grands Prix earlier in the season, but Bottas said his problem at Paul Ricard was not clutch-related.
"It felt like it's not a clutch issue, just wheelspin at the start, so [we] need to investigate why," Bottas told media including RacingNews365.com.
‘Investigations!’;
https://racingnews365.com/bottas-cal...-ricard-issues
Bottas hopes France was ‘one-off dip’ for Alfa Romeo
Date published: July 28 2022
Sam Cooper
Valtteri Bottas hopes Alfa Romeo’s disappointing run-out at Paul Ricard was a “one-off dip” as the team brings upgrades for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Alfa Romeo ended point-less for the third consecutive race in France with Bottas finishing P14 while his team-mate Zhou Guanyu was forced to retire due to a technical issue.
Having shown pace at the start of the season, the team have found themselves slipping further and further down the grid as those around them brought upgrades to the car, something Alfa have not. However Bottas has revealed some are on their way for this weekend having pinpointed the lack of upgrades as the cause of their recent downfall.
He said he hoped the performance last weekend was just a “one-off dip. I really hope [the] French Grand Prix was just a one-off dip in the performance,” he told reporters during the press conference ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. In qualifying and in the race, [we] didn’t have the base that we were hoping and expecting.”
‘One-Off Dip!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/valtte...ip-alfa-romeo/
Zhou says he 'was struggling all that way through' French Grand Prix before being hit by technical issue
27 July 2022
Formula 1.
Zhou Guanyu was left reflecting on an afternoon to forget in France after another technical problem saw him bow out of the race at Paul Ricard prematurely, while Valtteri Bottas also struggled with ongoing issues.
Zhou started the race in 16th, but a poor getaway dropped him down the field, and matters weren't helped by a collision with Haas's Mick Schumacher for which he received a five-second penalty. Running at the back of the field, he ended up bowing out on Lap 47 at the side of the track, though Zhou was classified in 16th.
“Obviously, I had a technical issue – [we are] still investigating,” said Zhou after the race. “It was actually coming 15 laps to the end; I had to some switch changes to make sure I wasn’t losing so much power. So, we have to investigate, obviously I just came back from the race car. Apart from that, the race just never went our way, I was struggling all that way through, so not a day to remember. But having another back-to-back race means a whole new weekend of opportunities to get competitive again and put ourselves back where we belong.”
‘’Technical Issue Struggles’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...x9mFuT8G7.html
