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Ocon was 'throwing up' 16 laps into gruelling Qatar GP.
The Alpine driver felt it was one of the hardest races in his career, after driving home to seventh in the Qatar Grand Prix.
08 October 11:19PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Esteban Ocon has revealed that he was "throwing up" inside his helmet 16 laps into the gruelling Qatar Grand Prix. Although the heat only reached a maximum of 33°c, the humidity was high for the drivers in the cockpit, which coupled with the high g-forces and flat-out nature of the race, meant it was a physical Grand Prix.
Williams' Logan Sargeant had to retire from the race after suffering from dehydration, while several other drivers had to visit the medical centre after the race due to the extreme conditions. Lance Stroll even admitted to losing consciousness at times during the 57-lap race, with Ocon detailing being sick at the wheel as he came home to a seventh-place finish.
‘Throwing up 16 laps into gruelling Qatar GP’;
https://racingnews365.com/ocon-throw...ing-qatar-race
Ocon ‘was throwing up for two laps’ amid extreme heat
22:40 Sun, 08 Oct 2023.
by Phillip Horton
Motorsport Week
Esteban Ocon says he was vomiting for two laps of Formula 1’s Qatar Grand Prix as drivers struggled with the extreme weather conditions. “That was the hardest fought points that I’ve ever had to fight for,” said Ocon, who finished seventh.
“I was, I don’t know, I was feeling ill, lap 15, 16, I was throwing up for two laps inside the cockpit. And then I was like, s**t, that’s going to be a long race. I don’t know, I tried to calm down, I tried to remember that the mental side in sport is the strongest part of your body, and I managed to get that under control, and finish the race.”
“But honestly, I was not expecting for the race to be that hard. I can normally do two race distances, even in Singapore. Physically, like muscle-wise and cardio-wise, I’m always fine. I don’t know, it was just like 80 degrees inside the cockpit this race.” Ocon said he was “trying to guide some air into my helmet, the more I was breathing to try and get everything lower, the more heat that was coming inside the helmet. Honestly, it was hell in there.”
‘Throwing up for two laps’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...-extreme-heat/
Ocon explains his 'extremely tough' run to P7 as Gasly rues costly track limit penalties in Qatar
10 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site
Esteban Ocon was pleased to take home some “valuable points” for Alpine after battling through illness during the race in Qatar, while Pierre Gasly admitted he made “too many mistakes” after a slate of penalties for exceeding track limits cost him a place in the top 10.
Ocon was one of the drivers to make big gains at the start of the race, going from eighth to fifth as he took advantage of the confusion caused by the Mercedes drivers colliding at Turn 1 on the opening lap.
The French driver later lost out to Lando Norris and George Russell but pulled off a number of impressive overtakes – including on Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez – on his way to finishing seventh. It's his best result since finishing third in Monaco, and came despite the fact he was vomiting in the car during the race.
'Extremely tough run to P7’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...7uaLIxn9x.html
Ocon would 'rather be killed than retire' despite Qatar GP hell
10 October 11:40AM
Author Fergal Walsh
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Alpine driver Esteban Ocon has insisted “you need to kill me before I retire" after driving through "hell" at the Qatar Grand Prix. Sweltering conditions were present in Qatar all weekend with the temperature often peaking above 35 degrees Celsius.
The intensity of the race was increased when 18-lap maximum stints per tyre compound were mandated due to concerns over the rubber's reaction to the kerbs. With drivers able to push harder due to tyre wear being less of a concern, the continuous fast laps coupled with the heat made for difficult conditions behind the wheel.
“It was so hot that I wanted to open the visor in the straight line because I had no air. I was trying to also guide, with my hand, some air into the helmet because the more I was breathing to try and get everything lower, the more heat was coming inside the helmet. It was hell in there. But next year, we're coming [later] so that should be better.” When asked if he was tempted to retire while feeling unwell, Ocon said: “No. You need to kill me before I retire. It’s true.”
‘It was hell in there’;
https://racingnews365.com/ocon-would...-qatar-gp-hell
Gasly rues energy management issues forcing ‘risks’ in Qatar GP
15:07 Wed, 11 Oct 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Pierre Gasly rued energy management issues that contributed to him taking “too many risks” and picking up track limit penalties in the Qatar Grand Prix. Consequently, Gasly was demoted from ninth to 12th, behind both Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll, who were also punished for frequently venturing outside the white lines.
“It wasn’t a good day, I made too many mistakes with these track limits, [and it] cost me 15 seconds,” he admitted. “So I can only be disappointed with myself because obviously, you’re talking a few centimetres, which is nothing. But I paid a big price for it and missed out on the points, so I’ve just got to learn from this.”
‘Picking up track limit penalties’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...s-in-qatar-gp/
Gasly: Power unit issue prompted “too many risks” with Qatar F1 track limits
15:32 Wed, 11 Oct 2023.
Motorsport.com
The Alpine driver picked up three five-second penalties for track limits offences over the course of the race. He took the first at a pit stop, while the others were added to his race time, leaving him in 12th place behind the also penalised Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll.
Gasly admitted that one of the problems was that track limits warnings came too late from the FIA, via his engineer. "It was the story of the whole race,” he said. “I don't have any excuses because it's the same for everyone, and at the end of the day I took too many obviously.”
Like other drivers Gasly found the race hard physically: "It was the toughest race of the year. It was clearly very hot in the car, and very physically challenging. I knew it will be like that. “And I know I'm training really hard, and I have one of the best physical conditions in the paddock. So I usually embrace these conditions.
“Too many risks”;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/g...mits/10531557/
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‘Unbelievably dangerous’ - F1 trainer reveals what drivers’ bodies went through at Qatar GP.
An experienced F1 trainer has explained what drivers had to endure during extreme conditions at the Qatar Grand Prix.
11 Oct 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
"I've heard that it was one of the hardest conditions that anyone has ever seen," Sam Village, a performance coach who has worked with Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Zhou Guanyu, told the Sky Sports F1 podcast. "I've spoken to Zhou's trainer, who also worked on the grid with Felipe Massa for his whole career as well, and he said he has never seen it hotter than that.”
“Then I spoke to Carlos [Sainz's] coach and he said that the dry heat during the day meant that the humidity was created in this landscape and it just became unbearable. It was a combination of the length of the stint they were given, the new track surface and the heat," he explained.
"The characteristic of the Qatar track is there are lots of high-downforce fast corners. When they go through these high-downforce fast corners they tense and ultimately, they hold their breath a little bit. So their breathing rate is the same as when they are asleep but their heart rate is between 150 and 180 [bpm]. So, there's an element of hypoxia in the brain as well potentially. That's the challenge.”
‘Unbelievably dangerous’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103785...s-went-through
F1 must 'define boundaries' to protect drivers - Vowles
12 October 9:00PM
Author Ewan Gale
RacingNews365
Williams Team Principal James Vowles has insisted boundaries must be defined to protect driver safety after a strenuous Qatar Grand Prix. Addressing Sargeant's condition, Vowles explained: "He was ill the week prior and ill a little bit leading up to Friday. That weakened his immune system and sufficiently so that he was very easily dehydrated.”
"The circumstances in Qatar were very different. The rule brought in for safety meant a three-stop was incredibly easy to do on the tyres, so the drivers were pushing flat out from start to finish. It really was four sprint races just flat out from start to finish - that was different and unusual to drivers.”
"There are elements of this we need to understand and as a sport, do better. They have a drinks system on board, it is only a couple of litres and it is not terribly cool when you are 20 or 30 laps into the race, so there are probably elements that we can help with. But we are a sport pushing elite athletes to the absolute limit, so what we need to do now is define boundaries to make sure they get to the end safely."
‘Protect drivers’;
https://racingnews365.com/f1-must-de...drivers-vowles
Williams confirm Albon treated at medical centre after Qatar GP
08 October 10:35PM
Author Rory Mitchell
RacingNews365
Williams has issued an update on Alexander Albon's condition following the Qatar Grand Prix. Several drivers complained about the intense conditions they experienced during the race, as temperatures reached the limit for some in the cockpit. Team-mate Logan Sargeant had to retire from the race early due to "intense dehydration," with Aston Martin's Lance Stroll admitting he was even losing consciousness at times such was the physicality of conditions.
Williams confirmed in a statement: "Following the Qatar GP, Alex was taken to the medical centre to be treated for acute heat exposure. He has now been assessed and cleared by the medical team." Albon managed to finish 13th on the road, after briefly running in the points for much of the race, although he was hit with track limits time penalties.
‘Losing consciousness’;
https://racingnews365.com/williams-i...nse-qatar-race
Qatar GP: Tough race for Williams Racing.
October 11 2023
By Williams Racing
WilliamsF1 Supporters
Coming off the positive points scoring result from the Saturday Sprint the Williams Racing Team went into Sunday's race with a degree of optimism. But the events of the race showed that their optimism was not well founded. The early stages of the race would see both Alex and Logan running just outside the top ten with both having started on the medium.
But with the first series of pit stops both Alex and Logan would seem to drop back and as the race went on their positions became poorer. Added onto this was the extreme nature of the heat and humidity that every driver was subject to. Such was the impact of this that Logan would be forced to retire after suffering severe dehydration.
He would have to be helped from his car. Despite making it to the finish Alex would also be required to get help to get out of his car such was the impact of the heat on him. Thankfully both drivers would make a complete recovery. Alex would finish 13th.
‘Tough race’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st205206.htm
Williams to make Sargeant decision ‘end of the year’
Wednesday 11th October, 2023 - 7:30pm
By Ian Parkes
SpeedCafe.com
Of the 20 seats on an F1 grid, the only one now available for 2024 remains that currently occupied by Sargeant, leading to the spotlight being firmly on the 21-year-old for the remainder of this campaign. Asked as to the timeline for a decision, Vowles said: “I suspect it’ll be to the end of the season. I think we’ve already committed to the direction of travel we’re in, he has targets for that, and it’d be wrong to go against that decision point. So end of the year.”
Vowles believes the reason behind the number of incidents for Sargeant has been as a result of gnawing frustration that has grown as the season has unfolded, leading to him overdriving. “The frustration has been there for many months,” said Vowles. “He went into Bahrain, and probably the worst thing that can happen, he overlapped with Lando (Norris) in Q1.”
“He perhaps thought the challenge in front of him might not be as significant as it really is. What you then saw after that time was the gap starting to grow, and a driver that’s now frustrated. His normal tools aren’t producing the quality of lap-time that was there previously.”
‘End of the year decision’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/11...d-of-the-year/
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F1 duo labelled "desperate boys" as furious team chief lets rip at Qatar GP.
Nico Hulkenberg was one of three drivers who were taken out of the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint race when he got into a tangle with Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon as he entered a corner.
16:41 Sun, 08 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Guenther Steiner labelled Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon "two desperate boys" as he fumed over the crash which took out his driver Nico Hulkenberg in the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint. "It's really bad for us because it was a day where we could have taken something," said the German racer.
"I'm very disappointed about that because it was an opportunity. Ocon started to have problems and so I was able to attack him. But Perez also came from behind and was so fast. That meant he was suddenly in the middle of things, but I saw him really late because I was focused on Ocon. And he, in turn, probably didn't know or couldn't see that I also had a car next to me and therefore there was no more space.”
"It put me in a sandwich and yes, with three cars so tight in a corner, that was too close. I'd like to blame Esteban, but I don't think he can know that Sergio is on the right. [It was a] very stupid and unfortunate racing situation."
"Desperate boys";
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...qatar-31136584
Haas take social media by storm with 'Guenther's Yearbook' post
Wednesday 11 October 2023 16:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans
Haas F1 have hopped aboard the internet's 'yearbook' bandwagon, using AI to predict what their team principal Guenther Steiner might have looked like way back when. The trend invites users to recreate their high school yearbook photos with a whole lot of 90s flair.
However, that didn't stop the American team from generating yearbooks for their drivers Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen and Pietro Fittipaldi. And they promised that if those snaps garnered 100,000 likes on Instagram, they'd release 'Guenther's Yearbook'.
‘Haas take social media by storm’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ook-instagram/
Nico Hulkenberg draws unwanted attention for big ‘screw up’ at the Qatar Grand Prix
09 Oct 2023 2:15 PM
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com
Tripped up by a “strange situation” of not having a car in the box in front of his in Qatar, Nico Hulkenberg admits he “screwed up” by slotting into the wrong spot. “Remember to leave the free space behind Norris in front of you,” his race engineer radioed to Hulkenberg.
Hulkenberg finished the grand prix down in 16th place, his team boss Guenther Steiner ruing the German’s error. “Nico starting in the wrong grid spot at the beginning didn’t help at all because once you get 10 seconds behind at the start of the race where we are, you have no chance. We fought but it wasn’t enough,” he said.
Replays of the start showed the Haas driver frantically looking around him as he seemed to realise his mistake. “I realised before I stopped but you can’t reverse and the damage was done, so that was obviously a big mistake from me,” he said. “That stopped our race before it even started.”
‘Screw up’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/nico-h...tar-grand-prix
Delusional to hope for miracles with B-spec vehicle – Magnussen
October 10, 2023
BaylaSportsF1
Projecting a massive progression for Haas at their home ground in Austin the coming weekend would be “idiotic”. Such is the caution from team driver Kevin Magnussen, though he is filled with anticipation for the conclusion of Haas’s lengthy development hiatus at the US GP, marked by the launch of a B-version car.
The buzz is that the B-car from Haas might align with the development path McLaren has taken, sporting a fundamental aerodynamic design reminiscent of the formidable Red Bull. “This specification of the car ended worse than it started, so we are happy to see the end of it,” Haas team principal Gunther Steiner conveyed to Ekstra Bladet newspaper.
“This specification of the car ended worse than it started, so we are happy to see the end of it,” Haas team principal Gunther Steiner conveyed to Ekstra Bladet newspaper. Despite McLaren’s impressive advancements since adopting a more Red Bull-oriented model, the Danish driver Magnussen remains grounded.
‘Haas B-spec development hiatus’;
https://baylasportsf1.com/delusional...cle-magnussen/
Magnussen warns against ‘miracles’ with Haas upgrade
Thursday 12th October, 2023 - 6:00pm
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
Kevin Magnussen cannot wait to see the back of the current Haas car although has warned against expecting miracles with the upcoming upgrades. “I’m happy we get this upgrade for the next race, I’m excited about it,” said the Dane, whose 10th place in Singapore is Haas’ only point from the last 12 grands prix.
“It’s really positive for the team to have that look forward to, to get some new tools to play with, and hopefully we can find more performance. But I don’t think it’s realistic to expect miracles in the first race in Austin. Of course, we all wish for that at night when we go to sleep.”
“But realistically it will take us a race or two to figure it out. I’m just really glad we can leave this behind and move on.” Team principal Guenther Steiner readily concedes that at this stage Haas “don’t know how good the upgrade will be”, although there is an expectation the team will get “something good out of it”.
‘See(ing) the back of the current Haas car’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/12...ted-states-gp/
Magnussen excited by Haas upgrade, but not expecting miracles
12/10/2023 at 16:08
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Kevin Magnussen is counting down the days to next week’s US Grand Prix in Austin where Haas will field a significantly updated VF-23, but the Dane isn’t expecting miracles from the new package.
Haas team boss Guenther Steiner cautioned over inflating expectations, admitting that the US outfit will only know if the new package will bear fruit once it puts its car on track at The Circuit of the Americas.
“The best thing is that we’re going in the direction we want to go for next year, and we will learn a lot this year for next season,” said Steiner. “At least we know we’re doing things to move forward, we’re not sitting here waiting for the end of the season. We will work hard until the end.”
‘Counting down the days’;
https://f1i.com/news/489848-magnusse...-miracles.html
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Qatar GP was 'torture' for drivers – Bottas.
The Alfa Romeo driver joins fellow drivers in giving his take on the tough conditions during the Qatar Grand Prix.
09 October 7:15PM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas has branded the Qatar Grand Prix "torture" following several concerns from drivers over the conditions during the race. When asked about the conditions, Bottas told media, including RacingNews365: "I would say it was harder than Singapore, just the temperature in the cockpit was almost too much.
"It's getting to the limit that somebody's going have heat stroke, the feeling is like torture." Williams' Logan Sargeant was the only driver to retire due to "intense dehydration" while Esteban Ocon revealed he vomited 16 laps into the race. When told about the other drivers, Bottas replied: "I'm not surprised, any hotter than this it will not be safe."
'Torture';
https://racingnews365.com/qatar-gran...drivers-bottas
Alfa Romeo double points finish in Qatar puts Williams in the crosshairs
Zhou Guanyu went from qualifying in 20th place to finishing ninth in the 2023 Qatar GP
October 8, 2023
By Carl Hilliard
Total Motorsport
“Yeah, really clean race,” Bottas told the media after the race. “Good strategy. Of course, it felt a bit strange to stop after three laps from a good position. We had been lucky in a way because Lewis [Hamilton] was out and also [Carlos] Sainz didn’t start. Sometimes you need that bit of luck and today they just got everything right.”
With the result from Alfa Romeo being as strong as it was, the gap to Williams in the Constructors’ Championship was cut down to seven points, with Bottas happy to close the gap to their rivals. “We closed the gap a little bit. So yeah, I feel like we definitely made some progress now, and finally understand the upgrades,” Bottas said.
‘Double points finish’;
https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ms-crosshairs/
Bottas delighted with ‘really rewarding’ Qatar GP as both Alfa Romeos score points
08 Oct 2023
Formula One - Official Site (Video)
Valtteri Bottas finished P8 in Qatar with his team mate Zhou Guanyu one place behind to cap a good day’s work for the Swiss team.
‘Bottas delighted’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...900319152.html
Bottas: Alfa Romeo ‘finally understand upgrades’ after Qatar
14:16 Wed, 11 Oct 2023.
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Amid the FIA imposing maximum 18-lap stint lengths to alleviate concerns over the tyres, Alfa Romeo took advantage of an early Safety Car to pit Bottas after only three laps. Bottas’ early gamble paid dividends as he took the chequered flag ninth, which became eighth when Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was penalised a third time for track limits.
“Really clean race, good strategy,” Bottas reflected. “Of course, it felt a bit strange to stop after three laps from a good position, but in the end it meant all the stints were just equal stints and we thought that would be the fastest way to the flag – and it was.”
“Yeah, of course we had a bit of luck either way, because Lewis [Hamilton] was out and also Sainz didn’t start,” Bottas acknowledged. “So otherwise, P8 would have been difficult, but sometimes you need that bit of luck and today we got everything right. And even Zhou, starting last and ending up 10th, had a great race.”
‘Finally understand upgrades’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...s-after-qatar/
Bottas: Alfa finally ‘understands upgrades 100 percent’
14:58 Thu, 12 Oct 2023.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Valtteri Bottas feels that Alfa Romeo owes its double podium finish in Qatar in part to its now solid understanding of the recent upgrades implemented on its C43 car. “We’ve learned a lot about the upgrades,” said Bottas. “We finally understand them 100 percent, and now we are starting to get more out of them”
“Of course, maybe the track favoured us a little bit, but at least we seem to be stronger than in previous races and I’m happy. The next race [in Austin] is quite a different track again, but it seems like we were definitely more competitive [in Qatar] than other weekends.”
‘Understands upgrades 100 percent’;
https://f1i.com/news/489843-bottas-a...0-percent.html
Alfa Romeo joins F1 trend for rear wing endplate tweak
13:45, 2023.
By: Matt Somerfield
Co-author: Giorgio Piola
Motorsport.com
The challenges of a sprint race meant Formula 1 upgrades were thin on the ground in Qatar last weekend – but they weren’t completely absent. Three teams took the plunge in making modifications to their cars, with Alfa Romeo becoming the seventh F1 team to modify its rear wing endplate to feature an upwashing swage line on the external face.
‘Alfa Romeo joins F1 trend’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...weak/10532480/
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FIA officially warns Stroll over Qatar GP garage tantrum.
The FIA has handed Lance Stroll an official warning for his conduct in the wake of his Q1 elimination from qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix last weekend.
08:42 Sat, 14 Oct 2023.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
After the session, an angry Stroll climbed out of his car made his way towards the back of the Aston Martin garage, ignoring a directive from his performance coach Henry Howe to exit at the front to present himself at the weighbridge.
As Howe insisted, Stroll then abruptly vented his frustration by showing his coach out of the way. Earlier this week, it came to light that the FIA was investigating the matter, with Stroll referred to the governing body’s Compliance Officer to determine whether his actions had breached motorsport’s Code of Ethics.
On Friday, the FIA issued an update in which it stated that it had handed Stroll a warning regarding his antics in Qatar. “We can confirm that the FIA Compliance Officer has received an apology from Lance Stroll regarding his actions during the 2023 FIA Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix,” read the FIA statement.
‘FIA officially warns Stroll’;
https://f1i.com/news/489916-fia-offi...e-tantrum.html
Heart v head for Lawrence Stroll – surely one option with son Lance
Sunday 15th October, 2023 - 10:06am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
You will no doubt have heard the expression ‘blood is thicker than water’, and it undoubtedly rings true when it comes to the father-son relationship that is Lawrence and Lance Stroll. But at this particular point in time, Aston Martin owner Lawrence must be questioning such a phrase following the dramatic collapse in the form of his 24-year-old.
Almost certainly, Stroll Jr’s Formula 1 future would be a serious topic of debate in the boardroom of every other team – if a decision to let him go had not already been taken by now. Stroll was a remarkable sixth in the season-opening Bahrain GP, a result that even had Alonso hailing the superhero qualities of a driver 18 years his junior, followed by a season-high fourth in the crash-strewn race in Australia, and then seventh in Azerbaijan.
So it is evident the talent is there, leaving you wondering exactly what has happened for him to disappear off the radar and become the petulant man-child as witnessed after qualifying for last weekend’s Qatar GP. Stroll’s anger was understandable in many respects. He had again been knocked out of Q1, finishing 1.1secs adrift of Alonso, and in the same-spec AMR23. It resulted in Stroll sullenly throwing his steering wheel out of the cockpit before storming to the back of the garage and pushing his personal trainer, Henry Howe, out of the way as he made his escape.
‘Heart v head’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/15...-martin-heart/
Aston Martin chief wants less criticism of Lance Stroll as FIA probes F1 shove incident
Lance Stroll was criticised over the Qatar Grand Prix weekend by F1 journalists, pundits and fans alike for shoving an Aston Martin colleague in frustration over his qualifying performance
19:43 Thu, 12 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack likened Lance Stroll's qualifying outburst at the Qatar Grand Prix to when a footballer reacts angrily to being substituted as he called for "more respect" from Formula 1 media. His Aston Martin team played down the incident, as did Stroll as as he later reflected on it.
"We're good. He's a bro," the racer said. "We go through the frustrations together and we ride together, so we're cool. I'm not looking at social media. I'm in the car driving this weekend." Regardless, he faced a wave of criticism from journalists, pundits and fans for his actions. But his boss Krack suggested his belief that there was an overreaction to the incident and that he feels drivers should be cut some slack for their actions in the head of the moment.
Krack said: "I'm sure we run 10-20 times less adrenaline on the pit wall than the drivers do, but you put the microphone straight away in front of them, or you gauge every reaction that they do. Emotions are what we want from sportsmen and then if they react, we judge them quickly, 'Is this right, is this wrong?'
‘More respect from Formula 1 media’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...spect-31175820
Nico Rosberg and David Coulthard rip Lance Stroll to shreds
Calls for Lance Stroll to be replaced at Aston Martin are mounting, as the Canadian continues to spark controversy.
14 October 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg and ex-F1 driver David Coulthard have agreed that Lance Stroll’s behaviour last Friday at the Qatar Grand Prix was poor, after he pushed his personal trainer.
Rosberg slammed Stroll after qualifying in Qatar and stressed that he cannot treat any team member in the manner of which he did. “That’s not on, not for the mechanics, not for the trainer, not for anybody. That’s really bad behaviour,” Rosberg told Sky Sports F1.
Coulthard agreed with Rosberg’s take on the incident and noted that the Aston Martin driver “had a breakdown”, whilst his trainer was simply “trying to do his job”. “He’s just getting absolutely hammered by Fernando Alonso and he’s had a meltdown. His trainer is just trying to do his job, which is get him to the scales,” Coulthard said on Channel 4.
‘Lance Stroll’s behaviour’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/nico-rosb...oll-to-shreds/
Lance Stroll apologizes for conduct at Qatar GP and receives written warning from FIA
13 October 2023 at 6:22 pm
Associated Press
Yahoo! UK & Ireland.
LONDON (AP) — Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll apologized to Formula One's governing body and received a written warning Friday for his conduct at the Qatar Grand Prix, where he shoved a member of his team in frustration after an early exit in qualifying.
‘Lance Stroll apologises’;
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/lance-stro...a553cBIulAm_Pw
Stroll receives FIA warning for Code of Ethics breach for shoving coach
13th October 2023, 17:15
Written by Will Wood
RaceFans
The FIA’s Code of Ethics states in section 1.4 that “all forms of harassment against participants to the FIA activities, be it physical, mental, professional or sexual, are prohibited.”.
Stroll has not yet made any public comment on his apology or on the FIA’s warning. He currently sits in tenth place in the constructors’ championship on 47 points, six places and 136 points below team mate Fernando Alonso.
‘FIA warning for Code of Ethics breach’;
https://www.racefans.net/2023/10/13/...shoving-coach/
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Sargeant defends record: F1 drivers used to have “endless testing”.
Logan Sargeant insists he deserves more time in F1, explaining that rookie drivers have very limited testing time.
October 15, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
In addition to this, pre-season testing is very limited for young drivers. Sargeant recently explained the impact of this on his ability to achieve results: “It is a constant work-in-progress, and I don’t think anyone is perfect in that sense,” he told racingnews365.
“It is just about building off the mistakes, and it might sound silly, but using them to your advantage to try and learn from them. Ideally, you’d have more testing, as that is the best way to prepare. I mean, back in the day when Lewis [Hamilton] and Fernando [Alonso] joined, everyone back then got endless days of testing. And in the current car, too, which is very different to what we experience now.”
These points are entirely valid, with pre-season testing far shorter than it used to be. In the current era of F1, rookies must adapt quickly to the demands of the sport. This doesn’t mean that rookies are doomed – as evidenced by Piastri’s performances. However, it does complicate things.
‘Sargeant defends record’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...dless-testing/
Sargeant in firm declaration as he battles to save F1 seat
14 October 8:00PM
Author Jake Nichol
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Williams Logan Sargeant says he ignores the "nonsense" of social media as the under-pressure rookie fights to save his Formula 1 career. "Experience always helps, but I have people to talk to to just try and understand how to approach things and why these little mistakes are happening and how to get rid of them," Sargeant explained to media including RacingNews365.
"It is a constant work-in-progress, and I don't think anyone is perfect in that sense - it is just about building off the mistakes, and it might sound silly, but using them to your advantage to try and learn from it.”
"Everyone who knows what is going on behind the scenes, who knows me as a person wants me to succeed. I have support from the team, so don't really care what anyone else thinks. I don't look at [social media] to be honest. I have conversations with people who want me to keep improving, people who want me to be a better driver and person so I don't even pay attention to any of that nonsense."
‘Sargeant in firm declaration’;
https://racingnews365.com/sargeant-i...o-save-f1-seat
Williams’ Vowles says Lawson ‘absolutely deserving’ of a seat in F1 as he restates commitment to help ‘quick’ Sargeant
13 October 2023
Formula One - Official Site
When asked about the difficulty in his role as Team Principal of striking a balance between encouraging Sargeant whilst also needing to see a certain level of performance from the youngster, Vowles responded: “You’ve summed it up perfectly.”
“We have a responsibility both as a team, because we’ve brought Logan in with very minimal amounts of testing. If you compare, for example, even to Oscar [Piastri] on the grid, Oscar was taking a year of just doing F1 testing [in 2022], and he’s doing an excellent job with it.”
“We have a responsibility to Logan to make sure we’ve given him every opportunity to succeed, and I don’t believe we’ve done that yet, which is why my commentary is quite clear in the media.”
‘Williams’ Vowles restates commitment to help ‘quick’ Sargeant’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...bvkzbo81n.html
VOWLES: ‘WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LOGAN’
James Vowles reiterates Williams' commitment to the American rookie
October 13, 2023
Grace Robinson
FormulaNerds
James Vowles, Williams f1 Team principal, has spoken about the team’s commitment to Logan Sargeant. With the only seat left for the 2024 season being Sargeant’s current one, all eyes are on Williams and Vowles to see if they stick with the American.
Will Sargeant stay for 2024? As the season’s end draws closer, many are speculating whether Sargeant will stay. Vowles certainly hasn’t made his decision yet but has spoken about some of the things that the American driver has done to convince him that he is worthy of another year behind the wheel. One of these moments was at the Qatar Grand Prix during the only free practice of the weekend. Sargeant was quick during FP1. What makes this more impressive is this track was entirely new to him.
“You saw in an FP1 session, he’s actually doing a good job, again putting himself in the top 10. We weren’t doing anything special with him. At the end of the year, we’ll all know, and I’ll be able to look him in the eyes and know that we’ve given him the best opportunity, or that he is absolutely going to be in the car next year, but let’s provide him the time to be able to do that.”
‘Some things that have convinced him that he is worthy of another year behind the wheel’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/vo...lity-to-logan/
Vowles tells Sargeant to be more consistent
15/10/2023 at 11:29
Andrew Lewin
F1i.com
Williams Racing team principal James Vowles has told their rookie driver Logan Sargeant that he needs to improve his consistency if he wants to keep his seat at Grove for a second season. “Logan performed well [in Qatar]," said Vowles in a post-event video report for the official William website this week. "Especially given his illness and his weakened immune system, the dehydration he was suffering from.”
“He qualified close to Alex for the main Grand Prix and in the main GP itself," he pointed out, "Until the dehydration really properly kicked in, he was a matter of seconds behind him. He had less track limits abuse than most of the other cars around him," he added. "So he was building on that consistency we’ve asked him to work on."
‘Be more consistent’;
https://f1i.com/news/489975-vowles-t...onsistent.html
Logan Sargeant admits he was blindsided by Williams announcement over his F1 future
Logan Sargeant has not yet scored a Formula 1 point in his first season in the sport, though Williams team principal James Vowles is being patient with the American
16:32 Fri, 06 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Logan Sargeant said he had no idea that his boss James Vowles was planning to publicly back him for a place on the 2024 Formula 1 grid. His seat at Williams is the only one on the grid still to be set in stone for next year. And, given the American still hasn't scored a point in his debut year in the sport, the external pressure has been mounting.
Questioned about those quotes as he faced reporters at the Qatar Grand Prix, Sargeant said he was not expecting such a statement but that it had been a pleasant surprise. "It’s always nice, I mean, from my side, I talk to James every single weekend. I knew that before anything was put on social media. It was just sort of a nice surprise, really," he said.
"I didn’t know that was coming. But at the end of the day, I have to just keep working hard, keep my head down, and try to be better. Japan, including the lap until the last corner in quali, was my best weekend to this point, 100 percent. I built it up nicely, did everything I needed to, I was just too heavy on the right foot in the last corner and that's how quickly it can go wrong. I think, realistically, now it's just more important to have a clean weekend and not go for every last hundredth, even if that means I'm leaving a tenth or two on the table."
‘Blindsided by Williams announcement’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...-seat-31124806
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LAWSON: I ‘DON’T HAVE TIME’ TO MAKE MISTAKES AFTER LAP ONE SPRINT RACE INCIDENT.
Liam Lawson rues that he “doesn’t have time” to make mistakes after his 2023 Qatar Grand Prix sprint race error.
October 8, 2023
Nathan Hartley
FormulaNerds
The Kiwi rookie, who has been filling in for injured Daniel Ricciardo, was left frustrated after making a mistake, losing the rear of his car, spinning into the gravel and out of the race. Lawson was asked whether he would be able to move on quickly from the mistake. However, due to having limited time, he will not get over it. He said:
“No, because I don’t have time to make these kind of mistakes.
“Obviously, I have a short run in Formula 1 at the moment, so it’s important for me to make the most of every session. And I definitely can’t afford to have mistakes like this.”
Lawson started the race on medium tyres, which many drivers struggled with the low-grip, dusty surface. The Kiwi was conscious of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton having a snap of oversteer, but had already committed into the corner, carrying too much speed. “It was obviously pretty poor. But it’s the same for everybody. So obviously a big mistake for me and I’m obviously very sorry to the team. Really caught me out. Turn 1 was really good on line, made up some places.”
‘Can’t afford to have mistakes like this’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/la...race-incident/
Lawson disappointed not to ‘go out on a high’ as his super-sub stint comes to an end
08 Oct 2023
Speedcafe
Liam Lawson has stood in for Daniel Ricciardo at AlphaTauri for the last five races, but was disappointed not to get a better result on his last outing in the car as he finished P17 and last in Qatar.
‘Lawson disappointed not to ‘go out on a high’ ’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...352287568.html
Lawson disappointed with final F1 cameo
Monday 9th October, 2023 - 3:37pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
With Daniel Ricciardo expected to return to the Scuderia AlphaTauri drive for the United States Grand Prix, it’s likely Lawson’s final F1 appearance until 2025.
“Obviously you want to go out on a high, so this is pretty tough to finish off on,” the 22-year-old said. “It’s just something really to look into.”
“Obviously the first couple of races went really good, we were building up, and then this weekend I think we just struggled.”
‘Final F1 cameo’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/09...inal-f1-cameo/
Lawson laments ‘pretty tough’ end to AlphaTauri stint
10:19 Tue, 10 Oct 2023.
Michael Delaney
F1i.com
F1 rookie Liam Lawson hoped to conclude his cameo with AlphaTauri on a high, but instead it was a “pretty tough” end for the young gun in Qatar. Lawson crossed the checkered flag in 17th position as the final driver in the pecking order after running at the tail end of the field all evening, struggling for grip.
The 21-year-old, who spun out of F1’s sprint event on Saturday, left Qatar with few positives to take away from what was likely his final outing with AlphaTauri, as Daniel Ricciardo is expected to return to active duty at the US Grand Prix in Austin next week.
“We had a good start next to Stroll and [he] just didn’t really see me, so swiped across the front of me,” Lawson explained. “And then I lost like two more spots, so it was obviously pretty frustrating there.”
‘Lawson laments’;
https://f1i.com/news/489720-lawson-l...uri-stint.html
Lawson will linger on Qatar sprint mistake as F1 cameo ends
12:46 Sun, 08 Oct 2023.
By: Matt Kew
Motorsport.com
Japanese Super Formula points runner-up Lawson has largely impressed during his five-round cameo for Ricciardo, who crashed in practice at Zandvoort, breaking a bone in his left hand.
Lawson lost control through Turn 2 on the opening lap to beach his car in the gravel and retire from the Saturday race, his penultimate before Daniel Ricciardo is due to return from injury. The 21-year-old Kiwi said that this is a mistake that he “can’t afford” and will therefore likely dwell on as his effective audition for a full-time race seat in 2025 is fast approaching its end.
‘Qatar sprint mistake as F1 cameo ends’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/l...ends/10530325/
Liam Lawson will get a Red Bull F1 race seat – maybe sooner than you'd think.
Daniel Ricciardo's broken hand, sustained in a crash at the Dutch Grand Prix, gave the opportunity for Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson to audition for a full-time F1 seat.
06:14 Mon, 09 Oct 2023.
By Daniel Moxon Senior F1 Writer
The Mirror
Liam Lawson has, barring any unexpected twists in Daniel Ricciardo's recovery, completed his final Formula 1 race this season. But I'll eat my own pen if it's the last of his career, even with the Aussie expected to be back in action at the United States Grand Prix next time out.
It is inconceivable that he won't get a full-time seat at some point, given the way he has proven himself in this temporary stint. Disappointingly, he did not manage to go out with a bang at the Qatar Grand Prix. He span out of the Sprint and was dead last of the finishers in the main race on Sunday as he struggled with the sweltering heat.
So did the rest of the drivers, to be fair. But his first four efforts were excellent. Solid drives at Zandvoort, Monza and Suzuka were not rewarded as they might have been, but his ninth-placed finish in Singapore, another sweatbox of a night race, remains AlphaTauri's best result of the season.
‘But I'll eat my own pen if it's the last of his career’;
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...uture-31138668
Horner: Lawson will return to F1 in the future
Wednesday 11th October, 2023 - 5:00am
By Ian Parkes
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has made it clear to Liam Lawson he has not run his last race in F1. Lawson performed admirably over the five grands prix in which he deputised for Daniel Ricciardo with AlphaTauri, even if he felt he let himself down with his performance in the last of those in Qatar last weekend.
“He’s done a great job,” said Horner on Lawson’s five-race cameo. “Jumping in with zero mileage in the car, and he’s acquitted himself well as a grand prix driver. I think he’s caught all our attention in terms of the job that he’s done. It certainly won’t be his last race in F1, I’m sure of that, with what he’s done in these five races. He’s demonstrated that he deserves an opportunity in the future.”
‘Lawson will return to F1’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/11...uri-f1-future/
Lawson ‘to keep fire warm’ under Ricciardo and Tsunoda
Tuesday 10th October, 2023 - 5:00am
By Ian Parkes
Speedcafe
The 21-year-old New Zealander then conjured an astonishing performance in Singapore where he scored the team’s best result of the season in finishing ninth. AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer has explained the rationale as to why Liam Lawson was overlooked for a race seat with the team in 2024. Bayer said: “We had lots of discussions about the future of the team and our shareholders said ‘We want you to continue and educate young drivers but we also want you to be successful’.
Assessing why Lawson was overlooked, “Ultimately, you can’t have both. You can’t have two ‘young’ drivers in the team. We looked at what we needed to deliver that, and we finally came to the conclusion that, first of all, we only have two seats. Daniel offers a lot of expertise, especially when it comes down to the setup of the car, which is something that we have struggled with.”
Bayer insists, though, AlphaTauri will always provide opportunities for upcoming drivers, but that now has to be tempered by the needs of the team in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Suggested to Bayer that AlphaTauri’s reason for existence was no longer as a platform for young drivers, he replied: “It is but not absolutely so. The reality today, if you’re looking at the grid, it’s so competitive, so tight, with every tenth of a second being fought for.”
‘Lawson ‘to keep fire warm’ ’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/10...-yuki-tsunoda/
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Andretti Drama Exposes Increasing Tension Between F1 and FIA.
FIA President Ben Sulayem says Andretti has nothing to worry about, but a war between the FIA and Formula 1 is brewing.
Oct 11, 2023 6:00 PM EDT
byChris Rosales|
TheDrive.com
Michael Andretti’s place on the Formula 1 grid is far from a given. Even though the FIA approved the American team for competition in F1, there’s still a major hurdle to be cleared. A political one, that can't simply be vaulted over by allowing Andretti to compete. Andretti may be the smoke, but a brewing war between the FIA and Formula 1 Management (FOM) is the real fire.
When speaking to Motorsport.com, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said that he is "very optimistic" that Andretti will get approval from F1. He continued, apparently unprompted, saying "We don't have to go to court, and I don't think any of us will go to court, I mean, maybe it sounds very exciting and thrilling to the media, but it will not go to court. I'm sure of that. Why should we go to court?"
Ben Sulayem’s comments reflect a situation brewing since Andretti first tendered its interest in F1, and it also reads like somebody with a lot to worry about. The FIA believes Andretti fits the bill for an 11th team—manufacturer backing and real intent to compete—and emphatically supports their entry into F1. But F1 isn’t convinced, and has acted borderline hostile to Andretti. All of this points to a growing political war between F1 and the FIA.
‘Growing political war’;
https://www.thedrive.com/news/andret...een-f1-and-fia
Fresh blow for Andretti’s F1 plans as Renault engine pre-contract agreement expires
12 Oct 2023
Lewis Larkam
Crash.Net
Alpine have revealed that a pre-contract agreement to supply customer engines to Andretti’s new F1 team has now expired. “We will not resume discussions until the review process has been completed with a positive result.”
Famin added: "In principle, we have nothing against an eleventh team if it turns out that it increases the value of the sport. But it is not our job to judge that. We follow the regulations, whether it is the sporting regulations or the Concorde agreement.”
‘Fresh blow for Andretti’s F1 plans’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/103794...option-expires
Andretti will not be left without F1 engine supply, says FIA
11:33, 2023.
By: Jonathan Noble
Motorsport.com
Andretti Global F1 had originally been expected a supply of Renault engines, but it emerged last week that a pre-contract the team had with the French manufacturer had now lapsed, and talks had not resumed. The situation means that, for now, Andretti does not have a firm engine contract in place.
Ben Sulayem said there was no doubt in his mind that the rules were explicit in ensuring a supply for Andretti. “It works that, with the rules, nobody can say no to them,” he said.
“If all the teams say no, then the FIA has the power to go on and say, the least two [engine manufacturers] being used, then we put them in a draw, and we take one. It’s not a secret, and I'm sure it is either Alpine or Honda, and one of them would win because that is the rules.”
‘That is the rules’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/a...-fia/10533383/
ANALYSIS: Full impact of Andretti Global F1 entry
Thursday 12th October, 2023 - 1:00pm
By Mat Coch
Speedcafe
How F1 prize money is divided: Currently, teams enjoy a $35 million flat payment from F1 for taking part in the championship, a simple $350 million pot split 10 ways.
Financial adjustments for Andretti Global in F1: What we can say with some certainty is that F1’s prize money fund will not get any larger, so the money will have to go further.
Ferrari will continue to receive its five percent bonus (though some sources suggest this is a flat $35 million sum rather than a percentage of income), while the ‘success’ bonus pot will also remain unchanged – worth around $3.6 million for each of the six currently eligible teams (Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Alpine, McLaren, and Williams).
From there, ‘Column 1’ payments, the flat fee paid out simply for competing, are assumed to reduce with the $350 million sum being split 11 ways rather than 10. Each team would therefore receive $31.82 million instead of $35 million, a reduction of $3.18 million for the existing 10 teams. However, given the prize money fund won’t increase, the performance-based payments would have to be adjusted.
‘A reduction of $3.18 million for the existing 10 teams’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/12...obal-f1-entry/
FIA president delivers bad news to F1 teams trying to block Andretti bid
14 Oct 2023 7:45 AM
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said the F1 teams have “no power” over Andretti joining and that it is a decision for the FIA and FOM. Formula 1 teams have been the biggest opponents to Andretti getting on the grid with many of them concerned that another mouth to feed will have a negative impact on their own profits. Regardless of their opinions, they officially do not get a vote but FOM is always going to be keen to get them on side.
As of right now, it appears as if you have the FIA in one corner and the F1 teams and FOM in the other when it comes to Andretti with the latter two being much less inclined to make room for the American team. It is an issue that threatens to bring tension to the FIA-F1 relationship but the sporting body’s president is unperturbed by this, remarking that the relationship between the two was like the Vatican and the Pope.
‘Tension to the FIA-F1 relationship’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-pr...power-andretti
Hypocrisy over Andretti: The F1 teams waging war on 11th team entry
October 11th 2023
Author Chris Medland
Motor Sport Magazine
The major talking point on Thursday and Friday surrounded the FIA’s approval of Andretti Cadillac’s application to join Formula 1 in future. That approval had looked to be on its way for a number of months and all it has served to do is officially move the process onto negotiations with Formula One Management (FOM), an aspect that was always going to prove the biggest hurdle.
Opposition from FOM was also not unexpected given the comments made by teams and Stefano Domenicali ever since Andretti publicly announced its plans to set up a new team. But as you might have picked up from the post-race diary, what really stood out to me was the hypocrisy of some teams, as they outlined their resistance to the bid.
‘Hypocrisy over Andretti’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#
Revealed: The two F1 teams who oppose Andretti’s arrival the most
15 Oct 2023 8:30 PM
Henry Valantine
PlanetF1.com
Williams and Haas may be the most likely teams to take exception to an Andretti F1 entry, with former Williams team manager Peter Windsor explaining why.
Current Williams team principal James Vowles has made his position abundantly clear on the issue of an extra team, hoping to see Formula 1 become financially stable throughout the grid before adding to it, while Haas also oppose adding to the grid for now.
While Andretti would have to pay a $200m [£165m] anti-dilution fee to the existing teams if they do enter Formula 1, Windsor explained that the subsequent loss of income for the other teams would lessen the size of the proverbial “slices of cake” when split between 11 instead of 10.
‘F1 teams who oppose Andretti’s arrival’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/bigges...ition-revealed
Ferrari, Williams against Andretti F1 entry
Saturday 7th October, 2023 - 8:00pm
By Mat Coch
Ferrari and Williams team bosses have expressed their displeasure at the concept of Andretti Global being granted entry into F1. “Williams is against the addition of an 11th team and very strongly against,” explained James Vowles, Williams’ team principal.
“My responsibility is to 900 employees within my company.” Vowles argues that Williams has consistently made a loss and will continue to do so in at least the short term as it invests to boost its on-track competitiveness.
‘Against Andretti F1 entry’;
https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/10/07...etti-f1-entry/
Red Bull reveal opposition to Andretti joining F1
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has revealed concerns about the impact of Andretti turning the sport into an 11-team competition.
10 October 2023
by Edward Hardy
Formula1News.com
Despite existing F1 teams lacking the authority to influence the decision of admitting an 11th team to the grid, Marko articulated his reservations about how the championship’s “cake” would be apportioned if it expanded beyond the current ten teams.
He remarked, “As a team, we have no legal opportunity to have a say in this. But my opinion is clear: if the cake is divided by eleven, instead of ten, there must be a balance.” While the FIA has granted its approval, the ultimate verdict resides with F1’s proprietors, Liberty Media.
‘Red Bull reveal opposition’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/red-bull-...ti-joining-f1/
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Horner: McLaren now Red Bull’s ‘most consistent challenger’.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has praised McLaren's recent form, labelling team papaya as their "most consistent challenger” in Formula 1.
16/10/2023 at 15:45
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
"It's moved around over the last four or five races but they've become certainly more consistent, the most consistent challenger,” Horner asserted. "They're doing a good job and the drivers are driving well. Particularly Oscar, in his rookie season is doing a very strong job."
McLaren’s strong run of form has allowed the Woking-based outfit to reduce its gap to fourth-placed team Aston in F1’s Constructors’ standings to just 11 points. However, in Qatar last time out, McLaren F1 boss Andrea Stella was cautious regarding his team’s ability to seize fourth in the championship…
“We stay very, very grounded,” said the Italian. “We saw how marginal things are. We saw what happened with Mercedes, like what happened with Ferrari who didn’t even start. This is not because they are not great teams with great drivers, this is because the sport is very marginal.”
‘Most consistent challenger’;
https://f1i.com/news/490035-horner-m...hallenger.html
McLaren now most 'consistent' Red Bull rival - Horner
16 October 8:45AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner believes McLaren has now become the most "consistent" rival to the team in Formula 1. Horner believes their resurgence in form has led to McLaren becoming the most consistent rival to Red Bull.
Max Verstappen believes McLaren's strong driver lineup is enabling them to be consistently behind Red Bull as a rival on track. "As a team they are probably the most consistent, compared to the others behind us," said the three-time World Champion.
‘Most 'consistent' Red Bull rival’;
https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-no...l-rival-horner
NORRIS: MCLAREN CLOSING CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS GAP TO FERRARI IS ‘DOABLE’
Ferrari holds a 79-point lead over McLaren in the Constructors' Standings
October 14, 2023
Jasmine Hughes
FormulaNerds
McLaren was something of a late bloomer this season, suffering a slow start to the year. But since garnering momentum at the British Grand Prix in July, McLaren has celebrated seven podiums between its two drivers, with rookie Oscar Piastri taking the Sprint Race win at the recent Qatar Grand Prix.
As of Qatar, McLaren sits fifth in the Constructors’ standings, just 11 points behind Aston Martin, which enjoyed a flying start to the season but has floundered in recent races. Third in the standings is Ferrari, bolstered by Carlos Sainz’s race win at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Although Ferrari has a 79-point advantage over McLaren, it seems Lando Norris believes that the British team could beat Ferrari to third in the standings by the end of the season. “It’s doable, I think so,” Norris told Motorsport.com.
‘GAP TO FERRARI IS ‘DOABLE’ ’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/no...ari-is-doable/
Norris: Making up 79-point gap to Ferrari F1 for P3 "doable"
09:10 Sat, 14 Oct 2023.
By: Filip Cleeren
Motorsport.com
McLaren started the season off the pace but following a change of concept and personnel reshuffle it has produced an impressive B-spec that turned the MCL60 into a reliable podium contender.
When asked if Ferrari can still be caught across the remaining five weekends, which include two more sprints, Norris replied: "It’s doable, I think so. A couple of races ago it was 70-something [points] to Aston.
"I think we're just doing a good job, not just in terms of pace but we had a 1.8 second pit stop which is pretty impressive from the guys. They've been working extremely hard so to reward the whole team consistently is only more motivating and a bigger boost every weekend."
‘79-point gap to Ferrari F1 for P3 "doable" ’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/n...able/10532525/
McLaren to trial landmark upgrade at US Grand Prix
Saturday 14 October 2023 11:57
Cal Gaunt
GPFans
McLaren are set to experiment with cutting-edge recycled carbon fibre components on their cars at the upcoming United States Grand Prix. Collaborating with V Carbon, an innovative composites organisation, McLaren have successfully procured materials to produce unique components designed for the cockpit branding panels.
This initiative marks a significant stride towards the team's goal of creating a fully sustainable Formula 1 car by the decade's end, aligning with the sport's broader sustainability objectives and offering remarkable advantages. “We're proud to team up with V Carbon to lead the charge in sustainable materials, running with recycled carbon fibre at the Austin GP," said McLaren chief operating officer Piers Thynne. "The potential future applications of rCF are hugely exciting.”
‘Landmark upgrade’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...-prix-upgrade/
McLaren reveal early optimism for 2024 development
October 13, 2023
By: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella reveals there are already promising signs for the team’s 2024 development. At this stage of the year, McLaren is capturing the majority of F1 headlines. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured another double-podium at the Losail International Circuit, underscoring the team’s fantastic leap mid-season.
When the year began, the MCL60 was limited in almost all areas. Excessive drag and lousy top speed were among the most obvious weaknesses. The first large-scale updates in Austria largely resolved this area, with the next set of changes targeted at improving low-speed performance.
‘Early optimism for 2024 development’;
https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...4-development/
Mercedes F1 director reveals SECRET behind rival's resurgence
Friday 13 October 2023 10:57
Sam Cook
GPFans
Sky Sports F1 pundit Ted Kravitz has revealed that Mercedes technical director James Allison told him where McLaren have been able to make such huge gains in 2023.
“James Allison from Mercedes said, ‘You look at where the Red Bull is strong, where the McLaren is strong and it’s in that kind 220 to 250kph bracket,’ which kind of meant that in those medium to high-speed corners,” Kravitz said. “There it absolutely gains a huge amount of time.”
"On the balance of the tracks that we have nowadays, that’s a significant number of corners that are at that speed range. That’s where the McLaren has really made huge gains. Alright, it’s not so great in the low speed corners but they can sort of figure that out but it’s clearly a good car.”
‘SECRET behind rival's resurgence’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...ravitz-secret/
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EL PLAN: Fernando Alonso lambasts Motorsport.com.
Fernando Alonso was accused of having a go at Aston Martin during the Japanese GP, and the Spaniard has fired back.
16 October 2023
by Nick Golding
Formula1News
When those around him made their first pit-stop, Alonso’s new tyres were already several laps old, with him being heard telling his team on the radio that they’d “thrown him to the lions”. Alonso’s radio message in Japan was viewed negatively; however, he’s insisted that this isn’t actually the case.
Not all of Alonso’s and the Silverstone-based team’s radio conversations during the Japanese GP were heard on the world feed, with the Spaniard having insisted after the race that his ‘lion’ remark had been taken out of context. Alonso recently explained how it’s difficult for those watching F1 to truly understand the meaning behind a radio message, as conversations prior to a session aren’t heard by the world.
The Aston Martin driver revealed that he’d spoken to the team about not pitting to early in Japan moments before the race whilst sitting on the grid, with his early-race comment having been in reference to that. “Even I think last Monday, Motorsport.com still put in the radio – so it was one week after Suzuka – saying that I was in traffic after my stop. Which was a little bit surprising because I don’t know what negativity it is on that, discussing with the team.” Fernando Alonso
‘EL PLAN: Motorsport.com still put in the radio…’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/fernando-...otorsport-com/
Alonso: ‘99% of people cannot understand’ F1 radio exchanges
17th October 2023, 13:21
by Taylor Powling
Motorsport Week
Alonso expressed that spectators can’t grasp the context of any dialogue that is released as they aren’t privy to prior discussions. “Yeah, I have no problem at all,” he began. “Obviously, in Suzuka it has been, yeah… It was difficult to get the point of the media. Even, I think, last Monday Motorsport.com still put in the radio.”
“So it was one week after Suzuka, saying that I was in traffic after my stop, which I was a little surprised, because I don’t know what negativity is on that, discussing with the team. And obviously you have no information about how the weekend goes, you know, the meetings that we have on Sunday morning.”
“Even on the grid, you know, the conversation on the grid on Sunday in Suzuka, we were talking, ‘don’t stop too early, because then with our lack of speed on the straights, we will be in traffic and we will get stuck’. So, when the radio comes out, obviously the level of maturity and complexity on the comments, 99% of the people cannot understand.”
“EL PLAN: 99% of people cannot understand”;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...dio-exchanges/
Aston Martin working on solving AMR23 ‘burning seat’ issue
15:59 Sat, 14 Oct 2023.
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com
Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack says the team is trying its best to address the burning seat issue suffered by Fernando Alonso in Qatar but which appears to be a recurring problem on the team’s AMR23.
“The seat is burning, mate. Anything we can do at the pit stop? Throw me water or something,” Alonso asked. Given the amount of electrical wire and components located in the cockpit of Aston’s car, the team predictably ignored its driver’s appeal.
After the race, when queried on Alonso’s plight, Krack admitted that it hadn’t been the first time the Spaniard had complained about the searing heat emanating from his machine’s seat. “Yes, it’s true. He reported on it already a couple of times,” said the Aston chief. “We are working on it. And it’s not that we have not done anything. We had it also in Singapore, which we thought was much, much better.”
‘EL PLAN: AMR23 ‘burning seat’ issue’;
https://f1i.com/news/489946-aston-ma...eat-issue.html
Alonso directs 'overconfident' jibe to McLaren
16 October 7:45PM
Author Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365
Fernando Alonso has suggested that it is good that McLaren is “overconfident” amid the fight for fourth place in the Constructors' Championship. Recently, McLaren's Lando Norris expressed conviction that the team could emerge on top in the fight.
Speaking to media including RacingNews365.com, Alonso has said that Aston Martin can benefit from their rivals having too much confidence. “Obviously they have the momentum for sure,” Alonso said. “And they've been quite fast. But every weekend we see up and downs for everybody.”
“They've been very strong before the August break in Austria, in Silverstone. I think they were close to being both on the podium in Silverstone. In Zandvoort, we were on the podium and they struggled a little bit. So, it's good if they're overconfident, and let's see if we can beat them in Abu Dhabi!”
‘EL PLAN: It is good that McLaren is “overconfident”;
https://racingnews365.com/alonso-dir...ibe-to-mclaren
Norris responds to 'silly' Alonso confidence jibe
14 October 8:45AM
Author Rory Mitchell
Co-author Aaron Deckers
RacingNews365
Lando Norris has responded to Fernando Alonso's jibe over McLaren becoming "overconfident" in its pursuit to finish ahead of Aston Martin in Formula 1 Constructors' Championship.
When asked about the comments, Norris told media, including RacingNews365: "How many points did we catch in Suzuka? 20? So unless his maths is deteriorating.... Which it definitely isn't!
"Fernando is just Fernando, he's always gonna say things, he always makes himself look very good or other makes other people look bad."
' EL PLAN: Silly Alonso confidence jibe’;
https://racingnews365.com/norris-res...onfidence-jibe
