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How can Max Verstappen win the F1 championship? Permutations for Qatar Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen could become the 2023 Formula One drivers’ champion for the third year in a row at this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.
4 October 2023 at 3:48 pm
Marc Mayo
Yahoo! UK & Ireland
How can Max Verstappen win the F1 Drivers’ Championship? Here are all the details...
If he finishes sixth or higher in the sprint: In this scenario, Verstappen claims the F1 title no matter where Perez finishes.
If he finishes seventh in the sprint: Perez must win the sprint to deny Verstappen here, at which point he can still easily win the title at Sunday’s grand prix.
If he finishes eighth in the sprint: This will still be enough if Perez finishes outside of the top two.
If he misses out on any points in the sprint: Verstappen will still win the world championship if Perez finishes outside of the top three.
If he misses out and Perez finishes inside the top three: All will not be lost for Verstappen, who needs to come out of this weekend with a 146-point lead to win the title after Sunday’s grand prix. His current advantage is 177.
‘Here are all the details...’;
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/max-versta...5SqqUV2S4k0gPg
Qatar could serve up two of F1’s hottest races this season
Formula 1
Posted on 5th October 2023, 7:154th October 2023, 21:53
Written by Ida Wood
RaceFans
There is only one past example of the Qatar Grand Prix for teams to look back on when preparing themselves for the desert weather they will encounter this weekend. The track’s proximity to Qatar’s eastern coast, with few buildings lying between it and the coast, makes it more vulnerable to winds and the dust they carry – note how much dust the cars kicked up at the start in 2021.
Given the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix will be a night race, practice on a sweltering and potentially sand-covered track will simultaneously be of limited relevance but also of extreme significance for preparing for the weekend given there is just a single session.
Sunday at Losail will be less windy, and track staff have plenty of time to sweep the surface before what is set to be the hottest grand prix of the year begins at 8pm. It will be 33C when the race begins, and probably only 2C cooler when the chequered flag waves. Drivers, teams, tyres and engine components (which will likely have already been used in many races this year) will be put to the test by the Qatari heat.
‘F1’s hottest races this season’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/05/...s-this-season/
‘More respect’ shown to Lewis Hamilton over George Russell at Mercedes – F1 news round-up
04 Oct 2023 11:00 PM
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com
Russell believes that his relationship with Toto Wolff is a little different from the dynamic Lewis Hamilton has with Wolff – something that made a particular difference when he first stepped into the Mercedes team. Opening up on how he felt Lewis Hamilton perhaps commanded ‘more respect’ when he first arrived over 10 years ago, Russell said his own signing as a youngster has resulted in a very different leadership approach from Wolff.
“I think, obviously, when Lewis and Toto were acquainted, Lewis was already World Champion, he was already this megastar,” he said. “There was perhaps really more respect [from] Toto to Lewis when he joined because Toto was completely new to Formula 1 at that time, Toto was the rookie and Lewis was the household massive name.”
“Whereas with myself, Toto signed to me as a 16-year-old. They’ve always, I guess, nurtured me along my way, advised me, helped me reach my full potential and I guess, yeah, to a degree, you could be right but I think our relationship now has gone more from, I’m not going to say paternal figure, but I’d class ourselves as more friends now.”
‘Nurtured me along my way’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/more-r...-news-round-up
McLaren predicts ‘strong’ Qatar GP
Thursday 5th October, 2023 - 5:00am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Andrea Stella has suggested the upgraded McLaren MCL60 will be well suited to the Lusail circuit at this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix. With Lusail also featuring predominantly medium- and high-speed corners, team principal Stella is optimistic.
“There’s a variability of tracks left in the season, but none of these tracks has the Singapore characteristics,” he reasoned when asked if McLaren can catch Red Bull this year.
“So while there could be some tracks in which we could be competitive – I think Qatar could be a decent track for us – I’m afraid that the characteristics we like, they are also the characteristics where Red Bull will be just outstanding. So we’ll have to be realistic that we need some situations, let’s say, to happen to be able to make the final step.”
‘McLaren MCL60 will be well suited to the Lusail circuit’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/05...rong-qatar-gp/
Lawson expecting Qatar GP to be 'tougher' as he continues to deputise for Ricciardo
04 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Liam Lawson is expecting a tough weekend in Lusail as he once again readies himself to fill in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at the Qatar Grand Prix, with the latter continuing his recovery from a broken hand.
Ahead of another weekend behind the wheel of the AT04, Lawson said: “I drove the Qatar track in the simulator at the end of last week. It’s very fast, a very high-speed circuit and quite unique, and I’ve not seen many tracks like it, as there’s only one low-speed corner in the whole track.”
“The rest is just fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh gear, so I think it’s going to be exciting to drive. With only one free practice session, we drivers will have to know where to improve because it’ll get faster at night when it’s much cooler. And we need to know exactly how to extract everything out of the car. I’m expecting it to be tougher than the races we’ve just done.”
‘Liam Lawson is expecting a tough weekend’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...p7tNoNLPD.html
Andretti hijacks the 2023 Qatar GP Preview
Published Oct 04, 2023 9:27 PM
Inside Line F1 Podcast (Weblog)
We expect discussions and dissonance around Andretti's entry in Formula 1 to hijack all stories from the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, including Max Verstappen's impending 3rd Formula 1 World Championship.
But does Formula 1 need an 11th team? We're split in our judgment and opinion. On sporting grounds, we agree that an 11th team will do wonders for Formula 1 and upcoming young talent. But from a business perspective, it's tricky - that's where we had peak disagreement despite having no vested interests in Andretti's entry.
Why should the existing 10 teams agree to devalue their business? Why is Andretti interested in Formula 1 only now? Is the FIA pressurising Liberty Media to enter into an agreement with Andretti by making their (acceptance) stance public? Lots of interesting discussions that will hopefully give you a better understanding of the messy situation that Formula 1 faces with Andretti.
‘Inside Line F1 Podcast’;
https://omny.fm/shows/inside-line-f1...tar-gp-preview
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Dutch fans in Qatar as Verstappen expected to win third F1 world title this weekend.
Several hundred Dutch fans are in Qatar this weekend for the Formula 1 race, where Max Verstappen is expected to win his third world title. The 26-year-old Red Bull driver could become world champion as early as Saturday in the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Thursday, 5 October 2023 - 19:45
NL Times
Qatar is one of six Grand Prix that has sprint races. The top eight drivers in the sprint receive points, with the first place securing eight points. Verstappen needs just three points to become champion, meaning he has to finish sixth or higher in the 100-kilometer sprint race on Saturday. "I can win the world title during the sprint race on Saturday, so that's the main goal,” Verstappen said. “Hopefully it will be a weekend to remember,” he added.
If Verstappen does not secure enough points in the sprint, he still has the opportunity to claim the title in the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday. The last Grand Prix in Qatar took place in 2021. Although Verstappen recorded the fastest lap, he finished second behind Lewis Hamilton.
A few hundred of Dutch fans are already in Qatar. The last group of over 300 fans who booked through Stip Reizen flew to Qatar on Thursday afternoon. "After it became clear that Max could become world champion in Qatar, the last available spots sold out in just a few minutes," said Stip Reizen director Fred Verlinden.
‘Dutch fans in Qatar’;
https://nltimes.nl/2023/10/05/dutch-...-title-weekend
Talking points ahead of Qatar GP: Max on the brink, Mercedes' battle within, and a bridesmaid
5th October 2023, 17:20
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24
Five talking points must be addressed when the chequered flag drops on Sunday:
1 Verstappen gunning for gold: The Qatar race weekend will present Red Bull's Verstappen with two opportunities to win the 2023 title.
2 Battle for second: Though Aston Martin and star driver Fernando Alonso started the 2023 season with a bang, their car development went backwards, resulting in the team losing second place in the Constructors' race, and Alonso slipping to fourth in the Drivers' battle.
3 Ricciardo wants to go: "Does he need to rush a hasty return for Qatar or maybe another couple of weeks for Austin? [Lusail] is a hell of a bumpy circuit anyway, it might be better to use that time in preparation for Austin." Liam Lawson will continue as the stand-in driver this weekend.
4 Logan Sargeant on a cliff: As with any team taking on a rookie, Williams gambled with Logan Sargeant in 2023. Unfortunately, the American failed to impress to date, and many are calling for his head.
5 Mercedes unravelling? It's not been plain sailing for Mercedes in 2023. While George Russell was the team's best performer in 2022, Hamilton has upped his game this season, comprehensively outperforming his teammate.
‘Five talking points’;
https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsp...smaid-20231005
Relentless Max Verstappen can clinch his 3rd F1 title as early as the sprint at the Qatar Grand Prix
5th Oct. 2023, 12:05
BY JAMES ELLINGWORTH
Associated Press
Max Verstappen can win his third straight Formula One title at the Qatar Grand Prix. And he can do it on Saturday. It’s been a relentlessly dominant season from the Dutch driver, who has had the fastest car with Red Bull but has also left teammate Sergio Perez far behind in the standings.
Perez is the last driver with a mathematical chance of catching Verstappen in the six remaining rounds of the championship, but even if Verstappen crashes out of the sprint race, Perez will need to place in the top three to keep the contest alive. Perez paid tribute to Verstappen’s achievements Thursday but said the difference in their seasons was in part because developments to the Red Bull car have not suited his own driving style.
“Max has done a tremendous job. I think no credit should be taken away from this season that he has done. I think he has driven on another level compared to anyone else, and that’s something that I have a lot of respect for,” Perez said. “I felt like since Barcelona (the Spanish Grand Prix in June), I was starting to struggle and have some deficits with the car.”
‘Relentless Max Verstappen’;
https://apnews.com/article/max-verst...b027989e029d57
Perez wants ‘straightforward’ Qatar GP after Suzuka set-up issue
5th October 2023.
by Taylor Powling
MotorSportWeek.Com
Sergio Perez is optimistic about a “more straightforward” Qatar Grand Prix after admitting a set-up issue hampered his Japan weekend. Perez, however, explains that a rueful set-up direction was responsible for the huge deficit he upheld to Verstappen at the last round. “Asia wasn’t good for me at all, Singapore and obviously Suzuka,” Perez reflected.
“It’s mainly the direction we took with the set-up of the car. Now looking back at it, we do understand where it went wrong, and I really hope that we are able to have a much more straightforward weekend here. But I think we’ve learned a lot [about] what went wrong in Suzuka, so I do expect to be in a much better position this weekend.”
‘Perez wants ‘straightforward’ Qatar GP’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...-set-up-issue/
AS IT HAPPENED: Follow all the build-up ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix weekend
05 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site
So it is much more a matter of when, rather than if Verstappen will wrap up the title this weekend and be able to celebrate his third straight drivers' title. It will be thoroughly well deserved, given he has won 13 of the 16 races so far this season.
‘Build-up to the Qatar Grand Prix’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...gMKruJmXR.html
‘Never a doubt’ – Carlos Sainz speaks out on his Ferrari future ahead of Qatar Grand Prix
Thursday 5 Oct 2023 6:13 pm
Callum McAvoy
Metro.co.uk
Carlos Sainz insists he is more committed than ever to Ferrari amid speculation the Formula One star is yet to open contract talks with the team. Ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, Sainz is fifth in the standings and will be aiming to hold off teammate Charles Leclerc, who is just 15 points behind, over the final six races.
Of course, fighting for fifth is not where the 29-year-old wants to be, with no one on the grid able to match the sheer speed of Red Bull and Max Verstappen this year. ‘There has never been a doubt. I am very comfortable with Ferrari, I want be here for the medium to long-term,’ he told Sky Sports.
‘There has been high confidence between each party. The wins and podiums – the only thing they do is reassure everything that we already knew. I hope that the winter is a good opportunity to find an agreement and continue working in the future because it’s the place that I love driving for and I see myself driving [for them] and winning a world championship soon.’
‘Never a doubt’;
https://metro.co.uk/2023/10/05/f1-ca...o=newsnow-feed
Lewis Hamilton excited by "top secret" Mercedes F1 plan in coy Qatar GP interview
Lewis Hamilton was questioned about Mercedes' 2024 car at the Qatar Grand Prix after making the trip to his F1 team's factory after the last race weekend at Suzuka
5th Oct. 2023, 18:10
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Lewis Hamilton was coy about Mercedes' 2024 Formula 1 car after a visit to the factory ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion was questioned about the trip as he spoke to the media on Thursday. Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz was especially keen to prise some information out of the Brit.
But Hamilton was keeping his cards close to his chest as he met Kravitz's question with a warm smile. "I can't tell you man, it's all top secret stuff!" the Mercedes racer joked. "You go in and there's new bits coming and stuff being tried all the time. What excites me is going into where the aerodynamics team is working away – that's what inspires me. Everyone's heads are down and everyone is doing their due diligence.”
"Everyone is unhappy with where we are and where we've been for the last couple of years. I know they're hungry and that, for me, I know these guys are chasing and doing everything they can. I'm able to then bring that into the weekend. No matter what shape [the car's bodywork] is looking like, I can't say that it's going to be fast. It's about the work that those guys are doing, and they know what they are doing. I have 100 percent faith in them and that they'll pull it together."
“It's all top secret stuff!";
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...p-car-31116610
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MAX ON BRINK OF THIRD TITLE: 'UNIMAGINABLE'.
Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, Max Verstappen spoke to the international press, including Verstappen.com, to discuss the upcoming race weekend in which the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver looks set to clinch his third world championship.
Published on 05 October 2023
by Stefan Meens
Verstappen.nl
This weekend’s round of the 2023 F1 season, features another sprint at a circuit infamous for its warm conditions, both ingredients for a challenging event. “It’s really very hot but it does cool down a bit in the evening. So it does mean that the first and only practice session doesn’t really bring clarity ahead of qualifying because the conditions will differ so much. The balance, tyres and set-up will change. Because it’s a sprint weekend, it’s more difficult because you have take more of a risk when making decisions.”
The championship leader added: “That’s a bit of shame. It would be amazing to have a couple of practice sessions to really get the car dialled in, so you can go into qualifying with maximum confidence. That would be the best for all teams to get the most out of their car, but it is what it is.”
‘MAX ON BRINK’;
https://news.verstappen.com/en/article/5263/
Relentless Verstappen can clinch his 3rd F1 title as early as the sprint at Qatar Grand Prix
Today 05:02 am JST Today | 06:43 am JST
By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
Japan Today
LUSAIL, Qatara: Max Verstappen can win his third straight Formula One title at the Qatar Grand Prix. And he can do it on Saturday. Verstappen will secure the title if he finishes sixth or higher in the sprint race, which could leave Sunday's main Grand Prix as something of an afterthought.
Winning the title in a sprint — a 19-lap contest that F1 refuses to call a “race” — could be a little awkward for the series and for Verstappen. He has previously argued the format should be scrapped.
“It’s not proper racing, it’s more like gambling," he said after the season's first sprint in Azerbaijan in April. "I think I will have more success in Vegas if I go to the casino. I like racing, I’m a pure racer and I think this is more for the show.”
‘Relentless Verstappen’;
https://japantoday.com/category/spor...tar-grand-prix
Sprint race and night event makes set-up a “guessing game” – Verstappen
6th October 2023, 7:165th October 2023, 23:22
Written by Will Wood and Claire Cottingham
RaceFans
Max Verstappen says Red Bull may have to take risks with their car set-ups for this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix due to the limited practice time. Speaking to media including RaceFans on Thursday in Losail, Verstappen said that the reduced practice time makes getting his Red Bull set-up correctly will be crucial.
“I think we normally should be quick here, but again, it’s only one practice session, so it’s about making sure that once we hit the ground running that the car’s in a good place, a good window,” he said. “But normally, it should be a nice track for us and we just want to have a good weekend. It’s never going to be very straightforward for anyone out there,” he said. “Of course, if you hit the ground running in the car feels amazing – then great, perfect. But it’s very rare that it’s like that with one session.”
“Then again, it’s too hot. So then you go to qualifying with different conditions. It makes it a proper guessing game about, ‘okay, well we did FP1, we might be quite happy, but then what would we do for qualifying?’, because it’s a lot colder and the balance and the tyres – everything changes. So there’s a lot that you have to get right and for sure some teams will be better than others, of course I hope that we are on the better side, but I guess we’ll find out.”
“Guessing game”;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/06/...me-verstappen/
Alonso overlooks Hamilton, says Verstappen is the F1’s best driver since Schumacher
October 6th, 2023 10:44 am
AFP from Afp
Fox Sports (Australia)
Two-time champion Fernando Alonso divided opinions in the paddock when he suggested that Max Verstappen was Formula One’s best driver since Michael Schumacher, overlooking Lewis Hamilton’s achievements. Speaking to reporters, when asked if Verstappen deserved a place among the sport’s modern greats, the 42-year-old Spaniard said: “I’ve only been wheel-to-wheel with Michael, but with Michael maybe, yes.”
“And for the next few years he will keep adding championships so we will compare him with Michael even closer in the future.” Alonso’s omission of Hamilton raised eyebrows, but was no great surprise as the pair endured a highly-strained season as team-mates at McLaren in 2007, Hamilton’s rookie year.
‘EL PLAN: Verstappen is the F1’s best driver since Schumacher’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...5ecd51cd607d40
Perez reveals performance objective for tricky race
Friday 6 October 2023 09:13
Sam Cook
GPFans
Sergio Perez has said he wants to show why Red Bull are world champions by producing a performance capable of beating team-mate Max Verstappen at the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend.
Perez told media after the Japanese Grand Prix: “Qatar is a chance to get back to racing for me with two opportunities to win across the weekend. “The sprint format always throws up challenges when it comes to setting the car up, so we will work hard together to ensure we are ready for qualifying on Friday night."
He added: “The track can be tricky, as we learnt in 2021, grip is affected by the sand on the surface, so you must be alert. A night race is always fun though and this might be the hottest event we have all season, so it will involve a lot of management across all three days to get the most out of the car."
“Qatar is a chance to get back to racing for me”;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...n-performance/
Red Bull set to equal F1 record.
Another team record is in sight for the Milton Keynes-based outfit at the Qatar Grand Prix.
06 October 7:30AM
RacingNews365
Red Bull is set to equal yet another of its F1 records at this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix. The Milton Keynes-based outfit has been dominant throughout the season having taken victory in all but one of the races this term - the only failure to win coming at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez could tie the team's record for most consecutive points finishes with a top 10 in Sunday's race or a top eight in Saturday's Sprint at the Lusail International Circuit. The current record stands at 38 races in a row, set twice between Spain 2016 and Australia 2018 and then Spain of the same season to Abu Dhabi in 2019.
‘Another team record’;
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-s...qual-f1-record
First pictures from the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix weekend
5th October 2023, 22:065th October 2023, 23:23
Written by Keith Collantine
Pictures from the build-up to the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix at Losail International Circuit.
‘First pictures’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/05/...-prix-weekend/
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FP1: Verstappen edges out Ferrari drivers to top the only practice in Qatar.
Double world champion Max Verstappen set the benchmark time with a 1:27.428 in the sole practice session at the Qatar Grand Prix with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc having taking second and third on a very sandy track surface in Lusail.
06 Oct 2023, 16:38
By Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical
The session started in challenging conditions as the track was even dirtier than expected before the session. Unsurprisingly, drivers complained about the grip level and were forced to apply a different approach to the one-hour session than they usually do. The sandy track asphalt was particularly punishing as the sprint weekend format means that this session was the only practice for the entire Qatar Grand Prix weekend.
Drivers started to perform low-fuel runs in the dying seconds of the session, but not everyone used Pirelli's C3 compoud that serves as the soft tyre on this weekend. Double world champion Max Verstappen put on the red-walled tyres to set a 1m27.428s, edging out the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
‘Max Verstappen set the benchmark time’;
https://www.f1technical.net/news/24223
(FP1) First Practice Results – 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
6th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy15:36
Results (Classification):
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:27.428
2. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.334
3. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.481
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.491
5. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.588
6. Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri +0.599
7. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.743
8. George Russell Mercedes +0.908
9. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.952
10. Lando Norris McLaren +1.013
‘Qatar Grand Prix – Here’s the classification from the only practice session ahead of this evening’s qualifying for Sunday’s 2023 F1 World Championship race.\’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/fp1-first-...and-prix-83245
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Qatar Grand Prix
06 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor.
Formula1 Official Site.
‘As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...zhVoP6U7j.html
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from first practice for the Qatar Grand Prix
06 October 2023
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
Follow all of the action from this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix here with the Crash.net live blog.
‘As it happened’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-qat...e-live-updates
F1 Live - Qatar GP Free Practice 1 Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
06 October 2023
Racing Statistics
F1 Live Qatar Grand Prix FP1 Watchalong
F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!
‘Free Practice 1 Watchalong’;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbf6KAxHTQE
F1 Results Today: Qatar Grand Prix practice times as Verstappen gets perfect start in tough conditions
Friday 6 October 2023 16:37
Matthew Hobkinson
GPFans
Max Verstappen has made the perfect start to the Qatar Grand Prix weekend as he returned to the top of the timesheets for FP1.
The two-time world champion recorded an unbeatable lap time of 1:27.428s as he and the rest of the grid battled tricky track conditions. Sand, wind and the setting sun all caused an additional level of challenge for the drivers.
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished behind the Dutchman in second and third respectively, while Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez rounded off the top five.
‘Verstappen gets perfect start’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...imes-official/
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Max Verstappen strolls to Qatar GP pole after McLaren track-limit woes.
Max Verstappen eased to pole position for the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix as Lando Norris took provisional second, but struggled with track limits throughout Q3 and was knocked off the front row after going wide on his final flying lap.
October 6, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport
No one could get close to Verstappen, though Norris was three-tenths away before his lap time was deleted, and George Russell was the only other driver within half a second as the Mercedes man bagged second.
Rapid track evolution characterised the session with plenty of drivers improving on their final runs and several big names being caught out as a result. But Verstappen was so dominant that he could abort his last flying lap and still finished well ahead of the pack as Oscar Piastri was promoted to third following his teammate’s woes.
However, Piastri was then also stripped of his final lap, and will start the race from sixth, promoting the second Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton up to third on the grid.
‘No one could get close to Verstappen’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/max...ck-limit-woes/
Qualifying Results – 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
6th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
Results (Classification):
Q3
1. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing -1:23.778
2. George Russell Mercedes +0.441
3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +0.527
4. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +0.591
5. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.646
6. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.762
7. Pierre Gasly Alpine +0.775
8. Esteban Ocon Alpine +0.985
9. Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo +1.280
10. Lando Norris McLaren No time
‘Qatar Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from qualifying for Sunday’s 2023 F1 World Championship race in Losail’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/qualifying...and-prix-83250
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix
06 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site
‘As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...2WE7QxAFo.html
F1 Qatar Grand Prix 2023 - Qualifying: LIVE UPDATES!
06 October 2023
Reporting By: Connor McDonagh
Crash.Net
‘As it happened’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/live/f1-qat...g-live-updates
F1 Live - Qatar GP Qualifying Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
06 October 2023
Racing Statistics
F1 Live Qatar Grand Prix Qualifying Watchalong
F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!
‘Qualifying Watchalong’;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMx4nx40vTI
Verstappen on pole as both McLaren drivers penalised in Q3
6th October 2023, 19:20
by Sam Tomlinson
Motorsport Week
There was no answer to Verstappen’s lap as Norris could only climb to second, three-tenths adrift of the Dutchman. Replays showed that Norris had left the track in the process, and his lap-time was deleted as a result. The incident promotes George Russell to the front-row after he was able to maintain his advantage over Hamilton at the Lusail International Circuit.
Following the penalty for his team-mate, Oscar Piastri was met by a similar fate. He too saw his final lap-time invalidated and will drop from third to sixth. Deleted lap-times moves Hamilton into third. The seven-time champion will share the second row of the grid with his former McLaren team-mate, Fernando Alonso. Leclerc also benefits, claiming fifth.
‘Both McLaren drivers penalised’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...nalised-in-q3/
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Aussie F1 star Oscar Piastri is ROBBED of podium finish in qualifying by F1 farce that saw his fastest lap time deleted.
Aussie ace Oscar Piastri has found himself at the centre of a F1 farce that has marred qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix.
Published: 04:05, 7 October 2023
By Ap
Mail Online
Piastri was among several drivers to lose their fastest laps for straying beyond the white lines defining the edge of the track in their final laps in qualifying. But so slow were the stewards in actually deleting their times, Piastri — who had to that point set the third-quickest time — was giving the customary post-session top-three interview when he found out his time had been deleted and he had been demoted to sixth.
Even after being told of the demotion, Piastri still posed for the customary top-three photo. He was even interviewed and had to tell the reporter that he did not finish P3 at all. 'I don't think anyone's updated you yet but I got my lap deleted so I'm not P3 anymore, I think I'm P6' he said.
‘ROBBED’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...e-deleted.html
‘This is fun’: Piastri cruelly robbed on live TV in hilariously awkward moment
October 7th, 2023 12:54 pm
Tyson Otto from News.com.au
Fox Sports (Australia)
Oscar Piastri was cruelly robbed at the Qatar Grand Prix in scenes of complete anarchy following a dramatic qualifying session on Saturday morning. The Aussie was speaking on live TV when he was given the shattering news his final flying lap had been deleted, dropping him off the podium.
In the ultimate slap on top of the penalty, Piastri was also forced to go through the formal post-session media commitments posing alongside Max Verstappen and George Russell, who qualified fastest. Piastri was his usual calm self when learning the news, but the frustration under the skin was clear to see.
Sky Sports Formula 1 presenter Naomi Schiff was the one that had to break the news in the middle of her interview with Piastri. Piastri responded: “I didn’t know. This is fun isn’t it, not knowing who is in the top three”. Schiff replied: “Oh gosh. It sounds as if you may have dropped down to sixth now.” Piastri signed off by saying “wonderful” and giving a mock thumbs up.
‘This is fun!’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...f208630dac3c50
Sky F1 pundit caught off guard as Oscar Piastri learns of Qatar GP penalty mid-interview
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both had Q3 lap times deleted after the end of Qatar Grand Prix qualifying, changing the result of the session for the McLaren drivers
20:16 Fri, 06 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Oscar Piastri learned he had been relegated three places after Qatar Grand Prix qualifying in an awkward Sky Sports interview. Piastri laughed before responding: "I didn't know, but this is fun isn't it?" Told that he had been relegated to sixth on the grid, he simply replied: "Wonderful," before leaving to fulfil other media commitments.
Meanwhile, a visibly emotional Norris said he was "p****d off" at himself for his own mistake. He said: "I just had a correction on oversteer and went off. The team has done a good job but I've messed it up, so... I just think of the job I'm meant to do which is put in good laps and don't make mistakes, and that's all I did today. Not a good day for me."
"P****d off";
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...qatar-31126225
‘This is fun’ – Formula 1 rookie Oscar Piastri awkwardly finds out he’s been relegated during live interview
6th October 2023, 7:29 pm
Connor Andrews
talkSPORT
Norris had already parked his car in its second-place spot for a post-session interview, thinking he’d secured a spot between first-placed Max Verstappan and third-placed George Russell. However, he was soon informed his lap had been deleted, sending him down to tenth, and Piastri up to third.
The Australian then learned he had suffered a similar fate too, coming in much more awkward circumstances. A graphic on the screen came up saying he was in fact starting sixth for Sunday’s race, and interviewer Naomi Schiff said: “We’re just hearing that you had a track limits infringement.”
‘Awkwardly finds out he’s been relegated during live interview’;
https://talksport.com/sport/motorsport/1592332/
George Russell and Oscar Piastri baffled in awkward interviews as quali result changed
George Russell and Oscar Piastri were both left confused in the aftermath of qualifying in Qatar
19:27, Fri, Oct 6, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
When the chequered flag waved at the end of the session Max Verstappen was sitting pretty at the top of the standings, but below him, it was chaotic as both McLaren drivers saw their lap times deleted. On the timing screens, it looked as though Lando Norris would line up in P2 ahead of Mercedes driver Russell, followed by Piastri in P4 and Lewis Hamilton in P5. This wasn't, however, the way that things ended.
Norris knew immediately that his lap was set to be deleted, unleashing his frustrations over the team radio, although this fact escaped Russell during his post-race interview. Addressing his qualifying performance, Russell believed he was lining up in P3 for Sunday's race. He said: "Really tricky day for everybody. New tarmac, really slippery, very windy here.”
Russell then looked baffled when Piastri approached him to take the microphone and asked: "Where's Lando?" And it wasn't just Russell who was left confused though. With Norris' time deleted, Piastri was temporarily promoted to the top three of qualifying, only to find out midway through his interview with Naomi Schiff that he had been demoted to sixth place.
‘Baffled in awkward interviews’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...astri-Qatar-GP
‘I struggled a lot’ admits Perez after Q2 exit in Qatar
06 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Sergio Perez had a lap deleted which dropped him out of qualifying in P13, but even before that he wasn’t looking comfortable in the car, as he admitted after the session.
‘Lap deleted';
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...252599842.html
-
FIA announce additional practice session and safety measures for Qatar GP weekend.
Formula 1’s governing body the FIA have announced an additional practice session plus new safety measures ahead of the Sprint Shootout at the Qatar Grand Prix.
07 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Pirelli carry out an analysis of the tyres which have been used for approximately 20 laps to check various safety parameters after practice on Friday of every race weekend. In Qatar, that analysis revealed “a separation in the sidewall between the topping compound and the carcass cords on many of tyres that were checked”.
The FIA and Pirelli believe “a significant number of additional laps on these tyres could result in circumferential damage of the tyres with subsequent air loss, and tyres analysed with lower lap numbers showed a much-reduced extent of the issue”.
The FIA added that the “issue has likely been caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyre sidewall and the 50mm ‘pyramid’ kerbs used extensively at this circuit, aggravated by the propensity to ride those kerbs”. With this in mind, the FIA have announced a series of actions on safety grounds in response to the issue.
‘New safety measures’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...7dv4knawg.html
How Pirelli discovered F1's biggest tyre drama since the 2005 US GP
7th October 2023, 12:22
By: Adam Cooper
Motorsport.com
A statement from the FIA on Saturday in Qatar alerted the wider world to what is the biggest tyre-related drama to hit Formula 1 since the infamous 2005 US GP. It wasn't entirely a surprise – there were tyre issues at Losail in 2021, and the revised kerbs, especially at Turns 12-13, attracted a lot of comment from teams and drivers before the cars even ran on Friday.
As the FIA statement confirmed, "this issue has likely been caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyre sidewall and the 50mm 'pyramid' kerbs used extensively at this circuit, aggravated by the propensity to ride those kerbs." The damage was found predominantly on front tyres but also on rears, and mainly on lefts, but also on rights. Intriguingly, it was also seen on both the inner and outer sidewalls.
In essence, the outer sidewalls are taking hits as cars run up against the steep outer edge of the kerbs for a considerable distance, and then the inner sidewalls are impacted when the cars drop over the 50mm kerb and run along the drop beyond the hard edge. In effect, it is consistent hard hits on the sidewall, over a number of laps, that are creating the issue. It's also a result of the high g-loadings in that sequence creating a "bulge" in the sidewalls that make the tyres more vulnerable to damage.
‘It wasn't entirely a surprise’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/h...s-gp/10529827/
FIA makes last-minute change to Qatar GP weekend, including mandatory pit stops
7th October 2023, 13:40
Charlen Raymond
Wheels24
In a statement, the FIA said that it and Pirelli, Formula 1's tyre supplier, believe "a significant number of additional laps on these tyres could result in circumferential damage of the tyres with subsequent air loss, and tyres analysed with lower lap numbers showed a much-reduced extent of the issue."
Among the changes brought about are revised track limits at Turns 12 and 13. Because of this, a 10-minute "practice familiarisation session" will take place at 16:00 local time (15:00 SA time), allowing drivers to adjust to the revised track limits. The Sprint Shootout will kick off at 16:20 - 20 minutes after the original scheduled time.
After the Sprint Shootout, Pirelli will analyse the tyre wear data from both the 10-minute session and the 19-lap Sprint Shootout. If the issue still needs to be resolved, new tyres used in the race may be at most 20 laps in the Grand Prix. This number increases to 22 laps if used-tyres are fitted in the race to account for the in- and out-laps in qualifying. As such, drivers are required to perform at least three pit stops in the 57-lap race.
‘FIA makes last-minute changes’;
https://www.news24.com/sport/motorsp...stops-20231007
Qatar GP tyre concerns create huge problems
October 7, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
The following actions will be taken on safety grounds in response to this issue:
1. Track limits at Turns 12-13 will be revised.
2. There will be a 10-minute Practice Familiarisation Session, scheduled to start at 16:00 local time, following the revision of the track limits, to allow drivers to adjust to the changes. The Sprint Shootout will therefore start 20 minutes later than scheduled (16:20 local time).
3. There will extensive tyre analysis following the Sprint (19 laps), to decide whether further action needs to be taken ahead of the Grand Prix.
4. In the event the problem is still evident, we will be issuing the following directive for Sunday’s Grand Prix, on safety grounds:
• The tyre life parameter must not exceed 20 for new tyres used in the race.
• This number would rise to 22 for any used tyres fitted in the race, to account for in-out laps in qualifying.
All drivers will be obliged to perform at least three tyre-change pitstops during the race.
‘Huge problems’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...tyre-problems/
F1 tyre fears lead FIA to schedule extra practice session and change timetable
Formula 1
Posted on 7th October 2023, 11:287th October 2023, 13:40
Written by Keith Collantine
RaceFans
Fears over possible tyre failures at the Qatar Grand Prix have led the FIA to schedule an extra practice session on Saturday. The FIA has therefore announced qualifying for today’s sprint race will be delayed by 20 minutes and take place at 4:20pm local time. The revised track limits will be imposed by a repositioning of the white line one the outside of turns 12 and 13. It will be moved towards the inside of the track by 80 centimetres.
Drivers will run longer stints on their tyres in the sprint race and grand prix than they did in practice. That has raised fears of potential tyre failures. “It is the view of the FIA and Pirelli that a significant number of additional laps on these tyres could result in circumferential damage of the tyres with subsequent air loss, and tyres analysed with lower lap numbers showed a much-reduced extent of the issue,” said the FIA in a statement.
The FIA pinpointed new kerbs installed at the circuit this year for contributing to the problem. “This issue has likely been caused by the high-frequency interference between the tyre sidewall and the 50mm ‘pyramid’ kerbs used extensively at this circuit, aggravated by the propensity to ride those kerbs.”
‘F1 tyre fears’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/07/...er-tyre-fears/
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McLaren land sensational 1-2 in Qatar GP Sprint Shootout.
Oscar Piastri led a stunning McLaren front-row lockout in the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix sprint shootout, securing McLaren’s first ‘qualifying’ win since 2012 as Lando Norris went off at the final corner on his last flying lap.
October 7, 2023
By Adam Dickinson
Total Motorsport
Verstappen will clinch the drivers’ championship in the sprint race later if he finishes in the top six, and looks good to secure that after qualifying third with his Red Bull teammate and only title challenger Sergio Perez down in eighth.
Lewis Hamilton was the big-name elimination earlier, he only managed 12th and saw his final SQ2 lap deleted for track limits, but that time wouldn’t have been enough for the top 10 anyway.
‘McLaren land sensational 1-2’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...rint-shootout/
Sprint Shootout – 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
7th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
SQ3
1. Oscar Piastri McLaren -1:24.454
2. Lando Norris McLaren +0.082
3. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.192
4. George Russell Mercedes +0.387
5. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +0.701
6. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +0.793
7. Nico Hulkenberg Haas +0.866
8. Sergio Perez Red Bull Racing +0.928
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin No time
10. Esteban Ocon Alpine No time
‘Qatar Grand Prix – Here are the complete results from the shootout for this evening’s 2023 F1 World Championship Sprint in Losail’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-sho...and-prix-83262
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the Sprint Shootout at the Qatar Grand Prix
07 October 2023
Becky Hart.
Special Contributor.
Formula One - Official Site
‘As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...OPD7JYXnX.html
F1 Live - Qatar GP Sprint Shootout Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
07 October 2023
Racing Statistics
F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baMdNP0EqJE
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell among eight drivers facing Qatar GP investigation
Mercedes duo George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have both been placed under investigation in Qatar
14:48, Sat, Oct 7, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were both placed under investigation for track limits violations during the sprint shootout in Qatar on Saturday afternoon. The British pair were among eight drivers placed under investigation after the first part of the sprint shootout qualifying session with both Williams and AlphaTauri drivers, Lance Stroll and Pierre Gasly also falling foul of the regulations.
This has been just the latest in a long line of track limits-related issues at the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend with Friday's running proving so problematic that changes to the kerbs were made overnight. After losing a lap to track limits in SQ1, Hamilton is facing his second trip to the stewards in as many days after he was checked for a maximum lap time violation in qualifying on Friday.
‘Qatar GP investigation’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...-investigation
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Max Verstappen is crowned world champion for the THIRD consecutive year as rampant Red Bull superstar confirms his dominance after Sergio Perez crashes in Qatar sprint.
The rampant Red Bull superstar has proven untouchable this year and confirmed his dominance once and for all after Sergio Perez crashed out of the Qatar sprint race.
Published: 19:03, 7 October 2023
By Daniel Davis For Mailonline
Mail Online
Verstappen has won 13 races to date this year, with Perez and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz the only other drivers to take the chequered flag in first place. He also set a new record for racking up 10 consecutive victories earlier in the campaign, surpassing the legendary Michael Schumacher in the process.
Further underlining his status as one of the all-time greats, Verstappen, who narrowly missed out in Qatar, also emerged on top in two of the year's four sprints. His triumph leaves Perez and Lewis Hamilton locked in a tussle over the runner-up position, with Fernando Alonso unlikely to mount a last-gasp push.
Perez had looked to delay the inevitable but was sent into an unfortunate spin following a racing incident tangle involving Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg.
‘Max Verstappen is crowned world champion for the THIRD consecutive year’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rez-Qatar.html
Sprint Results – 2023 Qatar Grand Prix
7th October 2023
by Emer Hedderman
FormulaSpy
Results (Classification):
1. Oscar Piastri McLaren -19 laps
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +1.871
3. Lando Norris McLaren +8.497
4. George Russell Mercedes +11.036
5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +17.314
6. Carlos Sainz Scuderia Ferrari +18.806
7. Charles Leclerc Scuderia Ferrari +19.860
8. Alex Albon Williams Racing +19.864
9. Fernando Alonso Aston Martin +21.180
10. Pierre Gasly Alpine +21.742
‘Qatar Grand Prix – Here are the provisional results from today’s Sprint, one of six alternate format weekends scheduled for the 2023 F1 World Championship’;
https://formulaspy.com/f1/sprint-res...and-prix-83276
LIVE COVERAGE: Follow all the action from the F1 Sprint in Qatar
07 October 2023
Becky Hart
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site
‘As it happened’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...sLQ1AaIhV.html
F1 Live - Qatar GP Sprint Race Watchalong | Live timings + Commentary
07 October 2023
Racing Statistics
F1 Live Timings, Updates and Commentary of all F1 Sessions with Racing Statistics. Lets Watchalong!
‘Sprint Race Watchalong’;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXka_gEPBQk
Piastri wins Qatar GP Sprint as Verstappen crowned champion
Sunday 8th October, 2023 - 5:12am
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
Oscar Piastri has sensationally won the Qatar GP Sprint ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The Australian had to fight for the victory after losing out to George Russell in the early stages before holding off Verstappen in the latter laps. From pole position, Piastri jumped well and held his advantage.
Second for Verstappen was enough to see him crowned champion after Sergio Perez crashed out midway through.
‘Piastri wins/Verstappen crowned champion’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/08...wned-champion/
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Verstappen's third Formula One title caps a dominant season for Dutch driver and Red Bull.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands reacts as he became F1 drivers world champion after the sprint race ahead of the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit, in Lusail, Qatar, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.
7 October 2023 at 9:50 pm
Associated Press
Yahoo! UK & Ireland
LOSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Max Verstappen has clinched the Formula One title for the third year running after placing second in the sprint race on Saturday in Qatar. It has been a season of record dominance for Verstappen and Red Bull. Sergio Perez seemed capable of challenging his teammate early in the season, but a series of mistakes in qualifying left him well adrift before Verstappen secured the title in Qatar on Saturday.
Even before the season began, Red Bull was the clear favorite after Verstappen and Perez both set fast times in testing in Bahrain. Red Bull had the fastest car in 2022, which had seen a revolution in car design after F1 reintroduced ground-effect aerodynamics, and retained that advantage into 2023.
The opening race of the season at the Sakhir circuit was a crushing 1-2 for Red Bull, with Verstappen ahead of Perez. Third-place Fernando Alonso was 38 seconds adrift of the lead for Aston Martin.
‘Verstappen's third Formula One title’;
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/verstappen...1RwkuWspZmKAO0
Starting grid for today's F1 Qatar Grand Prix: How the race will begin
8 Oct 2023
James Dielhenn
Crash.Net
Max Verstappen will begin the F1 Qatar Grand Prix on pole position. The two Mercedes drivers are right behind him but the team have played down their chances of upsetting Red Bull. Do they have a chance?
Lando Norris' track limit violations in qualifying mean a front row start evaporated, and he will instead begin in 10th, hampering McLaren's hopes. Oscar Piastri will start sixth.
Ferrari - the only team to interrupt Red Bull's winning streak this year - have Charles Leclerc fifth and Carlos Sainz12th. Keep an eye on the under pressure Lance Stroll who is way down in 17th.
‘F1 Qatar Grand Prix’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103754...ace-will-begin
What's annoyed F1 drivers most about Qatar GP tyre problems.
Oct 7, 2023
by Edd Straw
The Race
Formula 1 drivers have criticised the communications surrounding the Qatar Grand Prix weekend tyre troubles, with some indicating they first heard about the problem through unofficial channels and, in some cases, even the media. It’s also understood that the FIA felt the right course of action would be to understand the problem and propose a solution, which was worked on at length on Saturday morning with a full report composed, prior to presenting it to the drivers.
Mercedes driver and GPDA director George Russell was among those to complain about the communications. He also felt the idea of mandating three stops was too big an intervention. “I found out from a text on WhatsApp, from another driver in our group chat, which is obviously not ideal,” said Russell.
“It’s part and parcel of a sprint race weekend. If you go to a track like Barcelona, you get all the practice in and you know that in the race, after all the information that has been gathered, it’s going to be a two or a three-stop. If you try one stop, it’s just not going to work.”
‘What's annoyed F1 drivers most’;
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...r-gp-problems/
FIA to make call on three-stop Qatar GP after Sunday F1 team meeting.
A decision on whether the Qatar Grand Prix will need mandated stint lengths over tyre safety concerns will be taken following a Formula 1 team managers meeting on Sunday afternoon.
Oct 7, 2023, 10:33 PM
By: Alex Kalinauckas
Motorsport.com
In a press release sent out following the sprint race, Pirelli motorsport boss Mario Isola stated: “It was a particularly busy day for Pirelli.
“As previously mentioned, during our usual analysis last night after free practice, we discovered that some tyres that had done 20 or more laps were showing signs of micro lacerations in the sidewall, between the topping compound and the carcass cords, most likely caused by the impact generated by repeatedly going over the kerbs at some corners, especially Turns 12 and 13.”
“We immediately informed the FIA, who proceeded to take action, by revising the track limits at these corners and instigating an additional free practice session prior to the sprint shootout, to allow the drivers to check out the new lines through this part of the track.”
‘Decision tyre safety concerns will be taken following a Formula 1 team managers meeting on Sunday afternoon’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...ting/10530225/
George Russell ignites Max Verstappen fight after World Championship confirmed
George Russell has ignited the fight with Max Verstappen and Red Bull after he confirmed his third World Championship.
20:29, Sat, Oct 7, 2023
By Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express
Verstappen has been simply untouchable in 2023, taking 13 wins from a possible 16 ahead of the Qatar GP weekend to line up his third World Championship in record-breaking style.
Unfortunately for Russell, Mercedes have rarely been in the fight this year. The 25-year-old driver notched his first win in Brazil last year but has been unable to challenge Verstappen at the front so far this season.
Despite this, Russell still believes that his team can take the fight to Red Bull in 2024. They'll be better placed to do so after scrapping the 'zeropod' design philosophy ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this year.
‘George Russell ignites Max Verstappen fight’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...d-Championship
