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‘I was hopeful we were going to get a 1-2’ says Hamilton, as he apologises for angry Dutch GP radio outbursts.
Lewis Hamilton turned the airwaves blue in the final stages of the Dutch Grand Prix, having seen a possible chance of victory snatched away by a late Safety Car. But a becalmed Hamilton was taking the positives from his Sunday despite finishing P4 – as team mate George Russell climbed past him to P2 at the flag.
04 September 2022
Formula 1.
A Safety Car was called six laps later after Valtteri Bottas pulled up on the main straight, Verstappen, Russell and Charles Leclerc diving into the pits for soft tyres as Hamilton stayed out on his mediums, inheriting the lead.
However, when green flag racing resumed, he was immediately passed by Verstappen, with Russell and Leclerc following suit to leave a furious Hamilton P4 by the chequered. “I can’t believe you guys ****ed me. I can’t tell you how ****ed I am,” yelled Hamilton into the radio.
But fortunately for the awaiting media, he’d calmed down by the time he faced the cameras post-race. “My apologies to the team because I don’t even remember what I said,” smiled Hamilton. “It was like I just lost it for a second, but I think they know it’s just so much passion.
‘Apologies for angry Dutch GP radio outbursts’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...BK7P7Dm0L.html
Hamilton: ‘I knew I’d lost the race before the restart’
2022 Dutch Grand Prix
Posted on 4th September 2022, 17:35
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Lewis Hamilton knew he was a sitting duck at the final restart in the Dutch Grand Prix as he hadn’t switched to a set of soft tyres as the drivers behind him had. The Mercedes driver moved into the lead of the race when the Safety Car was deployed due to Valtteri Bottas’s car coming to a stop on the pit straight. While Verstappen came in to switch to soft tyres, giving up the race lead, Hamilton stayed out on his medium rubber, which had only done five laps.
However other drivers behind him switched to softs, including team mate George Russell. After the restart he was immediately passed by three of them and finished fourth. The result was a blow for Hamilton after Mercedes’ strongest showing of the year so far, in a season where there are still yet to score a win.
“It’s been such a rollercoaster ride this year,” said Hamilton in response to a question from RaceFans. “This was such a good race. The car was feeling better than it’s felt all year long. And obviously we had a difficult race last week. Yesterday up until the last corner where the yellow flag was, I was up 0.7 on everyone. So we had pace. The car was different to how it’s been all year long.”
‘I Knew I’d Lost The Race Before The Restart’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/09/04/...e-the-restart/
Lewis Hamilton: Safety Car 'completely screwed us' in Dutch GP
04 Sep 2022
Formula 1.
Hamilton also apologised to the team for his "emotional" radio outburst after he slipped from the lead to P4 at the flag at Zandvoort.
‘Safety Car Completely Screwed Us';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...101594044.html
Hamilton admits "not an easy call" for Mercedes in Dutch GP
04/09/2022, 19:10
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Dieter Rencken
‘Lewis Hamilton was left out on old Mediums for the restart after not pitting for Soft tyres, and finished fourth’;
‘Not An Easy Call For Mercedes’;
https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-a...es-in-dutch-gp
Apologetic Hamilton 'on the edge of breaking point' in Dutch GP
04/09/2022 at 17:47
Phillip van Osten
Hamilton, running on his old mediums, led the restart but was overhauled in short order by Verstappen, with Russell and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc also breezing past the seven-time world champion in the following laps.
"I can’t believe you guys screwed me like that," quipped a visibly angry Hamilton on the radio. "I can’t tell you how pissed I am right now." But after the race which he concluded in fourth position, Hamilton apologized to his team and conceded that his fury had gotten the better of him.
"I was just on the edge of breaking point with emotions and my apologies to the team because I don’t even remember what I said, I just lost it for a second," Hamilton said. "But I think they know that there is just so much passion and I want to look at it as a glass half full, we came here struggling from last race, we were fighting against the Red Bulls today, we were quicker than most at many points."
‘On The Edge Of Breaking Point';
https://f1i.com/news/453175-apologet...-dutch-gp.html
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‘Oh my god’: F1 basket case a total ‘mess’ after fresh shambles.
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto and one of his drivers Carlos Sainz agreed their disastrous Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday was “a mess”.
September 5th, 2022 8:26 am
AFP
In a chaotic and busy race, punctuated by stoppages, Red Bull emerged triumphant as Max Verstappen drove to his fourth consecutive victory ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Ferrari’s race was filled with series of errors and misfortunes including bungled pit-stops, unsafe releases in the pit lane and erratic strategy calls.
A poor first pit stop left Sainz standing for 12 seconds as his crew searched for a left rear tyre. “Oh my God!” exclaimed Sainz.
‘F1 basket case’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...d4aea6e36e57e7
Binotto and Sainz lament Ferrari's Dutch 'mess'.
Ferrari's race was filled with series of errors and misfortunes including bungled pit-stops, unsafe releases in the pit lane and erratic strategy calls.
Issued on: 04/09/2022 - 21:18
France 24
Zandvoort (Netherlands) (AFP) – Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto and one of his drivers Carlos Sainz agreed their disastrous Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday was "a mess". A poor first pit stop left Sainz standing for 12 seconds as his crew searched for a left rear tyre. "Oh my God!" exclaimed Sainz.
Not only had his crew mislaid a tyre, but they also left a wheel gun on the ground in front of Sergio Perez of Red Bull. "A mess," said Binotto. "What happened: a mess. A very, very late call. The mechanics weren't ready. We will revisit that at the end of this race.”
"We made the call at the last corner, at the banking. Not enough time, but we will review at the end." Sainz's dramas were not over. He was later released unsafely from his pit into the path of Fernando Alonso's Alpine, an error that cost him a five-second penalty and dropped him from fifth to eighth in the race result.
‘Ferrari's Dutch 'mess' ’;
https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...i-s-dutch-mess
Nico Rosberg says F2 and F3 teams do 'better job' than Ferrari after Dutch GP calamity.
Nico Rosberg has blasted Ferrari in the wake of the Dutch Grand Prix which saw Carlos Sainz suffer two disastrous pitstops and limp home eighth while Charles Leclerc could only manager third.
20:22, 4 SEP 2022
BY Mark Whiley
Ferrari were left to reflect on another error-strewn race following the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. Once again, Ferrari shot themselves in the foot with comical errors, this time affecting Carlos Sainz. First, after the Spaniard was called in, the mechanics did not have all four wheels ready, meaning a stop which should have taken less than three seconds took more than 12.
Sainz suffered another setback later in the race when he was hit with a time penalty following an unsafe release and eventually finished eighth. While Leclerc salvaged third, it was another day to forget for the Scuderia. Former world champion Nico Rosberg issued a brutal verdict on Ferrari, saying the team needs to make big changes if it is to challenge for wins on a regular basis.
“Oh my goodness,” he said on Sky Sports F1. “And Binotto says ‘no, no, we don’t need to make changes, everything is going well’. When is the day coming? It’s not possible. Even Formula 2 teams or Formula 3 teams do a better job at their strategy and pitstops. You go in the pits and there’s no tyre there. At some point, they really need to start making some changes. And their car is just a little bit off the pace. We saw it at Spa, we saw it again here. They’re starting to lose out.”
‘Nico Rosberg says F2 and F3 teams do 'better job' ’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1...rg-f1-27906492
‘They left the gun out’: Sergio Perez unhappy with Ferrari blunder.
The Dutch Grand Prix was one to forget for Carlos Sainz.
4 September 2022
by James Clifford
It was not an easy day for Carlos Sainz at the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix as yet more mistakes from Ferrari cost him points. The Spaniard started third behind Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, and there was contact on his right rear with Sir Lewis Hamilton – the pair escaped unscathed.
The left rear was the tyre in question later on in the race when the 27-year-old was called in for a stop but, somehow, the mechanic who was meant to put the tyre on that corner was late out of the garage.
While the rest of the team was waiting for the replacement tyre, the left rear tyre gun was left out in the pit lane, and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez ran over it. “They left the gun out,” said a surprised 32-year-old over the radio. Thankfully, no lasting damage was done to the Red Bull and, after the new tyre came out, Sainz was finally released.
‘They left the gun out’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/they-left...rrari-blunder/
Sainz calls his Dutch GP a ‘mess’ after pit stop trouble and penalty drop him to P8
04 September 2022
Formula 1.
Carlos Sainz had a race to forget at Zandvoort, the Ferrari driver finishing fifth but dropping to eighth after a five-second penalty for an unsafe release, which followed a glacial and chaotic pit stop.
The Spaniard couldn’t keep up with the leaders early in the race and pitted for a new set of mediums in a stop that lasted 12.7 seconds, as the rear-left tyre was not present when he entered the box. To add insult to injury, Sergio Perez – who made up time on Sainz in the pits – drove over a Ferrari wheel gun while exiting his box.
The #55 driver also appeared to pass Esteban Ocon under a yellow flag flown for Valtteri Bottas’s stricken car, Sainz finally given a five-second penalty for an unsafe release in front of Fernando Alonso having pitted for tyres under the resulting Safety Car.
‘Race to forget at Zandvoort’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...hikXh99t2.html
‘It was a mess, the whole race’ – Sainz reflects on a tough day after a disastrous pit stop at Zandvoort
04 Sep 2022
Formula 1.
Carlos Sainz had an eventful Dutch Grand Prix, dropping down the order after a botched pit stop, before being given a penalty for an unsafe release on a later stop as he eventually came home a frustrated P8.
‘Sainz reflects on a tough day’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...405741068.html
Binotto promises 'fix' after Ferrari's latest "mess"
Sunday 4 September 2022 20:40
Ewan Gale
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has promised a fix after the Scuderia's latest "mess" during the Dutch Grand Prix. Binotto initially told Sky Sports F1 from the pit wall the situation was "a mess", adding: "A late call and the mechanics were not ready. We will review after the race."
Speaking post-race, Binotto at least presented a cool head in the face of adversity. "If I look at it the problem it was too late a call, we had no time to react," said Binotto.
"All these things need to be fixed, this is one of the easiest to be fixed. It happened, it should not have happened. I am pretty sure we can be stronger in the future. I am less concerned by that than by the speed of the car."
‘Binotto promises fix';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/90...ncerns-cooled/
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Marko raves about 'alien' Verstappen following Dutch GP win.
Helmut Marko heaped praise on Max Verstappen describing him as "on his own planet" following his victory in the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix.
04 September 17:40
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Ruud Dimmers
The Red Bull driver boss was gushing about his star driver following a fourth Grand Prix win in a row. Although Verstappen started on pole and won the race, it was far from a comfortable day for the World Champion who passed Lewis Hamilton on a late Safety Car restart to re-take the lead.
Verstappen was able to benefit from a Virtual and then full Safety Cars to bail him out of a strategy hole vs Hamilton - who was on a one-stop compared to a planned two, but eventually three-stopper for the Red Bull.
Verstappen crossed the line to win his fourth successive Grand Prix, 10th from 15 races and earn a 109 point lead over Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc, both on 201 points following fifth and third place finishes, respectively.
"On His Own Planet";
https://racingnews365.com/marko-rave...g-dutch-gp-win
Max Verstappen's wild celebrations with fans | 'Absolute chaos!'
09:04 Mon, 05 Sep 2022.
Sky Sports
Max Verstappen celebrated with his Red Bull team-mates and his home fans after taking victory at the Dutch Grand Prix.
'Absolute chaos!';
https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...absolute-chaos
Villeneuve: Verstappen and Red Bull virtually unbeatable
6 September, 2022
Jad Mallak
Jacque Villeneuve hailed the Max Verstappen and Red Bull combination as unbeatable after the Dutchman won his tenth race this season at the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix. Reflecting on the race in his formule1.nl column, Villeneuve said: “At the moment, the combination of Max Verstappen and Red Bull is virtually unbeatable. They have the perfect chemistry, have the momentum and are now a combination like Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes in their peak years,” he added.
“Beating them would take a perfect season and for them to make mistakes,” the Canadian went on. “And what mistakes has Verstappen made? Small errors in Spain and Hungary, after which he still won.”
“Still, I can’t believe that we have two cars that are close in speed to each other and yet the championship is as good as decided with seven races to go,” he pointed out at Ferrari’s inability to run Red Bull close despite their impressive F1-75.”
‘Verstappen and Red Bull virtually unbeatable’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/09...ly-unbeatable/
LEWIS HAMILTON IS IMPRESSED BY THE RED BULL TEAM
Red Bull have been judged for being a drinks company and taking on Formula One, particularly by Lewis Hamilton.
06/09/2022, 07:35
Catherine Micallef
FormulaNerds
Lewis Hamilton was asked to comment on Max Verstappen’s dominance. But Hamilton chose to praise someone else for Red Bull’s success. This is Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey, who previously worked with Williams and McLaren before joining Red Bull in 2006. Adrian was key to Red Bull’s success as a professional and expert in aerodynamics. Lewis Hamilton was asked whether he is impressed by Max Verstappen. The Brit is more impressed by the person behind the dominant RB18. As reported by Crash, Hamilton said, “It’s more that I’m impressed with Adrian Newey and his team.”
He added, “I think it is a great team; they’ve generally had really great cars for some time. They’ve done a fantastic job and anything I’ve said in the past about the team, I didn’t mean it in a negative way. I think years ago I said something about them being a drinks company, and I was just really highlighting that you would bet more on a car company, but they’ve proved me wrong and everyone else.”
“But also knowing that Adrian did his thesis on ground effect cars when he was at university, it’s no surprise what he has done and created this year. It is impressive but I believe in the young guns in my team and that we will catch up.”
‘They’ve proved me wrong and everyone else’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/le.../?nowprocket=1
Verstappen: No "real weaknesses" for RB18
06/09/2022, 07:55
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
Max Verstappen says Red Bull are looking forward to Monza as he believes there is no "real weakness" for them in the final seven races of the season. Red Bull have shown to be consistent across all types of tracks so far, with the recent floor directive introduced at the Belgium Grand Prix also seemingly un-affecting them.
This is contrasting to rivals Mercedes who have found high speed circuits affect them most, while Ferrari are left trying to solve why they are dropping off in pace during the race. "No real weaknesses but we know at some places where we are stronger than others, we know on a high downforce track that it's a bit of a more difficult situation to get the best out of our package," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365.com.
"But I think if you look at the whole season, of course, you have more tracks with kind of medium downforce levels and I think our car is very efficient. So that's why I think we're all looking forward to Monza."
‘No "real weaknesses" for RB18’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...s-for-red-bull
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AlphaTauri issue damning statement on ‘unacceptable’ foul play accusations.
AlphaTauri have released a strongly-worded statement condemning accusations levelled at Red Bull and themselves over Yuki Tsunoda’s retirement from the Dutch Grand Prix.
Henry Valantine
Monday 5th September 2022 4:50 PM
The team have railed against “hateful behaviour” directed at Red Bull’s chief strategist, Hannah Schmitz, online overnight, as well as stating in the strongest possible terms they compete independently of Red Bull.
AlphaTauri said: “It is incredibly disheartening to read some of the language and comments directed at our team and towards Red Bull Racing’s head of strategy, Hannah Schmitz. Such hateful behaviour cannot be tolerated, and to entertain accusations of foul play is unacceptable, untrue and completely disrespectful towards both Hannah and us.”
“We have always competed independently, fairly and with the highest levels of respect and sportsmanship. Yuki had a failure that the team didn’t immediately detect which caused him to stop on track. To suggest anything different is insulting and categorically incorrect.”
‘Strongly-worded statement condemning accusations’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alphat...a-accusations/
AlphaTauri Chief Engineer explains Tsunoda's bizarre DNF at Zandvoort
04 September 2022
Formula 1.
AlphaTauri’s Chief Engineer has explained Yuki Tsunoda’s confusing retirement from the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix after the Japanese driver stopped on track, retreated to the pits and re-emerged – only to stop on track once again.
After leaving the pits on Lap 48, he came to a halt and brought out the Virtual Safety Car. “Having seen that the [hard] compound was working well, we decided to also pit Yuki for them. After the pit stop he reported something strange at the rear of the car. We called him in again to change the tyres and immediately after, we had a car failure. This is currently under investigation within the team,” said Claudio Balestri, AlphaTauri’s Chief Engineer of Vehicle Performance.
‘AlphaTauri Chief Engineer explains Tsunoda's bizarre DNF’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...rEWdbr1fH.html
Gary Anderson: Why Tsunoda conspiracy was clearly nonsense
06/09/2022,07:35
By Gary Anderson
The Race
The conspiracy theory about AlphaTauri causing a virtual safety car period to help Max Verstappen and Red Bull in the Dutch Grand Prix is total rubbish and I’m not surprised to see the team criticising such suggestions. You can see why AlphaTauri didn’t immediately diagnose the problem Yuki Tsunoda’s car suffered.
I’m pretty sure that when he left the pits after his second pitstop of the race he either broke the differential, a driveshaft joining or sheared the drive pegs. To him, that would feel like there was no drive on one side, so he thought that a wheel was loose. The team did later discover that it was apparently a diff problem.
Any suspicions Mercedes might have had about this – and it’s important to note it made no complaints or protests – will surely have vanished when it saw the facts of what happened. It just has to accept its own weaknesses and resist the temptation to blame AlphaTauri. As for Red Bull, what would it gain from this? It was already well ahead in both championships and Verstappen probably would have won even if the Mercedes one-stopper had played out, after all.
‘Clearly Nonsense’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...arly-nonsense/
AlphaTauri call out 'hateful behaviour' directed at Red Bull strategist for Yuki Tsunda's DNF at Dutch GP
Last Updated: 05/09/22 10:50pm
SKY Sports
Red Bull Racing's Head of Strategy, Hannah Schmitz, has been the victim of online hate after Yuki Tsunoda's DNF resulted in Lewis Hamilton losing his lead in Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix
AlphaTauri have released a statement to call out the "hateful behaviour" directed at the team and Red Bull Racing's Head of Strategy, Hannah Schmitz, after Yuki Tsunoda's DNF cost Lewis Hamilton a chance of victory at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday.
‘Hateful Behaviour Called Out’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...nf-at-dutch-gp
Lewis Hamilton defends Red Bull strategy ace after abuse and conspiracy theories
09:22, 5 SEP 2022
BY Mark Whiley
“We 100% understand that everyone’s emotions are high right now,” tweeted the group, a message which was retweeted by Hamilton himself. “No one expected the race to unfold that way when we were so close to a win. But it’s important to us that we continue to spread love and empathy towards the hardworking teams in the paddock – whether from our team or others – but especially the women.”
“The language of hateful comments directed at Red Bull head of strategy Hannah Schmitz is intolerable and should not be condoned. This sport is cut-throat, and you have to be ready for absolutely anything, and that’s what she did today.”
“There are a lot of positives to take from Lewis’ race today, and that’s exactly what we are focusing on doing. Thank you for your unwavering support for LH! We win and we lose together.”
‘Lewis Hamilton defends Red Bull strategy ace’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1...-bull-27908517
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Alonso pleased to gain a place from Ferrari again after “70 qualifying laps” at Zandvoort.
The Alpine driver rose up the order from 13th on the grid by passing the AlphaTauris in the opening laps then making an early switch to hard tyres.
2022 Dutch Grand Prix
Posted on 5th September 2022, 12:58
Written by Keith Collantine
Fernando Alonso said his run to sixth place in the Dutch Grand Prix was “one of his best” performances of the year. “It was for sure 70 laps of qualifying today because we could not relax at any point,” he said. “The start was good, but I lost places on the outside of one so I had to fight very hard to recover some.”
He made a “very early” switch to the hard tyre “because we wanted some clear air in front of us and it was working,” he explained. “We had to push very hard to make that middle stint work.” As he didn’t make it into Q3 in qualifying, Alonso had a fresh set of soft tyres for his final stint. But soon after he put them on, the Safety Car was deployed.
As he didn’t make it into Q3 in qualifying, Alonso had a fresh set of soft tyres for his final stint. But soon after he put them on, the Safety Car was deployed. “When we thought that it was more relaxed part of the race at the end with a good, fresh soft tyre, the Safety Car came and we had to fight again all the last 12 laps. So it was a very demanding race for sure.”
‘Alonso pleased to gain a place from Ferrari again’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/09/05/...-at-zandvoort/
Fernando Alonso praises ‘very aggressive’ hard tyre call that paid off with P6 finish
Monday 5th September 2022 8:00 PM
Henry Valantine
Fernando Alonso says he and Alpine identified in Friday practice using the hard tyre would be beneficial in the Dutch Grand Prix – having been largely ignored by others before teams changed strategy mid-race.
Having complained of traffic during Q2 that he felt had hampered his final flying run, which left him down in P13 on the starting grid, Alonso was able to work his way up to finish seventh on the road before a penalty for Carlos Sainz was applied and elevated the Alpine driver up to P6.
Part of his and Alpine’s success came down to an early pit-stop that eventually paid dividends for them, moving onto a set of hard tyres that performed better than most had anticipated in race trim.
‘Fernando Alonso praises ‘very aggressive’ hard tyre call’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...h-gp-strategy/
Fernando Alonso opens up on Alpine exit as veteran F1 star maps out retirement plan
FERNANDO ALONSO has explained why he chose to leave Alpine for Aston Martin.
19:36, Mon, Sep 5, 2022
By Joe Krishnan
Fernando Alonso has lifted the lid on his surprise decision to leave Alpine, suggesting that Aston Martin’s eagerness to sign him made him aware of how little love he had been receiving from Alpine. The 41-year-old will drive for the British-based team in 2023 after signing a two-year contract, ending his two-year association with his current employers.
Alonso had been in discussions with Alpine over a new deal to keep him with the Enstone team after some impressive displays in 2022. He has finished in the top six in four of the last six races, earning a total of 59 points, and finished on the podium at the Qatar Grand Prix in 2021.
But Alpine’s refusal to hand him a deal longer than a one-year extension forced Alonso to consider his options. And when Aston Martin made their interest clear, the Spaniard decided to sign for the outfit owned by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll.
‘FERNANDO ALONSO has explained why he chose to leave Alpine for Aston Martin’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...firmed-F1-news
Aston Martin want to run 3 cars with Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso in 2023
Fernando Alonso will partner Lance Stroll at Aston Martin in 2023.
5 September 2022
by James Clifford
Krack revealed during the Belgian Grand Prix there were other names in the hat to replace Vettel, but they went with 32-time race winner Alonso. “When Sebastian announced what his plans were, you need to look at who is available and who is the best one available,” he told Sky Sports. “So, there were a few others but I think there is no need that I go now into detail.”
“We were always clear that we wanted to continue with Sebastian so it is not a fair question at the end of the day,” added Krack. “Our plans were to continue with Sebastian, we always said it, and an alternative was only coming alive as soon as Sebastian said that he is going to stop.” The German joked that he would “take both” Vettel and Alonso, and run “three cars” along with Stroll.
‘Aston Martin want to run 3 cars!’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/aston-mar...lonso-in-2023/
No Hard Feelings - Fernando Alonso Picks Up the Autographed Cap From Lewis Hamilton
2 Sep 2022, 10:02 UTC ·
by Monica Coman
Later, the Spaniard apologized (kind of) for his words. He shared: "First of all, Lewis is a champion, he’s a legend of our time. And then when you say something – and I’m sorry to repeat this – against a British driver, there is huge media involvement after that.”
Alonso added he wanted to apologize in person, too. Well, the two-time World Champion is a man of his word, so he did do that. In a new picture shared on Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One’s official Twitter account, captioned “Look who stopped by,” Alonso posed with Lewis Hamilton, holding an autographed cap from the seven-time World Champion.
In a series of pictures shared by Lewis on August 30, there was also the same cap with a sticker that read, “To Fernando.”
‘No Hard Feelings’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/n...on-197611.html
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‘We probably have to try quite hard to lose it’ says Horner as Red Bull eye both titles for first time since 2013.
“We’re in a great position,” said Horner at the end of the Dutch Grand Prix, “and we probably have to try quite hard to lose it. But mathematically, nothing is done until it’s done. Our approach is as it’s always been, go one race at a time. Next race, next Sunday, same effort. We don’t allow ourselves to think too far ahead.”
06 September 2022
Formula 1.
Christian Horner could be forgiven for his post-race demeanour in Zandvoort, such was the manner in which his charge took victory in the Dutch Grand Prix. With Max Verstappen showing no signs of pressure despite the huge number of fans there cheering him on, the Dutchman secured the win with surprising ease – and in doing so, moved Red Bull closer to both world titles.
Verstappen has 310 points in the drivers’ championship, with team mate Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc equal on 201 points in pursuit. There are just 190 left on the table, including the bonus points for fastest lap along with those for the Sprint in Brazil.
All of which means the Dutchman needs just four second place finishes and a fifth from the last seven races to seal back to back titles – and that's assuming Leclerc wins every race and takes the bonus points. And with Red Bull streets ahead in the constructors’, it was easy to see why Horner was in a jovial mood.
‘We probably have to try quite hard to lose it’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...rS1GveC1C.html
Christian Horner on Red Bull title chances: ‘We’d have to try quite hard to lose it’
Tuesday 6th September 2022 1:00 PM
Jon Wilde
Christian Horner has given his strongest admission yet that Red Bull and Max Verstappen are on the brink of a World Championship double. Although Ferrari began the 2022 season, with its new technical regulations and the return of ground-effect aerodynamics, as the team on top, the tide has turned Red Bull’s way since race four.
Verstappen won the second round of the series in Saudi Arabia but it was Imola where his fortunes really began to pick up and he has now triumphed in nine of the last 12 grands prix. The Dutchman, defending his Drivers’ crown, has built a 109-point advantage over early leader Charles Leclerc, while Red Bull are now 135 points ahead of Ferrari in the Constructors’ standings.
Horner, the Red Bull team principal, is generally wary of getting carried away about title prospects – after all, Verstappen had a commanding margin over Lewis Hamilton last year with four races to go but the duo ended up level going into the Abu Dhabi decider. But even with seven grands prix of this campaign remaining, Horner has conceded it would need an incredible turnaround to stop both trophies being placed in the Milton Keynes cabinet come the end of November.
‘Christian Horner has given his strongest admission yet’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...bull-try-hard/
Red Bull Racing’s Christian Horner: “The Team is operating at an extremely high level”
September 5, 2022
By Jamie Partis-Nelson
After Oracle Red Bull Racing‘s eleventh win of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season at the Dutch Grand Prix, Christian Horner has heaped praise on the team following another impressive showing. With another win under the team’s belt in 2022, Horner refused to claim that both championships were already wrapped up and insisted that the team would still be taking it one race at a time.
“However, what you see here is only 10% of the Team, it’s what goes on behind the scenes that really makes this possible. The Team is operating at an extremely high level and it’s all the support and effort that you don’t see back in Milton Keynes that makes a victory like this possible. All in all, it was a fantastic team performance, both drivers were in the zone from the moment they arrived at the track.
“We are in a great position and we are happy, although nothing is done until it is done. We operate one race at a time and we don’t allow ourselves to think too far ahead. It’s Monza next week, we are looking forward to it and hopefully can carry this form into that race.”
“The Team is operating at an extremely high level”;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ly-high-level/
Mercedes’ Dutch Grand Prix strategy decision ‘surprised’ Christian Horner
Monday 5th September 2022 3:30 PM
Jon Wilde
Christian Horner thought Mercedes had made Dutch Grand Prix victory easier to achieve for Max Verstappen than it needed to be in the decisive stages. Although Verstappen had started from pole position in his home race, his 10th win of the season turned out to be anything but straightforward – due to the pace of, and the original strategy deployed by, Mercedes.
The climax was shaped by a Safety Car period triggered by Valtteri Bottas’ retirement, with his car stationary on the inside at the end of the pits straight. Lewis Hamilton was making the best of an initial one-stop strategy compared to Verstappen’s two-stopper and leading the race, but Mercedes chose to split their options during the Safety Car period. They chose to leave the seven-time former World Champion out in front to keep track position.
Verstappen made a pit-stop for fresh soft tyres and Hamilton’s team-mate, George Russell, demanded to do likewise. That left the Red Bull right on Hamilton’s tail when racing resumed, without the protection of having the other Mercedes as a buffer that could have allowed him to build a gap on Verstappen had Russell defended effectively. It was that split strategy that left Red Bull team principal Horner with eyebrows raised. “I was quite surprised they didn’t leave George out strategically as a rear gunner for Lewis,” Horner told reporters afterwards.
‘Quite surprised they didn’t leave George out strategically as a rear gunner for Lewis’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...des-surprised/
Horner surprised Mercedes didn't use Russell as 'rear gunner' for Hamilton
05/09/2022 at 09:21
Phillip van Osten
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was "quite surprised" that Mercedes did not leave George Russell out on track to protect Lewis Hamilton following Max Verstappen's late pit stop in the Dutch Grand Prix.
What first looked like a straightforward afternoon of racing at Zandvoort for Red Bull and Verstappen transformed into a tricky game of strategy, first due to a Virtual Safety Car following Yuki Tsunoda's retirement and then for a full safety car triggered by Valtteri Bottas' engine failure on the main straight. The latter neutralization decided Red Bull's strategists to give up track position against Mercedes and pit Verstappen for a final set of softs tyres.
While Hamilton picked up the leader's baton and remained out on track, the Brackley squad brought in Russell, also for a fresh set of soft boots. Horner was puzzled by Mercedes' apparent decision to hedge its bets. "You've got your home driver, leading in front of 105,000 people, and you decide to pit him for the soft tyres and concede track position behind two Mercedes," said Horner.
‘Russell as 'rear gunner' for Hamilton’;
https://f1i.com/news/453304-horner-s...-hamilton.html
Horner explains why Perez ran different Dutch GP floor to Verstappen.
The Red Bull duo ran different floors in the Dutch GP - with Christian Horner explaining why.
05 September 07:55
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has explained why Sergio Perez was forced to run a different Formula 1 floor to Max Verstappen in the Dutch Grand Prix. While Verstappen cruised to a fourth win on the trot and 10th of the season in front of his home crowd at Zandvoort, Perez endured a difficult weekend - and eventually came home in fifth place.
Verstappen now enjoys a 109 point championship lead over Perez and Charles Leclerc who are equal on 201. And Perez was forced to run a slightly different floor to his World Champion, soon to be twice, teammate, and had a precautionary power unit change overnight from Saturday into Sunday.
"It (the different spec of floor) gave minuscule differences," Horner explained to media including RacingNews365.com. "It's been predominantly driven by the availability of spare parts. I think the difference is probably less than a tenth, approximately maybe a tenth of a second. Checo had a tricky race and unfortunately was jumped at a restart. I think with hindsight, his tyre preference was the Medium and I think with 20/20 vision, the Soft at the end would probably better to attack. But it was still decent points for him today."
‘Perez ran different Dutch GP floor’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-exp...-to-verstappen
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F1 2023 driver market update - the key issues still to be resolved.
With the Oscar Piastri-Daniel Ricciardo fiasco finally sorted, what remains to be resolved with F1’s driver market for 2023?
7 Sep 2022
Connor McDonagh
Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin have all got their driver pairings sorted for F1 2023.
Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon will all lead their respective teams’ charges next season but the identity of their teammates are still unknown.
‘How will things play out?’
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/101...ll-be-resolved
F1 Podcast: What's next in F1's 2023 driver market?
06/09/2022, 14:20
Author Michael Butterworth
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Off-track, one of the worst-kept secrets of recent times was confirmed last week, as F1's Contracts Recognition Board ruled that Oscar Piastri would indeed be able to race for McLaren in 2023. A tug of war for Piastri's services had developed between the Woking squad and his current employers Alpine, who had designs on promoting him to a race seat next year to replace the outgoing Fernando Alonso.
However, with Alonso off to Aston Martin and Piastri set to join McLaren, Alpine suddenly find themselves with only one contracted driver - Esteban Ocon - instead of three. How did they end up in this situation, and what's next for the French squad? Rumours suggest that Alpine are keen on replacing Alonso with Pierre Gasly, but that move may be contingent on AlphaTauri finding a replacement.
The Faenza team are linked with Colton Herta, but the American may not be granted a Super Licence to race in F1. Are the FIA's Super Licence points unfairly biased against drivers coming from IndyCar? And with uncertainty surrounding the F1 futures of Daniel Ricciardo and Mick Schumacher, what's next for that duo?
‘What's next in F1's 2023 driver market?’
https://racingnews365.com/f1-podcast...-driver-market
Alpine considering 14 drivers for 'best seat in F1' but Pierre Gasly hailed as 'perfect choice' in 2023
Nico Rosberg: "For me, Pierre Gasly is the perfect choice. I think that'd be the perfect line-up for them"; Alpine want Gasly to fill unexpectedly vacant 2023 seat but deal is dependent on Red Bull signing Colton Herta for AlphaTauri
Last Updated: 07/09/22 1:26pm
SKY Sports.
Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer says the team have a shortlist of 14 drivers to fill "the best seat open in F1", with Pierre Gasly heralded by Nico Rosberg as the "perfect" candidate to partner Esteban Ocon. The French team have an unexpected opening for 2023 after Fernando Alonso signed for Aston Martin, while they then lost a contract battle to McLaren for the services of the previously-announced Oscar Piastri.
Gasly is the overwhelming favourite to land the seat, and Alpine have been in discussions with Red Bull over releasing the highly-rated AlphaTauri driver, but Szafnauer says the team have a "long list".
"We just want to understand all those that are available," the Alpine team principal told Sky Sports F1 at the Dutch GP. "We've got a long list. I've mentioned 14 before and it's about right. Now we've got to whittle that down to three or four and then look at all those and see which one's the best fit."
‘Alpine considering 14 drivers’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...choice-in-2023
Daniel Ricciardo linked to Mercedes in latest Formula 1 rumours
September 7th, 2022 4:18 pm
James McKern from News.com.au
Daniel Ricciardo’s uncertain future in Formula 1 remains the hot topic of conversation among the F1 community. But now a new rumour has taken over the Formula 1 community, linking Ricciardo to the powerhouse Mercedes. And the Aussie say’s he’s “open minded” to all options.
F1 journalist Joe Saward has linked the Aussie to joining the eight-time champion team, but not in a permanent on the grid role. Ricciardo would take over as the team’s reserve driver. Mercedes’ seats for 2023 are set in stone with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell proving to be a strong partnership on the grid.
“Ricciardo’s best move might be to become reserve driver at Mercedes, to help build up his confidence again,” Saward wrote. Hamilton’s contract is set to expire at the end of 2023 with retirement rumours following him for well over 12 months now.
‘Daniel Ricciardo linked to Mercedes’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...c30f3ccc25afcc
Mick Schumacher Has Yet to Secure a Seat for the 2023 Formula 1 Season
30 Aug 2022, 16:06 UTC ·
by Sebastian Toma
Mick Schumacher is reportedly close to being a free agent after the end of the 2021 Formula 1 season, sources claim. The unnamed source noted that Mick's contract with Scuderia Ferrari, more precisely with the Ferrari Driver Academy, was set to end after the 2022 season. In other words, it is unclear if we will see Schumacher with Haas in 2023.
Those who have been keeping a close eye on the sport know that Sebastian Vettel intended to have Mick in his place at Aston Martin when he retired, but the team decided to disregard the German driver's suggestion. With that, there are several potential options for Mick Schumacher in 2023, but nothing is official now.
Sources claim that Mattia Binotto no longer believes in Schumacher's potential, but that assessment has not been confirmed. Moreover, Mick's chance of getting a seat at the big team is slim, since both Leclerc and Sainz Jr. have valid contracts with the Scuderia up until the end of 2024.
‘Yet to Secure a Seat’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/m...on-197332.html
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Italian GP: Charles Leclerc playing down hopes of home victory for Ferrari at Monza.
Charles Leclerc has suggested that Ferrari may struggle for performance at Monza more than they did at Zandvoort.
Published: 6 Sep 2022, 15:49
By George Dagless
The Scuderia have seen Red Bull stretch their legs even further in both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ championships to the point now that it looks a foregone conclusion as to where both titles are heading this year.
Indeed, the return from the summer break has not been the reset Ferrari would have liked with them unable to do anything about Red Bull and Max Verstappen in particular, and now the triple header reaches its conclusion this very weekend with the Italian Grand Prix.
Speaking to the media after the Dutch GP, he was asked to look forward to this weekend’s race in northern Italy and had this to say: “On paper, it’s not our best track, unfortunately. But anyway, I’m really looking forward to going there. We always have a massive amount of support. And for that, I’m really looking forward to it. But I think the performance on paper will be a bit more difficult than this weekend, unfortunately.”
‘Playing down hopes of home victory for Ferrari at Monza’;
https://www.givemesport.com/88056887...rrari-at-monza
Italian Grand Prix 2022: 7 Drivers to Watch This Weekend
Updated September 07, 2022 10:19 AM
By Alex Kirshner Men’s Journal
The Italian Grand Prix is one of the great races on the Formula 1 calendar. It is an institution unto itself—it began in 1921, three decades before F1 became an organized circuit—and it has appeared on the calendar in every single F1 season. All but one of those races took place at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, a.k.a. “the Temple of Speed,” which is one of the most beloved tracks in the world.
This race doesn’t count for more points than any other on F1’s schedule, but points are no longer the main story anyway if your focus is the championship battles. Max Verstappen is going to walk to the World Drivers’ Championship this year, and his Red Bull Racing team will breeze through to the Constructors’ title.
Fortunately, the Italian Grand Prix is a big enough deal that it’s still worth watching, even if the championships are no longer competitive. Last year, to name one example, it produced a shock result when the two McLaren drivers, Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris, finished first and second.
‘7 Drivers to Watch This Weekend?!’;
https://www.sanluisobispo.com/living...mainstage_lead
'It’s a dream come true' – What racing in red at Monza means to Ferrari’s Leclerc and Sainz
07 September 2022
Lawrence Barretto
F1 Correspondent & Presenter
When Charles Leclerc won the Italian Grand Prix for the first time for Ferrari in 2019, Monza – bursting at the seams with red-clad Tifosi – exploded. The dreams of much of Italy had come true, ending a wait of nine years for this feeling of nirvana.
“There were people as far as I could see,” he said when we spoke at Zandvoort ahead of this weekend’s Italian GP. “It was packed. I was trying to find my mum. She was in a grandstand.
"She arrived Saturday night because she saw I had done the pole position but I didn’t have the pass for the Sunday – I had already promised it to someone else so, I said 'Mum the only thing I can get you is a pass in the grandstand', so she was on the main straight. I was trying to find her but there were way too many people. Being up there was a very special moment. Racing for Ferrari, you only see red – or 98% of people are red – and this make you feel like home.”
'It’s a dream come true';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...BSxBM6fb6.html
Thunderstorms predicated for Italian Grand Prix weekend
08/09/2022, 17:00
Author RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365 presents the weather report for the Italian Grand Prix weekend in collaboration with WeerOnline. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected in northern Italy in the coming days, which might impact this weekends Formula 1Italian Grand Prix. Showers will move over the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in the night from Thursday to Friday morning.
The possibility of rain decreases during the afternoon however, meaning the chances of a (partly) wet track is therefore greater during FP1 instead of FP2. The rest of the weekend looks set to be sunny with temperatures reaching 26 degrees centigrade on Saturday and 27 degrees centigrade on Sunday. On Saturday the weather picture consists of sun with overcast clouds. In a number of places in northern Italy, these clouds develop into thunderstorms, mostly in the mountain regions.
The chance of these showers reaching the Monza circuit just before or during qualifying in the afternoon is around 10%. The chance of rain during the race on Sunday in the afternoon is 0%. The sunny weather ensures that the track temperature will be very high, making tyre management even more challenging.
‘Thunderstorms predicated’;
https://racingnews365.com/thundersto...d-prix-weekend
F1 CEO warns history no longer enough for Monza
SEPTEMBER 4, 2022
GrandPrix.com
Monza cannot assume that it will always host the Italian GP. That is the warning of Italian and former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali, who is now CEO of the calendar-making Formula One Management.
Monza is currently preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary with next weekend's Italian GP, but Domenicali warned that it could be one of the fabled circuit's last. "F1 is now a party everywhere we go - there is a queue to host a grand prix," he told Sky Italia.
"History is no longer enough for this and an organisation like Monza will have to raise the bar to stay in the world championship," Domenicali insisted. The Italian said on Saturday: "We will not go beyond 24 races in the world championship.”
‘The warnings of Stefano Domenicali’;
https://www.grandprix.com/news/f1-ce...for-monza.html
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Ferrari under the microscope - What to expect at the Italian Grand Prix.
The Italian Grand Prix brings the European leg of the F1 season to a close as Ferrari returns home to face the Tifosi.
Thursday 8 September 2022 11:37
Sam Hall
Ferrari's problems have continued since the summer shutdown and with the pressure on, this is where we look at what you can expect from the Italian GP. Ferrari scrutiny magnifed: Up to the Belgian GP, it was possible to argue that Ferrari could and should be leading both the drivers' and constructors' championship battles.
The Tifosi lining the Autodromo Nazionale Monza has never been shy about letting the Ferrari hierarchy know their feelings on how the team is being run and should a mistake be made this weekend, there will surely be an uproar.
Charles Leclerc must also prove his worth to the team. On a long-term contract, last weekend's Dutch GP was the first race he has finished ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz - when both drivers have seen the chequered flag - since Miami in May.
‘The Tifosi: never been shy about letting the Ferrari hierarchy know their feelings on how the team is being run’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/91...hat-to-expect/
Can Mattia Binotto afford another embarrassing Ferrari mistake in front of the Tifosi?
7 Sep 2022
Connor McDonagh
Can Binotto afford another embarrassing Ferrari blunder? Ferrari’s long run of high-profile errors continued at the Dutch Grand Prix as a pit stop blunder for Carlos Sainz cost him over 10 seconds in the pit lane.
Mattia Binotto insisted after the race that there is no reason to make changes to the pit crew or strategy team, but given the number of mistakes we have seen operationally in the first 15 races of the season, the Ferrari boss is inevitably going to be put under pressure.
The Scuderia will race in front of their adoring home crowd - the Tifosi - at Monza this weekend. Ferrari haven’t won since the Austrian Grand Prix, and it seems that F1’s new floor technical directive has impacted their race pace and tyre management.
They are expected to go all out this weekend with a rumoured Monza-specific rear wing and aggressive engine modes, but it is unlikely to be enough to topple Max Verstappen and Red Bull. However, with Ferrari’s top brass likely to be in attendance at their home race, they cannot afford another embarrassing blunder.
‘Ferrari boss is inevitably going to be put under pressure’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/101...e-front-tifosi
Binotto bites back at Rosberg after Ferrari derision
Tuesday 6 September 2022 08:10
Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale
Mattia Binotto has fought back against Nico Rosberg's claims that Ferrari was worse than an F2 or F3 team at the Dutch Grand Prix. The Scuderia fumbled Carlos Sainz's first pit stop with a late call leaving the Spaniard stranded on the jacks for 12.7 seconds. That drama dropped Sainz from third to sixth and kicked off a multitude of unfortunate events that ultimately saw him finish eighth, drawing criticism from 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg on Sky Sports F1.
"Oh my goodness, and Mattia Binotto keeps saying 'No, we don't need to make any changes. Everything is going well'," said the German. "I mean, when is the day coming? It's not possible. Even Formula 2 or Formula 3 teams do a better job at their strategy and pit stops than Ferrari."
But retorting to the criticism, Ferrari team principal Binotto said: "First, I think it is so easy to speak when you are outside. I can do the job he is doing and simply criticise. But we will not change people: that is the answer to Rosberg. We have got great people and it has been proven in this sport that what is more important is simply stability and that we make sure we are improving day-by-day and race-by-race.”
‘We will not change people: that is the answer to Rosberg’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/90...sberg-ferrari/
Binotto admits Ferrari 'needs to react' at Monza
08/09/2022 at 09:32
Phillip van Osten
Mattia Binotto says Ferrari is currently enduring "a difficult moment" that has put the team up against the wall ahead of its home race at Monza where it "certainly needs to react".
"It is certainly a difficult moment right now and for our team because we are not getting the results with the expectations that we have got," Binotto conceded.
"We need to react and Monza, we will have the tifosi there after COVID and to have them in the grandstands will be important for us as they cheer for us and boost us as a team. Right now, we need to find some good results for the spirit and the mood."
‘Ferrari Needs To React';
https://f1i.com/news/453494-binotto-...-at-monza.html
Mattia Binotto says he’s not prioritising fixing Ferrari’s mistakes
8 September 2022
by James Clifford
Ferrari team principal, Mattia Binotto, is more focused on improving the pace of the F1-75 than he is on addressing the mistakes made by his team during the Dutch Grand Prix.
There is pressure on Ferrari going into their home race in Monza this weekend in front of their expectant fans, but the 52-year-old is looking forward to the atmosphere. “Now we go to Monza where we can expect a warm welcome from our tifosi, we know we can always count on their support,” said Binotto.
“And it will be great to finally see the grandstands at the Autodromo packed out, after the limitation on spectator numbers last year because of Covid. “We will do our utmost to make our supporters proud of us, even if we already know it won’t be an easy race, given the performance level of our competitors.”
‘We can expect a warm welcome from our Tifosi’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/mattia-bi...aris-mistakes/
Italian GP: Charles Leclerc says Ferrari must 'stay united' amid rumours over Mattia Binotto's future
Last Updated: 08/09/22 3:44pm
SKY Sports
Charles Leclerc says Ferrari must avoid being distracted and stay united amid rumours over team principal Mattia Binotto's future ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix. With the spotlight on Ferrari at its brightest - as the Tifosi flock to Monza this weekend - Leclerc was asked in Thursday's press conference to address rumours that the team boss's position could be under threat.
"There are always rumours around a Formula 1 team and especially with Ferrari but I think what is important in those moments is not to get distracted with whatever is being said," Leclerc said.
"We are very united as a team and I think we need to keep on going like this. We've shown that we've been great from last year to this year with this kind of performance and we need to keep going in that direction. I didn't hear that rumour in particular but obviously we have to focus on our own job."
‘Ferrari must 'stay united' amid rumours over Mattia Binotto's future’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...inottos-future
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Tsunoda tells conspiracy theorists to check their brains.
AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda says that those people who believe that his retirement from last week's Dutch Grand Prix was staged in order to benefit Max Verstappen should get their heads examined.
08/09/2022 at 16:53
Andrew Lewin
"It's funny that fans are really excited to always create the story," Tsunoda said at a media interview in Monza ahead of this weekend's Italian Grand Prix. "It's just a super simple fact that there was an issue in the car.
"Straight away I felt some strange things at the rear," he said when asked what had happened. "I thought at first it was the tyre. I got radio from the team to stop the car in a safe place at the side of the track, so I just stopped and nearly switched off as well.
"But I got told again from the team that we didn't find any issues and that's why we restarted. We fitted a new tyre, but I felt clearly that there was an issue again," he added. "So that's why they said to stop. The situation made it of course a little bit confused, but there's not any room to complain to the team, myself and also especially to Red Bull that it's such a to be honest crazy, crazy story.”
‘Get their heads examined’;
https://f1i.com/news/453579-tsunoda-...ir-brains.html
Tsunoda wants to ‘scan the brains’ of conspiracy theorists to ‘see what’s wrong’
2022 Italian Grand Prix
Posted on 8th September 2022, 18:01
Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
The AlphaTauri driver came to a stop twice on consecutive laps, the last time permanently, when a differential problem developed on his car. At first Tsunoda mistook it for a loose wheel, and returned to the pits to have it checked.
His eventual retirement triggered a Virtual Safety Car period which played into the hands of race leader Max Verstappen, as it allowed him to make a pit stop while losing minimal time. This prompted wild accusations on social media of collusion between Red Bull and its junior team.
“It’s funny that the fans are really excited to always create a story,” said Tsunoda. “It’s just a super-simple fact that there was an issue in the car, there was a differential issue.” Although the situation was “a little bit confused”, Tsunoda pointed out he was in “a good place to score points” and the idea he’d forfeit it to help Red Bull is “such a crazy, crazy story.”
‘Scan The Brains, See What’s Wrong’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/09/08/...e-whats-wrong/
AlphaTauri hit back at ‘insulting’ claims from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff
Mercedes boss Wolff he would ask the FIA to investigate Tsunoda’s retirement if his team were in a title battle with Red Bull
11:51 Tue, 06 Sep 2022.
Jamie Braidwood
The Independent
Alpha Tauri have branded calls from Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff for Yuki Tsunoda’s retirement from the Dutch Grand Prix to be investigated as “insulting”.
Wolff raised questions surrounding Tsuonda’s retirement and suggested the actions of Red Bull’s junior team “changed the outcome of the race”, leading to Max Verstappen’s victory and ending any chance Lewis
‘AlphaTauri hit back at ‘insulting’ claims from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff’;
https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/alp...-b2160763.html
AlphaTauri hits out at social media abuse
06/09/2022
NEWS STORY
AlphaTauri has reacted following "hateful" abuse of Yuki Tsunoda and Red Bull strategist, Hannah Schmitz following Sunday's Grand Prix. The abuse followed Tsunoda's retirement from the race, which brought about the deployment of the VSC. On Monday evening, as the abuse continued, AlphaTauri issued a statement:
"It is incredibly disheartening to read some of the language and comments directed at our team and towards Red Bull Racing’s head of strategy, Hannah Schmitz," said the team. "Such hateful behaviour cannot be tolerated, and to entertain accusations of foul play is unacceptable, untrue and completely disrespectful towards both Hannah and us.”
"We have always competed independently, fairly and with the highest levels of respect and sportsmanship. Yuki had a failure that the team didn’t immediately detect which caused him to stop on track. To suggest anything different is insulting and categorically incorrect."
‘Incredibly Disheartening’;
https://www.pitpass.com/73549/AlphaT...al-media-abuse
Gary Anderson: Why Tsunoda conspiracy was clearly nonsense
Sep 6 2022
By Gary Anderson
The Race.
The conspiracy theory about AlphaTauri causing a virtual safety car period to help Max Verstappen and Red Bull in the Dutch Grand Prix is total rubbish and I’m not surprised to see the team criticising such suggestions. You can see why AlphaTauri didn’t immediately diagnose the problem Yuki Tsunoda’s car suffered.
I’m pretty sure that when he left the pits after his second pitstop of the race he either broke the differential, a driveshaft joining or sheared the drive pegs. To him, that would feel like there was no drive on one side, so he thought that a wheel was loose. The team did later discover that it was apparently a diff problem.
It’s a logical conclusion for the driver to suggest a loose wheel at first given he’s just made a pitstop. But the crabbing effect he felt in the car was a consequence of a real problem, as he kept telling the team. Tsunoda stopped and undid his seatbelts because he thought he was retiring. But then he was told to carry on when the team realised the wheels were attached properly and could see no other problem. But it’s not easy for the team to see if you have drive to both rear wheels when you aren’t moving.
‘Total rubbish and I’m not surprised to see the team criticising such suggestions’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...arly-nonsense/