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What’s at stake for Ferrari on Verstappen’s big day.
“We’re just going to try and make their life as complicated as possible and try to take the win.” One-three on the grid, both Ferrari drivers have made their intentions for the Italian Grand Prix.
3rd Sept. 2023, 09:01
The Race
Ferrari topping qualifying at Monza is exciting. But as Alonso said on Saturday: “The race is tomorrow. We saw Ferrari many times on pole on Saturday, and not so happy on Sundays – especially last year, they were on pole like 60% of the time [Ferrari were on pole for 55% of grands prix last year], and Max won all the races.
“Let’s wait and see. Obviously for our constructor championship points it’s not good if Ferrari scores many this weekend, but it seems like they will. We have to accept that, get better ourselves and let’s see.”
Does Alonso really believe there is a serious chance of Ferrari cashing in on this big opportunity? Probably. Starting first and third, with Alonso the best of the Aston Martins in 10th, is a terrible position to be in and does come with a real threat of a significant points swing in the fight for third in the championship.
‘Make their life as complicated as possible’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/whats...ppens-big-day/
Leclerc believes Ferrari can BEAT Verstappen after claiming shock Monza pole
Sunday 3 September 2023 07:27
Jay Winter
GPFans
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc is holding onto a strong belief that his team can triumph over Red Bull's Max Verstappen at the Italian Grand Prix, despite the predictive data suggesting otherwise.
The Ferraris are split by the Dutch world championship leader after Carlos Sainz secured pole position with an impressive time of 1:20.294. Max Verstappen was hot on his heels with a time of 1:20.307, while Leclerc clinched the third spot on the grid with a time of 1:20.361.
Despite Ferrari's metrics pointing towards yet another Verstappen win, Leclerc has a gut feeling that they will stop the two-time world champion from breaking the record of most consecutive Grand Prix wins. "I want to believe we can beat Max tomorrow," he told Sky Italia.
‘Charles Leclerc is holding onto a strong belief’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...an-grand-prix/
Winners and Losers from 2023 F1 Italian Grand Prix qualifying
02 September 11:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
RacingNews365
Winner - Carlos Sainz: This pole position for Sainz should come as no surprise.
Loser - Lance Stroll: In mitigation, Lance Stroll did not turn a flying lap at Monza until Saturday morning owing to him giving up the Aston Martin to Felipe Drugovich for FP1 and then a fuel system issue putting him out early in FP2.
Winner - Alexander Albon: 12 months on from having his Monza hopes dashed by his appendix ruining things, Alexander Albon has returned and means business.
Loser - Logan Sargeant: On the flip side, there is Logan Sargeant who could only manage 15th, and slowest in Q2.
Winner - Liam Lawson: This is the first real weekend of which Liam Lawson can be judged owing to the unusual and chaotic circumstances of his debut at Zandvoort.
Loser – Alpine: For Alpine at the moment, it feels like one step is made forwards, and two are taken back.
‘Winners and Losers’;
https://racingnews365.com/winners-an...rix-qualifying
Hamilton issues X-RATED verdict after Italian Grand Prix qualifying performance
Sunday 3 September 2023 09:27
Sam Cook
GPFans
Lewis Hamilton has given a scathing review of his performance in qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix, labelling it as 's***'. The seven-time world champion only managed to put his Mercedes in eighth, whilst his team-mate George Russell finds himself starting up in fourth after pulling together a great lap at the end of Q3.
And the Briton did not hold back after the session. "S***," he bluntly told Viaplay when asked for his thoughts on qualifying. "It was terrible, it was a bad session. but you know, sometimes that happens. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn't," he added.
"I was struggling absolutely every lap, there wasn't one lap that felt good for me, just struggled to get out of Q1, nearly didn't make it, and then struggled to get into Q3, so balance issues. Struggling with the car. It's not a strong circuit for me in general, but George did a great job today."
‘X-RATED verdict’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...es-qualifying/
Max Verstappen bites back at 'jealous' Lewis Hamilton in spat before Italian GP
Max Verstappen has bitten back at Lewis Hamilton’s comments – calling the Brit ‘jealous’ before the Italian GP as old rivalries threaten to be renewed
06:30, 3 SEP 2023
BY CAMERON WINSTANLEY
Daily Star
Hamilton suggested that Verstappen’s achievements are nothing special, claiming that the Red Bull champion has had an easier ride. Hamilton said: "I'm no more impressed than when Michael [Schumacher] was leading, when Sebastian [Vettel] was leading when Kimi [Raikkonen] was driving, when Fernando [Alonso] was winning – it's just the same," the seven-time world champion said when asked about Verstappen's accomplishments.
"In my personal opinion, all my team-mates have been stronger than the team-mates Max has had – Jenson [Button], Fernando, George [Russell], Valtteri [Bottas], Nico [Rosberg]. I've had so many. These guys have all been very, very strong, very consistent – and Max has not raced against anyone like that."
Verstappen was asked on his reaction to Hamilton’s war of words in Monza ahead of this weekend’s Grand Prix. He said: "Maybe he's a little jealous of my current success. This kind of statement... he possibly thinks he's winning something with that, but it makes no difference to me. I think Mercedes have a very hard time dealing with losing, after all these years of winning so much.”
‘Hamilton suggested that Verstappen’s achievements are nothing special’;
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1...-spat-30850644
Technical: Ferrari drivers set to race with fresh engines in Monza
02 Sep 2023, 22:00
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
There is a host of drivers to race with fresh power unit elements at Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, including pole sitter Carlos Sainz and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc. F1Technical's senior writer Balázs Szabó reports from the Monza paddock.
With Monza being one of the most demanding circuits in terms of the power unit, teams usually install fresh power unit elements at the Italian Grand Prix. In truth, Spa also used to serve as a venue for fresh engines when the Belgian Grand Prix preceded the Monza round in the past.
A total of six drivers have received fresh internal combustion engines for the Monza race, including the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, the AlphaTauri driver pair of Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, Mercedes racer George Russell and Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas. These six drivers have also received a new motor genetor unit – kinetic.
‘Ferrari drivers set to race with fresh engines’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/24181
F1 Live - Italian GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
Scheduled for Sep 3, 2023
Racing Statistics
‘Italian GP Race Watchalong’;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XljFYXAkbFw
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Verstappen scores perfect ten out of ten with Italy GP win.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen has become the first driver in F1 history to score ten back-to-back victories in a season, dashing Ferrari hopes with another peerless performance in the Italian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
03/09/2023 at 15:46
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
Pole sitter Carlos Sainz battled valiantly to stay in front but ultimately gave way on lap 15, and subsequently also lost out to Sergio Perez who made it a Red Bull 1-2.
But Sainz did manage to hold on to third under intense pressure from his team mate Charles Leclerc. making for a thrilling no-holds-barred battle between the Ferrari pair in the closing laps.
‘First driver in F1 history to score ten back-to-back victories’;
https://f1i.com/news/485863-verstapp...ly-gp-win.html
Race Results – 2023 Italian Grand Prix
3rd September 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -51 laps
2. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +6.802
3. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +11.082
4. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +11.508
5. George Russell Mercedes +23.028 *
6. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +42.679 *
7. Alex Albon Williams Racing +45.106
8. Lando Norris McLaren +45.449
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +46.294
10. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +64.056
‘Italian Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from today’s 2023 F1 World Championship race at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/race-resul...and-prix-83132
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the 2023 Italian Grand Prix
03 September 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site
‘As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...dvg2ZgYro.html
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...dvg2ZgYro.html
F1 Italian Grand Prix 2023 LIVE UPDATES!
3rd Sept. 2023, 13:17
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Follow all the F1 action from the Italian Grand Prix here with the Crash.net live blog.
‘LIVE UPDATES!’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-ita...3-live-updates
F1 Live - Italian GP Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
3rd Sept. 2023.
Racing Statistics
‘Italian GP Race Watchalong’;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XljFYXAkbFw
Sergio Perez in fighting talk to Max Verstappen after impressive Italian GP drive
Sergio Perez put in an impressive showing at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.
15:55, Sun, Sep 3, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Sergio Perez has come out fighting after the Italian Grand Prix, claiming that fans will see his best form of the season in the final eight races of the campaign. The Mexican driver endured a typically difficult qualifying session on Saturday afternoon, slotting into the starting grid behind his team-mate, both Ferrari drivers and Mercedes' George Russell.
As Max Verstappen battled Carlos Sainz for the lead of the race, Checo was forced to stare at the rear wing of Russell's Mercedes as the Guadalajara-born driver attempted all sorts of moves into the Variante del Rettifilo to get past and into P4.
When asked by Nico Rosberg whether he can close up to Verstappen before the end of the season off the back of this performance, Checo replied: "Yeah, I think we've done a lot of progress. On the setup side, I am feeling a lot more comfortable in the car. So I do expect that we will see the best form in the next leg [of] races."
‘Sergio Perez put in an impressive showing at the Italian Grand Prix’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix
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Verstappen gets his mighty 10 as Ferrari defence collapses at home: Italian GP talking points.
We got a great last-gasp duel between Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz for second place, after which the Ferrari drivers engaged in a private edge-of-your-set battle for a final spot on the podium.
Verstappen wins historic 10th Grand Prix | 01:20
September 4th, 2023 9:14 am
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
There would be no Ferrari fairytale at Monza this year, but the race wasn’t much poorer for it. A great race doesn’t need to have lots of overtaking, only lots of battling, and Monza had that in spades. But, as always, there’s an asterisk. The race was thrilling if you forget that Max Verstappen waltzed to victory. For 15 short laps it appeared as though the title leader might actually have been out of answers to break though pole-getter Sainz’s defences.
It took only one mistake from the Spaniard for Verstappen to barge through and establish an unassailable lead, grabbing a slice of history with it. This season will be remembered for Verstappen’s ruthless domination, but races like the Italian Grand Prix remind us that actually the racing has been pretty good all year, so long as you start counting from second place.
We’re officially in uncharted territory. No driver has ever enjoyed as long a dominant streak as Verstappen, whose 10 victories on the bounce take him past Sebastian Vettel’s nine in succession in 2013. Red Bull Racing also becomes the first team to win 15 grands prix consecutively, eclipsing Ferrari’s 14 set in 1952–53 — though, again, this record excludes the Indianapolis 500, and it also predates the constructors championship.
‘We’re officially in uncharted territory’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...695ebc9b1080ac
Verstappen had to ‘nurse little issue’ in closing stages of Italian GP
17:12 Sun, 03 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Max Verstappen reveals that he had to “nurse a little issue” during the closing stages of his run to victory at the Italian Grand Prix.
Despite saying “everything felt good” for the majority of the race, the Dutchman admits he “had to nurse a little issue at the end. But we had, luckily, of course, a gap behind so I could easily back off,” Verstappen added.
‘Nurse little issue’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...of-italian-gp/
Christian Horner reveals sudden cause which forced Verstappen into ‘drastic slow down’
03 Sep 2023 6:50 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Christian Horner has revealed what was going on to cause the Red Bull pitwall to tell Max Verstappen to slow down in the final laps at Monza. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner hinted that temperatures on the RB19 were getting uncomfortably high.
“We were just managing some temperature issues,” he confirmed. “We just didn’t want to take any risks on a stinking hot day. We had a couple of temperatures that were…they were under control.”
“But there were a bunch of cars ahead of Gasly and we just didn’t want to run in dirty air. So that’s why we took it a little bit easy in the last few laps.”
‘Drastic slow down’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/christ...ue-italian-gp/
What a Surprise: Max Verstappen Wins Another F1 Grand Prix!
Published: 3 Sep 2023, 17:48 UTC
By: Dragos Chitulescu
autoevolution
The Italian Grand Prix is done and dusted! Carlos Sainz gave the Tifosi some hope on Saturday, but that didn't guarantee a victory for him on Sunday. And once again, Red Bull Racing has had its eyes on the prize, with Max Verstappen breaking yet another Formula One record.
Winning the Italian Grand Prix would have boosted confidence and morale for Scuderia Ferrari team members and fans alike. Several years have passed since Charles Leclerc achieved that performance for the Italian Squad, but this time, everyone was watching for Carlos Sainz.
And in typical Verstappen fashion, nothing else could stop him from winning the race at the end of the day. It is his tenth consecutive victory this season, so he has broken yet another F1 record. Sergio Perez finished P2, just six seconds behind Max. Carlos Sainz scored a bittersweet result for Ferrari, taking P3: his first podium since the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. He had an epic duel with Charles Leclerc towards the end of the race, and it's worth watching the replay to see it.
‘And in typical Verstappen fashion’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/w...ix-220510.html
Analysis: Why Ferrari didn’t go aggressive on strategy in their fight with Red Bull
2023 Italian Grand Prix
Posted on 3rd September 2023, 21:433rd September 2023, 21:48
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Once Carlos Sainz Jnr lost the lead on the 15th lap of the Italian Grand Prix, it was always unlikely Ferrari were going to be able to get it back. There was one strategic option available to them once Max Verstappen found his way into the lead: Respond by pitting Sainz immediately. Then, depending on Red Bull’s next move, Ferrari had the luxury of covering him off with either of their cars.
But they chose not to go down that route. Team principal Frederic Vasseur said they couldn’t risk bringing him in so early, despite its length being cut to 51 laps due to the delayed start. “We were all a bit worried with the the life of the hard [tyre],” said Vasseur. “We were a bit blind because we didn’t do a long stint before [in practice].”
“It was also a risk to stop very early. We were all at the limit. I think Max the last couple of laps had some issue with the front-left also and we had not so much margin.”
‘Why Ferrari didn’t go aggressive on strategy’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/09/03/...with-red-bull/
Horner: Red Bull never imagined leaving European season undefeated
Red Bull made it 14 wins from 14 races at Monza, and its significance wasn't lost on Christian Horner.
September 3, 2023
By Adriano Boin
Total Motorsport
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says his team’s undefeated run so far in 2023 is something he could have never imagined. The team made it 14 wins from as many races so far this season as Max Verstappen took the chequered flag from teammate Sergio Perez at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix.
“It’s an amazing result,” Horner told reporters, including Total-Motorsport, after Sunday’s race. “Ferrari getting pole position yesterday, you could see what it meant to the Tifosi. Certainly last night outside my hotel, I was in the same hotel as the Ferrari drivers, it was around 1 a.m. that they finally quieted down.”
“We knew we had a quick car. Ferrari were very fast on the straights today and Max could see they were a littler harder on the rear tyres, and that was part of our strategy in terms of the setup that we adopted knowing that the temperatures were going to be a little bit higher today. Carlos defended very hard and robustly which you would in a Ferrari around Monza, but finally Max was able to get that pass done and Checo as well, first passing George [Russell], then Charles [Leclerc] and then Carlos.”
‘Red Bull never imagined leaving European season undefeated’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/hor...undefeated-f1/
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Wolff: Verstappen wins record just 'for Wikipedia'.
Toto Wolff feels Max Verstappen's 10 straight Formula 1 wins is "just for Wikipedia" and doubts if the Red Bull driver even cares about the record.
04 September 12:05PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Victory in the Italian Grand Prix gave Verstappen double figures in terms of successive wins, the first driver to ever reach that mark in Grand Prix racing, surpassing Sebastian Vettel's tally of nine. Verstappen has won 12 of the 14 races in 2023 and is set to wrap up a third title in the coming races, but Mercedes boss Wolff was rather non-plussed about the record.
"Our situation was a little bit different because we had two guys fighting against each other within the team," Wolff told Sky Sports F1. "I don’t know if he cares about the records. It is not something that would be important for me, those numbers, are for Wikipedia and nobody reads that anyway."
"[The records] were irrelevant in our good days at Mercedes, I don't know how many races we won in a row (10 between Monaco-Singapore 2016). "I didn't even know that there was a count on how many you win, therefore asking me to comment on some achievement is difficult because it has never played a role in my whole life.”
"Just for Wikipedia";
https://racingnews365.com/wolff-vers...-for-wikipedia
Damon Hill unimpressed by Toto Wolff’s dismissal of Max Verstappen’s record win
4 September 2023 at 11:16 am
Philip Duncan, PA F1 Correspondent
Yahoo! Sport
Damon Hill has described Toto Wolff’s dismissal of Max Verstappen’s record winning streak as “churlish” and “ungracious”. Moments after Verstappen drove into the record books, Mercedes team principal Wolff called the Dutchman’s unprecedented run of victories “completely irrelevant”. He added that the record was only “for Wikipedia, and nobody reads that anyway”.
Responding to Wolff’s unflattering appraisal, 1996 world champion Hill said: “It sounded a bit churlish and not very gracious. “It’s unlike Toto because he’s usually very sporting. But he is hurting a bit now. They know what it is like to be dominant and they didn’t even get on the podium in Monza.”
“They seem to be a bit stymied and can’t seem to work out what to do. But who can? It seems like everywhere we go, Red Bull has got the upper hand.”
‘Damon Hill unimpressed’;
https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/dam...9jhkZZZpEFbsHE
Toto Wolff steps in as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's F1 feud turns ugly
F1 stars Hamilton and Verstappen renewed their war of words at the Italian Grand Prix, after the Mercedes racer downplayed the achievements of his Red Bull rival
12:29, 4 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Toto Wolff stepped in to defuse the situation after Lewis Hamilton sparked a fresh row with Max Verstappen. The two Formula 1 rivals took shots at one another over the course of the Italian Grand Prix weekend. It began when Hamilton downplayed Verstappen's dominance of the sport and claimed the Dutchman's Red Bull team-mates have not been of the same standard.
"I'm no more impressed than when Michael [Schumacher] was leading, when Sebastian [Vettel] was leading when Kimi [Raikkonen] was driving, when Fernando [Alonso] was winning – it's just the same," the seven-time world champion said. He then added: "In my personal opinion, all my team-mates have been stronger than the team-mates Max has had – Jenson [Button], Fernando, George [Russell], Valtteri [Bottas], Nico [Rosberg]. I've had so many. These guys have all been very, very strong, very consistent – and Max has not raced against anyone like that."
Mercedes chief Wolff attempted to cool tensions between the drivers. Speaking to reporters after the Monza race, the Austrian dismissed the spat as little more than two rivals "poking fun" at each other. "First of all, it's obvious that the drivers like to poke each other a bit," he said. But Wolff did go on to suggest that he agreed with Hamilton's claim that he has faced sterner tests from his team-mates over the course of his F1 career.” Wolff added: "You can say that Lewis has raced three world champions. He raced Jenson, he raced Fernando and he raced Nico. But I don't want to in any way diminish anybody's performance because Max in the car is outstanding. So, it's just part of the fun."
‘Rivals "poking fun" at each other’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...wolff-30858108
Hamilton takes SWIPE at Verstappen with pointed F1 team-mate jibe
Saturday 2 September 2023 19:57
Anna Malyon
GPFans
Lewis Hamilton has given his honest opinion on Max Verstappen's team-mates, suggesting that no one has genuinely posed a significant challenge to the Dutch driver. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff also expressed his confusion about Perez’s inability to compete with Verstappen despite being in the same car.
“We have seen it all these years, Checo is a Grand Prix winner - a multiple Grand Prix winner, so I cannot comprehend,” Wolff told the media. “We’ve seen that Max has destroyed every single team-mate that was with him. Whether it is his ability to create a car around himself that is just very tricky to control, but fast when you can (control it), and that creates those gaps."
However, Verstappen responded strongly to Wolff’s comments claiming they were 'bull**** comments'. “It’s not like that, I just drive the car the fastest way possible," Verstappen said. "I’m not there to tell the guys 'give me more because that’s how I like it,” Verstappen said. “I just say to design me the fastest car and I’ll drive around that because every single year, every car drives a little bit differently.”
‘Toto Wolff also expressed his confusion’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...edes-red-bull/
Max Verstappen mocks "jealous" Lewis Hamilton as F1 rivals clash at Italian Grand Prix
Verstappen has responded after Hamilton claimed the Red Bull racer's team-mates over the years were much easier to beat than the ones he has faced as a Mercedes driver
19:13, 2 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Those words were posed to Verstappen as he spoke to reporters in Monza. In response, Verstappen bristled as he took aim at both Hamilton and his Mercedes team, and retorted: "Maybe he's a little jealous of my current success. "This kind of statement... he possibly thinks he's winning something with that, but it makes no difference to me. I think Mercedes have a very hard time dealing with losing, after all these years of winning so much.”
"At some point, you have to be realistic and then you have to be able to appreciate what other teams are doing. We did the same when they were dominant and we also said, 'We have to work harder because we are not good enough'. You can keep shouting and screaming that what we do is not that special... you just have to deal with yourself."
Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle was also surprised by Hamilton's words, but thinks he knows what the Brit was hoping to achieve. He said: "That's Lewis' opinion and he very firmly put it out there. He's not going to give Max an ounce of oxygen, or anything, to pick him up. I'm surprised just how hard he was. Of course, Lewis has had strong team-mates but I wouldn't write off the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez, who Max has had alongside him. They are world-class racing drivers. Lewis just doesn't want to give anything away, does he?"
“Makes no difference to me”;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...monza-30849688
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Perez amazed by 'INSANE' moment in charge to Monza podium.
Sergio Perez has admitted that he couldn't believe how hard he had to work to overtake the two Ferraris in the Italian GP.
Sunday 3 September 2023 17:27
Joe Ellis
GPFans
It took Perez several laps to find a way past both of the Prancing Horses and he couldn't shake them off as the race neared its conclusion. “I think it was basically the maximum we could have achieved today," Perez told Nico Rosberg after the race. "It was so difficult to overtake. A lot harder than we really thought. I think we were lacking some straight-line speed.”
"To get through Charles and then to get through Carlos, it was pretty insane, because I had to use a lot my tyres. I really thought, especially in the beginning, I couldn’t get close to Charles because we were stuck in the DRS.”
"I had to put the pressure on Charles, and he got the DRS from Carlos and then it was also a lot of fighting with him. In the end, we managed to get both of them."
‘Couldn't believe how hard he had to work’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...insane-moment/
‘The passes were on the limit but fair’ – Perez on his fight through the field to the podium at Monza
03 Sep 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Sergio Perez had to battle his way up from fifth on the grid to finish P2 at Monza – though he said overtaking was “super hard” in the race, because the DRS was much less effective at this track.
‘The passes were on the limit but fair’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...280467376.html
Perez reflects on 'pretty insane' drive to podium
03 September 5:35PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Perez believes there was an important factor impacting his progression: "It was so difficult to overtake, we were lacking straight-line speed. I was close at the Parabolica but it was not enough," he said. "I was most of the time 0.3s [behind] I knew 0.2 would give me a chance, but 0.3 I will not even get close. So to get through Charles [Leclerc] and Carlos [Sainz], it was pretty insane because I had to use my tyres a lot."
After running wide at Turn 1 multiple times trying to get past Sainz, the Red Bull driver eventually managed to secure second. "I had to put the pressure on Charles and keep out of the DRS from Carlos, then it was a lot of fighting with him and we managed to get both of them," he said.
"I think we've done a lot of progress on the setup side," explained Perez. "I'm feeling a lot more comfortable in the car, so I do expect that will see the best form in the next races. I think we've done a lot of progress on the setup side," explained Perez. "I'm feeling a lot more comfortable in the car, so I do expect that will see the best form in the next races."
‘Perez reflects’;
https://racingnews365.com/perez-refl...rive-to-podium
Perez celebrates Monza podium after 'pretty insane' battle
03/09/2023 at 18:59
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
"It was so difficult to overtake," he reflected when interviewed in parc ferme after the end of the race. "We were lacking straight-line speed. I was close at the Parabolica, but it was not enough. The Ferraris were very fast on the straights so it was hard to make my way through the field. We had some tough racing, but I fought really hard to overtake and gave it my all and it paid off.”
"Carlos and Charles defended like their lives depended on it, which meant we had to work that extra bit harder," he added. “This was a very special victory, but we had to do it the hard way." Perez said that he had been working hard on optimising the set-up for this week's race after missing out last weekend in Zandvoort where he slipped off the podium in the final laps and ended up P4.
“We didn’t get to show it yesterday, but it’s been a strong weekend in terms of performance. I feel like my form is fully back and I hope we can have a very strong end to the season.”
‘Perez celebrates Monza podium’;
https://f1i.com/news/485942-perez-ce...ne-battle.html
Perez felt ‘lucky' to avoid damage during Leclerc battle
04 September 1:00PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
The Red Bull driver spent much of the first half of the race in the mirrors of George Russell, unable to get close enough to pull off a move as the Mercedes defended hard. "First [I had to] get through George, which wasn't very easy," Perez told media including RacingNews365.
"I had to take the escape road into Turn 2 a few times. Once I managed to clear him, the team told me to box but at the same lap. Carlos [Sainz] boxed, so I decided to stay out, thinking that we could extend a little bit more, to build a little bit more of a tyre delta. But then we were at risk of [being] undercut to George and we ended up behind the Ferraris."
"Once Charles had the DRS from Carlos, it was very hard to put him under pressure," Perez reflected. He lost the DRS from Carlos and that really made my race. When I was able to pass I had some contact, I think into Turn 4, I had no space, and we ended up touching. Luckily there was no damage for any of us."
‘Perez felt ‘lucky' to avoid damage’;
https://racingnews365.com/perez-felt...leclerc-battle
Perez ‘more comfortable’ with Red Bull F1 car after ‘progress on set-up side’
13:54 Mon, 04 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Sergio Perez says he is “more comfortable” with Red Bull’s 2023 Formula 1 car after making recent “progress on the set-up side”.
The Mexican revelled in his “best Friday in a while” at the Italian Grand Prix, but a spin late in FP2 and a subsequent oil leak on Saturday morning, necessitating a switch to an older power unit within his allocation, saw Perez only qualify fifth for Sunday’s race.
However, he was able to overtake George Russell and the two Ferraris to follow team-mate Max Verstappen home, handing Red Bull its first-ever 1-2 finish at Monza.
‘Perez ‘more comfortable’ with Red Bull F1 car’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...n-set-up-side/
Perez satisfied with podium after 'terrible' weekend
05 September 7:30AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
The Mexican was satisfied with a clean weekend, after a difficult race in Zandvoort in which a late race penalty demoted him to fourth.
"Very pleased – but we had a terrible Saturday in terms of the issues we had in FP3 with the car that really put us back in qualifying," Perez told media, including RacingNews365 of his weekend. "I think we could have had a better starting position, which definitely will have put us a lot closer in the fight for victory.”
"But certainly, we made a lot of progress, which is a positive thing. I think we've done very well [with the set-up direction], and some work with the suspension [helped.] [After that I was] able to feel quite a lot more comfortable."
‘Perez satisfied’;
https://racingnews365.com/perez-sati...rrible-weekend
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How Ferrari's 'different animal' nearly upset Red Bull record.
Ferrari came away from Monza with its best result of 2023 so far, but it was very nearly an iconic upset in front of the adoring Tifosi crowd.
05 September 2:15PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
If you were not paying attention for the last 14 races, the Italian Grand Prix confirmed it: Perfection and luck will be needed to beat Max Verstappen in 2023.
Ferrari nearly provided a much-needed upset to Red Bull's win streak, but even the 'Monza curse' could not strike against one of the most dominant driver and car combinations of all time in Formula 1.
Verstappen and the RB19 leave the European part of this season undefeated, but it was very nearly a different outcome at Ferrari's home race.
'Different animal';
https://racingnews365.com/how-ferrar...ed-bull-record
F1: Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz share thoughts on exciting Monza battle
The Tifosi were not left disappointed after the Italian Grand Prix after an exciting battle between the Ferrari drivers
Published 5th Sep 2023, 11:26 BST
By Rebecca Braybrook
Lancashire Evening Post
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have praised each other after putting on an exciting fight during the Italian Grand Prix. The Ferrari drivers left Formula 1 fans on the edge of their seats after “tough, hard racing” as the pair competed for third place.
Sainz, 29, took third place having started on pole, with Leclerc, 25, close behind him, taking fourth place. Although the Tifosi were dreaming of a Monza victory, it seemed impossible against the current, heavily dominant Red Bulls.
Fans were relieved to see both cars came out of the race unharmed after a few close calls. Sainz told Ferrari: “It was a great weekend all along and to be able to celebrate a podium with the tifosi is the perfect icing on the cake! I really want to thank every single one of them for their endless support. They are very special.”
‘Exciting Monza battle’;
https://www.lep.co.uk/read-this/ferr...battle-4280888
Ferrari's Italian GP boost: A one-off Monza special or genuine F1 progress?
5th Sept. 2024, 11:30
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
There is no denying that Ferrari pulled out all the stops for Monza. While Red Bull steered clear of introducing a brand-new wing package for the ultra low-downforce track and opted for just a trimmed-out upper flap, Ferrari ran a bespoke Monza wing with a much flatter mainplane than teams would ordinarily choose with the current generation of cars.
It also elected to introduce brand-new power units for the weekend, knowing full well that fresh engines always deliver a bit more oomph. There were even whispers in the paddock that Ferrari had done the equivalent of turning them up to 11 in a bid to squeeze every last bit of horsepower out of them, but this was something Vasseur denied.
"We didn't take more risks than Zandvoort," he said. The end result was Ferrari's most competitive outing of the year, as the squad maximised the opportunity thrown at it that the SF-23 seems to be much more competitive at the lower downforce venues.
‘One-off Monza special or genuine F1 progress?’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...ress/10516455/
Carlos Sainz’s father critical of Ferrari’s ‘curious’ F1 team orders stance at Italian GP
5 Sep 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Carlos Sainz Sr has hit out at Ferrari’s “curious” decision not to call off the late fight between his son and Charles Leclerc at the F1 Italian Grand Prix. Having lost out to both Red Bulls despite a valiant defence, early race leader Sainz Jr found himself engaged in a thrilling duel with Ferrari teammate Leclerc to determine who would take the final spot on the famous Monza podium.
The pair almost took each other out on several occasions but Ferrari opted against intervening in their fierce battle, with Sainz just able to hold on to third place ahead of Leclerc. And Sainz’s father thought the decision not to use team orders was odd.
“It’s curious,” Sainz Sr told DAZN on Sunday. “Sometimes they decide some things, sometimes others. It is he who has to ask and understand the strategies, why sometimes they can attack each other and other times not.”
‘Curious F1 team orders’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103515...-orders-stance
Sainz's regret over lost Italian GP victory dream
05 September 9:50AM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Carlos Sainz admits that he thought he could win the Italian Grand Prix after holding onto the lead in the early stages. When asked if he thought he could win the race at any stage during the first stint, Sainz told media including RacingNews365: “Yeah, halfway through it.”
“I felt like I had it fairly under control but then around lap 10 to 12, I started filling the rear left tyre giving up a lot earlier than I would have expected. At that point, I realised I had used my tyres too much probably to keep Max behind, I had worn that rear-left tyre too much and that I was going to suffer a lot for the rest of the race because it was going to probably make me box early into a hard tyre.”
‘Sainz's regret’;
https://racingnews365.com/sainz-was-...appen-overtake
What will change after Ferrari’s brilliant ‘no risk’ near-disaster
5th Sept 2023, 07:58
By Edd Straw
The Race
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur’s style when he faces the media after each Formula 1 grand prix will be very familiar to anyone who has ever watched a television interview or FIA press conference feed.
He undercuts serious questions with a joke, blocks potentially controversial ones with a straight bat and does everything he can to avoid feeding the storm clouds that regularly gather around Maranello.
The opening question was, inevitably, about the decision not to order them to hold positions. His counter was that had he ordered them to hold position, there would have been questions about that approach and while he admitted that facing the possibility of something going wrong was “not very comfortable” he was right to trust the drivers.
‘Ferrari’s brilliant ‘no risk’ near-disaster’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-...near-disaster/
Vasseur names SURPRISE issue as biggest challenge of being Ferrari boss
Tuesday 5 September 2023 00:57
Dan McCarthy
GPFans
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur has admitted that recruiting staff and dealing with turnover is the biggest challenge of leading the team. Speaking to F1's Beyond The Grid podcast, the Frenchman was outlining the biggest challenges of being in charge of such a team and gave a fairly surprising answer, citing staff recruitment and retention.
"To not shop is to go backwards," he admitted. "This is the life of every single company in the world, that you have a turnover. We are losing perhaps 90 people a year because they want to stop Formula 1, because they are going to pension, or because they want to go to another team for family reasons.
"To stay at the same level, you need to recruit 90 people a year. This is probably the biggest challenge because we need to recruit as soon as possible."
‘Vasseur names SURPRISE issue’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...e-recruitment/
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Mercedes “not in the fight”at F1 Italian Grand Prix - “body language speaks one thousand words”.
Toto Wolff’s “body language” suggested frustration within the Mercedes camp after the F1 Italian Grand Prix, said Naomi Schiff.
3 Sep 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
Mercedes saw both drivers hit with separate five-second time penalties, with George Russell finishing fifth and Lewis Hamilton sixth. A seemingly irritable team principal Toto Wolff claimed it was “maximum” his team could extract from a Monza track which doesn’t suit the W14’s characteristics.
“Body language speaks one thousand words,” Sky TV analyst Schiff said about Wolff. “Sometimes they don’t tell us the full picture and we have to read between what we see on track, and what they tell us. You can really tell in his demeanour that it’s not the result they wanted.”
“The penalties didn’t help but they weren’t in the fight anyway, today. The good thing for them, though, is that consistently they’re more often there than some of the teams around them. So it might be a track-specific thing.”
“Body language speaks one thousand words”;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103508...thousand-words
Toto Wolff fires Lewis Hamilton and George Russell warning in Italian Grand Prix verdict
Russell dropped one place from his starting spot to finish fifth, while Hamilton was one place behind and avoided losing more places after picking up a time penalty
17:34, 3 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
Toto Wolff felt his Mercedes team did all it could in the Italian Grand Prix – but made it clear he will never be satisfied with two non-podium finishes. George Russell finished one place ahead of Lewis Hamilton, fifth on the road. The latter held on to sixth despite picking up a time penalty for a collision with Oscar Piastri, while Russell was also penalised for an earlier incident.
Both built a gap big enough to not lose a place to Alex Albon when those penalties were taken into account. And it meant a solid haul of points for Mercedes despite losing out to both Red Bull and Ferrari cars. Team principal Wolff's body language said more than his words after the race – he was clearly dejected after a race in which his team fought hard for only a small reward.
‘Clearly dejected’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...esult-30853905
Lewis Hamilton receives further punishment after Italian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton has been served another slice of misery after his Italian Grand Prix incident.
08:13, Mon, Sep 4, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Lewis Hamilton has been handed two penalty points on his license for his involvement in the crash between his Mercedes and McLaren’s star rookie Oscar Piastri at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.
There was no bad blood between Hamilton and Piastri after the race, in line with the Brit’s comments. The seven-time world champion was caught on camera approaching the young Aussie in his cockpit with the cars back in parc ferme, apologising for his role in the crash.
Piastri also had his say on the incident after the race, explaining to Sky Sports F1: "The incident with Lewis, he probably just creeped over a bit more than he thought. The stewards gave out their verdict and he has apologised so there is nothing more I can ask for or do at that point.”
‘Further punishment’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix
George Russell has "accepted" Mercedes' poor F1 pace – Lewis Hamilton should do the same
Russell has out-qualified Mercedes team-mate Hamilton at both the Dutch and Italian Grands Prix since the F1 summer break, and finished ahead of the seven-time world champion in the Monza race
10:06, 4 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
The Italian Grand Prix produced another confusing result for Mercedes. Fifth and sixth, as team principal Toto Wolff said after the race, is not something this team wants to get used to celebrating. In reality, though, it was the best they were going to get in any scenario which saw all the Red Bull and Ferrari cars finish.
George Russell finished one place ahead of Lewis Hamilton. It has been a fine start to the second half of the season for the younger Brit, after admitting he was not happy with his form prior to the summer break. "I'm really pleased with my own personal performance for these first two races," he said at Monza. Russell also declared that he is "back to my level" having "lost my way" before shutdown.
Explaining how, he added: "[I've] slightly gone back to basics and not tried to reinvent the wheel with set-ups and just accepting the pace of the car. P4 was the maximum potential [in qualifying]. But if I went in trying to do a lap for pole, trying to find three extra tenths, I'd have ended up in the gravel because three tenths extra is just not possible."
‘Gone back to basics’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...monza-30856709
Sky F1 pundits agree on Lewis Hamilton after being upstaged by George Russell
Russell got the better of more experience team-mate Hamilton in their first season together, though so far in 2023 it's the seven-time world champion leading the Mercedes charge
06:00, 4 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
Naomi Schiff and Martin Brundle agreed as they theorised why Lewis Hamilton was beaten by George Russell in their first season as team-mates.
Russell joined Mercedes at the start of last season, his arrival coinciding with the team's dip in fortunes. While the Silver Arrows were not in the title fight due to their car's lack of competitiveness, the signing from Williams at least managed to impress with his consistency throughout the season.
He beat Hamilton by 35 points in the end – an eye-catching number for the seven-time world champion to lose by. So far in 2023, though, he has got the better of that intra-team battle with his fellow Brit.
‘Upstaged by George Russell’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...sults-30854661
Lewis Hamilton faces NEVER winning another F1 world title because he 'has serious problems' and 'no longer has the hunger', says Sir Jackie Stewart
• Lewis Hamilton is tied with Ferrari icon Michael Schumacher on seven titles
• The Brit has not had the car to challenge for the title since missing out in 2021
• Jackie Stewart believes the Mercedes star 'no longer has the hunger'
Updated: 15:31, 5 September 2023
By Kieran Lynch For Mailonline
Mail Online
Formula One legend Jackie Stewart has sensationally claimed that Lewis Hamilton 'no longer has the hunger' and might never win an eighth drivers' title. He told the German publication in an interview: 'First of all, Lewis is one of the best to ever drive in Formula 1. But the truth is that in the last decade he competed with Mercedes for a team that was virtually out of competition.
'During this time, Lewis only had one real competitor: his respective teammate. Except for 2016, he always emerged victorious from the duel. And then he lost to Nico Rosberg. With respect: a good driver, but not the most talented in the world. But Rosberg was hungry and had the absolute will to become world champion. Lewis no longer has that hunger. Because of that – and because the car is no longer quite as powerful – he has serious problems.”
Stewart, 84, went on to add that Hamilton's hopes of winning the title rely on Mercedes, though he doesn't expect him to move out on his own ahead of Schumacher. He said: 'That (eighth title) also depends on Mercedes. It's not impossible, but I still don't think he'll be able to do it. And I don't think - despite the rumors about Ferrari - that he will change teams again.'
‘Lewis Hamilton faces NEVER winning another F1 world title’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...e-Stewart.html
Examined: Has Lewis Hamilton really had tougher team-mates than Max Verstappen?
05 Sep 2023 9:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
Lewis Hamilton sent tongues wagging when he suggested all of his team-mates have been better than Max Verstappen’s, but how true is that bold claim? While it is hard to rank different drivers in different cars and in different eras, the easiest way to do it is to sort them into tiers so to kick things off, we are taking a look at the men Hamilton has shared the garage with… …then those of Max Verstappen.
So to judge Hamilton’s statement on merit you would have to say that he is correct, his team-mates have been objectively better but he has had two seasons where the team has come close to collapsing due to that rivalry. Meanwhile, you may struggle more to find a team-mate who has a bad word to say about Verstappen.
‘Examined’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/examin...ax-verstappen/
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McLaren boss’s scathing clash response is very important.
He could have chosen the ‘all’s well that ends well’ approach and shrugged it off, but instead chose to draw a clear line in the sand: “This is not acceptable”.
6th September 2023, 07:19
By Edd Straw
The Race
There was an easy escape route for McLaren Formula 1 team principal Andrea Stella when asked about the Italian Grand Prix clash between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, but it says much about his leadership style that he chose not to take it.
When team-mates clash, there’s inevitably a scramble to apportion blame and demands for action to be taken. Different teams deal with this in different ways, and must do given the dynamic between team-mates varies and a good team boss will understand there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, for example, was phlegmatic about the risky dice between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz because “at the end, both drivers finished the race”. But while that approach was entirely appropriate for his and the team’s situation that day at Monza, it would have been a risky approach for Stella and McLaren.
“This is not acceptable”;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-m...-so-important/
Furious McLaren chief to hold Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri talks after Italian GP clash
19:35, 3 Sep 2023
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Andrea Stella fumed at drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for their "unacceptable" conduct during the Italian Grand Prix. "There should never ever be contact between two McLaren cars", said the Italian after his home race. "There was contact, which doesn't fit the way we go racing at McLaren. What is important is to have clear parameters as to what you deem acceptable and what you deem unacceptable.”
"It's not an emotion thing, it's just like you do with other things. You deal with racing in a similar way. This is very clear that for any driver, there's something bigger than them. It's the team."
Hinting that he will hold talks with both drivers, he added: "I need to review. Like all things, we will do it calmly. There's nothing that we need to do urgently. We will take the adjustments that we need. It's always a little tricky when you leave the pits, especially on hard tyres.”
‘Furious McLaren Chief’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...tella-30854513
McLaren drivers address in-race contact after Monza near-miss
03 Sep 2023 10:00 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have played down the contact they made during the Italian Grand Prix, with the pair having almost come to blows at Monza. Once Piastri pitted, he emerged level with Norris on track and under braking for the Rettifilo Chicance, Piastri locked up and tagged wheels with Norris.
Norris eventually claimed the position from his rookie team-mate, but he was happy to look past the incident as no major damage occurred between the two of them. “So he just had a bit of understeer, I left enough of a gap, I think, but it’s impossible to see,” Norris told media including PlanetF1.com after the race.
As for Piastri, he was on the wrong side of the incident having lost out to Norris with an undercut, and he expects talks to take place within McLaren to establish what happened between the two and how it can be avoided in future. “Yeah, I mean, obviously not ideal,” Piastri said. “Fortunate to have both [been] fine after that. Yeah, of course, the intention is never to get that.”
‘McLaren drivers address in-race contact’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclare...monza-contact/
McLaren: ‘Unacceptable’ drivers put themselves before the team
09:39 Mon, 04 Sep 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella has branded the clash between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Italian Grand Prix as “unacceptable”, stating the pair placed themselves above the team.
Stella has addressed that the team will need to review the coming together before taking action, citing that Piastri was possibly caught by being on colder Hard tyres. “I need to review. Like all things, we will do it calmly. There’s nothing that we need to do urgently. We will take the adjustments that we need,” he explained.
“It’s always a little tricky when you leave the pits, especially on hard tyres. It could be that certainly Oscar was trying to see where he could place himself so that he could keep the position. But on colder tyres, this could be slightly more difficult than he might have anticipated. We could absolutely conclude that this is just a little misjudgement.”
“I need to review. Like all things, we will do it calmly”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...fore-the-team/
McLaren warns Norris, Piastri over ‘unacceptable’ contact
04 September 2:35PM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has warned his drivers over their racing conduct going forward after they made contact at the Italian Grand Prix. "There should never, ever be contact between two McLaren cars," Stella told media including RacingNews365.
"There was contact which doesn't fit the way we go racing at McLaren. You just review things like you do with anything that is technical, operational or racing. What is important is to have a clear perimeter as to what you deem acceptable and what you deem unacceptable.”
‘Unacceptable’ contact’;
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-wa...ptable-contact
McLaren predicted to become ‘turbulent’ with Lando Norris’ ‘annoyed’ messages
05 Sep 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Timo Glock is “curious” to see how the McLaren rivalry plays out as Oscar Piastri begins to put more pressure on Lando Norris.
ntroducing an upgraded MCL60 at the Austrian Grand Prix, Norris and Piastri surged forward into the podium battle with Norris second at Silverstone, and again in Hungary, while Piastri’s Sundays were undone by strategy.
In Hungary, the rookie was undone by an undercut from his teammate with Nico Rosberg calling it “unfair”. That there was more of the same at Monza could add to growing tension.
‘Turbulent’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mclare...ome-turbulent/
Ex-F1 driver pinpoints the clue that Aussie rookie Oscar Piastri is making teammate Lando Norris 'feel the heat' at McLaren
• Ex F1 star says Norris is feeling heat from Piastri
• Says Norris is 'digging deep' to beat teammate
• Piastri was scolded for contact with Norris
By James Cooney For Daily Mail Australia
Updated: 08:31, 5 September 2023
Mail Online
A former F1 driver believes that Lando Norris is starting to really 'feel the heat' from rookie McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri after just half a season racing together. Former F1 driver Joylon Palmer believes the rebuke from the team boss is a sign the relationship between the drivers is changing at McLaren. 'Norris is definitely feeling the heat from a really good rookie this year,' Palmer told the BBC.
'Piastri was at fault for their small touch but they got away with it and, thankfully for McLaren, they didn't have damage – unlike the Piastri/Hamilton touch which was what ended Piastri's chances of points today.”
'So they got away with it from a team point of view and I think Norris is feeling some heat from Piastri, who's doing a really good job, but I still think Lando has got the upper hand at McLaren.”
‘Lando Norris 'feel the heat' at McLaren’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...cLaren-F1.html
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Brundle fires back at Wolff for 'Wikipedia' jibe.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff reacted to Verstappen's record by claiming it was "just for Wikipedia" and doubted whether he cared about such a record.
06 September 5:00AM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Writing on his Sky Sports F1 column, Brundle feels they should be applauded for their efforts. "What an achievement to faultlessly keep up that level of performance and reliability on many different track layouts and in varying weather conditions, up against mighty opposition," he wrote.
"Congratulations to each and every one of them. If a tennis player or football or rugby team for example was so utterly complete and dominant, they would rightly be globally lauded at the highest level. As should this pairing be. Sport can and should be tribal, but you must surely also appreciate a level of excellence in others.”
"So I was a little surprised and disappointed that Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff played down this achievement over the weekend, because they rightly received their due reverence and appreciation during their years of total domination from 2014 to 2020.”
‘Should be applauded for their efforts’;
https://racingnews365.com/brundle-fi...wikipedia-jibe
Nico Rosberg calls Toto Wolff out for 'ungracious' answer to Red Bull question.
"I think Toto was just a bit down there and that made his answer a bit darker and not quite as gracious. Not quite as gracious as perhaps he would normally be, because I think the right answer would have been hats off and respect to Red Bull for their achievements." Nico Rosberg
13:45, Wed, Sep 6, 2023
By Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express
Nico Rosberg has accused Toto Wolff of disrespecting Max Verstappen after the Mercedes boss claimed that only Wikipedia readers will care about the Dutchman's latest record. Wolff was left reeling last weekend as Verstappen cruised to another simple victory at the Italian Grand Prix, a result which etched his name into the F1 history books.
Rosberg told the Sky Sports F1 Podcast: "I think Toto got in a moment where he was not too happy about his own race team’s performance on the weekend, because of course where they finished. Fifth and sixth, miles behind Ferrari and Red Bull, is not really the goal.”
'Ungracious answer to Red Bull question’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...d-Bull-F1-news
Nico Rosberg responds to Toto Wolff’s Red Bull ‘Wikipedia’ comments
05 Sep 2023 7:15 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
Nico Rosberg has refuted Toto Wolff’s idea that only Wikipedia readers care about records in light of Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s success. Wolff came off rather bitter in the aftermath of Verstappen securing a record 10th consecutive victory, describing such stats as only interesting to Wikipedia.
But his former driver Rosberg has disagreed suggesting Wolff was “in a moment” and revealed everyone cares about records. As to Wolff’s claim that only Wikipedia readers care about breaking records, Rosberg did not agree with that assessment.
“We all care about records, of course,” said Rosberg. “And we think a lot about records. So even Max who always says ‘no, I don’t care about 10 races.’ What does he do when he gets out of the car? He puts both of his hands up and points to the world that that’s 10 in a row.”
‘“We all care about records, of course,” said Rosberg’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-r...ull-wikipedia/
Damon Hill Slams Toto Wolff’s ‘Wikipedia’ Remark on Verstappen’s F1 Feat
September 4, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
The 1996 World Champion Hill has criticised Toto Wolff for downplaying Max Verstappen’s record-breaking 10 consecutive F1 wins, calling it a “Wikipedia” stat. Wolff’s comments, seen as dismissive, sparked debate amid recognition issues for Verstappen’s achievements, as Mercedes struggles in the 2023 season.
Damon on Sky Sports stated: “It sounded a bit churlish and not very gracious, and unlike Toto, because he’s usually very sporting. I think he’s hurting a bit now,” Hill continued. “They know what it’s like to be dominated and they didn’t even get on the podium.”
“They seem to be a bit stymied and can’t seem to work out what to do, but who can? Ferrari did a great job in Monza – it suited their car, I think – but it seems like everywhere we go, the Red Bull has got the upper hand and we’ve just got to sit and watch this unfold.”
‘Toto Wolff’s ‘Wikipedia’ Remark’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/damon-hill...ppens-f1-feat/
Red Bull label Mercedes boss 'SALTY' after Verstappen comments
Wednesday 6 September 2023 09:57
Jay Winter
GPFans
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff's recent dismissal of Max Verstappen's record-breaking ten consecutive Formula 1 Grand Prix wins has sparked some playful banter in the paddock.
Wolff downplayed the achievement, deeming such statistics as 'unimportant' and suggesting that no one pays attention to them, quipping, "It is for Wikipedia, and nobody reads that anyway."
Red Bull mechanic, Calum Nicolas, took to Twitter to respond to Wolff's comments, labelling the Mercedes boss 'salty'.
So much salt �� https://t.co/zaj66fqvjV
— Calum Nicholas (@F1mech) September 3, 2023
'SALTY';
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...toto-wolff-f1/
Helmut Marko fires back at Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff: They are not a serious opponent
07 Sep 2023 7:30 AM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
As Mercedes continue to dismiss Max Verstappen’s epic run, Helmut Marko has fired back saying Red Bull aren’t bothered by what they say as they’re “not a serious opponent”.
But rather than become frustrated by Mercedes’ apparent lack of respect, the team called out on by Martin Brundle and Damon Hill, Marko has fired back saying they’re opinions aren’t something Red Bull bother themselves with.
“This is exactly the difference,” he said as per Motorsport.com. “We look at our own team and try to perform as well as possible. “We are not involved with Mercedes as long as they are not a serious opponent. We look at ourselves, we do our best and we don’t create stories for nothing like they do.”
“They are not a serious opponent”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...ious-opponent/
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Alexander Albon: “That was probably my toughest but my most proud race I’ve done”.
Alexander Albon says he was very proud of his performance during the Italian Grand Prix as he secured a seventh-place finish at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, his second top ten finish in just seven days.
September 6, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
The Williams Racing driver started sixth on the grid and put in a superb defensive drive throughout, only losing out on his starting position by Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team’s Lewis Hamilton, who was running a different strategy.
He was able to withstand almost race long pressure from McLaren F1 Team’s Lando Norris, who Albon joked would not have liked staring at the back of the FW45 for as long as he did. He knew early on it would be a tough race to manage his tyres, but he was able to do so to equal his best result of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season.
“That was probably my toughest but my most proud race I’ve done, so I’m very happy,” said Albon. “I’m sure Lando didn’t enjoy that one too much, but I did!”
‘Toughest but my most proud race I’ve done’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...race-ive-done/
EXCLUSIVE: Albon reveals SECRET to his incredible defensive performances
Tuesday 5 September 2023 21:57
Jim Kimberley
GPFans
Vowles' Albon targets : James Vowles believes Alexander Albon should be "aiming for winning races" in Formula 1 as he continues to impress for Williams. "He should be aiming for winning races and being on the podium," Vowles told media including RacingNews365 of Albon.
"He has the potential and he frankly deserves to be in that position. But more so that's a journey he's happy to do with Williams, whilst we're on the pathway towards it at the same time. That's the perfect summary of that situation. He's a racing driver coming to the peak of his career, he should absolutely be focused on doing the best he can with his God-given ability, while it still exists.”
"His lifecycle [as a driver], I mean if you look at [42-year-old] Fernando [Alonso] it's [15] years that he has in front of him. He has a good amount of time in front of him now. But I'd be disappointed if any team-mate joined me and said: ‘All I'm interested in doing is scoring the odd point'.”
‘SECRET to his incredible defensive performances’;
https://racingnews365.com/albon-set-...ms-boss-vowles
ALBON: ‘I’M SUPER HAPPY’, AS HE REFLECTS ON A MIGHTY P7 RESULT AT MONZA
The British-Thai driver came across the line to finish in P7 at the Italian Grand Prix
September 5, 2023
Darius Needham
FormulaNerds
Heading into Round 15 of the season at Monza, Williams and Albon in particular, were coming off some great results. The Grove team have made some important strides since the Canadian Grand Prix and were looking to keep up their points scoring form in Italy.
In Qualifying, Albon impressed once again as he continues to exceed expectations. The British-Thai driver would start the race from sixth on the grid. For a majority of the Italian Grand Prix, Albon was enjoying a very comfortable race, which did not see too much overtaking in it. However, after pitting for hard tyres earlier than some of the drivers around him, he found himself with a lot of defending to do in the later stages.
In the final 13 laps of the race, Albon managed to keep Lando Norris at bay after an intense battle to take P7 at the Checkered flag. Despite his best efforts to maintain his position in P6, Lewis Hamilton who was on fresher medium tyres would get ahead of the Williams man in the end.
‘I’M SUPER HAPPY’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/al...sult-at-monza/
James Vowles promises ‘big names from big teams’ as Williams recruitment drive continues
06 Sep 2023 3:45 PM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
James Vowles has teased the announcement of “big names from big teams” as Williams continue to bolster their ranks. With Fry on board in both the chief technical officer role and the technical director one for the time being, Vowles is continuing his mission to raise Williams from also-rans to back where they once operated.
To do that, he has identified a number of other staff he wants on board and has revealed some have already joined the project. “For the remainder of the team, we’ve started to bulk out,” he told The Mirror. “We haven’t made it all public but there are some good hires coming in.”
“It will take time, as always in Formula 1, but across the next 12 months we’ll see some big names from big teams all coming across. That’s what makes me excited. The direction of travel to where we are today is before we’ve even bulked the team out in the way that I’d like to.”
“Big names from big teams”;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-...s-recruitment/
Williams’ Dave Robson: “We came to Monza thinking that we could score points on merit”
September 6, 2023
By Paul Hensby
The Checkered Flag
Dave Robson admitted that the Williams Racing team came to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza believing they could score points, and they were able to achieve that thanks to the excellent drive put in by Alexander Albon.
Robson, the Head of Vehicle Performance at Williams, admitted that the hot conditions at Monza were not helpful for the team, but to put in such a strong performance despite this and the high degradation to the tyres was good news for everyone within the Grove-based team.
“We came to Monza thinking that we could score points on merit and we achieved that today,” said Robson. “The hot conditions were not ideal for us, but we know that this is an area that we need to work on, and we are working hard to improve the situation.”
‘Scoring points on merit’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ints-on-merit/
